I was enjoying the shade of this splendid tree, when my friend the

serkí-n-turáwa, whom, on my first entrance into the Háusa country, I

introduced to the reader as a specimen of an African dandy, came up, on

a splendid horse, to pay his compliments to me. The petty chief of

Gazáwa and his people had been much afraid, after they had received the

news of my approach, that I might take another road, in order to avoid

making them a present, which has the same value as the toll in a

European country. He told me that they had already sent off several

horsemen in order to see what direction I had pursued, and he expressed

his satisfaction that I had come to him of my own free will; but, on the

other hand, he did not fail to remind me that on my former passage

through the country I had not given them anything on account of the

powerful protection of Elaíji, which I enjoyed at that time. This was

very true; and in consequence I had here to make presents to four

different persons, although I only remained half a day: first, this

little officious friend of mine; then the governor of the town himself,

together with his liege lord, the chief of Marádi; and finally, Sadíku,

the former Púllo governor of Kátsena, who at present resided in this

town.

Having satisfied the serkí-n-turáwa, I wrapped a bernús and a shawl or

zubéta in a handkerchief, and went to pay my respects to the governor,

whose name, as I have stated on a former occasion, is Raffa, and whom I

found to be a pleasant old fellow. He was well satisfied with his

present, though he expressed his apprehension that his liege lord the

prince of Marádi, who would not fail to hear of my having passed through

the country, would demand something for himself; and he advised me,

therefore, to send to that chief a few medicines.

I then rode to Sadíku, the son of the famous Mʿallem ʿOmáro, or Ghomáro,

who had been eight years governor of Kátsena, after the death of his

father, till having excited the fear or wrath of his liege lord, in

consequence of calumnies representing him as endeavouring to make

himself independent, he was deposed by ʿAlíyu the second successor of

Bello, and obliged to seek safety among the enemies of his nation.

Sadíku was a stately person, of tall figure, a serious expression of

countenance, and a high, powerful chest, such as I have rarely seen in

Negroland, and still less among the tribe of the Fúlbe. However, he is

not a pure Púllo, being the offspring of a Bórnu female slave. He had

something melancholy about him; and this was very natural, as he could

not well be sincerely beloved by those among whom he was obliged to

live, and in whose company he carried on a relentless war against his

kinsmen. Sadíku’s house, which was in the utmost decay, was a convincing

proof, either that he was in reality miserably off, or that he felt

obliged to pretend poverty and misery. He understood Arabic tolerably

well, although he only spoke very little. He expressed much regret on

hearing of the death of Mr. Overweg, whom he had known during his

residence in Marádi; but having heard how strictly Europeans adhere to

their promise, he expressed his astonishment that he had never received

an Arabic New Testament, which Mr. Overweg had promised him. But I was

glad to be able to inform him that it was not the fault of my late

lamented companion, who, I knew, had forwarded a copy to him, by way of

Zínder, immediately after his arrival in Kúkawa. Fortunately I had a

copy or two of the New Testament with me, and therefore made him very

happy by adding this book to the other little presents which I gave him.

When I left the company of this man, I was obliged to take a drink of

furá with Serkí-n-turáwa—however, not as a proof of sincere hospitality,

but as a means of begging some further things from me; and I was glad at

length to get rid of this troublesome young fellow.

[Sidenote: Friday, February 4th.]

We had been so fortunate as to be joined here at Gazáwa by two small

parties belonging to the salt-caravan of the Kél-owí, when, having taken

in a sufficient supply of water, and reloaded all our firearms, we

commenced our march, about half-past two o’clock in the morning, through

the unsafe wilderness which intervenes between the independent Háusa

states and that of the Fúlbe. The forest was illumed by a bright

moonlight; and we pursued our march without interruption for nearly

twelve hours, when we encamped about five miles beyond the melancholy

site of Dánkamá, very nearly on the same spot where I had halted two

years before. We were all greatly fatigued; and a _soi-disant_ sheríf

from Morocco, but originally, as it seemed, belonging to the Tájakánt,

who had attached himself to my caravan in Zínder in order to reach

Timbúktu in my company, felt very sickly. He had suffered already a

great deal in Zínder, and ought not to have exposed his small store of

strength to such a severe trial. Not being able to have regard to his

state of health, as there was no water here, we pursued our journey soon

after midnight, and reached the well-known walls of Kátsena after a

march of about six hours.

It was with a peculiar feeling that I pitched my tent a few hundred

yards from the gate (kófa-n-samrí) of this town, by the governor of

which I had been so greatly annoyed on my first entering this country.

It was not long before several Ásbenáwa people belonging to Ánnur,

followed by the servants of the governor, came to salute me; and after a

little while I was joined by my old tormentor the Tawáti merchant Bel-

Ghét. But our meeting this time was very different from what it had been

when I first saw him; for as soon as he recognized me, and heard from me

that I was come to fulfil my promise of paying a visit to the sultan of

Sókoto, he could not restrain his delight and excitement, and threw

himself upon my neck, repeating my name several times. In fact his whole

behaviour changed from this moment; and although he at times begged a

few things from me, and did not procure me very generous treatment from

the governor, yet, on the whole, he behaved friendly and decently. He

asked me repeatedly why I had not gone to Kanó; but I told him that I

had nothing to do with Kanó, that in conformity with my promise I had

come to Kátsena, and that here I should make all my purchases, in order

to undertake the journey to Sókoto from this place under the protection

of its governor Mohammed Bello. Now, I must confess that I had another

motive for not going to Kanó besides this; for the vizier of Bórnu had

made it a condition that I should not go to Kanó, as my journey to the

Fúlbe would else be displeasing to himself and the sheikh, by

interfering with their policy, and I had found it necessary to consent

to his wishes, although I foresaw that it would cause me a heavy loss,

as I might have bought all the articles of which I was in want at a far

cheaper rate in the great central market of Negroland than I was able to

do in Kátsena.

I staid outside the town until the following morning, while my quarters

in the town were preparing. There was an animated intercourse along my

place of encampment, between the old capital and the new place Wagóje,

which the governor had founded two years before; and I received the

compliments of several active Fúlbe, whose expressive countenances bore

sufficient evidence of the fact that their habits were not yet spoiled

by the influence of the softer manners of the subjected tribe, although

such an amalgamation has already begun to take place in many parts of

Háusa.

The house which was assigned to me inside the town was spacious, but

rather old, and so full of ants that I was obliged to take the greatest

care to protect not only my luggage, but my person from these voracious

insects. They not only destroyed everything that was suspended on pegs

from the walls, but while sitting one day for an hour or so on a clay

bank in my room I found, when I got up, a large hole in my tobe,—these

clever and industrious miners having made their way through the clay

walls to the spot where I was sitting, successfully constructed their

covered walks, and voraciously attacked my shirt, all in an hour’s time.

My present to the governor consisted of a very fine blue bernús, a

kaftan of fine red cloth, a small pocket pistol, two muslin turbans, a

red cap, two loaves of sugar, and some smaller articles. The eccentric

man received me with undisguised pleasure as an old acquaintance; but

being aware that I had a tolerable supply of handsome articles with me,

he wanted to induce me to sell to him all the fine things I possessed:

but I cut the matter short by telling him, once for all, that I was not

a merchant, and did not engage in any commerce. On the whole, he was

well pleased with his presents; but he wanted me to give him another

small pistol, and, in the course of my stay here, I was obliged to

comply with his request. He had a cover made for the pair, and used to

carry them constantly about his person, frightening everybody by firing

off the caps into their faces.

It was, no doubt, a very favourable circumstance for me that the

ghaladíma of Sókoto was at this time staying here; for under the

protection of the unscrupulous governor of Kátsena, I should scarcely

have reached the residence of the emír el Múmenín in safety. The

ghaladíma, who was the inspector of Kátsena as well as of Zánfara, had

collected the tribute of both provinces, and was soon to start, with his

treasure and the articles he had purchased there, on his home journey,

so that there did not seem to be time enough for sending some of my

people to Kanó to make there the necessary purchases; but circumstances,

which I shall soon mention, delayed us so much that there would have

been ample opportunity for doing so, and thus saving a considerable sum

of money. The ghaladíma was a simple, straightforward man, not very

intelligent, certainly, nor generous, but good-natured and sociable.

Born of a female slave, he had very little about him of the general

characteristics of the Fúlbe, being tall and broad-shouldered, with a

large head, broad features, and tolerably dark complexion.

I made some considerable purchases in this place, amounting altogether

to 1,308,000 shells, employing the greatest part of my cash in providing

myself with the cotton and silk manufactures of Kanó and Núpe, in order

to pave my way, by means of these favourite articles, through the

countries on the middle course of the Niger, where nothing is esteemed

more highly than these native manufactures.[32] But, as I afterwards

found out, I sustained a considerable loss in buying the Núpe tobes

here, at least 20 per cent. dearer than I should have been able to do in

Gando; but this I could not possibly know beforehand, nor was it my

previous intention to make any stay in that place, where large parcels

of these articles are never brought into the market. I also added to my

store a few more articles of Arab manufacture, there having arrived, on

the 5th of March, a very numerous caravan of Ghadámsi and other people

from the north, with not less than from 400 to 500 camels, but without

bringing me even a single line, either from my friends in Europe or even

from those in Africa. Having likewise arranged with ʿAlí el Ágeren the

Méjebrí who had accompanied me from Kúkawa, buying from him what little

merchandise he had, and taking him into my service for nine dollars a

month, I prepared everything for my journey; and I was extremely anxious

to be gone, as the rainy season was fast approaching. On the 26th of

February evident signs were observed of the approach of the wet

season,—the whole southern quarter of the heavens being thickly overcast

with clouds, while the air also was extremely damp, just as after a

shower. Mounting on horseback, in order to observe better these

forerunners of the “dámana,” I clearly distinguished that it was raining

in the direction of Záriya and Núpe; and even in our immediate

neighbourhood a few drops fell. In the course of the evening the

freshness and coolness of the air was most delicious, just as is the

case after a fall of rain; and summer lightning was flashing through the

southern sky.

The ghaladíma also was very anxious to be gone; but the army of the

Góberáwa being ready to start on an expedition, on a grand scale,

against the territory of the Fúlbe, we could not leave the place before

we knew exactly what direction the hostile army would take. They having

at length set out on their foray, on the 7th of March, we began to watch

their movements very anxiously, each of these two powers,—the

independent pagans as well as the conquering Fúlbe,—having in their pay

numbers of spies in the towns of their enemies. Only two days before the

Góberáwa left their home, they killed Bú-Bakr the chief spy whom ʿAlíyu,

the sultan of Sókoto, entertained in their town.

In the company of the ghaladíma there was a younger brother of his, of

the name of Al-háttu, who had lost the better portion of the character

of a free man by a mixture of slave-blood, and behaved, at times, like

the most intolerable beggar; but he proved of great service to me in my

endeavour to become acquainted with all the characteristic features of

the country and its inhabitants.

Besides this man, my principal acquaintance during my stay in Kátsena

this time was a Tawáti of the name of ʿAbd e’ Rahmán, a very amiable and

social man, and, as a fáki, possessing a certain degree of learning. He

had been a great friend of the sultan Bello, and expatiated with the

greatest enthusiasm on the qualities and achievements of this

distinguished ruler of Negroland. He also gave me the first hints of

some of the most important subjects relating to the geography and

history of Western Negroland, and called my attention particularly to a

man whom he represented as the most learned of the present generation of

the inhabitants of Sókoto, and from whom, he assured me, I should not

fail to obtain what information I wanted. This man was ʿAbd el Káder dan

Taffa (meaning, the son of Mústapha), on whose stores of knowledge I

drew largely. My intercourse with ʿAbd e’ Rahmán was occasionally

interrupted by an amicable tilt at our respective creeds. On one

occasion, when my learned friend was endeavouring to convince me of the

propriety of polygamy, he adduced as an illustration, that in matters of

the table we did not confine ourselves to a single dish, but took a

little fowl, a little fish, and a little roast beef; and how absurd, he

argued, was it, to restrict ourselves, in the intercourse with the other

sex, to only one wife. It was during my second stay in Kátsena that I

collected most of the information which I have communicated on a former

occasion with regard to the history of Háusa.

Besides this kind of occupation, my dealings with the governor, and an

occasional ride which I took through and outside the town, I had a great

deal to do in order to satisfy the claims of the inhabitants upon my

very small stock of medicinal knowledge, especially at the commencement

of my residence, when I was severely pestered with applications, having

generally from 100 to 200 patients in my courtyard every morning. The

people even brought me sometimes animals to cure; and I was not a little

amused when they once brought me a horse totally blind, which they

thought I was able to restore to its former power of vision.

Living in Kátsena is not so cheap as in most other places of

Negroland—at least we thought so at the time, but we afterwards found

Sókoto, and many places between that and Timbúktu, much dearer; but the

character of dearth in Kátsena is increased by the scarcity of shells in

the market, which form the standard currency, and, especially after I

had circulated a couple of hundred dollars, I was often obliged to

change a dollar for 2300 shells instead of 2500.

I had here a disagreeable business to arrange; for suddenly, on the 18th

of March, there arrived our old creditor Mohammed e’ Sfáksí, whose

claims upon us I thought I had settled long ago by giving him a bill

upon Fezzán, besides the sum of two hundred dollars which I had paid him

on the spot[33]: but, to my great astonishment, he produced a letter, in

which Mr. Gagliuffi, Her Majesty’s agent in Múrzuk, informed him that I

was to pay him in Sudán.

Such is the trouble to which a European traveller is exposed in these

countries, by the injudicious arrangements of those very people whose

chief object ought to be to assist him, while at the same time all his

friends in Europe think that he is well provided, and that he can

proceed on his difficult errand without obstacle.

On the 19th of March we received information that the army of the

Góberáwa had encamped on the site of the former town of Róma, or Rúma;

and I was given to understand that I must hold myself in readiness to

march at an hour’s notice.

Meanwhile the governor of Kátsena, who had received exaggerated accounts

of the riches which I was carrying with me, was endeavouring, by every

means at his disposal, to separate me from the ghaladíma, in order to

have me in his own power; and his measures were attended with a good

deal of success, at least in the case of my Arab companion ʿAlí el

Ágeren, who, although a man of some energy, allowed himself too often to

be frightened by the misrepresentations of the people. On his attempting

to keep me back, I told him that, if he chose, he might stay behind, but

that I had made up my mind to proceed at once, in company with the

ghaladíma, whatever might happen. I had the more reason to beware of the

governor, as just at the period of this my second stay here, when he

knew that I was going to his liege lord, I had had another opportunity

of becoming fully aware of the flagrant injustice exercised by him and

his ministers. For the sheríf, who, as I have said, had attached himself

to my party in Zínder, having died here of dysentery soon after our

arrival, he seized upon what little property he had left,

notwithstanding that person had placed himself, in some respects, under

my protection; and although he pretended he would send it to his

relatives, there is no doubt that he or his people kept it back. The

safety of the property of any European who should die in these regions

ought to be taken into account in any treaty to be concluded with a

native chief; but no such contingency was provided for in draughts of

the treaties which we took with us.

[Footnote 31: “Jirgí” means boat, as well as a large trough for watering

the cattle.]

[Footnote 32: I bought here altogether 75 túrkedís or woman-cloths,

which form the usual standard article in Timbúktu, and from which narrow

shirts for the males are made; 35 black tobes of Kanó manufacture; 20

ditto of Núpe manufacture; 20 silk of different descriptions; 232 black

shawls for covering the face, as the best presents for the Tawárek. I

also bought here, besides, four very good cloth bernúses from some Tawát

traders lately arrived from their country with horses, and some other

little merchandise, and half a dozen of “hamaíl,” or sword-hangings, of

red silk of Fás manufacture. I also provided myself here with water-

skins and kulábu, or large skins for covering the luggage for the whole

of my journey. No place in the whole of Negroland is so famous for

excellent leather and the art of tanning as Kátsena: and if I had taken

a larger supply of these articles with me it would have been very

profitable; but of course these leather articles require a great deal of

room. I also bought a good quantity of the tobacco of Kátsena, which is

held in great estimation even in Timbúktu, whither the excellent tobacco

from Wádí Nún is brought in considerable quantity.]

[Footnote 33: See Vol. III. p. 473.]

[Illustration: DR. BARTH’S TRAVELS IN NORTH AND CENTRAL AFRICA Sheet No.

12.

MAP OF THE ROUTES between KANÓ, KÁTSENA & SAY in the years 1853 & 1854.

Constructed and drawn by A. Petermann.

Engraved by E. Weller, _Duke Strt. Bloomsbury._

_London, Longman & Co._]

CHAP. LVI.

JOURNEY FROM KÁTSENA TO SÓKOTO.

[Sidenote: Monday, March 21st.]

The whole town was in motion when we left; for the governor himself was

to accompany us for some days’ journey, as the whole country was

exposed to the most imminent danger, and further on he was to send a

numerous escort along with us. It was a fine morning, and, though the

rainy season had not yet set in in this province, many of the trees

were clad already in a new dress, as if in anticipation of the

fertilizing power of the more favoured season.

The hájilíj had begun, about the commencement of March, to put out new

foliage and shoots of young fruit; and the dorówa or _Parkia_ exhibited

its blossoms of the most beautiful purple, hanging down to a great

length from the branches. The dorówa, which is entirely wanting in the

whole of Bórnu, constitutes here the chief representative of the

vegetable kingdom. It is from the beans of this tree that the natives

prepare the vegetable cakes called “dodówa,” with which they season

their food.[34] Next to this tree another one, which I had not seen

before, called here “rúnhu,” and at present full of small yellow

blossoms, was most common.

The first day we made only a short march of about three miles, to a

village called Kabakáwa, where the ghaladíma had taken up his quarters.

I had scarcely dismounted, under a tree at the side of the village, when

my protector called upon me, and in a very friendly manner invited me,

urgently, to take up my quarters inside the village, stating that the

neighbourhood was not quite safe, as the Góberáwa had carried away three

women from this very village the preceding day. I, however, preferred my

tent and the open air, and felt very little inclination to confide my

valuable property, on which depended entirely the success of my

enterprise, to the frail huts, which are apt to catch fire at any

moment; for while I could not combat against nature, I had confidence

enough in my arms, and in my watchfulness, not to be afraid of thieves

and robbers.[35]

In the afternoon the ghaladíma came out of the hamlet, and took his seat

under a neighbouring tree, when I returned his visit of the morning, and

endeavoured to open with him and his companions a free and unrestrained

intercourse; for I was only too happy to get out of the hands of the

lawless governor of Kátsena, who, I felt convinced, would not have been

deterred by any scruples from possessing himself of my riches: indeed he

had gone so far as to tell me that, if I possessed anything of value,

such as pistols handsomely mounted, I should give them to him rather

than to the sultan of Sókoto, for that he himself was the emír el

Múmenín; nay, he even told me that his liege lord was alarmed at the

sight of a pistol.

[Sidenote: Tuesday, March 22nd.]

In order to avoid the enemy, we were obliged, instead of following a

westerly direction, to keep at first directly southward. The country

through which our road lay was very beautiful. The dorówa, which, the

preceding day, had formed the principal ornament of the landscape, in

the first part of this day’s march gave place entirely to other trees,

such as the tall rími or bentang tree, the kúka or monkey-bread tree,

and the deléb palm or gigiña (_Borassus flabelliformis?_); but beyond

the village of Dóka, the dorówa, which is the principal tree of the

provinces of Kátsena and Záriya, again came prominently forward, while

the kadéña also, or butter tree, and the alléluba, afforded a greater

variety to the vegetation. The alléluba (which, on my second stay at

Kanó, I saw in full blossom) bears a small fruit, which the natives eat,

but which I never tried myself. Even the dúm palm, with its fan-shaped

yellow-coloured foliage, gave occasionally greater relief to the fresher

vegetation around. The country was populous and well cultivated; and

extensive tobacco-grounds and large fields of yams or gwáza were

seen,—both objects being almost a new sight to me; for tobacco, which I

had been so much surprised to see cultivated to such an extent in the

country of the pagan Músgu, is scarcely grown at all in Bórnu, with the

exception of Zínder, and I had first observed it largely cultivated near

the town of Kátsena, while yams, as I have already had repeatedly

occasion to mention, are not raised at all in Central Negroland.

Numerous herds of cattle were seen dotting the landscape, and

contributed largely to the interest of the scenery. But the district of

Máje especially, which we traversed after a march of about seven miles,

impressed me with the highest opinion of the fertility and beauty of

this country. Here, also, we met a troop of Itísan with their camels.

Having then proceeded for about two miles through a more open and well-

cultivated country with extensive cotton-grounds, large plantations of

indigo, and wide fields planted with sweet potatoes, or dánkali, we

reached the village called Kúlkadá, where the governor of Kátsena had

taken up his quarters; but, leaving this outlaw at a respectful

distance, we followed in the track of the ghaladíma, who had been

obliged to seek for quarters in a small Tawárek hamlet at the distance

of a mile and a half towards the south-east,—a remarkable resting-place

for a party proceeding to the westward. The heat was very great; and the

dorówa trees, with their scanty acacia-like foliage, which, besides a

few gonda trees (_Carica Papaya_) and a solitary ngábbore, were the only

members of the vegetable kingdom here seen, afforded but insufficient

shade, the dryness of the country being the more felt, as the supply of

water was rather limited.

I was hospitably treated in the evening, not only by the ghaladíma, who

sent me a sheep, but even by the inhabitants of the hamlet, who came to

visit me in large numbers. I learnt that they were Imghád, natives of

Tawár Nwaijdúd, the village which I passed on my road from Tintéllust to

Ágades[36], and that they had seen me in Ásben, and knew all about my

affairs. They were settled here as tenants.

[Sidenote: Wednesday, March 23rd.]

I had just mounted my horse, and my camels had gone on in advance, when

a messenger arrived, who had been sent after me from Kátsena, bringing a

letter from Mr. Gagliuffi, Her Majesty’s agent in Múrzuk, a mere

duplicate of a letter already received, with reference to the sending of

the box (which, however, did not reach me), but not a single line from

Europe. We had to retrace our road all the way to Kúlkadá, and from

thence, after a march of about six miles through a dense forest, reached

the walled town of Kúrayé, and, not being aware that the country on the

other side was more open and offered a far better camping-ground,

pitched our tent on that side whence we had come, not far from the

market-place, consisting of several rows of stalls or sheds. A market

was held in the afternoon; and we bought grain and onions, but looked in

vain for the favourite fruit of the tamarind tree, to which we were

greatly indebted for the preservation of our health.

The town was of considerable size, and contained from 6000 to 7000

inhabitants, but no clay buildings. The wall was in excellent repair,

and well provided with loopholes for the bowmen, and it was even

strengthened by a second wall, of lesser height, on the outside. The

town has three gates. The wells were three fathoms in depth.

[Sidenote: Thursday, March 24th.]

The country on the other side of the town of Kúrayé seemed to surpass in

beauty the district which we had left behind us; and the bentang tree,

the sacred tree of the former pagan inhabitants, rose here to its full

majestic growth, while, besides the dorówa and the butter tree, the

ngábbore (or sycamore) and the dúnnia appeared in abundance. The

cultivation was here limited to sorghum or Indian millet. After awhile

the ground became rather undulating, and we had to cross several small

watercourses, at present dry, while boulders of granite protruded here

and there. The path was enlivened by the several troops of horsemen

which constituted our expeditionary corps. There was first the governor

of Kátsena himself, with a body of about 200 horse; then there was an

auxiliary squadron of about fifty horse, sent by Démbo the governor of

Kazáure; and lastly Káura, the serkí-n-yáki, or commander-in-chief of

Kátsena, with a body of about thirty-five well-mounted troopers. This

officer, at the present time, is the most warlike man in the province of

Kátsena, and had greatly contributed to the overthrow and disgrace of

Sadíku the former governor, in the hope that the government of the

province might fall to his share; but he had been sadly disappointed in

his expectations. As for the ghaladíma, he had about twenty mounted

companions, the most warlike among whom was a younger brother of his, of

the name of ʿOmár, or Ghomáro, who was descended from a Púllo mother,

and, on account of his noble birth, had better claims to the office of

ghaladíma than his brother. Most of these troopers were very

fantastically dressed, in the Háusa fashion, and in a similar manner to

those I have described on a former occasion. Some of the horses were

fine, strong animals, although in height they are surpassed by the Bórnu

horses.

We watered our cattle in a kúrremi or dry watercourse, which contained a

number of wells from one fathom to a fathom and a half in depth, and was

beautifully skirted with deléb palms, while a granite mound on its

eastern shore, rose to an altitude of from eighty to a hundred feet. I

ascended it, but did not obtain a distant view. Near this watercourse

the cultivation was a little interrupted; but further on the country

became again well cultivated, broken here and there by some underwood,

while the monkey-bread tree, the dúm palm, great numbers of a species of

acacia called “árred,” and the “merké” dotted the fields. The latter

tree, which I have mentioned on a former occasion, bears a fruit which,

when mixed with the common native grain, is said to preserve horses from

worms.

Thus we reached the town of Kúrrefi, or Kúlfi, and were not a little

puzzled by the very considerable outworks, consisting of moats, which

the inhabitants had thrown up in front of their town, besides the

threefold wall, and the double moat which surrounded the latter, as

shown in the woodcut.

[Illustration:

1. Outer entrance, leading into a large square surrounded with a

double moat, and containing three huts for the guards.

2. Second entrance, leading from this outwork through the outer moat

which surrounds the town.

3. Gate leading into the projecting angle of the wall, from which a

second gate leads into the town.

4. Granite mounts inside the town.

5. Outer moats of the wall.

6. Situation of my tent.

7. Granite mount outside the town.

8. Open pasture-grounds.]

The town was said to have been founded only three years before, being

peopled from the remains of other places, which were destroyed by the

enemy. It may contain from 8000 to 9000 inhabitants; but it had recently

suffered from a conflagration. The wall was full of loopholes, and it

had a gate on each side except the eastern one.

Having made our way with great difficulty through the moats, instead of

taking up our quarters inside the wall, to the great astonishment of the

people we pitched our tent outside, at some distance from the western

gate. Such was the confidence which we placed in our firearms. A rocky

eminence, such as are met with also inside the town, started up at some

little distance from our camping-ground; and a majestic dorówa, the

largest tree of this species which I saw on my journey, shaded the place

to a considerable extent, but attracted a number of people, who

disturbed my privacy. The ghaladíma had taken a northerly road, to the

town of Tsaúrí, which he had recently founded, and did not arrive till

the afternoon.

[Sidenote: Friday, March 25th.]

On mounting my horse in the morning to pursue my march, a Púllo came up

to me and handed me a letter, which he begged me to take to a relative

of his in Timbúktu. This showed his full confidence in my success; and

it did not fail to inspire me with the same feeling. The inhabitants of

the town marched out their band of musicians, who played a farewell to

us; and the several troops of horsemen, in their picturesque attire,

thronged along the path winding between the granite mounds which broke

the level on all sides. Groups of deléb and dúm palms towered, with

their fan-shaped foliage, over the whole scenery.

We had now entered the more unsafe border country between the

Mohammedans and pagans, while changing our direction from south to west;

and the cultivation was less extensive, although even here a little

cotton was to be seen. After a march of about eight miles we traversed

the site of a deserted town called Takabáwa, inclosed between rocky

cliffs on all sides, and at present changed into a large cotton-ground,

the inhabitants having sought refuge in the more rocky district towards

the south. But although the destructive influence which war had

exercised upon this province was plainly manifested by the site of

another town which we passed soon afterwards, yet the country was not

quite deserted, and even small herds of cattle were observed further on.

Meanwhile the dúm palm became entirely predominant, and rocky cliffs and

eminences continued to break the surface; but beyond a rocky ridge

which, dotted with an abundance of monkey-bread trees, crossed our path,

the country became more level and open, enlivened by herds, and

exhibiting an uninterrupted tract of cultivation.

Thus we reached the walls of the considerable town of Zékka, and here

again we had to make our way with difficulty through the moats which

started off from the walls as a sort of outwork, when we pitched our

tent on the west side, in the shade of two large dorówa trees. Even here

I did not choose to take up my quarters inside the town, which was full

of people. Besides those detachments which had come along with us, there

arrived here also an auxiliary troop of 110 horse from Záriya, together

with the governor of Úmmadaú with twenty horsemen. The Kanáwa, or people

of Kanó, who were proceeding to Sókoto, had continued their march

straight to Úmmadaú, in order to take up their quarters in that place.

Besides numbers of sick people from the town, who came to solicit my

medical assistance, I received also a visit in the evening from one of

the five governors of the place, who bears the title of serkí-n-Féllani.

He came to ask whether I had not for sale another pair of pocket

pistols, such as I had given to the governor of Kátsena; for my

eccentric friend played with the small arms I had made him a present of,

all the day long, to the great alarm of everybody, so that the rumour of

my possessing such articles had spread over the whole of this part of

Sudán, and even Kaúra had pestered me greatly on this account.

In the town of Zékka resides also the former governor of the wealthy

town or district of Rúma, mentioned repeatedly by Captain Clapperton,

but destroyed by the Góberáwa after the period of his travels; that

officer still bears the title of serkí-n-Rúma. There was a pond of dirty

water near our encampment; but good drinkable water was only to be

obtained from a watercourse at a considerable distance, which, although

dry at present, afforded wells at very little depth in its gravelly

bottom.

[Sidenote: Saturday, March 26th.]

We remained here the whole forenoon, as we had now the most difficult

part of our journey before us; but instead of having leisure to prepare

myself for an unusual amount of exertion, all my spare time was taken up

by a disagreeable business,—the governor of Kátsena having succeeded in

seducing from my service, in the most disgraceful manner, the Ferjáni

Arab, whom I had hired for the whole journey to Timbúktu and back, and

whom I could ill afford to lose. This lad, who had accompanied Ibrahím

Bashá’s expedition to Syria and an expedition to Kordofán, and who had

afterwards resided with the Welád Slimán for some time in Kánem, might

have been of great use to me in case of emergency. But, as it was, I

could only be grateful to Providence for ridding me of this faithless

rogue at so cheap a rate: and the insidious governor at least had no

reason to boast of his conduct; for the Arab, as soon as he found

himself well mounted, and dressed in a bernús, by his new master, took

to his heels, and, following the track with which he had become

acquainted in my company, succeeded in reaching Zínder, and from thence

returned to his native country.

We here separated from most of our companions,—the governor of Kátsena,

as well as the people from Kanó and Záriya, who were carrying tribute to

the sultan of Sókoto, remaining behind, and only an escort or “rékkia”

of fifty horsemen continuing in our company. The hostile army of the

Góberáwa being in this neighbourhood, the danger of the road further on

was very considerable; and the Kanáwa and Zozáwa or Zegézegé, of whom

the latter carried 2,000,000 shells, 500 tobes, and 30 horses, as

tribute, were too much afraid of their property to accompany us. There

had also arrived a troop of about 100 fatáki with asses laden entirely

with the famous dodówa cakes; but they also remained behind.

The governor himself, however, escorted us for a mile or two, to a large

korámma called Mejídi, which no doubt forms one of the branches of the

korámma of Búnka, and contains several wells, where we watered our

horses and filled our water-skins for a night’s march. Fine cotton-

grounds and fields of onions fringed the border of the valley.

As soon as we left this winding watercourse, we entered a dense forest

only occasionally broken by open spots covered with reed grass, and we

pursued our march without interruption the whole night, with the

exception of a short halt just in the dusk of the evening. I had taken

the lead from the beginning; and the ghaladíma, who was fully sensible

of the great advantage of my firearms, sent messenger after messenger to

me till he brought me to a stand, and thus managed to get all his slaves

and camels in advance, so that I could only proceed very slowly. After a

march of little more than twelve miles from the korámma, we entered a

fertile and picturesque sort of vale, inclosed towards the north and

south by rocky cliffs, and intersected by a narrow strip of succulent

herbage, where water is apparently to be found at a little depth. This

is the site of the town of Moníya, which had likewise been destroyed by

the Góberáwa three years previously. Their army had even encamped here

the previous day; and when our companions found the traces of their

footsteps, which indicated that they had taken an easterly direction,

all the people were seized with fright, and the intention which had been

entertained, of resting here for a few hours of the night, was given up,

and with an advanced guard of twenty horse, and a guard of from fifty to

sixty, we kept cautiously and anxiously on.

About midnight we again entered dense forest, consisting chiefly of

underwood. We marched the whole night, and emerged in the morning into

open cultivated country. We then passed several small hamlets, and,

crossing first a small and further on a larger watercourse, reached, a

little before nine o’clock, the considerable place Búnka, surrounded by

a clay wall about twelve feet in height, and by a half natural half

artificial stockade of dense forest. In this town, the governor of which

is directly dependent upon the ghaladíma of Sókoto, my protector had

taken quarters; but, true to my old principle, I here also preferred

encamping outside, and, turning round the town, on the south side, along

a very winding and narrow passage through dense prickly underwood, I

pitched my tent on the west side, in the midst of an open suburb

consisting of several straggling groups of huts.

The inhabitants of the village proved to be industrious and sociable,

and, soon after we had encamped, brought me several articles for sale,

such as good strong ropes, of which we were greatly in want. In general

a traveller cannot procure good ropes in these countries; and, for an

expedition on a larger scale, he does well to provide himself with this

article. The ropes made of ngille or the dúm bush last only a few days;

and those made of hides, which are very useful in the dry season, for

tying up the legs of the camels, and even for fastening the luggage, are

not fit for the rainy season. We also bought here a good supply of

tamarinds, plenty of fowls (for from thirty to forty kurdí each), and a

little milk. Part of the inhabitants of this village, at least,

consisted of Ásbenáwa settlers; and they informed us that the army of

the Góberáwa had come close to their town, but that they had driven them

back.

The town itself, though not large, is tolerably well inhabited,

containing a population of about 5000. It is skirted on the east side by

a considerable watercourse, at present dry, but containing excellent

water close under the gravelly surface, and forming a place of resort

for numbers of the grey species of monkey.

The approach of the rainy season was indicated by a slight fall of rain.

[Sidenote: Monday, March 28th.]

The ghaladíma, whom the imminence of the danger had induced to fix his

departure for the next day, instead of allowing a day for repose, had

already gone on in advance a considerable way, when we followed him, and

soon after left on our right a large cheerful-looking hamlet, shaded by

splendid trees, and enlivened by numbers of poultry. Extensive

cultivated grounds testified to the industry of the inhabitants, who

likewise belonged to a tribe of the Ásbenáwa, or rather to a mixed race

of people. Having then crossed dense underwood, where the _Mimosa

Nilotica_, here called “elkú,” was standing in full blossom, while the

ground consisted of sand, we reached, after a march of about a mile, the

south-eastern corner of the wall of the considerable town of Zýrmi. The

watercourse of Búnka had been close on our left, providing the

inhabitants with a never-failing supply of excellent water, which is

found close under the surface of the fine gravel which composes its bed.

Zýrmi is an important town even at present, but, being under the

dominion of the Fúlbe, is only capable of preserving its existence by a

constant struggle with Góber and Marádi. However, the governor of this

town is not now master of the whole of Zánfara, as he was in the time of

Captain Clapperton, who visited it on his journey to Sókoto[37], the

Fúlbe, or Féllani, having found it more conducive to their policy to

place each governor of a walled town, in this province, under the direct

allegiance of Sókoto, in order to prevent the loss of the whole country

by the rebellion of a single man. Some ninety or one hundred years ago,

before the destruction of the capital, this province was almost the most

flourishing country of Negroland; but it is at present divided into a

number of petty states, each of which follows a different policy; hence

it is difficult to know which towns are still dependent upon the

dominion of Sókoto, and which adhere to their enemies the Góberáwa.[38]

The town is still tolerably well inhabited, the western more densely

than the eastern quarter.

The direct road leads along the wall, and close beyond passes by the

site of the former town Dáda; but, in order to water my horse, I

descended into the korámma, which was here encompassed by banks about

twenty-five feet high, the gradually-shelving slopes of which were laid

out in kitchen-gardens, where onions were cultivated. Passing then a

tract thickly overgrown with monkey-bread trees, we traversed a

straggling village, the whole appearance of which left a feeling of

peace and comfort, rather than of the constant state of warfare which

prevails in this country. But everything in human life depends on

habitude; and these poor people, not knowing any better, bear the state

of insecurity to which they are exposed, without uneasiness.

Numerous neat cottages were just being built; and the western end of the

village especially, being adorned by several groups of the gónda tree,

or _Erica Papaya_, had a very pleasant appearance. Dyeing-pits are not

wanting in any of the larger towns of Zánfara; and a numerous herd of

cattle met our view close beyond the village.

When we again reached the direct road, the neighbourhood of our friends

was distinctly indicated by a very strong and not quite aromatic smell,

which proceeded from the luggage of those of the caravan of native

traders (or fatáki) who had attached themselves to our troop in Zékka,

leaving their more cautious brethren behind. The merchandise of these

small traders consisted, for the most part, of those vegetable cakes,

called dodówa, which I have mentioned repeatedly, and which constitute

an important article of trade, as the dorówa or _Parkia_, from the fruit

of which those cakes are made, thrives in great abundance in the

province of Zegzeg, while it is comparatively rare in the provinces of

Kébbi and Góber. Three thousand of these cakes constitute an ass-load,

and each of them in general is sold in Sókoto for five kurdí, having

been bought on the spot for one urí; so that the profit, being not less

than 500 per cent., makes this commerce attractive for poor people,

notwithstanding the dangerous state to which this road is at present

reduced. The return freight which these petty merchants bring back from

Sókoto, generally consists of the salt of Fógha.

Our further road conducted us through a more rugged district,

intersected by numerous small watercourses with very rocky beds, and

mostly covered with dense forest only now and then broken by a small

tract of cultivated ground producing even a little cotton. Thus we

reached the town of Dúchi, the name of which, meaning “the rocks,”

served well to indicate the peculiar nature of the place, which has a

very wild and romantic appearance—a labyrinth of rocky eminences

intersected by a small ravine, as shown in the woodcut: the dwellings,

which are scattered about in several groups, can scarcely be seen, owing

to the prevalence of rocks. Several groups of dúm palms contribute

greatly to enhance the picturesque character of the place.

[Illustration]

Having got inside the wall, which consisted of loose stones, we had some

difficulty in finding a fit spot for encamping, and at length, having

traversed the whole place, pitched our tent, not far from the western

gate, but still inside the wall, in the shade of a fine tsámia or

tamarind tree, and close to a small group of huts. The principal hamlet

lies nearer the east side. The little watercourse contained only a very

small supply of water under the gravelly surface of the bed; but on my

return from the west, in the autumn of the following year, a foaming

brook was rushing along it. The interesting character of the scenery

induced me, in the course of the night, to leave my tent and to sit down

for a while on a rock, which commanded the whole interior of the town.

There I had a charming prospect over the scene by clear moonlight, while

people were busily employed the whole night, collecting the small supply

of water from the channel, for their next day’s wants.

[Sidenote: Tuesday, March 29th.]

In order to pass the narrow gate, if gate it may be called, I was

obliged to have the two posts which encompassed it on each side removed.

The whole country round about is rocky, with only a slight covering of

fertile soil, so that nothing but Indian millet is cultivated, which

thrives very well in rocky ground. But the country was adorned with a

tolerable variety of trees, such as monkey-bread trees, most of which

had young leaves, the dorówa, the kadeña, and the merké. While crossing

a small rocky ridge, we were joined by a troop of people bearing large

loads of cotton upon their heads, which they were carrying to the

considerable market of Badaráwa. This cotton was distinguished by its

snow-white colour, and seemed to be of very good quality.

Beyond the rocky ridge, the country became more open, rich in trees and

cultivated fields; and having passed a village, we turned round the

south-western corner of the walled town of Sabón Bírni, making our way

with great difficulty, and not without some damage to the fences as well

as to our luggage, through the narrow lanes of an open suburb. The

western side of the town was bordered by a korámma containing a

considerable sheet of stagnant water of very bad quality, and fringed

all round by a border of kitchen-gardens, where onions were cultivated.

The governor of Sabón Bírni, like that of Zýrmi, is directly dependent

on the emír of Sókoto. The name or title of his dominion is Bázay.

From hence, along a path filled with market people, we reached the

walled town of Badaráwa, which, like most of the towns of Zánfara, is

surrounded on all sides with a dense border of timber, affording to the

archers, who form the strength of the natives, great advantage in a

defence, and making any attack, in the present condition of the

strategetical art in this country, very difficult. In the midst of this

dense body of trees there was a very considerable market, attended by

nearly 10,000 people, and well supplied with cotton[39], which seemed to

be the staple commodity, while Indian millet (sorghum) also was in

abundance. A great number of cattle were slaughtered in the market, and

the meat retailed in small quantities. There was also a good supply of

fresh butter (which is rarely seen in Negroland), formed in large lumps,

cleanly prepared, and swimming in water; they were sold for 500 kurdí

each. Neither was there any scarcity of onions, a vegetable which is

extensively cultivated in the province of Zánfara, the smaller ones

being sold for one urí, the larger ones for two kurdí each. These onions

are mostly cultivated round a large tebki, about half a mile to the west

of the town, which even at the present season was still of considerable

size. Instead of entering the narrow streets of the town, I pitched my

tent in the open fields, at a considerable distance from the wall; for I

was the more in want of fresh air, as I was suffering greatly from

headache. The consequence was that I could not even indulge in the

simple luxuries of the market, but had recourse to my common medicine of

tamarind water.

There was some little danger here, not so much from a foreign foe as

from our proximity to a considerable hamlet of Tawárek of the tribe of

the Itísan, who have settlements in all these towns of Zánfara. While

endeavouring to recruit myself by rest and simple diet, I received a

visit from an intelligent and well-behaved young fáki, Mʿallem Dádi, who

belonged to the suite of the ghaladíma, and whose company was always

agreeable to me. He informed me that the Zánfaráwa and the Góberáwa had

regarded each other with violent hatred from ancient times,—Babári, the

founder of Kaláwa, or Alkaláwa, the former capital of Góber, having

based the strength and wellbeing of his own country on the destruction

of the old capital of Zánfara, ninety-seven years previously. Hence the

people of Zánfara embarked heart and soul in the religious and political

rising of the sheikh ʿOthmán against his liege lord the ruler of Góber.

I learned also that the same amount of tribute, which I have before

mentioned as carried on this occasion by the messengers of Záriya to the

emír el Múmenín, was paid almost every second month, while from Kátsena

it was very difficult to obtain a regular tribute, the governor of that

town generally not paying more than 400,000 kurdí and forty articles,

such as bernúses, kaftans, &c., annually. It was only an exceptional

case, arising from the exertions of the ghaladíma as I was told, that he

had sent, this year, 800,000 shells, besides a horse of Tárki breed, of

the nominal value of 700,000 kurdí.

[Illustration]

[Sidenote: Wednesday, March 30th.]

Allowing my camels to pursue the direct road, I myself took a rather

roundabout way, in order to get a sight of the tebki from which the town

is supplied; and I was really astonished at the considerable expanse of

clear water which it exhibited at this time of the year (shortly before

the setting in of the rainy season), when water in the whole of

Negroland becomes very scanty. The ground consisted of fine vegetable

soil, while the cultivation along the path was scarcely interrupted; and

in passing a hamlet we saw the inhabitants making the first preparations

for the labours of the field. Cotton was also cultivated to a

considerable extent. About a mile and a half further on, at the village

of Sungúruré, which is surrounded with a strong keffi, I observed the

first rúdu, a sort of light hut consisting of nothing but a thatched

roof raised upon four poles from eight to ten feet in height, and

affording a safe retreat to the inhabitants, during their night’s rest,

against the swarms of mosquitoes which infest the whole region along the

swampy creeks of the Niger, the people entering these elevated bedrooms

from below, and shutting the entrance behind them, as represented in the

accompanying woodcut.

Leaving, then, the walled town of Katúru close on our left, we entered a

dense forest richly interwoven with creeping plants, and intersected by

a large korámma with a very uneven bottom, affording sufficient proof of

the vehemence of the torrent which at times rushes along it. At present

it contained nothing but pools of stagnant water in several places,

where we observed a large herd of camels, belonging to a party of

Itísan, just being watered, while tobacco was cultivated on the border

of the korámma. A little further on, the torrent had swept away and

undermined the banks in such a manner that they presented the appearance

of artificial walls. We met several natives on the road, who, although

Fúlbe or Féllani (that is to say, belonging to the conquering tribe) and

themselves apparently Mohammedans, wore nothing but a leather apron

round their loins.

Thus we reached, a little past noon, the town Sansánne ʿAísa, which was

originally a mere fortified encampment or “sansánne.” But its advanced

and in some respects isolated position, as an outlying post against the

Góberáwa and Mariyadáwa, rendered it essential that it should be strong

enough by its own resources to offer a long resistance; and it has in

consequence become a walled town of considerable importance, so that

travellers generally take this roundabout way, with a strong northerly

deviation. Here also the wall is surrounded with a dense forest,

affording a sort of natural fortification.

Having entered the town and convinced myself of its confined and

cheerless character, I resolved even here to encamp outside, though at

considerable risk; and I went to the well, which was about half a mile

distant to the south, and, being five fathoms in depth, contained a rich

supply of excellent water. Here a small caravan of people from Ádar,

laden with corn and about to return to their native home, were encamped;

and I pitched my tent on an open spot, close to some light cottages of

Itísan settlers, who immediately brought me a little fresh cheese as a

specimen of their industry, and were well satisfied with a present which

I made them in return, of a few razors and looking-glasses. These

Tawárek are scattered over the whole of Western Súdán, not only

frequenting those localities occasionally as traders, but even sometimes

settled with their wives and children. Their women also did not fail to

pay us a visit in the afternoon; for they are extremely curious and fond

of strangers.

When I had made myself comfortable, I received a visit from the

ghaladíma of the town; he brought me the compliments of the governor,

who was a man of rather noble birth, being nobody else but ʿAlí Káramí,

the eldest son and presumed successor of ʿAlíyu the emír el Múmenín. He

bears the pompous title of serkí-n-Góber, “lord of Góber,” although

almost the whole of that country is in the hands of the enemy. Having

taken his leave, the messenger soon returned accompanied by Alháttu, the

younger brother of the ghaladíma of Sókoto, who was anxious to show his

importance, bringing me a fat sheep as a present, which I acknowledged

by the gift of a fine heláli bernús, besides a red cap and turban; and

the governor expressed his satisfaction at my present by sending me also

corn for my horses, and half a dozen fowls. In the evening we had a

short but violent tornado, which usually indicates the approach of the

rainy season; but no rain fell, and we passed the night very comfortably

in our open encampment, without any accident.

[Sidenote: Thursday, March 31st.]

We had a very difficult day’s march before us,—the passage of the

wilderness of Gúndumi,—which can only be traversed by a forced march,

and which, even upon a man of Captain Clapperton’s energies, had left

the impression of the most wearisome journey he had ever performed in

his life. But before returning into our westerly direction, we had first

to follow a north-westerly path leading to a large pond or tebki, in

order to provide ourselves with water for the journey. It was still a

good-sized sheet of water, though torn up and agitated by numbers of men

and animals that had preceded our party from the town; and we were

therefore very fortunate in having provided ourselves with some

excellent clear water from the well close to our place of encampment.

The pond was in the midst of the forest, which towards its outskirts

presented a cheerful aspect, enlivened by a great number of sycamore

trees and even a few deléb palms, but which here assumed the more

monotonous and cheerless character which seems to be common to all the

extensive forests of Negroland.

The beginning of our march, after we had watered our animals and filled

our water-skins, was rather inauspicious, our companions missing their

way and with their bugles calling me and my people, who were pursuing

the right track, far to the south, till, after endeavouring in vain to

make our way through an impervious thicket, and after a considerable

loss of time, anything but agreeable at the beginning of a desperate

march of nearly thirty hours, we at length with the assistance of a

Púllo shepherd regained the right track. We then pursued our march,

travelling without any halt the whole day and the whole night through

the dense forest, leaving the pond called tebki-n-Gúndumi at some

distance on our left, and not meeting with any signs of cultivation till

a quarter before eleven the next morning, when, wearied in the extreme

and scarcely able to keep up, we were met by some horsemen, who had been

sent out from the camp at Gáwasú to meet us, provided with water-skins

in order to bring up the stragglers who had lagged behind from fatigue

and thirst. And there were many who needed their assistance—one woman

had even succumbed to exhaustion in the course of the night; for such a

forced march is the more fatiguing and exhausting as the dangers from a

lurking enemy make the greatest possible silence and quiet

indispensable, instead of the spirits being kept up with cheerful songs

as is usually the case. But having once reached the cultivated grounds,

after a march of two miles and a half more we arrived at the first

gáwasú trees which surround the village which is named after them,

“Gáwasú.” In the fields or “kárkará” adjoining this village, ʿAlíyu the

emír el Múmenín had taken up his camping-ground, and was preparing

himself for setting out upon an expedition against the Góber people.

It was well that we had arrived—having been incessantly marching for the

last twenty-six hours, without taking into account the first part of the

journey from the town to the pond; for I had never seen my horse in such

a state of total exhaustion, while my people also fell down immediately

they arrived. As for myself, kept up by the excitement of my situation,

I did not feel much fatigued, but on the contrary felt strong enough to

search without delay through the whole of my luggage, in order to select

the choicest presents for the great prince of Sókoto, who was to set out

the following morning, and upon whose reception depended a good deal of

the success of my undertaking. The afternoon wore on without my being

called into the presence of the sultan, and I scarcely expected that I

should see him that day; but suddenly, after the evening prayer, Alháttu

made his appearance with some messengers of the chief, not in order to

hasten my present, but first to give me a proof of their own

hospitality, and bringing me a very respectable present consisting of an

ox, four fat sheep, and two large straw sacks or tákrufa containing

about four hundred pounds weight of rice, with an intimation at the same

time that ʿAlíyu wished to see me, but that I was not now to take my

present with me. I therefore prepared myself immediately; and on going

to the sultan’s we passed by the ghaladíma, who had been lodged in a

courtyard of the village, and who accompanied us.

We found ʿAlíyu in the northern part of the village, sitting under a

tree in front of his quarters, on a raised platform of clay. He received

me with the utmost kindness and good humour, shaking hands with me and

begging me to take a seat just in front of him. Having paid my

compliments to him on behalf of the Queen of England, I told him that it

had been my intention to have paid him a visit two years previously, but

that the losses which we had met with in the first part of our journey

had prevented me from carrying out my design. I had scarcely finished my

speech, when he himself assured me that at the right time he had

received the letter which I had addressed to him through the sultan of

Ágades (informing him of the reason why we could not then go directly to

pay him our compliments), and that from that moment up to the present

time he had followed our proceedings, and especially my own, with the

greatest interest, having even heard at the time a report of my journey

to Ádamáwa.

I then informed him that in coming to pay him my compliments I had

principally two objects in view,—one of which was that he might give me

a letter of franchise guaranteeing to all British merchants entire

security for themselves and their property in visiting his dominions for

trading purposes; and the second, that he might allow me to proceed to

Timbúktu, and facilitate my journey to that place (which was greatly

obstructed at the present moment by the rebellion of the province of

Kebbi) by his own paramount authority. Without reserve he acceded to

both my requests in the most cheerful and assuring manner, saying that

it would be his greatest pleasure to assist me in my enterprise to the

utmost of his power, as it had only humane objects in view, and could

not but tend to draw nations together that were widely separated from

each other. At the same time he expressed, in a very feeling way, his

regret with regard to ʿAbd Allah (Capt. Clapperton), whose name I had

incidentally mentioned, intimating that the then state of war, or

“gába,” between Bello and the sheikh el Kánemí, the ruler of Bórnu, had

disturbed their amicable relations with that eminent officer, whom in

such a conjuncture they had not felt justified in allowing to proceed on

his errand to their enemy. In order to give him an example how, in the

case of foreign visitors or messengers, such circumstances ought not to

be taken into account, I took this opportunity to show him that the

ruler of Bórnu, although in open hostility with the most powerful of his

(ʿAlíyu’s) governors, nevertheless had allowed me, at the present

conjuncture, to proceed on my journey to them without the slightest

obstacle. He then concluded our conversation by observing that it had

been his express wish to see me the very day of my arrival, in order to

assure me that I was heartily welcome, and to set my mind at rest as to

the fate of Clapperton, which he was well aware could not fail to

inspire Europeans with some diffidence in the proceedings of the rulers

of Sókoto.

With a mind greatly relieved I returned to my tent from this audience.

The dusk of the evening, darkened by thick thunder-clouds, with the

thunder rolling uninterruptedly, and lighted up only by the numerous

fires which were burning round about in the fields where the troops had

encamped under the trees, gave to the place a peculiar and solemn

interest, making me fully aware of the momentous nature of my situation.

The thunder continued rolling all night long, plainly announcing the

approach of the rainy season, though there was no rain at the time.

Meanwhile I was pondering over the present which I was to give to this

mighty potentate, who had treated me with so much kindness and regard on

the first interview, and on whose friendship and protection depended in

a great measure the result of my proceedings; and thinking that what I

had selected might not prove sufficient to answer fully his expectation,

in the morning, when I arose, I still added a few things more, so that

my present consisted of the following articles:—a pair of pistols[40],

richly ornamented with silver, in velvet holsters; a rich bernús (Arab

cloak with hood) of red satin, lined with yellow satin; a bernús of

yellow cloth; a bernús of brown cloth; a white heláli bernús of the

finest quality; a red cloth kaftan embroidered with gold; a pair of red

cloth trowsers; a Stambúli carpet; three loaves of sugar; three turbans

and a red cap; two pairs of razors; half a dozen large looking-glasses;

cloves, and benzoin.

Having tied up these presents in five smart handkerchiefs, and taking

another bernús of red cloth with me for the ghaladíma, I proceeded first

to the latter, who received his present with acknowledgments, and

surveyed those destined for his master with extreme delight and

satisfaction. We then went together to ʿAlíyu, and found him in a room

built of reeds, sitting on a divan made of the light wood of the

tukkurúwa; and it was then for the first time that I obtained a distinct

view of this chief, for on my interview the preceding night it had been

so dark that I was not enabled to distinguish his features accurately. I

found him a stout middle-sized man, with a round fat face exhibiting,

evidently, rather the features of his mother, a Háusa slave, than those

of his father Mohammed Bello a free and noble Púllo, but full of

cheerfulness and good humour. His dress also was extremely simple, and

at the same time likewise bore evidence of the pure Púllo character

having been abandoned; for while it consisted of scarcely anything else

but a tobe of greyish colour, his face was uncovered, while his father

Bello, even in his private dwelling, at least before a stranger, never

failed to cover his mouth.

He received me this time with the same remarkable kindness which he had

exhibited the preceding evening, and repeated his full consent to both

my requests, which I then stated more explicitly, requesting at the same

time that the letter of franchise might be written at once, before his

setting out on his expedition. This he agreed to, but he positively

refused to allow me to proceed on my journey before his return from the

expedition, which he said would not be long; and, acquainted as I was

with the etiquette of these African courts, I could scarcely expect

anything else from the beginning. He then surveyed the presents, and

expressed his satisfaction repeatedly; but when he beheld the pistols,

which I had purposely kept till the last, he gave vent to his feelings

in the most undisguised manner, and, pressing my hands repeatedly, he

said, “nagóde, nagóde, barka, ʿAbd el Kerím, barka”—“I thank you, God

bless you, ʿAbd el Kerím, God bless you.” He had evidently never before

seen anything like these richly-mounted pistols, which had been selected

in Tripoli by the connoisseur eyes of Mr. Warrington, and surveyed the

present on all sides. It was to these very pistols that I was in a great

measure indebted for the friendly disposition of this prince, while the

unscrupulous governor of Kátsena, who had heard some report about them,

advised me by all means to sell them to himself, as his liege lord would

not only not value them at all, but would even be afraid of them.

Soon after I had returned to my tent, the ghaladíma arrived, bringing me

from his master 100,000 kurdí, to defray the expenses of my household

during his absence; and I had afterwards the more reason to feel

grateful for this kind attention, although the sum did not exceed forty

Spanish dollars, as I became aware, during my stay in Wurno, how

difficult it would have been for me to have changed my dollars into

kurdí. I then satisfied my friend Alháttu the younger brother of the

ghaladíma, whose behaviour certainly was far from disinterested, but

who, nevertheless, had not proved quite useless to me.

Although we were here in the camp outside, and the people busy with

their approaching departure, yet I received visits from several people,

and amongst others, that of a Weled Ráshid of the name of Mohammed, who,

on my return from Timbúktu followed me to Kúkawa in the company of his

countryman the learned Áhmed Wadáwi. This man having left his tribe on

the south-eastern borders of Bagírmi, had settled in this place many

years before; and having accompanied several expeditions or forays, he

gave me an entertaining description of the courage of the Féllani-n-

Sókoto, although he had some little disposition to slander, and even

related to me stories about the frailties of the female portion of the

inhabitants of the capital, which I shall not repeat.

[Sidenote: Sunday, April 3rd.]

Being anxious that the letter of franchise should be written before the

sultan set out, I sent in the morning my broker ʿAlí el Ágeren, with a

pound of Tower-proof gunpowder, to the prince, in order to remind him of

his promise; and he returned after a while, bringing me a letter signed

with the sultan’s seal, which on the whole was composed in very handsome

terms, stating that the prince had granted the request of commercial

security for English merchants and travellers, which I as a messenger of

the Queen of England had made to him. But the letter not specifying any

conditions, I was obliged to ask for another paper, written in more

distinct terms; and although ʿAlíyu’s time was of course very limited,

as he was just about to set out with his army, even my last request was

complied with, and I declared myself satisfied. I was well aware how

extremely difficult it is to make these people understand the forms of

the articles in which European governments are wont to conclude

commercial treaties. In regions like this, however, it seems almost as

if too much time ought not to be lost on account of such a matter of

form before it is well established whether merchants will really open a

traffic with these quarters; for as soon as, upon the general condition

of security, an intercourse is really established, the rulers of those

countries themselves become aware that some more definite arrangement is

necessary, while, before they have any experience of intercourse with

Europeans, the form of the articles in which treaties are generally

conceived fills them with the utmost suspicion and fear, and may be

productive of the worst consequences to any one who may have to conclude

such a treaty.

The sultan was kind enough, before he left in the afternoon, to send me

word that I might come and take leave of him; and I wished him with all

my heart success in his expedition, as the success of my own

undertaking, namely, my journey towards the west, partly depended upon

his vanquishing his enemies. Giving vent to his approval of my wishes by

repeating that important and highly significant word not more peculiar

to the Christian than to the Mohammedan creed, “Amín, amín,” he took

leave of me, in order to start on his expedition, accompanied only by a

small detachment of cavalry, most of the troops having already gone on

in advance. I had also forwarded a present to Hámmedu, the son of ʿAtíku

an elder brother and predecessor of Bello; but he sent it back to me,

begging me to keep it until after his return from the expedition. The

ghaladíma also, who was to accompany the sultan, called, before his

departure, in order that I might wind round his head a turban of gaudy

colours, such as I then possessed, as an omen of success.

After all the people were gone, I myself could not think of passing

another night in this desolate place, which is not only exposed to the

attacks of men, but even to those of wild beasts. Even the preceding

night the hyenas had attacked several people, and had almost succeeded

in carrying off a boy, besides severely lacerating one man, who was

obliged to return home without being able to accompany the army. An

hour, therefore, after the sultan had left his encampment, we ourselves

were on our road to Wurno, the common residence of ʿAlíyu, where I had

been desired to take up my quarters in the house of the ghaladíma; but I

never made a more disagreeable journey, short as it was, the provisions

which the sultan had given me encumbering us greatly, so that at length

we were obliged to give away the heifer as a present to the inhabitants

of the village of Gáwasú. It thus happened that we did not reach our

quarters till late in the evening; and we had a great deal of trouble in

taking possession of them in the dark, having been detained a long time

at the gateway, which itself was wide and spacious, but which was

obstructed by a wooden door, while there was no open square at all

inside the gate, nor even a straight road leading up from thence into

the town, the road immediately dividing and winding close along the

wall.

[Footnote 34: See the description which Clapperton gives of the manner

in which these cakes are prepared. (Denham and Clapperton’s Travels, ii.

p. 125.)]

[Footnote 35: The wells here were eight fathoms.]

[Footnote 36: See Vol. I. p. 391.]

[Footnote 37: Clapperton, Second Expedition, p. 150.]

[Footnote 38: For further details on this subject, see Appendix I.; and

for an outline of the history of Zánfara, see the Chronological Tables.]

[Footnote 39: It was extensively cultivated in this province at the

beginning of the sixteenth century. (Leo Africanus, lib. vii. c. 13.)]

[Footnote 40: I may as well add, that the richly-mounted pistols which

chiefly aided me in obtaining the friendship of this powerful chief, as

well as another pair which I afterwards gave to Khalílu the ruler of

Gando, and also several other things, were paid for with my own money,

which was forwarded to Tripoli by my family at the suggestion of the

Chevalier Bunsen, as well as two harmonica, one of which I gave to

ʿAlíyu, and the other to the sheikh el Bakáy.]

CHAP. LVII.

RESIDENCE IN WURNO.

I shall preface the particulars of my residence in Wurno with a short

account of the growth of the power of the Fúlbe or Féllani in this

quarter, and of the present condition of the empire of Sókoto.

There is no doubt that, if any African tribe deserves the full attention

of the learned European, it is that of the Fúlbe (_sing._ Púllo), or

Fúla, as they are called by the Mandingoes; Féllani (_sing._

Baféllanchi), by the Háusa people; Felláta, by the Kanúri; and Fullán,

by the Arabs. In their appearance, their history, and the peculiar

character of their language, they present numerous anomalies to the

inhabitants of the adjacent countries. No doubt they are the most

intelligent of all the African tribes, although in bodily development

they cannot be said to exhibit the most perfect specimens, and probably

are surpassed in this respect by the Jolof. But it is their superior

intelligence which gives their chief expression to the Fúlbe, and

prevents their features from presenting that regularity which we find in

other tribes, while the spare diet of a large portion of that tribe does

not impart to their limbs all the development of which they are capable,

most of them being distinguished by the smallness of their limbs and the

slender growth of their bodies. But as to their outward appearance,

which presents various contrasts in complexion as well as in bodily

development, we must first take into account that the Fúlbe, as a

conquering tribe, sweeping over a wide expanse of provinces, have

absorbed and incorporated with themselves different and quite distinct

national elements, which have given to their community a rather varying

and undecided character.

Moreover, besides such tribes as have been entirely absorbed, and whose

origin has even been referred to the supposed ancestors of the whole

nation, there are others which, although their pedigree is not brought

into so close a connexion with that of the Fúlbe, nevertheless are so

intermingled with them, that they have quite forgotten their native

idiom, and might be confounded with the former by any traveller who is

not distinctly aware of the fact. Prominent among these latter are the

Sissílbe, as they call themselves, or Syllebáwa, as they are called in

Háusa, whom I shall have occasion to mention on my visit to Sókoto, and

who are nothing but a portion of the numerous tribe of the Wákoré or

Wángaráwa, to whom belong also the Súsu and the so-called Mandingoes;

and while that portion of them who are settled in Háusa have entirely

forgotten their native idiom, and have adopted, besides the Fulfúlde

language, even the Háusa dialect, their brethren in the more western

province of Zaberma use their own idiom at the present time almost

exclusively.

On the other hand, foremost among those tribes who have been entirely

absorbed by the community of the Fúlbe are the Toróde or Torunkáwa, who,

although they are considered as the most noble portion of the population

in most of the kingdoms founded by the Fúlbe, yet evidently owe their

origin to a mixture of the Jolof element with the ruling tribe[41], and

in such a manner that, in point of numbers, the former enjoyed full

superiority in the amalgamation; but it is quite evident that, even if

we do not take into account the Toróde, the Jolof have entered into the

formation of the remarkable tribe of the Fúlbe or Fúla, in a very strong

proportion, although the languages of these two tribes at present are so

distinct, especially as far as regards grammatical structure; and it is

highly interesting that Áhmed Bábá (who, by occasional hints, allows us

to form a much better idea of the progress of that tribe, in its

spreading over tracts so immense, than we were able to obtain before we

became acquainted with his history of Súdán) intimates distinctly that

he regards the Jolof as belonging to the great stock of the Fullán or

Fúlbe[42], although at the present time the terms “Jolof” and “Púllo”

seem to be used in opposition, the one meaning a person of black, the

other an individual of red complexion.

It is this element of the Toróde in particular which causes such a great

variety in the type of the Fúlbe community, the Toróde being in general

of tall stature and strong frame, large features, and of very black

complexion, while the other sections of that tribe are always

distinguished by a tinge of red or copper colour.

But besides the Toróde, who, as I have said, in most cases as well in

Fúta as in Sókoto, at present form the ruling aristocracy, there are

many other nationalities which have been absorbed in this great

conquering nation, and which, on the contrary, are rather degraded. The

most interesting among these latter, at least in the more eastern tracts

occupied by the Fúlbe, are certainly the Jawámbe, as they are called by

the Fúlbe, but rather, as they call themselves, Zoghorán, or as they are

named by the Háusa people, Zoromáwa. This tribe, which we find at

present quite absorbed by the Féllani, and, at least in the provinces of

Háusa and Kébbi, reduced to the occupation of mere brokers, we still

find, during the period of the Áskia, that is to say, in the sixteenth

century of our era, quite distinct from the community of the Fúlbe or

Féllani, as a tribe by themselves, settled to the S.E. of the Great

River, where it enters the province of Másina[43]; and it was this tribe

which, having been continually persecuted by the Songhay during the

height of their sway, at a later period, when that empire had been laid

prostrate by the musketeers of Morocco, contributed the most to its

ruin, and conquered great part of it, particularly the most fertile

provinces, such as Bára and Kármina.

Nearly the same character distinguishes the tribe of the Laúbe on the

Senegal, who, in general, at the present time have been reduced to the

rank of carpenters, but, nevertheless, at a former period evidently

constituted a distinct tribe.[44] It is these degraded tribes—viz.

besides those above mentioned, the Mábube or Mábe, considered in general

as weavers; the Gergasábe, or shoemakers; the Waílube, or tailors; the

Wambaibe, or singing men; the Waúlube, or beggars,—who impart to the

community of the Fúlbe the character of a distinction into castes,

especially as all of them, in the imaginary pedigree of the Púllo stock,

have been carried back to one common progenitor called Só; but we find

the same degraded families among the Jolof.[45]

The absorbing of these western tribes, especially the Jolof and Wákoré

by the Fulfúlde nation, furnishes at the same time an unquestionable and

unmistakable proof that the march of conquest of the latter proceeded

from west to east, and not in an opposite direction, as has been the

generally-adopted view of those who have touched upon the subject. No

doubt it is impossible for us with our faint knowledge of the migration

of tribes in general, and of African tribes in particular, to explain

how this tribe came to settle in the region along the lower course of

the Senegal, as their type is distinguished in so very remarkable a

manner from the character of the other tribes settled in that

neighbourhood, and evidently bears more resemblance to some nations

whose dwelling-places are in the far east, such as the Malays, with whom

M. Eichwaldt, in his ingenious but hypothetical essay on the Fúla[46]

has endeavoured to connect them by way of Meroë. I myself am of opinion

that their origin is to be sought for in the direction of the east; but

this refers to an age which for us is enveloped in impenetrable

darkness, while what I have said about the progress of their conquest

from west to east relates to historical times, comprising the period

from the fourteenth century downwards.[47] In this respect the mission

of two religious chiefs of this tribe from Melle (where they resided at

the time) to Bíri the king of Bórnu, who ruled about the end of the

thirteenth and the beginning of the fourteenth century[48], is of the

highest interest, as it shows at once that this tribe, even at that

early period, was distinguished by its religious learning, and gives a

proof of the progress of the tribe from west to east. Some other facts

which have come to our knowledge with regard to the progress of this

tribe eastward will be mentioned in the chronological tables; here I

will only call the reader’s attention to the circumstance, that we find,

among the most intimate friends and most stanch supporters of Mohammed

el Háj Áskia, a man of the name of ʿAlí Fulánu, while in general it was

the policy of the Songhay dynasty, which was begun by that great ruler

of Negroland, to keep in check this tribe, the conquering tendency of

which could not but become apparent to intelligent rulers,

notwithstanding the humble character of “berroróji,” under which they

used to immigrate and settle in foreign countries; and this is the

acknowledged reason why the Gabéro, a tribe whom we shall meet in the

course of our proceedings on the river below Gágho, have entirely

forgotten their Fulfúlde idiom, not having been allowed, for a certain

period, to use it. Whether it be true, as the Féllani-n-Háusa assert,

that Kanta, the founder of the homonymous dynasty of Kébbi in the very

beginning of the sixteenth century was originally a slave of a party of

Fúlbe settled in the country, a fact which, if confirmed, would prove

the early settlement of the tribe in this country, I am unable to

decide, although it is certainly true that in the course of the

sixteenth century the Fúlbe became strong enough, in the regions on the

east side of the Ísa or Kwára, to exercise a great influence in the

struggles which ensued between the successors of the first Kanta, while

it was a chief of their tribe, the ruler of Danka, or Denga, who,

according to Áhmed Bábá[49], first began his predatory incursions into

the Songhay territory, laying waste the fertile and once extremely

populous region along the Rás el má. It is thus explained how, even in

the beginning of the seventeenth century, Fúlbe tribes were settled in

several places of Bagírmi.[50]

But just on account of the vastness of the region over which they were

scattered, were these people, while pursuing only their own local

interest, powerless even in these loosely-connected and almost crumbling

kingdoms, where they had found a new home, with the exception of

Bághena, where they appear to have formed a nucleus of greater strength,

but destitute of any religious impulse.

A new epoch for this wide-spread tribe did not open till the beginning

of this century, when, in the year 1802, Báwa the ruler of Góber

summoned to his presence the sheikh ʿOthmán, together with the other

chiefs of the tribe, and severely reprimanded them on account of the

pretensions which they were beginning to put forward. It was then that

ʿOthmán, who, being settled in the village Dághel, performed the office

of imám to his countrymen, and had begun to give them a new religious

impulse, which raised them above their petty interests, filled with

indignation at the manner in which he, the great Moslim, was treated by

those pagans, was roused to the attempt of making himself and his tribe

independent of the will of the native ruler of the country, and having

assembled his countrymen, who now conferred upon him the dignity and

authority of a sheikh, raised the standard of revolt; but his

proceedings, at least as far as regarded Góber and the capital Alkaláwa,

were far from proving successful at the beginning, he being vanquished

in almost every encounter: but the fanatical zeal of his followers, whom

he continually inspired with fresh energy by his religious songs[51],

was so great that gradually he overcame all these obstacles, and at

length succeeded in laying the foundation of a vast empire, being

greatly assisted in his career by his brother ʿAbd Alláhi, who, although

his senior, had been the first to pay him homage, and by his son

Mohammed Bello. He took up his residence first at Gando, where he was

besieged for a long time, and afterwards at Sifáwa, till, as described

by Captain Clapperton in the excellent and concise account of this

struggle[52] which he has given in the report of his second journey,

Othmán ended his life in a sort of fanatical ecstasy or madness.

He was followed by Mohammed Bello, who endeavoured to introduce more

order into the empire thus consolidated, and who, on the whole, must

rank high among the African princes, being distinguished not less by his

great love of learning and science than by his warlike spirit, although

his military achievements were far from being always successful. But he

has had the misfortune, after enjoying a great name in Europe, for a

short time, for the kind and generous spirit in which he received

Captain Clapperton on his first journey, to incur the severest

condemnation on account of the manner in which he treated that same

enterprising traveller on his second journey. No doubt he was a

distinguished ruler; but he must not be judged according to European

ideas. He had to struggle hard, not less against the native tribes

anxious to assert their independence, than against his great rival

Mohammed el Kánemí the king of Bórnu, who, just at the time of

Clapperton’s second stay, pressed him very closely, and having

successfully overrun the eastern provinces of the Fulfúlde or Felláta

empire, threatened Kanó. Hence this political position, together with

the instigations of the Arabs, who feared for their commerce with

Negroland if the road from the south should be opened, will account in

some measure for his treatment of the English traveller, who perhaps

urged his going to the sheikh of Bórnu with too much energy. However,

there is no doubt that Bello’s successor and brother, ʿAtíku, who ruled

from the year 1832 till 1837, would have weakened the interest of the

European public in the example which Bello gave of an energetic and

generous ruler in those distant and out-of-the-way regions, if his

career had become known to them; for he seems to have fully belied the

expectation, of “a mean prince,”[53] which he raised when still living

in his retirement, as a jealous king’s brother, without power and

influence. But his reign was too short for consolidating sufficiently

the loosely-connected empire, although, as long as he lived, full

security is said to have reigned. The spirit of independence broke out

more strongly under his successor ʿAlíyu, a son of Bello by a female

slave, who, save a well-meaning and cheerful disposition, does not

appear to have inherited many of the noble qualities of his father, and

least of all his warlike spirit; and hence the lamentable condition in

which I found this extensive kingdom, while there is scarcely any hope

that affairs will assume a more consolidated character before another

more energetic ruler succeeds to ʿAlíyu. Nevertheless the kingdom or

empire, even at the present time, still comprises the same provinces

which it did at its most flourishing period, with the exception of

Khadéja, the governor of which has made himself independent; but the

military strength of these provinces, especially as regards cavalry, as

well as the amount of revenue, is greatly impaired, although the latter,

collected from all the provinces[54] together, certainly exceeds one

hundred millions of shells, or about 10,000_l._ sterling, besides an

equal value in slaves and native cloth, or articles of foreign produce.

The whole strength of the empire, if the distracted state of each

province allowed its quota to be withdrawn from thence, would certainly

still form an imposing force,—viz., the cavalry of the seat of

government, together with the subjected parts of Kébbi and Zánfara,

about 5000; the cavalry of Kanó, from 5000 to 7000; that of Baúchi, from

1500 to 2000; that of Zégzeg, 3000; Ádamáwa, 2000; Kátsena and Mésaw,

each about 1000; Katágum, 1200; Marmar and Shéra, each 500; Bobéru, 600;

Dáura, 400; Kazáure, about 200. But we have seen to what a state Zánfara

is at present reduced, while the curious manner in which Kébbi is

portioned out between the rulers of Sókoto and Gando[55] cannot fail to

cause a great deal of jealousy and controversy between the two courts,

at the very centre of power; and as for Ádamáwa, there are still so many

hostile elements in the interior of that half-subdued province, that it

is impossible to withdraw from thence a particle of its home force; nay,

even the province of Kanó is so harassed and distracted by the continual

inroads of the governor of Khadéja, that the ruler of that province is

scarcely able to send a few hundred horsemen to join the army of his

liege lord. We have seen how that same rebel governor of Khadéja

repeatedly defeated a numerous host taken from almost all the provinces

of the empire, which had been sent against him; and we shall see what

were the inglorious manœuvrings of ʿAlíyu himself, when he led out, in

person, his army against the enemy during my stay in Wurno, of which I

shall now proceed to give a short diary.

[Sidenote: Monday, April 4th.]

Having entered my quarters in the dark, I had no idea of their

character; and it was not till the following day that I became aware of

it. They consisted, as shown in the accompanying wood-cut, of a spacious

courtyard containing nothing but a clay building, which comprised two

apartments, besides a small granary, built of clay, but which was

covered all round with straw at the setting-in of the rainy season, in

order to protect it from violent rains. The clay hall had been built by

Ábú, the elder brother and the predecessor of the present ghaladíma, who

greatly surpassed the latter in warlike energy, and who fell in Zánfara

during that unfortunate expedition against the Góberáwa, the

preparations for which Mr. Overweg witnessed during his stay in Marádi,

in the beginning of the summer of 1851. The principal apartment of this

clay hall, supported by two massive columns, with an average temperature

of 94°, was an excellent abode during the hottest part of the day, when

it felt very cool and pleasant; but it was rather oppressive in the

morning and evening, when the air outside was so much cooler. But in the

courtyard there was not the slightest shade, all the trees in this

quarter of the town, as well as the huts consisting of reed, having been

swept away by a great conflagration the preceding year, a young kórna

tree, which had been planted at a later period, only just beginning to

put forth its foliage. The whole courtyard, also, was in a most filthy

state, characteristic of the manners of the natives in their present

degraded moral and political situation. The first thing, therefore, that

I had to do, in order to make myself tolerably comfortable, was to

cleanse out this Augean stable, to build a hut for my servants, and a

shady retreat for myself. I was well aware that the latter, which it was

not easy to make water-tight, would become useless with the first

considerable fall of rain; but I entertained the hope that, before that

time, I should be able to set out on my journey.

[Illustration:

1. Entrance hut or parlour, furnished with two seats of clay and two

couches of the same material.

2. Second hut, without couches.

3. Open courtyard, overgrown with grass.

4. Hut for my chief servant.

5. Clay hall, with a store-room at the back.

6. Small granary.]

It was market-day, there being a market held here every Monday and

Friday, although the great market of Sókoto, which is much more

important, even in the present reduced condition of that place, still

serves to supply the wants of the inhabitants of all the neighbouring

towns and villages at large. Sending, therefore, into the market in

order to supply my most urgent wants, I found that corn, as well as

meat, was even dearer here than in Kátsena,—100 shells scarcely

sufficing for the daily maintenance of one horse, and 800 shells buying

no more corn than 500 would have done in Kátsena, while an ox for

slaughtering cost 7000 shells, and I bought two milking-goats, in order

to enjoy the luxury of a little milk for my tea, for 2700 shells. The

only article which was at all cheap was onions. The market is held on a

natural platform spreading out in front of the north-western gate, and

surrounded and fortified by a ditch, as, in the present weak state of

the Fúlbe, the market people are liable to be suddenly attacked by the

enemy. This place, as well as the whole of the town, I visited the

following day, in company with my friend Alháttu, who, in acknowledgment

of the present I had given him in Gáwasú, and in expectation of more,

took me under his special protection; but in crossing the town, in a

westerly direction from our quarters, I was surprised at its neglected

and dirty appearance,—a small ravine which intersects the town forming a

most disgusting spectacle, even worse than the most filthy places of any

of the deserted capitals of Italy. Emerging then by the western gate

(the kófa-n-sábuwa), through which leads the road to Sókoto, and which

was just being repaired by the people of the ghaladíma, in order to make

it capable of withstanding the effects of the rainy season, we turned

northwards round the town. In front of each gate, on the slope of the

rocky eminence on which the town is built, there is a group of wells,

each with a little round clay house, where the proprietor of the well

has his usual residence, levying on each jar of water a small

contribution of five shells; but there are also a great number of wells

facing the north-western gate, close to the market.

Leaving a small farm, belonging to my friend ʿAbd el Káder the sultan of

Ágades, on our left, we then turned round to the north, into the road

which leads to Saláme, and crossed once more the “gulbi-n-ríma,” which

takes its course towards Sókoto, exhibiting a very uneven bottom, and

forming several pools of stagnant water. Here a broad plain spread out,

at present almost bare of vegetation, where my poor camels searched in

vain for pasture, putting me to a daily expense of 800 shells in order

to recruit their strength by means of “haráwa,” or bean-straw, which

furnishes the most nourishing food for the camel in these regions,

though in general it is regarded as unwholesome for the horse. Having

thus fed my camels for some time, I sent them to a greater distance, in

the direction of Sókoto, between Dankému and Gída-n-mánomí, where better

fodder was to be procured.

After the luxuriant vegetation of other parts of Negroland, I was

astonished at the naked appearance of the country around the capital,

only a few kúka or monkey-bread trees being seen; but the country

presented a very different aspect on my return journey the next year, at

the end of the rainy season. Góber is distinguished for its general

dryness, and for this very reason is esteemed exceedingly well adapted

for cattle-breeding. The frontiers of the three different provinces or

territories (viz. Kebbi, Góber, and Ádar) join in this corner; and this

is the reason that, while Sókoto is regarded as lying within the borders

of the province of Kebbi, Wurno is considered as belonging to the

conquered territory of the province of Góber; while just beyond the

gulbi-n-ríma, in a northerly direction, the province of Ádar or Tadlar

commences.

But, to return to my first promenade round Wurno, having surveyed the

broad dry valley of the gulbi, we turned round the precipitous cliffs

over which winding paths lead up to the town, and, having skirted for a

while a small branch or korámma which further on turns away, we kept

along the eastern side of the town, and re-entered the place from the

south-eastern corner, through the gate by which we had made our first

entrance. On the following page the reader will find a woodcut which

will serve to show its situation much better than any description could

do.

Meanwhile the town became more and more deserted; and on the 7th of

April, Alháttu and ʿOmár, or Ghomáro, the two brothers of the ghaladíma,

with numbers of other people, went to join the expedition: but these

fighting men, with a few exceptions, care only about their bodily

comfort, and for a few “goríye” or Kóla nuts would be willing to sell

the whole of their military accoutrements. It was a great matter with

these warriors, that, while the old goríye were nearly finished, the new

ones, which were just then brought into the market, were sold for the

high price of 120 shells each. In scarcely any place of Negroland did I

observe so little true military spirit as in Wurno; and almost all the

leading men seem to be imbued with the melancholy conviction that their

rule in these quarters is drawing to an end.

[Illustration:

1. Residence of Alíyu.

2. Market-place.

3. Kófa-n-Sábuwa.

4. K. Serkí-n-Ágades.

5. K. Kásuwa.

6. K. Máleki.

7. K. Kúrremi.

8. K. Ráha.

9. K. Ríma.

10. K. Ghaladámchi.

11. Gída-n-Serkí-n-Ágades.

12. Suburb.]

[Sidenote: Friday, April 8th.]

It was again market-day, and I made sundry purchases, including a small

ox, for almsgiving, as I had made it a rule, in every large town where I

stayed any considerable time, to distribute alms amongst the poor. I was

astonished at the great quantity of cotton which was brought into the

market, and which showed what these fine vales are capable of producing,

if the inhabitants, instead of being plunged in apathy and exposed to

the daily incursions of a relentless enemy, were protected by a strong

government. This very day we received the news that the rebellious

Kábáwa, or natives of Kebbi[56], had made a foray against Señína, a town

situated on the most frequented road between Sókoto and Gando, the two

capitals and central seats of the power of the Fúlbe in these quarters.

The neighbouring Féllani had come to the rescue of the town, and had

prevented the enemy from taking it; but six horses had been carried

away. Only a few days later, the news arrived of another attack having

been made by the rebels upon the town of Gándi, the residence of Dyang-

rúwa, one day’s distance to the south from Bírni-n-Kebbi, although this

time they were less fortunate, and were said to have been driven back

with the loss of twenty-two horses. Meanwhile the sultan himself, with

his sluggish host of cavalry, instead of attacking the Góberáwa, who

already, before we left Kátsena, had taken the field with a numerous

army, was said to be stationed in Katúru. He had been joined by the

governor of Záriya in person, while Kanó had sent only the ghaladíma

with the whole of their cavalry.

From Katúru, ʿAlíyu with his army, after some useless delay, betook

himself to Káuri-n-Namóda, whence we received news on the 11th, the

Góberáwa having meanwhile taken up a strong position in front of him,

without being able to induce him to offer them battle. The dread of

these effeminate conquerors for the warlike chief of the Góberáwa, the

son of Yakúba, is almost incredible. He has ruled since 1836, and, the

preceding year, had roused the whole of the indigenous population of the

various provinces to a struggle for their national and religious

independence against the ruling tribe. This dread of him has been

carried so far, that they have quite obliterated his real name, calling

him only Mayáki, or “the warrior.” While ʿAlíyu was stationed at Káuri-

n-Namóda, and part of his army was in Dankárba, the Ázena made an attack

upon Ráya, a town situated at a day’s distance from the former place.

But the whole condition of the country, to the west as well as to the

east, was most deplorable; and three native merchants, of the Zoromáwa

or Zoghorán, when speaking about my projected journey towards the Niger,

and beyond that river westward, told me in the most positive manner,

“bábo haña,” “there is no road;” that is to say, “the country is closed

to you, and you cannot proceed in that direction.” And taking into

consideration the low ebb of courage and enterprise among the

natives—the weakness and unwarlike spirit of ʿAlíyu—the complete nullity

of Khalílu—the vigour of the young and warlike Mádemé the rebel chief of

Kebbi, who, starting from his residence Argúngo, distant only a couple

of hours’ march from that of Khalílu, was carrying the flame of

destruction in every direction—the revolted province of Zabérma, with an

equally young and energetic ruler, Dáúd the son of Hammam Jýmma—the

province of Déndina in open revolt and cutting off all access to the

river,—all these circumstances rendered the prospect of my accomplishing

this journey very doubtful. Moreover, besides the weakness of the two

rulers of the Fúlbe dominions, there is evidently a feeling of jealousy

between the courts of Sókoto and Gando; and here we find the spectacle

of two weak powers weakening each other still more, instead of uniting

most cordially in an energetic opposition against the common foe. For

instance, the young chief of Kebbi, who at present caused them so much

trouble, had been previously a prisoner in Wurno; but when Khalílu

wanted to take his life, ʿAlíyu procured his liberty, and gave him a

splendid charger to boot.

But a European will achieve what the natives of the country themselves

deem impossible; and my friends the Zoromáwa merchants, who wanted to

induce me to relinquish my project, had perhaps their own private

interests in view. They probably entertained the hope that, in case of

my being prevented from penetrating westward, I should be obliged to

sell my stock here, which I now kept back as a provision for the road

before me. By way of consoling them, I gave them a parcel of beads of

the kind called dankasáwa, which I found useless for the countries

through which I had to pass, in exchange for some shells I was in want

of for the daily expenses of my household.

Meanwhile I collected a good deal of information concerning the

topography of the neighbouring provinces, and the remarkable manner in

which the province of Kebbi has been portioned out between the two

empires of Gando and Sókoto. I also compiled an outline of the history

of this country, which began greatly to attract my attention. Meanwhile,

in order to preserve my health, I took a ride almost every day, out of

the town, and was in particular much interested in an excursion which I

made in the afternoon of the 16th, in a northerly direction, on the road

to Saláme, which is at the same time the great highroad to Ádar and

Ágades. A cheerful aspect was especially exhibited by the village of

Fáchi, stretching out to a considerable length from east to west, and

skirted by a small watercourse, which inundates and fertilizes the

neighbouring grounds during the rainy season, so that the people are

able to raise, besides two species of yams, namely gwáza and rógo, a

good deal of tobacco and cotton. Beyond, a wide open plain spreads out,

covered with the plant “kakma,” which looks very much like aghúl

(_Hedysarum Alhaggi_). But the whole of this ground so near the capital

is now very unsafe under the weak rule of ʿAlíyu, and exposed to

continual inroads of the energetic Góberáwa; and a few days later the

village of Saláme itself was ransacked by the enemy, and a good many

slaves carried off. The more desperate the condition of the country was,

the more remarkable appeared to me the outward show of dominion which

was maintained; in proof of this I may state that the very day we

received the news of a new outbreak of the general mutiny of the native

tribes, the tribute from the provinces of Kanó and Záriya entered the

town.

[Sidenote: Wednesday, April 20th.]

A highly interesting and delightful interruption to my protracted and

involuntary stay in Wurno was caused by an excursion which I made to

Sókoto. The first part of this road I had already become acquainted with

on a former ride, which had extended as far as Dankému; but at that

period, being more intent upon inhaling the fresh air than upon laying

down the country, I had not paid much attention to the extensive

cultivation of rice which is going on in this valley, while on this

occasion the features of the country, and in particular this branch of

cultivation, formed a special object of attraction to me. For it was the

first time during my travels in Negroland that I had seen rice

cultivated on a large scale; and as we were winding along the foot of

the rocky hills to the south-east, crossing the various small channels

which descend from them and afterwards join the greater rivulet which we

saw at some distance on our right, the country became dotted with small

villages, or “rugga,” as they are called by the Fúlbe, some of them of

historical renown, such as Dághel or Dággel, the village where ʿOthmán

the Reformer had his usual residence before he rose to that great

political importance which he attained in after times. But such is the

degraded state of these conquerors at the present time, that even this

village, which, if they had the slightest ambition or feeling of

national honour, ought to be a memorable and venerable place to them for

all ages, has been ransacked by the Góberáwa, and lies almost deserted.

It is at Dághel that the valley attains its greatest breadth; but as we

advanced, in a south-westerly direction, it was narrower, till, at the

village called Gída-n-mánomí, it became greatly contracted, shortly

after which, the river turning away to a greater distance, the path

ascended the rocks. It is the same path along which Clapperton, on his

second journey, went so repeatedly from Sókoto to Magáriya, but which,

from the scanty information obtained from his papers in this respect,

has been laid down so very erroneously. In general, I cannot praise too

highly the zeal and accuracy (allowance being made for his positions of

longitude) with which this eminent and successful traveller, who crossed

the whole breadth of the African continent between the Mediterranean and

the Bight of Benín, has laid down his various journeys. On the other

hand, the companion of his former travels, Major Denham, has shown great

inaccuracy, both with respect to distances as well as to the direction

of his various routes.

The ground was enlivened by the cultivation of “rógo,” which, when

attaining a certain growth, contributes greatly to the beauty of the

scenery; but kúka or baobab trees were almost the only larger vegetable

production which adorned the country during the first part of our ride,

sometimes shooting out from between the very blocks of sandstone with

which the hills were strewn. Further on, another tree, called “kádasí,”

and a few small tamarind trees also appeared, and the tops of the ant-

hills, which at times form regular rows, were often adorned with the

fine fresh-leaved bush “sérkekí.” The ground, which consists of black

argillaceous soil, “láka” or “fírki,” as it is called in Bórnu, not yet

fertilized by the rainy season, was cracked and torn asunder, while the

white “káli bálbalé” (_Buphaga africana_), which enliven every district

of Negroland where cattle are common, were stalking about in the fields,

looking out for food. But cattle at the present time were sought for in

vain. Here they would have found no pasture, and in consequence were

driven to a great distance, as is the general custom with the Fúlbe or

Féllani of these quarters, even those settled in the province of Kátsena

having at times their herds of cattle pasturing in the far-distant

grassy and healthy grounds of Zabérma.

While the cultivation of rice prevails in the north-easternmost part of

the valley, more cotton and sorghum were observed towards the village of

Gída-n-mánomí, although the state of the fields did not argue a great

deal of industry on the part of the inhabitants, being rather obstructed

by weeds and thorny bushes. But far more native corn is grown on the

other side of Wurno, so that it even forms a mercantile speculation, on

a small scale, to carry corn from Wurno to Sókoto; nay, even sheep are

transported in this way for a very small profit, being bought in Wurno

for 1200 or, when on credit, for 1400 shells, and sold in Sókoto for

1500.

Having ascended the rising ground close beyond a source of limpid water

producing a narrow spot of fresh verdure, the rocky surface was soon

succeeded by a fertile plain of sand covering the rock to the depth of a

foot, while the fields of the various farmers were separated from each

other by slabs of sandstone. The labours of the fields, however, had not

yet begun; and trees also here were scanty, a small mimosa indicating

the halfway or “marárraba” between the two towns, while another village

was distinguished by a single deléb palm. Having reached the highest

point of the path, from whence we obtained the first sight of Sókoto, we

descended into a deeper hollow or irregular valley, adorned by fine

green fields of “rógo,” and bordered by living hedges of the _Nux

purgans_, the nut being still green, but having just attained its full

size.

This was the valley of Bamúrna, which is distinguished on account of its

fertility and abundance of water, but for this same reason is rather

unhealthy, and, during and shortly after the rainy season, becomes quite

impassable for travellers. Close to the source, which rushes forth from

the western cliffs, a small market is held, where travellers generally

make a short halt; but this spot being very narrow and affording but

little comfort for a midday halt, we went on a little further, and

halted for an hour or two at the end of the vale, under two fine dúrremi

trees a little to the right of the path. Here, where the principal vale

is joined by a side branch, and where the greatest amount of moisture is

collected, the vegetation is especially rich, and a beautiful limún tree

full of fruit adorned the place, besides young offshoots of the

plantain. But more interesting still was a small plantation of sugar

situated at the foot of the hill, although the stalks were at present

only about sixteen or eighteen inches high; and I was not a little

surprised when I learned that this piece of ground belonged to a man who

not only cultivated, but even prepared sugar: but I did not then make

his acquaintance, as he was absent at the time. Meanwhile enjoying our

cool shade, we partook of a very moderate but wholesome African

luncheon, consisting of a few onions boiled in water, seasoned with some

tamarind fruit and a little butter, which forms a very refreshing treat

during the hot hours of a tropical climate; for the onions hereabout are

of excellent quality and extremely cheap, fifteen being sold for ten

kurdí.

Soon after starting in the afternoon, we fell in with a long marriage

procession, consisting of a bride and her mother, both mounted on

horseback, accompanied by a considerable number of female servants and

attendants, carrying the simple household furniture on their heads. At

the same time that this interesting procession caused a cheerful

intermezzo, a greater variety of vegetation was perceptible at a village

on our right. Besides kórna, there were a few dúm and deléb palms; and

the fields were adorned with a great number of tamarind trees, but of

small growth.

Proceeding thus over the rocky ground, we reached the small rivulet of

Sókoto, the “gulbi-n-Rába” or “Búgga,” or, as it is called in its upper

course, where I fell in with it on my return journey, gulbi-n-Bakúra.

Even at the present season it had a small current of water, but only

about ten yards wide and ten inches deep, and just sufficient for us to

water our horses. The water is regarded as unwholesome for man; and at

this season of the year shallow wells or holes are dug in the gravel at

some distance from the stream, in order to supply the poor people. The

wealthier classes are believed to be supplied from other quarters,

although such a presumption is very often false, the water from this

stream being merely sold to them under a more pompous title.

Ascending then the slope of the eminence on which the town is built, and

which rises to about one hundred feet, and leaving a spacious “máriná”

or dyeing-place on the slope of the hill on our left, we entered the

walls of Sókoto by the kófa-n-rími; and although the interior did not at

present exhibit that crowded appearance which made such a pleasing

impression upon Clapperton, the part nearest the wall being rather

thinly inhabited, and the people being evidently reduced to a state of

great poverty and misery, it made a cheerful impression on me, on

account of the number of dúm palms and kórna trees by which it is

adorned.

Orders having been sent beforehand, I was quartered without delay in the

house of the ghaladíma—a clay dwelling in tolerable repair, but full of

white ants, so that I was glad to find there a “gadó” or couch of reeds,

where I was able to rest myself and put away my small effects, without

being continually exposed to the insidious attacks of these voracious

insects. Having thus made myself comfortable, my first visit the

following morning was to Módibo ʿAlí, who had already testified his

friendship for me by sending me a fat sheep to Wurno. Differing entirely

from the present generation of beggars, whose ignoble habits make a long

stay in Wurno or Sókoto intolerable, he is a cheerful old man of noble

demeanour, and with pure Fúlbe features, with which his middle height

and rather spare growth exactly corresponded. He was simply but neatly

dressed in a white shirt and a shawl of the same colour. Módibo ʿAlí is

the oldest member of the family of the Reformer still alive, being the

son of ʿAlí an elder brother of ʿOthmán the Jehádi, and about seventy-

five years of age. He was seated in the antechamber of his house, before

the door of which his little herd of milch cows were assembled; and he

received me with unaffected kindness. I immediately saluted him as an

old friend and acquaintance, and we had a very pleasant and cheerful

conversation, after which I delivered to him my present, consisting of a

heláli bernús, a piece of white muslin, a high red cap or “mátri,” a

small flask of “ʿottár” of roses, two razors, a pound of cloves, a loaf

of sugar, and a looking-glass; and he was particularly delighted with

some of these articles, which, on account of the insecurity of the road

at the present time, are imported more rarely even from Kanó. In former

times a great many Arabs used to visit this place, partly for purposes

of trade, partly in order to obtain a present from the sultan; but the

danger of the communication in the present reduced state of the empire

is so great, that not a single Arab merchant visits the town. This

circumstance cannot fail to render the conquering tribe more favourably

disposed towards opening an intercourse with the English, or Europeans

in general, by way of the Niger. At present almost the whole traffic in

foreign merchandise is in the hands of the people of Ghát and Ágades,

especially in those of Mohammed Bóro, my friend the fugger of Ágades,

who, being a native of Ádar, and having a numerous host of full-grown

sons, exercises a great influence upon commercial and even political

affairs in these quarters.

Having thus commenced an acquaintance with the most respectable man in

the town, I made a longer promenade through its interior, when I found

the chief quarter, which had been the residence of Bello, greatly

dilapidated, and the royal mansion itself in a state of the utmost

decay. No doubt a considerable proportion of the inhabitants of the

town, especially the males, had joined the expedition of ʿAlíyu to

Zánfara: but as the greater part of the population consists of Zoromáwa

or Zoghorán, or, as they are called further westward, Jawámbe, a

peculiar tribe which I have mentioned before and about which I shall say

more in another place, mixed here with the Imóshagh of Ádar, who do not

join the army, the war could not exercise so great an influence upon the

desolate appearance of the place. The Zoromáwa, in fact, are the

artisans of the town, and the small tradesmen and brokers, and exercise

a sort of monopoly in the art of working in leather, in which they are

very expert, having probably learned it from the Emgedesíye.

In endeavouring to survey the town, I first paid a visit to the market,

which is situated at its north-eastern corner, on the brink of the

rugged slope which descends into the valley. It was empty at the present

time,—only a few slight sheds being made ready for the following day,

when the great market was to be held; and the prospect over the broad

flat valley to the north and north-west, in the direction of Dúnday, was

uninterrupted, presenting at this season a scorched-up savanna, while

the deep rill of the river was scarcely to be distinguished. A number of

blind women, leaning on their staves or led by young children, were seen

carrying pitchers of water up the cliff, affording a sad proof of the

unhealthiness of the situation of the town, where blindness is very

frequent. Turning then westwards from the market, I reached the house of

the late king ʿAtíku, where at present his son Hámedu resides, who

formerly had his residence at Bakúra, till that place was taken by the

Góberáwa. The house is in good repair, and the quarter adjacent is

tolerably well inhabited—at least, better than any other part of the

town; for Hámedu is the chief of the Sissílbe or Syllebáwa[57], who form

the principal stock of the population of the neighbouring hamlets or

rugga of Sókoto. The different nationality of these Syllebáwa, causing a

diversity of interests and pursuits, is stated to be one of the reasons

why ʿAlíyu, who has been made sultan chiefly through the influence of

the Tórobe, does not like to reside at Sókoto as well as at Wurnó,

although his residence at the latter place is greatly needed in the

present reduced state of his power, in consequence of the continual

danger from the Góberáwa, who, if the sultan should stay in Sókoto,

would endanger the safety of all the people living in the open villages

and hamlets between the former and the present residence; and it was on

this account that Bello built the town of Magáriya (the site of which, a

little to the north-east of the latter, I have indicated on a former

occasion), which, however, was soon abandoned for Wurnó.

The chief, Hámedu, was at present absent; but I have mentioned already

that I sent him a present immediately on my arrival in Gáwasú, on

account of his influential position, although I thought it politic

afterwards to keep out of his way as much as possible, in order not to

excite any jealousy, Hámedu being one of the nearest, if not the very

nearest, to the succession, but opposed by the greater part of the

present courtiers. Passing, then, along the well-frequented road which

leads out of the town, we emerged from the kófa-n-ʿAtíku, in order to

obtain a first glimpse of the country which I was to traverse on my road

to Gando.

It was an open level tract, at present without many signs of vegetation;

but that part nearest the town was agreeably enlivened by a thriving

suburb extending as far as the kófa-n-Tarámnia, and buried in a thicket

of shady trees and hedges, thus presenting altogether a more animated

spectacle than the interior of the town itself. Keeping along the

machicolated wall, here only about twelve feet high and surrounded by a

ditch, and following the path between it and the suburb, we entered the

town, and turned our steps to the house of the gedádo, where Captain

Clapperton closed his meritorious career as an African explorer.

The house is still in tolerable repair, ʿAbdú, the son of the gedádo,

who, although not very energetic, and still less warlike, is a man of

cheerful disposition and good principles, having too great a veneration

for his father, who did so much towards embellishing and adorning this

town, to allow his residence to go to ruin. The old gedádo had long

outlived his master, Bello; and if I had proceeded to Sókoto directly

from Ágades, I should still have found him alive; for he only died

during my presence in Kanó, in February 1851. I will here only mention

that it was believed for a moment in England that Clapperton died from

the effects of poison; but the amount of fatigue, privations, and

sickness to which this most eminent of African travellers was exposed on

his circuitous journey, by way of Núpe and Kanó, from the coast as far

as this place, explains fully how he was unable to withstand the effects

of the shock which mental disappointment exercised upon him: nay, it is

wonderful how he bore up so long, if his own hints with regard to the

state of his health are taken into account.

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

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

MARKET OF SÓKOTO.

April 22nd. 1853.]

In the evening, my old friend Módibo ʿAlí, and the mother of Ábú, the

elder and more warlike brother of the present ghaladíma, who was slain

by the Góberáwa two years before my visit to this place, treated me

hospitably, and I sent a present to Sʿaídu, a younger son of Bello, who

resides in Sókoto, and is considered as a sort of mayor.

[Sidenote: Friday, April 22nd.]

It was the great market-day, which was of some importance to me, as I

had to buy a good many things, so that I was obliged to send there a sum

of 70,000 shells; but the market did not become well-frequented or well-

stocked till between two and three o’clock in the afternoon, when I

myself proceeded thither. I had taken a ride in the morning through the

south-eastern quarter of the town, proceeding through the kófa-n-ʿAtíku,

thence along the wall, towards the west, and re-entered the town by the

kófa-n-ʿAlí Jédu, where the whole quarter is very desolate, even the

wall being in a state of decay, and the fine mosque, built by the gedádo

during Clapperton’s stay here, fallen entirely to ruins. But, even in

the present reduced condition of the place, the market still presented a

very interesting sight, the numerous groups of people, buyers as well as

sellers, and the animals of various descriptions, being picturesquely

scattered over the rocky slope, as I have endeavoured to represent in

the plate opposite. The market was tolerably well attended, and well

supplied, there being about thirty horses, three hundred head of cattle

for slaughtering, fifty takérkere, or oxen of burden, and a great

quantity of leather articles (this being the most celebrated branch of

manufacture in Sókoto), especially leather bags, cushions, and similar

articles, the leather dressed and prepared here being very soft and

beautiful. There were more than a hundred bridles for sale, the

workmanship of which is very famous throughout all this part of

Negroland; but especially a large quantity of iron was exposed for sale,

the iron of Sókoto being of excellent quality and much sought for, while

that of Kanó is of bad quality. A good many slaves were exhibited, and

fetched a higher price than might be supposed,—a lad of very indifferent

appearance being sold for 33,000 shells; I myself bought a pony for

30,000. It being just about the period when the salt-caravan visits

these parts, dates also, which usually form a small addition to the

principal merchandise of those traders of the desert, were to be had;

and I filled a leather bag, for some 2000 shells, in order to give a

little more variety to my food on the long road which lay before me.

[Sidenote: April 23rd.]

I took another interesting ride through the kófa-n-Dúnday, not following

the direct road to that village, which lies close to the junction of the

gulbi-n-Ríma with the gulbi-n-Rába, but not far from the decayed

northern wall, and thus crossed a considerable channel, a branch of the

river, full of water, being even at the present time about fifteen yards

wide, and a foot and a half in depth, and then, keeping away from the

village, reached the other branch, which was narrower but more richly

bordered by bushes, and, following it up in an easterly direction,

reached the point of junction, or “megangámu.”

The whole valley here formed one uninterrupted rice-field; and how

different was the aspect of the country from what it exhibited on my

home journey, at the end of the rainy season of the following year! A

number of small boats were lying here, at the side of the narrow

channel, but all of them separated into two halves, which had to be sewn

together when their services were required for the rainy season. From

this point I crossed over to the road leading to the village of Koré,

where, two days later, a party of Kél-geres made a foray; and returning

along this road towards the town, at a distance of about five hundred

yards from the wall, we crossed another small arm of the river, which

during the rainy season forms an extensive swamp. Leaving then the kófa-

n-Koré on our right, we turned round the north-eastern corner of the

wall, and ascended towards the kófa-n-Marké, which has received this

name from a tree of the marké kind, although at present none are to be

seen here. On the next page is a sketch of a ground-plan of the town.

[Illustration: SÓKOTO.

1. Market-place.

2. House of Gedádo, at present ʿAbdú.

3. House of Bello, now of ʿAlíyu, very much in decay.

4. House of ʿAtíku, at present Hámedu, and close to it the mosque

built by Gedádo, now in ruins.

5. Kófa-n-Koré.

6. Kófa-n-Dúnday.

7. Kófa-n-Kadé.

8. Kófa-n-ʿAlí Jédu.

9. Kófa-n-ʿAtíku.

10. Kófa-n-Tarámnia.

11. Kófa-n-Rími.

12. Kófa-n-Marké.

13. Suburb.]

Altogether my visit to Sókoto formed a most interesting intermezzo to my

involuntary stay in the capital, although it could not fail to give me a

further insight into the frail character of the dominion of the Fúlbe

over these regions; and during my stay here I certainly had no cause to

complain of inhospitable treatment, as my friend Módibo ʿAlí sent me,

every day, a large basin of furá, the favourite drink of ghussub water,

two dishes of hasty pudding, and two bowls of milk. Having given, by

this excursion to the former capital, fresh energy to my spirits, I

returned to my quarters in Wurnó on the 24th, accomplishing the distance

in little more than four hours; and it was time that I returned, for in

the evening of that same day the joyful news arrived that the sultan had

reached Gándi. However, he did not enter Wurnó till the 23rd, having

forwarded a message to me the preceding evening from Yan-serkí, in the

territory of Rába, requesting me to meet him the following morning

outside the town. In consequence of this I mounted on horseback with the

first dawn of day, but found the sultan already close to the gate,

descending the rocky path which leads from the above-mentioned place. He

then made a halt, with his whole suite, and saluted me in the kindest

manner, calling me by my name, ʿAbd el Kerím. The sultan was followed by

the ghaladíma; and I here first made the acquaintance of the learned

ʿAbd el Káder dan Taffa (Mustapha), whom I was most anxious to see, in

order to obtain from him some historical information. As soon as the

people had dispersed quietly, returning to their various quarters, I

sent him a present, when he paid me a visit in the evening, and

furnished me immediately with some positive data with regard to the

history of the dynasty of the Asáki, or Áskia, the rulers of Songhay,

which he had perfectly in his head, and which were of the greatest

importance in giving me an insight into the historical relation of the

western countries of these regions with that of Central Negroland.

[Sidenote: April 29th.]

In the forenoon I went to ʿAlíyu, in order to pay my compliments to him

upon his safe return from this expedition, which, although not very

glorious, had yet proved not quite unprofitable, he having reduced to

subjection the poor little hamlets of the rocky district of Kotórkoshé,

the inhabitants of which had previously placed themselves under the

protection of the enemy; but even this insignificant victory he had only

achieved through the bravery of the horsemen from Kátsena, while his own

men had, as usual, exhibited the greatest cowardice. As long as the

Fúlbe do not defeat the host of the Góberáwa, who take the field every

year and offer them battle, the state of this empire will become daily

worse and worse, while at present each of the two parties, the

indigenous inhabitants as well as the conquerors, do nothing but

accelerate the ruin of the country, without dealing a decided blow.

Although I had made the chief a very respectable present on my first

arrival, I thought it well to give greater impulse to his friendly

disposition towards me, by adding something also this time, presenting

him with a cloth waistcoat and several smaller articles, besides a

musical box, with the performance of which he was extremely pleased; but

unfortunately, when, anxious to impart his delight to his greatest

friend and principal minister, ʿAbdú the son of Gedádo, he had called

the latter to witness this wonder, the mysterious box, affected by the

change of climate and the jolting of the long journey, was silent for a

moment, and would not play. I may observe here, that I think it better

for travellers not to make such presents as musical boxes, which so

easily get out of order. The sultan fully granted my request for a

speedy departure, promising also to assist me in my dangerous

undertaking with a small “rékkia” or escort; and it was very essential

to me to hasten my proceedings, as the following day brought the first

evident proof of the approach of the rainy season.