Narrative of a Mission to Central Africa Performed in the Years 1850-51, Volume 2 - Under the Orders and at the Expense of Her Majesty's Government by James Richardson
page 50 of 316 (15%)
page 50 of 316 (15%)
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of her husband and this young wife and rival. Marriage is an excessively
loose tie here, at any rate amongst the poor. The rich pretend to respect marriage. We have all done little in clearing up difficulties, or obtaining correct information of the Tuaricks of the Sahara. No good informants are to be found. From the Sheikhs of Ghât it is quite impossible to learn anything. We hope to get some information from a Tanelkum now going with us. Many tribes have been mentioned, casually; but the principal are--the three great tribes of Ghât, those to which Khanouhen, Shafou, Jabour, and Hateetah belong--a tribe in Janet--the Haghar of Ghamama--the Isokamara, located on the Tuat route from Aisou--the Tanelkums of Fezaan--the Maraga, a breed produced from the slaves of the Haghar and the Sorgou of Timbuctoo. _26th._--The sky is now frequently cloudy, but no rain falls. The valley of Tintalous is looking fresh, on account of the great quantity of wild cauliflower overspreading its surface, called by the Arabs _liftee_. This word _liftee_, is evidently derived from _lift_, "turnip." The vegetable grows in lines and circles, determined apparently by the action of the water, which deposits the seeds. No use is made of this wild cabbage; it is very bitter, and no animals even eat it. En-Noor paid me a visit this morning before I was up; he drank some coffee, and went off to see his camels. The Tanelkums were quite wrong in their surmisings about En-Noor and his religious fanaticism. He has shown less fanaticism than any prince with whom we have had yet anything to do during the present journey. All the Kailouees of Tintalous are equally tolerant. We have now three quasi-princes, or sons of sultans, in Tintalous, besides the son of En-Noor. We have Mousa Waled Haj-Ali, |
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