Travels and discoveries in North and Central Africa, Vol. 1 (of 5) : $b being a journal of an expedition undertaken under the auspices of H.B.M.'s Government, in the years 1849-1855Barth, Heinrich
History
Travels and discoveries in North and Central Africa, Vol. 1 (of 5) : $b being a journal of an expedition undertaken under the auspices of H.B.M.'s Government, in the years 1849-1855
Barth, Heinrich
Africa, Central -- Description and travel; Africa, North -- Description and travel
Having waited in vain for the chiefs the whole of Saturday, we received
a visit from them on Sunday, when they appeared in the finery with which
they had been dressed by Mustapha Bey, but would not come to any terms;
and it was not till Monday, when they took up their residence in the
house belonging formerly to Mukni, but now to the Wakíl of Borno, that
they concluded an arrangement. The sum which they then received would
have been moderate, had they undertaken to see us safe under the
protection of Annur, the Chief of the Kél-owí. I urged, with Mr.
Gagliuffi, the necessity of having a written copy of the agreement; but
to this the chief would not listen, and thus confessed that there was
really no distinct contract, as we had been given to understand, to the
effect that Utaeti should not leave us till he had committed us to the
care of the chief Annur.
This business being concluded, I was in great haste to return to Tasáwa;
and starting immediately afterwards, at one o’clock in the afternoon,
arrived at our tent a little before midnight. Our tent, indeed, was
still there; but all the Tinýlkum (Músa alone excepted), and all our
things, were gone on, and Overweg and I were obliged to follow the next
day without waiting for Mr. Richardson.
Accordingly, on the 25th of June we left Tasáwa, and after having
crossed some sand-hills, entered upon harder soil, with ethel-bushes
crowning the little hills,—the whole scene making the impression that a
considerable current of water had at one period flowed along here and
carried away the soil, which had once extended to the top of the hills.
The whole district, which is a narrow and very long strip of land,
affording a little herbage for cattle and sheep, bears the name of Wadi
Aberjúsh, or Berjúsh, and soon exhibits a more pleasant character; the
encircling borders increase a little in height, while the sand ceases
and a great deal of herbage begins to cover the soil. But after about
another hour’s march, we entered upon pebbly ground like that of the
Hammáda, and continued descending through a bare country till we reached
the well Sháraba, where we encamped a little to the north, near a talha-
bush. It is an open well, only three feet below the surface of the
ground, which here forms a very remarkable hollow, almost six hundred
feet below the level of Murzuk, but nevertheless contains water only for
two or three months in the year. It is, however, evident that in case of
heavy rains a large pond or lake must be temporarily formed here by the
torrent, which, sweeping along Wadi Berjúsh, finds no outlet.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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