Dr. Barth sets out on his Journey-Ancient Remains. 387

'Consul, Mr. Crow, by Mr. Reade, and Mr. Dickson and his 'family, of whom we took a hearty leave under the olive-trees near 'Kasr el Haeni,' writes Dr. Barth in his journal, little thinking that more than five years would pass away ere he, the sole survivor of that expedition, should again clasp hands with his friends under the olive-trees. Having been joined by Mr. Richardson and his party a few days after, they proceeded on their journey along flourishing corn-fields and green pastures; but to these, stony valleys soon succeeded, the many Roman remains indicating that the conquerors of the world had occupied important stations there. The ruins of a massive stronghold, a gate with a noble arch of remarkably fine masonry, and several sepulchral monuments, one forty-eight feet high, and richly decorated, prove that these deserted regions were once inhabited by a wealthy and highly civilized population. But one of the most curious remains is a small building, which has evidently been used as a Christian church, and which, with its semicircular apsis and thick, short pillars with capitals of rude workmanship, representing human figures variously employed, startles us by its singular resemblance to the Norman style. Dr. Barth considers it to have belonged to a small monastery; but no information as to the date of its erection, or even the name of the Roman station, where it is found, could be obtained.

The country now became very desolate;―stony ravines, shut in by steep and gloomy-looking cliffs, their dulness only relieved at long intervals by a few palm-trees; but ere long they reached the first station on their journey, Múrzuk. From thence their route lay along mountain passes, where many curious sculptures on the sandstone blocks were discovered. Dr. Barth has given two or three copies of some of these, which there is little doubt are mythological; the largest representing two human figures with heads of animals, engaged in combat. Although we cannot agree with Dr. Barth as to the beauty of these sculptures, since, as represented here, they are of the rudest kind, we fully admit their very interesting character, as the remains of some extinct raceperhaps, as he suggests, the Carthaginians. The fact, too, that while the indigenous animals, especially oxen, are repeatedly sculptured on these, the camel has no place, proves the antiquity of these slabs, for it is a known fact that the camel was introduced into the western part of Northern Africa at a much later period.' In the neighbourhood are circles, too, laid out very regularly 'with large slabs, like the opening of a well-like the many circles seen in Cyrenäica, and in other parts of Northern Africa, evidently connected with the religious rites of the ancient inhabi'tants. After many delays and many annoyances, after being

repeatedly threatened, and at length pillaged, Dr. Barth and his companions arrived at Tintéllust, where they stayed some time, as the rainy season had now set in. Yet,' Dr. Barth naïvely says, 'we liked the rain much better than the sandstorm;' nor is this surprising, for 'in a few days all nature around assumed so 'fresh and luxuriant a character, that so long as we were left in repose we were cheered to the utmost, and enjoyed our pleasant encampment.'

'It was very pleasant and interesting to observe every day the rapid growth of the little fresh leaves and young shoots, and the spreading of the shady foliage. Monkeys now and then descended into the little hollows beyond our tents to obtain a draught of water, while the trees swarmed with beautiful ringdoves, and hoopoos, and other smaller birds. The climate of Air has indeed been celebrated from the time of Leo, on account of the healthfulness and coolness of the atmosphere.' '

But the beautiful scenery was sadly counterbalanced by the predatory character of the half-barbarous tribes. While the moon shed a splendid light over the interesting wilderness,' and Dr. Barth was enjoying her brightness, some strong thieves, mounted on swift camels, adopting the ancient motto of the bold Buccleughs, 'best riding by moonlight,' attacked the little encampment, and plundered Mr. Richardson's tent. The loss, however, was but small; and as they received immediately after distinct assurance of protection both from the Sultan of A'gades— whither they were bound-and from his chief officer, the travellers set out with stronger feelings of confidence a few days after.

The route to Agades was more pleasant, and was enlivened, too, by pleasant companions: among these, Dr. Barth instances an amiable and very intelligent old man, a blacksmith; and he remarks in what high estimation all over the country the smith (the énhad) is held, an 'énhad' being generally the prime minister of every little chief. Now, that the smith should hold high station among workmen is natural enough; but that he should be sought after as prime minister, seems to us to point to that widely-spread Eastern superstition of certain magical powers which are supposed to belong, in some mysterious way, to the workers in iron, and which from the earliest times have invested 'the smith' with a character of indefinable dread. We wish Dr. Barth had entered into this subject more at length, as few inquiries are more interesting-ethnologically, indeed, few are more important-than those which seek to trace the peculiar superstitions or traditions of a far-distant country, or remote age, to other lands and to supposed alien races. An interesting 'testimony, indeed, to the connexion of these people with the

Arrival at Agades-the Sultan's Installation.

389

'East, and with that great family of mankind we call the Semitic, 'is borne,' as Dr. Barth remarks shortly after, 'in the name of a 'grand and beautifully-shaped mountain' near which they passed, 'Mount Abila; for the name of this mountain, or rather of the 'moist and green vale at its foot (for throughout the desert, even ' in its most favoured parts, it is the valley which generally gives its name to the mountain), is probably the same as that of the 'well-known spot in Syria, from whence the province of Abilene 'has been named.'

On the arrival of the travellers at Agades, Dr. Barth paid a visit to the Sultan, whose homely dwelling and appointments contrasted most unfavourably with a title which seems to bring a vision of barbaric gold and pearl' before the mind. Instead of jewelled musnud and long ranks of gorgeous attendants, Abd el Kaderi was seated in solitary state on a platform of boards and clay, in dress that must have satisfied the most vehement abuser of royal magnificence, for it consisted solely of a large white shawl that half concealed his face, and a grey shirt. This regal personage had never heard of the English nation, although it appears he had made a satisfactory acquaintance with English powder;' and well pleased was he to find himself placed in Dr. Barth's complimentary address among all the chiefs and great men on the earth,' with whom the English wished to hold friendly intercourse. The presents were duly received, and the royal acknowledgment was sent soon after in the appetizing form of a large fat ram. But although occupying so low a place in the scale of regal grandeur, we find that Abd el Kaderi had a better claim to his minute kingdom and small authority than the gorgeous sultans of India, or even the Czar of all the Russias, for he received his dignity from the hands of the people. At the time of Dr. Barth's visit, although acting as ruler, he had not been solemnly appointed, and this ceremony took place soon after in the following curious manner :-On the eve of the great day the various neighbouring tribes, and among them the ten chiefs of the Kél-gerés in great state, drew near the town, and encamped outside. On the following morning, the great men of the town proceeded on their camels to these chiefs, and conducted them to the palace in solemn procession.

Then, without much ceremony or delay, the installation of the new sultan took place. The ceremonial was gone through inside the fáda, but this was the procedure. First of all, Abd el Kaderi was conducted from his private apartments to the public hall. Then the chiefs of the Itisan and Kél-gerés, who went in front, begged him to sit down upon the 'gadó,' a sort of couch, or divan, made of the leaves of the palmtree, or of the branches of other trees, and covered with mats and a

carpet. Upon this the new sultan sat down, resting his feet on the ground, not being allowed to put them upon the gadó, and recline in the Oriental style until the Kél-owi desired him to do so. Such is the ceremony, symbolical of the combined participation of these different tribes in the investiture of their sultan. This ceremony being concluded, the whole holiday procession left the palace, taking its course through the most important part of the town, and through the market-places, turned round to the oldest quarter of the town, and then returned westward, till it reached the chapel of Sidi Hammáda'— where, according to an old custom, the prince was to say his prayersand then the prayers being finished, the procession returned by the southern part of the town, and, about ten o'clock, the different parties which had composed the cortege separated.' '

On this occasion the Sultan made a more regal appearance. He was mounted on a very handsome horse, and wore a robe of coloured silk and cotton, over which the costly blue bernous, which Dr. Barth had presented, was displayed, and at his side was a handsome scimitar with a gold handle. The procession was very long and imposing, from the number of armed men, each displaying his peculiar dress and weapons; and their picturesque attire, especially of the Tawárek horsemen, recalled to Dr. Barth's mind the martial processions of the middle ages.' And the ceremony itself the choice of the chief men, 'the religious sanction, and then the presentation of the monarch for popular recognition, indicated by the long procession through the chief streets and the market-places-might have awakened associations of an earlier day, of the choice of the 'war-king' by the ancient Teutons in the pine forests of the distant north.

Agades presents a very neat and clean appearance in the view which Dr. Barth has given, although built entirely of wood and clay. One very curious building, erected probably to serve the purpose of a watch-tower, rises from a base of thirty feet square to a height of above ninety feet, gradually tapering to about eight feet square at the top. It is built entirely of clay; and in order to 'strengthen a building so lofty and of so soft a material, its four 'walls are united by thirteen layers of boards of the dum-tree, 'crossing the whole tower in its breadth and width, coming out on ' each side from three to four feet, while at the same time they 'afford the only means of getting to the top.' Dr. Barth visited the interior, which seemed unfinished; but his request to be allowed to ascend it was met by a peremptory denial; indeed, the Mohammedan prejudices of the inhabitants were, in more than one instance, very unpleasantly displayed. This will not, however, excite much surprise, considering that Dr. Barth was the first Christian who had ever visited the town. During the first days of his residence they took him for a Pagan, and cried after

They set out for Káno-the Start of the Caravan.

391

'me the confessional words of Islám, laying all the stress upon. 'the word 'Allah,' the one God; but soon after, when they learnt 'that I likewise worshipped the Deity, they began to emphasize 'the name of their Prophet.'

After many delays, the travellers at length set out for the more important town of Káno, and in the course of their journey were greatly harassed by the many predatory tribes that infest the mountain passes, and levy contributions from the caravans, much after the manner of our borderers in the days of the strong hand. Here Dr. Barth made acquaintance with the North African lion, which, like those of all this border region of the desert, has no mane-that is to say, as compared with other lions.' He also is considered less ferocious than his brethren of Central Africa, whose manes are very abundant and beautiful. The route of the caravan which Dr. Barth had joined lay along fine mountain scenery, often well wooded; indeed, the little sketch he has given us of his encampment in a small valley, is remarkably European in character, and very picturesque. Here they stayed until the arrival of the first portion of the salt caravan from Bilma, when, after having gone in procession with the chief to dig a well, which, when they had obtained from it a sufficient supply of water, they carefully walled in with branches and stones against their return, they set forth on the 12th of December.

Late in the morning we began to move, but very slowly, halting every now and then. At length the old chief came up, walking like a young man before his meheri (camel), which he led by the nosecord; and the varied groups composing the caravan began to march more steadily. It was a whole nation in motion; the men on camels or on foot, the women on bullocks or asses, with all the necessaries of the little household, as well as the houses themselves,-a herd of cattle, another of milk goats, and numbers of young camels running playfully alongside, and sometimes getting between the regular lines of the laden animals. We started early, but encamped after

a short march of about six miles, that the whole caravan might come up and join together. Our old chief here put on his official dress (a yellow bernous of good quality) to show his dignity as leader of such a host of people.'

It is

Salt is the only article conveyed by this caravan. formed into a pillar like shape by being poured in a fluid state into a wooden mould. There is, however, a finer sort, which is in loose grains, but it is scarce and very dear. It is, however, the only palatable sort to be obtained, for the cake salt is so bitter as to be unendurable to European taste. There was great merriment in the evening-dancing, and most vehement drumming, and the various picturesque groups, ranging over a wide