The journal of Frederick Horneman's travels, from Cairo to Mourzouk, the capital of the kingdom of Fezzan, in Africa, in the years 1797-8Hornemann, Friedrich
History
The journal of Frederick Horneman's travels, from Cairo to Mourzouk, the capital of the kingdom of Fezzan, in Africa, in the years 1797-8
Hornemann, Friedrich
Berber languages; Fezzan (Libya) -- Description and travel; Libyan Desert -- Description and travel
The Tibbo are divided into several tribes, the principal of which
are, the Tibbo of Bilma, whose chief resides at Dyrke, about one
day’s journey from Bilma. This tribe is a good deal mixed, having
established itself forcibly among the Negroes who lived in that
district: to this day, the inhabitants of Bilma are mostly Negroes;
in Dyrke, on the contrary, they are Tibbo. This tribe carries on a
commerce between Fezzan and Burnu, and apparently with great safety
to themselves; for they travel in small companies of six or eight
men; but on account of their bad character, the slaves of either
sex, from Burnu, who have been freed, do not return with them,
as the poor people are afraid of being plundered and sold again,
or murdered by them.
The religion of the Tibbo of Bilma, is the Mahometan; but it is said
they hold it very cheap.
The tribe of the Tibbo Rschade, or the Rock Tibbo, is so called from
their houses being built under rocks, and they frequently live even in
caves, before which they build huts of rushes in a very coarse manner,
for their summer residence. The chief of this tribe lives in Abo;
next to which Tibesty is the largest place. The Tibbo Rschade go in
multitudes to Fezzan, at which time they clothe themselves like the
Tuarick; however, I have seen several wearing their sheep-skins. This
tribe is reported to be good Mahometans.
The Tibbo Burgu are said to be still Pagans: the district which they
inhabit, abounds in dates, corn, and grass.
A company of Fezzanians having this year been plundered by some
of the people of Burgû, as they were travelling from Bergami to
Mourzouk, the sultan of Fezzan sent a small army into their country:
it consisted of thirty-two men on horseback, seventy Arabs on foot,
and about two hundred Tibbos of the Rschade tribe. The Arabs went
from Mourzouk into Gatron, fifty-four miles south of that place;
to Fegherie thirty-three miles south-south-east of Gatron; then to
Abo seven days, and Tibesty three days, in an easterly direction;
then to Burgu eighteen days, (reckoning a day’s journey eighteen
miles.) They stole about two hundred people, the greatest part of
whom were sold in a treacherous manner.
The women of the Burgu tribe, wear their hair in plaits, which
hang down from their heads, but the hair on the fore-part of their
heads is cut off. The girls are accused of becoming pregnant by
their brothers. The slave of one of my friends, who spoke the Tibbo
language, assured me, that he had questioned a young woman who was
with child, and that she did not deny it.
Farther towards the east lies Arna, the principal place of another
Tibbo tribe, at the distance of five or six days.
South-south-west of Augila dwell the Febabo, who are exposed to
the yearly depredations of the Arabs of Bengasi, who go out with
the Arabs of Augila, to steal men and dates; and for that purpose,
they convey with them several hundred camels.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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