On entering Kano, I immediately bent my way to the house of my former agent, Hadje Hat Salah Byoot; but I soon saw that both he and the Arabs that were present would rather I had come from the eastward: they were all in fact in low spirits about the war with Bornou, which had shut them out, for some time past, from all communication with Fezzan or Tripoli. The caravan for these countries had left Kano twenty days ago for Kashna, to try whether they could not succeed to get home by way of the Tuaric desert. This has deprived me of the opportunity of sending home my journals and letters; but it would have been a great risk, as they have to go through the capital of the son of the former sultan of Kashna, who is in rebellion against the Fellatas; and the Tuarics have not allowed a caravan to pass, except those of the merchants of Ghadamis, for these many years past; and on these they levy a contribution.
Hadje Hat Salah Byoot, my former and present agent, is the richest man in Kano, an Arab of the tribe of Majabra, inhabiting the country to the east of Augela, adjoining it. They, like the Augela people, are great merchants. He was formerly the agent and merchant of the hereditary governors of Fezzan; he was the cause of their being removed and dispersed by the bashaw of Tripoli, who would still have continued the family in the government, if they had not prevented his people of Tripoli, and the other towns on the sea-coast, from trading to the interior. They even prevented, all in their power, the bashaw’s sending Mohamed El Mukni with presents and a letter to the king of Waday; they went so far as to endeavour to stimulate the chiefs of the Tibbo tribes to cut them off, offering them a reward and protection if they would do so. Mukni and his people were accordingly attacked on their return, but by their bravery beat the Tibbos in every attack. When they found they could not destroy them in this manner, they bribed the guides, who led them astray in the desert, where all their slaves, and most of their camels, perished; and Mukni arrived at Tripoli with the remains of the merchants, who were mostly all ruined. A few years after this, the bashaw sent another mission under Mukni, with presents to the sultan of Bornou, and was again accompanied by a number of merchants from the sea-coast. The governor or sultan of Fezzan did not try by open force this time to oppose Mukni’s passing Mourzuk, but sent again to the Tibbo chiefs and Hadje Salah, to Bornou, to prejudice the sultan against Mukni; but all without effect. Some of the Tibbo chiefs were now friends with Mukni, and gave him the letters the governor of Fezzan had sent him. The sultan of Bornou was much pleased with the bashaw’s present, and gave every encouragement to the people of Tripoli to come and trade to the interior, and sent a large present of slaves, ivory, &c. to Mukni for the bashaw, who had carried him two small field-pieces, those now in possession of the sheikh; but the Fellatas invaded and took the capital, and all the presents were lost. Notwithstanding this, on Mukni’s return to Tripoli empty-handed, he was followed by Hadje Salah, who did all he could to prevent the people of Waday from serving him, by selling him the provisions necessary for him and his people in crossing the desert. He first got the people of Kanem to attack the Tripoli caravan; the people of the caravan of Fezzan not rendering them any assistance, and always encamping out of gunshot distance from them. Next they were attacked in the Tibbo country, where the people of the Fezzan caravan assisted the Tibbos against them; but Mukni again overcame them, and arrived at Mourzouk. Here the gates were shut against him, and every person was forbid to provide him or his people with provisions, or hold any communication with him, on pain of death. Notwithstanding all these orders, they were supplied by their friends inside the town, principally the cadi, who used to send them out provisions on asses, as if laden with manure. After this, it was eighteen months before the bashaw would grant Mukni a force to depose the governor of Fezzan.
Sunday, 20th.—This morning the whole city was thrown into considerable alarm by a merchant from Ghadamis being found strangled in his bed. His female slaves were suspected of being guilty of the murder, as two or three similar cases had happened before. The governor of Kano sent to Hadje Salah, as chief of the Arabs, to know what he would have done on the occasion; whether the slaves should be sold out of the country, or whether they should be put to death. It had been customary, in cases of this kind, to send the perpetrators of similar crimes to the sea-coast, to be sold to the slave-dealers. Hadje Salah and the principal Arabs came to my house before they went to the governor, to ask my advice on the occasion, and to know what we should do if such a thing were to happen in England. I told them, that all the slaves would be confined separately, and strictly examined, and that if the fact was proved, all those concerned would be hanged—not one would escape. They said that was the proper way, and that no man would be safe in Kano if they were to escape. I took this opportunity of asking them how many slaves there were in Kano in proportion to free men; they said, about thirty slaves to every free man. I told them they had better keep a good look out, as, were the men once to know their own strength, they would soon take the place from their masters. I informed them in what manner the slaves in St. Domingo had made themselves free; and pointed out to them the case of the slaves in Yourriba, who had killed their masters, and now formed a free people there.
Monday, 21st.—I visited the governor, who was very civil and talkative. He said that the gadado was coming to Kano, but if I wished to go before he came, I should have a camel to carry Bello’s present, and two men, as also a messenger; but he added, that it was very uncomfortable travelling at present, for every day and night the men and camels were out in the last expedition at Donna, that they had been exposed to very heavy rains, and that most of the people and animals were knocked up. I said I was all ready to go, and, if he had no objection, I would start the day after to-morrow. He said, well; and sent for a messenger, to whom he gave strict charge to see me well used and lodged, and safe into the hands of the gadado. I found two of my barometer tubes broken in the box, by the sudden transition from heat to cold in a tornado.
Tuesday, 22d.—Found I had made a mistake in the month of May, having given it only thirty days instead of thirty-one.
Wednesday, 23d.—Rain and lightning all day, so that I could not start in the afternoon. I waited on the governor and took leave.
Thursday, 24th.—At 9 A.M., it having rained all the morning, I had the camels loaded, and took leave of my servants, whom I left, with much regret, in a land where they were perfect strangers. Richard was still unwell with dysentery. I left with him instructions how to proceed home in the event of my death, and also strict orders to Hadje Salah to afford him and Pascoe every assistance, even the same he would have given to me, and that he would be well paid by the consul at Tripoli. I also desired him to allow Richard one thousand cowries, to keep the house and horse; my poor little Boussa mare having died a few days before. I had been obliged to draw a bill for five hundred Spanish dollars in favour of Hamada ben Medoon, for which I had to take a horse at more than double its price, and only got 1500 cowries for each dollar—just one half,—such is the rate of the country. This money I left in the hands of Hadje Salah for the use of my servants, which amounted to 250,000 cowries (not 100 dollars), the price of the horse being 500,000 cowries. I left them with much regret, as I was in very bad health myself. I was accompanied as far as the horse gate (Coffin Dalkie) by Hadje Salah, Shereef Ali, a Tunis merchant, Hamada ben Medoon, and all the principal Arabs, as they thought that I should bring about a peace between the sheik of Bornou and Bello.
After leaving the walls of Kano the country was well cultivated on every side, and planted with Indian corn, millet, doura, potatoes, indigo, and cotton; but the road was very disagreeable, all the hollows being full of water. At 11.40 came to a stream of running water, at this season at least a quarter of a mile broad. At 12.30 got all the people, and baggage, and the camels, across. I was wet up to my seat in the saddle, and once or twice the horse was swimming. Started again, and at four halted at the walled town of Toffa, the walls of which, since the death of Duntungwa, the rebellious governor of Dumburta, have been allowed to go to decay; and unless they are soon repaired and built up, the town will, in a year or two, be without walls. I was provided with a house, and had even milk and pudding—not like our puddings in Britain, but Indian corn-flour boiled in an earthen pot, and stirred with a large stick, without salt or fat, and, when thick enough, it is made up into pieces of about two pounds each, and eaten with milk, if it can be got; if not, with a sauce made of the dried leaves of a certain plant and a little butter. It is the general food for the second meal in all parts between the Quorra and Bornou, and sometimes also in the latter place, if they have millet.
They are now gathering in the indigo, which they cut about two or three inches above the ground, bringing what they cut off home, and strip off the leaves, which are laid in a circular heap, and left to rot or ferment until the end of the rains, when it is beaten in the troughs or wooden mortars, and allowed to remain until dry. In other places they beat it in the troughs as soon as cut, and let it remain until dry, when what they do not want for use is carried to Kano and sold.
The houses in Toffa are few, and all the spare places in the town are planted with millet and doura. The inhabitants do not amount to more than two thousand. During the night we had thunder, lightning, and rain.