Before daylight of the following morning, Ayto Tsanna gave the word to
saddle, and the tedious descent of the south-eastern face of the steep
Manya hill having been accomplished on foot, we gained the border of the
wilderness as the sun rose, and took post on a small eminence to await
the report of the scouts who were out in every direction among the
tangled grass. The valley, environed by mountains, and extending eight
or ten miles in one uninterrupted flat, was intersected throughout its
extreme breadth by the four streams already named, their thickly-wooded
banks harbouring antelope, and a great variety of birds of the most
brilliant plumage. These detached jungles, in many points uniting,
formed a continuous belt of dark foliage, and in others receding as the
miry swamps became niggard of the requisite moisture, afforded limited
vistas to the eye, although still accessible with difficulty either to
man or horse.
A speedy summons arrived from the governor, who, with a large party of
retainers, and two matchlock-men forming his body-guard, was seated on
the banks of Jow-waha. An elephant had been descried at the distance of
some miles, and an uproar had in consequence commenced, sufficient to
alarm the most fearless and sedate quarry in existence. After a
protracted and tumultuous consultation, the hunt was commenced according
to the Abyssinian method--equestrians and pedestrians without number
shouting and hallooing to each other as they threaded the paths trampled
by the huge quadrupeds through a tangled swamp of canes, so locked and
interlaced that no human eye could penetrate one foot on either side,
whilst crowds of Galla horsemen galloped on either flank, to complete
the impossibility of success.
This turmoil continued under a burning sun until past two o'clock, when,
having reached the extremity of the waste which divides the country of
the Gibdosa Adaiel, the appearance of several horsemen hovering in the
distance induced the governor to decamp with precipitation to the centre
of the wilderness, without having seen aught save a few recent tracks
imprinted on the burnt grass, and a charred log of wood which was long
maintained to be an elephant. Here the tributary Gille and Soopa, who
had been called out under their respective chiefs, Abbo and Boroo [Boroo
signifies "my yellow horse"], came pouring in from all directions--a
wild and savage race, whom the Christians declared to be the most
hardened, cruel, and insubordinate wretches in the whole world, men who
would take a life for the possession of the veriest trifle. More than
trebling the numerical strength of the Amhara, their appearance so
alarmed the veteran "Wobo," that he forthwith placed himself under the
protection of his guests; and apprehending a termination to the day
similar to the issue of Chevy Chase, requested that rifles might be
discharged for the purpose of intimidation, whilst he ordered his
immediate attendants to raise the shrill war-cry to collect his
scattered retainers. The Moslems meanwhile contented themselves with
gazing at the unwonted appearance of the white strangers, and clumps of
Christian spears soon restored the chief to his self-possession, and
relieved the forebodings of his dismayed followers, whose extraordinary
politeness to the auxiliaries was beyond all things diverting; the most
tender inquiries relative to health and wellbeing only eliciting a
scowling glance, accompanied by a surly dogged reply.
It being in the interim reported that a man had been destroyed by a
female elephant, at whose calf he had ventured to hurl his spear, Ayto
Tsanna took the opportunity of freeing himself of his unpleasant Galla
vassals, by directing them to hem the skirts of the forest, whilst he
requested us "to enter the thicket, and destroy the enraged beast, whom
no one else would approach." Although well convinced of the
impossibility of accomplishing this absurd request, a desire to efface
former evil imputations induced a ready compliance, and a body of Amhara
spearmen were selected to point out the scene of the alleged accident.
Crouching in a compact group at intervals of every few hundred yards as
they advanced, they lowered their shields, bristled their spears, and in
"the language of the chase," offered up a prayer for Divine assistance,
coupled with abuse and defiance to the much-dreaded object of their
quest.
The story of the catastrophe proved on investigation to be utterly
false, the man having been merely lacerated by a splinter in a fall from
a tree, instead of killed outright by an elephant, as averred by his
comrades. A search of two miles through the shady recesses of a
magnificent forest, where some of the venerable trees measured upwards
of forty feet in circumference, and where the lemon grew wild in the
utmost luxuriance and profusion, led us again to the open plain, without
aught being seen but a few of that rare species of ape styled the "monk
of the wood." Here a message from the governor was delivered, to the
effect that the elephants were surrounded at the further extremity of
the waste, and unless immediately attacked would make their escape.
Rejoining him with all expedition, it was ascertained that want of
method had again frustrated every design, and that the clamour of the
unruly multitude had rendered futile this last chance of retrieving the
fortunes of the day.
Evening was now fast closing around, and many miles were to be retraced
to the camp, across bogs and quagmires, rendered almost impassable by
the tramp of six hundred horsemen. But before finally leaving the
ground, the Galla chieftains and their wild host were assembled; and the
governor, taking his seat in the midst, in a set speech informed them
that their lord the king had sent them "a strong stranger" as a guest.
That their country of Giddem had been chosen in preference to Bulga,
Mentshar, or the banks of the Robi, and that elephants _must_ be found
on the morrow, or shame would be the portion of all in the eyes of their
royal master. Bowing their heads, in token of implicit obedience to the
high behest, the chiefs pledged themselves to spare no exertions, and to
appear early the following day with double the number of their
respective tribes; which assurance given, the opportunity was embraced
of urging an old dispute relative to the loss of certain Galla steeds,
stated by Boroo, surnamed Amba Bukazia, to have been stolen by the
Amhara borderers.
"Yellow Horse" rose to speak in favour of his countrymen. His portly
figure betokened high command and perfect self-possession. The fines of
his dark face had settled down into features expressive of the most
imperturbable coolness, and his whole appearance was that of the haughty
savage chieftain. Standing erect before his feudal superior, his
attitude and demeanour were strikingly bold and dignified. His mantle,
surmounted by a shaggy black skin, fell gracefully over his brawny
shoulders; and his words flowed on, pleasing and mellifluous, in a
smooth stream of native eloquence, which the soft language of the Galla
admitted of his modulating into a masterly succession of measured
rhymes. The interpreter sat opposite, with his eyes riveted on the
orator, and sentence after sentence being rendered into Amharic with
ease and volubility, he conveyed to the governor through every marked
intonation a close verbal interpretation, without disturbing for a
moment the graceful flow of the impassioned harangue. But Ayto Tsanna
having already decided the question, and mentally resolved not to listen
to the appeal, gladly availed himself of my departure for camp to mount
his own horse, and thus abruptly to terminate the unpleasant discussion.
Volume Two, Chapter XL.