Part 1
TRAVELS AND DISCOVERIES IN NORTH AND CENTRAL AFRICA. VOL. V.
LONDON: PRINTED BY SPOTTISWOODE AND CO. NEW-STREET SQUARE.
[Illustration: Drawn by J. M. Bernatz, from a Sketch by Dr. Barth.
M. & N. Hanhart, lith. et impt.
GÁGHO OR GÓGÓ.
June 20th. 1854.]
TRAVELS AND DISCOVERIES IN NORTH AND CENTRAL AFRICA: BEING A JOURNAL OF AN EXPEDITION UNDERTAKEN UNDER THE AUSPICES OF H.B.M.’S GOVERNMENT, IN THE YEARS 1849-1855.
BY HENRY BARTH, PH.D., D.C.L. FELLOW OF THE ROYAL GEOGRAPHICAL AND ASIATIC SOCIETIES, _&c. &c._
IN FIVE VOLUMES. VOL. V.
LONDON: LONGMAN, BROWN, GREEN, LONGMANS, & ROBERTS. 1858.
_The right of translation is reserved._
CONTENTS OF THE FIFTH VOLUME.
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CHAP. LXX.
Page
Beginning of the New Year. — Anomalous Rising of the Niger. — Commercial Relations of Timbúktu 1
Cheering Prospects at the beginning of the Year. — Material Existence. — Unreasonable Dispute about a Point of Religious Controversy. — Embarrassing Circumstances. — Anomalous Rising of the River. — The Phenomenon explained. — High State of the Waters. — Machinations of the Merchants from Morocco. — Mysterious Attack of Sickness. — Rainy Days in January. — Departure put off. — Demon Principle of the Mohammedans. — Small Loan. — Commercial Relations. — Manufactures limited. — Leather Work. — Specimens. — No Weaving. — Foreign Commerce. — Gold. — Gold and Salt. — Species and Prices of Salt. — Salt and Gúro Nuts. — Points in the Trade of Gúro Nuts. — Cotton Manufactures in former Times. — Provisions. — Caravans from the North. — Exaggerated Accounts. — Articles of European Commerce. — Important Position of Timbúktu.
CHAP. LXXI.
Diary, continued 8
My Informants. — Continued Disappointment. — Family Reason of Delay. — Leave again for the Tents. — Merits of the Prophets. — Books sent out to Central Africa. — Arrival of Sídi Mohammed. — Hammádi. — Family Concerns. — Another Arrival from Ghadámes. — Unlucky Fate of a Parcel. — The Waters subside. — Indications of a political Storm. — Arrival of another Officer from Hamda-Alláhi. — Protest of the Brothers. — A sleepless Night. — Interesting Episode. — The Kél-ulli.
CHAP. LXXII.
Great Crisis. — Obliged to leave the Town. — Military Demonstration 59
The Tábu or great Army of the Awelímmiden. — Who is a Moslim? — Celebration of the Sebúwa. — The Gwanín. — The Kél-hekíkan. — Political Crisis. — Hasty Proceedings. — Warlike Nightly Manœuvres. — March of the Tábu arrested. — Camp Inconveniences. — Political Meeting at the Ródha. — Consultation of the Brothers. — Policy of the Fúlbe. — Further Difficulties. — Life in the Camp. — The Gwanín again. — Turbulent State of the Country. — Presents. — Intrigues. — Native Estimate of Europeans. — General Political Relations.
CHAP. LXXIII.
Abortive Attempt at Departure from Timbúktu 94
Setting out from Bóse-bángo. — Tawárek Encampments. — Ammalélle. — Camp of the Kél-n-Nokúnder, at Ernésse. — Hospitality of the Kél-ulli. — Camp of the Tarabanása. — Relations of various Chiefs. — Taútilt and the Chief Wóghda. — The Welád Molúk. — The chivalrous Wóghdugu.
CHAP. LXXIV.
Retrograde Movement towards Timbúktu 111
The Rebel Chief Ákhbi. — Quarrel of the Igwádaren. — Return Westward. — Berber and Canaanitic Names. — Swamps and Rains. — A Camp in Motion. — Lady Travellers. — The Kinsman of Sául. — Exciting News. — Relations with the French. — Parting with Kungu. — The Camp at Ernésse again. — Downs of Úle-Tehárge. — A friendly Chat. — Return of Servants from Town. — News from Timbúktu.
CHAP. LXXV.
Final and real Start. — Creeks on the Northern Bank of the Niger. — Ghérgo. — Bamba 139
Real Start. — Leave Úle-Tehárge. — A welcome Parcel. — Gigantic Retem. — Females of the Welád Molúk. — Peaceable Tolba. — Wild Hog. — Zangway. — The Creeks. — Ém-n-kúris. — Tamizgída. — Ghérgo. — Hospitality of the Kél-antsár. — Crossing Creeks. — Approach to Bamba. — Scenery of the River. — The Rumá. — Smoking. — The Cocks of Bamba. — Sídi Mohammed’s Family. — Scarcity of Supplies.
CHAP. LXXVI.
The Desert. — Country along the Border of the River. — Greatest Narrowing. — South-easterly Bend 166
A Night March through Swamps. — Terárart, Northernmost Creek of the Niger. — “Tahónt-n-éggish.” — Various Personalities. — The Chief Sadáktu. — Hot Camping-ground. — A poisonous Spider. — Encampment of Sídi Ilemín. — Beginning of the Rocky District. — Tin-sherífen. — The Kél e’ Súk. — Tawárek Ladies. — The River at Tin-sherífen. — Rocks in the River. — Cry of the young Zangway.
CHAP. LXXVII.
Tósaye, or the Narrowing of the River. — Burrum; Ancient Relation to Egypt. — Great South-south-easterly Reach 188
Incident in African Warfare. — Island of Ádar-n-Háut. — Burrum. — Intercourse with Egypt. — Slow Progress. — Intercourse by Water between Gógó and Bamba. — River between steep Cliffs. — Morals of the Kél e’ Súk. — The Tin-ger-Égedesh. — Curiosity of the Women. — Mount Tóndibi. — Appearance of our Party. — Swampy District Abúba. — The Ibawájiten. — Great Breadth of the River. — First Sight of Gógó. — Appearance of Industry.
CHAP. LXXVIII.
The ancient Capital of Songhay, and its Neighbourhood 305
Gógó and Timbúktu. — General Description of Gógó. — Rich Vegetation. — The Mosque. — Meeting of Native Chiefs. — Khozématen and Hanna. — The Gá-béro. — Their Hospitality. — Encamp in Barno. — Hippopotami. — Return to Gógó. — Preparations to leave Gógó. — Arrival of the Chief Thákkefi. — His Proposal. — Survey of the River.
CHAP. LXXIX.
Separation from the Sheikh. — Cross the River to the South-western Side. — Various Encampments. — River studded with Islands. — Ansóngho 237
Separation from the Sheikh. — Bornu-gungu. — The Gá-bíbi. — Unsettled Districts. — Tóngi. — Barbarous Custom. — Ádar-andúrren. — Island Ansóngho. — Iron Gates of Akarámbay. — Rocky Character of River. — Burre. — Fúlbe Settlers. — Rapids. — Tiboráwen. — Wild Scenery. — The Ímelíggizen. — Island Kátubu. — A River Archipelago. — Wild River Scenery at Ém-n-íshib. — Parting with Mohammed the Kél e’ Súki.
CHAP. LXXX.
Denser Population begins 259
Difficulty of determining the Watercourses. — Granite Boulders. — Ayóru and its Cultivation. — Kendáji and its Chief. — A fertile District. — Camp of Erátafáni. — Doubtful Escort. — Rocky Nature of River-bed. — Sinder, the Corn Market. — State of Háusa. — Date-palms. — Mohammed Sáleh. — Rich Country. — Ázemay. — First Háusa Salute. — The Kortíta. — The River Sirba. — Wántila. — An alarming Adventure. — Cotton Plantations. — Bírni. — Island of Bé-gungu. — Margin and Cliffs of the River. — Arrival at Say.
CHAP. LXXXI.
Second Stay in Say. — Journey through Déndina and Kebbi 295
Audience with the Governor. — Market of Say. — Inundated State. — Leave Say. — Tanna. — Mínge. — Támkala and its reduced Condition. — Audience with Ábú el Hassan. — His Position. — A Háusa Nobleman. — Friendly Reception in Gárbo. — A Storm. — Town of Kallíyul. — Isolated Specimens of the Oil-palm. — Débe. — Pernicious Effect of Water. — Town of Tilli. — Sickness of Señi. — The swampy Gúlbi-n-Sókoto. — Birni-n-Kebbi. — Swampy Valleys. — Jéga. — Cheering Recognition. — Arrival at Gando.
CHAP. LXXXII.
Second Stay in Gando, Sókoto, and Wurno 327
Awkward Fate of a Letter. — Abundance of Rains. — Leaving Gando. — Variety of Vegetation. — Effect of Rains. — Arrival at Sókoto. — Unofficial News of Vogel’s Party. — Swollen Torrent of Sókoto. — Kind Reception at Wurno. — State of Insecurity. — Prices of Market. — Present from ʿAlíyu. — Sickness. — Sad Condition of Negroland. — Leave taking. — New Route. — Gulbi-n-Rába. — Long March to Gandi. — Another long March. — Moríki. — Dúchi. — Town of Kámmané. — Another unsafe Wilderness. — Take Leave of the Ghaladíma. — Arrival in Kanó.
CHAP. LXXXIII.
Second Residence in Kanó, under unfavourable Circumstances. — March to Kúkawa 358
Financial Difficulties. — Sickness of my Horses. — Want of Information. — Varying News from Kúkawa. — Disappointing News from Zínder. — Letter to ʿAlíyu. — Unprofitable Letters. — Forced Loans. — Final Arrangements. — Leaving Kanó. — Aspect of Country. — Kind Treatment at Gída-n-Alla. — The Thieves of Gírki. — Reduced State of Gúmmel. — Last Meeting with Mohammed e’ Sfáksi. — Departure from Gúmmel. — Máshena. — Meeting with Mr. Vogel. — Great Disappointment. — Zurríkulo. — “Búne Kayérda Sʿaíd.” — Dáway. — Kinjéberi. — Various Branches of the Komádugu.
CHAP. LXXXIV.
Last Residence in Kúkawa. — Benefit of European Society. — Unpleasant Circumstances 391
Arrangements with Mr. Vogel. — Departure of Mr. Vogel. — Attack of Rheumatism. — Abortive Plan of Departure from Kúkawa. — Reenter the Town. — Arrival of a Caravan. — News from Mr. Vogel.
CHAP. LXXXV.
Real Start. — Small Party 408
My Camels. — Real Start. — First Day’s March. — Kánembú Hamlets. — Ngégimi. — Small Alarm. — Treatment of Slaves. — The Well Bedwáram and Macguire’s Death. — Desert of Tintúmma. — Ágadem. — Fatigue in the Desert. — Crystallised Tubes. — Well of Díbbela. — Zaw-kurá. — Caravan of Tebu. — Bilma and Kalála. — Wádi Kawár. — Dírki. — Áshenúmma, its picturesque Scenery, and its Chief. — Singular Use of dried Fish. — Ánay. — Íggeba. — Síggedim. — Value of Horses in the Desert. — Heat of the Desert. — Tíggera-n-Dúmma. — El Áhmar. — Rugged Passages. — Arrival at Tejérri. — Madrúsa. — Meet Mr. Warrington. — Entrance into Múrzuk. — Revolution in the Regency. — Leave Múrzuk. — Wádí Zemzem. — Meet Mr. Reade at ʿAín Zára. — Return to Europe. — Conclusion.
* * * * *
APPENDIX. I.
Collection of Itineraries illustrating the Western Half of the Desert, its Districts, and its Inhabitants, and the Course of the Upper Niger 457
APPENDIX II.
List of the Arab or Moorish Tribes scattered over the Western Part of the Desert, according to the Districts of natural Divisions of the Desert in which they are settled 525
APPENDIX III.
Sections and Families of the great South-westerly Group of the Imóshagh or Tawárek 552
APPENDIX IV.
A Vocabulary of the Temáshight or Tárkíye, such as spoken by the Áwelímmiden, with some prefatory Remarks and notes by Professor Newman 565
APPENDIX V.
El Bakáy’s Letter of Recommendation, translated by Dr. Nicholson 642
APPENDIX VI.
Chief Towns and Residences of the Independent Songhay, between the Niger and my Route by Yágha and Libtáko 652
APPENDIX VII.
Fragments of a Meteorological Register 655
APPENDIX VIII.
A few Remarks with regard to the construction of the Maps, by Dr. A. Petermann 667
INDEX to the whole of the Five Volumes 671
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS IN THE FIFTH VOLUME.
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MAPS. Page
XIV. General Map of the Eastern Half of Northern Central Africa _to face_ i
XV. General Map of the Western Half of Northern Central Africa _to face_ 457
PLATES.
1. Ghágo _Frontispiece._
2. Camp of the Sheikh El Bakáy _to face_ 84
3. Ammalélle „ 127
4. Bamba „ 162
5. Borno on the Niger „ 227
6. Ansóngho „ 249
7. The Niger at Tiboráwen „ 253
8. Rapids of the Niger at Ém-n-Íshib „ 258
9. Swollen torrent of Sókoto „ 335
10. Áshenúmma „ 432
WOODCUTS.
Leather Bag 18
Two Leather Cushions 19
A “bét” or Énnefi, a small Leather Pouch, with three Pockets and Cover, for Tobacco and Tinder; a covering for gun 20
A Tawárek Camp in Motion 121
Ground-plan of Hut of Matting 164
Hamlet of Kánembú Cattle-breeders 411
[Illustration: DR. BARTH’S TRAVELS IN NORTH AND CENTRAL AFRICA Sheet No. 14.
MAP OF PART OF AFRICA (WESTERN SHEET) showing DR. BARTH’S ROUTES, 1850-1855 between and native itineraries collected by him.
Constructed and drawn by A. Petermann.
Engraved by E. Weller, _Duke Strt. Bloomsbury._
_London, Longman & Co._]
TRAVELS AND DISCOVERIES IN AFRICA.
* * * * *
CHAPTER LXX.
BEGINNING OF THE NEW YEAR. — ANOMALOUS RISING OF THE NIGER. — COMMERCIAL RELATIONS OF TIMBÚKTU.
I had long cherished the hope that the beginning of 1854 would have found me far advanced on my homeward journey; but greatly disappointed in this expectation, I began the year with a fervent prayer for a safe return home in the course of it.
El Médani, my friend from Swéra, or Mogadore, whom I used to call my political thermometer, or rather my politico-meter, on account of his exhibiting towards me friendly feelings only at times when he saw everything quiet, sent me his compliments in the morning of the first of January; nay, even the two leaders of the hostile factions,—Hammádi, the rival of my protector, and Táleb Mohammed, the wealthiest merchant in the town, and the leader of the intriguing merchants from Morocco,—gave me to understand that they wanted to enter into friendly relations with me. My health as yet was very precarious; but I felt so much recovered in mind and body that, preparatory to my longed for departure, I began arranging the remainder of my baggage, which, with the exception of my small library, had been very much reduced. To my great astonishment and delight, while searching through my lumber, I found another thermometer in good repair. From the remainder of my broken instruments I picked up a good deal of quicksilver, which I gave to the Sheikh, who himself, as well as his other unsophisticated friends, derived a great deal of amusement from observing the qualities of this metal. Meanwhile, my protector endeavoured to make me fully acquainted with the political relation in which he stood to his brothers, Sídi Mohammed and Zén el ʿAbidín, whom he expected soon to arrive, and of whose different views in politics he gave me some slight hints; and I lamented greatly that the power of this noble family, instead of being strengthened by the number of its conspicuous scions, was only rent and split by the divergency of their views.
The course of my material existence went on very uniformly, with only slight variations. My daily food, when I was in the town, consisted of some milk and bread in the morning, a little kuskus, which the Sheikh used to send, about two in the afternoon, and a dish of negro millet, containing a little meat, or seasoned with the sauce of the kobéwa, or _Cucurbita Melopepo_, after sunset. The meat of Timbúktu, at least during the cold season, agreed with me infinitely better than that of any other part of Negroland; but this was not the case with the _Melopepo_, although it is an excellent and palatable vegetable. In the beginning of my stay I had consumed a great many young pigeons, which form a favourite dainty in this city. They are sold at the almost incredibly cheap rate of ten shells each, or at the rate of three hundred for a dollar; but the poor little things were used for culinary purposes so soon after breaking the shell as to be almost tasteless. A very rare dainty was formed by an ostrich egg, which was one day brought to me. This article is more easily to be obtained in the desert than in the towns, and such strong food, moreover, is not well adapted to the stomach of a resident. The Sheikh used also to send me a dish late at night, sometimes long after midnight; but, on account of the late hour, I never touched it, and left it to my servants.
It had been arranged that we should make another excursion to Kábara, but our visit was put off from day to day, although I was extremely anxious to witness the features of the country, in the present high level of the river, at the place where I had first landed on my arrival. Thus I was reduced, for entertainment, to my intercourse with the Sheikh, his kinsfolk, and followers; and as religious topics were always brought forward more prominently by my enemies, but especially in the learned letters which the emír of Hamda-Alláhi sent in reply to the Sheikh[1], my conversation with the former now began to turn more and more upon religious subjects, such as the return of the Messiah, and on the meaning of the name “Paraclete” given in the New Testament to the Holy Spirit, who was to descend upon the apostles, but which by the Mohammedans in more recent times is applied to Mohammed, whose coming, they say, is predicted in this instance by the Holy Book of the Christians.
One day when I visited the Sheikh, the two brothers were engaged in an animated discussion respecting the relation of ʿAísa (Jesus Christ) to Mohammed, and a warm dispute arose on the sophistical question, whether it would be allowed, after the return of ʿAísa upon earth, to eat camel’s flesh. The Sheikh himself was anxious to prove how difficult it would be for themselves to change any part of their creed after the return of ʿAísa, owing to the difference which existed between the precepts of the two prophets, and thus intended to excuse the Christians for not embracing the creed of Mohammed, after having once adopted that of ʿAísa. The two learned men, in the heat of their dispute, had overlooked the fact that the camel was a prohibited animal to the Jews, but not to the Christians, and hence that the return of ʿAísa would not interfere with their favourite repast. It was by cheerfully entering into these discussions that I obtained for myself the esteem even of those who were most anxious to extort from me as much as possible of my remaining property.
The arrival of another small caravan of the Tawáti was very near causing me a serious embarrassment. Some of the merchants from Morocco, excited by commercial jealousy, had spread the report that the calico brought by that caravan was Christian property, belonging to the English agent in Ghadámes: and I had some difficulty in making the people understand, that, even if that article had originally belonged to the agent, it was now the property of the Tawáti merchants. The presence of those people, also, caused the road to the north, by way of Tawát, to be again brought under discussion, as the route most suitable for my home-journey. My departure was now discussed almost daily; the arrival of our lively and talkative, but indiscreet messenger, Áhmed el Wádáwi, who had at length returned from his errand to the Awelímmeden, holding out the hope that my departure was in reality not far distant; but the fact that none of the Tawárek had come with him, notwithstanding his assertion that they were soon to follow, convinced me that my prospect of departure was put off for an indefinite period.
Towards the end of January the waters of the river reached their highest level, exhibiting that marvellous anomaly, in comparison with the period of the rising of other African rivers north of the equator, which is calculated to awaken astonishment in any man acquainted with the subject. For when he knows that the rising of these rivers is due to the fall of the tropical rains, he will naturally expect that the Niger, like its eastern branch, the Tsádda or Bénuwé, or the Nile, should reach its highest level in August or September. The fact can only be partly explained with the means at our disposal, and in the present state of our knowledge of this part of Africa, although it is illustrated by similar cases, if we compare it with the anomalous rising of some South- African rivers; especially the grand discovery of Dr. Livingstone, the Liambézi, which, forming in its upper course an immense shallow sheet of water, collects here the greatest amount of water at a time (July and August) when its lower course, the Zambézi, separated from it and withdrawn from the immediate effects of the waters collected above by the marvellous narrowing of the river-bed from the Falls of Victoria[2] downwards, is in its lowest state, and, through the influence of the water by which it is joined in its lower course, reaches here its highest level at quite a different season, February and March. We have before us exactly the same phenomenon in the case of the Niger, the great West-African river, which, according to the most accurate information which I was able to gather on the spot, every year continues to rise till the end of December or the beginning of January, and does not begin to decrease before February; while its eastern branch, the Bénuwé, as well as the lower course of the Niger, where it is called Kwára, exactly as is the case with the Nile, reaches its highest level by the end of August and begins to decrease steadily in the course of October.
To explain the difference and anomaly of these phenomena we must attend to the different character of these rivers. For while the Bénuwé after having once assumed a westerly direction follows it up with but very little deviation, the great western branch describes three quarters of an immense circle, and having but very little fall in the greater part of its extraordinary winding course, the waters which flow towards it from the more distant quarters require a long time to reach its middle course, so that the rain which falls in the course of September and October in the country of the Wangaráwa, or the South-eastern Mandigoes, will certainly continue to swell the river at Timbúktu till the end of November or even December; for that rain falls in those quarters behind the coast of Sierra Leone and Cape Palmas till the end of September, and perhaps even in October, we may conclude with some degree of certainty from the fact that such is the case on the coast[3]; and this is confirmed as regards Kakóndi and Tímbo by Caillié’s observations.[4] In the mountainous southern provinces of Abessinia, too, whose latitude corresponds exactly with that of the regions from whence the feeders of the Niger take their rise, the most constant fall of rain has been observed in September. Now while the whole region between Jenne and Timbúktu is of a very flat and level character, so that the river, running along at a very slow rate and with a very meandering course, not only fills a very broad stream spreading out over the neighbouring low lands, but forms also a great many backwaters and basins or lakes of which the Débo is only one although perhaps the largest in size, the river lower down beyond Bamba, and especially in the district called Tin-sherífen which we shall visit on our return journey, is shut in and reduced to the width of a few hundred yards, so that the water, having expanded over such an immense tract and not exercising therefore the same pressure which such a volume of water would do under other circumstances if it were kept together in a narrower channel, preserves its level or even still increases in extent and depth, while the surplus produced by the fall of rain in the country higher up has already diminished.
This is my mode of accounting for a phenomenon which seems to contradict in so great a measure the whole of the phenomena which have come under our observation with regard to the effects of rain and the rising of the rivers north and south of the equator, and imparts to the upper course of the Niger the same character as the Gabún and other rivers of the equatorial line which reach their highest level in the course of February.