getting away, I should not have written this to-day, had I not been
anxious to take advantage of any opportunity of giving you a piece of
information which will astonish you. The Tagakánths, notwithstanding
all that the Sheïkh ’Abíb and Hámed promised, have not arrived
here. Another express has been sent to them; but even after their
arrival there is to be a stop: should this prove to be the case,
I will give up the project, content to lose all the money I have
paid. In twelve days from this, I shall have completed six calendar
months here, and during a great part of the time I have been treated
worse than a dog. I have told Hámed, and as soon as I can get the
Sheïkh and ’Abíb together, I shall tell them likewise, that if I
do not start by to-morrow week, I shall insist upon their returning
the money they have had; at all events, that Hájí ’Abíb must
give me the five hundred dollars he brought, and the camels which
have been purchased with my funds; and I must make up my mind to be
robbed of the rest. This I have often threatened to do; but now I will
act up to my resolves, let what will happen. Zain came yesterday and
told me he would wait no longer; that he had engaged some sixty of
the Ben Alí tribe, who take twenty-seven men mounted on horses as
a flying guard, and who are determined to fight their way through,
if necessary; he says he can send me on with the greatest confidence;
that unless he was certain of accomplishing the object, he would not
risk his brother’s property; but that I must go at once. I shewed
him every thing packed up, ready to start at a moment’s notice, and
that I was only waiting for some bread that I expected. He asked me
how I was situated? I told him of every thing, and that one hundred
and ten dollars, including the present premium on the pesettas, had
been paid to the Sheïkh for the Tagakánths. He lifted up his hands
and said, it ought not to have been more than half that sum. Besides
I have brought him, said I, a present amounting to one hundred and
eighty dollars, and that he has asked for guns, which will cost him
from six to seven hundred dollars more. Moreover, I have promised,
if I am satisfied with his conduct, to send him pistols, powder,
&c.; that I had left the money in your hands. He got up, and said,
it was too bad; but as I had paid the money, it was no use to say
anything more; it was gone without the chance of recovery. He thinks,
and so do I, that the Sheïkh and his party will give themselves no
further trouble about the matter. Zain and his friends are the people,
who, as I told you some time since, offered to carry me to Tumbuktú
for five hundred dollars, and not to receive any money until they had
delivered me there in safety. The third and principal matter I have to
communicate is, that Sídí Alí Ben Ilft is gone to join the caravan
going to Tumbuktú; he came here last night to tell me so. No sooner,
however, was it known in the Sheïkh’s room that he was there, than
they sent Hájí ’Abíb to bring him to them. At first he refused
to go; but afterwards he went, and then came back and staid with
me till late. He says that he will go through all Súdan with me,
and even back to England, if I wish it. He begged me to visit him
this morning, and I have just left him. He wants me not to hurry the
káfilah; and from what I could collect from his conversation with
Hámed, he is disposed to give a large sum to delay the káfilah one
month longer, and a good sum to delay it twenty days. This he says,
is to give him time to arrange his affairs, but I know too well it is
to get further instructions from Fez. I have stated decidedly that
I will not wait twenty days. This Sídí Alí would be of great use
as a protector, but I want none. My mind is made up, I am sorry to
say, to leave my bones in Súdán, and it is as firmly made up to
make a severe example before I fall. I am determined, on the least
treachery I see here or on the road, to fire first, and my pistols
never miss. I feel that I am in bad hands here. Close and Moor-like
as Sídí Alí is, I wormed out of him that there was some fear lest
I should divert a most lucrative trade into another channel. Sídí
Alí will not believe that I have paid the sum I stated; so trifling
is the hire of camels to Tumbuktú, that they leave it to chance,
and even with the salt they are glad to obtain ten mithkáls, not
of gold; but merely the ten ............ a camel-load for the salt,
including cost and carriage; as it is the back carriage that pays. All
here are in great commotion, since they have learnt about Sídí
Alí, and they know not what to do. I am sorry for Hájí ’Abíb,
who is really concerned about this bad treatment. He complains sadly
of the food; and his servant, who has been four times to Tumbuktú,
says the dogs there live better than the Sheïkh here. He cannot eat
the food, and means to cook for himself. He is preparing a little
meat for me, but I cannot buy a pot to put it into. I stated in
my last that I was not going to put on any disguise. I have been
so accustomed to the dirt and filth in which I have been living for
some time past, that it has become quite natural to me. You, perhaps,
know more about Khovut than any other person, and when I tell you I
have been living in Khotu, sleeping on it for nearly three months,
you can form a pretty good idea of my disguise. I never expect to
become white again. My beard is very long, my hair is cut close to
the head, leaving one long tuft over the left ear, my bare legs and
arms are covered with the bites of vermin; my cheek bones are very
prominent, and teeth very sharp from having little or nothing to do.
“I have told you a great deal about Sheïkh Berúk, but the
finishing stroke was put to it this morning. I yesterday purchased
two sheep, to prepare a little meat to serve me either to go or
return. After cutting what meat I could off the bones, and putting
this aside, one of the slaves was sent from the house to bring them
away, there being enough for the dinner, and the small pieces were
of no use to me. I asked the girl why she was taking them away? She
replied, ‘the Sheïkh had sent her for them.’ This conduct was
strongly contrasted with that of Sídí Alí, who sent for Abú,
and told him that he had heard I was buying meat, but he would not
allow it; there were plenty of people to buy and cook meat for me,
if necessary; and he would not have it said, that a stranger was
buying his food while he was in their country.
“I am daily at the tents of the Tagakánths, and the ladies, not
one, but several, have openly asked me to pass the night with them; an
arrangement to which their husbands make not the least objection. The
Sheïkh alone, who is no great favourite, is jealous of the little
attention shewn to others. Hájí ’Abíb says, he does not know
how to manage these people. He is too close-fisted for them.
“Hámed has just been here (Saturday P.M.). I asked him to sit
down; he said he was ashamed, and would not sit in my room, till
his father came or sent a letter, bidding him to bring me on.
“I wrote a hasty P. S. about the medicines for the Sultán. My
friend, G. D———d, tells me that two such chests were never sent
from any house: besides the medicines, ............ of silver, glass
and copper, mortars of glass and slabs for pills and ointments, I
ordered the best work on medicine, the latest on diseases of the eye,
and the paper of anatomical figures made at Paris, which are taken to
pieces by leaves, and through which the medical schools in Egypt and
Persia are taught anatomy, as religious prejudices in those countries
do not permit persons to make use of dead subjects for dissection. I
likewise ordered several cases of bottles of Seidlitz and other
powders for Sídí Ben Alí. All these I know have been sent, and I
have paid for them: their non-arrival is owing probably to the want
of proper directions to the Káïd of Tangier to forward them on:
the matter should be really looked into for the national credit.
“Sunday.—Some observations have been made about my bones,
and I was this morning told they were taken to make soup for the
Sheïkh’s party in the garden, to which they all thought I should
go; but I am too poorly to stir out. At length there is news from the
tents, ordering all to be ready on Friday next to leave on Saturday
or Sunday. I shall not believe it, till I am really on my camel. I
have got no bread as yet.
“Wednesday Evening.—Your welcome letter, with the parcel, reached
this place yesterday evening: the messenger wanted to return this day;
but I was totally unable to hold a pen yesterday, and can but ill
manage writing to-day. Ever since Sunday I have been upon my carpet
alarmingly ill. This it appears is the sickly season of Wád Nún:
my first attack was ophthalmia. From this the disorder went to the
throat, and I had what they call a falling of the palate, and to
such an extent, that, after finding no relief from strong blisters
and gargling, and fearing suffocation, I was about to cut a hole in
my throat to admit of breathing; but Hájí ’Abíb, the Sheïkh,
the Jews, &c. all begged me to try the remedy of the country; and
for the last two days I have had a stick covered with tar poked
down my throat, and have inhaled the fumes of boiled tar twice or
thrice a-day. I am now wonderfully better, and am able to speak and
swallow hot liquids, though I cannot the saliva. The quantity of
this secretion has quite astonished me: there has been a continued
discharge for hours together, and amounting during the night to above
a quart. Hámed has been particularly attentive, and so have all;
and all have been frightened not a little. To-day I have had some
severe palpitations, for which, if they return, I shall bleed myself
till I faint, and repeat this as often as nature will allow. I do,
perhaps, wrong in writing, but I know your kindness and good feeling
would make you more anxious, should you hear of my illness through
any other channel.
“I am sorry I cannot answer your questions. Nobody knows when we are
to go: Hámed says, it is not the Sheïkh’s fault; that the times
are difficult. His father will be here to-morrow or the day after;
and we shall start the next day. If he comes to-night, we shall be
off to-morrow. I have sent Abú to see about some cakes from the
Jews. The letters to England must have miscarried, as there were
some private ones of mine that would certainly have been answered.
“I have been obliged to coin an answer to the Sheïkh, and telling
him that it will be time enough to think of commercial intercourse,
as soon as he should have performed his engagements with me, and
for the execution of which he had been paid before hand. He begins
to feel alarmed, and is half ashamed of himself. I cannot write
now what he has disclosed; but I shall be at him again before the
messenger departs.
“Friday night.—I am much better, although I do not consider
myself quite out of danger. I was obliged to make four incisions in
the throat by the knife, before I could obtain relief. I will go
to-morrow, if the people come, of which there appears but little
chance. I would readily step into the grave to get away from this
place; the thought of dying here, to be plundered by the Sheïkh and
his crew of vagabonds, annoys me more than my bodily sufferings. Abú
is quite useless: his fear makes him totally helpless; but this only
serves to rouse me. Hájí Abíb’s servant, Fahir, has certainly
saved me for the present. This strange fellow wants to leave his
master, and come to me. I do not think this would be fair on my
part; I shall, however, sound his master on the subject, who first
made the offer for me to take him: but I believe the wretches here
do not wish the boy to go back to Súdán, as he knows too many of
their dirty tricks. One circumstance alone keeps up my spirits; all
my predecessors started in good health and failed. Bruce, in whose
career and my own are many singular coincidences, started in nearly
the same shattered state of health, after a detention in Abyssinia
of six months, as I do now, and yet he succeeded; and so, perhaps,
may I; but my hopes are very faint.
“Saturday, four P.M.—I have this day spoken again to the Sheïkh;
but he fights shy of every question. I shall, therefore, tell Abíb
to-night, that I cannot stand this trifling any longer, and that on
Monday I expect to have my money returned. It is all nonsense that
I cannot get through Súdán before the rainy season commences, and
it would be certain death in my state of health to think of braving
them out. I have been shamefully used. The Sheïkh and Majíbí have
played this game to suit their own views, without caring a straw for
you or me: the former came snivelling about his expectation of a ship
arriving, and that traders would be glad to come here. I told him
that nobody believed in his power, and that the best proof of his
weakness was his inability to send me on. I perceive that you have
a great idea of his influence; but a week’s residence here would
convince you, that with the exception of his own immediate dependants,
not a soul would go out of the way to serve him; he is a mean, low,
avaricious, and crafty savage; an arrant coward, and one who grudges
even the barley that is daily served out for brute and beast. There
is often more disturbance about overfilling the measure, than would
take place in England if the Bank had failed. You seem to think there
is some danger in his taking offence: you need not fear on that head,
as he knows that he would then have to give the money back again.
“Sunday, P.M.—I have told the Sheïkh, that as the 15th October
is now past, my orders were to wait no longer; and that as the
Taghakánths had not made their appearance, I expected he would
either return the money, or send me on, or let me take my own steps
for proceeding to Tumbuktú. I had just laid down, after having
read the prayers, and while Abú was at the market, when I heard
some high words outside of the door, and in came the Sheïkh,
Abíb, and Hámed. The first was foaming with rage; the second
blushing up to his turban; while Hámed was sinking to the ground,
like one doomed to die. All were talking, and in my weak state it
was too much for me: being, however, an old soldier in argument,
and finding all the party in anger, I kept myself more than ordinary
cool. As soon as I could get them to speak one at a time, I found
that some reports from Suweïrah had reached this place, accusing
the Sheïkh of having played the rogue, and of having kept half
the money of the Taghakánths for himself; and that the scandal had
even extended to Fez. The Sheïkh asked, in a threatening manner,
if Hámed had told me so. Perceiving that the doom of the poor lad
would be fixed, if I told the truth, I was obliged to deny it. Had
I not done so, the Sheïkh, I am certain, would have killed the lad
on the spot. The Sheïkh then broke out in no measured terms against
all of us; and though he confessed I had good reason to complain,
he swore he had not taken a single morznum for himself; and that he
would not allow his character to be trifled with. He said tauntingly,
that all he had of mine was a gun, a caftan, and three suílhams; and
he would give them back, and I might make out my bill for the other
things, and he would pay for them. At this juncture Abú returned,
and I requested him to tell the Sheïkh, that I was not a merchant,
and knew nothing about bills; that if he found any difficulty in
fulfilling his engagements, my bill was a very simple one; he had
only to return the 1,000 dollars in pesetas, and the 350 paid to
Hámed, and to send me back to the place from whence he brought me;
that I did not care to go on, as it was plain he could not insure my
safety. This quite cooled him; and he turned round to poor Hámed,
and bade him get his horse; ride to the tents; bring his father and
people, and let them answer me. The poor fellow was shipped off by
Abíb, who now took up the subject, and stated that the Sheïkh’s
character had been injured by a report, said to have come from you,
that he has taken the Taghakánths’ money, and was now unwilling
to send me on. Upon this there was lots of swearing, &c., and the
Sheïkh became so warm, that he drank about a gallon of water, and
left us, saying that, if the Taghakánths did not come in ten or
fifteen days at farthest, he would take me back to Agadír. As soon
as he was gone, I told Abíb that, from the size of the parcels given
me to keep by Mohammed El Abd and Hámed Mulid, I did believe they
had received one-half of the amount, and that you were to send the
second half to me and not to the Sheïkh, and I would pay it over
to the Taghakánths, or to him, if they stated they had received
the whole sum. At this moment the Sheïkh returned, and muttered
something about the Taghakánths owing him money, and that if he
had paid himself, it was the same as paying it to them. This is
probably what led Hámed to believe and say that the Sheïkh had
paid only half, and had kept the remainder for himself. Hámed was
now left alone with us. He said the Sheïkh would murder him, if he
knew that it was he who had spread the report. He then left me to
get his horse; but the order was countermanded, and he is now with
me eating some bread, and watering it with his tears. Abíb says,
he does not know what to do; but hopes that I will wait the fifteen
days. Sídí Alí Ben Ilft told Abú in the market to-day, that if
we get away in less than a month, he would give me leave to cut off
his head. There is certainly some by-play here. This Sídí Alí has
been using every means to dissuade me, and there is no doubt that
his going is connected with my movements. I am sorry I can give you
no certain news about the Spanish slaves. The man left here nearly a
month ago, and seemed very careless about the matter, when he found
that he was not to have a present or money before starting. I am
making Abú collect whatever information he can pick up. News has
just been brought that the Taghakánths are moving their tents,
as the Ergebats have threatened to fall upon the káfilah as soon
as it starts, to wreak their vengeance for the last attack. I am
happy to tell you I am much better; but this blow of the Simúm,
with which, it appears, I have been struck, has been very serious. I
have a low ague; but feel too much pain in the chest when I cough
to venture upon quinine. Between ourselves I have reason to be glad
of this delay. I have had a little cake made by the Jews, but very
indifferent and dear; I hope I shall now get the bread.”
The next letter, which is the last that was written from Wád Nún,
relates some of the circumstances to which allusion is made by
Mr. Willshire, and which have been already printed in the Journal
of the Geographical Society. It is dated
“Saturday, Nov. 5, 1836.
“My pen almost refuses to write Wád Nún. Your kind letter reached
me this morning, and I can answer it in better spirits, because I am
happy to say my health is improving fast; but I cannot say much about
my confidence in the success of the enterprize. The start is to be on
Monday; although I do not go on that day. Every thing is now packed
up, and ready to be placed upon the camels, with which Abú starts at
day-break on Monday. I am to be left here, as if I had sent him on;
Mohammed El Abd remains behind. On Wednesday or Thursday, according to
the distance made by the camels the first day, we start on horseback,
accompanied by the Sheïkh Berúk, and about a half-dozen horsemen,
and we are to make Yeist, if possible, in one day. There I leave the
district of Wád Nún; and to that place is a three days’ journey
for loaded camels. I there leave my horse, and mount my camel, and we
push on to the tents. It has been positively stated to the Sheïkh,
that we are to stop only the night at the tents; but this is false:
I have become so used to the language of the Taghakánths, that I
understand more than they think; and I heard that we should be there
two or three days at least, if not more. The journey is to be made in
the shortest time possible. Berúk says thirty days; my conductor,
however, adds five or six; to this, he says, that we shall go as a
post, and form a party of only five, including Abú and myself.
“Mohammed El Abd came again at night, and there was again a sort of
grumbling about the expense. I asked why I was to pay 230 mithkáls
for a camel, when the usual hire for a káfilah was only from ten to
twelve? This was a silencer. Instead of being the lions of the desert,
they are only the jackals, and pay tribute to even a single Arab,
who happens to cross them on the route. The Woobd Allah (Zeïn’s
people) are the persons with whom I ought to have gone: they are
still waiting here, and Zeïn has started this morning for Akka,
to know the reason. I have at last got the account of the things I
have purchased here, and which I have signed, requesting you to pay
the amount to Abíb. It is fifty-one and a-half dollars, to which
will be added the price of a thick haïk, if one can be procured.
“Night.—Mohammed El Abd has been here again, and I have read to
him what I have written to you, and added, that all will now look
to him, not only to protect me, but to send me on. He shewed me his
letters to the two principal persons, and one of them is the great
Marabout, whose word alone is enough to protect me. His letters
state, that I am an Englishman; that the English have been always
the friends of the Mussulman; that they are all their support;
for they buy all the produce, and furnish all the things that are
consumed in this country.
“Berúk is so proud of the very idea of a ship coming to his
territory, that he has ordered Hájí Abíb to write to every body
who can assist us in the least. He brings me new milk with his
own hand; he is here ever and anon, and by keeping a jog upon his
responsibility, all may yet be well. I have quite frightened Mohammed
El Abd, by telling him of our power to stop the trade, and to make
him personally responsible, if I am detained even at Tumbuktú.
“Midnight.—My party remained here very late; I feel that after
the dressing I gave my conductor this morning, I have got once more
the upper hand of all the party, and will now keep it. To-day I
have parted with all my hair, the last remains but one of Christian
appearance, and taken up the Tisbeah. On Monday I shall have to
do without an interpreter, and on Wednesday, it is now said, we
are to put on the turban and start. You shall hear from the tents,
if possible; but this is not a very easy matter, as there are four
tribes at war on the route, and no man dares go singly: as much as
eleven mithkáls have been refused to carry a letter; but I suppose
that for his own sake, the Sheïkh will arrange this. Abú is quite
well, but not in the highest spirits. Let me assure you once more
how grateful I am for all the trouble and anxiety you have taken in
this matter. May Heaven bless and reward you and yours, and may we
meet again in good old England, and there over our honest glass talk
over the difficulties we have conquered. I do not wish to boast too
much; but I do feel that few men would have gone through even what
I have suffered already, and God knows I have much before me yet:
but a merciful Providence has hitherto preserved me through many
and great dangers, and on this I firmly rely.”
At last, after a delay of nearly seven months, Mr. D. was fairly _en
route_ for the goal of his travels—Tumbuktú. But he had scarcely
entered the desert, when he perished by the hand of the assassin. His
last letter is the following, dated
“Yeist, Tuesday, November 15th, 1836.
“This is the fourth day since my arrival here, and as yet I am
uncertain about getting on. Having a spare hour to myself, for all
the town have gone out in the expectation of an attack, I take the
opportunity of writing up my journal. We did not actually start
on Monday, as I stated, but all was in readiness, and we began by
moving our things on that day. I had long predicted that there would
be no rain, till I was allowed to depart; a prediction that turned
out true to the letter. On Tuesday, scarcely had the remainder of
the baggage been moved to the tents, and the horses saddled, when it
rained in such torrents as to make it impossible to set out. It was,
therefore, arranged for myself to start at midnight with the horse
party, and for Abú to follow at break of day with the camels and
baggage. The whole night was, however, passed in discussing what route
we should take, and day had fairly dawned before all preparations were
completed. We all started about seven A.M., but took different routes
out of the town. I was accompanied by the Sheïkh Berúk and Hájí
Abíb to the hill outside the town, where they took leave of me,
and I was then committed to the care of the Sheïkh Mohammed El Abd,
and Hámed Mulid. The superior conduct and character of these persons
as compared with that of Berúk, his son and escort, was greatly
in favour of the Taghakánths. But now let me give you a little
pleasing information. At the eleventh hour nothing could exceed the
attention and assurances of the Sheïkh and Hájí Abíb. The former
in giving me into the hands of the Taghakánths, said, ‘He placed
me in their hands as his own flesh and blood; if any thing happened
to me, it would happen to him; I had done much for them. He counted
upon making a name through me. I had waited long; and that now there
was to be no delay, but to go on at once to the journey’s end,
and that Mohammed El Abd was to return post haste with a letter,
informing them of my safe arrival.’ I heard from his conversation
here last night, that if he gets back to Wád Nún in three months,
Berúk is to give him one hundred mithkáls of gold. Hájí Abíb
wrote all the letters, and helped to pack up, and was much more
nervous than I should be if I were going to the scaffold. I found
that Abú had packed up my Suilham; but as it was said that I must
have one, although I had three _Haìks_, Hájí Abíb took off his
own, which he compelled me to accept. I told him I should write to
you to get him another, which I pray you will have the goodness to do.