CHAPTER VI.
Staying at Dulhull.—March 31st, Journey to Segallo, distance one and a-half miles, general direction S.S.W.—Halt for the night.—Journey to Daddahue, distance ten miles, general direction W.S.W.—Attack of the Bursane subdivision of the Ad’alee tribe.—Halt for the night.
March 30th.—During the night, Ohmed Mahomed made his appearance, and at day-break his loud voice, calling to load the camels, awakened me with a start. Zaido, with a small kid-skin filled with very dirty water, poured a little into my hands, which I then threw over my face, wiped it dry with my silk handkerchief (my napkin having been stolen the night before), and thus finished my hasty toilet. After having troubled myself to saddle my own mule, I found that the camels were being unloaded again, and on inquiry, learned that there was a division in the camp. One party wishing to remain for some more camels to join us, and the other desirous of starting without any delay. It was at length agreed that the camels going to take up salt at Bahr Assal should go on to that place one day in advance of the Kafilah I belonged to, so as to give them time to load. We were to follow the next morning, to enable the camels to come up, belonging to some parties who had sent a messenger from Tajourah to say they would join us in the course of the day. To this course no reasonable objection could be raised, as it was the interest of the Ras, or head of the Kafilah, and of every camel-owner that composed it, to get as great a number of people together as possible to resist any extortion, or repel any attack that might be made by the different tribes we should meet with on the road. Ohmed Mahomed, therefore, consented to this arrangement, and we were detained at Dulhull another day in consequence. I noticed after Ohmed Mahomed’s arrival in camp, that great, and I thought very unnecessary, care was taken to guard me from any attack at night. My place being more securely shut in, and Ohmed Mahomed and his servants taking care to lie at the entrance, and around it. Ohmed had his reason for this, and I should not have slept very comfortably had I been then fully aware of the threats held out by the Debenee against any unfortunate Engreez travelling through their country, and of which I was only subsequently informed.
Our Kafilah during this day was increased by twenty-four camels, which made the total number, with the few that had gone on to the Bahr Assal, eighty-four, and we could muster altogether about forty fighting men; we had besides a few women and boys in company. Five Bedouins from the Hy Soumaulee tribe, who had been transacting some business in Tajourah, also accompanied us, and offered for five dollars each to be my personal guard on the road, and the rumours of intended attacks, and the evident anticipation of such by Ohmed Mahomed, made me agree to the proposal. Garahmee, Moosa Gra, Adam Burrah, Moomen, and Omah Suis were accordingly enlisted into my service.
It must be observed, that in the first instance in Tajourah, these men had been passed off to Mr. Cruttenden as being part of the escort of ten men which had been agreed upon should be provided, and for which Mr. Cruttenden had paid twenty-five dollars per man to Izaak and Cassim. I now learnt that besides the owners of the camels themselves, none had been so engaged to defend the property of the Mission, and that these Bedouins belonged to us no farther than I chose to engage them, and feeling the necessity of the case, I did not hesitate in coming to a conclusion upon the subject, protesting at the same time against the deception practised upon Mr. Cruttenden.
Subsequent events proved how greatly I was obliged to these men and their tribe for the protection they afforded me, and without their assistance I feel assured I could never have delivered the stores safe in Shoa, or have brought also along with me a quantity of other property belonging to the Mission that I found on the road, and which had been abandoned by the officers of the preceding division. Their fidelity to our engagement was also remarkable, considering the reported bad character of this people, which I must say was confirmed by my own observation; but as by the terms of our engagement they were to receive no money until our arrival in Abyssinia, it was their interest, of course, to be faithful to their charge, for in case of any accident preventing me or the stores reaching our destination, it was understood they were not to receive their pay.
I was a witness to-day of the barbarous manner in which the Dankalli brand the camel. It seems two different marks are required, both of which are made with a red-hot iron. One intimates the tribe of the owner, the other his private mark. Two camels had been purchased by another Ibrahim, a cousin of Ebin Izaak, a young quiet-looking fellow, and less violent in his manner than is usual among his countrymen; he, however, did not practise the less forbearance towards his new purchase, but proceeded at once to stamp them as his property. The fore legs of one of the camels being first secured by a strong leathern thong; another was afterwards fastened around the hind ones in a similar manner. A rope attached to the former was then made to run through the loop of the latter, and this being pulled by three or four men the feet were all drawn together, and the consequence was that the poor animal fell with tremendous force to the ground, uttering the most horrible cries. A piece of iron about half an inch thick, and some two feet long, being heated red-hot was then applied to the shoulder, nearly the whole length, and three successive marks were thus inflicted. The iron being heated afresh each time, remained until it was quite cold upon the skin, which curled up in a most sickening manner as the rude instrument was taken off. Three similar marks were also made upon the rump, after which the animal was liberated, and allowed to get up. I was glad there were only these two to be operated upon, for I never heard such bellowing shrieks that disturbed the camp during the operation, such only as camels can produce when suffering bodily pain.
A goat being killed to-day for my use, and all the meat not being required, it was cut into long strips, about an inch in thickness, and hung up in the sun to dry, being festooned about the sides of my hut, from the projecting ends of the saddle-staves, which assisted in forming the roof. Zaido set me to watch, that no hungry kite out of the number which were circling above us should pounce upon, and carry the meat away. I, however, amused myself more with their impudent stoops, and Zaido, on his return from watering his camels, found the goat’s flesh rapidly disappearing, more to the satisfaction of the birds than his own. What remained, however, being sufficiently dry, he hastily put into a large skin bag, which he tied up ready for loading on the morrow, our start being announced by public criers to take place next morning.
March 31st.—Zaido and Allee being busy loading the camels, I started with Ohmed Mahomed, and my body-guard on foot, leaving my mule to follow. Our road lay still along the sea-shore, the sand having become more shingly than before, and mixed with great quantities of broken shells, and rolled pieces of red and madrapore coral. I took the opportunity of bathing while the party I was with performed their ablutions, and repeated the morning prayers.