PATIENTS ARRIVE FROM ALL PARTS—ROUGH JOURNEYS—ARRIVE AT THE HAMRAN SETTITE—MAHOMET SALI DECEIVES US—CROCODILES, TURTLE, AND FISH—WE MOVE ON TO BOORKATTAN, IN ABYSSINIA—NEXT DAY WE MOVE OFF, AS ABYSSINIANS APPROACH—WE CATCH ENORMOUS QUANTITIES OF FISH WITH THE NET—NARROW ESCAPE FROM A WOUNDED BUFFALO—THE COORBATCH ADMINISTERED—SCORPIONS AND SNAKES—HAMRANS VISIT US—HAMRAN MODE OF HUNTING AND SNARING—HAMRAN AND BASé—THE HAMRANS THREATEN TO FIRE ON US—AGAIN RETURN TO THE HAMRAN SETTITE—ENCAMP AT OMHAGGER.
February 27th.—I was well employed at my medicine chest again this morning. Amongst some of my patients was a man who had followed us about for weeks from Kassala, but had always arrived too late to come up with us. Many others whom I had attended before we entered the Basé[245] country also visited me, expressing their thanks for what I had done for them, and presenting me with a spear, a shield, an Arab knife, a gourd of wild honey, a sheep, and other things; indeed, I met with more gratitude amongst those poor Arabs than I have in much more favoured climes where people are well educated, and where the sentiment often is very scarce, as well as the money.
February 28th.—This morning, about seven o’clock, a great number of women and children came close to camp making a great noise with the accompaniment of the tom-toms and that peculiar trilling note to which I have before alluded. It seems that this was a complimentary serenade, and that they were rejoicing at our deliverance from the hands of the Philistines.
Yesterday was occupied a good deal in making arrangements with Sheik Ahmed for a march on to the Basé Settite. Mahomet Sali, who knows the country well, will be our principal guide there. We have not seen a flowing river since we left Kassala; we hope soon to do so, and are told that we shall find any number of nellut, gazelles, tetél, buffalos, giraffes, hippopotamus, lions, leopards, crocodiles, and plenty of fishing, besides monkeys, baboons, golden-crested and toke or fish eagles, paroquets; rollo-birds, and grouse, doves, guinea-fowl, partridges,[246] king-fishers, &c., surely a sufficient assortment of sport to satisfy the most ardent sportsman.
A start was not effected until two. Sheik Ahmed, with some minor chiefs and a number of his people, accompanied us a part of the way, which was an uninteresting monotonous journey of about 10 miles over a dry, dusty plain, the only vegetation being a great number of mimosa bushes, not trees. The only game observed on the way was a few gazelles. Encamped at Falookoo, in Basé territory, at 5.30 p.m.
February 29th.—Marched from 10 to 4; encamping on a wretched plain, where the fine dust was about an inch thick, pitched our tents near to a deep well at Sogoda. Several Basé came to salute us. They do not seem quite so wild as those we have lately been amongst, and most of them wear a tope. This was not by any means an enjoyable journey, as the roads were bad and mountainous, and covered with intensely prickly trees, through which my camel rushed me, and which lacerated my poor face, legs, arms, clothes, and helmet in a dreadful manner. Needles and thread were in great request after dinner to repair the damage done to clothes.
March 1st.—This has been a long, tedious march from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. All the discomforts and thorn-scratchings of yesterday intensified six fold; frequently men had to go on in front and cut down[247] trees to enable the caravan to proceed. At 5 p.m. we arrived at a river-bed, dug a well, filled our barrels with water and resumed our journey. It was past 12 at midnight ere we dined, and 2 a.m. before we retired to our much-needed rest, which we had very little of, as we were up at 6 a.m.
March 2nd.—Feeling stiff, sore, and tired. A bath would have been most refreshing, but this morning we were obliged to deny ourselves the luxury because all the water obtainable was in our barrels. Although our clothes and flesh have not been so lacerated to-day, the march has been tedious and very monotonous. For nine successive hours our route lay through an immense forest of young mimosa trees; these and a quantity of dry, withered grass was all that we saw during the time, except a few wild hogs, one of which was chased and speared by a native. By 5 p.m. all our water was gone, and the thirst of every one was excessive, the heat being so great, 94° F. in the shade. After travelling 13 hours, we encamped at 9.30 p.m. by a broad, noble-looking river, the Tacazze or Settite which lay like a lake in front of our camp, either side being fringed with shrubs and trees of all kinds, amongst the branches of which brilliant plumaged birds unsuspiciously roosted, little thinking that I should be looking after them on the morrow.
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This river was to us a most refreshing sight after travelling hundreds of miles over burning deserts and khors or dry river-courses, never seeing water except by digging for it. It was 12 o’clock this night ere we got our dinner. All are very angry with Mahomet Sali, our guide, who professed, and no doubt does know, the whole of this country and neighbourhood well, for he has brought us, not to the Basé, but the Hamran Settite, where there is not very much game, as the Hamrans, or sword-hunters, have destroyed it. This fellow told us on the way that he would take us to the Basé Settite, within two days or less of Abyssinia, where there would be plenty of game of all kinds, and here he brings us about three days out of the way. An unpleasant interview and discourse will ensue with Mahomet Sali on the morrow. Mr. F. L. James thinks, rightly or wrongly I don’t know, that Sheik Ahmed has instructed Mahomet Sali and Beyrumfi not to take us to the Basé Settite, fearing we might get into trouble, either with them, or, what was more likely, with the Abyssinians. This place is called Geebau.
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[249] 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[250] 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[251] 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,[252] 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.
I had just fixed my bag, rifle, &c., on my camel, when Mr. Aylmer came running to me, rifle in hand, saying, “Doctor, get your rifle and revolver ready. Some of our men say that they have seen a large body of Abyssinians coming down on us, some on horseback and some on foot; but at present they are a pretty good distance off.” Our caravan was nearly ready to start. Of course we all armed ourselves pretty quickly; then saw some of our camel-drivers (one old fellow particularly) working themselves up into a frenzy of excitement, leaping about like lunatics, at the same time brandishing their spears in a most threatening manner, indicative of what would be the fate of the enemy should they appear. As we looked upon this performance as so much waste of time, we scruffed these fellows, boxed their ears, and told them to make haste and load up their camels, which they did with a will. As a rule they are generally a couple of hours loading, but now they were wonderfully quick, accomplishing the work in half the usual time. We got off in safety, and arrived at Khor-Maiateb in the afternoon. Temperature, 95° in the shade.
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March 6th.—Crocodiles are rather too common here to be pleasant, and interfere with the luxury of the morning and evening bath. To avoid any unpleasant contretemps, I generally collected together several big stones by the side of a large pool, threw them in one after the other to frighten the crocodiles away, then threw myself in. This device proved eminently successful, enabling me to enjoy a plunge and a short swim. I need scarcely say I did not fool about long in the water, fearing they might return to see what white object was swimming about.
To-day we used the large net, and landed 210lbs. of different kinds of fish. Keeping sufficient for our dinner, the rest was divided between our men, who ate what they wanted, throwing the remainder into the bushes or anywhere round the camp, causing an insufferable stench next day, which we did not get rid of until the fish had been all gathered up and thrown into the river.
March 7th.—The little canvas boat is in great request, and enables us to go a good way up and down the river. The net was used to some purpose to-day, for we landed 360lbs. of fish and one turtle. At 12 a.m. about 20 Basé came ............