Wars in the Interior--Anticipated Disputes--Mr. Boro of Aghadez--Our
Treatment at Mourzuk--Mustapha Bey--Start for Ghât--Row with the
Escort--Fine Weather--Leave Tesaoua--Sharaba--Travelling in the
Heat--Hateetah and the Germans--The Camels--Snakes--Journey
continued--Nature of the Country--Complete Desert--Rain--Overtake
the Caravan--Interview with Boro--Pool of Ailouah--The
Tanelkums--Halt--Birds--Bir Engleez--Wind in the Desert--Begging
Escort--Brilliant Heavens--News from Ghât--The Pilgrims
again--Bas-relief of Talazaghe--Moved over the
Desert--Mountains--Extraordinary Pass--Central Table-land of Fezzan.
Hateetah has brought stirring intelligence: the Sultan of Bornou is at
war with his brother. Ten thousand Tuaricks of Aheer have gone against
the Walad Suleiman; and, taking advantage of the opportunity, the
Tuaricks of Timbuctoo are marching from the other direction to fall upon
their brethren of Aheer. Quarrels of kites and crows!--Yes, to those at
a distance; but it is too much to hope that our caravan will prove a
lark's nest in some Saharan battle-field. We must pray that a general
peace shall be proclaimed in Central Africa during our march across the
desert.
However, we must not be frightened by rumours, and, indeed, are not. We
pass from discussion of this warlike intelligence to bargain with
Hateetah, who, as I have hinted, seems inclined to play the Jew, or
rather--to speak in character--the Tibboo with us. It will cost a large
sum to pass through Ghât, and obtain an escort to Aheer. As a
consolation, we learn that we are to be persecuted by Boro Sakontaroua,
sheikh of Aghadez, who is displeased that he has received no presents
from us. It would appear that the letters of Hassan Pasha rather
compromised us to employ him as our escort; but I am not responsible for
this, having never deviated from the original plan of procuring an
escort from Ghât. Indeed, I wrote to that effect immediately on my
arrival in Tripoli; and it would not do, after keeping my friends in the
oasis in a turmoil all this while, to disappoint them. The desert has
its etiquette as well as the drawing-room, and infringements might be
rather more dangerous here.
The new acting Pasha has made the Tuaricks a present of some burnouses.
This, whilst lessening perhaps the comparative value of what we have
given, at any rate lays the chief under some obligations to the Turks,
and assists in making up a good round sum in payment for the trouble of
coming all the way from Ghât to Mourzuk to escort us.
By the way, Mr. Boro of Aghadez has been fetched back from his
encampment at Tesaoua by a man on horseback. The business was of some
consequence, according to the notions of these people. He had sold a
female slave, and the poor woman was now found to be _enceinte_ by
Boro's son, with whom she had been living as concubine. The law soon
despatched the affair, and compelled the Sheikh to restore the
purchase-money and take back his slave.
A last observation on Mourzuk, before leaving it behind in this Saharan
navigation. All the Ottoman authorities have treated us with attention
and respect. Mr. Gagliuffi has been hospitable, and the people generally
have proved courteous in their behaviour. It is rare to remain so long
in a place and have so few causes of complaint. Justice, however,
compels me to say, that the British Consul sometimes remembered too
vividly that he was also a merchant, and a Levantine merchant to boot. I
am afraid he is not quite satisfied even with the profits he has already
made out of the expedition. Is it possible, however, for Easterns, or
people who live in the East, to look upon a Government as anything but a
milch cow? Mustapha Bey, who took a very affectionate leave of me, is
now engaged in examining a tremendous case of peculation--something like
a defalcation of two thousand mahboubs. He is quite bewildered for the
time. The Greek doctor came to see us off; but we started in a little
confusion, for Mr. Yusuf Moknee was drunk, as he was nearly all the time
of our stay at Mourzuk.
I left Mourzuk on the 25th of June, late in the evening, and proceeding
until midnight, stopped at a little cluster of palms, with two or three
inhabitants, called Thurgan. Then rising at daylight, and starting at
once, I passed Om-el-Hamam, and reached Tesaoua about nine in the
evening. I found that the Germans and the Tanelkums had gone on in
advance some days, but not so fast that we could not hope to overtake
them. The hurry and bustle attendant on the preparations for starting
has rendered me rather indisposed; I was quite unwell on the 27th. Next
day, however, I could receive Hateetah and the son of Shafou, and have a
civil row with them. I had to ask them whether they would travel by
night, and what they would agree to do if any one fell sick. To the
first question they promptly answered "No, they would not;" but to the
second, that in case any one was very ill indeed, they would wait a
little for him, or travel in the night. I said that this was not exactly
what I wanted, and that in case of sickness the expedition must be
stopped. They recommended me to go to Ghât, and there remain twenty days
until the great heat had passed, allowing the Tanelkums to go on. This
advice is worth reflection: but perhaps we may not suffer so much from
the heat as I anticipate. We came to a tolerable understanding, and it
was at length agreed that we should start on the 29th.
The weather is now cool, the wind often blowing _round_ in the course of
the day; it rarely blows _through_, as at sea. On the way from Mourzuk
we had hot and cold blasts together; but now we are out in the desert,
we find the climate much more temperate than in the city. I hope and
pray that I shall be able to bear up against the heat.
What a magnificent sky we had last night!--never did I behold the stars
in greater glory. The Scorpion was brilliant, if not fierce; and the
constellation on his right shone splendidly. At about eight o'clock
Jupiter was setting towards the horizon like a sun!
_29th._--We left Tesaoua at length, at three in the afternoon. The boat
and our servants had gone on before with the Tuaricks, who prefer not
travelling in the dark, if possible. We can often start after them in
this way, and catch them up by pushing on some hours after sunset. Our
course lay south this evening. The heavens, before the rising of the
moon, had a most luminous appearance; Jupiter was seen only about an
hour above the horizon, and the Milky Way was very conspicuous, but at
eight o'clock described only a small segment in the heavens.
We reached Sharaba at eight, and halted. This is a sandy valley, with
herbage for the camels; the water, not very good, is a few feet from the
surface, and issues from some rocks. There are no date-palms about the
well, as reported, but a few stunted ones are found a mile or two higher
up. The surface of the desert is broken into small mounds, crowned with
the ethel-tree.
Sunday, the 30th, was a cool day for the desert, yet sufficiently hot
for me. We left Sharaba at a quarter past six in the morning, and made a
good day of nine hours. These confounded Tuaricks will travel in the
heat, and encamp in the cool. At three in the afternoon, just as the
weather was becoming quite fresh and pleasant, we halted. The wind,
occasionally strong, blew from the north-east, whilst our course lay
south-west, across a broad valley. The sandy ground is covered with the
tholukh-tree, which affords a grateful shade in the season. This valley
is very broad here, only one side being visible at once to the eye.
The Tuaricks are growing civil enough, and companionable. Luckily
Hateetah and the son of Shafou do not drink coffee or tea--a saving.
Hateetah, however, is always begging; he says he will go to Aheer, and
appears to consider his escort indispensable. According to him, the
Germans, who are pushing on ahead, run great danger. Yusuf tells me that
he is, in reality, extremely angry with my companions for proceeding
alone. He wishes, perhaps, to get a present from them too; and swears
that he knows nobody but Yakōb (my desert name). They are not
English, he says, but French. Besides, they have got twenty camel-loads
of goods, which he will seize if they do not pay him something. Of
course this is all harmless bluster, and means nothing. He confesses
that, being on Fezzanee ground, he has really no claim upon caravans at
all; but he is a greedy old rascal, and would take any advantage he
could. The same gentleman says that Sakonteroua is only a chicken in his
own country--quite powerless; if this be the case, his enmity is not of
so much consequence as I feared.
The camels of the Tuaricks usually go well, and make good hours, because
they are not allowed to eat on the road. They all march in strings, one
being tied behind the other; each string is led on by servants or
slaves. Thus, when once loaded, there is little difficulty on the way.
When seen at a distance, they resemble a moving mass of troops,
especially when the mirage multiplies their long files. _Our_ camels,
however, being all Arab camels, cannot be made to go in strings, and are
always staring about for something whereon to browse.
I begin to feel better in health. If we could but encamp for three or
four hours during the heat of the day, I have no doubt I should get on
well enough. There was talk of serpents to-day; I saw none on this
route, however. People at Mourzuk are occasionally bitten by lêfas and
scorpions, and death ensues often. Ammonia has been tried with success
as a cure.
_July 1st._--We were astir at the encampment a little after daybreak:
but it takes usually two hours to get off, although we have but seven
camels. I hope our people will be quicker after a little more practice.
The heat was very troublesome; and nothing could keep the Tuaricks from
going on all through the day, for ten hours and a quarter, without
stopping. Our course was along the broad wady, which resembles an
immense plain. On the surface of its sandy bed are scattered pebbles and
blocks of sandstone and limestone, but the former chiefly. There was
nothing to please the eye but the delicate tints of the line of
sand-hills on the left--a faint yellow, at times mingling with the sky
when very luminous; and the round tholukh-trees, scattered like black
spots on the light sand of the valley. A little mirage figured a dark,
black lake, which, however, sparkled with light under the trees. Few
animals were seen: a young camel, left to graze in the valley, followed
us most cheerfully this morning.
We passed two or three wells in the course of the day, at a place called
Kouwana, with water near the surface, and obtained some by scraping out
the sand; we did not, however, take any up, because it was not very
good. Caravans seldom use these wells. No doubt there is water to be
found everywhere throughout the wady, which by a little care might be
turned into an oasis. Perhaps it was one in old times. There is now no
encouragement to cultivate any stubborn ground.
_July 2._--Two hours in getting off again! We started at six and went on
until past five in the afternoon, following a south-west course along
the same wady, with the same low line of sand-hills on our left, and
sand and the low edge of the plateau, which the people say extends many
days' journey, on our left. This valley is so shallow that it might
almost be considered as part of the plateau, and is, in fact, nearly on
a level with it; the temperature tells us we are on very high land. It
is cool for this season, and the Tuaricks even complain of chilliness at
night. Sometimes I am disposed to think the hot weather is passed, but
we must take into account the strong breeze blowing from the north-east.
The broad bed of the valley is covered with pebbles of sandstone,
between which glanced a few, very few, lizards. Rarely did any living
thing cheer our eyes as we moved along this dismal track. Now and then
gazelles, in threes and fours, went scouring away far out of reach. One
or two small birds fluttered from stone to stone; and some crows cawed
at us from a distance. This is true Fezzan scenery. The mirage and all
its illusions cloaked the plain in various directions, as if seeking to
hide its dull uniformity.
However, this desolate region has really been of late visited by rain,
as we had been told. We encamped towards evening near a great standing
pool, which, if the weather remain moderate, will supply the caravans
for months to come. A shower is a vulgar occurrence in Europe, received
by most men, except agriculturists, as an annoyance. In the desert it
has all the value of a heaven-sent gift. It is shed not periodically;
but at intervals of time and place suddenly descends in copious
drenchings. We often came upon spots which had been ploughed up as by a
torrent from the skies; and few rocks in the Sahara are without
water-marks. The rain-water at our camping-ground has an excellent
flavour, and I drank of it eagerly.
Round this pool we at length found the caravan waiting for us to come
up. The Germans and all others were well, except the Sfaxee, troubled
with a little fever. Mourzuk is a bad place to break down the health and
spirits, and those that became faint-hearted there would probably have
persevered had they got out into the bracing air of the desert. The
Tuaricks are very quiet. I sent word to Hateetah that it was impossible
for him to take presents from the Germans, as it was contrary to the
orders of Government. Shafou's son is very mild and circumspect.
Here also was Mohammed Boro, and although I had written strongly to
Tripoli about him, I considered it advisable after all, immediately on
arriving, to try and make friends with him. So I paid him a visit, and
told him that when the Tuaricks had conducted us to Aheer we should, of
course, place ourselves under his protection, that we might proceed to
Sakkatou. I sent him, also, some hamsah and dates. This gladdened him
much, for he is very short of provisions, and has many servants with
him; amongst the rest, two or three female slaves, one of whom, a fat,
buxom girl, must require prodigious nourishment.
When the pool of Ailouah is not filled by rain-water, recourse is had to
a well near at hand, which supplies sufficient quantities. How important
are wells in the desert, and how one learns to mark their existence!
The valley which we have been traversing three days from Sharaba to
Ailouah is called Barjouj, and is remarkable for the tholukh-trees,
which are scattered here and there throughout its whole extent. We are
now seven days from Ghât, and, about the same distance from Aroukeen;
but the Tanelkums, who go slowly, make thirteen days between this and
Aroukeen. They go direct, as we intended to do, without touching at
Ghât. Our movements are not exactly free, but we must not seem to notice
this circumstance; and if they insist on our taking the route by the
capital, in order to have an opportunity of increased plunder, must give
in with as good grace as possible.
The 2d and 3d of July we stopped at Ailouah. Hateetah came to my tent
the first day with a long face, and said, as I foresaw, that we must all
go to Ghât, and abide the pleasure of the Tuaricks; also that we must
wait for the return of a caravan from Aheer. I protested against this
latter pretence, and he got up and went off in a pet. Next morning I
sent word to his tent that I could not stay at Ghât an indefinite
period; that my means would not allow me; and, therefore, that we must
still protest against this arrangement. He answered, that he would
assemble all the notables of Ghât and ask their counsel. To this I could
have no objection, and we are friends again. But I keep as far from the
Tuaricks as I can, and do not visit them. I find this to be the best
policy. We feed them every night, and they are apparently contented. The
weather continues cool, the wind being always partly from the north.
Many birds, crows and others, pretty large, were seen about the wells of
Ailouah; and a rival sportsman to Dr. Overweg appeared in the person of
Mohammed et-Tunisee. He shot three small fowls of Carthage, one of which
he gave me, I promising him a little powder in return when we came to
Ghât. We noticed a small black bird with a white throat. But all through
this desert we listen in vain for some songster. There is no reason for
merriment in these dismal solitudes.
Our people have dug a well, which the Tanelkums promise to call "Bir
Engleez,"--the English Well. Good water was found easily, near the
surface at this station.
_4th._--We started late, and made only a short day; but herbage for the
camels is only found hereabouts. Our course was, as usual, south-west
over an undulating plateau, with an horizon now near, now distant. The
surface of the ground was for the most part blackened sand, stone
pebbles, and some blocks of very bad stone. The weather continues, fresh
and pleasant. We did not feel the heat until some time after noon; and
as we halted early at Ghamoud, suffered nothing. The wind--which we
notice as if on ship-board--now comes always from the east, generally
with a point north. It seems to be a sort of trade-wind throughout this
portion of the desert. I begin now to read on the camel's back, and find
this a pleasing relief from the jog-trot monotony of the movement. I am
anxious to read the whole of the Bible in Hebrew on the camel's back.
Our friends the lizards were still glancing along the ground in the
bright sunshine, but in diminished numbers.
Hateetah is always begging, and now asks for burnouses for the Ghât
Sheikhs, Khanouhen, Jabour, Berka, and his brother. He still pretends
that the Germans must give him a present, and that he knows no one but
the English. In compliment, and to soothe him, I said, "You must dress
in all your fine clothes at Ghât." This awakened his vanity, and he
seemed delighted with the idea. His reply was, "You also must one day
dress in all your best clothes--one day--only one day." I replied, "I
have no fine clothes;" at which he seemed puzzled. Turning the
conversation, he said I must change all his Tunisian piastres into
dollars; which I shall certainly not do. This Consul of the English is a
tremendously grasping fellow.
The Tanelkums all give the son of Shafou a good character. We parted
with them this morning. They take some loads of dates for us, and have
gone to Aroukeen, where they will wait for us six days, and then leave
us; that is, if we do not come up. They will be twelve days, they say,
on their journey. We go by a different route to Ghât, and shall see but
not enter Serdalous. This place is now thickly inhabited by Tuaricks,
and Hateetah does not wish to come in contact with them, for fear of
exciting their curiosity and cupidity. So he is a knowing old dog after
all. Our Tuaricks are displeased that the Germans have encamped so far
from us this evening. The ground is a narrow slip of wady stretching
east and west, almost on a level with the plateau. There is a little
hasheesh (grass), with two or three young tholukh-trees. Venus shone
with uncommon splendour this evening, eclipsing all the majesty of
Jupiter. We are looking out for the Southern Cross, and think we see it
just emerging above the horizon ahead. In the day, the heavens have of
late been hazy.
They tell us, that on leaving Ghât we shall _descend_ to Soudan; yet we
can not have reached very high ground. We may soon likewise expect to
feel the influence of the Soudan rains, and find the atmosphere much
cooler in consequence. How the days are shortening now, and how grateful
darkness gradually expands its dominions over this arid, scorching
waste, as we move south!
On Friday the 5th we only advanced two hours, to a place called
Talazaghee,--a small picturesque wady, where, during the season of rain,
there are always two or three pools of good water; there is also now a
little herbage for the camels. During our ride we met a small slave
caravan, and learned the important intelligence that there are several
people of the Sultan En-Noor of Aheer at present at Ghât with slaves.
This will be useful to us. I wrote to my wife and others by this
opportunity, and trust the missives will reach their destination. The
weather is cool and pleasant to-day; and we are led to hope that the
great heat of summer is already past. The wind followed exactly behind
us as we pursued our south-west course. On arriving we found, rather to
our surprise, the pilgrim caravan, and our old friend Abd-el-Kader. They
have been some time reposing in Wady Gharby collecting provisions, and,
I imagine, passing their leisure hours with the Fezzanee ladies, which
they could not very well do in Mourzuk. The morality of these people is
easy enough, and no doubt the pilgrimage covers a multitude of sins.
Talazaghee is remarkable for some bas-reliefs cut on the naked sandstone
rocks of the wady, in a very peculiar style; the principal tableau, if I
may so call it, about four feet by three in size, is a battle between
two persons, one having a bird's head, and the other a bullock's, with a
bullock between them taking part in the fray. Each person is holding a
shield or bow. The sculptures are mere outline, but deeply graved and
well shaped. There are several other tableaux, representing animals, but
chiefly bullocks. This would seem to intimate, that in the days when
these forms of animals were chiselled bullocks were the animals employed
for the transport of men and merchandise over the desert. No camels
occur, as in other tablets. These sculptures are very properly said by
our escort to be neither Arab nor Tuarick, but belong to the people that
existed before these races. The principal tableau has a very Egyptian
look about it; the oxen are well formed, and would do credit to a modern
artist. There is one bas-relief figure of an ox with its neck in a
circle, as if representing some of the games of the Circus. The other
animals most distinctly seen are ostriches; the rocks around are,
besides, covered with Tuarick characters, but nothing interesting.
We started late on the 6th, for the Tuaricks had allowed their camels to
stray, and we waited some time for them: however, we were obliged, after
all, to start without them, and having made five hours and a half
halted. Our course had lain over the plateau, which about half way
became broken up into valleys. One of these, called Anan Haghaneen, led
us into the pleasant and picturesque wady of Mana Samatanee, where only
in this part of the route can be found herbage for camels. There are
also a few tholukh-trees. What a desolate region is all this, despite
the little spots of vegetation! There are no signs of animal life,
except traces of the wadan. For two days, they tell us, we are to have
little or no water. Now and then we pass desert mosques,--square, or
circular, or cross-shaped walls of stone, some with two entrances, built
for the devotion of chance passengers. The mountains on the east are
called El Magheelaghen. To-day we carried my trunk with the money. Yusuf
had previously given it in charge to a camel-driver, and the Tuaricks
were always uneasy, asking to see if all were right. Europeans would
probably have done the same under similar circumstances.
On the 7th we made a good day of about eleven hours, continuing during
the first three in shallow wadys, down one of which we had a distant
view of the plain of Serdalous, on the north-west. Then came the
breaking up of the great plateau of Fezzan, and we entered a pass which
leads down into the subjacent Sahara, and runs west with an inclination
to the south. This is, perhaps, one of the most extraordinary natural
features I have ever beheld. It seems to have been purposely cut out of
the solid rock for the use of man, and reminds one at first of a railway
excavation. As we advance it assumes the form of a cave, slightly open
at top,--narrow, winding, and furnished with seats on either hand. A dim
light comes from above. Only one part was difficult for the boat. Now
and then the pass became quite a tunnel, but the concave roof is high
enough for any camel to pass. On the sides, here and there, were Tuarick
inscriptions; but there was nothing remarkable revealed by this
admirable geological section. It was mostly sandstone for the upper
strata, with narrow streaks of marl and chalk. Some slate was observed,
and frequently our way lay over beds of red clay. An agreeable surprise
awaited us occasionally, in the shape of little openings containing
groups of the tholukh; but the general aspect of the pass was horrible
and desolate, and we eagerly pushed on towards the end. There was
nothing, apparently, to support life; but we found and caught a young
fox: how the little wretch procured food was a mystery which our guides
could not explain. However, life no doubt had its joys for him, and we
let him loose in the plain below. I also picked up a dead bird, of a
species common in the desert, with white head or cap, and white tail,
except the upper feathers; all the rest, legs and bill, black. It is
about the size of a lark, but has a head like a blackbird. We supposed
the one found had died from want of water, though it may have been
killed by the mother of the young fox.
On emerging from the pass at length we found a considerable change of
level, and having advanced a little way turned back and obtained a
splendid view of the walls of the plateau, which stretched on both sides
above the plain, and thrust out lofty bluff promontories, as into the
sea. The upper lines of some of them were perfectly straight, as if
levelled by artificial means. We came to a solitary rock on the plain,
containing excavations that seemed to be the work of men. Here, we were
told, Dr. Oudney once stopped and breakfasted.
We have now a pretty correct idea of the great central table-land of
Fezzan. It is an elevation, not quite clearly marked to the eye on some
of its northern approaches, but dropping sheer to the plain at other
parts. Mourzuk is situated in a sandy depression on its surface, which
would probably be turned into a salt lake if there were sufficient rain.
The limits of the hollow, as of that of many others--Wady Atbah for
example--are not noticed by the traveller. Whether he approaches or
leaves Mourzuk, he seems still to be traversing a level plain, and only
finds his mistake by noticing the change in the nature of the ground,
the presence of marshes, of green vegetation, and of a heavy, stifling
atmosphere.