Projected Departure for Damerghou--False Start--Picturesque
Caravan--Sultan's Views of White Skins--My Birthday--The Sultan fights
his Battles over again--His Opinion of Women--Bragging--The Razzia on
the Fadeea--Political News in the Desert--Cold Weather--Continue our
Journey--Bornouese Fighis--Tin-Tagannu--Trap for a Lion--Mousa's
Camels--A further Delay--Jackals and the Fire--Language of
Signs--Tintalousian Coquettes--Departure of the Zinder Caravan--Natural
Features--Languages--The Kilgris--Killing Lice--The Razzia to the
North--Present of a Draught-board--Pagan Nations--Favourable Reports.
_Nov. 2d._--As this was the day fixed for our departure for Damerghou,
it may well be imagined that we looked forward to it with some anxiety.
Our delay in the neighbourhood of Tintalous had been unexpectedly long,
and at times even the idea had crossed our minds that we should never be
allowed to depart at all. Often we had desired to start alone; but had
been withheld by our own prudence, as well as by the representations of
our host, the venerable Sheikh of Tintalous. We had come by degrees
scarcely to believe in the possibility of an advance, and to consider
ourselves as the prisoners of circumstances in this advanced part of the
Sahara, touching on the very borders of Central Africa. Now, however, we
saw, by the bustle of preparation in the town, that, whether the
salt-caravan arrived or not, we were to press forward. All night the
town was in a bustle. We rose before sunrise, to complete what packing
we had to do, and saw Jupiter and the moon in positions nearly
resembling the Ottoman device. It was windy all yesterday and this
morning, with a considerable degree of cold.
To my astonishment when we had taken leave of Tintalous, we pitched tent
after half an hour's journey. This was done, however, for a twofold
reason: 1st, to see that all was right, and that we had left nothing
behind; and 2d, to buy ghaseb,--a supply having arrived from Asoudee
just in time for us to carry with us. Never was there a more picturesque
caravan. Ladies on bullocks, children and women on donkeys, warriors on
maharees, merchants on camels, the Sultan's horse harnessed going alone,
and following steadily; goats and their kids, sheep, foals of camels,
&c. running or straggling along! When we had pitched tent in the valley,
still in sight of Tintalous, En-Noor paid us a visit, and vouchsafed to
explain the reasons of our delay. His highness also related several
interesting things of Aghadez. The Sultan of that place, he says, is a
descendant of one of three brothers, Shereefs, who ruled in Africa over
the negro and other races. The eldest brother was Sultan of the West
(Morocco); the next was Sultan of Bornou; and the third and youngest was
Sultan of Aghadez in remote times. But how remote, it is impossible for
En-Noor to tell, and, of course, for me to relate. I was much amazed by
the predilection of En-Noor (who is not absolutely a white man) for
black people. He praised Overweg, because he was getting brown and
black. As for me, his highness was almost inclined to express his
disgust for the whiteness of my skin. Unfortunately, I happen to be what
the people call in England "very fair," except in those parts of my skin
which come in direct contact with the sun. I spent the day in compiling
a Haussa vocabulary, and hope to make considerable progress by the time
we arrive in Damerghou.
_3d._--This was my birthday, but of course it was unkept, and, indeed,
almost unthought of until it was past.
En-Noor again visited us, and drank with us coffee. His highness is
getting quite attached to my tent, and swears that when I return to my
country I must become a great man, and be made, like himself, a governor
or sultan of some country. Shall I say, Inshallah? I asked Yusuf to
explain why the Sultan thought so, and I could only learn that it was
the opinion which his highness had formed from my general conduct.
Being in a very happy humour to-day, the Sultan related many things of
his youth; his exploits, of course, which all men relate, and which I
shall likewise do, I imagine, if I live to be old. Showing us his
withered fleshless arms, and taking hold of his armlets, he observed:
"The time was when these armlets could not slip off. Now, see how easily
they come away." He then abused me for my leanness, and admired the
Taleb (Overweg), because he had more flesh on his bones. His highness
also stated that he and a single man went to Damerghou and back in
thirteen days, bringing a caravan of ghaseb. They never stopped on the
road, but travelled day and night. This garrulous gentleman also
declared he was the maker of his own fortunes--that he would not receive
anything from his father. When he was young, he would take no person's
advice; he did everything himself and from himself: but on the death of
his father he always kept to his post as Sheikh of Tintalous, and Sultan
of two towns in Soudan. He never moved this way or that way. Thus he has
remained to a good old age, respected and venerated by all, whilst all
his compeers have disappeared--not one remaining. He looks around for
the friends and companions of his youth, and finds not one--they are all
gone! Even now he allows no one in Asben to be greater than himself.
Even if a Sultan presumes to lord it over him, he (En-Noor) at once
knocks him down, and he is no longer Sultan in Asben. He remains,
however, friends with all if he can. He never takes notice of anything
which is not done under his own eyes; but when he sees a bad thing
committed, he then acts--killing the wicked people, if necessary.
The opinion of his highness of women does not flatter the ladies. He
recommended us never to listen to the advice of our wives; if we did, we
should be lost. The women were very well to fetch water, pound ghaseb,
and cook the supper, but for nothing else. He never, himself, paid any
attention to what they said; they were awful talkers. His highness here
touched on a tender point; for, as the reader remembers, he has been
beating one of his wives shamefully lately, because he pretended he was
alarmed at her continual talking--bewildered by the length of her
tongue! Proceeding in his confessions, the Sultan next related wonderful
stories of a wonderful maharee which he had in his youth. With this
maharee he rode to Aghadez in one day. With this maharee he chased, and
run down, and won gazelles, and then cooked and ate them, &c. Glorious
old fellow! Our Tanelkum Mousa, however, afterwards observed, that this
was _kitheb_, "a lie;" but that he knew a woman who could catch
gazelles. Many other things of equal interest his highness related, and
then left us in a good humour.
Two of our camels strayed this evening. En-Noor's people soon brought
them back. Our servants are very careless, and all our mishaps are a
profit to the Kailouees. We have still, however, two camels lost, and, I
imagine, shall not now recover them. But I was glad to hear the news
that the Sultan of Asoudee was successfully chastising all the people
who on the road attacked us. He had punished the people of Azaghar and
of Seloufeeat, even the son of Haj Bashaw; and the Haj himself, who was
said to be our friend, because he did not look after his son. The Sultan
acts quite according to my opinion, making all the principal people of
Seloufeeat and other places responsible for the conduct of the poorer
and lower classes. It is said that the Fadeea have fled; but others say
that they have been captured, and all our property which could be found
seized in the name of the Sultan of Asoudee. All the steps taken by this
Sultan have been directed, more or less, by En-Noor. He can muster, it
is said, two thousand warriors--for every able-bodied man fights in this
country. This expedition may be useful for future travellers from
Europe, but I fear we shall get back none of our property.
As a specimen of the political news strained through the brains of the
people of Tuat, I may mention that the Tuatee, recently arrived here,
reports that "the King of the Frenchmen has run away to England, and
carried with him all the money of the French," and, moreover, that "as
the French conquered Algiers by distributing large dollars to every one,
and hold it by the same means, the French now having no money, must soon
relinquish Algiers again to the hands of the Muslims."
_4th._--The weather is getting colder and colder. The last few days have
been quite chilly, with a strong wind blowing from the east. This
morning it was quite uncomfortable, the thermometer having fallen for
the first time to 60 deg. at sunset. We started early, and made seven hours
in a south-eastern direction. It was a nice ride; but as the day
advanced we got much sunburnt. After three hours we passed on the left
the little village Zouazgher. The caravan showed again very
picturesquely, the burdens tumbling off from the donkeys in the most
delightful confusion, and the girls squalling for help. I ate on the
road some Soudan dates, as they are called by the Arabs, and found them
pleasant--a sort of bitter sweet. The name of the tree and of the fruit
is, in Bornou, _bitu_. In Haussa the tree has two names, _aduwa_ and
_tinku_. Our course to day was up a fine valley, down which the water in
the rainy season runs from east to west. There was abundance of trees
and herbage. At this place, however, lions abound, and last night a
camel was eaten by them. We encamped opposite a mountain, rising pretty
high in sugar-loaf shape, called Adudai. Over the carcase of the camel
hovered a small flock of eagles.
A Bornouee fighi, called Mustapha, from the country Malamdi, west of
Kuka, tells us he has been six months at Aghadez. According to him, the
route from Aghadez to Timbuctoo is one month. It is open, and not
dangerous. En-Noor, indeed, promised to send any of us by that route if
we wished. There are few people on the route, and if you pay them a
little money you pass unmolested. This Bornouese fighi is not equal to
his brethren whom I saw in Tintalous. But I learnt from this itinerant
pedagogue the interesting fact, that there are a great number of persons
of his profession, all from Bornou, travelling about in Aheer. Light,
therefore, is springing up from the interior, and spreading to the coast
in an opposite direction to what it did in former times.
_5th._--Warmer weather greeted us this morning. We stay here to-day. The
place is called Tin-Tagannu, and is a large wady, full of herbage and
trees. It is inhabited by a few shepherds. This place is said to have
been the first of the inhabited localities in Aheer, although now
shepherds only drive their flocks there; so that spots of earth have
their seasons and fortunes in the Sahara as elsewhere. By the way, I
must continue to call this Sahara. Although there are periodic rains, we
are still without the influences of the Soudan climate, which begins at
Damerghou and Zinder. At the present season no country can be more
healthy than these Asbenouee valleys. I hear that nearly all the women,
as well as the men, have left Tintalous, so that the town is a perfect
desert. En-Noor has brought his wives and daughters, and our caravan is
like the migration of the whole of the town going in quest of a new
country.
A trap was set last night for the lion, but the king of beasts was too
wise to be caught. En-Noor borrowed a gun of us to make this trap, which
was of the following description. It was expected that the lion would
come again to the carcase of the camel; so a hedge of thorns was made
round the carcase with one opening, where was placed the muzzle of the
gun, with a large piece of meat tied to the trigger, so that when he
seized the meat he might fire off the deadly weapon against himself.
This is a fine place for doves, and Overweg shot half a dozen to-day.
Our Tanelkum, Mousa, informs us of the right way of tending camels. They
ought never to be tied, but allowed to roam at large. They require also
to be led through the best valleys, being so far helpless in finding a
good grazing-place for themselves. He showed us his camels, comparing
them with ours. And certainly ours, which had their legs tied and were
not guided to good herbage, could not bear comparison. But, of course,
the business, the support, the riches of Mousa, are his camels. They
occupy all his thoughts, and would appear, to a stranger, to be the end
of his existence.
_6th._--This morning at sunrise the thermometer was as low as 52 deg.
Fahrenheit. We shivered with cold.
Dr. Barth arrived early by way of Tintalous. He confirms the news that
the Sultans of Aghadez and Asoudee have completely chastised all those
tribes who stopped us on the road and levied black mail on us.
En-Noor paid us a visit in the morning. After shaking us all in a very
friendly manner by the hands, he expressed his regret that he could not
go with us now to Zinder. The country was not tranquil, and the people
would not consent to his going; but if we wished to proceed immediately
with his principal slave, Zangheema, he assured us we should go safely.
He then left us to reflect upon what we would do. We decided, without a
dissentient voice, that we could not venture to go with Zangheema, and
that we must wait for En-Noor, be the time ever so long. We forwarded
this decision to his highness, who seemed to receive it with
satisfaction. His wife sent us word, "To be sure not to go without her
husband;" a piece of advice from a lady we are anxious most religiously
to respect. Dr. Overweg made an application, through Daubala and Yusuf,
to go to the salt-mines of Bilma with the Kailouees. But either the
applicants betrayed the thing, or En-Noor was unwilling to grant
permission. Our friend, therefore, is disappointed of this most
interesting geological excursion.
We are to remove a little further to the west, to a valley more
convenient than this for pitching tents, and under some shelter. We
still hope we shall not be obliged to await the return of the
salt-caravan from Bilma (that is, a month, or forty days) before we
start. Probably, when good news comes from the camp in the west we shall
go on. It will be a sad trial for our patience to wait so long, after
having already dallied more than two months in Tintalous.
_7th._--The thermometer at sunrise stood at 51 deg.--very cold. There are no
signs yet of Zangheema's starting to Damerghou. The people, when sitting
over the fire in the evening, relate jocosely that the jackals, not
being able to come near the flame, and nevertheless feeling the cold
very much, hold up their fore-paws, in a sitting or squatting position,
in imitation of men, towards the fire, be they at ever so great a
distance, and so screw up their imaginations to the belief that they are
warming themselves. The language of gesticulation and signs, by the
movement of different parts of the body, is quite a study in this part
of the world. The most singular gesticulation, and yet the most
significant, is that by which a person begs a thing. He holds the object
in one hand (the left) before the owner, then gives the right hand and
arm a swing round, and at last places the right hand to his bosom--the
meaning of all which is, that he seeks to ascertain if the owner has any
other article of the same description as that which he holds in his left
hand, and whether he is willing to give it to him. When a Kailouee says
a thing is good, he puts the forefinger of his right hand into the
clasped palm of his left, and so, as he pronounces the thing good,
_nagari_, he turns his imprisoned finger round within the closed left
hand. When he says there are many persons, he clasps together the
fingers of his left hand, and forms a good English fist, holding the
hand thumb upwards. He then strikes, with the palm of his right hand,
the fist of his left hand, held in that particular position. This sign
also represents a more indelicate idea, and is used in the same way on
the coast.
The women, from the shepherdess to the princess, of Tintalous, are as
fond of the bustle as European dames; but the important difference is,
it is the natural bustle which they here delight to exhibit to the
admiring male population. If a woman be called to, going off to the well
for water, she does not turn round to see who is calling, but
immediately draws her frock tight round her form, and imparts to it a
most agitated and unnatural swinging motion, to the great satisfaction
of the admiring lookers-on. Thus we see how the coquettes of London and
Paris meet at opposite poles with these of the Sahara and Central
Africa.
Additional applications were made to En-Noor by my colleagues, to go
respectively to Bilma and to Zinder--Dr. Barth wishing to go on with
Zangheema--but without effect. The old Sheikh remained firm in his
refusals: Zangheema, however, was the first to start objections to
Barth's accompanying him. As to Overweg, we think he lost his
opportunity by not treating directly with En-Noor, instead of Hamma his
son-in-law. His highness will do nothing extra for us unless paid.
_8th._--We rose early, and found a large portion of the caravan destined
for Zinder already gone. This is very tiresome to see the people
starting with whom you were to have gone, and to know that you have
still thirty or forty days to wait; and as for expenses, living at
almost as dear a rate as in Tripoli. Our boat has gone with the caravan.
Hereabouts grow a great quantity of wild water-melons, _delaaah_. They
are very small and bitter, but the people, nevertheless, eat them
occasionally. If cultivated they would, of course, soon yield an
excellent supply. Barth represents the road between this and Aghadez as
very woody, and also that the country is everywhere mountainous. Baghzem
is not high, but is, nevertheless, a very large mountain, seen several
days' journey. The high plains without water are also covered with
trees. I hear, also, that the road between this and Damerghou is
exceedingly woody, and the trees of "the scratching or rending
description," like the tholukh. Aheer also abounds in senna.
Yusuf says that all the people of Soudan are red, with the exception of
the inhabitants of Tesaoua, Kanou, Kashna, and Maradee.
Barth represents Gouber as stronger than ever, and united in alliance
with Maradee against the Sultan of Sakkatou. He has written all the
towns. Gouber appears amongst the towns described by Leo Africanus.
_9th._--This morning En-Noor paid us a visit, to tell us to move after
him in the wady near, under the shade of the trees. His highness was
very polite and friendly, as he has now been for some time past.
The weather continues cold--thermometer, 49 deg. at sunrise in the air. This
cold weather ought to strengthen or restore our health. It certainly
would do us good, much good, if we could get meat and soups.
I sent on our boat yesterday to Zinder, with three of our servants,
together with some other heavy baggage. I was occupied to-day in
compiling the Haussa dictionary. Kashna is represented to be the
fountain of the Haussa language, the Florence of Soudan. Kanou is a
place of foreigners, and the language of the city must be much
corrupted. According to En-Noor, _Kal_, in the names _Kal_fadai,
_Kal_tadak, _Kil_gris, and _Kail_ouee, signifies _country_. There are to
be added to the zoology of this country the monkey and the _mohur_, or
fine large gazelle, as large as a deer, called in Haussa _maraia_.
We already find great differences in the pronunciation of the Haussa
language, but especially in the following letters:--_sh_ is confounded
with _ch_ or _tch_, _l_ with _r_, and _r_ with _l_, _o_ with _u_, &c.
Letters are also frequently unnecessarily doubled. These differences,
however, will never much affect the conversation, when the parties are
well agreed upon what subject they are conversing.
_10th._--This morning we are removing to the shade of the trees, near
En-Noor. Dr. Barth describes the Kilgris as very fine, tall men, and
much lighter in complexion than the Kailouees: they dress very simply,
having only the black turkadee on their heads, having neither a bakin
zakee under it, nor any white shash, or fotah, to wind upon it, in the
fashion of the Kailouees. They are, like all these tribes, very proud,
and nourish a deadly enmity towards the Kailouees, of whom they take
precedence in Aghadez. Barth gave away a black-lead pencil in Aghadez,
and afterwards everybody came to ask him for one. A person got one
pencil, and begged another, saying, "the two would last him his whole
life."
_11th._--The weather is increasingly cold in the morning; three-quarters
of an hour after sunrise the thermometer was 45 deg. in open air.
His highness vouchsafed this day to sleep in my tent, and yesterday he
did the Germans the honour of slaughtering lice in theirs. It is a grand
piece of etiquette in this country, that every man has the privilege of
murdering his own lice. If you pick a louse off a man's sleeve, you must
deliver it up instantly to him to be murdered, as his undoubted right
and privilege.
The Sultan of Aghadez has returned from his razzia against the people of
Seloufeeat, of Azgher, and the Kalfadai. Those whom he caught he
chastised: but most of the Fadeea fled. I register these varying
reports, because they show the state of uncertainty in which we were
always kept, now hearing one thing, now another. But the true state of
the case seems to be, that though the great Koku of Aghadez did take the
field for a razzia, the actual operations were conducted by the Sultan
of Asoudee. It must be remembered, however, that with their maharees
these desert-princes can march to and fro with surprising rapidity, and
that rumour finds it difficult to follow their footsteps. En-Noor now
thinks the country sufficiently tranquil to move on two days further. He
says he shall do so in the course of fifteen days.
_12th._--His highness paid me a visit as usual, and I gave him a box
containing a looking-glass, with a lid, on which is painted a
draught-board, for the wife of his highness, who recommended us not to
leave En-Noor, but continue with him until he carried us safely to
Zinder. His highness expressed great satisfaction for the present; and
when I told him to take care it was not broken, he observed: "I will
take especial care of this thing, because there is none like it in this
country, and it cannot be repaired." He told us also that his ladies
could play at draughts. I gave him, besides, a piece of green silk for a
shade for his eyes. He went off immediately, gratified with these little
presents.
The weather is very pleasant for the study of languages, but the days
are too short and the nights are too long. Nevertheless, I sleep nearly
all night this cold weather.
_13th._--Thermometer at sunrise in the open air was 41 deg. 30' Fahr., so
that the cold increases, this being the lowest which I have yet taken.
The Germans have had a deal of trouble with Mohammed of Tunis; they
would send him back, but there is no opportunity of doing so.
Maguzawa and Azna are the names of the pagan nations of Soudan, denoting
the same people, and not different races. The names answer to the word
_Kurdi_, in Bornou. These pagans say, in derision of the Muslims, when
it rains, "Allah must have a large belly," that so much water falls from
him.
En-Noor describes pagans of Maradee drinking large quantities of _gia_
(beer, or fermented liquor).
This evening a Gadamsee arrived at the tents, bringing two or three
slaves from Damerghou. He says the news of our arrival had already
reached Damerghou--that it was reported there that the Sultan of Aghadez
had given Barth a black tobe; not, by any means, a bad rumour. He sends
his slaves to Ghat from this place, and returns immediately to
Damerghou, taking letters for us to Zinder.