southern gate of Kúkawa, on my adventurous journey to Adamáwa. My
little troop was not yet all collected. For being extremely poor at
the time, or rather worse than poor, as I had nothing but considerable
debts, I had cherished the hope that I should be able to carry all my
luggage on one camel; but when the things were all packed up,
provisions, cooking utensils, tent, and a few presents, I saw that
the one weak animal which I had was not enough, and bought another of
Mr. Overweg, which had first to be fetched from the pasture-ground. I
therefore left two servants and my old experienced Háusa warrior, the
Mʿallem Katúri, whom, as I have stated above, I had expressly hired for
this journey, behind me in the town, in order to follow us in the night
with the other camel.
Mr. Overweg, attended by a spirited little fellow, named ʿAli, a native
of Ghát, who had brought his luggage from Kanó, accompanied me. But the
most conspicuous person in our troop was Bíllama[91], the officer whom
the sheikh had appointed to accompany me, a tall handsome Bórnu man,
mounted on a most splendid grey horse of great size, and of a very quick
pace. He had two servants with him, besides a man of Malá Ibrám,
likewise mounted on horseback, who was to accompany us as far as the
Marghí country. The messengers from Adamáwa, as we proceeded onward,
gradually collected together from the hamlets about, where they had been
waiting for us, and the spearmen among them saluted me by raising their
spears just in my face, and beating their small round hippopotamus
shields; Mohámmedu was armed with a sword and bow and arrows. They had
not been treated so well as, with reference to my prospects, the sheikh
ought to have treated them, and Ibrahíma, instead of a handsome horse
which was promised to him, had received a miserable poor mare, quite
unfit for himself, and scarcely capable of carrying his little son and
his small provision bag.
As soon as I had left the town behind me, and saw that I was fairly
embarked in my undertaking, I indulged in the most pleasant feelings. I
had been cherishing the plan of penetrating into those unknown countries
to the south for so long a time, that I felt the utmost gratification in
being at length able to carry out my design. At that time I even
cherished the hope that I might succeed in reaching Báya, and thus
extend my inquiries even as far as the equator; but my first design was,
and had always been, to decide by ocular evidence the question with
regard to the direction and the tributaries of the great river which
flowed through the country in the south.
Leaving the Ngórnu road to our left, we reached the village Kárba at
sunset, but were received so inhospitably, that, after much opposition
from a quarrelsome old woman, we took up our quarters not inside, but
outside, her courtyard, and with difficulty obtained a little fire, with
which we boiled some coffee, but had not firewood enough for cooking a
supper, so that we satisfied our appetite with cold “díggwa,” a
sweetmeat made of meal, honey, and butter. The inhabitants of the
villages at no great distance from the capital are generally very
inhospitable; but the traveller will find the same in any country.
[Sidenote: Friday, May 30th.]
At an early hour we were ready to resume our march, not having even
pitched a tent during the night. The morning was very fine; and, in
comparison with the naked and bare environs of the capital, the country
seemed quite pleasant to me, although the flora offered scarcely
anything but stunted acacias of the gáwo and kindíl kind, while dúm-bush
and the _Asclepias procera_ formed the underwood, and coarse dry grass
full of “ngíbbu” or _Pennisetum distichum_ covered the ground. Now and
then a fine tamarind-tree interrupted this monotony, and formed a
landmark; indeed both the well which we passed (Tamsúkú-korí) and the
village Tamsúkwá, have received their names from this most beautiful and
useful tree, which in Kanúri is called tamsúku or temsúku.
After only four hours’ march we halted near the village Pírtwa, as Mr.
Overweg was now to return, and as I wished my other people to come up.
Having long tried in vain to buy some provisions with our “kúngona” or
shells, Mr. Overweg at length succeeded in purchasing a goat with his
servant’s shirt. This article, even if much worn, is always regarded as
ready money in the whole of Negroland; and as long as a man has a shirt
he is sure not to starve. Afterwards the inhabitants of the village
brought us several bowls of “bírri,” or porridge of Negro corn; and we
employed ourselves in drinking coffee and eating, till it was time for
Mr. Overweg to depart, when we separated with the most hearty wishes for
the success of each other’s enterprise: for we had already fully
discussed his undertaking to navigate the lagoon in the English boat.
We then started at a later hour, and, following a more westerly path,
took up our night’s quarters at Dýnnamarí, the village of Dýnnama or
Ámade. Instead of this most westerly road, my people had taken the most
easterly; and we at length joined them, a little before noon of the
following day, at the village Úlo Kurá, which, with the whole district,
belongs to the “Mágirá” (the mother of the sheikh), and so forms a
distinct domain called “Mágirári.” But the country for thirty or forty
miles round Kúkawa is intersected by so many paths, that it is very
difficult for parties to meet, if the place of rendezvous has not been
precisely indicated. The country hereabouts at this time of the year
presents a most dreary appearance, being full of those shallow hollows
of deep-black argillaceous soil called “fírki” by the Kanúri, and
“ghadír” by the Arabs, which during the rainy season form large ponds of
water, and when the rainy season draws to an end, and the water
decreases, afford the most excellent soil for the cultivation of the
“másakwá,” a species of holcus (_H. cernuus_), which constitutes a very
important article of cultivation in these alluvial lowlands round the
Tsád, or even for wheat. At a later season, after the grain is
harvested, these hollows, being sometimes of an immense extent, and
quite bare and naked, give the country a most dismal appearance. The
water in Úlo Kurá was extremely disagreeable, owing to this nature of
the ground.
Continuing our march in the afternoon, after the heat had decreased, we
passed, after about four miles, the first encampment of Shúwa, or berí
Shúwabe, which I had yet seen in the country. Shúwa is a generic name,
denoting all the Arabs (or rather eastern Arabs) settled in Bórnu and
forming a component part of the population of the country; in Bagírmi
they are called Shíwa. No Arab from the coast is ever denoted by this
name; but his title is Wásirí, or Wásilí. This native Arab population
appears to have immigrated from the east at a very early period,
although at present we have no direct historical proof of the presence
of these Arabs in Bórnu before the time of Edrís Alawóma[92], about two
hundred and fifty years ago.
Of the migration of these Arabs from the east, there cannot be the least
doubt. They have advanced gradually through the eastern part of
Negroland, till they have overspread this country, but without
proceeding further towards the west. Their dialect is quite different
from the Mághrebí, while in many respects it still preserves the purity
and eloquence of the language of Hijáz, particularly as regards the
final vowels in the conjugation. Many of their national customs, also,
still point to their ancient settlements, as we shall see further on. I
became very intimate with these people at a later period, by taking into
my service a young Shúwa lad, who was one of my most useful servants on
my journey to Timbúktu. These Shúwa are divided into many distinct
families or clans, and altogether may form in Bórnu a population of from
200,000 to 250,000 souls, being able to bring into the field about
20,000 light cavalry. Most of them have fixed villages, where they live
during the rainy season, attending the labours of the field, while
during the remaining part of the year they wander about with their
cattle. I shall say more about them in the course of my proceedings, as
opportunity occurs. The clan, whose encampment or berí we passed to-day
are generally called Kárda by the Bórnu people—I cannot say
why[93],—while their indigenous name, “Bajáudi,” seems to indicate an
intermixture with the Fúlbe or Felláta, with whom the Shúwa in general
are on the most friendly terms, and may often be confounded with them on
account of the similarity of their complexion and manners. In fact there
is no doubt that it was the Shúwa who prepared and facilitated the
settlement of the Fúlbe or Felláta in Bórnu.
We took up our quarters for the night in one of the four clusters of
huts which form the village Múngholo Gezáwa, and which, by the neatness
and cleanliness of its yards and cottages, did honour to its lord, the
vizier of Bórnu. It was here that I first observed several small pools
of rain-water, which bore testimony to the greater intensity and the
earlier setting in of the rainy season in these regions. There were also
great numbers of water-fowl seen hereabouts.
[Sidenote: Sunday, June 1st.]
When we left our quarters in the morning we hesitated a while as to what
road to take, whether that by “Múbiyó,” or that by “Úda” or “Wúda;” but
at length we decided for the latter. The country exhibited a peculiar
but not very cheerful character, the ground consisting, in the
beginning, of white clay, and further on of a soil called “gárga” by the
Kanúri people, and now and then quite arid and barren, while at other
times it was thickly overgrown with prickly underwood, with a tamarind-
tree shooting up here and there. We then came to a locality covered with
a dense forest, which at a later period in the rainy season forms one
continuous swamp, but at present was dry, with the exception of some
deep hollows already filled with water. Here we found some of the
inhabitants of the district, all of whom are Shúwa, busy in forming
watering-places for the cattle, by inclosing circular hollows with low
dikes. One of these people was of a complexion so light as to astonish
me; indeed he was no darker than my hands and face, and perhaps even a
shade lighter: his features were those of the Shúwa in general, small
and handsome; his figure slender. The general size of these Arabs does
not exceed five feet and a half: but they look much taller, on account
of the peculiar slenderness of their forms; for, although I have seen
many specimens of stout Fúlbe, I have scarcely ever seen one robust
Shúwa. The forest was enlivened by numberless flocks of wild pigeons.
We then emerged into a more open country, passing several villages of a
mixed population, half of them being Shúwa, the other half Kanúri. All
their huts have a thatched roof of a perfectly spherical shape, quite
distinct from the general form of huts in this country, the top, or
“kógi ngímbe,” being entirely wanting. One of these villages, called
Dásedísk, is well remembered by the people on account of the sheikh,
Mohammed el Kánemi, having been once encamped in its neighbourhood. At a
rather early hour we halted for the heat of the day in a village called
Ménoway, where an old decrepit Shúwa from Úda, led by his equally aged
and faithful better half, came to me in quest of medicine for his
infirmities. To my great vexation, a contribution of several fowls was
laid by my companions upon the villagers for my benefit; and I had to
console an old blind man, who stumbled about in desperate search after
his cherished hen. There was a numerous herd of cattle just being
watered at the two wells of the village.
Starting again in the afternoon, we reached one of the hamlets forming
the district Magá just in time to avoid the drenching of a violent storm
which broke forth in the evening. But the lanes formed by the fences of
the yards were so narrow that we had the greatest difficulty in making
our camels pass through them—an inconvenience which the traveller
experiences very often in these countries, where the camel is not the
indigenous and ordinary beast of burden. The well here was nine fathoms
deep.
[Sidenote: Monday, June 2nd.]
Starting tolerably early, we reached after two miles an extensive fírki,
the black boggy soil of which, now dry, showed a great many footprints
of the giraffe. This I thought remarkable at the moment, but still more
so when, in the course of my travels, I became aware how very rarely
this animal, which roams over the extensive and thinly-inhabited plains
on the border of Negroland, is found within the populous districts. This
“fírki” was the largest I had yet seen, and exceeded three miles in
length. Much rain had already fallen hereabouts; and further on, near a
full pond, we observed two wild hogs (gadó), male (bí) and female
(kúrgurí), running one after the other. This also was a new sight for
me, as heretofore I had scarcely seen a single specimen of this animal
in this part of the world; but afterwards I found that, in the country
between this and Bagírmi, this animal lives in immense numbers. We here
overtook a small troop of native traders, or “tugúrchi,” with sumpter
oxen laden with natron, while another with unloaded beasts was just
returning from Ujé. A good deal of trade is carried on in this article
with the last-named place.
Having gone on in advance of the camels with Bíllama and Mʿallem Katúri,
I waited a long time under a splendid “chédia,” or “jéja” (the Háusa
name), the caoutchouc tree, indicating the site of a large town of the
Gámerghú, called Muná (which has been destroyed by the Fúlbe or
Felláta), expecting our people to come up, as we intended to leave the
direct track and go to a neighbouring village, wherein to spend the hot
hours of the day; but as they delayed too long, we thought we might give
them sufficient indication of our having left the road by laying a fresh
branch across it. This is a very common practice in the country; but it
requires attention on the part of those who follow, and may sometimes
lead to confusion. On one occasion, when I had, in like manner, gone on
in advance of my people, a second party of horsemen, who had likewise
left their people behind, came between me and my baggage-train, and, as
they were pursuing a by-way, they laid a branch across the chief road;
my people, on coming up to the branch, thought that it was laid by me,
and, following the by-way, caused much delay. Other people make a mark
with a spear. I and my horsemen went to the village and lay down in the
cool shade of a tamarind-tree; but we soon became convinced that our
people had not paid attention to the mark. With difficulty we obtained
something to eat from the villagers.
The heat had been very oppressive; and we had just mounted our horses
when a storm broke out in the south, but fortunately without reaching
us. Proceeding at a swift pace, we found our people encamped in a
village called Íbramrí, and, having roused them, immediately continued
our march. Beyond this village I observed the first cotton-field
occurring on this road. The country was thickly inhabited, and gave
evidence of a certain degree of industry; in the village Bashírorí I
observed a dyeing-place. The country was laid out in corn-fields of
considerable extent, which had just been sown. All this district then
belonged to Mestréma, as an estate in fee; but after the revolution of
1854, this man was disgraced and the estate taken from him.
I had already felt convinced that the kúka, or _Adansonia digitata_, is
one of the commonest trees of Negroland; but all the numerous specimens
which I had hitherto seen of this colossal tree were leafless, forming
rather gloomy and unpleasant objects: here, however, I saw it for the
first time adorned with leaves; and though the foliage seemed to bear no
proportion to the colossal size of the boughs, yet the tree had a much
more cheerful aspect. We took up our quarters for the night in Ujé
Maidúgurí, a large and comfortable-looking place, such as I had not yet
met with since I left Kúkawa; but the yard, which was assigned to us by
the slaves of Mestréma, was in the very worst state, and I was obliged
to pitch my tent. However, we were hospitably treated, and fowls and a
sheep, as well as bírri, were brought to us.
We had now reached one of the finest districts of Bórnu, which is
collectively called Ujé, but which really comprises a great many places
of considerable size. This was once the chief province of the Gámerghú,
a tribe often mentioned in the history of Edrís Alawóma[94], and who, as
their language shows, are closely related to the Wándalá or, as they are
generally called, Mándara.[95] This tribe has at present lost all
national independence, while its brethren in Morá and the places around,
protected by the mountainous character of the country, still maintain
their freedom against the Kanúri and Fúlbe, but, as it seems, will soon
be swallowed up by the latter. While the greater part of the Gámerghú
have been exterminated, the rest are heavily taxed, although the tribute
which they have to deliver to the sheikh himself consists only in
butter. Every large place in this district has a market of its own; but
a market of very considerable importance is held in Ujé, and is from
this circumstance called Ujé Kásukulá—“kásukú” means “the market.” In
Ujé Maídugurí[96] a market is held every Wednesday on the west side of
the town, where a small quadrangular area is marked out with several
rows of stalls or sheds. The place was once surrounded by an earthen
wall, the circumference of which seems to show its greater magnitude in
former times.
Escorted by a troop of Mestréma’s idle servants, we entered, on the
following morning, the fine open country which stretches out on the
south side of Maídugurí. The whole plain appeared to be one continuous
corn-field, interrupted only by numerous villages, and shaded here and
there by single monkey-bread trees, or Adansonias, and various species
of fig-trees, such as the ngábbore, with their succulent dark-green
foliage, and báure with large fleshy leaves of a bright-green colour.
Since I left Kanó I had not seen so fine a country. The plain is
traversed by a large fiumara or komádugu, which comes from the
neighbourhood of Aláwó, where there is a great collection of water, and
reaches the Tsád by way of Díkowa, Nghála, and Mbulú. At the three
latter places I have crossed it myself in the course of my travels; and
between Ujé and Díkowa it has been visited by Mr. Vogel, but I do not
know whether he is able to lay down its course with accuracy.
We had to cross the watercourse twice before we reached Mábaní, a
considerable place situated on a broad sandy hill, at a distance of
little more than four miles from Maídugurí. To my great astonishment, at
so early an hour in the morning, my party proceeded to take up quarters
here; but the reason was, that the messengers from Ádamáwa had to
inquire hereabouts for some of the people, who, as I have stated before,
had been carried away by Kashélla ʿAli. However, in the absence of the
bíllama or head man of the town, a long time elapsed before we could
procure quarters; but at length we succeeded in obtaining a sort of open
yard, with two huts and two stalls, or “fáto síggidibé,” when I gave up
the huts to my companions, and took possession of the best of the
stalls, near which I pitched my tent. The town covers not only the whole
top of the hill, but, descending its southern slope, extends along its
foot and over another hill of less size. It may contain from nine to ten
thousand inhabitants, and seems to be prosperous: indeed all the
dwellings, despicable as they may appear to the fastidious European,
bear testimony to a certain degree of ease and wealth; and few people
here seem destitute of the necessaries of life. Besides agriculture,
there appears to be a good deal of domestic industry, as the market-
place, situated on the eastern slope of the hill, and consisting of from
a hundred and fifty to two hundred stalls, and a dyeing-place close by
it, amply testify.[97] I have already mentioned in another place the
shirts which are dyed in this district, and which are called “ámaghdí.”
When the heat had abated a little I made a pleasant excursion on
horseback, accompanied by Bíllama and Bú-Sʿad, first in an easterly
direction, through the plain to a neighbouring village, and then turning
northward to the komádugu, which forms here a beautiful sweep, being
lined on the north side by a steep grassy bank adorned with fine trees.
The southern shore was laid out in kitchen-gardens, where, a little
further in the season, wheat and onions are grown. In the bottom of the
fiumara we found most delicious water only a foot and a half beneath the
surface of the sand, while the water which we obtained in the town, and
which was taken from the pools at the foot of the hill, was foul and
offensive. These pools are enlivened by a great number of water-fowl,
chiefly herons and flamingoes.
The forenoon of Wednesday also I gave up to the solicitation of my
Ádamáwa companions, and usefully employed my time in writing “bolíde
Fulfúlde,” or the language of the Fúlbe, and more particularly the
dialect spoken in Ádamáwa, which is indeed very different from the
Fulfúlde spoken in Góber and Kébbi. Meanwhile old Mʿallem Katúri was
bitten by a scorpion, and I had to dress the wound with a few drops of
ammonia, for which he was very grateful.
In the afternoon we pursued our march; and I then became aware that we
had made a great _détour_, Maídugurí, as well as Mábaní, not lying on
the direct route. We had been joined in the latter place by a party of
“pilgrim traders” from the far distant Másena, or, as in European maps
the name is generally written, Massina, on their home-journey from
Mekka, who excited much interest in me. The chief person among them was
a native of Hamd-Alláhi[98], the capital of the new Púllo kingdom of
Mélle, or Másena, who carried with him a considerable number of books,
which he had bought in the east more for the purposes of trade than for
his own use. He was mounted on a camel, but had also a pack-ox laden
with salt, which he had been told he might dispose of to great advantage
in Ádamáwa. Thus pilgrims are always trading in these countries. But
this poor man was not very successful; for his books were partly spoiled
in crossing the river Bénuwé, and his camel died during the rainy season
in Ádamáwa. However, he thence continued his journey homewards, while
his four companions returned eastward and met with me once more in
Logón, and the last time on the banks of the Shári. Two of them were
mounted on fine asses, which they had brought with them from Dár-Fúr.