CHAPTER XXVI.
Journey from Mettah to Murroo, general direction, W.S.W., time marching, three hours and a-half.—Remarks upon the climate of Adal.—Pass some small extinct volcanoes.—A little farriery.—Cautions for practitioners of medicine resident among the Dankalli.—Halt for a short time at Kuma.—Second visit of Abu Bukeree.—Proceed to Murroo.—Halt near kraal of Durtee Ohmed, Sheik of the Sidee Ahbreu tribe.
May 13th.—Up at sunrise, and soon after the party of pedestrians followed the camels, proceeding along the plain in a west-south-west direction. The hills of Affrabah to the south-west, the terminal peak of the same range to the south-east, with the Hyhilloo mountain to the north, formed a well-defined triangular space of flat open country, which admitted the eye to range over an unbroken view of about ten miles on every side. Nor was this a sterile tract, but covered with a jungle of young mimosa trees, and plenty of excellent grass. Numerous dry watercourses presented themselves as we marched along, and in some, the yet soft clayey soil intimated the recent evaporation of the water. I should have observed, that slight showers of rain, of not longer than two or three minutes’ duration, occurred during every night of our stay in HieroMurroo. These were the last sprinklings of the wet season, if the country of Adal may be said to have such distinctions in the unfixed character of its climate. The squally thunder-storms of February, and the great heats of August, constitute the extremes of annual difference, but the persistence in the character of even these months cannot be assured, and from what I observed myself, the reverse of these conditions are just as likely to happen. The same vicissitudes, I was told, characterize every month, and in different parts of Adal these states of the atmosphere exist at the same time. In such an irregular and uncertain climate, the presence of the cloud of fire by night, and the pillar of sand by day are invaluable, as guides to the Bedouin in search of water for his flocks, and natural history does not contain a more striking illustration of the benevolent purposes of God towards man, even in his most evil condition, than these phenomena present.
The singular position of the country of Adal is probably the cause of this irregularity in the seasons. Islands that are surrounded by seas are acknowledged to have their climates modified by the circumstances of their situation; and differing in kind, but exactly analogous, is the effect which is produced by the low position of Adal, surrounded on all sides, except towards the east, by elevated table lands. A reference to the map appended to this volume illustrates my idea better, perhaps, than I can describe it. It will be there seen, that to the northa water-shed directs the course of the river Takazza to the Nile, whilst to the south, an oppositely correspondent water-shed is drained by the river Whabbee, emptying itself into the Indian Ocean at Juba. Instead of a mountain range, which usually marks the separations of different watersheds, we here have a huge fissure of habitable land, drained by its own particular water system. To the west, the high plateau of Abyssinia closes the excavated plain of Adal, but it will be perceived that in that direction the progress of extension is rapidly going on, by the denuding agency of the river Hawash, which is annually removing its courses farther to the west, by the vast amount of the Abyssinian highland, it carries away during the rainy season in that country.
To this peculiar situation of Adal, therefore, I attribute the great irregularity in the season of the rains, generally so periodical in other intratropical districts. Opportunities of observation have been only afforded me, of becoming acquainted with the fact, but the character of the surrounding countries being known, and the relative position of Adal with these, being borne in mind, I have no doubt meteorologists will be able to account, for the irregularity and vicissitudes of the climate.
To the left of our road, a lake called Iruloff was reported to exist, which contained water all the year round. It communicates with the river of Killaloo. My attention was directed to thesubject, by seeing in that direction a cloud of some thousands of the white ibis moving along the horizon. They were much smaller than the Egyptian ibis, and more like the paddy bird of India.
Towards the latter end of our march to-day the field of extinct craters again appeared, the cones much larger, and increasing in height as they approached the base of Hyhilloo and Abhidah. The trees and shrubs clothing their sides seemed thicker and more luxuriant; and the ground over which we marched was covered with light green grass, a small lemon-flavoured fragrant mint, and the little blue-flowered thorny-leaved plant of which the camels appear to be so fond. This latter grows about four or five inches high, the numerous flowerets growing along a spike like an ear of wheat, and when the seed is ripe it is not unlike, in form or size, shrivelled corn.
Ohmed Mahomed was very ill this morning, and obliged to ride his mule. Another awkward circumstance upon the march was a camel, subject to epileptic fits, falling, was obliged to be unloaded. The Kafilah people all attributed it to Jinn, and as the animal stumbled as if he were drunk, it was not a bad cause to assign for his complaint, especially as he was laden with a few dozens of choice Geneva going up for the use of the Mission in Shoa. This, by the bye, had got the name of “hubble-bubble,” from the rattling of thestone bottles against each other, as the husks of some kind of seed, in which they were first packed, got shaken out of the boxes. One of the great complaints brought against Mahomed Allee by the Tajourah people was, his having “shrab hubble-bubble,” drunk all the gin that had been entrusted to his care as Ras ul Kafilah. Whatever spirit, however, possessed the camel, I was applied to, to exorcise it. To do this I took a large lump of myrrh I had just gathered from the tree, and a piece of opium I happened to have with me. These I rolled up in paper like a horse ball, and having seen something of the sort in farriery, when giving medicine to cattle, I caught hold of the camel’s tongue with one hand, and passed the other, arm, elbow, and all, far down his throat, so that the animal could not get his physic back again any how; a mode of medical treatment that delighted the Dankalli exceedingly; and, had they been governors of an hospital, they would have been unanimous in appointing me physician, on the ground of my merits alone. My success, too, was surprising, for the camel recovered for the time, and this addition to my fame, increased the confidence of Ohmed Mahomed, in the efficacy of the remedies I had also given to him. Had this latter been treated properly he ought to have been bled, as he was evidently labouring under a determination of blood to the head.
I was prevented performing this little operationby recollecting the case of an unfortunate Armenian doctor, who, in Suikin, two years before, had been sacrificed by the populace on account of the death of a patient whom he had thus treated. The Turkish Governor of the town, before whom the complaint was made of this treatment, in vain interceded in behalf of the doctor; his expostulations had no effect, and he was obliged to permit that which he was unable to prevent, and the accused was taken from his presence to the outside of the walls of the town, where he was barbarously executed in the usual manner, by the weapons of the friends and relations of his deceased patient. I heard of this in Aden, the fact having been reported by the European Consuls in the neighbouring ports to their respective Governments, and, in consequence, a representation was made to the Porte upon the subject. In such countries if a traveller be requested to afford assistance to sick persons, for whom no hope of recovery exists, his best practice will be to recommend the friends of the patient to pray a certain number of times to Allah, or if he finds he must do something himself, let him give them some written charm or other, but never by any means administer medicine or perform the least operation. In cases when active measures are adopted, and the patient, to the surprise of himself and others, does get well, the cure is always ascribed to Allah alone; but should he die, the doctor is considered responsible for his death,which is certain to be attributed to him or his medicines. To show how careful a person ought to be, I shall relate a little incident that occurred to me whilst we were staying at our last halting-place. A woman came for some medicine for her husband, who was said to be very ill indeed. I could not go to see him as he lived ten or twelve miles from the Kafilah. As the woman was very importunate for medicine, which, having no knowledge of the case, I at first refused, to get rid of her, I opened a package of tea, and giving her a small spoonful, wrapt it up in a bit of old newspaper, and sent her away, with directions how to use it. The next morning, however, I found her, making a terrible noise at the entrance of my hut, saying that her husband was a great deal worse, and all owing to the medicine he had taken. No one could understand the simple character of the remedy I had sent him, so all my explanations went for nothing, until I happened to see, sticking between her skin petticoat and her own black hide, the identical paper I had put the medicine in; and snatching it from her waist, I found the tea still in it, actually untouched. This evidence of the woman’s imposture was conclusive, and she was taken away by those of her friends, who just before were making loud demands of compensation, for the injury they asserted I had done.
In simple cases of temporary disordered functions, or when medicine could be demonstrated to possessspecific effects upon the seat of some organic disease, I always gladly availed myself of the opportunity of displaying the advantages and power, derivable from the knowledge of the medical properties of natural substances. In fact, I always pleaded to the more intelligent of my companions, that the desire to obtain an increase of knowledge, as an Ahkeem, was the principal reason why I had left my country to expose my health and life in a country like Adal, among a people so barbarous as even the Dankalli acknowledged themselves to be.
The Kafilah halted at Kuma, and a few camels were already unloaded, when it was determined by Ohmed Medina and Ohmed Mahomed, that we should proceed at once to Murroo, the residence of a tribe called Sidee Ahbreu, to the chief of which, one Durtee Ohmed, I had a kind of introduction from Lieutenant Barker, similar to the one I had to Abu Bukeree. Of this latter chieftain I had lost sight for several days, although his wives and children often visited me, bright with smiles, sometimes bringing me little skins of milk, or a large German-sausage-looking affair, consisting of a portion of the dried intestine of a cow filled with ghee. The absence of Abu Bukeree was occasioned by the presence of Abu Mahomed, the father of Mahomed Allee, who was still with the Wahama Kafilah which preceded us about two miles, and who would often visit me in our camp. Two suns at a time are allowed to be too many by theDankalli; and so, with a becoming politeness, these old gentlemen had agreed to divide my attentions and presents, the father of Mahomed Allee to have the benefit of my acquaintance to Kuma, where the undisputed territory of Abu Bukeree commenced, and this latter was then to take his turn to Murroo. I do not think that when this arrangement was made between them, Abu Bukeree said anything about the present I had already given him. At all events, our Ras ul Kafilah had been no party to this negotiation, and his determination to proceed without halting at Kuma quite deranged their plan; Ohmed Mahomed conceived that it would be more profitable for him to continue the day’s journey on to Murroo, to avoid any more demands from Abu Bukeree for presents, on the plea of halting in his territory. Instructions were accordingly given to the Kafilah not to unload here. A short explanatory calahm with the Debenee chief, who was already on the ground to receive us, occasioned a little detention, but, as already observed, as he had received other presents at Hiero Murroo besides those I had given to him, he was obliged to be satisfied.
I did not like to see the old man treated in this manner, especially as I thought advantage had been taken of the peaceable character of himself and his tribe; so when he came to pay his respects to me as I sat under a tree, waiting with Zaido until the numerous camels had again gone some distancea-head, I promised him if he would accompany us to Murroo, to give him the old Arab frock I then wore. He accordingly accompanied us to our encamping ground, and received the almost worn-out garment with many thanks, as he held it up before him, like a Jew calculating the probable value of an old coat. After examining its novel cut and character, the venerable chief at last made up his mind what to do with it, for, nodding to his wife, who was in, what is called, a delicate situation, he intimated his idea that it would very well become her, and bestowed it accordingly.
Two little boys were now ordered to drive back a fine bullock, which had evidently been intended as a return present, for those which Abu Bukeree had expected from us. The old gentleman then bowed his salams, and mounted his mule; stooping, as he rode away, over the neck of the animal; the long bent back of age, strikingly contrasted with the straight shaft of the spear he carried on his shoulder.
Our halting-place, Murroo, was a natural park, in which small green savannahs were surrounded with tall, flat-topped mimosa-trees, the trunks of which were hidden, by an interlaced thicket of the ascending and descending runners of some luxuriantly growing climber. An immense number of sparrow-like birds, with their noisy chirrupings, seemed to raise great objections to our occupation of their favourite resort. The little woodland scenewas altogether very pretty; but I was too tired after our long journey of five hours, to have any eye for the beautiful, and was glad to lie down in my hut immediately it was announced ready, bid Zaido place a mat over the entrance, and go to sleep at once.
At sunset, I awoke; Zaido bringing a large bowl of boiled wheat and clouted cream for my supper, and under the influence of an excellent appetite, I soon lessened its contents. A strange kind of humming now attracted my attention, and, getting out of my hut, I observed, at no great distance, a small circle of Tajourah people, who, neither in calahm nor zekar, seemed still to be occupied in the performance of some ceremony, each of the six persons engaged, taking his turn to repeat a short sentence or so, in a low murmuring tone, and then giving way to the next. Going nearer, to see what they were about, I was joined by Allee, who informed me they were doctoring Ohmed Mahomed, in their own fashion, by offering up prayers to Allah, and asked if I thought he would recover. As I had already given to him three strong cathartic pills, and his case was not a desperate one, I held out hopes to the distressed Allee, that probably the next morning his master would be quite well. Having approached the circle, and dropt upon my heels, close behind them, I watched the proceedings of these devotee practitioners in medicine, and noticed that each one, in succession, recitedin a low voice, the first chapter of the Koran, and then spit upon the patient, who, wrapt up in a black Arab cloak, was lying at full length upon a mat, in the midst of them. Every one having duly performed this ceremony, the circle broke up, and coffee being brought, the good effect of the combined praying and spitting was acknowledged by all, when Ohmed Mahomed sat up, and called for the first cup.
This kind of medical treatment is not confined to the diseases of mankind, for on more than one occasion I have seen them adopt the same means of relief for a sick camel. When one of these animals lies down for the night, without performing a little necessary act, it is always considered a certain symptom of ill-health. The owner in this case, procures a piece of string long enough to go round the body of the camel, in which he ties seven knots, at nearly equal distances from each other. As he does this, at each knot, he stops and recites the Fahtah, or first chapter of the Koran, and should he not be able to do this himself, he procures the assistance of some learned friend, who performs that part of the duty for him. At the end of each Fahtah, the knot is spit upon. The string being thus duly consecrated, is then passed under the animal’s belly, and tied upon the back, and during the night, generally produces the diuretic effects desired.
May 14th.—Staying at Murroo. The first thing I did to-day was to get out some paper I intendedto distribute among the members of the Sidee Ahbreu tribe, whom I expected to come begging. The first thing Allee the First did, was to steal the said paper, whilst I was busy packing up the box again. This he accomplished by putting his hand and arm between two boxes that formed part of my hut, and reaching from behind me the paper, which he then conveyed away beneath his tobe. I did not know who to charge with the robbery, but upon complaining to Ohmed Medina, he made some inquiries about it, which led to the detection of Master Allee, who, on being brought before me, retorted by charging me with having stolen his fedeenah, or wooden pillow. However innocently on my part, such being the actual case, I consented to a compromise. I was to receive back my paper, and Allee again into favour, without prejudice to his boxeish in Shoa, for his falling off in this instance, from the strict path of duty and honesty. It must be told how he came to know, that I had had possession of his fedeenah during the time he had lost it, and had not, as he at first supposed, procured its return to him by magical incantations. Whilst sitting the evening before with the praying party, after their curious ceremony was over, I was questioned as to my power over the inhabitants of the nether world. I denied any such power, stating that the spell I employed to dispossess the devil, or Jinn, from the sick camel, was a piece of myrrh, and not the paperit was wrapt up in. Then came the question how had I been able to procure the return of the wooden pillow; for Allee, as soon as I had given it to him, changed his previous tale of its having been stolen, and asserted he had left it behind at a halting-place, some days’ journey distance, from whence my familiar spirit had brought it at my command. This I satisfactorily explained by relating the whole circumstances; and Allee being laughed at for his credulity, now fell back upon the circumstance of my keeping the fedeenah, without any inquiry as to whom it belonged, to excuse his theft of the paper.
Abu Bukeree’s daughter brought some milk he had promised me, and begged hard for a dollar in silver. I referred her to Ohmed Mahomed, who, at my request, gave her, but very unwillingly, a head-covering of blue sood, and sent her away.
Our camp was about half a mile from the village of Durtee Ohmed, who was, as I was told, then on an expedition against the Alla Gallas, assisting a party of Wahama, who had gone to retaliate for some recent outrages committed by that people. In accordance with the request of Lieut. Barker, I intended to have given him a present, on being introduced to him, similar to the one I gave Abu Bukeree, and had provided five dollars for that purpose; as he was from home, however, I fancied they were so many dollars saved, put them up again, and thought no more of the matter.
In the evening Ohmed Medina left us, going with Garahmee and Moosa, nearly all the way back again to Herhowlee, as they heard that an elephant had been recently killed at Dowaleeka; and with the hope of being able to purchase the ivory from the hunters, this party started intending to travel the whole night.
Plenty of women thronged the camp, and the men of the tribe, were particularly friendly and quiet. I soon found that family connexions between several of the principal Tajourah people and the elders of the Sidee Ahbreu occasioned the good feeling that existed between us. During our stay at Murroo, a regular fair was held, and at night, singing, dancing, and clapping hands, kept us up until a very late hour. Every day we were receiving fresh accounts of the inroads of the Alla and Hittoo Gallas from the south, who were driving off cattle, and carrying away the younger women of the Dankalli tribes in their immediate neighbourhood. This, however, did not interfere with the festivity of the camp, for other Kafilahs came in to join us from every side, and by the third day of our stay, we had in company more than one thousand camels, and could muster above five hundred fighting men. The different Kafilahs kept to themselves, each taking up such a position as was most convenient, but never at a greater distance from each other than two hundred yards.
The next day after we arrived, much to mysurprise, for I thought him far enough away, Durtee Ohmed reported himself, and looked somewhat the better for the late stirring business he had been upon; for, instead of having but one eye, according to the description I recollected to have been given by Lieut. Barker, he had two quite as good as my own. I mentioned this to Ebin Izaak who had accompanied him, as he then explained, for fear any mistake might arise from this circumstance, and that I should refuse to give him the present, on account of the discrepancy in the appearance of the claimant, from what had been represented to be the case. He was also ready to swear on the Koran as to the identity of the man, and although not perfectly satisfied, still, as I had not been cheated extraordinarily by Ebin Izaak, I thought I would receive his testimony on this occasion, so gave the man three dollars, with which he went away perfectly satisfied.
Several messengers arrived from other Kafilahs on the road, all desiring us not to move until they had joined us. I was not sorry for the detention, having derived much benefit in my health since we reached Murroo. I was also nearly naturalized among the Dankalli, who had become accustomed to my complexion, and as for my clothes, they were not very different, either in hue or condition, from theirs. My yellow Arab frock was no novel thing to the Tajourah people, and a few days’ journey through the thornyjungle, and a few nights’ repose upon the ground, soon took the respectability out of it, and I was as ragged as any lover of freedom, or of nature, would ever desire to be. My broad-brimmed hat was considered a great curiosity, and greasy heads of males and females, would frequently try it on to see how it would fit. One of the old women too, pulled on my boots, the tops of which scarcely came up to the bottom of her skin petticoat. A chase was made after her, for she started off with them, and so long was she in returning, that I began seriously to think, she had run away with them under pretence of sport.
The Sidee Ahbreu were certainly the most lively and least quarrelsome of any of the tribes I had yet seen. Neither was this friendship purchased, for having disposed of everything I could well part with, I took care that they should know it by oft-repeated assertions that I had given all away upon the previous march. The good resulting from this was, that I had fewer beggars to satisfy in this place than anywhere else.
My stay with these people, led me to form a much better opinion of the character of the Dankalli, than I previously had done. Whether I had become accustomed to my situation, or really liked the life I was leading, I do not know; but, for one or the other reason, I enjoyed myself more here than anywhere else, during the long period I had been absent from England.