Hitherto our journey had been one of the most agreeable that could be
conceived. The novelty of the country, the purity of the air, the many
striking objects that came under our observation, kept me in an intense
state of enjoyment, and my spirits were often wild with excitement.
But there was a change coming, for which none of us were prepared, that
completely put an end to all our interest in the scenes through which we
had still to pass before reaching our home.
My father had for some days been indisposed, but not sufficiently so as
to alarm any of us. On reaching Gagee, he was unable to proceed further,
grew rapidly worse, and, after five days varying illness, borne with
unvarying serenity and resignation—breathed his last. Thus were we,
before we were fully aware of his danger, bereaved of a parent on whose
enlightened guidance and affectionate sympathy we all depended in every
circumstance of our lives. But private griefs shrink from publicity, and
I cannot dwell on them in these pages. We sent to the chiefs of the
village to request a place in their cemetery. They expressed their
sympathy with our sorrow, they immediately desired us to take our
choice, and then guided us to the spot, which was about two miles from
the river.
It was indeed a dreary walk; the sky was dark, the wind blew the fine
sand in clouds around us, and we could see only a few yards in advance.
After selecting the ground, the inhabitants of the village prepared the
tomb, and were found assembled near it in crowds of all ages, when we
again approached to lay the loved form in the deep grave they had dug.
After reading the funeral service, according to our English customs, we
distributed alms, in conformity to those of the Arab. With these people,
charity is not confined to the moment of interment; but for months, and
even years after, on Friday, (the Mahometan Sabbath), the relations of
the deceased attend at the grave to keep it in repair, and give food and
money to the poor, who go there as the surest place to obtain
assistance; and it is for the purpose of sheltering such persons, that
the small mosques and buildings often found in these localities, are
erected.
The cemeteries are always respected—indeed, are held as sacred among
these wild, untutored people as among ourselves; so much so are they in
public opinion, that when setting out on a journey, the Nubians
frequently deposit near them their valuables. The place is not enclosed,
and we often beheld in the cemeteries a collection of household goods,
pitchers, &c., suspended from a tree, or laid near a grave, the vicinity
of which was a sufficient protection during the absence of the owner.
During our five days’ detention here, the guides had behaved very well,
paying daily visits, and making kind inquiries at our tent; but now the
second guide refused to proceed without his brother, whose return was
not expected in less than seven days, and even threatened to take us
back to Berber, alleging, as his reason, that his engagement no longer
held good. Our servants expressed their indignation at his conduct in
such unequivocal terms, that his resolution, if he ever entertained it,
began to waver, and it presently became evident that he had changed his
mind altogether. We showed a determined indifference to his opinion; the
camels were collected and brought into the encampment before dark; the
packages were prepared, the burthens adjusted, and when, at sunrise,
everything was ready for a start, he, without further demur, placed
himself at the head of the caravan.
Slowly and sadly we climbed the steep bank, and wound our way through
the thicket of doum palms which, a short time since, we had entered with
feelings so very different. We made a circuit to behold once more the
burying-ground. How desolate it looked in the grey of the morning, with
its neat graves, with their dark headstones and mounds, sprinkled over
with snow-white, quartz pebbles. Before us lay a flat plain, over which
a few stunted mimosas were scattered, and here and there we observed
that the sand was shaded grey and white by the _débris_ of the quartz
rocks, which in several places rose to a great height, in grotesque
shapes, resembling ruins; one even was named to us as a temple. In the
distance were two purple hills, standing by themselves, so unlike in
colour to anything else in the landscape, that they did not seem to
belong to it.
The sun rose, covered for the first time with clouds; the wind was from
the north, and so keen that, after a few hours’ ride, we were so
benumbed with cold as to be glad to dismount and seek shelter behind
some bushes, where we basked in the sun till we were warm enough to
proceed. For these sudden variations of temperature, according as the
wind blew from the south or north, we were quite unprepared, and found
them very trying.
Nothing could exceed the considerate attention of our own Arab servants;
to have lost a traveller, whilst under their care, was a great blow to
them, and it was the first time they had been visited by such a
misfortune. The dragoman especially took the most tender care of all of
us; sometimes, on the march, dropping behind out of hearing of our
conversation, sometimes striving to counsel, often endeavouring to
amuse. He told stories illustrative of Arab manners and traditions, and
kept guard at night over our tent and water; in short, he did everything
that could in any way promote the comfort of his charge.
Such attention was needed by some of us, and appreciated by all during
our ten days’ march, which every day extended to the limits of our
strength and daylight. Our only desire now being to reach home with as
little delay as possible.
On the 21st, after proceeding some time along the river, we arrived at
Aboohamed. From having heard the name coupled with Khartoum and Korosko,
as stages in our homeward journey, we expected at least to see a town.
We beheld only a few houses, one half inhabited solely by rats and
pigeons.
We proceeded to the Government House, and found it a room walled with
mud, and roofed with loose straw. It had been cleaned out and brushed up
a little for us; and had it been a little less liberal in the way of
draughts, from an over-abundant supply of doors and windows, we should
have taken Daireh’s advice, and slept there; it was greatly to be
preferred to the dust and strong winds outside. As it was, we lived
there in tolerable comfort during the day; at night left it to our
servants, and retreated to our tents which were pitched outside, where
we were not half so comfortable.
The water we obtained here comprised two casks, six cow-skins, four
sheep-skins, and eight goat-skins, which sufficed to load seven camels.
We were disappointed in finding only two fowls and sixteen eggs, in
return for the nine piastres we had forwarded to this village by the
camel-sheik some days before. The people, however, brought us the
change. It is not in all civilized countries you could send forward one
shilling and sixpence with equal success.
The hand of death had visited Aboohamed, and we were edified by the
sight of five or six girls dancing round the corpse of their relative,
whom they lamented with shrieks, saltatory gestures, and by heaping
ashes on their heads. As the deceased had been “a great man among the
camels,” our fine dromedaries were saddled, and galloped about, racing
with one another—a bad preparation for a long journey.
We did all we could to persuade our men to get water-skins for
themselves, offering to pay for them; but they started with only four
skins for fifteen men, trusting to our humanity for a sufficient supply,
which of course did not fail them.
Two donkeys were also purchased at this place, with poles to support a
bed, in case of illness. As a further precaution, we had sent for a
litter, or tack caravan, by the guide who went for provisions, &c., to
Berber.