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
On the 4th, at half after five in the morning, we departed,
journeying N. N. W., amongst mountains and along the banks of
a beautiful rivulet which fertilizes the neighbouring soil: the
resident proprietors understand how to avail themselves of this
resource; they form canals from it, by which they water their small
possessions; by this method they are enabled to cultivate corn and
maize in seasons of the greatest drought, and to produce abundance
of fine melons. Some palms and fig-trees grow on the margin of this
pretty rivulet; and I remarked throughout the route small habitations
scattered at very small distances. We advanced more than two miles
an hour notwithstanding the stony nature of the soil. At half past
two P. M. we halted at M-Dayara, a town defended by a high wall
and encompassed by a moat seven or eight feet in depth and of equal
breadth. We entered by a large gate and passed the night here. When
the cattle were unladen and the baggage arranged, my guide, the
sherif, noble scion of the prophet, recommended me to repair to
the mosque to seek my supper: without answering him, I remained
some time seated upon a mat, near a Moor of the town, who seeing I
was in no hurry to withdraw, and no doubt fearing the necessity of
dividing his supper with me, advised me to rejoin my companions,
and take my share of the provision which the town would provide
for them. Thus repulsed on all sides I lay down beside the baggage:
my illustrious muleteer angrily asked, why I did not remain at the
mosque; to which I replied that he might go thither himself to seek
his supper; this answer silenced him. Finding him so desirous to get
rid of me, I thought that the Moors of the caravan intended to club
together to purchase food, and determined to learn how this might be.
The sherif Sidi-Moula-Sitec, a man of high nobility and who
enjoyed the imperial favour, travelled along with our caravan;
he carried his wife with him, concealed under a scarlet pavilion,
as well to preserve her from the intense heat as to screen her from
our observation: at the halting-places, four persons assisted her
to alight, and one of her women, who also appeared veiled in our
presence, lifted up a corner of the curtain to admit the air.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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