Narrative of travels and discoveries in Northern and Central Africa, in the years 1822, 1823, and 1824Denham, Dixon
History
Narrative of travels and discoveries in Northern and Central Africa, in the years 1822, 1823, and 1824
Denham, Dixon
Africa, Central -- Description and travel; Africa, North -- Description and travel; Natural history -- Africa, North
Saturday, June 8, 1822.—At a little after sunrise departed
from Mourzuk. Lieutenant Clapperton, Mr. William Hillman and I
were accompanied by Hadje Ali, brother of Ben Bucher, Ben Khullum,
Mahommed Neapolitan Mamelouk, and Mahomet, son of our neighbour Hadje
Mahmud. It was our intention to have proceeded direct to Ghraat,
and laboured hard to accomplish our object. Obstacle after obstacle
was thrown in our way, by some individuals in Mourzuk. Several came
begging us not to go, as the road was dangerous, and the people
not at all under the bashaw’s control. We at length hired camels
from a Targee, Hadje Said; but only to accompany us as far as the
Wadey Ghrurby.
Our course was over sands skirted with date trees; ground strewed
with fragments of calcareous crust, with a vitreous surface, from
exposure to the weather. About mid-day, after an exhausting journey
from oppressive heat, we arrived at El Hummum, a straggling village,
the houses of which are mostly constructed of palm leaves. We remained
till the sun was well down, and then proceeded on our course. The
country had the same character. At eight we arrived at Tessouwa.
The greater number of inhabitants are Tuaricks. They have a
warlike appearance, a physiognomy and costume different from the
Fezzaneers. More than a dozen muzzled up faces were seated near our
tent, with every one’s spear stuck in the ground before him. This
struck us forcibly, from being very different from what we had been
accustomed to see. The Arab is always armed, in his journey, with
his long gun and pistols; but there is something more imposing in
the spear, dagger, and broad straight sword.
About eight, we departed: several wadeys in our course, with numerous
small acacias, a few gravelly and sandy plains, and two or three
low white alluvial hills. About three, halted at a well of good water.
Our course lay over an extensive high plain, with a long range
of hills, running nearly east and west. Distance, about fourteen
miles. We entered them by a pass which runs north and south, in
which are numerous recesses, evidently leading to more extensive
wadeys. Before reaching the hills, we found some people digging a
well. It was about a hundred feet deep.
The hills are at about a hundred yards’ distance. Their form
is that of a table top, with a peak here and there. The structure
sandstone, finely stratified with beds of blue and white pipeclay,
and alum slate.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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