FROM SOCKNA TO MISRATAH.
Well of Hammam.--Innocent game of the Negresses.--Baiting at
noon.--Bird's-nests and Birds in Sahara.--Ghiblee or the
_Simoum_; its terrible effects on our Caravan.--Delusions of
Desert, and bewilderment of our People.--Disastrous Fate of the
Young Tuscan.--Snakes.--Small capital of some
Slave-Merchants.--Arrival at Bonjem.--Visit the Roman Ruins of
Septimius Severus.--The newly created Oasis.--Regulations to
mitigate Saharan Slave-traffic.--My Imbroglio with
Essnousee.--Imbroglio of an Arab with the Kaed of
Bonjem.--Description of the Fort of Bonjem.--The Disease of the
_Filaria Medinensis_, and its Cure.--My Journal confused and
fragmentary.--Route from Bonjem to Misratah.--Enter the regions
of Rain and Open Culture.--_Bughalah_, or the Rock, where
Abd-El-Geleel was assassinated.--Wells of Daymoum and
Namwah.--Sudden changes of Temperature in North Africa.--Well of
Saneeah Abd-El-Kader.--Stream of Touwarkah.--Ecstatic joy on
arriving near the Sea.--How diminutive all things are become in
comparison with the Vast Sahara.--Arrival at Misratah.
IN the afternoon, about three, we left Sockna _en route_ for Tripoli; we
arrived at Hammam in a couple of hours. On the road, we met not less than
three hundred camels laden with provisions and ammunition for the troops
at Mourzuk, shewing evidently the dread which the Turks have of the Arabs
under the son of Abd-El-Geleel, and any sudden attack by them on Fezzan.
This is a bad speculation for the Turks. Fezzan can never pay at such a
rate.
Hammam, is a collection of small sand-hills grouped together, around and
upon which are palms. There is also a well of tolerably good water. The
name Hammam ("hot-spring"), is derived from the circumstance of there
being here a hot-spring; but now said to be covered up by the sand-hills.
This is what the people have received by tradition. Very hot this
evening; the sun burnt us most extraordinarily. We felt it more after
having been shut up some days in Sockna; we took in a supply of water at
Hammam in preference to the waters of Sockna. This evening, the Negresses
played their usual sweet innocent little game. They form an alley by
taking hands, blocked up at the end. At the top enters one of their
number backwards. As she passes along the opposite pairs, each couple put
their hands across and form a sort of seat for her, by which she is
bumped backwards from one seat to another seat of hands, through the
whole alley. When arriving at the end, she falls into the chain of hands.
Another now enters, being bumped backwards on her broad bustle like her
predecessor, and caught by the hands stretched across the alley. I don't
know whether this is intelligible, but the game is very simple and full
of mirth. The point of tact is, their always sitting down on the hands,
and not falling back on the ground, when, like every body who attempts to
sit down on a chair and suddenly finds himself on the floor, they would
look very foolish. But as the Devil leaped over the fold of Paradise, so
he may be expected to creep in everywhere, and the Negro lads are always
peeping about, at a respectful distance, to see what they can see, when
these falls take place; and I imagine the zest of the thing, both amongst
the lads and the lasses, turns upon this naughty circumstance. So much
for poor innocence, and innocent games.
_31st._--Started, as the sun shewed his broad face above the horizon.
Route till the afternoon, over a sandy, gravelly plain; then entered some
hilly country, where we came to the well of Temet-Tar. Excessively hot
again to-day, apparently the precursor of the Simoum the following day.
In this Fezzanee caravan, it is our practice to halt at noon, or
thereabouts, to take a little refreshment. I am informed all the caravans
of this route do so. The Ghadamsee caravans, on the route of Ghat, never
halt in the day-time, continuing from morning to night. Our people carry
a few dates in a bag, or on the camel's back, all ready for the luncheon.
These they throw down upon a portion of a barracan spread on the sands.
Sometimes a piece of bread is broken over the dates. They then squat
round this repast in groups. The slaves save from their previous day's
supper, or from the morning, a few dates for this time of the day, and
are allowed each a drink of water. Noticed a bird's nest on a furze of
The Desert. This is only the second I have ever seen in Sahara. A few
small birds are now hopping about on the line of route. But I have
observed the colour of the birds to vary with the region through which we
pass. Now they are yellow, now black, now black and white, and all as
small as linnets. These birds have no song, only chirping and twittering
about. A few larks I have seen where water and palms and other trees
abound. We encamped about 4 P.M. The water of the well is by no means
sweet, but not being brackish, it quenches thirst sufficiently.
_1st April._--Rose early and started early. A terrible day! A
_ghiblee_ in all its force[125]. The wind is directly from south
(قبلي "south"). It is quite dry, unlike the _sirocco_ which blows
at Malta. Sirocco is damp and most enervating, and south-east in its
direction. Probably, however, it is the same wind, but sweeping over
the sea it attracts moisture, and changes to south-east. I was
praying for, and prophesying all the morning, up to 9 A.M., a cool
day. The reverse has happened, as so often happens in answer to our
most ardent wishes. I never was so astonished as when I saw the
negroes on this day. Mr. Gagliuffi had said to me, "If you have
ghiblee, the slaves can't go." But I could hardly believe a hot wind
to be so injurious to these children of the sun. They seemed as if
they could bear any cold better than a hot south wind. They got
behind the camels or stooped under their bellies; they held up their
barracans, taking it by turns to hold them up, by which means they
sheltered five or six together; they concealed their faces and their
bodies with their tattered garments; they invented all sorts of
expedients to shelter themselves a moment against The Desert simoum.
I could not help observing how superior the white man was to the
black man in his physical make. Our Arabs and Moors kept up erect,
facing this furnace blast, and bore the heat and burthen of the day
a thousand times better than the Negroes--these children begotten by
the sun from the slime of the Niger, on whose swampy plains heat
reigns eternally with all its fiery fervour! I had always thought
the Negro, being naturally a chilly creature, could not be affected
with a hot wind. We all drank plentifully today, ten times as much
as on other days. But this being a ghiblee day, it was necessary to
drive on the slaves quick, and with violence, the camels not
carrying a sufficiency of water for a couple of days of this sort.
Essnousee now showed how eminently qualified he was for this
infernal traffic. He did drive them on most furiously, while as to
one wretched Negress, I thought he would have left her dead on the
spot, flaying her most unmercifully. The miscreant Essnousee was
only prevented from the perpetration of this horrid crime by the
main-force interference of Mohammed Azou, another slave-dealer
travelling with us, with seven slaves, and who, I must record, was a
humane man, though a dealer in the flesh and blood of his fellow
creatures. I have not observed him even once beating his slaves,
which is saying a great deal. The conduct of this humane Moor proved
that it was not absolutely necessary to beat slaves when driving
them over Desert. The Touaricks of Aheer, indeed, know this, and
never lay a finger on their poor captives. We, at length, got
through this day of horrible heat and thirst, for God gives an end
to all things. Never will be effaced from the tablet of my memory
the prayer of a poor Negress girl, who, in the height of the simoum
came running up to me, her eyes bloodshot, her face streaming with
tears, "Buy me, Yâkob, O, buy me! I am very good, I will be good
wife to you, and sleep with you. O, I'm dying! take me, buy me, buy
me, Yâkob. The wind kills me."
We encamped on a vast plain, having ranges of low mountains on our right
and left. The carcases of two camels were left on the road, which had
broken down from the large caravan we had passed; and, a thing unusual,
the Arabs had left part of the flesh on the bones; some of our slaves
immediately devoured it raw. Hunger's the thing to give you a relish.
_2nd._--Rose at Fidger, a little before day-break, or at the point of
day, in fright of another ghiblee. Necessity has, indeed, in such a case,
no law, and no compassion on the unfortunate. But, to-day, God sent the
poor slaves a little fresh north wind, for "God tempers the wind to the
shorn lamb." The north wind increased towards the evening, we journeying
on very well. Course, north and north-west, over the vast expanse
mentioned yesterday. Quantities of bits of marble, pieces of fine quartz,
and shining felspar, are strewn over the plain, which contrasting with
its dark ground-work, look at times as if we were traversing some
enchanted carpet. But our brains reeled, and we all suffered from thirst.
People seemed all mad to-day. One called to me, "Yâkob, listen." I
listened, but being hard of hearing, I thought there might be some
sounds. Another camel-driver pretended he heard sweet melodious sounds.
On inquiring what music it was, he replied, "Like the Turkish band." Then
another came running to me, "Yâkob, see what a beautiful sight." I turned
to look, but my eyes were so weak and strained, that I could see nothing
upon the dreary face of the limitless plain. Essnousee swore to seeing a
bright city of the Genii, and actually counted the number of the palaces
and the palms. I believe our people were delirious from the effects of
yesterday's simoum, for I did not observe mirage. The beautiful words of
Cowper recurred to me when I had the power of calm reflection, in the
evening of the day:--
"So in The Desert's dreary waste,
By magic power produced in haste,
(As ancient fables say,)
Castles, and groves, and music sweet,
The senses of the traveller meet,
And stop him in his way.
But while he listens with surprise,
The charm dissolves, the vision dies,
'Twas but enchanted ground."
Not much sand on the plain, but gravel occasionally. Some sand hills
appear in the distance, a line of waving dazzling white on the horizon.
Encamped late in the evening. The well of Nabah is not in the line of
route.
At the site of this well happened a sad event two years and a half ago,
and which now, suffering as I was with thirst, came with redoubled force
to my mind. Mr. Gagliuffi, on his appointment to be Consul at Mourzuk,
took with him a young Tuscan as secretary. The vivacious Italian soon
quarrelled with the Consul, and immediately determined to return to
Tripoli, during the height of summer (August), in spite of the warnings
of everybody. However, with care and due preparation, this route, and all
Saharan routes, can be and are travelled in every season of the year; as
is sufficiently proved by my own journey to Ghadames. Two days after the
Tuscan left Sockna, came on a terrible ghiblee, but infinitely more
intense and stifling than any south wind could be in this season. The
Tuscan was travelling with a caravan of a few people, who determined to
bring up for the day, about 2 P.M., although having but a small supply of
water. They were then about seven hours from the well of Nabah. The
distance was tempting to the rash European. With a little courage and
dispatch could not the well be reached before night? Why not? thought he.
The youth was self-willed and peremptory. He knew better than the old
Arab camel-drivers, traversing this route all their life-time. The Tuscan
had also with him a horse. But what does he do? Having about a bucket of
water left, he gives it to the horse; and then starts, taking off with
him a young Arab, apparently as foolish as himself. They proceeded on
their last journey, the Tuscan riding the horse, the poor Arab boy going
on foot, as guide to the well. The caravan weathers out the ghiblee--the
men covering up their faces and mouths from the scorching blast, afraid
to breathe the killing air of the simoum--the camels moaning in
death-like tones, prophetic of the fate of those who had just gone! But
night comes, and brings some relief to the wasting, if not dying animals.
Then the morning breaks with a refreshing breeze, and the exhausted
caravan has enough strength left to seek the well. Near the well, not a
quarter of a mile distant, they first find the young Italian stretched
dead, a little farther off the horse, and a little farther off the Arab.
They had perished at the well's mouth! There cannot be a doubt, these
unhappy youths perished by their own folly. The European had even water
enough to last him a whole day, but gave it to his horse, and braved
wildly the death-gale of The Desert. The poor Arab, I am told, was forced
away against his will to guide the mad-cap Tuscan to their fatal end. By
such folly, have also perished unnumbered caravans in the Saharan
regions.
Our people who went to Nabah for water, found the well too late to
return, and came back at day-light in the morning, about two and a half
hours' distance from the line of route.
_3rd._--We held on our course northward, weary and exhausted, but the
wind freshened from north-west, and we did not suffer from heat. We now
entered into groups of small mountains. At 4 P.M., seeing the sandy hills
of Bonjem, our merciful slave-master, Essnousee, determined we might now
encamp, and go fresh and early next day to the Fortress. Observed two
small snakes to-day in open Desert, the first time I have seen them in
Sahara. So much for the snakes, asps, adders, basilisks, cockatrices, and
fiery flying serpents of The Desert! We have with us one old gentleman
who joined us at Sockna. He is conveying _one_ slave to Tripoli. Greatly
surprised at this, I asked him how he could travel these horrid wastes
with such a miserable stake in commerce as a single slave! The Saharan
veteran replied, "You are right. It would be better for me to remain in
Sockna, and spend my days in prayer and poverty like a dervish. But I
have another slave in Tripoli. This is the whole of my property. I shall
return again, after I have sold them, to Mourzuk, and buy and sell. Such
is the will of God, what can I do?" And so the traffic in human beings
goes on. It is quite certain, from this case, nothing but main force can
put an end to the slave-trade, for the Moors will carry it on at all
risks, and under any circumstances. How induce men to give up a traffic,
who will travel a month over Desert with a capital of a couple of slaves!
_4th._--Rose early, and was astonished and alarmed to find my bed-clothes
and all my wearing apparel wet with a thick heavy dew. This I had not
experienced through all my journeyings in Desert, for, as the ancient
Arabian writers have styled this country, it is a "Dry Country," from
Egypt to the Atlantic. But new things always surprise--often alarm us. We
soon got used to dewy nights and heavy dews. We were now also entering or
near to the regions of rain. I dried my clothes at the fire, and felt no
ill effects from this heavy night dew. All were travelling without tents,
except the female slaves, who, unless sheltered during the night, would
soon have died from cold. Day-time our female slaves were poorly clad,
having on only a piece of woollen wrapper, besides a black cotton frock,
and some not even a piece of wrapper to cover their heads and shoulders.
Bonjem people say these dews are perpetual, covering all the sandy soil
of the country round with fresh green herbage, which our poor camels now
cropped with a voracious delight. In two hours and a half we entered the
new town of Bonjem. It is the site of the ancient Roman station, or town,
called Septimius Severus. A fort has recently been built from the ancient
ruins, with a few small miserable houses in the shape of a village. The
fort, or burge, is however strong and commodious, and has quarters for
the accommodation of five hundred troops. The present garrison consists
of about thirty raw Arabs, relieved every two months. They have no pay or
allowance, except their rations. The object of the Pasha in the erection
of this fortress, was to connect militarily The Mountains with the large
and important oasis of Sockna. A few gardens have been laid out, several
wells dug, and these, with the homely hovels, the very picture of "the
day of small things," are still infinitely preferable to the naked
desolation of Sahara. On proceeding upwards, water is here taken in for
three or four days. The water is very good, although it has a fetid
odour, rendering it disagreeable when drinking. Walked about the village.
There may be forty or fifty houses, mere square boxes of mud or plaster,
mixed with old Roman stones, about twelve feet high, and containing
perhaps a hundred inhabitants. Being new, the houses have a clean
appearance. There are two streets, and a fondouk, or caravanserai. To
build such a village and a fortress, some rather fine Roman ruins
received their final stroke of demolition.
Afternoon,--went to see the ancient Roman station of Septimius Severus.
It lies east of Bonjem at a quarter of an hour's walking. Of the fort or
castle, there remains still a sufficient quantity of blocks of stone to
point out the four gates, and some rude pillars seven or eight feet high,
denoting the site of a temple, or other public building, within the
castle. We visited three of the gates, but found only one inscription,
cut on a single block deeply imbedded in sand, and covered with other
blocks of stone. The letters were Roman, and, pretty freshly chiselled,
but we could not move the other stones so as to decipher the words in
their full length. Some blocks of stone were shaped into arches, others
lay scattered in single blocks, on one of which was this plain device.
[Illustration]
This is the sole result of my antiquarian visit. Not a bit of fine marble
or a coin was picked up. The stone of the ruins was a dark grey granite,
almost black, of very coarse grain. It must have been brought some
distance, for I have seen no stone like it in the neighbourhood. The
walls of the castle were very thick, and built in the usual Roman style,
with cement and small stones, the mortar being now nearly as hard as the
stone itself. These walls were also faced with the blocks of stone
mentioned. The walls of the city had merely cement and small stones.
These latter are extensive. The _ensemble_ of the ruins makes one deeply
regret to see The Sahara has gone back ages in the arts and civilization,
for such is evident from these _debris_ of Roman Saharan culture. This
fact, even the Moors themselves accompanying me, acknowledged by such
exclamations as _wasâ_, "wide!" and _kebir_, "great!" But the impression
with them is fleeting, and anything unconnected with their religion, and
the history of the conquests of Islamism, I have always observed is
accounted nothing by these people. Half a day west of Bonjem, the people
tell me there is a few scattered ruins of another ancient city. On our
way we found two wells, lately dug, and the Taleb-Kaed says, water is
every where found near the surface, and always good, in spite of the
disagreeable gaseous exhalation when drunk. A few tiny palms are also
planted about these wells, in this Turkish attempt to upraise Septimius
Severus. The little sprigs of palm pleased all, and were welcomed by us
as the germ of the future oasis, which shall afford shade and fruit to a
large population. There may be a dozen wells already dug, and every year
the infant oasis shows more signs of life, and a little, little more
progressive existence. The prevailing soil is sandy, but good for grain
and palms.
This evening had an imbroglio or row with Essnousee, who attempted to
impose upon me by charging for two or three suppers which he furnished me
in the way of hospitality at his native place of Sockna. I had lent him
all my money to purchase food for his slaves. He now refused to refund,
on this and other pleas.
During the road from Sockna to Bonjem, I thought of two or three
regulations which might mitigate the evils of Saharan slave-traffic, as
well as limit its operations, if our Government could prevail upon the
Turks to adopt them. If we can't stop the trade at once, we may try to
lessen its miseries. We English did the same in the case of our own
slave-trade.
1st. That no Tripoline, or other Ottoman subject, should purchase a slave
out of the provinces of Tripoli.
2nd. That the slaves _en route_ for Tripoli should be accompanied by a
Government officer, who should watch over them and see that they are not
over-driven or inhumanly flogged.
3rd. That for every slave dying _en route_, or in any of the towns _en
route_, for the markets of the Coast, whatever may be the cause, the
owner of that slave should be fined a sum equal to the duty paid for it
to Government.
The first rules would lessen the operations of the traffic, and prevent
slave-merchants from purchasing and speculating in Soudan, and always put
them under the eye and surveillance of the agents of Government. The
second would in a great measure prevent over-driving and inhuman
flogging, if faithfully followed out. The third would, at least, always
insure the slaves having food enough to preserve them in good health.
I think I see the free-trader smile at these restrictions, and hear him
say, "What humbug!" But first, it is here a question to regulate a
nefarious traffic which the Porte, our ally, is not yet prepared to
abolish. Until the free-trader can prove to me that the traffic in slaves
is a legitimate commerce, I shall advocate the crippling of it by
restrictions, let these restrictive regulations be ever so puerile. But
we have the fact, that since Mr. Gagliuffi persuaded the Ottoman
authorities to lay a tax of ten dollars per head on each slave, the
traffic has diminished considerably. So at any rate the merchants
themselves tell me. This was the object of the Vice-Consul, and he
accomplished his object. On the other hand, it could be represented to
the Porte, that the first regulation would bring the commerce of the
interior within their territories, a great advantage for the Regency of
Tripoli.
_5th._--Not so much dew as yesterday morning. The imbroglio with
Essnousee continues about refunding the money I lent him. To-day it
assumed a formidable shape, not only all our caravan was involved in it,
but the whole of the town, and the Kaëd at their head. I agreed to give
the slave-merchant a fair price for his suppers, but for the rest,
insisted on being paid back the money which I lent him, and which he
promised to refund at Sockna. On arriving at Sockna, Essnousee found
money scarce, and thought he would bamboozle me out of my money. The
Taleb-Kaëd saw the justice of the plea, as did all the people, and the
merchant was ordered to give me the balance of the few dollars. The money
was requisite to purchase a little milk, or butter, or fresh provisions.
My vanity, however, came in the way of my stomach. So when I got the
dollars, to show I did not carry on this imbroglio for selfish purposes,
but solely for the sake of common justice between man and man, I ordered,
with great pomposity and an air of immense benevolence, the money to be
distributed to the poor of the town. This ostentation greatly pleased all
the Moors and Arabs, save and except the crest-fallen chagrined
Essnousee; it only increased the bitter misery of his defeat. I was
wicked enough to be glad to humiliate the unfeeling slave-dealer in this
way, for he had no money and was obliged to borrow to pay, which sadly
lessened his consequence.
Afterwards went to see the Moorish Secretary Kaëd, installed in the
Castle. This functionary is placed here principally for the dispatch of
the mails backwards and forwards. The secretary does not interfere with
the Sheikh who commands the garrison, and only attends to couriers and
the little affairs of the village. For this work he has the large salary
of three dollars per month. It seemed as if imbrogliamento was the order
of the day, for here I witnessed a row as violent as my own. An old Arab,
very crusty and obstinate, had arrived from Sockna on Government
business. He was to receive money from the Kaed, and pay money to him.
The Kaed would not pay, and he would not pay. The old gentleman sat down
before the irritated functionary, and holding the teskera and a new
Turkish passport in his hand, said, "Give me my rights. Why rob you a
poor man? Is it because I am poor and old you rob me? Fear I the Sultan?
Why should I fear you or the Sultan? I fear alone God." The excited Kaed
could no longer restrain himself. He seized the papers out of the hands
of the Arab and tore them to pieces, exclaiming, "Go out, you dog!"
Besides this the Kaed threatened the bastinado. The hangers-on of his
Excellency carried the old man out of the apartment until the wrath of
their dwarf tyrant had cooled down. The affair afterwards ended by both
parties accepting and paying their mutual claims. The Arabs are greatly
exasperated about these passports, which, indeed, are of no possible use,
and are only used by these petty functionaries to extort money from the
poor people. An Arab said to me, showing the animus of the question
hereabouts, "Before our Sultan became a Christian we never heard of these
teskeras. Now that he is become an infidel, he sends us these accursed
things to take away our money, and rob our children of bread." The poor
Sultan, in fact, if he can get hold of any detestable thing of European
civilization, is sure to adopt it, to torment his subjects.
Spent the rest of the day within the Castle, gossiping with the Arab
soldiers, their Sheikh, and the Kaed. To-day I was thankful for two
things, for having inflicted a salutary lesson on the iniquitous
slave-driver, and for being sheltered from the sun and wind. The Castle
has three towers at three of its corners, but not rising much higher than
the upper terrace walls. The outer walls are about twelve or fifteen feet
high, and as usual pierced with holes for musketry. I did not see any
mounted ordnance. Within is a fine court yard, and there is a detached
breast-work of defence over the entrance. It is very comfortable in many
of its apartments, affording a most effectual shelter from wind and heat.
The short time of service makes the Arab soldiers cheerful, and they are
pretty well fed and enjoy good health. There is no fever, but they tell
me there are a few cases of the _Enghiddee_ of Soudan, a fine silken worm
formed under the cuticle of the body, mostly on the legs and arms,
already described under the name of Arak-El-Abeed[126]. Arabs do not
catch this disorder so much as merchants going to Soudan. The only arms
these troops have, is the matchlock or musket, on some of which the
bayonet is mounted. From the top of the Castle the surrounding country
presents an unbroken mass of desert, and more distantly low ridges of
mountains and sand hills. The Kaed assures me, however, that in seven
years he will have a fine plantation of palms. He has planted several,
and is about to fetch some choice shoots from Tripoli. With toil and care
The Desert, in truth, can not only be rendered habitable and tractable,
but even comfortable, as the building of this fort well proves. It has
been built since Mr. Gagliuffi passed this way to Mourzuk, and I am the
only European who has seen this bran-new town of Bonjem. The Bashaw of
Tripoli boasts of it as his work, and on my return begged me to give him
a sketch of it, which I did, but for which I received no thanks. A few
snakes are often seen coiling themselves on the shrubs, gazelles,
aoudads, and wild oxen, skip and bound and run about, now and then an
ostrich races past or sails along, half in heaven and half on earth, and
deebs (wolves) come down to drink at the pits during the night. But the
Arabs are not allowed to hunt, nor garden or dig; their duty is to spend
the live-long day in "strenuous idleness," or doing nothing but sleep and
lounge. To-day was hot and sultry. The female slaves were very busy in
washing themselves. They afterwards had a good race stark naked, running
after me and grinning. It is very seldom they commit such breaches of
modesty. In general, the Negress is very modest in her manners, more so
than Mooresses.
I congratulated myself in having a comfortable sleep under roof to-night.
I felt glad also for a rest here of a couple of days. In travelling
through Sahara, one or two days greatly relieve you without making you
feel that you have been stopping when you again mount the camel, whilst a
rest of a week often makes a new journey and a new tour, and you feel all
the pain and misery of beginning again.
_6th to the 11th._--My journal gets very fragmentary, confused, and
enigmatical. Many of the memorandums I cannot recal to mind. I find I was
getting at this time much exhausted, and weary of writing. My health,
indeed, was being greatly undermined, and suffering was become my daily
solace! Often I could not stand when lifted off my camel. Sometimes I was
senseless for an hour or two after we had encamped. I expected "to get
used to it." Vain thought! I was just as tired and stiff with riding the
last day as the first day when I started on the tour, besides having my
health and strength essentially impaired.
We directed our course to Misratah, instead of Benioleed, on account
of there being more water in the former route. Benioleed, or Ben
Waleed--بن وليد--lies to the north-west of Bonjem, but Misratah
nearly due north. I was disappointed in not seeing Benioleed, on
account of its Hesperian valley of olives, and other fruit-trees
scattered in paradisal beauty and profusion. The valley, in which
the town is situate, lies at the base of some of the lofty ridges of
the Tripoline Atlas, and contains a population of about three
thousand souls. I was glad to hear there were some Europeans now
employed in improving the wells of the town, sent by the Bashaw, all
which denotes progress in the Turk. Benioleed is six good days'
journey from Bonjem, and four or five from Tripoli.
Nothing remarkable occurred in our route from Bonjem to Misratah. Before
arriving at Bonjem, I saw, by the nature of the country, that we were
approaching the regions of rain, herbage and shrubs increasing on every
side. The country also assumed a more even, though an undulating
surface; and I lost sight of those low, dull, dreary, and monotonous
ridges which characterize the desolations, of the African Wilderness.
However, I expected to see the eastern terminations of the Tripoline
Atlas. Continuing our six days' route, now west, now north-west, now
north, and now north-east and east, wriggling in serpentine style about,
we arrived at length within open-culture lands, where were two or three
small patches of barley, mostly in ear, not being irrigated, but left to
the free rains of heaven. The sight of these made my heart bound with
joy: now I knew I had got without the bounds of the dry and desolate
Sahara! There seemed to be something so fresh and natural about
barley-fields, depending for life and growth on the fattening rains of
heaven, in comparison with the garden patches of grain I had witnessed
for months cultivated by the hand of man. All our people seemed equally
affected by the sight of these natural corn-fields; and Essnousee, to
show his respect for property thus left to the mercy of every
camel-driver, ordered the camels not to be driven through the standing
barley. The camels heeded little the command, and managed to get large
mouthfuls; our Soudan sheep fed to their full; a good deal was also
destroyed. I observed, nevertheless, the camels preferred the green
tender herbage, to the corn in the ear, and picked it out carefully
between the rows of straggling barley. With the increase of herbage and
water,--for water was not found in all the route from Bonjem,--the
animals increased. Gazelles bounded before us, at times in small herds of
six or seven; and hares were constantly started from under the camels'
feet. We had no sportsmen with us, and no game was shot or taken. The
Arabs ran frequently to the bushes whence the gazelles bounded, in order
to find young ones. Birds now increased to full flights. Here were
numbers of little birds with yellow body and brown back. This part of The
Sahara had its particular bird, as the rest. The little black and white
fellow higher up was now succeeded by the little yellow and brown fellow.
Other birds were flying about, but not so numerous as this species. But
the bird that now caught my attention was the gull. At first I was
perplexed to know how this bird could be found so far up The Desert, but
I recollected we had but six or seven days from Bonjem to Misratah, near
the coast. The gull suggested to my drooping spirits sea-breezes to
restore my shattered frame, and gave me new life. As we neared Misratah
the country increased in comeliness (because after so much desert), and
near Misratah the hills were actually green and flowery, so long black
and hideously bare. But indeed, it was the best time of Spring. We passed
on every side scattered Arab tents,--to us pavilions of pleasure,--with
their flocks and herds: all denoting open-culture and the presence of
rain.
Scarce a ten-thousandth part of this country is reduced to cultivation.
Here and there only are some few corn-fields, where the seed, when sown,
is left to get ripe as it may, the only manure being the burning of the
stubble of the previous year. We must, indeed, say more or less of the
coast of all North Africa, and express the same hope for the future in
the words of one of the prophets: "And the desolate land shall be tilled,
whereas it lay desolate in the sight of all that passed by. And they
shall say, This land that was desolate is become like the garden of
Eden; and the waste, and desolate, and ruined cities are become fenced,
and are inhabited." (Ezek. xxxvi. 34, 35.) North Africa was once the
garden as well as the granary of the world. A series of disastrous
revolutions has successively reduced this once so fair and fertile
region, to waste, barrenness, and barbarism; the Mahometan fate-doctrine
meanwhile hugging and conserving its ruins and dilapidations. We may
perhaps hope, the French are doing something for the Algerian coast. The
Turks may yet do something in Tripoli. Tunis and Morocco have more
cultivated lands than Tripoli or Algeria, and reforms are agitating both
countries. Once the spirit of improvement gets fairly into this region,
it may resume its ancient celebrity of being "like the garden of Eden."
Near Misratah, I observed, for the first time in my tour, the
hawthorn-tree: it was reddened over with nice ripe haws.
On the evening of the _6th_, we passed the spot where Abd-El-Geleel was
decapitated, called Bughalah ("mule"). This was a small piece of
mountain, looking abruptly over a wady, or deep valley. On this mountain
block the Sheikh concentrated all his military forces, collecting as well
the families of his tribe. Here he skirmished with the Turks for many
days, he winning and they winning a battle, as it happened; but they, at
length hemming him round, and isolating him on the rock, where there was
not a drop of water to be had, the Sheikh finally was obliged to
surrender. His retiring to this hideous rock was only matched in folly by
his confiding in the faith of a Turk. Truly, when men are to be
destroyed, their evil genius inspires them with madness.
On the _8th_, we took in water from the well of Daymoum. Around were the
remains of a fortified camp, and stones were placed in a large circle.
This camp was erected by Hasan Bashaw, Commander-in-Chief of the Regency,
when he was at war with Abd-El-Geleel. It looks not unlike a Druidical
circle.
On the _9th_ we took in a little water from the well of Namwah. Several
sea-gulls were here flying about. To-day I have to mention a fact which
shows to what extraordinary changes of temperature the Great Desert is
subject, as well as Barbary generally. About nine in the morning a strong
ghiblee got up, increasing till it became so violent that we encamped at
once, not venturing to expose the slaves to this killing simoum. Covering
up my face and mouth, I put my head into a pannier. I was almost
suffocated it is true, still it was better than exposing myself to the
searching flame of this furnace wind. What became of the slaves I cannot
tell, I was too busy with myself. Here I lay gasping for an hour, when Said
came and called to me, "Now _Bahree_ (بحري)," or north. "How,
bahree!" I answered astonished. "Bahree! bahree!" he continued, "the
caravan is going." I got up, and felt sensibly and convincingly enough it
was bahree. The wind had made a whirlwind sweep in the space of an hour,
it was now blowing as hard from the north as it had done from the south.
But strange yet natural enough, columns of hot air were blown back into
our faces from the north for some time, until, towards the evening, the
wind became as cold, bleak, and biting, as it had been hot and stifling.
These sudden changes are terrific, and are often attended with most
serious consequences in The Desert. Asking our people how long a simoum
or ghiblee would blow in The Desert, they replied, "Never violently more
than a couple of days." I do not recollect it once to have continued a
whole day, but light south winds have prevailed for several days. As an
instance of the calamitous effects of sudden changes of weather in North
Africa, I may mention that, in the Spring of 1845, when Sidi Mohammed,
"Bey of the Camp" in the Regency of Tunis, was returning from the Jereed,
he lost, on one day, some Turks and other troops from the heat, and, on
the very next day, several perished from the cold. Some hundred camels
also died from the cold at the same time. A recent expedition in Algeria,
during which some hundred French troops were frozen to death, must recur
to the recollection of the reader, having happened from the same cause of
a sudden change of temperature.
On the _10th_ we came to the well of Saneeah Abdel Kader, ("Garden of the
slave of the Most Mighty," or God). At this place was a ruined fortress,
looking over an immense district of country, a great quantity of which
was under cultivation, presenting light-green and orange-brown patches of
grain. We passed the stream of Touwarkah, a name apparently derived from
Touwarick, or Touarick. The bubbling running stream was looked upon as a
wonder by our slaves. They rushed into it, and washed and bathed
themselves, like so many mad things; indeed, after so much dry desert,
the stream was a wonder to us all. I had almost begun to think I should
never see again a large running stream. But I have seen the negresses
wash their faces, hands and legs, on the coldest morning. An Arab or a
Moor hardly washes himself once a month. These habits of cleanliness the
negresses bring from the banks of the Niger. We had the village of
Touwarkah on our right, to which was attached a forest of palms, nearly
half a day's journey in length. I had scarcely spoken a word to Essnousee
during these last five days, but, on the morning of the 11th, he entered
voluntarily into conversation with me, informing me there was an English
quarantine agent at the port of Misratah. The slave-driver, getting
nearer to the coast, had cunningly abated his ardour for beating the
slaves. He now began to fear he might get reported to the Bashaw.
Sometimes, however, he would throw a stone at the poor things, that is,
when too idle to go and flog them. I looked about in vain for the Atlas
chain, or the last of its eastern links; one mass of undulating country
stretched to the sea-shore. What feeling of excessive joy thrilled
through my nervous frame when our people talked of the sea, for though
not visible to us, we were near enough to breathe its invigorating air.
Now, indeed, all was changed, and new life took possession of the entire
caravan. The green and pleasant spring cultivation, the darkly fair
verdure of several young olive-trees, here and there a graceful palm, now
broad leafy shadowy fig-trees, the delicate almond and the pretty
pomegranate, all the treasures of the gardens of Misratah, raised our joy
to ecstasy. I myself often thought I should never see again Tripoli, or
the sea; now they seemed restored to me, and I to them, as if at one time
they had been hopelessly lost! But how small had all objects become, how
diminutive, how confined, limited and contracted their dimensions, and
how pretty yet how petty, compared to the vast huge and limitless lines
of existence, which form and circumscribe the Great Saharan Regions!
where I had travelled so many long months. When I first arrived in
Africa, I looked upon the dark and purple mountains of the coast with a
species of mysterious feeling, as if such mountain groups were boundless
in extent, unfathomable and unsearchable in their stronghold foundations.
But now, returning again to the regions of Atlas, the chains of this
celebrated range in Tripoli, Tunis, and Algeria, seemed like old familiar
faces to me, or so many contracted domestic objects. My eye had been so
accustomed to gazing day after day over plains without an apparent bound,
on mountain ridges running along weeks and weeks of Desert journeying,
that it could now only regard all the African coast scenery as so many
pretty little painted landscapes, which might be reduced and easily
accommodated to stage scenery at a minor theatre.
On the arrival of our ghafalah at Misratah, I was introduced to the
quarantine agent, Signor Francesco Regini, an Italian born in Tripoli,
but under British protection, and having a Maltese wife. Regini begged me
to put up in his house, and I accepted his kindly proffered invitation,
when his wife cooked me a fowl and I dined like a prince. I now thought I
would return to Tripoli by sea, to get a little bracing sea-air, but
afterwards I determined to continue with the caravan of slaves to
Tripoli, to see the last of the poor things, or accompany them till their
arrival at the Tripoline market of human flesh.
FOOTNOTES:
[125] As the description of the _Simoum_ ("poisoned" wind, from
سمّ "poison"), given by the following writers, is the account
of men, who were _bonâ fide_ Saharan travellers, I shall take the
liberty of transcribing their various relations:--
"Nothing can be more overpowering than the South wind (Ghibee,) or
the East, (Shirghee), each of which is equally to be dreaded. In
addition to the excessive heat and dryness of these winds, they
are impregnated with sand, and the air is darkened by it, the sky
appears of a dusky yellow, and the sun is barely perceptible. The
eyes become red, swelled and inflamed; the lips and skin parched
and chapped; while severe pain in the chest is generally felt, in
consequence of the quantities of sand unavoidably inhaled.
Nothing, indeed, is able to resist the unwholesome effects of this
wind. On opening our boxes, we found the many little articles, and
some of our instruments which had been carefully packed, were
entirely split and destroyed. Gales of the kind here described,
generally continue ten or twelve hours."--LYON.
"I derived some benefit from fastening a strip of cotton over my
eyes, and another over my mouth, to keep off the burning air which
parched my lungs. The burning East wind which was beginning to
blow rendered the heat insufferable, and the scorching sand found
its way into our eyes, in spite of the precautions which we took
to exclude it. Tepid water was distributed, which we thought
delicious, though it had little effect in quenching our thirst. My
thirst was so tormenting that I found it impossible to get any
sleep. My throat was on fire, and my tongue clove to the roof of
my mouth. I lay as if expiring on the sand, waiting with the
greatest impatience for the moment when we were to have our next
supply of water. I thought of nothing but water--rivers, streams,
rivulets, were the only ideas which presented themselves to my
mind during this burning fever. In my impatience I cursed my
companions, the country, the camels, and for anything I knew, the
sun himself, who did not make sufficient speed to reach the
horizon."--CAILLIE.
"The Simoum felt like the blast of a furnace. To describe this
awful scourge of The Desert, defies all the powers of language.
The pencil assisted by the pen might perhaps afford a faint idea
of it, winged with the whirlwind and charioted with thunder, it
urged its fiery course, blasting all nature with its death-fraught
breath. It was accompanied by a line of vivid light, that looked
like a train of fire, whose murky smoke filled the whole wide
expanse, and made its horrors only the more vivid. The eye of man,
and the voice of beast were both raised to heaven, and both then
fell upon the earth. Against this sand tempest all the fortitude
of man fails, and all his efforts are vain. To Providence alone
must we look. It passed us, burying one of my camels. As soon as
we rose from the earth, with uplifted hands for its preservation,
we awoke to fresh horrors. Its parching tongue had lapped the
water from our water-skins, and having escaped the fiery hour, we
had to fear the still more awful death of thirst."--DAVIDSON.
[126] This disease is the _Filaria Medinensis_, or Guinea Worm.
The rude Arabs give a sort of Shakesperian witches' receipt for
the cure of this disease, such as the liver of a vulture, the
brains of an hyæna, the dung of the ostrich, mixed with other
wonderful ingredients. This reminds me of the receipt of my
Ghadamsee Doctor for the cure of _Night Blindness_, which here
followeth:--"_Description of a remedy by which affliction (or
blindness) of the sight is cured at night_. Take the liver of a
goat, or the liver of a camel, and cut off a piece of it, mince it
small, and take also a couple of سحر? and reduce it to a fine
powder, and rub them together, and place them on the fire so that
the water boils or simmers, and then drop (or pour) the water on
the eye, and _it will straightway see_."