NIGRITIA. 



841 



from north to south, and 30 from east to west. It is watered by the Niger, Moussa, 

 and Oli. It comprises the districts of Boussa, Kiama, Wawa, and Niki. The city of Boussa 

 stands on an island in the Niger ; it is wailed, and has a population of 10,000. Here Park 

 lost his life. The city of Kiama contains 30,000 inhabitants, who are looked upon as the 

 greatest thieves and robbers in all Africa. The city of JVaica has a population of 18,000. 



15. Youriba. This kingdom joins the preceding. The inhabitants cultivate cotton and 

 indigo, and carry on the slave trade. Eyeo, the capital, stands on the slope of a range of hills, 

 and is surrounded by a clay wall 15 miles in circuit. The houses are of clay, with thatched 

 roofs. There are 7 markets in the city ; and a trade is carried on with the coast of Guinea. 



16. Bambarra. This kingdom lies to the west of Senegambia, and north of the Kong 

 mountains. It is 450 miles in length, and 300 in breadth. The Niger traverses it from west 

 to east. The inhabitants are negroes, and some Moors. Sego is the capital. Jenne, for- 

 merly included within this kingdom, is now under the dominion of an independent Fellatah 

 chief. This city was visited by Caillie, and is described by him as 2^ miles in circumference, 

 and surrounded by a wall 10 feet in height. The houses are built of bricks dried in the sun ; 

 they are all terraced, and have no windows outward, but the air is admitted from an inner 

 court. The streets are crooked, and sufficiently wide for 8 or 9 persons to walk abreast ; 

 they are swept almost daily. The town is full of bustle and animation, being the resort of 

 numerous caravans. The population is 8 or 10,000. 



17. Darfour. This country, consisting merely of a group of oases in the desert, is bounded 

 north by the Desert of Zahara, and east by Kordofan. Its surface is highly diversified, and 

 the climate partakes of that of the desert. The Bahr el Jlbiad, the head stream of the Nile, 

 flows through the southern part. The inhabitants raise millet, rice, maize, sesame, and beans. 

 The date, palm, and tamarind are found here, and tobacco grows wild. A great trade is 

 carried on by caravans with Kgypt. The exports are slaves, which are taken in the countries 

 to the south, camels, ivory, the bones, teeth, and hides of the rhinoceros and elephant, ostrich, 

 feathers, gum, pimento, &c. There is a trade also with Mecca. Cobbe, the chief town, has 

 6,000 inhabitants. The people of Darfour are negroes, resembling those of Bornou, and 

 there are many Arabs, retaining their distinctions of color, feature, and manner. They are 

 principally agricultural, and the king commences the labors of the seed time, by planting in 

 person. A large kind of grain called kassab^ is much used as food. The dwellings are sim- 

 ple, having walls of mud or clay. The religion is the Mahometan. 



18. Cordofan. This district lies between Darfour on the west, and Sennaar on the east, 

 and was alternately subject to tliose States until it was conquered by the Egyptians in 1830. 

 On the south it is bounded by a chain of volcanic mountains. It is poorly watered, and ill 

 cultivated. The chief produce is maize and dourra. The inhabitants weave cotton stuffs, 

 forge iron, and carry on a trade in gold dust.* 



* In 1839, the viceroy of Egj'pt, Mehemet Ali paid a 

 visit to liis States in Nigritia, and the following curious 

 passages are extracted from the official journal of his 

 tour : 



" The inhabitants of Nigritia are Mussulmans of the 

 sect IMalitu, but the slaves are of no religion. They are 

 divided into Beledi (inhabitants of towns), Bevadi (in- 

 habitants of the plain), and Gebeli (inhabitants of moun- 

 tains). They are generally in a state of simple nature, 

 wild and wandering. Those who have no meriss or bulbul 

 (the beverage bouza) eat the bark of trees. Nevertheless, 

 they are fat and robust. A piece of stinking skin covers 

 them in front. 



" Life, that precious gift of heaven, is passed by them 

 in ignorance ; their thoughts tend to nought but the sale 

 of their fellow creatures. They pay no attention what- 

 ever to agriculture, and those who have a sorry bed, form- 

 ed of some pieces of wood (which is called aucaril), or 

 can afford to drink houza, are envied by their fellows, who 

 come at night to rob them, the inhabitants of the interior 

 committing outrages on those who dwell on the borders 

 of the Nile. Tliose latter believed, that the arrival of his 

 Highness vi'ould be favorable to their desire of vengeance, 

 and they looked to Ahmet Pasha, declaring, that they 

 wished to engage with their enemies. This governor- 

 general, aware of the pious intentions of his Highness, 

 who was unwilling to shed blood, proceeded towards the 

 Gebel Tag, and, after having e.tamined Ihe dispositions 

 10(> 



of the natives, saw that a furious and cruel engagement 

 vi^ould be the result. He, therefore, thought it best to 

 order the retreat of his troops, but they feeling their self- 

 love wounded by the attitude of the negroes, begged his 

 Excellency to allovir them to give them a little lesson. 

 Ahmet Pasha then authorized a chief of battalion to 

 attack them, upon which that officer attacked Mount 

 Bakrih, a dependency of the Gebel Tag, and captured 

 541 individuals, men, women, and children, together with 

 all their cattle. 



" However, as nothing contrary to humanity was de- 

 sired, these 541 were supplied with provisions, their cattle 

 were restored, and they were set at liberty. Their sheiks 

 were clothed to the number of five, and returned to their 

 mountains contented and joyful. 



" At the Cordofan, in compliance with ancient usage 

 many negroes are enslaved, one by another. His High- 

 ness the Viceroy issued a severe order, in pursuance of 

 which all were set at liberty, and the choice was left them 

 of settling on the borders of the Nile or of returning to 

 their own country without impediment. 



" His Higlmess at the same time ordered, that hence- 

 forth all the inhabitants, who had cause of complaint one 

 against tlie other, instead of taking justice in their own 

 hands, should refer their complamts to the governor, who 

 had formal instructions to treat them with humanity and 

 justice, according to the laws. This order extends to 

 Beledi, Bavadi, and Gebeli, without exception. 



