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 evening there was “urgí,” or “éddil” (playing), and “ráwa” or
“adéllul” (dancing), all over the large camp of the salt-caravan, and
the drummers or “masugánga” were all vying with each other, when I
observed that our drummer, Hassan, who was proud of his talent, and used
to call for a little present, was quite outdone by the drummer of that
portion of the caravan which was nearest to us, who performed his work
with great skill, and caused general enthusiasm among the dancing
people. The many lively and merry scenes, ranging over a wide district,
itself picturesque, and illuminated by large fires in the dusk of
evening, presented a cheerful picture of animated native life, looking
at which a traveller might easily forget the weak points discoverable in
other phases of life in the desert.
[Sidenote: Sunday, December 15th.]
The general start of the united “aïri,” or caravan, took place with
great spirit; and a wild enthusiastic cry, raised over the whole extent
of the encampment, answered to the beating of the drums. For, though the
Kél-owí are greatly civilized by the influence of the black population,
nevertheless they are still “half demons,” while the thoroughbred and
freeborn Amóshagh (whatever name he may bear, whether Tárki, ba-
Ásbenchi, Kindín, or Chapáto) is regarded by all the neighbouring
tribes, Arabs as well as Africans, as a real demon (“jin”).
Notwithstanding all this uproar, we were rather astonished at the small
number of camels laden with salt, which formed Ánnur’s caravan; for they
did not exceed two hundred, and their loads in the aggregate would
realize in Kanó at the very utmost three thousand dollars, which, if
taken as the principal revenue of the chief, seems very little. The
whole number of the caravan did not exceed two thousand camels.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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