![Picture](/uploads/3/8/8/2/38821625/7890137.png?187)
Journal A
Niani, 1324, Morning.
Today, I woke up an hour before sunrise to accompany our ruler, Mansa Musa, on his hajj. Right now, I’m standing among some fellow slaves that are also going on the hajj. One of my friends, Angela, is going. Her name means angelic, or graceful. My name’s Naomi, which means pleasantness.
The atmosphere is hectic, and everyone is yelling and shouting, straining to be heard above each other. There’s hundreds of camels, and thousands of people. I’ve been told that this pilgrimage from Niani to Mecca is 4,000 miles long, and will take 4 months. Mansa Musa has made the decision to travel along the trade route to trade during the journey. Our first stop is Watala, 600 miles away. The camels are loaded with gold, and many slaves are also carrying gold. I’m not here to carry gold, though. I’m 11, not yet old enough to carry heavy objects. Instead, Mansa Musa wants me to take care of the camels. It’s a bit frightening, to cross unknown land. I can imagine many unfortunate scenarios that could happen. Getting lost, running out of water, running out of food, getting separated from the caravan, running into bandits or thieves… The risks are endless. But even though there will be dangerous situations, there’s soldiers traveling along with us to help if they’re needed. It’s reassuring, knowing we have people to protect us from the dangers. I can’t write any more right now. I have to move to my assigned position in the caravan. I’m supposed to be in the front, walking with the gold carrying slaves. I hope we don’t get caught in any bad weather. Especially sandstorms.
I hate sandstorms.
Niani, 1324, Morning.
Today, I woke up an hour before sunrise to accompany our ruler, Mansa Musa, on his hajj. Right now, I’m standing among some fellow slaves that are also going on the hajj. One of my friends, Angela, is going. Her name means angelic, or graceful. My name’s Naomi, which means pleasantness.
The atmosphere is hectic, and everyone is yelling and shouting, straining to be heard above each other. There’s hundreds of camels, and thousands of people. I’ve been told that this pilgrimage from Niani to Mecca is 4,000 miles long, and will take 4 months. Mansa Musa has made the decision to travel along the trade route to trade during the journey. Our first stop is Watala, 600 miles away. The camels are loaded with gold, and many slaves are also carrying gold. I’m not here to carry gold, though. I’m 11, not yet old enough to carry heavy objects. Instead, Mansa Musa wants me to take care of the camels. It’s a bit frightening, to cross unknown land. I can imagine many unfortunate scenarios that could happen. Getting lost, running out of water, running out of food, getting separated from the caravan, running into bandits or thieves… The risks are endless. But even though there will be dangerous situations, there’s soldiers traveling along with us to help if they’re needed. It’s reassuring, knowing we have people to protect us from the dangers. I can’t write any more right now. I have to move to my assigned position in the caravan. I’m supposed to be in the front, walking with the gold carrying slaves. I hope we don’t get caught in any bad weather. Especially sandstorms.
I hate sandstorms.
![Picture](/uploads/3/8/8/2/38821625/5990779.jpg?158)
Journal B
Walata, 1324, Morning.
I’ve slipped from my position at the head of the caravan to the middle. I got tired during the 600 mile travel, and rested for a little while. When I was ready to walk again, the long line had already moved forward by quite a lot. I had no choice but to join the middle. And because of that, the rest of the caravan stretches a few days ahead and behind me.
Right now I’m sitting under a palm tree in Walata. There’s a lot of trade going on, and everyone is always busy. I don’t participate in the trades, but I have to take care of the camels. That’s why I haven’t written for so long. There’s always something important to do, and never any free time. Today, we traded with people from the Sudan. Their skins were dark, much darker than ours. It was nice to see them, since I was born in Niani, and have never met people from other civilizations before. Mansa Musa is planning for the caravan to go to Taghaza next. There’s a desert to cross, and I’m really worried that we might run out of water. Good thing, there’s an oasis here in Walata. Thank you, Allah. I've been filling and packing water bottles for the caravan members all day, just in case. The rain season is approaching, but the spotty rainfall is never enough to sustain everyone.
I have to go. I need to fill more water bottles. Not just for the people, but for the camels too. They can only travel 100 miles without water, and Taghaza is 500 miles away.
We certainly wouldn’t want a camel dropping dead in the middle.
Walata, 1324, Morning.
I’ve slipped from my position at the head of the caravan to the middle. I got tired during the 600 mile travel, and rested for a little while. When I was ready to walk again, the long line had already moved forward by quite a lot. I had no choice but to join the middle. And because of that, the rest of the caravan stretches a few days ahead and behind me.
Right now I’m sitting under a palm tree in Walata. There’s a lot of trade going on, and everyone is always busy. I don’t participate in the trades, but I have to take care of the camels. That’s why I haven’t written for so long. There’s always something important to do, and never any free time. Today, we traded with people from the Sudan. Their skins were dark, much darker than ours. It was nice to see them, since I was born in Niani, and have never met people from other civilizations before. Mansa Musa is planning for the caravan to go to Taghaza next. There’s a desert to cross, and I’m really worried that we might run out of water. Good thing, there’s an oasis here in Walata. Thank you, Allah. I've been filling and packing water bottles for the caravan members all day, just in case. The rain season is approaching, but the spotty rainfall is never enough to sustain everyone.
I have to go. I need to fill more water bottles. Not just for the people, but for the camels too. They can only travel 100 miles without water, and Taghaza is 500 miles away.
We certainly wouldn’t want a camel dropping dead in the middle.
![Picture](/uploads/3/8/8/2/38821625/7930546.jpg?190)
Journal C
Taghaza, 1324, Evening.
Our caravan reached Taghaza at noon. Once the line halted, everyone quickly dispatched to eat. The atmosphere at that time was extremely awkward. People were completely silent, other than the sound of chewing.
After a small meal of dried fruits and nuts, a group of caravan members went searching for the salt traders. It was only then that I noticed how strange the place looked. Some places on the ground were covered in slabs of white minerals, and there wasn’t a single tree or plant in sight. There were also houses, but unlike any I’ve ever seen before. The walls were white, completely different from the houses back in Niani. And the roofs were made out of what seemed to be camel skins, which was unheard of. I was later told by a soldier that the white walls were actually giant blocks of rock salt.
This place is really weird.
Right now, I’m sitting next to a group of camels. The sun has set, and I’m writing by lantern light. Turns out, no one lives here except for the slaves of Masufa. They dig in the salt mines, and eat dates imported from Morocco. I feel bad for them. The water here is salty, since the salt minerals mix with the rain and the underground streams. And they have to drink the water! Salty water must taste terrible.
I’m so glad that I packed extra water supplies.
Taghaza, 1324, Evening.
Our caravan reached Taghaza at noon. Once the line halted, everyone quickly dispatched to eat. The atmosphere at that time was extremely awkward. People were completely silent, other than the sound of chewing.
After a small meal of dried fruits and nuts, a group of caravan members went searching for the salt traders. It was only then that I noticed how strange the place looked. Some places on the ground were covered in slabs of white minerals, and there wasn’t a single tree or plant in sight. There were also houses, but unlike any I’ve ever seen before. The walls were white, completely different from the houses back in Niani. And the roofs were made out of what seemed to be camel skins, which was unheard of. I was later told by a soldier that the white walls were actually giant blocks of rock salt.
This place is really weird.
Right now, I’m sitting next to a group of camels. The sun has set, and I’m writing by lantern light. Turns out, no one lives here except for the slaves of Masufa. They dig in the salt mines, and eat dates imported from Morocco. I feel bad for them. The water here is salty, since the salt minerals mix with the rain and the underground streams. And they have to drink the water! Salty water must taste terrible.
I’m so glad that I packed extra water supplies.
![Picture](/uploads/3/8/8/2/38821625/2667682.jpg?192)
Journal D
Tuwat, 1324, Noon.
Today, the caravan stopped to rest at the oasis in Tuwat. Good thing too, because the water I packed ran out a few hours ago. If we reached here just a day later, some people probably would’ve already died from dehydration. A couple of people got tired of the hajj, and wanted to back out. So Mansa Musa gave a speech about faithfulness to Allah, and a bunch of other religious concepts. Honestly, I don’t remember much about it. I kind of zoned out, due to boredom. I just know that it was a very long speech. Seriously. He started the speech in the morning, and when he finished, it was almost noon. He mostly talked about being charitable, and how we should give alms, but only in private. In the end, he just told everybody to go have lunch. I think it’s because he himself was getting bored.
I’m currently eating a dried apricot with one hand and writing with other. I’ll have to fill more water bottles later, when I’m done eating. Mansa Musa wants to go to Cairo next, and it’s 1,750 miles from here. Running out of water would be a nightmare.
I definitely do not want to die from dehydration.
Tuwat, 1324, Noon.
Today, the caravan stopped to rest at the oasis in Tuwat. Good thing too, because the water I packed ran out a few hours ago. If we reached here just a day later, some people probably would’ve already died from dehydration. A couple of people got tired of the hajj, and wanted to back out. So Mansa Musa gave a speech about faithfulness to Allah, and a bunch of other religious concepts. Honestly, I don’t remember much about it. I kind of zoned out, due to boredom. I just know that it was a very long speech. Seriously. He started the speech in the morning, and when he finished, it was almost noon. He mostly talked about being charitable, and how we should give alms, but only in private. In the end, he just told everybody to go have lunch. I think it’s because he himself was getting bored.
I’m currently eating a dried apricot with one hand and writing with other. I’ll have to fill more water bottles later, when I’m done eating. Mansa Musa wants to go to Cairo next, and it’s 1,750 miles from here. Running out of water would be a nightmare.
I definitely do not want to die from dehydration.
![Picture](/uploads/3/8/8/2/38821625/214703.png?144)
Journal E
Cairo, 1324, Afternoon.
The caravan made it to Cairo in the morning.
The city was extremely crowded, and Mansa Musa was in a surprisingly good mood. He started handing out gold left and right, and even got invited to meet the sultan. He really shouldn’t hand out so much gold. The value is going to go down, with such an abundance of it everywhere. Strangely though, I’ve recently began hearing rumors that he didn’t want to meet the sultan. I have no idea why.
After the tiring ordeal of trade, everybody was sleepy and exhausted. In fact, people were so unresponsive that Mansa Musa ordered everyone to rest. Right now, most of the caravan members are asleep. There’s a few that are drinking from their water bottles or eating dried nuts, but I’m the only one that’s writing in a journal. No one seems to mind though.
Wait a second…
Mansa Musa just left with a man from Cairo. I think he finally agreed to go meet the sultan.
I really quite like this place. The excitement of the residents is welcoming, and everything is clean and neat.
It would be really lovely to live here.
Cairo, 1324, Afternoon.
The caravan made it to Cairo in the morning.
The city was extremely crowded, and Mansa Musa was in a surprisingly good mood. He started handing out gold left and right, and even got invited to meet the sultan. He really shouldn’t hand out so much gold. The value is going to go down, with such an abundance of it everywhere. Strangely though, I’ve recently began hearing rumors that he didn’t want to meet the sultan. I have no idea why.
After the tiring ordeal of trade, everybody was sleepy and exhausted. In fact, people were so unresponsive that Mansa Musa ordered everyone to rest. Right now, most of the caravan members are asleep. There’s a few that are drinking from their water bottles or eating dried nuts, but I’m the only one that’s writing in a journal. No one seems to mind though.
Wait a second…
Mansa Musa just left with a man from Cairo. I think he finally agreed to go meet the sultan.
I really quite like this place. The excitement of the residents is welcoming, and everything is clean and neat.
It would be really lovely to live here.
![Picture](/uploads/3/8/8/2/38821625/2826515.jpg?149)
Journal F
Mecca, 1324, Morning.
Yes! We made it! I really can’t control my excitement right now. To think, after so long, that I finally completed the hajj, is just amazing. Later, all the caravan members are going to go to the kaaba to pray and touch the sacred black stone. Before entering the building, everyone has to first change into simple clothing. I find this a bit pointless, but I can understand why people would like it that way. If everybody looks the same, no one is going to judge anyone.
Afterwards, I have to feed the camels and pack more water supplies. We’re planning to travel back to Niani after this, and it’s going to be a long time until we reach another water source. I have to admit, the hajj was fun. I got the chance to meet other civilizations, and experience new cultures and landscapes.
I’m really going to miss some of the places.
Mecca, 1324, Morning.
Yes! We made it! I really can’t control my excitement right now. To think, after so long, that I finally completed the hajj, is just amazing. Later, all the caravan members are going to go to the kaaba to pray and touch the sacred black stone. Before entering the building, everyone has to first change into simple clothing. I find this a bit pointless, but I can understand why people would like it that way. If everybody looks the same, no one is going to judge anyone.
Afterwards, I have to feed the camels and pack more water supplies. We’re planning to travel back to Niani after this, and it’s going to be a long time until we reach another water source. I have to admit, the hajj was fun. I got the chance to meet other civilizations, and experience new cultures and landscapes.
I’m really going to miss some of the places.