1st day. Samba-rainji, a considerable place inhabited by Aswánek, and
situated in a level tract enclosed between the foot of the mountains and
the river.
2nd. Hasi Weled ʿAlí Bába, a well lying in the vale or depression
enclosed between the two mountain ranges, along which your road winds.
Kómandó, a considerable Aswánek village lies on a more easterly road.
3rd. Hasi Shagár, another well with a camp of Arabs in the dry season.
4th. Tektáke, as the place is called by the Arabs, or Bú-túmke, as it is
called by the Aswánek and Fullán or Fúlbe, the population consisting
chiefly of Aswánek. The village lies in the midst of the mountains; the
houses are built of clay, and a few gardens are cultivated in the
neighbourhood, for although there is no running stream, water is said to
be found at the depth of only one foot under ground, and the mountains
or “gidé,” as they are called in Aswánek, are full of trees. The country
nominally under the dominion of Fúta.
5th. Jibáli, or, as the name is pronounced by the Arabs, Jubélli, a
village situated in the midst of the mountains, at times inhabited, at
others deserted. On pursuing your road you cross a mountain ridge, and
then wind along a valley. The mountains contain excellent rock for
grindstones shaped in quadrangular forms, and like the stone found in
the mountains near Mekka.
6th. Búnga, an Aswánek village surrounded by steep rocks; some gardens
are cultivated.
7th. Moila, an Aswánek village. The road keeps always in the mountainous
tract.
8th. Samma, an Aswánek village.
9th. Tattopútti, formerly a village, but at present deserted.
10th. Wákuré, as it is called by the Fullán, or Woló by the natives, a
large place situated in a deep valley or irregular vale, the rivulet
Gallúla flowing at no great distance towards the W. from the place.
11th. Babbu, a village in a mountainous tract.
12th. Kachukoróne, another village.
13th. Gelléil.
14th. Garáf Bafál, situated in the midst of the mountains, and being the
temporary abode of different wandering tribes.
15th. Fúmo-báche, another settlement of that kind.
16th. Fúmo-láwel, the same.
17th. Nebék, a place of the same nature; mountainous tract continues.
18th. Áwenet Ár, the beginning of Tagánet, the south-eastern corner of
which is here hemmed in by the mountains of Asába.
Asába, according to this informant, is a broad mountain range, diverging
as a northern branch from the main range, the general direction of which
is towards Bundu, from which country it is separated by the river. The
Fúlbe call this mountainous tract “Hairi-n-gar,” and the Aswánek call it
Gidé.
NN.—_Route from Hamda-Alláhi, the present capital of Másina, to Meshíla,
and thence to Kahaide, according to Háj Íbrahím; route rather winding,
and to be controlled by other routes which I have already given._
1st day. Kunna (see above), a small town, but an important market place,
situated originally on the western bank of the máyo balléo, on an island
in the Dhiúliba, enclosed by the máyo balléo, “the blue river,” and the
máyo dhannéo, or “the white river,” but at present built on the eastern
shore of the máyo balléo. What is very remarkable, it is said to be
inhabited by Songhay. A short march of three hours.
2nd. Núkuma, a place or district situated on the island or “rúde,”
enclosed by the two branches of the river. Here in the beginning of his
career resided Mohammed Lebbo. There seem to be several hamlets, one of
which is called Sébbera.
3rd. Tummay, still on the island or rúde.
4th. Sáre-dína, a large place, and evidently one of the first towns
converted to Islám in these regions, situated on the western bank of the
máyo dhannéo, which you cross here, at half a day’s distance E.N.E. of
the ancient town Zágha or Jáka. Inhabitants Songhay.
5th. Tógoró, a group of villages or hamlets, inhabited by the Fullán
conquerors. In Tógoró the road divides, one branch leading N.E. in two
short days to Tenéngu, the original capital of Másina, passing by
Tumúra, a large district inhabited by Fúlbe.[78]
6th. Somógirí, a considerable place inhabited by Bámbara of the country.
7th. Diggíseré, an important Bámbara town, at some miles distance S.W.
from Tenéngu, the road leading to which place, and from thence to Yá-
saláme, whither a person may also proceed from Diggíseré (see above),
informant has left on his right. Country open, adorned with _zizyphus_.
8th. Fetokóle, a small place. The country rich in trees, the principal
produce consisting in rice and cotton.
9th. Káre, a Bámbara town, governed by an officer of the name of Búgoní.
The country hereabouts rich in cattle and camels, but the wells are said
to have an enormous depth, according to informant not less than sixty
fathoms. Cotton strips are the standard currency of the market.
14th. Sókoló, a town inhabited by Bámbara people, but belonging to
Másina. Between the two stations you traverse for five days an open
country inhabited by Arab tribes, as the Welád Sʿaíd, the Welád ʿAlúsh
and the Gelágema, and rich in elephants, giraffes, and buffaloes,
abundance of water being found in stagnant pools. On the second day of
this march you leave the town of Kála on your left.
19th. Aláso or Alássa, a place belonging to Bághena, and inhabited by
the Welád ʿOmrán. The country which you traverse is thickly covered with
trees, and is the abode of the Nimádi, a wild set of people, who are
stated by my informant to possess nothing but dogs, with which they hunt
the large antelope called “bakr el wáhesh” by the Arabs. (The name
“Nimádi,” is probably not the real name of these people.) You sleep four
nights in the open country.
22nd. Kabúde, a well with temporary settlers. Pass two nights in the
open country without a dwelling.
26th. Mú-sáweli, a considerable place of Bághena. You pass on your march
several other places, the names of which informant does not remember.
27th. Dúguní, a middle-sized town.
28th. Debámpa, a large town of Bághena. All the houses are built of
clay.
29th. Toróngu, another place of importance.
30th. Tíndi, a small town about seven days N.W. from Kolí, another town
of Bághena. Tíndi is inhabited by Aswánek or Swanínki.
31st. Khat e’ dem, a temporary dwelling-place of Arabs belonging to the
tribes of the Welád Mohammed, the Funti, and the Henún, with the Sheikh
Mohammed Fádhel, son of the protector Mukhtár. All the dwellings consist
of tents of camels’ hair. Khat e’ dem forms the beginning of the
district called El Hódh.
33rd. Tokko, a large pool of stagnant water, round which there is an
encampment of Arabs.
35th. Derís, a dwelling-place of the “White Arabs,” as my informant
calls them. Many tribes are wandering hereabouts; but almost all the
towns are at present in the hands of the Fúlbe or Fullán. Nʿamá, the
small town mentioned above as having been built by the Shurfa, is three
days E. a little N. from Derís.
37th. Nwal, a well with an encampment of Arabs.
42nd. Tádirt, a well with tents of the same.
47th. Líbe, a well of the same character.
50th. Mesíla, a spring of running water at the foot of the Kódia which
surrounds El Hódh. The water of Mesíla is said to run towards the south.
N.B. It must be borne in mind in laying down this route that my
informant, a Púllo, wished to avoid the seats of the Welád Mebárek, and
therefore followed in his generally northerly direction a very
roundabout way.
56th. Afúlle, or rather an open Arab village in the district so named,
the mountainous country having been entered on the fifty-second day.
Afúlle borders on Kaarta, and its eastern part is inhabited by Bámbara,
but the northern portion is inhabited by the following Arab tribes: the
Fáta, the Welád e’ Násr, the Elkwézi, or Lighwézi, the Askír, the Welád
Bóde, and by two tribes of Zuwaye or Merábetín, viz. the Tenwaijió and
the Lághelél. Some of the divisions of these tribes are settled in the
mountains, while others live in the plain called El Khénashísh, rich in
pasture-grounds, between which and the mountains there is a small town
called Túgguba.
59th. Tiñírgi, a well with Arab settlers. Country mountainous.
62nd. Úmmat el adhám, a well. The last three days no water is found
along the road, while in general, even in the tract intervening between
two stations marked by my informant, watering-places are occasionally
met with.
67th. Kawál, a lively spring of water. Country mountainous.
73rd. Túgguba, an open village inhabited by Arabs. Many springs in the
mountains.
76th. Waya, another Arab village.
78th. Meshíla, called by my informant “rás el Fúta,” as the beginning of
Fúta (at least in former times).