I made other inquiries about the Hazna of Zinder. It seems the Sarkee himself is still half pagan, for at the beginning of every year he proceeds with his officers to a tree, the ancient god of paganism, and there distributes two goffas of wada (about 100,000), three bullocks and sheep, and ghaseb, to the poor. These things are really offered to the deities of his ancestors, though the poor of the country get the benefit of them. There are four or five trees of this description, at which such annual offerings are made; but there is only one Tree of Death where malefactors are executed, the one mentioned in a former page.[17] The Muslim converts of Soudan find the Ramadhan excessively burdensome, as well as many other rites of Islamism, and for this reason the greater part of the population of Soudan, who profess Mohammedanism, are still pagans in heart. It is vain to expect a nation to pass from loose to ascetic practices without some moral motive, such as that which sustained the Muslims at their first brilliant start in the world.

[17] See pp. 211 and 218. Probably the second Tree of Death described was in reality only a fetish tree.—ED.

A Tuarick came this morning and said the devil was in his head, and that he wanted some medicine to drive him out. I gave him an emetic of tartarised antimony, which I hope served his purpose.

N.B. The news of the Sarkee having "eaten up" four countries of Korgum is confirmed to-day.

The preparation of kibabs is quite a science here. The kibab cook makes a conical hillock of dust and ashes, flattened on the top. The edge of this mound he plants with sticks, on which is skewered a number of little bits of meat: then a fire is kindled between this circular forest, and the sticks are twisted round from time to time, so that every part may be well roasted. To us these kibabs are cheap enough, five or six cowries a stick.

The wall of Zinder has no gates, only openings. I went to the garden of the Shereef. The vegetation does not look very flourishing in this season. The Shereef has planted some horse-beans; "the only beans of the kind," says the gardener, "in all the territories of Bornou."

31st.—The weather is increasingly cool; therm. at sunrise, 50 deg.. The atmosphere of Zinder never clears up. I was awakened this morning, before daylight, by the cries of "Fire!" A fire of huts was raging close upon us. This is the third accident of this kind which has taken place during the sixteen days we have been here. The people take them, as a matter of course, with Californian indifference, and it is likely that there are two or three fires every ten days.

A merchant from Kanou (native of Tunis) called to see me. He says the English (Americans) now bring calicoes, powder, dollars, rum, wadas, guns, and many other things, to Niffee, which afterwards are sent up to Kanou. The slave-trade, therefore, must thrive here; and we get the credit of it, because the ruffians by whom it is carried on speak our language.

A great fighi called also to-day to explain any dreams which I might require the interpretation of, bringing with him his Tifsir El-Helam. I told him that last night I dreamt I saw "two persons fall to the ground upon (from?) the boughs of a tree." He searched his book and produced a passage, the pith of which was, that anything which I undertake will not be accomplished. Very agreeable information! I thought we had had bad news enough. The passage made to apply prophetically to me ran literally as follows:—

"And whosoever sees (in dreams) a tree fall, or any thing fall from it,—then will not accomplish itself the thing which is between the man who thus dreams."[18]

[18] The unhappy event which soon after this interview occurred, no doubt confirmed the belief of the natives in the powers of this great fighi.—ED.

I hired to-day Mohammed Ben Amud Bou Saad, at a salary of ten reals of Fezzan a month.

I have heard another version of the plan and cause of the present razzia of the Sultan of Zinder. "Our own correspondents" cannot be more versatile in finding out rumours than the gossips of Zinder. It is now said that the Sultan of Korgum wrote to the Sarkee of Zinder, and asked him if he should make a razzia on or with Maradee.

The Sarkee said, "Go." But as soon as the news came that the sultan was gone, this prince, in whom that other put his trust, immediately set out to make a razzia on the country deserted by its sultan.

"Compos!" cried my Moorish informant; and certainly it was a clever negro trick. It is difficult to know whom to pity or condemn in this iniquitous affair. We may be certain, however, that the poor women and children, the principal sufferers by the razzias, are guiltless in these transactions; and we may, without fear, bestow our sympathies upon them. At the same time it is allowable to admire the profound secrecy with which the Sarkee planned his razzia. Not a soul in Zinder, besides himself, knew where he was going. The general opinion was to Daura, which affords scope for a thousand razzias.

The correspondence which I have mentioned between the vassals of Korgum and Zinder illustrates the abominable system on which the Sheikh of Bornou permits his provinces to be governed. Really it is difficult to compare the condition of this extraordinary region to anything but a forest, through which lions and tigers range to devour the weaker and more timid beasts—to which they grant intervals of repose during the digestion of their meals.



CHAPTER XVI.

Sheikh of Bornou—Arab Women—News from the Razzia—Procession of newly-caught Slaves—Entrance of the Sarkee—Chained Slaves—My Servant at the Razzia—Audacity of Bornou Slaves—Korgum—Konchai—Product of the Razzia—Ghadamsee Merchants—Slave-trade—Incident at Korgum—State of Kanou—A Hue and Cry—Black Character—Vegetables at Zinder—Minstrel—Medi—Gardens—Ladies—Fanaticism—Americans at Niffee—Rich People—Tuaricks Sick—Morals—Dread of the Sarkee—Fashions.

Feb. 1st.—It is said that we shall leave this for Kuka on Monday next, whether the Sultan of Zinder returns from his razzia or not. It certainly is a shame that I should be kept here waiting the pleasure of a fellow gone to heat up for slaves to pay his debts.

The merchants from Kanou represent the power of the Fellatahs as very strong, if not increasing. From Sakkatou to Kanou, and Kanou to Niffee, Yakoba, and Adamaua, everywhere along these lines of towns and populous districts, are found Fellatah chiefs or sultans. Bornou is, however, now much stronger than during the time of the first expedition. The Sheikh has two thousand muskets; so says the Shereef Kebir; whilst in the time of Denham he had only fifty. Certainly two thousand muskets is a progress beyond fifty. The Asbenouee Tuaricks carried away some half-dozen Arab women when they slaughtered the Walad Suleiman. One of these women has been seen, and the Sheikh and the Shereef Kebir are trying to get her back. The Sheikh has sent word that all the Arab women must be restored to their homes.

The Shereef Kebir says the powder of this country is all bad, but that Haj Beshir and the Sheikh get English or American powder from Niffee. Leaden bullets are scarce; they use zinc bullets: but these will not go far, resisting the force of the powder; nor will they penetrate deep when they hit a person. Nitre is found at a place one hour from Zinder, called Kankandi.

It is supposed that the Sarkee, not having found slaves enough in Korgum, has gone somewhere else. The Shereef Kebir would scarcely mention the subject of the razzia to me for shame. At length a Moor present said, "Fish eats up fish, so it is with the Sarkee." This brought forth a laugh, and seemed to be thought a sufficient salve for all their consciences.

A cry was raised early this morning, "The Sarkee is coming!" Every one went out eagerly to learn the truth. It turned out that a string of captives, fruits of the razzia,[19] was coming in. There cannot be in the world—there cannot be in the whole world—a more appalling spectacle than this. My head swam as I gazed. A single horseman rode first, showing the way, and the wretched captives followed him as if they had been used to this condition all their lives. Here were naked little boys running alone, perhaps thinking themselves upon a holiday; near at hand dragged mothers with babes at their breasts; girls of various ages, some almost ripened into womanhood, others still infantine in form and appearance; old men bent two-double with age, their trembling chins verging towards the ground, their poor old heads covered with white wool; aged women tottering along, leaning upon long staffs, mere living skeletons;—such was the miscellaneous crowd that came first; and then followed the stout young men, ironed neck to neck! This was the first instalment of the black bullion of Central Africa; and as the wretched procession huddled through the gateways into the town the creditors of the Sarkee looked gloatingly on through their lazy eyes, and calculated on speedy payment.

[19] Mr. Richardson interchanges the words razzia and gazia; the latter, I imagine, is the correct word, but the former is better known to European readers.—ED.

In the afternoon I was informed that the Sarkee was really about to enter the town.

Expecting to see other captives, and anxious to be an eye-witness to all these atrocities attendant on the razzia, I went to see him pass with his cavalry. After waiting ten minutes, there rode up single cavaliers, then lines of horsemen, all galloping towards the castle-gates to show the people their equestrian skill; then came a mass of cavalry, about fifty, with a drum beating, and in the midst of these was the sultan. There was nothing very striking in this cavalcade; a few cavaliers had on a curious sort of helmet, made of brass, with a kind of horn standing out from the crown; others wore a wadding of woollen stuff, a sort of thin mattrass, in imitation of a coat of mail. Its object is to turn the points of the poisoned arrows. The cavaliers thus dressed form the body-guard of the Sarkee. Amongst these troops were some Bornou horsemen, who rode with more skill than the Zinder people. The best cavaliers resembled as much as possible the Arab cavaliers of the north. There were no captives with these horsemen; the slaves had only come in to the number, it was said, of some two or three thousand during the day. Although I wished to see them, I was, nevertheless, spared a repetition of the misery and indignation which the sight in the morning produced in my mind. I have been told positively that the poor old creatures brought in with the other captives will not fetch a shilling a-head in the slave-market. It is, therefore, a refinement of cruelty not to let them die in their native homes,—to tear them away to a foreign soil, and subject them to the fatigues of the journey, and the insults of a rude populace, and ruder and crueller slave-dealers. Many die on the road during the two or three days' march.

It is exceedingly painful to live in a place like Zinder, where almost every householder has a chained slave. The poor fellows (men and boys) cannot walk, from the manner in which the irons are put on, and when they move about are obliged to do so in little jumps. These slaves are ironed, that they may not run away. There are many villages and towns, a few days from Zinder, to which they can escape without difficulty, and where they are not pursued. It was exceedingly horrifying to hear the people of Zinder salute the troops of the razzia on their return with the beautiful Arabic word, Alberka, "blessing!" Thus is it that human beings sometimes ask God for a blessing on transactions which must ever be stamped with his curse. The Italian bandit also begs the Virgin to bless his endeavours. It is evident that nothing but the strong arm of power and conquest will ever root out the curse of slavery from Africa.

The slave whom Haj Beshir sent from Kuka to Zinder, to accompany me to Kuka, went with the Sarkee, and took one of my servants with him. I did not know anything about it until they were gone. But this evening, on my return from seeing the Sarkee, I found a woman and child, a boy and a young man, tied together, lying not far from my hut, in the enclosure where we are residing. I was excessively indignant at this conduct of Haj Beshir's slave, although certainly done in ignorance. These captives were the fruits of the part he took in the expedition. I have not made up my mind whether I will go to Kuka with this fellow, for it is not the first time he has shown something like an insolent behaviour. As to my servant, I had already discharged him, but the Shereef Kebir persuaded me to let him go with the boat to Kuka, as he knew how to place it on the camels better than the other servants. I scolded him well for going with the razzia, because he himself was once in bondage, and had returned free under our protection. But I fear my words will have little effect; for in Zinder, at least, the great concern and occupation of the black population is, to go and steal their neighbours, and sell them into slavery. I repeat again, nothing but foreign conquest by a non-slaveholding power will extirpate slavery from the soil of Africa.

I read Milton's "Comus" and other portions of his poetry, and find it a great relief in drawing my mind a little off African subjects. I am sorry I did not bring with me a copy of Shakespear. I have very few books with me of any kind, and fewer maps. I received a visit of fighis from the villages around, also from a sister and niece of the Sultan of Zinder, and gave them all a bit of sugar and sent them off.

Around my house exists a swarm of fighis, who can copy charms and a few passages from the Koran. I procured some of the bona fide specimens of their calligraphy. There are four different hands. These fighis are all blacks of pure blood. They write sideways.

A courier arrived to-day from Kuka, bringing a despatch for the Governor of Zinder, to the effect that, in the event of his finding any people of Bornou committing misdemeanours of any sort, he, the Sultan of Zinder, was at liberty to treat them as he chose. I am told that the Bornou slaves, as well as the free people of that country, when they come to Zinder, have the audacity to seize on whomsoever comes in the way, and take them and sell them as slaves in the souk. This kidnapping is mostly done in the villages around Zinder, but even in the city itself it has been ventured; and the Sultan has hitherto been afraid to arrest these Bornouese miscreants. What a glimpse into the state of the empire of Bornou do such facts afford!

2d.—This morning the slave of Haj Beshir came to declare that the slaves which he brought here yesterday were not his booty, but belonged to another person, a volunteer. There is no getting at the truth in these countries. The theatre of the late razzia is westwards from Zinder about two days. Korgum is one day from Tesaoua. Konchai is a neighbouring country, about four hours from Korgum. The Sarkee attacked four villages of Korgum, but got few slaves. The people, though without their sultan, defended themselves well with their renowned arrows, and when they could hold out no longer they ascended the rocks and escaped. The wounds of arrows, though poisoned, are not always fatal, and often cured by the remedies known in these countries.

The villages of Korgum are called Tangadala Agai. Not getting many slaves there, the Sarkee attacked two or three villages of Konchai. This province contains some three hundred villages. Ganua and Tanbanas were the places razzied. From the latter place six hundred slaves were obtained, nearly half of the whole captured. The total product of the razzia is about fifteen hundred; a thousand for the Sultan's share, and five hundred for the troops and volunteers. It is said this thousand will not suffice to pay the Sultan's debts, and it was on account of the fewness of slaves the Sarkee was obliged to bring with him the halt, the blind, the maimed, and the aged, stooping to the earth with age. Besides human beings, the Sarkee captured eight hundred and thirty bullocks, and flocks of sheep; seven hundred bullocks he gave to the troops and volunteers, and one hundred and thirty have been reserved for himself. Four men were killed, and one hundred horses, belonging to Zinder; but the enemy are said to have lost a good number. All the villages made resistance but one, where the poor people were busy cooking their suppers; when the Sarkee and his famished crew rushed upon them, seized them, and carried them into captivity. This, at any rate, is the report; but, according to others, the results of the expedition are much less important.

All the country razzied is nominally subject to the Sheikh of Bornou, so that this Sarkee of Zinder has been pillaging the Bornou territories, and carrying off their inhabitants, who are subjects of the Sheikh, to raise money to pay his debts. A certain enmity exists, it is said, between Konchai and Zinder, which formerly was subject to the province of Konchai.

According to one authority, the booty of the razzia is greatly reduced, even to more than half of what was reported. The share of the Sarkee is four hundred slaves, and one hundred and twenty slaves he gave to his troops. Seven places were attacked, but the people had news of the movements of the Sarkee, and were prepared to receive him: they shot their arrows through their stockades, thick and fast, upon the Sarkee and his people, and then retired to the rocks and behind the trees, which are abundant. Only one country was fairly razzied. Also but few beasts were taken, the people having secured all their cattle and flocks beforehand. The Sarkee got about one hundred bullocks. He took with him no less than two thousand horse, a collection from all the petty governments in the surrounding provinces, with their chiefs. All these forces did little more than beat the air. The capture of five hundred slaves will not pay the expenses of the expedition, but these people never sit down to count the cost. Their reckoning-days are few and far between.

There is a report here that the Sultans of Maradee, Gouber, Korgum, and Tesaoua, have all gone together on a razzia to the territory of Sakkatou, and a few of the people of Zinder have gone with them; and this is the reason given for horses being now scarce in Zinder.

Haj Beshir has sent a message from Kuka, that I am to quicken my steps thitherward. The kafila from Mourzuk has arrived, and many Arabs from the north.

Of gubaga, called by the people of Zinder, ferri, four draas are sold in Zinder for one hundred wadas, about twopence. This native cotton cloth, when doubled, makes tents impervious to the summer rain.

There are about fifty Ghadamsee merchants in Kanou and Boushi, capital of Yakoba, the principal of whom (here described as Maidukia) are:—

Haj Mohammed Bel Kasem. Haj Tahir. Mairimi. Haj Mohammed Ben Habsa. Hemed Basidi. Kasem Ben Haiba. Haj Ali. Mohammed Makoren. Haj Hoda. Haj Abdullah.

There are some merchants of consequence from Fezzan, viz. Basha Ben Haloum, Mohammed es-Salah, the agent of Gagliuffi, Sidi Ali, and Fighi Hamit, who always goes to Goujah (blad of the gour-nuts). This country of the gour is distant three months' travelling, making small stages south-west by west. Morocco, Tuat, and the countries of the west, are scarcely represented by merchants in Kanou—there being one or two of them at most. Nor are there any from Egypt or the East.

According to my informant, a small merchant, but well acquainted with these parts, not more than one hundred and fifty or two hundred slaves pass through or from Zinder annually to the north, and about five or six hundred go by the route of Tesaoua to the north, i.e. Tripoli, and a few to Souf. After all, the great slave-market is Central Africa itself.

An affecting incident is told of the people of Korgum during the late razzia. The Sultan of Zinder besieged one town four days, and would not allow the people to drink water. They then sent word that "they did not know either God, or the Prophet Mahommed, or the Sheikh of Bornou, only him, Sarkee Ibrahim of Zinder, as their ruler and lord, and prayed him to give them water and peace." The Sarkee replied, "When my brother fled to you, you also would not allow him to drink, nor will I now permit you; therefore surrender into our hands." The people of the town held out these four days, and then during a night they all fled to the rocks and escaped.

There are but few places to make razzias upon around Zinder, except on the Sheikh's provinces, unless the Sarkee will go to Maradee, and there he is now in friendship, or else is afraid to move in that direction. In the account of the booty, it is to be understood that all of it was not brought to Zinder, some having been distributed amongst the troops and volunteers of the rest of the province. I am told that the greater part of the slaves will be sent to Kanou for sale. It has already been observed, that only a few slaves go to the north in comparison with the numbers captured. The bulk of the slaves of the razzias are employed as serfs on the soil, or servants in the town. In Kanou, a rich man has three or four thousand slaves; these are permitted to work on their own account, and they pay him as their lord and master a certain number of cowries every month: some bring one hundred, some three hundred or six hundred, or as low as fifty cowries a-month. On the accumulation of these various monthly payments of the poor slaves the great man subsists, and is rich and powerful in the country. This system prevails in all the Fellatah districts.

At dusk, there was a hue and cry near our house. I ran out to see what it was: the noise and stir was nothing less than an attempt of a slave to escape. The poor fellow was surrounded by a mass of men and boys, all anxious to seize him and deliver him to his master, to obtain the reward.

My sympathies certainly begin to cool when I see the conduct of these blacks to one another. The blacks are, in truth, the real active men-stealers, though incited thereto frequently by the slave-merchants of the north and south. It must be confessed, that if there were no white men from the north or south to purchase the supply of slaves required out of Africa, slavery would still flourish, though it might be often in a mitigated form; and this brings me to the reiteration of my opinion, that only foreign conquest by a power like Great Britain or France can really extirpate slavery from Africa.

3d.—The sky never gets clear here till late at night. I read several pieces of Milton's poetry. I went to the gardens to see the wells: people fetch water from the wells of the gardens, where the supply is sufficiently abundant. I observed in the gardens the henna plant, the cotton plant, the indigo plant, and the tobacco plant. All these appear to be commonly cultivated in the gardens of Zinder. There are scarcely any other vegetables but onions, and beans, and tomatas; but the people cultivate a variety of small herbs, for making the sauce of their bazeens and other flour-puddings. The castor-oil tree is found in the town and in the hedges of the gardens in abundance.

A Tuarick woman was brought here to-day for me to cure. She had been in an ailing, wasting state, for the last four years; the husband said that the devil had touched his wife, and reduced her to this state. Another woman was brought with an immense wen upon her abdomen. I have given away nearly all my Epsom salts, and now supply emetics. It is necessary to purge these people immediately, in a few hours, or they think you do nothing for them, or will not or cannot do them any good. Many Tuaricks come from the open country. We have also frequent cases of ophthalmia, mostly from the villages around.

This evening I was charmed by the vocal sounds of a strolling minstrel, attended by two drummers with small drums, called kuru, and a chorus of singing-girls collected from the neighbourhood. The chorus-singers sang like charity-school girls at church. Altogether the singing was more pleasing than the monotonous, plaintive sounds of the Arabs.

It seems difficult to get off. Everybody is making preparations for our journey, from the Sultan to the lowest slave sent from Kuka to assist in the transport of the boat and our baggage, and yet nothing is done!

I parted with my new acquaintance, Medi, to-day, a soldier and slave of the Sarkee. He has been occasionally my cicerone in Zinder. He had been captured from a child, and is now past middle age, and knows little of the loss of home. He was a friendly chap, and gave me all the information he could make me understand in Soudanee and Bornouee.

The evening was warm; a most pestilential sort of mist usually covers the ground at dark. After an hour or so it clears off—a few meteors now and then.

4th, Dies non.—It is said we shall probably leave this to-morrow. Read Milton all day. Weather sultry hot; did not go out. Thermometer in the evening, at dark, 80 deg..

5th.—I had a visit from a number of Tuarick ladies from the villages around, all of whom put their hands to their stomachs, and pretended they were mighty ill. I gave them all round a cup of tea. The renegade Jew came this morning, and gave me a list of all the things sold in the market of Kanou.

I went in the afternoon to see the Kaid of Haj Beshir of Kuka, called Abd-el-kerim. He had a female slave afflicted with the leprosy, and sent for me to come and see her. He gave me some gour-nuts, and I found him a friendly man. Denham represents the Bornou people of his time as very fanatical. At present I have seen nothing of this. But we are in a province where there are many Hazna, or pagans; and the people of Zinder are but lukewarm Muslims. I have yet had no instance of fanaticism, either from people of Kuka or from residents here.

I was amused by the relation of Haj Mohammed Ben Welid respecting his intercourse with an American vessel at Niffee.[20] He first describes the vessel as very large; the sides being ascended by a ladder. Then these Americans (English they were called) had a black interpreter, who spoke Arabic. Through this black fellow they inquired of the man of Ghadamez from whence he came. He replied, "Ghadamez,"—this they did not know; then "Trablous,"—this they did not know; then "Tunis,"—nor was this place known; and, finally, "Malta." "Ah!" they cried, "we have heard of this place." They then asked him what he traded in, and gave him some tobacco and rum. They were full of goods of every description,—calicoes, powder, shot, rum, tobacco, dollars, and wada yaser (a great quantity of cowries), &c.

[20] See the Appendix. This Haj appears to have given some useful information to Mr. Richardson.—ED.

My room has been an hospital all this day, full of the sick, with various disorders. They come mostly from the villages around Zinder, and amongst them are a great number of Tuaricks, these people being more exposed to the weather, or more delicate, or more fanciful in their complaints. These poor devils all bring something—a little cheese, or a little milk; and I have received more of these trifling presents from them during the twenty days that I have been in Zinder, than in all the five or six months which I spent in their country. The reason may be, that in Asben they have nothing (or next to nothing), whilst here reigns abundance. Our servants say now that the Tuaricks always bring something, and the townspeople of Zinder nothing. Some of the Tuaricks are not sick; they come only to see the Christian, and stop, and look, and stare, and watch the minutest action of the said Christian,—more especially the women, who would never leave my room if I were not to drive them away.

6th.—I am told by a well-informed person, that morals are much relaxed here. To-day a black man came from the country to beg for his wife, who had been taken away from him and given to a Moor, who was about to send her to the coast for sale. She is to be restored to the man in exchange for two young girls, whom he has fetched from the country (probably kidnapped). The woman, however, has been given over, in the first place, to Shroma, the commander-in-chief; and after she has passed two or three days with him, she will be allowed to return to her husband. This woman was first kidnapped by the Sultan, and belonged to the Sheikh's dominions, to a village near Zinder, and was taken in a razzia. The Sultan gave or sold her to the Moor. This is a sample of the transactions daily going on there. I am also assured that the three hundred wives of the Sarkee himself are at almost everybody's disposal, two or three gour-nuts being the utmost which these ladies ask. But this is not all; for these women, wives of the Sultan, have intrigues with the slaves of the Sultan, with the brothers of the Sultan, and even with the sons of the Sultan. Whatever may be said of the Tuaricks and their freebooting, they do not practise such revolting immoralities as these.

The Sarkee of Zinder is feared both by Fellatahs and Tuaricks, especially on account of the barbarous nature of his executions, which I have described. It may be supposed that a better system, both of government and morality, is practised in Kuka, and the more connected Bornou provinces.

A man came to me to beg or buy some large beads for his wife; he said his wife was very anxious for them, to wear round her loins. Various are the caprices of fashion. Europeans show their finery, but here children and women wear beads round their loins under their clothes.

It is now said we shall leave Zinder positively on Saturday next.



CHAPTER XVII.

News from Tesaoua—Razzia on Sakkatou—Laziness in Zinder—The Hajah—Herds of Cattle—More Tuarick Patients—Gardens—My Luggage—Adieu to the Sarkee—Present from his Highness—Start from Zinder—Country—Birds—Overtake the Kashalla—Slaves for Kanou—Continue the Journey—People of Deddegi—Their Timidity—Horse Exercise—Cotton—Strange Birds—Occupation of Men and Women—State of African Society—Islamism and Paganism—Character of the Kashalla—A Dogberry—Guddemuni—Cultivation—Beggars—Dancing Maidens.

A Shereef has come here to-day from Tesaoua, and reports that Overweg left that place for Maradee, about eight days since, with a Tuarick of En-Noor. The city of Maradee is but an hour from Gonder, and is about twice the size of Zinder. The whole occupation of these two cities is that of razzia, and their subsistence and riches are all derived from this source. These places also swarm with Tuaricks, Kilgris, Iteesan, and Kailouees, who join the blacks of Maradee and Gouber in their slave-hunting expeditions. A grand razzia is being perpetrated by the united forces of the Sultans of Maradee, Gouber, and Korgum, with the assistance of a thousand Tuarick horse, on the territories of the Sultan of Sakkatou. The cavalry of the marauders consists of some five thousand, and there are more than this number on foot. My informant says they will go near Kashna, perhaps to its very gates. So it seems the Sultan of Sakkatou, with all his power and his great cities, is unable to check, or apparently even to avenge, the depredations committed upon his most important provinces. It is said that the product of this razzia will be some of the finest slaves in this part of Africa, many of them almost white. We are to leave here to-morrow. Inshallah! It is too bad to be kept so long here, when Haj Beshir has sent orders for us to come immediately.

7th.—The morning was cool; thermometer at sunrise, 58 deg.. I slept little, being angry at being kept here so long. I read Milton to divert my mind awhile from African subjects.

There seems to be little industry in Zinder. The education of the greater part of the males is to fit them for razzias, and this must be considered as the principal cause of the unfeeling manner with which the blacks hereabouts look upon, their captive brethren. These captives are their means of livelihood; they live on the products of the razzias, and, of course, the superior intellects with which they may come in contact countenance all their proceedings; for the foreign merchants are equally interested with them in their inhuman expeditions. Africa is bled from all pores by her own children, seconded by the cupidity of strangers.

All the Moors and Arabs whom I conversed with extol the power of the Sheikh of Bornou, and represent him as the greatest sheikh in Central Africa. Nevertheless, the Fellatahs are everywhere, far and wide, from Sakkatou to Adamaua, a dominant people, though few in number compared with the population of the subjected kingdoms.

One of the most remarkable women, perhaps the only remarkable woman in Zinder at the present moment, is a certain Hajah (i.e. a woman who has made the pilgrimage of Mekka). She is a native of Fezzan, and is now employed in the household of the Sheikh of Bornou. She is excessively free and easy with all men folks; and although such a saint, her chastity, I am told, does not rate high. She returns to Kuka with us—no great gain to our caravan.

Near our enclosure is a long space full of bullocks and cows—some four hundred and fifty. These are distributed amongst the whole population by ones, twos, and threes. I have seen no herd but this, and if this is really the only one, it speaks little for the wealth of the people of Zinder. In fact, with regard to horses it is much the same,—the Shereef can hardly find me a horse to ride on in the whole town.

Apparently, Zinder is a wretchedly poor place. All are needy, from the Sarkee downwards, and when they get any property it all comes from the razzias. The system of living on rapine and man-stealing seems to bring its own punishment along with it.

A posse of Tuarick patients assailed me very early this morning. The Tuaricks, who have more intellect than the blacks, let loose their imagination to fancy they have all sorts of complaints. Thus I have more patients from them than from the people of Zinder, and am quite undeceived as to my having done with this tribe when I entered the gates of this town. There is, however, this difference now, that they treat me with the greatest respect, and are very quiet, bringing presents instead of demanding presents.

The Tuaricks of Gurasu, I hear, have a bad name, and are troublesome to the Sheikh.

I went to the gardens this morning and yesterday morning—it is an immense relief from the enclosure of huts in town—but have not observed anything new. I am told that the suburbs of Kanou are full of palms. Zinder, if the people were industrious, could have its forests of palms, bearing luscious fruit twice a-year. But, alas! the excitement of the razzia destroys the taste for all rational industry. What bandit could ever settle down into a tiller of the ground?

8th.—The people came this morning, in a great hurry, to take off the luggage, and afterwards pretended that I should go to-morrow, whilst the baggage must be forwarded to-day. This arrangement I positively refused to comply with, being determined to stop no longer.

I went to take leave of the Sarkee. His highness had nothing to say, and we as little to him. We just shook hands, and that was all. He is not very well pleased with his late man-hunt. He still owes twenty thousand dollars, which it will require a dozen such speculations to pay off. The castle outside was besieged with soldiers, all lounging and listening to two or three drummers. I am disgusted to see so many idle people. The only novelty was four or five singing-women, who sung choruses inside the walls to a drummer. All the soldiers in undress, or not going on razzia, are bare-headed, and also nearly all the inhabitants of the town. A few persons, mostly women, wear a piece of blue cotton cloth over their heads, tied tight, so as to have the appearance of a cap. The common sort of women go with their breasts bare; others, of higher rank, drag up their skirts to cover their breasts; and a few add a piece of cotton cloth, which they throw over their shoulders like a shawl.

The Sarkee has presented Yusuf with a horse, blind with one eye, and not much bigger than a jackass, in return for the present Yusuf made to him. In fact, this potentate is now as poor as a rat, and has nothing to give away. When he has anything, he soon parts with it, being generous to prodigality. The title Sarkee is used for men of inferior rank, and is something like Bey.

I waited till three o'clock, P.M., for my servants, and Said of Haj Beshir, to come and bring the oxen for the rest of the baggage—the boat and the heavy baggage left in the morning; and seeing no signs of their preparation, I determined to be no longer duped by them, and told the servant of Haj Beshir that I would start to-day, be the consequence what it might. So off I went to the Shereef, and told him I must go at once, to follow the Kashalla, who had taken away the box in which was the chronometer, and I must go to wind it up early in the morning. He immediately informed the Sarkee, and asked for a soldier. A soldier was forthwith brought, and a message from the Sarkee, that the horse which had been sent for me to ride upon was a present from his highness to me. This is the first present of the kind I have received in Africa; and after giving away about five hundred pounds sterling of Government money I have got in return, at last, a horse worth one pound fifteen shillings and fourpence, the current value of this country! The Sarkee of Zinder is miserably poor, but he was afraid to let me go to Kuka, to his master, without giving me a present.

I started from Zinder, riding my "gift horse," about an hour before sunset, and arrived at Dairmummegai, a very large village, where the Kashalla had pitched tent, after three hours' ride. Our course was due east, through a scattered forest of dwarf-trees, in which were fluttering about a number of strange-looking birds, that reminded me I was in a foreign land. One solitary bird excited my pity; its form was something like that of a small crane, but, verily, it was most disproportionally thin, with very long neck and shanky legs. It was wandering about as if it had lost itself in the world; and yet a bird losing itself in the world is a strange notion! We met a couple of huntsmen, on the shoulders of one of whom was coiled a fine bleeding gazelle. These huntsmen had only bows and arrows, and they had managed to get a gazelle, whilst we, with all our matchlocks and muskets, had never been able to shoot one of these animals during our eight or nine months of passage through the desert. The Kashalla was exceedingly glad at my arrival, and got ready a bowl of new milk. He is a man of some fifty or sixty years of age, black, and with Bornou features, speaking a little Arabic. The greater part of the Bornou people know a few words of this language. The Sheikh sent him to bring the boat and our baggage. He is a friendly, quiet man, whilst the man sent by Haj Beshir, Said, is an impudent slave, and only thinking of what he can get by his journey.

I saw, as I passed through the streets of Zinder this morning, a number of slaves chained together, going to the market of Kanou; so that this place is the great central depot of this merchandise. These were some of the fruits of the Sarkee's last razzia.

9th.—The morning was cool, and we started early, and made six hours and a-quarter in a general south-east direction, through a continuation of scattered forests, with open spaces, the wood being broken in upon here and there by a scanty ghaseb cultivation. Amongst the trees, some rose with giant arms and all the characters of tropical vegetation. The country was undulating, with ranges of low hills. Blocks of granite were scattered on the surface of the ground; in the deeper valleys lay stagnant water of the last rains, fast drying up; and here were water-fowls, waders, and some large, strange, black-and-white geese, with necks of enormous length.

After three hours and a-quarter we came to the considerable village of Deddegi, where, on our appearance, all the inhabitants fetching water or tending cattle ran away. This I may remark, as the first time that the people ran away at our appearance amongst them. Hitherto we have always had the population pressing upon us for curiosity, or to attack and plunder us. Things change. But the flight of the people of Deddegi is easily explained. We were soon recognised as a Bornou caravan, and the Bornouese in coming to Zinder,—the Sheikh's people especially,—have been in the habit of plundering these villages, or carrying off the people and their cattle, the former into slavery. Recently the Sarkee has complained of this, and the Sheikh, to do him justice, has ordered the Sarkee to seize any Bornouese committing these misdemeanours, and execute what justice he pleases upon them. The Sarkee, now, will not be slack to obey his master's commands. Still it is not surprising the people ran away from a Bornou caravan.

We encamped at the group of villages called Dairmu. My "gift horse" had given me most excruciating pain in riding, and I was obliged to dismount for half an hour. The saddles are very bad, and cut you raw before you are accustomed to them. But I must submit to this fatigue, for now I must ride horses and put away the camel, which is too slow for travelling in Soudan, where water and herbage are found for the horses every two or three hours.

After I was somewhat recovered, I went to see the village, and found all the people working upon cotton; some cleaning it, some winding it into balls, and others weaving the gubaga, or narrow strips of cotton cloth, with which the greater number of the population are clothed. A small portion of the cotton-twist is dyed with indigo, and with this and the undyed a species of check-cotton cloth is woven; but all very rude. The Sheikh of the place supplied the caravan with bazeen. For myself I purchased a couple of fowls, which cost just twopence farthing in English money: they were, however, small; and I may remark that all fowls are small in this country, and most of the domestic animals, like horses, sheep, dogs, cats, &c. are diminutive when compared to those of Europe. The bullocks, however, are of a good size, with branching horns. The sheep have no wool, or rather, the wool takes the appearance and substance of hair, like that of a dog; and their tails, too, are like those of dogs; but, indeed, the Soudan sheep are well known. No fruit or vegetables are found in these villages: not even onions, common in most places. The birds have all a strange appearance. I am no naturalist, and wonder when I should examine. That filthy species of vulture, the scavenger of Zinder, is seen in twos and threes. The woods abound in turtle-doves. I gave the Kashalla a ring for himself and his female slave, or wife, as it may be. Very few men of this sort have wives: all their women are slaves. He was greatly pleased with the present.

10th.—My thermometer remains behind with the baggage at Zinder, expected to-day. Here we wait for it, and the rest of the caravan. I oiled myself well last night with olive oil, and feel much better this morning. During a walk through the villages, I observed that two-thirds of the male population, as in Zinder, are quite idle, lounging about, or stretched at their full length upon the dust of the ground. A third find something to do, either in working on cotton, or making matting, or in the gardens, where tobacco, pepper, cotton, and indigo are grown. These are the staple products of the gardens in this part of Africa. The women have always something to occupy their time, suckling their children, fetching water, cooking, or else picking cotton. All the males, I imagine, at some seasons of the year, find occupation, when the ghaseb is sown and when reaped. But, nevertheless, what powerfully solicits the observation of the European in looking into these villages is the downright livelong idleness of the male population.

We begin, at length, to regard this region merely as the nursery-ground of slavery—of the system which takes away the idlers to perform their share of the curse pronounced on Adam, that in the sweat of his brow he should eat and earn his bread. Again it is to be observed, that the wants of these people are very few: they live on ghaseb and milk, eating little meat; these come to them almost without labour. The ground is tilled by burning the stubble of the previous year, or by burning the trees on new land. The seed is thrown in when the rain begins, and nothing more is done till the grain is ripe for the sickle, when it is gathered in. It is collected under small sheds made of matting, and eaten as it is wanted. The cattle are mostly driven to graze and to water, and this is all the attention they require. The cotton furnishes a scanty clothing, deemed sufficient; all the children go naked till they are ten years old, or only wear a piece of cotton, leather, or a skin round their loins. The men of some consequence buy a tobe brought from Kanou or Niffee; the women purchase a few beads and other ornaments with their fowls or ghaseb. The bowls or household utensils are made from gourds, in shape like a cucumber, but straight, with a knob at the end; they are slit in two, and thus form two spoons, the concave head of the gourd serving as the bowl, the other part as the handle. These calabashes, some of which are pretty, are hung up within the huts as ornaments. On peeping into these huts, nothing is seen but these said calabashes, except the strings or nets by which they are suspended on the sides of the huts. As you enter there is always a partition-wall on your right hand, and a round entrance at the further end of the hut to this part, partitioned off. This space, so divided off, is the sleeping-place, where there is a raised bench of mud, or a bedstead made of cane or wickers. A few utensils for culture, an axe and a hoe, may be mentioned, all made by native blacksmiths, of the rudest description. Iron is found in the native rocks of Soudan, and is not imported. The greatest skill of the African blacksmith is, alas! shown in forging the manacles for slaves. I must mention that many of the huts have walls of clay, and roofs only of thatch or matting. The grain-stacks are also raised a foot or two from the ground, on stakes, to prevent the ghaseb getting wet during the rainy season. Thus it is that these children of Africa live a life of simplicity little above pure savages, and I may add, a life of comparative idleness, and perhaps happiness, in their point of view.

Yesterday our Kashalla made a move to say his prayers. He was surrounded by the people who came with him from Zinder and Bornou, and the inhabitants of Dairmu. He prayed, but prayed alone, none following his example! It is quite clear that all the black population hereabouts are only nominal Muslims, and remain in heart pure Hazna, or pagans. Those who do pray, pray very little indeed; there is no sensual charin or allurement in Mahommedanism for the African mind, whilst its fasts and commands of abstinence from strong drinks deter thousands from embracing the religion of the false Prophet. It cannot allure the African by polygamy, because the African has as many women as he pleases by the permission of his native superstition. Islamism, therefore, takes no hold of the native African mind. There are a few Tuaricks scattered amongst all this population, but living generally out of the villages by themselves; they are all subjects of the Sheikh, and have escaped the desert to lead an easier life in Soudan. It is strange that some of the Tuarick women are enormously corpulent, whilst a corpulent woman is not found amongst the blacks. I must add, that the morality of these black villages seems of a much higher and purer kind than that of the Tuarick villages of Asben. Here they do not look upon woman, as in Asben, simply in the light of an instrument of pleasure: but I fear this will soon change. What morality, indeed, can there be without higher and more binding motives?

I was much pleased with the condescension of the Kashalla in furnishing me with information on routes, and gave him a head of sugar. He is a man of great generosity, and immediately divided it amongst his people. He says he never leaves the Sheikh's presence, and it was solely on account of me that the Sheikh sent him to fetch me from Zinder. If this be true, their sovereign has paid a high compliment to the Mission.

The only character whom I could discover in Dairmu was the constable, or general police-officer. This was an ill-looking fellow, with one eye damaged,—a most unamiable Dogberry. He approached the Kashalla twice, keeping, however, at a timid distance, kneeling down and throwing the dust in handfulls over his head, in the most abject manner. Yet this man was the dread of the whole neighbourhood! The exercise of all disagreeable employments seems to debase man. Before his superiors he crouches and grovels in dust; with the people he commands, he is a very tyrant!

10th.—I was joined yesterday evening by the rest of the caravan, Said, and Moknee, and my new interpreter. Said brings goods for Haj Beshir. We started early, and made seven hours; our route varying between east and south-east, through a fine wavy country, rising at times into high hills, with few trees in comparison to what we have hitherto had, and a good deal of cultivation, all ghaseb. The sandy soil is well adapted for this kind of grain. A ridge of quartz rocks strikes up through the sand. The rocky hills are mostly granite. The atmosphere was cooled by an easterly wind. We pitched tent, or rather halted, at a cluster of villages of considerable size, the principal of which is Guddemuni. They are all placed on hills. In the deep valley near is a large lake, towards the east, about two hours long and half-an-hour wide. In the dry season the people cultivate, by irrigation from the lake, a quantity of wheat, which they export to Kanou. Besides wheat, they raise ghaseb on the hill tops; and in the gardens, cotton, indigo, tobacco, onions, pepper, dates (bearing twice a-year), henna, potatoes (dankali), the palm (geginya),—bearing a large fruit (gonda), like the mealy melon,—gourds, rogo, and gwaza; which last are two species of potatoes. Some large trees are planted like the kuka, the fruit of which is used for sauce.

To-day the Kashalla rode up to several men wandering in the fields, hunting, and attempted to impose some labour on them. This was a signal for a general stoppage of all foot-passengers, who were met by his people, for one purpose or another, either to take from them any little articles, or to vex them. They did not, however, stop two people we met, but gave them full leave to pass. Who were these? One was a man who, by disease, had become all over of a light flesh-colour, his black skin peeling off. It was a perfect phenomenon—a man with strong negro features, entirely white, or of a light dull-red colour. The other man was a miserable, filthy, blind fellow, whom the first invalid was leading. They were, in fact, a couple of mendicants going to Zinder on speculation, having come from Kuka, begging through all the towns and villages. The trade of begging is coextensive with man, civilised or uncivilised, in towns or country. Africa has a good number of this industrious class of people.

The language of this cluster of villages is Haussa, like that of Zinder, the "Haussa of the North," as it is called: it varies a little from the pure Haussa of Kashna and Kanou. The people of this place were all excessively civil. I walked out in the evening, and saw about thirty of the maidens of Guddemuni (one of the villages) encircling a female dancer, who kept pacing to the sound of a rude guitar. At the sight of me they all made off. The poor blacks in these villages always expect that the white man comes to bring them into slavery. Afterwards I went to salute the Sultan. We saw him during two minutes; he kept rubbing his hands, as if he were cold. He was a sinister-looking man, dressed in a white tobe; he had not the least suspicion of what a Christian might be. I made the acquaintance of the taste of the doom-palm, in a dish of pastry seasoned by it. The taste is something like rhubarb, only a little sharper.



CHAPTER XVIII.

A Village plundered—Shaidega—Animals—Our Biscuit—Villages en route—Minyo—Respect for Learning—Monotony of the Country—A Wedding—Palsy—Slave-agents—Kal, Kal—Birni Gamatak—Tuaricks on the Plain—Palms—Sight the Town of Gurai—Bare Country—Bearings of various Places—Province of Minyo—Visit the Sultan—Audience-room—Fine Costume—A Scene of Barbaric Splendour—Trade—Estimate of Wealth—How to amuse a Prince—Small Present—The Oars carried by Men—Town of Gurai—Fortifications.

Feb. 11th.—I rose early, and started as usual, as quick as possible. We made seven hours and a-half, and halted at a small village called Bogussa. After the fifth hour we came to the hamlet of Dugurka, which the Kashalla delivered up to plunder, because the people refused to give him some water. This is the story of my servants, which I do not believe. But certain it is, that, after the Kashalla passed the hamlet, his people, who loitered behind, commenced a general pillage of the poor little village. The inhabitants had all fled at our approach, save one old man. All the hut-doors were violently torn away and the insides ransacked. The spoils were leben, bowls or calabashes, bows and arrows, axes, and some other trifles. Of live-stock, all the fowls were seized and slaughtered on the spot; also a lamb. My interpreter tells me that all the slaves of the Government of Bornou are marauders, and that it was for this reason the Sarkee of Zinder complained to the Sheikh of the government caravans seizing the people and sacking their villages. In all my life I never saw such an instance of the triumph of might over right. My servants, most of them Bornouese, joined their brethren with great eagerness. To remonstrate with them is useless. I have had several quarrels of remonstrance already since I have been in the Sheikh's territory, about similar acts of brigandage; and if I go on, I shall quarrel with all the world of Africa, every hour of the day. I reproached my servants ironically. I told them some one would soon come and take their camels and bullocks, and they must not complain to me to get them redress. But it is astonishing to see with what zest these freed slaves from the north coast enter again upon their old habits of plunder and razzia. The education of Africa consists in preparing it for the razzia. All the fine-spirited youth of all the great families look forward to this as their only occupation.

We reached the rocky hills called Shaidega, near which the lake terminates, stretching from Guddemuni. At the base of these rocky heights is a sprinkling of huts, and there are indeed many sprinklings of huts which cannot be mentioned all along this route. The hill tops have no longer the naked appearance of the Saharan rocks, but are clothed and crowned with trees. The country is very fine and park-like, and were it not for the doom-palm, would be more like some of the best parts of Europe than Africa is supposed to be. The animals seen to day were two wild boars and some wild oxen. A couple of lions, a male and a female, come out nearly every night and serenade the villagers of Bogussa at their hut doors. The filthy vultures of Zinder are spread through all this fine country. Many doves and water-fowl were seen. We forded several stagnant streams of water, but of very small magnitude.

I sheltered myself in the afternoon under a magnificent tree, called in Bornouese kamdu, and in Soudanese, samia. We are beginning to see very fine trees, casting an impervious shade, under which the weary traveller deliciously reposes in the hot clime. To-day I suffered most dreadfully from my horse; with a camel I should have felt nothing, but I must submit: there is no remedy.

I believe the Kashalla to be a very good man, and above his plundering countrymen generally, but habit induces him to wink at the acts of brigandage committed by his people. I observed him yesterday stop a little boy with a load on his head, and tell him to run away from the people coming up, and take another road, that the caravan might not plunder him.

I had an affair with Yusuf yesterday morning: two boxes of biscuit had been left entire in his room at Zinder, and now one of them was found opened and a quantity of the biscuit taken out. He and his son have eaten nearly all the biscuit on the road, together with the Sfaxee and others. It is preposterous to think that Government sent these biscuits for them, who can eat ghaseb, ghafouley, and any grain of this country, and thrive on such food. The Germans gave away their biscuit, complaining that it was an embarrassment to them. This encouraged the people to plunder me of mine, and now I have little left for the rest of my travelling in Africa during the present journey.

12th.—We started early; the weather always cool, with fresh breezes from the east. All our people seem in good health. I got up rather stiff, having had a good fall from my horse yesterday. We made only three hours and a-half, part north-east and the rest due east. When I dismounted I felt less fatigued, and wrote up my journal. We passed several villages en route during these few hours; they occur, indeed, only about half-an-hour apart: viz. first in order after Bogussa, Gerremari, then Lekarari, Algari, a village of fighi pedagogues, Giddejer, and then Collori, where we have halted. It is said we shall still be three days before we get to the Sultan Minyo, and we have to pass Gamatak, Barataua, Birmi, Wonchi, Tungari, and finally, on the third day, early, we are to arrive at Gurai, the capital, governed by Minyo or Minyoma. Bogussa is the first district under the sway of this personage. We have in his name a remarkable instance of how in Africa names of cities and countries are confounded with those of their provinces. Hitherto, I and my interpreter had always taken it for granted that Minyo was the name of the capital of the province, not of the prince; so we understood from everybody, and only to-day we learn that Gurai is the name of the capital, whilst the province is called after the name of the prince, i.e. Minyo, or Minyoma.[21]

[21] It is worth while leaving this mistake of Mr. Richardson or his informants, as an illustration of the great difficulty that exists in eliciting accurate facts from natives of Africa and other uncivilised countries.—ED.

Our route this morning lay through a remarkably fine district, teeming with fertility, and requiring only the hand of industry to render it the richest country in the world. Not a ten-thousandth part of the soil is cultivated. We met a troop of schoolboys with their masters; their boards, bedaubed with Arabic characters, would have been an effectual protection for them against a troop of horsemen a thousand times larger than ours. But, nevertheless, a poor woman, or a girl with a bowl of milk or a little butter, could not pass unscathed. Such is morality here. May there not, however, be some promise in this respect for education? A woodman left his axe a moment on the roadside; one of our troopers immediately went off and seized it. The woodman, returning, followed the trooper to the Kashalla, and falling down, and throwing dust over his head, begged for his axe as for his life. The Kashalla could not withstand the appeal, and ordered his trooper to restore the axe. The fellow had concealed the axe, and it was lucky the owner discovered the thief so soon. The poor man went away very thankful, thanking me also. I believe I may be some check on these depredations, for I told my interpreter last night that I never saw a village, or any people, pillaged in the Christian countries; in fact, that I could not have hitherto believed that men could do the things which I saw done that day by the servants of the Kashalla. It is probable he will mention what I said to some one, and it will get to the ears of the said Kashalla. The Africans, in plundering one another, appear as if they were avenging some old grudge; as if they remembered the various occasions when they themselves had been pillaged. They rob with wonderful gusto.

A monotonous uniformity begins to prevail over all these tracts. I am afraid I shall soon get tired of this negro population and these towns, all built and all peopled in the same manner. They seem remarkably curious at first, but curiosity soon palls.

We have with us the Hajah, mentioned before. She is very quiet, being passee, and also afraid of the Sheikh's people.

I went round the village and found some five hundred or six hundred people nestled together. All the villages which we passed to-day have a similar population. I saw the preparations for a wedding; it was a most amusing sight. Two enclosures were crowded with people, all busy; but the busiest were those grinding corn for the marriage-feast. The bridegroom was with one group, haranguing them in the most persevering manner, and rattling a hollow gourd filled with small stones. The group replied in chorus, all on their knees, bending forward, rubbing grain between two stones. The other group went on by themselves. Then, in an enclosure close by, was the bride, attended with, all her maiden friends, jammed together in a hut, all busy, doing nobody knows what. It was with great difficulty I could get a peep at her. The bride and her friends were distinguished by having a sort of brass nail-head driven through the right nostril of their noses. Good big boys were running about quite naked. But the conduct of the people, old and young, was quite decent.

The bridegroom followed me to my tent, rattling his calabash for a present, singing my praises cheaply enough, for I gave him a very small present indeed. They have no set songs; all their singing is extempore.

Afterwards I saw a man afflicted with palsy in his head. He applied to me for a remedy, but I could only recommend him to bathe himself every day in warm water, which will never be done; for these people are too indolent to perform any labour of this kind, even if it be to save their lives.

My new interpreter, Mohammed, pretends that slave servants, or agents, are thought more of, that is, are more useful, than free people in Bornou. This may be accounted for by the absolute control which a master can exercise over his slave.

The thermometer at sunset ranges 84 deg.. It was very warm this afternoon.

Here and there an ostrich egg tops the conical roofs of the huts, from Damerghou to this place. I showed the people my watch, and put it to their ears that they might hear it tick, tick; and I may observe a singularity on this. The people did not say, "Oh! how it ticks!" but "Kal, kal!" so that kal, kal, is the sound which we express by tick, tick, in our language.

13th.—As usual, we rose before sunrise, and started as soon as possible. We made four hours in the forenoon, and rested at a well called Birni Gamatak. The village is near the well, but we did not go to it. From this place to the Tuarick country, Gurasu, there are four short days; but the road has no water in this season. The Kaid of the village paid us a visit, and brought us ghaseb-water. I amused him and his people with my watch and compass. After resting till 4 P.M. we started again. At Birni Gamatak a zone of mountainous country begins, consisting of granite, gneiss, and other varieties of primitive rocks. We had a magnificent ride through a fine rocky country. After one hour and a-half we passed Wonchi to the right, or south of us; a small village. On the route we had a boundless vista through the hills, over a vast plain, covered with a scattered forest, extending without end towards the north. This country is overrun by Tuaricks; all, however, living in friendship with the Sheikh. We made five hours and a-half, always east, so that we did not arrive at Tungari till long after daylight. Tungari consists of two or three considerable villages, having a population of about two thousand. Here I saw a greater number of date-trees than I had yet seen in Soudan. There were larger plantations, and many gardens. I have nothing particular to observe respecting this place, except that the people showed more boldness than the population subjected to the Sultan of Zinder; because the Sultan of Minyo gives them more protection against the Bornou marauders, or Government servants, travelling through the country. I went to bed thoroughly fatigued.

14th.—We rose at daybreak and went off immediately, and made four hours north-east, and then from a fine rising ground had a splendid view of all the town of Gurai. Our route yesterday and to-day began in a south-easterly direction, and after continuing east for some time gradually turned round to north-east, so that we have our faces again toward the northern desert. Yesterday I felt, for the first time, this approaching warm season—a hot wind, which, curiously enough, now comes from the north, whereas before it always came from the south.

Gurai is very bare of trees, the townspeople having burnt them all up. I kept a-bed all day, to recruit myself from fatigue. The Kashalla went to salute the Sultan, who inquired after me. They reported my state, and said I should come to see him in the morning (i.e. of next day).

According to a Gatronee, Kellai, a country of the Tuaricks, is one day only north-west from Gurai. It is a small village. Gurasu is five days from this, north-west. Dallakauri, also a Tuarick country, is one day northwards, or north-east. This is a large place. Bultumi, another Tuarick country, small; one day, east. Malumri, one day and a-half east. Therrai, a small place, a day beyond Dallakauri, north-west, two days from this. Chokada, a small place, five or six hours from this. All these places are inhabited by the Tuarick tribe of Duggera, viz. Kellai, Gurasu, Dallakauri, Bultumi, Malumri, Therrai, and Chokada. This tribe infests the upper part of the route of Bornou, that between the Tibboos and Kuka. Formerly they were great bandits, but now they fear the Sultan of Minyo, and begin to desist from their bad trade and turn to more peaceful habits. Bunai is one day and a-half south from Buroi, formerly the capital of the province of Minyo, and where the father of the present Sultan resided. It is a little less than Burai. Here we are told that, after all, Minyo is not the name of the Sultan, as before mentioned, but the name of the province, which is sometimes called Minyoma, as being more euphonic; but all people love harmony in language. This province is considered the most powerful of the empire of Bornou.

15th.—Having selected my present for his highness the Sultan, consisting of a piece of cotton velvet for a tobe (ten mahboubs), a head of sugar, a little cinnamon and cloves, a piece of muslin for turbans, and a cotton handkerchief, I paid my visit under the escort of the Kashalla, and the Sultan's major-domo, a man carrying a large stick with a great knob at the end. We went straight to the palace, a considerable building, built of clay, like the Sultan's house at Zinder, in the shape of a fort or castle.

We were first ushered into an audience-room or hall, of large dimensions, with little light, adapted for an African climate. It is newly built, and indeed not yet finished. The architecture is the same as the public buildings or houses of the chief officers in Kuka. Here we waited a quarter of an hour, during which time the people poured in from all quarters. At length we were ushered into the presence. I found the Sultan to be a good-looking black, with features not much stamped with the negro character. He was about the age of forty-five or fifty. His costume was truly royal, consisting of a loose tobe of purple silk, and a black burnouse, embroidered, thrown over it. He wore a turban of Egyptian form, and very handsome. His highness received me very affably, and I took my seat near him, on a pic-nic stool which I have with me. I shook hands, and doffed my hat. There was no throwing of dust about, as at Zinder. But we found the Sultan already seated, with all his courtiers and officers around him. His highness asked about my health, and the Tuaricks. He observed, "The Tuaricks are afraid of you." Some persons of that tribe, perhaps, have given him this false view of the case, pretending that the Tuaricks are afraid I am come to spy out the country, to be taken possession hereafter by the Queen. His highness minutely scanned all my European clothes, making many inquiries about them. All the people were highly delighted to see me throw aside my miserable Soudan tobe, and dress in my European costume. In fact, I don't know what I should have done without these clothes. The people then pulled off my boots, and burst out into an involuntary exclamation of astonishment when they saw my white leg under my stocking. My face and hands are both pretty well tanned, and the quality of the European skin is not so visible as in the parts of the body covered. His highness then inquired whether there was war in Europe, and whether peace existed between England and the Porte. He was very anxious to continue his questions, but there being two or three hundred persons present, he was obliged to defer them till the evening. I was much gratified with the sight. It was really a scene of African state, but without deformities. There was no blood, no slaying of victims, no abject ceremonies; nothing to offend the eye of the European. We merely saw, seated on a raised platform, a black, robed in barbaric style of splendour, with a hundred courtiers and officers squatted on the ground him, all humble beings, but not abject.

On returning, his highness sent our caravan four bullocks, to be slaughtered for our use. To-day was market-day, but there was no stock of consequence here, there being little foreign commerce. There may be a score of foreign merchants, nearly all from Fezzan, but they are mere traders, and only bring a few things for the Sultan and his chief officers. These merchants say that there is no money here, nor, indeed, in Bornou.

The place for money is Kanou. All the wealth of Central Africa is, according to them, concentrated there. Kanou is, in fact, the London of Soudan. I asked a merchant here, who was accounted rich; that is, who was a Maidukia? He replied, "One with property to the amount of a thousand dollars." Even a man with five hundred is accounted a somebody. Such is the estimate of wealth here. I expect to find all Bornou miserably poor.

In the evening I waited again on his highness, according to appointment. He had descended from his throne, and divested himself of all his splendour, being now dressed in a plain tobe and burnouse. He received us squatted on a carpet upon the ground, in an inner court, and reminded me much of a stage king who had undressed after the performance. I produced all my wonderful things to amuse his highness,—my compass, spyglass, kaleidoscope, spectacles, peepshow, &c. In this way I amused him for an hour, he the while asking questions about my personal habits. Our people then told him the sovereign of England was a woman. "Kamo?" To which I replied, "Kamo." I was then requested to read some English, which I did from Milton. I always exhibit a small edition of Milton's poetry, with gilt edges and morocco binding, which greatly surprises all people accustomed to the use of books. The Kashalla then told his highness that I washed my face and hands continually, but did not pray. I explained through my interpreter that now, in a foreign country, I read my prayers, and that we had the Gospel; and he added, "The Zebour," Psalms of David. All educated Muslims are acquainted with or have heard of the Psalms of David. I take out a copy of the Gospel and Psalms in Arabic, that every educated Mahommedan may see that we English are not the En-Sara or Kerdies of Africa, but have a God and a religion. The inconvenience of this is, that it leads sometimes to talking and disputing on religion, not always in season. A prudent man, however, will evade all difficulties without compromising his belief. We had again present a hundred people, or more, and his highness was disturbed at the number, but did not like to send them away. He asked me how old I was; and of my servants, whether I was married, &c.

I returned pleased with my visit, although I lost one of my peepshows; for the Kashalla was foolish enough to tell me to give it to his highness. This is the danger of exhibiting these things. I took to the prince a small present of rings, silk, bracelets, and a necklace of mock pearls for his ladies; and hope to get back my peepshow by exchanging it for some such trinkets. This was a cool day, with a fresh breeze continually blowing.

16th.—I rose in a quieter state, though I have been much fatigued these last few days. It is expected we shall be here two or three days more. Fifteen days is the time allowed for our journey from this to Kuka. The people display greater curiosity to see me than the inhabitants of Zinder, this province being more out of the way of strangers. Yesterday, on returning from the palace, I had a hundred people at my heels.

The mode of salutation for a sultan is peculiar in these provinces. It consists in holding up and back the lower part of the arm, and moving it up and down—to denote strength, probably; an intimation of local strength, as well as that of the body generally. I have been often saluted in this manner, and the mode is employed to strangers or any distinguished person.

N.B.—The people of Kanem have not the shonshona.

The oars of the boat are now carried, as the people say, by Ben-Adam (children of Adam, i.e. men). It is certainly more difficult to get them through these African forests than over the rocks of Sahara on the camel's back. Five servants of the Sultan of Zinder left this morning, having brought them thus far, to return. I gave them a little present of wada and rings.

Gurai is somewhat smaller than Zinder, having a population of perhaps seven thousand souls. I have overrated the population of Zinder: that city, probably, does not contain more than ten thousand souls, if so many. On emerging from the Saharan Desert, where we had been accustomed to bestow the name of town upon great scattered villages, with a few hundred inhabitants, Zinder appeared to me quite a capital city. The town of Gurai is scattered about on several hills, and down their slopes. These hills are bare of trees and vegetation.

There is a dry ditch surrounding the town. It answers the purpose of a fortification, especially as its effect is aided by a thickset hedge. At some places this hedge is growing; at others, it consists merely of branches cut from various trees, but rendered almost impenetrable by being made broad and thick. These defences are quite effectual in the kind of wars carried on in these regions.



CHAPTER XIX.

Fezzanee Traders—Sultan in want of Medicine—The Stud—Letters—Yusuf's Conduct—Architecture—Fragment of the History of Minyo—Politics of Zinder—Bornouese Fish—Visits—Two Routes—Dancing by Moonlight—Richness—Fires—Information on Boushi and Adamaua—The Yamyam—Liver Complaints—A Girl's Game—Desert Country—Gift Camel—Few Living Creatures—Village of Gusumana—Environs—The Doom Fruit—Brothers of Sultan of Sakkatou—Stupid Kadi—Showing off—Hot Weather—[Final Note—Death of Mr. Richardson.]

I had visits yesterday from all the Fezzanee traders. These people, as at Zinder, and everywhere at Soudan, sell their goods at a high price to the Sultan, and then are obliged to wait six or seven months for their money, eating up all their profits. No wonder the poor fellows rarely get rich, but remain, on the contrary, always miserably poor. The same is the case throughout all Soudan. To-day my tent was thronged with visitors, before whom I am obliged to exhibit myself, or show my curiosities. Among others, I had a visit from some people who came from Gobter, distant four hours south, on purpose to see me; and, moreover, had a call from some ladies nearly related to the Sultan. They all wanted medicine, but for what they could not tell; so I gave them each a taste of Epsom. This made them relish a bit of sugar, which I distribute to them afterwards, and which appeased their grimaces and disgust. I am pestered to death for medicines, and have visitors without number.

The Sultan sent word this morning to know if I had anything to sell, any fine things from the Christian countries, for he wished to buy them. Our people returned for answer that I was not a merchant, but belonged to the Queen. He then begged me to give him a small quantity of my medicines, for he had heard I had most wonderful drugs;—would I favour him with some of every kind, that he might be prepared for all possible complaints which might attack him hereafter, when I was gone? For the present he is suffering from pains in all his joints; and requests, in the first place, to be relieved from them. Compliance with these demands was, of course, necessary. I therefore packed up small quantities of emetics, acetate of lead, worm-powders, and Epsom, and also a little camphor, and a little sticking-plaster, with a small bottle of Eau de Cologne. With these I went to pay my respects. We found the Sultan in a small private apartment. He was in an inquisitive mood, and began by asking me all manner of questions, the subjects ranging from the affairs of kings and princes down to the handkerchief round my neck. I should observe that the Sultan requested Yusuf to taste the medicines before he delivered them up to him, to see that there was no blood in them. So he tasted the salts and the jalap; but I told him that the acetate of lead was poison, and we wrote sem upon all the packets. It surprised him that we should administer poison to the eyes.

After the interview his servants showed me his horses. They were but ill-formed animals, some heavily built, and others miserable-looking creatures. Yet these are the pick of the whole country, and some have been lately brought from Sakkatou, as the best which could be exported from that quarter.

In the afternoon another slave of Haj Beshir arrived from Zinder, seeking for me. He had brought a letter, but had orders if he did not find me to return it to Kuka; so that I shall be without news until my arrival. He, however, just knows that a caravan came from Mourzuk in thirty-nine days, bringing this letter, which was forwarded to me. It comes direct from Tripoli. There are three letters for me!

This evening my new interpreter came with a long trumped-up story, as to what the Sultan had said respecting my quarrel with Yusuf. His highness was represented to have expressed a strong desire that we might be reconciled before we arrived at Kuka. I cannot tell whether this be true or false. Probably they have attempted to get the Sultan to speak to me about Yusuf. This is always the case. These people do you as much injury as they please on the road, and when they are near a place which makes them afraid, they get a number of people to come and persuade you to say that they are very good fellows. It is quite clear that Yusuf has stolen several things on the road. The last thing missed is a large quantity of cloves. It is difficult to know how to act on these occasions.

17th.—I took Epsom, and feel better.

The architectural ornaments of the palace of Gurai resemble those of the houses of Ghat. The walls are covered with little recesses, of various shapes; the moulding consists of a series of lozenges; the pillars by which the ceiling is supported are of immense thickness. In these large halls, on a level with the ground, there are always raised seats of earth, on which are spread carpets, and lion and leopard skins.

By the way, this country seems clear of animals. They are all either hunted down, or driven into thicker shades and forests.

All these provinces have their histories preserved traditionally. The father of the present Sultan of Gurai, named Ibrahim, was a most determined fellow. He slew no less than seven sultans appointed to take his place. The Sheikh, in the first instance, sent a large army to dispossess him. Before superior forces he retired to a mountain, where he was unattackable. The new Sultan was installed, and the troops of Bornou returned to Kuka. As soon as they were gone, Ibrahim descended the mountains with his slaves, and fell upon the new prince, butchering him and his people. Then he wrote to Kuka: "I am under God and you." The Sheikh, enraged at this conduct, sent another force against him, as before. Ibrahim once more retired to his stronghold, and after the Bornou forces had returned to Kuka, again descended from his mountain, and butchered the new prince as before. And this he repeated seven times, so that at last the Sheikh, seeing the impossibility of continuing the war with such a vassal, allowed him to have quiet possession of the province of Minyo. His son Goso, now sultan, is also a very spirited fellow; but he is on good terms with the Sheikh, and observed to me, "What Kuka (the Sheikh) does, I do; as what Stamboul does, so does Tripoli." Goso, or Gausau, is certainly a very polite prince, and a very accomplished man. To him the Sultan of Zinder is a mere slave.

There is some news about the Sultan of Zinder. It appears that Sarkee Ibrahim feels himself weak, and unable to conduct the government of the province prosperously, i.e. "to go on razzia;" so he wrote for his brother to come and undertake the command of the slave-hunts. The brother spoke to the Sheikh, who said "Go." But the brother said, "No, I will not go, unless you will give me the province to govern." The Sheikh replied, "Your brother will give you some town." "No," was the answer; "I will not go unless you will give me the whole province." This is now the great news in Zinder and Gurai, and was carried to the former place by two horsemen, who galloped from Kuka to Zinder in six days.

I now write the names of the sultans of the province in Arabic, before them, with a black-lead pencil. This greatly astonishes them: first, that I am able to write their names and that of the countries which they govern; and secondly, with a black-lead pencil, which they call wood.

Names of several sorts of Fish (Buni) in Bornou.

Yogari, a large flat fish, four or five feet long, and as many broad.

Kagwi, a fish like a cod or ling.

Haik, one foot and a half long, three or four inches broad.

Kamudee, one foot and a half long, thick as the lower arm, and quite black.

Karwa and Kagia, species of small plaice.

Labun, of the size of a locust.

Kadikadi, large thick eel.

The Sultan is very anxious about my personal history, and hearing that I had my wife in Tripoli, inquired if I intended to take another in this country.

I have had numberless visits all day long. The people display an intense curiosity to see the Christian, and would stop here for ever, gazing before my tent. Four sisters of the Sultan gave me a call. I taught them the use of pins, and pinned three of them together, which produced great merriment amongst the people. A Fellatah horse-dealer gave me two routes to-day; one from this (Gurai) to Sakkatou, and another from Sakkatou towards the west.[22]

[22] See Appendix.

A quarrel has sprung up between the Kashalla and Said, Haj Beshir's slave, about the road we should take from this to Kuka. The north-eastern, or direct east, is the shortest, but there are three days without habitations: this is Said's road. The south-eastern is the longer route, and is the Kashalla's, but there are people every day. The latter is probably the better route for me. It is decided that we leave the day after to-morrow.

This evening the Sultan sent me a camel, as a present. Not having experienced the difficulty of riding a horse, I had sold all my camels. The gift camel is a very good one.

When the moon rises, about an hour after dark, the beating of the drums is heard, calling the people to assemble for the dancing—young men and maidens. In ten minutes, some hundred people are collected. The dancing then commences in full and grand style. This evening I went out to see the performance, and found it the most animating I had yet seen in Africa. The young men and maidens separated into parties, the maidens near the drummers, and the young men at a distance of some twenty paces around them. A circle is then formed. The ladies here choose their own partners, instead of waiting to be chosen. A maiden skips up awkwardly to the drummer, then glides off to the side of the young men, and touches the gentleman with whom she wishes to dance, and returns. The young man does not immediately accept, for two or three minutes elapse after he has been touched ere he starts off to join the lady who has honoured him in the presence of a hundred admiring or jealous spectators. They join, turning first face to face, then back to back, then face to the drummers, in the most lively style. The young men are dressed in their tobes, and throw them up and round so as to produce a moving circle, as women might do with their petticoats; but not moving their bodies so much as their circling tobes: this is the grand grace of the dance. Then there are parties of men and women dancing together; but the men with men, and women with women. The women trip up awkwardly, but modestly, to where the men are placed, and then fall back; upon which the men pursue them violently, overtaking them before they get to their places, and throwing their tobes around them: but there is nothing indelicate in all this. On the contrary, the whole dance is quite a pattern of modesty to the Europeans, the Arabs, and the Moors,—to these latter especially, whose dance, as introduced here, is of the most lascivious and beastly description. This entertainment takes place every night; it is the great solace and delight of the people: they have no other amusement. They are all passionately fond of the drum, which certainly makes a great noise, and stirs them up to exhibit their dancing powers.

The whole population have suddenly become sick, and all want Epsom salts: a camel-load would not suffice. One old fellow wants a medicine to enable him to get children. I tell him he is now old, and must be satisfied with the strength God has given him in his past life.

The Sultan has made presents to our people,—to the Kashalla, Yusuf, and others.

18th.—I was so beset with people that I could not use my thermometer this morning. The weather is fresh, with the wind from the north-east. I am obliged to give tea as medicine: everybody now pretends to be sick, from the Sultan to the meanest slave.

In all these villages the people burn up the stubble in the evening, just outside the village, on the dung-heaps. They like to see the flame which whirls up from the dirty hay or straw; but, of course, they make their fire at some distance, to prevent its catching their huts. The mortar and pestle have disappeared: the people use here, for grinding their grain, two stones, as in some places on the north coast.

The insects are beginning their depredations upon me, biting me all over, and raising on my flesh small ulcers.

I have obtained from Nammadina, the Fellatah horse-dealer, a detailed account of the route to Yola, the capital of Adamaua, passing through Boushi.

The Moors represent the latter place to be like Mourzuk and Tripoli; but they say the greater part of the inhabitants of Adamaua are infidels or pagans. The rulers are, however, Fellatahs, and therefore Muslims. Adamaua is a rocky country: a small quantity of grain is found here, with abundance of sheep, oxen, horses, goats, fish, samen, honey, and onions. The rivers of Adamaua have always some water in them.

In the territory of Boushi will be found the celebrated name of Yamyam, where the Moorish and Arab merchants place the residence of the Ben-Adam eaters, or cannibals. I was greatly amused to hear my Fellatah informant most strenuously deny this calumny on the African race; he asserted that he had been in the country, and never had seen anything of this sort. The Moors as boldly affirmed that such cannibals exist, although they were obliged to confess they never saw the people of Adamaua or Yakoba (name of the sultan) eat human flesh. The whole story of the Yamyam is of the remotest antiquity, and has come down to us with many embellishments; but, if once true of the people hereabouts, it can no longer be authenticated by present facts, for as I have said, the Moors themselves represent Boushi to be like Tripoli.

The people from Fezzan and Tripoli, the traders and all, complain of the liver complaint; most of them have been ten or fifteen years in this country, travelling through Bornou and Soudan. I gave them small doses of calomel. All people at this season, blacks and strangers from the north, are full of rheumatism, which they describe by saying they have pains in all their joints and all their limbs. The presence of a Christian having medicines heightens and multiplies these diseases; there is, however, in reality, a good deal of rheumatism, arising from the cold winds of the north-east.

This evening we had again our drummers and the dancers, as on every preceding night. The girls have a laughable game amongst themselves, the boys, however, sometimes joining—that of throwing one another up and forwards by the arm-pits; the girl thus thrown forwards is expected, if she play her part well, to light firmly on her feet. If not, she rolls about and over, and the accidents that then occur are probably considered a great part of the amusement.

19th.—We were hurried off this morning early by the Kashalla, and I had no time to go and take leave of the Sultan. The weather is fresh. I mounted my gift camel; the second grand gift from the princes of Africa. We made a long day, from morning till after dark, about ten hours, through an undulating country. Some of the hollows were very deep, and enclosed stagnant reedy pools, of generally bad water, remaining from the past rains. For the first three or four hours of this march we had a scattered forest of dwarfish trees, mostly dwarf tholukhs. These are succeeded by small forests of the doom-palms, lining the pools and swamps in the valleys, and looking very fresh and pretty. I was astonished to see so few animals; indeed, we only observed now and then a small bird. What was the more strange, no water-fowl was seen in the pools.

But the country to-day was all desert—no grain cultivating, which perhaps may account for the absence of birds and fowls. Said prevailed over the Kashalla, and we have taken the desert route, being five days nearer. There are, besides, but few trees, comparatively, which makes it easier to transport the boat.

The Kashalla vexed me very much by taking my camel to transport a portion of baggage, his own camel knocking up. At first I refused to go on, but on the promise that he would get a bullock at the nearest place I mounted upon the luggage. Fortunately, my gift camel is a good one, not like the horse, and can carry a large weight. I cannot grumble much, as the Sheikh's camels are transporting many of my private things. Nevertheless you must show a stern resistance to all these liberties, otherwise you will never be able to get through Africa.

No tent was pitched, but I made myself comfortable by drinking the remainder of a bottle of port wine, which I began yesterday. I felt a little queer, and fancied I had injured myself by drinking so much milk; so I took to a bottle of port wine, and finished it in three times. I have felt much better since. I could very well drink a bottle a-day, and believe I should be much stronger for it. However, such wine should be kept for convalescence after fever. I have still a bottle, and some Cyprus wine—very good wine.

20th.—We started as soon as the day broke and the sun showed himself, and made five hours south-east over country the same as yesterday. But the forests of doom-palms were larger and thicker, and valleys also were more extensive. What is strange, no wild animals show themselves, not even in these sedgy, reedy swamps. I could only see scattered on the ground the feathers of the guinea-fowl. One or two black-and-white crows were noticed. Our people say that all the crows are of this colour in Bornou. In Ashen there are both species, the black, and the black-and-white. Our people also tell us, that on the other route, which the Kashalla wished to travel, there are numbers of elephants, and much water. Here is water enough in the rainy season for all such animals. We had still the tholukh, as well as the doom, and a tree like a large sea-shore plant cropped by the camels.

We saw no ghaseb cultivation, or any sort of grain, till we arrived at Gusumana, where we found wheat, cotton, and pepper in the gardens. The village of Gusumana is situated on a hill, overlooking a steep broad valley, full of the doom-palm. This village has therefore its houses constructed partly with the branches and trunks of this tree, which serve very well. I am housed in a most comfortable little hut made of this material, and nicely thatched; the door is composed of some thin strips of the leaves of the palm, which, as you enter, give way, and then return to their place, just as would a curtain. In this way the air always plays freely into the hut, murmuring sometimes between these fragments of leaves.

I have felt much less fatigue since I mounted the camel, although I have made the longest day upon it that has been made since we left Zinder. I recommend to all travellers the camel in the desert, or in Soudan. I believe the ill-health of the former expedition was much increased by always riding horses. Thank God, my strength still keeps up.

Taking Gusumana as a centre, we have around it several towns and villages. Thisi, one hour west; Gajemmi, one long day north-west; Parum, one hour east-south-east; Kadellebua, two hours south-west; Garua, one hour east; Gogora, two hours east; and, finally, in our road, Kanggarua, two days south-east. The town of Gajemmi is inhabited by the tribe of Duggera; but the Kaid of this village pretends they are not Tuaricks. He means, probably, not the same as the Tuaricks of Ashen. It is quite clear that these Daggera inhabit all the northern line of Bornou, from Zinder to Kuka; skirting, in fact, all the left of our route. They join the Damerghou territory, and thus extend from that province west to Kanem, and the route of Bornou east. The Tuaricks are ever located on the confines of the desert. Here they roam free, and rob and plunder where they have opportunity, or when the princes of Bornou and Soudan cannot check them.