Journey from Ahmahguloff to Koranhedudah, general direction S.W., time
occupied three hours.—Pass Jibel Obinoe.—Plain of Amardu.—Account of
myrrh-tree.—Description of halting-place.—Singular solar
phenomenon.—_April 23d._ Journey from Koranhedudah to Herhowlee,
general direction W.N.W., time two hours and a-half.—Bedouin
village.—Bedouin ladies.
_April 22d._—Ebin Izaak, Ohmed Mahomed, Ohmed Medina, and myself, all
rode our mules during this morning’s march so that we outstript the
pedestrians very soon. Passing out of the plain we ascended a steep
acclivity of loose stones, which led us over one extremity of the ridge
of Mahree, covered with large blocks of lava. After half an hour’s ride
along this, we descended the opposite side, the road being down the
tortuous and often precipitous bed of an occasional torrent. My mule
having placed her feet upon an easily detached stone, came down upon her
side with great violence. I threw myself off, falling in an opposite
direction, and escaped with a few bruises. Remounting again very
speedily, for all had come to my assistance, we entered a narrow valley
plain called Amardu, similar in character to the one we had been
marching along for the last three days, and like it terminating at Jibel
Obinoe, now about four miles distant.
The singularly cleft summit of the low peak of Obinoe, and its apparent
relative position with respect to the various fissured plains that
appear to terminate there as at a centre, induced me to sketch its
outline, as I would a head-land at sea, placing also sundry small arrows
to indicate the directions of the several valleys. Its appearance was,
as if at this point, the previously level plateau had been upraised from
beneath, with a force but just sufficient to lift the then fractured
portions into opposite inclined planes, and the severed summit
distinctly marked, the separated edges of the original table-land. The
greatest height that has been attained by the upraised portion, is not
700 feet above the level of the valley plains, and not 400 above the
level of the flat-topt heights of Dulhull and Mahree.
The plain of Amardu was intersected with deep narrow gullies, or dry
watercourses, four or five feet deep, and as many wide. Plenty of coarse
grass seemed to promise excellent forage for the camels, and I expected,
when we dismounted again under a large tree, that we were going to halt
for the day; however, I was told that this was a favourite rendezvous
for deer and wild asses, and I soon saw several herds of these animals,
besides great numbers of guinea-fowl on every side of us. My companions
had evidently preceded the Kafilah with me, on purpose to obtain, if
possible, one of the larger antelopes, and Ohmed Mahomed now asked me to
go and endeavour to shoot one. I accordingly started, and taking
advantage of one of the water channels, I soon found myself abreast four
very fine ones, as large as roebucks, and not more than eighty yards
distant. I fired at once, but being in a hurry, and my short carbine not
carrying point-blank more than sixty yards, the ball struck the one I
aimed at low on the hind leg, breaking it below the hough. It staggered
on to its hind quarters, but recovering itself immediately, tried on
three legs to follow its affrighted companions. Ebin Izaak seeing this,
jumped upon his mule, and throwing his shield from the bow of his
saddle, and his tobe from his shoulders, galloped in a direction that
would either cut off its retreat, and prevent it joining the others, or
else force it up the steep face of the cliff, down which we had just
come. After a chase of about half an hour, in sight the whole time, we
saw our eager huntsman come alongside the antelope and at full speed
launch his spear into its side. As the animal fell tumbling on its face,
Izaak leaped from his mule, and soon put an end to its vain effort to
rise and to resist, by cutting its throat with his dagger.
The Hy Soumaulee and some of the Kafilah men having followed us over the
ridge of Mahree, now came bounding down the bed of the stream, one after
the other, gathered around the dead antelope, and lashing its feet
together, they brought it to the tree under which we at first halted. We
here waited for the approach of the camels, which were at length seen
rounding the extremity of the ridge, and entering the plain of Amardu,
without going over the ridge as we had done. Before they came to us I
shot three fine guinea-fowl at one discharge, so that the object of our
preceding the Kafilah had not been disappointed. In addition to the
feast thus promised, Ohmed Medina directed one of the Hy Soumaulee to
gather a large quantity of a very delicate vegetable that abounded here,
which he assured me the Banyans at Bombay were very fond of, and that he
knew I should like it too, appearing at the same time rather surprised,
at my ignorance of the plant, which at first I refused to have anything
to do with.
The camels coming up, I was glad to find we were not to stop here for
the day, as I began to feel impatient at the length of the journey to
Shoa, and anxious that it should be concluded as soon as possible,
having been now nearly four weeks almost daily marching, and still I was
informed we had not reached half way.
The game was placed upon the camels, and the vegetable, crammed into one
of Zaido’s skin bags, was thrown between the saddle-staves, where their
extremities cross each other over the back of the camel, and we again
started for a halting-place called Koranhedudah, about three hours’
march in a direction, south-west. We ascended a long, but gentle
acclivity, for at least two hours of this time, along a road strewn with
the everlasting lava cinders, and at length reached a small circular
spot about a mile in diameter, surrounded with low black ridges of the
usual character, and at the foot of which were several pools of clear
water, where an abundance of frogs kept up a continual croaking. Myrrh
and mimosa-trees abounded in this place; among the latter I noticed the
variety producing gum arabic, and also another which yielded a strong
astringent gum, that resembled very much the gum kino.
Accompanied by Ebin Izaak I went in search of some gum myrrh, as I was
very anxious to procure specimens of the leaves, flowers, and seeds of
the tree that yields this useful drug, and a description of which I had
been taught, had long been a desideratum in “Materia Medica.”
There are in the country of Adal two varieties; one, a low thorny
ragged-looking tree, with bright green leaves, trifoliolate, and an
undulating edge, is that which has been described by Ehrenberg, and a
wood-cut of which will be found in page 1629 of the second volume of
Pereira’s “Elements of Materia Medica.” This produces the finest sort of
myrrh in our shops. The other is a more leafy tree, if I may use the
expression, and its appearance reminded me exceedingly of the common
hawthorn of home, having the same largely serrated, dark green leaves,
growing in bunches of four or five, springing by several little
leaf-stalks from a common centre. These bunches are arranged alternately
around the branch, at the distance of half an inch from each other, but
varying with the age and size of the branch. The young shoots appear to
be these sessile bunches, which, more luxuriant in their growth, project
their axis into one long common foot-stalk, around which the leaves are
then arranged singly, exactly, if I remember right, as do the young
shoots of the hawthorn, the terminations of which, like in the
myrrh-tree, decaying, leave strong thorns. The flowers are small, of a
light green colour, hanging in pairs beneath the leaves, and in size and
shape resemble very much the flowers of our gooseberry-tree. According
to the system of Linnæus, with which alone I am acquainted, it belongs
to the class octandria, order monogynia, the eight stamens being
alternately long and short, the former corresponding to the four partial
clefts in the edge of the one-leafed calyx. The fruit is a kind of
berry, that, when ripe, easily throws off the dry shell in two pieces,
and the two seeds it contains, escape. The outer bark is thin,
transparent, and easily detached, the inner thick, woody, and, if cut
with a knife, appears to abound with vessels, from the divided
extremities, of which a yellow turbid fluid (the gum myrrh) immediately
makes its appearance. This, if wiped off upon paper, leaves a greasy
stain, like oil would do. Naturally the gum exudes from cracks in the
bark of the trunk near the roots, and flows freely upon the stones
immediately underneath. Artificially, it is obtained by bruises made
with stones. Iron instruments are never employed to produce the wound,
not from any prejudice, I believe, but from the scarcity of that metal,
and the great care taken of their weapons by the Dankalli, and from
finding, perhaps, that a blow given with a stone occasions a broader
injury to the bark, and that the gum exudes more plentifully in
consequence. The natives collect it principally in the hot months of
July and August, but it is to be found, though in very small quantities,
at other times of the year. It is collected in small kid-skins, and
taken to Errur, where the Hurrah merchants, when they pass through that
country on their way home from Shoa, purchase it. An equal quantity of
tobacco is given in exchange for it. The Hurrah merchant conveys it to
the great annual market at Berberah, from whence great quantities are
shipped for India and Arabia.
During our search for the myrrh, I often came upon the gum Arabic
mimosa, with its little black thorn, very different from the long
white-thorned variety from which I obtained some of the red gum. Gum
Arabic, when taken from the tree, is soft, and of an agreeable taste,
something resembling very young wheat in the ear, and must be a
nutritious and pleasant food. The Dankalli seemed to be perfectly aware
of its demulcent effect in allaying thirst, and insisted that in the
absence of water, it was a sufficient substitute. When I thought upon
the numerous instances of benevolent adaptations for our happiness and
convenience in other more favoured spots, I could not help reflecting,
experienced as I was in the scanty resources of a desert, how much more
striking, in such situations, were these extraordinary provisions
against human suffering in cases of extremity.
On returning to the camp my attention was directed to a singular
phenomenon. Exactly over head was a large circular cloud, like a huge
shield, in the centre of which the sun shone with a subdued light, a
brilliant boss. The outer circle or edge of the cloud was of a bright
silver colour, then a narrow band of dull yellow, and the remainder,
until it reached the bright centre, was as black as a heavy
thunder-cloud. Its diameter was about one-fourth of the sky. In about an
hour it gradually disappeared, leaving for a short time afterwards a
perfectly circular rainbow around the sun, at the distance of its
original circumference. I observed, that although the sun seemed to
shine very brightly, as if through an aperture in the centre of this
singular appearance, it cast no shadow, and also that the air was much
cooler during its continuance. It frequently occurs in Adal, and appears
to depend, like the halo around the moon, upon the moisture in the
atmosphere.
A geographical discussion on the situation of Hurrah and Abasha
concluded the day, and after superintending the cooking of one of the
guinea-fowls, I turned into my hut, for supper and then to bed. Thunder,
lightning, and rain seemed to promise an uncomfortable night, but after
a short heavy shower, I was agreeably disappointed by its clearing up
and continuing fine for the rest of the night.
_April 23d._—Left Koranhedudah, or “the Plain of Ravens,” by sunrise,
our march continuing along the banks of a small river flowing towards
the south-east into the new lake of Doweleeka. A day or two before I had
been told, as something peculiar, that we should cross such a
watercourse. It appeared to be a permanently-running water, for the
trees on either bank were of an unusual size, and some of them of a
novel character, but I had no opportunity of examining them closely.
Having forded the stream where it flowed over a broad surface of rather
large stones, some of which were not covered by the water, we entered an
extensive plain, abounding with a rank coarse grass, amidst the tufts of
which we travelled for nearly three hours, passing a deserted kraal,
with numerous broken stone enclosures for folding the young of the
flock. Numerous kairns were also visible. It was very evident that at
some seasons this plain was a favourite resort of the Bedouins, and, in
fact, after another hour’s march, during which we crossed two or three
narrow brooks, we came suddenly upon a number of native huts, situated
on a ridge of lava, which here, as in several other places in the plain,
protruded through the clayey soil.
This encampment belonged to the tribe of my Hy Soumaulee friends, and
were the first huts of the natives I had seen during my journey. There
were about twenty or thirty of them, but Ohmed Mahomed, with great
gravity, informed me that the name of the _city_ was Herhowlee, the
plain around being called Lukhee. On my expressing a wish to see the
interior of one of the mansions, a very handsome nice-looking girl, to
whom Ohmed Mahomed applied, immediately assented, and took me to her
father’s, I suppose, for on our arrival there was no one to be seen but
an old gentleman, nearly blind. He was busily employed stirring with a
stick some kind of grain, which was boiling in a red earthenware pot
over the fire. The house itself was exactly the same, as some I had seen
at Berberah, about twelve feet long by six in breadth and height,
consisting of a frame of bent twigs, over which were thickly laid mats
of the palm leaf, sufficient to throw off the rain, whilst entire leaves
of the same tree, placed perpendicularly, closed the farther extremity.
The fire-place was a small circle of stones, occupying the one half of
the entrance end, and which portion was also protected by a shielding of
palm-leaves, whilst the other half was left open to serve as a door.
There was nothing like furniture in the place, except a flat stone
reared against the side of the room, which, from its mealy appearance,
was evidently used as a mill. From the roof was hung one of the large
water-tight baskets of the common construction, containing, I presume,
the family riches of tobacco, beads, bits of paper, coloured rags, and
lumps of sheep’s-tail fat. Very few natives interrupted me in my
examination, as they evidently thought I was fascinated with the
beauties of their handsome sister; and this little experience was of
service to me, for afterwards, when, as was always the case, I did not
want to be troubled with the numerous beggars who, in populous
districts, besiege the traveller with requests for everything they see,
I used to station at the entrance of my hut one of their women, and it
was seldom, or never, that the men would then intrude, and if they did,
some trifle, or a word from my keeper, always sent them away. The
husband or the father of the woman, however, always came up on leaving
our halting-place to receive the gift which was expected for the
services performed, and which, of course, when I came to understand
their customs better, I took care to reserve for them. The traveller
will generally find that the older his duenna is, the more relief and
rest he will obtain after his journey, for she will take care to keep
away all intruders, and it is laughable to observe the abuse or threats
they indulge in, whenever the younger girls come peeping and running
about. A few needles, a piece of blue Surat cloth for the head, and
another for their principal male friend, is all and more than they
expect; whilst the freedom from annoyance and constant watching, which
is secured by this proceeding, is of great service to the traveller
after the fatigue of a long day’s journey.
The plain of Lukhee, at that part of it where we were, appears to have
been once a similar valley to that we had travelled along during the
three last days, but it has been completely filled up, with the
deposited sediment of the numerous small streams in this neighbourhood,
to the height of the lava plateau through which these wide and deep
fissures, have originally radiated.
The country around extending in one wide plain, advantage had been taken
of the little eminence, near which the huts were erected, to form a kind
of small solid look-out, about fifteen feet high, built of loose stones,
and used on occasions of anticipated invasion, by the inhabitants of
Herhowlee, who could here keep watch and announce the approach of
danger. Ohmed Mahomed and two of my Hy Soumaulee escort took me to its
summit, to point out the different distant eminences visible from it.
Before us, to the south, lay the extensive plain of Lukhee, over which
was just discernible, at the distance of at least fifty miles, the high
hills of Goror, near the town of Hurrah, where the coffee brought to
Berberah is largely cultivated. Turning towards the north we could
perceive the abrupt termination of the flat-topped lava ridges, about
the river of Killaloo; whilst to the south-west was the valley of Gaiel,
through which flowed the waters of Errur on to Killaloo. To the west the
plain extended to the Hawash, near to which were two hills, whose tops
were just visible, called Hyhilloo and Abhidah.
In the evening I went with Himyah and Ohmed Medina after some antelopes,
but could not get near enough to them; however, we roused a large
yellow-coloured snake, of at least five feet in length, that, unscathed
by my hurried shot at him, went hissing hot, into his hole under a clump
of grass, nor did he cease making the noise, until the last of his tail
had disappeared, just in time to escape being pinched off, by the
butt-end of a spear, which was struck at it by Ohmed Medina.
At Herhowlee, we were unfortunate enough to meet with a runaway slave,
belonging to Ohmed Mahomed. He was a great rascal, and his master would
rather, that he had not made his appearance. His name was Allee, and
having lived for the last six months with the Bedouins, had acquired
somewhat of their wildness. I suspected him, from the great intimacy
that seemed to exist between him and Garahmee, and he was just that kind
of character, that might be made the instrument of an unscrupulous man.
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