Journey from Thermaduddah to Alee-bakalee, general direction, south by
west, time marching, one hour.—_May 1st._ Journey from Alee-bakalee to
Hasanderah, general direction, south-west, time marching, eight
hours.—Dankalli naturalists.—Large herd of cattle— Architectural
labours.—Mahomedan popular superstitions.—Sale of children.—A Bedouin
father.
_April 30th._—We left Thermaduddah this morning by sunrise, making a
short march to the southward, across a narrow plain covered with grass,
and bordered by low banks of a stony character, but, upon which, the
myrrh, the mimosa, and aditu trees, grew to a respectable size. The name
of our halting-place for the day was Alee-bakalee, which appeared to be
the name of a stream that occasionally, at the time of the rains, flows
to the northward into the Killaloo Lake; and the representative of
which, at this time, was the water I bathed in yesterday, and which, I
now recollected, was called by the same name.
For a little paper distributed to those I employed, I soon had a small
party of market-gardeners collecting the “Hashish,” the Arab name for
the green food of cattle (and which, the Bedouins of the Kafilah had
applied to my Indian vegetable Bargee),[4] here found in great plenty.
Several shields-full were quickly laid in my plaid before me, and taking
as much as I required for myself, I bestowed the remainder upon my mule.
She seemed as highly pleased with the treat as myself, and eat away, as
if her family physician had recommended it as a preventive for the
scurvy, which her present idle life seemed to predispose her to.
Footnote 4:
A kind of spinage.
The day was rather poor in incident. I lay in my hut reflecting upon the
probabilities of my reaching Shoa alive; and projecting, in case I did,
very extensive journeys into the interior from that kingdom, as a
starting-place. In the evening, I and the two Allees, went after some
guinea-fowl, but only shot one, and a hare. The latter, I found, was
useless, for a somewhat similar objection is entertained by Mahomedans
to this animal, as among the Jews, by whom it is considered to be
unclean.
After I had lain down to sleep, a large calahm was held, in which, the
escort and the Kafilah men all joined. Two sheep had then to be killed
for the escort; so that it was nearly midnight, before their day’s meal
was prepared for them. The calahm had some reference to the two Wahamas,
who were wounded at Barradudda, and who, after the agreement to
accompany us, were found unable to do so, and had been taken back to
Herhowlee. The question discussed was, whether we should remain until
they were well enough to join us, or go on at once, and take our chance,
with respect to the resentment of their tribe. I was not sorry that it
was determined to proceed; and from that day I became of considerable
consequence, for my presence with firearms had principally induced the
chief men of the Kafilah to consent to the impatient onward move of the
Hy Soumaulee, who, having no property to lose, had no objection to
accelerate the crisis; suspense, to them, being a most intolerable bore.
They soon found out that I shared the same feeling with them, for I was
getting heartily tired, of my sojourn in the wilderness; and the
poetical sentiment,
“Oh! that the desert was my dwelling-place,”
now found no echo in the wishes, or desires, of my heart. Frequently did
they solicit Ohmed Medina to start off with me, and accompanied by them,
leave the Kafilah to come on afterwards, however it could; and, for fear
I might be influenced by such requests, Ohmed Mahomed became as polite
as possible; and found (quite by accident, of course, but very much to
my delight) a large goat-skin bag full of rice, which he very gravely
asserted had not formed any part of my own store, but was some of his
friend Himyah’s, who was taking it up as a present to the frontier
governor of Efat, the Wallasma Mahomed, but, at his request, Himyah had
given it to him, for me. This was brought to me at night, to avoid
observation; and, although, I thought it to be in this case, quite
unnecessary, the same caution was exhibited, as on all other occasions
of sale, or of making presents. So as not to excite the cupidity of the
Bedouins, nothing like the delivery of any property occurs during the
day. Among these wily and suspicious people, every thing of that kind
changes hands, under the convenient cover of the darkness of night.
_May 1st._—At sunrise, we were up and off; and if I complained,
yesterday, of the short march, to-day, had I not felt more pleased, than
otherwise, with the progress we made, I might with equal reason, have
objected to the length of our journey, being eight hours travelling, and
all the way on foot. The road was very good, with but few inequalities
of surface, as we continued following the dry watercourse of
Alee-bakalee, which appeared to contract as we advanced.
The appearance of the country that we passed through was, as might be
expected, very uniform, the whole way; a beautiful long valley,
extending in a general direction, from the south-west towards the
north-east. A rich alluvial soil was thinly strewn with a few dark
coloured fragments of the lava ridges which formed the boundaries
towards the east and west. Grass was very plentiful; and the trees so
thick, as in some parts, to assume the appearance of a wood. Enormous
ant-hills showed their red tops between the summits of the low trees,
and numerous herds of several different kinds of antelope were feeding
all around. At length, the lava ridges on either side seemed to approach
each other, and we reached a confined valley, through which flowed a
narrow stream, winding among thick clumps of very high trees. Birds of
the most brilliant plumage, and gorgeously tinted butterflies, made the
road one continued cabinet gallery of all that is rare and beautiful, in
the colours which are most admired, in these painted favourites of
nature.
Some Dankalli naturalists, who wanted a few red tail feathers to
ornament their greasy locks, made a requisition for me to supply them,
pointing to my gun, and then to the birds; but I would not understand
them in any other way than my own, and so nodding very good humouredly,
I told them to remain where they were; and going a few yards from the
road, fired into a busy-pecking crowd of guinea-fowl, bringing back with
me a brace of very fine ones; birds, however, which, to the great
disappointment of my Dankalli fashionable friends, were found to have
scarcely any more tail feathers than they had themselves.
We should have halted two hours before we did, at the very commencement
of the valley of Hasanderah Kabeer, as the little stream was called, but
that we there found it filled with an immense herd of cattle, through
which we marched, as if in a long-extended Smithfield market, for at
least five miles. I had not imagined such vast herds to have been in the
possession of the Dankalli Bedouins. The number of men required to
attend them was very great, and afforded me an explanation, why I had
met with so few upon the journey; their chief employment being to
protect their cattle, with whom they constantly remain. The elders only
indulge in the domestic comforts found in the kraal, and are supported
chiefly by the produce of the flocks of sheep and goats, which during
the day are placed under the care of the children.
The young men and women follow the herds; the former lie idly under the
trees during the heat of the day, whilst the latter perform the duties
of milking and of making the ghee or fluid butter. Churning is performed
by the milk being placed in large skin bags, suspended upon the hips by
a leathern thong passed over the shoulders and across the breasts. A
quick semi-rotary movement of the trunk continually agitates the
contents, until the butter is formed in soft white lumps; it is then
taken out with the hand as it collects upon the surface of the milk, and
is placed into lesser skins, where in a few hours it assumes the
appearance of a light yellow oily fluid, the ghee of the Berberah
market, from whence it is exported in great quantities to India and the
Persian Gulf.
The cattle of Adal are nearly all of one colour, a kind of brindled iron
grey, with moderately sized horns, curving first outwards, then
forwards, and upwards.
Our Kafilah having reached the farther extremity of Hasanderah Kabeer,
we found a clear open spot where grass and water were equally abundant
as along the whole line of our march to-day. Trees of greater altitude,
and with a thicker shade than any I had seen before, invited us to that
rest which we all needed, after our long march of nearly twenty miles.
Our pedestrian party had outstripped the camels above two hours, and
were nearly all asleep, when the leading files of these gaunt, sober
stepping animals, paced their serpentine course among the thick bushes
of wild cotton, and of a tree, that reminded me exceedingly of our
hazel, by its foliage and general character. The camels were not so
fatigued as I expected they would be, but the late halts and short
marches, in a country so abounding with vegetation, had enabled them to
recruit their strength, almost worn out by the hardships and their
scanty food, during the journey through the wilderness of stones between
Tajourah and Herhowlee. They were glad enough, however, I dare say, on
their arrival at Hasanderah; for, too impatient to wait for farther
attendance, after the loads and saddles were removed, these sagacious
animals soon swept off, with their nose and cheek, the numerous chafing
mats which are placed below the saddle to prevent abrasions and ulcers
on the hump, to which they are very liable.
One good effect was produced by a long march; that was the freedom from
importunity I enjoyed, for all the Bedouins and Kafilah men seemed
determined to take, immediate advantage of the shady accommodations of
this “hotel verte,” or in plain English, this extensive “bush inn.” I
obliged myself, tired as I was, to build my own hut rather than seek a
bower, where others would throng, greatly to my discomfort; and
something of a conscience told me that Zaido and the Allees, after
unloading the two-and-twenty camels belonging to their master, Ohmed
Mahomed, would require rest as well as myself. My architectural
occupation attracted the attention of the chief of the escort, Carmel
Ibrahim, and he, very good-naturedly, came to assist me, so that by our
joint labours, and his excellent suggestions, a box-house was
constructed, the most convenient I had yet occupied, for the boxes, on
previous occasions placed close together, were now arranged with spaces
between, that admitted both light and air.
At sunset, when the camels were to be brought in for the night, Ohmed
Medina and a party, principally of Tajourah people, came to get some
coffee with me, which was quickly prepared by Zaido; who, on a little
fire made of camel-dung and dried sticks, had soon the long-necked vase
of coarse red earthenware, in which the social inspiring berry was
boiled. The only cup we had was fairly circulated, whilst another
discussion upon religion was entered upon, nearly of the same character
as our previous one.
The party had come with the intention of converting me, but they were
all disappointed, for I proved that my religion was founded upon truth,
and that they themselves believed every principle of faith I did. My
reason for not going so far as they did, as to receive the Koran as the
Word of God, was because my book, the New Testament, did not testify to
the truth of Mahomed’s mission, as their’s did to that of Jesus. This
plea, however, was met by a curious tirade against Poulos (St. Paul),
the only one of the apostles that the Mahomedans appear to have any
knowledge of, and him they charge with having falsified the Gospels, by
striking out the name of Mahomed wherever it appeared. I have since
learned, that all the foundation they have for this accusation is the
circumstance of one of the forms of the name Mahomed, “Ohmed” having the
same signification in Arabic as the Greek word παρακλητος. Comforter,
one of the designations of the Holy Ghost, and the coming of which was
certainly promised by Christ.
A long afternoon was occupied discussing this subject, and during the
conversation, my Islam friends exhibited the greatest politeness, never
interrupting me as I stammered away in bad Arabic, until some one of
them, comprehending my meaning, immediately interpreted it more fully to
the rest; and as I understood a good deal more than I could speak, I was
always able to know whether they had caught my idea or not. Neither
proud intolerance, or obstinate bigotry, occasioned one hasty or
disparaging expression. All sat in their usual silent manner whilst
another spoke, squatting upon their heels, which, in order to be more
comfortable, as it was a lengthy debate, were raised a little by two
small stones, placed for that purpose beneath them. The same courtesy
marked all the friendly conversations I had with them. During this
morning’s march, Ohmed Medina, in a joking manner, said, that the
English were not a nation of men like themselves, but a nation of women,
because they allowed themselves to be governed by a Queen. I retorted by
saying, that the fact was, “that the English women were as strong as the
Dankalli men.” A remark which Ohmed Medina immediately translated into
their language, much to the amusement of the Hy Soumaulee around, who
did not seem in the least annoyed by the freedom of the comparison.
_May 2d._—A slight shower fell, not sufficient to come through the roof
of my hut, but it rendered the ground so muddy that we were obliged to
remain where we were for this day. Another large herd of cattle had
passed us during the night, going to Killaloo, and their footmarks
contributed in a great measure to the bad condition of the ground.
Several of the women belonging to the herd had staid behind, and brought
into our camp some skins of milk for sale, receiving tobacco in
exchange. An old man also arrived early in the morning, having travelled
all night, hearing that we were in the neighbourhood, to obtain some
information respecting his two daughters, who, six months before, had
gone with a Kafilah down to Tajourah. Not hearing anything to his
satisfaction from my companions, he came to me, dragging with him a kid,
which he presented to me, begging that I would look into my book, and
give him some account of his missing daughters. He had heard, he said,
that they had been very ill, and he only desired to know if they were
dead or had got better. The old man, savage as he was, did credit to our
nature, from the anxiety and love he evinced for his offspring; and the
sorrow he showed was an anomaly to me I could not understand, for I had
made up my mind, that the Dankalli could not be charged with any
constitutional weakness, as regards the influence of domestic
attachments or family ties; here was an evidence to the contrary, and I
record it for the benefit of any one, who may be better able than
myself, to reconcile such differences of character among these
interesting people.
Many of the Dankalli Bedouins do certainly sell their female children.
Garahmee, as I have before observed, had thus disposed of three, and
Moosa of two daughters, and on more than one occasion I had offered to
me for sale, girls from ten to fourteen years old, at the price of about
four or five dollars each. In merchandise, the value of a really
handsome slave girl, appears much more trifling than when paid for in
hard dollars, as six or seven cubits of blue sood, worth about two
shillings in England, is a more than sufficient temptation to induce
even a mother to part with her child. These bargains, I observed, were
always transacted with the female relatives, but the returns, I was
told, were generally handed over to the fathers or brothers. The girls
were frightened to death at the idea of being sold to me, but seemed
happy enough to leave their desert homes in search of fortunes
elsewhere, with masters of their own colour; and both parents and
children, in these business transactions, supported themselves most
stoically, although on the eve of being separated for ever.
With respect to the old man’s daughters, Ohmed Mahomed, who acted as
interpreter between us, practised a somewhat similar trick upon me as he
did at Sagagahdah, when he passed Mahomed Murkee upon me for Mahomed
Allee. Whilst I was in Tajourah, I was frequently called in to people
who were sick, and, among others, to a number of young slave girls
belonging to Abu Bukeree, one of the chief men of the town. These
children were suffering from an epidemic that took off a great number,
and Ohmed Mahomed asserted that two of them were the children of the old
man; and at the moment, forgetting his duplicity on the former occasion,
I added my testimony to the fact of their illness and death, and the old
man turned away in tears. After he was gone, and I was again alone,
Zaido, in this triumph of the deceitful policy of his master, now came,
and expecting me to express my approbation of the cleverness displayed,
told me that the girls were quite well, and perhaps sold at Mocha by
that time. I now saw the little trick that Ohmed Mahomed had again
practised upon me, and feeling exceedingly annoyed at having been so
impudently made the tool of an unprincipled slave-dealer, I was almost
inclined to go after Ohmed Mahomed, and, in despite of all consequences,
tell him to his face he was a dishonest man; but, on second thoughts,
considered it would be a more prudent course, as I could not remedy the
injury done, to let things remain as they were; especially, as the old
man would probably be more contented with the idea of their death, than
if he were made aware of the real truth of the matter.
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