Tokoor-Ohha is a river famous for the number of buffaloes that are upon its banks, which are covered with large beautiful shady-trees, all of a hard red wood, called Dengui Sibber, or Breaker of Stones. They had neither fruit nor flower on them at this time, by which we might judge to what tribe they belong; but they are not ebony, which in this country is known by the name of Zopé.
On the 19th, at three quarters past six we left our station on Tokoor river, which we crossed about a quarter of an hour after, our direction being nearly S. W. The territory here is called Gilmaber, from Gilma, a small village a mile and a half distant to the southward. Gilmaber is about a mile and a half long, full of tall canes. From the time we left Tokoor river, we had been followed by a lion, or rather preceded by one, for it was generally a small gun-shot before us; and wherever it came to a bare spot, it would sit down and grumble as if it meant to dispute the way with us. Our beasts trembled, and were all covered with sweat, and could scarcely be kept on the road. As there seemed to be but one remedy for this difficulty, I took a long Turkish rifled gun, and crawling under a bank as near as possible, shot it in the body, so that it fell from the bank on the road before us, quite dead, and even without muscular motion. It proved to be a large lioness. All the people in this country eat the flesh of lions; as I have seen some tribes[19] in Barbary do likewise. We left the lioness to the inhabitants of the neighbouring village, skin and all; for we were so tired with this day's journey, that we could not be at the pains of skinning her.
A few minutes after this we passed the river Gilma, twice, which runs to the northward. At half past nine we joined Dabda road, and a few minutes after crossed the Quartucca, a small river running north.
The country here becomes more open, for the thick woods have small plains between them. In the entrance of a wood we found a man that had been murdered, and that very lately, as the wild beasts had not yet begun to touch the body; he had been ham-strung, and his throat cut, a performance probably of the neighbouring Shangalla. At fifty minutes past ten, our route being west, we passed under a hill a quarter of a mile on our right, upon which is a village called Salamgué. At a quarter past eleven we crossed the small river of Kantis; and a quarter of an hour afterwards we ascended a hill upon which stands a village of that name, inhabited by Mahometan Shangalla of the tribe of Baasa.
On the 20th we proceeded but a mile and a half; our beasts and ourselves being equally fatigued, and our cloaths torn all to rags. Guanjook is a very delightful spot by the river side; small woods of very high trees interspersed with very beautiful lawns; several fields also cultivated with cotton; variety of game (especially Guinea fowls, in great abundance) and, upon every tree, perroquets, of all the different kinds and colours, compose the beauties of Guanjook. I saw no parrots, and suppose there were none; but on firing a gun, the first probably ever heard in those woods, there was such a screaming of other birds on all sides, some flying to the place whence the noise came, and some flying from it, that it was impossible to hear distinctly any other sound. It was at this place that I shot that curious bird called the Erkoom[20] in Amhara; the Abba Gumba, in Tigrè; and here at Guanjook, Teir el Naciba, or the Bird of Destiny.
On the 22d, at three quarters past six we left Guanjook, and a few minutes after passed a small river called Gumbacca, and afterwards the river Tokoor. At half an hour past eight we rested there, and three hours after came to the Guangue. The Guangue is the largest river we had seen in Abyssinia except the Nile and Taccazé. It rises near Tchelga, or between Tchelga and Nara. It joins the Tacazzé in the Barabra, in the kingdom of Sennaar. The two rivers when joined are called the Atbara, which gives its name to the province. It abounds with hippopotami, and crocodiles, chiefly the former, which however we thought were mostly smaller than those of the Nile.
At a quarter after one we came to Mariam-Ohha, and at half past three arrived at Hor-Cacamoot. Hor in that country signifies the dry deep bed of a torrent, which has ceased to run; and Cacamoot, the shade of death; so that Yasine's village, where we now took up our quarters, is called the Valley of the Shadow of Death: A bad omen for weak and wandering travellers as we were, surrounded by a multitude of dangers, and so far from home, that there seemed to be but one that could bring us thither. We trusted in Him, and He did deliver us.
Hor-Cacamoot is situated in a plain in the midst of a wood, so much only of which has been cleared away as to make room for the miserable huts of which it consists, and for the small spots of ground on which they sow mashilla, or maize, to furnish them with bread. Their other food consists entirely of the flesh of the elephant and rhinoceros, and chiefly of the former; for the trouble of hunting the elephant is not greater than chasing the rhinoceros, and the difference of gain is much superior. The elephant has a greater quantity of better flesh, while his large teeth are very valuable, and afford a ready price everywhere. The inhabitants being little acquainted with the use of fire-arms, the smaller game, of the deer kind, are not much molested, unless by the wild Shangalla, who make use of bows and arrows, so that these animals are increased beyond imagination.
Ras el Feel consisted once of thirty-nine villages. All the Arabs of Atbara resorted to them with butter, honey, horses, gold, and many other commodities; and the Shekh of Atbara, living upon the frontier of Sennaar, entertained a constant good correspondence with the Shekh of Ras el Feel, to whom he sent yearly a Dongola horse, two razors, and two dogs. The Shekh of Ras el Feel, in return, gave him a mule and a female slave; and the effect of this intercourse was to keep all the intermediate Arabs in their duty.
Since the expedition of Yasous II. against Sennaar, no peace has ever subsisted between the two states; on the contrary, all the Arabs that assisted the king, and were defeated with him, pay tribute no longer to Sennaar, but live on the frontiers of Abyssinia, and are protected there. The two chiefs of Atbara, and Ras el Feel, understand one another perfectly, and give the Arabs no trouble; and, if they pay their rent to either, it is divided between both. It was through the means of these Arabs the king of Abyssinia's army was furnished, as we have seen, with heavy horses; and it was in consequence of my depending on this friendship with the Shekh of Teawa, that I attempted going thro' that province to Sennaar.