CHAPTER XVIII.
We shift our Encampment--En-Noor's Circular--The Kadi's Decision--No Progress in the Sahara--Aghadez Gumruk--Scorpions--Election of Sultans in Aheer--Present of Salutation--Paying for finding lost Property--Courier from the new Sultan--No Presents sent us--Notes on Denham--A Bornouese Measure--Intended Razzia--Firing off Gunpowder--Hypotheses of Danger--Dress and Women--Enroute to Bilma--Soudan Caravan--Visit from Tintaghoda--Aheer Honey--Modes of Measurement--Power of En-Noor--Visits to him from great People--Stations on the Bilma Road--Salt-Trade--Account of our Pursuers at Tajetterat--Costume of the Kailouees--Their Weapons--Poisoned Arrows--Charms--Female Dress--Names of Articles of Costume--Character of Kailouees.
_Sept. 17th._--In the morning En-Noor sent a message that we must immediately move from our present encampment on our sand-hills, a quarter of a mile from the town, where we had a pleasant view of everything in the valley and around, and come near the people. So in the course of the day we pitched tents close by the houses of the town. We found that we were not so much molested by the inhabitants (i.e. by their curiosity) as we expected.
I had heard in the previous evening that En-Noor, two or three days ago, had written, by means of one of the learned men of this place, to all the towns and villages around him, begging the Sheikhs and people not to offer us any molestation whilst we were residing here, under his immediate protection, as his guests, and as sacred persons recommended to his care. This shows good-will in the venerable Sultan. He sent to us this morning the result of the Kadi's decision, respecting the robbers. This singular question was put to the Kadi, "Whether it was lawful to rob and murder the Christians by night?" Answer, "No; on the contrary, the Christians may fire on and kill the Muslim robbers." The Sultan, it appears, attaches great importance to this decision, and counts on it to obtain the suffrages of all his people in our favour.
Such are the circumstances attending the first visit of Christians to Aheer! I believe this attack will do our servants good. They see now, that, by a little resistance, the most audacious of thieves will be put to flight. We ourselves shall also keep better watch for the future.
_18th._--I finished to-day a vocabulary of the Kailouee language. I endeavour also to divert my mind from the many causes of annoyance that now exist, by studying the records of the Denham and Clapperton expedition. We shall soon be amidst the same countries that they explored, and, no doubt, shall find that little has changed in the manners of the people during these last thirty years. Neither in the Desert nor in the kingdoms of Central Africa is there any march of civilisation. All goes on according to a certain routine established for ages past.
A courier has just arrived from the new Sultan of Aghadez, demanding the gumruk, or custom-dues, from the caravan of Christians who have entered Aheer. As if we had not already paid enough! After two or three weeks of incessant solicitation, by the way, I gave Es-Sfaxee, Yusuf, and Mahommed, a small bottle of rum--the first, and it shall be the last; for they got drunk and quarrelsome upon it.
_19th._--This day I took a walk over the neighbouring rocks, whence there is a wide view over the whole surrounding valley. I have omitted to observe, that at our former place of encampment were seen many scorpions; so that here these reptiles inhabit the open country equally with the ruins of old houses or mosques, and such places. Under one of my boxes was also discovered a lêfa, the most dangerous species of serpent in these countries.
It appears that most of the caravans that pass through this country are obliged to pay a certain gumruk to the prince of Aghadez. The relations of the lesser Sheikhs of Aheer with the paramount sultan are of this kind. When a sultan dies, or is displaced, they assemble like the College of Cardinals, or rather like the old Polish nobility, to elect a new one. It is the law that this Sultan of Aghadez must be a stranger. When once chosen he is invested with something like absolute authority throughout all Aheer, and he alone possesses the dreaded power of "cutting off heads." En Noor has sent this morning what is called "the present, of salutation," which he determined to despatch to Abd-el-Kader, the new Sultan of Aghadez, instead of the immense gumruk demanded. The present consists of one Egyptian mattrass; two white turbans with red borders; a piece of white muslin for making light turbans; two shasheeahs, or red caps; two small gilt-framed looking-glasses; and a few beads of glass and earthen composition; one pound of _jouee_, or perfume for burning; a small packet of _simbel_, an aromatic herb used for washing the body; and two heads of white sugar. This composed what may be called the official present for the district of Tintalous. En-Noor added, from himself, two camels, a piece of silk for a gown, and various other little things.
Whilst these magnificences are going on, we are enjoying the comfortable reflection that all our losses are gains to other people, whether they be friends or enemies.
I had as much trouble to satisfy the parties who found the Arabic Bible as if I was purchasing their own property, and not rewarding them for accidentally finding some of my lost goods. Finally, however, I arranged to give them two cotton-printed handkerchiefs and a small quantity of spices. This was more than enough. These rewards for finding our lost property naturally impels our friendly people, either to rob us themselves or to wish that others may rob us, that they may have something to gain by attempting to recover our lost things. What we had to pay for the recovery of each of our camels was almost as much as some of them were worth.
The weather has been dry and hot for the last few days; at noon the thermometer rose to 100° under the tent. Suddenly it became cloudy, and a few drops of rain began to patter down. There was every appearance of a storm, and our people began to collect towards the tents. At this time another courier arrived from the new Sultan, Abd-el-Kader, of Aghadez, respecting us. His highness says:--"No one shall hurt the Christians: no one shall lift up a finger against them; and if they wish to come to my city, I shall be very happy to receive them." This courier arrived so quickly after the other, that I suspect his highness may be spelling for a large present; or he may have just heard of the bad treatment we have received, and being a new man has determined to afford us some reparation. Little reliance, however, can be placed on these professions, until we know something more of the character of Abd-el-Kader. It is certainly a great disappointment for us that we do not go to Aghadez. I am afraid that this will be the case with many other important cities.
The Es-Sfaxee wished to have a feast to celebrate the arrival of this good news, but I cannot join in such a demonstration. We have little cause for rejoicing at the conduct of the people of Aheer. En-Noor has not yet sent us a sah of ghaseb; or a drop of samen or a sheep's head. Never did travellers visit a country in Africa, without receiving some mark of hospitality of this kind from the chief or sovereign of the place.
In the evening a fellow came and asked us if we could sell him a veneese (a dressing-gown) in exchange for ghaseb. After some trouble we fixed the bargain. Saïd was fool enough to give him the veneese before he brought the merchandise, the fellow promising to bring it the next morning. During the night he fled with his booty on the road to Aghadez. Amankee went in pursuit of the fugitive, seized him on the road, and brought back the veneese: for such matters there is no one equal to Amankee.
_20th._--Denham compares the berries of the _suak_ (suag) to cranberries. _Zumeeta_ is called parched corn; it should be parched ground corn. Gafouley is called guinea-corn. The green herb with which _bazeen_ is generally seasoned is called _melocheea_ (ochra). There are, however, various herbs for this seasoning, though all of them have a similar flavour. I confess, myself, I do not much like the flavour; it is, like that of olives, an acquired taste. Bazeen may be called flour-pudding.
Gubga is a Bornouese measure, eight drâas (or lengths of the lower part of the arm, from the elbow to the tips of the fingers) in length and one inch and a half broad. Denham, who spells it gubka, says it is about one English yard. The eight drâas would be, however, nearly three yards. This measure is applied to white, coarse, native-woven cotton, and a piece of cotton eight drâas long and one inch and half broad is a gubga. This is the money of Bornou; it must be a most inconvenient currency, but habit accustoms us to everything.
It is reported in town, that En-Noor intends shortly to make a razzia on the towns where we were plundered: he says, perhaps justly, "The tribes have '_tasted_' fine burnouses, more especially their sheikhs; and emboldened by their success, and the attractiveness of the rich vestments, they will now plunder all the caravans." This is another reason why strong representations should be made to the Pasha of Mourzuk to grant us redress. En-Noor can seize camels and sequester them; he can also seize men: but he must afterwards send them to Aghadez for trial. This razzia, however, will not come off yet.
A storm of wind, with at little rain as usual, visited us in the afternoon. It then cleared up, and was fine all the evening.
The Es-Sfaxee, heading our servants, was determined to fire away a little gunpowder this evening though much against my inclination. After they had been firing near the tents, En-Noor sent for them to fire at the doors of his house. The old Sheikh is now waxing mighty civil, and swears that we are his _walad_ (children). We shall see what we shall see. Yusuf even thinks he can be persuaded to sign the treaty. All the Kailouees are very fond of powder, and also very much alarmed at it. They say they could themselves make plenty of powder if saltpetre were found them.
_21st._--It appears that some of the districts of Damerghou are included within the circle of Aheer, and that the Kailouees exercise authority there. En-Noor has a house there.
Overweg's three hypotheses of danger south of Bornou are:--
1. To be stripped of everything by robbers, and left naked in the wilderness.
2. To be devoured by wild beasts.
3. To be forced to traverse a desert where there is no subsistence for man or beast. Indeed, after the experience we have had up this road, although a Tuarick road (and Tuaricks are not supposed to have a peculiar antipathy to Christians), it will be next to suicide to proceed far south without adequate guides and protection.
The two predominant passions of men in all these Tuarick countries, especially Aheer, are for dress and women. A few only are tainted by fanaticism, and fewer still are misers; because, probably they have nothing to save. Of the character of the women I cannot speak, for want of experience; the few we have met with have begged mostly for trinkets, and looking-glasses, but we have seen little of the love of intrigue.
About Aheer, the Bornou and Soudan routes appear not to be far apart. The Tibboos make Kisbee to be only eight days from Aghadez. The Kailouees also state that Bilma (or _Boulouma_, in their pronunciation) is only seven or eight days of good travelling from Tintalous; but the salt-caravans always employ fourteen days, arriving at Bilma on the fifteenth.
Yesterday afternoon a portion of a large Soudan caravan arrived. A number of bullocks were amongst its beasts of burden; one of these had immense branching horns, and, according to the report of Saïd's wife, was of the same species as those found in her country, Kanemboo, near Bornou. These bullocks seemed to be in every respect trained like horses, and some of them carry a burden of four cantars.
_22d._--I rose early, to prepare my despatches for Mourzuk and England. To-day not much wind, only a little refreshing breeze. The wind, which appears to visit us daily instead of the rain, generally begins about an hour after noon, and continues to blow in fitful gusts until three or four P.M. when it gradually sinks. The evenings are perfectly calm, though not always cloudless.
Yesterday five maharees arrived from Tintaghoda, mounted by persons who came to inquire after the health of En-Noor. They left early this morning. Somehow or other these maharees always look suspicious to me. The injuries we have received make us suspicious.
I ate some honey of Aheer to-day. It has a most treacley taste, and, in truth, is not unlike treacle, not having the delicate flavour of honey. It has purgative qualities. They boil it on the fire, and so spoil it.
I wrote to-day to Viscount Palmerston, to Mr. Gagliuffi, and my wife, sending also specimens of the Kailouee language, and the journal of Yusuf, describing the route from Ghât to Aheer--altogether a good parcel.
The Arabs and Moors try to measure everything by portions of their body. The drâa, a measure from the elbow to the tips of the fingers, is in universal requisition. The fathom, signified by the arms extended on both sides the body, is not so frequently in use. The sun is often said to be so many fathoms high. If we attended a little more to these natural measures it might be well, although the human body being so various in size we could never be correct, and then we might lose sight of those artificial means of measuring objects which distinguish us from the semi-barbarian Arabs.
This evening I heard from Es-Sfaxee a more favourable account of the power of En-Noor. It would appear that En-Noor is the aged Sheikh, the Sheikh Kebeer, of the Kailouees, whom all respect, and to whom all look up in cases of difficulty and distress. With En-Noor always authority remains, whilst all the other Sheikhs are being changed--some every year. En-Noor, nevertheless, appears to be a great miser, continually amassing wealth in money, merchandise, or camels. He is also reported to have four hundred horses in Damerghou, a district of which is subjected to him.
At the present time he is constantly receiving visits from the surrounding Kubar, "great people," inquiring after his health, and bringing presents. Whilst he thus amasses treasure, he feeds a number of dependants a little above the starvation point; and this standing army suffices for his executive. Several of the princes of Aheer are expected to visit the new Sultan of Aghadez, and compliment him on his accession. The exact name of the new Sultan is now said to be Kadaree Ben El-Bagharee.
_23d._--I rose early, to send off the despatches. They are sent to Asoudee, where there is a caravan just arrived from Kanou. Among the persons composing it are some Mourzuk people, who will take charge of the despatches. This caravan stays a few days in Asoudee, when it will leave direct for Mourzuk, and arrive at this latter city in the course of two months and a-half.
I have just received an account of the route of the salt-caravans from Tintalous to Bilma:--
From Tintalous to Asaughar Five days. " Fakramah One day. " Kāwār One day. " Boulouma One day.
The mediate time occupied is said to be between eight and fourteen days. The three stations mentioned between Tintalous and Bilma have wells of water. There is also an abundance of herbage all along the route for camels. The direction of the route is always east, over a flat country (probably through wadys); although, my informant adds, there are no mountains. The salt is found in small lakes. The people amass it with the water, and make of it round cakes; the water runs away, and the cakes become hard and dry. It is then packed up in camel-loads. A large camel-load pays to the Tibboos half a metagal, or about ninepence English money. It is thus evident that the Tibboos do derive a revenue from their salt, contrary to what was stated by them to Major Denham. Since his time, however, this people have found themselves in a better condition to enforce this impost on the Kailouee salt-merchants than they were formerly.
The caravan of Ghât Tuaricks brought here the news, a few days ago, that no less than four hundred people, fractions of the tribes of the Azgher, consisting of men, women, and children, followed us as far as Tajetterat to see what they could get from the Christians. When they arrived at the wells, to their great disappointment we were gone. Some of them were nearly naked, having only a piece of leather round their loins. Our sending for an escort from Mourzuk seems to have aroused the whole country; all these poor wretches expected, at least, a little _hamsa_ from the Christians, who were reported to have a long train of camels laden with gold and silver, and all sorts of rich goods. I do not doubt the correctness of this news; it is so perfectly Targhee in its kind: but the report of sixty maharees pursuing us from the Haghar desert was always doubted by me.
There is now news of my stolen tea, and a chance of my getting some of it back again, the robbers confessing to their friends that they do not know what to do with such "_herbage_," as they call it: it is quite useless to them.
The Kailouees and Tuaricks generally do not like beards, and cut off the hair of the upper lip quite close. Indeed, wearing as they do the thilem, the beard and the mustachios are completely hidden. The Kailouees leave the crown of the head, which is close shaved, as in the case of the Mahommedans of the coast, quite bare, exposed to the sun and weather. Around the lower part of the head they wind a long narrow strip of black cotton stuff (called _rouanee_ in Soudanee), which is continued round the face, upper and lower part, and forms the thilem, only about an inch breadth of the face being exposed or visible; that is, the portion including the eyes and bridge of the nose. The generality of the Kailouees wear, besides, a tobe, or long broad cotton frock (or rather shirt, for nothing is worn under it at the upper part of the body), with immensely wide sleeves. Those a little better off also wear trousers, very wide about the loins, narrow at the legs, and drawn round the waist with a belt. All use leather sandals, strong and thick; some of them are prettily made. The whole of this apparel is imported from Soudan, there being apparently no manufactures in Aheer.
The arms of the men,--for all go armed with some weapon,--are a dagger under the left arm, a sword slung on the back, and a spear in the right hand. The spear-shaft is wood, whilst those of the Ghât Tuaricks and Haghars are frequently metal, of the same substance as the point of the weapon. These iron spears are said to be manufactured by the Tibboos. They are much more formidable weapons than the spears with wooden shafts. When mounted on their maharees, all the Kailouees have shields made of the tanned skins of animals, generally of the wild ox (_bugara wahoosh_). To these arms the people in Aheer now begin to add matchlocks, which are sent up from the coast. The sword is not worn on the back when riding, but hangs down on the right-hand side, sheathed in a fantastic leather cage.
A few of the poorer sort of Kailouees appear with bows and arrows. The latter they carry in very close bundles, so well packed up that not one can separate from the other. They told me they were poisoned, and would not let me touch them. Amongst the accomplishments of the Gighis and magicians of Africa is that of poisoning arrows. The pagan nations are generally very expert in this
"dreadful art, To taint with deadly drugs the barbed dart."
The younger and more fashionable Kailouees wear round their necks, and hanging down over their breast, a large necklace of charms sewn in leather bags. Some also wear a sort of cloth cap, called bakin zakee, of a green colour, round which they bind the turkadee, or black turban. On this cap they also occasionally wear charms, done up in small metal boxes. Their camels are very fantastically dressed in leathern trappings.
The great men, and indeed all those that can afford it, despise the simple Kailouee costume, and indulge in all the rich dresses which are so much liked by the Moors of the coast,--burnouses, shasheeahs, turbans, veneeses, caftans, tobes of silk, &c.
The dress of the women whom we see about is a simple cotton tobe, covering them from neck to heels. The colour of these tobes is generally blue-black, dyed with indigo; some are glazed with gum. Many, however, are white, and ornamented in front about the neck with silken embroidery,--a costume which gives them a very chaste and elegant appearance. Sometimes the tobes are variegated in colour, as are the trousers; but the sombre, or pure white, are the most popular.
I have set down the Kailouee names for various articles of dress as well as weapons:--
Green cloth cap Bakin zakee. Turban, or bandage round the head and face Taghalmous. Red or other caps Takabout. Frock and shirt Teekatkat. Trousers Eskarbaee. Sandals Eghateema. Dagger Azegheez. Sword Alagh. Spear Ebzaghdeer. Shield Aghar. Arrow Amour. Bow Takanya. Leathern bag for tobacco, pipe, needles, thread, scissors, looking-glass, and other small things,--nicknacks Elbes. Charm Sheera.
I can scarcely yet venture to pronounce an opinion on the character of the Kailouees. They decidedly differ from the Haghar and Azgher Tuaricks, in being more civil and companionable. But they seem to have acquired from Soudan the habit of petty thieving, from which the Haghars are especially free.