Narrative of a Mission to Central Africa Performed in the Years 1850-51, Volume 2

-A Family Broil-Rationale of Wife-beating-

Agate Stones-A lively Patient-The Eed-A Visit en masse-Arrival of the Boat-Butchers-Exchange of Visits with the Sultan-Diet-A Shereef-A delicate Request-Information on Mar

h less the inclination to study or appreciate them. They remain in a state of immovable, absolute indifference. Even the beautiful manner in which the Arabic letters are printed scarcely excites their surprise. En-Noor paid me his usual morning visit, drank tea, and ate pickles and marmalade. We asked him about meteors. He recollects the fall of many. One, he says, fell upon a house, and terrified the inhabitants, who came running to him. Afterwards they

sation in Tintalous. Every scandal-monger has got hold of one version of the story. From what we could gather, the great man was lying down quietly, when suddenly, without any apparent provocation, he started up, took a large stick from the fire, one of its ends still burning, and with this terrific weapon belaboured his wife over the face, striking espe

ts. Some say that the exciting cause of his brutality was the eternal loquacity of the woman, of which his highness began to be afraid. This may be true, or be only an excuse invented by his courtiers. Supposing, however, the cause to have been her infidelity, let us examine what can be reasonably expected from these African women. They are not allowed scarcely to believe themselves to possess souls; they have no moral motives to be chaste, and certainly none of

Kailouees, male and female; amongst the rest Lady En-Noor herself. The whole beauty and appropriateness of this exercise amongst the Moors consists, as is well known, in gross imitations of natural acts. No further description or comment c

quarrelled with Yusuf, and on being told to go away replied, "Yes. I will go; but when you get

tend the "beaten wife." My privileged friend went accordingly, and visited at the same time all the w

yet collected so large a quantity of materials of any of the languages of Africa. I carefully packed

ts her to be improving. The Sultan seems now to repent what he has done,

etimes wonder, however, how the flimsy huts of which part of Tintalous is composed are not swept

the better. We are living very quietly here, and the climate agr

tent, and a few degrees higher inside. This fres

, like Aheer, with two large rivers in it running from south to north-not season streams, but continual. He says that the people are all blacks, and a very tall race. They have a language of their own,

hase of slaves. A burnouse of forty mahboubs will sell in Soudan for little more than its cost, if dollars or money is to be given; but if slaves are taken in exchange, three slaves, perhaps, may be obtained, which, in Tripoli, may be sold at forty or fifty dollars each. Hence the profit of

which he persists in pronouncing like a strong k. Yusuf was called in, and declared that the ghain was the letter which distinguished Arabic from all other languages. In Kailouee Tuarick there is no kaf or ghain. These Berber dialects have, however, the hard g in a th

be. This is a question requiring still further investigation. Others, again, say that the Fellatah language is quite different from the Tuarick. Overweg thinks Islamism was introduced into Bornou by the Shoua Arabs, w

, half the people of Tintalous will go for salt, and the other

the Kailouees in the neighbourhood of Damerghou who infest the borders and routes of Bornou. En

ng and seven short days from Tintalous or Asoudee. There is no direct route from this (Tintalous) to Timbuctoo; from Sakkatou there is, however, a short route to Timbuctoo, and it is said to be

n from Heaven," all good Muslims ought to sit up all

Mombas they are carried, by the Muscat traders, to Yamen, and thence to Mekka; in which place they are blessed, and rendered doubly precious. From Mekka they are brought to Egypt, and from Egypt to Mourzuk; from which poi

d be cheap enough. But then, perhaps, it would not be esteemed or valued at half its present cost. It would not be blessed at Mekka, and so lose all its tal

e is, nevertheless, very lively, and is always pestering Overweg to read the fatah with, or marry a young girl, one of her relations. She

many children I have got. On receiving for answer, "None," they are great

ead was like a blazing star, and it left behind it a train of spar

zanees, prayers are soon ended; because, they say,

gs to the Queen, but I will give you a little powder for your matchlocks." All these Maho

in this place. The people only say the present Sultan is not so strong as was

en Moors from Tripoli and Mourzuk, went, accordingly, to Asarara this morning. Then a number of the people of Asarara returned with them. Yusuf remarked, with some surp

r servants were very quick in their return. They came all night, to avoid any further attempts to carry

was expected, En-Noor being very un

ore or less in good humour. The slaughtering of the sheep to-day was the dirtiest part of the business. All here on such occasions play the part of butchers-men, wome

what can be done at Zinder. An infidel traveller, who is known to be in possession of any property, is sure in these countries to be looked upo

has still a bad cold, and continues to blow his nose and wipe it-pardon the na?ve statement-with the sole of one of

or fellows had come to see the Sultan. He seemed, indeed, miserably poor, but tried to hide the fact, saying to them and Yusuf: "I hav

ght know its shape and size. Yusuf then drew for him a ship with all sails set, on a piece of paper. It was very well done; and excited the applause of my visitors. I treated them, as usual, with pick

e of dark blue cotton print for a pillowcase. This little present delighted him much. I am much

now in Tintalous. This man belongs to the tribe ca

part of the diseases with which foreigners in these countries are afflicted arise from want of sufficient attention to diet. We must take great care of our health just as we are entering Soudan. The wea

to pay us a visit before. En-Noor has been feeding him during his stay. He displayed a good deal of shrewdness, and is well acquainted with the Christians of the Mediterranean. He is going to visit his brother in Zinder, and then returns to Tripoli by the way of Bornou and Mo

en gadding, "barra" (out of her mother's house), and is frightened lest she should get a good beating. On Overweg's refusing to give her any such medicine she burst out

days from the capital, to inquire after the health of En-Noor.

ica. It may truly be said to be our case, for hitherto we have suffered little in this town except from men. Looking also around

ted at this positive declaration, but scarcely believe it; if it, however, prove to be the case, I must by all means find money in Soudan. It wi

er do not offer human sacrifices; their religious rites consist principally in worshipping trees, to which they sacrifice at certain seasons. The Fellatahs are always at war with the people of M?rādee, but Gouber is at peace with Sakkatou

it forms a species of college or university. It is to this college that En-Noor sends his sons and grandsons. These itinerant pedagogues are negroes; and it is certainly a curious circumstance that from Central Africa instruction should migrate northwards. But the Kailouees have

territory in Damerghou is also a mere village. Nevertheless, the possession of these places extends the political influence of the Kailouees in Soudan. The neighbourhood of Damerghou, especially t

ll calabashes. They wrote for me some specimens of their penmanship, a charm, fatah, or first chapt

istians were considered by the Kailouees generally as common property, and that whoever could lay hold of any ought to

, as well as round the neck. The charm or armlet of the Moors and Tuaricks corresponds with the F

Asben-after all, a very imperfect affair. Nevertheles

berites were still at war with the Fellatahs of Sakkatou; that they were united with the people of Maradee, ancient Kohlans like themselves, and that this united force had been lately gaining their lost ground against the new Muslim pow

nt is singularly suggestive and picturesque in its simplicity. He says that he

doing?" he s

What can I do, naked as I am,

and brought a multitude of Kailouees, Kohlans, and their slaves. Now Tesaoua is a mighty city, and En-Noor has got a small town of his own near it

possession after the death of the present occupants. This, I should think, is incorrect; but his highness has undoubtedly great political influence in those countr