[2] A Sepoy's tent, pent-house shaped, supported by a single transverse
and two upright poles and open at one of the long ends.
[3] Since returning I have been informed, however, by the celebrated
Abyssinian traveller M. Antoine d'Abbadie, that in no part of the wild
countries which he visited was his life so much perilled as at Berberah.
[4] Lieut. Speke had landed at Karam harbour on the 24th of March, in
company with the Ras, in order to purchase camels. For the Ayyun or best
description he paid seven dollars and a half; the Gel Ad (white camels)
cost on an average four. In five days he had collected twenty-six, the
number required, and he then marched overland from Karam to Berberah.
I had taken the precaution of detaching Lieut. Speke to Karam in lively
remembrance of my detention for want of carriage at Zayla, and in
consequence of a report raised by the Somal of Aden that a sufficient
number of camels was not procurable at Berberah. This proved false.
Lieuts. Stroyan and Herne found no difficulty whatever in purchasing
animals at the moderate price of five dollars and three quarters a head:
for the same sum they could have bought any reasonable number. Future
travellers, however, would do well not to rely solely upon Berberah for a
supply of this necessary, especially at seasons when the place is not
crowded with caravans.
[5] The Elders of the Habr Awal, I have since been informed, falsely
asserted that they repeatedly urged us, with warnings of danger, to leave
Berberah at the end of the fair, but that we positively refused
compliance, for other reasons. The facts of the case are those stated in
the text.
[6] They prefer travelling during the monsoon, on account of the abundance
of water.
[7] The framework is allowed to remain for use next Fair-season.
[8] The attacking party, it appears, was 350 strong; 12 of the Mikahil, 15
of the Habr Gerhajis, and the rest Eesa Musa. One Ao Ali wore, it is said,
the ostrich feather for the murder of Lieut. Stroyan.
[9] Mohammed, his Indian servant, stated that rising at my summons he had
rushed to his tent, armed himself with a revolver, and fired six times
upon his assassins. Unhappily, however, Mohammed did not see his master
fall, and as he was foremost amongst the fugitives, scant importance
attaches to his evidence.
[10] At this season native craft quitting Berberah make for the Spit late
in the evening, cast anchor there, and set sail with the land breeze
before dawn.
