I Took The Opportunity Of Praising Harar In
Cautious Phrase, And Especially Of Regretting That Its Coffee Was Not
Better Known Amongst The Franks.
The small wizen-faced man smiled, as
Moslems say, the smile of Umar [43]:
Seeing his brow relax for the first
time, I told him that, being now restored to health, we requested his
commands for Aden. He signified consent with a nod, and the Gerad, with
many compliments, gave me a letter addressed to the Political Resident,
and requested me to take charge of a mule as a present. I then arose,
recited a short prayer, the gist of which was that the Amir's days and
reign might be long in the land, and that the faces of his foes might be
blackened here and hereafter, bent over his hand and retired. Returning to
the Gerad's levee-hut, I saw by the countenances of my two attendants that
they were not a little anxious about the interview, and comforted them
with the whispered word "Achha"--"all right!"
Presently appeared the Gerad, accompanied by two men, who brought my
servants' arms, and the revolver which I had sent to the prince. This was
a _contretemps_. It was clearly impossible to take back the present,
besides which, I suspected some finesse to discover my feelings towards
him: the other course would ensure delay. I told the Gerad that the weapon
was intended especially to preserve the Amir's life, and for further
effect, snapped caps in rapid succession to the infinite terror of the
august company. The minister returned to his master, and soon brought back
the information that after a day or two another mule should be given to
me. With suitable acknowledgments we arose, blessed the Gerad, bade adieu
to the assembly, and departed joyful, the Hammal in his glee speaking
broken English, even in the Amir's courtyard.
Returning home, we found the good Shaykh Jami, to whom we communicated the
news with many thanks for his friendly aid. I did my best to smooth his
temper about Turkish history, and succeeded. Becoming communicative, he
informed me that the original object, of his visit was the offer of good
offices, he having been informed that, in the town was a man who brought
down the birds from heaven, and the citizens having been thrown into great
excitement by the probable intentions of such a personage. Whilst he sat
with us, Kabir Khalil, one of the principal Ulema, and one Haji Abdullah,
a Shaykh of distinguished fame who had been dreaming dreams in our favour,
sent their salams. This is one of the many occasions in which, during a
long residence in the East, I have had reason to be grateful to the
learned, whose influence over the people when unbiassed by bigotry is
decidedly for good. That evening there was great joy amongst the Somal,
who had been alarmed for the safety of my companions: they brought them
presents of Harari Tobes, and a feast of fowls, limes, and wheaten bread
for the stranger.
On the 11th of January I was sent for by the Gerad and received the second
mule. At noon we were visited by the Shaykh Jami, who, after a long
discourse upon the subject of Sufiism [44], invited me to inspect his
books. When midday prayer was concluded we walked to his house, which
occupies the very centre of the city: in its courtyard is "Gay Humburti,"
the historic rock upon which Saint Nur held converse with the Prophet
Khizr. The Shaykh, after seating us in a room about ten feet square, and
lined with scholars and dusty tomes, began reading out a treatise upon the
genealogies of the Grand Masters, and showed me in half a dozen tracts the
tenets of the different schools. The only valuable MS. in the place was a
fine old copy of the Koran; the Kamus and the Sihah were there [45], but
by no means remarkable for beauty or correctness. Books at Harar are
mostly antiques, copyists being exceedingly rare, and the square massive
character is more like Cufic with diacritical points, than the graceful
modern Naskhi. I could not, however, but admire the bindings: no Eastern
country save Persia surpasses them in strength and appearance. After some
desultory conversation the Shaykh ushered us into an inner room, or rather
a dark closet partitioned off from the study, and ranged us around the
usual dish of boiled beef, holcus bread, and red pepper. After returning
to the study we sat for a few minutes,--Easterns rarely remain long after
dinner,--and took leave, saying that we must call upon the Gerad Mohammed.
Nothing worthy of mention occurred during our final visit to the minister.
He begged me not to forget his remedies when we reached Aden: I told him
that without further loss of time we would start on the morrow, Friday,
after prayers, and he simply ejaculated, "It is well, if Allah please!"
Scarcely had we returned home, when the clouds, which had been gathering
since noon, began to discharge heavy showers, and a few loud thunder-claps
to reverberate amongst the hills. We passed that evening surrounded by the
Somal, who charged us with letters and many messages to Berberah. Our
intention was to mount early on Friday morning. When we awoke, however, a
mule had strayed and was not brought back for some hours. Before noon
Shaykh Jami called upon us, informed us that he would travel on the most
auspicious day--Monday--and exhorted us to patience, deprecating departure
upon Friday, the Sabbath. Then he arose to take leave, blessed us at some
length, prayed that we might be borne upon the wings of safety, again
advised Monday, and promised at all events to meet us at Wilensi.
I fear that the Shaykh's counsel was on this occasion likely to be
disregarded. We had been absent from our goods and chattels a whole
fortnight: the people of Harar are famously fickle; we knew not what the
morrow might bring forth from the Amir's mind--in fact, all these African
cities are prisons on a large scale, into which you enter by your own
will, and, as the significant proverb says, you leave by another's.
However, when the mosque prayers ended, a heavy shower and the stormy
aspect of the sky preached patience more effectually than did the divine:
we carefully tethered our mules, and unwillingly deferred our departure
till next morning.
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