ÁDAMÁWA.—MOHAMMEDAN SETTLEMENTS IN THE HEART OF CENTRAL AFRICA.
We had now reached the border of Ádamáwa, the country after which I
had been panting so long, and of which I had heard so many interesting
accounts, a Mohammedan kingdom engrafted upon a mixed stock of pagan
tribes,—the conquest of the valorous and fanatic Púllo chieftain, Ádama,
over the great pagan kingdom of Fúmbiná.
I was musing over the fate of the native races of this country, when
the governor, with a numerous suite, came to pay me a visit. Neither he
nor any of his companions were dressed with any degree of elegance, or
even cleanliness. I had endeavoured in vain to obtain information from
my companions as to the period when the Fúlbe had begun to emigrate into
this country; but they were unable to give me any other answer, than that
they had been settled in the country from very ancient times, and that
not only the fathers but even the grandfathers of the present generation
had inhabited the same region as cattle-breeders, “berroróji.” Neither
the governor nor any of his people were able to give me more precise
information, so that I was obliged to set my hopes upon the capital,
where I was more likely to find a man versed in the history of his tribe.
I then communicated to my visitor my wish to ascend the ridge, which
overlooks the place, and on the top of which, according to Mohámmedu, a
spring bubbled up between the rocks. The governor advised me to defer
the excursion till the morrow, but as the weather was fine at the time,
and as at this season it was very doubtful whether it would be so the
next morning, I expressed a wish to obtain at once a view at least over
the opposite mountain-chain. He then told me that I might do as I liked,
and followed me with his whole suite. The ridge, on this side at least,
consisted entirely of enormous blocks of granite heaped one upon the
other in wild confusion, and making the ascent extremely difficult, nay,
impossible, without ropes, so that, with the utmost trouble, we reached
the height of a little more than a hundred feet, which gave me, however,
an advantageous position for obtaining a view over the broad valley and
the mountain range beyond, of which, on my return journey, I made a
sketch, which is represented in the woodcut on page 429.
Some of the governor’s people, however, were very agile in climbing
these blocks, and they need to be so if they wish to subject the native
inhabitants, who, when pursued, retire to these natural strongholds,
which are scattered over nearly the whole of this country.
We had scarcely returned to our quarters, when a storm broke out, but
it was not accompanied with a great quantity of rain. Our cheer was
indifferent; and we passed our evening in rather a dull manner.
_Wednesday, June 11._—Seeing that the weather was gloomy, and being
afraid of the fatigue connected with the ascent of the ridge even along
a more easy path, as I was well aware how much my constitution had been
weakened, I preferred going on, and gave orders for starting. On leaving
the western gate of the town, which is formed of very large trunks of
trees, we entered on a tract of cornfields in a very promising condition,
while at the same time a number of young jet-black slave girls, well fed,
and all neatly dressed in long aprons of white clean gábagá, and having
their necks adorned with strings of glass beads, were marched out to
their daily labour in the field.
[Illustration]
The town formerly extended much further in this direction, till it
was ransacked and plundered by Ramadan, a slave and officer of the
sheikh Mohammed el Kánemi. Before the Fúlbe occupied these regions, the
slave-hunting expeditions of the people of Bórnu often extended into
the very heart of Ádamáwa. The Fúlbe certainly are always making steps
towards subjugating the country, but they have still a great deal to
do before they can regard themselves as the undisturbed possessors of
the soil. Even here, at no great distance beyond the little range which
we had on our right, an independent tribe called Gílle still maintains
itself, and on my return journey I shall have to relate an unsuccessful
expedition of the governor of Úba against the Kilba-Gáya.
[Illustration]
Our camels, “gelóba,” began now to be objects of the greatest curiosity
and wonder to the natives; for it happens but rarely that this animal is
brought into the country, as it will not bear the climate for any length
of time. This is certainly a circumstance not to be lost sight of by
those who contemplate trade and intercourse with the equatorial regions;
but of course the European, with his energy and enterprise, might easily
succeed in acclimatizing the camel by preparing himself for great losses
in the beginning.
[Illustration]
When the range on our right terminated, our view extended over a great
expanse of country, from which several mountain groups started up,
entirely detached one from the other and without any connecting chain,
and I sketched three of them, which are represented above. Of the names
of the first two, my companions were not quite sure; but they all agreed
in calling the last Kilba-Gáya. In front of us a considerable mountain
mass called Fingting developed itself, and behind it another with the
summits Bá and Yaurogúdde. Keeping along the plain, sometimes over fine
pasture-grounds, at other times over cultivated fields, and crossing
several little streams, we at length came to a brook or rivulet of a
somewhat larger size, which is said to issue from Mount Gúri towards the
south-east, and receiving another brook coming from Mount Dáwa, runs
westward.
[Illustration]
Having here considered whether we should go on or take up our quarters
in Múbi, which was close by, we decided upon the latter, and entered
the place. But we had to wait a long while in front of the governor’s
house, and were at length conducted into quarters so insufficient that
we preferred encamping outside the town, and pitched our tent near a
tree, which promised to afford us a shady place during the hot hours
of the day. But we had scarcely made ourselves comfortable when the
governor’s servants came and requested me most urgently to come into the
town, promising us good lodgings; I therefore gave way, and told them
that I would go to my promised quarters towards night. As long as the
weather was dry, the open air was much more agreeable; and I turned our
open encampment to account by taking accurate angles of all the summits
around; but a storm in my small and weak tent was a very uncomfortable
thing, and I gladly accepted the offer of good quarters for the night.
In the course of the afternoon almost the whole population of the
town came out to see me and my camels, and the governor himself came
on horseback, inviting me into his own house, when I showed him my
chronometer, compass, and telescope, which created immense excitement,
but still greater was the astonishment of those particularly who knew how
to read, at the very small print in my Prayer-Book. The amiable side of
the character of the Fúlbe is their intelligence and vivacity, but they
have a great natural disposition to malice, and are not by any means so
good-natured as the real Blacks; for they really are—certainly more in
their character than in their colour—a distinct race between the Arab and
Berber on the one side and the Negro stock on the other, although I would
not suppose that the ancients had taken their prototype of Leucæthiopes
from them. However striking may be the linguistic indications of a
connection of this tribe with the Kaffers of South Africa, there can be
no doubt that historically they have proceeded from the west towards the
east. But of this more on another occasion.
I stayed out till the sun went down, and before leaving my open dwelling
sketched the long range of mountains to the east, together with the
Fingting.
Between Mount Meshíla and Mount Kírya a road leads to the seats of the
Komá.
The whole plain affords excellent pasture, and the town itself is a
straggling place of great extent. That part of the governor’s house which
he assigned to me consisted of a courtyard with a very spacious and cool
hut, having two doors or openings, and the ground-floor was strewn with
pebbles instead of sand, which seems to be the custom here throughout the
rainy season. My host spent a great part of the evening in our company. I
made him a present of ten sheets of paper, which, as a learned man in a
retired spot who had never before seen so much writing material together,
caused him a great deal of delight, though he seemed to be of a sullen
temper. He informed me that the Fúlbe settled here belonged to the tribe
of the Híllega.
_Thursday, June 12._—Although the weather was very gloomy, we set out
in the morning through the rich grassy plain, which only round the
settlements was laid out in cultivated fields; we crossed and re-crossed
the river of the day before, which keeps meandering through the plain.
When we reached the village Bagma, which was cheerfully enlivened by a
numerous herd of cattle, I was struck with the size and shape of the
huts, which testified to the difference of the climate which we had
entered, not less than to the mode of living of the inhabitants. Some of
these huts were from forty to sixty feet long, about fifteen broad, and
from ten to twelve high, narrowing above to a ridge, and thatched all
over, no distinction being made between roof and wall; others had a very
peculiar shape, consisting of three semicircles.
[Illustration]
The reason for making the huts so spacious is the necessity of sheltering
the cattle, particularly young cattle, against the inclemency of the
weather. Some of them were nothing better than stables, while others
combined this distinction with that of a dwelling-house for the owner.
The village is separated into two quarters by the river, and is inhabited
entirely by Mohammedans. The news of a marvellous novelty soon stirred
up the whole village, and young and old, male and female, all gathered
round our motley troop, and thronged about us in innocent mirth, and
as we proceeded the people came running from the distant fields to see
the wonder; but the wonder was not myself, but the camel, an animal
which many of them had never seen, fifteen years having elapsed since
one had passed along this road. The chorus of shrill voices, “gelóba,
gelóba,” was led by two young wanton Púllo girls, slender as antelopes,
and wearing nothing but a light apron of striped cotton round their
loins, who, jumping about and laughing at the stupidity of these enormous
animals, accompanied us for about two miles along the fertile plain.
We passed a herd of about three hundred cattle. Gradually the country
became covered with forest, with the exception of patches of cultivated
ground, and we entered between those mountains which had been during the
whole morning in front of us; here also granite prevailed, and all the
mountains were covered with underwood.
About nine o’clock the path divided, and my companions for a long
time were at a loss to decide which of the two they should follow;
Bíllama having some objection to pass the night in Mbutúdi, which he
thought was only inhabited by pagans, and preferring Múglebú, where he
had acquaintances; but at length the people of Ádamáwa carried their
point, and we chose the westernmost road, which passes by Mbutúdi. The
wilderness now gave way to open pastures, and we passed some cornfields
when we came to the farm of a wealthy Púllo named Alkáso, who in the
midst of a numerous family was leading here the life of a patriarch.
Hearing that a stranger from a far-distant country was passing by, the
venerable old man came out of his village to salute me, accompanied by
his sons, and two of the latter, who had evidently no idea of the heresy
of the Christian religion, ran a long distance by the side of my horse,
and did not turn back till I had given them my blessing. Pleasant as was
their innocent behaviour, showing a spirit full of confidence, I was
rather glad when they were gone, as I wished to take some angles of the
mountains which appeared scattered through the wild and gloomy plain on
our right.
After a while the low chain of hills on our left was succeeded by a range
of higher mountains attached to the broad cone of the Fáka. A little
before we had obtained a view of the rocky mount of Mbutúdi, and we now
observed the first gigiña (“dugbi” in Fulfúlde), or deléb-palm, the kind
of _Hyphæna_ which I have already occasionally mentioned as occurring
in other localities, but which distinguishes this place in a most
characteristic way. The ground was covered with rich herbage, from which
numerous violets peeped forth.
We had now reached Mbutúdi, a village situated round a granite mount
of about six hundred yards’ circumference, and rising to the height of
about three hundred feet. It had been a considerable place before the
rise of the Fúlbe, encompassing on all sides the mount, which had served
as a natural citadel; but it has been greatly reduced, scarcely more
than one hundred huts altogether now remaining; and were it not for the
picturesque landscape—the steep rocky mount overgrown with trees, and the
slender deléb-palms shooting up here and there, and forming some denser
groups on the south-east side,—it would be a most miserable place.
My companions were greatly astonished to find that, since they went
to Kúkawa, some Fúlbe families had settled here: for formerly none
but native pagans lived in the village. It was, therefore, necessary
that we should address ourselves to this ruling class; and after we
had waited some time in the shade of some caoutchouc-trees, a tall,
extremely slender Púllo, of a very noble expression of countenance, and
dressed in a snow-white shirt, made his appearance, and after the usual
exchange of compliments, and due inquiry on the part of my companions
after horse, cattle, mother, slaves, and family[55], conducted us to
a dwelling not far from the eastern foot of the rock, consisting of
several small huts, with a tall gigiña in the middle of its courtyard,
which was never deserted by some large birds of the stork family,—most
probably some European wanderers. However, it had the great disadvantage
of being extremely wet, so that I preferred staying outside; and going
to some distance from the huts, I laid myself down in the shade of a
tree, where the ground was comparatively dry. The weather had been very
cool and cheerless in the morning, and I was glad when the sun at length
came forth, increasing the interest of the landscape, of which I took a
view.[56]
I here tried, for the first time, the fruit of the deléb-palm, which
were just ripe; but I did not find it worth the trouble, as it really
requires a good deal of effort to suck out the pulp, which is nothing
but a very close and coarse fibrous tissue, not separating from the
large stone, and having a mawkish taste, which soon grows disagreeable.
It cannot be at all compared with the banana, and still less with the
fruit of the gónda-tree. It is, when full grown, from six to eight inches
long and four inches across, and of a yellowish-brown colour; the kernel
is about two inches and a half long and one inch thick. However, it is
of importance to the natives, and, like the fruit of the dúm-palm, it
yields a good seasoning for some of their simple dishes. They make use
of the stone also, breaking and planting it in the ground, when, in a
few days, a blade shoots forth with a very tender root, which is eaten
just like the kelingoes; this is called “múrrechi” by the Háusa people,
“báchul” by the Fúlbe, both of whom use it very extensively. But it is to
be remarked that the gigiña, or deléb-palm, is extremely partial in its
local distribution, and seems not at all common in Ádamáwa, being, as my
companions observed, here confined to a few localities, such as Láro and
Song; while in the Músgu country it is, according to my own observation,
the predominant tree; and, from information, I conclude this to be the
case also in the southern provinces of Bagírmi, particularly in Sómray
and Day. However, the immense extension of this palm, which, probably,
is nearly related to the _Borassus flabelliformis_, through the whole
breadth of Central Africa, from Kordofán to the Atlantic, is of the
highest importance.
While resting here I received a deputation of the heads of families of
the Fúlbe, who behaved very decently, and were not a little excited by
the performances of my watch and compass. I then determined to ascend the
rock, which commands and characterises the village, although, being fully
aware of the debilitated state of my health, I was somewhat afraid of any
great bodily exertion. It was certainly not an easy task, as the crags
were extremely steep, but it was well worth the trouble, although the
view over an immense expanse of country was greatly interrupted by the
many small trees and bushes which are shooting out between the granite
blocks.
After I had finished taking angles I sat down on this magnificent rocky
throne, and several of the natives having followed me, I wrote from their
dictation a short vocabulary of their language, which they call “Záni,”
and which I soon found was intimately related to that of the Marghí.
These poor creatures seeing, probably for the first time, that a stranger
took real interest in them, were extremely delighted in hearing their
words pronounced by one whom they thought almost as much above them as
their god “féte,” and frequently corrected each other when there was a
doubt about the meaning of the word. The rock became continually more and
more animated, and it was not long before two young Fúlbe girls also,
who from the first had cast a kindly eye upon me, came jumping up to me,
accompanied by an elder married sister. One of these girls was about
fifteen, the other about eight or nine years of age. They were decently
dressed as Mohammedans, in shirts covering the bosom, while the pagans,
although they had dressed for the occasion, wore nothing but a narrow
strip of leather passed between the legs, and fastened round the loins,
with a large leaf attached to it from behind; the women were, besides,
ornamented with the “kadáma,” which is the same as the seghéum of the
Marghí, and worn in the same way, stuck through the under lip, but a
little larger. Their prevailing complexion was a yellowish-red, like that
of the Marghí, with whom, a few centuries ago, they evidently formed one
nation. Their worship, also, is nearly the same.
At length I left my elevated situation, and with a good deal of trouble
succeeded in getting down again; but the tranquillity which I had before
enjoyed was now gone, and not a moment was I left alone. All these poor
creatures wanted to have my blessing; and there was particularly an old
blacksmith, who, although he had become a proselyte to Islám, pestered
me extremely with his entreaties to benefit him by word and prayer.
They went so far as to do me the honour, which I of course declined,
of identifying me with their god “féte,” who, they thought, might have
come to spend a day with them, to make them forget their oppression and
misfortunes. The pagans, however, at length left me when night came
on, but the Fúlbe girls would not go, or if they left me for a moment,
immediately returned, and so stayed till midnight. The eldest of the
unmarried girls made me a direct proposal of marriage, and I consoled
her by stating that I should have been happy to accept her offer if it
were my intention to reside in the country. The manners of people who
live in these retired spots, shut out from the rest of the world, are
necessarily very simple and unaffected; and this poor girl had certainly
reason to look out for a husband, as at fifteen she was as far beyond her
first bloom as a lady of twenty-five in Europe.
_Friday, June 13._—Taking leave of these good people, the girl looking
rather sorrowful as I mounted my horse, we resumed our march the
following morning, first through cornfields,—the grain here cultivated
being exclusively géro or _Pennisetum_,—then over rich and thinly wooded
pastures, having the mountain-chain of the “Fálibé” constantly at some
distance. The atmosphere was extremely humid, and rain-clouds hung upon
the mountains. Further on the ground consisted entirely of red loam, and
was so torn up by the rain, that we had great difficulty and delay in
leading the camels round the gaps and ravines. Dense underwood now at
times prevailed, and a bush called “baubaw,” producing an edible fruit,
here first fell under my observation; there was also another bulbous
plant, which I had not observed before. The karáge here, again, was very
common. Gradually the whole country became one continuous wilderness,
with the surface greatly undulating, and almost hilly; and here we passed
a slave village, or “rúmde,” in ruins, the clay-walls being all that
remained.
[Illustration]
The country wore a more cheerful appearance after nine o’clock, when
we entered on a wide extent of cultivated ground, the crops standing
beautifully in the fields, and the village or villages of Segéro
appearing higher up on the slope of the heights, in a commanding
situation. Segéro consists of two villages separated by a ravine, or
hollow with a watercourse, the northernmost of them, to which we came
first, being inhabited jointly by the conquering tribe of the Fúlbe and
the conquered one of the Holma, while the southern village is exclusively
occupied by the ruling race. To this group we directed our steps, passing
close by the former, where I made a hasty sketch of the outlines of Mount
Holma.
The lámido, or mayor, being absent at the time, we dismounted under the
public shade in front of his house, till a comfortable spacious shed
in the inner courtyard of his dwelling was placed at my disposal; and
here I began immediately to employ my leisure hours in the study of the
Fulfúlde, as I became fully aware that the knowledge of this language
was essential to my plans, if I wished to draw all possible advantage
from my proceedings. For these simple people, who do not travel, but
reside all their life long in their secluded homes, with the exception of
a few predatory expeditions against the pagans, know no other language
than their own; several of them, however, understand the written Arabic
tolerably well, but are unable to speak it. Meanwhile, a large basketful
of ground-nuts, in the double shell, just as they came from the ground,
was placed before us; and after a while, three immense calabashes of a
thick soup, or porridge, made of the same material, were brought in for
the refreshment of our whole troop.
Ground-nuts form here a very large proportion of the food of the people,
just in the same proportion as potatoes do in Europe, and the crops of
corn having failed the last year, the people had very little besides.
Ground-nuts, that is to say the species of them which is called “kolche”
in Kanúri, and “biríji” in Fulfúlde, which was the one grown here, as it
seems, exclusively, I like very much, especially if roasted, for nibbling
after supper, or even as a substitute for breakfast on the road, but I
should not like to subsist upon them. In fact, I was scarcely able to
swallow a few spoonfuls of this sort of porridge, which was not seasoned
with honey; but I must confess that the spoons, which the people here use
for such purposes, are rather large, being something like a scoop, and
made likewise of a kind of gourd; the half of the _Cucurbita lagenaria_
split in two, so that the handle at the same time forms a small channel,
and may be used as a spout. Nature in these countries has provided
everything; dishes, bottles, and drinking-vessels are growing on the
trees, rice in the forest, and the soil without any labour produces
grain. The porridge can certainly be made more palatable by seasoning;
and, if boiled with milk, is by no means disagreeable. The other kind
of ground-nut, the “gángala,” or “yerkúrga,” which is far more oily,
and which I did not see at all in Ádamáwa, I do not like; though the
people used to say that it is much more wholesome than the other kind.
For making oil it is evidently the more valuable of the two. I will
only add, that on this occasion I learned that the Fúlbe in this part
of the country make also a similar porridge of sesamum, which they call
“marasíri,” and even of the habb el ʿazíz, or the gojíya of the Háusa—the
nebú of the Bórnu people. Sesamum I have frequently eaten in Negroland as
a paste, or hasty pudding, but never in the form of a porridge.
The reason why the corn had failed was, that most of the men had gone to
the war last year; the turbulent state of the country thus operating as
a great drawback upon the cultivation of the ground. I must also observe
how peculiarly the different qualities of the soil in neighbouring
districts are adapted for different species of grain; while in Mbutúdi,
as I said, millet, géro, or _Pennisetum typhoïdeum_, was cultivated
almost exclusively, here it was the dáwa, “báiri” in Fulfúlde, or
sorghum, and principally the red sort, or “báiri bodéri.” Having restored
our vital strength with this famous pap of ground-nuts, and having filled
our pockets, and the nose-bags of the horses too, with the remains of
the great basket, we set out again on our journey in the afternoon,
for it appeared to me evident that none of my companions was fond of a
strict ground-nut diet, and hence would rather risk a storm than a supper
of this same dish. It had become our general rule to finish our day’s
journey in the forenoon, as the tempest generally set in in the afternoon.
The fields were well cultivated; but the corn on the more elevated spots
stood not more than a foot high. The ground-nuts are cultivated between
the corn, the regular spaces which are left between each stalk being
sufficient for growing a cluster of nuts underground; just in the same
way as beans are cultivated in many parts of Negroland. The fields were
beautifully shaded and adorned by the butter-tree, “tóso,” or, as the
Fúlbe call it, “kárehi,” in the plural form “karéji,” which was here the
exclusively predominant tree, and of course is greatly valued by the
natives. Everywhere the people were busy in the fields; and altogether
the country, enclosed by several beautifully shaped mountain ranges and
by detached mountains, presented a most cheerful sight, all the patches
of grass being diversified and embellished with a kind of violet-coloured
lily.
We now gradually approached the foot of Mount Holma, behind which
another mountain began to rise into view; while on our left we passed
a small “rúmde,” or slave-village, and then entered a sort of defile.
We were greatly afraid lest we should be punished for the gastronomic
transgression of our travelling rule, as a storm threatened us from
behind; but we had time to reach Badaníjo in safety. Punished, however,
we were, like the man who despised his peas; for, instead of finding here
full bowls of pudding, we could not even procure the poor ground-nuts;
and happy was he who had not neglected to fill his pockets from the full
basket in Segéro.
We had the utmost difficulty in buying a very small quantity of grain
for the horses; so that they also came in for a share in the remains of
the ground-nuts of Segéro; and my host especially was such a shabby,
inhospitable fellow, that it was painful to speak a word to him.
However, it seemed that he had reason to complain, having been treated
very harshly by oppressive officers, and having lost all his cattle
by disease. Not a drop of milk was to be got in the village, all the
cattle having died. The cattle, at least those of the large breed, which
apparently has been introduced into the country by the Fúlbe, seem not
yet quite acclimatized, and are occasionally decimated by disease.
Badaníjo is very picturesquely situated in a beautiful irregularly shaped
valley, surrounded on all sides by mountains, which are seen from the
interior of the valley. The scarcity of provisions was entirely due to
the great expedition of last year, which had taken away all hands from
the labours of the field; for the land around here is extremely fertile,
and at present, besides sorghum or holcus, produced dánkali, or sweet
potatoes, góza, or yams, manioc, and a great quantity of gunna, a large
variety of calabash (_Fueillea trilobata_, _Cucurbita maxima_?). Badaníjo
is also interesting and important to the ethnologist, as being the
northernmost seat of the extensive tribe of the Falí, or Farí, which,
according to the specimens of its language which I was able to collect,
is entirely distinct from the tribe of the Bátta and their kinsmen the
Záni and Marghí, and seems to have only a remote affinity with the
Wándalá and Gámerghú languages. At present the village is principally,
but not exclusively, inhabited by the ruling race, and I estimated the
population at about three thousand.
_Saturday, June 14._—After we had left the rich vegetation which
surrounds the village, we soon entered a wild and hilly district, and
while passing over the spur of a rocky eminence on our left, observed
close to the brink of the cliffs overhanging our heads the huts of the
pagan village Búggela, and heard the voices of the natives, while at some
distance on our right detached hills, all of which seemed to consist of
granite, rose from the rugged and thickly wooded plain. The rugged nature
of this country increases the importance of Badaníjo in a strategical
point of view. The country became continually more rocky and rugged, and
there was scarcely a narrow path leading through the thick underwood, so
that my friend the pilgrim from Mélle, who rode his tall camel, had the
greatest possible trouble to make his way through; however, I had reason
to admire his dexterity. All through Negroland, where so many extensive
tracts are covered with forest, travelling on camel’s back is very
troublesome. It was certainly very lucky for us that for the last five
days scarcely any rain had fallen, otherwise the path would have been
extremely difficult.
However, when we reached the village Kurúlu, the country improved,
spreading out into wide pastures and cultivated fields, although it
remained hilly and rather rugged; even close to the village a lower range
appeared, and granite masses projected everywhere. A short distance
further on I sketched Mount Kurúlu and the heights near it.
[Illustration]
Several of our party had gone into the village, and obtained some cold
paste, made of a peculiar species of sorghum, of entirely red colour.
This red grain, “ja-n-dáwa,” or “báiri bodéri,” which I have already had
occasion to mention, is very common in the southern parts of Negroland,
below the tenth degree of latitude, and in some districts, as in the
Músgu country, seems to prevail almost exclusively; but it was at the
time new to me, and I found it extremely nauseous. The paste of white
durra, “fári-n-dáwa,” or “báiri dhannéri,” is generally so well cooked in
Ádamáwa, being formed into large rolls of four inches in length, and from
two to three inches thick in the middle, that even when cold it is quite
eatable, and in this state generally formed my breakfast on the road; for
my palatable chébchebé from Kúkawa, like all nice things in the world,
were soon gone.
Gradually we entered another rugged wilderness, from which we did not
emerge till a quarter before ten o’clock, when a máriná, or dyeing-place,
indicated the neighbourhood of a centre of civilization unusual in this
country. A few minutes more, and we reached the northern village of
Saráwu, which is inhabited almost exclusively by Bórnu people, and is
therefore called Saráwu Beréberé. On the side from which we arrived the
village is open, and does not seem to be thickly inhabited, but further
to the south the population is denser. Having halted some time on a
small open space in the middle of the village in the shade of a small
terebinth, we were conducted into very excellent quarters, which seem to
deserve a short description.
[Illustration]
It was a group of three huts, situated in the midst of a very spacious
outer yard, which was surrounded by a light fence of corn-stalks. The
huts consisted of clay walls with a thatched roof of very careful
workmanship, and were joined together by clay walls. The most spacious
of these huts (_a_), of about twelve feet in diameter, formed the
entrance-hall and the parlour, being furnished with two doors or
openings, one on the side of the outer, and the other on the side of the
inner courtyard, from which the two other huts (_b_ and _c_), destined
for the women, had their only access. The outer opening or door of the
chief hut (_a_), therefore, although rather small according to our ideas,
was very large considering the general custom of the country, measuring
three feet and a half in height, and sixteen inches in the widest part,
its form being that of an egg.
In this hut there was only one very large couch measuring seven feet and
a half in length by five in width, and raised three feet above the floor,
made of clay over a frame of wood, on the right side of the door, where
the landlord used to receive his guests, the remaining part of the hut
being empty, and capable of receiving a good many people. Between the
couch and the door there was a fireplace, or fúgodí, or fúgo kánnurám
in Kanúri, “hobbunírde” in Fulfúlde, formed by three stones of the same
size. Of this airy room I myself took possession, spreading my carpet
upon the raised platform, while the Mʿallem, my servants, and whosoever
paid me a visit, found a place on the floor. The wall, which was rather
thicker than usual, was all coloured with a reddish-brown tint, and upon
this ground several objects had been so unartistically delineated, that,
with the exception of wooden tablets, “alló,” such as the boys here use
in learning to write, it was impossible to tell what they were intended
for.
The hut opposite this parlour (_b_), which was smaller than (_a_) but
larger than (_c_), seemed intended for the ordinary dwelling of the
landlady, being ornamented in the background with the “gángar,” as it is
called in Kanúri, “nanne” in Fulfúlde, a raised platform or sideboard
for the cooking utensils; here four large-sized new jars were placed, as
in battle array, surmounted by smaller ones. With regard to the other
arrangements the two huts were of similar construction, having on each
side a couch, one for the man and the other for his wife. In both the
woman’s couch was the better one, being formed of clay on a wooden frame,
and well protected from prying eyes by a thin clay wall, about five feet
high, and handsomely ornamented in the following way: running not only
along the side of the door, but enclosing also half of the other side, it
excluded all impertinent curiosity; while the man’s couch, which was less
regular and comfortable, reached to the very border of the door, and on
this side had the protection only of a thin clay wall, without ornaments.
With the privacy thus attained, the size of the doors was in entire
harmony, being of an oval shape, and very small, particularly in (_c_),
measuring only about two feet in height, and ten inches in width, a size
which I am afraid would refuse a passage to many a European lady; indeed,
it might seem rather intended to keep a married lady within doors, after
she had first contrived to get in.
[Illustration]
Notwithstanding the scanty light falling into the interior of the hut,
through the narrow doorway, it was also painted, (_c_) in this respect
surpassing its sister hut in the harmony of its colours, which formed
broad alternate bands of white and brown, and gave the whole a very
stately and finished character. The whole arrangement of these two huts
bore distinct testimony to a greatly developed sense of domestic comfort.
In the wall of the courtyard, between (_b_) and (_c_), there was a
small backdoor, raised above the ground, and of diminutive size (_f_),
apparently intended for admitting female visitors, without obliging them
to pass through the parlour, and at the same time showing much confidence
in the discretion of the female department. In the courtyard were two
large-sized jars, (_g_) the larger one being the bázam or corn-jar, and
the smaller (_d_) the gébam or water-jar. In the corner, formed between
the hut (_a_) and the wall of the courtyard, was the “fúgodí,” or
kitchen, on a small scale.
The house belonged to a private man, who was absent at the time. From the
outer courtyard, which, as I have observed, was spacious, and fenced only
with corn-stalks, there was an interesting panorama over a great extent
of country to the south, and I was enabled to take a great many angles.
From this place also I made the sketch of a cone (page 442) which seemed
to me very picturesque, but the exact name of which I could not learn.
Saráwu is the most elevated place on the latter part of this route,
although the highest point of the water-partition, between the basin
of the Tsád and that of the so-called Niger, as I stated before, seems
to be at the pass north of Úba. The difference between the state of
the corn here and in Múbi and thereabout was very remarkable. The crop
stood here scarcely a few inches above the ground.[57] The soil also
around the place is not rich, the mould being thin upon the surface of
the granite, which in many places lies bare. The situation of Saráwu
is very important on account of its being the point where the road from
Logón and all the north-eastern part of Ádamáwa, which includes some very
considerable centres of industry and commerce, particularly Fátawel, the
_entrepôt_ of all the ivory trade in these quarters, joins the direct
road from Kúkawa to the capital. Cotton is cultivated here to some
extent. Ádamáwa is a promising country of colonies.
[Illustration]
Saráwu, too, was suffering from dearth from the same reason which I have
explained above; the second crop, which is destined to provide for the
last and most pressing period, while the new crop is ripening, not having
been sown at all last year on account of the expedition, so that we had
great difficulty in obtaining the necessary corn for our five horses.
It would, however, have been very easy for me to obtain a sufficient
supply if I had demanded a small fee for my medical assistance, as I had
a good many patients who came to me for remedies; but this I refrained
from doing. I had here some very singular cases, which rather exceeded my
skill; and among others there was a woman who had gone with child full
two years, without any effort on the part of her imaginary offspring
to come forth, and who came to me now with full confidence that the
far-famed stranger would be able to help her to motherhood. Among the
people who visited me there was also a Tébu, or rather Tedá, who in his
mercantile rambles had penetrated to this spot; indeed these people
are very enterprising, but in general their journeys lie more in the
direction of Wándalá, where they dispose of a great quantity of glass
beads. This man had resided here some time, but was not able to give me
much information. He, however, excited my curiosity with regard to two
white women, whom I was to see in Yóla, brought there from the southern
regions of Ádamáwa, and who he assured me were at least as white as
myself. But, after all, this was not saying much; for my arms and face
at that time were certainly some shades darker than the darkest Spaniard
or Italian. I had heard already several people speak of these women, and
the natives had almost made them the subject of a romance, spreading
the rumour that my object in going to Yóla was to get a white female
companion. I shall have occasion to speak about a tribe of lighter colour
than usual in the interior, not far from the coast of the Cameroons, and
there can be no doubt about the fact. My short and uncomfortable stay in
the capital of Ádamáwa deprived me of the opportunity of deciding with
regard to the exact shade of these people’s complexion, but I think it is
a yellowish-brown.
_Sunday, June 15._—Having been busy in the morning writing Fulfúlde, I
mounted my horse about ten o’clock, accompanied by Bíllama and Bú-Sʿad,
in order to visit the market, which is held every Thursday and Sunday,
on a little eminence at some distance from the Bórnu village, and close
to the south-east side of Saráwu Fulfúlde, separated from the latter
by a ravine. The market was furnished with thirty-five stalls made of
bushes and mats, and was rather poorly attended. However, it must be
taken into consideration, that during the season of field-labours all
markets in Negroland are much less considerable than at other seasons of
the year. There were a good many head of cattle for sale, while two oxen
were slaughtered for provision, to be cut up and sold in small parcels.
The chief articles besides were ground-nuts, butter, a small quantity
of rice, salt, and soap. Soap, indeed, is a very important article in
any country inhabited by Fúlbe, and it is prepared in every household;
while very often, even in large places inhabited by other tribes, it is
quite impossible to obtain this article, so essential for cleanliness. No
native grain of any kind was in the market,—a proof of the great dearth
which prevailed throughout the country. A few túrkedí were to be seen;
and I myself introduced a specimen of this article, in order to obtain
the currency of the country for buying small matters of necessity.
The standard of the market is the native cotton, woven, as it is, all
over Negroland, in narrow strips called “léppi,” of about two inches
and a quarter in width, though this varies greatly. Shells (“kurdí,”
or “chéde”) have no currency. The smallest measure of cotton is the
“nánandé,” measuring ten “drʿa” or “fóndudé” (_sing._ “fóndukí”), equal
to four fathoms, “káme” or “nándudé” (_sing._ “nándukí”). Seven nánandé
make one “dóra”—meaning a small shirt of extremely coarse workmanship,
and scarcely to be used for dress; and from two to five dóra make one
thób or “gaffaléul” of variable size and quality. The túrkedí which I
introduced into the market, and which I had bought in Kanó for 1800
kurdí, was sold for a price equivalent to 2500 shells, which certainly is
not a great profit, considering the danger of the road. However, it must
be borne in mind that what I bought for 1800, a native certainly would
have got for 1600, and would perhaps have sold for 2800 or more.
Having caused some disturbance to the usual quiet course of business
in the market, I left Bú-Sʿad behind me to buy some articles which we
wanted, and proceeded with my kashélla towards the ravine, and ascending
the opposite bank, entered the straggling quarter of the Fúlbe, which,
in a very remarkable manner, is adorned with a single specimen of the
charming gónda-tree, or “dukúje” (the _Carica papaya_), and a single
specimen of the gigiña or dugbi, the _Hyphæna_ which I have frequently
mentioned; at all events not more than these two specimens are seen
rearing their tapering forms above the huts and fences. Then we directed
our steps towards the dwelling of the governor, which impressed me by its
magnificence when compared with the meanness of the cottages around. A
very spacious oblong yard, surrounded with a high clay wall, encircled
several apartments, the entrance being formed by a round cool hut of
about twenty-five feet diameter, the clay walls of which, from the ground
to the border of the thatched roof, measured about ten feet in height,
and had two square doors of about eight feet in height, one towards
the street, and the other on the inside,—altogether a splendid place in
the hot season. Here, too, the floor was at present thickly strewn with
pebbles.
But the master of this noble mansion was an unhappy blind man, who,
leaning upon the shoulders of his servants, was led into the room
by a mʿallem or módibo, one of the finest men I have seen in the
country, and more like a European than a native of Negroland, tall
and broad-shouldered, and remarkably amiable and benevolent. The
governor himself, also, was remarkably tall and robust for a Púllo. The
módibo, who spoke Arabic tolerably well and officiated as interpreter,
had heard a good deal about me, and was most anxious to see those
curious instruments which had been described to him; and as I wore the
chronometer and compass constantly attached to my waist, I was able to
satisfy his curiosity, which, in so learned a man, was less vain and more
interesting than usual. But the poor blind governor felt rather uneasy
because he could not see these wonders with his own eyes, and endeavoured
to indemnify himself by listening to the ticking of the watch, and by
touching the compass. But he was more disappointed still when I declared
that I was unable to restore his sight, which after all the stories he
had heard about me, he had thought me capable of doing; and I could only
console him by begging him to trust in “Jaumiráwo” (the Lord on High).
As, on setting out, I did not know that we were going to pay our respects
to this man, I had no present to offer him except a pair of English
scissors, and these of course, in his blindness, he was unable to value,
though his companion found out immediately how excellent they were for
cutting paper. The governor is far superior in power to his neighbours,
and besides Saráwu, Kurúndel, or Korúlu, and Bíngel are subject to his
government.
While recrossing the ravine on my return to Saráwu Beréberé, I observed
with great delight a spring of water bubbling up from the soil, and
forming a small pond—quite a new spectacle for me. After I had returned
to my quarters I was so fortunate as to make a great bargain in cloves,
which I now found out was the only article in request here. The Bórnu
women seemed amazingly fond of them, and sold the nánandé of léppi for
thirty cloves, when, seeing that they were very eager to buy, I raised
the price of my merchandise, offering only twenty-five. I had also the
luck to buy several fowls and sufficient corn for three horses, with a
pair of scissors; and as my mʿallem Katúri had several old female friends
in the village who sent him presents, we all had plenty to eat that day.
But nevertheless my old friend the mʿallem was not content, but, in the
consciousness of his own merits, picked a quarrel with me because I
refused to write charms for the people, while they all came to me, as the
wisest of our party; and had I done so, we might all have lived in the
greatest luxury and abundance.
In the evening, while a storm was raging outside, Bíllama gave me a list
of the most important persons in the capital of the country which we
were now fast approaching. Mohammed Láwl, the son of Mʿallem Ádama, has
several full-grown brothers, who all figure occasionally as leaders
of great expeditions, and also others of more tender age. The eldest
of these is Bú-bakr (generally called Mʿallem Bágeri), who last year
conducted the great expedition towards the north; next follows Aíjo;
then Mʿallem Mansúr, a man whom Bíllama represented to me as of special
importance for me, on account of his being the favourite of the people,
and amicably disposed towards Bórnu, ʿOmáro, Zubéru, Hámidu. Of the other
people, he represented to me as the most influential—Móde Hassan, the
kádhi; Móde ʿAbdallahi, the secretary of state; and the Ardo Ghámmawa, as
commander of the troops. As the most respectable Háusa people settled in
Yóla, he named Káiga Hámma Serkí-n-Góber, Mai Konáma, Mágaji-n-Hadder,
Mai Hadder, and Búwári (Bokhári). I introduce this notice, as it may
prove useful in case of another expedition up the river Bénuwé.
_Monday, June 16._—Starting at an early hour we passed the market-place,
which to-day was deserted, and then left the Púllo town on one side. The
country being elevated, and the path winding, we had every moment a new
view of the mountains around us; and before we began to descend I made
the accompanying sketch of the country behind us, stretching from N. 30
E. to E. 20 N.
[Illustration]
The country continued rugged and rocky, though it was occasionally
interrupted by cultivated ground, and a mountain group of interesting
form, called Kónkel, stood out on our right.
Having entered at eight o’clock upon cultivated ground of great extent,
we reached a quarter of an hour afterwards Bélem, the residence of
Mʿallem Dalíli, a man whom I had heard much praised in Saráwu. Bíllama
wished to spend the day here, but I was very anxious to proceed, as
we had already lost the preceding day; but at the same time I desired
to make the acquaintance of, and to pay my respects to, a person
whom every one praised for his excellent qualities. I therefore sent
forward the camels with the men on foot, while I myself entered the
village with the horsemen. Crossing a densely inhabited quarter, we
found the mʿallem sitting under a tree in his courtyard, a venerable
and benevolent-looking old man, in a threadbare blue shirt and a green
“báki-n-záki.” We had scarcely paid our respects to him, and he had asked
a few general questions in Arabic, when an Arab adventurer from Jedda,
with the title of sheríf, who had roved a good deal about the world, made
his appearance, and was very inquisitive to know the motives which had
carried me into this remote country; and Bú-Sʿad thought it prudent to
pique his curiosity, by telling him that we had come to search for the
gold and silver in the mountains. Old Mʿallem Dalíli soon after began to
express himself to the effect that he should feel offended if I would not
stay with him till the afternoon; and I was at length obliged to send for
the camels, which had already gone on a good way.
[Illustration]
A rather indifferent lodging being assigned to me, I took possession
of the shade of a rími, or béntehi,—the bentang-tree of Mungo Park
(_Eriodendron Guineense_), of rather small size, and there tried to
resign myself quietly to the loss of another day, while in truth I burned
with impatience to see the river which was the first and most important
object of my journey. However, my quarters soon became more interesting
to me, as I observed here several peculiarities of arrangement, which,
while they were quite new to me, were most characteristic of the
equatorial regions which I was approaching. For while in Bórnu and Háusa
it is the general custom to expose the horses, even very fine ones, to
all changes of the weather,—which on the whole are not very great,—in
these regions, where the wet season is of far longer duration and the
rains much heavier, it is not prudent to leave the animals unsheltered,
and stables are built for them on purpose,—round spacious huts with
unusually high clay walls; these are called “debbíru” by the Fúlbe of
Ádamáwa, from the Háusa word “débbi.” Even for the cattle there was here
a stable, but more airy, consisting only of a thatched roof supported by
thick poles, and enclosed with a fence of thorny bushes.
The vegetation in the place was very rich, and an experienced botanist
might have found many new species of plants, while to me the most
remarkable circumstance was the quantity of _Palma Christi_ scattered
about the place, a single specimen of the gónda-tree, and the first
specimen of a remarkable plant which I had not observed before on my
travels,—a smooth soft stem about ten inches thick at the bottom, and
shooting up to a height of about twenty-five feet, but drawn downwards
and inclined by the weight and size of its leaves, which measured six
feet in length and about twenty inches in breadth. The Háusa people gave
it the name “alléluba,” a name generally given to quite a different
tree which I have mentioned in speaking of Kanó. The plant bears some
resemblance to the _Musa_, or banana; fruits or flowers it had none at
present.
I had been roving about for some time when the sheríf, whom I mentioned
above, came to pay me a visit, when I learned that he had come to this
place by way of Wadáy and Logón, and that he had been staying here
already twenty days, being engaged in building a warm bath for the
mʿallem, as he had also done for the sultan of Wadáy.
The reader sees that these wandering Arabs are introducing civilization
into the very heart of this continent, and it would not be amiss if they
could all boast of such accomplishments; but this rarely happens. Even
this very man was a remarkable example of these saintly adventurers so
frequently met with in Negroland, but who begin to tire out the patience
of the more enlightened princes of the country. He brought me a lump of
native home-made soap, with which, as he said, I might “wash my clothes,
as I came from the dirty, _soapless_ country of Bórnu.” This present
was not ill-selected, although I hope that the reader will not thence
conclude that I was particularly dirty,—at least, not more so than an
African traveller might be fairly expected to be. I had laid in a good
store of cloves, which, as I have had already occasion to mention, are
highly esteemed here, so I made him very happy by giving him about
half-a-pound weight of them.
More interesting, however, to me than the visit of this wandering son of
the East was the visit of two young native noblemen, sons of the Ardo
Jídda, to whom belongs the country between Sugúr and Wándalá or Mándará,
and the younger of whom was a remarkably handsome man, of slender form,
light complexion, and a most agreeable expression of countenance. This,
however, is a remark which I have often made on my travels, that the
males among the Fúlbe are very handsome till they reach the age of
about twenty years, when they gradually assume an apish expression of
countenance, which entirely spoils the really Circassian features which
they have in early life. As for the females, they preserve their beauty
much longer. While these young men were giving unrestrained vent to their
admiration of my things, the old mʿallem came with a numerous suite
of attendants; whereupon they drew shyly back, and sat silently at a
distance. In this part of the world there is a great respect for age.
The mʿallem and his companions were not only astonished at my
instruments, but manifested much curiosity about the map of Africa,
which I unfolded before their eyes, being greatly struck by the extent
of the continent towards the south, of which they had previously no
idea. I shall show in another part of this work how far the Fúlbe have
become acquainted with the regions about the equator, and how a faint
rumour of the strong pagan kingdom of Muropúwe has spread over the
kingdoms of North Central Africa. Their esteem for me increased when
I showed them my little Prayer-Book, which I wore in a red case slung
round my shoulders, just as they wear their Kurán; indeed a Christian
can never be more sure of acquiring the esteem of a Moslim—at least of
a learned one—than when he shows himself impressed with the sentiments
of his religion; but he must not be a zealous Roman Catholic, nor broach
doctrines which seem to deny the Unity of God. He took great delight in
hearing a psalm of the well-known “nebí Dáúd” (David) read in English.
He, as well as almost all his companions, spoke Arabic; for, as Saráwu
Beréberé is a colony of Bórnu people, Bélem is a pure Arabic colony,
that is to say, a colony of the Sálamát, a tribe widely scattered over
Bórnu and Wadáy. Mʿallem Óro, or, as he is popularly called, on account
of his humility and devotedness, Mʿallem Dalíli, was born in Wadáy, but
settled in Bórnu, from whence at the time of the conquest of the country
by the Fúlbe or Felláta (in the year 1808) he fled to avoid famine and
oppression, like so many other unfortunate inhabitants of that kingdom,
and founded a village in this promising region. This is the country for
colonies, and I do not see why a colony of the liberated slaves of Sierra
Leone might not be advantageously established here. All these people wear
indigo-coloured shirts, and in this manner, even by their dress, are
distinguished from the Fúlbe. They are tolerated and protected, although
a Púllo head man has his residence here, besides the mʿallem.
We were to start in the afternoon; but my stupid Fezzáni servant,
Mohammed ben Habíb, had almost killed himself with eating immoderately
of ground-nuts, and was so seriously ill that I was reduced to the
alternative either of leaving him behind or waiting for him. Choosing the
latter, I made a day of feasting for the whole of my little company, the
mʿallem sending me a goat for my people, a couple of fowls for myself,
and corn for my horses; besides which, I was so fortunate as to buy a
supply of rice. In consideration of his hospitable treatment, I sent
the old mʿallem a bit of camphor and a parcel of cloves. Camphor is a
most precious thing in these regions, and highly esteemed by the nobler
classes, and I cannot too strongly recommend a traveller to provide
himself with a supply of it. It is obvious that a small quantity, if well
kept, will last him a long time. He may find an opportunity of laying a
man of first-rate importance under lasting obligations by a present of a
small piece of camphor.
_Tuesday, June 17._—We at length set out to continue our journey. The
morning was beautifully fresh and cool after the last night’s storm, the
sky was clear, and the country open and pleasant. A fine grassy plain,
with many patches of cultivated ground, extended on our right to the
very foot of Mount Kónkel, which as I now saw is connected by a lower
ridge with Mount Holma. We passed the ruins of the village Bíngel, the
inhabitants of which had transferred their settlement nearer to the
foot of the mountains. Then followed forest, interrupted now and then
by cornfields. My friends, the young sons of Ardo Jídda, accompanied me
for full two hours on horseback, when they bade me a friendly farewell,
receiving each of them, to his great delight, a stone-set ring, which I
begged them to present to their ladies as a memorial of the Christian
traveller. I now learnt that the young men were already mixing a good
deal in politics; the younger brother, who was much the handsomer, and
seemed to be also the more intelligent of the two, had till recently
administered the government of his blind father’s province, but had been
deposed on account of his friendly disposition towards Wándalá, having
married a princess of that country, and the management of affairs had
been transferred to his elder brother.
Forest and cultivated ground alternately succeeded each other; a
little after nine o’clock we passed on our left a small “rúmde,” or
slave-village, with ground-nuts and holcus in the fields, and most
luxuriant pasture all around. The country evidently sloped southwards,
and at a little distance beyond the village I observed the first
watercourse, running decidedly in that direction; on its banks the corn
stood already four feet high. The country now became quite open to the
east and south, and everything indicated that we were approaching the
great artery of the country which I was so anxious to behold. In the
distance to the west a range of low hills was still observable, but was
gradually receding. About ten o’clock we passed the site of a straggling
but deserted village, called Melágo, the inhabitants of which had
likewise exchanged their dwelling-place in this low level country for a
more healthy one at the foot of the mountains, where there is another
village called Kófa, homonymous with that in the Marghí country; for this
district belongs to the country of the Bátta, a numerous tribe nearly
related, as I have stated above, to the Marghí. All the ruins of the
dwellings in Melágo were of clay, and the rumbú or rumbúje—the stacks of
corn—were of a peculiar description; fine cornfields spread around and
between the huts.
Having rested about noon for a little more than two hours on a rather
damp and gloomy spot near a dirty pond, we continued our march, the
country now assuming a very pleasant park-like appearance, clothed in
the most beautiful green, at times broken by cornfields, where the
corn—_Pennisetum_ or géro—stood already five feet high. We soon had to
deliberate on the very important question which way to take, as the road
divided into two branches, the northern or western one leading by way
of Búmánda, while the southern or eastern one went by way of Sulléri.
Most of my companions were for the former road, which they represented
as much nearer, and as I afterwards saw, with the very best reason; but
fortunately the more gastronomic part of the caravan, headed by Bíllama,
who was rather fond of good living, rejected Búmánda, as being inhabited
by poor inhospitable pagans, and decided for the promising large
dishes of Mohammedan Sulléri. This turned out to be a most fortunate
circumstance for me, although the expectations of my friends were most
sadly disappointed. For if we had followed the route by Búmánda, we
should have crossed the Bénuwé lower down, and I should not have seen the
“Tépe,” that most interesting and important locality, where the Bénuwé
is joined by the Fáro, and swelled to that majestic river which is at
least equal in magnitude to the Kwára. Of this circumstance I was then
not aware, else I should have decided from the beginning for the route
by Sulléri. Unfortunately, owing to my very short stay in the country,
I cannot say exactly where Búmánda lies; but I should suppose that it
is situated about ten miles lower down, at a short distance from the
river, like the place of the same name near Hamárruwa,[58] and I think
it must lie opposite to Yóla, so that a person who crosses the river at
that place goes over directly to the capital, without touching either at
Ribáwo, or at any of the neighbouring places.
Having, therefore, chosen the eastern road, we soon reached the broad,
but at present dry sandy channel of the Máyo Tíyel, which runs in a
south-westerly direction to join the Bénuwé; water was to be found close
underneath the surface of the sand, and several women heavily laden with
sets of calabashes, and belonging to a troop of travellers encamped on
the eastern border of the watercourse, were busy in scooping a supply of
most excellent water from a shallow hollow or “kénkenu.” The banks of the
river, or rather torrent, were lined with luxuriant trees, amongst which
I observed the dorówa or meráya (_Parkia_) in considerable numbers.
Forest and cultivated ground now succeeded alternately, till we reached
a beautiful little lake called “gére[59] Páriyá” by the Bátta, and
“barre-n-dáke” by the Fúlbe, at present about fourteen hundred yards
long, and surrounded by tall grass, everywhere impressed with tracks of
the hippopotami or “ngábba,” which emerge during the night from their
watery abode to indulge here quietly in a rich pasturage. This is the
usual camping-ground of expeditions which come this way. A little beyond
this lake a path branched off from our road to the right, leading to
Ródi, a place of the Bátta, whose villages, according to Mohámmedu’s
statement, are all fortified with stockades, and situated in strong
positions naturally protected by rocky mounts and ridges.
There had been a storm in the afternoon at some distance; but when the
sun was setting, and just as we began to wind along a narrow path through
a thick forest, a black tempest gathered over our heads. At length we
reached the fields of Sulléri, and, having stumbled along them in the
deepest darkness, illumined only at intervals by flashes of lightning, we
entered the place and pushed our way through the narrow streets, looking
round in vain for Íbrahíma, who had gone on to procure quarters.
To our great disappointment we found the house of the governor shut up;
and notwithstanding our constant firing and knocking at the door, nobody
came to open it, while the heavy clouds began to discharge their watery
load over our heads. At length, driven to despair, we turned round, and
by force entered his son’s house, which was situated opposite to his
own. Here I took possession of one side of the spacious, clean, and cool
entrance-hall, which was separated from the thoroughfare by a little
balustrade raised above the floor. Spreading my mat and carpet upon
the pebbles with which, as is the general custom here, it was strewn, I
indulged in comfort and repose after the fatiguing day’s march, while
outside the tempest, and inside the landlord, were raging; the latter
being extremely angry with Bíllama on account of our forced entry.
Not the slightest sign of hospitality was shown to us; and instead of
regaling themselves with the expected luxurious dishes of Sulléri, my
companions had to go supperless to bed, while the poor horses remained
without anything to eat, and were drenched with the rain.