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
On being driven out of their original seats by the Kél-owí, about
twenty-five or thirty years ago, they settled towards the west and
south-west of Ágades, in a territory which was probably given them by
the Awelímmiden, with an intention hostile to the Kél-owí. From that
time they have been alternately in bloody feud or on amicable terms with
the Kél-owí; but a sanguinary war has recently (in 1854) broken out
again between these tribes, which seems to have consumed the very
sources of their strength, and cost the lives of many of my friends, and
among them that of Hámma, the son-in-law of Ánnur. The principal
dwelling-place of the Kél-gerés is Árar, while their chief market-place
is said to be Jóbeli, on the road from Ágades to Sókoto.
The Kél-gerés and the Itísan together are equal in effective strength to
the Kél-owí, though they are not so numerous, the latter being certainly
able to collect a force of at least ten thousand armed men all mounted,
besides their slaves, while the former are scarcely able to furnish half
as many. But the Kél-gerés and Itísan have the advantage of greater
unity, while the interests of the various tribes of the Kél-owí are
continually clashing, and very rarely allow the whole body to collect
together, though exceptions occur, as in the expedition against the
Welád Slimán, when they drove away all the camels (according to report,
not less than fifty thousand), and took possession of the salt lakes
near Bilma.
Moreover the Kél-gerés and Itísan, having preserved their Berber
character in a purer state, are much more warlike. Their force consists
for the greater part of well-mounted cavalry, while the Kél-owí, with
the exception of the Ikázkezan, can muster but few horses; and of course
the advantage of the horseman over the camel-driver is very great either
in open or close fight. The Kél-gerés have repeatedly fought with
success even against the Awelímmiden, by whom they are called Aráuwen.
They have even killed their last famous chief E’ Nábegha. The Kél-gerés
came under the notice of Clapperton, on account of the unfortunate
expedition which they undertook against the territories of the Fúlbe in
the year 1823, though it seems that the expedition consisted chiefly of
Tagáma, and that they were the principal sufferers in that wholesale
destruction by Sultan Bello.
Their arms in general are the same as those of the Kél-owí, even the men
on horseback bearing (besides the spear, the sword, and the dagger) the
immense shield of antelope-hide, with which they very expertly protect
themselves and their horses; but some of them use bows and arrows even
on horseback, like many of the Fúlbe, in the same way as the ancient
Assyrians. A few only have muskets, and those few keep them rather for
show than for actual use.
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