Drawn by J. G. Wilkinson Esqre. from a Sketch taken by the late John Davidson. Drawn on Stone & Printed by P. Gauci, 9, North Crest. Bedford Sqre.

Style of Buildings of Wadnoon.

[(Large-size)]

Wednesday, April 27.—Therm. 70°. Made Abú write, for he cannot talk, to this Majíbí, to ask if he meant to say that his party did not wish me to go on: if so, that I would return, as I cared little upon the subject, and had a ship waiting for me. He was taken somewhat aback at this, and admitted that the observations came from himself, and not from the Sheïkh. I shall write to Mr. Willshire, and give him my candid opinion of this scoundrel, whose object is to induce me to give him a bribe for his assistance. I will see him d———d first. Went out to see my patients, when I was stopped by a marabout, who humbugged me out of a dollar. ’Tis well to keep on good terms with these impostors, who possess considerable influence. This journey will ruin me, and I fear I shall break down. No person can be more kind than the Sheïkh has been; and but for this blackguard I should do very well. I must, however, put up with him, and patiently wait to see how matters will turn out. The people here are a fine race; they wear their hair generally curled, and are not at all dark; they are tall in figure, ride upon spare horses without a bit, and with only a mere rope put round the nose and neck of the animal; they have fine eyes and beautiful teeth. The majority of those in better circumstances have one or more of the desert-horses, which are fed entirely on camel’s milk, and this only every fourth or fifth day. It is very strange that they know nothing of the Jebel Khal, the black mountain; Sók Assa is distant only one day’s journey; Tatta four; Akka five; Tódeny twenty; from this to Arowán is another twenty; and thence to Tumbuktú seven. There is another route to Tumbuktú. From hence to Woden or Weddán, the name better known, twenty days; then to Tishít ten; and to Tumbuktú ten more. Caravans frequently go to Jennah from Tishít; from thence to Gwalátah, they say often; thence to Drah in ten days; to Táfilelt in fifteen, &c. Some of my patients are improving; others giving up medicines altogether. There is a Muselmán-fast to-day, which is slept away. The weather has become very cold. The thermometer has fallen 12°.

Thursday, April 28.—Therm. 68°. Some rain has fallen in the night. I was called up to give the Sheïkh his medicines. It is perfectly useless doing any thing for people who take five meals a-day, and pass the rest of their time in sleep; with no exercise and no employment, but sitting outside their doors or inside their walls, to see on whom they can pounce. It is really sad to look upon the two sides of the picture, which this place presents; the one, the possessors of the soil, the daring, hardy, and commanding inhabitants reduced to the level of the brute by his indulgence in food and sleep, with the past forgotten, the future uncertain: the other subject to slavery in its most abject form. A large káfilah is expected from Mogadór to-day or to-morrow, and one from Súdán in a few days. These will enliven us; but I hardly dare venture out. The Christian is still upon me. The population may amount to two or three hundred families, together with twelve Jewish, who are the working classes, and manufacture good guns and daggers, ornaments in silver, brass, &c. They are also the tailors and shoemakers, and do the iron-work. The Muselmáns are the intermediate merchants, or cultivators or breeders of cattle, which are very fine. There are some Talebs here, and one has written for me a few prayers most beautifully. Four káfilahs leave this place annually, consisting each of slaves varying from three hundred to one thousand. At that time a large encampment is formed outside of the town, where they collect and prepare for the journey. I have been used most rascally by Majíbí: I wish I dared kick him. Went out again to look for water: had a conversation to-day about Christians, whom these people conceive to have no idea of any religion. I tried, but in vain, to explain the matter to them. I have evidently some foes here, because I will not submit to be plucked unmercifully. I should be left without a penny or a rag, were I to give all, or even half of what they endeavour to extort from me. I am fairly tired out. The weather feels very cold. The thermometer is down to 60°. We have had some rain to-day. I am anxious to get out; but fear I am in for at least another month, and must bear it.

Friday, April 29.—Therm. 58°. The wind is still east, and all are suffering from the cold: I feel the effect of it, being but thinly clad. It tells pretty sharply to a man with bare arms, legs, and feet. It is a sad state of existence, where no one cares for his fellow, and throws off a person the moment he ceases to be useful. As soon as they have got what they want, they care not what becomes of you. I hope this is not the case with the Sheïkh, who is certainly a very superior person; but I find I shall have great difficulty in managing my affairs here. Abú is not competent for this. To-day we are to have a private conference with the Sheïkh, as soon as all the persons are gone to the mosque, which is here a mere circle of large stones. The kiblah is not quite due east, but rather to the south of it. I wish the Sheïkh was quite well: but it is impossible to do him, or any of these people here any good, with their five or six meals a-day, and without exercise of body or mind, except a constant craving after sensual enjoyments and for gold, gold, which is always uppermost in their thoughts. The subject of Beïrúk’s[94] communication was to have an English consul resident at his port,[95] and to open a trade direct with England; that for this purpose he would send one of his sons to London to manage his affairs; that by these means the route to Súdán would be opened at once; the whole distance be performed in forty or forty-four days, and a large trade be carried on; that a courier would perform the journey to Súdán in fifteen or twenty days, according to the heat—more wonderful for the man than the beast; that England would receive in exchange gum, almonds, wool, hides, ostrich feathers, ivory, and all the produce of Súdán, which would find its way to Wád Nún rather than by a lengthened journey to Marocco. I wrote to Lord Glenelg on the subject.

Saturday, April 30.—Therm. 60°. Wind still east. The Sheïkh now thinks it will be impossible for me to cross the desert for the next four months, owing to the great heat. The last caravan-kafilah left only a fortnight before I arrived, and none go during the summer. I told him that I ought to be sent on to overtake it. This he promised to do, if I wished it; but he warned me of the danger of all the party perishing from the want of water, as all the springs are then dried up, and the camels cannot carry heavy loads during the hot months. I have written to Mr. Willshire, and a courier has been dispatched to Tumbuktú to say that a Christian is coming, accompanied by the cousin of the King, Hámed Libbú. Hájí Majíbí now finds that I am too canine for him to be in the same apartment, and thank Heaven he has removed. I have the utmost contempt for this beast. The population of this place rather exceeds six hundred, with great capabilities for increase. The Sheïkh has about four hundred horse that he could bring into the field. Went to the Millah, where I saw a very beautiful woman anxious to get away. Her husband is one of the principal workmen here. Provisions are cheaper than in any other place. A good bullock may be purchased for 20s. to 30s.; heifers, 15s.; a sheep, 2s. to 4s.; fowls vary: I paid ½d. each; bread, ¼d. per lb.; wheat, 5 to 6 pesetas; barley, 3 to 4 do. A camel varies in price from 20 to 30 dollars; a slave from 20 to 100. All accounts are kept in mitcalls.

Sunday, May 1.—Therm. 50°. The people are half killed with the cold. Read the prayers. Received newspapers from England through Mr. Willshire, and walked round the garden. The cold was so intense this evening, that I was compelled to put on two cloaks. The Sheïkh is still harping upon his favourite project, and complaining that all his profits go into the hands of the Sultán of Marocco by the trade through Mogadór.

Monday, May 2.—Therm. 60°. Symptoms of the weather becoming warmer. This will be a great comfort to me: bare feet and arms feel the cold too severely. Fasted all yesterday; hope to get something to eat to-day, as there is a savoury smell of kabábs. It is wonderful to witness the fear the children have of a Christian. The itch has broken out with violence amongst the people: I suppose I shall have my turn. There is one comfort in the cold; it drives away all the vermin, to which the people here are quite indifferent, as their skin is so thick, that neither lice or fleas can penetrate it. The káfilah from Súdán is expected in twenty days. The cold felt here is not unusual at this time of the year, as our winter is their hottest season. Am extremely anxious to hear from Mogadór.