Travels through Central Africa to Timbuctoo; and across the Great Desert, to Morocco, performed in the years 1824-1828, Vol. 1 (of 2)Caillié, René
History
Travels through Central Africa to Timbuctoo; and across the Great Desert, to Morocco, performed in the years 1824-1828, Vol. 1 (of 2)
Caillié, René
Sahara -- Description and travel; Sudan (Region) -- Description and travel
After resting for a short time, we continued our journey eastward. The
road was interspersed with small masses of rock, which incommoded
me exceedingly; for, as I could not walk with the sandals of the
country, I was obliged to go barefoot. We passed Courgin, a little
village containing a population of about one hundred and fifty or
two hundred. The masses of rock were succeeded by stones, apparently
volcanic. Proceeding nine miles further, to the east, we arrived at
three in the afternoon at Comi-Sourignan, a pretty village, situated
on a hill, and containing about one hundred and fifty inhabitants. The
aspect of the surrounding country was beautiful; it was interspersed
with fine hills, covered with brilliant verdure. The soil, which is
of a yellow colour, is very productive. The village, enclosed by a
quick-set hedge, is very clean. The huts are surrounded by gardens,
containing plantations of pistachio-nuts, cassavas, caribbee cabbages,
and other things. These gardens, which are cultivated by women and
children, are kept in very good order, and the little paths leading to
the huts are cleanly swept. The chief, in whose presence we said the
prayer, invited Ibrahim and me to his hut, where he made us partake
of his dinner, consisting of boiled rice with a little sour milk. We
seated ourselves on a mat, near a little fire; for fires are always
kept burning here, on account of the humidity of the climate. When
our repast was ended, the wife of the chief came and sat down beside
us. She listened in silence to our conversation: we were speaking
of the christians, who are always objects of contempt among these
people. The wife of the chief kindly asked me to take a little milk,
and then she went to gather some figs and bananas, and put them into
a clean calabash, which she gave to me and my guide. This woman
had a pleasing countenance, and her dress, which was very clean,
consisted of two breadths of cotton cloth of the manufacture of the
country. She had not the offensive smell of the women of the roving
Foulahs of Irnanké. The hut was large and in good order; the floor
was adorned with handsome designs, made of earth. We passed the night
in this pretty village.
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