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
After a short time the Músgu chief arrived, accompanied by his three
brothers, mounted, as is their custom, upon horses without saddle or
bridle. Great numbers of people had collected in front of the tent, and
saluted him with scoffs and importunities; but the pagan chief did not
allow himself to be put out of countenance by the insolence of the
slaves, but preserved his princely dignity. At length the curtains of
the spacious tent were drawn back, and in came the native prince. He was
of a short stout figure, and rather mild, but not very prepossessing
features, and apparently between fifty and sixty years of age. He wore a
black tobe, but no trowsers, and was bareheaded. Kneeling on the ground,
and clapping his hands, while he repeated the complimentary words, “Alla
ngúbberu degá” (God give you long life)! according to the custom of the
“katí gótsin,” he took up sand and sprinkled it upon his head; but as
soon as he had gone through this form of abject submission, he assumed
his character as a native chief. Thus, at once he complained of his
western neighbours, the Fúlbe or Felláta, or, as the Músgu people call
them, Chógchogo; for they, he said, had anticipated the vizier of Bórnu,
carrying off cattle and other things from his territory. The Bórnu chief
assured him that for the future he should not be exposed to such
injustice, but that he was entirely under the protection of Bórnu. He
then made a sign, and some parcels were opened, and Ádishén was
officially installed as a vassal and officer of Bórnu. First, he was
dressed in an elephant-shirt—the large black shirt from Núfe,—over which
a rich silk tobe was thrown, and over all an Egyptian shawl, while the
self-conceited courtiers, in their proud consciousness of a higher state
of civilization, treated him with contempt and scorn. My cheerful old
friend Kashélla Belál, who had decked him out in this finery, paid him
the usual compliments, exclaiming “ngúbberu degá maína, ngúbberu degá
maína,” maína being the title of the governor of a province.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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