“The ruler of Bakermy, who last year fled to the land of the Pagans, has not returned; and a brother of his from Wa-da-i has collected what troops he could, and proceeded against him. But God knows what will happen between them.
“Give our salutation to your sister, and all your family and friends; and peace be with you.”
Dated and sealed as the foregoing, viz. Letter No. I.
FOOTNOTES:
[68]About the 22d or 23d of October 1824.
[69]Explanation. The blanks in this list are those of the names of some articles which I could not make out; they being mostly English in the Moorish character, or described according to the idea those people have of their use. A. S.
[70]From this it seems, that the journey was made in forty-nine days, viz. the last day of Moharram, which is the first month of the year, the twenty-nine days of the following month Saffar, and nineteen days of the month in which Mohammed was born, which is the third in the year. Being unacquainted with the distance and the spot, I cannot, of course, pretend to give any farther illustration. A. S.
[71]The middle of Rajab is the 164th or 165th day from his first departure; and according to this, it appears that the sheikh, on returning home, made the journey in fifteen or sixteen days only; whereas, on going, it took him forty-nine days. This difference may perhaps be accounted for, on account of the incumbrances and slow movement of the army. A. S.
[72]The Sheikh says “he went” through the Kanoom (or Kanem) road, which is by the north side of the lake; and the difference of time occupied in the journey out and home may therefore be easily accounted for, by supposing him to have returned across the Shary by the southern end of the lake, this road being much the shortest, as will appear on referring to the map. Indeed, I see no other way of accounting for the difference. D. D.