Chapter Six.
Travels of Denham and Clapperton, continued.
Major Denham and Dr Oudney visit old Birnie—Accompany the Sheikh on an expedition against the Munga—Review of troops—Submission of rebels—Barca Gana disgraced—Return—Arrival of Lieutenant Toole—Expedition to the Shary—Pest of flies—Well received by the Sultan of Begharrni—Death of Lieutenant Toole—Returns to Kouka—Arrival of Mr Tyrhwit—Expedition against rebels on shores of Lake Chad—Barca Gana again defeated and wounded—The Sheikh’s severe laws against immorality.
Soon after the return of the unfortunate expedition to Mandara, the sheikh set out on another against a people to the west, called the Munga, who had never hitherto acknowledged his supremacy, and refused to pay tribute. Another complaint against them was, as he explained it, “that they were kaffiring—not saying their prayers—the dogs.” This fault is generally laid to the charge of any nation against whom true Mahommedans wage war, as it gives them the power of making slaves of the heathens. By the laws of Mahomet, one believer must not bind another.
Major Denham and Dr Oudney were anxious to visit Birnie, the old capital of Bornou, and the sheikh left one of his chief slaves, Omar Gana, to act as their guide. Thence they were to proceed to Kabshary, there to await his arrival.
They set out with five camels and four servants, making two marches each day, from ten to fourteen miles, morning and evening.
The country round Kouka is uninteresting and flat, thickly covered with acacias.
The ruins of old Birnie, which they visited, convinced them of the power of its former sultan. The city, though now in ruins, covered a space of five or six square miles. The walls, in many places standing, consisted of large masses of red brickwork, three or four feet in thickness, and six to eight in height. Besides destroying the capital, the Felatahs had razed to the ground upwards of thirty large towns during their inroads.