Part 34

Jawára is distant one and a half day N.N.E. from Jebéga, and two days from Samakéde, passing one night in Melléri, a ksar inhabited by the Welád Dábo (the name given by the Arabs to one section of the Aswánek, or Wákoró), and passing the heat in a place called Arjóga. It is after this town, Jawára, or Jaura, that the Fúlbe call the Swánínki, or Sébe, as they style themselves (the noblest section of the Aswánek), by the name of Jaura-n-kóbe.

At a short distance from Melléri, S., lies the ksar Jemjúmmu, and W. of it, Sára.

T.—_From Kasambára to Bú-Jedúr or Bakel._

1st day. Bisága, a ksar of Aswánek, having passed the heat of the day in Jóga.

2nd. Joróni, a ksar of Aswánek. In the morning, not far from Bisága you pass Medína, a large place, and further on Demmundáli, and rest during the heat of the day in Ágwenít, a considerable ksar, likewise inhabited by Aswánek.

3rd. Túreghámme, another ksar of Aswánek, having passed the heat in a place called Kurche.

4th. Jebéga, a ksar of Aswánek. The traveller enters Kaarta, and the roads divide. Jebéga is said to be two days S.E. of Mesíla.

5th. Samankéde, a place inhabited at present by Bámbara. You pass the heat in a village called Aréri, and leave the village Chencha on one side.

6th. El Káb, a ksar of Aswánek, having passed another place called Bú- Swéde, and rested during the greatest heat in Kórkoró.

7th. Brenta, one of the chief places of the Aswánek. You pass the heat in Yóri, another place of the Aswánek.

8th. Tenge, a village inhabited by Bámbara, and dominating a mountain pass. You halt during the hot hours of the day in Kása, a village inhabited by Bámbara people.

9th. Mámuru, the residence of a chief called Dembo Weled Músa Korbo, situated in a wide valley. You rest during the heat in Mowedína, a town inhabited by Bámbara and governed by a chief of the name of Hassan Bébelé.

10th. Lewána, a large place, and residence of a governor dependent on the King of Ségo. You rest at noon in a village inhabited by slaves of the Bámbara.

11th. Gúri, the chief place of Jáfunu (evidently identical with Raffenel’s Kóghi[73]), a considerable town built of clay, and containing, according to the statements of informants, not less that sixty msíd, or places of worship. The inhabitants are Aswánek, forming a particular stock, called by the Fúlbe “Jáfunankóbe.” The population of the country of Kajága or Gejága S. of Jáfunu is said to consist likewise of Aswánek, forming another tribe, called Hairankóbe by the Fúlbe. You rest at noon in Cháma, a place inhabited by Bámbara, and governed by a son of Morbo; and beyond that place you enter Jáfunu, Jáfuna, or, as the name is pronounced by the Arabs, Jáfena.

15th. Bú-Jedúr, as the French settlement Bakel, to the S.S.E. of Bot- hadíye, is universally called by the Arabs. There are many towns and villages on the road, the names of which informant had forgotten. You enter the province of Fúta on the 12th day.

U.—_Route from Kasambára to Mesíla._

1st day. Bisága. From Bisága to Benón is one day’s march from morning till sunset, halting at noon in Dúnu.

2nd. In the wilderness.

3rd. Ferénni, a ksar inhabited by Aswánek. It is the westernmost ksar of Bághena, being situated about six miles N.N.W. from Benón.

4th. Gógi, a shallow well, or hasi, belonging to Termessa, a district of El Hódh. Arrive about noon.

5th. Beyond a well named Talli, rich in water and adorned with small trees, where you pass the heat and proceed on your journey.

6th. Bowár, a copious well, constituting the W. frontier of El Hódh, and frequented by the tribes of the Zenágha or Senhája, Henún, and Fáta.

7th. Mesíla, a group of shallow wells, the first of which is called Akerúd. With regard to plants, the “dirs” is almost exclusively found here.

V.—_Route from Kasambára to Nyámina._

1st day. Nʿama, a ksar of the Welád Mazúk. Rest during the heat of the day in a village called San-fága.

2nd. Dýnnia, a large and wealthy town of the Welád Yággeré, residence of a governor called Músa Nájem, son of Bankóro, and dependent on the king of Bámbara. The town is rich in horses. You pass the heat in a place called Séredú, inhabited by Aswánek and Bámbara. Dýnnia is distant one day’s march W. from Alássa, resting at noon in a ksar called Wésat, inhabited by Bámbara.

3rd. Jóre, belonging to the district of Dýnnia. You pass the heat in Wáteré, a large Bámbara place.

4th. Debála, a Bámbara town, belonging to the north-western province of the Bámbara empire called Kéche. Rest during the heat in Delánga, a place distant only six or eight miles from Jóre.

5th. Mekoye, a large place, residence of the governor of Kéche. Pass Kasambúgu, a large place inhabited by Arabs and Bámbara.

13th. Nyámina, a considerable town and well-furnished market-place on the N. side of the Dhiúlibá. The market of Nyámina excels that of Sansándi in many respects, and supplies a great proportion of the inhabitants of the Western desert. The district intervening between Mekoye and Nyámina is densely inhabited, but informant does not remember the names of the places where he slept. Not far W. from Nyámina a very considerable creek or backwater separates from the river, opening an extensive inland navigation. It divides itself into two branches, the eastern one of which follows an almost northerly direction, approaching close to Tumbúlle, a ksar in the country of the Áhel Yággeré, distant a day and a half S.S.W. from Dýnnia, and thence going to Jungúnta, situated at the same distance S. from W. of Dýnnia (starting from Dýnnia, pass the heat in Farku, sleep in Sillintíggera, arrive in the morning in Jungúnta), after which the creek turns S. from W. to the country of Áhel Mása.

W.—_From Kasambára to Nyámina by way of Murja, and from Murja to Mekoye._

1st day. Dáli, one of the chief places of the Aswánek. Pass on the road the villages Zeghéri, probably identical with the زغاري of the Arab traveller Ébn Batúta (Journal As. Soc., 1852, p. 50.); farther on Serére, then Bʿaínbála, where you pass the heat of the day. E., at no great distance from Dáli, was formerly the ksar called Debbús. At a short distance E. of Bʿaínbála is the village Kóshi. Direction S.E., or rather E.S.E.

2nd. Alássa, a ksar of the tribe of the Teghdaust of mixed Aswánek and Arab blood, once very powerful and widely scattered, at present degraded to the condition of “lhame,” or “khóddemán,” serfs or tributaries, but still distinguished on the score of their learning. The town of Alássa itself is very remarkable on account of its palm trees, there being besides these no palm trees in the whole of Bághena, with the exception of two trees in Kasambára, where there were formerly four. About six miles S.S.E. from Alássa lies Safantára, a large Bámbara place. Direction, E. of S. You halt during the heat in Yengót. Here you also pass the heat of the first day in going from Alássa to Jawára in very short marches; sleep in el Awéna; halt the second day in Seghálli, sleep in Jurni (Joróni); third day sleep in Kúrche; fourth day sleep in Torangúmbu (Turaghamme); fifth day reach Jawára.

From Alássa to Akúmb is two and a half days’ march S.E. First day Raranrúlle, making a short halt at noon in Tambebógo; second day Rullúmbo, passing the heat in Fúgti; third day Akúmb; distance the same as that between Kábara and Timbúktu. A short distance N. from Akúmb is Díggena, with a mixed population of Bámbara, Aswánek, and Fullán.

3rd. Tambe-bógo, a ksar of Bámbara. Rest a couple of hours during the heat of the day in Gala-bógo, likewise inhabited by Bámbara.

4th. Nyáme-bógo, another Bámbara place, about noon.

5th. Sleep in the wilderness, having rested at noon in Dambar- (or Damboy-) keséba.

6th. Murja, in the morning.

_In going from Murja to Nyámina._

1st day. Khersanáne, a Bámbara place; arrive between three and four o’clock, without having halted on the road.

2nd. Manzánne.

3rd. Kanú, a Bámbara place, about three o’clock P.M.

4th. Ksér (diminutive form of “ksar”) el Mʿallemín, a place inhabited by Aswánek students, and therefore so designated by the Arabs.

5th. Nyámina, before noon.

_From Murja to Mekoye._

1st day. Gellu, a considerable place. It was formerly dependent upon Murja, but it has succeeded in making itself independent, while the latter place lay deserted and waste for nearly four years, and it has also preserved its independence since the rebuilding of Murja in 1852-3. Several towns or villages in the neighbourhood belong to Gellu.

2nd. Debála. Pass on the road many ksúr or small towns.

3rd. Mekoye. A long day.

I here add a few less distinct data with regard to this region from the information of Dáúd.

Between Marikoire (probably identical with Mekoye) and Debála, the following towns and villages: Belála, Dundé, Síde, Nawelénna, Kalúmbu, a Bámbara place, Debála.

Between Debála and Dinga, on a route of a little more than a day’s journey, are the following places: Wálteré, Marénna, Sírankóro, Tówa, Dócheré, Dinga. Dinga is said by this informant to be the abode of the Áhel Yéggara, a tribe of Bámbara.

Between Marikoire and Danfa, in a direction from west to east, two and a half days’ fast, or four days’ slow travelling: Búle, Tolókkoró, Séle, Búlo, Báne, Túnturubále, Kóssa, Barakóro, Bássala, two considerable villages or ksúr, inhabited by Bámbara people, Bankorondúgu, Danfa.

Between Danfa and Debála, a two days’ journey north, lie the following places: Dogoye, Ársa, Marénna, Námbara, Babanúru, Mariam-Babanúru, Jeraudu, Bóngel, Debála.

Between Yá-saláme and Sókolo, a three days’ journey: Nyenchélle, Nyarinyarínde, Káre (see below), Urlí, Sókolo; a long uninhabited tract intervening between the last two stations.

X 1.—_Route from Kasambára to Kóla direct._

1st day. Chappáto, a ksar of the Bámbara, a few miles west from Dáli. Halt at noon in Bʿaínbála.

2nd. Jibónfo, a town inhabited by Fúlbe. Pass the heat in Úm el ʿArúk. One day from Úm el ʿArúk is Musáwelí, a considerable ksar of the Aswánek, about two hours north of Kolí. Another road from Musáwelí to Kasambára leads, 1st, to Úm el ʿArúk; on the 2nd day, by Kúsh to Kóla; on the 3rd, to Serére; on the 4th, to Kasambára. One day and a half from Jibónfo is Tangenágha. Halt at noon in Raranrúlle, a Bámbara village; sleep at Fúrti or Dambo-selli; reach at noon, the next day, Jibónfo.

3rd. Kolí, a considerable place; arrive about three o’clock P.M. It is two hours south from Musáwelí.

4th. Encamp in the open country, having halted during the heat in Kúmba, which is not farther distant from Kolí than Kábara from Timbúktu, and consists of two villages, separated from each other by a valley, where the market is held; the northern village being called Ferbága, and the southern one, Lellága.

5th. Kóla, a Bámbara place, distant two days north-west from Kála, and six from Sansándi. Arrive before noon.

X 2.—_Zigzag route from Sansándi to Kasambára, according to the Idésan El Mukhtár.[74] Slow rate with camels._

2nd day. Karandúgu, dependent upon Bámbara. Country level; all the houses clay; no reed huts.

4th. Denfó, a large walled place, under the dominion of Bámbara; residence of a governor; abundance of trees, rice; horned cattle, sheep; much cotton. The natives, dressed in tobes, take their supply of water from wells. In Karandúgu informant changed his north north-easterly direction for one going west.

5th. Salákoró, a small village of Bámbara, densely inhabited. Country well cultivated. Arrive at sunset.

6th. Bernínkoró, a small village, but well inhabited. Even the smaller towns and villages in this quarter are constructed of clay. Grain in abundance; much honey and butter.

7th. Murja, a large walled place; residence of a governor called Mamári, and nicknamed by informant Elli-Bú-seruwál. The inhabitants, including the governor, all idolaters, but dress well; like all the Bámbara people, they have a golden stud in the right ear. A great portion of them speak Arabic. They are armed with muskets and arrows. The country is perfectly level; no valleys, only wells.

8th. Encamp at sunset in the open country. The country here intersected by sandy ridges, nebák or erreg rendering the passage difficult. No cultivation, but tall trees; no water.

9th. Kumba, first town of Bághena, separated by a ravine into two distinct quarters, each ruled by a governor of its own. In the ravine or valley the market is held. The inhabitants are all Mohammedans; speak Bámbara. Informant, from some cause or other, did not take the direct road from Murja to Kasambára by way of Alássa.

10th. Kolí, at sunset; a large walled town, half clay, half reed. The whole country is under cultivation; cattle and sheep; wells; no running water. The Welád e’ Rahmún, the Shébahín, besides the Aswánek, have villages on the road. There are also the Fúlbe tribes, the Bowár, with the chief Bú-genó, and the Hásinibóro, with the chief Sumbúnne, but acknowledging the supremacy of Bághena.

11th. Rorínga, a temporary dwelling-place of the roving tribes, including the Idésan. Arrive at four o’clock P.M., having rested at noon.

12th. Úm el ʿArúk, a large village, with shallow wells. Much cotton and indigo. Arrive about noon.

13th. Chapáto, a place inhabited by Sellát, a section of Aswánek, Mohammedans; many temporary settlers. Early in the morning.

14th. Kúsh, a large place, residence of the Helbúbu Welád Mahbúb, who have no handicraft or market; make war in company with the Arabs; are armed with muskets; their idiom Bámbara, Aswánek, and Arab; all clay dwellings.

15th. Tónorár, small place; as usual, consisting of clay dwellings; residence of the Arúsíyín, with their chief Sídi Sála; herds of cattle; no camels; much honey.

16th. Kserát Shigge (probably meaning “the manufacturing or weaving towns,” shigge being generally the name given to cotton in these quarters). At present the Kesíma, a section of those in Sús, dwell here. Arrival in the morning early.

17th. Kasambára, large place; clay and reed; residence, at the time of informant’s journey, of Mukhtár, son of Mohammed, whom my informant believed able to bring into the field from 6000 to 7000 cavalry, but only a few infantry.

Y.—_A few Notes on the present State of Bághena._

The name of Bághena, as it comprises part of the ancient territory of Ghánata, has evidently also supplanted the ancient name. At present it does not comprise a country naturally or politically united; for, naturally considered, Bághena forms part of the district El Hódh, at least that portion of it which is most favoured by nature; and in a political point of view it consists of the most heterogeneous elements, comprising districts inhabited by Aswánek, Arabs, and Fullán. The former, even at the end of the last century, were very powerful, when they became known to Venture under the name of Marka[75], through the medium of those two Moroccain merchants who visited Paris at that time. This name is given to them by the Bámbara, who call their country Marka- kanne or kanda, and are greatly intermixed with them. The Fullán hereabouts also formerly had great power, and have become famous under the name Kowár.

The Aswánek, Swánínki, Sébe, or Wákoré, were the original inhabitants of the country, and once formed the principal stock in the vast and glorious empire of Ghánata, the ruling class not improbably belonging to the Púllo stock, the Leukæthiopes, who were settled in this very region since the time of Ptolemy, till they were overpowered by the nearly related tribe of the Mandingoes or Júli, who, on the ruins of the empire of Ghánata, founded a new empire, extending its influence over the whole middle course of the great river. This new empire was called “Melle,” from melle, a word meaning “free,” “noble,” as the dominating tribe of the Mandingoes called themselves, in opposition to their oppressed brethren, the Aswánek, just in the same manner as the free, roving portion of the Berbers from ancient times seem to have called themselves Mázigh, Imóshagh, in opposition to the degraded settlers in the towns. The feeble remains of the empire of Melle, which had been nearly annihilated by the Songhay, were extinguished, as it seems, in the beginning of the reign of Múláy Ismʿaíl, when the Arabs on the one side, and the Bámbara on the other, began to take the lead in those quarters, while the Fúlbe or Fullán appeared in the background.

The catastrophe of the extinction of this last remnant of the empire of Melle is not without interest in the modern history of the western part of Central Africa. For a civil war having arisen between the royal princes Dábo and Sagóne, sons of Feréngh Mahmúd, the late king or ruler of Melle, (the title “Feréngh,” instead of the more exalted one of Mansa, showing his reduced state of rank,) all the most powerful tribes in that part of the continent took part in the quarrel: one faction being formed by the Bámbara, who, in the meantime, had won Ségo from their masters and near relations the Mandingoes, the Welád Mazúk, the noblest portion of the Welád Mebárek, and the Áhel Sembóru, that is to say, a section of the Fullán, who meanwhile had settled in these quarters; while the opposite party consisted of the Rumá, or Ermá, the Moroccain conquerors of Songhay, who had settled down in certain places of that vast empire, and intermarried with the natives; the Zenágha; the Welád ʿAlúsh, a very warlike tribe, mentioned above; and the Áhel Mása, or Sáro, a section of the Wákoré. In this struggle the capital of Melle was destroyed; and while the people of Bámbara took possession of the south-western portion of its dominions, the Welád Mebárek, with their friends the Welád Mazúk, rendered themselves masters of its north- eastern districts. For Hennún, the son of Bóhedel, son of Mebárek, who had led this tribe in the sanguinary and long-lasting war, received from the hands of Muláy Ismʿaíl, the energetic emperor of the Gharb, as a sort of feudal dominion, the lordship of Bághena; and his successors have at least partly retained it up to this day. I here give a list of these chiefs, adding the length of their reigns, wherever I was able to make it out:—

ʿOmár (Ámmer) Weled Hennún, a powerful chief, who has given his name to the ruling tribe, which, after him, is called Welád ʿOmár (Ámmer), a name corrupted by Park into Lúdamar.

ʿAlí Weled ʿOmár ruled almost forty years; was visited by Park shortly before his death.

ʿOmár Weled ʿAlí, ruled about thirteen years.

Mohammed Weled ʿOmár was chief about the same number of years.

ʿAlí Weled Mohammed was chief seven years.

Hennún Weled Mohammed murdered his brother ʿAlí, but was chief only four months, being murdered in his turn by

Mukhtár, a near relative of his, who was chief for about twelve years.

Babúne succeeded him. Between this chief and Hámed Weled ʿAlí e’ Sheikh Weled Hennún Weled Bóhedel, there arose a civil war, which lasted seven years, devastating all Bághena, and weakening especially the power of the Arabs. At the end of seven years, Hámed died, Babúne, who altogether ruled about nine years, surviving him by one year. He was succeeded by

ʿAlí Weled el Mukhtár, the present chief of the Welád Mebárek, who in 1853 had ruled two years.

As for the Fullán, or Fúlbe, they had become very numerous in Bághena, and were in possession of several ksúr, principally Dáguní, Jibónfo, Kemeñyómo, Nara, Kebda, Barréu, and Gurúnge, till they were driven out of these places by ʿOmár Weled Hennún, when most of the ksúr remained deserted. But the policy of the Fullán of Bághena became entirely changed when their brethren on the other side of the river, led on by the fanatical and energetic chieftain Mohammed Lebbo, raised the standard of the Jihád in the year 1821. Jealous of their political independence, which thus became threatened, they then joined the Arabs in their struggle against the new empire of Hamda-Alláhi, and supported them. Nevertheless, favoured as he was by the civil war amongst the latter, the chief Áhmedu, son of Mohammed Lebbo, made considerable progress in Bághena, which was not arrested until recently. At present Sumbúnne, son of Bú-Bakr, the present emír of the Fullán in Bághena, has built a new ksar, the place El Imbedíye mentioned above, situated a few miles east from Lombo Tendi, and to the north of another ksar called Gurúnge. There is also a Pullo emír in Bághena, of the name Ábú El Háji Ibrahíma, who seems to enjoy considerable authority.

As for the Aswánek of Bághena, who, as will have been gleaned already from the itineraries, are masters of many ksúr, their present policy is said to consist in keeping prudently in the background, and economising their strength for some great exertion in favour of their own independence. I here insert a list of the several sections into which the Aswánek are divided, as far as I have become acquainted with them:

The Kométen, in Sansándi or Sansánni, which originally was an Aswánek town.

The Síse, not unlikely related with the Súsu.

The Sása.

The Konne.

The Berta.

The Berre.

The Dúkkera, or Dúkerát.

The Silláwa, or Sillát.

The Kágorát, a very remarkable tribe, distinguished by a lighter hue, and, according to report, even by a peculiar idiom, while in other respects, especially by the three cuts which they make along both cheeks, they approach closer to the customs of the Bámbara and Áhel Mása.

The Kúnnatát.

The Jáwarát, speaking nothing but the pure Aswánek language, and divided into the two sections of the Welád Dábo and the Swági, the latter especially being very numerous and warlike.

The Fófanát.

The Dárisát.

The chief of the Aswánek in Bághena is Músa, son of Benédik, who resides in Ershán, at no great distance W. from Bisága.

Related to the Aswánek are also the Sáro, whose seats are one day S. from Jinni, and who, together with the Bámbara, fight against the Fúlbe. Their former chief was Chong Weled Músa.

The hostilities carried on between the inhabitants of the northern banks of the Niger, or Dhiúliba, as a whole, on the one side, and the Fúlbe of Hamda-Alláhi on the other, exercise their influence also upon the relation which exists between the Arabs of Bághena and the Bámbara, which therefore at present cannot but be a friendly one.

On the whole, the country of Bághena, which well deserves the attention of Europeans, is not less capable of fixed settlements, than it is fit for rehála life, or nomadic wandering, although it is not suited for the camel. Besides cultivation of dukhn, or, as it is here called, bíshen, or héni, and dhurra or sába, wild rice is procured from the numerous swamps formed in the rainy season, as is also the case in the whole of El Hódh. The trees most common in Bághena are the tédum or baobab, at least in the southern districts, the róma or líyene, the chígfit, the baferéwa, and the aúrnal; of the date-tree I have spoken above.

Z.—_Route from Kasambára to Tishít, or Shétu, from the information of El Imám, a native of the latter place._

1st day. Mabrúk, a large well, or hasi.

5th. Ajwér, a large and much frequented well, distant a long day’s journey W. from the celebrated well “Bir Nwál.”

As far as Ajwér, the direction is almost N., but here it becomes N.W.