B O R 



Nubia, on tlie foutli by Kaiiga and Begarmce, and on the 

 wtrft by Zcg/cg, Zanfara, and Kafiina. The name Bor- 

 nou, which is given to this kingdom by the natives, is dif- 

 tingnilhed in Arabia by the appellation of Bernon, or Ber- 

 iioa, ilgnifviug the hind of Noali ; for the Arabs conceive, 

 that, on the tirll retiring of tlie deUige, its mountains re- 

 ceived the ark. This is a country of great extent, being 

 comprehended between the lOth and about the 22d degrees 

 of N. latitude. The climate is charafterized by cxcefTive, but 

 not uniform, heat. Two fenfons divide the year ; one com- 

 mencing abont the middle of April, and introduced by violent 

 winds from the S.E. and S.,intenfe heat, a deluge of rain, and 

 fuch tempeils of thunder and lightning as dellroy many cat- 

 tle and people ; at this time the inhabitants confine thcm- 

 felves to their honfes ; the reft of the feafon, thoui^h fnltry 

 and rainy, does not hinder the labours of the luilbandniaii 

 and Ihepherd. The other feafon commences towards the 

 latter end of Oftober, when the heat becomes lefs iiitenfe, 

 the air more fuft and mild, and the weather ferene. The 

 inhaljitanfs arc numennis, and coiilill of various nations; and 

 it is reported that thirty diflercnt languages are fpoken in 

 this empire. The language of the common people of Bor- 

 iiou, though difterent from, llrongly refemblts that of the 

 neighbouring negroes, and is very unlike the Arabic, in 

 wliich, however, the nobles and principal families couverfe. 

 Tlie art of writing is knovrr. among them ; and they are 

 taught to exprefs the Bornou tongue in the charailers of the 

 Arabic. 'J'hey are entirely black, but rot of the negro caft. 

 Their general drefs is conipofed of lliirts of bine cotton, 

 mannfaftured in the country ; a red cap, imported from Tri- 

 poli ; and a white muflin turban, brought from Cairo by 

 the pilgrims, who return through that city from Mecca. 

 Nofe-rings of gold are alfo worn by the principal people, 

 as a mark of dillinftioH. Wheat and bailey are feldom raifed 

 in Bornou ; but the horfe-bean of Europe, and the common 

 kidney -bean are anTiduoudy cultivated, as they are ufed for 

 food, both by the flaves and by the cattle. They alfo cultivate 

 a kind of grain peculiar to the country ; and the neighbour- 

 hood of the city of Bornou is fertile in Indian corn and rice. 

 Gum-trees are thinly fcattered _: cotton, hemp, and indigo 

 are alfo to be reckoned among the various produftions of its 

 foil. In the culture of the ground, the lioe is the only in- 

 ilrument in ufe, as the plough is not known ; and the wo- 

 men (liare with the men the labours of their hufbandry. The 

 fowing feafon commences at the end of the periodical rains 

 in April ; and fuch is the rapidity of vegetation, that one 

 fpecies of their grain is reaped in July, and another, of 

 flower growth, in Auguft or September. Two fpecies of 

 roots are ufed as fubdantial and wholefome food ; one called 

 the "doudoo," v.hofe leaves referable tholeofthe garden bean, 

 is dried in the fun, and reduced to line powder, which is mixed 

 with palm oil into the confiftency of palle ; and the other pre- 

 pared for ufe merely by boilingf. The fruits of Bornou are 

 grapes, apricots, pomegranates, lemons, limes, and melons. 

 The dates are fcarce and indifferent, as are alfo the apples 

 and plums ; but it has a valuable vegetable, called " Ke- 

 dcynah," refembling the olive in form and height, and the 

 lemon in its leaf, which bears a nut, whofe kernel is an 

 ettcemed fruit, and iliell, when bruifed, yi;:lds an oil that 

 fnpplies the lamps with a fnbllitute for the oil of olives. 

 To the clafs of animals we may refer innumeiable flocks of 

 (heep, and herds of goats and cows, (for there are no oxen,) 

 together with multitudes of horfes, buffaloes, and camels, 

 the flelh of which is in high cltimation, which cover the 

 vales or pafture on the mountains of Bornou. The common 

 fowl is reared by the inhabitants ; and their hives of bees 

 are fo numerous, that the wax is often thrown aw'ay as an 

 Vol. V. 



B O R 



article of no value in the market. Tiieir game confifls of 

 anteloijcs, partridges, wild ducks, and the ollrich, the fltfli 

 ot which they pii/e above every otiicr. Their other wild 

 animals are the lion, the leopard, the civet-cat, tlie fniall 

 wolf, the fox, the wild dog that hunts the antelope, the 

 elephant, of which, however, they make no ufe, the croco- 

 dile, the hippojiuianins, and giraffe. Bornou is much in- 

 fefled with different kimls of dangerous and difgulling rep- 

 tiles, efpecially fnakes and feorpions, centipedes and toads. 

 Its bealts of burthtn are numerous and various; of which 

 we may reckon the camel, the horfe, tlie afs, and the mule. 

 The dog appears to be the only domeftic animal. In ]ior- 

 nou the fame plan of conllrudting their lioufes univerfally 

 prevails. Four wall.-;, inclofing a fquarc, areereded; with- 

 in the walls, and parallel to them, four other walls are alfo 

 built ; the ground between the walls is then divided into 

 different apartments, and covered with a roof. Thus tlie 

 fpace within the interior walls determines the fi7.e of the 

 court ; the fpace between the walls, limits the width of the 

 apartments; and the height of the walls regulates the height 

 of the rooms. In a large houfe the rooms are each about 

 twenty feet long, eleven feet high, and as many in width. 

 On the outfide of the houfe, a fecoiid fquare or large yard, fur- 

 rounded by a wall, is ufually provided for the inclofure and 

 protcilion of the cattle. The walls are generally compofed 

 of earth and land, but others are formed of Hones or bricks 

 and clay ; and the roufs-conlill of branches of the palm-tree, 

 intermixed with brufli-wood, covered with layers of earth ; 

 and the whole building is white-wafficd with a fpecies of 

 chalk. The utenfils of a houfe, among the lower claffcs, 

 are mats covered with a flieep-flcin, upon which they flcep ; 

 an earthen pot and pan ; two or three wooden diflies, a 

 couple of wooden bowls, an old carpet, a lamp for oil, and 

 a copper kettle. Perfons of a fuperior rank alfo poffefs 

 leathern cnfliions, fluffed with wool, brafs and copper uten- 

 fils, a handiome carpet, and a fort of candlellick, which is 

 tifed for their candles that are made of their bees' wax and 

 the tallow of their flieep. The current fpecies of the empire 

 confifts of pieces of metal from an ounce to a pound in weight, 

 formed of copper and brafs, melted togithcr and mixed with. 

 other materials. The ruling people in Bornou profefs the 

 mahometan religion, fo that the fultan and liis iubjefls are 

 miiffulmen, and the other claffes are pagans. The govern- 

 ment is an elettive monarchy ; and the new fovereign, when 

 chofcn from among the fons of his predeceffor, is inverted 

 with all the flaves, and with two-thirds of all the cattle and 

 land, of his father; the remaining third being always de- 

 tained as a provifion for the other children of the deceafed 

 monarch. To the four lawful wives of the late fovereign, a 

 feparate honfe with a fuitable cftablifliment, is granted by 

 the reigning monarch ; and fuch of his concubines, as were 

 not flaves, are at liberty to return to their friends, with their 

 cloaths and ornaments, and with the pcrmiflion to many. 

 Tiie adminillration of the provinces of Bornou is committed 

 to governors, appointed by the crown ; and the expences of 

 the fovereign are defrayed partly by his hereditaiy lands, and 

 party by taxes levied on the people. The fultan Alii, who 

 was the fovereign of Bornou, in 17S9, though plain in his 

 drefs, maintained a magiiiticent feraglio, accommodating 

 500 ladies, ar.d was reputed to be the father of ^50 children ; 

 and the number of liories kept for his own ufe and that of 

 his fervants, amounted to 500. The military force of Bor- 

 nou confifts in a great multitude of horfemen, which renders 

 him a much more powerful monarch than the emperor of 

 Morocco ; but his foot-foldiers are few in number, and of 

 little importance. Their weapons of offence are the fabre, 

 the lance, the pike, and the bow ; and a fliield of hides forms 



1 their 



