On leaving Shoa the Caffilah
people marked with a jealous eye that I seemed to number the slaves and
camels, and Deeni reported to me that they had observed my making entries
in my note-book. Whenever the Bedoos on the road caught sight of a piece
of paper, they were loud in their demands for it. [4] Our marches were so
rapid that I was scarcely allowed time sufficient to prepare for the
fatigues of the ensuing day, and experience had taught me the necessity of
keeping a vigilant watch. [5] Aware that Government must be anxious for
information from the 'Mission,' I performed the journey in a shorter space
of time than any messenger, however highly paid, has yet done it, and for
several days lived on coffee and parched grain. Moreover, on arrival at
Aden, I was so weak from severe illness that I could write but at short
intervals.
"It will not, I trust, be considered that the alteration in my route was
caused by trivial circumstances. It would have been absurd to have
remained with the Bedoos without an interpreter: there would have been
daily disputes and misunderstandings, and I had already sufficient insight
into the character of Datah Mahomed to perceive that his avarice was
insatiable. Supposing I had passed through his hands, there was the chief
of Bedar, who, besides expecting much more than I had given to Datah
Mahomed, would, it is almost certain, eventually have forwarded me to
Tajoorah. Finally, if I can believe the innumerable reports of the people,
both at Tajoorah and Zalaya, neither I myself nor my servants would ever
have passed through the kingdom of Hurrur. The jealousy of the prince
against foreigners is so great that, although he would not injure them
within the limits of his own dominions, he would cause them to waylaid and
murdered on the road."
FOOTNOTES
[1] Thus in the original. It may be a mistake, for Captain Barker is, I am
informed, a proficient in conversational Arabic.
[2] This chief was the Emir Abubakr, father of Ahmed: the latter was
ruling when I entered Harar in 1855.
[3] As the youth gave perfect satisfaction, he received, besides the ten
dollars, a Tobe and a European saddle, "to which he had taken a great
fancy."
[4] In these wild countries every bit of paper written over is considered
to be a talisman or charm.
[5] A sergeant, a corporal, and a Portuguese cook belonging to Captain
Harris's mission were treacherously slain near Tajoorah at night. The
murderers were Hamid Saborayto, and Mohammed Saborayto, two Dankalis of
the Ad All clan. In 1842 they seem to have tried a _ruse de guerre_ upon
M. Rochet, and received from him only too mild a chastisement. The
ruffians still live at Juddah (Jubbah ?) near Ambabo.
