SEPARATION FROM THE SHEIKH. — CROSS THE RIVER TO THE SOUTH-WESTERN SIDE.
— VARIOUS ENCAMPMENTS. — RIVER STUDDED WITH ISLANDS. — ANSÓNGHO.
[Sidenote: Saturday, July 8th.]
At length the day dawned when I was, in reality, to begin my home-
journey, for all our former movements along the river had rather
resembled the wanderings of the natives themselves than the direct march
of a European traveller, and, although I felt sincerely attached to my
protector, and under other circumstances might still have found a great
many objects worthy of my investigation and research in this region, I
could not but feel greatly satisfied at being at length enabled to
retrace my steps homeward, with a tolerable guarantee as to my safety.
It was highly gratifying to me that when I left this place a great many
people wished me a hearty farewell and a prosperous journey; nay,
Thákkefi even commissioned me to offer his special regards to Queen
Victoria, with whose name I had made him acquainted.
Having then pursued our march through the level tract along the river,
which here forms a great north-southerly reach, and which, from having
been full of life, is now empty and desolate, we reached the site of the
encampment of the Kél e’ Súk on the sandy eminence which we had passed a
few days before, but which was now deserted. From thence we descended
into the swampy ground towards the river, and here passed by a Songhay
hamlet, the inhabitants of which received us with their usual
inhospitality, and even refused us a little water,—an unkind feeling
which displeased me most from a young newly married lady, who, standing
in front of her neat hut of matting, with her fine figure and varied
ornaments of all sorts of beads, presented quite an attractive
appearance. Turning then round a creek filled with water, we reached an
encampment of Kél e’ Súk, and pitched our tent. For, although it was our
intention to cross the river as soon as possible, yet no boats having as
yet arrived, we were so long delayed that evening came on before we
could carry out our design; and obstinately refusing to be separated
from my luggage, I preferred crossing the river together with my people
and effects the next morning. Our hosts possessing a great number of
cattle, we were well treated, and I was able to indulge in plenty of
milk. The Tawárek have a common name for the whole north-easterly bank
of the river. They call the whole of it to the north-west of Gógó,
Táramt, and to the south-east, Ághelé.
[Sidenote: Sunday, July 9th.]
This was the day when I had to separate from the person who, among all
the people with whom I had come in contact in the course of my long
journey, I esteemed the most highly, and whom, in all but his dilatory
habits and phlegmatic indifference, I had found a most excellent and
trustworthy man. I had lived with him for so long a time in daily
intercourse, and in the most turbulent circumstances, sharing all his
perplexities and anxieties, that I could not but feel the parting very
severely. Having exhorted the messengers whom he was to send along with
me, never to quarrel, and to follow my advice implicitly in all cases,
but especially with regard to the rate of progress in the journey, as he
knew that I was impatiently looking forward to my home journey, he gave
me his blessing, and assured me that I should certainly reach home in
safety. Mohammed ben Khottár, who in consequence of his serious
indisposition was prevented from accompanying me any further, and the
Sheikh’s eldest son, Sídi Mohammed, did not take leave of me until I was
in the boat. When I had safely landed on the opposite shore, I fired
twice a farewell, in conformity with the request of the Sheikh.
The river here, at present, was studded with sandbanks, which greatly
facilitated the crossing of my camels and horses, although between the
sandbanks and the south-westerly shore there was a deep channel of
considerable breadth. The locality where I touched the south-western
bank of the river is called Góna, a name identical with that of a place
of great celebrity for its learning and its schools, in the countries of
the Mohammedan Mandingoes to the south. The sandy downs were lined with
a fine belt of trees. Three different paths lead over these downs into
the interior, the most important being the track leading straight to
Dóre, the chief place of the province of Libtáko, and joining, at a very
extensive lake or backwater, called Khalébleb, the road leading to the
same place from Burre to the south of the island Ansóngho, lower down
the river. At present, a broad swampy lowland spread out between the
downs and the brink of the river.
The chief of my companions, Áhmed el Wádáwi, being once more called
beyond the river into the presence of the Sheikh, we did not leave this
place till a late hour in the afternoon, keeping along the low swampy
shore. After a while, an open branch approached us from the river on our
left, forming an island of the name of Berta. Here an animated scene
presented itself to our eyes. An immense female hippopotamus was driving
her calf before her, and protecting it from behind, her body half out of
the water, while a great number of “agamba” and “zangway,” crocodiles
and alligators, were basking in the sun on the low sandbanks, and glided
into the water with great celerity at the noise of our approach.
Here the swampy shore presented some cultivation of rice, while, on the
opposite side, the river was bounded by the rocky cliffs of Tin-shéran,
but the sandy beach, which a week previously had been animated by the
numerous encampments of the Gá-béro, was now desolate and deserted, and
we continued our march in order to find out their new camping-ground.
While ascending a spur of rising ground called Gúndam, a fierce
poisonous snake made a spring at my mounted servant, who was close
behind me, but was killed by the men, who fortunately followed him at a
short distance. It was about four feet and a half long; and its body did
not exceed an inch and a half in diameter.
Having then kept along the slope for a little more than a mile, we again
descended into the grassy plain, and reached a considerable creek,
forming a series of rapids gushing over a low ledge of rocks, and
encompassing the island of Bornu-Gungu, where the Gá-béro were at
present encamped. The creek being too considerable to allow of our
crossing it with all our effects, we encamped between it and the swamp,
in a locality called Júna-bária; and I here distributed amongst my
companions the articles which I had promised them.
The river, at this point, was frequented by several hippopotami, one of
which, in its pursuit of good pasturage in the dusk of the evening, left
the shore far behind it, and was pursued by my companions, who fired at
it, without however hurting it or preventing its reaching the water.
[Sidenote: Monday, July 10th.]
It was a beautiful morning; and while the Wádáwi crossed over to the
island in order to fetch a supply of rice, I had sufficient leisure to
look around me. The shore on this side presented little of interest, and
was only scantily adorned with trees, but the island was richly clothed
with vegetation. The only interesting feature in the scenery was the
opposite shore, with the imposing cliffs of Bornu, where we had been
encamped some time before. When at length we started, we were soon
obliged to leave the shore in order to avoid an extensive swamp, and
approached the hills, at the foot of which we had to cross a small
creek, which during a great part of the year forms the border of the
river itself, and then continued along the downs. Numbers of people, who
had their temporary abode in the swampy plain, came to pay me their
compliments.
These people are called Gá-bíbi, a name which is said to have reference
to their black tents, which distinguish them from the matting dwellings
of the Gá-béro. I was here not a little surprised at the swarms of
locusts which the wind drove into our faces, and which certainly
indicated our approach to more fertile regions. Proceeding in this
manner, we reached a fine camping-ground in an opening of the slope of
the downs, through which a path led to the interior, thus giving to the
herds of cattle access to the river, and therefore called Dúniyáme, “the
watering-place of the cattle.” A fine hájilíj afforded a cool shade, the
vegetation in general consisting only of fernán, retem, and bú-rékkeba,
and we at once decided to halt here, in order to await our guide, Hamma-
Hamma, one of the Gá-béro, who had gone to visit his family, but had
promised to rejoin us at this spot. The situation of our camping-ground
afforded us an interesting prospect over the valley; and numbers of the
inhabitants of the neighbouring hamlets and camps visited us in the
course of the evening, and even supplied us with a tolerable provision
of milk late at night.
[Sidenote: Tuesday, July 11th.]
The guide who was to accompany us as far as Say not having arrived, I
had great difficulty in inducing my companions to set off without him:
and we started at an early hour, keeping along the sandy downs, which a
little further on became adorned with the rich bush called “indérren,”
or “kólkoli,” while ledges of rock obstructed the river. Gradually the
downs decreased in height, and the melancholy-looking fernán succeeded
to the fresh indérren, but its place was supplied for a while by the
richer tabórak. The locality was called Alákke, and further on, Dérgimi;
but fixed settlements of any kind are, at present, looked for in vain in
these districts. In Áussa, however, on the north-eastern side of the
river, we left, first a hamlet called Dergónne, and, further on, a place
called Ághadór, which, as the name indicates, must have been formerly a
walled place. West from Dergónne is probably the halting place Shínjeri,
and Ághadór is most likely identical with a place called Eben-efó-ghan,
said to be hereabouts. The opposite bank, gradually sloping down and
being clad with large trees, bore the appearance of a pleasant,
cultivable country, while the shore on this side the river likewise
improved; altogether it seemed as if we had left the desert far behind
us. I am not sure how the country here is called; but I think that the
district called Ázawágh may reach down to the eastern border of the
river. The Niger was for a moment entirely free from rocks, forming a
magnificent open sheet of water; but further on it again became
obstructed by isolated cliffs.
Meanwhile, as we pursued our march steadily onwards, at a short distance
from the bank, in a S.S.E. direction, the Kél e’ Súki, Mohammed e’
Telmúdi, entertained me, from the back of his tall méhari, with a
description of the power of the Tárki chief, El Khadír, the southern
verge of whose territory we had passed on our outward journey, and now
again turned round the northern side of it. The chief, at this time, was
encamped about three days from here, towards the west, collecting, as we
were told, an expedition against the principality of Hómbori, the
governor of which claims dominion over the whole district. There are
even here several settlements of Fúlbe, a troop of whom we fell in with,
and recognized in them young noble people, who in their countenances
bore evident traces of a pure descent. Their idiom was closely related
to the dialect of Másina. During the spring, however, the Tárki chief
generally frequents the banks of the river, which then afford the
richest pasturage.
Gradually the green shore widened, and formed a swampy ground of more
than half a mile in breadth, adorned by a line of trees which, during
the inundation, likewise becomes annually submerged by the water. The
valley is bordered on this side by steep banks of considerable
elevation. As soon as I became aware of the swampy character of the
plain, which greatly retarded the progress of my camels, I endeavoured
to strike across the swampy ground, and to reach the firm bank again;
but had considerable difficulty in doing so.
The bank was adorned by a growth of the finest trees, which gave to the
river scenery a peculiar character, and invited us to halt during the
hot hours of the day. We therefore encamped opposite Tongi, a hamlet
lying on a low swampy island, separated from us by a considerable open
creek, and ruled over by a man of the name of Sálah, who was a brother
of Hamma-Hamma, the very man who was to serve us as a guide, but who had
broken his word. The people, who seemed to be called Dekíten, behaved
very hospitably, sending us immediately upon our arrival cows’ and
goats’ milk as a refreshment, and giving us in the course of the
afternoon a bullock for our further entertainment. I have already
mentioned, I think, on a former occasion, how cruelly the inhabitants of
these regions treat oxen which have been destined for slaughter,
although in general they are rather mildly disposed towards animals. In
conformity with their barbarous custom, my companions broke the hind
legs of the animal which had been given us as a present, and allowed it
to drag itself about in this state until they found it convenient to
slaughter it.
While detained here the remainder of the day, I had the pleasure of
meeting, among the people who crossed over to us from the island, an old
man who had a very lively remembrance of Mungo Park, and who gave me an
accurate description of his tall commanding figure, and his large boat.
He related, besides, the manner in which the Tawárek of the tribe of the
Íde-Músa, the name of whose present chief is El Getéga, attacked that
mysterious voyager near Ansóngho, where the river is hemmed in by
rapids, but without being able to inflict any harm upon him, while the
intrepid Scotchman shot one of his pursuers, and caused two to be
drowned in the river.
It was altogether a fine camping-ground, the talha and siwák being
thickly interwoven with creeping plants; but a heavy thunder-storm,
accompanied with rain, which lasted almost the whole of the night,
rendered us rather uncomfortable. Besides this circumstance, the fact
that the people of the Sheikh could only with difficulty be induced to
forego the companionship of our guide, lost us here the best half of the
day. But I collected a good deal of valuable information, especially
with regard to the chief settlements of the independent Songhay, as, the
famous towns of Dárgol, Téra, and Kúlman, situated between the river and
our former route through Yágha and Libtáko, which I shall give in the
Appendix.[42]
At length I succeeded, at a rather late hour in the afternoon, in
stirring up my companions; and, leading the way, we crossed from this
advanced headland a swampy creek which separated us from the main, and
then kept along the rising ground, which was richly clad with
vegetation, and from time to time formed recesses, as the one called
Tennel, the river being now more open. But further on it became
obstructed by cliffs and rocks, till at length, after a march of about
seven miles, the river, which here formed a fine bend, assuming a south-
easterly direction, exhibited an open undivided sheet of water, and on
this account forms the general place of embarkation, called Ádar-
andúrren, properly “the small branch,” meaning evidently here a
narrowing of the river; for people going from Kúlman to this part of
Áussa generally cross here. A little higher up there is a hamlet called
Tabáliat, inhabited by sherífs, with a chief named Mohammed. Just at
that moment some people were crossing over, but, when we horsemen
hurried in advance, they immediately took to flight with their boats,
leaving behind them some slaves and four or five pack-oxen, and all our
shouting was not able to convince these native travellers of our
peaceable intentions. Here, owing to a small creek which runs closely at
the foot of the hills, we were obliged to ascend the rising ground, and,
rather against the advice of our more prudent Kél e’ Súki guide,
encamped on the heights, which were clad with rich herbage, but covered
with great quantities of the feathery bristle. This spot afforded a
commanding view over the surrounding country, but on this very account
appeared less secure for a small party; and notwithstanding the
elevation, the camping-ground was greatly infested by mosquitoes, which
almost drove our camels to distraction, and troubled our own night’s
rest not a little.
But the view which I here enjoyed over the northern end of the island,
round which the river divided into four branches, was highly interesting
to me, as being one of the places along the river best known to the
natives as scenes where that heroic voyager from the north had to
struggle with nature as well as with hostile men. Our fires having given
to those poor lads who had been left behind by their frightened masters
an opportunity of discovering what kind of people we were, they took
courage and came to us, when we learned that they were Kél e’ Súk, who
had paid a visit to Kúlman, and were now returning home. They also
informed us, that the crocodiles had devoured one of the pack-oxen, upon
their attempting to swim them across the river.
[Sidenote: Thursday, July 13th.]
Breaking up our encampment at an early hour, we descended, when the
branch nearest to us again assumed an open character tolerably free from
rocks; but after a short time we were again forced by a ridge of
sandstone about twenty feet high, which here formed the bank of the
river, to ascend the higher ground. We thus obtained a clearer prospect
over the whole valley, which at this spot attains a breadth of from four
to six miles, the ground being open, and the view only for a short time
shut in by a dense grove of gerredh and talha trees.
[Illustration: Drawn by J. M. Bernatz, from a Sketch by Dr. Barth.