On The 31st Of December
All The Baggage Was Brought Up From Near Abi:
One of the camels, being
upon the point of death, was killed and devoured.
It was impossible to
keep the Abban from his home, which was distant about four miles: numerous
messages were sent in vain, but Lieutenant Speke drew him from his hut by
"sitting in Dhurna," or dunning him into compliance. At last arose a
violent altercation. All the Warsingali and Dulbahanta servants were taken
away, water was stopped, the cattle were cast loose, and the traveller was
told to arm and defend himself and his two men:--they would all be slain
that night and the Abban would abandon them to the consequences of their
obstinacy. They were not killed, however, and about an hour afterwards the
Somal reappeared, declaring that they had no intention of deserting.
_11th January_, 1855.--About 10 A.M. the caravan started without the Abban
across the head of the Jid Ali valley. The land was flat, abounding in
Acacia, and showing signs of sun parched grass cropped close by the
cattle. After a five miles' march the travellers came to a place called
Biyu Hablay; they unloaded under a tree and made a Kraal. Water was
distant. Around were some courses, ending abruptly in the soft absorbing
ground. Here the traveller was met by two Dulbahantas, who demanded his
right to enter their lands, and insinuated that a force was gathering to
oppose him. They went away, however, after a short time, threatening with
smiles to come again. Lieutenant Speke was also informed that the Southern
Dulbahanta tribes had been defeated with loss by the northern clans, and
that his journey would be interrupted by them. Here the traveller remarked
how willing are the Somal to study: as usual in this country, any man who
reads the Koran and can write out a verset upon a board is an object of
envy. The people are fanatic. They rebuked the interpreter for not praying
regularly, for eating from a Christian's cooking pot, and for cutting
deer's throats low down (to serve as specimens); they also did not approve
of the traveller's throwing date stones into the fire. As usual, they are
fearful boasters. Their ancestors turned Christians out of the country.
They despise guns. They consider the Frank formidable only behind walls:
they are ready to fight it out in the plain, and they would gallop around
cannon so that not a shot would tell. Vain words to conceal the hearts of
hares! Lieutenant Speke justly remarks that, on account of the rough way
in which they are brought up, the Somal would become excellent policemen;
they should, however, be separated from their own people, and doubtless
the second generation might be trained into courage.
At Biyu Hablay Lieutenant Speke, finding time as well as means deficient,
dropped all idea of marching to Berberah. He wished to attempt a north-
western route to Hais, but the Rer Hamaturwa (a clan of the Habr Gerhajis
who occupy the mountain) positively refused passage. Permission was
accorded by that clan to march due north upon Bunder Jedid, where,
however, the traveller feared that no vessel might be found. As a last
resource he determined to turn to the north-east, and, by a new road
through the Habr Gerhajis, to make Las Kuray.
_18th January_.--The Abban again returned from his home, and accompanied
Lieutenant Speke on his first march to the north-east. Early in the
morning the caravan started over the ground before described: on this
occasion, however, it traversed the belt of jungle at the foot of the
mountains. After a march of six miles they halted at "Mirhiddo," under a
tree on elevated ground, in a mere desert, no water being nearer than the
spring of Jid Ali. The Abban took the opportunity of Lieutenant Speke
going out specimen-hunting to return home, contrary to orders, and he did
not reappear till the traveller walked back and induced him to march. Here
a second camel, being "in articulo," was cut up and greedily devoured.
_21st January_.--The Abban appeared in the morning, and the caravan
started about noon, over the stony ground at the foot of the hills. After
a mile's march, the "Protector" again disappeared, in open defiance of
orders. That day's work was about ten miles. The caravan halted, late at
night, in the bed of a watercourse, called Hanfallal. Lieutenant Speke
visited the spring, which is of extraordinary sweetness for the Warsingali
country: it flows from a cleft in the rock broad enough to admit a man's
body, and about 60 feet deep.
_23rd January_.--Lieutenant Speke was about to set out under the guidance
of Awado, the Abban's mother, when her graceless son reappeared. At noon
the caravan travelled along a rough road, over the lower spurs of the
mountains: they went five miles, and it was evening when they unloaded in
a watercourse a little distance up the hills, at a place called Dallmalay.
The bed was about 150 yards broad, full of jungle, and showed signs of a
strong deep stream during the monsoon. The travellers made up a Kraal, but
found no water there.
_24th January_.--Early in the morning the caravan started, and ascended by
a path over the hills. The way was bare of verdure, but easy: here a camel
unable to walk, though unloaded, was left behind. One of Lieutenant
Speke's discharged camel-men, a Warsingali, being refused passage by the
Habr Gerhajis, on account of some previous quarrel, found a stray camel,
and carried it off to his home amongst the Dulbahantas. He afterwards
appeared at Las Kuray, having taken the road by which the travellers
entered the country. Having marched eleven miles, the caravan arrived in
the evening at Gobamiray, a flat on the crest of the mountains. Here again
thick jungle appeared, and the traveller stood over more on the seaward
side. Water was distant.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 117 of 127
Words from 118125 to 119125
of 128411
