Old Katchiba
Came To Meet Us, But Brought Nothing, As He Said The Turks Had Eaten Up
The Country.
An extract from my journal, dated July 1, explains the
misery of our position.
"This Obbo country is now a land of starvation. The natives refuse to
supply provision for beads; nor will they barter anything unless in
exchange for flesh. This is the curse that the Turks have brought upon
the country by stealing cattle and throwing them away wholesale. We have
literally nothing to eat except tullaboon, a small bitter grain used in
lieu of corn by the natives: there is no game; if it existed, shooting
would be impossible, as the grass is impenetrable. I hear that the Turks
intend to make a razzia on the Shoggo country near Farajoke; thus they
will stir up a wasp's nest for me wherever I go, and render it
impossible for my small party to proceed alone, or even to remain in
peace. I shall be truly thankful to quit this abominable land; in my
experience I never saw such scoundrels as Africa produces - the natives
of the Soudan being worse than all. It is impossible to make a servant
of any of these people; the apathy, indolence, dishonesty combined with
dirtiness, are beyond description; and their abhorrence of anything like
order increases their natural dislike to Europeans. I have not one man
even approaching to a servant; the animals are neglected, therefore they
die. And were I to die they would rejoice, as they would immediately
join Koorshid's people in cattle stealing and slave hunting; - charming
followers in the time of danger!
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