conquerors, and named after an influential overseer of that name, in a
mountainous district; arrive between four and five o’clock P.M.
3rd. Saláng, a village inhabited by pagans of dark black colour, in a
mountainous district. Cross, about noon, the Bénuwé, which is here
already a considerable river, although I have been unable to learn any
thing more accurate about its upper course, excepting that it is
supposed to issue, at some day’s distance towards the south or S.S.E.,
from a great mountain with a large volume of water. Arrive between four
and five o’clock P.M.
4th. Sleep in the wilderness.
5th. Báya, the principal place of the district or country of the same
name. It lies in the midst between a forest and the mountains, and is
said to be of the same size as Ngáundere (see further on). It is the
residence of a chief named Báushi (a nickname?), who is under the
supremacy of the governor of Búndang. The dwellings are all huts. The
place has no market. The inhabitants go naked, with no covering but a
leaf. They tattoo their bodies in undulating lines, and make a small
hole in the left nostril; they have asses, sheep, and poultry in
abundance, but neither horses nor neat-cattle; they catch elephants,
which are very numerous, in pits, and feed on their flesh. Plenty of
parrots. Much dukhn or _Pennisetum_ is cultivated, while the banana is
the principal fruit. The sexes observe a distinction with regard to
food, the women abstaining from fowls—perhaps on the same principle as
the women, in some parts of India, are prohibited to eat things which
are regarded as delicacies. They have no cotton, but use shells as
money. The only weapons of the people are wooden spears, which they do
not poison. The Báya are evidently identical with Koelle’s and Dr.
Baikie’s Bayong. The former of these two gentlemen has placed these
people at far too great a distance into the interior.
ii. _From Yóla to Báya by way of Gúrin._
1st day. Gúrin (see above), the former residence of the Púllo ruler of
Ádamáwa.
2nd. Lamórde, a considerable place, inhabited by pagans[173]; arrive
between one and two o’clock P.M. The road lies along the east bank of
the river Fáro, which is crossed, on first setting out from Gúrin, by a
ford in the dry season, but in a boat during the rains. The country
plain; mountains in the distance. You then turn a little west from
south. On the west side of the river is Chámba, a large place situated
at the foot of Mount Alantíka, and inhabited by Fúlbe, the residence of
Ámba Sámbo.
3rd. A village of the pagan Búte, between one and two o’clock P.M. The
country is mountainous on both sides of the road, the Fáro being some
distance off towards the west. As is the case throughout Ádamáwa, there
is here abundance of honey.
4th. A Púllo village situated on a river running N.W. into the Fáro, and
called máyo Koléjo. Here resides a petty governor called Ardo Mohammed;
the whole country is mountainous. The inhabitants maintain that the soil
contains gold, but that they do not know how to collect it. Arrive
between one and two o’clock P.M.
5th. A pagan village, situated in the midst of separate groups of
mountains, and governed by a chief called Njaréndi. The whole country is
under cultivation, the crops consisting in dukhn, durra, ground-nuts,
and cotton. Arrive between four and five o’clock P.M.
6th. A Púllo village, the residence (jóro) of the chief Kábdu, and
therefore called “Jóro Kábdu.” The country through which the road lies
is mountainous; and its inhabitants are pagans, but of very handsome
figure.
7th. Pass the night among the pagan slaves of the Fúlbe (Rúmde
Ngáundere); arrive towards sunset.
8th. Ngáundere, a place of considerable size for this country, said to
be about as large as Gúmmel in Bórnu, and surrounded with a low rampart;
the dwellings are built entirely of reeds, with the exception of the
house of the governor and the mosque, the former being built of clay,
and the latter of clay and reeds. A daily market is held. Arrive a
little before noon.
9th. A slave village (rúmde) of the slaves of the Ardo, in a mountainous
country, with watercourses in the valley. Arrive between one and two
o’clock P.M.
10th. Another pagan village; many small hamlets scattered about.
11th. A village of the Mbúm, a large tribe of pagans, well-proportioned,
who tattoo their bodies, make cuts in the chin, and file the teeth to a
point. They live partly in the valley and partly on the top of the
mountains.
12th. Báya.
iii. _From Chámba to Báya, preceded by an itinerary from Yóla and Kóncha
to Chámba._
1st day. Máibatí (Máyo Béti), a Pullo village situated on a small
rivulet called máyo Béti, and joining the Fáro.
2nd. Lamórde, the place mentioned in the preceding itinerary, situated
on the river Fáro.
N.B. It seems almost as if Gúrin had been accidentally omitted in this
itinerary; at least, the place where the river is crossed cannot be far
distant from that town. The road keeps awhile along the bank of the
river; fine country; mountains only at some distance from the road.
3rd. Chámba, a considerable place, in a fine position, bordered by the
river Fáro towards the east, and by the offshoots of Mount Alantíka
towards the west, from which however it seems to be separated by a
smaller stream. Mount Alantíka, which forms a gigantic mountain mass, is
densely inhabited by pagans of the tribe of the Bátta, who are governed
by seven different chiefs, and supply themselves with iron from Mount
Kárin, lying on the east side of the river, half a day’s journey from
Lamórde; mountains are seen all around. Chámba is almost exclusively
inhabited by Fúlbe, and is the residence of the powerful governor Ámba
Sámbo, a very warlike man, but now rather old. Chámba is three days’
journey from Kóncha, in starting from which place you pass the first
night in Láro, the second in the town of Yáji (the mighty ancestor of
Ámba Sámbo), and on the third reach Chámba. This road keeps along a
river, which you have to cross twice, but with regard to the identity of
which with the Déve I am not quite certain.
iv. _From Chámba to Báya by a western road._
1st day. Lamórde, the place mentioned above, having crossed the river
Fáro immediately on setting out.
2nd. Gabdómana, a pagan village, with a rúmde; the name probably has
some connection with that of the chief Kábdo or Gábdo.
3rd. Encamp in the wilderness.
4th. Bére, a pagan village on the top of a hill, and at a short distance
northward a village inhabited by Kánembú and Kanúri. The country is
intersected by small rivulets.
5th. Rúmde Ngáundere, a small slave-village.
6th. Ngáundere, the principal place in the country of the Mbúm,
surrounded by a low wall, and containing a few houses of clay, and the
residence or jóro of Hámed, who governs the country as far as Búndang,
and is said to be able to bring 500 horse into the field. It is situated
at the western foot of a hill, while towards the west there rises
another hill. The people unanimously state that the place is situated
exactly south from Chámba. The country produces _Sorghum vulgare_, a
peculiar sort of sorghum called mathá, rice, and cotton.
7th. Katíl, in a mountainous district. During the first part of this
day’s march, the direction being S.E., the river, which runs here from
east to west, is close on the right of the traveller; it is called Máyo
Nélbi, and joined by another smaller one, called Njárang. During the
latter part of the rainy season even here it can be crossed only in
boats. However, this is not the direct road, but a great circuit; a
traveller who follows the direct road from Bére arrives in one day at
Katíl, after a march of about nine hours, direction south.
8th. Yángaré, a pagan village in a mountainous country, near a rivulet
which joins the Fáro; a very long day’s journey.
9th. Yére, a pagan village of another tribe, in a wide plain destitute
of trees and intersected with rivulets; arrive about noon.
10th. Principal place of Báya, which the informant of this route,
Mʿallem Katúri, represents as a country mountainous towards the east,
but entirely level towards the west. This last day’s march from Yére is
a very long one; and people generally pass the night on the road, and
enter Báya the following morning.
v. _From Kóncha to Jóro Fángel, and from thence to Báya._
(_a._) _Middle road._
1st day. A “rúmde” of the slaves of Mohammed dan Jóbdi the governor of
Kóncha, on the banks of the mayo Béli, along the eastern bank of which
the traveller continues his march, in a wide valley inclosed on both
sides by mountain-chains.
2nd. Rúmde Fángel; that is to say, the rúmde or slave-village of Jóro
Fángel, on a hill of considerable elevation. The slaves are of the tribe
of the Tekʿa.
3rd. Jóro Fángel, the “lord’s seat” of Fángel, the chief who has
established in these quarters the dominion of the Fúlbe; a place of
middling size, in a valley inclosed by mountains.
(_b._) _Westernmost road._ [_N.B. Rate rather slow._]
1st day. Rúmde Kaighámman, a slave-village belonging to Kóncha, in a
level country; arrive a little after noon. The name Kaighámman
originally belonged to the Kanúri.
2nd. Encamp on the bank of the máyo Tafári, which, running from west to
east, but further on turning northward, receives the máyo Léggel, which
is crossed in the morning soon after leaving the rúmde, and the máyo
Bénglarí, which is crossed further on; both these watercourses are dry
in summer. Arrive about four o’clock P.M.
3rd. Úro Bákari Yémyem, the residence of the Púllo chief of the Bákari,
overtowered towards the west by a large mountain; arrive early in the
forenoon.
4th. Rúmde Bákari Yémyem, with a mountain-chain rising to a considerable
elevation towards the south; arrive early in the forenoon.
5th. Jóro Fángel; the east side of the place is skirted, according to
the Púllo Ádama, an intelligent native of Ádamáwa, by the máyo Bána or
Mbána, which, at a short distance from Tíngeren, joins the Fáro. Arrive
before noon. This well-known place, Jóro Fángel, is not to be confounded
with a smaller place of the same name.
An expeditious traveller, keeping along the most direct eastern road,
and sleeping in Lámtam, is able to reach Jóro Fángel on the second day.
vi. _From Jóro Fángel to Báya._
1st day. Tínger, a Púllo settlement, the residence of Ádama Jíkera, a
powerful Púllo chief, who commands the tribe of the Bákari, or Bákari
Yémyem, who are said to be cannibals. Ádama Jíkera, who is the brother
of Sámbo Jíkera, has about one hundred horse under his command. This
place is not to be confounded with a place of a similar name, Téngeren,
the residence of another chief of the name of Ádama Jíkera, which I
shall mention further on.
2nd. A village inhabited by pagans of the tribe of the Jétem, as they
are called by the Fúlbe, who most probably have been transplanted
hither: the village is skirted by the river Fáro, which is here small,
although during part of the year it becomes navigable for boats; towards
the east rises a considerable hill. Arrive between two and three o’clock
P.M.
3rd. Rúmde Ngáundere, the slave-village mentioned above, with a large
mountain towards the east; arrive between two and three o’clock P.M.
4th. Ngáundere.
The following is a more direct road from Kóncha to Ngáundere:—
1st day. Encamp on the máyo Béli, in a very level country with several
small slave-hamlets lying round about; arrive at noon; direction
S.S.E.
2nd. Púllo settlement of Ámba Sámbo Jíkera, or Zíkera (Jíkera being
the name of his grandfather), with a large mountain on the north
side; arrive about noon; S.S.E.
3rd. Fílla-Ngáwu, a village of the Mbúm, in a mountainous district,
with very small watercourses. Hence half a day’s march N.E., and a
day and a half from Ámba Sámbo Jíkera, is the Téngeren which I
mentioned above, consisting of two separate villages—a Púllo
settlement towards the west, and, about six miles east, a pagan
village of the Mbúm, in a mountainous district. Téngeren is also a
day and a half’s march from Rúmde Ngáundere, the traveller who comes
from the former place passing the night in a rúmde of Ámba Sámbo, on
the north bank of the Fáro.
4th. Ngáundere, between three and four o’clock P.M.
5th. A village of the Mbúm, situated on the bank of the máyo Nélbi,
which joins the máyo Gelangéro. This stream is perennial, and during
part of the year even navigable; on the south side of the village is a
mountain. Arrive in the forenoon.
6th. Mambúm (properly Ma-Mbúm), a considerable place, and residence of
Arnádo, a chief of the tribe of the Mbúm, skirted on its east side by
the máyo Nélbi, in a level country; arrive about noon. Mambúm is distant
from Katíl one day’s march, S.W.
7th. Rískobáya, a village of the pagan Mbúm, thus denominated from a man
named Rísko, a slave of Mohammed Jóbdi. The southern side of the village
is bordered by a watercourse, dry in summer, called by the Fúlbe “máyo
balléwo;” on the east side there is a mountain, and the whole road is
mountainous. Arrive between four and five o’clock P.M.
8th. Encamp in the wilderness about two o’clock P.M.
9th. Dóka, or rather the residence of Dóka, the principal chief of the
Báya country. I cannot say with certainty whether this place be the same
as that where the other itinerary terminates. The country level, and
covered with dense forest.
vii. _From Chámba to Tibáti._
(_a._) _Eastern road._
1st day. Búbadáddi, the village mentioned above, situated in the
southern angle formed by the junction of the river of Kóncha (called by
some Máyo Íbbi, by others M. Déve) with the Fáro; about noon.
2nd. Rúmde Dírrim, a hamlet of the slaves of Ámba Sámbo, who originally
belong to the tribe of the Mbúm. The country level; much forest. Arrive
about noon.
3rd. Rúmde Fáro, another slave-village of Ámba Sámbo (which, however,
has a name in the native language also), situated on the north side of
the Fáro, which here makes a sweep from west to east. Arrive between two
and three o’clock P.M., having crossed in the morning several small
streams, and further on a mountain-chain, which seems to border the
valley of the river on the north side.
4th. Rúmde Dúbbel, another slave-village; arrive about noon, having
crossed the river Fáro in the morning, and then traversed a dense
forest, full of elephants, in a level country.
5th. Tibáti, a large walled town, being the only town of this
description in Ádamáwa besides Ray Búba—Ngáundere being merely fortified
with a low rampart,—but inhabited for the most part by slaves, and not
by Fúlbe. It is the residence of a governor. The town is situated on a
small river skirting its north-eastern side, and then running N.W.
towards the Fáro, which it is said to join one day’s journey west from
Rúmde Fáro. It is generally called Kogí-n-Tibáti. On the north side of
the town there seems to be a large swamp, perhaps an inlet of the river.
Tibáti boasts, according to all my informants, of the richest vegetation
in all Ádamáwa. About ten miles west from the town is a more
considerable river, not fordable during some months, which, according to
my best informants, is the máyo Béli, coming from a considerable
distance S.W.
(_b._) _Western road, according to Mohammed._
1st day. Bómbaké, a Púllo village; before noon.
2nd. Encamp on the bank of a rivulet (the máyo Kotégo?) running
westward, between two and three o’clock P.M.
3rd. Gábdi Mbána, a village of the pagan Mbúm (Mbána?), in a level
country; about noon.
4th. Kóro-Mbána, another pagan village; before noon.
5th. The residence of Ádama Jíkera (see above); at the same time.
6th. Varvándu, a place situated on the south side of a river which
informant calls the Fáro, and which is crossed on branches of trees.
Towards S.E. a mountain is seen.
7th. Another place of Ádama Jíkera, in a level country; about noon.
8th. Tibáti.
(_c._) _According to Mʿallem Katúri._
1st day. Gungúti, a considerable Púllo place in a level country, the
southern horizon alone being bordered by mountains. Early in the morning
the broad river Fáro is crossed, during the latter part of the rainy
season and shortly afterwards, in boats, at other times of the year by
fording. Arrive between two and three o’clock P.M.
2nd. Pass the night out in a hilly country full of elephants and
buffaloes, while the deléb-palm or gigiña, and the gónda or _Papaya_
predominate in the forest[174]; arrive at two or three o’clock P.M.
3rd. A village of the pagan Mbána, in a woody country, with mountains
towards west and south. Road mostly keeps along the bank of a rivulet,
which is said to join the Fáro. Arrive between two and three o’clock
P.M.
4th. Hamlets of the pagan Múmbere (?), who live on the summits of the
mountains, the whole country being mountainous, and the road leading
over the heights.
5th. Encamp near a large lake or swamp, which informant calls by the
Háusa appellation “rúwa-n-dórina” (“Hippopotamus water”), in a hollow
between the mountains; arrive between four and five o’clock P.M.
6th. The large settlement of Ámba Sámbo Jíkera, surrounded by hills.
7th. The Púllo settlement of Ádama Jíkera, in a valley-plain surrounded
by mountains on all sides, and intersected by a small rivulet.
8th. A pagan village, Varvándu, in a plain, through which the Fáro runs
from south to north.
9th. Encamp in an uninhabited woody country perfectly level.
10th. Tibáti, about noon.
I shall here add two short itineraries from Tibáti to Ngáundere.
Direction, E.N.E.
1st day. A slave-village called Rúmde Tibáti, about noon.
2nd. Village of the Mbúm, in a mountainous district.
3rd. Rúmde Dúbi, before noon.
4th. Ngáundere, between two and three o’clock P.M.
Or a nearer road in three days, passing the first night in Rúmde
Mbúm, and the second in a slave-village of ʿAbd-Alláhi, and
travelling each day from early in the morning till about noon.
viii. _From Tibáti to the Íbo or Ígbo Country._
1st day. A village of the Búte, called, by my Háusa informant the
mʿallem Katúri, “garí-n-Kachélla Búte;” arrive between two and three
o’clock P.M.
2nd. A village of the Tikár (Tikʿa), called by him “garí-n-Kachélla
Tikár,” situated in a dense forest; about noon.
3rd. Another pagan village, called by him “garí-n-Kachélla-n-Yémyem;”
about noon.
4th. A village inhabited by the Monchéran, a tribe of the Búte. Country
level and woody.
5th. A pagan village or “úngwa,” consisting of two hamlets, one of which
lies at the foot and the other on the summit of a hill; between two and
three o’clock P.M.
6th. Another pagan village, the residence of a powerful native chief,
and therefore called by the Háusa people “garí-n-serkí-n-Yémyem.”
7th. A village of the great chief of the Fándu, in a level country. All
these pagan tribes, whose principal weapon is the bow and arrow, are in
the imána of Ámba Sámbo.
8th. Residence of the principal chief of the Tikár, or rather Tikʿa, a
tribe marked by four scars or cuts under the eyes. Each of these pagan
tribes has its peculiar language or dialect.
9th. Another pagan village, called “garí-n-Kachélla-n-Bum,” in a plain
woody country, with a considerable river passable only in boats, and
called by the Háusa people “rúwa-n-kádo” (the crocodile river).
10th. Encamp on the northern bank of the same river, called here “báki-
n-kogí Jétem,” after the Jétem, the pagan inhabitants of the country. It
winds along through a mountainous district.
11th. A village of the Mó, a large tribe of pagans, who live on the
summits of the mountains situated on the same river. This whole tribe is
armed with muskets. A long day’s journey, till about four or five
o’clock P.M.
12th. Village of the Abó, in a mountainous district watered by a river.
Towards the south a town called Úmbe is situated, being conspicuous by a
large mountain.
13th. Dingding, another pagan tribe, who feed chiefly on a particular
kind of clay, which they prepare with butter. The people of the slave-
expedition themselves lived upon it while in this district, and
represent it as not unpleasant. The Dingding are also armed with guns.
The name Dingding, however, most probably is not the indigenous name of
this tribe.
14th. Yúruwa, another pagan tribe, armed with guns, and living in a
mountainous district.
15th. Pó, another tribe, living chiefly on sugar-cane (not, as it seems,
the _Holcus saccharatus_), which they boil, and eat like honey. Country
mountainous.
16th. Íbo, dwelling in nine villages on the “black water” (báki-n-rúwa),
as many of the Háusa people call the Kwára, although the Ígbo and other
tribes in that district give the name “black water” in general to the
Bénuwé, while they distinguish the Kwára as the “white water.”
The Íbo, whom, as well as the Dingding, the Fúlbe believe to be
Christians, have neither cattle, horses, nor asses, but plenty of large
sheep, goats, swine, and poultry. The expedition which my informant
accompanied in 1848-9 spent two months in this country, plundering it
and carrying away a great many slaves. Since that time the Fúlbe can in
some respects truly say that their empire extends as far as the sea; for
now every year the Íbo, at least part of them, and their neighbours are
said to bring slaves, salt, and cowries as a kind of tribute to the
governor of Chámba. The same expedition after having retraced its steps
as far as the garí-n-Kachélla Bum, again returned towards the Great
River, and fell upon and plundered Mbáfu, said to be three days’ journey
north from the Íbo country.[175]
ix. _From Jóro Fángel to the Country of the Jétem._
1st day. Lúmta, a Púllo settlement in a level country, the N.E. side of
which is skirted by the máyo Nélbi; arrive about noon. Road crosses
several small water-courses; direction a little west from south.
2nd. Máyo Béli, a place chiefly inhabited by pagans, with the addition
of but a few Fúlbe, skirted by a river of the same name, turning from
west to north. The country mountainous, but the mountains not rising to
a great elevation. Arrive between two and three o’clock P.M.
3rd. Hosére Lábul, a large mountain, inhabited by Tikʿa, and extending a
considerable distance west. This mountain is generally regarded in
Ádamáwa as the feeder of the sources of the river Fáro; but according to
this informant (the Háj Ádama, an intelligent man who speaks as an eye-
witness), only a small rivulet, the máyo Tolóre, skirts its east foot,
and joins the máyo Béli. Arrive about noon. Hosére Lábul is one day’s
journey S.W. from Tibáti.
4th. Yáwa, a village of the pagan Tikár (Tikʿa), in a plain woody
country with a small river, which skirts the east side of the village
(perhaps the upper course of máyo Béli). Arrive between two and three
o’clock P.M. From Hosére Lábul you take a more westerly direction.
5th. Bomfónga, a village of another division of the Tikár (Tikʿa), in a
plain with small rivulets. Fárfar, the great capital of the Tikár, is
distant from this a long day W.N.W. The country of the Tikár (Tikʿa) in
general is well inhabited, the cultivated ground alternating with dense
forest, wherein the gonda and the banana prevail; in the more south-
westerly districts the góro-tree (_Sterculea acuminata_) and the hóno-
ruwá, or máji-n-góro (_St. macrocarpos_). That species of grain called
masr (_Zea maïs_), and dóga or yams, constitute the principal
produce,—very little millet, no cotton; the country almost all level,
with plenty of small rivulets. The inhabitants have, besides huts of
clay built overground, also caves underground.
6th. Encamp in the wilderness, the country inhabited by the Déri. A long
day.
7th. Encamp in the wilderness at a spot where natron is found. The
country inhabited by the Bóre, another division of the Tikár (Tikʿa).
8th. Lengwájí, a great mountain inhabited by Tikár, who are in the imána
of Ámba Sámbo, the governor of Chámba; before noon.
9th. Bómbom, one of the chief places of the Tikár; about noon.
10th. Fándu, another division of the Tikár; before noon. Direction a
little south from west.
11th. Mbónga, a large place of the Tikár in a level country, with but a
few mountains; before noon.
12th. Jolonjúnga, a straggling hamlet in a level country, with a rivulet
running north; between two and three o’clock P.M.