An Account Of Timbuctoo And Housa Territories In The Interior Of Africa Part 21

The circ.u.mcision of male children is the general practice of Islaemism; it is also used among some of the[201] _Khaffers_ or _Cafers_ of North, Central, and South Africa. Circ.u.mcision is not a practice ascribed to a principle of cleanliness, or any other cause, but ancient usage. The period of performing this operation among the Arabs is at the age of eight years.

[Footnote 201: _Khaffer_ (singular number) is an Arabic term, applied to all who are not Muhamedans; all Pagans, Jews, and Christians, are called _Khaffer_, _K'fer_ (plural) _Kaffir billa_, an atheist: hence Caffraria, the name of the country near the Cape of Good Hope.]

_Invoice from Timbuctoo to Santa Cruz._

Transport of ([202]_Alk Sudan_) gum of Sudan, bought at Timbuctoo, on account of Messrs. James Jackson and Co. by their agent, L'Hage Muhamed O----n, and dispatched to Akka by the spring (_akkaba_) acc.u.mulated caravan, in February, 1794.

M. Doll

200 camel loads of gum-sudan, each weighing 250 lb. net, bought at Timbuctoo, at four Mexico dollars per load, 800 346 _Charges._--Cow-skins to pack it in, sticks to stow it on the camels, &c. 25

200 camels hired to Akka, at 18 Mexico dollars each, 3600

Stata, _i.e._ convoy through the Sahara, from Timbuctoo to Arawan, at 20 cents per camel, 40

Do. from Arawan to East Tagra.s.sa, at 20 cents per camel, 40

Do. from East Tagra.s.sa to Akka, at 40 cents per camel, 40

20 per cent., or one-fifth, on the first cost, to be allowed to the purchaser on safe arrival at Akka, 160 ---- 4705

[Footnote 202: This gum is the produce of an enormous tree of Sudan, which flourishes near Timbuctoo, Housa, w.a.n.gara, and Bernoh (or Bernou) it is transported by the caravans to Alexandria in Egypt, to Tripoli, Tunis, and Algiers. From the African ports in the Mediterranean it is s.h.i.+pped to Smyrna and Constantinople, and from thence to England, under the denomination of Turkey gum; some goes to MoG.o.dor and Tetuan, and thence to London.]

347 The adventure is subject to this charge, provided it arrive safe at Akka, not otherwise, as also to encourage the agent at Timbuctoo, to exert himself in procuring trusty guides and competent statas, which he would not do, without having a certain interest in the safe delivery.

_N.B._ No stata is necessary from Akka to Santa Cruz, but the hire is 3 dollars per camel.

_Translation of a Letter from Timbuctoo, which accompanied the foregoing Consignment._

Praise be to G.o.d alone; for there is nothing durable but the kingdom of heaven.

To the Christian merchant, Jackson, at Agadeer. Peace be to those who follow the right way.

This being premised, know that I have sent you by this akkabah, two hundred camel load of gum-sudan, agreeable to the account herewith transmitted. The stata will be paid by my friend, L'Hage Aly, sheik of Akka, whom I request you will reimburse according to the account which I have sent to you by him; and if he goes to Agadeer, be kind, friendly, and hospitable to him on my account, for he stands high in my esteem; and peace be with you.

Written at Timbuctoo, 10th of the month Muharram, year of the Hejra 1208, (corresponding with 15th Feb. A.C. 1794). By your friend,

L'HAGE MUHAMED O----N.

G.o.d be merciful to him.

_Invoice from Timbuctoo to Fas_.

Transport of gold, gum, and cottons, from Timbuctoo to Fas, consigned to L'Hage Seyd and L'Hage Abdrahaman Elfellely, Timbuctoo merchants at Fas, by (_akkaba el Kheriffy_) the autumnal caravan.

Dispatched 29th Duelhaja el Hurem, year 1204, corresponding with 10th October, A.C. 1790.

500 skins (_Tibber w.a.n.garee_) gold dust of w.a.n.gara, each skin containing 4 ounces, bought on their account, in barter for 800 Flemish plattilias.

100 (_Sibikat deheb w.a.n.garee_). w.a.n.gara gold in bars, weighing 20 ounces each, bought in exchange for 400 pieces (_Shkalat_) Irish cloth, averaging 44 cubits each piece (7 cubits are equal to 4 English yards).

348 10 bed-covers, 9 cubits long, 4 wide, chequered pattern, blue and white cotton, with scarlet silk between the chequers, manufactured at Timbuctoo, bought in barter for 100 lb. sugar, 30 loaves.

50 camel-load gum-sudan, weighing net 120 quintals.

_Charges_.--Hire of 50 camels to Akka, at 18 dollars each.

Stata to ditto, 1 dollar per load, to be paid by Sheik Aly ben A----r.

_Copy of the Letter accompanying the foregoing Remittance._

Praise be to G.o.d alone; for there is neither beginning nor strength, without G.o.d, the eternal G.o.d.

To my friends, L'Hage Zeyd and L'Hage Abdrahaman Elfellely. Peace be with ye, and the mercy of the High G.o.d; and after that, know, that I have sent to our agents at Akka, by the autumnal caravan, 50 camel loads of gum-sudan, being 100 skins; in each skin of gum I have packed 5 skins of gold dust, and 1 bar of gold. L'Hage Tahar ben Jelule will deliver to our agent at Akka, for you, 10 very handsome cotton covers for beds, of Sudan manufacture. May all this arrive safe, with the blessing of G.o.d. I will inform you by the spring caravan what merchandize to send here next autumn. I refer you to a long letter, which I have sent to you by L'Hage Tahar.

Peace be with you, and the blessing of G.o.d be upon you.

349 Written at Timbuctoo, the 29th Duelhaja El Huram, year 1204.

L'HAGE HAMED ELw.a.n.gARIE.

[203]G.o.d protect him.

[Footnote 203: The Muhamedans, in signing their name, always invoke the protection, mercy, or providence of G.o.d upon themselves.]

_Food of the Desert._

The people, whose interest induces them to cross the desert, (for there are no travellers from curiosity in this country,) obviate the objection to salt provisions, which increases the propensity to drink water, by taking with them melted b.u.t.ter, called _smin_; this is prepared without salt. They also cut beef into long pieces, about six inches long, and one inch square, without fat; these are called _el kuddeed_, which are hung on a line, exposed to the air till dry; they then cut them into pieces, two inches long; these are put into (_buckul_) an earthen pot; they then pour the _smin_ into the _buckul_ till it is covered. This meat and b.u.t.ter, besides being palatable, is comprised in a small compa.s.s, and feeds many.

When this b.u.t.ter has been thus prepared and kept twelve or fifteen years, it is called _budra_, and is supposed to contain penetrating active medicinal qualities. I have seen some thirty years old.

_Ant.i.thesis, a favourite Figure with the Arabs._

Mahmoud, sultan of Ghezna in the beginning of the eleventh century, 350 though the son of a slave, was very powerful. He sent to the khalif Alkader, requesting a t.i.tle suited to his exalted dignity. The latter hesitated; but fearing the power of the sultan, sent him at the expiration of a year the ambiguous t.i.tle, _Uly_, i.e. a prince, a friend, a slave. Mahmoud penetrated the khalif's meaning, and sent him immediately 100,000 pieces of gold, with a wish to know whether a letter had not been omitted. Alkader received the treasure, and took the hint, instantly dispatching letters patent in full form, creating him _Ualy_ which signifies, without equivocation, a sovereign independent prince.

_Arabian Modes of Writing_.

The Arabs have various modes of writing, the princ.i.p.al of which is that used by the Koreish, the most learned of all the Western tribes, and is denominated the _Niskhi_, or upright character: if this is understood, the others may be easily comprehended. This is the character in which the Koran was originally written. In the seventh century, the Arabs adopted the invention of Moramer ben Morra, a native of Babylonian Irak, which was afterwards improved by the Kufik. The Kufik and the Niskhi are synonymous. Richardson, in his Arabic Grammar, p. 4. say, "The Mauritannick character, which is used by the Moors of Marocco and Barbary, descendants of 351 the Arabians, differs in many respects _considerably_ from the other modes of writing." But this is incorrect; for the Mauritannick alphabet, excepting in the order of the letters, is precisely the same with the Oriental, as now written and spoken, with the exception only of the letters _Fa_ and _Kaf_, and the formation even of these characters are alike. The punctuation only, differs in the West, that is, west of the Egyptian Nile. The Western punctuation of _Fa_, is one point below the letter, and the punctuation of the letter _Kaf_ is one point above. In the East, the former letter has one point above, the latter has two. This is the only difference between the Eastern and the Western alphabets.

Richardson, (see his Grammar, page 5,) also says, that "the purest Arabic is spoken at Grand Cairo," but this is not correct: the language of Grand Cairo and of Tunis, Tripoli, Algiers, and Marocco are much alike, but none of them are the pure Koraisch or Korannick Arabic, which is only spoken at Mekka, and among some of the tribes of Bedouins in the West. The language of the Woled Abbusebah, of the Howara, and of the Mograffra is the pure Arabic. Finally, in a note in Richardson's Grammar, page 18, it is said, "Some of our European writers, and amongst others Voltaire, subst.i.tute _Koran_ for _Alcoran_, but perhaps improperly, as D'Herbelot and other learned Orientalists, write uniformly _l'Alcoran, il Alcorano_, the Alcoran." We have been too apt to copy the orthography of Oriental names from the French, whose p.r.o.nunciation of the Roman or European 352 characters differs from ours. There cannot be a doubt that D'Herbelot is incorrect. The word _Koran_ (for there is no _c_ in the Arabic language) is derived from the verb _Kora_, to read; _koran_, reading: _Al_ is the article; but, in this instance, D'Herbelot uses this article twice, which is certainly erroneous, for _l'_ is the French article in the word in question, and _al_ is the Arabic article; whereas _one_ article only should precede a noun. _L'Alcoran_ and the _Alcoran_ are therefore equally incorrect; for the word in French should be _Le Coran_; in English, _the Koran_; therefore Voltaire was correct. I have thought it expedient to make these observations, because standing in Richardson's Grammar on the authority of _learned orientalists_, they are calculated to mislead the Arabic student.

_Decay of Science and the Arts among the Arabs_.

The literary fire of the Arabs and Persians has been extinguished upwards of 300 years; but before that period, the encouragement to learning in the East was unprecedented, and has never been equalled by any European nation either before or since that period. Kadder Khan, king of Turquestan, was the greatest support to science. When he appeared abroad, he was preceded by 700 hors.e.m.e.n, with silver battle-axes, and was followed by an equal number bearing maces of gold. He supported with magnificent appointment a literary academy 353 in his palace, consisting of 100 men of the highest reputation.

Amak, called Abu Naib El Bokari, who was the chief poet, exclusive of a great pension and a vast number of slaves, had, in attendance wherever he went, thirty horses of state richly caparisoned, and a retinue in proportion. The king before-mentioned used to preside at their exercises of genius, on which occasions, by the side of his throne were always placed four large basons filled with gold and silver, which he distributed liberally to those who excelled.

Lebid suspended over the gate at Mecca a sublime poem; Muhamed placed near it the opening of the second chapter of the Koran, which was conceived to be something divine, and it gained the prize of the _Ocadh_ a.s.sembly.

The remains of this custom of suspending over gates Arabic poems, is perceived at this day among the western Moors. The gates or entrances to MoG.o.dor, Fas, Mequinas, Marocco, &c. have writing over them, which is a kind of Arabic short-hand, that none but the learned understand; these writings, however, are not moveable, being engraven on a square table on the stone itself.

_Extraordinary Abstinence experienced in the Sahara_.

The Arabs or inhabitants of the Sahara, can support the most extraordinary abstinence. Occasions occur, wherein they will travel 354 several days without food. After suffering a privation of a day or two, they tie their (_hazam_) belt round their loins, every morning tighter than the preceding day, thereby preventing, in some measure, that action of the bowels which promotes appet.i.te. A Saharawan will thus go five or six days without food of any kind, in which case, when he reaches a habitation, or a (_wah_) cultivated spot in the Desert, he will drink about half-a-pint of camel's milk; this remains on the stomach but a short time: he then takes another draught, which, with some, remains and gives nourishment, but with others _it_ is also rejected by the stomach; _a third draught is then taken, which restores the exhausted traveller!_ I have been a.s.sured, that instances have been known in Sahara, wherein a man has been without food of any kind for seven days, and has afterwards been restored by the foregoing regimen!

355