off of three herds of cattle from a village at a few miles’ distance
from Yó, by the Tuarek, which arrived this evening, could have had any
influence upon this course of policy was rather improbable.

_Wednesday, Oct. 15._—I was so happy as to collect a good deal of
information about the country of Shitáti, which we had now entered,
once densely inhabited in large and populous cities, and passed the day
quietly and usefully. We heard, to our great joy, that we were to go on
the next day with the whole expedition.

_Thursday, Oct. 16._—We had scarcely left the place of our encampment
when we fell in with an elephants’ track, apparently leading to the well,
and followed it for a long distance; it was well trodden, and was an
undoubted proof that these huge animals abounded in this wild deserted
region, where man had left scarcely any trace of his presence. Having
proceeded at a swift rate, we crossed, at the distance of about six
miles, a very fine hollow or vale stretching south and north, and capable
of producing everything, and even at that time exhibiting a few vestiges
of human activity and industry in a small field of wheat, irrigated from
those wells called “kháttatír” by the Arabs, which name is given by them
also to the spot irrigated in this way. Its native name, if I am not
mistaken, is “Yakállogo.”

We then came to another hollow, formed like an ancient circus, and having
its soil richly impregnated with natron; it is called Bérendé. After a
short halt here, we continued our march; and Overweg and I, while our men
and camels followed the direct road, turned off towards the south, and
visited another hollow, called “Bóro,” in whose deep bottom a lake is
formed, which, according to the season and to the quantity of water it
contains, like several other water-basins round the lake, may be termed a
fresh or brackish-water lake.

During the last rainy season but very little rain had fallen in Kánem;
and consequently this lake was of rather small extent, being about
one mile and a half round, and limited to the more deeply depressed
southern corner of the basin, while its northern corner, which is rarely
inundated, was thickly wooded. There was formerly much cultivation here,
and a small village stood on the border of the lake. Now all is desolate;
and our Kánemma guide, Músa Bedé, unwilling to make a longer stay in such
a spot, hurried on, ascending the steep eastern slope, which is at least
three hundred feet high. Here we obtained a view over a great extent of
country; but it was all one desolate wilderness, and nothing particular
to be seen, excepting a party of five men watching our movements, and
keeping parallel with us. We therefore returned to our troop and informed
them of the circumstance; and a body of horsemen were sent in pursuit.
We then, about half an hour before noon, crossed another hollow or vale,
called Towáder, with the dry basin of a lake in its southernmost part, on
whose border were several wells; the ground was thickly overgrown with
underwood. Continuing our march, we reached, after noon, a more extensive
and extremely beautiful vale, richly clothed with vegetation, but not in
so wild a state, and not of the same impenetrable character, as many of
those which we had seen; the reason seemed to be, that it was less deep,
being only about one hundred and fifty feet under the higher level.

Here the troop halted during the heat of the day, the groups being
scattered over the whole extent of the hollow; but it was not a fit
spot for a night’s encampment, as well on account of the wild beasts,
as of the danger of a sudden attack from hostile men. Sweet as repose
was here in the cool shade of a luxuriant serrákh or a kúrna, the ground
was full of scorpions; and my bodyguard, Bú-Zéd, was severely stung by
one. Accordingly, when the dhohor had passed by, the order was given for
decamping, and we kept along the vale and ascended the eastern slope,
when, on an entirely open ground almost bare of trees, we chose a place
for our night’s encampment. The Arabs here brought us a young ostrich
which they had caught in the valley; and we had a long unprofitable
conversation with them in endeavouring to obtain their goodwill.

_Friday, Oct. 17._—We started very early, for a long day’s fatiguing
ride; for, notwithstanding all the care I took of myself, I could not
recover from my sickly state, and was extremely sensitive of fatigue.
The country in the beginning of our march was less adorned with trees
than usual; but it became more densely wooded after we had passed the
vale called Asfúra. This hollow, of small extent, and enclosed all around
by steep slopes, is provided with a great number of wells of excellent
water; but its bottom, being in most parts stony, is almost bare of
vegetation, with the exception of here and there a dúm-bush. While the
men made a short halt for taking in a supply of water, I went a little in
advance with Abdallah; but I soon found that he did not know the road at
all, keeping far too much to the south, and I thought it wiser to return
to our people, and march along with them.

The country here offers a great variety in its configuration; and,
instead of an extensive level, as before, hill and dale succeed each
other. Having passed several smaller concavities, we reached a more
considerable valley, called Jená ú Shelúkko, which contained corn, or
rather durra fields, but they were entirely destroyed by the elephants.
Grain had also been cultivated at the foot of the slope; but it had
failed entirely, on account of the scarcity of rain. There were no
vestiges of human habitations.

Our people had begun to make themselves comfortable in this fine valley
for passing the heat of the day, when suddenly orders were given for
continuing our march. The country now became more hilly. Having passed
_en route_ a hollow provided with wells and called Aghó, once one of the
most famous places of Kánem, we made, after noon, a short halt in the
flat dell called Núndul, in which are several kháttatír, or draw-wells,
and stubble-fields, in order to provide ourselves with water, and also
to water our horses. There was a great bustle and confusion, everybody
wanting to get first to the wells, and proceed with the principal troop,
as we were now approaching a hostile territory. My she-camel, which was
a very fine little animal, but rather too heavily laden for such an
expedition, was among the last that arrived; and, starting after the
others, was soon left behind the whole troop; and I endeavoured in vain
to bring her up.

The country here was more level than it had been in the latter part
of our route; and we left on our right only one vale, which is called
Maínasa. Fortunately for me, the whole host made a longer halt at two
o’clock in the afternoon, in one long line, in order to exhort the little
band to valour, and to give them some instructions in case of a conflict
with the enemy. No quarter was to be given, and any one of them who
should lose his horse or camel was to be indemnified for the loss. But
a great deal was proclaimed besides, which, as I was at the very end of
the line, I could not make out. Two horsemen were galloping along the
line and brandishing white banners, such as I had not observed before.
There was a good deal of parade in the whole scene; and at the end of it
several small troops of horsemen galloped out in advance of the line as
“imán,” that is to say, as bound by an oath either to be victorious or to
die.

At length we pursued our course, the line breaking up into small
irregular detachments, as chance or attachment grouped the people
together; but we soon came to another halt, and much conversation ensued,
in consequence of which, three of the Fugábú horsemen were despatched to
the south, to bring up an experienced guide. Having at length resumed our
march through a fine undulating and well-wooded country, we chose about
sunset an open place for our encampment, where we were told we should
rest till the moon had risen. Strict orders were given not to light a
fire, in order that the enemy might not become aware of our approach. But
as soon as it became dark, very large fires were seen to the south-east,
forming one magnificent line of flame; and as it was clear that these
were not common fires for domestic use, but appeared rather to be
beacons, it was conjectured that the enemy had tidings of our coming, and
were calling together their people. An order was therefore immediately
given to proceed; but scarcely were the loads put upon the camels, and
everything ready for the march, when a counter-order was received, that
we were to remain. We then began to make ourselves comfortable, when a
third order was given to load immediately and to pursue the march.

This ordering and countermanding seemed to arise rather from the bad
organization of a band subject to no strict authority, but where every
man of any experience and a little valour had something to say, than with
the intention of misleading a lurking spy; but, whatever the cause, it
was rather trying, and my two men, Bú-Zéd and Ahmed, neither of whom was
very energetic, could scarcely be persuaded to load a second time, while
all the people were getting ready with great expedition, and marched
off as soon as they were ready. We therefore remained behind from the
beginning. Unfortunately the load was so badly adjusted that several
things soon fell down and had to be replaced; and this happening more
than once, the distance between us and the host became so great, that at
last not even the slightest noise could be heard of the troop before us
to direct our course; but having once noticed the direction by the stars,
I was able to guide my servants. To make matters worse, the ground was
covered with high grass, and it was not easy to proceed at a rapid rate.
Trees were very scanty here.

At length the Arabs became aware of my having been left at a great
distance behind, and about midnight made a halt, when I overtook them.
After having lightened my camel, we proceeded with expedition through
the dark night, illuminated only by the distant fires, which gave a
painful idea of the resistance we were to meet with, till after two
o’clock in the morning of the 18th, when we reached a rising ground, and,
dismounting, lay down near our wearied horses to get an hour’s rest.

We then continued our march with great alacrity for an hour, when we
came to a halt on undulating sandy ground thickly covered with bushes.
The horsemen galloped on in advance, while Overweg and I remained with
the train, consisting of from sixty to seventy camels mounted by young
men, and boys not more than ten years old, who were looking forward with
such avidity for prey that they could scarcely be kept back. At length
we began to proceed slowly, but soon came to another halt, as till now
we had not heard a single shot; but when the day dawned, the greedy
multitude could not be kept back any longer, and on we went.

We here obtained a faint view of an irregular valley-formation ahead of
us, adorned with a few palm-trees, which, in the dubious light of the
dawn, gave to the country an interesting and entirely new appearance.
Crossing this valley-plain, we gradually ascended higher ground, and
reached a small deserted village, consisting of large spacious huts. But
though we turned off from it to the north, in order to prevent our little
troop from dispersing to make booty, the best-mounted and most daring of
them started off on their light mehára to see if something might not have
been left to suit them.

Some little cultivation was to be seen around the village; but in general
the country continued to bear the most evident traces of desolation.
At length its dreary aspect became relieved, and we descended into a
regularly formed valley called Gésgi, about five hundred yards broad, and
enclosed between high cliffs of sandstone. This was the first regular
valley-formation which we saw on our journey to Kánem; for as yet all
depressions in the ground presented rather the character of hollows
without a regular shelving or sloping in any direction. This valley,
on the contrary, extending from north to south, was apparently the
occasional channel of a small torrent, and, on account of the moisture
extending over the whole of it, was adorned with several groups of
palm-trees, and in several places with cornfields.

But while this valley presented great attraction to the European
traveller, it was not less attractive to the covetous Arab freebooter;
and all order ceasing in our little troop, the young inexperienced lads
who composed our _cortége_ dispersed in all directions. Some small flocks
of sheep had been observed in the valley; and they were now pursued by
part of our companions, while others ransacked the huts of a small hamlet
situated on the western brow of the vale. It was very fortunate for us
that no natives were lurking hereabouts, as they might have done immense
mischief to our troop, scattered as it was about the country. Overweg
and I were almost left alone, when, after having looked about in vain
for traces of the footsteps of the horsemen who had gone in advance, we
ascended the eastern slope, which was extremely steep and very difficult
for the camels. Gradually our companions, fearing to expose themselves by
staying behind, collected around us, and we proceeded in a south-easterly
direction, when we soon came to another and more favoured valley, called
Hénderí Síggesí, its bottom adorned with a thicker grove of date-trees
and with beautiful cornfields—that is to say, fields of wheat with their
golden stalks waving in the wind—while the high ground, being elevated
above the bottom of the valley about one hundred and twenty feet, was
planted near the brow with fields of millet, which was just ripe, but
not yet reaped. What with the rich vegetation, the steep cliffs, the
yellowish crop, the burning hamlet, and the people endeavouring to make
their escape, it formed a very interesting scene.

Keeping along the western brow, which in some places, where the rock lay
bare, was extremely steep, we observed that several natives, including
even two or three horsemen, had taken refuge in the thickest part of
the date-grove, watching our motions. A small hamlet of straw huts of
a peculiar shape, not unlike those of the Koyám described on a former
occasion, and lying at the very brink of the steep rocky declivity, had
been set on fire. Our wild, lawless companions now began to descend
into the valley at a spot where the slope was more gradual, raising a
war-cry in order to frighten those people who were hid in the grove.
Five good horsemen would have sufficed to overthrow this whole troop of
young unbearded lads, who were snapping their firelocks without being in
general provided with balls. It was very lucky, indeed, that Overweg and
I with our people kept well together in the foremost part of the train,
for the natives, rushing suddenly out from their hiding place upon the
stragglers, laid hold of two camels, with which they immediately made
good their retreat, their young riders, who a moment before had shown
such courage, having betimes jumped off their animals and run away. Our
companions were now full of gesticulations and warlike threats; but
nobody dared to attack the small body of men, and dispute with them their
booty. We soon reached the level on the eastern side of the valley; but
if we had hesitated before what course to pursue, we were now quite
puzzled to find the whereabouts of the horsemen. Wandering thus up and
down without any distinct direction, we of course, as it was not safe for
us to dismount and take a moment’s rest, suffered great fatigue, after a
whole day and night’s journey. Meanwhile the sun had almost reached the
zenith, and I felt extremely weak and exhausted.

At length some of the horsemen were seen, at a great distance beyond a
more shallow dell, driving before them a herd of cattle; and rescued at
length from the dangerous position in which we had been, destitute as we
were of any sufficient protection, we hastened to cross the valley, and
to join our more warlike and experienced friends. Falling in with them,
we went together to a place a little further down this wide flat valley,
where there were a small hamlet and stubble-fields. Here at length I
hoped to get a little rest, and lay down in the scanty shade of a talha;
but unfortunately there was no well here, and after a very short halt
and a consultation, the order was given to proceed. I was scarcely able
to mount my horse again and to follow the troop. The Arabs called this
valley, which was very flat and produced no date-trees, Wády el Ghazál,
but what its real name is I did not learn; it has of course nothing to
do with the celebrated and larger valley of this name. The well was not
far off, in another fine valley, or rather hollow, deeper than Wády el
Ghazál, but much flatter than either Síggesí or Gésgí, and called Msállat
or Amsállat. It was adorned with a wild profusion of mimosa, and in its
deepest part provided with “kháttatír” or draw-wells, irrigating a fine
plantation of cotton, the first we had yet seen in Kánem.

The Arabs had not made a very considerable booty, the Woghda having
received intelligence of their approach and saved what they could. The
whole result of the expedition was fifteen camels, a little more than
three hundred head of cattle, and about fifteen hundred sheep and goats.
The Arabs were for some time in great anxiety about Ghét, and a party of
horsemen who had gone with him to a greater distance; but he joined us
here, driving before him a large flock of sheep. We were busy watering
our horses, and providing ourselves with this necessary element. But
there was not much leisure; for scarcely had we begun to draw water,
when the alarm was given that the Woghda were attacking us, and three
bodies of horsemen were formed in order to protect the train and the
booty. The main body rushed out of the valley on the south-east side,
and drove the enemy back to a considerable distance; but the intention
of encamping on the slope near this well was given up as too dangerous,
and it was decided to go to a greater distance, though the intention of
penetrating to Mʿawó seemed not as yet entirely to be abandoned. It took
us a considerable time to get out of this wooded valley, the Arabs being
afraid of being attacked and losing their booty.

At length, the cattle and flocks having been driven in advance, we
started, and, leaving the vale, ascended elevated rocky ground, from
which, following a south-westerly direction, we descended, a little
before two o’clock in the afternoon, into the narrower eastern part of
a deep and beautiful valley, which here is adorned by a pretty grove of
date-trees, while its western part expands into fine cultivated ground.
Here we made a halt of about half an hour, in order to water the animals
and replenish our skins; for not even here was it thought advisable to
encamp, as it is regarded as a very inauspicious place, this being the
spot where, in 1850, the Kél-owí fell upon the Welád Slimán and almost
exterminated them. After so short a halt we again pursued our march. I
was now so totally exhausted that I was obliged to dismount at short
intervals and lie down for a moment; and once when left alone, it was
only with the utmost exertion that I was able to mount my horse again;
but nevertheless I managed to drag myself along. At length, about sunset,
we chose a place for our encampment on the brow of the slope descending
into a deep valley. Having now been thirty-four hours on horseback with
only short and insufficient intervals, I fell senseless to the ground,
and was considered by Mr. Overweg and our people as about to breathe my
last. But after an hour’s repose I recovered a little, and, having had a
good night’s rest, felt myself much stronger on the following morning, so
that I could even undergo some exertion which was not exactly necessary.

_Monday, Oct. 20._—Descended with our people into the valley when they
went to fetch water. It is called Áláli Ádia, or Jerád, from a small
hamlet lying on the highest ground, and called Áláli. The well was very
rich and plentiful; but no traces of cultivation appeared at the foot
of the date-trees. The slope was rather steep, and about one hundred
and thirty feet high. The Arabs, who had contracted their encampment or
“dowar” within the smallest possible compass, barricading it with their
baggage, as all the empty bags which they had taken with them on the
expedition were now full of corn from the magazines of the enemy, were
not at all at their ease, and seemed not to know exactly what course
to take, whether to penetrate further in advance or to return. Several
Fugábú and people belonging to Hallúf came to pay their respects to
Sheikh Ghét; and a person of considerable authority, called Keghámma,
or rather Keghámma-futébe (Seraskier of the West), the very man of whom
we before had heard so much talk, came also and paid me a visit in my
tent; for, being in a weak state, I had been obliged, when the sun became
oppressive, to pitch my tent, as there was no shade. There being no other
tent in the encampment, I received visits from several parties who wished
to breakfast a little at their ease, and among others from a man called
Kédel Batrám, Hallúf’s brother. Keghámma stated that he was certainly
able to bring us to Kárká; but this was a mere pretence, and he himself
retracted his promise shortly afterwards before the sheikh. Our cherished
object lay still before us, at a considerable distance; but our friend
Ghét thought that he had brought us already far enough to deserve some
more presents, and plainly intimated as much to us through ʿAbdallah.
Fortunately I had a handsome yellow cloth caftan with me, embroidered
with gold, and towards evening, when I had recovered from a severe fit
of fever which had suddenly attacked me in the afternoon, we went to pay
our compliments to the chief, and begged him to accept of it; at the same
time we told him we should be satisfied if we were enabled to visit the
district belonging to the Keghámma. But the situation of the Arabs soon
became more dangerous, and nothing was thought of but to retrace our
steps westward with the greatest possible expedition.

I was lying sleepless in my tent, in a rather weak state, having scarcely
tasted any kind of food for the last few days on account of my feverish
state, when, in the latter part of the night, a great alarm was raised
in the camp, and I heard the Arabs mount their horses and ride about
in several detachments, raising their usual war-cry, “Yá riyáb, yá
riyáb;” but I remained quietly on my mat, and was not even roused from
my lethargical state when I received the intelligence that a numerous
hostile army, consisting of the Woghda, the Médelé, the Shíri, and
the people of the Eastern Keghámma, was advancing against the camp. I
received this news with that indifference with which a sick and exhausted
man regards even the most important events. Neither did I stir when, with
the first dawn of day on the 21st, the enemy having actually arrived
within a short distance, our friends left the camp in order to offer
battle. I heard about ten shots fired, but did not think that the Arabs
would be beaten. Suddenly Overweg, who had saddled his horse at the very
beginning of the alarm, called out anxiously to me that our friends were
defeated, and, mounting his horse, started off at a gallop. My mounted
servant, Bú Zéd, had long taken to his heels; and thus, while Mohammed
was hastily saddling my horse, I flung my bernús over me, and grasping my
pistols and gun, and throwing my double sack over the saddle, I mounted
and started off towards the west, ordering Mohammed to cling fast to my
horse’s tail. It was the very last moment, for at the same time the enemy
began to attack the east side of the camp. All the people had fled, and I
saw only the chief slave of Ghét, who, with great anxiety, entreated me
to take his master’s state sword with me, that it might not fall into
the hands of the enemy.

But I had not gone a great distance when I heard firing close behind me,
and, turning round, saw the Arab horsemen rallying, and with the cry,
“He keléb, keléb,” turn round against the enemy, who had dispersed in
order to collect the spoil. I went on in order to inform Mr. Overweg,
who, together with the Arabs who were mounted on camels, and even several
horsemen, had fled to some distance and posted themselves on a hill.
Assuring him that the danger was over, I returned with him to the camp,
where we were rather surprised to find that not only all our luggage was
gone, but that not even a vestige of my tent was left.

The enemy, attracted only by the English tent and Sheikh Ghét’s baggage,
had scarcely touched the effects of the other people, but considered my
tent as a fair prize and ran away with it. But the Arabs pursuing them,
we got back most of our things. A leathern English bag of mine which
contained some articles of value had been cut open, just, as it seemed,
at the moment when our friends came up with the enemy. Our chief loss
consisted in our cooking utensils and provisions; I also much regretted
the loss of an English Prayer-Book, which had belonged to Mr. Richardson.
Four of the Arabs had been killed, and thirty-four of the enemy. Mr.
Overweg was busily employed in dressing some severe wounds inflicted on
our friends. The Arabs were furious at the insolence, as they called
it, of the enemy who had dared to attack them in their own encampment,
and they swore they would now go and burn down all their hamlets and
their corn. The horsemen actually left, but returned in the course of
the afternoon rather silently, with a sullen face and unfavourable
tidings; and before sunset they were once more obliged to defend their
own encampment against another attack of the energetic natives; they,
however, succeeded in beating them off. Hallúf distinguished himself
greatly by his valour, killing three or four of the enemy with his own
hand.

But notwithstanding this little victory, the forebodings for the night
were very unfavourable, and our friends would certainly have decamped
immediately if they had not been afraid that in the darkness of the night
the greater part might take to their heels, and that a shameful flight
would be followed by great loss of life and property. Accordingly they
determined to remain till the next morning. But an anxious and restless
night it was; for they had received authentic news that a body of from
thirty to forty Wadáy horsemen were to join their enemies that night
and to make a joint and last attack upon them; and they were well aware
that the enemy had only been beaten from want of horses. All the horses
remained saddled, and the whole night they sounded the watchcry; but the
most restless was the renegade Jew ʿAbdallah, who felt convinced that
this would be his last night, and was most anxious to get a razor in
order to shave his head before the hour of death.

_Wednesday, Oct. 22._—The night passed on without the enemy appearing,
and with the dawn of day the sign for decamping was given, when everybody
endeavoured to get in advance of his neighbour. The enemy, as was
positively stated afterwards, arrived there about an hour later; but
seeing that we were gone, did not choose to pursue us. Thus we left the
most interesting part of Kánem behind us, the country once so thickly
studded with large populous and celebrated towns, such as Njímiye,
Agháfi, and all those places which I shall describe in the Appendix from
the account of the expeditions of Edrís Alawóma, with many rich valleys
full of date-trees.

Keeping first in a westerly, and afterwards in a more south-westerly
direction, through a rather uninteresting country, we arrived about
eight o’clock in the morning in a wide vale called Tákulum, full of rich
succulent herbage and fine trees, where, it being supposed that we were
out of danger, it was decided to give the horses and camels a feed after
having watered them. I, for my part, was extremely thankful for getting
a few hours’ rest in the shade of a venerable acacia, near the gentle
slope surrounding the hollow. But just in the greatest heat of the day we
left this pleasant resting-place, near which is the ordinary residence of
the keghámma, in the valley Kárafu, and followed a more north-westerly
direction, ascending gradually from the vale, and entering a well-wooded
district, where all the grass had recently been burnt, or was still
burning; and in one place it was even with some danger that we found
our way through the flames. This burning of the grass, as I have stated
above, seems to be a general practice all over Negroland. Towards evening
the country became quite open, and ahead of us a small range was seen, at
the western foot of which our resting-place was said to be; but it seemed
very distant, and it was quite dark when we made halt in two separate
encampments, not being able to reach the point of destination. Our supper
was very simple indeed; for, having lost all our provisions at the taking
of the camp at Áláli, we were obliged to content ourselves with a few bad
dates, the only thing we were able to obtain from our friend Sheikh Ghét.

_Thursday, Oct. 23._—While our camels and people kept along the direct
road, together with the train and part of the horsemen, Overweg and I,
following Sheikh Ghét and his troop, took a more northerly direction,
and passed the heat of the day in a fine valley. It was certainly one
of the finest vales we had seen in the country, except that it did not
produce date-trees. But the district of Shitáti, which we again had
entered here, seems not to be favourable for that tree, while Shíri and
the neighbourhood of Mawó is very productive in date-trees. Part of the
bottom was laid out in cornfields, irrigated from Kháttatír, near which
some huts were standing, while a larger village, at present deserted, is
situated on the brow of the slope dominating the valley. It is called
Burka-drússo, or Burka-drústo. Here we enjoyed a few hours of tranquil
repose; but with the exception of this our enjoyment was very scanty,
having nothing to breakfast upon but a handful of dates and some water.
But our material wants were inconsiderable in comparison with the
disappointment which we felt, as we clearly saw that all hope of reaching
the Bahar el Ghazál, or even Mʿawó, was to be given up, and the hope of
attaining those districts had been the only reason which had induced us
to join our fate with this band of freebooters. We had spent all the
property that remained to us to enable us to undertake this expedition,
and our reflections therefore were far from pleasant.

When the heat of the day had passed by, the Arabs pursued their march,
and we followed them, re-ascending the higher level and marching over
a pleasant country well adorned with trees and bushes, while we left a
hollow called Núkko on our left, one of the three vales of Shitáti which
bear this name, and further on crossing another one called Arnánko. When
night approached, our companions began to put their horses into a gallop
in order to arrive betimes, while we preferred going on more slowly.

The country here became more undulating, and afterwards even rugged, and
we made our way as well as we could in the dark, stumbling along over
a rugged ground in a north-westerly direction, and were not a little
delighted when at length we saw the fires of the encampment, which
this time had not been pitched on the highest level, but rather in a
hollow not far from the well. Its name is Bír el Hamésh, or Yégil, or,
as it is generally pronounced, Yíggeli. We were the more delighted to
reach it, as we found here, not only all our people and luggage, but
also provisions, and we were nearly famished. Of course, we were most
cheerfully hailed by those of our servants whom, with the remainder of
the Arabs, we had left at the Bír el Kúrna, and who had felt the greatest
anxiety about our safety, on account of the many unfavourable rumours
which had reached them with regard to the proceedings and sufferings of
our party. They had transported the camp from Bír el Kúrna to this place
several days previously, and were looking forward to our return most
anxiously. We immediately attacked a bowl of camel’s milk, and, thus
materially comforted, rested outside our tents enjoying the freshness of
the evening. The camp or dowar was rather narrow, being encumbered by
the booty which had been taken from the enemy; and the people, dreading
lest the enemy might follow them, all huddled closely together, and kept
strict watch. In such circumstances the wailings of the women over the
dead, which sounded through the night, accompanied by loud, mournful
strokes on the great drum, could not fail to make a deep impression.
However, we passed here tranquilly the following day, and enjoyed rest
and repose the more as the weather was very oppressive.

We received here the positive news that the body of Wadáy horsemen who
had come to the assistance of the Woghda, and had caused the Arabs so
much fear and anxiety the day before, had returned to Mʿawó; and a very
curious story was told with regard to them, which at once shows how
highly these horsemen of Wadáy are respected by the Arabs, and the esteem
which they themselves entertain for the latter. Thirty Wadáy horsemen
were said to have arrived with the Woghda in consequence of their
entreaties, and to have followed with them the traces of our friends, the
Woghda representing to them that many of the latter had been killed. Thus
they arrived in the morning when we had just left the camp at Áláli, and
the dust raised by our host was plainly visible in the distance; but when
the Woghda instigated the Wadáy people to go and attack that host, they
wanted to assure themselves how many of the Arabs had fallen in the last
battle, in which thirty-four of the Woghda were said to have been slain,
and when they found only two tombs, the latter told them that in each
there were ten bodies; but the Wadáy people, being anxious to make sure
of the valour of their friends, had the tombs dug up, and found only two
buried in each. Whereupon they stigmatized the Woghda as liars, and felt
little inclined to follow the valiant robbers who had killed so many of
the enemy, while they had lost so few of their own. But this story may
have been adorned by our friends the Welád Slimán, who could not even
deny that, besides a great deal of other booty from their own camp, which
the enemy had succeeded in carrying away, the chief of the Woghda could
pride himself on the red bernús which we had given as a present to Sheikh
Ghét; nay, he could even boast of four horses taken from the Arabs.

_Sunday, Oct. 26._—This and the following day the Arabs were all busy
in writing, or getting letters written, to Kúkawa, as a courier was
to leave. I myself was almost the only person who did not get a note
ready; for I could not muster sufficient energy to write a letter. Had I
been strong enough, I should have had sufficient leisure to make up the
whole journal of my excursion to the eastern parts of Kánem; but I was
quite unable, and the consequence was, that this part of my diary always
remained in a very rough state. Sheikh Ghét, who thought that we were
greatly indebted to him for having seen so much of the country, sent for
a variety of things; but we were only able to comply with very few of his
wishes. On our telling him that we were not at all satisfied with what we
had seen, and that, in order not to waste more time, we had the strongest
wish to return to Kúkawa as soon as possible, he wanted to persuade us
that he himself was to leave for the capital of Bórnu in five or six
days. But we prudently chose to provide for ourselves, and not rely upon
his promise.

_Monday, Oct. 27._—The courier for Kúkawa left in the morning, and in
the evening a party of freebooters made an attack upon the camels of the
Arabs, but, being pursued by the horsemen, whose great merit it is to be
ready for every emergency, they were obliged to leave their booty, and
be contented to escape with their lives. The vale in which the well is
situated is rather more exuberant than is the case generally, and there
were several pools of stagnant water, from which the cattle were watered.
There was even a real jungle, and here and there the den of a ferocious
lion, who did not fail to levy his tribute on the various species of
animal property of our friends, and evinced rather a fancy for giving
some little variety to his meals; for a horse, a camel, and a bullock
became his prey.

_Tuesday, Oct. 28._—Seeing that there was a caravan of people forming
to go to Kúkawa, while the Arabs intended once more to return to
Burka-drússo, we at once went to the chief to inform him that we had made
up our minds to go with the caravan. A chief of the Haddáda, or rather
Búngo, arrived with offerings of peace on the part of the Shíri, and
came to see us, together with the chief mentioned above, Kédel Batrám
who was the father-in-law of the khalífa of Mʿawó; Kóbber, or rather the
head man of the Kóbber, and other great men of the Fugábú; and I amused
them with my musical box. Overweg and I, disappointed in our expectations
of penetrating further eastward, prepared for our return journey, and
I bought a small skin of tolerable dates for half a túrkedí; while to
ʿAbdallah, who had been our mediator with the chief, I made a present of
a jeríd, in order not to remain his debtor.

All this time I felt very unwell, which I attribute principally to the
great changes of atmosphere, the nights being cool and the days very warm.

_Friday, Oct. 31._—Though we were determined to return to Kúkawa, we
had yet once more to go eastward. The Arabs removed their encampment
to Arnánko, the hollow which we passed on our way from Burka-drússo to
Yégil. There had been a great deal of uncertainty and dispute amongst
them with reference to the place which they were to choose for their
encampment; but though, on the following day, very unfavourable news was
brought with regard to the security of the road to Bórnu, the departure
of the caravan nevertheless remained fixed for the 2nd November; for in
the morning one of the Welád Slimán arrived from Kúkawa, accompanied by
two Bórnu horsemen, bringing letters from the vizier, requesting the
Arabs, in the most urgent terms, to remove their encampment without delay
to Késkawa, on the shore of the lake, whither he would not fail to send
the whole remainder of their tribe who at that time were residing in
Kúkawa; for he had positive news, he assured them, that the Tuarek were
meditating another expedition against them on a large scale.

The report seemed not without foundation; for the three messengers had
actually met, on their road between Bárrowa and Ngégimi, a party of ten
Tuarek, three on foot, and the rest on horseback, and had only escaped
by retreating into the swamps formed by the lake. This news, of course,
spread considerable anxiety amongst the Arabs, who were still more
harassed the same day by information received to the effect that a party
of fifteen Wadáy horsemen were lying in ambush in a neighbouring valley;
and a body of horsemen were accordingly sent out to scour the country,
but returned without having seen anybody.

_Sunday, Nov. 2._—The day of our departure from Kánem at length arrived.
Sorry as we were to leave the eastern shore of the lake unexplored, we
convinced ourselves that the character of our mission did not allow us to
risk our fate any longer by accompanying these freebooters. The camels
we had taken with us on this expedition were so worn out that they were
unable to carry even the little luggage we had left, and Sheikh Ghét
made us a present of two camels, which, however, only proved sufficient
for the short journey to Kúkawa; for the one fell a few paces from the
northern gate on reaching the town, and the other a short distance from
the southern gate on leaving it again on our expedition to Músgu.

The caravan with which we were to proceed was numerous; but the whole of
the people were Kánembú, who carried their little luggage on pack-oxen
and a few camels, while, besides ourselves, there were only two horsemen.
But there were some respectable people among them, and even some women
richly adorned with beads, and, with their fine regular features and
slender forms, forming a strong contrast to the ugly physiognomy and
square forms of the Bórnu females. The difference between the Bórnu
and Kánembú is remarkable, although it is difficult to account for by
historical deduction.

We were so fortunate as to perform our home-journey without any serious
accident, although we had some slight alarms. The first of these occurred
when we approached the town of Berí, and found all the inhabitants
drawn up in battle-array, at a narrow passage some distance from the
town; and at the first moment there was considerable alarm on both
sides: but we soon learned that they had taken us for Tuarek, of whom a
numerous freebooting party, consisting of two hundred camels and about
as many horses, had a short time previously carried away all the cattle
belonging to the place. The state of the country was so insecure that the
inhabitants would not allow Mr. Overweg to stay here, notwithstanding
his earnest protestations, so that he was obliged to make up his mind
to proceed with the caravan, although he was sensible of the danger
connected with such an undertaking; and certainly, if we had met with a
tolerably strong party of the Tuarek, our companions would have afforded
us very little protection. We were so fortunate, however, as to pass
through this infested track just at the time when an expedition, laden
with booty, had returned homewards.

We, however, met more than forty Búdduma half a day’s journey beyond
Ngégimi, armed with spears and shields, and clad in nothing but their
leather apron. They had been occupied in preparing salt from the roots
of the siwák or _Capparis sodata_; and when they saw the first part of
our caravan coming through the thick forest, they commenced an attack,
so that Overweg and I were obliged to fire a few random shots over their
heads, when, seeing that we were stronger than they had supposed, and
recognizing some friends among the Kánembú, they allowed us to pass
unmolested. But our whole march from Ngégimi to Bárrowa, through the
thick underwood with which the shores of the lake are here overgrown,
resembled rather a flight than anything else.

On the 10th we reached the komádugu; and after some lively negotiation
with the governor or shitíma, who resides in the town of Yó, I and my
companion were allowed to cross the river the same afternoon; for it
has become the custom with the rulers of Bórnu to use the river as a
sort of political quarantine, a proceeding which of course they can only
adopt as long as the river is full. During the greater part of the year
everybody can pass at pleasure. Even after we had crossed, we were not
allowed to continue our journey to the capital, before the messenger,
who had been sent there to announce our arrival, had returned with the
express permission that we might go on. The shores round the komádugu
were greatly changed, the river being now at its highest. Extensive
patches were cultivated with wheat, being regularly laid out in small
quadrangular beds of from four to five feet in diameter, which were
watered morning and evening from the river by means of buckets and
channels.

We reached Kúkawa on the 14th, having met on the road a party of about
fifty Welád Slimán, who were proceeding to join their companions in
Kánem. We were well received by our host, the vizier of Bórnu. We had
already heard from the governor of Yó, that the sheikh and his vizier
were about to leave in a few days on an expedition; and, being desirous
of employing every means of becoming acquainted with new regions of this
continent, we could not but avail ourselves of this opportunity, however
difficult it was for us, owing to our entire want of means, to make the
necessary preparations for another campaign, and although the destination
of the expedition was not quite certain.

CHAPTER XLII.

WARLIKE PREPARATIONS AGAINST MÁNDARÁ.

_Tuesday, Nov. 25._—Ten days after having returned to our headquarters,
from the wearisome journey to Kánem, I left Kúkawa again, in order to
join a new warlike expedition. The sheikh and his vizier, with the chief
part of the army, had set out already, the previous Saturday. The route
had not yet been determined upon—it was, at least, not generally known;
but Wándalá, or, as the Kanúri call it, Mándará was mentioned as the
direct object of the march, in order to enforce obedience from the prince
of that small country, who, protected by its mountains, had behaved in a
refractory manner. The chief motive of the enterprise, however, consisted
in the circumstance of the coffers and slave-rooms of the great men being
empty; and, a new supply being wanted, from whence to obtain it was a
question of minor importance. There was just then much talk about a final
rupture between ʿAbd eʾ Rahmán and the vizier, the former having intimate
relations with the prince of Mándará; and it was for that reason that Mr.
Overweg had at first thought it better to remain behind.

My means were scanty in the extreme, and did not allow me to have a
mounted servant, my camp-followers consisting merely of the same naga
or “jíge,” as the Kanúri call the female camel, which had proved of the
highest value to me on the journey to Kánem, and of two very indifferent
Fezzáni lads, weak in mind and body,—Mohammed ben Habíb and Mohammed ben
Ahmed. The weather being temperate, and my spirits excellent, I followed
cheerfully the Ngórnu road, with which I was well acquainted. The country
looked much more interesting now than three months before, on my return
from Ádamáwa. Then all was dry and barren, scarcely a single fresh blade
had started from the ground, and I was obliged to draw with immense
exertion my supply of water from a deep well near Kaine; now the ground
was covered with young herbs, the trees were in foliage, and, near the
very place of Kaine where the sheikh with his camp-followers had rested
the first night, a large lake had been formed by the rains. This lake,
which is surrounded by shady trees, retains its water until two or three
months after the rainy season, when it begins gradually to dry up. I
was therefore enabled to water my horse without any further trouble,
after which I followed my people, who were in advance. Here I met with
my friend Háj Edrís and Shitíma Makarémma, who were just returning from
the camp. They told me that the sheikh had encamped that day at Kúkia,
beyond Ngórnu. I therefore made a short halt at noon on this side of that
town, in order to reach the camp during the evening without staying in
the place; for the city, on all sides, at about an hour’s distance, is
almost entirely surrounded by fields devoid of trees. After I had enjoyed
about an hour’s rest, Overweg arrived with the disagreeable tidings that
his camel, soon after leaving the gate, had fallen, and was unable to
get up again even after the luggage had been removed. He therefore sent
his servant Ibrahím in advance, in order to procure another camel from
the vizier, while he remained with me. When we set out again we took
the direct route to the camp, the road being enlivened by horsemen,
camels, and pedestrians. The country on this side was only cultivated in
some places; we perceived, however, two miles behind Ngórnu a carefully
kept cotton-plantation, and the fields near the village of Kúkia were
well cultivated. The whole of this fertile plain became a prey to the
inundations of the Tsád in the year 1854, caused by a sinking of the
ground, when the whole country was changed in the most marvellous way.
Here we obtained a first view of the camp with its tents; but it made
no remarkable impression upon me, being still in an unfinished state,
including only those people who were in the most intimate connection with
the court.

The “ngáufate” having its fixed arrangements, our place was assigned near
the tents of Lamíno, at some distance east from those of Háj Beshír. As
the greater part of the courtiers were taking at least a portion of their
harím with them to the “kerígu,” a simple tent was not sufficient for
them; but by means of curtains made of striped cotton-stuff, a certain
space is encompassed in order to insure greater privacy. For the sheikh
and the vizier, as long as we remained in the Bórnu territories, at every
new encampment an enclosure of matting was erected; for it is not the
custom, as has been asserted, to separate the royal camp from that of the
rest, at least not on expeditions into a hostile country, nor has it been
so in former times. The common soldiers had no further protection, except
some light and small huts with high gables, which some of them had built
with the tall stalks of the Indian corn, which lay in great abundance on
the stubble-fields.

But I shall first say a few words about our friend Lamíno, whom I have
already occasionally mentioned, and with whom on this expedition we
came into closer contact. This man furnishes an example how in this
country, notwithstanding the immense difference of civilization, in
reality matters take the same course as in Europe, where notorious
rogues and sharpers often become the best police functionaries. Lamíno,
originally “el Amín,” had formerly been a much-dreaded highway-robber,
but had now become _chef de police_, or, as the Háusa people would
say, “serkí-n-karfi,” being, in consequence of his hard-heartedness
and total want of the gentler feelings, of the greatest importance to
the vizier, whose mild character did not allow him personally to adopt
severe measures. Imprisoning people and ordering them to be whipped
constituted one of Lamíno’s chief pleasures. He could, however, at
times be very gentle and amiable; and there was nothing which afforded
greater amusement to my companion and me than to hear him talk in the
most sentimental manner of the favourite object of his affections, a
woman whom he carried with him on this expedition. It caused us also
great delight to witness the terror he felt at our comparing the shape
of the earth to an ostrich’s egg; for he seemed to be quite at a loss to
understand how he should be able to preserve his balance on such a globe,
with his great heaviness and clumsiness.

_Wednesday, Nov. 26._—Early in the morning the signal for the decampment
of the army was given in front of the tent of the sheikh, by the sound
of the great drum; and in broad battle-array (“báta”) the army with its
host of cavalry moved onwards over the plain, which was covered with tall
reeds, and showed only here and there a few signs of cultivation. This
time I still remained with the camels and the train-oxen, which, mixed
with pedestrians and some single horsemen in long unbounded lines, kept
along the road, while single troops of Kánembú spearmen, in their light
fanciful garments, mostly consisting of a small apron of rags, or a hide
tied round the loins, and armed with their light wooden shields, passed
the luggage-train, shouting out in their wild native manner. Thus, after
a march of about eleven miles, we reached the cotton-fields of Yédi, a
town of considerable magnitude, surrounded by a clay wall in a state
of good repair. We passed it on a rising ground to our left, while the
country on the north-western side spread out in one continuous sandy
plain, dotted here and there by a few dúm-bushes (ngílle) and by a few
single dúm-palms. On this side of the town, at about a quarter of an
hour’s distance, after the autumnal rains, a large pond is formed, on
the borders of which gardens of onions are planted by the inhabitants of
Yédi, and irrigated with the aid of khattatír.

The sun was intensely hot; and the heat at noon was very great. Strange
to say, during all this time I neglected to make thermometrical
observations; and as far as I am aware Overweg did not pay more attention
to this subject than myself: but the reason of this neglect was, that
we usually started early in the morning, and seldom had shade in the
neighbourhood of our tents at noon; for these, which by this time were
so much worn that every object inside cast a shadow as well as outside,
could give us, of course, no measure for the temperature of the air. Our
protector Lamíno afterwards sent us an excellent dish of rice boiled
in milk and covered with bread and honey. The rice was of a whiteness
unusual in this country. Having received likewise a dish of bread and
honey from the vizier, we thought it our duty to pay him a visit, and
through his mediation to the sheikh also. The sheikh had alighted at
his spacious clay mansion outside the walls of the city; and he was just
occupied with granting a grand reception to the townspeople.

After the usual exchange of compliments, our discourse turned upon
Captain Denham (Ráís Khalíl), who had once taken the same road in
conjunction with Kashélla Bárka Ghaná, and with Bú-Khalúm. On this
occasion also the manner in which old Mʿallem Shádeli or Chádeli, then
a simple fáki, who was present, behaved towards that Christian was
mentioned. We related to them what a faithful description Major Denham
had given, in the narrative of his adventures, of the hostile disposition
of the fáki, when the old mʿallem, who was now one of the grandees of
the empire, in order to revenge himself upon Major Denham and ourselves,
described to the assembly, with sundry sarcastic hints, how he had seen
the Major, after his shameful defeat at Musfáya, half dead and stripped
of his clothes, and exhibiting to uninitiated eyes all the insignia which
mark the difference between the faithful and unfaithful. The whole spirit
in which the story was told bore evidence of the enlightened character
and the tolerance of these gentlemen.

All the people behaved very friendly; and the sheikh sent us in the
evening two sheep, a load of “ngáberí” or sorghum, besides two dishes
of prepared food. We were also entertained by a young musician, who had
accompanied Mr. Overweg during his voyage on the Tsád; and in this way
there was no end of feasting. Nor was there any want of intellectual
food, the inquisitive and restless vizier being desirous of learning
from us as much as possible on this expedition, where he enjoyed plenty
of leisure. Here we remained also the following day, as some more
detachments were to join the army.[82]

_Friday, Nov. 28._—The ngáufate advanced as far as the town of Márte. Not
far from Yédi there extends in a southerly direction, a very expansive
plain devoid of any sort of vegetation except some mimosas. This is the
beginning of the “fírki” ground, which comprises so large a space in
the southern regions of Bórnu, and of which I have repeatedly spoken on
former occasions; but the plantation of the _Holcus cernuus_, called
“másakwá” or “mósogá” (which is limited to this peculiar territory), had
not turned out well this year, in consequence of the scarcity of rain. I
had marched in advance with my camel, when the vizier got sight of me,
and begged me to come to the sheikh. After having saluted me in the most
friendly way, he asked me why I always wore my pistols in my belt round
the waist, instead of fixing them at the saddle-bow; but he praised my
foresight when I appealed to the example of Ráís Khalíl, who, when thrown
from his horse, on his unlucky expedition to Mándará, remained without a
weapon in his hand. However, he was of opinion that at present, with such
a large army, no danger of this kind was to be feared. He showed me also,
in the most flattering manner, that he had imitated my example of having
my chronometer continually girded around my waist; and he assured me that
he found it very convenient.

The troop was here proceeding in stately order, and a broad line of
battle deployed, one officer, with the title of jérma, riding in advance,
and being followed by the four fan-bearers of the sheikh, in full array;
but a little further on, a small tract of underwood compelled them to
change their order of march, and proceed in one long line. The vizier
was kind enough to send me a message to the effect that I had better get
in front, so as not to be in the midst of the confusion. The place of
encampment was chosen on the north-west side of the town of Márte; and
when the sheikh had dismounted, in order to take possession of the mat
house which had been prepared for him, the whole host of cavalry galloped
up in the fiercest manner, before I was able to get out of their way, so
that I received a very severe shock from a horseman, who struck against
me with great violence.

In the afternoon my friend and companion on my journey to Ádamáwa,
Kashélla Bíllama, called on me; and we mounted on horseback, in order
to pay a visit to the market, which is held every Friday outside the
western gate of the town, where an open area surrounded by several wells
spreads out. But the market, at least that day, was very insignificant:
it was not furnished with a single shed or stall, and not a single
article of manufacture was exposed, Negro millet, butter, and wooden
bowls being almost the only articles offered for sale; and sellers, as
well as buyers, were very few in number. The town contains about four
thousand inhabitants, and, taking into account the strategical art of
this country, possesses proper defences, the clay wall being in a good
state of repair, and having a gate on each side excepting the side of
the market, where there are two. Towards the east there is a little
cultivated ground, and on the north a small suburb, consisting of large,
conical, thatched huts, where, besides Kanúri, several Fúlbe or Felláta
families are living. The interior of the town consists of narrow lanes;
and most of the houses are clay buildings. There was nothing interesting
to be seen; but I was agreeably surprised when my companion, who was a
native of this place, took me to pay my compliments to his mother, who
kept a small shed, or rather, as we should say, a shop, in the little
market-place inside the town. It was certainly a trait of a good-natured
and friendly disposition.

We remained here the following day; but our stay was not at all pleasant,
there being very little shade near the encampment, while our tents were
so worn that they scarcely afforded any protection against the sun. Owing
to the smallness of my means, I had been obliged to leave my large tent
in Kúkawa.

_Sunday, Nov. 30._—The following morning I was obliged to remain behind
the army a considerable time, in order to allow the air to acquire a
more genial temperature. I enjoyed the more the beautiful morning,
although the country did not possess many attractions. Here, also, it
exhibited that black boggy soil, called “fírki,” which is peculiar to
the southern parts of Bórnu, though near the village of Little Márte,
or “Márte ghaná,” some slight variation was seen, in a crop of Indian
corn or “holcus” still standing in the fields; the ears, however, were
quickly plucked off by the undisciplined army. Further on I reached a
group of villages ornamented by a cluster of beautiful tamarind-trees,
and here lay down awhile to enjoy the delicious shade. Numbers of people
were resting here and there, in order to partake of the hospitality of
the villagers; for, to the ruin of the country there is no commissariat
in these armies to provide for the wants of the private individual, and
every one must supply himself with food in the best manner he can.

Our march, however, was very short, the encampment having been chosen on
the west side of the town of Alá. This town also is of some importance,
and surrounded by a wall in good repair, with two gates on the north and
west sides and only one on the south and east. The interior is enlivened
by large trees, consisting of chédia (elastic gum), and kúrna-trees,
while the huts are remarkable for their high conical roof, the thatch
of which, in a great many instances, is interlaced by the clasps of the
_Cucurbita lagenaria_, the whole looking very cheerful. The sheikh having
requested me repeatedly to give my compass up to him, as he imagined
it would be sufficient for one of us to possess such an instrument, I
thought it prudent to offer him my musical box as a present, remarking
that I would willingly give away such articles, but not scientific
instruments. Several hares had been caught in the course of the day;
and in the evening we had some of them very palatably dressed by the
experienced female slave of Lamíno.

_Monday, Dec. 1._—Soon after starting, early in the morning we had to
traverse some underwood, which caused a great rush and much confusion
among the undisciplined army, so that two or three horsemen were
seriously injured. On such occasions, as well as in the thick covert of
the forest, I had a full opportunity of testing the valuable properties
of the Arab stirrups, which protect the whole leg, and, if skilfully
managed, keep every obtruder at a respectful distance; indeed I am almost
sure that if, on these my African wanderings, I had made use of English
stirrups I should have lost both my legs. Our way afterwards led over
monotonous fírki ground, where we were cheered by the sight of some fine
crops of sorghum. Detached hamlets were seen in every direction, even
where the country did not present any traces of cultivation; but with
the exception of the Shúwa villages, this province does not contain
many small hamlets, the population being concentrated in larger places.
Underwood succeeded to the fírki ground, and extended to the very walls
of the large town of Díkowa.

The sight of this town, with its walls over-towered by the regularly
shaped crowns of magnificent fig-trees, was very imposing. The western
wall, along which our road lay, was covered with women and children,
and we met a numerous procession of females in their best attire, who
were going to salute their sovereign upon his arrival at the encampment;
and coming from the capital, which is distinguished by the ugliness of
its female inhabitants, I was agreeably surprised at their superior
countenance and figure. But though the observer might be gratified with
the personal appearance of the natives, their industry was questionable;
for only a small tract of cultivated ground was to be seen on this side
of the town, girt by a forest of mighty trees.

The encampment, or “ngáufate,” began to form close to the southern
wall of the town, amidst sandy ground free from trees, and completely
surrounded by a thick covert. Although it was December, the sun was
very powerful; and, until the camels arrived, I sat down in the shade
of a “bíto,” or _Balanites_, while the encampment was spreading out in
all directions, and approached the edge of the covert. I then gave up
my shady place to Kashélla Játo, an officer of the musketeers, who, in
acknowledgment, offered me a clear piece of delicious gum, just taken
from the tree and full of sweet fluid; in which state it is certainly a
delicacy, and is so esteemed here as well as in Western Negroland. The
encampment springing up gradually from the ground, with its variety of
light dwellings built only for the moment—the multifarious appearance
of armed people—the number of horses of all colours, some of the most
exquisite beauty—the uninterrupted train of beasts of burden, camels, and
pack-oxen, laden with the tents, furniture, and provisions, and mounted
by the wives and concubines of the different chiefs, well dressed and
veiled,—altogether presented a most interesting picture; for now almost
the whole host or “kebú,” had collected, and twenty thousand men, with
ten thousand horses, and at least as many beasts of burden, were no doubt
assembled on this spot. At length our two tents also were pitched, and
we could make ourselves as comfortable as the scanty shade which they
afforded allowed us.

In the evening, our conversation with the vizier turning upon the means
which remained for Bórnu to attain once more to her former greatness,
these devastating expeditions and slave-hunts fell under discussion;
and I took the liberty to indicate, in opposition to such a system, the
necessity of a well-established government, with a strong military force
capable of extending their dominion. I also called the attention of the
vizier to the point, that, as they could never rely upon the Turks, who
might easily cut off all supplies of foreign merchandize, it was greatly
to their interest to keep open to themselves that large river which
passed a short distance to the south of their dominions, and which would
enable them to supply themselves with every kind of European manufacture
at a much cheaper rate than they were able to obtain them by the northern
route. He did not hesitate to throw the whole blame upon the former
sultans; but those poor men, when they possessed the dominion of the
Kwána tribe, probably had no idea that the river which ran through their
territory joined the sea; and even if they had, the relation between
Islam and Christianity at that period was of so hostile a character,
that, for the very reason that this stream might open to the Christians
a more easy access to their country, they shunned any nearer connection
with it as dangerous. However, under the present entirely altered state
of affairs, there is no question that an energetic native chief, basing
his power on a supply of European merchandize, as facilitated by the
river Bénuwé, might easily dominate a great part of Central Africa; but
energy is just the very thing these people are wanting in.

From this point of our discourse there was an easy transition to that
of the abolition of slavery; and here my late lamented friend Mr.
Overweg made a most eloquent speech on this important question. The
vizier could not bring forward any other argument in his defence, than
that the slave-trade furnished them with the means of buying muskets;
and, lamentable as it is, this is certainly the correct view of the
subject, for even on the west coast the slave-trade originated in the
cupidity of the natives in purchasing the arms of Europeans. Such is the
history of civilization! If the poor natives of Africa had never become
acquainted with this destructive implement of European ingenuity, the
slave-trade would never have reached those gigantic proportions which it
has attained. For at first the natives of Africa wanted firearms as the
surest means of securing their independence of, and superiority over,
their neighbours; but in the further course of affairs, these instruments
of destruction became necessary, because they enabled them to hunt
down less favoured tribes, and, with a supply of slaves so obtained,
to procure for themselves those luxuries of European civilization with
which they had likewise become acquainted. This is the great debt which
the European owes to the poor African, that, after having caused, or at
least increased, this nefarious system on his first bringing the natives
of those regions into contact with his state of civilization, which has
had scarcely any but a demoralizing effect, he ought now also to make
them acquainted with the beneficial effects of that state of society.
Entering, therefore, into the views of our hosts, I told them that
their country produced many other things which they might exchange for
firearms, without being forced to lay waste the whole of the neighbouring
countries, and to bring misery and distress upon so many thousands.

I informed them of the last negotiations of Her Britannic Majesty’s
messengers with the King of Dahomé, when our friend, listening with
the greatest interest to the account of these noble endeavours of Her
Majesty’s Government, which he could not but admire, declared, in
the most distinct manner, that, if the British Government were able
to furnish them with a thousand muskets and four cannons, they would
be willing to subscribe any obligatory article for abolishing the
slave-trade in their country—of course not including, all at once,
domestic slavery; for such a measure would scarcely be feasible in a
country where all the relations of domestic life are based upon this
system. But the abolition of the foreign slave-trade would be the
beginning of a better system. However, I told them that, supposing
Government were to entertain such a proposal, the first thing for them
to do was to open themselves a road to the river Bénuwé, as it would
be difficult, not only with respect to the state of the country to be
traversed, but also on account of the suspicions of the Turks, to provide
them with such a military store by way of the desert. But at present this
whole question has been superseded; the vizier himself has succumbed,
and his master, the Sheikh ʿOmár, although he has been fortunate enough
once more to usurp the sovereign authority, seems scarcely sufficient to
hold out any guarantee of the stability of his dynasty. Moreover, the
slave-trade at present is, in fact, abolished on the north coast; and
this circumstance must eventually exercise a great influence over the
destinies of Bórnu, on account of its central situation, especially if at
length a regular intercourse be established on the river Bénuwé.

It was our lot to remain here several days; for while the Kanúri people,
who were expected to join the expedition, had already assembled in
sufficient numbers, only a very small portion of the indigenous Arab or
Shúwa population had as yet come up; for almost all of them live in the
south-eastern parts of the country, where they have taken possession of
the deserted seats of former tribes, which were annihilated or weakened
in the relentless wars between Islamism and Paganism. On the first day of
our arrival, our encampment was very comfortable; but every day that we
stayed here it became more confined, owing principally to the numerous
cavalry of these Arab tribes, almost all of whom are mounted; and many a
newcomer was seen hurrying about without being able to find a spot to lie
down, or to meet with friends to treat him. I myself had to entertain a
respectable man among these Shúwa, of the name of Háj Hamadán, belonging
to the tribe of the Hasúnna.

This man, who generally had his settlement far to the east, in the Wady
Guskáb, had come some time previously to Logón in order to pay a visit to
some relations of his, and had now joined this expedition. But one must
be very careful with these Shúwa; for, to use a common expression, if you
give them an inch, they are wont to take an ell. But for their Jewish
character, I should have liked to enter into more intimate relations with
them than I actually did.

Their emigration into these regions, at least several centuries ago,
is certainly not without interest; and, as I have already had occasion
to observe in another place, they preserve the characteristic type
of their race very distinctly—a middle-sized, slender figure (which,
however, is apt to become fuller as they advance in years), small
pleasing features, and a dark olive complexion. Their dialect is very
peculiar; and while it lays claim to a far greater purity than belongs
to the dialects of the coast, by the profusion of vowels which it has
preserved, its character is deteriorated, and becomes nearly ridiculous,
by the continued repetition and insertion of certain words. A Shúwa is
not able to say three words without inserting his favourite term “kúch,
kúch,” which corresponds to the English word “thorough,” but which is not
Arabic at all. When they omit the word “kúch,” they make use of another
term, “bérketek,” “your worship,” which at once bears testimony to the
servile and degraded position which they occupy in Negroland, although in
Bórnu they are still treated with some indulgence and lenity, especially
since the time when Mohammed Tiráb, the father of the present vizier,
who belonged to the tribe of the Sálamát, attained the highest degree of
power and influence in the country. In Wádáy again, even at the present
time, they are treated very badly.

Of Kanúri people, besides a few smaller bodies of troops, only two
officers, or kashéllas, ʿAlí Marghí and Jérma, were wanting. All the
officers and bodies of troops on this side of the komádugu of Bórnu,
the so-called Yeou, were collected together, the only exception being
Kashélla Mánzo, my hospitable host in Zurríkulo, whose presence at his
post was required on account of the Tuarek; for, as regards the officers
and chiefs of the provinces on the other side of the komádugu, nobody is
required to take part in these expeditions of the sheikh, every officer
remaining at his post, except when his master enters upon a war in his
own quarters.

While the encampment itself presented considerable interest, as being
the temporary abode of so many people, the town of Díkowa, near which
we were encamped, seemed well deserving some attention, as having been
repeatedly the residence of the rulers of the country, and being still
one of the largest towns in the kingdom. I therefore paid a visit to it
in the afternoon of the second day of our stay, being accompanied by my
friend Bíllama. We entered the town by the western gate; and I saw that
the walls were about thirty feet high, and terraced on the inside like
those of the capital, and of considerable breadth at the base: they were
in a state of good repair. I was struck by the height and round shape of
the huts, which entirely wanted the characteristic top, or, as the Kanúri
people call it, kógi ngímbe, and were of the same kind as I had observed
in the other towns of this southern province. Every hut had its little
courtyard, in some of which vegetation was seen, mostly karás.

The further we proceeded, the more I was pleased with the general
appearance of the town, the exterior of which had made a favourable
impression upon me on our first arrival. Large, beautiful, wide-spreading
fig-trees, ngábore, chédia or elastic gum-trees, and kórna-trees, spread
their shade all around, and two or three isolated papaw-trees, or as
the Kanúri call them, bambús-másarbe, with their remarkable feathery
crowns and their smooth virgin-like stems, formed a lively contrast to
the broad-leafed canopy of the other trees, while the hedges and fences
of the courtyards were partly enlivened by a luxurious creeper called
“dagdágel” by the natives. The real nucleus of the town seemed to consist
entirely of clay houses.

After a very pleasant ride, we reached the house of the “maínta,” or
governor, who still enjoys a certain degree of independence. The chief
ornament of the place in front of his house was the most splendid
caoutchouc-tree I have ever seen; indeed I can scarcely imagine that the
diameter of its crown, which was so regularly and symmetrically shaped
that it appeared as if effected by art, measured less than from seventy
to eighty feet. It really formed a beautiful fáge, or, as the Háusa
people call it, íchenbatú, or open council-hall, such as are common in
these places; but at present no political business of any importance
was transacted here, and it formed a favourite lounge for idle people,
amongst whom there was a troop of musicians, playing lustily upon their
instruments to console the petty chief for the loss of his former power,
which had dwindled away to a mere shadow. I would gladly have paid him
a visit; but, poor as I was at the time, and without a single article
worthy of acceptance, I was rather glad that I was under no obligation to
him. The interruption in the daily course of life of the inhabitants, by
the presence of the army, was the more to be lamented, as it prevented
me from becoming an eyewitness to the chief industry of the natives,
which consists in weaving, and manufacturing into shirts, the cotton
which they grow; for they are almost exclusively cotton-growers, and
have very little corn. But, although they are able to produce a fine
sort of texture, they are very badly off for dyeing, and in this respect
are far outstripped by the inhabitants of Ujé and Mákari. Instead of
the beating of shirts, which forms so pleasant a sound in many other
industrial towns of Negroland, there was nothing to be heard but the
sound which proceeded from the powder-mill, if I may be allowed to give
this grand name to a yard in which eight slaves were employed in pounding
powder in large wooden mortars; for this is the way in which powder is
prepared in Negroland, and during my stay in Bagírmi every time I had
my coffee pounded (as I did not possess a coffee-mill), I excited the
suspicion that I was preparing powder. Of course the presence of the army
was the reason why so little activity was to be seen at present, and
the little market, or durríya, which is held in the afternoon, was very
badly attended; but the size and populousness of the town made such an
impression upon me, that I thought myself justified in rating the number
of inhabitants at about twenty-five thousand.

Altogether I was so much pleased with the character of the place, that on
expressing my satisfaction to one of the inhabitants who came to salute
my companion, with the words, “Átema bílla ngílla” (“This is a fine
town”), he replied, with conscious pride, “Áte bílla déka gení; áte bílla
maíwa” (“This is not a country town; this is a royal residence”). We
reached the gate on the north-west side of the town, just at the moment
when ʿAbd eʾ Rahmán, the eldest brother of the Sheikh ʿOmár, arrived with
a party of horsemen. What his business was I do not know; but before
the expedition left the town, there had been a great many unfavourable
rumours concerning his ambitious designs, and the malcontents expected
that he would avail himself of this opportunity for striking a blow at
the vizier, in order to prevent the expedition from proceeding against
Mándará, as he himself was supposed to be on friendly terms with the
chief of that country. But whatever may have been his intentions, he
found his rival still too strong; and, after a friendly parting from his
brother, he retraced his steps.

The view over the encampment, which presented itself when from the north
I turned to the south-west side of the town, was extremely interesting;
and I kept along the higher ground formed by the rubbish which had
accumulated at the foot of the wall. Tents of every description and
size—light sheds constructed with the long stalks of Indian corn,
supported by four poles, and connected lightly at the top and forming
high-topped gables—horses and men, all in the greatest confusion,
presented a busy scene of animated life; but the place where our tents
were pitched had become so confined, that I was glad to avail myself
of any opportunity which presented itself of roving about in the
neighbourhood.

The most attractive place was the komádugu, or watercourse, which passes
at some distance to the south of the town, and is distinguished by the
special name of Yálowe. It was a very charming spot, winding along
through a rich and varied forest, bordered by an uninterrupted line of
the finest fig-trees, principally of the kind called “ngábore.” The
channel itself was only about forty yards wide, encompassed by banks
of from twelve to fifteen feet in height, and at present it was not
enlivened by a continuous stream, but contained several detached pools
of stagnant water. Although the water was cool, and not disagreeable to
the taste, still it was not very pure, and could not but contain the
germs of much disease. This is the same komádugu with which, in its upper
course in the territory of Ujé, I had become acquainted on my journey to
Ádamáwa. The banks all around were enlivened by horses and pack-oxen, who
were enjoying the rich verdure; and there was not a shady tree but had
been taken possession of by a troop of Kánembú or Kanúri, in order to
find that comfortable repose which the noisy encampment could not afford.

Having heard that the wealth of the inhabitants of Díkowa consisted of
cotton, I expected to find extensive well-kept cotton-plantations; but,
although the article was cultivated to a great extent, I was astonished
at the neglected appearance which it exhibited, the cotton-fields being
almost buried beneath the thicket, and overgrown not only with rank
grass, but even with trees and bushes, so that scarcely any space was
left for the plants to spread out; nevertheless their luxuriant growth
bore ample testimony to the rich nature of the soil, and gave an idea of
the wealth that lies buried in these regions. I have already observed, on
another occasion, that the natives of Negroland take very little care of
their cotton-plantations; and there is no doubt that, if sufficient care
was bestowed, quite a different quality might be produced.

I roved about in this wild and fertile region till I was entirely hemmed
in by an impenetrable thicket. While returning hence to our encampment
by a more westerly path, I was ruminating in my mind how the former
rulers of this country had evinced so much more feeling for the bounty
and beauty of nature than its present possessors; for, while these have
chosen for their residence the most monotonous district of the empire,
the former selected those parts which nature itself had embellished—the
shores of the so-called Yeou, or the komádugu Wáube, and this fine
watercourse of Díkowa; and they not only chose the most interesting
spots, but they even embellished them by art, as the large artificial
basins in the neighbourhood of Ghasréggomo, Ghámbarú, and Dámasak amply
testify. In this respect it is not uninteresting that we are informed by
the Imám Áhmed, the historian of the King Edrís Alawóma, that his master,
when he visited the town of Fíka, could not forego the pleasure of paying
a visit to the famous little alpine lake which lies at some distance
from that town. Although the country of Bórnu is far from being the most
favoured part of Negroland, yet the shores of these watercourses are very
rich indeed, and capable of maintaining a numerous population.

In returning to our encampment, I passed the market, or durríya, which
was held every afternoon on the west side of the encampment. It was
really a busy scene, not yielding in importance to the little daily
market of the capital; and this was not at all marvellous, as a greater
crowd of people, and a far greater number of horses, were gathered
here than the average population of Kúkawa. Not only were provisions,
such as meat, grain, beans, ground-nuts, and other articles of a like
description, offered for sale, but even small luxuries; and there was a
good deal of bartering, as the buyers were destitute of currency—kúngona,
or cowries, as well as gábagá, or cotton strips. I also observed that
the encampment, especially on this side, where it was skirted by a
thick covert of trees, was encircled by a living wall of light Kánembú
spearmen, who were keeping watch; for although the army was still in its
own territory, yet, in the weak state of the government, a certain degree
of insecurity already commences here; and the very first evening of our
being encamped on this spot, the ngáufate was roused by the gangéma, or
announcement by beat of drum, to the effect that everybody should be on
his guard against horse-stealers.

While the country around presented interesting features, and the
encampment itself exhibited a scene of great variety, the time we spent
here passed away comfortably and agreeably, with the sole exception that
the space allotted to us was too confined to be comfortable. We were on
the most friendly terms with the sheikh as well as with his vizier; and
all court etiquette was dispensed with. This went so far that I and my
companion accommodated our noble and princely friends with our woollen
jackets and drawers; for they began to feel the cold at night very
severely, and on these occasions the very respectable Háj Edrís had to
play the part of a royal laundress.

Already, during our hibernal stay in the country of Aír, we had been
obliged to accommodate our old and austere friend Ánnur and his numerous
relatives with our Turkish waistcoats: but we had not yet condescended
to give away our under-clothing; and being ourselves extremely poor and
destitute in every respect, it was certainly not a little privation we
imposed upon ourselves. The clothes of the sheikh and his vizier were
all very wide, and not fit for keeping out the cold. I have repeatedly
had occasion to mention how sensitive the Africans are to cold; and I am
persuaded that, in the burning regions of Central Africa, a good cargo
of warm under-clothing would find a ready sale, especially if it should
arrive in the months of December and January. But neither did our noble
hosts, on their part, fail to do everything in their power to render our
situation as comfortable as possible; and it was very satisfactory to see
how anxious the vizier was to supply us with all desirable information.

One evening, at a late hour, when I was reposing in my tent and about to
go to bed, he sent for me in the greatest hurry, as if my life or death
were at stake; and upon hastening thither, anxious to hear what was the
matter, I was told that the vizier had been informed of a person being in
the encampment who, like my old friend the mállem Katúri, had accompanied
the memorable expedition of Ámba Sámbo, the warlike chief of Chámba,
towards the country of Ígbo on the sea-coast. But while the latter had
gone to Mbáfu with the main body of the army, the adventurous proceedings
of that person had not even been limited by the boundaries of the sea;
and he informed me, in the most positive and conclusive manner, that the
body of troops which he accompanied had sailed along a rocky coast for
fifteen days, when they unexpectedly met with an island, where they took
possession of a number of muskets; their owners, who were all dressed in
jackets, having taken refuge in their large vessel.

He did not doubt that these people were Christians, and according to the
description which he gave me of the vessel, there can scarcely be any
doubt that it was a European one; but I did not feel quite certain as to
the point whether he had navigated a large river, or the open sea, though
I think it probable they went down the Niger, and surprised one of the
European traders at the mouth of the river. At any rate, however, this
is an extremely interesting circumstance. I apprehend that the chiefs of
Ádamáwa will hesitate in future to extend their expeditions so far, after
an English steamer has gone up the river to the very heart of their own
country. It was this same Bórnu horseman who informed me that, on that
expedition, all the horses had died from a disease proceeding from worms.

While chatting together upon these subjects till after midnight, I had an
opportunity of giving the vizier some little information regarding the
peculiar character of the maritime power of the Imám of Maskat, of which
he had never heard before, and which interested him exceedingly. With
the Arabs of Timbúktu, also, this subject formed a topic of the highest
interest, as they had no idea that there were people of the same faith
living on the eastern shores of this continent; and they delighted in
the thought, that even in those regions there were Moslems, who were not
quite destitute of political power. For, although the famous traveller
Ebn Batúta has given to his countrymen an account of these regions, it
was only in Sókoto that I met with a man, the learned Káderi dan Táffa,
who knew Sofála by name.

My friend Bíllama also frequently called on me, and furnished me with a
variety of information, while I applied myself strenuously to the study
of the Kanúri language, which had discouraged me at first, owing to the
difficulties of its grammatical structure: and I could scarcely have
had a better teacher than our friend Háj Edrís; for, being of Kanúri
origin, he had lived a great many years in the east, especially in
Medína, and had become almost an Arab. He was certainly an intelligent
and honest man; and in the course of our stay we became indebted to him
in many respects. Of course we could not expect him to render his service
gratuitously, as he himself was not in affluent circumstances, though as
a courtier he had to keep up a good appearance; but being myself very
poor at the time, I could do nothing but place him upon a needle-pension,
the needles being very useful in the encampment for buying provisions.

CHAPTER XLIII.

THE BORDER-REGION OF THE SHÚWA.

_Saturday, Dec. 6._—At length, after a protracted stay, we left our
encampment at Díkowa, though still in complete uncertainty whether the
expedition was directed against Mándará or not; for as yet the chief
of that little country (which, through the adventures of Major Denham,
has obtained in Europe a greater share of attention than it really
deserves), relying upon the natural strength of his mountains, had not
yet made his submission. The rumours which we heard from thence were
of the most contradictory nature; and it seemed as if Abú Bakr, which
is the name of the present chief, had made up his mind to a determined
resistance, having retired into his mountain fastnesses, to the great
disappointment of the vizier, who repeatedly asked me and my companion,
with great anxiety, what was to be done, and how it was possible for the
cavalry to attack the enemy in his mountainous retreat: for, whatever
military strength the Kanúri may still possess, it is almost solely to
be looked for in their cavalry. The former excellence of the Kánembú
spearmen, resulting from their enthusiastic devotion to their leader, has
disappeared long ago, at least since the overthrow of the old dynasty;
and the vizier had to expect very little sympathy from this body, as most
of them were decidedly favourable to the interest of his adversary, ʿAbd
eʾ Rahmán. As far as I had been able to learn the nature of those rocky
mountains on my journey to Yóla, I could not but think that not only the
cavalry of Bórnu, but even the Kánembú spearmen, accustomed as they were
to the level plains of their country, would be incapable of climbing
those rocky cliffs.

The whole country was enveloped in a thick fog when we started in the
morning; so that the passage of the komádugu, with its steep banks,
caused a considerable crowding and pushing, which was far from agreeable.
When we had got safely over, we had to pass a thick forest, consisting of
“bíto” and “kindín,” or talha-trees; and on our left appeared the large
walled place of Áfagé, a considerable town, but not so large as Díkowa.
After only a short interval, we saw another town on our right, called
Kodége, the walls of which were in an advanced state of decay, but were
at present adorned with living battlements of male and female spectators.

Proceeding a short distance onward, we encamped at an early hour to
the westward of another walled town, called Zógoma. The whole of this
district, favoured as it is by nature, seems to have been once in a very
flourishing condition. It was, however, rather odd that we should have
encamped here, as the horses had to be led back to Áfagé for water.

I had scarcely pitched my tent, when that cruel minister of police,
Lamíno, a man whose character my friend Háj Edrís used significantly to
describe in the few words, “Kárgo díbbi, kíndi díbbi” (“Bad in heart,
and bad in deed”), brought into my presence a famous cut-throat of
the name of Barka-ngólo, whose neck was secured in a large machine
called “bégo,” consisting of two pieces of wood from four to five feet
in length, and very heavy, so that every movement was accompanied with
the greatest pain. Nevertheless my mischievous friend persuaded himself
that it would gratify me to see this miserable wretch fight with another
culprit secured in the same manner, by giving to each of them a long whip
of hippopotamus-hide, and forcing them by threats to flog each other. It
was a horrible sight; and I had great difficulty in convincing my cruel
friend that such a scene was far from being agreeable to me. In order
to get rid of him, I presented him with a quantity of cloves to give to
his beloved ʿAáisha, of whose culinary powers we had already had several
proofs. He was greatly pleased with my present; and with an amorous smile
he described to me how deeply he was in love with his darling, saying
that he loved her, and she loved him also: “and,” added he, in a very
sentimental way, “such a mutual love is the greatest bliss on earth.”
Europeans must not fancy that there is no such feeling among these
Africans as love, although it is not quite so ethereal as it sometimes
seems to be with us. Notwithstanding these amorous declarations, which
sounded very ridiculous coming from such a mass of flesh as he was, I was
glad when he was gone.

We were now approaching hostile territory, and in the evening a
“gangéma,” or proclamation accompanied by beat of drum, was made
throughout the whole encampment, to the effect that the train of camels
and pack-oxen, which previously had greatly hemmed in the cavalry, should
not start until after the former had moved on. Zógoma is the farthest
town of the Bórnu territory in this direction; and the following day we
encamped in a district of the name of Mása, close to a swamp, thickly
covered with water-plants, principally the _Pistia stratiotes_. Several
Shúwa villages were lying about at short distances from each other.

On the road we passed some cotton-plantations and stubble-fields. The
chief agricultural produce of Mása consisted of “sábade,” the sweet
sorghum or _Sorghum saccharatum_. This sort of grain I had not yet seen
in the course of my journey; but in Díkowa my friend Malá Ibrám had sent
me a large quantity of it, in order that I might indulge in this African
luxury. At that period I was surprised at the great length of these
stalks, some of which measured fourteen feet; but how astonished was I
afterwards, when, in the course of my travels in the luxuriant valleys of
Kebbi, I found specimens of twice that length! This evening the vizier
treated us with the marrow of the “sábade,” which, in snow-white pieces
of about eight inches in length, were neatly placed upon a straw cover
or “féfe,” such as are used in the country. While indulging in this
simple African dainty, our conversation, very naturally, turned upon the
cultivation as well as the preparation of sugar, which is one of those
articles of European industry that most excites the admiration of the
natives of this country. But when they learn in what a filthy manner it
is refined, they become horrified, and hesitate whether they shall say
farewell to this indulgence, or overcome the scruples and prejudices of
their creed.

There is no doubt that the “sábade” would yield a rich produce of sugar;
but it is not necessary to have recourse to this expedient, as the
sugar-cane itself grows wild in several regions of Negroland, and we
shall actually find a small plantation of it, and boiling-houses, on a
small scale, carried on by a native in the neighbourhood of Sókoto. Our
conversation at these African _soirées_ with the vizier became sometimes
so learned, that even Ptolemy with his “_Mandros oros_” was quoted. But,
sad as it must seem to all who, like myself, delight in going back into
remote antiquity, this famous mountain, which at the first sight seems to
be an ancient memorial of the Mándará mountains of some seventeen hundred
years standing, appears to belong entirely to Western Africa. Our kind
host always found great delight in every kind of information; it was only
a pity he was wanting in manly energy to carry out his good projects.

_Monday, Dec. 8._—Woe to those regions through which an army takes its
march in these parts of the world, were it even their own country. We
passed this morning some very extensive cornfields, the crops of which
were of the most luxuriant growth; but notwithstanding the piteous
clamours, and even the threats of the slaves who were watching on
the highly raised platforms in order to keep away the birds from the
corn, the rich ears fell a prey to the hungry horsemen, for their own
sustenance and that of their animals. These raised platforms are here
called “górgo”; and the ropes which were fastened between them and the
trees were provided with small hollow gourds, “káre,” filled with stones,
which, when set in motion, were intended to frighten away the birds.
After a tolerable march, we took up our encampment near the straggling
hamlet Delhé, a locality touched at by Major Denham, on his unfortunate
expedition to Mándará, but placed by him much too far southward.

All the cottages in these Shúwa villages have a conical roof rising to a
great elevation, and tapering like a sugar-loaf,—the thatch being put on
in a very irregular way, and fastened with ropes, though it is pleasantly
and cheerfully adorned by the climbers of the “ságade” or “kubéwa,” a
species of the _Cucurbita melopepo_ (squash gourd), if not identical
with it, the fruit of which, when boiled, has a very pleasant taste, and
in some regions of Negroland, as far as Timbúktu, forms the principal
vegetable for seasoning food.

The long duration of the rainy season here, as well as in Ádamáwa,
renders sheds for the cattle necessary; and these consist of huts
constructed similarly to the dwellings of man, but more spacious, with
the exception that the walls consist merely of trunks of trees. The Shúwa
of this village, as well as those of a neighbouring one, which after the
name of a chief is called Háj Amaka, belong to the tribe of the Bulgówa,
or ʿAwisíya. The place where we encamped was full of brushwood; and it
took us a long time to pitch our tents. The variation of the temperature
was so great, that I caught a severe cold; it was therefore agreeable
to me that we remained here the following day: for while, during the
greatest heat, at two o’clock P.M., the thermometer in the ventilated
tent showed often from 93° to 96° Fahr., during the night it generally
fell to between 50° and 53°. The vizier was kind enough, when I did not
come to his _soirée_, to send one of his young slaves with a censer; but
I was so unfortunate as to excite the anger of the little tyrannical
messenger, who wanted me to imitate their own custom, which is, to place
the censer under their wide shirt, and, by drawing the opening close over
the head, to concentrate the fumes arising from the incense under their
shirt, and receive it into the face, while I, thinking this rather too
much, was satisfied with holding my face over it.

_Wednesday, Dec. 10._—We made a short march in advance, and transferred
our encampment to Díggera, through a country where wilderness and
cultivated ground alternated. Here we remained the five following
days; and I had sufficient leisure to regret that I was not better
provided with books. Anxious to employ my time usefully, I began,
with the assistance of two Mándará, or rather Wándalá slaves, to
write down a vocabulary of the language of that country, which by the
natives themselves is called “Ára-Wándalá,” as they call their country
“Khakh-Wándalá,” or “Khákh-Úndalá.”

The cold which we experienced during our stay here we considered very
severe—at least from an African point of view and feeling; for in Europe
it would have been thought very moderate. Fortunately our encampment
was more comfortable than it had been at Delhé, and presented features
of considerable interest; for here we saw the first complete example of
those shallow stagnant watercourses which are so highly characteristic
of the equatorial regions of this continent, and explain at the same
time the conflicting statements with regard to the direction of so many
watercourses in these regions. However, there are two different kinds
of these shallow waters: first, such as are in immediate connection
with larger rivers, and often run parallel to them, and which most
appropriately deserve to be called backwaters; and, secondly, those which
are quite independent, and form a small water-system by themselves. To
the latter kind seems to belong this swampy sheet of water, or “ngáljam,”
of Díggera, although I heard some Shúwa affirm that it extended to the
Tsád.

I first turned my steps eastward, where the encampment extended to the
very foot of the beautiful trees, which, forming a rich border of the
finest embroidery from the hand of nature, girt the water. Most of them
were either fig (sycamore) or tamarind-trees. The aspect of the scenery
was most interesting, and under almost every tamarind-tree a group of
people was encamped. The cavity where this sheet of water had collected
formed a very slight depression in the meadow-ground, it being almost
flat; the water, to all appearance, had already decreased considerably,
and only in a few places presented an open sheet, being in general
closely overgrown with rank grass and tall reeds. I followed it to a
considerable distance towards the north-north-west, till I was obliged by
the thick covert to retrace my steps, and then turned westward. The far
larger extension of the water during the rainy season was sufficiently
indicated by the luxuriant growth of trees. I crossed it at a spot where
it was not so extensive, and found the bottom of it extremely muddy,
which made the passage rather difficult, though the water was only
two and a half feet deep. The intended outlines of its shores greatly
distinguished it from those more complete and regular-shaped ngáljams,
which, in the course of time, I had an opportunity of visiting, not only
in those extensive plains between the river Bénuwé and Shári, but also
in the regions of the middle course of the so-called Niger; for, in the
quarters just mentioned, these shallow waters, or meadow-waters, often
stretch out, in a straight or regularly sweeping line, like artificial
canals, to an immense distance,—especially that most interesting sheet of
water three days west of Timbúktu, the “Áraf-n-áman,” or Rás el má.

Of quite a different nature is the character of the famous Bahar el
Ghazál, which joins the Tsád on the north-eastern side, being a broad
sandy valley girt by a rich border of vegetation. This peculiar valley,
which it was not our destiny to become acquainted with by ocular
inspection, formed the subject of conversation with the vizier on Sunday
evening; and a disputation arose, of so scientific a character that it
might have silenced all those who scoff at the uncivilized state of the
population of these regions. To be sure, the two principal persons in
this conversation were Arabs; but their forefathers had been settled in
these regions for at least ten generations.

Here in Díggera, where we were only one good day’s march distant from
the capital of Mándará, our friends were obliged to come to a decision
upon the future destination of the expedition. After the news which had
arrived some days previously, that the petty chief of Mándará, whose
ancestor once completely defeated a countless host of the Bórnu people,
had decided upon making resistance, they had been very silent and
dejected, and were therefore extremely delighted when at length, to-day,
a servant of the obstinate vassal made his appearance with a present of
ten beautiful female slaves, and the offer of complete submission. So at
least we were told; but the affair seemed very doubtful, and a native
of Mándará, or, as they say, Ár-Wándalá, afterwards assured me that his
master, the powerful “Tuksé” of Khákh-Úndala, had been so far from making
his submission to the insolent “Móthaké” (by this name they call the
Bórnu people), that, on the contrary, he had treated them with contempt.
Which of the two assertions was correct I do not know; but it is probable
that the chief of Mándará thought it prudent to consent to some sort of
compromise—perhaps through the intermediation of ʿAbd eʾ Rahmán, the
sheikh’s brother.

Whatever may have been the case, the vizier informed us in the evening,
in a very cheerful manner, that the affair with Mándará had taken the
most favourable turn, and that in consequence the sheikh, with a small
part of the army, was to retrace his steps, while he himself, with
the far larger portion, was to undertake an expedition into the Músgu
country, and that we, of course, were to accompany him. Now we were well
aware that the object of this expedition was partly to make slaves,
and that, in our character as messengers of the British Government,
we ought to endeavour to keep aloof from anything connected with the
infamous subject of slavery; but as we could not hinder it if we kept
back, and as by accompanying the expedition we might prevent a deal
of mischief, and might likewise have a fair opportunity of convincing
ourselves whether what was related of the cruelty of the Mohammedans in
these expeditions was true or exaggerated, we decided upon accompanying
the vizier. At the same time it was of the utmost importance to visit
that very region which was the object of the expedition, as it was the
only way to decide upon the relation between the central basin of the
Tsád and the great western river, with its eastern branch, while there
was no possibility of visiting it by ourselves. We had already convinced
ourselves that the country of the Músgu is not, as Major Denham has
represented it, a mountainous, inaccessible tract; but we were puzzled
at the number of watercourses of which our informants had spoken, and
we could not have the least idea how fertile a country it was, and how
far remote its inhabitants were from that state of barbarism which
had been imputed to them. We therefore, although reluctantly, and not
without scruple, at length determined upon accompanying the expedition;
and I hope that every considerate person who takes into account all the
circumstances in which we were placed, will approve of our resolution.

_Wednesday, Dec. 17._—At length we proceeded onwards, entering new
regions never trodden by European foot. Our departure having been delayed
in the morning, owing to the separating of the army, we started rather
late, leaving the sheikh, with the rest of the “kebú,” behind. The
country at once presented a new and interesting feature. Already in Bórnu
a considerable proportion of our diet had consisted of native rice, and
we had been rather astonished at its black colour and bad quality. We had
heard that it grew wild in the southern provinces of the country; but we
had never yet seen it, and it was only this morning, after we had left
Díggera and had traversed extensive stubble-fields of millet intermixed
with beans, that we obtained a first view of a “shinkáfaram,” or wild
rice-field, in the midst of the forest. We were then no longer surprised
at the quality of the rice brought to the market in Kúkawa being so bad,
as we felt justified in presuming that the elephant would have sense
enough to take the best for himself, and leave the rest for the people.
As we proceeded we found the whole wilderness, although not thickly
wooded, full of pools of water and dense rice-fields.

The country to-day presented a truly tropical aspect; and our encampment,
lying near an extensive pond, or small lagoon, surrounded with a
luxuriant growth of rice and a dense border of spreading trees, was so
full of the footprints of the elephant, that scarcely a level spot of two
or three feet in diameter could be found. This was by no means pleasant,
in our present mode of living, as we were without a camp-stool, or
anything to sit or lie upon; for the argillaceous soil is so excessively
hard, that the borders of these holes produced by the unwieldy foot of
the elephant cause a great deal of pain to a person lying on the ground
with nothing but a mat or carpet. The most essential instrument on this
whole journey was the “láteram,” the digging-instrument (from “langin,”
“I dig”), consisting of a large piece of wood about three feet long,
with a heavy iron point; for without the láteram it would have been
impossible to fix the dáteram (from “dangin,” “I fasten, stop”), or the
pole to which the horses are fastened during the night. In general, every
horseman digs the hole in which the pole is fastened with his own spear;
but this soil was so hard that it was scarcely possible to make the
smallest hole in it. Of course, during the rainy season, it is just as
soft and muddy as it is hard in the dry season, and scarcely passable in
consequence.

A giraffe was caught to-day. I had been of opinion that this timorous
animal was not found in the thickly inhabited regions near the equator;
but I soon learned from experience that it is not at all rare in the
wildernesses which alternate with the densely populated regions of these
districts. The elephant, however, is the predominant animal of these
quarters; and the large market-place, Fátawel, which I have mentioned on
my journey to Ádamáwa, and the Logón town Jéna, or rather Jínna, seem to
be of considerable importance for their ivory-trade.

In the evening I had the misfortune to be stung by a scorpion, which had
got into my bernús. As I had not noticed the animal in the dark, and
thinking that it was nothing but one of the formidable black ants, the
bite of which is very painful, I neglected the wound at first, so that
the poison penetrated to the shoulder, and rendered my right arm useless
for two days.

_Thursday, Dec. 18._—Seeing that we were now entirely in the hands of the
vizier, my companion and I used to present ourselves at his tent every
morning, and to ride for some time near him. I, however, soon found it
pleasanter to keep more in the rear of the army, a little in advance of
his female slaves; and in the narrow paths in the midst of the forest,
where the crowding became very disagreeable, I used to keep behind his
led-horses. Of female slaves on horseback and led-horses the vizier had
with him the moderate number of eight of each kind, while the sheikh had
twelve; but this appeared to me a small number when I afterwards saw the
king of Bagírmi returning from the expedition with a string of forty-five
mounted female partners. These black damsels were all clothed in white
woollen bernúses, with their faces completely veiled, and were closely
watched. To-day we had a more complete specimen of that peculiar kind
of shallow water which I have mentioned above; and the army, while they
were winding around it on the fresh green meadow-lands, closely hemmed in
on their left by a grove of fine trees, presented a highly interesting
scene. From thence, passing through a thick covert, we entered the
beautiful open district of Wolóje, which comprises several hamlets. Here
I was amused at seeing the head man of a village successfully putting to
flight, with a large branch of a tree, a troop of pilfering horsemen. A
little beyond these hamlets the encampment was chosen, at some little
distance from a very extensive “ngáljam.”

Our conversation with the vizier in the evening again took a geographical
turn, owing to the presence of his spy or scout, who had just returned
from delivering his message to the Músgu prince Ádishén. The vizier was
as yet undecided in which direction to turn his steps; and we heard a
native chief, of the name of Puss, or Fuss, mentioned in a manner that
assured us our friends were afraid to attack him. Ádishén, the chief just
mentioned, was in a certain degree subject to the rulers of Bórnu; but
it seemed rather an ironical assertion that this prince would be pleased
with the arrival of the expedition. While describing his reception at
the court of the chief, the scout indulged in a lively description
of the customs prevalent among these people, whose chief had only
outwardly adopted Islám. His Majesty, he said, used to indulge in amorous
intercourse with his female slaves, of whom he had two hundred, before
the eyes of his people; an account which was rather confirmed by Kashélla
Belál, who had been his host several times. Belál, who was a very jovial
old fellow, also stated that this little prince was not jealous of the
favours bestowed by his female partners upon his guests; but, on the
contrary, that he himself voluntarily gave them up to them. Such a
degrading custom may indeed be followed by this petty chief, who has
betrayed his country in order that, by the influence of his more powerful
neighbours, he might rule over his countrymen; but we need not draw a
conclusion from him as to the customs of the whole tribe, although, of
course, they regard the relation of the sexes in a simpler point of view
than we do.

_Friday, Dec. 19._—The country through which we passed, on leaving our
encampment in the morning, was most charming, and of a most expansive
bound, and exactly suited for pastoral tribes like the Shúwa and Fúlbe;
but traces of cultivation also, and even of cotton-fields, were not
wanting: while further on, the dúm-bush appeared, and was after a while
succeeded by the tall fan-shaped dúm-palm itself. The country being open,
and without any obstruction whatever, the “kibú,” or army, marched in
an extended line of battle, “báta,” separated into groups of the most
varied description in attire and appearance: the heavy cavalry, clad in
thick wadded clothing, others in their coats of mail, with their tin
helmets glittering in the sun, and mounted on large heavy chargers, which
appeared almost oppressed by the weight of their riders and their own
warlike accoutrements; the light Shúwa horsemen, clad only in a loose
shirt, and mounted upon their weak unseemly nags; the self-conceited
slaves, decked out gaudily in red bernúses or silken dresses of various
colours; the Kánembú spearmen, almost naked, with their large wooden
shields, their half-torn aprons round their loins, their barbarous
head-dresses, and their bundles of spears; then, in the distance behind,
the continuous train of camels and pack-oxen: all the people full of
spirits, and in the expectation of rich booty, pressing onward to the
unknown regions towards the south-east.

It was an exalted feeling of unrestrained liberty which animated me
while, mounted on my noble charger, I rode silently along at the side
of this motley host, contemplating now the fine, beautiful country, now
the rich scenes of human life, which were illumined by a bright morning
sun. As yet no blood had been shed by this army, and neither misery,
devastation, nor the horrors of people torn from their homes, cried out
against it. Every one seemed to think only of sport and amusement. Now
and then a stir would be raised in the whole army when a gazelle started
forth from the thicket, endeavouring to escape from her pursuers, but
soon found herself hemmed in on every side, while Shúwa horsemen and
Kánembú spearmen, each endeavouring to possess himself of the prize,
cried out to his rivals in the pursuit, “Kólle, kólle!” (“Leave off,
leave off!”) as if the prey was already his own, while others animated
their companions by shouting out, “Góne, góne!” (“Chase, chase!”) the
sounds re-echoing from one troop to another; or when a fat Guinea-fowl,
“káji,” or a partridge, “kwíye,” roused from its secure covert, took
to its wings, but, trying to fly over those widely scattered troops of
hostile men, and frightened by their cries, was soon obliged to look
for a moment’s respite, and, after a vain struggle, fell a prey to its
pursuers, who often, while they laid hold of it, tore it actually into
pieces.

The wide open country seemed to invite the traveller into the far
distance; but to-day our march was only of short duration, and before
eight o’clock in the morning a new encampment, upon a fresh spot,
was again springing up. This whole country is still included in the
extensive district of Wolóje; but the water, which was close to the side
of the encampment, has the peculiar name of Kodásalé. The whole of the
inhabitants of the district belong to the Shúwa tribe of the Bénesé. To
the east of Kodásalé lies the place Lawári, towards the west Súggemé,
beyond Úlba, and south-west of the latter Memé, and north-west Momó. All
these villages are inhabited by Shúwa and Kanúri in common; beyond is the
wilderness or karága.

I, too, had my little daily “nógona,” or divan, in which Kashélla
Bíllama, my friend from Ádamáwa, and Háj Edrís, formed my principal
courtiers, or “kokanáwa,” though occasionally other people attended. All
these people I kept attached to me by presents of a few needles, with
which they supplied their wants in the neighbouring villages. Bíllama
informed me to-day that for three needles he had bought sufficient
provision for his horse for one day; for two he had bought a wooden
bowl, or “búkuru”; and for six more a good supply of meat. Thus this
insignificant production of European industry became of the highest
value to me; and it obtained still more value and importance, in the
course of my journey to Bagírmi, when it constituted my only wealth,
and in consequence procured me the noble title of “needle-prince,”
(“malaríbra”). We remained here the following day, as the army had to
provide itself with corn, or rather Negro grain, as we were told that we
should enter upon a wild uncultivated tract, the border-region between
the seats of the Mohammedans and those of the pagan tribes, which, as
is generally the case in these parts of the world, has been reduced to
desolation.

Each of the surrounding villages had to send two ox-loads of grain,
which, however, did not benefit the army in general, but fell entirely
to the share of the friends and followers of Lamíno, the remainder of
this immense host being thrown upon their own resources. All the grain
was carried on asses. It was in this encampment that the vizier made a
present to Mr. Overweg of a small lion. He had given him, on a former
occasion, a “súmmoli.” This is a very ferocious cat, of rather rare
occurrence, which is said not only to attack gazelles, but young cattle
or calves. It was of a light brown colour, the hind part, however, being
black, and had very pointed, upright ears, “súmmo,” a circumstance from
which the name has been derived. The ears, moreover, are ornamented with
a black stripe. A great many curious stories are related by the people
with regard to the ferocity of this animal, and from what we ourselves
had an opportunity of observing, it seems to be a marvellous little
creature: for, though still very young and small, it was nevertheless
extremely fierce, and was quite master of the young lion. Both animals
were fed with boiled milk, of which they were very fond; but the
continual swinging motion which they had to endure on the back of the
camels in the heat of the day, caused their death very soon.

_Sunday, Dec. 21._—The crowding and thronging was excessive when we
started in order to pursue our march. The wilderness at first was
tolerably clear, being at times evidently a place of resort for numerous
herds of elephants, as the quantity of dung, and the uninterrupted
tracks of deep footprints, which gave to the soil the appearance of a
colossal chessboard, amply testified. After a march of about six miles
the wilderness became more thickly overgrown, and presented a fine forest
scenery; but, as is generally the case on such warlike expeditions,
there is no leisure to pay attention to special phenomena, especially
as the Bórnu horses are in general very wild and vicious, and in the
throng everybody was continually liable to come into collision with his
neighbour’s horse, which, perchance, might be a furious kicker.

The general character of this jungle was this. The ground was covered
with dúm-bush, which formed a thick brushwood, and here and there with
rank grass, while the forest in general consisted of middle-sized trees,
chiefly mimosas and kálgos, though there were other specimens, especially
the kókia-tree, which I had first seen on my journey from Gezáwa to
Kátsena, the trees of smaller size being separated into groups by large
spreading specimens of the vegetable kingdom, mostly of the ficus kind;
for monkey-bread-trees seemed to be wanting entirely, and altogether I
saw few specimens of this tree in the Músgu country. Very remarkable
nests of birds, suspended from the branches, were observed, not unlike a
purse, with a long narrow neck hanging down and forming the entrance; or
rather like a chemist’s retort suspended from the head, the shank being
several inches long, and the whole beautifully fabricated with the most
surprising skill. Of the skilful manufacturers of these fine dwellings
we did not obtain a sight; but probably it is a species of _loxia_. In
this thick covert, several young elephants were hunted down, and even the
giraffe seemed frequent.

The place which we chose for our encampment was adorned by numerous
fan-palms, which, although in general identical with the species
called _Chamærops humilis_, nevertheless by their height appeared to
be a distinct variety, and gave to the encampment a very picturesque
appearance. This forest was here so dense, that only the spot where the
vizier himself encamped together with his own followers was free from
brushwood, while all the other people were first obliged to clear the
ground with much trouble. This was the first day, since our setting
out, that we made a tolerable march. The whole manner in which the
expedition was conducted was an unmistakable proof of an effeminate
court, especially if we take into account the principle of carrying on
war in these countries, where only sudden inroads can insure any great
success. In the evening there arrived a small complimentary present from
Ádishén, the tributary Músgu chief, consisting of five horses and twenty
oxen. But while in this manner the more influential men in the army were
well supplied with food, the greater part were very badly off, and most
of them were reduced to the core of the dúm-bush or ngílle, which by the
Bórnu people is facetiously called “kúmbu bíllabe” (“the food of the
country town”). But a good sportsman might have obtained better food for
himself, and we even got a small ostrich egg from the vizier.

It was a great pity that we had purposely avoided the more frequented
and general road, which passes by several settlements of the Fúlbe or
Felláta, in order not to give any trouble to the latter; for no doubt
that tract would have been far more interesting, as well from a natural
point of view, as with regard to the political state of the country, as
it would have given us the clearest insight into the way in which that
enterprising and restless people is pushing on every day more and more,
and strangling, as it were, the little kingdom of Mándará.

_Monday, Dec. 22._—Dense forest continued to prevail during the
first five miles of our march. It then cleared, and was succeeded by
considerable fields of wild rice, most of which was burnt down; for,
as I have repeatedly had occasion to mention, all these wildernesses
of Central Africa are set on fire after the rainy season. The whole
ground in this district was one uninterrupted succession of holes made
by the foot of the elephant, which obstructed the march of the army very
considerably, and was the reason of several horses being lamed. Sálah, a
younger brother of the vizier, a very intelligent man, broke his arm. A
herd of six elephants was in the neighbourhood, and after a great deal
of confusion, one animal, which got between the horsemen, was killed. It
is no wonder that these regions are so frequented by them, as they find
here plenty of the choicest food. The jungles of wild rice were only
interrupted for a short time by a tract covered with dúm-bush. Water was
plentiful, every now and then a considerable pond appearing, girt by
beautiful trees, and at present enlivened by groups of horsemen, who were
watering their animals.

After a march of about fifteen miles we encamped close to a larger sheet
of water, which was full of fish of the species called “bégeli,” and
enabled us to give to our food that day more variety, the forest, as well
as the water, contributing its share; for, besides the fish, we had roast
hare and elephant’s flesh, which was very palatable, and much like pork.

_Tuesday, Dec. 23._—Three heavy strokes upon the drum, at the dawn of
day, set our motley host once more in motion. It was an important day,
and many of the principal people had exchanged their common dress for a
more splendid attire. We entered the Músgu country, and at the same time
came into contact with fragments of that nation, who, having spread from
the far west over the one-half of Africa, are restlessly pushing forward
and overwhelming the pagan tribes in the interior. These are the Fúlbe
or Felláta, the most interesting of all African tribes, who, having been
driven from Bórnu, have here laid the foundation of a new empire.

Twice on our march we were obliged to make a halt: the first time owing
to the arrival of Ádishén, the Músgu chief, with a troop of naked
horsemen mounted on a breed of small, unseemly, but strong ponies,
without saddles and bridles, and presenting altogether a most barbarous
and savage spectacle. The second halt was caused by the appearance of a
Púllo or Felláta chief, with two hundred horsemen of his nation, who, by
their shirts and shawls, their saddles and bridles, certainly claimed
a higher degree of civilization, but who, nevertheless, were far from
exhibiting a grand appearance. This chief was an officer of Khúrsu, the
ruler of the town or principality of Fétte or Pétte, which we had left
at a short distance to the west. He came to join this expedition, the
object of which was to weaken the Músgu tribes, who, behind their natural
defences of rivers and swamps, had hitherto been able to maintain their
independence. Of course, on this occasion the policy of these Fúlbe
chiefs went hand in hand with that of the Bórnu people, although it is
not a little remarkable, and serves to show the slight political unity
existing between the integral parts of these empires, that while the
governor of Ádamáwa was at present on a hostile footing with the ruler of
Bórnu, one of his vassals was allowed to enter into an alliance with the
latter.

After these interruptions we pursued our march, and reached, about half
an hour before noon, the northernmost of the Músgu villages, which is
called Gábari, surrounded by rich fields of native grain; but everything
presented a sad appearance of pillage and desolation. None of the
inhabitants were to be seen; for, although subjects of Ádishén, who
enjoyed the friendship and protection of the rulers of Bórnu, they had
thought it more prudent to take care of their own safety by flight than
to trust themselves to the discretion of the undisciplined army of their
friends and protectors. The preceding evening the order had been issued
through the encampment that all the property in the villages of Ádishén
should be respected, and nothing touched, from a cow to a fowl, grain
only excepted, which was declared to be at the disposal of everybody.

It was rather remarkable that the greatest part of the crops were still
standing, although we had been lingering so long on our road, and had
given sufficient time for the people to secure them for themselves. All
the grain consisted of the red species of holcus, called by the Bórnu
people “ngáberi kemé,” which grows here to the exclusion of the white
species and that of millet. All the people of the army were busy in
threshing the grain which they had just gathered at the expense of their
friends, and loading their horses with it. Even the fine nutritive grass
from the borders of the swamp, which, woven into long festoons, the