NATIVE ARCHITECTURE.

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narrow space between it and the wall, had an opening in the centre, both ends of the banks thus formed having a regularlyshaped projection. The space included between the bank and the wall formed a sort of stable, as was evident from three stakes placed in the ground at equal distances from each other. Probably it was the place for three head of cattle or goats. The clay bank, therefore, served two purposes, partly as a separation of the stable from the inner apartment, and partly as a seat. The centre of the apartment was formed by a shed about eight feet by six, and consisting of a roof of reeds and grass, supported by four stakes, and furnishing an evident proof that the apartment had never been covered in, but formed an open little court-yard sub dio.

On the right of this shed was the cooking-place or kitchen, inclosed by two very low clay walls, and formed by four projections of clay in the shape of large round stones, which in a very simple manner formed two fireplaces, each of which, if detached, would have required three stones. Between the kitchen, the shed, and one end of the clay bank, and divided from the former by a separate wall, appeared a broad entrance to the adjoining building, which we have recognized as a granary; but at present it was walled and formed a recess for some purpose or other. Between the kitchen and the gateway was another place inclosed between two thin clay walls, which was most probably destined to contain the water-jar.

up,

The four well-built and well-secluded rooms, which had been intended originally as granaries, seemed very desirable to the vizier in cold weather, as he was able to lodge there very comfortably, himself and his female slaves; for the cold in this open spot, which was not protected either by vegetation or by any rising of the ground, was so severe that not only the whole black world, but the two whites also that is to say, Mr. Overweg and myself, natives of the north of Europe-suffered severely from its intensity. Indeed, it was most distressing during the night to hear the shrieks of the poor naked Músgu slaves, who had been torn from their warm huts, and it was not till about noon that they seemed to revive a little. NevertheVOL. II.-D D

less, the thermometer, at six o'clock in the morning of the 15th, indicated as much as 51°, which was the greatest amount of cold we had during this expedition, and at noon it even rose to 87°.

We were obliged to remain in this uncomfortable place several days, owing to the circumstance that the whole of the spoil was to be divided here before we left the hostile territory; for an undisciplined host like this, of course, can not be controlled except by fear; and if the people were allowed to regain their own territory with what they had taken in slaves and cattle, they would go to their own homes without contributing any thing to the common share of the army. This is also the custom in Wádáy as well as in Dár-Fúr, the spoil being divided before the expedition re-enters the friendly territory. Although on the present occasion the expedition had not been eminently successful in the different places, nevertheless the whole booty, besides about 10,000 head of cattle, amounted to a considerable number of slaves. The leaders boasted that they had taken not less than 10,000 slaves; and, although I was glad to find that this number was exaggerated, I convinced myself that they numbered not less than 3000.

By far the largest proportion of this number consisted of aged women, who had not been able to join in the hasty flight, and of children under eight years of age. There were some women so decrepit that they were scarcely able to walk—mere skeletons, who, in their almost total nakedness, presented a horrible sight. All the full-grown men who had been taken prisoners, with the exception of a few cowards who had not made any resistance, had been slaughtered; but their number scarcely exceeded 300, almost the whole full-grown male population of the country having had time to escape. Of these 3000 slaves the commander-in-chief received a third part, but he also claimed for himself the whole amount of the slave-hunt which was made into the territory of A'dishén, and which constituted a sort of tribute.

In the afternoon of the 17th two officers had left the encampment under the pretext of gathering fodder from the neighbor

DUPLICITY OF THE VIZIER.

419

ing villages, but in the evening returned with about 800 slaves and a considerable number of cattle; and we were given to understand that this foray was executed with the consent of the chief himself, to such degrading means did this despicable chief resort in order to preserve his authority, however precarious it was. Of course, he selects as a sacrifice such of his subjects as are not his zealous followers; but it is almost incredible how such a government can exist, as his dominion scarcely extends over a tract of country more than fifteen miles in every direction. At any rate, his subjects seem to be fully justified in taking care of themselves, and they had succeeded, in the darkness, in getting back part of the spoil which had been taken from them.

The vizier himself pretended to behave in a very gracious manner toward the submissive vassal, returning to him about 200 of the oldest and most decrepit women, who, he most probably thought, would succumb to the fatigues of the march, observing, in a tone of friendly irony, that they were to cultivate the country, and that when he should return he would eat of the produce of their labor. On other occasions the vizier had expressed himself to me to the effect that he wished A'dishén strong and powerful, in order that, as a faithful vassal, he might oppose the progress of the Felláta in these regions; for in his heart he was the most inveterate enemy of that enterprising nation, and certainly he had ample reason to be so. It was on this occasion I heard that this renegade Músgu chief had never been rebellious to his Bórnu sovereign (which, from information I had received previously, I concluded to have been the case), but that occasionally he was obliged to make reprisals against the Shúwa, who were making plundering expeditions into his territory.

We have already noticed the peculiar situation of this Músgu chief, separated from the interests of his countrymen, and opposed to them in a hostile manner. He has to defend his position against all the people around him, while his rear is very badly protected by his very friends, the Bórnu people, even the Shúwa Arabs, who are subjected to the former, infesting his ter