A narrative of travels in northern Africa in the years 1818, 19, and 20; accompanied by geographical notices of Soudan and of the course of the NigerLyon, G. F. (George Francis)
History
A narrative of travels in northern Africa in the years 1818, 19, and 20; accompanied by geographical notices of Soudan and of the course of the Niger
Lyon, G. F. (George Francis)
Fezzan (Libya) -- Description and travel; Tripolitania -- Description and travel
Yen is more properly a large nest of mud huts than a town. Its
inhabitants are, in time of peace, very numerous, and are all
Kaffirs. It is to this place that the natives of Waday come in
Kafflés to trade for slaves. Several of the King of Waday’s men
were taken captive by Mukni’s people near this place.
_Tegerry to Bilma._
South.
Tegerry to Meshroo 2 days. A well.
Meshroo to El Warr 2½ Well on a rock.
El Warr to El Hammer 2
El Hammer to Maffrus 2½ A well.
Maffrus to Zhaia 2 Rain water and dates.
Zhaia to Siggidum 1½ An old castle and well.
Siggidum to Annai 1 Well and domes.
Annai to Kisbi 1 Town. Tibboo of the
Kisbi to Dirki ½ Town. tribes Kawār,
Dirki to Shenumma 1 Town. Wandela, Gunda,
Shenumma to Bilma 1 Town. and Traita.
--
Total 17 days.
All these are resting-places.
Kawār and Bilma are not distinct countries, but are names of two
parts of the same, having little villages, and scattered families
all over the desert; the people are Mohammedans and Kaffirs, though
the latter are the most numerous.
Wajunga, a country also pillaged during the last excursion, is
eight days east of Borgoo. It is a considerable tract, and has two
large towns or districts one day east and west of each other. The
eastern one has a very large river running north and south through
it, five or six hundred yards in breadth, and of great depth. The
water is brackish, and in it are abundance of very fine fish. The
Ghrazzie passed this river on rafts, and the horses, having been
previously slung with inflated gerbas, or water-skins, were towed
across. The whole of this country is very mountainous, having large
rocky tracts of perfectly black stone, which they say not a little
favoured the escape of the greater part of the inhabitants, who
were not easily distinguished from them. Some of the rocks here,
as well as in Borgoo, are so perpendicular and high, that, to use
an Arab expression, “You could not see their tops without losing
your tagaia, or red cap.”
The western Wajunga has three rivers running through it, two of
which are sweet “as honey,” and one salt; the largest, which
the Arabs say is the Nil, is of great breadth, and very deep,
and runs from west to east. Dates are in great plenty here, and
the cattle very numerous; there are also elephants in this country,
and multitudes of ostriches. The people of both sexes are clothed in
skins; some, however, wear a curious leather gown. They are a fine
race of people, and are swift runners; but the Arabs consider them
in the light of Kaffirs, asserting that they were not made by God,
but that they came by chance.
Wajunga to Waday is ten days south. On the road Terraweiya is three
days from Wajunga.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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