Accompanied by Ebin Izaak I went in search of some gum myrrh, as I was very anxious to procure specimens of the leaves, flowers, and seeds of the tree that yields this useful drug, and a description of which I had been taught, had long been a desideratum in “Materia Medica.”
There are in the country of Adal two varieties; one, a low thorny ragged-looking tree, with bright green leaves, trifoliolate, and an undulating edge, is that which has been described by Ehrenberg, and a wood-cut of which will be found in page 1629 of the second volume of Pereira’s “Elements of Materia Medica.” This produces the finest sort of myrrh in our shops. The other is a more leafy tree, if I may use the expression, and its appearance reminded me exceedingly of the common hawthorn of home, having the same largely serrated, dark green leaves, growing in bunches of four or five, springing by several little leaf-stalks from a common centre. These bunches are arranged alternately around the branch, at the distance of half an inch from each other, but varying with the age and size of the branch. The young shoots appear to be these sessile bunches, which, more luxuriant in their growth, project their axis into one long common foot-stalk, around which the leaves are then arranged singly, exactly, if I remember right, as do the young shoots of the hawthorn, the terminations of which, like in the myrrh-tree, decaying, leave strong thorns. The flowers are small, of a light green colour, hanging in pairs beneath the leaves, and in size and shape resemble very much the flowers of our gooseberry-tree. According to the system of Linnæus, with which alone I am acquainted, it belongs to the class octandria, order monogynia, the eight stamens being alternately long and short, the former corresponding to the four partial clefts in the edge of the one-leafed calyx. The fruit is a kind of berry, that, when ripe, easily throws off the dry shell in two pieces, and the two seeds it contains, escape. The outer bark is thin, transparent, and easily detached, the inner thick, woody, and, if cut with a knife, appears to abound with vessels, from the divided extremities, of which a yellow turbid fluid (the gum myrrh) immediately makes its appearance. This, if wiped off upon paper, leaves a greasy stain, like oil would do. Naturally the gum exudes from cracks in the bark of the trunk near the roots, and flows freely upon the stones immediately underneath. Artificially, it is obtained by bruises made with stones. Iron instruments are never employed to produce the wound, not from any prejudice, I believe, but from the scarcity of that metal, and the great care taken of their weapons by the Dankalli, and from finding, perhaps, that a blow given with a stone occasions a broader injury to the bark, and that the gum exudes more plentifully in consequence. The natives collect it principally in the hot months of July and August, but it is to be found, though in very small quantities, at other times of the year. It is collected in small kid-skins, and taken to Errur, where the Hurrah merchants, when they pass through that country on their way home from Shoa, purchase it. An equal quantity of tobacco is given in exchange for it. The Hurrah merchant conveys it to the great annual market at Berberah, from whence great quantities are shipped for India and Arabia.
During our search for the myrrh, I often came upon the gum Arabic mimosa, with its little black thorn, very different from the long white-thorned variety from which I obtained some of the red gum. Gum Arabic, when taken from the tree, is soft, and of an agreeable taste, something resembling very young wheat in the ear, and must be a nutritious and pleasant food. The Dankalli seemed to be perfectly aware of its demulcent effect in allaying thirst, and insisted that in the absence of water, it was a sufficient substitute. When I thought upon the numerous instances of benevolent adaptations for our happiness and convenience in other more favoured spots, I could not help reflecting, experienced as I was in the scanty resources of a desert, how much more striking, in such situations, were these extraordinary provisions against human suffering in cases of extremity.
On returning to the camp my attention was directed to a singular phenomenon. Exactly over head was a large circular cloud, like a huge shield, in the centre of which the sun shone with a subdued light, a brilliant boss. The outer circle or edge of the cloud was of a bright silver colour, then a narrow band of dull yellow, and the remainder, until it reached the bright centre, was as black as a heavy thunder-cloud. Its diameter was about one-fourth of the sky. In about an hour it gradually disappeared, leaving for a short time afterwards a perfectly circular rainbow around the sun, at the distance of its original circumference. I observed, that although the sun seemed to shine very brightly, as if through an aperture in the centre of this singular appearance, it cast no shadow, and also that the air was much cooler during its continuance. It frequently occurs in Adal, and appears to depend, like the halo around the moon, upon the moisture in the atmosphere.
A geographical discussion on the situation of Hurrah and Abasha concluded the day, and after superintending the cooking of one of the guinea-fowls, I turned into my hut, for supper and then to bed. Thunder, lightning, and rain seemed to promise an uncomfortable night, but after a short heavy shower, I was agreeably disappointed by its clearing up and continuing fine for the rest of the night.
April 23d.—Left Koranhedudah, or “the Plain of Ravens,” by sunrise, our march continuing along the banks of a small river flowing towards the south-east into the new lake of Doweleeka. A day or two before I had been told, as something peculiar, that we should cross such a watercourse. It appeared to be a permanently-running water, for the trees on either bank were of an unusual size, and some of them of a novel character, but I had no opportunity of examining them closely. Having forded the stream where it flowed over a broad surface of rather large stones, some of which were not covered by the water, we entered an extensive plain, abounding with a rank coarse grass, amidst the tufts of which we travelled for nearly three hours, passing a deserted kraal, with numerous broken stone enclosures for folding the young of the flock. Numerous kairns were also visible. It was very evident that at some seasons this plain was a favourite resort of the Bedouins, and, in fact, after another hour’s march, during which we crossed two or three narrow brooks, we came suddenly upon a number of native huts, situated on a ridge of lava, which here, as in several other places in the plain, protruded through the clayey soil.
This encampment belonged to the tribe of my Hy Soumaulee friends, and were the first huts of the natives I had seen during my journey. There were about twenty or thirty of them, but Ohmed Mahomed, with great gravity, informed me that the name of the city was Herhowlee, the plain around being called Lukhee. On my expressing a wish to see the interior of one of the mansions, a very handsome nice-looking girl, to whom Ohmed Mahomed applied, immediately assented, and took me to her father’s, I suppose, for on our arrival there was no one to be seen but an old gentleman, nearly blind. He was busily employed stirring with a stick some kind of grain, which was boiling in a red earthenware pot over the fire. The house itself was exactly the same, as some I had seen at Berberah, about twelve feet long by six in breadth and height, consisting of a frame of bent twigs, over which were thickly laid mats of the palm leaf, sufficient to throw off the rain, whilst entire leaves of the same tree, placed perpendicularly, closed the farther extremity. The fire-place was a small circle of stones, occupying the one half of the entrance end, and which portion was also protected by a shielding of palm-leaves, whilst the other half was left open to serve as a door. There was nothing like furniture in the place, except a flat stone reared against the side of the room, which, from its mealy appearance, was evidently used as a mill. From the roof was hung one of the large water-tight baskets of the common construction, containing, I presume, the family riches of tobacco, beads, bits of paper, coloured rags, and lumps of sheep’s-tail fat. Very few natives interrupted me in my examination, as they evidently thought I was fascinated with the beauties of their handsome sister; and this little experience was of service to me, for afterwards, when, as was always the case, I did not want to be troubled with the numerous beggars who, in populous districts, besiege the traveller with requests for everything they see, I used to station at the entrance of my hut one of their women, and it was seldom, or never, that the men would then intrude, and if they did, some trifle, or a word from my keeper, always sent them away. The husband or the father of the woman, however, always came up on leaving our halting-place to receive the gift which was expected for the services performed, and which, of course, when I came to understand their customs better, I took care to reserve for them. The traveller will generally find that the older his duenna is, the more relief and rest he will obtain after his journey, for she will take care to keep away all intruders, and it is laughable to observe the abuse or threats they indulge in, whenever the younger girls come peeping and running about. A few needles, a piece of blue Surat cloth for the head, and another for their principal male friend, is all and more than they expect; whilst the freedom from annoyance and constant watching, which is secured by this proceeding, is of great service to the traveller after the fatigue of a long day’s journey.
The plain of Lukhee, at that part of it where we were, appears to have been once a similar valley to that we had travelled along during the three last days, but it has been completely filled up, with the deposited sediment of the numerous small streams in this neighbourhood, to the height of the lava plateau through which these wide and deep fissures, have originally radiated.
The country around extending in one wide plain, advantage had been taken of the little eminence, near which the huts were erected, to form a kind of small solid look-out, about fifteen feet high, built of loose stones, and used on occasions of anticipated invasion, by the inhabitants of Herhowlee, who could here keep watch and announce the approach of danger. Ohmed Mahomed and two of my Hy Soumaulee escort took me to its summit, to point out the different distant eminences visible from it. Before us, to the south, lay the extensive plain of Lukhee, over which was just discernible, at the distance of at least fifty miles, the high hills of Goror, near the town of Hurrah, where the coffee brought to Berberah is largely cultivated. Turning towards the north we could perceive the abrupt termination of the flat-topped lava ridges, about the river of Killaloo; whilst to the south-west was the valley of Gaiel, through which flowed the waters of Errur on to Killaloo. To the west the plain extended to the Hawash, near to which were two hills, whose tops were just visible, called Hyhilloo and Abhidah.
In the evening I went with Himyah and Ohmed Medina after some antelopes, but could not get near enough to them; however, we roused a large yellow-coloured snake, of at least five feet in length, that, unscathed by my hurried shot at him, went hissing hot, into his hole under a clump of grass, nor did he cease making the noise, until the last of his tail had disappeared, just in time to escape being pinched off, by the butt-end of a spear, which was struck at it by Ohmed Medina.