However, we must bear in mind, that in a country governed in so
irregular way, it is very difficult to answer for the future. The
governor, Haj Ahmed himself, told me in a deprecating manner, "Ghat is a
country of Sheikhs!" and Hateetah says, half jocularly, "Ghat has thirty
Sultans!" Fortunately, however, it is the interest of the rulers of this
part of the desert to encourage traffic; they live by it; otherwise it
would be dangerous to trust to their assurances.
We were in all but seven days in Ghat, so that I had no time to make
researches. However, I am fortunate in procuring a collection of
dialogues and a vocabulary of most of the common words in the Tuarick
dialect of the tribes in Ghat. I employed for this purpose Mohammed
Shereef, nephew of the Governor of Ghat, who is a pretty good Arabic
scholar. I have also made an arrangement with my friend Haj Ibrahim to
forward to the British Government a small quantity of Soudan
manufactures for the Exhibition of 1851; so that the industry and
handicraft of the dusky children of Central Africa may be represented
side by side with the finished works of Paris and London artisans.[6]
[6] This account of Mr. Richardson's residence at Ghat is copied
from a summary in his journal, with occasional insertions
from his despatches to Government. It is very brief and
imperfect; but the traveller was so fully occupied by
various kinds of business during his stay, that he was not
able to write, and only threw upon paper a rough memorandum
after he had started on his way to Aheer.
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