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
At half-past four o’clock in the afternoon we had gradually begun to
change our direction from N.W. by W. to S. The valley was bordered by a
deep chasm and craggy mountain to the right, and a range of grotesque
promontories towards the left, the slope of which was broken into a
variety of terraces, with several cones rising from them. At length
turning round the edge of the mountain-range, we entered the broad
valley of Tánesof, having before us the isolated and castellated crest
of mount Ídinen, or Kasr Jenún, and on our left the long range of the
Akakús, beautifully illuminated by the setting sun, and forming a sort
of relief in various colours, the highest precipitous crest, with its
castles and towers, being white, while the lower slope, which was more
gradual and rugged, disclosed regular strata of red marl. Towards the
west the valley, about five miles broad, was bordered by sand-hills,
whence the sand was carried by the wind over its whole surface. We
ourselves encamped at length on sandy soil without the least herbage,
while at the distance of about two miles a strip of green was seen
running along the valley.
Starting at an early hour the next day, we kept along the broad barren
valley straight for the Enchanted Castle, which the fanciful reports of
our companions had invested with great interest. Notwithstanding, or
perhaps in consequence of, the warnings of the Tawárek not to risk our
lives in so irreligious and perilous an undertaking as a visit to this
dwelling of the demons, I made up my mind to visit it, convinced as I
was that it was an ancient place of worship, and that it might probably
contain some curious sculptures or inscriptions. Just at noon the naked
bottom of the valley began to be covered with a little herbage, when,
after another mile, beyond a depression in the ground which had
evidently at one time formed a considerable waterpond, talha-trees and
ethel-bushes broke the monotony of the landscape, while between the
sand-hills on our right a broad strip of green was seen, coming from the
westernmost corner of the Ídinen. Keeping still on for about five miles,
we encamped in the midst of a shallow concavity of circular shape,
surrounded by herbage, and near a large mound crowned by an ethel-tree.
At some distance S.E. we had the well Táhala, the water of which proved
very good.
As it was too late to visit the Ídinen to-day, I sat down in the shade
of a fine talha, and made the subjoined sketch of it.
[Illustration: SKETCH OF THE IDINEN.]
In the evening, we received a visit from two men belonging to a caravan
laden with merchandise of Ghadamsíyin (people of Ghadámes), which was
said to have come, by the direct road through the wadi, in thirty days
from Tripoli.
[Sidenote: Monday, July 15th.]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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