Vietnam or Thailand ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !

Updated: June 25, 2025


When a sultan dies, or is displaced, they assemble like the College of Cardinals, or rather like the old Polish nobility, to elect a new one. It is the law that this Sultan of Aghadez must be a stranger. When once chosen he is invested with something like absolute authority throughout all Aheer, and he alone possesses the dreaded power of "cutting off heads."

All this comes after it had been noised abroad through the whole village that En-Noor was greatly rejoiced at the present, and all the people were happy and content. Such, however, is the dependence to be placed on reports in the African kingdom of Aheer! However, I am determined to give way to no more vain fears, but to preserve as much as possible of the property of Government.

In two hours, however, the Kailouees came and told us that there was no more water in the skins; that the camels were restless, knowing that a well was ahead; and that it was better to move on at once, and make for the well of Aisou, that marks the commencement of the Aheer territory.

Those of Touat, I imagine, are the same style of people, from what few of them I saw at Ghadames; but those of Aheer are more effeminate and milder in their manners, and are a good deal mixed with the Negro nations of Soudan.

I shall take the liberty of appending the account given of Aheer and Aghadez by Leo Africanus:

The bou rekabah, however, the best for them, is in small quantities, but when seen is devoured to the sand. The people of Aheer eat its seed as ghaseb. Yesterday, we saw, for the first time, a bird's nest in the desert, in the side of a rock. It contained no eggs; our people, on a former occasion, brought in some.

A courier has just arrived from the new Sultan of Aghadez, demanding the gumruk, or custom-dues, from the caravan of Christians who have entered Aheer. As if we had not already paid enough! After two or three weeks of incessant solicitation, by the way, I gave Es-Sfaxee, Yusuf, and Mahommed, a small bottle of rum the first, and it shall be the last; for they got drunk and quarrelsome upon it.

It was nevertheless what they had been taught to do on the Aheer route, and there could not be very much harm in picking up a little fresh juicy herbage, to appease their thirst during the heat of the day's march. The slaves en route are only permitted to drink twice in the day, once at noon, and once in the evening. When our supply of water is scanty, only once a day. 19th.

Our servants and friends are much rejoiced at our success with En-Noor, and they promise me farther success in Soudan and Bornou. Alas! God alone knows what is reserved for us; but we must not despair after these, events of Aheer.

Said Christians were not numerous enough to drink all they bought. There is a wady near Ghat covered with senna, during rain, but the greater portion of senna is brought from Aheer. An instance of the way in which the Arabic language is used, and which makes some people think there are different dialects in this language, may be given in the terms denoting Garden.

Word Of The Day

221-224

Others Looking