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

n the Fadeea-Political News in the Desert-Cold Weather-Continue our Journey-Bornouese Fighis-Tin-Tagannu-Trap for a Lion-Mousa's Camels-A further Delay-Jackals and the Fire-Language of Signs-

thheld by our own prudence, as well as by the representations of our host, the venerable Sheikh of Tintalous. We had come by degrees scarcely to believe in the possibility of an advance, and to consider ourselves as the prisoners of circumstances in this advanced part of the Sahara, touching on the very borders of Central Africa. Now, however, we saw, by the bu

ing or straggling along! When we had pitched tent in the valley, still in sight of Tintalous, En-Noor paid us a visit, and vouchsafed to explain the reasons of our delay. His highness also related several interesting things of Aghadez. The Sultan of that place, he says, is a descendant of one of three brothers, Shereefs, who ruled in Africa over the negro and other races. The eldest brother was Sultan of the West (Morocco); the next was Sultan of Bornou; and the third and youngest was Sultan of Aghadez in remote times. But how remote, it is impossible for En-Noor to t

urse it was unkept, and, indeed, al

country I must become a great man, and be made, like himself, a governor or sultan of some country. Shall I say, Inshallah? I asked Yusuf

hirteen days, bringing a caravan of ghaseb. They never stopped on the road, but travelled day and night. This garrulous gentleman also declared he was the maker of his own fortunes-that he would not receive anything from his father. When he was young, he would take no person's advice; he did everything himself and from himself: but on the death of his father he always kept to his post as Sheikh of Tintalous, and Sultan of two towns in Soudan. He never moved this way or that way. Thus he has remained to a good old age, respected and venerated by all,

hed on a tender point; for, as the reader remembers, he has been beating one of his wives shamefully lately, because he pretended he was alarmed at her continual talking-bewildered by the length of her tongue! Proceeding in his confessions, the Sultan next related wonderful stories of a wonderful maharee which he had in his youth. With this maharee he rode t

he people of Azaghar and of Seloufeeat, even the son of Haj Bashaw; and the Haj himself, who was said to be our friend, because he did not look after his son. The Sultan acts quite according to my opinion, making all the principal people of Seloufeeat and other places responsible for the conduct of the poorer and lower classes. It is said that the Fadeea have fled; but others say that they have

ing of the Frenchmen has run away to England, and carried with him all the money of the French," and, moreover, that "as the French conquered Algiers by distrib

on the left the little village Zouazgher. The caravan showed again very picturesquely, the burdens tumbling off from the donkeys in the most delightful confusion, and the girls squalling for help. I ate on the road some Soudan dates, as they are called by the Arabs, and found them pleasant-a sort of bitter sweet. The name of the tree and of the fruit is, in Bornou, bitu. In Haussa the tree has two

ny of us by that route if we wished. There are few people on the route, and if you pay them a little money you pass unmolested. This Bornouese fighi is not equal to his brethren whom I saw in Tintalous. But I learnt from this itinerant pedagogue the int

ocks there; so that spots of earth have their seasons and fortunes in the Sahara as elsewhere. By the way, I must continue to call this Sahara. Although there are periodic rains, we are still without the influences of the Soudan climate, which begins at Damerghou and Zinder. At the present season no coun

description. It was expected that the lion would come again to the carcase of the camel; so a hedge of thorns was made round the carcase with one opening, where wa

be led through the best valleys, being so far helpless in finding a good grazing-place for themselves. He showed us his camels, comparing them with ours. And certainly ours, which had their legs tied and were not guide

thermometer was as low as 52° F

at the Sultans of Aghadez and Asoudee have completely chastised all

e then left us to reflect upon what we would do. We decided, without a dissentient voice, that we could not venture to go with Zangheema, and that we must wait for En-Noor, be the time ever so long. We forwarded this decision to his highness, who seemed to receive it with satisfaction. His wife sent us word, "To be sure not to go without her husband;" a pie

t be obliged to await the return of the salt-caravan from Bilma (that is, a month, or forty days) before we start. Probably, when good news comes from the

ement of different parts of the body, is quite a study in this part of the world. The most singular gesticulation, and yet the most significant, is that by which a person begs a thing. He holds the object in one hand (the left) before the owner, then gives the right hand and arm a swing round, and at last places the right hand to his bosom-the meaning of all which is, that he seeks to ascertain if the owner has any other article of the same description as that which he holds in his left hand, and whether he is willing to give it to him. When a Kailouee sa

dmiring male population. If a woman be called to, going off to the well for water, she does not turn round to see who is calling, but immediately draws her frock tight round her form, and imparts to it a most

ut effect. The old Sheikh remained firm in his refusals: Zangheema, however, was the first to start objections to Barth's accompanying him. As to Overweg, w

me to see the people starting with whom you were to have gone, and to know that you have still thirty or forty day

represents the road between this and Aghadez as very woody, and also that the country is everywhere mountainous. Baghzem is not high, but is, nevertheless, a very large mountain, seen several days' journey. The high plains

re red, with the exception of the inhabita

e with Maradee against the Sultan of Sakkatou. He has written all th

him in the wady near, under the shade of the trees. His highness w

This cold weather ought to strengthen or restore our health. It cer

much corrupted. According to En-Noor, Kal, in the names Kalfada?, Kaltadak, Kilgris, and Kailouee, signifies country. There are to be added to the zoology of this country the monkey and the mohur, or fine large gazelle, as large as a deer, called in Haussa m?rái?. We already find great differences in the pronunciation of

dee on their heads, having neither a bakin zakee under it, nor any white shash, or fotah, to wind upon it, in the fashion of the Kailouees. They are, like all these tribes, very proud, and nourish a deadly enmity towards the Kailouees

he morning; three-quarters of an hour after

eirs. It is a grand piece of etiquette in this country, that every man has the privilege of murdering his own lice. If you p

lways kept, now hearing one thing, now another. But the true state of the case seems to be, that though the great Koku of Aghadez did take the field for a razzia, the actual operations were conducted by the Sultan of Asoudee. It must be remembered, however, that with their

m until he carried us safely to Zinder. His highness expressed great satisfaction for the present; and when I told him to take care it was not broken, he observed: "I will take especial care of this thing, because there is none like i

but the days are too short and the nights are too long.

s, this being the lowest which I have yet taken. The Germans have had a deal of trouble w

t different races. The names answer to the word Kurdi, in Bornou. These pagans say, in derision

dee drinking large quantities of

lready reached Damerghou-that it was reported there that the Sultan of Aghadez had given Barth a black tobe; not, by any means,