TRIBES IN EL GA'DA AND EL HA’HA.

717

about, perhaps nearer the sea, another sebkha, called U'm el Khasheb, and belonging to the Welád Haye ben 'Othmán, but its exact position I have not been able to make out. Among the Arab tribes wandering about in Tíris and Magh-tér and the adjoining districts, first of all must be mentioned the Welád Delém, which tribe seems to be the most numerous of all the tribes of the desert.

Welád Delém being classed into two groups, at least by the Arabs of A'zawád, called Welád Máref and Delém el A'hmar. To the former group belong the following three tribes:

Welád Molád, the most numerous section of the W. Delém, but ill famed on account of their robberies, living also in Gídi. They are subdivided as follows; Welád Bú-Karsiye (to whom belongs the chief of the whole section, Hennún Welád Twéta), El Hamaya (with a chief of their own, El Fadhel Welád Shwén), E' Sheháli (with a chief, the son of Allád), Welád Sháker, Welád Bú Hínde (who do not live in Tíris, but in A'zawád).

Sekárna, also in several divisions, the name of none of which became known to me, except that of the A'hel Déde, who are the Shiúkh.

Welád Sálem, with the chief Mohammed Weled 'Omár, living here or in Gídi. To the Delém el A'hmar belong the following: El O'dekát (the Soltana tribe of the Welád Delém, whose famous chief, A'hmed Weled Mohammed el Fodél, died a few years ago at the age of 120, it is said. They are subdivided into the following divisions: Welád e' Shiya, Welád Mansur), Welád Alláb, Welád Ermithiye, Serákhna, Welád Tagéddi, Welád Shwékh, Welád Bú 'Omár (whose Shiúkh are said to be the A'hel 'Omár Weled e' Sheikh Umbréhi), Welád el Khaléga (?) (with the Shiukh section A'hel 'Omár Weled Barka), Welád Siddúm, Lógora (?), Welád Tédrarín in several (ten?) sections, all paying tribute to the Welád Delém, Welád Yo'aza (j) (allied with the Medrámberín, most of whom live in Tíris. They are a powerful tribe, and fight against the Welád Delém. They do not wander much, and are partly under the rule of A'hmed Sídi Weled Sídi Mohammed, partly under that of Sidáti), Tóbalt, Lémmier, Shébahín (the kinsfolk of those in El Hódh), Welád 'Abd el Wáhed, El Arúsíyín (the allies of the tribe of the same name), Imerágen (a very poor sort of people and of bad character, living near the sea-shore).

More exclusively, with regard to Magh-tér, are to be mentioned A'hel Etfága, El Khatát, Welád el Háj Mukhtár.

VII. MOORISH TRIBES IN EL GÁDA, azemmúr, el háha, ergshésh, gídi, and the

ADJOINING DISTRICTS.

These districts, which I treat in one chapter merely on account of the scanty and imperfect information which as yet I have been able to collect with regard to them, comprise a large tract of country in the N.W. quarter of the desert, and are of very different character. El Gáda lies between Tíris and Wádí Nún, being separated from the latter by the smaller district called Shebéka, and seems to bear almost the same character as Tíris. But it appears to be divided into two different portions, one of which is called "El Mirkh," and the other "El Bédh." Gáda in a certain respect forms part of the larger district called Azemmúr. The most celebrated localities of this district are Meskór, A'zafay, A'geshár, Míjik; from here N.E.. Asumárik, Tasumárit, El Genáter, Zádenás, Bésharíf, Kedáye-Yetséllem, El Bellebúna, Stélet bel Girdán, I'shirgán, Agárzezís, with the sebkha Abána, U'm el Roesén, El Méhajíb.

The principal Arab tribes living in Gáda are the E'rgebát, a large and powerful tribe in several sections, living in "El Gáda," as well as in Zíni, a district bordering on the E. side of El Gáda, Welád Músa, E'thalát (these two the Soltana sections), El Gwásem, El 'Aíd-'Esha or A ́hel 'Esh, Welád Mohammed ben 'Abd-Allah, and several others.

In Shebeka there are to be mentioned principally the Zergíyín, belonging to the Tíkkena, Yegút, Wetúsa.

East from Shebéka, N. E. from Zíni, and N. from the Wádí Sákiet el Hamra, inhabited by the Welád Bú-Seba, there extends the large district called El Háha, principally inhabited by the powerful tribe of El 'Aáríb, who are said to have as many as 1000 horse, and who are the enemies of the Duwémena and the Idáu Belál. They are divided into several sections, viz: Legerádeba, about two hundred; El Bwadín, about the same number; El Gwásem (the Shiúkh), about forty; E' Nwaiji, the Tolba; Námena (El Renáneba, Ziyút, Sídi 'Alí, Medíni, Mbáha?).

Besides the 'Aáríb, the district of El Háha is inhabited by the Limtúna, especially the Idau-I'dderen, and, according to some informants, the Berber element seems to predominate entirely.

El Háha appears to be limited toward the east by Gídi or Igidi, a girdle of high sand-hills, about one and a half to two days in breadth, and rich in palm-trees, yielding a good sort of date, called "jéhe." Gídi, at the distance of twenty days east from the principal encampment in Sakiet El Hamra, stretches W.S. W. in the direction of Tishít, from which place its southwestern end is separated by a naked desert or "meraye" of about ten days. Gídi has no regular inhabitants, the Tajakánt, the Welád Molád, and especially the Kunta, visiting it annually and staying some time in order to gather the dates.*

To the S. E. of Igídi is the district E'rgshésh, separated from it by the smaller districts called Aftót and El Kart, the former one being a narrow girdle only half a day broad, and consisting of white and black soil, while El Kart, adjoining Aftót toward the west, is about one day's journey in breadth, and exhibits an even surface covered with pebbles and much herbage. E'rgshésh is a long and narrow girdle of sand-hills, which stretches out in the direction from Tawát to Warán, and, passing at no great distance to the west of Taödénni, joins Magh-tér, or rather Warán, at the S.W. end. This district, which is similar in its nature to Gídi, and not destitute of water between the high sand-hills, although not adorned by nature with the equally graceful and useful palm-tree, is only from twenty to thirty miles broad, and is bordered toward the north by the smaller district called El Hank, consisting of black vegetable soil, rich in trees, and intersected by rocky hills or kódia. There is in this district a famous spot' called Lemezarráb, with a large group of palm-trees, the fruit of which is gathered by the Kunta, who, however, leave these trees without any cultivation whatever.

On the S. E. side of E'rgshésh lies the district called El Júf, to which belongs Taödénni, rich in salt, but almost destitute of herbage, with the exception of the more favored spot called El Harésha, situated at half a day's distance from Taödénni, to the E.N.E., where trees are found. The miserable place called Taödénni, consisting of only a few houses (where, besides the Sheikh Zén, nobody will stay on account of the bad quality of the water), owes its existence to the desertion of Tegháza about the year 950 of the Hejra. I have spoken of the salt mines of Taödénni in the diary of my stay in Timbuktu; here I will only add that in Taödénni a black tobe purchases four camel-loads of salt or sixteen rús, worth each 3500 or 4000 shells in Timbuktu. Taödénni is distant ten days from Warán, going along E'rgshésh; nine days from Bú-Jebéha; about the same distance from M'amún, W.N.W.; and ten to eleven days from Mabrúk, N.W., viz: (going from Mabruk) two and a half days to the well Aníshay, five days to the old well called El Gátara, and three days more to Taödénni.† El Júf is bordered toward the north by the district called Sáfie, a sort of hammáda, with strips of herbage. In this district wander the Welád Delém, the 'Aáríb, the A'turshán, belonging to the tribe of the 'Aidde, and several tribes of the Kunta, principally the Ergágedá, and the Welád el Wafi; the principal chief also in E'rgshésh, Sídi Mohammed, is a Kuntí. VIII. DISTRICTS OF THE SAHARA BETWEEN ÁZAWAD AND TIMBÚKTU ON THE ONE SIDE, AND EL HÓDH AND BÁGHENA ON THE OTHER.

Between A'rawan and Waláta there stretches a waterless desert of ten days, consisting of isolated sand-hills, between which very good food for the camel is found, and plenty of water-melons, sufficient to quench the thirst of man as well as of the camel. This district, which is nearly of the same character as Magh-tér, is called A'kela, and the Kóbetát mentioned above are principally wandering hereabout.

South of the A'kela the country is rendered more verdant and fertile by the Niger and its many backwaters, and there is one district especially noted for its pasturage, viz., the famous Rás el má, mentioned by me repeatedly, where Arabs, principally the Kunta and Berabísh, with the small remnant of the almost extinguished tribe of the Lansár, and the Welád S'aíd el Borádda, encamp occasionally, and where

At the time when I finished my original map which I sent home from Timbúktu, I had not collected these materials.

+ I here give the following data, without being able to connect them: From Taödénni, one and a half day, Merét; then the same distance, Hasi I'mbedir; Zúgguma, with the 'Arig Atwéle on its N. frontier, five days; Asedáreb, one day; from here the Dhahar (el Hamár); three days from Tawat, the hasi Telig, 7 to 8 fathoms deep.

THE I'MO'SHAGH OR TAWA'REK.

719 Zén el 'Abidín, a younger brother of Sheikh Ahmed el Bakáy had for a long time his encampment. There is here also a small village of the Idélebó.

Between the A'kela to the N.E., the Dháhar Waláta toward the N.W., and Fermágha toward the S. E., there is the district called Eriggi, with a ksar, or small town, called Basikúnnu, mentioned in this volume. Eríggi is the chief district of the Welád 'Alúsh, a not very numerous but warlike tribe, which extends its forays over the whole of A'zawád, and is divided into two sections: El Khatterát, El Elléb.

The Welád 'Alush are at present the principal tribe of a large group called Dáúd, whose elements I shall enumerate here together, though only a portion of the tribes are living hereabout, and most of them have been mentioned by me before, in connection with their respective districts.

El Dáúd, with Sheikh Swedi.

DAUD MOHAMMED.

Welád Bille, Welád Bú-Faida, Welád Talha, Welád Múmmu, with Mohammed Weled 'Alí Enhóri, Welád Nahla, Welád Ghánem.

DÁÚD 'ARÚK.

Welád Zéd, with Nef'a Weled Kedádo, the Erhámena, Welád 'Alúsh, Welád Yunes, Welád Rahmún, Welád Mazúk, Welád Zayem, Gésharát, Welád Ber-hén, Sakeré Daye, Welád Yillwi, and several others at present almost extinguished. I shall here also enumerate the tribes composing the group called Ládem, with the Sheikh son of E' Shén: A'hel Tíki, A'hel Táleb Mustuf, Dermússa,

Légeraf, El A'ragíb.

Before concluding this list of the Arab tribes, which would be enlivened if historical knowledge were not a thing almost unknown in this part of the world, I shall mention a few tribes who have founded something like an empire in the south part of the so-called desert:

El 'Arúsíyín, about 600 A.H.

El Erhámena, who wrested the empire from Shenán el 'Arúsi.

Welád Bille, who, having succeeded to the Erhámena, became very rich and powerful, till, as the Arabs say, they destroyed their empire themselves by provoking the wrath of the Sheikh El Mukhtar el Kebír, about sixty years ago, when their power was crushed by the Meshedúf and the Zenágha.

A smaller empire was founded by the Welád Bú-Faida, who had their principal seats round Kasári in El Hódh, N.W. from Bághena, till they were overpowered by the A'hel e' Zenághi.

The Imóshagh have peculiar names for the Arab localities, calling Gundam, Sasáweli; A'rawán, Eshiggaren; Berabísh, Kél-jaberiye; Kunta, or Kuntarár, Kél-borásse; the 'Arab el Giblah, Udayen (sing. Uday).

I shall here add an itinerary of the route from Wadán to A'ghadír Dóme, or, as it is called by the Arabs, E' Dákhela, which I omitted in the right place. 1st day, Selaurísh. 2d, Shúf. 3d, El Mórwesín, a kódia. 4th, Dómus, a good well or hasi. 5th, Tenwáke, an úggada, with good water in the rainy season, but brackish during the dry season. 6th, Encamp between Egjir and Rek el Mhón. 7th, Swéta, a locality encompassed by hilly chains or kódia. 8th, Tagazímet, a hasi, 7 fathoms in depth. 9th, Takeshtint, a hasi, 2 fathoms deep. 10th, E' Dákhela. The two last days are short marches. The village A'ghadír is said to contain from 50 to 60 huts of reed, inhabited by the Imrághen, the chiefs of whom are Weled A'hmed Budde Ebn 'Omár and Mohammed Weled el Mréma.

APPENDIX XII.

SECTIONS AND FAMILIES OF THE GREAT SOUTHWESTERLY GROUP OF THE I'MOʻSHAGH OR TAWAʼREK.

As Amóshagh (in the plural form I'móshagh) designates rather in the present state of Tawárek society the free and noble man in opposition to A ́mghi (plural, Imghád), the whole of these free and degraded tribes together are better designated by the general term, the "red people,' I'dinet-n-shéggarnén," for which there is another still more general term, viz., "Tíshorén."

The whole group of these southwesterly Tawárek is now generally designated by the name of Awelímmid, Welímmid, or Awelímmiden, the dominating tribe whose supremacy is acknowledged in some way or other by the remainder; and in that respect even the Tademékket are included among the Awelímmiden; but the real stock of the Awelímmiden is very small. The whole group, therefore, in opposition, I think, to the name "Iregenáten," denoting the mixed group of tribes dwelling S. of the Niger, is called "Tegesásemt."

The original group of the Awelímmiden ("Ulmdn" is the way the name is expressed in Tefinagh) are certainly identical with the Lamta (the t being a hard t, which is continually confounded with the d), the name signifying probably "the children of Lamta," or rather "Limmid ;" or the name may originally be an adjective. They dwelt formerly in Igídi near the Welád Delém, a Moorish tribe which has received a great many Berber elements, till they emigrated to A ́derár, the country N.E. of Gógó, from whence, as I have stated in the Chronological Tables appended to this volume (p. 657), under the command of Karidénne, son of Shwash, or rather Abék, they drove out the Tademékket, at that period the ruling tribe of this whole region. I here give a list of the most common camping-grounds in A'derár: Amásin, Araba, Tin-darán, Yúnhan or Gúnhan, E' Suk (the last two were formerly the sites of flourishing towns), Ijenshishen, A'zel adhár, Kidal, regarded often as a separate district, Endeshedait, Taghelib, Marret, Talábit, Tadakkét, Asway, Anemellen, Ansáttefen, Asheróbbak, Tinzáwaten, Tájemart, Eléwi, Dohéndal, Tinajóla, Enrar, Ejárak, A'shu, Alkit, Takellút, Dafalliána, Enáfara. The ancestor of the Awelímmiden is said to have been named Siggene, a man of the tribe of the Himyar.*

I now proceed to give a list of all the tribes belonging to this group, assigning the first place to those who belong to the original stock:

The Kél-ekímmét, the royal section, or the Kél-amanókalen, separated, as it would seem, into two subdivisions, one of which is called after Fatíta, and the other, if I am not mistaken, after U'ksem or O'kasem, the son of (ig) Imma, although U'ksem was the father of Fatíta. The present ruler of the tribe, and thus the lord of this whole group, is Alkúttabu, properly "Kúttub-e'-dín," "Pillar of the Faith," a brother of the late and well-known chief E' Nábegha, son of Kawa; and besides him there is Thákkefi, the son of E' Nábegha, and Legáwi or El A'gwi, between whom and the ruling family there seems to be some little rivalry.

Targhay-tamút (the "u" is not generally expressed in Tefínagh), with the chief Inlehát or Lehát, who likewise rules the tribe of the Tesgógamet. Sometimes, also, Legawi is regarded as chief of this tribe. The Targhay-tamút are subdivided into the sections of the Kél-egéuk, the Ikarérayen, the Ihiawen, the Iberekíten, the Idammán, the I'segrán, the Kél-tabónnan, the Ishegéttan or Ishéggattan, the Ikhérkheen, the Kél-kabay.

Tahabanát or Tahabanaten with the chief Kásel. They are subdivided into the Tahabanát ikawelen, T. ishéggarnén, Ibatánaten (a name which might lead one to infer that the tribe of the same name which at present lives among the degraded tribes of the A'zkar (see vol. i., p. 202), originally belonged to this tribe, a state of things which is not at all impossible), Khorímmiden, Taradégha, Tamizgída.† Ikhórmeten, with the chiefs Intagézzut and Eránre.

I'fogas, a section of that widely-scattered tribe of which I have already spoken repeatedly. As far as they live with the Awelímmiden, they are governed by the chiefs Innátayen, A'msaduwa, Itkál, and Elrélmu, and are subdivided into the following sections: Kél-tebághart, Kél-áthogal, I'karérayen, Ibeddédawen, Ibbézawen, Tegétik, Kél-télatait, Kél-áseghalt.

Tin-eger-égedesh, with the chief Kaulen, subdivided as follows: Ikarnánayen, Kél-takabut, Telghasem, Kél-tikkenéwen, Tarbédegén, Kél-torfén. Kél-tegilálet, with the chief Mokaile.

Kél-helwat, or I'd el Mashíl, with the chief Wági.

Sherifen, subdivided into the following sections: Kél-temákkeret, Ihéwan-Allen,

Compare the account of A'bú 'Omár E ́bu 'Abd el Ber in Eʼbn Khaldún (trad. par Macguckin de Slane, vol. i., p. 174). Siggene, who by my informants is stated to be the ancestor of Lamt, may seem to be identical with Asnag, the ancestor of the Senhája, or Zenágha, with whom the Awelimmiden are intimately related.

† I will here observe that most of the vowels which I have to distinguish by an accent, as showing the way of pronouncing the name, are not at all expressed in Tefinagh.

The name seems to be nearly the same as that of the Khorimmeden.

SECTIONS OF THE AWELI'MMIDEN.

721

Kél-rarór, Kél-n-kerémmár, Kél-abánafógal, Kel-tabáriat, Kél-arábbo, Kél-férián, Kél-tefélliant, Kél-inráwe, Kél-gokén.

Edarragagen, with the chief Tawíl. Edarragágen wuí (or wén) shéjjerotnén, identical with shéggarnén, Ed. wuí jezzolín.

Ekarrabása, subdivided as follows: Kél-tikkenéwen (different from the abovementioned tribe of the same name) with Aíbasu ig (the son of) Ranni; Kél-egées, with Lawis ig Hawe-Tawát; Tezgógamet, with the chief Hamma-Hamma. Kél-gasse, with Hamma.

Kél-n-ejíud, with Sínnefel in A'ribínda.

Targagasset or Tagéggesát, with the chief Elláfi, very ill-famed as highway robbers.

Ibelghawen, with the chief Adékara.

Erátafán, in ancient times a most powerful and celebrated tribe, from whom Hassan ben Akil, the forefather of the Udáya, sprung, but at present reduced and settled on the middle course of the Niger, where I have described them (see p. 525). Their chiefs are 'Omár and Mohammed el A'mín.

Tárka, a small fragment of a once powerful tribe, perhaps the Táriká of Arab writers (see vol. i., p. 196, n. †), at present settled near Sínder on the Niger, where I have mentioned them, with the chief Almuttu.

Ishedhénharen, with the chief Inteshekhen.

Imelíggizen (mentioned by me on my route along the Niger), with the chiefs Warilkím and Ishawadéna.

Ebaíbaten.

Igwádaren, formerly, when they were settled in A'zawád, a still more powerful and totally independent tribe, with the chief A'khbi ben Sálem, who, just at the time of my journey, when they were settled near Bamba, attempted to regain his independence from his liege lord. This tribe is subdivided into the following sections: Kél-gógi, the chief's tribe, but having, besides A'khbi, another chief of the name of Sadaktu, hostile to the former; Tarabanása, with the chiefs Téni and Wóghdughu; Terféntik; Kel-tebánkorit, with the chief Saul; Kél-hekíkan, with the chiefs Sillekay, 'Ayub, Knéha, and Zobbi, this little tribe presenting the most striking example of the predatory and anarchical character of these nomadic hordes; Kel-teghárart, with the chief Khátem (surnamed or nicknamed by the Arabs El Gherfe); Kél-tabórit, with the chief Khébar (another section of this tribe living with the I'regenáten); the Iwarághen or Aurághen, another section of this widelyscattered tribe which, once very powerful, has now lost a great portion of its independence, with the chief Khazza.

Among the Awelímmiden live also the E'he-n-Dabósa, or E'he-n-Eláli, with the chiefs Elákhte, Mushtába, and El Mótelék, originally a section of the Telamédes, a tribe of the Dinnik.

I now proceed to give a list of the degraded tribes, or Imghád, of the Awelímmiden and Igwádaren:

Imedídderen, a tribe still very numerous, and not quite so much degraded in the social life of these regions as the other tribes, possessing even a good many horses, but formerly distinguished by their power* as well as by their learning. It was this tribe, together with the I'denán, who founded the first settlement at the place where, in course of time, the city of Timbuktu arose. Their chiefs are Béle, El U ́ssere, and Khayár.

They are subdivided into a great many sections:

Kél-gósi, the most warlike section, with the chief El Khatír, whom I have mentioned repeatedly. They are warlike, and maintain especially a struggle against the Governor of Hómbori. Kél-éhe-n-shéggarén, E'debélle, with the chief Dári, Tekaute, Kel-sammi, Ibogháliten, Erannarássen, Kél-ankít, or Kél-n-kít; Ilókan, a tribe the name of which is no doubt connected with the town of the same name mentioned by El Bekrí (p. 179), as lying in the neighborhood of Kúgha or Kúkíá; Kél-térdit, Tábara-juwílt, Idírmaghen; E’he-dékkaten, Ebónjiten; and, finally, a group of four tribes, which collectively bear the name Kél-réres, but each of which has a separate name, Tafajéjjat, with the chief Maijikma, Ikawálaten, with Ntagellálet, Ekarárayen, with Ntárede, and, finally, A'rkaten.

Aurághen (written Urgh), the larger portion of this once predominant and widely scattered, but now degraded tribe, portions of which we have already met with else*To the Imedidderen belonged Kosélete, the warrior who slew 'Ukba el Mústajáb, the great Mohammedan hero in the history of the conquest of Africa.

VOL. III.-Z z