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  In 1962 David N Hall, on completion of a tour with the Ghanaian army and the United Nations, spent three months leave in the Southern Sahara, starting in Niger and then going on to Mali.

This is an opportunity to make use of some of the pictures he took, and illustrate the life and environment there in 1962.

Leaving Ghana in November 1962 with Lance Corporal Davies Wendell Wilkie Davies and my heavily loaded long wheel based Land Rover, we travelled along the coast road to Nigeria and then up through Kano and Zinder to Agadez in Niger. 

Once our papers were checked we motored along a rough track to the beautiful oasis of Iferouane which was our main base.  We were given accommodation and made many friends there, including Marmounta, who acted as guide on two camel journeys: the first into Mont Tamgak.  The massif has a fault which forms a oued (wadi) cutting down through the mountain.  Our second journey, to the west of Iferouane was to find and record rock carvings.
 

For a full account - an extract from Hall's memoir

Photographs PART 1                              Skip to Part 2 - camel journey west


Agadez in Niger, mosque on left with permanent scaffold of rods to replace mud washed off in rains
The camel market in Agadez.

 
In Iferouane.  Camels were arranged for us with Marmounta to guide us. The Commandant on the left.

 


The clarity of the air and the distant Tamgak as we set out for the oued just right of centre.
Entering the oued we found it green with palms, and the route was relatively easy.
On up the oued we travelled, penned in on either side by the mountain.
 

 


The route became increasingly rocky as we approached a pool.
That night we were given a kid goat which Marmounta butchered.
Then came a second rock pool, deep looking and mysterious.


 


People came to Iferouane from far and wide to celebrate National Day.
Everyone arrived in their best clothes, and even the camels looked superior.
There were preparations for the camel race.

 


My Land Rover used to bring in wives and babies from outlying areas.
A band had been hired and brought up to Iferouane for the day.
Their Hausa drums and bugles were colourful.

Move to Part 2 - camel journey west