Chapter 20

Origin of the Missions--Its Objects and Plan--Preparations--Arrival at Tripoli--Prussian Colleagues--Necessary Delay--The Boat for Lake Tchad--Wind-bound--Anxieties at Tripoli--Correspondence with Mourzuk and Ghât--Circular Letter of Izhet Pasha--Composition of the Caravan--An aristocratic Interpreter--A Mohammedan Toper--The Chaouches--Free Blacks returning to their Countries--Marabout--Camel-drivers--Rate of Desert travelling--Trade of Tripoli with the Interior--Slavery--Caravans from Central Africa--Details on Commerce--Promotion of legitimate Traffic--Spread of Civilisation.

Since my return from a first tour of exploration in the Great Sahara I had carefully revolved in my mind the possibility of a much greater undertaking, namely, a political and commercial expedition to some of the most important kingdoms of Central Africa. The plan appeared to me feasible; and when I laid it in all its details before her Majesty's Government, they determined, after mature consideration, to empower me to carry it out. Two objects, one principal, necessarily kept somewhat in the background--the abolition of the slave-trade; one subsidiary, and yet important in itself--the promotion of commerce by way of the Great Desert; appeared to me, and to the distinguished persons who promoted the undertaking, of sufficient magnitude to justify considerable sacrifices. Much preliminary discussion took place; but the impediments and difficulties that naturally start up at the commencement of any enterprise possessing the character of novelty were gradually overcome, and in the summer of 1849 it was generally known that I was about to proceed, by way of Tripoli and the Sahara, and the hitherto unexplored kingdom of Aheer, to endeavour to open commercial relations and conclude treaties with any native power so disposed, but especially with the Sultan of Bornou. It was not thought necessary, however, to surround my Mission with any circumstances of diplomatic splendour; and it was still in the character of Yakōb--a name already known throughout the greater portion of the route intended to be traversed--that I proposed to resume my intercourse with the Moors, the Fezzanees, the Tibboos, the Tuaricks, and other tribes and peoples of the desert and the countries beyond.

The various preparations for the expedition occupied a considerable time before I could leave Europe; but I shall pass over all account of these, and enter as soon as possible on the plain narrative of my journey. We reached Tripoli on January the 31st, 1850, having come circuitously by way of Algeria and Tunis. Divers reasons, on which it is unnecessary to enlarge, had prevented us from adopting a more direct route. However, there had, properly speaking, been no time lost, and we had still to look forward to inevitable delays. An expedition of the kind we were about to undertake cannot be performed in a hurry, especially in Africa. In that continent everything is carried on in a deliberate manner. The climate is in itself suggestive of procrastination; and no one who has there had to do with officials, even of our own country, until he has himself felt the enervating influence of the atmosphere, can fail to have been held in ludicrous suspense between indignation and surprise.

It must here be mentioned that, associated with me in this expedition, were two Prussian gentlemen, Drs. Barth and Overweg, who had volunteered to accompany me in my expedition in the character of scientific observers.

The political and commercial nature of my Mission by no means excluded such auxiliaries. It was desirable that every advantage should be taken of this opportunity to explore Central Africa in every point of view; and when the proposition came to me under the sanction of Chevalier Bunsen, and received the approval of her Majesty's Government, I could not but be delighted. It was arranged that these gentlemen should travel at the expense and under the protection of Great Britain, and that their reports should be duly forwarded to the Foreign Office.

Drs. Barth and Overweg, with European impetuosity, eager at once to grapple with adventure and research, had pushed on whilst I waited for final instructions from Lord Palmerston. They had arrived at Tripoli about twelve days before me, and, as I afterwards learned, had usefully and pleasantly occupied their time in excursions to the neighbouring mountains, which I had previously visited and examined on my way to Ghadamez.

We learned on landing, that a good deal of the anxiety I had felt on account of my slow progress from England had been thrown away. Our arms, instruments, and stores, had not yet arrived from Malta. However, they were promised for an early date, and the hospitable reception afforded us by Mr. Consul-general Crowe, as well as the knowledge that a vast number of small details of preparation could be immediately commenced, contributed to console us.

Among the things expected, and which arrived in due time, was a boat built by order of the Government in Malta dockyard. It was sent in two sides, and I wished to carry it in that state. But this proved impossible, and just before starting we were compelled to saw each side into two pieces, which were to be carried slung in nets upon a couple of powerful camels. This boat was expressly intended for the navigation of Lake Tchad.[1]

[1] It has since been launched under the British flag, and has proved useful in the examination of the shores of the great lake of Central Africa.--EDITOR.

It was universally admired at Tripoli; and, as it will be useless to bring it back, will form a most acceptable present for the Sultan of Bornou. I cannot omit to notice, in passing, the courtesy and attention of the authorities of Malta with whom I have been in communication; they have all done their best to forward the objects of the Mission.

A good deal of the delay that took place at Tripoli arose from causes over which it was impossible to exert any control, and principally from the bad weather, which cut off all communication with Malta. We used to go about relating the anecdote of Charles V. illustrative of the inhospitable seasons of this coast. "Which are the best ports of Barbary?" inquired the Emperor of the famous Admiral Dorea. "The months of June, July, and August," was the reply.

Whilst waiting for the winds to waft us so many desirable things, we actively engaged in hiring camels, procuring servants, and otherwise making ready for a start. The details of all these preparations, which cost me prodigious anxiety, as I was obliged to study at the same time efficiency and economy, are described in a voluminous mass of correspondence; but I should not think of presenting them to the general public, which will be satisfied probably to know that at length everything was found to be in due order, and our long-expected departure was fixed for the 30th of March.

I had taken care, immediately on my arrival at Tripoli, to write to Mr. Gagliuffi, the British Consul at Mourzuk, announcing my approach and enclosing a despatch from the Foreign Office. Moreover I had requested this gentleman at once to send to Ghât for an escort of Tuaricks, so that we might not be unnecessarily detained in Fezzan; and to suggest that the Sheikhs should be assembled by the time we arrived, that the treaty I had to propose to them might be discussed. My former visit to this place will in some respects pave the way. Throughout the Turkish provinces of Tripoli and Fezzan a circular letter given to us by Izhet Pasha, and the letters of the Bey of Tunis in other quarters, will no doubt prove of some assistance, although such documents must lose much of their influence in the very secluded districts through which we shall be compelled to pass. After all, we must trust principally to our own tact, to the good will of the natives, and to that vague respect of English power which is beginning to spread in the Sahara.

The composition of our caravan will of course fluctuate throughout the whole line of route; but I may as well mention the most important personages who were to start with me from Tripoli. Setting aside my colleagues, Barth and Overweg, there was, in the first place, the interpreter, Yusuf Moknee, a man really of some importance among his people, but considering himself with far too extravagant a degree of respect. He is the son of the famous Moknee, who was Governor of the province of Fezzan during the period of the Karamanly Bashaws. He has squandered his father's estate in intemperate drinking. Nevertheless I have been recommended to take him as a dragoman, and give him a fair trial, as his only vice really seems to be attachment to the bottle. I suspect he will not find many opportunities of indulging his propensity in the Sahara; so that, as long as he is _en route_, he may prove to be that phenomenon, a man without a fault! At any rate I must be content with him, especially as he is willing to sign a contract promising to be a pattern of sobriety! There is no one else in Tripoli so suitable for my purpose. He is a handsome, dark-featured fellow, and when in his bright-blue gown, white burnoose, and elegant fez, makes a really respectable figure. I must dress him up well for state occasions. Even in the desert one is often judged by the livery of one's servants.

The individuals next in importance to Moknee are, perhaps, the Chaouches, as they are called here--Arab cavaliers, who are to act as janissaries. There is one big fellow for me, and one little fellow for the Germans. How they will behave remains to be seen; but I suspect they will give us some trouble. Then there are a number of free blacks from Tunis, some married, others not, who are to return to their homes in Soudan, Bornou, and Mandara, under our protection. Some of these have agreed to travel partly on their own account, or nearly so, whilst others will be paid and act as servants. One of them, named Ali, is a fine, dashing young fellow. They are very unimportant people here, but as we advance on our route will no doubt prove of some service, especially when we fairly enter upon the Black Countries. A marabout of Fezzan also accompanies us, and our camel-drivers are from the same country. They arrived with a caravan from Mourzuk, and we were some time detained by the necessity of allowing them and their beasts to rest before recommencing their march over the very arduous country that lies between this and the confines of Fezzan.

Our progress will necessarily be slow, as all travelling is in the desert. Camels can rarely exceed three miles an hour, and often make but two. We may calculate their average progress at two miles and a half, so that the reader will be pleased to bear in mind, that when I speak of a laborious day of twelve hours, he must not imagine us to have advanced more than thirty miles.

Before commencing the narrative of my journey, it may be as well to introduce a few observations on the commerce at present carried on with the interior by way of Tripoli. In addition to the mere acquisition of geographical, statistical, and other information, I look upon the great object of our mission to be the promotion, by all prudent means, of legitimate trade. This will be the most effectual way of putting a stop to that frightful system by which all the Central Provinces of Africa are depopulated, and all the littoral regions demoralized. When the negro races begin to make great profits by exporting the natural products of their country, they will then, and perhaps then only, cease to export their brethren as slaves. On this account, therefore, I take great interest in whatever has reference to caravan trade.

There are now four general routes followed by the trading caravans from the Barbary coast, leading to four different points of that great belt of populous country that stretches across Central Africa,--viz. to Wadaï, Bornou, Soudan, and Timbuctoo.

Wadaï sends to the coast at Bengazi a biennial caravan, accompanied by a large number of slaves. The chief articles of legitimate traffic are elephants' teeth and ostrich feathers. This route is a modern ramification of interior trade, and was opened only during the last century. It is calculated that the exports of Bengazi form one-third of the whole of those of Tripoli.

Bornou sends to the coast by way of Fezzan, I am sorry to say, chiefly slaves; but a quantity of ivory is now likewise forwarded by this route.

Soudan exports slaves, senna, ivory, wax, indigo, skins, &c. &c. Nearly half of the commerce with this important country consists of legitimate articles of trade and barter. This is very encouraging, and the brief history of some of these objects of legal commerce is exceedingly interesting. Wax, for example, began to be sent seventeen years ago; elephants' teeth, fifteen; and indigo, only four years ago.

Timbuctoo now scarcely forwards anything but gold to the coast of Tripoli, together with wax and ivory, but no slaves. The gold is brought by the merchants in diminutive roughly-made rings, which they often carry in dirty little bags, concealed in the breasts of their gowns.

I am exceedingly glad to learn that the Ghadamsee merchants, who formerly embarked two-thirds of their capital in the slave-trade, have now only one-fourth engaged in that manner. This is progress. It has been partly brought about by the closing of the Tunisian slave-mart, partly by the increase of objects of legitimate commerce in the markets of Soudan. The merchants of Fezzan have still to learn that money may be invested to more advantage in things than in persons; but their education has been undertaken, and however slow the light may be in forcing its way to their eyes, it will reach them at last, there can be no doubt.

The trade in senna is always considerable. Last year a thousand cantars were brought, from the country of the Tibboos and from Aheer. The latter place supplies the best. New objects of exportation may no doubt be discovered. Already gum-dragon and cassia have been added to the list of articles brought from Soudan; and when once treaties of commerce have been entered into, and merchants begin to find security in the desert and protection from the native princes, there is no doubt that a very large intercourse may be established with the interior countries of Africa--an intercourse that will at once prove of immense benefit to us as a manufacturing nation, and advance materially that great object of all honest men, the abolition of the accursed traffic in human beings. It is the latter object that chiefly occupies my mind, but I shall not attempt to bring it before the native princes in too abrupt a manner. In some cases, indeed, to allude to it at all would be disastrous. The promotion of legitimate traffic must, after all, be our great lever.

I do not profess in this place to do more than give a few hints on the present state of trade in Tripoli, and the vast tract of half-desert country on which it leans. What I have said is perhaps sufficient to impart some idea of the nature of the relations between the Barbary coast and the interior, and to suggest the importance of the enterprise on which I am engaged. Briefly, the exportation of slaves to Tripoli and beyond, in spite of certain changes of route, is as rife as ever, and in this respect everything remains to be done. But, on the other hand, the trade which, I trust, is providentially intended to supersede this inhuman traffic, is on the increase, though slightly. If we can pave the way for the civilising steps of European commerce, either by treaties or by personal influence, we shall have accomplished a great work. Let us hope and pray that the necessary health, strength, and power of persuasion be granted to us!