Wednesday, June 8th.—Therm. 85°. The whole place has got so baked by the heat of the three days, that they say it will not feel cool again for the next three months; that every day will be hotter and hotter till the houses and ground crack, when there will be a change. Too hot to stir out: I am getting very dissatisfied.
Thursday, June 9th.—Therm. 88°, at midnight 95°. Walked out to the lime-stone mountains: from this spot a pretty picture might be made of the town with the gardens; to the east the tomb of Sídí El Rází, and before it the Sók; the game of La’b el Bárúd at the back of Mes’úd’s house; on the west the heaps of corn with camels, mules, donkeys, and boys treading it out, and others winnowing with a shovel. Four black ladies have visited me to obtain a charm: the first wants something to make every one love her; the second that her piccaninnies may live; the third to know who ever has spoken ill of her; and the fourth to be made happy. The medicines have not yet arrived, but are to come next week. The heat is excessive. Some arrivals from the desert; but no hopes of our getting away.
Friday, June 10.—Therm. 85°. To-day our kuskusú was enlivened by a pumpkin, the only vegetable we have now had for seven weeks, except our daily onion: the pumpkin was a present, and had travelled far. Things are improving, if these hogs would only let Nature take her course. Last week they stripped the only apple tree in the place of the fruit, which was just formed, and to-day they have done the same to two apricots, because the heat of the few last days had just begun to turn them yellow. The grapes are eaten when they are as hard as stones, because each is afraid that another may get them. The heat is more oppressive than ever. The Sheïkh and all our party are in high spirits, in consequence of the arrival of some good news from Senegal.
Saturday, June 11.—Therm. 86°. Heat very trying through the whole day. I was asked whether the sun shone in England, and whether we had the moon and stars like those seen here? They would not believe me when I told them that the same stars they saw me looking at last night where just over the house in which I lived in London, and that we called them the Great Bear, and spoke of its tail, head and legs. I surprised them much by pointing out several constellations to them. Went only to the garden. Cannot get my letters taken to Suweïrah. Am most anxious to have matters put into a train.
Sunday, June 12.—Therm. 86°. Read the prayers, and finished poor Bruce: was much struck with many points of resemblance in our cases. Felt not very well, and did not leave the house: witnessed a sad scene in the evening. Some money had been stolen, and the slaves in the town were charged with the theft: one poor creature was tied up by his heels, his head bleeding profusely from a blow he had received whilst being brought here. In this position he was stripped and flogged with some plaited cow-hide over his legs and back: after hanging for half an hour, he was let down; when others were brought in to undergo a similar punishment. But my nerves could not stand it. The heartless wretches seemed, however, to enjoy the writhings of the poor creatures, whose misfortune it is to be black. Sick of the scene, I retired to my hole, and did not go out again. At night Abú told me they were released, lest the people here should be disturbed by their cries for water. The poor creatures had been under torture for some time, and stated they had not had their food, when they were brought here; and what is more horrible, some women were amongst the number. No regard, however, is paid to sex. The poor blacks are all káfirs in the wise judgment of these chosen people.
Monday, June 13.—Therm. 80°. It felt cold during the night, and this morning it is cloudy and oppressive. I feel hardly recovered from the disgraceful scene of last night. The Tagakánth people have at last arrived. I wish I had got my letters from Suweïrah, as this would be a good opportunity for speaking on the subject; although I would now rather wait for Zeïn and the káfilah, which would be better on the score of safety; besides the rains would be nearer their close. The unfortunate delay at Gibraltar has done all the mischief. These people were the van of the great Súdán káfilah, which has now arrived with more than three hundred camels: the rest have remained at ’Akká, Tagakánth, &c. About eighty persons have arrived with it. Never did I meet with any people who gave me so complete an idea of savages. Their bodies are a mass of dirt, and their wan eyes are sunk in their heads; their teeth of pearly hue seem starting from their gums. They wear the hair long and in large quantities, some curled and others plaited. Half-dyed blue with the khoart, and half famished, they present a revolting exterior. But never did any people improve so much upon acquaintance. I had seen the Pindarí horseman in India, the Leoni savage in Arabia Felix, the Wahhábí in Yemen, the ’Abábdeh and Bisháré in Arabia, Petræa and Egypt; but all these have a great advantage in appearance over my friends the Damánís. The káfilah brought large quantities of ivory packed in skins; about four, six, or eight teeth on each camel ............ looking like small canoes; many loads of reïsh ostrich feathers; one hundred camels laden with gum, packed in hides, through which sticks are passed, and they are then slung like panniers on the back of the camel. Several Tamar[105] dates and a few bales of Súdán cloth: the camels that carry the gold have each a man riding to take charge of it. As soon as the animals were unloaded, the twenty Damánís came to the Sheïkh’s house, where they devoured a sheep with nearly half-hundred weight of kuskusú, and a camel-load of ripe mashmash (apricots), and then all lay down to sleep: in about an hour they got up and shook themselves, and then came in a body to see the Nazarene. I had some difficulty to keep myself from being smothered by them. The Sheïkh Kheisfer came to drive them away; when one, who seemed to have some command, said, “Nazarene, we are wild Arabs; none of us have ever seen a Christian; we know you are a great man; if our coming thus to you offends you, we will go; if not, astonish us. You are a magician; shew us some fire.” I lighted some tinder from the sun with my glass; and then shewed them my small globe, telescope, watch, pistols, &c. afterwards a lucifer-match; and, lastly, I set fire to my finger, dipping it in spirits of terebinth. This was too much for them: they became alarmed; I then got my sword, &c. afterwards gave them snuff: they all smoked my pipe, and when that was finished, and I had examined all their eyes, and given many of them medicines, and would not take money for it, I was told I had only to say ‘Resúlí Mohammed,’[106] and go any where. This was the general wind up, and La’b el Báród finished the day: and as the evening saw my rooms filled again with these wild men, I was fairly tired out.
Tuesday, June 14.—Therm. 76°. It felt so cold in the night, that I was obliged to put my cloak over me. Day had hardly dawned, when Abú called me up to write to Mogador: my door was instantly beset by my Damání friends, all asking for He jjám (Physician). The intense curiosity of these people forms a striking contrast to the apathy of the Moors. They, however, overdid the thing, and I was compelled to order them all out. The Sheïkhs ’Alí and Hámed then visited me: they said they were the sons of the great Sheïkh of Taghakánth, and hoped I would allow them to come in, and they would not sit upon the carpet. From both of these intelligent persons I learnt many particulars respecting the route to Tumbuktú. They said they had been fifty days coming from Jennah, but they had often done it in less: the last time they were only forty-four days, allowing for halts; they say there are three roads to Tumbuktú; from hence to Waddán twenty-five days; but it can be done in twenty-two with light loads; from thence to Tishíṭ in thirty-five, if a person were a good traveller, and would go direct to that place, but by Waden he would want rest; from thence to Walátah ten days, and fifteen from thence to Jennah. The time will be the same by the other route to Tumbuktú; from hence to Taudenní twenty-five days, where one must halt; thence to ’Arrowán ten days, and stop again; from thence to Tumbucktú, five or six days; but the whole distance is sometimes performed without stopping: and this the Sheïkh Beïrúk says I must do for safety. The situation of Tumbuktú, as far as I can understand the account given by the Sheïkh’s sons, is very different to what is laid down on the map. They gave a flattering account of Hámed Libbó; that he has recovered from all his losses, and has an army of 100,000 men, in good order, and that one of his hands is stronger than both of the Sultán of Marocco: I have made great friends with these people. In the afternoon I was honoured with a La’b el Báród. I find I am obliged to keep myself somewhat like a prisoner, through the fear of some Moors here. I have a bad foot, and besides am suffering from a disappointment. My party have not refused, but are afraid of proceeding. My expenses too have been and are still very great, and with little chance of their being lessened: should the money from England not arrive, I am a lost man; hence, I feel no little anxiety for the letters by the packet. The great Sók (Sók el Múlíd)[107] commences to-morrow; it is called Sók Aksa in the map, is distant twenty-two miles E. from hence, consequently the town of Nún is given incorrectly, for it is twenty-five miles E. of the sea. The river flows to the S. of it, the Búkukmán runs E.S.E., and then turns S., and joins the large Sayád, which flowing W. past Assaká, there takes that name, and empties itself into the sea. Three days S. of the Assaká is the river of Dar’ah, which is said to run into the sea, at a point, three days distant from this place, and that all the country on the N. bank, and a slip on the S., is brought into cultivation. From the Sheïkh’s sons I learnt also that each ostrich yields from five to ten pounds of feathers; the young ones produce the least quantity: hence the birds average about seven pounds. The usual number of eggs found in a nest is fifteen, although most of the birds lay twenty. The Shérb el Ríh[108] (drinker of the wind) generally comes up with the birds on the second morning after being put upon the track; they kill them with short heavy sticks, about two feet long, and in most cases skin the birds, many of which arrived here quite perfect; the feathers are packed in bundles, secured by pieces of the neck of the skin of the bird.
Wednesday, June 15.—Therm. 76°. Weather much cooler. The Damánís are beginning to feel the difference of food. The slaves were astonished that I did not drink hot water (tea) to-day, as well as the others. Foot very sore.
Thursday, June 16.—Therm. 75°. All employed in putting a lock upon my door, as my room had been robbed. There has been a fight among the Jews: it arose from my giving the preference to the chief Jew for making some bread: his mother-in-law has been cruelly beaten: all are in arms and in a great passion. The people with the small-pox are walking about, sad figures; the only remedy used here is a small piece of stick, one end of which is covered with common tar, and occasionally forced up the nostrils.[109] I have now been here two months, and there has not been a single death out of a population of seven hundred grown persons, with hosts of children. The weather has become much cooler. Had another row about my food. I am almost starved. Mahmúd cut his stick[110] to-day. The sick are increasing, and I am heartily tired of them. Not over well myself.
Friday, June 17.—Therm. 72°. The change of temperature has been felt severely. I learnt this morning that the Jews’ quarrel arose from the jealousy of making my bread, and washing my clothes. A strange sort of justice is administered here; the beaten has been fined seven ducats, and the beater eight, because he was the richer person. I dare not intercede for my beaten friend; and were I to pay the money for him, he would be compelled to pay it again when I leave this place. All gone to the Jennah, but the Sheïkh, who is again demeaning himself with the poor and much to be pitied slaves. Would to God I could get away from this den of infamy and villainy: I see, however, but little chance of doing so. The Arabs, who the Moors call savages, are a superior race of beings to the wretches here. The son of the Sheïkh of the Damání told me plainly this morning that he would not ask Beïrúk even for bread to make a poultice, which I have recommended him to apply. I have no bread myself or I would give him some; and after this row amongst the Jews, I shall be worse off for food than ever. I received a dinner, but it cost me a dollar; which is rather dear living. Sheïkh Mohammed has rather offended me.