ARRIVAL AT METEMMA, OR GALLABAT.
WE left the village of Toganai at 5 A.M. and, after a rapid march
of sixteen miles, we came in view of Metemma, or Gallabat, in the
bottom of a valley surrounded by hills, and backed on the east by
the range of mountains of which Nahoot Guddabi formed the
extremity of a spur. As we descended the valley, we perceived
great crowds of people in and about the town, which, in
appearance, was merely a repetition of Katariff. It was
market-day, and as we descended the hill and arrived in the scene
below, with our nine camels heavily laden with the heads and
horns of a multitude of different beasts, from the gaping jaws of
hippopotami to the vicious-looking heads of rhinoceros and
buffalo, while the skins of lions and various antelopes were
piled above masses of the much-prized hide of the rhinoceros, we
were beset by crowds of people who were curious to know whence so
strange a party had appeared. We formed a regular procession
through the market, our Tokrooris feeling quite at home among so
many of their brethren. Upon our arrival at the extremity of the
valley, we were horribly disgusted at the appearance of the
water. A trifling stream of about two inches in depth trickled
over a bed of sand, shaded by a grove of trees. The putrefying
bodies of about half a dozen donkeys, three or four camels, and
the remains of a number of horses, lay in and about the margin of
the water. Nevertheless, the natives had scraped small holes in
the sand, as filters, and thus they were satisfied with this
poisonous fluid; in some of these holes, the women were washing
their filthy clothes. I immediately determined to follow up
stream, until I should arrive at some clear spot above these
horrible impurities, that were sufficient to create a pestilence.
Ascending the rising ground, I found on the summit, at about half
a mile distant, an immense sycamore (Ficus sycamorus), whose
green and wide-spreading branches afforded a tempting shade. Not
far from this spot, I found the bed of a dry torrent that flowed
into the poisoned stream of Gallabat. I ordered my men to dig a
deep hole in the sand, which fortunately discovered clear and
good-flavoured water. We immediately pitched tents close to the
sycamore. From this elevation, about a hundred and fifty feet
above Gallabat, we had a beautiful view of the amphitheatre of
hills and mountains, while the crowded town lay below, as in the
bottom of a basin. The Atbara was not far distant in the ravine
between the hill ranges, as it had made a sharp angle at Toganai,
and altered its direction to the north.
Our arrival had made some stir in Gallabat, and many people had
followed us, and stared with much curiosity at the collection of
hunting trophies. Among our visitors was an Abyssinian merchant,
Jusef, whose acquaintance I had formerly made at Cassala; he was
an agreeable and well-informed man, who had been in Paris and
London and spoke French and English tolerably. I accompanied him
for a stroll through the market, and was introduced by him to a
number of the principal Abyssinian merchants. The principal trade
of Gallabat, which is the market-place for all commerce between
Abyssinia and the Egyptian provinces, is in cotton, coffee,
bees'-wax, and hides. Coffee is brought in large quantities by
the Abyssinian merchants, who buy cotton in exchange, for the
manufacture of clothes according to their own fashion. I bought
a quantity of excellent coffee at the rate of two dollars for
thirty-five pounds, equal to about two and three-quarters pence
a pound. Sheds were arranged in lines; these were occupied by the
coffee merchants with their stores, while a great stock of cotton
in bales, to the number of some thousand, were piled in rows in
an open space. Not far from the mass of goods was a confusion of
camels, asses, and mules that had formed the means of transport.
I now met an Italian merchant, with whom I subsequently became
intimately acquainted, Signor Angelo Bolognesi--he had arrived
from Khartoum to purchase coffee and bees'-wax. We were delighted
to meet a civilized European after so long an absence. For some
months we had had little intercourse with any human beings beyond
the hunters that had composed our party, in countries that were
so wild and savage, that the print of a naked foot upon the sand
had instinctively brought the rifle upon full cock. Our European
society was quickly increased: two German missionaries had
arrived, en ronte for an establishment that had been set on foot
in the heart of Abyssinia, under the very nose of the King
Theodore, who regarded missionaries as an unsavoury odour. Both
were suffering from fever, having foolishly located themselves in
a hut close to the foul stench of dead animals on the margin of
the polluted stream, the water of which they drank. One of these
preachers was a blacksmith, whose iron constitution had entirely
given way, and the little strength that remained, he exhausted in
endless quotations of texts from the Bible, which he considered
applicable to every trifling event or expression. I regretted
that I could not agree with him in the propriety of invading
Abyssinia with Bible extracts, as the natives attached as great
importance to their own particular form of Christianity, as any
other of the numerous sects that unhappily divide that beautiful
religion into schisms; any fresh dogma introduced by strangers
might destroy the union of the Abyssinian Church, and would be
not only a source of annoyance to the priesthood, but would most
probably influence them and the king against all Europeans.
The blacksmith assured me that the special mission upon which he
was employed was the conversion of the Abyssinian Jews. I
suggested that we had a few Jews in England, that might offer a
fair field for an experiment at home, before we commenced at so
distant a country as Abyssinia; but I could not persuade the
blacksmith, whose head was as hard as his anvil; he had fully
persuaded himself that the word of God (according to HIS OWN
translation of it) was the hammer with which, selon son metier,
he was to drive his views of the truth into the thick skulls of
the people. If he could twist iron, and hammer a ploughshare into
a sword, or reverse the form, why should he be unable to effect
a change in their opinions? It was perfectly useless to continue
the argument; but I prophesied trouble, as the king was already
discontented, and an influx of missionaries would not improve his
humour. I advised him to stick to his trade, which would obtain
for him far more respect than preaching. He replied, that "the
word of God must be preached in all countries; that the Apostle
Paul had encountered dangers and difficulties, but, nevertheless,
he preached to, and converted the heathen," &c.
Whenever I have met an exceedingly ignorant missionary, he has
invariably compared himself to the Apostle Paul. In half an hour
I found, that I was conversing with St. Paul in the person of the
blacksmith. Whether this excellent apostle is among the captives
in Abyssinia at the present moment, I do not know; but, if so,
their memory of the Bible will be continally refreshed by
quotations, which fly from the tongue of the smith like sparks
from his anvil. His companion was very ill, and incapable of
moving. I went to see the poor fellow upon several occasions, and
found him suffering from dysentery and diseased liver. These
excellent but misguided people had a first-rate medicine chest,
filled with useful drugs and deadly poisons, that had been
provided for them cheaply, by the agent for their society at
Cairo, who had purchased the stock in trade of a defunct doctor.
This had been given to the missionaries, together with the
caution that many of the bottles were not labelled, and that some
contained poison. Thus provided with a medicine chest that they
did not comprehend, and with a number of Bibles printed in the
Tigre language which they did not understand, they were prepared
to convert the Jews, who could not read. The Bibles were to be
distributed as the word of God, like "seed thrown upon the
wayside;" and the medicines, I trust, were to be kept locked up
in the chest, as their distribution might have been fatal to the
poor Jews. These worthy and well-meaning missionaries were
prepared to operate mentally and physically upon the Abyssinians,
to open their minds as well as their bowels; but as their own
(not their minds) were out of order, I was obliged to assist them
by an examination of their medicine-chest, which they had
regarded with such dread and suspicion that, although dangerously
ill, they had not dared to attempt a dose. This medicine-chest
accompanied them like a pet dog suspected of hydrophobia, which
they did not like to part with, and were yet afraid to touch. I
labelled the poisons, and weighed out some doses, that in a few
days considerably relieved them; at the same time I advised the
missionaries to move to a healthier locality, and to avoid the
putrid water.
On the day following our arrival, I paid a visit to the Sheik of
Gallabat--Jemma. He was ill, as were most people. They were too
much accustomed to the use of the filthy water to trouble
themselves about a pure supply; thus a frightful amount of
sickness was prevalent among all classes.
The Sheik Jemma was a Tokroori; and as these people hate the
Turks or Egyptians, although fanatical Mussulmans, he was
exceedingly cold when he read my firman, that I had produced as
a passport. He replied to my demand for assistance in men and
camels, that "this was Abyssinia, and the firman of the Viceroy
of Egypt was a bad introduction, as the Egyptians forced them to
pay tribute at the point of the bayonet, although they had no
right to enter this country;" they paid taxes willingly to the
King of Abyssinia, as he had a right to exact them. I explained
that I was an Englishman, and no Turk, but that, as I had
travelled through the dominions of the Viceroy, I had been
favoured with the sign-manual of his Excellency Said Pasha, and
I narrated in a few words the object of our expedition. He paid
very little attention, and merely asked me if I could send him
some goat's milk, as he was very ill. I was astonished at such a
request, as there were great numbers of these animals in the
neighbourhood; but he explained that his doctor had ordered him
to drink the milk of a black goat, and he had heard that I had
two of that colour. I promised him a supply, and he agreed to
assist me in engaging camels and fresh men, as I had formerly
arranged with my people that their term of service should expire
upon our arrival at Gallabat or Metemma. The latter name merely
signifies "the capital:" as many places are designated by the
same word, it creates much confusion.
The Sheik Jemma was the successor of Hamed, who formerly governed
the Tokrooris. The Egyptians had captured Hamed three years
previously, during which time he had been imprisoned in Cairo.
Upon his release, he wrote to Jemma (who had governed pro
tempore) to prepare for his arrival; but Jemma had no intention
of vacating his seat, and he replied by an impertinent message.
Hamed immediately applied to the Governor-General of the Soudan
for assistance, declaring himself to be the subject of Egypt.
Having obtained a powerful force, he advanced upon Gallabat, and
attacked Jemma, who came out to meet him. This happened about
three months before our arrival. In a pitched battle, the
Tokrooris were defeated with great loss, and Jemma, with the
greater portion of the population, sought the assistance of
Theodore, the king of Abyssinia. Theodore summoned the rival
chiefs before him, and decided that, as Hamed had appealed to
Egypt for assistance, he should lose his seat, and remain a
prisoner in Abyssinia. Accordingly, Jemma was declared to be the
governor of the town of Gallabat, and the sheik over all
Tokrooris.
The Tokrooris are natives of Darfur, who were converted to
Mahometanism after the conquest of Northern Africa by the Arabs.
They are governed by a sultan in their own country, who strictly
prohibits the entrance of white men; thus Darfur remains
impenetrable to civilization. That country is extremely arid and
unfruitful; thus, as the pilgrims journeyed towards Mecca from
their own inhospitable soil, they passed through a land flowing
with milk and honey, with excellent pasturage and fertile soil,
in the district of Gallabat. As first settlements of men have
always been caused by some local attraction and advantage, so the
Tokroori pilgrims, on their return from Mecca, originally rested
from the fatigues of their journey in the neighbourhood of
Gallabat, as a country preferable to their own. The establishment
of a few settlers formed a nucleus, and, as successive
pilgrimages to Mecca were annually undertaken from Darfur, the
colony rapidly increased by the settlement of the returned
pilgrims. Thus commenced the establishment of a new tribe upon
foreign soil, and, as the numbers of settlers increased to an
important amount, permission was granted by the King of Abyssinia
that they should occupy this portion of his territory, upon
payment of taxes as his subjects. The Tokrooris are a fine,
powerful race, exceedingly black, and of the negro type, but
differing from all negroes that I have hitherto known, as they
are particularly industrious. They are great drunkards, very
quarrelsome, and are bad servants, as, although they will work
hard for themselves, they will do as little as they can for their
master. They are seldom unemployed; and, while the Arab may be
seen lazily stretched under the shade of a tree, the Tokroori
will be spinning cotton, or working at something that will earn
a few piastres. Even during the march, I have frequently seen my
men gather the cotton from some deserted bush, and immediately
improvise a spindle, by sticking a reed through a piece of
camel-dung, with which they would spin the wool into thread, as
they walked with the caravan. My Tokrooris had never been idle
during the time they had been in my service, but they were at
work in the camp during every spare minute, either employed in
making sandals from elephant's or buffalo's hide, or whips and
bracelets from the rhinoceros' skin, which they cleverly
polished. Upon our arrival at Gallabat, they had at least a
camel-load of all kinds of articles they had manufactured. On the
following morning I found them sitting in the market-place,
having established stalls, at which they were selling all the
various trophies of their expedition--fat, hides, whips, sandals,
bracelets, &c.
The district inhabited by the Tokrooris is about forty miles in
length, including a population of about twenty thousand.
Throughout the country, they have cultivated cotton to a
considerable extent, notwithstanding the double taxes enforced by
both Abyssinians and Egyptians, and their gardens are kept with
extreme neatness. Although of the negro type, the Tokrooris have
not the flat nose; the lips are full, but not to be compared with
those of the negroes of West Africa; neither is the jaw
prognathous. The men are extremely independent in manner. They
are armed with lances of various patterns; their favourite weapon
is a horrible instrument barbed with a diabolical intention, as
it can neither be withdrawn nor pushed completely through the
body, but, if once in the flesh, there it must remain. This is
called the chimbane; it is usually carried with two other lances
with plain heads. The Tokrooris despise shields; therefore, in
spite of their superior personal strength, they would be no match
for the Arabs.
There is a curious weapon, the trombash, that is used by these
people, somewhat resembling the Australian boomerang; it is a
piece of flat, hard wood, about two feet in length, the end of
which turns sharply at an angle of about 30 degrees. They throw
this with great dexterity, and inflict severe wounds with the
hard and sharp edge; but, unlike the boomerang, the weapon does
not return to the thrower.
The women are very powerful, but exceedingly plain. They are good
workers, and may be constantly seen either spinning or weaving;
they keep their huts remarkably clean, and are rarely idle.
The greater portion of the cotton exhibited in the market of
Gallabat is produced by the Tokrooris; it is uncleaned, and
simply packed in mat bales of a hundred pounds weight, which at
that date (April 1862) sold for one dollar each.
Much might be done to improve these peculiar people. Were the
frontiers of Abyssinia positively determined, and security
insured to the new settlers, the whole of that magnificent
country through which we had travelled between the Settite and
Gallabat might be peopled and cultivated. In many countries, both
soil and climate may be favourable for the cultivation of cotton;
but such natural advantages may be neutralized either by the
absence of population, or by the indolence of the natives. The
Tokroori is a most industrious labourer; and, were he assured of
protection and moderate taxation, he would quickly change the
character of these fertile lands, that are now uninhabited,
except by wild animals. If the emigration of Tokrooris from
Darfur were encouraged, and advantages offered to settlers, by
grants of land for a short term exempt from taxation, at a future
time to bear a certain rate per acre, a multitude of emigrants
would quit their own inhospitable country, and would people the
beautiful waste lands of the Settite and the Salaam. These
countries would produce an important supply of cotton, that might
be delivered at Souakim at an exceedingly low rate, and find a
market in England. Not only would the Tokrooris benefit by the
change, but, should it be decided that the Abyssinian frontier,
instead of extending to the Atbara river, should be confined to
the ridge of the great mountain chain, the revenues of Upper
Egypt might be enormously increased by the establishment of a
Tokroori colony, as proposed.
I paid all my Tokrooris their wages, and I gave them an
entertainment after their own taste, by purchasing several
enormous bowls of honey wine. The Abyssinians are celebrated for
this drink, which is known as "tetch." It is made of various
strengths; that of good quality should contain, in ten parts, two
of honey and eight of water; but, for a light wine, one of honey
and nine of water is very agreeable. There is a plant of an
intoxicating quality known by the Abyssinians as "jershooa," the
leaves of which are added to the tetch while in a state of
fermentation; a strong infusion of these leaves will render the
tetch exceedingly heady, but without this admixture the honey
wine is by no means powerful. In our subsequent journey in
Central Africa, I frequently made the tetch by a mixture of honey
and water, flavoured with wild thyme and powdered ginger;
fermentation was quickly produced by the addition of yeast from
the native beer, and the wine, after six or eight days, became
excellent, but never very strong, as we could not procure the
leaves of the jershooa.
My Arabs and Tokrooris enjoyed themselves amazingly, and until
late at night they were playing rababas (guitars) and howling in
thorough happiness; but on the following morning at sunrise I was
disturbed by Wat Gamma, who complained that during the night some
person had stolen three dollars, that had for some months been
carefully sewn up in his clothes; he exhibited the garment that
bore the unmistakeable impression of the dollars, and the
freshly-cut ends of the thread proved that it had been ripped
open very recently. Of course I was magistrate, and in all cases
I was guided by my own code of laws, being at some thousand miles
from an Act of Parliament.
Wat Gamma had no suspicion of any person in particular, but his
money had evidently been stolen.
"Who was drunk last night?" I inquired. "We were all drunk,"
replied the plaintiff. "Who was very drunk, and who was the least
drunk?" I inquired. This entailed a discussion among the people
who had now assembled. It appeared that most of them had been
"very drunk;" others only a little drunk; and one old
white-headed Arab camel-driver had been perfectly sober, as he
never drank anything but water. This was old Mini, a splendid
specimen of a fine patriarchal Arab; he declared that he had not
even joined the party. Wat Gamma had left his garment rolled up
in the mat upon which he usually slept; this was in the same spot
where the camel-drivers lived, and where old Mini declared he was
fast asleep during the drinking bout.
I had my suspicions, but to express them would have defeated the
chance of discovery. I therefore adopted my usual rule in cases
of theft. I counted my people: nine camel-men, five Tokrooris,
Taher Noor, and Bacheet; in all sixteen, without Wat Gamma. Three
dollars were sixty piastres,--sixty divided by sixteen equalled
three piastres and thirty paras. Thus I condemned the whole party
to make up the loss, by each paying his share of the amount
stolen, unless the thief could be discovered.
This plan was generally successful, as the thief was the only man
contented with the arrangement. Every innocent man became a
detective, as he was determined not to pay a fine for another's
theft. A tremendous row took place, every one was talking and no
one listening, and the crowd went away from my court of justice,
determined to search the affair to the bottom.
In about half an hour they all returned, with the exception of
old Mini; they had searched everywhere, and had found three
dollars concealed in the stuffing of a camel's saddle, that
belonged to Mini. He was the sober man, who had been asleep while
the others were drinking. I considered the case proved; and Mini,
having confessed, requested that I would flog him rather than
deliver him to the Tokroori authorities, who wonld imprison him
and take away his camel. I told him that I would not disgrace his
tribe by flogging one of their oldest men, but that I should take
him before the Sheik of Gallabat, and fine him the amount that he
had stolen. This I immediately did, and Mini handed over to
Jemma, with reluctance, three dollars for the poor-box of
Gallabat, or the private pocket of the sheik, as the case may be.
On my return to camp I visited the establishments of the various
slave merchants: these were arranged under large tents formed of
matting, and contained many young girls of extreme beauty,
ranging from nine to seventeen years of age. These lovely
captives, of a rich brown tint, with delicately-formed features,
and eyes like those of the gazelle, were natives of the Galla, on
the borders of Abyssinia, from which country they were brought by
the Abyssinian traders to be sold for the Turkish harems.
Although beautiful, these girls are useless for hard labour; they
quickly fade away and die unless kindly treated. They are the
Venuses of that country, and not only are their faces and figures
perfection, but they become extremely attached to those who show
them kindness, and they make good and faithful wives. There is
something peculiarly captivating in the natural grace and
softness of these young beauties, whose hearts quickly respond to
those warmer feelings of love that are seldom known among the
sterner and coarser tribes. Their forms are peculiarly elegant
and graceful--the hands and feet are exquisitely delicate; the
nose is generally slightly aquiline, the nostrils large and
finely shaped; the hair is black and glossy, reaching to about
the middle of the back, but rather coarse in texture. These
girls, although natives of Galla, invariably call themselves
Abyssinians, and are generally known under that denomination.
They are exceedingly proud and high-spirited, and are remarkably
quick at learning. At Khartoum, several of the Europeans of high
standing have married these charming ladies, who have invariably
rewarded their husbands by great affection and devotion. The
price of one of these beauties of nature at Gallabat was from
twenty-five to forty dollars.
On the 24th April we were refreshed by a shower of rain, and in
a few days the grass sprang from the ground several inches high.
There was an unpleasant dampness in the air, and, although the
rainy season would not commence until June, showers would
occasionally fall among the mountains throughout the month of
May. I accordingly purchased a number of large tanned ox-hides,
that are rendered waterproof by a preparation with milk. These
skins cost the trifling sum of nine piastres each (not two
shillings), and were subsequently of great value during our White
Nile expedition, as coverlets during the night's bivouac, &c.
The horse-fair was a disappointment. At this season the entire
country in the neighbourhood of Gallabat was subject to an
epidemic, fatal to these animals; therefore there were no good
horses present. I had nothing to detain me at this place, after
having procured fresh camels, therefore I paid all my people, and
we parted excellent friends. To the Arabs and Tokrooris I gave
all the hides of rhinoceros, elephants, &c. that I did not
require, and, with our loads considerably lightened, we started
from Gallabat, 12.30 P.M., 28th April, 1862, and marched due west
towards the river Rahad. The country was hilly and wooded, the
rocks were generally sandstone, and after a march of three hours
we halted at a Tokroori village. I never witnessed more
unprovoked insolence than was exhibited by these people. They
considered me to be a Turk, to whom their natural hatred had been
increased by the chastisement they had lately received from the
Egyptians. It was in vain that my two lads, Wat Gamma and
Bacheet, assured them that I was an Englishman: they had never
heard of such a country as England; in their opinion, a white man
must be a Turk. Not contented with refusing all supplies, they
assembled in large numbers and commenced a quarrel with my men,
several of whom were Tokrooris that I had hired to accompany us
to Khartoum. These men, being newly engaged and entirely strange,
were of little service; but, having joined in the quarrel like
true Tokrooris, who are always ready for a row, the altercation
grew so hot that it became rather serious. The natives determined
that we should not remain in their village, and, having expressed
a threat to turn us out, they assembled around us in a large
crowd with their lances and trombashes. My wife was sitting by me
upon an angarep, when the people closed around my men, and one
very tall specimen of a Tokroori came forward, and, snatching a
knife from its sheath that was worn upon the arm of my servant,
he challenged him to fight. As Tokrooris are always more or less
under the influence of drink, their fights are generally the
effect of some sudden impulse. It was necessary to do something,
as the crowd were determined upon a row; this was now commenced
by their leader, who was eyeing me from head to foot with the
most determined insolence, holding the knife in his hand that he
had taken from my man. I therefore rose quietly from my seat,
and, approaching him to within a convenient distance for
striking, if necessary, I begged him very politely to leave my
people to themselves, as we should depart on the following
morning. He replied with great impertinence, and insisted upon
fighting one or all of our party. I accommodated him without a
moment's delay, as, stepping half a pace backwards, I came in
with a left and right as fast as a rapid double-hit could be
delivered, with both blows upon his impudent mouth. In an instant
he was on his back, with his heels in the air; and, as I prepared
to operate upon his backer, or upon any bystander who might have
a penchant for fighting, the crowd gave way, and immediately
devoted themselves to their companion, who lay upon the ground in
stupid astonishment, with his fingers down his throat searching
for a tooth; his eyes were fixed upon my hands to discover the
weapon with which he had been wounded. His friends began to wipe
the blood from his face and clothes, and at this juncture the
sheik of the village appeared for the first time.
To my astonishment he was extremely civil; a sudden reaction had
taken place, the Tokrooris had had their row, and were apparently
satisfied. The sheik begged me not to kill his people by hitting
them, "as they were mere chickens, who would at once die if I
were to strike them with my fist." I begged him to keep his
"chickens" in better order, and at once to order them away from
our immediate neighbourhood. In a few minutes the sheik drove the
crowd away, who picked up their man and led him off. The sheik
then begged us to accept a hut for the night, and he paid us
every attention.
On the following morning, we left shortly after sunrise; the
natives very civilly assisted to load our camels, and among the
most active was my fighting friend of yesterday, who, with his
nose and mouth all swollen into one, had been rapidly converted
from a well-featured Tokroori into a real thick-lipped,
flat-nosed African nigger, with prognathous jaw, that would have
delighted the Ethnological Society.
"April 29.--It rained hard during the night. Our course was due
west, along the banks of a hor, from which the natives procure
water by sinking wells about twelve feet deep in the sandy bed,
which is dry in the hot season. Throughout this country the water
is bad. At 11 A.M. we reached Roumele; this is the last village
between Gallabat and the river Rahad. The natives say that there
is no water on the road, and their accounts of the distance are
so vague and contradictory that I cannot rely upon the
information.
"I could procure only one water-skin, and none of my old stock
were serviceable; I therefore arranged to water all the animals,
and push on throughout the night, by which plan I hoped to arrive
by a forced march at the Rahad on the following morning, without
exhausting both men and beasts by a long journey through an
unknown distance in the heat of the sun. Hardly were the horses
watered at a well in the dry bed of the stream, when Aggahr was
taken ill with inflammation. I left two men to attend upon him,
with orders to bring him on if better on the following day: we
started on our journey, but we had not proceeded a quarter of a
mile when Gazelle, that I was riding, was also seized with
illness, and fell down; with the greatest difficulty I led the
horse back again to the village. My good old hunter Aggahr died
in great agony a few minutes after our return, and Gazelle died
during the night; the natives declared this to be the horse
sickness that was annually prevalent at this season. The disease
appeared to be inflammation of the bowels, which I attributed to
the sudden change of food; for months past they had lived
principally upon dry grass, but within the past few days they had
greedily eaten the young herbage that had appeared after a few
showers; with this, may have been poisonous plants that they had
swallowed unawares. We had now only one horse, Tetel, that was
ridden by my wife; I therefore determined to start on foot on the
following morning, and to set the pace at four miles an hour, so
as to reach the Rahad by a forced march in one rapid stretch, and
thus to eke out our scanty supply of water. Accordingly we
started, and marched at that rate for ten hours, including a halt
when half-way, to rest for one hour and a half. Throughout the
distance, the country was a dead flat of the usual rich soil,
covered with mimosa forest. We marched thirty-four miles,
steering due west for a distant hill, which in the morning had
been a faint blue streak upon the horizon.
"Upon our arrival at the hill, we found that the river was some
miles beyond, while a fine rugged mountain that we had seen for
two days previous rose about fifteen miles south of this point,
and formed an unmistakeable landmark; the name of this mountain
is Hallowa. We had marched with such rapidity across this stretch
of thirty-four miles, that our men were completely exhausted from
thirst, as they had foolishly drunk their share of water at the
middle of the journey, instead of reserving it for the moment of
distress. Upon arrival at the Rahad they rushed down the steep
bank, and plunged into the clear water of the river.
"The Rahad does not exceed eighty or ninety yards in breadth. The
rain that had recently fallen in the mountain had sent a
considerable stream down the hitherto dry bed, although the
bottom was not entirely covered. By dead reckoning, this point of
the river is fifty-five miles due west from Gallabat or Metemma;
throughout this distance we had seen no game, neither the tracks
of any animals except giraffes. We were rather hard up for
provisions, therefore I took my rod, and tried for a fish in a
deep pool below the spot where we had pitched the tent. I only
had one run, but I fortunately landed a handsome little baggar
about twelve pounds weight, which afforded us a good dinner. The
river Dinder is between fifty and sixty miles from the Rahad at
this point, but towards the north the two rivers approximate
closely, and keep a course almost parallel. The banks of the
Rahad are in many places perpendicular, and are about forty-five
feet above the bed. This river flows through rich alluvial soil;
the country is a vast level plane, with so trifling a fall that
the current of the river is gentle; the course is extremely
circuitous, and although, when bank full, the Rahad possesses a
considerable volume, it is very inferior as a Nile tributary to
any river that I have visited to the east of Gallabat."