CHAPTER XVI.
Journey from Ahmahguloff to Koranhedudah, general direction S.W., time occupied three hours.—Pass Jibel Obinoe.—Plain of Amardu.—Account of myrrh-tree.—Description of halting-place.—Singular solar phenomenon.—April 23d.Journey from Koranhedudah to Herhowlee, general direction W.N.W., time two hours and a-half.—Bedouin village.—Bedouin ladies.
April 22d.—Ebin Izaak, Ohmed Mahomed, Ohmed Medina, and myself, all rode our mules during this morning’s march so that we outstript the pedestrians very soon. Passing out of the plain we ascended a steep acclivity of loose stones, which led us over one extremity of the ridge of Mahree, covered with large blocks of lava. After half an hour’s ride along this, we descended the opposite side, the road being down the tortuous and often precipitous bed of an occasional torrent. My mule having placed her feet upon an easily detached stone, came down upon her side with great violence. I threw myself off, falling in an opposite direction, and escaped with a few bruises. Remounting again very speedily, for all had come to my assistance, we entered a narrow valley plain called Amardu, similar in character to the one we had been marchingalong for the last three days, and like it terminating at Jibel Obinoe, now about four miles distant.
The singularly cleft summit of the low peak of Obinoe, and its apparent relative position with respect to the various fissured plains that appear to terminate there as at a centre, induced me to sketch its outline, as I would a head-land at sea, placing also sundry small arrows to indicate the directions of the several valleys. Its appearance was, as if at this point, the previously level plateau had been upraised from beneath, with a force but just sufficient to lift the then fractured portions into opposite inclined planes, and the severed summit distinctly marked, the separated edges of the original table-land. The greatest height that has been attained by the upraised portion, is not 700 feet above the level of the valley plains, and not 400 above the level of the flat-topt heights of Dulhull and Mahree.
The plain of Amardu was intersected with deep narrow gullies, or dry watercourses, four or five feet deep, and as many wide. Plenty of coarse grass seemed to promise excellent forage for the camels, and I expected, when we dismounted again under a large tree, that we were going to halt for the day; however, I was told that this was a favourite rendezvous for deer and wild asses, and I soon saw several herds of these animals, besides great numbers of guinea-fowl on every side of us. My companions had evidently preceded the Kafilahwith me, on purpose to obtain, if possible, one of the larger antelopes, and Ohmed Mahomed now asked me to go and endeavour to shoot one. I accordingly started, and taking advantage of one of the water channels, I soon found myself abreast four very fine ones, as large as roebucks, and not more than eighty yards distant. I fired at once, but being in a hurry, and my short carbine not carrying point-blank more than sixty yards, the ball struck the one I aimed at low on the hind leg, breaking it below the hough. It staggered on to its hind quarters, but recovering itself immediately, tried on three legs to follow its affrighted companions. Ebin Izaak seeing this, jumped upon his mule, and throwing his shield from the bow of his saddle, and his tobe from his shoulders, galloped in a direction that would either cut off its retreat, and prevent it joining the others, or else force it up the steep face of the cliff, down which we had just come. After a chase of about half an hour, in sight the whole time, we saw our eager huntsman come alongside the antelope and at full speed launch his spear into its side. As the animal fell tumbling on its face, Izaak leaped from his mule, and soon put an end to its vain effort to rise and to resist, by cutting its throat with his dagger.
The Hy Soumaulee and some of the Kafilah men having followed us over the ridge of Mahree, now came bounding down the bed of the stream, one after the other, gathered around the deadantelope, and lashing its feet together, they brought it to the tree under which we at first halted. We here waited for the approach of the camels, which were at length seen rounding the extremity of the ridge, and entering the plain of Amardu, without going over the ridge as we had done. Before they came to us I shot three fine guinea-fowl at one discharge, so that the object of our preceding the Kafilah had not been disappointed. In addition to the feast thus promised, Ohmed Medina directed one of the Hy Soumaulee to gather a large quantity of a very delicate vegetable that abounded here, which he assured me the Banyans at Bombay were very fond of, and that he knew I should like it too, appearing at the same time rather surprised, at my ignorance of the plant, which at first I refused to have anything to do with.
The camels coming up, I was glad to find we were not to stop here for the day, as I began to feel impatient at the length of the journey to Shoa, and anxious that it should be concluded as soon as possible, having been now nearly four weeks almost daily marching, and still I was informed we had not reached half way.
The game was placed upon the camels, and the vegetable, crammed into one of Zaido’s skin bags, was thrown between the saddle-staves, where their extremities cross each other over the back of the camel, and we again started for a halting-place calledKoranhedudah, about three hours’ march in a direction, south-west. We ascended a long, but gentle acclivity, for at least two hours of this time, along a road strewn with the everlasting lava cinders, and at length reached a small circular spot about a mile in diameter, surrounded with low black ridges of the usual character, and at the foot of which were several pools of clear water, where an abundance of frogs kept up a continual croaking. Myrrh and mimosa-trees abounded in this place; among the latter I noticed the variety producing gum arabic, and also another which yielded a strong astringent gum, that resembled very much the gum kino.
Accompanied by Ebin Izaak I went in search of some gum myrrh, as I was very anxious to procure specimens of the leaves, flowers, and seeds of the tree that yields this useful drug, and a description of which I had been taught, had long been a desideratum in “Materia Medica.”
There are in the country of Adal two varieties; one, a low thorny ragged-looking tree, with bright green leaves, trifoliolate, and an undulating edge, is that which has been described by Ehrenberg, and a wood-cut of which will be found in page 1629 of the second volume of Pereira’s “Elements of Materia Medica.” This produces the finest sort of myrrh in our shops. The other is a more leafy tree, if I may use the expression, and its appearance reminded me exceedingly of the common hawthorn of home, havingthe same largely serrated, dark green leaves, growing in bunches of four or five, springing by several little leaf-stalks from a common centre. These bunches are arranged alternately around the branch, at the distance of half an inch from each other, but varying with the age and size of the branch. The young shoots appear to be these sessile bunches, which, more luxuriant in their growth, project their axis into one long common foot-stalk, around which the leaves are then arranged singly, exactly, if I remember right, as do the young shoots of the hawthorn, the terminations of which, like in the myrrh-tree, decaying, leave strong thorns. The flowers are small, of a light green colour, hanging in pairs beneath the leaves, and in size and shape resemble very much the flowers of our gooseberry-tree. According to the system of Linnæus, with which alone I am acquainted, it belongs to the class octandria, order monogynia, the eight stamens being alternately long and short, the former corresponding to the four partial clefts in the edge of the one-leafed calyx. The fruit is a kind of berry, that, when ripe, easily throws off the dry shell in two pieces, and the two seeds it contains, escape. The outer bark is thin, transparent, and easily detached, the inner thick, woody, and, if cut with a knife, appears to abound with vessels, from the divided extremities, of which a yellow turbid fluid (the gum myrrh) immediately makes its appearance. This, if wiped off uponpaper, leaves a greasy stain, like oil would do. Naturally the gum exudes from cracks in the bark of the trunk near the roots, and flows freely upon the stones immediately underneath. Artificially, it is obtained by bruises made with stones. Iron instruments are never employed to produce the wound, not from any prejudice, I believe, but from the scarcity of that metal, and the great care taken of their weapons by the Dankalli, and from finding, perhaps, that a blow given with a stone occasions a broader injury to the bark, and that the gum exudes more plentifully in consequence. The natives collect it principally in the hot months of July and August, but it is to be found, though in very small quantities, at other times of the year. It is collected in small kid-skins, and taken to Errur, where the Hurrah merchants, when they pass through that country on their way home from Shoa, purchase it. An equal quantity of tobacco is given in exchange for it. The Hurrah merchant conveys it to the great annual market at Berberah, from whence great quantities are shipped for India and Arabia.
During our search for the myrrh, I often came upon the gum Arabic mimosa, with its little black thorn, very different from the long white-thorned variety from which I obtained some of the red gum. Gum Arabic, when taken from the tree, is soft, and of an agreeable taste, something resembling very young wheat in the ear, and must be a nutritious and pleasant food. The Dankalliseemed to be perfectly aware of its demulcent effect in allaying thirst, and insisted that in the absence of water, it was a sufficient substitute. When I thought upon the numerous instances of benevolent adaptations for our happiness and convenience in other more favoured spots, I could not help reflecting, experienced as I was in the scanty resources of a desert, how much more striking, in such situations, were these extraordinary provisions against human suffering in cases of extremity.
On returning to the camp my attention was directed to a singular phenomenon. Exactly over head was a large circular cloud, like a huge shield, in the centre of which the sun shone with a subdued light, a brilliant boss. The outer circle or edge of the cloud was of a bright silver colour, then a narrow band of dull yellow, and the remainder, until it reached the bright centre, was as black as a heavy thunder-cloud. Its diameter was about one-fourth of the sky. In about an hour it gradually disappeared, leaving for a short time afterwards a perfectly circular rainbow around the sun, at the distance of its original circumference. I observed, that although the sun seemed to shine very brightly, as if through an aperture in the centre of this singular appearance, it cast no shadow, and also that the air was much cooler during its continuance. It frequently occurs in Adal, and appears to depend, like the halo around the moon, upon the moisture in the atmosphere.
A geographical discussion on the situation of Hurrah and Abasha concluded the day, and after superintending the cooking of one of the guinea-fowls, I turned into my hut, for supper and then to bed. Thunder, lightning, and rain seemed to promise an uncomfortable night, but after a short heavy shower, I was agreeably disappointed by its clearing up and continuing fine for the rest of the night.
April 23d.—Left Koranhedudah, or “the Plain of Ravens,” by sunrise, our march continuing along the banks of a small river flowing towards the south-east into the new lake of Doweleeka. A day or two before I had been told, as something peculiar, that we should cross such a watercourse. It appeared to be a permanently-running water, for the trees on either bank were of an unusual size, and some of them of a novel character, but I had no opportunity of examining them closely. Having forded the stream where it flowed over a broad surface of rather large stones, some of which were not covered by the water, we entered an extensive plain, abounding with a rank coarse grass, amidst the tufts of which we travelled for nearly three hours, passing a deserted kraal, with numerous broken stone enclosures for folding the young of the flock. Numerous kairns were also visible. It was very evident that at some seasons this plain was a favourite resort of the Bedouins, and, in fact, after another hour’s march, during which we crossed two or three narrow brooks, we came suddenlyupon a number of native huts, situated on a ridge of lava, which here, as in several other places in the plain, protruded through the clayey soil.
This encampment belonged to the tribe of my Hy Soumaulee friends, and were the first huts of the natives I had seen during my journey. There were about twenty or thirty of them, but Ohmed Mahomed, with great gravity, informed me that the name of thecitywas Herhowlee, the plain around being called Lukhee. On my expressing a wish to see the interior of one of the mansions, a very handsome nice-looking girl, to whom Ohmed Mahomed applied, immediately assented, and took me to her father’s, I suppose, for on our arrival there was no one to be seen but an old gentleman, nearly blind. He was busily employed stirring with a stick some kind of grain, which was boiling in a red earthenware pot over the fire. The house itself was exactly the same, as some I had seen at Berberah, about twelve feet long by six in breadth and height, consisting of a frame of bent twigs, over which were thickly laid mats of the palm leaf, sufficient to throw off the rain, whilst entire leaves of the same tree, placed perpendicularly, closed the farther extremity. The fire-place was a small circle of stones, occupying the one half of the entrance end, and which portion was also protected by a shielding of palm-leaves, whilst the other half was left open to serve as a door. There was nothing like furniture in the place, except a flat stone rearedagainst the side of the room, which, from its mealy appearance, was evidently used as a mill. From the roof was hung one of the large water-tight baskets of the common construction, containing, I presume, the family riches of tobacco, beads, bits of paper, coloured rags, and lumps of sheep’s-tail fat. Very few natives interrupted me in my examination, as they evidently thought I was fascinated with the beauties of their handsome sister; and this little experience was of service to me, for afterwards, when, as was always the case, I did not want to be troubled with the numerous beggars who, in populous districts, besiege the traveller with requests for everything they see, I used to station at the entrance of my hut one of their women, and it was seldom, or never, that the men would then intrude, and if they did, some trifle, or a word from my keeper, always sent them away. The husband or the father of the woman, however, always came up on leaving our halting-place to receive the gift which was expected for the services performed, and which, of course, when I came to understand their customs better, I took care to reserve for them. The traveller will generally find that the older his duenna is, the more relief and rest he will obtain after his journey, for she will take care to keep away all intruders, and it is laughable to observe the abuse or threats they indulge in, whenever the younger girls come peeping and running about. A few needles, a piece ofblue Surat cloth for the head, and another for their principal male friend, is all and more than they expect; whilst the freedom from annoyance and constant watching, which is secured by this proceeding, is of great service to the traveller after the fatigue of a long day’s journey.
The plain of Lukhee, at that part of it where we were, appears to have been once a similar valley to that we had travelled along during the three last days, but it has been completely filled up, with the deposited sediment of the numerous small streams in this neighbourhood, to the height of the lava plateau through which these wide and deep fissures, have originally radiated.
The country around extending in one wide plain, advantage had been taken of the little eminence, near which the huts were erected, to form a kind of small solid look-out, about fifteen feet high, built of loose stones, and used on occasions of anticipated invasion, by the inhabitants of Herhowlee, who could here keep watch and announce the approach of danger. Ohmed Mahomed and two of my Hy Soumaulee escort took me to its summit, to point out the different distant eminences visible from it. Before us, to the south, lay the extensive plain of Lukhee, over which was just discernible, at the distance of at least fifty miles, the high hills of Goror, near the town of Hurrah, where the coffee brought to Berberah is largely cultivated. Turning towards the north we couldperceive the abrupt termination of the flat-topped lava ridges, about the river of Killaloo; whilst to the south-west was the valley of Gaiel, through which flowed the waters of Errur on to Killaloo. To the west the plain extended to the Hawash, near to which were two hills, whose tops were just visible, called Hyhilloo and Abhidah.
In the evening I went with Himyah and Ohmed Medina after some antelopes, but could not get near enough to them; however, we roused a large yellow-coloured snake, of at least five feet in length, that, unscathed by my hurried shot at him, went hissing hot, into his hole under a clump of grass, nor did he cease making the noise, until the last of his tail had disappeared, just in time to escape being pinched off, by the butt-end of a spear, which was struck at it by Ohmed Medina.
At Herhowlee, we were unfortunate enough to meet with a runaway slave, belonging to Ohmed Mahomed. He was a great rascal, and his master would rather, that he had not made his appearance. His name was Allee, and having lived for the last six months with the Bedouins, had acquired somewhat of their wildness. I suspected him, from the great intimacy that seemed to exist between him and Garahmee, and he was just that kind of character, that might be made the instrument of an unscrupulous man.