CHAPTER LIII.

DEPARTURE FOR TIMBÚKTU. — THE HILLY NORTH-WESTERN PROVINCES OF BÓRNU.

The death of Mr. Overweg, happening at a period when the prospects of

the mission just began to brighten, induced me to relinquish my original

plan of once more trying my fortune in Kánem and on the N.E. shores of

the Tsád, as an undertaking too dangerous for me in my isolated

position, and the results of which could not reasonably be expected to

be great, even with the protection of a small force, in a disturbed

country, in comparison with the dangers that accompanied it. Besides,

such was the character of the horde of the Welád Slimán and their mode

of warfare, that after having received the sanction of the British

Government for my proceedings, and being authorised by them to carry out

the objects of the mission as at first projected, I could scarcely

venture to associate myself again with such a lawless set of people. I

therefore determined to direct my whole attention towards the west, in

order to explore the countries situated on the middle course of the

great western river the Ísa, or the so-called Niger, and at the same

time to establish friendly relations with the powerful ruler of the

empire of Sókotó, and to obtain full permission for myself or other

Europeans to visit the south-eastern provinces of his empire, especially

Ádamáwa, which I had been prevented from fully exploring by the real or

pretended fear of the governor of that province, to grant such a

permission without the sanction of his liege lord.

The treaty which I had at length succeeded in getting signed by the

sheikh of Bórnu and his vizier on the last of August, together with a

map of all the parts of Central Africa which I had as yet visited, and

containing at the same time all the information which I had been able to

collect concerning the neighbouring provinces[1], I had forwarded home

in the middle of October, addressing at the same time the request to

H.M.’s consul at Tripoli, to send me, by a special courier to Zínder, a

certain sum of money. The road which I had before me was long, leading

through the territories of a great many different chiefs, and partly

even of powerful princes; and as soon as I should have left Zínder

behind me, I could not expect to find fresh supplies, the sum of money

which I had received on my return from Bagírmi being almost all spent in

paying the debts which we had incurred when left without means. A sum of

400 dollars, besides a box containing choice English ironware, had been

some time before consigned to a Tebú of the name of Áhmed Háj ʿAlí

Bíllama: but instead of proceeding at once with the caravan with which

he had left Fezzán, as he ought to have done, he staid behind in his

native town Bilma to celebrate a marriage. The caravan, with about

twenty horses and a hundred camels, arrived, on the 10th of November,

without bringing me anything, except the proof of such reckless conduct;

and as I could not afford to lose any more time in waiting for this

parcel, I left orders that it should be forwarded to Zínder as soon as

it should arrive. But never received it.

Nearly three fourths of the money in cash which we had received being

required to pay off our debts, we had been obliged to give away a great

portion even of the articles of merchandise, or presents, in order to

reward friends who for so long a period had displayed their hospitality

towards us, and rendered us services almost without the slightest

recompense; so that, on the whole, it was only under the most pressing

circumstances I could think of undertaking a journey to the west with

the means then at my disposal. But, very luckily, a handsome sum of

money was on the road to Zínder; I also expected to receive at that

place a few new instruments, as the greater part of my thermometers were

broken, and I had no instrument left for making hypsometrical

observations.

An inroad on a large scale, of a tribe of the Tawárek, or Kindín, as

they are called in Bórnu, under their chief, Músa, into the province of

Múniyó, through which lay my road to Zínder, delayed my departure for a

considerable time. This inroad of the hordes of the desert claimed a

greater interest than usual, especially when considered in connection

with the facts which I have set forth on a former occasion[2], the

Tawárek or Berbers having originally formed an integral part of the

settled population of Bórnu. These Díggera of Músa, who appear to have

occupied these tracts at a former period, had evidently formed the firm

intention of settling again in the fine valleys of the province of

Múniyó, which are so favourable to the breeding of camels, that even

when the country was in the hands of the Bórnu people they used to send

their herds there.

At length, after a long series of delays, the road to the west became

open, and I took leave of the sheikh on the 19th of November, in a

private audience, none but the vizier being present. I then found reason

to flatter myself that, from the manner in which I had explained to them

the motives which had induced me to undertake a journey to the chiefs of

the Fúlbe or Felláta, there were no grounds of suspicion remaining

between us, although they made it a point that I should avoid going by

Kanó; and even when I rejected their entreaty to remain with them after

my successful return from Timbúktu, they found nothing to object, as I

assured them that I might be more useful to them as a faithful friend in

my own country, than by remaining with them in Bórnu. At that time I

thought that Her Majesty’s Government would be induced to send a consul

to Bórnu, and, in consequence, I raised their expectations on that

point. But matters in Bórnu greatly changed during my absence in the

west, and, in consequence of the temporary interregnum of the usurper

ʿAbd e’ Rahmán and the overthrow and murder of the vizier, the state of

affairs there assumed a less settled aspect. I concluded my leave-taking

by requesting my kind hosts, once more, to send a copy of the history of

Edrís Alawóma, the most celebrated Bórnu king, to the British

Government, as I was sure that, in their desire to elucidate the history

and geography of these regions, this would be an acceptable present.

The vizier, in particular, took great interest in my enterprise,

admiring the confidence which I expressed, that the sheikh el Bakáy, in

Timbúktu, of whom I had formed an opinion merely from hearsay, would

receive me kindly and give me his full protection; and I did not fail to

represent to them that, if the English should succeed in opening these

great highroads of the interior for peaceful intercourse, it would be

highly advantageous even for themselves, as they would thus be enabled

to obtain those articles which they were in want of from the regions of

Western Africa, such as kola nuts and gold, with much less expense and

greater security; and they were thus induced to endeavour to derive a

profit even from this my enterprise. The sheikh, who had formed the

intention of undertaking a journey to Mekka, wanted me to procure for

him some gold in Timbúktu; but, uncertain as were my prospects, and

difficult as would be my situation, I could not guarantee such a result,

which my character as a messenger of the British Government would

scarcely allow. The sheikh sent me two very fine camels as a present,

which stood the fatigue of the journey marvellously, one of them only

succumbing on my return journey, three days from Kúkawa, when, seeing

that it was unable to proceed, I gave it as a present to a native

mʿallem. Having finished my letters, I fixed my departure for the 25th

of November, without waiting any longer for the caravan of the Arabs,

which was soon to leave for Zínder, and which, though it held out the

prospect of a little more security, would have exposed me to a great

deal of inconvenience and delay.

[Sidenote: Thursday, November 25th, 1852.]

It was half-past ten in the morning when I left the town of Kúkawa,

which for upwards of twenty months I had regarded as my head quarters,

and as a place upon which, in any emergency, I might safely fall back

upon; for although I even then expected that I should be obliged to

return to this place once more, and even of my own free will made my

plans accordingly, yet I was convinced that, in the course of my

proceedings, I should not be able to derive any further aid from the

friendship and protection of the sheikh of Bórnu, and I likewise fully

understood that circumstances might oblige me to make my return by the

western coast. For I never formed such a scheme voluntarily, as I

regarded it of much greater importance for the government in whose

service I had the honour to be employed, to survey the course of the

great river from Timbúktu downwards, than to attempt, if I should have

succeeded in reaching that place, to come out on the other side of the

continent, while I was fully aware that, even under the most favourable

circumstances, in going, I should be unable to keep along the river, on

account of its being entirely in the hands of the lawless tribes of

Tawárek, whom I should not be able to pass before I had obtained the

protection of a powerful chief in those quarters. Meanwhile, well aware

from my own experience how far man generally remains in arrear of his

projects, in my letter to Government I represented my principal object

as only to reach the Niger at the town of Sáy, while all beyond that was

extremely uncertain.

My little troop consisted of the following individuals. First, Mohammed

el Gatróni, the same faithful young lad who had accompanied me as a

servant all the way from Fezzán to Kúkawa, and whom, on my starting for

Ádamáwa, I had sent home, very reluctantly, with my despatches and with

the late Mr. Richardson’s effects, on condition that, after having staid

some time with his wife and children, he should return. He had lately

come back with the same caravan which had brought me the fresh supplies.

Faithful to my promise, I had mounted him on horseback, and made him my

chief servant, with a salary of four Spanish dollars per month—and a

present of fifty dollars besides, in the event of my enterprise being

successfully terminated. My second servant, and the one upon whom, next

to Mohammed, I relied most, was ʿAbd-Alláhi, or rather, as the name is

pronounced in this country, ʿAbd-Alléhi, a young Shúwa from Kótokó, whom

I had taken into my service on my journey to Bagírmi, and who, never

having been in a similar situation, and not having dealt before with

Europeans, at first had caused me a great deal of trouble, especially as

he was laid up with the small pox for forty days during my stay in that

country. He was a young man of very pleasing manners and straightforward

character, and, as a good and pious Moslim, formed a useful link between

myself and the Mohammedans; but he was sometimes extremely whimsical,

and, after having written out his contract for my whole journey to the

west and back, I had the greatest trouble in making him adhere to his

own stipulations. I had unbounded control over my men, because I agreed

with them that they should not receive any part of their salary on the

road, but the whole on my successful return to Haúsa. ʿAbd-Alláhi was

likewise mounted on horseback, but had only a salary of two dollars, and

a present of twenty dollars. Then came Mohammed ben Áhmed, the fellow of

whom I have already spoken on my journey to Kánem, and who, though a

person of very indifferent abilities, and at the same time very self-

conceited on account of his Islám, was yet valued by me for his honesty,

while he, on his part, having been left by his countrymen and co-

religionists in a very destitute situation, became attached to myself.

I had two more freemen in my service, one, a brother of Mohammed el

Gatróni, who was only to accompany me as far as Zínder; the other an

Arab from the borders of Egypt, and called Slimán el Ferjáni, a fine,

strong man, who had once formed part of the band of the Welád Slimán in

Kánem, and who might have been of great service to me, from his

knowledge of the use of firearms and his bodily strength; but he was not

to be trusted, and deserted me in a rather shameful manner a little

beyond Kátsena.

Besides these freemen, I had in my service two liberated slaves,

Dýrregu, a Haúsa boy, and Ábbega, a Marghí lad, who had been set free by

the late Mr. Overweg,—the same young lads whom on my return to Europe I

brought to this country, where they promised to lay in a store of

knowledge, and who on the whole have been extremely useful to me,

although Ábbega not unfrequently found some other object more

interesting than my camels, which were intrusted to his care, and which

in consequence he lost repeatedly.

[Illustration: Ábbega

Dýrregu.]

In addition to these servants, I had attached to my person another man,

as a sort of broker, and who was to serve as a mediator between me and

the natives; this was the Méjebrí ʿAlí el Ágeren, a native of Jálo, the

small commercial place near Aújila, which has recently been visited and

described by the Abbé Hamilton. He had travelled for many years in

Negroland, and had traversed in various directions the region inclosed

between Sókotó, Kanó, Baúchi, Záriya, and Gónja. But for the present, on

my outset from Bórnu, I had not made any fixed arrangements with this

man; but in the event of his accompanying me beyond Sókotó, he was to

have two horses and a monthly salary of nine dollars, beside being

permitted to trade on his own account. Such an arrangement, although

rather expensive to me considering the means at my disposal, was of very

great importance if the man did his duty, he being able, in his almost

independent situation, to render me extraordinary assistance in

overcoming many difficulties; but, as an Arab, I only put full

confidence in him as long as circumstances were propitious, while his

wavering character as soon as dangers began to surround me did not put

me in any way out of countenance.

These people, besides an Arab, a so-called sheríf, from Fás, who was

going as far as Zínder, and who had likewise attached himself to my

small party, composed the band with which I cheerfully set out on my

journey towards the west, on the 25th of November, being accompanied out

of the town by the Háj Edrís whom I have had frequent occasion to

mention. In order to get everything in readiness, and to be sure of

having neglected no precaution to secure full success to my enterprise,

I followed my old principle, and pitched my tent for the first day only

a couple of miles distant from the gate, near the second hamlet of

Kalíluwá, in the scanty shade of a baúre, when I felt unbounded delight

in finding myself once more in the open country, after a residence of a

couple of months in the town, where I had but little bodily exercise.

Indulging in the most pleasing anticipations as to the success of the

enterprise upon which I was then embarking, I stretched myself out at

full length on my noble lion-skin, which formed my general couch during

the day, and which was delightfully cool.

[Sidenote: Friday, November 26th.]

This was one of the coldest, or perhaps the very coldest night which I

experienced in the whole of my journeys since entering the fertile

plains of Negroland, the thermometer in the morning, a little before

sunrise, showing only 9° Fahr. above the freezing point. The interior of

Africa, so far removed from the influence of the sea (which is warmer in

winter than the _terra firma_), forms, with regard to the cold season,

an insulated cool space in the tropical regions, in opposition to the

warm climate of the West Indies and the coasts and islands of the

Pacific and Indian oceans. We were all greatly affected by the cold. But

it did us a great deal of good, invigorating our frames after the

enervating influence of the climate of Kúkawa. We did not set out,

however, before the sun had begun to impart to the atmosphere a more

genial character, when we proceeded on our journey westward. The country

which I traversed, passing by the frequented well of Beshér, although

already known to me from previous travels, now presented a very

different aspect from what it had done on my first journey from Kanó to

Kúkawa,—those bleak and dreary hollows of black argillaceous soil being

now changed into the richest corn-fields, and waving with a luxuriant

crop of masákuwá, while the fields of small millet (_Pennisetum_) stood

in stubble.

We encamped near the well Súwa-búwa, or, as it was called by others,

Kabubíya, on the gentle slope of the rising ground towards the north,

from whence the busy scene round the well, of cattle, asses, goats, and

sheep being watered in regular succession, presented an interesting and

animated spectacle, more especially, coming after and contrasted with

the dull life of the capital. The well measured fifteen fathoms in

depth; and the inhabitants were so on the alert for gain that they

thought it right to sell us the precious element for watering our

camels. My whole party were in the best spirits, cheerful and full of

expectation of the novelties, both in human life and nature, that were

to be disclosed in the unknown regions in the far west. In order to

protect ourselves from the cold, which had so much affected us the

preceding night, we set fire to the whole of a large decayed tree,

which, with great exertion, we dragged from some distance close to our

tent, and thus enjoyed a very moderate degree of temperature in our open

encampment.

[Sidenote: Saturday, November 27th.]

I now entered Koyám, with its straggling villages, its well-cultivated

fields, and its extensive forests of middle-sized mimosas, which afford

food to the numerous herds of camels constituting the wealth of this

African tribe, who in former times, before the Bórnu dynasty was driven

away from its ancient capital Njímiye by the rival family of the

Bulála[3], led a nomadic life on the pasture-grounds of Kánem. Having

thus traversed the district called Wódomá, we encamped about noon, at a

short distance from a well in the midst of the forest, belonging to a

district called Gágadá. The well was twenty-five fathoms deep, and was

frequented during the night by numerous herds of cattle from different

parts of the neighbourhood.

While making the round in the night in order to see whether my people

were on the look-out, as a great part of the security of a traveller in

these regions depends on the vigilance exercised by night, I succeeded

in carrying away secretly the arms from all my people, even from the

warlike Ferjáni Arab, which caused great amusement and hubbub when they

awoke in the morning, and enabled me to teach them a useful lesson of

being more careful for the future.

[Sidenote: November 28th.]

Having taken an early breakfast—an arrangement which in this cold

weather, when the appetite even of the European traveller in these

regions is greatly sharpened, we found very acceptable—we pursued our

journey, passing through the district of Garánda, with deep sandy soil,

and rich in corn, cattle, and camels. A great proportion of the

population consisted of Shúwa, or native Arabs, who had immigrated from

the East. As we proceeded on our march, the trees gradually assumed a

richer character, plainly indicating that we were approaching a more

favoured district. There was the ngilísi, or haméd, a tree very common

over the whole eastern part of Negroland, with its small leaves bursting

forth from its branches; the karáge, or gáwo, now appearing as a small

tree of scanty growth, further on spreading out with a large and

luxuriant crown not ceding to the ʿardéb or tamarind-tree; and the

kórna, which, extending over the whole of these immense regions, is

remarkable for bearing almost everywhere the same name.[4] The underwood

was formed by the kálgo and gónda bush, which latter, however, did not

seem to bear here that delicious fruit which had so frequently served to

refresh my failing energies during my marches through other districts;

and cold as had been the night, the sun even now was very powerful

during the mid-day hours, there being a difference of 40°.

We encamped after a march of about thirteen miles, having by mistake

exchanged our westerly direction for a south-westerly one, near the well

called Kagza[5], and were very hospitably and kindly treated by a

patriotic old man, a citizen of the old capital or birni of Ghasr-

éggomo, who, when that splendid town was taken by the Fúlbe or Felláta,

in the year 1809, had fled to Wádáy, and had lived there several years

among the Welád Ráshid, waiting for better times. This good man

described to me, with a deep feeling of sorrow, the taking of that large

and wealthy town, under the command of the Fúlbe chiefs Malá-Rída,

Mukhtár, and Hanníma, when the king, with his whole host of courtiers

and his numerous army, fled through the eastern gate while the enemy was

entering the western one, and the populous place was delivered up to all

the horrors accompanying the sacking of a town. What with the pleasant

character of the country and the friendly disposition of our host, I

should have enjoyed my open encampment extremely, if I had not been

suffering all this time very severely from sore legs, ever since my

return from Bagírmi, when I had to cross so many rivers and was so

frequently wet through.[6]

[Sidenote: Monday, November 29th.]

Pursuing still a south-westerly direction, our march led us through a

district called Rédaní in regard to which, the state of the cultivation

of the ground (the géro, the wealth of this country, lying in large

heaps or “bagga” on the fields) and the uninterrupted succession of

straggling hamlets left the impression of ease and comfort. But we had

great difficulty in finding the right track among the number of small

footpaths diverging in every direction; and in avoiding the northern

route, which we knew would lead us to a part of the river where we

should not be able to cross it, we had, by mistake, chosen a too

southerly path, which, if pursued, would have led us to Gújeba. While

traversing this fertile district, we were astonished at the repeated

descents which we had to make, and which convinced us that these sandy

swells constitute a perfect separation between the komádugu and the Tsád

on this side. The district of Rédaní was followed by another, called

Kangálla, and, after a short tract of forest, a third one, of the name

of Meggi, consisting mostly of argillaceous soil, and not nearly so

interesting as Rédaní. We encamped at length, near a group of three

wells, where, once a week, a small market is held. In the adjacent

hollow a pond is formed in the rainy season. The wells were twenty

fathoms in depth.

[Sidenote: Tuesday, November 30th.]

The district through which we passed to-day, in a north-westerly

direction, seemed to be rich in pasture-grounds and cattle. It was at

the time inhabited by a number of Tebú of the tribe of the Dáza, or

rather Búlgudá, who in former times having been driven from Ágadem,

Bélkashí Farri, and Saw by the Tawárek, had found refuge in this

district, where they preserve their nomadic habits to some extent, and

by no means contribute to the security of the country. Having been

warned that along the road no water was to be had, we encamped a little

outside the track, near the farming village of Gógoró, where the women

were busy threshing or pounding their corn, which was lying in large

heaps, while the men were idling about. They were cheerful Kanúri

people, who reside here only during the time of the harvest, and when

that is over, return to their village Dímmarruwá. The ground hereabout

was full of ants; and we had to take all possible care, in order to

protect our luggage against the attacks of this voracious insect.

[Sidenote: Wednesday, December 1st.]

We now approached the komádugu of Bórnu, presenting with its network of

channels and thick forests, a difficult passage after the rainy season.

Fine groups of trees began to appear; and droves of Guinea fowl

enlivened the landscape. In order to give the camels a good feed on the

rich vegetation produced in this favourable locality, we made even a

shorter march than usual, encamping near a dead branch of the river,

which is called Kulúgu Gússum, S.E. from the celebrated lake of Múggobí,

which in former times, during the glorious period of the Bórnu empire,

constituted one of the chief celebrities and attractions of the country,

but which at present, being overwhelmed by the surrounding swamps,

serves only to interrupt the communication between the western and

eastern provinces. Allured by the pleasing character of the place, I

stretched myself out in the shade of a group of majestic tamarind trees,

while the man whom I had taken with me as a guide, from the village

where we had passed the night, gave me some valuable information with

regard to the divisions of the Koyám, the present inhabitants of this

region east of the komádugu, which had been conquered from the native

tribe of the Só. He told me that the Kíye, or, as the name is generally

pronounced in Bórnu, the Kay (the tribe which I have mentioned in my

historical account of Bórnu)[7], originally formed the principal stock

of the Koyám, together with whom the Máguni and the Fárferé constitute

the principal divisions, the chief of the latter clan bearing the title

of Fúgo. The Temágheri, of whom I have also had occasion to speak, and

the Ngalága, fractions of both of whom are settled here, he described as

Kánembú. But, besides these tribes, a great proportion of Tebú have

mixed with the ancient inhabitants of this district, probably since the

time of the king Edrís Alawóma, who forced the Tebú settled in the

northern districts of Kánem to emigrate into Bórnu. In connection with

the latter wide-spread nation, my informant described the Túra (whose

chief is called Dírkemá, being a native of Dírki), the Débirí, or

Díbbirí, (also spoken of by me on a former occasion), the Úngumá, and

the Káguwá. The Jetko or Jotko, who live along the komádugu, west from

the town of Yó, he described to me as identical with the Keléti, the

very tribe which is repeatedly mentioned by the historian of Edrís

Alawóma. Thus we find in this district a very interesting group of

fractions of former tribes who have here taken refuge from the

destructive power of a larger empire.

I took a long walk in the afternoon along the sheet of water, which was

indented in the most picturesque manner, and was bordered all around

with the richest vegetation, the trees belonging principally to the

species called karáge and baggarúwa. Further on dúm palms became

numerous; and it was the more interesting to me, as I had visited this

district, only a few miles further north, during the dry season. Guinea

fowl were here so numerous that one could hardly move a step without

disturbing a group of these lazy birds, which constitute one of the

greatest delicacies of the traveller in these regions. A sportsman would

find in these swampy forests not less interesting objects for his

pursuits than the botanist; for elephants, several species of antelopes,

even including the _oryx_ or tétel, nay, as it would seem, even the

large _addax_, the wild hog, besides an unlimited supply of water fowl,

Guinea fowl, and partridges, would prove worthy of his attention, while

occasional encounters with monkeys would cause him some diversion and

amusement.

At present the water was decreasing rapidly[8]; but this part had been

entirely dry at the beginning of September, when the late Mr. Overweg

had visited it, and the conclusion then drawn by him, that the river

inundates its banks in November, was entirely confirmed by my own

experience. There was a great deal of cultivation along this luxuriant

border, and even a little cotton was grown; but a very large amount of

the latter article might be obtained here with a greater degree of

industry. Besides a village at a short distance to the S.E., inhabited

by Koyám, and which bears the same name as this branch of the river,

there is a hamlet, consisting of about thirty cottages, inhabited by

Fúlbe, or Felláta, of the tribe of the Híllega, the same tribe whom we

have met in Ádamáwa. They seemed to possess a considerable number of

cattle, and appeared to lead a contented and retired life in this

fertile but at present almost desolate region. But, unfortunately, they

have been induced, by their close contact with the Kanúri, to give up

the nice manner of preparing their milk which so distinguishes the Fúlbe

in other provinces; and even the cheerful way in which the women offered

us their ware could not induce me to purchase of them their unclean

species of sour milk, which is prepared by means of the urine of cattle.

Beautiful and rich as was the scenery of this locality, it had the

disadvantage of harbouring immense swarms of mosquitoes; and our night’s

rest, in consequence, was greatly disturbed.

[Sidenote: Thursday, December 2nd.]

Winding round the swamp (for the nature of a swamp or kulúgu was more

apparent, at present, than that of a branch of the river), we reached,

after a march of about three miles, the site of the ancient capital of

the Bórnu empire, Ghasr-éggomo, which, as I have stated on a former

occasion[9], was built by the king ʿAlí Ghajidéni, towards the end of

the fifteenth century, after the dynasty had been driven from its

ancient seats in Kánem, and, after a desperate struggle between

unsettled elements, began to concentrate itself under the powerful rule

of this mighty king. The site was visited by the members of the former

expedition, and it has been called by them by the half-Arabic name of

Birni-Kadím, the “old capital,”—even the Bórnu people in general

designating the place only by the name birni, or burni. The town had

nearly a regular oval shape, but, notwithstanding the great

exaggerations of former Arab informants, who have asserted that this

town surpassed Cairo (or Masr el Káhira) in size, and was a day’s march

across, was little more than six English miles in circumference, being

encompassed by a strong wall, with six or seven[10] gates; which, in its

present dilapidated state, forms a small ridge, and seems clearly to

indicate that, when the town was conquered by the Fúlbe or Felláta, the

attack was made from two different sides, viz., the south-west and

north-west, where the lower part of the wall had been dug away. The

interior of the town exhibits very little that is remarkable. The

principal buildings consist of baked bricks; and in the present capital

not the smallest approach is made to this more solid mode of

architecture.[11] The dimensions of the palace appear to have been very

large, although nothing but the ground plan of large empty areas can be

made out at present, while the very small dimensions of the mosque,

which had five aisles, seem to afford sufficient proof that none but the

people intimately connected with the court used to attend the service,

just as is the case at the present time; and it serves, moreover,

clearly to establish the fact that even in former times, when the empire

was most flourishing, there was no such thing as a médresé, or college,

attached to the mosque. The fact is, that although Bórnu at all times

has had some learned men, study has always been a private affair,

amongst a few individuals, encouraged by some distinguished men who had

visited Egypt and Arabia. Taking into consideration the great extent of

the empire during the period of its grandeur, and the fertility and

wealth of some of its provinces, which caused gold dust at that time to

be brought to market here in considerable quantity, it cannot be doubted

that this capital contained a great deal of barbaric magnificence, and

even a certain degree of civilization, much more so than is at present

to be found in this country; and it is certainly a speculation not

devoid of interest to imagine, in this town of Negroland, a splendid

court, with a considerable number of learned and intelligent men

gathering round their sovereign, and a priest writing down the history

of the glorious achievements of his master, and thus securing them from

oblivion. Pity that he was not aware that his work might fall into the

hands of people from quite another part of the world, and of so

different a stage of civilization, language, and learning! else he would

certainly not have failed to have given to posterity a more distinct

clue to the chronology of the history of his native country.

[Illustration]

It is remarkable that the area of the town, although thickly overgrown

with rank grass, is quite bare of trees, while the wall is closely

hemmed in by a dense forest; and when I entered the ruins, I found them

to be the haunt of a couple of tall ostriches, the only present

possessors of this once animated ground: but on the south-west corner,

at some distance from the wall, there was a small hamlet.

The way in which the komádugu, assisted probably by artificial means,

spreads over this whole region is very remarkable. The passage of the

country at the present season of the year, covered as it is with the

thickest forest, was extremely difficult, and we had to make a very

large circuit in order to reach the village of Zéngirí, where the river

could be most easily crossed. I myself went, on this occasion, as far

south-west as Zaraima, a village lying on a steep bank near a very

strong bend or elbow of the river, which, a little above, seems to be

formed by the two principal branches, the one coming from the country of

Bedde, and the other more from the south. But, notwithstanding the great

circuit we made, we had to ford several very extensive backwaters

stretching out, in the deeper parts of the valley, amidst a thick belt

of the rankest vegetation, before we reached the real channel, which

wound along in a meandering course inclosed between sandy banks of about

twenty-five feet in elevation, and, with its rich vegetation, presenting

a very interesting spectacle. The forest in this part is full of tétel,

or _Antilope oryx_, and of the large antilope called “kargum.” The few

inhabitants of this district, although they do not cultivate a great

deal of corn, cannot suffer much from famine, so rich is the supply of

the forest as well as of the water. Our evening’s repast, after we had

encamped near Zéngirí, was seasoned by some excellent fish from the

river. However, I must observe here that the Kanúri in general are not

such good hunters as the Háusa people, of whom a considerable proportion

live by hunting, forming numerous parties or hunting clubs, who on

certain days go out into the forest.

[Sidenote: Friday, December 3rd.]

Having made a good march the previous day, we were obliged, before

attempting the passage of the river with our numerous beasts and heavy

luggage, to allow them a day’s repose; and I spent it most agreeably on

the banks of the river, which was only a few yards from our encampment.

Having seen this valley in the dry season, and read so many theories

with regard to its connection with the Niger on the one side, and the

Tsád on the other, it was of the highest interest to me to see it at the

present time of the year, when it was full of water, and at its very

highest point; and I could only wish that Captain William Allen had been

able to survey this noble stream in its present state, in order to

convince himself of the erroneous nature of his theory of this river

running from the Tsád into the so-called Chadda, or rather Bénuwé.

Though the current was not very strong, and probably did not exceed

three miles an hour, it swept along as a considerable river of about one

hundred and twenty yards breadth towards the Tsád, changing its course

from a direction E. 12° S. to N. 35° E. While the bank on this side

formed a steep sandy slope, the opposite one was flat, and richly

adorned with reeds, of different species, and luxuriant trees. All was

quiet and repose, there being no traffic whatever on the river, with the

exception of a couple of homely travellers, a man and woman, who in the

simple native style were crossing the river, riding on a pair of yoked

calabashes and immerged in the water up to their middle, while they had

stowed away their little clothing inside those very vessels which

supported them above the water; but notwithstanding their energetic

labour, they were carried down by the force of the current to a

considerable distance. Besides these two human beings, the river at

present was only enlivened by one solitary spoonbill (or, as it is here

called, béja or kedébbu-búnibe), who, like a king of the water, was

proudly swimming up and down, looking around for prey.

The following day we crossed the river ourselves. I had had some

difficulty in concluding the bargain, the inhabitants, who belong to the

Tebú-Zénghi[12], making at first rather exorbitant demands[13], till I

satisfied them with a dollar; and we ourselves, camels, horses, and

luggage, crossed without an accident, each camel being drawn by a man,

mounted on a pair of calabashes, while another man mounted the animal

close to its tail. The scenery, although destitute of grand features,

was highly interesting, and has been represented as correctly as

possible in the plate opposite. The river proved to be fifteen feet deep

in the channel, and about 120 yards broad; but there was a still smaller

creek behind, about five feet deep.

[Illustration: Drawn by J. M. Bernatz, from a Sketch by Dr. Barth.

M. & N. Hanhart, lith. et impt.

THE KOMÁDUGU AT ZÉNGIRI.

Decr. 4th. 1852.]

At length we were again in motion; but our difficulties now commenced,

the path being extremely winding, deeply hollowed out, and full of

water, and leading through the thickest part of the forest—and I had to

lament the loss of several bottles of the most valuable medicine, a

couple of boxes being thrown from the back of the camel. The forest

extended only to the border which is reached by the highest state of the

inundation, when we emerged upon open country, and, leaving the town of

Nghurútuwa (where Mr. Richardson died) at a short distance on our right,

we encamped a few hundred yards to the south of the town of Alaúne,

which I had also passed on my former journey.

Here we entered that part of the province of Manga which is governed by

Kashélla Belál; and the difference in the character of this tract from

the province of Koyám, which we had just left behind, was remarkable,

the country being undulated in downs of red sand, famous for the

cultivation of ground-nuts and beans, both of which constitute a large

proportion of the food of the inhabitants, so that millet and beans are

generally sown on the same field, the latter ripening later and

constituting the richest pasture for cattle and camels. Of grain, Negro

millet (_Pennisetum typhoïdeum_) is the species almost exclusively

cultivated in the country of Manga, sorghum not being adapted for this

dry ground.

The same difference was to be observed in the architecture of the native

dwellings,—the corn stacks which impart so decided a character of peace

and repose to the villages of Háusa, but which are sought for in vain in

the whole of Bórnu Proper, here again making their appearance. The Manga

call them “sébe” or “gúsi.” The cottages themselves, although they were

not remarkable for their cleanliness, presented rather a cheerful

aspect, the thatch being thickly interwoven with and enlivened by the

creepers of various cucurbitaceæ, but especially the favourite kobéwa or

_Melopepo_. The same difference which was exhibited in the nature of the

country and the dwellings of the natives, appeared also in the character

of the latter, the Kanúri horseman or the Koyám camel-breeder being here

supplanted by the Manga footman, with his leather apron, his bow and

arrow, and his battle-axe, while the more slender Manga girl, scarcely

peeping forth from under her black veil, with which she bashfully hid

her face, had succeeded to the Bórnu female, with her square figure, her

broad features, and her open and ill-covered breast. I have observed

elsewhere that, although the Manga evidently form a very considerable

element in the formation of the Bórnu nation, their name as such does

not occur in the early annals of the empire, and we therefore can only

presume that they owe their origin to a mixture of tribes.

Having passed the important place of Kadagárruwá and some other

villages, we encamped on the 5th near the extensive village Mámmarí,

where the governor of the province at that time resided.[14]

[Sidenote: Monday, December 6th.]

A small watercourse joining the komádugu Waúbe from the north, separates

the province of Kashélla Belál from another part of Manga, placed under

a special officer, who has his residence in Borzári. Close on the

western side of this watercourse, which is only about thirty yards

across, the Manga, at the time (in the year 1845) when, in consequence

of the inroad of Wádáy, the whole empire of Bórnu seemed to be falling

to ruin, fortified a large place in order to vindicate their national

independence against the rulers of the kingdom; but having been beaten

by ʿAbd e’ Rahmán, the sheikh’s brother, the town was easily taken by

another kókana or officer, of the name of Háj Sudáni. It is called

Máikonomarí-kurá, the Large Máikonomarí, in order to distinguish it from

a smaller place of the same name, and contains at present only a small

number of dwellings, but was nevertheless distinguished from its more

thriving neighbour by a larger supply of articles of comfort, such as a

fine herd of cattle, well-filled granaries, and plenty of poultry, while

the neighbouring province, which we had just left behind, appeared to be

exhausted by recent exactions and contributions, the greater part of the

population having even sought safety in a precipitate flight. The

country, however, which we traversed on our march to Borzári was not

remarkable in any way for the beauty of its scenery, although the former

part of our march led through a well-cultivated and populous district;

and the heat reflected, during the middle of the day, from the bleak

soil clad only with a scanty vegetation, was oppressive in the extreme,

although it was the month of December. Thus I passed the walled town of

Grémarí[15] without feeling myself induced, by the herd of cattle just

assembled near the wall, to make a halt, the ground here becoming

excessively barren and hot. On reaching the town of Borzári, I preferred

encamping outside, although there was not the least shade; my heavy

luggage and my numerous party rendering quarters inside the town rather

inconvenient. The governor, to whom I sent a small present, treated me

very hospitably, sending me a heifer, a large provision of rice, several

dishes of prepared food, and two large bowls of milk. This excellent

man, whose name is Kashélla Manzo, besides the government of his

province, had to regulate the whole intercourse along this road, being

instructed at the time especially to prevent the exportation of horses

from the Bórnu territory into the Háusa states.

The town, which is surrounded with a low crenellated wall and a ditch in

good repair, is of considerable size and well built, and may contain

from 7000 to 8000 inhabitants; but there is no great industry to be

seen, nor is there a good market. The wells measure ten fathoms in

depth.

Our direct road from this point would have led straight to Zurríkulo;

but an officer of the name of Ádama, who was to accompany me to Zínder,

having joined me, I was induced to take a more southerly road, by way of

Donári, which constituted his estate; and I was very glad afterwards

that I did so, as this road made me acquainted with the peculiar

character of the territory of Bedde, which I should not otherwise have

touched at.

[Sidenote: Tuesday, December 7th.]

The first part of our march led through a more dreary tract of country,

which was neither very picturesque nor exhibited any great signs of

industry among the natives; but after a stretch of a little more than

eleven miles, large, wide-spreading tamarind trees announced a more

fertile district, and a few hundred yards further on we reached the

border of one of the great swampy creeks connected with the south-

western branch of the komádugu, and intersecting the territory of Bedde,

which we had now entered. We kept close along its border, which was

adorned by fine, luxuriant trees, till we encamped at a short distance

from Dáddeger, a place inhabited by Bedde, and at that time forming part

of the estate of Malá Ibrám. The village is situated on a small mound

close to the swamp or jungle; for the water is so thickly covered with

forest, that no portion of the aqueous element is to be seen. It forms

rather what the Kanúri call an ngáljam (that is to say, a swampy shallow

creek or backwater, having little or no inclination) than a kulúgu; and

there can be no doubt of its connection with the great komádugu of

Bórnu. The natives call it at this spot Gojágwa[16], and further on,

Máje. They are pagans, and wear nothing but a narrow leather apron or

funó round their loins[17], with the exception of a few Kanúri, who are

living amongst them, and who cultivate a small quantity of cotton, for

which the banks of the swamp are very well suited, and would no doubt be

extensively used for this purpose if the country were inhabited by

civilized people.

The Bedde, according to their language, are closely related to the

Manga, but, as far as I had an opportunity of judging, are much inferior

to them in bodily development, being not at all distinguished for their

stature; but it is very probable that the inhabitants of these places in

the border district, who come into continual contact with their masters

the Bórnu people, are more degenerate than those in the interior, who,

protected by the several branches of the komádugu and the swamps and

forests connected with them, keep up a spirit of national independence,

possessing even a considerable number of a small breed of horses, which

they ride without saddle or harness, and in the same barbaric manner as

the Músgu.

[Sidenote: Wednesday, December 8th.]

The district which we traversed in the morning was distinguished by a

great number of kúka or monkey-bread trees, the first one we saw being

destitute of leaves, though full of fruit; but gradually, as we

approached a more considerable sheet of water, they became adorned with

a profusion of rich foliage, and we here met several small parties laden

with baskets, of an elongated shape, full of the young leaves of this

tree, which, as “kálu kúka,” constitute the most common vegetable of the

natives. Besides the kúka, large karáge and kórna or jujube trees

(_Zizyphus_), and now and then a fine tamarind tree, though not of such

great size as I was wont to see, adorned the landscape.

We had just crossed a swamp, at present dry, surrounded on one side by

fine fig trees and gerredh of such luxuriant growth that I was scarcely

able to recognize the tree, and on the other by talha trees, when, about

noon, we emerged into open cultivated ground, and were here greeted with

the sight of a pretty sheet of open water, breaking forth from the

forest on our left, and dividing into two branches, which receded in the

distance. The Bedde call it Thaba-kenáma. The water is full of fish,

which is dried by the inhabitants, and, either in its natural form or

pounded and formed into balls, constitutes an important article of

export. We met a good many people laden with it.

It was here that, while admiring this riverlike sheet of water, I

recognized, among a troop of native travellers, my friend the sheríf

Mohammed Ben Áhmed, to whom I was indebted for a couple of hours very

pleasantly and usefully spent during my stay in Yóla, and for the route

from Mozambique to the lake Nyanja, or, as it is commonly called,

Nyassi. I for a moment hoped that it might be my fate, in the company of

this man, to penetrate through the large belt of the unknown equatorial

region of this continent towards the Indian Ocean. But as he was now on

his way from Zínder to Kúkawa, we had only a few moments allowed for

conversation and the exchange of compliments, when we separated in

opposite directions, never to meet again,—my fate carrying me westward,

while he was soon to succumb to the effects of the climate of Negroland.

Three miles further on, turning a little more southward from our

westerly direction, we reached the town of Géshiya, once a strong place

and surrounded by a clay wall, but at present in a state of great decay,

although it is still tolerably peopled, the groups of conical huts being

separated by fences of matting into several quarters. Here we encamped

on the north side, near a fine tamarind tree, where millet was grown to

a great extent. The south and west sides were surrounded by an extensive

swamp or swampy watercourse fed by the komádugu, and, with its dense

forest, affording to the inhabitants a safe retreat in case of an attack

from their enemies. All the towns of the Bedde are situated in similar

positions; and hence the precarious allegiance of the people (who

indulge in rapacious habits) to the ruler of Bórnu. The inhabitants of

Géshiya[18], indeed, have very thievish propensities; and as we had

neglected to fire a few shots in the evening, a couple of daring men

succeeded, during the night, in carrying away the woollen blanket in

which my companion the Méjebrí merchant ʿAlí el Ágeren was sleeping at

the side of his horse. Although he was a man of hardihood and

experience, he was dragged or carried along to a considerable distance,

until he was forced to let go his blanket; and, threatening him with

their spear in case he should cry out, they managed this affair so

cleverly and with such dispatch, that they were off in the dark before

we were up to pursue them. It was a pity that these daring rascals

escaped with their spoil; but in order to prevent any further

depredations of this kind, we fired several shots, and, with a large

accordion, upon which I played the rest of the night, I frightened the

people to such a degree, that they thought every moment we were about to

ransack the town.

[Sidenote: Thursday, December 9th.]

Keeping along the north-eastern border of the swamp, through a fine

country where the tamarind and monkey-bread tree were often interlaced,

as I have repeatedly observed to be the case with these species of

trees, we reached, after a march of about three miles, the town of

Gesma, which is girt and defended by the swamp on the south and east

sides, the wall being distinguished by the irregularity of its

pinnacles, if pinnacles they may be called, as represented in the

accompanying woodcut. The inhabitants, clad in nothing but a leather

apron, were busy carrying clay from the adjacent swamp, in order to

repair the wall, which, however, on the west side, was in excellent

condition.

[Illustration]

Close to this town I observed the first rími, or silk-cotton tree, which

in Bórnu Proper is entirely wanting; and as we proceeded through the

fine open country, numerous species of trees which are peculiar to Háusa

became visible, and seemed to greet me as old acquaintances. I was

heartily glad that I had left the monotonous plains of Bórnu once more

behind me, and had reached the more favoured and diversified districts

of this fine country. Small channels intersected the country in every

direction; and immense fishing-baskets were lying in some of them,

apparently in order to catch the fish which, during the period of the

inundation, are carried down by the river. But the great humidity of

this district made it swarm with ants, whose immense and thickly-

scattered hills, together with the dúm bush, filled out the intermediate

spaces between the larger specimens of the vegetable kingdom.

Having then crossed a tract of denser forest, we entered upon deep sandy

soil, where the kúka became the sole tree, excluding almost every other

kind, with the exception of a few tamarinds, for whose company, as I

have observed, the monkey-bread tree seems to have a decided

predilection.

Thus we reached Donári, formerly a considerable place of the Manga, and

surrounded with a low rampart of earth, but at present greatly reduced,

the inhabited quarter occupying only a very small proportion of the area

thus inclosed. But a good many cattle were to be seen, and, lying just

in the shade of the majestic monkey-bread trees which mark the place,

afforded a cheerful sight. This was the residence of the Bórnu officer

Ádama, who had accompanied me from Borzári, and who the previous day had

gone on in advance to pass the night here. But having once made it a

rule to encamp in the open country, I preferred the large though

leafless trunk of a kúka at a short distance from the eastern gate, to a

cool shed inside the town; and the heat was by no means oppressive, a

cool wind blowing the whole day.

[Sidenote: December 10th.]

We exchanged the domain of the monkey-bread tree for that of the dúm

palm, by giving to our course a north-westerly direction towards

Zurríkulo, the queen of the region of dúm palms and the residence of the

hospitable Kashélla Sʿaíd[19], passing at some distance on our way a

comfortable and populous little place, surrounded with a stockade, and

bearing the attractive name of Kechí-dúniyá, “the sweetness of the

world,” where a little market was held, to which people were flocking

from all sides, male and female, with sour milk, ground-nuts, grain,

earthen pots, young cattle, and sheep.

In Zurríkulo I fell into my former route, which I had followed in the

opposite direction in March 1851, and, crossing the northern branch of

the komádugu, which at present was two feet and a half deep, and

following almost the same road, encamped the next day in Shechéri, the

first village of the district of Búndi.

[Footnote 1: This is the map which was published by Mr. Petermann, in

the account of the progress of the Expedition to Central Africa, adding

from Mr. Richardson’s and Mr. Overweg’s journals, which I had sent home,

an outline of those districts visited by themselves alone.]

[Footnote 2: See Vol. II. p. 272.]

[Footnote 3: See Vol. II. p. 276.]

[Footnote 4: See Vol. III. p. 348, note.]

[Footnote 5: The depth of the well measured twenty-two fathoms.]

[Footnote 6: This is a complaint to which almost every European in these

climes is exposed, and from which Clapperton suffered very severely. I

found the best remedy to be mai-kadeña butter, which is very cooling;

but in the eastern part of Bórnu it is rarely to be met with.]

[Footnote 7: See Vol. II. p. 274.]

[Footnote 8: Compare what I have said with regard to the periods of the

rising and decreasing of this river in Vol. III. p. 474.]

[Footnote 9: Vol. II. p. 644.]

[Footnote 10: The intelligent Arab Ben ʿAlí, in the interesting account

which he gave to Lucas (Proceedings of the African Association, vol. i.

p. 148), distinctly states the number of gates as seven; but it is

remarkable that, in all the accounts of the taking of the place by the

Fúlbe, mention is only made of two gates, and it is still evident, at

the present time, that the western and the eastern gates were the only

large ones.]

[Footnote 11: It must be this circumstance (which to the natives

themselves, in the degenerate age of their later kings, appeared as a

miracle) which caused the report that in Ghámbarú and Ghasr-éggomo there

were buildings of the time of the Christians.]

[Footnote 12: I do not know exactly whether the ford has been called

after this tribe; but the name Zénghiri also occurs in other

localities.]

[Footnote 13: These people wanted in general nothing but cloves. I

however succeeded in buying a sheep from them for eight gábagá, at the

rate of eight drʿa each.]

[Footnote 14: To this province, although I do not know by what

particular name it is called by the natives, belong the following

places, besides Mámmarí or Mómmolí:—Katíkenwá (a large place),

Gubálgorúm (touched at by me on my former route) at a short distance to

the S.E., Tafiyóri E., Keríbúdduwa, Mainé, Nay, Mammed Kanúri, Mʿadi

Kúlloram, Kará ngámduwá to the N., Kériwá, Dúggulí, Gúdderam, Ngabóliya,

Kajimma, Alaúne, Nghurútuwa, Bam. The place Shégori, although situated

within the boundaries of this province, forms a separate domain of Malá

Ibrám.]

[Footnote 15: I will here mention, as an instance how careful

travellers, even those tolerably well acquainted with the languages of

the country through which they travel, must be with regard to the names

of places, that when first passing this town I asked a man its name,

and, not having distinctly heard what he said, I asked another person

who stood by; and he said “mannawáji.” Supposing at the time that this

was the name of the place, I wrote it down, but soon convinced myself

that it meant nothing but “he does not want to speak,” or “refuses to

answer,” and I then learnt on further inquiry that the real name of the

town was Grémarí.]

[Footnote 16: I almost suspect that this is the water of which Mr.

Hutchinson, when in Ashanti, heard a report from the natives under the

name “koumouda Gaiguina.” (Bowdich’s Mission to Ashantee, p. 213.)]

[Footnote 17: What Koelle relates (Kanúri Proverbs, p. 82, text; p. 211,

transl.) on the authority of his informant, that the Bedde, or Bode as

he writes, wear wide shirts, “kálgu,” besides the funó, of course (as is

the case also with the Marghí) can only have reference to those amongst

them who have adopted Islám.]

[Footnote 18: The bíllama, or mayor, of this town, who has subjected

himself to the authority of Bórnu, bears the title “Mai ʿOmár Béddema.”

Fitíti, the residence of the chief Babýshe, or Babúdji, and the chief

town of Bedde, lies a short day’s march from here S.S.W. I have more

materials of itineraries traversing this region; but they are too

indistinct with regard to direction to be used for a topographical

sketch of the country.]

[Footnote 19: His province comprises the following villages:—Chando,

Gíro, Ghasrmarí, Kellerí, Gabchári, Bilaljawa, Nkibúda, Lawandí, Dalarí,

Kerí-zemán, Kábi, Gréma Dalarí.]

CHAP. LIV.

THE MOUNTAINOUS TERRITORY OF MÚNIYÓ, AND ITS GOVERNOR.

[Sidenote: December 12th.]

In Shechéri I left my former route, which would have taken me to Búndi

and Máshena, and followed a N.N.W. direction, towards the mountainous

province of Múniyó, which before the time of our expedition was entirely

unknown. Passing through the district of Chejéssemo, to which Shechéri

belongs, we entered a forest where the kúsulu or magária[20], with its

small berries, was very common, the ground being covered with tall

jungle. We then reached the town of Ngárruwá, surrounded with a clay

wall in decay, and here watered our animals. The wells were ten fathoms

deep; and crowds of boys and girls were busy drawing water from two

other richer wells situated on the north side of the place. The path was

also frequented by numbers of people who were carrying the harvest into

the town, in nets made from the leaves of the dúm palm, and borne on the

backs of oxen. Further on, forest and cultivated ground alternated; and

leaving a rocky mound called Míva, which marks the beginning of the

north-western hilly portion of the Manga country on our right, we

reached, after a good march of altogether about twenty-two miles, the

rich well of Berbéruwá, a small miserable hamlet which lies at a short

distance to the west.

The well, however, which was scarcely a fathom in depth, was surrounded

by six fine wide-spreading tamarind trees at regular distances from each

other, and afforded quite a pleasant resting-place. The well is

important as a station for travellers, while the hamlet is so poor that

it does not possess a single cow or goat. It still belongs to the

province of the ghaladíma, who about thirty years ago had a caravan of

from sixteen to twenty Arabs exterminated in this neighbourhood, when

Mukní, the then ruler of Fezzán and one of the greatest slave-hunters of

the time, penetrated as far as the Komádugu Wáúbe. Sheikh ʿOmár also,

when on his expedition against Zínder in order to subjugate the

rebellious governor of that town (Ibrahím or Ibrám), encamped on this

spot. The temperature of the water of the well was 66°.

On inquiring to-day for the small territory of Auyók or Nkizám, the

situation as well as the name of which had been erroneously given by

former travellers, I learned that it is situated between Khadéja and

Gummel, and that it comprises the following places: Táshina, Únik,

Shágató, Shíbiyay, Belángu, Badda, Rómeri, Sóngolom, Melebétiye and

Úmarí.

[Sidenote: Monday, December 13th.]

A band of petty native traders or dangarúnfu, who carried their

merchandise on their heads, here joined our party. Their merchandise

consisted of cotton, which they had bought in Díggera, and were carrying

to Sulléri, the market of Múniyó, where cotton is dear. While proceeding

onwards, we met another party of native traders from Chelúgiwá, laden

with earthenware. In the forest which we then entered, with undulating

ground, the karáge was the predominant tree. Further on the road

divided; and while I took the western one, which led me to Yámiyá, my

people, mistaking a sign which some other persons had laid across the

path as if made by myself, took the easterly one to Chelúgiwá, where

Méle, the lord of this little estate, resided, so that it was some time

before I was joined by my party.

The well (which, as is generally the case in this district, lies at the

foot of a granite mount, where the moisture collects) in the afternoon

presented an interesting scene, a herd of about 120 head of fine cattle

being watered here; and it was the more interesting, as the herdsmen

were Felláta, or Fúlbe, of the tribe of the Hirlége. The well measured

two fathoms in depth; and the temperature of the water was 80° at 1.20

P.M., while that of the air was 84°.

[Sidenote: Tuesday, December 14th.]

After a march of about six miles through a fine country, occasionally

diversified by a rocky eminence and adorned here and there by fine

tamarind trees, we reached Sulléri, a considerable place consisting of

several detached hamlets, where the most important market in the

territory of Múniyó is held every Friday. The place contains about 5000

inhabitants, and was enlivened at the time by a considerable herd of

cattle. Millet is grown to a great extent, although dúm bush or ngille,

with its obstructing roots, renders a great portion of the soil unfit

for cultivation, and scarcely any cotton at all is raised, so that this

forms an important article of importation. Towards the south lies

another place, called Deggerári, and to the south-west a third one,

called Dúgura. Granitic eminences dotted the whole country; but the

foggy state of the atmosphere did not allow me to distinguish clearly

the more distant hills.

Proceeding in a north-westerly direction through this hilly country, and

leaving at a short distance on our right a higher eminence, at the

western foot of which the village of New Búne is situated, we descended

considerably into a hollow of clayey soil of a most peculiar character.

For all of a sudden an isolated date palm started up on our right, while

on our left the unwonted aspect of a tall slender gónda, or _Erica

Papaya_, attracted our attention, the intermediate ground being occupied

by a rich plantation of cotton. Suddenly a large “sirge” or lake of

natron of snowy whiteness, extending from the foot of the height which

towers over Búne, approached on our right,—the rich vegetation which

girded its border, along which the path led, forming a very remarkable

contrast to the barrenness of the “sirge”; for the whole surface of the

basin, which at present did not contain a drop of water, was formed of

natron, while people were busy digging saltpetre, from pits about six

feet deep and one foot and a half in diameter, on its very border. A

short distance off, fresh water is to be found close under the surface,

giving life to the vegetation, which bears a character so entirely new

in this district; and I gazed with delight on the rich scenery around,

which presented such a remarkable contrast to the monotonous plains of

Bórnu. Wide-spreading tamarind trees shaded large tracts of ground,

while detached date palms, few and far between, raised their feathery

foliage like a fan over the surrounding country. The ground was clothed,

besides, with “retem,” or broom, and dúm bush, with the _Tamarix

gallica_, or “tarfa,” which I scarcely remember to have seen in any

other spot during the whole of my travels in Negroland.

Ascending from the clayey soil on a sandy bottom, we reached the western

foot of the eminence of Old Búne, which is built in a recess of the

rocky cliffs on the western slope of the mount. But the village, which

has already suffered greatly by the foundation of New Búne at so short a

distance, and which is important only as the residence of Yegúddi, the

eldest son of Múniyóma, had been almost destroyed some time before by a

great conflagration, with the exception of the clay dwelling of the

governor, situated at the foot of the cliffs. It was just

rebuilding,—only the déndal (or principal street) being as yet fit for

habitation, while the rest of the place wore a very cheerless aspect.

[Illustration: Drawn by J. M. Bernatz, from a Sketch by Dr. Barth.

M. & N. Hanhart, lith. et impt.

SALT LAKE NEAR BÚNE.

Decr. 14th. 1852.]

Returning, therefore, a few hundred yards in the direction from whence I

had come, I chose my camping-ground on an eminence at the side of the

path shaded by a majestic tamarind tree, and affording an open prospect

over the characteristic landscape in the bottom of the irregular vale.

Here I spent the whole afternoon enjoying this pleasant panorama, of

which I made a sketch which has been represented in the plate opposite.

I had now been suffering for the last two months from sore legs, which

did not allow me to rove about at pleasure; otherwise I would gladly

have accompanied my companion ʿAlí el Ágeren on a visit to his friend

Bashá Bú-Khalúm, a relative of that Bú-Khalúm who accompanied Denham and

Clapperton. At this time he was residing in New Búne, where he had

lately lost, by another conflagration, almost the whole of his property,

including eight female slaves, who were burnt to death while fettered in

a hut. As conflagrations are very common all over Negroland, especially

in the dry season, a traveller must be extremely careful in confiding

his property to these frail dwellings, and he would do well to avoid

them entirely.

[Sidenote: Wednesday, December 15th.]

A cold northerly wind, which blew in the morning, made us feel very

chilly in our open and elevated encampment, so that it was rather late

when we set out, changing now our course entirely, from a north-westerly

into a north north-easterly direction. The whole neighbourhood was

enveloped in a thick fog. The country, after we had passed the mountain

Bóro, which gives its name to the village Bórmarí, became rather

mountainous. The path wound along through a succession of irregular

glens and dells, surrounded by several more or less detached rocky

eminences, all of which were clothed with bush. The bottom of the

valleys, which consisted mostly of sand, seemed well adapted for the

cultivation of sorghum. We passed a large store of grain, where the

people were busy pounding or threshing the harvested corn.

In many places, however, the ground was intersected by numerous holes of

the fenek or _Megalotis_; and at times clay took the place of the sandy

soil. Numerous herds of camels enlivened the landscape, all of which

belonged, not to the present owners of the country, but to the Tawárek,

the friends and companions of the people of Músa, who had lately made a

foray on a grand scale into this very province.

We encamped at length, after a march of about thirteen miles, near the

second well of Súwa-Kolólluwa, which was two fathoms in depth, and,

unlike the first well, contained a good quantity of water.

The scenery had nothing very remarkable about it; but it exhibited a

cheerful, homely character, surrounded as it was by hills, and enlivened

by herds of camels, horses, and cattle, which towards evening gathered

round the well to be watered; and the character of peace and repose

which it exhibited induced me to make a sketch of it.

[Illustration: Drawn by J. M. Bernatz, from a Sketch by Dr. Barth.

M. & N. Hanhart, lith. et impt.

BÚWA KOLÓSSO.

Decr. 15th. 1852.]

Among the animals there were some excellent she-camels, which, as

evening advanced, were crying and eagerly looking out for their young

ones, that had been left in the surrounding villages. The inhabitants,

who treated us hospitably, seemed to be tolerably well off; and the

feasting in my little encampment continued almost the whole night long.

[Sidenote: Thursday, December 16th.]

With the greater eagerness we started early in the morning, in order to

reach the capital of this little hilly country, which forms a very sharp

wedge or triangle of considerable length, projecting from the heart of

Negroland towards the border of the desert, and exhibiting fixed

settlements and a tolerably well-arranged government, in contrast to the

turbulent districts of nomadic encampments. Our direction meanwhile

remained the same as on the preceding day, being mostly a north-easterly

one. The situation of this province, as laid down from my route upon the

map, seems very remarkable; but we must not forget that in ancient

times, during the flourishing period of the empire of Bórnu, the whole

country between this advanced spur and Kánem formed populous provinces

subjected to the same government, and that it is only since the middle

of the last century that, the Berbers or Tawárek having politically

separated entirely from the Kanúri, the whole eastern part of these

northern provinces has been laid waste and depopulated, while the

energetic rulers of the province of Múniyó have not only succeeded in

defending their little territory, but have even extended it in a certain

degree, encroaching little by little upon the neighbouring province of

Díggera, a tribe of the Tawárek, whom I have mentioned on a former

occasion.[21]

The country in general preserved the same character as on the previous

day,—the narrow vales and glens inclosed by the granitic eminences being

well cultivated, and studded with small hamlets, in some of which the

huts approached the architecture usual in Kánem. Several troops of

natives met us on the road, with pack-oxen, over the backs of which

large baskets were thrown by means of a sort of network; they were

returning from the capital, having delivered their quota of the ʿashúr

or “kúngona máibe.” The system of tax-paying in these western provinces

is very different from that usual in Bórnu Proper, as I shall soon have

another opportunity of relating.

After a march of about six miles, an isolated date palm announced a

different region, and a little further on we entered the valley of

Túnguré, running from west to east, and adorned with a fine plantation

of cotton, besides a grove of about two hundred date palms. Having

traversed this valley where the road leads to Bílla Mʿallem Gárgebe, we

entered a thicket of mimosas, while the eminences assumed a rounder

shape. The country then became gradually more open, scarcely a single

tree being met with, and we obtained a distant view of Gúre, situated at

the southern foot and on the lower slope of a rocky eminence, when we

began to descend considerably along the shelving ground of the expansive

plain laid out in stubble-fields, with here and there a few trees, and

intersected by several large and deep ravines.

[Illustration]

Having first inspected the site of the town, I chose my camping-ground

in a small recess of the sandy downs which border the south side of a

concavity or dell surrounding the town on this side, and laid out in

small kitchen-gardens and cotton plantations as shown in the

accompanying woodcut; for, notwithstanding the entreaties of the

governor, I did not like to take up my quarters inside the place.

In the evening, I received a visit from Yusuf Mukní, the late Mr.

Richardson’s interpreter, who at present had turned merchant, and,

having sold several articles to Múniyóma the governor of the country,

had been waiting here three months for payment. He was very amiable on

this occasion, and apparently was not indisposed to accompany me to

Sókoto, if I had chosen to make him an offer; but I knew his character

too well, and feared rather than liked him. He gave me a faithful

account of the wealth and power of Múniyóma, who, he said, was able to

bring into the field 1500 horsemen, and from 8000 to 10,000 archers,

while his revenues amounted to 30,000,000 of shells, equivalent,

according to the standard of this place, to 10,000 Spanish dollars,

besides a large tribute in corn, equal to the tenth part, or ʿashúr,

which, in all the provinces of Bórnu north-west of the komádugu, in

consequence of the governors of these territories having preserved their

independence against the Fúlbe or Felláta, belongs to them, and not to

the sovereign lord, who resides in Kúkawa. Each full-grown male

inhabitant of the province has to pay annually 1000 shells for himself,

and, if he possess cattle, for every pack-ox 1000 shells more, and for

every slave 2000.

I had heard a great deal about the debts of this governor; but I

learned, on further inquiry, that they only pressed heavily upon him

this year, when the revenues of his province were greatly reduced by the

inroad of the Tawárek of which I have spoken before. As a specimen of

his style of life, I may mention that he had recently bought a horse of

Tarkíye breed for 700,000 shells,—a very high price in this country,

equal to about 50_l._ sterling.

[Sidenote: Friday, December 17th.]

Having got ready my presents for the governor, I went to pay him a

visit; and while waiting in the inner courtyard, I had sufficient

leisure to admire the solid and well-ornamented style of building which

his palace exhibited, and which almost cast into the shade the frail

architectural monuments of the capital. I was then conducted into a

stately but rather sombre audience-hall, where the governor was sitting

on a divan of clay, clad in a blue bernús, and surrounded by a great

number of people whom curiosity had brought thither. Having exchanged

with him the usual compliments, I told him that, as Mr. Richardson had

paid him a visit on his first arrival in the country, and on his way

from the north to Kúkawa, it had also been my desire, before leaving

Bórnu for the western tribes, to pay my respects to him as the most

noble, powerful, and intelligent governor of the country,—it being our

earnest wish to be on friendly terms with all the princes of the earth,

more especially with those so remarkably distinguished as was his

family. He received my address with great kindness, and appeared much

flattered by it.

The number of people present on this occasion was so great, that I did

not enter into closer conversation with the governor, the darkness of

the place not allowing me to distinguish his features. I had, however, a

better opportunity of observing his almost European cast of countenance

when I paid him another visit, in order to satisfy his curiosity by

firing my six-barrelled revolver before his eyes. On this occasion he

did me the honour of putting on the white heláli bernús which had

constituted the chief attraction of my present, and which he esteemed

very highly, as most noble people do in this country, while the common

chief values more highly a dress of showy colours. The white half-silk

bernús looked very well, especially as he wore underneath it a red cloth

kaftan.

The real name of the governor is Kóso, Múniyóma being, as I have stated

on a former occasion[22], nothing but a general title, meaning the

governor of Múniyó, which, in the old division of the vast empire of

Bórnu, formed part of the Yerí. In the present reduced state of the

kingdom of Bórnu, he was the most powerful and respectable of the

governors, and, by his personal dignity had more the appearance of a

prince than almost any other chief whom I saw in Negroland. Besides

making himself respected by his intelligence and just conduct, he has

succeeded in spreading a sort of mystery round his daily life, which

enhanced his authority. The people assured me that nobody ever saw him

eating. But, as far as I had an opportunity of observing, even his

family harboured that jealousy and want of confidence which undermines

the wellbeing of so many princely households based on polygamy.

Kóso at that time was a man of about sixty years of age, and,

unfortunately, died shortly afterwards, in the year 1854. He had

displayed a great deal of energy on several occasions. It was he who had

transferred the seat of government of this province from Búne to Gúre,

having conquered (or probably only reconquered) this territory from the

Díggera, the Tawárek tribe formerly scattered over a great part of

Háusa. But notwithstanding his own energetic character, he had

manifested his faithfulness to his sovereign lord in Kúkawa at the time

of the inroad of the Wádáy, when Serkí Ibrám, the governor of Zínder,

not only declared himself independent, but even demanded homage from the

neighbouring vassals of the Bórnu empire, and, when such was denied him,

marched against Múniyóma, but was beaten near the town of Wúshek. Such

faithful adherence to the new dynasty of the Kánemíyín in Kúkawa is the

more remarkable in this man, as the ruling family of Múniyóma seems to

have been of ancient standing, and it was an ancestor of Kóso, of the

name of Sérriyó, who once conquered the strong town of Dáura, the most

ancient of the Háusa states.

But notwithstanding the more noble disposition which certainly

distinguished this man from most of his colleagues, here also the misery

connected with the horrors of slave-hunting and the slave-trade was very

palpable. For, in order to be enabled to pay his debts, he was just then

about to undertake a foray against one of the towns of the Díggera, the

inhabitants of which had behaved in a friendly manner towards the

Tawárek during their recent inroad; and he begged me, very urgently, to

stay until his return from the foray. But as I did not want anything

from him, and as the road before me was a long one, I preferred pursuing

my journey, taking care, however, to obtain information from him, and

from the principal men in his company, respecting those localities of

the province which most deserved my attention.

Kóso departed, with his troop in several small detachments, about noon

on the 18th, the signal for starting not being made with a drum, as is

usual in Bórnu, but with an iron instrument which dates from the old

pagan times, and not unlike that of the Músgu. It was also very

characteristic, that during his absence the lieutenant-governorship was

exercised by the mágirá, or the mother of the governor, who was said to

have ruled on former occasions in a very energetic manner, punishing all

the inhabitants, capable of bearing arms, who had remained behind.

Before setting out, however, on his foray, the governor sent me a camel

as a present, which, although it was not a first-rate one, and was

knocked up before I reached Kátsena, nevertheless proved of some use for

a few days. I presume that it had been his intention to have given me a

better animal, and that his design had only been frustrated by some

selfish people. He had expressed a wish to purchase from me a pair of

Arab pistols; but although I possessed three beautifully-ornamented

pairs, I wanted them myself as presents for other chiefs on my further

march, and therefore could not gratify his wish. During my stay here he

treated me very hospitably, sending me, besides numerous dishes of

prepared food, two fat sheep as a present.

Gúre, the present residence of Múniyóma, lies on the southern slope of a

rocky eminence, and is separated, by irregular ground, into several

detached portions containing, altogether, a population of about 8000

inhabitants. In former years it was more spacious; and its circumference

had only been lessened a short time before my arrival, in order to

insure greater security. But it is only surrounded with a single, and in

some places a double, fence or stockade, the south-western corner, which

is most exposed to an attack, being protected in a curious way, by a

labyrinth of fences, including a number of cotton-grounds and kitchen-

gardens.[23] But although in this manner the town is only very

insufficiently protected against a serious attack, the inhabitants have

the advantage of the rocky cone rising over their heads, where they

might certainly retire in such a case.

[Sidenote: Sunday, December 19th.]

I left Gúre, continuing my march towards Zínder not along the most

direct road, but with the intention of visiting those localities which

were likely to present the most interesting features. I therefore kept

first in a westerly direction, passing through a mountainous district,

and further on through more open country, with the purpose of visiting

Wúshek, a place which had been mentioned to me as peculiarly

interesting. The situation of the place has something (as the plate a

few pages further on, as well as the woodcut, will show) very peculiar

about it—a mixture of fertility and aridity, of cultivation and

desolation, of industry and neglect—being situated at some distance from

the foot of a mountain-range, and separated from it by a barren tract,

while on the site itself the moisture percolates in several small dells

and hollows; and thus, besides a good crop of wheat, several small

groves of date trees are produced. The largest of these groves, skirting

the east side of the town, contains about 800 trees, while a little

further east another dell winds along, containing about 200 palms, and,

joining the former, to the north of the village, widens to a more open

ground richly overgrown with tamarind trees, which are entwined with

creepers and clad with herbage. This grove, which encompasses the whole

of the north side of the place, exhibits a very pleasant aspect. Several

ponds are formed here; and abundance of water is found in holes from a

foot to two feet in depth.

Going round this depression, I entered the town from the north-east

quarter, and here found a large open space laid out in fields of wheat,

kitchen-gardens, with onions, and cotton-grounds, all in different

stages of cultivation: most of the beds where wheat was grown were just

being laid out, the clods of dry earth being broken and the ground

irrigated, while in other places the green stalks of the crop were

already shooting forth. The onions were very closely packed together.

Everywhere the fertilizing element was close at hand, and palm trees

were shooting up in several detached clusters; but large mounds of

rubbish prevented my taking a comprehensive view over the whole, and the

more so as the village is separated into four detached portions lying at

a considerable distance from each other, and forming altogether a

circumference of about three miles, with a population of from 8000 to

9000 inhabitants. But the whole is merely surrounded by a light fence.

The principal cluster, or hamlet, surrounds a small eminence, on the top

of which stands the house of the head man or mayor, built of clay, and

having quite a commanding position, while at the north-eastern foot of

the hill a very picturesque date grove spreads out in a hollow. The

ground being uneven, the dwellings, like those in Gúre, are mostly

situated in hollows; and the courtyards present a new and characteristic

feature—for although the cottages themselves are built of reed and

stalks of Negro corn, the corn-stacks, far from presenting that light

and perishable appearance which they exhibit all over Háusa, approach

closely that solid style of building which we have observed in the Músgu

country, being built of clay, and rising to the height of ten feet.

[Illustration: WÚSHEK.

1. Principal hamlet surrounding the dwelling of the bíllama, which is

situated on an eminence.

2. Several smaller clusters of huts.

3, 4. Shallow vales with palm trees.

5. Small depressions or cavities in the sandy soil, also with palm-

trees.

6. Another group of palm trees on the border of a small brook formed by

a source of living water.]

Wúshek is the principal place for the cultivation of wheat in the whole

western part of Bórnu; and if there had been a market that day, it would

have been most profitable for me to have provided myself here with this

article, wheat being very essential for me, as I had only free servants

at my disposal, who would by no means undertake the pounding and

preparing of the native corn, while a preparation of wheat, such as

mohamsa, can be always kept ready; but the market of Wúshek is only held

every Wednesday. In the whole of this country, one hundred shells, or

kúngona, which are estimated equal to one gábagá, form the standard

currency in the market; and it is remarkable that this sum is not

designated by the Kanúri word “míye” or “yéro,”[24] nor with the common

Háusa word “darí,” but by the name “zango,” which is used only in the

western parts of Háusa and in Sókoto.

I had pitched my tent near the south-eastern hamlet, which is the

smallest of the four, close to the spot where I had entered the place,

not being aware of its extent; and from here I made, in the afternoon, a

sketch of the mountain-range towards the south, and the dry shelving

level bordered by the strip of green verdure with the palm trees in the

foreground, which is represented in the plate opposite. In the evening I

was hospitably regaled by each of the two bíllama who govern the town,

and I had the satisfaction of making a “tailor to His Majesty Múniyóma,”

who was residing here, very happy by the present of a few large darning-

needles for sewing the líbbedi or wadded dress for the soldiers.

[Illustration: Drawn by J. M. Bernatz, from a Sketch by Dr. Barth.

M. & N. Hanhart, lith. et impt.

WÚSHEK.

Decr. 19th. 1852.]

[Sidenote: Monday, December 20th.]

On leaving Wúshek, we directed our course by the spur of the mountain-

chain to the south south-west, crossing several hollows, one of which

presented a very luxuriant cotton-ground carefully fenced in by the

_euphorbiacea_ here called mágará, which I have described on a former

occasion. The country in general consisted of a broken sandy level

clothed with tall reeds. Leaving then a small village of the name of

Gédiyó in a recess of the mountains, we entered an undulating plain, the

prairie of Nógo, open towards the west, but bounded on the east by an

amphitheatre of low hills, and densely clothed with herbage and broom,

to which succeeded underwood of small mimosas, and further on, when we

approached the hills on the other side of the plain, large clusters of

“abísga,” or _Capparis sodata_. Only here and there traces of

cultivation were to be seen. The sun was very powerful; and as we

marched during the hottest hours of the day, I felt very unwell, and was

obliged to sit down for a while.

After having traversed the plain, we again had the mountain-chain on our

left; and in a recess or amphitheatre which is formed by the eminences,

we obtained a sight of Gábatá, the old residence of the Múniyóma, but at

present exhibiting nothing but a heap of unsightly ruins, encompassed

towards the road side by a wall built of different kinds of stone, but

at present entirely in decay, while in the very angle of the recess at

the foot of the mountains a stone dwelling is seen, where it was the

custom, in olden times, for every ruler of the country, upon his

accession to the throne, to remain in retirement for seven days. It had

been my intention to visit this spot; but the present governor had

urgently requested me to abstain from such a profane undertaking, the

place being (as he said) haunted by spirits: and my sudden indisposition

prevented me from accomplishing my design. The natives say that there

are caves leading from the stone dwelling into the rock.

Our left being bordered by the mountain-slope, which is beautifully

varied, and having on our right a fine grove of magnificent trees and

cultivated fields, we reached, at three o’clock in the afternoon, the

well situated in a recess of the mountains, but had great difficulty in

choosing a spot tolerably free from ants. Here I felt so weak that I did

not care either about the ruins of Gábatá or anything else except the

most profound repose.

[Sidenote: Tuesday, December 21st.]

The night was very cold, and disagreeable, a heavy north-easterly gale

not only bringing cold, but likewise covering us with clouds of the

feathery prickle _Pennisetum distichum_; and we started in a condition

anything but cheerful. The mountain-chain on our left now receded, and

the country exhibited a rich abundance of timber and herbage, the forest

being agreeably broken by a large extent of stubble-fields where millet

and beans were grown; and distinguished among the cultivated grounds by

the appearance of a certain degree of industry, were the fields of

Chégchegá or Gámmachak, the oldest estate of the family of Múniyóma,

which we had on our left.[25] In the intervening tracts of forest the

úm-el-barka or kégo (_Mimosa Nilotica_) was very common, but it was at

present leafless. Granite protrudes now and then; and further on the

whole country became clothed with retem or broom.

Close to the village of Baratáwa, we crossed a narrow but beautiful and

regular vale adorned with the finest tamarind trees I ever saw, which

were not only developing their domelike umbrageous crowns in full

splendour, but which were the more beautiful as the fruit was just

beginning to ripen. Close to the well a group of slender dúm palms were

starting forth, with their light fanlike foliage, in singular contrast

to the domelike crowns of dark-green foliage which adorned the tamarind

trees. This beautiful tree further on also remained the greatest

ornament to the landscape; but besides this the kómor or baúre also and

other species were observed, and the fan palm was to be seen here and

there. Cattle and camels enlivened the country, which presented the

appearance of one vast field, and was dotted with numerous corn stacks.

I had entertained the hope of being able this day to reach the natron

lake of Keléno; but I convinced myself that the distance was too great,

and, although I reached the first hamlet, which bears the name of

Keléno, I was obliged to encamp without being able to reach the lake.

There had been in former times a large place of the same name hereabout;

but the inhabitants had dispersed, and settled in small detached

hamlets. Close to our encampment there was a pond of small size, but of

considerable depth, which seemed never to dry up. It was densely

overgrown with tall papyrus and melés. The core of the root of this rush

was used by my young Shúwa companion to allay his hunger, but did not

seem to me to be very palatable: and fortunately it was not necessary to

have recourse to such food, as we were treated hospitably by the

inhabitants of the hamlet. The baúre, or, as they are here called,

kómor, have generally a very stunted and extremely poor appearance in

this district, and nothing at all like that magnificent specimen which I

had seen on my first approach to Sudán, in the valley of Bóghel.

[Sidenote: Wednesday, December 22nd.]

The night was very cold, in fact one of the coldest which I experienced

on my whole journey, the thermometer being only 8° above freezing-point;

but nevertheless, there being no wind, the cold was less sensibly felt,

and my servants were of opinion that it had been much colder the

previous day, when the thermometer indicated 22° more.

As the natron lake did not lie in my direct route, I sent the greater

part of my people, together with the camels, straight on to Badamúni,

while I took only my two body-guards, the Gatróni and the Shúwa, with

me. The country presented the same appearance as on the previous day;

but there was less cultivation, and the dúm palm gradually became

predominant. In one place there were two isolated deléb palms. Several

specimens of the _Kajília_ were also observed. The level was broken by

numerous hollows, the bottom being mostly covered with rank grass, and

now and then even containing water. In front of us, three detached

eminences stretched out into the plain from north to south, the natron

lake being situated at the western foot of the central eminence, not far

from a village called Magájiri. When we had passed this village, which

was full of natron, stored up partly in large piles, partly sewn into

“tákrufa,” or matting coverings, we obtained a view of the natron lake,

lying before us in the hollow at the foot of the rocky eminence, with

its snow-white surface girt all round by a green border of luxuriant

vegetation. The sky was far from clear, as is very often the case at

this season; and a high wind raised clouds of dust upon the surface of

the lake.

The border of vegetation was formed by well-kept cotton-grounds, which

were just in flower, and by kitchen-gardens, where derába or _Corchorus

olitorius_ was grown, the cultivated ground being broken by dúm bush and

rank grass. Crossing this verdant and fertile strip, we reached the real

natron lake, when we hesitated some time whether or not we should

venture upon its surface; for the crust of natron was scarcely an inch

thick, the whole of the ground underneath consisting of black boggy

soil, from which the substance separates continually afresh. However, I

learned that, while the efflorescence at present consisted of only small

bits or crumbled masses, during the time of the bíggela, that is to say,

at the end of the rainy season, larger pieces are obtained here, though

not to be compared with those found in Lake Tsád,—the kind of natron

which is procured here being called “boktor,” while the other quality is

called “kilbu tsaráfu.” A large provision of natron, consisting of from

twenty to twenty-five piles about ten yards in diameter, and four in

height, protected by a layer of reeds, was stored up at the northern end

of the lake. The whole circumference of the basin, which is called

“ábge” by the inhabitants, was one mile and a half.

I here changed my course in order to join my people, who had gone on

straight to Badamúni. The country at first was agreeably diversified and

undulating, the irregular vales being adorned with dúm palms and fig

trees; and cultivation was seen to a great extent, belonging to villages

of the territory of Gúshi[26], which we left on one side. Presently the

country became more open, and suddenly I saw before me a small blue

lake, bounded towards the east by an eminence of considerable altitude,

and towards the north by a rising ground, on the slope of which a place

of considerable extent was stretching out.

Coming from the monotonous country of Bórnu, the interest of this

locality was greatly enhanced: and the nearer I approached, the more

peculiar did its features appear to me; for I now discovered that the

lake, or rather the two lakes, were girt all round by the freshest

border of such a variety of vegetation as is rarely seen in this region

of Negroland.

We had some difficulty in joining our camels and people, who had pursued

the direct road from Keléno; for, having appointed as the spot where we

were to meet, the north-eastern corner of the town of Gadabúni, or

Badamúni, towards the lake, we found that it would be extremely

difficult for them to get there, and we therefore had to ride backwards

and forwards before we fixed upon a place for our encampment, at the

western end of this small luxuriant oasis. On this occasion I obtained

only a faint idea of the richness and peculiarity of this locality; but

on the following morning I made a more complete survey of the whole

place, as well as my isolated situation and the means at my disposal

would allow, the result of which is represented in the accompanying

woodcut.

[Illustration: BADAMÚNI.

1. Richest source at the south-western border of the plantation.

2. Open square in the village, adorned with a luxuriant “karáge” tree.

3. Another rich source in the northern vale.

4 Market-place.]

The whole of the place forms a kind of shallow vale, stretching out in a

west-easterly direction, and surrounded on the west, north, and south

sides by hills rising from 100 to 200 feet, but bordered towards the

east by Mount Shedíka, which rises to about 500 or 600 feet above the

general level of the country. In this vale water is found gushing out

from the ground in rich, copious springs, and feeds two lakes, after

irrigating a considerable extent of cultivated ground where, besides

sorghum and millet, cotton, pepper, indigo, and onions are grown. These

lakes are united by a narrow channel thickly overgrown with the tallest

reeds, but, notwithstanding their junction, are of quite a different

nature, the westernmost containing fresh water, while that of the

eastern lake is quite brackish, and full of natron. It seems to be a

peculiar feature in this region, that all the chains of hills and

mountains stretch from north-east to south-west, this being also the

direction of the lakes.

The chief part of the village itself lies on the north-west side of the

plantation, on the sloping ground of the downs, while a smaller hamlet

borders the gardens on the south-west side. The plantations are very

carefully fenced, principally with the bush called mágará, which I have

mentioned on former occasions; and besides kúka or monkey-bread trees,

and kórna, or nebek, a few date palms contributed greatly to enliven the

scenery. The monkey-bread trees, however, were all of small size, and of

remarkably slender growth, such as I had not before observed, while the

public place, or “fáge,” of the smaller village was adorned by a karáge

tree of so rich a growth that it even surpassed, if not in height, at

least in the exuberance of its foliage, the finest trees of this species

which I had seen in the Músgu country.

I began my survey of this interesting locality on the south side,

following first the narrow path which separates the southern village

from the plantation, and visiting again the principal source, the rich

volume of which, gushing along between the hedges, had already excited

my surprise and delight the previous day.

This lower village cannot be very healthy, both on account of its

exuberant vegetation, and the quantity of water in which the

neighbourhood abounds; but its situation is extremely pleasant to the

eye. Keeping then close along the southern border of the plantation, I

reached the eastern edge of the western lake, which is thickly overgrown

with papyrus and melés, while, in the narrow space left between the

plantation and the lake, the baúre and the gáwasú are the common trees.

The presence of the latter at this spot seems very remarkable, as this

tree, in general, is looked for in vain in this whole region; and I

scarcely remember to have seen it again before reaching the village, a

few miles to the N.E. of Wurnó, which has thence received its name.

The papyrus covers the whole shore at the point of junction of the two

lakes, while in the water itself, where it first becomes brackish,

another kind of weed was seen, called “kumba,” the core of which is

likewise eaten by the greater part of the poorer inhabitants, and is

more esteemed than the melés. It was highly interesting to me to observe

that my young Shúwa companion, who was brought up on the shores of the

Tsád, immediately recognised, from the species of reeds, the nature of

the water on the border of which they grew, as this mixed character of

brackish and sweet water is, exactly in the same manner, peculiar to the

outlying smaller basins of that great Central African lagoon.[27]

I found the junction of the two lakes from sixty-five to seventy yards

broad, and at present fordable, the water being four feet and a half in

depth. The difference in the appearance of the natron lake, from that

exhibited by the fresh-water basin, was remarkable in the extreme,—the

water of the one being of a dark-blue colour, and presenting quite a

smooth surface, while that of the other resembled the dark-green colour

of the sea, and, agitated by the strong gale, broke splashing and

foaming on the shore in mighty billows, so that my two companions, the

Shúwa lad and the Háusa boy, whom I had taken with me on this excursion,

were quite in ecstasy, having never before witnessed such a spectacle.

It would have been a fine spot for a water-party. The surrounding

landscape, with Mount Shedíka in the east, was extremely inviting,

although the weather was not very clear and had been exceedingly foggy

in the morning. But there was neither boat nor canoe, although the lake

is of considerable depth and is said always to preserve about the same

level; for, according to the superstition of the inhabitants, its waters

are inhabited by demons, and no one would dare to expose himself to

their pranks, either by swimming or in a boat.

[Illustration: Drawn by J. M. Bernatz, from a Sketch by Dr. Barth.

M. & N. Hanhart, lith. et impt.

BADAMÚNI.

Decr. 23rd. 1852.]

The brackish quality of the water arises entirely from the nature of the

soil. In the centre it seems to be decidedly of such a quality; but I

found that near the border, which is greatly indented, the nature of the

water in the different creeks was very varying. In one it was fresh,

while in a neighbouring one it was not at all drinkable; but

nevertheless even here there were sometimes wells of the sweetest water

quite close to the border. Swarms of water fowl of the species called

“gármaka” by the Háusa people, and “gubóri” by the Kanúri, together with

the black rejíjia and the small sanderling, enlivened the water’s edge,

where it presented a sandy beach.

A little further on, the melés and kumba were succeeded by the tall

bulrush called “bús,” while beyond the north-easterly border of the lake

an isolated date palm adorned the scenery, which in other respects

entirely resembled the shores of the sea, a rich profusion of sea weed

being carried to the bank by the billows. Then succeeded a cotton

plantation, which evidently was indebted for its existence to a small

brook formed by another source of fresh water which joins the lake from

this side. From the end of this plantation, where the natron lake

attains its greatest breadth of about a mile and a half, I kept along

the bank in a south-westerly direction, till I again reached the narrow

junction between the two lakes. Here the shore became very difficult to

traverse, on account of an outlying branch of the plantation closely

bordering the lake, and I had again to ascend the downs from whence I

had enjoyed the view of this beautiful panorama on the previous day. I

thus re-entered the principal village from the north-east side; and

while keeping along the upper road, which intersects the market-place, I

saw with delight that the town is bounded on the north side also by a

narrow but very rich vale, meandering along and clad with a profusion of

vegetation; and I here observed another spring, which broke forth with

almost as powerful a stream as that near the southern quarter, and was

enlivened by a number of women busily employed in fetching their supply

of water.

The market-place is formed of about thirty sheds or stalls; and there is

a good deal of weaving to be observed in the place, its whole appearance

exhibiting signs of industry. I could not, however, obtain a sheep, or

even as much as a fowl, so that our evening’s repast was rather poor;

and a very cold easterly wind blowing direct into the door of my tent,

which I had opened towards Mount Shedíka in order to enjoy the pleasant

prospect of the lakes and the plantation, rendered it still more

cheerless. The whole of the inhabitants belong to the Háusa race; and

the governor himself is of that nation.[28] He is in a certain degree

dependent on the governor of Zínder, and not directly on the sheikh; and

he was treated in the most degrading manner by my trooper, although the

latter was a mere attendant of Ádama the governor of Donári.

[Sidenote: Friday, December 24th.]

I made an interesting day’s march to Mírriya, another locality of the

province Demágherim, greatly favoured by nature. The first part of our

road was rather hilly, or even mountainous, a promontory of considerable

elevation jutting out into the more open country from S.E., and forming

in the whole district a well-marked boundary. The village Hándará, which

lies at the foot of a higher mountain bearing the same name, and which

we reached after a march of about two miles, was most charmingly

situated, spreading out in several straggling groups on the slopes of

the hills, and exhibiting a far greater appearance of prosperity than

Badamúni. It was highly interesting to take a peep on horseback at the

busy scenes which the courtyards exhibited. Poultry was here in great

abundance.

While descending from the village, we crossed a beautiful ravine

enlivened by a spring, and adorned by a few detached groups of date and

deléb palms spreading their feathery foliage by the side of the dúm

palms. Leaving then a cotton plantation, stretching out where the ravine

widened, we ascended the higher ground, our route lying now through

cultivated ground, at other times through forest; and after a march of

about fourteen miles, we crossed a kind of shallow vale, richly adorned

with vegetation, and bordered towards the north by sandy downs, over

which lies the direct route to Zínder. A little lower down this valley

we passed a small village called Potoró, distinguished by the extent of

its cotton plantations. Along the lower grounds a few date trees form a

beautiful fringe to this little oasis; here, also, springs seemed to be

plentiful, and large ponds of water were formed.

Four miles beyond this place we reached the wall of the town of Mírriya,

which was beautifully adorned with large tamarind trees. This town had

been once a large place, and the capital of the whole western province

of Bórnu. But when the town of Zínder was founded, about twenty-five

years previously, by Slímán the father of the present governor Ibrám,

Mírriya began to decline, and the chief of this territory fell into a

certain degree of dependence upon the governor of Zínder. At the north

side of the town there is an extensive district cultivated with cotton

and wheat, and irrigated likewise by springs which ooze forth from the

sandy downs; besides a few date trees, a group of slender feathery-

leaved gónda overshadowed the plantation, and gave it an uncommonly

attractive character. Having proceeded in advance of my camels, which

had followed for some time another path, I had to wait till long after

sunset before they came up, and, while resting in the open air, received

a visit from the governor of the town, who, in true Háusa fashion,

arrived well dressed and mounted, with a numerous train of men on

horseback and on foot, singing men, and musicians.

[Sidenote: Saturday, December 25th.]

This was to be the day of my arrival in Zínder—an important station for

me, as I had here to wait for new supplies, without which I could

scarcely hope to penetrate any great distance westward.

The country was more open than it had been the preceding day; and the

larger or smaller eminences were entirely isolated, with the exception

of those near Zínder, which formed more regular chains. The ground

consisted mostly of coarse sand and gravel, the rocks being entirely of

sandstone, and intersected by numerous small watercourses, at present

dry. This being the nature of the ground, the district was not very

populous; but we passed some villages which seemed to be tolerably well

off, as they had cattle and poultry.

Pursuing our north-westerly direction, we reached the town of Zínder,

after a march of about nine miles and a half, and, winding round the

south side of the town, which is surrounded by a low rampart of earth

and a small ditch, entered it from the west. Passing then by the house

of the sheríf el Fási, the agent of the vizier of Bórnu, we reached the

quarters which had been assigned to us, and which consisted of two clay

rooms. Here I was enabled to deposit all my property in security, no

place in the whole of Sudán being so ill famed, on account of the

numerous conflagrations to which it is subjected, as Zínder.

The situation of Zínder is peculiar and interesting. A large mass of

rock starts forth from the area of the town on the west side, while

others are scattered in ridges round about the town, so that a rich

supply of water collects at a short depth below the surface, fertilizing

a good number of tobacco-fields, and giving to the vegetation around a

richer character. This is enhanced especially by several groups of date

palms, while a number of hamlets, or zangó, belonging to the Tawárek

chiefs who command the salt-trade, and especially one which belongs to

Lúsú, and another to Ánnur, add greatly to the interest of the place.

The larger plantation which the sheríf el Fási, the agent of the vizier

of Bórnu, had recently begun to the south of the town, although very

promising and full of vegetables difficult to procure in this country,

was too young to contribute anything to the general character of the

place. It was entirely wanting in larger trees, and had only a single

palm tree and a lime. I am afraid, after the revolution of December

1853, which caused the death of that noble Arab, who was one of the more

distinguished specimens of his nation, it has returned to the desolate

state from which he called it forth.

The accompanying ground-plan of the town and its environs will, I hope,

convey some idea of its peculiar character; but it can give not the

faintest notion of the bustle and traffic which concentrate in this

place, however limited they may be when compared with those of European

cities. Besides some indigo-dyeing, there is scarcely any industry in

Zínder; yet its commercial importance has of late become so great, that

it may with some propriety be called “the gate of Sudán.” But of course

its importance is only based on the power of the kingdom of Bórnu, which

it serves to connect more directly with the north, along the western

route by way of Ghát and Ghadámes, which has the great advantage over

the eastern or Fezzán route, that even smaller caravans can proceed

along it with some degree of security, that other route having become

extremely unsafe. It was then the most busy time for the inhabitants,

the salt-caravan of the Kél-owí having arrived some time previously, and

all the hamlets situated around the town being full of these desert

traders, who during their leisure hours endeavoured to make themselves

as merry as possible with music and dancing. This gave me an opportunity

of seeing again my friend the old chief of Tintéllust, who, however, in

consequence of the measures adopted towards him by Mr. Richardson,

behaved rather coolly towards me, although I did not fail to make him a

small present.

[Illustration:

1. Residence of governor, inclosed by mattingwork.

2. House of sheríf el Fási.

3. Market-place.

4. My own quarters.

5. Quarters built for the accommodation of strangers.

6. “Sánia,” or plantation, belonging to the sheríf el Fási.

7. Hamlet, “zangó,” belonging to Ánnur, the chief of the Kél-owí.

8. “Zangó” belonging to Lúsú, the chief of the Kél-azanéres.

9. “Zangó” belonging to some other chiefs among the Tawárek.]

Being most anxious to complete my scientific labours and researches in

regard to Bórnu, and to send home as much of my journal as possible, in

order not to expose it to any risk, I staid most of the time in my

quarters, which I had comfortably fitted up with a good supply of

“síggedí” or coarse reed mats, taking only now and then, in the

afternoon, a ride on horseback either round the town or into the large

well-wooded valley which stretches along from N.W. to S.E., at some

distance from the town, to the N.E. Once I took a longer ride, to a

village about eight miles S.S.E., situated on an eminence with a vale at

its foot, fringed with dúm palms and rich in saltpetre.

On the 20th of January, 1853, I received from the hands of the Arab

Mohammed el ʿAkerút, whom I have had occasion to mention previously[29],

a valuable consignment, consisting of 1000 dollars in specie[30], which

were packed very cleverly in two boxes of sugar, so that scarcely

anybody became aware that I had received money, and the messenger seemed

well deserving of a present equal to his stipulated salary; but I

received no letters on this occasion. I had also expected to be able to

replace here such of my instruments as had been spoiled or broken, by

new ones; but I was entirely disappointed in this respect, and hence, in

my further journey, my observations regarding elevation and temperature

are rather defective.

I then finished my purchases, amounting altogether to the value of

775,000 kurdí, of all sorts of articles which I expected would be useful

on my further proceedings, such as red common bernúses, white turbans,

looking-glasses, cloves, razors, chaplets, and a number of other things,

for which I had at the time the best opportunity of purchasing, as all

Arab and European merchandise, after the arrival of the káffala, was

rather cheap. Thus I prepared for my setting out for the west; for

although I would gladly have waited a few days longer, in order to

receive the other parcel, consisting of a box with English ironware and

400 dollars, which was on the road for me by way of Kúkawa, and which,

as I have stated before, had been entrusted, in Fezzán, to a Tebú

merchant, it was too essential for the success of my enterprise that I

should arrive in Kátsena before the Góberáwa set out on a warlike

expedition against that province, for which they were then preparing on

a grand scale. It was thus that the parcel above-mentioned, which, in

conformity with my arrangements, was sent after me to Zínder by the

vizier, and which arrived only a few days after I had left that place,

remained there in the hands of the sheríf el Fási, and, on his being

assassinated in the revolution of 1854, and his house plundered, fell

into the hands of the slaves of the usurper ʿAbd e’ Rahmán.

[Footnote 20: See what I have said about this tree in Vol. I. p. 522.]

[Footnote 21: Vol. II. p. 72.]

[Footnote 22: See Vol. II. p. 192.]

[Footnote 23: I here give a list of the towns and more important

villages belonging to the province of Múniyó:—Gúre, the present capital,

conquered from the Díggera by Kóso the present governor; Búne, the old

capital; New Búne; Sulléri, the chief market-place; Wúshek; Gábana;

Sangáya; Méza; Gertégené; Mázamní; Mástatá; Keléno; Kizámmana;

Dellakóri; Bóbit, W. of Old Búne; Bírni-n-Gámmachak or Chéchega, the

oldest possession of the Múniyómas; Gábu, inhabited besides by Manga,

also by Kanúri and Fúlbe; Bratáwa; Kólorí; two places called Gediyó;

Kábara; Fasú; Chágamo; Mérerí; Ngámarí; Berdéri; Wódo; Dudémerí; Yebál;

Deríkwá; Kalalíwa; Chando; Wurme; Másoda; Fusám ghaná; Bermárili; three

places called Kadalébbuwa; two places Mája; Changa, with a market every

Wednesday; Hogómarí; Gínuwa; Umórarí; Maiganarí; Falám; three places

Kolólluwa; Donári; Gáso; Onjol; Wonji; Aladári; Grémarí; Úduwa; Koïgdám;

Bítuwa; Kúrerí; Wórirám; Shéddiga; Ngamda; Boggosúwa; Shá; Bráda;

Garekkhí; Mádará; Gergériwá; Sassudári; Gásabá; Maya; Lássorí; Shút;

Aúra; Ganákta; Maye; Kelle; Aidambé; Ferám; Hugadébbuwa; two places

Felládarí; Yémmerí; Dúgerí; Búgu; Ngóliwá; Térmuwa; Gurógudá; Úrowa;

Gárruwa; Farram; Hosomawáro; Shíshuwa; Kangárruwa; Bóbot; Mʿallem

Mádorí; Daúrduwa; Deríguwa; Gujámbo; Wárimí; Gajémmi; Inyóm; Tsérruwa;

Mʿallemrí; Karbo; Aríwaul; Díni, and others.]

[Footnote 24: The Kanúri, in order to express “one hundred,” have

relinquished the expression of their native idiom, and generally make

use of the Arab term “míye.”]

[Footnote 25: I am a little uncertain, at present, whether this is the

old residence, or the Gámmazak near Wúshek.]

[Footnote 26: This territory comprises the following villages:—

Farilkaia, Górebí, Mataráwa, Tsamaiku, Kachébaré, Yáka, and Báda.

The greater part of the inhabitants already belong to the Háusa

race, or, as the Kanúri say, “Áfunú.”]

[Footnote 27: See what I have said on this subject, Vol. II. p. 325.]

[Footnote 28: The territory under his command comprises, besides

Badamúni, four villages, all situated towards the north, their names

being as follows:—Jíshwa, Koikám, Zermó, and Jígaw.]

[Footnote 29: See Vol. I. p. 185.]

[Footnote 30: Unfortunately they were not all Spanish or Austrian

dollars; but there were among the number forty pieces of five francs,

and more than one hundred Turkish mejidíye.]

CHAP. LV.

DEPARTURE FROM ZÍNDER. — THE BORDER REGION BETWEEN THE BÓRNU AND THE

FULFÚLDE EMPIRES. — SECOND STAY IN KÁTSENA.

[Sidenote: Sunday, January 30th, 1853.]

I left the capital of the westernmost province of the Bórnu empire in

the best spirits, having at length succeeded, during my prolonged stay

there, in getting rid of the disease in my feet, which had annoyed me

ever since my return from Bagírmi to Kúkawa. I had, moreover,

strengthened my little caravan by two very excellent camels, which I

had bought here; and I was now provided with a sufficient supply of

money, stores, and presents, the total value of which exceeded 2000

dollars, and which seemed to guarantee success to my undertaking, at

least in a pecuniary point of view, and gave me confidence once more

to try my fortune with the Fúlbe, my first dealings with whom had not

been very promising. However, the road before me was anything but safe,

as I had again to traverse with my valuable property that border

district, intermediate between the independent Háusáwa and the Fúlbe,

which is the scene of uninterrupted warfare and violence, and

unfortunately there was no caravan at the time; but nevertheless the

most intelligent men in the place were of opinion that this route, by

way of Gazáwa, was safer than that by Dáura, the unscrupulous governor

of the latter province, under cover of his authority, which could not

be withstood with a high hand, being apparently more to be feared than

the highway robbers in the border wilderness, who by watchfulness and

good arms might be kept at a respectful distance. But altogether this

was a rather unfortunate circumstance for me, as I cherished the ardent

desire of visiting the town of Dáura, which, as I have explained on a

former occasion, seems to have been the oldest settlement of the Háusa

tribe, who appear to have been, from their origin, nearly related to

the Berber family,—the Díggera, a section of that nation, being

formerly entirely predominant in the territory of Dáura. At that time,

however, I entertained the hope that, on my return from the west, I

might be enabled to visit the latter place; but circumstances prevented

me from carrying out my design.

The whole country which we traversed on our way westward, besides being

richly studded with fixed dwelling-places, was full of parties of

Ásbenáwa salt-traders, partly moving on, partly encamped and having

their merchandise carefully protected by fences of corn-stalks. But

although these people greatly contributed to the animated character of

the landscape, yet their presence by no means added to the security of

the country; and altogether my order of march became now a very

different one from what it had been. Throughout my march from Kúkawa to

Zínder, with a few exceptions, it had been my custom to proceed far in

advance of the camels, with my horsemen, so that I used to arrive at the

camping-ground before the greatest heat of the day had set in; but, on

account of the greater insecurity of the country, it now became

necessary for me to pursue my march slowly, in company with my luggage

train.

The ground along our track, as we proceeded from Zínder, was undulating,

with ledges or small ridges and isolated masses of granite boulders

starting forth here and there; but the country gradually improved,

especially after we had passed a pond at the distance of about seven

miles from the town, filling out a concavity or hollow, and fringed with

wide-spreading trees and a fine plantation of cotton and tobacco, which

were shaded by a few dúm palms. Thus we reached the village of Týrmení,

lying at the border of a shallow vale and surrounded with a strong

stockade. Here we fell in with a numerous body of Ikázkezan, mustering,

besides a great many on foot, twelve or thirteen men well mounted on

horseback, and thinking themselves strong enough, in their independent

spirit, to pursue a contraband road along the border district between

Dáura and Kátsena, in order to avoid paying any customs to the

potentates of either. But the restless governor of Dáura keeps a sharp

look-out, and sometimes overtakes these daring smugglers.

Near the village of Dámbedá also, which we reached after a march of two

miles from Týrmení through a more hilly country, several divisions of

the salt-caravan were encamped; and we chose our camping-ground near a

troop of native traders, or fatáki. While we were pitching the tent, a

Tárki or Amóshagh, mounted on horseback, came slowly up to us,

apparently astonished at the peculiar character of the tent, which he

seemed to recognise as an old acquaintance. But he was still more

surprised when he recognised myself; for he was no other than Aghá

Batúre the son of Ibrahím, from Selúfiyet, the chief instigator of the

foray made against us at the time of our entering Áír or Ásben, by the

border tribes of that country.

In the depression of the plain towards the south from our encampment,

where all the moisture of the district collected, cotton was cultivated

to a great extent, while adjoining the village, which lay close to a

ridge of granite, a small field of tobacco was to be seen. A petty

market, which was held here, enabled us to provide ourselves with grain,

poultry, and red pepper, as we had forgotten to lay in a store of the

latter article, which is indispensable to travellers in hot countries.

[Sidenote: Monday, January 31st.]

The district through which we passed was densely inhabited, but it was

rather scantily timbered, the ground being clad only with short

underwood; detached hills were seen now and then; but after a march of

about seven miles, the character of the country changed, kálgo appearing

more frequently, while the soil consisted of deep sand. Towards the

south the vegetation was richer, several Tawárek hamlets appearing in

the distance. Thus we reached a large well, about thirteen fathoms deep

and richly provided with water, where a large herd of cattle and a

number of Búzawe, or Tawárek half-castes, of both sexes, were assembled;

and I was agreeably surprised at the greater proof of ingenuity which I

here observed—a young bull being employed in drawing up the water in a

large leather bag containing a supply sufficient for two horses,—this

being the only time during my travels in Negroland that I observed such

a method of drawing up the water, which in general, even from the

deepest wells, is procured by the labour of man alone. The young bull

was led by a very pretty Amóshagh girl, to whom I made a present of a

tin box with a looking-glass in it, as a reward for her trouble, when

she did not fail to thank me by a courtesy, and the expression of an

amiable “agaishéka,” “my best thanks.” In the whole of this country a

custom still prevails, dating from the period of the strength of the

Bórnu empire, to the effect that the horses of travellers must be

watered, at any well, in precedence to the wants of the natives

themselves.

The whole spectacle which this well exhibited was one of life and

activity; and the interest of the scenery was further increased by a

dense grove of fine tamarind trees which spread out on the south side of

the path. I learned, on inquiry, that this district belongs to the

territory of Tumtúmma, the governor of which is a vassal of Zínder.

Close to Tumtúmma, on the west, lies the considerable town of Gorgom.

Leaving the principal road on our right, and following a more southerly

one, we encamped near the village of Gúmda, which consisted of two

hamlets inhabited exclusively by Tawárek slaves. But the territory

belongs likewise to the province of Tumtúmma. A troop of fatáki, or

native traders, were encamped near us.

[Sidenote: Tuesday, February 1st.]

The surface of the country through which our road lay was broken by

depressions of larger or smaller extent, where the dúm palm flourished

in great numbers—a tree which is very common in the territory of Tasáwa,

which we entered a short time before we reached the village of Káso. We

had here descended altogether, most probably, a couple of hundred feet,

although the descent was not regular, and was broken by an occasional

ascent. The road was well frequented by people coming from the west with

cotton, which they sell to advantage in Zínder.

We made a long stretch, on account of the scarcity of water, passing the

large village of Shabáre, which attracted our attention from the

distance by the beating of drums, but could not supply us with a

sufficient quantity of water,—its well measuring twenty-five fathoms in

depth, and nevertheless being almost dry; and thus we proceeded till we

reached Maíjirgí, after a march of almost twenty-five miles. The village

is named from a _troughlike_[31] depression, on the slope of which it is

situated, and which, towards the south, contains a considerable grove of

dúm palms. We encamped close to the well, which is fourteen fathoms

deep, at some distance from the village, which has a tolerably

comfortable appearance, although it had been ransacked two years before

by the governor of Kátsena; but, in these regions, dwelling-places are

as easily restored as they are destroyed. The inhabitants are notorious

for their thievish propensities; and we had to take precautions

accordingly. The whole of this country is rich in beans; and we bought

plenty of dried bean-tressels, which are made up in small bundles, and

called “haráwa” by the Arabs, affording most excellent food for the

camels.

[Sidenote: Wednesday, February 2nd.]

Several native travellers had attached themselves to my troop. Amongst

them was an abominable slave-dealer who was continually beating his poor

victims. I was extremely glad to get rid of this man here, he, as well

as the other people, being bound for Tasáwa, which I was to leave at

some distance on my right. While my people were loading the camels, I

roved about, making a very pleasant promenade along the vale, which was

richly adorned with dúm palms. Having set out at length, keeping a

little too much towards the west, and crossing the great highroad which

comes from Tasáwa, we passed several villages on our road, while dúm

palms and tamarind trees enlivened the country where the ground was not

cultivated, but especially the many small and irregular hollows which we

traversed. Having lost one of our camels, which died on the road, we

encamped near a village (the name of which, by accident, I did not

learn) situated in a large vale rich in dúm palms, and encompassed on

the east side by a regular ridge of sandhills of considerable height.

Rice was cultivated in the beds beside the onions, while wheat, which is

generally raised in this way, was not grown at all. As I have frequently

observed, there is no rice cultivated in the whole of Bórnu,—this

village constituting, I think, the easternmost limit of the cultivation

of this most important article of food, which is the chief staff of life

in the whole of Kébbi and along the Niger. The wells in this valley were

only three feet deep, and richly provided with water; and the whole vale

was altogether remarkable.

[Sidenote: Thursday, February 3rd.]

The dense grove of dúm palms through which our road led afforded a most

picturesque spectacle in the clear light of the morning sky, and

reminded me of the extensive groves of palm trees which I had seen in

more northern climes, while large piles of the fruit of the fan palm,

stored up by the natives, excited the facetious remarks of those among

my people who were natives of Fezzán; and they sneered at the poverty

and misery of these negroes, who, being deprived by nature of that

delicious and far-famed fruit of the nobler _Phœnix_, were reduced to

the poor and tasteless produce of this vile tree. We then left the

shallow bottom of the vale, with its wells seven fathoms in depth, at

the side of a village a short distance to the east. The country then

became more open; and after a march of four miles, we reached the

shallow fáddama of Gazáwa, and, leaving the town at a short distance on

our right, encamped a little to the south, not far from a fine old

tamarind tree.