February 10th. Thermometer 0°.—At 8.15. our kind friends took leave of us, Yussuf and old Hadge Mahmoud sobbing loudly, and Mohammed looking very gloomy. Poor little Barca, the boy whom Yussuf had lent us for so long a period, appeared quite inconsolable. I wished to have brought him away; but, to my great regret, his master would not sell him to me, though I offered my horse in exchange for him. I really felt much concern at parting from these kind-hearted people, who had, to the best of their abilities, often befriended us, and to whom we owed so many and weighty obligations. The day was fine, our camels good, and we set out at a brisk pace. The Shreef Sadig, who had been encamped at a little distance from us, now became our messmate. His Kafflé consisted of four girls, three men, four camels, and three Arabs. Lizari and myself joined our stock, which Rahmata his Negress, who was an excellent cook, made into a nice mess for us every night.
Had I trusted to Mukni’s professions, I should have been in some danger of starving on my road homeward. He told me repeatedly not to think of preparing food for my journey, as he had commanded his slaves to make for me cusscussou, flour, and dried meat. He also assured me, that on the day of my departure, I should receive from him an order on all the towns through which I should pass to supply myself and animals with dates, &c.; but, after all, no one part of these fine promises was fulfilled, which added one more proof to the many I had before received, of Mukni’s falsehood and insincerity.
Our road lay over a desert, without the least sign of a shrub, or any living creature. A strong cold east wind blew with great force, as it met with no impediment, and quickly chopped our lips and skin. The Negroes wore their travelling dresses, which being new and clean, looked very neat. The girls have green or yellow caps, with a large flap on each side; shirts of blue or white cotton, a petticoat or wrapper of the same, and a good warm jercad or barracan. It is to be observed, that masters do not at all times take equal care of their slaves; but that fearing the bad effects of cold weather, the merchants are in winter more attentive to their comfort than at any other season; and this for their own advantage, since it prevents the Negresses from becoming thin and consumptive (which want of clothing would otherwise subject them to be), and makes them bring a better price to their owners. The males are not so carefully attended to, having generally only a long shirt and barracan. Both sexes have sandals of camel’s hide; the girls walk by themselves, and the men follow the camels. At one o’clock they are all watered like cattle, out of large bowls, placed on the ground, from which they kneel and drink. Children are thrown with the baggage on the camels, if unable to walk; but if five or six years of age, the poor little creatures are obliged to trot on all day, even should no stop be made for fourteen or fifteen hours, as I have sometimes witnessed. We passed a Kafflé of about twenty camels from Tripoli, with a chowse of the Bashaw, loaded with corn for Morzouk; they informed us that the Bashaw had sent an army against Augela, and that the plague had ceased at Tunis and Jerba. At four we turned from the road to go to a well, Ghroodwa being considered too long a journey for the slaves: we had travelled until that time north 40° east nineteen miles. At 7.30. we arrived at Neshoua (a Wadey running east-north-east), having cleared north by west seven miles. A well of good water was here, and we lay down amongst the palm bushes. In unloading the camels, Belford’s Maherry took fright, and running on to the desert, his saddle fell off, and the beast lamed himself sadly by striking his toe against it: some Arabs from the neighbourhood seeing us cooking, came and supped with us. The mess of the slaves is provided before that of their masters; it consists of Bazeen, of which each one has a portion about as large as the double fist; and a bowl is filled with grease and pepper, into which they occasionally dip their paste. The daily allowance of food is a quart of dates in the morning, and half a pint of flour made into Bazeen at night. Some masters never allow their slaves to drink after a meal, unless at a watering place. When the meal is finished, they all lie down, the females in one line, the males in another, and are covered over with sacking until morning.
February 12th. Thermometer 30° below 0°.—Water frozen, and the poor Negroes in great distress from the cold. At 8.20. loaded and proceeded along the edge of the Wadey. Belford walked for a time, and his camel appeared much swelled about the foot. Course north 75° east; Wadey about one mile in breadth, bounded on each side by the Desert. At one P.M. we stopped at Ghroodwa, having made twelve miles. Here is a fine Mosque and a tomb (which is kept constantly white-washed) over the grave of the third brother of Sidi Besheer, the Marāboot of whom I have before spoken. I bought a fine sheep for a dollar and a half.
February 12th. Thermometer 2° 30′.—At eight proceeded along the Wadey; at 9.30. arrived at the end of it, and found a well called Bir el Whishki, or well of the palm bushes. We were joined here by a chowse of the Bashaw of Tripoli, who had just come from thence with thirty camels’ load of grain; he said it was reported that the English Consul was coming to meet me at Benioleed. On leaving the well we entered again on a stony desert, and at 6.15. descended a rugged pass called Taneïa, to a plain hemmed in on every side by conical-shaped hills. At 6.40. we stopped for the night, having travelled north 33° east twenty-six miles. A large Kafflé of natives of the Wadey Shiati, وادي شدتي, passed us on their way to Morzouk, with grain, and to compliment the Sultan on his son’s return. We had many Arab games while sitting with the camel-men round our fires; and I now began to be well acquainted with these people, having occasionally been under the necessity of honouring one or two of them with a box on the ear. We were all very merry, and one of my people, Ibrahim el Fetaima, an Arab of Hoon, told us some very amusing stories.
Sunday, 13th of February. Thermometer 3°.—Proceeded at 7.45. along the plain. At nine the hills opened on to a broad flat plain, bounded at about ten miles to the eastward by hills, which were a continuation of those we had passed. At 1.40. arrived at Sebha, having travelled north 33° east fifteen miles. Strong south wind blowing. We found under the walls where we encamped two Kafflés who were awaiting our arrival; one belonging to Hadge Mohammed el Turké, who had twenty-three Negresses and five men slaves; the other belonging to an old lame Turk called Baba Hassein, and consisting of twenty-one females and seven males: they had left Morzouk two days before us. In the evening all the village assembled outside the walls, to carry a bride in procession to her husband’s house. A camel was ornamented with a frame-work, covered over with carpets, shawls, and ostrich feathers; and the bride placed within it on his back. The camel was led by a relation of the bride, preceded by dancing people, music, mounted and dismounted Arabs, who shouted and fired, running backwards and forwards in front of the procession. The bridegroom walked before them, with a fan in his hand, and his fingers dyed with henna, loaded with tawdry clothes, and looking very solemn. The bride was carried round the town and gardens, and in the end conducted to her husband’s house. The village all night resounded with songs, and the shrill voices of the women; and we had several bowls of provisions sent out to us. We found the flies here very tormenting.
| Drawn from Life by G. F. Lyon. | On Stone by D. Dighton. |
Camel conveying a Bride to her Husband.
London. Published by J. Murray Albemarle St. Feb.1.1821.
C. Hullmandel’s Lithography.