1st day. Nʿama, a ksar of the Welád Mazúk. Rest during the heat of the
day in a village called San-fága.
2nd. Dýnnia, a large and wealthy town of the Welád Yággeré, residence of
a governor called Músa Nájem, son of Bankóro, and dependent on the king
of Bámbara. The town is rich in horses. You pass the heat in a place
called Séredú, inhabited by Aswánek and Bámbara. Dýnnia is distant one
day’s march W. from Alássa, resting at noon in a ksar called Wésat,
inhabited by Bámbara.
3rd. Jóre, belonging to the district of Dýnnia. You pass the heat in
Wáteré, a large Bámbara place.
4th. Debála, a Bámbara town, belonging to the north-western province of
the Bámbara empire called Kéche. Rest during the heat in Delánga, a
place distant only six or eight miles from Jóre.
5th. Mekoye, a large place, residence of the governor of Kéche. Pass
Kasambúgu, a large place inhabited by Arabs and Bámbara.
13th. Nyámina, a considerable town and well-furnished market-place on
the N. side of the Dhiúlibá. The market of Nyámina excels that of
Sansándi in many respects, and supplies a great proportion of the
inhabitants of the Western desert. The district intervening between
Mekoye and Nyámina is densely inhabited, but informant does not remember
the names of the places where he slept. Not far W. from Nyámina a very
considerable creek or backwater separates from the river, opening an
extensive inland navigation. It divides itself into two branches, the
eastern one of which follows an almost northerly direction, approaching
close to Tumbúlle, a ksar in the country of the Áhel Yággeré, distant a
day and a half S.S.W. from Dýnnia, and thence going to Jungúnta,
situated at the same distance S. from W. of Dýnnia (starting from
Dýnnia, pass the heat in Farku, sleep in Sillintíggera, arrive in the
morning in Jungúnta), after which the creek turns S. from W. to the
country of Áhel Mása.
W.—_From Kasambára to Nyámina by way of Murja, and from Murja to
Mekoye._
1st day. Dáli, one of the chief places of the Aswánek. Pass on the road
the villages Zeghéri, probably identical with the زغاري of the Arab
traveller Ébn Batúta (Journal As. Soc., 1852, p. 50.); farther on
Serére, then Bʿaínbála, where you pass the heat of the day. E., at no
great distance from Dáli, was formerly the ksar called Debbús. At a
short distance E. of Bʿaínbála is the village Kóshi. Direction S.E., or
rather E.S.E.
2nd. Alássa, a ksar of the tribe of the Teghdaust of mixed Aswánek and
Arab blood, once very powerful and widely scattered, at present degraded
to the condition of “lhame,” or “khóddemán,” serfs or tributaries, but
still distinguished on the score of their learning. The town of Alássa
itself is very remarkable on account of its palm trees, there being
besides these no palm trees in the whole of Bághena, with the exception
of two trees in Kasambára, where there were formerly four. About six
miles S.S.E. from Alássa lies Safantára, a large Bámbara place.
Direction, E. of S. You halt during the heat in Yengót. Here you also
pass the heat of the first day in going from Alássa to Jawára in very
short marches; sleep in el Awéna; halt the second day in Seghálli, sleep
in Jurni (Joróni); third day sleep in Kúrche; fourth day sleep in
Torangúmbu (Turaghamme); fifth day reach Jawára.
From Alássa to Akúmb is two and a half days’ march S.E. First day
Raranrúlle, making a short halt at noon in Tambebógo; second day
Rullúmbo, passing the heat in Fúgti; third day Akúmb; distance the same
as that between Kábara and Timbúktu. A short distance N. from Akúmb is
Díggena, with a mixed population of Bámbara, Aswánek, and Fullán.
3rd. Tambe-bógo, a ksar of Bámbara. Rest a couple of hours during the
heat of the day in Gala-bógo, likewise inhabited by Bámbara.
4th. Nyáme-bógo, another Bámbara place, about noon.
5th. Sleep in the wilderness, having rested at noon in Dambar- (or
Damboy-) keséba.
6th. Murja, in the morning.
_In going from Murja to Nyámina._
1st day. Khersanáne, a Bámbara place; arrive between three and four
o’clock, without having halted on the road.
2nd. Manzánne.
3rd. Kanú, a Bámbara place, about three o’clock P.M.
4th. Ksér (diminutive form of “ksar”) el Mʿallemín, a place inhabited by
Aswánek students, and therefore so designated by the Arabs.
5th. Nyámina, before noon.
_From Murja to Mekoye._
1st day. Gellu, a considerable place. It was formerly dependent upon
Murja, but it has succeeded in making itself independent, while the
latter place lay deserted and waste for nearly four years, and it has
also preserved its independence since the rebuilding of Murja in 1852-3.
Several towns or villages in the neighbourhood belong to Gellu.
2nd. Debála. Pass on the road many ksúr or small towns.
3rd. Mekoye. A long day.
I here add a few less distinct data with regard to this region from the
information of Dáúd.
Between Marikoire (probably identical with Mekoye) and Debála, the
following towns and villages: Belála, Dundé, Síde, Nawelénna, Kalúmbu, a
Bámbara place, Debála.
Between Debála and Dinga, on a route of a little more than a day’s
journey, are the following places: Wálteré, Marénna, Sírankóro, Tówa,
Dócheré, Dinga. Dinga is said by this informant to be the abode of the
Áhel Yéggara, a tribe of Bámbara.
Between Marikoire and Danfa, in a direction from west to east, two and a
half days’ fast, or four days’ slow travelling: Búle, Tolókkoró, Séle,
Búlo, Báne, Túnturubále, Kóssa, Barakóro, Bássala, two considerable
villages or ksúr, inhabited by Bámbara people, Bankorondúgu, Danfa.
Between Danfa and Debála, a two days’ journey north, lie the following
places: Dogoye, Ársa, Marénna, Námbara, Babanúru, Mariam-Babanúru,
Jeraudu, Bóngel, Debála.
Between Yá-saláme and Sókolo, a three days’ journey: Nyenchélle,
Nyarinyarínde, Káre (see below), Urlí, Sókolo; a long uninhabited tract
intervening between the last two stations.