Part 18

[Footnote 92: It is properly Núl, and was so named when the Arabs possessed Portugal: Queen Núnah is a modern invention.]

[Footnote 93: A good idea of the buildings is furnished by the annexed lithographic engraving.]

[Footnote 94: This was the name of the Sheïkh.]

[Footnote 95: This port was at the mouth of the river Darah, as stated afterwards.]

[Footnote 96: The letters in original MS. are written in such faint ink, that it is difficult to decypher them.]

[Footnote 97: So in MS.]

[Footnote 98: This office had been previously done by a Jewess, as stated a little farther on.]

[Footnote 99: He kept his promise. The gun is now in the possession of Mr. D.’s brother.]

[Footnote 100: This person is a constant traveller to Tumbuktú, and a very considerable merchant.]

[Footnote 101: This is the celebrated French traveller to Tumbuktú.]

[Footnote 102: Wind-bibbers, _i.e._ dromedaries. G. C. R.]

[Footnote 103: This is the Moorish name for a dagger, as already stated.]

[Footnote 104: Properly Murábit or Murábut, equivalent to Fakír or Dervísh, terms little used in Barbary. G. C. R.]

[Footnote 105: Tamar means date in Arabic. G. C. R.]

[Footnote 106: My prophet is Mahomet.]

[Footnote 107: Properly Maúlid, _i.e._ Mohammed’s birth-day kept on the 12th of Safer.]

[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 Mesopotamia, that are run down by fleet horses. Sháribu-r-ríh, pronounced Shérb by the Moors.]

[Footnote 109: This is probably done partly to allay the itching, and partly to prevent the matter from collecting in the nose; from whence it would discharge itself into the mouth, and passing from thence into the stomach produce a most horrible nausea.]

[Footnote 110: This is a cant phrase for going away; for it appears that Mr. D. was offended with him.]

[Footnote 111: Rághebát.]

[Footnote 112: The _poisoned_ (samúm) wind of the desert.]

[Footnote 113: El Hamdo li-lláhi (praise be to God).]

[Footnote 114: Berbers.]

[Footnote 115: This is the Moorish name for a dagger.]

[Footnote 116: By S is probably meant _Shade_. The point at which the thermometer stood at one P.M. is omitted; because Mr. D. did not then think of noticing the difference between the sun and the shade.]

[Footnote 117: Because it was a proof of the Sheïkh’s want of hospitality, in compelling Mr. D. to purchase his food.]

[Footnote 118: Mr. D. perhaps meant to say, that Abú had no idea of the relative bearings of places.]

[Footnote 119: Genii spirits.]

[Footnote 120: This is the same engagement as that taken by Mohammed Múlid.]

[Footnote 121: Amongst the papers of Mr. D. was found the following description of the Simúm, written while it was passing:—“To describe the awful scourge of the desert defies all the powers of language. The pencil assisted by the pen might perhaps afford a faint idea of it. Winged with the whirlwind, and chariotted in thunder, it urged its fiery course, blasting all nature with its death-fraught breath. It was accompanied by a line of vivid light, that looked like a train of fire, whose murky smoke filled the whole wide expanse, and made its horrors only the more vivid. The eye of man, and voice of beast were both raised to heaven, and both then fell upon the earth. Against this sand-tempest, all the fortitude of man fails, and all his efforts are vain. To Providence alone must he look. It passed us, burying one of my camels. As soon as we rose from the earth, with uplifted hands to heaven for its preservation, we awoke to fresh horrors. Its parching tongue had lapped the water from our water-skins, and having escaped the fiery hour we had to fear the still more awful death from thirst.”]

[Footnote 122: Dagger.]

[Footnote 123: The Holy Book, _i.e._ the Pentateuch.]

[Footnote 124: Jewish Arabic, for Asháb, _i.e._ Companions, Plur. of Sáhib.]

[Footnote 125: Robbers.]

[Footnote 126: The spellings of several proper names in these Notes are very doubtful.]

APPENDIX.

* * * * *

[From the JOURNAL _of the_ ROYAL GEOGRAPHICAL SOCIETY _of_ LONDON, vol. vii., p. 144—172.]

* * * * *

_Extracts from the Correspondence of the late Mr. Davidson, during his residence in Morocco; with an Account of his further progress in the Desert._[127]

The much-lamented close of Mr. Davidson’s life, an event which every member of the Geographical Society will unite in deploring, has made it the melancholy duty of that body to preserve some record of his latest exertions in pursuit of geographical knowledge. For that purpose his various friends and correspondents were requested to place in the hands of the Secretary such of his letters as contained any observations of moment; to this request they readily acceded, and the acknowledgments of the Society are more particularly due to his Royal Highness the Duke of Sussex, to whose gracious encouragement Mr. Davidson was mainly indebted for his favourable reception in Morocco, and who, with his wonted liberality, has allowed the transcription of the most interesting communications received from that enterprising traveller. To the extracts from Mr. Davidson’s own letters, are added such accounts as have been at different times forwarded respecting his further progress and the fatal determination of his journey, the particulars of which are still involved in some doubt, though concerning the main point, the loss of his valuable life, there is unhappily no place for hope.

It would have been highly gratifying had it been possible to introduce these extracts to the reader, by a detailed memoir of Mr. Davidson’s extensive travels in every quarter of the globe; but the materials furnished by such various and remote journeys could not have been collected and arranged in the short period which has elapsed since the sad intelligence of his end has been authenticated. Those journeys were also performed before their author was in correspondence with this Society, and for that reason are not necessarily connected with its Journal. His instructive lecture on the site of Jerusalem and the movements of the investing armies, the manuscript of which, had it received its author’s last corrections, would have formed a suitable counterpart to his description of a mummy which he opened and described after his return from Egypt, might have been inserted in this collection, had it not been too closely confined to topography and history to be properly placed among geographical disquisitions.

In the summer of 1835, Mr. Davidson, whose ardour was not checked by the many hazards and difficulties he had already experienced, formed the adventurous project of a journey into the heart of Africa, by what may be termed the most direct route. He therefore embarked in September, 1835, for Gibraltar, on his way to Morocco, from which country he hoped to reach Tumbuktú by the route of Tâfilêlt, the road by which Réné Caillé travelled from that city northwards. To the almost insurmountable obstacles which would meet him at every step, Mr. Davidson was no stranger. His personal courage, however, his power of enduring fatigue and change of climate, readiness at finding expedients to obviate difficulties, and, above all, his peculiar urbanity, which could not fail to prepossess even strangers in his favour, gave his friends, and still more perhaps himself, a confidence which even those excellent qualifications could hardly justify. To many other accomplishments particularly valuable in such an undertaking he added a considerable knowledge of medicine, to which, indeed, he was in the main indebted for the accomplishment of that part of his journey which he did execute; and should his papers have escaped the notice of the savages who assassinated him, they may hereafter add another leaf to the laurels with which his brow is already graced.

The only person by whom Mr. Davidson was accompanied was a negro baptized in the West Indies by the appellation of Edward Donnelan, but better known in this country by his Muselmán name of Abú Bekr, of whom some account has been given in this Journal.[128] He is occasionally mentioned in the following letters by the name of Abou, and should he not have sunk under the privations and fatigues of the desert, may possibly hereafter supply us with a more authentic account of his lamented employer’s end than any which we have hitherto received.

Mr. Davidson, as was before remarked, was well aware of the difficulties which awaited him, and at Gibraltar, where he was detained nearly three months by the impossibility of clearing his way into the empire of Morocco, he met Mr. Hay, his Britannic Majesty’s Consul-General in Barbary, who “seems to think” (he says in a letter to Dr. Lee, dated 13th September, 1835) “that we shall not be able to get on.” His resolution was not so easily to be shaken; he proceeded to Tangier,[129] and after waiting there a considerable time, had at length the satisfaction of informing his brother, Mr. T. Davidson, on the 13th December, that he had “that morning received a most kind and flattering letter from the Sultán of Morocco, accompanied by a few lines from his minister,” commanding him to repair to the court, where he should experience nothing but what would be agreeable to him. This letter was accompanied by another to “El’ Arbi Essaidi, the káïd of Tangier, directing him to provide everything for his safe conduct, and enclosing letters to all the governors by whom he had to pass, that they should pay him respect, honour, and hospitality, inasmuch as he was travelling to benefit his fellow-creatures; that the governor [al-káïd] should provide him a guard of ten horsemen, commanded by a káïd [captain], who would enforce respect and ensure the due performance of the Sultan, their master’s orders, which were that he should be treated with respect and consideration; and that his Majesty enclosed for him, the governor [of Tanjah], money for the soldiers, and extra pay for the káïd, who were to act under his orders, and be guided by his discretion.” “Such,” he adds, “is the manner, after a delay of three months, that I commence my arduous undertaking. I almost fear it is of too flattering a character, but must only use the more discretion.”

Antecedently to the receipt of these gracious orders from the Sultán, Mr. Davidson’s residence at Tanjah had not been either agreeable or encouraging, as appears from the following extract from a letter to Dr. Lee, written (10th December) only three days before the last:—“My good and grateful companion [Abú Bekr] begs me to forward the few lines he has this morning written to you, and I wish I could send you any particulars as to our journey, or any new observations on the small portion of this country which we have seen. With the exception of two or three excursions, [at] the utmost under fifty miles, I have been confined to the walls of this place, waiting the Sultán’s permission to proceed into the interior. The jealousy of this people exceeds all belief; their insults [are] innumerable, and I fear their determination is not to allow us to proceed. I have, however, by means of a few presents, bought the interest of the governor of this place and of Tetuan, and have been allowed to visit the places in the neighbourhood, but never without a soldier, from whose view I cannot proceed one step. I have examined some of the neighbouring mountains, most rich in iron, and specimens of jaspar and large masses of fossils. I have also passed some hours at the various douars,[130] or Arab encampments, have taken measurements of the ruins of the Outset,[131] or Pharaoh’s Peg, as it is called; some observations on which I hope shortly to send to England. I propose next week, should I not receive my permission to proceed south, [to] go from hence to the Divarretts, amongst whose hills are some Bedouins. One large tribe, who used to escort the hadjis from this to Mecca, still remain in the neighbourhood; and I think some of them would for a good consideration take me to Mourzouk, from whence I could get upon the caravan-track for Soudan. I have had some conversation with the Sheïk of Wadnoon[132] here, on his return from Mecca; but he states he cannot take me through Morocco, but will protect me, should I get to his dominions. The second rains have commenced with more than usual violence, and part of the country is impassable, which may account in some degree for [my] not receiving my answer from Morocco. I shall lose no time as soon as I receive this, nor shall I delay more than this month, and if this fail, I shall commence the year by a new route. My health, thank God, is very good; but I am sorry to say that Abou has had his sight much affected; and I fear he is very unequal to the journey. I am taking every care of him by nursing him; and he is too, I grieve to say, an object of great suspicion.”

Secure under such a protection, Mr. Davidson lost no time in proceeding to the capital, and had the satisfaction of giving his brother an account of his progress in the following letter:—

“_The Garden of Mulai Moussa, Morocco, 18th Jan._ 1836.

“My dear Brother,—I fear from what has accidentally transpired, that it is the Emperor’s intention to detain me here for some time. I have little cause for regret, this not being the season for me to cross the chain of Atlas, and any hurry on my part would only lead to suspicion, which might prove highly injurious to my projects. According to the Sultan’s directions, I started from Tangier with my caid [káïd, or captain] and his ten soldiers, accompanied, [for] the first two hours, by thirty of the consular corps: the good wishes of all, I believe, I possess—Mr. John Hay, the Consul’s son, and M. Crusentolphe, the Swedish Vice-Consul, accompanying me on to Rabat,[133]—eight days’ journey. I found much benefit, and derived great pleasure from the company of these gentlemen, the former of whom is a perfect master of Arabic. I have been also most fortunate in procuring an excellent dragoman,[134] who holds the office of interpreter to the British Consulate at Tetuan, and who has obtained three months’ leave of absence, and is now my paid servant. He has twice attended the English medical men who have been sent for to attend the Sultán, with whom he is a great favourite. To Rabat, the country presents little worthy of observation; a fine fertile plain, rich valleys, with numerous streams, and a succession of mountain ranges reaching as far as the eye will carry one. A little circumstance had nearly deprived me of the great source of safety, and the main stay on which I have to rely. Crossing an arm of the sea, at the Coubba of Mulai Ben Absolam,[135] my mules got into a quicksand, and I was obliged to dismount my soldiers, who had to wade the ford, their horses accompanying the baggage, the ropes being passed round the mules’ necks and haunches to draw them out. Most of my clothes [were] spoiled, and many of my little luxuries destroyed. Our weather, fortunately, was fine, and this induced us to stop and dry our clothes, which keeping us too late to reach our place appointed for encampment, we sent on the Sultán’s letter to have a mona and house prepared at Mehidia.[136] The man mistook the road; and on our arrival, the Governor refused to give anything to either the soldiers, muleteers, or the animals. He had been told all his directions were in the letter, and his only verbal orders were to pay me every respect and hospitality. He took me and my party out to his gardens, got ready a part of his house, provided most amply for the three and my servants, but left both men and beasts starving, they not having had any food, this being Ramadan, for eighteen hours. Starting me in the morning, he gave me an additional escort of thirty men, to take me to Sallee,[137] opposite to Rabat. Arrived there, we were again without our letter; but the Emperor’s son had sent orders about me. I had to make some disturbance here; was detained two days, to wait for an escort of two hundred horse, to be relieved by other two hundred, owing to an insurrection which has just broken out amongst the Zaire, who, it appears, expecting I was coming richly laden, had determined to take me. They had plundered all the parties who had, for the last three days, passed their district. My letter arriving, the Governor altered his tone towards me. I had refused to pay him a second visit, because I was not treated with sufficient respect, and informed him I should appeal to the Sultán on my arrival at this place [Morocco]. He now comes to say my guard is ready, and he intends to accompany me the first two hours, when the Lieutenant-Governor is to take me on to the Commander of the Forces, who is posted at midway between this and the Douar at which I am to sleep. This sight was most beautiful: the variety of dress and arms, the beauty of the Barb horse, and the meeting of sixty of the Oudaia,[138] who, added to my first escort, swelled our party to above three hundred. We had a slight row on the road, [and] took one man, which had nearly set the escort at war. The poor fellow claimed the protection of the Oudaia by a sign which they must acknowledge, and these, with some of their comrades amongst the party who accompanied me from Rabat, separating from the main body, prepared their guns for action. I had some difficulty, with the assistance of my caid, who appealed to their conduct before the person they had to escort. One man [was] severely wounded, and many [were the] losses of turbans, caps, &c. At our halt, having been joined by a large caravan on the road, we covered a considerable space.

“I encamped in the centre: my marquee, my caid’s tent, two tents for my soldiers; Hassan, a sort of consular agent, going to Mazagan, with a little black tent between mine and the caid’s; our muleteers in the rear; our horses and mules in a circle, and surrounded by about sixty soldiers: outside of this, the camels and the rest of the party. We [were] disturbed in the night by a large wolf, who had prowled in amongst us. Of these and the wild boar [there are] many traces. [We were] off early, and at eleven experienced a hurricane, which obliged us all to stop. Our animals [were] unable to face it, and we obliged for safety to dismount. Here our guard left us. All drenched to the skin, [we] proceeded to Dar-el-Beida,[139] and had no sooner got our tents up, than I received a message from Mulai Abdrahman,[140] the Emperor’s second son, to say he had prepared a place for me in the court of the palace, and that it was too dangerous to sleep outside the walls. I went, praying to be excused the fatigue of striking the tents uselessly.

“On entering the town I was received by his guard, who galloping close to me, fired their guns so near my face that I was nearly blinded. [The Prince is] a poor, puny boy, but having a very intelligent, wary Mentor. He had the orders of his father to bid me welcome. From this to Azamor,[141] on the Omer Begh,[142] where I met with the best of all receptions; the Governor accompanied me to Morocco with sixty horse. We ascended the three steps to the plain of Morocco. On the last night, at a place called Swynia, I was robbed of your gold watch and part of Abou’s clothes. They have since been returned. On crossing a kantarah[143] over the Tensift, I was met by a party of soldiers commanded by a caid, to bid me welcome in the Emperor’s name, his Majesty being out reviewing his cavalry. They were to conduct me to the ruins I now inhabit. I was taken round the walls by Haha, the place of the lepers, who have not the privilege of entering the city. This added above six miles to my already long journey. I found this place greatly in ruins: it must have been splendid. My room, which is bed-room and parlour and all, is thirty-eight feet long, eighteen wide, twenty-six high, richly ornamented, but without the slightest article of furniture. This forms one room of a square, the other parts [being] occupied by my servants, the caid, his soldiers, &c. And I have this day an accession of fifty persons, with the Emperor’s father-in-law, who has come to pay his respects, this being the season of the feast after Ramadan.[144] The old Moor, Seedy Mulai Ben Alee Abdrahan, has paid me a visit, and has become a patient. This evening I had to see his ladies, all fancying they were ill, [and eager] to see the Christian after two days’ quiet (as they call it), that is, not travelling. I was ordered to be in readiness as soon as it became dark, to go and see the Minister. A person would come for me, and I was to put on a cloak, and follow with a dragoman. At seven, an old Moor, with two soldiers carrying lanthorns, came for me. I was surrounded, as soon as I was out of my gate, by soldiers, and taken, as well as I could judge, about two miles, through large masses of ruins, crowded bazaar,[145] (the people giving way,) and numerous narrow streets. Not a word; but at each gate my guard pronounced the word El Hadge, and we passed. Arrived at a low door-way, a black slave asked for the word—this was pronounced—and then my dragoman and I were ushered into a narrow passage in total darkness. Through the court-yard into which this opened we observed several persons pass out; when a small door opening behind us, the Minister (whom we had seen at the palace in the morning) was waiting to receive us. Tea was brought, and in the centre of this room stood a single chair, on which I was to sit. I was then bade welcome in the name of the Sultán, [and was told] that I was to consider myself his guest; that I had only to wish, and it should be granted; that his master was only waiting for the fast to terminate, when he would see me. A host of fulsome compliments!

“I was then shown the vegetable productions of the country used as medicines; requested to report upon them; and questioned as to the progress of medical science. I spoke of the countries I had visited, and was assured that I should find more to be pleased with in my reception here. I was then asked to feel the Minister’s pulse, and report on his health; then to know if I would examine his black ladies, two of whom were but so-so,—a pretty job! I played my part well. Orders were given that no one be admitted. I was then told that the Lieutenant-Governor of the Meshwar[146] would come in the morning, and take me to all the Sultan’s palaces and gardens, and that a guard would be at my command whenever I wished to go out. I shall describe all these to you when I get home. I am under a strict espionage, and worried to death with patients. I saw the Sultan whilst passing through his palace, and have received his orders to visit him on Friday. His favourite wife is ill, and the difficulty is how to let me see her. I have refused to prescribe for her, without. The court physician is here twice a-day, and I have assisted him in one or two cases, and he thinks there never was such a doctor. A Seidlitz powder astonished him beyond all belief. I go next week to Atlas to visit some strange cities inhabited by Jews. Of these I shall write to his Royal Highness. El Hadge is here again, to say the Sultán has sent him to say that five of his guard will be here in the morning to conduct me to the great markets, and after this to an inspection of the cavalry, and to ask if anything can be done to make me more comfortable.”

Notwithstanding his incessant and wearisome occupation as both physician and apothecary to the Maroquine Court, Mr. Davidson found leisure for scientific inquiries, not forgetting those to which his attention had been particularly directed by H. R. H. the President of the Royal Society, who with his well-known condescension had desired this enterprising traveller to correspond with him. The result of his first inquiries was communicated in these terms:—