We went about half a mile farther towards the west before we came to the halting-place for the day, which was called Mulkukuyu, from the passage at this place over the Hawash; melka, or mulku, in the language of the Galla, signifying a ford.
Here I found a sudden change from the well-wooded character of the other side, for although high trees and a considerable jungle existed, we all at once halted in a lava-abounding country; low ridges, and steep, conical, crater-like hills being visible in whatever direction we turned. Still, these were all well moulded up to their bases, and numerous broad impressions of the feet of the heavy elephant, deeply indented the rich and fertile soil.
I was congratulating myself so entirely all the day at having reached the other side of the Hawash, that I made but very few other observations upon the surrounding country. Towards evening Ohmed Medina, with his usual anxiety for me to see as much as I could, brought four or five Hy Soumaulee to go with him and me to the shores of a large lake in the immediate neighbourhood. I found it to be an irregular and very circumscribed depression among some low flat-topped hills, and communicating by a deeply-cut but narrow channel, with the river. This was now however, quite dry, and the waters of the lake appeared to be much lower than the level of the Hawash. Lofty trees, many of them quite new to me, grew close down to the water’s edge. Beneath them were some white pelicans, with their heads and long beaks resting upon their craws, that seemed to be idly ruminating upon their last meal of fish.
The smooth surface of the lake at intervals, was frequently disturbed by the cautiously protruded face and nostrils of a bulky hippopotamus, which, snorting with a deeply-drawn breath, would prepare for his gambolling plunge again to the bottom. I fired several times, but without success, although my companions were satisfied themselves that some were killed, because the noise of the report, and perhaps the soft harmless tap of a leaden bullet, induced the animals to remove themselves farther off, or to keep altogether out of sight below the surface, as on occasions of emergency they can remain for a long period at the bottom without a fresh supply of air. I looked out for crocodiles, many of which, other travellers reported were to be seen in this lake. I do not question the correctness of these observations because I did not happen to see one myself. Many of my companions appeared to be familiar with the sight of them, for among other astonishing beasts I was to see at the Hawash was one, they told me, something like a lizard, which they used to represent by joining the two elbows together, and then opening wide the hands and fore arms, intimated what an extent of mouth this animal had. Traces of hyænas, and of some large feline animal, were repeatedly seen, and although I saw no elephants in this place, their sharp trumpet cry was heard throughout the next night.
On idly turning over some stones, to see the greatest number of scorpions I could find in one family, I came upon a large black centipede, curled up in the usual manner of these reptiles when they are exposed. Stooping to examine it more closely, Ohmed Medina and others, who had seen me without remark amusing myself with the scorpions now cried out that this would kill me, and some got up from the ground to pull me away, for they supposed I was going to take hold of it. Turning up my face with a peculiar look, as if to ask them if they thought me such a goose, I said in English inquiringly, “Bite like devil?” to which Ohmed Medina, in a tone of the most decided affirmation, made me laugh by repeating my words like an echo, “Bite like devil!” accompanied with repeated nods of the head so appropriately, that he appeared fully to understand the import of the words he used.
We loitered along the stony banks of the lake until long after the moon had risen, in the vain hope that the hippopotami would come out to graze, as is usual with them during the night. This, however, they were prevented doing, being alarmed by loud laughter and the clapping of hands which proceeded from our camp, for the younger people of the Kafilah were amusing themselves with dancing to celebrate their safe passage over the Hawash. The unusual noise confined the unwieldy beasts to their watery home, although the frequent rough snort, and the ripple which followed their return to the bottom of the lake, were evidences of the interest with which they watched for the termination of the boisterous sounds that, so unaccountably to them, broke upon the stillness of night, and usurped with whooping yells the usual retreats of solitude and silence.
A sympathetic feeling we shared with the hungry animals occasioned us to return to camp, where Zaido excused himself for having nothing ready to eat, save some sun-dried strips of raw meat, by telling me that he had been occupied the whole evening with washing his tobe and that of Ohmed Mahomed. To interest me more in the excuse, he entered into the details of some great curiosity in the water way, which he described as lying more to the west than the lake I had just been visiting. This he asserted to be a natural reservoir of soap and water, and as evidence of its cleansing qualities, pointed to the dancers and to others more tranquil, who had lain down for the night, and I could perceive by the light of the moon a great improvement in the appearance of their tobes, the whiteness of which was really remarkable, considering the state of dirt and grease I had seen them in during the morning. As this water was also said to be undrinkable, and had a very bad smell, I concluded it to be some mineral water, and determined to visit it the next morning.
A lucifer match and a few dry sticks soon produced a crackling blaze, upon which was thrown a yard or two of the meat rope, that was quickly cooked and as speedily disappeared, and as soon as the dinner things were carried away, and the cloth removed, I joined in the festive revelries, taking part in turns both in the opera and ballet. A spirit of merriment seemed to be abroad, and I saw no reason why I should not join the rest, so picked up an old gourd-shell bottle, sat myself down on the top of my hut, and contributed to the music by thumping a hollow-sounding tune out of the bottom of this primitive tambourine. The dancing circle in front redoubled their efforts, shrieking, laughing, yelling, clapping hands, and hopping on alternate legs around a central figure, who, with body and head now bent forwards, now thrown backwards, slowly pirouetted in a direction contrary to that of the others, whilst with equal vigour, he plied his open hands. Thus they danced, thus I and others played; and when tired, I threw down my musical instrument, Allee and another struggled for the direction of the band, and I left the former far outshining me both in vivacity and dexterity of touch, although he managed luckily for my repose, very soon to knock out the bottom of the gourd, and thus gave the signal for the party to break up.
May 21st.—We started by sunrise this morning, the principal Wahama Kafilah alone accompanying us; the remainder, belonging to the different tribes, determined to remain at Mulkukuyu another day. About half a mile from our halting-place, we marched along the border of the washing lake, and I turned aside, with some of the Kafilah people, to examine it.
A few minutes’ walk satisfied me that it occupied the basin-like depression of one of a number of low extinct craters, among which we had just been moving. A descent of a few yards, took me to the edge of the water, which, as I expected, was of a mineral character, having an alkaline taste, and slightly impregnated with sulphuretted hydrogen gas, detected by its smell. The lake was nearly circular; but its diameter was not one hundred yards in length. Its surface presented a green appearance, not occasioned, as I could perceive, by any subaqueous vegetation; and the water, when taken out, was colourless, and very clear.