Narrative of a Mission to Central Africa Performed in the Years 1850-51, Volume 2: 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 2: 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
On Friday, Yusuf paid his respects to the Sultan at noon, being the
Sunday of the Muslims, when visits are made by true believers to the
princes. He found his highness surrounded by his court, in a cloud of
dust, which the people raised by throwing it in handfuls upon their
heads, and thus doing homage to their prince. Yusuf and some other Moors
obstinately abstained from such a grovelling mode of "rendering to
Cæsar the things which are Cæsar's," and contented themselves with
saluting his highness in the Moorish fashion. Yusuf observed, "Our
religion does not teach this servility." The natives salute their Sultan
by the cry of "God give you victory!" (i.e. over your enemies.) In
Soudanee this phrase is "_Allah shàbáka nasăra_;" and in Bornouese,
"_Kábunam sherga!_"
_18th._--I sent letters for Government and my wife _viâ_ Kuka, as
caravans are expected to leave Bornou for Moursuk about this time. My
rooms were full of visitors to-day. First came the commander-in-chief,
Shroma. I showed him all my treasures, portable peepshow, kaleidoscope,
&c. &c. He was marvellously pleased. I treated him also with sugar, but
coffee he positively refused as too bitter. He brought with him some
twenty of his troops and a chosen aide-de-camp. He is just the man for a
negro commander, full of cunning and address, very active if necessary,
and on familiar terms with his men, pleasing them by low fun and
buffoonery. Afterwards came the sons of the Sultan, all of whom I
treated with sugar and coffee: that is, as many as would venture to
taste of it. Then followed a host of Fezzan merchants, with the son of
the Kadi of Kuka--a very nice, pleasant young fellow, who writes pretty
good Arabic. He is to make out for me the route from Zinder to Kuka.
I afterwards went to the Sultan himself, to show him my treasures, viz.
peepshows and kaleidoscope. These barbarians are nothing but great
wilful children. I also took the compass. We entered the interior of the
building, where we found a number of officers, courtiers and slaves,
squatted together on the sand, chatting most familiarly on all subjects.
The building is all made of mud, mixed with large grains of granite.
They say all the buildings of Bornou are built in the same manner, and
very few of stone, on account of the rain; for the stone, not being well
cemented together, falls during the great rains of the tropics.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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