Narrative of a Mission to Central Africa Performed in the Years 1850-51, Volume 1: Under the Orders and at the Expense of Her Majesty's GovernmentRichardson, James
History
Narrative of a Mission to Central Africa Performed in the Years 1850-51, Volume 1: Under the Orders and at the Expense of Her Majesty's Government
Richardson, James
Africa, Central -- Description and travel; Africa, North -- Description and travel; Richardson, James, 1806-1851
About four o'clock this afternoon there was a cry in the encampment--not
that the Haghar were coming--not that another troop of robbers and wild
people were advancing upon us to attack us; but the cry was, "_El wady
jaee!_" "The wady is coming!" Going out to look, I saw a broad white
sheet of foam advancing from the south between the trees of the valley.
In ten minutes after a river of water came pouring along, and spread all
around us, converting the place of our encampment into an isle of the
valley. The current in its deepest part was very powerful, capable of
carrying away sheep and cattle, and of uprooting trees. This is one of
the most interesting phenomena I have witnessed during my present tour
in Africa. The scene, indeed, was perfectly African. Rain had been
observed falling in the south; black clouds and darkness covered that
zone of the heavens; and an hour afterwards came pouring down this river
of water into the dry, parched-up valley. This incident of Wady
Tintaghoda explains the Scriptural phrase, "rivers of waters;" for here
indeed was a river of water, appearing in an instant, and almost without
notice. It is not, however, necessary to come to the frontiers of Soudan
to witness phenomena, of this nature. Even in Morocco similar sudden
floodings occur every rainy season.
We had been some time employed in watching this singular scene, when
another cry was heard. This was the announcement that our camels were
coming,--certainly a piece of good news that we had been anxiously
expecting; but it had often been given before, and after the first
excitement we began to feel the sickness of disappointment. However,
four of our camels were in reality brought in; there yet remain out two
of ours and three belonging to the Kailouees. However, our spirits begin
now really to revive. We learn that this act of restitution is
attributable to the marabouts.
I went to bed on receiving this news; but I had not rested long before
Dr. Barth called out, "Have you heard what has happened? Twenty-eight
maharees are arrived from En-Noor." On further inquiries, I learned that
the Sultan had sent us an escort of twenty men mounted, and eight on
foot; but rain having fallen and still continuing to fall, and the fact
of our being surrounded by water, prevented the approach of these troops
to the encampment. The intelligence of their arrival was brought by a
man well known to the Tanelkums. In the afternoon we had heard that
En-Noor had received a confused account of our two encounters with the
armed bands, and that we had been destroyed by them, or nearly so, but
had not yet received our courier. This circumstance tranquillised us. We
had been anxiously expecting news from En-Noor. The people always speak
of maharees, and not of mounted men; so that twenty maharees are twenty
men mounted on maharees. It rained this evening and during the night:
everything was damp around us. We now begin to feel, indeed, that we are
in a humid atmosphere.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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