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sultan’s mud edifice, where a few of the court were assembled to
receive us; and one, a sort of chamberlain, habited in eight or ten
tobes, or shirts, of different colours, the outside one of fine white
tufted silk of the manufacture of Soudan. In his hand he carried an
immense staff, like a drum-major’s baton, and on his head he bore a
turban exceeding in size any thing of the kind we had before seen;
this was however but a trifling one to those we were destined to
behold at the audience on the following morning. After salutations,
Barca l’affia el hamdalilla! (Blessing!—Are you well? Thank God!)
which lasted for some minutes, we were conducted to some huts
destined for our resting-place for the night: they were not, however,
of a tempting description; and Boo-Khaloom proposed that a large
tent should be pitched any where, which would be preferable. These
wishes were quickly complied with; a large marquee was in a very
short time ready for our reception, with a screen of linen running all
round it, which, although it kept out the crowds of people who were
assembled round the place, admitted the air, and formed a most
inviting retreat from the burning sun that shone above us. The sultan
shortly after sent word, that by sunrise the next morning he would
receive us. In the evening a most plentiful, if not delicate, repast was
brought to us, consisting of seventy dishes, each of which would
have dined half-a-dozen persons with moderate appetites. The
sultan himself sent ten, his wives thirty, and his mother thirty; and for
fear the English should not eat like the Bornowy, a slave or two was
loaded with live fowls for our dinner. The meats consisted of mutton
and poultry, and were baked, boiled, and stewed.
March 3.—Soon after daylight we were summoned to attend the
Sultan of Bornou. He received us in an open space in front of the
royal residence: we were kept at a considerable distance while his
people approached to within about 100 yards, passing first on
horseback; and after dismounting and prostrating themselves before
him, they took their places on the ground in front, but with their backs
to the royal person, which is the custom of the country. He was
seated in a sort of cage of cane or wood, near the door of his
garden, on a seat which at the distance appeared to be covered with
silk or satin, and through the railing looked upon the assembly before
him, who formed a sort of semicircle extending from his seat to
nearly where we were waiting. Nothing could be more absurd and
grotesque than some, nay all, of the figures who formed this court.
Here was all the outward show of pomp and grandeur, without one
particle of the staple commodity, power, to plead its excuse; he
reigns and governs by the sufferance of the sheikh: and the better to
answer his views, by making him more popular with all parties, the
sultan is amused by indulging in all the folly and bigotry of the
ancient negro sovereigns. Large bellies and large heads are
indispensable for those who serve the court of Bornou; and those
who unfortunately possess not the former by nature, or on whom
lustiness will not be forced by cramming, make up the deficiency of
protuberance by a wadding, which, as they sit on the horse, gives
the belly the curious appearance of hanging over the pummel of the
saddle. The eight, ten, and twelve shirts, of different colours, that
they wear one over the other, help a little to increase this greatness
of person: the head is enveloped in folds of muslin or linen of various
colours, though mostly white, so as to deform it as much as possible;
and those whose turban seemed to be the most studied had the
effect of making the head appear completely on one side. Besides
this they are hung all over with charms, inclosed in little red leather
parcels, strung together; the horse, also, has them round his neck, in
front of his head, and about the saddle.
 From a Sketch by Major Denham. Engraved by E. Finden.

RECEPTION OF THE MISSION.

BY THE SULTAN OF BORNOU.
Published Feb. 1826, by John Murray, London.

When these courtiers, to the number of about two hundred and

sixty or three hundred, had taken their seats in front of the sultan, we
were allowed to approach to within about pistol-shot of the spot
where he was sitting, and desired to sit down ourselves, when the
ugliest black that can be imagined, his chief eunuch, the only person
who approached the sultan’s seat, asked for the presents. Boo-
Khaloom’s were produced, inclosed in a large shawl, and were
carried unopened to the presence. Our glimpse was but a faint one
of the sultan, through the lattice-work of his pavilion, sufficient
however to see that his turban was larger than any of his subjects’,
and that his face, from the nose downwards, was completely
covered. A little to our left, and nearly in front of the sultan, was an
extempore declaimer shouting forth praises of his master, with his
pedigree; and near him one who bore the long wooden frumfrum, on
which he ever and anon blew a blast, loud and unmusical. Nothing
could be more ridiculous than the appearance of these people
squatting down in their places, tottering under the weight and
magnitude of their turbans and their bellies, while the thin legs that
appeared underneath but ill accorded with the bulk of the other parts.
Immediately after this ceremony we took our departure for
Angornou. Angornou is the largest and most populous town of
Bornou, and is situated a few miles from the Tchad. This town
contains at least thirty thousand inhabitants: it is large and
straggling, but not walled. The huts are also larger and more
commodious than those of Kouka; some of them having four mud
walls, and two chambers. All our friends the merchants, who had
accompanied the kafila from Tripoli and Mourzuk, had removed here,
after paying their respects to the sheikh at Kouka, this being the
fsug, or market town: they visited us immediately on our arrival. The
only traders to Soudan are Moors. I found here a native of Loggun,
who had just returned from Sennaar; he had been, however, two
years on the journey. This man I was extremely anxious to see, but
he was purposely moved away; and when, on the following day, I
followed him to Kouka, he sent me word, that until he had seen the
sheikh he dared not come to the hut.
The public market day is on a Wednesday, and attended
sometimes by eighty or a hundred thousand persons, as the natives
say, in peaceable times; but there was a very good market this day
in an open space in the centre of the town, which is held every
evening. Fish, flesh, and fowls, were in abundance, dressed and
undressed, and tomatas, and onions, but no other vegetables.—
Again my excessive whiteness became a cause of both pity and
astonishment, if not disgust: a crowd followed me through the
market, others fled at my approach; some of the women oversetting
their merchandize, by their over anxiety to get out of my way; and
although two of them were so struck with astonishment as to remain
fixed to the spot, unconscious of the escape of their companions,
they no sooner perceived me quite close to them, than they too ran
off irresistibly affrighted. The day had been insufferably hot, and the
night was little less so: indeed I think Kouka the better air of the two.
I preferred this night sleeping in the open air.
March 4.—Linen is so cheap that most of the males in Angornow
indulge in the luxury of a shirt and a pair of trowsers: several
beggars stood near the fsug, and holding the remains of an old pair
of the latter in their hand, while they held up their shirt, in proof of
their assertion, kept exclaiming, “But breeches, there are none! But
breeches, there are none!” This novel mode of drawing the attention
of the passers-by so amused me, that I could not help laughing
outright.
The principal demand at Angornou was for amber and coral; a
large round piece of the former brought four dollars in money, and a
string, eighty or one hundred. Pieces of brass and copper were also
much sought after: all other kinds of merchandize were paid for in
slaves or tobes; but these brought money, and were readily sold.
The inhabitants are mostly Bornowy. The strangers, however, are
numerous; and many Tibboos and Kanemboos reside here for
certain months in the year. The men are well grown, but not so well-
looking as the people of Kanem: the large mouth, and thick lips, are
strikingly ugly features; the men’s heads are, in general, closely
shaved, and those of the lower orders uncovered. The only persons
armed near the sultan’s person were some hundreds of negroes, in
blue tobes, who were outside the court circle. These bore immense
clubs, with a large round head: bows and arrows were slung at their
backs, and a short dagger placed along the inside of the right arm. A
footman, in attendance on a chief mounted, ran behind him, carrying
four spears.
March 5.—I had proposed making an excursion, for a few days, to
a large river to the southward of Kouka, called the Shary, as the only
way to gain authentic information about it; and Dr. Oudney wished to
accompany me. We were, however, obliged to put off our journey,
first, in consequence of his illness, and, secondly, from the unsettled
state of Boo-Khaloom’s affairs with the Arabs. Boo-Khaloom paid us
a visit after seeing the sheikh; and from what I could gather, although
nothing was freely communicated, the probability of the ghrazzie’s
going was increased. Hillman had made two wooden boxes for the
sheikh, the workmanship of which surprised him exceedingly, and,
during our absence, he had sent for him, and requested he would
commence making a sort of litter, to go between two camels, or
mules, such as he had heard were used by the sultans of Fezzan:
our carpenter very frankly said, that any thing he could do should be
done with pleasure, but he could not work in the sun, and that a shed
must be built for him, and wood must be found for him, as he had
seen none in the country that would make the keel of a jolly-boat. As
much as was necessary of this reply was interpreted to the sheikh,
who promised him that negroes should make mats directly for his
shed, and that others should go into the wood and bring the largest
trees they could find; and in the evening a present came for the
carpenter of wheat, rice, honey, and butter.
March 6.—The sheikh sent this morning to say, that he wished for
some of our rockets, in order that the Shouaas, his enemies, might
see what the English had brought him. On Monday, the day of the
fsug or market, when they would be in the town, we promised him
six; but reminded him, at the same time, that we had but few, and
that here we could make no more. He also sent a very fine young
lion, about three months old, not above half the size of that I had
seen before: this was a very tame good-natured fellow, and I could
not help regretting the necessity we were under of refusing him a
corner of our huts, as he was ordered to be immediately killed in
consequence of our declining to accept him.
March 7.—Doctor Oudney’s illness increased, and he had daily
fits of the ague, which, in his weak state, became alarming. I had
made it my business, as I thought it my duty, to cultivate the
friendship and good-will of Boo-Khaloom, and by his means I hoped
to be made acquainted with the sheikh’s real intentions towards us.
The man of Loggun, who had returned from Senaar, I used every
means to get a sight of, but I found it impossible, and he sent me
word privately that he dared not come.
March 8 and 9.—Both these days the numbers of persons who
crowded my hut, from morning to night, were greater, and
consequently their visits more pestering than common. Every little
thing, from the compass to the pen and ink, from the watch to the tin
cup out of which I drank, excited their curiosity; and as they now
became bolder, they seized hold of every thing which they formerly
only eyed at a distance. It was not, however, their curiosity alone that
was excited—the possession was coveted, either for themselves or
the sheikh, of every article: a looking-glass, and a small lantern, I
rescued out of the hands of at least a dozen, a dozen times. A copy
of Captain Lyon’s book, the fame of which had preceded us, in
consequence of Doctor Oudney’s having shown it to some
merchants at Mourzuk, was demanded twenty times a day, and it
required all my patience to go over and explain the pictures as often
as they required. It produced very different effects, but in all
astonishment and in most suspicion. The sheikh had heard of it, and
one of his slaves borrowed it for him of my servant, by stealth, as he
did not wish it to be known that he had a desire to see it. For three
days after this I was again and again applied to by all his chief
people to see what I had drawn, or written, as they express it, of
Bornou. I repeatedly assured them, that those in the book were not
mine, that the person who wrote them was far away. It would not do;
they shook their heads, and said I was cunning, and would not show
them. They then changed their tone, and very seriously begged that I
would not write them, that is, draw their portraits; that they did not
like it, that the sheikh did not like it, that it was a sin; and I am quite
sure, from the impression, that we had much better never have
produced the book at all.
The sheikh expressed a wish that two rockets might be started, on
a signal being made from the top of his house. I gave Karowash a
blue light, with instructions how to make the signal: his heart,
however, failed him when he got to the spot, and the signal was
made by a wisp of straw. The first rocket went off nearly
perpendicular, and with beautiful effect. I lessened very much the
elevation of the second, and it flew over the town not more than a
hundred yards higher than the tops of the huts; and bursting in its
course, occasioned a universal scream, that lasted for some
seconds. Its consequences I believe were not so serious as the first
display of fire-works was at Mourzuk: there several ladies lost all
present hopes of blessing their husbands with little pledges of love;
and in one house the favourite slave of a particular friend of ours
was put instantly to bed of a seven months’ child.
March 10.—We had now been in Kouka nearly a month—had
seen the sheikh but three times; and we discovered, that people
coming from the east and from the south, of which there were but
few, were carefully prohibited from visiting us. I found out also that a
conversation had taken place between Boo-Khaloom and the sheikh,
in which the latter had mentioned, that he had heard the Doctor
wished, or rather intended, to proceed to Soudan, but that he could
not allow of such a proceeding, for that the bashaw’s despatch had
not mentioned such being the wish of the English king.
This day I had a little respite, my visiting list being much reduced
in consequence of its being market-day; there was, as usual, an
abundance of all necessaries, though but few luxuries; and as the
people got more accustomed to my appearance, they became more
familiar: and one young lady, whose numerous bracelets of
elephants’ teeth, heavy silver rings on each side of her face, coral in
her nose, and amber necklace, proclaimed her a person of wealth,
nimbly jumped off her bullock, and tore the corner from my pocket-
handkerchief, as she said, for a souvenir. I could do no less than
request her to accept the remainder of so useful an appendage, and
I was happy to see that this piece of gallantry was not lost even upon
savages. They all clapped their hands, and cried, “Barca! barca!”
and the lady herself, whose hands and face were really running
down with grease, so regardless was she of expense, generously
poured into the sleeve of my shirt nearly a quart of ground nuts.
March 11.—Doctor Oudney was still confined to his bed, and I
received a summons from the sheikh, to whom a report had been
made of a musical box of mine, which played or stopped merely by
my holding up my finger. The messenger declared he was dying to
see it, and I must make haste. The wild exclamations of wonder and
screams of pleasure that this piece of mechanism drew from the
generality of my visitors were curiously contrasted in the person of
the intelligent sheikh: he at first was greatly astonished, and asked
several questions, exclaiming “A gieb! gieb!” “Wonderful! wonderful!”
but the sweetness of the Swiss Ranz-des-Vaches which it played, at
last overcame every other feeling: he covered his face with his hand
and listened in silence; and on one man near him breaking the
charm by a loud exclamation, he struck him a blow which made all
his followers tremble. He instantly asked, “if one twice as large would
not be better?” I said “Yes; but it would be twice as dear.” “By G—!”
said he, “if one thousand dollars would purchase it, it would be
cheap.” Who will deny that nature has given us all a taste for
luxuries?
During this short conversation we became better friends than we
had ever been before, during our three former visits. To his surprise,
he now found that I spoke intelligible Arabic, and he begged to see
me whenever I chose: these were just the terms upon which I wished
to be with him; and thinking this a favourable moment for adding
strength to his present impressions, I could not help begging he
would keep the box. He was the more delighted as I had refused it
before to Karouash, when he had requested it in the sheikh’s name.
March 12.—I had another interview this day with the sheikh, in his
garden, about four in the afternoon: we were only three persons,
Barca Gana, his first general, Karouash, and myself. We had the
musical box playing until he understood its stops as well as myself;
and after really a pleasant interview of an hour’s duration, we
separated, improved considerably in each other’s good opinion. I
asked to visit the Tchad next day, and he gave immediate orders to
Barca Gana, that some one should attend me who knew the roads,
and that a hut and food might be in readiness for me at night. I lost
no time in availing myself of this permission; and soon after daylight
on the next day my guides were at the door,—Fajah, a Kanemboo,
high in the sheikh’s favour, and Maramy, a sort of half-cast Felatah,
who was sent merely because he could speak a little Arabic. We
proceeded about ten miles, to a town called Bree; where the kaid
(governor), after hearing the orders, came to my horse’s side, and
said he should be ready in an instant to accompany me: he also
proposed that we should return that night to the town, where a
supper and hut, with dancing-girls, should be ready for me. I,
however, refused this, and said I was prepared with my blanket, and
that we would sleep near the lake. We now went eastward for about
five miles, when we came to the banks of the Tchad. I had seen no
part of the lake so unencumbered by trees as this, and there were
evident proofs of its overflowings and recedings near the shores; but
beyond was an uninterrupted expanse of waters, as far as the eye
could reach east and south-east. A fine grass grew abundantly along
the marshy shores, and thousands of cattle belonging to the sheikh,
the produce of his last expedition to Begharmi, were grazing, and in
beautiful condition. The sun was now at its greatest power, and,
spreading my mat under the shade of a clump of tulloh trees, I was
just preparing a repast of some bread and honey, when two or three
black boys who had accompanied us from Bree, and whom I had
seen rushing about in the water, brought me five or six fine fish
resembling a mullet, and which they had driven into the shallow
water almost in as many minutes: a fire was quickly made, and they
roasted them so well and expeditiously, that their manner of cooking
deserves to be noticed:—A stick is run through the mouth of the fish,
and quite along the belly to the tail; this stick is then stuck in the
ground, with the head of the fish downwards, and inclined towards
the fire: our negroes had quickly a circle of these fish round a clear
flame, and by turning them constantly by the tail, they were most
excellently dressed. These fish are called by the Kanemboo, kerwha;
in Arabic, turfaw;—the name of fish in general in the Bornou
language is boonie.
I told my satellites that here would be my quarters for the night:
they assured me that the musquitoes were both so numerous and so
large, that I should find it impossible to remain, and that the horses
would be miserable. They advised our retiring with the cattle to a
short distance from the water, and sleeping near them; by which
means the attention of these insects would be taken off by the
quadrupeds. Englishman-like, I was obstinate; and very soon falling
asleep, although daylight, I was so bitten by musquitoes, in size
equalling a large fly, that I was glad, on awaking, to take the advice
of my more experienced guides. Towards the evening we mounted
our horses and chased some very beautiful antelopes, and saw a
herd of elephants at a distance, exceeding forty in number; two
buffaloes also stood boldly grazing, nearly up to their bodies in
water; on our approaching them they quickly took to the lake: one of
them was a monstrous animal, at least fourteen feet in length from
the tail to the head. The antelopes are particularly beautiful, of a light
brown colour, with some stripes of black and white about their
bellies; they are not very swift, and are only to be found in the
neighbourhood of the Tchad, and other large waters.
The tamarind and locust-trees were here abundant, and loaded
with fruit; the former of a rich and fine flavour. The horses now
became so irritated by the shoals of insects that attacked them, the
white one of Fajah being literally covered with blood, that we
determined on seeking the cattle herd, and taking up our quarters for
the night with them. A vacant square was left in the centre, and
ourselves and horses were admitted: mats were spread, and about
thirty basket jars of sweet milk were set before me, with another of
honey; this, in addition to some rice which I had brought with me,
made a sumptuous repast; and although, previous to leaving the
lake, my face, hands, and back of the neck, resembled those of a
child with the small-pox, from the insects, yet here I slept most
comfortably, without being annoyed by a single musquito.
March 14.—A very heavy dew had fallen this night, a thing we had
not felt since leaving Gatrone, and then but very slightly: in the
morning my bornouse, which lay over me, was completely wet
through; and on the mat, after daylight, crystalline drops were lying
like icicles. On arriving at the lake, Maramy left us, as he said, to
look for the elephants, as the sheikh had desired him to take me
close to them; and I commenced shooting and examining the
beautiful variety of waterfowl that were in thousands sporting on the
water, and on its shores. I succeeded in shooting a most beautiful
white bird of the crane kind, with black neck and long black bill; and
some snipes, which were as numerous as swarms of bees: and in
three shots killed four couple of ducks, and one couple of wild geese
—these were very handsomely marked, and fine specimens. While I
was thus employed, Maramy came galloping up, saying that he had
found three very large elephants grazing, to the south-east, close to
the water: when we came within a few hundred yards of them, all the
persons on foot, and my servant on a mule, were ordered to halt,
while four of us, who were mounted, rode up to these stupendous
animals.
The sheikh’s people began screeching violently: and although at
first they appeared to treat our approach with great contempt, yet
after a little they moved off, erecting their ears, which had until then
hung flat on their shoulders, and giving a roar that shook the ground
under us. One was an immense fellow, I should suppose sixteen feet
high; the other two were females, and moved away rather quickly,
while the male kept in the rear, as if to guard their retreat. We
wheeled swiftly round him; and Maramy casting a spear at him,
which struck him just under the tail, and seemed to give him about
as much pain as when we prick our finger with a pin, the huge beast
threw up his proboscis in the air with a loud roar, and from it cast
such a volume of sand, that, unprepared as I was for such an event,
nearly blinded me. The elephant rarely, if ever, attacks; and it is only
when irritated that he is dangerous: but he will sometimes rush upon
a man and horse, after choking them with dust, and destroy them in
an instant.
As we had cut him off from following his companions, he took the
direction leading to where we had left the mule and the footmen:
they quickly fled in all directions; and my man Columbus (the mule
not being inclined to increase its pace) was so alarmed, that he did
not get the better of it for the whole day. We pressed the elephant
now very close, riding before, behind, and on each side of him; and
his look sometimes, as he turned his head, had the effect of
checking instantly the speed of my horse—his pace never exceeded
a clumsy rolling walk, but was sufficient to keep our horses at a short
gallop. I gave him a ball from each barrel of my gun, at about fifty
yards’ distance; and the second, which struck his ear, seemed to
give him a moment’s uneasiness only; but the first, which struck him
on the body, failed in making the least impression. After giving him
another spear, which flew off his tough hide without exciting the least
sensation, we left him to his fate.
News was soon brought us that eight elephants were at no great
distance, and coming towards us: it was thought prudent to chase
them away, and we all mounted for that purpose. They appeared
unwilling to go, and did not even turn their backs until we were quite
close, and had thrown several spears at them; the flashes from the
pan of the gun, however, appeared to alarm them more than any
thing: they retreated very majestically, first throwing out, as before, a
quantity of sand. A number of the birds here called tuda were
perched on the backs of the elephants; these resemble a thrush in
shape and note, and were represented to me as being extremely
useful to the elephant, in picking off the vermin from those parts
which it is not in his power to reach.
When the heat of the sun was a little diminished, we followed the
course of the water; and had it not been for the torment which the
mosquitoes and flies occasioned, there were spots in which I could
have pitched my tent for a week. I saw several Balearic cranes, but I
was too far off to get a shot at them. Having proceeded nearly eight
miles along the shores of the Tchad, in which there is no sort of
variety either in appearance or vegetable production, a coarse grass,
and a small bell-flower, being the only plants that I could discover,
about an hour before sunset we left these banks, and arrived at
Koua, a small village to the north; where, the kaid of the town being
absent, we were glad to take up our quarters within the fence of
rushes that went round his hut, and after making some coffee, I laid
myself down for the night: about midnight he returned, and we then
got corn for our horses, and fowls and milk for ourselves. Both this
town and Bree were quite new, and peopled by the Kanemboos, who
had emigrated with the sheikh from their own country; and I never
saw handsomer or better formed people.
When I appeared in the town, the curiosity and alarm which my
hands and face excited almost inclined me to doubt whether they
had not been changed in the night. One little girl was in such agonies
of tears and fright at the sight of me, that nothing could console her,
not even a string of beads which I offered her—nor would she put
out her hand to take them. I must, however, do the sex the justice to
say, that those more advanced in years were not afflicted with such
exceeding diffidence—at the sight of the beads they quickly made up
to me; and seeing me take from the pocket of a very loose pair of
Turkish trowsers a few strings, which were soon distributed, some
one exclaimed, “Oh! those trowsers are full of beads, only he won’t
give them to us.” This piece of news was followed by a shout, and
they all approached, so fully determined to ascertain the fact, that
although I did not until afterwards understand what had been said,
Fajah, my guide, thought it right to keep the ladies at a distance, by
what I thought rather ungentle means. Had I been aware of all the
circumstances, I do not think that I should have consented to their
being so harshly treated, as I have no doubt they would, like their
sisterhood, those beautiful specimens of red and white womankind in
our own country, have been reasoned into conviction, without
absolutely demanding ocular demonstration.
March 15.—A little after noon, we arrived again at Kouka.
Although much fatigued by the excessive heats, yet I was greatly
gratified by the excursion: no information was, however, on this
occasion to be obtained, as to the inhabitants of those islands which
are said to be far away to the eastward, up the lake. These Kerdies,
as they are called, come, at certain times, to the spot where I had
been, and even close to Angornou; plunder sometimes a village, and
carry off the cattle in their canoes. These plunderers continue their
depredations, without any means being taken to oppose them.
I was not at all prepared for the news which was to reach me on
returning to our inclosure. The horse that had carried me from Tripoli
to Mourzuk and back again, and on which I had ridden the whole
journey from Tripoli to Bornou, had died, a very few hours after my
departure for the lake. There are situations in a man’s life in which
losses of this nature are felt most keenly; and this was one of them.
It was not grief, but it was something very nearly approaching to it;
and though I felt ashamed of the degree of derangement which I
suffered from it, yet it was several days before I could get over the
loss. Let it be however remembered, that the poor animal had been
my support and comfort—may I not say companion?—through many
a dreary day and night; had endured both hunger and thirst in my
service with the utmost patience; was so docile, though an Arab, that
he would stand still for hours in the desert, while I slept between his
legs, his body affording me the only shelter that could be obtained
from the powerful influence of a noon-day sun: he was yet the
fleetest of the fleet, and ever foremost in the race. My negro lad
opened his head, and found a considerable quantity of matter
formed on the brain. Three horses at the Arab tents had died with
similar appearances; and there can be little doubt but that it was the
effect of climate, the scarcity and badness of the water, and the
severe exposure to the sun which we had all undergone. The
thermometer was this day in the hut 103°; the hottest day we had yet
felt in Bornou.
I made it a rule to show myself among the people and merchants
at some part of each market-day, in order to make myself familiar to
the strangers who attended from the neighbouring towns, and to-day
I was eminently successful—the young and the old came near me
without much apparent alarm; but stretching out my hand, a smile, or
any accidental turn of the head, always started them from my side:
there seemed to be, however, a reciprocal feeling of better
acquaintance between us, and I was rather surprised at the
complacency, nay, even satisfaction, with which I began to survey
the negro beauties—frequently exclaiming to Boo-Khaloom’s brother,
who was with me, “What a very fine girl! what pretty features!”
without even remarking that “toujours noir” which had previously
accompanied any contemplation of what might otherwise have struck
me as a pleasing countenance.
March 18.—Doctor Oudney thinking himself a little improved in
health, he determined on seeing the sheikh the next day, on the
subject of his departure for Soudan; for myself, I was but too happy
for the present in having received no refusal from the sheikh to my
proposition of accompanying the ghrazzie. I had previously
determined, whether I should succeed in this object or not, that I
would as yet ask no other favour; as I felt assured that only by slow
degrees and a patient cultivation of the friendship of El Kanemy, our
ultimate objects could be accomplished. I was not, therefore, greatly
surprised to find that the sheikh gave this morning a decided refusal
to Doctor Oudney’s request of accompanying the kafila to Soudan.
A Shouaa chief, Dreess-aboo Raas-ben-aboo-Deleel, whose
people had their tents close to the Shary, visited me to-day. I found
him a very intelligent cunning fellow: he put a hundred questions,
and, strange to say, asked for nothing as a gift. I, however, gave him
a looking-glass, with which he was much pleased. He and his people
had passed over from the service of the sultan of Waday to that of
our sheikh, three years ago: he told me that the Sultan of Begharmi
was preparing to rebuild his capital, Kernuck; and from this man I
obtained a route and plan of the branches of the Shary, close to
Begharmi.
March 26.—I had another visit from my new ally this morning, who
came alone, and assured me the sheikh was not willing that we
should see any of the country to the south of the Shary; that my
liberality to him yesterday had made him take an oath to be my
friend; and that if I would lay my hand on that book, pointing to my
own journal, that holy book, he said he would tell me what order the
sheikh had given him with respect to his conduct on our arriving in
his district,—which was, that we were not to cross the river. He,
however, added, that if I chose to pass the Shary and come to his
tents, which were at a place called Kerga, he would find means of
sending me still farther south. “If you leave the Shary,” said he,
“when the sun is three fathoms high, you will be with me by sunset.” I
questioned him as to the danger of incurring the sheikh’s
displeasure; but he did not prevaricate, and his reply was “there
were three brothers of them, and the sheikh wanted to bring them all
over to his service, and that it was not his interest to quarrel with
them.”
March 28.—Doctor Oudney was getting worse and worse: he had
applied a blister to his chest in consequence of the violence of his
cough; but he was so weak as not to be able to move from one hut
to another. His principal food was a little flour and water paste, and
sometimes a little soup at night. Boo-Khaloom saw us after prayers;
he said that he had determined on dismissing about thirty of the
most rebellious Arabs, and they were about to return to Mourzuk.
March 29 to April 8.—Tuesday. Drees paid me a third visit
previous to his leaving Kouka, and pressed me to come over the
Shary, and at least stay some time at his tents. It was night when he
came; and he either affected, or really had great fear, of any one’s
noticing him. “Do not mention my coming to you,” said he; “every
body who visits your hut is a spy on your actions. Every thing you
say is repeated to the sheikh.” “—And yourself,” said I. “Very good,”
said he; “you have no reason to trust me. Say nothing; I have made
you the offer. Come, if you think proper; but do not commit yourself. I
have spoken to you as I would to my own bowels.”
The Shouaas Arabs are a very extraordinary race, and have
scarcely any resemblance to the Arabs of the north: they have fine
open countenances, with aquiline noses and large eyes; their
complexion is a light copper colour: they possess great cunning with
their courage, and resemble in appearance some of our best
favoured gypsies in England, particularly the women, and their
Arabic is nearly pure Egyptian.
 From a Sketch by Major Denham. Engraved by E. Finden.

SHOUAA WOMEN.
KINGDOM OF BORNOU.
Published Feb. 1826, by John Murray, London.

The disputes between the Arabs had arrived at such a height, that
all idea of an amicable arrangement between them seemed at an
end. Abdallah Bougiel had obtained the support of most of the
sheikh’s people, and was therefore favoured by the sheikh himself:
he succeeded in getting away nearly half of the Arabs from Boo-
Khaloom; and they pitched their tents at a few miles’ distance from
the town. The chiefs, however, were in Kouka every day, always with
loaded pistols under their barracans, fearing assassination from the
intrigues of each other. Abdallah Bougiel charged Boo-Khaloom with
wasting his time in Kouka, for the purpose of disposing of his
merchandize; while the Arabs were starving, and might have been
employed in a marauding expedition for the benefit of the bashaw.
Boo-Khaloom very boldly, and with great truth, accused Abdallah of
mutinous and disorderly conduct, in opposing him on all occasions,
—taking the part of those refractory Arabs whom he had thought it
right to punish on the road for robbery, and seducing them from
under his command, where the bashaw had placed both them and
himself: he most properly declared, that they came as an escort to
the English, and he as a merchant—that if a ghrazzie was advisable,
he was to judge when the proper time would be for undertaking it.
The sheikh, however, without lessening his attentions to Boo-
Khaloom, whom he now promised to send with his own people to the
country beyond Mandara, encouraged Abdallah to pursue his plan of
quitting Boo-Khaloom. The occupation of making up our despatches,
as well as the continued weakness of Doctor Oudney, had prevented
our attempting any movement during the last ten days: I say
attempting, for we were upon such ticklish ground, that success
seemed more than doubtful. Doctor Oudney was, however, a little
better, though not fit to accompany an expedition of this nature; and I
declared my intention of proceeding with Boo-Khaloom, begging him
to make known my wish to the sheikh.
Thus were we situated on the 8th of April, after ten days of
repeated disappointment, great anxiety, and excessive heat, the
thermometer being some days at 106°. Mr. Clapperton’s horse had
died on the 5th, of the same complaint as my own. Both the Arab
expeditions were on the eve of departing, but without our having any
knowledge of their destination. Bougiel had been repeatedly to my
hut, and endeavoured to convince me of the uprightness of his
conduct, and his great love for the English: “Only say, sidi reis, (my
lord captain) where you will go, and I will bring you a hundred men,
who will accompany you, and die by your side.” I told him, “I had no
occasion for such an escort, and no money to reward them; that he
had better return to the tents, be reconciled to Boo-Khaloom, and, as
he had left Tripoli with him, return with him, and then make his
complaint to the bashaw.” He said, “No: Boo-Khaloom had once d
——d his father and his faith! that it was deep in his heart; Ikmish fi
gulbi, and he could never forgive him. But would I write to the
bashaw, and the consul at Tripoli, and say that he had always been
my friend?” I replied, “Certainly not! That, if I wrote at all, it would be
to say that he was decidedly wrong in every thing that he had done.”
Boo-Khaloom left Kouka this afternoon on an expedition, without
coming to take leave of us: this was a sufficient proof to me that our
application to accompany the ghrazzie had been met by a denial on
the part of the sheikh. The disappointment this occasioned me was
very great indeed, for I had always reckoned on being at least left to
my own arrangements for this expedition; and I felt confident that by
such means only could we get to the southward—which conclusion
subsequent events proved to be a just one.
April 10.—Soon after daylight we were summoned to appear
before the sheikh, and our request of visiting the Shary complied
with.
The sheikh produced some uncouth ornaments for the front of the
head and breast, of gold and silver, with a number of paste and glass
imitations of ruby and other precious stones. He thought these real,
and asked their value; and, showing him the little bit of yellow metal
which gave the glass bead the colour of the topaz, amazed him
greatly: the person who gave him these as real will meet with but a
sorry reception on his next visit, as what he had thought worth one
hundred dollars were probably dear at as many pence.
April 11 and 12.—The ghrazzie, under Boo-Khaloom, remained
these two days at Angornou with Barca Gana, the sheikh’s kashella
(or general), to collect people for the expedition. Abdallah Bougiel
had left Kouka the day before, in the direction of Kanem. This day
five of his horsemen, and twenty of his men on foot, redeserted, and
passed through Kouka in their way to rejoin Boo-Khaloom. One of
the sheikh’s eunuchs, of whom he had six, the only males who were
allowed to enter that division of his house where the women resided,