Part 29 (1/2)
[Editor's note: This appendix was omitted because of the large number of Arabic characters it contains, which makes it impossible to reproduce accurately following PG standards.]
APPENDIX III
METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS IN THE COLD SEASON OF 1854-5,
BY LIEUTENANTS HERNE, STROYAN, AND BURTON.
[Editor's note: This appendix contains tables of numbers that are too wide to be reproduced accurately following PG standards.]
APPENDIX IV.
It has been found necessary to omit this Appendix.
[Editor's note: This appendix, written in Latin by Burton, contained descriptions of s.e.xual customs among certain tribes. It was removed by the publisher of the book, who apparently considered it to be too _risque_ for the Victorian public.]
APPENDIX V.
A CONDENSED ACCOUNT OF AN ATTEMPT TO REACH HARAR FROM ANKOBAR.
The author is Lieutenant, now Commander, WILLIAM BARKER of the Indian Navy, one of the travellers who accompanied Sir William Cornwallis, then Captain, Harris on his mission to the court of Shoa. His services being required by the Bombay Government, he was directed by Captain Harris, on October 14th, 1841, to repair to the coast via Harar, by a road ”hitherto untrodden by Europeans.” These pages will reward perusal as a narrative of adventure, especially as they admirably show what obstacles the suspicious characters and the vain terrors of the Bedouins have thrown in the way of energy and enterprise.
”Aden, February 28, 1842.
”Shortly after I had closed my last communication to Captain Harris of the Bombay Engineers on special duty at the Court of Shoa (14. Jan. 1842), a report arrived at Allio Amba that Demetrius, an Albanian who had been for ten years resident in the Kingdom of Shoa, and who had left it for Tajoorah, accompanied by ”Johannes,” another Albanian, by three Arabs, formerly servants of the Emba.s.sy, and by several slaves, had been murdered by the Bedoos (Bedouins) near Murroo. This caused a panic among my servants. I allayed it with difficulty, but my interpreter declared his final intention of deserting me, as the Hurruri caravan had threatened to kill him if he persisted in accompanying me. Before proceeding farther it may be as well to mention that I had with me four servants, one a mere lad, six mules and nine a.s.ses to carry my luggage and provisions.
”I had now made every arrangement, having, as the Wallasena Mahomed Abugas suggested, purchased a fine horse and a Tobe for my protector and guide, Datah Mahomed of the clan Seedy Habroo, a subtribe of the Debeneh. It was too late to recede: accordingly at an early hour on Sat.u.r.day, the 15th January, 1842, I commenced packing, and about 8 A.M. took my departure from the village of Allio Amba. I had spent there a weary three months, and left it with that mixture of pleasure and regret felt only by those who traverse unknown and inhospitable regions. I had made many friends, who accompanied me for some distance on the road, and took leave of me with a deep feeling which a.s.sured me of their sympathy. Many endeavoured to dissuade me from the journey, but my lot was cast.
”About five miles from Allio, I met the nephew of the Wallasena, who accompanied me to Farri, furnished me with a house there, and ordered my mules and a.s.ses to be taken care of. Shortly after my arrival the guide, an old man, made his appearance and seemed much pleased by my punctuality.
”At noon, on Sunday the 16th, the Wallasena arrived, and sent over his compliments, with a present of five loaves of bread. I called upon him in the evening, and reminded him of the letter he had promised me; he ordered it to be prepared, taking for copy the letter which the king (Sahala Sala.s.sah of Shoa) had given to me.
”My guide having again promised to forward me in safety, the Wallasena presented him with a spear, a s.h.i.+eld, and a Tobe, together with the horse and the cloth which I had purchased for him. About noon on Monday the 17th, we quitted Farri with a slave-caravan bound for Tajoorah. I was acquainted with many of these people, the Wallasena also recommended me strongly to the care of Mahomed ibn Buraitoo and Dorranu ibn Kamil. We proceeded to Datharal, the Wallasena and his nephew having escorted me as far as Denehmelli, where they took leave. I found the Caffilah to consist of fifteen Tajoorians, and about fifty camels laden with provisions for the road, fifty male and about twenty female slaves, mostly children from eight to ten years of age. My guide had with him five camels laden with grain, two men and two women.
”The Ras el Caffilah (chief of the caravan) was one Ibrahim ibn Boorantoo, who it appears had been chief of the emba.s.sy caravan, although Essakh (Ishak) gave out that he was. It is certain that this man always gave orders for pitching the camp and for loading; but we being unaware of the fact that he was Ras el Caffilah, he had not received presents on the arrival of the Emba.s.sy at Shoa. Whilst unloading the camels, the following conversation took place. 'Ya Kabtan!' (0 Captain) said he addressing me with a sneer, 'where are you going to?--do you think the Bedoos will let you pa.s.s through their country? We shall see! Now I will tell you!--you Feringis have treated me very ill!--you loaded Essakh and others with presents, but never gave me anything. I have, as it were, a knife in my stomach which is continually cutting me--this knife you have placed there!
But, inshallah! it is now my turn! I will be equal with you!--you think of going to Hurrur--we shall see!' I replied, 'You know me not! It is true I was ignorant that you were Ras el Caffilah on our way to Shoa. You say you have a knife cutting your inside--I can remove that knife! Those who treat me well, now that I am returning to my country, shall be rewarded; for, the Lord be praised! there I have the means of repaying my friends, but in Shoa I am a beggar. Those that treat me ill shall also receive their reward.'
”My mules, being frightened at the sight of the camels, were exceedingly restive; one of them strayed and was brought back by Deeni ibn Hamed, a young man who was indebted to me for some medicines and a trifling present which he had received from the emba.s.sy. Ibrahim, the Ras el Caffilah, seeing him lead it back, called out, 'So you also have become servant to the Kafir (infidel)!' At the same time Datah Mahomed, the guide, addressed to me some remark which he asked Ibrahim to explain; the latter replied in a sarcastic manner in Arabic, a language with which I am unacquainted. [1]
This determined hostility on the part of the Ras el Caffilah was particularly distressing to me, as I feared he would do me much mischief.
I therefore determined to gain him over to my interests, and accordingly, taking Deeni on one side, I promised him a handsome present if he would take an opportunity of explaining to Ibrahim that he should be well rewarded if he behaved properly, and at the same time that if he acted badly, that a line or two sent to Aden would do him harm. I also begged him to act as my interpreter as long as we were together, and he cheerfully agreed to do so.
”We were on the point of resuming our journey on Tuesday the 18th, when it was found that the mule of the el Caffilah had strayed. After his conduct on the preceding evening, he was ashamed to come to me, but he deputed one of the caravan people to request the loan of one of my mules to go in quest of his. I gave him one readily. We were detained that day as the missing animal was not brought back till late. Notwithstanding my civility, I observed him in close conversation with Datah Mahomed, about the rich presents which the Feringis had given to Essakh and others, and I frequently observed him pointing to my luggage in an expressive manner.
Towards evening the guide came to me and said, 'My son! I am an old man, my teeth are bad, I cannot eat this parched grain--I see you eat bread.
Now we are friends, you must give me some of it!' I replied that several times after preparing for the journey, I had been disappointed and at last started on a short notice--that I was but scantily supplied with provisions, and had a long journey before me: notwithstanding which I was perfectly willing that he should share with me what I had as long as it lasted, and that as he was a great chief, I expected that he would furnish me with a fresh supply on arriving at his country. He then said, 'it is well! but why did you not buy me a mule instead of a horse?' My reply was that I had supposed that the latter would be more acceptable to him. I divided the night into three watches: my servants kept the first and middle, and I myself the morning.
”We quitted Dattenab, the frontier station, at about 7 o'clock A.M., on Wednesday the 19th. The country at this season presented a more lively appearance than when we travelled over it before, gra.s.s being abundant: on the trees by the roadside was much gum Acacia, which the Caffilah people collected as they pa.s.sed. I was pleased to remark that Ibrahim was the only person ill-disposed towards me, the rest of the travellers were civil and respectful. At noon we halted under some trees by the wayside.