returned to Bagírmi, vanquished ʿOthmán in a battle fought at Moító,
drove him out of the country, and reinstated his brother upon the
throne. But as soon as Sabún had turned his back, ʿOthmán appeared once
more, drowned his brother in the river, and again usurped the sovereign
power. However, he was not destined to enjoy his prize for a long time
in tranquillity; for, a quarrel having broken out between him and the
fácha (the same person who had been on bad terms with his father), this
man, of the name of Ruwéli, who by his personal character greatly
enhanced the power and influence originally united with his authority,
and who was supported by a strong party, deprived the sultan of his
dominion, and, having driven him out of the country, invested with
supreme authority a younger brother of his, called el Háj, who, in order
to distinguish him from the former sultan of that name, we may call Háj
II. ʿOthmán, having fled from Búgomán, his usual place of refuge, to
Gulfé the Kótokó town on the west side of the Shárí, where he was
collecting a force, the fácha marched against him and vanquished him.
ʿOthmán, however, having implored the assistance of the sheikh el
Kánemí, and being assisted by the Shúwa of Bórnu, succeeded in
collecting another army, with which he once more returned, but was again
beaten in a battle fought at Sháwí. He, however, succeeded in crossing
the river by a stratagem, and sought refuge with ʿAmanúk, that mighty
chief of the Dághana Shúwa well known from Major Denham’s adventures;
but being pursued by his adversary, he saw no other way of escape open
to him than to throw himself into the arms of his former enemy, the king
of Wádáy, and, in order to obtain his assistance, he found himself
compelled to stipulate, and to confirm by an oath sworn on the Kurán,
that he and his successors should pay a considerable tribute to the
prince of Wádáy. This tribute, to be paid every third year, consists of
a hundred ordinary male slaves, thirty handsome female slaves, one
hundred horses, and a thousand shirts or kholgán, called by the Wádáy
people “dérketú,” besides ten female slaves, four horses, and forty
shirts to Zérma or Jérma, who is the inspector of this province.
Having obtained protection in consequence of this treaty, which rendered
Bagírmi as much a tributary province of Wádáy as it had been, in more
ancient times, of Bórnu, ʿOthmán returned to his country, and succeeded
at length in crushing his powerful and hitherto successful rival, whom
he defeated in two battles,—the one fought near Kókoché, on the
Báchikám, the other near the village of Ásu, on the banks of the river
Shárí. The fácha, having sought and found refuge in Logón birni, fought
one more battle with ʿOthmán near a place called Díndor, where a great
many of the people of Wádáy who were with him are said to have fallen.
But the inhabitants of Logón, fearing that Ruwéli would not be able to
fight his quarrel out, and that they themselves might afterwards suffer
for having given him protection, thought it more prudent to deliver him
into the hands of his enemy, and succeeded in doing so by stratagem.
This ambitious man is stated to have died in Wádáy, ʿOthmán having
delivered him to Sabún.
The restless prince of Bagírmi obtained a little tranquillity as long as
Sabún lived; but Yúsuf, who succeeded the latter, dissatisfied with him,
put forth another pretender, of the name of Jariñílme, and ʿOthmán had
scarcely succeeded in overcoming this enemy, which he did without much
trouble, when he had to fight in another quarter. For Mohammed el
Kánemí, the sheikh of Bórnu (who had assisted him to reascend the throne
with the sole object of regaining the ancient supremacy which Bórnu had
exercised over Bagírmi), when he became aware that he had not attained
his object, commenced open hostilities against him, which gave rise to a
struggle carried on for a number of years with equal success on either
side, but without any great result, except the ruin of the provinces
near their respective frontiers. The sheikh of Bórnu, beset at the time
by other difficulties, and seeing that he should be unable by himself to
crush the power of Bagírmi, is then said to have called in the aid of
Yúsuf Bashá, of Tripoli, who in the year 1818 sent Mústafá el Áhmar, at
that time sultan of Fezzán, together with Mukní and the sheikh el Barúd,
to his assistance, who, laying waste the whole north-western part of
Bagírmi, and destroying its most considerable places, Babáliyá and Gáwi,
carried away a great number of slaves, among whom was Agíd Músa, one of
my principal informants in all that relates to Bagírmi.
This happened about the time of Captain Lyon’s expedition. At a later
period Mukní returned once more with ʿAbd el Jelíl, the celebrated chief
of the Welád Slimán, who had accompanied the former expedition in a
rather subordinate character; but, having quarrelled with this
distinguished chieftain, who discountenanced Mukní’s intention of
overrunning the country of Bórnu, he himself returned home, sending in
his stead Háj Íbrahím, who plundered and ransacked the town of Moító,
and carried its inhabitants into slavery, while ʿAbd el Jelíl did the
same with Kánem. Then followed, in the year 1824, the second battle of
Ngála, of which Major Denham has given an account in his Narrative.
However, notwithstanding his partial success, the sheikh of Bórnu was
not able to reduce entirely the inhabitants of Bagírmi, who, although
not so numerous, and much inferior to their neighbours in horsemanship,
are certainly superior to them in courage.
There was still another quarter from whence Bagírmi was threatened
during the restless reign of ʿOthmán, namely that of the Fúlbe or
Felláta, who, following their instinctive principle of perpetually
extending their dominion and sway, made an inroad also into Bagírmi
about thirty years ago; but they were driven back, and revenge was taken
by a successful expedition being made by the Bagírmaye against Bógo, one
of the principal Fúlbe settlements to the east of Wándalá or Mándará,
which I have mentioned on my journey to Ádamáwa and the expedition to
Músgu. In the meantime, while the country suffered severely from this
uninterrupted course of external and internal warfare, ʿOthmán seems to
have made an attempt to enter into communication with Kánem, probably in
order to open a road to the coast by the assistance of the Welád Slimán,
or, as they are called here, Mínne-mínne, who, by a sudden change of
circumstances, had been obliged to seek refuge in those very border-
districts of Negroland with which their chief ʿAbd el Jelíl had become
acquainted in the course of his former slave-hunting expeditions.
Altogether ʿOthmán Búgomán appears to have been a violent despot, who
did not scruple to plunder either strangers or his own people; and he
cared so little about any laws, human or divine, that it is credibly
asserted that he married his own daughter.[57] But he appears to have
been an energetic man, and at times even generous and liberal. He died
in the last month of the year 1260, or about the end of the year 1844 of
our era, and was succeeded by his eldest son ʿAbd el Káder, the present
ruler of Bagírmi, who had been on bad terms with his father during his
lifetime, and in consequence had spent several years in Gúrin, at that
time the capital of Ádamáwa.
This prince had a narrow escape from a great danger in the first month
of his reign, when Mohammed Sáleh, the ruler of Wádáy, advanced with his
army towards the west, so that ʿAbd el Káder thought it best to leave
his capital, carrying with him all his people and riches, and to
withdraw towards Mánkhfa, where he is said to have prepared for battle,
taking up his position behind the river, and placing all the boats on
his wings. But the sultan of Wádáy, seeing that he occupied a strong
position, sent him word that he would do him no harm as long as he
preserved the allegiance confirmed by the oath of his father; and he
really does not seem to have done any damage to the people of Bagírmi,
with the exception of depriving them of their dress, the common black
shirt, of which the people of Wádáy are very jealous, as they themselves
are not acquainted with the art of dyeing.
This danger having passed by, ʿAbd el Káder, who is described to me, by
all those who have had opportunities of closer intercourse with him, as
being a person of sound judgment, and who likes to do justice, though it
may be true he is not very liberal, thought it best to keep on good
terms also with his western neighbours the Kanúri; and his friendly
relations with the present ruler of that country were facilitated by the
circumstance that his mother was an aunt of the sheikh ʿOmár. The
Bagírmi people at least assert that it is more on account of this
relationship, than from fear, or a feeling of weakness, that their ruler
has consented to a sort of tribute to be paid to Bórnu, which consists
of a hundred slaves annually.
Having thus obtained peace with both his neighbours, ʿAbd el Káder has
employed his reign in strengthening himself on that side which alone
remained open to him, viz. the south side, towards the pagan countries;
and he has successfully extended his dominion, remaining in the field
personally for several months every year. He has thus subdued a great
many pagan chiefs, on whom he levies a fixed tribute,—a thing said to
have been unknown before his time. Of course this tribute consists
almost entirely in slaves, which the pagan chiefs in general can only
procure by waging war with their neighbours, and slaves are therefore
almost the only riches of the sultan; but by this means he is able to
procure what he is most in need of, namely horses and muskets, besides
articles of luxury.
It is only with a strong feeling of suppressed indignation that the
people of Bagírmi bear the sort of dependence in which they are placed
with regard to their neighbours on either side; and there is no doubt
that, if they are allowed to recruit their strength (although the
tribute which they have to pay to Wádáy bears heavily upon them), they
will make use of the first opportunity that offers to throw off the
yoke.
No doubt the central position of Bagírmi, as regards political
independence, is not very favourable; but the country has the great
advantage of being bordered on the west side by a mighty river, which,
while it forms a natural barrier against the western neighbour, may
serve at the same time as a safe retreat in case of an attack from the
powerful kingdom on the east side: and it has proved so repeatedly, for
Bagírmi in many places extends westward beyond that river. This is the
only advantage which the country at present derives from the great
bounty which nature has bestowed upon it[58], viz. a river navigable
during every season of the year, surrounding half the extent of the
country, and sending through the middle of it a branch, the Báchikám,
which is navigable during the greater part of the year, and might easily
be made so all the year round. This branch, which approaches to within
nine or ten miles of the capital, forms part of the southern provinces
into an island. The great disadvantage of Bagírmi is, that there is no
direct caravan-road to the northern coast, and that it is therefore
dependent, for its supply of European and Arab manufactures, upon the
limited importation by the circuitous road through Wádáy or Bórnu;
consequently the price of the merchandise is greatly enhanced, while the
road, in case of hostilities with these latter kingdoms, is entirely
interrupted.
If we now take a general view of the country, we find that in its
present state it is inclosed within very narrow limits, extending in its
greatest length, from north to south, to about 240 miles, while its
breadth at the widest part scarcely exceeds 150 miles. Such a petty
kingdom would be quite incapable of holding out against its two powerful
neighbours if it were not for the resources drawn continually from the
pagan countries towards the south.
This was the reason why the kingdom of the Bulála, or Leo’s Gaoga, rose
to such immense power as soon as it had taken possession of Kánem. The
people of Bagírmi themselves in former times, evidently after the zenith
of the Bórnu kingdom had passed away, and when the weak dominion of
devout but indolent kings succeeded to the dashing career of energetic
and enterprising princes, provided themselves with what they wanted in
this respect in a rather unceremonious manner, by making constant
predatory expeditions upon the caravan-road from Fezzán to Bórnu, and
carrying away a great amount of property, even a large supply of
silver,—this being said to have been the source from whence the treasure
which ʿAbd el Kerím Sabún king of Wádáy found in Más-eñá was derived. In
another direction they formerly extended their excursions into the Bátta
and Marghí country.
The whole country, as far as it constitutes Bagírmi Proper, forms a flat
level, with a very slight inclination towards the north, the general
elevation of the country being about 950 feet above the level of the
sea; only in the northernmost part of the country, north from a line
drawn through Moító, there are detached hills or mountains, which
constitute the water-parting between the Fittrí and the Tsád, the two
basins having no connection whatever with each other. But while Bagírmi
Proper appears to be a rather flat country, the outlying provinces to
the south-east seem to be rather mountainous, the mountains,
particularly the group called Gére, being so high that the cold is felt
very severely, and hail or snow falls occasionally during the cold
months. From the information of the natives, particularly when we take
into consideration the description given of Belél Kolé, it would seem
that in that direction there are some volcanic mountains. Towards the
south also there must be considerable mountains which give rise to the
three rivers the Bénuwé, the Shárí, and the river of Logón, and probably
several more; but they must be at a great distance, and lie entirely
beyond the range of my information. However, I am sure that there is no
idea of perpetual snow, or even snow remaining for any length of time,
in this part of the continent; and there seems to be no necessity
whatever for supposing such a thing, as the fall of rain near the
equator is fully sufficient to feed numbers of perennial sources, and to
increase the volume of the rivers to such an extent as to annually
overflow the country in so astonishing a manner. The time of the
inundation of those three rivers seems to coincide exactly, while with
regard to the currents, that of the river of Logón appears to be the
most rapid.
The soil consists partly of lime (“añé”) and partly of sand (“síñaka”),
and accordingly produces either Negro millet (_Pennisetum_, “chéngo”) or
sorghum (“wá”), which two species of grain, with their different
varieties, form the chief article of food not only of the people of
Bagírmi, but almost all over Negroland. But besides this, a great deal
of sesamum (“kárru”), is cultivated, which branch of cultivation imparts
quite a different aspect to this country, as well as to many of the
pagan countries, as numerous tribes seem to subsist chiefly upon this
article. In many other districts of Bagírmi, beans (“móngo”) form one of
the chief articles of food, but ground-nuts, or “búli,” seem to be
cultivated only to a very small extent.
Wheat is not cultivated at all, with the exception of a small patch in
the interior of the capital, for the private use of the sultan. Rice is
not cultivated, but collected, in great quantities after the rains, in
the forest, where it grows in the swamps and temporary ponds; indeed a
good dish of rice, with plenty of butter and meat, forms one of the few
culinary luxuries which I have observed in Bagírmi. Another article of
food in very general use, is afforded by several varieties of grass or
_Poa_, identical, I think, with the _Poa Abyssinica_, here called
“chénna” by the black, and “kréb” by the red natives (I mean the Shúwa).
The variety most common in Bagírmi is called “jójó,” and is not only
eaten by the poor people, but even by the rich; indeed I myself am fully
able to speak from experience concerning it, as, with the addition of a
little rice, I subsisted on it almost entirely during my long stay in
this country, and found it very palatable when prepared with plenty of
butter, or even boiled in milk. Of course it is a light food, and, while
it does not cause indigestion, it does not satisfy the appetite for a
long time, or impart much superfluous strength. As regards vegetables,
molukhíya (“goñérmo,” _Corchorius olitorius_) and derába or bámiya
(“gobálto” and “géddegír”) are mostly in use, besides the “góngo,” the
leaves of the monkey-bread tree (“kúka”), and occasionally that of the
hájilíj (“jánga”), which form the common palaver-sauce of the poor.
Water-melons (“gérlaka”?) also are grown to some extent, and that sort
of _Cucurbita_ called _melopepo_ (“kúrchi”?), which I have mentioned on
a former occasion. Inside the capital a great many onions (“bassal”) are
cultivated, but not so much for the use of the natives as of the
strangers who visit the place.
Of articles of industry, cotton (“nyére”) and indigo (“alíní”) are grown
to a sufficient extent to supply the wants of the natives; but both
articles are chiefly cultivated by the Bórnu people who have immigrated
into this country.
The soil in general seems to be of a good quality; but, as I have said
above, the country suffers greatly from drought, and ants and worms
contribute in a large measure to frustrate the exertions of the
husbandman. Of the trees most common in the country, and most useful to
mankind, I have principally to mention the tamarind-tree, or “ʿardéb,”
called “más” by the people of Bagírmi,—a tree as useful for its fruit,
as it is beautiful on account of its foliage. The tamarind-fruit, in my
opinion, constitutes the best and surest remedy for a variety of
diseases, on account of its refreshing and cooling character. Next in
order is the deléb-palm, here called “káwe,” which is very common in
several parts of the country, although far more so in the outlying
provinces towards the south; the dúm-palm (“kolóngo”), which, although
not so frequent, is nevertheless found in considerable numbers in many
parts of the country; the hájilíj, or _Balanites Ægyptiaca_ (“jánga”),
of which not only the fruit is eaten, but the leaves also are used as
vegetables, like those of the monkey-bread tree—the latter does not seem
to be very frequent; the kórna or _Cornus_ (“kírna”), and the sycamore
(“bíli”). Many trees very common in Háusa, such as the kadéña, or
_Bassia Parkii_, and the dorówa (_Parkia_), are never seen here, at
least not in those districts which I visited; but _Croton tiglium_
(“habb el melúk”) is frequent, and I myself took a supply of this
powerful purgative with me on my return from this country.
There are no mines. Even the iron is brought from the exterior
provinces, especially a place called Gúrgara, distant from twenty to
twenty-five miles from the river, where the sandstone seems to contain a
great deal of iron ore. Natron is brought from the Bahr el Ghazál.
With regard to the special features of the country, and the topography
of the towns and villages, they will be described in a separate
chapter[59]; here I will only say that the entire population of the
country seems scarcely to exceed a million and a half, and the whole
military force, in the present reduced state of the kingdom, can hardly
be more than 3000 horse, and 10,000 foot, including the Shúwa
population, who surpass the black natives in breeding horses, while the
cavalry of Wádáy may be most correctly estimated at from 5000 to 6000,
and that of Dár-Fúr at more than 10,000. The weapon most in use among
them is the spear (“nyíga”),—the bow (“ká-kesé”) and arrow (“kesé”)
being rare, not only with the inhabitants of Bagírmi Proper, but even
with those of the pagan states to the south. Scarcely a single person
has a shield; and they therefore use only the Kanúri name for this arm,
viz. “ngáwa.” Very few possess the more valuable coat of mail, or
“súllug;” and I scarcely observed a single fire-arm during my stay. But,
on the other hand, almost all the pagan inhabitants of these regions are
armed with that sort of weapon found in so many other countries which we
have touched on our journey, viz. the hand-bill, or, as the Kanúri call
it, the “góliyó” (here called “njíga,” the difference between the name
of this weapon and that of the spear consisting in one single letter).
Very few of the Bagírmi people are wealthy enough to purchase swords
(“káskara”), which they are not able to manufacture themselves; and few
even wear that sort of dagger (“kiyá”) on the left arm, which, in
imitation of the Tawárek, has been introduced into a great part of
Negroland.
As for their physical features, I have already touched on this subject
repeatedly. I will only say that they are a fine race of people,
distinct from the Kanúri, but intimately related, as their language
shows, to the tribe of the Kúka and several other tribes to the east.
Their language they themselves call “tar Bágrimma.” Their adoption of
Islám is very recent; and the greater part of them may, even at the
present day, with more justice be called pagans than Mohammedans. They
possess very little learning, only a few natives, who have performed the
pilgrimage, being well versed in Arabic, such as Bú-Bakr Sadík; but not
a single individual possesses any learning of a wider range. This exists
only among the Felláta, or foreigners from Wádáy. The only industrial
arts in which they have made a little progress are those of dyeing and
weaving, both of which they have also introduced into the kingdom of
Wádáy, although in their own country a great deal of the weaving and
dyeing is carried on by Kanúri people. Black tobes are worn by the men
to a much greater extent than in Bórnu, even the bólne or túrkedi, which
generally forms the only dress of the females, as well as the upper
garment or “debdaléna,” being dyed black. Tight shirts, or tarkíji,
which in Wádáy constitute the common female dress, are very rarely worn.
The government of the country is an absolute monarchy, being not
tempered, as it seems, by an aristocratical element, such as we have
found in Bórnu, nor even by such an assembly as we have met with in the
Háusa states. The duties of the chief offices of state are, it appears,
by no means distinctly defined, and are therefore left to the discretion
or abuse of each official, as we have seen that the fácha under the
reign of ʿOthmán had assumed such a degree of power that he was capable
of waging successful war for a long time against the king himself.
The title of the king is “bánga.” The office of the “fácha” corresponds
exactly with that of the “keghámma” in Bórnu. Then follows the office of
the “ngarmáne,” or the minister of the royal household; then that of the
“ghelétma”—a name which has originated in a corruption of the title
“ghaladíma.” Next comes the “gar-moyenmánge,” the governor of the open
pasture-grounds and forests; after him the “mílma,” whose office is said
to have been introduced from Bórnu, to whom succeed the “gar-ngóde,” the
“gar-ngínge,” the “zérma,” and the “kadamánge,” the latter having
originally the tutorship of the sons of the king. But besides these, the
captains, or “bárma,” and the governors of the principal places, possess
considerable power; and among the latter, especially the elífa Moító, or
governor of Moító, while the officer of the water also, or elífa bá,
exercises a great deal of authority. Of these courtiers, the following
have the privilege of using a carpet to sit upon:—the fácha, the bárma,
the ghelétma, the mílma, the gar-moyenmánge, the bang Busó, bang Dam,
elífa Moító, and elífa bá. We have seen that the sultan, during his
absence from the capital, had made one of the meanest of his courtiers,
the kadamánge, his lieutenant-governor.
The mother of the sultan, or the “kuñ-bánga,” is greatly respected, but
without possessing such paramount authority as we have seen to have been
the case with the “mágira” in Bórnu, and as we shall find exercised by
the móma in Wádáy. The claimant to the throne, who bears here the same
title as in Bórnu, viz. chiróma, enjoys a certain degree of influence,
the limits of which are not circumscribed, but depend upon his natural
qualifications.
Although the sultan has here so different a title from that of the king
of Bórnu, nevertheless the princesses bear the same title as those of
Bórnu, viz. “méram,” a name which has even extended into the country of
Wádáy.