Travels and discoveries in North and Central Africa, Vol. 3 (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. 3 (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
The wide open country seemed to invite the traveller into the far
distance; but to-day our march was only of short duration, and before
eight o’clock in the morning a new encampment, upon a fresh spot, was
again springing up. This whole country is still included in the
extensive district of Wolóje; but the water, which was close to the side
of the encampment, has the peculiar name of Kodásalé. The whole of the
inhabitants of the district belong to the Shúwa tribe of the Bénesé. To
the east of Kodásalé lies the place Lawári, towards the west Súggemé,
beyond Úlba, and south-west of the latter Memé, and north-west Momó. All
these villages are inhabited by Shúwa and Kanúri in common; beyond is
the wilderness or karága.
I, too, had my little daily “nógona,” or divan, in which Kashélla
Bíllama, my friend from Ádamáwa, and Háj Edrís, formed my principal
courtiers, or “kokanáwa,” though occasionally other people attended. All
these people I kept attached to me by presents of a few needles, with
which they supplied their wants in the neighbouring villages. Bíllama
informed me to-day that for three needles he had bought sufficient
provision for his horse for one day; for two he had bought a wooden
bowl, or “búkuru;” and for six more a good supply of meat. Thus this
insignificant production of European industry became of the highest
value to me; and it obtained still more value and importance, in the
course of my journey to Bagírmi, when it constituted my only wealth, and
in consequence procured me the noble title of “needle-prince,”
“malaríbra.”
We remained here the following day, as the army had to provide itself
with corn, or rather Negro grain, as we were told that we should enter
upon a wild uncultivated tract, the border-region between the seats of
the Mohammedans and those of the pagan tribes, which, as is generally
the case in these parts of the world, has been reduced to desolation.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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