Singular and interesting indeed is the wild scenery in the vicinity of
the treacherous oasis of Sultelli. A field of extinct volcanic cones,
vomited forth out of the entrails, of the earth, and encircled each by a
black belt of vitrified lava, environs it on three sides; and of these,
Mount Abida, three thousand feet in height, whose yawning cup, enveloped
in clouds, stretches some two and half miles in diameter, would seem to
be the parent. Beyond, the still loftier crater of Aiulloo, the ancient
landmark of the now decayed empire of Ethiopia, is visible in dim
perspective; and looming hazily in the extreme distance, the great blue
Abyssinian range towards which the steps of the toil-worn wayfarers were
directed--now for the first time visible--arose in towering grandeur to
the skies.
Overwhelmed by violent subterranean convulsion and commotion, which,
reversing the order of things, has again and again altered the former
appearance, the face of the country for miles around the base of the
larger volcanoes, presents one sheet of lava. Activity would not appear
to have extended much beyond the immediate neighbourhood of each; but
there is a connection between the whole cluster visible in small lava
streams and a vast quantity of volcanic debris, converted into humus, in
the adjacent valleys. Yet it is by no means apparent that these alone
have contributed to form the present surface, the south-eastern side of
the field terminating in much older formation of wacke. Neither would
any one of the craters appear to have very lately poured out the fiery
stream. Ibrahim Shehem Abli indeed deposed with an oath to having seen
Father Abida in flames about twelve years previously; but, on further
investigation, there seemed reason to believe that the conflagration he
witnessed must have been confined to the long grass with which portions
of the steep sides are clothed.
The well-timed deluge of rain which fell during the night had been so
eagerly drunk by the thirsty desert, that when the morning dawned the
only traces of the storm were presented in numberless channels left by
the torrent, with here and there a muddy pool, around which the
guinea-fowl were still rallying in clamorous troops. Every portion of
the road having been saturated, and rendered far too heavy for the jaded
camels, advance was of necessity delayed until noon, by which time they
had become sufficiently dry to admit of the resumption of the journey.
A bare alluvial plain, skirting the base of the Koomi range, led to a
few acacia trees of larger growth than had heretofore been seen. They
occupied a hollow styled Ras Mittur, which is the point of union of the
two roads from Killulloo, and hence the caravan struck off across a
grassy plain, abounding in herds of graceful _mhorr_. The course
followed the eastern border of the field of truncated cones; and in the
fresh green hue of the bushes with which the cindery tract is studded,
was afforded abundant proof of the fertility of its decomposed lava.
Passing a cluster of Bedouin huts, whose inmates were watching their
grazing herds of milch camels, the road next threaded a narrow belt of
verdant jungle. This suddenly opened into the wide plain of Moolu,
studded in every direction with flocks of sheep and goats, assembled
from all parts of the country round; and in a deep hollow in the very
centre lay the attraction--the oasis of Yoor Erain Maroo, a noble sheet
of water surrounded by a belt of hillocks, and measuring during even
this season of drought, a full mile in diameter. It was indeed a sight
most refreshing to the eye. Troops of waterfowl of various plumage
sailed over its glassy surface. Birds chattered amongst the autumnal
branches of the numerous trees, whose tall stems, half immersed, rose
thickly in the centre, and the cool waters of the basin afforded to the
weary and travel-stained pilgrims the first unlimited supply of pure
liquid that had been revelled in since bidding adieu to the shores of
India.
In so sultry a land, where, throughout the desert and forbidding plain.
Nature has dispensed the first necessary of life with a most niggard
hand, those pools which have not a constant supply of running water soon
become adulterated by various decompositions of organic and inorganic
matter. Wacke cannot resist any long exposure, and hence fluid in
contact with it imbibes oxide of iron and muriate of soda; whilst flocks
and herds, corrupting the element in a still more offensive manner, not
only impart a fetid taste and smell, but stir up the deposited mud,
which emits a volume of sulphuretted hydrogen. Yoor Erain Maroo was
free from all these impurities, and its reservoir affords a
never-failing supply; but the surrounding country is said during the wet
season to be extremely unhealthy, violent storms and incessant rain
compelling the shepherds to abandon the plains and wadies, and retreat
with their flocks to the neighbouring mountains.
From Waramilli to Moolu, the country is chiefly occupied by the
sub-tribes of Debeni, under the chiefs Beedur and Boo Bekr Sumbhool, the
latter of whom usually resides at Hamoosa, and the former at Doomi or
Sultelli. Although not always to be trusted, these wanderers appear
under a friendly garb; but the lion-hearted guides and escort, with
Izhak at their head, had, from the first moment of leaving Killulloo,
been doing their utmost to impress upon the minds of their audience the
extreme danger to be apprehended on this portion of the road, from the
various wild hordes now adjacent, whom they painted as perfect
dare-devils.
"The Galla are pagans," quoth Ibrahim Shehem Abli with a bigoted sneer,
"and, uncircumcised knaves that they are, never heard either of Allah or
the Holy Prophet; and as for the Mudaito, although nominally Moslems,
they have little more religion than their infidel neighbours. But wait
until I get an opportunity," he added, with a caper and a sardonic grin,
as he unsheathed his creese for the purpose of going through the figure
of disembowelment, "only wait until I find an opportunity, and,
_Inshallah_, we shall square accounts."
Many were the harrowing tales that had been called to mind by the first
loom of the Abyssinian mountains, touching the toil-worn traveller, who,
having surmounted all the perils and privations of the road, and arrived
within sight of the promised land, had been cut off at the very last
step towards the goal. Perpetual strife is waged betwixt the Galla and
Mudaito, and the plain of Moolu forming a sort of neutral ground between
the countries inhabited by the rival clans, it proves one continual
scene of foray and bloodshed. The heathen, watching like hawks from the
tops of trees and eminences, pounce, whenever opportunity offers, upon
the flocks and herds of the true believers: retaliation is not slow to
follow, and thus the feud is well and incessantly sustained.
During the latter part of the march, the Ras el Kafilah was nearly
thrown into hysterics by the sudden desertion of one of his charge, who,
in defiance of the thraldom, which rendered all more like prisoners than
freemen, had made up his mind to dine that night upon venison, and had
accordingly taken up arms against the alluring herds of sleek and timid
antelope that, with white discs on their cruppers, bounded in all
directions before the advancing string of camels. Repeated
interrogatories of "_Fein toro_?" "whither are you going?" were launched
in a commanding tone of voice after the truant, without eliciting the
smallest attention or reply. A shot was fired--a fat buck fell--and the
successful Nimrod, dismounting, proceeded to secure the spoils; an
operation which brought from their occupation in the adjacent pasture,
two ancient Bedouin crones in wrinkles and leathern aprons, to be
spectators of the dissection.
Izhak was old and captious, and not seeing very clearly, the apparition
was too much for his shattered nerves. "Allah, Allah!" he peevishly
exclaimed, seizing his broad-headed spear from the hand of his henchman,
and violently kicking the flanks of his jaded mule towards the spot;
"merciful Providence, what childish folly is this? Is the commander a
babe that he thus trifles with the safety of the caravan? I did fancy
that he possessed some sense, but this is positively the act of a
madman. Look at those Buddoos, they will cut his throat immediately,
and then we shall have a pretty blood feud, involving the lives of half
a dozen Danakil."
Despite of all the twaddling old blockhead could do to prevent it, the
haunch was nevertheless brought in, and its appearance hailed with
considerable delight. But it might almost as well have been abandoned
to the vultures of the air, since the Persian cook, who had taken alarm
at the menace extended to Quilp in the prosecution of his kennel duties,
peremptorily refused to convert the venison into _kababs_, upon the
grounds that the knife of the true believer had not passed across the
throat of the victim.
"Whose dog is Hajji Abdallah Kurmani?" he exclaimed in tones that might
have been believed to issue from a dilapidated bagpipe; "whose dog is
he, I repeat," throwing the haunch upon the ground, "that he should be
invited to deal with any such abomination? Allah and his Prophet defend
us, but the Hajji would as soon think of polluting himself with the
touch of the unclean beast."
This spirited public declaration was by the Moslem audience received
with the rapturous applause it claimed; and the worthy pilgrim, fairly
carried away by the over-boiling of his virtuous indignation, was
actually proceeding to wreak his last vengeance upon the venison, when
arbitrary measures were adopted, which resulted in the imposition of
twenty-four hours' fast in excess of the many inflicted by the apostle
whose shrine he had visited at the holy city.
Now the Hajji bore a striking personal resemblance to Hudibras, and like
that hero, regarded discretion as being the better part of valour.
Since the melancholy disaster at Goongoonteh, he had encumbered himself
with a musket and a modicum of cartridges; but even by his warmest
admirers it must be confessed that there had never in his demeanour been
observed the slightest indication of a design to throw himself away by
rash exposure. Entertaining the highest respect for himself, the
prudent son of Iran was rarely heard to speak of Hajji Abdallah save in
the respectful third person singular. The words of Ibrahim Shehem had
sunk deep into his soul, and after the affair of the venison, it was not
a little diverting to hear him, in his wonted croaking accents,
apostrophise the folly and the infatuation which had prompted him to
brave the wilds of unexplored Africa.
"Hajji Abdallah was never taxed with lack of common sense," he exclaimed
musingly in self-reproach. "Allah knows there be many greater
blockheads in this sublunary world than his servant the Hajji. Is it
not wonderful that the chief cook to Khwajah Mohammad Rahim Khan
Shirazi, and master, too, of recipes for no fewer than nine-and-thirty
pilaos, should have proven himself such an ass, such a son of a burnt
father, as voluntarily to get in the way of abuse for refusing to
_kabab_ unhallowed meat which died without the knife or the Bismillah;
and, worse still, in the way of having his own throat divided every
minute of each day and night by these bloodthirsty infidels? `_La houl
willah koowut illah billah ali ul-azeem_,' `there is no power nor virtue
save in God.' What true believer in the fair province of Kurman would
ever have suspected Hajji Abdallah of bringing his beard to so vile a
market?"
Volume One, Chapter XXXI.