Narrative of a Mission to Central Africa Performed in the Years 1850-51, Volume 2 | Page 2

Plain--Horses--Approach Damerghou--Village of Gumrek--Rough
Customers--Wars of the Kilgris and Kailouees--A small
Lake--Guinea-hens--Vultures--Party of Huntsmen.
CHAPTER X.
My Barracan--Spontaneous Civility on arrival in Damerghou--Ghaseb
Stubble--Cactus--Water-Melons--Party of Tuaricks--Boban Birni--Huts
of Damerghou--Tagelel--Women of the Village--Population of the
Country--Complaisant Ladies--Festivities--Aquatic Birds--Dancing--A
Flatterer--A Slave Family--A new Reason for Wife-beating--Hazna
Dancers--Damerghou, common ground--Purchase of
Ghaseb--Dethroned Sultan--Yusuf--Mohammed
Tunisee--Ophthalmia--Part with Barth and Overweg--Presents to
Servants--Sheikh of Fumta--Yakobah Slave--Applications for
Medicine--Boban Birni--Forest--At length enter Bornou
ground--Daazzenai--Tuarick Respectabilities--Detachment of the
Salt-Caravan.
CHAPTER XI.
March for Zinder--Enter the City--Reception--Delighted to escape from
the Tuaricks--Letters from Kuka--Hospitable Treatment--Presents for
the Sarkee and others--Visit the Shereef--His Duties--Audience of the
Sarkee--Servility--Double-skulled Slave--Powder and Shot--Portrait of
the Sultan--Commission from Kuka--European Clothes--Family of
En-Noor--Tour of the Town--Scavengers--List of Sultans of Central
Africa--Ancient Haussa--The Market--Money--Conversation with the
Shereef--The Sultan at Home--Mixed Race of
Zinder--Statistics--Personages of the Court.
CHAPTER XII.
Presents from Officials--Mode of treating Camels--Prices--Cowrie

Money--Shereef Interpreter--Visits--Harem--Houses--Grand
Vizier--Picturesque Dances--Tuaricks at Zinder--Kohlans and
Fullans--Province of Zinder--Account of its Rebellions--Trees--Details
on the Slave-trade--Prices--Mode of obtaining Slaves--Abject Respect
of the Sultan--Visits--Interview with the Sarkee--The
Presence--Curious Mode of administering Justice--Barbarous
Punishments--Hyænas--Gurasu--Fighis--Place of Execution--Tree of
Death--Hyæna Dens--Dancing.
CHAPTER XIII.
Brother of the Sultan--Trade of Zinder--Prices--The Sarkee drinks
Rum--Five Cities--Houses of Zinder--Female Toilette--Another Tree of
Death--Paganism--Severity of the Sultan--Lemons--Barth and
Overweg--Fire--Brother of the
Sarkee--Daura--Shonshona--Lousou--Slaves in Irons--Reported
Razzia--Talk with the Shereef--Humble Manners--Applications for
Medicines--Towns and Villages of Zinder--The great
Drum--Dyers--Tuarick Visits--Rationale of Razzias--Slaves--"Like
Prince like People"--French in Algiers--The Market--Old
Slave--Infamous System--Plan of the great Razzia.
CHAPTER XIV.
Family of the Sarkee--Converted Jew--Hard Dealings--How to get rid
of a Wife--Route to Tesaoua--Influence of Slavery--Prices of Aloes and
Silk--Medicine for a Merchant--Departure of the Sarkee for the
Razzia--Encampment--Mode of Fighting--Produce of Razzias--Story of
the Tibboo--Sheikh Lousou--Gumel--Superstitions--Matting--Visit of
Ladies--The Jew--Incendiaries--Hazna--Legend of Zinder
Well--Kohul--Cousin of the Sheikh--Female Sheikh--State of the
Country--Salutations.
CHAPTER XV.
Political News--Animals of Zinder--Sleepy City--District of
Korgum--Razzias--Family of Sheikh Omer of

Bornou--Brothers--Sons--Sisters--Daughters--Viziers--Kashallas--Pow
er of the Sheikh--A Cheating Prince--Old Slave--Fetishism--Devil in a
Tuarick's head--Kibabs--Fires--A Prophecy--Another Version of the
Razzia--Correspondence between Korgum and Zinder.
CHAPTER XVI.
Sheikh of Bornou--Arab Women--News from the Razzia--Procession
of newly-caught Slaves--Entrance of the Sarkee--Chained Slaves--My
Servant at the Razzia--Audacity of Bornou
Slaves--Korgum--Konchai--Product of the Razzia--Ghadamsee
Merchants--Slave-trade--Incident at Korgum--State of Kanou--A Hue
and Cry--Black Character--Vegetables at
Zinder--Minstrel--Medi--Gardens--Ladies--Fanaticism--Americans at
Niffee--Rich People--Tuaricks Sick--Morals--Dread of the
Sarkee--Fashions.
CHAPTER XVII.
News from Tesaoua--Razzia on Sakkatou--Laziness in Zinder--The
Hajah--Herds of Cattle--More Tuarick Patients--Gardens--My
Luggage--Adieu to the Sarkee--Present from his Highness--Start from
Zinder--Country--Birds--Overtake the Kashalla--Slaves for
Kanou--Continue the Journey--People of Deddegi--Their
Timidity--Horse Exercise--Cotton--Strange Birds--Occupation of Men
and Women--State of African Society--Islamism and
Paganism--Character of the Kashalla--A
Dogberry--Guddemuni--Cultivation--Beggars--Dancing Maidens.
CHAPTER XVIII.
A Village plundered--Shaidega--Animals--Our Biscuit--Villages en
route--Minyo--Respect for Learning--Monotony of the Country--A
Wedding--Palsy--Slave-agents--Kal, Kal--Birni Gamatak--Tuaricks on
the Plain--Palms--Sight the Town of Gurai--Bare Country--Bearings of
various Places--Province of Minyo--Visit the
Sultan--Audience-room--Fine Costume--A Scene of Barbaric

Splendour--Trade--Estimate of Wealth--How to amuse a Prince--Small
Present--The Oars carried by Men--Town of Gurai--Fortifications.
CHAPTER XIX.
Fezzanee Traders--Sultan in want of Medicine--The
Stud--Letters--Yusuf's Conduct--Architecture--Fragment of the History
of Minyo--Politics of Zinder--Bornouese Fish--Visits--Two
Routes--Dancing by Moonlight--Richness--Fires--Information on
Boushi and Adamaua--The Yamyam--Liver Complaints--A Girl's
Game--Desert Country--Gift Camel--Few Living Creatures--Village of
Gusumana--Environs--The Doom Fruit--Brothers of Sultan of
Sakkatou--Stupid Kadi--Showing off--Hot Weather--[Final
Note--Death of Mr. Richardson.]
APPENDIX.

NARRATIVE OF A MISSION TO CENTRAL AFRICA
CHAPTER I.
Description of Tintalous and its Environs--Palace and
Huts--Bedsteads--Kailouee Race--Unhandsome Conduct of Mr.
Gagliuffi--Proposed Journey to Aghadez--Dr. Barth starts--An
obstinate Bullock--Present extraordinary--State of Zinder--Affability of
the Sultan--Power of Charms--Scorpions--Dialogue with a
Ghâtee--Splendid Meteors--Visit from En-Noor--Intrigues of the
Fellatahs--A Sultan loaded with Presents--Talk of departing for
Zinder--State of the Bornou Road--Division of a Bullock--Bottle of
Rum stolen--More Visits from the Sultan--A Musical
Entertainment--Curious Etymological Discussions--A wonderful
Prophetess--Secret Societies--Magicians--The Evil Eye--Morality of
Soudan--Magnificent Meteor--Stories of the Sfaxee.
I begin at length to consider myself as it were at home in this singular
country of Aheer--without, however, experiencing any desire to dally

here longer than the force of circumstances absolutely requires. It must
be confessed, as I have already hinted, that the town of Tintalous,[1] in
front of which we are encamped, does not at all answer the idea which
our too active imagination had formed. Yet it is a singular place. It is
situated on rocky ground, at the bend of a broad valley, which in the
rainy season becomes often-times the bed of a temporary river. Here
and there around it are scattered numerous trees, many of considerable
size, giving the surface of the valley something of a park-like
appearance. The herbage is not rich, but it is ornamental, and refreshes
the eye in contrast with the black, naked rocks, which rise on all hands
to the height often of two or three thousand feet. To the east, it is true,
the country is a little open; and between the mountains run in numerous
white sandy wadys, sprinkled with fresh green plants, or shaded by
various species of mimosa and other spreading trees, under which the
shepherds and herdsmen find shelter from the sun.
[1] Tintalous is 40 short and