We do not get so much information, by the
way, out of these people as we might expect; they do not know the names
of the wadys and rocks hereabouts, and so pretend they have none.
The hundred dollars which we brought from Mourzuk are now nearly all
gone--I have only eight or ten left. Friend Sidi Jalef Waled
Sakertaf--how unmusical the name sounds!--will get little money from us,
and must content himself with our baggage, if he will play the robber.
For the cousin of a Sultan, fie!
_August 1._--We left Ajunjer early, and made five hours only, because
to-morrow there is no herbage until late in the evening. How tantalising
to be obliged to advance thus by short stages towards an ambuscade! We
take things pretty philosophically, however, and make geological
observations. Overweg (who begins to show signs of weakness) is
delighted that we have at length reached a region of granite. I think I
must have passed a great number of rocks of the same kind between
Ghadamez and Ghat. To the eye of an ordinary observer, some of them have
the same aspect as sandstone, or even limestone. This granite interests
us, especially as in the direct Bornou route there appears to be none at
all.
Dr. Barth compares the Tuaricks of Ghat and the Haghar to lions and
tigers, and the Kailouees to snakes. The comparison well hits off their
outward characteristics, but, as Overweg says, we must not judge of
these people by the ordinary rules of morality, or apply to them an
European standard.
Pages:
182
183
184
185
186
187
188
189
190
191
192
193
194
195
196
197
198
199
200
201
202
203
204
205
206