Narrative of a Mission to Central Africa Performed in the Years 1850-51, Volume 1 | Page 6

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.
CHAPTER VIII.
Wars in the Interior--Anticipated Disputes--Mr. Boro of Aghadez--Our
Treatment at Mourzuk--Mustapha Bey--Start for Ghât--Row with the
Escort--Fine Weather--Leave Tesaoua--Sharaba--Travelling in the
Heat--Hateetah and the Germans--The Camels--Snakes--Journey
continued--Nature of the Country--Complete Desert--Rain--Overtake
the Caravan--Interview with Boro--Pool of Ailouah--The
Tanelkums--Halt--Birds--Bir Engleez--Wind in the Desert--Begging
Escort--Brilliant Heavens--News from Ghât--The Pilgrims
again--Bas-relief of Talazaghe--Moved over the
Desert--Mountains--Extraordinary Pass--Central Table-land of Fezzan.
CHAPTER IX.
Plain of Taeeta--Fezzan Boundary--Fossils--Tuarick Behaviour--Valley
of Tabea--Observations--Fasting--Tuarick Habits--Scorpions and
Locusts--Visitors--Heat--Roads--Hot Wind--Pass of Abulaghlagh--The
Palace of Demons--Wheat hid in the Desert--Land of Demons--Kasar
Janoon--A dear Camel--Visit to the Kasar--Perilous Adventure of Dr.
Barth.
CHAPTER X.
Approach Ghât--Description of the Town--The Oasis--Reminiscences
of a former Visit--Azgher Tuaricks--The Governor--Political
Authority--The Sheikhs--Protection of Strangers--The
Litham--Business--Reception--Meetings of Sheikhs--Disputes--Tax on
liberated Slaves--Extortion practised on us--Discussion on the
Treaty--Scramble for Presents--Haj Ahmed disinterested--Hateetah
plays double--More Presents and further Annoyances--Mahommed
Kafa--Escort of Kailouees--A Visit from Ouweek and the Bandit of
Ghadamez--Observations on the Treaty--Collection of Dialogues--The

Great Exhibition.
CHAPTER XI.
Start from Ghât--Reflections--Beautiful Valley of Berket--Last
Date-palms--The Kailouees--Dr. Barth lost again--Meet our
Guides--The Akourou Water--Ghadeer--Soudan Influence on the
Tuaricks--Wataitee leaves us--Oasis of Janet--Kailouee Character--A
sick Slave--Rocky Desert--Gloomy Scene--Servants--Egheree
Water--Ajunjer--A threatened Foray from Janet--Sidi Jafel Waled
Sakertaf--We have no Money--Region of Granite--Dr. Barth's
Comparisons--A Slave Caravan--Granite Rocks--Beating Women--The
Bird of the Desert--Desolate Region--Our Relations with the Kailouees.
CHAPTER XII.
Reach Falezlez--Dates left in the Desert--Road-marks--Disputes with
the Kailouees--News from Tidek--Scarcity of Food in
Aheer--Similitudes and Signs of the Tuaricks--Fine Climate--Arrival of
Wataitee--His Boasting--Saharan travelling--My Umbrella--Grasping
Son of Shafou--Geology of the Desert--The "Person who
gives"--Another Caravan--Tuarick Sportsmen--Wady Aroukeen--Fine
Scene--New Trees--Kailouee Camels--Fine Nights--Well--New
Moon--Passing a Caravan in the Desert--Origin of the Kailouee
Tuaricks--Arrive at Tajetterat--No Robbers--An Alarm--Well of
Esalan--Senna--Birds--Graves of Slave Children--Our Grievances
against the Tuaricks.
CHAPTER XIII.
News of Sidi Jafel--Disputes with Wataitee--His violent Conduct and
strange Language--The Desert--Scarcity of Money--Proceed through a
rocky Country--Soudan Weather--Approach the Frontiers of
Aheer--Storm--Hard Day's Travelling--The Seven Wells of
Aisou--"The Haghar are coming"--Suspicious Characters--Alarm--The
Three Strangers--Our Hospitality--Heat of the Weather--Hard
Travelling--Account of the Kailouee Guides--Women of the

Caravan--Their Treatment--Youthful Concubines--Another long
Day--A Rock-Altar--Demonstrations of the Haghar--Wells of
Jeenanee--Marks of Rain--Sprightly Blacks--New Climate--Change in
the Vegetation and the Atmosphere.
CHAPTER XIV.
Enter the inhabited Districts of Aheer--Hostile Tuaricks--An impudent
Demand--The Merchant Waldee--Prepare for Defence--Threatening
Appearances--Making Friends with Presents--March--Leave
Waldee--Doubtful Visitors--The Camels stolen--The Troop of
Assailants draws nigh--Parley--Their Proposition--We are compelled to
a Compromise--Character of our Enemies--Sinister Rumours
again--Proceed toward Tidek--Wady of Kaltadak--Picturesque
Scenery--A Friend from Seloufeeat--Fresh Mob collects to attack
us--Conferences--We are to be let go scot-free if we become
Muslims--We repose--Another Compromise for Money--Incidents
during the Night--Quarrel over the Booty--Enter the Valley of
Seloufeeat--Its Soudan Appearance--Nephew of Sultan En-Noor--Haj
Bashaw of Seloufeeat--We are still uneasy.
CHAPTER XV.
Leave Seloufeeat--"City of Marabouts"--Fair Promises--People of
Aheer--Aspect of the Country--Extraordinary Reports--A Flying
Saint--Prophecies--A Present--Expense of our forced
Passage--Hopes--Fears--The Marabouts--Geology--The coming down
of the Wady--Inundation--Restoration of our Camels--Maharees from
En-Noor--El-Fadeea--Arab Tuaricks--Maghata--Picturesque
Wady--Rainy Season--Another Flood--Dangerous Position--Kailouees
and Blacks--The Escort arrives--The Marabout Population--Reported
Brigands--The Walad Suleiman--Pleasant Valley--Escort leave
us--Difficulty of satisfying them--Robbery--Proceed to
Tintalous--Encampment--The Sultan--A Speech--We wait in vain for
Supper--Want of Food.
CHAPTER XVI.

Promises of the Sultan--Yellow-painted
Women--Presents--Anecdotes--Prepare to visit En-Noor--Our
Reception--Dialogue--Seeming Liberality of the Sultan--Greediness of
his People--No Provisions to be got--Fat Women--Nephew of the
Sultan--Tanelkum Beggars--Weather--A Divorced Lady--Aheer
Money--Our Camels again stolen--Account of the
Tanelkums--Huckster Women--Aheer Landscape--Various Causes of
Annoyance--No News of the Camels--Anecdote of my
Servants--Storms--Revolution in the Desert--Name of the Country--Dr.
Overweg--Money and Tin--Saharan Signs--Habits of the Rain--Burial
of a Woman--Demands of Es-Sfaxee--Salt-cakes of Bilma--People of
Tintalous--Wild Animals--List of Towns and Villages--Population of
Aheer and Ghât.
CHAPTER XVII.
Zinder Caravan--Negress playing "Boree"--Curious Scene--Objects of
Barter--Fresh Annoyances--Remarks on our Reception in
Aheer--En-Noor--Asoudee--Better News--Fresh Extortions--En-Noor
disappoints us--Europeans taken for Spies--Things in demand at
Aheer--Exercise--Overweg's Patients--Wild Animals in
Aheer--Kailouees in dry Weather--Robbing a Prince--Ghaseb and
Ghafouley--Aheer Cheese--Mokhlah Bou Yeldee--Our Wealth noised
abroad--Alarm at Night--A fresh Attack--Saïd's Gallantry--Disorderly
Protectors--Thirteen Robbers--Amankee--Loss of my Tea--Country of
Thieves.
CHAPTER XVIII.
We shift our Encampment--En-Noor's Circular--The Kadi's
Decision--No Progress in the Sahara--Aghadez
Gumruk--Scorpions--Election of Sultans in Aheer--Present of
Salutation--Paying for finding lost Property--Courier from the new
Sultan--No Presents sent us--Notes on Denham--A Bornouese
Measure--Intended Razzia--Firing off Gunpowder--Hypotheses of
Danger--Dress and Women--Enroute to Bilma--Soudan Caravan--Visit
from Tintaghoda--Aheer Honey--Modes of Measurement--Power of

En-Noor--Visits to him from great People--Stations on the Bilma
Road--Salt-Trade--Account of our Pursuers at Tajetterat--Costume of
the Kailouees--Their Weapons--Poisoned Arrows--Charms--Female
Dress--Names of Articles of Costume--Character of Kailouees.
CHAPTER XIX.
Rainstorm--Overtures from En-Noor--Another Interview--Aheer
Fashions--A great Lady--Hoisting the British Flag--A devoted
Slave--Sultan of Asoudee--Attack