Part 35

10th. Agérijít, in former times nothing but a well, but in the year 1850, owing to a civil war having broken out in Tishít, one section of the Welád Bille left their home and settled near this well, where they built a small ksar or village. Here the direction of the road changes to the W.

11th. Tishít, or as the place is called by its original inhabitants, Shétu. These indigenous inhabitants of Tishít are the Másina, a section of the Aswánek, or Azér, consisting of two divisions, one of darker, and the other of lighter colour. These Másina are the founders of the kingdom of Másina, or Másín, whose centre was the island, or rúde, formed by the Máyo Balléo and the Máyo Rannéo, with Tenéngu as its chief place. It is still an important market-place. Tishít is said by the Arabs to have been founded by ʿAbd el Múmen about the fifth century of the Hejra; but that means only that about the period indicated the Berbers took possession of the town, the original name of which they thus changed into Tishít. At present there live in the town, intermixed with the Másina, the Welád Bille, who about two centuries ago formed an extremely rich and powerful tribe, but part of whom, as stated before, have at present emigrated. The consequence is, that the town has decayed greatly, and seems scarcely to contain at present more than about 3000 inhabitants. Besides the Welád Bille, there live also in Tishít a certain number of Zuwaye or Tolba, especially the Áhel Hindi Nislim.

Tishít lies not far from the southern foot of the Kódia, which encircles El Hódh, and there is, at no great distance from it, a sebkha, where an inferior kind of salt is obtained. The only produce of the place are dates of various quality, the names of which are as follows:—Básebúrk, Dérmakúl, Dérmasúggin, Batáye, Mandínga, Géti, Habbes, Getfáf, Dáram, Birkeráwi, Zengít, Tamaraníye. All other articles of food are brought from Nyámi, which forms the great market-place of Tishít and the surrounding country.

There is another more westerly road, leading from Kasambára to Tishít, and reaching on the 4th day the well called “bir Fóg,” or, perhaps, “fók,” meaning “the upper well;” on the 8th, another well or hasi, called “Ájwe,” and bringing the traveller to Tishít on the 10th before noon.

AA.—_List of Stations between Tishít and Waláta._

1 short march. Ágerijít, the well where the road from Kasambára joins.

1 short march. Tuwéjínit.

1 long march. Bottat el abés.

1 short march. Áratán.

1 short march. ʿImód elán, hills or columns of sand, one of them called ʿAmad el Abiadh. This station is very important, as it is the point where the direct road from Wadán to Waláta joins this track. See lower down.

½ day. Bú-mehaye.

1 day. Íghelád Timasóra.

½ day. Shebbi, “mʿaden sheb abiadh,” mines of white

alum.

1 long day. Ojáf.

1 day. Tagoráret.

½ day. El ʿAyún Khanfóreten Aísa.

1 day. Wádi Níti, with wells (hasián) and íghelád.

1 day. Waláta.

BB.—_Route from Tishít to Bot-hadíye._

3rd day. Týggebo, a ksar, or village, inhabited by the Teghdaust, a very remarkable tribe about whom I shall say more farther on, and by the Tájakánt. The village belongs to the district called Erkíz, perhaps identical with what others call Taskast. About ten miles west from Týggebo there is an ancient place called Nyadásh, inhabited likewise by the Teghdaust.

4th. Ergébe, or rather a resting place in the hilly district called by that name. In another part of this hilly tract, on the frontier of Afólle, a party of Zuwaye have recently built a ksar, or small town of the name of Makámet.

5th. Énwasár, a shallow well or hasi.

10th. Bú-bothá, a well or hasi, evidently near a bothá or swampy depression. Between Énwasár and this place there are other watering places, but informant has forgotten their names.

11th. Jók, a well or hasi.

14th. Limódu, a ksar or village inhabited by the Medrámberín, a tribe of the Kunta.

16th. Jígge, a valley with plenty of water in the rainy season.

17th. El Mal, a small island in a lake of fresh water, and not even drying up during the dry season.

19th. Krá el ásfar, a creek of the bahr Fúta or Senegal, so called by the Arabs.

21st. Bír el Ghála, a well.

22nd. Testaye, a well.

23rd. Bothádíye or el Bot-há, as Fort St. Joseph seems to be called by the Arabs.

CC.—_Stations on the route from Wadán to Tishít._

5 days. Bú-Sefíye.

½ day. Khat el Moina or Shwékh.

1 day. Lobér.

1 long. Tin-tét or Ghaléb e’ dál.

1 day. Felísh el milha.

1 day. Kátib.

1 day. El Badiyát.

1 day. El Jerádiyát.

1 day. Ganeb, a well or hasi, with date palms.

1 day. Dikil gháleb.

1 day. Tishít.

From Wadán to the sebkha Íjil, a salt basin at the foot of a considerable mountain, is ten days’ journey with laden camels, and seven with unladen ones going at a swift rate.

1 day. Tagálift, on the northern side of the valley.

½ day. Úm el bédh.

2 days. Aushísh, in the district called Maghtér, consisting of high sandy downs.

½ day. Bot-há el haye.

1½ day. El Argíye, the nearest well to the salt lake.

One day S. from the sebkha is the high mount Íjil.

DD.—_Stations on the route between Wadán and Waláta._

3½ days. Warán.

1 short. Tésserat-ú-Láhiat.

1 long. Temnakarárit.

1½ day. Ijúfa, all sandy downs.

1¼ day. Akáratín e’ sbot and Akáratín el had.

1 day. El Mehámer.

½ day. El Ksar-rawát.

1 day. Engéwel.

1 day. Agamíyirt.

1 day. Imódhelán; here this route joins the former one.

1 day. Bú-meháye.

1 short. Begére, a dhaye.

½ day. Shebbi.

½ day. Keddámu.

½ day. Warásh.

1 short. El Atilt (El Ethelet?) seráye.

1 short. Rek Érdhedhír.

1 long. El Ogúdh el himmál.

1 day. Rodh el hamra.

1 day. El Felísh.

1 day. El Derrúmbekát.

½ day. Waláta.

EE.—_Stations between Wadán and El Khat, by a circuitous route._

1 short day. Tanúshirt, a hasi, with date trees. “Tanú” means vale.

1 day. Áherúr.

4 days. Áwakan. This part of the road passes through a desert tract without wells, called Táyarát Idáw el Háj.

1 day. Sharaníye.

1 day. Hasi el harka.

1 day. Itílen, a mound.

1 day. El Khat, having passed the heat in Bú-Sefíye. El Khat, is a rich valley which I shall say more about in the general account of El Hódh, and a very important locality where most of the routes traversing this region join. Áwakan, which will be mentioned in a following itinerary, is thus tolerably well determined.

FF.—_From Wadán to Rashíd, by way of El Khat._[76]

1 day. Roj, a well.

1 day. Shingít, an ancient town which has become very famous in the whole of the east on account of its having given its name to all the Arabs of the west. The reason of this is said to be, that a distinguished man, a native of this place of the name of ʿAbd e’ Rahmán visited the court of Harún e’ Ráshid. I shall say more about this place further on.

1 day. Encamp beyond the Ákela without a well.

1 day. Hawéshi.

1 day. Awázgar, (identical with Áwakan?) with a hasi at the foot of the kódia, leaving the small town of Átar eastward.

1 day. Tákenus and el Khósa.

1 day. El Sharaníye, a hasi, or well, belonging to the Welád el Wáfi, and still forming part of Áderér e’ temar.

1 day. El Khat Smirár, a tract with many wells, but, as it seems, on high ground, from whence Tejígja, Ksar el Barka, Rashíd, and even Tisígi, may be seen.

1 day. Tagánet el bédha.

1 day. Rashíd.

GG.—_From Átar to Tejígja, or Rashíd._

N.B.—Átar is two days E. of Shingít and Ojúft, another ksar or village which is two days S.E. of Shingít, and one day S.S.W. of Átar. (These data I had not made use of in my map.)

1 day. Tozarótín, with a well or hasi.

1 short. Zeríbe, a dhaye or pond.

1 day. Áús, difficult march, high kódia.

1 day. A locality a short distance to the south of Shingít.

3 days through the Ákela, without a well; then reach Kíder Wámu, a well three days from Shingít.

1 day. Áwakan, the above-mentioned well.

1 day. Hasi il harka.

1 day. Shwékh, or Khat el Moina, on the south side of the Khat.

1 day. El Laye, a well.

½ day. Tanúshight.

1 short. Atwél and Awén Tisba.

1 day. E’ Nwalík Warzák.

½ day. Either Tejígja or Rashíd, two villages in Tagánet, the distance of both these places being the same. Tejígja is a place of considerable renown.

HH.—_From Tejígja to Jáfena or Jáfunú._

2 days. Wedán, with a large dhaye or pond.

1 short. Adírg el Mejúj.

1 day. Dhú el Rodíye, passing by Daúdad.

1 day. E’ Nugga.

½ day. Korkol, a kódia or hill at the frontier of Tezízzay, between Aúkár and El Kódia.

½ day. Gárrugát.

1 short. Agúrsh Gasámu.

1 day. Gundége nwamélen (wan mellen?) two mountains with hasián.

1 day. Kífa, a well or hasi.

1 day. Úm el Ákhseb, a dhaye or tamurt, surrounded by baobab trees.

1 day. Samba-sandíggi, a well, with plenty of sgillem (the dúm-bush) and deléb palms.

1 day. Isíl, a dhaye.

1 day. Gár-allah, a large dhaye. The district Asába is south from here.

1 day. Erísh.

1 day. Elgílte el Khaddra, a large dhaye or pond full of fish.

1 day. Encamp in the open country.

1 day. Jáfena or Jáfunu, or rather Gúghi or Gúri, the capital of that province, which is four or five days south of Bowár or ʿAkerút, a well in Mesíla.

II.—_Route from Kasr el Barka. — Bú-télimít._

Kasr el Barka is one short day south-west from Rashíd.

1st day. Gébbu, a tamurt or dhaye, where sába or dhurra and wheat is cultivated by the Welád Sídi Haiballa, who usually encamp here.

2nd. Tisígi, a short well at the foot of a kódia, from whence the passes crossing the range of sandhills towards the south are seen.

3rd. El Júwelát e’ Twáma, two of these passes, either of which you may choose.

4th. Úm e’ dér, a hasi or well belonging to the district Agán.[77]

5th. El ʿAíní, a hasi or well.

6th. Titárikt or Ásabay, a well about thirty-five fathoms in depth, and the most eastern of “El Ábiár,” or the deep wells, which have given their name to the whole district called “El Ábiár.”

Besides the wells here mentioned, the most famous wells of “El Ábiár” are the following, all lying west of Aftót:—Ár-éddeke, Bú-Telehíye, Rézelán, Bír el Barka, Dukhn, Bú-Tweríge, Yáre, Bú-Tumbúski. Further to the north-west from Aftót, and at the distance of about two days north from Bú-Tweríge, is a famous well called Bú-télimít, but not to be confounded with the well of the same name mentioned hereafter. In the district of Aftót there are only shallow wells.

7th. El Wastha, a deep well, dug in stony ground.

8th. Twersát, a group of shallow wells.

9th. A well, being the property of a man called E’ Sheikh el Kádhi, with an encampment of the Ijéjebó.

10th. Tin-dámmer Abél, a well.

11th. Bú-télimít, a large well or hasi near the camping grounds of the Brákena, much frequented. From here Bot-hadíye is said to be only one day and a half distant. If that is the case, the latter must be identical with some place in the “Ile de Morfil.”

KK.—_Route from Kasr el Barka to Kahaide._

2nd day. Tésigí, the locality mentioned above.

3rd. Létfatár, a large tamurt or pond.

4th (long), Agáyar, a well or hasi.

5th. Gímí, a hasi, belonging, like the foregoing one, to the district Aftót.

6th. Keréni, a hasi.

7th. El Wád, a valley without water.

8th. El Árruwa, a hasi.

9th. Encamp in the wilderness without water.

10th. Shemmáma, a name which is given by the Arabs to the whole district along the north side of the Senegal. You arrive at the river opposite two villages called (by the Arabs) Gúru ’l hajar. It seems not to be identical with the Gúri ’l haire of the Fúlbe, as that is one short day from Bakel, while our route evidently follows a far more westerly course, even west of the one which I am about to give.

LL.—_Route from Kahaide to the frontier of Tagánet, direction N.N.E., according to Háj Íbrahím from Kahaide._

1st day. Énjekúdi, or Tisílit Táleb Mahmúd, a well with an encampment of Arabs, called collectively by my informant, Shénagít, and Limtúna.

2nd. Monge, a village of the Limtúna, consisting of tents made of camels’ hair.

3rd. Moyet, another village of the Limtúna, or rather two sections of this once powerful but now degraded Berber tribe, the Dagebámbera (this is probably not their proper name), and the Welád e’ Shefága.

4th. Basengíddi, a village inhabited by the Limtúna, the Twabér (a section of the former), El Hejáj, the Rehála, El Héba, and the Welád ʿAbd-Allah. The country rather hilly.

5th. Wanja, or Jenúr, as you choose, both of them being settlements of Arabs and close to each other. Here live the Tagát, the Idáw el Hassan, the Welád Biyéri, and the Jéjeba; the food of these people consisting of sour milk, dhurra, and fruits. From this spot you obtain a view of the mountains of Tagánet and Asába.

6th. Marde, a well with an encampment of the same tribes as Wanja. The country is hilly and rich in herbage, the mountains or vales being adorned with plenty of trees.

7th. Téri, a pool of stagnant water in the rainy season, while during the dry season only a well is to be found here. The country rather hilly.

8th. Ásherám, a settlement of different tribes. The mountains of Tagánet seem to be quite near.

9th. Tisílit Akerárer, a wádí in a mountainous tract with scattered groups of tents inhabited by Arabs.

10th. Dwenki, a mountain with a pool of stagnant water at its foot, but only in the rainy season; during the dry season only a well is found.

11th. Yogbáshi, a mountain with temporary inhabitants. Few trees.

12th. Nufni, a mountain pass, “the entrance or gate of Tagánet,” the mountains being very high.

From Nufni to Kasr el Barka is a march of two days.

MM.—_Route from Bakel to the frontier of Tagánet by way of Asába._

1st day. Samba-rainji, a considerable place inhabited by Aswánek, and situated in a level tract enclosed between the foot of the mountains and the river.

2nd. Hasi Weled ʿAlí Bába, a well lying in the vale or depression enclosed between the two mountain ranges, along which your road winds. Kómandó, a considerable Aswánek village lies on a more easterly road.

3rd. Hasi Shagár, another well with a camp of Arabs in the dry season.

4th. Tektáke, as the place is called by the Arabs, or Bú-túmke, as it is called by the Aswánek and Fullán or Fúlbe, the population consisting chiefly of Aswánek. The village lies in the midst of the mountains; the houses are built of clay, and a few gardens are cultivated in the neighbourhood, for although there is no running stream, water is said to be found at the depth of only one foot under ground, and the mountains or “gidé,” as they are called in Aswánek, are full of trees. The country nominally under the dominion of Fúta.

5th. Jibáli, or, as the name is pronounced by the Arabs, Jubélli, a village situated in the midst of the mountains, at times inhabited, at others deserted. On pursuing your road you cross a mountain ridge, and then wind along a valley. The mountains contain excellent rock for grindstones shaped in quadrangular forms, and like the stone found in the mountains near Mekka.

6th. Búnga, an Aswánek village surrounded by steep rocks; some gardens are cultivated.

7th. Moila, an Aswánek village. The road keeps always in the mountainous tract.

8th. Samma, an Aswánek village.

9th. Tattopútti, formerly a village, but at present deserted.

10th. Wákuré, as it is called by the Fullán, or Woló by the natives, a large place situated in a deep valley or irregular vale, the rivulet Gallúla flowing at no great distance towards the W. from the place.

11th. Babbu, a village in a mountainous tract.

12th. Kachukoróne, another village.

13th. Gelléil.

14th. Garáf Bafál, situated in the midst of the mountains, and being the temporary abode of different wandering tribes.

15th. Fúmo-báche, another settlement of that kind.

16th. Fúmo-láwel, the same.

17th. Nebék, a place of the same nature; mountainous tract continues.

18th. Áwenet Ár, the beginning of Tagánet, the south-eastern corner of which is here hemmed in by the mountains of Asába.

Asába, according to this informant, is a broad mountain range, diverging as a northern branch from the main range, the general direction of which is towards Bundu, from which country it is separated by the river. The Fúlbe call this mountainous tract “Hairi-n-gar,” and the Aswánek call it Gidé.

NN.—_Route from Hamda-Alláhi, the present capital of Másina, to Meshíla, and thence to Kahaide, according to Háj Íbrahím; route rather winding, and to be controlled by other routes which I have already given._

1st day. Kunna (see above), a small town, but an important market place, situated originally on the western bank of the máyo balléo, on an island in the Dhiúliba, enclosed by the máyo balléo, “the blue river,” and the máyo dhannéo, or “the white river,” but at present built on the eastern shore of the máyo balléo. What is very remarkable, it is said to be inhabited by Songhay. A short march of three hours.

2nd. Núkuma, a place or district situated on the island or “rúde,” enclosed by the two branches of the river. Here in the beginning of his career resided Mohammed Lebbo. There seem to be several hamlets, one of which is called Sébbera.

3rd. Tummay, still on the island or rúde.

4th. Sáre-dína, a large place, and evidently one of the first towns converted to Islám in these regions, situated on the western bank of the máyo dhannéo, which you cross here, at half a day’s distance E.N.E. of the ancient town Zágha or Jáka. Inhabitants Songhay.

5th. Tógoró, a group of villages or hamlets, inhabited by the Fullán conquerors. In Tógoró the road divides, one branch leading N.E. in two short days to Tenéngu, the original capital of Másina, passing by Tumúra, a large district inhabited by Fúlbe.[78]

6th. Somógirí, a considerable place inhabited by Bámbara of the country.

7th. Diggíseré, an important Bámbara town, at some miles distance S.W. from Tenéngu, the road leading to which place, and from thence to Yá- saláme, whither a person may also proceed from Diggíseré (see above), informant has left on his right. Country open, adorned with _zizyphus_.

8th. Fetokóle, a small place. The country rich in trees, the principal produce consisting in rice and cotton.

9th. Káre, a Bámbara town, governed by an officer of the name of Búgoní. The country hereabouts rich in cattle and camels, but the wells are said to have an enormous depth, according to informant not less than sixty fathoms. Cotton strips are the standard currency of the market.

14th. Sókoló, a town inhabited by Bámbara people, but belonging to Másina. Between the two stations you traverse for five days an open country inhabited by Arab tribes, as the Welád Sʿaíd, the Welád ʿAlúsh and the Gelágema, and rich in elephants, giraffes, and buffaloes, abundance of water being found in stagnant pools. On the second day of this march you leave the town of Kála on your left.

19th. Aláso or Alássa, a place belonging to Bághena, and inhabited by the Welád ʿOmrán. The country which you traverse is thickly covered with trees, and is the abode of the Nimádi, a wild set of people, who are stated by my informant to possess nothing but dogs, with which they hunt the large antelope called “bakr el wáhesh” by the Arabs. (The name “Nimádi,” is probably not the real name of these people.) You sleep four nights in the open country.

22nd. Kabúde, a well with temporary settlers. Pass two nights in the open country without a dwelling.

26th. Mú-sáweli, a considerable place of Bághena. You pass on your march several other places, the names of which informant does not remember.

27th. Dúguní, a middle-sized town.

28th. Debámpa, a large town of Bághena. All the houses are built of clay.

29th. Toróngu, another place of importance.

30th. Tíndi, a small town about seven days N.W. from Kolí, another town of Bághena. Tíndi is inhabited by Aswánek or Swanínki.

31st. Khat e’ dem, a temporary dwelling-place of Arabs belonging to the tribes of the Welád Mohammed, the Funti, and the Henún, with the Sheikh Mohammed Fádhel, son of the protector Mukhtár. All the dwellings consist of tents of camels’ hair. Khat e’ dem forms the beginning of the district called El Hódh.

33rd. Tokko, a large pool of stagnant water, round which there is an encampment of Arabs.

35th. Derís, a dwelling-place of the “White Arabs,” as my informant calls them. Many tribes are wandering hereabouts; but almost all the towns are at present in the hands of the Fúlbe or Fullán. Nʿamá, the small town mentioned above as having been built by the Shurfa, is three days E. a little N. from Derís.

37th. Nwal, a well with an encampment of Arabs.

42nd. Tádirt, a well with tents of the same.

47th. Líbe, a well of the same character.

50th. Mesíla, a spring of running water at the foot of the Kódia which surrounds El Hódh. The water of Mesíla is said to run towards the south.

N.B. It must be borne in mind in laying down this route that my informant, a Púllo, wished to avoid the seats of the Welád Mebárek, and therefore followed in his generally northerly direction a very roundabout way.

56th. Afúlle, or rather an open Arab village in the district so named, the mountainous country having been entered on the fifty-second day. Afúlle borders on Kaarta, and its eastern part is inhabited by Bámbara, but the northern portion is inhabited by the following Arab tribes: the Fáta, the Welád e’ Násr, the Elkwézi, or Lighwézi, the Askír, the Welád Bóde, and by two tribes of Zuwaye or Merábetín, viz. the Tenwaijió and the Lághelél. Some of the divisions of these tribes are settled in the mountains, while others live in the plain called El Khénashísh, rich in pasture-grounds, between which and the mountains there is a small town called Túgguba.

59th. Tiñírgi, a well with Arab settlers. Country mountainous.

62nd. Úmmat el adhám, a well. The last three days no water is found along the road, while in general, even in the tract intervening between two stations marked by my informant, watering-places are occasionally met with.

67th. Kawál, a lively spring of water. Country mountainous.

73rd. Túgguba, an open village inhabited by Arabs. Many springs in the mountains.

76th. Waya, another Arab village.

78th. Meshíla, called by my informant “rás el Fúta,” as the beginning of Fúta (at least in former times).

I now give the route from Meshíla to Kahaide:—

1st day. Samóga, a mountain belonging to the mountainous district Asába.

2nd. Wákoré, a village inhabited by Aswánek, but subjected to Fúta as well as to the Zenágha Arabs, to whom they pay tribute.

3rd. Galúla, a village inhabited by Aswánek, and dependent upon Wákoré. It is situated at the foot of a mountain, from the top of which a brook of living water rushes down. This watercourse is called Galúla like the village, and is said to be full of fish.