CHAPTERXXVIII.
Message from the Negoos.—Visit Ankobar.—The Monk Bethlehem.—Conversation.—Bad weather.—A tattooing operation.—Interview with Negoos.
Message from the Negoos.—Visit Ankobar.—The Monk Bethlehem.—Conversation.—Bad weather.—A tattooing operation.—Interview with Negoos.
Somefew days after Karissa had visited me, an affaro came from the palace at Ankobar, with a message that I should proceed immediately to see the Negoos. On inquiring what circumstance had occurred to occasion such a sudden and urgent summons, I learned that a Gypt priest had arrived from Gondah, and that he spoke English, and for all that my informant knew, might be anascar(a subject or servant) of my Queen. As soon as I heard this, I was in a great hurry to be away, although, had I consulted common prudence, I should certainly have postponed the interview, upon the plea of the exceedingly weak state in which I was, and the violence of fever attacks every other day, especially as the height of Ankobar was entombed in clouds, nor had I seen its summit for several days past. A mule, however, being procured, and certain resting-places during the ride having been determined upon, where friends of Walderheros or Goodaloo resided, Istarted early in the afternoon, and after occupying the remainder of the day in the ascent, I arrived at Musculo’s house by sunset. Walderheros went up to the palace to announce my arrival, and returned in the course of half an hour with a turbaned monk, barefooted, and with the usual soft yellow leathern cape of his order over his shoulders. He was an elderly man, spare and short, but he came along actively enough, and as he entered the house, with a good English accent accosted me with, “How do you do?” He soon gave me an account of himself and of his business in Shoa. His present name was Bethlehem, but by birth he was an Armenian, who had become somewhat educated in European languages and customs, by a military service of many years with the Dutch. From other sources I heard that he had distinguished himself greatly in several conflicts, and had received a medal for some particularly dashing exploit. He, however, had now forsworn the world and all its vanities, and after a residence of several years in Abyssinia, had assumed the turban of the clergy of the Greek Church in that country, and probably was among the most correct in conduct, of the members of that rather lax ministry.
He sat down upon my alga, and after a few sensible observations upon the evil of countrymen not being on good terms in a country so situated as Shoa, and the bad effect produced upon the mind of the King by the previous quarrels ofthe Embassy with their servants[12]and their own people, he then turned the conversation upon asubject which he said was of great interest to the Negoos, who had been talking to him respecting it for the last two days. This was the production of indigo in Shoa, seeds of which plant had been received from Gondah, and the Negoos desired me to point out the situation I considered to be most favourable for their cultivation. Judging from the character of the country bordering upon the Ganges, its probable elevation above the sea, and its geographical position, I had no hesitation in stating, from the comparison, that many of the little islands of the finest alluvial soil, situated in the bed of the Dinkee river, where it extends in broad valleys in the neighbourhoodof Farree, would be well calculated for the interesting experiment.
Our conversation was not, however, altogether upon this subject, but merely that I might be prepared for the interview the next day with the Negoos, when Bethlehem was to act as interpreter. Information respecting the state of Northern Abyssinia, as regarded differences in the manners and customs of the inhabitants from those of Shoa, was freely volunteered by my new acquaintance, but who was exceedingly cautious and reserved upon political matters, so that I supposed that the discussion was a delicate one, and that his visit to the Negoos was connected with some business of that kind. Bethlehem is an intelligent man, and might be made exceedingly useful, and as his knowledge of the English language appears to give him a bias towards the interests of this country, his probable value as an agent, must not be passed over without being remarked. As he was nearly twice as old as myself, I talked just as much the more in proportion, for I had no other way of parrying the questions that his apparently careless curiosity prompted him to make. I knew nothing of the objects for which the Embassy had been sent to the Court of Shoa; at least nothing beyond what might naturally be supposed—such as the extension of our commerce, and the establishment of friendly relations withnative princes; farther than this I was quite ignorant of the purposes for which our Government had sent political agents into Abyssinia. To learn this, was evidently the chief object that Bethlehem had in view, during our long conversation; but I think he went away with an impression, that I knew nothing about it, and that the assumed mystery of my hints and suggestions was all affectation to make him believe that my information upon the subject was very valuable indeed. If so, I had reason to be very glad; for after this interview, no political questions were ever asked me by any of the agents of the Negoos; and he himself, during the interview the next day but one, confined himself entirely to matters connected solely with the improvements and arts, that my education would enable me to introduce a knowledge of among his subjects.
I sat all the next morning expecting the summons for me to go up to the palace, but no messenger appearing, and symptoms of the approach of my fever fit coming on, I sent Walderheros to Bethlehem, to represent to the Negoos, the impossibility of my going to the palace that day, and to ask for an interview early the next morning, that I might leave Ankobar immediately after, for it was impossible that I could exist many days in that city.
Oh, the weather in Ankobar! To look out ofMusculo’s house was like looking into a boiling-house in a brewery, which I presume is always full of steam. But was it warm? had it that dryness which even the vapour of hot water may be said to have? No; by heavens! for the atmosphere was one heavy drizzling perpetual Scotch mist, whilst the earth beneath was one rich surface of sloppy greasy mud. No life seemed stirring, except occasionally, when some closely wrapped-up figure came like a ghost emerging from a cloud, and jumping under the thatched roof, threw off his thick cottonlegumbigalla, and stamping the dirt and wet off his feet and legs, loudly expostulated with the wet season for bringing such inconveniences with its rain.
In the afternoon, Tinta came down with his Court train of servants, to see me at Musculo’s house. I happened just then to be lying under the influence of the ague fit, so he only remained to express his sorrow at seeing me in such a condition, and promised that he would ask the Negoos to receive me early in the morning, that I might not be detained any longer in Ankobar than was absolutely necessary.
During this stay at Musculo’s house, I observed the tattooing process by which the Shoan ladies disfigure their faces with large artificial eyebrows of a black colour; for nearly the whole day was occupied by Eichess ornamenting in this manner, the broadly round face of her fat slave-girl,Mahriam. It appeared to be no joke, although, if a ridiculous absurdity could have suspended my predisposition to the fever paroxysm, it would have been this beautifying operation. The whole year previously, every depilatory means by which to eradicate the natural hairs of the eyebrows had been employed, and the pertinacious industry with which this had been done, I noticed on my previous visit had occasioned an expression of vacuity that was not at all wanted in the ever-smiling expanse of countenance which Mahriam displayed over a bust, breast, and body, so large and fat, that darkened the house immediately if she stood a moment in the wide door-way. One half of the right eye-brow had been done two or three days previously, a very promising dry scab of charcoal and the natural secretion consequent upon a sore had formed, and which was looked at by Eichess with all the interest that a mother may be supposed to examine the progress of the virus influence upon her recently vaccinated child. In a word, it was pronounced to be promising very well, and the instruments and dye were then produced to finish the business. Eichess sat upon a boss of straw, and Mahriam knelt down before her, whilst Walderheros, to encourage the latter to bear the pain with fortitude, told her to be sure and recollect she was aman. A bundle of long white thorns, which I recognised as belonging to the commonest kind of mimosa, were now taken from a rag in whichthey were folded, and one being selected, Eichess commenced with it a dotting kind of puncturing in the skin, along a semicircular line, previously marked with a piece of charcoal around the frontal edge of the orbit, and which, besides including the bald part of the original eyebrow, was prolonged considerably towards the lower part of the temple, and also extended to the middle of the space between the eyes, where it met the similar delineation coming from the other side. Blood soon flowed freely, and I could scarcely have imagined it possible that such a punishment could be sustained for the attainment of so unnatural an ornament. Custom must constitute the principal part of original sin, or such barbarous attempts as these to improve upon nature would not be persisted in from one generation to another. The ladies of antiquity, I recollect learning when I was a student, employed a black mineral,stibium, supposed to beplumbago, or black lead; for the purpose, says Celsus, of making them black browed, and this fashion, with many others, appears to have been early introduced in to Abyssinia, either by the Greeks or Romans, and has been continued in that country to the present day. The manner in which a lady of fashion dresses her hair in Shoa, in a series of close pipe-like curls, is identically the same with the head-dress represented in the bust of Octavia, the niece of Augustus, in the British Museum, (Chamber vi. No. 65,) and I should require no other woodcut to illustratethis Abyssinian fashion than a drawing of that bust.
After the painful process had concluded as regarded one eyebrow, a mixture of powdered charcoal and water was made, and a little rag being first dipped into this was then rubbed over the fresh wound, until a sufficient quantity of the blacking dye had become absorbed, when the blood was washed from her face, and Mahriam was complimented by all for her fortitude and improved appearance. With the most simple gratitude the well-pleased girl stoops and kisses, with an affectionate obeisance, the hand of her indulgent mistress.
A similar operation is sometimes performed over the front part of the gums, and upon the inner surface of the lips, where I should conceive the most excruciating pain must be occasioned by the process. What girls will suffer for the sake of gaining admiration is most astonishing; but, however, they are not all so silly as this in Shoa, for, in justice to the Tabeeb women, I must observe that this custom is not practised among them, and the consequence is, that the younger females of this very singular people, are the handsomest in the country. In addition to the tattooed eyebrows it is not unusual to observe the figure of a Geez letter ጠ, which I am told is a very ancient Egyptian symbol expressive of the unity of the Deity. All idea of this signification is lost, but the Abyssinians account for the employmentof this mark upon the forehead because it is said to exert a very benign influence upon the bearer. Besides the physical appearances which led me to consider that the Christians of the Malabar coast of India I have seen, were emigrants from Southern Abyssinia, was the circumstance of this very symbol being tattooed between the eyebrows in exactly the same manner as it is borne by the Shoan women.
Before nine o’clock the next day a message came down from the palace for me to attend upon the Negoos, and although my shoes let in water and even mud very freely, and the drizzling fog threatened soon to wet me to my skin, I took the longzankwhich was given me to assist in the ascent up the steep hill, and I started with the desperation of a man who had given up all hopes of ever being permitted to dismount again from death’s grey steed, disease, which, at a hard trot, for nearly the last two years, had been carrying me towards the grave.
The palace of Ankobar lifts its thatched roofs above the summit of a high pyramidal hill, the abrupt termination of the narrow spur-like ridge upon which Ankobar stands. Three sides are singularly regular, and appear as if cut into an angular pyramidal cone, that rises two or three hundred feet above the level of the ridge to which it is connected on the fourth side. A high stockade of splinteredtedwinds spirally from midway, to the last enclosure upon the top of the hill,wherein stand the royal buildings. The lower portion of the palisades skirt for some distance the road into Ankobar from the valley of the Airahra, and the first house upon the elevated ridge may be said to be the palace, for its large and rudely-formed wooden gates on the left hand, are the first doorway perceived by the weary traveller after having ascended to the level of the town.
If, however, he look over the precipices to the right, the whole way up, he will perceive hundreds of the thatched roofs of little circular houses, in which the greater number of the Royal slaves and servants reside with their families. These descend by a quick succession of little gardened terraces to the meadow-like but limited plateau that intervenes some distance, before the actual bed of the Airahra river is gained. If the traveller looks from his elevated position in this direction, and if it be a bright day, a splendid prospect extends before him. Houses, the straw tops of which he could jump down upon, so steep is the descent, conceal the view of those which are immediately below; but jutting beyond these, fringe-like enclosures of the thick foliage of theshokoko-gwomanand theamhararatrees, and low-thatched roofs buried in gardens of the broad-leavedenseteorkobabanana plant, appear, falling rapidly to the undulating broad meadow, studded with numerous little eminences, where solitary, but snug-looking farmhouses are sheltered by tall flat-toppedmimosas or the pine-like growing ted. Partial glimpses, of the winding Airahra beyond; here, where it meanders sluggishly through a verdant mead, or there, where a silver column marks a distant fall; the opposite grey cliffs of the Tchakkah range, dotted with dark green clumps of the huge crimson-floweringcosso, all aid in filling up the background of a picture of real beauty and of apparent peace, upon which the eye and mind can dwell for hours untired, contemplating with a pleased sympathy of delight, upon a scene that appears so adapted for a practical experiment of Utopian colonization, the object of which should be the fullest development of human happiness and excellence.
I did not stop to-day, except when violent palpitation of the heart and the greatest oppression in breathing obliged me to come to a stand to recover myself after climbing up some stairs formed of the trunks of trees, that placed me upon a level position or landing-place; several of which aids in the steep ascent, characterize the King’s highway into Ankobar. Leaning upon Walderheros, I turned under the arch-way of the first gate, and passed through a narrow court, or partition, between two succeeding enclosures. Then beneath another gate-house, over which the clanking of chains needed no interpretation from my servant that it was the Royal prison for the temporary confinement of culprits. In the sheltered passage thus formed, I sat upon a huge stone to rest,whilst a long string of donkeys descended, coming from the storehouses above, where they had been delivering grain and berberah for the use of the palace. A long irregular series of wooden steps in a winding curve along the side of the hill, brought us to the last enclosure upon the summit. Here a little wicket leads to a high terrace-walk, having on one side a long row of palisades, and on the other, a clear and open view of the broad and deep valley of the Airahra, whilst before the visitor, stands a rude stone arch, but of what character, its architect, Demetrius, would be at a loss to say; this occupies the whole width of the terrace-walk, or about eighteen feet wide, and is from twelve to fifteen feet high. The gateway is about six feet wide and about nine feet high, and is closed by one large door, in which a lesser one for ordinary purposes is cut. After staying a short time in a little shed near the first wicket, and in which the porter is sheltered from the weather, Tinta appeared at the gate of Demetrius, and called me to come immediately, and in a very few moments I was introduced into a small room, where, upon a raised iron hearth, a good fire was burning. Here, on his usual throne, a white cloth covered alga, the Negoos was reclining, and in close conversation with the monk Bethlehem, who, sitting cross-legged on an ox-skin below, seemed to have been giving his opinion upon four or five rifles that lay before him upon the floor.
After the usual salutations were made, and an ox-skin had been spread for me, Walderheros, Tinta, and other attendants who had accompanied me into the room, were ordered to withdraw, and I began to suspect some political matters were to be the topic of our conversation. “Kaffu wobar,” (fevers are bad things,) said the monarch, which Bethlehem translated rather unnecessarily, but it commenced my examination as to the relative merits of gun-barrels. I had to describe how they were manufactured; what was the differences between the plain and twisted; in what manner the grooves on the rifle were made; and whether long or short barrels were most economical for service. As regarded the latter query, the monarch showed his quickness in detecting any anomaly, or apparent contradiction; for having before asserted that the best gun he had showed me to-day was a strong two-ounce rifle, double-barreled, I said that the long Arab matchlock barrel was most inconvenient by reason of its great weight, when he instantly took the rifle and placed it in my hands, to show me that it was at least twice the weight of the one I now contemned.
From guns the conversation changed to the subject of dyes, which appeared to be of the next importance in the mind of Sahale Selassee. The scarlet colour of our country I told him required not vegetables for its production, but either insects or minerals; and I suppose Bethlehem had previously explained this to him, as he seemed satisfied withmy statement without farther question. Indigo, I was able to promise him that I would undertake to cultivate, and make serviceable to his people by teaching them how to manufacture the dye, if that I recovered my health after the rains subsided, and which it was expected they would in the middle of this month (September). He inquired very particularly into the process, and I explained it to him as well as I could, and he complimented me by saying, that my services in thus extending a knowledge of useful arts among his children (subjects) would be of more value than all the rich gifts that had been brought to him by the commander (our ambassador). I was then asked for some medicine for his brother who was sick, Bethlehem interpreting the whole conversation that took place upon this subject.
FOOTNOTES:[12]Major Harris, in his “Highlands of Ethiopia,” has made the following assertions:—“In utter abhorrence of the country and its inhabitants, the Moslem servants who accompanied the Embassy from India all took their departure, willing to brave the dangers and difficulties of a long journey through the inhospitable deserts of Adaîel, rather than prolong a hateful sojourn in Abyssinia. One half of the number were murdered on their way down, and the places of all long remained empty.” This is most unjust both to the Dankalli and the Abyssinian, for of the twenty native and Arab servants, independent of the two tent Lascars mentioned as having accompanied the Mission, eight only were dismissed in Shoa—Sultaun, Hadjji Abdullah, Allee Chous, Berberah Allee, Abbas, Mahudee, Hadjji Ohmed, and an Indian boy, whose name I have forgotten. These servants had been led to expect, on their arrival in Abyssinia, the payment of the high wages which, in some of their cases, had alone induced them to accompany the Mission through Adal. Their disappointment may be conceived when they were then informed that a moiety only of their wages would be paid to them in Shoa, and that the remainder would run on in arrears until their return to Aden. This injustice, as it was conceived to be, was resented, and the discharge of these eight, in this remote country, was the consequence. The unfortunate servants appealed to the Negoos for redress, who condescended (but without avail) to intercede for their return to the Mission. This affront to the royal dignity was never forgotten, whilst a very injurious prejudice was raised by the conduct that was pursued by our representative with reference to the non-performance of the engagements entered into with these men. This being followed shortly afterwards by the infliction of corporeal punishment upon a soldier for a breach of martial law, when no other kind of discipline was even pretended to be kept up, astonished the Abyssinians not a little, and gave the finishing blow to all popular respect for English civilization, or wishes for any connexion whatever with our country.But this is not all. Of the eight discharged servants, instead of the whole of these men showing any abhorrence of the country, the greater part of them took to themselves wives, and upon what little they had saved lived near me in Aliu Amba. Three of them however (Hadjji Ohmed, Mahudee, and the Indian boy), were induced to attempt a passage to the sea-coast. The Kafilah they accompanied was attacked on the eastern bank of the Hawash by the Takalee tribe. The Indian boy was slain, but Hadjji Ohmed and Mahudee, being mounted, fled different ways; the former fortunately found protection and shelter for more than a month with Omah Batta’s sub-division of the Sidee Ahbreu tribe, whilst Mahudee contrived to reach a much more distant portion of Adal, the country of Chur-Chur, on the road to Hurrah from Shoa. Here he also remained several weeks, receiving the greatest attention and kindness, and finally was restored, as was also Hadjji Ohmed, to theNegoosof Shoa, who rewarded theirAdalentertainers for their hospitality to British subjects.It may be naturally supposed that the author of the “Highlands of Ethiopia” was ignorant of these facts, but this is impossible, for Mahudee, who had visited Chur-Chur, was reinstated in his situation as horsekeeper to Major Harris himself, in return for the interesting information it was supposed he could give of the little-known country where he had been living.
[12]Major Harris, in his “Highlands of Ethiopia,” has made the following assertions:—“In utter abhorrence of the country and its inhabitants, the Moslem servants who accompanied the Embassy from India all took their departure, willing to brave the dangers and difficulties of a long journey through the inhospitable deserts of Adaîel, rather than prolong a hateful sojourn in Abyssinia. One half of the number were murdered on their way down, and the places of all long remained empty.” This is most unjust both to the Dankalli and the Abyssinian, for of the twenty native and Arab servants, independent of the two tent Lascars mentioned as having accompanied the Mission, eight only were dismissed in Shoa—Sultaun, Hadjji Abdullah, Allee Chous, Berberah Allee, Abbas, Mahudee, Hadjji Ohmed, and an Indian boy, whose name I have forgotten. These servants had been led to expect, on their arrival in Abyssinia, the payment of the high wages which, in some of their cases, had alone induced them to accompany the Mission through Adal. Their disappointment may be conceived when they were then informed that a moiety only of their wages would be paid to them in Shoa, and that the remainder would run on in arrears until their return to Aden. This injustice, as it was conceived to be, was resented, and the discharge of these eight, in this remote country, was the consequence. The unfortunate servants appealed to the Negoos for redress, who condescended (but without avail) to intercede for their return to the Mission. This affront to the royal dignity was never forgotten, whilst a very injurious prejudice was raised by the conduct that was pursued by our representative with reference to the non-performance of the engagements entered into with these men. This being followed shortly afterwards by the infliction of corporeal punishment upon a soldier for a breach of martial law, when no other kind of discipline was even pretended to be kept up, astonished the Abyssinians not a little, and gave the finishing blow to all popular respect for English civilization, or wishes for any connexion whatever with our country.
But this is not all. Of the eight discharged servants, instead of the whole of these men showing any abhorrence of the country, the greater part of them took to themselves wives, and upon what little they had saved lived near me in Aliu Amba. Three of them however (Hadjji Ohmed, Mahudee, and the Indian boy), were induced to attempt a passage to the sea-coast. The Kafilah they accompanied was attacked on the eastern bank of the Hawash by the Takalee tribe. The Indian boy was slain, but Hadjji Ohmed and Mahudee, being mounted, fled different ways; the former fortunately found protection and shelter for more than a month with Omah Batta’s sub-division of the Sidee Ahbreu tribe, whilst Mahudee contrived to reach a much more distant portion of Adal, the country of Chur-Chur, on the road to Hurrah from Shoa. Here he also remained several weeks, receiving the greatest attention and kindness, and finally was restored, as was also Hadjji Ohmed, to theNegoosof Shoa, who rewarded theirAdalentertainers for their hospitality to British subjects.
It may be naturally supposed that the author of the “Highlands of Ethiopia” was ignorant of these facts, but this is impossible, for Mahudee, who had visited Chur-Chur, was reinstated in his situation as horsekeeper to Major Harris himself, in return for the interesting information it was supposed he could give of the little-known country where he had been living.