Narrative of a Mission to Central Africa Performed in the Years 1850-51 Volume I Part 8

On the 8th we pursued our course over the monotonous undulating plain of Taeeta, to which we had descended. It was a little hotter, because lower than yesterday; and the country is more parched, more arid, more desolate, than ever. No herbage for camels is found in these parts, and we had been compelled to carry some with us from Wady Haghaneen, and to wake up with dates, of which the camels ate voraciously as a treat.

Beetles and lizards were the only living things we saw.

Next day, the 9th, we rose before sunrise and made a good day of nine hours, still over the same plain of Taeeta. About three hours before we reached the well of Tabea we crossed the real boundaries of the Fezzanee territory, although the Tuaricks seem to claim the pa.s.s on the mountains as their own. The weather was hot, there being no wind. On these occasions the afternoons are very oppressive, and the sun causes his power to be unpleasantly felt until an hour before sunset.

From the plain to-day we had a view of the Ghat mountains, which seem at a distance to present different forms and characters from the high lands on the edge of the plateau of Mourzuk. The bed of the undulating plain of Taeeta is covered with pebbles and blocks, of both sand and limestone. Yesterday I picked up some fossils of the star-fish--the fixed star-fish, having branches by which it holds to the bottom of the sea. Some fossils of vegetables were also found. Two or three hours before reaching the well we descended rapidly into a broad, deep wady, where were the recent marks of a waterflow. The camels all went well, ours faster than the Targhee; but these latter, not being allowed to stray, always make, as a rule, better and more regular journeys.

The Tuaricks themselves are getting more civil. Hateetah already enters into the idea of a treaty of amity and commerce: he says he will fix the amount the English merchants are to pay when they attend the mart of Ghat. The son of Shafou is always represented as a very good fellow; he is growing more and more civil and companionable. This evening I gave him a small pair of good scissors, which much delighted him. As for the other Tuaricks, Hateetah excepted, I make it a rule to refuse what they ask, otherwise I should be annoyed every day with their importunities.

Hateetah says we must lodge at Ghat with Haj Ahmed, the governor, outside of the town, to be out of the way of the begging Tuaricks. He adds, "Always keep the door shut, and when any one calls out for permission to enter say 'Babo,'--(No one at home!)"

The Germans, like myself, find the fatigue too great to enable them to continue their observations and writings with regularity. We must not be extravagant of our health and strength at this early period of our expedition.

The valley of Tabea is a pleasant place, having herbage for the camels in abundance, as is the case wherever the ethel-tree is found. There are several wells with water near the surface, and others might no doubt be dug all over the wady. Our encampment looked picturesque this evening.

It is the eve of Ramadhan, and our people fired shots here and there to celebrate the occasion.

_10th._--A halt was arranged for this day. I took the opportunity to wash and change all my clothes, which I do every three or four days, if possible. Mr. Hateetah, however, would not allow me to carry on my domestic arrangements in peace. He came grumbling as usual, wanting scissors, razors, &c. I cannot fill this craving abyss to the brim. Our people fast to-day; but to-morrow, probably, they will not, as the law does not require them to do so when actually travelling.

I have left Doctors Barth and Overweg to take the compa.s.s-direction of this route. To do this when with them would be useless for me, but when I leave them I must then do all the work I can. Now, it would be only acc.u.mulating on my shoulders useless labour. Besides, they will always do this kind of thing much better than myself. The same observation applies to the thermometer. It would be well, however, if I practised taking observations with them. But we are all sufficiently worked, and can a.s.sist one another but little in these matters.

The wind has been variable for the last three days,--in the evening, generally N.E. In the afternoon it begins to move round, until it blows from all the points of the compa.s.s. To-day we have hot wind or gusts of wind. It has been very hot, 105 Fahrenheit under the tent.

Our people suffer much from their fasting. But the Tuaricks do not fast, and seem to look with scorn upon the Moors and blacks for doing so.

Yusuf says _he_ shall not fast when he in _en route_. A camel has broken down on the road, and it is found necessary to kill it, to prevent its dying. Hateetah has given out his decree for its sale. The Tuaricks are to purchase half and we half of the carcase, at ten reals, or fifty Tunisian piastres. Of our five reals the Germans take one and a half, and the Sfaxee a half. This will make it lighter for me. Our people made a regular feast of the camel's flesh, some of them sitting up and gorging till midnight. Their noise did not disturb me, for I had slept a good deal in the day.

I had done very little indeed but sleep and lie down. We felt the heat severely at noon. A gust of hot wind nearly carried away our tent.

The Tuaricks use spoons, and do not eat with their hands like the Arabs and Turks; but the latter pretend that the Tuaricks never wash their hands at all, whilst they, before and after eating, always take this precaution. In saluting, the Tuaricks do not spread out the fingers much when they raise their hand, but present the palm and fingers outstretched to you. One of these gentlemen, whom I call the noisy one, has got a poor little slave-boy, about seven years of age, who works like a man, and goes quite naked.

To-day I found a young scorpion in the canva.s.s-case of my writing-desk; he c.o.c.ked his tail in a hostile att.i.tude, as if daring any one to touch him. In his tail seems to be all his power, and so of all the scorpion host. Yesterday was taken a locust: this destructive insect is not bred in the desert. In this bare and thirsty region there is nothing for the young ones to eat, and the old ones likewise would soon perish in the Sahara. They are bred in the cultivated fields near the desert, or in the fertile lands of the coast, as in the neighbourhood of Mogador, where millions of the young have been seen, like so many small green buds of trees.

Dr. Overweg made an excursion to the Ghat mountains, or rather the smaller hills or offshoots from the range. He found them sandstone, but very singularly formed or broken into huge blocks--some like the ma.s.ses which I saw on the route from Ghadamez to Ghat, with a very narrow base, on which they might turn as on a pivot.

_11th._--We stopped here another day. We were to have started in the afternoon, but the Tuaricks had some visitors come to see them, and detained us for their own comfort and amus.e.m.e.nt. I am not sorry for it, as we have had a tremendous gheblee. All the day I felt it extremely hot, and so have all the people. I was obliged to lie down on the floor of my tent nearly all day; but I have so arranged my table that I put my head under it, which gives additional and most important protection from the sun. All these little expedients must be resorted to in travelling over the desert, and may sometimes save a man's life. It is surprising what protection a piece of cloth or linen, or a piece of board, in addition to the tent, will give against the intensity of the sun's fierce rays. The Moors and blacks of the coast seem to suffer as much as the Europeans.

There are two ways from this wady to Ghat--a difficult, and an easy but longer one. I and the Germans go, with Hateetah and Shafou, the difficult one; and we leave the heavy luggage and the caravan to go the easy route. This, at least, is the arrangement talked of this evening.

The morrow may bring something new.

The Tuaricks who arrived to-day expected a supper: Hateetah sent to the Germans to find them one; the Germans referred them to Moknee; and we provided.

We must take care we do not have too many customers of this sort, or we shall never get up to Aheer with the present stock of provisions.

To call the wind under which we are suffering _gheblee_, is a perfect misnomer; for the hot wind of to-day and yesterday came directly from the _north_, "Bahree!" As Yusuf said, however, when I told him where the wind was from: "Where now is the sea? It is a long way from the sea."

The thermometer was 106 Fahrenheit in the shade of the ethel to-day. We shall rarely have it much hotter than this. In Bornou there is rarely more than 104 in the shade.

_13th._--Sat.u.r.day.[5] The morning is advancing and the Tuaricks are not yet moving. These Azgher are sad lazy dogs. It appears they have changed their minds, and we are all to go the long and easy way. The sun is rising in haze with a little wind. The heavens now are frequently concealed by vapour. Yesterday we had clouds in abundance, often shrouding the sun--a wonder for the desert in this season!

[5] The 12th is missed, and Dr. Richardson notes in his journal that the date is to be rectified backwards; but he does not say where the rectification is to begin--ED.

We started rather late, about seven A.M., but made a long day, continuing till sunset, or twelve hours. Our course was north-north-west for three or four hours, on the plain towards Serdalous, and then entered the pa.s.s of Abulaghlagh; which, though represented as plain and smooth as the hand by Hateetah, was sufficiently difficult and rocky for the boat-laden camels. The beginning of the pa.s.s was remarkable for a number of curiously-formed sandstone rocks, several of them swinging or resting on a small base like a pivot, and others cleft asunder, as straightly and clearly as if cut by a knife. Our course along the pa.s.s was west, but when well through it we turned round southwards towards Ghat.

Immediately on clearing the pa.s.s we saw the celebrated Kasar Janoon, or Palace of the Demons; of and concerning which the people had been talking all day: we had then the range of hills or mountains to our left, and some sand-hills on our right. Dr. Overweg at once discovered we were in a new region, or zone. The mountains on the left are composed of slate-marl, and not sandstone, as before stated by myself and Dr.

Oudney. Overweg considers them of a very peculiar character and is delighted with their castle-like and battlemented shapes. But we shall have much to say of these marl-slate mountains, coloured so beautifully, and looking n.o.bly to the eye.

Before entering the pa.s.s of Abulaghlagh, Hateetah hid some of his wheat under the rocks to lighten his camels. I joked him, and told him I knew his hiding-place, and would return and fetch the wheat. All over these hills things are hidden, and often money, which is sometimes lost for ever, the owner dying without pointing out his hiding-place. There was no herbage for camels to-night, but we had brought a little hasheesh with us. A strong wind set in towards evening and continued nearly all night, preventing us from sleeping. We were much exhausted by our day's march, and so were all our animals; they suffer much from these long stretches. We gave them dates, as we give horses corn.

_14th._--We rose before daylight, and got off by sunrise, continuing till about two hours after noon. The wind was so exceedingly strong, blowing from the south-east, that we did not feel the heat of the sun.

But now and then we had strong gusts of hot wind, like the breath of a furnace. I tied a thin dark cotton handkerchief over my eyes, and found great relief.

Our course is now south, over a high sandy plain. We are at length fairly in the Land of Demons, as the country of the Ghat Tuaricks is called by themselves. All around, the mountains take castellated forms, and high over all rises the Kasar Janoon, Palace or Citadel of the Ginn: a huge square ma.s.s of rock, said to be a day in circuit, and bristling with turret-pinnacles, some of which must be seven hundred feet in height. Nothing but its magnitude can convince the eye at a distance that it is not a work raised by human hands, and shattered by time or warfare. Its vast disrupted walls tower gigantically over the plain.

Here, as in another Pandemonium, the spirits of the desert collect from places distant thousands of miles, for the purpose of debate or prayer.

It is a mosque as well as a hall of council, and a thesaurus to boot, for unimaginable treasures are buried in its caverns. Poor people love to forge wealthy neighbours for themselves. No Tuarick will venture to explore these t.i.tanic dwellings, for, according to old compact, the tribes of all these parts have agreed to abstain from impertinent curiosity, on condition of receiving advice and a.s.sistance from the spirit-inhabitants of their country. In my former visit I nearly lost my life in an attempt to explore it and was supposed to have been misled by mocking-spirits: little did I think that this superst.i.tion was about to receive another confirmation.

The Kasar Janoon, and all the mountains around, were wrapped this day in haze, but loomed gigantically through. We proceeded, still in sight of this enchanted castle, over the plain, which was perfectly bare and arid, until we arrived at Wady Atoulah, where we found the beneficent ethel and some good pickings for the camels. Not pausing long here, we proceeded another hour, and encamped in Wady Tahala, just in front of the imposing Kasar, and full in view of the mountains of Wareerat to the east.

The camels suffered much during the day's march. The Tuaricks had another knocked up, and we two,--that of the blacks and one which I had purchased of Mr. Gagliuffi. The latter could not bring his load, and we were obliged to relieve him of all his burden; a great disappointment to me, for I bought the animal as a strong one, to go up to Soudan. It was a dear bargain, in comparison with the other camels which I purchased in Mourzuk,--costing thirty-eight mahboubs and a half. I must recover the money, and cannot allow Government to lose it. All our other camels came on well, even those which cost me much less. The other is still behind whilst I write: it is an old, worn-out, black Egyptian camel, and cost only eighteen dollars.

I did not feel so much exhausted to-day as usual. I always take tea and coffee on encamping, which restores my senses at least, and does me much good generally. I dissolve mastic with the water during the hot hours, and to-day drank at least three pints, but ate little.

The well is east from our encampment two hours, and under the mountains.

There is encamped the Sfaxee, who went by the more difficult route, to arrive at Ghat before us; but it seems he will be disappointed. He came by the pa.s.s by which I returned formerly from Ghat to Mourzuk,--certainly too difficult and narrow for the transport of the boat.

_15th._--I rose early, and marched about three hours and a half to the well, under the Kasar Janoon; that is to say, four or five miles along the base of the eastern wall of the Kasar. But this day's adventures deserve more particular chronicle.

The Germans had determined to go and examine the Kasar, and were about to start just as I came out of my tent. They had had some altercation with Hateetah, because, partly for superst.i.tious reasons, he would not give them a guide, and they had made up their minds to undertake the exploration alone. I saw Dr. Barth going off somewhat stiffly by himself; Dr. Overweg came to where I was standing, and asked Amankee, my Soudan servant, about the well near the Kasar, and then also went off.

He said to me, "I shall boil the water on the highest point, and then go along the top to the other end." He was taking some points of the Kasar with the compa.s.s, and I observed to him, "Take the eastern point." Then he started. Yusuf called out after him, "Take a camel with you, it is very distant." Distressed at seeing them go alone, I told Amankee that if he would follow I would give him a present. He agreed, upon the condition that he should not be expected to ascent the Kasar; for he feared the Janoon. We then gave him dates, biscuits, and a skin of water, and he started after Dr. Overweg. I confess I had my fears about them. On arriving near the well, we pitched tent near an immense spreading old ethel, which afforded us some shade. I watched the changing aspect of the Kasar nearly all the time of our three hours'

ride; and could not help thinking that the more it was examined the more marvellous did it appear. I then looked out to recognise the place where I was lost four years ago, and at last I thought I could distinguish the locality. The day wore on. It blew gales of hot wind. No Germans appeared, although it had been told them that we should only stop during the hot hours of the day. However, I antic.i.p.ated that they would not arrive before sunset. Hateetah sent word, that as there was little water he should not move on till to-morrow. This was good news for the Germans.

At last, about five o'clock P.M., Dr. Overweg appeared. He had experienced great thirst and fatigue; but, having the a.s.sistance of Amankee, he got back safe. He at once confessed his fears for Dr. Barth.

I began to think this gentleman must either have gone to Ghat, or that some accident had befallen him. Soon, indeed, we began to have gloomy apprehensions, and to talk seriously of a search. The Tuaricks were not very civil, and Hateetah threw all the responsibility of the safety of my fellow-travellers on me. Dr. Overweg and several people went out in search of Dr. Barth just before sunset.

Night closed in; no appearance of our friend. I hoisted a lamp on the top of the ethel, and made large fires as the sun went down, in hopes that their glare might be seen at a distance from the Kasar. Our servants returned without Dr. Overweg. He had promised to be back by sunset, and I began to fear some accident had befallen him likewise.

The evening grew late, and Hateetah came to me, in a very nervous state, to inquire after the Germans. I endeavoured to compose him by telling him the responsibility was on us, and not on him. Dr. Overweg returned at midnight. He had thrown into the desert various pieces of paper, on which was written the direction of our encampment from the Kasar. We were very uneasy, and slept little, as may be imagined; but before we retired for the night Hateetah arranged a general search for the morning.

Next morning, accordingly, at daybreak (16th), the search was commenced, by two camels scouring the environs of the desert. Dr. Overweg went with one of the parties, but returned at noon, bringing no news of Dr. Barth.

Amankee with his party had, however, seen his footsteps towards the north. This was most important, as it directed our attention that way, and we thought no more of his having gone to Ghat. We now calculated that our companion had been twenty-four hours without a drop of water, a gale of hot wind blowing all the time! Dr. Overweg proposed to me that we should offer a considerable reward, as the last effort. He mentioned twenty, but I increased the sum to fifty dollars. This set them all to work, and a Tuarick with a maharee volunteered to search. I found it necessary, however, to give him two dollars for going, besides the proffered reward; he left at two P.M., and all the people were sent off by Hateetah a couple of hours after him.

This was a dreadfully exciting day. I confess, that as the afternoon wore on I had given up nearly all hope, and continued the search merely as a matter of duty. Few will be able to imagine the anguish of losing a friend under such circ.u.mstances in the wide desert, where you may for ever remain uncertain how he came by his death, whether by the spear of a bandit, the claws of a wild beast, or by that still more deadly enemy, thirst. Just before sunset I was preparing fresh fires as a last resort, when I saw one of our blacks, the little Mahadee, running eagerly towards the encampment. Good news was in his very step. I hastened to meet him. He brought the joyful intelligence that Dr. Barth had been found, still alive, and even able to speak! The Tuarick whom I had despatched, in scouring the country with his maharee, had found him about eight miles from the camp, lying on the ground, unable to move.

For twenty-four hours he had remained in the same position, perfectly exhausted with heat and fatigue. Our fires had not been unmarked by him, but they only served to show that we were doing our best to find him. He could not move a step towards them. On seeing his deliverers, he could just muster strength to say, "Water, water!" He had finished the small supply he had taken with him the day before at noon, and had from that time suffered the most horrible tortures from thirst. He had even drunk his own blood! Twenty-eight hours, without water in the Sahara! Our people could scarcely at first credit that he was alive; for their saying is, that no one can live more than twelve hours when lost in the desert during the heats of summer.

Dr. Barth was now brought back to the camp. He had still a supply of biscuit and dates with him; but eating only aggravates the torture of thirst. Moist food is fitter to carry on such occasions. We found rum very useful in restoring his health.

_17th._--The Doctor, being of robust const.i.tution, was well enough this day to mount his camel, and proceed with the caravan. We advanced about seven hours, and then encamped. To-morrow, a ride of a couple of hours will take us into Ghat.

CHAPTER X.