Arrangements for our Departure from Morzouk — Parting with the
Sultan — Leave Morzouk to return to Tripoli — Sleep at Dgleim
— Mode of conducting a Kafflé of Slaves — Arrival at Ghroodwa
— Pass two Days at Sebha — Are joined by more Kafflés —
Marriage of an Arab — Account of the Wadey Shati — Arrive at
Temenhint — Zeghen Om el Abeed — Pass of Kenair — Pass over
the five Days Desert to Sockna — Troubles at Sockna — Further
Description of that Place.
During the few days I remained in Morzouk after my return from the
south, my time was much taken up in visiting and endeavouring to
relieve a poor boy who had a locked jaw. He was in a state of great
debility when I first saw him; one of his hands, which had been
injured by a weight falling on it, and which accident occasioned
the disease, was in a terrible condition, uncleaned, and smelling
most offensively. He had not for many hours taken any nourishment;
but I succeeded in forcing out one of his front teeth, and making
him swallow some soup and milk, with a dose of bark twice a day. He
died on the 5th of February of exhaustion, in defiance of my utmost
care, and the numberless charms which were written on his skin. I
have observed that the Fighis, who compose these charms, hold out
that it is wicked to read or copy one of them if it has been written
for any particular person, and that the original alone may be read
by the owner. In order to avoid unthinkingly reading charms which
they have purchased, the Fezzanners immediately enclose them in
a small case of leather or cloth; if this is not to be procured,
they carefully tie up the paper with cord or thread.
It has erroneously been supposed that the Moors or Arabs will
not permit any one to draw views or figures, in consequence of a
prohibition to that effect in the Koran, evidently taken from our
Second Commandment. As far as regards myself, I certainly found no
opposition in taking sketches, farther than being told that it was
forbidden to make likenesses on paper or otherwise, as the Romees,
or Christians, worshipped such images. I explained to them, however,
that it was not for a religious purpose that I employed my pencil,
but merely to make resemblances of my friends: all jealousies then
vanished, and I was ever after quietly suffered to proceed. It was a
matter of much speculation and wonder that I could possibly contrive
to represent such little men on paper, and they never failed to trace
a likeness to some one of the company present, even although the
colour of the skin, or the costume itself, might be different. In one
instance I excited evident jealousy in the Sultan, who could not be
persuaded that a Negress I had drawn was not one of his favourites;
and he asked me, in no very gentle manner, how and where I could have
seen her, as she was confined to the Castle, and was visible to no
one but himself? Many of the people, on first taking up a drawing,
did not appear much struck with it; but no sooner had they discovered
the eyes than their astonishment and delight were expressed by loud
laughter, by cries of Allah! Allah! and by placing the back of the
open hand against the forehead. Few, however, confined themselves
to this mode of admiration, but boldly pushed at the drawing with
two fingers, one for each eye, to the great risk of its entire
destruction, exclaiming, “There are his eyes; ’tis Abd Allah,
Mohammed, or some other of our friends. Look at his eyes! there
are two of them! God is merciful! How wonderful! Well! I never
thought a man could be put upon paper. That’s the very Kaftan
he bought of Hadje Mahmoud! And look, he has a nose and mouth too,
oh! oh! oh! Allah! Allah! Allah!”
Fighi Sālem, a friend of ours, was particularly anxious that I
should give him, before my departure, a stock of medicines, such as
would enable him to become a father. I constantly made some excuse,
but he was so pressing, that, unwilling to own my want of ability
to comply, I gave him a compound of the dust of our medicine chest,
which I pompously assured him was excellent, and would produce the
desired effect. I recommended to him, when taking the prescription,
to shut one eye while he drank, or to hold his ears; which he
promised faithfully to observe, and I make no doubt was anxiously
awaiting the result.
I made up some packages of medicine, which I presented to Mukni,
begging him to accept also a small still which he had borrowed,
and which I knew he never intended to return. He asked it first for
the purpose, as he said, of making caraway water; but I strongly
suspect it was employed in composing something more congenial to his
palate, as his Negresses kept the still on the fire night and day,
and much mystery was observed on the occasion. Belford was sent
for once or twice to put it in order, Mukni allowing him to enter
the Haram attended by one of his sons.
I sold our small horse for twenty dollars, and hired camels to bring
home our goods as far as Sockna at one mitgal (or at the rate of
the exchange of gold, one dollar three-fourths), the kantar.
We had a japanned tea-tray, which was considered by far the finest
thing ever seen in Morzouk. This I presented to Hadje Mahmoud for
the improvement of his family. He had often extolled it highly,
and whenever he brought any one to visit us, begged that his friend
might be indulged with a sight of it. We at last discovered that
he wanted it to show to his Negress, who was with child by him
(to his great boast, as he was seventy-five years of age), that she
might produce a handsome boy, all his family being horridly ugly,
and, like their father, very short; and the lady being near her
time, the gift was most thankfully received. I was promised a very
handsome ewe and ram of the Soudan breed, which were to accompany me
to England; and Aleiwa sent me, as a present, a very fine Maherry,
which he had ridden himself from Borgoo. It was quite white, and
very fleet and docile.
[Illustration:
_Drawn from Life by G. F. Lyon._
_On Stone by D. Dighton._
A TUARICK ON HIS MAHERRIE.
_London. Published by J. Murray Albemarle St. Feb.1.1821._
_C. Hullmandel’s Lithography._]
Hateeta, a Tuarick of the tribe of Benghrasāta at Ghraat, of whom
I have before spoken, came to take leave of me. He now pressed me
very much to promise him, that on my return to Africa, I would pass
through his country, of which he is Chief, and take him with me to
the Negro land, adding, that if I would bring him a sword like the
one I wore, he should be perfectly content. He is the only Tuarick
I ever saw, who was not an impudent beggar, or who made presents
without expecting a return. He brought me some curious little cords,
made of the hide of an antelope; and as a proof of attachment,
gave me the dagger he wore on his wrist, and which was finished
in a superior style: he gave me, besides, a saddle cloth for my
Maherry, and instructed me how to mount it. I made him accept, in
return, a pound of gunpowder; and we parted with mutual promises of
being always friends. Yussuf’s mother made me a large quantity
of dweeda, cusscussou, and tikkery, a cake made of dates, flour,
and spices, and sent me some very fine dates for my friends in
England. I spent my time, whenever I was free from the attacks of
hemma, which generally confined me about four hours daily to my
bed, in visiting the slave markets, and attending the merchants,
with many of whom I was on very good terms; which led me to expect
a good reception from them, in case, according to my promise, I
should visit their native countries, on my return to Africa. Every
thing being in readiness for our departure, and Lizari having,
though with some difficulty, obtained the Sultan’s permission to
go to Tripoli, we took leave of our friends.
JOURNAL FROM MORZOUK TO TRIPOLI.
Wednesday, Feb. 9th. Therm. 1°. 30′. below 0.
This morning we prepared to go, and at nine all was ready, and I
went to take my farewell of the Sultan, who affected to shed tears,
and to feel as much regret at parting with me as if I had been his
own son. He very injudiciously reminded me of Mr. Ritchie’s having
asked him to cash my bill, declaring his readiness to have done so,
and adding a great deal in favour of himself and his willingness
to accommodate us on all occasions. For the credit of my deceased
friend, I thought proper to contradict him; and without farther
ceremony taxed him with telling me an untruth, which at once
silenced him on this subject. He then confided to me his intention
of going in a few months into Bornou, in which kingdom he proposed
establishing himself as Sultan. He begged that I would soon return,
to accompany him thither, and teach his people how to fire his three
four-pounders. Of course I made him no promises on this head. On my
rising to take leave, he said, “Sayd, I hope you will come and see
me again; for I have always been your friend, and was Yussuf’s
also. I am convinced that you will tell this to your Sultan, and
that I have done every thing you required of me.” I at once put
a stop to these false assertions, by exclaiming, as before, that
he did not speak truth; and waving my hand in token of farewell,
took my departure, though certainly not without some apprehension
that he would endeavour to detain me. These apprehensions naturally
arose from an idea that my return might perhaps be arrested in the
same manner as that of Hadge Osman, which will be better explained
by the following anecdote. When Mukni first obtained possession of
Fezzan, Hadge Osman, the principal Mamluke, had a severe dispute with
him, which appeared to have been amicably settled, Mukni laying his
hand on his heart, and professing much friendship, as he was in the
habit of doing when most disposed to mischief. On leaving Mukni’s
presence, however, the unfortunate Mamluke, with his two sons, was
hurried to a dungeon, and immediately strangled! That I should have
been suffered to quit without interruption the territories of this
treacherous man, was a subject of amazement to all; particularly
as I had openly espoused the cause of Lizari, and it was known
that he intended accompanying me to Tripoli. I succeeded, however,
in reaching the house of Lizari, whence we rode away together. We
were accompanied by some of the principal people as far as Dgleim,
where we arrived at sunset, having journeyed east by north thirteen
miles from Morzouk. My Kafflé consisted of Belford and myself, and
eight loaded camels, four Arabs, our two Maherries, two sheep, and my
horse. Lizari’s was composed of sixteen Khādems, or females, and
three male slaves, his own Negress, four loaded camels, a Maherry,
which he rode, and two Arabs. We were all in high spirits, our
little party rejoicing at the idea of returning home, and Lizari
at having escaped the malice of Mukni. Our friends remained with
us all night, and we arranged together many plans of future meeting.
February 10th. Thermometer 0°.—At 8.15. our kind friends took
leave of us, Yussuf and old Hadge Mahmoud sobbing loudly, and
Mohammed looking very gloomy. Poor little Barca, the boy whom Yussuf
had lent us for so long a period, appeared quite inconsolable. I
wished to have brought him away; but, to my great regret, his master
would not sell him to me, though I offered my horse in exchange for
him. I really felt much concern at parting from these kind-hearted
people, who had, to the best of their abilities, often befriended
us, and to whom we owed so many and weighty obligations. The day
was fine, our camels good, and we set out at a brisk pace. The
Shreef Sadig, who had been encamped at a little distance from us,
now became our messmate. His Kafflé consisted of four girls,
three men, four camels, and three Arabs. Lizari and myself joined
our stock, which Rahmata his Negress, who was an excellent cook,
made into a nice mess for us every night.
Had I trusted to Mukni’s professions, I should have been in some
danger of starving on my road homeward. He told me repeatedly not
to think of preparing food for my journey, as he had commanded his
slaves to make for me cusscussou, flour, and dried meat. He also
assured me, that on the day of my departure, I should receive from
him an order on all the towns through which I should pass to supply
myself and animals with dates, &c.; but, after all, no one part of
these fine promises was fulfilled, which added one more proof to the
many I had before received, of Mukni’s falsehood and insincerity.
Our road lay over a desert, without the least sign of a shrub, or any
living creature. A strong cold east wind blew with great force, as it
met with no impediment, and quickly chopped our lips and skin. The
Negroes wore their travelling dresses, which being new and clean,
looked very neat. The girls have green or yellow caps, with a large
flap on each side; shirts of blue or white cotton, a petticoat or
wrapper of the same, and a good warm jercad or barracan. It is to
be observed, that masters do not at all times take equal care of
their slaves; but that fearing the bad effects of cold weather, the
merchants are in winter more attentive to their comfort than at any
other season; and this for their own advantage, since it prevents the
Negresses from becoming thin and consumptive (which want of clothing
would otherwise subject them to be), and makes them bring a better
price to their owners. The males are not so carefully attended to,
having generally only a long shirt and barracan. Both sexes have
sandals of camel’s hide; the girls walk by themselves, and the
men follow the camels. At one o’clock they are all watered like
cattle, out of large bowls, placed on the ground, from which they
kneel and drink. Children are thrown with the baggage on the camels,
if unable to walk; but if five or six years of age, the poor little
creatures are obliged to trot on all day, even should no stop be
made for fourteen or fifteen hours, as I have sometimes witnessed. We
passed a Kafflé of about twenty camels from Tripoli, with a chowse
of the Bashaw, loaded with corn for Morzouk; they informed us that
the Bashaw had sent an army against Augela, and that the plague had
ceased at Tunis and Jerba. At four we turned from the road to go to
a well, Ghroodwa being considered too long a journey for the slaves:
we had travelled until that time north 40° east nineteen miles. At
7.30. we arrived at Neshoua (a Wadey running east-north-east), having
cleared north by west seven miles. A well of good water was here,
and we lay down amongst the palm bushes. In unloading the camels,
Belford’s Maherry took fright, and running on to the desert, his
saddle fell off, and the beast lamed himself sadly by striking his
toe against it: some Arabs from the neighbourhood seeing us cooking,
came and supped with us. The mess of the slaves is provided before
that of their masters; it consists of Bazeen, of which each one has a
portion about as large as the double fist; and a bowl is filled with
grease and pepper, into which they occasionally dip their paste. The
daily allowance of food is a quart of dates in the morning, and half
a pint of flour made into Bazeen at night. Some masters never allow
their slaves to drink after a meal, unless at a watering place. When
the meal is finished, they all lie down, the females in one line, the
males in another, and are covered over with sacking until morning.
February 12th. Thermometer 30° below 0°.—Water frozen, and the
poor Negroes in great distress from the cold. At 8.20. loaded and
proceeded along the edge of the Wadey. Belford walked for a time,
and his camel appeared much swelled about the foot. Course north
75° east; Wadey about one mile in breadth, bounded on each side by
the Desert. At one P.M. we stopped at Ghroodwa, having made twelve
miles. Here is a fine Mosque and a tomb (which is kept constantly
white-washed) over the grave of the third brother of Sidi Besheer,
the Marāboot of whom I have before spoken. I bought a fine sheep
for a dollar and a half.
February 12th. Thermometer 2° 30′.—At eight proceeded along the
Wadey; at 9.30. arrived at the end of it, and found a well called
Bir el Whishki, or well of the palm bushes. We were joined here by a
chowse of the Bashaw of Tripoli, who had just come from thence with
thirty camels’ load of grain; he said it was reported that the
English Consul was coming to meet me at Benioleed. On leaving the
well we entered again on a stony desert, and at 6.15. descended a
rugged pass called Taneïa, to a plain hemmed in on every side by
conical-shaped hills. At 6.40. we stopped for the night, having
travelled north 33° east twenty-six miles. A large Kafflé of
natives of the Wadey Shiati, وادي شدتي, passed us on their
way to Morzouk, with grain, and to compliment the Sultan on his
son’s return. We had many Arab games while sitting with the
camel-men round our fires; and I now began to be well acquainted
with these people, having occasionally been under the necessity of
honouring one or two of them with a box on the ear. We were all very
merry, and one of my people, Ibrahim el Fetaima, an Arab of Hoon,
told us some very amusing stories.
Sunday, 13th of February. Thermometer 3°.—Proceeded at 7.45. along
the plain. At nine the hills opened on to a broad flat plain,
bounded at about ten miles to the eastward by hills, which were
a continuation of those we had passed. At 1.40. arrived at Sebha,
having travelled north 33° east fifteen miles. Strong south wind
blowing. We found under the walls where we encamped two Kafflés
who were awaiting our arrival; one belonging to Hadge Mohammed
el Turké, who had twenty-three Negresses and five men slaves;
the other belonging to an old lame Turk called Baba Hassein, and
consisting of twenty-one females and seven males: they had left
Morzouk two days before us. In the evening all the village assembled
outside the walls, to carry a bride in procession to her husband’s
house. A camel was ornamented with a frame-work, covered over with
carpets, shawls, and ostrich feathers; and the bride placed within
it on his back. The camel was led by a relation of the bride,
preceded by dancing people, music, mounted and dismounted Arabs,
who shouted and fired, running backwards and forwards in front of
the procession. The bridegroom walked before them, with a fan in his
hand, and his fingers dyed with henna, loaded with tawdry clothes,
and looking very solemn. The bride was carried round the town and
gardens, and in the end conducted to her husband’s house. The
village all night resounded with songs, and the shrill voices of
the women; and we had several bowls of provisions sent out to us. We
found the flies here very tormenting.
[Illustration:
_Drawn from Life by G. F. Lyon._
_On Stone by D. Dighton._
CAMEL CONVEYING A BRIDE TO HER HUSBAND.
_London. Published by J. Murray Albemarle St. Feb.1.1821._
_C. Hullmandel’s Lithography._]
As I have frequently had occasion to mention Shiati, I now take an
opportunity of saying that it is a district lying to the westward
of Sebha; it is situated in a Wadey, and contains many towns. This
Wadey runs east and west, or nearly so; and is divided into Wadey
Shirghi, or eastern Wadey, and Wadey el Ghrarbi, or western Wadey.
In Wadey Shirghi the towns are thus situated, beginning from the
east. Ashkiddi اشكد, Ghiddi قدّي, Gelwas قلوس, Brak
براك, which is two-thirds of a day from Sebha, and ten days
from Gharian, is the largest of these towns. Zooiat زويات,
Tamzawa طمرعوه, Gusser Sallām قسرسللم, Aggar
اقار, Maharouga محاروقه, El Gerda القرد, Taroot
طروت, Gootta قوته, Berghen برغن (two of that name),
Temissan طمسان, Iddri يدري, which is a large village,
and westernmost in the Wadey Shirghi. It is two days from Brak,
and eight days from Ghadams.
Another wadey called El Agaal اللقعر runs parallel to the
above. It is one day from Sebha, and has the following towns in it:
El Abiad اللبياض, El Hamra الحمره, Khalifa خليفه,
Bendoobaïa بندباي, Zueïa زويا, Ergābi ارقعبي,
Tenāhmi طنامي, Gusser Saad قسر سعد, Gusser Sbaida قسر
زبيده, Kharaig خريق. This is all the Wadey Shirghi.
The Wadey Ghrarbi begins from the east at Iddri Fegaige فقيج,
Kertibi كرتبي, Garragarra قراقرا, Tuash طواش,
Teweewa طويوه, Germa جرما, the ancient capital of Fezzan;
Ghraraifi غرّايفي, Oubāri وببعري, seven days from
Ghraat, which is about W.S.W. two long days from El Abiad, which
is one day from Sebha. This is the Wadey Ghrarbi.
The people in the Wadeys are blacks and mulattoes as in Morzouk,
and Arabs live amongst them. The villages contain from thirty to
two hundred houses; many, however, are composed of palm huts. The
people are very poor, but in the time of the Waled Suleman,
who resided much amongst them, they were opulent. In some of the
pools of stagnant water in the Wadey Shaiti are found small worms,
of about the size of a grain of rice; these are collected in great
quantities, and pounded with a little salt in a mortar, until they
form a black paste, which is made into balls of about the size of
the double fist, and then suffered to dry in the sun. These worms,
which are called Dood, form one of the very few luxuries of Fezzan,
as the poor people, when they have a mess of flour, mix some of them
with the sauce, to their Aseeda. They resemble very bad caviar in
taste, and the smell is extremely offensive; but habit and necessity
overcome all prejudices in this country, and I soon became very
partial to them. Sand is an unavoidable ingredient in this paste,
and the natives consider it as more wholesome in consequence. One
or two families gain a good subsistence by preparing these worms
for the market of Morzouk, and the neighbouring towns.
Monday, Feb. 14th. Therm. 3°.—Another Kafflé joined us from
Morzouk, belonging to a native of Tripoli named Khalifa: those
I mentioned before, set out this day for Temanhint. Belford’s
Maherry was here so lame, that I had him fired all round the foot by
Ibrahim, who was now become very useful to us. The manner of firing
camels is by a very thin red hot iron, which is curved so as to be
easily turned round the foot: they have these irons of different
lengths and sizes, for the particular part to be burned. I hired
another camel for Belford to ride on, at the rate of two dollars,
from hence to Sockna, agreeing that it should carry two skins of
water on passing the Soudah.
As I had nothing better to occupy me, I mounted my own Maherry, with
a Tuarick Rahela, or saddle, and practised riding him according to
their manner, which is very difficult, and not used in Fezzan. I
fortunately succeeded much beyond my expectation. A town called
Gurda قردَه, is S.S.E. one mile from Sebha.
Tuesday, 15th Feb.—At 7.30. went on, after having been most
hospitably treated by Lizari’s friends. Our road was over a
barren plain, until 8.30. when we ascended a mountain called Ben
Areif بن اريف, by a pass named Hormut ben Areef, bearing
N. 55°. E. of Sebha. At nine we descended to a stony plain,
bounded close to the right by table-topped hills: to the left were
a few insulated sugar-loaf hills of yellow limestone. At eleven the
plain became more distinct; distant hills to the right, and desert
plain extending to the left: this latter was called El Ghrazzie
الغرازي. At 1.15. mountains closed in, in the form of a
crescent, having two black hills half a mile from the road, called
Roos Ghraab روس غرعب, or the heads of the ravens. At two
arrived at Temenhint طمنحنت, having travelled N. 56°. E. 15
miles. In the evening we had occasion to buy straw for the camels,
in a way I had never before seen, of the people who came out from the
town to trade with us. Shreef Sadig soon instructed me in this new
mode of barter. The person who has to sell mentions what he wishes
in exchange for certain commodities, whether oil, liquid butter, or
shahm, which is a kind of salted fat much resembling bad tallow in
taste and smell. If liquids, he pours water into a pot in proportion
to the quantity of oil or butter he requires; if solids, he brings
a stone of the size of the shahm, or other article demanded. The
buyer pours out water, or sends for smaller stones, until he thinks
a fair equivalent is offered. The quantities then agreed for are
made up to the size of the stone, or the depth of the water.
Temenhint is so completely surrounded by date trees, that it is not
seen from the road. It is a small walled village, and considered
by traders as the most inhospitable in Fezzan.
Wednesday, 16th. Therm. 1°.—At 7.30. started. Stony desert to
the left and right, with bushes occasionally. At 9.45. descended to
a sandy hatïa, called Hatia Gurmayda حاتيم قرميده. At
4.30. arrived at Zeghen زيغن; having travelled N. 75°. E. 22
miles. We built up our goods under the walls, and lay there. Having
been so long accustomed to black faces, I fancied that the natives,
who are entirely a white population, looked sickly. The women are
reputed to be very handsome; but I did not enter the town, and if
I had done so, should not have seen them. We had numerous visitors,
and a large supply of food, Lizari’s general acquaintance enabling
us to procure whatever we wanted. They gave us an account of a
wedding which had taken place that morning, speaking much of the
beauty of the bride; and on hearing her named, we found that she
was the very girl whom Lizari intended demanding of her father on
his return from Tripoli. He was much confounded, but bore with great
good humour our joking him at being too late. The successful lover
was aware of Lizari’s intentions; and on hearing he had set out
from Morzouk, instantly demanded, and bore off the prize.
Thursday, February 17th. Thermometer 0.—At eight we set off over
an uneven plain to a stony desert, a cold north wind blowing. After
passing some hills, we arrived at the Hatïa, and wells of Om
el Abeed, ام العبيد, having gone north 50°. E. twelve
miles. We met a few Arabs from Sockna, who said that Sidi Mohammed
ben Shaib was expected, on his way to the Sultan of Bornou, with
presents from the Bashaw: they also said an Englishman was with
him; but I concluded the report to have originated in its being
known at Tripoli, that Belford and myself were to have accompanied
him. In the evening, we filled and mended our Gerbas, and otherwise
prepared for passing the five days’ desert now before us. The Arabs
amused themselves by placing a camel’s skull on a rising ground,
and firing ball at it, all resting their guns; only one, however,
struck it. I rose to fire; but they all laughed at me for not placing
my gun on a branch, or otherwise steadying it; I nevertheless struck
the head twice, when, resolving not to lose my reputation as a good
shot, I laid down my gun with indifference, pretending I could hit
it as often as I pleased. The Arabs were astonished (and I must
own I was equally so, being but an indifferent shot in general),
and gave me the title of Bendag, or marksman.
Baba Hassein, whom we again joined at Zeghen, had never given
his Boozaferr, بوزفرّ, or footing in the country, which I
mentioned our having done at Sockna, or more properly in the Soudah
mountains. The Arabs in these cases procure either the skeleton of
an animal, or some carrion, and, digging a grave, bury it, howling
as if for a deceased friend. All the night they imitate the cries
of wolves and hyænas, as if in search of food, saying, “Where
is our Bouzaferr? we are crying for our Bouzaferr; the natives are
starving; give your Bouzaferr.” The buried bones are intended to
imply a starved friend, who is supposed to be unable to rest till
the survivors are fed. The old man was, however, deaf to all their
hints, and in consequence the Arabs made a little grave (for him,
as they said), and left him, not without a few hearty wishes that
some harm might befall him.
As we sat round our little fires, during our march over the desert,
we amused ourselves with a variety of Arab games and puzzles, and
a few clumsy tricks with date stones, and much laughing and joking
passed off our evening very pleasantly, until sleep seized us, and
we then laid ourselves down on the sand round the fire until morning.
Friday 18th. Thermometer 2°.—As there was at this place great
plenty of Agool, and other shrubs for the camels, they were, owing
to a concerted scheme of the Arabs, not to be found; we therefore
were destined to pass the day here, in spite of all our threats
and remonstrances. One of a party of Arabs, who had joined our
Kafflé at Sebha, and from whom I hired the camel which Belford
rode, offered one for sale. It would not, like other camels, eat
dates, and no food was to be found in the track we were to pass. We
consequently despaired of its being able to get through the desert;
and I, thinking to make a good bargain with him, offered him for
it two dollars, or ten shillings. He refused this, and went away;
but an Arab soon after brought me the animal, having purchased
it for me for a dollar and one third, 6_s._ 8_d._! I killed it,
and made every one merry, as it was sufficiently large to afford,
for freemen and slaves, each two days’ allowance; it was a Maherry
from Borgoo, and I suppose weighed upwards of 600 lbs. The hungry
Arabs had many quarrels in cutting it up; and I sometimes feared
there would be mischief amongst them; but the altercation ended,
like other quarrels amongst these people, in great noise, and biting
tongues at each other.
I never before had an opportunity of observing how water is
procured from the belly of a camel, to satisfy the thirst of an
almost perishing Kafflé. It is the false stomach which contains
the water and undigested food. This is strained through a cloth,
and then drank; and from those who have been under the necessity of
making use of this beverage, I learn that the taste is bitter. As
this animal had recently drank, its stomach was nearly full. I
amused myself in making observations on its skin and skeleton,
and in planning the formation of a boat; and I found that a most
excellent contrivance might be made from them, for the purpose of
crossing rivers; the back-bone being used as the keel, and the ribs
as timbers. The formation of the chest of a camel resembles the
prow of a Portuguese bean-cod, or fishing-boat. Indeed, it was in
consequence of hearing the Arabs always calling it Markab, or ship,
that the idea first occurred to me.
Saturday, 19th February. Thermometer 1°.—Having filled water
for five days, we set out over black stony hills, bounded to the
north-westward at the distance of a mile from our track by a sandy
desert. At nine, a hillock of a singular form, resembling a turret,
and called Amaymet Saad, bore north 52° east. As it stands at the
entrance of a pass we were to ascend, we proceeded towards it; a
strong east wind blowing very sharply. We met a man on his way from
Sockna, who informed us that the Consul had been at Benioleed. The
Negresses had, from the time of our setting off, been collecting
wood, and the poor creatures were each laden with stock for two
days. We passed a grave, which was ornamented by an inverted gourd
at the head. The person buried there was a drunken man, a native
of Sockna, who had been in the habit of carrying letters or orders
across the desert, whenever the Sultan required it, and was able to
pass it on foot in three days, at about forty miles a day. It once
happened that a letter was to be brought from Sockna to Zeghen, and
this man was selected for the purpose; he was drunk at the time, yet
insisted on having his gourd full of Lackbi, instead of carrying,
as usual, a small skin of water at his back, promising, however,
to drink enough at Gutfa, a well at the foot of the mountains. He
set out in this condition, and was found dead with his empty gourd
by his side, within an hour’s walk of the well we had left, and
so finished his task; he was accordingly buried here, as a warning
to all topers.
At 12.6. P.M. came to the sand, and passed over it until 1.30. when
we reached very steep, irregular sand hills, which we found great
difficulty in ascending, the camels falling repeatedly. Having
cleared these hills, we ascended a plain by a pass called Kenaire
كنير, to the eastward of which, at the distance of a mile,
is the turret I have already mentioned. Through the sand hills,
I observed a singular line of rocks, resembling the scoria of the
lava of Vesuvius, and about ten feet in breadth, running north
and south for about five hundred yards. The mountains over Om el
Abeed, which we had just left, run east and west, until lost in the
distance. The hills we ascended were of limestone and flint, very
precipitous, and facing to the southward, running east-south-east
and west-north-west. The plain was covered with a white crust or
clay, with here and there bare rock intervening.
At 3.40. P.M. we passed over a few sand hills, called El Ramle
Shraiya, or the small sands. At 4.15. came to a black stony
flat. 4.45. passed a long line of stones facing the east, called
“Sala el Sultan, or the praying place of the Sultan;” a former
Sultan having prayed here while passing the desert with a numerous
army. At 6.30. arrived at a spot called Gheranfāta, which is
generally a resting-place, and is marked by two or three basaltic
heaps: we had advanced to the pass, north 45° east, twelve miles,
and from it north 52° east, the same distance.
Observed this day that the driver of one of the camels, which had
joined us at Zeghen, was a blind man: he held by the animal’s
tail, and was in the habit of going constantly over this uneven,
and, in some places, dangerously steep track between Sockna and
Morzouk. I learnt from Khalifa that one of his Khādems had died
in the morning, and that he had stopped behind to bury her.
Sunday, 20th February. Thermometer 30′ below 0°.—At 7.30. passed
over some gravelly plains as the day before. The horizon was as
perfectly level as that of the sea. We saw a great deal of Shrab
شراب, or false water. This plain is scattered with the carcasses
of the numerous animals which have died on it after passing the
mountains. No ravenous animals are found here, so that it is rare
to see a skeleton deprived of flesh. At 1.30. we passed El Ramle
Kebeer, or the large sands, which is a range of sand hills running
to a great distance to the east-south-east from our right hand. At
6.30. stopped, having travelled north 35°, east 35 miles. The slaves
were much fatigued, and I placed a couple of little children on my
horse, whilst I rode on a camel. Belford’s Maherry was in very
poor plight; but I determined, if possible, to get him to Sockna. The
hills of El Gaaf, which are placed on the right and left of the road
before us, bore thus: north-east point of the western range north
27° east; west point of the eastern range north 66° east. A raw
night, much sand blowing over us.
Monday, 21st February. Thermometer 3°.—At 7.15. set off. At
nine, passed the eastern Gaaf, and at ten the western. 11.20. rose
gradually to the beginning of Soudah. I walked, and my two camels
were made use of by some of the poor fatigued Negresses, who were
ready enough to mount them. We passed over a plain of white shining
stones, called El Maytba Bayda الميتبايده, and then
over a black one called El Maytba Soudah الميتباصوده,
which is covered with large detached black masses of basalt. At
2.15. descended to a long wadey, having a few Talhh trees طالح,
and running north and south, called Temesheen طمشين. At four
passed this, and ascended with difficulty to another mountain
top. At five we descended by an equally dangerous track to a narrow
wadey, called Finger فنقر, where, as the slaves were very much
exhausted, we lay for the night. My own Maherry had fallen very lame
this day in consequence of the sharpness of the rocks we passed over;
I therefore lightened his load, and allowed no one to mount him. A
remarkably high and black mountain, called Kohol كخل, or black,
bore north-west about ten miles. We had proceeded this day north
35° east, 30 miles.
Tuesday, February 22nd.—At 7.20. went on. Thermometer 5°. A
very fine morning. At noon we passed over a wadey, called Zayra
زيرا, with many shrubs in it, on which a few poor shepherds
from Sockna were feeding their flocks. From 2. to 2.50. passed over
a mountain top, called Dahr t’moumen دانحر تمومين,
or “the Believer’s back.” At 5 stopped on a wadey, having
travelled north 35°, east 14 miles. We were every evening much
amused by a little Tibboo boy, called Moosa, about five years of
age, whose master was always in the Kafflé next to us. This child
had picked up a few words of Arabic, and spoke very prettily. The
chief amusement of his master, and the Arabs who were with him,
was to make Moosa dance, and then fight another boy of double his
age. Whilst sitting opposite to each other by the fire, their masters
made them fight with lighted sticks. Moosa, who always was the first
to be enraged, began to call the other boy an infidel, to curse his
father, and to use many other equally insulting speeches, which the
Arabs taught him. The elder boy, provoked in his turn, then rose to
revenge himself, when the little fellow darted at his legs, and by
biting them unmercifully, was always sure of gaining the victory. The
Moors never took the trouble of collecting wood for their fires,
but waited until every Kafflé had supplied itself, when they sent
Moosa to steal what he could. Owing to his small size, he succeeded
in these pilferings, to my great amusement, for I found that though
he stole from every one else, he never robbed me, but even supplied
me when I was in want of fuel. He was repeatedly offered to me as
a present by his master, and I have since been sorry I refused him:
he was jet black, and extremely pretty. In all the difficult passes
he rode on my right knee, telling me the way in which he was caught,
and many long stories besides. If his master’s camels or mine
chanced to stray, he would arm himself with a stick and go in search
of them, nor would he give up the chase till he had driven them back;
he was indeed a most engaging child, and I became very fond of him.
Wednesday, 23rd February. Thermometer 4°.—At seven the camels took
the road by a wadey to the left, whilst I and the slaves went over
an almost inaccessible mountain, called Nufdai نوفدي, which
brought us to the well at its foot, called Gutfa قتفا, about
three miles distant from our last sleeping place; the water here is
very good. We stopped an hour at the well to water and refresh the
slaves and animals, and then wound along a wadey having many small
Talhh trees in it, until we had made about six miles north-east,
the mountains opening out on the left.
Old Baba Hassein, the Turk of whom I have made mention as not
giving his Bouzaferr, was now become quite a standing joke amongst
the Kafflé. He spoke very bad Arabic, which, with his being very
lame, and always requiring, when he walked, to be supported by
two Negresses, made him the constant subject of ridicule. He had
almost famished his slaves and camel-men, allowing them to drink
once a day only, though he had a plentiful stock of water. Having
a pipe, he amused himself with it day and night; and as smoking
was to him the height of enjoyment, and he always rode a camel,
he affected to wonder that the poor slaves should be fatigued or
in want of refreshment. Every other owner had brought ready ground
corn with him for the food of the Negroes; but Baba obliged his
poor tired females to pound their corn every evening after their
fatiguing march, in wooden mortars, which he had brought for the
purpose. Though the whole Kafflé had been straitened for water,
he actually brought two whole skins full to the well, and the Arabs
told me that his slaves lay down and drank of it like camels. This
man had been, about six years before, robbed of all his goods by the
Tuarick, of the tribe of Haggar, when on the confines of the kingdom
of Kashna, on his way from Tunis; but his address, or roguery,
more than supplied his loss. He arrived almost naked at Sakkatoo,
the residence of Bello (son of the celebrated Hatman Danfodio), the
Sultan of the Fellata, introducing himself as a Shreef, or descendant
of the Prophet, and telling a piteous story of his losses, which
he since owns to have been greatly exaggerated. Bello, believing
him to be a Shreef, took compassion on him, and made him a kingly
present of a hundred Negresses, some of whom, then with him, were
really beautiful; he also supported him for some time. The old man
had traded with the Negresses, and had made a great deal of money,
with which he was now returning.
We were also accompanied from Zeghen by an old Arab, who appeared
to have nothing to do with loading or unloading the camels, and
who always prayed and slept apart from the Kafflé. I supposed him
to be the father of some of the camel-men, and frequently gave him
food, until I learnt that he was related to none of our companions,
and that he had but one object in coming with us, which was to
live upon us. He had a voracious appetite, and finding he could not
obtain food at home without working for it, had been for many years
in the habit of passing this desert with the Kafflés, on whom he
quartered himself: his character was well known, yet the Arabs were
unable to shake him off, fearing he would spread a report that they
allowed him to starve, while they had plenty, which would have been
a great reproach to them. At the well where I killed the camel,
I gave him two days’ allowance, or about four pounds of food,
which he devoured at once: he then dined with my drivers, and
again with the Shreef Sadig’s men, and even managed to coax the
hungry slaves out of part of their dinner. Having lost his teeth,
he never chewed, but bolted his food, and was a complete glutton.
Thursday, Feb. 24th. Therm. 4°.—The Sheikh of Sockna, who
was on his way to congratulate the Sultan, met us here and gave
me fifty dollars, with letters from the Consul, Dr. Dickson,
and Mr. Carstensen, who were all well. He also informed us of
the death of the Bashaw’s eldest Mulatto son Sidi Mourad, of
a pestilential disorder, which, he said, was reported to be the
plague. We dressed ourselves in our best clothes, and passed on,
in company with Lizari, before the Kafflé, for the town of Sockna,
to prepare houses. After proceeding for about two hours over a plain
sprinkled with shrubs, we passed a sandy flat and date trees: at
about two miles from the town, having traversed north-east nearly
fourteen miles, arrived at the town of Sockna. Before we entered
it above a hundred friends of Lizari, who was once acting, and is
now nominal Kaid of Sockna, came out to welcome him; and I, as his
friend, received every attention. We had good houses provided for
us; and the Kafflé arrived soon after; but notwithstanding the
respect shown us by some of the inhabitants, there were others
who very much molested us; and the boys were, I think, the most
impudent I ever met with, even in the most riotous and disorderly
streets in London. Finding we were strangers in the country, they
amused themselves with rushing by dozens into our room, to stare
at, and to rob us, if they could. When their curiosity had ceased,
their talents for tormenting commenced; and a good camel whip
became at last my only resource against their impertinence. After
I had succeeded in turning them out, they surrounded the door,
all being ready for a run, and called out, “Bring the whip, bring
the whip! d——n your father! here are plenty of boys peeping!”
At last I was obliged to rush out upon them, and catching two of
the offenders, flogged them heartily; they then began to discover,
that though a stranger, I was not to be trifled with.
I must observe that some of the men of Sockna were also most
intrusive and impudent beggars. They crowded in upon us ten and
twenty at a time, one party leaving us only to make way for another
equally troublesome; one asked for powder, another for flints,
knives, scissars, and all kinds of articles: at first I felt
ashamed to turn them out, and therefore had recourse to entreaty
that they would go away; but this had not the slightest effect,
and I was obliged finally to show that I had profited by Mukni’s
instructions, and to get rid of them by main force.
Sunday, February 27th.—To my great dismay I was again attacked
by hemma, and was also under the painful necessity of killing my
largest Maherry, finding he had broken his toe. I had intended him
for Sir Joseph Banks. He was the finest I had ever seen: seven feet
eight inches from the ground to his hump, which was a low one. I
was offered two dollars for him, but preferred killing him, to feed
ourselves and fellow travellers. As we had to hire fresh camels
here, we discharged those which had brought us from Morzouk, and I
was heartily glad to get rid of the Sockna drivers, who are never
contented, always trying to deceive, and never assisting any one.
We found that the Bashaw had sent chowses with eight horses,
the property of his late son, to be disposed of in Fezzan for
Negroes, and the purchasers were to sell them in the interior, so
that they might never again be seen at Tripoli. The news brought
by these people occasioned a general mourning, and the women,
this day and the preceding one, were out on the sands, howling,
beating the Tubbel, or alarm drum, tearing their hair and faces,
and committing all sort of extravagancies, which always ended in
frenzy, though they would in their hearts have rejoiced to learn
that the whole Koramanlie race was extinct.
Almost all the houses here have, in the principal rooms, a black line
drawn round them about breast high, with wetted gunpowder. If the
woman of the house is delivered of a male child, this precaution
prevents Iblis and the devil’s children, or imps, from coming
into the room to tease or injure him; or, what is worse, to make
him squint.
Our friend and travelling companion, Sadig, who had always been very
agreeable and cheerful, this day left us, to our great regret, on his
return to his native town, Wadan; whither he invited me to accompany
him, assuring me that I should drink nothing but sweet milk and
Lackbi, and that at every meal a new dish of whatever description
I chose should be prepared for me. It was his intention to send
his slaves to Mesurata on the sea-coast, to exchange them for sheep.
The mothers here, and indeed all the town’s-people, were at
this time in great alarm, having heard that an Orfilly, or Arab
of Benioleed, was prowling about in search of some child, whom he
intended to kill and eat. This wretch had, from the effects of a
loathsome disease, lost his nose, and been otherwise disfigured. Some
one had prescribed to him, or he himself had conceived this dreadful
remedy for his sufferings; and, in consequence, was on the watch
for some young victim, in whose warm blood he was to wash himself,
and then devour its flesh. An infant girl of two or three years of
age had, a short time before, been rescued from him, and he was now
wandering about the neighbourhood in search of another child. The
Sockna Arabs had all agreed to shoot him if they could meet him,
and Lizari had also given his promise to despatch him if he came
in his way.
The Orfilly Arabs have almost universally a bad character, and
are much disliked, not, however, without reason. A man murdered
or robbed, a house fired, a camel stolen, or any lawless act, is
almost always traced to an Orfilly; and certainly a more insolent,
thievish, and begging set of men I never saw. They even exceed the
Sockna men in this particular: “Give me, give me,” is their
cry from morning till night.
The language of Sockna, as I mentioned when first we visited it
on our way to Morzouk, is the same as that of the Tuarick, and is
only spoken in this town; their neighbours of Hoon and Wadan not
understanding it at all. I subjoin a few words, supplied by one of
the natives.
One Idgen.
Two Sunn.
Three Shard.
Four Erba, A.
Five Khamsa, A.
Six Setta, A.
Seven Sebbah, A.
All the numbers above three are
as in Arabic.
Hand Foos.
Head Ighrof.
Sun Tefookt.
Dog Edee.
Bitch Edeat.
Cat Yatoos.
Fish Khoot, A.
Meat Aksoom.
Flesh Tagilla.
Moon Tajeeri.
Eat Itch.
Drink Soo.
Boy Moozain.
Girl Temuzzeet.
Horse Aghemar.
Cow Lebgurr.
Sheep Teele.
Goat Teaghsee.
Male Kid Eghraid.
Female Kid Teghradot.
Stick Tagaghreet.
Water Aman.
Dates Izgarun.
Bones Eghruss.
Money Floos, A.
A Rat Agherdi.
An Ass Amketarr.
Camel Laghrum.
House Taskha.
Town Tamoort.
Wall Jadeer.
Garden Tamda.
Date tree Tesdai.
Grass Lasheb, A.
Linen Akhooli.
Cloth Melf, A.
Shirt Ghukkoot.
Bowl Wijjra.
Hot Yehamma.
Cold Tasunti.
Walk Achel.
Run Uzzel.
Sheep Utus.
Cry Ell.
Hungry Floozukh.
Thirsty Foodukh.
Stars Erān.
Man Mar.
Woman Tamtoot.
Fire Isghrāran.
Wood Shejjer, A.
Stone Teghrooghan.
Sand Omlal.
How are you? Aish haalek, A.
Well Taïb, A.
What’s this? Mattawa.
That Kanno deenek.
Yours Enick.
Mine Ennoo.
I Shik.
You Neish.
He Netta.
We Oodan.
They Etene.
Here Da.
There Ghrādi, A.
Where Maneela.
Many Gootunn.
Few Reehassan.
Sword Awoos.
Pot Ligder, A.
Carpet Majeer.
Black Settuf.
Blue Agrag, A.
Green Wurrugh.
Yellow Asfar, A.
Red Zuggo.
Old Wusserr.
Young Muzzee.
Dear Yeghulla, A.
Cheap Erkheese, A.
Hard Yekkoor.
Soft Murkhee, A.
Fat Smeen, A.
Thin Daif, A.
Mouth Eemi.
Ears Tamazookh.
Neck Takaroomt.
Breast Sudder, A.
Good Zain, A.
Bad Afāan, A.
Day Azill.
Night Yettee.
Lackbi Aman tesdeed.
Beard Tamart.
Bring Aweet.
Take Akh.
Come Aeed.
Cotton Tabdookht.
Honey El Asell, A.
Door Tawert.
Shoes Erkaas.
A fly Eezaan.
A Bird Azdeah.
Ostrich Aseed.
Feather Terjaalem.
Egg Terdaaleen.
Language Awall.
Butter Lemman, A.
Oil Odi.
Pepper Afillfill, A.
Salt Teesunt.
Heart Ool.
Skin Illum.
Foot Tishkunt.
Nose Luckshum, A.
Eye Teeat.
Knife Oozall.
Blood Eddāman.
Leather Illum.
Bag Takhareet.
Fire Timsi.
Jereed Tagareet.
Milk Akhi, or Ashfai.
To-morrow Teefoot.
Yesterday Dullain.
Month Yoor.
Year Aam.
Hair Zaoo.
Wool Dooft.
Bread Tegrāri.
Flour Aruna.
Go Maat.
Run Azzil.
Listen Sill.
Brother Nitta.
Sister Ootima.
Stupid Williseen.
Those words which I have marked with A are either Arabic, or derived
from that language. The natives call their language Ertāna.
Monday, February 28th. Thermometer 9°.—This morning being the
first of their Spring, and a day of general rejoicing, it is the
custom to dress out little tents or bowers on the tops of the houses,
decorating them with carpets, jereeds, shawls, and sashes. A gaudy
handkerchief on a pole, as a standard, completes the work, which
is loudly cheered by the little children, who eat, drink, and play
during the day in these covered places, welcoming the spring by
songs, and crying continually, “O welcome spring! with pleasure
bring us plenty.” The women give entertainments in their houses,
and the day is quite a holiday. From the top of our house these
little bowers had a very pretty effect, every roof in the town
being ornamented with one. They are called Goobba.
I saw this day four ears of corn perfectly ripe, which was very
early for the season. The gardens here are excellent, comparatively
with the others in Fezzan. They are surrounded by mud walls. Lemon
trees had been lately introduced from Tripoli, and promised well,
but too young to bear fruit. The dates here were very fine, and
there were several sorts peculiar to Sockna. I was confined the
chief part of the day to my bed with hemma.
No Arab that I ever met with has any idea of sweet milk, or, more
properly, cannot conceive why it is not equally good when sour. As
I was unable in my weak state to eat the food of the country, I
made all the exertions I could to procure sweet milk; for though a
great deal was brought me, it was always sour, and when I objected
to it on that account, they said, “It is but now from the ewe,
we mixed it with other to make it good.” Thus they always milk
their ewes, mixing the fresh and the stale milk. As I had been four
days confined to my bed, and constantly longed for this beverage
in its sweet state, my repeated disappointments were severe.
In the gardens are found two kinds of rats, which, from the
description given of them, must be curious. I despatched a man
to catch me some, promising him a dollar if he brought four. One
sort is black, and burrows in the ground; the other yellow, with a
white belly and red eyes, and lives principally amongst the boughs
of the palm trees.
Tuesday, Feb. 29th.—A man arrived from my friend, the Shreef
Sādig, bringing two letters, one from himself, and the other from
his brother the Shreef Abd el Ateef. These letters contained many
kind wishes that I might succeed in all my undertakings, and return
to their country; and concluded by saying, that prayers had been
offered up in their Mosque for my safety. Four ostrich eggs, and
two skins of peculiarly fine dates, accompanied these kind epistles.
Never was I so much out of patience with any people as with the
natives of this place; night and day my door was surrounded, not by
the poor alone, but by high and low. I really envied poor Belford
his deafness, for had I too lost my hearing, I might have enjoyed a
little peace. If any of these people obtained admittance, they sat
down, and could not be induced to move for an hour or two, all the
time flattering and begging. Ill as I was, these tormentors never
allowed me to close my eyes. Belford, besides being deaf, understood
but little Arabic, and could not assist me in keeping them off;
consequently I was continually obliged to answer questions, to admit
some, and to turn out others, and was thereby thrown into a fever far
more severe than that which at first attacked me. The flies literally
covered the walls, and fell by spoonfuls into all we eat or drank;
in fact, so many evils overwhelmed me at once, that I have ample
reason to recollect Sockna, and the miseries I endured there are
too strongly imprinted on my mind to be ever forgotten. I managed,
in spite of my weakness, the foregoing night, to go out with a man
to see his wife, who was afflicted with sore gums. She was handsome,
with large black eyes, and a complexion almost as fair even as that
of an Englishwoman. I prescribed as well as I could, by advising her
to bleed, and then to wash her gums with bark, which I gave her,
and which, I afterwards heard, completely cured her. My fee was
honey from Soudan, meat, and what was of far more value than all,
about a gill of sweet milk. We heard this day of the arrival of
our friend Bouksaysa at Hoon, his native place, with a large Kafflé.
Wednesday, March 1st.—We were to have set out this morning; but,
like true Arabs, our camel-men said their animals were ready, when
they knew the contrary, and after being kept all day in suspense,
we were obliged to defer our departure until the morrow. I know not
how I should have managed to hire camels here, had it not been for my
friend Lizari, who, while I was ill, took a great deal of trouble on
himself. I was very anxious to obtain the longitude of this place,
and twice corrected the chronometer by equal altitudes; but it went
so badly, and stopped so often, that I gave up the attempt. I was
this evening much amused by a boy who came from Hoon to see me, or
rather to beg some money. He was the person I mentioned, as having
advocated slave-hunting so amusingly to Mr. Ritchie and myself, when
we were at that place: he came to the door and begged admittance,
knowing that we were eating; some others also came begging at the
same time, and wishing to turn him away; on which a vehement dispute
arose as to who had the greatest right to my bounty. The boy said he
came with me from Tripoli, the year before, in the same Kafflé,
which they all agreed was no reason at all; but when he added
that Mr. Ritchie and I had given him some money, and that he was
therefore my friend, and had a right to expect more, all yielded
to his superior claims. An Arab, when you have once treated him
kindly, thinks himself entitled to be ever after a burthen on you,
and to beg, or perhaps to steal, from you as long as he lives.
The Tripoli money is the currency of Sockna, which occasions great
losses to the people, who are obliged to pay their taxes to Mukni
in Spanish dollars, which they buy at extravagant prices. The
Bashaw’s coin is now almost worthless.
It is not the custom here to bury the dates, which in consequence
are very fine, and free from sand; but they keep them in store-huts
built for the purpose. I imagine that their being so exposed may
account in some degree for the multitude of flies found here.
All the houses are built on the same plan, having a small square
court in the centre, from which a few steps lead to an open
gallery, which is the principal room. The other rooms are on the
ground-floor, and one or two open from the gallery; they have no
windows, but receive their light from the doors, which are all
curiously chequered and striped with a kind of black paint made
from burnt wool, mixed with gum-water. As they are composed of many
rounded pannels of date-wood, some appear like the backs of large old
books. A little blackish rat was brought to me, which was really very
curious; it had a head resembling that of a badger, with the same
peculiar marks by the side of the face; its tail was long, black,
and rather bushy. Belford and myself contrived to make a cage for
it out of a tin canister, and I discovered that it had the power of
clinging to the bars, and climbing with its back downwards: it was
very fierce, but I had great hopes of being able to bring it home,
as well as three other animals, called by the Arabs Dthub ظمب,
which resembled lizards in many respects, but were much more clumsily
formed, and slower in their motions: their tails were broad, and
covered with scaly spikes, and they could hang by their fore paws,
which they had the power of closing on any object: their head and
nose much resembled those of the hawk’s-bill turtle, and to a
certain degree, they changed their colour as cameleons do.
I was rubbed this day with a mixture, which the Arabs consider
excellent in cases of fever, and which really, though it made me
very dirty, rendered my skin quite comfortable: it was composed of
a small aromatic seed, the name of which I have forgotten, with
lavender from Tripoli, and cloves, pounded together, and mixed
with oil and vinegar; it is rubbed over the whole body and head,
until nearly dry. My doctress was a white woman of Tripoli, who,
in fear of her life, had escaped from thence.
About eighteen months before this period, the Bashaw, one evening,
surprised his black wives and a party of their female friends, making
merry, or in other words, very drunk and noisy, and playing all sorts
of extraordinary pranks; on sight of him they fled in all directions,
leaving in his presence, his wife or wives, with this Tripoline woman
and a Negress slave. The latter had her throat cut immediately in
the presence of her mistress, the wives were threatened with death,
and the white woman, named Sleema, the doctress above-mentioned,
received five hundred bastinadoes; she was then allowed to depart,
but the Bashaw afterwards thought proper to send after her, with
an order that she should be strangled. She was fortunate enough to
escape, and after wandering about for some time, attached herself to
Lilla Fātma, who was also exiled and given to Sheikh Barood, with
whom she arrived safely at Fezzan. The poor woman, owing to severe
illness, was on the brink of the grave during her stay at Morzouk,
which made her determine on leaving the place, and braving every
danger by a return to Tripoli. On my coming away, she put herself
under my protection, and I promised to intercede with the Bashaw for
her pardon. As she was emaciated and very weak, I allowed her to
mount my camels, and I fed her during the journey. She certainly
was not a very interesting figure, being much marked with the
small-pox, and resembling, in form and person, a little fat man;
and I was well aware that I should not make a very beautiful or
virtuous addition to the Tripoli ladies: feeling, however, great
pity for her, I consented to take her under my charge. Lilla Fātma,
whom this unfortunate female had served for a whole year, allowed
her to come away without giving her even a shirt, or money to help
her on her journey.
Thursday, March 2nd.—We left Sockna, and rested for the day at some
palms and sand hills, called Hammam, جمّام, four miles north
of the town, where we found our former fellow-travellers already
lying with their Kafflés. I last night had one of the yellow rats
brought me, much resembling those found in Morzouk, having a sandy
red back, and white belly; I put it into the cage with the other, who
killed and partly ate it before morning. The first is called Guntsha
قنشا. Before we set off this day, our friend Abd el Rahman gave
us a fine bowl of milk and dates. My camels were hired at the rate
of two dollars the Kantār, the drivers feeding themselves: some of
the animals carried six Kantār, and were very fine creatures, in
excellent condition. I perceived here that my Maherry, which I had
sent out while we were at Sockna to feed in company with the camels,
had received some injury in his foot, and was again lame. None of
the camel men would allow Sleema, the white woman who had escaped
from Tripoli, to ride, even though I offered three dollars for her
passage, their animals being too heavily laden. The poor creature
was therefore, in despair, obliged to return to Sockna. I gave her
all the money I could afford, which was three dollars, promising
to mention her to the Consul, in case she came to Tripoli and took
refuge under our flag. She was all gratitude, and went crying back
again to the house of a woman she had known when at Tripoli, and
who had maintained her while we were at Sockna.