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

sh Money in Aheer-A Razzia on the Holy City-Bornouese Studies-Gipsies of Soudan-En-Noor and the Marabouts-Ghaseb-State of the Weather-Calculations for the Future-Senna-Re

and my wife. En-Noor paid us a visit in the afternoon, and was exceedingly

medicine. This is not the first time that I have heard of the various parts of animals being eaten, or otherwise used, to cure o

anners and dispositions; "for," added he, "there were once four fighis (charm-writers) who employed people to speak against me, and bring me into disrepute. What did I do? I called them to me, gave them fine presents of burnouses and a great supper, with an apartment in which

nrise, 43°. I hang the thermometer on the tent-rop

the caravan would be thirty-five days before it returned; so, I imagine, we have still from this time

Villages o

ankee's

ence of the governor. Two l

500. A li

400. One well

One well, an

o water; but only hal

ered about in small

ka: 500.

ai: 400. M

0. Large wel

a: 40

ntry is full of trees. Not a stone

e, who is the only independent black prince in this part of Africa. The i

he recollected earthquakes in this country. The old

up a good many words in

although yesterday was very plea

n Haussa and half between Bornouee, will help me on in these languages, the principal of the i

onsist of a fine burnouse, a fine shasheeah (five mahboubs), two pieces of coloured cotton cloth, two heads of white sugar, knives, scissors, cinnamon, looking-glasses,

ral short prayers from the Church of England prayer-

had, for several hours, an immense elliptical ring

most of the time we have been occupied with the vocabulary. I have therefore left him to himself, since he insulted me in this manner before the servants, and I fear I cannot trust mysel

ll of which he was greatly delighted. He summed up their value in wada; fifty wadas are an English penny. He admired her majesty's face on the silver fourpence; but

he news, came off immediately to us after En-Noor, so that now there does not remain a single inhabitant in the village. The people of the razzia were much disappointed at finding no more camels, all those of the villages hereabouts, and indeed through all Aheer, being gone to fetch salt from Bilma. They wished to make up the number of camels which the Sultan of Aghadez took away from them. Of course, when the salt

ery rare, and soon passes away. It is amazing how steady the seasons a

y health be preserved, to make a dictionary of the Bornou and Soudan languages together, for the sake of comm

f small currants, and has not a disagreeable taste-a sort of bit

t have been seen gazelles, ostriches,

nguages, all day long. Occupied as I am with Soudanese and Bornouese, all the days fly away swifter than arrows shot by the most expert archers. En-Noo

orning with a pure yellow flame,

ver it like inhabitants of the poles. Of course we as well as they, h

culture; differing from our gipsies, who are little more than itinerant tinkers. A boy was shown to me to-day, whom his parents had christened Butu, "worthless." It is related that his mother had many children before him, all of whom died, and when he c

d, I cannot tell. I speak for this. I imagine I have already sent to the Foreign Office six thousand. I shall have five thousand, I hope, by the time I get to Zinder-three of Soudanese, and two o

uages. Now the time of our waiting here does not appear

o begin to countenance attacks upon caravans (that is, ours). He does not pity them; he does not care for them; and, he added, "They have now lost all their reputation amongst the people." The fact

their booty and their families to the Haga

he sandy floor. We look upon them now as nearly harmless

h the languages. T

n the Born

on the face of his courtiers-showing fight. It was very white, which gave him occasion to pass to my skin, and pity

ghaseb of the people, or of En-Noor; but it appears we were too late, for it is said to be all gone. The dollars are worth only 1750 wadas here, whilst in Ka

meter, 50°. The weather has changed to mistiness, haziness. It is now reported that we still remain here twenty-five days longer, the caravan arriving only in twenty days, and five bei

rmer in the morning it is cooler in the mid-day, on account of t

If we remain here now twenty-five days, and are thirty-five days more before we arrive at Zinder, that will be sixty days. I shall then have only twenty days more to wait till the expiration of the four months, when I may expect the courier to return. Thus I

mild these last few days; this morning, h

of the tribe of the Iteesan, who are fighting amongst themselves; but no news has transpired since his return. The old sheikh is in good health

rmerly did; many other as suitable purgatives being found in Europe, I suppose. Senna is, besides, procured from the district of the Tibboos

hey give them something to eat, and they remain a few days or weeks; and again depart to their own native towns, leaving the wife with her property, and any chance lover. But the men marry two or three wives, and so are constantly in motion, first going to visit one wife and then another. Thus the male population of this country is kept in a continually restless state of activity-roaming about here and there, marrying another and another wife, if their means will permit them. The women, of course, left in this way, and unrestrained by any high moral motives, take as many lovers as they dare, or can secretly dispose of. It appears that En-Noor always disapproved of this strange system, and swore he would never marry a wife, because he should be obliged to go to

ber and Maradee toget

Maradee, and resid

y, inhabited wholly by the pagans or gia-drink

f the sultan is Chibri. This country consists of a large city (Chibri), and seve

a number of people, emigrants from Aheer, called Buzai; but these Aheer Tuaricks have lost both their language and nationality, retaining merely the name, to denote their origin. So, in all probability, were more people and of other countries to emigrate to Soudan, they would soon become Soudanee, and lose

r's walk are found hereabout granite, sandstone, a

ep being made by dipping the feet in water! As to animals, the people observe near the neighbouring rocks the sau of the lion-a very deep, heavy impression of his five claws, of the monkey, the hare, the gazelle, the fox, the jackal, the hy?na, the mouse, &c. &c. Indeed,

self, saves my sugar, enabling me to drink tea and coffee without sweetening. This evening the shara was brought of the arrival of couriers from the salt-caravan, to say it was near. Like the Arabs,

Bornou. Weather mild and misty, but a little cold this morning

a few days, three or four at most. Nothing seems now to detain En-Noor. But the Fadeea have returned from the Hagar, finding themselves not pursued. They very naturally prefer their own fine val

a, or even than some of his own people. The Kailouees do not hunt, nor do they cultivate the soil; so that this country abounds with animals. Some of the country is extremely wild and rocky, and affords many a retired den for the lions, who descend from the rocks and prowl abroad for prey in great numbers. Their footmarks frequently cover the length and breadth of the wadys. Barth himself saw (very fortunately, for it is a sight seen by very few persons indeed) as many as five together. Monkeys also abound in great

urs distant. All the water in this place is exhausted. It appears to be merely a deposit of rain-water under the sand, at a depth of from four or five to eight feet. It becomes,

he people; but I fear it will be a bad place to hear the pure Bornouese language. I still hope to go off early to Sakkatou,

dispute with that strange old gentleman, Sultan En-Noor, diversified this period. However, the simple commonplace book of a traveller in a totally new country can never be without its interest. No doubt Mr. Richardson would have attempted, had he survived, to throw