الى جهة النهر من اليمين to Fisla فِسلَه where he remained a long time,
receiving embassies from Arabs and Kúka, or rather Kúkú كوكوا and
Fittrí.
From Fisla Edrís turned westwards towards Bórnu:—
First to Díyawá ديَوا where he made some stay.
From Diyawá to Ghalá, or rather Ngalá, غَلَا.
From Ngalá to Áwano, اوَنُه.
From Áwano to ʿAlúwa, علُوَه.
From ʿAlúwa (returned?) to Ngalá.
From Ngalá to Madaghama مَدَغَمه where he was joined by Mohammed ben
ʿAbd-Allah and his army.
From Madaghama, having heard that ʿAbd el Jelíl had come again to
Yitukurma, Edrís returned once more eastward to Ngalá, thence again to
Madaghama.
From Madaghama, proceeding straight for Bórnu, in one long day, to Súlú.
From Súlú to Keghusiti, كغُسِطِه.
From Keghusiti to Síki, البلد سِيكِه, which at that time formed the
frontier between Bórnu and Kánem, on which account the drum was there
beaten.
From Síki to the district of the Sugurti or Sukurti ارض سُكُرْت.
From Sugurti to Bulúghi بُلُوغِ.
From Bulúghi to Ngughúti (Ngurúti) غوغوته, further on غُغُوته.
From Ngughúti to Berí.
But his return to Bórnu was frustrated; for, having learnt in Berí the
news of a battle fought between ʿAbd el Jelíl and Mohammed, whom he had
made governor of Kánem, near Yitukurma, in which the latter was
apparently vanquished, he returned once more to the east, dividing his
army into two portions, and taking only one division with him.
From Berí to Ghátíghi (here written غاتىْغِه) the same fortified place
which has been before mentioned as lying quite in the neighbourhood of
Berí, and where the armies used to assemble.
From Ghátíghi or Ghátiga to Ngughúti.
From Ngughúti to Bulúghi.
From Bulúghi to Kirteti (?) كرتتي.
From Kirteti to Keghusiti.
From Keghusiti to Ririkmi رِرِكْمِه.
From Ririkmi to Gharni-Kiyála غَرْني كِيَالَه a large walled town,
evidently one of the two Kiyála mentioned (p. 484.) as belonging to
Shitáti.
From Gharni-Kiyála to Yesembú يَسمبُوا starting in the night, at a swift
rate, and reaching the place after sunrise; but apparently it did not
lie in his way, as he returned from thence into the direct road.
From hence to Wasámi.
From Wasámi to Melíma, reaching it at the káila (about eleven o’clock).
From Melíma to Njímiye (east), arriving in the evening.
From Njímiye to Ágháfí, or the fortress of Ágháfí, starting after
midnight, and arriving before sunrise. Pursuing thence ʿAbd el Jelíl, he
caught part of his Zmála, with the queen Ghumsu Wábi.
From Ágháfí returned to Njímiye.
(The khalífa Yeríma Yaghá, whom Edrís had left with the sick in Wasámi,
pursuing his march from thence at a slow rate towards the north (الى جهة
الشمال), went first to Díru ديرُ.
From Díru to Madhími مَضِيمِ.
From Madhími to Njímiye, where he met Edrís.)
From Njímiye Edrís went eastwards to Kawál كَوَالْ. Arrived at dhahawe
(about nine o’clock A.M.).
From Kawál he started at midnight; went first south, at dawn turned
eastwards gradually towards the north, and fell upon the Tebu (evidently
about the Bahr el Ghazál).
Returned from this predatory excursion to Kawál.
From Kawál returning to Njímiye [apparently by a long detour], went
first to Saghi (Sheghi, Shiri?) سَغِه which he reached at sunset.
From Saghi, starting before sunrise, reached Njímiye by way of Íkma
اِكْمَه and Ghurfala غُرْفَلَ.
The return of Edrís to Njímiye happened just at the right time; for the
Bulála king, who had received the news of Edris’ return to Kánem on his
way to Bagírmi, or as it is here written, in the form usual to the
Kanúri, Bagharmí بَغَرْمي led his host against the Bórnu army, and had
almost succeeded in taking the camp by surprise, when Edrís arrived and
compelled him to fly.
From Njímiye Edrís now went to Ghimará غِمَرا.
From Ghimará, in a southerly direction, to Satóm سَتُوم a place close to
Yitukurma.
From Satóm to Daghelú or Daghelwá دغلوِا, where ʿAbd el Jelíl had taken
up his residence, but fled. [Daghelú, most probably, is identical with
Taghghel.]
Returning from Daghelú to Satóm, Edrís met his vizier in Kargha-Simsim
كرغه سِمسِم[86] [consequently Daghelú lay south from Kargha, or in the
southern part of Kargha].
In Simsim, Edrís had a conference with some Arabs [Shúwa] and Tebu or
Tubu تُبُ as Áhmed generally writes the name. The latter chose to
migrate to Bórnu, while the former, who enjoyed a strict alliance with
the Bórnu king, remained behind in Kánem.
From Simsim Edrís went northwards to Bárí باري [evidently the district
mentioned above]. (The vizier also, whom Edrís had left behind in Satóm,
in order to meet his master in Simsim, had traversed Bárí).[87]
From Bárí Edrís went to Mandó مندو [Mandó Yagóre].
From Mandó Edrís went northwards, when he became aware that the enemy
was marching westwards, and changed his march till he came to Kitaki (?)
البلد كِطَكِ.
ʿAbd el Jelíl, being pursued, fled into the desert.
(The officer Mídalá ben Fátima, left in Mandó, followed his king slowly,
but nevertheless, on starting from Mandó, did not encamp before he had
passed Mʿawó.
Having in this encampment received the order to come to Yira, he went
first to Yíkima يِكِمه.
Thence to Yira يِرَه where he arrived at the time of the hejír, that is
to say, a little past twelve o’clock.
From hence he went to Sitati (probably Shitáti) سِطَطِ(thus written
thrice).[88]
From Shitáti Edrís turned westwards on his home-journey to Bórnu, but
encamped the first day quite near, where the Arabs (Shúwa) took leave of
him.
From hence he proceeded slowly to Berí[89], where the booty was divided,
and all those among the captives who were free men allowed to return to
their families or tribes, without any ransom, according to a very
remarkable custom observed from ancient times by the Bulála, in their
predatory incursions into Bórnu—a first germ of international law.
SECOND EXPEDITION.
Scarcely had Edrís Alawóma dismissed his governors and officers, in
order to prepare all that was wanted for another expedition into Kánem,
when he received the news that his indefatigable and harassing enemy had
come into the neighbourhood of Bulúji, or Bulúghi.
Edrís therefore hastened back from his favourite town Ghambarú, when
ʿAbd el Jelíl turned off towards the north to Kara كَرَه or Kura كُره
and Jitkú جِتْكُوا [probably so called from the Tebu tribe of that
name], while Edrís ben Harún, the faithful and valiant vizier of the
Bórnu king, was stationed in the neighbouring town of Butti بُتِّه.
Edrís came from Berí to Ghayawá غَيَوَا, where he met his vizier.
From Ghayawá he came to the district of the Sugurti arriving about the
ʿashá.
From Sugurti he went to “the red water” الما لاحمر.
From this place, instead of taking the road by Súlú, he kept more to the
north, reached a copious well at zawál (between twelve and one o’clock),
started again at ʿaser, and reached at sunset the well Rubki رُبْكِه or
Rubku رُبْكُه with irrigated plantations (khattatír).
From Rubku, starting at midnight, reached Íkeríma اِكريمه where ʿAbd el
Jelíl had taken up his residence, about zawál, made a great booty; the
Bulála king fled.
Edrís returned from Íkeríma to Rubku in two days and a half.
From Rubku he returned to Berí, and from thence returned to Ghambarú, as
it would seem from Imám Áhmed’s account, at an enormously swift rate,
traversing the space from Berí to Ghambarú, 130 geogr. miles in a
straight line, in about 25 hours’ actual march.
Start from Berí at ʿaser, arrive at Kebúwa كَبُوَه at the ʿashá.
Start from Kebúwa in the morning, arrive at Kikeri كِكَرِه at the káíla.
Start from Kikeri in the afternoon, arrive at Debúbu دبُوبُو or دبُوبُه
at the ʿashá.
Start from Debúbu in the morning, arrive at Ruwáyah رُوَايَه at the
káíla.
From hence Ghambarú, a few miles, from the beginning till the end of
ʿaser.
THIRD EXPEDITION.
Edrís having rested but a short time, immediately prepared another
expedition, in order to return to Kánem before the gathering in of the
dates.
The army collected in Ghátigha close to Berí.
Setting out from thence, along the shores of the Tsáde, or Tsádi يسير
بطرف النهر ثَادِ he went to Ngughúti.
From Ngughúti to Bulúji.
From Bulúji to the district of the Sugurti.
From hence to Róro, from whence he sent his light and choice cavalry in
advance.
From Róro to Kimisnó البلد كِمِسْنو arrived at zawál.
From Kimisnó, starting at the beginning of the ʿaser, at a very swift
rate, reached before sunset Lebá لَبا, a celebrated locality with
artificial irrigation.
From Lebá, proceeding in an easterly direction, to Gharni Kiyála, in two
days and a half.
From Gharni Kiyála, starting at ʿaser, following an easterly direction,
for Ísembú, or Yisembú, dismounting only at sunset to cook, and feed the
horses; and thus continuing on the whole night, and only dismounting
again to say the prayer of dawn, Edrís continued his march till he had
passed Wasámi, which was near Yisembú, evidently towards the west, and
made a rich booty.
From Yisembú he went to Delli البلد دَلِّه which was famous on account
of its richness in dates, and its general exuberance. Here he gathered
the dates in all the different stages of maturity.
From Delli, Edrís turned westwards, in order to join the officer Yíruma
Yaghá, when, receiving intelligence that the Tebu wanted to cut him off,
he attacked them, and made an immense slaughter.
Went from hence to “the great well”—name not given.
From hence to Gharni Kiyála, following an experienced Tebu guide.
From Gharni Kiyála Edrís turned eastward towards the places or valleys
rich in date-trees. Encamped in a vale بقعة.
From hence he went without stopping till he reached Yídh يِضْ or Yídhi
يِضِه a place especially famous on account of its dates.
From hence he turned southwards, and went to Fógha فوغه likewise rich in
dates. (Another place with date-trees is here mentioned, of the name of
Debekú.)
From Fógha back to Delli, or rather a little beyond it.
From hence in several days, in a southerly direction, he went to Íwana
إِوَنه, in the southern part of Kánem.
From hence, by way of Delmi, he went to Daghelú or Daghulwá, here
written دَغُلوَا, the place above-mentioned, but which, on this
occasion, the historian represents as a place especially celebrated with
the people of Kánem, and at that time extremely wealthy. Slept on the
shore of the lagoons, as his whole road led through numbers of lagoons
or ponds, just then full of water; arriving the next morning at the
town, found it empty, but the Koyám, and those of his army who were
mounted upon camels, followed the people northwards, and made rich
booty.
The king of the Bulála and his party meanwhile fled into the desert.
Edrís returned homewards towards Bórnu.
First to Ngalá, a cluster of villages, or rather district البلد غلا او
الفليم غلا.
From Ngalá to Tentebú تَنْتبُوا.
From Tentebú to Róro.
From Róro northwards to Siru سِرُه. In going, Edrís employed a day and a
night يوما وليلا but on returning from Siru to Róro only marched from
morning till sunset, so that the distance cannot be very great, as he
was then laden with spoil (a great booty in cattle and goats, but no
camels).
From Róro to Limárá لِمَارَا, where he stopped two days.
From thence to Ghayáwa.
From Ghayáwa he took another road to Dilárá دِلارا where he left half of
his army, returning with the other half to Ghambarú.
FOURTH[90] EXPEDITION.
The next year, on the first Sunday in Shawál, Edrís again left Ghambarú,
reached Kesúdá by way of Zamtam, Ítanáwa, Berí, Ngurúti or Ngughúti,
Sugurti, Róro.
From Kesúda, leaving the road to Ghumámi on one side, he went to Síki.
From Síki to Rírikma ريركمه.
From Rírikma to Wagham وَغَم.
From Wagham to Wasámi.
From Wasámi to Mʿawó or Máwó, here written ماوا.
From Mʿawó to Ghamirá غَمِرَا.
From Ghamirá to Njímiye, the chief town of Kánem المدينه الكبيره البلد
الكبير.
From Njímiye to Belághi, taking with him a great provision of water.
From Belághi to Ágháfí; starting at ʿaser, arrived before sunset.
From Ágháfí to Ghanjáya, arriving near zawál.
From Ghanjáya to Ragharkú رغَرْكوا.
In their fortified encampment near this place the Bórnu army on the 25th
Dhu el kadá, was attacked at night by the Bulála, when a very severe
struggle ensued, and the camp was almost taken by the enemy with great
slaughter of the Bórnu people, and considerable loss of property.
From Ragharkú Edrís went to Delli, when the Bulála gave up their last
stronghold, Aghó اغو or اغوا, a very old place which they had rebuilt
and restored after Edrís had destroyed all their strongholds in Kánem,
even the two other most famous places Íkima and Ágháfí.[91] Aghó was
evidently situated on the brink of the vale or hollow which we passed on
our march, the 10th of October; and Delli is identical with the place
mentioned above among the most important inhabited spots of Shitáti.
From Delli Edrís went southwards towards Kelu كَلُه very slowly, till
they crossed the river which divides Kánem from Kelu[92], and he pursued
his march till he came to Listerí لِسْتِرِي a place which is stated to
have belonged formerly to the tribe of the Kilábetí كِلَابتِي and which
contained a great number of cottages or tents كثيرة البيوت. I should
believe that Kelu is the country of the Kaleáma in the south-eastern
quarter of the Tsád, if anything were said about his having crossed Bárí
and Kargha; but at least it is evident that it was a distant march of
several days.
From Kelu, Edrís returned northwards, and fought a sanguinary battle
with ʿAbd el Jelíl, the Bulála king, before Kiyáyaka كِيَايَكَهْ (a
little further on less correct كِياكَهْ).
Kiyáyaka was a district where the Bulála, after their other strongholds
Íkima, Ágháfi, and Aghó had been destroyed, had built a new fortress, at
the instigation, it is said, of the princesses. This fortification, or
rather group of three different forts, Yekí يَكِي, Makaranna مَكَرَنّه,
and Kurkuriwa كُرْكُروَه[93], became a large and important place, the
Bulála transferring thither by force the inhabitants from all parts of
Kánem, with the exception of those of Tetálúwa or Tetálú تتالوا and
Áfági افاقِه.[94] But principally they settled there all the Tebu, even
the Keserdá (كَسردًا) most probably a mistake instead of Sakerdá, so
that but few of this tribe remained behind in Kánem. The Bulála made,
moreover, strict alliance with the people of the south (اهل جهة اليمين),
the people of Kargha, in order to provide them with corn, which they
bought with tobes and cattle. This intercourse ceased only when Edrís
came to Ragharkú.
The battle which was fought near this important place of Kiyáyaka, was
won by the king Edrís through his personal valour, after much slaughter
on both sides, when he entered the town, and having encamped there for
two days, all the time beating the drum, burnt the whole place.
From Kiyáyaka Edrís went eastward to Mi بلد مِه probably the place of
this name mentioned above as belonging to Shitáti, although this would
carry back the situation of Kiyáyaka very far westward, as from the
author’s words it appears that the distance between both places was
considerable.
(Meanwhile his vizier pursued ʿAbd el Jelíl to Kawál, evidently the
place mentioned above;
From Kawál to Kuwáka كواكه.
From Kuwáka to Ítanáwa, also mentioned on a former occasion.
From Ítanáwa, while ʿAbd el Jelíl fled into the open desert, the vizier
Edrís fell upon the Tebu and made great plunder. He went thence and
joined his master the sultan in Mi, where they celebrated the ʿAíd el
kebír.)
From Mi, Edrís returned to Kiyáyaka.
(From Kiyáyaka the king sent Farkama Mohammed to Kála الى البلد كَالَه.)
Edrís himself went from Kiyáyaka to Gharikú, where he had a long
conference with the Arabs.
From Gharikú he proceeded a great distance northwards on an expedition
against the Tebu, while he sent the heavy part of his army to Njímiye.
Having vanquished the Tebu, he returned to Tínu تِينُه.
From Tínu to Njímiye, south, from dhohor to sunset, and from morning to
zawál.
In Njímiye the Tebu came to make their submission, and in the sansanne
(evidently the fortified camp of his army), which the sultan then
entered, he received legations from the inhabitants of Fittrí اهل البلد
فِتْرِي and from the Arab or Shúwa chief ʿAli ben Yerdha, and a
messenger from the tribe of the Kúka من قبيله كوكو مِلِه (what Mili is I
do not know, but suppose it to be the name of a particular spot or
division of the Kúka). During his stay here he was plentifully supplied
with corn by the Arabs.
(From Njímiye Edrís sent part of his army in pursuit of ʿAbd el Jelíl,
who had turned westwards, and then probably to the north, for the Bórnu
men directed their course first to the northward, but, having gone to a
great distance without finding ʿAbd el Jelíl, gave up their pursuit, and
ransacked the town Kiríwa كِريوَه.
From Kiríwa they went to Mʿawó to wait for the sultan.)
Edrís himself went from Njímiye westward to Ghamirá غمِرَا made an
alliance with its inhabitants.
From Ghamirá southward to (?[95]), and remained there some time.
From this place, which is somewhere in the south about Kargha, Edrís
returned to Mʿawó, where he met his people.
From Mʿawó Edrís began his home-journey to Bórnu:—
First to Málehí مالَهِي.
From Málehí to Múlí Ghim and Múlí Fúlí الى الموليين مُولِي غِم ومُولِي
فولِ.
From Múlí to Súlú سولوا where he fixed his camp in a place called Fíyú
فيو.
From Sulú to Kesúdá كسودا.
From Kesúdá, by the well-known places Róró, Sugurti, Bulúji, Ngughúti,
to the celebrated place Ghátigha, or Ghátighi, near Berí.
From Ghátigha to Ítanáwa, starting at ʿaser and arriving at ashá.
From Ítanáwa to Ruwáya.
From Ruwáya to Ghambarú.
FIFTH EXPEDITION.
Having spent ten days in his favourite place Ghambarú in great
festivity, Edrís prepared another expedition to Kánem against the tribe
of the Kenáníye قبيلة الكنانيِة. I have already spoken of this tribe on
a former occasion[96]; and I must confess that I doubt whether the name
Kenáníye be indigenous, but rather think that the people who bear it are
identical with the Haddáda, or Bongu, who seem to have once formed a
very numerous tribe, and may have been the original inhabitants of Kánem
altogether. At that time the principal seat of this remarkable tribe was
Súlú, the place mentioned already repeatedly, and were therefore
generally known under the name of “the people of Súlú” اهل سولوا. But
being afraid of the Bórnu king, whose wrath they had provoked by their
predatory habits, they left their seats, while he was returning from
Kánem, and retired to Kargha كَرْغَه.[97]
Edrís collected his army in Fakará about middle of Jumád I.
From Fakará he went to Dalikina دَلِكِنه; arrived at káíla.
From Dalikina to Madáwa مداوَه; arrived at káíla.
From Madáwa to Keri Kurúku كَرِه كُرُوكُ, arriving at noon.
From Keri Kurúku to Keri or Kuri Keramnú كُرِه كَرمْنُوه.
From Keramnú to Wurni وُرنِه, arriving at kaila.
From Wurni to Lebúdu, arriving at noon.
From Lebúdu to Kesúdá.
Then by Bulúji, Berí [erroneously written for Burrum], to Róro.
Having arrived at Róro at noon, he left it again at ʿaser, said the
prayers of mughreb at a ghadír called Kitanáka كِتَناكهْ, started again
in the evening, and arrived at Síki about two o’clock in the morning.
In Síki he divided his army into three parts, one going with the
keghámma southwards to Ríríkma رِيرِيكْمَه and other places of the
Kenáníye, another with the Yeríma, northwards, to Máy and the district
thereabouts, inhabited by the same tribe.
Edrís himself took the middle road towards Dídí دِيدىِ and other places
in the neighbourhood, made a great plunder (about one thousand slaves),
and then turned back.
From Dídí to Ríríkma, where he arrived at ʿaser.
From Ríríkma he went and encamped near a celebrated ethel-tree which
marked the very frontier of Kánem, having rested during the heat a
couple of hours at the ghadír or pond of Kitanáka, where he arrived at
zawál.
From the frontier (which must have been somewhere near Síki; see above)
to Róro.
(From thence by the great road to Birni.)
From Róro to Burrum [here again by mistake Berí is written].
From Burrum to Bulúji.
From Bulúji to Fúrtu.
From Fúrtu to Melfífí (not a town, but a pond or basin الحوض المسمي
بملفيفي), apparently not far from Berí.
From Melfífí to the place Merdalí البلد مَردَلِي.
From Merdalí to Ghuwi Kefúkwa غُوِه كفوكْوَه, where he met a caravan of
Bórnu and Tebu merchants with plenty of horses.
From thence to Ghíghir البلد المعروف بغيغِر, starting at dhohor, and
arriving at the end of ʿaser.
From Ghíghir to Ghiskirú البلد غِسكِرُوا.
From thence to Zamtam.
From Zamtam to Ghambarú, having crossed the river البحر الكبير.
From Ghambarú to Birni, or Burni, in the evening.
The result of this expedition had been that the tribe of the Kenaníye,
which had hitherto been the most numerous in Kánem, was entirely
humiliated.
LAST EXPEDITION TO THE BORDERS OF KÁNEM.
When Edrís received the news in Birni that Mohammed ben ʿAbd Allah, whom
he had made king of Kánem, had vanquished the Bulála king ʿAbd el Jelíl,
chiefly with the assistance of the Arabs, or Shúwa, and especially that
of the powerful chief ʿAlí ben Yerdha, he returned once more to Kánem in
shawál, going—
From Ghambarú to Zamtam;
From Zamtam to Ghetú;
From Ghetú to Mílu;
From Mílu to Ledá لدا;
From Ledá to Burkumúwa بُركُموه;
From Burkumúwa to Ghawáli غَوَالِه;
From Ghawáli to Milti;
From Milti to Berí, here written بَرِيَه;
From Berí to Ghayawá;
From Ghayawá to Melhú مَلْهُوا;
From Melhúwa to Dighimsil دِغمسل;
From Dighimsil to Hughulghula حُغُلْغُله, near Dílaram دِيلَرَم;
From Hughulghula to Róro;
From Róro to Kesúdá.
From Kesúdá to Síki, here distinguished by the surname داننمَه (_sic_).
Here he met the new king of Kánem, Mohammed ben ʿAbd Allah, and had a
conference with him on the subject of the borders of their respective
kingdoms; and they stipulated that the whole of Keghusti and the whole
of Síru (Shíri), as well as Babáliyá, should belong to Bórnu.[98] The
latter condition, in particular, is of great interest.
Mohammed ben ʿAbd Allah took an oath of obedience, and in conformity the
officers of the Bulála took two oaths,—the first to the king of Bórnu,
and the second to that of Kánem.
Having held a review of the army, Edrís returned by Síki, Róro, Dílaram,
Bulúji, Ghayawá, Berí, Multi, Dídí, Mílu, Ruwáya, Berselma, Ghatawa, and
across the komádugu النهر الجاري to Birni.
[Footnote 79: See Vol. II. p. 260. I remark once for all that the names
in the MS. are written in the Maghrebi or Warash style; but they shall
here be given in the Eastern or Ábú ʿOmár character.]
[Footnote 80: وهو بلد مشهور عند كل من يذهب الى بلد كانم من اهل برنوا.]
[Footnote 81: See Vol. II. p. 277.]
[Footnote 82: MS. p. 101.]
[Footnote 83: This river is a very important feature in the country, and
would be easily identified if a traveller were to visit those southern
regions of Kánem.]
[Footnote 84: These two different forms occur in many Kanúri and Tebu
names:—Bulma and Bilma, burni (as Imám Áhmed always writes) and birni,
and so on.]
[Footnote 85: Very questionable; the Bulála when flying retired
eastward.]
[Footnote 86: In my MS., before this name there is a slight mistake,
caused by a repetition of the first part of the name.]
[Footnote 87: In Bárí the vizier fell in with a kafila of strangers whom
he plundered:
الذي وجد فيه الرفقا الذين كانوا مع كَوُمه من اهل الاَرمي. Kaúma probably
was a governor of the town Kaú, the place of Shitáti mentioned p. 484.
Áhel el Ármi has evidently a connection with the mesjed Ármi mentioned
p. 502.]
[Footnote 88: It is evident from this, that the name كِطَكِ above is a
mere lapse of the pen.]
[Footnote 89: Berí is here once written باري by mistake; in another
place it is written بريه.]
[Footnote 90: According to Imám Áhmed, this was the fifth expedition
which the king had undertaken.]
[Footnote 91: I shall here insert the whole passage of the historian,
which is of the highest importance: