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 — John Shaqi
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
We remained in the forenoon and during the heat of the day in our
encampment. While stretched out in the shade of a fine mimosa, I
obtained some valuable information regarding the various tribes dwelling
in Kánem, and the districts of their settlements. But it will be better,
instead of inserting it here, to collect all the information I received
at different times into one general account, which shall be given in the
Appendix.
In the afternoon the camels and the heavier portion of the troop were
allowed to start in advance, and the horsemen followed about half an
hour afterwards, after having watered the horses; but instead of taking
care to follow the footsteps of the camels in a wild country where there
was no regular path, they rode on negligently, and soon became aware
that they had missed the track. There now began a very disorderly riding
in all directions. This fatigued me greatly, for nothing is so vexing to
a weak man as to ramble about without knowing when he is likely to reach
the place of repose so much looked for. After sending scout after scout,
we at length found the track, and reached our men in the dark.
[Sidenote: Wednesday, October 1st.]
Having set out early, after nearly two hours’ ride we were met by a
single horseman coming towards us from the encampment of the Welád
Slimán, and bidding us welcome to their wild country. They kept starting
up from the thicket on our right and left, firing their muskets and
saluting us with their usual war-cry “yá riyáb, yá riyáb.” Having thus
advanced for about half an hour, we came to a halt, in order to receive
in a more solemn form the warlike compliments of a larger troop of
horsemen, led on by a person of some importance.
The dust raised by the horsemen having subsided a little, and the
country being clearer of wood, we now saw before us the whole cavalry of
the Welád Slimán drawn up in a line in their best attire, their chief
Ghét the son of Séf el Nasr ben Ghét, and his uncle ʿOmár the son of
Ghét and brother of ʿAbd el Jelíl, in the midst of them. This stately
reception, not having been anticipated by Overweg and myself, made a
great impression upon us; but we were not left to gaze long, but were
desired by our Arab companions to ride in advance of the line in
compliment to the chiefs. We accordingly put our steeds into a gallop,
and riding straight up to our new friends, saluted them with our
pistols. Having answered our compliments, and bidding us welcome to
their wild abode, the young Ghét galloping along at the head of his
squadrons, his sword drawn, and with the continuous cry “yá riyáb, yá
riyáb,” they led us to the encampment, and we had a place shown to us
where we might pitch our tents.
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