3rd February.—The natives have generally few ornaments, weapons, and other effects; and little, therefore, could I acquire in this respect. Yet I did a good business in ivory, and I please myself at the idea of how you, my dear brother, will stare, though far,—far are we yet asunder.
An old man, having two thick ivory rings, of a hand’s breadth, on the upper part of each arm, and leathern strings round his neck, will have nothing to do with selling or the new glass trade. He regards the glass beads with a certain air of contempt,—won’t have them, even gratis, and looks disdainfully at the childish passion of his nation. I see him now from the vessel, quietly sitting under a little tree, and smoking his pipe, without troubling himself to come nearer to us. He smoked, as is frequently seen on the White Stream, charcoal, from want of tobacco—called here also tabak—a thing which none of us could imitate. When I gave him tobacco, he became at once quite friendly, knocked the charcoal out of his pipe, filled it, took down the little tongs, to which there was a shovel attached, from the pipe-tube, and laid a coal upon it.
Unfortunately, what we had been already told in Bari about the traffic in slaves, was confirmed here. Las Casas,[6] who effected the freedom of the Indians, transplanted therefore an abuse only from one quarter of the globe to the other, without considering its results. In the mutual wars here, the prisoners, like those of the Greeks, Romans, and ancient Germans, are made slaves. Yet, perhaps, among these people they are redeemed by paying a certain number of cattle. Men-hunts, properly speaking, do not seem to take place, and their wars consist only in the reciprocal plunder of herds, and the revenge thereby occasioned, when they may seize on human beings as an equivalent for their pillaged property.
Cattle are here of considerable value, and this may arise from the great population, which therefore does not despise meat. A slave costs an ox, or six iron bracelets, which are not thicker than a little finger. It is Sultan Làkono who takes their slaves from them, giving iron in return; and as in the land of Sudàn, golden okiën serve instead of coined money, so here rings are used for the same purpose. It may be also a kind of policy in this king paying only in rings, and not in weapons, by the possession of which his neighbours might become dangerous to him. Làkono comes to this place every year, with several large sürtuks, and winds up this business in person. He requires these slaves for labour (those seen by us seemed quite contented with their lot)—to get the iron and work it, and also perhaps for his protection. The despots of Sennaar also keep up their dignity by slaves, and not by a body-guard of women, any more than Sultan Làkono. The Turks profited by this cheap opportunity to buy slaves, and Suliman Kashef, who on the former expedition brought fifteen slaves to Khartùm, and sold them as soldiers, is said to have taken this morning several on board his vessel. I am unable alone to oppose this want of discipline. Even M. Arnaud, who pretended previously to oppose with me any purchase of slaves, has been found very willing to take on board a young native girl, who, however, is said to belong to the woman-hating Selim Capitan, as a plaything for his little slave, or for himself, which makes the invalid Sabatier perfectly furious.
Half-past eleven o’clock. We leave the island, and go at first S.W. by S., and then proceed N.N.W. on the Kirboli (Bah’r el abiat). On the right we have immediately the large village of Buko, which turns longitudinally from the shore. The tree standing there is taken not only by me, but also by the Egyptians, for a sycamore. Three villages follow on the shore of the island; the last also is not a small one. For a moment we are beneaped, and get ourselves in motion by rowing against the north-east wind, which is looming. The latter village becomes still larger, and is connected with several others; from which, at twelve o’clock, a small hamlet is separated by an interval of space. The pointed roofs, which are frequently so shelving, of the little tokuls, and which I at first could not explain, are nothing but the movable coverings of the wattled magazines. We wind S.W. by W. On the right a large and small village, W.N.W. and N. The arm of the Nile here is not more than a hundred and fifty paces broad. Half-past twelve o’clock N.W. and W. by E. Three villages on the right, and on the left, from the deck, a distant Haba. Not far from the shore, another village on the island. One o’clock.—We go to E.N.E., and wind to the left W. by N. The island continues cultivated, and we perceive again a hamlet upon it. Half-past one o’clock.—From W. by N., to N.E. by N., and a short tract N.N.W. We halt at this place to wait for Selim Capitan. After a quarter of an hour we set out again, and go from W.N.W. to N.N.E.
Several purchases were made, and there is eternal strife, robbery, and theft of beads, among the crew. I see there will be murder and homicide; for every one now wants spears and ebony clubs, as well as strings of ostrich-egg aglets. It is fortunate that the ivory is claimed by the government, and private purchase of it forbidden. We observe here also some of those gigantic ant-hills, which are so common on the low ground down the river. From the deck we remark two villages on the left side, before the forest, which is half an hour distant.
Two o’clock. N., and immediately W. by N. A large village upon the island is seen from the deck at a little distance from the right shore. Half-past two o’clock. At the right a broad arm of the Nile, going to N.W., and forming a small island. We leave it to the right, and go W. by N. and N. to N.N.E.; then round a sand-head again, S.W. by W. The shores are mostly precipitously broken off; layers of humus, sand, and earth impregnated with iron oxyde, which forms here also the substratum. A quarter before three o’clock. Round a sand-bank of the right shore for five minutes, N.N.E., then N.W. for an equally short time, and to N. by W. The shores here are covered, for the most part, with green reeds.
Three o’clock. The thermometer rose this morning, up to noon, from 20° to 27°, and has now, at three o’clock, 30°. Towards N. From the deck, a village on the left, and two on the right. N.W. by N. Three villages on the left, and one on the right; the former near the Haba, which is a quarter of an hour distant. Half-past three o’clock. From W.N.W. to N.N.E. Two villages on the left, a little remote from the shore. A very short tract E.N.E., and we round a long sand-head to W. Six hippopotami are enjoying themselves before us, as yesterday; and it seems that they retreat, when the stream falls, into the marsh regions, where they are more secure from man.
To N. Here we again see hippopotami and crocodiles near one another; they live peaceably together, as is generally known here, and a crocodile would never attack a hippopotamus, much as he might like perhaps his flesh. The latter has, indeed, like the elephant, a clumsy appearance, but notwithstanding this, he displays an incomparably greater activity in water and on land than the crocodile; besides, he is as courageous as a bull, as soon as he is provoked, and attacks men and tramples them under his feet, when he is wounded on shore. On the other hand, he is said never to go ashore from the water, when he is struck there by the harpoon, to pursue and take revenge.
We remark four villages in the neighbourhood of the right shore, or on the island of Buko. Nearly all these villages are to be seen only from the deck over our cabin. Four o’clock. From N.W. to N.E. by N. The hippopotami appear angry at their tranquillity being disturbed by us foreign intruders. They move quite boldly near to the vessels, snort and throw up water, although they have not been offended, as they were previously, by shots, which are discontinued, owing to the great mischief perpetrated by these beasts at that time. From N.E. by N., immediately to N.W. Some trees come in view, and soon also a solitary dhellèb-palm—a pleasing sight which we had long been deprived of. For some hours we have seen no people on the shore, although three villages are found here again at a short distance from it. The purchase of slaves or kidnapping cannot be unknown to them, and they may fear a quid pro quo for themselves, and not trust the seeming peace. Half-past four o’clock. To W., a little way to S.W., and then W. by S., at which bend the river is scarcely fifty paces broad. Reed-shores throughout. From the very short tract W. by S. to S.W. by S. Here a broad arm goes to N.W., and forms an island at our right, where Suliman Kashef is already halting, whilst we are still clinging to the left shore. Five o’clock. Before us, to S.S.W., the river again separates, and forms another island. The right arm is our road, and goes S.S.W.; the left goes S.S.E. The latter appears to have become quite dry, for the negroes have drawn a barrier of reeds through it, in order to shut out the fish found in this gohr. We land at the first island. The arm lying to S.S.W. shews itself now as a gohr, discharging itself with unusual rapidity into the Nile, instead of forming our track, for our course runs with the former great arm to N.W.