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Several times I felt inclined to insist on a halt; but the people, who were eager to arrive, cried out that the camels wanted to reach the water; and proceeding accordingly, about seven o'clock the next morning we at length reached the Seven Wells. We found only two open, the others being closed up by sand. Some of them belong to the Kailouees, and the others to the Tuaricks of Ghât.
Approach Ghât Description of the Town The Oasis Reminiscences of a former Visit Azgher Tuaricks The Governor Political Authority The Sheikhs Protection of Strangers The Litham Business Reception Meetings of Sheikhs Disputes Tax on liberated Slaves Extortion practised on us Discussion on the Treaty Scramble for Presents Haj Ahmed disinterested Hateetah plays double More Presents and further Annoyances Mahommed Kafa Escort of Kailouees A Visit from Ouweek and the Bandit of Ghadamez Observations on the Treaty Collection of Dialogues The Great Exhibition.
The children of the Wady, up to the age of seven or eight years, go about perfectly naked, which may partly account for the bronze-black colour of their skins. The Tuaricks are generally fairer than the Fezzanees, though some of these latter are fair as the Moors on the coast, whilst others are black as very niggers. We received a visit from the Nather, or civil governor of the Wady.
These people are what are called Tuaricks of Fezzan. They are a dwarfish, slim race; and the Fezzanees call them their Arabs. They cover up their faces like their kindred of Ghât, but have for the most part white thelems instead of black. A few sport a red fotah, or turban. They speak Arabic commonly, but some know also the language of Ghât; which fact connects them certainly with that country.
Wataitee, the elder of the two, is very plausible, and undertakes to accompany us as far as Aheer. It is to be observed, that the Tuaricks of this place have hitherto never ventured to come to Mourzuk; and it is considered wonderful that they have come for the first time at the summons of infidels.
Haj Ahmed, the governor, is also a Moor, born at Tuat. He is a marabout, or saint, but is looked up to by the people for the settlement of all municipal concerns. The Ghâteen derive their subsistence almost entirely from the caravans, although their little oasis is not unfertile. But the political authority of the country resides entirely in the hands of the Azgher Tuaricks.
A few Tuaricks from the borders of the desert, and other Arabs were observed by our countrymen in the streets of Rabba. Another important feature of this expedition is, the circumstance that the travellers ascended the river Tchadda, as high as one hundred and fifty miles from its junction with the Niger.
I, however, sent the sugar and tobacco after him, and this time he condescended to accept them. To the old bandit of Ghadamez I also presented some tobacco, and he went his way. Fortunately there were few Tuaricks in Ghât at this time, otherwise I should have had hosts of such visitors.
As a solace for the disappointment, I gave the Sheikh three handkerchiefs and a pocket-knife. The Tuaricks came in for a little soap, an article seemingly in universal request. El-Wady is a deep valley, lying like a moat between the elevated sandy desert and the plateau on which Mourzuk is situated.
Yusuf had previously given it in charge to a camel-driver, and the Tuaricks were always uneasy, asking to see if all were right. Europeans would probably have done the same under similar circumstances. On the 7th we made a good day of about eleven hours, continuing during the first three in shallow wadys, down one of which we had a distant view of the plain of Serdalous, on the north-west.
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