cheveux naturellement bouclés, mais point laineux. Ils les
portent longs et ne se couvrent jamais la tête. Ils n’ont pour
tout vêtement qu’un morceau de toile, qu’ils attachent au-
dessus des hanches, et qui ne passe pas le milieu du corps.
Ils enduissent tout le corps de graisse.*”
The Ababdeh were described by Belzoni, who visited one
of their tribes in the Eastern Desert. He says, “ They extend
from the neighbourhood of Suez to the country inhabited by
the Bisharein, on the coast of the Red Sea, below the latitude
of 23°. They live among solitary rocks and deserts, and feed
chiefly on dhourra. They are all nearly naked, badly made,
and of small stature. They have fine eyes, particularly the
women, as Tar as we could see, of those that came to the
wells. The married women are covered, the rest uncovered.,
Their head-dresses are very curious. Some are proud of having
their hair long enough to reach below their ears, and then
formed into curls, which are so entangled and matted with
grease that it cannot be combed.” He adds, that “ as their
hair is very crisp, their heads remain dressed for a long timé!;
and that they may not derange their cocfl’ttre, when their
heads itch, they have a piece of wood, something like a packing
needle, with which they scratch themselves with great
ease without disordering their head-dress.” “ Their complexions
are naturally of a dark chocolate.; their hair quite-
black ; their teeth fine and white, protuberant and very
large.”
Some additional notices were given of the Ababdeh in the
Memoirs of the Geographical Soc i et yby Mr. Wilkinson.
The author distinguishes the Ababdeh from the Maàzy, whom
he terms Arabs, bordering on them to the northward. The
Ababdeh are said to be much more powerful and numerous.
“ Some of them have moved northward into this desert, beyond
Gebel Dokhan, with their families and flocks : but they
seem a very quiet people, and have more simplicity of man-
* Mémoire sur les ville de Qoçeyr et les environs, et sur les peuples Nomades
qui habitant cette partie de l'ancienne Troglodytique, par M. Du Bois-Aymé,
Membre de la Commission des Sciences et des Arts de l’Egypte. Description de
l’Egypte. Etât Moderne, tom. i. p. 193.
•f- Vol. iL p. 37, on the Eastern Desert of, Upper Egypt.
ners than their northern neighbours; their arms are chiefly
spears, long knives, swords, and. some guns.; with these last,
however, the Maazy being much better furnished. They have
long bushy hair like the Nubians, which forms a most distinguishing
mark between the two tribes; the others wear the
cap and turban.”