Sickness of Gagliuffi—Baggage left at Mizdah—Runthar Aga—The Hospital—Various Visits—Arrival of the New Governor—Animated Scene—Correspondence—Visit Mustapha Agha—Bragging Sheikh Boro—Tibboos of Tibesty—Curious Country—Presents to Turkish Functionaries—A Woman divorced—Haj Lameen—Presents expected—Brilliant Atmosphere—Water-Melons—The Gardens—Winnowing Grain—Houses of Salt Mud—Nymphs of the Gardens—Wells—Presents to Functionaries—Phrenology—Queen's Birthday—Walks in the Orchards and Gardens—Corn-threshing—Kingdom of Aheer—Ass's Head—A Wedding—A Funeral—Great Dinner—Tibboos—Prepare to depart—The Pilgrim Caravan; its Privileges—Tuat and the French—Departure of Germans—Wife of Es-Sfaxee—An Arab Saying—Letters—Disease—Arrival of Escort—Eastern Consulates—Business—Hateetah—The Son of Shafou—Poor Sheikhs—Hard Bargain.
May 7th.—We are already busy with preparations for our start to the interior. Mr. Gagliuffi has written to Ghât to-day for Hateetah and his escort of Tuaricks. Excitement protects us, perhaps, from the deadly influence of the climate of Mourzuk. Mr. Gagliuffi is recovering from a severe attack, and anticipates being obliged to leave for the coast. We trust he will not be driven from his post whilst we are in Soudan. However, we must trust to the same Providence that has hitherto watched over us.
I am having all our letters of recommendation for the interior copied, to be sent home to Government, so that if anything happen to us they may know what kind of support we have received. If anything happen! The presence of that doubt gives a solemnity and an importance to the most trifling thing we do. A soldier is allowed to indulge in serious thought before going into battle, and the chances in his favour are greater than those in ours. We, too, may have to do battle with men; but the dangers of the desert are also arrayed against us, and when they are passed, the miasmas of Central Africa fill the air beyond.
The marabout, with his camel and burden, has not yet come up; he left us to visit his country. We are likewise still without news of three camel-loads left behind at Mizdah. There is always a train of stragglers behind every caravan that is not huddled together by fear. We should never have procured beasts enough on the road, and did well to take them direct from Tripoli. The Pasha's circular letter was of little or no use in this respect; and, indeed, we could not expect it to cause camels to start out of the ground.
8th.—I paid a visit to the commandant of the troops, Runthar Aga, Bim Bashaw, quite a Christian Moor; and got information on military affairs whilst tasting the soup in the kitchen. Also called upon our old friend the Doctor, and inspected the hospital, which certainly holds out no temptation to a man to be ill. The patients are few: two have strong fevers; five or six are convalescent; the sick-list contains no other cases; but it will be different when summer comes on.
9th.—Received a visit from the acting Governor, and presented him with a bottle of snuff. Like other great men, this Pasha makes a great consumption of rappee, and empties nearly a box a-day.
10th.—The military seem to have taken a fancy to us. Here comes the Commandant, to return our call, with all the officers of the garrison. Smiles and courtesy are the order of the day. Dr. Overweg brings out some of his scientific instruments, and the knowing ones have an opportunity of showing their ignorance. All passes off well. Mr. Gagliuffi observes: "You would not have had so much attention paid to you in Tripoli." Possibly; but this may partly be accounted for by the rarity of Europeans at Mourzuk. Familiarity has not had time to breed contempt.
11th.—There is excitement in the town. What news? The new acting Governor, my old acquaintance of Ghadamez, Rais Mustapha, is in sight, hull above the horizon. We all go out to meet him, and soon see his cortège breaking between the groves. This is the gayest and most spirited scene I have witnessed since leaving Tripoli. Mustapha brings his staff and 200 Arab cavaliers with him, to relieve the Fezzan irregulars. They make a gallant-looking body of men as they come swiftly on. All the authorities of the town, with whatever cavalry is already collected here, pour out of the gates to pay their compliments; and then come crowds of the lower classes of citizens, with their rude bagpipes, which scream discordantly. The horsemen galloped hither and thither in the plain whilst the interview between the great men took place, and effectually drowned all the polite things that were said by their trampling and hurrahing. We rode up likewise to welcome the new great man. Mustapha looked well, was excellently mounted, and dressed almost like an European officer. He smiled graciously on seeing his old friend of Ghadamez, and shook me by the hand; he also recognised the Germans, having seen them at Zaweeah, near Tripoli. Satisfied with this little interview, we drew aside, and the procession moved towards the gate. There was instantly a rush of the Arab horsemen, every one trying to get in front; and as the entry was narrow an obstruction soon took place. We drew aside, and called out to those who were pressing on to make way for the Governor. One fellow would not hear; and Mustapha himself riding up, lashed him with a small whip across the shoulders. Bad taste; but perhaps excusable in this case, if ever. These lawless soldiery can never be taught good manners, without which true discipline is impossible. However, we at length got within the gate, and the procession poured along the streets, the women loo-looing as we passed, the bagpipes shrieking louder than ever, the crowd buzzing, the horses thundering, the cavaliers shouting. In fine, this hubbub carried us quite back into the regions of civilisation, where men collect on public occasions often without any real joy, and by mere process of action and reaction succeed in working themselves up into a state of boisterous enthusiasm.
Several days were now chiefly occupied in writing reports on the progress made by the expedition hitherto; and in voluminous correspondence on petty, matters—petty, I mean, in themselves, but very important to us—all connected with our future proceedings. I forwarded to the Foreign Office a letter addressed by the Sultan Laoul, of the Tibboos of Bilma, to Mr. Gagliuffi. It appears these people are now nominally subject to the Ottoman Porte.
12th.—We went to pay a visit to Mustapha Agha, my old friend of Ghadamez. He received us with all the honours—a guard of officers, pipes, coffee, and sherbet. That important subject of health was a good deal talked of. Mustapha fears the climate of Fezzan, and finds little consolation in the doctrines of fatalism. He seemed surprised at the bulk of the despatches last forwarded from the Consulate, and asked if we all knew how to write. He cannot understand the necessity of minute directions. We explained as well as we could; and then talked of the journeys we had respectively performed. This gave Mustapha an opportunity of astonishing us in his Turkish way. He said that he had come with 200 men and 300 camels from Tripoli in sixteen days, having stopped only one day, and travelled regularly from three in the afternoon to nine next morning. We marvelled, as in duty bound; but refrained not from making inquiries; the result of which was, that the real time was thirty-one days, only eight days less than we had occupied. We did not scold Mustapha for his exaggeration, but might perhaps have done so without offence. When a Turk does tell a lie, he submits to be accused of it with good-humour.
After leaving the hyperbolical Governor, we went to see Sheikh Mohammed Boro, Sakontaroua of Aghadez, who has arrived here en route from Mekka. He was recommended to us by Hassan Pasha of Tripoli; but Mr. Gagliuffi does not think much of him. We shall see.
14th.—Walked in the gardens, and were pleased with their aspect. On returning, I wrote out the different kinds of dates in this country. We saw some Egyptian camels with a pilgrim caravan, of a dark and almost black colour.
My Fezzanee marabout, by the way, has left Mourzuk, after making me a present of some cakes and dates of dainty quality. He has been of great use to me, and I shall remember him with pleasure.
I had to-day a conversation with a Tibboo of Tibesty. How interesting it is to talk with the natives of those untrodden countries, to which chance may some day lead us! He says Tibesty is ten days from Gatroun, and fourteen from Mourzuk. It is all mountainous, except one long wady where the population is located. There is no regular town; but all along the valley the population, which is said to be about 5000, though desert statistics are little to be credited, is scattered in groups of three or four, cultivating the ground and tending on the flocks which feed on the rich herbage, whilst goats scramble for food along the slopes of the boundary mountains. The people dwell either in huts or in caverns scooped out of the sides of hills, some of them very extensive. What a picture of primitive life! Families living separate, not yet driven to hide behind walls, or congregate in masses for safety. The desert is their bulwark. This place lies, indeed, far east of the caravan route from Bornou. There is no road direct eastward from Tibesty, but caravans can go south-east to Wadaï. The valley produces, besides other grain, a good quantity of ghaseb, which is the principal food of the inhabitants. Some palms rise here and there in clumps, but are not very productive; and dates are imported from Fezzan. The tree most frequent is the tholukh; but there is also another common tree, called the arak. In the open country, the wadan, the gazelle, and the ostrich are found, and the people hunt them with dogs. Good water is supplied by wells and streams, in sufficient quantities to irrigate the fields of ghaseb, wheat, and barley. Rain is abundant some years, but fails in others; torrents are continually descending from the mountains: one stream flows through a space of two days' journey. If these accounts be correct, the country must be one of the most interesting in Africa. They say, that on account the height of the mountains some of the inhabitants do not see the moon for fifteen days together. A Sultan rules paternally in this out-of-the-way country, where the Mohammedan religion reigns paramount. My informant made me pay three Tunisian piastres and two common handkerchiefs for a vocabulary of the language of the Tibboos of Tibesty. A visit to this singular oasis might repay a hardy traveller; but the people of the country have a faithless character, and it would be dangerous to trust to their promises of protection.
The Tibesty Tibboos must not be confounded with the Tibboos of the salt-mines of Bilma, who have recently made their submission to the Porte. There is little connexion between the people, although they speak a similar language. The Bilma Tibboos lie in the direct route to Bornou, and were fully studied by the Denham and Clapperton expedition.
15th.—Continue to prepare papers to send home. Report the fact, that the functionaries of Mourzuk trade in slaves.
16th.—I had lent Mustapha a sword; but, after keeping it a night, he was obliged to return it, sending word that a firmân had been written to all the functionaries of the Porte, forbidding them to receive any presents,—an excellent measure, doing credit to the Sultan's administration. The great plague of the East is the system of bribery carried on under the form of presents. The pay of the Pasha is six hundred and fifty mahboubs per month, nearly all spent in the town.
17th.—The weather is extremely hot and sultry. The sun burns the umbrella if you pass for a few minutes under it. Even the natives complain of the extreme heat of the weather.
18th.—Not quite so oppressive; but, as Dr. Barth says, the south wind blows throughout Northern Africa in May.
20th.—This morning, the black who came with us, and had two wives, divorced one of them, returning the woman's dowry of thirty-seven Tunisian piastres. The divorce took place before the Kady in the open streets.
21st.—Haj Lameen came to see me. He does not forget to remind us that the Tuaricks expect many presents. I have no doubt they do. He says we must be generous at all the following places:—Ghât, Aheer, Aghadez, Damerghou, Zinder, Minyou, Tesaouah, Kashna, Kanou, Sakkatou, Bornou, Begharmi, Mandara, and to the Tibboos of Bilma; not to mention the intermediate towns and villages. However, if the presents be valuable, we may expect in some places rations of food in return. It is worthy of remark, that this said Haj Lameen, brother of the governor of Ghât, took an oath during the past year that he would never again purchase slaves. This is a remarkable instance of the progress of opinion. I afterwards gave Lameen a present, consisting of one pound of tea, five pounds of coffee, and four heads of loaf sugar. This was the first considerable present I made. In the evening we observed Mercury in conjunction with Venus. The heavens were unusually bright for Mourzuk. We saw also Jupiter's satellites at seven in the evening. The two upper ones were much nearer than the two lower ones to the great planet, but all in a line. Mars was very bright. The rings, or extinct volcanoes of the moon, were also truly transparent this evening. Usually the sky of Mourzuk is charged with a dirty red haze, and not at all favourable to astronomical observations.
21st.—The culture of water-melons is progressing for the summer season. The melons are planted in the irrigation ducts that lead to the squares of clover, which is cultivated at this season for the horses of the cavalry stationed here, and also for the camels of the merchants. Every fifteen or twenty days a fresh crop is ready, all produced by irrigation.
The fig-tree is found frequently in the gardens of Fezzan, and when planted near a well, produces as fine fruit as those on the coast. The rich green of its leaves is very refreshing to the eye. During the present season, however, the greater portion of the gardens is devoted to onion-raising. Whole fields are covered with this vegetable. Parsley is running to seed. The korna is also seen in the suburbs. Few birds visit the gardens of Fezzan, which are all planted with palms. One or two groves have been recently added, and are distinguished as the "new trees." The irrigated beds are covered with palm-shoots, the curving fan-like leaves bending prettily over the ground.
The winnowing of grain is conducted in the most slovenly manner. The ripe ears with the dry stalks are thrown on the sand, and then half-a-dozen donkeys are driven over them—an animated threshing machine. The grain, of course, mixes with the sand, and is separated from it with considerable loss and waste of time.
The sandy soil of the gardens is sometimes mixed with a large quantity of salt, which gives it a firm consistence. Of this soil the houses of the city are built. Rain would melt them; but this blessing never cools the scorching atmosphere of Mourzuk.[4]
In this day's agricultural and horticultural walk I fell in with the nymphs of the gardens; or, in other words, the washerwomen of Mourzuk. They come out constantly to the wells, when the irrigation is going on, early in the morning or late in the evening, and thus take advantage of the supply of water raised. They are all dark women of the city, for the most part unlovely and very dirty in appearance, despite their occupation. Their system of washing is the primitive one practised by the labouring classes all over the north of Africa. They roll up the clothes into a round flat heap, and then with their heels keep up a continual round of treading, using for soap a peculiar sort of clay. Some of the girls are very impudent and immodest when a stranger passes by; but as a rule they are not so. The wells at Mourzuk are not all good; some are fresh, others salt. In many places will be found a well of very sweet, delicious water; and running nearly to the surface, at twenty paces distant from it, are found others really quite salt. The same phenomenon has been observed at Siwah, in the Libyan desert.
One of our party received a present this morning of some fresh and most delicious leghma. A good deal is drunk in Mourzuk, in an acrid state, for the purposes of intoxication.
In the evening I went to see the acting Pasha, with the Consul. He received us with his usual urbanity, and gave coffee and lemonade twice. He mentioned the things which a functionary of government was permitted to receive as presents,—viz., two sheep, twelve pounds and a half of butter, fifty eggs, and two fowls. This to be received once only from a friend. But some of the functionaries say they can receive a cantar of butter, if divided into sufficiently small quantities, and spread over several days.
People all admire the clock I purchased for the Sultan of Sakkatou, to give him instead of the chronometer. When it strikes the hours, I tell them it speaks various languages, at which they are greatly astonished.
Yesterday evening, a shower of bats made their appearance at dusk.
22d.—I went with Dr. Overweg to visit the Pilgrims. We had previously examined the head of one of them phrenologically. The news had been spread in the tents, and the whole troop came to have their craniums studied on our arrival amongst them. This science—if such it can be called—tickles the fancies of people hereabouts, being suited to their capacity. One fellow wished to know from his head whether he should gain much money this year. They looked upon the matter as a species of fortune-telling.
23d.—The Pilgrims' heads must have itched all night. Here they are again to have them handled! All the polls in Mourzuk will probably pass under our hands if this goes on. It is singular that the pilgrimage to Mekka has not nourished sufficient fanaticism to prevent these good people from allowing an infidel doctor to make free with their crowns, and expatiate on their passions and propensities. There is no calculating on the strength of the impulse of curiosity.
24th.—The Queen's birthday. At eight o'clock Mr. Gagliuffi fired a musket, and hoisted the British jack and pennant over the Consulate. At noon, fifty-one discharges of muskets and matchlocks announced the auspicious event to the natives of this city, and to the Tibboos, Tuaricks, Soudanese, Bornouese, and all other strangers of the Sahara and Central Africa. In the evening, the Consul gave a dinner to us travellers and to the Pasha and his officers. The healths of her Majesty, the Sultan, and the King of Prussia, were drunk in champagne with enthusiasm. There were thirty or forty dishes on the table, and among them a turkey, the first ever killed in this city. Mr. Gagliuffi had recently brought a cock and hen from Tripoli. A small saloon was decorated with banners and cotton-stuffs of Soudan, with various devices. Amongst these were a small portrait of her Majesty; an Ottoman blood-red flag, with its crescent and star; and a white flag with the Prussian black eagle. The effect was excellent, and quite astonished the natives. The Turks ate and drank famously, and for the most part got "elevated." When in this state it was curious to see them clawing at the viands, utterly forgetful of Eastern gravity and decorum. I must observe, however, that Mustapha Bey himself and one other officer declined to drink wine. The Turks seem very tolerant to one another in this respect. It is left as a matter for the decision of every man's individual conscience. These sensible people do not think that, because a man is inclined to be an ascetic himself, he is bound to force all other people to be so likewise.
25th.—I took a walk in the gardens this evening, and came upon two or three small circular orchards, having within the circle simply room for holding water, like a shallow pond, with fruit-trees, vines, fig-trees, and pomegranates clustering around. These orchards, when thus formed close by the well-side, are very luxuriant. People now begin to sow ghaseb, ghafouly, dra, and such grains, which are reaped in the summer season. Barley and wheat are sown in autumn or winter, and reaped in spring. As I walked I noticed that the sky was darkly overcast, as if threatening rain; and presently, sure enough, a few precious drops fell on the thirsty sandy soil!
I observed a new plant, large, with broad and smooth thick velvety leaves, but omitted to write down the name. It produces a milky juice, with which the people dye the palms of their hands, instead of with henna. The plant has a disagreeable odour, and every appearance of being poisonous; but they say it is not so, being only bitter in taste.
26th.—In my morning's walk I had the coolest weather experienced since our arrival at Mourzuk. The wind was from the north-east and the sky much overcast. It actually rained,—a slight shower of ten minutes' duration. How gratefully the trees seemed to spread their leaves to catch the pleasing drops! The gardens and groves all wore a happy smile. We hear, that lately a great deal of rain has fallen in the Ghât district, and on the route to Aheer.
The people are preparing to thresh their corn, and I was interested in observing all the details of their process. They had scattered yesterday evening the full ripe grain in its dry stalks over the ground, in the form of a large circle, to the depth of about two inches; and had then smoothed the sand all around in small ridges, so that if a thief came during the night they might observe his footmarks. They thresh out the grain by means of four or five asses or camels tied abreast, and driven round and round over this primitive floor. Great waste is occasioned by allowing the grain to mix with and sink in the sand; the task of winnowing is most difficult afterwards.
27th.—This day I had some conversation with Boro, the Sheikh of Aghadez, about the country and localities of Aheer,—a Saharan kingdom never yet explored, and which we intend to traverse on our circuitous route across the desert. It appears that Aheer is the general name of the whole cluster of towns and districts; that Aghadez is the medineh, or city; and that Asouty is a town on the line of the caravan route to Soudan,—a regular halting-place. Asben and Asbenouah are other names given to this same territory, and do not denote other countries. The Tibboos and Bornouese describe the whole territory of Fezzan as Zoilah, a name derived from that of the ancient capital, Zoueelah. These double names have hitherto caused great confusion in laying down unvisited places in the desert. If we can penetrate and explore the kingdom of Aheer or Asben, it will be doing a great service to geography.
28th.—I am studying rural life in the neighbourhood of Mourzuk, as if it were to be my occupation. Scarcely a day passes that I do not escape from the crowded town and wander, either morning or evening, into the gardens, the groves, and the fields. The water raised by rude machinery from the wells is always dancing along in little runnels. The chattering of women crosses my path right and left. Groups of labourers or gardeners occur frequently. A man this day valued a date-palm at a mahboub, and I am told that the greater number are not worth more than a shilling of English money. To avert the evil eye from the gardens, the people put up the head of an ass, or some portion of the bones of that animal. The same superstition prevails in all the oases that stud the north of Africa, from Egypt to the Atlantic, but the people are unwilling to explain what especial virtue there exists in an ass's skull. We go sometimes to shoot doves in the gardens; but these birds are very shy, and after the first shot fly from tree to tree and keep out of range. So we stroll about making observations, to console ourselves for the loss of sport. We noticed several cotton-bushes, but this useful plant is not cultivated here except that it may ornament the gardens with its green. I have just eaten of the heart of the date-tree. It is of a very delicious bitter, and is a choice dish at feasts.
I met with a number of the suburban inhabitants engaged in celebrating a wedding. First came a group of women, dancing and throwing themselves into a variety of slow, languid, and lascivious postures, to the sound of some very primitive string-instrument. Towards this group all the women of the neighbouring huts were gathering, some merely as spectators, others bringing dishes of meat. Beyond was a crowd of men, among whom was the bridegroom helping the musicians to make a noise. These musicians were an old man and old woman, each above ninety years of age. The latter beat a calabash with a stick, whilst the former drew a bow over a single string tied to another calabash. The bridegroom had got hold of a brass kettle, with which he supplied his contribution to the din. Preparations for supper were going on; and, the harmony announcing this fact, idlers were coming in flocks from the distant hamlets and the fields. Two new huts had been built, one for the bride and the other for the bridegroom.
These marriages produce very few children, which may partly arise from licentiousness, but chiefly, no doubt, from misery. I afterwards saw the burial of an old lady, which ceremony set the whole town in motion. The women screamed in crowds, and a great number of men went outside the walls to see the body consigned to its last resting-place. Yusuf pretends that the burial took place two hours after decease, which is the ordinary practice here, although thirty-two hours are said to be the proper time.
To the 21st of May I was occupied in preparing a short report on Fezzan, with statements of the expedition and other necessary documents.
We have had a grand dinner at the house of the Greek doctor Paniotti. The Bey, Bim Bashaw, his adjutant, the treasurer, and others were invited. The French have boasted of the number of their dishes, but I think the Turks beat them hollow in this particular. Besides two whole lambs, fowls, pigeons, there were at least twenty made dishes, with every variety of rich sweetmeat. Amongst the early fruits of the season we had figs and apples. The dinner was not quite so merry as Gagliuffi's, the champagne being absent.
We had a smart rain-shower in the morning, and in the evening also there was a tempest of wind and lightning, and a little rain. The flashes were very vivid, and lighted up the whole firmament.
The Tibboos persist in saying that there is plenty of water in their country, abundance of rain, frequent springs; and some go so far as to describe their streams as running a distance of from one to eight days' journey. They acknowledge, however, that the soil of their country is not very favourable to much cultivation of grain and fruit. Perhaps they want to attract visitors, but are not likely to succeed at present. Justly or unjustly, they bear a very bad character; and in Mourzuk, to call a man a Tibboo is rather worse than to call a man a Jew in Europe.
June 1st, Post-day.—Letters, private and public, were forwarded. It is now determined that we shall start for Ghât next Wednesday; at any rate the Germans talk of doing so, whilst I am inclined to wait for Hateetah and his escort. It would be imprudent to run the risk of a disaster at this early stage of our proceedings, and my greater responsibility renders me more cautious, and perhaps more timid, than my enthusiastic companions. I am engaged in finishing my last despatches and reports, collecting Arabic descriptions of Fezzan, one of which is by the Bash Kateb, and corresponding on the future expenditure of the Mission. The weather has become very hot with the advancing season, but I am now pretty well used to the heat. The thermometer has risen to 103°; in Bornou it rarely exceeds 105°: I may hope, therefore, to brave the sun's rays under or near the line.
Few incidents worth recording mark the latter days of our stay at Mourzuk. I paid a visit to Abd-el-Kader, the Sheikh of the Pilgrims. This holy person is quite humanized, and talks freely of the politics of the Barbary coast. He entertained myself, the German, the Greek doctor, and Gagliuffi with tea; and this at sunset, when all the other pilgrims were at their prayers. He is a Tuatee of Gharai, and has been many times to Mekka in his present capacity. Indeed he makes the journey about once every three years. The pilgrim caravans travel very fast; no others can keep up with them. On leaving any place where they have halted, the Sheikh has the privilege of demanding the release of two or three prisoners; and the scandalous whisper that any Barabbas can sometimes obtain his liberty by a judicious investment of presents. When encamped near a town, moreover, the tent of the Sheikh becomes an inviolable asylum for every criminal who chooses to take refuge there. Many other privileges equally valuable are enjoyed by this functionary. Abd-el-Kader himself is an extremely urbane gentleman, and we retired quite satisfied with our reception. He gave me a vocabulary of the Tuatee dialect, and some account of the statistics of the place, which I forwarded to the Foreign Office. It appears that formerly the people of Tuat paid to the Algerines five hundred camel-loads of dates and ten necks of gold, i.e. the gold ornaments sometimes worn round the camels' necks. When the French made their conquest, they sent to the Tuatees to renew their tribute to them as the actual masters of Algeria. The answer returned was, "Come and take the tribute!"
11th.—The gardens continue to attract my evening strolls. Every one is now busy sowing ghaseb, and I passed a half hour in working with some cheerful labourers at the preparation of the ground, smoothing the soil in the squares for irrigation. They were amused at my voluntary industry. I sleep now late of mornings after my evening exercise in the gardens, and find myself the better for it.
Perhaps the first melons ever eaten at Mourzuk appeared on Mr. Gagliuffi's table about this time; they were very good.
12th.—The Germans were preparing to start early in the morning; they are obliged to lighten everything, and reduce each camel load to two and a-half, or even two cantars. The Tuaricks will not carry more; generally their maharees are small, and they have few stray camels. The Germans went off in good style and great spirits. They propose to accompany a caravan of Tanelkum Tuaricks, who go by way of Aroukeen, leaving Ghât far on the right. I was not able to persuade them to delay their departure, so that we might all travel together: but it may be expected that they will not find it so very easy or safe to get through this country without the special protection of those who claim authority over it.
Two or three days of gheblee succeeded—unpleasant weather to be out in the desert. I found it bad enough at Mourzuk—100° in the shade at four o'clock in the afternoon. Hateetah was reported to be on the road; so I determined to wait five or six days for him, and thus not deviate from my original plan.
I went to visit the wife of Mohammed Es-Sfaxee, who goes with us to Soudan as a merchant, carrying a considerable quantity of goods on account of M. Gagliuffi: this gentleman accompanied me. The object of our visit was to see whether the Sfaxee had left a sufficient quantity of provisions with his wife to support her during his absence. It is necessary to take such precautions with these Moors, who often barbarously abandon their families, without any adequate provision, for months and even for years together. We found that he had left dates, wheat, and a little olive-oil and mutton-fat—the ordinary stock of all families in Fezzan. Only a few rich people indulge in such luxuries as coffee, sugar, meat, and liquid butter.
An Arab saying: "You must always put other people's things on your head, and your own under your arm. Then, if there be danger of the things falling off your head, you must raise your arm, and let fall your own things to save those of others." I do not know what things I shall let fall of my own; but this I know, that during my whole residence in Mourzuk my mind has been continually occupied in endeavouring to save Government money. But I have received little assistance.
The weather still continues hot, with wind from the south: however, I walked in the gardens. On the 16th, the boat went off to the caravan; the camels carried it very easily, to the astonishment of the good people of Mourzuk. On the 17th, the thermometer was at 102° in the shade—in the sun, about 130°. We received letters in answer to those first written from Mourzuk, and learned that all the despatches written on the road for Tripoli had arrived in safety. The Arabs, therefore, are not quite so bad as they are represented.
20th.—At length Hateetah may be said to be reported "in sight," and we are busy preparing for departure. The escort has arrived at Tesaoua, and will be here on Saturday at latest. As the Germans are still at Tuggerter, we shall proceed on the Ghât route together, after all: it will be a tough piece of work, whichever way performed. The heat continues intense—from 100° to 104°, and 130° in the sun. Cooler weather is expected in August; but at present all the natives complain, and fevers are becoming prevalent. In the desert we shall escape that danger; for disease comes only in the moist depression of the plateau on which Mourzuk stands. We hear talk, by the way, of a fine new route—only forty days—just opened, from Ghât to Timbuctoo, across the deserts of Haghar. The present Sultan of the Haghar Tuaricks is called Ghamama.
One of our party, who undertook to accompany us to take the management of the boat, has not proved equal to the occasion; and I have therefore written to Tripoli, to request that two Moorish sailors, of Jerbah if possible, should be sent up by the direct route to Bornou. I had almost engaged a very excellent person at Tripoli, the captain of the vessel in which I arrived; but when he called at the Consulate on the subject, some minor official ordered him off with a contemptuous "Barra! barra!" and he accordingly yielded to the solicitations of his crew and embarked without seeing me. There is too much of this self-sufficiency and off-handedness in all Consulates in the Levant, where a grain of authority is apt at once to magnify a man, in his own estimation, into a mighty potentate. I regret my Jerbine captain very much; he originally volunteered to accompany us, and entered into my plans with an enthusiasm and intelligence rare among Muslims.
These small details of our expedition are interesting to me to record, though probably many will think them superfluous. Perhaps they will serve to give a true idea of the magnitude of the undertaking, and of the great responsibility which weighed upon me, and thus prove an anticipatory excuse for any accusation of shortcoming or dilatoriness that may be preferred against me. I will not, however, enter further into the business-details of the expedition—merely observing that, among other things to which I had to attend during my stay in Mourzuk, were, in the first place, to collect provisions and stores for a journey that may last two years; secondly, to purchase presents for the princes and other distinguished persons of the interior; and thirdly, to provide against the casualties of the journey, payment of salaries, &c. All these things I had to do on my own responsibility. Among other things, I have purchased from Mr. Gagliuffi an Arab gun and pair of pistols, inlaid with silver and curiously wrought, for the sum of 180 mahboubs. This is for a present to the Sheikh of Bornou, who will expect something pleasing to the eye as well as the boat, which he may at first, perhaps, not appreciate at its full value.
I have already made a good many casual allusions to our plans and arrangements; but it will be necessary here, before our departure from the last city that acknowledges the Ottoman authority, to make a brief statement of our position and prospects. Things that already appear clear to me may not be so to others. During my former visit to Ghât, when I travelled as a private individual, known as "Yakōb," I made acquaintance with Hateetah, a Tuarick Sheikh, who had assumed the title of Consul of the English. It is the custom in that country for every stranger on his arrival to put himself under the protection of one of the head men, to whom alone he makes presents, and who answers for his safety. Mr. Gagliuffi had written to him to come with an escort to protect our party as far as Ghât. It appears, however, that very grand accounts had circulated in the Sahara on the magnitude and importance of our mission; so that it was impossible for one Sheikh to monopolise us. Hateetah, therefore, had come, accompanied by two sons of Shafou, the nominal Sultan of all the Tuaricks of Ghât. Wataitee, the elder of the two, is very plausible, and undertakes to accompany us as far as Aheer. It is to be observed, that the Tuaricks of this place have hitherto never ventured to come to Mourzuk; and it is considered wonderful that they have come for the first time at the summons of infidels.
My first plan was, to proceed by the direct route to Aroukeen with the Germans and the Tanelkums, and from this place make an indispensable expedition to Ghât. But circumstances compel me to march direct to that place by the common road. Our escort is to cost us dear, but it will ensure our safety. These Ghât Tuaricks, however great they may talk in their own country, are really very poor; they subsist almost entirely on the custom-dues levied on caravans. Wataitee himself said, "I am the son of the Sultan, it is true; but I have nothing. If I stay in my country, I do not feel my necessities much; but if I must escort you to Aheer, then I must be well-clothed and fed, or else the people will say, 'Behold the son of Shafou, how poor and miserable he is!'" Besides paying about two hundred Spanish dollars for the escort, I have had to feed all the people, and furnish them with tents. They had led me to expect much more reasonable treatment; but there is no help, and I feel that I am not yet at the end of my troubles of this description. With these prefatory remarks, I enter upon an account of my departure from Mourzuk for the oasis of Ghât.
[4] Showers of rain are subsequently mentioned, however; and it is a mistake to suppose that the hard blocks of fossil-salt mixed with earth, of which the houses in the oases of Northern Africa are often built, can be so easily melted down.—Ed.
CHAPTER VIII.
Wars in the Interior—Anticipated Disputes—Mr. Boro of Aghadez—Our Treatment at Mourzuk—Mustapha Bey—Start for Ghât—Row with the Escort—Fine Weather—Leave Tesaoua—Sharaba—Travelling in the Heat—Hateetah and the Germans—The Camels—Snakes—Journey continued—Nature of the Country—Complete Desert—Rain—Overtake the Caravan—Interview with Boro—Pool of Ailouah—The Tanelkums—Halt—Birds—Bir Engleez—Wind in the Desert—Begging Escort—Brilliant Heavens—News from Ghât—The Pilgrims again—Bas-relief of Talazaghe—Moved over the Desert—Mountains—Extraordinary Pass—Central Table-land of Fezzan.
Hateetah has brought stirring intelligence: the Sultan of Bornou is at war with his brother. Ten thousand Tuaricks of Aheer have gone against the Walad Suleiman; and, taking advantage of the opportunity, the Tuaricks of Timbuctoo are marching from the other direction to fall upon their brethren of Aheer. Quarrels of kites and crows!—Yes, to those at a distance; but it is too much to hope that our caravan will prove a lark's nest in some Saharan battle-field. We must pray that a general peace shall be proclaimed in Central Africa during our march across the desert.
However, we must not be frightened by rumours, and, indeed, are not. We pass from discussion of this warlike intelligence to bargain with Hateetah, who, as I have hinted, seems inclined to play the Jew, or rather—to speak in character—the Tibboo with us. It will cost a large sum to pass through Ghât, and obtain an escort to Aheer. As a consolation, we learn that we are to be persecuted by Boro Sakontaroua, sheikh of Aghadez, who is displeased that he has received no presents from us. It would appear that the letters of Hassan Pasha rather compromised us to employ him as our escort; but I am not responsible for this, having never deviated from the original plan of procuring an escort from Ghât. Indeed, I wrote to that effect immediately on my arrival in Tripoli; and it would not do, after keeping my friends in the oasis in a turmoil all this while, to disappoint them. The desert has its etiquette as well as the drawing-room, and infringements might be rather more dangerous here.
The new acting Pasha has made the Tuaricks a present of some burnouses. This, whilst lessening perhaps the comparative value of what we have given, at any rate lays the chief under some obligations to the Turks, and assists in making up a good round sum in payment for the trouble of coming all the way from Ghât to Mourzuk to escort us.
By the way, Mr. Boro of Aghadez has been fetched back from his encampment at Tesaoua by a man on horseback. The business was of some consequence, according to the notions of these people. He had sold a female slave, and the poor woman was now found to be enceinte by Boro's son, with whom she had been living as concubine. The law soon despatched the affair, and compelled the Sheikh to restore the purchase-money and take back his slave.
A last observation on Mourzuk, before leaving it behind in this Saharan navigation. All the Ottoman authorities have treated us with attention and respect. Mr. Gagliuffi has been hospitable, and the people generally have proved courteous in their behaviour. It is rare to remain so long in a place and have so few causes of complaint. Justice, however, compels me to say, that the British Consul sometimes remembered too vividly that he was also a merchant, and a Levantine merchant to boot. I am afraid he is not quite satisfied even with the profits he has already made out of the expedition. Is it possible, however, for Easterns, or people who live in the East, to look upon a Government as anything but a milch cow? Mustapha Bey, who took a very affectionate leave of me, is now engaged in examining a tremendous case of peculation—something like a defalcation of two thousand mahboubs. He is quite bewildered for the time. The Greek doctor came to see us off; but we started in a little confusion, for Mr. Yusuf Moknee was drunk, as he was nearly all the time of our stay at Mourzuk.
I left Mourzuk on the 25th of June, late in the evening, and proceeding until midnight, stopped at a little cluster of palms, with two or three inhabitants, called Thurgan. Then rising at daylight, and starting at once, I passed Om-el-Hamam, and reached Tesaoua about nine in the evening. I found that the Germans and the Tanelkums had gone on in advance some days, but not so fast that we could not hope to overtake them. The hurry and bustle attendant on the preparations for starting has rendered me rather indisposed; I was quite unwell on the 27th. Next day, however, I could receive Hateetah and the son of Shafou, and have a civil row with them. I had to ask them whether they would travel by night, and what they would agree to do if any one fell sick. To the first question they promptly answered "No, they would not;" but to the second, that in case any one was very ill indeed, they would wait a little for him, or travel in the night. I said that this was not exactly what I wanted, and that in case of sickness the expedition must be stopped. They recommended me to go to Ghât, and there remain twenty days until the great heat had passed, allowing the Tanelkums to go on. This advice is worth reflection: but perhaps we may not suffer so much from the heat as I anticipate. We came to a tolerable understanding, and it was at length agreed that we should start on the 29th.
The weather is now cool, the wind often blowing round in the course of the day; it rarely blows through, as at sea. On the way from Mourzuk we had hot and cold blasts together; but now we are out in the desert, we find the climate much more temperate than in the city. I hope and pray that I shall be able to bear up against the heat.
What a magnificent sky we had last night!—never did I behold the stars in greater glory. The Scorpion was brilliant, if not fierce; and the constellation on his right shone splendidly. At about eight o'clock Jupiter was setting towards the horizon like a sun!
29th.—We left Tesaoua at length, at three in the afternoon. The boat and our servants had gone on before with the Tuaricks, who prefer not travelling in the dark, if possible. We can often start after them in this way, and catch them up by pushing on some hours after sunset. Our course lay south this evening. The heavens, before the rising of the moon, had a most luminous appearance; Jupiter was seen only about an hour above the horizon, and the Milky Way was very conspicuous, but at eight o'clock described only a small segment in the heavens.
We reached Sharaba at eight, and halted. This is a sandy valley, with herbage for the camels; the water, not very good, is a few feet from the surface, and issues from some rocks. There are no date-palms about the well, as reported, but a few stunted ones are found a mile or two higher up. The surface of the desert is broken into small mounds, crowned with the ethel-tree.
Sunday, the 30th, was a cool day for the desert, yet sufficiently hot for me. We left Sharaba at a quarter past six in the morning, and made a good day of nine hours. These confounded Tuaricks will travel in the heat, and encamp in the cool. At three in the afternoon, just as the weather was becoming quite fresh and pleasant, we halted. The wind, occasionally strong, blew from the north-east, whilst our course lay south-west, across a broad valley. The sandy ground is covered with the tholukh-tree, which affords a grateful shade in the season. This valley is very broad here, only one side being visible at once to the eye.
The Tuaricks are growing civil enough, and companionable. Luckily Hateetah and the son of Shafou do not drink coffee or tea—a saving. Hateetah, however, is always begging; he says he will go to Aheer, and appears to consider his escort indispensable. According to him, the Germans, who are pushing on ahead, run great danger. Yusuf tells me that he is, in reality, extremely angry with my companions for proceeding alone. He wishes, perhaps, to get a present from them too; and swears that he knows nobody but Yakōb (my desert name). They are not English, he says, but French. Besides, they have got twenty camel-loads of goods, which he will seize if they do not pay him something. Of course this is all harmless bluster, and means nothing. He confesses that, being on Fezzanee ground, he has really no claim upon caravans at all; but he is a greedy old rascal, and would take any advantage he could. The same gentleman says that Sakonteroua is only a chicken in his own country—quite powerless; if this be the case, his enmity is not of so much consequence as I feared.
The camels of the Tuaricks usually go well, and make good hours, because they are not allowed to eat on the road. They all march in strings, one being tied behind the other; each string is led on by servants or slaves. Thus, when once loaded, there is little difficulty on the way. When seen at a distance, they resemble a moving mass of troops, especially when the mirage multiplies their long files. Our camels, however, being all Arab camels, cannot be made to go in strings, and are always staring about for something whereon to browse.
I begin to feel better in health. If we could but encamp for three or four hours during the heat of the day, I have no doubt I should get on well enough. There was talk of serpents to-day; I saw none on this route, however. People at Mourzuk are occasionally bitten by lêfas and scorpions, and death ensues often. Ammonia has been tried with success as a cure.
July 1st.—We were astir at the encampment a little after daybreak: but it takes usually two hours to get off, although we have but seven camels. I hope our people will be quicker after a little more practice. The heat was very troublesome; and nothing could keep the Tuaricks from going on all through the day, for ten hours and a quarter, without stopping. Our course was along the broad wady, which resembles an immense plain. On the surface of its sandy bed are scattered pebbles and blocks of sandstone and limestone, but the former chiefly. There was nothing to please the eye but the delicate tints of the line of sand-hills on the left—a faint yellow, at times mingling with the sky when very luminous; and the round tholukh-trees, scattered like black spots on the light sand of the valley. A little mirage figured a dark, black lake, which, however, sparkled with light under the trees. Few animals were seen: a young camel, left to graze in the valley, followed us most cheerfully this morning.
We passed two or three wells in the course of the day, at a place called Kouwana, with water near the surface, and obtained some by scraping out the sand; we did not, however, take any up, because it was not very good. Caravans seldom use these wells. No doubt there is water to be found everywhere throughout the wady, which by a little care might be turned into an oasis. Perhaps it was one in old times. There is now no encouragement to cultivate any stubborn ground.
July 2.—Two hours in getting off again! We started at six and went on until past five in the afternoon, following a south-west course along the same wady, with the same low line of sand-hills on our left, and sand and the low edge of the plateau, which the people say extends many days' journey, on our left. This valley is so shallow that it might almost be considered as part of the plateau, and is, in fact, nearly on a level with it; the temperature tells us we are on very high land. It is cool for this season, and the Tuaricks even complain of chilliness at night. Sometimes I am disposed to think the hot weather is passed, but we must take into account the strong breeze blowing from the north-east.
The broad bed of the valley is covered with pebbles of sandstone, between which glanced a few, very few, lizards. Rarely did any living thing cheer our eyes as we moved along this dismal track. Now and then gazelles, in threes and fours, went scouring away far out of reach. One or two small birds fluttered from stone to stone; and some crows cawed at us from a distance. This is true Fezzan scenery. The mirage and all its illusions cloaked the plain in various directions, as if seeking to hide its dull uniformity.
However, this desolate region has really been of late visited by rain, as we had been told. We encamped towards evening near a great standing pool, which, if the weather remain moderate, will supply the caravans for months to come. A shower is a vulgar occurrence in Europe, received by most men, except agriculturists, as an annoyance. In the desert it has all the value of a heaven-sent gift. It is shed not periodically; but at intervals of time and place suddenly descends in copious drenchings. We often came upon spots which had been ploughed up as by a torrent from the skies; and few rocks in the Sahara are without water-marks. The rain-water at our camping-ground has an excellent flavour, and I drank of it eagerly.
Round this pool we at length found the caravan waiting for us to come up. The Germans and all others were well, except the Sfaxee, troubled with a little fever. Mourzuk is a bad place to break down the health and spirits, and those that became faint-hearted there would probably have persevered had they got out into the bracing air of the desert. The Tuaricks are very quiet. I sent word to Hateetah that it was impossible for him to take presents from the Germans, as it was contrary to the orders of Government. Shafou's son is very mild and circumspect.
Here also was Mohammed Boro, and although I had written strongly to Tripoli about him, I considered it advisable after all, immediately on arriving, to try and make friends with him. So I paid him a visit, and told him that when the Tuaricks had conducted us to Aheer we should, of course, place ourselves under his protection, that we might proceed to Sakkatou. I sent him, also, some hamsah and dates. This gladdened him much, for he is very short of provisions, and has many servants with him; amongst the rest, two or three female slaves, one of whom, a fat, buxom girl, must require prodigious nourishment.
When the pool of Ailouah is not filled by rain-water, recourse is had to a well near at hand, which supplies sufficient quantities. How important are wells in the desert, and how one learns to mark their existence!
The valley which we have been traversing three days from Sharaba to Ailouah is called Barjouj, and is remarkable for the tholukh-trees, which are scattered here and there throughout its whole extent. We are now seven days from Ghât, and, about the same distance from Aroukeen; but the Tanelkums, who go slowly, make thirteen days between this and Aroukeen. They go direct, as we intended to do, without touching at Ghât. Our movements are not exactly free, but we must not seem to notice this circumstance; and if they insist on our taking the route by the capital, in order to have an opportunity of increased plunder, must give in with as good grace as possible.
The 2d and 3d of July we stopped at Ailouah. Hateetah came to my tent the first day with a long face, and said, as I foresaw, that we must all go to Ghât, and abide the pleasure of the Tuaricks; also that we must wait for the return of a caravan from Aheer. I protested against this latter pretence, and he got up and went off in a pet. Next morning I sent word to his tent that I could not stay at Ghât an indefinite period; that my means would not allow me; and, therefore, that we must still protest against this arrangement. He answered, that he would assemble all the notables of Ghât and ask their counsel. To this I could have no objection, and we are friends again. But I keep as far from the Tuaricks as I can, and do not visit them. I find this to be the best policy. We feed them every night, and they are apparently contented. The weather continues cool, the wind being always partly from the north.
Many birds, crows and others, pretty large, were seen about the wells of Ailouah; and a rival sportsman to Dr. Overweg appeared in the person of Mohammed et-Tunisee. He shot three small fowls of Carthage, one of which he gave me, I promising him a little powder in return when we came to Ghât. We noticed a small black bird with a white throat. But all through this desert we listen in vain for some songster. There is no reason for merriment in these dismal solitudes.
Our people have dug a well, which the Tanelkums promise to call "Bir Engleez,"—the English Well. Good water was found easily, near the surface at this station.
4th.—We started late, and made only a short day; but herbage for the camels is only found hereabouts. Our course was, as usual, south-west over an undulating plateau, with an horizon now near, now distant. The surface of the ground was for the most part blackened sand, stone pebbles, and some blocks of very bad stone. The weather continues, fresh and pleasant. We did not feel the heat until some time after noon; and as we halted early at Ghamoud, suffered nothing. The wind—which we notice as if on ship-board—now comes always from the east, generally with a point north. It seems to be a sort of trade-wind throughout this portion of the desert. I begin now to read on the camel's back, and find this a pleasing relief from the jog-trot monotony of the movement. I am anxious to read the whole of the Bible in Hebrew on the camel's back. Our friends the lizards were still glancing along the ground in the bright sunshine, but in diminished numbers.
Hateetah is always begging, and now asks for burnouses for the Ghât Sheikhs, Khanouhen, Jabour, Berka, and his brother. He still pretends that the Germans must give him a present, and that he knows no one but the English. In compliment, and to soothe him, I said, "You must dress in all your fine clothes at Ghât." This awakened his vanity, and he seemed delighted with the idea. His reply was, "You also must one day dress in all your best clothes—one day—only one day." I replied, "I have no fine clothes;" at which he seemed puzzled. Turning the conversation, he said I must change all his Tunisian piastres into dollars; which I shall certainly not do. This Consul of the English is a tremendously grasping fellow.
The Tanelkums all give the son of Shafou a good character. We parted with them this morning. They take some loads of dates for us, and have gone to Aroukeen, where they will wait for us six days, and then leave us; that is, if we do not come up. They will be twelve days, they say, on their journey. We go by a different route to Ghât, and shall see but not enter Serdalous. This place is now thickly inhabited by Tuaricks, and Hateetah does not wish to come in contact with them, for fear of exciting their curiosity and cupidity. So he is a knowing old dog after all. Our Tuaricks are displeased that the Germans have encamped so far from us this evening. The ground is a narrow slip of wady stretching east and west, almost on a level with the plateau. There is a little hasheesh (grass), with two or three young tholukh-trees. Venus shone with uncommon splendour this evening, eclipsing all the majesty of Jupiter. We are looking out for the Southern Cross, and think we see it just emerging above the horizon ahead. In the day, the heavens have of late been hazy.
They tell us, that on leaving Ghât we shall descend to Soudan; yet we can not have reached very high ground. We may soon likewise expect to feel the influence of the Soudan rains, and find the atmosphere much cooler in consequence. How the days are shortening now, and how grateful darkness gradually expands its dominions over this arid, scorching waste, as we move south!
On Friday the 5th we only advanced two hours, to a place called Talazaghee,—a small picturesque wady, where, during the season of rain, there are always two or three pools of good water; there is also now a little herbage for the camels. During our ride we met a small slave caravan, and learned the important intelligence that there are several people of the Sultan En-Noor of Aheer at present at Ghât with slaves. This will be useful to us. I wrote to my wife and others by this opportunity, and trust the missives will reach their destination. The weather is cool and pleasant to-day; and we are led to hope that the great heat of summer is already past. The wind followed exactly behind us as we pursued our south-west course. On arriving we found, rather to our surprise, the pilgrim caravan, and our old friend Abd-el-Kader. They have been some time reposing in Wady Gharby collecting provisions, and, I imagine, passing their leisure hours with the Fezzanee ladies, which they could not very well do in Mourzuk. The morality of these people is easy enough, and no doubt the pilgrimage covers a multitude of sins.
Talazaghee is remarkable for some bas-reliefs cut on the naked sandstone rocks of the wady, in a very peculiar style; the principal tableau, if I may so call it, about four feet by three in size, is a battle between two persons, one having a bird's head, and the other a bullock's, with a bullock between them taking part in the fray. Each person is holding a shield or bow. The sculptures are mere outline, but deeply graved and well shaped. There are several other tableaux, representing animals, but chiefly bullocks. This would seem to intimate, that in the days when these forms of animals were chiselled bullocks were the animals employed for the transport of men and merchandise over the desert. No camels occur, as in other tablets. These sculptures are very properly said by our escort to be neither Arab nor Tuarick, but belong to the people that existed before these races. The principal tableau has a very Egyptian look about it; the oxen are well formed, and would do credit to a modern artist. There is one bas-relief figure of an ox with its neck in a circle, as if representing some of the games of the Circus. The other animals most distinctly seen are ostriches; the rocks around are, besides, covered with Tuarick characters, but nothing interesting.
We started late on the 6th, for the Tuaricks had allowed their camels to stray, and we waited some time for them: however, we were obliged, after all, to start without them, and having made five hours and a half halted. Our course had lain over the plateau, which about half way became broken up into valleys. One of these, called Anan Haghaneen, led us into the pleasant and picturesque wady of Mana Samatanee, where only in this part of the route can be found herbage for camels. There are also a few tholukh-trees. What a desolate region is all this, despite the little spots of vegetation! There are no signs of animal life, except traces of the wadan. For two days, they tell us, we are to have little or no water. Now and then we pass desert mosques,—square, or circular, or cross-shaped walls of stone, some with two entrances, built for the devotion of chance passengers. The mountains on the east are called El Magheelaghen. To-day we carried my trunk with the money. Yusuf had previously given it in charge to a camel-driver, and the Tuaricks were always uneasy, asking to see if all were right. Europeans would probably have done the same under similar circumstances.
On the 7th we made a good day of about eleven hours, continuing during the first three in shallow wadys, down one of which we had a distant view of the plain of Serdalous, on the north-west. Then came the breaking up of the great plateau of Fezzan, and we entered a pass which leads down into the subjacent Sahara, and runs west with an inclination to the south. This is, perhaps, one of the most extraordinary natural features I have ever beheld. It seems to have been purposely cut out of the solid rock for the use of man, and reminds one at first of a railway excavation. As we advance it assumes the form of a cave, slightly open at top,—narrow, winding, and furnished with seats on either hand. A dim light comes from above. Only one part was difficult for the boat. Now and then the pass became quite a tunnel, but the concave roof is high enough for any camel to pass. On the sides, here and there, were Tuarick inscriptions; but there was nothing remarkable revealed by this admirable geological section. It was mostly sandstone for the upper strata, with narrow streaks of marl and chalk. Some slate was observed, and frequently our way lay over beds of red clay. An agreeable surprise awaited us occasionally, in the shape of little openings containing groups of the tholukh; but the general aspect of the pass was horrible and desolate, and we eagerly pushed on towards the end. There was nothing, apparently, to support life; but we found and caught a young fox: how the little wretch procured food was a mystery which our guides could not explain. However, life no doubt had its joys for him, and we let him loose in the plain below. I also picked up a dead bird, of a species common in the desert, with white head or cap, and white tail, except the upper feathers; all the rest, legs and bill, black. It is about the size of a lark, but has a head like a blackbird. We supposed the one found had died from want of water, though it may have been killed by the mother of the young fox.
On emerging from the pass at length we found a considerable change of level, and having advanced a little way turned back and obtained a splendid view of the walls of the plateau, which stretched on both sides above the plain, and thrust out lofty bluff promontories, as into the sea. The upper lines of some of them were perfectly straight, as if levelled by artificial means. We came to a solitary rock on the plain, containing excavations that seemed to be the work of men. Here, we were told, Dr. Oudney once stopped and breakfasted.
We have now a pretty correct idea of the great central table-land of Fezzan. It is an elevation, not quite clearly marked to the eye on some of its northern approaches, but dropping sheer to the plain at other parts. Mourzuk is situated in a sandy depression on its surface, which would probably be turned into a salt lake if there were sufficient rain. The limits of the hollow, as of that of many others—Wady Atbah for example—are not noticed by the traveller. Whether he approaches or leaves Mourzuk, he seems still to be traversing a level plain, and only finds his mistake by noticing the change in the nature of the ground, the presence of marshes, of green vegetation, and of a heavy, stifling atmosphere.