THE PORT OF SUAKIN.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume I, Issue 43, 18 January 1884, Page 3

THE PORT OF SUAKIN.

Tux following description of the port of Suakhh on the Bed Bea, and its inhabitants, < will, in the present position of affairs in Egypt, be read with interest: —Suakin is a considerable place. The harbor, entered by a deep, narrow, land • girt channel, allows steamers of heavy tonnage to anchor within less than a hundred yards of the coral beach. The principal part of the town is situated on * an island, connected with the mainland by a narrow causeway. On the island are the Custom House, Government offices, and stores for merchandise. On the taainland is the bazaar and native town, the latter consisting of rude huts, in many cases mere sunshades of tree branches and matting, the more permanent buildings being square, flattopped mud structures. The natives who throng the bazaar, though for the most part in color quite as black as any negroes, are far from having the same type of features as the latter. On the contrary, the Haddendowas, as they are named, are, as a rule, remarkably handsome add splendidly formed. The nose is either straight or aquiline, and, except in some cases, where there has been an evident mingling of negro blood, the mouth and nose are as well formed as in the best European types. In all cases, however, the hair seems to partake more or less of the woolly nature characteristic of the Western African. Both sexes almost

invariably have the head uncovered, the hair in the case of the men being dressed in the « peculiar fashion of Zulus, namely, made up with grease towering mass on the centre of the head, hanging down behind, and flanked by similar masses on either side. Through this is stuck a long bone pin running traversely. The hair of the women is plaitec into innumerable little tails less than a quarter of an inch in width, the ends slightly frizzed and rarely reachi than the bottom of the ears. Both mOThnd women bear three long vertical scars on either cheek by way of ornament, the backs and shoulders of some of the women being symmetrically scarred, so that their skins resemble so many Elizabethan slashed doublets of black satin. The weapons of the adults are broad-headed javelins, swords, and occasionally bows and arrows. Behind the left elbow is fastened a small leaf-bladed sheathed dagger. As a defence a circular shield of hippopotamus hide, a couple of feet in diameter, having a large conical boss in the centre, is carried, It is not worn on the arm, the handle being grasped in the hand only. The sword, long and straight, with cylindrical and lengthy cross-guard, seem modelled exaetiy after those of the Crusaders. War dances are among the favorite amusements of the Haddendowas. Two or three hundred form a large circle in the midst of which sit a couple of men hammering away monotonously on small conical drums. Each person in turn takes a shield and spear or sword, and putting on a most savage expression of countenance, goes through a series of bounds and contortions, cutting right and left with his sword or stabbing with his spear. Meantime the female portion of the spectators encourage and applaud the spectators by emitting a long, shrill, gurgling cry—such as used elsewh -re by Arab women.