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
_2d._--This morning the slave of Haj Beshir came to declare that the
slaves which he brought here yesterday were not his booty, but belonged
to another person, a volunteer. There is no getting at the truth in
these countries. The theatre of the late razzia is westwards from Zinder
about two days. Korgum is one day from Tesaoua. Konchai is a
neighbouring country, about four hours from Korgum. The Sarkee attacked
four villages of Korgum, but got few slaves. The people, though without
their sultan, defended themselves well with their renowned arrows, and
when they could hold out no longer they ascended the rocks and escaped.
The wounds of arrows, though poisoned, are not always fatal, and often
cured by the remedies known in these countries.
The villages of Korgum are called Tangadala Agai. Not getting many
slaves there, the Sarkee attacked two or three villages of Konchai. This
province contains some three hundred villages. Ganua and Tanbanas were
the places razzied. From the latter place six hundred slaves were
obtained, nearly half of the whole captured. The total product of the
razzia is about fifteen hundred; a thousand for the Sultan's share, and
five hundred for the troops and volunteers. It is said this thousand
will not suffice to pay the Sultan's debts, and it was on account of the
fewness of slaves the Sarkee was obliged to bring with him the halt, the
blind, the maimed, and the aged, stooping to the earth with age. Besides
human beings, the Sarkee captured eight hundred and thirty bullocks, and
flocks of sheep; seven hundred bullocks he gave to the troops and
volunteers, and one hundred and thirty have been reserved for himself.
Four men were killed, and one hundred horses, belonging to Zinder; but
the enemy are said to have lost a good number. All the villages made
resistance but one, where the poor people were busy cooking their
suppers; when the Sarkee and his famished crew rushed upon them, seized
them, and carried them into captivity. This, at any rate, is the report;
but, according to others, the results of the expedition are much less
important.
All the country razzied is nominally subject to the Sheikh of Bornou, so
that this Sarkee of Zinder has been pillaging the Bornou territories,
and carrying off their inhabitants, who are subjects of the Sheikh, to
raise money to pay his debts. A certain enmity exists, it is said,
between Konchai and Zinder, which formerly was subject to the province
of Konchai.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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