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

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--Hy?nas--Gurasu--Fighis--Place of Execution--Tree of Death--Hy?na 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--Power 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 Ghatee--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 30 long days from Ghat, N.N.E.; 60 short and 50 long from Mourzuk, N.E.; 20 short, 15 long, from Zinder or Damerghou, S.S.W.; 7 long, 10 or 12 short, from Bilma, E.; 38 to 45 days from Tuat, N.W. (via Taghajeet). Maharees, of course, trot and gallop in half the time. These are native statements.
The principal feature of Tintalous itself is