a country of Africa, bordering upon Abyssinia, with the title of a kingdom; the present government of which was established in the 16th century by a race of negroes named, in their own language, Shillook. This country, together with all the northern parts of Africa, had been overrun by the Saracens during the rapid conquests of the caliphs; but instead of erecting any distinct principalities here, as in other parts, they had incorporated themselves with the old inhabitants called Shepherds, whom they found at their arrival; had converted them to their religion, and become one people with them. In 1504 the Shillook, a people before unknown, came from the western banks of the river Bahiar el Abiad, which empties itself into the Nile, and conquered the country; allowing the Arabs, however, to retain their possessions on condition of paying them a certain tribute. These founded the city of Sennaar, and have ever since continued to carry on an intercourse with Egypt in the way of merchandise. At the establishment of their monarchy the whole nation were Pagans, but soon after became converts to Mohammedanism, and took the name of Fringe, an appellation signifying "lords or conquerors," and likewise free citizens. Mr Bruce, who passed through this country in his return from Abyssinia, gives a list of 20 kings who have reigned in it since the conquest of the Shillook.

This country is inhabited by a people so barbarous and brutish, that no history of them can be expected. One of the most remarkable of their customs is, that the king ascends the throne with the expectation of being murdered whenever the general council of the nation thinks proper. The dreadful office of executioner belongs to one single officer, styled in the language of the country, Sid el Coom; and who is always a relation of the monarch himself. It was from his registers that Mr Bruce took the list of the kings already mentioned, with the number of years they reigned, and which may therefore be received as authentic. The Sid el Coom in office at the time that Mr Bruce visited this country was named Achmet, and was one of his best friends. He had murdered the late king, with three of his sons, one of whom was an infant at its mother's breast; he was also in daily expectation of performing the same office to the reigning sovereign. He was by no means reserved concerning the nature of his office, but answered freely every question that was put to him. When asked by Mr Bruce why he murdered the king's young son in his father's presence? he answered, that he did it from a principle of duty to the king himself, who had a right to see his son killed in a lawful and regular manner, which was by cutting his throat with a sword, and not in a more painful or ignominious way, which the malice of his enemies might possibly have inflicted.

The king, he said, was very little concerned at the sight of his son's death, but he was so very unwilling to die himself, that he often pressed the executioner to let him escape; but finding his entreaties ineffectual, he submitted at last without resistance. On being asked whether he was not afraid of coming into the presence of the king, considering the office he might possibly have to perform? he replied, that he was not in the least afraid on this account; that it was his duty to be with the king every morning, and very late in the evening; that the king knew he would have no hand in promoting his death; but that, when the matter was absolutely determined, the rest was only an affair of decency; and it would undoubtedly be his own choice, rather to fall by the hand of his own relation in private than by a hired assassin, an Arab, or a Christian slave, in the sight of the populace. Baady the king's father, having the misfortune to be taken prisoner, was sent to Athara to Welled Haffan the governor of that province to be put to death there. But the king, who was a strong man, and always armed, kept so much upon his guard, that Welled could find no opportunity of killing him but by running him through the back with a lance as he was washing his hands. For this Welled himself was afterwards put to death; not on account of the murder itself, but because, in the first place, he, who was not the proper executioner, had presumed to put the king to death; and, in the next, because he had done it with a lance, whereas the only lawful instrument was a sword.

On the death of any of the sovereigns of this country, his eldest son succeeds to the throne of course; on which as many of his brothers as can be found are apprehended, and put to death by the Sid el Coom in the manner already related. Women are excluded from the sovereignty here as well as in Abyssinia. The princesses of Sennaar, however, are worse off than those of Abyssinia, having no settled income, nor being treated in any degree better than the daughters of private persons. The king is obliged, once in his lifetime, to plough and sow a piece of ground; whence he is named Baady, the "countryman or peasant;" a title as common among the monarchs of Sennaar as Caesar was among the Romans. The royal family were originally negroes; but as the kings frequently marry Arab women, the white colour of the mother is communicated to the child. This, we are told by Mr Bruce, is invariably the case, when a negro man of Sennaar marries an Arab woman; and it holds equally good, when an Arab man marries a negro woman; and he likewise informs us, that he never saw one black Arab all the time he was at Sennaar.

The soil and climate of this country are extremely unfavourable both to man and beast. The men are strong and remarkable for their size, but short-lived; and there is such a mortality among the children, that were it not for a constant importation of slaves, the metropolis would be depopulated. The shortness of their lives, however, may perhaps be accounted for, from their indulging themselves from their infancy in every kind of excess. No horse, mule, or ass, will live at Sennaar or for many miles round it. The case is the same with bullocks, sheep, dogs, cats, and poultry; all of them must go to the fands every half-year. It is difficult to account for this mortality; though Mr Bruce affirms us it is the case everywhere about the metropolis of this country, where the soil is a fat earth, during the first season of the rains. Two greyhounds which he brought along with him from Atbara, and the mules he brought from Abyssinia, lived only a few weeks after their arrival at Sennaar. Several of the kings of Sennaar have tried to keep lions, but it was always found impossible to preserve them alive after the rains. They will live, however, as well as other quadrupeds, in the fands, at no great distance from the capital. No species of tree except the lemon flowers near this city; the cultivation of the rose has often been attempted, but always without success. In other respects, however, the soil of Sennaar is exceedingly fertile, being said to yield 320 fold; but this is thought by Mr Bruce to be a great exaggeration. It is all sown with dora or millet, which is the principal food of the people; wheat and rice are also produced here, which are sold by the pound, even in years of plenty. The soil all round is strongly impregnated with salt, so that a sufficient quantity to serve the inhabitants is extracted from it.