“My Lord,—I have the honour to inform your Lordship that, on Tuesday next, I am to start for Ádamáwa, as it is called by the Fellátah (Fullan), or Fúmbiná, a very extensive country, whose capital, Yóla, is distant from here fifteen days south-south-west, situated on a very considerable river called Fáro, which, joining another river not less considerable, and likewise navigable, called Bénuwé, falls into the Kwára, or Niger, at a place between Kakanda and Adda, not more than a few days’ distant from the mouth of that celebrated river.” “My undertaking seemed to me the more worthy, as it has long been the intention of Government to explore that country; for orders had been given to the Niger expedition to turn aside, if possible, from the course of that river, and to reach Bórnu by a southern road, which it was presumed might be effected partly or entirely by water, etc. As for my part, I can at present certify, with the greatest confidence, that there is no connection whatever between those two rivers, the Chadda, which is identical with the Bénuwé, on the one, and the Sháry, the principal tributary of Lake Tsád, on the other side. Nevertheless, the Fáro as well as the Bénuwé seem to have their sources to the east of the meridian of Kúkawa; and the river formed by these two branches being navigable for large boats into the very heart of Ádamáwa, there will be a great facility for Europeans to enter that country after it shall have been sufficiently explored.” After speaking of the northern road into the interior by way of Bílma, I concluded with these words:—
“By-and-by, I am sure, a southern road will be opened into the heart of Central Africa, but the time has not yet come.”
[52] “Bíllama” properly means mayor, from “bílla,” a town; but in many cases it has become a proper name.
[53] Kárda is properly the name of that division of the Mága which is settled in the province of Máshena.
[54] The Mándara people, or rather Ur-wándalá, called the Gámerghú Múks-amálguwá, which I think is a nickname, the word múkse meaning woman; but the latter part of the name, Amálguwá, may be the original form of Gámerghú. I had no opportunity of asking the people themselves about the original name.
[55] The Fúlbe of Ádamáwa are especially rich in compliments, which, however, have not yet lost their real and true meaning. Thus the general questions, “Num báldum” (Are you well?), “Jám wáli” (Have you slept?), are followed by the special questions, “No yímbe úro” (How is the family?), “No inna úro” (How is the landlady?), “To púchu máda,” or “Kórri púchu májám” (How is your horse?), “To erájo máda” (How is your grandfather?), “To máchudo máda” (How is your slave?), “To bíbe máda” (And your children?), “To sukábe máda” (How are your lads?), “Bíbe hábe májám” (How are the children of your subjects?), “Korri nay májám” (How are your cattle?); all of which in general are answered with “Se jám.” Between this strain occasionally a question about the news of the world—“Tó hábbarú dúnia;” and with travellers at least a question as to the fatigue—“Tó chómmeri”—is inserted. There is still a greater variety of compliments, the form of many, as used in Ádamáwa, varying greatly from that usual in other countries occupied by the Fúlbe, and of course all depends on the time of the day when friends meet.
[56] Unfortunately, I had not energy enough to finish it in detail; so that many little interesting features were not expressed.
[57] I made some observations with the boiling-water instrument on this road, but unfortunately my thermometers for this purpose were entirely out of order.
[58] Búmánda probably means a ford, or rather place of embarkation. It can scarcely have any connection with the Kanúri word “mánda,” meaning salt, though salt is obtained in the western place of this name.
[59] This word “gére” is identical with “éré,” or “arre,” the name the Músgu give to the river of Logón.