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"We mounted from Rujban and from El-Gibel, and went to Eth-Tha, where is Koteet, between Ez-Zantan and Rujban. Thence we travelled to Wady Souk-ej-Jeen. Thence to Haram and Et-Teen. And we travelled to Wady-Azgheer, and afterwards Wady Walas. Alas! O Yâkob, if you believe not in Mahomet, you cannot be near this lote-tree.
Derge is in the more eastern route of Zantan and Rujban; and when that of Seenawan, the western, is not safe, this, the longer route, is taken. 6th. Slept badly during the night; restless about my journey. Determined now to take the Fezzan route. Weather very soft, with murky clouds.
These sandals serve admirably well their purpose; some are made of double soles. But for the especial benefit of our cordwainers, I may mention, the African shoe has no heel to the sole. 15th. His Excellency the Sheikh, and his factotum, or shadow, took coffee again with me this morning. A cup of coffee is a rare treat in Rujban.
Received a visit from some of my old Arab friends of the Rujban Mountains, who regaled themselves with bread and dates. Called on the Rais, who was as friendly as ever. If his Excellency have heard the report, he has the delicacy to say nothing about it. His Excellency told me he had dispatched ninety-two shatahs, or mails, during the fifteen months which he has been in Ghadames.
It is certain that within nine hours' ride from Rujban we passed the stubble of two or three patches of barley, which had been rescued from the dominion of The Desert. As to myself, personally, in this part of the route, I have suffered most from want of sleep.
But he knows nothing of Arabic grammar, and writes very poorly, like most of these Marabouts, although he passes for being a very learned man. He purchased some old dirty leaves of an Arabic book, and exhibited them to the people as sacred works. The Sheikhs of Rujban and all the great people of the villages came to stare at them.
According to his Excellency, Rujban contains 500 souls, all in misery and starvation. It is certain the greater part of the people have not enough to eat, or half the quantity of what is considered ordinarily sufficient. In the neighbouring districts, S.W., there are 1,500 souls.
From Tripoli to Janzour 3 hours. " Janzour to Zouweeah 9 " " Zouweeah to Beer-el-Hamra 2 " " Beer-el-Hamra to Shouwabeeah 5 " " Shouwabeeah to Wady Lethel 14 " " Wady Lethel to Aâyat 3 " " Aâyat to Yefran 3 " " Yefran to Rujban 18 " " Rujban to Seenawan 4 days. The quickest time, in more general terms, in which the journey can be performed, excluding of course all stoppages, is:
The amount of tax or tribute for the whole district of Rujban is five or six hundred mahboubs, which is paid in three instalments, three times a year; but, which though nothing in amount, is more than all the people are worth together, for riches and poverty are relative possessions, if the latter can be possessed. If they can't pay in money they pay in kind.
If you wait, plenty of slaves will soon come from Soudan!" Late to-night, Mohammed the Marabout of Rujban, left for his country and Tripoli. I gave him some Ghadames dates to take to Tripoli as presents, the small black dates, as a rarity, and to let the people know I had not so much forgotten them as they had forgotten me. This clever, cunning, selfish fellow, I completely overreached.
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