Accordingly, Jemma Was Declared To Be The
Governor Of The Town Of Gallabat, And The Sheik Over All
Tokrooris.
The Tokrooris are natives of Darfur, who were converted to
Mahometanism after the conquest of Northern Africa by the Arabs.
They are governed by a sultan in their own country, who strictly
prohibits the entrance of white men; thus Darfur remains
impenetrable to civilization.
That country is extremely arid and
unfruitful; thus, as the pilgrims journeyed towards Mecca from
their own inhospitable soil, they passed through a land flowing
with milk and honey, with excellent pasturage and fertile soil,
in the district of Gallabat. As first settlements of men have
always been caused by some local attraction and advantage, so the
Tokroori pilgrims, on their return from Mecca, originally rested
from the fatigues of their journey in the neighbourhood of
Gallabat, as a country preferable to their own. The establishment
of a few settlers formed a nucleus, and, as successive
pilgrimages to Mecca were annually undertaken from Darfur, the
colony rapidly increased by the settlement of the returned
pilgrims. Thus commenced the establishment of a new tribe upon
foreign soil, and, as the numbers of settlers increased to an
important amount, permission was granted by the King of Abyssinia
that they should occupy this portion of his territory, upon
payment of taxes as his subjects. The Tokrooris are a fine,
powerful race, exceedingly black, and of the negro type, but
differing from all negroes that I have hitherto known, as they
are particularly industrious.
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