Narrative of a Mission to Central Africa Performed in the Years 1850-51, Volume 1 | Page 7

on a Caravan--Purposed
Razzia--Desert News--Buying Wives--A peculiar Salutation--Oasis of
Janet--New Razzias--Costume of the Sultan--The Milky Way--Noise at
a Wedding--Unquiet Nights--Sickness in the Encampment--A captive
Scorpion--Nuptial Festivities--An insolent Haghar--Prejudice about
Christians--Movements in Aheer--Bullocks.
[Illustration: OUTLINE OF PART OF AFRICA showing progress of
the Mission]

NARRATIVE OF A MISSION TO CENTRAL AFRICA.
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 Ghât--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.
Since my return from a first tour of exploration in the Great Sahara I
had carefully revolved in my mind the possibility of a much greater

undertaking, namely, a political and commercial expedition to some of
the most important kingdoms of Central Africa. The plan appeared to
me feasible; and when I laid it in all its details before her Majesty's
Government, they determined, after mature consideration, to empower
me to carry it out. Two objects, one principal, necessarily kept
somewhat in the background--the abolition of the slave-trade; one
subsidiary, and yet important in itself--the promotion of commerce by
way of the Great Desert; appeared to me, and to the distinguished
persons who promoted the undertaking, of sufficient magnitude to
justify considerable sacrifices. Much preliminary discussion took place;
but the impediments and difficulties that naturally start up at the
commencement of any enterprise possessing the character of novelty
were gradually overcome, and in the summer of 1849 it was generally
known that I was about to proceed, by way of Tripoli and the Sahara,
and the hitherto unexplored kingdom of Aheer, to endeavour to open
commercial relations and conclude treaties with any native power so
disposed, but especially with the Sultan of Bornou. It was not thought
necessary, however, to surround my Mission with any circumstances of
diplomatic splendour; and it was still in the character of Yak[=o]b--a
name already known throughout the greater portion of the route
intended to be traversed--that I proposed to resume my intercourse with
the Moors, the Fezzanees, the Tibboos, the Tuaricks, and other tribes
and peoples of the desert and the countries beyond.
The various preparations for the expedition occupied a considerable
time before I could leave Europe; but I shall pass over all account of
these, and enter as soon as possible on the plain narrative of my journey.
We reached Tripoli on January the 31st, 1850, having come
circuitously by way of Algeria and Tunis. Divers reasons, on which it is
unnecessary to enlarge, had prevented us from adopting a more direct
route. However, there had, properly speaking, been no time lost, and
we had still to look forward to inevitable delays. An expedition of the
kind we were about to undertake cannot be performed in a hurry,
especially in Africa. In that continent everything is carried on in a
deliberate manner. The climate is in itself suggestive of procrastination;
and no one who has there had to do with officials, even of our own
country, until he has himself felt the enervating influence of the

atmosphere, can fail to have been held in ludicrous suspense between
indignation and surprise.
It must here be mentioned that, associated with me in this expedition,
were two Prussian gentlemen, Drs. Barth and Overweg, who had
volunteered to accompany me in my expedition in the character of
scientific observers.
The political and commercial nature of my Mission by no means
excluded such auxiliaries. It was desirable that every advantage should
be taken of this opportunity to explore Central Africa in every point of
view; and when the proposition came to me under the sanction of
Chevalier Bunsen, and received the approval of her Majesty's
Government, I could not but be delighted. It was arranged that these
gentlemen should travel at the expense and under the protection of
Great Britain, and that their reports should be duly forwarded to the
Foreign Office.
Drs. Barth and Overweg, with European impetuosity, eager at once to
grapple with adventure and research, had pushed on whilst I waited for
final instructions from Lord Palmerston. They had arrived at Tripoli
about twelve days before me, and, as I afterwards learned, had usefully
and pleasantly occupied their time in excursions to the neighbouring
mountains, which I had previously visited and examined on my way to
Ghadamez.
We learned on landing, that a good deal of the anxiety I had felt on
account of my slow progress from England had been thrown away. Our
arms, instruments, and stores, had not yet arrived from Malta. However,
they were promised for an early date, and the hospitable reception
afforded us by Mr. Consul-general Crowe, as well as the knowledge