RESIDENCE IN GHAT.
Gloves an enigma of Wonder.--Visit Sheikh Hateetah.--All Men
equal at Ghat.--Crowds of People surrounding my House to see
me.--Violent Act committed on a Man at Prayer in the
Mosque.--Extent of European Literature known at Ghat.--Continue
unwell.--Ouweek's public Apology.--Dances of the Slaves.--A
Saharan _Emeute_.--Arrival of Caravans.--Return the Visit of the
Governor.--Europe, a cluster of innumerable Islets.--Who has most
Money, Christians or Mahometans?--People more used to my presence
in Ghat.--The Prophet of the Touaricks.--Visit from Aheer
Touaricks.--The Governor's petty dealing.--The Shereef of
Moorzuk.--Visit from Jabour.--Beginning Soudanic Cottons.--Visits
from Kandarka and Zoleâ.--Route from Ghat to Alexandria, and its
distance.--The Shereef of Medina.--Character and influence of
Khanouhen, heir-apparent of the Touarghee Throne of the Azgher
Touaricks, and his arrival in Ghat.
_22nd._--HAVE considerable pain in my stomach with change of diet. Did
not go out yesterday and the day before in the day-time, on account of
the rabble who follow so close at my heels, that my guides and protectors
can't keep them off. Sent a _shumlah_ ("sash") to Haj Ahmed, the
Governor, this morning. He expressed himself highly gratified. This makes
the Governor's present about five dollars more than he gets from any of
the merchants. The richest and most powerful merchants don't give more,
and some of them not half this amount. I have already given away 20
dollars out of my extremely modest resources.
Nothing surprises the natives of Ghat and the Touaricks so much as my
gloves. I am obliged to put them off and on a hundred times a day to
please people. They then try them on, look at them inside and outside, in
every shape and way, expressing their utter astonishment by the most
sacred names of Deity. Some, also, have not seen stockings before, and
examine them with much wonderment. But the gloves carry the palm in
exciting the emotion of the terrible. One said, after he had put the
glove on his hand, "Ah! ah! Whey! whoo! that's the hand of the Devil
himself!"
The _Souk_ or mart has now fairly begun. Merchants are desperately busy
buying and selling, chiefly exchanging goods against slaves. All complain
of the dearness of slaves.
Afternoon visited Sheikh Hateetah, "Friend" or "Consul" of the English.
Found him still unwell; he complains of pain in his bowels. This is the
case with most people in Ghat, myself amongst the rest. It cannot be the
water, for it is the purest and sweetest of The Desert. Prescribed a
little medicine for the Sheikh, who promises to introduce me to Sultan
Shafou when he arrives. Returned by another route, and in this manner
made the tour of the town. Half an hour is fully enough to walk round the
mere walls of the city, but then there are considerable suburbs,
consisting of huts and stone and mud houses. At the Sheikh's I met a
merchant just returned from Kanou; I put some questions to him, who,
thinking I wished to have every one answered in the affirmative, gave me
his terrible "yahs" and "aywahs" to all and everything demanded.
"Are there many people ill in Kanou?"
"Yes, many."
"Is the route to Kanou unsafe?"
"Yes."
"Are there banditti in route?"
"Yes."
"Is it hot in Kanou?"
"Very hot, very hot."
"Is there fever in Kanou?"
"Yes, always."
This I thought was good news. I fear we often get incorrect intelligence
from these people, through their anxiety to answer all our questions in
the affirmative, they not understanding that we put the questions to them
simply to gain information.
All men are indeed equal here, as saith the Governor. There seems to be
no ruling authority, and every one does what is right in his own eyes.
Yesterday, although the Governor knew that some of his slaves or other
people had stolen my sugar, he never condescended to mention the
circumstance, by speaking to his eldest son about the theft; he said
absurdly enough, "Oh, if we knew the thief, we would put him to death."
On protesting against such punishment for the offence, he rejoined, "Oh,
but we would cut off his hand." This is all stuff, and a proof of the
weakness of the Governor's authority. Happily, however, there's no crime
worth naming in the oasis.
Am obliged to keep the door shut to prevent people from rushing into the
house by twenties and fifties at once. The Governor has sent strict
orders to his slaves to keep the door shut, first, to prevent me from
being pestered to death all day long, and, secondly, because some of the
people have got the habit here, as in Europe, of picking up little
things. A young slave is crying out, "Bago! bago!" every five minutes, in
answer to knocking at the door to see The Christian, which we interpret
in European phrase more politely, "Not at home," but which signifieth in
the original Housa, "No, no." However, a troop of the lower class of
Touaricks managed to squeeze in as some of our people went out, but I got
rid of them without angry words.
A Ghadamsee resident here, came in to-day, with a severe gash on his
hands, and one of his fingers, to ask my advice and beg medicine. The
gash was inflicted upon him whilst at prayer, by a vagabond Touarghee.
The assailant alleged as the reason of his violent act, that the
Ghadamsee had called him a thief amongst the people, adding, that he (the
Touarghee) had stolen two skin-bags out of a house. For such violence,
such a daring act perpetrated on a man whilst in the solemn performance
of prayer, our Marabout Governor was obliged to give satisfaction to the
injured party. His Excellency stripped the house of the Touraghee of all
his little property, turned him out into the street, and ordered him
immediately to leave Ghat. To the honour, and humanity, and morality of
the inhabitants of this part of The Sahara, such acts of violence are
extremely rare. The Ghadamsee had poulticed his hand with wet clay and
camel's dung. I recommended a bread poultice, but he kept to his day and
camel's dung. The Saharans mostly prefer their own remedies, though they
may condescend to ask you your advice. Bought some olive oil from the
Arabs of Gharian. Before pouring it out they wished me to put sugar in
the measure. I suspected some trick, and refused. As soon as the measure
was out of my servant's hand, they seized it, some licking it, others
rubbing their hands in it, and then oiling their bread. They wanted to
have a lick at the sugar, which would have settled down at the bottom;
and were very angry with me because I did not take their advice of
improving the oil with my sugar. These Arabs are really more greedy and
rapacious than the Touaricks. The difference is, the Arabs are near
Tripoli, see Europeans, and learn to be more polite to us than the
Touaricks can well be.
A son of the Governor recited to me the following famous distich, begging
me to tell him what it meant:--
"Tummora, tummora, tera,
Buon giorno, buona sera."
On inquiring how he learned it, he told me a Moor of Tripoli taught it
him. This seems to be the extent of European literature acquired by the
Ghateen.
_23rd._--Continue to have pains in my stomach, and feel very weak. Am
undecided whether I shall go or not to Soudan. However, Haj Ibrahim has
kindly offered to let me have twenty-five dollars' worth of goods on
credit, which, in the case of my going, will relieve me from every
embarrassment as to money for the present, until I can get a remittance
from Tripoli, for these twenty-five dollars will furnish the presents and
expenses of the route, and allow me to retain some twenty or thirty
dollars in my pocket. The reader will and must smile at this mighty
statement of my financial affairs, worthy of a Desert Budget!
Essnousee called. Ouweek is a personal friend of his; Essnousee
says:--"Ouweek has told us, he feared from you (myself), for the English
had never before been in his district. For the rest, he was only playing
with you. He wished to see whether an Englishman was a man of courage.
This you proved to be, for you sat down and ate dates and biscuit whilst
he was threatening to kill you. It also proved that you knew that he
(Ouweek) was playing with you, for how could you eat dates if you thought
he was going to kill you." This is Ouweek's defence about town. I heard
also a curious version about the slave who ran to the horse. Zaleâ says,
the slave ran there to get Ouweek farther from me, giving me an
opportunity, if I chose, of escaping to Ghat. This affair still occupies
public attention, but Ouweek keeps his present, and evidently will not
restore it despite the threats of Jabour. Essnousee tells me not to be
afraid of Ouweek, for he has influence with the Sheikh.
A Souk of _little things_ has just been opened, and provisions, with all
sorts of small articles, the manufacture of Soudan and Aheer, are exposed
for sale in the public square. Formerly, these matters were purchased at
private houses. This is a step in the march of Saharan commerce.
Yesterday evening, the poor slaves danced and sung till midnight in the
public squares. Ever-pitying Providence, so permits an hour of gaiety to
suffering humanity, under circumstances the most adverse to happiness!
The slaves of the caravan are, a few of them, permitted to join those of
the town, and the exiled slaves sometimes obtain intelligence in this way
of their country. Generally the slaves imported are from such a variety
of districts in Negroland, and so widely apart, that the slaves of The
Sahara can hear little of their native homes. I asked Bel Kasem, if the
slaves of the Ghafalah were prisoners of war. "No," he replied, "there is
no war now in Soudan; these are captured with matchlocks at night by
robbers (sbandout); the negro is frightened out of his wits at the sound
of fire-arms."
Afternoon there was a tremendous hubbub in the public square or
market-place, the Negresses flying in all directions from the scene of
tumult. One of Haj Ahmed's negresses comes running to me: "Shut the door,
shut the door, the world is upset, the world is upset! Haj Ahmed, my
master, is no Sheikh, no Sultan. He can't keep the people quiet. I'm
going, I'm going." "Where are you going?" "I'm going to another and
quieter country, to Haj Ahmed, my master, to tell him the news." This is
a very lively negress, her tongue never stops; she retails all the news
of the country to me, and is a great politician in her way. Some of these
Ghat negresses are actually witty, and crack jokes with the grave
Touaricks. The Touaricks are too gallant to be offended with the freedom
of even female slaves. I felt somewhat alarmed, thinking the discomfitted
party might come and avenge their defeat upon the unlucky Christian
stranger. We barricaded the door, and kept quiet, anxiously waiting the
result, as people do in Paris, when an _emeute_ is being enacted for the
especial benefit of the Parisians. Afterwards I learnt the particulars of
this strange tumult. There is an old half-cracked Sheikh, who goes every
day into the public square, and strikes his spear into the ground, and
retiring at a distance, exclaims aloud to all present, "Whoever dares to
touch that spear I'll kill him!" To-day a young Touarick passed by, and
seeing the spear sticking up very formidably, as if challenging
all-passers by, went near it, and said, "What's this?" and took hold of
it. The crazy Sheikh was watching at some distance, and now was his
opportunity to show the people his determined will and resolution. He
rushes at the lad with his dagger in hand. In an instant the whole place
is in wild tumult, cries and shouts rend the air, with a forest of spears
brandishing over the heads of Touaricks, Arabs, Moors, slaves, men,
women, and children, mingling together, and running over one another in a
frightful _melée_. The boy is rescued, the people resume their lounging
seats, the storm drops to a dead calm, and nobody is hurt, not even
scratched. Such is a row amongst these untutored children of The Desert.
How different to the Thuggee rows now being enacted in Ireland!
Afterwards paid a visit to Bel Kasem. He complained bitterly of slaves
being dear. A slave is sold at from 40 to 100 dollars. The mediate price
is 60 to 70. Two months ago good slaves were sold at 30 and 40 dollars
each. The reason given is the great quantity of merchandize arrived
direct from Tripoli, besides from the lateral routes of Ghadames and
Mourzuk. The English Vice-Consul of the latter city has sent quantities
of goods to this mart, but these are exchanged only for senna and ivory.
This evening arrived another Tripoline merchant with twenty camels of
merchandize. He came _viâ_ Mizdah and Shaty, and was forty-five days _en
route_. The Touat caravan (very small) has arrived, bringing Touat
woollen barracans and Timbuctoo gold. The affair of the Timbuctoo caravan
is differently reported. It is now said the people killed were the
inhabitants of Ain Salah. The Desert is a great exaggerator and
misinterpreter. It is very difficult to get correct news.
_24th._--Better in health this morning, after taking medicine yesterday.
First thing, returned the visit of the Governor. When I go out early,
find few persons about the streets. People are up as late in winter as
they are early in summer. The Touaricks of the suburban huts do not come
to town till very late in the morning, when the Souk begins. His
Excellency treated me with three cups of coffee. He said, "You must take
three, because it is the destined number of hospitality, and as many more
as you choose." It was wretched stuff--hot water and sugar, blackened or
diluted with a little badly-ground coffee. But his Excellency thought he
was conferring upon me a vast favour. Few people drink coffee in this
country, and it is considered a great luxury. A man from Bengazi, a
visitor, was also treated with his three cups of coffee. These Saharans
have strange notions in their heads respecting the geography of England,
and the capabilities of its inhabitants in travelling. The Governor asked
me, "If the English could travel by land?" I was astonished at the
question, but I saw he imagined our country, and European countries
generally, to be so many little islets in the ocean[76]. It is curious,
likewise, how old this notion is. The Hebrew prophets, who were bad
geographers, depicted all western Europe as "the isles of the sea." The
Governor continued, "But can you travel on land, when water is wanted, as
in this country?" Before the French occupied Algiers, the Saharans
thought it impossible for Christians to invade, or even to travel in,
their country. This gave the French invading army such a vast prestige
when they once got upon _terrâ firma_. The event was as unexpected and
marvelled at as the immediate results were decisive and brilliant. I
answered, "In travelling through Christian countries, water is met with
every day. If it be necessary to carry water however, water is carried.
The French carry it in Algeria, and the English in India, when the
country is dry and desert, on the backs of camels." His Excellency,
greatly surprised, "What! impossible! Have the Christians camels? God
gave the camels only to the Faithful." I returned, "We have troops of
camels." "And where do you get camels?" asked the Governor, with great
seriousness. "The French buy camels from Mussulmans in Algeria, and the
English keep camels in India." "Ah!" observed the Governor, "those French
Mussulmans sell camels to infidels. They themselves are infidels." His
Excellency now inquired about religion, and whether all Christians had
books (_i. e._ books of religion). As before noticed, there is a
prevailing opinion here that Protestants have no Scriptures, whilst,
indeed, as we know, they are the Christians who only, _bonâ fide_, have
the free use of the Scriptures. I saw that Haj Ahmed, though a Marabout,
was sufficiently ignorant on the religion of Christians. His Excellency
then asked about money.
"Who have the most money, Mussulmans or the English?"
_I._--"The English, The Sultan of Constantinople has no money, or spends
it faster than he gets it. Mehemet Ali has but little money. However,
Muley Abd Errahman has some saved up in the vaults of Mekinas."
_The Governor._--"Muley Abd Errahman belongs to us; we are his subjects.
We have nothing to do with the Turks or the Touaricks. As the English
have much money, why have not you much?"
This question--this home-thrust--was made in a peculiarly arch way.
"If I had brought much money," I replied, as pointedly, "I'm sure I
should have been murdered before I got to Ghat. All my friends, and the
Rais of Ghadames told me not to carry any money with me."
This clear and positive statement made the visitors, who were numerous,
burst out laughing. His Excellency, taken by surprise, asked abruptly,
"How? Why?" I added, "Two Englishmen have been murdered in The Desert,
the one near Wadnoun (Davidson), and the other near Timbuctoo (Major
Laing), and both upon the supposition of their having possessed much
money." The Governor at once dropped the subject, thinking I was going to
bring upon the tapis Ouweek. His Excellency often quizzes me about having
no money, evidently not believing a word of my alleged poverty. I then
asked the Governor what he thought of the great camel-driver, Kandarka,
who conducts the caravans, and nearly all the Ghadamseeah between Ghat
and Aheer. He answered, to my surprise, _Ma nâraf_, "I don't know," for
Kandarka has an excellent reputation. This was the jesuitism of the Moor.
I took leave, and was escorted to Hateetah by my young Touarghee friend,
whose eyes I'm doctoring. On our way we met his master, Sheikh Jabour,
who stopped to salute us. Afterwards, somebody hailed us from a hut. My
Touarghee friend turned and said, "They want to see you." We went, and I
found several of my Ghadamsee acquaintance and some Touarghee people of
consequence, all squatting down on the sand in a gossiping circle. They
soon began on the troublesome subject of religion, after they had
gratified their curiosity in staring at me and through me. One said to
the Ghadamsee people, "Tell the Christian to repeat, 'There's one God,'"
&c. I was determined to risk an abrupt answer. I said, "This saying is
prohibited to Christians." At this stop-mouth answer they burst out into
a fit of hilarity. But one fellow, who wished to show some zeal, growled
out, "Be off, be off." My good-natured young Touarghee quickly got up
from the circle, where he had taken his seat, and smiling, took me by the
arm, whispering in my ear, "Come along, Yâkob, these are brutish people."
We found Hateetah better. I asked him seriously if there was danger in my
going to Aheer. He observed, "Without a letter from Shafou you can't go,
the merchants can't and won't protect you. Some of them are big rascals,
worse than us Touaricks, and will sell you as a slave for a dollar." Many
concur in this opinion. I found the Ghatee people more peaceable in the
streets, now the novelty of my appearance is diminishing. When I pay a
visit to a person of consequence I always put on my European clothes,
which compliment is perfectly understood, for I offended an old Sheikh
with going to him with my burnouse on instead of my French cloak. He said
to my uncouth cicerone, "This Christian doesn't pay me respect, why
doesn't he dress himself in Christian clothes?" Hateetah always makes me
promise to return by the eastern side of the city, where we meet with
very few persons. Saw Haj Ibrahim on my return. He complains of the
market:--"Slaves are very dear. What can we do? We are obliged to buy
them; there is nothing else in the market. Only a small quantity of
elephants' teeth and a little senna. Besides these, nothing else sells in
Tripoli."
Returning from the merchants, "Whey! whey! whoo! whoo! whoo!" saluted my
ears. This noise came from a group of people surrounding _En-Nibbee
Targhee_, "The Prophet of the Touaricks." The salute was followed by a
number of persons who rushed upon me, carried me by force into the
presence of The Prophet. The Seer, seeing me discomposed, said in a kind
tone, "_Gheem_," (sit down). Now there was profoundest silence, not a
murmur was heard amongst a hundred people crowded together. The Seer
stood up before me, and, assuming an imposing attitude, spoke in
monosyllabic style, the usual address adopted by North African and
Saharan prophets,--
"Christian, Ghat, good, you?"
_Myself._--"Yes, the people are good to me."
_The Prophet._--"Three! one!" (putting out one finger of the right hand,
and three of the left hand.)
_Myself._--"There is one God!" (knowing the prophet meant this, for it is
the usual way of badgering Christians about the Trinity in North
Africa.)
_The Prophet._--"Good:" (then making the sign of the cross by putting his
two forefingers into the shape of a cross.) "But you Christians worship
this (the cross) of wood, stone, iron, brass. This is not good, not
good."
_Myself._--"No, we English do not worship wood, stone, iron, or brass."
_The Prophet._--"You lie, you lie." (At this emphatic negative, up
stepped one of my Ghadamsee friends to the Prophet, and told him that the
English did not worship the cross or images like some other Christians.)
_The Prophet._--"Good, right, sublime. What's your name?"
_Myself._-"Yâkob."
_The Prophet._--"You, dog, Jew."
_Myself._--"No. This is the Arabic of my English name."
_The Prophet._-"Good, good; Yâkob, do you steal?"
_Myself._--"Please God, I hope not."
_The Prophet._--"Yâkob, do you lie?"
_Myself._--"Please God, I hope not."
_The Prophet._--"Yâkob, do you strike?" (_i. e._ kill.)
_Myself._--"Please God, I hope not."
_The Prophet._--"Good, good, good. Have you seen the Kafers in Algiers?"
(_i. e._ the French.)
_Myself._--"I have."
_The Prophet._--"Have they houses where women are kept, and twenty men go
in and sleep with one woman in an hour?" (At this question, the multitude
showed intense anxiety to hear the result.)
_Myself._--"I don't know."
I had scarcely made answer when two women rushed upon the Prophet and
dragged him away crying, "_Yamout, Mat:_ he is dying! he is dead!" As the
Prophet was pulled away he turned to me mildly and said, "_Yâkob, inker_,
Arise, James." I inquired where he was being dragged to, and was told
that the husband of the two women was just dead, and the Prophet was
going to see whether he could raise him from the dead. The Prophet had
already raised several people from death to life. It is a pity this
barbarian prophet could not be transported from the sands of The Sahara
to the marble pavement of the Vatican, where he might harangue Pope Pius
IX. and his Cardinals in the style of an Iconoclast, and induce the
Sacred College to abolish their scandal of image-worship. The Prophet
wears a leathern dress, or dried skins, from head to foot. His repute of
sanctity fills the surrounding deserts with its holy odours. The number
of miracles he performs is prodigious. His leathern burnouse, like the
Holy Tunic of Treves, is frequently carried about to cure the sick and
work miracles.
Coming home, I had a visit from some Touaricks of Aheer. They were
uncommonly civil, addressing me: "If you go with us, you have nothing to
fear. In Aheer, people will not call out to you in the streets as in
Ghat. We have a Sultan. Here there is no Sultan." They were amazed at my
little keys. I promised one of them, that, in case of my arriving safe in
Aheer, I would give him a little lock and key. This delighted him; and
two pieces of sugar, one each, made these Aheer Touaricks excellent
friends. Have visits from the Ghateen. Several of these people are going
to Soudan with the return caravan.
In better spirits to-day. Have been suffering from "The Boree." Such a
variety of discouraging influences press upon the mind, that it is very
difficult to keep it buoyant. Poor Said, he gives way in tears. He is
become terrified at the prospect of Soudan; he repeats, "The Touaricks
will kill you, and make me a slave again."
Had another visit from the uncle of Sheikh Jabour, a poor old gentleman.
I got rid of him by a bit of white sugar, which he munched as a little
child. He says, "One thousand Touarghee warriors are going against the
Shânbah after the mart is held." Was to-day astonished to hear, that a
few dates, a little gusub, a few onions, and a few stones of dates, which
a female slave offers for sale in the streets, belong to Haj Ahmed the
Governor! His Excellency sends the poor woman every morning to sell this
miserable merchandize, and she regularly pays into his hands the price
and profits every evening. This is one of the wrinkles of the Great
Governor Marabout, who lives in a palace, and reigns as king and priest
of Ghat and the Ghateen[77]! What shall I hear next? I am not surprised,
some of the Ghadamsee merchants sneer at the idea of Haj Ahmed being "a
Marabout of odour." Essnousee sent me a little present of vermicelli and
cuscasou, or _hamsa_. He certainly behaves better than the other
Ghadamsee merchants resident here. I'm told, there will not be many
Touarick visitors this year at Ghat. They have unexpected occupation to
defend themselves against the sanguinary forays of the Shânbah. And then,
the late rains having produced abundant herbage, they are also occupied
in grazing the camels. The merchants congratulate me on these
circumstances, and say I shall have less presents to distribute.
Met at Haj Ibrahim's a Shereef of Mourzuk, who pretends he is going to
Soudan. This is a little thin fellow, who glides into people's houses
through the keyhole, importunately begging on the strength of his being
of the family of the Prophet, and lives by the same pretensions. He has a
smiling face, with his head reclined always on one side from his habit of
incessant importunities; of course, he has not a para in his pocket. But,
nevertheless, he managed a few months ago to ally himself with the family
of a rich merchant, marrying the sister of my friend Mohammed Kafah, one
of the Ghatee millionnaires. Kafah is thoroughly disgusted with his
sister's marriage, and gives them nothing to eat, or only enough to keep
his sister from dying of starvation. One of the Shereef's items of
importunity, is his incessant abuse of his brother-in-law, because he
won't keep him in idleness. This little sorry shrimpy _quasi_-impostor
can neither read nor write. He tells me it is quite unnecessary. The
blood of the Prophet makes him noble, and fit for heaven at any time
Rubbee may decree his death. He is professionally and continually begging
from me, and says with a whining pomposity, "Put yourself under my
protection, I will escort you safe to Soudan. No one dare lift a finger
against a Christian under the protection of a Shereef!" But it's odd,
these and such offers of protection come from many quarters. The
camel-drivers and conducteurs look upon me as a good speculation. The
Shereef pretends that there are no less than two hundred of his family
in Soudan, and some nearly black, on account of their intermarriages with
negroes. One thing I like in the little wretch, he seems devoid of a
spark of bigotry against Christians. It may be that his mind is too
impotent for the malicious feeling. "Gagliuffi," he says, "is my friend.
I'm the protector of the English at Mourzuk." Mustapha of Tripoli has cut
me because I would not allow him to charge me double for the sugar,
cloves, and sunbul, which I purchased of him. A pretty rogue is this; but
I forgive him, for his voluntary and opportune services in interpreting
for me on my arrival in Ghat.
_25th._--Christmas Day! Not a merry Christmas for me--in truth, a sad, an
unhappy one. And yet I ought to be content, having food and raiment, and
enjoying the protection of God amidst strangers, in The Inhospitable
Desert! It is better for a man to pray for a happy mind than for riches
and celebrity. Weather has been mostly fine during the ten days I have
resided here. But this morning broke angrily, followed with a tremendous
gale, blowing from the east, prostrating all the palms, and filling the
air with sand, as a thrice condensed London November fog. It is besides
very cold, and is so far Christmas weather. I may add, the weather
continued unusually cold this Souk. People had not had such cold for many
a year. Received a visit from the Sheikh Jabour, who expressed himself
uncommonly friendly, and said, "If anything unpleasant occurs, call for
me." I showed him some cuts of a book, in which were drawings of Moors.
He was wonder-stricken. The sight of a date-palm pleased him exceedingly,
tickling the fancy of his followers who accompanied him. The Sheikh
promised me a letter for the Sultan of Aheer, and to send a slave of his
own with me as far as Aheer. Jabour did not positively assert that
Tripoli belonged to the English, and contented himself with asking, "If
Tripoli were English?" I explained fully to the Sheikh, as he is a man of
a fine ingenuous mind, that Asker Ali was recalled by the Sultan of
Stamboul on the representations of the British Consul of Tripoli, the
Pasha being a blood-thirsty tyrant, the enemy of the Christians as well
as the Mussulmans; and that the Consul has influence in Tripoli, but
Tripoli belongs to the Sultan. The Ghadamsee interpreter observed, "The
English and the Mussulmans are the same." "Certainly," I replied,
"without the English the French would soon eat up the Sultan of the West
(Morocco), and the Russians the Sultan of the East (Turkey)." "That's
good," observed Jabour; "Still, we in The Desert, fear neither Christians
nor Sultan. And if the English require our assistance they can have it.
Tell this on your return to your Sultan." This amiable prince then took
leave. If there be a desert aristocrat of gentle blood, it is
unquestionably Jabour. A shoal of low Touaricks came to me afterwards, in
the Sheikh's name, to beg. I saw through the _ruse_, and they were savage
in being obliged to go off empty-handed. Some Touarick ladies now tried
to squeeze in as the door was opened, and, in spite of the "bago, bago,"
got up stairs to the terrace. They had all the tips of their noses, the
round of the chins, and the bones of their cheeks, blackened. At first I
could not make out how it was. It was explained that the dye of the
Soudan cottons, which they wore, produced this blacky tipping. These
cottons begrime their wearers sadly, the colour is not fast, the indigo
being ill prepared. Some of the blue cottons are highly glazed. Men and
women wear them, being cheap and light clothing for the summer.
_26th._--Relieved from pain, but getting very thin, although my habits
are now what are called sedentary. I rarely sit up when at home, mostly
reclining. So far I am become a _bonâ fide_ Saharan habitant. Kandarka
called again to-day at my request. He professed to be very uncivil or
very serious, and asked a large sum for conducting me to Soudan, like a
real man of business, quite inconsistent with the present state of my
finances. He asks no less than 150 dollars in goods, including camels for
riding, and other attentions. This is more than he gets from all the
merchants put together, in fact, nearly twice as much. But if it be
necessary to strike the bargain, I'm sure he will come down to fifty. My
health is breaking down very fast, and I have great hesitation on the
subject of a farther advance into the interior. I have been thinking of
continuing my tour to Egypt and Syria, and Constantinople, visiting all
the slave-marts of the Mediterranean. Had a visit from Zaleâ, and found
him the same man as _en route_. But he is always a little wild and
playful. He is against my proceeding farther, and tells me to get off on
my return before Shafou comes, that the Touaricks may not get all the
money I have. I am at present, however, so satisfied with the Touaricks,
that I would give them a camel-load of dollars if I had them. Shafou is
still occupied in the neighbouring districts, enrolling troops for the
Shânbah expedition. The Bengazi merchant persuades me to accompany him.
From Ghat to the first oasis of Fezzan, there are 10 days; from thence
to Sockna, 10; from Sockna to Augelah, 10; thence to Seewah, 14 days
more; and thence to Alexandria, 14 more days.
Weather is dull to-day, but not very cold. All the Arabs and people of
Ghadames abuse Ghat: it is assuredly a sufficiently wretched place.
However, the scenery around is much more lively and picturesque than that
of Ghadames. A great quantity of elephants' teeth arrived yesterday (not
to be sold here), on their way to Ghadames. Also some Soudanic sheep for
this market, selling as low as three dollars each. Had a visit from the
eldest son of the Governor, and his nephew the Medina Shereef. This
Shereef must be carefully distinguished from the little mad-cap impostor
of Mourzuk mentioned before. I have not found so gentlemanly a person in
all Ghat and Ghadames. He was born in Medina, but brought up here; he is
the son of the Governor's sister, who is married a second time to the
Sheikh Khanouhen, heir-apparent to the throne. The Shereef's mother is
not a Touarick woman, and the Sheikh has another wife of Touarick
extraction in the districts. Of course Khanouhen is strongly recommended
to me by his son-in-law. "Khanouhen," he says, "has all the wisdom and
eloquence of the country in his head and heart. Shafou is an old man, and
talks little. Whatever Khanouhen plans, Shafou approves; whatever
Khanouhen says in words, Shafou orders to be done." Had a visit from a
Touatee, just arrived. He recommended me to go to Timbuctoo, and fear
nothing. "What have the Touaricks of Ghat done to you that you are afraid
to visit the Touaricks of my country and Timbuctoo?" he added. Now came
in two Soudanese merchants. One of them said, "Say 'There is but one
God,' &c." I answered "This is prohibited to us," which made them laugh
out. They have not that fierce bigotry of the north-coast merchants.
Visited Haj Ibrahim. He says, "Wait for me till next year, and we'll both
go together to Soudan. I'll protect you." Certainly this Moor has
hitherto shown himself extremely friendly to me. Khanouhen came in this
evening from the country.
FOOTNOTES:
[76] 1s xLi. 1, 5; xLix, i. Whilst in Jer. ii. 10, Europe entire
is presented to the prophetic vision by the designation of "the
Isles of Chittim." Sometimes the whole idea of Gentiles and
Gentile nations is represented by the isles of the sea. The Hebrew
bards, standing on the heights of Lebanon, and looking westwards,
saw nothing but innumerable clusters of islets in the dim and
undefined distance of the waters of the Mediterranean.
[77] A Moor of Ghat now and then goes to Tripoli. The Italian
merchants call them the _Gatti_, "cats."