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
In the morning our three guests (who, as I made out, did not belong to
the Azkár, but were Kél-fadé from the northern districts of Aïr) went
slowly away, but only to join their companions, who had kept at some
distance beyond the rocky ridge which bordered or, rather, interrupted
the valley to the westward. There some individuals of the caravan, who
went to cut herbage, found the fresh traces of nine camels. In spite of
outward tranquillity, there was much matter for anxiety and much
restlessness in the caravan, and suddenly an alarm was given that the
camels had been stolen; but fortunately it proved to be unfounded.
ʿAbd el Káder, the Tawáti of whom I have spoken above, trying to take
advantage of this state of things, came to Mr. Overweg, and urgently
pressed him to deposit everything of value with Awed el Khér, the Kél-
owí, and something, “of course,” with him also. This was truly very
disinterested advice; for if anything had happened to us, they would of
course have become our heirs. In the evening we had again three guests,
not, however, the same as before, but some of their companions, who
belonged to the Hadánara, one of the divisions of the Azkár.
[Sidenote: Tuesday, August 20th.]
At an early hour we started with an uneasy feeling. With the first dawn
the true believers had been called together to prayer; and the bond
which united the Mohammedan members of the caravan with the Christian
travellers had been loosened in a very conspicuous manner. Then the
encampment broke up, and we set out—not, however, as we had been
accustomed to go latterly, every little party starting off as soon as
they were ready, but all waiting till the whole caravan had loaded their
camels, when we began our march in close order, first along the valley,
then entering upon higher ground, sometimes gravelly, at others rocky.
The range to our right, here a little more than a mile distant, bears
different names corresponding to the more prominent parts into which it
is separated by hollows or saddles, the last cone towards the south
being called Timázkaren, a name most probably connected with that of the
Azkár tribe, while another is named Tin-dúrdurang. The Tarki or Amóshagh
is very expressive in names; and whenever the meaning of all these
appellations shall be brought to light, I am sure we shall find many
interesting significations. Though I paid a good deal of attention to
their language, the Tarkíyeh or Temáshight, I had not leisure enough to
become master of the more difficult and obsolete terms; and, of course,
very few even among themselves can at present tell the exact meaning of
a name derived from ancient times.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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