“_Mourzuk_, May 12, 1822.
“Here I am, thank God, well and happy. The climate is hot, but I
have not experienced it very disagreeable. My health, indeed, has
been better since I left home than it was for a long time before.
Clapperton and I have been visiting a number of different places, and
intend spending our time in that way for the next two months, when I
hope we shall be able to proceed to Bornou. The soil is sandy, and we
have no other tree but that of the date. There is, however, abundance
of this sort, and its fruit forms the principal sustenance of many
thousands of the people. Without this tree, the whole country, from
this place to Bornou, would be a dreary waste. You perhaps know that
no rain falls here; on that account corn fields and gardens are not to
be expected. At the expense, however, of much labour and care, as the
ground requires to be continually watered by streams from the wells, we
have many of both. We have always plenty of good water, at all times,
a circumstance which, in a country destitute of rain, you will be apt
to think is rather singular and curious, but it is one which you cannot
be expected to understand were I to enter into any explanation of
it. All the places in Fezzan exhibit a sameness of aspect. The towns
are formed of mud houses, generally of one flat; they have, for the
most part, an old ruined castle in the centre; and all of them are
surrounded by walls. On the outside of the towns, and in some places
within the walls, a few abodes are constructed of the leaves of the
palm. The people are really a fine race, and have uniformly treated us
with the greatest kindness. Wherever I go, and every day that I remain
in this town, I have numerous applications for medicines. Some of the
applicants have very curious complaints, which, were I to state them to
you, would make you laugh heartily. Many of them, however, are real,
and for which I can in general prescribe something for their relief.
We are much better here than we could have been in Tripoli. We meet
every day with persons from the country we are going to visit, and from
those through which we have to pass. We thus make friends that may be
of considerable service to us in our future investigations. We are all
living comfortably, in a tolerably good house in the castle; and often
in the mornings, about sunrise, take a ride round the town. It is not
safe to go out much in the sun; we, therefore, in this respect, follow
the example of the natives, and stop within during the heat of the day.”
The Doctor’s next letter is addressed to Professor JAMESON, and is
dated “Mourzuk, June 6, 1822.”—This letter is valuable, both as it is
expressive of his affectionate and grateful remembrance of his friend
and patron, and as it conveys the result of his own observations of
the physical state of the country which he had visited, to one whom
he well knew could duly appreciate the value of his remarks; and who,
at any rate, as they had reference to Natural History, he was aware,
would regard them as the best return he could make for the kindness
he had previously received from the Professor. We likewise think that
the letter is made up of matter sufficiently interesting to a large
proportion of our readers, to excuse us for transcribing it entire.
While it tends to illustrate Dr. Oudney’s character, it shows, at the
same time, the devotion of his mind to the objects of his mission to
Africa.
“MY DEAR SIR,—I intended to have written you long ago, but my time has
been so occupied by such a variety of objects, that really I could not.
I am much disappointed in the climate of Fezzan, agreeably so; the
temperature under cover is not much greater than in other places in the
same parallel of latitude. Now it is June, and the _maximum_ of daily
heat is seldom above 90 degrees, while the _minimum_ is about 80 or 78
degrees of Fah. The air is dry, as indeed several of my instruments
show too well; for the ivory on several has shrunk so as to render them
useless. The tube of one of the attached thermometers is bent like a
bow from being confined. In another, the pressure of the glass has
broken the brass clasps. The Hygrometer of Kater, generally stands at
38 or 38.5. Instruments affected by the hygrometrical state of the air,
and by sound, are useless in a climate such as this. I mention sound,
for instruments which act by delicate wheels are very soon deranged,
and disappoint the scientific inquirer. The Barometer varies a little:
there is always a change, particularly from 11 A.M. to 8 or 9 P.M. The
mercury becomes depressed, in general, about the 20th part of an inch,
sometimes, however, nearly a 10th. During northerly winds, the mercury
rises, and in most cases, the stronger the breeze the greater the rise;
from that circumstance, I have been able to predict strong breezes from
that direction. On the contrary, southerly winds cause depression, and
that commonly in proportion to the violence of the wind. I have not
yet calculated the mean height, but it must be about 28.600 inches at
the temperature of 80 Fah. Water boils at 207 Fah.; and both of these
circumstances indicate a considerable elevation.
I have anxiously searched for springs, but have found none fit for
an accurate result. The whole country is a spring, if I may use the
expression, for water comes bubbling up on digging a few feet; its
temperature then is affected by the earth, and the heat indicated
is of no use in ascertaining the mean temperature of the place, and
consequently its elevation. The abundance of water in a country in
which rain scarcely ever falls, and in which there is no dew, is a
curious and interesting circumstance to the philosophic inquirer. It
is not generated in the earth, and it cannot be supplied by the sea.
From whence then does it come? Is it from the tropical rains? Or is it
from rivers lost in the earth? The supply is constant, and the wells
yield as much at one time as another. The supposition that appears most
probable to me is, that the countries to the southward are much higher
than this, that during the rainy season water penetrates a considerable
way into the earth, till it meets with _strata_ resisting its farther
descent, and then that it flows along these like a river to far distant
countries. My explanation may be censured, but still on reflection, I
regard it as the most probable that I can think of. There is another
interesting feature in Fezzan, namely, the constant formation of salt
on the surface of the sand. In travelling along, the different stages
of the process are very distinctly observable. First, a thin crust is
formed like hoar frost, and this continues to increase in thickness. In
some places the layer of salt is a foot deep. At present I must defer
the explanation of this phenomenon till I shall have time to enter
upon the description of the geological structure of Fezzan—a thing I
hope I shall soon be enabled to do. In the mean time the courier is
waiting, and the camels are ready to convey us to Ghaat. My worthy
friend Clapperton and I are just on the point of setting out on a visit
to that country, that we may render our delay here as serviceable as
possible. The Tuarick country is, perhaps, interesting only on account
of its inhabitants, who are a brave, independent race. Clapperton and I
have been at Tucta, and we were both struck with the general uniformity
of the scenery and the structure. He desires to be kindly remembered to
you, and intends to write you soon. We expect to be able to set out for
Bornou in two or three months.”
The next letter in the series is addressed to his sister, from
“Mourzuk, August 6, 1822;” and though both it, and the one which
follows to Professor Jameson, relate to the Doctor’s excursion to
Ghaat, or the Tuarick country, of which an account is given in the
“Narrative of Travels and Discoveries,” made by the mission, published
by Major D. Denham and Captain H. Clapperton, in 1826; yet, as they
contain some interesting particulars which will not be found in the
“Narrative,” our readers, we trust, will thank us for inserting them in
this biographical memoir. In the letter to his sister, he says,—
“My worthy friend Clapperton and I have been busily engaged ever since
our arrival here. Within the last two months we have been travelling
much, and have examined to the extent of at least 800 miles of country.
We experienced little fatigue, and in place of being weakened, our
health has been greatly improved. We have been among the Tuaricks,
and have been treated by that independent and curious people with
the greatest kindness and hospitality. They occupy all that dreary
waste which you see in the maps called the ‘Great Sahara,’ and live
on the milk and flesh of their camels. The care of these animals, and
occasional excursions upon the neighbouring states, are their principal
occupation. They are a superstitious race; but have good sense withal.
They were so much our friends, that we might have travelled, in perfect
safety, over the whole of their dominions.”