The Sultan Could Not Change, He Said,
The Route Settled By A Former Sahib.
He appears, though famed for honesty
and justice, to have taken a partial view of Lieutenant Speke's property.
When
The traveller complained of his Abban, the reply was, "This is the
custom of the country, I can see no fault; all you bring is the Abban's,
and he can do what he likes with it."
The next day was passed unpleasantly enough in the open air, to force a
march, and the Sultan and his party stuck to the date-bag, demanding to be
fed as servants till rations were served out to them.
_18th November_.--About 2 A.M. the camels (eleven in number) were lightly
loaded, portions of the luggage being sent back to Kurayat till more
carriage could be procured. The caravan crossed the plain southwards, and
after about two miles' march entered a deep stony watercourse winding
through the barren hills. After five miles' progress over rough ground,
Lieutenant Speke unloaded under a tree early in the afternoon near some
pools of sweet rain water collected in natural basins of limestone dotting
the watercourse. The place is called Iskodubuk; the name of the
watercourse is Duktura. The Sultan and the Abban were both left behind to
escort the baggage from Las Kuray to Kurayat. They promised to rejoin
Lieutenant Speke before nightfall; the former appeared after five, the
latter after ten, days. The Sultan sent his son Abdallah, a youth of about
fifteen years old, who proved so troublesome that Lieutenant Speke was
forced repeatedly to dismiss him: still the lad would not leave the
caravan till it reached the Dulbahanta frontier. And the Abban delayed a
Negro servant, Lieutenant Speke's gun-bearer, trying by many offers and
promises to seduce him from service.
_19th November_.--At dawn the camels were brought in; they had been
feeding at large all night, which proves the safety of the country. After
three hours' work at loading, the caravan started up the watercourse. The
road was rugged; at times the watercourse was blocked up with boulders,
which compelled the travellers temporarily to leave it. With a little
cutting away of projecting rocks, which are of soft stone, the road might
be made tolerably easy. Scattered and stunted Acacias, fringed with fresh
green foliage, relieved the eye; all else was barren rock. After marching
about two miles the traveller was obliged to halt by the Sultan; a
messenger arrived with the order. The halting-place is called Damalay. It
is in the bed of the watercourse, stagnating rain, foul-looking but sweet,
lying close by. As in all other parts of this Fiumara, the bed was dotted
with a bright green tree, sometimes four feet high, resembling a willow.
Lieutenant Speke spread his mat in the shade, and spent the rest of the
day at his diary and in conversation with the natives.
The next day was also spent at Damalay. The interpreter, Mohammed Ahmed, a
Somali of the Warsingali tribe, and all the people, refused positively to
advance.
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