I Was Soon Tired, And Had Returned Into
My Hut, Where I Was Sitting Almost Asleep, When An Old Woman Entered
With A Wooden Bowl In Her Hand, And Signified That She Had Brought
Me A Present From The Bride.
Before I could recover from the
surprise which this message created, the woman discharged tine
contents of the bowl full in my face.
Finding that it was the same
sort of holy water with which, among the Hottentots, a priest is
said to sprinkle a newly-married couple, I began to suspect that the
old lady was actuated by mischief or malice; but she gave me
seriously to understand that it was a nuptial benediction from the
bride's own person, and which, on such occasions, is always received
by the young unmarried Moors as a mark of distinguished favour.
This being the case, I wiped my face, and sent my acknowledgments to
the lady. The wedding drum continued to beat, and the women to
sing, or rather whistle, all night. About nine in the morning the
bride was brought in state from her mother's tent, attended by a
number of women who carried her tent (a present from the husband),
some bearing up the poles, others holding by the strings; and in
this manner they marched, whistling as formerly, until they came to
the place appointed for her residence, where they pitched the tent.
The husband followed, with a number of men, leading four bullocks,
which they tied to the tent strings; and having killed another, and
distributed the beef among the people, the ceremony was concluded.
CHAPTER XI - SUFFERINGS IN CAPTIVITY
One whole month had now elapsed since I was led into captivity,
during which time each returning day brought me fresh distresses. I
watched the lingering course of the sun with anxiety, and blessed
his evening beams as they shined a yellow lustre along the sandy
floor of my hut; for it was then that my oppressors left me, and
allowed me to pass the sultry night in solitude and reflection.
About midnight a bowl of kouskous, with some salt and water, were
brought for me and my two attendants. This was our common fare, and
it was all that was allowed us to allay the cravings of hunger and
support nature for the whole of the following day; for it is to be
observed that this was the Mohammedan Lent, and as the Moors keep
the fast with a religious strictness, they thought it proper to
compel me, though a Christian, to similar observance. Time,
however, somewhat reconciled me to my situation. I found that I
could bear hunger and thirst better than I expected; and at length I
endeavoured to beguile the tedious hours by learning to write
Arabic.
April 14. - As Queen Fatima had not yet arrived, Ali proposed to go
to the north and bring her back with him; but as the place was two
days' journey from Benowm it was necessary to have some refreshment
on the road; and Ali, suspicious of those about him, was so afraid
of being poisoned, that he never ate anything but what was dressed
under his own immediate inspection. A fine bullock was therefore
killed, and the flesh being cut up into thin slices, was dried in
the sun; and this, with two bags of dry kouskous, formed his
travelling provisions.
Previous to his departure, the black people of the town of Benowm
came, according to their annual custom, to show their arms, and
bring their stipulated tribute of corn and cloth. They were but
badly armed - twenty-two with muskets, forty or fifty with bows and
arrows, and nearly the same number of men and boys with spears only.
They arranged themselves before the tent, where they waited until
their arms were examined, and some little disputes settled.
About midnight on the 16th, Ali departed quietly from Benowm,
accompanied by a few attendants. He was expected to return in the
course of nine or ten days.
April 18. - Two days after the departure of Ali a shereef arrived
with salt and some other articles from Walet, the capital of the
kingdom of Biroo. As there was no tent appropriated for him, he
took up his abode in the same hut with me. He seemed to be a well-
informed man, and his acquaintance both with the Arabic and Bambarra
tongues enabled him to travel with ease and safety through a number
of kingdoms; for though his place of residence was Walet, he had
visited Houssa, and had lived some years at Timbuctoo. Upon my
inquiring so particularly about the distance from Walet to
Timbuctoo, he asked me if I intended to travel that way; and being
answered in the affirmative, he shook his head, and said it would
not do; for that Christians were looked upon there as the devil's
children, and enemies to the Prophet. From him I learned the
following particulars:- That Houssa was the largest town he had ever
seen: that Walet was larger than Timbuctoo, but being remote from
the Niger, and its trade consisting chiefly of salt, it was not so
much resorted to by strangers: that between Benowm and Walet was
ten days' journey; but the road did not lead through any remarkable
towns, and travellers supported themselves by purchasing milk from
the Arabs, who keep their herds by the watering-places: two of the
days' journeys was over a sandy country, without water. From Walet
to Timbuctoo was eleven days more; but water was more plentiful, and
the journey was usually performed upon bullocks. He said there were
many Jews at Timbuctoo, but they all spoke Arabic, and used the same
prayers as the Moors. He frequently pointed his hand to the south-
east quarter, or rather the east by south, observing that Timbuctoo
was situated in that direction; and though I made him repeat this
information again and again, I never found him to vary more than
half a point, which was to the southward.
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