The illustrious strangers — Something about costume — Houses at Khartoum
— Mahometans, Christians, and Jews — Trade and Commerce — Scheme for
colonizing the White Nile, latitude 4° — Morals — The rainy season —
Superstition — Military.
It is evident that we are considered somebodies in this good town of
Khartoum. We have astonished the natives more than can very well be
conceived. What they think of us, we cannot exactly ascertain: but it is
clear enough that they think a good deal of us. They are a little
puzzled when they speculate upon what brought us to their remote corner
of the world; and to add to their mystification, they cannot for certain
reasons avoid regarding us with a considerable amount of respect mingled
with a slight addition of awe. The fact is, it has got abroad that our
firman contained denunciations unusually stringent against all, and
sundry, who wanted to eat dirt by exhibiting the slightest degree of
neglect or remissness in looking after our safety, comfort, and
pleasure. Every one argues that such commands from such a source mean
something, and the upshot is that we were immediately set down as
illustrious strangers of a most illustrious generation.
Long before our arrival, rumours were in circulation respecting us that
increased in extravagance every hour. Among other veracious statements,
it was affirmed that a gentleman, with his hareem, was known to be on
the road, who was a Pasha with three tails; that he was adorned with
three diamond stars on each breast and neck, and prodigious gold
epaulettes on each shoulder. One of our friends who knew something of
us, was asked if the great man about to visit them, really was greater
than any Pasha of their acquaintance. Our friend set the matter at rest,
by assuring his eager questioner that all Pashas were as nothing to the
least of us, for they were obliged to do the bidding of their master—but
that we were our own masters, and did exactly as we pleased. There was a
fervent exclamation respecting the goodness of Allah, and the querist
walked away, as an Irishman would phrase it, “bothered intirely.”
I have never seen a country of such extreme cleanliness. Though the
drapery of the people is often of the scantiest—in this there is nothing
offensive. The Bedouins are satisfied with only a cloth round their
loins during the heat of the day—the girls and children often have not
even this very small wardrobe to boast of—nevertheless, they are so
perfectly modest that no one thinks of their deficiencies. The costume
of the elder females often assumes a classical character—and is likely
to afford immense satisfaction to sketchers, and those who fancy that
they are gifted with a taste for the artistic.
But while I am discussing other people’s toilets, it may be thought
scarcely fair that I have ventured to say nothing about my own. I have
said nothing on this interesting subject, for the very simple
reason—that I have nothing to say. But merely in compliance with a
principle of justice, I must beg to inform the reader—that I wore, when
in the desert, a rusty pair of blue trowsers bought at Milan, elegantly
fastened round my waist with an old rope, to remedy certain unavoidable
deficiencies in the article buttons—above that a red shirt—that was. It
is now beautifully varied, being partly purple and partly pink. A tie
extremely unstudied, buck-skin boots, and a top coat containing
something of everything in the sporting line; these with a tarboosh and
a turban, constitute the sum total of my classical toggery.
As I had an opportunity of observing the _tout ensemble_, in our only
mirror—a circular looking-glass just two and a quarter inches in
diameter—there is no fear of my too greatly admiring it. If Mr.
Narcissus had travelled in the desert with the thermometer 94° in the
shade, till his complexion became the colour of a brick-bat, and his
nose and lips were in a state of intense inflammation—and got clothed
after the elegant fashion I had adopted, there would have been no danger
to the gentleman on the score of self-conceit. So much for my appearance
in the desert. We were, however, at Khartoum dressed exactly as we
should have been had we been travelling in Europe.
The town consists of about three thousand houses, resembling those
already described. Architecture in these regions being in an extremely
primitive condition, the arrangement of the streets is just what might
be expected from the aspect of the houses. There are no spacious
thoroughfares; here and there appears something like a square, or
space—but the perspective generally is by no means such as would satisfy
the humblest European judgment in the art of building. The better class
of houses are possessed either by the government officials, or by the
European residents. In some there are approaches to luxury, in others to
comfort; indeed, it is but fair to acknowledge that with the addition of
delightful gardens, and a pleasant climate, it is not difficult to
reconcile oneself to a residence within mud walls.
The inhabitants are thirty thousand in number, including the
military—they are divided into Mahometans, Christians, and Jews; the
former are an immense majority of the population, and worship in their
mosques—they are particularly unenlightened, and their priests are not
much better. The latter number about fifty. They comprise the entire
community attached to the Roman Catholic missions, possess three
priests, have a chapel for the performance of religious worship, as well
as a school for the preparation of converts, and the instruction of the
rising generation of their co-religionists. The Jews are about a dozen.
The members of the three religions live together very amicably—the
followers of the Prophet looking upon the supporters of the Pope with
supreme indifference, and the professors of Christianity regarding the
worshippers of the Koran with profound pity. The Jews, of course,
abominating both. Sometimes one of those accidents that are said to
happen in the best regulated families, varies this state of harmony with
a little bigotry—and “the dogs of Christians,” and “the beasts of Jews,”
are made to suffer as much persecution as may be thought good for
them—and “the miserable Infidels” fall prodigiously in Christian and
Jewish opinion. All parties are taxed with very little partiality; and
the government is equally indifferent to their interests.
Much activity prevails in the neighbourhood in boat-building; the
vessels constructed being chiefly long, open boats for navigating the
Nile. They are usually built of palm-wood, but are very clumsy
contrivances.
The principal portion of their trade consists in the produce of their
gardens and fields, which are extremely productive. The bazaars consist
of four covered and four uncovered streets; the former are the finest
shops, and are filled with articles of merchandize of very various
character, among which figure Manchester prints, Sheffield knives and
scissors on cards, and Staffordshire potteries: the uncovered streets
are mostly booths, in which are sold senna, lichens, and various herbs
and grasses. The merchants here export gum-arabic, galls, senna, castor-
oil, and large quantities of ivory on camels to Korosko, after conveying
them down the Nile to Berber.
A much greater trade might be carried on with English goods than has yet
been attempted; but this should be extended as far into the interior as
possible, that we might profit by the immense stores of ivory and other
valuable commodities, that are so easily procurable. I have had another
conversation with Monsieur R—— on this subject. He is for colonizing the
White River at latitude 4°; stating that the people there have already
learnt to distinguish between the European and the Government
expeditions. A steamer of ten or fifteen horse-power, flat-bottomed,
would do admirably to tow up the diabeheehs. According to his account,
monkeys swarm in the trees at ten hours’ journey from here; at three
days’ journey the traveller meets with flocks of guinea-fowls; and
elephants, tigers, and lions in eight days.
The lower class of people content themselves with one wife, who usually
rewards her faithful spouse with many children. The higher class are not
so easily satisfied; and the grandees indulge in the permitted number of
four.
The most unpleasant part of the year is the rainy season; and so heavy
is the fall, that the streets are impassable. This comes on, too, so
suddenly, that should any one call upon another a little before the
commencement of the showers, he must remain at his friend’s house for
three or four days, till the waters subside. No one attempts to quit his
dwelling during the rains; and the town, therefore, must possess much
the appearance of having only just emerged from the Deluge.
Superstitious practices and prejudices are general. All Wednesdays are
considered unfortunate, particularly the last Wednesday in the month:
but the last Wednesday in the year is still more unfortunate, as on that
day Moses made the waters blood. So the day previously, every one
provides water for two days, as no one thinks of going to the river till
after _Asser_—three o’clock in the afternoon. The Pasha is not free from
these superstitions; and Riffa Bey, who has enjoyed the advantages of a
Persian, as well as a Parisian education, and is thoroughly versed in
magical lore, has daily to explain his Excellency’s dreams.
The military force here consists of ten thousand infantry, and two
thousand cavalry. In the yard of the Governor’s house, I noticed several
pieces of brass cannon, four to ten pounders; he has also some howitzers
and bombs. There are in the Soudan, twenty thousand infantry and twelve
thousand cavalry, with thirty-six pieces of artillery, under the command
of Latiffe Pasha, who is a general officer. Indeed, every one in the
civil, as well as in the military service, possesses military rank. The
doctor is a commander one grade below a lieutenant-colonel. Ali Bey
Hassib is a full colonel; and this is so much a matter of course, that
we are continually questioned as to our standing in our own army. The
answer that had previously settled our superiority to the whole race of
Pashas, always sufficed. Our independence of superior authority gave us
very high military rank, indeed.