Travels through Central Africa to Timbuctoo; and across the Great Desert, to Morocco, performed in the years 1824-1828, Vol. 2 (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. 2 (of 2)
Caillié, René
Sahara -- Description and travel; Sudan (Region) -- Description and travel
The houses of Mimcina consist of a ground-floor, only; like those
of Timbuctoo, they have terraced roofs, and admit the air only
from an inner court. I saw several dirty Jewesses, covered with
rags, walking barefoot, and displaying the utmost extremity of
wretchedness. The inhabitants of Mimcina have but few beasts of
any kind, and scarcely any oxen or horned cattle: they breed a
few sheep for the sake of their wool, some goats and poultry;
they are excellent husbandmen, and have many date-trees, in which
their wealth principally consists. Their breakfast is composed of
bread with a little gruel made of barley-meal; and they sup upon
couscous. About seven o’clock a plentiful couscous with mutton
was sent to Sidi-Aly, who, after having made his own supper with
two or three persons whom he looked upon as his equals, shared the
remainder between me and six camel-drivers, who were not admitted
to his table: the poor slaves also, to my great satisfaction,
were not forgotten. We afterwards lay down under the palm-trees,
the broad leaves of which formed a canopy over our heads, and I,
contrary to my usual habit, slept tolerably well.
On the 15th, at three in the morning, we took leave of the town
of Mimcina and its inhabitants; and, bending our course E. N. E.,
traversed a hard soil of white sand, with a surface of small pebbles
of the same colour, mixed with gravel; the country is diversified
with hills of an extremely arid appearance. The Moors of Mimcina
informed me that Beneali, the residence of the chief of the Berbers,
is situated N. N. W. of their town, at the distance of a day’s
journey, on the road to Morocco. This nation, according to their
account, pays no tribute to the emperor.
A day’s journey from Beneali in the same direction lies the village
of Amsero; a days’ journey beyond that Ranguerute, a large town,
and six days farther still Morocco, the capital of the empire.
Six days’ journey east of Mimcina is situated the town of
Tabelbât, on the road to Tawât, which is eight days’ journey
beyond. The Moors of Tawât are husbandmen; they have numerous
palm-trees, trade with Timbuctoo, and occasionally visit Tafilet
and el-Drah to purchase goats and sheep.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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