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Updated: June 16, 2025
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.
I took my place very near him, and observed his appearance with some interest. He was a venerable-looking black, but, like most of the Kailouees, had something of an European cast of features. They say he is about seventy-eight years old, and manifestly suffers the infirmities of that great age.
The herbage was of the kind called nasee, which is very strengthening for the camels. I believed that the Haghar would not follow the Kailouees upon their own territory, but I was mistaken. Just before sunset, to our surprise, we saw rising above the hills around the valley where we are encamped, three mounted men.
Sometimes a hundred of these will be seen together. We have had some trouble in satisfying the Kailouees for the protection they afford us. At Ghât the agreement made was for one hundred reals, half in goods and half in money, and a trifling present when they arrived at their journey's end.
Indeed, wearing as they do the thilem, the beard and the mustachios are completely hidden. The Kailouees leave the crown of the head, which is close shaved, as in the case of the Mahommedans of the coast, quite bare, exposed to the sun and weather. Those a little better off also wear trousers, very wide about the loins, narrow at the legs, and drawn round the waist with a belt.
The country around was wild and rugged still the same primitive formation, gneiss being the most common rock. On the way we heard the story of the origin of the Kailouees, as given by the Haghar Tuaricks; it is probably meant as a satire. According to this people, a female slave escaped from their country, and travelling over the desert, reached her native place in Soudan.
Such is a specimen of the incidents which almost daily occur, arising out of this horrible traffic. I lectured one of the Kailouees on the subject, and told him that we were in Tuarick territory, and that such an action might bring the genuine Tuaricks upon us.
Amankee, knowing my feelings, had offered a reward for the rest, telling the people he saw on the road that the tea could only be drank by Christians, and was poison for Muslims! This fib drew from the astonished Kailouees a woful ejaculation "Allah! Allah!" Many funny scenes were enacted during the few minutes of the attack of the robbers.
This granite interests us, especially as in the direct Bornou route there appears to be none at all. Dr. Barth compares the Tuaricks of Ghât 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.
The Kailouees tie their camels by the lower jaw, and fasten the string to the baggage piled on the back of the preceding animal; and the long line moves on well this way. The Tuaricks fasten their bridles, when they ride their maharees, by a round ring in the nose. We had granite again to-day, and fine beds of felspar, pebbles, and rocks.
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