An immense quantity of stone is scattered over the route hereabouts. Overweg believes it to be basalt, or a species of volcanic stone of similar character.
I am preparing myself for my Soudan journeys, and, en route, take as much rest as possible. Cold winds prevail night and morning, but the sun burns a few hours in the day. Certainly now is the best season for travelling in this country. What it is in Soudan it is impossible to tell.
20th.—We rested to-day. There is a well a short distance off, called Tilya. This morning early filed by a large division of the salt-caravan, about three hundred camels. We passed them yesterday. They had also a little merchandise besides salt. Some of the people inquired of me if I had found my camels. I told them two were still missing. They were all strangers, but were, nevertheless, civil. I made a short excursion in search of gum amongst the tholukh-trees. I was fortunate enough to find one piece, or, rather, a small bunch of pellucid drops, of a bright amber-colour. The bunch was scarcely exuding from the tree on which it was found, and was ready to drop when touched, hanging by the slenderest connexion. It was even somewhat disposed to become liquid. This gum is found only on the small young trees. The taste was very pleasant. It is astonishing how little gum has been picked off these trees by our people, although we have passed tens of thousands of them en route.
The slaves of the caravan were having a game amongst themselves this morning. They brought into my tent a man bound as dead, and I was obliged to pay a handkerchief to relieve myself of the bad omen. Such a thing is considered a horrible thing if you do not buy away the ill effects of it. This is certainly an easy way of collecting money and goods. It was, however, amusing to see the fellow, how still he lay; truly it was as still as death. The ceremony itself arose out of the culprit, or man bound, having lost our camels, a circumstance which has detained us here to-day. The herdsman was thus punished for his neglect; and so all these African people have an amusing way of turning their misfortunes into fun, as well as of making a profit out of them. I have already observed before, that every misfortune we have suffered has been a benefit to the Kailouees. This has made them so careless about what might happen to us.
21st.—Our course was generally nearly south, but often a little winding. Baghzem was always on our right, until we left it behind us, on the north-west. This mountain has, probably, been so much celebrated in all past times, because it is the most conspicuous object on the return route from the south to the north. Overweg conjectures that it is granite. He had no servant at hand yesterday to visit it with him, and he did not like to go alone, because it swarms with lions.
We passed to-day mostly through undulating country, a sort of ground which, in the Sahara, lies generally between the plateaux and the high rocky ranges. From one of the lesser heights we had a magnificent view of Baghzem. We passed also through and along several fine wadys, lined with ancient trees. Perhaps, in some places, full half of the trees were decayed, and many only naked stumps. The trees were so thick in certain places as to deserve the name of forests—primeval forests—but, I imagine, not to be compared with those of America.
Amongst the trees to-day appeared most conspicuously the doom-palm. This is the first day we have seen it in such numbers. This "palm of Pharaoh," as the Moors call it, according to their habit of coupling all strange things with those ancient monarchs, is found in groups as well as isolated trees. When isolate, and also when in groups, it very frequently assumes a double-shaped trunk, or two large arms spread out or divided from a low stump.[11] Of the leaves, which are called gabba, the people make all their rope.
These trees are now laden with fruit, not ripe. The abundance of them gives to the place of our encampment a truly tropical aspect. We journeyed on to-day eight hours and a-half—a good, fair day. The weather was warm, even a little sultry. As to inhabitants, we passed many isolated huts, but saw no villages in groups. We also passed the ruins of many villages, whose houses were better built than any I have yet seen in this part of Aheer. This country has seen its best days; for the huts which now take the place of these houses, high and well-built of stone and mud, are, indeed, miserable. Probably these deserted places are some of the towns whose people were carried off to Bornou in the recent razzias. At the bottom of most of the wadys to-day, water was found at a foot depth, though not a copious supply. People were at the wells in numbers, watering their cattle.
En-Noor paid me another attention to-day, when on camel-back, in presenting to me a piece of gour-nut. This is considered a very great compliment. As to the fruit itself, I have not yet acquired the taste; it is only agreeable if you are thirsty, and after chewing it drink water.