Part 31
Wheat is not cultivated at all, with the exception of a small patch in the interior of the capital, for the private use of the sultan. Rice is not cultivated, but collected, in great quantities after the rains, in the forest, where it grows in the swamps and temporary ponds; indeed a good dish of rice, with plenty of butter and meat, forms one of the few culinary luxuries which I have observed in Bagírmi. Another article of food in very general use, is afforded by several varieties of grass or _Poa_, identical, I think, with the _Poa Abyssinica_, here called “chénna” by the black, and “kréb” by the red natives (I mean the Shúwa). The variety most common in Bagírmi is called “jójó,” and is not only eaten by the poor people, but even by the rich; indeed I myself am fully able to speak from experience concerning it, as, with the addition of a little rice, I subsisted on it almost entirely during my long stay in this country, and found it very palatable when prepared with plenty of butter, or even boiled in milk. Of course it is a light food, and, while it does not cause indigestion, it does not satisfy the appetite for a long time, or impart much superfluous strength. As regards vegetables, molukhíya (“goñérmo,” _Corchorius olitorius_) and derába or bámiya (“gobálto” and “géddegír”) are mostly in use, besides the “góngo,” the leaves of the monkey-bread tree (“kúka”), and occasionally that of the hájilíj (“jánga”), which form the common palaver-sauce of the poor. Water-melons (“gérlaka”?) also are grown to some extent, and that sort of _Cucurbita_ called _melopepo_ (“kúrchi”?), which I have mentioned on a former occasion. Inside the capital a great many onions (“bassal”) are cultivated, but not so much for the use of the natives as of the strangers who visit the place.
Of articles of industry, cotton (“nyére”) and indigo (“alíní”) are grown to a sufficient extent to supply the wants of the natives; but both articles are chiefly cultivated by the Bórnu people who have immigrated into this country.
The soil in general seems to be of a good quality; but, as I have said above, the country suffers greatly from drought, and ants and worms contribute in a large measure to frustrate the exertions of the husbandman. Of the trees most common in the country, and most useful to mankind, I have principally to mention the tamarind-tree, or “ʿardéb,” called “más” by the people of Bagírmi,—a tree as useful for its fruit, as it is beautiful on account of its foliage. The tamarind-fruit, in my opinion, constitutes the best and surest remedy for a variety of diseases, on account of its refreshing and cooling character. Next in order is the deléb-palm, here called “káwe,” which is very common in several parts of the country, although far more so in the outlying provinces towards the south; the dúm-palm (“kolóngo”), which, although not so frequent, is nevertheless found in considerable numbers in many parts of the country; the hájilíj, or _Balanites Ægyptiaca_ (“jánga”), of which not only the fruit is eaten, but the leaves also are used as vegetables, like those of the monkey-bread tree—the latter does not seem to be very frequent; the kórna or _Cornus_ (“kírna”), and the sycamore (“bíli”). Many trees very common in Háusa, such as the kadéña, or _Bassia Parkii_, and the dorówa (_Parkia_), are never seen here, at least not in those districts which I visited; but _Croton tiglium_ (“habb el melúk”) is frequent, and I myself took a supply of this powerful purgative with me on my return from this country.
There are no mines. Even the iron is brought from the exterior provinces, especially a place called Gúrgara, distant from twenty to twenty-five miles from the river, where the sandstone seems to contain a great deal of iron ore. Natron is brought from the Bahr el Ghazál.
With regard to the special features of the country, and the topography of the towns and villages, they will be described in a separate chapter[59]; here I will only say that the entire population of the country seems scarcely to exceed a million and a half, and the whole military force, in the present reduced state of the kingdom, can hardly be more than 3000 horse, and 10,000 foot, including the Shúwa population, who surpass the black natives in breeding horses, while the cavalry of Wádáy may be most correctly estimated at from 5000 to 6000, and that of Dár-Fúr at more than 10,000. The weapon most in use among them is the spear (“nyíga”),—the bow (“ká-kesé”) and arrow (“kesé”) being rare, not only with the inhabitants of Bagírmi Proper, but even with those of the pagan states to the south. Scarcely a single person has a shield; and they therefore use only the Kanúri name for this arm, viz. “ngáwa.” Very few possess the more valuable coat of mail, or “súllug;” and I scarcely observed a single fire-arm during my stay. But, on the other hand, almost all the pagan inhabitants of these regions are armed with that sort of weapon found in so many other countries which we have touched on our journey, viz. the hand-bill, or, as the Kanúri call it, the “góliyó” (here called “njíga,” the difference between the name of this weapon and that of the spear consisting in one single letter). Very few of the Bagírmi people are wealthy enough to purchase swords (“káskara”), which they are not able to manufacture themselves; and few even wear that sort of dagger (“kiyá”) on the left arm, which, in imitation of the Tawárek, has been introduced into a great part of Negroland.
As for their physical features, I have already touched on this subject repeatedly. I will only say that they are a fine race of people, distinct from the Kanúri, but intimately related, as their language shows, to the tribe of the Kúka and several other tribes to the east. Their language they themselves call “tar Bágrimma.” Their adoption of Islám is very recent; and the greater part of them may, even at the present day, with more justice be called pagans than Mohammedans. They possess very little learning, only a few natives, who have performed the pilgrimage, being well versed in Arabic, such as Bú-Bakr Sadík; but not a single individual possesses any learning of a wider range. This exists only among the Felláta, or foreigners from Wádáy. The only industrial arts in which they have made a little progress are those of dyeing and weaving, both of which they have also introduced into the kingdom of Wádáy, although in their own country a great deal of the weaving and dyeing is carried on by Kanúri people. Black tobes are worn by the men to a much greater extent than in Bórnu, even the bólne or túrkedi, which generally forms the only dress of the females, as well as the upper garment or “debdaléna,” being dyed black. Tight shirts, or tarkíji, which in Wádáy constitute the common female dress, are very rarely worn.
The government of the country is an absolute monarchy, being not tempered, as it seems, by an aristocratical element, such as we have found in Bórnu, nor even by such an assembly as we have met with in the Háusa states. The duties of the chief offices of state are, it appears, by no means distinctly defined, and are therefore left to the discretion or abuse of each official, as we have seen that the fácha under the reign of ʿOthmán had assumed such a degree of power that he was capable of waging successful war for a long time against the king himself.
The title of the king is “bánga.” The office of the “fácha” corresponds exactly with that of the “keghámma” in Bórnu. Then follows the office of the “ngarmáne,” or the minister of the royal household; then that of the “ghelétma”—a name which has originated in a corruption of the title “ghaladíma.” Next comes the “gar-moyenmánge,” the governor of the open pasture-grounds and forests; after him the “mílma,” whose office is said to have been introduced from Bórnu, to whom succeed the “gar-ngóde,” the “gar-ngínge,” the “zérma,” and the “kadamánge,” the latter having originally the tutorship of the sons of the king. But besides these, the captains, or “bárma,” and the governors of the principal places, possess considerable power; and among the latter, especially the elífa Moító, or governor of Moító, while the officer of the water also, or elífa bá, exercises a great deal of authority. Of these courtiers, the following have the privilege of using a carpet to sit upon:—the fácha, the bárma, the ghelétma, the mílma, the gar-moyenmánge, the bang Busó, bang Dam, elífa Moító, and elífa bá. We have seen that the sultan, during his absence from the capital, had made one of the meanest of his courtiers, the kadamánge, his lieutenant-governor.
The mother of the sultan, or the “kuñ-bánga,” is greatly respected, but without possessing such paramount authority as we have seen to have been the case with the “mágira” in Bórnu, and as we shall find exercised by the móma in Wádáy. The claimant to the throne, who bears here the same title as in Bórnu, viz. chiróma, enjoys a certain degree of influence, the limits of which are not circumscribed, but depend upon his natural qualifications.
Although the sultan has here so different a title from that of the king of Bórnu, nevertheless the princesses bear the same title as those of Bórnu, viz. “méram,” a name which has even extended into the country of Wádáy.
As for the tribute which the king levies, and which is called “hadén- bánga,” the circumstances connected with my stay in the country did not allow me to arrive at a definite conclusion with regard to its amount; and I can only make a few general remarks upon it. The tribute levied upon the Mohammedan inhabitants of Bagírmi Proper consists principally in two different kinds, viz. in corn and cotton strips. The tribute in corn, which corresponds to the tsídirám maibe in Bórnu and the kúrdi-n- kassa in Háusa, is here called mótten-bánga, or, as it is generally pronounced, mótten-bánki, while the tribute in cotton strips bears the name “fárda-n-bánga.” But many places have to deliver also a tribute in butter, although the Shúwa, or, as they are here called, Shíwa, (the native Arabs) are the principal purveyors of this article to the court.
The Shíwa of Bagírmi belong principally to the following tribes:—Sálamát, Bení Hassan, Welád Músa (a very warlike tribe), Welád ʿAlí, the Deghághera,—who live scattered over the whole country, but occupy some villages almost exclusively for themselves. The principal tribute which these Arabs have to pay consists of cattle, and is called “jéngal;” it is very considerable. But whether these Arabs of Bagírmi, like those settled in Bórnu, have also to deliver to the king all the male horses, I am not quite sure; however, I think that is the case.
The most considerable tribute, however, which the sultan levies consists of slaves, which the tributary pagan provinces have to pay to him,—especially the chiefs of Miltú, Dam, Sómray, and all the others of whose territories and power we obtain some information from the itineraries I have collected.[60] This tribute of slaves constitutes the strength and riches of the king of Bagírmi, who is always endeavouring to extend his sway over the neighbouring pagan tribes.
The natives of Bagírmi are compelled to show to their sovereign a considerable degree of servile reverence; and when they approach him they are obliged not only to be bareheaded, but also to draw their shirt from the left shoulder, and to sprinkle dust on their heads. But they are not in general oppressed; and a far greater liberty of speech is allowed than in many European states.
[Footnote 46: The difficulty with regard to the name Bájó is considerable; for no such name as the Bájó is known, while the Dájó are a well-known tribe, who dominated Dár-Fúr in the tenth century of the Islám, and even at the present day are called “nás Farʿaón.” Nevertheless we cannot imagine that the name Bájó is a mere clerical error for Dájó, unless we would suppose those authors guilty of a very considerable mistake, as the Dájó seem to be of an entirely distinct origin from the Zogháwa, who belong to the great Tedá stock, while the former appear to have originated in the mountainous district of Fazogló, and the Bájó are expressly stated by those authors to have been the kinsmen of the Zogháwa. The Bájó may be identical with the tribe of the Bédeyát. With regard to the Zagháy of Makrízí, and the Soka of Masúdi, I have already offered an opinion on a former occasion.]
[Footnote 47: Ébn Sʿaíd, in Ábú ’l Fedá, p. 158.]
[Footnote 48: The Bagírmi people, even at the present day, connect the Bulála in the most intimate way with the Kanúri; for while they give to the latter the name “Bíyo,” they call the former “Bíyo-Bulála.”]
[Footnote 49: I will here mention that Fittrí is a word belonging to the language of the Kúka, and means nothing but “river,” “lake,” being quite identical with “Tsád,” “Sárí” or “Sháry.”]
[Footnote 50: The name Yʿawó is formed entirely in the same way as that of Mʿawó, the present capital of Kánem, and of Gʿaó, or Gʿawó, also called Gógó, the capital of the Songhay empire.]
[Footnote 51: With regard to their places of residence in the time of Edrís Alawóma, see Appendix II.]
[Footnote 52: I shall give a short account of the history of that country, in Appendix VI.]
[Footnote 53: Thus the name is generally pronounced in the country itself; but it very often sounds like Bagrímmi, and the adjective form is certainly Bágrimma, which often sounds like Barma. The learned men write بَقْرِم and بَكْرِم indifferently, while the Bórnu people write the name Begharmí بَغَرْمي or Bekármí بَكَارْمي.]
[Footnote 54: From all that I have said here, it appears very doubtful whether the Ibkárem, ابكارم, mentioned by Ebn Sʿaíd in the latter part of the thirteenth century, can be justly identified with this kingdom. Of course a tribe of this name may have existed many centuries before the foundation of the kingdom. The first undoubted mention of Bagírmi, or Bagharmí, occurs in Imám Áhmed’s account of Edrís Alawóma’s expeditions to Kánem.]
[Footnote 55: See collection of itineraries in the Appendix.]
[Footnote 56: The fact of the spreading of the Arabs at so early a period, is entirely confirmed by Imám Áhmed’s account.]
[Footnote 57: According to others he married also his sister. It seems that some attribute similar crimes to his father.]
[Footnote 58: I must observe, however, that boats of the Kaleáma, or islanders of the southern part of the Tsád, sometimes carry corn as far as Búgomán.]
[Footnote 59: See Appendix VII.]
[Footnote 60: See Appendix IX.]
CHAP. LII.
HOME-JOURNEY TO KÚKAWA. — DEATH OF MR. OVERWEG.
[Sidenote: August 10th.]
Although I had once cherished the idea of penetrating towards the upper course of the Nile, I was glad when I turned my face westward, as I had since convinced myself that such an enterprise was not possible under the present circumstances. I had been so many times deceived by the promise of my final departure, that when in the morning of that day a messenger from the zérma arrived with the news that I might get ready my luggage, I did not believe him, and would not stir till Zérma himself made his appearance and confirmed the news, assuring me that I should find the letter of the sultan, with regard to my security on a future visit, with Máina Sabún.
In consequence I ordered my servants to get my luggage ready; but before I started I received a visit from a large number of courtiers, with an agíd at their head, in order to bid me farewell, and also to entreat me for the last time to sell to the sultan my fine “kerí-sassarándi” (horse). But this I was obliged to refuse, stating that I wanted my horse for myself, and that I had not come to their country as a merchant, but as a messenger. It had always been a subject of great annoyance to them that I refused to sell my horse, as all the people who visit this country from the other side of Bórnu are in the habit of bringing horses with them expressly for sale. They revenged themselves, therefore, by giving me another nick-name, as an ambitious and overbearing man,—“dérbaki ngólo.” But I would not have parted with the companion of my toils and dangers for all the treasures in the world, although it had its faults, and was certainly not then in the best condition. I had some foreboding that it might still be a useful companion on many an excursion; and it was in reality still to carry me for more than two years, and was to excite the envy both of my friends and enemies in Timbúktu as it had done here.
Having received the letter of the sultan, with the contents of which I could not but express myself highly satisfied[61], I set fairly out on my journey; and my heart bounded with delight when, gaining the western gate, I entered the open country, and once more found myself at liberty.
The whole country was adorned with the most beautiful verdure, the richest pasture-grounds and fine corn-fields alternately succeeding each other; but as for the crop, the height which it had attained in the different fields varied greatly,—it being in one field as high as five feet, and the seed just coming out, while in another field, close by, the young crop was only shooting out of the ground. This was in consequence of no rain having fallen in the beginning of the season for nearly a month, a circumstance which had deterred many people from confiding their seed to the ground. Further on, there was much cultivation of beans.
Having now no necessity for laying down the path, with which I was sufficiently acquainted, I could surrender myself entirely to the general impression of the landscape, the whole aspect of the country being greatly changed. Beyond the Felláta village which I have mentioned on my outward journey, we had to cross an extensive sheet of water, and the ground was often very difficult to pass with my camel; so that we were full of anxiety with regard to the swampy country of Logón. Indeed the people who met us on the road did not fail to warn us that this was not the right animal for this season of the year; and there is no doubt that pack-oxen, on account of their sure-footedness, have a great advantage in travelling during this part of the year, though they are difficult to get across the rivers.
We arrived at the well-known village of Bákadá just in time to escape a heavy tempest, which continued with slight interruption the whole of the afternoon; but not finding my former host at home, I took possession of his hut on my own responsibility, and I afterwards calmed the anger of my good old friend, whose hospitality was so often claimed by all the passers-by on this great highroad, by presenting him with two fine white shirts. In fact I sympathized with him very heartily, seeing that the whole host of people who had attached themselves to my troop importuned him for shelter during our stay here the following day, although I might have expected that he would have extended his hospitality to myself for a day longer, as we were to part for ever, and as it was against my wish that I was delayed here. But such is the character of the Bagírmi people in their present reduced political and moral condition.
My companions were not yet quite ready. It rained the greater part of the following night; I had some trouble in making my people stir in the morning, and was really obliged to employ force in order to get our troop once more in motion. A European can form no idea how the energy of a traveller is paralyzed in these regions by the laziness of the natives.
At length we were on our road, and after a moderate march took up our quarters in Kólle-kólle. The quantity of rain which had fallen gave the country a very rich and exuberant appearance. Everywhere on the fields the long black worm called “halwési,” which causes so much damage to the crops, was seen in extraordinary numbers. It was scarcely possible to recognize the villages, the whole appearance of which, from every side, we had been well acquainted with during the dry season, the tall crops now concealing the cottages entirely from view. The following day we reached Kókoroché, having fortunately crossed a very difficult bog without any accident. The whole forest-region, which did not contain a drop of water on my out-journey, was now converted into a continuous line of swamps; and the whole surface was thickly covered with verdure. It is during this season that the Shúwa Arabs form here their temporary encampments.
In Kókoroché also we had another day’s delay, till the messenger of the sultan arrived who was to protect me against any further intrigues of the ferrymen, whom I regarded with more suspicion than any policeman or constable in Europe. Meanwhile also the wife of Gréma ʿAbdú, who all this time had been staying with her father-in-law in Mústafají, joined us, and all further delay seemed to be at an end. Certainly such a visit of a married woman to her father’s house cannot but contribute to give to Europeans a higher opinion of African domestic life. Indeed people in Europe have little conception how cheerfully man and wife in these regions live together; and it was this amiable feature in his character which reconciled me in some degree to my companion, whom in other respects I greatly disliked.
[Sidenote: August 13th.]
There had been a great deal of rain in the afternoon of the preceding day; and a heavy shower which came on in the morning, and lasted full two hours, delayed our departure considerably. The distance which separated us from the river was not great; but the latter part of the journey was so bad that my camel threw off its load no less than six times, so that my servants were almost in despair, and did not join me till several hours after my arrival in the town of Ásu, and when I had made myself already comfortable in an excellent hut, built of clay, neatly polished, but from which I felt sorry to have driven away two spinsters, who had been its tenants.