[121]I am indebted to Sir J. Currie of the Empire Cotton-growing Corporation for these reports.
[122]For fear of appearing to misinform people who are always ready to mind other people’s business before looking after their own, I hasten to add that the legal practice of slavery has, of course, been abolished in Air since the advent of the French. The psychology and habit of slavery, nevertheless, still remain as strong as ever, and master and slave continue to regard each other by mutual consent in the light of their former relationship. I therefore propose to refer to slaves and the custom of slavery as if they were still sanctioned by law.
[123]Respectively “Akel” and “Irawel” in the singular.
[124]Barth, op. cit., Vol. I. p. 344 sq.
[125]Cf. infra, Chaps. [XI.] and [XII.]
[126]Bates, op. cit., p. 115.
[127]Vide infra, [Chap. XI.], et apud Barth, op. cit., Vol. I. pp. 235 and 239.
[128]When von Bary (op. cit., p. 184) says that Imajeghan were never enslaved, he is wrong. Although the Air Tuareg, when they raided the Aulimmiden, often used to lift their cattle but spare the men because they were of the same race, some of the latter division nevertheless, became Imghad of the Air Kel Ferwan, for instance, in the course of these raids.
[129]This is, of course, not an absolute rule, for the “I name” might have been forgotten, as previously explained. The supposition that “Kel names” represent Imghad and the “I names” Imajeghan is, of course, quite untenable.
[130]The singular form of Imghad.