Notes taken during travels in Africa

To gratify the earnest desire expressed by the Friends of the late Mr. DAVIDSON to possess some memorial of him, his Brother has been induced to print, for private distribution...

Monday, Nov. 23.—Therm. 60°. A brig has just arrived from Alexandria with two hundred Hájís; I am going to see them pass the officer of health. Such jumping, and such putting ou...

Tuesday, Dec. 29.—Therm. 47°. Heard from Cohen of a load of kuskasú, which required four men to carry it. Many of the soldiers ill, in consequence of their fasting and feasting...

Saturday, Jan. 8.—Therm. 51°. Learned the difference between a wretched and comfortable night. The morning beautiful, with every sign of a fine day. Busy in drying our things. W...

Thursday, Jan. 21.—Therm. 50°. It has been very cold during the night. During the whole morning the house was crowded with patients. At noon, El Hájí came to take me to the Sult...

Thursday, Feb. 11.—Therm. 58°, and rose to 102°. At eleven A.M. it stood at 97°. At three P.M. the heat rather oppressive; and yet there is a fine view from the garden of the sn...

Thursday, Feb. 25.—Therm. 57°. Off at seven, P.M.; much rain had fallen during the night: we were compelled by the country hills to vary the direction of our course to W. by N.;...

Wednesday, Mar. 30.—Therm. 70°. Very close; a slight fall of rain. Not feeling very well, I kept my room. Received a second courier: wrote answers, and likewise letters to Lord...

Tuesday, April 26.—Therm. 76°. Very hot, and towards mid-day the sun was oppressive beyond description. Had a strange request from Hájí Majíbí, whom I hate: he had the impudence...

Sunday, May 15.—Therm. 76°. Had a long conversation with Zeïn, who was at Tumbuktú when Major Laing was killed.[100] It appears that Hámed Libbú gave all the protection he could...

Tuesday, May 31.—Therm. 78°. A quiet day, and a day’s quiet is quite a rarity. Did not leave the house; had some conversation with the Sheïkh, who seems to waver; still talks of...

Thursday, June 23.—Therm. 80°. The Damánís returned late yesterday, and without the horse, which they say is concealed somewhere. It had not gone beyond the place they reached;...

Sunday, July 17.—Therm. 86°. Passed a bad night: was up early and went out to bathe. Read the prayers. Was in hopes of the post arriving at the usual time: disappointed. Sent Ab...

Friday, Aug. 19.—Therm. 89°. The heat suffocating: went out a little to accustom myself to it. At two P.M. the thermometer was at 110° in the shade. This is the second summer he...

“I wrote a hasty P. S. about the medicines for the Sultán. My friend, G. D———d, tells me that two such chests were never sent from any house: besides the medicines, ...............

“You must, my kind friend, excuse me for again adverting to one of my former letters. But the great interest you have taken in the success of my enterprise, and the immense trou...

“From your kindness and civility towards my friend, Lieut. Arlett, who visited Mogadór, in command of H.M.S. _Etna_, and your readiness to give him all the information in your p...

[Footnote 108: This is the name of the horse of the desert, which is said to have been fed on camels’ milk. So too Xenophon, in his Anabasis, speaks of the ostriches in Mesopota...

“SIR,—I have deferred taking advantage of your Royal Highness’s condescension in permitting me to address you, hoping that I should ’ere this have made my excursion to the five...

“SIR,—Presenting my humble duty to your Royal Highness, I beg leave to offer my most grateful thanks for the letter and its enclosures, and for which I shall ever feel indebted...

“As to the envy, like that of Wold Isheme[172] and others we have heard of, you know better than any one what money the Tibbib had. The truth of all the news will be known when...

From this narrative we collect that the writer of it was born at Tumbuktú, about the year 1794; that his grandfather ’Omar was an al-káïd, or magistrate, in that city and in Jen...