Among the wild Gudabirsi the Russian war was a topic
of interest, and at Harar I heard of a violent storm, which had damaged
the shipping in Bombay Harbour, but a few weeks after the event.
The Bedouin returned with an empty skin but a full budget. I will offer
you, dear L., a specimen of the "palaver" [6] which is supposed to prove
the aphorism that all barbarians are orators. Demosthenes leisurely
dismounts, advances, stands for a moment cross-legged--the favourite
posture in this region--supporting each hand with a spear planted in the
ground: thence he slips to squat, looks around, ejects saliva, shifts his
quid to behind his ear, places his weapons before him, takes up a bit of
stick, and traces lines which he carefully smooths away--it being ill-
omened to mark the earth. The listeners sit gravely in a semicircle upon
their heels, with their spears, from whose bright heads flashes a ring of
troubled light, planted upright, and look stedfastly on his countenance
over the upper edges of their shields with eyes apparently planted, like
those of the Blemmyes, in their breasts. When the moment for delivery is
come, the head man inquires, "What is the news?" The informant would
communicate the important fact that he has been to the well: he proceeds
as follows, noting emphasis by raising his voice, at times about six
notes, and often violently striking at the ground in front.
"It is good news, if Allah please!"
"Wa Sidda!"--Even so! respond the listeners, intoning or rather groaning
the response.
"I mounted mule this morning:"
"Even so!"
"I departed from ye riding."
"Even so!"
"_There_" (with a scream and pointing out the direction with a stick).
"Even so!"
"_There_ I went."
"Even so!"
"I threaded the wood."
"Even so!"
"I traversed the sands."
"Even so!"
"I feared nothing."
"Even so!"
"At last I came upon cattle tracks."
"Hoo! hoo!! hoo!!!" (an ominous pause follows this exclamation of
astonishment.)
"They were fresh."
"Even so!"
"So were the earths."
"Even so!"
"I distinguished the feet of women."
"Even so!"
"But there were no camels."
"Even so!"
"At last I saw sticks"--
"Even so!"
"Stones"--
"Even so!"
"Water"--
"Even so!"
"A well!!!"
Then follows the palaver, wherein, as occasionally happens further West,
he distinguishes himself who can rivet the attention of the audience for
at least an hour without saying anything in particular. The advantage of
_their_ circumlocution, however, is that by considering a subject in every
possible light and phase as regards its cause and effect, antecedents,
actualities, and consequences, they are prepared for any emergency which,
without the palaver, might come upon them unawares.
Although the thermometer showed summer heat, the air was cloudy and raw
blasts poured down from the mountains. At half past 3 P.M. our camels were
lazily loaded, and we followed the course of the Fiumara, which runs to
the W. and S. W. After half an hour's progress, we arrived at the gully in
which are the wells, and the guides halted because they descried half-a-
dozen youths and boys bathing and washing their Tobes.
