Part 34 (2/2)
Spent the evening with Haj Ibrahim. The senna, which was formerly only four and a half dollars the cantar, is now six, at which price the merchant bought twenty camel-loads to-day. Kandarka came in, and this funny fellow, on seeing me, immediately cried out, ”Saif zain,” ”wahad,”
which, being interpreted literally, means, ”A fine sword!” ”one!” but with a more enlarged interpretation and paraphrase, means, ”Bring me a fine sword when you come back, a sword which will kill a man with one stroke.” After repeating this twenty times and suiting the action to the word, the Aheer camel-driver set to and caricatured the Touaricks of Ghat in general, and the Sultan Shafou in particular. His topic was the Shanbah war, the everlasting theme now in Ghat. The camel-driver mimicked and satirized the aged Sultan by taking up a walking-stick and walking in a stooping posture, leaning on the staff, begging from door to door, knocking at the door of the room in which we were sitting, slipping down the wrapper from his mouth, which the Touaricks do when they attempt to speak in earnest, and was to show the importunity of the begging Sultan.
This drama was performed to denote the general poverty of the Ghat Touaricks, as compared with the rich Touaricks of Aheer. The Aheer comedian then caricatured all the Touaricks together, by shaking his hands and body as if a tremor was pa.s.sing through his limbs; he then fell at full length on the floor, as if dead. In this way the comic camel-driver ridiculed the poverty and pusillanimity of Ghat Touaricks.
He convulsed all the Moors and Arabs with laughter. In fact, he hit off the objects of his satire as well as some of our best comedians. And from what I can learn in town, it would appear the pride of Khanouhen is humbled before the threatening aspect of the war. Made Kandarka a present of a razor which I purchased of Haj Ibrahim. He took it up and exclaimed, ”Saif zain, wahad, I'll unman all the Touaricks with this. Who's Khanouhen? (raising himself up in a boasting position.) Who's Jabour?--only a Marabout. Who's Hateetah?--a whimpering slave-girl! What is Berka?--soon to be coffined? Shafou! Come, I'll give thee, poor Sultan, a little bit of bread. As to that tall fellow (the Giant), there's no camel big enough to carry him. He'll fall down on the road and rot like a dog.” This is amply sufficient to show that satire is not an European monopoly, but grows indigenous to The Desert. I asked the Governor what he should do if the Shanbah should come up against Ghat, recommending him to secure his doors well and prepare for defence. He replied, ”I'm a Marabout.” But this character would not screen him from the shot of the Shanbah matchlocks. Of course, there's not a bit of ordnance in The Sahara. I don't recollect seeing a single piece of cannon at the Turkish fortified places of Mourzuk, or Sockna, or Bonjem.
_31st._--Took a walk to see the Governor. He was very civil, and I begin to think more of his talent. His Excellency was very busy in weighing gold. He divided it into halves, into thirds, into quarters, and weighed it all ways, and separately, with much skill.
This gold was brought yesterday from Touat by some Touateen, originally brought from Timbuctoo, there being no gold or precious metals in this part of Sahara. People pretend, however, there is coal in the route between Ghat and Touat. But were it found there ever so plentifully, it would not pay the carriage to the coast. The Marabout merchant next unpacked two camels, laden with heiks or barracans, with presents of tobacco and shoes (Morocco), for himself and his family. These were sent from his relatives in Ain Salah. On one of the packages was written in Arabic, ”To our brother, the Marabout, G.o.d bless him.” In this unpacking, all his family were employed for a couple of hours as busy as bees. The Governor afterwards gave us coffee, and asked me to examine the head of one of his children. He had heard from the merchants of Ghadames how I had examined the heads of the servants of Rais Mustapha. This child could not walk, having no strength in his limbs. The brain was pushed backwards and forwards, very flat on the sides, and sharp at the top of the head, leaving a very miserable portion in the central regions. The entire nervous system was evidently deranged.
The Governor had no difficulty in crediting my power of divination through phrenology, believing, like other Moors, that we Christians have familiar conversation with the Devil, by which we acquire our superiority of knowledge over them, the Faithful. His Excellency, on taking leave, gave me some Touat dates, which are hard but extremely sweet. This species is called _Tenakor_. The dates of Warklah and Souf are also very sweet. One of the Touatee asked me, if I would go to Timbuctoo. I replied, ”I'm afraid.” ”You are right,” he said, ”for there's no Sultan there, everybody does as he likes, all men are equal.” Certainly a powerful Sultan would be of advantage in The Sahara, for a traveller would then have but one master to conciliate, now he has ten thousand masters to propitiate. People in quarrelling say, ”You must not do this (or that), for you are in a _Blad Sheikh_” (a country where there is a const.i.tuted authority).
Liberty is a good thing, nothing is better; but there must be with it morality. Without morality, liberty is only liberty to do mischief. On my return home, Hateetah called. The first word he uttered was, ”I'm at war with Haj Ibrahim.” ”Ah,” I replied, ”you must cut his throat, he's a great rascal.” Hateetah dropped his complaint at once, and observed, ”Patience; all the Touaricks leave here to-morrow to go against the Shanbah, I only shall remain to go with you.” He informed me the place of rendezvous is Deda, or Dede, three or four days westward from Ghat. Shafou and Khanouhen are there, and an immense congregation of all the tribes is sitting in council and debate. Shafou has sent a message to allow Hateetah to go with me to Fezzan. All the mahrys are in urgent request for the war, and Khanouhen has prohibited the Touaricks from engaging their camels for the carriage of merchandize. After all it appears there is a strong government in The Desert. One of the questions debated is, ”Whether they shall attack the Haghar tribes, subjected to the Sultan Ba.s.sa, if they (the Haghar) give an asylum to the Shanbah.”
The Touat people wish the Azgher and Haghar tribes to unite for the extermination of the robbers, who injure the commerce of all this part of Sahara. In the evening saw Haj Ibrahim. Kandarka came in: ”Saif zain, wahad,” he bawled out as usual. He entered into a minute description of the kind of sword he wished, one that would bend and was as elastic as a cane.
FOOTNOTES:
[92] When you make a drawing, they say ”Write” a drawing, or ”Write” a man, instead of draw a man.
CHAPTER XXII.
PREPARATIONS FOR DEPARTURE TO FEZZAN.
Account of Timbuctoo.--Streets of Ghat deserted by departure of Caravans.--Packing of Senna.--Return of the Soudan Caravan.--The Giant and his Gang sally out in search of a Supper.--System of Irrigation.--The Saharan Hades.--Continued departure of People to Soudan.--Hateetah serves himself from Haj Ibrahim's Goods.--Scold Ghadamsee Merchants for introducing Religious Discussion.--Mode of Fas.h.i.+onable Dressing of the Hair, and Female Adornment.--Saharan Beauties.--Costume of Touaricks.--Gardens of the Governor.--Attempt a Journey to Wareerat Range.--Hateetah and Haj Ibrahim become reconciled.--Departure of Kandarka for Aheer.--Day of my departure from Ghat.--Moral and Social Condition of the Saharan People compared to European Society.--Force of our Slave Caravan.--First Night's Bivouack.
I HAVE not obtained any additional information at Ghat respecting the still mysterious city of Timbuctoo. In comparing Caillie's description with that given by the American sailor, Robert Adams, I find Caillie's information agrees the better with what I have collected myself from the mouths of those who have been long resident at Timbuctoo. Indeed, Adams's description apparently refers to some Negro city in Bambara or thereabouts, between Jinnee and Timbuctoo. But I shall not attempt to impugn the veracity of the one or the other. Caillie says, ”The little information which I have obtained of Timbuctoo was furnished me by my host Sidi Abdullah-Chebir, and the Kissour Negroes.” In another place he says that he wished to return _via_ Morocco, and not by the Senegal, for fear he should not be believed, his countrymen being envious of his success. Both of these statements deserve consideration in determining the authenticity of his voyage.
A great variety of spelling exists in the writing of the name of Timbuctoo. M. Jomard, Member of the French Inst.i.tute, gives ????????????? but says he does not think that this word when properly written contains the ???. He thinks, however, we may be satisfied with the orthography of ????????????. And he adds, ”I know that Batouta writes Te_n_boctou, _n_ being used for _m_.” I have found two ways of spelling Timbuctoo in The Desert, viz., ??????????????, and ?????????????, and they both agree with Batouta.
We may, therefore, consider Batouta's style of spelling the more correct orthography. Now, ?????, _Teen_, in Touarghee, is ”well” or ”pit.” The term occurs in combination with many names of stations in Targhee Sahara, as will be seen in the map; for example, _Teenyeghen_, a well of water, seven days' journey on the route from Ghadames to Ghat; and _Nijberteen_, a well in my route from Ghadames to Ghat, already mentioned. In the first instance _Teen_ occurs at the beginning of the word, and the second at the end; but, in both cases, the meaning is ”the well of Nijber,” and ”the well of Yeghen.” _Teenbuktu_ follows the same rule of Berber or Touarghee combination, and means ”the Well of Buktu,” probably Buktu being the digger of the pits of Timbuctoo.
With regard to information collected by myself of this city, I can only add a few particulars. Timbuctoo is situated upon the northern flats of the Niger, or at about half a day's distance from it during the summer, and three hours only in winter, the difference arising from the increase of the water of the river during the latter season. But our merchants do not mention whether this river be a branch of the Niger (which they call Neel or Nile), or the Niger itself. This they are evidently unacquainted with. They never mention the port of Cabra, which is so distinctly noticed by Caillie. The climate is hot, and always hot, but extremely healthy--as healthy as any part of Central Africa. The city is about four times larger than Tripoli as to area, but in proportion not so densely inhabited, the population being about 23,000 souls. It has no walls now; though it formerly had, and is open to the inroads of the tribes of The Desert. The population is very mixed, and consists of Fullans, who are the dominant caste, Touaricks, Negroes, and Moors and Arabs from different oases of Sahara, as also from the Northern Coast of Africa. The majority of the Moors are Maroquines. The Government is absolute, and now in the delegated possession of a Marabout named Mokhtar, and the national religion Mahometan. There do not appear to be any Pagans or idolatrous Africans now resident in Timbuctoo, but some half century ago most of the Kissour Negroes, the native Negroes of Timbuctoo, were Pagans. The present Sultan is called Ahmed Ben Ahmed Lebbu Fullan, whose authority is established over the two great cities of Jinnee and Timbuctoo, and all the intervening and neighbouring districts, including several cities of inferior note. He is the son of the famous warrior Ahmed Lebbu, who dethroned the native princes of the Ramee, or those who ”bend the bow.”
The usual residence of the Sultan is now at Jinnee. The city is a place of great sanct.i.ty, and no person has the privilege of smoking in it--that is to say, defiling it, but the Touaricks, who are there so overbearing and unmanageable, as to be above the local laws. They are the cause of continual disturbances at Timbuctoo; nevertheless, so powerful are the Fullans, that they manage to keep the Touaricks in subjection, as well as the native Negro tribes. There are seven mosques, the minarets of some of which are as large as those of Tripoli.
There are several schools and a few learned doctors amongst the priests.
The houses are only one story high, but some few have a room over a magazine; they are built of stones and mortar, and some of wood or straw.
The streets are narrow, few of them admit of the pa.s.sage of two camels abreast. Several covered bazaars are built for merchandize. There are no native manufactures of consequence. Timbuctoo is properly a commercial depot or emporium. The princ.i.p.al medium of exchange is salt, which is very inconvenient. The grand desideratum of merchants is the acquisition and acc.u.mulation of gold, but this is obtained only by a long and wearying residence in Timbuctoo, and is very uncertain in supply. The gold is brought from a considerable distance south-west. Jinnee is a greater place of trade than Timbuctoo. The neighbouring country is flat and sandy, stretching in plains over the alluvial deposits of the Niger.
There are no fruit-trees or gardens, beyond the growing of a few melons and vegetables; but trees abound on the vast plains of Timbuctoo, and there is a great number of the Tholh, or gum-bearing acacia. The communication between Jinnee and Timbuctoo is princ.i.p.ally by water, and with light boats the journey can be accomplished in seven days, but the distance is a month by land. The navigation of the Niger is extremely difficult, and in the dry season the boats are continually grounding, whilst in the wet season people are in constant dread of being precipitated on the rocks. The boats have no sails, and are pushed along by poles with great labour. There is no water in the city: it is brought from pits east and west, a quarter of a mile distant,--that from the east being brackish, and that from the west sweet. Water is sold in the streets of Timbuctoo, as in many African cities. The Maroquine merchants live in style and luxury at Timbuctoo, and tea, coffee, and sugar may be obtained from them at a reasonable price. The residence of an European at Timbuctoo may, perhaps, be considered secure for a short time; but the grand difficulty is to get there, and when you get there, to get safe back again. These details are not very interesting, and I should not have mentioned them, but for the general anxiety there still exists to obtain correct and recent information of this celebrated Nigritian city.
_1st February._--The streets of Ghat begin to be deserted. Touaricks are going, and gone, as well as the various merchants from neighbouring countries. So I walk with much freedom in the streets. Have not been molested about religion for some time; but a man said to me to day, ”Unless you believe in Mahomet, you will burn in the fire for ever!”
Strange anomaly this in the conduct of men! They deliver over their fellow-men to everlasting torments, as if it was some slight corporal castigation! . . . . Saw Hateetah. The Consul is still at war with Haj Ibrahim; but he is cutting his own throat, and not the merchant's, by his foolish conduct. A low Ghat fellow came in, and finding me writing, begins crying out:--”Oh, you are writing our country! You are coming afterwards to destroy it! Never was our country written before, and it shall not be now!” I turned him out of doors. He then fetched a mob of ”lewd fellows of the baser sort,” and began wheying, whooing. Hateetah luckily came by at the time, and belaboured them with his spear, and off they ran, wheying whooing. Went to see them pack up senna, or rather change the sacks, those in which it had been packed in Aheer being worn out. The sacks are made of palm-leaves. Here were lying some hundred large bundles. I am not surprised these simple people wonder what we do with senna, and are the more surprised when I tell them it is for medicine. Medicine they take little of; and then they have no conception of the millions of Christians in Europe, thinking we are so many islanders squatting upon the oases of the watery ocean. The senna leaves, on account of the late rains, are finer and broader than usual: they are very large, and, except the edges, of a dark purple hue. There is a good deal of small wood (stalks of the plant), and here and there a few yellow flowers, besides a quant.i.ty of dust and dirt mixed up with the leaves.
Several detachments of the return Soudan caravan left to-day. Went to see them off. It was amusing to be present at the preparations for departing.
Some just starting, some packing up, others loading, others weighing the camels' burdens, others saluting their friends, all in busy and distracting confusion. Strings of camels were in advance, with their heads towards Berkat. I sighed with regret. I wished to follow . . . .
The camels are tied one after another, held together by strings in their nose, and they are not allowed to graze during the march, like the camels of Arabs. This is an advantage to the traveller, for much time is lost by the camels cropping herbage on the way. The files of camels are twenty and thirty in number, and sometimes these files are double. I imagine in mountainous districts they are untied, otherwise one camel slipping or falling, would draw another after it, and, so the whole line would be thrown in confusion. In the palms noticed two small birds, white bodies, head and wings black. With the exception of the diminutive singing sparrow, and a few crows, these are all the birds I have seen in the oasis. Saw several Aheer Touaricks just arrived, and found them tall, well-made, comparatively fair, and fine-featured; nothing of the Negro character about them. All extremely civil to me; and I certainly like them as well, if not better, than the ordinary run of Ghat Touaricks.
These Aheer Touaricks must be one of the finest races of men in Central Africa.
Went as usual to spend the evening with Haj Ibrahim. Had not sat down many minutes before a thundering knocking was heard at the outer door. An Arab youth called out, ”Who's there?” and ”Don't open,” to the slave that had the charge of the court-yard door. The knocking increased in fury, the tumult of voices without being terrific; and Haj Ibrahim, at last, recognizing the party, and yielding to their violence, said ”Open.” As soon as the door was thrown back, in poured a host of Touaricks, like the opening of a deluging sluice, all belonging to Berka, headed by their acting chief, the redoubtable Giant! Their first object was to abuse roundly the Arab youth who had called out, ”Don't open.” The merchants of Ghadames and Tripoli try to shut out the Touaricks as much as possible all times of the day, and especially just at supper-time, for this is the hour when the Touaricks prowl about for their evening meal, like famished evening wolves, seeking whom and what they can devour. Prowling for food is an absolute necessity with them, for generally they have no food; they bring only a very small quant.i.ty from their native districts, when they leave to spend some weeks at the Souk. This foraging party therefore came in for supper. Haj Ibrahim tried to work up his courage into rage; but it was useless, for his struggling ire was at once choked and quelled by the accents of thunder which The Giant belched out like old aetna. The Giant opened fire upon the trembling merchant, by a.s.serting the safety and tranquillity of the country: ”There are no robbers or free-booters here; you buy and sell, fill your bags with money, and are in peace. Why, then, cannot we eat as the price of our protection?” Resistance being very madness, the supper which Haj Ibrahim had prepared for himself, was brought out to them, the servant crying out, not ”Il pranzo e servito!”
but, ”This is all the supper we have for ourselves!” And like a wise steward, he kept a little back for his lord and master. After unbroken silence, which lasted full ten minutes, when every person seemed to be gasping for breath to speak, and struggling with some terrible inward commotion of the spirit, the supper-hunting Touaricks made a simultaneous move towards the supper-bowl. About nine big brawny fellows attacked the savoury cuscusou, for Haj Ibrahim had the best kind of provisions brought from Tripoli. The dainty merchant told me he could not eat what was made in Ghat. Now, The Giant did not join the onslaught on the merchant's supper, that did not beseem his dignity as heir of the Sheikhdom of the venerable Berka! The chief of the gang, on the principle of delicacy and generosity, left the spoil to his men. The Giant, like Neptune rising to quell the fury of the tempest, sat reclining in dignity and authority, with a serene brow, calmly looking on, and smoking his pipe. Not a word was uttered, not a sound was heard, but the licking up the food, and the smacking of the lips of these uncouth, unbidden, uninvited guests. As soon as the supper was swallowed up, (only a few minutes,) they all arose, The Giant first rising, with unabashed effrontery, and led the way out. In another moment they were gone! and the door was shut. It was like some broken and distempered slumber, and the lamps having nearly burnt out, and all being dim and dark, rendered the illusion complete. The quondam _protege_ of these chiefs was too ill, too much upset, to speak. I bade him good night, and returned home, half-admiring The Giant and his troop, and abusing the foolish parsimony of the merchant, who ought to have thrown a few lumps of flesh to these hungry and wolfish sons of The Desert, and satisfied them at once. One of the party was Hateetah's brother; and Hateetah told me next day that he himself sent them.
_2nd._--Our departure is now finally fixed for to-morrow. The weather is cool, but not so cold as on my arrival. Within the last three weeks it has gradually become warmer, and the spring enlivening warmth will soon be succeeded by summer's burning reign. Took a very pleasant walk round the Governor's palace, and made a sketch of it, which is subjoined.
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