Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Textbook Human in The Loop Probabilistic Modeling of An Aerospace Mission Outcome 1St Edition Ephraim Suhir Ebook All Chapter PDF
Textbook Human in The Loop Probabilistic Modeling of An Aerospace Mission Outcome 1St Edition Ephraim Suhir Ebook All Chapter PDF
https://textbookfull.com/product/the-human-factor-in-a-mission-
to-mars-an-interdisciplinary-approach-konrad-szocik/
https://textbookfull.com/product/analyzing-data-through-
probabilistic-modeling-in-statistics-1st-edition-dariusz-
jakobczak/
https://textbookfull.com/product/a-practical-introduction-to-
human-in-the-loop-cyber-physical-systems-first-edition-boavida/
https://textbookfull.com/product/accurate-case-outcome-modeling-
entrepreneur-policy-management-and-strategy-applications-arch-g-
woodside/
Understanding Social Entrepreneurship The Relentless
Pursuit of Mission in an Ever Changing World 3rd
Edition Jill Kickul
https://textbookfull.com/product/understanding-social-
entrepreneurship-the-relentless-pursuit-of-mission-in-an-ever-
changing-world-3rd-edition-jill-kickul/
https://textbookfull.com/product/harmal-the-genus-peganum-1st-
edition-ephraim-shmaya-lansky/
https://textbookfull.com/product/bayesian-analysis-with-python-a-
practical-guide-to-probabilistic-modeling-osvaldo-martin/
https://textbookfull.com/product/democratic-representation-in-
plurinational-states-the-kurds-in-turkey-ephraim-nimni/
https://textbookfull.com/product/knowledge-management-the-
creative-loop-1st-edition-jean-louis-ermine/
Human-in-the-Loop
Human-in-the-Loop
Probabilistic Modeling of an
Aerospace Mission Outcome
Ephraim Suhir
CRC Press
Taylor & Francis Group
6000 Broken Sound Parkway NW, Suite 300
Boca Raton, FL 33487-2742
This book contains information obtained from authentic and highly regarded sources. Reasonable
efforts have been made to publish reliable data and information, but the author and publisher cannot
assume responsibility for the validity of all materials or the consequences of their use. The authors
and publishers have attempted to trace the copyright holders of all material reproduced in this
publication and apologize to copyright holders if permission to publish in this form has not been
obtained. If any copyright material has not been acknowledged please write and let us know so we
may rectify in any future reprint.
Except as permitted under U.S. Copyright Law, no part of this book may be reprinted, reproduced,
transmitted, or utilized in any form by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or
hereafter invented, including photocopying, microfilming, and recording, or in any information
storage or retrieval system, without written permission from the publishers.
For permission to photocopy or use material electronically from this work, please access www.
copyright.com (http://www.copyright.com/) or contact the Copyright Clearance Center, Inc. (CCC),
222 Rosewood Drive, Danvers, MA 01923, 978-750-8400. CCC is a not-for-profit organization that
provides licenses and registration for a variety of users. For organizations that have been granted a
photocopy license by the CCC, a separate system of payment has been arranged.
Trademark Notice: Product or corporate names may be trademarks or registered trademarks, and
are used only for identification and explanation without intent to infringe.
Preface.......................................................................................................................ix
Author.......................................................................................................................xi
v
vi Contents
ix
x Preface
xi
1
Introduction: Probabilistic Modeling
Approach in Aerospace Engineering
1
2 Human-in-the-Loop
and clear indication of the role of the major factors affecting the given ergo-
nomic phenomenon or navigational device and computer performance. But
even when no difficulties are encountered in the application of simulation
programs and techniques in ergonomic science problems, it is always advis-
able to investigate the problem analytically in addition to carrying out a
simulation. Such a preliminary investigation helps to reduce computer time
and expense, develop the most feasible and effective simulation model, and,
in many cases, avoid fundamental errors. Clearly, if the simulation data are
in agreement with the results of an analytical modeling (moreover that such
modeling uses a prior, rather than a posterior approach, and might be based
on different assumptions), then there is a reason to believe that the obtained
solution is accurate enough.
One important feature of analytical modeling is that the same formalism
developed for a particular applied science problem might be applicable to
many other, even physically completely different problems. A classic exam-
ple is the application of the Boltzmann’s formula in the kinetic theory of
gases to the, also classic, Arrhenius theory of chemical reactions. Then, there
is the application of Arrhenius’ theory to the reliability physics and fracture
mechanics of materials (Zhurkov’s model), including semiconductor mate-
rials. And recently, the application of the Boltzmann–Arrhenius–Zhurkov
(BAZ) multiparametric model in various reliability physics problems of
materials and systems subjected to various, not necessarily mechanical,
stresses is suggested. But even within the framework of the book, the con-
volution of the normal and double-exponential distribution (extreme value–
type distribution based on the Rayleigh distribution) was applied first by
the author of this book to the under-keel clearance problem for supertankers
passing through shallow waterways; then, with some modifications, to the
helicopter-landing-ship (HLS) situation with consideration of the role of the
human factor (HF); and then, with additional modifications, to the concept of
anticipation in aerospace psychology.
A crucial requirement for an effective analytical model is its simplicity.
A good analytical model should be based on physically meaningful con-
siderations and produce simple relationships, clearly indicating the role of
the major factors affecting the phenomenon or the object or the technology
of interest. One authority in applied physics remarked, perhaps only partly
in jest, that the degree of understanding of a phenomenon or a situation is
inversely proportional to the number of variables used for its description.
We deliberately used in different chapters of this book similar formulas and
even the same notation when addressing quite different HITL-related situa-
tions. In our judgment, it will relieve to some extent the reader’s effort, which,
considering the scope of this book, will not be easy at all, to say the least.
Another important feature of a simple, easy-to-use, physically meaning-
ful, and hence, highly practical predictive model, whether deterministic or
probabilistic, is that as long as such a model is established and agreed upon,
the statistics should be accumulated in application to and sticking with this
4 Human-in-the-Loop
model, and not the other way around. A good example from another field
of engineering is the highly simplified model suggested about 150 years ago
for calculating the overall strength of an oceangoing ship and treating her
hull as a nonprismatic single beam that could statically sag or hog on a wave
with length equal to the ship’s length. The model is still considered, with
numerous adjustments and updates, of course, by the classification societies
that gear the accumulated statistics and knowledge about sea waves, inertia,
and hydrodynamic forces, and so on, to this model by adjusting the effective
wave height to the particular vessel and available and pertinent information.
Many insightful predictive analytical models were suggested in the field of
electronic materials: Boltzmann–Arrhenius’ equation, used when there is
evidence or belief that elevated temperature is the major cause of failure;
BAZ’s equation, used when the external stress and elevated temperature
contribute jointly to the finite lifetime of a material or a device (and extended
in this book); Eyring’s equation, in which the stress is considered directly,
not through the effective activation energy; Peck’s equation, in which the
“stress” is the relative humidity; inverse power law, such as Coffin–Manson’s
type of equations, which are widely used today to evaluate the low cycle
fatigue lifetime of solder material; crack growth (Griffith’s theory–based)
equations, used to assess the fracture toughness of brittle materials (actually,
the BAZ equation was also suggested by Zhurkov about 70 years ago as a
fracture mechanics model); Miner–Palmgren’s rule, used to quantify elastic
fatigue lifetime of materials; numerous creep rate equations for materials
prone to plastic deformation and creep and used when creep is important
(e.g., in photonics); weakest link model, used to evaluate the time-to-failure
in brittle materials with highly concentrated defects; stress–strength inter-
ference model, which is the most flexible probabilistic-design-for-reliability
model that is widely used in various areas of engineering; extreme value dis-
tribution models, when there is evidence or belief that it is only the extreme
stress values that essentially contribute to the finite lifetime of a material;
and others.
It should be emphasized, however, that while an experimental approach,
unsupported by theory, is blind, theory, not supported by an experiment, is
dead. An experiment forms a basis and provides input data for a theoreti-
cal ergonomic model and then determines its viability, accuracy, and limits
of application. The experiment, including specially designed and conducted
experimental modeling, should be viewed as the “supreme and ultimate
judge” of a theoretical model, whether simulation based or analytical. An
experiment can and should often be rationally included in a theoretical and,
in particular, an analytical solution. With the appropriate modifications and
generalizations, the cost-effective and insightful analytical approach of this
book is applicable, in the author’s judgment, to numerous, not even necessar-
ily in the aerospace and vehicular domains, HITL-related missions and situ-
ations. It could shed light on numerous tasks and phenomena when a human
encounters an uncertain environment or a hazardous off-normal situation
Introduction 5
These and other general HITL-related concepts are illustrated in this text
by numerous examples addressing various more or less typical aerospace
HITL-related problems and by providing numerous, meaningful, simple
examples, mostly in Chapter 2. The objective of these examples is not only
to demonstrate how the general concepts of the applied probability can be
used in various HITL-related problems, but also to demonstrate how vari-
ous formalisms can be employed when there is a wish or a need to quan-
tify what is often felt intuitively, thereby raising the general “probabilistic
culture” of the potential reader. These considerations explain the incentives
for writing this text. It goes without saying that when the human factor is
imperative, the ability to predict its role is crucial, and since nobody and
nothing is perfect, this could and should be done on the probabilistic basis.
The author has dealt with applied probabilities throughout his engineering
career. During his tenure with the basic research area (area 11) of Bell Labs,
he wrote a well-received book, Applied Probability for Engineers and Scientists
(1997, McGraw-Hill).
2
Fundamentals of Applied Probability
2.1 Random Events
The applied theory of probability studies random phenomena (i.e., phenomena
that do not nearly yield the same outcomes in repeated observations under
identical conditions). Any of the possible outcomes of an experiment (trial)
or a result of an observation is an event. An event is the simplest random
phenomenon. Two dots appearing on the top face of a die, material or device
failure, human error (such as, e.g., misinterpretation of the obtained signal)
and/or his/her inability to successfully cope with an elevated mental work-
load (MWL), safe landing, unacceptable level of the leakage current in an
electronic or optical device, and buckling of a compressed structural ele-
ment, are all examples of events.
The substance of a probabilistic approach is that each event has an associ-
ated quantity that characterizes the objective likelihood of the occurrence of the
event of interest. This quantity is called the probability of the event.
The classical/applied (as opposite to axiomatic/mathematical) approach to
the concept of probability is as follows. If an event will inevitably occur as
the result of an experiment, it is a certain event. An event that is known in
advance as not being able to occur as a result of an experiment is an impos-
sible event. The overwhelming majority of actual events are neither certain
nor impossible, and may or may not occur during an experiment. These are
random events.
Let us assume that the conditions of an experiment can be repeatedly
reproduced, so that a series of identical and independent trials can be con-
ducted, and the random event (outcome) A does or does not occur in each
of these trials. If the outcome A occurred m times in n equally likely and
m
independent trials, then the ratio P * ( A ) = is called the frequency, or sta-
n
tistical probability, of the event. Obviously, P * ( A ) = 1 for a certain event, and
P * ( A ) = 0 for an impossible event. For a random event A, 0 ≤ P * ( A ) ≤ 1.
When the number of experiments is small, the frequency P * ( A ) is an
unstable quantity. It stabilizes with an increase in the number of trials and
groups around a certain value P ( A ), which is called the probability of the
9
10 Human-in-the-Loop
2.2 Algebra of Events
The rules of the algebra of events enable expression of an event of interest in
terms of other events:
A + B = B + A, AB = BA ; (2.2)
Associativity
( A + B ) + C = A + ( B + C ) , ( AB ) C = A ( BC ); (2.3)
Distributivity
A ( B + C ) = AB + AC. (2.4)
A = A, Ω = ∅, ∅ = Ω. (2.5)
P ( A + B ) = P ( A ) + P ( B ). (2.6)
n
n
P
∑
i=1
Ai =
∑ P ( A ).
i=1
t (2.7)
∑ P ( A ) = 1.
i=1
i (2.8)
12 Human-in-the-Loop
P ( A ) + P ( A ) = 1. (2.9)
2
Q = 1 − P = 2Q1/2Q1 − Q1/2 . (2.11)
G2
− 2
G0
Q1 = 1 − e , (2.12)
G2
−
4G02
= 1 − ( 1 − Q1 )
1/4
Q1/2 = 1 − e , (2.13)
P = 2 ( 1 − Q1 ) 1 − ( 1 − Q1 ) + ( 1 − Q1 ) .
1/4 1/2
(2.14)
Clearly, if the HCF of both navigators is very high, the probability Q1, of
failure to cope with the MWL of the magnitude G is zero, and the prob-
ability P of nonfailure of the flight/mission is P = 1. If, in the opposite sit-
uation, Q1, = 1 (the HCF of the navigators is low), then P = 0. For Q1, = 0.5
the obtained formula yields: P = 0.1338. This problem is revisited and
addressed in detail in Chapter 7.
t t
Q= Q + 1 − Q Q, (2.15)
T T
should be fulfilled. Solving this equation for the Q, value, we conclude that
t
1−
Q* = Q T . (2.16)
t
1− Q
T
14 Human-in-the-Loop
1 − 0.8
Q* = 0.01 = 0.002016 .
1 − 0.8 × 0.01
P ( AH ) = P ( H ) P ( A/H ) (2.18)
and put first H = BC and then apply the formula (2.17) for the prob-
ability of two events again. Then
P ( AB )
P ( A/B ) = . (2.21)
P ( B)
P ( AB ) = P ( A ) P ( B ). (2.23)
P ( A1 , A2 , , An ) = P ( A1 ) P ( A2 ) P ( An ). (2.24)
P ( A) = ∑ P ( H ) P ( A/H ).
i=1
i i (2.25)
Pm = C ( n, m ) p m ( 1 − p )
n− m
, (2.26)
where
n!
C ( n, m ) = (2.27)
( n − m) ! m !
is the combination consisting of m different elements that can be
rearranged by permuting them in m! different ways. The binomial
distribution is one of the most frequently used discrete random
16 Human-in-the-Loop
Example 2.4. One hundred candidates (n = 100) have been tested to deter-
mine their HCF level. Ten of them passed the test, so that the event A
(passing the test) has occurred with the probability p = 0.1. If only 10 can-
didates are tested (m = 10), how many of them are likely to pass the tests?
The formulas (2.26) and (2.27) yield the following:
n! 100!
C ( n, m) = = = 1.7310 × 1013 ;
( n − m)! m ! 90!10!
Pm = C ( n, m) p m ( 1 − p )
n− m
= 1.7310 × 1013 × 0.110 × 0.990 = 0.1319 .
Hence, if 10 candidates are tested, only one of them will most likely pass
the test. This is not surprising, but note that the predicted probability of
passing the test is somewhat higher than 10%.
Example 2.5. A sinking vessel sends a rescue signal m times. The proba-
1
bility that this signal is received by n other vessels in the region is P = .
n
What is the probability that the given vessel that has a helicopter on her
deck will be the one that will receive the rescue signal first?
The random variable x (the number of vessels that accept the rescue
signal) can assume the following values: 0, 1, 2,…,n. The probability
P ( n, k ) that this variable will assume the value k (i.e., the probability that
the given vessel will receive the rescue signal k times) can be determined
by using the binomial distribution formula (2.26):
k m− k
m! 1 1
P ( n, k ) = C ( m, k ) p k ( 1 − p )
m− k
= 1 − . (2.28)
k ! (m − k )! n n
m− 1 m− 1
1 1 m 1
P = C ( m, 1) 1 − = 1 − . (2.29)
n n n n
If, for example, the sinking vessel sent a rescue signal m = 100 times and
there are n = 50 vessels in the region, then the probability that the given
vessel will receive the rescue signal is
C ( n, m* ) p m* ( 1 − p ) ≥ C ( n, m* − 1) p m* − 1 ( 1 − p )
n − m* n − m* + 1
100 − 1
100 1
P= 1 − = 0.2707 .
50 50
Another random document with
no related content on Scribd:
after hunting an enormous male elephant for five hours, they had at
length brought him to a stand, near Bree, about ten miles north-east
of Kouka. Mr. Toole and myself instantly mounted our horses, and,
accompanied by a Shouaa guide, we arrived at the spot where he
had fallen, just as he breathed his last.
Although not more than twenty-five years old, his tusk measuring
barely four feet six inches, he was an immense fellow. His
dimensions were as under:
ft. in.
Length from the proboscis to the tail 25 6
Proboscis 7 6
Small teeth 2 10
Foot longitudinally 1 7
Eye 2 by 1½
From the foot to the hip-bone 9 6
From the hip-bone to the back 3 0
Ear 2 by 2 6
I had seen much larger elephants than this alive, when on my last
expedition to the Tchad; some I should have guessed sixteen feet in
height, and with a tusk probably exceeding six feet in length. The
one before me, which was the first I had seen dead, was, however,
considered as of more than common bulk and stature; and it was not
until the Kanemboo of the town of Bree came out, and by attracting
his attention with their yells, and teasing him by hurling spears at his
more tender parts, that the Shouaas dared to dismount; when, by
ham-stringing the poor animal, they brought him to the ground, and
eventually despatched him by repeated wounds in the abdomen and
proboscis: five leaden balls had struck him about the haunches, in
the course of the chase, but they had merely penetrated a few
inches into his flesh, and appeared to give him but little uneasiness.
The whole of the next day the road, leading to the spot where he lay,
was like a fair, from the numbers who repaired thither for the sake of
bringing off a part of the flesh, which is esteemed by all, and even
eaten in secret by the first people about the sheikh: it looks coarse,
but is better flavoured than any beef I found in the country. Whole
families put themselves in motion, with their daughters mounted on
bullocks, on this occasion, who, at least, hoped as much would fall to
their share as would anoint their heads and persons plentifully with
grease at the approaching fsug. The eyes of this noble animal were,
though so extremely small in proportion to his body, languid and
expressive even in death. His head, which was brought to the town, I
had an opportunity of seeing the next day, when I had it opened; and
the smallness of the brain is a direct contradiction to the hypothesis,
that the size of this organ is in proportion to the sagaciousness of the
animal. His skin was a full inch and a half in thickness, and dark
gray, or nearly black, hard, and wrinkled: his ears, large and
hanging, appeared to me the most extraordinary part about him,
particularly from the facility with which he moved them backwards
and forwards: his feet are round, undivided, and have four nails, or
hoofs, for they cannot be called toes, two in the front of the foot,
about an inch in depth, and two inches in length, which join each
other, with two smaller ones on each side of the foot. In Africa they
are scarcely ever taken alive, but hunted as a sport, for the sake of
their flesh; and also in order to obtain their teeth, which, however, as
they are generally small, are sold to the merchants for a very trifling
profit. The manner of hunting the elephant is simply this: from ten to
twenty horsemen single out one of these ponderous animals, and,
separating him from the flock by screaming and hallooing, force him
to fly with all his speed; after wounding him under the tail, if they can
there place a spear, the animal becomes enraged. One horseman
then rides in front, whom he pursues with earnestness and fury,
regardless of those who press on his rear, notwithstanding the
wounds they inflict on him. He is seldom drawn from this first object
of his pursuit; and, at last, wearied and transfixed with spears, his
blood deluging the ground, he breathes his last under the knife of
some more venturesome hunter than the rest, who buries his dagger
in the vulnerable part near the abdomen: for this purpose he will
creep between the animal’s hinder legs, and apparently expose
himself to the greatest danger: when this cannot be accomplished,
one or two will ham-string him, while he is baited in the front; and this
giant of quadrupeds then becomes comparatively an easy prey to his
persecutors.
Jan. 12.—Karouash came to us this evening, with his dark Arab
eyes, sparkling with somewhat more than vivacity; and it was not
long before we found out the cause. The people of Gulphi, who
inhabited a town close to the banks of the Shary, had no other
means of raising their grain (the land surrounding their walls being all
tributary to the sheikh) than by planting it on the south bank of that
river; reaping in the season, and carrying the produce to their city by
means of their flat-bottomed boats. They had, of late, been so little
interrupted in their agricultural pursuits, by the boats of the
neighbouring towns, that a village of huts had sprung up on this
portion of land; and labourers, to the number of three or four
hundred, resided there constantly. The hostile movements of the
Begharmis had, however, made the sheikh’s people more on the
alert than formerly; and passing over the river in their own boats,
accompanied by several deserters from Gulphi, who, traitor-like,
consented to bear arms against the land that gave them birth, and
lead its enemies to the pillage of their brethren, the people of
Maffatai and Kussery had, a few nights before, made an attack on
this village, putting to death all the males, even while they slept; and,
as usual, dragging the women and children to their boats, returned to
their homes without the loss of a man, after setting fire to all the huts,
and more than four hundred stacks of wheat and gussub. The effects
produced by this midnight expedition, and which was celebrated by
singings and rejoicings throughout Kouka, were indeed of a nature
favourable to my prospects, notwithstanding the shock humanity
received from the cause. The Begharmis, who had occupied the
southern banks of the Shary for months, obliging even the Loggun
people to supply them with provisions, took such alarm at this attack
of the sheikh’s people, that they struck their camp, and retired
immediately on the news reaching them; and the Loggun nation as
quickly sent off to the sheikh a deputation, with sixty slaves, and
three hundred bullocks, congratulating him on the event.
I determined on making immediate application for permission to
visit this country; so full of interest, both from its situation, and the
waters by which it was reported to be bounded. No time was to be
lost, for the return of the enemy might be as sudden as his flight; and
again I might have my intentions frustrated. I had been eleven
months endeavouring to visit this country—but to climb steep hills
requires a slow pace at first.
Jan. 18.—The sheikh, who had never, on any one occasion,
neglected making every possible arrangement for carrying my
wishes into execution, had not only instantly complied with my
request to seize this opportunity of visiting Loggun, but sent this
morning Karouash to advise with me as to my proceedings, and to
recommend my going without loss of time. “Bellal shall go with you,”
said he; “who has been in my confidence for seventeen years, and to
whom I could trust my own life, or that of my children, who are even
dearer to me than life itself.”
But in the morning we found a brown horse, which had carried Mr.
Toole from Tripoli, dead within our inclosure: both this and a black
one, which his Arab had been mounted on by the bashaw, had
scarcely eaten any thing since their arrival here. Our departure was
therefore put off for this day. Troubles, however, never come alone.
In the evening the camels I intended to take with me were missing;
and although the people were out looking for them until midnight, we
had no tidings. In the night I was called up, as Mr. Toole’s other
horse was dying: no blood could be got from him; and after
staggering about, in a way resembling intoxication, he died before
daylight.
Jan. 22.—Karouash, Ben Taleb, and even the sheikh, now
exclaiming against our going out, “Wonderful! Wonderful!” said they,
“it is written you are not to go.” The delay perplexed me, although to
go, and quickly, I was determined; the time was precious, for I did
not wish the news of my intentions to precede me. Towards night my
camels were found; and the sheikh, hearing that we had been
inquiring for a horse to purchase, sent a very smart black galloway to
Mr. Toole as a present. We had now seen die on our hands, in the
space of nine months, thirty-three camels, six horses, and one mule.
On the 23d I intended being off by daylight; but it was the
afternoon before I could accomplish my wish. The sheikh had given
me Bellal: “He will obey your orders in every thing,” said he; “but you
are going amongst people with whom I have but little influence.”
Bellal, who was one of the handsomest negroes I almost ever saw,
and a superior person, was attended by six of his slaves, two of
whom were mounted; these, with ourselves and two camels, formed
our party. While I was waiting to take leave of the sheikh, a note was
brought me from Dr. Oudney, by a Bornouese from Katagum: it had
no date, and was indeed his last effort. The acknowledgment of
being weak and helpless assured me that he was really so; for
during the whole of his long sufferings a complaint had scarcely ever
escaped his lips. On the sheikh’s saying to him, when he first
expressed his wish to accompany the kafila, “Surely your health is
not such as to risk such a journey?” he merely replied, “Why, if I stay
here, I shall die, and probably sooner, as travelling always improves
my health.”
His letter, though short, expresses great satisfaction at the
treatment he had met with on his journey, and also from the
inhabitants of the country.
FOOTNOTES:
The river here is a wide, handsome stream, and the walls extend
quite to the banks, and have two water-gates; the character is the
same as nearer its embouchure. I passed one of these water-gates
at sunset, and was much struck by the beauty of the landscape, with
the fishing canoes just returning towards Loggun: the stream sweeps
off to the south-south-west, and then to the south. Loggun was said
to be thirty miles distant by the river. Here my poor friend declared it
impossible to remain, and we moved on towards Loggun the next
morning. We could advance, however, but a few miles. Mr. Toole’s
sufferings were most acute; he twice fainted, and we lifted him on
and off his horse like an infant, so helpless had he become. What
added also to our distress was, that from this time until the evening
of the 16th, the Shouaa Arabs, who occupy the frontier of the
Loggun country, refused to allow us to pass until the sultan had been
consulted, and a number of his questions answered as to the
purpose of our visit. We were now close to the river, and
notwithstanding the heat, the only means we had of defending either
ourselves or our animals from the torture of the millions of insects
that beset us, was by lighting fires at the entrance of our tent, and
constantly supplying them with weeds and wet straw: the thick
suffocating smoke arising from this description of fire afforded us
temporary relief. I rode down to the river, which here flows with great
beauty and majesty past the high walls of this capital of Loggun; it
comes direct from the south-west, with a rapid current. We entered
the town by the western gate, which leads to the principal street: it is
as wide as Pall Mall, and has large dwellings on each side, built with
great uniformity, each having a court-yard in front, surrounded by
walls, and a handsome entrance, with a strong door hasped with
iron: a number of the inhabitants were seated at their doors for the
purpose of seeing us enter, with their slaves ranged behind them. At
first they took but little notice of us: indeed, our appearance could not
have been very imposing: one of our party was laid on a camel, and
another supported on his horse by two persons, who walked on each
side of him, while he raved most incoherently from the violence of
the fever by which he was consuming. At length, however, a person
of apparent consequence advanced towards my horse, bending
nearly double, and joining his hands (the first salutation of the kind
that I had seen), followed by his slaves stooping still lower than
himself. After explaining that he was deputed by the sultan to
welcome kab n’jaffy (the white man), and repeating frequently that
he was kaffama (my friend), he preceded our party; and, as we
moved on, each assembly that we passed rose from the ground,
advanced towards us, and saluted us in the same manner as I have
already described. We were at length conducted to our habitation,
which consisted of four separate huts, well built, within an outer wall,
with a large entrance hall for our servants: in the most retired and
quiet spot I spread the mat and pillow of my patient, who was in a
sad state of exhaustion and irritation.
The next morning I was sent for to appear before the sultan: ten
immense negroes, of high birth, most of them gray-bearded, bare-
headed, and carrying large clubs, preceded me through the streets,
and I was received with considerable ceremony. After passing
through several dark rooms, I was conducted to a large square court,
where some hundred persons were assembled, and all seated on
the ground: in the middle was a vacant space, to which they led me,
and I was desired to sit down also. Two slaves, in striped cotton
tobes, who were fanning the air through a lattice-work of cane,
pointed out the retirement of the sultan. On a signal, this shade was
removed, and something alive was discovered on a carpet, wrapped
up in silk tobes, with the head enveloped in shawls, and nothing but
the eyes visible: the whole court prostrated themselves, and poured
sand on their heads, while eight frumfrums and as many horns blew
a loud and very harsh-sounding salute.
My present, a red bornouse, a striped cotton caftan, a turban, two
knives, two pairs of scissors, and a pair of red trowsers, was laid
before him: he again whispered a welcome, for it is considered so
extremely ill-bred in a Loggun gentleman to speak out, that it is with
difficulty you can catch the sound of their voices.
He examined me very minutely, when the shade was again
drawn. I begged for permission to embark on the Shary, and was told
he would consider of it. He particularly inquired if I wished to
purchase b’lowy, or handsome female slaves, which I assured him I
did not; “because,” said he, “if you do, go no farther: I have some
hundreds, and will sell them to you as cheap as any one.”
Loggun, the capital of which country (Kernuk) is on the banks of
the Shary, and in 11° 7′ north latitude, is a very populous country.
Kernuk has fifteen thousand inhabitants at least. They speak a
language nearly Begharmi. The Shouaas are all round them, and to
them they are indebted for the plentiful supply of bullocks, milk, and
fat, with which the market abounds: these necessaries are paid for
by tobes, and blue cotton in stripes, which the Loggun people make
and dye of a very beautiful colour. They have, also, a metal currency
in Loggun, the first I had seen in Negroland: it consists of thin plates
of iron, something in the shape of the tip with which they shoe race-