Completely drenched, and almost swamped by the water, we reached the

village of Denga, but had the greatest difficulty in entering it, on

account of the dense forest with which it was surrounded. At length we

succeeded in penetrating this mass of thorny bushes, and, having

obtained quarters, were able to dry our clothes; but the damp was

excessive, and the second-best of my servants, the young Shúwa lad ʿAbd

Alláhi, was this very day attacked by the Guinea worm, which laid him up

during the whole of the remainder of my journey, and at times rendered

him the most disagreeable person in the world.

The hut which was assigned to myself was well built; but it was so

completely obstructed by numbers of corn jars of clay, that scarcely any

room was left for my own use. Our diet, however, was not so bad, and

besides sour milk, which constitutes one of the most wholesome articles

of food for a European traveller in these regions during the rainy

season, we obtained also a couple of fowls.

[Sidenote: Wednesday, July 6th.]

Our road, on leaving Denga, led through underwood, which was gradually

succeeded by dense forest, the view being bounded towards the right by

heights. Among the trees of the forest, there was soon conspicuous that

large beautiful tree, a species of acacia, which the inhabitants of

Sháwi and Mákari call korgam, and from which they build most of their

boats, while a kind of vegetable butter is made from its core. It grew

here to an altitude of certainly not less than eighty feet, with a wide-

spreading crown, but not very dense foliage. It is here called “mur,” at

least by the Arabs; its native Songhay name I did not learn till some

time subsequently.

Amongst the underwood, the most distinguished was the bush here called

“kírche,” with its small, white, edible fruit, which is extremely

pleasant when taken in small quantities, but, from its very sweet taste,

soon becomes unpalatable; there was, besides, the “mekhét,” as it is

called by the Arabs, the fruit of which is much liked by the natives,

but it was not yet ripe. The wilderness was interrupted by a village of

considerable size, called Gongúngo, surrounded by a living fence of

bushes, and exhibiting a good deal of cultivation, principally _Zea

Maïs_, while a single dúm palm attracted our attention. Here the sun

broke through the clouds, spreading life over, and enhancing the

cheerful aspect of, the landscape.

Forest again succeeded, intersected by a small rivulet which had

inundated the district to some extent; and about two miles beyond

Gongúngo we had to cross swampy meadow grounds, where my Háusa Púllo, a

native of Zabérma, whom I had taken into my service in Champagóre,

called my attention to a plant named here “yángara-bubíki,” which is

said to keep flies from open wounds, especially from those of the camel;

it probably contains a sort of slight poison. Having crossed a short

tract of rugged ground, where granite, gneiss, and sandstone protruded

through the surface, we entered a more populous district, with several

villages right and left, but presenting great difficulties to the

passage of the camels, as it consisted of red clay, soaked with water,

which formed several large ponds, and, being recently traversed by a

numerous herd of cattle, was extremely muddy.

Thus leaving two villages on one side, we reached, a little before noon,

the clay wall of the town of Sebba, which, though the residence of the

lord of Yágha, has nothing in its appearance to indicate the capital of

even a small province. The governor was sitting in front of his house,

close to the mosque, in the midst of a large congregation of people, and

was reading and interpreting to them some passages from the Kurán.

Having sent two of my servants in advance, I soon obtained quarters, and

was lodged in an excellent hut, which I shall here describe.

The hut measured about twenty feet in diameter, the walls being ten feet

high to the beginning of the roof, but consisting merely of matting,

which was coated with clay. The roof was supported by a pole in the

middle. The hut was full of larger or smaller vessels of clay, and was

apparently intended for a considerable household. The woodcut below will

give a full idea of the comfort which an African household in this

region possesses.

[Illustration:

1. Jodórde, a clay seat of semicircular shape, raised about a foot, on

each side of the door.

2. Lýggere, two round shallow holes in the floor, measuring about

eight inches in diameter, to place the dishes during dinner, in order

to prevent them from being upset.

3. Kosóndi, a half-oval-shaped place, surrounded by a slight clay

rampart, about two and a half feet high, for containing luggage, &c.

4. Hurgal, a sort of clay bank, about six feet in length, and about a

foot in height, and rather narrow.

5. Three “benbel,” or large-sized clay jars, for containing corn.

6. Six smaller “benbel,” called “mabbirgel benbel.”

7. Hobinírde, the cooking-place, consisting of four stones, or rather

clay mounds, protected against any gust of wind by a slight wall

towards the side of the door, while its privacy is already

sufficiently guaranteed by the large clay jars.

8. Two movable seats, or jodórde, one of round, the other of an oblong

shape, both made of wood.

9. Kekimákka, or middle pole, for supporting the roof of the hut.]

Besides the immovable articles, if we exclude the two smaller seats of

wood which were movable, only very few utensils had been left in the hut

by the industrious landlady, the couch and even the dishes having been

taken away. But suspended from the roof was the “pílgure,” or basket for

smaller luggage, which contained at the time, besides the komcha, the

pittórke, or small stick for weaving, and the fabáru, a small leather

portfolio for writing. The accompanying view, though it exhibits the hut

rather in an inverted manner, will give the reader a fair idea of its

character.

[Illustration]

The clay being excellently polished, and the hut of recent construction,

left a very pleasant impression; but, as is so often the case in human

life, all this finery covered nothing but misery, and I discovered the

next day, to my utter amazement, that this beautiful hut was one entire

nest of ants, which had in one day made great havoc with the whole of my

luggage.

In the afternoon I went to pay my respects to the governor, who is not

without power, so that I thought it better to sacrifice to him a bernús

of inferior quality, besides some smaller articles. He was a fine-grown

man, with large features, which at once indicated his origin from the

black stock of the Fúlbe or the Tórobe. Sitting at the door of his

palace, he received me kindly, and promised me that I should have no

difficulty in my further progress. Considering the scarcity of

provisions, he treated me hospitably on the whole, sending me the next

day a young heifer, besides a great many dishes of prepared food.

The name of the principality is Yágha[68], dating from the time which

preceded the conquest of the Fúlbe; but the governor’s private name is

Sájo ben Ibrahíma.

Notwithstanding the power of the ruler, the place is in a miserable

condition, and resembles rather a wilderness than a town; but it is

extremely picturesque, having a thick covert of beautiful trees

nourished by a large sheet of water. The place contains scarcely 200

huts, and nothing like a market is to be found. The difficulty of our

obtaining supplies was the greater, as, contrary to our expectation and

the information we had received, nothing but shells had currency in the

place; and it was with a great deal of trouble that, by means of the

cotton strips with which we had provided ourselves, we obtained a small

supply of butter and corn, four drʿa being reckoned here the same as in

Gando, while in the town of Say there was thirty per cent profit upon

the cotton strips. The most abundant article I found here was milk,

which was the best I had ever yet tasted in Negroland; and it gave me a

fair but rather exaggerated idea of what I might expect to find amongst

the Fúlbe further west. We also bought a small quantity of corn from the

women, in exchange for some looking-glasses and cloves. All the corn

here consists of sorghum; and seventy shells, at the time, would just

buy sufficient corn for a horse for one day, which is a very high price

indeed for Negroland.

Notwithstanding the poor character of the place, I was obliged to stay

here two whole days, exclusive of the day of my arrival, in order to

give the camels some rest, as they were suffering greatly from the

effects of the rainy season, and on account of the holiday of the

“fotr,” which fell on the 8th. If I had known the character of the

province of Libtáko better, I should have deemed it prudent to make even

a longer stay here: and I would advise any future traveller to do so,

taking care, however, to have a sufficient supply of shells with him,

which will enable him to make himself quite comfortable in Yágha.

Music having announced the arrival of the important and joyful day, soon

after midnight, almost the whole of the men went out in the morning in

order to say their prayers at about a mile’s distance from the town. All

the Fúlbe were dressed in snow-white shirts, as a symbol of the purity

of their creed; but some of them wore dark-blue trousers. There were

about forty horses with the party, which probably was all that the

townspeople could muster.

Having had to sustain here a slight religious attack from the kádhi, who

wanted to represent me as a sorcerer, I thought it prudent to make a

small present to each of the holiday people, as a kind of séddega, or

alms. The holiday also disturbed me in compiling a small vocabulary of

the Gurma language, called by the Fúlbe Gurman-kóbe, which I had begun,

but was obliged to leave unfinished.

[Footnote 64: The present consisted of a red cap, half a piece of

muslin, and some smaller articles.]

[Footnote 65: For a list of the other places in Gurma, and some

itineraries establishing their position, as well as the more important

places in Mósi, see Appendix V.]

[Footnote 66: As smaller places of the Songhay in this district, the

following were mentioned to me: Fonekówa, Díbbilo, Léde, Dúmba, and

Bási.]

[Footnote 67: The principal stations of this interesting route, at a

very slow rate, are the following, starting from Yendi:—

1 day. Kaña, still on the great high-road to Komba.

5 days. Natóngo, a village inhabited by Dagómba.

5 „ Wólawóla, a large place inhabited partly by pagans, partly by

Mohammedans, and dependent on Yendi.

10 „ Béri, a large place belonging to Mósi.

3 „ Another Mósi place, the residence of a powerful officer of the chief

of Wóghodoghó, to whom these native travellers give the title of Yeríma.

1 day. Sálugu, a market-place, residence of a governor.

1 „ Belússa, a large place of Mósi, to be mentioned also in other

itineraries.

7 days. Libtúgu, a small Gurma village.

1 day. Yágha.]

[Footnote 68: The places belonging to the province of Yágha are the

following: Denga, Gongúngo, Gesángu, Sínsirga, Nótu, Dóri (surnamed

Dembíni, in order to distinguish it from Dóri or Dóre in Libtáko),

Sebba, Namantúgu, Kankanfógu, Hóga, Humóre, Kábo.]

CHAP. LXI.

PROVINCE OF LIBTÁKO. — SOUTH-EASTERN LIMIT OF THE RANGE OF THE COMMERCE

OF TIMBÚKTU.

[Sidenote: Saturday, July 9th.]

We left Sebba the capital of the wilderness—bírni-n-dáji, as I called

it,—passing through a district where forest and cultivated ground

alternated. The slaves were busy in the fields rooting up the weeds

from among the crops; but, after a march of about four miles, we had

to cross a very considerable water, which is here called Yáli, and

about whose course I am not able to give distinct information. It is

said to come from Mósi, and to join the river Sirba not far from

Bosebángo; but the latter statement is incredible. The water being not

less than four feet and a half in depth, with a breadth of at least

four hundred yards, most of our luggage became wetted.

The country then assumed a more rocky appearance—mica slate, granite,

and gneiss alternating, the granite sometimes appearing in large

boulders. The vegetation also assumed here a more varied aspect, besides

tamarind trees, mádachi and kadé predominating; and altogether the

forest exhibited a fresh and pleasant character, especially as the sun

had at length broken through the clouds which had obscured its rays

during the first part of the day. After a march altogether of about

eleven miles, we reached the village of Namantúgu, which still belongs

to the province of Yágha, the mayor of which we had met a short time

before, on the road, as he was going to look after his cattle.

The village is of some importance, and consists of several groups which

cover an extensive tract of ground, lying straggling about in the

fields; but the huts themselves are very narrow, and the one which was

assigned to myself was so small that there was scarcely room to breathe.

Nothing is more unhealthy for a European than these abodes of stench and

filth; but during the rainy season he is often obliged to seek shelter

in these dirty dwellings, especially if he has valuable property in his

possession.

Namantúgu, which seems to have been of considerable importance in the

history of the Songhay empire[69], was a rather eventful place for my

whole subsequent proceedings, as I here met an Arab from the west, in

whose company I was safely to enter the town of Timbúktu. He called

himself Sheikho, though this was not originally his proper name; and, in

order not to cause any mistake, I will in future call him (from his

father and the name of his birthplace) Weled Ámmer Waláti. He was

certainly a very remarkable fellow; and I shall have frequent occasion,

in the further course of my journey, to advert to his doings. Being

originally a native of Waláta, he had emigrated to Timbúktu, whence he

had roved about a great deal among the Tawárek as well as among the

Fúlbe, and was at present on his way from Belánga, the residence of one

of the principal chiefs of Gurma. He had a good quantity of the broad

gábagá, or cotton strips, of Mósi with him, which form the staple

currency in the whole tract of country from Libtáko to Timbúktu, ten

drʿa being reckoned equal to one hundred shells. Besides Arabic, he

spoke Fulfúlde, Songhay, Mósi, and Bámbara fluently, and Temáshight, or

the language of the Tawárek, almost as well, and altogether was one of

the cleverest men whom I met on my journey, in spite of the trouble he

caused me and the tricks he played me. He was a handsome man, of middle

size and of rather slender growth, and with very fine expressive

features. His dress consisted of a long black gown, with a black shawl

wound round his head; and his whole appearance, as he was moving along

at a solemn thoughtful pace, frequently reminded me of the servants of

the Inquisition. However, his real character at the time of our first

meeting was, of course, unknown to me, and I was delighted at having

found such a man, as he held out to me the fairest prospects of reaching

Timbúktu. But although I convinced myself that this man would be of

great service to me, yet I did not make a bargain with him immediately,

but we agreed that I should arrange with him in Dóre, when he would be

able to settle his own business.

The village of Namantúgu is almost exclusively inhabited by Fúlbe, all

of whom were clad in the purest white, even the little children wearing

round their heads a large turban of white cotton strips; but this was,

perhaps, in consequence of their festival having been held the previous

day. A great deal of rain had fallen hereabouts; and cotton appeared to

be cultivated to a considerable extent.

[Sidenote: Sunday, July 10th.]

Our road, on leaving Namantúgu, led through a deep clayey soil covered

with rank vegetation, which was only now and then interrupted by a

little cultivation. A wealthy family of Fúlbe, father, mother, son, and

daughter, all mounted on horseback, and accompanied by servants and by a

numerous herd of cattle, were pursuing the same path; and their company

was rather agreeable to us, as, after a march of about five miles, we

had to cross a large sheet of water in the midst of the forest, through

which they showed us the way. It is delightful for a traveller to meet

with these nomadic settlers, after the disgust he has felt at the

degraded character of their countrymen in Wurno. We had here entered a

region full of water, the soil presenting very little inclination to

afford it the means of flowing off. Further on also, where we passed the

site of a former dwelling-place, we had to cross several channels of

running water, and encamped at length, after a march of about seventeen

miles, in the midst of the forest, close beyond another watercourse; for

we were not aware that about two miles further on there was a far more

favourable place for encamping, viz. the site of the former town of

Tumpénga.

The site of this place we passed early the next morning. Before the time

of the rising of the Jihádi, the town had been inhabited by Fúlbe and

pagans indiscriminately, when, owing to the religious ferment caused by

that reformer, a bloody feud broke out between the Mohammedan and pagan

inhabitants. The latter were vanquished, and fled to Nába, the powerful

Gurma domain at some distance towards the south, while the former

founded the town of Dóre. Two dyeing-places bore testimony to the fact

that a certain degree of industry had formerly prevailed in this place,

which, like so many other human abodes in Christian and Mohammedan

countries, has been reduced to desolation in consequence of religious

disputes.

Beyond this place granite protruded in large boulders, while monkey-

bread trees were in great abundance; but gradually the country became

more open, the trees being scanty and the soil hard and barren. This did

not, however, last long, and further on we had to cross a considerable

sheet of water surrounded by fine pasture-grounds; then followed another

very barren and open tract, till, after a march of almost twenty miles,

we reached the village of Kória, situated beyond a broad sandy

watercourse at present dry. The scarcity of herbage was here so great

that I was obliged to send two of my people back to a considerable

distance in order to procure a little grass for the horses. The head man

of the village received us very inhospitably, refusing us quarters in

such a peremptory manner, that it was only by force I could procure an

open yard where to pitch my tent. However, he soon changed his behaviour

entirely. It so happened that a thunder-storm, with the blackest clouds,

which in the opinion of every one portended a heavy fall of rain, twice

passed over our heads without bringing these famished people a single

drop; whereupon all of them assured the inhospitable mayor that it was a

divine punishment for his niggardly and unrighteous conduct towards me.

Frightened, therefore, by such signs, he carried his hospitality so far

as even to make me a present of a young heifer. But the first advances

towards a friendly intercourse were made by an old woman, the mistress

of the piece of ground where we had encamped,—she bringing me, as a

token of goodwill, a dish of well-cooked paste, which probably

constituted her whole supper.

Considering the parched character of the whole neighbourhood, I was

surprised to find a few dúm palms at the border of the channel, while

the whole neighbourhood was almost destitute of trees.

[Sidenote: Tuesday, July 12th.]

A short march of a little less than six miles, in company with the son

of the old governor, brought us from here to Dóre. The country through

which we passed bore at the time the character of extreme drought and

barrenness; and numerous flocks of gazelles (quite an unusual aspect to

me in the populous districts of Negroland through which I had passed)

were roving about over this immense plain, which was scarcely broken by

a single tree, with the exception of a few stunted monkey-bread trees.

In the distance, towards the south, two small eminences bounded the

horizon.

The remnant of a large herd of cattle, in a most emaciated condition,

was scattered in the barren fields, licking the soil, which is here full

of natron. The seed had already been sown, but the crops had scarcely

started forth from the ground, and were languishing for want of rain.

Huts were occasionally seen for the first mile or two, but being exposed

to the full force of the sun, without affording the least shade, they

presented rather a dismal aspect. But this immense plain, which at the

present season was only very slightly broken, about halfway, by a

shallow strip of green bordered by projecting granite boulders, supplies

abundant food for a fine breed of horses, for which Libtáko is

remarkable.

Dóre is the chief place of the province of Libtáko; but its appearance

caused us the utmost disappointment, presenting, as it did, unmistakable

signs of misery and decay, the wall by which it had been formerly

surrounded being nothing but a disgusting heap of rubbish, while the

whole place exhibited the utmost neglect. But, through the kind

interference of a messenger of Galaijo, who was most opportunely here at

the time, I was lodged in an excellent and spacious hut, measuring

probably not less than thirty-five feet in diameter, and presenting a

remarkable contrast to the little dirty nook which formed my quarters in

Namantúgu. The place is said to abound in thieves, which is not

astonishing, as it is not only the rendezvous for all the natives from

the different tribes which dwell in the immediate neighbourhood, but

even several Bórnu people have settled here since the inroad of Wádáy.

Dóre is principally a great place of resort for the Arabs of Ázawád, the

district to the north of Timbúktu, who bring to this market the salt of

Taödénni in great quantities, and occasionally even reside here for a

long time; but they generally come direct from Ázawád without touching

at Timbúktu, proceeding by way of Gágho (the ancient capital of the

Songhay empire, and once the great gold-market of the western part of

Negroland), or, still more direct, by Tósaye, the point where the river

greatly contracts, before it changes from an easterly to a south-

easterly course. Some of them are very wealthy people,—one individual

having as many as forty camels with him. Among other important

information, I received from them the news that Hámed Weled Habíb, the

sheikh of Árawán, who, from the account of Caillié[70], is generally

regarded in Europe as the chief murderer of Major Laing, had died a

short time before, after a reign of nearly forty years; and I regarded

this piece of news as a very auspicious omen for the success of my

undertaking.

These Arabs left on the 17th,—a circumstance not quite indifferent to

me, as I was led to expect that they might carry the news of my arrival,

not only into the heart of the desert, but also to Timbúktu, and thus

augment the difficulties of my journey. There were, however, also a good

many individuals who wanted to pass themselves off for Arabs without

having any claim to such a descent. Besides the Arabs, the Wángaráwa, or

Eastern Mandingoes, especially from Miniána and Wássulo, the inhabitants

of Mósi, and the people of Gʿaó, Gágho, or Gógó, frequent this market-

place in considerable numbers; and it is principally the Wángaráwa who

impart to this town its importance, supplying it with a small quantity

of white Kóla nuts, for which the consumption here seems not to be very

great, besides wodʿa (shells), or “chéde,” as the Fúlbe call them, which

are evidently imported from the coast of Sierra Leone, or, more

probably, from the river Nuñez[71], but they were entirely wanting at

the time. The people of Mósi bring chiefly their fine donkeys, which are

greatly sought after; and a numerous body of people of the sheikh

Áhmedu, of Hamda-Alláhi, had left a few days before with a number of

asses which they had bought here. Besides asses, the people of Mósi

supply this market with gábagá, or “tári,” as the Arabs near Timbúktu

call them, cotton being extremely cheap in their country, so that in the

great market-places of that country, especially in Kulféla, an indigo-

coloured shirt is not worth more than from 700 to 800 shells.

The inhabitants of the ancient capital of the Songhay empire, and the

people thereabouts, on the banks of the Niger, bring chiefly butter and

corn to market; and it was highly interesting to me to be here brought

into direct communication with that place, which, although once the most

celebrated and renowned in all Negroland, yet has become so completely

obliterated, that its geographical position has given rise to the most

contrary opinions among the learned geographers of our age.

Shells formed the currency of the market, and these it was very

difficult to obtain. In order to supply my wants I was obliged to sell

my túrkedís for 2500 to 3000 shells each, while in the town of Say they

had realised 4000, and, as I afterwards found, fetched the same price in

Timbúktu. Sometimes I was not able to dispose either of my túrkedís or

my tobes, even at the lowest price; while others, that I had at length

succeeded in selling, were returned to me as defective. I was at

considerable expense for my large household, my three horses alone (ʿAlí

providing for the other two) costing me every day 400 shells for the

corn with which I was forced to feed them exclusively.

Almost all the corn which is brought into the market consists of Negro

millet, or _Pennisetum typhoïdeum_, while Indian millet, or sorghum, is

found only in very small quantities; and I was repeatedly prevented from

buying, because I was not possessed of what the people wanted. Thus

when, on the 13th, a caravan of Tawárek serfs, with oxen, arrived

bringing corn from Gógó, they refused to accept anything I could offer

them, viz. shirts, zenne, and gábagá; and the day before I started there

was no corn at all to be got, as no Tárki had arrived. Not the smallest

particle of rice was to be obtained; and I could not but deem myself

fortunate in being able to procure a small supply of vegetable paste of

dodówa, which made my food of millet a little more endurable. This

formed my usual supper. In the morning I usually breakfasted on tíggera,

or cold paste, with sour milk; the latter being excellent and very

cheap, and almost the only article which was to be found in abundance.

But, besides the great difficulty I had in supplying my wants during my

residence in the place, I had still more trouble in obtaining the

currency of the country through which I had to pass on my journey to

Timbúktu; this is the “faráwel,” or “feruwál,” as it is called by the

Arabs, a long narrow strip of cotton cloth sewn together from a number

of pieces, and supposed to measure thirty-two drʿa, though in reality

the measure does not exceed thirty. The price of each feruwál is

generally three hundred shells; but during my stay it rose to four

hundred.

The market is held on the border of the village, on the bleak open

ground which extends to the south; but there were very rarely more than

500 people, and in general scarcely as many as two hundred, assembled.

But it is not to be denied that, taking into account the manner of

living in these regions, a good deal of business is transacted in this

place; and, on account of the many strangers who visit it, ready-cooked

pudding, tíggera, and sour milk are offered for sale throughout the

whole day. Besides salt, cotton strips, dyed cloth, Kóla nuts, corn, and

asses, some copper manufactured chiefly into large drinking-vessels is

also brought into the market by the people of Mósi. However, I do not

think they manufacture the copper vessels themselves, but bring them

from Asanti. Copper is worn by the inhabitants, by way of ornament, to a

large extent; and I was greatly amused on observing that some of the

young girls wore in the long plaits of their hair a very remarkable

ornament made of that metal, representing a warrior on horseback with a

drawn sword in his hand and a pipe in his mouth; for, with the Songhay

people, smoking, although forbidden by the present ruler of the western

part of the former territory of their empire, the fanatical prince of

Hamda-Alláhi, is, next to dancing, the chief enjoyment of their

existence. Whether these small horsemen worn in the hair of the young

damsels form an ornament without meaning, or are intended as auspicious

omens as to their future husbands, I cannot say; and I must apologise to

the reader for not being able, in this part of my journey, which was

more beset by dangers, to enter fully into the private life of the

people.

Altogether, Dóre, or as it is generally called, by the name of the whole

province, Libtáko, appeared to me an extremely dry and uncomfortable

place. However, this seemed to be rather exceptional, owing to the

extraordinary drought prevailing that year; and it was not until the

evening of the 17th of this month (July), that we had a moderate fall of

rain, when nature as well as man appeared a little refreshed. The name

which the Tawárek, as well as the Arabs of Ázawád, give to this place,

namely Wéndu, or Wínde, seems to imply quite another character, as the

word means pond or lake; but, in reality, a very extensive sheet of

water is annually formed close to the western side of the town, although

during my stay the extensive depression was dry; and I even have ground

to suppose that this sheet of water is very often, through a very

considerable backwater, directly connected with the Niger.

The political state of the country, however, was at the present moment

worse than its material condition. The disorder and anarchy were such as

to make it appear as if there were no government at all. There were so

many different factions that one paralysed the other, and there is no

doubt that the present misery was the immediate consequence of such a

state of anarchy. There was a titular governor of the place called

Íbrahíma; but his mild disposition and his advanced age had left him

scarcely any power at all, and I had to make my peace with all parties

as well as I could. The most energetic and influential amongst the

aspirants to power seemed to be a relative of the governor, of the name

of Hámed ʿAísa. Then there was an elder but weaker brother of his, of

the name of Bélko, and, further, a man of the name of El Jeládi, who

troubled me greatly, begging me to write him a charm, by the secret

influence of which I might procure him the government of the place.

Libtáko is situated between many different tribes, with the seats of the

Tawárek close to the north, from whence these restless people are

continually pushing on; and this situation necessarily imbues the

inhabitants with a warlike spirit. In former times, especially, they

were renowned for their valour, and distinguished, moreover, by the

breed of their horses, but at the present moment, owing to the severe

drought which had prevailed for so long a time, all the horses had been

sent to a great distance, where they were likely to find better

pastures. At present, there being so many factions and no strong

government whatever, and the supremacy exercised by their liege lord in

Gando being a perfect nullity, no certain line of policy can be pursued,

and they are one day on good terms with the Tawárek, while the next day

some serious fighting takes place; and thus it happened that on the 16th

a party of these people, who supplied the market with the article which

all the people were in want of, were plundered of the whole of their

property. Even with the inhabitants of the province of Yágha, so nearly

related to themselves by origin and interest, there were serious

dissensions; and during my stay in the place, the latter drove away all

the cattle belonging to the village of Kória. The province comprises a

considerable number of villages[72], and, if well governed, would be of

great importance, especially as forming the western province of the

empire of Gando where it borders upon that of Másina, or Hamda-Alláhi.

I was peculiarly situated with regard to my new companion El Waláti, who

was the sole reason of my making so long a stay in this place, while my

exhausted camels, instead of having, as it was asserted, a fair

opportunity of recruiting their strength for the remainder of the

journey, were growing weaker every day from want of good feeding. The

clever Arab, who represented himself as a very important person in

Timbúktu, and as an intimate friend of the sheikh El Bakáy, under whose

especial protection I intended to place myself, at times had the power

of raising my spirits by the interesting information which he was able

to give me. Now and then, for instance, he described the great

mercantile importance of Sansándi, or dwelt upon the great authority

enjoyed by the chief, whose fame had inspired me with so much confidence

in my undertaking this journey to the west, and through whose influence

the former mercantile importance of Timbúktu had not only been entirely

restored, but a new interest had accrued to it as being the seat of a

religious chief of high authority, who exercised an influence, not very

unlike that of the pope of Rome, over a very large tract of country, and

extending even over the pagan tribes around, into the very heart of

Mósi, that country which, as we shall see more distinctly further on,

from a remote age has been the champion of paganism against Islám. But

on other occasions the conduct of my companion was so little

straightforward, as to fill me with serious fears. Nevertheless, I here

entered into an agreement with him, giving him a fine black tobe and a

black shawl, and stipulating to reward him, on my safe arrival in

Timbúktu, with a present of twenty dollars and a white heláli bernús,

besides buying him here a horse for the price of another tobe, three

túrkedí, and a black shawl. On the whole, at that time, I was too much

imposed upon by his fascinating manners to become fully aware of his

intriguing character; and perhaps it was well that it was so, or I might

not have trusted myself into his hands. However, by degrees, I became

heartily tired of the long delay which he, together with ʿAlí el Ágeren,

forced upon me. I had long prepared everything for my outset, and on the

20th I finished a letter, which I addressed to Her Majesty’s consul at

Tripoli, and inclosed it under cover to my friend ʿAbd el Káder dan

Taffa, in Sókoto, and decided on intrusting it to the care of Dahóme,

the man who had accompanied me from Gando, and who was to return home

from this place, beyond which he enjoyed no authority; but unfortunately

he took so little care of the parcel on his journey, when he had to

cross a great many swollen rivers, that the outer envelope was destroyed

entirely, so that the learned Púllo, not knowing what to make of a

letter in a writing which he did not understand, left it with the

bearer, with whom I found it on my return to Gando, in the middle of the

following year. He had worn it as a sort of charm in his cap, while I

expected that it had long reached Europe and informed my friends of my

latest proceedings.

[Footnote 69: See the Chronological Tables at the end of this volume.]

[Footnote 70: Caillié, “Travels to Timbuctoo,” vol. ii. p. 82. (Engl.

version.)]

[Footnote 71: I may as well state in this place, that, both in Dóre and

in Timbúktu, bargains are made according to the full hundred, or the

míye sala-míye, while in all the markets of Bámbara a fictitious

hundred, the míye ʿajemíye, being in reality eighty, forms the

standard.]

[Footnote 72: The names of the small towns and villages forming this

province are as follows: Dóre, Kória, Katínga, Wéndu, Dáni, Dángadé,

Sélgo, Jámga, Mámmashé, Báfadé, Pékul, Bámde, Babírke, Toródi, Pulé,

Gámbetí, Bedíngel, three villages of the name of Debére, Bámura,

Fadambáka, Gébu, Kóla, Bombúfa, Kácheré, Kénde, Lérbu, Buré,

Benbenjángo, Kollangel-páttidé, Nélba, Beresángo, Fúlgu, Bílli,

Chompángu (probably identical with Kampángu), Úregáudi, Gurmáre,

Úrelangáwu, Táka, Kilínke, Yákutá, Úriltáso, Úro-Bellábe, Bangatáke,

Tobijágha, Dankándi, Begontígi, Kúri.]

CHAP. LXII.

UNSETTLED PROVINCES OBSTRUCTED BY NATURE AND INFESTED BY MAN. —

ARIBÍNDA. — HÓMBORI.

[Sidenote: Thursday, July 21st.]

At length I set out on the last and most dangerous stage of my journey

to Timbúktu, thinking at the time that I should be able to reach that

celebrated place in about twenty days. But I underrated the distance,

such a very different position having been assigned to that mysterious

place by geographers; and I had no idea of the difficulties which

attended this journey, at least for a Christian, and the delays which

would be caused me by the character of the new companion whom I had

attached to me.

On leaving the turbulent town of Dóre, a great many armed people

accompanied me, much against my inclination; and their conduct was so

suspicious that we were obliged to make a halt and send them about their

business: for the inhabitants of this place, not long before, had robbed

and killed, in a similar manner, a wealthy sheríf, whom they pretended

to escort, on his way from Sansándi. Just in crossing the shallow

concavity where every year a very extensive sheet of water is formed,

which often assumes the dimensions of an immense lake, and even now was

covered with fine fresh turf, we met a large caravan of Mósi traders

from Bússumo, their asses heavily laden with immense bundles of tári, or

cotton strips, and with Kóla nuts. Further on, where a little

cultivation of cotton appeared, the monkey-bread or baobab tree became

predominant. Altogether the whole province seemed to be in a miserable

state; and the village Dánandé, which we passed after a march of about

seven miles, bore evident traces of having suffered from the effects of

war. The monotony of the country was pleasingly broken by a small

rivulet, which we crossed a few yards beyond the village, and which was

bordered by some very fine trees of the “mur” kind, which I have

mentioned on a former occasion as affording excellent timber for boat-

building. The baobab trees, also, were here greatly distinguished, both

by their size and their fine foliage.

We took up our quarters this day in Wúlu, a village situated beyond a

large sheet of water, or, as it is here called, “wéndu,” overgrown by

the finest trees. The place is inhabited by Tawárek slaves, who are

_trilingues_, speaking Temáshight as well as Songhay and Fulfúlde; but

their huts were very miserable indeed, and of mosquitoes there was no

end, and we had likewise great difficulty in finding a supply of corn.

The hut in which I took up my quarters had been recently built, and on

the whole was not so bad, but so choke-full of simple furniture, such as

large jars, pots, dishes, saddles, provision-bags, and numerous other

articles, that I could scarcely find room for myself, while the

proprietor, when he returned from the fields and found a stranger

quartered in the midst of all his treasures, felt so anxious, that he

did not stir from the door. However, the west side of the village being

bordered by a large sheet of water, or tebki, richly adorned with trees

and herbage, I did not remain long in my close quarters, but hastened

towards this green open spot, which was delicious in the extreme, but

gave birth to a legion of mosquitoes.

We felt the inconvenience of this little hamlet the more, as we were

obliged to stay here the following day; for we received a credible

report that El Khatír, the most powerful of the neighbouring Tawárek

chiefs, intended making a foray against this place, and the inhabitants

were in a state of the utmost alarm. But a thunder-storm which broke out

the next morning, accompanied with a considerable quantity of rain,

relieved us, most providentially, of all danger from this quarter,

swelling the many watercourses which intersect this region, to such a

degree that they became impassable to the enemy. On the west side of the

hamlet where we were encamped there is a considerable suburb of Fúlbe

cattle-breeders; and in the evening a great many of them paid me a

visit.

[Sidenote: Saturday, July 23rd.]

We had here entered a district which was very different from that which

we had hitherto traversed in the province of Libtáko; and the nature of

which caused us great delay, and very serious difficulties, on account

of the many rivers and swamps which we had to cross. During the first

part of our day’s march, we had the wéndu of Wúlu for a long time on our

right, but, having crossed without much difficulty one considerable

branch of it, we came to another water with a strong current, which

caused us a long delay, as it was at the time about 400 yards across,

and not less than four and a half feet deep in the channel. The water at

this spot has a southerly course; but it is difficult to say what

greater river it joins.[73] For several miles the upper course of this

same water, as it seemed, was seen at a short distance on our right.

Large wide-spreading “mur,” tamarind, and monkey-bread trees everywhere

appeared, and we could see the footsteps of a great number of elephants.

The country on our left was undulating, and consisted of sandy soil

clothed almost exclusively with the kálgo, with its ash-coloured leaves

and its long red pods; but, as soon as the river receded, the character

of the landscape also changed, the surface becoming rather level, and

exhibiting more small brushwood, while numerous water-pools spread out,

overgrown with kréb, or the edible _Poa_, and with molukhía. The

district was full of buffaloes; but it was also much infested by a

dangerous species of fly, which greatly tormented our animals, and which

is very rarely met with in the eastern part of Negroland. We encamped,

after a march of about sixteen miles, in the midst of the forest, near

the site of the former encampment of a Tawárek horde, where kréb was

springing up in the most luxuriant abundance, affording the richest

pasture to the horses, and a cheerful sight to ourselves; but we had

here to sustain a very heavy rain, which lasted for several hours.

Fortunately, it was not accompanied by much wind, so that my frail tent

offered sufficient resistance; but the encampment was far from

comfortable.

The rain had at length ceased; but we had scarcely resigned ourselves to

sleep, when a troop of pilgrims, passing by at this unusual hour of the

night, roused us at once. Fortunately, the ground which we had to

traverse further on was of a rocky nature, else it would have been

almost impossible to proceed after the last night’s rain; but, after a

march of about fourteen miles, we came to a very considerable sheet of

water, which we crossed with extreme difficulty, and encamped close

beyond in a state of entire exhaustion. The channel of the torrent

itself, which had spread its inundation to a great distance, was so

considerable, being at the deepest spot five feet and a half, that it

almost swamped me on my horse, besides wetting all my luggage. The place

where we had encamped was a narrow open spot in the forest; but the

ground was full of ants, and we were also greatly troubled by

innumerable swarms of small flies which penetrated into all our clothes.

Fortunately we had no rain, so that I was able to stay outside, as the

heat in the tent was scarcely endurable. This day, also, we observed

numerous footprints of elephants.

[Sidenote: Monday, July 25th.]

We rose with the hope that we might arrive at an early hour in Aribínda,

or rather the chief place of that district, although we were aware that

we should have to cross another considerable sheet of water; but we were

sadly disappointed, for, after a march of about three miles through a

more rugged district with black and red granite and a great quantity of

gneiss, we reached the wide inundations of a river called Búggoma by my

companions, which we endeavoured in vain to cross. Seeing that we should

not succeed here, we struck off into the forest in a south-westerly

direction, in order to ford it higher up, when suddenly we fell in with

two men who were pasturing a couple of asses; but, although we made

signs to them that we were their friends, they would not hear us, and,

beating their shields, cried out lustily to their companions, who all on

a sudden rushed out in every direction from behind the bushes, and in a

moment surrounded us. There were from 150 to 200 people, all tall

slender men, half-naked, with nothing but a poor ragged cloth round

their loins, and another rag still poorer round their heads, and each

armed with a couple of spears and a ragged shield, which they brandished

over their heads with warlike gesticulations. The affair seemed rather

serious, and here it was fortunate that I had such a clever companion as

the Waláti with me; for, while I was pointing my gun, he begged me to

ride quietly in advance straight upon those people, and at the same time

cried out to them that I was a sheríf, and a friend of the sheikh El

Bakáy, to whom I was carrying a number of books from the east. All of a

sudden they dropped their spears and thronged round me, requesting me to

give them my blessing; and the circumstances under which I was placed

obliged me to comply with this slight request, although it was by no

means a pleasant matter to lay my hands on all these dirty heads.

On the whole it was very fortunate that we met with these people; for

without their aid and information we should scarcely have been able to

cross the water which intersected our track, at least without a most

serious loss to our luggage. People in Europe have no idea what it is to

travel during the rainy season in these regions; else they would not

wonder that poor Dr. Vogel, in going at that time of the year from

Yákoba to Záriya, lost most of his instruments, and all his collections,

in crossing the rivers.

They were poor people from Gʿaó, or Gógó, and the neighbourhood, a

mixture, as I thought at the time, of Songhay and Tawárek, but speaking

only the language of the former; but I found afterwards that they

belonged to the tribe of the Gabéro, of whom I shall speak in the

following volume. They had visited the market of Aribínda, and were at

present on their way to Dóre and Libtáko, carrying as merchandise, on a

couple of asses and bull oxen, nothing but cotton strips, or “tári,”

rice, and a few mats, of which latter article they brought me three as a

present. Having received my blessing, and the tumult having quieted

down, they conducted us to a place where they declared the water to be

fordable. But the boggy ground inspired us with but little confidence;

and it really caused us an immense deal of trouble. My people were

obliged to carry all the luggage, even the heaviest, across the swamp,

which was half a mile in breadth, the camels being scarcely able to make

their way, even unloaded; and I myself had the misfortune to fall under

my horse, in the midst of the swamp, almost as badly as had happened to

me on a former occasion, on my journey to Kánem. I was firmly convinced

that my horse would not be able to carry me over, and that it would be

the safest way to cross the bog on foot; but I allowed myself to be

swayed by the Waláti, who thought that my dignity, in presence of those

native travellers, absolutely required me to remain on horseback. It was

on this occasion that all my journals got wet through in a most

miserable way, and we had the greatest difficulty in extricating my

horse from the bog, in which it was lying for some minutes as if dead.

It was almost three o’clock in the afternoon when we again set out from

the opposite side of the swamp; but we had first to return, along the

water, in a north-easterly direction, in order to regain the direct

track. We then proceeded at an expeditious rate, in order to arrive at

Aribínda before nightfall. A short distance before we reached our

destination, the whole character of the country changed, granite mounds

rising on our right and left to considerable altitude, and leaving only

a narrow passage through which to proceed,—the beautifully sweeping

slope of the eminence on our right being pleasantly adorned with bushes,

and enlivened by goats.

Having left another village at the foot of the granite range, we took up

our quarters in the lamórde or residence of the chief of Aribínda, which

is likewise situated at the foot of the granitic ridge, part of the huts

being built on the slope, and part in the plain,—the latter forming a

group by itself, which, with its projecting and receding walls, formed a

sort of defence, as represented in the accompanying woodcut. Here we

obtained quarters without delay, two of my people having gone in

advance; but they were narrow, dirty, and uncomfortable, and appeared to

us the more miserable as a great deal of rain fell during our stay here.

The inhabitants belong chiefly to the Songhay race; but there are also a

great many Tawárek, or rather Tawárek half-castes, who live here

peaceably, though in general the Tawárek and the inhabitants of these

districts are engaged in almost uninterrupted warfare with each

other,—the former always pushing more and more in advance, and

threatening to overrun the whole of this region of Negroland. The people

supply themselves with water from the holes in the rocks, where it

collects,—their supply for the dry season being deposited in a cistern

of large size. The soil in the valley, which here widens into a

considerable plain, is very fertile, and does not require much rain; and

the corn was here a little cheaper than in Libtáko, one hundred shells,

or rather the equivalent of that sum, for shells had no currency in the

place, being sufficient for the daily allowance of one horse. I also

observed with pleasure a very fine herd of cattle. Aribínda[74] seems

formerly to have been an important place, or rather province, and the

most considerable, at one time, of all the districts on the south side

of the river, so that the Songhay of Gógó designated it Hári-bínda, “the

place beyond the water,” which name, in a wider sense, is given to the

whole country on the south of the Ísa, or so-called Niger, as an

equivalent to Gurma.

[Illustration]

I had been very anxious to conceal the more valuable articles of my

property from the prying eyes of my clever but greedy Arab companion;

but the following day, as I was obliged to dry some of my luggage, which

had been completely soaked, he got a peep at some fine bernúses which I

had with me; and, in order to satisfy his covetousness, I thought it

prudent to make him here a handsome present. Altogether my luggage

suffered severely from the many watercourses which we had to cross at

this stage of my journey, as well as from the excessive dampness of the

weather. I also made some presents to the governor, but was rather

astonished when, on setting out, he begged from me the very tobe which I

was then wearing.

[Sidenote: Wednesday, July 27th.]

The country which we had to traverse was diversified by small granitic

ranges and detached cones; but it also afforded many localities for

swampy grounds, very difficult to be crossed. In some places beans were

cultivated besides millet. We encamped at length, after a march of about

fifteen miles, in the midst of the forest, on the site of a former

village, which was richly overgrown with the most succulent herbage,

very grateful both to horse and camel.

[Sidenote: Thursday, July 28th.]

We had had some summer lightning in the evening, followed by slight rain

during the night; but about half-past six o’clock in the morning, a very

heavy thunder-storm broke out, accompanied by violent rain, which lasted

till noon, and rendered us extremely uncomfortable. My friend El Waláti,

being of a weak and nervous temperament, was, as usual on such

occasions, laid up with fever. In consequence of the state of the

weather, it was not till past three o’clock in the afternoon that we at

length set out on our watery march, and after a stretch of about ten

miles, having passed a very extensive and deep water, reached the

Songhay village of Fíliyo, and with extreme difficulty obtained most

indifferent and damp quarters in the dark. The whole village is built of

clay, with elevated towerlike entrances not unlike the granaries in

Champagóre. It consists of several detached groups, which are separated

by corn-fields, where the crops were standing moderately high. The

inhabitants belong exclusively to the Songhay race, with the exception

of a few Fúlbe, who, however, have themselves almost changed their

national character; and although the village is externally subjected to

the Púllo governor of Gilgóji, or Jilgódi, nevertheless the people have

a very independent demeanour, and hold in detestation the conquering

tribe of the Fúlbe: even their carriage bears evident testimony to a

certain feeling of liberty; and there is no end of smoking. The women

wear a profusion of ornaments, while all of them are, besides,

distinguished by a copper ring round the wrist.

Having arrived so late the preceding evening that the horses had even

remained without food, I was obliged to stay here the next day in order

to purchase a supply of corn, which I effected with the farráwel I had

obtained in Libtáko, consisting of eight pieces called “kória,” or

“farda,” sewn together. All the grain hereabouts consists of Negro

millet, or, as the Songhay call it, “héni.” The governor of the place,

who had treated me inhospitably the first evening, on being remonstrated

with for his miserly conduct, gave me very generous treatment.

[Sidenote: Saturday, July 30th.]

On leaving the place, I was exceedingly struck with its castlelike

appearance, as well as with the fine crops of corn which surrounded it

on all sides, while a rich growth of trees embellished the district to

the south. It was a fine morning, and, a heavy dew having fallen, the

drops of wet slipping down from the corn glistened in the rays of the

morning sun, while the monkey-bread trees being just in full blossom,

the white bell-like flowers hanging down from the colossal branches gave

a remarkable relief to the scenery. It was through such a country that

our path kept along, on a rising ground, when, after a march of about

fourteen miles, and leaving a couple of hamlets built of matting, like

the dwellings of the inhabitants of Gógó, on one side, we reached the

Songhay town of Tínge, built likewise in the shape of a “kasr,” and

situated on the summit of a small hill.

[Illustration]

The houses in this village have not an elevated towerlike shape like

those of Fíliyo, nor do they contain an upper story. They have flat

roofs. The walls consist of sun-dried clay, which is formed in regular

lumps, like stones, and is placed in uniform layers, with loose clay

between. Such being the mode of construction, the whole of the houses

have rather a miserable appearance from without, and more particularly

so at the time of our arrival, in the hot hour of noon, when the

destructive effect of the rainy season became more apparent in the

midday sun. But the interior of the dwellings is not so bad, and some of

them are very large and spacious, as the accompanying ground-plan of the

quarters where I was lodged will serve to show. These consisted of a

very spacious antechamber, or segífa, forty feet long by ten feet wide,

and as many in height,—I myself taking up the part to the right of the

entrance, and my people that on the left, a sort of light wall being

formed with matting. From this antechamber we could pass into an

irregular courtyard, which gave access to a number of apartments where

several families were living.

The inhabitants of this place are Songhay who have vindicated their

liberty, up to the present time, successfully against the restless and

steadily advancing Fúlbe, although in independence they are far behind

their noble brethren in Dárgol and those other places lower down the

Niger. The indigenous name of their family is Beleéde, or, as they are

called by the Fúlbe, Kurminkóbe; and they are said to have come from

Zíshia, near Téra. The nobler among them do not disfigure their features

at all by tattooing, or “kórto,” while some of them make an incision

under the left eye, from the nose towards the cheek-bone, and the common

people, three separate incisions—three cuts on the temple, three in the

middle of the cheek, and three at the lower part of the face. All of

them wear clothing, the greater part of them being dressed in indigo-

dyed shirts. Their weapons consist almost entirely of spears. Swords are

very rare; nor are the bow and arrow, which constitute the principal

weapons of the people of Dárgol, usual among them. The exertions of the

natives of these places in defending their independence are greatly

favoured by the discord and dissensions which prevail amongst the

Fúlbe,—Mahamúdu, one of the Fúlbe chiefs of Dalla, having, in

consequence of his disputes with the sheikh Áhmedu, taken refuge with

the pagan natives of Mósi, from whence he makes continual predatory

expeditions against the territory of his countrymen the Fúlbe. The

inhabitants of Tínge, therefore, males as well as females, enjoy their

liberty and independence in smoking the whole day long, and dancing

every evening when it is not raining,—an amusement which already, in the

eleventh century, the Andalusian geographer El Bekri did not fail to

remark as characteristic of these people[75], while their less happy

brethren in Timbúktu and Jimbálla have been deprived of these their

favourite and innocent amusements by the austere laws of their fanatical

oppressors.

The natives are industrious, both in cultivating the ground and in

weaving; and these habits seemed to be favoured by Providence, so that

while all the neighbouring districts were suffering from dearth and

famine, in this village corn was plentiful, especially Negro millet, or

“héni.” Indian millet, “sába” or “háme,” was rather scarce. But the corn

was still in seed and not pounded, so that we were obliged to stay here

again a day in order to have a supply prepared for us. We bought our

corn, in the beginning, for the farráwel which we had brought from

Libtáko; but after a little while the inhabitants refused to accept of

this cotton, which is not so good as their own manufacture. The cotton

which I had brought from Gando was much better than theirs; but it did

not please them, on account of the narrowness of the strips. My English

darning-needles were, however, very acceptable, as being exceedingly

well adapted for the coarse texture of their woollen shawls and

blankets. Fifty of them fetched here a price equal to the value of a

Spanish dollar; but the small common needles were regarded by them with

the utmost contempt.

I employed my time, as far as the rainy weather would allow me, in

taking a walk through the country; and I was not a little surprised when

I found that the ground hereabouts, particularly towards the west, was

very rocky, the corn being sown in the intervening patches of arable

soil. On a rising spot, a few hundred yards from the village, there was

a group of matting huts, which constituted a small weaving manufactory.

At the foot of the hill on which the village was situated, there was a

deep pond covered with _Pistia Stratiotes_, like the ponds in the

interior of Kanó; and it was from here that I was particularly struck by

the fortlike appearance of the village, with its receding and projecting

angles, and its half-circular, bastionlike walls in other places, as

represented in the accompanying woodcut; while in the distance the

mountain groups formed an interesting background. However, we had here

such a heavy fall of rain that I was obliged to sacrifice another day,

as the roads were rendered totally impassable. The rain which fell in

the afternoon of the last day of July was of such violence that a fourth

part of the houses in the town suffered more or less; and in one

dwelling, which was totally destroyed, eleven goats were killed, while

the inmates themselves had only just time to escape. It was discovered

that just life enough remained in these poor animals in order to enable

their owners to perform the essential ceremony of cutting their throats;

for they also have a touch of Islám.

[Illustration]

In the beginning of this my journey to the west, I had been very anxious

to move on as fast as possible, in order to avoid the worst part of the

rainy season; but seeing that all was in vain, I had become, in a

certain degree, indifferent to the loss of time; but when the first of

August broke upon me in this village, I became deeply concerned, and

wrote in my journal: “May the Almighty bless this month, and lighten the

difficulties which stand in my way, that before its close I may safely

reach the place of my destination!”

It was most interesting to observe from the top of the hill the

uninterrupted sheet of water, which, after the immense quantity of rain

that had fallen, was spreading out over the low grounds in the plain;

and the people themselves whose dwellings had suffered so much, and

which were just about to undergo the necessary repairs, were standing

gazing with delight upon the deluge which promised to them a very rich

crop. My clever Arab from the west lay almost dead with fever; but the

head man of the town, whose name was Ábu-Bakr, a man of very stately

appearance, was of rather a communicative disposition, so that with his

assistance I was able to make considerable progress in my knowledge of

the Songhay language; and, if I had been able to go on in this way, I

might soon have mastered the language; but unfortunately my situation

became too unsettled in the sequel to allow of a quiet course of study;

to say nothing of the fact, that the extremely poor character of the

language itself completely damped my enthusiasm.

I here first discovered the error of Caillié in giving to the people of

Timbúktu the name of “Kissúr,” or, as he writes, “Kissour,” which is

evidently nothing but a mistake, “ki-sóʿri,” or rather “ki-songhi,” “ki-

songhay,” meaning the language of the Songhay. I here also became aware

of the fact that this idiom is originally monosyllabic, while I observed

likewise that the language spoken in Ágades, of which I had made a

vocabulary, though evidently a dialect of the same idiom, had been

affected to a great extent by the influence of the Temáshight, or

Berber.

[Sidenote: Tuesday, August 2nd.]

We at length set out to pursue our journey, which now became full of

danger, as we had to traverse the province of Dalla, which is ruled by a

governor in direct subjection to the fanatical chief of Másina residing

in Hamda-Alláhi, who would never allow a Christian to visit his

territory. I was therefore obliged to assume the character of an Arab.

Just at that time a change in the government of this district had taken

place,—a young inexperienced lad having succeeded to the former ruler.

Fortunately there had been no rain the afternoon of the preceding day,

so that the country had dried up a little from the inundation of the

last of July, and the weather was fine and genial. Thus cheerfully

proceeding on our road, we met several people on their way to the town

with fowls and milk; for during our stay in Tínge the communication with

the neighbouring places had been entirely interrupted by the heavy

rains. Ábu-Bakr escorted me to some distance, when he left me with a

hearty wish for the success of my undertaking, and begged me urgently to

be on my guard. In taking here quite a northerly direction, we now

entered a province where the population of the Fúlbe entirely prevails,

and this day we had passed several encampments of Fúlbe cattle-breeders

on our route, consisting of oblong oval-shaped huts, constructed of

matting. Cattle seemed to abound; but the cultivation of the ground was

rather scanty, and the character of the country uniform, and without any

interesting features, the trees consisting almost exclusively of talha

and homéd. We had also to cross a river, at present about 200 yards wide

and two feet deep, which the preceding day had evidently been impassable

and had carried away several head of cattle, a fact we learned from a

Púllo neatherd whom we passed on our road, as he was cheerfully stalking

before his cattle, and leading them along merely by the sound of his

voice.

Thus, after a march of about thirteen miles, having crossed a swamp and

left a larger sheet of water on our left, we reached a miserable hamlet

called Déshi, belonging still to the district of Kséne (which comprises

Fíliyo), and consisting of several groups of half-decayed clay dwellings

inhabited by poor Songhay people, who appeared to be greatly oppressed.

It was with some difficulty that we here obtained quarters; and we had

the misfortune of falling into a dispute with the landlord, on account

of the many dogs which beset his house, and would not cede their place

to us. This was a certain proof that the natives were not far advanced

in Islám, as the Mohammedans in general are averse to the company of

this unclean animal, and the Fúlbe very rarely make use of dogs even for

watching their numerous herds of cattle. Most of these dogs were of

black colour, and almost all the fowls were of black and white colour. I

here also observed that the native women carried the water in a pair of

buckets slung across the shoulder, as I had remarked already in other

Songhay places; but here, also, they did not wear nose-rings.

The country around was well cultivated, and produced especially sorghum;

but the harvest of the preceding year had not been a favourable one, as

was the case almost all over the country, so that dearth was prevailing.

We here met with a party of native traders from Hómbori, with oxen laden

with salt, who gave us some useful information with regard to the road

before us. It had been a point of great dispute with us whether or not

we should visit that town, one of the most ancient settlements in

Negroland, probably already mentioned as an independent place by El

Bekrí[76], and forming the seat of a governor in the palmy days of the

Songhay empire, the Hómbori-koy, and where even now a considerable

market is held; but after mature consideration we had thought it better

to leave it on one side, as on account of the considerable intercourse

of people in that place, and the many Arabs who frequent it, the danger

of my true character being there discovered was the greater.

Notwithstanding our determination not to touch at Hómbori, on setting

out the following day, after an almost sleepless night, owing to the

number of mosquitoes, we preserved an entirely northerly direction.

There was a good deal of cultivation round the village, consisting of

Indian and Negro millet, the crops being almost ripe. But I here met

again that great annoyance to the husbandman, the black worm “hálowes,”

my old acquaintance in Bagírmi, which I had not seen in the whole

intervening country, and which causes an immense deal of damage to the

crops. The ground was rocky in many places; but this did not prevent the

growth of the monkey-bread tree, which is often seen shooting forth from

between the very rocks. Further on I also observed a little cultivation

of beans, while the black worm was succeeded by large heaps of the small

red worm, which I had first observed on the banks of the river Sírba,

and which seems to be a terrible nuisance to many of these districts.

Gradually the road became more swampy, while we obtained a distant view

of the detached mountains of Hómbori.

About three o’clock in the afternoon, five of our party, riding a little

in advance of the camels, approached the town of Kúbo, when, being

observed by some of the inhabitants, our appearance created a great

alarm in the place, the people thinking that a hostile troop was

approaching; but, as soon as they beheld our laden camels, their fears

ceased, and they gave us quarters. Kúbo is the first place of the

district called Tóndi, or el Hajri (meaning, the mountainous or stony

district), while Fíliyo and Déshi belong to the district called Kséne;

but in a political respect Kúbo belongs now to the province of Dalla,

which at present is governed by a son of Módi Bóle; it is two days and a

half distant from the town of Hómbori[77], and is a place of some

importance. The houses are usually well built, and consist of clay, the

greater part of them including a tolerably large courtyard. Our house

also was spacious; but, on account of my heavy luggage, I was obliged to

take up my quarters in the open segífa, or antechamber, which was

greatly exposed to mosquitoes. In front of my quarters there was a

handsome square of tolerably regular shape; and towards the north a

considerable tank spread out, along which led the path into the fields:

for, the whole place being situated in a depression of the ground, all

the moisture of the neighbourhood collects here.

The village is surrounded by a light stockade of two rows of bushes; and

round about the place there are several ponds of water. Turtles are very

common here, and the soil swarms with ants. The place was tolerably well

provided with corn, and I bought here twenty mudd for one hundred drʿa

of Gando cotton strips, equal in reality to nine hundred shells, but the

mudd of Kúbo is smaller than that of Tínge, being about two thirds of

its size, and in the form of a round dish, while that of Tínge is like a

pitcher. The daily allowance of corn for a horse cost about one hundred

shells.

A very heavy thunder-storm, accompanied with violent rain, broke out in

the evening; and the clayey soil of the country which we had to traverse

obliged me to stay here the following day. The delay caused me great

disappointment, as the spreading of the news of my journey could not

fail to increase its difficulties, and the more so as we heard here the

unpleasant tidings that the governor of Dalla himself was near, and that

most probably we should fall in with him.

Meanwhile I was applied to by our host and a cousin of his, to decide a

dispute between them as to the chieftainship of their village; but, of

course, I referred them to their own liege lord, and they started off to

join him, near the village of Dúna; but their absence did not expose us

to inhospitality, as we were very lavishly treated with numerous dishes

of Indian corn, which, however, were rendered less palatable by the use

of the dodówa-bosso, or the adulterated dodówa; we also received a good

supply of milk. I even bought a few fowls, though they were rather dear,

selling for one hundred shells each, a price here reckoned equal to two

darning-needles.

[Sidenote: Friday, August 5th.]

There had been another heavy rain in the afternoon of the preceding day,

but, fortunately, it had not been of sufficient duration to render the

roads impassable. There was a great deal of indecision with my companion

El Waláti as to the route which we should pursue; and while it almost

seemed from our northerly direction as if up to this moment he had

intended to take me to Hómbori, notwithstanding his former protestations

against such a proceeding, he now pretended it was necessary that we

should go to Dúna, and we accordingly changed our course to the west, or

rather W.S.W., steering about like a vessel with contrary winds. There

can be no doubt that all this time the crafty Arab himself was

hesitating as to the course which he should take, and this was evidently

the reason of his great delay, as he probably thought that he might have

a chance of getting rid of me, and taking possession of my property; but

we did not become aware of this treacherous conduct till we arrived at

the place of our destination, when we learned how providentially we had

escaped all his wiles.

At the western end of the village of Kúbo there is a suburb of Fúlbe

cattle-breeders, consisting of about sixty large huts of reed. As soon

as we had left this place behind us, we were quite horror-struck at

observing all the paths full of those small red worms which I have

mentioned before, marching in unbroken lines towards the village; even

my servants were quite surprised at such a spectacle, having never

before seen any thing like it, and they gave vent to their feelings of

astonishment, and at the same time of commiseration for the natives, in

reiterated exclamations of “Wolla, wolla!” I am not acquainted with the

reason of this curious phenomenon, but it seems peculiar to this region.

Yet the ground was not quite barren, and was even sprinkled with violets

here and there, the surface being undulating, not unlike the sandy downs

of Kánem, the parallel of which country, namely about 15° of northern

latitude, we had here reached.

Proceeding thus, we reached after a march of about four miles a higher

point, from whence we had a view over a wide expanse of underwood,

broken only now and then by a baobab tree, while towards the north some

of the detached cones of the Hómbori range gave to the landscape a very

singular feature, the isolated eminences of the range (if range it can

be called) starting up from the plain in the most peculiar forms, as the

accompanying woodcut will show.

[Illustration]

We passed the site of a former place; but at present there were only

nomadic encampments of Fúlbe cattle-breeders, with herds of cattle and

flocks of sheep, and only little cultivation was to be seen. The

dwellings, in a hamlet which we passed a little further on, were of a

very irregular description, corresponding to the corn-stacks which we

had left on one side a little before, as represented in the accompanying

woodcut. All the children here, even those of the Fúlbe, were quite

naked. My companion El Waláti wanted to obtain quarters in this place;

but fortunately the huts proved too bad, and we moved on, another

hamlet, which we passed a little further on, being of a still worse

description.

[Illustration]

On passing several parties of Fúlbe travellers on our road, I was

surprised at the change in the form of compliments, the mode of saluting

having been, the last few days, “baráijo,” but to-day we met some

parties who saluted us with the well-known compliment “fófo,” a word

which, although probably of western origin, has been even admitted into

the Háusa language, with the meaning of general well-wishing. Thus we

proceeded cheerfully onwards, having crossed a very difficult boggy

ground, where I almost lost one of my camels, till, a little after two

o’clock in the afternoon, we reached the poor village of Dúna,

consisting of three detached groups of huts, one of which, with its high

towerlike granaries with a pointed roof of thatch, presented a very

remarkable spectacle. As for myself, I obtained quarters in an isolated

hut of rather indifferent description.

The first news which I learned here, and which was far from being

agreeable, was, that the governor of Dalla with his camp was at a short

distance, and in the very road which we had to pursue the following day;

and as in consequence it would have been highly imprudent to endeavour

to pass him unnoticed, I determined to send two of my men to him with a

present, while I pursued my journey with the rest of my people. But as

this governor was a vassal of the chief of Hamda-Alláhi, who, if he had

heard that I was a Christian, would probably have thrown great

difficulties in my way, and perhaps not allowed me to proceed at all, I

was not without great anxiety, and passed a sleepless night; and the

crowd of people who had come out from the camp on the news of a

distinguished stranger having arrived, and who completely surrounded me

on my setting out, was far from agreeable. At length we started,

traversing a district of red sandy soil, and overgrown with scanty

herbage, while a considerable extent of ground was under cultivation,

without, however, promising a rich harvest, the crops being rather thin

and of poor quality; and we had only proceeded a short distance, when we

observed such enormous quantities of the red worm as we had never seen

before, not even near Kúbo, forming large heaps, from which long and

unbroken lines were seen moving eastward.

[Illustration]

After a march of two miles, we reached the half-decayed and deserted

village called Nyanga Segga, where the governor of Dalla was encamped.

But, as if he had expected my coming, he and all his people had mounted.

I had sent El Waláti and ʿAlí to present my compliments to him; but when

I was pursuing the right track, all the horsemen came up to me,

requesting me to give them my blessing; and they so urgently entreated

me at the same time to pay my respects personally to their chief, that I

could not resist their request. But it almost seemed as if El Waláti had

in some way or other compromised himself by his ambiguous conduct; and

when I approached the emír, who was very simply dressed, the former

quite forgot the part which he had to play, and, casting a wild look at

me, requested me to withdraw, in such a manner as greatly to increase

the danger of my situation. Deeming it better not to enter into a

dispute with this man under such circumstances, I retreated as soon as I

had complimented the chief, pursuing my track, but I was followed by

several horsemen, who were rather troublesome than otherwise.

The governor of Dalla is said to be more powerful than even that of

Gilgóji, with whom he is in an almost continual state of feud, as is the

case with nearly all these petty chiefs, although they are all the

vassals of one and the same liege lord. This man, however, was to become

of remarkable interest to me; for I was soon to meet him again under

very altered circumstances, when, from being an object of fear to

myself, he was obliged to sue for my protection, as will be seen in the

sequel.

The country hereabout presented a sandy level mostly clad with acacias,

and especially with a kind called érria. About eight miles beyond Nyanga

Segga, the ground became swampy; and after a march of about two miles

more we reached the fields of Mundóro, or rather their site, for, in the

present desolate state of the country, they were not under cultivation

at the time. Here the soil consisted of deep white sand adorned with

large baobab trees, while parallel on our right, at the distance of

about five hundred yards, a range of sandhills stretched along,

overtopped in the distance by an imposing cone belonging to the Hómbori

mountains. Thus reaching, at last, cultivated ground, where the crops,

however, were still very scanty and in a neglected state, we entered, a

little after two o’clock, the deserted village of Mundóro, which till

recently had been a considerable town, consisting of a small kasrlike

place, of dwellings built of clay, and with very pointed thatched roofs,

similar to those represented above, and an open suburb of spacious

cottages, consisting of thatchwork of a very peculiar shape, as

represented in the accompanying woodcut. With the exception of about a

dozen people, the place was quite deserted, the former chief, Mahamúdu,

having fallen into disgrace with the governor of Dalla, and sought

refuge with the inhabitants of Mósi, from whence he carried on a

continual series of expeditions against his kinsmen. Fortunately we were

accompanied by a trooper of the governor of Dalla, who took great care

in supplying us with necessaries. All the huts were very spacious, but

the thatching was not of very accurate workmanship, and the humidity

which entered my hut in the course of the night, when we experienced a

violent thunder-storm with very heavy rain, was considerable; but

keeping up a large fire during the whole of the night, I felt tolerably

comfortable, although the greater part of my hut was under water.

[Illustration]

[Sidenote: Sunday, August 7th.]

Taking now a N.N.W. course, we again approached nearer the mountains of

Hómbori, which for several days we had already observed in the distance

on our right; but after leaving Kúbo, owing to our curious zigzag

travelling, we had again turned off from them entirely; and when we left

the village of Mundóro, it seemed even as if we were almost to retrace

our steps, for we followed a direction a little E. from N. while

ascending through cultivated ground, till, after a march of three miles,

we reached the highest point of this tract, which presented to us a

highly interesting view of the mountains, or rather the detached

eminences, of the Hómbori range (which is represented in the

accompanying woodcut), isolated cones starting forth from the plain in

the most grotesque and fanciful forms.

[Illustration]

Here we began to descend through an undulating sandy tract, where the

acacia predominated, only interrupted now and then by a single baobab

tree. Having passed a pond of stagnant water, we gradually began to turn

a little westward from N., the country improving till we reached the

fields of Ísayé, or Ísé, a place of some importance, consisting, as the

villages in this neighbourhood generally do, of a nucleus of clay houses

remarkable only on account of its peculiar towerlike granaries, and a

suburb of cottages of thatch-work, but of the most varied shape, several

of which are represented in the accompanying woodcut; and here we took

up our quarters. As for myself, I obtained a large, excellent hut, with,

however, this great defect—that the lower part of the thatching was so

thin and frail that a heavy shower would have swamped the whole, but for

a small channel which was carried all round the inner part of the wall.

[Illustration]

I felt greatly exhausted, in consequence of the constant humidity to

which I was exposed, and was neither able to enjoy the hospitable

treatment which was shown me, nor even to get rest at night, although I

changed my couch repeatedly in order to obtain some repose. But as we

remained here the following day, I had sufficient leisure to become

fully acquainted with the distinguishing features of this place; and I

made a sketch (which has been represented in the plate opposite) of the

village, together with an extensive pond from which the natives at this

season of the year get their supply of water, and the picturesque

castellated mountains of Hómbori in the background.

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

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

SONGHAI VILLAGE.

August 1853.]

The place is populous, and inhabited by Songhay and Fúlbe conjointly,

the latter of whom belong to the tribe called Jéllobe, and are in

possession of large herds of cattle and numerous flocks, while the

native Songhay seem to be poor and rather badly off. As strict

Mohammedans they have the custom of wearing silver rings on their little

finger, which they fancy obtains favour for them when saying their

prayers. A good deal of industry was apparent; but corn was very dear,

although cheaper than it was said to be further on, where no corn was to

be obtained except in Núggera; and I was glad to buy a small quantity of

grain, the mudd for four drʿa of very broad cotton strips, while sixteen

drʿa of Gando cotton strips were esteemed equal to ten drʿa of their

own. Cowries, or “chéde,” had no currency here, except for buying sour

milk, of which there was a good supply. On account of the numerous pools

which surround the place, it was infested by mosquitoes, which deprived

me of what was most valuable to me—a good night’s rest.

[Sidenote: Tuesday, August 9th.]

There were two roads before us through the unsettled country to the

north, where at present there are no towns, but only temporary

encampments of the Tawárek or Imóshagh, who are now in possession of the

country adjacent to the banks of the great river to a considerable

extent,— one road leading in a more northerly direction to Láro, and the

other in a north-westerly one to Bóne; and although the guide whom we

had taken with us from Mundóro assured us that we should not find in

Bóne either quarters or hospitality, my friend El Waláti, for some

reason or other, preferred the latter route, and we had to make rather a

long day’s journey in the weakened state to which we ourselves and our

animals were reduced. But the march was highly interesting, on account

of the peculiar nature and the picturesque shape of the several detached

cones of the Hómbori mountains, through the midst of which our way led.

It would have been impossible, from the information which I had gathered

from the natives, to form a correct idea of the character of the chain,

which I had thought far more elevated and continuous:—the highest

elevation which some of the cones reach does not appear to be more than

800 feet above the plain.

In the beginning the appearance of the country was more uniform, while

the mountains, covered by the rising ground on our right, looked like

mere hills, our track itself lying through a more level country

sometimes covered with underwood, and at others presenting a bleak open

ground, or “néga;” but the interest of this scenery increased

considerably when we reached the western foot of a broader mound which

had already attracted our attention the day before. On a sloping ground,

consisting of rubbish and boulders, there rose a wall of steep cliffs

like an artificial fortification, forming, as it seemed, a spacious

terrace on the top, where there are said to be three hamlets, inhabited

by a spirited race of natives who, in this rocky retreat, vindicate

their independence against the overbearing intrusions of the Fúlbe. We

even observed on the slope under the steep cliffs, where there are

several caverns, some people pasturing their sheep, while fields of

Negro corn and karás, or _Corchorus olitorius_, testified to the fact

that the natives sometimes descend even into the very plain to satisfy

their most necessary wants. After passing this mound, and following a

more north-westerly direction, we approached another mound, rising from

the plain like an isolated cone, and with its steep, narrow, and rugged

crest, looking exactly like the ruin of a castle of the middle ages.

Leaving this mound, together with the path leading to the Songhay town

of Láro on our right, we approached the southern foot of another

castellated mound, which stretched out to a greater length, but offered

in its rugged and precipitous cliffs, exactly the spectacle of

crenellated walls and towers. Where the foot of the mound juts out into

the path on the top of the offshoots, the inhabitants of the mountain

had erected a small chapel, or rather a place for pagan worship, which

presented a very peculiar appearance. Here we entered a sort of broad

defile, formed between this castellated mound and another cone towards

the west, which, although of considerable elevation, was not so rugged,

and exhibited a less picturesque appearance.

[Illustration]

[Illustration]

Greatly fatigued by our long march, especially as a cool breeze in the

morning was followed by an oppressive heat in the noonday hours, we

reached, at about five o’clock in the afternoon, the Fúlbe village of

Bóne, situated at the foot of the eastern mound; but although I had sent

two of my people in advance, we were unable to obtain quarters, and

after some unavailing dispute we were obliged to encamp outside in the

open grassy vale between the two mountains; for the inhabitants of this

village, who are exclusively Fúlbe, do not like strangers to enter their

dwellings, at least not for a night’s quarters. They however treated us

in the evening with a good supply of milk, while they also informed us

that a large encampment of that section of the Tawárek which is called

Iregenáten was at a few miles’ distance. El Waláti supposed, or rather

pretended to suppose, that they were the clan of a powerful chief of the

name of Somki, and assured me that it would be necessary to make this

chief a handsome present, in order that under his protection we might

proceed safely from camp to camp till we reached the banks of the Niger;

for although we might have travelled by a more southerly road turning

from this point westward to Núggera, it seemed more prudent to endeavour

to get out of the range of the dominion of the Fúlbe, in order not to be

at the mercy of the chief of Hamda-Alláhi, who certainly could not but

be hostile to my intention of reaching Timbúktu. And it seems not to be

out of place to mention here, that this very Núggera,—a hamlet of some

note, as being the residence of learning and holiness,—was the point

from which the founder of the dynasty of Hamda-Alláhi started.

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

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

MOUNTAINS OF HÓMBORI.

August 9th. 1853.]

[Footnote 73: I shall reserve a few further observations on this subject

till my return journey along the Niger.]

[Footnote 74: There are only three more villages at present belonging to

the district of Aribínda, their names being as follows: Hóre, Úri, and

Wángaré.]

[Footnote 75: El Bekri, “Description de l’Afrique,” Arabe texte,

published by Macguckin de Slane, p. 183.]

[Footnote 76: El Bekrí, ed. de Slane, 1857, texte arabe, p. 179.; comp.

Cooley, the Negroland of the Arabs, p. 39. n. 73.—There can be but

little doubt that by this مدينة انباره Hómbori is meant; for although El

Bekrí made a gross mistake in stating that this place was situated west

of Ghána, while in reality it was east, yet, on the other hand, it is

very remarkable that the distance of nine days between Ambára and Kúkia,

or Kúgha, agrees exactly with that between Hómbori and the latter

place.]

[Footnote 77: A person starting from Kúbo sleeps the first night in the

forest, halting about ʿaser; the second day, before noon, he reaches

Tónderú, probably so called from being situated on or at the foot of a

mountain; and the third day, about 9 o’clock in the morning, he arrives

at Hómbori.]

CHAP. LXIII.

IMÓSHAGH OR TAWÁREK ENCAMPMENTS SOUTH OF THE NIGER. — LAKES AND

BACKWATERS OF THE GREAT RIVER.

[Sidenote: Wednesday, August 10th.]

In conformity with our project, I myself, with El Waláti and two of my

people on horseback, leaving my luggage behind with the rest of my

servants, started in the morning for the camp of the Tawárek, having

provided a very handsome present, consisting of a large Núpe tobe, a

red cap, a túrkedí, and three fine “háf” or “lithám,” altogether worth

about 20,000 shells. However, we had only proceeded about a mile when

we met a few Tawárek serfs, who informed us that it was not Somki, but

another chief who had moved his encampment to this place; and, from

what I observed, I concluded that El Waláti had been well aware of

this before, but wanted only to extort from me a large present. Once

in the hands of this crafty Arab, I had to use great discretion in

order to prevent him from betraying me altogether, and I was obliged

to bear silently any little trick which he might play me in order to

enrich himself, as long as I proceeded onwards and approached the

object of my arduous undertaking. We therefore moved on, and, soon

leaving the mountains behind us, after a march of about eight miles

through a plain covered with dense underwood, reached the encampment

of the Tawárek.

This was a very important stage of my journey. Having with the greatest

difficulty and danger crossed the wide open country of the other more

easterly tribes of the Tawárek on the setting out of our expedition, and

heartily glad to have got rid of them, I here once more entered their

territory and delivered myself up into their hands without enjoying the

protection of a single powerful chief, and guided solely by the advice

of that crafty man whose only purpose was to get from me as much as

possible. The encampment consisted of leather tents of larger or smaller

size, but it evidently belonged to a chief without great power, as

seemed to be apparent from the total absence of camels and horses.

However, I immediately conceived a favourable impression of the muscular

strength and dexterity of these people; for when we approached the tent

of the chief, who was sitting inside upon his couch of reeds, he with a

single jerk jumped out and suddenly stood upright before us. Of course

the tent was open in front, but nevertheless it appeared to me a great

gymnastic feat, especially taking into account the lowness of the

entrance, as in jumping out he had to stoop at the same time. Without

delay a smaller tent was placed at our disposal, and we made ourselves

comfortable.

The tents, “éhe” (pl. éhénnan), consist of a large round piece of

leather formed of a great number of smaller sheepskins cut in

quadrangular pieces and sewed together, while the borders of the whole

are left purposely very irregular, in order to pass the stalks, which

describe the outward circle of the tent, through the projecting corners.

These skins are spanned over three pairs of poles, the middle pair of

considerable elevation, the remaining two not so high, and one of them,

on the right of the entrance, being forked, as represented in the

accompanying woodcut, although, as far as I have become aware, the

middle poles are not always the same, in some tents both joining at the

top, in others seeming to stand apart. The whole character of these

tents will be still better understood from the plate representing the

Tawárek encampment at Amalélle in the next volume.

[Illustration]

In such a tent there are generally two couches, or divans, called

“teshégit,” made of a fine species of reed, and raised about a foot from

the ground; for these people generally choose the most swampy places for

their encampments, and after a thunder-storm are sometimes to be found

in the midst of a lake. They are also not wanting in comforts; and on

every couch there is a leather pillow, “adafór,” which certainly seems

very essential, as it would be most uncomfortable to rest the elbow on

the uneven and hard surface of these reed couches. Almost all the

furniture of these simple people, besides a few wooden bowls for eating

and drinking, consists of leather bags of excellent workmanship and

sometimes very tastefully ornamented, as will be shown in the following

volume. In these they stow away their clothes as well as their

provisions; and during the night they surround the whole tent with very

neat mattings of a fine species of reed, so that a tent of this

description forms quite a comfortable dwelling.

Although our host was evidently not one of the first-rate chiefs, he, as

well as his kinsfolk and friends who came to visit us, had a very noble

and prepossessing appearance, being rather broad-shouldered, stout, and

well knit, with a pleasing expression of countenance and a fair skin,

though there were a few among them who, with their coarse features and

their dark skin, bore testimony to the deterioration of the Berber

blood. We had scarcely made ourselves comfortable, when we were treated

with large quantities of fresh and sour milk, while a fat sheep was

slaughtered and prepared for our supper, but without any additional

food, these people living almost entirely on meat and milk.

Of course I had to make a handsome present to my new friends, consisting

of a fine black tobe, a túrkedí, and a black harám; but I doubt very

much whether my friend El Waláti gave them these articles as a present

from me, or whether he sold them as his own. However, be this as it may,

I wanted not only their protection, but their assistance too, as my

camels were so weakened by the continual humidity to which they were

exposed, that they were not fit to carry my luggage any further. But

besides, as we had to pass the seats of these lawless tribes, we had to

grope our way, as well as possible, from one encampment to the other, so

that we wanted guides; and it was therefore arranged that, hiring a

couple of pack-oxen at this place, we should join this tribe the

following morning, when they would take us on our way to the chief,

Somki. The mountainous district, in the direction of Núggera, had the

following appearance at its termination.

[Illustration]

On returning from this encampment to Bóne, being misled by a man who

professed to know the district, which for the most part consists of

swampy ground, we fell into a dangerous bog, and made our way with great

difficulty. We were also visited by a very heavy thunder-storm in the

evening, which swamped the whole country, killed one of my camels, and

rendered our night’s rest very uncomfortable. In consequence of this

violent rain our road the next day, on our way to the Tawárek, was very

bad, and we had great difficulty in avoiding the swamps; but I was

rewarded by the picturesque aspect of the scenery, a rich cascade

rushing down over the steep cliffs of the mountain, from a height of

about two hundred feet, and forming at the bottom a powerful torrent,

which swept along through a fine border of vegetation in the direction

of Bóne. The poor independent inhabitants of that mountain had left

their stone cottages and caves on the slope of the steep cliffs, and

were busy, after the fertilising rain, with the labours of the field in

their limited grounds, clearing them of the weeds. The crops promised

well, and had a healthy appearance. When we disturbed these poor people

in their labours, they retired behind the safeguard of their Cyclopean

rocks, and stared at us with great curiosity, the unusual appearance of

our whole train causing them a great deal of dismay; and it was in vain

that we endeavoured by our gestures to persuade them to continue their

labours, as they did not understand us, while we were greatly pleased to

observe that, although pagans, they were decently clad with neat aprons

of cotton round their loins.

Having at length joined our friends of yesterday, we pitched our linen

tents, which greatly attracted their attention, at some distance from

their leather dwellings, and were soon beset by numbers of the fair sex,

some of whom were distinguished by their plumpness, especially by that

peculiar feature called “tebúllodén,” which I mentioned on a former

occasion; but I was forced to frighten these fair visitors away, as, in

consequence of the last day’s thunder-storm, I felt very unwell, and was

obliged to have recourse to an emetic. As for the men, their dress

consisted throughout of a short shirt with short open sleeves, made of a

coarse kind of broad cotton strips, only a few young lads, sons of the

chief, wearing also, here in the encampment, blue-dyed shirts, with a

patch of red cloth to adorn the large breast-pocket. Their head-dress

was likewise very poor, consisting not of a whole shawl, harám or

tesílgemist, but of single cotton strips of various colours, blue, red,

white, and of the mixed kind called “shaharíye,” sewed together, only a

few of them being able to add a strip of red cloth: for, altogether,

these Tawárek are very fond of a variety of colours, a feature already

observed by that most excellent geographer El Bekrí[78], and never leave

the manufactured shirts of Núpe and Háusa as they receive them, with the

exception of a few of the greatest chiefs, who pride themselves in

possessing a whole shirt of that kind. Owing to the swampy character of

the neighbourhood, which produced countless hosts of mosquitoes, and to

the number of hyenas, which frightened the cattle repeatedly, I passed a

restless and sleepless night.

[Sidenote: Friday, August 12th.]

I was now in the hands of the Tawárek, and my crafty Arab companion was

enabled to take full advantage of my dangerous situation. For, on the

one hand, it had become necessary to represent me to these simple people

as a great sheríf, and thus to excite their hospitable feelings, while

at the same time he instigated me to reward their treatment in a

generous manner, but nevertheless sold my presents to them as his own

property. It required a great deal of patience and forbearance on my

part, to bear up against the numerous delays in this part of our

journey, and to endure the many tricks played upon me by the treachery

of my companion, in order to prevent at least his proceeding to open

violence. In this encampment he bartered the horse which I had bought

for him at Libtáko, for seven fat and powerful bulls, which, in

Timbúktu, probably might fetch from 8000 to 10,000 shells each. This

business being at length settled, and the whole encampment breaking up,

we proceeded onwards. The men were mostly mounted on horses of a small

unsightly breed, but well adapted to bear fatigue, while the women were

sitting astride on their household furniture, which was packed on oxen

and asses.

Proceeding thus slowly onward, our friends encamped about a mile from

their former resting-place, or “ámazágh,” close beyond an extensive

meadow-water which caused the young herbage to spring up all around, and

full of holes, thus creating frequent delay.

Continuing, then, our journey alone, and ascending higher ground, where

a little cultivation was being carried on by the slaves of the nomadic

tribe which at present have taken possession of these grounds, and

passing another encampment, we reached, after a march of about eight

miles, the camp where we were to make another halt. It was situated in

an open tract of ground called Imeggélelé, adorned only by a few stunted

talha trees, while at some distance to the south a flat vale spread out,

clothed with a greater profusion of vegetation, and affording rich

pasture to numerous flocks of sheep and goats. The whole tract forms a

sort of irregular valley, bordered towards the north by a hilly chain of

slight elevation, and towards the west by a cluster of flat-topped

cones.

[Illustration]

The camp was governed by three different chiefs, called Sítina, Jáwi,

and Feréferé,—the latter being a man of a very powerful frame. Several

small presents were necessary to satisfy them all. Besides, as the two

pack-oxen which I had hired the day before were to return from this

place, I had to buy here two animals myself; and I had great difficulty,

in the course of the following day, in concluding a bargain: but I at

length succeeded in buying one bull, with a tobe worth here 6000 shells,

and a túrkedí of inferior quality worth 2000; and a second one, with

three háf worth 4000, together with a túrkedí worth 3500. This was not,

however, their real value, but the price fixed by El Waláti, who had

himself a profit of at least fifty per cent. He also was the sole cause

of my being detained here so long, as he wanted to sell the mare which

he had brought with him from Bulánga; for horses constitute the chief

article of trade with these people, and small Fúlbe traders, or rather

Jawámbe or Zoghorán, visit them continually, bringing horses from Sofára

and the country of Búrgu, where the best animal fetches not more than

about 30,000 shells, and bartering them with these people for cattle,

and the first evening of our arrival a numerous troop of these native

traders arrived. It was here that I observed, for the first time, some

of the Tawárek clad entirely in shirts made of leather, which they are

skilful in preparing.

[Sidenote: Sunday, August 14th.]

The bargaining being at length concluded, we got ourselves in readiness

to pursue our journey, when a violent thunder-storm, gathering from the

north, kept us back till nearly noon. We at length set out; but the

recently bought animals were so intractable that we only moved on at a

very slow pace. We had first to retrace our steps a little to the

eastward, in order to cross the hilly chain which separated us from the

sandy downs along the Niger; and had then to descend a very steep sandy

slope, which brought us into an irregular valley, with the mountains of

Dalla forming a conspicuous object towards the west. Having then turned

round a mountain spur which stretched out into the plain on our right,

we reached the encampment of Bélé, a powerful chief of the degraded

tribe of the Haw-n-ádak. His exterior had nothing of that noble

appearance which so eminently distinguishes the higher class of these

wild tribes, as he was of unwieldy corpulency, and of a rather short

figure, resembling the famous South-African chief, Nangóro, visited by

Messrs. Galton and Anderson. He received us, however, very hospitably,

and proved to be rather an intelligent man; but, fortunately, he had not

sufficient cleverness to discover that I was a Christian, although, from

the very first moment when he beheld my luggage, he arrived at the firm

conclusion that I was not what my companions represented me to

be,—namely, a sheríf from the far east; but he had made up his mind, on

account of the little knowledge which I possessed of his language, and

which I had not quite kept back before him, that I was a merchant,

either from Ghadámes or Morocco, and it was quite amusing to me to hear

him argue this point, while he affirmed with the greatest obstinacy, and

with an oath, that I was a Shillúh,—a Berber from the north,—and wanted

to represent myself as a sheríf, in order to pass through his tribe with

less trouble and expense. He, as well as his people, became, by degrees,

rather troublesome; but they treated us well, sending us two prepared

sheep, and large dishes of rice boiled in an abundance of butter, but

without salt. The chief himself is said to consume every day a sheep,

and the supply of milk from seven cows,—in this respect reminding us of

the Emperor Vitellius.

[Sidenote: Monday, August 15th.]

I presented to the chief a first-rate túrkedí, two black shawls, and a

red cap; but as my fine horse excited his cupidity, we had some

difficulty in getting away, and matters appeared for some time rather

serious. But having at length proceeded on our journey, after a little

more than a mile, we ascended from the rich grassy plain, upon an

undulating tract of deep sandy soil, richly clothed with mimosa and

herbage, and broken now and then by a depression or cavity covered with

the richest species of grass, called “banga.” Numerous flocks of sheep

were pasturing here, and a servant of Bélé, who accompanied us, felt no

compunction in seizing the fattest specimen and slaughtering it. After a

march of about eight miles, the poisonous euphorbia became very common;

but we looked in vain for water, as we had taken no supply with us, and

it was not till after a long march over the sandy downs, that we reached

a pool of stagnant and dirty water. A little more than two miles beyond,

we came to another encampment of Tawárek. Here fortunately I found

better rest than at Bélé’s, only a few people being present at the time.

The chief, too, being of rather a subordinate character, raised his

pretensions less high.

On account of their degraded character and their low condition in the

scale of Tawárek society, these people were not even allowed to wear

swords, which is the emblem of the free and noble Amóshagh, but, besides

their spears, they are only armed with a long “télak,” or knife, worn at

the left arm. All the Tawárek hereabouts wear short narrow shirts, and

short and tightly fitting trowsers; and almost all of them wear round

the lower and upper part of their face, a shawl composed of strips of

different colours and materials, as I have stated above; only the chief

himself uses a black tobe, and a shawl of the same colour.

These various tribes pasture their cattle quite differently from each

other. Most of the Tawárek, like the Fúlbe in general, drive them out

early in the morning, and fetch them home when the heat of the day

commences, in order to milk them, after which the cattle are again

driven out till evening; but the people of this as well as of the last

day’s encampment, pasture their cattle during the night, and fetch them

home early in the morning for milking. We had a fine cool breeze in the

evening, which refreshed me extremely while lying in front of my tent;

but in the night a heavy thunder-storm broke out, followed by a moderate

quantity of rain.

[Sidenote: August 16th.]

It was almost noon when we started, for as long as my friend El Waláti

had something to sell, there was no chance of travelling, and in order

to diminish my dissatisfaction, it was pretended that one of my pack-

oxen was lost. Here my companion bartered his young camel for sixty

sheep, and the bargain being at length concluded, we were allowed to

proceed on our journey. But before setting out I had to give my blessing

to the whole population of the encampment, male as well as female. Among

the latter I discovered a few pretty young women, particularly one, who,

together with her baby, formed a most pleasing spectacle, her beauty

being enhanced by her extreme shyness in approaching me; but their dress

was very poor indeed, consisting of coarse cotton stuff, which was

wrapped round the body and brought down over the head. All the boys

under twelve years of age have the left side of their head entirely

shaven, while from the crop on the right side a long curl hangs down.

At length we were again on the road, but our march, through a rather

level tract of country, was only of short duration, and after a little

more than six miles, having crossed a basin where a large sheet of water

had collected, we again took up our quarters in another encampment the

chief of which was stated to possess great authority, so that I had once

more to give presents to the value of nearly 10,000 shells, besides a

túrkedi and “háf” to be given to the man belonging to Bélé, who had

served us as a guide. I had likewise to send a present to a Tárki chief

at some distance, in order to take every precaution recommended to me by

my companion to insure my safety, although I felt certain that he

himself applied the greater portion to his own use. It was thus that my

supplies rapidly disappeared, and I had a fair prospect, if this state

of things should continue for any length of time, of arriving in

Timbúktu greatly lightened. We were however hospitably treated by our

hosts, and were even regaled with the uncommon luxury of a large dish of

“megáta,” a sort of maccaroni, prepared from wheat with a rich seasoning

of butter, and famous since the time of El Bekrí. As a proof that we

were approaching Timbúktu, I may mention that the people of this

encampment were extremely anxious to get a sip of tea, which they called

the water of Simsim, from the celebrated well of that name in Mekka.

Another of my camels being knocked up, I here exchanged it for four

bulls, one of which was fit for carrying burdens, being equal in value

to two or three of the others; but I had afterwards a keen dispute on

account of this bargain, the camel having subsequently died.

[Sidenote: August 17th.]

On setting out from this encampment, we kept at first a little more

westward, thus leaving the district of Banséna, which formerly seems to

have been of some importance, to the north, in order to avoid the

encampment of Íso, a brother of Somki, who had sent a messenger the

preceding day in order to invite us to pay him a visit. The district

through which we passed is called Mínta, and is rich in ironstone, while

ruins of former smelting-places are seen in different localities; but it

was extremely barren, extensive tracts of bleak native soil, called

“néga” or “hamraye,” fatiguing the eye under a hot African sun. Further

on the soil became swampy, and bore frequent footprints of the elephant:

but after a march of a little more than three miles, while we again

returned into a northerly direction, we entered an undulating sandy

tract clothed with bushes, and two miles and a half beyond again

encamped on the site of a Tawárek ámazágh. Here, after having made some

presents, we were well treated, two sheep being slaughtered for us; but

we passed a most uncomfortable night on account of the vast number of

mosquitoes which infested the place.

[Sidenote: Thursday, August 18th.]

We at length made a tolerable day’s march in order to reach the small

town of Bámbara, which forms the southernmost of the fixed settlements

of the Songhay along the creeks and back-waters of the river in this

part of the country. The district through which we passed in the

beginning of our march formed a tolerable level, thickly overgrown with

bushes and the feathery bristle, which gradually attained such a height,

as to reach the rider on horseback. At times also the poisonous

euphorbia predominated, and after a march of about nine miles our old

friend the hájilíj, or _Balanites ægyptiaca_, which I did not remember

to have seen since leaving Fógha, began to appear. But far more cheerful

than the sight of this tree was the view of a large sheet of water,

which appeared on our right about three miles further on, and which

excited in me the first idea of the size and richness of the upper

course of the Niger; it is here called Dó; but in its further course

northwards, where the eye could not reach the border, it bears the

particular name of Siléddu, and at least at certain seasons of the year

is in direct connection with the river.

Having then passed a small tract of cultivated ground and emerged from

the undulating country, we obtained a sight of the town of Bámbara,

situated a little in front of a chain of hills, as represented in the

accompanying woodcut. In an hour more we reached the place, and at the

instigation of our Arab companion fired a salute with our pistols,

whereupon the principal individuals made their appearance, and we

obtained quarters without further delay. The town or village consists

partly of low clay buildings, partly of huts, but the inhabitants appear

to dwell almost exclusively in the latter, using the clay dwellings,

which generally consist of low, oblong, and flat-roofed buildings, as

store-rooms or magazines for depositing their treasures; that is to say,

their long rolls of cotton-strips, “leppi,” or “tári.” The dwelling also

which was assigned to me consisted of a rather low dirty hut, which was

anything but well ventilated, and proved almost insupportable during the

hot hours of the day. But the clay soil in the courtyard was too hard

for pitching my tent, and besides, it was not advisable to expose myself

in this manner to the gaze of inquisitive and curious observers. The

inhabitants of this place, almost all of whom are Fúlbe, and on account

of their large features evidently belong to the section of the Toróde or

Tórobe, are ill-famed as “dhálemín,” or evil-doers. However, they are a

warlike set, and had succeeded a few months before in driving back the

Awelímmiden, who had made a foray on a large scale against the place.

But Bámbara is important in an economical respect, for the inhabitants,

besides possessing numerous cattle, cultivate a large extent of ground;

even many of the people of Timbúktu have fields here, the transport of

the grain being easy and cheap by means of the immense inland navigation

which is formed by the many back-waters and branches of the Niger. But

the neighbourhood of the place is very barren, and at that time

especially, when no rain had fallen for some time, looked extremely dry,

so that the camels had to be driven to a great distance to find

pasturage. Some Tawárek half-castes are also settled in the place, and

they kept up dancing every evening till a very late hour.

[Illustration]

Bámbara is called Hudári by the Tawárek or Imóshagh, and Sukurára by the

people of the kingdom of Bámbara, the Bámanón, or as they are called by

the inhabitants of Timbúktu, Benáber. Why the name Bámbara has attached

to this place in particular I cannot say, but probably the reason was,

that the people of Bámbara, who some seventy years ago conquered all

this country to the south of the river, retained dominion of this town

for a longer time than of any other place in the neighbourhood. There is

no doubt that the Fúlbe, or Fullán, as well as the Songhay and Arabs,

call the place only by the latter name.

I had to stay in Bámbara several days, not at all for my own comfort, as

I continually ran the risk of being recognised and identified, having

been known as a Christian at the short distance of a few days’ journey

from here. Nothing but the scanty intercourse which is kept up in this

region made such a sudden change of character possible, for as yet I had

nobody to protect me. But my friend El Waláti, whose relation with the

inhabitants of this place was of a peculiar character, derived the sole

benefit from our stay. He had married here, four years previously, a

rich wife, and had absconded with all her property: besides having

seriously offended the powerful Tárki chief Somki. Having thus made

himself so obnoxious to them, he would not have been able to enter the

place again, if he had not found an opportunity of enriching himself at

my expense and enjoying the protection of my company. However, it was

only by degrees that I became acquainted with all these circumstances,

while I had to bear silently all the intrigues of this man, my only

object being to reach safely in his company the town of Timbúktu; but it

was evident enough that he was continually wavering, whether it was not

more profitable for him to deliver me into the hands of the Fúlbe, as he

knew well that in the town of Dár-e’-Salám, which was only thirty miles

distant, there was a powerful governor, under the ruler of Másina, and

himself a son of Mohammed Lebbo, who, at the first intelligence of my

real character, would have cut short all my proceedings, and, in the

most favourable case, would have sent me direct to his liege lord and

nephew in Hamda-Alláhi.

I had to make here some considerable presents to a number of people.

There was first our host Jóbbo, who had given us quarters, and who

treated us very hospitably; then, the son of the chief or emír, who was

absent in Hamda-Alláhi; next, three kinsmen of the latter, who were

represented to me as dhálemín; and lastly, three Arabs from Timbúktu,

who were staying here at the time, and whose friendly disposition I had

to secure for some reason or other. One of the latter was a very amiable

young man, of the name of Mohammed el Amín, son of the learned kádhi

Mústapha, and it was he, in particular, who gave me some information

with regard to my friend El Waláti, who, on his part, endeavoured to

obtain the favour of this young man, by persuading me to make him a good

present, and to commission him to take charge of my horse through the

dangerous and watery tract of country from Sarayámo to Kábara. As for

the second of these Arabs, he belonged to the small tribe of the Ansár,

or, as they are generally called Lansár,—that most respected Arab tribe

which, on account of its intimate connection with Mohammed, enjoyed

everywhere and at all times great influence, but which is at present

reduced to a very small fraction. He was a follower of Hammádi, the

rival of the sheikh El Bakáy in Timbúktu, and seemed to be of such a

hostile disposition towards my friend that the latter represented him to

me as shamefully exiled from that town, and as totally disgraced.

Besides these presents to the inhabitants of the place, I had also to

reward the various people who had accompanied us from the Tawárek

encampments in order to show us the road, or rather to drive the sheep

and cattle belonging to El Waláti. But in return for all these presents

I was at least treated hospitably and, for these countries, even

sumptuously; and I was glad to find that the rice here, which

constituted the chief article of food, was of excellent quality.

While we were staying in this place I received a visit from two Tawárek

chiefs, who, owing to our slow progress, had heard of me, and came in

order to obtain from me my blessing, but more particularly some

presents. The chief of them was a very respectable-looking man, of the

name of Mohammed, or Hemáhemé, with large open features, such as are

never seen among the Kél-owí, and of a tall stately figure. They behaved

very friendly towards me, and one of them even embraced me very

cordially; but the scale of their religious erudition was not very

considerable, and I was greatly amused when El Waláti, in order to get

back from them his tobacco-pouch, which they had secretly abstracted

from him, suddenly seized one of my books, which happened to be

“Lander’s Journey,” and, on threatening them with it as if it were the

Kurán, the pouch was restored without delay.

I had been questioned repeatedly on my journey respecting the Méhedí,

who was expected soon to appear; but these people here were uncommonly

anxious to know something concerning him, and could scarcely be

prevented from identifying me with this expected prophet, who was to

come from the East.

They were scarcely gone when a messenger arrived from the great chief

Somki, whose name had already filled my imagination for so long a time;

and, at El Waláti’s most urgent request, who did not fail to enhance the

importance of this man as much as he was able, I prepared a considerable

present, worth altogether 33,000 shells, which my friend was to take to

him on the following day.

Now it would not have been at all necessary to have come into any

contact with this chief, as the direct road to Timbúktu led straight

from here, without touching at Sarayámo, near which place Somki had

formed his encampment; but my friend represented the direct road from

here to Timbúktu as leading along the encampments of several powerful

chiefs, whom it would be more prudent to avoid; and perhaps he was

right, not so much from the reason stated as on account of the water-

communication between Sarayámo and Timbúktu offering a great advantage.

In conformity with these circumstances, on the third day of our stay

here, El Waláti at length set out for the encampment of Somki, in order

to obtain his protection, to enable me to pass safely through his

territory; and I sent along with him my faithful servant, Mohammed el

Gatróni, whom I had just cured of a severe attack of dysentery, although

I could not expect that he would be able to control the proceedings of

the crafty Arab, as he did not understand the language of the Tawárek.

They did not return until the third day, and gave me in the meantime

full leisure to study a little more accurately the relations of this

place.

[Footnote 78: El Bekrí’s “Description de l’Afrique Septentrionale,” p.

118.]

CHAP. LXIV.

THE NETWORK OF CREEKS, BACKWATERS, AND LAKES BELONGING TO THE NIGER. —

SARAYÁMO. — NAVIGATION TO KÁBARA.

On my first arrival at the town of Bámbara, I had not been at all aware

that it formed a most important point of my journey, it being for me, as

proceeding from the south-east, what that celebrated creek three days

west from Timbúktu was to the traveller from the north during the middle

ages, and which on this account has received the name of “Rás el má.”

The town of Bámbara is situated on a branch, or rather a dead backwater

of the river, forming a very shallow bottom of considerable breadth, but

a very irregular border, and containing at that time but little water,

so that the communication with the river was interrupted; but about

twenty days later in the season, for about four or five months every

year, during the highest state of the inundation, the boats proceed from

here directly, either to Díre by way of Gálaye and Káñima, or to

Timbúktu by way of Délego and Sarayámo, thus opening a considerable

export of corn towards that dependent market-place, which again has to

supply the whole of the nomadic tribes of Ázawád, and the neighbouring

districts.

This shallow water is bordered on the west side by the hilly chain which

I have mentioned before, and beyond there is another branch, which joins

it towards the south. Such being the state of the water at present,

there was no great activity, and two canoes only were lying here under

repair, each of them being provided with two low chambers, or cabins,

vaulted in with reeds and bushes, as I shall describe further on. Of

course, when this basin is full of water, and navigated by numbers of

canoes, the place must present quite another appearance, while at the

time of my visit its shallow swampy state could not but increase the

dulness of the whole neighbourhood, which had not yet been fertilised by

the rainy season. I was assured by the inhabitants that only one

plentiful shower had as yet fallen. This was the reason that, instigated

by the absurd rumour which had preceded me that my favour with the

Almighty was so great that it had some influence upon the fall of rain,

all the inhabitants, although Mohammedans, assembled on the second day

of El Waláti’s absence, and, headed by the emír, came to me in

procession, and solicited my interference in their behalf for a good

shower of rain. I succeeded this time in eluding their solicitations for

a direct prayer, satisfying them by expressing my fervent hope that the

Almighty would have mercy upon them. But I was so favoured, that there

was really a moderate shower in the evening, which did a great deal of

good to the ground, although the air did not become much cooler, for it

was excessively hot all this time, and sometimes almost insupportable in

my narrow dirty hut. I remember in particular one miserable night which

I spent here, when, not being able to obtain a wink of sleep, I wandered

about all night, and felt totally exhausted in the morning.

Notwithstanding the swarms of mosquitoes, I afterwards preferred

sleeping outside my hut, in order to inhale the slight refreshing breeze

which used to spring up during the night. Unfortunately I had, to the

best of my belief, long before broken my last thermometer, and was

therefore unable, or rather believed myself unable, to measure the heat

with accuracy, but it could certainly not be inferior to the greatest

rate we had experienced in Kúkawa. The whole country round about the

village is very bleak, consisting chiefly of black argillaceous soil,

such as is common in the neighbourhood of large sheets of water, and

scarcely a single tree offers its foliage as a shelter from the rays of

the sun.

I had also sufficient leisure to pay full attention to the trading

relations of the inhabitants, which, at this time of the year, are

rather poor; for although a daily market is held, it is on a very small

scale, and, besides sour milk and salt, very little is to be found. Even

Indian corn is not brought regularly into the market, although so much

agriculture is going on in the neighbourhood, and I had to buy my supply

from strangers who by chance were passing through the place, while for

one of my oxen I got only as much as forty sʿaa, or measures of corn: of

rice, on the contrary, which is extensively cultivated in the

neighbourhood, the natives, even at this season, appeared to possess a

sufficient supply. The standard currency consists of “tári,” that is to

say, cotton strips two hands wide, of which, unfortunately, I did not

possess the smallest quantity; it is only in purchasing sweet or sour

milk that the inhabitants accept shells. Everything that is sold in the

market is measured and inspected by an officer, who does not bear the

same title by which he is known in the eastern countries of the Fúlbe,

viz. “lámido-lúmu,” but is here called “emíro-fóba.”

A good deal of entertainment was afforded me by the daily turning out

and bringing in of the several divisions of the five herds of cattle

which the place possessed. Three herds returned early in the morning

from their pasture grounds, where they had been left during the night,

in order to be milked; and the two remaining ones were then turned out,

in order to return during the heat of the day. But notwithstanding the

considerable number of cattle which the place possessed, the drought was

so great that there was only a small supply of milk at the time.

At length, on the evening of the third day after their setting out, my

two companions, whom I had sent to Somki, returned, and El Waláti would

fain have made me believe that that chief had at first most obstinately

refused to receive the presents, and had peremptorily demanded that I

should make him, in addition, a present of one of the horses; but the

fact was, that he had persisted in representing that those presents did

not come from me, but had employed them in order to make his own peace

with that powerful chief, and to conclude some bargain with him. After

all this, he had the insolence to propose that I also should go to that

chief, in order to surrender to him some more of my property as his own;

but I could not prevent it, and my only object was necessarily to get

over my difficult situation as well as possible.

[Sidenote: Thursday, August 25th.]

Having, after the return of my friend from his important embassy, still

been obliged to stay another day in this miserable place, and having had

the misfortune to lose my best ox of burden, which El Waláti had sold to

the Tawárek who came along with us, pretending that it had been stolen,

I at length set out on my journey to Sarayámo. But just as we were about

to start, a circumstance happened which might have proved fatal to my

further proceedings; for, at the moment of departure, there arrived an

Arab, a native of Tisít, who, besides having visited St. Louis, had made

the pilgrimage to Mekka, and knew something about Europeans as well as

about the Arabs of the East; and as I asked a great many questions about

the ancient and celebrated town of Bíru, and the modern Waláta, he began

to make some stricter inquiries concerning my native home, and the

places from whence I had gathered my information; for not having found

any one on his journey towards the East who knew anything about the

seats of these Western Arabs, while the general name of Shingíti is

given to all of them, he was not a little astonished to find that I knew

so much about his countrymen. However, my whole appearance inspired him

with such confidence, that he continued to take great interest in me. He

had already, the previous evening, sent me a fat sheep as a present, and

he now accompanied me for a while, mounted on a beautiful white mare;

but, as his company prevented my laying down the route with accuracy, I

persuaded him not to give himself any further trouble.

Having crossed a small watercourse, we soon reached a larger one, which

formed a running stream, carrying the surplus of the shallow creek of

Bámbara towards a larger sheet, which, at the distance of a mile, we saw

expand on our right. The surface of the country was undulating, with

granite cropping out here and there, and with a good supply of stunted

mimosa, besides the poisonous euphorbia; but, about two miles beyond the

open water, we descended into a more level tract, covered with nothing

but dry and short herbage, and abundance of the obnoxious feathery

bristle; but this is very favourable ground for the cattle, for they are

not less fond of this bristle than their masters themselves are of the

seed, called “úzak,” which from the most ancient times[79] has

constituted one of their chief articles of food. We passed, also, the

sites of several former Tawárek encampments.