KING LÀKONO’S PRIDE. — BEER KNOWN TO THE ANCIENT EGYPTIANS. —
BAR OF ROCKS. — WAR-DANCE OF THE NATIVES. — DETERMINATION
OF THE TURKS TO RETURN, AND DISAPPOINTMENT OF THE AUTHOR. —
COMMENCEMENT OF THE RETURN VOYAGE. — REPUBLICANS IN THE KINGDOM
OF BARI. — VISIT OF THE FRENCHMEN TO MOUNT KORÈK. — REASON OF
THE AUTHOR’S AVERSION TO ARNAUD. — CONDUCT OF VAISSIÈRE AND
SCENE IN HIS DIVAN. — CULTIVATION OF COTTON AT BARI. — APATHY
OF FEÏZULLA-CAPITAN AND THE CREW. — SUPERIORITY OF MAN TO WOMAN
IN A NATIVE STATE. — WATCHHOUSES.
26th and 27th January.—King Làkono, notwithstanding his
complaisance in other respects, is proud in this single instance:
he will not go on board any _other_ vessel than that of Selim
Capitan’s, much as Arnaud wishes it, who promises us a great
_fête_ when we shall bring this to pass. Selim Capitan passes with
him for a matta enjoying the same privileges as himself, because
he has our treasures, glass ornaments, and clothes, in his keeping,
and distributes them _ad libitum_, with the consent of Suliman Kashef.
The island of Tshanker, called also Riëm to Selim Capitan in my
presence (perhaps the name of the second and smaller island), has
become, since our abode here, a market for barter. A great crowd
of people is always collected here, and Selim Capitan considers it
advisable to give them a taste of the effect of a gun. He therefore
shot a bull while running, twice in the head; unfortunately the
balls did not pierce through, and therefore the beast staggered, but
did not fall. Hereupon Selim held the barrel behind the animal’s
ear, and the bull fell; the people, indeed, drew back astonished,
but the excessive fear of fire-arms appears, since our short stay,
to be at an end in the more civilised state of Bari.
I was the cause of presents being made to Làkono, for future
sowing of maize, and a better kind of durra, Ommòs (Egyptian
peas), and the so-called horse-beans, (called by the Arabs, Ful,
and a very nourishing favourite food of theirs,) beside many other
fruits. He seemed to me to be a man who would take care to sow them,
for he planted even the stones of the dates which he had eaten
with us. If the dates in these warmer regions should ever come up,
the whole crew, without meaning it, have contributed to plant them,
because they threw away the stones of the dates they ate on all the
landing-places. I doubt, however, if dates will ever thrive, because
the doum-palms have a very stunted appearance in the lower countries
of the White Stream, and for a long time have entirely disappeared.
As the vine thrives in Sennaar, it might grow also here, and I should
have gained immortal fame if I had not unfortunately forgotten,
in Khartùm, the layers of vines I had determined to take with
me. Merissa is also not unknown here, as the black soldiers told me,
who had drank it, and found it equally good as that of Sennaar. _Beer_
was known even to the ancient Egyptians: what is now prepared in
Egypt under the name of Busa, from wheat (kamm) is bad and pappy; in
Nubia, Belled-Sudàn, we get it of better quality, made from durra,
and called generally merissa: the same is also quite a common drink in
this country. Beer appears, consequently, to be generally indigenous
where agriculture takes place, and where wine has not received the
preference due to it.
_28th January._—Nature has drawn here a real bar of rocks through
the White Stream, which we dare not venture to surmount; for the water
has fallen, for some days, as is quite evident, and the vessels could
only, by taking out all their freight, pass the defile near the large
rocks, which is called on this account, bab, or gate. The river-bed
beginning from hence, appears to be generally of a more rocky nature,
for we perceive, even from the rocks on the Island of Tshanker,
breakers in the stream up the river: however, there is no doubt,
that we might sail away victoriously over these obstacles at the
time of the inundation, for the river here rises to about eighteen
feet high. The main thing would be, then, for north winds to blow
exactly at this period, strong enough to withstand the pressure of
water rising in this mountain-land; for I am still of opinion that
the rapidity of the current increases from hence in such a manner,
that we could not advance by the rope even with the best will. We have
remained here at the island three entire days, and the _ne plus ultra_
is not so much inscribed on the Pillars of Hercules in the water,
as desired in the hearts of the whole expedition.
The war-dance, which the blacks performed yesterday, has contributed
certainly to the final determination to return. Even I thought
yesterday that I heard and saw in the fearful battle-song,
a declaration of war, and a challenge to the contest. It was
almost impossible to persuade oneself that it was merely a mark of
honour. The natives marched up and down the island, in columns,
brandishing their lances in the air, sang their war-songs with
threatening countenances and dreadful gestures, then fell into
still greater ecstasy, ran up and down, and roared their martial
chant. Nevertheless I altered my opinion that this was done with
hostile views, for the native interpreters remained quietly with
us on board the vessel; and when we sent them to request that this
honour might not be paid to us, they returned, though not having
effected our object.
It was thought advisable that we should leave the shore, for the
natives had only need spring down to be on board our vessels. There
were certainly too many black people, and a warlike rapacious
enthusiasm might easily, it was true, possess their minds, inflamed
as they were by the military manœuvres. It was well, therefore,
that a reiterated request on our side was answered, and an end
put to the warlike ceremony, without our having betrayed our fear,
by pushing off from the shore.
I remained this night on board Selim Capitan’s vessel, to induce
him to _renew_ the examination of the rocky pass in the water, and
to allow me to accompany him; but he declared to me, although he
could not conceal his own nervousness, that not only the Frenchmen,
but also Suliman Kashef, even if the latter told me the contrary,
have determined not to proceed further. I knew therefore how
to explain why Selim Capitan and Arnaud had gone alone to the
rocky pass, without letting me know of their intention, although
the spot to be explored, where a passage possibly might be made,
was scarcely a gun-shot distance from us. I felt myself, however,
too much weakened from my illness to swim to it, and to scale the
rocks, for I would not ask the favour of the sandal. My servants, who
wished as much as myself to proceed further, had been at the place;
and Fadl, who had been previously a mariner himself, declared that
we could certainly pass through, but not back again, if the water
continued to fall so much as it has done now for some days.
Selim Capitan was really inclined to explore the ascent, but this
continuation of the voyage was not to last longer than a day. But
when he knelt this morning on his carpet, before sun-rise, directing
his face to the East, for prayer, and discerned the numerous fires
on the right shore, which he had not remarked during his ablutions,
he looked at me so mournfully and suspiciously, that I could scarcely
restrain my laughter. He concluded his prayer; and now he saw also
on the island of Tshanker, near us, a number of such little straw
fires, over which the naked people were warming themselves; whilst
nearly every single man was stretching out his long legs over his
own little fire. Then his courage sank anew, for there were still
more blacks than yesterday.
These men, however, did not come empty-handed, and barter rose to a
pitch of greatness and variety, such as we had not before seen—a
quantity of fowls, goats, sheep, cows and calves, wood, ferruginous
sand, and iron dross, tobacco, pipes, simsim, durra, weapons, all
kinds of ornaments for the body—everything for beads. Nevertheless
the good Ethiopians did not shew themselves to-day quite blameless,
for they sold quivers full of arrows, many of which were without
points. They delivered the wares while receiving the beads, or
the seller ran hastily away, retaining the goods as well as the
purchase-money; they cuffed and wrestled with our men, without,
however, making use of their weapons. On the whole, however, the
injustice was on our side; the drum therefore beat to recall the
crew to the vessels.
It was the middle of the day, about two o’clock, when Selim Capitan,
in order to take his leave, and to employ the dreaded people at the
moment of our departure, and keep them far from us, threw ten cups of
sug-sug on shore, and the cannons on all the vessels were discharged,
to bid solemn farewell with twenty-one shots to the beautiful country
which must contain so many more interesting materials. The forty
or forty-two days lost by Arnaud’s fault, in Korusko, are again
recalled to my mind. If we had arrived here twenty days previously,
neither would all these rocks have been an obstacle, nor would there
have been a pretext for not proceeding further; and it would have
been no absolute misfortune, supposing that in our _return_ we had
not been able immediately to sail over this reef of rocks.
Rain begins here, as I have already said, in two months’ time. On
its setting in, the neighbouring masses of rocks discharge their
water into the river-bed; the river rises after a few days, and it
would not be difficult, therefore, at the expiration of that time,
to pass the rocky bar. But against the proposal to wait for the
rainy season, the objection, partly founded in fact, was offered,
that the provisions which had been provided for ten months, would
not suffice for the return voyage. Certainly the provisions had been
shamefully dealt with, and there was little to be expected from the
people of this country, who would be paid for every thing. It is just
as clear that the natives do not cultivate agriculture beyond their
immediate necessities, and therefore have stored up no magazines, as
that their herds are only sufficient for their consumption, because,
had it been otherwise, the Sultan, leaving aside the people, must have
shewn himself more liberal. It is certain also, that with the hitherto
lavish profusion of glass-beads, their value must infallibly decrease,
and that therefore we shall soon be in want of this means of payment.
The principal reason, however, of my proposal not meeting with favour,
appears to me to lie in this, that a sudden attack by the natives
was feared, and not entirely without justice, on a longer and closer
acquaintance, by which our supremacy, at all events, must suffer;
because Turks wish always to remain Turks, that is, born lords of
the earth. As a last resource I rely upon a third expedition, and
this thought afforded me also some consolation.
The water has diminished to a remarkable degree. Close to the first
island, which is next to the left shore, we ran aground, and now we
have been squatting for several hours near the second island, lying
at the left shore. All “lissa” and “ela” cannot bring us from
the spot, although the men, who are trying to raise the vessel in
the water, have rested twice from exhaustion. The negroes, indeed,
approach us and laugh, but they may wish, notwithstanding, to assist
us; yet it appears advisable to keep them at a distance by firing, so
that they may not remark the impotency of a vessel when stranded. I
here count, from the deck, eight villages on the rising ground of
the left shore; on the right, lying more level with the water-line,
only two. The sun sinks behind Mount Korèk, and we hope to work
ourselves off this time. This may be a difficult return voyage,
for we have many shallow places to pass, and the water continues to
fall. We are again afloat at sunrise.
Behind the last-mentioned island we remark another little one; then
we pass between two islands, for this voyage by the left shore is
of a very complicated nature. We are scarcely off before the vessel
immediately again sticks fast, and whirls round like a top. We proceed
down the river close to the left shore, the negroes throwing stones
at us; we know not whether they are in jest or in earnest. To be
sure, we did not conduct ourselves in a very friendly manner, in
our ascent by the _left_ shore, having killed there eleven people,
and certainly wounded many more. These are the republicans, who would
not recognise King Làkono; they laugh at the threats of the crew,
until Feïzulla Capitan orders his pistols to be brought, so that
he might intimidate them. We shoal again, work ourselves clear, but
cannot reach the other vessels, where Làkono is said to be on board
Selim Capitan’s. It seems that the good king will regain, by our
presence, his authority, which has been considerably diminished by
the withdrawal of the subsidy, or Tulba, over these people on the left
shore, who are to give us, according to his promise, several cows.
I cannot yet recover; but just at this moment, when the vessel
has turned to the north, in the direction of my brother, I resign
myself, with pleasure, to the idea of remaining with Làkono,
learning the language, and collecting the necessary information,
making myself useful in extending the knowledge of economical and
technical sciences, and taking part in their military expeditions,
wherein I should have formed a fearful _avant garde_ with my three
servants, who were of the same inclination as myself, owing merely
to our fire-arms;—and thus to become of the most vital importance
to the next expedition, and to be able to return with it.
Selim Capitan communicated to me, in confidence, that the French
heroes want to visit Mount Korèk, here from the left shore, and
that Arnaud has applied for an escort of ten soldiers. This intended
excursion had been kept secret from me; either I was considered too
weak, as perhaps really was the case or no German witnesses were
wished to oppose, as they very certainly would have done, any future
charlatanry. I had full satisfaction, however, when I recommended,
in presence of Arnaud, a visit to the iron-mines of Korèk as being
perfectly necessary. The crafty Selim Capitan said, that he had spoken
to Suliman Kashef, and that a hundred chosen men, as an escort, were
placed at disposal for this laudable visit. This offer of increased
protection produced a peculiar effect in Arnaud’s countenance,
and he muttered a curse between his teeth, although I declared that
I could not be of the party.
What I said was meant in earnest, for I must have been carried, owing
to the want of beasts of burden; and besides, I did not dare at all
to expose my worthy head to the sun’s rays, because, from having
remained under it, I had still the feeling as if my hair stood erect,
like a conductor of caloric, by every single ray. Mount Korèk will,
therefore, for the present, not be explored by me.
I must take advantage of this opportunity to mention a circumstance
which may explain my not very great friendship for Arnaud,
abstractedly from his general arrogance. Selim Capitan confirmed
what the merchant Olivi had communicated to me in Khartùm. My
fellow-travellers, in order to make themselves secure against
any control, had determined, under the presidency of Vaissière,
_not to mention my worthy name at all in their journals_. But the
honest Vaissière had, at the same time, another plan, which was no
other than to _exclude_ me from the expedition. He himself offered
to provide the biscuit necessary for me and my three servants. This
proposal was the more acceptable to me, because all the baking-ovens
of Khartùm had been taken possession of by the Government, to
provide for the crew of the expedition.
The biscuit arrived safely the day before our departure at my house,
just as Doctor Count de Domine, having returned from Kordofàn,
was present. Without further investigation, I took the contents and
weight to be correct, but my Italian friend thought that Vaissière
was a great “baron fututto,” and opened a sack, from which an
excellent biscuit peeped forth smilingly. This, however, did not
convince him long; I was obliged to order Fadl, who was standing by,
to shake out the bag, and then a peal of laughter resounded on every
side. Only the uppermost part of the sack was laid over with good
biscuit, the lower part being full of spoiled and mouldy ones. The
very same result followed with the other sacks.
Armed with my heavy iron stick, I immediately ran along the side of
the water to the divan of Vaissière, where I found all the Frenchmen
assembled. I said plainly that he wished to force me, by this rascally
deception, to desist from the voyage after one or two days’ further
progress. In conclusion, I called him a slave-dealer, whose cross of
the legion of honour I would tear off; and when he talked of being
an officer, and “honour!” I called him a cowardly rascal. None
of the Europeans spoke a word in his defence; and I was able to
retreat through the numerous attendants, who feared my iron club as
well as the Basha; and I went to the governor, who gave orders that
the needful biscuit should be provided me from the shune.
Once again, before my departure, Vaissière and I stood suddenly,
man to man, on a narrow path by the Blue Nile, where, from fear,
because he had not challenged me, or lest I should push him into
the water, he only stammered out the words, “Wife and children!”
In these countries one must either let oneself be trod under foot,
and be able to turn and cringe, or must step forward, like a man in
his natural state, breast to breast.
_29th January._—Before sunrise we hoist the anchor from the middle
of the river, where we had halted for safety during the night, and set
sail in a northern direction. Some elephant-trees, with thick foliage,
and two villages, are on the left side of the shore, and a shallow
long isle, like all the islands of this region. On the right Mount
Pelenja, as well as an isle, which another larger one immediately
follows. We see two magnificent broad-leaved acacia-trees, to which
several more of these beautiful round-headed trees join on directly,
and habitations right and left. The sun rises behind clouds. We row
E.N.E., and then E. by N. The right shore forms a long durra-field;
in its neighbourhood we get aground, and in spite of every exertion,
remain fixed until half past nine o’clock. The strong north wind
drives our vessel about in all directions, and the tired rowers are no
match for my bold countryman. At half past ten o’clock we arrive,
in an easterly direction, at the shallow island, separated from the
right shore by a narrow arm of the Nile, and lying on a level with
it. This island, planted with durra, is the very same one where King
Làkono first visited us.
We have the other vessels ahead, waiting for us, and we come up to
them at eleven o’clock, with great difficulty; for the men can
display but little vigour at the rope in the water. The negroes of
the right shore pursue us with several bundles of wood, to sell to
us. Feïzulla Capitan is ashamed to make his report, on account of
his long delay, and therefore lies down to sleep. We cast anchor
also in the middle of the river; for we trust the natives no longer,
and fear the wrath of the great Matta.
King Làkono sits on the shore in the centre of his people, who are
standing around him; his favourite wife is also standing, and only
one of his brothers is sitting near him. I now hear that Làkono had
asked Selim Capitan for a musket to shoot the cannibals. The latter
feared that the Tubal Cain of Bari might establish a manufactory of
guns, and then come as a great conqueror to Sennaar, and therefore
flatly refused him. On this account his Majesty is angry, and will
not come on board. I am particularly sorry that he does not take
leave of us, for I had noted down several questions which I should
like to ask him. A drummer close to him is beating very skilfully,
from time to time, on his long wooden kettle-drum, and answers quite
doughtily the roll of one of our drummers. Another is blowing a
wooden trumpet, in which the mouth-piece, or the hole at the upper
end, is like that of a flute. They have also a twisted antelope’s
horn, from which they manage to elicit several notes.
Notwithstanding the violent north wind, we set out again at half-past
one o’clock, without even thinking of a visit of reconciliation to
Làkono. What can the man think of us now? We who have got so many
weapons, spears, bows, and clubs, from his people, and who certainly,
in his eyes, have equally as many guns, do not give him even a single
musket! We row at first, but soon tiring of this work, the vessels are
allowed to drift with the stream, “Allah kerim,” and be tossed by
the wind wherever it may drive them. We therefore knock one against
the other, run towards the shore, and go, to my extreme anger, down
the river with the stern foremost instead of the bow. This does not
seem to Feïzulla Capitan to be any disgrace. To the right shore a
shallow island, partly cultivated, and having, at the extremity of
its foot, a little village. Another, upon which are several cows,
who have only to thank the strong wind that we did not carry away
some of them, stretches far downwards for nearly an hour.
Here I must express my surmise that the natives cultivate cotton,
although not, perhaps, in large quantities. On the island of
Tshanker I had seen already cotton offered for sale, without its
existence being a matter of surprise to me; for I had previously
met with it in the forests on the White Stream, growing wild. I am
in possession even of a specimen of the cotton of this country, and
know now how to explain from what the rahàt is made, which I got
on that island. I was sitting once on the island of Tshanker, and
sketching, when a young woman stationed herself at some distance,
and pointed to her neck, which she wished to adorn with beads. I
presented her with some to look at, and gave her to understand by
dumb-show, that I wanted to have her thread apron for them. When I
stepped nearer, however, to make the thing more intelligible to the
woman, she drew back timidly. I therefore beckoned to Fadl, because
he has more patience, and a darker colour, which must inspire greater
confidence. She was no longer afraid when he came, but stopped and
gave her consent to the sale by signs, although the men standing
in the neighbourhood threatened her by elevating their spears. She
motioned to Fadl to remain where he was, ran away, and soon returned
with a leathern apron, which she had fetched from behind a rock,
whereon men were standing.
Without troubling herself further about their threatening attitudes
and words, she waded, with a true contempt of death, up to her breast
in the water, and came out again with the rahàt in her hand, and
the leathern apron round her loins. She still paid no regard to the
continued threatening motions of the men, but gave the rahàt over
to Fadl, took the few beads, and ran away in the greatest joy. This
rahàt was twisted together very artistically of cotton threads,
shaped, as I have already related, and coloured red with ochre.
Four o’clock. Our course which, judging from the situation of the
mountains, had been north-westerly since half-past one o’clock,
now changes,—without, however, our being able to define it
distinctly. Half-past five o’clock. This is the first moment that
we can say we are going N. by E. These things must be experienced: to
be ill with Turks—to make campaigns and journeys with Turks—and to
undertake a voyage of discovery on the White Stream with such a fleet!
The vessels, according to their different sizes, ran on the sand-bank;
first forwards, then backwards,—now right, now left. To navigate
with the stern foremost is the favourite custom; the sparks of the
fire fall through the open hatchway, before the half-broken door of
the powder-room, and whizz in the water of the lower hold! At last,
by energetic threats, I wake Feïzulla Capitan from his dreadful
apathy. The fire is extinguished, and the stern of the vessel, after a
great deal of talking about the disgrace to a naval officer educated
in England, turned to the proper direction, with the assistance of
the oars.
I saw five large and small islands, but whether they lie nearest
to the right or to the left shore, I know as little as upon what
shore the isolated villages and tokuls stand. It was really enough
to drive one mad to see the sailors so often apply themselves to
the oars when the wind had turned the vessel, which they regard as a
piece of floating wood, towards the mountains. I shall, at last, be
confused myself in such a disgusting hurly-burly. Six o’clock. On
the left, a little island; soon afterwards, on the right, a larger
one, separated from the right shore by a narrow arm. Then a village,
close upon the same shore, pleasingly enlivened by men and cows,
immediately appears. Single trees extend behind it, and give a
picturesque effect to the whole. On the left, our old acquaintance,
Mount Nerkanjin, steps forward again, and surpasses, at least,
considerably in height, the mountains lying nearer. At half-past
six o’clock we go to the N., with small deviations to one side or
the other, and come to three islands, following close behind one
another, along the right shore, and anchor, when it becomes dark,
before seven o’clock, below the last one.
_30th January._—A very strong wind all night; the vessels lying
awkwardly near each other, beat their heads and knock their ribs
together, so that it was quite pleasant to behold it. Every one
slept and snored around me, and I also would not allow myself to
be disturbed any more, and did not wake the capitan; but looked,
however, twice through the open hatchway into the hold, to see if
the water were increasing. This morning there was only one vessel
at the anchorage; all the others were scattered far and wide down
the river. Immediately after sunrise we set out towards N. On the
right a wood extends; on the left, solitary beautiful trees rise;
but few people are to be seen.
Two little islands are at the right shore; the one lying deeper
rises from the water like an elevated green shield. The beautiful
forest of the right side condensates and strengthens; on the left,
also, the trees approach closer together. The country rises here,
and we look far over the left shore into the land, as into an
orchard, with villages. We halt at the shield-island, on the sand,
and look around us for another water-track. With much difficulty we
work through between the green reed island and another one, and land
at our old little isle, where we made the acquaintance of the chief
Nalewadtshòhn on the 22nd January. We had half an hour’s barter;
then we push off, and navigate with the bow of our vessel directed
towards the first of the two islands lying one behind the other, at
the left shore, as if we would have caused there an earthquake. The
vessel turns, and we go now again with the stern forward, as generally
happens upon the Nile, in order to let the vessels drift free from
danger, for the helm then becomes the scenting-nose of the shallows,
and stops also, in fact, on them.
About eight o’clock we halt at the left shore. I get here a harpoon
among other curiosities of the country. Unfortunately, we now hurry
through this beautiful region without taking any further notice of
the land or the people; for the want of sufficient water-course,
and the ignorance of it, drives us to make as much haste as possible
to the friendly Elliàbs, where we intend to stop and caulk the
vessels. I have never remarked persons lying ill, and diseases may be
generally rare among these people of nature; when they do come on,
perhaps they are mostly fatal. At nine o’clock we are off again,
and have, immediately on our right, two little green islands, and
a village on the shore. Another entanglement of vessels, so that it
is a complete disgrace!
The water, pouring out vigorously from a gohr of the right shore,
is muddy, and appears to come from a lake, the water of which is let
off for the sake of catching fish. On the left a green island, with
high reeds; on the right a wood, wherein there are several bare and
withered trees. The land appears here to be quite uncultivated. Our
vessel at last goes again properly, for Selim Capitan, whom the
other vessels are trying to keep in sight, outstrips us by the stroke
of the oars. The reed-island is followed by another one after some
paces. The shores are arid on both sides; we cannot look over them at
the scenery beyond, because the water is considerably lower than when
we ascended. In the middle of the river a narrow island, green with
reeds, behind which, on the right shore, a large village is remarked,
with broad tokuls, as well as herds of cows at the water. These
tokuls are open behind, and the young cattle appear to be penned in
them. Down at the village another island lies, of about a quarter of
an hour in length. On the right and left, scanty wood is developing
itself thickly behind the shores. An islet, of three to four paces
broad, and twelve to fifteen long, has planted itself here boldly
in the river. Either this island is quite new, and will increase
in time, or it is the remains of an old one. Immediately behind,
an elevated green shield floats again towards us. We navigate at
the right shore to N.E., and shall go again soon to N.
The beauty of the country has unfortunately again descended to the
old uniformity, with the horizontal position of the flat country;
before us lies an island like a Delta; it is already partly dry, and
we pass by its left side. But stop! Every one fetches up, and we shall
be obliged perhaps to work over to the right side. Ten o’clock,
N. by E.; we row bravely against the N.E. wind. The shores of the
stream are flat and low; by the sand lying thereon, we see that the
river at its side flows over them. An arid island at the left shore is
divided by a dry gohr. On the right, a village is suddenly disclosed,
with broad tokuls, and negroes expecting treasures. Upon the island,
also, they stride stoutly in close to the ships, but no beads are
handed to them. The men of the oxen-village point to their herds,
but their benevolent offer is in vain.
We remark, as usual, among the light-coloured cows, many quite white,
and few black or dapple. The bulls have the customary high and thick
hump; the cows, on the contrary, have exactly the appearance of those
at Emmerich on the Rhine; their horns are twisted in a surprisingly
handsome form, and set off with flaky hair, as well as the ears. They
carry the latter erect, by which means the head, and the lively eye,
acquire a brisk and intelligent expression. We have an island of
about a quarter of an hour in length at our right; the oars rest in
consequence of a stronger current, and we go N.E. Half past eleven
o’clock. On the left a green island, of the length of half an
hour, before which we again get aground, without our intellectual
commanders being disturbed by it. We stop at the right shore, to make
our midday halt, but Suliman Kashef pushes off again, although he
is the man who takes most care about the distribution of the meat,
and we others follow amidst the murmurs of the crew.
After we had left on our right two islands, we halt at the foot of
the second one, at about three o’clock, with the same intention. The
shallow island is only elevated a little above the level of the water,
of a sandy nature, but full of a species of large and small grass,
conclusive of the splendid pastures of the surrounding country,
of which the herds afford the best proof. We navigate further,
and have immediately a small island on our right. For amusement we
go awhile upon the sand, soon get off again, and have on the left
another island with shallow sand-heads at the side. The whole left
shore lies flat, and makes its appearance beautifully wooded; over
it Mount Nerkanjin, concealed in mist and by the distance, rises
to the west. I take leave of it and of all the mountains, which
are so delightful to my heart, and have contributed so much to my
convalescence by their fresh air, and by bringing before me pictures
of home. We go to the north. A poor little hamlet, surrounded and
shaded by trees, on the left shore. Right and left the vessels squat,
and accident alone makes us take the middle road. At the right,
two small islands, distinguished, as usual here, by nothing except
their succulent grass or reeds. Yet our vessel, proud at the start
already gained, goes smack on the flat left shore, as if Nature did
not shew shallows there to the most inexperienced mariner. One shock,
and—we stick fast. Once more tokuls peep through the trees of the
left shore at some distance; negroes are collecting on the shore.
We are navigating through a tract of countries, touching whose
original formation and populations we exhaust ourselves in fruitless
conjectures. Monuments do not tell us, history is silent, and the
annals of the people live only in meagre traditions, which may
possibly extend to two or three generations. We could not learn
any thing even of these, and the past is repeated in a perpetual
present. We throw a sorrowful glance at the youth of these nations,
and do not understand how it happens that a people could always
remain _young_.
The other vessels pass us, whilst we are calling, “Eh lissa!”
Most of the men are only seemingly exerting themselves in the water,
to hoist the vessel, without answering the Abu Hashis passing by
and mocking at us. The natives must love the shade, for they remain
with their wives under the trees. The shaven heads, and mostly
turned in noses of the latter seem to do homage to the principle of
beauty being in man. If this decided type of the feminine formation
of countenance afford the plastic proof of the primitive natural
distinction of the sexes, then not woman, but man, stands here as the
master-piece of Nature, similar to what is generally the case in the
animal creation. Woman is the weaker being in such a state of nature
as this,—the beast of burden, in whom the germ for the improvement
of the character is suppressed, though it must be considered as her
inalienable birthright.
After a quarter of an hour, we work ourselves off, and row, as
fast as our bodies, dripping with perspiration, will allow us,
in order to gain a deeper water-course. On the left we notice a
forest-hamlet, and on the right an island, which is a quarter of
an hour in length. Another island ends, the upper part of which I
had not remarked. A long bright water-basin, from the back ground
of which two little islands, like green hills, cheerfully look up,
stretches before us in N.N.E. The negroes dance and jump no more; they
stand melancholy on the shore, because they lose their glass-bead men.
Half-past three o’clock. After the lapse of some minutes we
navigate through a narrow canal, and leave the broad water on our
right behind the island close to us. At the end of this island we
first drive furiously against the shore, and then against another
vessel, so that there is cracking and breaking aloft, and a flood
of curses discharged. The men jump into the water, bawl, and make
a row on all sides, to push the vessels off the sand. We get loose,
have an island immediately before us, and try to go into the narrow
arm, which separates it from the right shore. The island is covered
over and over with luxuriant creeping beans, and is half an hour
long. Some of the vessels try their luck on the other side of the
island. A number of goats and sheep are pasturing there, and among
the latter, rams with horns twisted back, and manes. We keep the
main direction of the river, N.N.E., but there is neither direction
nor order among the vessels, “Allah kerim!”
A beautiful verdant island below seems to wish to block up our
road. Suddenly a second island appears at our side, separated from the
former one by only fifty paces of water. We stop at it, because most
of the vessels have taken the deceptive broad path, and got upon the
sand. The current is strong here, and amounts to two miles. Although
our men are at home on the Nile, yet they have no idea at all that
where there are precipitous broken shores, and where the shoot of the
water falls, there, on the average, the greater depth is to be found.
Suliman Kashef’s beautiful slave has hitherto not yet come out
of her narrow back cabin, often as I have begged him to let her. O
thou land of the East and jealousy! An unexpected emancipation of
the eastern wives and maidens would give an extremely surprising
result, judging from analogy with all the circumstances occurring
in the hárims, notwithstanding the trifling grade of cultivation,
in which these beautiful domestic animals stand, and their quaint
notions of the _honestum atque decorum_.
Four o’clock.—The last island, where we stopped only a short
time, and repaired in some measure our broken helm, is immediately
followed by two islands, lying close to one another, the nearest of
which extends a long way. It is covered with much larger tobacco
plantations than we have been accustomed hitherto to see. A hedge
defends it against the beasts of the water, and over the young plants
reed-roofs have been placed to protect them against the heat of
the sun. But what we had not hitherto seen, is a little watchhouse
raised on stakes, from which the field-guard peeps out;—a police
establishment, which might be placed here more on account of human
beings than of beasts.
We leave those islands, as well as the two small reed-islands
previously named, together with the broad water at the left, for
another island of an hour in length joins on to the latter one,
and promises a deeper water-course. The steeply broken shores
of these islands, like those of the right side of the river, are
stratified in horizontal layers, which consist of mould, sand, and a
reddish-coloured substratum of iron-ochre. We go here with the right
shore to E. A broad gohr comes into the river from the right side:
therefore, what I just now called a right shore, is taken for a large
island, the head of which, however, no one pretends to have seen. At
last, we again advance, although not for any length of time, in a
bed of the stream destitute of islands, and from pure magnanimity
we order the oars to rest, so as not to stave in the ribs of another
vessel. On the right, a village and some scattered tokuls under the
trees. We make a bend to N.N.E. The right shore is thickly covered
with trees, but there appears to be little shade there except under
the solitary trees having broad boughs. On the left shore are seen,
on the contrary, few trees, and the real forest may be further up
the country.
Six villages are observed from the deck on the right, and three
villages on the left shore. Before us, to N.E., rises a small
mountain, to which we perhaps shall approach still closer, for it was
not remarked previously in our ascent. On the shore, we have right
and left a village; at the left side two more villages immediately
follow. From the deck we see here seven other villages; to the right,
in the forest, a large village, and closer to us a small one on the
shore, whilst on the left again, other tokul-tops peep forth beyond
the shore. Solitary huts are scattered on all sides, and the country
seems to be extraordinarily populous. Nevertheless, we remark very
few people; the others may be employed somewhere in the interior
harvesting, catching fish, or elephant-hunting; or state affairs,
perhaps, keep them back.
Five o’clock.—To N. On the left a little hamlet, with tokul-roofs,
which stand on short stakes, and may be used perhaps only for the
cattle during the rainy season. The small tokuls raised on stakes
serve partly as sleeping-places, partly as store-houses; these are
seen in every village on the White River. Half-past five o’clock. At
the left we see the end of an island, which must be very large,
for it goes up, at least, to the last-named island, and may run
behind it to the left shore. On the left there are three villages,
but the trees have entirely disappeared. On the right five villages,
and then a large and small island; behind them a sixth village. The
river makes a beautiful bend at this place from N.N.E. to N. Splendid
large shady trees stand out like giants over the other part of the
forest, and from deck we perceive a hamlet under them, and also two
villages at some distance from the left shore. The Haba, properly
speaking, displays itself here of a blue colour in the distance,
extending from W. to N., whither we let ourselves be drifted also
by the tranquil river.
A large herd of cows comes down to drink at the stream, but we pass
proudly by, and the Arabian children do not murmur because they are
going to their dear home.
The report that the nations below had blocked up the river to cut
off our retreat, having turned out unfounded, may likewise have
contributed to this unusual contentment. I remarked evidently how
glad they were that no crowds of natives were collected at the
numerous villages, near which we were so often beneaped. On the
right, the end of an island displays itself; this, at all events,
therefore extends behind the upper island of the right shore. Over
two little islands we see, on the right side, the tops of several
tokuls. At sunset we go from N.N.W., in another bend to E. A long
water-line spreads before us, whilst the river bends to right and
left; we accommodate ourselves again slowly to rowing.
Half-past six o’clock. At both sides two long islands end,
their commencement having been concealed from us by others. Near
the pastoral village, on the left side, we hear the cattle and
sheep returning home, and see the smoke widely extended, as a
protection against the gnats, for their nightly rest. That is much
too inviting! Near a small green island, in the centre of the stream,
which spreads here majestically like a lake, we cast anchor, and
the vessel turns its bow towards the west, to Mount Nerkanjin, the
outlines of which stand out only faintly from the darkening sky. It
is a lovely evening.