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

Chapter 10 No.10

Word Count: 3920    |    Released on: 06/12/2017

aisant Ladies-Festivities-Aquatic Birds-Dancing-A Flatterer-A Slave Family-A new Reason for Wife-beating-Hazna Dancers-Damerghou, common ground-Purchase of Ghaseb-Dethroned Sultan-Yusuf-Mohammed Tunis

nt of the S

fall in summer-time, as is generally supposed. I took out my last barracan, as some precaution against the threatening clouds. This barracan excited everybody's attention; every one admired it, and asked for it. I was

. This being the first act of spontaneous assistance which we had witnessed from Tripoli to Damerghou, I gave them each a ring. We are now fairly in Damerghou; and to-day we saw the first specimens of the culture in this part of Africa. The ground is cleared by burning, as on the coast; which burning serves partly to supply th

so found in the road, mostly quite good and sweet, but some white ones perfectly tasteless. No

, and continued eating my bread and cheese. At this the people of the caravan laughed. They thought we ought always to receive these strangers, Tuaricks, with fear and trembl

ment, called Boban Birni, "Great City," of conical form. Numerous villages were scattered along the whole line of route, a few of some size. The form of the huts is like that of beehives. Around them are small magazines of ghaseb, supported on woode

on of the Asbenouees, nearly all these villages being peopled by the sl

. Not many birds appeared, on account of the fewness of the trees. Only a small portion of

he capital of Damerghou is on the west (N.W.) from this,

ntry and climate are undoubtedly the same as all the neighbouring Soudanee territories. The weather was very warm and oppressive to-day. I fancied I suffered from the change of

I gave them rings and sugar, and sent them off in a good humour. The country around looks exceedingly bare, almost free from trees. There is a little

new governor of that place, as well as to see us safe there. The Tuaricks paid me a visit. I gave them a bit of suga

them,-also Buza in numbers; Tuaricks who, having settled in Soudan, have forgotten their own language, speaking only Haussa. Many visitors trouble us, but we hope for a dimi

are very clean, and are inhabited entirely by slaves of En-Noor. These villages of Damerghou, at a distance, have the appearance of Chinese villages, such as I have seen drawn, with eaves cocked up like the rim of a French hat. The evening was given up to festivities, the slaves of the caravan uniting with those of the Tagelel. A regular procession brought the supper from the village to the people of the caravan, and then the music and dancin

in the country of water. A wader was shot, and a fine plump bird something like a partridge, which Mohammed Tunisee calls poule de

re not more violent in action than the women. Each sex danced separately, the women beginning first and then retiring. During the performance a song was kept up, a continually recurring rhyme. When it became dark the male and female slaves made love, and coquetted together. We, too, had our music; a strolling minstrel came to our tent by appointment to play on his guitar. He sang all our pr

oua Arab, who repeated the fatah to us. It is reported that a great deal of the salt goes with En-No

eceived a present of a korna for holding water. The thatch of these primitive habitations was of bou rekaba stalks. The korna is allowed to twine itse

tly dances of the north coast. I certainly was surprised to hear that she was present at these filthy exhibitions. "Have I not bought you?" his highness remonstrated with her. "Are you not my slave?" "No

evening, but the singing and dancing were not continued. We had, however, at sunset, a visit from a Hazna dancer,-a perfect specimen of African buffoonery and jingling. He danced and sung with the wildest barbarity. He had two followers, to pick up the offer

circular holes, of about fifty feet in depth. There is very little water at this seaso

is now here the Kailouee prince called Maaurgi, who exercised authority some years since in Aheer. Damerghou, indeed, appears to be common ground, where every one who pleases, and is strong enough, comes to establish himself. Many runaways, freemen from Bornou, who

greatly amused to see the small quantities of sunbal which Mahadee had laid out for two zekkas of ghaseb. For myself I was mu

ree customs of the Tuaricks, he permits slaves who approach him to prostrate themselves and throw dust on their heads. He is the uncle of the present Sult

m, to-day, to go off to Kanou. Afterwards I arranged with him to go with me to Zinder, where, before the gover

however, are still afraid of him. Yusuf is trying the same system with me, but will probably find that it will end in no good affair for himself. Mohammed Tunisee and Yusuf seem hi

red country. Some of the people pretend it is caused by drinking ghaseb-water, which appears absurd enough. The Moorish and other merchants attribut

in Kuka in two months; and Dr. Overweg says he will immediately correspond, that is from Tesaoua to Zinder. The latter has the more difficult journey before him; but even Dr. Barth's visit to Kanou may turn out a more

ths en route. In a moment, just as we were starting, he changed his mind, and would go to his home at once. This is his character,-levity and instability,-otherwise he is a good fellow enough. He is one of those Tuaricks who have settled in Haussa and forgotten their native tongue. I have been often obliged to use harsh language to him, to curb his levity. In parting with the servants o

ikh, who had just returned from Kanou,-a considerable merchant. He received me with great hospitality, and gave me ghaseb-water, and some little pieces of meat, roasted, besides milk. I was accompanied by my stupid mahadee, who is, nevertheless, not a bad market-man. He purchased

; amongst them a Yakobah slave, with straight lines cicatrised in curious patterns all over his body. The poor fellow seemed remarkably stupid, and I believe that many of these poor fellows brought from the

r children from dying. She had had many children, and all had died. Another woman applies for a medicine to prevent her husband from liking her rival, and to make him

s wife and the other women; besides, there are a number of male slaves and so

t all the great towns and villages here have an independent jurisdictio

of a sort of coarse sandstone and is in part overgrown with herbage. From the encampment to Mount Boban Birni was a distance of six hours S.W. It can be seen from afar off, though in reality not very lofty. We passed the mount for two hours through a forest of dwarf trees; the country still billowy, as it were. We

d not encamp until an hour after dark. Our course, as we ascended from Mount Boban Birni, was S. 3° E. The country sti

arvel, after all our dangers and misgivings! Thanks to Almighty God for deliverance from the hands of lawless tribes! I shall never forget the

, is separated from Bornou by about eleven hours of forest, or some thirty miles English-a sufficient distance to divide two countries, especially in Af

of mud, wasting away to the level of the ground;

of En-Noor's household; she has a daughter and one cade-lamb. Then there is the Bornou fighi and his wife. These people are so affable, that they always have visitors near their little tent. Th

ris' division of five hundred. So much for the boasted ten thousand camels which were gone this year to bring salt! From En-Noor one could not possibly get correct statistics, for, being a thorough Kailouee and a Tuarick, he magnifies ever

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