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[Illustration: LIFE IN THE SOUDAN]
[Illustration: FROM A NEGATIVE BY LOMBARDI, PALL MALL.
Yours very truly
Josiah Williams.]
LIFE IN THE SOUDAN:
ADVENTURES AMONGST THE TRIBES, AND TRAVELS
IN EGYPT, IN 1881 AND 1882.
BY
DR. JOSIAH WILLIAMS, F.R.G.S.
(_Surgeon-Major, Imperial Ottoman Army, 1876-1877_).
ILLUSTRATED.
LONDON:
REMINGTON & CO., PUBLISHERS,
HENRIETTA STREET, COVENT GARDEN.
1884.
[_All Rights Reserved._]
To
SIR SAMUEL WHITE BAKER, F.R.G.S.,
I DEDICATE, WITH HIS PERMISSION,
THIS BOOK,
CONTAINING AN ACCOUNT OF
TRAVELS IN THE SOUDAN
AND EXPLORATION IN THE
BASÉ OR KUNAMA COUNTRY IN 1882.
ILLUSTRATIONS.
THE AUTHOR _Frontispiece._
SOUÂKIN 97
HADENDOWAH ARAB CAMEL-MEN 128
KASSALA MOUNTAIN 160
THE AUTHOR ATTENDING TO ARAB AILMENTS 248
MOUNTAIN PASS NEAR SANHÎT 304
THE CAUSEWAY AT MASSAWAH 312
CONTENTS.
PAGE
CHAPTER I.
Leave England for Paris—Drugs and Clothing Required—A “Sleeby”
German—Turin 5-12
CHAPTER II.
Milan—The Cathedral—Galleria Vittorio Emmanuele—Piazza
d’Armi—Palazzo de Brera—Lake of Como—Bologna—Its Ancient
History—Leaning Towers—The Certosa—Teatro Communale—Brindisi 13-23
CHAPTER III.
P. and O. Steamer _Tanjore_—Arrival of the Mail and
Passengers—Ancient Brindisi—Brindisi to Alexandria—Alexandria
Past and Present—Its Trade 24-37
CHAPTER IV.
The Fertilizing Rivers of Egypt—Leave Alexandria—Incidents
_en route_—Shepheard’s Hotel—Ancient and Modern Cairo—The
Donkey-boys—Arab Patients—Dancing Dervishes—The House where
Joseph, Mary, and the Infant Saviour Lived in Old Cairo—The
Boulac Museum—The Petrified Forest—Mokattam Hills—Tombs of the
Caliphs and Citadel—Cairo by Sunset 38-66
CHAPTER V.
A Young American at Shepheard’s Hotel—Drive to the Pyramids
of Gizeh—Ascent and Exploration of the Pyramid of Cheops—The
Sphinx 67-80
CHAPTER VI.
Heliopolis—The Shoubra
Road—Bedrashyn—Mitrahenny—Memphis—Sakhara—Apis
Mausoleum—Worship of the Bull Apis—Tomb of King Phta—Meet
the Khedive—Engage Servants for the Soudan 81-91
CHAPTER VII.
The Land of Goshen—Ancient Canals—Suez—Howling
Dervishes—Eclipse of the Moon and Strange Behaviour of
Natives—Leave Suez—Where the Israelites Crossed the Red
Sea—Pass Mount Sinai—Coral Reefs Abundant 92-97
CHAPTER VIII.
Arrival at Souâkin—The Soudan—Bedouin Arab Prisoners in
the Square, Not “on the Square”—Ivory—Engage Camels—Sheik
Moussa—Souâkin Slaves—Tragic End of a Doctor—Hadendowah
Arabs—An Ill-fated Missionary Enterprise 98-110
CHAPTER IX.
The Start Across the Desert—My Camel Serves me a Scurvy
Trick—The Camel, its Habits and Training 111-118
CHAPTER X.
Our First Camp—Torrents of Rain—Jules Bardet—Camel-drivers
Behave Badly—Suleiman in Trouble—Camel-drivers get
Upset—The Desert—Two of Us Lose our Way—Jules Suffers from
Dysentery—Sand-storm—A Pilgrim Dies on the Road; Another in the
Camp—Jules’ Illness—Camp Split Up—Lose Our Way—Encamp Several
Days in the Desert—Arab Huts—The Mirage—A Lion 119-143
CHAPTER XI.
Arrive at Kassala—Description of Kassala—We buy Camels
and Horses—The Mudir gives a Dinner—Jules’ Death and
Burial—Hyænas—Arab Patients—Mahoom’s History—Demetrius
Mosconas on Slavery—Menagerie at Kassala 144-153
CHAPTER XII.
Camels from the Atbara—The Mudir—Gordon Pasha’s Character in
the Soudan—Fertility of the Soudan 154-159
CHAPTER XIII.
Leave Kassala—Character of the Country—Meet Beni-Amir Arabs
on the River-bed—The Baobob Tree 160-164
CHAPTER XIV.
Encamp at Heikota—Sheik Ahmed—Herr Schumann and His Zareeba—We
Make a Zareeba—The Mahdi—Excitement in the Village—Horrible
Tragedy—Sheik Ahmed Dines with us—The Magic Lantern—Lions
Visit Us 165-177
CHAPTER XV.
Patients at Heikota—Leave Heikota—Game in the Basé Country—See
our First Lion—A Lion Interviews the Author—typo Tetél, Nellut,
and other Game Killed on the March 178-183
CHAPTER XVI.
We Arrive at the Basé or Kunama Country—The Village of
Sarcella—Murder of Mr. Powell and Party—My Camel and I
Unceremoniously Part Company—The First Basé We See—Encamp at
Koolookoo—Our First Interview with Basé—They make “Aman” with
Us—Their Appearance—Description of Koolookoo and the Basé
People—Their Habits and Customs 184-200
CHAPTER XVII.
We leave Koolookoo, Accompanied by a Number of the Basé—The
Magic Lantern—See Buffalo and Giraffe for the First Time—Two
Buffalos Killed—A Basé Feast—Curious Basé Dance—They Dry their
Meat on Lines in the Sun—A Wounded Buffalo—Hoodoo, Chief Sheik
of the Basé, Visits Us—A Column of Sand—A Leper—The Basé
Squabble over the Meat—We Arrive at Abyssinia 201-214
CHAPTER XVIII.
The Dembelas Attack Us, Mahomet Wounded, Narrow Escape of two
of our Party—Activity in Camp, We Make a Zareeba and Fire
the Country—Hold a Council of War—Our Silent and Dangerous
Ride—Hoodoo’s Sagacity—Arrival in Camp of Mahomet, Wounded—We
Retreat—Mahomet’s Death and Burial 215-229
CHAPTER XIX.
Messrs. James and Phillipps Start on a Visit to
Rasalulu—Curious Way of Shaving Children’s Heads—A Disgusting
Basé—The Camel-drivers become Mutinous—Intended Attack
by Basé—We Fire the Country and Make a Zareeba—Encamp at
Wo-amma—Trouble Again with Camel-men—Lions Disturb Us—Arrival
at Heikota—A Tale of Blood and Slavery 230-243
CHAPTER XX.
Patients Arrive from all Parts—Rough Journeys—Arrive at the
Hamran Settite—Mahomet Sali Deceives us—Crocodiles, Turtle,
and Fish—We Move on to Boorkattan, in Abyssinia—Next Day we
Move off as Abyssinians Approach—We Catch Enormous Quantities
of Fish with the Net—Narrow Escape from a Wounded Buffalo—The
Coorbatch Administered—Scorpions and Snakes—Hamrans Visit
Us—Hamran mode of Hunting and Snaring—Hamran and Basé—The
Hamrans Threaten to Fire on Us—Again Return to the Hamran
Settite—Encamp at Omhagger 244-263
CHAPTER XXI.
A Boa-constrictor Visits Us—The Burton Boat—Moussa’s Behaviour
Entails a Thrashing and His Discharge—Great Heat—A Fine
Hippopotamus Killed—Hamran Feast—The White Ants—Another
Hippopotamus Killed—Mahomet Sali Brings Supplies—Native
Music in the Night—Delicate Hints Conveyed to the
Performer—A Remarkably Fine Nellut Shot—Arab and Egyptian
Taxation—Baboons—A Hamran Story—Ali Stung by a Scorpion—On
the March Once More—Rough Journeys 264-278
CHAPTER XXII.
Encamp at Lakatakoora Without the Caravan—Description of
Village—Basé Ladies Visit Me ere I Get Out of Bed—They Receive
Presents and are very Amusing—Enormous Numbers of Doves and
Sand-grouse—Aboosalal to Sogoda—Boa-constrictor Killed—An
Unpleasant Journey, We all Get Separated—Arrive at Heikota
Again 279-284
CHAPTER XXIII.
An Abyssinian Improvisatore and His Little Slave—Prepare for a
March to Massawa—A Strange Basé Breakfast—Patients—Arrive at
Toodloak—Beni-Amirs Encamped on the Gash—Lions and Leopards
are Shot—Our Monkeys in Camp—Baboon Mode of Attacking
Leopards—Crafty Baboons—Lions Abound—Hyæna Method of Attacking
a Lion—Hyæna Interviews Mr. Colvin—Arrival at Amadeb—Departure
from Amadeb—Bareas Attempt an Attack on the Caravan—Beni-Amirs
Watering their Flocks and Herds—We Meet with a young
Elephant—Leopard and Hyæna Shot at Khor-Baraker 285-297
CHAPTER XXIV.
A Lion Near the Camp—The Monks of Chardamba—We Meet Ali Dheen
Pasha, Governor-General of the Soudan—Arrival at Keren, or
Sanhît—The Priests at Keren—Account of Keren—Merissa—Dra, a
Domestic Slave, Made Free—Descent from Sanhît to the Anseba
Valley—The Birds There—Along the River-bed of the Labak—A Big
March—Massawa—Farewell to Camels—Massawa to Souâkin—Take in
Cargo—Farewell to the Soudan—Arrival at Suez 298-314
CHAPTER XXV.
Suez to Cairo—Alexandria—On Board the _Mongolia_—Passengers
on Board—Hibernian Humour—Venice—The Piazza of St. Mark—The
Campanile—The Piazetta—The Zecca, or Mint—The Palace of the
Doges—St. Mark’s—The Arsenal 315-330
CHAPTER XXVI.
We Hear of the Murder of Lord Frederick Cavendish and Mr.
Burke—A Grand Serenade on the Grand Canal—My Journey from
Venice to England 331-338
PREFACE.
The Soudan, two years ago, was a name unknown to the million, and I will
venture to say that at that time not one in fifty knew anything about it.
Only those who could afford to obtain Sir Samuel Baker’s interesting and
instructive work, “The Nile Sources of Abyssinia,” would be acquainted
with the locality and other particulars.
The literature extant on Egypt proper would probably amount to tons, but
that on the Soudan would occupy a very small space indeed on the library
shelf, for the simple reason that so very few have travelled through it.
In November, 1881, I left England to accompany six gentlemen on an
exploring expedition in the Soudan, and, in view of passing events in
Egypt and that locality, I indulged in the hope that an account of my
journey will not be unacceptable to the public. I held the post of
medical officer to the expedition, partly on account of my experience
in the Turkish war, where I was continually brought face to face with
dysentery, ague, and other tropical diseases, which are so easily
recognised without any extraneous assistance, medical or lay, but which
are troublesome to treat, especially when hampered by an ignorant and
fussy interference. Doubtless many faults of omission and commission may
be found in my book; but I trust that those who criticise it will do so
leniently, and remember that it has been written during spare hours,
when the exigencies of practice would allow of my seeking recreation by
the use of my pen. “Oh, that mine enemy would write a book!” was the
heartfelt expression of a vindictive old gentleman, well known for his
great patience. My enemies, I trust, are few; those I have shall be
gratified, though I hope I shall not find any who are utterly callous,
but will use me in a gentlemanly fashion.
I have ventured to describe not only my travels in the Soudan, but the
journey from England and home again, extracted from my journal, which
is most accurate, as I kept it religiously day by day. Much of the
old-world history has been culled from various sources of information.
The Illustrations of Soudan scenery, natives, and objects of interest
are from rude sketches of my own, elaborated by Mr. Fanshawe, a perfect
master in the art. The frontispiece is from a photograph taken by Messrs.
Lombardi and Co., of Pall Mall.
Although I am aware of the fact that Mr. F. L. James has published a
book on the Soudan, I have carefully refrained from reading it, fearing
I might inadvertently use any of his expressions, and also feeling sure
that in _some_ matters we may materially differ in opinion.
Although I have, on some occasions, written for the medical journals, I
am quite aware that there may be many faults of style and finish in this
my first effort at a book; such shortcomings I would ask the reader to
overlook. It is but a plain, unvarnished account of a journey through a
territory hitherto but little known, and as such I trust it may be of
interest to the majority of my readers.
CHAPTER I.
LEAVE ENGLAND FOR PARIS—DRUGS AND CLOTHING REQUIRED—A “SLEEBY”
GERMAN—TURIN.
I was bound for the Soudan, and had arranged to meet my party at Brindisi
on the 21st of November, 1881. I therefore sent on all my heavy baggage
by Peninsular and Oriental steamer to Suez; included in this was a
good-sized medicine chest, well stocked with drugs for the relief or cure
of nearly all the ills that flesh is heir to.
I am an old campaigner, having served as a surgeon-major in the Turkish
Army in 1876 and ’77, consequently had a very good idea of what drugs
would be most necessary and useful. Knowing also that we were going to
a very hot part of the globe, I took as few liquids, such as tinctures,
&c., as possible.
Everything that I could have made in the form of pills I got Messrs.
Richardson and Co., of Leicester, to do; their coated pills stood the
journey splendidly, and could always be depended on.
It will not be necessary to enumerate all the contents of the
medicine-chest; but I think it might be useful to those who take a
similar journey if I mention a few things that ought certainly to be
taken, and they are the following: A good stock of quinine, oil of
male-fern, as tape-worm is by no means uncommon; ipecacuanha, for that
formidable complaint, dysentery; castor oil, opium, Dover’s powder,
iodoform, chlorodyne, calomel, blue pill, and various other mercurial
preparations, much required for complaints in the Soudan; iodide of
potash, carbonate of soda, powdered alum, sulphate of zinc, sugar of
lead, solution of atropine, solution of ammonia, Epsom salts, a large
bottle of purgative pills, nitrate of silver (lunar caustic), carbolic
acid, lint, a few dozen bandages, and plaster in a tin. Ointments are
useless, as they soon become quite liquid in such a hot climate, and run
all over the medicine chest, making a great mess.
_Clothing._—Of course every gentleman will be provided with the ordinary
European clothing for use in civilized parts, but such things as
nicely-polished boots, collars, neckties, and so forth, may be easily
dispensed with in the Soudan. The most necessary articles are two or
three dozen pairs summer socks, half-a-dozen thin flannel shirts, three
or four silk shirts, three pairs of _brown_ leather lace-up boots, and a
comfortable pair of slippers, three or four suits of thin light clothing,
a strong jean coat and trousers, that will not be easily torn by the
thorns whilst hunting, and a pith helmet.
Soldiers cannot march without easy boots, and travellers cannot travel
with comfort unless they have suitable braces. This may seem a small
matter to talk about, but I have often heard strong language poured forth
at the secession of a trouser-button; and I know from past experience
what a nuisance it is to be obliged to sew on one’s trouser-buttons.
A long time is spent in searching for a needle and thread, and a much
longer time, by the unpractised one, in sewing on the button. Now,
fortunately, these annoyances are things of the past, since the invention
of what is known as “the traveller’s patent buttonless brace.”
It is simplicity itself. Instead of buttons on the trousers, there are
eyelet holes, through which a little bar attached to the brace—instead
of a loop—is slipped, and there is an end for ever of the nuisance of
buttons coming off.
A good supply of soap for washing clothes should be taken, also plenty
for personal use. Pear’s Soap, I think, is an excellent one in every
respect. Some of our party took thick woollen pads with them, which they
wore over the spine. I did not, neither do I think them at all necessary.
As I was not due at Brindisi until the 21st November, I decided to
have a ramble through parts of Italy which I had not before visited.
Accordingly, I left England in the early part of the month.
On my way to Paris I made the acquaintance of a German residing in
London. We soon got on conversational terms, and ere long he informed me
that he had not been well lately, and was much concerned about himself,
that one afternoon, feeling rather tired, he lay down on the sofa,
intending to have a nap. He was so unhappy or unwise as to sleep for a
whole week without once awaking. To sink into this blissful state of
oblivion may have its advantages, also its disadvantages. On another
occasion he performed the same feat, but indulged in this lethargic
propensity for a much longer period. If I remember rightly, he observed
this condition during a fortnight. However, I pointed out to him what an
immense advantage this was, as he would not have his mind worried by the
Income Tax, Poor Rate, and other objectionable collectors; also what a
saving in eating and drinking would be effected by this _somnia similima
mortis_ habit of his, and that balmy sleep was kind nature’s sweet
restorer. Strange to say, my arguments were ineffective, as he replied
that “Sleeb vas all very vell in its way, but I would rater not sleeb
so much as dat, as I have my business to attend to, for vich I must be
wide-avake.”
We were glad to get off the boat that took us from Dover to Calais, as
both of us suffered from that miserable complaint, _mal-de-mer_, to some
extent. We reached la belle Paris in the evening, very glad of a rest.
After spending two days very pleasantly and agreeably in Paris, I took
train at 9 p.m. from the Gare de Lyon for Turin. Fortunately, a French
gentleman and I were the only two occupants of the carriage during the
night. We turned up the arm-rests, each occupied a side of the carriage,
and slept soundly all night. At Maćon we had breakfast, wash and brush
up, then resumed our journey. Passing through grand mountain scenery,
and quite close to the railway, we passed a beautiful lake some miles
in extent, the name of which I forget. When we reached Chambery I lost
my agreeable French companion. In the afternoon we ran through the Mont
Cenis tunnel, the time occupied being just thirty-eight minutes. The
gradient became somewhat steep, and the lovely Alpine scenery glorious
and lonely, now winding through deep gorges, anon running downwards for
miles along the very edge of a fearful precipice.
I reached Turin in the evening succeeding my departure from Paris. The
station is situated in the Piazza Carlo Felice, and is a fine, spacious
building. When my luggage had been duly inspected by Custom House
officials, I was permitted to transport myself and my belongings to an
omnibus from the Hotel Trambetta, whither I was driven just in time for
_table d’hôte_. Immediately after leaving the station the driver was
stopped by an official, who opened the door, asked if I had any complaint
to make, and looked round to see if there were any provisions, as the
octroi duties prevail in Italy. I had no complaint; the door was shut,
and off we went.
As I did not intend to remain long in Turin, I was up the following
morning in good time, determined to see as much of the place as I could
in a short time. The streets are clean and well laid out, the houses
large and handsome generally, and the town comparatively modern, although
it was originally founded by a tribe called the Taurini, was the capital
of Piedmont during the 14th century, and the capital of Italy until 1865.
The population is about 208,000, and the University perhaps the most
important in Italy, there being over 1,500 students.
I should liked to have spent a week in exploring Turin and the
neighbourhood, but had to be content with the short time at my disposal.
I took a walk down the Via Lagrange, and soon reached the Palazzo Madama
(Piazza Castello). This Palace was used for the sittings of the Italian
Senate when Turin was the seat of government (1865). In the early part
of last century the mother of King Amadeus lived in and embellished it.
Opposite this is the Sardinian monument, presented to the city by the
Milanese in 1859, just after the war, on which, _in relievo_, is the
figure of Victor Emmanuel—_Il re galuntuomo_—at the head of his troops.
Just beyond the Palazzo Madama is the Palazzo Reale (Royal Palace). The
exterior is nothing to look at, being plain and heavy, but the interior
is magnificent. From here I extended my walk to the Giardino Reale (Royal
Gardens), then the Cathedral of Turin, Santa Giovanni Battista, which was
erected in the latter part of the 15th century by Pintelli. In the chapel
of St. Sudorio, just behind the high altar, is a small portion of linen
cloth in a glass case. This is a valuable relic, for it is said to be a
portion of the cloth in which the body of the Saviour was embalmed. This
may, or may not, be true; belief in the matter is optional. One really
gets so accustomed in Italy to seeing the bones of deceased saints, a bit
of the true cross, a nail of it, and so on, that the probability is nine
out of ten are sceptical.