[3] The Abyssinian word for thread, “fatalah,” has something in its sound that recalls the idea of the three spinners, typical of man’s destiny. If, as is probable, the mythological representation of the Greeks be of Egyptian origin, then the word “fatalah,” may have some connexion with our word fate.
CHAPTER VI.
Return to Aliu Amba.—Visited by Hy Soumaulee—Complain of being cheated by Ohmed Mahomed.—Christians of Abyssinia and of the Greek Church generally forbidden the use of tobacco.—Miriam’s house and furniture.—Islam contempt for Christianity.—Evening walk.—Begging monks.
This morning, Walderheros having hired a mule for two salt-pieces, we proceeded to Aliu Amba. I was not sorry, on reaching the summit of the ridge in front of Ankobar, to see again the Dinkee vale, stretching away before me, studded with eminences and little hill villages. As nearly as possible in the centre of them all, was the flat circumscribed summit of the rock of Aliu Amba, which we did not lose sight of during the whole hour occupied in descending to its foot. The ride was most tiresome, but my mule had more reason to be dissatisfied than myself, and glad she was to be at length ascending the irregular sized steps of displaced stones, which leads on to the little plain before we reach the first houses in the town. Here she broke into a gallop, and carried me unresistingly across the market-place, and along a narrow winding lane, with thatched houses, each in its own snug enclosure, on either side. At the wicket of one of these the animal stopped, and my sudden appearance rather astonished two women who were sitting in the door porch busily spinning cotton. “Woi Gypt, Woi Gypt,” they repeatedly exclaimed, as they got up from the ground, just in time to meet Walderheros, who now came running up. He soon explained the mistake of the mule, and taking hold of the bridle, led her about one hundred yards farther along the lane, to a house the most miserable looking of any I had yet seen in the town.
Here, however, I was informed Lieut. Barker had resided for nearly four months, previously to his return to Aden, and I had been advised, in Ankobar, to live in the same house, at least until a better one could be obtained from the Governor. The landlady was a poor Mahomedan woman, named Miriam, a widow with two children, one a grown up youth of seventeen, named Ibrahim, and the other a daughter, not more than three years old.
Arrangements were immediately made for my accommodation, and the news of my arrival soon spread about the town. Numerous visitors, Christian and Islam, thronged the entrance of the house all day, the floor being occupied by the more influential ones. I lay in a little recess, just long and deep enough to receive my bedstead, a low wooden frame, with a bottom of interlaced strips of hide, over which an ox skin was thrown for a mattress.
With such of my new friends who could speak Arabic, I managed to keep up something like a conversation, and also with some Indians and Persians, who came, among others, to pay their respects, whom I gratified with the relation of all the latest news from their respective countries.
The Governor of Aliu Amba, whose name was Tinta, had not returned from Angolahlah, but his misselannee, or deputy, dragged into my presence, by the horns, a fine goat, which he requested me to accept. Walderheros readily consented in my name, and relieved him at once of his charge, which was taken forthwith and slaughtered; the Deputy-Governor being chief butcher on the occasion, getting for his trouble the head and bowels, which, however, were first brought into me very dutifully, to obtain my permission for such a disposal.
Seeing preparations made for eating, the crowd gradually withdrew, and with considerable natural politeness left me alone to partake of my evening’s meal, without interruption. Fortunately I had brought with me, from the coast, a tea-kettle, frying-pan, and two other vessels of tinned copper. These now became very useful, and Walderheros was not long in placing before me a nicely cooked dinner of boiled meat.
A report of my arrival at Aliu Amba having been carried the same evening to Channo, the next morning I was astonished at seeing the house beset by a number of my Hy Soumaulee friends, who, although they were glad to see me, appeared to be not at all satisfied with something or other.