Chapter Twelve.
Travels of Dr Barth concluded.
Barth sets out for Timbuctoo—Detained at Katseena—Reaches Say, on the Niger—Crosses River—Meets an Arab, who offers to escort him—Disguised as an Arab—Enters Bambarra—Swampy country—Embarks on the Niger—Voyage up the river to Kabara—Rice to Timbuctoo—Enters the city—The Sheikh El Bakay—Compelled to remain in his house—Timbuctoo described—The fanatics threaten his life—Accompanies the Sheikh into the desert—Returns to the city—Hears about Mungo Park—The river rises—For fear of disturbances from the fanatics, goes into the desert again—Sets out with the Sheikh towards Kouka—Lions and hippopotami—Reaches Sackatoo—Hears of expedition under Dr Vogel—Dangers of journey—Reaches Bundi—Meets Dr Vogel—Repast, but no wine—Well received by Sheikh Omar at Kouka—Detained four months—Returns with a caravan to Tripoli—Discovery of Binue river most important result of journey.
On the 25th of November, 1852, all arrangements being made, Dr Barth set out on his venturesome expedition to Timbuctoo, intending to proceed first to the town of Say, on the banks of the Niger. He had parted on friendly terms with the sheikh, who sent him two fine camels as a present. He had as head servant his faithful Gatroni, who had gone to Fezzan and had lately returned, five other freemen, and two slaves, besides another personage, who acted as his broker, well accustomed to travel in Negroland; but, being an Arab, the doctor only put confidence in him as long as circumstances were propitious.
He encamped, as was his custom on commencing a journey, only two miles from the city. It was the coldest night he had experienced in Negroland, the thermometer being only nine degrees above the freezing-point.
On the 25th of December he arrived at Zinder, the frontier town of Bornou, built round and about masses of rock, which rose out of the ground, the picturesqueness of the place being increased by groups of date-palms. Water, which collects at short depths below the surface, fertilises a number of tobacco-fields, and gives to the vegetation around a very rich character.
On the 5th of February, 1853, the party entered the town of Katseena, where he laid in a supply of articles. Here they were detained for a considerable time, as an expedition was setting out against the Fulbe, and it would have been dangerous to proceed until it was known what direction the hostile army would take. By the 25th of March, however, he was ready to continue his journey, the governor himself having arranged to accompany him for some days, as the whole country was exposed to imminent danger, and, further on, a numerous escort was to attend them.
Interesting as his journey was, it is impossible to describe the various places he visited or the adventures he met with. Day after day he travelled on, sometimes detained for weeks and months together, at one town or another, though he was never idle, always employing himself in gaining information, or in studying the language of the district through which he was to pass.
On the 19th of June he was close to the Niger, and hoped that the next day he might behold with his own eyes that great river of Western Africa which has caused such immense curiosity in Europe, and the upper part of the large eastern branch of which he had himself discovered. Elated with such feelings, he set out early the next morning, and, after a march of two hours through a rocky wilderness covered with dense bushes, he obtained the first sight of the river, and in another hour reached the place of embarkation, opposite the town of Say. Here he beheld, in a noble, unbroken stream, the mighty Niger gliding along in a north-north-east and south-south-west direction, though at this spot, owing to being hemmed in by rocky banks, only about seven hundred yards broad. It had been seen by Mungo Park flowing eastward, and it was therefore, till the Landers descended it, supposed that it might possibly make its way into some vast lake in Central Africa. On the flatter shore opposite, a large town lay spread out, the low ramparts and huts of which were picturesquely overtopped by numbers of slender dum-palms.