Chapter XXVII: Part 27

(80.) The Arab tribe of Howara (هوارة) occupy all the villages on both sides of the Nile from near Siout up to Farshiout and Haou on the west, and to near Kenne on the east; at least the principal and most wealthy peasants of these villages belong to that tribe. Until the time of Mohammed Aly they were very powerful, and a branch of them, the Oulad Yahya (اولاد يحيي), settled on the east banks from Badjoura to Kenne (comprising the large villages of Salmye, Kaszer e’Seyad, Faoun, and Disher), were very conspicuous for their rebellious behaviour. The province of the Howara is of all Egypt the richest in horses, and the best breed of Egyptian horses is reared there. Every wealthy peasant kept his horse, and a large corps of cavalry could thus be collected at a moment’s notice.[206] The Hamam, the principal family of the Howara, had within the last century assumed the whole government of Upper Egypt, south of Siout, and the Mamelouks had been obliged to cede it to them by treaty. Their government was certainly more just than that of the Osmanlis, and although Mamelouks, far from being entitled to praise. The soil was moderately taxed: one Fedhan at Esne, which now pays 14 Patacks to Mohammed Aly, then paid only two Patacks; but extortions were practised upon all merchants, especially at Kenne, and Farshiout, and Girge; and the numerous relations of the Hamam governed in their own districts with great oppression and pride. None had more to suffer from the Howara than the Copts. Such of these people as were not in the service of the Shikhs Hamam, as financiers or writers, but who were employed, as many of them still are, in agriculture or in crafts, especially weaving, were so much exposed to the extortions of the Hamams and the Howara in general, who appear to have been very fanatic, that they found no other means for ensuring repose and protection than by offering themselves in slavery to their oppressors. It thus happened that in every village of southern Egypt, where Copts were settled, the latter chose one of the Howara Shikhs as his master; whom he called “my Bedouin,” (بدويّ), and was called by the Shikh “my Christian,” (نصرانيّ). He became now like a member of his master’s family; if he was poor, the latter sent to his house provisions of corn and butter, and gave him a dress every year; but in return, he was obliged to be constantly attending to his master’s orders; assisting him in his field labours, doing all kind of work for him, and accompanying him on an ass like a servant, whenever the Shikh rode out to meet his equals or superiors. If the Copt happened to be in good circumstances, he was obliged to make occasional presents to his master, who exempted him on that account from hard work, and protected him from the oppressions of any other Shikh. If the daughter of the serf was to be married, the master entered her house on the wedding night; and put an iron chain round her ankles, which he secured with a padlock, and the bridegroom was obliged to make him a present in order to have the padlock opened, and the girl restored to liberty. The possession of these Christians was transmitted by the Shikhs to their descendants, who seldom parted with them, unless they were themselves reduced to poverty, when they sometimes sold them to the protection of other Shikhs. In 1812 a Christian family residing on the east bank, opposite to Siout, was thus sold for two Erdeybs of corn. I am ignorant of the exact time in which this custom took its origin, but I believe it has subsisted only since the establishment of the Hamam. It is still in usage in Upper Egypt, in many parts of the open country, and especially in the most southern districts, where the peasants, although quite in subjection to the Pasha, are left in their own villages to act at pleasure, the government caring little for the impositions practised by the village Shikh upon poor individuals, provided the land tax be regularly paid. During my stay at Esne, I was well acquainted with several Christians who were thus the hereditary slaves or servants of great Shikhs, and I have myself assisted at the ceremony of tying the chain at the wedding. The Hamams were not quiet possessors of Upper Egypt even after the Mamelouks had made peace with them. They were exposed on the northern side to continual attacks from the Libyan Bedouin tribes of Tarhoun, Amaym, Djahame, Rabaya, and others, who dwell in the desert west of Siout and in the plain towards Beni Ady, and many accounts of battles fought between them and the Howara are still related. On the south, the tribe of Kaszas (قصاص) who people the country on the west banks from Thebes to near Esne, and to whom belong the inhabitants of Gourne, Orment, and Reheygat (all celebrated for their bold plundering enterprises) were their determined enemies; although both these and the Howara report that they have the same origin from Barbary. When, after Aly Beg, the Mamelouk power had increased in Egypt, the Hamams were attacked by them, and defeated in several bloody encounters, and the chief Hamam being wounded, fled to Esne, where he died. He was buried at Nagady opposite Kous. The treasure, in cash, which he had accumulated was in vain searched for; his people put to the torture, confessed that he had buried it in the mountains behind Haou; but nothing could be found, although to this day many a ruined peasant or pedlar, or necromancer wanders in that direction in the hopes of finding it. The power of the Hamams was thus destroyed, but that of the Howara remained, and the Mamelouk Begs, though often at war with them, could never break their strength. A part of them, the Oulad Yahya, for instance, were often entirely independent, and the village Shikhs themselves received the land tax from the peasants.[207] When Mohammed Aly had succeeded in driving away the Mamelouks, he was several years before he could reduce the Howara. His governors in Upper Egypt, Abdim Beg, Saleh Aga, Hassan Pasha, sacked many of their villages, but it was his own son, Ibrahim Pasha, who firmly settled his authority by acts of great rigour and severity, having killed by the sword or the executioner at least 2000 Howara. He changed the Shikhs of villages, in the same manner as the Wahabi chief had changed the Shikhs of the Arabian tribes; he disunited the villages among themselves, and punished with celerity and without any mercy all those who opposed the smallest obstacles to his authority. The last village sacked by Ibrahim Pasha in Upper Egypt was Orment, the chief place of the Kaszas, who had withheld their tribute. In the autumn of 1813, he fell by night upon that village, killed about 30 of the principal people and plundered all. Since that time Upper Egypt is completely reduced to submission. The Howara have now been obliged to abandon their horses, none but the Shikhs of villages dare keep any, and their dreaded cavalry is thus completely reduced. The descendants of Hamam, the chief, still remain; I knew a nephew of his at Farshiout and another at Esne; the latter had several Christians belonging to his family as serfs.

(81.) This city of Belak no longer remains. In the direction in which it is placed are several islands, upon which, looking from the shore, I saw several ruined buildings. It might be supposed that Belak was upon the Island of Philæ, but in that case there is no place, one mile in advance of Philæ, where we can place El Kaszer; and the latter name seems strongly to indicate that magnificent and ancient buildings stood there. Luxor, or El Akszar at Thebes, derives its name from the same circumstance.

(82.) The Moggrebyn traveller, Batouta, crossed this desert repeatedly. The relation he gives of it, when he passed it the first time, in 725 A. H. is the following: “he embarked on the Nile at Cairo and ascended the river as far as Edfou. From thence he went to the village of Adjerna el Fil (اجرنا الفيل), and to the village El Atoany (عطواني).[208] From the latter village he set out on his journey through the desert. He travelled with Arabs of the tribe of Dogheim (دغيم), for 15 days over barren mountains and plains. In one of their stations they alighted at Hemeytry (حميتري), where the tomb of the Saint Aby el Hassan el Shadely (ابي الحسن الشادلي) is shown.[209] He then came to Aizab. The people of Aizab are Bedjas, of a black colour. They never let their daughters partake in the inheritance. Two-thirds of the revenue of Aizab belongs to the King of the Bedjas, called el Hadraby, and one-third goes to the Sultan of Egypt. The voyage to Djidda could not take place on account of disturbances that had broken out between the Bedjas and people of Bornou,[210] and he was obliged to re-cross the desert to Egypt.” This is all that I find of this road, in an abridgement which I possess of the great work; and of which, as I believe it is not known in Europe, I shall give some farther notices here.

Ibn Batouta is perhaps the greatest land traveller who ever wrote his travels. When I first rapidly ran over his book, I took him for no better than Damberger the pseudo African traveller; but a more careful perusal has convinced me that he had really been in the places and seen what he describes. His name was Aby Abdallah Mohammed Ibn Abdallah el Lowaty el Tandjy, surnamed Ibn Batouta. He was born at Tangier in Barbary, from which place he derives the name of Tandjy. (ابن عبدالله محمد بن عبدالله اللواتي الطنجي المعروف با بن بطوطة). He published his travels after the year 755, A. H. They consist of a large quarto volume, which is so scarce in Egypt, that I never saw it; but I know that a copy exists at Cairo, though I was not able to discover who was the owner. A small abridgment in quarto is more common, and of that I have two copies.[211] I shall give here a rapid sketch of his travels, which lasted for 30 years. Being a learned man he found every where a polite and generous reception from Moslim chiefs and kings, and he lived as a true derwish, sometimes in great affluence and sometimes in poverty.

He left Tandja in 725, A. H., and went by Algiers, Tunis, Tripoly, and from thence by sea, to Alexandria and Cairo. From thence he proceeded to Upper Egypt and Aizab, with the intention of going to Mekka, but as we have seen before, he was obliged to return to Cairo. Without stopping long at Cairo he set out for Syria. In 726 he visited Jerusalem, Akka, Tripoly, Homs, Aleppo, Antioch, the fortresses of the Ismaylis, Balbek, and Damascus. From thence he started with the pilgrim caravan to Mekka, where he performed his first pilgrimage. He returned with the Hadj to Medina, from whence he travelled across the Nedjed to Meshed Aly, and Bassora. After an excursion to Shiraz and Ispahan he came back to Koufa, and went by Kerbela to Bagdad. From hence he visited Tebryz, and by way of Mosul again returned to Bagdad, from whence he went with the Hadj caravan across the Arabian desert a second time to Mekka in 729, where he remained for one year. He then embarked at Djidda for Yemen, touched at Souakin, which was then under the command of the Sherif Zeyd Ibn Aby Nema, whose father was Sherif of Mekka. He touched at all the sea ports of Yemen, as far as Aden. From thence he visited Zeyla on the African coast, the capital, he says, of the Barbara, a Negroe nation, turned Moslim, of the sect of the Shafey, whose territory extends from Zeyla two months journey as far as Mokdosho.[212] The greater part of the inhabitants of Zeyla are Rowafid (or sectaries of Aly). He then travelled 15 days by sea to Mokdosho; then to Mombaza, an island thus called; to Kilo, where he found the whole coast peopled with the Zendj nation, and every where Moslims mixed with pagans. From thence he crossed over to Thafar on the south coast of Yemen, 16 days journey by land from Hadramout, and one month to Aden, which was a harbour trading with India. Half a day’s journey from thence is the town of Ahkak, the ancient residence of the tribe Aad. From thence he coasted the shore to the chief city of Oman, called Nezoa. He then crossed over to the Persian coast, visited Hormuz, Khoristan, Lar, Djenhbal, Syraf (or Keys), Bahreyn, and El Hassa. From Hassa he went with the Hadj caravan in 733 to Mekka, performed his pilgrimage, and by way of Aidab and the desert again visited Egypt and Cairo. He then proceeded to Syria, and from thence into Anatolia, which country he visited in all directions. Taking his road by the Black Sea, he entered the north of Persia, Khowarezem, and Bokhara. He visited Samarkand, Termah, Balkh, Herat, El Djam, Tous, Sarkhas, and Nysabour. From Nysabour he crossed over the snowy mountains called Hindwaksh and Bisha-y, to Berden, to Ghazna, and Kaboul; then to the mountains of Shishghar, and across a desert of 15 days journey to the Pandjab, or five waters. He continued his road to Seboustan, and Lahoa on the river; went to Bekar, Audjed, and Mulsen; from thence 40 days journey to Dehly by the road of Abou Hour, Serseta, Hasky and Masoudabad. He arrived at Dehly in 740, and remained there a while. From thence he joined an embassy to China, but was afterwards separated from it. He travelled from Dehly to Byane, Koul (near the town of Djelaly) to Youhpour, Kanoudj, Meroua, Kalyour, Beroun, Kadjoura, Tahār (which is 24 days journey from Dehly) Dowletabad, Nezerabad, and Sagher; then on the river of Sagher, to Combabe, near the sea, and to Kawa. Here they embarked. Having passed at sea the island of Byram, the city of Kouka, the island of Sandabour, and the city of Hanoud, he arrived at Malebar. In that country he visited Mandjeroun, Heyly, Darkonna, and Calicut. From thence he visited the islands called Zobyt el Mahal (2000 small islands—no doubt the Maldives), where he met with curious adventures, and married in a Moslim family. The chiefs and kings of Malebar had been particularly generous towards him. He now set out for China. He landed at Sylan, where the Djebel Serendyb is, and where he visited Kankar, the residence of the king of Sylan, as well as the towns of Columbo and Batala. From hence he sailed for the country of Mabar, where he reached the king’s residence at Matrat. He now found himself obliged by wayward circumstances, to return to Kolam in Malebar, and to Calicut. He again started from thence by sea to Bendjala, where he alighted in the town of Sedka. Fakker eddyn was Sultan of Bendjala. He made from thence a long excursion to the mountains of Kamero, which join the mountains of Tibt. He reached the town of Habnak, situated on the river Azrak, which flows down from the mountains of Kamero towards Bendjala; passed the town of Seter kawan, from whence he travelled to the country of Ber hankar, on the sea shore, where he embarked for the Jawa (or Malay) country, on his way to China. He reached the island of Jawa, passed by the town of Meldjaza, the harbour of Kakouly, and from thence had a 34 days voyage to the sea of Kahel, where calms reign. He then touched at the town of Toualysy, and from thence sailed 27 days to the first town of China, called Kaoupoazyne. Wishing to see the interior of the country he travelled to the province of Kylan, upon a river. He visited the large town of Zeytoun, where the great river Ab-hya empties itself into the sea, and the cities of Kondjonfor and Khonsa, from whence he went back to Zeytoun. He found in almost every town of China, Moslims who received him with hospitality. From China he returned back to Java, Kolam, and Calicut; from thence to Yemen, to Maskat, Hormus, Khoristan, Shiraz, Ispahan, Bassora, and Bagdad, where he arrived in 748. He joined here a caravan going to Damascus, which passed by Anak and Tedmor, and from Damascus he returned to Cairo. In order to perform one more pilgrimage, he set out to Mekka by way of Upper Egypt and the desert to Aizab, and in 749 he was present at the Hadj of Arafat; he then visited Medina, and returned from thence by Cairo and Alexandria to Barbary, and his native town of Tandja. After a short excursion into Spain, where he visited Djebel Tarek (Gibraltar), Malaga, and Garnata, he recrossed the sea into the dominions of Morocco, and visited the capital, and Sedjelmessa. The vicinity of the Soudan kingdom now tempted this indefatigable traveller. In 753 he crossed the desert with the slave traders to Theghary, 25 days journey from Sedjelmessa, a village, the houses of which are built of salt stone, and are covered with camel skins; it is without any trees, in a sandy plain, and inhabited by slaves who dig up the salt in the neighbourhood, and sell it to the people of Soudan. From thence there was a waterless road of 10 days journey to a station where caravans alight and repose for 3 days, called Tashala. Farther on he crossed a sandy glittering plain, without water, or birds, or trees, but composed entirely of sand, which the wind moves, and where no footsteps remain. This desert is also 10 days across, after which he reached Abou Laten, the first place of Soudan. Here are a few date trees, and water melons; the people dress in clothes brought to them from Egypt; most of them are traders. Their women are beautiful, and are more honoured than the men, who are not jealous of them. They count the lineage from the uncle, and not from the father; the son of the sister inherits to the exclusion of the true son; a custom, says Batouta, which he saw no where else except among the pagan Hindoos of Malebar. These Negroes are Moslims. From Abou Laten he travelled to Maly. The road is full of large trees, a single one of which affords shade for a whole caravan. In the (hollow) trunk of one of these trees the traveller saw a weaver working at his loom. Among them are the trees Istaset, the interior of which is filled with water, and affords drink to the passengers. In other trees live bees, and they are full of honey. Gourds grow here to a very large size. They cut them in two, and thus make two large bowls out of one gourd. Almost all their vessels are of gourds. Ten days from Abou Laten, he passed the city of Zaghary (زغاري), an extensive place inhabited by Negroe traders, and some white people of the heretic creed of Byadha. Leaving this,[213] he came to a very large river, which is the Nile. Here is the village of Kar Sendjou, from whence the Nile flows down to Kabera, and from thence to Zagha (زاغه), the inhabitants of which are Moslims of old, and strong in their faith. From Zagha the Nile flows down to Timbuctou, then to Kuku, to Mouly, the last place of the country of Maly, to Bowy, which is one of the largest cities of Soudan, and the Sultan one of the most powerful of that country; no white man enters it, for he would be killed before his arrival. From thence the Nile descends into the country of Nouba, where the people are Christians, and passes by Dóngola, the largest town of Nouba, the king of which is at present called Ibn Kenz eddyn, who turned Moslim in the time of El Melek el Naszer (of Egypt). From thence the Nile flows down to the cataract. From Karsendjou (or Karsendjer) the traveller proceeded to the river called Sansera(صنصره), about 10 miles from Maly, and then entered Maly, where he remained two months, and received presents from the Sultan, Mousy Soleyman, an avaricious but very just king. The women in this country never cover their nakedness until after marriage. In 754 he left Maly, and came to a branch or canal of the Nile, where he saw a great number of hippopotami, and from whence, after many days, he reached Timbuctou. Most of its inhabitants are traders; it is a town of the kingdom of Maly, and a black governor, named by the Sultan of Maly, resides there. He then proceeded to Kuku, a large city, one of the finest in Soudan. Here as well as in Maly they use shells as currency. From Kuku he reached the town of Berdamma, the inhabitants of which are the guardians of the caravans; their women are beautiful. Farther, he arrived at the town of Nekda, built of red stones. The water (with which it is supplied) runs over copper mines, and assumes a red colour, whence it is called Bahr-el-Ahmar. The people have no employment excepting trade and the copper mines on the outside of Nekda (or Tekda), where slaves work. The copper is melted into long pieces, which are carried to the pagan Negroes for sale, and to other places. The Sultan of Nekda was of the Berber nation. From hence the traveller returned in 754 to Barbary. He passed the district of Hekar of the Berbers, Sedjelmessa, and arrived at Faz, where his travels are concluded.

This slight sketch is sufficient to show the importance of the travels of Ibn Batouta, and to warrant the opinion, that he was the greatest known traveller of any age, as far at least, as relates to the quantity of ground travelled over. The information contained in his complete work, regarding the north of Persia, India, China, and the interior of Africa, must be invaluable, and as he saw more of Africa than most travellers, I thought it not irrelevant to give the reader the result of my examination of his abridged work.

* * * * *

The desert, (the notice of which by Ibn Batouta gave rise to my digression upon his travels in general) was visited in the autumn of 1816, by Mr. Cailleau, a Frenchman, sent by Mohammed Aly Pasha to discover the renowned emerald mines in these mountains. His journey was facilitated by all the means which the government of Egypt can afford, and was successful. He returned in January, 1817, to Cairo, and his discoveries are very interesting.

He set out from Redesia, a small village nearly opposite Edfou in Upper Egypt. He found a well defined road eastwards. At the end of one day’s journey was a well, and another at two days journey. On the second day two different roads branched off towards Kosseir. At every eight or nine hours, from Redesia on the Nile, he met with the ruins of square massive buildings (not near the wells), as if of fortified stations; and the road appeared in many parts ancient, and the labour of men. On the second day he found on the road an ancient temple, cut out of the sand-rock, like those of Nubia, with four pillars in the interior of the cave, and two before it, having on both sides of the principal room a small apartment, and three colossal figures on the back wall of the cave, thus exactly resembling the excavated temple at Derr. The walls were all covered with hieroglyphics and figures in beautiful colours, as fine, the traveller says, as those of the tombs of the Kings of Thebes. Several Greek inscriptions were engraved on the walls of the cave, which he did not copy.[214] Beyond this temple (near which no water is found), he saw in continuing his route along the road, on various parts of the mountain, tablets of hieroglyphics and figures cut out of the granite rock; and on the third day after his departure from the Nile, he fell in with a great ancient road running from north to south. The road is broad, and evidently a work of great labour. The Arabs told him that several ancient buildings were found on that road farther south, but the traveller could not go in quest of antiquities, as he was sent in search of emeralds. He therefore crossed that road, and travelled over the mountains eastward until he met with the emerald mines, at the distance of seven days journey from Edfou, as many from Kous, and four days south of Kosseir. They are situated in a narrow valley composed of granite rocks. Along the mountain on both sides runs a horizontal stratum of mica, into which pits have been dug. Some of the pits, following this layer of mica in an oblique direction into the interior of the mountain, are four or five hundred feet in depth. The layer of mica being only from three to four feet in breadth, the alleys formed in the mountain are of no greater height, and whenever the mica layer increases in height, the roof of the passage is supported by wooden beams. In the interior of the pits, Mr. C. found a few specimens of emerald, of which I have seen a small piece about eight lines in length and five in breadth; a six-sided crystal, broken on both ends, its colour fine, but not clear. A better specimen is said to be in possession of the Pasha. When three years ago the Pasha’s mineralogist worked in these mountains to find emeralds (as I have said in my journal) his party had likewise come to these mines, and made some slight excavations. The road leading to the mines, to which the Ababde Bedouins apply the name of Zaboura, is cut through the rock with great labour. Close to the pits, of which there are about 60, basins or tanks have been formed in the granite rock to receive the rain water, Mr. C. found most of them filled with water. Some ruins of stone habitations stand in the valley. The nearest source of water is about five miles distant; it is very copious, and much resorted to by the Bedouins. About six hours distant, there is said to be another collection of similar pits with ruined buildings, where drawings of figures, &c. are seen, but these the traveller did not visit. In descending from the emerald mines to the sea, which is about eight hours distant, a broad sandy shore is seen, with a small flat island in the vicinity. The Pasha informed Mr. C. that it appears from the public registers that these mines were still worked in the 17th century. In proceeding from the mines farther south, the traveller met at two days journey from thence, at a quarter of an hour distant from the sea shore, a mountain entirely composed of sulphur, of which he brought away specimens. This mountain is well known in Upper Egypt, for whenever the Mamelouks were cut off from Cairo, they procured from thence the sulphur necessary to make gunpowder. The whole neighbourhood of this sulphur mountain is volcanic, and the sulphur itself is closely mixed with puzzolana earth.

On the whole road travelled by Mr. C. acacia wood grows in great plenty; the tree Allobe, of which I have spoken in my Shendy journal, is likewise met with. The Arabs call it the date of the desert. I immediately recognised the fruit, of which Mr. C. brought back some specimens. (Perhaps it may be the Labakh of the Arabs, or the Persea of the ancients.)

Little doubt can remain that the route which has thus been traced was the great road from Coptos to Berenice, or from thence perhaps to Aidab. The Arabs told the traveller that in continuing on the road which he crossed, a large temple was to be seen with several columns, situated a few days to the east of Assouan.[215]

(83.) Sherif Edrys in the Geog. Nub. says that eight Dinars were taken at Aizab from each pilgrim. In the short notice he has of that town, he adds that from Aizab to Djidda, the sea is crossed in one day and a night. The pilgrims coming from Aizab to Djidda had in former times to pay likewise at the latter place, a heavy personal duty, which was abolished in 572, A. H. by Salah eddyn, (v. Asamy’s History of Mekka.)

(84.) Damyry in his Zoology above cited, says of the Kersh (قِرش) that it is a large fish found in the Red Sea, of a round shape. It swims like lightning, and sometimes impedes the ship’s course, overturns boats, and breaks them.[216]

_A Recapitulation of the Chronological Dates contained in these
Notices on Nubia and Bedja._

* * * * *

A.H.

20. The Bedjas and Noubas send an army in aid of the besieged
Greeks at Bahnasa.

21. Aby Sarh, a commander of Amr Ibn el Aas, invades Nouba.

31. Aby Sarh makes a second expedition against Nouba, besieges
Dóngola, and obliges the king of Nouba to pay a tribute in
slaves.

216. Ibn Djaham, a commander of the Khalif Mamoun, renders the
Bedjas tributary. Under Motasem, the successor of Mamoun,
Zakaria the king of the Nouba and his son Feyraky, confirm
the tribute.

241. El Komy defeats the Bedjas, whose chief repairs to Bagdad
to sue for peace.

255. El Amry, with the Arab tribes of Rabya and Djeheyne, takes
possession of the gold mines in the Bedja country.

332. The tribe of Rabya continues in possession of these mines.

345. Ibrim is taken, and the King of Nouba repulsed by the
officer of Akshedy, Sultan of Egypt.

453. The pilgrim route is opened from Upper Egypt through the
desert to Aidab.

568. Salah eddyn sends an army against the Noubas, who had
ruined Elephantine and Assouan.

569. A brother of Salah eddyn makes an incursion into Nouba from
Yemen.

570. The army of Salah eddyn defeats Kenz el Dowla, the rebel of
Assouan.

660. The pilgrim route through Bedja is discontinued.

674. Sultan Dhaher Bybars of Egypt sends an army into the Nouba
country; the churches are ruined; part of the country
is annexed to Egypt, and the Nouba are obliged to pay a
capitation.

684 The army of Sultan Seyf eddyn Kelaoun over-runs the country
and of Nouba, as far as 18 days journey higher up than Dóngola.
688.

760. Aidab is abandoned as a sea port of Indian merchandises.

790. The Beni Kenz take Assouan.

799. The Osman Emperor Selym conquers Egypt. He sends garrisons
to Assouan, Ibrim, Say, and Souakin.

815. The Howara Arabs drive the Beni Kenz from Assouan (above
the cataract) and destroy that city.

_Note a._ I have found in Mackrizi’s History of the Sultans of Egypt,
called Es-Selouk, which I have cited above, some farther notices on
the wars between Egypt and Nouba, which I shall add here. In
relating in his chronicles of the year

674. The campaign of Dhaher Bibar’s officers against Daoud,
the King of Nouba, he describes it in the same terms as
those mentioned here, and he adds: The Moslim army reached
Dóngola, built on the east side of the Nile, where they
remained 17 days. They ruined the church of Ysous (Jesus).
They took from all the churches the golden crosses and
silver vessels. The soldiers took so many captives, that
after they had killed and sold great numbers, at three
Derhems per head, 10,000 of them still remained in their
hands.

It appears that Daoud died, and that Shekendy was
dispossessed of his kingdom by Samamoun, who became a
rebel; for in the year

684. The Sultan of Egypt, Seyf eddyn Kalaoun el Elfy es-Salehy,
ordered a large army to repair into the Nouba country,
among the numbers of which were likewise the Arab tribes
of Kenz and Beni Helal. Samamoun, together with Djerys,
the governor of the castle of Addo retired before the
approaching enemy as far as Dóngola, when a bloody battle
took place, in which the Nouba king was defeated and fled.
The Moslims pursued him 15 days journey beyond Dóngola;
they took Djerys prisoner, together with the nephew of
the King. The kingdom of Nouba was then given to a cousin
of Samamoun, Djerys was appointed his lieutenant, and
the tribute of slaves was re-established. The Moslim
army retired, carrying with them great numbers of Nouba
captives, men and women, whom they sold at Cairo.

After the army had departed, Samamoun rallied his party,
retook his country, and in the year

687. The fugitive rival king, together with Djerys, arrived as
refugees at Cairo. In the year

688, the Sultan of Egypt set on foot an army of 40,000 men to
recover the Nouba country. They were accompanied by 500
ships of all sorts, with many Harakes (a sort of gondolas,
called now Kandje, in Egypt), and both the refugees set
out with them. The pretender of Nouba died on the way at
Assouan; a nephew of Daoud, the former King of Nouba, who
then happened to be at Cairo, was dispatched from thence
to be installed in the government of Nouba in his stead.
The army divided into two parts, and ascended the Nile on
the east and west side. The country between Addo and the
islands of Mykeyl, which was the province under the command
of Djerys, submitted; but farther on the inhabitants
remained firm in allegiance to their king, and fled. The
soldiers plundered and destroyed every thing before them,
and reached Dóngola, which they found entirely abandoned by
its inhabitants; an old man and an old woman being the only
people who had remained there. Samamoum had taken refuge in
an island of the Nile, 15 days journey beyond Dóngola. The
army followed him, but it was found that the ships could
not pass the river on account of rocks.

In 689 the army reached however the banks opposite the islands,
when they saw many ships of the Nouba. They offered a safe
conduct to the king, but he did not accept it, and afraid
as he was of the coming up of the ships and the Harakes,
he fled towards Aboab, three days journey distant from
that island, which is a place beyond the limits of his
territory.[217] His chiefs and officers, the bishop and
priests abandoned him, and demanded a safe conduct from
the commander of the Moslims, who granted it. His army
remained three days before that island, and then returned
to Dóngola. They made a feast for him and exhibited martial
evolutions, and the dinner was spread in the church of
Ysous, the first church of Dóngola. The nephew of Daoud was
then crowned, and a corps of Moslim was left with him for
his defence. The chiefs swore allegiance to him, and the
Bakt was confirmed. After an absence of six months the army
returned to Assouan, and soon after to Cairo with great
booty. No sooner had they left Nouba than Samamoun returned
in disguise to Dóngola. He knocked at the doors of all
his officers, who when they came out and saw him, kissed
the ground (in sign of obedience). On the next morning he
assembled his whole army; he proceeded to the mansion of
the king, sent back the Moslim guard with their commander
to Kous, and laid hold of his rival. He dressed him in an
ox skin, and tied him to a post where he was left until he
died. Djerys was killed. Samamoun then wrote to the Sultan
of Egypt to ask his pardon, promising to send the Bakt. He
sent slaves and other presents, which were accepted.

_Note b._ It deserves mentioning here, that Aidab was at the end
of the 12th century, for a short time in possession of the Crusaders.
I find in Macrizi’s History, Es-Selouk, that in the year

578. El Bernys Ernat[218] (البرنيس ارناط), the Franks chief of
Kerek, built ships, and transported them by land to the
Red Sea. He stationed two ships at the castle of Kolzum,
to prevent the Moslim inhabitants of that place from
taking in water,[219] while he proceeded with the rest of
his fleet towards Aidab. He killed and took captives on
the road. He burnt about 16 ships, and took at Aidab a
ship full of pilgrims coming from Djidda. He intercepted
the caravan route with Kous, and took at Almor,[220] in
the desert between Kous and Aidab, a caravan of pilgrims,
whom he killed. They took two ships that had come from
Yemen full of merchandise, together with a great quantity
of provisions which had been collected on the coast for
the supply of the holy city. Such a misfortune had never
been heard of in the time of the Islam, and before them
no Roumy[221] had ever come into these parts, for there
remained only one day’s journey between them and Medina,
the town of the Prophet. They marched against Medina
to take it. The governor of Egypt, El Melek el Aadel,
sent an army to Kolzum; ships were built at Cairo and at
Alexandria. The Moslims reached Aila, and took some of the
ships of the Franks, which they burnt, making their crews
prisoners. The commander then set out for Aidab in pursuit
of the Franks. He overtook their ships and took them, and
having liberated the captives, restored what had been
taken from them by the enemy. He then landed on the firm
land,[222] and the Arab horsemen pursued the fugitives of
the Franks; two of the latter were carried to Muna,[223]
and were slaughtered there in the same manner as a ram is
immolated. The Moslims then returned to Cairo with many
captives, who were decapitated.

* * * * *
London: Printed by W. Bulmer and Co.
Cleveland Row, St. James’s.

FOOTNOTES:

[Footnote 1: Macrizi was a native of Baalbek, who flourished about the year 800 of the Hejra, or in the beginning of the 15th century.]

[Footnote 2: Vide note 1 at the end.]

[Footnote 3: The exact distance between Assouan and the cataract of Wady Halfa.]

[Footnote 4: Probably the Doum.]

[Footnote 5: Meaning, I suppose, the extent of ground irrigated by each water-wheel, which exactly corresponds with what I have observed on that subject in my journal.]

[Footnote 6: Vide note 2 at the end.]

[Footnote 7: Vide note 3.]

[Footnote 8: Vide note 4.]

[Footnote 9: Perhaps the ruined city of Meharraka, mentioned in my journal.]

[Footnote 10: The castle of _Adde_ and the colossal temple of Ebsambal, are probably meant here.]

[Footnote 11: Wady Halfa.]

[Footnote 12: From Wady Halfa to Sukkot, are four _long_ days journey.]

[Footnote 13: An exact description in all its details of the Batn el Hadjar, or the country above Wady Halfa.]

[Footnote 14: Vide note 6.]

[Footnote 15: Vide note 7.]

[Footnote 16: Vide note 8.]

[Footnote 17: Vide note 9.]

[Footnote 18: The baryd is an Arabic land-measure of four farsakh, or 12 miles.]

[Footnote 19: Vide note 10.]

[Footnote 20: Vide note 11.]

[Footnote 21: Meaning the pigeon-houses, which in the shape of high square towers, are at this day extremely common in Upper Egypt.]

[Footnote 22: See note 12.]

[Footnote 23: I have stated the same fact in various parts of my journals.]

[Footnote 24: See note 13.]

[Footnote 25: This is over-rated; but I have reason to believe, that the bend of the Nile will, on examination, be found much greater than is laid down in the maps.]

[Footnote 26: See note 14.]

[Footnote 27: See note 15.]

[Footnote 28: This again is over-rated.]

[Footnote 29: Thus if _a_ be ascending and _b_ descending, they will proceed in the same direction if the turn be as follows:

]

[Footnote 30: See note 16.]

[Footnote 31: See note 17.]

[Footnote 32: See note 18.]

[Footnote 33: Two different languages are still spoken on the borders of the Nile in Nubia.]

[Footnote 34: On the west bank of the Nile, above Debot, at no great distance from the cataracts, are the ruins of a city, still bearing the name of Merys. Vide Journal.]

[Footnote 35: The name of Mokra still remains in the appellation of Wady Mokrat, on the Nile, three days journeys below Berber.]

[Footnote 36: See note 19.]

[Footnote 37: i. e. the Gates.]

[Footnote 38: This river is, no doubt, the Mogren, the bed of which I found dry, with the exception of a few pools, in April, 1814.]

[Footnote 39: This name is usually applied to the Sherif Edrys, as having been a native of Nubia; Macrizi here applies it to Selym of Assouan, as the historian of Nubia.]

[Footnote 40: This description answers to that of a fish found in some of the rivers of Asia Minor. ED.]

[Footnote 41: See note 20.]

[Footnote 42: See note 21.]

[Footnote 43: So I translate the Arabic word Berak, (_plur._ of Birket). Thus the Dead Sea is called “Birket Lout,” the sea or lake of Lot.]

[Footnote 44: By this river the Nil el Azrek (Blue Nile) is no doubt meant.]

[Footnote 45: See note 22.]

[Footnote 46: See note 23.]

[Footnote 47: See note 24.]

[Footnote 48: In reading the account of this _island_, as it is called, and of the people, it is impossible not to think on Meroë, and the Troglodytes of Herodotus. See note 25.]

[Footnote 49: Meaning, I suppose, that their periodical risings take place at the same time.]

[Footnote 50: By the four rivers are probably meant the branches of the Bahr el Azrek.]

[Footnote 51: If under the first mentioned river the Mogren is really to be understood, this statement is erroneous.]

[Footnote 52: See note 26.]

[Footnote 53: The Arabic geographers give the name of Zendj to the south-eastern coast of Africa, about Melinda and Mombaza; but the Zendj here meant, is a northern tribe in the Somauly or Abyssinian country. From Zendj, or as it is likewise pronounced Zeng, the term Zanguebar is no doubt derived.]

[Footnote 54: See note 27.]

[Footnote 55: Cape Gardafui is probably here meant.]

[Footnote 56: Having passed the Straits of Bab el Mandeb.]

[Footnote 57: See note 28.]

[Footnote 58: See note 29.]

[Footnote 59: See note 30.]

[Footnote 60: رُبط, the plural of رباط, are public buildings, destined originally for the accommodation of students; many of them still exist in the Hedjaz, and at Cairo, where they have declined into mere lodging-houses.]

[Footnote 61: Mozer is a species of Bouza, or fermented liquor, still known by that name in Egypt, and especially in Upper Egypt. I have mentioned this white, large grained Dhourra, in my journal.]

[Footnote 62: Towards Sennaar the cultivable soil on the Nile extends far inland.]

[Footnote 63: It thus appears that Christianity had at this time extended nearly as far as Sennaar.]

[Footnote 64: At this day the people of Berber and Shendy, as I have remarked in my journal, are less intelligent than the Noubas of Dóngola.]

[Footnote 65: It should seem from this, that his country extended far to the south towards the Abyssinian mountains.]

[Footnote 66: See note 31.]

[Footnote 67: A chasm in all the three manuscripts.]

[Footnote 68: See note 32.]

[Footnote 69: يتلثموا, i. e. they cover their faces with a hand-kerchief, as the Arabian Bedouins, to this day often do with their keffie, or head-kerchief.]

[Footnote 70: Much the same thing is related of the present king of Bornou.]

[Footnote 71: As it still does in Bornou and Bahr el Ghazal.]

[Footnote 72: See note 33.]

[Footnote 73: I have stated in my journal, that towards Shendy and Sennaar the cotton Dammour and its fractional parts form the principal currency.]

[Footnote 74: Probably by tying many of them together, and thus making a raft.]

[Footnote 75: See note 34.]

[Footnote 76: Masoudy says, that they are seven days journey from Goft, which is in the immediate neighbourhood of Kous; and it will be seen from the note 82, that he was right.]

[Footnote 77: See note 35.]

[Footnote 78: Mica, See note 82.]

[Footnote 79: See note 36.]

[Footnote 80: A similar custom, founded upon the same principle, prevails in Ashantee. See Bowdich’s Mission, p. 234, 254. ED.]

[Footnote 81: See note 37.]

[Footnote 82: In my journey round the Dead Sea to Cairo, I remarked a similar custom prevalent among the Arabs of Kerek.]

[Footnote 83: From Seba, i. e. seven.]

[Footnote 84: From Aksum in Abyssinia.]

[Footnote 85: From Dahlak, an island in the Red Sea, near Massoua.]

[Footnote 86: The Bedja tribe which I saw at the island of Mekouar had shields made of the skin of a large fish.]

[Footnote 87: See note 38.]

[Footnote 88: See note 39.]

[Footnote 89: See note 40.]

[Footnote 90: See note 41.]

[Footnote 91: See note 42.]

[Footnote 92: See note 43.]

[Footnote 93: See note 44.]

[Footnote 94: See note 45.]

[Footnote 95: See note 46.]

[Footnote 96: Perhaps this is the species of Gazelle with two straight horns, represented in the beautiful historical bas-relief of Kalabshe in Nubia. See p. 117.]

[Footnote 97: See note 47.]

[Footnote 98: See note 48.]

[Footnote 99: See note 49.]

[Footnote 100: The author undoubtedly means a white man.]

[Footnote 101: The aspect of the translator excited quite different emotions in the Bedja women, for whenever they saw him they uttered a shriek, and those who spoke Arabic exclaimed, “God preserve us from the devil!”]

[Footnote 102: In the original it is more coarsely expressed.]

[Footnote 103: i. e. Christians or Jews.]

[Footnote 104: See note 50.]

[Footnote 105: See note 51.]

[Footnote 106: The public treasury.]

[Footnote 107: On the road to Aidab. See below.]

[Footnote 108: A village of the name of Koban, with an ancient ruined city, is situated about three days south of Philæ (Kaszer,) opposite to Dakke, on the east bank of the Nile (see p. 106); the columns here mentioned were probably a part of the ruins at Koban. The columns of Philæ are all upon the island, and could not, therefore, well serve as a line of demarcation.]

[Footnote 109: Here follows a repetition of the solemn assurance of peace, as above.]

[Footnote 110: See note 52.]

[Footnote 111: See note 53.]

[Footnote 112: Or it may be translated, “on the river.”]

[Footnote 113: Apparently in the same manner as the papyri are rolled and wrapped up.]

[Footnote 114: Vide infra.]

[Footnote 115: See note 54.]

[Footnote 116: In his book called the “Golden Meadows.”]

[Footnote 117: Masoudy, whose work I possess, adds that the people of Ollaky are supplied with water by the rains, and have running springs in the Djebel Ollaky. See note 56.]

[Footnote 118: See note 57 .]

[Footnote 119: The Negroe Moslims, to this day, apply the name of Koran indiscriminately to all the pagan Negro nations.]

[Footnote 120: Mr. Browne found a tribe of Zaghawa in the desert north of Darfour.]

[Footnote 121: See note 58.]

[Footnote 122: See note 59.]

[Footnote 123: See note 60.]

[Footnote 124: See note 61.]

[Footnote 125: See note 62.]

[Footnote 126: Here is a chasm in all the MSS.]

[Footnote 127: See note 63.]

[Footnote 128: i. e. the Khalif.]

[Footnote 129: See note 64.]

[Footnote 130: A vestment of cloth still worn in the East.]

[Footnote 131: See note 65.]

[Footnote 132: Some Nouba captives, I suppose.]

[Footnote 133: A quarter of Cairo near the canal, now in ruins.]

[Footnote 134: The author does not say of what.]

[Footnote 135: See note 66.]

[Footnote 136: In the same work called “The Golden Meadows.”]

[Footnote 137: i. e. The Conquests of the Moslims.]

[Footnote 138: This Khalif reigned from 136 to 150 A. H.]

[Footnote 139: See note 67.]

[Footnote 140: See note 68.]

[Footnote 141: See note 69.]

[Footnote 142: See note 70.]

[Footnote 143: i. e. Soldiers charged with the burning of the enemies towns (جال حراريق).]

[Footnote 144: Probably a species of cuirass made of quilted cotton, like those still worn by the Bedjawy, but of a white colour.]

[Footnote 145: See note 71.]

[Footnote 146: I believe this to be the island of Sukkot, above the second cataract, where I met with several ruins of Greek churches.]

[Footnote 147: See note 72.]

[Footnote 148: A similar tribute received by the kings or priests of Egypt, is represented in the beautiful historic bas-relief in the grotto of Dar el Waly, behind the temple of Kalabshe. See note 73.]

[Footnote 149: As to its revenues, I suppose.]

[Footnote 150: The latter remark leads me to suppose that by the expression, “territory of the cataracts,” the district between Wady Halfa and Philæ is meant.]

[Footnote 151: This proves that at the end of the 13th century, the prevailing religion of Nouba was still Christian.]

[Footnote 152: Besides marks in the ancient temples of their having been converted into churches, numerous ancient churches are seen in every part of the country between Wady Halfa and Assouan.]

[Footnote 153: See note _a_ at the end.]

[Footnote 154: This chapter is placed, by Macrizi, before the notices on the Bakt; but I have preferred placing it here.]

[Footnote 155: This often stated distance is exactly the same as that reported to me, between Assouan and the mountain of Olba, the chief seat of the Bisharein, where remains of ruins are said to exist.]

[Footnote 156: See note 74.]

[Footnote 157: This appears to be mentioned because the date is usually propagated by cuttings.]

[Footnote 158: It should thus seem that the whole population of Nouba was originally held in slavery by their king.]

[Footnote 159: In another chapter of his Golden Meadows.]

[Footnote 160: See note 75.]

[Footnote 161: See note 76.]

[Footnote 162: Or, as it may likewise mean, by the river Nile.]

[Footnote 163: So far goes the relation of Masoudy.]

[Footnote 164: It is now about ¹⁄₅₀ of that sum.]

[Footnote 165: Of him we have an excellent work on the Olemas of Upper Egypt. (It is among my MSS. sent to England.)]

[Footnote 166: Known in Europe by the name of Saladin.]

[Footnote 167: This Kenz el Dowla was the Egyptian governor of the town, who had rebelled against Salah eddyn, and had marched against Cairo with an army of blacks and of Arabs. Malek el Aadel, one of the brothers of Salah eddyn, defeated him in 570, in a great battle near the village of Toud; and soon after he was killed. I am ignorant whether this Kenz el Doula has any thing in common with the Beni Kenz; from the pedigree given of it by Macrizi, in his history of Egypt, called el Selouk, from which I have made this extract (السلوك لمعرفة دول الملوك للمقرزي) he is said to be descended from Ibn el Doul, from whom he took the name.]

[Footnote 168: See note 77.]

[Footnote 169: See note 78.]

[Footnote 170: By the ascension of Salah eddyn to the throne of Egypt.]

[Footnote 171: Elephantine.]

[Footnote 172: The history of similar attacks forms the subject of many paintings on the walls of the ancient temples of Upper Egypt. See note 79.]

[Footnote 173: In this year a terrible famine destroyed the population of Upper Egypt. 17.000 souls died at Kous, 11,000 at Siout, 15,000 at Haou, of those only who were regularly buried. (V. Macrizi’s chapter of Upper Egypt.)]

[Footnote 174: See note 80.]

[Footnote 175: The Howara are still settled in the villages from Siout to Farshyout. They state their origin to be from a Moggrebyn tribe.]

[Footnote 176: It is probable that at that epoch the Beni Kenz fled above the cataract.]

[Footnote 177: See note 81.]

[Footnote 178: Even now the travellers to and from Darfour, are in the habit of depositing their loads in the desert, if their camels have perished on the road, or are too weak to carry them on.]

[Footnote 179: The author means here the great famine that happened at that time in Egypt, or the Tartar invasion of Syria and Mesopotamia. At the same time the Sherif Ibn Sayd of Mekka had obstructed the passage of the Hadjis.]

[Footnote 180: The last figure being deficient in the MSS. it is uncertain in what year it was between 660 and 670.]

[Footnote 181: I have mentioned something of this Hadj route in my second journal. Batouta states the distance at fifteen days journey (see note 82.) Between Coptos and Berenice were twelve stations.]

[Footnote 182: As are the houses of Souakin at present.]

[Footnote 183: See note 83.]

[Footnote 184: Probably that in the bay, now called Dóngola. (See my journal.)]

[Footnote 185: I suppose northerly winds are meant here. According to the present system of navigation in the Red Sea, they would run over to the African coast from Djidda, and then coast the shore as far as Aidab northwards.]

[Footnote 186: The small country ships of the Red Sea, never carry more than three or four days provisions of water, and this was probably the case likewise in those times; and those who left the ships to proceed by land, could therefore take no water from the ship for their journey.]

[Footnote 187: Ropes made of the cocoa tree bark, coming from India and the Somauly coast, are still in general use in the Red Sea.]