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Textbook Key Technologies of Magnetically Coupled Resonant Wireless Power Transfer 1St Edition Yiming Zhang Auth Ebook All Chapter PDF
Textbook Key Technologies of Magnetically Coupled Resonant Wireless Power Transfer 1St Edition Yiming Zhang Auth Ebook All Chapter PDF
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Springer Theses
Recognizing Outstanding Ph.D. Research
Yiming Zhang
Key Technologies of
Magnetically Coupled
Resonant Wireless
Power Transfer
Springer Theses
The series “Springer Theses” brings together a selection of the very best Ph.D.
theses from around the world and across the physical sciences. Nominated and
endorsed by two recognized specialists, each published volume has been selected
for its scientific excellence and the high impact of its contents for the pertinent field
of research. For greater accessibility to non-specialists, the published versions
include an extended introduction, as well as a foreword by the student’s supervisor
explaining the special relevance of the work for the field. As a whole, the series will
provide a valuable resource both for newcomers to the research fields described,
and for other scientists seeking detailed background information on special
questions. Finally, it provides an accredited documentation of the valuable
contributions made by today’s younger generation of scientists.
Key Technologies
of Magnetically Coupled
Resonant Wireless Power
Transfer
Doctoral Thesis accepted by
Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
123
Author Supervisor
Dr. Yiming Zhang Prof. Zhengming Zhao
San Diego State University Tsinghua University
San Diego Beijing
USA China
Wireless power transfer (WPT) is one of the most promising technologies of power
supply. As an innovative means of power supply, WPT can be applied where the
conventional method is inconvenient, expensive, hazardous, or even impossible,
such as underwater, mine, consumer electronics, implantable medical devices,
electric vehicles, and high-voltage applications. WPT has attracted enormous
attention in the recent decade and will play an essential role in future energy
revolution.
This thesis describes the scientific achievements of Dr. Yiming Zhang, which
were made during his doctoral program in Department of Electrical Engineering,
Tsinghua University, Beijing, China. His research work covers a wide range of
topics about magnetically coupled WPT technology. From the perspectives of the
source, the transfer system, and the load, respectively, he discussed the impact of
reducing the operating frequency of the source on transfer efficiency, investigated
the frequency splitting phenomenon and its related factors, proposed three
multiple-load transfer structures, and studied the WPT systems with either a
constant-voltage load or a constant-current load. Overall, this thesis offers valuable
information on magnetically coupled WPT.
v
Parts of this thesis have been published in the following articles:
Zhang Y., Zhao Z., Chen K. (2014) Frequency decrease analysis of resonant
wireless power transfer. IEEE Trans Power Electron. 29:1058–1063
(Reproduced with Permission).
Zhang Y., Zhao Z. (2014) Frequency splitting analysis of two-coil resonant wireless
power transfer. IEEE Antennas Wireless Propag Lett. 13:400–402 (Reproduced
with Permission).
Zhang Y., Zhao Z., Chen K. (2014) Frequency splitting analysis of four-coil resonant
wireless power transfer. IEEE Trans Ind Appl. 50:2436–2445 (Reproduced with
Permission).
Zhang Y., Lu T., Zhao Z., Chen K., He F., Yuan L. (2015) Wireless power transfer
to multiple loads over various distances using relay resonators. IEEE Microw
Wireless Compon Lett. 25:337–339 (Reproduced with Permission).
Zhang Y., Lu T., Zhao Z., He F., Chen K., Yuan L. (2015) Selective wireless power
transfer to multiple loads using receivers of different resonant frequencies. IEEE
Trans Power Electron. 30:6001–6005 (Reproduced with Permission).
Zhang Y., Lu T., Zhao Z., He F., Chen K., Yuan L. (2015) Employing load coils for
multiple loads of resonant wireless power transfer. IEEE Trans Power Electron.
30:6174–6181 (Reproduced with Permission).
Zhang Y., Chen K., He F., Zhao Z., Lu T., Yuan L. (2016) Closed-form oriented
modeling and analysis of wireless power transfer system with constant-voltage
source and load. IEEE Trans Power Electron. 31:3472–3481 (Reproduced with
Permission).
Zhang Y., Zhao Z., Chen K. (2013) Load matching analysis of magnetically-
coupled resonant wireless power transfer. In: Proceedings of 2013 ECCE Asia,
pp. 788–792 (Reproduced with Permission).
Zhang Y., Zhao Z., Jiang Y. (2017) Modeling and analysis of wireless power
transfer system with constant-voltage source and constant-current load. In:
Proceedings of 2017 ECCE, pp. 975–979 (Reproduced with Permission).
vii
Acknowledgements
First of all, I would like to express my sincere gratitude and appreciation for my
supervisor Prof. Zhengming Zhao. He offered me the chance to enter the world of
power electronics and wireless power transfer. He led me to appreciate the beauty
of power electronics with his profound knowledge during his classes. He solved my
puzzles with his keen academic insight when I was confronted with difficulties in
research. He guided me with his rich life experiences to truly find myself and what I
am interested in. He supported me with all matters of the heart for my career. He is
an excellent teacher and a helpful friend. Under his guidance, I completed this
thesis. I cannot thank him enough.
I also owe my gratitude to Associate Professor Liqiang Yuan, Dr. Ting Lu, and
Dr. Fanbo He. They helped me unconditionally and guided me with constructive
comments throughout my research work. Many thanks to Mrs. Xiaoying Sun. She
is like a mom to all the group members. She helped me and supported me
wholeheartedly. Also, I would like to thank Technician Mr. Chunxiang Zhang. He
assisted me with his superb professional skills and rich engineering experiences.
Many thanks to our group members: Dr. Lu Yin, Dr. Gaoyu Zou, Dr. Kainan
Chen, Dr. Shiqi Ji, Dr. Junjie Ge, Dr. Sizhao Lu, Dr. Kai Li, and all the others for
their kind assistance and cooperation. It is a great pleasure to get acquainted with
them in Tsinghua University.
Last but not least, I would like to thank Tsinghua University for the extraordi-
nary academic atmosphere and superior conditions.
ix
Contents
xi
xii Contents
xv
xvi Nomenclature
1.1.1 Background
Ever since the second industrial revolution, the era of electricity has come upon us.
Various electric equipment has been broadly utilized and played a vital role in
human’s life. Presently regarding its transmission, distribution, and utilization,
electric power is overwhelmingly transferred via the direct connection of metal
conductors. There are many issues resulting from this “wired” power transfer, such
as safety, feasibility and convenience in some applications. Due to wear, fatigue and
corrosion of connecting wires, sparks may occur, affecting the life span and safe use
of the equipment. With the rapid developments of technology and dramatic
improvement of human’s life, diverse domestic appliances and consumer elec-
tronics have been broadly used in our daily life. With the limited capacity of
batteries, these products need constant charging via a wire, which results in
inconvenience. Moreover, the long-term operation of implantable medical devices
(IMDs) calls for the replacement of batteries via surgery, bringing suffer and cost to
patients. With all these issues it is urgent to develop a new means of power transfer
to get rid of wires. The most likely solution is WPT technology. WPT, or con-
tactless energy transmission, is the transmission of electric energy without wires.
Presently energy crisis and environmental pollution are the major issues of our
society. Using solar energy is a good way to solve these problems. Compared with
solar stations on the surface of the earth, Space-Based Solar Power (SBSP) can
achieve higher conversion efficiency and be free from weather influence. SBSP is
the ideal way to get rid of energy crisis and environmental pollution. How to
transfer electric power from the space to the ground is a major issue. Microwave
Power Transfer (MPT) can play an important part in it. Developing Electric
Vehicles (EVs) can ease the problems of air pollution caused by fuel vehicles. The
major technical issues of EVs include range anxiety and inconvenient charging.
Static and dynamic wireless charging for EVs can prolong the driving range and
improve the charging experience. Therefore, WPT technology plays a crucial role
in solving the issues of energy crisis and environmental pollution.
Wireless signal transfer, or wireless communication, frees human from the
constraint of location and distance. It has tremendously driven the development of
related technologies and promoted cultural exchange, leading to enormous
improvement of human’s life. As its counterpart in the field of energy, WPT can
free human from wires and extend the application of electric energy to a new level,
profoundly changing human’s life.
WPT can be applied where the traditional “wired” power transfer is inconve-
nient, expensive, hazardous, or even impossible, such as underwater, mine, con-
sumer electronics, implantable medical devices, EVs, rail trains, and high-voltage
applications. According to Navigant Research, global wireless power revenue is
expected to grow from $1.3 billion in 2015 to $17.9 billion in 2024 [1]. WPT has
enormous potentials.
Due to its wide application prospects and social and economic values, WPT was
ranked as one of the top ten emerging technologies for two consecutive years (2012
and 2013) by World Economic Forum [2, 3]. Meanwhile, it was also selected as one
of the ten breakthrough technologies in 2016 by Massachusetts Institute of
Technology (MIT) Technology Review [4].
1.1.2 History
about 8 m from each other at the power level of hundreds of watts [7]. In 1968,
Peter Glaser introduced the concept of SBSP [8]. Afterwards, the research of SBSP
has been furthered.
Dating back to the 1990s, Auckland University has investigated WPT technol-
ogy based on EM induction [9–13]. This technology, also called as Inductive Power
Transfer (IPT), has been applied in the fields of rail transmit, assembly line,
domestic appliances, and so on. In 2007, MIT published a paper in Science [14],
stating that a 60-W light bulb was lit via coupling coils located 2 m from each other
with transfer efficiency up to 40%. The coils were in resonance with its own stray
capacitors and the resonant frequency was around 10 MHz. This work has attracted
much attention worldwide. Many academic institutes and corporations have con-
ducted extensive research and applications of WPT technology since then, greatly
promoting the development of WPT technology.
1.1.3 Category
Magnetic Induction
WPT
Electric Induction
Ultrasonic, etc
4 1 Introduction to Wireless Power Transfer
Magnetic induction and electric induction WPT technologies are both based on
the near field. The transfer distance is comparable to the physical length of the
transmitting equipment. Magnetic induction WPT technology, also called as
magnetically coupled WPT, has been widely studied and applied due to its long
transfer distance, large transfer power capability, and high transfer efficiency.
Magnetic induction WPT is based on magnetic induction between two coupled
coils.
Electric induction WPT technology, also known as Capacitive Power Transfer
(CPT), uses the electric field generated by the metal plates on both the transmitter
side and the receiver side to transfer power wirelessly. It receives much less focus
than the magnetic induction WPT technology currently due to its short transfer
distance and hazard of electric field.
Some other kinds of WPT technologies include ultrasonic WPT using ultrasonic
wave and WPT using piezoelectric effect or hysteresis expansion.
The theoretical basis of magnetic induction WPT is illustrated as follows. The
alternating current in the transmitting coil generates an alternating magnetic field,
part of which is linked to the receiving coil. Power will be transferred to the load
when the load is connected to the receiving coil. The principle of magnetic
induction WPT is displayed in Fig. 1.2.
In some literatures, magnetic induction WPT is further divided into inductive
WPT and resonant WPT. The differences between them are that stray capacitors are
utilized in resonant WPT, instead of lumped capacitors in inductive WPT, to res-
onate with the coils at high frequency. Nevertheless, their principles are the same.
This thesis mainly focused on magnetic induction WPT and does not distinguish
inductive or resonant WPT. WPT thereafter is referred to magnetic induction WPT,
unless specifically noted.
Transmitting
Source
Coil
Magnetic
Induction
Receiving
Coil Load
1.1 Brief Introduction 5
1.1.4 Application
WPT can be applied in many fields, which can be divided into two major types,
namely high-power applications and low-power applications.
High-power applications include wireless charging for EVs and rail trains. In the
1990s, Delco Electronics, one of the subsidiaries of General Motors, developed a
wireless charger called Magne Charge for EVs [15]. This is one of the earliest
commercial wireless charger for EVs. Auckland University cooperated with
PowerByProxy, Wampfler, and Daifuku to push the WPT technology to the market
and founded a company called HaloIPT. In 2011, Qualcomm purchased HaloIPT
and developed a series of wireless chargers for EVs. Witricity is another company
originally founded by MIT and worked with Toyota for wireless EV chargers.
Low-power applications include wireless charging for consumer electronics and
IMDs. Compared with high-power applications, low-power applications are more
commercially involved. Some standards have been developed, such as Qi standard
from Wireless Power Consortium (WPC) and Alliance for Wireless Power (A4WP)
standard. Many companies worldwide have developed many products, such as
cellphones and electronic watches, which support wireless charging.
There are mainly three ways to classify the structures of WPT, namely according to
the existence of impedance matching coils, according to different resonant types,
and according to the number of resonant coils.
(1) Two-Coil Structure and Four-Coil Structure
According to the existence of impedance matching coils, WPT can be divided
into the two-coil structure and the four-coil structure as shown in Fig. 1.3.
Compared with the two-coil structure, the source coil and the load coil are
added in the four-coil structure. Normally the source coil and the load coil are
small coils with either a far fewer turn number (normally 1 or 2) or a smaller
size. Not only can the source coil and the load coil tune the impedance but also
they can isolate the source and the load from the sending coil and the receiving
coil, respectively.
(2) SS, SP, S-LCL, PS, PP, P-LCL, LCL-S, LCL-P, and LCL-LCL
There are three resonant types: series (S), parallel (P), and inductor-capacitor-
inductor (LCL). According to the combination of different resonant types in
both the transmitter and the receiver, WPT can be divided into nine structures:
SS, SP, S-LCL, PS, PP, P-LCL, LCL-S, LCL-P, and LCL-LCL, as demon-
strated in Fig. 1.4. Different resonant types lead to different transfer charac-
teristics, including the optimal load resistance, the open-circuit and short-circuit
6 1 Introduction to Wireless Power Transfer
Resonant Resonant
Capacitor Capacitor
Source Load
(b)
Source Sending Receiving Load
Coil Coil Coil Coil
Magnetic
Inductor
Source Load Source Load Source Load
Inductor
Source Load Source Load Source Load
Inductor
Inductor
Inductor
Fig. 1.4 Nine basic structures: a SS; b SP; c S-LCL; d PS; e PP; f P-LCL; g LCL-S; h LCL-P;
i LCL-LCL
There are three basic theories to describe a WPT system, namely Coupled Mode
Theory (CMT), Band Pass Filter (BPF), and Circuit Theory (CT).
8 1 Introduction to Wireless Power Transfer
Relay Relay
Transmitter Resonator 1 Resonator n Receiver
(1) CMT
CMT is an approach to describe the coupling of vibrational systems in space or
in time, particularly in WPT for analyzing the coupled resonators. The CMT
model of Fig. 1.3a can be established as [14]
8
< da1 ¼ ðjx C Þa þ jj a þ A ejx0 t
dt 0 1 1 12 2 S
ð1:1Þ
: d
dt ¼ ½jx0 ðC2 þ CL Þa2 þ jj21 a1
a 2
where parameters in bold represent the corresponding phasors and the same is
true for the rest of this thesis.
Equation (1.1) can be rewritten as
" # " # " #
d a1 jx0 C1 jj12 a1 AS ejx0 t
¼ þ ð1:2Þ
dt a2 jj21 jx0 ðC2 þ CL Þ a2 0
By solving Eq. (1.2), the related parameters of the system can be obtained.
(2) BPF
The WPT system is regarded as a second-order band pass filter in BPF. The
same way of designing a second-order band pass filter is applied to the WPT
system. Normally Butterworth or Chebyshev filters are adopted [16–18].
(3) CT
CT is the most broadly employed theory of all the three theories due to its
intuitiveness and simpleness. Based on Kirchhoff Voltage Law (KVL) and
Kirchhoff Current Law (KCL), the model to describe a WPT system can be
established. Take Fig. 1.3a as an example. Its equivalent circuit is depicted in
Fig. 1.8.
The relationship between L2, L3 and M23 is
pffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffi
M23 ¼q23 L2 L3 ð1:3Þ
R2 L2 L3 R3
I2 + + I3
US jωMI3 jωMI2 RL
C2 - - C3
Based on Eq. (1.5), the T-type equivalent circuit of the two-coil structure can be
obtained as shown in Fig. 1.10. This equivalent circuit can be solved with the
knowledge of the series and parallel connections of impedances.
Note that L2 − M23 and L3 − M23 are not the leakage inductances. When
pffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffi
L2 > L3 and q23 [ L3 =L2 , L2 − M23 < 0. Similar results can be gotten for
L3 − M23 < 0. To avoid the negative values of inductances and to correspond with
the actual leakage inductances, the T-type equivalent circuit with a turn ratio is
developed, as shown in Fig. 1.11.
where the reflected impedance from the receiving coil to the sending coil Zref23 is
defined as
ðxM23 Þ2
Zref23 ¼ ð1:7Þ
R3 þ jxL3 þ jxC
1
þ RL
3
From Eq. (1.6) we can see that the impact of the receiving loop can be regarded
as a variable impedance inserted in series in the branch of the sending coil. This
variable impedance, as shown in Eq. (1.7), is proportional the square of the mutual
inductance and in reverse proportion to the loop impedance of the receiving coil.
The equivalent circuit with the reflected impedance of the two-coil structure is
shown in Fig. 1.12. The transmitter current can be calculated by using the reflected
impedance and the current of the receiving coil is thus obtained by the controlled
voltage in the receiving side.
The components and the corresponding research focus of a WPT system can be
summarized as Fig. 1.13. A typical WPT system is composed of three parts: a
source (including converters), a transfer system (including matching networks and
transmission coils), and a load (including converters). Matching networks, also
known as compensation networks, consist of capacitors and inductors inserted
between the transmission coils and the power electronics converters. For the
magnetic part, designing a set of transmission coils is crucial in a WPT system. Coil
design is the selection and optimization of coil material (including wires and
magnetic material) and coil shape. With fixed coil design, coil structure is the next
step. Different kinds of coil structures have been displayed in Sect. 1.2.1. Last but
not least is the transfer features, including the transfer characteristics varying with
the frequency or the degree of coupling.
Power electronics converters are employed both on the transmitter side and the
receiver side as power conversion units.
On the transmitter side, power electronics inverters are utilized to conduct DC/
AC conversion. Full-bridge inverters [19–23] are widely used due to the simple
structure, stable output, and high-power capability, but the cost is high. Class E
amplifiers [24–27] are also employed due to its low cost and easy implementation
of the driving circuit. However, parameter matching should be conducted and the
power level is limited. Also, in some other research AC/AC converters [28–30],
such as matrix converters, are utilized to supply power to the transfer system.
1.3 Current Research Focus 13
On the receiver side, an AC/DC rectifier is necessary to supply power for the
load. Sometimes a DC/DC converter is inserted between the AC/DC rectifier and
the load to regulate the difference between the rectifier DC voltage and the load
voltage. In some other cases such as a bidirectional power transfer system, rectifiers
with active switches are adopted. The control of the converters on both the trans-
mitter side and the receiver side can be conducted with information from the other
side to achieve good and fast system performance.
Wide-band-gap semiconductor devices, such as Silicon Carbide (SiC) and
Gallium Nitride (GaN), are applied to WPT systems because they can operate at
much higher voltages, frequencies, and temperatures than conventional semicon-
ductor devices. SiC is applied in high-power applications [31–33] and GaN is
applied in low-power applications [34, 35].
To improve transfer efficiency, enlarge transfer power, and increase transfer dis-
tance, new materials are applied in WPT systems. Transfer efficiency can be
improved with reduced coil resistances. Wires with superconducting materials can
achieve zero resistance under certain conditions. Reference [43] analyzed the effi-
ciency, power and EM field of a WPT system with superconducting material.
Reference [44] studied the WPT system with the receiving coil consisting of
superconducting material. Increasing the coupling of the transmission coils can also
14 1 Introduction to Wireless Power Transfer
The sand-bank was very useful to our coolies for bathing from,
and was also turned to account by the women who came to our
market for doing their washing. The deck of the Davoust became the
rendezvous of everybody, and no doubt some strange episodes took
place on and in the stranded vessel. The flesh is weak, and it was
perhaps as well that the chaplain of the mission and his aide-de-
camp, Baudry, who had charge of the police department, did not
inquire too closely into what went on in the siesta hour.
May 18.—No storm at Fort Archinard, though it is pouring with
rain all round. One would really suppose that we had a grisgris or a
fetich which enabled us to control the elements.
Three men came from Galadio to ask us to send him the treaty
already alluded to. We gave them two copies of it, one of which was
to be returned to us after being signed by Ibrahim if he approved of
it. This treaty was a league of friendship between the French and
him, agreeing to give mutual aid and protection throughout the whole
of the districts subject to him or to the French to all who came in
peace, whether as travellers or traders, whether actually the
subjects, or only aliens under the protection of either of the
contracting parties. Under all circumstances, in fact, and by every
means in their power, Galadio and the French agreed to assist each
other. Both would do their very utmost to make the road between Uro
Galadio and Massina safe. Lastly, Ibrahim promised to make no
agreement with any other European without having first consulted
the French resident at Bandiagara.
Later the duplicate of this convention came back to us signed in
beautifully clear and firm Arabic writing, after having been read and
discussed at a general meeting of native notables. This valuable
treaty had not been obtained by lavish presents, for we had already
begun to practise economy, in view of the probable heavy expenses
of the return journey, and we had warned Ibrahim that he must not
expect costly gifts.
The convention was simple, direct, and easy to be understood by
all. It was in my opinion the most complete treaty which could
possibly be drawn up in these parts, and after its signature we had a
right to rely upon the absolute good faith of the other party to the
contract, and to consider him our friend and our ally. You will see
presently how much it was worth, and judge from that of the value of
all treaties with negro chiefs, especially of those left with them, the
contents of which have never been explained.
Another great piece of news! A Messiah has risen up, by name
Bokar Ahmidu Collado, who is winning converts on the Liptako to the
west of our encampment, between Say and Bandiagara. He has
already had considerable success, and has received investiture from
Sokoto with a banner, giving him the right to make war on the
French. He went to Amadu Cheiku to ask for reinforcements, but that
chief only gave him his blessing in a very frigid manner, saying,
“Believe me, the time will come, but it is not yet come, for driving the
white men from the Sudan, the land of our fathers. There is a country
in the East bounded by a big creek (the Tchad?), and they must
spread there first. As for me, I know the French too well to care to
rub shoulders with them.”
Bokar Ahmidu Collado then went to Niugui, chief of the Cheibatan
Tuaregs, and asked him to give him some men, but Niugui said to
him, “Madidu will make war on me if I help against his friends the
French.” “You have no faith,” answered the Messiah; “I will make you
believe,” and he gave him a consecrated drink. Then they say Niugui
saw, in the air above him, crowds of combatants armed with rifles
and swords, with many mounted men, all following the Messiah and
the triumphant Crescent. He still hesitates, however, on account of
his salutary fear of Madidu.
Bokar Ahmidu Collado comes from a village of Farimaké, near
Tioko. One of Galadio’s people from Wagniaka (Massina) knew him
when he was quite young. “A poor fool that Collado,” he said to us,
“who has not even been to Mecca, yet sets up for being a Messiah!”
Moral: No man is a prophet in his own country.
Something special seemed to be going on all through the latter
part of May; all manner of news pouring in, some of it really seeming
very likely to be true. The barges at Ansongo constantly increased in
number. The Toucouleur chief Koly Mody was about to abandon the
cause of Amadu. Diafara, a man from Kunari, which had remained
true to Agibu, was on the west of our camp to levy tribute in
Hombari, to found a post at Dori, or to lead a very strong force of
French and their allies into the district of Mossi. The people of
Bussuma had been defeated and driven away, they had taken refuge
at Wagadugu, which last-named rumour seemed to us most likely to
be true, for it behoved the French Sudan to avenge the injury
inflicted on French troops the previous year by the so-called Naba of
the Nabas. What, however, were we to think of all the contradictory
rumours which sprung up like mushrooms and grew like snowballs,
to melt away almost as quickly as they took shape?
May 20.—A new visitor to-day, original if nothing more. Like every
one else, he has his budget of news, and told us about the French
column which is to operate in Mossi. We are beginning to attach very
little importance to all this gossip. Our guest is a heathen, or, as
Suleyman translates it, a Christian, explaining that he must be a co-
religionist of ours, in that he has customs peculiar to the Christians—
drinks dolo and gets drunk on it, of which he is very proud. He
therefore belongs to our family, and that is why he has come to see
his big brother, the commandant!
He calls himself a sorcerer, and seems a little off his head.
Anyhow he talks great nonsense. Whilst we were questioning him he
kept fingering a little goat-skin bag, out of which, when we were quite
weary of his stupid replies, he drew a small phial full of oil of
pimento, and a number of tiny little pots—the whole paraphernalia of
magic, in fact. Having set out all these odds and ends on the ground,
he proceeded to make some grisgris to protect the hut in which he
was from bullets.
He began by smoothing the sand of the floor with his hand, to
bring good-fortune, he said, and he then skilfully drew with his finger
in the sand four parallel lines forming parallelograms. These he
combined two by two, three by three, four by four, and so on, reciting
invocations all the time. He then rubbed all the first designs out and
began again with fresh invocations, making the lines sometimes
vertical, sometimes of other shapes.
With a very solemn face, as if he
were celebrating mass, he now drew
forth a little satchel of ancient paper,
written all over in Arabic by some
marabout, and muttered some words,
evidently learnt by heart, for he
certainly could not read. At last, with
an expression as serious as that of
the Sphinx of the desert, he
TYPICAL MARKET WOMEN. announced: “Hitherto you have had
none but enemies in the land, no one
in the whole country is your friend. Beware of the marabouts!
Beware, above all, of one particular marabout! There is a young man
ill here (this was Bluzet, who was just then lying down with an attack
of fever), but it will not be much. You must sacrifice a white chicken
for his recovery; have it broiled, and give it to the poor: this will
conciliate the favour of the great prophet Nabi Mussa, or Moses. It
will be best to give your charity to children. Then all the grisgris of
the negroes and the marabouts will avail nothing against you. But
beware, above all, on account of your men. If you cut away all the
roots of a tree it falls. In the same way, if they take away your
negroes, all will be over with you. Now I have come to give you a
grisgris for them, which will protect them from all spells, and even
from cortés and other evils. I can even give you a corté myself,
which will kill a man if you only throw the tiniest bit of it in his face.”
The corté is, in fact, the most terrible of all spells amongst the
negroes. It is said to consist of a powder which slays from a
distance. The natives say that if thrown from some miles off the man
it touches dies, and the truth seems to be, that the sorcerers have
the secret of a very subtle poison, which produces terrible disorders
in those touched by it.
As a matter of course, we did not accept the offers of a corté or
counter corté from Djula, but to give him an idea of the mischief we
could do if we chose, I gave him a five-franc piece in a bowl of
galvanized water, as I had the son of the chief of the Kel Temulai. I
then told him to go to Mossi and have a look round there to see what
would happen. He is a crazy old fellow enough, but I have been told
that sorcerers have more influence over the Mossi and their nabas,
as they call their chiefs, than those who are in the full possession of
their senses. He was willing to go, and when the Tabaski was over
he would come back inch Allah, with envoys from Bilinga or
Wagadugu.
Now Bilinga is eleven days’ march from Say, and eight days after
he left us the old fellow came back pretending he had gone all the
way. He had really never gone beyond Say, and brought us all sorts
of silly news only, so Digui took him by the shoulders and quite
gently turned him out of the camp.
May 20.—As the so-called Tabaski fête approached, our visitors
and the news they brought were greatly on the increase. Pullo,
Osman, and the minor ambassadors vied with each other in the
ingenuity of their inventions. The fact was, they all wanted to have
new bubus for the festive occasion, some money, some coppers to
buy kola nuts, etc., not to speak of new bright-coloured
undergarments for their wives. “What would the village people say,
commandant,” they would urge, “if I, who every one knows to be a
friend of the French, should cut anything but a good figure?”
All, then, was tending in the direction of our hopes. A good job
too, for the river was falling, falling, falling. Our island was completely
transformed, for a big isthmus of sand and flints now united it to the
right bank. Hundreds of determined men, or of men driven in from
behind, might pour into the camp any night now, as into some
popular fair.
Reassured though we were by what we heard of the political
condition of the country, and by all these protestations of friendship,
we yet awaited the 14th July with impatience, and we celebrated its
passing as joyfully as possible when it came at last. No sooner was it
over, however, when slowly and quietly, and at first very doubtfully,
certain bad news filtered through, which gradually gained certainty.
For once, indeed, there was no doubt about the evil tidings, which
were diametrically opposed to all that the politeness of the natives
would have had us believe. The whole country, Toucouleurs, people
of Say, of Kibtachi, and of Torodi, with the Sidibés, the Gaberos and
others, had combined against us and were marching to attack us.
Naturally no one had thought fit to warn us. It was Osman, poor
fellow, who, in spite of himself, put us on the scent, and gave us the
alarm. He meant to play the part of an angel of light, but, as is often
the case, his rôle was really quite the reverse.
One fine day he said to us point-blank, “There is no cause for
anxiety now, you can sleep with both ears shut, for Amadu Saturu
and Amadu Cheiku are both most favourably disposed towards you.”
“Why do you tell us that, Osman?” I asked. “I feel sure you have
some very good reason, but take care what you say. You are lying, I
know. Amadu is really trying to pick a quarrel with us.”
“Bissimilaye! not a bit of it,” was the reply. “He is only getting his
column together to move against Djermakoy.”
I had never been told a word about that expedition, and the fact
seemed strange, so I said—
“Osman! you are telling a lie. What column is going against
Djermakoy?”
Then with much hesitation, and turning as pale as a negro can
when he has got himself into a hobble, he began to tell us how all
the people of Say, and the Toucouleurs, in fact, all the natives, had
united to march on Dentchendu, a big village of Djerma, the very
centre of the Futanké agitation, but that before actually starting they
were all coming to Say to receive the benediction of Saturu, who
would recite the Fatiha to the glory of the Prophet on the tomb of his
ancestor, Mohammed Djebbo, who had founded the town.
FORT ARCHINARD.