SECOND RESIDENCE IN KANÓ, UNDER UNFAVOURABLE CIRCUMSTANCES. — MARCH TO
KÚKAWA.
On my arrival in Kanó, I found everything prepared, and took up my
quarters in a house provided for me; but I was greatly disappointed in
finding neither letters nor supplies; being entirely destitute of means,
and having several debts to pay in this place,—amongst others, the money
due to my servants, to whom I had paid nothing during the whole journey
from Kúkawa to Timbúktu, and back. I was scarcely able to explain how
all this could have happened; having fully relied upon finding here
everything I wanted, together with satisfactory information with regard
to the proceedings of Mr. Vogel and his companions, whose arrival in
Kúkawa I had as yet only accidentally learned from a liberated slave in
Sókoto. But fortunately, without relying much upon Sídi Ráshid, the man
whom I knew to be at the time the agent of Her Majesty’s Vice Consul in
Múrzuk, I had given my confidence at once to Sídi ʿAlí, the merchant
whom I have mentioned already in the account of my former stay in this
place, as a tolerably trustworthy person, and whose good-will I
endeavoured at once to secure, by sacrificing to him almost everything I
had left of value, including a small six-barrelled pistol. In return, he
promised to supply my wants till I should be put in possession of the
money and merchandise which I had deposited in Zínder.
The first thing, therefore, which I had to do the next morning, after
having paid my compliments to the ghaladíma and the governor, and made
to each of them a handsome present, such as my means would allow, was to
send my servant Mohammed el Gatróni, upon whom I could fully rely, to
Zínder; giving him full instructions, and promising him a handsome
present, if he should succeed in bringing away all my effects, both
those which had been deposited on a former occasion, and the merchandise
which had been forwarded on my account at a later period; and a smaller
one in case he should only find the latter portion: for, after all, I
was by no means sure that the box of ironware and the four hundred
dollars had remained safe during the severe civil struggles which had
agitated Bórnu during my absence. Meanwhile, till the return of this
messenger, I endeavoured to pass my time as usefully as possible, by
completing a survey of the town which I had begun during my former
residence, but was far from having finished. At the same time the state
of my health, on account of the close quarters in which I was here
lodged, after having roved about in the open air for so long a time,
required uninterrupted exercise. Owing to the change in my mode of
living, severe fits of fever attacked me repeatedly.
Kanó will always remain one of the most unfavourable localities for
Europeans in this region; and it was well that Mr. Vogel, for the first
year after his arrival in Negroland, purposely avoided this spot. Even
my animals did not escape the malignant effect of the climate. Three of
my horses were seized, one after the other, with a contagious disease,
commencing with a swelling of the thighs, and from thence spreading to
the breast and the head, and generally proving fatal in six or eight
days. In this way I lost two out of my three horses, including my old
companion, who had carried me through so many dangerous campaigns, and
who had shared all my fatigues and sufferings for nearly three years;
but the small and ugly, but strong horse which the Sultan of Sókoto had
made me a present of, escaped with its life. This disease which attacked
my horses, of course, interfered greatly with my excursions, and took
away almost all the pleasure which they would otherwise have afforded,
as I was reduced to the necessity of making use of very indifferent
animals. Nevertheless, I enjoyed greatly the open country which extended
outside the gates of this picturesque but extremely dirty town, dotted
with large villages at no great distance; and I followed up especially,
with great interest, the easterly of the three roads which diverge from
the Kófa-n-kúra, and which leads to the small rivulet known as the Kógi-
n-Kanó. Occasionally also I went to visit some cattle-pens, in order to
get a little fresh milk, which I was unable to procure in the town; for
inside the place I succeeded only after great exertion in obtaining a
little goat’s milk. The pools produced by the rainy season had now dried
up almost everywhere, and that peculiar kind of sorghum called “maiwa”
had been harvested; and a few days afterwards, while making another
excursion, to the south, I met the servants of the governor gathering
the corn for their master.
Besides my own private concerns, and the anxiety produced by the urgency
of my debts and the uncertainty with regard to the property left by me
in Zínder, there were two objects which attracted my whole attention and
caused me a good deal of perplexity and hesitation. The first of these
was the expedition sent by the English government up the river Bénuwé,
of which I had not the slightest idea at the time when it was carried
out, for the despatches which I had received in Timbúktu, after so much
delay, did not contain a word about such a proceeding; and the letters
which were forwarded afterwards to my address, informing me that such an
expedition was to be undertaken, remained in Kúkawa, and I did not get
them until my arrival in that place at the end of December. Thus it was
not until the 29th October that, just in the same manner as I had heard
accidentally in Sókoto of the arrival of Mr. Vogel in Kúkawa, I was
informed here, by the report of the natives, of such an expedition
having taken place. I at first thought that it was undertaken by Captain
M‘Leod, of whose proposal to ascend the Niger I had accidentally gleaned
some information through a number of the Galignani, and it was not until
the 13th November that I succeeded in meeting the person who had seen
the expedition with his own eyes. This man informed me that the
expedition consisted of one large boat, he did not know whether of iron
or of wood, and two smaller ones, containing altogether seven gentlemen
and seventy slaves, he of course taking the Kroomen for slaves.
Moreover, I learned from him that the members of this expedition had not
gone as far as Yóla, the capital of Ádamáwa, as the governor of
Hamárruwa had warned them not to go up to that place with their steamer,
on account of the narrow passage between the mountains. He also informed
me, that they had commenced their home journey earlier than had been
expected, and that he himself, having proceeded to Yákoba in order to
procure more ivory for them, had found them gone on his return.
The other circumstance which greatly occupied my mind at this time, was
the state of affairs in Kúkawa. For in the beginning, on the first news
of the revolution in Bórnu, and of the Sheikh ʿOmár being dethroned and
his vizier slain, I had given up my project of returning by Bórnu,
intending to try again the difficult road by Áír. At a later season,
however, when I heard on the road that ʿOmár was again installed, I
cherished the hope that it might be possible to take the safer route by
the Tebu country, especially as I received the news of a most sanguinary
struggle having taken place between the Kél-owí and the Kél-gerés. In
this struggle a great many of the noblest men of the former were said to
have fallen, together with several hundred of the common people on both
sides. I was sorry to hear that in this struggle my best friends had
succumbed.
Meanwhile the news from Kúkawa remained very unsatisfactory, and false
rumours were continually brought from thence. Thus it was reported on
the 1st November that the Sugúrti had vanquished ʿOmár, who had made his
escape accompanied only by a couple of horsemen; and it was not until
the 9th that we received trustworthy news that he was holding his
position steadily against the intrigues of the party of his brother,
whom he kept in prison. It was with great satisfaction, that I saw
messengers from ʿOmár arrive, in the course of a few days, in order to
present his compliments to the governor of this place. I at once had
them called to my house, and made them a few presents, in order to
express my satisfaction at their master having recovered his kingdom,
and still holding his position; for it was a most important point with
me to see my road to Bórnu clear, and to meet there with Mr. Vogel and
his party, in order to give him my advice and assistance with respect to
the countries which it was most desirable that he should explore. But in
the situation in which I was thus placed, it proved most difficult to
obtain the means of reaching Kúkawa, as I had no money at my disposal.
For, to my great disappointment, the servant whom I had sent to Zínder
on the 18th, in order to bring from thence the property which I had
deposited there, as well as the merchandise which had arrived
afterwards, returned on the 4th November empty-handed, bringing nothing
but a few letters. It was now that I heard that the news of my death had
been everywhere believed, and that a servant of Mr. Vogel’s, together
with a slave of ʿAbd e’ Rahmán’s, had arrived in Zínder from Kúkawa, and
had taken away all the merchandise that had reached that place on my
account, the box with the 400 dollars and the cutlery having been stolen
long before, immediately after the assassination of the sheríf.
Thus, then, I was left destitute also from this side, and I felt the
want of supplies the more, as my headman, ʿAlí el Ágeren, supported by
the wording of the contract which I had entered into with him, had
claimed here peremptorily the payment of the rest of his salary, which
amounted to 111 dollars, and I had been obliged to request Sídi ʿAlí to
pay him this sum on my account. This man had cost me very dear, and if I
had possessed sufficient means I should have discharged him in Timbúktu,
as he there threw off all allegiance and obedience to me as soon as he
became aware of the dangers which surrounded me. He was likewise of very
little service to me on my return journey; but of course he was now
anxious to excuse himself for his conduct on the road, and even laid
claim to the present which I had promised him in the event of his
conduct proving quite to my satisfaction. This, however, I refused with
good reason; and I was glad to find that my other servants, whose
salaries amounted altogether to nearly 200 dollars, were willing to wait
for their payment until we reached Kúkawa.
However, the parcel which my servant brought me from Zínder was not
quite devoid of subjects of gratification, as, besides a few letters
from Europe, including a map of South Africa by Mr. Cooley, it contained
two beautifully written Arabic letters, one addressed to ʿAlíyu, the
emír of Sókoto, and the other, a general letter of recommendation
addressed by Her Majesty’s consul in Tripoli to the chiefs of the Fúlbe.
These letters I had expressly written for, and if I had received them
two years earlier, they would have been of great service to me. As it
was, I sent the letter destined for ʿAlíyu to the governor, who was so
much pleased with it that he forwarded it by a special messenger,
accompanied by a letter from myself, wherein I expressed my regret that
I had not been able to present this letter to him on my personal visit,
while at the same time I excused myself for not being able at the time
to send him a small present, not having found here any supplies, and
being entirely destitute of means. Having heard a report, which
afterwards proved to be false, that the governor of Hamárruwa had formed
the intention of attacking the people in the English steamer with a
large force, I took the opportunity of protesting, in this letter,
against such proceedings, giving the chief a plain statement of the
peaceable intentions of the expedition.
The parcel which my servant had brought me from Zínder seemed also to
hold out the prospect of material aid; for the letter from Mr. Dickson,
dated the latter part of 1853, wherein he at the same time informed me,
to my great disappointment, that he was about to leave his post for the
Crimea, contained two letters of recommendation to a couple of Ghadámsi
merchants, of the names of Háj Áhmed ben Slímán and Mohammed ben Músa,
who, as he informed me, had property of his own in their hands, in order
to assist me in case I should be in want of money. But when I sent these
letters to their destination they were very coldly received, and it was
intimated to me that I could not be accommodated. The disappointment
which the awkwardness of my pecuniary circumstances caused me, was
soothed in some degree by the offer which the Fezzáni merchant Khweldi,
whose kindness to me I have mentioned on a previous occasion, made me at
the same time, of lending me 200 dollars in cash. In the afternoon of
the 14th, a servant of his arrived with the money, which, however, did
not suffice for my actual wants, as I had to return to Sídi ʿAlí the 111
dollars which he had paid to my servant ʿAlí el ʿAgeren. After having
made a suitable present to the messenger, I had therefore only a very
small sum remaining; and the disappointment which I had experienced with
regard to my luggage, made me reluctant to forego the project which I
had formed of taking home with me specimens of the manufactures of this
place. I had also to buy two horses and a couple of camels, together
with sundry other articles, and I was therefore obliged to procure
further means, however difficult it might be. I had even a great deal of
trouble with Sídi ʿAlí, who put off his promise to accommodate me from
day to day.
At length, having, on the 10th of November, written an energetic letter
to this merchant, it was agreed that the affair between myself and the
Ghadámsi merchants, who refused to lend me money, although they had
English property in their hands, should be referred to the ghaladíma,
who granted me a public interview for the purpose. In this audience, in
which a great number of other people were present, the merchants founded
their refusal to comply with my request on the old date of the letter in
which they were ordered to attend to my wishes; and it was not until the
ghaladíma had ordered them to bring into his presence all that they
possessed of the British agent’s property that they agreed the following
day to lend me a sum of money, at the usual rate of one hundred per
cent. Being obliged to agree to this condition, as it had never been my
intention to oblige them by force to grant me a loan without allowing
them their usual profit, I stipulated to receive from them 500,000
shells, equal in this place to 200 dollars, on the condition that 400
should be repaid in Tripoli, at four months’ date. This loan, which
would not have been necessary at all if I had found my supplies, enabled
me, on the other hand, to send off my despatches with the greatest ease
and security, as it was, of course, the interest of these merchants to
have these letters forwarded to Tripoli by the safest and shortest
route. A courier was therefore despatched immediately, who being an
experienced and well-known person, would be able to make his way through
the country of Áír, which in its temporarily disturbed state was closed
to any one else. The only thing which caused me some displeasure in this
transaction, was the circumstance that these merchants from Ghadámes had
the insolence, although half of the money with which they trade is
Christian money, to call the Christians, in the presence of the
ghaladíma, by the offensive name of “Káfaráwa,” (“the infidels,”) and I
made a serious protest against such a term being employed in official
transactions.
The difficulty which I had in supplying my wants, and purchasing the
articles that in my opinion were necessary for my outfit, was the
greater, as everything was very dear at the time, the merchants being of
opinion, on account of the turbulent state of the road, that no caravan
from the north would arrive that year. Camels especially were
exceedingly dear, seven fine animals which Khweldi had sent from Zínder,
being sold for 60,000 shells each, a very high price for a camel. I
deemed myself therefore very fortunate in being able to purchase a she-
camel of inferior quality for 45,000. I also was so lucky as to buy an
excellent mare for 70,000 shells, or less than thirty dollars. Having
thus at length provided for all my wants, I got everything ready for
starting on the 21st; and heartily glad I was when I was fairly embarked
on this the last stage of my journeying in Negroland, with the prospect
before me, that, in six months or so, I might again breathe the
invigorating air of the north.
I therefore cheerfully took leave of my friends from the far-west, who
were to follow as soon as possible to Kúkawa, for although they were not
likely to be of any further assistance to me, they wanted to lay the
chief of that country under some contribution for their own benefit and
that of their master. I then pursued my journey with great cheerfulness;
and although the general character of the country was not new to me, yet
the route which I was obliged to take, had not been travelled by me
before. The road, although perhaps less populous, seemed to possess the
advantage of richer vegetation, and deléb-palms especially formed the
ornament of many a hamlet, or of the open scenery. Fine cattle also were
to be seen in considerable numbers, and altogether it was a pleasant
ride. Thus, after a march of about eleven miles, we reached the town of
Wáse, or Wása, and here took up our quarters. But, as usual, we found
the gate so narrow, that we were obliged to take most of the luggage off
the camels, and this was the reason that we always preferred encamping
outside; although here it was deemed too unsafe. Even inside the place,
the people were very much afraid of thieves. The town was tolerably
populous, and the courtyards were fenced with hedges of living trees,
almost in the same way as Úba, and the one where we lodged was well
shaded. Although, in the present disturbed state of the country, and
with the prospect of another expedition of Bokhári, the inhabitants did
not feel much at their ease, we were nevertheless tolerably well
treated.
[Sidenote: November 24th.]
We had the same difficulty in getting out of the town, as we had in
entering it, so that I was quite sick of these places, and resolved if
possible never to enter one again. The sorghum, or Indian corn, had just
been cut, but was lying on the ground unthrashed, or rather unbeaten.
The dorówa-tree, or _Bassia Parkii_, which seemed to be the prevailing
tree in this district, appeared in great numbers a little further on,
and even date-trees were seen, close to a hamlet. Having then passed
through a more open country, the scenery became exceedingly fine, and
continued so as far as the town of Sabó-n-garí, which we passed at some
distance on our left. The market-place, enlivened by two beautiful
baúre-trees, remained close at the side of our track. It was here that
the governor of Kanó intended to collect his troops in order to oppose
Bokhári; but it was not very likely, taking into account his own want of
energy, and the cowardly disposition of his host, that he would offer
serious resistance to that energetic and enterprising chief, with his
warlike bands, elated by victory and pillage.
Twelve miles beyond Sabó-n-garí, through a less favoured district, we
reached the town of Yerímarí, surrounded with a keffi, while on its
outer side a market was just being held. But there being here no food
for the camels, we proceeded on, through a district covered with
underwood, until we reached, about two miles beyond, a village called
“Gída-n-Alla,” (“the house of God,”) which, besides being surrounded
with a keffi, was so completely hidden behind a dense covert of trees,
which form a natural defence, that we could scarcely discover it. But
inside this covert there was a fine open field, whereon we pitched our
tent, and were soon visited by the mayor and the chief inhabitants, who
behaved in a very friendly manner towards us, and provided us with
everything we wanted, the place being rich in small millet and Indian
corn. The village was however very badly supplied with water, the well
being at a great distance. The camping-ground was extremely pleasant,
the open green being varied by dense groups of trees, and the vegetation
being moreover enlivened by a good many deléb-palms.
The road which we pursued the following day was more beset by thorny
bushes, but here also deléb-palms were numerous, and dorówa and tamarind
trees contributed to enliven more favoured spots. Thus we reached the
place where this northern route is joined by a more southerly one which
passes by Gezáwa, but not the same track which I had pursued on my
former journey. Here we continued on, at an accelerated pace, as all the
people whom we met were flying in haste before Bokhári. Thus we passed
Dúkawa, a considerable village, fortified with a keffi, and surrounded
with numbers of monkey-bread trees, which at present were destitute of
foliage, although the fruit was just ripening. As the heat became rather
oppressive, especially as we were not provided with water, all the ponds
being now dried up, I rode in advance to Hóbiri, fortified, like most of
the hamlets hereabouts, with a stockade, and adorned outside by large
tamarind and monkey-bread trees, and, while watering the horses,
refreshed myself with a little sour-milk. Passing then through a dense
forest, I reached the well in front of the town of Gérki. My people had
already arrived, but had not yet succeeded in obtaining the smallest
quantity of water, the well, although not very deep, being rather poor,
considering the number of people which it had to supply. I had, in
consequence, to pay 300 shells for supplying the wants of myself and my
animals. Not feeling any greater inclination this time to encamp inside
Gérki than I had done on my former journey, I chose my own camping-
ground on the north side of the town. It was a pleasant spot; but,
unfortunately, it was too near a large monkey-bread tree, which in the
course of the night afforded to an audacious thief an excellent cover,
under which to proceed twice to a very clever performance of his art. I
would strongly advise any future traveller in these districts, the
inhabitants of which are very expert thieves, to take care not to pitch
his tent too near a large tree. As it was, to my great disgust, the
fellow succeeded in carrying away, first the tobe, and then the
trowsers, belonging to one of my servants; but I strongly suspected one
of the inhabitants of Hóbiri, from whom I had bought, the previous
evening, an ox of burden for 9000 shells, to be the culprit. Gérki is
famous on account of the many thefts which are committed in its
neighbourhood.
Although I had not paid my respects to the governor of the town, he
accompanied me the next morning with ten horsemen, four of whom were his
own sons. He himself was quite a stately person and well mounted. Having
then taken leave of him at the frontier of the territory of Kanó and
Bórnu, I reached the town of Birmenáwa, the small frontier town of
Bórnu, which I have mentioned on my former journey, but which, at
present, had assumed more remarkable political importance, as it had not
made its subjection to Shéri, the present ruler of Gúmmel, but still
adhered to his opponent and rival, the governor of Týmbi. On this
account, the inhabitants of this town endeavoured to cut off the
peaceable intercourse between Gúmmel and Kanó, and I thought it
necessary, in order to prevent any unpleasantness, to pay my respects to
the petty chief, and to procure his good will by a small present, while
my camels pursued the direct track. Thus we reached Gúmmel, and encamped
outside at some distance from the wall to the north-east.
I had left this town on my former journey in the enjoyment of a
considerable degree of wealth and comfort, under the rule of the old Dan
Tanóma. But civil war, which cuts short the finest germs of human
prosperity, had been raging here; the person appointed by Bórnu as the
successor of the former governor having been vanquished by his rival
Shéri, who, having taken possession of the town after much serious
fighting, had again been driven out by the governor of Zínder sent
against him by the Sheikh of Bórnu. Having taken refuge in the territory
of Kanó, and collected there fresh strength, the rebellious governor had
reconquered his seat, where he was now tacitly acknowledged by his liege
lord, in the weak state to which the kingdom of Bórnu had been reduced
by the civil war. The town was almost desolate, while the palace had
been ransacked, pillaged, and destroyed by fire, and the new governor
himself, who, after a long struggle with his rival and near kinsman, had
at length succeeded in taking possession of this government, was
residing amidst the towering ruins of the royal residence, blackened by
fire, and exhibiting altogether the saddest spectacle. It was with a
melancholy feeling, that I remembered the beautiful tamarind-tree, which
spread its shade over the whole courtyard of the palace, where, on my
former visit, I had witnessed the pompous ceremonies of this petty
court. All now presented an appearance of poverty and misery. The
governor himself, a man of about thirty-five years of age, and with
features void of expression, was dressed in a very shabby manner,
wearing nothing but a black tobe, and having his head uncovered. There
was, however, another man sitting by his side, whose exterior was more
imposing; but I soon recognised him as my old friend Mohammed e’ Sfáksi,
who had accompanied us on our outset from Múrzuk, and who, from being an
agent of Mr. Gagliuffi, had become, through successful trading and
speculation, a wealthy merchant himself. He was now speculating upon the
successful issue of an expedition of his protector against the town of
Birmenáwa, the inhabitants of which braved the authority of the
governor. But fortunately the debt which Mr. Richardson had contracted
with him had at length been paid, and he expressed nothing but kindly
feelings towards me, and congratulated me, as it appeared sincerely,
upon my safe return from my dangerous undertaking, praising my courage
and perseverance in the highest terms before his friend the governor.
Presenting to the latter a small gift, consisting of a red cap and
turban, together with a flask of rose-oil, I requested him to furnish me
with a guide, in order to accompany me to the governor of Máshena. He
consented to do so, although, perhaps, he never intended to perform his
promise; and I myself at the time had no idea of the difficulties with
which such a proceeding would be accompanied, as the road to Malám,
where the governor at Máshena at present resided, led close to the
territory of Týmbi, the residence of Shéri’s rival.
Having returned to my tent outside the town, I was visited by several of
my former acquaintances, and among others by Mohammed Abëakúta, the
remarkable freed slave from Yóruba, whom I have mentioned on a former
occasion. But the most interesting visit was that of E’ Sfáksi in the
evening, who brought me a quantity of sweetmeats from his well supplied
household, and spent several hours with me, giving me the first
authentic account of the state of affairs in Bórnu, as well as of the
English expedition which had arrived there. As a reward for his friendly
feeling and for his information, I presented him with a young heifer,
which the governor of the town had sent me as a present.
My camels having proved insufficient for the journey before them, I was
looking out for fresh ones, but in the present reduced state of the
place was not able to procure any, a circumstance which caused me
afterwards a great deal of delay on my journey.
[Sidenote: Monday, Nov. 27th.]
After losing much time awaiting the coming of the guide who had been
promised me, I started after my people whom I had allowed to go on with
the camels. The road in consequence of the civil war which had raged
between Shéri and his rival, had become quite desolate. The inhabitants
had deserted their native villages, leaving the crops standing ripe in
the fields, and forsaking everything which had been dear to them. Not a
single human being was to be seen for a stretch of more than twenty-five
miles, when at length we fell in with a party of native travellers, or
fatáki, who were going to Kanó. We soon after reached the small town of
Fányakangwa, surrounded by a wall and stockade, and encamped on the
stubble-fields which were covered with small dúm-bush, not far from a
deep well, and we were glad to find that we had at length reached a land
of tolerable plenty, the corn being just half the price it was in
Gúmmel. There were also a great number of cattle, and I had a plentiful
supply of milk; but water was at the present season very scanty, and I
could scarcely imagine what the people would do in the dry season.
A march of a little more than two miles brought us to Malám, consisting
of two villages, the eastern one being encompassed by a clay wall which
was being repaired, while the western one, where the present governor
resided, was just being surrounded with a stockade. Between the two
villages lies the market-place where a market is held every Sunday and
Thursday. The present governor of Máshena, whose father I had visited on
my former journey, is a young and inexperienced man, who may have some
difficulty in protecting his province in the turbulent state into which
the empire of Bórnu has been plunged, in consequence of the civil war
raging between the Sheikh ʿOmár and his brother ʿAbd e’ Rahmán.
While staying here during the hot hours, I was visited by several Arab
traders, one of whom informed me that Mr. Vogel had gone on a journey to
Mándará, but without taking with him any of his companions. I left in
the afternoon as early as the heat of the midday hours allowed me, in
order to continue my journey towards the town of Máshena. We encamped
this evening at the well belonging to a village called Allamáibe, a name
not unfrequent in this region, and we were most hospitably treated by
the inhabitants who, enjoying themselves with music and dancing,
celebrated also my own arrival with a song; they moreover sent me
several dishes of native food.
[Sidenote: Wednesday, Nov. 29th.]
The whole tract which we traversed in pursuing our road from hence to
the town of Máshena, was chiefly adorned with dúm-palms, which did not
cease till just before we reached Demánmária; and the country was
tolerably well inhabited and exhibited some signs of industry. Cattle
also were not wanting; and I observed that at a village which we passed
near the town of Mairimája, although it was then nearly half-past nine
o’clock in the morning, the cattle had not yet been driven out. Here the
water did not seem to be at any great depth below the surface, some of
the wells measuring not more than four fathoms. Having then traversed a
district where the tamarind tree was the greatest ornament, we reached
the town of Máshena, with its rocky eminences scattered about the
landscape, and encamped a few hundred yards to the west of the town. I
have made a few observations with regard to this place on my former
journey, but neither then nor at this time, did I visit the interior. I
will only add, that it was in this place that the sheríf Mohammed el
Fási, the agent of the vizier of Bórnu in Zínder, with whom my supplies
had been deposited, was slain in the revolution of the preceding year.
Not long after I had pitched my tent, I received a visit from an Arab,
of the name of ʿAbd Alláhi Shén, who had assisted the usurper ʿAbd e’
Rahmán as a sort of broker, and who, in consequence, had been exiled by
the Sheikh ʿOmár as soon as the latter again recovered possession of the
supreme power, and it was in order to beg me to solicit his pardon at
the hands of the Sheikh, that he addressed himself to me. He also
informed me, that the road was at present by no means safe, being
greatly infested by the people of Bédde, who were taking advantage of
the weak state to which the Bórnu kingdom had been reduced by the civil
war. Corn was here exceedingly dear, or rather not to be had at all, and
beans was the only thing I could procure.
From hence I followed at first my former track, till I came to the place
where on that occasion I had lost my road; and here I took a more
southerly direction, and passed the hot hours in Lamíso, a middle-sized
town surrounded with a low rampart of earth. Outside the town there was
a market-place, where a market was just being held, tolerably well
supplied, not only with corn, but also with cotton; besides these,
beans, dodówa, the dúm-fruit, dried fish, and indigo, formed the chief
articles for sale; and I bought here a pack-ox for 10,000 shells. As
soon as the bargain was concluded, I again pursued my journey, and,
after some time, fell into my old track. Having thus reached the town of
Allamáy, I pitched my tent inside the thick fence of thorny bushes. I
had passed this town also on my former journey, and had then been
greatly pleased at the sight of a numerous herd of cattle; but in the
present ruinous condition of the country, not a single cow was to be
seen; the whole place being entirely desolate. Even the water, which it
was very difficult to obtain, was of bad quality.
The next morning I reached Búndi, after a short march, proceeding in
advance of my camels, in order to pay my compliments to the governor,
and to obtain from him an escort through the unsafe district which
intervened between this town and Zurríkulo. After a little
tergiversation, my old friend, the ghaladíma ʿOmár, acceded to my
request, giving me a guide who, he assured me, would procure an escort
for me in the village of Sheshéri, where a squadron of horse was
stationed for the greater security of the road. I had experienced the
inhospitable disposition of this officer during my former stay here, and
felt therefore little inclination to be his guest a second time; but if
I had had any foreboding that Mr. Vogel was so near at hand, I would
gladly have made some stay.
Having rejoined my camels, I set out, without delay, through the forest,
taking the lead with my head servant, but I had scarcely proceeded three
miles when I saw advancing towards me a person of strange aspect,—a
young man of very fair complexion, dressed in a tobe like the one I wore
myself, and with a white turban wound thickly round his head. He was
accompanied by two or three blacks, likewise on horseback. One of them I
recognised as my servant Mʿadi, whom, on setting out from Kúkawa, I had
left in the house as a guardian. As soon as he saw me, he told the young
man that I was ʿAbd el Kerím, in consequence of which, Mr. Vogel (for he
it was) rushed forward, and, taken by surprise as both of us were, we
gave each other a hearty reception from horseback. As for myself, I had
not had the remotest idea of meeting him; and he, on his part, had only
a short time before received the intelligence of my safe return from the
west. Not having the slightest notion that I was alive, and judging from
its Arab address that the letter which I forwarded to him from Kanó was
a letter from some Arab, he had put it by without opening it, waiting
till he might meet with a person who should be able to read it.
In the midst of this inhospitable forest, we dismounted and sat down
together on the ground; and my camels having arrived, I took out my
small bag of provisions, and had some coffee boiled, so that we were
quite at home. It was with great amazement that I heard from my young
friend that there were no supplies in Kúkawa; that what he had brought
with him had been spent; and that the usurper ʿAbd e’ Rahmán had treated
him very badly, having even taken possession of the property which I had
left in Zínder. He moreover informed me that he himself was on his way
to that place, in order to see whether fresh supplies had not arrived,
being also anxious to determine the position of that important town by
an astronomical observation, and thus to give a firmer basis to my own
labours. But the news of the want of pecuniary supplies did not cause me
so much surprise as the report which I received from him, that he did
not possess a single bottle of wine. For having now been for more than
three years without a drop of any stimulant except coffee, and having
suffered severely from frequent attacks of fever and dysentery, I had an
insuperable longing for the juice of the grape, of which former
experience had taught me the benefit. On my former journey through Asia
Minor, I had contracted a serious fever in the swamps of Lycia, and
quickly regained my strength by the use of good French wine. I could not
help reproaching my friend for having too hastily believed the news of
my death before he had made all possible inquiries; but as he was a new
comer into this country, and did not possess a knowledge of the
language, I could easily perceive that he had no means of ascertaining
the truth or falsehood of those reports.
I also learned from him, that there were despatches for me in Kúkawa,
informing me of the expedition sent up the river Tsadda, or Bénuwé. With
regard to his own proceedings, he informed me that his sole object in
going to Mándará had been to join that expedition, having been misled by
the opinion of my friends in Europe, who thought that I had gone to
Ádamáwa by way of Mándará, and that when once in Morá he had become
aware of the mistake he had committed when too late, and had endeavoured
in vain to retrieve his error by going from that place to Ujé, from
whence the overthrow of the usurper ʿAbd e’ Rahmán, and the return of
his brother ʿOmár to power, had obliged him to return to Kúkawa.
While we were thus conversing together, the other members of the caravan
in whose company Mr. Vogel was travelling arrived, and expressed their
astonishment and surprise at my sitting quietly here in the midst of the
forest, talking with my friend, while the whole district was infested by
hostile men. But these Arab traders are great cowards; and I learned
from my countryman that he had found a great number of these merchants
assembled in Borzári, and afraid of a few robbers who infested the road
beyond that place, and it was only after he had joined them with his
companions that they had decided upon advancing.
After about two hours’ conversation, we had to separate; and while Mr.
Vogel pursued his journey to Zínder (whence he promised to join me
before the end of the month), I hastened to overtake my people, whom I
had ordered to wait for me in Kálemrí. I have described this place on my
outward journey as a cheerful and industrious village, consisting of two
straggling groups, full of cattle and animation; but here also
desolation had supplanted human happiness, and a few scattered huts were
all that was at present to be seen. Having rested here for about an hour
with my people, who had unloaded the animals at a short distance from
the well, I started again at three o’clock in the afternoon, and reached
Shechéri, where I was to receive my escort, this being the reason why I
had been obliged to deviate from the main direction of my route. This
time we encamped on the open square inside the village, where we were
exposed to the dust and dirt raised by a numerous herd of cattle on
their return from their pasture-grounds. This was a sign of some sort of
comfort remaining; but we were disturbed in the night by a shrill cry
raised, on account of a report having been just received that a party of
native traders, or “fatáki,” had been attacked by the Tawárek. In the
morning, I had great difficulty in obtaining two horsemen for an escort;
but I at last set out, taking a southerly detour instead of the direct
road to Zurríkulo, and thus reached the town of Kerí-zemán, situated two
miles and a half south-west from the former, along a track ornamented by
a dense grove of dúm-palms.
Thus I reached Zurríkulo for the third time during my travels in
Negroland; but found it in a much worse condition than when I had last
visited it in 1851, and the wall, although it had been considerably
contracted, was still much too large for the small number of
inhabitants. The governor, Kashélla Sʿaíd, who paid me a visit in the
evening, when I had pitched my tent at a short distance from his
residence, requested urgently that, on my arrival in the capital, I
would employ my influence with the Sheikh in order to induce him either
to send him sufficient succours, or to recall him from this dangerous
post; otherwise he should take to flight with the rest of the
inhabitants. There were here some Arabs who were scarcely able to
conceive how I could pursue these difficult roads quite by myself,
without a caravan.
In order to lessen the danger, I decided upon travelling at night, and
set out about two o’clock in the morning, entering now a region
consisting of high sandy downs and irregular hollows, full of dúm-palms,
and occasionally forming the receptacle for a swampy sheet of water,
where the wild hog appears to find a pleasant home. After a march of
nearly ten hours, which greatly fatigued my camels, on account of the
numerous sandy slopes which we had to go up and down, we reached the
little hamlet of Gabóre, situated in a rather commanding position,
bordered towards the north by a hollow dell. Here I encamped on the
eastern side of the village, and was glad to treat my people with a
sheep and a few fowls. From the presence of these articles of luxury I
was led to conclude that the inhabitants were tolerably well off, but I
was not a little astonished to learn that they pay a certain tribute to
the Tawárek, in order not to be exposed to their predatory incursions.
[Sidenote: Monday, December 4th.]
It was not yet four o’clock when I was again _en route_. I thought it
remarkable that all this time, although not the slightest quantity of
rain or moisture was perceptible, the sky was always overcast before
sunrise. I was greatly pleased when I crossed my former path at the neat
little village Káluwa, the aspect of which had made so deep an
impression upon me at that time. Further on I kept to the south of my
former track, through a well cultivated district, where all the fields
were provided with those raised platforms intended as stations for the
guardians, of which I have spoken on a former occasion. Thus passing a
good many villages, we made halt during the hot hours at the village
Dimísugá, under a group of fine hájilíj, the inhabitants treating us
hospitably. Having then continued our journey at an early hour in the
afternoon, we soon passed a village which in other respects presents
nothing interesting, but the name of which is remarkable as showing the
facetious turn of the natives. It is called “Búne kayérde Sʿaíd,”
meaning, “Sleep, and rely upon Sʿaíd,” the hamlet having evidently
received this name from the native traders proceeding from the side of
Bórnu, who thus evinced the confidence they felt in entering the
province of the energetic Kashélla Sʿaíd, who they knew kept it in such
a state of security that there was no danger from robbers.
While we were proceeding through an uninhabited hilly tract, my guide
suddenly left me, so that being misled by the greater width of the path,
and passing the village of Jíngerí, animated at the time by a group of
lively females in their best attire, and just performing a marriage
ceremony, I reached the town of Wádi, which I had touched at on my
outward journey, and at length by a roundabout way arrived at Borzári,
where I expected my people to join me. But I looked for them in vain the
whole night. They had taken the road to Grémarí. The governor treated me
hospitably; but his object was to induce me to speak a word in favour of
him to his liege lord.
In consequence of my people having taken another road, I lost the whole
forenoon of the following day, and encamped about seven miles beyond
Grémarí, near the village called Mariámari. During this encampment I
again heard the unusual sound of a lion during the night. But it must be
taken into consideration that a branch of the komádugu passes at a short
distance to the south of this place, and I therefore think myself right
in supposing that, in Bórnu at least, lions are scarcely ever met with,
except in this entangled net of water-courses which I had here reached.
The next day I marched for a considerable time along the northern border
of this channel, girt by fine tamarind and fig trees, and occasionally
by a group of dúm-palms, till having passed the village of Dámen, and
traversed a wide swampy tract, we crossed the first branch, which formed
a fine sheet of water about a hundred yards broad, but only three feet
deep, the only difficulty being in the steepness of the opposite shore.
Having passed the heat of the day under a neighbouring tamarind tree, we
continued our march in a south-easterly direction to the village Dáway.
Here we pitched our tent in the neat little square near the “msíd,” all
the matting fences surrounding the cottages being new and having a very
clean appearance. My object in staying here was to confer with the
“bíllama” as to the best means of crossing the larger branch of the
komádugu, which runs at a short distance beyond this village, and the
passage of which was said to be very difficult at the time, encumbered
as we were with animals and luggage. But it was very extraordinary that
the people here contended that the river then was higher than it had
been ten days previously; although I did not find this statement
confirmed on our actually crossing it the following morning, the water
exhibiting evident signs of having decreased, an observation which
exactly corresponds with what I have remarked on a former occasion with
regard to the nature of this komádugu. The river here spread out to a
considerable extent, and we had some difficulty in crossing it. The
greatest depth was more than four feet; but the spreading out of the
water was the reason that it was here passable at all, although it had
become too shallow to employ the native craft, while lower down, between
this place and Zéngirí, it could not be forded. Having then crossed
three smaller channels and passed the village Kinjéberí, once a large
town and encompassed by a wide clay wall, we took up our quarters in a
poor hamlet called Margwa Sheríferí, from a sheríf who had settled here
many years ago; for, in order to procure myself a good reception from
the ruler of Bórnu, after the great political disturbances which had
taken place, I thought it prudent to send a messenger to him to announce
my arrival. I only needed to give full expression to my real feelings in
order to render my letter acceptable to my former protector, for my
delight had been extreme, after the news which I had received of ʿAbd e’
Rahmán having usurped the supreme power, on hearing that the just and
lawful Sheikh ʿOmár had once more regained possession of the royal
authority. The consequence was, that when, after having traversed the
district of Koyám, with its straggling villages, its fine herds of
camels, and its deep wells, some of them more than forty fathoms in
depth, I approached the town on the 11th December, I found ʿAbd e’ Nebí,
the chief eunuch of the Sheikh, with thirty horsemen posted at the
village of Kalíluwá, where a market was just held, in order to give me a
honourable reception. Thus I re-entered the town of Kúkawa, whence I had
set out on my dangerous journey to the west, in stately procession. On
entering my quarters I was agreeably surprised at finding the two
sappers, Corporal Church and private Macguire, who had been sent out
from England to accompany Mr. Vogel, and to join me, if possible, in my
proceedings.