RIVER BUFFALOES. — COMICAL APPEARANCE OF THE NATIVES. —
WILLOWS. — SPECIES OF STRAND-SNIPES. — MODESTY OF THE WOMEN,
AND THEIR APRONS. — THE LIÈNNS. — ORNAMENTS OF THIS TRIBE:
THEIR TOKULS. — THE SERIBA OR ENCLOSURE TO THE HUTS. — ENORMOUS
ELEPHANT’S TOOTH. — LUXURIANCE OF THE SOIL. — THE COUNTRY
OF BAMBER. — DESCRIPTION OF THE NATIVES. — MANNER OF CATCHING
ELEPHANTS. — ROYAL CRANES. — SPLENDID BARTER. — TRIBE OF THE
BUKOS. — STOICISM OF AN OLD NATIVE. — SLAVES. — HIPPOPOTAMI
AND CROCODILES. — THE TSHIÈRRS. — THE ELLIÀBS AND BÒHRS. —
DESCRIPTION OF THE FORMER TRIBE: THEIR WAR-DANCE.
31st January.—Before sunrise we set out, and had 20° Reaumur;
yesterday and the day before, 19°. We had scarcely advanced three
paces, when we stuck fast on the sand, because the crew wanted to
let themselves be drifted at their ease. We therefore row out of the
lake-like bay to N.N.E. Men and women stand smoking on the shore,
and offer their pipes and other effects, but all their signs and
calling are in vain, and the fear is general that the river may be
too shallow. The stream issues broadly from the left side behind
an island, to which a smaller one joins itself. Eight hippopotami
are enjoying themselves in the space between the two islands. Their
enormous heads have the closest similarity, at some distance, to
those of buffaloes, only they are larger, and have no horns, and
therefore the Arabic expression Gamùss el Bah’r (river buffalo)
appears more suitable than that of hippopotamus. The name of G’zint
is little used here, although it may be the ancient indigenous one.
Whilst we are going at half-past six o’clock, N.N.W., we observe
on the right, also, a Nile arm to N.E. On the left a summer village,
and sleeping places, with reed walls, and small tokuls, running
quite to a point, and funnel-shaped, with plastered walls. On the
right, two hamlets, and on the left a reed islet; before it a broad
arm enters the land to W., and seems to form a large island, for we
go here N. by E. The stream, which had narrowed previously to four
hundred paces, loses little of its breadth by these means. Before us
floats again a green little reed-island; we leave it at our right. The
forest has again retreated, and on the left, also, there is nothing
seen above the ground, except here and there the top of a tree. The
shores are arid, and very refreshing is the large tree on the right,
with its horizontally twisted boughs, like an isolated gigantic oak,
behind which the house-tops of a large village peep forth.
A number of ash-grey men set themselves to race us on the right
shore from a little village; they fife, sing, and clap their hands,
dance and jump, especially the young ones. On the left also the flat
sand-shore is covered with ash-grey people. The song on both shores
is kept up in the very same tune and time, which they alternate
by strophes. There are hardly any weapons and ornaments to be seen
on these men. Cleanliness, the red colour of the skin, and luxury,
seem to disappear with the neighbourhood of the Sultan’s palace.
Half-past seven o’clock. N.N.W. We have a beautiful river-path
before us, winding towards N. Eight o’clock. An island at the left
shore, the land arm of which is mostly dry. We circumnavigate this
with the river, N.E. to N.N.W. When we came near to the natives,
we found that they had tried the water a little; now, therefore,
they dance and jump in long shining black boots and breeches,
and grey close jerkins. Such was their appearance, and one really
could not help laughing. Tokul-tops and a hamlet on the right shore;
on the left a small island.
Half-past eight o’clock. At the left side the beginning and end
of two islands, with a beautiful margin of reeds, and blooming
creepers. We go N.W.; a broad arm of the Nile in the right shore to
N. by E.; a large lake far towards the trees to S.E., and another
one equally large and distant, to the right of the Nile-arm to E. The
lakes are only visible from the masts. Behind an island on the left,
a cattle village, with numerous herds.
Nine o’clock. From N. to N.W. A large crowd of women are singing,
clapping their hands, jumping and shouting a bacchanalian huzza, as
if they would make our acquaintance with might and main. A splendid
shady group of trees, and a large tokul village, wherein they now
may play the master, is in their vicinity. We land at the foot of the
last-named island. I repair to Selim Capitan, to gather information
through the Tershomàn.
Ten o’clock. N. by E. On the left a broad gohr swerves to W., and
is said to issue again among the Elliàbs. I remarked on the shore
a kind of willow I had never yet seen, which is altogether similar
to our Rhine willows. The reïs hugged the shore, to please me, but
even the last copse slipped through my fingers, without my being
able to cut off a branch. The forest of the right shore promises
not only variety from a distance, but also cooling shade.
Half-past ten o’clock. The river flows N.E.; on the right is a
large village, near which we wind N.W.; then soon N.N.W.
On the right, herds and huzzaing, and singing negroes. The south-east
wind freshens a little, just as we go N.W.; but we dare not sail,
on account of the numerous shallows: and for that reason also,
the mainmasts of all the larger vessels were taken down at the
commencement of our return voyage. In calm weather the sails were
spread over these masts, laid horizontally to protect the crew
from the sun. Selim Capitan knows what the men are able to endure,
and therefore commands repeatedly “Alma!” (rest); connecting
it, perhaps, with calm; whereupon the rowers discontinue their
labour. “Alma” means, besides, in the Aggem language in Taka,
“water;” as also among the Bishari and Shukuriës. We go N.E.,
and then N., and round a green reed-island to S.W., but soon again
to N. On the left shore, a part of the new Haba suddenly discloses
itself; we go a short tract E.N.E., and at half-past eleven o’clock
to N. The head and foot of two islands, one close behind the other,
are at the right side. I see again the first _Zigzag_ and _Sammi_,
two species of strand-snipes. The latter are called by the Franks
Dominicans; in Mahass and Dongola, Begha and Kegla. They make the
sportsman very angry, because they announce danger to the other
feathered tribe by their loud outcry.
Twelve o’clock. N.E. by E. On the left an island, and soon
afterwards, when we are navigating N.N.E., another on the right;
and some tokuls, with dancing women, on the shore of the downs. We
stick fast on the dry ground for a quarter of an hour, and have,
at half-past twelve o’clock, two islands on the left, close to
one another, with the usual green border of reeds. This side rises
like a hill, in the manner of downs, even to between the trees. We
only see the end of these islands. Water fixes here animal life, and
human population may spread far away from the main stream, generally
on the White River, which may be considered as shoreless. We go
round a sand-head of the right shore from N.E. to E., and at a
quarter before one o’clock to S. On the right an island, and on
the shore a village; on the left several people. With a short bend
we have come to the N.; go, at half-past one o’clock, to E., and
immediately left to N.E. At two o’clock E., and at half-past two
N. A sand-bank here protrudes itself half into the river from the
left shore. A summer village, with a large tree, stands behind.
On the sand-bank some pretty young girls had collected, and a
number of poor Ethiopians, highly delighted at our arrival. They
sing, throw themselves on their knees, spring up again in the air,
and stretch their hands imploringly towards us. Selim Capitan is
easily persuaded to stop a short time, and to distribute some of the
usual glass beads. The unaproned damsels, who could entreat in so
friendly a manner, and point to their neck and wrists, ran, however,
away immediately, when we wanted to give into their own hands some
strings with glass beads. There appears to me to be no doubt that
there is a certain separation of the sexes; for these girls, part
of whom were marriageable, kept aloof at some distance from the men:
this also, shortly before, was the case with the married women. The
latter appeared here and there together with the men; but there were
always very few of them, and it might therefore be considered the
exception to the general rule. Opposite to the sand-bank an arm of
the Nile enters E.N.E. far into the land of the right side of the
river. We row to N., but soon to E., N.E., and N.
Three o’clock. We leave, about N.W., the broader river separated
from us by two islands lying close to one another, and have on the
right the large island, or island-land, near which the arm of the
Nile enters in an easterly direction. We follow this arm N.E. and
N., and the island, at its entrance, has immediately an end here. A
summer pastoral village is at the right on the shore of this large
so-called gohr. A quarter after three o’clock. Again from N.E. to
N. Several women stand on the right shore near a simsim-field; they
wear behind them a large piece of leather, like a miner’s apron,
which may serve them, when they sit down, as a cushion. The rahàt
in front of them is not larger than a hand. Their shrill cry of
exultation sounds almost the same as that of the women of Khartùm and
Kàhira. At half past three o’clock, on the right two farm-yards,
surrounded regularly in the square with palisadoes; beautiful verdant
young trees are standing by them. The forest seems to have vanished
on all sides. From N. we come gradually to N.E., and go now N.W.,
where the river makes a splendid bend to the N. A village lies a
little up the country on the right side, and an island ends by it.
Everywhere we notice watchhouses among the produce of the fields
or tobacco-plants. They consist of four stakes, with a scaffold,
and over it a flat straw roof clogged with earth, such as is seen
also in the land of Sudàn. If these little watchhouses are not
erected against thieves or beasts,—the former I believe to be
the case on account of the abominable suspicion of the people in
barter,—they may be a shelter for the labourers when carrying on
the irrigation. The black gentlemen had bent reeds, which had grown
crooked, for their tobacco-pipes. In order to express their joy, they
jump like goats, with closed legs, swinging at the same time their
arms. When old men singly try these leaps, as I saw done previously
by a sheikh of the Ababdes, when we called him an old man (aguhs),
it looks extremely ridiculous; but it is abominable and disgusting
when old women, with their flabby breasts flying up and down, make
such jumps of joy. A very narrow canal leads either to a lake or
low ground, or it may form a tributary arm and an island at the right.
The water here is still as clear and well-tasted as above near the
mountains: sand has much to do with this. We do not remark, either,
any stagnant water, standing in connexion with the stream, as further
downwards. The thermometer has got up to 30°. Four o’clock,
E.N.E. Several singing negroes on the right shore. Immediately
N.N.E., a quarter of an hour later N. and N.W., but soon in a short
bend to N.N.E. The river is about two hundred paces broad. Half past
four o’clock. From N.N.E. to ——, we bring up first,—N.E. by
E. for a short tract; with a short bend after a quarter of an hour
N.W. A powerful Nile buffalo, looked upon with astonishment, even by
the sailors themselves, being a gigantic animal, plays before us in
the water, and induces the two engineers to leave for a moment their
cloister system; usually they have their windows hung with curtains,
and never let themselves be seen at all outside the door. Five
o’clock. From N.W. to N.E., where a beautiful water-road extends
before us, closed below by a green island. On the right a broad
Nile-arm comes from S.E., and discharges itself to S.; it seems,
therefore, to encircle a large and broad island. A number of people
have collected there. The river is quite calm, unmoved by a breath of
air; no oar is striking its polished surface: we sail with unruffled
temper, protected against the rays of the sun, under the covering
of the denda (ship’s tent, perhaps from the Italian _tenda_). A
surprising swarm of black-coloured people accompanies us along the
shore. We see how they wonder at our vessels, without comprehending
how such a mighty machine could have originated from a sürtuk,
or hewn-out trunk of a tree. The invention of their ancestors has
remained here in its natural first foundation, for their necessities
give no impulse to the improvement of these boats, which may have
been even in use, in this part of Africa, before they were on the
Rhine, the Danube, and the Thames.
The nation of the Liènns is already in possession of this
country. The Liènns have the same language as the inhabitants of
Bari; but they know also that of the Dinka nation, or the dialect
of the Dinkas, which alters down the river, if such deviations have
not been carried down with the features of the people. They stand in
friendly relations with Bari, and do not pay tribute to King Làkono,
as I heard plainly from Selim Capitan’s interpreter. Notwithstanding
that their forehead is covered with points in horizontal lines,
they seem to be of the same origin as the tribes of Bari. The
Tershomàn Gùmberi, who gave himself out previously for a Tshièrr,
pretends here suddenly to be a Liènn, and wants to go ashore with
his treasures. He had accompanied us through the country of Bari,
and appeared also to be known there. It seems to me that he has
commercial speculations in his head, and fears that we might take from
him again his beads. We induce him, however, to remain still with us,
because he is very clever in his way. Half past five o’clock. On
the right a village, with good tokuls, and the green island long
seen by us. A city called Djàr follows soon after. Another island
ends before the village, separated from it by a narrow gohr. A third
village lies further down the river; to the left shore an island
with a green head, near which we stop at sunset, for we see on the
shore a large herd of cattle.
_1st February._—It was with difficulty that I purchased a national
bracelet of ivory, for these ornaments are as if grown to the
people. Such bracelets are light, two to three fingers broad, and
fluted, these stripes being coloured black. Small tortoise-shells
are worn very commonly here, as in Bari, on the neck or arm. At
eight o’clock we leave the island, go N. by E., and see upon it
several scattered farm-yards with cultivation.
An island of three-quarters of an hour long was at our right. The east
wind is tolerably brisk: we soon take to our oars, and I imagine we
make in this manner three sea-miles in the hour. This pace stands as
the rule with Selim Capitan, when the wind is not contrary. Before
us we perceive a forest, which extends over the horizon on the left
shore. The latter is planted far and wide with lubien, or small white
and variegated beans; so is also the small island of a quarter of
an hour in length, lying at our right. Nine o’clock. From E. by
N., to N.E., and N. by E. On the left side of the river, where we
remark a village up the country, an arm of the Nile goes N.N.W.,
and forms a reed-island.
Owing to the laziness of the sailors, the east wind drives us into
this canal on the sand, from which we get off again at half-past nine
o’clock; a small island, with a border of green creeping flowers,
is at our right. A large village is seen on the left, with large and
small well-covered tokuls. On the large ones the roof reaches nearly
to the ground, and rests upon stakes; behind this circular portico,
we see the plastered walls of the habitation properly speaking. The
small tokuls have higher walls, but not this lengthening of the roof,
supported on stakes, and which we saw also in Bari. Behind the small
flower island, a city or large village rises on the right shore.
We go N. by E., and remark on the left side two other large villages
quite in the neighbourhood of the preceding one. The forest of the
right shore has again approached; a small green vegetable island being
separated from it by a narrow arm; some hundreds of paces further
another small island, which, besides scanty reeds, is thickly covered
at the upper end with vegetables of various kinds, whilst species
of couch-grass and creeping water-plants are floating round by the
shores. Beyond it we see three villages lying on the margin of the
river, really romantically, before and between the trees. On the left
shore two neat farmyards shew themselves in a shining seriba of reeds,
the stalks of which are connected very regularly with each other, but
perhaps only afford resistance to tame animals. All these villages
were surrounded, however, with a stronger enclosure of thorn-like
shrubs, as a defence against wild beasts and naked men. A large
thorn-bush supplies the place of a door, and cannot well be seized
and pulled out from the outside, as it is drawn and squeezed into
the door posts with its lower end. Such a seriba is common in the
whole land of Sudàn; the before-mentioned reed-walls are likewise
very general, and attract immediately the curious eye. The tokuls
have, in part, a roof protruding in the middle with a wavy form,
like also some previously seen, but the latter had low walls. A
number of negroes have collected, without weapons or ornaments,
and shining black, for they have passed through water.
Half-past 10 o’clock, N.N.W. In the middle of the river an island
a quarter of an hour in length, covered with lubiën. A city with
tokuls packed close together on the right shore, a village being
opposite. Another large village is united to the city, which reaches
over the island; its tokuls are mostly surrounded with reed-walls,
and probably the women are shut up in them. A beautiful tree with
wide-spreading branches rises between these two cities, and may
serve them for their place of meeting.
Eleven o’clock, N. We leave to our left an island of an hour in
length, elevated only three feet above water-mark, covered at its
head with reeds, vegetables, durra, and lubiën. The shores are
planted right and left. We stuck nearly fast by the large city;
and now we have the _trinchetta_ or foresail as leader, so that we
may navigate on the sand more splendidly. The forest emerges on the
left shore, and solitary beautiful trees stand on the margin of the
river, between which an island grown over with reeds, of a quarter of
an hour in length, is situated. In the space of ten minutes another
one follows. The vessels halt at the shore to wait for Selim Capitan
and the other vessels navigating on the sand. We lie to at the left
shore, and the order to wash the vessels is also complied with by us.
Fadl and Sale had already gone from the ship on a hunting excursion,
though I had no idea that they would do so while the vessels were
advancing. I looked about anxiously from the deck, when a sailor
shouted to me from the mast that he saw them at a distance. It was
not long before I heard them shooting, and they came to the right
shore with a large elephant’s tooth on their shoulders. I had them
fetched off in the sandal, and then found the length of this tooth
to be eight feet and a half. It was unfortunately a little decayed,
but yet one of the largest we had on the vessels, for the larger
ones were generally from seven to seven feet and a half long. It
had served also as a stake to tie oxen to, and was purchased for a
few large glass beads.
We set out at half-past two o’clock, but the east wind drives
us back to the left shore. The land here is principally cultivated
with simsim and lubëin. Watchhouses, scarecrows, old baskets, and
skins stuck upon poles, are paraded about in the fields. Everything
is standing green and beautiful. It is impossible that the natives
can water these large fields by hand, as I saw by the small tobacco
plantations. In vain, however, I looked about for regular irrigation
canals, by which they conducted the water from the river to gush
over the land, in the manner usual in Egypt and Nubia, from the
simplest contrivances up to the chain of buckets drawn by oxen;
for water-wheels or saghiën cease with the Arab tribes on the White
Stream. The clayey fruitful soil must therefore be able to retain,
for a long time, the moisture remaining after the inundation, and
the strong nocturnal deposits may preserve the fruits fresh; the
more so, because the sun, owing to the abundance of thick plants,
cannot scorch the ground.
The creeping beans seem to have the power especially of attracting
to themselves atmospheric moisture; I saw them often, on quite
arid soil, where everything else was already dried up, spreading
from one root up to twenty paces distant in the most luxuriant dark
green foliage. It was only with caution that one dare raise these
long tendrils, to seek the slender long pods, for animals liking
moisture—such as snakes and loathsome reptiles—take up their
abode under them. Soon we push off again from the shore and go to
N.N.E. On the left an island, which is cultivated towards its lower
end, whilst the reeds are wisely allowed to stand at the upper end,
on account of the pressure of water. Near the pastoral village in the
neighbourhood a large tree rises. Our men believe that veneration
is paid to trees standing isolated. Another small island, covered
with grass and reeds, obeys still the element from which it rose.
The shores of the river are generally green, and enjoy the cultivation
of the human hand. The land extends flat on the right, encircled by
the Habas: four villages lie in it, and the village on the shore is
really large. On the left, a small and pretty river-meadow with a
tokul and watchhouses; we make a strong bend to N.N.W., and here ends
on the left the former island, above half an hour in length. A fifth
village joins the four others; the solitary farm-houses are surrounded
with hedges of light reeds, as also the farm-yards, wherein a few
tokuls lie together. The latter, perhaps, as generally in the land
of Sudàn, harbour an increasing family, and increase with it till
they become a large settlement, where the head of the family has the
precedence according to the rights of primogeniture; this we find
also in King Làkono’s dominions. Though harvest has taken place
on the right shore, we see on the left nothing but green cultivation.
Three o’clock. We land below this Ethiopian pentapolis on the
right shore. Here, therefore, the bairàm-el-kebir will be probably
solemnised. Unfortunately I do not see a tree under the shade of
which I could seat myself, but interesting purchases of the national
curiosities may be made. My speculation in elephants’-teeth is
considerable, and a kind of mercantile rage comes over me for the
first time in my life, when I think how I shall surprise my dear
brother in Khartùm, as we are drinking the first glass of wine
together in the divàn, and my three faithful Baràbras, covered with
the weapons and ornaments of the people of these countries, march in
through the bye-door and lay the whole booty at our feet. We are here
in the country of Bamber, and the large village city bears the name of
Berize. Here Gùmberi, our interpreter, is really at home: I see how
his relations shake hands with him and press him in their arms. His
countrymen have generally, but not always, these single tattooed
prominences or points upon the forehead, which reach in six or eight
lines crossways to the temples. The natives are, on the average,
of considerable height, although we find among them men of moderate
size, but they are destitute of the muscular structure of limbs of
the highlanders, and are much more slimly built: the formation of the
face and the language is, however, similar to those above. They are
dirty, and may be called _poor_, in respect to their ornaments and
weapons, compared with the people of the highlands of Bari. The ivory
bracelets we find dearer here than anywhere else; the interpreter,
who has left on board the greatest part of his beads for temporary
safe-keeping, may have enlightened them on the value of our ornaments,
in order to remain the safer in possession of his own treasures.
They produce their iron weapons from Bari, and seem not to wish
to sell them at all. This deserves all praise, and shews that they
reflect; for being a small nation they ought always to be ready for
combat. The forest behind the wide-extended durra-stubble consists
of melancholy geïlid trees on dry and sandy soil. The men bring
wood, every one a little log: a couple of small beads are given to
each. They are contented, like children; but they manage to steal our
purchased wood and sell it to us a second time. My servants tell me
that they have found a deep pit covered at the top lightly with straw,
in which elephants are caught. A barking dog was fastened to a corner
of it. The latter is a huntsman’s whistle to entice the elephants
who may chance to be curious. This manner of catching elephants is
common throughout all the land of Sudàn, especially in Fàzogl. We
were not a little afraid formerly in Taka of falling, during our
nocturnal marches, with our horses, into these elephant-pits, as
frequently happens in the Chasuas. In truth the people in Taka seem
to stand on friendly terms with elephants, and to leave the hunting
of them to the mountain people of that country, although Sauachinn
(Sauakim) on the Red Sea is the staple town of ivory, from whence
it goes to India, and afterwards to Europe.
_2nd of February._—To-day is the great Bairam feast. The rising sun
is greeted with twenty-one cannon-shots: all the people run away, and
do not return till after all the guns had been discharged. I learned
from Feïzulla Capitan the formula of the usual congratulation:
“Bairam Sheriff ma berèk,” and set off with it to the two
commanders. The Egyptians could not belie, on this opportunity, their
innate Bakshish mania, and came one after the other for drink-money.
Arnaud is so ill that he cannot leave his vessel, and raves
incessantly. With the exception of some small elephants’ teeth,
I only acquire, notwithstanding Fadl’s activity, a few ivory
bracelets and iron buckles, with an oblong plate. Although Selim
Capitan yesterday, at the request of Gùmberi, who petitioned for his
countrymen, distributed some cups, with the usual sug-sug, among the
people, and also presented strings of beads to certain individuals,
yet they only brought us to-day, at last, _one_ ox. Gùmberi seemed
not to possess the proper influence with his friends, and, moreover,
to have excited the envy of a chief; for he had only fetched away,
at night, from Selim Capitan, his glass treasures, under the promise
of several paschal lambs. We set out at half-past eleven o’clock
at noon from Berize, and leave on the right a reed-island, of the
length of half an hour, the lower part of which is covered with
lubiën. N.W. by W. Both shores are cultivated. At one o’clock a
large village on the right; opposite, another one, with open tokuls,
and a strong palisado-kind of enclosure, seemingly as a protection
against wild beasts, if not against men themselves; for this is a
station of herds. N.E. by N., and a quarter after one o’clock to
N. Near the large village three others are in a line, on the right
side of the river, the last numbering about a hundred and fifty
tokuls. The walls of the magazines, being raised on stakes, are
wattled like baskets, and then besmeared with clay; the tokuls for the
cattle, which also stand separately here, are protected by a strong
seriba of trunks of trees and thorns; whilst around the habitations
of human beings there are hedges of reeds, partly smooth. Opposite,
at a little distance from the left shore, another village. To judge
from the shores, beans here appear to afford a principal means
of nourishment. Half-past one o’clock. From N.N.E. to W. by N.,
and then N.N.W. Solitary tokuls, near which the beans occupy entire
plains. From N.N.W. immediately again W. Some hundreds of royal cranes
perched here quite gorgeously on a sand-bank; they were right not to
keep their position, for I had raised the “longue carabine,” as
my brother used to call our long Turkish gun. A quarter before two
o’clock, N.W. From the deck we see four villages to the right,
and one to the left.
Before us we have the obtuse corner of an island, which has from here
considerable extension. Large herds of cows and villages are scattered
upon it. Away over the end of this island we see, on the right side
of the river, three more villages. In consequence of the shallows,
we leave the right arm of the Nile and make for the left shore before
the broad island, going again aback. Close to the nearest village,
on the large island, a number of blacks have collected.
The leader of the chorus leads the choir, and the multitude answers
with fearful vigour. A troop of _élites_, assembled before the
crowd, run in close column backwards and forwards,—their leader
at their head, commanding them, and holding a pole, on the top
of which an animal’s tail was fastened, clearly in order to
give us a warlike representation. But they bring several heads of
cattle to the shore. These are reasonable men: we have, in truth,
no meat, and the sailors crack the rough lubiën-pods and the
durra-stalks like sugar-canes. Real garden warblers are these Arabs,
and all the blacks. Selim Capitan has already reached the island,
whilst we remain fixed on the sand until I wake up the captain. I
hear the sailors gasping forth “eh lissa,” but I know this
simulating of extreme exertion, when each man trusts to the other
one working. At half-past two o’clock we pushed on through the
left arm of the Nile over to the island, where there was a great
huzzaing and joy on the vessels touching land. Again they brought
three oxen, and a splendid barter took place. Besides fowls, goats,
and sheep, they bring a quantity of elephants’ teeth, panthers’,
leopards’ and monkeys’ skins, little stools, iron buckles, ivory
bracelets, weapons, lubiën, small water-melons, woollen war-caps,
iron necklaces, strings twisted together of little shining black
fruits, fixed like beads, &c. The people are very friendly, and
willing to oblige, and I might say, more cultivated than those
of Bari. We are on the large island called after the name of the
neighbouring great village Buko. The latter contains more than five
hundred tokuls. I hear, to my astonishment, that the nation here is
not called Bamber, but Buko, and that the tribe of the Bambers has
its boundaries before this island, and is only a small race, like
the Korreji, or Korreschi, who are said to dwell above the Bambers,
and may have originated from Mount Korreji in Barì. It seems that
these Bukos are of one race with the Bambers, Tshièrrs, and Liènns,
for they have generally their foreheads dotted. The formation of the
face, and other physical qualities—the large and moderate stature,
also speak in favour of a common origin and subsequent separation.
The arm of the Nile wherein we lie, and which we shall navigate, is
called Kirboli; the right and narrow arm on the other side of the
island, towards N., Kirti. Selim Capitan requests me to accompany
him to the Kirti. We went down it in the sandal for the distance
of half an hour, and found its breadth to be seventy-five metres,
by the assistance of the rope which was drawn across it through one
of the plundered sürtuks. As far as we can see, this arm goes, with
slight declinations to E. and W., entirely to N., which direction
the natives also gave. According to this it would be our nearest
road, but its water is unknown, and it is not thought safe to let
the lighter vessels take this short cut.
With respect to this little track, it had a depth, at the
commencement, of two, immediately afterwards of two and a half, and,
at the end of our excursion, of three and a quarter fathoms. We
returned about evening by land,—painful enough for Sabatier
and myself, who are just convalescent,—and passed by nine small
villages, or groups of tokuls, which I had taken, at our anchorage,
for three villages, and then had counted thirteen. The surface of
the earth is an excellent humus on this side, and the little fields
were trenched with furrows for irrigation, and on which, among other
things, we found water-melons. On the extensive plain of the island we
do not observe a tree, except some small ones, near our vessels, and a
large one behind the city of Buko. From a distance we saw the natives
harpooning fish, which they brought soon for sale to us. But here,
also, we found, in general, an intolerable and abominable mistrust.
_3rd February._—The natives have generally few ornaments, weapons,
and other effects; and little, therefore, could I acquire in this
respect. Yet I did a good business in ivory, and I please myself at
the idea of how you, my dear brother, will stare, though far,—far
are we yet asunder.
An old man, having two thick ivory rings, of a hand’s breadth,
on the upper part of each arm, and leathern strings round his neck,
will have nothing to do with selling or the new glass trade. He
regards the glass beads with a certain air of contempt,—won’t have
them, even gratis, and looks disdainfully at the childish passion of
his nation. I see him now from the vessel, quietly sitting under a
little tree, and smoking his pipe, without troubling himself to come
nearer to us. He smoked, as is frequently seen on the White Stream,
_charcoal_, from want of tobacco—called here also tabak—a thing
which none of us could imitate. When I gave him tobacco, he became at
once quite friendly, knocked the charcoal out of his pipe, filled it,
took down the little tongs, to which there was a shovel attached,
from the pipe-tube, and laid a coal upon it.
Unfortunately, what we had been already told in Bari about the
traffic in slaves, was confirmed here. Las Casas,[6] who effected
the freedom of the Indians, transplanted therefore an abuse only
from one quarter of the globe to the other, without considering its
results. In the mutual wars here, the prisoners, like those of the
Greeks, Romans, and ancient Germans, are made slaves. Yet, perhaps,
among these people they are redeemed by paying a certain number of
cattle. Men-hunts, properly speaking, do not seem to take place,
and their wars consist only in the reciprocal plunder of herds,
and the revenge thereby occasioned, when they may seize on human
beings as an equivalent for their pillaged property.
Cattle are here of considerable value, and this may arise from the
great population, which therefore does not despise meat. A slave
costs _an ox_, or _six iron bracelets_, which are not thicker than a
little finger. It is Sultan Làkono who takes their slaves from them,
giving iron in return; and as in the land of Sudàn, golden okiën
serve instead of coined money, so here rings are used for the same
purpose. It may be also a kind of policy in this king paying only in
rings, and not in weapons, by the possession of which his neighbours
might become dangerous to him. Làkono comes to this place every
year, with several large sürtuks, and winds up this business in
person. He requires these slaves for labour (those seen by us seemed
quite contented with their lot)—to get the iron and work it, and
also perhaps for his protection. The despots of Sennaar also keep up
their dignity by slaves, and not by a body-guard of women, any more
than Sultan Làkono. The Turks profited by this cheap opportunity
to buy slaves, and Suliman Kashef, who on the former expedition
brought fifteen slaves to Khartùm, and sold them as soldiers,
is said to have taken this morning several on board his vessel. I
am unable alone to oppose this want of discipline. Even M. Arnaud,
who pretended previously to oppose with me any purchase of slaves,
has been found very willing to take on board a young native girl,
who, however, is said to belong to the woman-hating Selim Capitan,
as a plaything for his little slave, or for himself, which makes
the invalid Sabatier perfectly furious.
Half-past eleven o’clock. We leave the island, and go at first
S.W. by S., and then proceed N.N.W. on the Kirboli (Bah’r el
abiat). On the right we have immediately the large village of Buko,
which turns longitudinally from the shore. The tree standing
there is taken not only by me, but also by the Egyptians, for
a _sycamore_. Three villages follow on the shore of the island;
the last also is not a small one. For a moment we are beneaped,
and get ourselves in motion by rowing against the north-east wind,
which is looming. The latter village becomes still larger, and is
connected with several others; from which, at twelve o’clock,
a small hamlet is separated by an interval of space. The pointed
roofs, which are frequently so shelving, of the little tokuls,
and which I at first could not explain, are nothing but the movable
coverings of the wattled magazines. We wind S.W. by W. On the right
a large and small village, W.N.W. and N. The arm of the Nile here
is not more than a hundred and fifty paces broad. Half-past twelve
o’clock N.W. and W. by E. Three villages on the right, and on
the left, from the deck, a distant Haba. Not far from the shore,
another village on the island. One o’clock.—We go to E.N.E.,
and wind to the left W. by N. The island continues cultivated, and
we perceive again a hamlet upon it. Half-past one o’clock.—From
W. by N., to N.E. by N., and a short tract N.N.W. We halt at this
place to wait for Selim Capitan. After a quarter of an hour we set
out again, and go from W.N.W. to N.N.E.
Several purchases were made, and there is eternal strife, robbery,
and theft of beads, among the crew. I see there will be murder and
homicide; for every one now wants spears and ebony clubs, as well
as strings of ostrich-egg aglets. It is fortunate that the ivory is
claimed by the government, and private purchase of it forbidden. We
observe here also some of those gigantic ant-hills, which are so
common on the low ground down the river. From the deck we remark
two villages on the left side, before the forest, which is half an
hour distant.
Two o’clock. N., and immediately W. by N. A large village upon
the island is seen from the deck at a little distance from the right
shore. Half-past two o’clock. At the right a broad arm of the Nile,
going to N.W., and forming a small island. We leave it to the right,
and go W. by N. and N. to N.N.E.; then round a sand-head again,
S.W. by W. The shores are mostly precipitously broken off; layers
of humus, sand, and earth impregnated with iron oxyde, which forms
here also the substratum. A quarter before three o’clock. Round a
sand-bank of the right shore for five minutes, N.N.E., then N.W. for
an equally short time, and to N. by W. The shores here are covered,
for the most part, with green reeds.
Three o’clock. The thermometer rose this morning, up to noon,
from 20° to 27°, and has now, at three o’clock, 30°. Towards
N. From the deck, a village on the left, and two on the right. N.W. by
N. Three villages on the left, and one on the right; the former near
the Haba, which is a quarter of an hour distant. Half-past three
o’clock. From W.N.W. to N.N.E. Two villages on the left, a little
remote from the shore. A very short tract E.N.E., and we round a long
sand-head to W. Six hippopotami are enjoying themselves before us,
as yesterday; and it seems that they retreat, when the stream falls,
into the marsh regions, where they are more secure from man.
To N. Here we again see hippopotami and crocodiles near one another;
they live peaceably together, as is generally known here, and a
crocodile would never attack a hippopotamus, much as he might like
perhaps his flesh. The latter has, indeed, like the elephant, a clumsy
appearance, but notwithstanding this, he displays an incomparably
greater activity in water and on land than the crocodile; besides,
he is as courageous as a bull, as soon as he is provoked, and attacks
men and tramples them under his feet, when he is wounded on shore. On
the other hand, he is said never to go ashore from the water, when
he is struck there by the harpoon, to pursue and take revenge.
We remark four villages in the neighbourhood of the right shore,
or on the island of Buko. Nearly all these villages are to be seen
only from the deck over our cabin. Four o’clock. From N.W. to
N.E. by N. The hippopotami appear angry at their tranquillity being
disturbed by us foreign intruders. They move quite boldly near to
the vessels, snort and throw up water, although they have not been
offended, as they were previously, by shots, which are discontinued,
owing to the great mischief perpetrated by these beasts at that
time. From N.E. by N., immediately to N.W. Some trees come in view,
and soon also a solitary dhellèb-palm—a pleasing sight which we
had long been deprived of. For some hours we have seen no people on
the shore, although three villages are found here again at a short
distance from it. The purchase of slaves or kidnapping cannot be
unknown to them, and they may fear a _quid pro quo_ for themselves,
and not trust the seeming peace. Half-past four o’clock. To W.,
a little way to S.W., and then W. by S., at which bend the river is
scarcely fifty paces broad. Reed-shores throughout. From the very
short tract W. by S. to S.W. by S. Here a broad arm goes to N.W.,
and forms an island at our right, where Suliman Kashef is already
halting, whilst we are still clinging to the left shore. Five
o’clock. Before us, to S.S.W., the river again separates, and
forms another island. The right arm is our road, and goes S.S.W.;
the left goes S.S.E. The latter appears to have become quite dry,
for the negroes have drawn a barrier of reeds through it, in order to
shut out the fish found in this gohr. We land at the first island. The
arm lying to S.S.W. shews itself now as a gohr, discharging itself
with unusual rapidity into the Nile, instead of forming our track,
for our course runs with the former great arm to N.W.
_4th February,_—Yesterday was the last day of the great
Bairam. Selim Capitan and Suliman Kashef had called up all the skill
of Turkish cookery to give us Franks a good dinner, at which we were
the jollier because the Frenchmen had lost several bottles of wine
in a wager. The river, flowing in S.S.W., and said to be an arm
of the Nile, puzzles me exceedingly. According to the natives, it
comes from the mountains above, and indeed from the Nile itself. If
it come from above, it must make a considerable bend; for it flows
from the left side into the river, and follows upwards its direction
immediately from S.S.W. to W.: it must cut through, somewhere,
the old sanded and choked-up primitive bed of the Nile, to come
from E. or S.E. from the mountains to W. It might be possible that
the half dried-up gohr, from S.S.E., serves as its main bed at high
water, and this being sanded up, it had retreated now into the deeper
canal. Selim Capitan found the breadth of this tributary, or gohr,
to be eighty metres near the before-mentioned solitary dhellèb-palm
on its shore. The rapidity of its current is greater than usual in
the White river, and amounts to three sea-miles and a half. Still
it is doubtful whether it be a river discharging itself, or a Nile
arm. Clouds, threatening rain, have shewn themselves for some days,
and in the evening-whole coveys of swallows are moving towards the
N. We have seen no dhellèb-palms on the shores of our Kirboli,
although there are some of them on the main stream. The Kirboli,
therefore, may have already reached its termination here.
I hear, from Selim Capitan and his interpreter, who is well acquainted
with this country, that we passed by two tribes yesterday afternoon;
and I understand now what the natives wanted to tell me when we
yesterday halted for a moment to wait for Selim Capitan. According
to what the Bukos themselves said, they were as large a nation as
their island. But this is incorrect; for at two o’clock yesterday,
this tribe ceased, and was followed by that of the Tshièrrs, who
possess both shores from thence, and reach to the neighbourhood of
this place, where Bohrs appear on the right shore. The Tshièrrs
have their foreheads stippled, like the people dwelling upwards,
and use also the same language. Downwards from them the language is
again allied to that of the Dinkas. It was, therefore, the little
country of the Tshièrrs, where no one was seen on the shore, because
they feared that we were set against them by the Bukos. However,
the tribes above named, having similar tongues and descent, do not
live in open feud, for I met myself with men of the Tshièrrs at the
top of the island. A couple of them also were with Selim Capitan,
and told him that their countrymen had fled from us.
It was here where I was so ill on our ascent, and yet was sufficiently
sensible to request to be bled. Therefore, everything now is new
to me, and I am the more anxious for intelligence about the stream
territory of this place. As I hear from Thibaut and Selim Capitan,
Arnaud applied himself to the sextant on our ascent, and found
3° 48′! Selim made himself merry at the engineer’s expense,
because he himself, on the first expedition, the limits of which
were some hours further upwards, had likewise found, or pretended to
have found, 3° and some minutes. The difference, however, appears
now by the calculation at not less than 3°!
We are here among the Elliàbs, who are constantly at war with the
Bòhrs dwelling opposite. Twenty-four Bòhrs had come across to us
to-day and brought us cows. The Elliàbs wanted to fall at once on
these men, and to massacre them. We made earnest remonstrance to
them to prevent such a scene, but they continued angry at the Bòhrs
coming into their territory, and thought that they could provide us
as well with cattle. The Bòhrs seem to be wealthy, and are better
armed than the Elliàbs. They _hunt_ elephants, but also catch them
in pits as elsewhere. The Elliàbs have their foreheads adorned,
like the Keks, with artificial wrinkles. They want also the four
lower incisors, as is generally the case on the White Stream. The
people are not muscularly limbed, but tolerably tall. They wear a
feather on the head, or a coiffure like a flat basket, which may
serve them as such, for it is only very loosely put on.
The war-dance which they performed in honour of us was of the
same character as those we had hitherto seen, but it was executed
here even in detail. They approach us marching in a column, with
a leader at their head. The commander tunes the battle-song, and
the chorus answer him. They run forward, and the column breaks,
because in their wars they meet breast to breast; they parry with
their hands the feigned hostile darts, and avoid them, bending and
writhing their body, and kneeling down. They retreat, and the leader
encourages them by a warsong, and even a woman steps out from their
little company and sings to them to inspire them with courage, in
quite a different melody, and with half-threatening, half-imploring
gestures. The column has again closed, deploys a second time, and
sings its answer in vehement and broken notes. We need not understand
the language in such a warlike play, which reminds us irresistibly
of the ancient Germans. They generally performed this dumb show with
a pliability and truth of expression, such as no European _artiste_
could imitate, unless he had learned their manner of carrying on war
from his infancy. Moreover it does not seem that they carry shields,
because otherwise they would have made the parry with their hand
differently. When I think how skilfully the dexterous horsemen
of the Shaigiës performed the well-known girid, or Dshirid game,
threw the obtuse spears, parried them with the hand or the girid,
which answers to the German _gerte_ (switch), or avoided them,
now I believe that the men of Bari mostly make use in their wars
of the little hand-shields. The Elliàbs have brought cattle;
but repeatedly declare that it is the same to them whether Selim
Capitan gives them beads or not. Such proud disinterestedness has
not hitherto come before our notice.
_5th February._—The thermometer shewed, before sunrise, 15°;
yesterday morning, however, 20°, but at noon it was not higher than
27°, and at three o’clock 28°, and fell after sunset to 26°. The
hygrometer has been so disordered by Arnaud’s masterhand, that he
cannot even make use of it himself. This morning was misty, damp,
and cold. The corn was brought ashore from the vessels, and it was
discovered that a great part of it was mouldy. The bad condition of
the vessels is alone the cause of this, and Selim Capitan bears the
blame, because he had not taken care to have them properly caulked
before setting out. The people of this place have no ornaments on
themselves, and not even elephants’ teeth to dispose of. I could
only therefore procure a broad iron bracelet, and looked with a kind
of envy, when Selim Capitan despatched the sandal to the Bòhrs, on
the right shore, and fetched off a number of beautiful elephants’
teeth. Cultivation is not to be seen on and near our anchorage.
Selim Capitan asserts, that the questionable river is a gohr, which
he saw in the country of the Liènns, flowing away from the main
stream. I cannot persuade myself that I could have overlooked this,
with all my earnest attention. We shall navigate it therefore this
afternoon, in order to divest ourselves of uncertainty.