Travels and discoveries in North and Central Africa : $b Including accounts of Tripoli, the Sahara, the remarkable kingdom of Bornu, and the countries around Lake ChadBarth, Heinrich
History
Travels and discoveries in North and Central Africa : $b Including accounts of Tripoli, the Sahara, the remarkable kingdom of Bornu, and the countries around Lake Chad
Barth, Heinrich
Africa, Central -- Description and travel; Africa, North -- Description and travel
While returning with my companions to our lodging, we met six of Bóro’s
sons, among whom our travelling companion Háj ʿAli was distinguished for
his elegance. They were going to the palace in order to perform their
office as “fadáwa-n-serkí” (royal courtiers), and were very complaisant
when they were informed that I had been graciously received by his
Majesty. Having heard from them that Bóro, since his return, had been ill
with fever, I took the opportunity to induce my followers to accompany
me on a visit to him. Mohammed Bóro has a nice little house for a town
like Ágades, situated on the small area called Erárar-n-sákan, or “the
Place of the Young Camels.” It is shown in the accompanying sketch. The
house itself consists of two storeys, and furnishes a good specimen of
the better houses of the town; its interior was nicely whitewashed. Bóro,
who was greatly pleased with our visit, received us in a very friendly
manner, and when we left accompanied us a long way down the street.
Though he holds no office at present, he is nevertheless a very important
personage, not only in Ágades, but even in Sókoto, where he is regarded
as the wealthiest merchant. He has a little republic of his own (like
the venerable patriarchs), of not less than about fifty sons, with their
families; but he still possesses such energy and enterprise that in 1854
he was about to undertake another pilgrimage to Mekka.
When I had returned to my quarters, Mággi brought me, as an
acknowledgment of my presents, a fat, large-sized ram from ʿAbd el Káder,
which was an excellent proof that good meat can be got here. There is
a place called Aghíllad, three or four days’ journey west from Ágades,
which is said to be very rich in cattle. On this occasion I gave to the
influential eunuch, for himself, an aliyáfu, or subéta, a white shawl
with a red border. In the afternoon I took another walk through the town,
first to the Erázar-n-sákan, which, though it had been quiet in the
morning, exhibited now a busy scene, about fifty camels being offered for
sale, most of them very young, and the older ones rather indifferent. But
while the character of the article for sale could not be estimated very
high, that of the men employed in the business of the market attracted my
full attention.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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