Medicine for Bad Eyes--A summary Proceeding--News from the
Salt-Caravan--Towns and Villages of Tesaoua--Earthquakes--Presents for
the Sultan of Maradee--Yusuf's Insolence--English Money in Aheer--A
Razzia on the Holy City--Bornouese Studies--Gipsies of Soudan--En-Noor
and the Marabouts--Ghaseb--State of the Weather--Calculations for the
Future--Senna--Relations of Man and Wife in Aheer--En-Noor in his
Family--Gouber and Maradee--Beer-drinking--Study of the Sau--Shara--The
Oulimad--Lions--Translating Jokes--Digging a Well--Projects.
_Nov. 14th._--I wrote this morning, by the slaves going to Ghat, to Mr.
Bidwell and my wife. En-Noor paid us a visit in the afternoon, and was
exceedingly civil. He promises me letters for Sakkatou, and to forward
Overweg to Maradee.
Our servant shot a large vulture to-day. En-Noor having bad eyes,
ordered the eyes of this bird of prey to be scooped out for a medicine.
This is not the first time that I have heard of the various parts of
animals being eaten, or otherwise used, to cure or strengthen the
corresponding parts in human beings. It seems to be an idea natural to
people in a rude or semi-barbarous state.
En-Noor related a pretty anecdote of himself and his younger days in our
tent to-day. After saying, that formerly the Asbenouee people were the
only folks considered bad in these parts, he observed, that now he
himself and the Asbenouee were certainly much improved in their manners
and dispositions; "for," added he, "there were once four fighis
(charm-writers) who employed people to speak against me, and bring me
into disrepute. What did I do? I called them to me, gave them fine
presents of burnouses and a great supper, with an apartment in which to
pass the night. But when they were fast asleep I dug a large hole,
fetched them all out of the room, killed them, and covered them up in
the hole. Now, however," continued his highness, "we do not go so far as
this, but content ourselves with taking away an enemy's camels."
_15th._--Weather cold this morning. Thermometer at sunrise, 43 deg.. I hang
the thermometer on the tent-ropes, just outside, at about a foot from
the ground.
Hamma (son-in-law of En-Noor) returned this morning from the
salt-caravan. He marked on the sand that the caravan would be
thirty-five days before it returned; so, I imagine, we have still from
this time some thirty days to wait here. He left the caravan on its
entering the Hamadah, between this and Bilma.
TOWNS AND VILLAGES OF TESAOUA.
(_From Amankee's relation._)
1. Tesaoua: people 1400; residence of the governor. Two large wells and
one small one.
2. Harmaua: 500. A little water.
3. Ungua Korna: 400. One well, much water.
4. Haidaua: 500. One well, and much water.
5. Nuwala: 500 or 600. No water; but only half an hour from Haidaua.
6. Nachira: 800, scattered about in small groups. Much water.
7. Ungua-guka: 500. One well.
8. Ungua-tallai: 400. Much water.
9. Gindaua: 1000. Large wells; few trees.
10. Saulawa: 40 or 50.
The capital and nearly all this country is full of trees. Not a stone is
to be seen, and the soil is sandy.
The Sultan, or Governor of Tesaoua, is subject to the sovereign of
Maradee, who is the only independent black prince in this part of
Africa. The inhabitants are mixed, pagans and Muslims, but these last
are not bigoted.
En-Noor visited us this evening, and I asked him if he recollected
earthquakes in this country. The old Sheikh emphatically replied,
_Babo_, "There are none."
_16th._--Barth has picked up a good many words in Aghadez, mostly
correct.
_17th._--It was colder this morning, although yesterday was very
pleasant. Thermometer at sunrise, 41 deg..
It is expected that we shall still remain here thirty days, which time,
if divided half between Haussa and half between Bornouee, will help me
on in these languages, the principal of the interior of Africa. Mohammed
Tunisee is now the servant of Barth alone. Overweg has given him up.
Yesterday morning I gave Overweg the presents for the Sultan of Maradee,
to whom he intends to go on a mission, in the same way as Barth went to
Aghadez. The presents consist of a fine burnouse, a fine shasheeah (five
mahboubs), two pieces of coloured cotton cloth, two heads of white
sugar, knives, scissors, cinnamon, looking-glasses, beads, &c. I hope he
will not return without bringing back the treaty signed. He is also to
make some arrangement for the establishment of the missionaries in
Maradee.
To-day we had prayers in Overweg's tent. I read several short prayers
from the Church of England prayer-book, and also the Gospel and Epistle
for the Sunday.
_18th._--Yesterday evening it was cloudy, and the moon had, for several
hours, an immense elliptical ring round it--a common phenomenon in the
northern Sahara.
To-day Yusuf got up in a rage, and threw down his writing, because I
told him he did not take pains to obtain from the people the several
meanings of the words. This has been the case for most of the time we
have been occupied with the vocabulary. I have therefore left him to
himself, since he insulted me in this manner before the servants, and I
fear I cannot trust myself to go with him to Sakkatou. It is a great
inconvenience, but I must search for a kateb (writer) at Zinder. There
are many poor men of this profession in Bornou, and very faithful
people.
_19th._--His highness En-Noor continues to visit us. Yesterday I gave
him an English silver fourpenny piece, an English farthing, and a small
French silver coin, with all of which he was greatly delighted. He
summed up their value in wada; fifty wadas are an English penny. He
admired her majesty's face on the silver fourpence; but his shadow, the
man who generally comes with him, said,--"Oh, no, the face of the woman
for a Sultan is not good. _This_ is good," pointing to the head of Louis
Philippe.
The news came yesterday evening that a razzia had just been made on
Tintaghoda, the assailants carrying away everything before them, and the
inhabitants of the town fleeing to the mountains. This razzia was made
by the people whom the Sultan of Aghadez has lately punished for the
depredations committed on us and other caravans on the road. When this
took place there were a few people at Tintalous, who, on hearing the
news, came off immediately to us after En-Noor, so that now there does
not remain a single inhabitant in the village. The people of the razzia
were much disappointed at finding no more camels, all those of the
villages hereabouts, and indeed through all Aheer, being gone to fetch
salt from Bilma. They wished to make up the number of camels which the
Sultan of Aghadez took away from them. Of course, when the salt-caravan
returns, an effort will be made to avenge this insult on the holy city
of Aheer--this profanation of the abode of marabouts! It is singular,
nevertheless, that only a year ago some neighbouring tribes, thinking
these holy men had too much wealth, carried off a large number of their
camels. This is the much-vaunted place amongst the credulous Moorish
merchants of the coast, where theft and robbery are unknown!
_21st._--A foggy _November_ morning! But this change of the atmosphere
is very rare, and soon passes away. It is amazing how steady the seasons
are, and how they roll, each bringing its accustomed weather and tunes.
Yesterday I began my Bornou studies, not knowing whether I shall go
first to Bornou or Soudan. I intend, if my health be preserved, to make
a dictionary of the Bornou and Soudan languages together, for the sake
of commerce and general information. I hope Government will print it, or
if not Government, the Philological Society.
_Abizgen_ is a fruit which abounds in Aheer. It is half the size of
small currants, and has not a disagreeable taste--a sort of bitter-sweet
clammy taste. This fruit may be called Aheer currants.
In the neighbourhood of our encampment have been seen gazelles,
ostriches, and monkeys, in considerable numbers.
_22d._--En-Noor went off yesterday morning early, to visit a great
marabout in the neighbourhood. This will enable us to apply ourselves
closely to the languages, all day long. Occupied as I am with Soudanese
and Bornouese, all the days fly away swifter than arrows shot by the
most expert archers. En-Noor is expected to return in the course of four
or five days. We have now all the village of Tintalous with us. It is
Tintalous encamped out in the valley.
_23d._--The orient sky flamed this morning with a pure yellow flame,
amidst a somewhat murky atmosphere.
Most of the people have a fire all night. In the morning they cower over
it like inhabitants of the poles. Of course we as well as they, having
been baked in the summer's sun, now feel the cold most acutely.
There is a species of people scattered through Soudan which correspond
to our gipsies, called Maguzawa (sing. Bamaguzai). These are
essentially a merry, care-nothing people, always half tipsy, and always
full of fun. They, however, work a little in agriculture; differing from
our gipsies, who are little more than itinerant tinkers. A boy was shown
to me to-day, whom his parents had christened _Butu_, "worthless." It is
related that his mother had many children before him, all of whom died,
and when he came into the world the people or neighbours all cried,
"_Butu! Butu!_" i.e. "He will come to nothing." Then, it is added, "God
seeing the people gave him a bad name, determined in compassion to
preserve his life, and so his life was preserved to this day."
En-Noor returned this evening from his visit to the marabout.--It is my
intention to send home fifty thousand African words for this expedition.
What future expeditions may do, if my life be spared, I cannot tell. I
speak for this. I imagine I have already sent to the Foreign Office six
thousand. I shall have five thousand, I hope, by the time I get to
Zinder--three of Soudanese, and two of Bornouese. I must try to get a
few words of the Aghadez language. These I can get, probably, at
Sakkatou. I must have another writer, or fighi. My present Bornouese
fighi is a very poor fellow.
_24th._--The Sunday soon came again, with the study of languages. Now
the time of our waiting here does not appear to be long enough. I have a
commercial dictionary to make.
En-Noor came to us after his return from his visit to his marabout
friend. He says of the late razzia at Tintaghoda, that the marabouts of
that town brought it all upon themselves, being the first to begin to
countenance attacks upon caravans (that is, ours). He does not pity
them; he does not care for them; and, he added, "They have now lost all
their reputation amongst the people." The fact is, when we came the
marabouts did not know what course to take, whether to attack us or to
receive us; so they chose the former, in their blinded judgment, and
brought all this evil upon their heads.
The Fadeea, or Kalfadai, have decamped with their booty and their
families to the Hagar, beyond the reach of recapture or revenge.
A scorpion was found in my tent to-day, running across the sandy floor.
We look upon them now as nearly harmless, whilst the cold weather has
deprived them of all force.
_25th._--Occupied with the languages. Time passes quickly.
_26th._--Began the Bornou grammar.
_27th._--A visit from En-Noor. He put on one of my gloves, and was much
amused with it. He held out his hand, and put it on the face of his
courtiers--showing fight. It was very white, which gave him occasion to
pass to my skin, and pity my being so white. I made several useful
remarks on Haussa grammar, and begin to understand the genius of the
language.
A caravan of ghaseb has arrived from Damerghou, by which we learn that
the Sfaxee and Fezzan merchants are arrived in that country. We have
been trying to buy ghaseb of the people, or of En-Noor; but it appears
we were too late, for it is said to be all gone. The dollars are worth
only 1750 wadas here, whilst in Kanou they pass for 2500. Every article
is depreciated in value in Aheer, because food is scarce. We have,
however, managed to purchase a bullock--a great beast.
_28th._--I did not feel so well after the meat-eating; we have had so
little of it, and so seldom, that a little extra quite upsets me, and
the gnawing it makes all my teeth bleed. Thermometer, 50 deg.. The weather
has changed to mistiness, haziness. It is now reported that we still
remain here twenty-five days longer, the caravan arriving only in twenty
days, and five being allowed to rest the camels. So we have time enough
for the Haussa and Bornou languages. I wish to master the grammar of
each, so as to superintend some translation of the Scriptures.
_29th._--The weather is still hazy, and warmer; but whilst it is warmer
in the morning it is cooler in the mid-day, on account of the clouds and
haze. Half an hour after sunrise, thermometer 56 deg..
En-Noor says we shall start in seventeen days, but ten days more or less
for these people are nothing. Our courier for the money has just been
gone thirty-three days. If, happily, he arrive to day, he will save a
week of the Shantah from Mourzuk to Tripoli. If we remain here now
twenty-five days, and are thirty-five days more before we arrive at
Zinder, that will be sixty days. I shall then have only twenty days more
to wait till the expiration of the four months, when I may expect the
courier to return. Thus I hope to have the money to pay the Sfaxee
before I go to Sakkatou. But, alas! such calculations are extremely
uncertain, and we cannot tell what a day may bring forth. For our
support and safety we must repose firmly in the goodness of an Almighty
Providence.
_Nov. 30th to Dec. 3d._--The weather has been mild these last few days;
this morning, half an hour after sunrise, thermometer 51 deg..
En-Noor has been to pay a visit to the Sultan of Asoudee, meeting him at
some neighbouring village. There was a council respecting the affairs of
the tribe of the Iteesan, who are fighting amongst themselves; but no
news has transpired since his return. The old sheikh is in good health
and spirits, which he attributes partly to drinking my coffee twice and
thrice a-day. He says we shall leave here in the course of twelve days.
Senna is grown, or rather collected, in all the districts of Aheer; but
it is cheap now, and does not fetch the price in Tripoli which it
formerly did; many other as suitable purgatives being found in Europe, I
suppose. Senna is, besides, procured from the district of the Tibboos of
Bilma, and some of this is still sent to Tripoli. Bornou has also much
senna, but it does not pay the expense of forwarding it to Tripoli.
The relations of man and wife in Aheer are curious, if not
extraordinary. A woman never leaves the home of her father! When a man
marries a woman, he remains with her a few weeks, and then, if he will
not take up his residence in the town or village of his wife, he must
return to his own place without her. When a man sees a woman who pleases
him, he offers the parents a price for her--say, four camels. If the
parents agree that the price is adequate to the charms or the rank of
their daughter, the bargain is concluded. These four camels remain
always the property of the wife, with which she supports herself,
sending them to Soudan or to Bilma, fetching ghaseb or salt. Many of the
women have a large property obtained in this way. When their husbands
visit them, they give them something to eat, and they remain a few days
or weeks; and again depart to their own native towns, leaving the wife
with her property, and any chance lover. But the men marry two or three
wives, and so are constantly in motion, first going to visit one wife
and then another. Thus the male population of this country is kept in a
continually restless state of activity--roaming about here and there,
marrying another and another wife, if their means will permit them. The
women, of course, left in this way, and unrestrained by any high moral
motives, take as many lovers as they dare, or can secretly dispose of.
It appears that En-Noor always disapproved of this strange system, and
swore he would never marry a wife, because he should be obliged to go to
another town to reside there, and so be exposed to having an inferior
position, the authorities of the town of his wife pretending to exercise
jurisdiction over him. All his women have ever been slaves. His highness
is now living amidst his daughters and their children--the men who
married them being all away in their own native countries. A daughter of
En-Noor costs ten camels, and this is considered a very high price for a
woman. With two or three camels, a woman manages to support herself and
children. If the husbands of En-Noor's daughters be ever so poor, he
never gives them anything but a little food. They must come and reside
in his town. His highness passes all his evenings amidst this circle of
women--his female slaves, his daughters, and granddaughters.
The population of Gouber and Maradee together may be about 1500.
_Maradee_, capital of Maradee, and residence of the Siriki.
_Jinubakai_ is the second division of the country, inhabited wholly by
the pagans or gia-drinkers (beer-drinkers); not, therefore, Mahometans.
_Gouber_ (Gubar), is the name of the country, of which the capital and
residence of the sultan is _Chibri_. This country consists of a large
city (Chibri), and several small villages, some fifty or sixty; two are
here mentioned, Gomer and Sanna.
These two countries of Gouber and Maradee are now in alliance against
the Sultan of Sakkatou, i.e. of the Fellatahs, and mutually inflict
razzias upon one another. Tesaoua is in close connexion with these
ancient Kohlan countries, and is, indeed, a province of Maradee. There
are mixed up with the population a number of people, emigrants from
Aheer, called Buzai; but these Aheer Tuaricks have lost both their
language and nationality, retaining merely the name, to denote their
origin. So, in all probability, were more people and of other countries
to emigrate to Soudan, they would soon become Soudanee, and lose their
nationality. In these countries of Soudan above-mentioned, Mahommedanism
has been but lately professed. But the great distinguishing mark between
paganism and Mahommedanism appears to be the drinking or not drinking
gia, the latter being the people who of course abstain from this
intoxicating beverage.
Overweg says, that within three-quarters of an hour's walk are found
hereabout granite, sandstone, and basalt, a variety of stones somewhat
remarkable.
The study of _sau_, "footsteps" of men and animals, is quite a science
in this part of the world. The Fezzanee are reckoned the most expert in
this knowledge; they are said to be able to distinguish the footsteps of
people when printed upon the trunk of a palm, the print-step being made
by dipping the feet in water! As to animals, the people observe near the
neighbouring rocks the sau of the lion--a very deep, heavy impression of
his five claws, of the monkey, the hare, the gazelle, the fox, the
jackal, the hyaena, the mouse, &c. &c. Indeed, we appear to be
surrounded with animals; and in the morning I found the sau of the dog,
the cat, the hare, and the mouse, on the sandy floor of my tent. It is
my intention, before I leave Africa, to draw the forms of the footsteps
of the more remarkable animals. _Inshallah!_
_4th._--Visit from his highness the Sheikh every day. He is now kind
enough to send me every morning--at the suggestion of his principal
wife--a small can of milk, which, besides the value of the milk itself,
saves my sugar, enabling me to drink tea and coffee without sweetening.
This evening the _shara_ was brought of the arrival of couriers from the
salt-caravan, to say it was near. Like the Arabs, for this shara or
news, or first advice of the coming of something good or agreeable, the
Kailouees ask some present. We gave a little bit of sugar to the slave
who brought the welcome intelligence.
_Dec. 5th to 9th._--I was occupied with vocabulary of Haussa and Bornou.
Weather mild and misty, but a little cold this morning; thermometer, at
three-quarters of an hour after sunrise, 43 deg..
Nearly all the salt-caravan has arrived, and proceeded in advance,
coming in small detachments. They rendezvous in a fine wady full of
herbage, with water higher up. We are expected to leave in a few days,
three or four at most. Nothing seems now to detain En-Noor. But the
Fadeea have returned from the Hagar, finding themselves not pursued.
They very naturally prefer their own fine valley in Asben to the stony,
desert wilds of Hagars. I suppose a razzia will be executed against
them, for the restoration of the camels of Tintaghoda, on the return of
the salt-caravan from Soudan.
En-Noor gives a tremendously unfavourable account of the Oulimad, who
occupy the desert of Sahara between Aghadez and Timbuctoo, and keep the
road there shut against caravans. He says, they would sleep in our tents
in the day, eat and drink with us; but in the night they would carry
away the tent, and make themselves clothing with it. In fact, En-Noor
considers them the veriest barbarians in this region of Africa. There
may be a little exaggeration in this, and the Oulimad may not be worse
than the Hagars of Ghemama, or even than some of his own people. The
Kailouees do not hunt, nor do they cultivate the soil; so that this
country abounds with animals. Some of the country is extremely wild and
rocky, and affords many a retired den for the lions, who descend from
the rocks and prowl abroad for prey in great numbers. Their footmarks
frequently cover the length and breadth of the wadys. Barth himself saw
(very fortunately, for it is a sight seen by very few persons indeed) as
many as five together. Monkeys also abound in great numbers. I related
to En-Noor the anecdote, as a joke, of the monkey shaving the cat in
Paris; but this he took seriously, for he observed, "That is nothing; I
have seen the monkeys crack lice just like men." It is always a
difficult matter to translate a joke to these people. Overweg has been
out these last two days hunting for ostrich eggs, in the places which
these birds frequent. He saw their footprints, dung, feathers, &c., and
two specimens, but found no eggs. It appears this is a most difficult
bird to catch.
En-Noor continues to be very friendly. I get milk now every morning, for
which I pay sugar and coffee. His highness and his people went out
yesterday to dig a well, about two hours distant. All the water in this
place is exhausted. It appears to be merely a deposit of rain-water
under the sand, at a depth of from four or five to eight feet. It
becomes, as in this case, entirely exhausted before the commencement of
the next rains; but of course there are some springs, and many wells
which are not dried up during the whole year.
N.B.--If I remain a month at Zinder, I must make a little excursion
amongst the Bornou villages and see the rustic life of the people; but I
fear it will be a bad place to hear the pure Bornouese language. I still
hope to go off early to Sakkatou, and finish quickly with Soudan. In
these matters the Germans are better off than I am, and have not to wait
for money.[10]
[10] Nearly the whole of this long account of a residence in
Aheer consists in the journals of Mr. Richardson of
disjointed fragments, jotted down almost without any
connexion. This was necessarily the case. Few incidents,
save an occasional visit from thieves, or a dispute with
that strange old gentleman, Sultan En-Noor, diversified
this period. However, the simple commonplace book of a
traveller in a totally new country can never be without its
interest. No doubt Mr. Richardson would have attempted, had
he survived, to throw all these observations into a
picture; but any attempt to do so on my part would have
probably resulted in the omission of characteristic traits,
and the introduction of extraneous ideas. The following
chapters appear to me to increase in interest, page by
page.--ED.