About Half-Way The Travellers Reached Darud Bin Ismail's Tomb,
A Parallelogram Of Loose Stones About One Foot High, Of A Battered And
Ignoble Appearance; At One Extremity Stood A Large Sloping Stone, With A
Little Mortar Still Clinging To It.
No outer fence surrounded the tomb,
which might easily be passed by unnoticed:
No honors were paid to the
memory of the first founder of the tribe, and the Somal did not even
recite a Fatihah over his dust. After marching about twelve miles, the
caravan encamped at Labbahdilay, in the bed of a little watercourse which
runs into the Yubbay Tug. Here they found a small pool of bad rain water.
They made a rude fence to keep out the wild beasts, and in it passed the
night.
_13th December_.--The Somal showed superior activity in marching three
successive days; the reason appears to be that the Abban was progressing
towards his home. At sunrise the camels were loaded, and at 8 A.M. the
caravan started up a valley along the left bank of a watercourse called
the Yubbay Tug. This was out of the line, but the depth of the
perpendicular sides prevented any attempt at crossing it. The people of
the country have made a peculiar use of this feature of ground. During the
last war, ten or eleven years ago, between the Warsingali and the
Dulbahantas, the latter sent a large foraging party over the frontier. The
Warsingali stationed a strong force at the head of the watercourse to
prevent its being turned, and exposed their flocks and herds on the
eastern bank to tantalise the hungry enemy. The Dulbahantas, unable to
cross the chasm, and unwilling, like all Somali heroes even in their
wrath, to come to blows with the foe, retired in huge disgust. After
marching five miles, the caravan halted, the Abban declaring that he and
the Sultan's younger son must go forward to feel the way; in other words,
to visit his home. His pretext was a good one. In countries where postal
arrangements do not exist, intelligence flies quicker than on the wings of
paper. Many evil rumours had preceded Lieutenant Speke, and the inland
tribe professed, it was reported, to despise a people who can only
threaten the coast. The Dulbahantas had been quarrelling amongst
themselves for the last thirteen years, and were now determined to settle
the dispute by a battle. Formerly they were all under one head; but one
Ali Harram, an Akil or minor chief, determined to make his son, Mohammed
Ali, Gerad or Prince of the clans inhabiting the northern provinces. After
five years' intrigue the son was proclaimed, and carried on the wars
caused by his father, declaring an intention to fight to the last. He has,
however, been successfully opposed by Mahmud Ali, the rightful chief of
the Dulbahanta family; the southern clans of Haud and beyond the Nogal
being more numerous and more powerful than the northern divisions. No
merchant, Arab or other, thinks of penetrating into this country,
principally on account of the expense. Lieutenant Speke is of opinion that
his cloth and rice would easily have stopped the war for a time: the
Dulbahantas threatened and blustered, but allowed themselves easily to be
pacified.
It is illustrative of the customs of this people that, when the
Dulbahantas had their hands engaged, and left their rear unprotected,
under the impression that no enemies were behind, the Warsingali instantly
remembered that one of their number had been murdered by the other race
many years ago. The blood-money had been paid, and peace had been
concluded, but the opportunity was too tempting to be resisted.
The Yubbay Tug watercourse begins abruptly, being as broad and deep at the
head as it is in the trunk. When Lieutenant Speke visited it, it was dry;
there was but a thin growth of trees in it, showing that water does not
long remain there. Immediately north of it lies a woody belt, running up
to the foot of the mountains, and there bifurcating along the base.
Southwards, the Yubbay is said to extend to a considerable distance, but
Somali ideas of distance are peculiar, and absorption is a powerful agent
in these latitudes.
Till the 21st December Lieutenant Speke was delayed at the Yubbay Tug. His
ropes had been stolen by discharged camel-men, and he was unable to
replace them.
On the 15th December one of the Midgan or Serviles was tried for stealing
venison from one of his fellows. The Sultan, before his departure, had
commissioned three of Lieutenant Speke's attendants to act as judges in
case of such emergency: on this occasion the interpreter was on the
Woolsack, and he sensibly fined the criminal two sheep to be eaten on the
road. From inquiries, I have no doubt that these Midgan are actually
reduced by famine at times to live on a food which human nature abhors. In
the northern part of the Somali country I never heard of cannibalism,
although the Servile tribes will eat birds and other articles of food
disdained by Somal of gentle blood. Lieutenant Speke complains of the
scarcity and the quality of the water, "which resembles the mixture
commonly known as black draught." Yet it appears not to injure health; and
the only disease found endemic is an ophthalmia, said to return
periodically every three years. The animals have learned to use sparingly
what elsewhere is a daily necessary; camels are watered twice a month,
sheep thrice, and horses every two or three days. No wild beasts or birds,
except the rock pigeon and duck, ever drink except when rain falls.
The pickaxe and spade belonging to the traveller were greatly desired; in
one place water was found, but more generally the people preferred digging
for honey in the rocks. Of the inhabitants we find it recorded that, like
all Nomads, they are idle to the last degree, contenting themselves with
tanned skins for dress and miserable huts for lodging.
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