A narrative of travels in northern Africa in the years 1818, 19, and 20; accompanied by geographical notices of Soudan and of the course of the Niger

by G. F. Lyon

Our friend and travelling companion, Sadig, who had always been very agreeable and cheerful, this day left us, to our great regret, on his return to his native town, Wadan; whither he invited me to accompany him, assuring me that I should drink nothing but sweet milk and Lackbi, and that at every meal a new dish of whatever description I chose should be prepared for me. It was his intention to send his slaves to Mesurata on the sea-coast, to exchange them for sheep.

The mothers here, and indeed all the town’s-people, were at this time in great alarm, having heard that an Orfilly, or Arab of Benioleed, was prowling about in search of some child, whom he intended to kill and eat. This wretch had, from the effects of a loathsome disease, lost his nose, and been otherwise disfigured. Some one had prescribed to him, or he himself had conceived this dreadful remedy for his sufferings; and, in consequence, was on the watch for some young victim, in whose warm blood he was to wash himself, and then devour its flesh. An infant girl of two or three years of age had, a short time before, been rescued from him, and he was now wandering about the neighbourhood in search of another child. The Sockna Arabs had all agreed to shoot him if they could meet him, and Lizari had also given his promise to despatch him if he came in his way.

The Orfilly Arabs have almost universally a bad character, and are much disliked, not, however, without reason. A man murdered or robbed, a house fired, a camel stolen, or any lawless act, is almost always traced to an Orfilly; and certainly a more insolent, thievish, and begging set of men I never saw. They even exceed the Sockna men in this particular: “Give me, give me,” is their cry from morning till night.

The language of Sockna, as I mentioned when first we visited it on our way to Morzouk, is the same as that of the Tuarick, and is only spoken in this town; their neighbours of Hoon and Wadan not understanding it at all. I subjoin a few words, supplied by one of the natives.

One	Idgen.
Two	Sunn.
Three	Shard.
Four	Erba, A.
Five	Khamsa, A.
Six	Setta, A.
Seven	Sebbah, A.
All the numbers above three are as in Arabic.
Hand	Foos.
Head	Ighrof.
Sun	Tefookt.
Dog	Edee.
Bitch	Edeat.
Cat	Yatoos.
Fish	Khoot, A.
Meat	Aksoom.
Flesh	Tagilla.
Moon	Tajeeri.
Eat	Itch.
Drink	Soo.
Boy	Moozain.
Girl	Temuzzeet.
Horse	Aghemar.
Cow	Lebgurr.
Sheep	Teele.
Goat	Teaghsee.
Male Kid	Eghraid.
Female Kid	Teghradot.
Stick	Tagaghreet.
Water	Aman.
Dates	Izgarun.
Bones	Eghruss.
Money	Floos, A.
A Rat	Agherdi.
An Ass	Amketarr.
Camel	Laghrum.
House	Taskha.
Town	Tamoort.
Wall	Jadeer.
Garden	Tamda.
Date tree	Tesdai.
Grass	Lasheb, A.
Linen	Akhooli.
Cloth	Melf, A.
Shirt	Ghukkoot.
Bowl	Wijjra.
Hot	Yehamma.
Cold	Tasunti.
Walk	Achel.
Run	Uzzel.
Sheep	Utus.
Cry	Ell.
Hungry	Floozukh.
Thirsty	Foodukh.
Stars	Erān.
Man	Mar.
Woman	Tamtoot.
Fire	Isghrāran.
Wood	Shejjer, A.
Stone	Teghrooghan.
Sand	Omlal.
How are you?	Aish haalek, A.
Well	Taïb, A.
What’s this?	Mattawa.
That	Kanno deenek.
Yours	Enick.
Mine	Ennoo.
I	Shik.
You	Neish.
He	Netta.
We	Oodan.
They	Etene.
Here	Da.
There	Ghrādi, A.
Where	Maneela.
Many	Gootunn.
Few	Reehassan.
Sword	Awoos.
Pot	Ligder, A.
Carpet	Majeer.
Black	Settuf.
Blue	Agrag, A.
Green	Wurrugh.
Yellow	Asfar, A.
Red	Zuggo.
Old	Wusserr.
Young	Muzzee.
Dear	Yeghulla, A.
Cheap	Erkheese, A.
Hard	Yekkoor.
Soft	Murkhee, A.
Fat	Smeen, A.
Thin	Daif, A.
Mouth	Eemi.
Ears	Tamazookh.
Neck	Takaroomt.
Breast	Sudder, A.
Good	Zain, A.
Bad	Afāan, A.
Day	Azill.
Night	Yettee.
Lackbi	Aman tesdeed.
Beard	Tamart.
Bring	Aweet.
Take	Akh.
Come	Aeed.
Cotton	Tabdookht.
Honey	El Asell, A.
Door	Tawert.
Shoes	Erkaas.
A fly	Eezaan.
A Bird	Azdeah.
Ostrich	Aseed.
Feather	Terjaalem.
Egg	Terdaaleen.
Language	Awall.
Butter	Lemman, A.
Oil	Odi.
Pepper	Afillfill, A.
Salt	Teesunt.
Heart	Ool.
Skin	Illum.
Foot	Tishkunt.
Nose	Luckshum, A.
Eye	Teeat.
Knife	Oozall.
Blood	Eddāman.
Leather	Illum.
Bag	Takhareet.
Fire	Timsi.
Jereed	Tagareet.
Milk	Akhi, or Ashfai.
To-morrow	Teefoot.
Yesterday	Dullain.
Month	Yoor.
Year	Aam.
Hair	Zaoo.
Wool	Dooft.
Bread	Tegrāri.
Flour	Aruna.
Go	Maat.
Run	Azzil.
Listen	Sill.
Brother	Nitta.
Sister	Ootima.
Stupid	Williseen.

Those words which I have marked with A are either Arabic, or derived from that language. The natives call their language Ertāna.

Monday, February 28th. Thermometer 9°.—This morning being the first of their Spring, and a day of general rejoicing, it is the custom to dress out little tents or bowers on the tops of the houses, decorating them with carpets, jereeds, shawls, and sashes. A gaudy handkerchief on a pole, as a standard, completes the work, which is loudly cheered by the little children, who eat, drink, and play during the day in these covered places, welcoming the spring by songs, and crying continually, “O welcome spring! with pleasure bring us plenty.” The women give entertainments in their houses, and the day is quite a holiday. From the top of our house these little bowers had a very pretty effect, every roof in the town being ornamented with one. They are called Goobba.

I saw this day four ears of corn perfectly ripe, which was very early for the season. The gardens here are excellent, comparatively with the others in Fezzan. They are surrounded by mud walls. Lemon trees had been lately introduced from Tripoli, and promised well, but too young to bear fruit. The dates here were very fine, and there were several sorts peculiar to Sockna. I was confined the chief part of the day to my bed with hemma.

No Arab that I ever met with has any idea of sweet milk, or, more properly, cannot conceive why it is not equally good when sour. As I was unable in my weak state to eat the food of the country, I made all the exertions I could to procure sweet milk; for though a great deal was brought me, it was always sour, and when I objected to it on that account, they said, “It is but now from the ewe, we mixed it with other to make it good.” Thus they always milk their ewes, mixing the fresh and the stale milk. As I had been four days confined to my bed, and constantly longed for this beverage in its sweet state, my repeated disappointments were severe.

In the gardens are found two kinds of rats, which, from the description given of them, must be curious. I despatched a man to catch me some, promising him a dollar if he brought four. One sort is black, and burrows in the ground; the other yellow, with a white belly and red eyes, and lives principally amongst the boughs of the palm trees.