Approach Ghât--Description of the Town--The Oasis--Reminiscences of a
former Visit--Azgher Tuaricks--The Governor--Political Authority--The
Sheikhs--Protection of Strangers--The Litham--Business--Reception--Meetings
of Sheikhs--Disputes--Tax on liberated Slaves--Extortion practised on
us--Discussion on the Treaty--Scramble for Presents--Haj Ahmed
disinterested--Hateetah plays double--More Presents and further
Annoyances--Mahommed Kafa--Escort of Kailouees--A Visit from Ouweek and
the Bandit of Ghadamez--Observations on the Treaty--Collection of
Dialogues--The Great Exhibition.
We were up early on the morning of the 18th, and prepared to make our
official approach to the town of Ghât, which was now distant only two
hours. I had already visited the place, and was familiar with its
aspect; but must introduce a few words of description for the sake of
the reader of the present narrative. Ghât is situated on the spur of a
lofty hill, which overlooks it from the north. It is surrounded by
miserable walls not more than ten feet high, pierced by six weak gates.
The houses are not whitewashed, like those of Moorish towns, but retain
the dirty hue of the unburnt brick and mud with which they are built. A
single minaret worthy the name, and one large building used as a general
lodging-house, rise above the flat roofs of the rest of the town. Some
few palm-trees bend gracefully here and there; but, in general, the
groves of the oasis are a little distant from the walls. There is a
suburb of some fifty houses of stone and mud; and a number of huts, made
of straw and palm-branches. The whole oasis is not more than three miles
in extent; the gardens produce only a little wheat, barley, and ghaseb,
with some few kinds of fruit. Good water is supplied by wells; but all
the palm vegetation is stunted.
From the hill that overlooks the town, a fine view is to be obtained of
the little oasis and the vast extent of desert that encircles it on
every side. Far to the south wave in the air the summits of the
palm-groves of Berket, on the way to Aheer. To the west, hills and
ridges succeed one another to the horizon; and to the east, above a line
of glittering sand-hills, rises the unbroken wall of the Wareerat
range--the rampart thrown up by the demons to protect their favourite
Tuaricks from the inroads of the conqueror. The contrast of the bright
green of the oasis with the stony waste beyond is striking; and when the
sun sheds its bright rays over the scene, it may really be called
beautiful.
But these are reminiscences. This day, as soon as we saw the town
appearing over the trees between the rocks, we hailed it with delight;
not, however, as the termination, but as the starting-point of a
journey. Beyond, southward, everything to us was unknown, and, we
believed, to all Europeans. Every step further, then, promised to be a
discovery. Should we be allowed to proceed unmolested? Would no
obstacle, natural or artificial, intervene? Much would depend on our
reception in Ghât. On my former visit I had not, on the whole, reason to
complain of the Sheikhs of the Tuaricks, whose chief place this is. I
remembered the venerable Shafou, the dashing Khanouhen, with Jabour, and
all the others, from whom I had received what might be called kindness.
Hateetah, it is true, had hitherto somewhat disappointed me; and I know
that great expectation had been already aroused in this little secluded
territory of profit to be made out of my mission. Whether I should be
able to meet all demands was a serious question with me. I am pleased to
say that the Governor's son came out to meet us, and conduct us to the
housed of his father, who, with several of the notables of Ghât, were
assembled, and gave us, in truth, a cordial reception.
It may be as well to remind the reader that Ghât is a small town which
has grown up in the territory of the Azgher Tuaricks, in consequence of
the convenience of the place as a station for the caravans from Soudan
Proper, and other points of Central Africa. It is inhabited principally
by people of Moorish origin, but mixed and known as Ghâteen. Haj Ahmed,
the governor, is also a Moor, born at Tuat. He is a marabout, or saint,
but is looked up to by the people for the settlement of all municipal
concerns. The Ghâteen derive their subsistence almost entirely from the
caravans, although their little oasis is not unfertile.
But the political authority of the country resides entirely in the hands
of the Azgher Tuaricks. Azgher is the name of the tribe or nation, and
Tuarick is a generic title, which scarcely implies even community of
origin, assumed by nearly all the wandering people of the Sahara. There
are the Haghar Tuaricks, to the west of Ghât and south-west towards
Timbuctoo; and the corresponding people of Aheer are called the Kailouee
Tuaricks. At Timbuctoo itself are found the Sorghau Tuaricks.
The chief of the Tuaricks of Ghât is nominally the venerable Shafou,
whose son came with Hateetah to escort me from Mourzuk; but the virtual
sultanship resides in Khanouhen, the heir-apparent, or son of Shafou's
sister: for this is the order of succession in Ghât. Every Tuarick,
however, is in some sort a chief, and more or less influence is acquired
by age or personal qualities. The principal men have divided the sources
of emolument which the peculiar position of their country supplies them
with. Hateetah claims to afford protection to all private English
travellers, and to receive presents from them; another patronises the
inhabitants of Tripoli, a third those of Soudan, and so on. This
arrangement enables a visitor to the place to calculate with some
certainty about the amount of obligation he incurs. All the Tuaricks are
easily distinguished by their habit of wearing a litham, or muffler,
with which they conceal their mouths and all the lower part of their
face. This custom gives them a strangely mysterious appearance.
The house of Haj Ahmed, the governor, to which we were conducted, is
situated three parts of a mile from the town, which I did not enter
during my stay. It would not have done to expose myself to the familiar
impudence of the people, who had known me during my visit under very
different circumstances. Besides, my time was fully taken up with
business matters; so fully, that I scarcely had time even to write one
or two brief despatches to Government.
On the morning of our arrival at Ghât all seemed to promise well. The
Governor welcomed us with hospitality, and his slaves unloaded our
camels, and quickly conducted us to our apartments. At noon, although it
was Ramadhan time, we received some dishes of meat, with figs, grapes,
and molasses--really a sumptuous repast. We were not allowed to go out
the first day.
The next morning there was a general meeting of the Sheikhs and people
of the town in our apartments; and from the turn affairs began to take,
we found it necessary to despatch a courier to Aroukeen, to beg the
Tanelkums to wait a few days for us at that place. During the meeting
began the first prevarication of the Tuaricks. The son of Shafou said
that he did not agree to conduct us to Aheer--an assertion we
contradicted strongly. At length he exclaimed: "Although I did not agree
to this, I will nevertheless conduct you,"--making a new favour of an
old bargain.
When the meeting separated, there was another affair brought on the
carpet by Hateetah and Waled Shafou. They boldly demanded seventy reals,
or small dollars of Ghât, for the passage of our liberated blacks to
Soudan. I declared that I would not give them a real, and told them to
seize the people if they chose. Hateetah upon this went off in a rage,
and Waled Shafou stayed behind, pretending to seize our servants. We did
not take any notice of him, and at last he likewise departed. Mr.
Gagliuffi had not been able to arrange this affair at Mourzuk,--it being
left in this position, "that they (Hateetah and Shafou) would say
nothing about the matter; but that if others did, we should pay a
little." The man who has a right to this tribute from freed blacks is
now absent from Ghât, and any claim ought to be made in his name by his
representatives. When the Governor heard of this affair, he sent to tell
us "to arrange the matter, and give something to these dogs of
Tuaricks;" at the same time expressing his sorrow for such a shameful
demand: and shameful it was, because we had already paid for ourselves
and our servants three hundred reals. Besides this sum, Hateetah and
Waled Shafou had each of them received a present of about a hundred
mahboubs. Finally my friend, Haj Ibrahim, the merchant, undertook to
arrange this business, and paid on our account twenty-eight reals more
for our servants.
On the morning of the 20th there was another general meeting, and I
presented the treaty for consideration. A long discussion followed, but
I at first misunderstood the conclusion to which the Sheikhs came.
However, the following day we had a regular debate, the result of which
was that the Sheikhs and heads of the town declared they could not come
to a final arrangement until the winter souk (market), when all the
notables would be assembled.
A great deal of unpleasant discussion occurred during all these
meetings, and I had to fight my way step by step. The Shereef was first
on my side, but as I had promised him a present only if the treaty were
signed, and as he saw that this would not take place, he turned round
and became my active enemy. However, it was out of his power to do me
much harm. The greater part of the last days of my stay were spent in
agitation about the presents for Jabour, Khanouhen, Berka, and others,
some of whom were absent. I said that nothing could be given until the
Sheikhs and the people of Ghât did something for the Queen--for the
presents were the Queen's presents. Finally, the day before our
departure, a great uproar was made on this subject, and I was obliged to
yield the point, and give them burnouses. These presents had been
promised to Hateetah on the road from Mourzuk to Ghât, upon the
condition that the Sheikhs and people would agree to the treaty. They
had also been mentioned at Mourzuk; but then, nothing had been said
about conditions. I considered it highly impolitic to allude to the
treaty in the hearing of the Turks, who would have thought I was
secretly going to enter into an alliance offensive and defensive with
the Ghâteen against them. The Tuaricks, however, stood upon the point,
that when the burnouses were promised first, there was no talk of an
equivalent, and I was obliged to concede.
When I had finished distributing these presents, there was peace for the
few hours that we were yet to remain at Ghât. Haj Ahmed, however, seeing
and hearing of all this confusion, became alarmed lest I should repeat
it to Mourzuk, and refused to take the presents of tea, coffee, sugar, a
white burnouse, and a few large carpet-rugs, which I offered him. His
son, also, refused what I tendered, a fez and a turban, because it was
not enough. Everybody in Ghât who expected a present from us, seemed
determined to be satisfied with nothing less than a burnouse. The
Governor wished to appear perfectly disinterested amidst this confusion
and these extortionate demands of the Tuaricks. I was not sorry for the
refusals, for really I have ten thousand people to give presents to
before I return from the interior.
I do not consider that, after all, Haj Ahmed treated us so well as he
might have done. The first dinner was good; but the others were poor,
and some of it I could not eat at all. He was disappointed at my not
bringing him a printed Koran; but I could not, on this occasion, make
such a present.
Hateetah, in all these disputes at Ghât, has acted a double part.
Publicly he was our enemy; but privately he pretended to be our greatest
friend. He was imitated in his conduct by the son of Shafou, who seemed
to look upon him as his Mentor. On leaving, Hateetah promised that I
should see something wonderful which he would do for me, speaking of the
treaty. I am afraid that not much reliance can be placed on these fine
promises.
On the morning fixed for my departure, the Sheikhs and Haj Ahmed, seeing
me much grieved, out of health and out of temper, all came forward to
try and repair any mischief they might have done me and their own
reputation. They begged me to leave the treaty with them, and promised
faithfully in the assembly of all the Sheikhs, in the winter, to do
their best to gratify the wishes of the British Government. They also
undertook to write private letters themselves, especially Hateetah. Haj
Ibrahim, to whom I presented a watch worth twenty dollars, also promised
to render me all his assistance and influence with the Sheikhs, and to
be my wakeel (agent) in my absence. Jabour paid me a farewell visit, and
after he received his present was very polite and jocular. Yusuf Moknee,
as a Tripoline, also paid him six reals; for he is the official
protector of people from that city, as well as some others. The day
before, one of his people had seized my Fezzanee servant because he did
not give the usual presents, viz. a barracan and common fez. He was put
to "working in water," as they call it; that is, to assist in irrigating
one of the gardens. After a short time, however, they allowed him to
return to me. Such are the Tuaricks--grasping, violent, and capricious!
I cannot, however, until I see the fate of the treaty, completely decide
upon the conduct of Hateetah and the body of Sheikhs generally.
Mahommed Kafa was one of our best friends at Ghât, and had always a
smile to greet us with--a great relief in a country where most of the
people you meet have a frown on their brows and their mouths closely
muffled up. This man is the most considerable merchant of Ghât, and
exerted himself greatly to procure us an escort of Kailouees. I gave a
white burnouse to him and his son. They both sent us a dinner. We were
fortunate in finding a party of Kailouees here on their way to Aheer.
They have agreed to act as escort, which renders us in some measure
independent of the son of Shafou.
During my residence at Ghât I received a visit from my old friend
Ouweek, and also from the old bandit whose acquaintance I made at
Ghadamez. Ouweek was very complimentary, and shook me cordially by the
hands. He observed, "There is no fear in this country; go on in advance:
this country is like Fezzan." I then brought him out some tobacco, and a
handkerchief to wrap it in. As usual, he did not seem satisfied with
this; so I added a loaf of white sugar. He then noticed Yusuf, and thus
addressed him: "Yusuf! I have heard that Hateetah and the son of Shafou
are about to conduct these Christians to Soudan. I am a better man than
them all! Now Hateetah and Waled Shafou will want this sugar and tobacco
on the road. I leave it for them." On this he started up on two sticks,
for he is doubly lame, having the Guinea-worm in both legs, and went
away hurriedly. I, however, sent the sugar and tobacco after him, and
this time he condescended to accept them. He came to see me mounted on
his maharee (or dromedary).
To the old bandit of Ghadamez I also presented some tobacco, and he went
his way. Fortunately there were few Tuaricks in Ghât at this time,
otherwise I should have had hosts of such visitors. The absence of these
grasping chiefs has interfered, it is true, with the treaty of commerce;
but it is possible, that even had Khanouhen been present some other
shift would have been discovered. There are now present in Ghât only the
Sheikh Jabour, Waled Shafou, Sheikh Hateetah, Sheikh Ouweek, and Haj
Ahmed, the governor of the town. The Sultan Shafou himself is on the
road to Soudan, and we shall probably meet him in a few days on our way.
I have, however, sent this aged chieftain a handsome sword from the
English Government, by his son, to whom I gave it in one of the public
meetings.
With reference to the treaty, it may, perhaps, be considered in a fair
way to be finally accepted. At the winter souk every person of influence
and authority in the country will be present, and in the form in which I
have presented it, I believe it will provoke little or no opposition.
The clauses with reference to religion and the slave-trade have, of
course, been left out; the first as unnecessary, the second as dangerous
at this early stage of our proceedings. Even already it may be said that
the market at Ghât may safely be visited by British merchants; for
although Hateetah may require heavy presents, he will certainly protect
them.
However, we must bear in mind, that in a country governed in so
irregular way, it is very difficult to answer for the future. The
governor, Haj Ahmed himself, told me in a deprecating manner, "Ghât is a
country of Sheikhs!" and Hateetah says, half jocularly, "Ghât has thirty
Sultans!" Fortunately, however, it is the interest of the rulers of this
part of the desert to encourage traffic; they live by it; otherwise it
would be dangerous to trust to their assurances.
We were in all but seven days in Ghât, so that I had no time to make
researches. However, I am fortunate in procuring a collection of
dialogues and a vocabulary of most of the common words in the Tuarick
dialect of the tribes in Ghât. I employed for this purpose Mohammed
Shereef, nephew of the Governor of Ghât, who is a pretty good Arabic
scholar. I have also made an arrangement with my friend Haj Ibrahim to
forward to the British Government a small quantity of Soudan
manufactures for the Exhibition of 1851; so that the industry and
handicraft of the dusky children of Central Africa may be represented
side by side with the finished works of Paris and London artisans.[6]
[6] This account of Mr. Richardson's residence at Ghât is copied
from a summary in his journal, with occasional insertions
from his despatches to Government. It is very brief and
imperfect; but the traveller was so fully occupied by
various kinds of business during his stay, that he was not
able to write, and only threw upon paper a rough memorandum
after he had started on his way to Aheer. The imperfection
is the less to be regretted, as, up to this point, the
Sahara had previously been pretty well travelled and
described. He now breaks fresh ground, and is more copious
in his notes.--ED.