Expedition to discover the sources of the White Nile, in the years 1840, 1841, Vol. 2 (of 2)Werne, Ferdinand
History
Expedition to discover the sources of the White Nile, in the years 1840, 1841, Vol. 2 (of 2)
Werne, Ferdinand
Nile River
SLEEPING TOKULS OR BARNS. — CRUELTY AND LICENTIOUSNESS OF THE
TURKS. — ARNAUD AND SELIM CAPITAN’S FEAR OF THE NATIVES. —
NEGROES SHOT BY THE TURKS. — CONDUCT OF THE NATIVES. — RED
MEN. — ARNAUD’S MADNESS. — FEAR OF THE NEGROES AT FIRE-ARMS. —
VISIT OF A CHIEF AND HIS SON. — TOBACCO AND SHEEP. — MOUNT
KOREK. — NATION OF BARI. — VISIT OF THE BROTHER AND SON-IN-LAW
OF THE KING. — CHAIN OF MOUNTAINS.
20th January.—The vessels were towed further to the southward
by the Libàhn, whilst the commanders, and we Franks with them,
walked on the magnificent shore. The wind, with which, however, we
had previously sailed, although not quicker than the pace we walked
at on shore, freshened at ten o’clock, and we repaired again
on board the vessels. I had made a real forced march, and was at
last compelled to be carried, owing to increasing weakness. Little
villages and isolated tokuls stood in the beautiful woody country,
which is interspersed with solitary light spaces or corn-fields,
where, however, the short fine grass was withered. These tokuls are
elevated above the ground on stakes, and serve to protect the fruits,
or as sleeping-places for security against noxious animals or the
temporary damp of the soil. The natives dance, sing, and jump, slide
on their knees, sell or exchange their god (glass beads—Arabic,
sug-sug), amongst one another, and squat, but not by sitting
upright in the Turkish manner, and smoke their pipes. These pipes
have prettily-worked black clay bowls, with a tube of reeds, and a
long iron mouthpiece: even the tongs, to apply the charcoal to light
them, are not wanting. They are cheated in the most shameful manner
by the Turco-Arabian people; robbed of their weapons, and plundered
right and left. What am I to do? I am ill, and have lost my voice;
yet I try to prevent these outrages as far as I am able.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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