Part 26

The road which we pursued the following day was more beset by thorny bushes, but here also deléb-palms were numerous, and dorówa and tamarind trees contributed to enliven more favoured spots. Thus we reached the place where this northern route is joined by a more southerly one which passes by Gezáwa, but not the same track which I had pursued on my former journey. Here we continued on, at an accelerated pace, as all the people whom we met were flying in haste before Bokhári. Thus we passed Dúkawa, a considerable village, fortified with a keffi, and surrounded with numbers of monkey-bread trees, which at present were destitute of foliage, although the fruit was just ripening. As the heat became rather oppressive, especially as we were not provided with water, all the ponds being now dried up, I rode in advance to Hóbiri, fortified, like most of the hamlets hereabouts, with a stockade, and adorned outside by large tamarind and monkey-bread trees, and, while watering the horses, refreshed myself with a little sour-milk. Passing then through a dense forest, I reached the well in front of the town of Gérki. My people had already arrived, but had not yet succeeded in obtaining the smallest quantity of water, the well, although not very deep, being rather poor, considering the number of people which it had to supply. I had, in consequence, to pay 300 shells for supplying the wants of myself and my animals. Not feeling any greater inclination this time to encamp inside Gérki than I had done on my former journey, I chose my own camping- ground on the north side of the town. It was a pleasant spot; but, unfortunately, it was too near a large monkey-bread tree, which in the course of the night afforded to an audacious thief an excellent cover, under which to proceed twice to a very clever performance of his art. I would strongly advise any future traveller in these districts, the inhabitants of which are very expert thieves, to take care not to pitch his tent too near a large tree. As it was, to my great disgust, the fellow succeeded in carrying away, first the tobe, and then the trowsers, belonging to one of my servants; but I strongly suspected one of the inhabitants of Hóbiri, from whom I had bought, the previous evening, an ox of burden for 9000 shells, to be the culprit. Gérki is famous on account of the many thefts which are committed in its neighbourhood.

Although I had not paid my respects to the governor of the town, he accompanied me the next morning with ten horsemen, four of whom were his own sons. He himself was quite a stately person and well mounted. Having then taken leave of him at the frontier of the territory of Kanó and Bórnu, I reached the town of Birmenáwa, the small frontier town of Bórnu, which I have mentioned on my former journey, but which, at present, had assumed more remarkable political importance, as it had not made its subjection to Shéri, the present ruler of Gúmmel, but still adhered to his opponent and rival, the governor of Týmbi. On this account, the inhabitants of this town endeavoured to cut off the peaceable intercourse between Gúmmel and Kanó, and I thought it necessary, in order to prevent any unpleasantness, to pay my respects to the petty chief, and to procure his good will by a small present, while my camels pursued the direct track. Thus we reached Gúmmel, and encamped outside at some distance from the wall to the north-east.

I had left this town on my former journey in the enjoyment of a considerable degree of wealth and comfort, under the rule of the old Dan Tanóma. But civil war, which cuts short the finest germs of human prosperity, had been raging here; the person appointed by Bórnu as the successor of the former governor having been vanquished by his rival Shéri, who, having taken possession of the town after much serious fighting, had again been driven out by the governor of Zínder sent against him by the Sheikh of Bórnu. Having taken refuge in the territory of Kanó, and collected there fresh strength, the rebellious governor had reconquered his seat, where he was now tacitly acknowledged by his liege lord, in the weak state to which the kingdom of Bórnu had been reduced by the civil war. The town was almost desolate, while the palace had been ransacked, pillaged, and destroyed by fire, and the new governor himself, who, after a long struggle with his rival and near kinsman, had at length succeeded in taking possession of this government, was residing amidst the towering ruins of the royal residence, blackened by fire, and exhibiting altogether the saddest spectacle. It was with a melancholy feeling, that I remembered the beautiful tamarind-tree, which spread its shade over the whole courtyard of the palace, where, on my former visit, I had witnessed the pompous ceremonies of this petty court. All now presented an appearance of poverty and misery. The governor himself, a man of about thirty-five years of age, and with features void of expression, was dressed in a very shabby manner, wearing nothing but a black tobe, and having his head uncovered. There was, however, another man sitting by his side, whose exterior was more imposing; but I soon recognised him as my old friend Mohammed e’ Sfáksi, who had accompanied us on our outset from Múrzuk, and who, from being an agent of Mr. Gagliuffi, had become, through successful trading and speculation, a wealthy merchant himself. He was now speculating upon the successful issue of an expedition of his protector against the town of Birmenáwa, the inhabitants of which braved the authority of the governor. But fortunately the debt which Mr. Richardson had contracted with him had at length been paid, and he expressed nothing but kindly feelings towards me, and congratulated me, as it appeared sincerely, upon my safe return from my dangerous undertaking, praising my courage and perseverance in the highest terms before his friend the governor. Presenting to the latter a small gift, consisting of a red cap and turban, together with a flask of rose-oil, I requested him to furnish me with a guide, in order to accompany me to the governor of Máshena. He consented to do so, although, perhaps, he never intended to perform his promise; and I myself at the time had no idea of the difficulties with which such a proceeding would be accompanied, as the road to Malám, where the governor at Máshena at present resided, led close to the territory of Týmbi, the residence of Shéri’s rival.

Having returned to my tent outside the town, I was visited by several of my former acquaintances, and among others by Mohammed Abëakúta, the remarkable freed slave from Yóruba, whom I have mentioned on a former occasion. But the most interesting visit was that of E’ Sfáksi in the evening, who brought me a quantity of sweetmeats from his well supplied household, and spent several hours with me, giving me the first authentic account of the state of affairs in Bórnu, as well as of the English expedition which had arrived there. As a reward for his friendly feeling and for his information, I presented him with a young heifer, which the governor of the town had sent me as a present.

My camels having proved insufficient for the journey before them, I was looking out for fresh ones, but in the present reduced state of the place was not able to procure any, a circumstance which caused me afterwards a great deal of delay on my journey.

[Sidenote: Monday, Nov. 27th.]

After losing much time awaiting the coming of the guide who had been promised me, I started after my people whom I had allowed to go on with the camels. The road in consequence of the civil war which had raged between Shéri and his rival, had become quite desolate. The inhabitants had deserted their native villages, leaving the crops standing ripe in the fields, and forsaking everything which had been dear to them. Not a single human being was to be seen for a stretch of more than twenty-five miles, when at length we fell in with a party of native travellers, or fatáki, who were going to Kanó. We soon after reached the small town of Fányakangwa, surrounded by a wall and stockade, and encamped on the stubble-fields which were covered with small dúm-bush, not far from a deep well, and we were glad to find that we had at length reached a land of tolerable plenty, the corn being just half the price it was in Gúmmel. There were also a great number of cattle, and I had a plentiful supply of milk; but water was at the present season very scanty, and I could scarcely imagine what the people would do in the dry season.

A march of a little more than two miles brought us to Malám, consisting of two villages, the eastern one being encompassed by a clay wall which was being repaired, while the western one, where the present governor resided, was just being surrounded with a stockade. Between the two villages lies the market-place where a market is held every Sunday and Thursday. The present governor of Máshena, whose father I had visited on my former journey, is a young and inexperienced man, who may have some difficulty in protecting his province in the turbulent state into which the empire of Bórnu has been plunged, in consequence of the civil war raging between the Sheikh ʿOmár and his brother ʿAbd e’ Rahmán.

While staying here during the hot hours, I was visited by several Arab traders, one of whom informed me that Mr. Vogel had gone on a journey to Mándará, but without taking with him any of his companions. I left in the afternoon as early as the heat of the midday hours allowed me, in order to continue my journey towards the town of Máshena. We encamped this evening at the well belonging to a village called Allamáibe, a name not unfrequent in this region, and we were most hospitably treated by the inhabitants who, enjoying themselves with music and dancing, celebrated also my own arrival with a song; they moreover sent me several dishes of native food.

[Sidenote: Wednesday, Nov. 29th.]

The whole tract which we traversed in pursuing our road from hence to the town of Máshena, was chiefly adorned with dúm-palms, which did not cease till just before we reached Demánmária; and the country was tolerably well inhabited and exhibited some signs of industry. Cattle also were not wanting; and I observed that at a village which we passed near the town of Mairimája, although it was then nearly half-past nine o’clock in the morning, the cattle had not yet been driven out. Here the water did not seem to be at any great depth below the surface, some of the wells measuring not more than four fathoms. Having then traversed a district where the tamarind tree was the greatest ornament, we reached the town of Máshena, with its rocky eminences scattered about the landscape, and encamped a few hundred yards to the west of the town. I have made a few observations with regard to this place on my former journey, but neither then nor at this time, did I visit the interior. I will only add, that it was in this place that the sheríf Mohammed el Fási, the agent of the vizier of Bórnu in Zínder, with whom my supplies had been deposited, was slain in the revolution of the preceding year. Not long after I had pitched my tent, I received a visit from an Arab, of the name of ʿAbd Alláhi Shén, who had assisted the usurper ʿAbd e’ Rahmán as a sort of broker, and who, in consequence, had been exiled by the Sheikh ʿOmár as soon as the latter again recovered possession of the supreme power, and it was in order to beg me to solicit his pardon at the hands of the Sheikh, that he addressed himself to me. He also informed me, that the road was at present by no means safe, being greatly infested by the people of Bédde, who were taking advantage of the weak state to which the Bórnu kingdom had been reduced by the civil war. Corn was here exceedingly dear, or rather not to be had at all, and beans was the only thing I could procure.

From hence I followed at first my former track, till I came to the place where on that occasion I had lost my road; and here I took a more southerly direction, and passed the hot hours in Lamíso, a middle-sized town surrounded with a low rampart of earth. Outside the town there was a market-place, where a market was just being held, tolerably well supplied, not only with corn, but also with cotton; besides these, beans, dodówa, the dúm-fruit, dried fish, and indigo, formed the chief articles for sale; and I bought here a pack-ox for 10,000 shells. As soon as the bargain was concluded, I again pursued my journey, and, after some time, fell into my old track. Having thus reached the town of Allamáy, I pitched my tent inside the thick fence of thorny bushes. I had passed this town also on my former journey, and had then been greatly pleased at the sight of a numerous herd of cattle; but in the present ruinous condition of the country, not a single cow was to be seen; the whole place being entirely desolate. Even the water, which it was very difficult to obtain, was of bad quality.

The next morning I reached Búndi, after a short march, proceeding in advance of my camels, in order to pay my compliments to the governor, and to obtain from him an escort through the unsafe district which intervened between this town and Zurríkulo. After a little tergiversation, my old friend, the ghaladíma ʿOmár, acceded to my request, giving me a guide who, he assured me, would procure an escort for me in the village of Sheshéri, where a squadron of horse was stationed for the greater security of the road. I had experienced the inhospitable disposition of this officer during my former stay here, and felt therefore little inclination to be his guest a second time; but if I had had any foreboding that Mr. Vogel was so near at hand, I would gladly have made some stay.

Having rejoined my camels, I set out, without delay, through the forest, taking the lead with my head servant, but I had scarcely proceeded three miles when I saw advancing towards me a person of strange aspect,—a young man of very fair complexion, dressed in a tobe like the one I wore myself, and with a white turban wound thickly round his head. He was accompanied by two or three blacks, likewise on horseback. One of them I recognised as my servant Mʿadi, whom, on setting out from Kúkawa, I had left in the house as a guardian. As soon as he saw me, he told the young man that I was ʿAbd el Kerím, in consequence of which, Mr. Vogel (for he it was) rushed forward, and, taken by surprise as both of us were, we gave each other a hearty reception from horseback. As for myself, I had not had the remotest idea of meeting him; and he, on his part, had only a short time before received the intelligence of my safe return from the west. Not having the slightest notion that I was alive, and judging from its Arab address that the letter which I forwarded to him from Kanó was a letter from some Arab, he had put it by without opening it, waiting till he might meet with a person who should be able to read it.

In the midst of this inhospitable forest, we dismounted and sat down together on the ground; and my camels having arrived, I took out my small bag of provisions, and had some coffee boiled, so that we were quite at home. It was with great amazement that I heard from my young friend that there were no supplies in Kúkawa; that what he had brought with him had been spent; and that the usurper ʿAbd e’ Rahmán had treated him very badly, having even taken possession of the property which I had left in Zínder. He moreover informed me that he himself was on his way to that place, in order to see whether fresh supplies had not arrived, being also anxious to determine the position of that important town by an astronomical observation, and thus to give a firmer basis to my own labours. But the news of the want of pecuniary supplies did not cause me so much surprise as the report which I received from him, that he did not possess a single bottle of wine. For having now been for more than three years without a drop of any stimulant except coffee, and having suffered severely from frequent attacks of fever and dysentery, I had an insuperable longing for the juice of the grape, of which former experience had taught me the benefit. On my former journey through Asia Minor, I had contracted a serious fever in the swamps of Lycia, and quickly regained my strength by the use of good French wine. I could not help reproaching my friend for having too hastily believed the news of my death before he had made all possible inquiries; but as he was a new comer into this country, and did not possess a knowledge of the language, I could easily perceive that he had no means of ascertaining the truth or falsehood of those reports.

I also learned from him, that there were despatches for me in Kúkawa, informing me of the expedition sent up the river Tsadda, or Bénuwé. With regard to his own proceedings, he informed me that his sole object in going to Mándará had been to join that expedition, having been misled by the opinion of my friends in Europe, who thought that I had gone to Ádamáwa by way of Mándará, and that when once in Morá he had become aware of the mistake he had committed when too late, and had endeavoured in vain to retrieve his error by going from that place to Ujé, from whence the overthrow of the usurper ʿAbd e’ Rahmán, and the return of his brother ʿOmár to power, had obliged him to return to Kúkawa.

While we were thus conversing together, the other members of the caravan in whose company Mr. Vogel was travelling arrived, and expressed their astonishment and surprise at my sitting quietly here in the midst of the forest, talking with my friend, while the whole district was infested by hostile men. But these Arab traders are great cowards; and I learned from my countryman that he had found a great number of these merchants assembled in Borzári, and afraid of a few robbers who infested the road beyond that place, and it was only after he had joined them with his companions that they had decided upon advancing.

After about two hours’ conversation, we had to separate; and while Mr. Vogel pursued his journey to Zínder (whence he promised to join me before the end of the month), I hastened to overtake my people, whom I had ordered to wait for me in Kálemrí. I have described this place on my outward journey as a cheerful and industrious village, consisting of two straggling groups, full of cattle and animation; but here also desolation had supplanted human happiness, and a few scattered huts were all that was at present to be seen. Having rested here for about an hour with my people, who had unloaded the animals at a short distance from the well, I started again at three o’clock in the afternoon, and reached Shechéri, where I was to receive my escort, this being the reason why I had been obliged to deviate from the main direction of my route. This time we encamped on the open square inside the village, where we were exposed to the dust and dirt raised by a numerous herd of cattle on their return from their pasture-grounds. This was a sign of some sort of comfort remaining; but we were disturbed in the night by a shrill cry raised, on account of a report having been just received that a party of native traders, or “fatáki,” had been attacked by the Tawárek. In the morning, I had great difficulty in obtaining two horsemen for an escort; but I at last set out, taking a southerly detour instead of the direct road to Zurríkulo, and thus reached the town of Kerí-zemán, situated two miles and a half south-west from the former, along a track ornamented by a dense grove of dúm-palms.

Thus I reached Zurríkulo for the third time during my travels in Negroland; but found it in a much worse condition than when I had last visited it in 1851, and the wall, although it had been considerably contracted, was still much too large for the small number of inhabitants. The governor, Kashélla Sʿaíd, who paid me a visit in the evening, when I had pitched my tent at a short distance from his residence, requested urgently that, on my arrival in the capital, I would employ my influence with the Sheikh in order to induce him either to send him sufficient succours, or to recall him from this dangerous post; otherwise he should take to flight with the rest of the inhabitants. There were here some Arabs who were scarcely able to conceive how I could pursue these difficult roads quite by myself, without a caravan.

In order to lessen the danger, I decided upon travelling at night, and set out about two o’clock in the morning, entering now a region consisting of high sandy downs and irregular hollows, full of dúm-palms, and occasionally forming the receptacle for a swampy sheet of water, where the wild hog appears to find a pleasant home. After a march of nearly ten hours, which greatly fatigued my camels, on account of the numerous sandy slopes which we had to go up and down, we reached the little hamlet of Gabóre, situated in a rather commanding position, bordered towards the north by a hollow dell. Here I encamped on the eastern side of the village, and was glad to treat my people with a sheep and a few fowls. From the presence of these articles of luxury I was led to conclude that the inhabitants were tolerably well off, but I was not a little astonished to learn that they pay a certain tribute to the Tawárek, in order not to be exposed to their predatory incursions.

[Sidenote: Monday, December 4th.]