Part 34

Egé is a very celebrated locality (one prominent spot of which is called Kukúrde) with the nomadic inhabitants of these regions, and is temporarily frequented by a variety of tribes, who visit it in order to water their camels from the famous wells (which are believed to promote the growth of the camel), and to collect the fruit of the siwák, or _Capparis_, which grows in very great abundance in this part of the valley, while higher up it seems to be more scanty. The strongest among these tribes in former times were the Bultu or Biltu, who will be mentioned presently in the list of the Tebu tribes, and had formerly the supremacy over the Nakássa, the Halál el debús (an Arab nickname, the proper name of the tribe not being known to me), both of whom frequent likewise Egé, and the Khiyát e’ ríh (another nickname). Besides the tribes above-mentioned, Egé is generally frequented by the Músu, the Sakérda, by that section of the Fugábú which is under the supremacy of Kédl Lawáti, and occasionally by the Welád Slimán. But Egé, of course, on account of its being resorted to by many tribes as a fine place for their herds of camels, is also a marked point for predatory expeditions.

From Egé the Burrum or Bahr el Ghazál seems to turn to the N.W., or at least to the N.N.W., going to Tangúr, a famous place two days from Egé. Tangúr (where the country seems to form a large basin) is generally regarded as the end of the Burrum; and a hypsometrical observation made here would immediately decide the question about the inclination of the Burrum, and show whether the very remarkable statement of the natives be correct or not. Some people contend that the wádí extends still further into Búrku, or Búrgu. North from Tangúr, a day or two’s march, is the famous place Báteli, not less celebrated than Egé for its fine breed of camels, generally of a dark-brown or a rather blackish colour, of which I myself had occasionally a specimen in my train, and Degírshim.

After having given this piece of information with regard to the south- east part of Kánem and the Burrum, I now proceed to give some itineraries from the quarters of which information has been obtained in this way, to the country of Búrku or Búrgu, about which Captain Lyons has given so many interesting details. I will only add that Dr. Overweg took down, from the mouth of a well-informed native, a very exact itinerary of the route from Múrzuk to this country, which, together with the other data and the information collected by Mr. Fresnel, goes far to establish its position with great approximative precision.

FROM EGÉ TO YEN OR BELED EL ʿOMIYÁN, THE CHIEF PLACE IN BÚRKU. N.N.E.

1st day. Taró or Tró, a valley with bitter water.

2nd. Karó; before the heat of the day.

3rd. Aúdánga, a well, with plenty of excellent brushwood.

4th. Tungúrki, before the heat of the day.

5th. Yaiyó el kebír, a well, with dúm-palms, and near to it Yaiyó elsghír. Yaiyó is nine days from Só, on the Búlma road, reaching Gíri in two days, Árraka in two more days, and from hence Só in five days.

8th. Yen, having entered the limits of Búrku on the 6th day, when you first come to the source called ʿAín Telékka. The neighbourhood of Yen is rich in herbage and palm-trees. The village in general consists of houses or cottages built of stone; but the number of the inhabitants fluctuates. Galákka is another of the principal places in Búrku. There are several chiefs of authority in the place, the most influential of whom seems to be Lénga or, with his title, Táwa Lénga. There is, besides Yówórde, another chief called Kálemé, and a third one called Bíddu, belonging to the tribe or family of the Bídduwa. As for the Kédl-Agré, the chief of the Búltu, he also occasionally resides here. In Téki, a locality fertilized by a large spring, another chief resides, belonging to the Tiyówa, and called Gehénni.

Yen is eleven days from ʿArádha, the seat of the Máhamíd, the position of which may be determined with great precision by the distance from Wára (see Appendix, No. VI.):—1st day, Wen; 3rd, Chirógia; 7th, Oshim; 11th, ʿArádha.

I will now say a word about the tribes and families of the Tebu and their present settlements, referring to my account of the history of the Bórnu kingdom (Vol. II. p. 275.), and to my journey homeward in 1855 for further particulars.

The Tebu, Tubu, or rather Tedá, I think myself still justified in considering, as I have stated on a former occasion[71], as nearly related to the Kanúri; and the historical relations between the two nations, which I have had occasion to elucidate above, serve to corroborate my opinion. The Arabs, especially the Welád Slimán, generally add to the name Tebu the word “Grʿaán” or “Gurʿaán,” which I think myself justified in referring to the district Goran, so often referred to by Leo Africanus, while Marmol writes it Gorhan. The Tebu themselves I never heard use the name, and forgot to ask the meaning of the word. I will here only add, that in their own language they call the Kanúri by the name of Túgubá, while they give to the Imóshagh, or Tawárek, the name of Yéburdé. I shall first mention those Tebu tribes who live in and near Kánem, and have already been mentioned occasionally, then proceed northwards, and from thence to the south- east.

The principal tribes settled in Kánem are the Woghda, the Dogórda, the Gádeá, the Yewórma[72], and the Fídda; in Lúmna, on the komádugu Wáúbe, the Éderé or Édurí; north of the komádugu, as far as Beduwáram, the Búlgudá, called by the Arabs and Bórnu people Dáza; near Beduwáram the Wándala, a tribe already mentioned by Captain Lyon, as well as by Major Denham[73]; near them the Aússa; about the well of Ághadem the Bolodúwa, called (by the Kanúri) ám Wadébe; along the Burrum, called “féde” by the Tebu, the Kárda, called generally Kréda, separated into several families, the principal of which are the Gelímma, the Grasón (this I think rather the name of a chief, all the names of tribes ending with a vowel), and Bukóshelé; the Shindakóra, with the chief Ábú Nakúr; the Sakerda, with Bakáikoré; the Médemá and the Nóreá, generally called Nwórmá[74]; in Egé and Báteli, the Músu, with their chief Wúdda; in Tongúr, the Nakássa, a section of whom are the Un, with the chief Máina; in Bilma, or Bulma (which probably is the right form), and the wádí Kawár, or rather “hénderi Tedá,” as it is called by the natives, the tribe of the Gésera or Gésedi.

In Tibésti (a general name which once seems to have had a wider range than it has at present) and Báteli:—the Temághera[75], as they are generally called, a very interesting tribe, of ancient historical importance (which I have already mentioned on a former occasion as probably having given the name to the province of Demágherim, and which in the time of Edrís Alawóma was settled in Ngurúti [written Ghugúti] in Kánem), with the chief Gurdé, who has succeeded to Tehárke; the Gonda or Gunda, whose old chief Taher Asar died some time ago (the same who wanted to write a letter to King George, in Denham’s time) in Bordé (the Berdai of Capt. Lyon), one of the principal localities in Tibésti, and in other places; the Árindá in Dírkemáwu, another locality of Tibésti, with the chief Kénemé. North from Tibésti, in the valley Tʿawó, the Abó, a name which has often, by Lyon and even by M. Overweg in the itinerary just mentioned, been mistaken for that of a place.

These latter tribes together, I think, form the group generally called Tebu Resháde, but with the indigenous appellation “Tedetú.”

In Ójánga or Wajánga[76], eastward from Tibésti, and north-eastward from Búrku in the direction of Kúffara, with Kebábo, which latter place, by the people of Búrgu, is called Tesser:—the tribe of the Wónya with the chief Onókke; the Matátena or Gúrin, to the south of them, in fertile valleys producing even figs.

In Búrku:—the Búltu, called by the Arabs by the nickname of Nejʿa el Keléb, with their powerful chief the kedl-Agré, and residing part of the year in Yen, but after the dates have been gathered, generally settled in the district called Keré Búrku, and at other seasons in Egé; under the authority of the kedl-Agré are also the Kírdidá in Kírdi[77], the Guruwá in Gur, and the Elbuwéda in Elbuwé; the Yenowá, with their chief Alánga, or rather Lénga, in Yen; the Dóza, with their chief Kálema in Búdda, a valley east of Yen; the Yerda in a locality of the same name about half a day’s march east from Yen, with the chief Yíle; the Téyewá in Téke, a favoured spot or valley at present under the authority of Gehénni, their former chief, Saháyi, the father of a numerous family, having died; in the large valley ʿArádha, on the borders of Wádáy, the Mohéde, formerly under ʿOthmán Beléde, who died some time ago, and, further on, the Zogháwa, a very numerous and powerful tribe.

I should have now to enumerate the tribe of the Terauye or Bédeyát (or, as they are called by the Arabs, Áuwa), who live in the district Énnedi, intersected with a great many valleys, one of which is called Káúle, and another, in the neighbourhood of Wádáy, Níyu, if I were sure that they belong to the nation of the Tebu. But the few words of their language which I was able to ascertain, such as water, fire, are entirely different from the corresponding words in módi Tedá:—“water,” mí (Terauye), éyi (Tedá); “fire,” jó (Terauye), wuëni (Tedá). One of their chiefs is Rúzzi, who has become well known on account of his connection with the mercantile enterprise of ʿAbd el Kerím Sabún the king of Wádáy.[78] This chief, who was still living in 1851, is a Moslim, while most of the Terauye are pagans.

[Footnote 64: The name is written in Arabic in very different ways, the MS. account of the expeditions of Edrís sometimes having the form معوا at others ماوا; but the real indigenous form seems to be Mʿawó, a name exactly similar to Gʿawó, that of the capital of the Sónghay empire, and Yʿawó, the residence of the Bulála princes. It is not improbable that by corruption the name Mátán, which by Ebn Sʿaíd and Abú ’l Fedá (p. 162.) is given to a well-known place in Kánem, has originated in the name of Mʿawó, although they place it close on the shore of the Tsád (bahíret Kúrí), and north from Njímiye.]

[Footnote 65: In this last statement there may be some error.]

[Footnote 66: May the name Fúgó, Fugábú, have any connection with the tribe of the Fúgu mentioned by Masúdi (_Golden Meadows_, chap. xxxiii. p. 138. MS. Transl. R. Asiatic Society)?]

[Footnote 67: Bágalé is certainly an interesting example of the homonymy of African names in distant countries.]

[Footnote 68: From the origin of the people the name of the place is probably derived; for Bille Ngáre is the name which the inhabitants of Logón give to the Kanúri.]

[Footnote 69: In this passage, however, it seems almost as if there were a misunderstanding, “in a day” instead of “once.”]

[Footnote 70: Denham’s Journal, vol. i. p. 262, ff. It is not quite clear whether Denham reckons the fifty miles (p. 267.) to Mendoo or to Mʿawó, but probably to Mʿawó. The name Korata Mendooby (p. 267.) means the Keráda (Fugábú) of Mondó.]

[Footnote 71: Vol. II. p. 276. note.]

[Footnote 72: The Yewórma, as well as the Tymmélme and Yéggada, have been almost annihilated by the Tawárek.]

[Footnote 73: As for the Traita, mentioned by Lyon, p. 265., and by Major Denham repeatedly, vol. i. p. 42. _et seq._, I think that this name is not indigenous; at least I have been unsuccessful in getting information respecting a people so called. Denham himself calls them once “the people of Traita.”]

[Footnote 74: Under this form they came also under Burckhardt’s notice. (Travels in Nubia, 2nd ed. Appendix I. p. 435.)]

[Footnote 75: There seems to be some Berber element in the word; but I think it is more apparent than real, for the word is distinctly written by Imám Áhmed Tumághira.]

[Footnote 76: See Capt. Lyon’s Narrative, p. 266., where a rather exaggerated account is given of the irrigation of the country, which seems certainly not to be at all sterile throughout.]

[Footnote 77: This name has obviously nothing to do with the name which the Kanúri give to pagans; the Tebu called pagans “érdi.”]

[Footnote 78: See Fresnel, _Bulletin de la Soc. de Géogr._ 1849, 3me série, t. xi. p. 53.]

APPENDIX II.

GEOGRAPHICAL DETAILS CONTAINED IN “THE DIVAN,” OR ACCOUNT GIVEN BY THE IMÁM ÁHMED BEN SOFÍYA[79] OF THE EXPEDITIONS OF THE KING EDRÍS ALAWÓMA FROM BÓRNU TO KÁNEM.

FIRST EXPEDITION.

1 day, Ghambarú. غَمْبَرُوا, starting from Birni Ghasréggomo.

„ Zantam زَنْتَم.

„ Kishímuwa كشموه (returning westward).

„ Zantam (returning eastward).

„ Ghotúwa غتوه.

Several days, Berí بري[79], having made short marches. However, the king did not encamp in the town of Berí itself, but round about a fortified place (شوكيه) called Ghátigha غَاتِغْه, which according to other accounts was situated at some little distance from the town of Berí. Berí was a celebrated place, on account of its situation, and of great importance in the intercourse between Bórnu and Kánem.[80]

1 day, Furtú فُرتُوا (arrival at the time of the káila, or kiyúla), passing by Sakala سكله, a locality (مكان), not an inhabited place, and by the town Ghayawá غَيَوا. The town of Furtú or Furtúwa is of the greatest importance in the geography of Kánem, as it is identical with the Íklí or Íkelí mentioned by Makrízí.[81] Imám Áhmed writes اِكْلِهْ. But it had besides a third name, viz. Gháljadú, or Gháljadúwá غَلْجَدُوا.

„ Alále, اْلاله, with easterly direction.

„ Ghibúwa-kanjiyíz غِبُوَ كَنْجِيِز, a locality, not an inhabited place.

„ Daghál دغال.

„ Burum بُرُم.

„ Róro بلد رُورُ.

„ Keswadá كَسوَدا.

„ Ghumámí غُمَامي.

„ Súlú or Súlúwá سُولُوا. This place in another passage[82] is called by the author a seat of the Kenaníya, a tribe which in former times seems to have formed the principal stock of the population of Kánem, and who were hostile to the people of Bórnu, but who appear to have suffered greatly by the expeditions of Edrís. See further on.

„ Múlghim مُولْغِم.

„ Kurú or Kurúwá كُرُوَا.

„ Melajerá, a river النهر المسمي بِمَلجَرا.[83]

„ Rimbawá رِمبَوا.

„ Mʿawó, written here معوا, but soon afterwards ماوا and p. 16. ماُو (even مَاوُو by mistake). He arrived here a little before zawál. The situation of Berí being ascertained by ourselves, and that of Mʿawó being laid down with approximative certainty, the whole route, supposing that it runs in a tolerably straight line, could be described with some approach to exactness in a map. Of course the uncertainty increases as we pass beyond this place into the south-eastern quarter of Kánem. Mʿawó was then a place celebrated throughout the whole of Kánem; but it was not the residence of any powerful chief. ʿAbd el Jelíl the Bulála prince at that time resided in Yitúkurma (or Yutúkurma, for both forms appear[84] يِتُوكُرْمه and يُتُوكُرْمَهْ) distant from Mʿawó “megíl” (that is to say, from five to six hours’ march, at a very swift rate), in a S.E. direction, as it seems.

From Mʿawó Edrís directed his course to Wasámí وَسَاْمِي in a northerly direction (p. 18.) distant about zawál, while the host of the Bulála came to Kírsila كِرْسِلَه, which probably[85] lay west of Wasámi. The Bulála fled (at the dhahúwe); Edrís went towards the southern parts of Kánem, arrived between dhohor and ʿaser at Mánmana مَنْمَنَه, where there was no water.

From hence to Tasa تَسه or Tusa تُسه. Arrived about zawál. Evidently a large place, as he remained here eight days. Here the Bulála fled a second time.

From Tasa, Njímiye or Shímiye (here written السِيمِ, a little further on الجِيم, and a few lines previously السيِمَ), before zawál; the old capital before the time of Dáúd. Unfortunately he does not add in what direction he went.

Here Edrís had the Kurán read thrice at the sepulchres of the old kings of Bórnu.

From Njímiye Edrís went to Ágháfí الاَغَافي, where there was a fortified place of the Bulála; arrived at dhohor (after a short delay on the march), met the hostile army there, who instantly turned their backs.

From Ágháfí to Sendú سَندُوه.

From Sendú to Íkima اكِمَه.

From Íkima returned to Ágháfí, and celebrated there the ʿAíd el Fotr according to the old fashion of Bórnu.

From Ágháfí to Fifísi فِفِيسِه, starting in the evening; marched the whole night, and arrived in the morning. Made here much booty, ʿAbd el Jelíl having taken to flight.

From Fifísi returned to Ágháfí in two days and a half, while ʿAbd el Jelíl was in Ghasikú غَسكُوا north from Ágháfí.

From Ágháfí Edrís went to Njímiye, starting at the beginning of ʿaser and arriving at el ʿashá.

From Njímiye he then went to Melíma مَليمَه from dhohor till mughreb at a swift rate.

From Melíma to Ghasikú.

From Ghasikú returned to Ágháfí by Melíma and Njímiye, and resided there for a long time, collecting the chiefs of the Bulála and even the Arabs and the tribe of Fittrí, and conferring the government of Kánem on the fáki Mohammed ben ʿAbd-Allah.

From Ágháfí Edrís went to Ghamtilú the burial-place of Bíri ben Dúnama.

From Ghamtilú, southwards to Belághi بَلَاغِ.

(While the King Edrís went to Belághi, his imám, Áhmed ben Sofíya, the author of the history of Edrís’ expeditions, keeping more to the west, visited an old mosque called مسجد اَرْمِي apparently one of the first places of Mohammedan worship in the country.)

From Belághi Edrís went again southwards, in the direction of the lake الى جهة النهر من اليمين to Fisla فِسلَه where he remained a long time, receiving embassies from Arabs and Kúka, or rather Kúkú كوكوا and Fittrí.

From Fisla Edrís turned westwards towards Bórnu:—

First to Díyawá ديَوا where he made some stay.

From Diyawá to Ghalá, or rather Ngalá, غَلَا.

From Ngalá to Áwano, اوَنُه.

From Áwano to ʿAlúwa, علُوَه.

From ʿAlúwa (returned?) to Ngalá.

From Ngalá to Madaghama مَدَغَمه where he was joined by Mohammed ben ʿAbd-Allah and his army.

From Madaghama, having heard that ʿAbd el Jelíl had come again to Yitukurma, Edrís returned once more eastward to Ngalá, thence again to Madaghama.

From Madaghama, proceeding straight for Bórnu, in one long day, to Súlú.

From Súlú to Keghusiti, كغُسِطِه.

From Keghusiti to Síki, البلد سِيكِه, which at that time formed the frontier between Bórnu and Kánem, on which account the drum was there beaten.

From Síki to the district of the Sugurti or Sukurti ارض سُكُرْت.

From Sugurti to Bulúghi بُلُوغِ.

From Bulúghi to Ngughúti (Ngurúti) غوغوته, further on غُغُوته.

From Ngughúti to Berí.

But his return to Bórnu was frustrated; for, having learnt in Berí the news of a battle fought between ʿAbd el Jelíl and Mohammed, whom he had made governor of Kánem, near Yitukurma, in which the latter was apparently vanquished, he returned once more to the east, dividing his army into two portions, and taking only one division with him.

From Berí to Ghátíghi (here written غاتىْغِه) the same fortified place which has been before mentioned as lying quite in the neighbourhood of Berí, and where the armies used to assemble.

From Ghátíghi or Ghátiga to Ngughúti.

From Ngughúti to Bulúghi.

From Bulúghi to Kirteti (?) كرتتي.

From Kirteti to Keghusiti.

From Keghusiti to Ririkmi رِرِكْمِه.

From Ririkmi to Gharni-Kiyála غَرْني كِيَالَه a large walled town, evidently one of the two Kiyála mentioned (p. 484.) as belonging to Shitáti.

From Gharni-Kiyála to Yesembú يَسمبُوا starting in the night, at a swift rate, and reaching the place after sunrise; but apparently it did not lie in his way, as he returned from thence into the direct road.

From hence to Wasámi.

From Wasámi to Melíma, reaching it at the káila (about eleven o’clock).

From Melíma to Njímiye (east), arriving in the evening.

From Njímiye to Ágháfí, or the fortress of Ágháfí, starting after midnight, and arriving before sunrise. Pursuing thence ʿAbd el Jelíl, he caught part of his Zmála, with the queen Ghumsu Wábi.

From Ágháfí returned to Njímiye.

(The khalífa Yeríma Yaghá, whom Edrís had left with the sick in Wasámi, pursuing his march from thence at a slow rate towards the north (الى جهة الشمال), went first to Díru ديرُ.

From Díru to Madhími مَضِيمِ.

From Madhími to Njímiye, where he met Edrís.)

From Njímiye Edrís went eastwards to Kawál كَوَالْ. Arrived at dhahawe (about nine o’clock A.M.).

From Kawál he started at midnight; went first south, at dawn turned eastwards gradually towards the north, and fell upon the Tebu (evidently about the Bahr el Ghazál).

Returned from this predatory excursion to Kawál.

From Kawál returning to Njímiye [apparently by a long detour], went first to Saghi (Sheghi, Shiri?) سَغِه which he reached at sunset.

From Saghi, starting before sunrise, reached Njímiye by way of Íkma اِكْمَه and Ghurfala غُرْفَلَ.

The return of Edrís to Njímiye happened just at the right time; for the Bulála king, who had received the news of Edris’ return to Kánem on his way to Bagírmi, or as it is here written, in the form usual to the Kanúri, Bagharmí بَغَرْمي led his host against the Bórnu army, and had almost succeeded in taking the camp by surprise, when Edrís arrived and compelled him to fly.

From Njímiye Edrís now went to Ghimará غِمَرا.

From Ghimará, in a southerly direction, to Satóm سَتُوم a place close to Yitukurma.

From Satóm to Daghelú or Daghelwá دغلوِا, where ʿAbd el Jelíl had taken up his residence, but fled. [Daghelú, most probably, is identical with Taghghel.]

Returning from Daghelú to Satóm, Edrís met his vizier in Kargha-Simsim كرغه سِمسِم[86] [consequently Daghelú lay south from Kargha, or in the southern part of Kargha].

In Simsim, Edrís had a conference with some Arabs [Shúwa] and Tebu or Tubu تُبُ as Áhmed generally writes the name. The latter chose to migrate to Bórnu, while the former, who enjoyed a strict alliance with the Bórnu king, remained behind in Kánem.

From Simsim Edrís went northwards to Bárí باري [evidently the district mentioned above]. (The vizier also, whom Edrís had left behind in Satóm, in order to meet his master in Simsim, had traversed Bárí).[87]

From Bárí Edrís went to Mandó مندو [Mandó Yagóre].

From Mandó Edrís went northwards, when he became aware that the enemy was marching westwards, and changed his march till he came to Kitaki (?) البلد كِطَكِ.

ʿAbd el Jelíl, being pursued, fled into the desert.

(The officer Mídalá ben Fátima, left in Mandó, followed his king slowly, but nevertheless, on starting from Mandó, did not encamp before he had passed Mʿawó.

Having in this encampment received the order to come to Yira, he went first to Yíkima يِكِمه.

Thence to Yira يِرَه where he arrived at the time of the hejír, that is to say, a little past twelve o’clock.

From hence he went to Sitati (probably Shitáti) سِطَطِ(thus written thrice).[88]

From Shitáti Edrís turned westwards on his home-journey to Bórnu, but encamped the first day quite near, where the Arabs (Shúwa) took leave of him.