An account of the empire of Marocco, and the districts of Suse and Tafilelt; compiled from miscellaneous observations made during a long residence in, and various journies through, these countries. To which is added an account of shipwrecks on the western coast of Africa, and an interesting account of Timbuctoo, the great emporium of Central Africa

by James Grey Jackson

London Published Aug^st. 30^th. 1811. by G. & W. Nicoll Pall Mall.

In this fatiguing journey, the akkabaahs do not proceed in a direct line across the trackless Desert to the place of their destination, but turn occasionally eastward or westward, according to the situation of certain fertile, inhabited, and cultivated spots, interspersed in various parts of Sahara, like islands in the ocean, called Oas,[196] or Oases; these serve as watering-places to the men, as well as to feed, refresh, and replenish the hardy and patient camel: at each of these Oases, the akkabaah sojourns about seven days, and then proceeds on its journey, until it reaches another spot of the same description. In the intermediate journies, the hot and impetuous winds denominated Shume,[197] convert the Desert into a moveable sea, aptly denominated by the Arabs (El Bahar billa maa), a sea without water, more dangerous than the perfidious waves of the ocean. In the midst of the latter the pilot always entertains some hopes, but in these parching Deserts, the traveller never expects safety, but from the cessation of the wind. If it continues, the most numerous caravans are often buried under mountains of sand, which, like the tempestuous billows in a storm, advance in an undulating manner, stopping and accumulating wherever they find the smallest substance to impede their progress, insomuch that in a few hours a mountain of sand is thus accumulated, where it was before an uninterrupted plain, then the wind shifting, scatters in the air these newly constructed mountains, forming amidst this chaos dreadful gulphs and yawning abysses; the traveller continually deceived by the aspect of the place, can discover his situation only by the position of the stars; moreover the desiccating nature of these winds is such, that they exhale the water carried in skins by the camels for the use of the passengers and drivers; on these occasions, the Arabs and people of Soudan affirm, that 500 dollars have been given for a draught of water, and that 10 or 20 are commonly given when a partial exhalation has occurred.

In 1805, a caravan proceeding from Timbuctoo to Tafilelt, was disappointed, in not finding water at one of the usual watering-places, when, horrible to relate, the whole of the persons belonging to it, 2000 in number, besides 1800 camels, perished of thirst! Accidents of this sort account for the vast quantities of human and other bones which are found mingled together in various parts of the Desert.

It is generally affirmed, that the guides, to whom the charge of conducting these numerous and accumulated caravans is committed, in their routes to and from Marocco, direct their course by the scent of the sandy earth; but I could never discover any reasonable foundation for such an opinion, and apprehend it to be an artful invention of their own, to impose on the credulity of this superstitious and ignorant people, and thus to enhance the value of their knowledge. These guides possess some idea of astrology, and the situation of certain stars, and being enabled by the two pointers to ascertain the polar star, they can by that unvarying guide steer their course with considerable precision, preferring often travelling in the night, rather than under the suffocating heat of the effulgent meridian sun.

When the akkabaah reaches Akka, the first station on this side of the Desert, and situated on the confines thereof, in Lower Suse, which is a part of Bled-el-jerrêde, the camels and guides are discharged, and others there hired to proceed to Fas, Marocco, Terodant, Tafilelt, and other places.

The akkabaahs perform the traverse of the Desert, including their sojournments at El-wahaht, or Oases, in about 130 days. Proceeding from the city of Fas, they go at the rate of 3½ miles an hour, and travel seven hours a day; they reach Wedinoon, Tatta, or Akka in eighteen days, where they remain a month, as the grand accumulated akkabaah proceeds from the latter place.

In going from Akka to Tagassa[198] they employ sixteen days, here sojourning fifteen days more to replenish their camels; they then proceed to the Oasis and Well of Taudeny, which they reach in seven days; here again they remain fifteen days; their next route is to Arawan, another watering place, which they reach in seven days; here they sojourn fifteen days; and then proceed and reach Timbuctoo the sixth day, making a journey of fifty-four days actual travelling, and of seventy-five days repose, being altogether, from Fas to Timbuctoo, one hundred and twenty-nine days, or four lunar months and nine days.[199]

There is another akkabaah which sets out from Wedinoon and Sok Assa, and traversing the Desert between the black mountains of Cape Bojador and Gualata, touches at Tagassa, El Garbie (both g’s guttural, being the letter غ), or West Tagassa, and staying there to collect salt, proceeds to Timbuctoo. The time occupied by this akkabaah is five or six months, as it goes as far as Jibbel-el-biëd, or the White Mountains, near Cape Blanco, through the desert of Mograffra and Woled Abbusebah, to a place called Agadeen,[200] where it sojourns twenty days.

The akkabaahs which cross the Desert may be compared to our fleets of merchant vessels under convoy, the (stata) convoy of the Desert being two or more Arabs, belonging to the tribe through whose territory the caravan passes; thus, in passing the territory of Woled Abbusebah, they are accompanied by two Sebayhées, or people of that country, who on reaching the confines of the territory of Woled Delim, receive a remuneration, and return, delivering them to the protection of two chiefs of Woled Deleim; these again conducting them to the confines of the territory of the Mograffra Arabs, to whose care they deliver them, and so on, till they reach Timbuctoo: any assault made against the akkabaah during this journey, is considered as an insult to the whole clan to which the (stata) convoy belongs, and for which they never fail to seek ample revenge.

Besides these grand accumulated caravans, there are others which cross the Desert, on any emergency, without a stata or guard of soldiers: but this is a perilous expedition, and they are too often plundered near the northern confines of the Desert, by two notorious tribes, called Dikna and Emjot.[201] These ferocious hordes are most cruel and sanguinary, poor and miserable, ignorant of their situation, but unsubdued and free; when they attack the akkabaahs they generally succeed; sometimes they put all the persons to death, except those whom they cannot pursue. In the year 1798, an akkabaah consisting of two thousand camels loaded with Soudanic produce, together with seven hundred slaves, was plundered and dispersed, and many were killed. These desperate attacks are conducted in the following manner: a whole clan picket their horses at the entrance of their tents, and send out scouts to give notice when an akkabaah is likely to pass; these being mounted on the Heirie, or Shrubba Er’reeh, quickly communicate the intelligence, and the whole clan mount their horses, taking with them a sufficient number of (niag) female camels, to supply them with food (they living altogether on the milk of that animal); they place themselves somewhere in ambush near an oasis, or watering-place, from whence they issue on the arrival of the akkabaah, which they plunder of every thing, leaving the unfortunate merchants, if they spare their lives, entirely destitute.