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Updated: May 29, 2025
The sultan had set his eyes on his horse, and, just as he was starting, sent to ask him to sell it; but this he positively declined doing, and no attempt was made to seize the animal. He reached Kukawa after an interesting journey, without a mishap, on the 21st of August. He found Mr Overweg very sickly.
On the 24th, as he was approaching a more woody district than he had hitherto passed, a richly-dressed person rode up to him and gave him the sad intelligence of the death of Mr Richardson at Kukawa. He still could scarcely believe the news; but it was confirmed afterwards by another party of horsemen whom he met.
Having shot his net, he paddles about with his hands, driving the fish into it, and then, taking them out, kills them with a club, and throws them into the gourds. When they are full, he returns to the shore. Returning to Kukawa, Dr Barth found encamped outside the town a large slave caravan. There were seven hundred and fifty slaves in the possession of the merchants who went with it.
On the 6th of July the caravan from Fezzan arrived, bringing despatches from Kukawa, sent out from England, authorising him to carry on the objects of the expedition on a more extensive scale, while means were placed at his disposal for doing so.
Barth was told that there lives in the river an animal resembling the seal, which comes out at night and feeds on the fresh grass. His adventurous journey obtained the doctor so much fame at Kukawa that, on his return, a party of horsemen galloped out to salute him, and led him in procession to his house. Mr Overweg, who had in the meantime been exploring Lake Chad in a boat, now rejoined him.
He was of a glossy black colour, with regular features, but a little too round to be expressive; dressed in a light tobe, with a bournous wrapped round his shoulder, and a dark red shawl round his head with great care. The doctor spent a considerable time in Kukawa, devoting himself to the study of the language, and making enquiries about the surrounding country.
His stay at Kukawa was agreeably interrupted by an excursion to Ngornu in which he accompanied the sheikh, and from thence paid a visit to the shores of Lake Chad. Attended by two horsemen and his servants, he set out for the lake. After an hour's ride they reached swampy ground, and had to make their way through the water, often up to their knees on horseback.
At first he felt as if the death of Mr Richardson involved the return of the mission; but after some consideration he resolved to persevere by himself. On the 2nd of April, pushing on ahead of his camels, on horseback, he approached Kukawa, or Kouka, the capital of Bornou.
The doctor met with many friends, and was very kindly treated at Kano. He was again attacked with illness, but, recovering, prepared to set out for Kukawa, where he had arranged with Mr Richardson to arrive in the beginning of April.
He here received the intelligence that Sheikh Omar, of Kukawa, had been dethroned, his vizier slain, and that in a fierce battle a number of his other friends had fallen. He had made up his mind, therefore, to proceed to Aire, instead of returning to Bornou; but, subsequently hearing that Omar had been again installed, he kept to his former determination.
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