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
Taking Gusumana as a centre, we have around it several towns and
villages. Thisi, one hour west; Gajemmi, one long day north-west; Parum,
one hour east-south-east; Kadellebua, two hours south-west; Garua, one
hour east; Gogora, two hours east; and, finally, in our road, Kanggarua,
two days south-east. The town of Gajemmi is inhabited by the tribe of
Duggera; but the Kaïd of this village pretends they are not Tuaricks. He
means, probably, not the same as the Tuaricks of Ashen. It is quite
clear that these Daggera inhabit all the northern line of Bornou, from
Zinder to Kuka; skirting, in fact, all the left of our route. They join
the Damerghou territory, and thus extend from that province west to
Kanem, and the route of Bornou east. The Tuaricks are ever located on
the confines of the desert. Here they roam free, and rob and plunder
where they have opportunity, or when the princes of Bornou and Soudan
cannot check them.
Our people gnaw the doom fruit, but it is just like gnawing the bark of
a tree, slightly flavoured with some aroma. They begin to eat them from
childhood, and so keep on, as the gour-nuts are chewed by children; and
so the taste is sucked in with their mother's milk. The gour-nut,
however, is something, whilst the doom fruit is mere wood. The tree,
nevertheless, is green, and in waving forests delightfully relieves this
hot, burning, African landscape.
The portion of the caravan consisting of bullocks is always much later
than the rest; to-day they were four hours after us. I consider that the
hours we now go are at least two and a-half or three English miles in
length, as we advance at a speed quite equal to a horse walking at a
good pace; nay, I might say, some hours we make three and a-half English
miles.
The following are the names of the brothers of the Sultan of Sakkatou,
obtained from my Fellatah informant of Gurai. A difference of
pronunciation will be observed in the Arab names, as they are
transmitted through the Fellatah language. Aliu (for Ali), name of the
Sultan himself and one of his brothers; Mallaidi; Amadu (Ahmed), Omeru
(Omer, two of this name), Mahammedu (Mahammed), Mogari; Amadu Bedai;
Alhattu; Moho; Isa (two of this name); Amadu el-Fai; Musa;
Abd-el-Kaderi, and Abd-el-Walli. These are the names of all the brothers
which he has heard. The first minister is called Galladima. The Kadi is
El-Hali el-Haj; Inna is the generalissimo; Mohammed Wuddeggen, Muddebri
Ali, Bu Beker, Manuri, and Gudundi, are names of other grandees and
generals. The horse-dealer speaks of them with great familiarity, for he
sells to them all. His own country is called Kabi, situated to the
south-west of Sakkatou. He gave me the particulars of the route.[23]
[23] See Appendix.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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