CHAPTER XIV.
Enter the inhabited Districts of Aheer—Hostile Tuaricks—An impudent Demand—The Merchant Waldee—Prepare for Defence—Threatening Appearances—Making Friends with Presents—March—Leave Waldee—Doubtful Visitors—The Camels stolen—The Troop of Assailants draws nigh—Parley—Their Proposition—We are compelled to a Compromise—Character of our Enemies—Sinister Rumours again—Proceed toward Tidek—Wady of Kaltadak—Picturesque Scenery—A Friend from Seloufeeat—Fresh Mob collects to attack us—Conferences—We are to be let go scot-free if we become Muslims—We repose—Another Compromise for Money—Incidents during the Night—Quarrel over the Booty—Enter the Valley of Seloufeeat—Its Soudan Appearance—Nephew of Sultan En-Noor—Haj Bashaw of Seloufeeat—We are still uneasy.
As we advanced, on the 21st, along the plain between the granite rocks—trees and flowers starting up thicker and thicker from the ground to greet our approach—our guides told us that we were at length entering the inhabited districts of the kingdom of Aheer, or Asben, as it is indifferently called. This announcement at once substituted pleasurable for uneasy sensations. We thought no more at all of pursuing robbers, and gave ourselves up to the delight which always attends upon difficulties vanquished. The name of the first district is Taghajeet. We expected to behold groups of inhabitants coming joyfully to welcome us. Our imaginations had adorned this country almost with the colours of home. It was about one that we crossed the unmarked frontier. Still there were rocks around, their angles softened away by trees; still wild flowers mingled with the herbage on every side; the heavens were clearing overhead, and the sun shed down a warm mantle of rays upon the land; yet there were no signs of life. The silence that reigned, I know not why, introduced ideas of terror into our minds, and we began to gaze anxiously to the right and to the left. We remembered that this region, likewise, was inhabited by Tuaricks, though not of the Haghar tribe. They might be inhospitable, perhaps hostile. All the caravan, by degrees, seemed to join in our uneasiness; and when at length, just before we pitched our tent, the cry arose of "The Tuaricks! the Tuaricks are coming!" it rose as a cry of warning and alarm. Every one snatched up his weapons as a small group approached; and all waited with impatience to learn whether they came as friends or enemies.
Our uneasiness was soon quieted. The newcomers were known to some of our people, the Tanelkums, and soon scraped acquaintance with us. They paid a visit to my tent, and I gave them a number of little things, with which they were very much gratified. There was reason, then, to hope that our first impressions of security were well-founded, and I began writing my journal as if we had really arrived in a land of peace.
Suddenly a man, mounted on a maharee, brought us news, at first in a friendly way, that an immense number of Tuaricks were pursuing us; and then, throwing off the mask, in their name demanded of our escort that they should deliver us up to them. This demand the Kailouees, of course, rejected with indignation; but the circumstance put our people on the qui vive, and we kept up a fire of musketry for two or three hours during the succeeding night.
At sunset, Waldee, the great merchant of Mourzuk, came to the encampment. His caravan was stopping half an hour higher up. He gave us much encouragement, and eloquently recommended us to the care of all our people, the camel-drivers and escort. Waldee has travelled this route fourteen years. He is just the man to do it,—a small spare fellow with an expression of much intelligence, which he really possesses. He is the most respected of all the merchants on this route.
When he left us, he sent us a present of Aheer dates, which were large and exceedingly well tasted.
22d.—We stopped in the valley of Taghajeet all day, waiting for the Haghars, but they did not make their appearance. In the morning early, I distributed powder and shot to about forty of our people. Each had half a cupfull of powder and twelve shots. It was an immense present for them, and they were all greatly rejoiced at the gift. It is extremely difficult for people to obtain powder and shot in these countries. We made a line of barricades with the boat. Amongst our defenders appeared the three Azgher Tuaricks,[10] who followed us from Tajetterat, and overtook us above the well of Aisou. We gave them powder and shot, and they swore they would die for us.
In the evening two mounted men came up, and made the same demand of our escort that the single man had made the night before; namely, that they should give us Christians up to forty or fifty Tuaricks, collected from the various districts around. This impudent demand was again rejected.
The opinion of all the caravan now seemed to be, that this was an idle threat of some dozen bandits, and that the people generally would not turn out inimical.