Travels in the Great Desert of Sahara, in the Years of 1845 and 1846Richardson, James
History
Travels in the Great Desert of Sahara, in the Years of 1845 and 1846
Richardson, James
Sahara -- Description and travel
nations in relation to their conquerors, it is the vices of their
masters. It is unfortunately much the same when the Turks imitate us
Christians.
Bought some meat cheap at Yefran, but my camel-driver afterwards stole
the greater part. The secretary of the Rais, Bou Asher, who knew the
Vice-consul of Fezzan, showed me some kindness, and sent me again milk,
which he said was the right of "The Consul." I had also received a nice
delicious little present of a melon from the Sheikh Makouran _en route_.
These were the first proofs of a friendly disposition of the natives
towards me, and were most thankfully appreciated. The people called me
_Taleb_ ("learned man"), or _Tabeeb_ ("doctor"), or Consul, or the
Christian, just as their caprice or information led them[13]. Here all
the merchants determined to stop a week, some going to one part of The
Mountains, and some to the other, to purchase oil, barley and _gurbahs_
("water-skins"). Many travellers, who had availed themselves of our
escort to The Mountains, here left us.
I left in the afternoon for the native country of my camel-driver, and
encamped for the night in The Mountains. Our party consisted only of the
camel-driver, Said, and myself, with three camels. I must say I felt
rather queer knocking about in The Mountains, almost alone.
_8th._--Rose early, and pursued our way. The air of this elevated region
invigorated my mind and body; and so by a mishap I took no coffee before
starting. Passed the kailah under a group of olive trees, called "The
Sisters[14]," where also flocks of sheep and shepherds were dosing and
reposing under the shade. We exchanged biscuits for milk. The shepherds
were giving their dogs to drink, and made me wait until they had drunk
their fill, thinking no doubt that their dogs were as good as "a
Christian dog," (the ordinary epithet of abuse applied by Mussulmans to
Christians). I had my revenge, for when I had drank my milk, I took good
care to give them only a fair and exact return of biscuits, which made
them ask for more, but which I refused. Started again, and did not arrive
at Mohammed's village, in the district of Rujban, till after midnight. It
was a most wearisome ride. I kept asking Mohammed, "how far the village
was off?" He would say, "Now three hours;" in two hours after, it was
still "three hours;" in two hours after that, it was still "two hours and
a half;" it was "near" when it was six hours before we arrived; it was
"close by us," three hours before we arrived, &c. &c. But an Arab will
often tell you a place is just under your nose when it is at a day's
journey distant, pointing to it as if he saw it within a musket-shot. I
was highly exasperated at Mohammed, because we had delayed to eat
anything all day long, upon his representing to me that we should arrive
an hour after sunset. But the milk acted like a purgative, and was
perhaps advantageous. No people were seen in The Mountains, and very
little cultivation.
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