Narratives of travels and discoveries in Northern and Central Africa, in the years 1822, 1823, and 1824 / by Major Denham, Captain Clapperton, and the late Doctor Oudney : extending across the great desert to the tenth degree of northern latitute, and from Kouka in Bornou, to Sackatoo, the capital of the Fellatah empire ; With an appendix.

  • Denham, Dixon, 1786-1828.
Date:
1826
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Narratives of travels and discoveries in Northern and Central Africa, in the years 1822, 1823, and 1824 / by Major Denham, Captain Clapperton, and the late Doctor Oudney : extending across the great desert to the tenth degree of northern latitute, and from Kouka in Bornou, to Sackatoo, the capital of the Fellatah empire ; With an appendix. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    driving of the sand. I was obliged, three times during the night, to get up for the purpose of strengthening the pegs ; and when, in the morning, I awoke, two hillocks of sand were formed on each side of my head, some inches high. On the 7th April we arrived at a village in the midst of a vast multitude of palm trees, just one day’s journey short of Mourzuk. As it was to be the last day’s march, we were all in good spirits at the prospect of rest; and had we made our arrangements with judgment, every thing would have gone on well. We had, however, neglected sending on to advise the sultan of our arrival—a constant practice, and consequently our reception was not what it ought to have been. We arrived at D’leem, a small plantation of date trees, at noon, and finding no water in the well, were obliged to proceed; and it was three in the afternoon before we arrived at the wells near Mourzuk. Here we were obliged to wait until the camels came up, in order that we might advance in form. We might, however, have saved ourselves the trouble :—no one came out to meet us, except some naked boys, and a mixture of Tibboos, Tuaricks, and Fezzanese, who gazed at us with astonishment, and no very pleasant aspect. We determined on not entering the town in a manner so little flattering to those whom we represented : and retiring to a rising ground, a little distance from the gates of the town, waited the return of a chaoush, who had been despatched to announce our arrival. After half an hour’s delay, the sheikh El Blad (the governor of the town) came out, and, in the sultan’s name, requested we would accompany him to the house which had been prepared for us ; and he added, to our great surprise, the English consul is there already. The fact was, a very ill-looking Jew servant of mine, mounted on a white mule, with a pair of small canteens under him, had preceded the camels, and entered the town by himself: he was received with great respect by all the inhabitants —conducted through the streets to the house which was destined to receive us ; and from the circumstance of the canteens being all covered with small brass shining nails, a very high idea of his consequence was formed. He very sensi- bly received all their attentions in silence, and drank the cool water and milk which was handed to him : and we always had the laugh against them after- wards, for having shown so much civility to an Israelite—a race they heartily despise. “ We thought the English,” said they, “ were better looking than Jews—Death to their race! but then God made us all, though not all hand-