Chapter XXI: Appendix (3)

2nd. A village inhabited by pagans of the tribe of the Jétem, as they are called by the Fúlbe, who most probably have been transplanted hither: the village is skirted by the river Fáro, which is here small, although during part of the year it becomes navigable for boats; towards the east rises a considerable hill. Arrive between two and three o’clock P.M.

3rd. Rúmde Ngáundere, the slave-village mentioned above, with a large mountain towards the east; arrive between two and three o’clock P.M.

4th. Ngáundere.

The following is a more direct road from Kóncha to Ngáundere:—

1st day. Encamp on the máyo Béli, in a very level country with several
small slave-hamlets lying round about; arrive at noon; direction
S.S.E.

2nd. Púllo settlement of Ámba Sámbo Jíkera, or Zíkera (Jíkera being
the name of his grandfather), with a large mountain on the north
side; arrive about noon; S.S.E.

3rd. Fílla-Ngáwu, a village of the Mbúm, in a mountainous district,
with very small watercourses. Hence half a day’s march N.E., and a
day and a half from Ámba Sámbo Jíkera, is the Téngeren which I
mentioned above, consisting of two separate villages—a Púllo
settlement towards the west, and, about six miles east, a pagan
village of the Mbúm, in a mountainous district. Téngeren is also a
day and a half’s march from Rúmde Ngáundere, the traveller who comes
from the former place passing the night in a rúmde of Ámba Sámbo, on
the north bank of the Fáro.

4th. Ngáundere, between three and four o’clock P.M.

5th. A village of the Mbúm, situated on the bank of the máyo Nélbi, which joins the máyo Gelangéro. This stream is perennial, and during part of the year even navigable; on the south side of the village is a mountain. Arrive in the forenoon.

6th. Mambúm (properly Ma-Mbúm), a considerable place, and residence of Arnádo, a chief of the tribe of the Mbúm, skirted on its east side by the máyo Nélbi, in a level country; arrive about noon. Mambúm is distant from Katíl one day’s march, S.W.

7th. Rískobáya, a village of the pagan Mbúm, thus denominated from a man named Rísko, a slave of Mohammed Jóbdi. The southern side of the village is bordered by a watercourse, dry in summer, called by the Fúlbe “máyo balléwo;” on the east side there is a mountain, and the whole road is mountainous. Arrive between four and five o’clock P.M.

8th. Encamp in the wilderness about two o’clock P.M.

9th. Dóka, or rather the residence of Dóka, the principal chief of the Báya country. I cannot say with certainty whether this place be the same as that where the other itinerary terminates. The country level, and covered with dense forest.

vii. _From Chámba to Tibáti._

(_a._) _Eastern road._

1st day. Búbadáddi, the village mentioned above, situated in the southern angle formed by the junction of the river of Kóncha (called by some Máyo Íbbi, by others M. Déve) with the Fáro; about noon.

2nd. Rúmde Dírrim, a hamlet of the slaves of Ámba Sámbo, who originally belong to the tribe of the Mbúm. The country level; much forest. Arrive about noon.

3rd. Rúmde Fáro, another slave-village of Ámba Sámbo (which, however, has a name in the native language also), situated on the north side of the Fáro, which here makes a sweep from west to east. Arrive between two and three o’clock P.M., having crossed in the morning several small streams, and further on a mountain-chain, which seems to border the valley of the river on the north side.

4th. Rúmde Dúbbel, another slave-village; arrive about noon, having crossed the river Fáro in the morning, and then traversed a dense forest, full of elephants, in a level country.

5th. Tibáti, a large walled town, being the only town of this description in Ádamáwa besides Ray Búba—Ngáundere being merely fortified with a low rampart,—but inhabited for the most part by slaves, and not by Fúlbe. It is the residence of a governor. The town is situated on a small river skirting its north-eastern side, and then running N.W. towards the Fáro, which it is said to join one day’s journey west from Rúmde Fáro. It is generally called Kogí-n-Tibáti. On the north side of the town there seems to be a large swamp, perhaps an inlet of the river. Tibáti boasts, according to all my informants, of the richest vegetation in all Ádamáwa. About ten miles west from the town is a more considerable river, not fordable during some months, which, according to my best informants, is the máyo Béli, coming from a considerable distance S.W.

(_b._) _Western road, according to Mohammed._

1st day. Bómbaké, a Púllo village; before noon.

2nd. Encamp on the bank of a rivulet (the máyo Kotégo?) running westward, between two and three o’clock P.M.

3rd. Gábdi Mbána, a village of the pagan Mbúm (Mbána?), in a level country; about noon.

4th. Kóro-Mbána, another pagan village; before noon.

5th. The residence of Ádama Jíkera (see above); at the same time.

6th. Varvándu, a place situated on the south side of a river which informant calls the Fáro, and which is crossed on branches of trees. Towards S.E. a mountain is seen.

7th. Another place of Ádama Jíkera, in a level country; about noon.

8th. Tibáti.

(_c._) _According to Mʿallem Katúri._

1st day. Gungúti, a considerable Púllo place in a level country, the southern horizon alone being bordered by mountains. Early in the morning the broad river Fáro is crossed, during the latter part of the rainy season and shortly afterwards, in boats, at other times of the year by fording. Arrive between two and three o’clock P.M.

2nd. Pass the night out in a hilly country full of elephants and buffaloes, while the deléb-palm or gigiña, and the gónda or _Papaya_ predominate in the forest[174]; arrive at two or three o’clock P.M.

3rd. A village of the pagan Mbána, in a woody country, with mountains towards west and south. Road mostly keeps along the bank of a rivulet, which is said to join the Fáro. Arrive between two and three o’clock P.M.

4th. Hamlets of the pagan Múmbere (?), who live on the summits of the mountains, the whole country being mountainous, and the road leading over the heights.

5th. Encamp near a large lake or swamp, which informant calls by the Háusa appellation “rúwa-n-dórina” (“Hippopotamus water”), in a hollow between the mountains; arrive between four and five o’clock P.M.

6th. The large settlement of Ámba Sámbo Jíkera, surrounded by hills.

7th. The Púllo settlement of Ádama Jíkera, in a valley-plain surrounded by mountains on all sides, and intersected by a small rivulet.

8th. A pagan village, Varvándu, in a plain, through which the Fáro runs from south to north.

9th. Encamp in an uninhabited woody country perfectly level.

10th. Tibáti, about noon.

I shall here add two short itineraries from Tibáti to Ngáundere. Direction, E.N.E.

1st day. A slave-village called Rúmde Tibáti, about noon.

2nd. Village of the Mbúm, in a mountainous district.

3rd. Rúmde Dúbi, before noon.

4th. Ngáundere, between two and three o’clock P.M.

Or a nearer road in three days, passing the first night in Rúmde
Mbúm, and the second in a slave-village of ʿAbd-Alláhi, and
travelling each day from early in the morning till about noon.

viii. _From Tibáti to the Íbo or Ígbo Country._

1st day. A village of the Búte, called, by my Háusa informant the mʿallem Katúri, “garí-n-Kachélla Búte;” arrive between two and three o’clock P.M.

2nd. A village of the Tikár (Tikʿa), called by him “garí-n-Kachélla Tikár,” situated in a dense forest; about noon.

3rd. Another pagan village, called by him “garí-n-Kachélla-n-Yémyem;” about noon.

4th. A village inhabited by the Monchéran, a tribe of the Búte. Country level and woody.

5th. A pagan village or “úngwa,” consisting of two hamlets, one of which lies at the foot and the other on the summit of a hill; between two and three o’clock P.M.

6th. Another pagan village, the residence of a powerful native chief, and therefore called by the Háusa people “garí-n-serkí-n-Yémyem.”

7th. A village of the great chief of the Fándu, in a level country. All these pagan tribes, whose principal weapon is the bow and arrow, are in the imána of Ámba Sámbo.

8th. Residence of the principal chief of the Tikár, or rather Tikʿa, a tribe marked by four scars or cuts under the eyes. Each of these pagan tribes has its peculiar language or dialect.

9th. Another pagan village, called “garí-n-Kachélla-n-Bum,” in a plain woody country, with a considerable river passable only in boats, and called by the Háusa people “rúwa-n-kádo” (the crocodile river).

10th. Encamp on the northern bank of the same river, called here “báki- n-kogí Jétem,” after the Jétem, the pagan inhabitants of the country. It winds along through a mountainous district.

11th. A village of the Mó, a large tribe of pagans, who live on the summits of the mountains situated on the same river. This whole tribe is armed with muskets. A long day’s journey, till about four or five o’clock P.M.

12th. Village of the Abó, in a mountainous district watered by a river. Towards the south a town called Úmbe is situated, being conspicuous by a large mountain.

13th. Dingding, another pagan tribe, who feed chiefly on a particular kind of clay, which they prepare with butter. The people of the slave- expedition themselves lived upon it while in this district, and represent it as not unpleasant. The Dingding are also armed with guns. The name Dingding, however, most probably is not the indigenous name of this tribe.

14th. Yúruwa, another pagan tribe, armed with guns, and living in a mountainous district.

15th. Pó, another tribe, living chiefly on sugar-cane (not, as it seems, the _Holcus saccharatus_), which they boil, and eat like honey. Country mountainous.

16th. Íbo, dwelling in nine villages on the “black water” (báki-n-rúwa), as many of the Háusa people call the Kwára, although the Ígbo and other tribes in that district give the name “black water” in general to the Bénuwé, while they distinguish the Kwára as the “white water.”

The Íbo, whom, as well as the Dingding, the Fúlbe believe to be Christians, have neither cattle, horses, nor asses, but plenty of large sheep, goats, swine, and poultry. The expedition which my informant accompanied in 1848-9 spent two months in this country, plundering it and carrying away a great many slaves. Since that time the Fúlbe can in some respects truly say that their empire extends as far as the sea; for now every year the Íbo, at least part of them, and their neighbours are said to bring slaves, salt, and cowries as a kind of tribute to the governor of Chámba. The same expedition after having retraced its steps as far as the garí-n-Kachélla Bum, again returned towards the Great River, and fell upon and plundered Mbáfu, said to be three days’ journey north from the Íbo country.[175]

ix. _From Jóro Fángel to the Country of the Jétem._

1st day. Lúmta, a Púllo settlement in a level country, the N.E. side of which is skirted by the máyo Nélbi; arrive about noon. Road crosses several small water-courses; direction a little west from south.

2nd. Máyo Béli, a place chiefly inhabited by pagans, with the addition of but a few Fúlbe, skirted by a river of the same name, turning from west to north. The country mountainous, but the mountains not rising to a great elevation. Arrive between two and three o’clock P.M.

3rd. Hosére Lábul, a large mountain, inhabited by Tikʿa, and extending a considerable distance west. This mountain is generally regarded in Ádamáwa as the feeder of the sources of the river Fáro; but according to this informant (the Háj Ádama, an intelligent man who speaks as an eye- witness), only a small rivulet, the máyo Tolóre, skirts its east foot, and joins the máyo Béli. Arrive about noon. Hosére Lábul is one day’s journey S.W. from Tibáti.

4th. Yáwa, a village of the pagan Tikár (Tikʿa), in a plain woody country with a small river, which skirts the east side of the village (perhaps the upper course of máyo Béli). Arrive between two and three o’clock P.M. From Hosére Lábul you take a more westerly direction.

5th. Bomfónga, a village of another division of the Tikár (Tikʿa), in a plain with small rivulets. Fárfar, the great capital of the Tikár, is distant from this a long day W.N.W. The country of the Tikár (Tikʿa) in general is well inhabited, the cultivated ground alternating with dense forest, wherein the gonda and the banana prevail; in the more south- westerly districts the góro-tree (_Sterculea acuminata_) and the hóno- ruwá, or máji-n-góro (_St. macrocarpos_). That species of grain called masr (_Zea maïs_), and dóga or yams, constitute the principal produce,—very little millet, no cotton; the country almost all level, with plenty of small rivulets. The inhabitants have, besides huts of clay built overground, also caves underground.

6th. Encamp in the wilderness, the country inhabited by the Déri. A long day.

7th. Encamp in the wilderness at a spot where natron is found. The country inhabited by the Bóre, another division of the Tikár (Tikʿa).

8th. Lengwájí, a great mountain inhabited by Tikár, who are in the imána of Ámba Sámbo, the governor of Chámba; before noon.

9th. Bómbom, one of the chief places of the Tikár; about noon.

10th. Fándu, another division of the Tikár; before noon. Direction a little south from west.

11th. Mbónga, a large place of the Tikár in a level country, with but a few mountains; before noon.

12th. Jolonjúnga, a straggling hamlet in a level country, with a rivulet running north; between two and three o’clock P.M.

13th. Máyo Kim, a considerable river running from east to west (S.E. to N.W.?), to join the Njéreng, and forming the boundary between the territory of the Jétem and that of the Tikár; about noon.

14th. Lamórde—that is to say, the residence of a chief of the Jétem,—in a level country; between four and five o’clock P.M.

15th. The rocky mountain (hosére) Gelangéro (not the original, but a Fulfúlde name), in an uncultivated country intersected only by small watercourses; between two and three o’clock P.M.

16th. Kosél Danél, a small hill belonging to the territory of the Jétem, west of which live the Dingding. The Jétem, as well as the Tikár, have no guns (but according to some the Jétem have). The Mó dwell to the north of the Jétem.

17th. Reach a river called by the Fúlbe “máyo balléwo” (the black river), which, like the Kim, is said to join the Njéreng, a considerable river, navigable for boats at all seasons of the year, and running southward. Mbáfu is said to be three days west, and Tóto five days N.W. from this place.

x. _From Ray-Búba to Mbáfu._

1st day. Hosére chólle. See above, p. 613.

2nd. Dánfa, a village inhabited by pagans, who do not tattoo, and whose weapons are spears and arrows.

4th. Jáfa, a pagan village inhabited by a division of the Dúru, who make long gashes on the left side of the body. This place lies round a rocky hill, the south side of which is free from huts, while the dwelling of the chief is on the north side. You cross the river Bénuwé in the morning of the first day after leaving Dánfa, and, having passed the night in the wilderness, arrive early the next morning.

6th. Bére, a village (see p. 617.) inhabited by pagans who make incisions in the under lip; the country is mountainous, but the mountains are detached. Direction S.W. Another longer road leads from Jáfa, a little east from south, to Ságje, a large Púllo place situated a day’s journey S.W. from the above-mentioned place, Saláng, and from thence west to Bére.

7th. A village of the Mbum.

8th. Gankaini (see p. 626.), a village of the Mbum; the country level, covered with dense forests, the large spreading “lainde” and the “kímba” being the prevailing trees.

9th. Jerang, in the forenoon.

10th. A village of the Mbum, in the forenoon.

11th. A rivulet, called by the Háusa people “kogí-n-góra,” in the wilderness.

12th. Soló, a village of the Búna, who make three small cuts over the cheekbone, and possess neither horned cattle nor sheep, but only goats and poultry; the country level, and covered with a dense forest.

13th. Bóngoré, a village of the Búte, who live in light huts constructed of branches. The Búte, upon whom the Kótofó, driven from their ancient seats about Chámba, have thrown themselves, wear no clothing except a narrow rope, made of bark, round the loins; they have long arrows and spears, and large shields of a very peculiar shape. They are said to have red copper in their country, and to work it themselves.

14th. Yénda, a place of the Kótofó. The whole country is flat, with much sandy soil, masr and sorghum being cultivated, besides a great deal of vegetables; the country abounds in water, but has no running streams, all the watercourses being of a shallow, wide-spreading character, such as are called “ngáljam” in Kanúri, and “fáddama” in Háusa. The rainy season is said to have here only three months’ duration, the heat, even in the dry season, not being immoderate. The predominant trees are the góro, kímba, mosóro, jittagúllo, and the passakóre. S.E., half a day’s march from Yénda, is another large place of the Kótofó, called Koróngo.

15th. Bónchobé, W.S.W.

16th. Bérberó.

24th. Bambúm. Having passed during eight days, first through the country of the Búte, then through that of the Tikár, or rather Tikʿa, you reach this place, belonging to another tribe.

27th. Mbáfu. Mohámmedu my intelligent informant, says that there are large and wealthy towns in this country, with well-frequented market- places, and that the people have a great deal of property, and mostly European furniture; all the houses are made of clay. He represents the inhabitants of Mbáfu, as well as the Tikár and Dingding, as being of a copper colour. They wear their hair dressed to a great height like all the pagans hereabouts, let the beard grow, and practise circumcision. The tree “tármo,” with a fine fruit, is predominant. Of the identity of Mbáfu with Mr. Koelle’s Mfút, and of its situation, a few days’ journey N.E. from Kálabá, I have already spoken.

xi. _From Ngaúndere to the Batí._

1st day. Mambúm.

2nd. Soló.

3rd. Bóngoré.

4th. Búbadáddi Kachellél (the name not original, but introduced altogether by the conquerors), a village of the Kótofó; the whole country, as all the country south of that of the Mbum in general, is said to be perfectly level.

5th. Bíttik, another village of the Kótofó; arrive about noon. The direction, which, as far as Búbadáddi, has been almost south, now turns south by west. A day and a half S.W. from Búbadáddi lies Géniyon, and further on in the same direction Búbabóntong.

6th. Bórmoná, a place of the Búte; a long day’s march.

7th. Mángchirin, a woody district, governed by a woman, with a great mountain towards the west.

10th. Bébe, a pagan village consisting of huts built of clay.

11th. Mére, another pagan village; country woody.

14th. Batí, a tribe of pagans of peculiarly light colour[176], well made, and not marked by any incisions; they wear an apron round the loins made of cotton, and dwell in huts built of clay; they have only sheep, no horned cattle; they have shells for currency, and live at no great distance from the sea, in the direction of which is seen a very large mountain. They have no firearms, but only spears, and their country abounds in elephants and wild pigs.

I am happy to add that Thomas J. Hutchison, Esq., H.M.’s consul at Fernando Po, with whom I am engaged in active correspondence, is making diligent inquiries with regard to the tribes of whom I obtained information in the interior, through the missionary Mr. Anderson. These inquiries tend always more and more to corroborate my information.

[Footnote 145: This name seems to have evident relation to Mélle, or Málle, the foreigners from that country probably living in this part of the town.]

[Footnote 146: The form of the name seems to be Mandingo, while the root calls to mind Tawát. “Nke” in Mandingo means “inhabitants.” It is not impossible that the quarter of the Tawáti in Kátsena was honoured with the same name which in former times it had in Mélle.]

[Footnote 147: Or more properly “the schoolboys’.” “Da-n-alló” means “the son of the writing-board.”]

[Footnote 148: “Chédia,” in Kanúri “jéja,” is the caoutchouc-tree.]

[Footnote 149: “Dúrrimi” is a kind of tree; and durrimi-n-sháuru means a tree of this sort under which councils were held.]

[Footnote 150: It is a difficult question, as I have said already, whether Dáura be identical with the Dáur mentioned by El Bekri; but I think it is not. It was in former times a chief place of the Díggera.]

[Footnote 151: Záriya has been recently (end of 1855) visited by Mr. Vogel; but his astronomical observations have not yet been received. However, it appears from what he says, that all the water here-around is drained toward the Kwára, and not towards the komádugu of Bórnu.]

[Footnote 152: Bebéji has been visited, and probably astronomically fixed, by Mr. Vogel.]

[Footnote 153: Fánda, conquered in 1853 by the Fúlbe of Záriya by treachery.]

[Footnote 154: Is this town identical with the place called by the Háusa-fatáki “garí-n-serkí-n-Fáwa”?]

[Footnote 155: Katáwa is the Háusa name for the people of Ígbira, the country itself being called Katú or Kotú, as in Kotú-n-karfi = iron district, Rúgga-n-Kotú.]

[Footnote 156: This is entirely confirmed by Mr. Vogel’s recent exploration.]

[Footnote 157: From Mr. Vogel’s last letters it appears that the elevation is 2,500 feet.]

[Footnote 158: Mr. Vogel also, though some time at Zibu, which he calls Chubum, has not been able to reach that important place, (the name of which he writes Okale), on account of the flooded state of the country.]

[Footnote 159: There is some faint indication of such a place in Dupuis’ Researches; and its name, as Okare, is mentioned by William Allen.]

[Footnote 160: This information, received after I had laid down the map, was, however, indicated by Mr. Petermann in the notes accompanying his Atlas, p. 11.]

[Footnote 161: Notices et Extraits, tom. xii. p. 650.]

[Footnote 162: A large piece of native cloth of Kwána manufacture, very interesting to those who feel real concern for the state of industry among the native Africans, was forwarded to England by the vizier of Bórnu at my urgent request.]

[Footnote 163: I have already observed with what accuracy I have laid down Hamárruwa with regard to latitude, while the error of longitude is attributable to the false position of Kúkawa, as established by Clapperton. With regard to the name of the town, I observe that I formerly wrote Hamárrua; and although for English readers it is certainly better to write it Hamárruwa, nevertheless I never heard it pronounced with a long ú, but the accent was always laid upon the second syllable.]

[Footnote 164: Mai Chebchóma being the title of the chief, the original name of the place is probably Chebchó.]

[Footnote 165: According to another very intelligent informant, of the name of Ádama, a Púllo native of Ádamáwa, the river of Láro is joined by the máyo Chánega, which flows two days S.S.W. from Chámba.]

[Footnote 166: This place also furnishes another proof of the care with which I constructed my routes from information, having changed the latitude of this place from 10° 15′, in which Denham had placed it, to 11° 1′,—an error of less than three miles. In the number of Mr. Vogel representing the longitude, there seems to be an error.]

[Footnote 167: The situation of this place is controlled by its relation to my route to Músgu, and by the distance from Wolóje as well as by that from Wúliya. See Vol. III.]

[Footnote 168: The termination _ng_, is a nasal sound, and is often not clearly distinguished.]

[Footnote 169: Respecting this name, see what I have said above, p. 480.]

[Footnote 170: This name seems to be a nickname given to the place by the Kanúri people, on account of the misery or dearth prevailing there, although “úro” is a Púllo name meaning “farming-village.”]

[Footnote 171: The form of the name, terminating in “ram,” seems to be Kanúri.]

[Footnote 172: Mr. Vogel, who visited the Músgu country in the rainy season, 1854, and who was so fortunate as to reach the district of the Túfuri, found there a considerable sheet of water, which, very erroneously, he seems to regard as the feeder of the Bénuwé, while in reality it was nothing but an expansion of the fáddama. How can it be possible that such a district, quite close to another large river, should feed such a stream as the Bénuwé?]

[Footnote 173: This is rather curious, as the name is evidently a Púllo name meaning “the chief’s residence.”]

[Footnote 174: The prevalence of the _Carica Papaya_ in this district, in the midst of the forest, is of very great interest.]

[Footnote 175: This last statement is perplexing, as there can be but little doubt about the situation of Mbáfu a few days’ journey N.E. from Kalabá, and its identity with Mr. Koelle’s Mfút and with Ndó; for if the direction were correctly given, we ought to look for these Íbo rather about Duke’s Town. Nevertheless I have no doubt that the Ígbo are meant, although no account of an expedition being made by the Fúlbe into that country has become known on the coast.]

[Footnote 176: Dr. Baikie (Appendix, p. 425.) says that the man from this tribe whom he met had a very black skin; but nevertheless the greater part of the tribe may have a far lighter colour, although it is most probable that Dr. Baikie’s informant would not acknowledge that. The specimens of the Batí language, which Dr. B. gives, seem to characterize a tribe entirely distinct from the Báya, or Bayong; but nevertheless it is likely that there exists an original bond of affinity between these two people, and that they belong to one and the same stock, which we may call the Bá stock. It is very characteristic, that all the numerals given by Baikie commence with a “bá.”]

CHRONOLOGICAL TABLE
CONTAINING
A LIST OF THE SÉFUWA, OR KINGS OF BÓRNU
DESCENDED FROM SÉF.
WITH THE FEW HISTORICAL FACTS AND EVENTS UNDER THEIR
RESPECTIVE REIGNS, THAT HAVE COME TO OUR KNOWLEDGE.

* * * * *