CHAPTER XXXII.
Journey from Azbotee to Dinnomalee, general direction, W.N.W., time marching, seven hours.—Start with escort in the night.—Pass Sheik’s tomb.—Reach Kokki.—Short halt.—Wahama town.—Proceed to Dinnomalee.—Arrive.—Detained by Custom-house officers.—Get to Farree, W.N.W., two miles from Dinnomalee.—Accommodations.—Hospitable receptions.
May 22d.—Famous in my history for being the last day’s journey before reaching the first frontier station of the kingdom of Shoa. In a calahm the evening before it had been arranged that Ohmed Medina, Ohmed Mahomed, Ebin Izaak, and all the Hy Soumaulee, except their Chief, Carmel Ibrahim, and two others who had stayed with their countrymen at Mulkukuyu, should accompany me during the night, leaving the Kafilah to come on by sunrise. The object to be gained by this was to enable us to reach Dinnomalee, where Kafilahs are received and duties paid to the Governor of Efat, so early that there might be time to send a messenger to Guancho, where that functionary resided, informing him of our arrival, and that he might come down the same day, without obliging us to remain unnecessarily another night at Dinnomalee.Himyah and a Tajourah merchant were put in charge of the Kafilah, the latter, who had a mule, lending it to Ohmed Medina, so that four of us were mounted. We all looked very gay in our new or clean clothing, and the mules pranced along, shaking their heads like a band of animal performers delighting in sweet sounds, for, fastened around their necks were some pounds of music in the shape of large iron bells, suspended from tinkling brass chains, which occasioned together a very harmonious jingle, not so soft, perhaps, as an Æolian harp, but which, considering our situation, was quite as striking in effect.
We proceeded at a quick rate, for the escort, with some followers from the Kafilahs, like a lot of boys just broke loose from school, were racing and shouting nearly the whole way, tearing through the low bushes and shrubs like water rushing over a noisy fall. In this manner we travelled along for some distance, by sunrise reaching the gently sloping banks of the small stream running along the bottom of the valley of Kokki, its channel cut through a stratum of very coarse pebbly gravel, and strewn with large rolled stones.
About half way between Azbotee and Kokki we passed a small kairn of stones, nearly five feet high, covered with decayed branches of several kinds of trees. This was the grave of a greatly revered sheik, and all of my companions supplied themselves with a little of the foliage of any tree thatwas near to them. I and the others who were mounted had each a small branch given to us, which, like those of the others, we threw upon the kairn as we passed. Some few of the “mollums,” or best learned of the party, recited a short prayer from the Koran, whilst I and the shamefully ignorant satisfied ourselves by calling out two or three times, “Myhisee tymbeeda!” (“Good morning, I hope you sleep well!”) The successive repetitions of this expression, as each careless Bedouin deposited his natural wreath and then ran on, was most amusing, and I thought of a lot of children performing some ceremony they had been taught was right, but cared very little how or why it was done.
The trees in the valley of Kokki more nearly approached the size of English oaks or pines than any I had yet seen, but I disappointed my friends by not alluding to their height or thick trunks. Ebin Izaak at last remarked that I had never seen any like them in my country. I replied, that except whilst young, the trees of England were never less than these, nor did they strike me as being astonishingly large, although I supposed they would appear so to him, accustomed only to the dwarf mimosa-trees of Adal.
We halted here for two hours, during which time a large herd of cattle, conducted by a few men, were brought to the stream to drink. Both men and cattle had every appearance of beingDankalli, and inquiring, I found that they belonged to some members of the Wahama tribe, who by permission of the Negoos, or King of Shoa, Sahale Selassee, occupied the country between the Hawash and Dinnomalee. They paid as a tribute annually one ox for every hundred head of cattle in their herds, and were also accustomed to give to the King what little ivory they chanced to pick up from the heads of elephants, naturally deceased. The King, as on every other occasion, we spoke about him, either among ourselves, or with others, was the subject of the warmest commendation. His liberality and justice were the theme of every one so far, and here some arms and clothes, recently bestowed by him upon this tribe, were brought to us for our inspection and admiration. Although some portion of these people still lived in the wigwams of their own country, surrounded by a low hedge of dry mimosa branches, and enclosed their cattle for safety during the night in stone kraals; others, who had married Abyssinian women, had assumed more civilized habits. These observed more strictly the laws and ceremonies of the Mahomedan religion, being particularly observant of the stated times and forms of prayer. They inhabited a village that stood on the edge of the opposite bank of Kokki, embosomed amidst high trees, among which the conical thatched roofs of their houses were visible, and the loud crowing of a cock told also, that they hadsurmounted the prejudices of their Bedouin ancestors against keeping fowls.
The leading camels of the caravan coming into sight, we learnt from some of the faster walkers who preceded it, that one of the Hy Soumaulee Kafilahs, having travelled during the night from Mulkukuyu, had arrived at Azbotee, just as our camels were moving off, and rather than remain alone at that place, had determined to continue their march with us, at least, as far as the present spot, which I could see was sometimes made a halting-place for Kafilahs.
Again starting on our march, we followed the bed of a small stream, flowing into the valley of Kokki; and which, after leading us a short distance through some beautiful forest scenery, entered a ravine, having high precipitous cliffs on either side of a very light coloured trachytic rock. In huge fissures, that traversed the faces of these perpendicular walls of stone, large trees, among which I noticed the tamarind, flourished in great luxuriance, projecting from their singular habitats, over the passing traveller. Every twenty yards, the stream, in its serpentine course, presented a new picture, and it will be very long before I forget the series of little romantic landscapes I cast my eye over, during our too hasty passage. The bottom of this water-cut chasm was not wider than a common road in England, and nearly as level. It was covered with a beautiful green turf of the softest andfinest young grass. The meandering thread of the gently rippling brook that passed along, now crossing our path, and now expanding into little pools of the clearest water, was all that represented the powerful agent that had effected the denudation of this deep and extensive, though narrow defile; and the triumph of easy, gentle persuasion, found no bad type in the effects of this little stream upon the rocky walls that bounded its deeply-cut channel.
We opened, at length, upon some narrow valleys, that seemed each to contribute in the rainy season its quota, to the swollen river that then joins the Kokki. Across these we passed, plucking, as we went, an unctuous, gelatinous, berry; not unlike in taste and character to our yew berry; and which grew upon a shrub that appeared to belong to the honey-suckle tribe, without depending, however, upon any other but its own short strong stem for support. Its fruit appears to be a great favourite with the Dankalli, who dry the berries in the sun, and carry down considerable quantities with them on their return to Tajourah, for their friends at home.
We now entered a jungly district, the height of the shrubs and bushes preventing any extensive view; besides, I was too much occupied in taking care of my eyes and face, from the lashing recoil of the impatient branches, at being disturbed by the spears of the wild Bedouins dashing by.After a march of about six miles from Kokki, we came to a more sparingly-wooded spot, and on an adjoining height, we discerned some men sitting in very white tobes, who appeared to be waiting for, or watching, our approach. As soon as we saw them, there was a general cry out for me to fire, and I scarcely knew what to think of it; but the oft-repeated word, “Abshee,” “Abshee,” soon told me that the men were Abyssinians, and I understood that I was to give them a salute. Ohmed Medina being among the most importunate for this display, I laughingly proposed, he should fire my carabine off himself, to which, much to my surprise, he readily acquiesced; and, after I had cocked both barrels, banged away without any hesitation, securing the applause of all around for his unflinching courage. He was not satisfied with this, but turned to ask me also, if he were not a brave soldier? to which I, of course, assented. A few moments more brought us on to a small open place of green-sward, surrounded by high mimosa-trees, beneath one of which we dismounted, and walked towards the men in the clean tobes, who had also risen, and were now coming to receive us. This was the station of Dinnomalee, where the assair, or tythe, of all articles of merchandise introduced into the Mangust, or kingdom of Shoa, is paid to the King as duty.
After some moments of very ceremonious greeting, we were conducted beneath the convenientcanopy of a flat-topped mimosa which threw, some distance from the trunk, a circular shade, where we squatted down; and an animated conversation was carried on between my Tajourah friends and the representatives, as our new acquaintances turned out to be, of the Wallasmah, or Governor of the province of Efat, named Mahomed, who is also chief of the customs upon this frontier. A large bag of dollars, was also produced from somewhere on our side, and with a splendid affectation of disregard, was slapped down with a loud ring upon the ground, between Ohmed Mahomed and Ohmed Medina. The jingling music had its effect upon our Abyssinian friends, lighting up their countenances, as their dark faces assumed a smiling expression, that said out plainly, “Oh! how glad we are to see you.”
Two or three hours passed away, and I began to tire of such a long calahm, in which I could take no part, so I asked Ohmed Medina if the town of Farree was in this neighbourhood, that I might go and take up my residence there at once. He asked me not to go until the Kafilah came up, which would not now be long; so I reseated myself and commenced again my examination of the surrounding country. Numerous towns and villages were in sight, all occupying the tops of small hills, which formed the limits of observation, at the distance of not more than three miles. The little savannah where we were seated appeared surrounded by anarrow, well-wooded belt, beyond which, on the rising slopes of the hills, could be seen fields of cotton-bushes, and of the high jowaree maize, cultivated nearly to the summits; where a few green trees overhung conical straw-thatched roofs, resting upon low wattled walls, which is the general character, differing only in size, of all Abyssinian houses.
The Kafilah did not make its appearance till almost sunset, and I got still more tired and vexed at such a compulsatory stay, for nothing would induce the principal of the party who received us to allow our proceeding farther until the messenger had returned from Guancho, the seat of the Wallasmah Mahomed, some six or seven miles off to the west. After the sun had set, the man returned bearing commands for all parties; but that which interested me most, was the order given to take me to Farree, and provide me with a house, and my escort with a dinner of bread and ale at Dinnomalee. He also announced the coming of the Wallasmah the next day to examine the salt and other merchandise of the several Kafilahs. Ohmed Medina and Ohmed Mahomed were to remain with the escort, and not to be allowed to accompany me to Farree, but as I looked with some suspicion upon such peremptory orders, I did not like being separated from those I could trust; especially as, from several hints given me by Ohmed Medina, I was led to suspectthat the members of the embassy were all in prison. I insisted therefore remaining where I was, or that the Hy Soumaulee should go to Farree with me; and as these untamed gentlemen had already taken offence, and sat in the usual threatening manner, determined to force their way if any attempt were made to prevent them, it was at length, after a long debate, agreed that they should occupy the garden, or enclosure, around the house to which I was to be taken; I becoming responsible to the negoos, or king, whose name they appeared to look upon as sacred, for this breach of the particular command that had been issued respecting any more English that might come up to Shoa. During the discussion, I could not help laughing at one of the Abyssinians, who had taken my carabine as it lay upon the ground, and seemed unwilling to give it up to me on my request, calling out as he held it away, “Y’ negoos, Y’ negoos, Sahale Selassee,” as if he had been a constable, and that these words were an inviolable authority. Moosa, who saw the whole affair, and heard me telling the man to put the gun down, now interfered, and saying something in a threatening tone, the fat burly citizen, who I could see was no fighting character, quickly did as he was commanded, but still repeating, “Sahale Selassee, Sahale Selassee.”
My mule being brought, I mounted for a long ride, as I expected, and proceeded with the Hy Soumaulee, who, having gained their point ofaccompanying me, were in great glee, shouting to each other as they darted among the trees, or raced through the more cultivated parts, running and leaping as they went over the low cotton-bushes that stood in their way. Much to my astonishment, on rounding the shoulder of a projecting ridge, we came in sight of the town of Farree, situated not a quarter of an hour’s walk to the west of Dinnomalee. We threaded our way across the few fields that intervened by a narrow path that reminded me of the narrow church-ways across cultivated lands in England. Then ascending a steep elevation, of about two hundred feet high, by a rough stony road, entered an open depressed space, between four or five pap-like elevations into which the summit of the hill was divided, each of which was surmounted by a little group of houses, whilst the concavity in the midst formed a kind of green, or market-place, in the centre of which was a low enclosure of loose stones surrounding a few young mimosa-trees. Suspended from several of the branches I saw the tail, and a long slip of the skin, of a hyæna, with some similar remains of wild cats, hung up as trophies, and as an instructive lesson to the wild animals in the neighbourhood of the evil results of pilfering hen-roosts or folds.
I rested myself awhile against the “madubbah,” or stone fence, upon which sat several Hy Soumaulee perched as if upon a roost, until our guide returned, he having gone to select a house andgarden for the accommodation of myself and suite. At last we were taken to the same house in which I was informed all previous travellers had stayed, and where also poor Mr. Airston died.[7]The goodman was absent at Aliu Amba market, but his two wives (he was a Mahomedan) shewed me every attention, spreading a large ox-skin upon the raised earth or platform, two feet high, which occupied half the apartment. The women made signs to me to take off my boots, lay aside my arms, and lie down whilst they prepared some bread for my evening meal. The Hy Soumaulee sat on their heels very patiently, in the little compound, surrounded by a high stick fence, in which the house stood. The entrance-gate, by the by, was of a very singular kind, its upper edge being attached by hide hinges to the lintel. Whenopened it required to be lifted up, and a stick prop was placed under the lower edge to support it. It shut down something like a trap door.
7.This gentleman, after having passed through all the dangers of the Adal country, was suddenly attacked with inflammation of the brain at Farree, where he was awaiting the permission of the negoos to enter Shoa. He died after a few days’ illness, during which time M. Rochet d’Hericourt and Mr. Krapf rendered every available assistance. Some months after I had lived in Shoa I visited the Wallasmah, on purpose to see the state prisons of Guancho. I remained all night, and in the morning was taken to a ridge opposite, towards the south-west, where stood a small “Bait y’ Christian,” the church of St. Michael’s in Ahgobba. I felt pleased, when I reached the spot, that the object of my attendants was to point out the grave of my deceased countryman, which, with natural good feeling, they had supposed would be interesting to me. To give Mr. Airston Christian burial, the kind-hearted people of Farree (Mahomedans) must have carried his corpse more than six miles over the roughest road imaginable.
7.This gentleman, after having passed through all the dangers of the Adal country, was suddenly attacked with inflammation of the brain at Farree, where he was awaiting the permission of the negoos to enter Shoa. He died after a few days’ illness, during which time M. Rochet d’Hericourt and Mr. Krapf rendered every available assistance. Some months after I had lived in Shoa I visited the Wallasmah, on purpose to see the state prisons of Guancho. I remained all night, and in the morning was taken to a ridge opposite, towards the south-west, where stood a small “Bait y’ Christian,” the church of St. Michael’s in Ahgobba. I felt pleased, when I reached the spot, that the object of my attendants was to point out the grave of my deceased countryman, which, with natural good feeling, they had supposed would be interesting to me. To give Mr. Airston Christian burial, the kind-hearted people of Farree (Mahomedans) must have carried his corpse more than six miles over the roughest road imaginable.
7.This gentleman, after having passed through all the dangers of the Adal country, was suddenly attacked with inflammation of the brain at Farree, where he was awaiting the permission of the negoos to enter Shoa. He died after a few days’ illness, during which time M. Rochet d’Hericourt and Mr. Krapf rendered every available assistance. Some months after I had lived in Shoa I visited the Wallasmah, on purpose to see the state prisons of Guancho. I remained all night, and in the morning was taken to a ridge opposite, towards the south-west, where stood a small “Bait y’ Christian,” the church of St. Michael’s in Ahgobba. I felt pleased, when I reached the spot, that the object of my attendants was to point out the grave of my deceased countryman, which, with natural good feeling, they had supposed would be interesting to me. To give Mr. Airston Christian burial, the kind-hearted people of Farree (Mahomedans) must have carried his corpse more than six miles over the roughest road imaginable.
Some of the best known of my escort I called into the house to converse with, whilst, in the meantime, proclamation was being made through the village for the food to be prepared, with which to supply the strangers; each householder being called upon to bring in two large round crumpets, a foot and a-half in diameter, as the contribution for that purpose. I was much pleased with this evidence of the hospitable character of my new friends, it being an invariable custom, on the arrival of any traveller in Abyssinian towns, to supply him with food at the public expense for the first few days, or until the pleasure of the King can be known, who then generally takes upon himself the maintenance of his visitor, during the remainder of his stay in the country. It added to my gratification, also, to observe that this duty was attended to promptly, and with apparent good will, by the inhabitants. Had it been otherwise, I should certainly have refused such a kind of supply; but not the least evidence of disinclination afforded me the opportunity of offering to pay for our entertainment.
In less than an hour I saw realized the picture of Abyssinian peace and plenty, which had been frequently described in the Adal country, by the admiring Bedouins and Kafilah men, who used to enact the carrying of bread on their head, and largejars of ale upon their shoulders, to give me an idea of what I might expect in that happy land. Laughing girls in dark red gowns, and staid married women similarly attired, but, to mark the difference, with a guftah, or three-cornered double kerchief cap of the same colour, firmly fastened close under the point of the chin, came trooping down, each with a shallow saucer-like basket of variegated red and yellow straw balanced upon her head. The high conical covers being taken off as the baskets were placed at the feet of the misselannee, or steward of the governor of the town, they were found to contain the two required cakes of a very light bread, yet warm and steaming, and which were, only much larger, exactly like the crumpet or pikelit of England. These were made of the flour of teff, the small seeds of a grass, which makes much lighter bread than wheat.
Sufficient of these for the supply of nearly forty men were soon heaped high in two large receiving baskets; but as meat did not seem to be forthcoming, I gave a dollar privately to Adam Burrah, who came and whispered the name and that of bullock in my ear, a sufficient hint, which I readily took. He and Moosa were absent but a short time before they returned with a young cow, which was killed, and a requisition for wood being made to the misselannee, that functionary gave orders for a quantity immediately to be brought to cook the meat. Everything seemed to be conducted with the greatest quiet and order, eventhe wild Dankalli themselves appeared to be affected by example, and in Farree endeavoured to assume civilized airs and conduct.
Just as supper was ready, the Wallasmah Mahomed sent down to me, from his residence at Gauncho, six miles distant, three large jars, each containing about five gallons of fine strong ale, so that a regular banquet closed the first day of my arrival in Shoa. Before it was concluded a numerous and very jovial party had collected, for, contrary to the strict orders that had been issued, after sunset nearly all the men of the Kafilah at Dinnomalee came stealing in, in parties of two and three, until not half a dozen, I should think, remained to take care of the camels and stores. Several came to me begging for sheep, and as I found that I could purchase five of the animals fully grown, for a dollar, I was glad to be able, at such a reasonable rate, to add to the pleasures of my companions, who seemed determined to make themselves happy and comfortable.
The moon shone upon a splendid scene of enjoyment that night. Every village-capped height in the neighbourhood had its bonfire. All around resounded with the quick sharp clapping of hands, the measured accompaniment of song and dance. No learned commentator was needed here. Circumstances themselves aptly enough illustrated the Psalmist’s situation and feelings, for “Clap your hands, O ye little hills,” personifies and expresses the gladness and praise of a peoplesituated like the Amhara, whose language and whose customs identify their origin with that of the Jews.
Long before the revels ended I had laid myself down on the ox-skin which had served me as a couch during the day, and soon fell fast asleep. In the same apartment lay the wives of the owner of the house, two or three slave-girls, and some young children. Fowls also were roosting upon a kind of shelf made of jowaree stalks, bound together and placed against the wall, and had I not occupied the whole of the raised platform of clay and stones, I expect the family would have slept upon it, and two oxen, unceremoniously shut out to sleep with the Hy Soumaulee in the garden, would have occupied that part of the house where now, huddled together, the women and children were sleeping.
Having arrived in Abyssinia, I shall conclude my account of the journey through Adal with a few remarks upon the character of the Dankalli, which, upon a review of what I have written, seem necessary to explain the opinion I hold of the great capabilities possessed by this family of man.
In the first place, I am bound to add my testimony to that of every other traveller, to the proneness of the Dankalli to shed human blood, and the little value they seem to attach to human life. By a distortion of moral and natural ideas of right and wrong, unparalleled in the history ofany other people, murder is considered by them to be highly honourable. Every fresh assassination is rewarded by an additional personal ornament, and the destruction of a sleeping guest, or of a fighting foe, contribute alike to the credit and reputation of the brave. The well dissembled bearing by which they lure the most suspicious into a fatal confidence, and the firm bravery with which they attack a more powerful enemy, can only be referred to the operation of mental powers of the very first order, and, according to my own ideas of the nature of man, they present the extreme of moral degradation that the caste to which they belong can fall into. I am not a willing evidence against a people among whom I spent some not unpleasant days, and received much instruction from the opportunities afforded me of studying their character, and the circumstances under which they are placed, and which convinced me that, if properly educated and directed, they would take a very high rank among civilized nations. I feel assured that in a more favourable situation, and under another social economy, those intellectual capabilities now only developed in evil, would fast progress to the most enlightened civilization.
I must be allowed, in justice, to notice the honesty and good faith that marked the care of the boxes and packages I found at Errur. The interference of the Tajourah people in that matter does not affect the principle I contend for,they being, as are all inhabitants of the towns on the sea-coast of Adal, descended from Abyssinian mothers, and not of the pure Affah blood. This act of trustworthiness, where great temptation existed, may be only singular, from the few opportunities the Dankalli have of exercising their natural good qualities.
I have, also, made no mention that several times during my journey attempts were made by the Dankalli to teach me the game of gubertah, something similar to our backgammon, played with dry camels’ dung, and a number of holes in the ground. These attempts failed entirely, through my want of capacity, whilst any little trick of legerdemain, with which I sometimes amused them, was soon learnt, and in many instances they themselves detected the manner in which the trick was performed. One instance of this quickness of perception struck me particularly. It was a game I showed to them, in which seven small stones represented two thieves and five horses, the deception in which consists of picking up one of the representatives alternately with each hand, yet at the conclusion to shew the horses and thieves still in the unequal numbers of two and five in either hand. This, after a little observation, was performed by several of my companions, and I recorded it among many other evidences of what their Circassian physiognomy betokened, a much higher mental capability than the conceited Arab,and as superior as ourselves to their negro neighbours the Shankalli. These three very different people, represent three grades of intellectual power, which may be expressed as genius, cunning, and simplicity, of which the Dankalli constitute the type of the superior rank.
When I reflect upon the striking contrast exhibited in the very different characters of the Dankalli and Shankalli people, the pressure from without of observed facts incline me to a system of mankind-lore different entirely from any yet advanced, but which it would be presumption in me to put forward, until increasing years and further observation give weight to the opinions of one who at present is merely an humble, but zealous, inquirer after truth. Adapting myself therefore, as much as possible to the generally received ideas upon the national divisions of man at an early period, I am led to suppose that the Dankalli are the remains of a once great and powerful people, the vices of whom have outlived the period of their decline as a nation, and now characterize their descendants in a situation where they are reduced to a state of nature corresponding, except in these resulting consequences of previous civilization, to that of the real child of uncultivated nature, the happy, contented, good-natured Shankalli.
END OF VOL. I.
END OF VOL. I.
END OF VOL. I.
MacIntosh, Printer, Great New Street, London.
MacIntosh, Printer, Great New Street, London.
MacIntosh, Printer, Great New Street, London.
Transcriber’s Notes:Missing or obscured punctuation was silently corrected.Typographical errors were silently corrected.Inconsistent spelling and hyphenation were made consistent only when a predominant form was found in this book.