Narrative of Travels and Discoveries in Northern and Central Africa, in the Year 1822, 1823, and 1824 by Maj. Denham, Captain Clapperton and the Late Dr. Oudney [4]

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SAW? MITT ©TBI

13

JT,

A JPIPIE MfS (MST, JR.TT

-

TRAVELS AND DISCqvMEST E NORTHERN AND CENTRAL

AFRICA,

A ^

IN

1822, 1S23, and 1824: BY

MAJOR DENHAM;

F.R.S.,

CAPT. CLAPPERTON,

AND

THE LATE DOCTOR OUDNEY, A SHORT ACCOUNT OF CLAPPERTON S AND LANDER'S SECOND JOURNEY IN 1325, 1826, AND 1327.

IN

FOUR VOLUMES. Vol. IV.

LONDON: JOHN MURRAY, ALBE M ARLE-STRE E T. MDCCCYXXI.

S-R 916=6 D4i4t v. 4 DenhatR, Dixon 1786-1828. Travels and discoveries in Northern and Central Africa ,

LONDON PRINTED BY WILLIAM CLOWES, Stamford

Street.

CONTENTS OF

THE FOURTH VOLUME.

Page :

—Excursion from Murmur Kano — From Kano Sackatoo, and

§.

II.

§.

III.

to

1

resi-

to

dence there

.

.

Return from Sackatoo

.

.60

.

147

Captain Clapperton's Second Expedition into Africa,

and an Account of Iris Death,

from Richard Lander's Journal

53855 t

.

187

RECENT

DISCOVERIES IN AFRICA.

SECTION

II.

FROM MURMUR TO KANO.

At

day-break, on the following morning, I

resumed

my journey,

effects of

change of

trusting to tlie salutary air

and abstinence, as

the best remedies both of mind and body. Tire road was swampy, and we crossed a

narrow stream called Shashum, that falls There were into the Yeou near the town.

numerous

villages

January 14.

on

all sides.

—Thermometer

Our

52°.

road lay through a well cultivated country at nine o'clock, a.m.,

we came

to the

;

town

of Digoo, having an indifferent double wall,

and a

triple

In the

ditch nearly filled up.

evening we halted under the walls of a YOJjt IV.

B

2

FROM MURMUR

town in

called

the

enter

Boogawa this is Katagum ;

province of

the last town :

I

did not

it.

—

January 15. The road to-day was through a thickly wooded country. Before mid-day, we again crossed the Shashum, which here runs nearly due north. camel-drivers brought tigs,

road

The

me

a quantity of wild which they found on the trees by the side,

near the

river.

We next

entered

an open,

well cultivated country, and in the evening halted at a town called Katungwa,

which

is

surrounded by a wall, and has a fine date-trees. This was the

number of

town I had entered in the kingdom of Haussa Proper. I was visited by a Felatah, first

who had been

at

Bagdad, Constantinople',

Jerusalem, and Mecca, and belonged to the order of Dervishes. He was a chattering

and told me he had seen the at Mecca, who, he said, were the same people, and spoke the same language as the Felatahs. I made him a present of a pair of scissors and a snuff-box, of which little

fellow,

Wahabees

3

TO KANO. lie

seemed very proud, and sent

me a bowl of

I here

saw a range

bazeen in the evening. of low, rocky west.

They

hills,

stretching nearly south-

are called, in the language of

Haussa, Dooshee, or The Eocks, from which a large town on one of the roads leading

from Katagum to Kano takes

its

name.

Since we left the wells of Beere-Kashifery, on the southern borders of the great desert, we had not met with rocks, or even pebbles,

now the very channels of the rivers being destitute of stones, and the whole

till

;

country consisting of soft alluvial clay. The camels were missing, and I sent all the serthey were not brought vants after them ;

back before midnight, being found on

their

return to Bornou.

January 16.

—

Tire country

still

open and

well cultivated, and the villages numerous. "VVe met crowds of people coming from

Kano

with goods.

Some

carried

them on

their heads, others had asses or bullocks, according to their wealth. All were armed

with bows and arrows,

and several with b 2

FROM MURMUR

4

swords

;

the Bornouese are

known by

carry-

ing spears.

El Wordee and

I,

having advanced before

the cavalcade, were waiting for

man

it under a near a town called Zangeia, when a from Katagum went, of his own accord,

and

told

tree,

friend

the governor of Zangeia that a

of the

close at hand.

governor of Katagum was The governor of Zangeia

sent the man to tell us he would come and meet us on horseback, and show us a proper

We mounted our by the Katagumite who was the honour of the friend of

place to pitch our tents. horses, and, led

so anxious for his master,

we met

the governor,

about a

quarter of a mile from the tree under which

we had reposed

ourselves. He was mounted on a very fine white horse, gaily caparisoned, and had seven attendants behind him, also on horseback, besides being accompanied by several men on foot, armed with bows and

arrows.

and

after

He

advanced to us at

many

full

gallop,

courteous welcomes, placed

himself at our head* and rode before us into

5

TO KANO.

On

the town.

reaching his

own

house, he

desired us to pitch our tents before his door,

a place of great safety.' The camels arriving with the baggage, I presented him with a razor, a knife, a pair observing,

'

Here

is

He sent me, of scissors, and some spices. with grass bazeen, and milk some in return, and gussub

for the horses.

Although go-

eunuch vernor, I found out he was only a belonging to the governor of Kano. He was in person fat, coarse, and ugly, with a

me awake among talking and half the night, laughing shrill

squeaking voice, and kept

his people.

January cultivated, dale. little

17.— The country still highly and now diversified by hill and

passed a remarkable range of they were hillocks of gray granite

We

;

naked and appeared rocks,

flattened or like

rounded at top,

detached masses of stone

rising singly out of the earth.

We

also

quite deserted,

passed several walled towns their the inhabitants having been sold by conquerors, the Felatahs.

ning cotton by the road

Women sat side,

spin-

offering for

FROM MURMUR

6 sale, to the

passing caravans, gussub water,

roast meat, sweet potatoes, cashew nuts, &c. In the afternoon, we halted in a hollow, to

the west of a town, or rather a collection of villages, called Nansarina,

market day. of

my

where

it

was also

The governor, when he heard sent me milk and bazeen. I

arrival,

sent him, in return, a pair of scissors

and a

snuff-box.

—

January 18. When I ascended the high ground this morning, I saw a range of hills to the south-west, which,

I was told, were from a large town at their base. They appeared to be 600 or 700 feet high,

called Dull,

not peaked, but oval-topped, and running in a direction nearly north and south. I could not learn tended.

We

how

far

crossed a

southward they ex-

little

stream, flowing-

The country continued beau-

to the north.

with numerous plantations, as neatly fenced as in England. The road was

tiful,

thronged with

by

travellers,

and the shady

trees

the road side served,

as yesterday, to

shelter female hucksters.

The women not

engaged

in

the retail of their wares were

7

TO KANO.

to time busy spinning cotton, and from time comwhimsical witli surveyed themselves,

placency, soil is

granite

in a

little

pocket mirror.

The

of a strong red clay, large blocks frequently appearing above the

surface.

At

eleven in the morning

we

halted at a

which I walled town called Girkwa, through The houses were in rode with El Wordee. vacancies, groups, with large intervening been, also having the former inhabitants are and repair, sold the walls are in good ;

It was market surrounded by a dry ditch. market here day, and we found a much finer

than at Tripoli.

I

had an attack of ague,

these the disease that chiefly prevails in

parts,—and was obliged to rest all day under the shade of a tree.

A pretty

Felatah

girl,

neat going to market with milk and butter, dairyCheshire a and spruce in her attire as with infinite archShe said I was of her own ness and grace. talk, nation and, after much amusing small

maid, here accosted

me

;

me on I pressed her, in jest, to accompany soiieitamy journey, while she parried my

FROM MURMUR

8

tions with roguish glee, by referring me to her father and mother. I don't know how it happened, but her presence seemed

to

dispel

the

effects

of the

To

ague.

this

and innocent memorial of a face and form, seen that day for the first and last time, but which I shall not readily forget, I may add the more interesting information trifling

to the

good housewives of

my own country, of butter such as ours is confined to the nation of the Felatahs, and that the

that

it

much

making

is

is

both clean and excellent. So domestic art cultivated, that

this

from a useful prejudice or superstition, it is deemed unlucky to sell new milk it may, however, be bestowed as a gift. Butter is ;

also

made

in

but sold in an

other parts of central Africa, oily, fluid state,

something

like

honey.

A sent

native of

Mourzuk who

me some kouskousoo and

resides here fowls.

ceived a visit from a black shreef,

I re-

who

in-

formed me he had seen the sea, and that a river I should cross on the morrow communicated between the Kowara and the Yeou.

9

TO KANO.

By

the Kowara, I understood

Mm to mean

and winch, the river that passes Timbuctoo, of talked much so of late years, has been

m

Europe, under the name

of Niger.

This

on was a piece of gratuitous information, for no cross-questioning him he could furnish dissoon I But opinion. authority for his Wordee covered the whole trick, by El strongly recommending

formant a present.

me

to give

The country

my

in-

to the

south and south-west was very hilly. crossed a water-course January 19.

—We

called Girkwa, its

immediate

from the name of the town in

vicinity.

river the It is the channel of the same now not did but black shreef alluded to, chanthe Indeed contain a drop of water.

extremely shallow, and only The about sixty or seventy yards across. Kaof governor the guide furnished me by

nel itself

tagum inthe

is

rise told me, that the river took its into mountains of Dull, and falling

we should soon come to, among the mountains of

another river, which

and which rose

the Nora, their united waters flowed into

Yeou, to the north of Katagum.

FROM MURMUR

li}

The country was much terday

;

clear of

the same as yes-

wood, well

divided into plantations.

cultivated,

At noon we

and

crossed

the

river Sockwa, alluded to above, and forming a junction with the Girkwa. The water was not above ancle deep in the middle of therstream, which did not now fill one-twentieth part of the channel

and both rivers, have no doubt, are at all times fordable, even during the rainy season. About a mile from the banks of the river, we ;

I

passed the town of Sockwa, which is defended by a high clay wall. Bein g very unwell, I did not enter the town, but rode

on through a clear, open country, to the town of Duakee, where I halted under a tree until the camels is

came

Tins town

up.

also walled, but contains few inhabitants,

although the walls, made of clay like others, are of great extent, pair.

and

in

all

the

good re-

Before four o'clock the camels arrived,

and we pitched our tents under the tree where I had lain down. The road was still crowded, from sunrise to sunset,, with people going to or coming from Kano.

11

TO KANO.

January 20.— By El Wordee's

advice, I pre-

entering Kano pared myself this morning for naval Arrayed which was now at hand. circumas smart as uniform, I made myself three miles to For stances would permit.

m

country was open the north of Duakee, the

and well

It then

cultivated.

became

thickly,

until we ascended covered with underwood, we had a view of a rising ground, whence

mounts within the walls of Kano. Kano, the At eleven o'clock we entered of Haussa; great emporium of the kingdom the gates than but I had no sooner passed for, from the disappointed I felt grievously by the given description of it

two

Utile

;

flourishing

of surprising Arabs, I expected to see a city contrary, the grandeur: I found, on the mile from the houses nearly a quarter of a into descattered parts

and in many stagnant pools tached groups, between large

walls,

of water.

I

might have spared

all

the pains

for not an into gaze at round dividual turned his head

I

had taken, with

my

toilet

;

on their own by without pass allowed me to me, but remark.

all,

intent

business,

notice or

12

FROM MURMUR

I went with El Wordee directly to the house of Hadje Hat Salah, to whom I had

a letter of recommendation from the sheik], found Hat Salah sitting under a rude porch in front of his house amid a party of Arabs, Tuaricks, and people of the town. When El Wordee presented me, and told him of the sheikh's letter of re-

of Bornou.

We

commendation, he bade desired

me

to

sit

me

down by

welcome, and

his side.

After

exchanging many compliments, I inquired for the house he had hired for me, as El Wordee had sent a messenger on horseback the day before, to inform him of my approach, and to request him to have for

my

a house ready

reception.

Hat Salah now

sent one

of his slaves to conduct us to the house. had to retrace our steps more than half a mile through the market-place,

We

which

bordered to the east and west by an extensive swamp covered with reeds and water, is

and frequented by wild ducks, cranes, and a filthy

useful

kind of vulture.

The last is extremely by picking up offal, serves as of town scavenger. The house pro-

;

a sort

and,

TO KANO. vided for

me was

13

situated at the south end

of the morass, the pestilential exhalations of which, and of the pools of standing water,

were increased by the sewers of the houses I was fatigued all opening into the street. and sick, and lay down on a mat that the owner of the house spread for me. I was immediately visited by all the Arab merchants

who had been my

fellow-travellers

from Kouka, and were not prevented by They sickness from coming to see me. were more

like ghosts

all strangers were at

intermittent fever.

than men, as almost

tliis

time suffering from

My house had six cham-

"

bers above, extremely dark,

and

five

rooms

below, with a dismal-looking entrance or lobby, a back-court, draw-well, and other conveniences.

Little holes or

windows ad-

mitted a glimmering light into the apartNevertheless this was here thought ments.

a handsome mansion. of three dollars a

I paid at first

a rent

was

after-

month

;

but

wards reduced to two was my next door neighbour.

dollars.

In the evening

Hat Salah

it

El Wordee

sent

me

a

I

i4

PROM MURMUR

sheep,

some honey, and a dinner ready I received a similar present from Michah Eben Taleb, the brother of an Arab merchant of Sockna, residing at Kouka, to whom I had a letter of introduction, with an order for the payment of a hundred cooked.

,

dollars.

January

21.—The weather cool and clear. This afternoon I delivered to Hadje Hat Salah the sheikh's letter, and

accompanied

with a present of two turban shawls, made of wool and cotton, one white, the other red, both of French manufacture, a it

scarlet

Turkish jacket, lined with silk and trimmed with gold lace, that had belonged to the late

Dr. Oudney, two clasp knives, two razors, two pairs of scissors, two paper snuff-boxes, and one of tin about a pound of spices, and a parcel of thin brass ornaments ;

for chil-

dren's caps.

These are of the size of a sixpence, stamped with fancy heads, and made at Trieste for the

Barbary market.

He was and promised to present me to the governor in two days. In the evening provisions were sent much

pleased with

my

present,

15

TO KANO. as before, both

Eben Taleb. January 22. to-day,

when

by Hat Salah and Michah ;

— I

I

had a visit from Hat Salah

presented him with half a

pound of French gunpowder and a few flints. Being very unwell, I remained at home all day.

January 23. house by

—

I

was

still

confined to the

In the evening I

indisposition.

overheard a conversation concerning the river Quarra, between my servant and the

man

the governor of

me.

The

Katagum

latter described it as

sent with

running into

the sea at Raka, and added the following

The country is called Yowriba The ships of Christians natives.

particulars.

by

the

visit

the town, which

only twenty-four

is

days' journey from Nyffee at a quick rate of travelling, or thirty-two days at a leisurely pace.

The

river

is

there as wide as

from Kano to Katagum, and the waters Although I think proper to notice salt. tliis incident, I must at the same time observe, that I place little

accounts.

dependence on such

Next morning

I

put

several

FROM MURMUR

i6

questions to him, but

lie

told

me

quite

a

commonly believed among them that strangers would come and take their country from them if they knew different story

the

course

;

for

of the

afterwards learned,

it is

Quarra.

Nyffee, as I

distant

is

from

Kano

about twelve days' journey.

—

At seven in the morning I accompanied by El AVordee and Hat

January 24. set out,

Salah, to visit the governor, who was at the sansan, or camp, five miles east of Kano. I took with me the sheikh's letter, and a

present

I

%ad prepared

the day before, con-

sisting of a sword, a tea-tray,

a spy-glass, twenty yards of yellow silk, a white turban, a French shawl, three snuff-boxes, two razors, four clasp-knives, two pairs of scissors, a few brass trinkets for children's caps, as already described, and two pounds of spices, besides a broken thermometer, which I un-

derstood would be very acceptable.

Of

course, I could not spare either of the only

two thermometers which had hitherto escaped accidents.

named by

A thermometer the natives

'

is

descriptively

a watch of heat

;'

17

TO KAN'O.

and was everywhere regarded as a great curiosity. I also took a present for the wan-bey, or governor's chief minister, of a

French shawl, a large Egyptian shawl, a pound of cloves and cinnamon, a razor, a clasp-knife, a pair of scissors, and two snuff-

where the governor now was, is a rendezvous for the army. The governor then intended to march against Dantanqua, a former governor of Kano,

boxes.

The

who was

deposed, and who, having rebelled,

sansan,

had seized upon a large town and territorycalled Doura, only distant one day's journey, or about twenty-two English miles, allowance for a

according to the

common

day's journey.

was not a

I

to find this sansan a walled

me

surprised

town of consi-

El Wordee and Hat Salah

derable extent.

informed

little

it

had been

years, the governor of

built these five

Kano having made

for that period a yearly excursion against

the rebels, without ever bringing them to a decisive

We

engagement. proceeded immediately to the go-

vernor's house,

VOL.

IVi

which

is

about 500 or 600 c

FROM MURMUR

18

yards from the gate. house, I found

all

At

the outer guard-

Arab merchants

the

attendance with the horses they had for The governor is always entitled to the choice

in

sale. first

he declines them at the price affixed, any other person may become the ;

but

if

We

purchaser.

were shown into the house

wan-bey, until the

of the

ready to receive

us.

governor was

In a short time

he was accompanied by El Wordee and Hat Salah but as he does not usually admit Arab merchants into his presence, El Wordee was in this instance spesent for

me

:

I

;

cially

favoured on

introduced,

we had

my

account.

to pass

When

through three

coozees, or guard-houses, the walls of which were covered with shields, and the doors guarded by black eunuchs. These coozees

were connected by screens of matting covered over head. The governor was seated at the entrance of an inner coozee.

After

shaking hands with him, he desired us to sit down. I then produced the presents, explaining to him particularly the use of the spy-glass,

and commending the sword, by

TO KAXO. acquainting him that such were worn by the great nobles of England, when they at-

tended pleased,

He seemed highly on the king. and bade me a thousand welcomes

to the country.

El Kanemy's

I

next delivered the sheikh

He

letter.

read

it,

and

told

he expected to return to Kano in fifteen days, and would then send me to his master

me

knew, would be very glad to We shook hands again at parting. see me. The governor is a Felatah, of a dark copper Bello, who, he

and stout make, and has the character of being very devout and learned. Except El Wordee and Hat Salah, the wan-

colour,

bey was the only person present

at this

next accompanied to him his present gave his house, where I He was a thin, without any ceremony.

interview,

whom we

slender man, of a pretty fair complexion, with only one eye, and was clad in a rather dirty tobe. fifty

He was

sons — a

said to be the father of

circumstance

which

is

here

regarded as a matter of much respect and I returned immediately to Kano. honour.

January 27 and

28.—The

governor sent c 2

FROM MURMUR

20

me

a present

of

gourd, upwards filled

with wheat

a

of two ;

from

an immense

;

feet

in diameter,

and two other gourds of

the same dimensions, kafila

sheep

Bornou

filled

with

arrived

rice.

to-day.

A It

letter from the sheikh to Hat warning him not to purchase any

brought a Salah,

would not he allowed

slaves, as they

to pass

through Bornou, on account of the detenof the

tion

sheikh's

who had been

in Fezzan,

children

sent there for protection du-

ring a recent invasion by the people of Begharmi.

January 29.

Denham

—A courier to-day, from Ma-

Kouka, brought me letters and newspapers from England also gunpowder, coffee, tea, and sugar, Peruvian bark, and three bottles of Port wine three

jor

at

;

;

silver

watches, and some articles of dress,

such as red caps

of Tunis,

red

Turkish

and bornouses, or woollen cloaks, with hoods from Tripoli. Mr. Warrington, trowsers,

our consul at Tripoli, also forwarded a teskara, or order from the bashaw, which

Denham

Major

took care to have enforced by a

21

TO KANO.

from the sheikh of Bornou, both adto pay dressed to Hadje Ali, requiring him letter

money due by his deceased brother. The requestsheikh likewise wrote to Hat Salah,

the

overcome ing him to exert all his influence to

Boo the scruples of Hadje Ali; for Hadje hesionce never executor, Zaid, the other The newspapers tated about the matter. attempt to first apprised me of Belzoni's penetrate to Timbuctoo by the January 30.— Ill with ague.

January 31.— A February

1,

little

way

of Fez.

better.

1824,— After

breakfast

I

accompanied Hat Salah, the sheikh's agent, to the sansan, which, since it became a town, and presented the He was governor with one of the watches. highly pleased with it, and requested me to teach Hat Salah the use of it, that he might

is

also

called Fanisoe,

who would in showed him the

give lessons to the wan-bey,

turn instruct him. sheikh's letter

read

ward

it,

I also

to his

and told me

master Bello.

I should

He

be sent for-

to Sackatoo without delay, in a kafila

which was then assembling.

22

FROM MURMUR

On my

met two governors with They had each about five hundred horse and foot. The foot were armed with bows and arrows. The quiver is slung over the left shoulder, return I

troops repairing to the sansan.

together with a small, highly leathern pouch for

ornamented

and a canteen of dried grass, so compactly plaited, that it is used for holding- water. The bow unstrung

is

little

sometimes carried in the hand

Many

as a walking stick.

head

a

necessaries,

little

triangular

carried

bag,

on the

filled

with

bruised Guinea corn.

Others wore a little conical grass cap, with a tuft of feathers.

The rest of their dress consists solely of a tanned skin, strung with coarse shells, or fringed with tassels, girt round the loins, and a

pair of sandals of very simple

work-

manship.

The cavalry were armed with swords, and spears,

and

sumptuously accoutred. six feet long, the

shields,

otherwise

The spear

is

more about

wooden shaft slender, and The swords are broad,

the point of iron. straight,

and long, but require no particular

23

TO KANO. description, as, by a vicissitude gular, they are in fact the

somewhat sin-

very blades formerly

These wielded by the knights of Malta. Bengazee, to swords are sent from Malta are exthe state of Tripoli, where they in

changed for bullocks.

They

are afterwards

thence carried across the desert to Bornou, Kano, at to Haussa, and at last remounted almost all for the use of the inhabitants of

Central Africa.

The

shields,

covered with

gethe hides of tame or wild animals, are however, is, nerally plain and round. There remarkable variety, not uncommon, of an

a

oval shape,

somewhat broader below than

forming above, with an edging of blue clotb, and below, one six little lappets, one above, the of In the centre each side.

two on

a stripe of scarlet cloth fasthe iron tened by the same studs that clinch perfect a scored is handle, and around it borne is Maltese cross. This kind of shield only but it is found of the

shield there

is

by horsemen same shape and

;

figure

equally

among

Tib-

Bornouese. boos, Tuaricks, Felatahs, and A cross of the same form, moulded in a sort

24

FROM MURMUR

of low

relief, is not an unfrequent ornament on the clay plaster of their huts. Crosses

of other forms also are sometimes cut in the houses. Several camels,

doors of their

loaded with quilted cotton armour, both for

men and horses, were in attendance. One of the governor's slaves wore a quilted helmet of red cloth, very unwieldy, not unlike a bucket in shape, only scooped out in front for the face, and terminating on the crown in a large tin funnel, full of ostrich feathers.

He

was

also clad in a red quilted corslet of

the same cumbrous materials.

The other of this armour are trunk hose for the rider, and a head-piece, poitrel, and articles

housing, horse.

and arrow-proof, for the Armour, however, is hardly ever all

quilted

worn, except in actual combat, and then

it

must very much impede the quickness of their military evolutions. The saddles have high peaks before and behind. The stirrupirons are in the shape of a fire-shovel, turned

up at the

and so sharp as to render This body of heavy horse protects the advance and retreat of spurs

sides,

superfluous.

25

TO KAXO.

bowmen being drawn up

the army, the

in

from between the

the rear, and shooting horsemen as occasion offers.

February

2.—This morning of sultan Bello,

was

I

who

visited

arrived

by a nephew He was a lad of yesterday from Sackatoo. active a dark copper colour, and of a thin ^

make,

like all the

him

ordered tea

I

Felatahs.

but he would not

to be presented to taste it, till the brother of El ;

Wordee

set

ventured to drink

him the example, when he of a cup, and soon became very fond

it.

he considered a Christian as he confessed little better than a monster, degree of to me, though, perhaps, with some

Before this

flattery. I

visit

showed him all my instruments, and

the sultan. the presents intended for his uncle,

February

3.— I had

a

visit

from another

and nephew of the sultan, one of the finest seen in intelligent young men I had most

tins

country.

with ease and

read and spoke Arabic fluency, and was very anxi-

He

hear ous to see everything, and to

my

country.

He

assured

me

all

the

about sultan

and said he would which he books, of had a large collection be debghted to see me,

FROM MURMUR

26

made him read aloud. He told me there was a camel road from Sackatoo to Timbuctoo, which, however,

was rendered dangerous by the Kafirs of Cobee, a countrylying between the two towns. February 5 and 6.— I had a conversation with Abdelgader, a relation of sultan Bello, at the

house of a Ghadamis merchant. Abdelgader was particularly inquisitive about our religious observances, prayers, the worship of images,

and the eating of pork. I him we were commanded by our religion to pray without ceasing; but as no people on earth does as it ought, we generally pray at stated times. The worship of told

images, with which I was repeatedly charged, I indignantly abjured. Of course, I repre-

sented the eating of pork as a mere matter

My

of policy.

Mahomedan

catechist next

some degree of ridicule, as to the doctrine of the Trinity and turning to Ms countrymen who were present, without inquired, with

;

waiting for to

my reply,

the three persons

Father,

exclaimed, in allusion

of the

Godhead:—

and Uncle.' In this way Mahomedans are wont to turn to scorn the '

Son,

27

TO KANO.

Christianity, both pure morals inculcated by

4

precept

Abdelgader

practice.

and in

to have my next expressed great curiosity I declined Jew servant, Jacob, sent for. inconutterly was explaining to him that it I had which with the toleration to ;

sistent

have any man inever been accustomed, to his reliby constraint respecting terrogated 0 conown his with gious opinions; but that, Abquestions might be asked any sent,

he

after,

the

I left

delgader pleased.

party soon

unand Jacob was prevailed upon to

but his holy dergo a similar examination; returned soon he was quickly fired, for zeal

home

To

in a storm of passion.

to such acrimonious

put a stop

and dangerous discus-

to the Ghadamis sions, I afterwards hinted conduct, merchant, that a repetition of such in regard to

my

would oblige me

servants,

to complain to the

bashaw of

Tripoli.

February 7.— Rather sick to-day. to February 8. The governor returned current the sansan with his army and the capital report was, that they had entered the

—

;

Duntungua of the enemy; and, supposing

23

FROM MURMUR

to have fled to the forest, they began to enjoy themselves in banquets and carousals,

when Duntungua suddenly witli

his

men, the

army, and killed

fell

upon them

fifteen

thousand

rest flying in the greatest

con-

fusion to Fanisoe.

—Again

February

9.

February

10.— Kano

unwell.

is the capital of a province of the same name, and one of the principal towns of the kingdom of Soudan,

and is situate in 12° 0' 19" north latitude by observation, and 9° 20' east longitude by dead reckoning, carried on from a lunar observation at Kouka, in Bornou.

Kano may

contain from 30,000 to 40,000

resident inhabitants, of

one half are population

is

whom more

than

slaves.

of

This estimate of the course conjectural, and

must be received with due allowance, although I have studiously underrated my rough calculations on the subject. This number is exclusive of strangers who come here in crowds during the dry months from parts of Africa, from the Mediterranean,

all

and the Mountains of the Moon, and from Sennar and Ashantee.

-9

TO KANO.

The

city is rendered very

unhealthy by a

divides it into large morass, which almost besides many pools of stagnant

two

parts,

made by digging clay for building The house gutters also open into houses.

water,

occasion an abothe street, and frequently irregular minable stench. The city is of an miles in circumoval shape, about fifteen a clay wall ference, and surrounded by along the feet high, with a dry ditch thirty

inside,

and another on the

There

built gates, including one lately with covered gates are of wood,

are fifteen up.

outside.

The

and are regularly opened and A platform inshut at sunrise and sunset. it, serves below guard-houses side, with two than more Not entrance. sheet iron,

to

defend each

within the walls one-fourth of the ground the vacant space is is occupied by houses: The large gardens. laid out in fields and from city nearly intersecting the

morass,

by a small neck held, is on which the market is

east to west,

of land,

and

.crossed

The water overflowed in the rainy season. unwholesome, of the city being considered

FROM MURMUR

30

women

are

constantly employed

water about the

hawking from the favourite

streets,

springs in the neighbourhood.

The houses

are built of clay, and are mostly of a square

form, in the Moorish fashion, with a central room, the roof of which is supported by the trunks of palm trees, where visitors and strangers are received.

The apartments of

the ground floor open into this hall of audi-

ence, and are generally used as store-rooms.

A

an open gallery overand serving as a passage

staircase leads to

looking the

hall,

to the chambers of the second story, which

are lighted with small windows.

court-yard there niences.

is

In a back a well and other conve-

Within the enclosure in which

the house stands, there are also a few round huts of clay, roofed with the stalks of In-

dian corn, and thatched with long grass.

These are usually very neat and clean, and much larger size than those of Bornou.

of a

The

governor's residence

covers

a large

and resembles a walled village. It even contains a mosque, and several towers space,

three or four stories high, with

windows

in

31

TO KAN'O. the European style,

but without glass

or

frame-work. It is necessary to pass through two of these towers in order to gain the by the suite of inner apartments occupied governor.

The

soug,

or market,

is

well supplied

with every necessary and luxury in request among the people of the interior. It is held, beas I have mentioned, on a neck of land

tween two swamps

;

and as this

site is

covered

the with water during the rainy to holding it here is consequently limited season,

when it is numerously frewell by strangers as inhabitants:

the dry months,

quented as

indeed, there regulated. stalls at

is

no market

in Africa so well

The sheikh of the soug lets the rent so much a month, and the

governor. forms apart of the revenues of the prices the fixes also The sheikh of the soug to a entitled wares, for which he is of

all

whysmall commission, at the rate of fifty to amounting sale every dah or cowries, on 8000 cowries, according to silver mothe standard exchange between anoney and this shell currency. There is

four dollars or

32

FROM MURMUR

ther custom regulated with equal certainty and in universal practice the seller returns :

to the buyer a stated part of the price,

way

of blessing, as they term

it,

by

or of luck-

penny, according to our less devout phraseology. This is a discount of two per

on the purchase money

cent,

bargain landlord

may

;

but

if

the

made in a hired house, it is the who receives the luck-penny. I

is

here notice the great convenience of

the cowrie, which no forgery can imitate ; and which, by the dexterity of the nativesin treckoning the

largest sums, forms a ready medium of exchange in all transactions, from the lowest to the highest. Particular

quarters are appropriated to distinct

articles

the smaller wares being set out in booths in the middle, and cattle and bulky commodities being exposed to sale in the ;

outskirts of the market-place grass,

bean

:

wood, dried

straw for provender,

beans,

Guinea corn, Indian corn, wheat, &c, are in one quarter: goats, sheep, asses, bullocks,

horses,

and

camels,

in

another:

earthenware and indigo in a third; vege-

33

TO KANO. tables

and

fruit of all descriptions,

lons,

pappaw

fruit,

such as

and musk mecashew nuts,

varus, sweet potatoes, water limes,

plums, mangoes, shaddocks, dates, &c. in a fourth,

and so on.

Wheaten

flour is

baked

one bread of three different kinds like muffins, another like our twists, and the third a light puffy cake, with honey and

into

;

Rice is also melted butter poured over it. made into little cakes. Beef and mutton are killed daily. to be had, but

is

being commonly

might

Camel flesh is often meagre killed,

occasionally ;

the animal

as an Irish grazier

say, to save its life

:

it is

esteemed a

great delicacy, however, by the Arabs,

the carcass

is fat.

The

when

native butchers are

knowing as our own, for they make a few slashes to show the fat, blow up meat, and sometimes even stick a little sheep's wool on a leg of goat's flesh, to make it

fully as

When

pass with the ignorant for mutton.

brought to market to be killed, horns are dyed red with henna drummers attend, a mob soon collects, the news a

fat bull is

its

;

of the animal's

VOL. IV.

size

and fatness spreads, D

FROM MURMUR

34

and

The colouring of the by applying the green

run to buy.

all

horns

is

effected

leaves of the henna tree, bruised into a kind

Near the shambles there is a number of cook-shops in the open air; each consisting merely of a wood fire, stuck round with wooden skewers, on which small of poultice.

bits of fat

and

and lean meat, alternately mixed,

scarcely larger than a pennypiece each,

are roasting.

Everything looks very clean and a woman does the

and comfortable honours of the

;

table,

with a mat dish-cover

placed on her knees, from which she serves

her

who

guests,

are

Ground gussub water to those

who can

their repast

squatted around her. is

retailed at hand,

afford this beverage at

the price, at most, does not exceed twenty cowries, or about two farthings and four-tenths of a farthing- Enerlish

:

money, estimating the dollar Those who have houses

shillings.

home

at five

eat at

women never resort to cook-shops, and even at home eat apart from men. ;

The

interior of the

stalls of

bamboo,

market

is filled

with

laid out in regular streets

35

TO KANO.

where the more costly wares are sold, and articles of dress, and other little matters of use or ornament made and repaired. Bands of musicians parade up and

down

to attract

Here are

purchasers to particular booths.

displayed coarse writing paper, of French

manufacture, brought from Barbary; scissors

workmanship

and knives of native

crude antimony and of the country

unwrought

which they make

colour,

slings, or

weave in

cotton tobes

beads

;

;

;

both the produce

tin,

stripes

silk

into

of a red belts

and

into the finest

armlets and bracelets of brass

of glass,

and amber; finger

coral,

rings of pewter, and a few silver trinkets,

but none of gold; tobes, turkadees, and coarse woollen cloths of all turban shawls ;

Moorish dresses the cast-off gaudy garbs of the Mamelukes pieces of Egyptian linen, of Barbary

colours

;

coarse

calico

;

;

checked or striped with gold sword blades from Malta, &c. &c The market is crowded ;

.

from sunrise to sunset every day, not excepting their Sabbath, which is kept on Friday.

The merchants

understand the

D 2

FROM MURMUR

36

monopoly

benefits of

in the world

;

as well as any people

they take good care never to

overstock the market, and in price,

few days.

it

is

The market

is

regulated with the

and the regulations are

and impartially enforced.

or turkadee,

falls

immediately withdrawn for a

greatest fairness, strictly

anything

if

purchased here,

Bornou or any other being opened, and

is

of inferior quality,

is

If a tobe

carried to

distant place, without

there discovered to be it

is

immediately sent

back, as a matter of course,

—

the

name

of

the dylala, or broker, being written inside

every parcel. find out the

Kano,

is

In

dylala must

this case the

seller,

who, by the laws of

forthwith obliged to

refund the

purchase money.

The sheds,

slave market is held in two lonoone for males, the other for females,

where they are seated

in rows,

decked out for the exhibition

and carefully ;

the owner,

or one of his trusty slaves, sitting near them.

Young

or old,

plump or withered,

beautiful

or ugly, are sold without distinction in other respects,

the buyer inspects

;

but,

them

37

TO KANO.

with the utmost attention, and somewhat in the same manner as a volunteer seaman is

examined by a surgeon on entering the navy he looks at the tongue, teeth, eyes, and limbs, and endeavours to detect rupIf they are afterture by a forced cough. wards found to be faulty or unsound, or even :

without any specific objection, they

may be

When taken returned within three days. finery, which their of home they are stripped sent back to their former owner. Slavery slaves is is here so common, or the mind of appeared always they that constituted, so is

the wohappier than their masters greatest the men, especially, singing with People glee all the time they are at work.

much

;

become slaves by birth or by capture in war. The Felatahs frequently manumit slaves at the death of their master, or on the occasion The letter of of some religious festival. manumission must be signed before the and cadi, and attested by two witnesses illiterate the by the mark of a cross is used among them, just as with us. The male ;

slaves are

employed

in the various trades of

FROM MURMUR

38 building,

working

in iron, weaving,

shoes or clothes, and in

traffic

slaves in spinning, baking,

Of the

in the streets.

;

making

the female

and selling water

various people

who

frequent Kano, the Nyffuans are most celebrated for their industry as soon as they ;

arrive, they

go

market and buy cotton for their women to spin, who, if not employed in this way, make billam for sale, which is a kind of flummery made of flour

and tamarinds. people

to

The very

are in great

slaves of this

request,

riably excellent tradesmen

;

being inva-

and when once

obtained, are never sold again out of the

country.

bought, for three Spanish dollars, an English green cotton umbrella, an article I I

little

expected to meet with, yet by no means

uncommon figurative

the

my

Moorish servants, in their language, were wont to give it :

name of

'

the cloud.'

I

found, on in-

quiry, that these umbrellas are brought

from

the shores of the Mediterranean, by the of Ghadamis.

way

A large

kafila of Tuaricks, loaded solely

39

TO KANO. with

me

Arabs told at

all

The

arrived here from Billma.

salt,

it

consisted of 3,000 camels

events, the kafila

merous.

—A Felatah of

February 11.

;

was extremely nurespectability

having arrived from the sultan, with offers I of every accommodation on my journey, on him visited the governor to compliment his return,

to inquire about

and

He

ture for Sackatoo.

much

civility

;

and,

my

received

depar-

me

with

addressing me like an

old

acquaintance, by my travelling name, Abdallah, he assured

me I should

February 12.

we had a

fire all

riable practice

set out in six days.

—The weather was day.

Indeed

here to

have

it is

cold,

and

the inva-

fires

all

the

dry season,

year round, both in the wet and although generally I did not find one necessary.

February 13 and governor's eldest

was I

14.— I had a visit from the son, a stupid fellow, who

afraid to taste a

presented him.

cup of tea with which

He

bluntly told

me

I

possessed the power of changing people into rats, cats,

dogs, and monkeys.

I

made a

40

FROM MURMUR

servant drink the tea he had refused, and

then remarked,

any one

else,

'

was

Thank God, neither I, nor able to work such wonders,

otherwise both of us probably had been long

ago metamorphosed into

asses,

and com-

pelled to bear burdens on our backs.'

He

blame the people of the town for these reports, and told me they were further affected to

persuaded, that, by reading in my book, I could at any time turn a handful of earth into gold.

I

easily refuted this absurdity

by asking him why I applied to Hadje Hat Salah for money if I knew such a secret. He now became somewhat tranquillized, and sipped a

little

trembling.

of the tea, but with fear and

He

afterwards begged for a black-lead pencil, which I did not choose to give him.

February 15.— This afternoon J ascended a mount to take an eye-sketch of the plan

By way of precaution, I was accompanied by Hat Salah's eldest son, to prevent the people fancying I was going to perform some magical feat. On the eastern of the town.

side of tlie

mount, the young

man

gravely

41

TO KANO. pointed out to

me

the

print of the foot of

she-camel on which the Prophet rode

the

It

to heaven.

was

certainly very like the

print of a camel's foot, only

much

larger,

stones and seemed to be a hole where two compahad been picked out. I asked my had she-camel or naga nion if the prophet's had it he, said Oh one leg.

only

'

four.'

he

'

Where '

replied,

'

'

!

are the other three

God has done

it

;'

V 'Oh I' an unan-

swerable argument, which with them

points of religious controversy. the All the faithful of Soudan believe in

all '

settles

He added,

truth of this story.'

February

16.— Early

this

morning two

to my door. massi dubu, or jugglers, Two snakes were let out of a bag, when one little drum. of the jugglers began to beat a themselves reared immediately The snakes

came

on

their

dance.

tail,

and made a kind of sham

The juggler

afterwards played va-

wreathing rious tricks with them, sometimes in his them coiling neck, them round his

bosom, or throwing them among the people. On pointing Ins finger at their mouth, they

42

FROM MURMUR

immediately raised themselves up in an atbut after having exasperated them to the utmost, he had only titude to spring forward

;

to spit in their face to

make them retreat measured one of them : three inches long; the head

quite crestfallen. it

was

six feet

large, flat,

a kind of

and

five

vated

I

and blunted, and, along the neck, fully two inches in breadth,'

gills

inches in length, which they ele-

when angry.

The back and belly were of a dull white, and the sides of a dark lead colour.

Between the

gills

there

were

red stripes across the throat, decreasing in size from the mouth downwards. five

The

venomous fangs had been extracted

;

but

to guard against all possible injury, the fellow who played tricks with still,

them had a

large roll of cloth

arm. to

Their bite

prove

fatal to

is

wound round said to

the right

be mortal, and

a horse or a

cow

in half an

hour.

Having heard a great deal of the boxers of Haussa, I was anxious to witness their performance.

my

Accordingly I sent one of servants last night to offer 2,000 why-

43

TO KANO.

dah

in the for a pugilistic exhibition

morn-

of the combatants ing. As the death of one before a battle is over, I. is almost certain

expressly prohibited

all

fighting in earnest

would have been disgraceful both to to kill myself and my country, to hire men for

it

idle cuone another for the gratification of About half an hour after the massi riosity.

atdubu were gone, the boxers arrived, body whole tended by two drums, and the ' the fancy.' of butchers, who here compose master of the by formed, A ring was soon specthe on dust the ceremonies throwing tators

back.

make them stand

to

The

and began to

drummers entered the ring, drum lustily. One of the boxers

followed,

the middle. quite naked, except a skin round as if to attitude placed himself in an

He

an antagonist, and wrought his find out muscles into action, seemingly to force for the that every sinew was in full from coming then approaching combat;

oppose

ring, and time to time to the side of the

presenting his right

he

said,

'

I

am

arm

to the bystanders, am a lion ;' 6 1

an hyaena'—' I

44

am

FROM MURMUR able to kill all that oppose me.'

spectators, to laid their '

The

whom

lie

The

presented himself,

hands on his shoulder, repeating'

blessing of

God be upon

thee

;'

'

Thou

an hyaena.;' Thou art a lion.' He then abandoned the ring to another, who art

'

off in

the same manner.

showed hand were now bound The

right

and arm of the pugilists with narrow country cloth, beginning with a fold round the middle finger, when, the hand being first clenched with the thumb between the was passed

fore

in

and mid

many

fingers, the cloth

turns round the

the wrist, and the fore-arm.

fist,

After about

twenty had separately gone through their and appeals to the bystanders, they were next brought forward by pairs. If they happened attitudes of defiance

to be friends,

they

laid their

left

and exclaimed, friends.'

breasts together twice,

'We

One then

are

lions;'

'we

are

the ring, and another was brought forward. If the two did not recognise one another as friends, the set-to

left

immediately commenced.

their stations, the

two

On

taking

pugilists first stood at

TO KANO.

45

distance, parrying with the left hand open; and, whenever opportunity offered,

some

striking

aimed at the the ribs.

pit of the

.

They generally

right.

with the

stomach, and under

Whenever they

closed,

one seized

the other's head under his arm, and beat it with his fist, at the same time striking with his

In

knee between this position,

his

antagonist's

thighs.

with the head in chancery,

they are said sometimes to attempt to gouge When they or scoop out one of the eyes.

break loose, they never

fail

to give a swing-

ing blow with the heel under the It sometimes under the left ear. blows which are so often

fatal.

or

ribs, is

these

The com-

my

batants were repeatedly separated by orders, as they

girls

were beginning to lose their this spectacle was heard of,

When

temper. left

their pitchers

at the

market people threw down

and

all

ran to see the

square before excess.

several

my

After six rounds,

I

the

wells,

their baskets,

fight.

The whole

was crowded to pairs had gone through

house

ordered them,

to

great satisfaction, the promised reward the multitude quietly dispersed.

their ;

and

46

FROM MURMUR Both Hat Salah

and Benderachmani,

another Fezzan merchant residing here, had been with the late Mr. Hornemann at the time of his death. They travelled with him

from Mourzuk to Nyffee, where he died of dysentery, after an illness of six days. He passed himself off as an English merchant, professing the

Mahometan faith, and had two fine horses here. At my instance, Benderachmani sent a courier to Nyffee, sold

to endeavour to recover Mr.

Hornemann's

manuscripts, for which I offered him a reward of a hundred dollars; but, on my return from

Sackatoo, I found

the

mes-

senger come back with the information, that Jussuf Felatah, a learned man of the country, with whom Mr. Hornemann lodged, had been burned in his own house, together with all Mr. Hornemann's papers, by the negro rabble, from a superstitious dread of

his holding intercourse with evil spirits.

All the date trees, of which there is a great number, as well as the fig and papaw trees, &c. together with the waste ground,

and

fields

of wheat, onions,

&c, bordering

TO KANO.

on

47

The

the morass, belong to the governor.

date trees bear twice

a year, before and

which fall between end of August. and the the middle of May Cotton, after it is gathered from the after the annual rains,

shrub,

is

prepared by the careful housewife,

or a steady female slave, by laying a quantity of it on a stone, or a piece of board,

along which she twirls two slender iron rods about a foot in length, and thus dexterously separates the seeds from the cotton wool.

The

cotton

is

afterwards teazed or opened

out with a small bone, something like an instrument used by us in the manufacture of hat

felt.

Women

then spin

always contains a

little

it

out of a

The basket

basket upon a slender spindle.

pocket mirror, used minutes, for

ad-

justing or contemplating their charms.

It

at

least once every five

is now sold in yarn, or made into cloth. The common cloth of the country is, as for-

merly

The fly

stated, only three or four inches broad.

weaver's loom

and treadles

is

very simple, having a

like ours,

beam and drawn along

but no

the warp, fastened to a stone,

is

;

FROM MURMUR the

ground as

wanted.

The

When

passed by the hand.

shuttle

is

close at work,

they are said to weave from twenty to thirty fathoms of cloth a day. Kano is famed over Central Africa for the dyeing of cloth which process there are numerous establishments. Indigo is here prepared in all

;

for

rather a different

and America.

manner from

When

that of India

the plant

fresh green tops are cut

is ripe,

the

and put into a wooden trough about a foot and a half across, and one foot deep, in which, when pounded, they are

left

off,

decayed grass, trough,

retains

the

mixed

shape

with'

of

the

and three or four lumps being

tied

together with Indian corn-stalks, ried in this state to market.

for dyeing feet deep,

earth.

When

to ferment.

dry, this indigo looks like earth

is

it

is"

car-

The apparatus

a large pot of clay, about nine

and three

The indigo

feet broad,

thrown

sunk

in the

mixed with the ashes of the residuum of a former dveing. These are prepared from the lees of the dye-pot, kneaded up and dried in the sun,

after

is

in,

which they are burned.

In the

TO KANO.

49

process of dyeing cold water alone

The

three or four days,

up with a pole

is

used.

be dyed remain in the pot

articles to

and are frequently

stirred

besides which, they are .well

;

till

and hung up to dry morning, during which time the dye-pot

is

covered with a straw mat.

wrung out every

night,

After the

tobes, turkadees, &c. are dyed, they are sent

who

them between mats, laid over a large block of wood, and two men, with wooden mallets in each hand,

to the cloth glazer,

places

continue to beat the cloth, sprinkling a

little

water from time to time upon the mats, until

acquires a japan -like

it

block for beating the tobes

trunk of a large

tree,

is

The

gloss.

part of the

and when brought to

the gates of the city, the proprietor musters

whose summons and the to the workshop.

three or four drummers, at

the

mob

never

fails

to assemble,

block

is

The

price of dyeing a

gratuitously rolled

darkest blue colour, dollar

and a half

cowries.

VOL. IV.

The

;

is

and

good tobe, of the 3000 cowries, or a for

glazing

it,

total price of a tobe is

R

700

5000

FROM MURMUR

50

and of a turkadee from 2000 to 3000 cowries. The women of this country, and of Bor-

cowries,

nou, dye their hair blue, as well as their hands,

lowing manner slit

:

They

and eyebrows.

feet, legs,

fer the paint called shunee,

—They

made

have an old tobe

They make

up, and dyed a second time.

a pit in water,

in

the

moistening

ground,

which

pre-

in the fol-

it

with

they put the old tobe,

imbedded in sheep's dung, and well drenched with water, and then fill up the In winter the fire for pit with wet earth.

-first

domestic purposes

is

made

close to the spot,

and the pit remains unopened for ten days. In summer no fire is required; and after seven or eight days the remnants of the old tobe, so decayed in texture as barely to

hang

together, are taken out and dried in the sun for use.

This paint

sells

the gubga, or fathom

;

length commonly gives itself.

A

water

in a shell, with

little

at

400 cowries measure of

for this

name

to the cloth

of the paint being mixed with

a feather in one hand,

TO KANO.

51

and a looking-glass in the

other, the lady

The

carefully embellishes her sable charms.

arms, and legs, when painted, look as

if

co-

vered with dark blue gloves and boots.

They show some ingenuity facture of leathern jars,

upon a

clay

in the

manuthem

fashioning

mould out of the raw

previously well soaked in water serve to contain

fat,

:

hide,

these jars

melted butter, honey,

and bees' wax. They are also acquainted with

the art of

m

which they make use of the milky juice of a plant called in Arabic brumbugh, and in the Bornouese tongue kyo. It

tanning,

is

an annual plant, and grows

in dry,

sandy

situations, to the height of five or six feet,

It with a stem about an inch in diameter. bears a small and leaves, thick has broad flower, in colour

pink.

The

fruit

and shape not unlike a is green, and larger than

our garden turnip.

It contains

silky texture, intermixed

a

fine

with seeds

white like

those of the melon, and becomes ripe some

time

before

the rains commence, during

which the plant

itself withers.

The

e2

juice is

FROM MURMUR

52 collected in a

horn or gourd, from incisions

made

stem.

in the

poured over the

It is

inner surface of the skin to be tanned, which is

then put in some vessel or other

when,

;

in the course of a day or two, the smell be-

comes extremely

and the hair

offensive,

They afterwards

rubs off with great ease.

take the beans or seeds of a species of mi-

mosa, called

in

Arabic gurud.

when

These,

pounded in a wooden mortar, form a coarse black powder, which is thrown into warm water, wherein the skin

being

day hard wrung, to make ;

It

is

steeped for one

is

frequently well it

pressed

and

imbibe the liquor.

then spread out in the sun, or hung up

in the

wind, and,

when

half dry,

is

again

well rubbed between the hands to render soft

and

pliable for use.

they daub

it

To

colour

it

over with a composition,

it

red,

made

of trona and the outer leaves of red Indian corn, first beaten into a powder,

and mixed

up with water.

The negroes here

are

excessively polite

and ceremonious, especially to those adThey salute one another, vanced in years.

53

TO KANO.

by laying the hand on the breast, making a Kona lafia ? Ki ka bow, and inquiring, How do you Fo fo da rana ? JtyJcee. How have you do ? I hope you are well. The last passed the heat of the day?' '

'

'

question corresponds in their climate to the circumstantiality with which our honest

country folks inquire about a good night's rest.

The unmarried

girls,

whether slaves or

and likewise the young unmarried men, wear a long apron of blue and white check,

free,

with a notched edging of red woollen cloth. It is tied with two broad bands, ornamented in the same way, and hanging down behind This is peculiar to the very ankles. Soudan, and forms the only distinction in dress from the people of Bornou.

to

Both men and women colour their teeth and lips with the flowers of the goorjee tree, and of the tobacco plant. The former I only saw once or twice the latter is carried every day to market, beautifully arranged The flowers of both these in large baskets. ;

plants, rubbed

on the

lips

and

teeth,

give

FROM MURMUR

54

them a blood-red appearance, which is here The practice is

thought a great beauty.

comparatively rare in Bornou.

Chewing

goora

the

or

scribed,

This

favourite habit.

men

confined to

already

nut,

mixed with trona,

snuff

in

use

of snuff

Haussa, as

mitted to

women.

taken up the tom. tice,

Snuff

nostrils,

is

is

a

not

the case in

is

Bornou, where the indulgence

deis

is

not per-

very seldom

according to our cus-

Smoking tobacco

is

a universal prac-

both of negroes and Moors.

Women,

however, are debarred this fashionable gratification.

The practitioners country,

as

of the healing art in this

formerly in

Europe,

officiate

likewise as barbers, and are. very dexterous in the latter capacity, at least.

Blindness

is

a prevalent disease.

the walls of the city, there trict

is

Within

a separate dis-

or village for people afflicted with this

infirmity,

who have certain allowances from who also beg in the streets

the governor, but

and market-place. tremely neat,

Their

little

town

and the coozees well

is

ex-

built.

55

TO KANO.

the exception of the slaves, none but the blind are permitted to live here, unless

With

man

on rare occasions a one-eyed ceived into their community.

I

;

but I did not see

When

a bride

is

rein-

establish-

formed the lame had a similar

ment

is

was

it.

first

conducted to the

house of the bridegroom, she

is

attended by

slaves, bear-

a great number of friends and ing presents of melted fat, honey, wheat, She turkadees, and tobes, as her dower. whines

Una oh

!

the

all

wey

Io.'

dear me.'

!

tation, the

'

way—' Wey Oh my head !

kina !

my

!

wey

head

Notwithstanding this lamen-

husband has commonly known

some time before marriage. Preparatory to the ceremony of reading the

his wife

Fatah,' both bridegroom and bride remain

'

shut up for some days, and have their hands

and

feet dyed, for three

The

with henna.

bride

days successively, herself visits the

bridegroom, and applies the henna plasters

with her

own

Every one

own house,

hand. is

buried under the floor of his

without

monument

or memorial;

56

FROM MURMUR

and among the commonalty the house continues occupied as usual;

but

among

the

more refinement, and it is ever after abandoned. The corpse being washed, the first chapter of the Koran is read over it, and the interment takes place the same great there

is

The

day.

bodies of slaves are dragged out

of town, and beasts.

In

left

a prey to vultures and wild

Kano they do

but

not even take the

them beyond the

trouble to convey

walls,

throw the corpse into the morass or

nearest pool of water.

February 22. I

—At seven

in the

waited on the governor.

me

that the

sultan

He

morning informed

had sent a messenger

me conducted me with everymy journey. He now

express, with orders to have to his capital,

and

to supply

thing necessary for

begged me to state what I stood in need of. I assured him that the King of England, my master, had liberally provided for all my wants but that I felt profoundly grateful ;

for

the kind offers of the sultan, and had

only to crave from him the favour of being attended by one of his people as a guide.

57

TO KANO.

He

instantly

called

a

fair-complexioned

I Felatah, and asked me if I liked Mm. leave. took and thanks, accepted him with to visit the I afterwards went by invitation his governor of Hadyja, who was here on

return from Sackatoo,

and

lived in the

house

found this governor of of the wan-bey. of Hadyja, a black man, about fifty years the at age, sitting among his own people I

upper end of the room, winch

is

usually a

reserved in this country little raised, and of for the master of the house or visitors witli acquainted He was well high rank. is

my

travelling

name

;

for

entered, he said laughing,

'

the

moment

How do

I

you do,

Will you come and see me at I answered, Hadyja on your return?' ' God willing,' with due Moslem solemnity. '— Yes.' You are a Christian, Abdallah ?

Abdallah

?

'

— '

And what are you come to see ? What do you think of country.' '

'

'

'

The

it ?

'

,

'

It is a fine country,

this

but very

At 'Would

sickly.'

he smiled, and again asked,

you Christians allow us to come and see Would your country ? I said, certainly. '

—

'

FROM MURMUR

58

you force us to become Christians ? By no means we never meddle with a man's religion.' What said he, and do you ever pray ? Sometimes our religion commands us to pray always but we pray in '

'

;

—

!

'

'

'

'

;

;

secret,

days.'

and not in

One

of his people abruptly asked

Why

a

kafir,' re-

Where

is

your Jew

what a Christian was ? joined the governor. servant

?

ought to is

'

on Sun-

public, except

'

'

again asked the governor

let

averse to

me

see him.'

it

and

;

I

'

;

'

you

Excuse me, he

never allow

my

ser-

vants to be molested for religious opinions.' '

Well, Abdallah, thou art a

standing,

Hadyja.'

man

of under-

and must come and see I

me

at

then retired, and the Arabs

afterwards told

me

he was a perfect savage,

and sometimes put a merchant to death for the sake of his goods but this account, if true, is less to be wondered at, from the notorious villainy of some of them. In the afternoon I went to Hadje Hat Salah's, and made an arrrangement with him to act as ;

my

agent, both in recovering the money due by Hadje Ali Boo-Khaloom, and in

59

TO KANO.

In the answering any drafts upon him. event of my death, I also agreed with him to have

my Jew

servant, Jacob,

who was

to

remain here with my books and papers, sent with them to the sheikh of Bornou, and so I left English consul at Tripoli. irritable his of account on partly Jacob here, temper, which, presuming on my counte-

to

the

nance and support, was apt to lead him into altercations and squabbles, as well as to take care of

my

effects.

I

made

this

arrange-

recommenment at Hat me the upon dation, who strongly impressed dangers of the journey I had undertaken. According to a custom winch the late Dr. Salah's particular

Oudney had always followed at every cipal town where we made a short

prinstay,

given I had two bullocks slaughtered and to the poor.

CO

SECTION'

III.

FROM KANO TO SACKATOO, AND RESIDENCE THERE.

At

February 23.

day-break

all

the

Arab

merchants of my acquaintance waited upon me to wish me a prosperous journey. Hadje

Hat Salah and Hadje Ben Hamed accompanied

me four miles beyond the gate

Before they

left

me,

I

Kooffe.

had a return of

fever,

and lay down under the shade of a tree to wait for

Mohammed

was named.

Jollie, as

my

conductor

My

two camels being evidently overladen, and my servant Abraham unable to walk from sickness, I requested Hat Salah to buy another camel and send it after

me.

At one Jollie,

some

in

the

afternoon,

Mohammed

with two loaded camels and a hand-

led horse of

Tuarick breed, sent as the

weekly present or tribute from Kano to the sultan, joined me. He also brought with

FROM KANO TO SACKATOO. him a

61

beautiful Felatah girl for his travelling

chere amie,

who was

placed astride on a

dromedary, according to the custom of My fever having abated, we the -country.

light

proceeded on our journey, and by sunset reached the village of Yaromba; where I

was provided with a house for myself and and another for my servants, and with food provender in abundance.

February 24.

—We

traversed

a

woody

country, and crossed the dry beds of several small streams, the course of each being to the eastward.

There were

many villages

in

ruins which had been destroyed by the rebel Duntungua, and the inhabitants sold as slaves.

A little after

mid-day,

we

halted at

Soup where we found and were furnished civil, very inhabitants the I was here provisions. with houses and

the town of

Roma

or

;

Hat Salah had by a native of Kano, of the name of Nouzama, whom I also engaged as a ser-

joined by a she-camel, which sent

vant.

February 25.

— The

country very woody,

the road zig-zag, and crossed sometimes

by

FROM KANO

62 dikes,

or ridges of white quartz, running

north and south, sometimes by ravines and the dry channels of rivers. saw many

We

and numerous herds of horned cattle, and flocks of sheep and goats. The cattle are remarkably fine, and of a Felatah villages,

white or whitish grey colour

not disproportionately large

;

the horns are

which

in size, in

circumstance they differ from the cattle of Bornou: they have also a hump on the shoulders.

The

bull is very fierce, and, as

in England, the king of the herd

Bornou he

is

;

while in

tamer, and generally weaker

The shepherd with

than the cow.

crook

his

usually goes before the flock, and leads

to fresh pasture,

but slow voice,

by mere

them

calling with a loud

Hot, hot ; while the sheep keep nibbling as they follow. I was well '

supplied with milk, but only got

it

from the cow when they understood

I

stranger going to visit the sultan;

fresh

was a

for, as I

have already mentioned, they hold lucky to drink or sell milk before

it

un-

it

has

been churned.

We

stopped at the town of Gadania or

63

TO SACKATOO.

Kadania, which

is

surrounded by a wall and

The governor was out warring with Duntungua, who had committed dreadI was ful havoc in this neighbourhood. dry ditch.

accommodated with an excellent house so were also El AVordee and a shreef named ;

Hassan, a native of Tripoli,

who had

Houn

joined

in the

my

regency of

party,

and was

going a begging to the sultan. Tliis is a very common custom with the shreefs, who

sometimes all

realize

a

little

fortune by visiting

and sultans within their Hassan was blind, but a great rogue,

the governors

reach.

and gifted with a ready wit. He frequently amused us on the road with stories of his younger days, when he had his eye -sight. I had another attack of fever to-day, and could not walk three paces without assistance.

February

26.— I was

detained to-day on

account of the disappearance of El Wordee and Shreef Hassan's camels: we did not

know whether

they had been stolen, or had

I availed only strayed during the night. myself of this opportunity of taking a large

FROM KANO

64

dose of calomel, and administered another to

my

servant.

February 27. missing

;

—The

and had

it

not have continued

camels

were

been otherwise,

my

still

could

I

journey, for I found

myself excessively weak.

In the evening El Wordee offered a reward of two dollars to a Tuarick to bring back the camels, to which

I

added two dollars more.

February

2S.

—No

news

of

the

lost

camels. I determined to proceed, and had

camels loaded with the baggage of El

my

Wor-

dee and the slireef; the former remaining behind, to await the return of the Tuarick.

We crossed

the dry beds of several rainy-

season streams, whose banks were lined with rocks, and covered with majestic trees. the

little

In

glens and nooks, there were small

plots of onions

and tobacco

;

which the

in-

habitants water from holes

dug in the dry channel of the river, by means of a bucket and long bar or lever. At noon we halted at the walled town of Faniroce or AVhite Water,' the walls of which are extensive, but the houses few and mean. I was shown '

TO SACKATOO. into one of the best of

vants had

much ado

In the evening

I

65

them

;

to render

was

but

visited

my

by the go-

vernor, a very good-natured fellow, who,

some

fine

was

I

ill,

to take a little every evening.

quiring about the

course

whose dry channels formed

when

went and brought trona, of which he recommended

he saw that

me

ser-

habitable.

it

me

that

all

Kano run eastward should cross the

I

At

in-

had passed, he

between

this place

in-

and

;

but that to-morrow I

first

that runs to the west,

and divides the provinces Kashna.

On

of the streams

eight

in

of

the

Kano and

evening,

the

Tuarick brought back the camels of El

Wordee and

the shreef.

February 29.

—The governor and some

of

accompanied us a short distance out of the town. The country was still very

his friends

woody, and the road extremely crooked. eleven in the forenoon

of the

we

At

crossed the bed

stream that separates

Kano from

Kashna, the channel being here about twenty feet broad, and perfectly dry ; and at noon

we

halted at the

VOL. IV.

town of Duncamee. F

FROM KANO

66

March

h—At

Duncamee, and wooded country walled town,

six in the

morning we

left

travelled through a thickly :

and at noon we passed a

of considerable

size,

called

Geoza, after which we came to ridges of gra-

running in a north-easterly direction.

nite,

At

three in the afternoon

town of Ratah, whose It

we

halted at the

very remarkable.

built amidst large blocks of granite,

is

which

form

site is

rise out of the earth like towers,

its

only defence on the northern

and side,

some of the houses being perched like birdcages on the top of the rocks. The south side is enclosed by a wall about twenty feet The inhabitants high, but in bad repair. are numerous, and the women are the tallest and

fattest I ever saw.

March and

2.

—We

rode through a beautiful

well cultivated country, rendered ex-

tremely romantic by ledges of rocks, and passed clumps of large shady trees.

We

a number of

villages,

the

inhabitants of

which are mostly Felatahs, who, when they knew I was going to visit the sultan, prei

sented

me

with

new

milk.

TO SACKATOO.

67

—

March 3. The weather clear and fine we rode to-day through little valleys, de:

lightfully green, lying

of granite scenery,

;

between high ridges

and, to add to the beauty of the

were many clear springs

there

young wo-

issuing out of the rocks, where

men

were employed drawing water. I asked

several times for a gourd of water,

by way

conversation with

of excuse to enter into

Bending gracefully on one knee, and displaying at the same time teeth of pearly whiteness, and eyes of the blackest lustre, they presented it to me on horseback, and appeared highly delighted when I them.

thanked them

for their civility

to one another,

'

:

remarking

Did you hear the white At two in the afternoon

man thank me?' we halted at the village

of Kagaria, situate

hill, and inhabited on the brow Here, for the first time, I by Felatahs. found some difficulty in procuring lodgings. The chief of the village, an old, venerable-

of a sloping

looking Felatah, told

my

guide that

when

they went to Kano, the governor turned up his nose at them and, if ever he came there, ;

f 2

FROM KANO

68

they were determined not to receive him.

Then, addressing me, he

said,

'

You

stranger, from a far distant country

and your servants

none of the

I

you

was accordingly con-

ducted to a very excellent

my

;

have a house, hut

shall

others.'

are a

house, but took

me

fellow travellers with

;

and, in due

time, provisions were sent, with the usual attention.

March

4.

—At

six in

the

morning

left

Kagaria, but not without giving the old Felatah a present of a turkadee, of which

he was very proud.

From

beauty of the country,

it

the fertility and

appeared like an

ornamental park in England, shaded with luxuriant trees.

We

now

entered a forest,

where the road became both dreary.

difficult

and

my

ser-

Here our guide enjoined

vants not to stray from the caravan, as the

woods were

infested with banditti,

who mur-

dered every one they seized too old for the slave market. village of

We

halted at the Felatah

Bobaginn, where the country is The inhabitants were kind and

again open.

attentive in procuring visions.

me

a house and pro-

69

TO SACKATOO.

March

5.

—The

cultivated.

country was now highly The road was crowded with

passengers and loaded bullocks, going to the market of Zirmie, which town we passed to the southward, about noon, when became more woody. At two country the in the afternoon we entered an opening in a

a

little

range of low

hills

;

proved to be the

this

dry bed of the river we had crossed at Duncamee, which is here joined by another watercourse from the southward. The banks were planted with onions, melons, cotton, indigo, and

some wheat

;

and watered, by

means of a basket and lever, out of holes dug about two feet deep in the bed of the river, in wliich water

On

in abundance.

always found

is

the eastern bank there

is a town called Kutri, apparently large and populous, with a number of dye-pots in its

outskirts.

At

crossed the

four

bed

in

the

afternoon,

of another

we

small river,

coming from the south-west, and

falling into

the forementioned river, a mile and a half to the east of a town, on its northern bank, called Quari,

or

Quoli, where

we

halted.

FROM KANO

70

on the governor, who was an aged

I waited

Felatah

;

after

the

usual compliments, he

anxiously inquired for Dr. Oudney, and was

much

disappointed

He

his death.

when

I

informed him of

complained of being griev-

ously afflicted with rheumatic pains

and

;

said

he had already outlived most of the people of this country, having attained the age of

seventy-two years. until houses

told

me

We

remained with him

were prepared for us

;

and he

that the river which flows to the

eastward (mentioned before as dividing the provinces of

Kano and Kashna),

after the

junction .of some other streams, takes the

name of Quarrama. March 6 and 7. The weather

—

warm.

This morning

I

clear and exchanged a tur-

kadee, worth about two dollars and a quarter,

and gave a feast to El Wordee and the shreef, along with all our servants. About a hundred Tuaricks came to see me, having learned I had visited Ghraat, and was acquainted with their countrymen. The women and children of the town everywhere for a sheep,

peeped

at

me

through the matting of their

71

TO SACKATOO.

some houses, with eager curiosity, although inyas white as of the Tuaricks were nearly

The Tuaricks here have a

self.

beautiful

full of fire, but they do not In the barbs of Tripoli. as high stand so a with courier a despatched the evening I rebeen letter to sultan Bello, as I had

breed of horses,

commended by remain

the governor of

here until a

Kano

to

guard was sent from

me

through the provinces of Goober and Zamfra, which were in I found my obsera state of insurrection. vation of the town of Quarra to be in lat. Sackatoo to conduct

13° I

7'

14" north.

was unluckily taken for a

fighi or teacher,

and was pestered, at all hours of the day, to My serwrite out prayers by the people. of their rid get to scheme a vants hit upon importunities, by acquainting them,

if I

did

such things, they must be paid the perquiother sites usually given to the servants of

To-day my washerwoman positively insisted on being paid with a charm, in writing, that would entice people to buy earthenware of her; and no persuasions of mine

fighis.

72

FROM KANO

could either induce her to accept of

money make her believe the rewas beyond human power. In the

for her service, or

quest

cool of the afternoon I

was

visited

by three

of the governor's wives, who, after examining my skin with much attention, remarked, compassionately,

was not

it

black, for I

good-looking.

I

buxom young

girl

accept of

obtain

was a thousand pities I had then been tolerably

asked one of them, a of fifteen, if she would

me

the

governor.

for a husband, provided I could permission of her master the She immediately began to whim-

and on urging her to explain the cause, she frankly avowed she did not know how

per

;

to dispose of

my

white legs.

I

gave each

of them a snuff-box, with a string of white

beads in addition to the coy maiden. They were attended by an old woman, and two little

female slaves, and, during their stay,

made very merry soon

fled

;

but I fear their gaiety

on 'returning to the close custody

of their old gaoler.

March 8 and shade 91°.

9.

To-day

—Thermometer I

was

visited

in the

by several

73

TO SACKATOO.

who

females, their

One

much discernment

evinced

in

curious manipulation of my person. of of them, from Zirmee, the capital

Zamfra, was with leave me.

March

10.

prevailed

difficulty

—We

on

to

had a shower of rain Two messengers arrived

during the night.

with from Sackatoo, going their rounds orders

for

all

Felatahs to

capital, as the sultan

to

repair

the

was going on an ex-

where they did not knowreturn Both myself and servants have had a Koka. This of the same fever we had at we was almost always the case whenever any in together days remained two or three

pedition, but

In vain I tried everything in my power to induce my guide to proceed withWordee out waiting for the escort but El

town.

;

and the

mous

shreef,

who were the most

rascals I ever

dissuaded him from

met

pusillani-

with, effectually

it.

was much amused with a conversation overheard between the blind shreef and I

I

his servant,

respecting myself and

tended journey.

'

my

in-

That Abdallah,' says the

FROM KANO

74 servant,

'

and

ass,

lead us all to the devil,

pany him a

fool.'

Yes

is

he has no now going to ;

we will accomyou are not such

if

I hope, master,

:

'

man

a very bad

is

more sense than an

ejaculates the shreef,

!

'

'

it

was a black day when I joined that Kafir but if I don't go with him I shall never see the sultan, and when I return to Kano without anything, the people will laugh at me for my pains.' Says the servant, Why do you not talk to him about the dangers '

of the road

?

the shreef,

I

—

'

shreef.

Damn

'

his father

A thousand '

'

!

replies

'

have talked to him, but these

have no prudence.'

infidels

out

'

'

I

now

May the

blessing of

you,' he exclaimed.

'

Oh

!

called

my

thanks to you,

lord

God be upon

Rais Abdallah,

you are a beautiful man I will go with you wherever you go. I was only speaking ;

in jest to this dog.'

was aware of

it

importance, but

to-morrow, I shall

I

from the if

My

lord shreef, I

first

:

it is

of no

the escort does not arrive

may

certainly

delay, to

'

merely mention to you proceed, without further

Kashna.'

This I said by

way

of

75

TO SACKATOO.

present alarming the shreef, who liked his pious of quarters too well, from the number the lips females who sought edification from of a true descendant of the sides

the

chance such

Prophet—be-

visits

afforded of

of transmitting to their offspring the honour so holy a descent.

March 11.— Small-pox is at present very The patient is treated in the folprevalent. makes lowing manner :—When the disease its

appearance, they anoint the whole body

on with honey, and the patient lies down warm with strewed the floor, previously sand,

him.

some

of which

is

If the patient

is

also sprinkled

very

ill,

he

is

upon

bathed

and is in cold water early every morning, reand honey, with anointed afterwards their is This sand. placed on the warm only

mode

of treatment

;

but numbers died

which every day of this loathsome disease, had now been raging for the last six months.

baggage packed up for my terror of journey to Kashna to the great servants, El Wordee, the shreef, and all my I

had

my

;

who

earnestly

begged me to remain only

FROM KANO

re

one day longer.

—A party

of horse and foot

arrived from Zirmee last night. retinue of a Felatah captain,

was the

It

who was

bring-

ing back a young wife from her father's, where she had made her escape. The fair fugitive bestrode a very

handsome palfrey, amid a group of female attendants on foot. I was introduced to her this morning, when she politely joined her husband in requesting me to delay my journey another day, in which case they kindly proposed we should

Of

travel together.

course

sible to refuse so agreeable

which

it

an

was impos-

invitation, to

seemed to yield with all possible courtesy indeed, I had no serious intention I

;

of setting out that day.

The figure of the lady was small, but finely formed, and her complexion of a clear copper colour while, unlike most beautiful women, she was mild ;

and unobtrusive band, too,

in her

whom

of the finest-looking

had

manners.

Her

hus-

she had deserted, was one

men

also the reputation

I

ever saw, and

of being one of the

bravest of his nation.

A hump-backed

lad, in

the service of the

TO SACKATOO.

77

gadado, or vizier, of Bello, who, on his

from Sackatoo, had

his

hand

way

dreadfully

wounded by the people of Goober, was in the habit of coming every evening to my servants to have the

night he told

me

wound

Last

dressed.

he had formerly been on

an expedition under Abdecachman, a FelaThey started from the town of tah chief. Labojee in Nyffee, and crossing the Quarra, travelled south fourteen days along the

banks of the river, until they were within four days' journey of the sea, where, accordthe river was ing to his literal expression, '

one, and

the sea

was one

; '

but at what

precise point the river actually entered the

no distinct notion. March 12. The weather clear and warm. The Felatah chief again waited upon me to-

sea he had

—

day, and handsomely offered to conduct

himself to Sackatoo, arrive in time.

if

my

me

escort did not

The town of Quarra

is

sur-

rounded by a clay wall about twenty feet high, and may contain from 5000 to 6000 inhabitants,

who

are principally Felatahs.

It lies in a valley environed

by low

lulls,

the

FROM KANO

78

Quarrama flowing a

river

little

to the south

of the town, and two or three miles lower

down joining

before-mentioned

the river

During the dry season, a number of Tuaricks, who come with salt from Bilma, lodge in huts outside the walls. March 13. At half-past six o'clock I that passes Kutri.

—

my

commenced the Felatah

company with and the

journey, in

El Wordee

chief.

much

shreef were evidently in

trepidation,

as they did not consider our present party sufficiently

Our

strong in case of attack.

road lay through a level country, clear of

wood, with large

and

were agreeably escort

I

fields

At nine

grain.

of indigo,

in the

cotton,

morning, we

surprised by meeting the

expected.

It

consisted

horsemen, with drums and trumpets. leader, with his attendants,

of 150

Their

advanced to

me

at full gallop,

and bade me welcome to the

country in the

name

of his master, the sul-

said,

was

tan

;

who, he

rejoiced to hear I

was

so near, and had sent

me

to his

him to conduct Nothing could now equal the joy of El AVordee and the shreef, capital.

TO SACKAXOO.

who had both been

cursing

79

my

temerity the

During the time we halted party of boxers from a a escort, the with neighbouring village passed us, on their

whole morning.

way to challenge the fancy of Quarra. They were fine-looking men, carrying '

'

muffles for the hands over their shoulders,

and were attended by drummers and a large posse of women. They offered to exhibit before me, but I declined, and we proceeded to a village called Burderawa, where the

commander

of the escort begged

for one day, as both his

were much fatigued by Sackatoo.

—At

me to

men and

halt

horses

their journey

from

morning left Burderawa, and traversing a thickly wooded country, we arrived at the bed of the river Fulche, which in many places was quite dry. Several people were very busy fishing

March

14.

in the pools left ants, floating

six in the

by the

on a

stick

river

;

while assist-

buoyed up

at

each

were splashing in the

end with

gourds,

water with

spears to drive fish into the nets.

I treated the

chief of the escort

and

his

FROM KANO

80

with tea, of which they had heard

friends

many exaggerated had been

reports from people that

Kano.

at

At two in

the afternoon

we

left

the banks

of the river Fulche, at the quickest pace

it

was possible to make the camels travel. We were previously joined by an immense number of people, some bearing burdens on their heads, others with loaded asses and bullocks. Our road, for two or three miles, through an open country we then enlay ;

by a narrow winding where the shreef, and others who rode

tered a thick wood, path,

on camels, suffered severely from the overhanging branches. Bullocks, asses, and camels

now

;

all

men, women, and children, were struggling to be foremost

person exclaiming, falls

end

behind at the

;

he

is

'

Woe

sure to

who

meet an unhappy

hands of the Gooberites.'

not been for the care of

every

;

to the wretch

my

Had it

escort, I

must

have run great risk of being thrown down,

and trampled to death by the bullocks, which

me on the The horsemen, however, rode

frequently rushed furiously past

narrow path.

TO SACKATOO.

on each

From I

side of

81

me, to protect

my

person.

the great care the escort took of me,

was often almost suffocated with dust

riding

over dry clay grounds,

for

I

in

had

horsemen continually on each side of me while, from time to time, a reconnoitring party would pass at full speed, then halt, and say prayers, and so skirr past me again During the day a drum was and again. beat every ten minutes, in the rear of our

was realso and peated every two or three minutes, answered by the trumpets in front. At half-past two in the morning we line of

march, and at night

this

stopped at the lake Gondamee, to water our horses and beasts of burden, and to give the foot passengers

and

slaves time to

gourds and water-skins.

koned the most dangerous

The

fill

place

in the

is

their

rec-

whole road,

only one day's journey to the north of Kalawawa, the capital of the province of Goober, which has been for some time in a as

it is

state of

open

rebellion.

The appearance of the country was much At four in the mornthe same as before. VOL.

IV.

g

FROM KANO

82

ing

we came

lawn in the woods, an hour. I felt

to a large

where we again halted quite refreshed

hy

for

We con-

this short rest.

tinued to travel with the utmost speed, but the people soon began to fag of the Felatah chief, tant from

not far dis-

me, began to complain of

At noon we said to

and the lady

;

who rode

fatigue.

halted at the side of a hollow,

be the haunt of

lions,

where water is it was dry.

generally found, but this year

Tracks of elephants were everywhere but I

perceived no marks of

visible,

lions.

We

stopped here only half an hour, and set .

through a country rising into low composed of red clay and loose stones, the descent of some of which proved both difficult and dangerous to the loaded camels. off again hills,

At

eight in the evening

wells of

Kamoon,

ordered a fell

little

all

halted at the

it

was ready. it by

at midnight, I found

never in

my

I

kouskousoo for supper, but

asleep before

awoke

we

extremely fatigued.

whole

life

did I

When I my side ;

make a more

delicious repast.

March

16.

—At

day-break

I

discovered

TO SACKATOO.

83

our camels had strayed in quest of food, nor could I be angry with their keepers, feeling so tired myself from our rapid journey.

my

deed

Here again

and inflamed.

the civility of the escort, as

men

In-

ancles were considerably swelled I

experienced

all

the horse-

were immediately despatched after the

camels, with wliich they returned about eight o'clock.

I

gave the

man who found them

a Spanish dollar, and to the commander of the escort, and his two principal officers, I

made each a loose

present of a cotton kaftan, or

gown, a

knife,

looking-glass, snuff-

box, razor, and some spices.

now

I

lowed by

left

amid a loud

Of

the wells

my escort

flourish of

course this

paid to

me

of

with self

fol-

horns and triunpets.

extraordinary respect was

as the servant of the king of

England, as I was styled Bornou's

Kamoon,

and a numerous retinue,

letter.

To

in the sheikh of

impress them further

my official importance, in my lieutenant's coat,

I arrayed

my-

trimmed with

gold lace, white trowsers, and silk stockings; and, to complete

my

finery, I

wore Turkish g 2

FROM KANO

84 slippers,

pained

Although

and a turban.

me

my

limbs

extremely, in consequence of our

recent forced march,

I

constrained myself

to assume the utmost serenity of counte-

nance, in order to meet with befitting dig-

on me, the humble representative of my country.

nity the honours they lavished

From the top of the second hill, after we left Kamoon, we at length saw Sackatoo. A messenger from the sultan met us here, to bid

me

welcome, and to acquaint us that

was

his master his return

at a neighbouring

town on

from a ghrazzie, or expedition,

but intended to be in Sackatoo in the even-

Crowds of people were thronging to market with wood, straw, onions, indigo, At noon we arrived at Sackatoo, &c. where a great multitude of people was assembled to look at me, and I entered the city amid the hearty welcomes of young ing.

and

old.

I

the gadado,

was conducted to the house of or vizier, where apartments

were provided for

me

and

my

servants.

After being supplied with plenty of milk, I

was

left

to repose myself.

The gadado, an

85

TO SACKATOO. elderly

man named Simnou Bona Lima,

ar-

rived near midnight, and came instantly to He was excessively polite, but see me. would on no account drink tea with me, as he said I was a stranger in their land, and

had not yet eaten of his bread. He told me the sultan wished to see me in the morning,

me

and repeatedly assured

of expe-

He

riencing the .most cordial reception.

spoke Arabic extremely well, which he said he learned solely from the Koran.

March sent for

17.

me

distance.

—After

was

his residence

:

the sultan

breakfast

In front of

it

no great

at

there

a large

is

quadrangle, into which several of the principal streets

We

of the city lead.

through three

guard-houses,

as

coozees,

passed

without the least detention, and were immediately ushered into the presence of Bello, the second, sultan

of the Felatahs.

He

was seated on a small

two

pillars

carpet,

between

supporting the roof of a thatched

house, not unlike one of our cottages. walls and pillars were

painted

white, in the Moorish taste

;

blue

The and

and on the

FROM KANO

86

back wall was sketched a fire-screen, ornamented with a coarse painting of a flower-

An

pot.

standing on the

with an iron lamp was placed on each side of

arm-chair, it,

The

screen.

not

much

I told

travelling I poli

me

was

if I

my

journey from Burwas the most severe had experienced between Tri-

tired with

derawa.

me many

sultan bade

hearty welcomes, and asked

him

it

and Sackatoo, and thanked him

for the

guard, the conduct of which I did not to

commend

He

fail

in the strongest terms.

asked

me

a great

many

questions

about Europe, and our religious distinctions.

He was

acquainted with the names of some

of the more ancient sects, and asked whether

we were

extricate

Nestorians or Socinians.

occasioned by this question,

we were called testants

?

'

Protestants.

said he.

him, as well as tested,

ago,

To

myself from the embarrassment

I

I

'

bluntly replied

What are

Pro-

attempted to explain to

was able, that having pro-

more than two

against the

I

centuries

superstition,

and a half absurdities,

and abuses practised in those days, we had

87

TO SACKATOO.

ever since professed to follow simply what

was written as they call

book of our Lord Jesus,' the New Testament, and thence 'in the

received the

name of

Protestants.

He

con-

tinued to ask several other theological questions, until I

not

was obliged

sufficiently versed

to confess

myself

in religious subtilties

to resolve these knotty points, having always left that task to others more learned than myself.

He now

ordered some books to be

produced wliich belonged to Major Denham, and began to speak with great bitterness of the late Boo-Khaloom, for

making

a predatory inroad into his territories ing,

in his

own words,

'

I

am

;

add-

sure the

bashaw of Tripoli never meant to strike me with one hand, while he offers a present with the other for friends

to

:

at least act.

it is

a strange

way

But what was your

friend doing there?' he asked abruptly.

I

assured the sultan, that Major Denham had no other object than to make a short excursion into the country.

The books being

proved to be the Nautical Almanack, two Reviews, Lord Bacon's Essays,

brought

in,

FROM XANO

ss

and Major Denham's Journal the sultan returned to

some manner.

me

;

which

all

in the most hand-

—

Before taking leave, howhad to explain the contents of each, and was set to read them, in order to give ever,

I

him an opportunity of hearing the sound of our language, which he thought very beau-

The

tiful.

sultan

forty-four years

younger

a noble-looking man,

is

of

age,

much

although

in appearance, five feet ten inches

high, portly in person, with a short curling

black beard, a small mouth, a fine forehead,

He

a Grecian nose, and large black eyes.

was dressed in a light blue cotton tobe, with a white muslin turban, the shawl of which he wore over the nose and mouth in the Tuarick fashion.

In the afternoon

I

repeated

my

visit

ac-

companied by the gadado, Mahomed EI Wordee, and Mahomed Gumsoo, the principal

Arab of the

city,

letter of introduction

Kano.

The

sultan

to

whom

from Hat Salah at

was

sitting in the

apartment in which he received

morning.

I

now

had a

I

laid before

me

him a

same

in the

present,

°9

TO SACKATOO. in the

King of

of His Majesty the

name

blunderEngland, consisting of two new silver, the busses highly ornamented with double-barrelled

pistols,

pocket-compass,

Oudand embroidered jacket of the late Dr. ney

;

lace,'

silver a scarlet bornouse trimmed with a pair of scarlet breeches, thirty yards

of red

silk,

two white, two

and two

red,

Egyptian turban shawls, the latter trimmed with gold

cinnamon shot and knives,

boxes,

;

;

four pounds each of cloves

and

three cases of gunpowder, with balls; three razors, three clasp

three

looking-glasses;

six

snuff-

three of paper and three of tin

;

a

tea-tray, on spy- glass, and a large English arranged. were articles smaller the

winch

The comtook them up one by one. interest great pass and spy-glass excited

He

and he seemed

much

gratified

when

I

pointed out that by means of the former he could at any time find out the east to address himself in his daily prayers.

He

said,

Everything is wonderful but you are the added, greatest curiosity of all!' and then to acceptable most that is give can I What

'

'

;

90

FROM KANO

the King of England ? I replied, The most acceptable service you can render to the King of England is to co-operate with his Majesty in putting a stop to the slave '

trade on the coast

'

as the King of England sends every year large ships to cruize there, :

for the sole purpose

engaged

in

of seizing

all

vessels

whose crews are thrown into prison and of liberating the unfortunate slaves, on whom lands and this

trade, ;

houses are conferred, at one of our ments in Africa.'— ' What !' said he,

you no

slaves in

England

1

'

—

'

No

:

settle'

have

when-

ever a slave sets his foot in England, he

from that moment free.' then do for servants ?

—

—

'

is

What do you

We hire them for and give them regular wages: nor is any person in England allowed to strike another and the very soldiers are fed, clothed, and paid by govern'

'

a stated period,

;

ment.'— God is great!' he exclaimed; you are beautiful people.' I next pre'

'

sented the sheikh of Bornou's letter. On perusing it, he assured me I should see all that was to be seen within his dominions, as

91

TO SACK.ATOO.

well as in Youri and Nyffee, both of which, He visit. I informed him, I was anxious to

expressed great regret at the death of Dr. Oudney, as he wished particularly to see an

English physician, who might instruct his In the evening people in the healing art.

gadado of a scarlet bornouse, a pair of scarlet breeches, a red Turkish jacket, two white, and one red tur-

made a present

I

ban shawls, three

to the

razors, three knives, three

paper snuff-boxes, and three of tin, three looking-glasses, two pounds of cloves, and

two pounds of cinnamon. The gadado is an excellent man, and has unbounded influence with the sultan, to whose sister he is

married.

March 18.—Weather

clear

and warm.

Although I was very ill all day, the courtyard of my house was crowded with people, from sunrise to sunset all of whom I had ;

to

see with the

greatest patience,

and to

answer their numberless questions, such as, Have Have you rain in your country 1 '

'

you wheat horses

1

'

1

'

'

Have you

'

goats, sheep,

But the obvious and

and

favourite in-

FROM KANO

92

terrogatory was, Tliis

I

'

What

you come

are

for

?

always attempted to explain to their telling them, I came to see

satisfaction

'

;

the country,

its rivers,

mountains, and inha-

bitants, its flowers, fruits, minerals,

and ani-

mals, and to ascertain wherein they differed

from those

When

other parts of the world.

in

among

their friends travelled

strange

nations, did they not on their return ask

them what had they seen ? England could all read and

The people of write,

and were

acquainted with most other regions of the earth but of this country alone they hitherto ;

knew

scarcely anything, and erroneously regarded the inhabitants as naked savages, devoid of religion, and not far removed from the condition of wild beasts: whereas I found

them, from

my

personal observation, to be

civilized, learned,

March

]

and desired

9.

—

to

I

humane, and

was sent

bring with

for

me

pious.'

by the the

'

sultan,

looking-

name they gave to my was conducted farther into the of Ms residence than on my two

glass of the sun,' the

sextant. interior

former

I

visits.

This part consisted of coozees,

93

TO SACKATOO.

pretty far apart from each other. I first exhibited a planisphere of the heavenly bodies.

The sultan knew all the signs of the Zodiac, some of the constellations, and many of the lookingstars, by their Arabic names. The '

glass of the sun' was then brought forward,

and occasioned much explain all

its

I

surprise.

The

appendages.

had

to

inverting

telescope was an object of intense astonish-

ment

;

and

I

had

some

to stand at

little dis-

me

through tance, to let the sultan look at for his people were all afraid of placing it ;

themselves within

had next

magical influence.

its

show him how

to

The

servation of the sun. ficial

to take

I

an ob-

case of the arti-

horizon, of which I had lost the key, difficult to open, as

was sometimes very happened on

this occasion

the people near

the

and

lid.

He

me

handed

:

I

asked one of

for a knife to press

me

up

one much too small, dagger

I quite inadvertently asked for a

same purpose. The sultan was instantly thrown into a fright he seized his sword, and half drawing it from the scab-

for the

;

bard, placed

it

before him, trembling

all

the

FROM KANO

94

time like an aspen leaf. I did not deem it prudent to take the least notice of his alarm, although it was I who had in reality most

and on receiving the dagger, calmly opened the case, and returned the

cause of fear I

weapon

;

owner with apparent unconthe artificial horizon was arranged, the sultan and all his attendants had a peep at the sun and my breach of etiquette seemed entirely forgotten. After cern.

to its

When

;

the curiosity of all to

my

house.

I

was

satisfied, I

returned

had now a severe headache,

and was seized with violent vomiting. In me two sheep, a camel-load of wheat and rice, some plantains, and some of the finest figs I had ever the evening the sultan sent

tasted in Africa.

—

March 20. I homed Gomsoo,

returned the

visit

the chief of the

of

Ma-

Arabs,

taking him a present of a scarlet bornouse, jacket and breeches, two white turbans, two

two knives, two snuff-boxes of paper, and two of tin, a pound of cinnamon, and two cases of gunpowder, with some balls and flints. I was warned at Kano of his razors,

TO SACKATOO. excessive greediness

'J

5

but at the same time

;

to make Mm a handsome preendeavour by all means to keep to and sent, account of Ms great on liim in good humour,

recommended

influence.

On

receiving the presents,

me

soo promised to give sidtan of Youri, friend,

and with

years.

He

who was Ms

whom

also said

Gom-

a letter to the

he had

particular lived many-

he was there when the

English came down in a boat from Timwhich circumstance

buctoo, and were lost

;

he related in the following

had arrived

manner

:

—They

a town called Boosa, and

off

having sent a gun and some other articles as presents to the sultan of Youri, they sent to

purchase a supply of

market.

The

them a

intention to pay

send people

onions

sultan apprised

to

visit,

in

them of

the his

and^ offered to

guide them through the

wMch

run quite across the below the town, channel of the river a where the banks rise into high Mils on both ledges of rock

little

sides.

Instead of waiting for the sultan,

and by day arrived at horseman break next morning, a however, they set off at night

:

'J

FROM KANO

6

Youri to inform the sultan that the boat had

The people on both assail them

struck on the rocks. sides of the river

then began to

with arrows, upon which they threw over-

board

arm

all their effects

in

;

arm jumped

and two white men into the

water, two

slaves only remaining in the boat, with

some books and papers, and several guns one of the books was covered with waxcloth, and still remained in the hands of the :

sultan of Youri.

He

also told

me, and

his

account was confirmed by others, that the sultan of Youri

was a native of Sockna

in

the regency of Tripoli, and prided himself

extremely on his birth

:

but that he was

such a drunkard, whenever any person of

consequence came to

visit

him, that nothing

proved so acceptable a present as a bottle of

rum. I learned, besides,

from Gomsoo, that he

had been detained a prisoner three years, in a country

called

Yoriba, on

the

west

side of the Quarra, which, he said, entered

the sea at Fundah, a

of Rakah.

The

little

below the town

latter is opposite to NyfTee,

TO SACKA.TOO. is

97

a place of great trade between the inte-

and the coast and all kinds of European goods, such as beads, woollen and cotton cloth, pewter and copper dishes, gunrior

;

powder, rum, &c, are to be had there in

exchange

The

for slaves.

Yoriba he represented disposed.

my

I

extremely

ill-

here mention, that during

Sackatoo, provisions were regu-

stay in

larly sent

may

inhabitants of

to be

me from

the sultan's table, on

pewter dishes, with the London stamp

;

and

one day I even had a piece of meat served up in a white wash-hand basin of English manufacture.

On my

return

home from Gomsoo's,

I

me

to

found a message had been

left

for

wait on the sultan, with which I complied

He

immediately after breakfast.

me

in

a few slaves

and

received

an inner apartment, attended only by :

after

asking

me how

I did,

several other chit-chat questions, I

not a

little

surprised

when he

out a single question being put by the subject, that there were

VOL.

IV.

if I

was

observed, with-

me

on

wished to go to Nyffee,

two roads leading to

it

—the one H

FROM KANO

98 direct,

but beset by enemies

but more circuitous

:

;

the other safer,

by

that

either route I

should be detained, during the rains, in a country at present in a state of open re-

and therefore that

bellion,

of these

seriously

I

ought to think

difficulties.

I

assured

him I had already taken the matter into consideration,

and that

was neither

I

afraid

of the dangers of the road, nor of the rains. Think of it with prudence,' he replied, and we parted. From the tone and manner with '

which

this

that

my

was

at

was spoken,

intended

I could

an end.

I

visit to

felt a foreboding Youri and Nyffee

not help suspecting

the intrigues of the Arabs to be the cause, as they know well, if the native Africans

were once acquainted with English com-

merce by the way of the

sea,

their

own

from that mo-

lucrative inland trade would

was much perplexed the ment whole day how to act, and went after sunset I met him at to consult Mahomed Gomsoo cease.

I

:

the door of his house on his way to the sultan, and stopped him to mention what

had passed, and how unaccountably strange

TO SACKATOO. it

appeared to

me

99

that the sultan, after hav-

ing repeatedly assured

me

of being at liberty

to visit every part of his dominions, should

now,

for the

first

seem inclined to

time,

withdraw that permission

;

adding, that be-

came to Sackatoo, I never heard of a king making a promise one day and break-

fore I

ing

it

me

I

All

the next.

find its

way

was

knew, would

I

this,

Gomsoo

to the sultan.

mistaken

quite

the gadado, and

all

told

for the sultan,

;

the principal people,

entertained the liighest opinion of me, and

wished for nothing so

much

as to cultivate

the friendship of the English nation. it is

I

me

necessary for

can the English get here?' he

repeated

word

had

said

I

home than

whom soo,

I

I

;

But

to visit those places,'

remarked, on leaving him,

cipated,

'

to

for I

was sent

'

or

how

As

I

else

anti-

the sultan every

was no sooner at by the sultan,

for

Mahomed GomHe received me with and Mahomed Gomsoo said

found seated with

and two

others.

great kindness,

he had made the sultan acquainted with our conversation.

I

thanked him, and expressed

h 2

FROM KANO

100

my

earnest hope

to offend him.

done anything

me

assured

had neither

I

that

;

and

that,

he was freely disposed to show country,

still

The

nor

sultan

my conduct had always met

with his approbation

to myself.

said

although

me

all

the

he wished to do so with safety

An

army, he added, was at this

moment ravaging the country through which had to pass, and, until he heard from it, but he expected it would be unsafe to go I

;

farther information

in

three or four days.

He

drew on the sand the course of the river Quarra, which he also informed me. entered

By

sea at Fundah.

the

his account, the

river ran parallel to the sea-coast for several

days' journey, being in

some places only a

few hours', in others a day's journey distant

from he

it.

Two

or three years ago, the sea,

up the mouth of the river, mouth was at present a day or two

said, closed

and

its

farther south

;

but, during the rains,

the river was high,

it

still

when

ran into the sea

by the old channel. He asked me if the king of England would send him a consul and a physician, to reside in Soudan, and

TO SACKATOO.

merchants

what

to

101

trade with his people

thought the English would buy again

and

;

had seen among them, which

I

I

Here

?

enforced the discontinuance of the

I

on the coast, as the only effecmethod of inducing the king of England

slave-trade tual

to establish a consul and a physician at Sack-

atoo

and

;

prevent

that,

as the sultan could easily

from the eastward passing

all slaves

it would be the faithengagement consul's duty to see that fully fulfilled. With respect to what Eng-

through Haussa and Nyffee,

lish

merchants

were disposed to buy,

particularized senna,

untanned

gum Arabic,

hides, indigo,

bees'

and ivory.

I

wax, also

I

endeavoured to impress on his mind that Sou-

dan was the country best tral

situate in all

Cen-

Africa for such a trade, which would not

only be the means of enriching himself, but likewise

all

his

subjects

;

and that

all

the

merchandise from the east and from the west would be conveyed through his tories to the sea.

England,' says he, build a

town

;

'

'

I will give the

terri-

king of

a place on the coast to

only I wish a road to be cut

FROM KANO

102 to Rakah,

vessels should not be able to

if

navigate the

I

river.'

asked him

if

the

country he promised to give belonged to

him

?

all

the

'

Yes,' said he,

of the

land

'

God

has given

infidels.'

me

This was

an answer that admitted of no contradiction.

He

then spoke of

Mungo

Park, and said

that, had he come in the rainy season, he would have passed the rocks but that the river fell so low in the dry season, boats ;

could only pass at a certain point.

me

that

some timbers of the

He

told

boat, fastened

together with nails, remained a long time

on the rocks

;

and that a double-barrelled

gun, taken in the boat, was once in his posbut it had lately burst. His cousin, Abderachman, however, had a small printed book, taken out of the boat but he was now absent on an expedition to Nyffee. The other books were in the hands of the

session

;

;

sultan of Youri,

who was

tributary to him.

he could procure these articles for the king of England, they would prove a most acceptable present; and he I told the sultan, if

103

TO SACKATOO. promised

to

make every

exertion in his

power.

March 21.— Confined

to

my

bed

with headache and bilious vomiting.

all

day

In the

was visited by Mahomed Gomsoo, who was going on a journey to Kano. He casually mentioned that it was a fortunate circumstance we did not accompany afternoon

Hadje the

Ali,

I

Boo-Khaloom, when he brought

bashaw's

present last year

;

as

the

rogue had opened the bashaw's letter before presenting it to Bello, and erased out of the it, list several of the presents named in

which he embezzled, and substituted for

them some of

inferior quality.

The news

of his brother's wanton inroad into the sultan's territories, with the bashaw's forces

same time, Bello sent Hadje present, and would His not even admit him into his presence. conduct, he assured me, had exasperated the sultan against all the Arabs in the bashaw's dominions. Both Bello and his father have, it seems, been much cheated by the Arabs arriving at the

Ali back without any

in

all

their

dealings,

twenty sometimes

FROM KANO

104

coming

at a time on a begging excursion, with the story of being poor shreefs and, if not presented with thirty or forty slaves, ;

besides food and camels, they were sure to bully the Felatahs, telling them they were

not Mussulmans, and would never see paradise, on account of the number of the faithful

they had put to death in the conquest of

Soudan.

March a

22.

— Clear and warm.

sent for

me

My

fever

In the afternoon the sultan

abated.

little

again, to discuss the advantages

and best method of establishing a permanent intercourse with England. I expressed myself exactly in the same terms I

had done before, carefully avoiding the mention of anything which might awaken the jealousy of the Arabs.

The

direct road to

journey

;

but,

Youri is only five days' on account of the rebellious

state

of the country,

take

a circuitous

Numbers too came

it

route

was necessary of

twelve

to

days.

of the principal people of Sackato

me, to advise

idea of going

;

all

me

to give

up the

alleging that the rains

105

TO SACKATOO.

had already commenced at Youri, and that the road was in the hands of their enemies.

They repeated

who were

the same tales to the servants

accompany me, and threw

to

all into a panic at the prospect of so

them

dangerous a journey.

March 23.—Very

all

ill

day.

disco-

I

vered that the Arabs were also tampering One of them, named with my servants.

Absalom, was accosted to-day in the market by one of the merchants of that nation, who told him,

if

ever he arrived at Youri, with-

out meeting with disasters by the way, the sidtan there would assuredly sell him, and that he would never be allowed to return.

March tan

24.

sent for

—

I felt

me

much

this

better.

The

sul-

forenoon about the

accompany me to Youri. One man had already refused, and I had to tempt another with a promise of 40,000 guide

who was

to

unknown took much pains cowries,

necessity

of

my

;

to the sultan

to impress

return

;

who

upon

kindly

me

the

within twenty-six

days, on account of the capricious character of the people of that place.

From every

FROM KANO

106

me from the attempt, had too good reason to fear that a regular plan was laid to obstruct my farther properson here dissuading I

Even El Wordee went

gress.

so far as to

was contrary to the wishes of the sheikh that we should either go to Youri or'Nyffee, and complained sadly of say, that

being

it

afflicted

with a dysentery, wliich very

opportunely made expressed

although

a wish

its

attack the instant I

to

Youri;

visit

I protested against his

and,

accompa-

nying me, I have no doubt he both practised on my servants, and used Ins influence with the gadado, to oppose last

El Wordee, and

my

departure.

Mahomed

At

Sidi sheikh,

a native of Tuat, and fighee to the sultan,

came

to

ture to

tell me, that no person would venaccompany me, from the road to

Youri being infested with Kafirs, and that it

was impossible

an army.

I

to travel in safety

remained

silent;

once begun to give vent to my might have committed myself.

God

I

amid

all

had never

once

lost

without

for

had

I

feelings, I

my

I

thank temper

these crosses and vexations, and in

107

TO SACKATOO. spite

even of

deathblow to all my hopes The whole tissue of Youri.

this

of reaching

clangers, however, I believed to be a

mere

learned fabrication; for the Arabs, having to the respect with what the sultan said

English opening a trade with his people by the

knowing how scheme would prove to their traffic

of the sea, and well

way

fatal this

in the interior, probably

now attempted

to

persuade both the sultan and the gadado that the English would come and take the counby which insinuations they try from them induced the sultan to embrace this disin;

genuous expedient to from

disengage himself

Ins promise.

March

25.

— Clear and warm.

morning

I was sent for

by the

Early this sultan, and,

although suffering from fever, I went immeHe was seated in an inner coozee, diately. with only one eunuch in attendance. The conversation again commenced concerning the projected trade with I

England, when

repeated the same arguments.

quired

if

He

in-

the king of England would give

him a couple of guns, with ammunition and

108

FROM KANO

some rockets

?

I assured

him of

his

Ma-

jesty's

compliance with his wishes, if he would consent to put down the slave-trade

on the

coast.

I further pointed out to him was the best-situate town in all Northern Africa for commerce, without which a nation was nothing that rich mer-

that Sackatoo

;

chants

make

and that it was in the power of the king of England to make him one of the greatest princes in Africa, rich kings

;

when

all the trade from the east and west of that continent would centre in his dominions at the same time advising him :

strongly to have a port on the sea-coast, where he might have ships, and where his

people would be taught by the English the art of ship -building, unless he preferred to

send some of them to our settlements on the coast to learn to work as carpenters or blacksmiths, where their religion would be respected,

from

and, after learning these trades

they would be enabled to instruct their countrymen. By weighing these imus,

portant considerations in Ids mind, he would see that it was both his own interest, and the

TO SACKATOO.

form a

interest of his people, to

ship with the English

had

109

;

for

strict friend-

when once he .

to every

might trade

ships, his people

make

part of the world, and could even

pilgrimage to

Mecca by a much

the

safer route

than at present by land, being able to go there and return in six

same

time, bring with

of the East.

March

;

—

I was much better. Mahommedan Sabbath,

26.

Friday, the

months and, at the them all the produce

of people from the country after being at the mosque,

front of

was

my

came

to see -me,

and the square in

house was completely

sitting in the shade,

Being a crowd

I

filled.

on a mat spread

on the ground, and Mahomed El Wordee Both he and my servants were with me. in great fright at the increasing numbers of country people, and El

me

either to

my

Wordee begged of guns loaded, or to

among the not go away or else

threaten to did

have

fire

;

multitude, to

if

they

send a mes-

sage to the gadado to have them dispersed.

By way

of aggravating his alarm,

him, with provoking indifference,

'

I said

to

Let them

FROM KANO

110

look at me, and welcome

;

they are like

other country people, and will do

all

me no

harm.' A number of boys squeezing through the crowd, whenever they caught a glimpse of me, called out to their companions, Wishod en ila hullah ila hullah wahod Mohamoud wa rhasoul illah, hada '

el

or

'

Kaffir

more

Mohamoud wa Kaffir,'

—

'

I

rhasoul

'

Ila el ullah

illah,

bear witness there

but one God, and there

briefly,

Mahomet

is his

hada el no God

is

prophet

the Infidel,' and immediately took

is

At last one of my servants through the crowd and informed the

to their heels. stole

gadado,

who

to the

great satisfaction

sent

and dispersed the people,

of El Wordee was allowed to enjoy the remainder of the day undisturbed.

when

;

I

March morning

27. I

—Clear

was very

and warm. ill

In the

with ague, and at

eleven the sultan sent for El Wordee and me, with a request to bring my English saddle along with me. We were conducted farther into the interior of his residence than I

had ever been

before.

The

sultan

was

TO SACKATOO. sitting reading

On

tower.

one corner of a square

in

my

showing him

he examined

it

Ill

English saddle,

very minutely, and said

it

Arab saddle It was a second-hand saddle which we bought at Malta and having often also served myself and my servant for a pillow, I had it restuffed at Kano. On seeing the maker's card, Laurie, Oxford Street, London,' un-

was exactly

like

the ancient

described in one of

liis

books.

;

'

der the saddle lap, the sultan, surmising, per-

was a charm, requested me to explain its meaning; upon which I told him, that in England a tradesman generally

haps, that

it

attached his

name

him, which,

if

him

to the articles

made by

of superior quality, brought

into notice.

He

again renewed the

establishment of

subject

of the

and

an English consul

physician at Sackatoo, as well as of the likelihood of receiving guns and rockets from

England, which he sent by the

way

now recommended of

Tripoli

under the escort of El Wordee. latter part of this

to be

and Bornou,

To

the

proposal I gave a direct

FROM KANO

112 negative.

I

assured him, that unless he

undertook to convey them to Kakah at his own expense, they would not he sent at all, as the expense

dnd delay by the other route

were obstacles of too serious a nature to be repeated besides, should the bashaw of Tri;

poli even allow the guns to pass, the sheikh of Bornou, who was famed for prudence and

foresight,

racter

if

would

his territory. '

he

will

forfeit all

claim to that cha-

he did not seize them on reaching '

Oh

no,' said the sultan,

!

never do that

;

he

my

is

friend.'

I again expatiated on the futility of this mistaken confidence, so opposite to sound policy. At this discourse El Wordee seemed

to be quite crest-fallen

;

and

it

plainly ap-

peared that this was his own device, in order that he might be sent by the bashaw and, along with another English mission the route, throughout after fleecing them ;

have another opportunity here of playing All my former the same game over again. suspicions were

now

confirmed

;

tribute, in a great measure, to his

tions the necessity of abandoning

and

I at-

machina-

my journey

TO SACKATOO.

once more assured the sultan, was only by the sea-coast he must

to Youri.

that

113

it

I

expect to maintain an intercourse with Eng-

He

land.

wait

then promised that

to the governor of

convey

me

the

'

them,

me

I

of our newspapers,

el

dineah,' or

'

God is

He

people.'

and inquired I

remarked,

and

great

asked if

other Christians subject

'

News

he

them

of the

Being set to read extracts from happened to mention that thousands

of them were printed daily, claimed,

me

orders to

to send for them, calling

Ruber

world.'

Zeg Zeg, with

to the coast.

Having heard desired

would

if I

he would send

after the rains,

till

me

;

about the Greeks,

the discussion of which to evade.

You were

killed a

ex-

they were joined by any

contrived '

when he

you are a wonderful

:

number

at

He

then

war with Algiers,

of the Algerines.'

I

assured him that they were a ferocious race,

never at peace amongst themselves (having

even killed three of their own deys in one month), and persisting in the practice of VOL. IV.

I

FROM KANO

114

making

slaves of Europeans, until forcibly

compelled by us to relinquish

it.

In this conversation, he repeated, are a strange people,

Christian nations

;

'

You

the strongest of all

you have subjugated

all

we merely afforded it our I India.' I menprotection, and gave it good laws. tioned, particularly, that many Mahometan said,

had put themselves under our protection, knowing we were a people that states

never interfered with the rights of others, whether civil or religious, but caused the laws to be impartially administered all

sects

England,

and

I often told

many Mahometan Signior

;

and

I

among

The King of

persuasions.

him, had, in

subjects as

fact,

as

the Grand

took care to enlarge upon

the favourite topic of several ships convey-

ing the inhabitants of India

annually to

Mecca.

The

sultan again

drew on the sand the

course of the Quarra, with the outline of

the adjoining countries.

him to order one of

I

now requested men to make

his learned

TO SACKATOO.

me

115

a chart of the river, on paper, which he

The

promised to have done.

sultan re-

Fundah is the name of the Quarra enters the sea, during the rainy season and that Tagra, a town on the sea-coast, where many Felatahs reside, is governed by one of his subjects, a native of Kashna, named Mohammed Mishnee. In the evening I saw him again, when he told me that he was going on an expedition against some of his enemies, but would not be away more than five stated that

where the

place

;

me

days, desiring his absence,

want

not to be uneasy during

and assuring

me

that I should

for nothing.

To announce

to the people any public

measure, such as the present expedition, the city crier is sent round, who first proclaims, '

This

ple

is

the will of the sultan

replying,

'

Whatever the

;

'

the peo-

sultan does

is

we will do it the crier stops in like manner at the end of every sentence, when the people renew the same assurances of submission. The crier always comgood

:

'

;

mences

at the

sultan's gate,

from which he i

2

FROM KANO

116

proceeds to the market-place.

was pro-

It

claimed on this occasion, that all those who were to accompany the expedition must provide themselves witli eight days' proviAt eight in the evening the sultan sions. left

the capital with his army.

March

28.

—This

forenoon I had a

from a famous M'araboot, or holy

man

visit :

he

was accompanied by a great retinue, and repeated the Fatah at his entrance, for the time this ceremony had been performed He began by asking before me in Haussa. first

me '

abruptly to

God

willing,

previous

become a Moslem I

might; but

instruction

in

I

require

tins

said,

much

matters

religious

before I can think of changing

At

I

:

my

faith.'

answer the bystanders began to

laugh immoderately, to the evident discomposure of the holy man's gravity for my part, I could not discover any wit in what I :

although it had the effect of relieving from further impertinent questions on and he soon left me, religious subjects said,

me

;

rather disconcerted at his

After sunset

I

had a

visit

want of

success.

from Ateeko, the

TO SACKATOO. brother of the sultan, to of a

present

bornouse

whom

scarlet jacket,

when he was

:

117

had sent a breeches, and I

seated,

and the

usual compliments were over, I apologized

and the remoteness of his abode, for not having already He now told me he had a paid him a visit. on the score of

few

tilings

ill

health,

which belonged to the English-

man who was

BooKhaloom but as no person knew what they were, he would gladly sell them to me, ordering his servant at the same time to at

Musfeia with the

late

;

produce a bundle he held under his arm. The servant took from the bundle a shirt,

two

pair

of trowsers,

The only other

Denham. said,

and two pieces of Major

sketching by

parchment, used for

articles,

Ateeko and a

were a trunk, a broken but the watch had been destroyed,

watch

sextant,

;

as he alleged, in their ignorant eagerness to

examine

its

structure.

He

then invited

me

to visit him the following morning, when we might fix the price of what I wished to

buv, to which

good

night:

I

assented

but,

on

;

and he bade me

reconsidering

the

FROM KANO

118

matter, I thought

it

prudent

first

to consult

the gadado, particularly as the sultan absent.

I

began to

tion might be put

fear lest a

upon

was

bad construc-

my visit to this mean

on the death of his father, Bello had aspired to the throne, and had

prince, who,

the First,

even had himself proclaimed sultan in Sackafrom the mere circumstance of his bro-

too

;

ther Bello, the present sultan, having ex-

pressed the intention, during his father's lifetime, of

resigning the splendour of sove-

reignty for the tranquillity of a learned and

Ateeko even had the audacity to enter his brother's house, preceded by drums and trumpets and when Bello inquired the holy

life.

;

cause of the tumult, he received the

first

in-

timation of his brother's perfidy, in the answer,

'

nowise

The

sultan Ateeko

disconcerted,

is

come.'

Bello,

immediately ordered

the usurper into his presence,

when Ateeko

pleaded, in vindication of his conduct, his brother's proposed disinclination to reign to '

which the sultan only deigned

Go and

;

to reply,

take off these trappings, or I will

take off your head

: '

Ateeko, with character-

119

TO SACK.ATOO.

began to wring his hands, as if washing them in water, and called God and the Prophet to witness that his motives were innocent and upright istic

abjectness of

spirit,

which time, he has remained in the

since

utmost obscurity.

March early,

29.

—

place last night. to

go while the

visit

the gadado very-

T visited

and informed him of what had taken

at this

He

told

sultan

me by no means

my

was absent, as

juncture might be

regarded

with a very jealous eye by the people who would not hesitate to charge me with a plot ;

to place prince

the assistance

Ateeko on the throne, by The gadado

of England.

undisguisedly expressed

his

contempt

Ateeko's conduct, and assured

was

entirely

with

without the

In the afternoon

sultan.

I

me

that

of it

sanction of the

was again

seized

bilious vomiting.

—

March 30. Cloudy and warm. El Wordee came to-day in the name of the gadado, to ask me to sell him a silk tobe and some other articles, although it was well known to

him

I

had nothing of the kind in

my

pos-

FROM KANO

120 session

and had

;

also aware

it

been otherwise, he was

would not

I

sell

them.

I sus-

was manoeuvring in some way for himself and as soon as he was gone, I went to the gadado, and asked him if he had sent any message to me, when it turned out as I conjectured. The good old gadado that anything ashamed said he felt quite and should have been asked in his name that he

pected

;

;

shaking his head,

he said he feared El

Wordee was self,

then checking him-

he earnestly requested

further notice of

March

—

me

to take

no

it.

was confined to the house During the time I had been in Sackatoo, I had, at the recommendation of both the sultan and gadado, ridden all

31.

I

day with ague.

morning

out every

health

;

grounds,

for

the benefit

of

my

but instead of choosing the high I

had generally taken

the banks of the river,

many stagnant

my

rides

by

where there were

pools of water, and the land

was low and swampy. To this I attributed my ague. The Arabs are likewise much afflicted

with

it

at this season of the year.

121

TO SACICATOO.

With

the gadado's advice, I took

my morn-

ing rides in future on the higli grounds. April

1.

— Morning

cool

and

clear.

I

discovered that one of my bags of cowries had been cut open and having good reason ;

to suspect

as he

my

servant

was known

to

Absalom of the

theft,

have made a number of

extravagant presents to one of the gadado's

female slaves, of

enamoured,

I

whom

he was passionately

was obliged to dismiss him

although both a smart and. a brave fellow, uniting at once in his person the important functions of barber and butler.

my

service,

April

•

4.

— Cool and In

me.

left

the

clear.

My

ague had

evening the sultan re-

turned to town April

5.

—This morning Hadje

Khaloom he

left

fila,

the

Kano. town of Quarra with a

arrived from

BooAlthough Ali

large ka-

consisting of a thousand people, and

protected by an escort of

fifty

horsemen,

yet they were attacked between the lake of Gondamee and the wells of Kamoon, by the people of Goober and. Zanfra, who, after killing

one shreef, two Arabs of Tripoli, and

FROM KANO

122

seventeen Felatahs, and taking the negroes

baggage except

prisoners, captured all the

that of

Hadje

Ali.

He

with his camels, though

fortunately escaped

by

less

own

his

bra-

very than through the address of one of his slaves,

who kept cheering up

spirits,

and urging the camels to their

most

his master's ut-

speed, until they completely outstripped

The shreef who was killed two young children, to whom I sent ten dollars, by way of encouraging others to their pursuers. left

contribute ta their I paid

my

relief.

— In the afternoon

on his Hadje Ali Boo-

respects to the sultan,

return from the army.

Khaloom accompanied me

;

but the sultan

towards the place

did not deign to look

where he sat, although he was extremely kind to me, inquiring how I did, and if anything had happened in his absence.

A

slave belonging to

Mahomed Moode,

the gadado's brother, whose duty

run with his spears by

it

was to

his horse's side,

had

feigned lameness, to be excused attending his master.

For

this offence his legs

were

heavily shackled, in which miserable plight

TO SACKATOO.

123

he often contrived to crawl to the square before my door, and at length begged me to intercede with his master for his release.

the evening,

when

his

to see me, I asked

him

who was immediately ters

taken

off.

In

master came as usual to pardon the slave,

sent for, and lhs fet-

It is but justice to say, his

master appeared as grateful to

me

for afford-

ing him the opportunity of liberating his slave as if I

The mode

had done him a personal favour. of punishing slaves in Sackatoo

by putting them in irons, and throwing into a dungeon under the common prison of the city. The dungeon is reported is

them

to be extremely filthy and abominable.

Here

they remain without any food, but what

is

gratuitously supplied by their fellow-slaves, until

their

punishment tion

master is

much

releases

them.

dreaded,' and

its

This dura-

depends entirely on the caprice of the

master.

— Clear and — Having obtained

the permis-

sion of the gadado to purchase

from Ateeko

April April

6.

cool.

7.

the sorry remains of

Major Denham's bag-

FROM KANO

124

gage,

went early

I

Wordee

to

situate at the

this

the prince's

morning with El house, which is

west end of the town.

After

waiting some time in the porch of a square

we were introduced into an inner coozee hung round with blue and yellow tower,

silk, in

sharp pointed festoons, not unlike

gotliic arches.

Ateeko soon made

his ap-

pearance, and after a few compliments,

He

proceeded to business.

damaged shirts

we

brought .out a

leathern trunk, with two or three

and other

articles of dress,

much

the

worse for wear, and the sextant and parch-

ment already mentioned. completely demolished,

The the

sextant was

whole of the

glasses being taken out, or where they could

not unscrew them, broken off the frame,

He remained a mere skeleton. seemed to fancy that the sextant was gold, in which I soon undeceived him and selecting it with the parchment and one or two

which

;

and towels, likely to be Major Denham, I offered him 5000

flannel waistcoats

useful to

cowries, at which he prised and mortified.

appeared

much

sur-

El Wordee whispered

TO SACKATOO.

my

in

ear,

—

'

Remember

not a merchant.' his

'

is

a prince, and

loud enough for

said,

I

highness to hear,

he

125

Remember that when

a prince turns merchant, he must expect no

more than another man value of the articles, ference to

me

and as that

;

I

buy them or

Ateeko frequently repeated sextant being gold

gain

;

but at length the bar-

seemed to be concluded, and

I

articles I

not.'

his belief of the

had picked

re-

house

out, to

whom

The

would pay the money.

I

my

cmested him to send a slave to

with the

the

a matter of indif-

it is

whether

is

slave,

how-

ever, was recalled before he got half way, and his suspicious master took back the

sextant frame, in dread of being overreached

by me

in its value,

which

I

did not

fail

to

deduct from the price agreed on.

The prince

he kept two hun-

stated, that

two of which he showed me. These animals were extremely savage, and dred civet

cats,

were confined

in

They were about nose to the

tip

separate

wooden

cages.

four feet long, from the

of the

tail

;

and, with the ex-

ception of a greater length of body, and a

FROM KANO

126

longer

tail,

they very

much resembled

They

di-

are

fed

with

pounded Guinea corn, and dried

fish

made

minutive

into balls.

hyaenas.

The

kind of muscle

civet is scraped off with a shell every other

morning,

the animal being forced into a corner of the

case, and

its

head held down with a stick

to sell

The prince offered any number of them I might wish to

have

but they did not appear to be desir-

during the operation.

;

able

travelling

little

spare

Ateeko

companions.

man, with a

like expression.

He

full face,

is

a

of monkey-

speaks in a slow and

and the Felatahs subdued tone of voice extremely brave, to be acknowledge him ;

but at the same tune avaricious and cruel. '

Were

fly

he sultan,' say they,

'

heads would

about in Soudan.'

After taking leave of the prince,

we

rode

by appointment to view a new mosque, which was building at the expense of the gadado, not far distant from Ateeko's house. Like

all

form, points,

mosques,

the

sides

it

was of a quadrangular

facing

the four cardinal

and about eight hundred

feet in

TO SACKATOO.

On

length.

the

127

eastern side there

were

The western entrance had a

two doors.

small square apartment on the right hand in entering, where the people perform their

The roof of

ablutions before prayers.

mosque was joists laid

being

perfectly

flat,

from wall to

wall,

the

and formed of the interstices

up with slender spars placed

filled

obliquely from joist to joist, and the whole

covered outside with a thick stratum of in-

The roof rested on arches, which were supported by seven rows of pillars, seven in each row. The pillars were of wood, plastered over with clay, and durated clay.

On

highly ornamented.

the south side of

the body of the building there was a small recess

appropriated solely to the sultan's

use.

Some workmen were employed

ornamenting the ing the roof

;

pillars,

and

all

in

others in complet-

appeared particularly

busy, from the circumstance of the gadado

himself being here to receive me.

dado was very

inquisitive

to

The ga-

know my

opi-

nion, every two or three minutes asking

what

I

thought of the building.

me

The master

FROM KANO

128 builder,

a shrewd-looking

little

was seated

tinually laughing,

man, con-

in a position

from whence he could conveniently overlook He informed me he was all the workmen. a native of Zeg Zeg, and that his father having been in Egypt, had there acquired a smattering of Moorish architecture, and had left

him

which

at his

he

death

derived

all

his

his papers,

only

from

architectural

He

was particularly solicitous to possess a Gunter's scale, which I afterwards sent to the sultan. I was conClear and cool. April 8. fined to the house all day with ague. Hadje

knowledge.

—

Ali Boo-Khaloom, three

visits,

which

who has

paid

me

I never return,

two or

sent

me

half a sheep, and accompanied the present

with great offers of his services, of which I took no notice, but ordered the present to I always treated this be given to the poor. man with civility, but took good care never to follow any of his suggestions, or to allow

myself the smallest freedom of conversation before him.

A

number

of poor children came to ask

TO SACKATOO.

alms every morning, to

whom

129 I

was

in the

habit of giving two or three cowries apiece.

Their cry was give

'

Allah altik jimie,'

you paradise

a kaffir like

me

when almost

all

; '

or,

'

God

a style of begging that

could not withstand Africa

perdition, I considered

frages at a cheap rate.

doomed me it

;

and,

to eternal

obtaining their suf-

Amongst

the older

beggars, there was one, a native of Bornou,

who had once been governor

of a town called Sockwa, near Katagum, and had come to Sackatoo in consequence of having made certain complaints against

Duncowa, which,

being on investigation found to be untrue, he had been degraded. He was said to be rich

;

but in order to save his wealth,

now

Every night after sunset, he used to sing extempore before the gadado's door and I was frequently the subject of his songs, particularly if I had given him anything in the course of the day. He feigned madness.

;

generally set the people around

him

in a

roar of laughter.

April 9.

dado a VOL.

visit,

IV.

This morning I paid the gaand found him alone, reading

K

FROM KANO

130

an Arabic book, one of a small possessed.

dream

'

Abdallah,' said

last night,

to find out what in such things

?

'

and it

am

God

gives a

I

had a

my

Do

you believe I lord gadado

consider books of dreams to be conceits.

'

perusing this book

meant.

'No,

collection he lie,

;

full

man wisdom

of idle

to guide

his conduct, while dreams are occasioned by the accidental circumstances of sleeping with

the head low, excess of food, or uneasiness ' Abdallah,' he replied, smiling, of mind.' '

this

book

tells

me

differently.'

He

mentioned, that in a few days the sultan

then

was

going on another expedition, and wished him to join it, but that he preferred remaining,

mosque finished before the workmen should lest Khamadan, the his absence. in time their idle away the Gadado's Moode, To-day Mahomed brother, lost an adopted son, who died of the small-pox. I paid him a visit of condolence, which seemed to gratify him exceedingly.

in order to have the

The Felatahs

here,

and indeed almost

all

the principal people of Soudan, bury their dead in the house where they die, as before-

TO SACKATOO.

Poor Moode's grief was inconwas over, he came

mentioned. solable

and

:

sat

131

after the burial

down

alone in the shade before

door, and, spreading

Ms

my

tobe over his knees

was reading a book, repeated in a low broken tone of voice several verses of the Koran, his eyes all the time streaming as if he

tears. In this woful state of dejection he remained at least two hours. I could not help admiring the affectionate warmth

with

of his feelings, so indicative of a good heart,

and

The

I

sincerely sympathized in his sorrow.

child

gadado.

was the son of

The

his brother the

practice of adopting children

very prevalent among the Felatahs, and though they have sons and daughters of their own, the adopted child generally becomes heir to the whole of the property.

is

April 10.

—At

three in the afternoon I

waited on the sidtan to wish him success on the present expedition, and a happy return.

We

conversed on

different

subjects,

ended, as usual, about the trade

but

with Eng-

when I again endeavoured to impress on his mind, that we should be able to sup-

land

;

FROM KANO

132

ply his subjects with

very cheap rate,

—

all

gum

better situated for the

other country

kinds of goods at a

that his dominions were

in Africa,

trade than

—and

that

any

many

would be brought here from Timbuctoo, Bornou, and Waday, and easily carried by the Felatahs to the sea-coast, to be disposed of to the English. He dwelt much on receiving in return cloth, muskets, and gunpowder and asked me if I would not come back, and if the King of other

valuable

articles

;

out a

to send

England would be induced

consul and a physician, should he address a

Majeaty on the subject. He now asked in what time they would come I told him they could be upon the coast in two months after his wishes were known in letter to his

:

He

England.

resumed,

the precise time, and

—

my

'

Let

me know

messengers

shall

any part of the coast you may appoint, to forward letters to me from the mission, on receipt of which I will send an be down

at

escort to conduct

sured

me he was

it

to Soudan.'

He

also as-

able to put an effectual stop

to the slave-trade,

and that the chart

I

asked

TO SACKATOO. for

was nearly ready.

interview, the

At

133

the close of this

me

sultan kindly requested

not to be uneasy

At

in his absence.

five in

the afternoon, the sultan and gadado joined

the

army

April

at the Sansan.

12,

11,

and

13.

—A

refreshing

breeze for the last two or three days. received a present of two

wheat, which the sultan had ordered fore his departure.

shade before

my

sultan's fighi,

I

I

large baskets of

was

sitting

me

be-

in

the

door, with Sidi Sheikh, the

when an

ill-looking wretch,

with a fiend-like grin on his countenance,

came and placed himself

directly before me. Sheikh who he was ? He answered, with great composure, The exeI

asked

Sidi

'

cutioner.'

I

instantly ordered

to turn him. out.

Sheikh,

'

Be

my

patient,'

servants said

laying his hand upon mine

visits the first

:

Sidi '

he

people in Sackatoo, and they

never allow him to go away without giving

him a few Goora them.'

nuts, or

money

In compliance with this

to

hint,

buy Ire-

quested forty cowries to be given to the fellow, with strict orders never again to cross

FROM KANO

134

Sheikh

now

related to

my

threshold.

me

a professional anecdote of my uninvited Being brother of the executioner

Sidi

visitor.

of Yacoba, of which place he

he applied to the governor

was a

native,

for his brother's

situation, boasting of superior adroitness in

the family vocation.

We

remarked, brother's head '

!'

will

The governor try

;— go,

He instantly

of Ins- brother, and finding

coolly

fetch your

went

him

in quest

seated at

the door of his house, without noise or warning he struck off his head with a sword, at

then carrying the bleeding head to the governor, and claiming the reward of such transcendant atrocity, he was appointed

one blow

;

The sultan being the vacant office. afterwards in want of an expert headsman, sent for him to Sackatoo, where a short

to

time after the

Ms

arrival

he had to

officiate at

execution of 2000 Tuaricks,

who, in

conjunction with the rebels of Goober, had attempted to plunder the country, but were all

made

prisoners;

this event

happening

I may here add, that about four years ago. the capital punishments inflicted in Soudan

135

TO SACKATOO. are beheading,

impaling, and crucifixion

;

being reserved for Mahometans, two practised on Pagans. I other the and was told, as a matter of curiosity^ that the

first

wretches on the cross generally linger three before

days,

sufferings.

April 15.

death puts an end to their

—Notwithstanding

that

I

had

an attack of fever to-day, I received a visit

from the females of the gadado's household, who, during their stay, seemed to evince much sympathy, but as soon as they reached their

the outer square,

unrestrained gaiety

and noisy mirth soon convinced me that they only frequented my house as a place where they could with security amuse them'

selves.

April 16.

—I

took an emetic of ipecacu-

anha, with immediate

symptoms. April

1.7.

— At

relief of

capture

the

bullocks,

neighbourhood of the

Zamfra.

bilious

day-break the sultan re-

turned with the army, having of sheep,

my

made

new

a large &c.

in

capital

of

asses,

FROM KANO

136

— This

morning I went to congratulate the sultan and the gadado on their In the evening we had rain, safe return. April 18.

thunder, and lightning.

April 19.

by Bello's after

—The

gadado's

sister, died

favourite son,

to-day of small-pox,

being considered convalescent, in con-

sequence of riding out too early to This

grandfather.

house, as usual,

lad

visit his

was buried

a few hours

in

the

after death,

amid the loud lamentations of the female slaves of the family.

—

went this morning to condole with the gadado on the death of his son. He was sitting in an inner apartment, and smiling mournfully at my entrance, he said, This is very kind of you, Abdallah I April 20.

I

'

;

have met with a great misfortune,' but it is I endeavoured to reconthe will of God.' cile

him

to this severe dispensation of Pro-

my

hope that he might yet have another son in room of him he had lost. He shook his head, and said, vidence,

'

God

and expressed

willing, but I

am

an old

man

;

'

then

TO SACKATOO.

137

covering his face with his hands, we sat

to-

gether nearly an hour in silence, when, unable

to alleviate his grief,

the hand

;

I

took him by

he pressed mine in return

I left this disconsolate father

and

;

with heaviness

of heart.

April 21.

— News

arrived this

morning

that the Tuaricks of the tribe of Kilgris

had

taken and plundered the town of Adia, six days' journey to the northward of Sackatoo ;

in consequence of which a proclamation issued, that all the Tuaricks tribe should depart

was

belonging to that

from Bello's dominions

in three days, under the

penalty of death.

The gadado informed me to-day, that he should not be able to accompany me to

Kano

before the rains, as he once intended,

in consequence of

all

the horses being

worn

out from want of water during tbe last exIn the afternoon I had a severe pedition. attack of ague, with bilious vomiting.

April

—Thunder and —We heard that

22.

night.

April 23.

lightning

all

another kanla

had been seized by the Gooberites, and

six

FROM KANO

138

women

Felatah

besides 300

taken amongst the

spoil,

slaves.

— To-day

April 27.

a party which had

gone on a marauding expedition to Kulee sent word that they had

made a

large cap-

ture of bullocks and slaves.

April 30.

me

for

seen

:

111

all

it

The

day.

in the afternoon.

of his

part

—

residence I

sultan sent

I was taken to a had never before

was a handsome apartment, within

a square tower, the ceiling of which was a

dome, supported by eight ornamental arches, with a bright plate of brass in

its

centre.

Between the arches and the outer wall of the tower, the dome was encircled by a neat balustrade in front of a gallery, which led

We

into an upper suite of rooms.

long conversation about Europe of the ancient Moorish

kingdom

and appeared well pleased when

we were

that

He

asked

me

in

:

possession

to send him,

had a he spoke

in- Spain,

I told

him

of Gibraltar.

from England,

some Arabic books and a map

of the world;

and, in recompense, promised his protection to as

many

of our learned

men

as chose to

TO SACKATOO. dominions.

visit his

He

139

also spoke of the

gold and silver to be obtained in the hills of

Yacoba and Adamowa

we were

that

less

;

but

I

assured

him

anxious about gold mines

than the establishment of commerce, and the extension of

me

a

ing

it

map to

He now

science.

gave

of the country, and after explain-

me, he resumed the old theme of

applying by letter to the King of England, for the residence of a consul and a physician at Sackatoo

that

I

Ins

hope

dominions.

He

and again expressed

;

would

revisit his

next inquired to what place on the coast the English would come, that he might send an

when I promised to guns Highness on that subject from He proposed to have two messen-

escort for the

;

write to his

Kouka.

gers waiting at the place

I

should select, at

whose return he would send down an escort to the sea-coast.

—

May 1. I began to make preparations my return to Bornou, for various reasons

for

which

it

is

unnecessary to

Rhamadan commenced

detail.

to-day,

and

The the

Felatahs keep the fast with extreme rigour.

FROM KANO

140

The

chief people never leave their houses,

except in the evening, to prayer, and the

women

and necks, under the idea that they appear to

the greater thirst

the better entitled they

although

make

am

I

cold water over

pour

frequently

their backs

become

endure,

to Paradise

inclined to believe that they

a parade of these privations, in a

great measure to obtain the reputation of

extraordinary sanctity.

May 2.— Ill

day.

all

I

for the

sent

steward of the gadado's household, and the female slaves,

who had

me

the duty of bringing

time of

my

arrival

about a gallon of

:

provisions from the

these provisions were

new milk every morning, and two gallons

in a large bowl, for myself,

of sour milk and ticcory for

my

noon

which

in return for each of

;

gave

fifty

cowries

all

daily performed

:

servants, at I

always

at three o'clock, three

roast fowls, with doura or nutta sauce, for

which

I

sent

fifty

cowries

;

again, after sun-

set, two bowls of bazeen were brought by two female slaves, to whom I gave one hundred cowries, and about two quart's of new

TO SACKATOO. milk afterwards, for cowries more. their

attention

Sackatoo,

I

which

141

gave

I

fifty

As an acknowledgment during

my

now presented

residence

for in

the steward of

the household with 10,000 cowries, and the slaves with

2000 each.

The poor

were extremely grateful for

many

of

ternoon

me

my

creatures

bounty, and

them even shed tears. In the afwaited upon the sultan, who told

I

that he had appointed the

same escort had before, under the command of the gadado's brother, to conduct me through the provinces of Goober and Zamfra, and that an officer of the gadado, after the escort left me, should accompany me to Zirmee, Kaslma, Kano, and Katagum the governor of which would receive orders to which

I

;

furnish

me

with a strong escort through the

Bedite territory, and to

deliver

me

safely

into the hands of the sheikh of Bornou. also mentioned, that the letter for the

He

King

of England would be ready next day.

May

3

—At

daylight, the camels were

brought in from their pasturage, and were sent off in the afternoon to the neighbour-

FROM KANO

142

hood of the wells of Kamoon. To-day I was visited by all the principal people of Sackatoo, to bid me farewell and at seven o'clock in the evening I went to take leave He was at the mosque, and of the sultan. I had to wait about two hours till he came ;

out.

I

followed him, at a

the door

of his

little

distance, to

residence, where

an old

fe-

male slave took me by the hand and led me through a number of dark passages, in which, at the bidding of

had

my

conductress, I

often to stoop, or at times to tread with

great caution as

we approached nights

of

glimmering light twin-

steps, while a faint,

kled from a distant room. gine where the old

I

could not ima-

woman was

conducting

me, who, on her part, was highly diverted After much at my importunate inquiries. turning and winding,

I

was

into the presence of Bello,

at last brought

who was

sitting

alone, and immediately delivered into my hands a letter for the King of England,

with assurances of his friendly sentiments He had pretowards the English nation. viously sent to

me

to

know what was

his

TO SACKATOO. majesty's name, style, and expressed, with

much

143

He

title.

again

earnestness of manner,

permanent relations England and reminded me to apprise him, by letter, at what time the English mission would be upon his anxiety to enter into

of trade and friendship with

;

the coast.

After repeating the Fatah, and

praying for

my safe

arrival in

England, and

speedy return to Sackatoo, he affectionately

bade of

me

farewell.

my good

I felt the

of

my

sure

it

I

went next

to take leave

old friend the gadado, for

same regard

as

if

whom

he had been one

oldest friends in England and I am was equally sincere on his side. The

poor old

;

man

prayed very devoutly for

my

and gave strict charge to his brother, who was to accompany me, to take special care of me in our journey through the disturbed provinces. The gadado looked very safety,

ill,

owing, as

I suppose, to his strict observ-

and the distress which he had recently suffered by the loss of his son. I shall here add a short description of the ance of the

fast,

city of Sackatoo.

and long. 6°

It is in lat. 13° 4'

12' E.,

and

is

52" N.,

situate near the

FROM KANO

144

junction of an inconsiderable stream with and the same river which flows past Zirme,

winch, taking

Kano,

is

rise

its

said to

between Kashna and Quarra four

into the

fall

days' journey to the west. their

language

signifies

the city being built by

'

The name

a halting place

in ;

the Felatahs after the

as conquest of Goober and Zamfra, as near ocIt 1805. year the about I could learn, tocupies a long ridge which slopes gently

wards the north, and appeared to me the most populous town I had visited in the for, unlike most other interior of Africa ;

towns

where the houses are

in Haussa,

thinly scattered,

it

streets.

well-built

close to the walls,

is

laid out in

regular,

The houses approach built by the

which were

present sultan in 1818, after the death of the old walls being too confined his father ;

for the increasing population.

This wall

is

between twenty and thirty feet high, and has twelve gates, which are regularly closed There are two large mosques, at sunset. including the

new one

at present building

by the gadado, besides several other places

TO SACKATOO.

There

for prayer.

is

a

place in the centre of the

145

market-

spacious city,

and another

square in front of the sultan's resi-

large

dence.

The inhabitants are principally Fenumerous slaves. Such

latahsj possessing

of the latter as are not employed in domestic duties reside in houses by themselves, where they follow various trades the master, of ;

course,

reaping

the

Their

profit.

usual

employments are weaving, house-building, shoe-making, and iron-work many bring fire-wood to the market for sale. Those employed in raising grain and tending cattle, of which the Felatahs have immense :

herds, reside in villages without the city. is

customary

It

for private individuals to free

a number of slaves every year, according to their means, during the great feast after the

Rhamadan.

The enfranchised seldom

return to their native country, but continue to reside near their old masters,

still

acknow-

ledging them as their superiors, and presenting them yearly with a portion of their earnings.

The

trade of Sackatoo

sent inconsiderable,

VOL.

iv.

owing

is

at pre-

to the disturbed

l

FROM KANO TO SACKATOO.

146

The ne-

state of the surrounding country.

cessaries of

are very cheap

life

:

butchers'

and very good. The exports are principally civet and blue check tobes, called sharie, which are manufactured

meat

is

by the

in great plenty,

slaves

from Nyffee, of

whom

men

the

are considered the most expert weavers in

Soudan, and the

The common

women

the best spinners. are

imports

Goora

nuts,

brought from the borders of Ashantee, and coarse calico and woollen cloth, in small quantities, with brass

and pewter

dishes,

and

from Nyffee. The Arabs, bring un wrought Ghadamis, and from Tripoli beads slaves and spices, silk, otto of roses,

some few

spices

:

A

great are both exported and imported. quantity of Guinea corn is taken every year

by the Tuaricks in exchange for salt. The market is extremely well supplied, and is

On the held daily from sunrise to sunset. north side of Sackatoo there is a low marsh, with some stagnant pools of water, between the city and the river this, perhaps, may :

be the cause of the great prevalence of ague, as the city stands in a fine, airy situation.

RETURN FROM SACKATOO.

147

—

May 4. I left Sackatoo, accompanied by one of the gadado's officers, named Dumand we travelled almost all night bojee before we came up with our servants, who had pitched our tents near Kamoon. At daylight we moved on to the wells at Kamoon, where we halted to fill our waterskins and, at two in the afternoon, the escort arriving, we proceeded on our journey, being also joined by four merchants and their slaves. We took a new road, where no water is to be had, to avoid the Tooias, as the rebels of Goober and Zamfra are called; iooial tooiaV or 'war! war! being the national cry of this people on entering ;

;

'

'

into battle.

May

5.

—We

now pursued

through thick woods our clothes

my

and, as

;

my

full

I

a footpath,

of briers, which tore

had neglected to put

much lacerated. At midnight we passed near to a kafila of the rebels, who were travelling between on

boots,

legs were

Zamfra and Goober. the

commander

our journey

all

This induced Moodie,

of our escort,

to continue

my l2

night, in spite of

wishes

RETURN FROM

148 to halt

till

morning.

'

No, no

;

the Tooias

my

remonare near,' was his only reply to and, in fact, we often heard the strances ;

sound of their voices.

we

discovered that

When

day dawned, the road

we had mistaken

and were actually within a short distance of Calawawa, the capital of. Goober, no one knowing the safest way to return. I had all

night,

observed, to that

we

my

surprise, during the night,

travelled in a northerly direction

but never dreamed

now

consulted

and

I

east.

of interfering.

me on what was

recommended our

We

;

Moodie

to be done,

travelling south-

accordingly set out as fast as

the camels could be driven through a thick underwood, by which my trousers were all

torn, and

my

legs almost excoriated from

the knees to the ankles. In the afternoon the people on foot began to lag, and one or two were allowed to ride on the camels but this was soon given up, ;

as the applicants became too numerous to

grant this indulgence indiscriminately. of the poor natives

number had taken advantage of

on

foot,

A who

the escort to pass

149

SACKATOO. through

this part of the country,

with fatigue and rise

more.

One

thirst, sat

of

my

overcome

down never

to

servants, a native of

Kano, dropped down apparently dead, after taking a draught of water, of which the Innegroes drink an immense quantity.

may

deed, I

safely say, they drink six times I had him motion of which and, in half an

the quantity that Europeans do. lashed on a camel, the

brought him again to life hour's time, after vomiting a great quantity ;

of

he was able to walk, and soon ap-

bile,

peared as fresh as ever.

Before sunset,

we

saw the high lands over the lake Gondamee, and then bent our course to the eastward. At sunset, a female slave belonging to Hadje Ali Boo-Khaloom, calling out that she saw two Tooias, Moodie came up to me at mil gallop, and recommended me to exchange the camel on which I was riding for my horse, and to have my fire-arms in readiAlthough scarcely able to support ness. myself from severe pain in

my

limbs,

I

placed myself, however, at the head of the escort

;

but, fortunately for me,

we could

RETURN FROM

150

no enemies, otherwise my sorry plight would have left me a very poor chance of see

At length, having reached a beaten we waited for the camels to come up. The water-skins being success.

path leading eastward,

now

empty, and no one knowing exactly where we were, but each travelling as fast all

and weariness would permit him, I people and camels together, and El Wordee, with two of the Arab merchants,

as thirst

kept

my

considered

it

A

themselves not to

safest for

Arab horse, belonging to Hadje Ali Boo-Khaloom, died of fatigue. May 6. Thursday, at four in the morn-

leave me.

fine

—

ing, El

Wordee

falling

ill,

could travel no farther,

I

and declaring he

ordered a halt on

on the camels. Being separated from the whole of the caravan, except one Arab merchant, I lay his account, but left the loads

down by

the side of

my

horse,

and

my

ser-

me

a few small yellow plums they had picked up, which relieved both my vants gave

hunger and the ground

thirst.

I

now

slept soundly

until daybreak,

on

when we con-

tinued our journey to the eastward, without

151

SACKATOO.

following any regular track, and soon came up with several stragglers from the caravan

who, overcome with fatigue, had lain down in the night, and were now pursuing their way, most of them almost unable

and

escort,

The horsemen

to speak from excessive thirst.

were dismounted, their horses having either riders, died, or being too weak to bear their At them. before who were driving them ten o'clock

we

and

damee,

bank of

fell

at

Gon-

in with the road to

noon halted on

We

the river Futche.

the

south

found that

very few had arrived there before us, and, reposing ourselves under the shade of some trees, we despatched some country people with water to our fellow-travellers in the after rear, who continued to drop in one another

drank

till

sunset.

At

first

ate and and were

we

rather sparingly ourselves,

also particularly careful to prevent our cattle

from injuring themselves by drinking too

much water

at

Notwithstanding

a time.

our distressed condition, the the fast of the

Rhamadan

would not

water

taste

till

Felatahs kept

so strictly, they

after sunset.

RETURN FROM

152

May

7.

— On mustering the

we found

kafila at day-

men and six horses had perished on the road. Of these, two were Eelatahs going to Mecca, who had light,

that nine

come from Ginee, buctoo

to the westward of Timand a third was the husband of a

;

woman now mised

my

left

destitute, to

whom

pro-

I

Kano. At noon I took leave of Moodie and the escort, who wished to conduct me to Zirmee but as all danger was past, I declined their protection as far as

;

friendly offer

;

and,

making them a present we separated.

of a sheep and 40,000 cowries,

At one in the afternoon I arrived at Quari, and encamped outside the town, but went and paid my respects to the governor, who complained

grievously

of

the

privations

which he suffered by keeping the Rhamadan, although this was only the seventh day.

May 8.—At

daylight

I

left

Quari, and

crossed a country intersected by deep ravines.

I

halted under a large shady tree,

during the heat of the day

;

and, towards

where vided with good accommodation and servants. sunset, arrived at Zirmee,

I

was pro-

for

myself

153

SACKATOO.

May received

May

—Warm and a number of — My servants

To-day

sultry.

9.

visitors

10.

by Dumbojee not

to

quit

I

of both sexes.

were cautioned the house after

sunset, as every black without a beard (to

use their expression for a young

man) was

be seized, gagged, and some of the neighbouring villages for Runaway slaves, from all parts of sale. Haussa, fly to Zirmee as an asylum, where carried off

liable to

to

they are always welcome and the inhabitants in general have a remarkably reckless, ;

independent look.

Three female

slaves, be-

longing to Hadje Ali Boo-Khaloom, absconded here preferring, naturally enough, liberty and a husband, to slavery and a bad ;

master.

May

11.

travelled

—At

over a

sunrise

we

left

Zirmee, and

well cultivated

country.

During the heat of the day we again halted under the shade of a tree, and encamped, towards evening, at a village called Yakua, where Dumbojee wished me to lodge in one of the houses, alleging the risk of being robbed, or even murdered out of doors

;

but

RETURN FROM

154 as a

number of other people

the village,

I

halted outside

merely pointed to them in

ridicule of his timid suggestions.

May

12.

—At

without having

daybreak we

left

Yakua

smallest

experienced the

There was abundance of limpid water, and on all sides were seen fruit-trees, well cultivated fields, and numemolestation.

rous hamlets and towns. of one of the

little

Near the channel

streams winding

the crags of siennite, I saw

among

five or six

plan-

growing wild. These were the had seen in the country and, on inquiry, the inhabitants told me, that this tain trees

first

I

;

plant did not bear fruit nearer than

Zeg.

The

plantains I had from the sultan

Sackatoo were, brought from Nyffee. the afternoon we resumed our journey. at

sunset

we

Zeg In

At

halted at a large village called

Yanduka, the governor of which having heard I had come from Bello, would not allow me to take up my quarters outside the village, but insisted that I should occupy a house he had provided for me, where I was liberally supplied with provisions.

SACKATOO.

May

13.

—At

sunrise

155

we

left

Yanduka,

about two miles beyond which the country

became very woody, and rested

at

noon

under the shade of a large tamarind tree on the banks of a rainy-season stream, which ,

we had already crossed four times since Having sent El Wordee and me to prepare lodgings, I before Dumbojee did not arrive at Kaslma till after sunset,

morning.

when

the gates were shut

the sentinel, and telling

requested

me

;

but on hailing

Mm who

to go round to a

I was,

little

he

wicket,

I went immediately which I found open. to Hadje Ahmet Ben Massoud, who took me to the house provided for me, where I

was well supplied with provisions but the house itself was in wretched repair, full of ants and rats, and, I verily believe, had not ;

been inhabited since the Felatah conquest.

May

14.

—After

a sleepless night I sent

Dumbojee, desired one of my servants him the house, and asked him if this show to was the gadado's. He informed me it was for

intended I should be lodged in the house of Voikin Serkis, a friend of the sultan, but El

RETURN FROM

156

Wordee had

told

him

preferred staying

I

go immeand coming. When Hadje tell him I was Ahmet and El Wordee heard of this message, they came to me in great fright, and entreated I would go with them and choose with the Arabs.

I

desired

him

to

diately to the house of Voikin Serkis,

whatever house be troublesome,

I pleased. I

Not wishing

accompanied them

to

after

was shown through several houses, and fixed on one conveniently situ-

breakfast.

I

ate for astronomical observations

the ad-

:

joining court-yard was occupied by the freed

female slaves of old ill

all

Hadje Ahmet.

was

I

day, although this did not prevent

from being tormented with the almost

all

visits

the principal inhabitants.

me of

For-

tunately the governor was out of town, but

he was polite enough to send

me an

invita-

tion to his country-house, where he secludes

Among the himself during the Ehamadan. Arabs he has the character of being very avaricious, and as I was rather at a loss for a present to decline the

offer him, I

visit,

thought

it

better to

notwithstanding the impor-

SAGKATOO.

157

Hadje Ahmet with me to see him. Haclje Ahmet, the chief of all the Arabs, had resided there for the last thirty years and although it was the Rhamadan, he ran

tunity of

;

alacrity, in

about with great sun, to procure

me

camels, and other

own

use.

But

salt

little

tar for the

necessaries for

liberality

Iris

the heat of the

and

my

was unbounded

;

he even permitted me to visit his seraglio, and told me to pick and choose for myself among, at least, fifty black girls. I took notice that his countrymen would find fault witli

him

female to

have one.' a nurse, I

for

giving

a Kafir '

Well, as

will

up a Mahometan No, no you must I am sick, and want

'

:

;

take this woman,' pointing

an elderly slave. said the Hadje

to

;

'

'

You have done

she

woman, and a good cook

is ;

right,'

an experienced she has seen the

This was had ever received

world; she has been in Fezzan.' the

first offer

of the kind

I

and along with the old woman, two young females were sent to During my sickness, I never assist her.

from a Moslem

;

before had the benefit of female nurses, and,

RETURN FROM

158

by

their care

my May

and

attention, I

soon recovered

health and strength. 15.

upon, a

— Cool and cloudy. daylight,

after

little

I

was waited by Hadje

an air of mystehad a stone of he rious and wished to show me, very great value

Ahmet, who

told me, with

that

confidence,

my

opinion respecting

it.

Well, father

'

will tell you His servant now brought in a leathern bag, from which his master took a bundle of rags and unrolling them carefully, one after the other, he began to make

pilgrim,

show

it

and

to me,

I

its value.'

;

the most ludicrous faces of

At

last the

gem

mock

ecstacy.

appeared, which he held up

with a cry of rapture

:

—

'

Look

there

:

what

It was a piece of rock you give for it ? about two inches in length, and three-fourths of an inch in diameter. Assuming a countenance of corresponding gravity, '

will

crystal,

I affected to

muse

dollar.'

satisfy

for a short time in silent

and then drawled out, A The mortified Hadje would not my curiosity about where it came

astonishment,

'

from, but in hazarding a conjecture that

it

SACKATOO.

was obtained

in

Yacoba, I fancied he be-

manner

that I had hit upon Although I wished to have the was afraid to make another offer,

trayed by his the spot. crystal, I lest,

159

supposing

it

to be of inestimable price,

he might suspect I wished to take an unfair advantage of him and he again wrapped ;

it

up, with like care

May

17.

—At

and solemnity.

sunrise

I

the gate Koura, on the

left

Kashna by

south side of the

In the immediate neighbourhood is covered with brushwood and

town.

the country

low stunted trees well

cultivated

encamped

but

near some villages

for the night

called Eatowa,

me and

we soon entered a district. At sun-set we ;

told

where a

me

little

girl

to look well after

came

my

to

bag-

gage, as there were eight thieves in a house which she pointed out, who, she said, plundered

all

May

around them. 18.

—At

sunrise

without sustaining any

having

lost

some

civet

we

loss.

left

Eatowa,

El Wordee

and gold, to the

value of thirty- one dollars, suspected his ser-

vant of the theft, who, in consequence of a

RETURN

160

FROJI

guinea-worm in his foot, was allowed to on his master's camel but he strenuously denied all knowledge of the matter, and called on God and the Prophet to judge between him and Ids master. El Wordee had searched all his baggage at Kaslma,

ride

;

without discovering the slightest traces of the stolen property, and was now deploring to the merchant who joined us, whose Arab servant overhearing liim, asked him if he had examined the saddle of his his loss

El Wordee replied in the negative, when the Arab swore by the Prophet that the stolen goods were there, for his servant

camel.

had without orders repaired the saddle at Kaslma which being immediately ripped open, the civet was found. Seated at a little distance under the shade of a tree, I had an excellent opportunity of watching the countenance of the accused, who gazed eagerly ;

at the novel search.

The moment

the

first

box was found, he turned round with his back to the party, and throwing himself on the ground, concealed his face in the earth.

All the civet was recovered, but none of the

SACKATOO.

161

gold, the thief continuing to exclaim to his

master, I

am

'

God judge between you and me, I called out to El Wordee

innocent.'

to compel

him at once to produce the gold no longer travel in my kafila,

;

for he could as,

not content with exculpating himself, he

my own

had basely accused one of of the

reluctant to criminate his servant, insisted

on

He

it.

practised

until I

then proposed the

lowing mode of detection, which

monly

servants

El Wordee appeared very

theft.

among

fol-

Arabs.

comThe names is

of each person belonging to the kafila are written on several pieces of paper, and put into an

empty water-skin.

in turn,

is

Each person, then required to blow until he

which they feign every one but the thief can readily do. When all was

inflates the skin,

prepared with

much imposing

formality, the

culprit called to his master, to say he

need not proceed farther, and instantly delivered up the gold, which was secreted about his I asked El Wordee what he intended to do with him ? He said he would

person.

discharge him at Kano. VOL. IV.

'

Do you not m

in-

RETURN FROM

1G2

tend to punish him deserves

It will

it.

V

'

No

not do

:

;

although he

the

man may

and he spoke and bedo me a mischief haved to him afterwards just as if nothing ;'

had happened. This is the uniform custom however great a vagabond a of all Arabs man may be, he is treated with the same civility as if there was nothing to impeach :

his

From

character.

complaisance

I

this

indiscriminate

must except the servants of

the bashaw of Tripoli, who are in the habit of using notorious scoundrels with very little

ceremony. After

we had

finished this affair,

we

left

Burderowa, and travelled through a fine, To-day we passed well cultivated country. kafilas of Tuaricks and merwho were leaving SouGhadamis, chants of

a great

many

dan before the rains. At five in the afternoon we encamped among high ledges of rock, near a little town called Kaffondingee. There were a number of other towns close to it, with fine shady trees in the valleys,

among which in

Mungo

I

saw several

trees described

Park's Travels, under the

name

SACKATOO.

163

of nutta, but here called doura by the naThis tree grows to a greater height

tives.

than our apple-tree,

is

proportionably longer

in the trunk, but does not spread its branches

so widely

:

at present

gathering the

fruit.

are roasted as

and allowed

we

it

was the season for

The beans of the nutta

roast coffee, then bruised,

When

to ferment in water.

they begin to become putrid, they are washed particularly clean,

which

made

is

and pounded into powder,

into cakes

somewhat

in the

These, notwith-

fashion of our chocolate.

standing they retain a disagreeable smell,

form an excellent sauce for all kinds of food. The farinaceous matter in which the bean is

imbedded

is

also

made

into a very pleasant

drunk often, it causes indigestion and enlargement of the spleen. They also make it into a sweetmeat, resembling what is called by the children in Engdrink

land

;

'

but they say,

if

lolly-pops.'

The nutta

tree, as

as the micadania, or butter tree,

is

well

always

allowed to remain on clearing the ground.

The micadania was not but the

fruit

ripe

was exactly

when

like a

m

2

I

saw

it

peach in

RETURN FROM

164 shape, only a

When

ripe,

little

at the end.

more pointed

the outer, pulpy part

bruised, are

and the kernels, previously well

when the skimmed off.

fat

boiled in water, surface

is

eaten,

is

rising to the

not used in

It is

food, but only to burn in lamps, and has the

appearance of dirty

lard.

—The

merchant who joined us outrageous this morning quite was yesterday about a basket of glass armlets which a Tuarick had stolen from under his head while

May

he

19.

I

slept.

certainly gave the thief credit

for his adroitness,

and could not help being

somewhat amused

at the merchant's distress.

me

to stop for a day, to give

He

entreated

him time to overtake the kafila of Tuaricks which had gone northward but this was At six in the morning out of the question. ;

we

left

Kaffondingee, the merchant remain-

ing in our company, as he was afraid to

We

leave me.

arrived at

Duncamee

of the hour,

I

from the lateness enter the town, remaining

all

without pitching

my

tent.

I

found

open

air,

May

20.

— At

sunrise

;

but,

did not

night in the

I

had

SACKATOO.

165

caught a severe cold, from last night's exposure to a strong north-east wind.

We

passed the night at Gadania.

May

—

To-day we had much thunder and lightning, and took up our quarters for the night outside the town of Taffo. May 22. I sent a horseman off at daylight for the purpose of acquainting Hadje Hat Salah and the governor of Kano of my return, as I anxiously expected news from Bornou and Tripoli. Meanwhile I rested under the shade of a tree, until a messenger met me with two letters one from Major 21.

—

—

Denham,

me

sealed with black wax, apprising

of the melancholy fate of

who dauntlessly

a guide, to join Major

Near sunset

I

young

Denham

me

my

at

entered Kano, and

diately proceeded to the house of

Salah,

Toole,

crossed the desert, with only

agent,

who appeared

Kouka.

imme-

Hadje Hat as glad to

had been his own son. Although it was the Rhamadan, he had a sheep killed to give me a feast and pressed me to sit down to table the moment I came It was indeed a severe punishment for in. see

as

if

I

;

RETURN FROM

166 liim to be a "but

mere spectator on

he turned

it

this occasion,

off jocularly, calling out,

Abdallah, eat, for you are a hungry Kafir.' I found that, during my absence, only one '

—

had arrived from Bornou the same wliich had brought me the letters, along with three bottles of port wine, and some

kafila

gunpowder, from

among

Salah,

old Jacob, distress for

Major Denham.

Hat

other news, mentioned that

my servant, had been in great my safety during my absence ;

El Wordee, who and had lost her him, was much attached to reason on hearing we were gone to Youri, and, in this unhappy state, having thrown herself into a well, she had broken one of that a female slave

her arms.

of.

— Cool

and cloudy. I was visited by all the principal Arabs who were in Kano; amongst the rest old Hadje Boo

May

Zaied,

and

is

23.

who has

ever been our staunch friend,

a very worthy man.

He

begged,

with great earnestness, that I would not acquaint the sheikh of Bornou, or the bashaw of Tripoli, of Bello's behaviour to Hadje Ali

167

SACKATOO.

For Boo Zaied's sake

at Sackatoo.

I

pro-

mised to screen liim, unless questions were expressly put to me concerning his conduct,

must speak the truth for he had behaved to me both like a fool and a knave. May 25. To-day I paid up my servants' wages, at the rate of four dollars a month,

when

I

;

—

but reduced them in future one half, notwithstanding which, they were all glad to

remain in

May received

my service.

26.

—

me

I

waited on the governor,

who

with marked kindness, and in-

quired particularly after the health of the

and of the gadado, and how I had fared in crossing the Gondamee, the river between Futche and Sackatoo. May 30. Clear and sultry. I was earsultan

—

nestly solicited

by the people

to refer to

my books, and to ascertain if the new moon would be seen to-day which much longedfor event, I assured them, would take place ;

after sunset, if the

evening was

clear.

This

anxiety was occasioned by the fast of the

Rhamadan then

terminating, and the Aid,,

or great

immediately commencing.

feast,

RETURN FROM

168

The evening turned out cloudy low

spirits

;

May

to

in

—After

the governor

acquaint

new moon had been 31.

were

all

but at midnight a horseman

arrived express that the

:

visible.

the arrival of the horse-

man, nothing was heard but the firing of musketry and shouts of rejoicing. Paying and receiving visits now became a serious In the morning, accompanied occupation. by Hat Salah, I went on horseback to pay

—

my

respects to the governor.

I

accepted

his invitation to ride out with him, according to

their

annual custom, and we proceeded,

to an open space within the city walls,

amid

skirmishing and firing of muskets, attended

by his people on horseback, and the Arabs and principal townsfolk dressed in their gayest raiments

—

muster a horse

mounted.

all

who

could possibly

for

the

occasion being

The most conspicuous person

the whole procession was a

back

in quilted armour,

man on

who rode

in

horse-

before the

governor, bearing a two-handed sword.

reaching the plain, the governor

On

made a

speech to the people, declaring his intention

SACKATOO. attack Duntungua,

to

every

man

to

exert

169

when he expected his utmost prowess.

Their sons, too, should not, as in times past,

be

left

behind, but would accompany

them

to the war, and learn to fight the battles of their

country under the eyes of their parents.

home in the same order. work was laid aside for three days. Men, women, and children, in their finest clothes, a number of paraded through the town Afterwards we rode

All

;

slaves were also set free, according to the

custom of Mahometans at this holy season. The owner of my house freed fifteen. June L I visited the governor to take

—

He

was very kind, and after inquiring if I should ever return, begged me to remember him to his friend the sheikh El Kanemy, and expressed his hope I would leave.

give a favourable account of the people I

had

visited.

I

assured him, as to the last

particular, I could not

do otherwise, as

I

had

everywhere experienced the greatest civility. He then repeated the Fatah, and I bade him farewell.

June 3.— At ten

in the

morning

I left

RETURN FROM

170

Kano, and was accompanied some miles by Hadje Hat Salali and all my friends on Before Hat Salah

horseback.

my

called all

them he

left

me, he

servants before him, and told

trusted they would behave well

faithfully

;

for, as

they had

seen,

I

and

was the

servant of a great king, the friend of the

bashaw of Tripoli, and had been passed from one sultan to another consequently, any misbehaviour of theirs, on a complaint from me, would be severely punished. We ;

only travelled a short

way

before halting,

for the heat of the day, under a shady tree.

In the afternoon we again at sunset

Duakee. June 4.

encamped

set forward,

outside

the

and

town of

—This morning we passed through

the walled town of Sockwa, which

is

now

reduced to a few huts inhabited by slaves

and halting

for the heat of the

tamarind-tree,

we

;

day under a

pitched our tents at sunset

under the walls of Girkwa, not far from the banks of the river. The people were dancing in honour of the Aid. The dance was performed by

men armed

with

sticks,

who

171

SACKATOO.

springing alternately from one foot to the freother, while dancing round in a ring,

quently flourished their sticks in the air, or clashed them together with a loud noise. Sometimes a dancer jumped out of the circle,

and spinning round on

his heel for several

Ms head minutes, made he rapidity at the same time with equal centre would then rejoin the dance. In the the of the ring there were two drummers, were They ground. the drums standing on made of a hollow block of wood about three his stick whirl above

;

feet high, with a

the top

by means

skin

drawn tensely over

of braces.

A great con-

witness course of natives were assembled to the exhibition.

June 5.— Morning cloudy. At six in the morning we left Girkwa, and reposing ourunder some selves during the heat of the day tamarind-trees sarina,

we encamped

fields

planting grain.

is

very simple.

scrapes up a

little

the villages of

Nan-

at sunset in the woods.

inhabitants were

The ing

among

now very busy in the Their mode of plant-

A

man

with a hoe

mould at regular

intervals,

RETURN FROM

172

and

followed by a

is

6eed, of

woman

carrying the

which she throws a few grains into

each hole, and treads

down

the mould over

them with her feet. June 6. At noon we halted

—

town

in the

of Sangeia, the governor of which was at

Kano

;

so I fortunately escaped the pain of

hearing his squeaking voice.

We

encamped

for the night in the woods.

June

7.

— At

one in the afternoon-

halted outside the town of

Katun gwa.

sunset two horsemen arrived at

full gallop,

with the news of the governor of

having taken a town,

we At

Kano

at a very short distance

Duntungua. June 8. Everywhere the inhabitants were busily employed clearing the ground, and burning the weeds and stubble, prepato the north, from the rebel

—

ratory to sowing grain. selves from the

We

sheltered our-

mid-day heat under the shade

of a tamarind-tree, in the province of Sherra,

and halted

for the night outside the

Boosuea.

A

town of

son of the governor of Sherra

was here, attended by a number of horsemen, and a band of music. He drank coffee

SACKAT00. with me, and

173

was in turn regaled with

I

music the greater part of the night.

The

flutes and long by the natives frum-

instruments were chiefly

wooden

pipes, called

frum.

— —

June 9. At sunset we arrived at the town of Dugwa. June 10. At daybreak we left Dugwa, and travelled through a thickly wooded country. It rained all day, and we also had some thunder and lightning. At seven in the evening

we

arrived at

Murmur.

I

heard,

Kano, that a kafila of Arabs, belonging to Augela, had destroyed the clay wall around Dr. Oudney's grave, and made a fire at

over

telling

it,

Kafir.

the inhabitants he was a

This report, to

found to be

June 11.

—At

sunrise I

vernor, to inquire

outrage when he ;

my

great regret, I

true.

sent for the go-

who had committed

protested

it

the

was the Arabs,

and not the people of the town.

I felt

so

indignant at this wanton act of barbarity, I could not refrain from applying my horsewhip across the governor's shoulders, and threatened to report him to his superior, the

RETURN FROM

174 o-overnor of

Katagum, and

also to despatch

sultan, unless a letter on the subject to the which, the wall was immediately rebuilt: faithwith slavish submission, he promised

During I sent Katagum, my halt at noon, near Dumbojee forward to inform Duncawa, the to see

fully

governor, of I heard that

and

I

done without delay.

my

he was on

nad scarcely

before he

In the afternoon

return. his

left

meet me

way

to

my

resting-place

;

by horsemen, who, when they saw

made

his appearance, attended

about thirty me, came up at

full

gallop,

brandisliing

I presented the governor with their spears. hundred Goora nuts, every one of which

a

he distributed amongst his people. He gave me many very hearty welcomes, and made numerous inquiries about Bello, and his beHe and his people now galhaviour to me. loped into the town, yelling and skirmishand although the governor had been ing sick for some time past, he appeared as ;

and cheerful as any of them. Duncawa j une 12. Warm and sultry. me, informed and day, all remained with me conduct that he had the sultan's orders to lively

—

SACKATOO.

me

to

175

Kouka, in Bornou.

This mark of

respect I positively declined, both on ac-

count of his recent

illness,

and

also lest his

presence might give umbrage to the sheikh;

but agreed to accept from him an escort

through the Bede

when once

in

territory.

Bomou,

I

assured him,

that I felt myself as

If he insisted, howon somebody accompanying me, he might, if he pleased, send one of his prinsafe as in his house. ever,

cipal people.

of the insult grave,

—

I

made a formal complaint

committed to Dr. Oudney's

enforcing, in the strongest terms,

the disgrace of disturbing the ashes of the

whose immortal part was now beyond the power of malignant man. He frankly acknowledged the enormity of the act, and dead,

faithfully

— even

promised to have the wall

rebuilt,

offering to send for the governor of

Murmur, and

to have

him punished

the same time, begging

me

;

but, at

not to acquaint

the sidtan of the occurrence.

I

expressed

my reliance him affair.

I

on his assurances, but apprised must inform the gadado of the

I afterwards spent the

Hameda.

evening with

RETURN FROM

176

—

June 13. There was a fresh breeze in but it afterwards began to the morning Duncawa being laid up from lamerain. ness, I had a day's rest, and again spent ;

the evening with

Hameda.

The conversa-

tion turning on the trustworthiness of slaves,

he mentioned to me, that his servants never knew in what apartment of his house he and that he even lay with a dagger, slept pistols, under his pillow, lest he loaded and ;

should be murdered by his female slaves. He also acquainted me, that almost all the for it was chiefly Arabs did the same reason to fear, the had they whom females night by at master being often strangled ;

the

women

of his household.

—

June 14. Duncawa visited me again, and made me a present of two tobes, two sheep, and a large quantity of Guinea corn, and gave a tobe to each of

my

servants.

I

presented him with six hundred Goora nuts,

having brought a large supply of them from

Kano. June

15.

continuing

—

I

had everything prepared

for

my journey, but Duncawa pressed

SACKAT00.

me

177

to spend another day with him,

and

I

availed myself of the delay to write to Bello

and the gadado.

returned

I

my

humble

thanks to the former for his protection and favour while I sojourned in his territories ;

and, in acknowledging the uniform kindness

of the latter, I did not

fail

to acquaint

him

of the outrage committed on Dr. Oudney's grave. I delivered these letters to the charge

of Dumbojee,

who,

orders, took leave of

made him

having

me

here,

fulfilled

his

having

first

a present of a couple of tobes and

forty dollars.

My

guide,

Mahomed Dum-

had now become rich and gay, hava numerous train of attendants ing for at every townwhere we halted, the governor was bound in courtesy to make him a present, in token of respect for the sulbojee,

;

tan.

Having

sent

my

camels forward,

I went Duncawa, who was still house by illness. He made

to bid farewell to

confined to his

me

breakfast with

Um.

Our

breakfast con-

sisted of a sheep's head, singed in the

manner as VOL.

IV.

is

practised in Scotland

—a N

same

sheep's

RETURN FROM

178

— and bread and milk.

I was accompafriend Hameda, my by nied across the Yeou and Duncawa's horsemen, who all wished

fr y

to be allowed to attend

me

Sanson

to

but I

;

excused myself from this guard of honour, at once troublesome and expensive, by pre-

was unlucky to go beyond the banks of a river with a friend. Attended only by one of Duncawa's principal men, I passed the thick woods on the bank of the tending

river,

it

and, halting under a tamarind tree

during the heat of the day, I encamped towards evening at a village called Mica.

June

17.

—

I started at daylight, and, as

the weather was cloudy and rather windy, I I was did not halt before reaching Sansan.

here provided with very indifferent accommodation but, on threatening I would en;

outside the town, the governor received me into his own house, according to Duncawa's orders, and also made me a pre-

camp

sent of a sheep. storm,

At night there was a

with thunder and

poor lad Joseph, who had

Kouka by

the late Dr.

violent

lightning.

The

been lured

Oudney

at

to tend the

SACKATOO. camels, was out

all

179

.

night with them.

a native of Fezzan, and half an

Being idiot,

lie

was here considered a holy man, and I still retained him in my service out of charity. It was he who gave me an account of the people of Bede, as he had been a slave among them and related his story with ;

such artless simplicity, that

on

its

I implicitly rely

correctness.

—

June 18. Cool and cloudy. I heard today of a courier being delayed on his route, by his camel's being knocked up and as Duncawa was also preparing a present for the sheikh El Kanemy, I postponed my de;

parture yet another day.

June

19.

—At eleven

in the forenoon the

courier arrived, bringing a sabre as a presultan Bello, and Major Denham, the consul at

sent for the

the secretary of state.

day

I set off

on

my

letters

Accordingly

return to

from

Tripoli, at

and mid-

Katagum,

in

order to have the sword forwarded to Bello

by Duncawa. At ten in the morning I entered Katagum, and immediately waited on Duncawa to

N

2

RETURN FROM

180

acquaint him with the cause of my return. I showed him the sword, and explaining to

him

the

manner of attaching the

belt,

he

expressed himself in terms of the highest admiration of both sheath and sabre and, looking again and again at the ornaments, ;

he frequently asked,

He

'

Is not this all gold?'

sent instantly for the cadi,

letter

in

my name

much

In

and the sword.

it

with

another thunder-storm,

the evening,

a

Bello, and a courier

to

was despatched with

who wrote

rain.

June 21.

— At

one in the afternoon I

arrived again at Sansan.

June 22.

— Clear

and

sultry.

I

was

fur-

ther detained on account of the present for the sheikh not being ready. June 23. Morning cloudy. At seven

—

in the morning

left

I

Sansan, attended by

part of the escort which was

through the Bede

by a

violent

vomiting.

territory,

noon

to stop about

to

conduct

Girkwa,

at the village of

attack

Previous

of ague to

me

and was obliged and

starting,

joined by two merchants of Tripoli,

bilious I

was

who had

SACKAT00. been

at

181

Kano, and begged to be allowed

place themselves under

my

to

protection during

this perilous part of the journey.

June 24.

—Cool

At ten in Boorum,

and cloudy.

the morning halted at the village of to

fill

our water-skins, and afterwards tra-

At

velled through a thick wood.

we

sunset

pitched our tents in the woods.

The

night was extremely boisterous, with rain, thunder, and lightning, and violent squalls of wind

;

and

my

tent being blown down,

the bag-g-age was drenched with water.

—

June 25. Next morning we continued route through a thick wood, and halted our at Joba during the heat of the day, when I had my baggage dried in the sun. We still travelled through a thick wood, and at seven in the evening encamped at a village Rain, thunder, and lightcalled Gorbua.

ning,

all

night.

June 26.

— Cloudy,

the morning town,' as

it is

I

left

At

with rain.

Gorbua, or

ironically

'

ten in

the strong

called in the Bor-

nouese language, from being enclosed with matting. Our road, still winding and woody,

RETURN FROM

182

led through the set

we

Bede

territory

and

;

at sun-

town on

reached Guba, a small

the

south bank of the Yeou, within the dominions of Bornou.

June 27.

—The forenoon was

obliged us to remain

afternoon

when

;

we loaded

at

Guba

rainy,

till

which

one in the

the weather clearing up,

the camels, and crossing to the

north bank of the channel of the river,

we travelled east by town of Muznee, where we

which was now south to

the

dry,

halted for the night.

June 28.

— Cloudy,

with rain.

We

tra-

velled eastward along a crooked path, full of holes, and overgrown with brushwood,

and took up our abode

for the

night at the

town of Redwa. An officer of the sultan of Bornou was here, collecting his master's dues, and sent me milk, onions, and six and I presented him, in return, with fifteen Goora nuts. June 29. After travelling east by north, we halted at noon at Kukabonee, or wood and fish,' a large town on the south bank of

fowls

;

—

'

the Yeou.

We next

passed Magawin, and

183

SACKATOO.

a number of other villages and towns on the banks of the river, which we bad not visited last before, when we accompanied the sheikh year.

June

30.— Cool and

at ten in the

We

cloudy.

morning at Dungamee,

halted in con-

sequence of heavy rain with thunder and lightning, which continued without intermission

July

and

day.

all l.

—Clear.

At

sultry.

The weather was hot we arrived at Mu-

sunset

hippopotamus which was swimming in a lake, of which there are many in this part of the country I seemed I shot at a

gabee.

;

quickly disappeared. July 2.— Stopped for the day to allow the

to hit

it,

but

it

camels to have food and July

3.

gabee we met vernor of

on

rest.

— Between Gateramaran and MuMalam Fanamee,

Munga, who had been

a visit to the sheikh.

He

to

the go-

Kouka

was a dirty-

looking old man, preceded by a drummer beating a drum, and attended by a parcel of

armed with bows and encamped at night in a wood.

ragged followers, spears.

We

RETURN FROM

184

July

—At

4.

mid-day we halted on" the

banks of the Yeou

:

in the afternoon there

was thunder, lightning, and rain. A dealer in fish, who had joined our party, solicited me in vain to pursue a route through a town named Sucko, where he was going, promising

me

a sheep, with plenty of milk, as

an inducement.

We

passed another night

in the woods.

— Clear

and cool. At ten in the morning we halted and filled our waterskins, and I here shot a hare and two Guineafowls. About an hour after starting we had heavy squalls of wind, with thunder and rain the storm was so violent, that the camels lay down with their burdens, and my horse would neither move forward, nor face the storm, in spite of all I could do. It was an hour before we were able to resume our journey, and at eight in the evening we enJuly

5.

:

camped

in the woods.

road being passed,

my

The dangers of two fellow

the merchants before mentioned,

the

travellers, left

me

at

midnight on account of the want of water. July 6. To-day I shot a fine male mohur, -

—

joajot-^JifUmm,.

AkASjJUSM/

£tuj raved by££iiid*n.

BUSES'

M>JSEAIHI5}irJE2E) a

%h JfKWEMY.

JRlhlisfud

/'(

John Murray. jiU'Cnmrlc Slrcct,Zotu-um,I630

SACKAT00.

185

or beautiful red and white antelope

;

a female

only of which species I had once shot at Woodie. At noon we took shelter under the walls of Borgee from heavy squalls of

wind and sand, but without rain. At sunset we encamped near a well where there had been a great fall of rain, and all the hollows were filled with water. To roast our mohur a large fire was kindled in a hole made in the sand, on which it was placed, and then covered over with hot embers but in the morning, to our great disappointment, ;

nothing remained of our prize but the naked skeleton.

July

7.

—At noon we

halted at the wells

of Barta, and encamped at night at the wells and town of Calawawa. At eight in the morning I reJuly 8. turned to Kouka Major Denham was ab-

—

:

sent on a journey round the east

side of the

Tchad. Hillman, the naval carpenter, was busily employed in finishing a covered cart, to be used as a carriage or conveyance for

the sheikh's wives

:

the workmanship, con

sidering his materials, reflected the greatest

18 G

RETURN FROM SACKATOO.

on his ingenuity; the wheels were hooped with iron, and it was extremely strong, though neither light nor handsome. n the afternoon I waited on the July 9. sheikh, who was very kind in his inquiries after my health, and expressed much regret at Dr. Oudney's death. July 10.— To-day the sheikh sent me three pairs of slippers, two loaves of sugar, and a supply of coffee and two days afterwards a sheep, two bags of wheat, and a jar credit

—

;

of honey.

CAPTAIN CLAPPERTON'S SECOND EXPEDITION INTO THE

NTERIOR OF AFRICA, WITH AN

ACCOUNT OF HIS DEATH, FROM THE

JOURNAL OF RICHARD LANDER, HIS SERVANT.

FROM THE QUARTERLY REVIEW.

JOURNEY FROM THE BIGHT OF BENIN TO SACKATOO.

When Denham tral

and Clapperton returned

their successful mission into the cen-

from

parts of Northern

back a

brought

letter

Africa,

from

the

latter

the

Bello,

Sultan of the Fellans, or Felatas, resident at Sackatoo, addressed to the

King

of

Eng-

land, in consequence of conversations that had passed between him and Clapperton.

In that things

:

letter

the

sultan

proposed three

— the establishment of a friendly

tercourse between the two nations, by

of a consul,

of

Eaka

;

—the

described,

to be

who was

in-

means

to reside at the seaport

delivery of certain presents

at the port of

Funda, supposed

somewhere near Whidah

;

— and the

proliibition of the exportation of slaves,

by

any of the Houssa merchants, to Atagher

Dahomey, or Ashantee.

FROM BENIN

190

On

the arrival of Clapperton in England,

Lord Bathurst, then secretary of

state for

the colonies, conceived these proposals to afford a fair opportunity for endeavouring

to carry into effect objects of such consider-

and Clapperton immevolunteered his services on the

able importance diately

He

occasion.

;

had arranged with Bello,

that his messengers should, about a certain time, be at Whidah, to conduct the presents

and the bearers of them to Sackatoo. Clapperton was allowed to take with him, on this novel and hazardous enterprise, two one of whom was Captain associates Pearce, of the navy, an excellent draughts;

man; and

the other, Dr. Morrison, a sur-

geon in the navy, well versed in various and, at his branches of natural history of fellow-countryman, a request, particular as a served the name of Dickson, who had ;

surgeon in the West Indies, was added to the

list.

gentlemen, with their servants, embarked on his majesty's ship Brazen, on

These

the 25th of August,

1825, and arrived off

TO SACKATOO.

191

the 26th of the following NoMr. Dickson, for some reason or other, landed at Whidah, and proceeded, in

Whidah on vember.

company with a Portuguese, of the name of De Sousa, to Dahomey, where the latter had resided for some time Here he was well received, and sent forward, with a suitable escort, to a place called Shar, seventeen days' journey from

Dahomey, where he

also

arrived in safety, and thence proceeded, with

another escort, towards Youri, but has not since been heard of.

The Brazen proceeded

with the rest to the river Benin, or For-

mosa, where they met with an English merchant of the name of Houtson, who advised

them by no means to think of proceeding by that river, as the king bore a particular hatred to the English, for their exertions in putting a stop to the slave-trade

he (Mr. Houtson) know how

far,

;

nor did

or in what

might lead them. He recommended Badagry as the nearest and most convenient spot to proceed from, with and offered to acsafety, into the interior direction, that river

;

FROM BENIN

192

tliem to a certain distance, which

company offer It

was accepted. appears that their inquiries at

Whklah

and his messengers were entirely equally so as to Funda or and fruitless; Raka names never heard of on that part of

after Bello

—

the

coast.

It

is

now known

that

these

places are near two hundred miles inland, and that Raka is not even on the banks of

and that neither of them were then under the dominion of Bello. any

river

On

;

the 7th of

December they commenced

their journey from Badagry, accompanied by their servants, and a Houssa black, of the name of Pascoe, who had been lent from one of the king's ships to accompany the late Belzoni as interpreter. Clap-

perton was attended by his faithful servant,

Richard Lander, to whose care and

we

cretion

are

entirely

indebted for the

Journal of this expedition. distance place,

Bawie.

they

proceeded

dis-

in

For a short canoes to

a

where a great market is held, called The banks of the creek are repre-

TO SACKATOO.

193

sented as low, and covered with reeds and from the following sentence we are persuaded that this is the spot where the seeds of those diseases were sown, on the very;

first night of their journey, which speedily proved so fatal to a part, and eventually to the whole of the company The morning :

thick and hazy

—

'

and though sleeping close to the river, in the open air, for the first time since we have been on shore, we did not hear the

How

;

hum

of a single mosquito.'

an old naval surgeon, and two expe-

rienced naval

officers, could commit such an imprudence, in such a climate, is to us most

surprising,

are well

when most dreadful consequences

known

to have almost invariably resulted from such a practice in tropical cli-

The next night

mates.

slept in the

open

(the 9th) they

again

air, in the

market-place of Dagmoo, a large town where they might have had as many houses as they wanted.

On

the

fever

10 th Clapperton was seized with and ague. On the 12th, Dr. Mor-

rison was attacked with fever.

On

the 13th,

Captain Pearce was severely indisposed vol. iv.

o

FROM BENIN

294

Lander was taken and, on the 14th, Richard On the 23d, Dr. Morrison, after being ill. to the distance of carried in a hammock himself worse, finding about seventy miles, called Jannah; requested to return to a town Houtson accompanied him. The '

and Mr. servants died next day one of the

;

and,

on

27th, Captain Pearce the evening of the The death of Captain his last. '

breathed

Pearce,' says Clapperton,

much

concern

;

for,

has caused

'

independently

amiable qualities as a friend

me

of his

and companion,

talents, his he was eminently fitted, be of sinto perseverance, and his fortitude, and, on these service to the mission

by his

eular

;

as the greatest accounts, I deplore his loss as regards my both sustained, I could have service.' public the private feelings and of following morning, the remains prein lamented officer were interred

The tins

people of the town. sence of all the principal by the inharound staked The grave was An init. over bitants, and a shed built at placed board, scription was carved on a I being the head of the grave, by Lander—'

TO SACKATOO. unable,' says Clapperton,

to

Two

sit up.'

195

to assist, or even

'

days after

this,

Mr. Hout-

son returned, with the information of Dr. Morrison having died at Jannah, on the

same day

as Captain Pearce,

Ms remains

where he had

—the

decently interred

people

town attending the ceremony. These unfortunate officers had been con-

of the

veyed thus

far,

about

seventy

miles,

in

hammocks, by the people of the country everywhere experiencing the kindest attentions, lodged in the best houses, and supplied with afforded.

to

everything

that

the

country

Clapperton was able occasionally

on horseback, and sometimes to but greatly debilitated, and not free

ride

walk from fever. He describes the country between Badagry and Jannah, the frontier ;

town of the abounding

in

kingdom population,

of

Yourriba,

well

as

cultivated

with plantations of Indian corn, different kinds of millet, yams, and plantains, whereever the surface was free from dense forests

-

Everywhere on the road the party was met by numbers of people, chiefly women, o 2

FROM BENIN

19 q

on their heads, bearing loads of produce and delighted obliging, and always cheerful singing in frequently to see white men, hands, and clapchorus, holding up both as they passed ping them as tokens of joy, and whole groups kneeling down, "

along,

good journey. and wishing the travellers a and Towns and villages were very frequent conto some of the former were estimated ;

souls. from eight to fifteen thousand but immense, were crowds the At Jannah, see to amused highly extremely civil, and

tain

white men. In the evening

Mr. Houtson and I town we were took a walk through the which gacrowd, immense followed by an civil very all but thered as we went along, '

:

;

the

men

taking off their caps, the

women

elbow, the kneeling on their knees and one hand. In other elbow resting upon the market, the through returning we came well supwhich, though nearly sunset, was procloths, plied with raw cotton, country

and fruit, such as oranges, limes, such plantains, bananas; and vegetables,

vision,

TO SACKATOO. as small "onions, shalots, for soups

:

also, boiled

197

pepper and gums

yams, and accassons*.

Here the crowd rolled on like a sea, the men jumping over the provision baskets, the boys dancing under the

the women who were look-

stalls,

bawling, and saluting those

ing after their scattered goods, yet no word or look of disrespect to us.'

Of the honesty the tain

kingdom

Clapperton

mony

:

—

'

I

of the black population of

or province of Badagry,

Cap-

gives the following testi-

cannot omit bearing testimony

to the singular aird perhaps unprecedented fact, that

we have

already travelled sixty

miles in eight days, with a numerous- and

heavy baggage,

and

about

ten

different

relays of carriers, without losing so

much

as the value of a shilling, public or private

\

a circumstance evincing not only somewhat more than common honesty in the inhabitants, but a degree of subordination and regular government which could not have

been supposed to exist amongst a people hitherto considered barbarians. Humanity, * Paste of pounded Indian corn, wrapped in a particular leaf.

FROM BENIN

198

however,

is

ment may

the

same in every land

;

govern-

restrain the vicious principles of

our nature, but it is beyond the power even of African despotism to silence a woman's

and in health, and at every stage, we have been obliged to endure their eternal loquacity and noise.'

tongue

;

in sickness

people of Jannah are ingenious as They are excellent as industrious.

The Avell

wood: all their doors, drums, and wooden utensils, being covered with &c. Nufigures of men, snakes, crocodiles, someoperation— in were merous looms

carvers in

one house; their of cotton-cloths good in texture, and some shuttles them very fine. Their looms and same prinare described as being on the times

eight or ten

ciple with the

in

common

English loom, but

inches in the warp seldom more than four of indigo, They have abundance of width.

an excellent

quality.

The women

are ge-

weavers. nerally the dyers, and boys the

They

also manufacture

a tolerable kind of

earthenware.

The

town, old caboceer, or chief of the

199

TO SACKATOO.

was delighted to see the strangers, assigned them good lodgings, and sent thither hogs, ducks, pigeons, plantains, yams, and whatever the place would afford while his numerous wives, about two hundred, wel;

On being of joy. an Englishman had only one wife, he and the whole crowd, particularly The old his wives, laughed immoderately. gentleman wore a rich crimson damask

comed them with songs informed that

robe and a red velvet cap but during the ceremony of reception he changed his dress ;

three different times, each time increasing

the splendour of Ins appearance. '

The whole

filled,

court,

which was

large,

was

crowded, crammed, with people, ex-

cept a space in front where

we

sat, into

which his highness led Mr. Houtson and myself, one in each hand, and there we performed an African dance, to the great deThe light of the surrounding multitude. formed have doubtless would ensemble tout

and

an

excellent subject for a caricaturist,

we

regretted the absence of Captain Pearce

to sketch off the old black caboceer, sailing

FROM BENIN

200 majestically

around in his damask robe,

with a train-bearer behind him,

now and

then turning up his old withered

face to myself, then to

whisking round on one slow, with in his

—

and every

solemn

gait,

proud that

dance with him.

a

We

Mr. Houtson, then then marching twining our hands

foot,

man

white

gave

should

in to the

hu-

mours of the day, and thus " cheered we our old friend, and he was cheered." The approach to Emmadoo is described '

as

extremely beautiful,

through

a

long,

broad, and majestic avenue of trees, at the

end of which a stockade, eighteen feet high; and another of the same kind, at the distance of a hundred

with a wicker gate, paces,

The

defend

surface

the entrance

of

of the adjoining

the town.

country

is

broken into gentle hills and dales, a small stream of water running ihrough every little valley.

tion

began

Assulah ditch,

is

At Afoora to

show

the granite forma-

itself.

The town of

surrounded with a wall and a

and may contain

six

thousand people.

Assonda, another walled town, had about

TO SACKATOO. ten

thousand

201

At both the

inhabitants.

party was abundantly supplied with provisions

;

and regaled with dancing and singby the apparently

ing the whole night,

happy inhabitants. The appearance of the country improved they had now as our travellers advanced ;

reached the mountainous range, the width of which is stated to be about eighty miles.

The highest point would appear not ceed two thousand

five

hundred

to

ex-

feet at that

where the travellers crossed them and the road, by the edge of the hills and through the valleys, not more than one thousand five hundred. The valleys were part

planted with cotton, corn, yams, and planand on the tops and hollows of the tains ;

hills

were perched the houses and villages

of the proprietors of these plantations.

The

town of Duffoo in these mountains

said

to have a souls;

is

population of fifteen thousand

and Chiadoo, seven thousand. On latter, Clapperton was

departing from the attended by the of people,

of

chief, all

and an immense train and sexes, with

ages

FROM BENIN

202

drums, horns, and gongs, making a strange

when mingled with the voices of the women. The highest summit of these is between Erawa and Chaki. through this mountain pass was

agreeable

discord

mountains '

The road grand and

imposing, sometimes rising almost perpendicularly, and then descending in the midst of rocks into deep dells

;

then winding beauti-

round the side of a steep hill, the rocks above overhanging us in fearful uncertainty. In every cleft of the hills, wherever there fully

appeared the least soil, were cottages, surrounded by small plantations of millet, yams, or plantains, giving a beautiful variety to The road continued the rude scenery.

two and po-

rising, hill above hill, for at least above

miles, until our arrival at the large

pulous town of Chaki, situated on the top On every hand, of the very highest hill.

on the hills, on the rocks, and crowding on the road, the inhabitants were assembled the women welcoming us in thousands ;

with ^holding up their hands and chanting choral songs, and the men with the usual

203

TO SACKATOO.

and every demonstration of joy. of The caboceer was seated on the outside his ladies, his his house, surrounded by his drums, women, singing and singing men salutations,

and gong-gongs. He is a good-lookand has a ing man, about fifty years of age, His house was all pleasing countenance. fifes,

ordered ready for us and he immediately yams; and sheep, goats, of us a large supply ;

or two pressing us strongly to stay a day us as consider He appeared to with him. to

messengers of peace, come with blessings Indeed, a belief is his king and country. gone bevery prevalent, and seems to have charged are we that fore us all the way, wherpeace make commission to with

a

war and to do good to every The cacountry through which we pass. and us so boceer of this town indeed told war the settle should we hoped that

ever there

is

;

;

said he

the Fellatah; with the Nyffee people and slaves, who and the rebellion of the Houssa of Yarriba. have risen against the king When I shook hands with him, he passed his chiefs, as his hand over the heads of

204

FROM BENIN'

confirming on them a white man's

He

was more

blessing-.

and more communicative than any one whom we have yet

He

seen.

inquisitive

sat until near midnight,

talking

and inquiring about England. On asking if he would send one of Ids sons to see our country, he rose up with alacrity, and said he would go himself. He inquired how

many

wives an Englishman had?

told only one, he

Being seemed much astonished,

and laughed

greatly, as did all his people. does he do," said he, " when one of his wives has a child ? Our caboceer has two thousand.'"

"

What

The town of Koosoo, at the northern termination of the mountains, is stated to be the largest that our traveller yet had seen,

and supposed to contain twenty thousand inhabitants. Next to it was Yaboo, another large town, and then Ensookosoo, between which and the former is a beautiful plain,

well cultivated and studded with a number of Fellatah villages, whose inhabitants are living

here, as they do in most parts of Soudan, a quiet and harmless pastoral life,

TO SACKATOO.

205

unmolested by the black natives, and not interfering with any of the negro customs.

From hence to the capital of Yourriba, is named Eyeo, or Katun ga, many

which

of the villages were deserted, and the towns,

more

or less, in ruins, from the incursions

of the more warlike Felatahs of Sackatoo,

and the insurrectionary slaves of Houssa, who had laid waste the country. Town followed town in quick succession, but all of them had suffered from the recent incursions.

The approach

to the

town

through a beautiful valley,

of '

Tshow was

planted with

large shady trees and bananas, having green

and sheets of water running through the centre, where the dingy beauties of Tshow were washing their well-formed limbs, while the sheep and goats were graz-

plots

ing around on the verdant banks.' This picture of repose is stated, however, to be frequently disturbed by inroads from the neighbouring kingdom of Borgho, the natives of

which are described as thieves and and as our traveller was now

plunderers

;

FROM BENIN

206 close

to

on

its

borders, he thought

however, a

chief,

it

necessary

In the evening,

brush up his arms.

with a large

escort of

horse and foot, arrived from Katun ga, to conduct him safely to the king. They were so numerous that they ate up all the proevery corner was visions of this small town and they kept drumming, filled with them '

;

;

On blowing, dancing and singing all night. leaving this place, the road through which '

'

we

passed was wide, though woody, and

covered by

on

foot.

men on

horseback, and

The horsemen, armed

bowmen

witli

two or

three long spears, hurrying on as fast as they could get us to go horns and country drums blowing and beating before and be;

some of the horsemen dressed in the most grotesque manner others covered all The bowmen also had over with charms. their natty little hats and feathers, with the jebus, or leathern pouch, hanging by their hind

;

;

These men always appeared to me to side. be the best troops in this country and Soudan, from their lightness and activity. The horsemen, however, are but ill mounted ;

TO SACKATOO. the animals are their saddles so

207

small and badly dressed, ill

secured, and the rider

so clumsily on his seat, that any

sits

lishman who lish saddle,

would upset one of them the

charge with a long

They soon which

is

Eng-

ever rode a horse with an Engfirst

stick.'

arrived at the gate of

Katun ga,

said to be delightfully situated at

the point of a granite range of

hills

:

a band

of music accompanied them, followed by an

immense multitude of men, women, and They proceeded about five miles children. in the city before they reached the residence

of the king,

who was

seated under a veran-

dah, with two red and

two blue umbrellas,

supported on long poles held by slaves. The chiefs were observed to be holding a parley

with the king, which Clapperton conjectured to relate to Ms being desired to per-

form the usual ceremony of prostration. " I told them," says he, " if any such thing was proposed, I should instantly go back that all the ceremony I would submit to would be to take off my hat, make a bow, and shake hands with his majesty, if he '

;

FROM BENIN

208 pleased."

we

This being granted,

went

ingly

forward

the

;

king's

accordpeople

had a great deal to do to make way amongst the crowd, and allow us to go Sticks and whips were in regular order. good-naused, though generally in a and I cannot help remarktured manner ing on this, as on all other occasions ;

of this land, that the Yourribas appear to

—

kind to their wives one another and that the government, though absolute, is conbe a mild, kind people

and children, and

—

to

ducted with the greatest mildness.'

This ceremony of prostration before the

king

is

required from

all.

The

chiefs

who

pay their court, cover themselves with dust, and then fall fiat on their bellies, having first practised the ceremony, in order

come

to

before a large, fat eunuch.

to be perfect,

The king of Yourriba made a point of our traveller staying to witness a theatrical en-

tertainment. park,

in

clumps of that of a

a

It

was exhibited

square

space,

in the king's

surrounded by

The first performance was number of men dancing and turntrees.

TO SACKATOO.

209

bling about in sacks, having their heads fantastically decorated with strips of rags, damask silk, and cotton of variegated colours

and they performed to admiration. The second exhibition was hunting the boa snake, by the men in the sacks. The huge snake, it seems, went through the motions of this kind of reptile,

manner, though full

able.'

some

in a very natural appeared to be rather '

opening and shutting its in the most natural manner imaginA running fight ensued, which lasted

in the

mouth

it

time,

belly,

till

at

length the chief of the

bag -men contrived to scotch his tail with a tremendous sword, when he gasped, twisted up, and seemed in great torture, endeavouring to bite Ms assailants, who hoisted him on their shoulders, and bore him off in triumph.

'The festivities of the day concluded with the exhibition of the white devil,

which had the appearance of a human figure in white wax, looking miserably thin, and as its

if

starved with cold, taking snuff, rubbing

hands, treading the ground as

footed,

VOL.

if

tender-

and evidently meant to burlesque IV.

p

FROM BENIN

210

aud

ridicule a white

man, while

his sable

majesty frequently appealed to Clapperton whether it was not well performed. After in chorus, and this, the king's women sang were accompanied by the whole crowd.

The

city of

Eyeo, called in the Houssa

language Katunga, has a thick belt of wood round the walls, which are built of clay, about twenty feet high, and surrounded by

a dry ditch

;

they are

fifteen

miles in cir-

cumference, and are entered by ten gates. The houses are of clay with thatched roofs. The posts that support the verandahs and the

doors are carved in bas

relief,

with

or a figures of the boa killing an antelope

by their hog, with warriors accompanied held markets, seven has drummers, &c. It exposed for yams, corn, calavances, bananas, vege-

every evening, in which sale

are

goats, table butter, seeds of the colocynth, fowls, sheep, cotton cloths,

and various im-

plements of agriculture. The country produces small horses, but fine homed cattle, many of them with humps on their shoulders sheep, hogs, muslike those of Abyssinia ;

covy

211

pigeons,

and turkeys.

fowls,

clucks,

They have

TO SACKATOO.

various kinds of fruit, such as

oranges, limes, and, so

The

pears and apples.

Clapperton

indigo are extensively cultivated

commerce with the

says,

cotton plant and

coast

is

;

but the

almost exclu-

which are given in exchange rum, tobacco, European cloth, and cowries. This intercourse, which is constant, is entirely by land, either from Badagry, sively in slaves, for

Lagos, or Dahomy.

The

price of a slave

at Jannah, as nearly as could be calculated,

was from slaves,

31.

misconduct.

may

to

4Z.

sterling

however, are never

In

fact, the

;

their domestic

sold,

except for

whole population

be considered in a state of slavery,

either to the king, or his caboceers.

The

features of the Yourriba people are described

as being less characteristic of the negro than those of Badagry

;,

the lips less thick, and

the nose inclined to the aquiline

;

the

men

well made, and of an independent carriage

the

women

of a

more coarse appearance,

probably from drudgery and exposure to the sun. p 2

FROM BENIN

212

Though Clapperton remained

at

Katunga

March, from the 23d January to the 7th mystethe Quorra river the and though more not was Niger— rious and miscalled he was eastward, than thirty miles to the Yourriba of not able to prevail on the king him to visit it whenever he asked

—

to allow

;

for permission

to do so, he

was always put

excuse and in this, off with some frivolous appears to have been too, the old gentleman and as cautious as a Chinese ;

as

cunning

mandarin— observing

at one time, that the

that the Feroad was not safe—at another, ;— and country latahs had possession of the would the king of England say, if any-

what

thing should happen to his guest

with some

difficulty, after

all,

?

that

It

was

Clap-

him deperton could prevail on him to let would he if part on his journey ;— offered, said, he of wives, give him a wife stay, to

:

plenty—he did not exactly lie himself had hand know how many, but he was sure that, to Katunga from reach to hand, they would Jannah.

On

departing from

Katunga

for

Kiama,

TO SACKATOO.

a

city of

213

Houtson took his and returned to the

Borgho, Mr.

leave of our traveller,

where he shortly afterwards

coast,

continued

Clapperton ruined

villages,

the Felatahs.

his

died.

among

route

that had been sacked

These marauders,

have a mode of setting

fire

by tying combustibles geons, which, on being

let

it

by

seems,

to walled towns,

to the

tails

of pi-

loose, fly to the

tops of the thatched houses, while they keep up showers of arrows, to prevent the inhabitants from

Having

extinguishing the

flames.

crossed the river Moussa, a con-

siderable stream

which

falls

into the Quorra,

an escort appeared to conduct our

traveller

to Yarro, the sultan, as they called him, of

Kiama.

They were mounted on remarkably

fine horses,

who

but were a lawless set of fellows,

plundered the villages as they went

mercy or remorse. At Kiama he was well received by Yarro, who assigned him an excellent house, within a square inclosure, and sent him milk, eggs, bananas, fried cheese, curds, and foo-foo, along, without

(paste of Indian corn).

Shortly afterwards

FROM BENIN

214

mounted on a beautiful a number of armed by red roan, attended and six men, on horseback and on foot young female slaves, naked as they were cloth born, except a stripe of narrow white

he paid him a

visit,

'

;

round their heads, about six inches of carrying the ends flying out behind each tied

;

of a light spear in the right hand.' Each a blue these girls, on entering the door, put our promised Yarro waist. cloth round her word. his kept and •traveller every assistance,

taking leave, he remounted his horse, and away the young ladies undressed

On '

;

most extraordinay cavalwent one Extraorcades I ever saw in all my life.' of the

dinary indeed!

The following

is

his ac-

count of a second visit: After the heat of the day was over, '

Yarro came, attended by all his train. The most extraordinary persons in it were himwhich, as self and the bearers of his spears, from before, were six naked young girls,

The seventeen years of age. bandeau, white a was wore only thing they to

fifteen

or

fillet

of white cloth, round the forehead,

215

TO SACKATOO.

about six inches of the ends flying behind, and a string of beads round their waists in their right hands they carried three light Their light form, the vivacity spears each.

of their eyes, and the ease with which they

appeared to fly over the ground, made them appear something more than mortal as they flew alongside of his horse, when he was galloping, and

bound.

making

his horse curvet

and

A man with an immense bundle of

spears remained behind at a

little

distance,

apparently to serve as a magazine for the girls to be supplied from when their master in their

had expended those they carried hands.'

Here, as in other large towns, there were men's music and dancing the whole night wives and maidens, all join the song and ;

dance,

Female

Mahomedans chastity,

as

well

as

'

Pagans.'

by our author's account,

is little regarded. '

Yarro asked

me

would take his said " Yes," after a

if

I daughter for a wife great many thanks for ;

old woman went

out,

I

my

and

I

present.

The

followed with

FROM BENIN

216 the king's head

man, Abubecker.

I

went

to the house of the daughter, which consists

of several coozies, separate from those of I was shown into a very mat was spread I sat down lady coming in and kneeling down,

the father, and clean one

and the I

a

:

asked her

:

;

if

she would live in

my

said, said,

house,

come and live with her she whatever way I wished very well, I I would come and live with her, as she

or I should

:

:

had the best house. posture

all

Kiama Borgho.

She kept her kneeling

the time I was in the house.' is

one of the largest

Clapperton estimates

cities it

in

to con-

30,000 inhabitants but, like the rest of the people of this kingdom, they

tain at least

;

are represented as great robbers.

Yarro, however, behaved very well to our traveller,

him at once with horses and bearers, and advised him to go by Boussa, and not by Youri, as the latter was at war with the Felatahs. Profiting by this advice, he proceeded towards the former, and supplied

in the way he fell in with a coffle or caravan from Ashantee and Gonja, on their road to Houssa.

217

TO SACKATOO.

At ten we fell in with the Houssa caraThey occupied a long line of march vans. bullocks, asses, horses, women, and men, to '

:

amount of a thousand,

the

all in

a line, after

one another, forming a very curious sight a motley groupe, from the nearly naked girls and men carrying loads, to the ridiculously and gaudily dressed Gonja traders, riding on horseback, some of these animals being lame, and going with a halt, and all

The poor girls, their travel with a heavy to compelled slaves, are

in very bad condition.

load on their heads, yet are as cheerful and good-natured as if they were at home grind-

ing corn in their own native country.' At Wawa, another city of Borgho, our traveller

received,

was well and hospitably

the old governor of which told him, that everything should be done that he wished. Being so near that part of the Quorra where Mungo Park perished, our traveller thought

he might get some information of

this

me-

lancholy event. '

The head man's

story

is

tins

boat stuck fast between two rocks

that the

:

;

that the

FROM BENIN

218

people in

it

laid

out four anchors a-head

that the water falls

down with great

rapidity

from the rocks, and that the white men, in attempting to get on shore, were drowned that crowds of people went to look at them,

men

them as were too I had heard much frightened either to shoot at them or that there were found a to assist them great many things in the boat, books and riches, which the sultan of Boussa has got that beef cut in slices and salted was in but the white

did not shoot at

that the natives

;

;

great plenty in the boat

that the people of

;

Boussa who had eaten of it all died, because it was human flesh, and that they

knew we white men

human

eat

flesh.

I

was indebted to the messenger of Yarro

for

a defence, who told the narrator that I was much more nice in my eating than his

But

was with some difficulty I could persuade him that if his story was true, it was the people's own that the meat fears that had killed them was good beef or mutton that I had eaten more goats' flesh since I had been in this countrymen were.

it

;

;

219

TO SACKATOO. country than ever that in beef,

At

I

England we

my

clone in

had

life

;

eat nothing but fowls,

and mutton.' place

this

had nearly,

Clapperton

with though innocently, got into a scrape with a the old governor, by coquetting

young and buxom widow. number, from I had a visit amongst the '

who a white woman,

the daughter of an Arab, calls

herself

is

very

is

widow, and wants a white husband. in said to be the richest person

fair,

a

rich,

She

is

Wawa,

and a having the best house in the town, thousand

|

regard for

slaves.

my

She

showed

servant Richard,

a

great

who

younger and better looking than I am was she had passed her twentieth year, :

is

but fat,

like a and a perfect Turkish beauty, just unwere arts talking water-butt. All her

availing

him

my

on Richard:

she could not induce

to visit her at her house,

though he had

permission.'

seems, was not disposed to approaches, waste time by making regular

This widow,

like those

it

by which Widow

Wadman

un-

FROM BENIN

220

dermined the outworks of the unsuspecting Uncle Toby, but was determined to carry the citadel by storm. '

to

The widow Zuma has been kind enough send

me

provisions

ready-cooked,

great abundance, ever since I have here.

Now

in

been

that she has failed with Richard,

she has offered Pascoe a handsome female slave for a wife, if he could manage to

bring about matters with me.

much

Not being

afraid of myself,

and wishing to see the interior arrangement of her house, I went and visited her. I found her house

large, and full of male and female slaves the males lying about the outer huts, the

females more in the interior.

In the centre of the huts was a square one of large di-

mensions surrounded by a verandah, with screens of matting all around except in one place, where there was hung a tanned bullock's hide

was led up, and, side, I saw the lady sitting cross-legged on a small Turkey carpet, like one of our hearth rugs, a large leather cushion under her left knee her on

its

;

to this spot I

being drawn on one

;

TO SACKATOO.

221

goora pot, which was a large old-fashkmed English pewter mug, by her calibash of water to

side,

and a

wash her mouth

out, as

she alternately kept eating goora and chew-

ing tobacco-snuff, the custom with

all

ranks,

male or female, who can procure them

At

her right side lay a whip.

a

:

little

on dis-

tance, squatted on the ground, sat a dwarfish,

hump-backed, female

mouth,

but

good

eyes

slave,

she

;

with a wide

had on no

except a profusion of strings

clothing, if I

of beads and coral round her

neck and

waist.

This personage served the purpose of a bell in our country, in old times

and what,

I

suppose, would

have been called a page.

The

lady herself was dressed in a white coarse

muslin turban

;

her neck profusely decorated

with necklaces of coral and gold chains,

amongst which was one of rubies and gold beads her eyebrows and eyelashes blacked, her hair dyed with indigo, and her hands and feet with henna around her body she had a fine striped silk and cotton country cloth, which came as high as her tremendous breasts, and reached as low as her ;

:

FROM BENIN

222 ankles

made

;

in her right

hand she held a fan

of stained grass, of a square form. me to sit down on the carpet

She desired

beside her, which I did, and she

Hump-back

began fan-

to bring out

ning me, and sent her finery for me to look at which consisted of four gold bracelets, two large paper ;

looking-glasses,

and

dressing-cases

with

several strings

of coral, silver rings, and

bracelets, articles.

with a number of other trifling After a number of compliments,

and giving me an account of all her wealth, I was led through one apartment into anoand ornamented with ther, cool, clean, pewter dishes and bright brass pans. She now told me her husband had been dead these ten years, that she had only one j

Son, and he was darker than herself; that she loved white men, and would go to Boussa with me that she would send for a ;

malem, or man of learning, and read the I thought this was carryfetah with me. too far, and began to little ing the joke a look very serious, on which she sent for the looking-glass, and looking at herself, then

223

TO SACKATOO. offering

rather

me,

it

what of that

?

was-

and much, and I This was too

older than

made my

to be sure she

said,

but very

I,

little,

retreat as soon as I could, deter-

mined never to come to such

close quarters

with her again.'

Wawa

said to contain

is

from 18,000 to

surrounded by a

20,000 inhabitants it is good high clay wall, and dry ditch and is described as the neatest, most compact, and best walled town between it and Badagry. ;

;

The

following, however,

is

no very

flatter-

ing account of its inhabitants. The virtue of chastity I do not believe '

Wawa.

to exist in

Even the widow Zuma

her female slaves for hire, like the Neither is rest of the people of the town. was in a never I sobriety held as a virtue.

lets out

place in

where drunkenness was so Governor, priest, and layman,

my

general.

life

and even some of the ladies, drink to excess. I was pestered for three or four days by the governor's

daughter,

who used

several times in a day, painted

zened in the highest

style of

to

come

and bedi-

Wawa fashion,

FROM BENIN

224

I could only get rid but always half tipsy of her by telling her that I prayed and ;

looked at the stars

all

night, never drank

anything stronger than roa-in-zafir, which they call my tea literally, hot water: she

—

always departed in a flood of

Not-

tears.

and

withstanding their want of chastity,

drunkenness, they are a merry people, and They appear to have behaved well to me. life, and a some of which

have plenty of the necessaries of great

many

of the luxuries,

they would be better without

—

this

being

the direct road from Eoniou, Houssa, and

Nyffe, to Gonja,

They

are,

Dahomey, and Jannah.'

notwithstanding,

said

to

be

honest, cheerful, good-natured and hospitThe women good-looking, and the able.

men

strong and well made, partly

medans and

From

Maho-

partly Pagans.

hence,

it

was

settled that our tra-

veller should proceed across the Quorra, to

a city called Koolfu but as Boussa was higher up the river than the common ferry ;

of Comie, and he was determined to the spot

where Mungo Park

visit

perished, the

TO SACKATOO.

225

governor promised to forward Ms servant and baggage to the former place, where lie

was

to meet them after his visit to Boussa. This town he found, on his arrival, to be situated on an island formed by two branches

of the Quorra, the smaller and

more wes-

one named the Menai, which he crossed by a canoe, the horses swimming over. On waiting on the sultan, by whom, terly

as usual, he

was kindly

received, his first

some white men, the river some twenty

inquiry was concerning

who were

lost in

years ago, near this place. '

He seemed

tion,

and

his speech.

I

rather uneasy at this ques-

observed that he stammered in He assured me he had nothing

belonging to them

was a

boy wanted nothing but the books and papers, and to learn from him a correct account of the manner of their death and that, with his permission, I would go and visit the spot where they were lost. He said no, I must not go it was a very bad place. Having

when

;

that he

the event happened.

little

I said I

;

;

heard that"part of the boat VOL, IV.

still

remained, I

Q

FROM BENIN

226

asked him

if it

was so

he replied that such that she did remain

:

a report was untrue on the rocks for some time ;

gone to pieces

and

floated

hut had

after,

down

the river

long ago. I said if he would give me the books and papers, it would be the greatest He favour he could possibly confer on me. again assured me that nothing remained with him— everything of that kind had gone but that into the hands of the learned men would prohe existence if any were now in ;

I then cure them and give them to me. inquire asked him if he would allow me to

particulars of the old people in the town the have must them of some as of the affair,

appeared very uneasy, gave no answer, and I did not press him fur-

feeen

me

it.

He

ther.'

Not

satisfied

with

this,

Clapperton re-

:— The sultan, when turned to the subject to-day about the again I inquired of him '

unfortunate countryman, said posthat the late imam, a Felatah, had had that session of all the books and papers, and

papers of

he had

my

fled

from Boussa some time

since.

TO SACKATOO. This was a death-blow to

all

227

future inquiries

and the whole of the information concerning the affair of the boat, her crew, and cargo, which I was likely to gain here, I have already stated. Every one, in fact, appeared uneasy when I asked for information, and said it bad happened before their remembrance, or that they did not see it.. They pointed out the place where the boat struck, and the unfortunate crew perished. Even this was clone with caution, and as if here

by

;

stealth

though, in everything uncon-

;

nected with that

ready to give

affair,

me what

they were most

information I asked

;

and never in my life have I been treated with more hospitality or kindness.' The place where the vessel was sunk is in the eastern channel, where the river breaks

over a grey slate roek extending

quite across river

had a

and

still

streams

A

it.

fall

little

lower down, the

of three or four

farther down,

of the

feet.

the whole

Quorra were not above

three-fourths the breadth of the

Somerset-house.

Here, united

On

Thames

at

returning to'the ferry,

Q 2

FROM BENIN

228

messenger from the

Clapperton found a

king of Youri, who had sent him a present of a camel. '

He

said the king, before he

left

Youri,

had shown him two books, very large, and men printed, that had belonged to the white that Boussa at boat that were lost in the seventy he had been offered a hundred and mitgalls of gold for them, by a merchant from Bornou, who had been sent by a ;

Christian on purpose for them.

him sold for

to tell the

them them

;

;

king

I

advised

that he ought to have

that I would not give five mitgalls

but that,

if

he would send them,

present I would give him an additional acceptable an doing be would he and that thing to the king of England by sending them, and that he would not act like a king I gave him for his master if he did not. one of the mock-gold chains, a common sword, and ten yards of silk, and said I would give him a handsome gun and some

he would send the books. On asking him if there were any books like my journal, which I showed him, he said there

more

silk, if

TO SACKATOO.

229

was one, but that his master had given it to an Arab merchant ten years ago but the merchant was killed by the Felatahs, on his way to Kano, and what had become of that book afterwards he did not know.' ;

Upon

this,

Clapperton sent a person with

a letter to Youri nie,

whom I had

—

'

Mohammed,

the Fezza-

hired at Tabra, and

whom

I

had sent to the chief of Youri for the books and papers of the late Mungo Park, returned, bringing me a letter from that person, which contained the following account of the death of that unfortunate traveller that not the least injury

was done

to

him

:

at

Youri, or by the people of that country; that the people of Boussa had killed them,

and taken

riches that the books in were given him by the imam of Boussa that they were lying on the top of the goods in the boat when she was all their

;

his possession ;

that not a soul was left alive belonging to the boat that the bodies of two

taken

;

;

men were found

black

together

board

;

;

in the boat chained

men jumped overwas made of two canoes

that the white

that the boat

FROM BENIN

230 joined fast

together,

with an awning or

roof behind; that he, the sultan, had a gun, and a sword, and two to those in the belonged had books that

double-barrelled,

would give me the books went to Youri myself for them,

that he

boat;

whenever

I

not until then*.' The last account of this unfortunate traveller is stated to be from an eye-witness. This evening I was talking with a man '

that

is

married to one of

my

landlady's fe-

« This is not exactly what the sultan says in his letter, o£ :— which the following is a translation by Mr. Salami? 'This is issued from the Prince or Lord of Yaoury to Ahand esteem. Hence dallah, the English Captain, salutation your letter, and your messenger has arrived and brought us

j

we understand what you

write.

You

inquire about a thing

Lord of Boossy is that has no trace with us. The Prince or our grandfather. older"(or greater) than us, because he is wish for ? did you not inquire of him about what you You were at Boossy, and did not inquire of the inhabitants what was the cause of the destruction of the ship and your

Why

what happened between them of evil but you nothing of do now inquire of one who is far off, and knows

friends, nor

;

the cause of their (the Christian's) destruction. and we 'As to the book which is in our hand, it is true, will deliver it to did not give it to your messenger, but we your lord. You you, if you come and show us a letter from pleased ; and much shall then see it and have it, if God be you, and prayer and peace, unto the

esteem and Salam be to lastjof the apostles. t

(Mohammed.)

'

231

TO SACKA.TOO.

male slaves, called her daughter, about the manners of the Cumbrie and about Engwhen he gave the following account land of the death of Park and of his companions, ;

He said of wliich he was an eye-witness. that when the boat came down the river, it happened, unfortunately, just at the time that the Felatahs first rose in arms, and that were ravaging Goober and Zamfra the that the sultan of Boussa, on hearing persons in the boat were white men, and that the boat was different from any that had ever been seen before, as she had a ;

house at one end, called his people together from the neighbouring towns, attacked and killed them, not doubting that they were the advance guard of the Felatah army, then ravaging Soudan, under the

Malem Bello

man

;

command

of

Danfodio, the father of the present that one of the white men was a tall

with long hair

;

that they fought for

three days before they were

all killed

;

that

the people in the neighbourhood were very much alarmed, and great numbers fled to Nyffe and other countries, tlrinking that the

FROM BENIN

232

Felatahs were certainly coming

The number four

—two

among them.

of persons in the boat

white

men and two

was only

blacks

that the people had

all

died

who

that

:

they found great treasure in the boat

;

but

eat of the

meat that was found in her. This account I believe to be the most correct of all that I and was told to me without have yet got my putting any questions, or showing any eagerness for him to go on with his story. I was often puzzled to think, after the kindness I had received at Boussa, what could have caused such a change in the minds of ;

these people in the course of twenty years, and of their different treatment of two European travellers. I was even disposed at times to flatter myself that there was something in me that belonged to nobody else, to make them treat me and my people

with so

much kindness

of the king of Boussa

;

for the I

friendship

consider as

my

only protection in this country.' This of

is

by

far the

them corroborate

most probable, and

all

the story generally dis-

believed at the time, which Isaaco brought

233

TO SACK.ATOO.

back from Amadoo-Fatima. There is yet slender a chance, we think, though but a be recoone, that the journal of Park may vered.

Clapperton found, on reaching the ferry

Comie, that so far from his baggage having gone on to Koolfu, it had been and stopped at Wawa by the governor

at

;

that, to his

was

at a

widow Zuma

great surprise, the

neighbouring

he presently received

village,

some

whom

from

boiled rice, and

at a fowl, with an invitation to go and stop informed The governor's son her house. him, that his baggage would not be allowed

Wawa

widow was sent back. widow ? asked What and replied, he have,' You Clapperton. her.' take and you must come back with me

to leave

till

the

have I to do with the

'

'

'

'

Clapperton, however, positively refused to have anything to do with or say to her. His

moment returned

servant, Richard, at this

from Boussa, whither he had followed his master, to acquaint him with the detention of his to

baggage

;

told

him

the widow's having

that

left

it

was owing

Wawa,

about

FROM BENIN

234

half an hour after he did, with

drums beat-

ing before her, and a train after her,

first

calling at his lodgings before she waited

the governor

;

on

that she had given old Pascoe

a female slave

wife,

for

without the

go-

and that she had dehim to Kano, from whence she would return to make war on the governor, as she had done once be-

vernor's permission

;

clared she intended following

fore.

—

'

This,' says Clapperton,

'

let

me

into

vengeance it would end to my journey indeed, if I had deposed old Mohammed, and set up for myself, with a walking tun-butt for a queen.' Clapperton, however, determined to go back to Wawa to release his baggage, and scarcely had he got there, when the arrival of the jolly widow was announced, whose appearance and escort are thus detheir politics with a

have been a

:

fine

scribed. '

This

morning the widow arrived in

town, with a drummer beating before her,

whose cap was bedecked with ostrich feaa bowman walking on foot at the head of her horse a train behind, armed thers

;

;

235

TO SACKATOO.

She rode with bows, swords, and spears. whose trappings a-straddle on a fine horse, this country. for order the first

were of with The head of the horse was ornamented and bells, brass brass plates, the neck with leather, charms sewed in various coloured a scarlet such as red, green, and yellow ;

in the cenbreast-piece, with a brass plate with lace. trimmed scarlet saddle-cloth, tre

;

trousers, and She was dressed in red silk on her head a white red morocco boots a mantle of turban, and over her shoulders Had she been somewhat silk and gold. might younger and less corpulent, there her head to temptation have been great very a been party, for she has certainly have handsome woman, and such as would country m been thought a beauty in any ;

Europe.'

The widow was summoned

before the

and, after a governor, went on her knees, was disvanity, and lecture on disobedience shook she back, missed; but, on turning her indignation the dust off her feet with great and ' I went home,' says

and contempt

;

236

FROM BENIN

Clapperton,

'

determined never to be caught

in such a foolish affair in future.'

He now proceeded to the ferry, crossed the Quorra, which was about a quarter of a mile in width, running' about two miles an hour, and from ten to fifteen feet deep.

The

canoes were about twenty feet long, and

two wide. Nyffe

;

ant-hills

He

was now in the province of

the country well cultivated, and the

near El

Wata were

the largest he

ever saw, being from fifteen to twenty feet high, resembling so many Gothic cathedrals in miniature.

In this part of the country, the natives smelt iron ore, and every village

had three or four blacksmiths' shops

in

it.

The houses are generally painted with figures of human beings, huge snakes, alligators, or tortoises. traveller took

Laddie, huge,

On up

arriving at Koolfu, our his

abode with a

Widow

and deaf, very rich, sells salt, natron, booza, and roa bum, or palm wine. The booza is made from guinea fat,

corn, honey, Chili pepper, and the root of a coarse grass, and is a very fiery and intoxicat-

ing beverage.

The whole night was passed in

237

TO SACKATOO. singing, dancing, and drinking booza.

The

women, too, dressed in all their finery, joined the men, danced, sang, and drank booza with These scenes are exactly Burckhardt describes which similar to those to have taken place among the boozadrinkers of Berber and Shendy. Koolfu is a sort of central market, where the best of them.

meet from every part of Soudan and Western Africa. It is a walled town, with four gates, and may contain from twelve to

traders

thousand inhabitants, including all classes, the slave and the free, who live tofifteen

gether,

the

and eat together without distinction, slaves with the men, and the women

men

with the

women

;

for,

in the true style of

all orientals, the two sexes eat their meals apart, and never sit down to any repast to-

They

gether.

are represented as a kind-

hearted people, and affectionate towards one another but they will cheat if they can and who is there, we may ask, that does not, ;

in the

way

of trade

?

From Koolfu

to

Kufu

the country was woody, the trees along the path "consisting mostly of the butter tree.

FROM BENIN

238

The

villages

extensive

;

were numerous, and cultivation inha-

but so insecure did the

man, was armed to defend

bitants consider themselves, that every

working

in the fields,

himself against the inroads of the Felatahs. Zaria, the capital of Zegzeg,

is

a large

inhabited almost wholly by Felatahs,

city,

mosques with minarets, and It is said to be more populous than Kano, a city which is estimated by Clapperton to contain from

who have

their

their houses flat roofed.

thirty to forty thousand inhabitants.

of

them

Many

Bonda and Foota know and to have had

are from Foota

Torra, and seem to

dealings with the French and English on the coast

:

and, as our author says,

improved by the

acquaintance.

have not

The en-

virons of this city are said to be beautiful

some of the

England in and grain and fruits of various kinds are cultivated both within and without the walls. The beauty and fertility

like

finest parts of

the month of April

;

of the country continued

Kano, which our 20th July, 1826.

traveller

all

the

way

to

entered on the

239

TO SACKATOO.

Here Clapperton met

former friend

his

and acquaintance, Hadje Hat Sala, who informed him of the state of the war between Though Bello and the sheikh of Bornou. determined to proceed he health, bad still in Ms servant to leave and at once to Bello, at under the Kano, Richard and old Pascoe protection of Hadje, who was authorized to grant them whatever money they might want.

At Jaza he met

his

old friend the

who greeted him kindness; told him that Bello

gadado, or prime minister,

with great

had received

his letter

from Koolfu, and had

sent a messenger to conduct too.

It

him

to Sacka-

seems, however, that the gadado him to remain for some time

prevailed on

Kano, where he was plundered of several and among others, of his journal articles and remark book, a circumstance which has occasioned an liiatus in his narrative from July to October, on the 12th of which month

in

;

find him with apart of the sultan's army, near Zurmie, on the borders of a large lake,

we

or rather chain of lakes,

on the plain of

Gondamie, approaching nearly to Sackatoo.

FROM BENIN

240 '

The borders

of these lakes are the resort

and other wild and saw it, was very beau-

of numbers of elephants

The appearance

beasts. at the tiful

;

spot where all

I

at this season,

the acacia trees were in blossom,

some with white

flowers, others with yellow,

forming a contrast with the small dusky leaves, like gold and silver tassels on a cloak I observed some fine of dark green velvet. Some of the the lake. in leaping large fish

others watering their troops were bathing the horses, bullocks, camels, and asses ;

:

lake as smooth as glass, and flowing around The sun, on its apthe roots of the trees.

proach to the horizon, throws the shadows of the flowery acacias along its surface, like The sheets of burnished gold and silver. smoking fires on its banks, the sounding of horns, the beating of their gongs or drums, the braying of their brass and tin trumpets, the rude huts of grass or branches of trees, rising as if by magic, everywhere the calls

on the names of Mohammed, _Abdo, Mustafa, &c, with the neighing of horses and the braying of asses, gave

animation to the

TO SACKATOO.

and its sloping,

beautiful scenery of the lake,

green, and

He now

woody

241

banks.'

learned from the gadado that the

Sultan Bello was encamped before Coonia, the capital city of Goobur, which had rebelled against him, and which he was deter-

mined

to

Sackatoo.

moved

subdue

The

forwards,

returned to

before he

Kano and

troops

therefore

Clapperton

along

They soon reached the main with them. army; Bello received him most kindly; told him he had sent two messengers, one of whom went as far as to Katunga said he would receive the king's letter and pre;

sent at Sackatoo, as he attack on the

his

We

intended to

make

following day.

city the

cannot omit Clapperton's description

of this curious assault. ' After the mid-day prayers,

all,

except the

eunuchs, camel-drivers, and such other servants as were of use only to prevent theft,,

whether mounted or on

foot,

marched

to-

wards the object of attack and soon arI also, rived before the walls of the city. ;

accompanied them, and took up VOL. iv.

my R

station

FROM BENIN

242

close to the gadaclo.

The march had been

the most disorderly that can be imagined horse and foot intermingling in the greatest confusion,

all

rushing to get forward; some-

times the followers of one cliief tumbling

amongst those of another, when swords were half unsheathed, but all ended hi making a face, or putting on a threatening aspect.

We

soon arrived before Coonia, which

the capital of the rebels of Goobur,

was not above

half a mile in diameter, being

nearly circular, and built on the bank of one of the branches of the rivers or lakes

which I have mentioned. Each chief, as he came up, took his station, which, I suppose, had previously been assigned to him. The number of fighting men brought before

the town

could not, I think, be less

than fifty or sixty thousand, horse and foot, of which the foot amounted to more than For the depth of two hundred nine-tenths. yards, all round the walls was a dense circle of

men and horses.

The horse kept

out of

how-shot, wliile the foot went up as they felt courage or inclination, and kept up a

243

TO SACKATOO.

with about thirty muskets, In front of the and"the shooting of arrows. sultan, the Zegzeg troops had one French

straggling

fusil

fire

Kano

the

:

These

kets.

had forty-one muswhenever they fired

forces

fellows,

their pieces, ran out of bow-shot to load not a single Feall of them were slaves ;

had a musket. The enemy kept up a sure and slow fight, seldom throwing away opportunity their arrows, until they saw an and then a Now effect. with fly of letting latah

single ditch,

horseman would gallop up to the and brandish his spear, taking care

with his large leathern shield, and return as fast as he went, generally calling out Lustily, when he got among Ms own party, " Shields to the to

cover

wall

"

1

himself

"

You

Atego," &c,

"

people of the

why dont you

Gadado, or hasten to the

some voices would call Oh you have a good large shield to cover you " The cry of " Shields to the wall," was constantly heard from the several

wall

1

"

out, "

To

wliich

!

!

chiefs to their troops

the

call,

and

;

but they disregarded

neither

chiefs

nor vassals

r 2

FROM BENIN

244

At length the men the spot. armour went up " per order." They certainly cut not a bad figure at a distance, as their helmets were ornamented with black and white ostrich feathers, and

moved from in quilted

the sides of the helmets with pieces of tin, which glittered in the sun, their long, quilted cloaks, of

colours, reaching over part

gaudy

and hanging over the On the neck, even the horse's arflanks. mour was notched, or van dyked, to look on his forehead, and over his like a mane of the horses'

tails,

;

nose, was a brass or tin semicircular piece on each

plate, as also a side.

The

rider

and he had

was armed with a large spear to be assisted to mount his horse, as his it required quilted cloak was too heavy two men to lift him on and there were six of them belonging to each governor, and six ;

:

;

to the sultan.

I

at

first

thought the foot

would take advantage of going under cover but no, they of these unwieldy machines went alone, as fast as the poor horses could bear them, which was but a slow pace. They had one musket in Coonia, and it did ;

245

TO SACKATOO. wonderful execution

for

;

it

brought down

men, who

from his horse like a sack of corn thrown from a but both horse's back at a miller's door horse and man were brought off by two or He had got two balls three foot-men. one went through his breast through his the

van of the quilted

fell

;

;

body and both sides of the tobe the other went through and lodged in the quilted ar;

mour opposite the shoulders.' Nor must the services of the useful,

old pictu-

The most was an of us, one any and as brave as

resque nurse be overlooked.

'

old female slave of the sultan's, a native of

Zamfra, said

five

of whose former governors she She was of a dark

she had nursed.

In dress and countenance, very like one of Captain Lyon's female Esquimaux. She was mounted on a longbacked bright bay horse, with a scraggy copper colour.

crop-eared, and the mane as if the rats had eaten part of it and it was not in liigh She rode a-straddle had on a condition.

tail,

;

;

conical straw dish-cover for

a hat, or to

shade her face from the sun, a short, dirty,

FROM BENIN

24G

white bedgown, a pair of dirty, white, loose and wide trousers, a pair of Houssa boots, which are wide, and came up over the knee, fastened with a string round the waist. She had also a whip and spurs. At her saddle-

how hung about

half a dozen gourds,

filled

with water, and a brass basin to drink out of, and with this she supplied the wounded

and the

I

thirsty.

obliged to her, basin of water.

certainly

for she

was much

twice gave

me

a

The heat and the dust made

thirst almost intolerable.'

the conclusion of this memorable batin which nothing was concluded, the

At tle,

whole army set off in the greatest confusion, men and quadrupeds tumbling over each other, and upsetting everything that fell in Clapperton made his way to their way. Sackatoo, where he found the same house he had formerly inhabited prepared for his reception. Here, and in the neighbourhood, course lie resided nearly six months, in the of which time he collected respecting the

first

much

information

irruption of the Felatahs,

or Foulahs, from Foota Torra, Foota Jella,

247

TO SACKATOO.

&c, on the western side of Africa, under Othman Danfodio, the father of Bello the manner in which he succeeded in subjuthe gating the greater part of Houssa of state the Mahomedans manners of these ;

;

;

society

;

and of their agriculture, commerce,,

and manufactures,

—

those

into

details

we

shall not enter, but content ourselves with transactions briefly running over the author's did not certainly who ruler, present with the

treat

Mm with that kindness he had a

right

palliating circum-

to expect, though some acstances may be pleaded in excuse, on

count of the peculiar situation in which he was then placed with regard to the sheikh of Bornou.

Avery few days

after

Clapperton's ar-

Sackatoo, he was visited by Sidi Sheikh, Bello's doctor, and one of his secretold him, taries, who, after some preamble,

rival in

that by whatever road he might choose to

return home, he should be sent, under an escort, it

were

was right

it

even by Bornou, though

to inform

him

that,

on

his for-

FROM BENIN

248

Bornou had written, him (Clapperton) to This, Clapperton observed, was death. very extraordinary, after the kind manner

mer

visit,

the sheikh of

advising Bello to put

which the sheikh had behaved to him, to hour of his departure, and inFor this purpose sisted on seeing the letter. in

the very last

he

lost

not a

who

moment

in

repairing to the

and said was sure there must be some The next day the there was no such letter. gadado took him to the sultan, who told him that such a letter had certainly been written with the sheikh's sanction, by Hadje Mohammed, who therein said he was a spy, and that the English had taken possession of India by first going there by ones and twos, gadado,

affected ignorance,

mistake, as he

until they got strong

enough

the whole country.

A

to seize

few days after

upon this,

was announced to Clapperton, that the had sent for his servant and all his baggage to be brought from Kano to Sackatoo, and in a day or two afterwards Lander actually arrived with it. The next step was it

sultan

to

seize

the baggage, under pretence that

249

TO SACKATOO.

Clapperton was conveying guns and warlike

stores

to the sultan of

Bornou

;

and

ordered Lord Bathurst's letter to lastly, the sheikh to be given up to him. This conlie

duct of the sultan had such an effect on Clapperton's spirits, that his servant Richard says he never saw

but he found

it

him smile afterwards

vain to remonstrate.

He

told the gadado that the conduct of Bello was not like that of a prince of the Faithful that he had broken his faith, and done him all The gadado now the injury in his power.

assured him that not only the sheikh, but the two hadjis of Tripoli, had written letters to Bello, denouncing

him as a

spy,

and ob-

serving that the English wanted to take I told the Africa as they had done India. '

gadado they were acting in defiance of all good

like robbers to faith.'

me,

In short,

their jealousy proceeded so far as to seize

everything that could be supposed to be any part of the present intended for the sheikh of Bornou.

Not long

after this, intelligence

was re-

ceived at Sackatoo of the total defeat of the

FROM BENIN

250

Bornou army, which put the good spirits, that he began

sultan in such to

resume his

former kind conduct towards Clapperton, discussing with him which would be the best and safest

way

for his return to

Eng-

was now too late Clapperton's land but health had never been restored since the first night's fatal sleeping on the reedy banks of a stagnant ditch and his spirits were now completely broken down by disappointment His journal and ungenerous treatment. terminates of March, 12th about this time, it

;

;

;

abruptly in the midst of a conversation as to

The

the best route to be taken homewards. rest

supplied

is

by

his

faithful

servant,

Lander.

On

the same day

it

appears he was at-

tacked with dysentery, which he told Lander had been brought on by a cold, caught by

down on the ground, which was soft and wet, when heated and fatigued with Twenty days,' says Lander, my walking. poor master remained in a low and disHis body, from being robust tressed state. and vigorous, became weak and emaciated, lying

'

'

TO SACKATOO.

251

and indeed was little better than a skeleton/ Lander himself was in a fever, and almost unable to stir but he was assisted in taking care of his master by Paseoe and an old ;

Towards the beginning of black slave. April Clapperton became alarmingly ill. ' His sleep was uniformly short and disturbed, and troubled with frightful dreams. In them he frequently reproached the Arabs with much bitterness, but being an utter stranger to that language, I did not underread to him daily some portions of the New Testament, and the ninetyweary fifth Psalm, to which he was never the added and on Sundays of listening stand

Mm.

I

;

Church

Service, to

which he invariably paid

the profoundest attention.'

At

length, calling honest Lander to bis

bedside, Clapperton said " Richard, I shall shortly be

no more with choked Almost masforbid, my dear

'

I feel myself dying."

" grief, I replied", ter

:

you

will live

be so much

God many

affected,

you," said he

:

"

it

my is

;

years yet." " Don't dear boy, I entreat

the will of the Al-

FROM BENIN

252

mighty

my

of

it

;

papers after

and when you arrive diately to

who

my

in

my

deatli

London, go imme-

agents, send for

my

uncle,

accompany you to the Colonial and let him see you deposit them

will

Office,

safely into the I

Take care

cannot be helped.

journal and

am

buried,

money

to

hands of the Secretary. After apply to Bello, and borrow

purchase camels and provisions

your journey over the desert, and go in the train of the Arab merchants to Fezzan.

for

On

your arrival there, should your money

be exhausted,

till

Mr. and wait

send a messenger to

Warrington, our consul

at Tripoli,

he returns with a remittance.

ing Tripoli, that gentleman

On

will

reach-

advance

what money you may require, and send you to England the first opportunity. Do not lumber yourself with my books leave them behind, as well as the barometer, boxes, and sticks, and indeed every heavy article you can conveniently part with give them to Malam Mudey, who will take care of them. The wages I agreed to give you my agents will pay, as well as the sum government ;

;

TO SACKATOO.

me

253

you will of course Columbus has never served me. Remark what towns or villages you pass through pay attention to whatever the chiefs may say to you, and put it on paper. The little money I have, and all my clothes, sell the latter, and put I leave to you what you may receive for them into your pocket and if, on your journey, you should Ibe obliged to expend it, government will repay you on your return." I said, as well allowed

receive

it,

for a servant

;

as

;

:

;

my

as

agitation would permit me, " If

the will of

on

God

my faithfully performing,

able, all that

it

be

you may rely

to take you,

as far as I

you have desired

;

am

but I trust

the Almighty will spare you, and you will " I thought

yet live to see your country."

should at one time, Richard," continued I shall not be he, " but all is now over I

:

long for

He

this

world

then took

looking

me

full

;

my in

but God's will be done."

hand betwixt

his,

and

the face, while a tear

stood glistening in his eye, said, in a low but deeply affecting tone, " My dear Richard, if

you had not been with me,

I

should have

FROM BENIN

254

can only thank you with my latest breath, for your kindness and attachment to me and if I could have lived been to return with you, you should have God but want placed beyond the reach of occuThis conversation will reward you." pied nearly two hours, in the course of which

died long ago

;

I

;

;

master fainted several times, and was distressed beyond measure. The same evening he fell into a slumber, from which he

my

awoke

in

much perturbation, and

said

he had

heard distinctly the tolling of an English I entreated him to be comfuneral bell. freposed, and observed that sick people that things see and hear quently fancy they

He

cannot possibly have any existence.

made no

A

reply.'

few days

after this

he breathed Ids

last.*

we

learn * From a brief memoir of Captain Clapperton, respectable medical that his grandfather and father were traveller practitioners in the county of Dumfries that the large family, (born in 1788), being the youngest of a very was, in fact, imentered life in the merchant service, and Captain of mapressed into a king's ship ; that an uncle, a his situation, and, being a fnend rines, accidentally found out him Sir Thomas Livingston, immediately got ;

to his captain,

midshipman. He was one to be put on the quarter-deck, as a to learn the of the midshipmen sent, in 1814, to Plymouth,

TO SACKATOO.

Lander immediately sent

255

to ask permission

of the sultan to bury the corpse, and that new

sword-exercise of Angelo, and

afterwards distributed teach it generally. Clapperton, being a young man of Herculean strength and Mercurial agility combined, was sure to distinguish himself in any such exercise but it was by his gallant conduct in command of a small detachment in Upper Canada, during Mr. Maddison's war, that he attracted the special notice of Sir E. Owen, who gave him an order as acting lieutenant, and subsequently interested the Admiralty in his favour. [An anecdote of his Canadian career is too beautiful to be omitted. 'In the winter, he was in command of a blockhouse on Lake Huron, with a party of men, for the purpose of defending it he had only one small gun for its defence he was attacked by an American schooner the blockhouse was soon demolished by the superiority of the enemy's fire, and he found that himself and the party must either become prisoners of war, or

through the

fleet, to

;

;

form the resolution of immediately crossing Lake Michigan upon the ice, a journey of nearly sixty miles, to York, the capital of Upper Canada, and the nearest British depot. Notwithstanding the difficulty and danger attending a journey of such length over the ice in the depth of winter, the alternative was soon adopted, and the party set out to cross the lake, but had not gone more than ten or twelve miles, before a boy, one of the party, was unable to proceed, from the cold ; every one of the sailors declared that they were unable to carry him, as they were so benumbed with the cold, and had scarcely strength Clapperton's generous nature could not bear the idea of a fellow-creature being left to perish under such appalling circumstances, for a dreadful snow-storm had commenced ; he therefore took the boy upon his back, holding him with his left hand, and supporting himsufficient to support themselves.

from slipping with a staff ill his right. In this manner he continued to go forward for eight or nine miles, when he perceived that the boy relaxed his hold 5 and on Clapperton examining the cause, he found that the boy was in a dying state, self

256

FROM BENIN

he would point out the place where his remains might be deposited. Bello immesufferings of cold, and he soon after expired. The York the the whole party were great before they reached feet ; their bostockings and shoes completely worn off their of nourishment, they dies in a dreadful state from the want of meal. having nothing during the journey except one bag From the long inaction of Clapperton's left hand, in carrying effects of the frost, the boy upon his back, he lost, from the the first joint of his thumb.' and Being paid off in 1817, Clapperton returned to Scotland, rural remained quietly with his family, amusing himself with meeting Dr. Oudney, sports, for three years; till accidentally an expedion a visit to Edinburgh, in 1 820, the first notion of Weary of inaction, he tion to Africa was suggested to him. doctor, hearing eagerly offered to accompany Oudney, and the from a mutual friend that in every variety of fortune Clapon, and conperton's courage and good temper might be relied his bodily frame sidering him, from the extraordinary vigour of constitution, to be in a manner made for such purposes,

from the

and

this gallant and the matter was soon determined. The rest of The gentle-hearted officer's history we need not recur to. one partiScotch readers of this book will not fail to observe grandmother was cular of Clapperton's pedigree— viz. that his Glenlyon„the officer by a daughter of Colonel Campbell of whom the soldiers that committed the massacre of Glencoe commanded. General Stewart, in his history of the

were Highland regiments, tells a most woful story of a Captain Campbell of this family, who, being in command, not many years back, where a deserter was under orders for execution, received a reprieve, but with strict injunctions not to produce expecting the fatal discharge it until the man was on his knees put his of muskets. Campbell, when the moment was come, hand into his pocket to pull out the reprieve, but in his hurry the solhe plucked out a white handkerchief along with it man fell to rise diers, taking this for the signal, fired, and the of Glenno more. Captain Campbell exclaimed, ' The curse ;

TO SACKATOO.

257

diately ordered four slaves to dig a grave at the village of Jimgavie,

about

five

miles

to the south-east of Sackatoo, wliither the

body was conveyed. When all was ready, I opened a prayer-book,' says this faithful servant, and, amid showers of tears, read '

'

the funeral service over the remains of

valued master.

jack was taken into the

off,

earth,

gazed for the

my

This being done, the union the body slowly lowered

and

last

I

wept

bitterly

time upon

all

as

I

that re-

mained of my generous and intrepid master.' He then agreed to give some of the natives two thousand cowries to build a house four feet

high over the spot, which they promised

to do. '

then returned, disconsolate and op-

I

pressed,

to

leaning

my

my

solitary

head on

my

habitation

help being deeply affected with

some and dangerous cpe

is

on

my head

!'

that miserable hour.

;

and,

hand, could not

situation

—

my

lone-

a hundred

and never lifted up his head again from There are many honest Highlanders at

who will think poor Clapperton's untimely and unmerited fate abundantly accounted for by his having the blood of Glenlyon in his veins,

this day,

VOL.

IV.

s

FROM BENIN

258

and

journey from the sea-coast,

fifteen days'

surrounded by a selfish and cruel race of strangers,

my

only friend

and protector

mouldering in his grave, and myself sufferI felt, indeed, as ing dreadfully from fever. stood alone in the world, and earnestly wished I had been laid by the side of my

if I

dear master

all

:

the trying evils I had en-

dured never affected

me

half so

much

as the

bitter reflections of that distressing period.

After a sleepless night, I went alone to the grave,

done

;

and found that nothing had been nor did there seem the least inclina-

tion on the part of the inhabitants of the village to perform their agreement.

Know-

would be useless to remonstrate with ing them, I hired two slaves at Sackatoo the next day, who went immediately to work, and the house over the grave was finished it

on the

15th.'

Lander still being in a state of fever, the gadado and two others came with a commission from the sultan to search his boxes, as he had been informed they were filled with gold and silver but

Ten days

after this,

;

TO SACKATOO.

259

they were surprised on finding that there

was not money enough to bear

his

expenses

They took from him, however, two guns, some powder and shot, and some other articles, for the payment of which they gave him an order on Kano for a certain number of cowries. After this, the to the coast.

sultan, with

some

hesitation, allowed

him to

leave Sackatoo.

This mean conduct of Bello detracts sadly

from that reputation which

Ms

Clapperton on his

to Sackatoo had

first visit

treatment of

gained for him in Europe. We blame him not for taking every precaution that no contraband of war should pass over to his ene-

my, more

had the

especially if he

letters

we

have mentioned, and which we have not the least doubt he had received from that old

rogue of

Tripoli.

Pressed as the sultan was,

on the one hand, by the rebellious province of Ghoober, and on the other by the advance of the sheikh of Bornou calling to mind ;

probably the

slave-hunting expedition

in

which Denham was engaged, and finding that arms were a part of Clapperton's pres

2

FROM BENIN

260

sent for the sheikh of Bornou,

it is

not sur-

prising that his jealousy should have been awakened though it was not necessary to ac;

company it with acts of robbery and brutality: is an Arab, and the Arabs are, were, a cruel-hearted and treachalways and It had long been the fashion erous race.

but Bello

to praise these people for the simplicity of and their hospitality to their manners,

strangers

The

:

but what did

stranger

whom

it

amount

they had

protected, and nourished,

if

to

?

caressed,

observed to have

anything of value about him, they would way-lay and murder within sight of their habitation.

tention to

Whether Bello ever had any inmurder Clapperton, can only be

matter for conjecture but he is strongly suspected of being instrumental to the death ;

of the unfortunate Laing.

At first, Bello seems to have made up his mind to detain Lander but on the repre;

sentation of one

of his

officers, of

the im-

policy as well as injustice of such a measure, he let him go, but threatened to detain the At length, however, old Houssa negro.

TO SACKATOO.

2S1

they proceeded to Kano, and striking 01T to the eastward of the former route, passed several towns, at

of which they were

all

At Damoy, Lander was

kindly received.

hills, which appeared in was inhabited by the ferocious Yamyairis, who were declared by all to be

told that a range of

the

east,

cannibals. to

what one

We

are not apt to give credit

tribe of savages

may

say of an-

when they touch on such

other, especially

horrors as the unnatural propensity to de-

vour

human

but as Bello asserted to

flesh;

Clapperton that he had ocular proof of the fact that these

same people are

stant habit of doing

we

so,

in the

con-

shall at least

give his account of them. '

The

sultan

said

people would eat burrri, flesh.

it

was strange what

in the

:

district

I said

I

Um-

human

did not think any people

existed on the face of the their

of

belonging to Jacoba, they eat

own kind as

food

were some savages

;

earth that eat

that certainly there

in different parts of the

world who eat their enemies. The sultan said he had seen them eat human flesh;

FROM BENIN

262

that on the governor of Jacoba telling

him

of these people, he could hardly believe

himself

;

he saw

theft,

it

but on a Tuarick being hanged for five

of these people eat a part,

with which he was so disgusted, that he sent

them back to Jacoba soon

He

after.

said

that whenever a person complained of sick-

ness amongst these men, even though only

a slight headache, they are killed instantly, for fear they should be lost by death, as they will

ness

not eat a person that has died by sick;

that the person falling sick

is

re-

quested by some other family, and repaid

when they had a sick relation versally when they went to war,

that uni-

;

the dead

and wounded were always eaten that the hearts were claimed by the head men and that, on asking them why they eat human flesh, they said it was better than any other that the heart and breasts of a woman were the best part of the body; and that they had no want of food as an excuse for eating ;

;

one another. Indian corn, millet, doura, and sweet potatoes, were in plenty that both men and women went naked, though ;

263

TO SACKATOO. their houses

were much neater and cleaner

than those of the common people of Sackatoo that, excepting this bad custom, they were very cleanly, and otherwise not bad peo;

ple, except that they were kafirs

that he would

;

make me a present of some of them to let the king of England see that such was the fact. excused taking

I said I would rather be

them, as both the king and the people of England would be too much disgusted at

You

seeing such a sight. said,

when you go

to

will see

them, he

Jacoba: he would

write to the governor to show them to

when At of

me

I went.'

Fullindushee the inhabitants were

them

all

perfectly naked, disgusting in their

manners, and

filthy in their

persons, but

and good-humoured; exceedingly and Lander says they are a fine handsome artless

people,

bearing a strong

Europeans. beautiful

He

plain of

describes

Cuttup,

resemblance to the

vast

and

near the river

Coodoonia, to contain nearly five hundred He villages almost adjoining each other. mentions, among the numerous trees grow-

FROM BENIN

264

ing there, the plantain, the palm, and the cocoa-nut, in great abundance and, in his ;

return to the

northward, he passed large of cocoa-nut trees. perfectly

We

groves

recollect that

one of the strongest objections

to the truth of

Adams's narrative made

by-

Sir Joseph

Banks, was, his mentioning cocoa-nut trees growing in the neighbourhood of Timbuctoo, Sir Joseph affirming, that they could not grow beyond a certain distance

from

among many

the

hastily to reject

which

Africa, so

true

is

sea-coast.

This shows,

we ought not any information regarding

instances, that

is

not physically impossible,

the observation of Pliny, that,

Africa semper aliquid novi qffert.' J ust as Lander was leaving Dunrora, four armed men rode up to him, and said he '

must immediately return to the king of Zegzeg remonstrance was in vain, and :

he therefore complied with the best grace he could. On his arrival, the king told him that he had ordered him back on account of the war between Bello and the king of Funda, the latter of whom' would

TO SACKATOO. certainly have

pensation

murdered him

:

265 as

some com-

the trouble and disappoint-

for

ment, he gave him a female slave for a wife, and a pack-bullock to these Lander added a male slave, and a strong Yarribee pony, which he purchased, and with the old Houssa interpreter, he once more set out on his journey to Badagry, by the way they had :

come from

thence. The old king of was delighted to see him ; wondered

Wawa at his

being alive after visiting the barbarous Fe-

and deeply lamented the death of

latahs,

master

his

few days pistols,

'

:

me bemen who were drowned

which he afterwards told

longed to the white at Boussa.

them.'

must stay with him a and three

said he

to clean seven muskets

They had

From

the

Tower mark on

a mallam, or priest, Lander

received the following account death, which

is

of Park's

a curious corroboration of

the other reports. '

"

man

You are

not, Christian, the

first

white

knew three of your countrymen very well. They arrived at Youri at the fast of the Rhamadan (April). I

have seen.

I

FROM BENIN

2G6 I

went with two of them three times to the

sultan.

The person

that appeared to be the

head of the party, made the sultan a valuable present on one of his

visits,

which consisted of

a handsome gun, a cutlass, a large piece of scarlet cloth, a great quantity of beads, se-

and a looking-glass. He was and powerful man, with long arms

veral knives,

a very tall

and large hands, on which he wore leather gloves reaching above the elbows.

white straw hat, long sers,

and

coat, full

Wore

a

white trou-

and red leather boots. Had black hair bushy beard, and musta-

eyes, with a

chios of the

same

colour.

The

sultan of

Youri advised your countryman to proceed the remainder of the way on land, as the passage by water was rendered dangerous by numerous sunken rocks in the Niger,

and a cruel race of people inhabiting the towns on its banks. They refused, however, to accede to this, observing, that they

were bound to proceed down the Niger to the Salt Water."

The

old

mallam

further

observed, that " as soon as the sultan of

Youri heard of

their death,

he was much

TO SACKATOO. affected

but

;

was out of

it

267

power

his

to

punish the people who had driven them into

A

the water.

pestilence reaching

at the time, swept off the

the inhabitants, particularly those

concerned in the transaction. der, fancying

it

Boussa

king and most of

who were

The remain-

was a judgment of the white

man's God, placed everything belonging to the Christians in a hut, and set" it on fire." It

is

not a

remarkable, that

little

common

saying,

Africa, "

Do

all

it is

now a

through the interior of

if you you will die like the people of Boussa.'' The old man left me shortly afterwards and I thanked him for his information thus

not hurt a Christian, for

do,

voluntarily given.'

This king of

Wawa made

him a present

of a beautiful mare, and afterwards, sultan of

him, that

Kiama if his

the

of a strong pony, and told

king wished to send any one

to Bornou, he would conduct him thither by a safe route, without the necessity of go-

ing through the Felatah country.

In short,

throughout the whole journey from

Kano

to

Badagry, he experienced nothing but kind-

FROM BENIN

2G8

ness from the natives

;

but here he became

an object of hatred to a nest of villainous Portuguese

who had

slave-dealers,

nearly

succeeded in destroying him.

Three of the Portuguese slave-merchants

'

Badagry went to the king one and told him and his principal men that I was a spy sent by the English government, and, if suffered to leave, would soon return with an army and conquer their residing at day,

This the credulous people

country.

be-

and I was treated with coldness and distrust by the king and his subjects, who seldom came to see me. All the chief men

lieved,

at length assembled at the

fetish hut, and,

having come to a resolution that drink a fetish, sent for

them.

On my

way,

me five

or

people gathered round me, and

A

I

was to

to appear before six I

hundred

could pro-

number of them were armed with hatchets, bows and arrows, and spears and waited outside the hut till I came out. On entering, one of the men, presenting me with a bowl, in ceed with

difficulty.

great

;

which was about a quart of a

liquid

much

TO SACKATOO.

269

resembling water, commanded me to drink it, saying, " If you come to do bad, it will kill

you

but

;

if

not,

it

There being no resource,

cannot hurt you." I

immediately, and

without hesitation, swallowed the contents of the bowl, and walked hastily out of the hut, through the

armed men, to

my own

lodgings, took powerful medicine and plenty

of

warm

water, which instantly ejected the

whole from effects

my

from the

stomach, and I fetish.

felt

had a

It

no

bitter

ill

and

disagreeable taste, ajrd I was told almost

always proved

When

'

after five

fatal.

the king and chief

men

found,

days, that the fetish had not hurt

me, they became extremely kind, and sent

me

presents of provisions,

&c,

daily,

and

frequently said I was protected by God, and that

it

me an

was out of the power of man to do injury.'

These Portuguese

means

of preventing

ruffians

took every

him from communi-

cating with his countrymen on the coast

but Captain

Morris,

hearing of his

being

of

the brig Maria,

at

Badagry, kindly

FROM BENIN

270

went himself from Whydah to fetch him away, and convey him to Cape Coast. Here,' he says, ' I gave my faithful slaves, Aboudah, Jowdie, and Pascoe's wife, their '

freedom,

who

testified

their sorrow at

my

departure, by heaping sand on their heads, and other marks of grief, peculiar to the

Colonel Lumley generously promised to give them pieces of ground and a small sum of money, and I have no doubt they will do well.' From Cape Coast African race.

Lander embarked in the Esk sloop of war, and arrived in England on the 30th of April, 1828.

We

are

now

in possession of authentic

materials to reform those gratuitous

maps of

Northern Africa, which are a reproach to the geography of the nineteenth century. For these materials

Denham and latter,

we

are mainly indebted to

Clapperton, but chiefly to the

who has measured

every degree of

from the Mediterranean to the Bight of Benin, and of longitude from the lake latitude

Tchad left

to Sackatoo

;

and although he has

the termination of the Timbuctoo river,

TO SACKATOO. or the Quorra,

still

271

in a state of doubt, he

has completely demolished every possibility

of this being the Niger of Ptolemy, or of Pliny,

or

which

is

great river of

that

Herodotus,

supposed to have stopped the pro-

gress of the Nasimones.

There

not a

is

trace, in history

or in fact, of any of the

Greek or Roman

colonists of Africa having

crossed the Great Desert, or of the latter

having penetrated beyond Fezzan. most probable, therefore, if any such existed, that it was one of the streams ing from the mountains of Atlas

It is

river issu-

perhaps

;

the Tafilet, which runs easterly, and loses itself in

the sands.

The Niger of

Edrissi

Park,

is

and of unquestionably the Quorra, though

there

is

reason to believe that the Arabs,

and other Arabs

who make no

of the middle ages,

use of water communications,

considered this Timbuctoo river to be the

same

as the Yeou, flowing in one continuous

course to the eastward, tion,

which

part

of the

will

strange

African geography.

—an erroneous no-

explain,

however,

confusion

some

made

in

FROM BENIN

272

The doubt

as to the termination of the after its southern course

Quorra is, whether, Funda,

as far as

mountains, and of Benin

is

penetrates the granite

identical with the

whether

or,

;

it

Formosa

turns off from

it

thence to the eastward, and, under the falls into

of Shary,

the lake Tchad.

evidence on both points

but we shall briefly state

And

first

extremely vague,

is it.

Benin

as to

name The

The caboceer

*.

of Chaki told Clapperton that the Quorra

passed Jaboo, and entered the sea at Benin,

but that

it

At Ensoo-

flowed over rocks.

koosoo he was told that canoes came up the river from Chekerie or Warrie to Nyffe,

and that they were ten days on the passage. At Katun ga, though so near to the river, he could learn nothing certain about

king refused to let time,' he says,

'

it

him go

to

it.

and the

it, '

At one

runs into the sea between

Jaboo and Benin, and at another, that * There

is

no authority, worthy of the

least regard,

it

for

appears in the chart of Clapperton's at least three times farther lip the country than

placing Benin where

it

book, which is our present information warrants.

Its latitude is G° 10'

N,

TO SACKATOO.

The

passes Benin.'

nothing of that

it

'

it,

went

273

sultan of

Boussa knew

but he had heard people

to Beni,

give to Bornou.'

which

is

The head man

of Nyffe told him, that

of the king

the river was full

'

of rocks and islands, nearly the whole to the

Funda.'

sea,

which

it

way

entered at the town of

At Tabra he was

Quorra ran into the

say-

name they

the

told

'

that the

behind Benin, at

sea,

Funda.' This is the sum of what Clapperton has collected, with regard to the Quorra

entering the sea at Benin, or at Funda. Next, as to its identity with the Shary.

Denham, when on the Shary, learned that a branch of this river passed through the plain of Adamowa and Clapperton understood ;

from a Shea Arab, whose tribe resided on the banks of the Shary, that it at Sackatoo,

Adamowa that it was there joined by a branch from the hills of passed the town of

Bobyra, and river, called

the

that, further to the east,

Asu, or Ashu,

southern

IV.

fell

into

a large

it

from

At Dunrora About half a day's

mountains.

Richard Lander says, journey to the VOL.

;

'

east, stood

a

lofty hill, at the

T

FROM BENIN

274

foot of which lay the large city of Jacoba.

Mahomet affirmed,

that there

is

a river called

Shar, or Shary, about half a mile from that

which derives

place,

its

source from the lake

and that canoes can go from the lake to the Niger at any season of the year. The Shary empties itself into the Niger at Funda.'

Tchad

;

of Ghadamis told the late Major

The sheikh

Laing, from personal observation, that the

Quorra was turned out of its southerly course, to the left, or eastward, by a chain of mountains and the secretary or schoolmaster of Bello drew his chart in the same direction. ;

Hornemann's testimony, obtained from a Maraboot,

is

very important

it

:

states that

the river seen by Park flows southward from

Houssa where

ward

that

;

it is

it

name

of Houssa

it

says,

'

is

called '

was given

two)

breadth

Zad

of

is

the great water.

said

;

that

it

runs east-

into the district of Bornou, where

takes the

he

waters Nyffe and Cabbi,

called Julbi

;

;

that in

it

some parts

Gaora (Quorra), or

The breadth of the Zad,'

me

for

one mile (others

but in the rainy

season

said to be a day's journey.

the

The

275

TO SACKATOO.

in the

Budamas always keep themselves middle of

tliis

stream

;

they are a very sa-

vage, heathenish nation*.' These several notices strongly imply that

Quorra and the Shary are the same river, and that it is deflected from its southerly course somewhere about Funda, which the

most probably, to the equivocal word bahr, has erroneously been assumed

place, owing,

to be on the sea-coast.

It

is

remarkable

enough, that even Salame, who understands both English and Arabic so well, cannot divest himself of the habit of

translating

that Arabic word

the

into

'

sea

:

'

Abiad, for instance, he translates the Sea,' the

Bahr

el

Azrek, the

'

Bahr '

el

"White

Blue Sea'

and he writes the sea of Cowara or Quorra. Homemann was probably led into an error of a contrary kind, and talks of the river Zad, which should be the lake Zad; the size he gives to it, and the Budumas upon it, evidently point out the lake, and the Bid-

doomas of Denham who

inhabit

* Proceedings of the Association for vers' of the Interior Parts

of Africa, vol.

its islands.

Promoting the Discoii.

p. 201,

T 2

&c.

FROM BENIN

276

We

are inclined, therefore, to consider the

Quorra to empty

itself into the

we are supported in who has done more

this

Tchad

and

;

opinion by one,

for the elucidation of

African geography, ancient as well as mo-

from the slender materials he posany other human being we

dern,

—

sessed, than

need hardly mention Major Rennell

rum

et

nomen

venerabile

da-

—who now (1S29),

in his eighty-seventh year, possesses in full

vigour, for the

happiness of himself and

friends, all those intellectual faculties

have

and useful

life

martyrdom, gout,

still

;

who, suffering

from the

little

short of

frequent attacks

of

devotes hours and days to his

favourite pursuit all

which

so eminently distinguished his long

;

uniting with his studies

the playfulness and vivacity of youth

*.

* This extraordinary and unequalled man, alive to all that passing in the world, thus writes to a friend, on seeing the course of the Quorra, as laid down in the chart of Clapperton.

is

*

This river, like an eel, seems to slip out of our fingers, when think that we have got the fastest hold of him. It would

we

appear, now, as if we had him in a kind of trap ; perhaps a shot from Fernando Po, northwards, may find him in the Sharee. As both Bello, and the sheikh of Ghadamis, describe the Quorra as proceeding very much southerly, from the quarter opposite Sackatoo, and then to turn to the left, or

277

TO SACK.ATOO.

Tlie difference of levels does not appear to present

any

difficulty.

Barometrical ob-

servations carried into the heart of a country are not

much to be

relied

on

for ascertaining

the elevation of that country above the sea.

But supposing,

in the present case, the in-

struments to have been correct (which rarely

happens with travelling barometers), the level of the Quorra, at the ferry of Comie,

would appear to be something higher than the level of the Tchad, as given by Doctor

Oudney.

It

may

be observed,

that the

eastward, one can only conceive that the Sharee agrees to this description- The sheikh, moreover, told Laing, that it was

turned out of its southerly course to the eastward, by the chain of mountains which answer to those granite ones of Clapperton. With respect to the general subject of the Niger, ancient, as well as the supposed modern one, and that of the middle ages (Edrissi, &c), 1 have now little doubt that its supposed continuous course was made up of different parts of different rivers, running nearly in the same general parallel (£. e. E. and W.), but never paid much attention to by travellers, in respect of their courses.' Resuming the subject, he again writes thus '

I

:

have gone over again the sketch of Mr. Hornemann,

p. 138

(African Association), as well as the intelligence contained in the pages following ; and it there appears that the Mahrabot

makes the Gaora

(qu. Quorra?), p. 135, run into the rivet Zad, forming a continuation of the same river, or water, under another name. Whether the informant meant to express a river, or Hornemann mistook a lake, intended by the

FROM BENIN

278

whole of the interior of Northern Africa

is

a

succession of elevated table-lands, the steep sides of the surrounding

westerly

and

they present

southerly, little

mountains being while,

interiorly,

From

or no declivity.

summit of those passed by Clapperton, there was no descent to the plains beyond them, and the mercury appears to have the

descended rather than to have risen, as far as the ferry of the little

Quorra

;

doubt the whole question

but

we have

will

now be

Major Rennell says, by firing a shot from Fernando Po. Any single person, with a few scissors, needles, and speedily decided, as

brass ornaments for the wives of Badagry,

Yourriba, Kiama, Boussa, and Youri, would

make

his

way without

interruption,

and from

the last mentioned place to Bornou, avoid-

ing altogether the Felatahs of Bello.

The

other for a river (from the sameness of the word expressing I do not know. I should certainly suspect that a lake was intended, but not so understood ; for, in page 136, it is

both),

" the Budumas, a very savage people, always keep middle of this stream" (the Zad); and as we know from Denham, &c, that these people inhabit the islands of the lake Zad, it can only apply to the lake, I think.' _

said, that

in the

TO SACKATOO, pastoral Felatahs are a harmless people. is

by means of

single travellers that

shall eventually be

279 It

we

able to settle the geo-

graphy of Northern Africa.

FINIS.

LONDON; Printed by William Clowes, Stamford-street.