well off in material comforts; for in the morning a party of Fugábú
arrived with a number of sheep for sale, selling two for a dollar, and
thus enabled us to gratify the religious longing of our servants for an
extra dish on this their holiday. In the course of the evening, a
numerous caravan of oxen laden with grain, or rather negro-millet,
arrived from Bórnu, which made provisions a little cheaper. The grain
grown in the country, in its present wild and desolate state, is not
sufficient for the population, though so greatly reduced; and the last
season had been rather an unfavourable one. In consequence of the
arrival of this caravan, we not only had the opportunity of buying corn
at a cheaper rate, but we also got some from the chief as a present.
Everything in Kánem is bought with the common white Bórnu shirts, which
form the general dress of the people, black tobes being worn only by
richer persons. Even the general dress of the Arabs settled here in
Kánem consists of these white tobes and a háík made of the same stuff,
only the wealthier individuals being able to buy a woollen plaid. The
dress of the females, too, is made of these very tobes, which are cut
into the regular oblong pieces of which they consist, and sewn together
lengthwise.
[Sidenote: Tuesday, October 7th.]
Being obliged to remain here without the certain prospect of doing
anything worth while, we at least thought we had some right to the
hospitality of our hosts; and we expressed our desire to obtain a little
more milk, as we ourselves possessed neither cows nor she-camels. Our
request was complied with. Thus we accustomed ourselves entirely to
camel’s milk, and found it by degrees more palatable and wholesome than
the milk of cows. I attribute the recovery of my strength principally to
this sort of diet. There was always some milk brought into the
encampment by the daughters of the Bení Hassan; but this was generally
milk in an unpleasant intermediate state between sweet and sour, and the
vessels (the kórió, made of the leaves of the palm-tree) in which it was
carried had usually a bad smell, which they communicated to the milk.
As the renegade Jew ʿAbd-Allah (el Musulmáni) was the medium through
which all our business with the chief was transacted, I made him to-day
a present of a red sash, and continued to keep him in good humour by
occasional small presents. This man was a curious specimen of a Jewish
adventurer. He was by birth a Tripolitan, but had been obliged to leave
his native home on account of a murder which he had committed. He then
betook himself to the tribe of the Welád Slimán, exchanging his Jewish
creed for that of Mohammed, and obtained protection. When he had gained
a good deal of property as a silversmith, his new companions stripped
him of his treasures: he then for a time separated from them, and in
company with two other renegade Jews, Músa and Ibrahím, made a journey
to Negroland—a memorable event, as they were the first of their nation
who trod this road. On his receiving news of the prosperity of the Welád
Slimán in Kánem, he once more joined them, and became a freebooter. He
was a very good horseman; but that was all, his horsemanship but badly
supplying his want of courage. However he was useful to us in many
respects, although we had to take care that the people did not confound
us with these Jewish adventurers.
I began this day my little vocabulary of the Tébu language, or rather
the “módi Tedá,” and provisionally that dialect of this language which
is spoken by the inhabitants of Búrgu, and which varies considerably
from the language as it is spoken by the inhabitants of Bílma and in the
South of Fezzán. Already at that early period I became aware that this
language is nearly related to the Kanúri, while it has scarcely any link
whatever which externally connects it with the Berber language.
[Sidenote: Wednesday, October 8th.]
The only thing which happened this day, worth mentioning was the arrival
of Hallúf, a warlike Tébu chieftain, with seventeen horsemen of the
Fugábú Tébu, who rode up in a very spirited manner to the tent of Sheikh
Ghét. Hallúf, a man of great bodily size and strength, and renowned in
these quarters on account of his valour, had formerly been the enemy of
Bórnu, but had now been won over to its interest. However, he was still
too much afraid of the Bórnu people to join the Welád Slimán, as long as
Háj ʿAbbás the vizier’s messenger was present; but he came as soon as he
heard that he was gone. He was not a very scrupulous man, as I soon
convinced myself, when he with the Fugábú called upon us, and as soon as
he had introduced himself began begging for poison. We of course cut his
demand short. He then sat quietly down with his companions, and took
great delight in the performances of my musical box, which I really
found, together with the watch, the most useful instrument for
demonstrating to the people the great superiority of European genius and
handicraft. These people were not without sympathy for those lively airs
which the little instrument was capable of performing, and would sit
down quietly for a great length of time enjoying this mysterious music.
The rumour soon spread, and Sheikh Ghét likewise desired to be made
acquainted with the mysterious little box. But the day did not end so
harmlessly; for bad tidings arrived. Háj ʿAbbás, on his way to Bórnu,
had seen a troop of Kindín near Ngégimi, and warned the Arabs to beware
of a sudden attack. Thus uneasiness and anxiety spread through the
encampment, and scouts were sent out to scour the country in every
direction.
[Sidenote: Friday, October 11th.]
News having been brought in the morning that three Tawárek on horseback,
and five on camels, had been seen at a neighbouring well, an alarm was
raised immediately. All the Arabs mounted; and we followed their
example, though I felt extremely weak, while my horse, having had rest
and good food for several days, and seeing so many companions galloping
and capering about, was almost unmanageable.
The whole encampment presented a very warlike appearance; but it turned
out to be a false alarm. We therefore returned into the encampment, and
began to arrange our luggage, as we were to leave here the heaviest part
of our things, and take only as little as possible with us in our
progress further eastward; for the Arabs had conceived the hope of
plunder, the news having been brought that the Khalífa of Wadáy had left
his residence Mʿawó, and that nobody was there to defend that quarter
against their inroads. At the same time, our friends cast a longing look
towards Báteli, the celebrated pasture-grounds in the northern course of
the Bahar el Ghazál, two days’ march beyond Egé, where numbers of camels
were reported to be collected at the time. Of course they did not want
it to become known where they intended to direct their foray, and
therefore spoke now of this, then of that quarter, as likely to be the
object of their expedition.
[Footnote 8: I will only refer to the animated description which Captain
Lyon (Narrative, p. 54.) gives of the former power of this tribe.]
[Footnote 9: The Tébu call them Erdi mádé, “the red enemies,” or
Yógodé.]
[Footnote 10: The whole of this information is collected in the
Appendix.]
CHAP. XLI.
SHITÁTI. — THE EASTERN, MORE FAVOURED, VALLEYS OF KÁNEM.
[Sidenote: Saturday, October 11th.]
With the rest of our people, and with the remaining two camels
carrying the smaller part of our luggage, we accompanied the following
day the more active part of the horde, while the older men were left
behind for the defence of the encampment, with their families and
property.
The country through which our way led was entirely of the same character
as that which I have already described, a sandy level adorned with trees
of moderate size, almost all of the genus _Mimosa_, and in favourable
seasons well adapted for the cultivation of Indian corn—now and then
broken by deep hollows of larger or smaller extent, generally with a
sufficient supply of water to produce fine plantations or corn-fields,
and overgrown with more luxuriant vegetation. We crossed a fine vale of
this description about eight miles from our starting-point, and chose
our camping-ground on the higher level commanding the “Bír el Ftáim.”
The hollow, however, which contains this well is rather of a peculiar
kind; for, unlike the other basins, which afford sufficient space for
cultivation, it is extremely narrow, while the encompassing slopes, at
least that on the north side, rise to a greater altitude than the
general level of the country. I made a sketch of it.
[Illustration: Drawn by J. M. Bernatz, from a Sketch by Dr. Barth.
M. & N. Hanhart, lith. et impt.
BIR EL FTAÍM.
Octr. 11th. 1851.]
On this commanding point there was a village of the Fugábú Kóbber; and
Overweg and I, before we went to our encampment, which was chosen on the
southern slope, paid these people a visit, dismounting under a tree at
some distance from their light huts, and were well received. They
brought us immediately a dish made of the meal of Indian corn and sour
milk, and sat down cheerfully, questioning us as to the difference
between their country and ours, and asking, with regard to the politics
of England, whether we were the friends or enemies of Dár-Fúr and Wadáy
(which countries, together with Bórnu, comprised their political
horizon), and expressed great astonishment at our instruments. They
brought us a lion’s-skin, and soon after another very palatable dish of
deshíshe made of wheat, with very good butter, which had nothing of that
nasty taste peculiar to the butter of Bórnu and the surrounding
countries: the dish was seasoned with dates.
It would have been far more instructive and agreeable to us to be in the
constant company and under the protection of these people, the natives
of the country, who would have made us acquainted with its
characteristic features so much better than that band of lawless robbers
who took no real interest in it, except as regarded the booty which it
afforded them. But they had neither power nor authority; and we were
satisfied that where the Arabs were not able to conduct us, these people
never could. Notwithstanding their alliance with the Arabs, they are
treated with contempt by the latter, and the Arabs never omit to add a
sneer when they speak of the “damned” (“ám bú”) Keráda; for so they call
the Fugábú. Of course the intercourse of these two different people can
neither be sincere nor intimate, and the natives were only waiting for
their day of revenge.
A storm gathering and threatening to burst upon us, we hastened away
from this spot; but there was only a little rain. In the evening there
arrived two Shúwa from the villages of the Woghda, and were thrown into
irons, in order not to betray the approach of the Arabs.
[Sidenote: Sunday, October 12th.]
We went on a short distance to another well situated in a considerable
hollow or basin, which might afford, and has once afforded a splendid
place for cultivation, but which at present was entirely blocked up and
made really impassable by rank and wild vegetation. With great trouble
we penetrated with the first horsemen to the well. Nobody had made use
of it for a long period. The water was very bad and unwholesome. The
Arabs had not encamped at this place for at least seven years; hence
there was a rich abundance of excellent food for the camels; but the
danger from beasts of prey was also very great. The ground was full of
elephants’ dung; and wild pigeons were hovering about in great numbers.
The place for our encampment was chosen on the level commanding the rich
basin on the eastern side, and descending into it by a steep slope of
from 300 to 400 feet. Here I laid myself down in the cool shade of a
luxuriant serrákh not far from the slope, and surveyed the trains of the
Fugábú, who in the course of the day arrived with their little movable
household, having left their former residence near Bír el Ftáim. In the
evening we paid a visit to the sheikh, and as usual were obliged to give
him and his companions some account of European matters, though it would
have been far more interesting for us to listen to their own stories, so
full of incidents of a wild restless life.
[Sidenote: Monday, October 13th.]
The weather was cool, and a strong north wind made it rather chilly.
Having been told that we were not to leave the next day, I purchased a
ram, with a white tobe which I had bought for about forty rotl in
Kúkawa, receiving, besides the ram, one sʿaa or zékka of Guinea corn to
complete the bargain. I afterwards got a fine fat goat, which we
slaughtered to-day, and found its meat pretty good. Hallúf came while I
was lying in the shade of my serrákh of the preceding day, which I had
nicely cleaned, and sat down to a chat; he assured me that he was able
to bring us to Kárká or Kargha, the swampy country in the south-east
corner of the lake, which forms an archipelago of small islands, and
would offer his services for that purpose, but that he was afraid of
Sheikh Ghét’s jealousy. He then went with me over my little Tébu
vocabulary, and corrected some slight mistakes. He was quite a sociable
man; but Overweg, as well as I, doubted much whether he could be
trusted.
Having consulted what course to take, we went to the sheikh and asked
him whether he really thought Hallúf would be able to take us with any
degree of safety to Kárká. He did not hesitate to declare that Hallúf
was unable to accomplish what he had boasted of, and begged us to have
patience till news should arrive from Bórnu, where he had sent to ask
for advice with regard to our design of visiting the eastern side of the
lake, and respecting his own proceedings. We rather imagined that the
vizier had given him orders, at the same time that he sent us out to
Kánem, to assist us in carrying out our project in every respect; and we
could scarcely hope for any favourable result by their asking advice at
such a distance. We therefore complained to ʿAbd-Allah of the sheikh’s
lukewarmness; and presuming that he was not content to leave us under
the protection of Hallúf because he expected that the latter would get
some handsome present from us, we told him that even if we were to go
with Hallúf, we should regard ourselves as still under the protection of
the sheikh, to whom we were entirely indebted for Hallúf’s acquaintance,
and would make him a valuable present if we should not fail in our
enterprise. This seemed to take effect; and we received the satisfactory
message in the evening, that we should be allowed to go with Hallúf, but
that we must make a handsome present to the sheikh, besides the large
tent which I had prepared for myself in Tripoli. Being willing to make
any sacrifice in order to carry out the express wish of the government
who had sent us, and elated by the prospect that something might be
done, we paid another visit to Sheikh Ghét in the evening, but could not
arrive at any definite arrangement. There was a great deal of talk about
a certain Keghámma, who alone had the power to take us to Kárká, while
Hallúf at best was said to be able to conduct us to Mʿawó; but at that
time we could not make out distinctly who this Keghámma was, except that
we learnt that he resided in a place called Kárafu, in the direction of
Mʿawó.
[Sidenote: Tuesday, October 14th.]
The strong wind making it rather uncomfortable outside, I remained in my
tent studying the Tébu language, and conversing with the fáki ʿOthmán, a
man who, by his mild conduct, formed a curious contrast to the lawless
and quarrelsome character of this band of robbers, besides being
possessed of less prejudice and superstition. In the afternoon several
Fugábú paid us a visit; they all behaved well, and were not troublesome.
It was at length decided that we should leave the second day following,
with Hallúf, for the Bahar el Ghazál and Kárká; and although we were
sorry at not having brought the affair to a more definite conclusion, we
yet indulged in the hope that we should be able to attain our object,
when suddenly in the evening we received information that Hallúf had
receded from his engagement, and that therefore no further idea of our
going with him could be entertained.
What the reason was for this sudden change of proceeding I cannot say;
but all our arguments, of course, were faulty, as we were unable to give
them sufficient weight by good presents. That the tidings of the
carrying off of three herds of cattle from a village at a few miles’
distance from Yó, by the Tawárek, which arrived this evening, could have
had any influence upon this course of policy was rather improbable.
[Sidenote: Wednesday, October 15th.]
I was so happy as to collect a good deal of information about the
country of Shitáti, which we had now entered, once densely inhabited in
large and populous cities, and passed the day quietly and usefully. We
heard, to our great joy, that we were to go on the next day with the
whole expedition.
[Sidenote: Thursday, October 16th.]
We had scarcely left the place of our encampment when we fell in with an
elephants’ track, apparently leading to the well, and followed it for a
long distance; it was well trodden, and was an undoubted proof that
these huge animals abounded in this wild deserted region, where man had
left scarcely any trace of his presence. Having proceeded at a swift
rate, we crossed, at the distance of about six miles, a very fine hollow
or vale stretching south and north, and capable of producing everything,
and even at that time exhibiting a few vestiges of human activity and
industry in a small field of wheat, irrigated from those wells called
“kháttatír” by the Arabs, which name is given by them also to the spot
irrigated in this way. Its native name, if I am not mistaken, is
“Yakállogo.”
We then came to another hollow, formed like an ancient circus, and
having its soil richly impregnated with natron; it is called Bérendé.
After a short halt here, we continued our march; and Overweg and I,
while our men and camels followed the direct road, turned off towards
the south, and visited another hollow, called “Bóro,” in whose deep
bottom a lake is formed, which, according to the season and to the
quantity of water it contains, like several other water-basins round the
lake, may be termed a fresh or brackish-water lake.
During the last rainy season but very little rain had fallen in Kánem;
and consequently this lake was of rather small extent, being about one
mile and a half round, and limited to the more deeply depressed southern
corner of the basin, while its northern corner, which is rarely
inundated, was thickly wooded. There was formerly much cultivation here,
and a small village stood on the border of the lake. Now all is desolate
and our Kánemma guide, Músa Bedé, unwilling to make a longer stay in
such a spot, hurried on, ascending the steep eastern slope, which is at
least three hundred feet high. Here we obtained a view over a great
extent of country; but it was all one desolate wilderness, and nothing
particular to be seen, excepting a party of five men watching our
movements, and keeping parallel with us. We therefore returned to our
troop and informed them of the circumstance; and a body of horsemen were
sent in pursuit.
We then, about half an hour before noon, crossed another hollow or vale,
called Towáder, with the dry basin of a lake in its southernmost part,
on whose border were several wells; the ground was thickly overgrown
with underwood. Continuing our march, we reached, after noon, a more
extensive and extremely beautiful vale, richly clothed with vegetation,
but not in so wild a state, and not of the same impenetrable character,
as many of those which we had seen; the reason seemed to be, that it was
less deep, being only about 150 feet under the higher level.
Here the troop halted during the heat of the day, the groups being
scattered over the whole extent of the hollow; but it was not a fit spot
for a night’s encampment, as well on account of the wild beasts, as of
the danger of a sudden attack from hostile men. Sweet as repose was here
in the cool shade of a luxuriant serrákh or a kúrna, the ground was full
of scorpions; and my bodyguard, Bú-Zéd, was severely stung by one.
Accordingly, when the dhohor had passed by, the order was given for
decamping, and we kept along the vale and ascended the eastern slope,
when, on an entirely open ground almost bare of trees, we chose a place
for our night’s encampment. The Arabs here brought us a young ostrich
which they had caught in the valley; and we had a long unprofitable
conversation with them in endeavouring to obtain their goodwill.
[Sidenote: Friday, October 17th.]
We started very early, for a long day’s fatiguing ride; for,
notwithstanding all the care I took of myself, I could not recover from
my sickly state, and was extremely sensitive of fatigue. The country in
the beginning of our march was less adorned with trees than usual; but
it became more densely wooded after we had passed the vale called
Asfúra. This hollow, of small extent, and inclosed all around by steep
slopes, is provided with a great number of wells of excellent water; but
its bottom, being in most parts stony, is almost bare of vegetation,
with the exception of here and there a dúm-bush. While the men made a
short halt for taking in a supply of water, I went a little in advance
with Abd-Allah; but I soon found that he did not know the road at all,
keeping far too much to the south, and I thought it wiser to return to
our people, and march along with them.
The country here offers a greater variety in its configuration; and,
instead of an extensive level, as before, hill and dale succeed each
other. Having passed several smaller concavities, we reached a more
considerable valley, called Jená ú Shelúkko, which contained corn, or
rather durra fields, but they were entirely destroyed by the elephants.
Grain had also been cultivated at the foot of the slope; but it had
failed entirely, on account of the scarcity of rain. There were no
vestiges of human habitations.
Our people had begun to make themselves comfortable in this fine valley
for passing the heat of the day, when suddenly orders were given for
continuing our march. The country now became more hilly. Having passed
_en route_ a hollow provided with wells and called Aghó, once one of the
most famous places of Kánem, we made, after noon, a short halt in the
flat dell called Núndul, in which are several kháttatír, or draw-wells,
and stubble-fields, in order to provide ourselves with water, and also
to water our horses. There was a great bustle and confusion, everybody
wanting to get first to the wells, and proceed with the principal troop,
as we were now approaching a hostile territory. My she-camel, which was
a very fine little animal, but rather too heavily laden for such an
expedition, was among the last that arrived; and, starting after the
others, was soon left behind the whole troop; and I endeavoured in vain
to bring her up.
The country here was more level than it had been in the latter part of
our route; and we left on our right only one vale, which is called
Maínasa. Fortunately for me, the whole host made a longer halt at two
o’clock in the afternoon, in one long line, in order to exhort the
little band to valour, and to give them some instructions in case of a
conflict with the enemy. No quarter was to be given, and any one of them
who should lose his horse or camel was to be indemnified for the loss.
But a great deal was proclaimed besides, which, as I was at the very end
of the line, I could not make out. Two horsemen were galloping along the
line and brandishing white banners, such as I had not observed before.
There was a good deal of parade in the whole scene; and at the end of it
several small troops of horsemen galloped out in advance of the line as
“imán,” that is to say, as bound by an oath either to be victorious or
to die.