an extraordinary way, encompassed as it is said to be by several rocky
ridges which inclose each other in a circular form, so as to leave only
a single approach, whilst the interior is supplied with water. The
prince resides on a rocky eminence in the centre of this peculiar
mountain-basin. The other inhabitants dwell between the rocky ridges. In
the vicinity is a place inhabited by Shúwa. Between Komé and Belél Kolé
lies Jótol, at some distance to the south.
4th. Gógomi, a place situated in a deep basin in the mountains,
accessible only by a narrow defile, and inhabited by a division of the
Sókoró, whose formerly powerful chief was conquered and made prisoner by
the sultan of Bagírmi during my stay in the country. The Jellába of
Wádáy travel as far as Gógomi, where they import European commodities.
From Gógomi to Kénga it is five or six short days’ journey, by way of
Búdir, a place situated a short distance from Gógomi, on a steep
mountain, said to be about as high as that of Tibésti, with a spring at
its base and on its summit; Sim, a place in the mountains; Báddegé, a
place on the top of a mountain; all these places being inhabited by
Sókoró, who are armed with bows and arrows; Gal, a place in the
mountains, surrounded by a moat; Tumki, a place situated on an eminence;
Kénga Matáya.
(_h._) _From Más-eñá to Gógomi._
1st day. Bídderi, a considerable place, renowned on account of a family
of shiúkh, who, as I have mentioned above, have exercised a most
remarkable influence in the extension of Islám in these regions, and
important on account of its Friday market, where, however, the usual
money of Más-eñá, viz. fardas and kholgán, has no currency, but only the
finest gábagá, twenty of which are deemed equivalent to one khálag or
shirt. About dhohor.
2nd. Múdda, a Bagírmi place.
3rd. Dekháruwe, a large place of the Arab tribe of the Dekhákhera or
Deghághera.
4th. Kúrí, a Shúwa place on a pond of stagnant water.
5th. Maskáwu, a Shúwa place.
6th. Gató, a Shúwa place with a pond in the wilderness.
8th. Jená, a large walled town of the Sókoró, in a hilly district. The
inhabitants, like almost all of the Sókoró, are said to eat a kind of
beetle, called “dernána” by the Bagírmi. Jená lies between Gógomi and
Komé.
9th. Gógomi, two days from Míddobó, a little north from east.
The road from Gógomi to Ábú Telfán passes by Bánem, Bálli, Sim, Kóndolá,
Kéngetá, Ábú Telfán.
(_i._) _Divisions of the Búwa._
The following divisions of this numerous tribe are subject to the Sultan
of Bagírmi: the Búwa Nyéldang, the most powerful of all; the Búwa
Gamkúl; Gamkúl[115] is from Míddobó, the frontier-place of Sáruwa,
twelve miles east, and two days south from Gógomi, through a mountainous
wilderness; Búwa Ír; Búwa Wagé, and Búwa Shok.
The following are independent: the Búwa Lá, who are very numerous, and
are divided into several families, occupying distinct places; the Búwa
Kúnne; Búwa Gángli; Búwa Móke; Búwa Dámla; and east and S.E. from
Gamkúl, at the distance of from twelve to fifteen miles, are the two
places Kormále and Sarakélle, both situated on the top of a hill, and
the latter said to be governed by a queen; Búwa Kurmán (?); Búwa Goy,
with a high mountain, having water on its top; Búwa Dókeró; Búwa Gúm;
Búwa Ladón; Búwa Túniya; Búwa Kúrbul; Búwa Kullúnga or Kelánge, on a
mountain, two days from Komé; Búwa Malbón; Búwa Bulúl, and finally the
Búwa Mubb and the Búwa Kúli, who occupy a mountainous district close to
the territories of the Welád Ráshid.
Another tribe, the Nyílem, to whom, according to Agíd Músa, belong the
Dasár, whilst others consider these to belong to the Búwa, dwell close
to the N.E. bank of the river. Beyond the Dasár you reach the Kólum, the
Nyú, and at no great distance the Furá with Gambay.
(_k._) _From Más-eñá to Kénga Matáya. East._
1st day. Naíromá, the market-place abovementioned.
2nd. Mílle, a place with a Sunday market.
3rd. Kírsuwa, a considerable place on a small marshy watercourse or sél
on a clayey soil, which, in the Kharíf, flows to Barkadaña, Sidígiyá,
Bulúlu, and to Gámmara, a considerable place under an independent chief.
(Is this watercourse identical with the Msél of Debbába?)
4th. Hírla, a place of a tribe related to the Bágrimma.
5th. Bedánga, a considerable place in a hilly district belonging to a
section of the tribe of the Sókoró, under a powerful chieftain,
converted, at least in outward appearances, to Islám. These people wear
clothes and do not disfigure themselves by incisions on their faces; the
women, however, have a bead in the nose and beads in the ears, as worn
almost universally in these regions. The Wádáy Jellába import their
commodities even into these districts. The natives are armed neither
with bows nor arrows, but only with spears and hand-bills. According to
Mohammed Búme, who has been living here several years, the waters of
this mountainous region are drained by the Nile through the territory of
the Welád Ráshid,—a piece of information which is, however, very
doubtful.
From Bedánga to Ábú Telfán is three days’ journey E.N.E. by way of
Bámmaná and Míggedi.
6th. Kénga Matáya, the chief place of a tribe closely related to the
Bagrimma nation, under a powerful chief, to whose extensive territory
also Jon, Gal, and Dámbar belong. The principal produce of this region
is sesamum. My new informant, the aforesaid Moh. Búme, confirmed fully
the statements communicated to me previously by Agíd Búrku with regard
to the strange religious observances of these pagans. According to the
same, the waters of the district round Gógomi are discharged by way of
Lim, Gal, Bánam, and Kénga, into the “gezán,” the sandy wilderness south
of Fittrí. Kénga, according to the same, is four days from Yʿawó, by way
of Ngar-sára, the residence of a powerful chieftain, distant about two
days from both places and also from Míddogó. According to the Buláli
Íbrahím, Kénga is reached in three long day’s marches from Yʿawó, by way
of Gáriya, Mórbo, and Býllum. From Bedánga to Kénga is a long and unsafe
journey, made during the night, in about sixteen hours, from evening to
the heat of the day.
(_k._) _From Más-eñá, by way of Laíry to Busó._
1st day. Gógo. Stop during the heat in Malá.
2nd. Ngóg;
3rd. Duwíng;
4th. Múro. All short marches.
5th. Laíry, a large Bagírmi place, E. (S.E.) from Kírsuwa, on the same
watercourse, and one good day’s journey from Tógilá, and from thence to
Attar in two days, having slept on the Báchikám.
6th. Gapkóng. A short march.
7th. Busó, having crossed the Báchikám about halfway.
(_l._) _From Más-eñá, by way of Kólle to Laíry, and from Kólle to
Moíto._
1st day. Séta, passing Bídderi, Mandélu, Dabíñen, and Gadáwu.
2nd. Ámjerí, passing Mábbelá, Dérrejá, Meléde, Bindébiyó, and Tawyín.
3rd. Kólle, a considerable Bagírmi place, one day from Kírsuwa, towards
which place a sél or shallow and marshy water takes its course hence by
way of Dóldegí and Fór.
4th. Laíry. A long march.
_From Kólle to Moíto by way of Debába._
1st day. Kírsuwa Jibílgi, with an independent chief, situated on a
watercourse.
2nd. Hírla, a place situated on a hill.
3rd. Jókko, a place of the Kúka.
4th. Debába, a large place, consisting of various hamlets of the Shúwa,
with rich pasture-grounds, and several watercourses. Debába is two days
from Baláwu, having slept in Kósi, a Kanúri place, and crossed another
“sél” between Kósi and Baláwu.
5th. Moító. A good day’s march.
(_m._) _From Láffaná to Bang-Bay. Expeditious march, such as is usual on
a ghazzia. Direction south as far as Lay._
1st day. Állowa, a pagan place, subject to Bagírmi; crossing in the
morning the Shárí, or rather, as it is called here, the Bá-Busó.
2nd. Gúrgará, a large place belonging to a considerable tribe, whence
all the iron consumed in Bagírmi is exported. It is obtained from
_siderites_, and is not near so good as the iron of Wándalá or
Búbanjídda.
3rd. Cháken, a large place, with an independent chief; about noon.
4th. Jogdó, a large place, consisting in part of clay huts, belonging to
the extensive principality of Gábberí.
5th. Lóji, a place under the independent chieftain Kíki the son of
Belát.
6th. Gun, a place on the Bá-Gun, as the river of Logón is here called.
Almost every place has its separate ertána (jargon). The country yields
sorghum, beans, “kolche” or ground-nuts, and melons.
7th. Lay, on the same bank of the river, the residence of Súgulum son of
Nóba. The river abounds with fish, and is navigated by numerous boats.
South of Lay, according to this informant, an arm, coming from the Fúlbe
territory (from Bubanjídda, it seems), appears to join the river. This
informant considers the river of Logón and the river of Day, Miltú,
Busó, and Ásu to be only arms of the same river, which is bifurcated, as
he says, above Day. It may be so; but I doubt whether this account be
true, the rate of the current in these two rivers being very different.
The direction now becomes almost south.
8th. Myl, having crossed the river at Lay, and then taken a course a
little south from west.
9th. Kóyo, a place with an independent chieftain, on a dry clay soil.
10th. Kíyagór, at a short distance, with an independent chieftain. About
six hours from Kíyagór, a little north from east lies Bári, in a
mountainous region.
11th. Nong, another place belonging to Bagírmi.
12th. Dógo, the furthest place in Bagírmi which was reached by the
ghazzia. The country produces abundance of honey, contains large numbers
of goats and sheep, but no cattle. Dukhn (_Pennisetum typhoïdeum_)
constitutes the principal food. Among the trees the tábur, or butter-
tree, and the deléb-palm, are the most remarkable and predominant. The
soil is dark red (being loam). From Dógo to Búbanjídda, according to
informant, two days.
(_n._) _From Mábbelé to Lay and Kim, according to Agíd Músa._
1st day. Gúrgará; a long march till ʿaser.
2nd. Cháken, a considerable place, with an independent chief; important
as the point of junction of several roads leading south to Lay, S.W. to
Kim, and W.S.W. to Dam.
3rd. Jogdó, an important place; short march.
4th. Cholól, a place four hours east from Gun.
5th. Nyinga, a short journey.
6th. Lay, a large place on the eastern bank of the river of Logón. If
you go from Lay W.S.W., after having crossed the river you reach, after
ten or twelve miles, Mung-chiré, and thence Chúwa, with three
independent chiefs, Málo, Dúkko, and Baíbotó.
_From Cháken to Kim._
1st day. Gunógunó; about twenty miles.
2nd. Kim, a large place on the river of Logón. Kim is three days’
journey from Démmo, in Wúliya, our furthest point on the Músgu
expedition. This, therefore, is a very important piece of information
for joining these routes:
1st day. Jimán, on the river; about ten miles.
2nd. Kar, twenty miles.
3rd. Démmo in Wúliya.
Kim from Lay is two good days’ journey S.S.E., stopping for the night at
Bisme, on the river. This track has a dry clayey soil, almost without
trees, so that you may see from Kim the trees of Éré, a place in the
N.W., on the west bank of the river, and probably called from its
situation on a ford, “éré” meaning river in the Músgu language. Márraba,
a large place of the Mógom, is ten or twelve miles from Kim, beyond and
at some distance from the river.
_From Lay to Sálin. Direction a little north from east._
1st day. Chíre, a large place, residence of the chief Kassarák, who is
not the only chieftain in this region, but there are two petty chiefs
besides him. This place has a separate ertána. It is distinguished by an
extensive plantation of fruit-bearing date-trees, which is well
irrigated and kept in order,—a very remarkable circumstance, so that I
have taken pains to ascertain that the informant has not confounded the
date-palm with the deléb-palm. There are no asses in Chíre, nor any
cats; and the horses are imported from Bagírmi. A long march of twenty-
five miles.
2nd. Masró, about thirty miles.
3rd. Sálin, the residence of the chief, and the principal market-place
of Dam.
From Sálin to Dámmuk, the capital of Somray, one day S.E.
_From Más-eñá to Sálin._
1st day. Mogál.
2nd. Jeljélli, a Kanúri place.
3rd. Bana-kúrchi.
4th. Busó.
5th. Túnjurkú, a Kerdi place.
6th. Gúrgará.
7th. Límmi.
8th. Sálin, the capital of Dam or Ndam, which latter may be the right
form.
(_o._) _Más-eñá to Báng-Bay._
1st day. Kagá.
2nd. Garám.
3rd. Mábbelé.
4th. Gúrgará, or rather one of the three villages which constitute the
district of that name; the southern village lying in the direction of
Cháken, and the western one in that of Chejiráki.
5th. Mátelé.
6th. Kim, a large place, where a kashélla (inspector of the river) of
the sultan of Bagírmi resides.
7th. Márraba, about ʿaser (there having been probably a difficulty in
crossing the river).
8th. Dómaná. A whole day.
9th. Bísay; about noon.
10th. Bay Kurí.
11th. Bay Toy, one of the four large principalities of the Bay.
12th. Kóman.
13th. Kaktíya.
14th. Múdumbím, one of the four largest principalities or places of
Bang-Bay.
15th. Kéni, another of the four principalities.
16th. Debjógemé.
17th. Gómbay.
18th. Tápoló, the principality of the most powerful chief in Bang-Bay.
19th. Másentá.
(_p._) _From Busó to Bang-Day. Expeditious march, a ghazzia._
1st day. Tábe, a large place on the south side of the river, which you
cross in the morning.
2nd. Kiyár, a smaller place, at some distance from the river.
3rd. Miltú, a large straggling place close to the S.W. bank of the
river.
4th. Báki, at some distance from the river.
5th. Shéggi.
6th. Myl, a large place.
7th. Sará-Gulé, with the chief Koína, son of the renowned Gósdegá, after
whom the country and the place is usually named. The inhabitants take
their supply of water from wells only.
8th. Dígti, with an independent chief.
9th. Gár-Kúmra, or Sará-Ngár-Kúmra, another principality with a powerful
chief.
10th. Bang-Day, another principality on a considerable river, called by
my informant—the same from whom I wrote down the itinerary marked
(_m._)—the river of the Fellán, or Fúlbe. Day and Fong are the most
important principalities in Sará.
(_q._) _From Miltú to Day, and from Lay to Day, according to Agíd Músa.
South._
1st day. Myl, a large place. A long march, till sunset; about thirty-
five miles.
2nd. Sará-Gósdegá; dhohor (two o’clock P.M.); twenty-five miles. A
little east from south.
3rd. Kumra. Till ʿaser; thirty miles. South.
4th. Day, a large place in a densely-populated country on the Upper
Shárí, which here flows from south to north, and at Miltú bends to N.W.
Dhohor; twenty-five miles. S.S.E.
_Lay to Day. S.S.E._
1st day. Bay Fir, an independent principality on the river of Logón.
2nd. Bay Kagá, another principality belonging to Bay, distant from the
river, surrounded by woods, close to Masró.
3rd. Day, after having crossed the river Shárí. According to the express
statement of another informant, Day lies on the western bank of the
river, in the same way as Kárnak Lógone does.
(_r._) _Mábbelé to Fong, and from Fong to Busó, according to Háj Sadík._
1st day. Gúrgará, a pagan place beyond the river. A long march.
2nd. Sotto, a pagan place.
3rd. Gam, another place. The country produces sorghum, beans, millet,
and has numerous deléb-palms, also “báwa,” a sort of sweet melon (_C.
melopepo_.)
4th. Jogtó, a large place belonging to Somray, one day from Kim.
5th. Cholól, territory of the chief Kíki.
6th. Pam, a large place possessing both sheep and cattle.
7th. Míddigí.
8th. Ledánga; the whole country level.
9th. Chíre, a place with abundance of palms—date-palms, as it seems.
10th. Bróto.
11th. Múrki, a considerable place, with large trees called “rúm.”
12th. Dam Pasár.
13th. Fong or Dam Fong, a considerable territory, called after its chief
or “kenús” Fong. Fong is about 30 miles S.W. from Gósdegá as well as
from Chíre. Lay a day and a half’s march, crossing the river.
_From Fong, back to Busó._
1st. Túmmak, on a small watercourse.
2nd. Myl, a large place. Fálik, close to Myl, eastwards.
3rd. Sek.
4th. Úr. The places and territories last enumerated are disconnected and
have distinct “ertána,” or at least dialects.
5th. Godák.
6th. Betáng Godák. Gadáng, a large place one day east from here, may be
reached in one good day’s march from Busó.
7th. Gónda.
8th. Busó.
(_s._) _Places from Báchikám downwards along the river, and from Más-eñá
to Músgu._
Sigír, Májir, Bakúl, Mánga, Tar ngólo, Bukábe, Mátiya (formerly a
considerable place, and capital of an independent territory), with a
large market on Saturdays, Márja. From here, if you keep on this side of
the river, you come to Bála Mása, or, if you cross it, to Mískin, both
on the great river Shárí, which is again joined by the Báchikám at Mébi.
Kókoroché, the place which, next to Búgomán, sends the largest supplies
of corn to the capital, lies one hour north from the Báchikám; and the
road from here to Bála Mása goes by way of Békeri and Héla.
_Más-eñá to Músgu._
1st day. Bekábe or Bukábe, a considerable place, with a clay wall of
earth, on the Báchikám.
2nd. Mátiya.
3rd. Mankhfa, a considerable place on the east bank of the Shárí, after
crossing the Báchikám in the morning.
4th. Músgu, a Kerdi town on the river of Logón, after crossing the Shárí
in the morning. A long march. If you proceed more slowly, and keep along
the river, you sleep the first night in Óñokó, the second in Báingané,
and reach Músgu on the third morning.
From Músgu to Gunna, a large Kerdi place of the Mása, is not above one
day’s journey.
(_t._) _Más-eñá to Báng-Bay, according to Agíd Búrku. In a winding
direction._
[Published previously in the “Journal of the Royal Geographical
Society,” 1852, but here rectified.]
1st day. Ír on the (river) Bá-ír, which is said to flow to the east
[west]. In the morning.
2nd. Báchikám, a Bagírmi place on the south side of the same river, or
rather arm of the Shárí, at a short distance.
3rd. Garám. Arrived when the heat commenced, but started again at
dhohor, and slept in the karága.
4th. Láffaná, on a large river, the Shárí, flowing east. [N. W.].
5th. On the sandy bank of the river, which he crossed in a large boat.
6th. Busó, a place under a powerful chief, on the north bank of the
river, which had been crossed again by informant.
7th. Mirtí, an island in the Shárí, possessing a large number of boats.
The water, however, is dangerous on account of the numerous crocodiles
which infest it.
8th. Halánga, a place on the north bank of the Shárí, under the same
chief as Busó.
9th. Tabé, a large place on the south bank of the river, with a mixed
population.
10th. Gadáng, a Kerdi place, distant from the river. At dhohor.
11th. Kiyár, a village consisting of several small hamlets, at some
distance from the river.
12th. [Miltú], a large place, with numerous horses, belonging at that
time (1850) to the powerful chief ʿAlí Fenjár, who shortly afterwards
died in the capital of Bagírmi, as a holy man.
13th. A place of the Bang-Dam (the chief of the Dam), who is the only
person in the place who wears clothes. The country contains numerous
small hamlets, and is richly wooded; the soil sandy. The inhabitants eat
horseflesh.
14th. Ísemray (Somray), an extensive district under Sultan (Bang) Wónja,
with a clayey soil. Early in the morning.
15th. Another place in Ísemray, under the independent chieftain Búrso.
In the whole country, water is obtained only from wells two or three
fathoms deep. The food of the people is chiefly (red) sorghum. The soil
is clayey. The fields are shaded by some large trees.
16th. Fáchang Góngawe, the territory of a powerful chief, which is
densely inhabited, and intersected by numerous shallow watercourses
(“sél” or “ngáljam”), which, however, only contain water during the
rains, when the country becomes impassable.
17th. Gábberí, or rather a place (Jogtó?) of the territory of Gábberí,
this name being that of the whole country; a large place, reached in the
evening, after a halt at noon. The only weapon of the inhabitants is the
hand-bill, called in their language “jígaji.” They breed numerous horses
and cattle, but are said, nevertheless, like all the inhabitants of the
country of Bang-Wónja to eat only dogs’ flesh. They kill dogs, sheep,
and fowls around a large sycamore (“juméz”), in honour of their deity,
accompanying their sacrifices with loud music on cowhides. They pillage
and wage war upon each other.
18th. Koriñína, a large place of the sultan Koína (the son of Gósdegá)
with a rampart flanked with a palisade, and surrounded on the outside by
trees and a ditch. In the vicinity of the capital are situated several
small hamlets. The inhabitants wear only a leather apron, and do not
practice circumcision. They raise abundance of beans.
19th. A large open place (name not known), in the territory of Sará
under the chief Gósdegá, the inhabitants of which cultivate plenty of
millet, sorghum, and beans, and plant a tree with a date-like fruit,
with a large crown, but small leaves, the marrow of which, as white as
fat, constitutes their butter and oil. This same tree I afterwards found
along the Niger.
20th. Sará-ngár Kúmra, another place wrongly stated to belong to Sultan
Gósdegá, with a stagnant water.
21st. Sará-bé-Day, a place under the chief Sáriya, who possesses
numerous horses (on the Upper Shárí). An entire day’s march, including
halts.
22nd. Yáldang (or Nyéldang), a place inhabited by a tribe of the same
name, belonging to the powerful nation of the Búwa, who in time of war
retire to a high mountain in the southern part of their country.
23rd. Gamkúl, a place of another tribe of the Búwa, in a sandy tract
with rocky ridges, rich in trees, and intersected by small watercourses.
Giraffes, lions, elephants, and hogs, are numerous in this tract, and
the latter constitute the principal food of the inhabitants.
24th. Dan Mádobó (or Míddobó), under Sultan Garé, beyond a mountain-
chain which you cross. The country yields cotton, millet, and sorghum.
25th. Dan Bébe, a place of the chief (gár) Godá. The country, which
during the rains is intersected by various streams, yields cotton and
sorghum.
26th. Komé, in a mountainous district. The people dwell at the foot of
the mountains, which they only ascend in order to harvest their crops,
which grow on the mountains. They obtain water from wells only. A short
day’s journey.
27th. Kómaré in a mountainous district, where cotton is produced. The
inhabitants wear only a belt, and worship a rock as their god; but it is
said that there exist some Mohammedans among them.
28th. Andí, a place of the tribe of the Sójigá, who are said to clothe
their horses as well as themselves. Andí from Gógomi is two days, _viâ_
Jíli. Andí from Gamkúl, north about 30 miles. A mountainous tract. An
entire day’s journey.
29th. Burdá, a large place of the (Gár) Mánga, with a deep lake
abounding with fish. (Identical with the lake of Bisá, which is passed
between Gógomi and Andí?)
30th. Tamkí, probably a place of the Sókoró, who are armed with spears
and bows, the men wearing clothes. They are said to eat lizards, which
they boil; they have, however, likewise sorghum. Their country is
mountainous.
31st. Góberá, a Kérdi place in a mountainous and richly wooded tract.
32nd. Báng-Bay, a large town on the south bank of a considerable river
abounding with fish and flowing eastwards, under the chief Sará Gulá.
All this is quite correct; but this Báng-Bay is altogether different
from the territory called Bay, on the river of Logón. According to
Ramadhán, the river of Báng-Bay is identical with the bahr Ráshid,
which, as he states, flows from here to Tamkí, Andí, Nyéldang and
Gamkúl, and falls into the Shárí at Nílem.
The inhabitants, who are in a very rude state of civilization, have only
slings; and no cotton is cultivated. Báng-Bay is four days from Ábú
Telfán, and two days and a half from Míddogó.
(_u._) _Más-eñá to Runga and Sillá, according to Agíd Búrku. Route not
in a straight course, but veering westerly._
1st day. Gíñim, a considerable place, with a rampart, and a large clay-
built mosque. A well-wooded tract.
2nd. Ám-jérri, a middling-sized place, surrounded by a stockade,
inhabited by elephant and lion-hunters. You pass some wood.
3rd. Kírsuwa (Jibílki?), on a river which flows N.N.W., abounding with
fish, and navigated during the rains by the people in bukhsa, those
large calabashes described on a former occasion. A woody tract.
4th. Kírsuwa Hírla, a place under a powerful chief, to the south of
which is a considerable well-wooded mountain. Of the inhabitants, one-
half are pagans, and the other half Moslemín. A long march.