In Haste We Rejoined The Caravan, Which We Found About
Sunset, Halted By The Vain Fears Of The Guides.
The ridge upon which they
stood was a mass of old mosques and groves, showing that in former days a
thick population tenanted these hills:
From the summit appeared distant
herds of kine and white flocks scattered like patches of mountain quartz.
Riding in advance, we traversed the stony ridge, fell into another ravine,
and soon saw signs of human life. A shepherd descried us from afar and ran
away reckless of property; causing the End of Time to roll his head with
dignity, and to ejaculate, "Of a truth said the Prophet of Allah, 'fear is
divided.'" Presently we fell in with a village, from which the people
rushed out, some exclaiming, "Lo! let us look at the kings!" others,
"Come, see the white man, he is governor of Zayla!" I objected to such
dignity, principally on account of its price: my companions, however, were
inexorable; they would be Salatin--kings--and my colour was against claims
to low degree. This fairness, and the Arab dress, made me at different
times the ruler of Aden, the chief of Zayla, the Hajj's son, a boy, an old
woman, a man painted white, a warrior in silver armour, a merchant, a
pilgrim, a hedgepriest, Ahmed the Indian, a Turk, an Egyptian, a
Frenchman, a Banyan, a sherif, and lastly a Calamity sent down from heaven
to weary out the lives of the Somal: every kraal had some conjecture of
its own, and each fresh theory was received by my companions with roars of
laughter.
As the Gudabirsi pursued us with shouts for tobacco and cries of wonder, I
dispersed them with a gun-shot: the women and children fled precipitately
from the horrid sound, and the men, covering their heads with their
shields, threw themselves face foremost upon the ground. Pursuing the
Fiumara course, we passed a number of kraals, whose inhabitants were
equally vociferous: out of one came a Zayla man, who informed us that the
Gudabirsi Abbans, to whom we bore Sharmarkay's letter of introduction,
were encamped within three days' march. It was reported, however, that a
quarrel had broken out between them and the Gerad Adan, their brother-in-
law; no pleasant news!--in Africa, under such circumstances, it is
customary for friends to detain, and for foes to oppose, the traveller. We
rode stoutly on, till the air darkened and the moon tipped the distant
hill peaks with a dim mysterious light. I then called a halt: we unloaded
on the banks of the Darkaynlay fiumara, so called from a tree which
contains a fiery milk, fenced ourselves in,--taking care to avoid being
trampled upon by startled camels during our sleep, by securing them in a
separate but neighbouring inclosure,--spread our couches, ate our frugal
suppers, and lost no time in falling asleep. We had travelled five hours
that day, but the path was winding, and our progress in a straight line
was at most eight miles.
And now, dear L., being about to quit the land of the Eesa, I will sketch
the tribe.
The Eesa, probably the most powerful branch of the Somali nation, extends
northwards to the Wayma family of the Dankali; southwards to the
Gudabirsi, and midway between Zayla and Berberah; eastwards it is bounded
by the sea, and westwards by the Gallas around Harar. It derives itself
from Dirr and Aydur, without, however, knowing aught beyond the ancestral
names, and is twitted with paganism by its enemies. This tribe, said to
number 100,000 shields, is divided into numerous clans [47]: these again
split up into minor septs [48] which plunder, and sometimes murder, one
another in time of peace.
A fierce and turbulent race of republicans, the Eesa own nominal
allegiance to a Ugaz or chief residing in the Hadagali hills. He is
generally called "Roblay"--Prince Rainy,--the name or rather title being
one of good omen, for a drought here, like a dinner in Europe, justifies
the change of a dynasty. Every kraal has its Oddai (shaikh or head man,)
after whose name the settlement, as in Sindh and other pastoral lands, is
called. He is obeyed only when his orders suit the taste of King Demos, is
always superior to his fellows in wealth of cattle, sometimes in talent
and eloquence, and in deliberations he is assisted by the Wail or Akill--
the Peetzo-council of Southern Africa--Elders obeyed on account of their
age. Despite, however, this apparatus of rule, the Bedouins have lost none
of the characteristics recorded in the Periplus: they are still
"uncivilised and under no restraint." Every freeborn man holds himself
equal to his ruler, and allows no royalties or prerogatives to abridge his
birthright of liberty. [49] Yet I have observed, that with all their
passion for independence, the Somal, when subject to strict rule as at
Zayla and Harar, are both apt to discipline and subservient to command.
In character, the Eesa are childish and docile, cunning, and deficient in
judgment, kind and fickle, good-humoured and irascible, warm-hearted, and
infamous for cruelty and treachery. Even the protector will slay his
protege, and citizens married to Eesa girls send their wives to buy goats
and sheep from, but will not trust themselves amongst, their connexions.
"Traitorous as an Eesa," is a proverb at Zayla, where the people tell you
that these Bedouins with the left hand offer a bowl of milk, and stab with
the right. "Conscience," I may observe, does not exist in Eastern Africa,
and "Repentance" expresses regret for missed opportunities of mortal
crime. Robbery constitutes an honorable man: murder--the more atrocious
the midnight crime the better--makes the hero. Honor consists in taking
human life: hyaena-like, the Bedouins cannot be trusted where blood may be
shed: Glory is the having done all manner of harm. Yet the Eesa have their
good points: they are not noted liars, and will rarely perjure themselves:
they look down upon petty pilfering without violence, and they are
generous and hospitable compared with the other Somal.
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