THE AUTHOR ATTENDING TO ARAB AILMENTS.
March 3rd.—Mahomet Sali was summoned before the council just after breakfast, and his delinquencies forcibly pointed out. What he said for himself I do not know, as I picked up a shot-gun and rifle, taking one of the boys with me to carry the rifle and anything I shot. This river is full of crocodiles, turtle, and fish. I was not long out ere a crocodile received a bullet from my rifle. I also shot a sacred ibis, a crocodile bird, and a beautiful golden-crested eagle.
In the afternoon the big net was sent on a camel some considerable distance down the river, where it was rather deep, accompanied by most of our men and ourselves. The river was dragged, and about 100lbs. of fine fish were secured, some weighing 10 or 12 lbs. The addition of fish to our dinner was much appreciated.
March 4th.—The nights are now getting decidedly warm, so much so that I sleep now with simply a sheet covering me and both ends of my tent open. To-day it is 94° in the shade. Last night Sali saw a wild beast pass quite close to the camp just where he was sleeping. Presently he heard him washing himself, and indulge in a little vocal display. There was no mistaking his note—it was a lion. Sali at once called Mr. Phillipps, but could not get any intelligible reply from him, as he was so excessively sleepy, and knew nothing about it until next morning. Others, however, were much vexed with Sali for not letting them know.
Mahomet Sali was sent off this morning with five camels and two men to the Hamrans to procure dhurra. We at the same time, 10 a.m., strike our tents and start for the Basé Settite, to the great disgust of our men, who manifest a decided disinclination to visit that locality. We lunched at Khor-Maiateb on a nice piece of table-land overlooking a beautiful sheet of water, and shaded by tamarisk, tamarind, and other trees. This place simply swarmed with crocodiles. I saw a great many Marabou-storks and two Egyptian geese; one of the latter I managed to bag, and part of the skeleton of a hippopotamus—the carcase of which, I doubt not, had provided a rare feast for his slayers.
After lunch we pushed on, and very soon travelled over some vile country. First of all over very stony road, then down a very steep declivity, over rocks and big stones, next up a mountain side of the same character—no road, no pathway even; then along a mountainous pathway, through an awfully sterile country, covered with nothing but leafless trees, withered grass, and precipitous rocks, finally encamping at Boorkattan, above the most gigantic rocks of basalt, of great extent, these again overlooking the river. We can see, probably a day’s march from here, an immense tall mountain in Abyssinia, on the summit of which is said to be a fortress. We found the large footprints of the hippopotamus in the sand by the river, and quite expect to have him in the morning.
We find before night that we are in Abyssinia, so that it is quite evident Mahomet Sali has not adhered strictly to the truth, as here we are positively in Abyssinia in one day’s march. I indulged three times after our arrival in a bath in the river. I dare not dive into any of the pools, fearing that a crocodile might consider me a delicate morsel, but picked out a kind of cradle on the edge, where I could lie down comfortably.
March 5th.—We hear that there is an Abyssinian village about seven miles from here, and that our men are determined they will not proceed any further than this camp. They also think that our camp, pitched as it is on such elevated ground, can be plainly seen by Abyssinians, who they quite expect will make an attack on us to-day. Should they do so, we should come off badly, as there are no means of forming a zareeba. It is quite apparent that they did not feel easy in their minds last night, as a considerable number near my tent were chattering away half the night, instead of going to sleep or allowing me to do so.
After breakfast Beyrumfi was sent for. A great pow-wow ensued, he definitely stating that we can go no further without getting right among Abyssinians, that the country is so rocky, wild, and mountainous that hunting is impossible, and the camels cannot travel there. Accordingly orders are given to load up the camels and return to Khor-Maiateb, where we lunched yesterday.