James Richardson - Narrative of a Mission to Central Africa Performed in the Years 1850 51, Volume 1

J >> James Richardson >> Narrative of a Mission to Central Africa Performed in the Years 1850 51, Volume 1

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[Transcriber's note:
This text contains characters with macrons and breve accents. For this
Latin-1 version, they have been transcribed using [=x] for characters
with macrons, and [)x] for breve accents, where x is the accented
character.

Some inconsistencies in the dates have been corrected in chapters XV and
XVI:
September 29th has been changed to August 29th, October 1st to September
1st, and October 4th to September 4th.]

NARRATIVE OF A MISSION TO CENTRAL AFRICA
PERFORMED IN THE YEARS 1850-51,

UNDER THE ORDERS AND AT THE EXPENSE OF HER MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT.

BY THE LATE JAMES RICHARDSON,
AUTHOR OF "TRAVELS IN THE GREAT DESERT OF SAHARA."

IN TWO VOLUMES.

VOL. I.

LONDON:
CHAPMAN AND HALL, 193 PICADILLY.

MDCCCLIII.

LONDON:
Printed by G. Barclay, Castle St. Leicester Sq.

PREFACE.

The task of the Editor of these volumes has been principally one of
arrangement and compression. The late lamented Mr. James Richardson left
behind him a copious journal, comprised in eight small but
closely-written volumes, besides a vast heap of despatches and scattered
memoranda; and, at first sight, it seemed to me that it would be
necessary to melt the whole down into a narrative in the third person.
On attentively studying the materials before me, however, I perceived
that Mr. Richardson had written in most places with a view to
publication; and that, had he lived, he would soon have brought what, on
a cursory examination, appeared a mere chaotic mass, into a shape that
would have accorded with his own idea of a book of travels. Such being
the case, I thought it best--in order to leave the stamp of authenticity
on this singular record of enterprise--to do little more than the author
would himself have done. In the form of a diary, therefore--written
sometimes with Oriental _naivete_--the reader will here find what may be
called the domestic history of one of the most successful expeditions
undertaken for the exploration of Central Africa. I believe it would
have been possible to get up a work of more temporary interest from the
same materials; but this could only have been done by sacrificing
truthfulness of detail. In the present form, Mr. Richardson's journal
will always remain as an authority on the geography and present
condition of a large portion of the Saharan desert, hitherto unvisited,
at any rate undescribed.

As will be seen, the Mission was accompanied by two German gentlemen,
Drs. Barth and Overweg--the former, of whom I had the pleasure of
meeting in Egypt, after his enterprising ride along the coast of Libya.
They are still in Central Africa, pushing their excursions on all sides,
from Bornou into unknown tracts; and the accounts they may publish on
their return will be anxiously looked for. The great traverse of the
Saharan desert, however, with all its vicissitudes and dangers, the
physical aspect of that wonderful region, and the manners of the various
tribes that inhabit it, will, in the present volume, be found to be
fully described--not, it is true, with much attempt at literary
ornament, but in the vivid though simple language in which a man sets
down impressions which he has just received. I have endeavoured to
remove all the faults which may be supposed to have arisen from haste or
carelessness, and have necessarily re-written several passages, and
passed a correcting pen over the whole manuscript. But I think I may say
with confidence, that there is no observation or statement in the
following pages which cannot be justified by a reference to the original
journals and scattered memoranda.

To me this simple record of daily occurrences seems highly interesting.
It divides itself, naturally, into a succession of parts of unequal
importance. First comes an account of the journey to Mourzuk, the
capital of Fezzan, containing the traverse of the frightful Hamadah or
plateau which separates that province from the regency of Tripoli. Then
we have a residence at Mourzuk itself, Mr. Richardson being obliged to
wait the arrival from Ghat of an escort of Tuarick chieftains, with whom
he had partly made acquaintance during a former trip in the desert. This
escort appeared after some delay; and the Mission proceeded across the
Fezzan plains to the independent state of Ghat, through a very wild and
picturesque country. At this point began, if not the most arduous, at
any rate the most dangerous, and at the same time the most novel, part
of the journey. Mr. Richardson had undertaken, on his way to Soudan
Proper (his first destination), to pass by the hitherto unexplored
kingdom of Aheer or Asben, situated towards the southern limits of the
Sahara. The march of the Mission across the deserts that lie between
Ghat and that territory was rendered exciting by continual reports of
danger from pursuing freebooters of the Haghar and Azgher tribes; but
the enemy were outstripped, and no actual attack took place until the
first inhabited districts of Aheer were reached. Here some lawless
tribes levied black-mail, on the caravan, which was then permitted to
proceed, though in doubt and alarm, until it arrived under the
long-expected protection of Sheikh En-Noor, one of the great chiefs of
the Kailouee tribes, at his town, or rather encampment, of Tintalous.
Mr. Richardson's residence at this place was long and tedious. He
suffered, besides, from the extortionate disposition of the Sheikh or
Sultan, who, however, after considerable exactions, became his friend.
This Saharan character is brought out by a succession of amusing
touches. But our traveller was impatient to proceed, and seems to have
hailed with delight the announcement that the great Salt-Caravan, which
annually transports the necessary condiment from Bilma _via_ Aheer to
the south, was about to start, and that the Sheikh and the Christians
were to accompany it. Some further disappointments occurred, but at
length the Mission proceeded to Damerghou, whence Drs. Barth and Overweg
went, one to Maradee and the other to Kanou, whilst Mr. Richardson
proceeded alone to Zinder, situated in the province of Damagram. Here he
was well received by the Sarkee, or Governor, and he dilates with
well-founded exultation on his escape from the insolent and rapacious
Tuaricks. Sad sights, however, connected with the slave-trade, checked
his delight. During his stay the Sarkee went out in person to hunt down
the subjects of his own sovereign, that he might pay his debts by
selling them into captivity. After another considerable delay Mr.
Richardson was enabled to start once more, and being obliged to change
his original plan proceeded to Kuka, the capital of Bornou, by way of
Minyo. Shortly after leaving Gurai, the chief town of that province, the
unfortunate traveller found his strength to be gradually giving way. He
had already previously complained of the heat and fatigue, but did not
seem to have felt any great alarm. Now, however, the climate seems to
have told upon him with sudden and fatal violence. His last moments are
described in a letter from his fellow-traveller, Dr. Barth, who hastened
to the spot with laudable energy as soon as he heard of the melancholy
catastrophe that had taken place. Mr. Richardson died at Ungurutua,
about six days' journey from Kuka, the capital of Bornou, on the 4th of
March, 1851, eleven months after his departure from Tripoli.

I have observed that the Mission, the first transactions of which are
described in these volumes, is entitled to be called successful.
Although the original promoter and director died just as he was on the
point of reaching the termination of his journey, his enterprising
companions, Drs. Barth and Overweg, seem to have carried on and
developed admirably the plan at first laid down. If they be spared to
return to Europe they will bring home, no doubt, geographical
information so valuable that all Mr. Richardson's predictions will be
found to be amply fulfilled. As it is, however, the object of our
practical fellow-countryman may be said to have been accomplished. He
did not lay so much stress on the accurate determination of latitude and
longitude, of the heights of mountains and the courses of valleys, as on
matters that come more nearly home to human sympathies. The abolition of
the system of slavery--many affecting illustrations of which will be
found in these volumes--seems to have engaged the chief of his
attention. It was with this benevolent object that he originally turned
his attention to Africa; and he had become convinced that the best means
of effecting it was to encourage legitimate traffic between Europe and
the great nurseries of slaves. Among other things, he wished to show the
possibility of entering into treaties of amity and commerce with the
most important states of Central Africa; and although these treaties may
not turn out to be of great immediate utility, it is always worth while
that future explorers should know, that on the borders of Lake Tchad
there is a power which professes to be united with England in formal
ties of friendship, and that the Sultan of Bornou has never shown any
disposition to break his promises or secede from his engagements. As to
the question, whether legitimate commerce can advantageously be carried
on across the Sahara, and substituted for the frightful traffic in human
beings, I do not consider that it is as yet decided; but Mr.
Richardson's researches will throw great light on this interesting
subject.

I do not intend here to attempt an account of the services rendered by
Mr. Richardson to the sciences of geography and ethnography during his
useful career. At some future period, no doubt, this task will be
performed; and it will not fail to be added, that he was always impelled
by a higher motive than the mere satisfaction of curiosity or ambition.
A profound conviction that something might be done towards ameliorating
the condition of the African nations, if we were only better acquainted
with them, seems to have early possessed him. This it was that sustained
and guided his footsteps; and all who knew him unite in testifying that
he concealed beneath a pleasant, cheerful exterior, the character of a
Christian gentleman, and an ardent crusader against the worst form of
oppression which has ever been put in practice. The hope that the public
will unite in this opinion must certainly assist in consoling his widow
for the loss which she has sustained. Mrs. Richardson is alluded to in
the narrative throughout. It is necessary, therefore, to say, that that
lady remained in Tripoli until the news of her bereavement reached her,
and that she then returned to England to promote the erection of this
best monument to her husband's memory.

I have now only to add an account written by Dr. Barth (dated April 3,
1851) of the death of Mr. Richardson, in a letter addressed to Mr.
Crowe, Her Britannic Majesty's Consul-General at Tripoli. The German
traveller, as will be seen in the second volume of this work, had
separated from his English companions on the plains of Damerghou, and
proceeded to prosecute other researches, the results of which will be
looked for with great interest:--

"It was on the 25th of March," he says, "that I heard
accidentally from a Shereef, whom I met on the road, the sad
news that my companion had died, about twenty days before,
in a place called Ungurutua, six days' journey before
reaching Kuka, when I hurried on as fast as my horse would
allow in order to secure his papers and effects from being
lost or destroyed.

"I now shall send you a short account of Mr. Richardson's
death, as far as I was able to make out the circumstances
from his servant. Mr. Richardson is said to have left Zinder
in the best health, though it is probable that he felt
already very weak while he was there: for, according to the
man whom he hired in Zinder as his dragoman, he had, while
there, a dream that a bird came down from the sky, and when
sitting on the branch of a tree, the branch broke off and
the bird fell down to the earth. Mr. Richardson being very
much affected by this dream, went to a man who from a huge
book explains to the people their dreams. On the man's
telling him that his dream meant death, he seems really to
have anticipated that he would not reach the principal
object of his journey. But, nevertheless, he seemed to be
quite well, mounting even the horse which the Governor of
Zinder had made him a present of, as far as Minyo, when he
begged the Governor to give him a camel, which he mounted
thenceforward. He felt notoriously ill in Kadalebria, eleven
or twelve days' journey from here (Kuka); and he is said by
his servant to have taken different kinds of medicines, one
after the other: from which you may conclude that he did not
know himself what was his illness. Mr. Richardson never
could bear the sun, and the sun being very powerful at this
time of the year, it must have affected him very much. I
think this to be the chief reason of his death; at least, he
seems not to have had a regular fever. He was happy to reach
the large town of Rangarvia after a journey of three short
days, and had the intention of returning from here directly
to Tripoli, without touching at Kuka and the low, hot plain
of Bornou, which he was affrightened of very much. He
offered two hundred mahboubs for a guide to conduct him
directly to the road to Bilma; but there being no road from
here, and no guide having been found, it was necessary first
to go to Kuka.

"Mr. Richardson, therefore, seems to have taken strong
medicines; in consequence of which, in the evening of the
third day of their halt at Rangarvia, after having taken a
walk through the town, he felt well enough to fix his outset
for the next morning. But this day being rather a long one,
and the sun being very powerful, he became very tired and
unwell; and the more so as, notwithstanding his illness, he
had not left off drinking milk, even on his camel, mixing
some brandy with it. Having recovered a little during the
night, he moved on the next morning, but ordered a halt
about noon, on account of his weakness. Having started again
at sunset, they encamped at midnight. The next day, after a
short journey, they reached the Wady Mettaka. Mr. Richardson
seemed to feel much better, and drank milk and a little
jura, besides rice. From this place, on the last day of
Kebia-el-awel, the caravan, after but a two-hours' march,
reached the village called Ungurutua, when Mr. Richardson
soon felt so weak that he anticipated his death; and leaving
the hut (where he was established) for his tent, told his
dragoman, Mahommed Bu Saad, that he would die. Being
consoled by him that his illness was of no consequence, he
assured him several times that he had no strength at all;
and indeed his pulse ceased almost to beat. He began, then,
to rub his feet with vinegar, and applied the same several
times to his head and shoulders. After which, in the absence
of his servants, he poured water also over himself; so that,
when they returned after a few moments, they found him quite
wet. To counteract the bad effect of this proceeding, they
began to rub him with a little oil. In the evening he took a
little food, and tried to sleep; but notwithstanding that he
seems to have taken something to bring on sleep, he threw
himself restless from one side to the other, calling his
wife several times by her name. After having walked out of
his tent with the assistance of his servant, he ordered tea,
and remained restless on his bed. When it was past midnight,
his old dragoman, Yusuf Moknee, who watched in his tent,
made some coffee, in order to keep himself awake; upon which
Mr. Richardson demanded a cup of coffee for himself; but his
hand being so weak that he could scarcely raise the cup, he
said to Moknee: '_Tergamento Ufa_,'--'Your office as
dragoman is finished;' and repeated several times, with a
broken voice, '_Forza mafishe, forza mafishe le-koul_,'--'I
have no strength, I have no strength, I tell you,' at the
same time laying Mahommed's hand on his shoulder. Feeling
death approaching, he got up in a sitting posture, being
supported by Mahommed, and soon expired, after three times
deep breathing. He was entirely worn out, and died quietly,
about two after midnight, Tuesday, 4th March
(Jumed-el-awel), without the least struggle. His servant
then called into the tent the other people and the Kashalla,
or officer of the Sheikh, who had come along with them from
Zinder, in order to be witness, and while wrapping the body
of the deceased in three shirts which they had cut up,
ordered the people of the village to dig a grave for him.
They then shut up whatever of the luggage of Mr. Richardson
was not locked up, and prepared everything for their journey
to Kuka. Early in the morning they lifted the body, wrapped
up as it was, upon Mr. Richardson's carpet, and carried him
to his grave, which had been dug in the shade of a large
gaw, close to the village, to the depth of four feet. Having
then covered his head and breast with a very large tabah, so
as to protect it from every side, they covered the body with
earth, and had the grave well secured. I have spoken several
times with Haj Beshir that it might be well taken care of,
and I am sure the grave of the traveller, who sacrificed his
life for his great object, will be respected. I send you
with this first kafila all Mr. Richardson's papers and his
journal, which is kept till the 21st February, consisting of
six reams, and his vocabularies, not finished, four reams,
with Yusuf's journal, as well as all his other papers or
letters. I have taken out only the letters of recommendation
of the Mission and the papers concerning the treaty to be
made, as well as a letter from Lousou, one of the Tuaricks,
and another from Ibrahim, the Governor of Zinder, to the
Queen, which I shall enclose in my report to Government. I
send you, besides, an authentic list of all the objects
found in Mr. Richardson's possession, as it has been made up
on the things being deposited with Haj Beshir.

"I beg you to assure Mrs. Richardson of my most sincere
sympathy, and that I hope she will find a good deal of
consolation in the rich journal of the deceased."

I have given the above narrative in the words of Dr. Barth; but must
direct the reader's attention to vol. ii. p. 261, where he will find
that the whole account of the prophetic dream is distorted by the very
unauthentic medium of Oriental report. There is no reason to suppose
that Mr. Richardson was unusually affected by this circumstance,
although any dismal suggestion is likely to disturb a person of
sensibility placed in a dangerous position. The remaining facts, as they
seem confirmed by concurrent testimony, may be taken as a sufficiently
accurate account of the death of this lamented traveller.

From the statements which have from time to time appeared in the press,
the public are already aware, that the presents and the treaty intended
for the Sheikh of Bornou were duly presented and accepted, and that the
boat which caused Mr. Richardson so much anxiety on the road was
ultimately launched, as he desired, on lake Tchad, and employed in the
survey of that celebrated piece of water. It is unnecessary here to
notice the results of this survey, or of the explorations subsequently
undertaken by Messrs. Barth and Overweg. These gentlemen, it is to be
hoped, will be more fortunate than their colleague, and return to give
in person an account of their exertions and discoveries.

I shall conclude by expressing my hope that Mr. Richardson's reputation
will not suffer from the way in which I have superintended the
publication of his remains, and my regret that I am not able to do
justice to the great services which he has rendered to philology by his
copious collections of vocabularies of the languages, both of the Sahara
and of the various kingdoms of Central Africa.

BAYLE ST. JOHN,

_London, January 1853._

P.S. It may be as well to mention that the extensive collections of
vocabularies made by Mr. Richardson are now preserved at the Foreign
Office, together with specimens of translations from the Scriptures. All
these collections are extremely valuable, but especially those of the
Bornou language, which were much wanted.

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER I.

Origin of the Missions--Its Objects and Plan--Preparations--Arrival at
Tripoli--Prussian Colleagues--Necessary Delay--The Boat for Lake
Tchad--Wind-bound--Anxieties at Tripoli--Correspondence with Mourzuk and
Ghat--Circular Letter of Izhet Pasha--Composition of the Caravan--An
aristocratic Interpreter--A Mohammedan Toper--The Chaouches--Free Blacks
returning to their Countries--Marabout--Camel-drivers--Rate of Desert
travelling--Trade of Tripoli with the Interior--Slavery--Caravans from
Central Africa--Details on Commerce--Promotion of legitimate
Traffic--Spread of Civilisation.

CHAPTER II.

Start from the Masheeah--Painful Parting--Chaouch's Tent--A Family
Quarrel--Wady Majeeneen--A Rainy Day--Moknee's Wives--Two mad
Fellows--Great Ascent of Gharian--Tedious Day's Work--The
Castle--View over the Country--Garrison--Troglodytes--Turkish
Tax-gathering--Quarrelsome Servants--Proceed over the lofty
Plain--Underground Villages--Kaleebah--The Batoum--Geology--A Slave
Caravan--Cheerful Blacks--Rows--Oasis of Mizdah--Double
Village--Intestine Discords--Interview with the Sheikh Omer--A Pocket
Province--A Dream of Good Omen--Quarrels on Quarrels--Character of
Fezzanees--A Leopard abroad.

CHAPTER III.

Leave Mizdah--Gloomy Country--Matrimonial Squabbles in the
Caravan--"Playing at Powder"--Desert Geology--A Roman Mausoleum--Sport--A
Bully tamed--Fatiguing March--Wady Taghijah--Our old Friend the
Ethel-Tree--The Waled Bou Seif--Independent Arabs--A splendid
Mausoleum--One of the Nagahs foals--Division of a Goat--March over a
monotonous Country--Valley of Amjam--Two new Trees--Saluting the New
Moon--Sight the Plateau of the Hamadah--Wady Tubooneeah--Travelling
Flies--The Desert Hour--A secluded Oasis--Buying Barley--Ghareeah--Roman
Remains--Oasian Cultivation--Taxation--Sand-Pillar--Arrangements for
crossing the Hamadah--An _Emeute_ in the Caravan--Are compelled to
discharge the quarrelsome Ali.

CHAPTER IV.

Commence crossing the Hamadah--Last Pillar of the Romans--Travelling in
the Desert--Rapid March--Merry Blacks--Dawn--Temperature--Ali
returns--Day-travelling--Night-feelings--Animals--Graves of
Children--Mirage--Extent of the Plateau--It breaks up--Valley of
El-Hasee--Farewell to the Hamadah--Arduous Journey--The
Camel-drivers--New Country--Moral and religious Disquisitions--The
Chaouches--Reach Edree--Abd-el-Galeel--Description of Edree--Subterranean
Dwellings--Playing at Powder--The Kaid--Arabic Literature--Desertion of
the Zintanah--Leave Edree--Sandy Desert--Bou Keta the Camel-driver--Wady
El-Makmak--The Lizard--Reach Wady Takadafah--Sand--Another _Embroglio_.

CHAPTER V.

More sandy Desert--Fatiguing March--Water and
Herbage--Water-drinking--Sight the Plateau over the Mourzuk--Hot
Wind--Arrival in El-Wady--Tuaricks--Laghareefah--Fezzanees--The Chaouches
astray--The Sheikh Abd-el-Hady--Description of the Oasis--Tempest--Native
Huts--Official Visits--Desert News--Camel-drivers--Ruins of Azerna--Move
on--The Kaid--Modest Requests--Ladies of the Wady--Leave the Oasis--Vast
Plain--Instinct of the Camel--Reach Agar--Reception--Precede the
Caravan--Reach Mourzuk--Mr. Gagliuffi--Honours paid to the Mission--Acting
Pasha--Climate--Route from Tripoli--Its Division into Zones--Rain in the
Desert.

CHAPTER VI.

The Oasis of Fezzan--Population--Ten Districts--Their Denomination and
Condition--Sockna--Honn--Worm of the Natron Lakes--Zoueelah--Mixed
Race--Improvements in Mourzuk--Heavy Ottoman Yoke--Results of the
Census--Amount of Revenue--Military Force--Arab Cavaliers--Barracks--Method
of Recruiting--Turkish System superior to French--Razzias--Population of
Mourzuk--Annual Market--Articles of Traffic--Acting-Governor and his
Coadjutors--Story of a faithless Woman--Transit Duties in Fezzan--Slave
Trade--Sulphur in the Syrtis--Proposed Colony from Malta.

CHAPTER VII.

DIARY OF A RESIDENCE AT MOURZUK.

Sickness of Gagliuffi--Baggage left at Mizdah--Runthar Aga--The
Hospital--Various Visits--Arrival of the New Governor--Animated
Scene--Correspondence--Visit Mustapha Agha--Bragging Sheikh Boro--Tibboos
of Tibesty--Curious Country--Presents to Turkish Functionaries--A
Woman divorced--Haj Lameen--Presents expected--Brilliant
Atmosphere--Water-Melons--The Gardens--Winnowing Grain--Houses
of Salt Mud--Nymphs of the Gardens--Wells--Presents to
Functionaries--Phrenology--Queen's Birthday--Walks in the Orchards and
Gardens--Corn-threshing--Kingdom of Aheer--Ass's Head--A Wedding--A
Funeral--Great Dinner--Tibboos--Prepare to depart--The Pilgrim Caravan;
its Privileges--Tuat and the French--Departure of Germans--Wife of
Es-Sfaxee--An Arab Saying--Letters--Disease--Arrival of Escort--Eastern
Consulates--Business--Hateetah--The Son of Shafou--Poor Sheikhs--Hard
Bargain.

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