Transcriber's Note:
Inconsistent hyphenation and spelling in the original document have
been preserved. Obvious typographical errors have been corrected.
Italic text is denoted by _underscores_ and bold text by =equal
signs=.
On page 124, "Che va piano va sano" should perhaps be "Chi va piano
va sano".
SPORT IN ABYSSINIA.
[Illustration: OUR PARTY.
Frontispiece.]
SPORT
IN
ABYSSINIA;
OR,
The Mareb and Tackazzee.
BY
THE EARL OF MAYO,
LIEUTENANT, GRENADIER GUARDS.
LONDON:
JOHN MURRAY, ALBEMARLE STREET.
1876.
DEDICATED
TO
D.
PREFACE.
I present this book to the Public simply as an account of what I did
and saw; and the impressions the different events and scenes made upon
my mind.
I have written it from notes and my daily Journal. The stories that
are in it were told me, some by Natives, others by Europeans; either
over the camp fire, or to while away the tedium of a long march, or
the _ennui_ of life on board ship.
These tales must be taken as they are written; they amused me much at
the time, and if they only interest my readers I shall be content.
I hope to revisit Abyssinia, but under more favourable auspices; and
trust that better luck may attend me.
I have spelt the names of places as they are _pronounced_, having had
them repeated over several times to me by our excellent interpreter,
Peter Brou.
_Victoria Street. London. 1876._
CONTENTS.
CHAPTER I.
PAGE
CAIRO -- THE KHEDIVE "AT HOME" -- THE PYRAMIDS -- PETROS,
OUR CONDUCTOR -- SUEZ -- OUR PROVISIONS -- THE START FROM
SUEZ -- ON BOARD THE DESSOOK -- SOUAKIM -- A USEFUL WEAPON
-- MASSOWAH -- NATIVE FISHERMEN -- PEARLS -- OUR FIRST
ENCAMPMENT -- ARTIFICIAL SHADE -- "MY BATTERY" -- "EN ROUTE"
-- ON CAMEL-BACK -- THE FIRST SHOT -- AND MISS -- A NEW
METHOD OF LOADING -- PICK-A-BACK -- THE RESULT -- ARREKEL
BEY -- WATER SUPPLY -- OUR PARTY DIVIDES -- A VULTURE TRAP
-- BAGGAGE TRAIN -- CONVICT LABOUR -- A TURKISH
DINNER-PARTY -- THE CORPS DE BALLET 1
CHAPTER II.
OUR EQUIPMENT -- TENTS AND BEDS -- COMMISSARIAT -- THE
KITCHEN -- MULES, THEIR HABITS AND TREATMENT -- CAMELS -- UP
COUNTRY -- MY FIRST BAG -- SILVER CUPS -- A WILD BOAR --
AILET -- OUR ESCORT -- THE FIRST OF THE JUNGLE -- SWEDISH
MISSIONARIES -- AN ABYSSINIAN "SPA" -- A HOT BATH -- THE
"RAINS" -- THRASHING THE TENTS 20
CHAPTER III.
GENERAL KIRKHAM -- DIK-DIK -- AN ABYSSINIAN HOUSE -- A
SUCCESSFUL DODGE -- EGYPTIAN OUTPOSTS -- A PET SHEEP --
SPORTSMAN'S PARADISE -- LOST IN A MIST -- A "NASTY CROPPER"
-- SAFE IN CAMP -- DIGGING FOR PIGS -- A LUCKY SHOT -- A
SHOWER BATH 37
CHAPTER IV.
A STRANGE "GET-UP" -- AN UNLUCKY SHOT -- CRANES -- AN
INSOLENT "CHICKER" -- OUR COOLIES STRIKE -- FLORICAN --
SERVANT HUNTING -- NIGHT MARCHING -- FIRST SIGHT OF THE
MAREB -- "LONG LIE" -- COPTIC CHURCH -- A PEAL OF STONE
BELLS -- HIGHWAY ROBBERY -- A CHASE -- DOMESTIC QUARREL --
LUGGAGE DIFFICULTIES -- A MOONLIGHT RACE 55
CHAPTER V.
A GENERAL BATH -- RELIGIOUS PROCESSION -- THE GAME OF GOUX
-- DINNER-PARTY IN A STABLE -- ETIQUETTE -- GRAM -- FRENCH
LEAVE -- HOSTILITIES -- A PARLEY AND RECONCILIATION --
NATIVE BEER -- A WHIRLWIND -- CULTIVATION -- ROADS -- FINE
SCENERY -- A TALISMAN -- A FIANCÉE -- CAPTURE OF A GUIDE --
ROBBERS AND THEIR PUNISHMENT -- THE CROPS -- CAMP ON THE
MAREB -- TOMATOS -- LIONS -- A NARROW ESCAPE -- SPEAR
THROWING 75
CHAPTER VI.
A WART-HOG -- "BRUNDO" BUTCHERING -- AN "ETON BLUE" BIRD --
BABOONS -- DESERTED VILLAGE -- ROUGH WALKING -- THE
ABYSSINIAN ADAM AND EVE -- JEALOUSY -- THE PRIESTS -- SAVAGE
CUSTOMS -- TAMARISK COVER -- NATIVE SPORTSMEN -- DANCING AND
SINGING -- WANT OF A DOG -- NEWS OF A LION -- RED
POCKET-HANDKERCHIEFS AND THEIR EFFECT -- "BORROWED PLUMES"
-- THE JUNGLE ON FIRE -- WE STEER WEST -- "BLACKMAIL" --
SUMMARY JUSTICE 94
CHAPTER VII.
A LONG MARCH -- A NATIVE GARDEN -- COOLIES AND THE WAY TO
TREAT THEM -- MARKETS -- A BATTLE-FIELD -- COOL SHADE --
"THE FIRST POST" -- SHIELDS AND SPEARS -- JOHN -- POTATOES
-- SILVERSMITHS -- A NEW FRIEND -- COOLIE SQUABBLES -- AN
APPEAL -- DONKEY BUYING -- SHOE-MAKING -- A BIRD'S-EYE VIEW
OF OUR ROUTE -- SOURCES OF THE TACKAZZEE -- MARRIAGE
FESTIVITIES -- I TURN SURGEON -- A MUSICAL PARTY -- MY
REPUTATION AS A DOCTOR 114
CHAPTER VIII.
DONKEY ROBBERIES -- REPRISALS -- A FRIEND IN NEED -- POSTMEN
-- APOLOGIES -- A THIEF SURPRISED -- IN SEARCH OF A MILLER
-- THE WAY TO GET WATER -- A SWIM -- ARRIVAL OF MY RIFLE --
CUSTOM-HOUSE -- ELEPHANT-HUNTING -- HINTS ON COSTUME --
FIRESIDE TALES -- HOW TO PRODUCE FIRE -- AN EPICURE --
HARTEBEEST AND GIRAFFES -- JUNGLE FIRES 134
CHAPTER IX.
THE FOREST -- THE TACKAZZEE AT LAST -- A FORD -- AN
UNHEALTHY CAMP -- HIPPOPOTAMI -- A RAFT -- ON THE ELEPHANT
TRACK -- IN SIGHT OF GAME -- A LION AND A MESS --
BIVOUACKING -- BEGINNING OF MY ILLNESS -- GUINEA FOWL -- WE
TURN HOMEWARDS -- "THE BLUES" -- RAFT-BUILDING -- A CARAVAN
-- ELEPHANT AGAIN -- A BIG FISH! -- NEWSPAPERS -- CHANGE OF
QUARTERS -- THE GAME OF "GALANIFT" 152
CHAPTER X.
OUR DAILY ROUTINE -- BAKING A JERKED KOODOO -- LOSS OF AN
ELEPHANT -- A SEPARATION -- MY ILLNESS INCREASES --
STARVATION -- A GODSEND -- SAD PLIGHT -- FRESH SUPPLIES -- A
HARD MARCH -- NARROW ESCAPE -- AN EXCITING HUNT -- PRIMITIVE
BUTCHERY -- A CURIOUS SHOT -- CARAVAN -- EXCHANGE OF
CIVILITIES -- "CHURCH" -- CHANGE OF AIR -- ACCIDENT TO THE
KITCHEN -- STRANGE VISITORS -- A THUNDERSTORM 173
CHAPTER XI.
AN INGENIOUS BED -- EN ROUTE FOR THE COAST -- A SAD PLIGHT
-- UNPLEASANT TRAVELLING -- FRIENDS -- FORCIBLE PERSUASION
-- AN AMUSING ENCOUNTER -- AN ADVENTURE -- I OPEN A BAZAAR
-- PRICES -- HOSPITALITY -- HAGGLING -- REINFORCEMENT --
LETTERS FROM HOME -- A MISERABLE NIGHT -- FALSE RUMOURS -- I
SELL TWO DONKEYS -- "HARD UP" -- GEESE AND HORNBILLS --
ILL-TIMED THEFT -- STRANGE QUARTERS -- TOOTH-BRUSHES 195
CHAPTER XII.
SELF-HELP -- SCARCITY OF PROVISIONS -- LAID-UP AGAIN -- A
RÉUNION -- HOSPITALITY -- AN OLD FRIEND -- AN ALARM -- ORDER
OF BATTLE -- A FIELD DAY -- "KIND ENQUIRIES" -- OLIVES AND
OIL -- PURCHASE OF A CLUB -- CATTLE PLAGUE -- AN INJUDICIOUS
DINNER -- MY ILLNESS INCREASES -- I HAVE TO BE CARRIED --
LUXURY OF A WASH -- I BUILD A HOUSE -- THE SEA --
CIVILIZATION AGAIN 214
CHAPTER XIII.
FRENCH FRIENDS -- ON BOARD -- COMPARATIVE COMFORT -- A QUEER
FISH -- A DINNER PARTY -- A CARGO OF GAZELLES -- ROUGH
WEATHER -- VOYAGE TO SUEZ -- AND ARRIVAL 243
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.
OUR PARTY Frontispiece.
A RACE FOR A SPEAR To face page 70
NARROW ESCAPE OF GOUBASEE " " 91
OUR CAMP AT MASSOWAH " " 118
A WILY BARIA " " 147
SPORT IN ABYSSINIA.
CHAPTER I.
CAIRO -- THE KHEDIVE "AT HOME" -- THE PYRAMIDS -- PETROS, OUR
CONDUCTOR -- SUEZ -- OUR PROVISIONS -- THE START FROM SUEZ -- ON
BOARD THE DESSOOK -- SOUAKIM -- A USEFUL WEAPON -- MASSOWAH --
NATIVE FISHERMEN -- PEARLS -- OUR FIRST ENCAMPMENT -- ARTIFICIAL
SHADE -- "MY BATTERY" -- "EN ROUTE" -- ON CAMEL-BACK -- THE FIRST
SHOT -- AND MISS -- A NEW METHOD OF LOADING -- PICK-A-BACK -- THE
RESULT -- ARREKEL BEY -- WATER SUPPLY -- OUR PARTY DIVIDES -- A
VULTURE TRAP -- BAGGAGE TRAIN -- CONVICT LABOUR -- A TURKISH
DINNER-PARTY -- THE CORPS DE BALLET.
"In youth's wild days, it cannot but be pleasant
This idle roaming, round and round the world."
GOETHE.
Not to trouble the reader with an account of the route to India, viâ
Brindisi, I will commence the narrative of my adventures at Cairo,
where most of the party who were going to shoot in Abyssinia were
assembled.
We had a very jolly time of it at Cairo, and amused ourselves in the
usual way, by riding donkeys through the bazaars and trying to win
money from the Greeks, who keep all the gambling-houses. Of course
most of the time was employed in making preparations for the journey
to, and for travelling in, Abyssinia.
We all went and paid our respects to the Khedive, being introduced by
Her Majesty's Consul, Major-General Staunton. His Highness the Khedive
was very civil and courteous, and said he would give us letters to the
different Governors of the Egyptian Provinces through which we were
likely to pass. He also provided all of us with firmans.
A day or two afterwards we received invitations to a _soirée
théâtrale_, given at the Palace of Kasr-el-Nil. This lordly "palace"
is simply a large wooden structure on the banks of the Nile, close to
the great barracks in which most of the troops of Cairo are quartered.
The entertainment was particularly dull, and the only thing that
enlivened us at all was the excessive crush of the company going up
the wooden stairs, which made the whole place shake. Just as we were
entering the room the floor creaked loudly, and the company parted as
if a shell had burst in the midst of them; I thought the whole place
was coming down. Luckily, there was no panic, or I do not know what
would have happened, as we were at the top of the house, having gone
up about six flights of stairs, and the room was full. There was an
elaborate supper afterwards, for which I did not stop. I was only too
glad during the first pause to leave so hot an entertainment.
One Sunday afternoon we drove out to the Pyramids, and ate lunch under
some trees, sitting on one of those broken Egyptian wheels which are
used for raising water. Afterwards we went inside the Pyramids; it was
very warm work, and we were forced to buy quantities of antiquities,
which, I believe, are manufactured in Birmingham.
I found I had to take off my boots in scrambling down a labyrinth of
narrow passages inside of the Pyramid to get to the King's Chamber,
for I had twice been thrown on my back through having nails in my
boots.
After having spent ten days at Cairo, I resolved to start for Suez in
order to make arrangements, and to gain information about Abyssinia.
By great luck I met an Abyssinian merchant, quite a young fellow, in
the bazaar at Suez, who said he would go to Abyssinia as my servant,
and he turned out to be very useful, as he could speak Amharic,
Arabic, and Hindustanee, as well as English. Petros, such was his
name, followed me through Abyssinia, and nursed me with great care
when I fell very ill on my return to the coast.
I arrived at Suez just before H., who was to go to Abyssinia with me;
he had come from Southampton by the P. and O. steamer, and I was
delighted to have arranged so nicely with him as to suit our mutual
convenience.
I learnt that my provisions had all arrived safely by the P. and O.,
but not my heavy guns nor ammunition. What had become of them I could
not make out, as Rigby, of St. James's Street, had most distinct
orders in writing to send them to Suez. It turned out afterwards that
the P. and O. Company, through carelessness, had sent the guns on to
Pointe de Galle; they arrived in Abyssinia the day before we started
for the Tackazzee, where the big game is to be found. H. and I were
hard at work for two days shifting the provisions from the big boxes
in which they had come out into smaller ones, in order that these
might be carried on camels and mules. I bought a few necessary
articles at the P. and O. stores, such as a large frying-pan, a common
kettle, etc., for rough camping work; most of the other things I had
purchased in London, and I would recommend all other travellers to do
the same. I bought all my provisions from the Army and Navy
Co-operative Stores, Victoria Street; and I take this opportunity of
stating that, not only were they so well packed that nothing was
broken, but also that during the very great heat and exceedingly dry
cold winds in Abyssinia not one thing failed, and every article of
the provisions came out as fresh as if I had sent for and got it that
day from the stores. The boxes in which the stores were packed I had
made from an army pattern; it is the one used in the infantry to carry
the carpenters' tools.
A day or two after I had reached Suez, the rest of the party arrived
from Sheppard's Hotel, Cairo. The ship we had to go in to Massowah,
the seaport town of Abyssinia, was called the _Dessook_--a ship that
had been running from Alexandria to Constantinople. She possessed
plenty of accommodation, which is rather unusual for this line of
steamers. These vessels run every three weeks from Suez, taking and
bringing the Egyptian mails from and to Suez, Souakim, and Massowah.
It is an enterprise of the Khedive's, and is called the Posta Khedive
Company; scarcely, I should think, paying well, as the trade from all
ports of the Red Sea is very small. They also carry pilgrims during
the pilgrim season.
We were a party of eleven on board the _Dessook_. These vessels make
no arrangements for providing passengers with food; so we formed a
"mess" of our own, with a president and a committee. Of course, we had
a great many cooks, as the party was large and we were going to
separate; seven to disembark at Souakim, and the remaining four at
Massowah. Nothing could have been merrier than our little mess.
The only other passengers besides ourselves were some French Roman
Catholic priests with a French bishop, and a Frenchman belonging to a
house of business in Massowah. The bishop was very pleasant and
intelligent, and gave the rest of the party and myself a great deal of
useful information as to living and travelling in Abyssinia: he was
Bishop of Keren, in the Bogos country.
In about three days from Suez we arrived at Souakim, which is built
upon an island. The houses are white square structures, with a minaret
dotted about here and there. I went on shore with H. in the evening,
and we walked about that part of the town which is on the mainland.
The inhabitants of Souakim are Arabs; the men are very handsome,
well-made, likely fellows, and they walk about hand-in-hand, twirling
little crooked sticks and dressed in white turbans and white clothes.
I bought one of those crooked knives peculiar to Souakim with which
the young gentlemen of the place settle their little disputes. They
hold the knife dagger fashion, and hack away at each other till one of
the combatants faints from loss of blood. One could see, from the
shape of the knife, that it would be very hard to inflict a mortal
wound with such a weapon.
Here seven of the party landed, including Captain B., Mr. Marcopoli,
and Mr. Russell. They were going up to the White Nile, by Berber, to
join Colonel Gordon, of the White Nile exploration. The other four
were going to Kassala, across the Desert, and thence down to the
Hamaram village mentioned by Sir Samuel Baker in his 'Nile Tributaries
of Abyssinia,' to shoot all kinds of big game. The ship only remained
two days at Souakim, and then sailed for Massowah. The rest of the
journey was a little dull, as the separation broke up this very cheery
party, and only four of us were now remaining.
On the morning of the 29th December, 1874, H., Lord R., A., and myself
landed at Massowah, and here I begin my journal with an account of our
sport and adventures.
_Dec. 29, 1874._--The first thing we did was to pay our respects to
the Governor. I presented the letter which had been procured for me
from the Minister of Foreign Affairs in Egypt, and, of course, we had
the usual accompaniment of coffee. Arrekel Bey, the Governor, was
exceedingly civil, and said he would do everything in his power to get
us mules, etc., for our journey to the interior.
Massowah is built on an island, in the same way as Souakim; but there
are two long causeways joining it with the mainland, whereas at Souakim
one goes from the mainland to the town in boats--coarse-shaped things,
which are also used at Massowah, and which I was told are not made in
the country, but are brought to Jidda by large steamers from India.
The boats, or rather rafts, that the people go out fishing in in the
harbour of Massowah are very primitive, being made of a few logs of
wood turned up at the ends. The paddler is always wet with the sea,
but as he wears no clothes, except a rag about his loins, it does not
matter so much, the sun soon dries him. These fishermen are more like
fishes than human beings, as they are in and out of the water every
minute.
All the export trade of Abyssinia comes to Massowah, and the goods are
mostly shipped by the Hindoo Banians, who have had a monopoly of the
trade of this place for many years. The merchandise is sent to Bombay,
by Aden, in native boats called sambouks. There is a pearl fishery off
the island of Dhalac, thirty-five miles from the coast of Massowah,
and the Banians make a good thing of it, paying for pearls in clothes
and those necessaries the natives of the island are likely to want,
and selling their purchases for rupees at Bombay.
_Dec. 30._--The first day in camp was certainly uncomfortable in all
respects, as was to have been expected, but we soon got straight, and
then had time to look about us. The hills of Abyssinia in the
distance, lying due west of our little camp, looked so lovely as the
sun set over them, one range rising over the other, that I was eager
to be off to see a country that so little is known about, and whose
people are the only black race of Christians existing.
We pitched our little camp outside the town on a small peninsula,
close to where the Egyptian Government is building a large house for
the Governor.
There is no shade whatever near Massowah, and the Governor very kindly
got the Egyptian soldiers who were told off to us as our guard, as
well as his servants, to put up a large mat "shemmianah,"[1] which
gave us a very pleasant shade during the heat of the day. We always
took our meals under its shelter while we stayed at Massowah.
As I said before, my heavy guns had not arrived at Suez, so my battery
was as follows:--
One 16-bore central-fire gun, by Purdey, carrying ball.
A muzzle-loading rifle, by Purdey, carrying 2¼ drachms of powder.
A 12-bore pin-fire shot gun, which I bought at Suez from Captain
Kellock of the P. and O., made by Crane, of the Royal Exchange. This
turned out to be a most serviceable gun and a very hard hitter.
These guns were rather weak to shoot the large game with, but H. had
brought his Rigby's "Express" with him, which, he said, I could use
whenever I wanted to do so.
_Dec. 31._--We had all four settled the evening before to go out
shooting, and accordingly, this morning, we started early for the
lowest range of hills to be seen in the distance. We expected to find
some small game, such as gazelles and small deer. I rode a camel, and
H. a donkey. Traversing the narrow causeway which joined the little
peninsula on which our camp was situate to the mainland, the first
thing that struck me was the beautiful colours of the fish in the
seawater at each side of the causeway. A. got off his camel and tried
to shoot one, but the water was rather deep.
On reaching the mainland we found ourselves in a large open plain
covered with stunted bushes, and in the distance could be seen the
village of Moncullu, where the residents of Massowah go during the
heat of summer, which is very great in this climate.
H. and I made for the hills as quickly as we could; my camel striding
ahead took the lead, and he followed on his donkey. The motion of the
camel is very pleasant; as I had bought a capital camel-saddle in the
bazaar at Cairo, so far from the motion being inconvenient, as some
travellers allege it to be, I found it very comfortable; it almost
made me fall asleep.
We saw no game on the plain we were crossing. When we had got over the
first range of small hills, the guide, a Shoho Arab, stopped in the
sandy bed of a small river where some Arabs were watering their flocks
of goats. The water is got at by grubbing a hole in the sandy bed of
the river, and then the Arabs scoop it up with a goatskin into a
wooden trough, or, failing that, into another hole made in the sand.
Here we stopped for a short time, watered our beasts, and asked the
natives if they had seen any game. They said there was something in
some bushes close by, whereupon we were both on the tiptoe of
expectation. I got my rifle ready, and H. his shotgun. We went towards
the spot indicated, and, almost among the herd of goats, I saw running
about a small brown-looking beast, like a very small deer. We tried to
stalk him, but he bolted past. H. fired at him and missed; I then
fired my rifle and missed also. We then kicked him out of another
bush, but H. did not see him, he having broken cover on the wrong
side.
This animal turned out to be a little mouse-deer, or dik-dik. In
loading my rifle again, I rammed down the bullet without putting in
any powder, not being accustomed to use muzzle-loading weapons. This
put one barrel _hors de combat_; thus the reader will see that my
first attempt at African sport was not a success.
One of the natives then volunteered to show us some bigger deer. We
went on through a sandy, rocky valley in which mimosa-bushes were
dotted about. H. agreed to go to the ground to the right and I to the
left, so as to work it over thoroughly. The boy who was with me said
he saw some deer on the ridge of the high hill at the foot of which I
was; I went up the hill, and sent him round the other way. On coming
to the top I saw the deer feeding and wagging their tails just below
me, but they were too far off for the rifle I had. I longed for my
Express, which, at that time, was on its way to Pointe de Galle in
Ceylon, instead of being with me! The deer caught sight of me and
trotted away. I sent back the boy for H., as he had his Express with
him; when he joined me we tried to get at them again, but failed. We
saw another dik-dik, and then started for home, in a temperature that
was very hot indeed.
We were back in camp late in the afternoon, and, having had something
to eat, I determined to take my rifle on board the _Dessook_, to ask
the engineer, who was an Englishman, to extract the bullet. Arrekel
Bey, the Governor, sent a boat round to our camp, and the men rowed us
out to the ship, singing, as they were rowing, a wild Arab song which
sounded very prettily. It was a lovely moon-lit night, and every dip
of their oars in the water threw up waves of phosphorescent light;
which phenomenon everybody who has been in these latitudes must have
seen and admired.
The engineer put my gun right in about half an hour; he had to unscrew
the block at the breech of the gun. The Arabs rowed us home; they had
to carry us on their backs for a portion of the distance, as our boat
could not get near enough to the shore. The native who was carrying H.
managed to drop him, and he got a ducking; I very nearly tumbled off
my Arab sailor, on whom I was riding pick-a-back, from laughter, and I
was very glad to get to bed after a rather long day.
_Jan. 1, 1875._--This day we all four paid a visit to Arrekel Bey, who
said he had seven mules to carry our things, and camels for A. and
Lord R., who were not going to the hills, but to the province of
Bogos, which formerly belonged to the Abyssinians, and was taken from
them by the Egyptians.
A., who had been in this part of the world before, expected to find
plenty of big game, as it was a new country, and no English sportsman
had shot over it previously. I tried to buy a horse in Massowah;
Arrekel Bey's groom put him through his paces, showing him off up and
down the space in front of the Governor's house. It was very amusing
to see this Ethiopian sitting on the horse, with his toes well stuck
out, and displaying the points of the animal, much in the same way as
any London dealer would in his straw-yard.
Arrekel Bey very kindly invited us to dinner for the next day at
Moncullu; he has a sort of little summer retreat there. He said he was
going to take us to see the wells which supply Massowah with water.
The water is brought in earthenware pipes built up inside the wall of
the causeway, along which we had gone the day before, and the water is
pumped up from wells in the rock by convicts transported hither from
Egypt. Massowah, before the conduit was completed, was very badly
supplied with water; in fact, there was nothing but rain-water tanks,
and the inhabitants, even now, are charged for the water so much per
skin. We were to take all our luggage and baggage to Moncullu, and
then this party of four was to separate; A. and Lord R. going to
Bogos, and H. and myself to Adowa, the capital of Abyssinia, whence we
intended to go down to Tackazzee for the shooting. The reader will
see, later on, that we had to change our plans.
_Jan. 2._--This morning I prepared some fishing-tackle, intending in
the afternoon to try and catch some of the strange-coloured fish that
I had seen in the water the previous day. Fish of most beautiful
colours and extraordinary shapes and sizes abound in all parts of the
Red Sea.
A. had brought out some of the iron traps that are used by keepers for
catching rabbits in England. I set one of these on the top of a heap
of stones near the camp, with a bit of meat tied on the plate of it,
to try and catch one of those great vultures which are always seen
hovering about Eastern towns. In about half an hour one came swooping
down on it, made a "grab" at the meat and was caught by the legs. He
would have flown away with the trap as well, but for Fisk, H.'s
English servant, who caught and secured him. He was one of the common
bare-necked vultures that live on carrion.
In the afternoon I went out fishing, but did not find much sport; I
only caught a pipe-fish, which we ate. That evening some of our mules
and three camels, as also a string of camels for A. and Lord R.,
appeared. Arrekel Bey, the Governor, sent to ask if we were ready; I
said we were all ready, but that our promised transport animals had
not all come. In about half an hour the Governor arrived himself, when
I told him that I could not start without a proper supply of mules. He
stated they could not be got that day, but he would do his best the
next day; I very politely said I would not move without my luggage.
He then ordered all the donkeys that are used to carry the water into
Massowah from the conduit just outside the town to be brought. They
were a mixed lot; some were blind and some were lame, but our luggage
was carried into Moncullu some way or other. The great thing was that
we made a move in the right direction.
It was quite a sight to see this troop of animals, consisting of
camels, donkeys, and mules--the servants pushing along the narrow
causeway--one donkey lagging behind, and another trying to push
by--kettles tumbling off and straps coming undone. _C'est le premier
pas qui coûte._ I am certain that it cost the poor donkeys a great
deal of pain, as they were frequently belaboured with sticks and were
loudly cursed in Massowah Arabic.
Arrekel Bey took us to see the wells made in the rock in Moncullu,
where the most deliciously cool water is pumped up. The convicts
looked fine, strong, muscular fellows, but gentlemen that one would
not like to meet alone on a dark night. They had just left off work,
it being sunset, six o'clock.
We then adjourned to dinner, which was laid out in a large oblong hut
made of grass. This is the way that houses are made in Moncullu, as a
free current of air passes through the whole structure, and any other
material would be too hot.
We had a regular Turkish dinner, and not at all a bad one either. We
first began by drinking, as is the Turkish fashion, some excellent
liqueur which is called in these parts "araké." I believe it is made
in Smyrna, but it is very good. As some of my readers may know, a
Turkish dinner consists of a great number of dishes, which are handed
about to the guests in quick succession. I managed to get through most
of them, and I think I could have succeeded in doing more, but for the
circumstance that the champagne had not been iced; in fact, ice in
those parts is an unknown luxury. It is only in India that Europeans
can really _live_ in a hot country.
After dinner we were taken to a large marquee. The ground outside was
surrounded by a circle of torches held in braziers, somewhat like a
beacon, burning wood which was replenished by the Egyptian soldiers, a
large number of whom had been "told off" for this purpose.
There were divans in the marquee, on which we reclined. We had waited
about a quarter of an hour, when some musicians appeared with tom-toms
and rude guitars, on which they began strumming, and making a hideous
noise. Then some dancing girls were brought in, and their
extraordinary performance surpassed anything I had ever seen either in
India or at Covent Garden.
The natives of Moncullu were ranged round the open part of the
marquee, singing to the music and keeping time by clapping their
hands. All the dancing girls did was to sway their bodies about in an
affected manner, stamp with their feet on the ground, and wag their
heads backward and forward, making their long plaited hair swing
across their faces. They were highly scented with musk, etc., _à la
mode Arabe_. Like all Arab women, they were very small but beautifully
made, with tiny hands and feet.
This entertainment lasted about three hours, and, between the heat of
the hut and the smell of the negroes, I very nearly went to sleep. At
last the performance came to a close, and we retired to our respective
tents. The soldiers put out the lights, but I could see Arrekel Bey's
native servants, after we were gone, regaling themselves on the
remains of the liqueur and brandy left upon the table in the marquee.
My head, the next morning, was not quite so clear as it might have
been. It must have been the Turkish sweetmeats that caused it, I
think!
_Jan. 3._--To-day we were all up at sunrise. Our mules were loaded,
and also our three camels. Two more mules had arrived the evening
before. H. bought one, of a grey colour, for his English servant to
ride, and I was to ride a small brown mule. She turned out a capital
animal and very sure-footed over the rocks in the hills. We ate some
breakfast and started for Sahatee at eight o'clock, having said
good-bye to A. and Lord R.[2] I little thought on that bright morning
when we shook hands and wished each other luck, that I should never
see his cheery face again. His death was indeed a sad, sad ending to
an expedition which began so pleasantly and well!
FOOTNOTES:
[1] An Indian word for a large square tent.
[2] Earl of Ranfurly, Captain Grenadier Guards, who died at Souakim,
on the Red Sea, May 10, 1875, on board the steamer which was that day
leaving for Suez.