News now arrived that a caravan was on its way from the north. This was gratifying intelligence, as the expedition hoped to obtain letters and remittances by it.
Hillman had manufactured some carriages for two brass guns, which had been sent to the sheikh from Tripoli. The sheikh was delighted when the major, the only person capable of attending to them, fired them off. He now thought himself able to attack all who might become hostile to him.
On the 14th of December Mr Clapperton and Dr Oudney, having somewhat recovered, set out with a large _kafila_, bound to Kano in Soudan. Dr Oudney, however, was in a very unfit state to travel, being almost in the last stage of consumption. A few days after they had gone, a _kafila_ arrived from the north, and with it came a young ensign of the 80th Regiment, Mr Toole, who had taken the place of Mr Tyrwhit, detained on account of sickness. Major Denham was much pleased with his appearance and manners--his countenance, indeed, being an irresistible letter of introduction. He had made the long journey from Tripoli to Bornou in three months and fourteen days, arriving with only the loss of five camels. Denham's spirits revived with the society of so pleasant a friend, and he determined to take the first opportunity of visiting the Shary and Loggun. The sheikh willingly gave them permission, appointing a handsome negro, Belial, to act as their guide and manager. He was altogether a superior person, and was attended by six slaves. These, with themselves and personal attendants, formed their party.
Their journey was commenced on the 23rd of January, 1824. After leaving Angornou, they proceeded east, along the borders of the lake, to Angala, where resided Miram, the divorced wife of the sheikh, El Kanemy, in a fine house--her establishment exceeding sixty persons. She was a very handsome, beautifully-formed negress about thirty-five, and had much of the softness of manner so extremely prepossessing in the sheikh. She received her visitors seated on an earthen throne covered with a Turkey carpet, and surrounded by twenty of her favourite slaves, all dressed alike in fine white shirts which reached to their feet; their necks, ears, and noses thickly ornamented with coral. A negro dwarf, measuring scarcely three feet, the keeper of her keys, sat before her, richly-dressed in Soudan _tobes_.
The Shary was reached on the 23rd. The travellers were surprised at the magnitude of the stream, which appeared to be fully half a mile in width, running at the rate of two or three miles an hour towards the Chad.
Remaining some days at the town of Showy on the banks of the river, they embarked, accompanied by the _kaide_, or governor, and eight canoes carrying ten slaves each. After a voyage of nearly eight hours, they reached a spot thirty-five miles from Showy. The scenery was highly interesting: one noble reach succeeded another, alternately varying their courses; the banks thickly scattered with trees, rich in foliage, hung over with creepers bearing variously-coloured and aromatic blossoms. Several crocodiles were seen, which rolled into the stream and disappeared as they approached.
After proceeding further down the river, they returned to Showy, and then made another excursion up the stream.
With much grief Denham perceived symptoms of illness in his companion, who, however, complained but little. While he was suffering they reached a place which is so infested by flies and bees that the inhabitants cannot move out of their houses during the day.
Their houses are literally formed one cell within another, five or six in number, in order to prevent the ingress of the insects. One of their party, who went out, returned with his eyes and head in such a state that he was ill for three days.
Hence they moved on to Zarmawha, an independent sultan, who had twice been in rebellion against the sheikh. Belial was received with scant courtesy; but the sultan was very civil to the white men, to whom he sent a variety of dishes of food, and was highly pleased with the presents he received, observing that the English were a race of sultans.
Mr Toole's sufferings increased, though they managed to reach Loggun, on the banks of the Shary. As they approached, a person, apparently of consequence, advanced towards them, bending nearly double and joining his hands, followed by his slaves, stooping still lower than himself.
He explained that he was deputed by the sultan to welcome the white men, and, preceding their party, conducted them to a habitation which had been prepared for them, consisting of four separate huts, well-built within an outer wall, with a large entrance-hall for their servants.
Next morning Denham was sent for to appear before the sultan, when he was preceded through the streets by ten immense negroes of high birth, with grey beards, bare heads, and carrying large clubs. After passing through several dark rooms, he was conducted to a large square court, where some hundred persons were assembled, seated on the ground. In the middle was a vacant space to which he was led, and desired to sit down.
Two slaves in striped cotton _tabes_, who were fanning the air through a lattice work of cane, pointed out the retirement of the sultan. This shade was removed, and something alive was discovered on a carpet, wrapped up in silk _tobes_, with the head enveloped in shawls, and nothing but the eyes visible. The whole court prostrated themselves and poured sand on their heads, while eight _frum-frums_ and as many horns blew a loud and very harsh-sounding salute.
This great man, however, was not above doing a stroke of business, for, after enquiring whether the major wished to buy female slaves, he observed: "If you do, go no further; I have some hundreds, and will sell them to you as cheap as anyone."
Though a much handsomer race than the Bornouese, the Loggun people are thieves, and, judging from their chiefs, great rascals. It appeared that there were two sultans, father and son, both of whom applied to the major for poison that would not lie, to be used against each other, the younger one offering him three female slaves as a bribe.
The province of which Loggun is the capital, is called Begharmi. The people are in many respects similar to the Bornouese, with whom they are constantly at war. They possess a strong force of cavalry, clothed in suits of thick quilted armour, with helmets of the same material, easily penetrated however by bullets, though impervious to arrows. Their horses are also covered in the manner of their riders. So unwieldy are these warriors, that they require to be assisted when mounting their steeds. Their weapons are long, double-headed spears, something like pitchforks with flattened prongs.
Shortly after this a large body of them, five thousand strong, with two hundred chiefs were defeated by the Bornouese, when all the chiefs and a considerable number of the men were slain.
The Loggunese, however, have made considerable progress in the arts of peace. The clothes woven by them are superior to those of Bornou, being beautifully glazed, and finely dyed with indigo; and they make use even of a current coin of iron, somewhat in the form of a horse-shoe, which none of the neighbouring nations possess. Their country abounds in grain and cattle, and is diversified with forests of acacias and other beautiful trees.
As they proceeded on their journey, poor Mr Toole grew worse.
Escaping several dangers, they returned to Angala, where at first the major hoped his poor friend might recover, but on the 26th of February a cold shiver seized him, and just before noon he expired, completely worn-out and exhausted. He had scarcely completed his 22nd year, and was in every sense an amiable and promising young officer.
On Denham's return to Kouka, he found the sheikh with a large army collected to attack the Begharmis, who were scouring the country. As, however, he was suffering from fever, he went on to Kouka, where he heard of the death of Dr Oudney at a place called Murmur. The sheikh's expedition was successful, and the people were highly delighted with the plunder which had been obtained.
Sickness, however, was at work in the city. Omar, an Arab, who had arrived with Mr Toole, died, and Columbus caught the fever, and had to take to his bed. The major, however, was cheered by the arrival of Mr Tyrhwit, who had been sent out by the British Government to strengthen the party. He brought a present of two swords, two brace of pistols, a dagger, and two gold watches, which were received by El Kanemy with great delight. On hearing that some rockets had also been forwarded, he exclaimed: "What besides all these riches! There are no friends like these; they are all true; and I see by the book that, if the prophet had lived only a short time longer, they would have become Moslem."
On the termination of the Rhamadan, June 1st, the sheikh again took the field, proceeding eastward along the shores of the Chad, against a powerful Biddomah chief, called Amanook, who held a strong position on some islands near the shores of the lake. The object of the expedition had been kept a great secret till the neighbourhood of the country to be attacked was reached. The army marched through the country of the Shooas, a people who live entirely in tents of leather and huts of rushes, changing but from necessity, on the approach of an enemy or want of pasturage for their numerous flocks. They seldom fight, except in their own defence. Their principal food is the milk of camels, in which they are rich, and also that of cows and sheep; often they take no other nourishment for months together. They have the greatest contempt for and hatred of the negro nations, and yet are always tributary either to one black sultan or another. There is no example of their ever having peopled a town or established themselves in a permanent home.
The sheikh having halted the main body of his army, Barca Gana advanced with a thousand men, being joined also by four hundred Dugganahs. They found the chief, Amanook, posted, with all his cattle and people, on a narrow pass between two lakes, having in front of him a lake which was neither deep nor wide, but full of holes, with a deceitful, muddy bottom.
The sheikh's troops had long been without food, and the sight of the bleating flocks and lowing herds was too much for them. Barca Gana, however, seeing the strength of the enemy's position, wished to halt, and to send over spearmen on foot, with shields, who would lead the attack. The younger chiefs however exclaimed: "What! be so near them as this, and not eat them? No, let us on: this night their flocks and women will be ours!" In this cry the Shooas also joined. The general yielded, and the attack commenced. The Arabs led the way with the Dugganahs. On arriving in the middle of the lake the horses sunk up to their saddle-bows; most of them were out of their depth, and others floundering in the mud; the ammunition of the riders became wet, their guns useless. As they neared the shore, Amanook's men hurled at them with unerring aim a volley of their light spears, charging with their strongest and best horses, trained and accustomed to the water, while at the same time another body, having crossed the lake higher up, came by the narrow pass and cut off the retreat of all those who had advanced into the lake. The sheikh's people now fell thickly. Barca Gana, although attacking against his own judgment, was among the foremost, and received a severe spear-wound in his back, which pierced through four _tobes_ and his iron chain armour, while attacked by five chiefs, who seemed determined on finishing him. One of these he thrust through with his long spear, and his own people coming to his rescue with a fresh horse, he was saved, though thirty of his followers were either killed or captured by Amanook's people.
It was expected that Amanook would attack the camp, but, instead of so doing, he sent word that he would treat with the sheikh, and that he wished for peace. If peace was not to be obtained, however, he swore by the Prophet that he would turn fish, and fly to the centre of the water; and, should even the sheikh himself come, he would bring the _wady_ against him.
The major and his companions visited the general, whom they found suffering much from his wound, but Denham acting as surgeon, it in a short time healed. Barca Gana then strongly advised him to return to Kouka, showing that his hopes of getting to the east would certainly be disappointed.
A little sheikh, who had arrived from Fezzan, endeavoured to poison the mind of El Kanemy against the English, telling him that they had conquered India and probably fully intended to attack Bornou.
On the major's return to Kouka he found that Captain Clapperton had just returned from Soudan. On going to the hut where he was lodged, Denham did not know his friend as he lay extended on the floor, so great was the alteration in him; and he was about to leave the place, when Clapperton called out his name. Notwithstanding this, so great were Clapperton's spirits, that he spoke of returning to Soudan after the rains. He had performed a very interesting journey, the particulars of which will shortly be narrated.
The sheikh had just before made himself very unpopular with the female portion of his subjects, having, in consequence of his determination to improve the morality of his people, issued an order such as the most savage of despots have never ventured to enact. One morning the gates of the city were kept closed at daylight, and sixty women who had a bad reputation were brought before him. Five were sentenced to be hanged in the public market, and four flogged. Two of the latter expired under the lash, while the former were dragged, with their heads shaved, through the market, with ropes round their necks, and were then strangled and thrown by twos into a hole previously prepared.
The effect on the people was such that a hundred families quitted Kouka to take up their abode in other towns, where this rigour did not exist.
CHAPTER SEVEN.
CLAPPERTON'S JOURNEY TO SOUDAN.
EXPEDITION OF CLAPPERTON AND OUDNEY TO SOUDAN--BEAUTY OF THE WOMEN-- CRUELTY OF THE ARABS--DR. OUDNEY PRESCRIBES FOR THE SICK--REACH KATAGUM--SLAVES OFFERED AS PRESENTS--DEATH OF DR. OUDNEY--CLAPPERTON ARRIVES AT KANO--CITY DESCRIBED--HAUSSA BOXERS--SACKATOO REACHED-- RECEPTION BY SULTAN BELLO--GREAT INTELLIGENCE OF THE SULTAN--WONDER AT ENGLISH CUSTOMS--DESIRES THAT A CONSUL AND DOCTOR MAY BE SENT TO HIM-- CLAPPERTON LEAVES SACKATOO--SUFFERINGS FROM THIRST--DANGEROUS JOURNEY-- RETURNS TO KOUKA--VISIT TO LAKE CHAD--JOURNEY ACROSS THE DESERT TO TRIPOLI.
It will be remembered that Captain Clapperton, accompanied by Dr Oudney, set out from Kouka on the 14th of December, 1823, for the purpose of exploring Soudan. Their party consisted of Jacob, a Jew, two servants, and three men of Fezzan. They had three saddle-horses and four sumpter mules. They travelled in company with a _kafila_ in which were twenty-seven Arab merchants and about fifty natives of Bornou.
Most of the Arabs rode on horseback, some having, besides, a led horse, but all the rest of the party were on foot.
Doctor Oudney was of great service to the _hadji_, who had injured his hand by the bursting of a gun. He invariably pitched his tent close to that of the doctor, who regularly dressed it for him.
Passing old Birnie, they had after two days to pass through an undulating country, frequently wading across hollows filled with water.
Having to cross a river, the _hadji_ had provided himself with a large raft, on which his own and his friends' baggage was carried across; but the Arabs, who passed lower down the river, were dreadfully frightened.
The greatest difficulty was with the camels and female slaves, the women screaming and squalling loudly. The camels were towed across, one man swimming before with a halter in his teeth, while another kept beating the animal behind with a stick, while it every now and then attempted to turn back, or bobbed its head under water.
The next day they were exposed to another danger. The grass having been set on fire, the flames advanced rapidly, and must have put them all to flight, had they not sought shelter within the ruined walls of old Birnie.
They passed through numerous towns and villages, the people belonging to a tribe of Shooa Arabs. The women were really beautiful. They wore their hair in a form which at a distance might be mistaken for a helmet, a large braid at the crown having some resemblance to a crest.
They had now to pass through a country inhabited by Bedites, who had not embraced Islamism. Protected by the natural fastnesses of their country, they were held in dread and abhorrence by all the faithful.
The road lay over very elevated ground, and so low was the temperature in the morning, that the water in their shallow vessels was crusted with thin flakes of ice, and the water-skins themselves were frozen as hard as a board. The horses and camels stood shivering with cold. Dr Oudney also became extremely ill, probably from the low temperature.
They had just entered the country of the Bedites when two men were met, who were immediately seized by the Arabs; one was a Shooa and the other a negro. One of the Bornouese had inflicted a dreadful cut under the left ear of the negro, and, notwithstanding his wound, they led the poor fellow by a rope fastened round his neck. Clapperton could not refrain from beating the merciless Bornouese and at the same time threatening to lodge the contents of his gun in his head if he repeated his cruelties.
He took occasion to impress on the minds of the Arabs how unworthy it was of brave men to behave so cruelly to their prisoners, and he thoroughly shamed them into good behaviour.
Having crossed the river You, they reached the city of Katagum, when a servant of the governor met them with a present, and, accompanied by a band of horsemen with drummers drumming and two bards singing the praises of their master, they entered the city. Here they remained, while the caravan pursued its course.
This was the most eastern of the Felatah towns. They were here visited by a Tripolitan merchant who was very rich, possessing no less than five hundred slaves and a vast number of horses.
Through all the towns and villages which they had passed, the sick were brought to be cured, while numbers came for remedies against all sorts of fancied diseases.
The governor received them in the most simple way. They found him seated under a rude canopy, on a low bank of earth, with three old men attending on him. They shook hands and then sat down on the floor. He was highly pleased with the presents he received, and offered anything they might wish for, especially slaves. Clapperton told them that a slave was unknown in England, and that the moment one set foot on British ground he was instantly free. When he heard that their only object was to see the world, he told them that they must go to the Sultan Bello, who was a learned man and would, be glad to meet people who had seen so much.
A lucky omen, as the natives supposed it, occurred. Among the presents offered by the king was ajar of honey; this one of the servants upset without breaking the pot. Had it been broken, the omen would have been unfortunate; as it was, the governor was highly pleased, and ordered the poor to be called in to lick up the honey. They rushed in, squabbling among themselves. One old man, having a long beard, came off with a double allowance, for he let it sweep up the honey and then sucked it clean.