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.
On arriving, the camels were seized by the Urus Sugay, a clan of the Habr
Gerhajis. The poor wretches pretended to show fight, and asked if they
were considered a nation of women, that their country was to be entered
without permission. Next morning they volunteered to act as escort.
_25th January_.--Loading was forbidden by the valiant sons of Habr
Gerhajis; but as they were few in number, and the Warsingali clan was
near, it went on without interruption. This day, like the latter, was
cloudy; heavy showers fell for some hours, and the grass was springing up.
Rain had lasted for some time, and had not improved the road. This fall is
called by the people "Dairti:" it is confined to the hills, whereas the
Gugi or monsoon is general over the plateau.
About noon the caravan marched, late, because the Abban's two horses had
strayed. These animals belonged to a relation of the "Protector," who
called them his own, and wished as a civility to sell the garrons at the
highest possible price to his client. The caravan marched down a tortuous
and difficult road, descending about four miles. It unloaded as evening
drew near, and the travellers found at Gambagahh a good dormitory, a cave
which kept out the rain. Water was standing close by in a pool. The whole
way was a thick jungle of bush and thorn.
_26th January_.--The Somal insisted upon halting to eat, and the caravan
did not start before noon. The road was tolerable and the descent oblique.
The jungle was thick and the clouds thicker; rain fell heavily as usual in
the afternoon. Five cloths were given to the Habr Gerhajis as a bribe for
passage. After a march of six miles the caravan halted at a place called
Minan. Here they again found a cave which protected them from the rain.
Water was abundant in the hollows of the rock.
_27th January_.--Early in the morning the caravan set out, and descended
the hill obliquely by a tolerable road. They passed a number of thorn
trees, bearing a gum called Falafala or Luban Meyti, a kind of
frankincense: it is thrown upon the fire, and the women are in the habit
of standing over it.
