Further on the river afforded a very wild spectacle, a sketch of which
is represented in the plate opposite. In the distance before us, the
iron gates of Akarámbay became visible, bordered by the high sandy downs
of Tidejitíten; a grand mass of rock, like an immense artificial wall,
with a strong northerly dip, started up from the creek; and from the
extensive grassy island of Ansóngho similar masses appeared, which rose
to an elevation of from seventy to eighty feet. Gradually the shore
became more stony and barren, forming a plain called Erárar-n-tésawel,
by the Tawárek, and Farri, by the Songhay. We passed a deserted hamlet
which had formerly been inhabited by the Íde-Músa, and here the river
again approached nearer on our left, but after a short time it again
receded and became obstructed by ledges of rocks, especially at the
place called Tazóri, where an uninterrupted ridge of cliffs breaks
through the surface of the water. Even at this season of the year, it
leaves a small channel beyond the grassy shore, which evidently connects
the open water above and below the rapids.
About 1500 yards below this ledge, in a south-easterly direction, we
reached the iron gates of Akarámbay, where the river, or at least this
westerly branch of it, is forced through between two considerable masses
of rock, at present from thirty-five to forty feet high, and about as
many yards distant from each other. On the right, the sandy downs rise
to a considerable elevation opposite a large hamlet, situated on the
island Ansóngho, and adorned with dúm-palms.
Following a south-easterly direction, in a short time we reached the
place where the several branches into which the river had divided at
Ádar-andúrren again join; but being full of ledges and rocks, at least
in the present low state of the water, they exhibited a wild and sombre
aspect. The river, however, does not long retain this character, and a
little more than half a mile below, it widens to a broad and tolerably
open sheet of water, the shore, which hitherto had been clothed only
with the gloomy fernán, being now beautifully adorned with an isolated
tamarind tree, which (together with the dúm-palms on the island of
Ansóngho), might well serve as a landmark to people who would attempt to
ascend this river. But the hills, which ascended to a height of 300
feet, approached so closely the bank of the river, that we were obliged
to ascend the steep slope, which was thickly clothed with fernán, and
being torn by many small watercourses, scarcely afforded a passage for
the camels.
Descending from the slope, we reached the Teauwent, or place of
embarkation of Burre, a hamlet lying on the opposite shore, but at
present deserted, where the river forms only a single branch, from 800
to 900 yards wide, and a little further on about 1000, and on the whole
unobstructed, with the exception of a few rocks near the shore. Having
here passed a rocky cone, projecting into the river, we encamped near a
cluster of anthills, formed by and adorned with the bushes of the
_Capparis sodata_; but it was a very inauspicious place, as the camels,
not finding food enough in the neighbourhood, were, through the
negligence of Ábbega, lost in the evening, and it cost us the whole
forenoon of the following day to find them again. When we at length
started, I was obliged to yield to the wishes of my companions, who, in
order to obtain some supplies for their journey, were most anxious to
halt near a small farming village of a Púllo settler, Mohammed-Sídi, a
distant relation of Mohammed-Jebbo, who had settled here several years
before amongst Tawárek and Songhay; and my friends, having been informed
that this person was a pious and liberal man, felt little inclination to
forego such an opportunity of receiving a few alms.
Having encamped on a high ground rising to considerable elevation, we
had an extensive view over the river, which was here again broken by
rocky islets and intersected by ledges, so that, seen from this
distance, in several places it appeared almost lost. Beyond, on the
other shore, across this labyrinth of rapids and divided creeks, filling
a breadth of two to three miles, were seen the two mountains of Ayóla
and Tikanáziten, where, in the time of the chief Káwa, a bloody and
decisive battle was fought between the Dinnik and the Awelímmiden.
Towards the south, on the contrary, a fertile and well cultivated plain,
bordered by low hills, where the crops of native millet were just
shooting forth, stretched out, nothing but retem and fernán, breaking
the monotonous level.
The hamlet of our host consisted of only six huts; but the district did
not seem to be uninhabited, and in the course of the day a considerable
number of Fúlbe and Songhay collected around us, and troubled me
greatly, begging me to impart my blessing to them by laying my hand upon
their head, or spitting into a handful of sand, and thus imbuing it with
full efficacy for curing sickness, or for other purposes. Even the river
did not seem quite destitute of life and animation, and the previous
evening, while I was enjoying the scenery, seated on the cliffs at some
distance from our camping-ground, two boats filled with natives passed
by, and procured me an interesting intermezzo.
[Sidenote: Saturday, July 15th.]
The good treatment that we received here seemed to please my companions
so much, that they tried to detain me another day by hiding one of their
camels behind a bush and pretending it was lost. When at length I had
found it, and was on the point of setting out to pursue my journey, a
very heavy thunderstorm broke out; and, although I persisted in
proceeding, the rain became so violent that I was obliged to halt for
fully an hour, near some bushes that protected us a little from the
heavy gale which accompanied the torrents of rain. Here, also, the river
was obstructed by a great number of rocks, while the adjacent grounds
were partly cultivated, but only sparingly clad with trees, till, after
a march of a couple of miles, rich talha trees and gerredh began to
appear; but even here groups of rocks cropped out from the surface. Thus
keeping along at some little distance from the river, we encamped
shortly after noon at the foot of a sandy eminence, and were very glad
when we were enabled to dry our wet clothes and recruit our strength
with a dish of mohamsa.
[Illustration: Drawn by J. M. Bernatz, from a Sketch by Dr. Barth.