Part 26 (1/2)
Immediately, this unexpected style of argument struck them dumb. After recovering their senses they became restless to leave me, and began to beg a few things. I gave them some sugar and cake, and we parted apparent friends. On going out, they could not forbear asking Said if he was a Mussulman. Like many other Moslemites of Sahara, they said, ”The Turks are not good Mussulmans.” I replied, ”Mustapha, the Bey of Ghadames, is a better Mussulman than any of the Ghadamsee people.”
The reader may disapprove of my conduct in these my frequent evasions of the question of religion; but when they reflect that it required, during my residence in Ghat and other parts of Sahara, the whole strength of my mind, and the utmost tact, to maintain a simple and consistent confession of myself as a Christian, and that to have said a word, or even to have breathed a syllable of disrespect for Mahomet and his religion, would have exposed me to be torn to pieces by the rabble, and perhaps murdered in my bed, they will probably feel less disposed to censure my conduct. If there be any doubt of this critical situation of an European who travels openly and avows himself a Christian in The Sahara, all I can do is to beg of the doubter to make the experiment himself. The reader will also be pleased to recollect, that the Denham and Clapperton party, though they travelled the safest routes of Sahara, were protected by the Bashaw of Tripoli, and their safety was guaranteed solemnly to our Government, as being the immediate agents and representatives of the British nation; and, finally, they had a large escort of Arab cavalry from Fezzan to Bornou. Yet these tourists, surrounded with such protection, were actually circ.u.mcised at Tripoli by Dr. d.i.c.kson[72], and were accustomed to attend the mosques and perform prayer as Mussulmans. Colonel Warrington certainly told me the people saw through all the mummery, and laughed, or were angry. As to the Frenchman, Caillie, his eternal tale of fabrication, repeated every day, and every hour of the day, to every Sheikh, and every merchant, camel-driver, and slave of The Desert, produces a very painful impression on the mind of the reader. Caillie's falsehood, as lie begets lie, begat many others. He was obliged to tell the people, that Mahometans were not tolerated in Christian countries. He told the Africans, also, that slavery was abolished in Europe, at the time even when England had her thousands of West Indian slaves. In this way, whatever service Caillie has rendered to geography, he has damaged the moral interests of the world. The African Mussulmans might say to future tourists, ”If Christians tolerate not us, why should we Mussulmans tolerate you,” and a.s.sa.s.sinate the luckless European tourist. Whatever, then, were my evasions on the question of religion (and I sincerely confess I do not approve of them), I never stooped to such folly, and so far disgraced my character as an Englishman and a Christian, as to adopt the creed and character of a Mahometan. I moreover, on reflecting upon the tremendous question, which I often revolved in my painful journeying over The Desert--determined at all events, at all costs, come what might, I would never profess myself a Mussulman, if it were even to save my head. I thought the least I could do was to imitate the n.o.ble example, which The Desert reports of Major Laing--Sooner than forswear my religion, be it good or bad, it was better to die! ”Mental reservation” may be good for the Jesuits and papists[73], who misquote the conduct of Jacob to Esau, but it is neither fit for a Christian, or a patriot, or, at any rate, for an honest man, who was, is, and ever will be,
”The n.o.blest work of G.o.d.”
Spent the evening with Haj Ibrahim. A Ghadamsee came in who attempted to frighten me from going to Soudan. Haj Ibrahim has the same prejudices as the rest of the people of Tripoli respecting the supposed wealth of the Ghadamsee people. ”They have plenty of money but conceal it. Sheikh Makouran has abundance of gold, but he cunningly professes himself a poor man.” I have lately read in a work published by the French Government, that once upon a time, a son of old Yousef Bashaw sacked Ghadames and carried off ”several camel-loads of gold.”
The Touarick mode of saluting is very simple and elegant, but cold, colder than that of the English. A Touarghee elevates deliberately the right hand to a level with his face, turning the outspread palm to the individual, and slowly but with a fine intonation says, ”_Salam Aleikoum._” This is all. When using his own language, a few words are added. How strikingly contrasted are the habits of different people.
Amongst the Moors and Arabs this mode of saluting is their way of cursing. With the outspread hand menacingly raised, a man or woman puts their enemy under the ban and curse of G.o.d. A vulgar interpretation is, that it means ”five in your eye;” but this custom of cursing is so remote as not now to be explained. The door-posts and rooms of houses are imprinted with the outspread hand to prevent or withstand ”the eye-malign” from glancing on them and the inhabitants its fatal influence.
_20th._--Rose early, felt better in health to-day. Am, however, annoyed, but from what cause I cannot tell. Entertain many misgivings about the climate of Soudan, and having no medicine dispirits me. It is now too late to retreat. ”Onward” is the only destiny which guides men, to good or evil. Had a visit from the eldest son of the Governor. Gave him two cups of tea, a little sugar, and two biscuits, which made him my friend for ever; a cheap purchase of eternal friends.h.i.+p. Shafou, he says, will not come before the whole of the Soudan ghafalahs arrive, of which there are still some portions lagging behind. A Soudan caravan, as all Desert caravans, is an _omnibus_; it collects parties of merchants all along the line of route, and distributes them in the same way, but having a starting-post and a goal. Haj Ahmed's son wished to introduce the question of religion. ”The world is nothing and Paradise is every thing.”
”Amen,” I replied. ”What do you think of Mahomet?” ”The Mahometans have Mahomet, the Jews Moses, and the Christians Jesus, each for their prophet,” I said, after which not very satisfactory answer to him, the conversation dropped. He now inquired if I had written to Tripoli to bring plenty of sugar and tea, with a latent desire for a portion of the spoil. I told him ”No,” very emphatically.
Called at my neighbour's, Bel Kasem, and found him doctoring a poor negress girl. She could neither eat nor drink, she vomited and purged, her bones were nearly through her skin, her stomach empty and dried up as a sun-dried water-skin. Bel Kasem was rubbing her all over with oil. He asked me for medicine. I said, ”Give her something good to eat.” He replied, ”I have nothing.” ”What do you eat yourself?” I asked. ”Bread and bazeen,” he replied. ”Give her that,” I rejoined. He hesitated to reply, did not reply; I saw he considered such food too good for a slave, even to save its life. Such is but one dark sad picture of a thousand now being exhibited here! One would think G.o.d had made one part of the human race to torment the other.
Spent the evening with Haj Ibrahim. A merchant in his house related that Noufee was now convulsed with a civil war. This country is now in the hands of the Fullans. He had often visited that country, and had seen English people there. A large caravan has this winter left Mourzuk for Kanou _via_ Aheer. Haj Ibrahim pretends that the Touaricks of Aheer are better than those of Ghat, but the former are people of the country (or peasants), not towns. The Haj has not begun to dispose of his goods, but he will exchange them against slaves. He, however, as a subject of Tunis, is virtually prohibited by the Bey's ordinances.
My most friendly visitors are the merchants and traders from Soudan, Kanou, and Sukatou. I cannot help looking upon these people with profound pity. They bring their sable brethren, of the same flesh and blood, and barter them away for trumpery beads, coa.r.s.e paper, and cloth, &c. They little think, that for such trifles, what miseries they inflict upon their helpless brethren! A Kanou merchant, in a friendly manner, recommended me not to go to Soudan, adding, ”The Touaricks of Aheer would butcher me because I was a Christian.” A similar recommendation is being given me by the Arabs, Ghadames people, and others. Still there is a great variety of opinions, _pros_ and _cons_, on this subject.
_21st._--Rose early, improved in health. A small bird, not much bigger than a wren, flits about the houses as our sparrows. This is probably the Jereed sparrow of Shaw, _Bou Habeeba_, or _Capsa_-sparrow, but I saw it at no other oasis except Ghat. It is of a lark colour, with a light reddish breast, flitting about continually, twittering a short and abrupt note, but very sweet and gentle. Yesterday Haj Ahmed sent me a few dates and a little milk. To-day the Governor paid me a formal visit. He was polite and friendly. However, he observed, ”If you, Yakob, had brought a few presents for the Touarghee chiefs they would all have known[74] you, but you have come without any thing, with empty hands.” I replied that I did not expect to come to Ghat when I left Tripoli. Nevertheless, if the Touarick chiefs were friendly, and would protect Englishmen in The Desert, both the people and Government of England would, I was quite sure, acknowledge the protection with suitable presents. He was satisfied with the explanation. Some of our caravan had told him I had come with nothing, and had overrated my poverty as some tourists have their riches overrated. But this report of abject poverty was a great advantage to me.
He was greatly surprised when I told him the Sultan of the English was a woman. I explained, as I had done at Ghadames, when the kings of our country had no sons, but had daughters, the daughters became sovereigns.
My vanity was somewhat piqued at the Governor's direct allusion to presents, and I determined, that he himself, at any rate, should have as large a present from me as he got from any of the foreign merchants. He then asked me if I was an English Marabout. I replied, ”Yes;” for a Marabout, as in the Governor's own case, means sometimes a person who can tolerably read and write. In this sense I may claim the sacred t.i.tle. I also dub myself occasionally _tabeeb_ (doctor), but mostly _taleb_, a mere literary man or pretender to literature. I believe that coming without arms, and as poor as possible, has had a good effect upon the Touaricks. They see, if they were so disposed, they cannot maltreat a man in my circ.u.mstances with a very good grace. I have still left, very fortunately, a supply of eye-water, and am making presents of it daily.
This solution keeps my medical diploma clean and fair in Ghat.
Had another visit from the family of the Governor. All aspire to religious discussion. Addressing me, ”Which way do you pray, east or west?” said another of his sons. ”I pray in all directions, for G.o.d is everywhere.” ”You ought to pray in the east.” ”No, for The Koran says, 'The east and the west belong to G.o.d, wherever you turn you find the face of G.o.d[75].'” He continued, ”You are idolaters, why do you pray to images?” ”The English people do not pray to images,” I rejoined. As he doubted my word, I was obliged to enter into explanations of the customs of Romanists and Protestants. It is amusing or lamentable to think, as we may sneer at or regret the matter, that these rude children of The Desert should have ground for charging upon the high-bred and _transcendantally_-polished nations of Europe, idolatry. But, if any one, determined to be an impartial judge, were to visit the Madelaine of Paris, and then pa.s.s rapidly over to Algeria, (a journey of a few days), and there enter the simple mosque, and compare its prostrate wors.h.i.+ppers, in the plain unadorned temple of Islamism, with the bowing and crossing, going on before the pretty saints and images of the Catholic temple of the Parisians, he could not fail to be struck with the immeasurable s.p.a.ce which separates the two _cultes_, whilst the contrast, so far as the eternal records of nature, impressed upon and read in the page of creation, are involved, would be all in favour of the Moslemite deist, and pity and folly would be mingled with his ideas when appreciating the papistical _quasi_-idolator.
A young Touarghee came in with the party, whose eyes were very bad. After a good deal of persuasion, for he was at first quite frightened at me, he consented to allow me to apply the caustic. He is a follower of Sheikh Jabour, and employed near the person of the Sheikh. To show how smoothly things go after the first difficulty is vanquished, I may mention, that he visited me ever after whilst I remained in Ghat, sometimes coming every day, and always begging his eyes might be washed with the solution.
I had another visit from the Soudan traders. They say people just like me come up to Noufee to where they are now returning. They speak Arabic very imperfectly, and are obliged to converse with signs. They describe thousands of slaves being carried away by men with white cheeks and hands like myself, putting their hands round their wrists and their necks to show how the slaves were ironed. These slaves are carried down the Niger to the salt water (Atlantic). I asked them how the slaves were obtained.
One of them sprung up in an instant, seizing an Arab's gun. He then performed a squatting posture, skulking down, and creeping upon the floor of my room, and waiting or watching in silence. He then made a sudden spring, as a tiger on its prey, with a wild shout. These wily antics evidently denoted a private kidnapping expedition. Many slaves are, however, captives of war, for the negro princes are as fond of war as the military nations of France and Prussia, and can play at soldiers as well as the King of Naples. Evening, as usual, paid a visit to Haj Ibrahim.
Nothing new, except an economical bill of expenses, from Ghat to Soudan, chalked out for me by a Ghadamsee, in prospect of my journey, viz:--
Presents, _en route_, to various chiefs 13 dollars.
Wheat and bread 5 ”
Olive-oil and _s.e.m.e.n_ (liquid b.u.t.ter) 1 ”
Extras and unforseen expenses 3 ”
---- Total 22 ----
This, I imagine, is about what it would cost him himself, though he pretended to allow a little more for me. These 22 dollars are to carry a person two months over Sahara and one over Negroland to Kanou. It will be seen there is nothing down for meat, or sugar, and tea and coffee, in which luxuries Saharan merchants rarely indulge.
FOOTNOTES:
[70] _Sunbul_--??????--(literally ”stalks”). According to French Oriental botanists, it is ”_Nard, spina celtica_.” An immense quant.i.ty of this fas.h.i.+onable plant is brought into The Desert. No present is made to a man of family without sunbul.
[71] Nor are they _Anthropoklephts_, as a late Yankee Consul, in his ”Notes on North Africa,” &c., calls them. Before Mr. Hodgson stigmatizes the Touaricks as men-stealers, he should see that his own States are pure. The reader will agree with me, after hearing further of the Touaricks, that these free sons of The Sahara have every right to say to Mr. Hodgson, and all American Consuls--”Physician, heal thyself: do not charge us with men-stealing when you buy and sell and rob human beings of their liberty.”