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THE "NILE TRIBUTARIES
OF ABYSSINIA,
AND THE
SWOKD HUNTERS OF THE HAMRAN ARABS.
BY
SIR SAMUEL W. BAKER, M.A. F.R.G.S.
t\
GOLD MEDALLIST OF THE ROYAL GEOGRAPHICAL SOCIETY;
GRANDE MEDAILLK D'OR DE LA SOCI^TE DE GEOGRAPHIE DE PARIS ;
AUTHOR OF THE "ALBERT N'YANZA GREAT BASIN OF THE NILE," "EIGHT YEARS'
WANDERINGS IN CEYLON," " THE RIFLE AND THE HOUND IN CEYLON,"
ETC. ETC.
OF THE
UNIVERSITY
MACMILLAN AND CO.
1867.
(The Eight o/ Translation is reserved.)
001
I DEDICATE THIS BOOK,
WITH SPECIAL PERMISSION,
His |icmal pgljmss Iptei (Jtrfomrtr,
PEINCE OF WALES,
AS THE FIRST OF
ENGLAND'S KOYAL RACE
WHO HAS SAILED UPON THE WATERS OF
THE NILE;
THE LAKE SOURCES OF WHICH MIGHTY RIVER ARE HONOUPtED
BY THE NAMES OF
HIS AUGUST PAEENTS.
PEEFACE.
THE work entitled " The Albert N'yanza Great Basin
of the Nile," published in 1866, has given an account
of the equatorial lake system, from which the Egyptian
river derives its source. It has been determined by
the joint explorations of Speke, Grant, and myself,
that the rainfall of the equatorial districts supplies
two vast lakes, the Victoria and the Albert, of suffi-
cient volume to support the Nile throughout its entire
course of thirty degrees of latitude. Thus the parent
stream, fed by never-failing reservoirs, supplied by the
ten months' rainfall of the equator, rolls steadily on its
way through arid sands and burning deserts until it
teaches the Delta of Lower Egypt.
I 2
viii PREFACE.
It would at first sight appear that, the discoveiy of
the lake sources of the Nile had completely solved the
mystery of ages, and that the fertility of Egypt de-
pended upon the rainfall of the equator concentrated
in the lakes Victoria and Albert ; but the exploration
of the Nile tributaries of Abyssinia divides the Nile
system into two proportions, and unravels the entire
mystery of the river, by assigning to each its due share
in ministering to the prosperity of Egypt.
The lake-sources of Central Africa support the life
of Egypt, by supplying a stream, throughout all
seasons, that has sufficient volume to support the
exhaustion of evaporation and absorption ; but this
stream, if unaided, could never overflow its banks, and
Egypt, thus deprived of the annual inundation, would
simply exist, and cultivation would be confined to the
close vicinity of the river.
The inundation, which by its annual deposit of mud
has actually created the Delta of Lower Egypt, upon
the overflow of which the fertility of Egypt depends,
has an origin entirely separate from the lake-sources of
Central Africa, and the supply of water is derived
exclusively from Abyssinia.
PREFACE. ix
The two grand affluents of Abyssinia are, the Blue
Nile and the Atbara, which join the main stream
respectively in N.lat. 15 30' and 17 37'. These rivers,
although streams of extreme grandeur during the
period of the Abyssinian rains, from the middle of
June until September, are reduced during the dry
months to utter insignificance; the Blue Nile be-
coming so shallow as to be unnavigable, and the
Atbara perfectly dry. At that time, the water supply
of Abyssinia having ceased, Egypt depends solely upon
the equatorial lakes, and the affluents of the White
Nile, until the rainy season shall again have flooded
V
the two great Abyssinian arteries. That flood occurs
suddenly about the 20th June, and the grand rush of
water pouring down the Blue Nile and the Atbara
into the parent channel, inundates Lower Egypt,
and is the cause of its extreme fertility.
Not only is the inundation the effect of the Abys-
sinian rains, but the deposit of mud that has formed
<*:
the Delta, and which is annually precipitated by the
rising waters, is also due to the Abyssinian streams,
more especially to the river Atbara, which, known as
the Bahr el Aswat (Black Kiver) carries a larger pro-
x PREFACE.
portion of soil than any other tributary of the Nile ;
therefore, to the Atbara, above all other rivers, must
the wealth and fertility of Egypt be attributed.
It may thus be stated : The equatorial lakes feed
Egypt ; but the Abyssinian rivers cause the inun-
dation.
This being a concise summary of the Nile system,
I shall describe twelve months' exploration, during
which I examined every individual river that is tribu-
tary to the Nile from Abyssinia, including the Atbara,
Settite, Eoyan, Salaam, Angrab, Rahad, Binder, and
the Blue Nile. The interest attached to these portions
of Africa differs entirely from that of the White Nile
regions, as the whole of Upper Egypt and Abyssinia is
capable of development, and is inhabited by races
either Mohammedan or Christian ; while Central Africa
is peopled by a hopeless race of savages, for whom
there is no prospect of civilization.
The exploration of the Nile tributaries of Abyssinia
occupied the first twelve months of my journey
towards the Nile sources. During this time, I had the
opportunity of learning Arabic and of studying the
character of the people ; both necessary acquirements,
PREPACK xi
which led to my ultimate success in reaching the
" Albert N'yanza. " As the readers of the work of
that title are aware, I was accompanied throughout
the entire journey by my wife, who, with extraordinary
hardihood and devotion, shared every difficulty with
which African travel is beset.
CONTENTS.
CHAPTER I.
ABOVE THE CATARACT.
Sterility Arrival at Korosko Twenty-six Days from Cairo The
Nubian Desert Nature's Pyramids Yolcanic Bombs The
Stony Sea The Camel's Grave The Crows of Moorahd A
Delicious Draught Eocks of the Desert The perished Regi-
ment Arrival at the Nile Distance from Korosko Gazelles
of the Desert Dry ness of the Atmosphere Arrival at Berber
Halleem Effendi's Garden Halleem gives Advice The Nile
rising Visit of the Ladies The Pillars of Sand The Gover-
nor's Friendship Save me from my Friends . . Page 1 25.
CHAPTER II.
The Cairo Dragoman Mahomet Mahomet forsakes his Pistols
The Route to the Atbara The Dry Bed of the River The
Dome Palm Preparation of the Fruit Pools of the Atbara
Collection of Birds Charms of the Desert Suffering of Men
and Beasts Collodabad Hippopotamus kills the Arab -Daring
Feat of the Fish-Eagle Hippopotamus-shooting Hippopotami
bagged Delight of the Arabs Fishing Catch a Tartar Lose
my Turtle Soup Gazelle Shooting The Speed of the Gazelle
Preparation of Water-skins Tanning the Hides Shoot a
Crocodile The River comes down The mighty- Stream of the
Atbara Change in the Season Page 26 54.
xiv CONTENTS.
CHAPTER III.
WILD ASSES OF THE DESERT.
My First and Last Appetite for raw Meat The Bishareen Arabs
Gozerajup The First Rain Limits of the Desert The Haden-
dowa Arabs The Wells of Soojal up Antelopes Capabilities
for Cotton Cultivation Arab Migrations The Arab's Prayer
The Barren Women Difficulty in fording the River Gash
Arrive at Cassala Hospitality of the Greek Merchant.
Page 5571.
CHAPTER IV.
ROUTE FROM CASSALA TO SOUAKIM.
Facilities of the Port of Souakim Fortifications of Cassala Con-
quest of Nubia Cruel Taxation Extreme Cheapness of Corn
Cultivation of Cereals Arab Bread Military Position of
Cassala The Base Prepare to start from. Cassala Mahomet's
Family Tree Mahomet meets Relations We cross the Gash
Stalking the Ariel Bagged the Game Descent of Vultures
Change of Scenery The Source of the Delta The Parent of
Egypt Page 7291
CHAPTER V.
THE STORM.
Cotton. Farm of Malem Georgis Ferocious Crocodiles Shoot a
Monster The Public Enemy Resistance of a Crocodile's Scales
Discover Gold HeavyAction of the Camel El Baggar selects
a Hygeen The Easy-goer, suitable for a Lady Hooked Thorns
of the Mimosa We charge a Kittar Bush The Scorpion's
Sting Sudden Deluge A Regiment of Scorpions Valley of
the Atbara The Migration of Camels A Milk Diet The Arab
Exodus The Desert Patriarch Pay e 32 111.
CONTENTS. xv
CHAPTER VI.
SHEIK ACHMET ABOU SINN.
The Arab Welcome Abou Sinn's Advice Arab Tribes of Nubia
A Hint to Octogenarians The Arab Pomade The Arab Lady's
Perfumery The Fatal Mixture The Coiffure of the World
The Arab Woman's Head-dress " The Dust became Lice through
all Egypt" The Arab Charms The Rabat or Arab Kilt-
Arab Weddings No Divorce Court Anointing with Oil
Nomadic Habits of the Arabs Unchanging Customs of the-
Arabs The Hand of God Religion of the Arabs.
Page 112131.
CHAPTER VII.
THE DEPARTURE.
First-class Hygeens Travelling Arrangements The Evening Bi-
vouac The Junction of the 'Settite River Sheik Atalan
Wat Said Abyssinian Frontier Ismael Pasha burnt alive
Mek Nimmur The Enemy of Egypt Arrival at Sofi The
Reception Position of Sofi Florian, the German Settler
The Cattle Fly Peculiarities of the Seasons The New Camp
I become a Householder Arrangement of our Establish-
ment My " Baby " An African Elysium No Pipe ! The
Elements at Work Page 132154.
CHAPTER VIII.
THE PLAGUES OF EGYPT.
Go into Half Mourning " Child of the Fever " The Arab M.D.
Arab Fondness for Relics The Pest Spots of the World The
Dangers of Holy Shrines Arrival of the IJoly Body The
Faky's Grave Arab Doctoring Delights of Arab Surgery
xvi CONTENTS.
The Pig and the Koran Sword Hunters of the Hamran
Arabs The Arab Shields Hints for carrying the Sword
Keenness of the Edge Arab Swordsmanship The Aggageers
Elephant-hunting with the Sword Disabled by his own
Sword Maria Theresa Great Failure The Baboons and
the Crocodile The drowned Elephant Game on the East
Bank Capabilities of the Soil Tanning of Leather Native
Baskets and Matting Bacheet is too attentive " Oh Bacheet !
You Ignoramus ! " Ferocity of the Seroot Fly Cross the
Atbara The Impromptu Raft Stalking Giraffes Within
Range The First Rush of the Herd The Retreat of the
Giraffes Death of the Giraffes Passage of the River The
Giraffe Sentry A Difficult Stalk The Seroot Fly takes
Possession Giraffe Steaks A Hunt for the Tetel Floating
O
Meat across a River Buoy for Men and Cargo Scare the
Crocodiles The Lions devour the Giraffe Arab Music
Arrange to cross the River Page 155 204.
CHAPTER IX.
FORM A RAFT WITH THE SPONGING BATH.
The Impromptu Ferry Achmet is tempted by Satan Mahomet's
Relative absconds End of the Rainy Season The Seroot Fly
disappears The "Till" Preparations for Fishing " That
was a Monster!" The "Bayard" Masara the Slave Cross
the Peninsula to Settite Jungle Cooking A miserable Night
Shoot badly Fishing in the Atbara A Good Run
Another Monster Bacheet lands Him The Baboons visit
us The Coor Wild Vegetables Death of Atalan Wat Said
Catch a Baggar Fish salting The Arbour. Page 205 230.
CHAPTER X.
A FEW NOTES AT EH^TILLA.
Fire the Valley Arrival of Birds Seized by a Crocodile-
Audacity of the Buzzard The Abomination of Thorns
CONTENTS. xvii
Boa Constrictor The Baboons * hunt for Berries Masses of
small Birds Cunning of the Crocodile Method of seizing its
Prey Horse- dealing Arab Saddles and Bits Arrive at
Sherif el Ibrahim Arrival at the Settite Recall of Mahomet
Sheik Achmet Wat el Negur Mansfield Parkyns Advan-
tages of a "Sweet Name" Elephants destroy the Crops An
Invitation to Shoot The Hippo challenges Bacheet A Good
Shot A Rush at the Carcase Elephants at Night Kill
an Elephant Page 231-256.
CHAPTER XL
THE FORD.
Girls carried away by the Rapids An Amphibious Arab Girl
Search for the Body The Corpse recovered The Sheik lays
down the Law "The Fact is simply Impossible "The
Sheik's Idea of Matrimony The Duties of His Eour Wives
The Maimed, the Halt, and the Blind The Arab Fakeers
or Priests "All the Same with a little Difference" The Cure
for Frendeet Arrival at Katariif The Market Day Scenes at
the Fair Custoni of scarifying the Cheeks The Galla Slave
Purchase her Freedom Singular Misunderstanding Ma-
homet's Explanation Mek Nimmur invades the Frontier
Mek Mmmur's Tactics Insecurity of the Country Mek
Mmmur sends me his Compliments Rodur Sherrif 's Withered
Arm The Aggageers Mixture for Bullets We make Arrow-
root Florian's Hunter Arrive at Geera Follow a Herd of
Elephants Track up the Elephants A Tremendous Crash A
Critical Position The Forehead Shot The Half-pound Ex-
plosive Shell Recover my old wounded Elephant Fraternise
with the Sword Hunters Page 257295.
CHAPTER XII.
OLD NEPTUNE JOINS THE PARTY.
The Arab Centaurs Wild Arab Horsemanship Discipline of the
Gun-bearers Off goes the Gun, and its Master ! Ombrega
xviii CONTENTS.
(Mother of the Thorn) Leopard springs into the Camp The
Dog carried offThe Bull Elephant The Forehead Shot
fails The Mountain Chain of Abyssinia A Hunt after a
Herd of Baboons The Prisoners A Course after a Tetel
The Cry of Buffaloes "We hunt and capture The Baboons
take Leave The Valley of the Settite The Bull Buffalo
The Island Canip Mahomet hears the Lions Tales of the
Bas6 Page 296317.
CHAPTER XIII.
THE LIONS FIND THE BUFFALO.
We seek an Introduction The Start of the Sword Hunters
The Bull Elephant The "Baby" Screams at him The
Fight, Sword in Hand Abou Do's Blade tastes Blood
We find the Herd Jali leads the Party The Forehead
Shot fairly proved The Charge of the Phalanx My "Baby"
kicks viciously Abou Do slashes the Sinew The Boar
wounds Richarn Old Moosa the Sorcerer Neptune and
his Trident The Beauty of the Settite Borders of the
River The Hippopotamus Hunter The Hippo is harpooned
A Cheer for Old Neptune Death of the Hippopotamus
Character of Hippopotami Habits of the Animal Activity
of the Hippopotamus Page 318 342.
CHAPTER XIV.
A FOREBODING OF EVIL.
Jali's Thigh is broken Abou Do saves Jali Extraordinary Dex-
terity Jungle Surgery We lose our best Man My Tokrooris
determine to desert A little Diplomacy is required The Sick
are dosed " Embrace him ! " cried old Moosa We become
staunch Friends Abou Do's Weaknesses The Baobab The
Crop of Gum Arabic The Rhinoceros Now for a ."Tally Ho !"
The Hunt Close to their Tails" A Horse ! a Horse ! my
Kingdom for a Horse !" The last Moment Difficulty of Hunt-
CONTESTS. xix
ing Power of Scent Horns of the Rhinoceros Peculiarity or
the Rhinoceros Rhinoceros Snare Barrake poisons herself
Attractive Food for Elephants Florian killed by a Lion
Gloomy Prediction . Page 343371.
CHAPTER XV.
ANTELOPES ON THE SETTITE.
The Camp at Delladilla Trionis Kilotica Fish linked to Reptiles
Scenes on the River's Margin The Nellut (A. Strepsicervs)
Swimming Rivers with a Horse The Lion The Lion Hunt
The Escape The Bull Buffalo Death of the Bull The Arabs'
Tit-bit The Arab Plan for making Eire The Mehede'het An-
telope Sauve qui Peutf Nearly Caught Eire clears the
Country Discretion the better Part of Valour The Camp in
Danger Nearly burnt out Crocodile-harpooning The ugly
little Statue Harpooning the Hippopotamus The Harpoon
fixed The Hippo determines to fight The Lances are blunted
Hor Mehetape Geological Features Unpleasant Report of
the Spies Page 372401.
CHAPTER XVI.
ABOU DO IS GREEDY.
Departure of the Aggageers Game returning from the River A
Bull Rhinoceros We stalk the Rhinoceros The Death The
Aggageers poach upon my Manor Their Prize dies Taher
Noor faces the Lion We start Fresh Game A Curious Shot
Bait for the Lions Highly exciting My Tokrooris don't
like the Lion The dying Lioness Brought into Camp Dif-
ficulty in tracking the Lions The Lion visits our Camp
Vis a vis with a Lion A Surprise Tetel faces the Wounded
Lion Wonderful Courage of the Horse Lions' Claws worn
as a Charm We commence Soap -boiling Savon a la Bete
Fero:e We bury Poor Barrakd Page 402 427.
xx CONTENTS.
CHAPTER XVII.
WE REACH THE ROYAN.
Hor Mai Gubba The Francolin Partridge We watch for Game
Out with the Aggageers The Banks of the Royan We find a
Bull Elephant Helter Skelter The Elephant at bay Rodur
with the withered Arm The Sword wins the Day The
nimble Base* dine cheaply The great Whirlpool The Royan
Junction with the Settite A Bull Rhinoceros Bacheet has to
run Egyptians invaded Mmmur's country Our Arabs decline
to proceed Obliged to threaten the Camels The Troop on a
Foray Narrow Escape The Rifle bursts We march from the
Settite Interesting Route Mineral Wealth of Abyssinia
Present to Mek jSTimmur The Abyssinian Minstrel Richard
Coeur de Lion I part with my dear Maria Theresa The Ghost
of the departed Fiddler The "Lay of the Last Minstrel "My
Introduction to Mek JSTimmur The Reception The Poisonous
Stream Unfortunate Contretemps Mnimur behaves like a
Gentleman Pharaoh's Lean Kine. . . . Page 428463.
CHAPTER XVIII.
A CAMEL FALLS, AND DIES.
Arabs consume the Raw Flesh Arrival at the Bahr Salaam
Character of the Torrents The Junction of the Angrab
Good Sport Four Lucky Hits A Fall over a Cliff We
save the Camel Narrow Escape The Hysena enters the
Tent Hippotragus Bakerii The Base of the Abyssinian
Alps Delightful Country Follow a Herd of Elephants
Aggahr takes the Lead Fall at the Feet of Elephants
Benighted on our Return to Camp "All's Well that Ends
Well" Page 464482.
CONTENI^. xxi
' CHAPTER XIX.
SEND A PARTY TO RECONNOITRE.
Ahead of the Camels The Maarif View from the Peak The
Rhinoceros attacks the Horse The Bullet saves him Arri-
val of the Horses The Rhinoceros Hunt Ridden to Bay
Arrival of Birds of Prey Habits of Vultures The Marabou
Stork Sight, not Scent, directs the Vulture ^Abou Seen
"Last but not Least" Route to Nahoot Guddabi Arrive at
the Atbara Last View of the Atbara The Atbara Explora-
tion completed Page 483 500.
CHAPTER XX.
ARRIVAL AT METEMMA, OR GALLABAT.
Poisonous Water The Trade of Abyssinia We encounter Mis-
v sionaries The Theological Blacksmith The Missionaries' Medi-
cine-Chest Jemma, Sheik of the Tokrooris The Egyptians
attack Gallabat Settlement of the Tokrooris Industry of the
Tokrooris Weapons, Type, and Character The Colonisation
by Tokrooris Honey Wine of Abyssinia All Drunk Last
Night Distance from an Act of Parliament We leave Gal-
2 labat A Row with the Tokrooris Tokroori Champion insists
on fighting A Real Flat-Xosed African Nigger Death of
Aggahr and Gazelle Eorced March to the Rahad The River
Rahad Page 501523.
CHAPTER XXI.
FERTILITY OF THE COUNTRY ON THE BANKS OF THE RAHAD.
Journey along the Rahad Rich Country We cross over to the
Dinder Ferocity of Crocodiles in that River Character of the
Dinder Activity of the African Elephant Distinction of
Species Peculiarity of Form African and Indian Elephants
C
xxii CONTENTS.
Destruction of Forests Elephant's Foot a Luxury Pre-
servation of Flesh and Fat for the March Preparation of Bread
for a Journey The Bos Caffer The most Formidable Animals
Rifles for Wild Countries Sundry Hints Bullets for Large
Game Antelopes of Central Africa and Abyssinia.
Page 524546.
CHAPTER XXII.
WE LEAVE THE CINDER.
Curious Hunting Party Character of Abyssinian Rivers Borassus
JEthiopicus Rufaar and the Arab Sheik The Blue Nile The
very gentlemanly Faky Regularly " sold " Arrival at Khar-
toum The British Lion The Zoological Collection The
Ostriches invite themselves to Tea I intercede for Mek
Nimmur King Theodore's Ultimatum Climate of the Sou-
dan Productions of the Soudan The Sageer, or Water-
wheel Uncontrolled Action of the Nile Suggestions for the
Irrigation of Egypt Why should not Science create a Delta?
A Series of Weirs upon the Nile The Benefits to Egypt and
to Civilization Ancient Works of Irrigation in Ceylon In-
dustrious Population of Egypt Capabilities for producing
Cotton The Great Sahara The Race of Life Prepare to
discover the White Nile Source .... Page 547 575.
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.
From Original Sketches by SIR S. W. BAKER.
PAGE
PORTRAITS Frontispiece
GAZELLE-STALKING IN THE DESERT 16
THE DESERT JOURNEY 99
THE SEROOT FLY 185
FIRST RUSH OF THE GIRAFFES 190
THE BAYARD 213
THE COOR 225
THE BAGGAR f . . 229
QUARREL OVER A HIPPOPOTAMUS 254
ARABS ATTACKING THE ELEPHANT WITH THE SWORD . . . . 323
THE RHINOCEROS HUNT. TAKER SHERIFF LEADS 36 i
HEAD OF THE BLACK RHINOCEROS 365
THE RHINOCEROSES HAVE IT ALL THEIR OWN WAY 387
HARPOONING THE CROCODILE 393
HARPOONING THE HIPPOPOTAMUS 395
THE FIGHT WITH THE BULL HIPPO 397
GAME RETURNING FROM THE RIVER 403
THE DYING LIONESS 416
CLOSE QUARTERS WITH THE LION 420
THE WHIRLPOOL AT THE ROYAN JUNCTION 440
THE SWORD WINS THE DAY 438
HEAD OF MEHEDEHET. (R. Ellipsiprymna) 469
UNPROVOKED ATTACK OF A RHINOCEROS UPON THE HORSE . . . 488
THE RHINOCEROS RIDDEN TO BAY 491
OF THE
UNIVERSITY
OF THE
UNIVERSITY
OF
THE
NILE TRIBUTARIES OF ABYSSINIA,
AND THE
SWOED HUOTEBS OF THE HAMRAX AKABS.
CHAPTER I.
ABOVE THE CATARACT.
AViTHOUT troubling the public with a description of
that portion of the Nile to the north of the first
cataract, or with a detailed account of the Egyptian
ruins, that have been visited by a thousand tourists,
I will commence by a few extracts from my journal,
written at the close of the boat voyage from
Cairo :
"May 8, 186 1. No air. The thermometer 104
Fahr. ; a stifling heat. Becalmed, we have been lying
the entire day below the ruins of Philse. These are
the most imposing monuments of the Nile, owing to
their peculiar situation upon a rocky island that com-
mands the passage of the river above the cataract.
The banks of the stream are here hemmed in by
ranges of hills from 100 to 250 feet high; these are
B
2 STERILITY. [CHAP. i.
entirely destitute of soil, being composed of enor-
mous masses of red granite, piled block upon block,
the rude masonry of Nature that has walled in the
river. The hollows between the hills are choked
with a yellow sand, which, drifted by the wind,
has, in many instances, completely filled the narrow
valleys. Upon either side of the Nile are vestiges
of ancient forts. The land appears as though it
bore the curse of Heaven ; misery, barrenness, and
the heat of a furnace are its features. The glowing
rocks, devoid of a trace of vegetation, reflect the
sun with an intensity that must be felt to be under-
stood. The miserable people wha dwell in villages
upon the river's banks snatch every sandbank from
the retiring stream, and immediately plant their
scanty garden with melons, gourds, lentils, &c. this
being their only resource for cultivation. Not an inch
of available soil is lost ; but day by day, as the river
decreases, fresh rows of vegetables are sown upon the
newly-acquired land. At Assouan, the sandbanks are
purely sand brought down by the cataracts, therefore
soil must be added to enable the people to cultivate.
They dig earth from the ruins of the ancient town ;
this they boat across the river and spread upon the
sandbank, by which excessive labour they secure suffi-
cient mould to support their crops.
In the vicinity of Philae the very barrenness of the
scenery possesses a charm. The iron-like sterility of
the granite rocks, naked except in spots where the
wind has sheeted them with sand ; the groves of palms
CHAP. T.] ARRIVAL AT KOROSKO. 3
springing unexpectedly into view in this desert
wilderness, as a sudden bend of the river discovers a
village ; the ever blue and never clouded sky above,
and, the only blessing of this blighted land, the Nile,
silently flowing between its stern walls of rocks to-
wards the distant land of Lower Egypt, form a total
that produces a scene to be met with nowhere but
upon the Nile. In this miserable spot the unfor-
tunate inhabitants are taxed equally with those of
the richer districts about fivepence annually for each
date palm.
" May 9. A good breeze, but tremendous heat.
Although the floor and the curtains of the cabin are
continually wetted, and the Venetian blinds are closed,
the thermometer, at 4 P.M., stood at 105 in the
shade; and, upon deck, 137 in the sun. This day
we passed the ruins of several small temples. The
country is generally rocky, with intervals of ten or
twelve miles of desert plains.
"May 10. Fine breeze, the boat sailing well.
Passed several small temples. The henna grows in
considerable quantities on the left bank of the river.
The leaf resembles that of the myrtle ; the blossom
has a powerful fragrance ; it grows like a feather,
about eighteen inches long, forming a cluster of small
yellow flowers. The day pleasantly cool ; thermo-
meter, 95.
"May 11. At 5 A.M. we arrived at Korosko ;
lat. 22 50' N. ; the halting-place for all vessels from
Lower Egypt with merchandise for the Soudan."
B 2
4 TWENTY-SIX DAYS FROM CAIRO. [CHAP. i.
At this wretched spot the Nile is dreary beyond
description, as a vast desert, unenlivened by cultiva-
tion, forms its borders, through which the melancholy
river rolls towards Lower Egypt in the cloudless glare
of a tropical sun. From whence came this extraordi-
nary stream that could flow through these burning
sandy deserts, unaided by tributary channels ? That
was the mysterious question as we stepped upon the
shore now, to commence our land journey in search
of the distant sources. We climbed the steep sandy
bank, and sat down beneath a solitary sycamore.
We had been twenty-six days sailing from Cairo
to this point. The boat returned, and left us on the
east bank of the Nile, with the great Nubian desert
before us.
Korosko is not rich in supplies. A few miserable
Arab huts, with the usual fringe of dusty date palms,
compose the village ; the muddy river is the frontier
on the west, the burning desert on the east. Thus
hemmed in, Korosko is a narrow strip of a few yards
width on the margin of the Nile, with only one re-
deeming feature in its wretchedness the green shade
of the old sycamore beneath which we sat.
I had a firman from the Viceroy, a cook, and a dra-
goman. Thus, my impedimenta were not numerous.
The firman was an order to all Egyptian officials for
assistance ; the cook was dirty and incapable ; and the
interpreter was nearly ignorant of English, although a
professed polyglot. With this small beginning, Africa
was before me, and thus I commenced the search for
CHAP, i.] THE NUBIAN DESERT. 5
the Nile sources. Absurd as this may appear, it was
a correct commencement. Ignorant of Arabic, I could
not have commanded a large party, who would have
been at the mercy of the interpreter or dragoman ;
thus, the first qualification necessary to success was a
knowledge of the language.
After a delay of some days, I obtained sixteen camels
from the sheik. I had taken the precaution to provide
water-barrels, in addition to the usual goat skins ; and,
with a trustworthy guide, we quitted Korosko on the
16th May, 1861, and launched into the desert.
The route from Korosko across the Nubian desert
cuts off the chord of an arc made by the great westerly
bend of the Nile. This chord is about 230 miles in
length. Throughout this barren desert there is no
water, except at the half-way station, Moorahd (from
moorra, bitter) ; this, although salt and bitter, is
relished by camels. During the hot season in which
we unfortunately travelled, the heat was intense, the
thermometer ranging from 106 to 114 Fahr. in the
shade. The parching blast of the simoom was of such
exhausting power, that the water rapidly evaporated
from the closed water-skins. It was, therefore, neces-
sary to save the supply by a forced march of seven
days, in which period we were to accomplish the dis-
tance, and to reach Abou Hammed, on the southern
bend of the welcome Nile.
During the cool months, from November until
February, the desert journey is not disagreeable ; but
the vast area of glowing sand exposed to the scorching
6 NATURE'S PYRAMIDS. [CHAP. i.
sun of summer, in addition to the withering breath of
the simoom, renders the forced march of 230 miles in
seven days, at two and a half miles per hour, the most
fatiguing journey that can be endured.
Farewell to the Nile ! We turned our backs upon
the life-giving river, and our caravan commenced the
silent desert march.
A few hours from Korosko the misery of the scene
surpassed description. Glowing like a furnace, the
vast extent of yellow sand stretched to the horizon.
Eows of broken hills, all of volcanic origin, broke the
flat plain. Conical tumuli of volcanic slag here and
there rose to the height of several hundred feet, and in
the far distance resembled the pyramids of Lower
Egypt doubtless they were the models for that
ancient and everlasting architecture ; hills of black
basalt jutted out from the barren base of sand, and
the molten air quivered on the overheated surface of
the fearful desert. 114 Fahr. in the shade under
the water-skins ; 137 in the sun. Noiselessly the
spongy tread of the camels crept along the sand the
only sound was the rattle of some loosely secured
baggage of their packs. The Arab camel drivers fol-
lowed silently at intervals, and hour by hour we
struck deeper into the solitude of the Nubian desert.
"We entered a dead level plain of orange-coloured
sand, surrounded by pyramidical hills : the surface
was strewn with objects resembling cannon shot and
grape of all sizes from a 32-pounder downwards the
spot looked like the old battle-field of some infernal
CHAP. L] VOLCANIC BOMBS. 7
region ; rocks glowing with, heat not a vestige of
vegetation barren, withering desolation. The slow
rocking step of the camels was most irksome, and
despite the heat, I dismounted to examine the Satanic
bombs and cannon shot. Many of them were as
perfectly round as though cast in a mould, others were
egg-shaped, and all were hollow. With some diffi-
culty I broke them, and found them to contain a
bright red sand : they were, in fact, volcanic bombs
that had been formed by the ejection of molten lava
to a great height from active volcanoes ; these had
become globular in falling, and, having cooled before
they reached the earth, they retained their forms as
hard spherical bodies, precisely resembling cannon
shot. The exterior was brown, and appeared to be
rich in iron. The smaller specimens were the more
perfect spheres, as they had cooled quickly, but many
of the heavier masses had evidently reached the earth
when only half solidified, and had collapsed upon
falling. The sandy plain was covered with such
vestiges of volcanic action, and the infernal bombs
lay as imperishable relics of a hail-storm such as
may have destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.
Passing through this wretched solitude we entered
upon a scene of surpassing desolation. Far as the
eye could reach were waves like a stormy sea, grey
cold-looking waves in the burning heat ; * but no
drop of water : it appeared as though a sudden curse
had turned a raging sea to stone. The simoom blew
over this horrible wilderness, and drifted the hot
8 THE STONY SEA. [CHAP. i.
sand into the crevices of the rocks, and the camels
drooped their heads before the suffocating wind ;
but still the caravan noiselessly crept along over the
rocky undulations, until the stormy sea was passed :
once more we were upon a boundless plain of sand
and pebbles.
Here every now and then we discovered withered
melons (Cucumis colocynthis) ; the leaves had long
since disappeared, and the shrivelled stalks were
brittle as glass. They proved that even the desert
had a season of life, however short ; but the desert
fruits were bitter. So intensely bitter was the dry
white interior of these melons, that it exactly re-
sembled quinine in taste ; when rubbed between
the fingers, it became a fine white powder. The
Arabs use this medicinally ; a small piece placed
in a cup of milk, and allowed to stand for a few
hours, renders the draught a strong aperient. The
sun that relentless persecutor of the desert traveller
sank behind the western hills, and the long wished
for night arrived ; cool, delicious night ! the ther-
mometer 78 Fahr. a difference of 36 between the
shade of day.
The guide commanded the caravan, he was the
desert pilot, and no one dared question his direc-
tions ; he ordered a halt for two hours rest. This
was the usual stage and halting-place- by the side
of a perpendicular rock, the base of which was strewn
thick with camel's dung ; this excellent fuel soon
produced a blazing fire, the coffee began to boil, and
CHAP, i.] THE CAMEL'S GRAVE. 9
fowls were roasting for a hasty dinner. A short
snatch of sleep upon the sand, and the voice of the
guide again disturbed us. The camels had not been
unloaded, but had lain down to rest with their packs,
and had thus eaten their feed of dhurra (Sorghum
vulgare) from a mat. In a few minutes we started,
once more the silent and monotonous desert march !
In the cool night I preferred walking to the
uneasy motion of the camel ; the air was most in-
vigorating after the intense heat of the day, and the
prostration caused by the simoom. The desert had a
charm by night, as the horizon of its nakedness was
limited ; the rocks assumed fantastic shapes in the
bright moonlight, and the profound stillness produced
an effect of the supernatural in that wild and myste-
rious solitude ; the Arab belief in the genii and
afreet, and all the demon enemies of man, was a
natural consequence of a wandering life in this desert
wilderness, where nature is hostile to all living beings.
In forty-six hours and forty-five minutes' actual
marching from Korosko we reached Moorahd, "the
bitter well."
This is a mournful spot, well known to the tired
and thirsty camel, the hope of reaching which has
urged him fainting on his weary way to drink one
draught before he dies ; this is the camel's grave.
Situated half way between Korosko and Abou
Hammed, the well of Moorahd is in an extinct crater,
surrounded upon all sides but one by precipitous cliffs
about 300 feet high. The bottom is a dead flat, and
10 THE CROWS OF MOORAHD. [CHAP. i.
forms a valley of sand about 250 yards wide. In this
bosom of a crater, salt and bitter water is found at a
depth of only six feet from the surface. To this our
tired camels frantically rushed upon being unloaded.
The valley was a " valley of dry bones." Innumer-
able skeletons of camels lay in all directions ; the
ships of the desert thus stranded on their voyage.
Withered heaps of parched skin and bone lay here and
there, in the distinct forms in which the camels had
gasped their last ; the dry desert air had converted
the hide into a coffin. There were no flies here, thus
there were no worms to devour the carcases, but the
usual sextons were the crows, although sometimes too
few to perform their office. These were perched upon
the overhanging cliffs ; but no sooner had our over-
worked camels taken their long draught and laid
down exhausted on the sand, than by common con-
sent they descended from their high places, and
walked round and round each tired beast.
As many wretched animals simply crawl to this
spot to die, the crows, from long experience and con-
stant practice, can form a pretty correct diagnosis
upon the case of a sick camel ; they had evidently
paid a professional visit to my caravan, and were
especially attentive in studying the case of one par-
ticular camel that was in a very weakly condition
and had stretched itself full length upon the sand ;
nor would they leave it until it was driven forward.
The heat of Moorahd was terrific ; there was no
shade of any kind, and the narrow valley surrounded
CHAP, i.] A DELICIOUS DRAUGHT. 11
by glowing rocks formed a natural oven. The intense
dryness of the overheated atmosphere was such, that
many of our water-skins that appeared full were
nearly empty ; the precious supply had evaporated
through the porous leather, and the skins were simply
distended by the expanded air within. Fortunately I
had taken about 108 gallons from Korosko, and I pos-
sessed a grand reserve in my two barrels which could
not waste ; these were invaluable as a resource when
the supply in the skins should be exhausted. My
Arab camel-men were supposed to be provided with
their own private supply ; but, as they had calculated
upon stealing from my stock, in which they were dis-
appointed, they were on exceedingly short allowance,
and were suffering much from thirst. During our
forced march of three days and a half, it had been im-
possible to perform the usual toilette, therefore, as water
was life, washing had been out of the question. Moor-
ahd had been looked forward to as the spot of six
hours' rest, where we could indulge in the luxury of
a bath on a limited scale after the heat and fatigue of
the journey. Accordingly, about two quarts of water
were measured into a large Turkish copper basin ; the
tent, although the heat was unendurable, was the only
dressing room, and the two quarts of water, with a
due proportion of soap, having washed two people,
was about to be thrown away, when the Arab guide,
who had been awaiting his opportunity, snatched the
basin from the servant, and in the agony of thirst
drank nearly the whole of its contents, handing the
12 ROCKS OF THE DESERT. [CHAP. i.
residue to a brother Arab, with the hearty ejaculation,
" El hambd el lUah " (Thank God !).
My wife was seriously ill from the fatigue and in-
tense heat, but there can be no halt in the desert; dead
or alive, with the caravan you must travel, as the party
depends upon the supply of water. A few extracts
verbatim from my journal will describe the journey :
" May 20. Started at 12.30 P.M. and halted at
6.30. Off again at 7.30 P.M. till 2.45 A.M. About four
miles from Moorahd, grey granite takes the place of
the volcanic slag and schist that formed the rocks to
that point. The desert is now a vast plain, bounded
by a range of rugged hills on the south. On the north
side of Moorahd, at a distance of about eight miles,
slate is met with ; this continues for about three miles
of the route, but it is of impure quality, with the ex-
ception of one vein, of a beautiful blue colour. A few^
miserable stunted thorny mimosas are here to be seen
scattered irregularly, as though lost in this horrible
desert.
" Many years ago, when the Egyptian troops first
conquered Nubia, a regiment was destroyed by thirst
in crossing this desert. The men, being upon a limited
allowance of water, suffered from extreme thirst, and
deceived by the appearance of a mirage that exactly
resembled a beautiful lake, they insisted on being
taken to its banks by the Arab guide. It was in vain
that the guide assured them that the lake was unreal,
and he refused to lose the precious time by wandering
from his course. Words led to blows, and he was
CHAP, i.] THE PERISHED REGIMENT. 13
killed by the soldiers, whose lives depended upon his
guidance. The whole regiment turned from the track
and rushed towards the welcome waters. Thirsty and
faint over the burning sands they hurried heavier
and heavier their footsteps became hotter and hotter
their breath, as deeper they pushed into the desert
farther and farther from the lost track where
the pilot lay in his blood ; and still the mocking
spirits of the desert, the afreets of the mirage, led
them on, and the lake glistening in the sunshine
tempted them to bathe in its cool waters, close to
their eyes but never at their lips. At length the
delusion vanished the fatal lake had turned to
burning sand ! Eaging thirst and horrible despair !
the pathless desert and the murdered guide ! lost !
lost ! all lost ! Not a man ever left the desert, but
they were subsequently discovered, parched and
withered corpses, by the Arabs sent upon the search.
"May 21. Started at 5.45 A.M. till 8.45 ; again, at
1.45 P.M. till 7 P.M. ; again, at 9.30 P.M., till 4 A.M.
Saw two gazelles, the first living creatures, except the
crows at Moorahd, that we have seen since we left
Korosko ; there must be a supply of water in the
mountains known only to these animals. Thermo-
meter, 111 Fahr. in shade; at night, 78. The
water in the leather bottle that I repaired is deliciously
cool. N.B. In sewing leather bottles or skins for
holding water, no thread should be used, but a leathern
thong, which should be dry ; it will then swell when
wetted, and the seam will be watertight.
14 ARRIVAL AT T#E NILE. [CHAP. i.
"May 22. Started at 5.30 A.M. till 9.30 ; again, at
2.15 P.M. till 7.15 P.M. Bested to dine, and started
again at 8.30 P.M. ; till 4.25 A.M. reaching Abou
Hammed, thank Heaven !
" Yesterday evening we passed through a second
chain of rugged hills of grey granite, about 600 feet high,
and descended through a pass to an extensive plain, in
which rose abruptly, like huge pyramids, four granite
hills, at great distances apart. So exactly do they
resemble artificial pyramids at a distance, that it is
difficult to believe they are natural objects. I feel
persuaded that the ancient Egyptians took their designs
for monuments and buildings from the hills themselves,
and raised in the plains of Lower Egypt artificial
pyramids in imitation of the granite hills of this form.
Their temples were in form like many of the granite
ranges, and were thoroughly encased with stone. The
extraordinary massiveness of these works suggests that
Nature assisted the design ; the stone columns are
imitations of the date palms, and the buildings are
copies of the rocky hills the two common features of
Egyptian scenery.
" Throughout the route from Korosko, the skeletons
of camels number about eight per mile, with the
exception of the last march on either side of the
watering-place Moorahd, on which there are double
that number, as the animals have become exhausted
as they approach the well. In the steep pass through
the hills, where the heat is intense, and the sand
deep, the mortality is dreadful; in some places I
CHAP. i.]. DISTANCE FROM KOROSKO. 15
counted six and eight in a heap; and this difficult
portion of the route is a mass of bones, as every weak
animal gives in at the trying place.
" So dreadful a desert is this between Korosko and
Abou Hammed, that Said Pasha ordered the route to
be closed ; but it was re-opened upon the application
of foreign consuls, as the most direct road to the
Soudan. Our Bishareen Arabs are first-rate walkers,
as they have performed the entire journey on foot.
Their water and provisions were all exhausted
yesterday, but fortunately I had guarded the key
of my two water-casks ; thus I had a supply
when every water-skin was empty, and on the last
day I divided my sacred stock amongst the men,
and the still more thirsty camels. In the hot
months, a camel cannot march longer than three
days without drinking, unless at the cost of great
suffering.
"Having arrived here (Abou Hammed) at 4.25 this
morning, 23d May, 1 had the luxury of a bath. The
very sight of the Nile was delightful, after the parched
desolation of the last seven days. The small village is
utterly destitute of everything, and the sterile desert
.extends to the very margin of the Nile. The journey
having occupied ninety-two hours of actual marching
across the desert, gives 230 miles as the distance from
Korosko, at the loaded-camel rate of two and a half
miles per hour. The average duration of daily march
has been upwards of thirteen hours, including a day's
halt at Moorahd. My camels have arrived in tolerable
16 GAZELLES OF THE DESERT. [CHAP.
condition, as their loads did not exceed 400 Ibs. each ;
the usual load is 500 Ibs.
" May 24- Rested both men and beasts. A caravan
of about thirty camels arrived, having lost three during
the route.
" May 25. Started at 5 A.M. The route is along
the margin of the Nile, to which the desert extends.
A fringe of stunted bushes, and groves of the coarse
and inelegant dome palm, mark the banks of the river
by a thicket of about half a mile in width. I saw
many gazelles, and succeeded in stalking a fine buck,
and killing him with a rifle.
" May 26. Marched ten hours. Saw gazelles, but
so wild that it was impossible to shoot. Thermometer,
110Fahr.
" May 27. Marched four hours and forty-five
minutes, when we were obliged to halt, as F. is very
ill. In the evening I shot two gazelles, which kept
the party in meat.
" May 28. Marched fifteen hours, to make up for
the delay of yesterday. Shot a buck on the route.
" May 29. The march of yesterday cut off an angle
of the river, and we made a straight course through
the desert, avoiding a bend of the stream. At 7.30
this morning we met the Nile again ; the same cha-
racter of country as before, the river full of rocks, and
forming a succession of rapids the entire distance from
Abou Hammed. Navigation at this season is impos-
sible, and is most dangerous even at flood time. The
simoom is fearful, and the heat is so intense that it
ciiAi\ i.] DRYNESS OF THE ATMOSPHERE. \J
was impossible to draw the gun cases out of their
leather covers, which it was necessary to cut open.
All woodwork is warped ; ivory knife-handles are
split ; paper breaks when crunched in the hand, and
the very marrow seems to be dried out of the bones by
this horrible simoom. One of our camels fell down to
die. Shot two buck gazelles ; I saw many, but they
are very w r ild.
"May 30. The extreme dryness of the air in-
duces an extraordinary amount of electricity in
the hair, and in all woollen materials. A Scotch
plaid laid upon a blanket for a few hours adheres to
it, and upon being roughly withdrawn at night a
sheet of flame is produced, accompanied by tolerably
loud reports.
" May 31. After an early march of three hours and
twenty minutes, we arrived at the town of Berber, on
the Nile, at 9.35 A.M. We have been fifty-seven hours
and five minutes actual marching from Abou Hammed,
which, at two and a half miles per hour, equals 143
miles. We have thus marched 373 miles from Korosko
to Berber in fifteen days ; the entire route is the mono-
tonous Nubian desert. Our camels have averaged
twenty-five miles per day, with loads of 400 Ibs., at a
cost of ninety piastres (about 19s.) each, for the whole
distance. This rate, with the addition of the guide's
expenses, equals about 5s. 6d. per 100 Ibs. for carriage
throughout 373 miles of burning desert. Although
this frightful country appears to be cut off from all
communication with the world, the extremely low rate
c
18 ARRTAIL AT BERBER. [CHAP. i.
of transport charges affords great facility for com-
merce."
Berber is a large town, and in appearance is similar
to the Nile towns of Lower Egypt, consisting of the
usual dusty, unpaved streets, and flat-roofed houses of
sun-baked bricks. It is the seat of a Governor or
Mudir, and is generally the quarters for about 1,500
troops. We were very kindly received by Halleem
Effendi, the ex-governor, who at once gave us permis-
sion to pitch the tents in his garden, close to the Nile,
on the southern outskirt of the town. After fifteen
days of desert marching, the sight of a well-cultivated
garden was an Eden in our eyes. About eight acres
of land, on the margin of the river, were thickly
planted with lofty date groves, and shady citron and
lemon-trees, beneath which we revelled in luxury on
our Persian rugs, and enjoyed complete rest after the
fatigue of our long journey. ( Countless birds were
chirping and singing in the trees above us; innume-
rable ring-doves were cooing in the shady palms ; and
the sudden change from the dead sterility of . the
desert to the scene of verdure and of life, produced an
extraordinary effect upon the spirits. What caused
this curious transition? Why should this charming
oasis, teeming with vegetation and with life, be found
in the yellow, sandy desert ? . . . Water had worked
* Since that date, 31 May, 1861, the epidemic or cattle plague
carried off an immense number of camels, and the charges of trans-
port rose in 1864 and 1865 to a rate that completely paralysed the
trade of Upper Egypt.
CHAP, i.] HALLEEM EFFENDPS GARDEN. 19
this change ; the spirit of the Nile, more potent than
any genii of the Arabian fables, had transformed the
desert into a fruitful garden. Halleem EfFendi, the
former governor, had, many years ago, planted this
garden, irrigated by numerous water-wheels ; and we
now enjoyed the fruits, and thanked Heaven for its
greatest blessings in that burning land, shade and
cool water.
The tents were soon arranged, the camels were paid
for and discharged, and in the cool of the evening
we were visited by the Governor and suite.
The firman having been officially presented by the
dragoman upon our arrival in the morning, the
Governor had called with much civility to inquire
into bur projects and to offer assistance. We were
shortly seated on carpets outside the tent, and after
pipes and coffee, and the usual preliminary compli-
ments, my dragoman explained, that the main object
of our journey, was the search for the sources of the
Nile, or, as he described it, " the head of the river."
Both the Governor and Halleem EfFendi, with many
officers who had accompanied them, were Turks, but, in
spite of the gravity and solidity for which the Turk is
renowned, their faces relaxed into a variety of expres-
sions at this (to them) absurd announcement. " The
head of the Nile ! " they exclaimed, " impossible. Do
they know where it is ?" inquired the Governor of the
dragoman; and upon an explanation being given,
that, as we did not know where it was, we had pro-
posed to discover it, the Turks merely shook their
C 2
20 UALLEEM G17ES ADVICE. [CHAP. i.
heads, sipped tlieir coifee, and took extra whiffs at
their long pipes, until at length the white-haired old
Halleem Effendi spoke. He gave good and parental
advice as follows : " Don't go upon so absurd an
errand ; nobody knows anything about the Nile, nei-
ther will any one discover its source. We do not even
know the source of the Atbara, how should we know
the source of the great Nile ? A great portion of the
Atbara flows through the Pasha of Egypt's dominions ;
the firman in your possession with his signature, will
insure you respect, so long as you remain within his
territory, but if you cross his frontier you will be in
the hands of savages. The White Nile is the country
of the negroes ; wild ferocious races, who have neither
knowledge of God nor respect for the Pasha, and you
must travel with a powerful armed force ; the climate
is deadly ; how could you penetrate such a region to
search for what is useless, even should you attain it ?
But how would it be possible for a lady, young and
delicate, to endure what would kill the strongest man ?
Travel along the Atbara river into the Taka country,
there is much to be seen that is unexplored ; but give
up the mad scheme of the Nile source."
There was some sense in old Halleem Effendfs
advice, it was the cool and cautious wisdom of old
age, but as I was not so elderly I took it " cum grano
salis." He was a charming old gentleman, the perfect
beau ideal of the true old style of Turk, but few speci-
mens of which remain ; all that he had said was
spoken in sincerity, and I resolved to collect as much
CHAP, i.] THE NILE RISING. 21
information as possible from the grey-headed authori-
ties before I should commence the expedition. I was
deeply impressed with one fact, that until I could dis-
pense with an interpreter it would be impossible to
succeed, therefore I determined to learn Arabic as
speedily as possible.
A week's rest in the garden of Halleem Eiferidi
prepared us for the journey. I resolved to explore
the Atbara river and the Abyssinian affluents,
prior to commencing the White Nile voyage. The
Governor promised me two Turkish soldiers as attend-
ants, and I arranged to send my heavy baggage by
boat to Khartoum, and secure the advantage of travel-
ling light ; a comfort that no one can appreciate who
has not felt the daily delay in loading a long string of
camels. Both my wife and I had suffered from a short
attack of fever brought on by the prostrating effect of
the simoom, which at this season (June) was at its
height. The Nile was slowly rising, although it was
still low ; occasionally it fell about eighteen inches in
one night, but again rose ; this proved that, although
the rains had commenced, they were not constant, as
the steady and. rapid increase of the river had not
taken place. The authorities assured me that the
Blue Nile was now rising at Khartoum, which ac-
counted for the increase of the river at Berber.
The garden of Halleem Effendi was attended by a
number of fine powerful slaves from the White Nile,
whose stout frames and glossy skins were undeniable
witness of their master's care. A charmingly pretty
22 VISIT OF THE LADIES. [CHAP. i.
slave girl paid us daily visits, with presents of fruit
from her kind master and numerous mistresses, who,
with the usual Turkish compliments as a preliminary
message, requested permission to visit the English lady.
In the cool hour of evening a bevy of ladies ap-
proached through the dark groves of citron trees, so
gaily dressed in silks of the brightest dyes of yellow,
blue, and scarlet, that no bouquet of flowers could
have been more gaudy. They were attended by nume-
rous slaves, and the head servant politely requested
me to withdraw during the interview. Thus turned
out of my tent I was compelled to patience and soli-
tude beneath a neighbouring date palm.
The result of the interview with my wife was most
satisfactory ; the usual womanish questions had been
replied to, and hosts of compliments exchanged. We
were then rich in all kinds of European trifles that
excited their curiosity, and a few little presents esta-
blished so great an amount of confidence that they
gave the individual history of each member of the
family from childhood, that would have filled a column
of the Times with births, deaths, and marriages.
Some of these ladies were very young and pretty,
and of course exercised a certain influence over their
husbands ; thus, on the following morning, we were
inundated with visitors, as the male members of the
family came to thank us for the manner in which their
ladies had been received ; and fruit, flowers, and the
general produce of the garden were presented us in
profusion, However pleasant, there were draw-
CHAP, i.] THE PILLARS OF SAND. 23
backs to our Garden of Eden ; there was dust in our
Paradise ; not the dust that we see in Europe upon
unwatered roads, that simply fills the eyes, but sudden
clouds raised by whirlwinds in the desert which fairly
choked the ears and nostrils when thus attacked.
June is the season when these phenomena are most
prevalent. At that time the rains have commenced in
the south and are extending towards the north ; the
cold and heavier air of the southern rain-clouds sweeps
down upon the overheated atmosphere of the desert,
and produces sudden violent squalls and whirlwinds
when least expected, as at that time the sky is cloud-
less.
The effect of these desert whirlwinds is most
curious, as their force is sufficient to raise dense
columns of sand and dust several thousand feet high ;
these are not the evanescent creations of a changing
wind, but they frequently exist for many hours, and
travel forward, or more usually in circles, resembling
in the distance solid pillars of sand. The Arab super-
stition invests these appearances with the supernatural,
and the mysterious sand-column of the desert wan-
dering in its burning solitude, is an evil spirit, a " Gin"
("genii" plural, of the Arabian Nights). I have
frequently seen many such columns at the same time
in the boundless desert, all travelling or waltzing
in various directions at the wilful choice of each
whirlwind : this vagrancy of character is an undoubted
proof to the Arab mind of their independent and dia-
bolical origin.
24 THE GOVERNOR'S FRIENDSHIP. [CHAP. i.
The Abyssinian traveller, Bruce, appears to have
entertained a peculiar dread of the dangers of such
sand columns, but on this point his fear was exagge-
rated. Cases may have occurred where caravans have
been suffocated by whirlwinds of sand, but these are
rare exceptions, and the usual effects of the dust
storm are the unroofing of thatched huts, the destruc-
tion of a few date palms, and the disagreeable amount
of sand that not only half chokes both man and beast,
but buries all objects that may be lying on the
ground some inches deep in dust.
The wind at this season (June) was changeable,
and strong blasts from the south were the harbingers
of the approaching rainy season. We had no time
to lose, and we accordingly arranged to start. I dis-
charged my dirty cook, and engaged a man who was
brought by a coffee-house keeper, by whom he was
highly recommended ; but, as a precaution against
deception, I led him before the Mudir or Governor, to
be registered before our departure. To my astonish-
ment, and to his infinite disgust, he was immediately
recognised as an old offender, who had formerly been
imprisoned for theft ! The Governor, to prove his
friendship, and his interest in my welfare, immedi-
ately sent the police to capture the coffee-house keeper
who had recommended the cook. No sooner was the
unlucky surety brought to the Divan, than he was
condemned to receive 200 lashes for having given a
false character. The sentence was literally carried out
in spite of my remonstrance, and the police were
CHAP, i.j SAFE ME FROM MY FRIENDS. 25
ordered to make the case public to prevent a recur-
rence. The Governor assured me that as I held a
firman from the Viceroy he could not do otherwise,
and that I must believe him to be my truest friend.
" Save me from my friends," was an adage quickly
proved. I could not procure a cook, neither any
other attendants, as every one was afraid to guarantee
a character, lest he might come in for his share of the
200 lashes !
The Governor came to my rescue, and sent immedi-
ately the promised Turkish soldiers, who were to act
in the double capacity of escort and servants. They
were men of totally opposite characters. Hadji
Achmet was a hardy, powerful, dare-devil-looking
Turk, while Hadji Velli was the perfection of polite-
ness, and as gentle as a lamb. My new allies pro-
cured me three donkeys in addition to the necessary
baggage camels, and we started from the pleasant
garden of Halleem Effendi on the evening of the
10th of June for the junction of the Atbara river
with the Nile.
CHAPTEE II.
" 'Mongst tliem were several Englishmen of pith,
Sixteen named Thompson and nineteen named Smith."
DON JUAN.
MAHOMET, Aclimet, and All, are equivalent to Smith,
Brown, and Thompson. Accordingly, of my few
attendants, my dragoman was Mahomet, and my
principal guide was Achmet ; and subsequently I
had a number of Alis. Mahomet was a regular Cairo
dragoman, a native of Dongola, almost black, but
exceedingly tenacious regarding his shade of colour,
which he declared to be light brown. He spoke very
bad English, was excessively conceited, and irascible
to a degree. No pasha was so bumptious or over-
bearing to his inferiors, but to me and to his mistress
while in Cairo he had the gentleness of the dove, and
I had engaged him at 5l. per month to accompany
me to the White Nile. Men change with circum-
stances ; climate affects the health and temper ; the
sleek and well-fed dog is amiable, but he would be
vicious when thin and hungry ; the man in luxury
and the man in need are not equally angelic. Now
Mahomet was one of those dragomen who are accus-
tomed to the civilized expeditions of the British
CHAP. IT.] THE CAIRO DRAGOMAN. 27
tourist to the first or second cataract, in a Nile boat
replete with conveniences and luxuries, upon which
the dragoman is monarch supreme, a whale among
the minnows, who rules the vessel, purchases daily a
host of unnecessary supplies, upon which he clears his
profit, until he returns to Cairo with his pockets filled
sufficiently to support him until the following Nile
season. The short three months' harvest, from No-
vember until February, fills his granary for the year.
Under such circumstances the temper should be
angelic. But times had changed : the luxurious
Mahomet had left the comfortable Nile boat at
Korosko, and he had crossed the burning desert upon
a jolting camel ; he had left the well-known route
where the dragoman was supreme, and he found
himself among people who treated him in the light of
a common servant. " A change came o'er the spirit
of his dream ;" Mahomet was no longer a great man,
and his temper changed with circumstances ; in fact,
Mahomet became unbearable, and still he was abso-
lutely necessary, as he was the tongue of the expedi-
tion until we should accomplish Arabic. To him
the very idea of exploration was an absurdity ; he had
never believed in it from the first, and he now became
impressed with the fact that he was positively com-
mitted to an undertaking that would end most likely
in his death, if not in terrible difficulties ; he deter-
mined, under the circumstances, to make himself as
disagreeable as possible to all parties. With this
amiable resolution Mahomet adopted a physical in-
28 MAHOMET. [CHAP. n.
firmity in the shape of deafness ; in reality, no one
was more acute in hearing, but as there are no bells
where there are no houses, he of course could not
answer such a summons, and he was compelled to
attend to the call of his own name " Mahomet !
Mahomet ! " No reply, although the individual was
sitting within a few feet, apparently absorbed in the
contemplation of his own boots. " Mahomet ! " with
an additional emphasis upon the second syllable.
Again no response. " Mahomet, you rascal, why
don't you answer ? " This energetic address would
effect a change in his position ; the mild and lamb-
like dragoman of Cairo would suddenly start from the
ground, tear his own hair from his head in handfuls,
and shout, " Mahomet ! Mahomet I Mahomet ! always
Mahomet! D n Mahomet! I wish he were dead, or
back in Cairo, this brute Mahomet !" The irascible
dragoman would then beat his own head unmercifully
with his fists, in a paroxysm of rage.
To comfort him I could only exclaim, " Well done,
Mahomet ! thrash him ; pummel him well ; punch
his head ; you know him best ; he deserves it ; don't
spare him ! " This advice, acting upon the natural
perversity of his disposition, generally soothed him,
and he ceased punching his head. This man was
entirely out of his place, if not out of his mind, at
certain moments, and having upon one occasion
smashed a basin by throwing it in the face of the
cook, and upon another occasion narrowly escaped
homicide, by throwing an axe at a man's head, which
CHAP, ii.] MAHOMET FORSAKES HIS PISTOLS. 29
missed by an inch, lie became a notorious character
in the little expedition.
We left Berber in the evening at sunset ; we were
mounted upon donkeys, while our Turkish attendants
rode upon excellent dromedaries that belonged to their
regiment of irregular cavalry. As usual, when ready
to start, Mahomet was the last ; he had piled a huge
mass of bags and various luggage upon his donkey,
that almost obscured the animal, and he sat mounted
upon this pinnacle dressed in gorgeous clothes, with a
brace of handsome pistols in his belt, and his gun
slung across his shoulders. Upon my remonstrating
with him upon the cruelty of thus overloading the
donkey, he flew into a fit of rage, and dismounting
immediately, he drew his pistols from his belt and
dashed them upon the ground ; his gun shared the
same fate, and leaving his weapons upon the sand, he
sullenly walked behind his donkey, which he drove
forward with the caravan.
We pushed forward at the usual rapid amble of the
donkeys, and accompanied by Hadji Achmet upon
his dromedary, with the coffee-pot, &c. and a large
Persian rug slung behind the saddle, we quickly
distanced the slower caravan under the charge of
Hadji Velli and the sullen Mahomet.
There was no difficulty in the route, as the sterile
desert of sand and pebbles was bounded by a fringe of
bush and mimosa that marked the course of the Nile
to which our way lay parallel. There was no object to
attract particular attention, and no sound but that of
30 THE ROUTE TO THE ATBJRA. [CHAP. n.
the bleating goats driven homeward by the Arab boys,
and the sharp cry of the desert sand grouse as they
arrived in flocks to drink in the welcome river. The
flight of these birds is extremely rapid, and is more
like that of the pigeon than the grouse ; they inhabit
the desert, but they travel great distances both night
and morning to water, as they invariably drink twice
a day. As they approach the river they utter the cry
" Chuckow, chuckow," in a loud clear note, and im-
mediately after drinking they return upon their long
flight to the desert. There are several varieties of the
sand grouse. I have met with three, but they are
dry, tough, and worthless as game.
"We slept in the desert about five miles from
Berber, and on the following day, after a scorching
march of about twenty miles, we arrived at the junc-
tion of the Atbara river with the Nile. Throughout
the route the barren sand stretched to the horizon on
the left, while on the right, within a mile of the Nile,
the soil was sufficiently rich to support a certain
amount of vegetation chiefly dwarf mimosas and the
Asclepias gigantea. The latter I had frequently seen
in Ceylon, where it is used medicinally by the native
doctors ; but here it was ignored, except for the pro-
duce of a beautiful silky down which is used for
stuffing cushions and pillows. This vegetable silk is
contained in a soft pod or bladder about the size of an
orange. Both the leaves and the stem of this plant
emit a highly poisonous milk, that exudes from the
bark when cut or bruised ; the least drop of this will
CHAP, ii.] THE DRY BED OF THE RI7ER. 31
cause total blindness, if in contact with the eye. I
have seen several instances of acute ophthalmia that
have terminated in loss of sight from the accidental
rubbing of the eye with the hand when engaged in
cutting firewood from the asclepias. The wood is
extremely light, and is frequently tied into faggots
and used by the Arabs as a support while swimming,
in lieu of cork. Although the poisonous qualities of
the plant cause it to be shunned by all other animals,
it is nevertheless greedily devoured by goats, who eat
it unharmed.
It was about two hours after sunset when we
arrived at the steep bank of the Atbara river. Push-
ing through the fringe of young dome palms that
formed a thick covert upon the margin, we cautiously
descended the bank for about twenty-five feet, as the
bright glare of the river's bed deceived me by the
resemblance to water. We found a broad surface of
white sand, which at that season formed the dry bed
of the river. Crossing this arid bottom of about 400
yards in width, we unsaddled on the opposite side,
by a bed of water melons planted near a small pool of
water. A few of these we chopped in pieces for our
tired donkeys, and we shared in the cool and welcome
luxury ourselves that was most refreshing after the
fatigue of the day's journey. Long before our camels
arrived, we had drunk our coffee and were sound
asleep upon the sandy bed of the Atbara.
At daybreak on the following morning, while
the camels were beiog loaded, I strolled to a small
32 THE DOME PALM. [CHAP. n.
pool in the sand, tempted by a couple of wild geese ;
these were sufficiently unsophisticated as to allow me
to approach within shot, and I bagged them both,
and secured our breakfast ; they were the common
Egyptian geese, which are not very delicate eating.
The donkeys being saddled, we at once started with
our attendant, Hadji Achinet, at about five miles per
hour, in advance of our slower caravan. The route
was upon the river's margin, due east, through a sandy
copse of thorny mimosas which fringed the river's
course for about a quarter of a mile on either side ;
beyond this all was desert.
The Atbara had a curious appearance ; in no
part was it less than 400 yards in width, while in
many places this breadth was much exceeded. The
banks were from twenty-five to thirty feet deep :
these had evidently been overflowed during floods,
but at the present time the river was dead ; not only
partially dry, but so glaring was the sandy bed, that
the reflection of the sun was almost unbearable.
Great numbers of the dome palm (Hyph&ne The-
laica, Mart.) grew upon the banks ; these trees are of
great service to the Arab tribes, who at this season of
drought forsake the deserts and flock upon the margin
of the Atbara. The leaves of the dome supply them
with excellent material for mats and ropes, while the
fruit is used both for man and beast. The dome
palm resembles the palmyra in the form and texture
of its fan-shaped leaves, but there is a distinguishing
peculiarity in the growth : instead of the straight
CHAP, ii.] PREPARATION OF THE FRUIT. 33
single stem of the palmyra, the dome palm spreads
into branches, each of which invariably represents the
letter Y. The fruit grows in dense clusters, num-
bering several hundred, of the size of a small orange,
but of an irregular oval shape ; these are of a rich
brown colour, and bear a natural polish as though
varnished. So hard is the fruit and uninviting to
the teeth, that a deal board would be equally prac-
ticable for mastication ; the Arabs pound them be-
tween stones, by which rough process they detach
the edible portion in the form of a resinous powder.
The rind of the nut which produces this powder is
about a quarter of an inch thick ; this coating
covers a strong shell which contains a nut of vege-
table ivory, a little larger than a full-sized walnut.
When the resinous powder is detached, it is either
eaten raw, or it is boiled into a delicious porridge,
with milk ; this has a strong flavour of gingerbread.
The vegetable ivory nuts are then soaked in water
for about twenty-four hours, after which, they are
heaped in large piles upon a fire until nearly dry,
and thoroughly steamed ; this process renders them
sufficiently tractable to be reduced by pounding in a
heavy mortar. Thus broken into small pieces they
somewhat resemble half-roasted chestnuts, and in this
state they form excellent food for cattle. The useful
dome palm is the chief support of the desert Arabs
when in times of drought and scarcity the supply of
corn has failed. At this season (June) there was not
a blade of even the withered grass of the desert oases.
34 POOLS OF THE ATBARA. [CHAP. n.
Our donkeys lived exclusively upon the dhurra
(Sorglium Egyptiaca) that we carried with us, and
the camels required a daily supply of corn in
addition to the dry twigs and bushes that formed
their dusty food. The margin of the river was
miserable and uninviting ; the trees arid bushes were
entirely leafless from the intense heat, as are the
trees in England during winter. The only shade
was afforded by the evergreen dome palms ; never-
theless, the Arabs occupied the banks at intervals
of three or four miles, wherever a pool of water in
some deep bend of the dried river's bed offered an
attraction ; in such places were Arab villages or
camps, of the usual mat tents formed of the dome
palm leaves.
Many pools were of considerable size and of
great depth. In flood-time a tremendous torrent
sweeps down the course of the Atbara, and the
sudden bends of the river are hollowed out by the
force of the stream to a depth of twenty or thirty
feet below the level of the bed. Accordingly, these
holes become reservoirs of water when the river is
otherwise exhausted. In such asylums all the usual
inhabitants of this large river are crowded together
in a comparatively narrow space. Although these
pools vary in size, from only a few hundred yards
to a mile in length, they are positively full of life;
huge fish, crocodiles of immense size, turtles, and oc-
casionally hippopotami, consort together in close and
unwished-for proximity. The animals of the desert -
CHAP, ii.] COLLECTION OF BIRDS. 35
gazelles, hyenas, and wild asses are compelled to
resort to these crowded drinking-places, occupied by
the flocks of the Arabs, equally with the timid
beasts of the chase. The birds that during the
cooler months would wander free throughout the
country, are now collected in vast numbers along the
margin of the exhausted river; innumerable doves,
varying in species, throng the trees and seek the
shade of the dome palms ; thousands of desert grouse
arrive morning and evening to drink and to depart;
while birds in multitudes, of lovely plumage, escape
from the burning desert, and colonize the poor but
welcome bushes that fringe the Atbara river.
The heat was intense. As we travelled along the
margin of the Atbara, and felt with the suffering
animals the exhaustion of the climate, I acknow-
ledged the grandeur of the Nile that could overcome
the absorption of such thirsty sands, and the evapora-
tion caused by the burning atmosphere of Nubia.
For nearly 1,200 miles from the junction of the
Atbara with the parent stream to the Mediterranean,
not one streamlet joined the mysterious river, neither
one drop of rain ruffled its waters, unless a rare
thunder-shower, as a curious phenomenon, startled
the Arabs as they travelled along the desert.
Nevertheless the Nile overcame its enemies, while
the Atbara shrank to a skeleton, bare and exhausted,
reduced to a few pools that lay like blotches along
the broad surface of glowing sand.
Notwithstanding the overpowering sun, there
D 2
36 CHARMS OF THE DESERT. [CHAP. n.
were certain advantages to the traveller at this
season ; it was unnecessary to carry a large supply of
water, as it could be obtained at intervals of a few
miles. There was an indescribable delight in the
cool night, when, in the perfect certainty of fine
weather, we could rest in the open air with the clear
bright starlit sky above us. There were no mos-
quitoes, neither were there any of the insect plagues
of the tropics; the air was too dry for the gnat
tribe, and the moment of sunset was the signal for
perfect enjoyment, free from the usual drawbacks of
African travel. As the river's pools were the only
drinking places for birds and game, the gun supplied
not only my own party, but I had much to give
away to the Arabs in exchange for goat's milk, the
meal of the dome nuts, &c. Gazelles were exceedingly
numerous, but shy, and so difficult to approach that
they required most careful stalking. At this season
of intense heat they drank twice a day at about an
hour after sunrise, and half an hour before sunset.
The great comfort of travelling along the bank
of the river in a desert country is the perfect free-
dom, as a continual supply of water enables the ex-
plorer to rest at his leisure in any attractive spot
where game is plentiful, or where the natural
features of the country invite investigation. We
accordingly halted, after some days' journey, at a
spot named Collodabad, where an angle of the river
had left a deep pool of about a mile in length :
this was the largest sheet of water that we had
CHAP, ii.] SUFFERING OF MEN AND BEASTS. 37
seen throughout the course of the Atbara. A
number of Arabs had congregated at this spot with
their flocks and herds ; the total absence of verdure
had reduced the animals to extreme leanness, as the
goats gathered their scanty sustenance from the
seed-pods of the mimosas, which were shaken down
to the expectant flocks by the Arab boys, with
long hooked poles. These seeds were extremely
oily, and resembled linseed, but the rank flavour
was disagreeable and acrid.
This spot was seven days' march from the Nile
junction, or about 160 miles. The journey had been
extremely monotonous, as there had been no change
in the scenery; it was the interminable desert, with
the solitary streak of vegetation in the belt of
mimosas and dome palms, about a mile and a half
in width, that marked the course of the river. I
had daily shot gazelles, geese, pigeons, desert grouse,
&c. but no larger game. I was informed that at
this spot, Collodabad, I should be introduced for the
first time to the hippopotamus.
Owing to the total absence of nourishing food,
the cattle produced a scanty supply of milk; thus
the Arabs, who depended chiefly upon their flocks
for their subsistence, were in great distress, and men
and beasts mutually suffered extreme hardship. The
Arabs that occupy the desert north of the Atbara
are the Bishareens ; it was among a large concourse
of these people that we pitched our tents on the
banks of the river at Collodabad.
38 COLLODABAD. [CHAP. n.
This being the principal watering-place along the
deserted bed of the Atbara, the neighbourhood
literally swarmed with doves, sand grouse, and
other birds, in addition to many geese and pelicans.
Early in the morning I procured an Arab guide
to search for the reported hippopotami. My tents
were among a grove of dome palms on the margin
of the river ; thus I had a clear view of the bed for
a distance of about half a mile on either side. This
portion of the Atbara was about 500 yards in
width, the banks were about thirty feet perpendi-
cular depth ; and the bend of the river had caused
the formation of the deep hollow on the opposite
side, which now formed the pool, while every other
part was dry. This pool occupied about one-third
the breadth of the river, bounded by the sand upon
one side, and by a perpendicular cliff upon the
other, upon which grew a fringe of green bushes
similar to willows. These were the only succulent
leaves that I had seen since I left Berber.
"We descended the steep sandy bank in a spot
that the Arabs had broken down to reach the water,
and, after trudging across about 400 yards of deep
sand, we reached the extreme and narrowest end of
the pool ; here for the first time I saw the peculiar
four-toed print of the hippopotamus's foot. A bed
of melons had been planted here by the Arabs in
the moist sand near the water, but the fruit had
been entirely robbed by the hippopotami. A melon
is exactly adapted for the mouth of this animal, as
CHAP. ii.J HIPPOPOTAMUS KILLS THE ARAB. 39
lie could crunch the largest at one squeeze, and
revel in the juice. Not contented with the simple
fruits of the garden, a large bull hippopotamus had
recently killed the proprietor. The Arab wished to
drive it from his plantation, but was immediately
attacked by the hippo, who caught him in its mouth
and killed him by one crunch. This little incident
had rendered the hippo exceedingly daring, and it
had upon several occasions charged out of the water,
when the people had driven their goats to drink;
therefore it would be the more satisfactory to obtain
a shot, and to supply the hungry Arabs with meat
at the expense of their enemy.
At this early hour, 6 A.M., no one had descended to
the pool, thus all the tracks upon the margin were
fresh and undisturbed : there were the huge marks of
crocodiles that had recently returned to the water,
while many of great size were still lying upon the
sand in the distance : these slowly crept into the pool
as we approached. The Arabs had dug small holes in
the sand within a few yards of the water : these were
the artificial drinking-places for their goats and sheep,
that would have been snapped up by the crocodiles
had they ventured to drink in the pool of crowded
monsters. I walked for about a mile and a half
along the sand without seeing a sign of hippo-
potami, except their numerous tracks upon the mar-
gin. There was no wind, and the surface of the
water was unruffled ; thus I could see every creature
that rose in the pool either to breathe or to bask
40 DARING FEAT OF THE FISH-EAGLE. [CHAP. 11.
in the morning sunshine. The number and size of
the fish, turtles, and crocodiles were extraordinary ;
many beautiful gazelles approached from all sides
for their morning draught ; wild geese, generally
in pairs, disturbed the wary crocodiles by their
cry of alarm as we drew near, and the desert
grouse in flocks of many thousands had gathered
together, and were circling in a rapid flight above
the water, wishing, but afraid, to descend and drink.
Having a shot gun with me I fired and killed six
at one discharge, but one of the wounded birds
having fallen into the water at a distance of about
120 yards, it was immediately seized by a white-
throated fish - eagle, which perched upon a tree,
swooped down upon the bird, utterly disregarding
the report of the gun. The Bishareen Arabs have
no fire-arms, thus the sound of a gun was un-
known to the game of the desert.
I had killed several wild geese for breakfast in
the absence of the hippopotami, when I suddenly
heard the peculiar loud snorting neigh of these
animals in my rear ; we had passed them unper-
ceived. as they had been beneath the surface. After
a quick walk of about half a mile, during which
time the cry of the hippos had been several times
repeated, I observed six of these curious animals
standing in the water about shoulder-deep. There
was no cover, therefore I could only advance upon
the sand without a chance of stalking them ; this
caused them to retreat to deeper water, but upon
CHAP, ii.] HIPPOPOTAMUS SHOOTING. 4 1
my arrival within about eighty yards, they raised
their heads well up, and snorted an impudent
challenge. I had my old Ceylon No. 10 double
rifle, and, taking a steady aim at the temple of
one that appeared to be the largest, the ball cracked
loudly upon the skull. Never had there been
such a commotion in the pool as now ! At the
report of the rifle, five heads sank and disappeared
like stones, but the sixth hippo leaped half out of
the water, and, falling backwards, commenced a series
of violent struggles : now upon its back ; then upon
one side, with all four legs frantically paddling, and
raising a cloud of spray and foam ; then waltzing
round and round with its huge jaws wide open,
raising a swell in the hitherto calm surface of the
water. A quick shot with the left-hand barrel
produced no effect, as the movements of the animal
were too rapid to allow a steady aim at the fore-
head ; I accordingly took my trusty little Fletcher*
double rifle No. 24, and, running knee-deep into
the water to obtain a close shot, I fired exactly
between the eyes, near the crown of the head.
At the report of the little Fletcher the hippo dis-
appeared ; the tiny waves raised by the commotion
broke upon the sand, but the game was gone.
This being my first vis-d-vis with a hippo, I
* This excellent and handy rifle was made by Thomas Fletcher,
of Gloucester, and accompanied me like a faithful dog throughout
my journey of nearly five years to the Albert N'yanza, and re-
turned with me to England as good as new.
42 HIPPOPOTAMI BAGGED. [CHAP. n.
was not certain whether I could claim the victory ;
he was gone, but where ? However, while I was
speculating upon the case, I heard a tremendous
rush of water, and I saw five hippopotami tearing
along in full trot through a portion of the pool
that was not deep enough to cover them above the
shoulder ; this was the affair of about half a minute,
as they quickly reached deep water, and disappeared
at about a hundred and fifty yards distance.
The fact of five hippos in retreat after I had
counted six in the onset was conclusive that my
waltzing friend was either dead or disabled; I ac-
cordingly lost no time in following the direction of
the herd. Hardly had I arrived at the spot where
they had disappeared, when first one and then
another head popped up and again sank, until one
more hardy than the rest, ventured to appear within
fifty yards, and to bellow as before. Once more
the No. 10 crashed through his head, and again
the waltzing and struggling commenced like the
paddling of a steamer : this time, however, the
stunned hippo in its convulsive efforts came so close
to the shore that I killed it directly in shallow
water, by a forehead shot with the little Fletcher.
I concluded from this result that my first hippo
must also be lying dead in deep water.
The Arabs, having heard the shots fired, had begun
to gather towards the spot, and, upon my men
shouting that a hippo was killed, crowds came run-
ning to the place with their knives and ropes, while
CHAP. ii.J DELIGHT OF THE ARABS. 43
others returned to their encampment to fetch camels
and mat bags to convey the flesh. In half an hour
at least three hundred Arabs were on the spot ; the
hippo had been hauled to shore by ropes, and, by the
united efforts of the crowd, the heavy carcase had
been rolled to the edge of the water. Here the attack
commenced ; no pack of hungry hyaenas could have
been more savage. I gave them permission to take
the flesh, and in an instant a hundred knives were
at work : they fought over the spoil like wolves.
No sooner was the carcase flayed, than the struggle
commenced for the meat ; the people were a mass
of blood, as some stood thigh-deep in the reeking
intestines wrestling for the fat, while many hacked
at each other's hands for coveted portions that were
striven for as a bonne louche. I left the savage
crowd in their ferocious enjoyment of flesh and blood,
and ^returned to camp for breakfast, my Turk, Hadji
Achmet, carrying some hippopotamus steaks.
That morning my wife and I breakfasted upon
our first hippo, an animal that was destined to be
our general food throughout our journey among the
Abyssinian tributaries of the Nile. After breakfast
we strolled down to the pool to search for the
hippopotamus No. 1. This we at once found dead,
as it had risen to the surface, and was floating
like the back of a turtle a few inches above the
water. The Arabs had been so intent upon the
division of their spoil that they had not observed
their new prize ; accordingly, upon the signal being
44 FISHING. [CHAP. n.
given, a general rush took place, and in half an hour
a similar scene was enacted to that of hippo No. 2.
The entire Arab camp was in commotion and
full of joy at this unlooked-for arrival of flesh.
Camels laden with meat and hide toiled along the
sandy bed of the river ; the women raised their long
and shrill cry of delight ; and we were looked upon
as general benefactors for having brought them a
supply of good food in this season of distress.
In the afternoon I arranged my tackle, and
strolled down to the pool to fish. There was a
difficulty in procuring bait ; a worm was never
heard of in the burning deserts of Nubia, neither
had I a net to catch small fish; I was, therefore,
obliged to bait with pieces of hippopotamus.
Fishing in such a pool as that of the Atbara was
sufficiently exciting, as it was impossible to specu-
late upon what creature might accept the invita-
tion; but the Arabs who accompanied me, were
particular in guarding me against the position I had
taken under a willow-bush close to the water, as
they explained, that most probably a crocodile would
take me instead of the bait; they declared that
accidents had frequently happened when people had
sat upon the bank either to drink with their hands,
or even while watching their goats. I accordingly
fished at a few feet distant from the margin, and
presently I had a bite ; I landed a species of perch
about two pounds weight; this was the "boulti,"
one of the best Nile fish mentioned by the traveller
CHAP, ii.] CATCH A TARTAR. 45
Bruce. In a short time I had caught a respectable
dish of fish, but hitherto no monster had paid me
the slightest attention ; accordingly I changed my
bait, and upon a powerful hook, fitted upon treble-
twisted wire, I fastened an enticing strip of a boulti.
The bait was about four ounces, and glistened like
silver ; the water was tolerably clear, but not too
bright, and with such an attraction I expected some-
thing heavy. My float was a large-sized pike-float
for live bait, and this civilized sign had been only
a few minutes in the wild waters of the Atbara,
when, bob ! and away it went ! I had a very large
reel, with nearly three hundred yards of line that
had been specially made for monsters ; down went
the top of my rod as though a grindstone was sus-
pended on it, and, as I recovered its position, away
went the line, and the reel revolved, not with the
sudden dash of a spirited fish, but with the steady
determined pull of a trotting horse. What on
earth have I got hold of? In a few minutes about
a hundred yards of line were out, and as the crea-
ture was steadily, but slowly, travelling down the
centre of the channel, I determined to cry " halt ! "
if possible, as my tackle was extremely strong, and
my rod was a single bamboo. Accordingly, I put
on a powerful strain, which was replied to by a
sullen tug, a shake, and again my rod was pulled
suddenly down to the water's edge. At length,
after the roughest handling, I began to reel in
slack line, as my unknown friend had doubled
46 LOSE MY TURTLE SOUP. [CHAP. n.
in upon me, and upon once more putting severe
pressure upon him or her, as it might be, I per-
ceived a great swirl in the water about twenty
yards from the rod. The tackle would bear any-
thing, and I strained so heavily upon my adver-
sary that I soon reduced our distance ; but the water
was exceedingly deep, the bank precipitous, and he
was still invisible. At length, after much tugging
and counter-tugging, he began to show ; eagerly
I gazed into the water to examine my new ac-
quaintance, when I made out something below, in
shape between a coach-wheel and a sponging-bath ;
in a few more moments I brought to the surface
an enormous turtle, well hooked. I felt like the
old lady who won an elephant in a lottery : that
I had him was certain, but what was I to do with
my prize ? It was at the least a hundred pounds'
weight, and the bank was steep and covered with
bushes ; thus it was impossible to land the monster,
that now tugged and dived with the determination
of the grindstone that his first pull had suggested.
Once I attempted the gaff, but the trusty weapon
that had landed many a fish in Scotland broke in
the hard shell of the turtle, and I was helpless.
My Arab now came to my assistance, and at once
terminated the struggle. Seizing the line with both
hands, utterly regardless of all remonstrance (which,
being in English, he did not understand), he quickly
hauled our turtle to the surface, and held it, strug-
gling and gnashing its jaws, close to the steep bank.
CHAP. ii.J GAZELLE SHOOTING. 47
In a few moments the line slackened, and the turtle
disappeared. The fight was over ! The sharp horny
jaws had bitten through treble- twisted brass wire
as clean as though cut by shears. My visions of
turtle soup had faded.
The heavy fish were not in the humour to take, I
therefore shot one with a rifle as it came to the surface
to blow, and, the water in this spot being shallow, we
brought it to shore ; it was a species of carp, between
thirty and forty pounds ; the scales were rather larger
than a crown piece, and so hard that they would have
been difficult to pierce with a harpoon. It proved to
be useless for the table, being of an oily nature that
was only acceptable to the Arabs.
In the evening I went out stalking in the desert,
and returned with five fine buck gazelles. These
beautiful creatures so exactly resemble the colour of
the sandy deserts which they inhabit, that they are
most difficult to distinguish, and their extreme shy-
ness renders stalking upon foot very uncertain. I
accordingly employed an Arab to lead a camel, under
cover of which I could generally manage to approach
within a hundred yards. A buck gazelle weighs from
sixty to seventy pounds, and is the perfection of mus-
cular development. No person who has seen the
gazelles in confinement in a temperate climate can
form an idea of the beauty of the animal in its native
desert. Born in the scorching sun, nursed on the
burning sand of the treeless and shadowless wilder-
ness, the gazelle is among the antelope tribe as the
48 THE SPEED OF THE GAZELLE. [CHAP 11.
Arab horse is among its brethren, the high-bred and
superlative beauty of the race. The skin is as sleek
as satin, of a colour difficult to describe, as it varies
between the lightest mauve and yellowish brown ; the
belly is snow-white ; the legs, from the knee down-
wards, are also white, and are as fine as though carved
from ivory ; the hoof is beautifully shaped, and tapers
to a sharp point ; the head of the buck is ornamented
by gracefully- curved ammlated horns, perfectly black,
and generally from nine to twelve inches long in the
bend ; the eye is the well-known perfection the full,
large, soft, and jet-black eye of the gazelle. Although
the desert appears incapable of supporting animal life,'
there are in the undulating surface numerous shallow
sandy ravines, in which are tufts of a herbage so
coarse that, as a source of nourishment, it would be
valueless to a domestic animal : nevertheless, upon this
dry and wiry substance the delicate gazelles subsist ;
and, although they never fatten, they are exceedingly
fleshy and in excellent condition. Entirely free
from fat, and nevertheless a mass of muscle and
sinew, the gazelle is the fastest of the antelope tribe.
Proud of its strength, and confident in its agility, it
will generally Abound perpendicularly four or five feet
from the ground several times before it starts at full
speed, as though to test the quality of its sinews
before the race. The Arabs course them with grey-
hounds, and sometimes they are caught by running
several dogs at the same time ; but this result is from
the folly of the gazelle, who at first distances his
CHAP, ii.] PREPARATION OF WATER-SKINS. 49
pursuers like the wind ; but, secure in its speed, it
halts and faces the dogs, exhausting itself by bound-
ing exultingly in the air : in the meantime the grey-
hounds are closing up, and diminishing the chance
of escape. As a rule, notwithstanding this absurdity
of the gazelle, it has the best of the race, and the
greyhounds return crestfallen and beaten. Altogether
it is the most beautiful specimen of game that exists,
far too lovely and harmless to be hunted and killed
for the mere love of sport. But when dinner depends
upon the rifle, beauty is no protection ; accordingly,
throughout our desert march we lived upon gazelles,
and I am sorry to confess that I became very expert
at stalking these wary little animals. The flesh,
although tolerably good, has a slight flavour of musk ;
this is not peculiar to the gazelle, as the odour is
common to most of the small varieties of antelopes.
Having a good supply of meat, all hands were
busily engaged in cutting it into strips and drying
it for future use ; the bushes were covered with
festoons of flesh of gazelles and hippopotami, and
the skins of the former were prepared for making
girbas, or water-sacks. The flaying process for this
purpose is a delicate operation, as the knife must be
so dexterously used that no false cut should injure the
hide. The animal is hung up by the hind legs ; an
incision is then made along the inside of both thighs
to the tail, and with some trouble the skin is drawn
off the body towards the head, precisely as a stocking
might be drawn from the leg ; by this operation the
E
50 TANNING THE HIDES. [CHAP. n.
skin forms a seamless bag, open at both ends. To
form a girba, the skin must be buried in the earth for
about twenty hours : it is then washed in water, and
the hair is easily detached. Thus rendered clean, it is
tanned by soaking for several days in a mixture of the
bark of a mimosa and water ; from this it is daily
withdrawn, and stretched out with pegs upon the
ground ; it is then well scrubbed with a rough stone,
and fresh mimosa bark well bruised, with water, is
rubbed in by the friction. About four days are suf-
ficient to tan the thin skin of a gazelle, which is much
valued for its toughness and durability ; the aperture
at the hind quarters is sewn together, and the opening
of the neck is closed, when required, by tying. A
good water-skin should be porous, to allow the water
to exude sufficiently to moisten the exterior, thus
the action of the air upon the exposed surface causes
evaporation, and imparts to the water within the
skin a delicious coolness. The Arabs usually prepare
their tanned skins with an empyreumatical oil made
from a variety of substances, the best of which is that
from the sesame grain ; this has a powerful smell, and:
renders the water so disagreeable that few Europeans
could drink it. This oil is black, and much resembles
tar in appearance ; it has the effect of preserving the
leather, and of rendering it perfectly water-tight. In
desert travelling each person should have his own
private water-skin slung upon his dromedary ; for this
purpose none is so good as a small-sized gazelle skirt
that will contain about two gallons.
CHAP, ii.] SHOOT A CROCODILE. 51
On 23d June we were nearly suffocated by a
whirlwind that buried everything within the tents
several inches in dust ; the heat was intense ; as usual
the sky was spotless, but the simoom was more over-
powering than I had yet experienced. I accordingly
took my rifle and went down to the pool, as any
movement, even in the burning sun, was preferable
to inaction in that sultry heat and dust. The croco-
diles had dragged the skeletons of the hippopotami
into the water ; several huge heads appeared and then
vanished from the surface, and the ribs of the carcase
that projected, trembled and jerked as the jaws of the
crocodiles were at work beneath. I shot one of
very large size through the head, but it sank to the
bottom ; I expected to find it on the following morn-
ing floating upon the surface when the gas should
have distended the body.
I also shot a large single bull hippopotamus late in
the evening, which was alone at tie extremity of the
pool; he sank at the forehead shot, and, as he never
rose again, I concluded that he was dead, and that
I should find him on the morrow with the crocodile.
Tired with the heat, I trudged homeward over the hot
and fatiguing sand of the river's bed.
The cool night arrived, and at about half-past
eight I was lying half asleep upon my bed by the
margin of the river, when I fancied that I heard a
rumbling like distant thunder : I had not heard such
a sound for months, but a low uninterrupted roll ap-
peared to increase in volume, although far distant.
E 2
52 THE RI7ER COMES DOWN. [CHAP. n.
Hardly had I raised my head to listen more atten-
tively when a confusion of voices arose from the
Arabs' camp, with a sound of many feet, and in a
few minutes they rushed into my camp, shouting to
my men in the darkness, " El Bahr ! El Bahr ! " (the
river ! the river !)
We were up in an instant, and my interpreter,
Mahomet, in a state of intense confusion, explained
that the river was coming down, and that the sup-
posed distant thunder was the roar of approaching
water.
Many of the people were asleep on the clean sand
on the river's bed ; these were quickly awakened by
the Arabs, who rushed down the steep bank to save
the skulls of my two hippopotami that were exposed
to dry. Hardly had they descended, when the sound
of the river in the darkness beneath, told us that the
water had arrived, and the men, dripping with wet,
had just sufficient time to drag their heavy burdens
up the bank.
All was darkness and confusion ; everybody was
talking and no one listening, but the great event
had occurred, the river had arrived "like a thief in
the night/' On the morning of the 24th June, I
stood on the banks of the noble Atbara river, at the
break of day. The wonder of the desert ! yesterday
there was a barren sheet of glaring sand, with a fringe
of withered bush and trees upon its borders, that cut
the yellow expanse of desert. For days we had
journeyed along the exhausted bed : all Nature, even
CHAP. IT.] THE MIGHTY STREAM OF THE ATBARA. 53
in Nature's poverty, was most poor : no bush could
boast a leaf : no tree could throw a shade : crisp
gums crackled upon the stems of the mimosas, the
sap dried upon the burst bark, sprung with the
withering heat of the simoom. In one night there
was a mysterious change wonders of the mighty
Nile ! an army of water was hastening to the wasted
river : there was no drop of rain, no thunder-cloud
on the horizon to give hope, all had been dry and
sultry ; dust and desolation yesterday, to-day a
magnificent stream, some 500 yards in width and
from fifteen to twenty feet in depth, flowed through
the dreary desert ! Bamboos and reeds, with trash
of all kinds, were hurried along the muddy waters.
"Where were all the crowded inhabitants of the pool ?
The prison doors were broken, the prisoners were
released, and rejoiced in the mighty stream of the
Atbara.
The 24th June, 1861, was a memorable day.
Although this was actually the beginning of my
work, I felt that, by the experience of this night I
had obtained a clue to one portion of the Nile
mystery, and that, as " coming events cast their
shadows before them," this sudden creation of a
river was but the shadow of the great cause.
The rains were pouring in Abyssinia ! these were
sources of the Nile !
One of my Turks, Hadji Achmet, was ill ; therefore,
although I longed to travel, it was necessary to wait.
I extract verbatim from my journal, 26th June :
54 CHANGE IN THE SEASON. [CHAP. n.
" The river has still risen ; the weather is cooler, and
the withered trees and bushes are giving signs of burst-
ing into leaf. This season may be termed the spring
of this country. The frightful simoom of April, May,
and June, burns everything as though parched by fire,
and not even a withered leaf hangs to a bough, but
the trees wear a wintry appearance in the midst of
intense heat. The wild geese have paired, the birds
are building their nests, and, although not even a drop
of dew has fallen, all Nature seems to be aware of an
approaching change, as the south wind blowing cool
from the wet quarter is the harbinger of rain. Already
some of the mimosas begin to afford a shade, under
which the gazelles may be surely found at mid-day ;
the does are now in fawn, and the young will be
dropped when this now withered land shall be green
with herbage.
" Busy, packing for a start to-morrow; 1 send Hadji
Velli back to Berber in charge of the two hippos'
heads to the care of the good old Halleem Effendi.
No time for shooting to-day. I took out all the
hippo's teeth, of which he possesses 40, ^, six tusks
and fourteen molars in each jaw. The bones of the
hippopotamus, like those of the elephant, are solid,
and without marrow/'
CHAPTEE III.
WILD ASSES OF THE DESERT.
THE journey along the margin of the Atbara was
similar to the entire route from Berber, a vast desert,
with the narrow band of trees that marked the course
of the river ; the only change was the magical growth
of the leaves, which burst hourly from the swollen
buds of the mimosas : this could be accounted for by
the sudden arrival of the river, as the water percolated
rapidly through the sand and nourished the famishing
roots.
The tracks of wild asses had been frequent, but
hitherto I had not seen the animals, as their drinking-
hour was at night, after which they travelled far into
the desert : however, on the morning of the 29th
June, shortly after the start at about 6 A.M. we per-
ceived three of these beautiful creatures on our left
an ass, a female, and a foal. They were about half
a mile distant when first observed, and upon our
approach to within half that distance they halted
and faced about ; they were evidently on their return
to the desert from the river. Those who have seen
56 MY FIRST AND LAST. [CHAP. in.
donkeys in their civilized state have no conception of
the beauty of the wild and original animal. Far from
the passive and subdued appearance of the English
ass, the animal in its native desert is the perfection of
activity and courage ; there is a high-bred tone in the
deportment, a high-actioned step when it trots freely
over the rocks and sand, with the speed of a horse
when it gallops over the boundless desert. No animal
is more difficult of approach ; and, although they are
frequently captured by the Arabs, those taken are
invariably the foals, which are ridden down by fast
dromedaries, while the mothers escape. The colour
of the wild ass is a reddish cream, tinged with the
shade most prevalent of the ground that it inhabits,
thus it much resembles the sand of the desert. I
wished to obtain a specimen, and accordingly I exerted
my utmost knowledge of stalking to obtain a shot at
the male. After at least an hour and a half I suc-
ceeded in obtaining a long shot with a single rifle,
which passed through the shoulder, and I secured my
first and last donkey. It was with extreme regret
that I saw my beautiful prize in the last gasp, and I
resolved never to fire another shot at one of its race.
This fine specimen was in excellent condition, although
the miserable pasturage of the desert is confined to the
wiry herbage already mentioned ; of this the stomach
was full, chewed into morsels like chopped reeds. The
height of this male ass was about 13 : 3 or 14 hands;
the shoulder was far more sloping than that of the
domestic ass, the hoofs were remarkable for their size ;
CHAP, in.] APPETITE FOR RAW MEAT. 57
they were wide, firm, and as broad as those of a horse
of 1 5 hands. I skinned this animal carefully, and the
Arabs divided the flesh among them, while Hadji
Achmet selected a choice piece for our own dinner.
At the close of our march that evening, the morsel of
wild ass was cooked in the form of " rissoles :" the
flavour resembled beef, but it was extremely tough.
On the following day, 30th June, we reached Goze-
rajup, a large permanent village on the south bank of
the river. By dead reckoning we had marched 246
miles from Berber. This spot was therefore about 220
miles from the junction of the Atbara with the Nile.
Here we remained for a few days to rest the
donkeys and to engage fresh camels. An extract from
my journal will give a general idea of this miserable
country:
" July 3. I went out early to get something for
breakfast, and shot a hare and seven pigeons. On my
return to camp, an Arab immediately skinned the
hare, and pulling out the liver, lungs, and kidneys, he
ate them raw and bloody. The Arabs invariably eat
the lungs, liver, kidneys, and the thorax of sheep,
gazelles, &c. while they are engaged in skinning the
beasts, after which they crack the leg bones between
stones, and suck out the raw marrow."
A Bishareen Arab wears his hair in hundreds of
minute plaits which hang down to his shoulders, sur-
mounted by a circular bushy topknot upon the crown,
about the size of a large breakfast cup, from the base
of which the plaits descend. When in full dress the
58 ' THE BISHAREEN ARABS. [CHAP. m.
plaits are carefully combed out with an ivory skewer
about eighteen inches in length ; after this operation,
the head appears like a huge black mop surmounted
by a fellow mop of a small size. Through this mass
of hair he carries his skewer, which is generally orna-
mented, and which answers the double purpose of
comb and general scratcher.
The men have remarkably fine features, but the
women are not generally pretty. The Bishareen is
the largest Arab tribe of Nubia. Like all the Arabs
of Upper Egypt they pay taxes to the Viceroy ;
these are gathered by parties of soldiers, who take
the opportunity of visiting them during the drought,
at which time they can be certainly found near the
river ; but at any other season it would be as easy
to collect tribute from the gazelles of the desert as
from the wandering Bishareens. The appearance of
Turkish soldiers is anything but agreeable to the
Arabs, therefore my escort of Turks was generally
received with the " cold shoulder " upon our arrival
at an Arab camp, and no supplies were forth-
coming in the shape of milk, &c. until the long
coorbatch (hippopotamus whip) of Hadji Achmet had
cracked several times across the shoulders of the village
headman. At first this appeared to me extremely
brutal, but I was given to understand that I was
utterly ignorant of the Arab character, and that he
knew best. I found by experience that Hadji Achmet
was correct ; even where milk was abundant, the Arabs
invariably declared that they had not a drop, that the
CHAP, in.] GOZERAJUP. 59
goats were dry, or had strayed away ; and some paltry
excuses were offered until the temper of the Turk
became exhausted, and the coorbatch assisted in the
argument. A magician's rod could not have produced
a greater miracle than the hippopotamus whip. The
goats were no longer dry, and in a few minutes large
gourds of milk were brought, and liberally paid for,
while I was ridiculed by the Turk, Hadji Achmet, for
so foolishly throwing away money to the "Arab dogs."
Our route was to change. We had hitherto fol-
lowed the course of the Atbara, but we were now to
leave that river on our right, while we should travel
S.E. about ninety miles to Cassala, the capital of
the Taka country, on the confines of Abyssinia, the
great depot upon that frontier for Egyptian troops,
military stores, &c.
Having procured fresh camels, Ave started on 5th
July. This portion of the desert was rich in agates
and numerous specimens of bloodstone. Exactly oppo-
site the village of Gozerajup are curious natural land-
marks, four pyramidical hills of granite that can be
seen from many miles' distance in this perfectly level
country. One of these hills is about 500 feet high,
and is composed entirely of naked blocks of grey
granite piled one upon the other ; some of these stand
perpendicularly in single masses from 30 to 50 feet
high, and from a distance might be taken for giants
climbing the hill side. The pinnacle has a peculiar
conical cap, which appears to have been placed there
by design, but upon closer inspection it is found to be
THE FIRST RAIN.
[CHAP. in.
natural, as no stone of such immense size could have
been placed in such a position.
For the first two hours' march from this landmark,
the country was covered with scrubby bush abounding
in gazelles and guinea-fowl. Here, for the first time,
I saw the secretary bird, known to the Arabs as the
" Devil's horse." A pair of these magnificent birds
were actively employed in their useful avocation in
hunting reptiles, which they chased with wonderful
speed. Great numbers of wild asses passed us during
the march towards evening ; they were on their way
from the desert to the Atbara river, some miles distant
upon the west. Veritable thunder we now heard for
the first time in Africa, and a cloud rose with great
rapidity from the horizon. A cloud was a wonder that
we had not enjoyed for months, but as this increased
both in size and density, accompanied by a gust of
cool wind, we were led to expect a still greater
wonder rain ! Hardly had we halted for the night,
when down it came in torrents, accompanied by a
heavy thunder-storm. On the following morning, we
experienced the disadvantage of rain ; the ground was
so slippery that the camels could not march, and we
were obliged to defer our start until the sun had dried
the surface.
We had now arrived at the most interesting point
to an explorer. From Cairo to within a few miles
south of Gozerajup stretched the unbroken desert
through which we had toiled from Korosko, and
which had so firmly impressed its dreariness upon
CHAP, in.] LIMITS OF THE DESERT. 61
the mind that nothing but desert had been ex-
pected : we had learned to be content in a world of
hot sand, rocks, and pebbles ; but we had arrived
upon the limit ; the curious landmark of Gozerajup
was an everlasting beacon that marked the frontier
of the Nubian desert ; it was a giant warder, that
seemed to guard the living south from the dreadful
skeleton of nature on the north ; the desert had
ceased !
It was a curious and happy coincidence that our
arrival upon the limits of the desert should have
been celebrated by the first shower of rain : we no
longer travelled upon sand and stones, but we stood
upon a fertile loam, rendered soapy and adhesive by
the recent shower. The country was utterly barren
at that season, as the extreme heat of the sun and
simoon perishes all vegetation so thoroughly that it
becomes as crisp as glass ; the dried grass breaks
in the wind, and is carried away in dust, leaving
the earth so utterly naked and bare that it is ren-
dered a complete desert.
In the rainy season, the whole of this country,
from the south to Gozerajup, is covered with excellent
pasturage, and, far from resembling a desert, it be-
comes a mass of bright green herbage. The Arabs
and their flocks are driven from the south by the
flies and by the heavy rains, and Gozerajup offers a
paradise to both men and beasts ; thousands of camels
with their young, hundreds of thousands of goats,
sheep, and cattle, are accompanied by the Arabs and
62 THE HADENDOWA ARABS. [CHAP, in
their families, who encamp on the happy pastures
during the season of plenty.
"We had now passed the limits occupied by the
Bishareens, and we had entered upon the country of
the Hadendowa Arabs. These are an exceedingly bad
tribe, and, together with their neighbours, the
Hallonga Arabs, they fought determinedly against
the Egyptians, until finally conquered during the
reign of the famous Mehemet Ali Pasha, when the
provinces of Nubia submitted unconditionally, and
became a portion of Upper Egypt.
Upon arrival at Soojalup we came upon the prin-
cipal encampment of the Hadendowa during the dry
season. Within a few miles of this spot the scene
had changed : instead of the bare earth denuded of
vegetation, the country was covered with jungle,
already nearly green, while vast plains of grass, en-
livened by beautiful herds of antelopes, proved not
only the fertility of the soil, but the presence of
moisture. Although there was no stream, nor any
appearance of a river's bed, Soojalup was well supplied
with water throughout the hottest season by numerous
wells. This spot is about forty miles distant from
G-ozerajup, and is the first watering-place upon the
route to Cassala. As we approached the wells, we
passed several large villages surrounded by fenced
gardens of cotton, and tobacco, both of which throve
exceedingly. Every village possessed a series of
wells, with a simple contrivance for watering their
cattle: Adjoining the mouth of each well was a basin
CHAP, in.] THE WELLS OF SOOJALUP. 63
formed of clay, raised sufficiently high above the
level of the ground to prevent the animals from
treading it while drinking. With a rope and a
leathern bag distended by pieces of stick, the water
was raised from the wells and emptied into the clay
basins ; the latter were circular, about nine feet in
diameter, and two feet deep. I measured the depth
of some of the wells, and found a uniformity of forty
feet. We halted at Soojalup for the night : here
for the first time I saw the beautiful antelope known,
by the Arabs as the Ariel (Gazelle Dama). This
is a species of gazelle, being similar in form and in
shape of the horns, but as large as a fallow deer :
the colour also nearly resembles that of the gazelle,
with the exception of the rump, which is milk-,
white.
These animals had no water nearer than the Atbara
river, unless they could obtain a stealthy supply from
the cattle basins of the Arabs during the night ;
they were so wild, from being constantly disturbed
and hunted by the Arab dogs, that I found it im-
possible to stalk them upon the evening of our
arrival. The jungles literally swarmed with guinea-
fowl I shot nine in a few minutes, and returned
to camp with dinner for my whole party. The only
species of guinea-fowl that I have seen in Africa is
that with the blue comb and wattles. These birds
are a blessing to the traveller, as not only are
they generally to be met with from the desert
frontier throughout the fertile portions of the South,
64 ANTELOPES. [CHAP. in.
but they are extremely good eating, and far supe-
rior to the domestic guinea-fowl of Europe. In this
spot, Soojalup, I could have killed any number,
had I wished to expend my shot : but this most
necessary ammunition required much nursing during
a long exploration. I had a good supply, four
hundred-weight, of the most useful sizes, No. 6 for
general shooting, and B B. for geese, &c. ; also a bag
of No. 10, for firing into dense flocks of small
birds. On the following morning we left Soojalup ;
for several miles on our route were Arab camps
and wells, with immense herds of goats, sheep, and
cattle. Antelopes were very numerous, and it was
exceedingly interesting to observe the new varieties
as we increased our distance from the north. I shot
two from my camel (G. Dorcas), they were about
the size of a fine roebuck; the horns were like
those of the gazelle, but the animals were larger and
darker in colour, with a distinguishing mark in a
jet black stripe longitudinally dividing the white of
the belly from the reddish colour of the flank.
These antelopes were exceedingly wild, and without
the aid of a camel it would have been impossible to
approach them. I had exchanged my donkey for
Hadji Achmet's dromedary ; thus mounted I could
generally succeed in stalking to within ninety or
one hundred yards, by allowing the animal to feed
upon the various bushes, as though I had mounted
it for the purpose of leading it to graze. This de-
ceived the antelopes, and by carefully ascertaining
CHAP, in.] CAPABILITIES FOR COTTON CULTIVATION. 65
the correct wind, I obtained several shots, some of
which failed, owing to the unsteadiness of my steed,
which had a strong objection to the rifle.
The entire country from Gozerajup to Cassala is a
dead flat, upon which there is not one tree sufficiently
large to shade a full-sized tent : there is no real
timber in the country, but the vast level extent of soil
is a series of open plains and low bush of thorny
mimosa ; there is no drainage upon this perfect level,
thus during the rainy season, the soakage actually
melts the soil, and forms deep holes throughout the
country, which then becomes an impracticable slough,
bearing grass and jungle. Upon this fertile tract of
land, cotton might be cultivated to a large extent, and
sent to Berber, vid the Atbara, from Gozerajup, during
the season of flood. At the present time, the growth
is restricted to the supply required by the Arabs
for the manufacture of their cloths. These are
woven by themselves, the weaver sitting in a hole
excavated in the ground before his rude loom,
shaded by a rough thatch about ten feet square, sup-
ported upon poles. There is a uniformity in dress
throughout all the Nubian tribes of Arabs, the simple
toga of the Eomans ; this is worn in many ways, as
occasion may suggest, very similar to the Scotch plaid.
The quality of cotton produced is the same as that of
Lower Egypt, and the cloths manufactured by the
Arabs, although coarse, are remarkably soft. The toga
or tope is generally ornamented with a few red stripes
at either extremity, and is terminated by a fringe.
F
66 4R4B MIGRATIONS. [CHAP. in.
As we approached within about twenty-five miles
of Cassala, I remarked that the country on our left
was in many places flooded ; the Arabs, who had
hitherto been encamped in this neighbourhood during
the dry season were migrating to other localities in
the neighbourhood of Soojalup and Gozerajup, with
their vast herds of camels and goats. As rain had
not fallen in sufficient quantity to account for the
flood, I was informed that it was due to the river
Gash, or Mareb, which, flowing from Abyssinia,
passed beneath the walls of Cassala, and then divided
into innumerable ramifications ; it was eventually
lost, and disappeared in the porous soil, after having
flooded a large extent of country. This cause ac-
counted for the never-failing wells of Soojalup
doubtless a substratum of clay prevented the total
escape of the water, which remained at a depth of
forty feet from the surface. The large tract of country
thus annually flooded by the river Gash is rendered
extremely fruitful, and is the resort of both the
Hadendowa and the Hallonga Arabs during the dry
season, who cultivate large quantities of dhurra, and
other grain. Unfortunately, in these climates, fertility
of soil is generally combined with unhealthiness, and
the commencement of the rainy season is the signal
for fevers and other maladies. No sooner had we
arrived in the flooded country than my wife was
seized with a sudden and severe attack, which neces-
sitated a halt upon the march, as she could no longer
sit upon her camel. In the evening, several hundreds
CHAP, in.] THE ARAB'S PRAYER. 67
of Arabs arrived, and encamped around our fire.
It was shortly after sunset, and it was interesting
to watch the extreme rapidity with which these
swarthy sons of the desert pitched their camp a
hundred fires were quickly blazing ; the women pre-
pared the food, children sat in clusters round the
blaze, as all were wet from paddling through the
puddled ground, from which they were retreating.
No sooner was the bustle of arrangement com-
pleted, than a grey old man stepped forward, and,
responding to his call, every man of the hundreds
present, formed in line, three or four deep. At once
there was total silence, disturbed only by the crack-
ling of the fires, or by the cry of a child ; and with
faces turned to the east, in attitudes of profound
devotion, the wild but fervent followers of Mahomet
repeated their evening prayer.
The flickering red light of the fire illumined the
bronze faces of the congregation, and as I stood before
the front line of devotees, I took off my cap in
respect for their faith, and at the close of their prayer
I made my salaam to their venerable Faky (priest) ;
he returned the salutation with the cold dignity of an
Arab. In this part the coorbatch of the Turk was
unnecessary, and we shortly obtained supplies of milk.
I ordered the dragoman Mahomet to inform the
Faky that I was a doctor, and that I had the best
medicines at the service of the sick, with advice
gratis. In a short time I had many applicants, to
whom I served out a quantity of Holloway's pills.
F 2
68 THE BARREN WOMEN. [CHAP. in.
These are most useful to an explorer, as possessing
unmistakable purgative properties, they create an
undeniable effect upon the patient, which satisfies
him of their value. They are also extremely conve-
nient, as they may be carried by the pound in a tin
box, and served out in infinitesimal doses from one to
ten at a time, according to the age of the patients. I
had a large medicine chest, with all necessary drugs,
but I was sorely troubled by the Arab women, many
of whom were barren, who insisted upon my supply-
ing them with some medicine that would remove
this stigma, and render them fruitful. It was in vain
to deny them ; I therefore gave them usually a small
dose of ipecacuanha, with the comforting word to an
Arab, "Inshallah," "if it please God." At the same
time I explained that the medicine was of little value.
On the following morning, during the march, my
wife had a renewal of fever. We had already passed
a large village named Abre, and the country was a
forest of small trees, which, being in leaf, threw a
delicious shade. Under a tree, upon a comfortable
bed of dry sand, we were obliged to lay her for
several hours, until the paroxysm passed, and she
could remount her dromedary. This she did with
extreme difficulty, and we hurried towards Cassala,
from which town we were only a few miles distant.
For the last fifty or sixty miles we had seen the
Cassala mountain at first a blue speck above the
horizon. It now rose in all the beauty of a smooth
a.ud bare block of granite, about 3,500 feet above the
CHAP, in.] DIFFICULTY IN FORDING THE RIFER GASH. 69
level of the country, with the town of Cassala at the
base, and the roaring torrent Gash flowing at our feet.
When we reached the end of the day's march it
was between 5 and 6 P.M. The walled town was
almost washed by the river, which was at least 500
yards wide. However, our guides assured us that
it was fordable, although dangerous, on account of
the strength of the current. Camels are most stupid
and nervous animals in water ; that ridden by my
wife was fortunately better than the generality. I
sent two Arabs, with poles, ahead of my camel, and
carefully led the way. After considerable difficulty,
we forded the river safely; the water was nowhere
.above four feet deep, and, in most places, it did not
exceed three ; but the great rapidity of the stream
would have rendered it impossible for the men to
cross without the assistance of poles. One of our
camels lost its footing, and was carried helplessly
down the river for some hundred yards, until it
stranded upon a bank.
The sun had sunk when we entered Cassala. It is
a walled town, surrounded by a ditch and flanking
towers, and containing about 8,000 inhabitants, ex-
clusive of troops. The houses and walls were of
unburnt brick, smeared with clay and cow-dung. As
we rode through the dusty streets, I sent off
Mahomet with my firman to the Mudir ; and, not
finding a suitable place inside the town, I returned
outside the walls, where I ordered the tents to be
pitched in a convenient spot among some wild fig-
70 ARRIVE AT CASSALA. [CHAP. m.
trees. Hardly were tlie tents pitched, tlian Mahomet
returned, accompanied by an officer and ten soldiers
as a guard, with a polite message from the Mudir
or governor, who had, as usual, kissed the potent
firman, and raised it to his forehead, with the de-
claration that he was " my servant, and that all that I
required should be immediately attended to." Shortly
after, we were called upon by several Greeks, one of
whom was the army doctor, Signor Georgis, who,
with, great kindness, offered to supply all our wants.
My wife was dreadfully weak and exhausted, there-
fore an undisturbed night's rest was all that was
required, with the independence of our own tent.
Cassala is rich in hysenas, and the night was passed
in the discordant howling of these disgusting but
useful animals : they are the scavengers of the country,
devouring every species of filth, and clearing all carrion
from the earth. Without the hyaenas and vultures,
the neighbourhood of a Nubian village would be un-
bearable ; it is the idle custom of the people to leave
unburied all animals that die. Thus, among the
numerous flocks and herds, the casualties would create
a pestilence were it not for the birds and beasts of
prey.
On the following morning the fever had yielded to
quinine, and we were enabled to receive a round of
visits the governor and suite, Elias Bey, the doctor
and a friend, and, lastly, Malem Georgis, an elderly
Greek merchant, who, with great hospitality, insisted
upon our quitting the sultry tent and sharing 'his.
CHAP, in.] HOSPITALITY OF THE GREEK MERCHANT. Jl
own roof. We, therefore, became liis guests in
a most comfortable house for some days. Our
Turk, Hadji Achmet, returned on his way to
Berber ; we discharged our camels, and prepared
to start afresh from this point for the Nile tributaries
of Abyssinia.
CHAPTER IV.
ROUTE FROM CASSALA TO SOUAKIM.
BY dead reckoning, Cassala is ninety-three miles S.S.E.
of Gozerajup, or about 340 miles from Berber. We
had ridden about 710 miles from Korosko, 630 miles
of which had been through scorching deserts during
the hottest season. We were, therefore, thankful to
exchange the intense heat of the tent for a solid roof,
and to rest for a short time in the picturesque country
of Taka.
The direct route to Cassala, the capital of Taka,
should be from Suez to Souakim, on the Red Sea, and
from thence, in sixteen days-, by camel. Thus, were
there a line from Suez to Souakim by steamers, similar
to that already established to Jedda, Cassala would be
only twenty-two days' journey from Cairo. At pre-
sent, the Arrival of steamers at Souakim is entirely
uncertain, therefore the trade of the country is para-
lysed by the apathy of the Egyptian Government.
The Abdul Azziz Company run their steamers regu-
larly from Suez to Jedda ; and, although they advertise
Souakim as a port of call, there is no dependence
THE SEROOT FLY.
Seepage 185.
" And it shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall
hiss for the fly that is in the uttermost part of the rivers of Egypt."
ISAIAH vii.
18.
P. iv.] FACILITIES OF THE PORT OF SOUAKIM. ?3
be placed upon the announcement ; therefore, all
icrchants are afraid not only of delay, but of high
r arehouse charges at Souakim. The latter port is
ily four days' steaming from Suez, and, being the
lost central depot for all merchandise both to and
)m Upper Egypt, it would become a point of great
importance were regular means of transport esta-
blished.
Cotton of excellent quality might be grown to an
dimited amount in the provinces of Upper Egypt,
tnd could be delivered at Souakim at a trifling cost
of transport. A large quantity of gum arabic
is collected throughout this country, which sells in
Cassala at 20 piastres (4& 2d.) the cantar of lOOlbs.
There are three varieties, produced from various
mimosas ; the finest quality is gathered in the pro-
vince of Kordofan, but I subsequently met with large
quantities of this species in the Base country. Senna
grows wild in the deserts, but the low price hardly
pays for the cost of collection. There are several
varieties that with extremely narrow and sharp-
pointed leaves is preferred. It grows in sandy situa-
tions where few plants would exist. The bush seldom
exceeds three feet in height, and is generally below
that standard ; but it is exceedingly thick, and rich
in a pale green foliage, which is a strong temptation
to the hungry camel. Curiously, this purgative plant
is the animal's bonne bouche, and is considered most
nourishing as fodder.
The exports of the Soudan are limited to gum
74 FORTIFICATION OF CASSALA. [CHAP. iv.
arable, ivory, hides, senna, and bees' wax ; the latter
is the produce of Abyssinia. These articles are gene-
rally collected by travelling native traders, who sell
to the larger merchants resident in Cassala and Khar-
toum, the two principal towns of the Soudan. The
bazaar in Cassala was poor, as the principal articles
were those of low price, adapted to the wants of the
Arabs, who flock to the capital as a small London,
to make their purchases of cloths, perfumery for the
women, copper cooking pots, &c.
The fortifications of the town, although useless
against cannon, are considered by the Arabs as im-
pregnable. The walls are of solid mud and sun-
baked bricks, carefully loop-holed for musketry, while
a deep fosse, by which it is surrounded, is a safeguard
against a sudden surprise.
These engineering precautions were rendered neces-
sary by the ferocity of the Arabs, who fought the
Egyptians with great determination for some years
before they were finally subdued. Although the
weapons of all the Arab tribes are the simple sword
and lance, they defended their country against the
regular troops of Egypt until they were completely
defeated by a scarcity of water, against which there
could be no resistance. The Egyptians turned the
course of the river Gash, and entirely shut off the
supply from one portion of the country, while they
inundated another. This was effected by an immense
dam, formed of the stems of the dome palms, as a
double row of piles, while the interior was rendered
CHAP, iv.] CONQUEST OF NUBU. 75
water-tight by a lining of matting filled up with
sand.
Cassala was built about twenty years before I visited
the country, after Taka had been conquered and an-
nexed to Egypt. The general annexation of the
Soudan and the submission of the numerous Arab
tribes to the Viceroy have been the first steps neces-
sary to the improvement of the country. Although
the Egyptians are hard masters, and do not trouble
themselves about the future well-being of the con-
quered races, it must be remembered that prior to the
annexation, all the tribes were at war among them-
selves. There was neither government nor law ; thus
the whole country was closed to Europeans. At pre-
sent, there is no more danger in travelling in Upper
Egypt than in crossing Hyde Park after dark, provided
the traveller be just and courteous. At the time of
my visit to Cassala in 1861, the Arab tribes were
separately governed by their own chiefs or sheiks,
who were responsible to the Egyptian authorities for
the taxes due from their people : since that period,
the entire tribes of all denominations have been placed
under the authority of that grand old Arab patriarch
Achmet Abou Sinn, to be hereafter mentioned. The
Sheik Moosa, of the Haddendowa tribe, was in prison
during our stay in that country, for some breach of
discipline in his dealings with the Egyptian Govern-
ment. The iron hand of despotism has produced a
marvellous change among the Arabs, who are ren-
dered utterly powerless by the system of government
76 CRUEL TAXATION. [CHAP. TV.
adopted by the Egyptians; unfortunately, this iron
age has the effect of paralysing all industry.
The principal object of Turks and Egyptians in
annexation, is to increase their power of taxation by
gaining an additional number of subjects. Thus,
although many advantages have accrued to the Arab
provinces of Nubia through Egyptian rule, there exists
an amount of mistrust between the governed and the
governing. Not only are the camels, cattle, and sheep
subjected to a tax, but every attempt at cultivation is
thwarted by the authorities, who impose a fine or
tax upon the superficial area of the cultivated land.
Thus, no one will cultivate more than is absolutely
necessary, as he dreads the difficulties that the broad
acres of waving crops would entail upon his family.
The bond fide tax is a bagatelle to the amounts
squeezed from him by the extortionate soldiery, who
are the agents employed by the sheik ; these must
have their share of the plunder, in excess of the
amount to be delivered to their employer; he, also,
must have his plunder before he parts with the bags
of dollars to the governor of the province. Thus the
unfortunate cultivator is ground down ; should he
refuse to pay the necessary "baksheesh" or present
to the tax-collectors, some false charge is trumped
up against him, and he is thrown into prison. As a
green field is an attraction to a flight of locusts in
their desolating voyage, so is a luxuriant farm in
the Soudan a point for the tax-collectors of Upper
Egypt. I have frequently ridden several days' journey
CHAP, iv.]
EXTREME CHEAPNESS OF CORN.
77
through a succession of empty villages, deserted by
the inhabitants upon the report of the soldiers' ap-
proach ; the women and children, goats and cattle,
camels and asses, have all been removed into the
wilderness for refuge, while their crops of corn have
been left standing for the plunderers, who would be
too idle to reap and thrash the grain.
Notwithstanding the misrule that fetters the steps
of improvement, Nature has bestowed such great
capabilities of production in the fertile soil of this
country, that the yield of a small surface is more than
sufficient for the requirements of the population, and
;tual poverty is unknown. The average price of
lurra is fifteen piastres per " rachel," or about 3s. 2 d.
for 500 Ibs. upon the spot where it is grown. The
[hurra (Sorghum andropogon) is the grain most com-
Lonly used throughout the Soudan ; there are great
ieties of this plant, of which the most common are
ie white and the red. The land is not only favoured
)y Nature by its fertility, but the intense heat of
immer is the laoourer's great assistant. As before
described, all vegetation entirely disappears in the
glaring sun, or becomes so dry that it is swept off by
fire ; thus the soil is perfectly clean and fit for
immediate cultivation upon the arrival of the rains.
The tool generally used is similar to the Dutch hoe.
With this simple implement, the surface is scratched
to the depth of about two inches, and the seeds of the
dhurra are dibbled in about three feet apart, in rows
from four to five feet in width. Two seeds are
78 CULTIVATION OF CEREALS. [CHAP. iv.
dropped into each hole. A few days after the first
shower they rise above the ground, and when about
six inches high, the whole population turn out of their
villages at break of day to weed the dhurra fields.
Sown in July, it is harvested in February and March.
Eight months are thus required for the cultivation
of this cereal in the intense heat of Nubia. For the
first three months the growth is extremely rapid,
and the stem attains a height of six or seven feet.
"When at perfection on the rich soil of the Taka
country, the plant averages a height of ten feet, the
circumference of the stem being about four inches.
The crown is a feather very similar to that of the
sugar cane ; the blossom falls, and the feather becomes
a head of dhurra, weighing about two pounds. Each
grain is about the size of hemp-seed. I took the
trouble of counting the corns contained in an average-
sized head, the result being 4,848. The process of
harvesting and thrashing are remarkably simple, as
the heads are simply detached from the straw and
beaten out in piles. The dried straw is. a substitute
for sticks in forming the walls of the village huts;
these are plastered with clay and cow-dung, which
form the Arab's lath and plaister.
The millers' work is exclusively the province of
the women. There are no circular hand-mills, as
among Oriental nations ; but the com is ground upon
a simple, flat stone, of either gneiss or granite, about
two feet in length, by fourteen inches width. The
face of this is roughed by beating with a sharp-
IP. iv.] ARAB BREAD. 79
pointed piece of harder stone, sucli as quartz or
hornblende, and the grain is reduced to flour by
great labour and repeated grinding or rubbing with
a stone rolling-pin. The flour is mixed with water
and allowed to ferment ; it is then made into thin
pancakes upon an earthenware flat portable hearth.
This species of leavened bread is known to the
Arabs as the kisra. It is not very palatable, but it
is extremely well suited to Arab cookery, as it can be
rolled up like a pancake and dipped in the general
dish of meat and gravy very conveniently, in the
absence of spoons and forks. No man will conde-
scend to grind the corn, and even the Arab women
have such an objection to this labour, that one
of the conditions of matrimony enforced upon the
husband, if possible, provides the wife with a slave
woman to prepare the flour.
Hitherto we had a large stock of biscuits, but as
our dragoman Mahomet had, in a curious fit of
amiability, dispensed them among the camel-drivers,
we were now reduced to the Arab kisras. Although
not as palatable as wheaten bread, the flour of dhurra
is exceedingly nourishing, containing, according to
Professor Johnston's analysis, 11-^ per cent, of gluten,
or \\ per cent, more than English wheaten flour.
Thus men and beasts thrive, especially horses, which
acquire an excellent condition.
The neighbourhood of Cassala is well adapted
for the presence of a large town and military station,
as the fertile soil produces the necessary supplies^
80 MILITARY POSITION OF CASSALA. [CHAP. iv.
while the river Gash affords excellent water. In the
rainy season this should be filtered, as it brings
down many impurities from the torrents of Abyssinia,
but in the heat of summer the river is entirely dry,
and clear and wholesome water is procured from
wells in the sandy bed. The south and south-east
of Cassala is wild and mountainous, affording ex-
cellent localities for hill stations during the un-
healthy rainy season ; but such sanitary arrangements
for the preservation of troops are about as much
heeded by the Egyptian Government as by our own,
and regiments are left in unwholesome climates to
take their chance, although the means of safety are
at hand.
The Taka country being the extreme frontier of
Egypt, constant raids are made by the Egyptians
upon their neighbours the hostile Base, through
which country the river Gash or Mareb descends.
I was anxious to procure all the information possible
concerning the Base, as it would be necessary to
traverse the greater portion in exploring the Settite
river, which is the principal tributary of the Atbara,
and which is in fact the main and parent stream,
although bearing a different name, I heard but one
opinion of the Base, it was a wild and independent
country, inhabited by a ferocious race, whose hand
was against every man, and who in return were the
enemies of all by whom they were surrounded
Egyptians, Abyssinians, Arabs, and Mek Nimmur ;
nevertheless, secure in their mountainous stronghold,
CHAP, iv.] TUE BASE. 81
they defied all adversaries. The Base is a portion
of Abyssinia, but the origin of the tribe that occupies
this ineradicable hornet's nest is unknown. Whether
they are the remnant of the original Ethiopians, who
possessed the country prior to the conquests of the
Abyssinians, or whether they are descended from the
woolly-haired- tribes of the south banks of the Blue
Nile, is equally a mystery ; all we know is that they
are of the same type as the inhabitants of Fazogle,
of the upper portion of the Blue Kiver; they are
exceedingly black, with woolly hair, resembling in
that respect the negro, but without the flat nose or
prognathous jaw. No quarter is given on either
side, should the Base meet the Arabs, with whom
war is to the knife. In spite of the overwhelming
superiority of their adversaries, the Base cannot be
positively subdued ; armed with the lance as their
only weapon, but depending upon extreme agility
and the natural difficulties of their mountain passes,
the attack of the Base is always by stealth ; their
spies are ever prowling about unseen like the
leopard, and their onset is invariably a surprise ;
success or defeat are alike followed by a rapid
retreat to their mountains.
As there is nothing to be obtained by the plunder
of the Base but women and children as slaves, the
country is generally avoided, unless visited for the
express purpose of a slave razzia. Cultivation being
extremely limited, the greater portion of the country
is perfectly wild, and is never visited even by the
82 PREPARE TO START FROM CASSALA. [CHAP. iv.
Base themselves unless for the purpose of hunting.
Several beautiful rivers descend from the mountain
ranges, which ultimately flow into the Atbara ; these,
unlike the latter river, are never dry ; thus, with a
constant supply of water, in a country of forest and
herbage, the Base abounds in elephants, rhinoceros,
hippopotami, giraffes, buffaloes, lions, leopards, and
great numbers of the antelope tribe.
Cassala, thus situated on the confines of the Taka
country, is an important military point in the event
of war between Egypt and Abyssinia, as the Base
would be invaluable as allies to the Egyptians; their
country commands the very heart of Abyssinia, and
their knowledge of the roads would be an incalculable
advantage to an invading force.
On the 14th July I had concluded my arrange-
ments for the start ; there had been some diffi-
culty in procuring camels, but the all-powerful
firman- was a never-failing talisman, and, as the
Arabs had declined to let their animals for hire, the
Governor despatched a number of soldiers and seized
the required number, including their owners. I en-
gaged two wild young Arabs of eighteen and twenty
years of age, named Bacheet and Wat Gamma, the
latter being interpreted signifies " Son of the Moon/'
This in no way suggests lunacy, but the young Arab
had happened to enter this world on the day of the
new moon, which was considered to be a particularly
fortunate and brilliant omen at his birth. Whether
the climax of his good fortune had arrived at the
CHAP, iv.] MAHOMET'S FAMILY TREE. 83
moment he entered my service, I know not, but, if
so, there was a cloud over his happiness in his sub-
jection to Mahomet, the dragoman, who rejoiced in
the opportunity of bullying the two inferiors. Wat
Gamma was a ,quiet, steady, well-conducted lad, who
bore oppression mildly; but the younger, Bacheet, was
a fiery, wild young Arab, who, although an excellent
boy in his peculiar way, was almost incapable of being
tamed and domesticated. I at once perceived that
Mahomet would have a determined rebel to control,
which I confess I did not regret. Wages were not
high in this part of the world, the lads were engaged
at one and a half dollar per month and their keep.
Mahomet, who was a great man, suffered from the
same complaint to which great men are (in those
countries) particularly subject : wherever he went, he
was attacked with claimants of relationship ; he was
overwhelmed with professions of friendship from
people who claimed to be connexions of some of his
family; in fact, if all the ramifications of his race
were correctly represented by the claimants of re-
lationship, Mahomet's family tree would have shaded
the Nubian desert.
We all have our foibles ; the strongest fort has
its feeble point, as the chain snaps at its weakest
link; family pride was Mahomet's weak link. This
was his tender point ; and Mahomet, the great and
the imperious, yielded to the gentle scratching of his
ear if a stranger claimed connexion with his ancient
lineage. Of course he had no family, with the
G 2
84 MAHOMET MEETS RELATIONS. [CHAP. iv.
exception of his wife and two children, whom he had
left in Cairo. The lady whom he had honoured by
an admission to the domestic circle of the Mahomets
was suffering from a broken arm when we started
from Egypt, as she had cooked the dinner badly, and
the " gaddah," or large wooden bowl, had been thrown
at her by the naturally indignant husband, precisely
as he had thrown the axe at one man and the basin
at another, while in our service.; these were little
contretemps that could hardly disturb the dignity
of so great a man. Mahomet met several relations
at Cassala : one borrowed money of him ; another
stole his pipe ; the third, who declared that nothing
should separate them now that "by the blessing of
God" they had met, determined to accompany him
through all the difficulties of our expedition, provided
that Mahomet would only permit him to serve for
love, without wages. I gave Mahomet some little
advice upon this point, reminding him that, although
the clothes of the party were only worth a few
piastres, the spoons and forks were silver, therefore
I should hold him responsible for the honesty of his
friend. This reflection upon the family gave great
offence, and he assured me that Achmet, our quondam
acquaintance, was so near a relation that he was
I assisted him in the genealogical distinction,
" Mother's brother's cousin's sister's mother's son ?
Eh, Mahomet?" " Yes, sar, that's it!" "Very
well, Mahomet; mind he don't steal the spoons, and
thrash him if he doesn't do his work ! " " Yes, sar/*
CITAP. IV.]
WE CROSS THE GASH.
replied Mahomet ; " lie all same like one brother, he
one good man will do his business quietly, if not,
master lick him." The new relation not under-
standing English, was perfectly satisfied with the
success of his introduction, and from that moment
he became one of the party. One more addition,
and our arrangements were completed : the Governor
of Cassala was determined that we should not start
without a representative of the Government, in the
shape of a soldier guide ; he accordingly gave us a
black man, a corporal in one of the Nubian regi-
ments, who was so renowned as a sportsman that
he went by the name of " El Baggar v (the cow,)
on account of his having killed several of the oryx
antelope, known as " El Baggar et Wahash " (the
cow of the desert.)
The rains had fairly commenced, as a heavy
thunder-shower generally fell at about 2 P.M. On
the 15th, the entire day was passed in transporting
our baggage across the river Gash to the point from
which we had started upon our arrival at Cassala :
this we accomplished with much difficulty, with the
assistance of about a hundred men supplied by the
Governor, from whom we had received much
attention and politeness. We camped for the
night upon the margin of the river, and marched
on the following morning at daybreak due west
towards the Atbara,
The country was a great improvement upon that
we had hitherto passed; the trees were larger, and
86 STALKING TIIH ARIEL. [CHAP. iv.
vast plains of young grass, interspersed with green
bush,' stretched to the horizon. The soil was an
exceedingly rich loam, most tenacious when wetted ;
far as the eye could reach to the north and west
of Cassala was the dead level plain, while to the
south and east arose a broken chain of mountains.
We had not proceeded many miles, when the
numerous tracks of antelopes upon the soil, moistened
by the shower of yesterday, proved that we had
arrived in a sporting country ; shortly after, we saw
a herd of about fifty ariels (Gazelle Dama). To
stalk these wary antelopes I was obliged to separate
from my party, who continued on their direct route.
Riding upon my camel, I tried every conceivable
dodge without success. I could not approach them
nearer than about 300 yards. They did not gallop
off at once, but made a rush for a few hundred
paces, and then faced about to gaze at the approach-
ing camel. After having exhausted my patience to
no purpose, I tried another plan : instead of ad-
vancing against the wind as before, I made a great
circuit and gave them the wind. No sooner was I
in good cover behind a mimosa bush than I dis-
mounted from my camel, and, leading it until within
view of the shy herd, I tied it to a tree, keeping
behind the animal so as to be well concealed. I
succeeded in retreating through the bushes un-
observed, leaving the camel as a gazing point to
attract their attention. Running at my best speed
to the same point from which I had commenced my
CHAP, iv.] BAGGED THE GAME. 87
circuit, and keeping under cover of the scattered
bushes, I thus obtained the correct wind, and stalked
up from bush to bush behind the herd, who were
curiously watching the tied camel, that was quietly
gazing on a mimosa. In this way I had succeeded
in getting within 150 yards of the beautiful herd,
when a sudden fright seized them, and they rushed
off in an opposite direction of the camel, so as to
pass about 120 yards on my left; as they came by
in full speed, I singled out a superb animal, and
tried the first barrel of the little Fletcher rifle. I
heard the crack of the ball, and almost immediately
afterwards the herd passed on, leaving one lagging
behind at a slow canter; this was my wounded
ariel, who shortly halted, and laid down in an open
glade. Having no dog, I took the greatest pre-
caution in stalking, as a wounded antelope is almost
certain to escape if once disturbed when it has laid
down. There was a small withered stem of a tree
not thicker than a man's thigh; this grew within
thirty yards of the antelope; my only chance of
approach was to take a line direct for this slight
object of cover. The wind was favourable, and I
crept along the ground. I had succeeded in arriving
within a few yards of the tree, when up jumped
the antelope, and bounded off as though unhurt;
but there was no chance for it at this distance, and
I rolled it over with a shot through the spine.
Having done the needful with my beautiful prize,
and extracted the interior, I returned for my camel
DESCENT OF VULTURES.
[CHAP. iv.
that had so well assisted in the stalk. Hardly had
I led the animal to the body of the ariel, when I
heard a rushing sound like a strong wind, and down
came a vulture with its wings collapsed, falling
from an immense height direct to its prey, in its
eagerness to be the first in the race. By the
time that I had fastened the ariel across the back
of the camel, many vultures were sitting upon the
ground at a few yards' distance, while others were'
arriving every minute ; before I had shot the ariel,
not a vulture had been in sight ; the instant that I
retreated from the spot a flock of ravenous beaks
were tearing at the offal.
In the constant doubling necessary during the
stalk, I had quite lost my way. The level plain to
the horizon, covered with scattered mimosas offered
no object as a guide. I was exceedingly thirsty,
as the heat was intense, and I had been taking rapid
exercise ; unfortunately my water-skin was slung upon
my wife's camel. However unpleasant the situation,
my pocket compass would give me the direction, as
we had been steering due west ; therefore, as I had
turned to my left when I left my party, a course
N.W. should bring me across their tracks, if they
had continued on their route. The position of the
Cassala mountain agreed with this course ; therefore,
remounting my dromedary, with the ariel slung
behind the saddle, I hastened to rejoin our caravan.
After about half an hour I heard a shot fired not far
in advance, and I shortly joined the party, who had
CHAP, iv.] CHJNGE OF SCENERY. 89
fired a gun to give me the direction. A long and.
deep pull at the water-skin was the first salutation.
We halted that night near a small pond formed
by the recent heavy rain. Fortunately the sky was
clear ; there was abundance of fuel, and pots were
shortly boiling an excellent stew of ariel venison
and burnt onions. The latter delicious bulbs are the
blessing of Upper Egypt : I have lived for days upon
nothing but raw onions and sun-dried rusks. Nothing
is so good a substitute for meat as an onion ; but
if raw, it should be cut into thin slices, and allowed
to soak for half an hour in water, which should be
poured off: the onion thus loses its pungency, and
becomes mild and agreeable ; with the accompani-
ment of a little oil and vinegar it forms an excellent
salad.
The following day's march led us through the
same dead level of grassy plains and mimosas, en-
livened with numerous herds of ariels and large
black-striped gazelle (Dorcas), one of which I suc-
ceeded in shooting for my people. After nine hours'
journey we arrived at the valley of the Atbara, in
all sixteen hours' actual marching from Cassala.
There was an extraordinary change in the ap-
pearance of the river between Gozerajup and this
.spot. There was no longer the vast sandy desert
with the river flowing through its sterile course on
.a level with the surface of the country, but after
traversing an apparently perfect flat of forty-five
.miles of rich alluvial soil, we had suddenly arrived
THE SOURCE OF THE DELTA.
[CHAP. iv.
upon the edge of a deep valley, between five and six
miles wide, at the bottom of which, about 200 feet
below the general level of the country, flowed the
river Atbara. On the opposite side of the valley,
the same vast table lands continued to the western
horizon.
We commenced the descent towards the river ;
the valley was a succession of gullies and ravines,
of landslips and watercourses ; the entire hollow of
miles in width, had evidently been the work of the
river. How many ages had the rains and the
stream been at work to scoop out from the flat
table land this deep and broad valley ? Here was
the giant labourer that had shovelled the rich loam
upon the delta of Lower Egypt ! Upon these vast
flats of fertile soil there can be no drainage except
through soakage. The deep valley is therefore the
receptacle not only for the water that oozes from
its sides, but subterranean channels bursting as land-
springs from all parts of the walls of the valley,
wash down the more soluble portions of earth, and
continually waste away the soil. Landslips occur
daily during the rainy season ; streams of rich mud
pour down the valley's slopes, and as the river flows
beneath in a swollen torrent, the friable banks topple
down into the stream and dissolve. The Atbara
becomes the thickness of pea-soup, as its muddy
waters steadily perform the duty they have fulfilled
from age to age. Thus was the great river at work
upon our arrival on its bank at the bottom of the
CHAP, iv.] THE PARENT OF EGYPT. 91
valley. The Arab name, "Bahr el Aswat" (black
river) was well bestowed ; it was the black mother
of Egypt, still carrying to her offspring the nourish-
ment that had first formed the Delta.
At this point of interest, the journey had com-
menced ; the deserts were passed, all was fertility
and life : wherever the sources of the Nile might
be, the Atbara ivas the parent of Egypt ! This
was my first impression, to be proved hereafter.
CHAPTER V.
THE STORM.
A VIOLENT thunderstorm, with a deluge of rain,
broke upon our camp upon the banks of the Atbara,
fortunately just after the tents were pitched. "We
thus had an example of the extraordinary effects
of the heavy rain in tearing away the soil of the
valley. Trifling watercourses were swollen to tor-
rents ; banks of earth became loosened and fell in,
and the rush of mud and water upon all sides
swept forward into the river with a rapidity which
threatened the destruction of the country, could
such a tempest endure for a few days. In a couple
of hours all was over. The river was narrower
than in its passage through the desert, but was
proportionately deeper. The name of the village
on the opposite bank was Goorashee, with which a
means of communication had been established by
a ferry-boat belonging to our friend and late host,
Malem Georgis, the Greek merchant of Cassala.
He had much trouble in obtaining permission from
the authorities to introduce this novelty, which was
JS
OF
CALIF'
CHAP, v.] COTTON FARM OF MALEM GEORGIS. 93
looked upon as an innovation, as such a convenience
had never before existed. The enterprising pro-
prietor had likewise established a cotton farm at
Goorashee, which appeared to succeed admirably,
and was an undeniable example of what could be
produced in this fertile country were the spirit of
improvement awakened. Notwithstanding the ad-
vantage of the ferry-boat, many of the Arabs pre-
ferred to swim their camels across the river to
paying a trifle to- the ferryman. A camel either
cannot or will not swim unless it is supported by
inflated skins : thus the passage of the broad river
Atbara (at this spot about 300 yards wide) is an
affair of great difficulty. Two water-skins are in-
flated, and attached to the camel by a band passed
like a girth beneath the belly. Thus arranged, a
man sits upon its back, while one or two swim by
the side as guides. The current of the Atbara runs
at a rapid rate : thus the camel is generally carried
at least half a mile down the river before it can
gain the opposite bank. A few days before our
arrival, a man had been snatched from the back of
his camel while crossing, and was carried off by a
crocodile. Another man had been taken during the
last week while swimming the river upon a log. It
was supposed that these accidents were due to the
same crocodile, who was accustomed to bask upon a
mud bank at the foot of the cotton plantation. On
the day following our arrival at the Atbara, we found
that our camel-drivers had absconded during the
94 FEROCIOUS CROCODILES. [CHAP. v.
night with their camels; these were the men who
had been forced to serve by the Governor of
Cassala. There was no possibility of proceeding
for some days, therefore I sent El Baggar across
the river to endeavour to engage camels, while
I devoted myself to a search for the crocodile. I
shortly discovered that it was unfair in the extreme
to charge one particular animal with the death of
the two Arabs, as several large crocodiles were lying
upon the mud in various places. A smaller one was
lying asleep high and dry upon the bank; the wind
was blowing strong, so that, by carefully approach-
ing, I secured a good shot within thirty yards, and
killed it on the spot by a bullet through the head,
placed about an inch above the eyes.
After some time, the large crocodiles who had
taken to the water at the report of the gun, again
appeared, and crawled slowly out of the muddy river
to their basking-places upon the bank. A crocodile
usually sleeps with its mouth wide open, I therefore
waited until the immense jaws of the nearest were
well expanded, showing a grand row of glittering
teeth, when I crept carefully towards it through the
garden of thickly-planted cotton. Bacheet and Wat
Gamma followed in great eagerness. In a short time I
arrived within about forty yards of the beast, as it lay
upon a flat mud bank formed by one of the numerous
torrents that had carried down the soil during the
storm of yesterday. ,The cover ceased, and it was
impossible to approach nearer without alarming the
CHAP, v.] SHOOT A MONSTER. 5
crocodile ; it was a fine specimen, apparently nine-
teen or twenty feet in length, and I took a steady
shot with the little Fletcher rifle at the temple, ex-
actly in front of the point of union of the head with
the spine. The jaws clashed together, and a con-
vulsive start followed by a twitching of the tail led
me to suppose that sudden death had succeeded the
shot ; but, knowing the peculiar tenacity of life pos-
sessed by the crocodile, I fired another shot at the
shoulder, as the huge body lay so close to the river's
edge that the slightest struggle would cause it to
disappear. To my surprise, this shot, far from pro-
ducing a quietus, gave rise to a series of extra-
ordinary convulsive struggles. One moment it rolled
upon its back, lashed out right and left with its tail,
and ended by toppling over into the river.
This was too much for the excitable Bacheet, who,
followed by his friend, Wat Gamma, with more
courage than discretion, rushed into the river, and
endeavoured to catch the crocodile by the tail.
Before I had time to call them back, these two Arab
water-dogs were up to their necks in the river,
screaming out -directions to each other while they
were feeling for the body of the monster with their
feet. At length I succeeded in calling them to
shore, and we almost immediately saw the body
of the crocodile appear belly upwards, about fifty
yards down the stream ; the forepaws were above
the water, but, after rolling round several times, it
once more disappeared, rapidly carried away by the
96 THE PUBLIC ENEMY. [CHAP. v.
muddy torrent. This was quite enough for the
Arabs, who had been watching the event from the
opposite bank of the river, and the report quickly
spread that two crocodiles were killed, one of which
they declared to be the public enemy that had
taken the men at the ferry, but upon what evidence
I cannot understand. Although my Arabs looked
forward to a dinner of crocodile flesh, I was obliged
to search for something of rather milder flavour
for ourselves. I waited for about an hour while
the first crocodile was being divided, when I took
a shot gun and succeeded in killing three geese
and a species of antelope no larger than a hare,
known by the Arabs as the Dik-dik (Nanotragus
Hemprichianiis). This little creature inhabits thick
bush. Since my return to England, I have seen
a good specimen in the Zoological Gardens of the
Kegent's Park.
Upon my arrival at the tents, I found the camp
redolent of musk from the flesh of the crocodile,
and the people were quarrelling for the musk
glands, which they had extracted, and which are
much prized by the Arab women, who wear them
strung like beads upon a necklace.
A crocodile possesses four of such glands ; they
vary in size according to the age of the reptile,
but they are generally about as large as a hazel
nut, when dried. Two glands are situated in the
groin, and two in the throat, a little in advance of
the forelegs. I have noticed two species of croco-
FIRST RUSH OF THE GIRAFFES. Seepage 190.
CHAP, v.] RESISTANCE OF A CROCODILE'S SCALES. 97
diles throughout all the rivers of Abyssinia, and in
the White Nile. One of these is of a dark brown
colour, and much shorter and thicker in proportion
than the other, which grows to an immense length,
and is generally of a pale greenish yellow. Through-
out the Atbara, crocodiles are extremely mischievous
and bold ; this can be accounted for by the constant
presence of Arabs and their flocks, which the croco-
diles have ceased to fear, as they exact a heavy
tribute in their frequent passages of the river. The
Arabs assert that the dark-colaured thick-bodied
species is more to be dreaded than the other.
The common belief that the scales of a crocodile
will stop a bullet is very erroneous. If a rifle is
loaded with the moderate charge of two and a half
drachms, it will throw an ounce ball through the
scales of the hardest portion of the back ; but were
the scales struck obliquely, the bullet might possibly
glance from the surface, as in like manner it would
ricochet from the surface of water. The crocodile
is so difficult to kill outright, that people are apt
to imagine that the scales have resisted their bullets.
The on]y shots that will produce instant death are
those that strike the brain or the spine through the
neck. A shot through the shoulder is fatal, but
as the body immediately., sinls^ ir an$ y/ <J0$s i
appear: iWpoitr^^Tsurf^e ju&atil
-r by, u
float. The body of a crocodile
H
98 DISCOVER GOLD. [CHAP. v.
to eighteen hours before it will rise to the sur-
face, while that of the hippopotamus will never
remain longer than two hours beneath the water, and
will generally rise in an hour and a half after
death. This difference in time depends upon the
depth and temperature ; in deep holes of the river of
from thirty to fifty feet, the water is much cooler
near the bottom, thus the gas is not generated in
the body so quickly as in shallow and warmer water.
The crocodile is not a grass-feeder, therefore the
stomach is comparatively small, and the contents do
not generate the amount of gas, that so quickly dis-
tends the huge stomach of the hippopotamus ; thus
the body of the former requires a longer period before
it will rise to the surface.
In the evening we crossed with our baggage and
people to the opposite side of the river, and pitched
our tents at the village of Goorashee. A small
watercourse had brought down a large quantity of
black sand. Thinking it probable that gold might
exist in the same locality, I washed some earth in a
copper basin, and quickly discovered a few specks of
the precious metal. Gold is found in small quantities
in the sand of the Atbara ; at Fazogle on the Blue
Nile there are mines of this metal worked by the
Egyptian Government. From my subsequent ex-
perience I have no doubt that valuable minerals
exist in large quantities throughout the lofty chain
of Abyssinian mountains from which these rivers
derive their sources.
CHAP. v.J BEAFr ACTION OF THE CAMEL. 99
The camels arrived, and once more we were ready
to start. Our factotum, El Baggar, had collected
a number of both baggage-camels and riding drome-
daries or "hygeens;" the latter he had brought for
approval, as we had suffered much from the extreme
roughness of our late camels. There is the same
difference between a good hygeen or dromedary and
a baggage-camel as between the thoroughbred and
the cart-horse ; and it appears absurd in the eyes
of the Arabs that a man of any position should ride
a baggage- camel. Apart from all ideas of etiquette,
the motion of the latter animal is quite sufficient
warning. Of all species of fatigue, the back-breaking
monotonous swing of a heavy camel is the worst ; and,
should the rider lose patience, and administer a
sharp cut with the coorbatch that induces the
creature to break into a trot, the torture of the
rack is a pleasant tickling compared to the sensation
of having your spine driven by a sledge-hammer
from below, half a foot deeper into the skull. The
human frame may be inured to almost anything;
thus the Arabs, who have always been accustomed
to this kind of exercise, hardly feel the motion, and
the portion of the body most subject to pain in
riding a rough c&mel upon two bare pieces of wood
for a saddle, becomes naturally adapted for such rough
service, as monkeys become hardened from constantly
sitting upon rough substances. The children com-
mence almost as soon as they are born, as they must
accompany their mothers in their annual migrations ;
H 2
100
EL SAGGAR SELECTS A HYGEEN.
[CHAP. v.
and no sooner can the young Arab sit astride and hold
on, than he is placed behind his fathers saddle, to
which he clings, while he bumps upon the bare back of
the jolting camel. Nature quickly arranges a horny
protection to the nerves, by the thickening of the
skin ; thus, an Arab's opinion of the action of a
riding hygeen should never be accepted without a
personal trial. What appears delightful to him
may be torture to you, as a strong breeze and a
rough sea may be charming to a sailor but worse
than death to a landsman.
I was determined not to accept the camels now
offered as hygeens until I had seen them tried;
I accordingly ordered our black soldier El Baggar
to saddle the most easy-actioned animal for my
wife, but I wished to see him put it through a
variety of paces before she should accept it. The
delighted El Baggar, who from long practice was as
hard as the heel of a boot, disdained a saddle ; the
animal knelt, was mounted, and off he started at
full trot, performing a circle of about fifty yards
diameter as though in a circus. I never saw such
an exhibition ! " Warranted quiet to ride, of easy
action, r and fit for a lady I" This had been the cha-
racter received with the rampant brute, who now,
with i head and tail erect, went tearing round the
circle, screaming and roaring like a wild beast,
throwing his forelegs forward, and stepping at least
three feet high in his trot. Where was El Baggar ?
A.: disjointed-looking black figure was sometimes on
CHAP, v.] THE EASY-GOER, SUITABLE FOR A LADY! 101
the back of this easy-going camel, sometimes a foot
high in the air ; arms, head, legs, hands appeared
like a confused mass of dislocations ; the woolly hair
of this unearthly individual, that had been carefully
trained in long stiff narrow curls, precisely similar
to the tobacco known as "negro-head," alternately
started upright en masse, as though under the in-
fluence of electricity, and then fell as suddenly upon
his shoulders ; had the dark individual been a " black
dose " he or it could not have been more thoroughly
shaken. This object so thoroughly disguised by ra-
pidity of movement was El Baggar ; happy, delighted
El Baggar ! As he came rapidly round towards us
flourishing his coorbatch, I called to him, "Is that
a nice hygeen for the Sit (lady), El Baggar? is it
very easy ?"' He was almost incapable of a reply.
"V-e-r-y e-e-a-a-s-y," replied the trustworthy autho-
ity, "j-j-j-just the thin-n-n-g for the S-i-i-i-t-t-t."
"All right, that will do," I answered, and the
jockey pulled up his steed. "Are the other camels
better or worse than that ?" I asked. " Much worse,"
replied El Baggar, "the others are rather rough, but
this is an easy goer, and will suit the lady well."
It was impossible to hire a good hygeen ; an
Arab prizes his riding animal too much, and inva-
riably refuses to let it to a stranger, but generally
imposes upon him by substituting some lightly-built
camel, that he thinks will pass muster. I accord-
ingly chose for my wife a steady-going animal from
among the baggage-camels, trusting to be able to
102 HOOKED THORNS OF THE MIMOSA. [CHAP. v.
obtain a hygeen from the great Sheik Abou Sinn,
who was encamped upon the road we were about
to take along the valley of the Atbara ; we arranged
to leave Goorashee on the following day.
Upon arriving at the highest point of the valley,
we found ourselves upon the vast table-land that
stretches from the Atbara to the Nile. At this sea-
son the entire surface had a faint tint of green, as
the young shoots of grass had replied to the late
showers of rain ; so perfect a level was this great
tract of fertile country, that within a mile of the
valley of the Atbara there was neither furrow nor
water-course, but the escape of the rainfall was by
simple soakage. As usual, the land was dotted with
mimosas, all of which were now bursting into leaf.
The thorns of the different varieties of these trees
are an extraordinary freak of Nature, as she appears
to have exhausted all her art in producing an appa-
rently useless arrangement of defence. The mimosas
that are most common in the Soudan provinces are
mere bushes, seldom exceeding sixteen feet in height ;
these spread out towards the top like mushrooms,
but the branches commence within two feet of the
ground ; they are armed with thorns in the shape
of fish-hooks, which they resemble in sharpness and
strength. A thick jungle composed of such bushes
is perfectly impenetrable to any animals but ele-
phants, rhinoceros, and buffaloes, and should the
clothes of a man become entangled in such thorns,
either they must give way, or he must remain a
.CHAP, v.] WE CHARGE A KITTAR-BUSH. 103
prisoner. The mimosa that is known among the
Arabs as the Kittar, is one of the worst species,
and is probably similar to that which caught Absa-
lom by the hair; this differs from the well-known
" Wait-a-bit," of South Africa, as no milder nickname
could be applied than " Dead-stop." Were the clothes
of strong material, it would be perfectly impossible
to break through a kittar-bush.
A magnificent specimen of a kittar, with a wide-
spreading head in the young glory of green leaf,
tempted my hungry camel during our march ; it
was determined to procure a mouthful, and I was
equally determined that it should keep to the straight
path, and avoid the attraction of the green food.
After some strong remonstrance upon my part, the
perverse beast shook its ugly head, gave a roar, and
started off in full trot straight at the thorny bush.
I had not the slightest control over the animal, and
in a few seconds it charged the bush with the mad
intention of rushing either through or beneath it. To
my disgust I perceived that the wide-spreading
branches were only just sufficiently high to permit
the back of the camel to pass underneath. There
was no time for further consideration; we charged
the bush ; I held my head doubled up between my
arms, and the next moment I was on my back
half stunned by the fall. The camel-saddle lay
upon the ground, my rifle, that had been slung be-
hind, my coffee-pot, the water-skin burst, and a host
of other impedimenta lay around me in all directions ;
104 THE SCORPION'S STING. [CHAP. v.
worst of all, my beautiful gold repeater lay at some
distance from me, rendered entirely useless. I was
as nearly naked as I could be ; a few rags held toge-
ther, but my shirt was gone, with the exception of
some shreds that adhered to my arms. I was, of
course, streaming with blood, and looked much more
as though I had been clawed by a leopard, than as
having simply charged a bush. The camel had fallen
down with the shock after I had been swept off
by the thorny branches. To this day I have the
marks of the scratching.
Unless a riding-camel is perfectly trained, it is
the most tiresome animal to ride after the first
green leaves appear ; every bush tempts it from the
path, and it is a perpetual fight between the rider
and his beast throughout the journey.
We shortly halted for the night, as I had noticed
unmistakable signs of an approaching storm. We
quickly pitched the tents, grubbed up the root and
stem of a decayed mimosa, and lighted a fire, by
the side of which our people sat in a circle. Hardly
had the pi]e begun to blaze, when a cry from
Mahomet's new relative, Achmet, informed us that he
had been bitten by a scorpion. Mahomet appeared
to think this highly entertaining, until suddenly
he screamed out likewise, and springing from the
ground, he began to stamp and wring his hands in
great agony : he had himself been bitten, and we
found that a whole nest of scorpions were in the
rotten wood lately thrown upon the fire ; in their
CHAP. v.J SUDDEN DELUGE. 105
flight from the heat they stung all whom they met.
There was no time to prepare food ; the thunder
already roared above us, and in a few minutes the
sky, lately so clear, was as black as ink. I had
already prepared for the storm, and the baggage
was piled within the tent ; the ropes of the tents
had been left slack to allow for the contraction,
and we were ready for the rain. It was fortunate
that we were in order; a rain descended with an
accompaniment of thunder and lightning, of a
volume unknown to the inhabitants of cooler cli-
mates ; for several hours there was almost an unin-
terrupted roar of the most deafening peals, with
lightning so vivid that our tent was completely
lighted up in the darkness of the night, and its
misery displayed. Not only was the rain pouring
through the roof so that we were wet through as
we crouched upon our angareps (stretchers), but the
legs of our bedstead stood in more than six inches
of water. Being as wet as I could be, I resolved
to enjoy the scene outside the tent; it was curious
in the extreme. Flash after flash of sharp forked
lightning played upon the surface of a boundless
lake ; there was not a foot of land visible, but the
numerous dark bushes projecting from the surface
of the water destroyed the illusion of depth that
the scene would otherwise have suggested. The
rain ceased, but the entire country was flooded
several inches deep, and when the more distant
lightning flashed as the storm rolled away, I saw
106 A REGIMENT OF SCORPIONS. [CHAP. v.
the camels lying like statues built into the lake.
On the following morning the whole of this great
mass of water had been absorbed by the soil, which
had become so adhesive and slippery that it was
impossible for the camels to move ; we therefore
waited for some hours, until the intense heat of the
sun had dried the surface sufficiently to allow the
animals to proceed.
Upon striking the tent, we found beneath the
volance between the crown and the walls a regi-
ment of scorpions ; the flood had doubtless destroyed
great numbers within their holes, but these, having
been disturbed by the deluge, had found an asylum
by crawling up the tent walls : with great difficulty
we lighted a fire, and committed them all to the
flames. Mahomet made a great fuss about his hand,
which was certainly much, swollen, but not worse
than that of Achmet, who did not complain, al-
though during the night he had been again bitten
on the leg by one of these venomous insects, that
had crawled from the water upon his clothes.
During our journey that morning parallel with the
valley of the Atbara, I had an excellent opportunity of
watching the effect of the storm. We rode along the
abrupt margin of the table-land, where it broke sud-
denly into the deep valley ; from the sides of this the
water was oozing in all directions, creating little ava-
lanches of earth, which fell as they lost their solidity
from too much moisture. This wonderfully rich soil
was rolling gradually towards Lower Egypt. From the
CHAP, v.] VALLEY OF THE ATBABA 107
heights above the river we had a beautiful view of the
stream, which at this distance, reflecting the bright sun-
light, did not appear like the thick liquid mud that we
knew it to be. The valley was of the same general
character that we had remarked at Goorashee, but
more abrupt a mass of landslips, deep ravines, shaded
by mimosas, while the immediate neighbourhood of
the Atbara was clothed with the brightest green
foliage. In this part, the valley was about three miles
in width, and two hundred feet deep.
The commencement of the rainy season was a warn-
ing to all the Arabs of this country, who were prepar-
ing for their annual migration to the sandy and firm
desert on the west bank of the river, at Gozerajup ;
that region, so barren and desolate during the hot
season, would shortly be covered with a delicate grass
about eighteen inches high. At that favoured spot
the rains fell with less violence, and it formed a
nucleus for the general gathering of the people with
their flocks.
We were travelling south at the very season
when the natives were migrating north. I saw
plainly that it would be impossible for us to continue
our journey during the wet season, as the camels had
the greatest difficulty in carrying their loads even now,
at the commencement : their feet sank deep into the
soil; this formed adhesive clods upon their spongy
toes, that almost disabled them. The farther we
travelled south, the more violent would the rains be-
come, and a long , tropical experience warned me that
108 THE MIGRATION OF CAMELS. [CHAP. v.
the rainy season was the signal for fevers. All the
camels of the Arabs were being driven from the
country ; we had already met many herds travelling
northward, but this day's march was through crowds
of these animals, principally females with their young,
many thousands of which were on the road. Some of
the young foals were so small that they could not
endure the march ; these were slung in nets upon the
backs of camels, while the mother followed behind.
"We revelled in milk, as we had not been able to
procure it since we left Cassala. Some persons dis-
like the milk of the camel ; I think it is excellent
to drink pure, but it does not answer in general
use for mixing with coffee, with which it immediately
curdles ; it is extremely rich, and is considered by the
Arabs to be more nourishing than that of the cow.
To persons of delicate health I should invariably re-
commend boiled milk in preference to plain ; and
should the digestion be so extremely weak that liquid
milk disagrees with the stomach, they should allow it
to become thick, similar to curds and whey ; this
should be then beaten together, with the admixture of
a little salt and cayenne pepper ; it then assumes the
thickness of cream, and is very palatable. The Arabs
generally prepare it in this manner ; it is not only
considered to be more wholesome, but in its thickened
state it is easier to carry upon a journey. With an
apology to European medical men, I would suggest
that they should try the Arab system whenever they
prescribe a milk diet for a delicate patient. The first
CHAP, v.] 'A MILK DIET. 109
operation of curdling, which is a severe trial to a weak
stomach, is performed in hot climates by the atmo-
sphere, as in temperate climates by the admixture of
rennet, &c. ; thus the most difficult work of the
stomach is effected by a foreign agency, and it is
spared the first act of its performance. I have wit-
nessed almost marvellous results from a milk diet
given as now advised.
Milk, if drunk warm from the animal in hot
climates, will affect many persons in the same manner
as a powerful dose of senna and salts. Our party
appeared to be proof against such an accident, as they
drank enough to have stocked a moderate-sized dairy.
This was most good-naturedly supplied gratis by
the Arabs.
It was the season of rejoicing ; every one appeared
in good humour ; the distended udders of thousands
of camels were an assurance of plenty. The burning
sun that for nine months had scorched the earth, was
veiled by passing clouds ; the cattle that had panted
for water, and whose food was withered straw, were
filled with juicy fodder ; the camels that had sub-
sisted upon the dried and leafless twigs and branches,
now feasted upon the succulent tops of the mimosas.
Throngs of women and children mounted upon camels,
protected by the peculiar gaudy saddle hood, orna-
mented with cowrie-shells, accompanied the march ;
thousands of sheep and goats, driven by Arab boys,
were straggling in all directions ; baggage-camels,
heavily laden with the quaint household goods,
blocked up the way ; and fine bronzed figures of
1 10 THE ARAB EXODUS. [CHAP. v.
Arabs, with sword and shield, and white topes or
plaids, guided their milk-white dromedaries through
the confused throng with the usual placid dignity of
their race, simply passing by with the usual greeting,
" Salaam aleikum," " Peace be with you."
It was the Exodus ; all were hurrying towards the
promised land the " land flowing with milk and
honey," where men and beasts would be secure not
only from the fevers of the south, but from that
deadly enemy to camels and cattle, the fly ; this
terrible insect drove all before it.
If all were right in migrating to the north, it was
a logical conclusion that we were wrong in going to
the south during the rainy season ; however, we now
heard from the Arabs that we were within a couple
of hours' march from the camp of the great Sheik
Achmet Abou Sinn, to whom I had a letter of intro-
duction. At the expiration of about that time we
halted, and pitched the tents among some shady
mimosas, while I sent Mahomet to Abou Sinn _with
the letter, and my firman.
I was busily engaged in making sundry necessary
arrangements in the tent, when Mahomet returned,
and announced the arrival of the great sheik in
person. He was attended by several of his principal
people, and as he approached through the bright
green mimosas, mounted upon a beautiful snow-white
hygeen, I was exceedingly struck with his venerable
and dignified appearance. Upon near arrival I went
forward to meet him, and to assist him from his
camel ; but his animal knelt immediately at his com-
CHAP, v.] THE DESERT PATRIARCH. 1 J 1
mand, and lie dismounted with the ease and agility of
a man of twenty.
He was the most magnificent specimen of an Arab
that I have ever seen. Although upwards of eighty
years of age, he was as erect as a lance, and did not
appear more than between fifty and sixty ; he was of
Herculean stature, about six feet three inches high,
with immensely broad shoulders and chest ; a remark-
ably arched nose ; eyes like an eagle, beneath large,
shaggy, but perfectly white eyebrows ; a snow-white
beard of great thickness descended below the middle
of his breast. He wore a large white turban, and a
white cashmere abbai or long robe, from the throat
to the ankles. As a desert patriarch he was superb,
the very perfection of all that the imagination could
paint, if we would personify Abraham at the head of
his people. This grand old Arab with the greatest
politeness insisted upon our immediately accompany-
ing him to his camp, as he could not allow us to
remain in his country as strangers. He would hear of
no excuses, but he at once gave orders to Mahomet to
have the baggage repacked and the tents removed,
while we were requested to mount two superb white
hygeens, with saddle-cloths of blue Persian sheep-
skins, that he had immediately accoutred when he
heard from Mahomet of our miserable camels. The
tent was struck, and we joined our venerable host with
a line of wild and splendidly-mounted attendants,
who followed us towards the sheik's encampment.
CHAPTER VI.
SHEIK ACHMET ABOU SINN.
AMONG the retinue of the aged sheik, whom we now
accompanied, were ten of his sons, some of whom
appeared to be quite as old as their father. We had
ridden about two miles, when we were suddenly met
by a crowd of mounted men, armed with the usual
swords and shields ; many were on horses, others
upon hygeens, and all drew up in lines parallel with
our approach. These were Abou Sinn's people, who
had assembled to give us the honorary welcome as
guests of their chief; this etiquette of the Arabs
consists in galloping singly at full speed across the
line of advance, the rider flourishing the sword over
his head, and at the same moment reining up his
horse upon its haunches so as to bring it to a sudden
halt. This having been performed by about a hundred
riders upon both horses and hygeens, they fell into
line behind our party, and, thus escorted, we shortly
arrived at the Arab encampment. In all countries
the warmth of a public welcome appears /to be
exhibited by noise the whole neighbourhood had
CHAP, vi.] THE ARAB WELCOME. 113
congregated to meet us crowds of women raised the
wild shrill cry that is sounded alike for joy or sorrow,
drums were beat, men dashed about with drawn
swords and engaged in mimic fight, and in the midst
of din and confusion we halted and dismounted. With
peculiar grace of manner the old sheik assisted my
wife to dismount, and led her to an open shed
arranged with angareps (stretchers) covered with
Persian carpets and cushions, so as to form a divan.
Sherbet, pipes, and coffee were shortly handed to us,
and Mahomet, as dragoman, translated the customary
interchange of compliments ; the sheik assured us
that our unexpected arrival among them was "like
the blessing of a new moon," the depth of which
expression no one can understand who has not ex-
perienced life in the desert, where the first faint
crescent is greeted with such enthusiasm. After a
long conversation we were led to an excellent mat
tent that had been vacated by one of his sons, and
shortly afterwards an admirable dinner of several
dishes was sent to us, while with extreme good taste
we were left undisturbed by visitors until the follow-
ing morning. Our men had been regaled with a fat
sheep, presented by the sheik, and all slept con-
tentedly.
At sunrise we were visited by Abou Sinn. It
appeared that, after our conversation of the preceding
evening, he had inquired of Mahomet concerning my
future plans and intentions ; he now came specially
to implore us not to proceed south at this season of
i
114 ABO U SINKS' AD71CK [CHAP. vi.
the year, as it would be perfectly impossible to travel ;
lie described the country as a mass of mud, rendered
so deep by the rains that no animal could move ;
that the fly called the " seroot " had appeared, and
that no domestic animal except a goat could survive
its attack; he declared that to continue our route
would be mere insanity ; and he concluded by giving
us a most hospitable invitation to join his people on
their road to the healthy country at Gozerajup, and
to become his guests for three or four months until
travelling would be feasible in the south, at which
time he promised to assist me in my explorations by
an escort of his own people who were celebrated
elephant hunters, and knew the entire country before
us. This was an alluring programme, but after
thanking him for his kindness, I explained how much
I disliked to retrace my steps, which I should do
by returning to Gozerajup ; and that as I had heard
of a German who was living at the village of Sofi, on
the Atbara, I should prefer to pass the season of the
rains at that place, where I could gather information,
and be ready on the spot to start for the neighbouring
Base country, when the change of season should
permit. After some hesitation, he consented to this
plan, and promised not only to mount us on our
journey, but to send with us an escort commanded
by one of his grandsons. Sofi was about seventy-
eight miles distant.
Abou Sinn had arranged to move northwards on
the following day, we therefore agreed to pass one
CHAP, vi.] ARAB TRIBES OF NUBIA. 115
day in his camp, and to leave for Sofi the next
morning. The ground upon which the Arab encamp-
ment was situated was a tolerably flat surface, like a
shelf upon the slope of the Atbara valley, about
thirty or forty feet below the rich table lands; the
surface of this was perfectly firm, as by the constant
rains it had been entirely denuded of the loam that
had formed the upper stratum. This formed a
charming place for the encampment of a large party,
as the ground was perfectly clean, a mixture of quartz
pebbles upon a hard white sandstone. Numerous
mimosas afforded a shade, beneath which the Arabs
sat in groups, and at the bottom of the valley flowed
the Atbara.
This tribe, which was peculiarly that of Abou Sinn,
and from which he had sprung, was the Shookeriyah,
one of the most powerful among the numerous tribes
of Upper Egypt.
From Korosko to this point we had already passed
the Bedouins, Bishareens, Hadendowas, Hallongas,
until we had entered the Shookeriyahs. On the
west of our present position were the Jalyns, and to
the south, near Sofi, were the Dabainas. Many of the
tribes claim a right to the title of Bedouins, as
descended from that race. The customs of all the
Arabs are nearly similar, and the distinction in
appearance is confined to a peculiarity in dressing
the hair ; this is a matter of great importance among
both men and women. It would be tedious to describe
the minutiae of the various coiffures, but the great
I 2
] 16 A HINT TO OCTOGENARIANS. [CHAP. vi.
desire with all tribes, except the Jalyn, is to have a
vast quantity of hair arranged in their own peculiar
fashion, and not only smeared, but covered with as
much fat as can be made to adhere. Thus, should a
man wish to get himself up as a great dandy, he
would put at least half a pound of butter or other fat
upon his head ; this would be worked up with his
coarse locks by a friend, until it somewhat resembled
a cauliflower. He would then arrange his tope or
plaid of thick cotton cloth, and throw one end
over his left shoulder, while slung from the same
shoulder, his circular shield would hang upon his
back ; suspended by a strap over the right shoulder
would hang his long two-edged broadsword.
Fat is the great desideratum of an Arab ; his head,
as I have described, should be a mass of grease ; he
rubs his body with oil or other ointment ; his clothes,
i.e. his one garment or tope, is covered with grease,
and internally he swallows as much as he can procure.
The great Sheik Abou Sinn, who is upwards of
eighty, as upright as a dart, a perfect Hercules, and
whose children and grandchildren are like the sand of
the sea-shore, has always consumed daily throughout
his life two rottolis (pounds) of melted butter. A
short time before I left the country, he married a
new young wife about fourteen years of age. This
may be a hint to octogenarians.
The fat most esteemed for dressing the hair is that
of the sheep. This undergoes a curious preparation
which renders it similar in appearance to cold
CHAP, vi.] THE ARAB POMADE. 117
cream ; upon the raw fat being taken from the
animal it is chewed in the mouth by an Arab for
about two hours, being frequently taken out for
examination during that time, until it has assumed
the desired consistency. To prepare sufficient to
enable a man to appear in full dress, several persons
must be employed in masticating fat at the same
time. This species of pomade, when properly made,
is perfectly white, and exceedingly light and frothy.
It may be imagined that when exposed to a burning
sun, the beauty of the head-dress quickly disappears,
but the oil then runs down the neck and back, which
is considered quite correct, especially when the tope
becomes thoroughly greased ; the man is then perfectly
anointed. We had seen an amusing example of this
when on the march from Berber to Gozerajup. The
Turk, Hadji Achmet, had pressed into our service, as
a guide for a few miles, a dandy who had just been
arranged as a cauliflower, with at least half-a-pound
of white fat upon his head. As we were travelling
upwards of four miles an hour in an intense heat,
during which he was obliged to run, the fat ran
quicker than he did, and at the end of a couple of
hours both the dandy and his pomade were exhausted ;
the poor fellow had to return to his friends with the
total loss of personal appearance and half a pound of
butter.
Not only are the Arabs particular in their pomade,
but great attention is bestowed upon perfumery,
especially by the women. Various perfumes are
1J8 THE ARAB LADY'S PERFUMERY. [CHAP. vi.
brought from Cairo by the travelling native merchants,
among which, those most in demand are oil of roses,
oil of sandal-wood, an essence from the blossom of a
species of mimosa, essence of musk, and the oil of
cloves. The women have a peculiar method of
scenting their bodies and clothes by an operation that
is considered to be one of the necessaries of life, and
which is repeated at regular intervals. In the floor of
the tent, or hut, as it may chance to be, a small hole
is excavated sufficiently large to contain a common-
sized champagne bottle ; a fire of charcoal, or of simply
glo wing embers, is made within the hole, into which
the woman about to be scented, throws a handful of
various drugs ; she then takes off the cloth or tope
which forms her dress, and crouches naked over the
fumes, while she arranges her robe to fall as a
mantle from her neck to the ground like a tent.
When this arrangement is concluded she is perfectly
happy, as none of the precious fumes can escape, all
being retained beneath the robe, precisely as if she
wore a crinoline with an incense-burner beneath it,
which would be a far more simple way of performing
x the operation. She now begins to perspire freely in
the hot-air bath, and the pores of the skin being thus
opened and moist, the volatile oil from the smoke of
the burning perfumes is immediately absorbed.
By the time that the fire has expired, the scenting
process is completed, and both her person and robe
are redolent of incense, with which they are so
thoroughly impregnated that I have frequently smelt
CHAP. vi.J THE FATAL MIXTURE. \ 19
a party of women strongly at full a hundred yards'
distance, when the wind has been blowing from their
direction. Of course this kind of perfumery is only
adapted for those who live in tents and in the open
air, but it is considered by the ladies to have a
peculiar attraction for the other sex, as valerian is said
to ensnare the genus felis. As the men are said to
be allured by this particular combination of sweet
smells, and to fall victims to the delicacy of their
nasal organs, it will be necessary to give the receipt
for the fatal mixture, to be made up in proportions
according to taste : Ginger, cloves, cinnamon, frankin-
cense, sandal-wood, myrrh, a species of sea-weed that
is brought from the Eed Sea, and lastly, what I
mistook for shells, but which I subsequently dis-
covered to be the horny disc that closes the aperture
when a shell-fish withdraws itself within its shell ;
these are also brought from the Eed Sea, in which
they abound throughout the shores of Nubia and
Abyssinia. In addition to the charm of sweet per-
fumes, the women who can afford the luxury, suspend
from their necks a few pieces of the dried glands
of the musk cat, which is a native of the country ;
such an addition completes the toilette, when the
coiffure has been carefully arranged.
Hair-dressing in all parts of the world, both
civilized and savage, is a branch of science ; savage
negro tribes are distinguished by the various arrange-
ments of their woolly heads. Arabs are marked by
similar peculiarities, that have never changed for
]20 TUE COIFFURE OF THE WOULD. [CHAP. vi.
thousands of years, and may be yet seen depicted
upon the walls of Egyptian temples in the precise
forms as worn at present, while in modern times the
perfection of art has been in the wig of a Lord
Chancellor. Although this latter example of the
result of science is not the actual Lair of the wearer,
it adds an imposing glow of wisdom to the general
appearance, and may have originated as a necessity
where a deficiency of sagacity had existed, and where
the absence of years required the fictitious crown of
grey old age. A barrister in his wig, and the same
amount of learning without the wig, is a very different
affair, he is an imperfect shadow of himself. Never-
theless, among civilized nations, the men do not
generally bestow much anxiety upon the fashion of
their hair ; the labour in this branch of art is generally
performed by the women, who in all countries and
climes, and in every stage of civilization, bestow the
greatest pains upon the perfection of the coiffure, the
various arrangements of which might, I should imagine,
be estimated by the million. In some countries they
are not even contented with the natural colour of the
hair, either if black or blonde, but they use a pigment
that turns it red. I only noticed this among the
Somauli tribe ; and that of the Nuehr, who are one of
the wildest savages of the White Nile, until I returned
to England, where I found the custom was becoming
general among the . civilized, and that ladies were
adopting the lovely tint of the British fox. The
Arab women do not indulge in fashions ; strictly con-
THE BAYARD.
See pa%e 213.
THE COOR.
CHAP, vi.] THE ARAB WOMAN'S HEAD-DRESS. 121
sorvative in their manners and customs, they never
imitate, but they simply vie with each other in the
superlativeness of their own style ; thus the dressing
of the hair is a most elaborate affair, which occupies
a considerable portion of their time. It is quite im-
possible for an Arab woman to arrange her own hair,
she therefore employs an assistant, who, if clever in the
art, will generally occupy about three days before it
is satisfactorily concluded. First, the hair must be
combed with a long skewer-like pin, then, when well-
divided, it becomes possible to use an exceedingly
coarse wooden comb. When the hair is reduced to
reasonable order by the latter process, a vigorous hunt
takes place, which occupies about an hour, according
to the amount of game preserved ; the sport concluded,
the hair is rubbed with a mixture of oil of roses,
myrrh, and sandal-wood dust mixed with a powder of
cloves and cassia. When well greased and rendered
somewhat stiff by the solids thus introduced, it is
plaited into at least two hundred fine plaits ; each of
these plaits is then smeared with a mixture of sandal-
wood dust and either gum water or paste of dhurra
flour. On the last day of the operation, each tiny
plait is carefully opened by the long hair-pin or
skewer, and the head is ravissante. Scented and
frizzled in this manner, with a well-greased tope or
robe, the Arab lady's toilette is complete, her head is
then a little larger than the largest sized English mop,
and her perfume is something between the aroma of a
perfumer's shop and the monkey-house at the Zoological
122 " THE DVST BECAME LICE THROUGH ALL WYPT [CH. vi.
Gardens. This is considered " very killing," and I have
been quite of that opinion when a crowd of women
have visited my wife in our tent, with the ther-
mometer at 95, and they have kindly consented to
allow me to remain as one of the party. It is hardly
necessary to add, that the operation of hair-dressing
is not often performed, but that the effect is permanent
for about a week, during which time the game becomes
so excessively lively, that the creatures require stirring
up with the long hair-pin or skewer whenever too
unruly ; this appears to be constantly necessary from
the vigorous employment of the ruling sceptre during
conversation. A levee of Arab women in the tent was
therefore a disagreeable invasion, as we dreaded the
fugitives ; fortunately, they appeared to cling to the
followers of Mahomet in preference to Christians.
The plague of lice brought upon the Egyptians by
Moses has certainly adhered to the country ever since,
if " lice " is the proper translation of the Hebrew word
in the Old Testament : it is my own opinion that the
insects thus inflicted upon the population were not
lice, but ticks. Exod. viii. 16, "The dust became
lice through all Egypt;" again, Exod. viii. 17,
"Smote dust ... it became lice in man and beast."
Now the louse that infects the human Body and hair
has no connexion whatever with "dust," and if subject
to a few hours' exposure to the dry heat of the burning
sand, it would shrivel and die ; but the tick is an
inhabitant of the dust, a dry horny insect without any
apparent moisture in its composition ; it lives in hot
CHAP, vi.] THE ARAB CHARMS. 123
sand and dust, where it cannot possibly obtain nourish-
ment, until some wretched animal should lie down
upon the spot, and become covered with these horrible
vermin. I have frequently seen dry desert places so
infested with ticks, that the ground was perfectly
alive with them, and it would have been impossible
to have rested on the earth ; in such spots, the passage
in Exodus has frequently occurred to me as bearing
reference to these vermin, which are the greatest
enemies to man and beast. It is well known that
from the size of a grain of sand in their natural state,
they will distend to the size of a hazel nut after
having preyed for some days upon the blood of an
animal. The Arabs are invariably infested with lice,
not only in their hair, but upon their bodies and
clothes; even the small charms or spells worn upon
the arm in neatly-sewn leathern packets, are full of
these vermin. Such spells are generally verses copied
from the Koran by the Faky, or priest, who receives
some small gratuity in exchange; the men wear
several of such talismans upon the arm above the
elbow, but the women wear a large bunch of charms,
as a sort of chateleirie, suspended beneath their clothes
round the waist. Although the tope or robe, loosely
but gracefully arranged around the body, appears to be
the whole of the costume, the women wear beneath
this garment a thin blue cotton cloth tightly bound
round the loins, which descends to a little above the
knee ; beneath this, next to the skin, is the last
garment, the raMt the latter is the only clothing of
124 THE El BAT OR ARAB KILT. [CHAP. vi.
young girls, and may be either perfectly simple or
adorned with beads and cowrie shells according to the
fancy of the wearer ; it is perfectly effective as a dress,
and admirably adapted to the climate.
The raht is a fringe of fine dark brown or reddish
twine, fastened to a belt, and worn round the waist.
On either side are two long tassels, that are generally
ornamented with beads or cowries, and dangle nearly
to the ankles, while the raMt itself should descend
to a little above the knee, or rather shorter than
a Highland kilt. Nothing can be prettier or more
simple than this dress, which, although short, is of
such thickly hanging fringe, that it perfectly answers
the purpose for which it is intended. Many of the
Arab girls are remarkably good-looking, with fine
figures until they become mothers. They generally
marry at the age of thirteen or fourteen, but fre-
quently at twelve, or even earlier. Until married,
the raMt is their sole garment. Throughout the Arab
tribes of Upper Egypt, chastity is a necessity, as an
operation is performed at the early age of from three
to five years that thoroughly protects all females, and
which renders them physically proof against incon-
tinency.
There is but little love-making among the Arabs.
The affair of matrimony usually commences by a
present to the father of the girl, which, if accepted,
is followed by a similar advance to the girl herself,
and the arrangement is completed. All the friends
of both parties are called together for the wedding ;
CHAP. vi. J ARAB WEDDINGS. 125
pistols and guns are fired off, if possessed. There
is much feasting, and the unfortunate bridegroom
undergoes the ordeal of whipping by the relations
of his bride, in order to test his courage. Sometimes
this punishment is exceedingly severe, being inflicted
with the coorbatch or whip of hippopotamus hide,
which is cracked vigorously about his ribs and back.
If the happy husband wishes to be considered a
man worth having, he must receive the chastisement
with an expression of enjoyment; in which case the
crowds of women in admiration again raise their
thrilling cry. After the rejoicings of the day are
over, the bride is led in the evening to the residence
of her husband, while a beating of drums and strum-
ming of guitars (rhababas) are kept up for some hours
during the night, with the usual discordant idea of
singing.
There is no divorce court among the Arabs. They
are not sufficiently advanced in civilization to accept
a pecuniary fine as the price of a wife's dishonour ;
but a stroke of the husband's sword, or a stab with
the knife, is generally the ready remedy for infidelity.
Although strictly Mahometans, the women are never
veiled ; neither do they adopt the excessive reserve
assumed by the Turks and Egyptians. The Arab
women are generally idle ; and one of the conditions
of accepting a suitor is, that a female slave is to be
provided for the special use of the wife. No Arab
woman will engage herself as a domestic servant ;
thus, so long as their present customs shall remain
126 NO DIFOECE COURT. [CHAP. vi.
unchanged, slaves are creatures of necessity. Al-
though the law of Mahomet limits the number of
wives for each man to four at one time, the Arab
women do not appear to restrict their husbands to
this allowance, and the slaves of the establishment
occupy the position of concubines.
The customs of the Arabs in almost every detail
have remained unchanged. Thus, in dress, in their
nomadic habits, food, the anointing with oil (Eccles.
ix. 8, " Let thy garments be always white, and
let thy head lack no ointment"), they retain the
habits and formalities of the distant past, and the
present is but the exact picture of those periods
which are historically recorded in the Old Testament.
The perfumery of the women already described, bears
a resemblance to that prepared by Moses for the
altar, which was forbidden to be used by the people.
" Take thou also unto thee principal spices, of pure
myrrh 500 shekels, and of sweet cinnamon half so
much, even 250 shekels ; and of sweet calamus 250
shekels, and of cassia 500 shekels, after the shekel
of the sanctuary, and of oil olive a bin; and thou
shalt make an oil of holy ointment, an ointment
composed after the art of the apothecary ; it shall
be an holy anointing oil." Exod. xxx. 23-25.
The manner of anointing by the ancients is ex-
hibited by the Arabs at the present day, who, as I
have already described, make use of so large a quan-
tity of grease at one application that, when melted,
it runs down over their persons and clothes. In
CHAP, vi.] ANOINTING WITH OIL. 127
Ps. cxxxiii. 2, "It is like the precious ointment
upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even
Aaron's beard, that went down to the skirts of his
garments."
In all hot climates, oil or other fat is necessary to
the skin as a protection from the sun, where the body
is either naked or very thinly clad. I have frequently
seen both Arabs and the negro tribes of Africa
suffer great discomfort when for some days the supply
of grease has been exhausted ; the skin has become
coarse, rough, almost scaly, and peculiarly unsightly,
until the much-loved fat has been obtained, and the
general appearance of smoothness has been at once
restored by an active smearing. The expression in
Ps. civ. 1 5, " And oil to make his face to shine,"
describes the effect that was then considered beauti-
fying, as it is at the present time.
The Arabs generally adhere strictly to their ancient
customs, independently of the comparatively recent
laws established by Mahomet. Thus, concubinage is
not considered a breach of morality ; neither is it
regarded by the legitimate wives with jealousy. They
attach great importance to the laws of Moses, and
to the customs of their forefathers; neither can they
understand the reason for a change of habit in any
respect where necessity has not suggested the reform.
The Arabs are creatures of necessity; their nomadic
life is compulsory, as the existence of their flocks
and herds depends upon the pasturage. Thus, with
the change of seasons they must change their
1 28 NOMADIC HABITS OF THE ARABS. [CHAP. vi.
localities, according to the presence of fodder for their
cattle. Driven to and fro by the accidents of climate,
the Arab has been compelled to become a wanderer,
and precisely as the wild beasts of the country are
driven from place to place either by the arrival of the
fly, the lack of pasturage, or by the want of water,
even so must the flocks of the Arab obey the law
of necessity, in a country where the burning sun
and total absence of rain for nine months of the
year, convert the green pastures into a sandy desert.
The Arabs and their herds must follow the example
of the wild beasts, and live as wild and wandering
a life. In the absence of a fixed home, without a
city, or even a village that is permanent, there can
be no change of custom. There is no stimulus to com-
petition in the style of architecture that is to endure
only for a few months ; no municipal laws suggest
deficiencies that originate improvements. The Arab
cannot halt in one spot longer than the pasturage
.will support his flocks ; therefore his necessity is food
for his beasts. The object of his life being fodder,
he must wander in search of the ever-changing supply.
His wants must be few, as the constant changes of
encampment necessitate the transport of all his
household goods ; thus he reduces to a minimum
the domestic furniture and utensils. No desires for
strange and fresh objects excite his mind to im-
provement, or alter his original habits ; he must limit
his impedimenta, not increase them. Thus with a
few necessary articles he is contented. Mats for his
CHAP, vi.] UNCHANGING CUSTOMS OF THE ARABS. \ 29
tent, ropes manufactured with the hair of his goatvS
and camels, pots for carrying fat ; water-jars and
earthenware-pots or gourd-shells for containing milk ;
leather water-skins for the desert, and sheep-skin bags
for his clothes. These are the requirements of the
Arabs. Their patterns have never changed, but the
water-jar of to-day is of the same form that was carried
to the well by the women of thousands of years ago.
The conversation of the Arabs is in the exact style
of the Old Testament. The name of God is coupled
with every trifling incident in life, and they believe
in the continual action of Divine special interference.
Should a famine afflict the country, it is expressed
in the stern language of the Bible " The Lord has
sent a grievous famine upon the land ;" or, " The Lord
called for a famine, and it came upon the land."
Should their cattle fall sick, it is considered to be
an affliction by Divine command ; or should the flocks
prosper and multiply particularly during one season,
the prosperity is attributed to special interference.
Nothing can happen in the usual routine of daily
life without a direct connexion with the hand of
God, according to the Arab's belief.
This striking similarity to the descriptions of the
Old Testament is exceedingly interesting to a traveller
when residing among these curious and original
people. With the Bible in one hand, and these un-
changed tribes before the eyes, there is a thrilling
illustration of the sacred record ; the past becomes
the present ; the veil of three thousand years is raised,
K
130 THE HAND OF GOD. [CHAP. vi.
and the living picture is a witness to the exactness
of the historical description. At the same time, there
is a light thrown upon many obscure passages in
the Old Testament by the experience of the present
customs and figures of speech of the Arabs ; which
are precisely those that were practised at the periods
described. I do not attempt to enter upon a theo-
logical treatise, therefore it is unnecessary to allude
specially to these particular points. The sudden and
desolating arrival of a flight of locusts, the plague, or
any other unforeseen calamity, is attributed to the
anger of God, and is believed to be an infliction of
punishment upon the people thus visited, precisely as
the plagues of Egypt were specially inflicted upon
Pharaoh and the Egyptians.
Should the present history of the country be written
by an Arab scribe, the style of the description would
be purely that of the Old Testament, and the various
calamities or the good fortunes that have in. the course
of nature befallen both the tribes and individuals,
would be recounted either as special visitations of
Divine wrath, or blessings for good deeds performed.
If in a dream a particular course of action is suggested,
the Arab believes that God has spoken and directed
him. The Arab scribe or historian would describe
the event as the "voice of the Lord" ("kallam el
Allah"), having spoken unto the person; or, that
God appeared to him in a dream and "said" &c.
Thus much allowance would be necessary on the part
of a European reader for the figurative ideas and
CHAP, vi.] RELIGION OF THE ARABS. 131
expressions of the people. As the Arabs are mi-
changed, the theological opinions which they now
hold are the same as those which prevailed in remote
ages, with the simple addition of their belief in
Mahomet as the Prophet.
There is a fascination in the unchangeable features
of the Nile regions. There are the vast Pyramids
that have defied time ; the river upon which Moses
was cradled in infancy ; the same sandy deserts
through which he led his people ; and the watering-
places where their flocks were led to drink. The wild
and wandering tribes of Arabs who thousands of years
ago dug out the wells in the wilderness, are repre-
sented by their descendants unchanged, who now
draw water from the deep wells of their forefathers
with the skins that have never altered their fashion.
The Arabs, gathering with their goats and sheep
around the wells to-day, recall the recollection of that
distant time when " Jacob went on his journey,
and came into the land of the people of the east.
And he looked, and behold a well in the field ; and,
lo, there were three flocks of sheep lying by it, for
out of that well they watered the flocks ; and a great
stone was upon the well's mouth. And thither were
all the flocks gathered ; and they rolled the stone from
the well's mouth, and watered the sheep, and put the
stone again upon the well's mouth in his place." The
picture of that scene would be an illustration of Arab
daily life in the Nubian deserts, where the present is
the mirror of the past.
K 2
CHAPTER VII.
THE DEPARTURE.
ON the morning of the 25th July, 1861, Abou Sinn
arrived at our tent with a number of his followers,
in their whitest apparel, accompanied by one of his
grandsons, Sheik Ali, who was to command our
escort and to accompany us to the frontier of the
Dabaina tribe, at which spot we were to be handed
over to the care of the sheik of those Arabs,
Atalan Wat Said, who would conduct us to Sofi.
There were two superb hygeens duly equipped for
my wife and myself; they were snow-white, with-
out speck or blemish, and as clean and silk-like as
good grooming could accomplish. One of these
beautiful creatures I subsequently measured, seven
feet three and a half .inches to the top of the hump ;
this was much above the average. The baggage-
camels were left to the charge of the servants, and
we were requested to mount immediately, as the
Sheik Abou Sinn was determined to accompany us
for some distance as a mark of courtesy, although he
was himself to march with his people on that day in
CHAP, vii.] FIRST-CLASS IIYGEEXS. 133
the opposite direction towards Gozerajup. Escorted by
our grand old host, with a great number of mounted
attendants, we left the hospitable camp, and followed
the margin of the Atbara valley towards the south,
until, at the distance of about two miles, Abou Sinn
took leave, and returned with his people.
We now enjoyed the contrast between the light
active step of first-class hygeens, and the heavy
swinging action of the camels we had hitherto
ridden. Travelling was for the first time a pleasure ;
there was a delightful movement in the elasticity of
the hygeens, who ambled at about five miles and a
half an hour, as their natural pace; this they can
continue for nine or ten hours without fatigue.
Having no care for the luggage, and the coffee-pot
being slung upon the saddle of an attendant, who
also carried our carpet, we were perfectly independent,
as we were prepared with the usual luxuries upon
halting, the carpet to recline upon beneath a shady
tree, and a cup of good Turkish coffee. Thus we
could afford to travel at a rapid rate, and await
the arrival of the baggage-camels at the end of
the day's journey. In this manner the march
should be arranged in these wild countries, where
there is no resting-place upon the path beyond
the first inviting shade that suggests a halt. The
day's journey should be about twenty -four miles,
A loaded camel seldom exceeds two miles and a half
per hour ; at this rate nearly ten hours would be
consumed upon the road daily, during which time
134 TRAVELLING ARRANGEMENTS. [CHAP. vn.
the traveller would be exposed to the intense heat
of the sun, and to the fatigue inseparable from a
long and slow march. A servant mounted upon a
good hygeen should accompany him with the coffee
apparatus and a cold roast fowl and biscuits ; the
ever necessary carpet should form the cover to his
saddle, to be ready when required; he then rides
far in advance of the caravan. This simple arrange-
ment insures comfort, and lessens the ennui of the
journey ; the baggage-camels are left in charge of
responsible servants, to be brought forward at their
usual pace, until they shall arrive at the place
selected for the halt by the traveller. The usual
hour of starting is about 5.30 A.M. The entire day's
journey can be accomplished in something under five
hours upon hygeens, instead of the ten hours' dreary
pace of the caravan ; thus, the final halt would be
made at about 10.30 A.M. at which time the traveller
would be ready for breakfast. The carpet would be
spread under a shady tree ; upon a branch of this
his water-skin should be suspended, and the day's
work over, he can write up his journal and enjoy
his pipe while coffee is being prepared. After break-
fast he can take his gun or rifle and explore the
neighbourhood, until the baggage-camels shall arrive
in the evening, by which time, if he is a sportsman,
he will have procured something for the dinner of
the entire party. The servants will have collected
firewood, and all will be ready for the arrival of the
caravan, without the confusion and bustle of a
CHAP. VIL] THE EVENING BIFOUAC. 135
general scramble, inseparable from tlie work to be
suddenly performed when camels must be unloaded,
fuel collected, fires lighted, the meals prepared, beds
made, &c. &c. all at the same moment, with the
chance of little to eat. Nothing keeps the camel-
drivers and attendants in such good humour as a
successful rifle. While they are on their long and
slow march, they speculate upon the good luck that
may attend the master's gun, and upon arrival at
the general bivouac in the evening, they are always
on the alert to skin and divide the antelopes, pluck
the guinea-fowls, &c. &c. We now travelled in this
delightful manner ; there were great numbers of
guinea-fowl throughout the country, which was the
same everlasting flat and rich table-land, extending
for several hundred miles to the south, and dotted
with green mimosas; while upon our left was the
broken valley of the Atbara.
The only drawback to the journey was the rain.
At about 2 P.M. daily we were subjected to a violent
storm, which generally lasted until the evening, and
although our guides invariably hurried forward on
the march to the neighbourhood of some deserted
huts, whose occupants had migrated north, our
baggage and servants upon the road were exposed
to the storm, and arrived late in the evening, wet
and miserable. There could be no doubt that the
season for travelling was past. Every day's journey
south had proved by the increased vegetation that
we were invading the rainy zone, and that, although
]36 THE JUNCTION OF THE SETTITE EIVEE. [CHAP. vn.
the northern deserts possessed their horrors of sandy
desolation, they at the same time afforded that great
advantage to the traveller, a dry climate.
In a few rapid marches we arrived at Tomat, the
commencement of the Dabainas, and the principal
head-quarters of the sheik of that tribe, Atalan
"Wat Said. This was a lovely spot, where the
country appeared like green velvet, as the delicate
young grass was about two inches above the ground.
The Arab camp was situated upon a series of knolls
about a hundred and fifty feet above the Atbara,
upon the hard ground denuded by the rains, as this
formed a portion of the valley. At this spot, the
valley on the west bank of the river was about two
miles broad, and exhibited the usual features of in-
numerable knolls, ravines, and landslips, in succession,
like broken terraces from the high level table-land,
sloping down irregularly to the water's edge. On
the opposite side of the river was the most important
feature of the country ; the land on the east bank
was considerably higher than upon the west, and a
long tongue formed a bluff cliff that divided the
Atbara valley from the sister valley of the Settite,
which, corresponding exactly in character and ap-
parent dimensions, joined that of the Atbara from
the S.E., forming an angle like the letter V, in a
sudden bend of the river. Through the valley of
the eastern bank flowed the grand river Settite,
which here formed a junction with the Atbara.
Looking down upon the beautifully wooded banks
CHAP, vu.] SHEIK AT ALAN WAT SAID.
of the two rivers at this interesting point, we rode
leisurely across a ravine, and ascended a steep incline
of bright green grass, upon the summit of which
was a fine level space of several acres that formed
the Arab head-quarters. This surface was nearly
covered with the usual mat tents, and in a few
moments our camels knelt before that of the sheik,
at which we dismounted. A crowd of inquisitive
Arabs surrounded us upon seeing so large a party
of hygeens, and the firman having been delivered
by our guide, Sheik Ali, we were almost immediately,
visited by Sheik Atalan Wat Said. He was a man
in the prime of life, of an intelligent countenance,
and he received us with much politeness, immediately
ordering a fat sheep to be brought and slaughtered
for our acceptance.
The usual welcome upon the arrival of a traveller,
who is well received in an Arab camp, is the
sacrifice of a fat sheep, that should be slaughtered
at the door of his hut or tent, so that the blood
flows to the threshold. This custom has evidently
some connexion with the ancient rites of sacrifice.
Should an important expedition be undertaken, a
calf is slaughtered at the entrance of the camp,
and every individual steps over the body as the party
starts upon the enterprise.
Upon learning my plans, he begged us to remain
through the rainy season at Tomat, as it was the
head-quarters of a party of Egyptian irregular troops,
who would assist me in every way. This was no
138 ABYSSINIAN FRONTIER. [CHAP. vn.
great temptation, as they were the people whom
I most wished to avoid ; I therefore explained
that I was bound to Sofi by the advice of Abou
Sinn, from whence I could easily return if I thought
proper, but I wished to proceed on the following
morning. He promised to act as our guide, and
that hygeens should be waiting at the tent-door at
sunrise. After our interview, I strolled down to the
river's side and shot some guinea-fowl.
The Settite is the river par excellence, as it is
the principal stream of Abyssinia, in which country
it bears the name of "Taccazzy." Above the junction,
the Atbara does not exceed two hundred yards in
width. Both rivers have scooped out deep and
broad valleys throughout their course ; this fact con-
firmed my first impression of the supply of soil
having been brought down by the Atbara to the
Nile. The country on the opposite or eastern bank
of the Atbara is contested ground ; in reality it
forms the western frontier of Abyssinia, of which
the Atbara river is the boundary, but since the
annexation of the Nubian provinces to Egypt there
has been no safety for life or property upon the line
of frontier ; thus a large tract of country actually
forming a portion of Abyssinia is uninhabited.
Upon my return to the camp, I was informed by
the Sheik Wat Said that a detachment of troops was
stationed at Tom at expressly to protect the Egyptian
frontier from the raids of Mek Nimmur, who was in
the habit of crossing the Atbara and pillaging the Arab
CHAP, vii.] ISMAEL PASHA BURNT ALIVE. 139
villages during the dry season, when the river was
fordable. This Mek Nimmur was a son of the
celebrated Mek Nimmur, the chief of Shendy, a district
upon the west bank of the Nile between Berber and
Khartoum. When the Egyptian forces, under the
command of Ismael Pasha, the son of the Viceroy
Mehemet Ali Pasha, arrived at Shendy, at the time of
the conquest of Nubia, he called the great Sheik Mek
(from Melek, signifying king) Nimmur before him, and
demanded the following supplies for his army, as
tribute for the Pasha : 1,000 young girls as slaves ;
1,000 oxen; and of camels, goats, sheep, each
1,000 ; also camel-loads of corn and straw each
1,000, with a variety of other demands expressed by
the same figure. It is said that Mek Nimmur replied
to these demands with much courtesy, "Your arith-
metic exhibits a charming simplicity, as the only
figure appears to be 1,000." In a short time the
supplies began to arrive ; strings of camels laden with
corn, .assembled at Shendy in the Egyptian camp;
cattle, goats, sheep, came in from all sides ; fodder for
the Egyptian cavalry, to the amount of 1,000 camel-
loads, was brought to head-quarters, and piled in a
huge wall that encircled the tent of the General
Ismael Pasha. In the dead of night, while he slept,
the crackling of fire was heard, and flames burst out
upon all sides of the dry and combustible fodder ; the
Arabs had fired the straw in all directions, and a roar
of flame in a fatal ring surrounded the Pasha's tent,
which caught the fire. There was no escape ! In the
140 KEK NIMMUR [CHAP. VIT.
confusion, the Arabs fell upon the troops, and
massacred a considerable number. After this success,
Mek Nimmur succeeded in retiring with his people
and herds to Sofi, on the Atbara, to which place we
were bound ; this was about twelve miles from Tomat.
The body of Ismael Pasha was found beneath those of
some of his women, all of whom that were within the
inclosure had perished.
After this calamity the Egyptians recovered Shendy,
and in revenge they collected a number of the in-
habitants of all ages and both sexes. These were penned
together like cattle in a zareeba or kraal, and were
surrounded with dhurra-straw, which was fired in a
similar manner to that which destroyed the Pasha.
Thus were these unfortunate creatures destroyed
en masse, while the remaining portion of the popula-
tion fled to the new settlement of their chief at Sofi.
Within the last few years preceding my arrival, the
Egyptians had attacked and utterly destroyed the old
town of Sofi. y Mek Nimmur had retired across the
Atbara, and had taken refuge in Abyssinia, where he
had been welcomed by the king of that country as
the enemy of the Turks, and had been presented with
a considerable territory at the western base of the high
mountain range. When I arrived on the Atbara in
1861, the original Mek Nimmur was dead, and his
son, who also was called Mek Nimmur, reigned in his
stead. " Nimmur " signifies in Arabic " leopard,"
thus " Mek Nimmur " is the " Leopard King."
This man was constantly at war with the Egyptians,
CHAP, viz.] THE ENEMY OF EGYPT. . 141
and such Arabs who were friendly to Egypt. His
principal head-quarters were about seventy miles
from Tomat, at a village named Mai Gubba, from
which country he made successful razzias upon the
Egyptian territory, which compelled a vigilant look
out during the dry season. During the rains there
was no danger, as the river was immensely deep, and
impassable from the total absence of boats.
The uninhabited country exactly opposite Tomat
was said to abound with large game, such as ele-
phants, giraffes, &c. as there were no enemies to
disturb them.
At break of day, 29th July, the grandson of Abou
Sinn, Sheik Ali, who had been our guide, paid us his
parting visit, and returned with his people, while at
the same time Atalan Wat Said arrived with a large
retinue of his own Arabs and Egyptian soldiers to
escort us to Son*. Two splendid hygeens were
already saddled for us, one of which was specially
intended for my wife ; this was the most thorough-
bred looking animal I have ever seen ; both were
milk-white, but there was a delicacy in the latter
that was unequalled. This was rather small, and
although the ribs were so well covered that the
animal appeared rather fleshy, it was in the hardest
condition, and was shaped in the depth of brisket and
width of loins like a greyhound ; the legs were
remarkably fine, and as clean as ivory. The Sheik
Atalan was charmed at our admiration of his much-
prized hygeen, and to prove its speed and easy action
142 ARRIVAL AT SOFT. [CHAP. vn.
we were no sooner mounted than lie led the way at
about ten miles an hour, down the steep slopes, across
the rough water-courses, and up the hill sides,
assuring my wife that she might sip a cup of coffee
on the back of the animal she rode, without spilling
a drop : although an exaggeration, this is the usual
figure of speech by which an Arab describes the easy
action of a first-rate hygeen. It was a beautiful sight
to watch the extraordinary ease with which the
hygeen glided along over the numerous inequalities
of the ground without the slightest discomfort to
the rider ; the numerous escort became a long and
irregular line of stragglers, until at length lost in the
distance, with the exception of three or four, who,
well-mounted, were proud of keeping their position.
Emerging from the uneven valley of the Atbara, we
arrived upon the high and level table-land above ;
here the speed increased, and in the exhilaration of
the pace in the cool morning air, with all nature
glowing in the fresh green of a Nubian spring, we
only regretted the shortness of the journey to Sofi,
which we reached before the heat of the day had
commenced. "We were met by the sheik of the
village, and by a German who had been a resident of
Sofi for some years; he was delighted to see
Europeans, especially those who were conversant with
his own language, and he very politely insisted . that
we should dismount at his house. Accordingly our
camels knelt at the door of a little circular stone
building about twelve feet in diameter, with a roof
CHAP, vii.] THE RECEPTION. 431
thatched according to Arab fashion. This dwelling
was the model of an Arab hut, but the walls were
of masonry instead of mud and sticks, and two small
windows formed an innovation upon the Arab style,
which had much astonished the natives, who are
contented with the light afforded by the doorway.
We were shortly sitting in the only stone building
in the country, among a crowd of Arabs, who,
according to their annoying custom, had thronged to
the hut upon our arrival, and not only had filled the
room, but were sitting in a mob at the doorway,
while masses of mop-like heads were peering over
the shoulders of the front rank, excluding both light
and air ; even the windows were blocked with highly
frizzled heads, while all were talking at the same
time.
Coffee having been handed to the principal people,
while our tents were being pitched outside the village,
we at length silenced the crowd ; our new acquaint-
ance explained in Arabic the object of our arrival,
and our intention of passing the rainy season at Sofi,
and of exploring the various rivers of Abyssinia at
the earliest opportunity. Atalan Wat Said promised
every assistance when the time should arrive ; he
described the country as abounding with large game
of all kinds, and he agreed to furnish me with guides
and hunters at the commencement of the hunting
season ; in the mean time he ordered the sheik of the
village, Hassan bel Kader, to pay us every attention.
After the departure of Atalan and his people,
144 POSITION OF SOFL [CHAP. vn.
amid the usual yelling of the women, we had time to
examine Sofi, and accompanied by the German,
Florian, we strolled through the village. At this
position the slope of the valley towards the river was
exceedingly gradual upon the west bank, until within
a hundred and fifty yards of the Atbara, when the
ground rapidly fell, and terminated in an abrupt
cliff of white sandstone.
The miserable little village of modern Sofi com-
prised about thirty straw huts, but the situation was
worthy of a more important settlement. A plateau
of hard sandy soil of about twenty acres was bordered
upon either side by two deep ravines that formed a
natural protection, while below the steep cliff, within
two hundred paces in front of the village, flowed the
river Atbara ; for mounted men there was only one
approach, that which we had taken from the main-
land. There could not have been a more inviting
spot adopted for a resting-place during the rains.
Although the soi] was thoroughly denuded of loam,
and nothing remained but the original substratum of
sandstone and pebbles, the grass was at this season
about three inches high throughout the entire valley
of the Atbara, the trees were in full leaf, and the
vivid green, contrasting with the snow-white sandstone
rocks, produced the effect of an ornamental park.
My tents were pitched upon a level piece of ground,
outside the village, about a hundred paces from the
river, where the grass had been so closely nibbled by
the goats that it formed a natural lawn, and was
THE BAGGAR.
See page 2^9.
.CHAP, vii.] FLORIAN THE GERMAN SETTLER. 145
perfection for a camp ; drains were dug around the
tent walls, and everything was arranged for a per-
manency. I agreed with the sheik for the erection
of a comfortable hut for ourselves, a kitchen adjoining,
and a hut for the servants, as the heavy storms were
too severe for a life under canvas ; in the mean
time we sat in our tent, and had a quiet chat with
Florian the German.
He was a sallow, sickly-looking man, who with
a large bony frame had been reduced from constant
hard work and frequent sickness to little but skin
and sinew ; he was a mason, who had left Germany
with the Austrian Mission to Khartoum, but finding
the work too laborious in such a climate, he and' a
friend, who was a carpenter, had declared for inde-
pendence, and they had left the Mission.
They were both enterprising fellows, and sportsmen,
therefore they had purchased rifles and ammunition,
and had commenced life as hunters ; at the same
time they employed their leisure hours in earning
money by the work of their hands in various ways.
Florian, being a stonemason, had of course built his
hut of stone ; he was a fair blacksmith and carpenter,
and was well provided with tools ; but his principal
occupation was whipmaking, from the hides of hip-
popotami. As coorbatches were required throughout
the country there was an extensive demand for his
camel-whips, which were far superior to those of
native manufacture ; these he sold to the Arabs at
about two shillings each. He had lately met with
146 THE CATTLE FLY. [CHAP. YIL
a serous accident by the bursting of one of tlie
wretched guns that formed his sporting battery ; this
had blown away his thumb from the wrist joint, and
had so shattered his hand that it would most likely
have suffered amputation had he enjoyed the advan-
tage of European surgical assistance ; but with the
simple aid of his young black lad, Eicharn, who cut
off the dangling thumb and flesh with his knife, he
had preserved his hand, minus one portion.
Florian had had considerable experience in some
parts of the country that I was about to visit, and he
gave me much valuable information that was of great
assistance in directing my first operations. The close
of the rainy season would be about the middle of
September, but travelling would be impossible until
November, as the fly would not quit the country
until the grass should become dry, therefore the Arabs
would not return with their camels until that period.
It appeared that this peculiar fly, which tortured
all domestic animals, invaded the country shortly after
the commencement of the rains, when the grass was.
about two feet high ; a few had already been seen, but
Sofi was a favoured spot, that was generally exempt
from this plague, which clung more particularly to
the flat and rich table-lands, where the quality of
grass was totally different to that produced upon the
pebbly and denuded soil of the sandstone slopes of
the valley. The grass of the slopes was exceedingly
fine, and would not exceed a height of about two feet,
while that of the table-lands would exceed nine feet,.
CIIAI-. vii.] PECULIARITIES OF THE SEASONS. 14/
and become impassable, until sufficiently dry to be
cleared by fire. In November, the entire country
would become a vast prairie of dried straw, the
burning of which would then render travelling and
hunting possible.
Florian had hunted for some distance along the
Settite river with his companions, and had killed
fifty-three hippopotami during the last season. I
therefore agreed that he should accompany me until
I should have sufficiently explored that river, after
which I proposed to examine the rivers Salaam and
Angrab, of which great tributaries of the Atbara
nothing definite was known, except that they joined
that river about fifty miles south of Sofi.
Florian described the country as very healthy
during the dry season, but extremely dangerous
during the rains, especially in the month of October,
when, on the cessation of rain, the sun evaporated the
moisture from the sodden ground and rank vegetation.
I accordingly determined to arrange our winter
quarters as comfortably as possible at Sofi, for three
months, during which holiday I should have ample
time for gaining information and completing my
arrangements for the future. Violent storms were
now of daily occurrence ; they had first commenced
at about 2 P.M., but they had gradually altered the
hour of their arrival to between 3 and 4. This
night, 29th July, we were visited at about 11 P.M.
with the most tremendous tempest that we had yet
experienced, which lasted until the morning. For-
L 2
148 THE NEPT CAMP. [CHAP. vn.
tunately the tent was well secured with four powerful
storm-ropes fastened from the top of the pole, and
pinned about twenty-five yards from the base to
iron bars driven deep into the hard ground ; but the
night was passed in the discomforts of a deluge that,
driven by the hurricane, swept through the tent, which
threatened every minute to desert us in shreds. On
the following morning the storm had passed away,
and the small tent had done likewise, having been
blown down and carried many yards from the spot
where it had been pitched. Mahomet, who was the
occupant, had found himself suddenly enveloped in
wet canvas, from which he had emerged, like a frog
in the storm. There was no time to be lost in com-
pleting my permanent camp ; I therefore sent for the
sheik of the village, and proceeded to purchase a
house. I accompanied him through the narrow lanes
of Sofi, and was quickly shown a remarkably neat
house, which I succeeded in purchasing from the
owner for the sum of ten piastres (two shillings).
This did not seem an extravagant outlay for a neat
dwelling with a sound roof; neither were there any
legal expenses in the form of conveyance, as in that
happy and practical land the simple form of con-
veyance is the transportation of the house (the roof),
upon the shoulders of about thirty meE, and thus it
is conveyed to any spot that the purchaser may con-
sider desirable. Accordingly, our mansion was at
once seized by a crowd of Arabs, and carried off in
triumph, while the sticks that formed the wall were
CHAP, vii.] I BECOME A HOUSEHOLDER. 149
quickly arranged upon the site I had chosen for our
camp. In the short space of about three hours I
found myself the proprietor of an eligible freehold
residence, situated upon an eminence in park-like
grounds, commanding extensive and romantic views
of the beautifully-wooded valley of the Atbara, within
a minute's walk of the neighbouring village of Sofi,
perfect immunity from all poor-rates, tithes, taxes,
and other public burthens, not more than 2,000 miles
from a church, with the advantage of a post-town
at the easy distance of seventy leagues. The manor
comprised the right of shooting throughout the parishes
of Abyssinia and Soudan, plentifully stocked with
elephants, lions, rhinoceros, giraffes, buffaloes, hippo-
potami, leopards, and a great variety of antelopes,
while the right of fishing extended throughout the
Atbara and neighbouring rivers, that were well stocked
with fish ranging from five to a hundred and fifty
pounds ; also with turtles and crocodiles.
The mansion comprised entrance-hall, dining-room,
drawing-room, lady's boudoir, library, breakfast-room,
bedroom and dressing-room (with the great advantage
of their combination in one circular room fourteen
feet in diameter). The architecture was of an ancient
style, from the original design of a pill-box surmounted
by a candle extinguisher.
Thus might my estate have been described by an
English estate agent and auctioneer, with a better
foundation of fact than many newspaper advertise-
ments.
1 50 ARRANGEMENT OF OUR ESTABLISHMENT. [CHAP. VH.
I purchased two additional huts, one of which was
erected at the back (if a circle has a back) of our
mansion, as the kitchen, while the other at a greater
distance formed the "servants' hall." We all worked
hard for several days in beautifying our house and
grounds. In the lovely short grass that resembled
green velvet, we cut walks to the edge of a declivity,
and surrounded the house with a path of snow-white
sand, resembling coarsely pounded sugar ; this we
obtained from some decomposed sandstone rock which
crumbled upon the slightest pressure. We collected
curiously-shaped blocks of rock, and masses of fossil
wood that were imbedded in the sandstone ; these we
formed into borders for our walks, and opposite to our
front door (there was no back door) we arranged a
half-circle or "carriage drive," of white sand to the
extreme edge of the declivity which we bordered with
large rocks ; one of which I believe may remain to this
day, as I carried it to the spot to form a seat, and
my vanity was touched by the fact that it required
two Arabs to raise it from the ground. I made a
. rustic table of split bamboos, and two garden seats
opposite the entrance of the house, and we collected
a number of wild plants and bulbs which we planted
in little beds; we also sowed the seeds of different
gourds that were to climb upon our roof.
In the course of a week we had formed as pretty
a camp as Eobinson Crusoe himself could have
coveted ; but he, poor unfortunate, had only his man
Friday to assist him, while in our arrangements there
151
were many charms and indescribable little comforts
that could only be effected by a lady's hand. Not
only were our walks covered with snow-white sand
and the borders ornamented with beautiful agates that
we had collected in the neighbourhood, but the interior
of our house was the perfection of neatness ; the floor
was covered with white sand beaten firmly together to
the depth of about six inches, the surface was swept
and replaced with fresh material daily ; the travelling-
bedsteads, with their bright green mosquito curtains,
stood on either side, affording a clear space in the
centre of the circle, while exactly opposite the door
stood the gun-rack, with as goodly array of weapons
as the heart of a sportsman could desire :
My little Fletcher double rifle, No. 24.
One double, rifle, No. 10, by Tatham.
Two double rifles, No. 10, by Reilly.
One double rifle, No. 10, by Beattie (one of my
old Ceylon tools.)
One double gun, No. 10, by Beattie.
One double gun, No. 10, by Purdey, belonging to
Mr. Oswell, of South African celebrity.
One single rifle, No. 8, by Manton.
One single rifle, No. 14, by Beattie.
One single rifle, that carried a half-pound explosive
shell, by Holland of Bond Street; this was nick-
named by the Arabs " Jenna el Mootfah " (child of
a cannon), and for the sake of brevity I called it
the "Baby."
My revolver and a brace of double-barrelled pistols
152 AN AFRICAN ELYSIUM. [CHAP. vn.
hung upon the wall, which, although the exterior of
the house was straw, we had lined with the bright
coloured canvas of the tent. Suspended by loops
were little ornamental baskets worked by the Arabs,
that contained a host of useful articles, such as
needles, thread, &c. &c. ; and the remaining surface
was hung with hunting knives, fishing lines, and a
variety of instruments belonging to the chase. A
travelling table, with maps and a few books, stood
against the wall, and one more article completed
our furniture, an exceedingly neat toilette table, the
base of which was a flat-topped portmanteau, con-
cealed by a cunning device of chintz and muslin ;
this, covered with the usual arrangement of brushes,
mirror, and scent-bottles, &c., threw an air of civili-
zation over the establishment, which was increased
by the presence of an immense sponging-bath, that,
being flat and circular, could be fitted underneath a
bed. In the draught of air next the door stood our
filter in a wooden frame, beneath which was a
porous jar that received and cooled the clear water
as it fell.
Our camp was a perfect model ; we had a view
of about five miles in extent along the valley of the
Atbara, and it was my daily amusement to scan with
my telescope the uninhabited country upon the op-
posite side of the river, and watch the wild animals
as they grazed in perfect security. I regret that at
that time I did not smoke ; in the cool of the evening
we used to sit by the bamboo table outside the door
CHAP. vii.J NO PIPE! 153
of our house, and drink our coffee in perfect content-
ment amidst the beautiful scene of a tropical sunset
and the deep shadows in the valley ; but a pipe ! the
long " chibbook " of the Turk would have made our
home a Paradise ! Nevertheless we were thoroughly
happy at Sofi ; there was a delightful calm, and a sense
of rest ; a total estrangement from the cares of the
world, and an enchanting contrast in the soft green
verdure of the landscape before us to the many hun-
dred weary miles of burning desert through which
we had toiled from Lower Egypt. In those barren
tracts, the eye had become so accustomed to sterility
and yellow sand, that it had appeared impossible to
change the scene, and Africa afforded no prospect
beyond the blank hitherto shown upon the chart of
the interior ; we were now in a land of rich pastures,
and apparently in another world, after the toil of a
hard life ; it was the haven of a pilgrim, rest !
While we were enjoying a few months' repose,
the elements were hard at work. Every day, with-
out exception, and generally for several hours of
the night, the lightning flashed and thunder roared
with little intermission, while the rain poured in
such torrents, that the entire country became per-
fectly impassable, with the exception of the hard
ground of the Atbara valley. The rich loam of
the table-land had risen like leavened dough, and
was knee-deep in adhesive mud ; the grass upon
this surface grew with such rapidity that in
a few weeks it reached a height of nine or ten
154 THE ELEMENTS AT WORK. [CHAP. vii.
feet. The mud rushed in torrents down the
countless watercourses, which were now in their
greatest activity in hurrying away the fertile
soil of Egypt; and the glorious Atbara was at
its maximum.
CHAPTER VIII.
THE PLAGUES OF EGYPT.
TIME glided away smoothly at our camp amidst
the storms of the rainy season. The Arabs had
nothing to do, and suffered much from the absence
of their herds, as there was a great scarcity of
milk. The only animals that had not been sent
to the north were a few goats ; these were so
teased by the flies that they produced but a small
supply. Fever had appeared at the same time
with the flies, and every one was suffering more
or less, especially Florian, who was seriously ill
I was in full practice as physician, and we con-
gratulated ourselves upon the healthiness of our
little isolated camp, when suddenly my wife was
prostrated by a severe attack of gastric fever, which
for nine days rendered her recovery almost hopeless.
At length the fever gave way to careful attendance,
and my Arab patients and Florian were also in a
fair way towards recovery. The plagues of Egypt
were upon us ; the common house-flies were in
billions, in addition to the cattle-tormentor. Our
156 GO INTO HALF MOURNING. [CHAP. vm.
donkeys would not graze, but stood day and night
in the dense smoke of fires, made of sticks and
green grass, for protection.
The plague of boils broke out, and every one
was attacked more or less severely. Then came a
plague of which Moses must have been ignorant,
or he would surely have inflicted it upon Pharaoh.
This was a species of itch, which affected all ages
and both sexes equally ; it attacked all parts of
the body, but principally the extremities. The irri-
tation was beyond description ; small vesicles rose
above the skin, containing a watery fluid, which,
upon bursting, appeared to spread the disease. The
Arabs had no control over this malady, w r hich they
called "coorash," and the whole country was scratch-
ing. The popular belief attributed the disease to
the water of the Atbara at this particular season ;
although a horrible plague, I do not believe it to
have any connexion with the well-known itch or
"scabies" of Europe.
I adopted a remedy that I had found a specific for
mange in dogs, and this treatment became equally
successful in cases of coorash. Gunpowder, with
the addition of one fourth of sulphur, made into
a soft paste with water, and then formed into an
ointment with fat : this should be rubbed over the
whole body. The effect upon a black man is that
of a well-cleaned boot upon a white man it is
still more striking ; but it quickly cures the malady.
I went into half mourning by this process, and I
CHAP, viii.] " CHILD OT THE FE7ER." 157
should have adopted deep mourning had it been
necessary ; I was only attacked from the feet to a
little above the knees. Florian was in a dreadful
state, and the vigorous and peculiar action of his
arms at once explained the origin of the term,
"Scotch fiddle," the musical instrument commonly
attributed to the north of Great Britain.
The Arabs are wretchedly ignorant of the heal-
ing art, and they suffer accordingly. At least fifty
per cent, of the population in Sofi had a permanent
enlargement of the spleen, which could be felt with
a slight pressure of the hand, frequently as large
as an orange ; this was called " Jenna el Wirde"
(child of the fever), and was the result of constant
attacks of fever in successive rainy seasons.
Faith is the drug that is supposed to cure the
Arab ; whatever his complaint may be, he applies
to his Faky, or priest. This minister is not troubled
with a confusion of book-learning, neither are
the shelves of his library bending beneath weighty
treatises upon the various maladies of human nature ;
but he possesses the key to all learning, the talis-
man that will apply to all cases, in that one holy
book the Koran. This is his complete pharmacopoeia :
his medicine chest, combining purgatives, blisters,
sudorifics, styptics, narcotics, emetics, and all that
the most profound M.D. could prescribe. With this
"multum in parvo" stock-in-trade the Faky receives
his patients. No. 1 arrives, a barren woman who re-
quests some medicine that will promote the blessing
158 THE ARAB H.I). [CHAP. vin.
of childbirth. No. 2, a man who was strong in his
youth, but from excessive dissipation has become
useless. No. 3, a man deformed from, his birth, who
wishes to become straight as other men. No. 4, a
blind child. No. 5, a dying old woman, carried
on a litter; and sundry other impossible cases, with
others of a more simple character.
The Faky produces his book, the holy Koran, and
with a pen formed of a reed he proceeds to write
a prescription ; not to be made up by an apothecary,
as such dangerous people do not exist, but the pre-
scription itself is to be sivalloived! Upon a smooth
board, like a slate, he rubs sufficient lime to produce
a perfectly white surface ; upon this he writes in
large characters, with thick glutinous ink, a verse or
verses from the Koran, that he considers applicable
to the case ; this completed, he washes off the holy
quotation, and converts it into a potation by the
addition of a little water; this is swallowed in
perfect faith by the patient, who in return pays a
fee according to the demand of the Faky. Of
course it cannot be supposed that this effects a cure,
or that it is in any way superior to the prescriptions
of a thorough-bred English doctor ; the only advan-
tage possessed by the system is complete innocence,
IT) which it may perhaps claim a superiority. If
no good result is attained by the first holy dose,
the patient returns with undiminished confidence,
and the prescription is repeated as "the draught
as before," well known to the physic-drinkers of
CHAP. vin. j ARAB FONDNESS FOR RELICS. 159
England, and in like manner attended with the bill.
The Fakeers make a considerable amount by this
simple practice, and they add to their small earnings
by the sale of verses of the Koran as talismans.
As few people can read or write, there is an air
of mystery in the art of writing which much en-
hances the value of a scrap of paper upon which
is written a verse from the Koran. A few piastres
are willingly expended in the purchase of such
talismans, which are carefully and very neatly sewn
into small envelops of leather, and are worn by
all people, being handed down from father to son.
The Arabs are especially fond of relics ; thus, upon
the return from a pilgrimage to Mecca, the ' ' hadji,"
or pilgrim, is certain to have purchased from some
religious Faky of the sacred shrine either a few
square inches of cloth, or some such trifle, that
belonged to the prophet Mahomet. This is exhibited
to his friends and strangers as a wonderful spell
against some particular malady, and it is handed
about and received with extreme reverence by the
assembled crowd. I once formed one of a circle
when a pilgrim returned to his native village : we
sat in a considerable number upon the ground, while
he drew from his bosom a leather envelop, suspended
from his neck, from which he produced a piece of
extremely greasy woollen cloth, about three inches
square, 1;he original colour of which it would have
been impossible to guess. This was a piece of
Mahomet's garment, but what portion he could not
160 THE PEST SPOTS OF THE WORLD. [CHAP. vni.
say. The pilgrim had paid largely for this blessed
relic, and it was passed round our circle from hand
to hand, after having first been kissed by the pro-
prietor, who raised it to the crown of his head,
which he touched with the cloth, and then wiped
both his eyes. Each person who received it went
through a similar performance, and as ophthalmia and
other diseases of the eyes were extremely prevalent,
several of the party had eyes that had not the
brightness of the gazelle's ; nevertheless, these were
supposed to become brighter after having been wiped
by the holy cloth. How many eyes this same piece
of cloth had wiped it would be impossible to say,
but such facts are sufficient to prove the danger of
holy relics, that are inoculators of all manner of
contagious diseases.
I believe in holy shrines as the pest spots
of the world. We generally have experienced in
Western Europe that all violent epidemics arrive
from the East. The great breadth of the Atlantic
boundary would naturally protect us from the West,
but infectious disorders, such as plague, cholera,
small-pox, &c. may be generally tracked through-
out their gradations from their original nests ; those
nests are in the East, where the heat of the climate
acting upon the filth of semi-savage communities
engenders pestilence.
The holy places of both Christians and Maho-
metans are the receptacles for the masses of people
of all nations and classes who have arrived from
<;HAP. vin.] THE DANGERS OF HOLY SHRINES. 16!
all points of the compass ; the greater number of
such people are of poor estate ; many, who have
toiled on foot from immense distances, suffering from
hunger and fatigue, and bringing with them not
only the diseases of their own remote countries, but
arriving in that weak state that courts the attack
of any epidemic. Thus crowded together, with a
scarcity of provisions, a want of water, and na
possibility of cleanliness ; with clothes that have
been unwashed for weeks or months ; in a camp
of dirty pilgrims, without an attempt at drainage,
an accumulation of filth takes place that generates
either cholera or typhus ; the latter, in its most
malignant form, appears as the dreaded " plague."
Should "such an epidemic attack the mass of pilgrims
debilitated by the want of nourishing food, and ex-
hausted by their fatiguing march, it runs riot like
a fire among combustibles, and the loss of life is
terrific. The survivors radiate from this common
centre, upon their return to their respective homes,
to which they carry the seeds of the pestilence to
germinate upon new soils in different countries.
Doubtless the clothes of the dead furnish materials
for innumerable holy relics as vestiges of the ward-
robe of the Prophet ; these are disseminated by
the pilgrims throughout all countries, pregnant with
disease; and, being brought into personal contact
with hosts of true believers, Pandora's box could
not be more fatal.
- Not only are relics upon a pocket scale conveyed
M
162 ARRIVAL OF THE HOLY BODY. [CHAP. vm.
by pilgrims, and reverenced by the Arabs, but the
body of any Faky, who in lifetime was considered
extra holy, is brought from a great distance to be
interred in some particular spot. In countries where
a tree is a rarity, a plank for a coffin is unknown ;
thus the reverend Faky, who may have died of
typhus, is wrapped in cloths and packed in a mat.
In this form he is transported, perhaps, some hun-
dred miles, slung upon a camel, with the ther-
mometer above 130 Fahr. in the sun, and he is
conveyed to the village that is so fortunate as to
be honoured with his remains. It may be readily
imagined that with a favourable wind, the inhabi-
tants are warned of his approach some time before
his arrival. Happily, long before we arrived at
Sofi, the village had been blessed by the death of
a celebrated Faky, a holy man who would have been
described as a second Isaiah were the annals of the
country duly chronicled. This great "man of God,"
as he was termed, had departed this life at a
village on the borders of the Nile, about eight days
hard cam el -journey from Sofi ; but from some as-
sumed right, mingled no doubt with jobbery, the
inhabitants of Sofi had laid claim to his body, and
he had arrived upon a camel horizontally, and had
been buried about fifty yards from our present
camp. His grave was beneath a clump of mimosas
that shaded the spot, and formed the most pro-
minent object in the foreground of our landscape.
Thither every Friday the women of the village con-
CHAP, vni.] THE FAKTS GRAVE. 163
gregated, with offerings of a few handfuls of dliurra
in small gourd-shells, which they laid upon the
grave, while they ate the holy earth in small
pinches, which they scraped like rabbits, from a
hole they had burrowed towards the venerated corpse ;
this hole was about two feet deep from continual
scratching, and must have been very near the Faky.
Although bamboos did not grow in Sofi, great
numbers were brought down by the river during
the rains ; these were eagerly collected by the
Arabs, and the grave of the Faky was ornamented
with selected specimens, upon which were hung
small pieces of rag-like banners. The people could
not explain why they were thus ornamented, but I
imagine the custom had originated from the necessity
of scaring the wild animals that might have ex-
humed the body.
Although the grave of this revered Faky was
considered a sacred spot, the women had a curious
custom that we should not consider an honour to
the sanctity of the place : they met in parties be-
neath the shade of the mimosas that covered the
grave, for the express purpose of freeing each other's
heads from vermin; the creatures thus caught, in-
stead of being killed, were turned loose upon the
Faky.
Although the Arabs in places remote from the
immediate action of the Egyptian authorities are
generally lawless, they are extremely obedient to
their own sheiks, and especially to the fakeers :
M 2
164 ARAB DOCTORING. [CHAP. vm.
thus it is important to secure such heads of the
people as friends. My success as a physician had
gained me many friends, as I studiously avoided the
acceptance of any present in return for my services,
which I wished them to receive as simple acts of
kindness ; thus I had placed the Sheik Hassan bel
Kader under an obligation, by curing him of a fever;
and as he chanced to combine in his own person
the titles of both sheik and faky, I had acquired
a great ascendancy in the village, as my medicines
had proved more efficacious than the talismans.
" Physician, cure thyself/' applied to the Faky, who
found three grains of my tartar emetic more power-
ful than a whole chapter of the Koran.
'We frequently had medical discussions, and the
contents of my large medicine-chest were examined
with wonder by a curious crowd ; the simple effect
of mixing a seidlitz powder was a source of astonish-
ment ; but a few drops of sulphuric acid upon a
piece of strong cotton cloth, which it destroyed
immediately, was a miracle that invested the medi-
cine-chest with a specific character for all diseases.
The Arab style of doctoring is rather rough. If a
horse or other animal has inflammation, they hobble
the legs and throw it upon the ground, after which
operation a number of men kick it in the belly
until it is relieved (by death). Should a man be
attacked with fever, his friends prescribe a system
of diet, in addition to the Koran of the Faky : he
is made to drink, as hot as he can swallow it,
CHAP. VIIL] DELIGHTS OF ARJB SURGERY. 165
about a quart of melted sheep's fat or butter.
Young dogs, as a cure for distemper, are thrown from
the roof of a house to the ground a height of about
ten feet. One night we were sitting at dinner, when
we suddenly heard a great noise, and the air was
illumined by the blaze of a hut on fire. In the
midst of the tumult I heard the unmistakable cries
of dogs, and thinking that they were unable to escape
from the fire, I ran towards the spot. As I ap-
proached, first one and then another dog ran
screaming from the flames, until a regular pack of
about twenty scorched animals appeared in quick
succession, all half mad with fright and fire. I was
informed that hydrophobia was very prevalent in
the country, and that the certain preventive from
that frightful malady was to make all the dogs of
the village pass through the fire. Accordingly an
old hut had been filled with straw and fired ; after
which, each dog was brought by its owner and
thrown into the flames. Upon another occasion I
heard a great yelling and commotion, and I found
Mahomet's " mother's brother's cousin's sister's
mother's son," Achmet, struggling on the ground, and
nearly overpowered by a number of Arabs, who were
determined to operate upon a large boil in his groin,
which they had condemned to be squeezed, although,
it was not in a state that admitted of such treatment.
The patient was biting and kicking liberally on all
sides in self-defence, and his obstinate surgeons could
hardly be persuaded to desist.
166 THE PIG AND THE KORAN. [CHAP. vm.
Syphilis is common throughout the country, a,nd
there are several varieties of food that are supposed to
effect a cure. A sheep is killed, and the entire flesh
is cooked with the fat, being cut into small pieces and
baked in a pot ; several pounds of butter or other
grease are then boiled, and in that state are poured
into the jars containing the baked meat ; the patient
is then shut up by himself in a hut with this large
quantity of fat food, with which he is to gorge himself
until the whole is consumed. Another supposed cure
for the same disease, is a pig dressed in a similar
manner, which meat, although forbidden by the Koran,
may be taken medicinally. The flesh of the crocodile
is eaten greedily, being supposed to promote desire.
There are few animals that the Arabs of the Nubian
provinces will refuse ; the wild boar is invariably
eaten by the Arab hunters, although in direct opposi-
tion to the rules of the Koran. I once asked them
what their Faky would say if he were aware of such a
transgression ? " Oh ! " they replied, " we have already
asked his permission, as we are sometimes severely
pressed for food in the jungles ; he says, ' If you have
the Koran in your hand and no pig, you are forbidden
to eat pork ; but if you have the pig in your hand
and no Koran, you had better eat what God has given
you/ "
This is a charming example of simplicity in theo-
logical discussion that might perhaps be followed with
advantage in graver questions ; we might cease to
strain at the gnats and swallow our pigs.
CHAP, viii.] SWORD HUNTERS OF THE HAMRAN ARABS. 16J
I had an audience of a party of hunters whom I
had long wished to meet. Before my arrival at Sofi
I had heard of a particular tribe of Arabs that in-
habited the country south of Cassala, between that
town and the Basd country ; these were the Hamrans,
who were described as the most extraordinary Nim-
rods, who hunted and killed all wild animals, from the
antelope to the elephant, with no other weapon than
the sword ; the lion and the rhinoceros fell alike be-
fore the invincible sabres of these mighty hunters, to
whom as an old elephant-hunter T wished to make my
salaam, and humbly confess my inferiority.
From the manner in which their exploits had been
hitherto explained to me, I could not understand how
it could be possible to kill an elephant with the sword,
unless the animal should be mobbed by a crowd of
men and hacked to death, but I was assured that the
most savage elephant had no chance upon good riding
ground against four aggageers (as the hunters with
the sword are designated). I had determined to
engage a party of these hunters to accompany me
throughout my exploration of the Abyssinian rivers
at the proper season, when I should have an
excellent opportunity of combining sport with an
examination of the country. My intentions had be-
come known, and the visit of the hunters was the
consequence.
The Hamran Arabs are distinguished from the
other tribes by an extra length of hair, worn parted
down the centre, and arranged in long curls ; other-
168 THE ARAB SHIELDS. [CHAP. vm.
wise, there is no perceptible difference in their ap-
pearance from other Arabs. They are armed, as are
all others, with swords and shields; the latter are
circular, and are generally formed of rhinoceros hide.
There are two forms of shields used by the various
tribes of Arabs ; one is a narrow oval, about four feet
in length, of either bull's or buffalo's hide, stiffened
by a strong stick which passes down the centre ; the
other is circular, about two feet in diameter, with a
projection in the centre as a protection for the hand.
When laid flat upon the ground, the shield somewhat
resembles an immensely broad-brimmed hat, with a
low crown terminating in a point. In the inside of
the crown is a strong bar of leather as a grip for
the hand, while the outside is generally guarded by
a strip of the scaly hide of a crocodile.
The skins most prized for shields are those of the
giraffe and the rhinoceros ; those of the buffalo and:
elephant are likewise in general use, but they are
considered inferior to the former, while the hide of
the hippopotamus is too thick and heavy.
The hide of the giraffe is wonderfully tough, and
combines the great advantage of extreme lightness
with strength. The Arabs never ornament their
shields ; they are made for rough and actual service,
and the gashes upon many are proofs of the necessity
of such a protection for the owner.
Although there are two patterns of shields among
the Arabs, there is no difference in the form of their
swords, which simply vary in size according to the
CHAP, viii.] HINTS. FOR CARRYING THE SWORD. 1GD
strength of the wearer. The blade is long and straight,
two-edged, with a simple cross handle, having no
other guard for the hand than the plain bar, which
at right angles with the hilt forms the cross. I
believe this form was adopted after the Crusades,
when the long, straight, cross-handled blades of the
Christian knights left an impression behind them
that established the fashion. All these blades are
manufactured at Sollingen, and are exported to
Egypt for the trade of the interior. Of course they
differ in quality and price, but the^r are of excellent
temper. The Arabs are extremely proud of a good
sword, and a blade of great value is carefully handed
down through many generations. The sheiks and
principal people wear silver-hilted swords. The scab-
bards are usually formed of two thin strips of elastic
but soft wood, covered with leather. No Arab would
accept a metal scabbard, as it would destroy the keen
edge of his weapon. The greatest care is taken in
sharpening the swords. While on the march, the
Arab carries his weapon slung on the pommel of
his saddle, from which it passes beneath his thigh.
There are two projecting pieces of leather, about
twelve inches apart, upon the scabbard, between
which the thigh of the horseman fits, and thus
prevents the sword from slipping from its place.
Carried in this position, at full speed there is an
absence of that absurd dangling and jumping of the
sword that is exhibited in our British cavalry, and
the weapon seems to form a portion of the rider.
170 KEENNESS OF THE EDGE. [CHAP. vin.
The first action of an Arab when he dismounts at a
halt upon the march, and sits beneath a tree, is to
draw his sword ; and after trying both edges with
his thumb, he carefully strops the blade to and fro
upon his shield until a satisfactory proof of the edge
is made by shaving the hair off his arm, after which
it is returned to the sheath, I have measured
these swords ; that of a. fair average size is three
feet in the length of blade, and one inch and
seven-eighths in breadth ; the hilt, from the top
of the guard to the extremity, five and a half
inches. Thus the sword complete would be about
three feet five or six inches. Such a weapon
possesses immense power, as the edge is nearly
as sharp as a razor. But the Arabs have not
the slightest knowledge of swordsmanship ; they
never parry with the blade, but trust entirely to the
shield, and content themselves with slashing either
at their adversary or at the animal that he rides ;
one good cut delivered by a powerful arm would
sever a man at the waist like a carrot. The Arabs
are not very powerful men ; they are extremely light
and active, and generally average about five feet eight
inches in height. But their swords are far too heavy
for their strength ; and although they can deliver a
severe cut, they cannot recover the sword sufficiently
quick to parry, therefore they are contented with the
shield as their only guard. If opposed to a good
swordsman they would be perfectly at his mercy, as
a feint at the head causes them to raise the shield ;
CHAP, vinj ARAB SWORDSMANSHIP. 171
this prevents them from seeing the point, that would
immediately pass through the body.
Notwithstanding their deficiency in the art of
the sword, they are wonderful fellows to cut and
slash, and when the sharp edge of the heavy weapon
touches an enemy, the effect is terrible.
The elephant-hunters, or aggageers, exhibited their
swords, which differed in no respect from those usually
worn ; but they were bound with cord very closely
from the guard for about nine inches along the blade,
to enable them to be grasped by the right hand, while
the hilt was held by the left ; the weapon was thus
converted into a two-handed sword. The scabbards
were strengthened by an extra covering, formed of
the skin of the elephant's ear.
In a long conversation with these men, I found
a corroboration of all that I had previously heard of
their exploits, and they described the various methods
of killing the elephant with the sword. Those hunters
who could not afford to purchase horses hunted on
foot, in parties not exceeding two persons. Their
method was to follow the tracks of an elephant, so
as to arrive at their game between the hours of
10 A.M. and noon, at which time the animal is either
asleep, or extremely listless^ and easy to approach.
Should they discover the animal asleep, one of the
hunters would creep stealthily towards the head, and
with one blow sever the trunk while stretched upon
the ground ; in which case, the elephant would start
upon his feet, while the hunters escaped in the con-
172 THE AGGAGEERS. [CHAP. vm.
fusion of the moment. The trunk severed would
cause a haemorrhage sufficient to insure the death of
the elephant within about an hour. On the other
hand, should the animal be awake upon their arrival,
it would be impossible to approach the trunk ; in such
a case, they would creep up from behind, and give a
tremendous cut at the back sinew of the hind leg,
about a foot above the heel. Such a blow would
disable the elephant at once, and would render com-
paratively easy a second cut to the remaining leg ;
the arteries being divided, the animal would quickly
bleed to death. These were the methods adopted by
poor hunters, until, by the sale of ivory, they could
purchase horses for the higher branch of the art.
Provided with horses, the party of hunters should
not exceed four. They start before daybreak, and
ride slowly throughout the country in search of
elephants, generally keeping along the course of a
river until they come upon the tracks where a herd
or a single elephant may have drunk during the night.
When once upon the tracks, they follow fast towards
the retreating game. The elephants may be twenty
miles distant ; but it matters little to the aggageers.
At length they discover them, and the hunt begins.
The first step is to single out the bull with the largest
tusks ; this is the commencement of the fight. After
a short hunt, the elephant turns upon his pursuers,
who scatter and fly from his headlong charge until
he gives up the pursuit ; he at length turns to bay
when again pressed by the hunters. It is the duty
CHAP, viii.] ELEPHANT HUNTING WITH THE SWORD. 1J3
of one man in particular to ride up close to the
head of the elephant, and thus to absorb its atten-
tion upon himself. This insures a desperate charge.
The greatest coolness and dexterity are then required
by the hunter, who now, the hunted, must so adapt
.the speed of his horse to the pace of the elephant,
that the enraged beast gains in the race until it
almost reaches the tail of the horse. In this manner
the race continues. In the mean time, two hunters
gallop up behind the elephant, unseen by the animal,
whose attention is completely directed to the horse
almost within his grasp. With extreme agility, when
close to the heels of the elephant, one of the hunters,
while at full speed, springs to the ground with his
drawn sword, as his companion seizes the bridle, and
with one dexterous two-handed blow he severs the
back sinew. He immediately jumps out of the way
and remounts his horse ; but if the blow is successful,
-the elephant becomes disabled by the first pressure of
its foot upon the ground ; the enormous weight of the
animal dislocates the joint, and it is rendered helpless.
,The hunter who has hitherto led the elephant imme-
diately turns, and riding to within a few feet of the
trunk, he induces the animal to attempt another
charge. This, clumsily made, affords an easy oppor-
tunity for the aggageers behind to slash the sinew
of the remaining leg, and the immense brute is
reduced to a stand-still ; it dies of loss of blood in
a short time, thus positively killed by one man with
two strokes of the sword !
174 DISABLED BY HIS OWN SWORD. [CHAP. vm.
This extraordinary hunting is attended with super-
lative danger, and the hunters frequently fall victims
to their intrepidity. I felt inclined to take off my cap
and make a low bow to the gallant and swarthy
fellows who sat before me, when I knew the tough-
ness of their hearts and the activity of their limbs.
One of them was disabled for life by a cut from his
own sword, that had severed the knee-cap and bitten
deep into the joint, leaving a scar that appeared as
though the leg had been nearly off ; he had missed his
blow at the elephant, owing to the high and tough
dried grass that had partially stopped the sword, and
in springing upon one side, to avoid the animal that
had turned upon him, he fell over his own sharp blade,
which cut through the bone, and he lay helpless ; he
was saved by one of his comrades, who immediately
rushed in from behind, and with a desperate cut
severed the back sinew of the elephant. As I listened
to these fine fellows, who in a modest and unassuming
manner recounted their adventures as matters of
course, I felt exceedingly small. My whole life
had been passed in wild sports from early man-
hood, and I had imagined that I understood as
much as most people of this subject ; but here
were men who, without the aid of the best rifles
and deadly projectiles, went straight at their game,
and faced the lion in his den with shield and sabre.
There is a freemasonry among hunters, and my
heart was drawn towards these aggageers. We
fraternised upon the spot, and I looked forward
CHAP, viij.] MARIA THERESA. 175
with intense pleasure to the day when we might
become allies in action.
I have been rewarded by this alliance in being now-
able to speak of the deeds of others that far excel
my own, and of bearing testimony to the wonderful
courage and dexterity of these Nimrods, instead of
continually relating anecdotes of dangers in the first
person, which cannot be more disagreeable to the
reader than to the narrator.
"Without inflicting a description of five months
passed in Sofi, it will be necessary to make a few
extracts from my journal, to convey an idea of the
manner in which the time was occupied.
"August 7, 1861. There is plenty of game on the
other side of the river, but nothing upon this ; there
are no means of crossing, as the stream is exceedingly
strong, and about two hundred yards in width. We
felled a tree for a canoe, but there is nothing worthy
of the name of timber, and the wood is extremely
heavy.
" There are several varieties of wild spinach, and a
plant that makes a good salad, known by the Arabs as
1 Regly ; ' also wild onions as large as a man's fist,
but uneatable.
"August 8. I counted seventy-six giraffes on the
opposite side of the river. This magnificent sight is
most tantalizing. The sheik made his appearance
to-day with a present of butter and honey, and some
small money in exchange for dollars that I had given
him. The Austrian dollar of Maria Theresa is the
176 GREAT FAILURE. [CHAP. vm.
only large coin current in this country ; the effigy of
the empress, with a very low dress and a profusion of
bust, is, I believe, the charm that suits the Arab taste.
So particular are these people, that they reject the coin
after careful examination, unless they can distinctly
count seven dots that form the star upon the coronet.
No clean money will pass current in this country ; all
coins must be dirty and gummy, otherwise they are
rejected : this may be accounted for, as the Arabs
have no method of detecting false money ; thus they
are afraid to accept any new coin.
"August 16. Great failure! "We launched the
canoe, but although it was carefully hollowed out, the
wood was so heavy that it would only carry one
person, and even then it threatened to become a
bathing-machine ; thus nine days' hard work are lost.
Florian is in despair, but f Nil desperandum ! ' I
shall set to work instanter, and make a raft. Counted
twenty-eight giraffes on the opposite side of the river.
"August 17. I set to work at daybreak to make
a raft of bamboo and inflated skins. There is a wood
called ambatch (Anemone mirabilis) that is brought
down by the river from the upper country; this is
lighter than cork, and I have obtained four large
pieces for my raft. Mahomet has been very saucy to-
day ; he has been offensively impertinent for a long
time, so this morning I punched his head.
"August 18. Launched the raft; it carries four
persons safely, but the current is too strong, and it is
therefore unmanageable. In the afternoon I shot 'a
CHAP, viii.] THE BABOONS AND THE CROCODILE.
large crocodile on the other side of the river (about
two hundred yards) with the little Fletcher rifle,
and after struggling for some time upon the steep
bank it rolled into the water.
" The large tamarind trees on the opposite bank are
generally full of the dog-faced baboons (Cynocephalus)
in the evening, at their drin king-hour. I watched a
large crocodile creep slily out of the water, and lie in
waiting among the rocks at the usual drinking-place
before they arrived, but the baboons were too wide
awake to be taken in so easily. A young fellow was
the first to discover the enemy ; he had accompanied
several wise and experienced old hands, to the
extremity of a bough that at a considerable height
overhung the river ; from this post they had a bird's-
eye view, and reconnoitred before one of the numerous
party descended to drink. The, sharp eyes of the
young one at once detected the crocodile, who
matched in colour so well with the rocks, that most
probably a man would not have noticed it until too
late. At once the young one commenced shaking the
bough and screaming with all his might to attract the
attention of the crocodile, and to induce it to move.
In this he was immediately joined by the whole party,
who yelled in chorus, while the large old males bel-
lowed defiance, and descended to the lowest branches
within eight or ten feet of the crocodile. It was of no
use the pretender never stirred, and I watched it
until dark ; it remained sti]l in the same place, waiting
for some unfortunate baboon whose thirst might pro-
N
178 THE DROWNED ELEPHANT. [CHAP. vm.
voke his fate ; but not one was sufficiently foolish,
although the perpendicular banks prevented them from
drinking except at that particular spot.
" The birds in this country moult twice during the
year, and those of the most brilliant colours exchange
their gaudy hues for a sober grey or brown. Several
varieties sing beautifully ; the swallow also sings,
although in Europe I have never heard it attempt
more than its well-known twitter.
"One of the mimosas yields an excellent fibre for
rope-making, in which my people are busily engaged ;
the bark is as tough as leather, and forms an
admirable material for the manufacture of sacks. This
business is carried to a considerable extent by the
Arabs, as there is a large demand for sacks of sufficient
size to contain two hundred and fifty or three hundred
pounds of gum arabic (half a camel load). Thus one
sack slung upon each side can be packed easily to
the animal.
" August 19. A dead elephant floated down the
river to-day ; this is the second that has passed within
the last few days; they have been most probably
drowned in attempting to cross some powerful torrent
tributary to the Atbara. As usual, upon the fact
becoming known, the entire village rushed out, and,
despite the crocodiles, a crowd of men plunged into
the river about a quarter of a mile below Sofi, and
swimming out they intercepted the swollen carcase,
which was quickly covered with people ; they were
carried several miles down the river before they could
CHAP. VIIL] GAME ON THE EAST SANK. 179
tow the body to shore, by ropes fastened to the
swimmers. Afterwards, there was a general quarrel
over the division of the spoil : the skin, in sections,
and the tusks, were brought home in triumph.
" The country being now bright green, the antelopes
are distinctly visible on the opposite side. Three tetel
(Antelopus Bubalis) graze regularly together in the
same place daily. This antelope is a variety of the
hartebeest of South Africa ; it is a reddish-chestnut
colour, and is about the size of an Alderney cow.
" One of the mimosas (Acacia Arabica) produces a
fruit in appearance resembling a tamarind : this is a
powerful astringent and a valuable medicine in cases of
fever and diarrhoea ; it is generally used by the Arabs
for preparing hides ; when dry and broken it is rich in
a hard gum, which appears to be almost pure tannin.
" August 20. Close, hot, and damp weather ;
violent rain about sixteen hours out of the twenty-
four. When the hot season sets in, the country will
almost boil. This morning I counted 154 giraffes in
one herd on the other side of the river; there were
many more, but they passed each other so rapidly that
I could not reckon the entire troop.
"August 21. I counted 103 giraffes. There is
literally no game upon this side (west) of the Atbara,
as the country for twelve hours' journey from Sofi is
thronged with Arabs during the dry season.
" All my people are more or less ill ; I am not very
well myself; but I have staved off an attack of fever
by preventive measures.
N 2
180 CAPABILITIES OF THE SOIL. [CHAP. vm.
"August 25. Such a magnificent sunset I have
never seen ! From all quarters were gathering storms
of the blackest description, each cloud emitting light-
ning without intermission, and as the sun touched the
horizon upon the only clear point, it illumined like a
fire the pitch-black clouds, producing the most extra-
ordinary effect of vivid colouring, combined with
lightning, and a rainbow.
" Kain in torrents throughout the night. It is now
impossible to walk on the flat table-land, as the
soil is so saturated, that it clings to the feet like
birdlime, in masses that will pull the shoes off unless
they fit tight. All this immense tract of rich land
would grow any amount of cotton, or wheat, as in
this country the rains fall with great regularity this
might be sent to Berber by boats during the season
of flood.
" August 27. My antelope skins are just completed
and are thoroughly tanned. Each skin required a
double handful of the 'garra,' or fruit of the acacia
arabica. The process is simple : the skin being
thoroughly wetted, the garra is pounded into a paste ;
this is rubbed into the hide with a rough piece of
sandstone, until it becomes perfectly clean, and free
from impurities; it is then wrapped up with a
quantity of the paste, and is deposited in a trough
and kept in the shade for twenty-four hours. It
should undergo a similar rubbing daily, and be kept
in the trough to soak in the garra for four or five
days. After this process it should be Veil rubbed
CHAP, viii.] TANNING OF LEATHER. 181
with fat, if required to keep soft and pliable when
wetted. If soaked in milk after tanning, the leather
will become waterproof. The large tanned ox-hides
used by the Arabs as coverlets are perfectly water-
proof, and are simply prepared with milk. These are
made in Abyssinia, and can be purchased at from ten
piastres to a dollar each. The Arabs thoroughly
appreciate the value of leather, as they are entirely
dependent upon such material for coverlets, water-
sacks, travelling bags, &c. &c. The sac de voyage
is a simple skin of either goat or sheep drawn off
the animal as a stocking is drawn from the leg ; this
is very neatly ornamented, and arranged with loops
which close the mouth, secured by a padlock. Very
large sacks capable of containing three hundred pounds
of corn, are made in the same manner by drawing off
entire the skins of the larger antelopes that of the
ttel is considered the most valuable for this purpose.
The hide of the wild ass is the finest of all leather,
and is so close in the grain that before tanning, when
dry and hardened in the sun, it resembles horn in
transparency. I have made excellent mocassins with
this skin, which are admirable if kept wetted.
"August 28. Sofi being upon the frontier, the laws
are merely nominal, accordingly there is an interesting
mixture in the society. Should any man commit
a crime in Abyssinia, he takes refuge over the border;
thus, criminals of the blackest character are at large.
One fellow who has paid us daily visits killed his
brother with a knife a few months since. I have
]82 NATIVE BASKETS AND MATTING. [CHAP. vin.
excluded this gentleman from the select circle of
our acquaintance.
"The Arab women are very clever in basket-
work and matting they carry their milk in baskets
that are so closely fitted as to be completely
water-tight; these are made of the leaves of
the dome palm, shred into fine strips. In
addition to the coarse matting required for their
tents, they manufacture very fine sleeping mats,
curiously arranged in various coloured patterns ;
these are to cover the angareps, or native bed-
steads, which are simple frameworks upon legs,
covered with a network of raw hide worked in a
soft state, after which it hardens to the tightness
of a drum when thoroughly dry. No bed is more
comfortable for a warm climate than a native
angarep with a simple mat covering; it is beauti-
fully elastic, and is always cool, as free ventilation
is permitted from below. I have employed the
Arab women to make me a hunting cap of the
basket-work of dome palm, to my old pattern.
"August 28. I have been busily employed in
putting new soles to my shoes, having cut up the
leather cover of a gun-case for material. No per-
son can walk barefooted in this country, as the
grass is armed with thorns. A peculiar species,
that resembles a vetch, bears a circular pod as
large as a horse-bean ; the exterior of the pod is
armed with long and sharp spikes like the head of
an ancient mace ; these pods when ripe are ex-
CHAP, viii.] BACHEET IS TOO ATTENTIVE. 183
ceedingly hard, and falling to the ground in great
numbers, the spikes will pierce the sole of any shoe
unless of a stout substance.
"August 29. Florian is very ill with fever. The
mosquitoes are so troublesome that the Arabs can-
not sleep in their huts, but are forced to arrange
platforms about six feet high, upon which the whole
family rest until they are awakened by a sudden
thunderstorm, and are compelled to rush into their
huts ; this has been the case nightly for some time
past.
" I find that the whole village has been trying on
my new hunting-cap, that an Arab woman has just
completed ; this was brought to me to-day, thick
with butter and dirt from their greasy pates. This
is a trifle yesterday Florian was ill and required
some tea ; his servant tried the degree of heat by
plunging his dirty black finger to the bottom:
" Shortly after our wild Arab lad, Bacheet, was
engaged, we drilled him as table servant. The flies
were very troublesome, and continually committed
suicide by drowning themselves in the tea. One
morning during breakfast there were many cases of
fdo de se, or ' temporary insanity/ and my
wife's tea-cup was full of victims ; Bacheet wishing,
to be attentive, picked out the bodies with his
finger and thumb ! ! ' Now, my good fellow,
Bacheet, 7 I exclaimed, c you really must not put
your dirty fingers in the tea : you should take them
out with the tea-spoon. Look here/ and I per-
184 " OH BACHEET! YOU IGNORAMUS!" JCHAP. vm.
formed the operation, and safely landed several flies
that were still kicking. ' But mind, Bacheet/ I
continued, 'that you wipe the tea-spoon first, to
be sure that it is clean ! ' On the following morn-
ing at breakfast we covered up the cups with
saucers to prevent accidents ; but to our astonish-
ment Bacheet, who was in waiting, suddenly took
a tea-spoon from the table, wiped it carefully with
the corner of the table-cloth, and stooping down
beneath the bed, most carefully saved from drown-
ing, with the tea-spoon, several flies that were in
the last extremity within a vessel by no means
adapted for a spoon. Perfectly satisfied with the
result, he carefully rewiped the tea-spoon upon
the table-cloth, and replaced it in its proper position.
6 Oh Bacheet ! Bacheet ! you ignoramus, you extra-
ordinary and impossible animal ! ' However, there
was no help for it the boy thought he was doing
the right thing exactly.
" September 1. The animals are worried almost
to death by the countless flies, especially by that
species that drives the camels from the country.
This peculiar fly is about the size of a wasp, with
an orange-coloured body, with black and white
rings ; the proboscis is terrific ; it is double, and
appears to be disproportioned, being two-thirds the
length of the entire insect. "When this fly attacks
an animal, or man, it pierces the skin instantane-
ously, like the prick of a red-hot needle driven
deep into the flesh, at the same time the insect
CHAP, viii.] FEROCITY OF THE SEROOT FIT. 185
exerts every muscle of its body by buzzing with
its wings as it buries the instrument to its greatest
depth. The blood starts from the wound imme-
diately, and continues to flow for a considerable
time ; this is an attraction to other flies in great
numbers, many of which would lay their eggs
upon the wound.
" I much prefer the intense heat of summer to
the damp of the rainy season, which breeds all
kinds of vermin. During the hot season the
nights are cool and delightful, there is not one
drop of dew, and we live entirely in the open
air beneath the shade of a tree in the day, and
under a roof of glittering stars at night. The guns
never rust, although lying upon the ground, and we
are as independent as the antelopes of the desert, any
bush affording a home within its limit of shadow.
During the rainy season hunting and travelling
would be equally impossible ; the rifles would con-
stantly miss fire. The mud is in most places knee-
deep, and a malignant fever would shortly settle
the hunter. The rains cease early in September,
after which we are to expect a complete vapour-
bath until the end of October, by which time
the fiery sun will have evaporated the moisture
from the sodden earth ; that interval will be the
most unhealthy season.
" As this fertile country can depend upon three
months' periodical rain, from the middle of June
until September, there is no reason for unproduc-
186 CROSS THE ATBARA. [CHAP. vm.
tiveness ; it would produce a large revenue if in
industrious hands.
" September 2. For many days past we have
seen large herds of giraffes and many antelopes on
the opposite side of the river, about two miles
distant, on the borders of the Atbara, into which
valley the giraffes apparently dared not descend,
but remained on the table-land, although the
antelopes appeared to prefer the harder soil of
the valley slopes. This day a herd of twenty-eight
giraffes tantalized me by descending a short distance
below the level flats, and I was tempted at all
hazards across the river. Accordingly prepara-
tions were immediately made for a start. The
sheik of the village and several of the Arabs were
hippopotami hunters by profession ; these fellows
could swim like otters, and, despite the crocodiles,
they seemed as much at home in the water as on
land. "We prepared an impromptu raft. My angarep
(bedstead) was quickly inverted ; six water-skins
were inflated, and lashed, three on either side. A
shallow packing-case, lined with tin, containing my
guns, was fastened in the centre of the angarep, and
two tow-lines were attached to the front part of
the raft, by which swimmers were to draw it across
the river. Two men were to hang on behind, and,
if possible, keep it straight in the rapid current.
"The Arabs were full of mettle, as their minds
were fixed upon giraffe venison. A number of
people, including my wife, climbed upon the mos-
CHAP, viii.] THE IMPROMPTU RAFT. 187
quito platforms, to obtain a good view of the
projected hunt, and we quickly carried our raft to
the edge of the river. There was not much delay
in the launch. I stepped carefully into my coffin-
shaped case and squatted down, with a rifle on
either side, and my ammunition at the bottom of
the tin-lined waterproof case ; thus, in case of an
upset, I was ready for a swim. Off we went ! The
current, running at nearly five miles an hour, car-
ried us away at a great pace, and the whirlpools
caused us much trouble, as we several times waltzed
round when we should have preferred a straight
course, but the towing swimmers being well mounted
upon logs of light ambatch-wood, swam across in
fine style, and after some difficulty we arrived at the
opposite bank, and scrambled through thick bushes,
upon our hands and knees, to the summit.
" For about two miles breadth on this side of the
river the valley is rough broken ground, fall of
gullies and ravines sixty or seventy feet deep, beds
of torrents, bare sandstone rocks, bushy crags, fine
grassy knolls, and long strips of mimosa covert, form-
ing a most perfect locality for shooting.
" I had observed by the telescope that the giraffes
were standing as usual upon an elevated position,
from whence they could keep a good look-out. I
knew it would be useless to ascend the slope direct,
as their long necks give these animals an advantage
similar to that of the man at the mast-head; there-
fore, although we had the wind in our favour, we
188 STALKING GIRAFFES. [CHAP. vm.
should have been observed. I therefore determined
to make a great circuit of about five miles, and
thus to approach them from above, with the advan-
tage of the broken ground for stalking. It was
the perfection of uneven country : by clambering
broken cliffs, wading shoulder-deep through muddy
gullies, sliding down the steep ravines, and winding
through narrow bottoms of high grass and mimosas
for about two hours, during which we disturbed
many superb nellut (Ant. strepsiceros), and tetel
(Ant. Bubalis), we at length arrived at the point
of the high table-land, upon the verge of which I
had first noticed the giraffes with the telescope.
Almost immediately I distinguished the tall neck of
one of these splendid animals about half a mile dis-
tant upon my left, a little below^-the t^ble-land ; it
was feeding on the bushes, and I quickly discovered
several others near the leader of the herd. I was
not far enough advanced in the circuit that I had
intended to bring me exactly above them, therefore I
turned sharp to my right, intending to make a short
half circle, and to arrive on the leeward side of the
herd, as I was now to windward : this I fortunately
completed, but I had marked a thick bush as my
point of cover, and upon arrival I found that the
herd had fed down wind, and that I was within
two hundred yards of the great bull sentinel that,
having moved from his former position, was now
standing directly before me. I laid down quietly be-
hind the bush with my two followers, and anxiously
.CIIAP. viii.] WITHIN RANGE. 189
watched the great leader, momentarily expecting
that it would get my wind. It was shortly joined
by two others, and I perceived the heads of several
giraffes lower down the incline, that were now feed-
ing on their way to the higher ground. The seroot
fly was teasing them, and I remarked that several
birds were fluttering about their heads, sometimes
perching upon their noses and catching the fly that
attacked their nostrils, while the giraffes appeared
relieved by their attentions these were a peculiar
species of bird that attacks the domestic animals,
and not only relieves them of vermin, but eats into
the flesh, and establishes dangerous sores. A puff
of wind now gently fanned the back of my neck ;
it was cool and delightful, but no sooner did I feel
the refreshing breeze than I knew it would convey
our scent direct to the giraffes. A few seconds
afterwards, the three grand obelisks threw their
heads still higher in the air, and fixing their
great black eyes upon the spot from which the
danger came, they remained as motionless as though
carved from stone. From their great height they
could see over the bush behind which we were lying
at some paces distant, and although I do not think
they could distinguish us to be men, they could
see enough to convince them of hidden enemies.
"The attitude of fixed attention and surprise of
the three giraffes was sufficient warning for the rest of
the herd, who immediately filed up from the lower
ground, and joined their comrades. All now halted,
190 THE FIRST RUSH OF THE HERD. [CHAP. vin.
and gazed stedfastly in our direction, forming a
superb tableau ; their beautiful mottled skins glanc-
ing like the summer coat of a thorough-bred horse.,
the orange-coloured statues standing out in high
relief from a back-ground of dark-green mimosas.
" This beautiful picture soon changed ; I knew that
my chance of a close shot was hopeless, as they
would presently make a rush, and be off; thus I
determined to get the first start. I had previously
studied the ground, and I concluded that they
would push forward at right angles with my posi-
tion, as they had thus ascended the hill, and that,
on reaching the higher ground, they would turn to
the right, in order to reach an immense tract of
high grass, as level as a billiard-table, from which
no danger could approach them unobserved.
" I accordingly with a gentle movement of my hand
directed my people to follow me, and I made a
sudden rush forward at full speed. Off went the
herd ; shambling along at a tremendous pace,
whisking their long tails above their hind-quarters,
and taking exactly the direction I had anticipated,
they offered me a shoulder shot at a little within
two hundred yards' distance. Unfortunately, I fell
into a deep hole concealed by the high grass, and
by the time that I resumed the hunt they had
increased their distance, but I observed the leader
turned sharp to the right, through some low mimosa
bush, to make direct for the open table-land. I
made a short cut obliquely at my best speed, and
CHAP. VIIL] THE RETREAT OF THE GIRAFFES. 191
only halted when I saw that I should lose ground
by altering my position. Stopping short, I was
exactly opposite the herd as they filed by me at
right angles in full speed, within about one hundred
and eighty yards. I had my old Ceylon No. 1
double rifle, and I took a steady shot at a large
dark-coloured bull : the satisfactory sound of the
ball upon his hide was followed almost immediately
by his blundering forward for about twenty yards,
and falling heavily in the low bush. I heard the
crack of the ball of my left-hand barrel upon
another fine beast, but no effects followed. Bacheet
quickly gave me the single 2-ounce Manton rifle,
and I singled out a fine dark-coloured bull, who
fell on his knees to the shot, but recovering, hob-
bled off disabled, apart from the herd, with a fore-
leg broken just below the shoulder. Eeloading
immediately, I ran up to the spot, where I found
my first giraffe lying dead, with the ball clean
through both shoulders ; the second was standing
about one hundred paces distant ; upon my approach
he attempted to move, but immediately fell, and
was despatched by my eager Arabs. I followed
the herd for about a mile to no purpose, through
deep clammy ground and high grass, and I returned
to our game.
" These were my first giraffes, and I admired them
as they lay before me with a hunter's pride and
satisfaction, but mingled with a feeling of pity for
such beautiful and utterly helpless creatures. The
192 DEATH OF THE GIRAFFES. [CHAP, vm.
giraffe, although from sixteen to twenty feet in height,
is perfectly defenceless, and can only trust to the
swiftness of its pace, and the extraordinary power
of vision, for its means of protection. The eye of
this animal is the most beautiful exaggeration of
that of the gazelle, while the : colour of the reddish-
orange hide, mottled with darker spots, changes the
tints of the skin with the differing rays of light,
according to the muscular movement of the body.
No one who has merely seen the giraffe in a cold
climate can form the least idea of its beauty in
its native land. By the time that we had skinned
one of the animals, it was nearly six o'clock, and
it was necessary to hurry forward to reach the river
before night; we therefore arranged some thorny
boughs over the bodies, to which we intended to
return on the following morning.
" When about half way to the river, as we were
passing through grass about four feet high, three
tetel bounded from a ravine, and, passing directly
before us, gave me a splendid shot at about sixty
yards. The Ceylon No. 10 struck the foremost
through the shoulder, and it fell dead after running
a few yards. This was also my first tetel (Ante-
lope Bubalis) ; it was in splendid condition, the
red coat was like satin, and the animal would weigh
about five hundred pounds live weight.
" I had made very successful shots, having bagged
three out of four at large game ; this perfectly de-
lighted the Arabs, and was very satisfactory to myself,
I
S
CHAP. VIIL] PASSAGE OF THE RIVER. 1<K3
us I was quite aware that my men would be only too
willing to accompany me upon future excursions.
" It was quite dark before we reached the river ;
we had been much delayed by repeated falls into
deep holes, and over hidden stones ; thus I was well
satisfied to find myself once more at home after
having crossed the river, in pitchy darkness, in a
similar manner as before. Every person in the
village had had a good view of the stalk, therefore,
as two giraffes had been seen to fall, the Arabs
were waiting on the bank in expectation of meat.
" September 3. This morning I crossed the river
with about twenty men, some swimming with
inflated skins, and others supported by logs of
ambatch. A number of swimmers were holding on
to a pole to which four inflated girbas were
attached ; this is an excellent plan for assisting sol-
diers to cross a river, as they can land together
in parties, instead of singly, with their guns dry,
should the opposite bank be occupied by an enemy.
I sat in my gun-case, with the two rifles that I
used yesterday, in addition to the little Fletcher ;
heaps of clothes and sandals belonging to the
swimmers formed my cargo ; while in case of acci-
dent, I had taken off my belt and shoes, and tied
my ammunition within an inflated skin. Neptune
in his car drawn by dolphins was not more com-
pletely at home than I in my gun-case, towed by
my fish-like hippopotami hunters. After pirouetting
in several strong whirlpools, during which time y
o
J91 THE GIRAFFE SENTRY. [CHAP. vin.
crowd of women on the Son side of the river, were
screaming to Allah 'and the Prophet to protect us
from crocodiles, we at length arrived.
" We took a direct course towards the animals I
had shot on the previous evening, meeting with no
game except a large troop of dog -faced baboons
(Cynocephali) , until we reached the body of the tetel
(Antelope Bubalis), which lay undisturbed ; leaving
people to flay it carefully, so that the skin should
serve as a water or corn sack, we continued our
path towards the dead giraffes.
"I had not proceeded far, before I saw, at about
a mile distant, a motionless figure, as though carved
from red granite ; this I felt sure was a giraffe
acting as sentry for another party that was not yet
in view ; I therefore sent my men on towards- the
dead giraffes, while, accompanied by Florian's black
servant Bicharn,* who was a good sportsman, and
a couple of additional men, I endeavoured to stalk
the giraffe. It was impossible to obtain a favourable
wind, without exposing ourselves upon flat ground,
where we should have been immediately perceived;
I therefore arranged that my men should make a
long circuit and drive the giraffe, while I would
endeavour to intercept it. This plan failed ; but
shortly after the attempt, I observed a herd of about
* This faithful black, a native of the White Nile regions, sub-
sequently became my servant, and for four years accompanied us
honestly and courageously through all our difficulties to the Albert
N'yanza.
CHAP, vni.] A DIFFICULT STALK. 105
a hundred of these splendid creatures, browsing on
the mimosas about half a mile distant. For upwards
of three hours I employed every artifice to obtain
a shot, but to no purpose, as upon my approach to
within a quarter of a mile, they invariably chose
open ground, leaving a sentry posted behind the
herd, while two or three kept a look-out well in
advance. No animal is so difficult to approach as the
giraffe ; however, by great patience and caution, I
succeeded in reaching a long and deep ravine, by
which I hoped to arrive within a close shot, as
many of the herd were standing upon the level
table-ground, from which this natural trench sud-
denly descended. I believe I should have arrived
within fifty yards of the herd by this admirable
approach, had it not been for the unlucky chance
that brought me vis-a-vis with two tetel, that by
galloping off attracted the attention of the giraffes.
To add to my misfortune, after a long and tedious
crawl on hands and knees up the narrow and steep
extremity of the gully, just as I raised my head
above the edge of the table-land, expecting to see
the giraffes within fifty paces, I found three gazelles
feeding within ten yards of me, while three mag-
nificent giraffes were standing about one hundred
and fifty yards distant.
" Off bounded the gazelles the instant that we were
perceived ; they of course gave the alarm immediately,
and away went the giraffes, but I took a quick shot
at the great leader as he turned to the right, and
2
196 THE SEROOT FLY TAKES POSSESSION. [CHAP. vm.
he staggered a few paces and fell headlong into the
bush. Hurrah! for the Ceylon No. 10! however,
neither the second barrel, nor a shot with the Manton
2 -ounce, produced any effect. It was a glorious sight
to see the herd of upwards of a hundred of these
superb animals close up at the alarm of the shots, and
pelt away in a dense body through the dark green
mimosa bush that hardly reached to their shoulders ;
but pursuit was useless. My giraffe was not quite
dead, and, the throat having been cut by the Arabs
and Eicharn, we attempted to flay our game ; this
was simply impossible. The seroot fly was in
swarms about the carcase, thousands were buzzing
about our ears and biting like bull-dogs : the blood
was streaming from our necks, and, as I wore no
sleeves, my naked arms suffered terribly. I never
saw such an extraordinary sight ; although we had
killed our giraffe, we could not take possession ; it
was no wonder that camels and all domestic animals
were killed by this horrible plague, the only wonder
was the possibility of wild animals resisting the
attack. The long tails of the giraffes are admirable
fly-whippers, but they would be of little service
against such a determined and bloodthirsty enemy
as the seroot. They were now like a swarm of
bees, and we immediately made war upon the
scourge, by lighting several fires within a few feet
to windward of the giraffe ; when the sticks blazed
briskly, we piled green grass upon the tops, and
quickly produced a smoke that vanquished the enemy.
CHAP, vmj GIRAFFE STEAKS. 197
It was now about 3 P.M. and intensely hot ; I
had been in constant exereise since 6 A.M. therefore
I determined upon luncheon under the shade of a
welcome mimosa, upon which I had already hung
my water-skin to cool. We cut some long thin
strips of flesh from the giraffe, and lighted a fire
of dry babanoose wood expressly for cooking. This
species of wood is exceedingly inflammable, and
burns like a torch ; it is intensely hard, and in
colour and grain it is similar to lignum vitse. The
festoons of giraffe flesh were hung upon forked sticks,
driven into the ground to leeward of the fire, while
others were simply thrown upon the embers by my
men, who, while the food was roasting, employed
themselves in skinning the animal, and in eating the
flesh raw. The meat was quickly roasted, and was
the best I have ever tasted, fully corroborating the
praises I had frequently heard of giraffe meat from
the Arab hunters. It would be natural to suppose
that the long legs of this animal would furnish the
perfection of marrow bones, but these are a dis-
appointment, as the bones of the giraffe are solid,
like those of the elephant and hippopotamus ; the
long tendons of the legs are exceedingly prized by
the Arabs in lieu of thread for sewing leather, also
for guitar strings.
"After luncheon, I took my little Fletcher rifle,
and strolled down to the spot from whence I had
fired the shot, as I wished to measure the distance,
but no sooner had I arrived at the place than I
198 A HUNT FOR THE TETEL. [CHAP. vin.
observed at about a quarter of a mile below me,
in the valley, a fine tetel ; it was standing on the
summit of one of the numerous knolls, evidently
driven from the high grass by the flies. I stalked
it very carefully until I arrived within about a
hundred yards, and just as I reached the stem of
a tree that I had resolved upon as my covering-point,
the tetel got my wind, and immediately bounded off,
receiving the bullet in the right hip at the same
moment. After a few bounds it fell, and I ran
forward to secure it, but it suddenly sprang to its
feet, and went off at a surprising rate upon three
legs. I believed I missed it, as I fired a quick shot
just as it disappeared in the thick bushes. Whistling
for my people, I was now joined by Bacheet and
Eicharn, my other men remaining with the giraffe.
For about four miles we followed on the track through
the broken valley of the Atbara, during which we
several times disturbed the tetel, but could not obtain
a good shot, on account of the high grass and thick
bushes. Several times I tried a snap shot, as for a
moment I caught sight of its red hide galloping
through the bush, but as it ran down wind I had
no chance of getting close to my game. At length,
after following rapidly down a grassy ravine, I
presently heard it pelting through the bushes ; the
ravine made a bend to the right, therefore, by taking
a short cut, I arrived just in time to catch sight
of the tetel as it passed over an open space below
me ; this time the little Fletcher bagged him. On
CHAP, viii.] FLOATING MEAT ACROSS A R1FER. 199
examination I found that I had struck it four times.
I had fired five shots, but as three of those had been
fired almost at random, when the animal was in full
speed through the bushes, one had missed, and the
others were badly placed.
"Fortunately this long hunt had been in the
direction of Sofi, to which we were near ; still more
fortunately, after we had marked the spot, we
shortly met my first party of Arabs returning to-
wards the village, heavily laden with* giraffe's flesh,
and the hide of one that I had killed yesterday.
It appeared that during the night, lions and hyaenas
had completely devoured one of the giraffes, not
even leaving a vestige of skin or bone, but the
immediate neighbourhood of the spot where it lay,
had been trampled into mud by the savage crowd
who had left their footprints as witnesses to the
robbery ; the hide and bones had evidently been
dragged away piecemeal.
" On arrival at the river we w^ere all busy in pre-
paring for the passage with so large a quantity of
meat. The water-skins for the raft were quickly
inflated, and I learnt from the Arabs an excellent
contrivance for carrying a quantity of flesh across
a river, without its becoming sodden. The skin of
the tetel was nearly as capacious as that of an
Alderney cow ; this had been drawn off in the usual
manner, so as to form a sack. The Arabs im-
mediately proceeded to tie up the neck like the
mouth of a bag, and to secure the apertures at the
200 BUOY FOR MEN AND CARGO. [CHAP. viu.
knees in like manner ; when this operation was con-
cluded, the skin became an immense sack, the mouth
being at the aperture left at the hind-quarters. The
No. 10 bullet had gone completely through the
shoulders of the tetel, thus the two holes in the hide
required stopping ; this was dexterously performed
by inserting a stone into either hole, of a size so
much larger than the aperture, that it was impossible
to squeeze them through. These stones were inserted
from the inside of the sack ; they were then grasped
by the hand from the outside, and pulled forward,
while a tight ligature was made behind each stone,
which effectually stopped the holes. The skin of
the tetel was thus converted into a waterproof bag,
into which was packed a quantity of flesh sufficient
to fill two-thirds of its capacity ; the edges of the
mouth were then carefully drawn together, and
secured by tying. Thus carefully packed, one of the
foreleg ligatures was untied, and the whole skin was
inflated by blowing through the tube formed by
the skin of the limb ; the inflation completed, this
was suddenly twisted round and tied. The skin
thus filled looked like an exaggerated water-skin ;
the power of flotation was so great, that about a
dozen men hung on to the legs of the tetel, and to
each other's shoulders, when we launched it in the
river. This plan is well worthy of the attention of
military men ; troops, when on service, are seldom
without bullocks ; in the absence of boats or rafts
not only can the men be thus safely conveyed across
CHAP. viii.J SCARE THE CROCODILES. 201
the river, but the ammunition can be packed within
the skins, wrapped up in straw, and will be kept
perfectly dry.
" The Arabs were much afraid of crocodiles this
night, as it was perfectly dark when we had com-
pleted our preparations, and they feared that the
smell of so large a quantity of raw flesh, more
especially the hide of the giraffe, which must be
towed, would attract these beasts to the party ;
accordingly I fired several shots to alarm them,
and the men plunged into the river amidst the
usual yelling of the women on the opposite side.
Fires had been lighted to direct us, and all passed
safely across.
" The sport upon the Abyssinian side of the river
had been most satisfactory, and I resolved upon
the first opportunity to change my quarters, and, to
form an encampment upon that bank of the Atbara
until the proper season should arrive for travelling.
I had killed three giraffes and two tetel in only
two excursions. Florian, who was ill, had not
been able to accompany me ; although he had
been shooting in this neighbourhood for two years
he had never killed a giraffe. This want of suc-
cess was owing to the inferiority of his weapons, that
were not adapted to correct shooting at a range
exceeding a hundred yards.
"On the following morning about fifty Arabs
crossed the river with the intention of bringing
the flesh of the giraffe, but they returned crest-
02 THE LIONS DEVOUR THE GIRAFFE. [CHAP. vm.
fallen in the evening, as again the lions and
hysenas had been before them, and nothing was
left, I therefore resolved not to shoot again until
I should be settled in my new camp on the other
side of the river, as it was a wasteful expenditure
of these beautiful animals unless the flesh could
be preserved.
" The rainy season was drawing to a close, and
I longed to quit the dulness of Sofi.
"September 12. The river has fallen nearly
eighteen feet, as the amount of rain has much
decreased during the last week. Immense croco-
diles are now to be seen daily, basking upon the
muddy banks. One monster in particular, who is
well known to the Arabs as having devoured a
woman a few months ago, invariably sleeps upon a
small island up the river.
"This evening I counted seven -elephants on the
east side of the river on the table-lands.
" To-day the Arabs kept one of their holy feasts ;
accordingly, a sheep was slaughtered as a sacrifice,
with an accompaniment of music and singing, i.e.
howling to several guitars.
"The Arab system of an offering is peculiar.
Should a friend be dangerously ill, or rain be
demanded, or should any calamity befall them,
they slaughter an ox if they possess it, or a sheep
or goat in the absence of a larger animal, but the
owner of the beast sells the meat in small portions
to the assembled party, and the whole affair of
CHAP, viu.] ARAB MUSIC. 203
sacrifice resolves itself into a feast ; thus having
filled themselves with good meat, they feel satis-
fied that they have made a religious sacrifice, and
they expect the beneficial results. The guitar
music and singing that attend the occasion are
simply abominable. Music, although beloved like
dancing by both the savage and civilized, varies in
character according to the civilization of the race;
that which is agreeable to the uneducated ear, is
discord to the refined nerves of the educated.
The untuned ear of the savage, can no more enjoy
the tones of civilized music than his palate would
relish the elaborate dishes of a French chef dc
cuisine. As the stomach of the Arab prefers the
raw meat and reeking liver taken hot from the
animal, so does his ear prefer his equally coarse
and discordant music to all other. The guitar
most common is made of either the shell of a
large gourd, or that of a turtle ; over this is
stretched an untaiined skin, that of a large fish
being preferred ; through this, two sticks are fixed
about two feet three inches in length ; the ends
of these are fastened to a cross piece upon which
are secured the strings ; these are stretched over
a bridge similar to those of a violin, and are either
tightened or relaxed by rings of waxed rag fastened
upon the cross piece these rings are turned
by the hand, and retain their position in spite
of the strain upon the strings. Nothing delights
an Arab more than to sit idly in his hut and
204 ARRANGE TO CROSS THE RIVER. [cifAp. vm.
strum this wretched instrument from morning until
night."
I was thoroughly tired of Sofi, and I deter-
mined to move my party across the river to camp
on the uninhabited side ; the rains had almost
ceased, therefore we should be able to live in the
tent at night, and to form a shady nook beneath
some mimosas by day; accordingly we busily
prepared for a move.
CHAPTER IX.
FORM A RAFT WITH THE SPONGING BATH.
ON the 15 tli September the entire male population
of Sofi turned out to assist us in crossing the river, as
I had promised them a certain sum should the move
be effected, without the loss or destruction of baggage.
I had arranged a very superior raft to that I had
formerly used, as I now had eight inflated skins at-
tached to the bedstead, upon which I lashed our large
circular sponging bath, which, being three feet eight
inches in diameter, and of the best description, would
be perfectly safe for my wife, and dry and commodious
for the luggage. In a very short time the whole of
our effects were carried to the water's edge, and the
passage of the river commenced. The rifles were the
first to cross with Bacheet, while the water-tight iron
box that contained the gunpowder was towed like a
pinnace behind the raft. Four hippopotami hunters
were harnessed as tug steamers, while a change of
swimmers waited to relieve them every alternate
voyage. The raft answered admirably, and would
easily support about three .hundred pounds. The
power of flotation of the sponging bath alone, I had
206 THE IMPROMPTU FERRY. [CHAP. ix.
proved would support a hundred and ninety
pounds, thus the only danger in crossing, was the
chance of a crocodile making a dash either at
the inflated skins in mistake for the body of a man,
or at the swimmers themselves. All the usual neces-
saries were safely transported, with the tents and
personal baggage, before I crossed myself, with a
number of Arabs. We quickly cleared the grass
from the hard pebbly soil of a beautiful plateau on
the summit of a craggy sandstone cliff, about eighty
feet above the river ; here we pitched the tents, close
to some mimosas of dense foliage, and all being in
order, I went down to the river to receive the next
arrival. My wife now came across the ferry, and
so perfectly had this means of transport succeeded,
that by the evening, the whole of our stores and
baggage had been delivered without the slightest
damage, with the exception of a very heavy load
of corn, that had caused the sponging-bath to ship
a sea during a strong squall of wind. The only
person who had shown the least nervousness in
trusting his precious body to my ferry-boat, was
Mahomet the dragoman, who, having been simply
accustomed to the grand vessels of the Nile, was
not prepared to risk himself in a voyage across the
Atbara in a sponging-bath. He put off the desperate
attempt until the last moment, when every other
person of my party had crossed ; I believe he hoped
that a wreck would take place before his turn should
arrive, and thus spare him the painful necessity, but
CHAP, ix.] ACHMET IS TEMPTED BY SATAN. 207
when at length the awful moment arrived, he was
assisted carefully into the bath by his servant Achmet
and a number of Arabs, all of whom were delighted
at his imbecility. Perched nervously in the centre
of the bath, and holding on tight by either side, he
was towed across with his travelling bag of clothes,
while Achmet remained in charge of his best clothes
and sundry other personal effects, that were to form
the last cargo across the ferry. It appeared that
Achmet, the dearly beloved and affectionate relative
of Mahomet, who had engaged to serve him for simple
love instead of money, was suddenly tempted by
Satan, and seeing that Mahomet and the entire party
were divided from him and the property in his charge,
by a river two hundred yards wide, about forty feet
deep, with a powerful current, he made up his mind
to bolt with the valuables ; therefore while Mahomet,
in a nervous state in the ferry-bath, was being towed
towards the east, Achmet turned in another direction
and fled towards the west. Mahomet having been
much frightened by the nautical effort he had been
forced to make, was in an exceedingly bad temper
upon the arrival on the opposite bank, and having
at length succeeded in climbing up the steep ascent,
in shoes that were about four sizes too large for him,
he arrived on the lofty plateau of our camp, and
doubtless would like ourselves have been charmed
with the view of the noble river rushing between
the cliffs of white sandstone, had he only seen Achmet
his fond relative with his effects on the opposite bank.
208 MAHOMErS RELATIFE ABSCONDS. [CHAP. ix.
Mahomet strained his eyes, but the blank was no
optical delusion ; neither Achmet nor his effects weiv
there. The Arabs, who hated the unfortunate Ma-
homet for his general overbearing conduct, now
comforted him with the suggestion that Achmet had
run away, and that his only chance was to re-cross
the river and give chase. Mahomet would not have
ventured upon another voyage to the other side and
back again, for the world, and as to giving chase in
boots (highlows) four sizes too big, and without
strings, that would have been as absurd as to
employ a donkey to catch a horse. Mahomet could
do nothing but rush frantically to the very edge of
the cliff, and scream and gesticulate to a crowd of
Arab women who had passed the day beneath the
shady trees by the Faky's grave, watching our passage
of the Atbara. Beating his own head and tearing his
hair were always the safety valves of Mahomet's rage,
but as hair is not of that mushroom growth that re-
appears in a night, he had patches upon his cranium
as bald as a pumpkin shell, from the constant plucking,
attendant upon losses of temper; he now not only
tore a few extra locks from his head, but he shouted
out a tirade of abuse towards the far-distant Achmet,
calling him a " son of a dog," cursing his father, and
paying a few compliments to the memory of his
mother, which if only half were founded upon fact
were sad blots upon the morality of the family to
which Mahomet himself belonged, through his close
relationship to Achmet, whom he had declared to
CHAP ix.] END OF THE KAINY SEASON. 209
be his mother's brother's cousin's sister's mother's
son.
A heavy shower of rain fell shortly after our camp
was completed, when fortunately the baggage was
under cover ; this proved to be the last rain of the
season, and from that moment the burning sun
ruled the sodden country, and rapidly dried up
not only the soil but all vegetation. The grass
within a few days of the cessation of the rain
assumed a tinge of yellow, and by the end of
October there was not a green spot to relieve the
eye from the golden blaze of the landscape, except
the patches of grass and reeds that sprang from
the mud banks of the retiring river. The climate
was exceedingly unhealthy, but we were fortunately
exceptions to the general rule, and although the
inhabitants of Sofi were all sufferers, our camp
had no invalids, with the exception of Mahomet,
who had upon one occasion so gorged himself
with half-putrid fish, that he nearly died in con-
sequence. It would be impossible to commence
our explorations in the Base until the grass
should be sufficiently dry to burn ; there were two
varieties : that upon the slopes and hollows of the
stony soil of the Atbara valley had been a pest
ever since it had ripened ; as the head formed
three barbed darts, these detached themselves from
the plant with such facility, that the slightest
touch was sufficient to dislodge them ; they imme-
diately pierced the clothes, from which they could
210 THE SEROOT FLY DISAPPEARS. [CHAP. ix.
not be withdrawn, as the barbed heads broke off and
remained. It was simply impossible to walk in this
grass as it became ripe, without special protection ;
I accordingly tanned some gazelle skins, with which
my wife constructed stocking gaiters, to be drawn
over the foot and 'tied above and below the knee ;
thus fortified I could defy the grass, and indulge in
shooting and exploring the neighbourhood until the
season should arrive for firing the country. The high
grass upon the table-lands, although yellow, would
not be sufficiently inflammable until the end of No-
vember.
The numerous water-courses that drained the table-
lands during the rainy season, were now dry. No
sooner had the grass turned yellow, than the pest of
the country, the seroot fly, disappeared ; thus the
presence of this insect may be dated from about
10th July to 10th October. As the fly vanished, the
giraffes also left the neighbourhood. By a few days
exploration, I found that the point of land from the
junction of the Settite river with the Atbara, formed
a narrow peninsula which was no wider than eight
miles across from our encampment : thus the herds
of game retreating from the south before the attacks
of the seroot, found themselves driven into a cul-
de-sac upon the strip of land between the broad
and deep rivers the Settite and Atbara, which in the
rainy season they dared not cross. All this country
being uninhabited, there were several varieties of game
at all seasons, but the three rainy months insure a
CHAP, ix.] THE " TILL." 21 1
good supply of elephants and giraffes ; these retreat
about thirty miles farther south, when permitted by
the cessation of the flies to return to their favourite
haunts.
My camp was in a very commanding position, as it
was protected in front by the Atbara, and on the
left by a perpendicular ravine about eighty feet deep,
at the bottom of which flowed the rivulet called by
the Arabs the " Till ; " this joined the river imme-
diately below our plateau. On our right was a steep
and rugged incline covered with rocks of the whitest
sandstone, through which ran veins of rich iron ore
from four to five feet in width. I found a con-
siderable quantity of fossil wood in the sandstone, and
I had previously discovered on the Sofi side of the
river, the fossil stem of a tree about twelve feet long ;
the grain appeared to be exceedingly close, but I
could not determine the class to which the tree had
belonged.
As the Atbara had fallen to the level of the small
tributary, the Till, that stream was nearly exhausted,
and the fish that inhabited its deep and shady waters
during the rainy season, were now fast retiring to the
parent river. At the mouth of the stream were a
number of rocks, that, as the water of the Atbara
retreated, daily increased in size ; these were evidently
blocks that had been detached from the cliffs that
walled in the Till. As we were now entirely de-
pendent upon the rod and the rifle for the support
of our party, I determined to try for a fish, as I felt
P 2
212 PREPARATIONS FOR FISHING. [CHAP. ix.
quite certain that some big fellows in the main river
would be waiting to receive the small fry that
were hurrying away from the exhausted waters of
the Till.
I had a good supply of tackle, and I chose a beauti-
fully straight and tapering bamboo that had been
brought down by the river floods. I cut off the large
brass ring from a game-bag, which I lashed to the
end of my rod ; and having well secured my largest
winch, that carried upwards of 200 yards of the
strongest line, I arranged to fish with a live bait upon
a set of treble hooks. Jn one of the rocks at the
water's edge, was a circular hole about three feet in
diameter and five or six feet deep ; this appeared
like an artificial well, but it was simply the effect
of natural boring by the joint exertions of the strong-
current combined with hard sand and gravel. This
had perhaps years ago settled in some slight hollow in
the rock, and had gradually worked out a deep well
by perpetual revolutions. I emptied this natural bait-
box of its contents of sand and rounded pebbles, and
having thoroughly cleaned and supplied it with fresh
water, I caught a large number of excellent baits by
emptying a hole in the Till ; these I consigned to my
aquarium. The baits were of various kinds : some
were small "boulti" (a species of perch), but the
greater number were young fish of the Silurus species ;
these were excellent, as they were exceedingly tough
in the skin, and so hardy in constitution, that they
rather enjoyed the fun of fishing. I chose a little
CHAP, ix.j "THAT WAS A MONSTER!'' 213
fellow about four inches in length to begin with, and
I delicately inserted the hook under the back fin.
Gently dropping my alluring and lively little friend
in a deep channel between the rocks and the mouth
of the Till, I watched my large float with great
interest, as carried by the stream it swept past the
corner of a large rock into the open river ; that
corner was the very place where, if I had been a big
fish, I should have concealed myself for a sudden rush
upon an unwary youngster. The large green float
sailed leisurely along, simply indicating, by its uneasy
movement, that the bait was playing ; and now it
passed the point of the rock and hurried round the
corner in the sharper current towards the open river.
Off it went ! Down dipped the tip of the rod with a
rush so sudden that the line caught somewhere, I
don't know where, and broke !
" Well, that was a monster ! " I exclaimed, as I
recovered my inglorious line ; fortunately the float
was not lost, as the hooks had been carried away at
the fastening to the main line ; a few yards of this
I cut off, as it had partially lost its strength from
frequent immersion.
I replaced the lost hooks by a still larger set, with
the stoutest gimp and swivels, and once more I tried
my fortune with a bait exactly resembling the first
In a short time I had a brisk run, and quickly landed
a fish of about twelve pounds : this was a species
known by the Arabs as the " bayard ; " it has a
blackish green back, the brightest silver sides and
214 THE "BAYARD? [CHAP. ix.
belly, with very peculiar back fins, that nearest to
the tail being a simple piece of flesh free from rays.
This fish has four long barbules in the upper jaw, and
two in the lower : the air-bladder, when dried, forms
a superior quality of isinglass, and the flesh of this
fish is excellent, I have frequently seen the bayard
sixty or seventy pounds' weight, therefore I was not
proud of my catch, and I recommenced fishing.
Nothing large could be tempted, and I only suc-
ceeded in landing two others of the same kind, one of
about nine pounds, the smaller about six. I resolved
upon my next trial to use a much larger bait, and I
returned to camp with my fish for dinner.
The life at our new camp was charmingly inde-
pendent ; we were upon Abyssinian territory ; but, as
the country was uninhabited, we considered it as our
own. I had previously arranged with the sheik of
Sofi that, whenever the rifle should be successful and
I could spare meat, I would hoist the English flag
upon my flagstaff ; thus I could at any time summon
a crowd of hungry visitors, who were ever ready to
swim the river and defy the crocodiles in the hope of
obtaining flesh. We were exceedingly comfortable,
having a large stock of supplies ; in addition to our
servants we had acquired a treasure in a nice old
slave woman, whom we had hired from the sheik at
a dollar per month to grind the corn. Masara (Sarah)
was a dear old creature, the most willing and obliging
specimen of a good slave ; and she was one of those
bright exceptions of the negro race that would have
CHAP. ix.J NASARA THE SLAVE. 21 5
driven Exeter Hall frantic with enthusiasm. Poor
old Masara ! She had now fallen into the hands of a
kind mistress, and as we were improving in Arabic,
my wife used to converse with her upon the past and
present ; the future had never been suggested to her
simple mind. Masara had a weighty care ; her daily
bread was provided ; money she had none, neither did
she require it ; husband she could not have had, as a
slave has none, but is the common property of all
who purchase her : but poor Masara had a daughter, a
charmingly pretty girl of about seventeen, the offspring
of one of the old woman's Arab masters. Sometimes
this girl came to see her mother, and we arranged the
bath on the inflated skins, and had her towed across
for a few days. This was Masara's greatest happiness,
but her constant apprehension ; the nightmare of her
life was the possibility that her daughter should be sold
and parted from her. The girl was her only and all
absorbing thought, the sole object of her affection :
she was the motfn in her mother's long night of
slavery; without her, all were dark and hopeless.
The hearts of slaves are crushed and hardened by
the constant pressure of the yoke ; nevertheless some
have still those holy feelings of affection that nature
has implanted in the human mind : it is the tearing
asunder of those tender chains that renders slavery
the horrible curse that it really is ; human beings are
reduced to the position of animals, without the
"blessings enjoyed by the brute creation short
memories and obtuse feelings.
CROSS THE PENINSULA TO SETTITE. [CHAT. ix.
Masara, Mahomet, Wat Gamma, and Bacheet,
formed the establishment of Ehetilla, which was the
Arab name of our locality. Bacheet was an inveterate
sportsman, and was my constant and sole attendant
when shooting ; his great desire wa,s to accompany
me in elephant-hunting, when he promised to carry
one of my spare rifles as a trusty gun-bearer, and he
vowed that no animal should ever frighten him.
A few extracts from my journal written at that
time will convey a tolerable idea of the place and
our employments.
" September 23. Started for the Settite river. In
about four hours' good marching N.N.E. through a
country of grass and mimosa bush that forms the high
land between that river and the Atbara, I reached the
Settite about a mile from the junction. The river is
about 250 yards wide, and flows through a broken
valley of innumerable hillocks and deep ravines of
about five miles in width, precisely similar in cha-
racter to that of the Atbara ; the soil having been
denuded by the rains, and carried away by the floods
of the river towards the Nile. The heat was intense ;
there was no air stirring ; a cloudless sky and a sun
like a burning-glass. We saw several nellut (Tauro-
tragus strepsiceros), but these superb antelopes were
too wild to allow a close approach. The evening-
drew near, and we had nothing to eat, when fortu-
nately I espied a fine black-striped gazelle (Gazella
Dorcas), and with tne greatest caution I stalked it to
within about a hundred paces, and made a successful
CHAP, ix.] JUNGLE COOKING. 217
shot with the Fletcher rifle, and secured our dinner.
Thus provided, we selected a steep sugarloaf-shaped
hill, upon the peak of which we intended to pass the
night. We therefore cleared away the grass, spread
boughs upon the ground, lighted fires, and prepared
for a bivouac. Having a gridiron, and pepper and
salt, I made a grand dinner of liver and kidneys,
while my men ate a great portion of the gazelle raw,
and cooked the remainder in their usual careless man-
ner by simply laying it upon the fire for a few seconds
until warmed half through. There is nothing like a
good gridiron for rough cooking ; a frying-pan is
good if you have fat, but without it, the pan is utterly
useless. With a gridiron and a couple of iron skewers
a man is independent : the liver cut in strips and
grilled with pepper and salt is excellent, but kabobs
are sublime, if simply arranged upon the skewer in
alternate pieces of liver and kidney cut as small as
walnuts, and rubbed with chopped garlic, onions,
cayenne, black pepper, and salt. The skewers thus
arranged should be laid either upon the glowing
embers, or across the gridiron.
" Not a man closed his eyes that night not that
the dinner disagreed with them but the mosquitoes !
Lying on the ground, the smoke of the fires did not
protect us, we were beneath it, as were the mosquitoes
likewise ; in fact the fires added to our misery, as
they brought new plagues in thousands of flying
bugs, with beetles of all sizes and kinds : these, be-
coming stupefied in the smoke, tumbled clumsily
218 ^ MISERABLE NIGHT. [CHAP. ix.
upon me, entangling themselves in my long beard
and whiskers, crawling over my body, down my neck,
and up my sleeping drawers, until I was swarming
with them ; the bugs upon being handled squashed
like lumps of butter, and emitted a perfume that was
unbearable. The night seemed endless ; it was passed
in alternately walking to and fro, flapping right and
left with a towel, covering my head with a pillow-
case, and gasping for air through the button-hole, in
an atmosphere insufferably sultry.
" At length morning dawned, thank Heaven ! I
made a cup of strong coffee, ate a morsel of dhurra
bread, and started along the high ground parallel
with the course of the Settite river up stream.
" After walking for upwards of four hours over
ground covered with tracks of giraffes, elephants,
and antelopes about a fortnight old, I saw four
tetel (Antelope JBubalis), but I was unfortunate in
my shot at a long range in high grass. We had
been marching south-east, and as I intended to re-
turn to camp, we now turned sharp to the west.
The country was beautiful, composed of alternate
glades, copses, and low mimosa forest. At length I
espied the towering head of a giraffe at about half-
a mile distant ; he was in the mimosa forest, and was
already speculating upon our party, which he had
quickly observed. Leaving my men in this spot to fix
his attention, I succeeded in making a good stalk to
within one hundred and twenty yards of him. He was
exactly facing me, and I waited for him to turn and
CHAP, ix.] SHOOT BADLY. 219
expose the flank, but he suddenly turned so quickly that
I lost the opportunity, and he received the bullet in
his back as he started, at full speed; for the moment
he reeled crippled among the mimosas, but, recover-
ing, he made off. I could not fire the left hand barrel
on account of the numerous trees and bushes. I called
my men, and followed for a few hundred yards
upon his track, but as this was directly in an op-
posite direction to that of my camp I was forced to
give up the hunt.*
" About an hour later I hit a tetel with both
barrels of the little Fletcher, at full gallop ; but
although we followed the blood-track for some dis-
tance, we did not recover it At this season the
grass is in most places from seven to ten feet high,
and being trodden by numerous old tracks of ani-
mals it is difficult to find a wounded beast without
the assistance of a dog. The luck was against me
to-day ; I could only shoot well enough to hit
everything, but to bag nothing, owing to a sleep-
less night. I killed a guinea-fowl to secure dinner
upon my return, and we at length reached the wel-
come Atbara within two miles of my head-quarters.
My men made a rush to the river, and threw them-
selves into the water, as all were more or less ex-
hausted by the intense heat of the long day's work
after a restless night. I took a good drink through
my gazelle shank bone, which I wear suspended
from my neck for that purpose, and I went on
* We found the remains of the giraffe a few days later.
220 FISHING IN THE ATBARA. [CHAI>. ix.
alone, leaving my bathing party to refresh them-
selves. I reached the tent a little after four P.M.
after more than ten hours' continual walking in the
burning sun. I felt almost red hot, but my bath
and clean linen being ready, thanks to the careful
preparation of my wife, I was quickly refreshed, and
sat down with a lion's appetite to good curry and
rice, and a cup of black coffee.
" September 25. Having nothing to eat, I took
my fishing-rod and strolled down to the river, and
chose from my aquarium a fish of about half a
pound for a live bait ; I dropped this in the river
about twenty yards beyond the mouth of the Till,
and allowed it to swim naturally down the stream
so as to pass across the Till junction, and descend
the deep channel between the rocks. For about ten
minutes I had no run ; I had twice tried the same
water without success, nothing would admire my
charming bait ; when just as it had reached the
favourite turning-point at the extremity of a rock,
away dashed the line, with the tremendous .rush
that follows the attack of a heavy fish. Trusting
to the soundness of my tackle, I struck hard and
fixed my new acquaintance thoroughly, but off he
dashed down the stream for about fifty yards at
one rush, making for a narrow channel between
two rocks, through which the stream ran like a mill-
race. Should he pass this channel, I knew he would
cut the line across the rock ; therefore, giving him
the butt, I held him by main force, and by the
CHAP, ix.] A GOOD RUN. 221
great swirl in the water I saw that I was bringing
him to the surface ; but just as I expected to see
him, my float having already appeared, away he
darted in another direction, taking sixty or 'seventy
yards of line without a check. I at once observed
that he must pass a shallow sandbank favourable
for landing a heavy fish, I therefore checked him
as he reached this spot, and I followed him down
the bank, reeling up line as I ran parallel with his
course. Now came the tug of war ! I knew my
hooks were good and the line sound, therefore I
was determined not to let him escape beyond the
favourable ground ; and I put a strain upon him,
that after much struggling brought to the surface
a great shovel- head, followed by a pair of broad
silvery sides, as I led him gradually into shallow
water. Bacheet now cleverly secured him by the
gills, and dragged him in triumph to the shore.
This was a splendid bayard, at least forty pounds'
weight.
" I laid my prize upon some green reeds, and
covered it carefully with the same cool material. I
then replaced my bait by a lively fish, and once
more tried the river. In a very short time I had
another run, and landed a small fish of about nine
pounds of the same species. Not wishing to catch
fish of that size, I put on a large bait, and threw
it about forty yards into the river, well up the
stream, and allowed the float to sweep the water
in a half circle, thus taking the chance of different
222 ANOTHER MONSTER. [CHAP. ix.
distances from the shore. For about half an hour
nothing moved ; I was just preparing to alter my
position, when out rushed my line, and striking hard,
I believe I fixed the old gentleman himself, for I
had no control over him whatever ; holding him was
out of the question ; the line flew through my
hands, cntting them till the blood flowed, and I
was obliged to let the fish take his own way : this
he did for about eighty yar.ds, when he suddenly
stopped. This unexpected halt was a great calamity,
for the reel over-ran itself, having no check-wheel,
and the slack bends of the line caught the handle
just as he again rushed forward, and with a jerk
that nearly pulled the rod from my hands he was
gone ! I found one of my large hooks broken short
off ; the confounded reel ! The fish was a monster !
"After this bad luck, I had no run until the
evening, when putting on a large bait, and fishing
at the tail of a rock between the stream and still
water, I once more had a grand rush, and hooked
a big one. There were no rocks down stream, all
was fair play and clear water, and away he went
at racing pace straight for the middle of the river.
To check the pace, I grasped the line with the
stuff of my loose trousers, and pressed it between
my fingers so as to act as a break, and compel him
to labour for every yard ; but he pulled like a horse,
and nearly cut through the thick cotton cloth,
making straight running for at least a hundred
yards without a halt. I now put so severe a strain
CHAP, ix.] EACHEET LANDS HIM. 223
upon him, that my strong bamboo bent nearly double,
and the fish presently so far yielded to the pressure,
that I could enforce his running in half circles instead
of straight away. I kept gaining line, until I at
length led him into a shallow bay, and after a great
fight, Bacheet embraced him by falling upon him,
and clutching the monster with hands and knees ;
he then tugged to the shore a magnificent fish of
upwards of sixty pounds. For about twenty minutes
he had fought against such a strain as I had never
before used upon a fish, but I had now adopted
hooks of such a large size and thickness that it was
hardly possible for them to break, unless snapped
by a crocodile. My reel was so loosened from the
rod, that had the struggle lasted a few minutes
longer I must have been vanquished. This fish
measured three feet eight inches to the root of the
tail, and two feet three inches in girth of shoulders,
the head measured one foot ten inches in circum-
ference it was the same species as those I had
already caught.
" This closed the sport for the day. We called all
hands to carry the fish to camp, and hoisted the
flag, which was quickly followed by the arrival of
a number of men from Sofi, to receive all that we
could spare. The largest fish we cut into thin strips,
these we salted and dried ; the head made delicious
soup, with a tea-spoonful of curry powder.
"September 26. The weather is now intensely
hot, and the short spear grass is drying so rapidly
224 THE BABOONS VISIT US. [CHAP. ix.
that in some stony places it can be fired. The
birds appear to build their nests at various seasons.
Many that built three months ago are again at
work ; among others is a species of black Mina,
that takes entire possession of a tree, which it
completely covers with nests coarsely constructed of
sticks. A few days ago I found several trees con-
verted into colonies of many hundred dwellings.
"I never allow either the monkeys or baboons to
be disturbed : thus they have no fear of our party, but
with perfect confidence they approach within thirty
or forty yards of the tents, sitting upon the rocks and
trees, and curiously watching all that takes place in
the camp. I have only seen one species of monkey
in this neighbourhood a handsome dark grey animal
with white whiskers. The baboons are also of one
species, the great dog-faced ape (Cynocephalus) \ these
grow to a very large size, and old Masara fully expects
to be carried off and become the wife of an old baboon,
if they are allowed to become so bold.
" This afternoon I took a stroll with the rifle, but
saw nothing except a young crocodile about six feet
long ; this was on the dry summit of a hill, far from
water. I shot it and took the skin. I can only con-
clude that the small stream in which he had wandered
from the river bed had become dry, and the crea-
ture had lost its way in searching for other water.
" September 27. I started from the tent at 6
A. M. and made a circuit of about eighteen miles,
seeing nothing but tetel and gazelles, but I had
CHAP, ix.] THE COOK 225
no luck. Hot and disgusted I returned home, and
took the rod, hoping for better luck in the river.
I hooked, but lost, a small fish, and I began to
think that the fates were against me by land and
water, when I suddenly had a tremendous run, and
about one hundred and fifty yards rushed off the
reel without the possibility of stopping the fish.
The river was very low ; thus I followed along the
bank, holding hard, and after about half an hour
of difference of opinion, the fish began to show
itself, and I coaxed it into the shallows ; here it
was cleverly managed by Bacheet, who lugged it
out by the tail. It was an ugly monster, of about
fifty pounds, a species of silurus, known by the
Arabs as the ' coor / it differed from the silurus
of Europe by having a dorsal fin, like a fringe,
that extended along the back to the tail. This
fish had lungs resembling delicate branches of red
coral, and, if kept moist, it would exist upon the
land for many hours like an eel. It smelt strongly
of musk, but it was gladly accepted by the sheik
of Sofi, who immediately answered to the flag.
" While shooting this morning I came suddenly
upon a small species of leopard, that had just
killed a snake about five feet in length ; the head
was neatly bitten off and lay upon the ground
near the body ; the animal was commencing a meal
off the snake when it was disturbed, and I lost
sight of it immediately in the high grass.
" September 28. -The heat is most oppressive :
Q
226 WILD VEGETABLES. [CHAP. ix.
even the nights are hot, until about 2 A.M. at which
hour a cool breeze springs up. The wind now blows
from the south until about 1 P.M. when it changes
suddenly to the north, and then varies between these
two points during the rest of the day ; this leads
me to hope that the north wind will shortly set in.
September, as in England, is the autumn of this
land; the wild fruits are ripe, some of which are
not unpleasant, but they are generally too sweet, they
lack the acidity that would be agreeable in this
burning climate. There is an orange-coloured berry
that has a pleasant flavour, but it is extremely oily ;
this has a peculiarly disagreeable effect upon the
system, if eaten in any quantity. Several varieties
of excellent wild vegetables grow in great abun-
dance throughout this country : beans, three kinds of
spinach, the juicy, brittle plant cultivated in Lower
Egypt, and known as ' regie ;' and lastly, that
main-stay of Arab cookery, c waker/ well known
in Ceylon and India under the names of 'Barmian'
and ' Bandikai/ This grows to the height of thir-
teen or fourteen feet in the rich soil of the table-
lands : the Arabs gather the pods and cut them
in thin slices ; these are dried in the sun and then
packed in large sacks for market. The harvest of
waker is most important, as no Arab dish would
be perfect without the admixture of this agreeable
vegetable. The dried waker is rubbed into powder
between two stones ; this, if boiled with a little gravy,
produces a gelatinous and highly-flavoured soup.
CHAP, ix.] DEATH OF AT ALAN WAT SAID. 22J
" September 29. We have just heard that Atalan
Wat Said, by whom we were so well received, is
dead! The Arabs have a disagreeable custom of
paying honours to a guest by keeping the anniver-
sary of the death of any relatives whose decease
should be known to them ; thus, when Atalan Wat
Said paid a visit to Sheik Achmet Abou Sinn, the
latter celebrated with much pomp the anniversary
of his (Atalans) late father's death. The unfortu-
nate guest, who happened to arrive in Abou Sinn's
camp upon the exact day upon which his father
had died on the preceding year, was met by a
mourning crowd, with the beating of drums, the
howling of women, and the loud weeping and
sorrowful condoling of the men. This scene affected
Atalan Wa Said to such a degree, that, being rather
unwell, he immediately sickened with fever, and
died in three days. In this country any grief of
mind will insure an attack of fever, when all are
more or less predisposed during the unhealthy sea-
son from the commencement of July until the end
of October.
" This afternoon I took the rod, and having caught
a beautiful silver-sided fish of about a pound weight,
I placed it upon a large single hook fastened under
the back fin. In about an hour I had a run, but
upon striking, I pulled the bait out of the fish's
mouth, as the point of the hook had not touched
the jaw. I had wound up slowly for about thirty
yards, hoping that the^big fellow would follow his
Q 2
223 CATCH A BAGGAR. [CHAP. ix.
lost prize, as I knew him to be a large fish by
his attack upon a bait of a pound weight. I found
my bait was killed, but having readjusted the hook,
I again cast it in the same direction, and slowly
played it towards me. I had him ! He took it
immediately, and I determined to allow him to
swallow it before I should strike. Without a halt,
about a hundred yards of line were taken at the
first rush towards the middle of the river ; he then
stopped, and I waited for about a minute, and then
fixed him with a jerk that bent my bamboo like a
fly-rod. To this he replied by a splendid challenge ;
in one jump he flew about six feet above the water,
and showed himself to be one of the most beautiful
fish I had ever seen ; not one of those nondescript
antediluvian brutes that you expect to catch in
these extraordinary rivers, but in colour he appeared
like a clean run salmon. He gave tremendous play,
several times leaping out of the water, and shaking
his head furiously to free himself from the hook ; then
darting away with eighty or a hundred yards of
fresh line, until he at last was forced to yield to
the strong and elastic bamboo, and his deep body
stranded upon the fatal shallows.
" Bacheet was a charming lad to land a fish : he
was always quiet and thoughtful, and never got in
the way of the line ; this time he closely approached
him from behind, slipped both his hands along his
side, and hooked his fingers into the broad gills ;
thus he dragged him, splashing through the shallows,
CHAP, ix.] FISH SALTING. 221)
to the sand bank. What a beauty ! What was he ?
The colour was that of a salmon, and the scales were
not larger in proportion : he was about fifty pounds'
weight. The back fin resembled that of a perch,
with seven rays ; the second dorsal fin towards the
tail had fourteen rays; the head was well shaped,
and small in proportion ; the eyes were bright red,
and shone like rubies ; and the teeth were very
small. I cut away my line, as the hook was deeply
swallowed ; and after having washed this beautiful
fish, I assisted Bacheet to carry it to the camp,
where it was laid upon a clean mat at the tent
door for admiration. This species of fish is con-
sidered by the Arabs to be the best in the river,
it is therefore called ' El Baggar ' (the cow). It
is a species of perch, and we found it excellent
quite equal to a fine trout. I made an exact sketch
of it on the spot, after which the greater portion
was cut up and salted; it was then smoked for
about four hours. The latter process is necessary to
prevent the flies from blowing it, before it becomes
sufficiently dry to resist their attacks.
" For several days I passed my time in fishing,
with the* varying success that must attend all
fishermen. Upon the extreme verge of the river's
bank were dense bushes of the nabbuk, about fifteen
feet high, but so thickly massed with green foliage
that I cut out a tunnel with my hunting knife,
and completed a capacious arbour, thoroughly pro-
tected from the sun. In this it was far more
230 THE ARBOUR. [CHAP. ix.
agreeable to pass the day than at the camp ; ac-
cordingly we arranged the ground with mats and
carpets, and my wife converted the thorny bower
into an African drawing-room, where she could sit
with her work and enjoy the view of the river at her
feet, and moreover watch the fishing."
CHAPTER X.
A FEW NOTES AT EH^TILLA,
I WILL not follow the dates of the journal con-
secutively, but merely pounce from time to time
upon such passages as will complete the description
of our life at Ehetilla.
" October 4- I went out fishing in the usual place,
where the Till joins the Atbara ; the little stream has
disappeared, and the bed is now perfectly dry, but
there are many large rocks and sandbanks in the
river, which are excellent places for heavy fish. I
had only three runs, but I landed them all. The first
was a beautiful baggar about forty pounds, from which
time a long interval elapsed before I had another. I
placed a bait of about a pound upon my treble hook,
and this, being a fine lively fellow, was likely to en-
tice a monster. I was kept waiting for a consider-
able time, but at last he came with the usual tre-
mendous rush. I gave him about fifty yards of line
before I fixed him, and the struggle then commenced
as usual with the baggar, by his springing out of the
water, and showing his superb form and size. This
was a magnificent fish, and his strength was so great,
232 FIRE THE PALLET. [CHAP. x.
that in his violent rushes lie would take sixty or
seventy yards of line without rny permission. I
could not check him, as the line burnt and cut
my fingers to such a degree that I was forced to
let it go, and my only way of working him was to
project the butt of rod in the usual manner; this
was a very feeble break upon the rush of such a
fish. At last, after about half an hour of alternate
bullying and coaxing, I got him into the shallows,
and Bacheet attempted to manage him ; this time
he required the assistance of Wat Gamma, who
quickly ran down from the camp, and after much
struggling, an enormous baggar of between seventy
and eighty pounds was hauled to the shore by the
two delighted Arabs.
" I never enjoyed the landing of a fish more than
on the present occasion, and I immediately had the
flag hoisted for a signal, and sent the largest that
I had just caught as a present to Florian and his
people. The two fish as they lay upon the green
reeds, glittering in silvery scales, were a sight to
gladden the eyes of a fisherman, as their joint weight
was above one hundred and twenty pounds. I caught
another fish in the evening something over twenty
pounds, an ugly and useless creature, the coor, that I
despised, although it is a determined enemy while
in play.
" October 10. Set fire to the low spear grass of
the valley. The river is now very low, exposing in
many places large beds of shingle, and rocks hitherto
CHAP, x.] ARRIVAL OF BIRDS. 233
concealed. The water level is now about thirty feet
below the dried sedges and trash left by the high
floods upon the overhanging boughs. The bed of
the Atbara, and that of the Settite, are composed of
rounded pebbles of all sizes, and masses of iron ore.
Large oysters, resembling the pearl oysters of Ceylon,
are very numerous, and, from their internal appear-
ance, with large protuberances of pearl matter, I
should imagine they would most probably yield
pearls.
"The wild animals have now deserted this imme-
diate neighbourhood ; the only creatures that are to
be seen in numbers are the apes and monkeys : these
throng the sides of the river, eating the tamarinds
from the few large trees, and collecting gum from
the mimosas. These hungry animals gather the
tamarinds before they ripen, and I fear they will
not leave a handful for us ; nothing is more
agreeable, in this hot climate, than the acidity of
tamarind water. I remarked a few days ago, when
walking along the dry sandy bed of the Till about
five miles from the river, that the monkeys had
been digging wells in the sand for water.
" Many changes are now taking place in the arrival
and departure of various birds according to their
migrations ; immense numbers of buzzards and hawks
have arrived, and keep my fowls in perpetual
alarm. Ducks fly in large flocks up stream invari-
ably, every day ; storks of different kinds are arriving.
Among the new comers is a beautiful little bird,
234 SEIZED BY A CROCODILE. [CHAP, x
in size and shape like a canary, but of a deep
bluish black, with an ivory white bill and yellow
lips. The beasts of prey are hungry, as the game
has become scarce : there is no safety for tame
animals, and our goats will not feed, as they are
constantly on the look-out for danger, starting at
the least sound in the bushes, and running to the
tents for security ; thus their supply of milk is much
reduced.
"The Sheik of Sofi, Hassan bel Kader, swam
across the river with a present of fowls ; these he
had tied upon his head to prevent them from
drowning. This man is a celebrated hippopotamus
hunter, and I look forward to accompanying him
upon a harpooning expedition, when the river is
lower. His father was killed by a bull hippo that
he had harpooned ; the infuriated animal caught
the unfortunate hunter in his jaws, and with one
nip disembowelled him 'before his son's eyes. Acci-
dents are constantly occurring in this dangerous
sport, as the hunters are so continually in the water
that they are exposed, like baits, to the attacks of
crocodiles. During the last season one of the sheik's
party was killed ; several men were swimming the
river supported by inflated skins, when one was
suddenly seized by a crocodile. Retaining his hold
upon the support, his comrades had time to clutch
him by the hair, and beneath the arms, thus the
crocodile could not drag the buoyant skins beneath
the surface. Once he was dragged from their grasp,
CHAP, x.] AUDACITY OF THE BUZZARD. 235
but holding to his inflated skin, he regained the
surface, and was again supported by his friends,
who clung to him, while he implored them to hold
him tight, as the crocodile still held him by the
leg. In this way the hunters assisted him, at the
same time they struck downwards with their spears
at the determined brute, until they at last drove
it from its hold. Upon gaining the shore, they
found that the flesh of the leg from the knee down-
wards had been stripped from the bone, and the
poor fellow shortly died.
" October 11. The Arabs have murdered one of
the Egyptian soldiers, about five miles from Sofi. All
my people are more or less ill, but we, thank Heaven,
are in excellent health; in fact I have never been
better than in this country, although I am constantly
in hard exercise in the burning sun.
" October 15. A fine breeze, therefore I set fire
to the grass in all directions, which spread into a
blaze over many miles of country. The fire imme-
diately attracts great numbers of fly-catchers and
buzzards ; these hover in the smoke to catch the
locusts and other insects that escape from the heat.
Buzzards are so exceedingly bold, that it is one
person's- special duty to protect the strips of flesh
when an animal is being cut up, at which time
many scores collect, and swoop down upon their
prey, clutching a piece of meat with their claws, if
left unguarded for a moment. Upon one occasion,
the cook had just cleaned a fish of about a pound
236 THE ABOMINATION OF THORNS. [CHAP. x.
and a half weight, which he laid upon the ground
while he stooped to blow up the fire ; in an instant
a large buzzard darted upon it, and carried it off.
" Africa may have some charms, but it certainly is
rather a trying country ; in the rainy weather we
have the impenetrable high grass, the flies, and the
mud ; when those entertainments are over, and the
grass has ripened, every variety of herb and bush
is more or less armed with lances, swords, daggers,
bayonets, knives, spikes, needles, pins, fish-hooks,
hay-forks, harpoons, and every abomination in the
shape of points, which render a leather suit indis-
pensable to a sportsman, even in this hot climate.
My knickerbockers are made of the coarse but sfrong
Arab cotton cloth, that I have dyed brown with the
fruit of the Acacia Arabica ; but after a walk of a
few minutes, I am one mass of horrible points from
the spear grass, for about a foot from the upper
part of my gaiters ; the barbed points having pene-
trated, break off, and my trousers are as comfortable
as a hedgehog's skin turned inside out, with the
" woolly side in."
I long for the time when the entire country
will be dry enough to burn, when fire 'will make
a clean sweep of these nuisances.
"October 17. The sheik and several Arabs went
to the Settite to sow tobacco ; they simply cast
the seed upon "the sandy loam left by the re-
ceding river, without even scratching the soil ; it is
thus left to take its chance. I accompanied him
CHAP. x.J BOA CONSTRICTOR. 237
to the Settite, and came upon the tracks of a
herd of about fifty elephants that had crossed the
river a few days previous. As we were walking
through the high grass we came upon a fine boa
constrictor (python), and not wishing to fire, as I
thought I might disturb elephants in the neighbour-
hood, I made a cut at it with my heavy hunting
knife, nearly severing about four feet from the tail,
but it escaped in the high grass.
" October 18. A lion paid us a visit last night,
roaring close to the tent at intervals, frightening
Mahomet out of his wits.
"The seroot fly has entirely disappeared, and
immense dragon flies are now arrive <?, and are
greedily attacking all other flying insects.
"October 19. Troops of baboons are now
exceedingly numerous, as the country being entirely
dried up, they are forced to the river for water,
and the shady banks covered with berry-bearing
shrubs induce them to remain. It is very amus-
ing to watch these great male baboons stalking
majestically along, followed by a large herd of all
ages, the mothers carrying their little ones upon
their backs, the latter with a regular jockey seat
riding most comfortably, while at other times they
relieve the monotony of the position by sprawling
at full length and holding on by their mother's
back hair. Suddenly a sharp-eyed young ape dis-
covers a bush well covered with berries, and his
greedy munching being quickly observed, a general
238 THE BABOONS HUNT FOR BERRIES. [CHAP. x.
rush of youngsters takes place, and much squabbling
for the best places ensues among the boys ; this
ends in great uproar, when down comes a great
male, who cuffs one, pulls another by the hair, bites
another on the hind quarters just as he thinks
he has escaped, drags back a would-be deserter
by his tail, and shakes him thoroughly, and thus
he shortly restores order, preventing all further
disputes by sitting under the bush and quietly
enjoying the berries by himself. These baboons
have a great variety of expressions that may per-
haps represent their vocabulary : a few of these I
begin to understand, such as their notes of alarm,
and the cry to attract attention ; thus, when I am
sitting alone beneath the shade of a tree to watch
their habits, they are at first not quite certain what
kind of a creature I may be, and they give a pecu-
liar cry to induce me to move and show myself
more distinctly.
" October 20. A lion was roaring throughout the
night not far from the tent on his way towards the
river to drink : at every roar he was answered by
the deep angry cry of the baboons, who challenged
him immediately from their secure positions on the
high rocks and trees. I found the tracks of his
large feet upon the bank of the river, but there is
no possibility of finding these animals in the day
time, as they retire to the high grass upon the
table-lands.
" The banks of the Atbara are now swarming
CHAP, x.] MASSES OF SMALL BIRDS. 239
with small birds that throng the bushes (a species
of willow), growing by the water's edge ; the
weight of a large flock bends down the slender
boughs until they touch the water : this is their
opportunity for drinking, as their beaks for an in-
stant kiss the stream. These unfortunate little
birds get no rest, the large fish and the crocodiles
grab at them when they attempt to drink, while
the falcons and hawks pursue them at all times
and in every direction. Nothing is fat, as nothing
can obtain rest, the innumerable birds and beasts
of prey give no peace to the weaker kinds ; the
fattest alderman of the city of London would
become a skeleton, if hunted for two hours daily
by a hyaena.
" October 23. This evening I took a walk, ac-
companied by my wife, and Bacheet with a spare
gun, to try for a shot at guinea-fowl. We were
strolling along the margin of the river, when we
heard a great shrieking of women on the opposite
side, in the spot from which the people of Sofi
fetch their water. About a dozen women had
been filling their water-skins, when suddenly they
were attacked by a large crocodile, who at-
tempted to seize a woman, but she, springing
back, avoided it, and the animal swallowed her
girba (water-skin), that, being full of water and
of a brown exterior, resembled the body of a
woman. The women rushed out of the river,
when the crocodile made a second dash at them,
240 CUNNING OF THE CROCODILE. [CHAP. x.
and seized another water-skin that a woman had
dropped in her flight. They believe this to be
the' same monster that took a woman a few
months ago. Few creatures are so sly and wary
as the crocodile.. I watch them continually as
they attack the dense flocks of small birds that
throng the bushes at the water's edge. These
birds are perfectly aware of the danger, and they
fly from the attack, if possible. The crocodile
then quietly and innocently lies upon the surface,
as though it had appeared quite by an accident ;
it thus attracts the attention of the birds, and it
slowly sails away to a considerable distance, ex-
posed to their view. The birds, thus beguiled
by the deceiver, believe that the danger is re-
moved, and they again flock to the bush, and
once more dip their thirsty beaks into the stream.
Thus absorbed in slaking their thirst, they do
not observe that their enemy is no longer on
the surface. A sudden splash, followed by a
huge pair of jaws beneath the bush that engulfs
some dozens of victims, is the signal unexpec-
tedly given of the crocodile's return, who has
thus slily- dived, and hastened under cover of
water to his victims. I have seen the crocodiles
repeat this manoeuvre constantly ; they deceive by
a feigned retreat, and then attack from below.
" In like manner the crocodile perceives, while it
is floating on the surface in mid-stream, or from
the opposite side of the river, a woman filling her
HEAD OF BLACK RHTNOCEROS.
CHAP, x.] METHOD OF SEIZING ITS PREY. 241
girba, or an animal drinking, &c. &c. Sinking im-
mediately, it swims perhaps a hundred yards nearer,
and again appearing for an instant upon the sur-
face, it assures itself of the position of its prey
by a stealthy look ; once more it sinks, and
reaches the exact spot above which the person or
animal may be. Seeing distinctly through the
water, it generally makes its fatal rush from be-
neath sometimes seizing with its jaws, and at
other times striking the object into the water with
its tail, after which it is seized and carried off.
The crocodile does not attempt to swallow a large
prey at once, but generally carries it away, and
keeps it for a considerable time in its jaws in some
deep hole beneath a rock, or the root of a tree,
where it eats it at leisure. The tongue of the
crocodile is so unlike that of any other creature
that it can hardly be called by the same name ;
no portion throughout the entire length is de-
tached from the flesh of the lower jaw it is
more like a thickened membrane from the gullet
to about half way along the length of jaw.
" October 24:- Having burnt off a large surface
of high grass, I discovered a quantity of gourds
and wild cucumbers the latter are bright crimson,
covered with long fleshy prickles, with black horny
tips ; these are eaten by the baboons, but not by
the Arabs. The gourds are only serviceable for
cups and ladles, manufactured from their shells.
"I find a good pair of Highland shooting shoes of
242 HORSE DEALING. [CHAP. x.
great value ; the soles were exceedingly thick, and
they have resisted, until now, the intensely hard and
coarse-grained sandstone which grinds through all
leather. My soles are at length worn out, and I
have repaired them with the tanned hide of giraffe.
Much of the sandstone is white, and soft and friable ;
but this appears to have been decomposed by time
and exposure, as the generality is hard, and would
make excellent grindstones.
" October #5. Three elephant-hunters arrived to-
day with horses for sale. I purchased three a bay
and two greys. They are all of Abyssinian breed, and
are handsome animals, although none exceed fourteen
hands and a half. The prices were high for this
part of the world, where dollars are scarce ; but to
me, they appeared to be absurdly cheap. The bay
horse was a regular strong-built cob ; for him I paid
nineteen dollars about 4 including a native saddle
and bridle ; for the greys, I paid fifteen and thirteen
dollars, saddles and bridles also included. The bay
I named Tetel (hartebeest), the greys Aggahr* and
Gazelle. Tetel was a trained hunter, as was Aggahr
likewise. Gazelle was quite inexperienced, but re-
markably handsome. None of these horses had ever
been shod, but their hoofs were beautifully shaped,
and as hard as ivory. The saddles had no stuffing
on the seats, but were simple wooden frames, with
high backs and pommels, the various pieces being
* Aggahr is the designation of a hunter with the sword.
CHAP, x.] ARAB SADDLES AND BITS. 243
sewn together with raw hide, and the front and back
covered* with crocodile skin. The stirrups were
simple iron rings, sufficiently large to admit the
great toe of the rider, according to Arab fashion
in these parts. The bits were dreadfully severe ;
but perhaps not unnecessarily, as the sword allows
only one bridle-hand to a pulling horse. Each
horse was furnished with a leather nose-bag, and a
long leathern thong as a picket strap. All these
horses and saddlery I had purchased for forty-seven
dollars, or 91. I Os. Fortunately, both my wife and
I were well provided with the best English saddles,
bridles, &c. or the ' big toe ' stirrup would have been
an awkward necessity.
" October 26. We left our camp this morning for
a few days' reconnaissance of the country, accom-
panied by Florian, prior to commencing our regular
expedition. Nine miles S.E. of Ehetilla we passed
through a village called "Wat el Negur, after which
we continued along a great tract of table-land, on
the eastern side of the Atbara valley, bounded by a
mimosa forest about four miles 'on the east. Very
large quantities of dhurra (Sorghum vulgare) are grown
upon this fertile soil ; it is now higher than a man's
head when mounted upon a camel. Far as the eye
can reach, the great table-lands extend on either
side the broad valley of the Atbara. The cotton
that was planted many years ago by the inhabitants
who have vanished, still flourishes, although choked
with grass six or seven feet high. At 4 P.M. we
K 2
244 ARRIVE AT SUERIF EL IBRAHIM. [CHAP. x.
reached a large village, Sherif el Ibrahim, twenty-eight
miles S.E. from Sofi by the route upon the east bank
of the Atbara, which cuts off a bend in the river. A
species of dhurra, as sweet as the sugar-cane, grows
here in abundance, being regularly sown and cul-
tivated ; it is called ankoleep. This is generally
chewed in the mouth as a cane ; but it is also peeled
by the women, and, when dried, it is boiled with
milk to give it sweetness. A grain called dochan,
a species of millet, is likewise cultivated to a con-
siderable extent ; when ripe, it somewhat resembles
the head of the bulrush. The whole of this country
would grow cotton and sugar to perfection.
" October 28. Having slept at the village, we went
to the river, and Florian shot a hippopotamus. The
natives, having skinned it. rushed at the carcase with
knives and axes, and fought over it like a pack of
wolves; neither did they leave the spot until they
had severed each bone, and walked off with every
morsel, of this immense beast.
" October 31. Having passed a couple of days at
Sherif el Ibrahim, we started for the Settite. When
about half way, we arrived at a curious plateau of
granite rock, with a pool of water in the centre.
Formerly a large village occupied this position, named
Gerr^rat; but it was destroyed in a raid by the
Egyptians, as being one of Mek Nimmur's strong-
holds. The rock is a flat surface of about five acres,
covered with large detached fragments of granite ;
pear this are several pools of water, which form the
CHAP, x.] AURIK1L AT THE SETTITR 245
source of the rivulet, tHe Till, that bounds our
camp at Ehetilla. A large homera-tree (Adansonia
digitata) grows among the blocks of granite by the
pool ; in the shade of its enormous boughs we break-
fasted, and again started at 4 P.M. reaching the
Settite river at 7.30, at a spot named Geera. In the
dark we had some difficulty in finding our way down
the rugged slopes of the valley to the river. We had
not taken beds, as these incumbrances were unneces-
sary when in light marching order. AVe therefore
made separate bivouacs, Florian and his people about
a hundred yards distant, while a rug laid upon the
ground was sufficient for my wife. I made myself
comfortable in a similar manner. Lions were roaring
all night.
" On the following morning we took a long stroll
along the wild and rugged valley of the Settite, that
was precisely similar to that of the Atbara. The river,
although low, was a noble stream, and the water was
at this season beautifully clear as it ran over a bed
of clean pebbles. The pass between the cliffs of Geera
was exceedingly lovely. At that point the river did
not exceed 200 yards in width, and it flowed through
abrupt cliffs of beautiful rose-coloured limestone ; so
fine and pure was the surface of the stone, that in
places it resembled artificially-smoothed marble ; in
other places, the cliffs, equally abrupt, were of milk-
white limestone of similar quality. This was the first
spot in which I had found limestone since I had
left Lower Egypt. The name * Geera/ in Arabic,
246 RECALL OF MAHOMET. [CHAP. x.
signifies lime. Formerly this was an important vil-
lage belonging to Mek Nimmur, but it had been
destroyed by the Egyptians, and the renowned Mek
Nimmur was obliged to fall back to the strongholds
of the mountains.
"I started off a man to recall Mahomet and my
entire camp from Ehetilla to Wat el Negur, as that
village was only seven hours' march from Geera ; the
three points, Sherif el Ibrahim, Geera, and Wat el
Negur formed almost an equilateral triangle. We
reached the latter village on the following day, and
found that Mahomet and a string of camels from
Sofi had already arrived. The country was now
thickly populated on the west bank of the Atbara,
as the Arabs and their flocks had returned after the
disappearance of the serroot fly. Mahomet had had
an accident, having fallen from his camel and broken
no bones, but he had smashed the stock of my single -
barrel rifle ; this was in two pieces ; I mended it, and
it became stronger than ever. The wood had broken
short off in the neck of the stock, I therefore bored
a hole about three inches deep up the centre of either
piece, so that it was hollowed like a marrow bone ; in
one of them I inserted a piece of an iron ramrod,
red-hot, I then drew the other piece over the iron
in a similar manner, and gently tapped the shoulder-
plate until I had driven the broken joint firmly
together. I then took off from a couple of old
boxes two strong brass hasps ; these I let neatly
into the wood on each side of the broken stock,
CHAP, x.] . SHEIK ACHMET WAT EL NEGUR. 247
and secured them by screws, filing off all projections,
so that they fitted exactly. I finished the work by
stretching a piece of well-soaked crocodile's skin over
the joint, which, when drawn tight, I sewed strongly
together. When this dried it became as hard as
horn, and very much stronger; the extreme con-
traction held the work together like a vice, and my
rifle was perfectly restored. A traveller in wild
countries should always preserve sundry treasures
that will become invaluable, such as strips of croco-
dile skin, the hide of the iguana, &c. which should
be kept in the tool-box for cases of need. The
tool-box should not exceed two feet six inches in
length and one foot in depth, but it should contain
the very best implements that can be made, with
an extra supply of gimlets, awls, centre-bits, and
borers of every description, also tools for boring
iron ; at least two dozen files of different sorts
should be included."
"Wat el Negur was governed by a most excellent
and polite sheik of the Jalyn tribe. Sheik Achmet
Wat el Negur was his name and title ; being of the
same race as Mek Nimmur, he dared to occupy the
east bank of the Atbara. Sheik Achmet was a wise
man, he was a friend of the Egyptian authorities,
to whom he paid tribute as though it were his
greatest pleasure; he also paid tribute to Mek
Nimmur, with whom he was upon the best of terms;
therefore, in the constant fights that took place upon
the borders, the cattle and people of Sheik Achmet
248 MANSFIELD PARKYNS. [CHAP. x.
were respected by the contending parties, while
those of all others were sufferers. This was exactly
the spot for my head-quarters, as, like Sheik Achmet,
I wished to be on good terms with everybody,
and through him I should be able to obtain an
introduction to Mek Nimmur, whom I particularly
wished to visit, as I had heard that there never
was such a brigand. Accordingly, I pitched the
tents and formed a camp upon the bank of the
river, about two hundred yards below the village
of Wat el Negur, and in a short time Sheik Achmet
and I became the greatest friends.
There is nothing more delightful when travelling
in a strange country, a thousand miles away from the
track of the wildest tourist, than to come upon the
footprint of a countryman ; not the actual mark
of his sole upon the sand, which the dust quickly
obscures, but to find imprinted deeply upon the
minds and recollections of the people, the good
character of a former traveller, that insures you a
favourable intoduction. Many years before I visited
Wat el Negur, Mr. Mansfield Parkyns, who has cer-
tainly written the best book on Abyssinia that I
have ever read, passed through this country, having
visited Mek Nimmur, the father of the present Mek.
He was, I believe, the only European that had ever
been in Mek Nimmur's territory, neither had his
footsteps been followed until my arrival. Mr.
Parkyns had left behind him what the Arabs call
a " sweet name ;" and as I happened to have his
CHAP, x.] ADVANTAGES OF A " SWEET NAME" 249
book, "Life in Abyssinia/' with me, I showed it to
the sheik as his production, and explained the illus-
trations, &c. ; at the same time I told him that
Mr. Parkyns had described his visit to Mek Nimmur,
of' whom he had spoken very highly, and that I
wished to have an opportunity of telling the great
chief in person how much his good reception had
been appreciated. The good Sheik Achmet im-
mediately promised to present me to Mek Nimmur,
and wished particularly to know- whether I intended
to write a book like Mr. Parkyns upon my return.
Should T do so, he requested me to mention Ms
name. I promised at once to do this trifling
favour; thus I have the greatest pleasure in certify-
ing that Sheik Achmet Wat el Negur is one of
the best and most agreeable fellows that I have
ever met in Africa; he does not keep an hotel,
or I would strongly recommend it to all travellers,
but his welcome is given gratis, with the warmest
hospitality.
The country for several miles upon the table-land
above Wat el Negur was highly cultivated, and
several thousand acres were planted with dhurra,
that was at this season in full grain, and nearly ripe.
Much sesame was grown for the manufacture of oil ;
cotton was also cultivated, and the neighbourhood
was a fair example of the wonderful capabilities of
the entire country that was allowed to lie in idleness.
There was little rest for the inhabitants at this time,
.as the nights were spent in watching their extensive
250 ELEPHANTS DESTROY THE CROPS. [CHAP. x.
plantations, and endeavouring to scare away the
elephants. These animals, with extreme cunning,
invaded the dhurra crops at different positions every
night, and retreated before morning to great distances
in the thick thorny jungles of the Settite.
Our arrival was welcomed with general enthusiasm,
as the Arabs were unprovided with fire-arms, and
the celebrated aggageers or sword-hunters were useless,
as the elephants only appeared at night, and were
far too cunning to give them a chance. There was
a particular range of almost impenetrable thorny
covert in the neighbourhood of Geera, well known
as the asylum for these animals, to which they
retreated, after having satiated themselves by a few
hours' feeding upon the crops of corn. I promised
to assist in protecting the plantations, although the
Arabs assured me that, in spite of our rifles, the
elephants would return every night.
Wishing to judge personally of the damage, I
rode up to the dhurra fields, and for a few hours I
examined the crops, through which I could ride with
ease, as the plants were arranged like hops.
Many acres were absolutely destroyed, as the
elephants had not only carefully stripped off the
heavy heads of corn, but had trampled down and
wilfully broken much more than they had consumed.
The Arabs knew nothing about guns, or their effect
upon elephants, and I felt quite sure that a few
nights with the heavy rifles would very soon scare
them from the fields.
CHAP, x.] AN INVITATION TO SHOOT. 251
I return to my journal.
" November 7. In the middle of last night T was
disturbed by the Arabs, who begged me to get up
and shoot the elephants that were already in the
plantations. This I refused to do, as I will not fire
a shot until they call in their watchers, and leave
the fields quiet. A few nights ago there was a
perfect uproar from a score of watchers, that pre-
vented the elephants from coming at the very time
that the people had induced me to pass the whole
night in the fields. I have arranged that the sheik
shall call in all these watchers, and that they shall
accompany me to-morrow night. I will then post
myself in the centre of the plantations, dividing the
men into many parties at all points, to return
quietly to me and report the position that the
elephants may have taken.
"This morning I purchased a kid for two piastres
(fivepence.) The sheik is exceedingly civil, and
insists upon sending me daily supplies of milk and
vegetables.
"This afternoon, accompanied by my wife, I accepted
an invitation to shoot a savage old bull hippopo-
tamus that had been sufficiently impertinent to chase
several of the natives. He lived in a deep and broad
portion of the river, about two miles distant. We
accordingly rode to the spot, and found the old
hippo at home. The river was about 250 yards
wide at this place, in an acute bend that had formed
a deep pool. In the centre of this was a mud
252 THE HIPPO CHALLENGES BACHEET. [CHAP. x.
bank, just below the surface; upon this shallow bed
the hippo was reposing. Upon perceiving us he was
exceedingly saucy, snorting at my party, and behav-
ing himself in a most absurd manner, by shaking
his head and leaping-half way out of the water.
This plunging demonstration was intended to frighten
us. I had previously given Bacheet a pistol, and had
ordered him to follow on the opposite bank from
the ford at Wat el Negur. I now hallooed to him
to fire several shots at the hippo, in order to drive
him, if possible, towards me, as I lay in ambush
behind a rock in the bed of the river. Bacheet
descended the almost perpendicular bank to the
water's edge, and after having chaffed the hippo con-
siderably, he fired a shot with the pistol, which was
far more dangerous to us on the opposite side than
to the animal. The hippo, who was a wicked soli-
tary old bull, accustomed to have his own way,
returned the insult by charging towards Bacheet
with a tremendous snorting, that sent him scram-
bling up the steep bank in a panic, amidst a roar
of laughter from the people on my side concealed
in the bushes. In this peal of merriment I thought
I could distinguish a voice closely resembling that
of my wife. However, Bacheet, who had always
longed to be brought face to face with some foe
worthy of his steel, had bolted, and he now stood
safe in his elevated position on the top of the bank,
thirty feet above the river, and fired the second
barrel in bold defiance at the hippopotamus.
CHAP. x.J A GOOD SHOT. 253
"As the hippo had gained confidence, I showed
myself above the rock, and called to him, according
to Arab custom, ' Ha"sinth ! HS-sinth ! ' * He, thinking
no doubt that he might as well hunt me away, gave
a loud snort, sank, and quickly re-appeared about
a hundred yards from me; but nearer than this he
positively refused to approach. I therefore called to
Bacheet to shout from the other side to attract his
attention, and as he turned his head, I took a
steady shot behind the ear with the little Fletcher
rifle. This happened to be one of those fortunate
shots that consoles you for many misses, and the
saucy old hippo turned upon his back and rolled
about in tremendous struggles, lashing the still and
deep pool into waves, until he at length disappeared.
We knew that he was settled ; thus my people
started off* towards the village, and in a marvellously
short time a frantic crowd of Arabs arrived with
camels, ropes, axes, knives, and everything neces-
sary for an onslaught upon the hippo, who, up to
this time, had not appeared upon the surface. In
about one hour and a half from the time he received
the bullet, we discovered his carcase floating about two
hundred yards lower down the river. Several heads
of large crocodiles appeared and vanished suddenly
within a few feet of the floating carcase, therefore
the Arabs considered it prudent to wait until the
stream should strand the body upon the pebbly
* Hasinth is the Arabic for Hippopotamus.
254 A RUSH AT THE CARCASE. [CHAP. x.
shallows about half a mile below the pool. Upon
arrival at that point, there was a general rush, and
the excited crowd secured the hippo by many ropes,
and hauled it to the shore. It was a very fine
bull, as the skin without the head measured twelve
feet three inches. I had two haunches kept for the
sheik, and a large quantity of fat, which is highly
and deservedly prized by the Arabs, as it is the
most delicate of any animal. Those portions secured,
with a reserve of meat for ourselves, the usual dis-
gusting scene of violence commenced, the crowd
falling upon the carcase like maddened hyaenas.
"In the evening I resolved to watch the dhurra
fields for elephants. At about 9 P.M. I arrived in
the plantations, with three men carrying spare guns,
among whom was Bacheet, who had at length an
opportunity for which he had long yearned. I en-
trusted to him the 'Baby,' which he promised to
put into my hands the very moment that I should
fire my second barrel. I carried my own Ceylon
No. 10, made by Beattie. We had not been half
an hour in the dhurra fields before we met a couple
of Arab watchers, who informed us that a herd of
elephants was already in the plantation; we accord-
ingly followed our guides. In about a quarter of an
hour we distinctly heard the cracking of the dhurra
stems, as the elephants browsed, and trampled them
beneath their feet.
"Taking the proper position of the wind, I led
our party cautiously in the direction of the sound,
CHAP, x.j ELEPHANTS AT NIGHT. 255
and in about five minutes I came in view of the
slate-coloured and dusky forms of the herd. The
moon was bright, and I counted nine elephants ;
they had trampled a space of about fifty yards
square into a barren level, and they were now
slowly moving foward, feeding as they went. One
elephant, unfortunately, was separated from the
herd, and was about forty yards in the rear; this
fellow I was afraid % would render our approach
difficult. Cautioning my men, especially Bacheet,
to keep close to me with the spare rifles, I crept
along the alleys formed by the tall rows of dhurra,
and after carefully stalking against the wind, I felt
sure that it would be necessary to kill the single
elephant before I should be able to attack the herd.
Accordingly, I crept nearer and nearer, well con-
cealed in the favourable crop of high and sheltering
stems, until I was within fifteen yards of the
hindmost animal. As I had never shot one of
the African species I was determined to follow the
Ceylon plan, and get as near as possible ; therefore
I continued to creep from row to row of dhurra,
until I at length stood at the very tail of the
elephant in the next row. I could easily have
touched it with my rifle, but just at this moment,
it either obtained my wind, or it heard the rustle
of the men. It quickly turned its head half round
towards me ; in the same instant I took the temple
shot, and, by the flash of the rifle, I saw that it
fell. Jumping forward past the huge body, I fired
256 KILL AN ELEPHANT. [CHAP. x.
the left-hand barrel at an elephant that had ad-
vanced from the herd ; it fell immediately ! Now
came the moment for a grand rush, as they stumbled
in confusion over the last fallen elephant, and jammed
together in a dense mass with their immense ears
outspread, forming a picture of intense astonishment !
"Where were my spare guns ? Here was a grand
opportunity to run in and floor them right and left !
" Not a man was in sight, everybody had bolted !
and I stood in advance of the dead elephant calling
for my guns in vain. At length one of my fellows
came up, but it was too late, the fallen elephant in
the herd had risen from the ground, and they had all
hustled off at a great pace, and were gone ; I had
only bagged one elephant. Where was the valiant
Bacheet 1 the would-be Nimrod, who for the last
three months had been fretting in inactivity, and long-
ing for the moment of action, when he had promised
to be my trusty gun-bearer! He was the last man
to appear, and he only ventured from his hiding-
place in the high dhurra when assured of the
elephants' retreat. I was obliged to admonish the
whole party by a little physical treatment, and
the gallant Bacheet returned with us to the
village, crest-fallen and completely subdued. On
the following day not a vestige remained of the
elephant, except the offal : the Arabs had not only
cut off the flesh, but they had hacked the skull and
the bones in pieces, and carried them off to boil
down for soup.
CHAPTER XL
/
THE FORD.
Two months had elapsed since the last drop of rain
had closed the wet season. It was 15th November,
and the river had fallen to so low an ebb that the
stream was reduced to a breadth of about eighty
yards of bright and clear water, rushing in places
with great rapidity through the centre of its broad
and stony bed, while in sudden bends of the chan-
nel it widened into still, and exceedingly deep pools.
We were encamped exactly upon the verge of a
perpendicular cliff, from which there was a rugged
path to the dry channel some thirty feet below,
which shelved rapidly towards the centre occupied
by the stream. In this spot were powerful rapids,
above which to our left was a ford, at this time
about waist-deep, upon a bed of rock that divided
the lower rapids from a broad and silent pool above :
across this ford the women of the village daily
passed to collect their faggots of wood from the
bushes on the opposite side. I had shot a crocodile,
and a marabou stork, and I was carefully plucking
s
258 GIRLS CARRIED AWAY BY THE RAPIDS. FCHAP. xi.
the plume of beautiful feathers from tlie tail of tlie
bird, surrounded by a number of Arabs, when I
observed a throng of women, each laden with a
bundle of wood, crossing the ford in single file from
the opposite bank. Among them were two young
girls of about fifteen, and I remarked that these,
instead of marching in a line with the women, were
wading hand-in-hand in dangerous proximity to the
head of the rapids. A few seconds later, I noticed
that they were inclining their bodies up stream, and
were evidently struggling with the current. Hardly
had I poioted out the danger to the men around
me, when the girls clung to each other, and striving
against their fate they tottered down the stream
towards the rapids, which rushed with such violence
that the waves were about two feet high. With
praiseworthy speed the Arabs started to their feet,
and dashed down the deep descent towards the
river, but before they had reached half way, the
girls uttered a shriek, lost their footing, and in
another instant they threw their arms wildly above
their heads, and were hurried away in the foam of
the rapids. One disappeared immediately ; the other
was visible, as her long black hair floated on the
surface ; she also sank. Presently, about twenty
yards below the spot, a pair of naked arms pro-
truded high above the surface, with ivory bracelets
upon the wrists, and twice the hands clapped to-
gether as though imploring help ; again she disap-
peared. The water was by this time full of men,
CHAP. XL] AN AMPHIBIOUS ARAB GIRL. 259
who had rushed to the rescue; but they had fool-
ishly jumped in at the spot where they had first
seen the girls, who were of course by this time
carried far away by the torrent. Once more,
farther down the river, the hands and bracelets ap-
peared ; again they wildly clapped together, and in
the clear water we could plainly see the dark hair
beneath. Still, she sank again, but almost imme-
diately she rose head and shoulders abov^e the
surface, and thrice she again clapped her hands
for aid.
This was her last effort ; she * disappeared. By
this time several men had wisely run along the
1)ank below the tail of the rapids, and having formed
a line across a very narrow portion of the stream,
one of them suddenly clutched an object beneath
the water, and in another moment he held the body
of the girl in his arms. Of course she was dead?
or a fit subject for the Eoyal Humane Society? So
I supposed ; when, to our intense astonishment, she
no sooner was brought to the shore than she gave
herself a shake, threw back her long hair, wrung
out and arranged her dripping rahat, and walked
leisurely back to the ford, which she crossed with
the assistance of the Arab who had saved her.
What she was composed of I cannot say ; whether
she was the offspring of a cross between mermaid
and hippopotamus, or hatched from the egg of a
crocodile I know not, but a more wonderfully am-
phibious being I have rarely seen.
s 2
260 SEARCH FOR THE BODY. [CHAP. xi.
During this painful scene, in which one girl had
been entirely lost, the mother of her who was saved
had rushed to meet her child as she landed from
the ford ; but instead of clasping her to her heart,
as we had expected, she gave her a maternal wel-
come by beating her most unmercifully with her
fists, bestowing such lusty blows upon her back that
we could distinctly hear them at a distance of fifty
yards ; this punishment, we were given to under-
stand, served her perfectly right, for having been
foolish enough to venture near the rapids. The
melancholy death-howl was now raised by all the
women in the village, while the men explored the
river in search of the missing body. On the fol-
lowing morning the sheik appeared at my tent,
with a number of Arabs who had been unsuccessful,
and he begged me, if possible, to suggest some
means for the discovery of the girl, as her remains
should be properly interred.
I proposed that they should procure a log of heavy
wood, as near as possible the size of the girl, and that
this should be thrown into the rapids, in the exact
spot where she had disappeared; this, being nearly
the same weight, would be equally acted upon by
the stream, and would form a guide which they
should follow until it should lead them 'to some
deep eddy, or whirlpool formed by a backwater ;
should the pilot log remain in such a spot, they
would most probably find the body in the same
place. The men immediately procured a log, and
CHAP, xi.] THE CORPSE RECOVERED. 261
set off with the sheik himself to carry out the ex-
periment. In the afternoon, we heard a terrible
howling and crying, and a crowd of men and women
returned to the village, some of whom paid us a
visit ; they had found the body. The log had guided
them about two miles distant, and had remained
stationary in a backwater near where I had shot
the bull hippopotamus ; in this still pool, close to
the bank, they almost immediately discovered the
girl floating slightly beneath the surface. No croco-
dile had injured the body, but the fish had destroyed
a portion of the face ; it was already so far advanced
in decomposition, that it was necessary to bury it
upon the margin of the river, at the spot where it
was discovered. The people came to thank me for
having originated the idea, and the very agreeable
sheik spent the evening with us with a number ol
his people ; this was his greatest delight, and we
had become thoroughly accustomed to his daily
visits. At such times we sat upon an angarep,
while he sat upon a mat stretched upon the ground,
with a number of his men, who formed a half-circle
around us ; he then invariably requested that we
would tell him stories about England. Of these he
never tired, and with the assistance of Mahomet we
established a regular entertainment ; the great amuse-
ment of the Arabs being the mistakes that they
readily perceived were made by Mahomet as inter-
preter. We knew sufficient Arabic to check and to
explain his errors.
262 THE SHEIK LAYS DOWN THE LAW. [CHAP. xi.
The death of the girl gave rise to a conversation
upon drowning : this turned upon the subject of the
girl herself, and ended in a discussion upon the
value of women ; the question originating in a
lament on the part of the sheik that a nice young
girl had been drowned instead of a useless old
woman. The sheik laid down the law with great
force, "that a woman was of no use when she
ceased to be young, unless she was a good strong
person who could grind corn, and carry water from
the river ; " in this assertion he was seconded, and
supported unanimously, by the crowd of Arabs
present.
Now it was always a common practice among
the Arab women, when they called upon my wife,
to request her to show her hands ; they would then
feel the soft palms, and exclaim in astonishment,
" Ah ! she has never ground corn ! " that being
the duty of a wife unless she is rich enough to
possess slaves. Sheik Achmet requested me to give
him some account of our domestic arrangements in
England ; I did this as briefly as possible, explaining
how ladies received our devoted attentions, extolling
their beauty and virtue, and in fact giving him an
idea that England was paradise, and that the ladies
were angels. I described the variety of colours ;
that instead of all being dark, some were exceedingly
fair ; that others had red hair ; that we had many
bright black eyes, and some irresistible dark blue ;
and at the close of my descriptions, I believe the
CHAP. XL] " THE FACT IS SIMPLY IMPOSSIBLE." 263
sheik and his party felt disposed to emigrate im-
mediately to the chilly shores of Great Britain ;
they asked, " How far off is your country ? " " Well,"
said the sheik, with a sigh, "that must be a very
charming country ; how could you possibly come
away from all your beautiful wives ? True, you have
brought one with you : she is, of course, the youngest
and most lovely ; perhaps those you have left at
home are the old ones ! " I was obliged to explain,
that we are contented with one wife, and that, even
were people disposed to marry two, or more, they
would be punished with imprisonment. This an-
nouncement was received with a general expression
of indignation; the sheik and his party, who a few
minutes ago were disposed to emigrate, and settle
upon our shores, would now at the most have
ventured upon a return ticket. After some murmurs
of disapprobation, there was a decided expression of
disbelief in my last statement. "Why," said the
sheik, " the fact is simply impossible ! How can a
man be contented with one wife ? It is ridiculous,
absurd ! What is he to do when she becomes old ?
When she is young, if very lovely, perhaps, he might-
be satisfied with her, but even the young must
some day grow old, and the beauty must fade. The
man does not fade like the woman ; therefore as he
remains the same for many years, but^she changes
in a few years, Nature has arranged that the man
shall have young wives to replace the old ; does not
the Prophet allow it ? Had not our forefathers many
264 THE SHEIK'S IDEA OF MATRIMONY. [CHAP. xi.
wives ? and shall we have but one ? Look at your-
self. Your wife is young, and" (here the sheik
indulged in compliments), " but in ten years she will
not be the same as now ; will you not then let
her have a nice house all to herself, when she grows
old, while you take a fresh young wife ? "
I was obliged to explain to the sheik that, first,
our ladies never looked old ; secondly, they improved
with age ; and thirdly, that we were supposed to
love our wives with greater ardour as they advanced
in years. This was received with an ominous shake
of the head, coupled with the exclamation, "Mash-
allah !" repeated by the whole party. This was the
moment for a few remarks on polygamy : -I con-
tinued, " You men are selfish ; you expect from the
woman that which you will not give in return,
1 constancy and love ;' if your wife demanded a
multiplicity of husbands, would it not be impossible
to love her ? how can she love you if you insist
upon other wives ? ' " Ah ! " he replied, " our women
are different to yours, they would not love anybody ;
look at your wife, she has travelled with you far
away from her own country, and her heart is
stronger than a man's ; she is afraid of nothing,
because you are with her ; but our women prefer to
be far away from their husbands, and are only happy
when they have nothing whatever to do. You don't
understand our women, they are ignorant creatures,
and when their youth is past are good for nothing
but to work. You have explained your customs;
I
RHINOCEROS DISPERSING THE PARTY. Seepage 387.
CHAP. XL] THE DUTIES OF HIS FOUR WIVES. 265
your women are adored by the men, and you are
satisfied with one wife, either young or old ; now I
will explain our customs. I have four wives ; as one
has become old, I have replaced her with a young
one ; here they all are " (he now marked four strokes
upon the sand with his stick). "This one carries
water ; that grinds the corn ; this makes the
bread ; the last does not do much, as she is the
youngest, and my favourite ; and if they neglect
their work, they ^get a taste of this!" (shaking a
long and tolerably thick stick.) " Now, that's the
difference between our establishments ; yours is well
adapted for your country, and ours is the best plan
for our own."
I would not contradict the sheik ; the English
great-coat was not the garment for the scorching
Soudan, and English ideas were equally unsuited to
the climate and requirements of the people. The
girls were utterly ignorant, and the Arabs had never
heard of a woman who could read and write ; they
were generally pretty when young, but they rapidly
grew old after childbirth. Numbers of young girls
and women were accustomed to bathe perfectly
naked in the river just before our tent ; I employed
them to catch small fish for baits ; and for hours
they would amuse themselves in this way, screaming
with excitement and fun, and chasing the small
fry with their long cloths in lieu of nets ; their
figures were generally well shaped, but both men
and women fell off in the development of the legs.
266 THE MAIMED, THE HALT, AND TEE BUND. [CHAP. xi.
Very few had well-shaped calves, but remarkably
thin and cleanly formed ankles, with very delicately
shaped feet. The men were constantly bathing in
the clear waters of the Atbara, and were perfectly
naked, although close to the women ; we soon became
accustomed to this daily scene, as we do at Brighton
and other English bathing-towns.
Our life at "Wat el Negur was anything but dis-
agreeable ; we had acquired great fame in several
ways : the game that I shot I divided among the
people ; they also took an interest in the fishing, as
they generally had a large share of all that I caught ;
my wife was very kind to all the children, and to
the women, who came from great distances to see
her ; and my character as a physician having been
spread far and wide, we became very celebrated
people. Of course I was besieged daily by the
maimed, the halt, and the blind, and the poor people,
with much gratitude, would insist upon bringing
fowls and milk in return for our attention to their
wants. These I would never accept, but on many
occasions, upon my refusal, the women would untie
the legs of a bundle of chickens, and allow them
to escape in our camp, rather than be compelled to
return with their offering. Even the fakeers (priests)
were our great friends, although we were Christians,
and in my broken Arabic, with the assistance of
Mahomet, I used to touch upon theological subjects.
At first they expressed surprise that such clever
people as the English should worship idols made of
CHAP. xi.J THE ARAB FAKEERS OR PRIESTS. 267
wood, or other substances, by the hands of man. I
explained to them their error, as we were Protestants
in England, who had protested against the practice
of bowing down before the figure of Christ, or any
other form ; that we simply worshipped God through
Christ, believing Him to be both Saviour and Me-
diator. I recalled to their recollection that Mahomet
and they themselves believed in Christ, as the
greatest of all the prophets, therefore in reality
there was not so very wide a gulf between their
creed and our own ; both acknowledging the same
God; both believing in Christ, although differing in
the degree of that belief. I allowed that Mahomet
was a most wonderful man, and that, if a cause is
to be valued by its effect, he was as much entitled
to the name of prophet as Moses, the first law-
giver. Our arguments never became overheated, as
these simple yet stedfast Arabs, who held the faith
of their forefathers untarnished and uncorrupted by
schisms, spoke more with reverence to the great spirit
of religion, than with the acrimony of debate.
" My brothers," I would reply, " we are all God's
creatures, believing in the one great Spirit who
created us and all things, who made this atom of
dust that we call our world, a tiny star amongst
the hosts of heaven; and we, differing in colours
and in races, are striving through our short but
weary pilgrimage to the same high point; to the
same mountain-top, where we trust to meet when
the journey shall be accomplished. That mountain
268 " ALL THE SANE WITH A LITTLE DIFFERENCE." [CH. xi.
is steep, the country is desert ; is there but one
path, or are there many ? Your path and mine
are different, but with God's help they will lead
us to the top. Shall we quarrel over the well
upon the thirsty way ? or shall we drink together,
and be thankful for the cool waters, and strive to
reach the end ? Drink from my water-skin when
upon the desert we thirst together, scorched by
the same sun, exhausted by the same simoom,
cooled by the same night, until we sleep at the
journey's end, and together thank God, Christian
and Mahometan, that we have reached our
home."
The good fakeers rejoiced in such simple explana-
tions, and they came to the conclusion that we were
" all the same with a little difference," thus we were
the best of friends with all the people. If not exactly
a cure of their Mahometan souls, they acknowledged
that I held the key to their bowels, which were
entirely dependent upon my will, when the crowd
of applicants daily thronged my medicine chest, and
I dispensed jalap, calomel, opium, and tartar emetic.
Upon one occasion a woman brought me a child of
about fifteen months old, with a broken thigh ; she
had fallen asleep upon her camel, and had allowed
the child to fall from her arms. I set the thigh,
and secured it with gum bandages, as the mimosas
afforded the requisite material. About twenty yards
of old linen in bandages three inches broad, soaked
in thick gum-water, will form the best of splints
CHAP. XL] THE CURE FOR FRENDEET. 269
when it becomes dry and hard, which in that
climate it will do in about an hour. There was one
complaint that I was obliged to leave entirely in the
hands of the Arabs, this was called "frendeet;" it
was almost the certain effect of drinking the water
that in the rainy season is accumulated in pools
upon the surface of the rich table-lands, especially
between the Atbara and Katariff ; the latter is a
market-town about sixty miles from Wat el Negur,
on the west bank of the river. Frendeet commences
with a swelling of one of the limbs, generally ac-
companied with intense pain ; this is caused by a
worm of several feet in length, but no thicker than
pack-thread. The Arab cure is to plaster the limb
with cow-dung, which is their common application
for almost all complaints. They then proceed to
make what they term "doors/' through which the
worm will be able to escape ; but, should it not be
able to find one exit, they make a great number,
by the pleasant and simple operation of pricking the
skin in many places with a red-hot lance. In
about a week after these means of escape are pro-
vided, one of the wounds will inflame, and assume
the character of a small boil, from which the head
of the worm will issue. This is then seized, and
fastened either to a small reed or piece of wood,
which is daily and most gently wound round, until,
in the course of about a week, the entire worm
will be extracted, unless broken during the operation,
in which case severe inflammation will ensue.
2/0 ARRIVAL AT KATARIFF. [CHAP. XL
It was the 22d November, and the time was ap-
proaching when the grass throughout the entire
country would be sufficiently dry to be fired ; we
accordingly prepared for our expedition, and it was
necessary to go to Katariff to engage men, and to
procure a slave in the place of old Masara, whose
owner would not trust her in the wild countries
we were about to visit. We therefore mounted our
horses, and in two days we reached Katariff, rather
less than sixty miles distant. The journey was ex-
ceedingly uninteresting, as the route lay across the
monotonous flats of rich table-land, without a single
object to attract the attention, except the long line
of villages which at intervals of about six miles
lined the way. During the dry weather (the present
season) there was not a drop of water in this
country, except in wells far apart. Thus the cattle
within twenty miles of the Atbara were driven
every alternate day, that great distance to the river,
as the wells would not supply the large herds of the
Arabs ; although the animals could support life by
drinking every alternate day, the cows were dry
upon the day of fasting; this proved a certain
amount of suffering.
Upon arrival at Katariff we were hospitably re-
ceived by a Greek merchant, Michel Georgis, a
nephew of the good old man from whom we had
received much attention while at Cassala. The town
was a miserable place, composed simply of the usual
straw huts of the Arabs ; the market, or " Soog,"
CHAP, xi.] THE NAEKET DAY. 27 1
was bi-weekly. Katariff was also known by the
name of " Soog Abou Sinn."
I extract an entry from my journal. " The bazaar
held here is most original. Long rows of thatched
open sheds, about six feet high, form a street; in
these sheds, the dealers squat with their various
wares exposed on the ground before them. In one,
are Manchester goods, the calicoes are printed in
England, with the name of the Greek merchant to
whom they are consigned ; in another, is a curious
collection of small wares, as though samples of larger
quantities, but in reality they are the dealer's whole
stock of sundries, which he deals out to numerous
purchasers in minute lots, for paras and half piastres,
ginger, cloves, chills, cardamoms, pepper, turmeric,
orris root, saffron, sandal-wood, musk, a species of
moss that smells like patchouli, antimony for colour-
ing the eyes and lips, henna, glass beads, cowrie
shells, steels for striking fire, &c. &c. Other stalls
contain sword-blades, files, razers, and other hard-
ware, all of German manufacture, and of the most
rubbishing kind. Mingled with these, in the same
stall, are looking-glasses, three inches square, framed
in coloured paper ; slippers, sandals, &c. Other sheds
contain camel ropes and bells, saddlery of all de-
scriptions that are in general use, shoes, &c. ; but
the most numerous stalls are those devoted to red
pepper, beads, and perfumery."
Beyond the main street of straw booths are vendors
of miscellaneous goods, squatting under temporary
2/2 SCENES AT THE FAIR. CHAP. xj.
fan-shaped straw screens, which are rented at the
rate of five paras per day (about a farthing) ; beneath
these may be seen vendors of butter and other grease,
contained in a large jar by their side, while upon
a stone before them are arranged balls of fat, which
are sold at five paras a lump. Each morsel is about
the size of a cricket ball : this is supposed to be the
smallest quantity required for one dressing of the
hair. Other screens are occupied by dealers in
ropes, mats, leathern bags, girbas or water-skins,
gum sacks, beans, waker, salt, sugar, coffee, &c. &c.
Itinerant smiths are at work, making knife-blades,
repairing spears, &c. with small boys working the
bellows, formed of simple leather bags that open
and close by the pressure of two sticks. The object
that draws a crowd around him is a professional
story-teller, wonderfully witty, no doubt, as being
mounted upon a camel from which he addresses his
audience, he provokes roars of merriment; his small
yes, overhanging brow, large mouth, with thin and
tightly compressed lips and deeply dimpled cheeks,
combined with an unlimited amount of brass, com-
pleted a picture of professional shrewdness.
Camels, cattle, and donkeys are also exposed for
sale. The average price for a baggage camel
is twelve dollars; a hygeen, from thirty to sixty
dollars ; a fat ox, from six to ten dollars (the doUar
at four shillings).
Katariff is on the direct merchants' route from
Cassala to Khartoum. The charge for transport is
CHAP, xi.] CUSTOM OF SCARIFYING THE CHEEKS.
accordingly low; a camel loaded with six cantars
(600 Ibs.) from this spot to Cassala, can be hired for
one dollar, and from thence to Souakim, on the Red
Sea, for five dollars; thus all produce is delivered
from Katariff to the shipping port, at a charge of
four shillings per hundred pounds. Cotton might
be grown to any extent on this magnificent soil,
and would pay the planter a large profit, were regular
steam communication established at a reasonable rate
.between Souakim and Suez.
There is a fine grey limestone in the neighbour-
hood of Katariff. The collection of people is exceed-
ingly interesting upon a market day, as Arabs of all
tribes, Tokrooris, and some few Abyssinians, concen-
trate from distant points. Many of the Arab women
would be exceedingly pretty were their beauty not
destroyed by their custom of gashing the cheeks in
three wounds upon either side ; this is inflicted during
infancy. Scars are considered ornamental, and some
of the women are much disfigured by such marks
upon their arms and backs ; even the men, without
exception, are scarified upon their cheeks. The in-
habitants of Kordofan and Darfur, who are generally
prized as slaves, are invariably marked, not only
with simple scars, but by cicatrices raised high
above the natural surface by means of salt rubbed
into the wounds; these unsightly deformities are
considered to be great personal attractions. The
Arab women are full of absurd superstitions ; should
a woman be in an interesting condition, she will
T
274 THE GALLA SLAVE. [CHAP. xi.
creep under the body of a strong camel, believing
that the act of passing between the fore and hind
legs will endue her child with the strength of the
animal. Young infants are scored with a razor
longitudinally down the back and abdomen, to
improve their constitutions.
I engaged six strong Tokrooris natives of Darfur
who agreed to accompany me for five months.
These people are a tribe of Mahometan negroes, of
whom I shall speak more hereafter ; they are gene-
rally very powerful and courageous, and I preferred
a few men* of this race to a party entirely composed
of Arabs. Our great difficulty was to procure a
slave woman to grind the corn and to make the
bread for the people.
No proprietor would let his slave on hire to go
upon such a journey, and it was impossible to start
without one ; the only resource was to purchase the
freedom of some woman, and to engage her as a ser-
vant for the trip. Even this was difficult, as slaves
were scarce and in great demand : however, at last
I heard of a man who had a Galla slave who was
clever at making bread, as it had been her duty to
make cakes for sale in the bazaar upon market days.
After some delays I succeeded in obtaining an in-
terview with both the master and slave at the same
time ; the former was an Arab, hard at dealing, but,
as I did not wish to drive a bargain, I agreed to
the price, thirty-five dollars, 7/. The name of the
woman was Barrake ; she was about twenty- two
CHAP, xi.] PURCHASE HER FREEDOM. 2J5
years of age, brown in complexion, fat, and strong ;
rather tall, and altogether she was a fine powerful-
looking woman, but decidedly not pretty; her hair
was elaborately dressed in hundreds of long narrow
curls, so thickly smeared with castor oil that the
grease had covered her naked shoulders ; in addi-
tion to this, as she had been recently under the
hands of the hairdresser, there was an amount of
fat and other nastiness upon her head that gave
her the appearance of being nearly grey.
I now counted out thirty-five dollars, which I
placed in two piles upon the table, and .through the
medium of Mahomet I explained to her that she
was no .longer a slave, as that sum had purchased
her freedom; at the same time, as it was a large
amount that I had paid, I expected she would re-
main with us as a servant until our journey should
be over, at which time she should receive a certain
sum in money, as wages at the usual rate. Maho-
met did not agree with this style of address to a
slave, therefore he slightly altered it in the trans-
lation, which I at once detected. The woman looked
frightened and uneasy at the conclusion ; I im-
mediately asked Mahomet what he had told her.
" Same like master tell to me ! " replied the indig-
nant Mahomet. "Then have the kindness to repeat
to me in English what you said to her," I replied.
" I tell that slave woman same like master's word ;
I tell her master one very good master, she Barrake
one very bad woman ; all that good dollars master
T 2
276 SINGULAR MISUNDERSTANDING. [CHAP, xi.
pay, too much money for such' a bad woman. Now
she's master's slave ; she belong to master like a
dog ; if she not make plenty good bread, work
hard all day, early morning, late in night, master
take a big stick, break her head."
This was the substance of a translation of my ad-
dress tinged with Mahomet's colouring, as being
more adapted for the ears of a slave ! My wife was
present, and being much annoyed, we both assured
the woman that Mahomet was wrong, and I insisted
upon his explaining to her literally that " 110 Eng-
lishman could hold a slave ; that the money I had paid
rendered her entirely free ; that . she would not even
be compelled GO remain with us, but she could do
as she thought proper ; that both her mistress and I
should be exceedingly kind to her, and we would
subsequently find her a good situation in Cairo ; in
the mean time she would receive good clothes and
wages." This, Mahomet, much against his will, was
obliged to translate literally. The effect was magical ;
the woman, who had looked frightened and unhappy,
suddenly beamed with smiles, and without any warn-
ing she ran towards me, and in an instant I found
myself embraced in her loving arms; she pressed
me to her bosom, and smothered me with castor
oily kisses, while her greasy ringlets hung upon my
face and neck. How long this entertainment would
have lasted I cannot tell, but I was obliged to cry
" Caffa ! Caffa ! " (enough ! enough !) as it looked im-
proper, and the perfumery was too rich; fortunately
CHAP, xi.] MAHOMET 'S EXPLANATION. 2/7
my wife was present, but she did not appear to en-
joy it more than I did ; my snow-white blouse was
soiled and greasy, and for the rest of the day I was
a disagreeable compound of smells, castor oil, tallow,
musk, sandal- wood, burnt shells, and Barrake.
Mahomet and Barrake herself, I believe, were the
only people who really enjoyed this little event.
1 Ha ! " Mahomet exclaimed, " this is your own
fault ! You insisted upon speaking kindly, and tell-
ing her that she is not a slave, now she thinks that she
is one of your ivives ! " This was the real fact ; the
unfortunate Barrake had deceived herself; never hav-
ing been free, she could not understand the use of
freedom unless she was to be a wife. She had un-
derstood my little address as a proposal, and of
course she was disappointed ; but, as an action for
breach of promise cannot be pressed in the Sou-
dan, poor Barrake, although free, had not the happy
rights of a free-born Englishwoman, who can heal
her broken heart with a pecuniary plaster, and console
herself with damages for the loss of a lover.
We were ready to start, having our party of ser-
vants complete, six Tokrooris Moosa, Abdoolahi,
Abderachman, Hassan, Adow, and Hadji Ali, with
Mahomet, Wat Gamma, Bacheet, Mahomet secundus
(a groom), and Barrake ; total, eleven men and the
cook.
When half way to Wat el Negur, we found the
whole country in alarm, Mek Nimmur having sud-
denly made a foray. He had. crossed the Atbara,
2J8 MEK NIMMUR INFADES THE FRONTIER. [CHAP. xi.
and plundered the district, and driven off large num-
bers of cattle and camels, after having killed a con-
siderable number of people. No doubt the reports
were somewhat exaggerated, but the inhabitants of
the district were flying from their villages, with their
herds, and were flocking to Katariff. We arrived at
Wat el Negur on the 3d of December, and we now felt
the advantage of our friendship with the good Sheik
Achmet, who, being a friend of Mek Nimmur, had
saved our effects during our absence ; these would
otherwise have been plundered, as the robbers had
paid him a visit; he had removed our tents and
baggage to his own house for protection. Not only
had he thus protected our effects, but he had taken
the opportunity of delivering the polite message to
Mek Nimmur that I had entrusted to his charge
expressing a wish to pay him a visit as a countryman
and friend of Mr. Mansfield Parky ns, who had for-
merly been so well received by his father.
In a few days the whole country was up. Troops
of the Dabaina Arabs, under the command of Mah-
moud Wat Said (who had now assumed the chief-
tainship of the tribe after the death of his brother
Atalan), gathered on the frontier, while about 2,000
Egyptian regulars marched against Gellabat, and
attacked the Abyssinians and Tokrooris, who had
united. Several hundreds of the Tokrooris were
killed, and the Abyssinians retreated to the moun-
tains. Large bodies of Egyptian irregulars threatened
Mek Nimmur's country, but the wily Mek was too
CHAP, xi.] MEK NIMMUR'S TACTICS. 2J9
much for them. The Jalyn Arabs were his friends ;
and, although they paid tribute to the Egyptian
Government from their frontier villages, they acted
as spies, and kept Mek Nimmur au courant of the
enemy's movements. The Hamran Arabs, those
mighty hunters with the sword, were thorough
Ishmaelites, and although nominally subject to
Egypt; they were well known as secret friends to
Mek Nimmur, and it was believed that they con-
veyed information of the localities where the Dabaina
and Shookeryha Arabs had collected their herds.
Upon these Mek Nimmur had a knack of pouncing
unexpectedly, when he was supposed to be a hundred
miles in an opposite direction.
The dry weather had introduced a season of anar-
chy along the whole frontier. The At bar a was
fordable in many places, and it no longer formed
the impassable barrier that necessitated peace. Mek
Nimmur (the Leopard King) showed the cunning and
ability of his namesake by pouncing upon his prey
without a moment's warning, and retreating with
equal dexterity. This frontier warfare, skilfully con-
ducted by Mek Nimmur, was most advantageous to
Theodorus, the King of Abyssinia, as the defence of
the boundary was maintained against Egypt by a
constant guerilla warfare. Upon several occasions,
expeditions on a large scale had been organized
against Mek Nimmur by the Governor-General of
the Soudan ; but they had invariably failed, as he
retreated to the inaccessible mountains, where he
280. INSECURITY OF THE COUNTRY. [CHAP. xi.
had beaten them with loss, and they had simply
wreaked their vengeance by burning the deserted
villages of straw huts in the low lands, that a few
dollars would quickly rebuild. Mek Nimmur was a
most unpleasant neighbour to the Egyptian Govern-
ment, and accordingly he was a great friend of the
King Theodoras ; he was, in fact, a shield that pro-
tected the heart of Abyssinia.
As I have already described, the Base were always
at Var with everybody ; and as Mek Nimmur and
the Abyssinians were constantly fighting with the
Egyptians, the passage of the Atbara to the east
bank was the commencement of a territory where
the sword and lance represented the only law. The
Hamran Arabs dared not venture with their flocks
farther east than Geera, on the Settite, about twenty-
five miles from Wat el Negur. From the point of
junction' of the Settite with the Atbara, opposite
Tomat to Geera, they were now encamped with
their herds upon the borders of the river for the
dry season. I sent a messenger to their sheik, Owat,
accompanied by Mahomet, with the firman of the
Viceroy, and I requested him to supply me with
elephant-hunters (aggageers) and guides to accom-
pany me into the Base and Mek Nimmur's country.
My intention was to thoroughly examine all the
great rivers of Abyssinia that were tributaries to the
Nile. These were the Settite, Eoyan, Angrab, Salaam,
Kahad, Dinder, and the Blue Nile. If possible, I
should traverse the Galla country, and crossing the
CHAP, xr.] NEK NIMMUR SENDS ME HIS COMPLIMENTS. 281
Blue Nile, I should endeavour to reach the White
Nile. But this latter idea I subsequently found
impracticable, as it would have interfered with the
proper season for my projected journey up the White
Nile in search of the sources.
During the absence of Mahomet, I received a very
polite message from Mek Nimmur, accompanied by
a present of twenty pounds of coffee, with an invi-
tation to pay him a visit. His country lay between
the Settite river and the Bahr Salaam ; thus with-
out his invitation I might have found it difficult
to traverse his territory ; so far, all went well. I
returned my salaams, and sent word that we in-
tended to hunt through the Base country, after
which we should have the honour of passing a few
days with him on our road to the river Salaam, at
which place we intended to hunt elephants and
rhinoceros.
Mahomet returned, accompanied by a large
party of Hamran Arabs, including several hunters,
one of whom was Sheik -Abou Do Koussoul, the
nephew of Sheik Owat ; as his name in full was
too long, he generally went by the abbreviation
"Abou Do/' He was a splendid fellow, a little
.above six feet one, with a light active figure, but
exceedingly well developed muscles : his face was
strikingly handsome ; his eyes were like those of a
giraffe, but the sudden glance of an eagle lighted
them up with a flash during the excitement of con-
versation, which showed little of the giraffe's gentle
282 RODUR SHERRIF J S WITHERED ARM. [CHAP. xi.
character. Abou Do was the only tall man of the
party, the others were of middle height, with the
exception of a little fellow named Jali, who was
not above five feet four inches, but wonderfully
muscular, and in expression a regular daredevil.
There were two parties of hunters, one under Abou
Do, and the other consisting of four brothers Sherrif.
The latter were the most celebrated aggageers among
the renowned tribe of the Hamran ; their father and
grandfather had been mighty Mmrods, and the
broadswords wielded by their strong arms, had de-
scended to the men who now upheld the prestige
of the ancient blades. The eldest was Taher Sher-
rif; his second brother, Eoder Sherrif, was a very
small, active-looking man, with a withered left arm.
An elephant had at one time killed his horse, and
on the same occasion had driven its sharp tusk
through the arm of the rider, completely splitting
the limb, and splintering the bone from the elbow-
joint to the wrist to such an extent, that by degrees
the fragments had sloughed away, and the arm had
become shrivelled and withered. It now resembled
a mass of dried leather, twisted into a deformity,
without the slightest shape of an arm; this was
about fourteen inches in length from the shoulder ;
the stiff and crippled hand, with contracted fingers,
resembled the claw of a vulture.
In spite of his maimed condition, Eoder Sherrif
was the most celebrated leader in the elephant hunt.
His was the dangerous post to ride close to the
CHAP, xi.] THE AGGAGEERS. 283
head of the infuriated animal and provoke the
charge, and then to lead the elephant in pursuit,
while the aggageers attacked it from behind; it was
in the performance of this duty that he had met
with the accident, as his horse had fallen over some
hidden obstacle, and was immediately caught. Being
an exceedingly light weight he had continued to
occupy this important position in the hunt, and the
rigid fingers of the left hand served as a hook,
upon which he could hang the reins.
My battery of rifles was now laid upon a mat
for examination ; they were in beautiful condition,
and they excited the admiration of the entire party.
The perfection of workmanship did not appear to
interest them so much as the size of the bores ;
they thrust their fingers down each muzzle, until
they at last came to the "Baby," when, finding
that two fingers could be easily introduced, they
at once fell in love with that rifle in particular.
My men explained that it was a " Jenna el Mootfah "
(child of a cannon). "Sahe, Jenna el Mootfah
kabeer," they replied (it is true, it is the child
of a very big cannon). Their delight was made
perfect by the exhibition of the half-pound explosive
shell, the effects of which were duly explained. I
told them that I was an old elephant hunter, but
that I did not hunt for the sake of the ivory, as
I wished to explore the country to discover the
cause of the Nile inundations, therefore I wished to
examine carefully the various Abyssinian rivers; but
284 MIXTURE FOR BULLETS. [CHAP. xi.
as I had heard they were wonderful sportsmen, I
should like them to join my party, and we could
both hunt and explore together. They replied that
they knew every nook and corner of the entire
country as far as Mek Nimmur's and the Base, hut
that in the latter country we must be prepared to
fight, as they made a practice of showing no quarter
to the Base, because they received none from them ;
thus we should require a strong party. I pointed
to my rifles, which I explained were odds against
the Base, who were without fire-arms ; and we
arranged to start together on the 1 7th of December.
In the interval I was busily engaged in making
bullets for the journey, with an admixture of one
pound of quicksilver to twelve of lead. This hardens
the bullet at the same time that it increases the
weight, but great caution must be observed in the
manufacture, as the mercury, being heavier than
the lead, will sink to the bottom, unless stirred with
a red-hot iron when mixed. The admixture must
take place in small quantities, otherwise the quick-
silver will evaporate if exposed to a great heat.
Thus the molten lead should be kept upon the fire
in a large reservoir, while a portion of quicksilver
should be added regularly to every ladleful taken
for immediate use. This should be well stirred before
it is poured into the mould. Bullets formed of this
mixture of metals are far superior to any others.
My preparations for the journey were soon com-
pleted. We had passed a most agreeable time at
CHAP, xi.] WE MAKE ARROWROOT. 285
Wat el Negur. Although I had not had much
shooting, I gained much experience in the country,
having made several extensive journeys in the
neighbourhood, and our constant conversations with
the sheik had somewhat improved my Arabic. I
had discovered several plants hitherto unknown to
me, among others, a peculiar bulb, from which I
had prepared excellent arrowroot. This produced
several tubers resembling sweet potatoes, but exceed-
ingly long and thin ; it was known by the Arabs
as "baboon." I pierced with a nail a sheet of tin
from the lining of a packing case, and quickly im-
provised a grater, upon which I reduced the bulb
to pulp. This I washed in water, and when strained
through cotton cloth, it was allowed to settle for
several hours. The clear water was then poured
off, and the thick sediment, when dried in the sun,
became arrowroot of the best quality. The Arabs
had no idea of this preparation, but simply roasted
the roots on the embers.
On the 17th of August, 1861, accompanied by the
German Florian, we started from Wat el Negur,
and said good-bye to our very kind friend, Sheik
Achmet, who insisted upon presenting us with a
strong but exceedingly light angarep (bedstead),
suitable for camel travelling, and an excellent water-
skin, that we should be constantly reminded of him,
night and day.
Florian was in a weak condition, as he had
suffered much from fever throughout the rainy
283 FLORIAN 1 S HUNTER. [CHAP. xi.
season. He started under disadvantageous circum-
stances, as he had purchased a horse that was a
bad bargain. The Arabs, who are sharp practi-
tioners, had dealt hardly with him, as they had sold
him a wretched brute that could make no other use
of its legs than to kick. Of course they had imposed
upon poor Florian a long history of how this horse
in a giraffe hunt had been the first at the death, &c.
&c., and he, the deceived, had promised to shoot a
hippopotamus to give them in barter. This he had
already done, and he had exchanged a river horse,
worth twenty dollars, for a terrestrial horse, worth
twenty piastres.
Florian had never mounted a horse in his lifetime,
as his shooting had always been on foot. This he
now explained to us, although the confession .was
quite unnecessary, as his first attempt at mounting
was made upon the wrong side.
Throughout his journey to Geera on the Settite,
there was a constant difference of opinion between
him and his new purchase, until we suddenly heard
a heavy fall. Upon looking back, I perceived Florian
like a spread eagle, on his stomach upon the ground,
lying before the horse, who was quietly looking at
his new master. On another occasion, I heard a
torrent of abuse expressed in German, and upon
turning round I found him clinging to the neck of
his animal, having lost both stirrups, while his rifle
had fallen to the ground. He was now cursing his
beast, whom he accused of wilful murder, for having
CHAP, xi.] ARRIVE AT GEERA. 287
replied by a kick to a slight tap lie had administered
with a stick. I could not help suggesting that he
would find it awkward should he be obliged to
escape from an elephant upon that animal in rough
and difficult ground, where good riding would be
essential ; and he declared that nothing should
tempt him either to hunt or to escape from any
beast on horseback, as he would rather trust to
his legs.
Upon arrival at Geera, we bivouacked upon the
sandy bed of the river, which had much changed in
appearance since our last visit. Although much
superior to the Atbara, the stream was confined to a
deep channel about 120 yards wide, in the centre of
the now dry bed of rounded pebbles and sand.
Exactly opposite were extensive encampments of the
Hamran Arabs, who were congregated in thousands
between this point and the Atbara junction. Their
limit for pasturage was about six miles up stream
from Geera, beyond which point they dare not trust
their flocks on account of their enemies, the Base.
We were immediately visited, upon our arrival,
by a number of Arabs, including the Sheik Abou
Do, from whom T purchased two good milk goats
to accompany us upon our journey. I had already
procured one at Wat el Negur in exchange for
a few strips of hippopotamus hide for making
whips.
Lions were roaring all night close to our sleep-
ing place ; there were many of these animals in
288 FOLLOW A HEED OF ELEPHANTS. [CHAP. xi.
this neighbourhood, as they were attracted by the
flocks of the Arabs.
On the following morning, at daybreak, several
Arabs arrived with a report that elephants had
been drinking in the river within half an hours
march of our sleeping-place. I immediately started
with my men, accompanied by Florian, and we
shortly arrived upon the tracks of the herd. I
had three Hamran Arabs as trackers, one of whom,
Talier Noor, had engaged to accompany us through-
out the expedition.
For about eight miles we followed the spoor
through high-dried grass and thorny bush, until
we at length arrived at dense jungle of kittar,
the most formidable of the hooked thorn mimosas.
Here the tracks appeared to wander ; some elephants
having travelled straight ahead, while others had
strayed to the right and left. While engaged in
determining the path of the herd, we observed four
giraffes at about half a mile distant, but they had
already perceived us, and were in full flight. For
about two hours we travelled upon the circuitous
tracks of the elephants to no purpose, when we
suddenly were startled by the shrill trumpet of
one of these animals in the thick thorns, a few
hundred yards to our left. The ground was so
intensely hard and dry that it was impossible to
distinguish the new tracks from the old, which
crossed and recrossed in all directions. I there-
fore decided to walk carefully along the outskirts
CHAP. XL] TRACK UP THE ELEPHANTS. 289
of the jungle, trusting to find their place of en-
trance by the fresh broken boughs. In about an
hour we had thus examined two or three miles,
without discovering a clue to their recent path, when
we turned round a clump of bushes, and suddenly
came in view of two grand elephants, standing at
the edge of the dense thorns ; having our wind,
they vanished instantly into the thick jungle. We
could not follow them, as their course was down
wind ; we therefore made a circuit to leeward for
about a mile, and, finding that the elephants had
not crossed in that direction, we felt sure that we
must come upon them with the wind in our favour
should they still be within the thorny jungle ; this
was certain, as it was their favourite retreat.
With the greatest labour I led the way, creeping
frequently upon my hands and knees to avoid the
hooks of the kittar bush, and occasionally listening
for a sound. At length, after upwards of an hour
passed in this slow and fatiguing advance, I dis-
tinctly heard the flap of an elephant's ear, shortly
followed by the deep guttural sigh of one of those
animals, within a few paces, but so dense was the
screen of jungle that I could see nothing. We
waited for some minutes, but not the slightest
sound could be heard ; the elephants were aware
of danger, and they were, like ourselves, listening
attentively for the first intimation of an enemy.
This was a highly exciting moment ; should they
charge, there would not be a possibility of escape,
u
290 A TREMENDOUS CRASH. [CHAP. xi.
as the hooked thorns rendered any sudden move-
meat almost impracticable. In another moment,
there was a tremendous crash ; and, with a sound
like a whirlwind, the herd dashed through the
crackling jungle. I rushed forward, as I was un-
certain whether they were in advance or retreat;
leaving a small sample of my nose upon a kittar
thorn, and tearing my way, with naked arms,
through what, in cold blood, would have appeared
impossible. I caught sight of two elephants leading
across my path, with the herd following in a dense
mass behind them. Firing a shot at the leading
elephant, simply in the endeavour to check the
herd, I repeated with the left-hand barrel at the
head of his companion; this staggered him, and
threw the main body into confusion : they imme-
diately closed up in a dense mass, and bore every-
thing before them, but the herd exhibited merely
an impenetrable array of hind quarters wedged
.together so firmly that it was impossible to obtain
a head or shoulder shot. I was within fifteen
paces of them, and so compactly were they packed,
that with all their immense strength they could
not at once force so extensive a front through the
tough and powerful branches of the dense kittar.
For about half a minute they were absolutely
checked, and they bored forward with all their
might in their determination to open a road
through the matted thorns ; the elastic boughs,
bent from their position, sprang back with dan-
CHAP, xi.] A CRITICAL POSITION. 291
gerous force, and would have fractured the skull
of any one who came within their sweep. A very
large elephant was on the left flank, and for an
instant this turned obliquely to the left ; I quickly
seized the opportunity, and fired the "Baby," with
an explosive shell, aimed far back in the flank,
trusting that it would penetrate beneath the opposite
shoulder. The recoil of the "Baby," loaded with
ten drachms of the strongest powder and a half-
pound shell, spun me round like a top it was
difficult to say which was staggered the most se-
verely, the elephant or myself; however, we both
recovered, and I seized one of my double rifles, a
Eeilly No. 10, that was quickly pushed into my
hand by my Tokroori, Hadji Ali. This was done
just in time, as an elephant from the baffled herd
turned sharp round, and, with its immense ears
cocked, it charged down upon us with a scream
of rage. " One of us she must have, if I
miss ! "
This was the first downright charge of an African
elephant that I had seen, and instinctively I fol-
lowed my old Ceylon plan of waiting for a close
shot. She lowered her head when within about
six yards, and I fired low for the centre of the
forehead, exactly in the swelling above the root of
the trunk. She collapsed to the shot, and fell
dead, with a heavy shock, upon the ground. At
the same moment, the thorny barrier gave way
before the pressure of the herd, and the elephants
U 2
292 THE FOREHEAD SHOT. [CHAP. xi.
disappeared in the -thick jungle, through which it
was impossible to follow them.
I had suffered terribly from the hooked thorns,
and the men likewise. This had been a capital
trial for my Tokrooris, who had behaved remark-
ably well, and had gained much confidence by my
successful forehead shot at the elephant when in
full charge ; but I must confess that this is the
only instance in which I have succeeded in killing
an African elephant by the front shot, although
I have steadily tried the experiment upon sub-
sequent occasions.
Florian had not had an opportunity of firing a
shot, as I had been in his way, and he could not
pass on one side owing to the thorns.
We had very little time to examine the elephant,
as we were far from home, and the sun was already
low. I felt convinced that the other elephant could
not be far off, after having received the " Baby's"
half-pound shell carefully directed, and I resolved to
return on the following morning with many people
and camels to divide the flesh. It was dark by the
time we arrived at the tents, and the news im-
mediately spread through the Arab camp that two
elephants had been killed.
On the following morning we started, and, upon
arrival at the dead elephant, we followed the tracks
of that wounded by the "Baby/' The blood upon the
bushes guided us in a few minutes to the spot
where the dead elephant lay dead, at about 300
CHAP, xi.] THE HALF-POUND EXPLOSI7E SHELL. 293
yards distance. The whole day passed in flaying
the two animals, and cutting off the flesh, which
was packed in large gum sacks, with which the
camels were loaded. I was curious to examine the
effect of the half-pound shell : it had entered the
flank on the right side, breaking the rib upon which
it had exploded ; it had then passed through the
stomach and the lower portion of the lungs, both
of which were terribly shattered, and breaking one
of the fore-ribs on the left side, it had lodged beneath
the skin of the shoulder. This was irresistible work,
and the elephant had evidently dropped in a few
minutes after having received the shell.
The elephant killed by the Reilly rifle No. 10,
with a conical bullet of quicksilver and lead, pro-
pelled by seven drachms of powder, had entered the
exact centre of the forehead of elephant No. 1, and,
passing completely through the brain and the back
part of the skull, we found it sticking fast in the
spine, between the shoulders. These No. 10 Beillys*
were wonderfully powerful rifles, and exceedingly
handy ; they weighed fourteen pounds, and were
admirably adapted for dangerous game. I measured
both the elephants accurately with a tape : that
killed by the "Baby" was nine feet six inches from
the forefoot to the shoulder, the other was eight feet
three inches. It is a common mistake that twice the
* They are now in England at Mr. Keilly's, No. 215, Oxford
Street, having accompanied me throughout my expedition, and
they have never been out of order.
294 RECOVER NY OLD WOUNDED ELEPHANT. [CHAP. xi.
circumference of the foot is the height of an elephant ;
there is no such rule that can be depended upon,
as their feet vary in size without any relative pro-
portion to the height of the animal.
A most interesting fact had occurred : when I
found the larger elephant, killed by the "Baby," I
noticed an old wound unhealed and full of matter
in the front of the left shoulder; the bowels were
shot through, and were green in various places.
Florian suggested that it must be an elephant that
I had wounded at Wat el Negur ; we tracked the
course of the bullet most carefully, until we at
length discovered my unmistakeable bullet of quick-
silver and lead, almost uninjured, in the fleshy
part of the thigh, imbedded in an unhealed wound.
Thus, by a curious chance, upon my first interview
with African elephants by daylight, I had killed
the identical elephant that I had wounded at Wat
el Negur forty-three days ago in the dhurra planta-
tion, twenty-eight miles distant ! Both these elephants
were females. It was the custom of these active
creatures to invade the dhurra fields from this great
distance, and to return to these almost impenetrable
thorny jungles, where they were safe from the attack
of the aggageers, but not from the rifles.
On our return to camp, the rejoicings were great;
the women yelled as usual, and I delighted the
Hamrans by dividing the meat, and presenting them
with the hides for shields. I gave Abou Do, and
all the hunters, and my camel drivers, large quantities
CHAP. xi.J FRATERNIZE WITH THE SWORD HUNTERS. 295
of fat ; and I found that I was accredited as a
brother hunter by the knights of the sword, who
acknowledged that their weapons were useless in
the thick jungles of Tooleet, the name of the place
where we had killed the elephants.
CHAPTEK XII.
OLD NEPTUNE JOINS THE PARTY.
WE started from Geera, on the 23d of December,
with our party complete. The Hamran sword-hunters
were Abou Do, Jali, and Sulieman. My chief
tracker was Taher Noor, who, although a good
hunter, was not a professional aggahr, and I was
accompanied by the father of Abou Do, who was
a renowned " howarti," or harpooner of hippopotami.
This magnificent old man might have been Neptune
himself; he stood about six feet two, and his
grizzled locks hung upon his shoulders in thick
and massive curls, while his deep bronze features
could not have been excelled in beauty of outline.
.A more classical figure I have never beheld than
the old Abou Do with his harpoon, as he first
breasted the torrent, and then landed dripping from
the waves to join our party from the Arab camp
on the opposite side of the river. In addition to
my Tokrooris, I had engaged nine camels, each
with- a separate driver, of the Hamrans, who were
to accompany us throughout the expedition. These
CHAP, xiij THE ARAB CENTAURS. 297
people were glad to engage themselves with their
camels included at one and a half dollars (six
shillings) per month, for man and beast as one.
We had not sufficient baggage to load five camels,
but four carried a large supply of corn for our
horses and people.
Hardly were we mounted and fairly started, than
the monkey-like agility of our aggageers was dis-
played in a variety of antics, that were far more
suited to performance in a circus than to a party
of steady and experienced hunters, who wished to
reserve the strength of their horses for a trying
journey. '
Abou Do was mounted on a beautiful Abyssinian
horse, a grey ; Sulieman rode a rough and inferior-
looking beast ; while little Jali, who was the pet of
the party, rode a grey mare, not exceeding fourteen
hands in height, which matched her rider exactly
in fire, spirit, and speed. Never was there a more
perfect picture of a wild Arab horseman than Jali
on his mare. Hardly was he in the saddle, than
away flew the mare over the loose shingles that
formed the ,dry bed of the river, scattering the
rounded pebbles in the air from her flinty hoofs,
while her rider in the vigour of delight threw him-
self almost under her belly while at full speed, and
picked up stones from the ground, which he flung,
and again caught as they descended. Never were
there more complete Centaurs than these Hamran
Arabs ; the horse and man appeared to be one
298 WILD ARAB HORSEMANSHIP. [CHAP. xn.
animal, and that of the most elastic nature, that
could twist and turn with the suppleness of a snake;
the fact of their being separate beings was proved
by the rider springing to the earth with his drawn
sword while the horse was in full gallop over rough
and difficult ground, and clutching the mane, he
again vaulted into the saddle with the agility of a
monkey, without once checking the speed. The fact
of being on horseback had suddenly altered the
character of these Arabs ; from a sedate and proud
bearing, they had become the wildest examples of
the most savage disciples of Nimrod ; excited by
enthusiasm, they shook their naked blades aloft till
the steel trembled in their grasp, and away they
dashed over rocks, through thorny bush, across
ravines, up and down steep inclinations, engaging
in a mimic hunt, and going through the various
acts supposed to occur in the attack of a furious
elephant. I must acknowledge that, in spite of
my admiration for their wonderful dexterity, I began
to doubt their prudence. I had three excellent
horses for my wife and myself; the Hamran hunters
had only one for each ; and, if the commencement
were an example of their usual style of horseman-
ship, I felt sure that a dozen horses would not be
sufficient for the work before us. However, it was
not the moment to offer advice, as they were
simply mad with excitement and delight.
The women raised their loud and shrill yell at
parting, and our party of about twenty-five persons,
CHAP, xii.] DISCIPLINE OF THE GUN-BEARERS 299
with nine camels, six horses, and two donkeys, ex-
clusive of the German Florian, with his kicking
giraffe-hunter, and attendants, ascended the broken
slope that formed the bread valley of the Settite
river.
There was very little game in the neighbourhood,
as it was completely overrun by the Arabs and
their flocks ; and we were to march about fifty
miles E.S.E. before we should arrive in the happy
hunting-grounds of the Base country, where we
were led to expect great results. Previous to leaving
Wat el Negur I had thoroughly drilled my Tokrooris
in their duties as gun-bearers, which had established
a discipline well exemplified in the recent affair
with the elephants. I had entrusted to them my
favourite rifles, and had instructed them in their
use ; each man paid particular regard to the rifle
that he carried, and, as several were of the same
pattern, they had marked them with small pieces
of rag tied round the trigger guards. This esprit
de corps was most beneficial to the preservation
of the arms, which were kept in admirable order.
Mahomet, the dragoman, " rode my spare horse, and
carried my short double-barrelled rifle, slung across
his back, in the place of his pistols and gun, which
he had wilfully thrown upon the desert when leaving
Berber. As the horse was restive, and he had placed
the hammers upon the caps, his shirt caught in
the lock, and one barrel suddenly exploded, which,
with an elephant-charge of six drachms of powder,
SCO OFF GOES THE GUN, AND ITS MASTER! [CHAP. xn.
was rather startling, within a few inches of his
ear, and narrowly escaped the back of his skull.
Florian possessed a single-barrel rifle, which he
declared to have accompanied him through many
years of sports : this weapon had become so fond
of shooting, that it was constantly going off on its
own account, to the great danger of the bystanders,
and no sooner were we well off on our journey,
than off went this abominable instrument in a spon-
taneous feu de joi, in the very midst of us !
Its master was accordingly off likewise, as his horse
gave the accustomed kick, that was invariably the
deed of separation. However, we cantered on ahead
of the dangerous party, and joined the aggageers,
until we at length reached the table-land above the
Settite valley. Hardly were we arrived, than we
noticed in the distance a flock of sheep and goats
attended by some Arab boys. Suddenly, as Don
Quixote charged the sheep, lance in hand, the
aggageers started off in full gallop, and as the
frightened flock scattered in all directions, in a few
moments they were overtaken by the hunters, each
of whom snatched a kid, or a goat, from the ground
while at full speed, and placed it upon the neck of
his horse, without either halting or dismounting.
This was a very independent proceeding ; but, as
the flock belonged to their own tribe, they laughed
at the question of property that I had immediately
raised, and assured me that this was the Arab
custom of insuring their breakfast, as we should
CHAP, xii.] OMBREGA (MOTHER OF THE THORN}. 301
kill no game during that day. In this they were
mistaken, as I killed sufficient guinea-fowl to render
the party independent of other food.
In a day's march through a beautiful country,
sometimes upon the high table-land to cut off a bend
in the river, at other times upon the margin of the
stream in the romantic valley, broken into countless
hills and ravines covered with mimosas, we arrived
at Ombre'ga (mother of the thorn), about twenty-four
miles from Geera. In that country, although unin-
habited from fear of the Base, every locality upon
the borders of the river has a name. Ombrega, is
a beautiful situation, where white sandstone cliffs of
about two hundred feet perpendicular height, wall in
the river, which, even at this dry season, was a noble
stream, impassable except at certain places, where
it was fordable. Having descended the valley we
bivouacked in the shade of thick nabbuk trees
(Rliamnus lotus), whose evergreen foliage forms a
pleasing exception to the general barrenness of the
mimosas during the season of drought; We soon
arranged a resting-place, and cleared away the grass
that produced the thorn which had given rise to
the name of Ombrega, and in a short time we were
comfortably settled for the night. We were within
fifty yards of the river the horses were luxuriating
in the green grass that grew upon its banks, and
the camels were hobbled, to prevent them from
wandering from the protection of the camp fires, as we
were now in the wilderness, where the Base by day,
302 LEOPARD SPRINGS INTO TUE CAMP. [CHAP. xn.
and the lion and leopard by night, were hostile
to man and beast. The goats, upon which we de-
pended for our supply of milk, were objects of especial
care : these were picketed to pegs driven in the
ground close to the fires, and men were ordered to
sleep on either side. We had three greyhounds
belonging to the Arabs, and it was arranged that, in
addition to these guards, a watch should be kept by
night.
The dense shade of the nabbuk had been chosen
by the Arabs as a screen to the camp-fires, that might
otherwise attract the Base, who might be prowling
about the country ; but, as a rule, however pleasant
may be the shade during the day,"the thick jungle,
and even the overhanging boughs of a tree, should be
avoided at night. Snakes and noxious insects gene-
rally come forth after dark many of these inhabit
the boughs of trees, and may drop upon the bed of
the unwary sleeper ; beasts of prey invariably inhabit
the thick jungles, in which they may creep unper-
ceived to within springing distance of an object in
the camp.
We were fast asleep a little after midnight, when
we were awakened by the loud barking of the dogs,
and by a confusion in the camp. Jumping up on
the instant, I heard the dogs, far away in the dark
jungles, barking in different directions. One of the
goats was gone ! A leopard had sprung into the camp,
and had torn a goat from its fastening, although tied
to a peg, between two men, close to a large fire. The
CHAP, xii.j THE DOG CARRIED OFF. 303
dogs had given cliasc ; but, as usual in sucli cases,
they were so alarmed as to be almost useless. We
quickly collected firebrands, and searched the jungles,
and shortly we arrived where a dog was barking
violently. Near this spot we heard the moaning of
some animal among the bushes, and upon a search
with firebrands we discovered the goat, helpless
upon the ground, with its throat lacerated by the
leopard. A sudden cry from the dog at a few yards
distance, and the barking ceased.
The goat was carried to the camp, where it shortly
died. We succeeded in recalling two of the dogs ;
but the third, that was the best, was missing, having
been struck by the leopard. We searched for the
body in vain, and concluded that it had been
carried off.
On the following day, we discovered fresh tracks
of elephants at sunrise. No time was lost in starting,
and, upon crossing the river, we found that a large
herd had been drinking, and had retreated by a pecu-
liar ravine. This cleft through the sandstone rocks,
which rose like walls for about a hundred feet upon
either side, formed an alley about twenty yards,
broad, the bottom consisting of snow-white sand that,
in the rainy season, formed the bed of a torrent from
the upper country. This herd must have comprised
about fifty elephants, that must have been in the
same locality for several days, as the ground was.
trampled in all directions, and the mimosas upon
the higher land were uprooted in great numbers :
304 THE BULL ELEPHANT. [CHAP. xn.
but after following upon the tracks for several hours
with great difficulty, owing to the intricacy of their
windings upon the dry and hard ground, we met
with a sign fatal to success, the footprints of two
men. In a short time we met the men them-
ves, two elephant-hunters who had followed the
herd on foot, with the sword as their only weapon :
they had found the elephants, which had obtained
their wind and had retreated.
The Sheik Abou Do was furious at the auda-
city of these two Hamrans, who had dared to dis-
turb our hunting-grounds, and he immediately
ordered them to return to Geera.
In addition to the tracks of the herd, we had
seen that of a large single bull elephant; this we
now carefully followed, and, after many windings,
we felt convinced that he was still within the
broken ground that formed the Settite valley. After
some hours' most difficult tracking, Taher Noor,
who was leading the way, suddenly sank gently
upon all fours. This movement was immediately,
but quietly imitated by the whole party, and I
quickly distinguished a large grey mass about sixty
yards distant among the bushes, which, being quite
leafless, screened the form of the bull elephant, as
seen through a veil of treble gauze. I felt quite sure
that we should fail in a close approach with so large
a party. I therefore proposed that I should lead
the way with the Ceylon No. 10, and creep quite
close to the elephant, while one of the aggageers
CHAP. XIL] THE FOREHEAD SHOT FAILS. 305
should attempt to sabre the back sinew. Jali whis-
pered, that the sword was useless in the high and
thick grass in which he was standing, surrounded
by thorns ; accordingly I told Florian to follow
me, and I crept forward. With difficulty, upon
hands and knees, I avoided the hooked thorns that
would otherwise have fastened upon my clothes,
and, with the wind favourable, I at length suc-
ceeded in passing through the intervening jungle,
and arrived at a small plot of grass that was suf-
ficiently high to reach the shoulder of, the elephant.
This open space was about fifteen yards in dia-
meter, and was surrounded upon all sides by thick
jungle. He was a splendid bull, and stood tempt-
ingly for a forehead shot, according to Ceylon
practice, as he was exactly facing me at about ten
yards distance. Having been fortunate with the
front shot at Geera, I determined to try the effect;
I aimed low, and crack went the old Ceylon No.
10 rifle, with seven drachms of powder and a ball
of quicksilver and lead. For an instant the "smoke
in the high grass obscured the effect, but almost
immediately after, I heard a tremendous rush, and,
instead of falling, as I had expected, I saw the
elephant crash headlong through the thorny jungle.
No one was behind me, as Florian had misunder-
stood the arrangement that he was to endeavour
to obtain a quick shot should I fail. I began to
believe in what I had frequently heard asserted,
that the forehead shot so fatal to the Indian ele-
306 THE MOUNTAIN CHAIN OF ABYSSINIA. [CHAP. xn.
pliant had no effect upon the African species, ex-
cept by mere chance. I had taken so steady an
aim at the convexity at the root of the trunk,
that every advantage had been given to the bullet ;
but the rifle that in Ceylon had been almost cer-
tain at an elephant, had completely failed. It was
quite impossible to follow the animal through the
jungle of hooked thorns. On our way toward the
camp we saw tracks of rhinoceros, giraffes, buffa-
loes, and varieties of antelopes," but none of the
animals themselves.
On the following morning we started, several
times fording the river to avoid the bends : our
course was duo east. After the first three hours'
ride through a beautiful country bordering the Set-
tite valley, which we several times descended, we
came in clear view of the magnificent range of
mountains, that from Geera could hardly J be dis-
cerned ; this was the great range of Abyssinia, some
points of which exceed 10,000 feet. The country
that we now traversed was so totally uninhabited
that it was devoid of all footprints of human beings ;
even the sand by the river's side, that like the
snow confessed every print, was free from all traces
of man. The Base were evidently absent from our
neighbourhood.
We had several times disturbed antelopes during
the early portion of the march, and we had just
ascended from the rugged slopes of the , valley, when
we observed a troop of about a hundred baboons, who
CHAP, xii.] A HUNT AFTER A HERD OF BABOONS. 307
were gathering gum arable from the mimosas ; upon
seeing us, they immediately waddled off, " Would
the lady like to have a girrit (baboon) ?" exclaimed
the ever-excited Jali : being answered in the affirma-
tive, away dashed the three hunters in full gallop
after the astonished apes, w T ho, finding themselves
pursued, went off at their best speed. The ground
was rough, being full of broken hollows, covered
scantily with mimosas, and the stupid baboons,
instead of turning to the right into the rugged and
steep valley of the Settite, where they would have
been secure from the aggageers, kept a straight course
before the horses. It was a curious hunt ; some of
the very young baboons were riding on their mothers'
backs : these were now going at their best pace,
holding on to their maternal steeds, and looking
absurdly human ; but, in a few minutes, as we closely
followed the Arabs, we were all in the midst of
the herd, and with great dexterity two of the ag-
gageers, while at full speed, stooped like falcons
from their saddles, and seized each a half-grown ape
by the back of the neck, and hoisted them upon
the necks of the horses. Instead of biting, as I had
expected, the astonished captives sat astride of the
horses, and clung tenaciously with both arms to the
necks of their steeds, screaming with fear. The hunt
was over, and we halted to secure the prisoners.
Dismounting, to my surprise the Arabs immediately
stripped from a mimosa several thongs of bark, and
having tied the baboons by the neck, they gave
X 2
308 THE PRISONERS. [CHAP. xn.
them a merciless whipping with their powerful
coorbatches of hippopotamus hide. It was in vain
that I remonstrated against this harsh treatment ;
they persisted in the punishment, otherwise they
declared that the baboons would bite, but if well
whipped they would become "miskeen" (humble).
At length my wife insisted upon mercy, and the
unfortunate captives wore an expression of counten-
ance like prisoners about to be led to execution, and
they looked imploringly at our faces, in which they
evidently discovered some sympathy with their fate.
They were quickly placed on horseback before their
captors, and once more we continued our journey,
highly amused with the little entr'acte.
We had hardly ridden half a mile, when I per-
ceived a fine bull tetel (Antelope Bubalis) standing
near a bush a few hundred yards distant. Motion-
ing to the party to halt, I dismounted, and with
the little Fletcher rifle I endeavoured to obtain a
shot. When within about a hundred and seventy
yards, he observed our party, and I was obliged to
take the shot, although I could have approached
unseen to a closer distance, had his attention not
been attracted by the noise of the horses. He threw
his head up preparatory to starting off, and he was
just upon the move as I touched the trigger. He
fell like a stone to the shot, but almost immediately
he regained his feet and bounded off, receiving a
bullet rom the second barrel without a flinch ;
in full speed he rushed away across the party of
CHAP, xii.] A COURSE AFTER A TETEL. 3C9
aggageers about three hundred yards distant. Out
dashed Abou Do from the ranks on his active grey
horse, and away he flew after the wounded tetel ;
his long hair floating in the wind, his naked sword
in hand, and his heels digging into the flanks of
his horse, as though armed with spurs in the last
finish of a race. It was a beautiful course ; Abou
Do hunted like a cunning greyhound ; the tdtel
turned, and taking advantage of the double, he cut
off the angle : succeeding by the manoeuvre, he again
followed at tremendous speed over the numerous
inequalities of the ground, gaining in the race until
he was within twenty yards of the tetel, when we
lost sight of both game and hunter in the thick
bushes. By that time I had regained my horse,
that was brought to meet me, and I followed
to the spot, towards which my wife, and the agga-
geers encumbered with the unwilling apes, were
already hastening. Upon arrival, I found, in high
yellow grass beneath a large tree, the tetel dead,
and Abou Do wiping his bloody sword, surrounded
by the foremost of the party. He had hamstrung
the animal so delicately, that the keen edge of the
blade was not injured against the bone. My two
bullets had passed through the tdtel ; the first was
too high, having entered above the shoulder this
had dropped the animal for a moment ; the second
was through the flank. The Arabs now tied the
iboons to trees, and employed themselves in care-
illy skinning the te'tel so as to form a sack from
310 THE CRY OF BUFFALOES. [CHAP. xn.
the hide ; they had about half finished the operation,
when we were disturbed by a peculiar sound at a
considerable distance in the jungle, which, being
repeated, we knew to be the cry of buffaloes. In
an instant the tetel was neglected, the aggageers
mounted their horses, and leaving my wife with a
few men to take charge of the game, accompanied
by Florian we went in search of the buffaloes. This
part of the country was covered with grass about
nine feet high, that was reduced to such extreme
dryness that the stems broke into several pieces
like glass as we brushed through it. The jungle
was open, composed of thorny mimosas at such wide
intervals that a horse could be ridden at consider-
able speed, if accustomed to the country. Alto-
gether it was the perfection of ground for shooting,
and the chances were in favour of the rifle.
We had proceeded carefully about half a mile when
I heard a rustling in the grass, and I shortly perceived
a bull buffalo standing alone beneath a tree, close to
the sandy bed of a dried stream, about a hundred
yards distant between us and the animal ; the grass
had been entirely destroyed by the trampling of a
large herd. I took aim at the shoulder with one of
my No. 10 Eeilly rifles, and the buffalo rushed for-
ward at the shot, and fell about a hundred paces
beyond in the bush. At the report of the shot, the
herd that we had not observed, which had been lying
upon the sandy bed of the stream, rushed past us
with a sound like thunder, in a cloud of dust raised
CHAP, xii.] . WE J1UST AND CAPTURE. 311
by several hundreds of large animals in full gallop.
I could hardly see them distinctly, and I waited for
a good chance, when presently a mighty bull sepa-
rated from the rest, and gave me a fair shoulder shot.
I fired a little too forward, and missed the shoulder ;
but I made a still better shot by mistake, as the
Keilly bullet broke the spine through the neck, and
dropped him dead. Florian, poor fellow, had not
the necessary tools for the work, and one of his light
guns produced no effect. Now came the time for
the aggageers. Away dashed Jali on his fiery mare,
closely followed by Abou Do and Suleiman, who in
a few instants were obscured in the cloud of dust
raised by the retreating buffaloes. As soon as I could
mount my horse that had been led behind me, I
followed at full speed, and spurring hard, I shortly
came in sight of the three aggageers, not only in
the dust, but actually among the rear buffaloes of
the herd. Suddenly, Jali almost disappeared from the
saddle as he leaned forward with a jerk, and seized
a fine young buffalo by the tail. In a moment Abou
Do and Suleiman sprang from their horses, and I
arrived just in time to assist them in securing a
fine little bull of about twelve hands high, whose
horns were six or seven inches long. A pretty fight
we had with the young Hercules. The Arabs stuck
to him like bull-dogs, in spite of his tremendous
struggles, and Florian, with other men, shortly arriv-
ing, we secured him by lashing his legs together
with our belts until impromptu ropes could be made
312 THE BABOONS TAKE LEAVE. [CHAP. xn.
with mimosa "bark. I now returned to the spot where
we had left my wife and the tetel. T found her
standing about fifty yards from the spot with a double
rifle cocked, awaiting an expected charge from one
of the buffaloes that, separated from the herd, had
happened to rush in her direction. Mahomet had
been in an awful fright, and was now standing secure
behind his mistress. I rode through the grass with
the hope of getting a shot, but the animal had dis-
appeared. We returned to the dead te'tel and to
our captive baboons ; but times had changed since
we had left them. One had taken advantage of our
absence, and, having bitten through his tether, he
had escaped ; the other had used force instead of
cunning, and, in attempting to tear away from con-
finement, had strangled himself with the slip-knot
of the rope.
The aggageers now came up with the young buf-
falo. This was a great prize, as zoological specimens
were much sought after at Cassala by an agent from
Italy, who had given contracts for a supply. My
hunters, to whom I willingly gave my share in the
animal, left one of their party with several of my
people to obtain the assistance of the camel-drivers,
who were not far distant in the rear; these were to
bring the flesh of the animals, and to drive the young
bull on the march.
We now pushed on ahead, and at 5 P.M. we arrived
at the spot on the margin of the Settite river at which
we were to encamp for some time.
CHAP. XIL] THE VALLEY OF THE SETTITE. 313
In this position, the valley of the Settite had
changed its character : instead of the rugged and
broken slopes on either side of the river, ascending
gradually to the high table-lands, the east bank of
the river was low, and extended, in a perfect flat
for about eight miles, to the foot of an abrupt
range of hills ; the base had many ages ago formed
the margin of the stream, which had washed this
enormous mass of soil towards the Atbara river, to
be carried by the Nile for a deposit in Lower
Egypt. During the rainy season, the river over-
flowed its banks, and attained a width in many
places of six and seven hundred yards. The soil
was rich, and, having imbibed much moisture from
a periodical overflow, it gave birth to thick jungles
of nabbuk (Rhamnus lotus), together with luxuriant
grass, which being beautifully green while all other
leaves and herbage were parched and withered,
afforded pasturage and shade that attracted a number
of wild animals. For many miles on either side,
the river was fringed with dense groves of the
green nabbuk, but upon the east bank, an island
had been formed of about three hundred acres ; this
was a perfect oasis of verdure, covered with large
nabbuk trees, about thirty feet high, and forming a
mixture of the densest coverts, with small open glades
of rich but low herbage. To reach this island, upon
which we were to encamp, it was necessary to cross
the arm of the river, that was now dry, with the ex-
ception of deep pools, in one of which we perceived a
314 THE BULL BUFFALO. [CHAP. xn.
large bull buffalo drinking, just as we descended
the hill. As this would be close to the larder, I
stalked to within ninety yards, and fired a Eeilly
No. 10 into his back, as his head inclined to the
water. For the moment he fell upon his knees,
but recovering immediately, he rushed up the steep
bank of the island, receiving my left-hand barrel
between the shoulders, and he disappeared in the
dense covert of green nabbuk on the margin. As
we were to camp within a few yards of the spot,
he was close to home ; therefore, having crossed the
river, we carefully followed the blood tracks through
the jungle ; but, after having pushed our way for
about twenty paces through the dense covert, I came
to the wise conclusion that it was not the place for
following a wounded buffalo, and that we should
find him dead on the next morning. A few yards
upon our right hand was a beautiful open glade,
commanding a view of the river, and surrounded
by the largest nabbuk trees that afforded a delightful
shade in the midst of the thick covert. This was
a spot that in former years had been used by the
aggageers as a camp, and we accordingly dismounted,
and turned the horses to graze upon the welcome
grass. Each horse was secured to a peg by a long
leathern thong, as the lions in this neighbourhood
were extremely dangerous, having the advantage of
thick and opaque jungle.
"We employed ourselves until the camels should
arrive, in cutting thorn branches, and constructing
CHAP, xn.l THE ISLAND CAMP. 315
a zareeba, or fenced camp, to protect our animals
during the night from the attack of wild beasts.
I also hollowed out a thick green bush to form
an arbour, as a retreat during the heat of the day,
and in a short space of time we were prepared for
the reception of the camels and effects. The river
had cast up immense stores of dry wood; this we
had collected, and, by the time the camels arrived
with the remainder of our party after dark, huge
fires were blazing high in air, the light of which
had guided them direct to our camp. They were
heavily laden with meat, which is the Arab's great
source of happiness, therefore in a few minutes the
whole party was busily employed in cutting the
flesh into long thin strips to dry ; these were hung
in festoons over the surrounding trees, while the
fires were heaped with tit-bits of all descriptions.
I had chosen a remarkably snug position for ourselves ;
the two angareps (stretchers) were neatly arranged
in the middle of a small open space free from over-
hanging boughs ; near these blazed a large fire, upon
which were roasting a row of marrow- bones of
buffalo and tetel, while the table was spread with
a clean cloth, and arranged for dinner.
The woman Barrake', who had discovered with
regret that she was not a wife but a servant, had
got over the disappointment, and was now making
dhurra cakes upon the doka : this is a round earthen-
ware tray about eighteen inches in diameter, which,
supported upon three stones or lumps of earth, over
316 MAHOMET HEARS THE LIONS. [CHAP. xn.
a fire of glowing embers, forms a hearth. Slices
of liver, well peppered with cayenne and salt, were
grilling on the gridiron, and we were preparing to dine,
when a terrific roar within a hundred and fifty
yards informed us that a lion was also thinking of
dinner. A confusion of tremendous roars proceeding
from several lions followed the first round, and my
aggageers quietly remarked, " There is no danger
for the horses to-night, the lions have found your
wounded buffalo ! "
Such a magnificent chorus of bass voices I had
never heard ; the jungle cracked, as with repeated
roars they dragged the carcase of the buffalo through
the thorns to the spot where they intended to devour
it. That which was music to our ears was discord
to that of Mahomet, who with terror in his face
came to us and exclaimed : " Master, what's that ?
What for master and the missus come to this bad
country ? That's one bad kind will eat the missus in
the night ! Perhaps he come and eat Mahomet ! "
This after-thought was too much for him, and
Bacheet immediately comforted him by telling the
most horrible tales of death and destruction that
had been wrought by lions, until the nerves of
Mahomet were completely unhinged.
This was a signal for story-telling, when suddenly
the aggageers changed the conversation by a few tales
of the Base natives, which so thoroughly eclipsed
the dangers of wild beasts, that in a short time the
entire party would almost have welcomed a lion,
CHAP. xii.J TALES OF THE BASE. 3J 7
provided he would only have agreed to protect them
from the Base*. In this very spot where we were
then camped, a party of Arab hunters had, two
years previous, been surprised at night and killed
by the Base, who still boasted of the swords that
they possessed as spoils from that occasion. The
Base knew this spot as the favourite resting-place
of the Hamran hunting-parties, and they might be
not far distant now, as we were in the heart of
their country. This intelligence was a regular damper
to the spirits of some of the party. Mahomet quietly
retired and sat down by Barrake, the ex-slave woman,
having expressed a resolution to keep awake every
hour that he should be compelled to remain in that
horrible country. The lions roared louder and louder,
but no one appeared to notice such small thunder ;
all thoughts were fixed upon the Basd, so thoroughly
had the aggageers succeeded in frightening not only
Mahomet, but also our Tokrooris.
CHAPTER XIII.
THE LIONS FIND THE BUFFALO.
EARLY on the following morning the lions were still
roaring, apparently within a hundred yards of the
camp. I accordingly took a Rcilly No. 10, double
rifle, and accompanied by my wife, who was anxious
to see these glorious animals, and who carried my
little Fletcher No. 24, I skirted the outside of the
jungle on the high bank, on the narrow arm of the
river. "We were not long in finding traces of the
lions. A broad track in the sandy bed of the
dried stream showed where the buffalo had been
dragged across to the thick and impervious green
bushes, exactly beneath us on the margin of the
river. A hind quarter of the buffalo, much gnawed,
lay within seven or eight paces of us, among the
bushes that had been trampled down, and the dung
of numerous lions lay upon the open ground near
the place of their concealment. We had two
Tokrooris with us, carrying spare rifles, and I felt
sure that the lions were within the bushes of dense
nabbuk, which concealed them as perfectly as though
CHAP, xin.] WE SEEK AN INTRODUCTION. 319
behind a closed curtain. We approached within
three or four yards of this effective screen, when
suddenly we heard the cracking of bones, as the
lions feasted in their den close to us ; they would
not show themselves, nor was there any possibility
of obtaining a shot ; therefore, after ascending the high
bank, and waiting for some time in the hope that
one might emerge to drag away the exposed portion
of the buffalo, we returned to camp.
The aggageers had already returned from a re-
connaisance of the country, as they had started
before daybreak in search of elephants; they re-
ported the fresh tracks of a herd, and they begged
me to lose no time in accompanying them, as the
elephants might retreat to a great distance. There
was no need for this advice ; in a. few minutes my
horse Tetel was saddled, and my six Tokrooris
and Bacheet, with spare rifles, were in attendance.
Bacheet, who had so ingloriously failed in his first
essay at Wat el Negur, had been so laughed at
by the girls of the village for his want of pluck,
that he had declared himself ready to face the devil
rather than the ridicule of the fair sex ; and, to do
him justice, he subsequently became a first-rate lad
in moments of danger.
The aggageers were quickly mounted. It was a
sight most grateful to a sportsman to witness the
start of these superb hunters, who with the sabres
slung from the saddle-bow, as though upon an
everyday occasion, now left the camp with these
320 THE START OF THE SWORD HUNTERS. [CHAP. xm.
simple weapons, to meet the mightiest animal of
the creation in hand-to-hand conflict. The horses'
hoofs clattered as we descended the shingly beach,
and forded the river shoulder-deep, through the
rapid current, while those on foot clung to the
manes of the horses, and to the stirrup-leathers, to
steady themselves over the loose stones beneath.
Shortly after our arrival upon the opposite side,
we came upon numerous antelopes of the nellut
(A. Strepsiceros) and tetel (A. Bubalis). I would not
fire at these tempting animals as we were seeking
nobler game.
Tracking was very difficult ; as there was a total
absence of rain, it was next to impossible to dis-
tinguish the tracks of two days' date from those
most recent upon the hard and parched soil ; the
only positive clue was the fresh dung of the ele-
phants, and this being deposited at long intervals
rendered the search extremely tedious. The greater
part of the day passed in useless toil, and, after
fording the river backwards and forwards several
times, we at length arrived at a large area of sand
in the bend of the stream, that was evidently over-
flowed when the river was full ; this surface of
many acres was backed by a forest of large trees.
Upon arrival at this spot, the aggageers, who ap-
peared to know every inch of the country, declared
that, unless the elephants had gone far away, they
must be close at hand, within the forest. We were
speculating upon the direction of the wind, when
CHAP, xin.] THE BULL ELEPHANT. 32J
we were surprised by the sudden trumpet of an
elephant, that proceeded from the forest already de-
clared to be the covert of the herd. In a few
minutes later, a fine bull elephant marched ma-
jestically from the jungle upon the large area of
sand, and proudly stalked direct towards the river.
At that time we were stationed under cover of
a high bank of sand that had been left by the
retiring river in sweeping round an angle ; we im-
mediately dismounted, and remained well concealed.
The question of attack was quickly settled ; the ele-
phant was quietly stalking towards the water, which
was about three hundred paces distant from the
jungle : this intervening space was heavy dry sand,
that had been thrown up by the stream in the
sudden bend of the river, which, turning from this
point at a right angle, swept beneath a perpendi-
cular cliff of conglomerate rock formed of rounded
pebbles cemented together.
I proposed that we should endeavour to stalk the
elephant, by creeping along the edge of the river,
under cover of a sand-bank about three feet high,
and that, should the rifles fail, the aggageers should
come on at full gallop, and cut off his retreat from
the jungle ; we should then have a chance for the
swords.
Accordingly, I led the way, followed by Hadji
Ali, my head Tokroori, with a rifle, while I carried
the " Baby." Florian accompanied us. Having the
wind fair, we advanced quickly for about half the
Y
322 THE "BABY" SCREAMS AT HIM. [CIIAP. xm.
distance, at which time we were within a hundred
and fifty yards of the elephant, who had just arrived
at the water, and had commenced drinking. We
110 w crept cautiously towards him ; the sand-bank
had decreased to a height of about two feet, and
afforded very little shelter. Not a tree nor bush
grew upon the surface of the barren sand, which was
so deep that we sank nearly to the ankles at every
footstep. Still we crept forward, as the elephant
alternately drank, and then spouted the water in a
shower over his colossal form ; but just as we had
arrived within about fifty yards, he happened to
turn his head in our direction, and immediately
perceived us. He cocked his enormous ears, gave
a short trumpet, and for an instant he wavered in
his determination whether to attack or fly ; but as
I rushed towards him with a shout, he turned towards
the jungle, and I immediately fired a steady shot at
the shoulder with the " Baby." As usual, the fearful
recoil of the rifle, with a half-pound shell and twelve
drachms of powder, nearly threw me backwards ;
but I saw the mark upon the elephant's shoulder
in an excellent line, although rather high. The only
efFect of the shot w r as to send him off at great speed
towards the jungle; but at the same moment the
three aggageers came galloping across the sand lika
greyhounds in a course, and, judiciously keeping^
parallel with the jungle, they cut off his retreat >
and, turning towards the elephant, they confronted
liim, sword in hand. At once the furious beast
CHAP, xni.] THE FIGHT, SW T OBD IN HAND. 323
charged straight at the enemy; but now came the
very gallant, but foolish, part of the hunt. Instead
of leading the elephant by the flight of one man
and horse, according to their usual method, all the
aggageers at the same moment sprang from their
saddles, and upon foot in the heavy sand they
attacked the elephant with their swords.
In the way of sport, I never saw anything so
magnificent, or so absurdly dangerous. No gladia-
torial exhibition in the Eoman arena could have
surpassed this fight. The elephant was mad with
rage, and nevertheless he seemed to know that the
object of the hunters was to get behind him. This
he avoided with great dexterity, turning as it were
upon a pivot with extreme quickness, and charging
headlong, first at one, and then at another of his
assailants, while he blew clouds of sand in the air
with his trunk, and screamed with fury. Nimble as
monkeys, nevertheless the aggageers could not get
behind him. In the folly of excitement they had
forsaken their horses, who had escaped from the spot.
The depth of the loose sand was in favour of the
elephant, and was so much against the men that
they avoided his charges with extreme difficulty. It
was only by the determined pluck of all three, that
they alternately saved each other,- as two invariably
dashed in at the flanks when the elephant charged
the third, upon which the wary animal immediately
relinquished the chase, and turned round upon his
pursuers. During this time, I had been labouring
Y 2
324 ABOU DO'S BLADE TASTES BLOOD. [CHAP. xm.
through the heavy sand, and shortly after I arrived
at the fight, the elephant charged directly through
the aggageers, receiving a shoulder shot from one of
my Reilly No. 10 rifles, and at the same time a
slash from the sword of Abou Do, who, with great
dexterity and speed, had closed in behind him, just
in time to reach the leg. Unfortunately, he could
not deliver the cut in the right place, as the elephant,
with increased speed, completely distanced the agga-
geers ; he charged across the deep sand, and reached
the jungle. We were shortly upon his tracks, and
after running about a quarter of a mile, he fell dead
in a dry watercourse. His tusks were, like the gene-
rality of Abyssinian elephants, exceedingly short,
but of good thickness.
Some of our men, who had followed the runaway
horses, shortly returned, and reported that, during
our fight with the bull, they had heard other ele-
phants trumpeting in the dense nabbuk jungle
near the river. A portion of thick forest of about
two hundred acres, upon this side of the river, was
a tempting covert for elephants, and the aggageers,
who were perfectly cognisant with the habits of the
animals, positively declared that the herd must be
within this jungle. Accordingly, we proposed to
skirt the margin of the river, which, as it made a
bend at right angles, commanded two sides of a
square. Upon reaching the jungle by the river side,
we again heard the trumpet of an elephant, and
about a quarter of a mile distant we observed a
CHAP, xiii.] WE FIND THE HERD. 325
herd of twelve of these animals shoulder-deep in
the river, which they were in the act of crossing to
the opposite side, to secure themselves in an almost
impenetrable jungle of thorny nabbuk. The aggageers
advised that we should return to the ford that we
had already crossed, and, by repassing the river, we
should most probably meet the elephants, as they
would not leave the thick jungle until the night.
Having implicit confidence in their knowledge of
the country, I followed their directions, and we
shortly recrossed the ford, and arrived upon a dry
portion of the river's bed, banked by a dense thicket
of nabbuk.
Jali now took the management of affairs. We
all dismounted, and sent the horses to a considerable
distance lest they should by some noise disturb the
elephants. We shortly heard a cracking in the jungle
on our right, and Jali assured us, that, as he had
expected, the elephants were slowly advancing along
the jungle on the bank of the river, and, they would
pass exactly before us. We waited patiently in the
bed of the river, and the cracking in the jungle
sounded closer as the herd evidently approached.
The strip of thick thorny covert that fringed the
margin was in no place wider than half a mile
beyond that, the country was open and park-like, but
at this season it was covered with parched grass
from eight to ten feet high; the elephants would,
therefore, most probably remain in the jungle until
driven out.
326 Mil LEADS THE PARTY. [CHAP. xm.
In about a quarter of an hour, we heard by the
noise in the jungle, about a hundred yards from the
river, that the elephants were directly opposite to us.
I accordingly instructed Jali to creep quietly by
himself into the bush and to bring me information
of their position : to this he at once agreed.
In three or four minutes he returned ; he declared
it impossible to use the sword, as the jungle was so
dense that it would check the blow, but that I could
use the rifle, as the elephants were close to us he
had seen three standing together, between us and
the main body of the herd. I told Jali to lead me
direct to the spot, and, followed by Florian and the
aggageers, with my gun-bearers, I kept within a foot
of my dependable little guide, who crept gently into
the jungle ; this was intensely thick, and quite im-
penetrable, except in such places where elephants and
other heavy animals had trodden numerous alleys.
Along one of these narrow passages we stealthily
advanced, until Jali stepped quietly on one side, and
pointed with his ringer : I immediately observed two
elephants looming through the thick bushes about
eight paces from me. One offered a temple shot,
which I quickly took with a Eeilly No. 10, and
floored it on the spot. The smoke hung so thickly,
that I could not see sufficiently distinctly to fire my
second barrel before the remaining elephant had
turned ; but Florian, with a three-ounce steel-tipped
bullet, by a curious shot at the hind quarters, injured
the hip joint to such an extent that we could more
CHAP, xin.] THE FOREHEAD SHOT FAIRLY PRO FED. 327
than equal the elephant in speed. In a few moments
we found ourselves in a small open glade in the
middle of the jungle, close to the stern of the elephant
we were following. I had taken a fresh rifle, with
both barrels loaded, and hardly had I made the
exchange, when the elephant turned suddenly, and
charged. Determined to try fairly the forehead shot,
I kept my ground, and fired a Reilly No. 10, quick-
silver and lead bullet, exactly in the centre, when
certainly within four yards. The only effect was
to make her stagger backwards, when, in another
moment, with her immense ears thrown forward,
she again rushed on. Tin's was touch-and-go ; but
I fired my remaining barrel a little lower than
the first shot. Checked in her rush, she backed
towards the dense jungle, throwing her trunk about
and trumpeting with rage. Snatching the Ceylon
No. 10 from one of my trusty Tokrooris (Hassan), I
ran straight at her, took a most deliberate aim at the
forehead, and once more fired. The only effect was a
decisive charge ; but before I fired my last barrel,
Jali rushed in, and, with one blow of his sharp sword,
severed the back sinew. She was utterly helpless in
the same instant. Bravo Jali ! I had fired three
beautifully correct shots with No. 10 bullets, and
seven drachms of powder in each charge ; these were
so nearly together that they occupied a space in her
forehead of about three inches, and all had failed to
kill ! There could no longer be any doubt that the
forehead shot at an African elephant could not be
28 THE CHARGE OF THE PILLLANX. [CHAP. xin.
relied upon, although, so fatal to the Indian species :
this increased the danger tenfold, as in Ceylon I
had generally made certain of an elephant by steadily
waiting until it was close upon me.
I now reloaded my rifles, and the aggageers quitted
the jungle to remount their horses, as they expected
the herd had broken cover on the other eide of the
jungle ; in which case they intended to give chase,
and, if possible, to turn them back into the covert,
and drive them towards the guns. We accordingly
took our stand in the small open glade, and I lent
Florian one of my double rifles, as he was only pro-
vided with one single-barrelled elephant gun. I did
not wish to destroy the prestige of the rifles, by
hinting to the aggageers that it would be rather
awkward for us to receive the charge of the in-
furiated herd, as the foreheads were invulnerable ;
but inwardly I rather hoped that they would not
come so direct upon our position as the aggageers
wished.
About a quarter of an hour passed in suspense,
when we suddenly heard a chorus of wild cries of
excitement on the other side of the jungle, raised
by the aggageers who had headed the herd, and were
driving them back towards us. In a few minutes
a tremendous crashing in the jungle, accompanied
by the occasional shrill scream of a savage elephant,
and the continued shouts of the mounted aggageers,
assured us that they were bearing down exactly upon
our direction ; they were apparently followed even
CHAP, xiii.] Mr "BABY" KICKS VICIOUSLY. 320
through the dense jungle by the wild and reckless
Arabs. I called my men close together, and told
them to stand fast, and hand me the guns quickly ;
and we eagerly awaited the onset that rushed towards
us like a storm. On they came, tearing everything
before them. For a moment the jungle quivered and
crashed ; a second later, and, headed by an immense
elephant, the herd thundered down upon us. The
great leader came direct at me, and was received
with right and left in the forehead from a Reilly
No. 10 as fast as I could pull the triggers. The shock
made it reel backwards for an instant, and fortunately
turned it, and the herd, likewise. My second rifle was
beautifully handed, and I made a quick right and
left at the temples of two fine elephants, dropping
them both stone-dead. At this moment the "Baby "
was pushed into my hand by Hadji Ali just in time
to take the shoulder of the last of the herd, who had
already charged headlong after his comrades, and was
disappearing in the jungle. Bang ! went the " Baby ;"
round I spun like a weathercock, with the blood pour-
ing from my nose, as the recoil had driven the sharp
top of the hammer deep into the bridge. My " Baby "
not only screamed, but kicked viciously. However,
I knew that the elephant must be bagged, as the
half-pound shell had been aimed directly behind the
shoulder.
Tn a few minutes the aggageers arrived ; they were
bleeding from countless scratches, as, although naked,
with the exception of short drawers, they had forced
,330 ABOU DO SLASHES THE SINEW. [CHAP. xm.
tlieir way on horseback through the thorny path cleft
by the herd in rushing through the jungle. Abou Do
had blood upon his sword. They had found the ele-
phants commencing a retreat to the interior of the
country, and they had arrived just in time to turn
them. Following them at full speed, Abou Do had
succeeded in overtaking and slashing the sinew of an
elephant just as it was entering the jungle. Thus the
aggageers had secured one, in addition to Florian's
elephant that had been slashed by Jali. "We now
hunted for the "Baby's" elephant, which was almost
immediately discovered lying dead within a hundred
and fifty yards of the place where it had received
the shot. The shell had entered close to the shoulder,
and it was extraordinary that an animal should have
been able to travel so great a distance with a wound
through the lungs by a shell that had exploded within
the body.
We had done pretty well. I had been fortunate
in bagging four from this herd, in addition to the
single bull in the morning ; total, five. Florian had
killed one, and the aggageers one ; total, seven ele-
.phants. One had escaped that I had wounded
in the shoulder, and two that had been wounded
by Florian.
The aggageers were delighted, and they deter-
mined to search for the wounded elephants on the
following day, as the evening was advancing, and
we were about five miles from camp. Having my
measuring-tape in a game-bag that was always car-
CHAP, XIIL] THE BOAR WOUNDS RICIL1RN. 331
lied by Abdoolahi, I measured accurately one of the
elephants that had fallen with the legs stretched out,
so that the height to the shoulder could be exactly
taken : From foot to shoulder in a direct line, nine
feet one inch ; circumference of foot, four feet eight
inches. The elephant lying by her side was still
larger, but the legs being doubled up, I could not
measure her; these were females.
We now left the jungle, and found our horses
waiting for us in the bed of the river by the
waterside, and we rode towards our camp well
satisfied with the day's work. Upon entering an
open plain of low withered grass we perceived a
boar, who upon our approach showed no signs of
fear, but insolently erected his tail and scrutinised
our party. Florian dismounted and fired a shot,
which passed through his flank, and sent the boar
flying off at full speed. Abou Do and I gave
chase on horseback, and after a run of a few
hundred yards we overtook the boar, which turned
resolutely to bay.
In a short time the whole party arrived, and, as
Florian had wounded the animal, his servant Eichavn
considered that he should give the coup de grace ;
but upon his advancing with his drawn knife, the
boar charged desperately, and inflicted a serious
wound across the palm of his hand, which was
completely divided to the bone by a gash with the
sharp tusk. Abou Do immediately rode to the
rescue, and with a blow of his sword divided the
332 OLD MOOSA THE SORCERER. [CHAP. xni.
spine behind the shoulder, and nearly cut the boar
in half. By this accident Kicharn was disabled for
some days.
Upon our arrival at the camp, there were great
rejoicings among our people at the result of the
day's sport. Old Moosa, the half fortune-teller,
half priest, of the Tokrooris, had in our absence
employed himself in foretelling the number of
elephants we should kill. His method of conjuring
was rather perplexing, and, although a mystery
beyond my understanding, it might be simple to an
English spiritualist or spirit-rapper ; he had never-
theless satisfied both himself and others, therefore
the party had been anxiously waiting our return to
hear the result. Of course, old Moosa was wrong,
and of course he had a loophole for escape, and
thereby preserved his reputation. The aggageers
expected to find our wounded elephants on the
following morning, if dead, by the flights of vultures.
That night the lions again serenaded us with con-
stant roaring, as they had still some bones to gnaw
of the buffalo's remains.
At daybreak the next morning, the aggageers in
high glee mounted their horses, and with a long
retinue of camels, and men provided with axes and
knives, together with large gum sacks to contain
the flesh, they quitted the camp to cut up the
numerous elephants. As I had no taste for this
disgusting work, I took two of my Tokrooris, Hadji
Ali and Hassan, and, accompanied by old Abou Do,
CHAP. XIIL] NEPTUNE AND HIS TRIDENT. 333
the father of the sheik, with his harpoon, we started
along the margin of the river in quest of hippopotami.
The harpoon for hippopotamus and crocodile
hunting, is a piece of soft steel about eleven inches
long, with a narrow blade or point of about three-
quarters of an inch in width, and a single but
powerful barb. To this short and apparently insig-
nificant weapon a strong rope is secured, about
twenty feet in length, at the extremity of which is
a buoy or float, .as large as a child's head, formed of
an extremely light wood called ambatch (Anemone
mirabilis), that is about half the specific gravity of
cork. The extreme end of the short harpoon is fixed
in the point of a bamboo about ten feet long,
around which the rope is twisted, while the buoy
end is carried in the left hand.
The old Abou Do being resolved upon work, had
divested himself of his tope or toga before starting,
according to the general custom of the aggageers,
who usually wear a simple piece of leather wound
round the loins when hunting, but, I believe in
respect for our party, they had provided themselves
with a garment resembling bathing drawers, such
as are worn in France, Germany, and other civilized
countries; but the old Abou Do, like the English,
had resisted any such innovation, and he accordingly
appeared with nothing on but his harpoon ; and a
more superb old Neptune I never beheld. He carried
this weapon in his hand, as the trident with which
the old sea-god ruled the monsters of the deep ; and
334 THE BEAUTY OF THE SETTITE. [CHAP. xm.
as the tall Arab patriarch of threescore years and
ten, with his long grey locks flowing Over his brawny
shoulders, stepped as lightly as a goat from rock
to rock along the rough margin of the river, I
followed him in admiration.
The country was very beautiful ; we were within
twenty miles of lofty mountains, while at a distance
of about thirty-five or forty miles were the high
peaks of the Abyssinian Alps. The entire land was
richly wooded, although open, and adapted for hunt-
ing upon horseback. Through this wild and lovely
country the river Settite flowed in an ever-changing
course. At times the bed was several hundred
yards wide, with the stream, contracted at this season,
flowing gently over rounded pebbles ; the water was
at clear as glass ; in other places huge masses of
rock impeded the flow of water, and caused dangerous
rapids ; then, as the river passed through a range of
hills, perpendicular cliffs of sandstone and of basalt
walled it within a narrow channel, through which
it rushed with great impetuosity ; issuing from these
straits it calmed its fury in a deep and broad pool,
from which it again commenced a gentle course over
sands and pebbles. At that season the river would
have been perfection for salmon, being a series of
rapids, shallows, deep and rocky gorges, and quiet
silent pools of unknown depth ; in the latter places of
security the hippopotami retreated after their noc-
turnal rambles upon terra firma. The banks of this
beautiful river were generally thickly clothed with
CHAP, xiii ] BORDERS OF THE RIFER.
bright green nabbuk trees, that formed a shelter for
innumerable guinea-fowl, and the black francolin
partridge. Herds of antelopes of many varieties
were forced to the river to drink, as the only
water within many miles ; but these never remained
long among the thick nabbuk, as the lions and
leopards inhabited that covert expressly to spring
upon the unwary animal whose thirst prompted a
too heedless advance. Wherever there was a sand-
bank in the river, a crocodile basked in the morning
sunshine ; some of these were of enormous size.
Hippopotami had trodden a path along the margin
of the river, as these animals came out to feed shortly
after dark, and travelled from pool to pool. Where-
ever a plot of tangled and succulent herbage grew
among the shady nabbuks, there were the marks of
the harrow-like teeth, that had torn and rooted up
the rank grass like an agricultural implement.
After walking about two miles, we noticed a herd
of hippopotami, in a pool below a rapid : this was
surrounded by rocks, except upon one side, where
the rush of water had thrown up a bank of pebbles
and sand. Our old Neptune did not condescend
to bestow the slightest attention when I pointed
out these animals ; they were too wide awake ; but
he immediately quitted the river's bed, and we
followed him quietly behind the fringe of bushes
upon the border, from which we carefully examined
the water. About half a mile below this spot, as
we clambered over the intervening rocks through
336 THE HIPPOPOTAMUS HUNTER. [CHAP. xm.
a gorge which formed a powerful rapid, I observed,
in a small pool just below the rapid,, an immense
head of a hippopotamus close to a perpendicular
rock that formed a wall to the river, about six feet
above the surface. I pointed out the hippo to old
Abou Do, who had not seen it. At once the gravity
of the old Arab disappeared, and the energy of the
hunter was exhibited as he motioned us to remain,
while he ran nimbly behind the thick screen of bushes
for about a hundred and fifty yards below the spot
where the hippo was unconsciously basking, with his
ugly head above the surface. Plunging into the rapid
torrent, the veteran hunter was carried some distance
down the stream, but breasting the powerful current,
he landed upon the rocks on the opposite side, and
retiring to some distance from the river, he quickly
advanced towards the spot beneath which the hippo-
potamus was lying. I had a fine view of the scene,
as I was lying concealed exactly opposite the hippo,
who had disappeared beneath the water. Abou Do
now stealthily approached the ledge of rock beneath
which he had expected to see the head of the
animal ; his long sinewy arm was raised, with the
harpoon ready to strike, as he carefully advanced.
At length he reached the edge of the perpendicular
rock ; the hippo had vanished, but far from ex-
hibiting surprise, the old Arab remained standing
on the sharp ledge, unchanged in attitude. No
figure of bronze could have been more rigid than
that of the old river-king, as he stood erect upon
'k.;i:i: : '
CHAP, xiii.] THE HIPPO IS HARPOONED.
the rock with the left foot advanced, and the harpoon
poised in his ready right hand above his head, while
in the left he held the loose coils of rope attached
to the ambatch buoy. For about three minutes he
stood like a statue, gazing intently into the clear
and deep water beneath his feet. I watched eagerly
for the reappearance of the hippo ; the surface of
the water was still barren, when suddenly the right
arm of the statue descended like lightning, and the
harpoon shot perpendicularly into the pool with
the speed of an arrow. What river-fiend answered
to the summons ? In an instant an enormous pair
of open jaws appeared, followed by the ungainly
head and form of the furious hippopotamus, who,
springing half out of the water, lashed the river into
foam, and, disdaining the concealment of the deep
pool, he charged straight up the violent rapids.
With extraordinary power he breasted, the de-
scending stream ; gaining a footing in the rapids,
about five feet deep, he ploughed his way against
the broken waves, sending them in showers of
spray upon all sides, and upon gaining broader
shallows he tore along through the water, with
the buoyant float 'hopping behind him along the
surface, until he landed from the river, started at
full gallop along the dry shingly bed, and at length
disappeared in the thorny nabbuk jungle.
I never could have imagined that so unwieldy
an animal could have exhibited such speed : no man
would have had a chance of escape, and it was
z
338 4 CHEER FOR OLD NEPTUNE. [CHAP. XIIT.
fortunate for our old Neptune that lie was secure
upon the high ledge of rock, for if he had been in
the path of the infuriated beast, there would have
been an end of Abou Do. The old man plunged
into the deep pool just quitted by the hippo, and
landed upon our side ; while in the enthusiasm of the
moment I waved my cap above my head, and gave
him a British cheer as he reached the shore. His
usually stern features relaxed into a grim smile of
delight : this was one of those moments when the
gratified pride of the hunter rewards him for any risks.
I congratulated him upon his dexterity ; but much
remained to be done. I proposed to cross the river,
and to follow upon the tracks of the hippo-
potamus, as I imagined that the buoy and rope
would catch in the thick jungle, and that we should
find him entangled in the bush ; but the old hunter
gently laid his hand upon my arm, and pointed up
the bed of the river, explaining that the hippo
would certainly return to the water after a short
interval.
In a few minutes later, at a distance of nearly
half a mile, we observed the hippo emerge from
the jungle, and descend at full trot to the bed of
the river, making direct for the first rocky pool
in which we had noticed the herd of hippopotami.
Accompanied by the old howarti (hippo hunter),
we walked quickly towards the spot : he explained
to me that I must shoot the harpooned hippo, as
we should not be able to secure him in the usual
CHAP, xiii.] DEATH OF THE HIPPOPOTAMUS. 339
method by ropes, as nearly all our men were absent
from camp, disposing of the dead elephants.
Upon reaching the pool, which was about a hun-
dred and thirty yards in diameter, we were imme-
diately greeted by the hippo, who snorted and roared
as we approached, but quickly dived, and the buoy-
ant float ran along the surface, directing his course
in the same manner as the cork of a trimmer with
a pike upon the hook. Several times he appeared,
but, as he invariably faced us, I could not obtain
a favourable shot; I therefore sent the old hunter
round the pool, and he, swimming the river, ad-
vanced to the opposite side, and attracted the atten-
tion* of the hippo, who immediately turned towards
him. This afforded me a good chance, and I fired
a steady shot behind the ear, at about seventy
yards, with a single-barrelled rifle. As usual with
hippopotami, whether dead or alive, he disappeared
beneath the water at the shot. The crack of the
ball and the absence of any splash from the bullet
told me that he was hit ; the ambatch float
remained perfectly stationary upon the surface. I
watched it for some minutes it never moved ; seve-
ral heads of hippopotami appeared and vanished in
different directions, but the float was still ; it marked
the spot where the grand old bull lay dead
beneath.
I shot another hippo, that I thought must be
likewise dead ; and, taking the time by my watch,
I retired to the shade of a tree with Hassan, while
Z 2
310 CHARACTER OF HIPPOPOTAMI. [CHAP. xin.
Hadji All and the old hunter returned to camp for
assistance in men and knives, &c.
In a little more than an hour and a half, two
objects, like the backs of turtles appeared above the
surface : these were the flanks of the two hippos.
A short time afterwards the men arrived, and, regard-
less of crocodiles, they swam towards the bodies. One
was towed directly to the shore by the rope attached
to the harpoon, the other was secured by a long-
line, and dragged to the bank of clean pebbles.
I measured the bull that was harpooned ; it was four-
teen feet two inches from the upper lip to the extremity
of the tail ; the head was three feet one inch from the
front of the ear to the edge of the lip in a straight
line. The harpoon was sticking in the nape of the
neck, having penetrated about two and a half inches
beneath the hide ; this is about an inch and three-
quarters thick upon the back of the neck of a bull
hippopotamus. It was a magnificent specimen, with
the largest tusks I have ever seen ; the skull is now
in my hall in England.
Although the hippopotamus is generally harmless,
the solitary old bulls are sometimes extremely
vicious, especially when in the water. I have fre-
quently known them charge a boat, and I have
myself narrowly escaped being upset in a canoe by
the attack of one of these creatures, without the
slightest provocation. The females are extremely shy
and harmless, and they are most affectionate mothers :
the only instances that I have known of the female
CHAP. XITI.] HABITS OF THE ANIMAL. 341
attacking a man, have been those in which her calf
had been stolen. To the Arabs they are extremely
valuable, yielding, in addition to a large quantity of
excellent flesh, about two hundred pounds of fat,
ind a hide that will produce about two hundred
coorbatches, or camel whips. I have never shot these
useful creatures to waste ; every morsel of the flesh
has been stored either by the natives or for our own
use ; and whenever we have had a good supply of
antelope or giraffe meat, I have avoided firing a shot
at the hippo. Elephant flesh is exceedingly strong
and disagreeable, partaking highly of the peculiar
smell of the animal. We had now a good supply
of meat from the two hippopotami, which delighted
our people. The old Abou Do claimed the bull
that he had harpooned, as his own private property,
and he took the greatest pains in dividing the hide
longitudinally, in strips of the width of three fingers,
which he cut with great dexterity.
Although the hippopotamus is amphibious, he
requires a large and constant supply of air ; the
lungs are of enormous size, and he invariably in-
flates them before diving. From five to eight
minutes is the time that he usually remains under
water ; he then comes to the surface, and expends
the air within his lungs by blowing ; he again re-
fills the lungs almost instantaneously, and if fright-
ened, he sinks immediately. In places where they
have become extremely shy from being hunted, or
fired at, they seldom expose the head above the
342 ACTITITT OF THE HIPPOPOTAMUS. [CHAP. xm.
surface, but merely protrude the nose to breathe
through the nostrils ; it is then impossible to shoot
them. Their food consists of aquatic plants, and
grasses of many descriptions. Not only do they
visit the margin of the river, but they wander at
night to great distances from the water if attracted
by good pasturage, and, although clumsy and un-
gainly in appearance, they clamber up steep banks
and precipitous ravines with astonishing power and
ease. In places where they are perfectly undis-
turbed,, they not only enjoy themselves in the sun-
shine by basking half asleep upon the surface of
the water, but they lie upon the shore beneath the
shady trees, upon the river's bank : I have seen
them, when disturbed by our sudden arrival during
the march, take a leap from a bank about twenty
feet perpendicular depth into the water below, with
a splash that has created waves in the quiet pool,
as though a paddle-steamer had passed by. The
Arabs attached no .value to the tusks ; these are far
more valuable than elephant ivory, and are used
by dentists in Europe for the manufacture of false
teeth, for which they are admirably adapted, as
they do not change colour. Not wishing to destroy
the remaining hippopotami that were still within
the pool, I left my men and old Abou Do busily
engaged in arranging the meat, and I walked quietly
homeward.
CHAPTER XIV.
A FOREBODING OF EVIL.
I HAD been for some hours in the camp, but none
of the aggageers had returned, neither had we re-
ceived any tidings of our people and camels that
had left us at daybreak to search for the dead
elephants. Fearing that some mishap might have
occurred in a collision with the Base, I anxiously
looked out for some sign of the party. At about
4 P.M. I observed far up the bed of the river
several men, some mounted, and others upon foot,
while one led a camel with a curious-looking load.
Upon a nearer approach I could distinguish some
large object upon the camel's back, that was steadied
by two men, one of whom walked on either side.
I had a foreboding that something was wrong, and
in a few minutes I clearly perceived a man lying
upon a make-shift litter, carried by the camel, while
the Sheik Abou Do and Suleiman accompanied the
party upon horseback ; a third led Jali's little grey
mare.
344 JAIVS THIGH TS BROKEN. [CHAP. xiv.
They soon arrived beneath the high bank of the
river upon which I stood. Poor little Jali, my
plucky and active ally, lay, as I thought, dead
upon the litter. We laid him gently upon my an-
garep, which I had raised by four men, so that we
could lower him gradually from the kneeling camel,
and we carried him to the camp, about thirty yards
distant. He was faint, and I poured some essence
of peppermint (the only spirit I possessed) down
his throat, which quickly revived him. His thigh
was broken about eight inches above the knee, but
fortunately it was a simple fracture.
Abou Do now explained the cause of the accident.
While the party of camel-men and others were en-
gaged in cutting up the dead elephants, the three
aggageers had found the track of a bull that had
escaped wounded. In that country, where there was
no drop of water upon the east bank of the Settite
for a distance of sixty or seventy miles to the
river Gash, an elephant if wounded was afraid to
trust itself to the interior ; one of our escaped ele-
phants had therefore returned to the thick jungle,
and was tracked by the aggageers to a position
within two or three hundred yards of the dead
elephants. As there were no guns, two of the agga-
geers, utterly reckless of consequences, resolved to
ride through the narrow passages formed by the
large game, and to take their chance with the ele-
phant, sword in hand. Jali, as usual, was the first
to lead, and upon his little grey mare he advanced
CHAP, xiv.] ABOU DO SAFES JAIL 345
with the greatest difficulty through the entangled
thorns, broken by the passage of heavy game ; to
the right and left of the passage it was impossible
to move. Abou Do had wisely dismounted, but
Suleiman followed Jali. Upon arriving within a
few yards of the elephant, which was invisible in
the thick thorns, Abou Do crept forward on foot,
and discovered it standing with ears cocked, evidently
waiting for the attack. As Jali followed on his light
grey mare, the elephant immediately perceived the
white colour, and at once charged forward. Escape
was next to impossible : Jali turned his mare sharp
round, and she bounded off, but caught in the thorns,
the mare fell, throwing her rider in the path of the
elephant that was within a few feet behind, in full
chase. The mare recovered herself in an instant, and
rushed away ; the elephant, occupied by the white
colour of the animal, neglected the man, upon whom
he trod in the pursuit, thus breaking his thigh. Abou
Do, who had been between the elephant and Jali,
had wisely jumped into the thick thorns, and, as the
elephant passed him, he again sprang out behind,
and followed with his drawn sword, but too late
to save Jali, as it was the affair of an instant.
Jumping over Jali's body, he was just in time to
deliver a tremendous cut at the hind leg of the
elephant, that must otherwise have killed bo'th horses
.and most probably Suleiman also, as the three were
caught in a cul de sac in a passage that had no
outlet, and were at the elephant's mercy.
S46 EXTRAORDINARY DEXTERITY. [CHAP. xiv.
Abou Do seldom failed ; it was a difficult feat to
strike correctly in the narrow jungle passage witli
the elephant in full speed, but the blow was fairly
given, and the back sinew was divided. Not con-
tent with the success of the cut, he immediately
repeated the stroke upon the other leg, as he feared
that the elephant, although disabled from rapid mo-
tion, might turn and trample Jali. The extraordi-
nary dexterity and courage required to effect this
can hardly be appreciated by those who have never
hunted a wild elephant ; but the extreme agility,
pluck, and audacity of these Hamran sword- hunters
surpass all feats that I have ever witnessed.
I set Jali's broken thigh, and employed myself in
making splints : fortunately my tool-chest was at
hand, and I selected some pieces of dry wood that
had been left on the bank by the retiring river. I
made two splints, one with a crutch to fit beneath
the arm, this I carried to about three inches beyond
the foot, and cut a V-shaped notch to secure the
bandage ; the other was a common short splint about
eighteen inches long. My wife quickly made about
sixty yards of bandages, while Barrake, the maid,
prepared thick gum water, from gum arabic, that the
mimosas produced in unlimited quantity. Fixing
the long splint under the arm, and keeping it upon
the outside of the thigh, with the leg perfectly
straight, I lashed the foot and ankle securely to the
Y-shaped notch : I then strapped the upper portion
of the splint with bandages passed around the
CHAP, xiv.] JUNGLE SURGERY. 347
patient's chest, until he was swathed from beneath
the arms to the hips, thus securing the splint to his
body. The thigh, and entire leg from the fork to
the ankle, I carefully secured to the long splint with
three rows of bandages, the first plain, and the last
two layers were soaked in thick gum-water. When
these became dry and hard, they formed a case like
an armour of pasteboard ; previous to bandaging the
limb in splints, I had bathed it for some hours with
cold applications.
On the following morning I expected to find my
patient in great pain ; but, on the contrary, he com-
plained very little. His pulse was good, and there
was very little swelling or heat. I gave him some
cooling medicine ; and the only anxiety that he ex-
pressed was the wish to get well immediately, so as
to continue the expedition.
The Arabs thought that I could mend the leg of
a man as though it were the broken stock of a gun,
that would be serviceable immediately when repaired.
As these people never use spirituous liquors, they
are very little subject to inflammation, and they
recover quickly from wounds that would be serious
to Europeans. I attended to Jali for four days. He
was a very grateful, but unruly patient, as he had
never been accustomed to remain quiet. At the
end of that time we arranged an angarep com-
fortably upon a camel, upon which he was trans-
ported to Geera, in company with a long string of
camels, heavily laden with dried meat and squares
of hide for shields, with large bundles of hippopo-
348 WE LOSE OUR BEST NAN. [CHAP. xiv.
tamus skin for whip making, together with the
various spoils of the chase. Last, but not least,
were numerous leathern pots of fat that had been
boiled down from elephants and hippopotami.
The camels were to return as soon as possible
with supplies of corn for our people and horses.
Another elephant-hunter was to be sent to us in
the place of Jali ; but I felt that we had lost our
best man.*
Although my people had been in the highest
spirits up to this time, a gloom had been thrown
over the party by two causes Jali's accident, and
the fresh footmarks of the Base that had been dis-
covered upon the sand by the margin of the river.
The aggageers feared nothing, and if the Base had
been legions of demons they would have faced them,
sword in hand, with the greatest pleasure. But my
Tokrooris, who were brave in some respects, had been
so cowed by the horrible stories recounted of these
common enemies at the nightly camp-fires by the
liamran Arabs, that they were seized with a panic,
and resolved to desert en masse, and return to
Katariff, where I had originally engaged them, and
at which place they had left their families.
This desertion having been planned, they came
to me in a body, just as the camels and Jali were
about to depart, and commenced a series of absurd
excuses for their intended desertion. The old grey-
headed Moosa, by whose fortune-telling and sorcery
* I heard from Jali six weeks later; he was then well, and offered
to rejoin us shortly, but I declined to risk the strength of his leg.
CHAP, xiv.] Ml' TOKROORIS DETERMINE TO DESERT. 349
the party were invariably guided, had foretold evil.
This had confirmed them in their determination to
return home. They were not a bad set of fellows,
but, like most of their class, they required peculiar
management, If natives are driven, they invariably
hate their master, and turn sulky ; if you give in
to them, they lose respect, and will never obey.
They are exceedingly subject to sudden impulses,
under the influence of which they are utterly
unreasonable. As the expedition depends for success
entirely upon the union of the party, it is highly
necessary to obtain so complete a control over every
individual, that the leader shall be regarded with
positive reverence, and his authority in al] matters
accepted as supreme. To gain such a complete
ascendancy is a work of time, and is no easy matter,
as an extreme amount of tact and judgment is neces-
sary, combined with great kindness and common
sense, with, at times, great severity. The latter
should be avoided as long as possible.
In this instance, the desertion of my Tokrooris
would have been a great blow to my expedition, as
it was necessary to have a division of parties. 1
had now Tokrooris, Jaleens, and Hamran Arabs.
Thus they would never unite together, and I was
certain to have some upon my side in a difficulty.
Should I lose the Tokrooris, the Hamran Arabs
would have the entire preponderance.
The whole of my Tokrooris formed in line before
me and my wife, just as the camels were about to
350 4. LITTLE DIPLOMACY IS REqUIRED. [CHAP. xiv.
leave ; each man had his little bundle prepared for
starting on a journey. Old Moosa was the spokes-
man, he said that they were all very sorry; that
they regretted exceedingly the necessity of leaving
us, but some of them were sick, and they would
only be a burden to the expedition ; that one
of them was bound upon a pilgrimage to Mecca,
and that God would punish him should he neglect
this great duty ; others had not left any money
with their families in Katariff, that would starve
in their absence. (I had given them an advance
of wages, when they engaged at Katariff, to pro-
vide against this difficulty.) I replied : " My
good fellows, I am very sorry to hear all this,
especially as it comes upon me so suddenly ; those
who are sick, stand upon one side " (several in-
valids, who looked remarkably healthy, stepped to
the left). "Who wishes to go to Mecca?" Abder-
achman stepped forward (a huge specimen of a
Tokroori, who went by the nickname of " El Jamoos,"
or the buffalo.) " Who wishes to remit money to
his family, as I will send it and deduct it from
his wages ?" No one came forward. During the
pause, I called for pen and paper, which Mahomet
brought. I immediately commenced writing, and
placed the note within an envelop, which I ad-
dressed, and gave to one of the camel-drivers. I
then called for my medicine-chest, and having
weighed several three-grain doses of tartar emetic,
I called the invalids, and insisted upon their taking
CHAP, xiv.] THE SICK ARE DOSED. 351
the medicine before they started, or they might
become seriously ill upon the road, which for three
days' march was uninhabited. Mixed with a little
water, the doses were swallowed, and I knew that
the invalids were safe for that day, and that the
others would not start without them.
I now again addressed my would-be deserters :
"Now, my good fellows, there shall be no misunder-
standing between us, and I will explain to you how
the case stands. You engaged yourselves to me for
the whole journey, and you received an advance of
wages to provide for your families during your
absence. You have lately filled yourselves with
meat, and you have become lazy; you have been
frightened by the footprints of the Base ; thus you
wish to leave the country. To save yourselves from
imaginary danger, you would forsake my wife and
myself, and leave us to a fate which you your-
selves would avoid. This is your gratitude for
kindness ; this is the return for my confidence, when
without hesitation I advanced you money. Go !
Return to Katariff to your families! I know that
all the excuses you have made are false. Those who
declare themselves to be sick, Inshallah (please
God) shall be sick. You will all be welcomed
upon your arrival at Katariff. In the letter I have
written to the Governor, inclosing your names, I have
requested him to give each man upon his appear-
ance Jive hundred lashes with the coorbatch, for
desertion ; and to imprison him until my return."
3,32 EMBRACE HIM! CRIED pLD MOOSA. [CHAP. xiv.
Check-mate ! My poor Tokrooris were in a corner,
and in their great dilemma they could not answer
a word. Taking advantage of this moment of con-
fusion, I called forward "the buffalo" Abderachman,
as I had heard that he really had contemplated a
pilgrimage to Mecca. " Abderachman," I continued,
"you are the only man who has spoken the truth.
Go to Mecca ! and may God protect you on the
journey ; I should not wish to prevent you from
performing your duty as a Mahometan.' 7
Never were people more dumbfounded with sur-
prise ; they retreated, and formed a knot in con-
sultation, and in about ten minutes they returned
to me, old Moosa and Hadji All both leading the
pilgrim Abderachman by the hands. They had given
in ; and Abderachman, the buffalo of the party,
thanked me for my permission, and with tears in
his eyes, as the camels were about to start, he at
once said good-bye. " Embrace him ! " cried old
Moosa and Hadji Ali ; and in an instant, as I had
formerly succumbed to the maid Barrake, I was
actually kissed by the thick lips of Abderachman
the unwashed ! Poor fellow ! this was sincere
gratitude without the slightest humbug ; therefore,
although he was an odoriferous savage, I could not
help shaking him by the hand and wishing him a
prosperous journey, assuring him that I would watch
over his comrades like a father, while in my service-,
In a few instants these curious people were led by
a sudden and new impulse ; my farewell had per-
CHAP, xiv.] WE BECOME STAUNCH FRIENDS. 353
fectly delighted old Moosa and Hadji Ali, whose
hearts were won. " Say good-bye to the Sit !" (the
lady) they shouted to Abderachman ; but I assured
them that it was not necessary to go through the
whole operation to which I had been subjected, and
that she would be contented if he only kissed her
hand. This he did with the natural grace of a
savage, and was led away crying by his com-
panions, who embraced him with tears, and they
parted with the affection of brothers.
Now to hard-hearted and civilized people, who
often school themselves to feel nothing, or as little
as they can, for anybody, it may appear absurd to
say that the scene was affecting, but somehow or
other it was ; and in the course of half-an-hour,
those who would have deserted had become staunch
friends, and we were all, black and white, Maho-
metans and Christians, wishing the pilgrim God
speed upon his perilous journey to Mecca.
The camels started, and, if the scene was affecting,
the invalids began to be more affected by the tartar
emetic : this was the third act of the comedy. The
plot had been thoroughly ventilated: the last act
exhibited the perfect fidelity of my Tokrooris, in
whom I subsequently reposed much confidence.
In the afternoon of that day, the brothers Sheriff
arrived ; these were the most renowned of all the
sword-hunters of the Hamrans, of whom I have
already spoken ; they were well mounted, and, having
met our caravan of camels on the route, heavily
A A
354 4BOU DO'S WEAKNESSES, [CHAP. xiv.
laden with dried flesh, and thus seen proofs of our
success, they now offered to join our party. I am
sorry to be obliged to confess, that my ally, Abou
Do, although a perfect Nimrod in sport, an Apollo
in personal appearance, and a gentleman in manner,
was a mean, covetous, and grasping fellow, and
withal absurdly jealous. Taher Sheriff was a more
celebrated hunter, having had the experience of at
least twenty 'years in excess of Abou Do, and
although the latter was as brave and dexterous
as Taher and his brothers, he wanted the cool
judgment that is essential to a first-rate sportsman.
He was himself aware of his inferiority to Taher
Sheriff, though too proud to admit it ; but, to avoid
competition, he declined to allow the Sheriffs to
join our party, declaring that, if I insisted upon the
fresh alliance, he and his comrade Suleiman would
return home. Notwithstanding his objections, I
arranged for the present that, as Jali was hors de
combat, Taher Sheriff's party should join us until
the arrival of a fresh hunter in his place, other-
wise our party would be incomplete. To prevent
complications, the greedy Abou Do selected his share
of the ivory, carefully choosing the best and most
perfect tusks, and he presented Taher's party with
a small quantity of meat that would render them
independent of his hospitality. I at once ordered
my people to give them a large supply of both meat
and corn from my own store, and they encamped hi
a quarter of our circle.
CHAP, xiv.] THE BAOBAB. 355
The following day was the new year, January 1st,
1862 ; and, with the four brothers Sheriff and our
party, we formed a powerful body of hunters : six
aggageers and myself, all well mounted. With four
gunbearers, and two camels, both *of which carried
water, we started in search of elephants. Florian
was unwell, and remained in camp.
In this dry climate it was only necessary to ride
along the margin of the river to look for fresh tracks,
as the animals were compelled to visit the Settite to
drink, and of course there was no difficulty in dis-
covering their traces. It appeared* however, that the
elephants had been frightened away from the neigh-
bourhood by the recent attack, as we rode for about
ten miles without seeing any fresh marks. We
therefore struck inland, on the east bank of the river,
intending to return home by a circuit. The country
was exactly like an English park, with no larger
timber than thorn trees. Every now and then there
was an exception in a gigantic homera (Adansonia
digitata), or baobab ; these, towering over the heads
of the low mimosas, could be seen from a great dis-
tance. Having steered direct for one, we halted, and
dismounted to rest the horses beneath the shade.
This tree was about forty feet in circumference, and
the spongy trunk Avas formed into a ladder by pegs
of hard wood driven into its side by the Base hunters,
who had thus ascended the slippery stem in search of
honey. Bees are very fond of these trees, as they arc'
generally more or less hollow, and well adapted for
A A 2
356 THE CROP OF GUM ARABIC. [CHAP. xiv.
hives. The Adansonia digitata, although a tree,
always reminds me of a gigantic fungus ; the stem
is disproportioned in its immense thickness to its
height, and its branches are few in number, and as
massive in character as the stem. The wood is not
much firmer in substance than cork, and is as suc-
culent as a carrot. In Kordofan, where water is
exceedingly scarce, the Adansonia is frequently used
as a reservoir; one of these huge hollow trees is
cleaned out and filled with water during the short
rainy season. The fruit was ripe at the time we
halted, and after many attempts, by throwing sticks,
we succeeded in procuring a considerable number.
The sub-acid flavour of the seeds, enveloped in a dry
yellow powder within the large shell, was exceed-
ingly refreshing.
The immediate neighbourhood was a perfect exhibi-
tion of gum arabic bearing mimosas. At this season
the gum was in perfection, and the finest quality was
now before us in beautiful amber-coloured masses
upon the stems and branches, varying from the size
of a nutmeg to that of an orange. So great was the
quantity, and so excellent were the specimens, that,
leaving our horses tied to trees, both the Arabs and
myself gathered a large collection. This gum, although
as hard as ice on the exterior, was limpid in the
centre, resembling melted amber, and as clear as
though refined by some artificial process. The trees
were perfectly denuded of leaves from the extreme
drought, and the beautiful balls of frosted yellow
CHAP, xiv.] THE RHINOCEROS. 357
gum recalled the idea of the precious jewels upon
the trees in the garden of the wonderful lamp of the
" Arabian Nights." This gum was exceedingly sweet
and pleasant to the taste ; but, although of the most
valuable quality, there was no hand to gather it
in this forsaken, although beautiful country ; it
either dissolved during the rainy season, or was
consumed by the baboons and antelopes. The agga-
geers took off from their saddles the skins of tanned
antelope leather, that formed the only covering to
the wooden seats, and with these they made bundles
of gum. "When we remounted, every man was well
laden.
We were thus leisurely returning home through
alternate plains and low open forest of mimosa, when
Taher Sheriff, who was leading the party, suddenly
reined up his horse, and pointed to a thick bush,
beneath which was a large grey, but shapeless, mass.
He whispered, as I drew near, " Oom gurrin" (mother
of the horn), their name for the rhinoceros. I im-
mediately dismounted, and with the short No. 10
Tatham rifle I advanced as near as I could, followed
by Suleiman, as I had sent all my gun-bearers direct
home by the river when we had commenced our
circuit. As I drew near, I discovered two rhinoceros
asleep beneath a thick mass of bushes ; they were
lying like pigs, close together, so that at a distance
I had been unable to distinguish any exact form. It
was an awkward place ; if I were to take the wind
fairly, I should have to fire through the thick bush,
358 XOW FOR A " TALLY HO I " [CHAP xiv.
which would be useless; therefore I was compelled
to advance with the wind direct from me to them.
The aggageers remained about a hundred yards dis-
tant, while I told Suleiman to return, and hold my
horse in readiness with his own. I then walked
quietly to within about thirty yards of the rhinoceros,
but so curiously were they lying that it was useless
to attempt a shot. In their happy dreams they must
have been suddenly disturbed by the scent of an
enemy, for, without the least warning, they suddenly
sprang to their feet with astonishing quickness, and
with a loud and sharp whiff, whiff, whiff! one of
them charged straight at me. I fired my right-hand
barrel in his throat, as it was useless to aim at the
head protected by two horns at the nose. This turned
him, but had no other effect, and the two animals
thundered off together at a tremendous pace.
Now for a " tally ho ! " Our stock of gum was
scattered on the ground, and away went the aggageers
in full speed after the two rhinoceros. Without
waiting to reload, I quickly remounted my horse
Tetel, and, with Sulieman in company, I spurred hard
to overtake the flying Arabs. Tetel was a good
strong cob, but not very fast ; however, I believe he
never went so well as upon that day, for, although
an Abyssinian horse, I had a pair of English spurs,
which worked like missionaries, but with a more
decided result. The ground was awkward for riding
at full speed, as it was an open forest of mimosas,
which, although wide apart, were very difficult to
CHAP, xiv.] THE H UNT. 359
avoid, owing to the low crowns of spreading branches ;
these, being armed with fish-hook thorns, would have
been serious on a collision. I kept the party in view,
until in about a mile we arrived upon open ground.
Here I again applied the spurs, and by degrees I
crept up, always gaining, until I at length joined the
aggageers.
Here was a sight to drive a hunter wild I The two
rhinoceros were running neck and neck, like a pair of
horses in harness, but bounding along at tremendous
speed within ten yards of the leading Hamran. This
was Taher Sheriff, who, with his sword drawn, and his
long hair flying wildly behind him, urged his horse
forward in the race, amidst a cloud of dust raised by
the two huge but active beasts, that tried every sinew
of the horses. Rodur Sheriff, with the withered arm,
was second ; with the reins hung upon the hawk-like
claw that was all that remained of a hand, but,
with his naked sword grasped in his right, he kept
close to his brother, ready to second his blow.
Abou Do was third ; his hair flying in the wind his
heels dashing against the flanks of his horse, to
which he shouted in his excitement to urge him to
the front, while he leant forward with his long sword,
in the wild energy of the moment, as though hoping
to reach the game against all possibility. Now
for the spurs ! and as these, vigorously applied,
screwed an extra stride out of Tetel, I soon found
myself in the ruck of men, horses, and drawn
swords. There were seven of us, and passing Abou
360 CLOSE TO THEIR TAILS. [CHAP. xiv.
Do, whose face wore an expression of agony at finding
that his horse was failing, I quickly obtained a place
between the two brothers, Taher and Eodur Sheriff.
There had been a jealousy between the two parties of
aggageers, and each was striving to outdo the other ;
thus Abou Do was driven almost to madness at the
superiority of Taher's horse, while the latter, who
was the renowned hunter of the tribe, was determined
that his sword should be the first to taste blood.
I tried to pass the rhinoceros on my left, so as to
fire close into the shoulder my remaining barrel
with my right hand, but it was impossible to over-
take the animals, who bounded along with undi-
minished speed. With the greatest exertion of man
and horses we could only retain our position within
about three or four yards of their tails just out of
reach of the swords. The only chance in the race
was to hold the pace until the rhinoceros should
begin to flag. The horses were pressed to the utmost;
but we had already run about two miles, and the
game showed no signs of giving in. On they flew,
sometimes over open ground, then through low
bush, which tried the horses severely ; then through
strips of open forest, until at length the party began to
tail off, and only a select few kept their places. We
arrived at the summit of a ridge, from which the
ground sloped in a gentle inclination for about a mile
towards the river ; at the foot of this incline was
thick thorny nabbuk jungle, for which impenetrable
covert the rhinoceros pressed at their utmost speed,
GAME RETURNING FROM THE RIVER.
CHAF. xiv.] A HORSE! MY KINGDOM FOR A HORSE. 361
Never was there better ground for the finish of a
race ; the earth was sandy, but firm, and as we saw
the winning post in the jungle that must terminate
the hunt, we redoubled our exertions to close with
the unflagging game. Suleiman's horse gave in we
had been for about twenty minutes at a killing pace.
Tdtel, although not a fast horse, was good for a dis-
tance, and he now proved his power of endurance, as
I was riding at least two stone heavier than any of
the party. Only four of the seven remained ; and we
swept down the incline, Taher Sheriff still leading,
and Abou Do the last ! His horse was done, but
not the rider ; for, springing to the ground while at
full speed, sword in hand, he forsook his tired horse,
and, preferring his own legs, he ran like an antelope,
and, for the first hundred yards I thought he would
really pass us, and win the honour of first blow. It
was of no use, the pace was too severe, and, although
running wonderfully, he was obliged to give way to
the horses. Only three now followed the rhinoceros
Taher Sheriff, his brother Eodur, and myself. I had
been obliged to give the second place to Kodur, as he
was a mere monkey in weight ; but I was a close
third. The excitement was intense we neared the
jungle, and the rhinoceros began to show signs of
flagging, as the dust puffed up before their nostrils,
and, with noses close to the ground, they snorted as
they still galloped on. Oh for a fresh horse ! " A
horse ! a horse ! my kingdom for a horse ! " We
were within two hundred yards of the jungle ; but
362 THE LAST MOMENT.' [CHAP. xiv.
the horses were all done. Tetel reeled as I urged
him forward, Kodur pushed ahead ; we were close to
the dense thorns, and the rhinoceros broke into a
trot ; they were done ! " Now, Taher, for-r-a-a-r~r-d I
for-r-r-a-a-r-d, Taher ! ! ! " Away he went he was
close to the very heels of the beasts ; but his horse
could do no more than his present pace ; still he gained
upon the nearest ; he leaned forward with his sword
raised for the blow another moment, and the jungle
would be reached ! One effort more, and the sword
flashed in the sunshine, as the rearmost rhinoceros
disappeared in the thick screen of thorns, with a gash
about a foot long upon his hind-quarters. Taher Sheriff
shook his bloody sword in triumph above his head ;
but the rhinoceros was gone. We were fairly beaten,
regularly outpaced ; but I believe another two
hundred yards would have given us the victory.
"Bravo, Taher," I shouted. He had ridden splen-
didly, and his blow had been marvellously delivered
at an extremely long reach, as he was nearly out of
his saddle when he sprang forward to enable the blade
to attain a cut at the last moment. He could not
reach the hamstring, as his horse could not gain
the proper position.
We all immediately dismounted ; the horses were
thoroughly done, and I at once loosened the girths
and contemplated my steed Tetel, who, with head
lowered, and legs wide apart, was a tolerable ex-
ample of the effects of pace. The other aggageers
shortly arrived, and as the rival Abou Do joined
< HAF. xiv.] DIFFICULTY OF HUNTING. 63
us, Taher Sheriff quietly wiped the blood off his
sword without making a remark ; this was a bitter
moment for the discomfited Abou Do.
Although we had failed, I never enjoyed a hunt
so much either before or since ; it was a magnificent
run, and still more magnificent was the idea that
a man, with no weapon but the sword, could attack
and generally vanquish every huge animal of crea-
tion. I felt inclined to discard all my rifles, and to
adopt the sabre, with a first-class horse instead of
the common horses of this country, that were totally
unfit for such a style of hunting, when carrying
nearly fifteen stone.
Taher Sheriff explained that at all times the rhi-
noceros was the most difficult animal to sabre, on
account of his extraordinary swiftness, and, although
he had killed many with the sword, it was always
after a long and fatiguing hunt ; at the close of
which, the animal becoming tired, generally turned
to bay, in which case one hunter occupied his
attention, while another galloped up behind, and
severed the hamstring. The rhinoceros, unlike the
elephant, can go very well upon three legs, which
enhances the danger, as one cut will not utterly
disable him.
There is only one species of this animal in Abys-
sinia ; this is the two-horned black rhinoceros, known
in South Africa as the keitloa. This animal is
generally five feet six inches to five feet eight inches
high at the shoulder, and, although so bulky and
364 POWER OF SCENT. [CHAP. xiv.
heavily built, it is extremely active, as our long and
fruitless hunt had exemplified. The skin is about
half the thickness of that of the hippopotamus, but
of extreme toughness and closeness of texture ; when
dried and polished it resembles horn. Unlike the
Indian species of rhinoceros, the black variety of
Africa is free from folds, and the hide fits smoothly
on the body like that of the buffalo. This two-
horned black species is exceedingly vicious ; it is
one of the very few animals that will generally
assume the offensive ; it considers all creatures to
be enemies, and, although it is not acute in either
sight or hearing, it possesses so wonderful a power
of scent, that it will detect a stranger at a distance
of five or six hundred yards should the wind be
favourable.
I have observed that a rhinoceros will generally
charge down upon the object that it smells, but
does not see ; thus, when the animal is concealed
either in high grass or thick jungle, should it scent
a man who may be passing unseen to windward, it
will rush down furiously upon the object it has
winded, with three loud whiffs, resembling a jet of
steam from a safety-valve. As it is most difficult
and next to impossible to kill a rhinoceros when
charging, on account of the protection to the brain
afforded by the horns, an unexpected charge in
thick jungle is particularly unpleasant ; especially
when on horseback, as there is no means of escape
but to rush headlong through all obstacles, when
CHAP. xiv.J HORNS OF THE RHINOCEROS. 365
the rider will most likely share the fate that befell
the unfortunate Jali.
The horns of the black Abyssinian species seldom
exceed two feet in length, and are generally much
shorter ; they are not fitted upon the bone, like the
horns of all other animals, but are merely rooted
upon the thick skin, of which they appear to be a
continuation. Although the horn of a rhinoceros is
a weapon of immense power, it has no solid founda-
tion, but, when the animal is killed, it can be sepa-
rated from its hold upon the second day after death,
by a slight blow with a cane. The base forms an
exceedingly shallow cup, and much resembles the
heart of an artichoke when the leaves have been
picked off. The teeth are very peculiar, as the mo-
lars have a projecting cutting edge on the exterior
side ; thus the jaws when closed form a pair of
shears, as the projecting edges of the upper and
lower rows overlap : this is a favourable arrangement
of nature to enable the animal to clip off twigs and the
branches upon which it feeds, as, although it does not
absolutely refuse grass, the rhinoceros is decidedly a
wood eater. There are particular bushes which form
a great attraction, among these is a dwarf mimosa
with a reddish bark ; this tree grows in thick masses,
which the rhinoceros clips so closely that it frequently
resembles a quickset hedge that has been cut by the
woodman's shears. These animals are generally seen
in pairs, or the male, female, and calf; the mother
is very affectionate, and exceedingly watchful and
366 PECULIARITY OF THE RHINOCEROS. [CHAP.'XIV.
savage. Although so large an animal, the cry is.
very insignificant, and is not unlike the harsh shrill
sound of a penny trumpet. The drinking hour is
about 8 P.M. or two hours after sunset, at which
time the rhinoceros arrives at the river from his
daily retreat, which is usually about four miles in
the interior. He approaches the water by regular
paths made by himself, but not always by the
same route ; and, after drinking, he generally retires
to a particular spot beneath a tree that has been
visited upon regular occasions ; in such places large
heaps of dung accumulate. The hunters take advan-
tage of this peculiarity of the rhinoceros, and they
set traps in the path to his private retreat ; but he is
so extremely wary, and so acute is the animal's power
of scent, that the greatest art is necessary in setting
the snare. A circular hole about two feet deep and
fifteen inches in diameter is dug in the middle of
his run, near the tree that has been daily visited ;
upon this hole is placed a hoop of tough wood ar-
ranged with a vast number of sharp spikes of a
strong elastic wood, which, fastened to the rim,
meet at the centre, and overlap each other as
would the spokes of a wheel in the absence of the
nave, if lengthened sufficiently. We will simplify
the hoop by calling it a wheel without a centre,
the spokes sharpened and overlapping in the middle.
This instrument being fitted neatly above the hole,
a running noose of the strongest rope is laid in a
circle upon the wheel ; the other extremity of the
CHAP, xiv.] RHINOCEROS SNARE. 367
rope is fastened to the trunk of a tree that has
been felled for that purpose, and deeply notched
at one end to prevent the rope from slipping. This
log, which weighs about five or six hundredweight,
is then buried horizontally in the ground, and the
entire trap is covered with earth and carefully con-
cealed ; the surface is smoothed with a branch in-
stead of the hand, as the scent of a human touch
would at once be detected by the rhinoceros. When
completed, a quantity of the animal's dung is swept
from the heap upon the snare. If the trap is undis-
covered, the rhinoceros steps upon the hoop, through
which his leg sinks into the hole, and upon his
attempt to extricate his foot, the noose draws tight
over the legs ; as the spiked hoop fixing tightly
into the skin prevents the noose from slipping over
the foot. Once caught, his first effort to escape
drags the heavy log from the trench, and as the
animal rushes furiously away, this acts as a drag,,
and, by catching in the jungle and the protruding
roots of trees, it quickly fatigues him. On the
following morning the hunters discover the rhino-
ceros by the track of the log that has ploughed
along the ground, and the animal is killed by lances,
or by the sword. The hide of a rhinoceros will produce
seven shields ; these are worth about two dollars each,
as simple hide before manufacture ; the horn is
sold in Abyssinia for about two dollars per pound,
for the manufacture of sword-hilts, which are much
esteemed if of this material.
368 BARRAKE POISONS HERSELF. [CHAP, xiv.
Upon our return to camp, I found that the woman
Barrake' was ill. She had insisted upon eating a
large] quantity of the fruit of the hegleek tree
(Balanites dEgyptiaca), which abounded in this neigh-
bourhood. This tree is larger than the generality
in that country, being about thirty feet in height
and eighteen inches in diameter ; the ashes of the
burnt wood are extremely rich in potash, and the
fruit, which is about the size and shape of a date,
is sometimes pounded and used by the Arabs in
lieu of soap for washing their clothes. This fruit
is exceedingly pleasant, but in a raw state it has an
irritating effect upon the bowels, and should be
used in small quantities. Barrake had been cautioned
by the Arabs and ourselves, but she had taken a
fancy that she was determined to gratify; therefore
she had eaten the forbidden fruit from morning until
night, and a grievous attack of diarrhoea was the
consequence. My wife had boiled the fruit with
wild honey, and had made a most delicious preserve ;
in this state it was not unwholesome. She had like-
wise preserved the fruit of the nabbuk in a similar
manner : the latter resembles minute apples in ap-
pearance, with something of the medlar in flavour;
enormous quantities were produced upon the banks
of the river, which falling when ripe, were greedily
eaten by guinea-fowl, wild hogs, antelopes, and
monkeys. Elephants are particularly fond of the
fruit of the hegleek, which, although apparently
too insignificant for the attention of such mighty
CHAP, xiv.] ATTRACTIVE FOOD FOR ELEPHANTS. 369
animals, they nevertheless enjoy beyond any other
food, and they industriously gather them one by
one. At the season when the fruit is ripe, the
hegleek tree is a certain attraction to elephants, who
shake the branches and pick up the fallen berries
with their trunks ; frequently they overturn the tree
itself, as a more direct manner of feeding.
Florian was quite incapable of hunting, as he was
in a weak state of health, and had for some months
been suffering from chronic dysentery. I had several
times cured him, but, as Barrake' insisted upon eating
fruit, so he had a weakness for the strongest black
coffee, which, instead of drinking, like the natives,
in minute cups, he swallowed wholesale in large
basins, several times a day; this was actual poison
with his complaint, and he was completely ruined in
health. He had excellent servants, Ri f charn, whom
I subsequently engaged, who was my only faithful
man in my journey up the White Nile, and two
good Dongalowas.
At this time, his old companion, Johann Schmidt,
the carpenter, arrived, having undertaken a contract
to provide, for the Italian Zoological Gardens, a
number of animals. I therefore proposed that the
two old friends should continue together, while I
would hunt by myself, with the aggageers, towards
the east and south.
This arrangement was agreed to, and we parted.
In the following season, I engaged this excellent
man, Johann Schmidt, as my lieutenant for the
B B
370 FLORIAN KILLED BY A LION. [CHAP. xiv.
White Nile expedition, on the banks of which fatal
river he now lies, with the cross that T erected
over his grave.
Poor Florian at length recovered from his com-
plaint, but was killed by a lion. He had wounded
an elephant, which on the following morning he
found dead ; a lion had eaten a portion during the
night. While he was engaged with his men in
extracting the tusks, one of his hunters (a Tokroori)
followed the track of the lion on the sand, and found
the animal lying beneath a bush ; he fired a single-
barrelled rifle, and wounded it in the thigh. He
at once returned to his master, who accompanied
him to the spot, and the lion was found lying
under the same bush, licking the wound. Florian
fired, and missed ; the lion immediately crouched
for a spring ; Florian fired his remaining barrel,
the ball merely grazed the lion, who almost in the
same instant bounded forward, and struck him upon
the head with a fearful blow of the paw, at the
same time it seized him by the throat.
The Tokroori hunter, instead of flying from the
danger, placed the muzzle of his rifle to the lion's
ear, and blew its brains out on the body of his
master. The unfortunate Florian had been struck
dead, and great difficulty was found in extracting
the claws of the lion, which had penetrated the
skull. Florian, although a determined hunter, was
an exceedingly bad shot, and withal badly armed
for encounters with dangerous game ; I had frequently
CHAP, xiv.] GLOOMY PREDICTION. 37 1
prophesied some calamity from the experience I had
had in a few days' shooting in his society, and most
unhappily my gloomy prediction was fulfilled.
This was the fate of two good and sterling
Germans, who had been my companions in this
wild country, where degrees of rank are entirely
forgotten, provided a man be honest and true. I
constantly look back to the European acquaintances
and friends that I made during my sojourn in Africa,
nearly all of whom are dead : a merciful Providence
guided us through many dangers and difficulties,
and shielded us from all harm, during nearly five
years of constant exposure. Thanks be to God.
Our camels returned from Geera with corn, accom-
panied by an Abyssinian hunter, who was declared
by Abou Do to be a good man, and dexterous with
the sword. We accordingly moved our camp, said
adieu to Florian and Johann, and penetrated still
deeper into the Base.
B B 3
CHAPTER XV.
ANTELOPES ON THE SETTITE.
OUR course lay as usual along the banks of the
river, which \ve several times forded to avoid the
bends. Great numbers of antelopes were upon the
river's bed, having descended to drink; by making
a circuit, I cut off one party upon their retreat,
and made two good shots with the Fletcher No. 24,
bagging two tetel (Antelope Bubalis) at considerable
ranges. I also shot an ariel (G. Daina), and, upon
arriving at a deep pool in the river, I shot a bull
hippopotamus, as a present for Taher Sheriff and his
brothers. We decided upon encamping at a spot
known to the Arabs as Delladilk ; this was the
forest upon the margin of the river where I had
first shot the bull elephant, when the aggageers
fought with him upon foot. The trees were larger
in this locality than elsewhere, as a great portion
of the country was flooded by the river during
the rainy season, and much rich soil had been de-
posited ; this, with excessive moisture, had produced
a forest of fine timber, with an undergrowth of
CHAP, xv.] THE CAMP AT DELLADILLA. 373
thick nabbuk. We fixed upon a charming spot for
a camp, beneath a large tree that bore a peculiar
fruit, suspended from the branches by a strong
but single fibre, like a cord; each fruit was about
eighteen inches in length, by six in diameter; it
was perfectly worthless, but extremely ornamental.
We had arrived beneath this tree, and were still
on horseback; my wife had just suggested that it
would be unpleasant should one of the large fruit
fall upon our heads if we camped under the branches,
when suddenly a lioness glided by us, within three
yards of the horses, and almost immediately dis-
appeared in the thick thorns ; unfortunately, I had
the moment before given my rifle to a servant, prior
to dismounting. I searched the bushes in every
direction, but to no purpose.
This spot was so favourably situated that I deter-
mined to remain for some time, as T could explore
the country on horseback to a great distance upon
all sides. We immediately set to work to construct
our new camp, and by the evening our people had
cleared a circle of fifty yards diameter ; this was
swept perfectly clean, and the ground being hard,
though free from stones, the surface was as even
as a paved floor. The entire circle was well pro-
tected with a strong fence of thorn bushes, for
which the kittar is admirably adapted ; the head
being mushroom-shaped, the entire tree is cut down,
and the stem being drawn towards the inside of
the camp, the thick and wide-spreading thorny crest
374 TRIOXIS XILOTICA. [CHAP. xv.
covers about twelve feet of the exterior frontage ;
a fence thus arranged is quickly constructed, and
is quite impervious. Two or three large trees grew
within the camp ; beneath the shade of this, our tent
was pitched. This we never inhabited, but it served
as an ordinary room, and a protection to the luggage,
cams, &c. The horses were well secured within a
O '
double circle of thorns, and the goats wandered
about at liberty, as they were too afraid of wild
animals to venture from the camp : altogether this
was the most agreeable spot we had ever occupied ;
even the night-fires would be perfectly concealed
within the dense shade of the nabbuk jungle, thus
neither man nor beast would be aware of our pre-
sence. "We were about a hundred paces distant
from the margin of the river ; late in the evening
I took my rod, and fished in the deep bend beneath
a cliff of conglomerate pebbles. I caught only one
fish, a baggar, about twelve pounds, but I landed
three large turtles ; these creatures were most de-
termined in taking the bait ; they varied in size
from fifty to about ninety pounds, and were the
same species as that which inhabits the Nile (Trionis
Nilotica). From one of them we took upwards of
a hundred eggs, which we converted into omelettes,
but they were rather strong in flavour.
Although this species of turtle is unprepossessing
in appearance, having a head very like that of a
snake, with a dark green shell spotted/ with yellow,
it produces excellent soup ; the body is exceedingly
CHAP. xv.J FISH LINKED TO REPTILES.
flat, and the projecting edges of the shell are soft ;
it runs extremely fast upon the shore, and is sug-
gestive of the tortoise that beat the hare in the
well-known race. Throughout the Nile and its tri-
butaries there are varieties of fish and reptiles closely
connected, and the link can be distinctly traced in
the progression of development. There is a fish
with a hard bony frame, or shell, that includes the
head, and extends over more than half the body ;
this has two long and moveable spikes beneath the
fore fins, upon which it can raise itself as upon legs
when upon the land ; when first caught, this fish
makes a noise something like the mewing of a cat :
this appears to be closely linked to the tortoise.
The Lepidosiren Annectens, found in the White Nile,
is a link between the fish and the frog; and certain
varieties of mud fish that remain alive throughout
a dry season in the sun-baked earth, and reappear
with the following rains, exhibit a close affinity to
reptiles.
On the morning after our arrival, I started to
explore the country with the aggageers, and rode
about forty miles. From this point, hills of basalt
and granite commenced, connected by rugged un-
dulations of white quartz, huge blocks of which
were scattered upon the surface ; in many of these
I found thin veins of galena.
All the rocks were igneous ; we had left the
sandstone that had marked the course of the Atbara
and the valley of the Settite as far as Ombre'ga,
376 SCENES ON THE RIFER'S MARGIN. [CHAP. xv.
and I was extremely puzzled to account for the
presence of the pure white and rose-coloured lime-
stone that we had found only in one place Geera.
As we were now among the hills and mountains,
the country was extremely beautiful ; at the farthest
point of that day's excursion we were close to the
high range from which, in the rainy season, innu-
merable torrents pour into the Settite ; some of these
gorges were ornamented with the dark foliage of
large tamarind trees, while upon rocks that did not
appear to offer any sustenance, the unsightly yet
mighty baobab* grasped with its gnarled roots the
blocks of granite, and formed a peculiar object in
the wild and rugged scenery.
Through this romantic wilderness, the Settite
flowed in a clear and beautiful stream, sometimes
contracted between cliffs to a width of a hundred
yards, at others stretching to three times that dis-
tance. The hippopotami were in great numbers ;
many were lying beneath the shady trees upon the
banks, and splashed into the water as we appeared ;
others were basking in large herds upon the shal-
lows ; while the young calves, supported upon the
backs of their mothers, sailed about upon their ani-
mated rafts in perfect security. The Base had been
here recently, as we discovered their footprints upon
the sand, and we arrived at some tobacco planta-
tions that they had formed upon the sandbanks of
* The largest Baobab (Adansonia digitata) that I have measured,
was fifty-one feet and one inch in circumference.
CHAP, xv.] THE NELLUT (A. STREPSICEROS}.
the river. The aggageers expressed their determi-
nation to sabre them should we happen to meet,
and were much displeased at my immediately placing
a veto upon their bloody intentions, with a reserva-
tion for necessity in self-defence.
The Base were far too wide awake, and, although
seen once during the day by my people, they dis-
appeared like monkeys ; their spies had doubtless
reported our movements ever since we had entered
their country, and, fearing the firearms, they had
retreated to their fastnesses among the mountains.
During the day's march we had seen a large
quantity of game, but I had not wished to shoot
until on our return towards the camp. We were
about four miles from home, when a nellut (A.
Strepsiceros) bounded away from a ravine. I was
riding Tetel, whom I had taught to stand fire, in
which he was remarkably steady. I made a quick
shot with the little Fletcher from the saddle, but,
as the nellut ran straight before me, the bullet
struck the haunch ; away went the aggageers after
the wounded animal, like greyhounds, and in a few
hundred yards the word finished the hunt.
The nellut is the handsomest of all the large
antelopes ; the male is about thirteen hands high,
and carries a pair of beautiful spiral horns, upwards
of three feet in length ; the colour of the hide is
a, dark mouse-grey, ornamented with white stripes
down the flanks, and a white Kne along the back
from the shoulder to the tail. The female is with-
378 SWIMMING RIVERS WITH A HORSE. [CHAP. XT.
out horns, but is in other respects similar to the
male. These beautiful animals do not inhabit the
plains like the other varieties of antelopes, but are
generally found in deep wooded ravines. In South
Africa it is known as the koodoo.
The aggageers quickly flayed and quartered the
game, which was arranged upon the horses, and thus
it was carried to our camp, at which we arrived
late in the evening.
On the following morning, at my usual hour of
starting, a little before sunrise, we crossed a deep
portion of the river, through which the horses were
obliged to swim ; on this occasion I rode Aggahr, who
was my best hunter. In that very charming and use-
ful book by Mr. Francis Galton, " The Art of Travel,"
advice is given for crossing a deep river, by holding
to the tail of the swimming horse : in this I cannot
agree ; the safety of the man is much endangered
by the heels of the horse, and his security depends
upon the length of the animal's tail. In rivers
abounding in crocodiles, which generally follow an
animal before they seize, the man hanging on to the
tail of the horse is a most alluring bait, and he
would certainly be taken, should one of these hor-
rible monsters be attracted to the party. I have
always found great comfort in crossing a river by
simply holding to the mane, just in front of the
saddle, with my left hand, with the bridle grasped
as loosely as possible, so that the horse does not feel
the bit ; in this position on the off side, the animal
CHAP, xv.] THE LION. 379
does not feel any hindrance ; the man not only can
direct his horse, but his presence gives it confidence,
as he can speak to it coaxingly while swimming
with one arm by its side. Upon landing, he at once
controls the horse by the reins within his left grasp.
Many horses become exceedingly scared in swim-
ming a rapid river, and will frequently lose their
presence of mind, and swim with the current, in which
case they may miss the favourable landing place ; if
the man holds by the tail, he has no control over
the horse upon landing, and, if wild or vicious, the
animal will probably kick up its heels and bolt away,
leaving the unfortunate proprietor helpless. In swim-
ming a river with the horse, the powder, &c. should
be made into a parcel with your outer garment, and
tied upon the head ; then lead your horse gently
into the water, and for a moment allow it to drink,
to prevent all shyness ; continue to lead it until you
lose your depth, when, by holding with your left
hand to the mane, both horse and man w r ill cross
with perfect ease.
We had crossed the river, and, as we passed
through an opening in the belt of jungle on the banks,
and entered upon a plain interspersed with clumps
of bush, we perceived, at about two hundred yards'
distance, a magnificent lion, whose shaggy yellow
mane gave him a colossal appearance, as he stalked
quietly along the flat sandy ground towards the
place of his daily retreat. The aggageers whispered,
" El Assut ! " (the lion), and instinctively the swords
380 THE LION HUNT. [CHAP, xv
flashed from their sheaths. In an instant, the horses
were at full speed sweeping over the level ground.
The lion had not observed us; but, upon hearing
the sound of the hoofs, he halted and raised his
head, regarding us for a moment with wonder, as
we rapidly decreased our distance, when, thinking
retreat advisable, he bounded off, followed by the
excited hunters, as hard as the horses could be
pressed. Having obtained a good start, we had
gained upon him, and we kept up the pace until we
at length arrived within about eighty yards of the
lion, who, although he appeared to fly easily along
like a cat, did not equal the speed of the horses. It
was a beautiful sight. Aggahr was an exceedingly
fast horse, and, having formerly belonged to one of
the Hamran hunters, he thoroughly understood his
work. His gallop was perfection, and his long steady
stride was as easy to himself as to his rider ; there
was no necessity to guide him, as he followed an
animal like a greyhound, and sailed between the
stems of the numerous trees, carefully avoiding their
trunks, and choosing his route where the branches
allowed ample room for the rider to pass beneath.
In about five minutes we had run the lion straight
across the plain, through several open strips of mimosas,
and we were now within a few yards, but unfortunately,
just as Taher and Abou Do dashed forward in the
endeavour to ride upon either flank, he sprang down a
precipitous ravine, and disappeared in the thick thorns.
This ravine formed a broad bottom, which, covered
CHAP, xv.] THE ESCAPE. 381
with dense green nabbuk, continued for a great dis-
tance, and effectually saved the lion. I was much
disappointed, as we should have had a glorious fight,
and I had long sought for an opportunity of witness-
ing an attack upon the lion with the sword. The
aggageers were equally annoyed, and they explained
that they should have been certain to kill him.
Their plan was to ride upon either flank, at a few
yards' distance, when he would have charged one
man, who would have dashed away, while the other
hunter would have slashed the lion through the back
with his sword. They declared that, a good hunter
should be able to protect himself by a back-handed
blow with his sword, should the lion attack the horse
from behind ; but that, the great danger in a lion hunt
arose, when the animal took refuge in a solitary bush,
and turned to bay. In such instances, the hunters
surrounded the bush, and rode direct towards him,
when he generally sprang out upon some man or
horse ; he was then cut down immediately by the
sabre of the next hunter. The aggageers declared
that, in the event of an actual fight, the death of
the lion was certain, although one or more men or
horses might be wounded, or perhaps killed.
The morning gallop had warmed our nags after
their bath in the cool river, and we now continued
leisurely towards the stream, upon the margin of
which we rode for several miles. We had determined
to set fire to the grass, as, although upon poorer soil
it had almost disappeared through the withering of the
332 THE BULL BUFFALO. [CHAP. xv.
roots, upon fertile ground it was almost nine feet high,
and not only concealed the game, but prevented us
from riding. We accordingly rode towards a spot
where bright yellow herbage invited the fire-stick ;
but hardly had we arrived, than we noticed a solitary
bull buffalo (Bos Coffer), feeding within about a hun-
dred and fifty yards. I immediately dismounted, and,
creeping towards him to within fifty paces, I shot him
through the neck with one of my Eeilly No. 10 rifles.
I had hoped to drop him dead* by the shot, instead of
which he galloped off, of course followed by the agga-
geers, with the exception of one, who held my horse.
Quickly mounted, we joined in the hunt, and in about
three minutes we ran the buffaloo to bay in a thicket
of thorns on the margin of the river. These thorns
were just thick enough to conceal him at times, but
to afford us a glance of his figure as he moved from
his position. There was a glade which cut through
and divided the jungle, and I wished the aggageers to
drive him, if possible, across this, when I should have
a good opportunity of shooting. To my astonish-
ment one of the most daring hunters jumped off his
horse with his drawn sword, and, telling me to look
out, he coolly entered the jungle alone to court the
attack of the buffalo. I would not allow him to risk
his life for an animal that I had been the first to
wound, therefore I insisted upon his return, and beg-
ging Abou Do to hold my bridle when I should
fire, I rode with him carefully along the skirts of
the jungle along the glade, keeping a good look-out
CHAP, xv.] DEATH OF THE BULL. 383
among the thorns for the buffalo. Presently I heard
a short grunt within twenty yards of us, and I
quickly perceived the buffalo standing broadside on,
with his head turned to the wind that brought down
the scent of the people on the other side.
I had my little Fletcher No. 24 in my hand that
handy little weapon that almost formed an extra bone
of myself, and, whispering to Abou Do to hold my
bridle close to the bit, as Aggahr was not very steady
under fire, I took a clean shot direct at the centre of
the shoulder. The ball smacked as though it had
struck an iron target, Aggahr gave a start, and for
the moment both Abou Do and myself were prepared
for a rush ; but the buffalo had never flinched, and he
remained standing as though immoveable. Abou Do
whispered, " You missed him, I heard the bullet strike
the tree ;" I shook my head, and quickly re-loaded it
was impossible to miss at that distance, and I knew
that I had fired steadily. Hardly had I rammed the
bullet down, when, with a sudden thump, down fell
the buffalo upon his side, and, rolling over upon his
back, he gave a few tremendous struggles, and lay
-dead.
Great caution should be invariably used in approach-
ing a fallen buffalo and all other dangerous animals,
as they are apt to recover sufficiently, upon seeing the
enemy, to make a last effort to attack, which is
generally more serious than any other phase of the
hunt. We accordingly pitched a few large stones at
Mm to test the reality of death, and then walked up
384 THE ARABS' TIT BIT. [CH^P. xv.
and examined him. The Keilly No. 10 had gone
quite through the neck, but had missed a vital part.
The little Fletcher had made a clean and minute hole
exactly through the shoulder, and upon opening the
body we found the ball sticking in the ribs on the
opposite side, having passed through the very centre
of the lungs.
The aggageers now carefully flayed it, and divided
the tough hide into portions accurately measured for
shields. One man galloped back to direct the two
water-camels that were following in our tracks, while
others cut up the buffalo, and prepared the usual
disgusting feast by cutting up the reeking paunch,
over which they squeezed the contents of the gall-
bladder, and consumed the whole, raw and steaming.*
On the arrival of the camels they were quickly loaded,
and we proceeded to fire the grass on our return to
camp. The Arabs always obtained their fire by the
friction of two pieces of wood ; accordingly, they set
to work. A piece of dry nabbuk was selected about
as thick as the little finger. A notch was cut in this,
and it was laid horizontally upon the ground, with
the notch uppermost ; into this was fitted the sharp
point of a similar piece of wood, about eighteen inches
long, which, being held perpendicularly with both
hands, was worked between the palms like a drill,
with as great a pressure as possible, from the top to
* All these Arabs, in like manner with the Abyssinians, are sub*
ject to the attacks of intestinal worms, induced by their habit of
eating raw fleth.
CHAP, xv.] THE ARAB PLAN FOR MAKING FIRE. 585
the bottom, as the hands descended with the motion
of rubbing or rolling the stick. After about two
minutes of great labour, the notch began to smoke,
a brown dust, like ground coffee, fell from the singed
wood, and this charred substance, after increased fric-
tion, emitted a still denser smoke, and commenced
smouldering ; the fire was produced. A rag was torn
from the thorn-brushed drawers of one of the party,
in which the fire was carefully wrapped and fanned
with the breath ; it was then placed in a wisp of dry
grass, and rapidly turned in the air until the flame
burst forth. A burning-glass should be always carried
in these countries, where a cloudless sky insures an
effect. Although in Arab hands the making of fire
appears exceedingly simple, I have never been able
to effect it. I have worked at the two sticks until
they have been smoking and I have been steaming,
with my hands blistered, but I have never got beyond
the smoke ; there is a peculiar knack which, like
playing the fiddle, must be acquired, although it
looks very easy. It is not every wood that will
produce fire by this method ; those most inflammable
are the cotton-tree and the nabbuk. We now descended
to the river, and fired the grass ; the north wind was
brisk, and the flames extended over miles of country
within an hour.
We returned towards the camp. On the way
we saw numerous antelopes ; and, dismounting, I
ordered one of the hunters to lead my horse while I
attempted to stalk a fine buck mehedehet (Reduncv
c c
386 THE MEIIEDEIIAT ANTELOPE. [CHAP. xv.
Ellipsypri'nina). There were several in the herd,
but there was a buck with a fine head a few yards
in advance ; they were standing upon an undulation
on open ground backed by high grass. I had
marked a small bush as my point of cover, and,
creeping unobserved towards this, T arrived unseen
within about a hundred and twenty yards of the
buck. With the Fletcher 24 I made a good
shoulder-shot ; the buck gave a few bounds and fell
dead ; the does looked on in astonishment, and I
made an equally lucky shot with the left-hand
barrel, bringing down what I at first had mistaken
to be a dee, but I discovered it to be a young
buck.
The Mehedehet is an antelope of great beauty ;
it resembles the red deer in colour, but' the coat is
still rougher ; it stands about thirteen hands in
height, with a pair of long slightly-curved annulated
horns. The live weight of the male would be about
o
five hundred pounds ; the female, like the nellut
(Tragelaphus Strepsiceros), is devoid of horns, and
much resembles the female of the Sambur deer of
India. This antelope is the " water-buck " of South
Africa.
On arrival at the camp, I resolved to fire the
entire country on the following day, and to push
still farther up the course of the Settite to the foot
of the mountains, and to return to this camp in
about a fortnight, by which time the animals that
had been scared away by the fire would have
CHAP, xv.j SAUVE QUI PEUI i 387
returned. Accordingly, on the following morning,
accompanied by a few of the aggageers, I started
upon the south bank of the river, and rode for
some distance into the interior, to the ground that
was entirely covered with high withered grass. We
were passing through a mass of kittar thorn-bush,
almost hidden by the immensely high grass, when,
as I was ahead of the party, I came suddenly upon
the tracks of rhinoceros ; these were so unmistake-
ably recent that I felt sure we were not far from
the animals themselves. As I had wished to fire
the grass, I was accompanied by my Tokrooris, and
my horse-keeper, Mahomet No. 2. It was difficult
ground for the men, and still more unfavourable for
the horses, as large disjointed masses of stone were
concealed in the high grass.
We w^ere just speculating as to the position of
the rhinoceros, and thinking how uncommonly un-
pleasant it would be should he obtain our wind,
when whiff! whiff! whiff! We heard the sharp
whistling snort, with a tremendous rush through the
high grass and thorns close to us ; and at the same
moment two of these determined brutes were upon
us in full charge. I never saw such a scrimmage ;
sauve qui pent ! There was no time for more than
one look behind. I dug the spurs into Aggahr's
flanks, and clasping him round the neck, I ducked
my head down to his shoulder, well protected with
my strong hunting cap, and I kept the spurs going
as hard as I could ply them, blindly trusting to
c c 2
388 NEARLY CAUGHT. [CHAP. xv.
Providence and my good horse, over big rocks, fallen
trees, thick kittar thorns, and grass ten feet high,
with the two infernal animals in full chase only a
/
few feet behind me. I heard their abominable
whiffing close to me, but so did my horse also,
and the good old hunter flew over obstacles that
I should have thought impossible, and he dashed
straight under the hooked thorn bushes and doubled
like a hare. The a-ggageers were all scattered ;
Mahomet No. 2 was knocked over by a rhinoceros ;
all the men were sprawling upon the rocks with
their guns, and the party was entirely discomfited.
Having passed the kittar thorn, I turned, and seeing
that the beasts had gone straight on, I brought
Aggahr's head round, and tried to give chase, but
it was perfectly impossible ; it was only a wonder
that the horse had escaped in ground so difficult
for riding. Although my clothes were of the
strongest and coarsest Arab cotton cloth, which
seldom tore, but simply lost a thread when caught
in a thorn, I was nearly naked. My blouse was
reduced to shreds ; as I wore sleeves only half way
from the shoulder to the elbow, my naked arms
were streaming with blood ; fortunately my hunting
cap was secured with a chin strap, and still more
fortunately I had grasped the horse's neck, other-
wise I must have been dragged out of the saddle by
the hooked thorns. All the men were cut and
bruised, some having fallen upon their heads among
the rocks, and others had hurt their legs in
CHAP, xv.] FIRE CLEARS THE COUNTRY. 389
in their endeavours to escape. Mahomet No. 2,
the horse-keeper, was more frightened than hurt,
as he had been knocked down by the shoulder
and not by the horn of the rhinoceros, as the
animal had not noticed him ; its attention was
absorbed by the horse.
I determined to set fire to the whole country
immediately, and descending the hill towards the
river to obtain a favourable wind, I put my men in
a line, extending over about a mile along the river's
bed, ^nd they fired the grass in different places.
With a loud roar, the flame leapt high in air and
rushed forward with astonishing velocity ; the grass
was as inflammable as tinder, and the strong north
wind drove the long line of fire spreading in every
direction through the country.
We now crossed to the other side of the river
to avoid the flames, and we returned towards the
camp. On the way, I made a long shot and badly
wounded a tetel, but lost it in thick thorns ; shortly
after, I stalked a nellut (A. Strepsiceros), and bagged
it with the Fletcher rifle.
We arrived early in camp, and on the following
day we moved sixteen miles farther up stream,
and camped under a tamarind tree by the side of
the river. No European had ever been farther than
our last camp Delladilla, and that spot had only
been visited by Johann Schmidt and Florian. In
the previous year, my aggageers had sabred some
of the Base at this very camping-place; they
390 DISCRETION THE BETTER PART OF VALOUR, [en. xv.
accordingly requested me to keep a vigilant watch
during the night, as they would be very likely to
attack us in revenge, unless they had been scared by
the rifles and by the size of our party. They advised
me not to remain long in this spot, as it would
be very dangerous for my wife to be left almost
alone during the day, when we were hunting, and
that the Base would be certain to espy us from the
mountains, and would most probably attack and
carry her off when they were assured of our de-
parture. She was not very nervous about this, but
she immediately called the dragoman, Mahomet, who
knew the use of a gun, and she asked him if he
would stand by her in case they were attacked in
my absence ; the faithful servant replied, " Mahomet
fight the Base ? No, Missus ; Mahomet not fight ;
if the Base come, Missus fight ; Mahomet run away ;
Mahomet not come all the way from Cairo to get
him killed by black fellers ; Mahomet will run
Inshallah!" (please God).
This frank avowal of his military tactics was very
reassuring. There was a high hill of basalt, some-
thing resembling a pyramid, within a quarter of a
mile of us ; I accordingly ordered some of my men
every day to ascend this look-out station, and I
resolved to burn the high grass at once, so as to
destroy all cover for the concealment of an enemy.
That evening I very nearly burnt our camp; I had
several times ordered the men to clear away the dry
grass for about thirty yards from our resting-place ;
CHAP. xv.J THE CAMP IN DANGER. 39 J
this they had neglected to obey. We had been joined
a few days before by a party of about a dozen Hamraii
Arabs, who were hippopotami hunters ; thus we mus-
tered very strong, and it would have been the work
of about half an hour to have cleared away the
grass as I had desired.
The wind w r as brisk, and blew directly towards our
camp, which was backed by the river. I accordingly
took a fire-stick, and I told my people to look sharp,
as they would not clear away the grass. I walked to
the foot of the basalt hill, and fired the grass in several
places. In an instant the wind swept the flame and
smoke towards the camp. All was confusion ; the
Arabs had piled the camel-saddles and all their com
and effects in the high grass about twenty yards from
the tent ; there was no time to remove all these things ;
therefore, unless they could clear away the grass so as
to stop the fire before it should reach the spot, they
would be punished for their laziness by losing their
property. The fire travelled quicker than I had ex-
pected, and, by the time I had hastened to the tent, 1
found the entire party working frantically ; the Arabs
were slashing down the grass with their swords, and
sweeping it away with their shields, while my Tok-
rooris were beating it down with long sticks and tear-
ing it from its withered and fortunately tinder-rotten
roots, in desperate haste. The flames rushed on, and
we already felt the heat, as volumes of smoke enveloped
us ; I thought it advisable to carry the gunpowder,
(about 2 Gibs.) down to the river, together with the
392 X EARLY BURNT OUT. [CHAP. xv.
rifles ; while my wife and Mahomet dragged the
various articles of luggage to the same place of safety.
The fire now approached within about sixty yards,
and dragging out the iron pins, I let the tent fall to
the ground. The Arabs had swept a line like a high-
road perfectly clean, and they were still tearing away
the grass, when they were suddenly obliged to rush
back as the flames arrived.
Almost instantaneously the smoke blew over us, but
the fire had expired upon meeting the cleared ground.
I now gave them a little lecture upon obedience to
orders ; and from that day, their first act upon halting
for the night was to clear away the grass, lest I should
repeat the entertainment. In countries that are
covered with dry grass, it should be an invariable
rule to clear the ground around the camp before night ;
hostile natives will frequently fire the grass to wind-
ward of a party, or careless servants may leave their
pipes upon the ground, which fanned by the wind
would quickly create a blaze. That night the moun-
tain afforded a beautiful appearance as the flames
ascended the steep sides, and ran flickering up the
deep gullies with a brilliant light.
We were standing outside the tent admiring the
scene, which perfectly illuminated the neighbourhood,
when suddenly an apparition of a lion and lioness
stood for a instant before us at about fifteen yards
distance, and then disappeared over the blackened
ground before I had- time to snatch a rifle from the
tent. No doubt they had been disturbed from the
CIIAF. xv.] CROCODILE HARPOONING. 393
mountain by the fire, and had mistaken their way in
the country so recently changed from high grass to
black ashes. In this locality I considered it advisable
to keep a vigilant watch during the night, and the
Arabs were told off for that purpose.
A little before sunrise I accompanied the howartis,
or hippopotamus hunters, for a day's sport. There
were numbers of hippos in this part of the river, and
we were not long before we found a herd. The hunters
failed in several attempts to harpoon them, but they
succeeded in stalking a crocodile after a most peculiar
fashion. This large beast was lying upon a sandbank
on the opposite margin of the river, close to a bed of
rushes.
The howartis, having studied the wind, ascended for
about a quarter of a mile, and then swam across the
river, harpoon in hand. The two men reached the
opposite bank, beneath which they alternately waded
or swam down the stream towards the spot upon which
the crocodile was lying. Thus advancing under cover
of the steep bank, or floating with the stream in
deep places, and crawling like crocodiles across the
shallows, the two hunters at length arrived at the
bank of rushes, on the other side of which the
monster was basking asleep upon the sand. They
were now about waist-deep, and they kept close
to the rushes with their harpoons raised, ready to
cast the moment they should pass the rush bed and
come in view of the crocodile. Thus steadily ad-
vancing, they had just arrived at the corner within
394 THE UGLY LITTLE STATUE. [CHAP. xv.
about eight yards of the crocodile, when the creature
either saw them, or obtained their wind ; in an instant
it rushed to the water ; at the same moment, the two
harpoons were launched with great rapidity by the
hunters. One glanced obliquely from the scales ; the
other stuck fairly in the tough hide, and the iron,
detached from the bamboo, held fast, while the
ambatch float, running on the surface of the water,
marked the course of the reptile beneath.
The hunters chose a convenieDt place, and recrossed
the stream to our side, apparently not heeding the
crocodiles more than we should fear pike when
bathing in England. They would not waste their
time by securing the crocodile at present, as they
wished to kill a hippopotamus ; the float would mark
the position, and they would be- certain to find it
later. We accordingly continued our search for
hippopotami ; these animals appeared to be on the
qui vivc, and, as the hunters once more failed in an
attempt, T made a clean shot behind the ear of one,
and killed it dead. At length we arrived at a large
pool in which were several sandbanks covered with
rushes, and many rocky islands. Among these rocks
was a herd of hippopotami, consisting of an old bull
and several cows ; a youog hippo was standing, like
an ugly little statue, on a protruding rock, while
another infant stood upon its mother's back that
listlessly floated on the water.
This was an admirable place for the hunters. They
desired me to lie down, and they crept into the jungle
CHAP. xv.J HARPOONING THE HIPPOPOTAMUS. 395
out of view of the river ; I presently observed them
stealthily descending the dry bed about two hundred
paces above the spot where the hippos were basking
behind the rocks. They entered the river, and swam
down the centre of the stream towards the rock.
This was highly exciting : the hippos were quite
unconscious of the approaching danger, as, steadily
and rapidly the hunters floated down the strong
current; they neared the rock, and both heads dis-
appeared as they purposely sank out of view ; in
a few seconds later they reappeared at the edge of
the rock upon which the young hippo stood. It
would be difficult to say which started first, the
astonished young hippo into the water, or the har-
poons from the hands of the ho wart is ! It was
the affair of a moment ; the hunters dived directly
they had hurled their harpoons, and, swimming for
some distance under water, they came to the surface,
and hastened to the shore lest an infuriated hippo-
potamus should follow them. One harpoon had missed ;
the other had fixed the bull of the herd, at which it
had been surely aimed. This was grand sport ! The
bull was in the greatest fury, and rose to the surface,
snorting and blowing in his impotent rage ; but as
the ambatch float was exceedingly large, and this
naturally accompanied his movements, he tried to
escape from his imaginary persecutor, and dived con-
stantly, only to find his pertinacious attendant close
to him upon regaining the surface. This was not to
last long ; the howartis were in earnest, and they
396 THE HARPOON FIXED. [CHAP. xv.
at once called their party, who, with two of the
aggageers, Abou Do and Suleiman, were near at hand ;
these men arrived with the long ropes that form a
portion of the outfit for hippo hunting.
The whole party now halted on the edge of the
river, while two men swam across with one end of
the long rope. Upon gaining the opposite bank, I
observed that a second rope was made fast to the
middle of the main line ; thus upon our side we
*
held the ends of two ropes, while on the opposite
side they had only one ; accordingly, the point of
junction of the two ropes in the centre formed an
acute angle. The object of this was soon practically
explained. Two men upon our side now each held
a rope, and one of these walked about ten yards
before the other. Upon both sides of the river the
people now advanced, dragging the rope on the sur-
face of the water until they reached the ambach float
that was swimming to and fro, according to the
movements of the hippopotamus below. By a dex-
terous jerk of the main line, the float was now
placed between the two ropes, and it was immediately
secured in the acute angle by bringing together
the ends of these ropes on our side.
The men on the opposite bank now dropped their
line, and our men hauled in upon the ambatch float that
was held fast between the ropes. Thus cleverly made
sure, we quickly brought a strain upon the hippo, and,
although I have had some experience in handling big
fish, I never knew one pull so lustily as the amphi-
CHAP. xv.J THE HIPPO DETERMINES TO FIGHT. 397
bious animal that we now alternately coaxed and
bullied. He sprang out of the water, gnashed his
huge jaws, snorted with tremendous rage, and lashed
the river into foam ; he then dived, and foolishly
approached us beneath the water. We quickly
gathered in the slack line, and took a round turn
upon a large rock, within a few feet of the river.
The hippo now rose to the surface, about ten yards
from the hunters, and, jumping half out of the water,
he snapped his great jaws together, endeavouring to
catch the rope, but at the same instant two harpoons
were launched into his side. Disdaining retreat, and
maddened with rage, the furious animal charged from
the depths of the river, and, gaining a footing, he
reared his bulky form from the surface, came boldly
upon the sandbank, and attacked the hunters open-
mouthed. He little knew his enemy ; they were not
the men to fear a pair of gaping jaws, armed with a
deadly array of tusks, but half a dozen lances were
hurled at him, some entering his mouth from a
distance of five or six paces, at the same time several
men threw handfuls of sand into his enormous eyes.
This baffled him more than the lances ; he crunched
the shafts between his powerful jaws like straws, but
he was beaten by the sand, and, shaking his huge
head, he retreated to the river. During his sally
upon the shore, two of the hunters had secured the
ropes of the harpoons that had been fastened in his
body just before his charge ; he was now fixed by
three of these deadly instruments, but suddenly one
THE LANCES ARE BLUNTED. [CHAP. xv.
rope gave way, having been bitten through by the
enraged beast, who was still beneath the water.
Immediately after this he appeared on the surface,
and, without a moment's hesitation, he once more
charged furiously from the water straight at the
hunters, with his huge mouth open to such an extent
that he could have accommodated two inside passen-
gers. Suleiman was wild with delight, and springing
forward lance in hand, he drove it against the head of
the formidable animal, but without effect. At the
same time, Abou Do met the hippo sword in hand,
reminding me of Perseus slaying the sea-monster that
would devour Andromeda, but the sword made a
harmless gash, and the lance, already blunted against
the rocks, refused to penetrate the tough hide ; once
more handfuls of sand were pelted upon his face, and
again repulsed by this blinding attack, he was forced
to retire to his deep hole and wash it from his eyes.
Six times during the fight the valiant bull hippo
quitted his watery fortress, and charged resolutely at
his pursuers ; he had broken several of their lances in
his jaws, other lances had been hurled, and, falling
upon the rocks, they were blunted, and would not
penetrate. The fight had continued for three hours,
and the sun was about to set, accordingly the hunters
begged me to give him the coup de grace, as they
had hauled him close to the shore, and they feared he
would sever the rope with his teeth. I waited for a
good opportunity, when he boldly raised his head from
water about three yards from the rifle, and a bullet
CHAP, xv.] HOR NKHETAPK 399
from the little Fletcher between the eyes closed tlielast
act. This spot was not far from the pyramidical hill
beneath which I had fixed our camp, to which I
returned after an amusing clay's sport.
The next morning, I started to the mountains to
explore the limit that I had proposed for my expe-
dition on the Settite. The Arabs had informed me
that a river of some importance descended from the
mountains, and joined the main stream about twelve
miles from our camp. The aggageers were seriously
expecting an attack from the Base, and they advised
me not to remain much longer in this spot. The
route was highly interesting : about five miles to the
south-east of the camp we entered the hilly and
mountainous country ; to the east rose the peaked
head of Allatakoora, about seven thousand feet from
the base, while ' S.S.E. was the lofty table-mountain,
known by the Arabs as Boorkotan. We rode through
fertile valleys, all of which were free from grass, as
the various fires had spread throughout the country ;
at times we entered deep gorges between the hills,
which were either granite, quartz, or basalt, the
latter predominating. In about three hours and a
half we arrived at Hor Mdhetape, the stream that
the Arabs had reported. Although a powerful torrent
during the rains, it was insignificant as one of the
tributaries to the Settite, as the breadth did not
-exceed twenty-five yards. At this season it was nearly
dry, and at no time did it appear to exceed a depth
of ten or twelve feet. As we had arrived at this
400 GEOLOGICAL FEATURES. [CHAP. xv.
point, some distance above the junction, we continued
along the margin of the stream for about two miles
until we reached the Settlte. The Hor (a ravine)
Mehetape was the limit of my exploration ; it was
merely a rapid mountain torrent, the individual
effect of which would be trifling ; but we were now
among the mountains whose drainage caused the
sudden rise of the Atbara river and the Nile. Far as
the eye could reach to the south and east, the range
extended in a confused mass of peaks of great altitude,
from the sharp granite head of one thousand, to flat
topped basalt hills of five or six thousand feet, and
other conical points far exceeding, and perhaps double,
that altitude.
The Settite was very beautiful in this spot, as it
emerged from the gorge between the mountains, and
it lay in a rough stony valley about two hundred feet
below our path as we ascended from the junction of
the Hor, to better riding ground. In many places,
our route lay over broken stones, which sloped at an
inclination of about thirty degrees throughout the
entire distance to the river below ; these were formed
of decomposed basalt rocks that had apparently been
washed from decaying hills by the torrents of the rainy
season. At other parts of the route, we crossed above
similar debris of basalt that lay at an angle of about
sixty degrees, from a height of perhaps two hundred
feet to the water's edge, and reminded me of the
rubbish shot from the side of a mountain when boring
a tunnel. The whole of the basalt in this portion of
CHAP, xv.] UNPLEASANT REPORT OF THE SPIES. 401
the country was a dark slate colour ; in some places
it was almost black ; upon breaking a great number
of pieces I found small crystals of olivine. Much
of the granite was a deep red, but the exterior coating
was in all cases decomposed, and crumbled at a blow ;
exhibiting a marked contrast to the hard-faced granite
blocks in the rainless climate of Lower Egypt. We
saw but little game during the march a few nellut
and tetel, and the smaller antelopes, but no larger
animals.
We returned to camp late in the evening, and I
found the howartis had secured the crocodile of
yesterday, but the whole party was anxious to return
to the camp at Delladilla, as unpleasant reports were
brought into camp by our spies, who had seen parties
of the Base in several directions.
D J)
CHAPTER XVI.
ABOU DO IS GREEDY.
ABOU Do and Suleiman had lately given me some
trouble, especially the former, whose covetous nature
had induced him to take much more than his share of
the hides of buffaloes and other animals that I had shot ;
all of which I had given to my head camel-man and
tracker, Taher Noor, to divide among his people and
the Tokrooris. This conduct was the more improper,
since the aggageers had become perfectly useless as
elephant hunters ; they had ridden so recklessly upon
unnecessary occasions, that all their horses were lamed,
and, with the exception of Abou Do's, they were in-
capable of hunting. My three, having been well cared
for, were in excellent condition. Abou Do coolly
proposed that I should lend him my horses, which
I of course refused, as I had a long journey before
me ; this led to disagreement, and I ordered him and
his people to leave my camp, and to return to Geera.
During the time they had been with me, I had shot
great numbers of animals, including large antelopes >
buffaloes, hippopotami, elephants, &c. ; and about
CHAP, xvi.] DEPARTURE OF THE AGGAGEERS. 403
twenty camel-loads of dried flesh, hides, fat, &c. had
been transported to Geera as the Arabs' share of the
spoils. They had also the largest share of ivory, and
altogether they had never made so successful a hunting
expedition. It was time to part ; their horses being
used up, they began to be discontented, therefore I
had concluded that it would be advisable to separate,
to avoid a graver misunderstanding.
I warned them not to disturb my hunting-grounds
by attempting to hunt during their journey, but they
were to ride straight home, which they could accom-
plish in four days, without baggage camels. This
they promised to do, and we parted.
I was now without aggageers, as Taher Sheriff's
party had disagreed with Abou Do some time before,
and they were hunting on their own account on the
banks of the river Eoyan, which I intended to visit
after I should have thoroughly explored the Settite.
I made up my mind to have one more day in the
neighbourhood of my present camp, and then to return
to our old quarters at Delladilla, previous to our
journey to the Epyan junction.
Within three hundred yards of the camp was a
regular game path, by which the animals arrived at
the river to drink every morning from seven to nine.
I had shot several t^tel and ariel by simply waiting
behind a rock at this place, and, as this was my last
day, I once more concealed myself, and was shortly
rewarded by the arrival of several herds, including
nellut (A. Strcpsiceros) , tetel (A. Bubalis), ariel (G.
D D 2
404 GAME RETURNING FROM THE RIFER. [CHAP. xvi.
Dama), the black striped gazelle (G. Dorcas), the
small oterop (Galotragus Montanus) ; and, among
these, two ostriches. I had seen very few ostriches in
this country. I now had a good chance, as the herd
of animals returned from drinking by charging at full
speed up the steep bank from the water, and they
passed about ninety yards from my hiding-place,
headed by the ostriches. Having the little Fletcher,
I was suddenly tempted to fire a right and left, so
as to bag an ostrich with one barrel, and a tetel with
the other. Both fell for an instant ; the tetel dead,
shot through the neck ; but my ostrich, that was a
fine cock bird, immediately recovered, and went off
with his wife as hard as their long legs could carry
them. I was exceedingly disgusted ; I had evidently
fired too far behind, not having allowed sufficiently
for the rapidity of their speed. However, to make
amends, I snatched a spare single-rifle from Hassan,
and knocked over another tetel that was the last of
the herd. For about an hour I attempted to follow
up the tracks of the ostrich, but among the rocky hills
this was impossible. I therefore mounted Aggahr, and
with my tracker, Taher Noor, and the Tokrooris as
gunbearers, I crossed the river and rode straight into
the interior of the country. This was now thoroughly
clear, as the fire had consumed the grass, and had left
the surface perfectly black. Upon the ashes, the track
of every animal could be seen distinctly.
I had ridden about four miles, followed, as usual,
by two camels with water, ropes, &c. when we observed
CHAP. XVT.] A BULL RHINOCEROS. 405
in a perfectly open place, about three hundred
yards from us, a rhinoceros standing alone. For-
tunately, there was little or no wind, or, as we were
to windward of him, he would instantly have per-
ceived us. The moment that I saw him, I backed my
horse and motioned to my people to retreat out of
sight, which they did immediately. Dismounting, I
gave them the horse, and, accompanied only by Taher
Noor, who carried one of my spare rifles, I took a
Reilly No. 10, and we made a circuit so as to obtain
the wind, and to arrive upon the lee side of the rhi-
noceros. This was quickly accomplished, but upon
arrival at the spot, he was gone. The black ashes
of the recent fire showed his foot-marks as clearly
as though printed in ink, and as these were very close
together, I knew that he had walked slowly off, and
that he had not been disturbed, otherwise he would
have started quickly. He had gone down wind ; it
would, therefore, be impossible to follow upon his
tracks. Our only resource was to make another
circuit, when, should his tracks not have crossed the
arc, we should be sure that he was to windward.
Accordingly, we described half a circle of about five
hundred yards. No tracks had crossed our path ; the
ground was stony and full of hollows, in which grew
a few scattered mimosas, while the surface of the
earth was covered in many places with dark brown
masses of basalt rock. We carefully stepped over
this uneven ground, lest some falling stone might
give the alarm, and we momentarily expected to be
406 WE STALK THE RHINOCEROS. [CHAP. xvr.
in view of the enemy as we arrived at the edge of
each successive hollow. Sure enough, as I glanced
down a sudden inclination covered with scorched
mimosas, I perceived him standing on the slope be-
neath a tree within five-and-thirty paces ; this was
close enough, and I took a steady shot behind the
shoulder. The instant that I fired, he whisked
sharply round, and looked upon all sides for the
cause of his wound. I had taken the precaution to
kneel down immediately after firing, and I now
crouched close to a rock about two feet high, with
which my brown blouse matched exactly, as well as
my skin-covered hunting-cap. For a few moments
he sought upon all sides for an enemy, during which
T remained like a block of stone, but with my finger
on the trigger ready for the left-hand barrel should he
charge. Taher Noor was lying on the ground behind
a stone about five yards from me, and the rhinoceros,
having failed to discover us, walked slowly past me
within less than ten yards, and gained the summit
of the inclination, where the ground was level. As
he passed, I reloaded quickly, and followed behind
him. I saw that he was grievously wounded, as he
walked slowly, and upon arrival at a thickly-spreading
mimosa he laid down. We now advanced towards
.the tree, and I sent Taher Noor round to the other
side in order to divert his attention should he be able
to rise. This he quickly proved by springing up as
I advanced ; accordingly, I halted until Taher Noor
had taken his stand about eighty paces beyond the
CHAP. xvi. J THE DEATH. 407
tree. The rhinoceros now turned and faced him ;
this gave me the opportunity that I had expected,
and I ran quickly to within thirty yards, just in
time to obtain a good shoulder shot, as hearing my
footsteps he turned towards me. Whiff! whiff! and
he charged vigorously upon the shot ; but just as I
prepared to fire the remaining barrel, he ran round
and round in a narrow circle, uttering a short, shrill
cry, and fell heavily upon his side. I threw a stone
at him, but he was already dead. Taher Noor re-
turned for the people, who shortly arrived with the
camels. I found that the last bullet of quicksilver
and lead from my Eeilly No. 10 had passed com-
pletely through the body, just behind the shoulder.
The first shot was also a mortal wound, having broken
one rib upon either side, and passed through the
posterior portion of the lungs ; the bullet was sticking
under the skin on the opposite flank. The hide of
the rhinoceros is exceedingly easy to detach from the
body, as the quality is so hard and stiff that it sepa-
rates from the flesh like the peel of a ripe orange.
In a couple of hours, the hide had been detached
in sections for shields, and sufficient flesh was loaded
upon the camel, together with the vicious-looking
head, which was secured by ropes upon the saddle.
We were en route for the camp, when we suddenly
came upon fresh elephant tracks, upon following
which, we discovered, after about an hour's march,
the spoor of horses on the same path. At once the
truth flashed upon me that, although Abou Do had
408 THE AGO AG MRS POACH UPON MY MANOR. [CH. xvi.
promised to return direct home, lie was somewhere
in the neighbourhood, and he and his two companions
were disturbing the country by hunting. I at once
gave up the idea of following the elephants, as, in
all probability, these aggageers had pursued them
some hours ago. In a very bad humour I turned
my horse's head and took the direction for the
Settite river. As we descended from the hilly
ground, after the ride of about four miles, we arrived
upon an extensive plain, upon which I noticed a
number of antelopes galloping as though disturbed ;
a few moments later I observed three horsemen, a
camel, and several men on foot, steering in the
same direction as ourselves for the river, but arriv-
ing from the high ground upon which we had
seen the elephants. These were soon distinguished,
and I rode towards them with my people ; they
were the aggageers, with some of the hippopotami
hunters.
Upon our arrival among them, they looked ex-
ceedingly sheepish, as they were caught in the act.
Suspended most carefully upon one side of the
camel, in a network of ropes, was a fine young
rhinoceros which they had caught, having hunted
the mother until she forsook the calf. Johann
Schmidt had offered forty dollars for any young
animal of this species, for the Italian menageries,
therefore to the aggageers this was a prize of great
value. I had hardly directed my attention to the
calf, when I noticed a rope that was forcibly placed
CHAP, xvi.] THEIR PRIZE DIES. 409
under the throat to support the heavy head, the
weight of which bearing upon the cord was evidently
producing strangulation. The tongue of the animal
was protruding, and the tail stiffened and curled
convulsively above the back, while a twitching of
the hind legs, that presently stretched to their full
extent, persuaded me that the rhinoceros was in his
last gasp. As I looked intently at the animal, while
my Tokrooris abused Abou Do for having deceived
us, I told the aggageers that they had not gained
much by their hunt, as the rhinoceros was dead.
For a moment Abou Do smiled grimly, and, quite
unconscious ef the real fact, Suleiman replied, "It
is worth forty dollars to us." "Forty dollars for a
dead rhinoceros calf!" I exclaimed; " who is fool
enough to give it ? " ,
Abou Do glanced at the rhinoceros ; his expression
changed ; he jumped from his horse, and, assisted
by the other aggageers, he made the camel kneel
as quickly as possible, and they hastened to unstrap
the unfortunate little beast, which upon being released
and laid upon its side, convulsively stretched out its
limbs, and lay a strangled rhinoceros. The aggageers
gazed with dismay at their departed prize, and,
with superstitious fear, they remounted their horses
without uttering a word, and rode away ; they attri-
buted the sudden death of the animal to the effect
of my "evil eye." We turned towards our camp.
My Tokrooris were delighted, and I heard them
talking and laughing together upon the subject, and
410 TAHER NOOR FACES THE LION. [CHAP. xvi.
remarking upon the extremely " bad eye " of tlieir
master.
On the rising of the sun next day we had struck
our camp, and were upon the march to Delladilla.
On the way I shot a splendid buck mehedehet (R.
JEllipsyprimna), and we arrived at our old quarters,
finding no change except that elephants had visited
them in our absence, and our cleanly-swept circus
was covered with the dung of a large herd. As this
spot generally abounded with game, I took a single-
barrelled small rifle, while the men were engaged
in pitching the tent and arranging the camp, and
with Taher Noor as my only companion, I strolled
through the forest, expecting to obtain a shot at a
nellut within a quarter of a mile. I had walked
about that distance, and had just entered upon a
small green glade, when I perceived, lying at full
length upon the sand, a large lion, who almost im-
mediately sprang up, and at the same moment
received a bullet from my rifle as he bounded
beneath a bush and crouched among some withered
grass. I was unloaded, when to my astonishment,
Taher Noor immediately drew his sword, and. with
his shield in his left hand, he advanced boldly towards
the wounded lion. I reloaded as quickly as possible,
just as this reckless Hamran had arrived within
springing distance of the lion, who positively slunk
away and declined the fight ; retreating into the
thick thorns, it disappeared before T could obtain a
shot. Taher Noor explained, that his object in
CHAP, xvi.] WE START FRESH GAME. 41 1
advancing towards the lion was to attract its atten-
tion; he had expected that it would have remained
in a crouching position until I should have reloaded ;
but he ran the extreme risk of a charge, in which
case he would have fared badly with simple sword
and shield. Being close to the tent, I returned, and,
in addition to my single barrelled rifle, I took my
two Keilly No. 10, with Hassan and Hadji All.
In company with Taher Noor we searched through-
out the bushes for the wounded lion, but without
success. I now determined to make a cast, hoping
that we might succeed in starting some other animal
that would give us a better chance. The ground
was sandy but firm, therefore we made no sound
in walking, and, as the forest was bounded upon
two sides by the river, and separated from the main
land by a ravine ; the fire that had cleared the
country of grass had spared this portion, which was
an asylum for all kinds of game, as it afforded
pasturage and cover. We had not continued our
stroll for five minutes beyond the spot lately occupied
by the lion, when we suddenly came upon two bull
buffaloes, who were lying beneath a thick bush on
the edge of a small glade : they sprang up as we
arrived,, and started off. I made a quick shot as
they galloped across the narrow space, and dropped
one apparently dead with a Eeilly No. 10. My
Tokrooris were just preparing to run in and cut
the throat, as good Mussulmans, when the buffalo,
that was not twenty yards distant, suddenly sprang
412 A CURIOUS SHOT. [CHAP. xvi.
to his feet and faced us. In another moment, with
n short grunt, he determined upon a charge, but
hardly was he in his first bound, when I fired the
remaining barrel aimed at the point of the nose, as
this was elevated to such a degree that it would
have been useless to have fired at the forehead. He
fell stone dead at the shot; we threw some clods
of earth at him, but this time there was no mistake.
Upon an examination of the body, we could only
find the marks of the first bullet that had passed
through the neck; there was no other hole in the
skin, neither was there a sign upon the head or horns
that he had been shot ; at length I noticed blood
issuing from the nose, and we found that the bullet
had entered the nostril; I inserted a ramrod as a
probe, and we cut to the extremity and found the
bullet imbedded in the spine, which was shattered to
pieces in a portion of the neck. As a souvenir of
this very curious shot, I preserved the skull. My
men now flayed the buffalo and took a portion of
the meat, but I ordered them to leave the carcase
as a bait for lions, with which this neighbourhood
abounded, although it was exceedingly difficult to
see them, as they were concealed in the dense covert
of nabbuk bush. I left the buffalo, and strolled
through the jungle towards the river. As I was lei-
surely walking through alternate narrow glades and
thick jungle, I heard a noise that sounded like the deep
snort of the hippopotamus : I approached the steep
bank of the river, and crept carefully to the edge,
CHAP, xvi.] 11 AIT FOR THE LIONS. 413
expecting to see the hippo as I peered over the brink.
Instead of the hippopotamus, a fine lion and lioness
were lying on the sand about sixty yards to my left,
at the foot of the bank. At the same instant they
obtained our wind, and sprang up the high bank into
the thick jungle, without giving me a better chance
than a quick shot through a bush as they were dis-
appearing.
I now returned home, determined to circumvent the
lions if possible in this very difficult country. That
night we were serenaded by the roaring of these ani-
mals in all directions, one of them having visited our
camp, around which we discovered his footprints on
the following morning. I accordingly took Taher
Noor, with Hadji Ali and Hassan, two of my trusty
Tokrooris, and went straight to the spot where I had
left the carcase of the buffalo. As I had expected,
nothing remained not even a bone : the ground was
much trampled, and tracks of lions were upon the
sand ; but the body of the buffalo had been dragged
into the thorny jungle. I was determined, if possible,
to get a shot, therefore I followed carefully the
track left by the carcase, which had formed a path
in the withered grass. Unfortunately the lions had
dragged the buffalo down wind, therefore, after I had
arrived within the thick nabbuk and high grass, I
came to the conclusion that my only chance would be
to make a long circuit, and to creep up wind through
the thorns, until I should be advised by my nose, of
the position of the carcase, which would by this tim3
414 HIGHLY EXCITING. [CHAP. xvi.
be in a state of putrefaction, and the lions would most
probably be with the body. Accordingly, I struck
off to my left, and continuing straight forward for
some hundred yards, I again struck into the thick
jungle, and came round to the wind. Success de-
pended on extreme caution, therefore I advised my
three men to keep close behind me with the spare
rifles, as I carried my single-barrelled Beattie. This
rifle was extremely accurate, therefore I had chosen it
for this close work, when I expected to get a shot
at the eye or forehead of a lion crouching in the bush*
Softly and with difficulty I crept forward, followed
closely by my men ; through the high withered grass,
beneath the dense green nabbuk bushes ; peering
through the thick covert, with the nerves tuned up to
full pitch, and the finger on the trigger ready for any
emergency. We had thus advanced for about half
an hour, during w^hich I frequently applied my nose
to within a foot of the ground to catch the scent,
when a sudden puff of wind brought the unmistake-
able smell of decomposing flesh. For the moment I
halted, and, looking round to my men, I made a sign
that we were near to the carcase, and that they were
to be ready with the rifles. Again I crept gently
forward, bending, and sometimes crawling, beneath
the thorns to avoid the slightest noise. As I ap-
proached, the scent became stronger, until I at length
felt that I must be close to the cause. This was
highly exciting. Fully prepared for a quick shot, I
stealthily crept on. A tremendous roar in the dense
CHAP, xvi.] MY TOKROORIS DON'T LIKE THE LIOX. 415
thorns within a few feet of me suddenly brought my
rifle to my shoulder : almost in the same instant I
observed the three-quarter figure of either a lion or a
lioness within three yards of me, on the other side
of the bush, under which I had been creeping the
foliage concealed the head, but I could almost have
touched the shoulder with my rifle. Much depended
upon the bullet ; and I fired exactly through the
centre of the shoulder. Another tremendous roar !
and a crash in the bushes as the animal made a bound
forward, was succeeded immediately by a similar roar,
as another lion took the exact position of the last, and
stood" wondering at the report of the rifle, and seeking
for the cause of the intrusion. This was a grand lion
with a shaggy mane ; but I was unloaded, keeping
my eyes fixed on the beast, while I stretched my hand
back for a spare rifle ; the lion remained standing, but
gazing up wind with his head raised, snuffing in the
air for a scent of the enemy. No rifle was put in my
hand. I looked back for an instant, and saw my
Tokrooris faltering, about five yards behind me. I
looked daggers at them, gnashing my teeth and shaking
my fist. They saw the lion, and Taher Noor snatching
a rifle from Hadji Ali, was just about to bring it, when
Hassan, ashamed, ran forward the lion disappeared at
the same moment ! Never was such a fine chance lost
through the indecision of the gun-bearers ! I made a
vow never to carry a single-barrelled rifle again when
hunting large game. If I had had my dear little
Fletcher 24, 1 should have nailed the lion to a certainty.
4 16 THE DYING LIONESS. [CHAP. xvi.
However, there was not mucli time for reflection
where was the first lion ? Some remains of the
buffalo lay upon my right, and I expected to find
the lion, most probably crouching in the thorns
somewhere near us. Having reloaded, I took one
of my Reilly No. 10 rifles, and listened attentively
for a sound. Presently I heard within a few yards a
low growl. Taher Noor drew his sword, and, with
his shield before him, he searched for the lion, while I
crept forward towards the sound, which was again
repeated. A loud roar, accompanied by a rush in the
jungle, showed us a glimpse of the lion, as he bounded
off within ten or twelve yards ; but I had no ckance
to fire. Again the low growl was repeated, and upon
quietly creeping towards the spot, I saw a splendid
animal crouched upon the ground among the withered
and broken grass. The lioness lay dying, with the
bullet wound in the shoulder. Occasionally, in her
rage, she bit her own paw violently, and then struck and
clawed the ground. A pool of blood lay by her side. She
was about ten yards from us, and I instructed my men
to throw a clod of earth at her (there were no stones),
to prove whether she could rise, while I stood ready
with the rifle. She merely replied with a dull roar,
and I terminated her misery by a ball through the
head. She was a beautiful animal ; the patch of the
bullet was sticking in the wound ; she was shot
through both shoulders, and as we were not far from
the tent, I determined to have her brought to camp
upon a camel as an offering to my wife. Accordingly
CHAP, xvi.] BROUGHT INTO CAMP. 41 7
I left my Tokrooris, while I went with Taher Noor to
fetch a camel.
On our road through the thick jungle, I was startled
by a rush close to me : for the moment I thought it
was a lion, but almost at the same instant I saw a,
fine nellut dashing away before me, and I killed it
immediately with a bullet through the back of the
neck. This was great luck, and we now required two
camels, as in two shots I had killed a lioness and a
nellut (A. Strepsiceros).
We remained for some time at our delightful cam})
at Delladilla. Every day, from sunrise to sunset, I was
either on foot or in the saddle, without rest, except
upon Sundays, which I generally passed at home,
with the relaxation of fishing in the beautiful river
Settite. There was an immense quantity of largo
game, and I had made a mixed bag of elephants,
hippopotami, buffaloes, rhinoceros, giraffes, and great
numbers of the large antelopes. Lions, although
numerous, were exceedingly difficult to bag ; there
was no chance but the extreme risk of creeping
through the thickest jungle. Upon two or three
occasions I had shot them by crawling into their
very dens, where they had dragged their prey ; and
I must acknowledge that they were much more
frightened of me than I was of them. I had
generally obtained a most difficult and unsatis-
factory shot at close quarters ; sometimes I rolled
them over with a mortal wound, and they dis-
appeared to die in impenetrable jungle; but at all
E E
418 DIFFICULTY IN TRACKING THE LIONS. [CHAP. xvi.
times fortune was on my side. On moonlight nights
I generally lay in wait for these animals with great
patience ; sometimes I shot hippopotami, and used a
hind-quarter as a bait for lions, while I watched in
ambush at about twenty yards distance ; but the
hyaenas generally appeared like evil spirits, and
dragged away the bait before the lions had a chance.
I never fired at these scavengers, as they are most
useful creatures, and are contemptible as game. My
Arabs had made their fortune, as I had given them all
the meat of the various animals, which they dried and
transported to Geera, together with fat, hides, &c. It
would be wearying to . enumerate the happy hunting-
days passed throughout this country. We were never
ill for a moment : although the thermometer was
seldom below 88 during the day, the country was
healthy, as it was intensely dry, and therefore free
from malaria : at night the thermometer averaged
70, which was a delightful temperature for those
who exist in the open air.
As our camp was full of meat, either dried or in
the process of drying in festoons upon the trees, we
had been a great attraction to the beasts of prey,
who constantly prowled around our thorn fence
during the night. One night in particular, a lion
attempted to enter, but had been repulsed by the
Tokrooris, who pelted him with firebrands ; my
people woke me up and begged me to shoot him,
but as it was perfectly impossible to fire correctly
through the hedge of thorns, I refused to be dis-
CHAP, xvi.] THE LION VISITS OUR CAMP. 419
turbed, but I promised to hunt for him on the
following clay. Throughout the entire night the
lion prowled around the camp, growling and utter-
ing his peculiar guttural sigh. Not one of my
people slept, as they declared he would bound into
the camp and take somebody, unless they kept up
the watch-fires and drove him away with brands.
The next day, before sunrise, I called Hassan and
Hadji Ali, whom I lectured severely upon their
cowardice on a former occasion, and I received their
promise to follow me to death. I entrusted them
with my two Eeillys No. 10 ; and with my little
Fletcher in hand, I determined to spend the whole
day in searching every thicket of the forest for
lions, as I felt convinced that the animal that
had disturbed us during the night, was concealed
somewhere within the neighbouring jungle.
The whole day passed fruitlessly ; I had crept
through the thickest thorns in vain ; having
abundance of meat, I had refused, the most tempting
shots at buffaloes and large antelopes, as I had
devoted myself exclusively to lions. I was much
disappointed, as the evening had arrived without a
shot having been fired, and as the sun had nearly
set, I wandered slowly towards home. Passing
through alternate open glades of a few yards width,
hemmed in on all sides by thick jungle, I was
carelessly carrying my rifle upon my shoulder, as
I pushed my way through the opposing thorns, when
a sudden roar, just before me, at once brought the
E E 2
420 . PIS A riS WITH A LION. [CHAP. xvi.
rifle upon full cock, and I saw a magnificent lion
standing in the middle of the glade, about ten yards
from me : he had been lying on the ground, and had
started to his feet upon hearing me approach through
the jungle. For an instant he stood in an attitude
of attention, as we were hardly visible ; but at the
same moment I took a quick but sure shot with
the little Fletcher. He gave a convulsive bound,
but rolled over backwards : before he could recover
himself, I fired the left-hand barrel. It was a glorious
sight. I had advanced a few steps into the glade, and
Hassan had quickly handed me a spare rifle, while
Taher Noor stood by me sword in hand. The lion
in the greatest fury, with his shaggy mane bristled
in the air, roared with death-like growls, as . open-
mouthed he endeavoured to charge upon us ; but he
dragged his hind-quarters upon the ground, and I
saw immediately that the little Fletcher had broken
his spine. In his tremendous exertions to attack,
he rolled over and over, gnashing his horrible jaws,
and tearing holes in the sandy ground at each blow
of his tremendous paws that would have crushed
a man's skull like an egg-shell. Seeing that he was-
hors de combat, I took it coolly, as it was already
dusk, and the lion having rolled into a dark and
thick bush, I thought it would be advisable to defer
the final attack, as he would be dead before morning.
We were not ten minutes' walk from the camp, at
which we quickly arrived, and my men greatly
rejoiced at the discomfiture of their enemy, as they
CHAP, xvi.] A SURPRISE. 421
were convinced that he was the same lion that had
attempted to enter the zareeba.
On the following morning, before sunrise, I started
with nearly all my people and a powerful camel, with
the intention of bringing the lion home entire. I rode
my horse Tetel, who had frequently shown great
courage, and I wished to prove whether he w^ould
advance to the body of a lion.
Upon arrival near the spot which we supposed to
have been the scene of the encounter, we were rather
puzzled, as there was nothing to distinguish the
locality ; one place exactly resembled another, as
the country was flat and sandy, interspersed with
thick jungle of green nabbuk ; we accordingly spread
out to beat for the lion. Presently Hadji Ali cried
out : " There he lies, dead ! " and I immediately rode
to the . spot, together with the people. A tremendous
roar greeted us, as the lion started to his fore-feet,
and with his beautiful mane erect, and his great
hazel eyes flashing fire, he gave a succession of deep
short roars, and challenged us to fight. This was
a grand picture ; he looked like a true lord of the
forest, but I pitied the poor brute, as he was helpless,
and although the spirit was game to the last, his
strength was paralysed by a broken back.
It was a glorious opportunity for the horse. At
the first unexpected roar, the camel had bolted with
its rider ; the horse had for a moment started on one
side, and the men had scattered ; but in an instant I
h;ul reined Tetel up, and I now rode straight towards
422 TETEL FACES THE WOUNDED LION. [CHAP. xvi.
the lion, who courted the encounter about twenty
paces distant. I halted exactly opposite the noble
looking beast, who, seeing me in advance of the
party, increased his rage, and growled deeply, fixing
his glance upon the horse. I now patted Tetel on the
neck, and spoke to him coaxingly ; he gazed intently
at the lion, erected his mane and snorted, but showed
no signs of retreat. " Bravo ! old boy ! " I said, and
encouraging him by caressing his neck with my hand,
I touched his flank gently with my heel ; I let him
just feel my hand upon the rein, and with a " Come
along, old lad," Tetel slowly, but resolutely advanced
step by step towards the infuriated lion, that greeted
him with continued growls. The horse several times
snorted loudly, and stared fixedly at the terrible face
before him ; but as I constantly patted and coaxed
him, he did not refuse to advance. I checked him
when within about six yards from the lion. This
would have made a magnificent picture, as the horse,
with astounding courage, faced the lion at bay ; both
animals kept their eyes fixed upon each other, the
one beaming with rage, the other with cool determi-
nation. This was enough I dropped the reins upon
his neck ; it was a signal that Tetel perfectly
understood, and he stood firm as a rock, for he knew
that I was about to fire. I took aim at the head of
the glorious but distressed lion, and a bullet from the
little Fletcher dropped him dead. Tetel never flinched
at a shot. I now dismounted, and having patted and
coaxed the horse, I led him up to the body of the
CHAP, xvi.] WONDERFUL COURAGE OF THE HORSE. 423
lion, \vhich I also patted, and then gave my hand to
the horse to smell. He snorted once or twice, and as-
I released my hold of the reins, and left him entirely
free, he slowly lowered his head, and sniffed the mane
of the dead lion : he then turned a few paces upon
one side, and commenced eating the withered grass
beneath the nabbuk bushes. My Arabs were perfectly
delighted with this extraordinary instance of courage
exhibited by the horse. I had known that the beast
was disabled, but T6tel had advanced boldly towards
the angry jaws of a lion that appeared about to spring.
The camel was now brought to the spot and blind-
folded, while we endeavoured to secure the lion upon
its back. As the camel knelt, it required the united
exertions of eight men, including myself, to raise
the ponderous animal, and to secure it across the
saddle.
Although so active and cat-like in its movements, a
full-grown lion weighs about five hundred and fifty
pounds. Having secured it, we shortly arrived in
camp ; the coup d'ccil was beautiful, as the camel
entered the inclosure with the shaggy head and
massive paws of the dead lion hanging upon one flank,
while the tail nearly descended to the ground upon
the opposite side. It was laid at full length before my
wife, to whom the claws were dedicated as a trophy to
be worn around the neck as a talisman. Not only are
the claws prized by the Arabs, but the moustache of
the lion is carefully preserved and sewn in a leather
envelop, to be worn as an amulet ; such a charm is
424 LIONS' CLAWS WORN AS A CHARM. [CHAP. xvi.
supposed to protect the wearer from the attacks of
wild animals.
In all probability, this was the lion that was in the
habit of visiting our camp, as from that date, although
the roars of such animals were our nightly music, we
were never afterwards visited so closely.
As game was plentiful, the lions were exceedingly
fat, and we preserved a large quantity of this for our
lamps. When it was boiled down it was well adapted
for burning, as it remained nearly liquid.
We had a large supply of various kinds of fat,
including that of elephants, hippopotami, lions, and
rhinoceros ; but our stock of soap was exhausted,
therefore I determined to convert a quantity of our
grease into that very necessary article.
Soap-boiling is not so easy as .may be imagined ; it
requires not only much attention, but the quality is
dependent upon the proper mixture of the alkalis.
Sixty parts of potash and forty of lime are, I believe,
the proportions for common soap. I had neither lime
nor potash, but T shortly procured both. The hegleek-
tree (Saldnites Egyptiacct) was extremely rich in
potash ; therefore I burned a large quantity, and made
a strong ley with the ashes ; this I concentrated by
boiling. There was no lime-stone ; but the river pro-
duced a plentiful supply of large oyster-shells, that, if
burned, would yield excellent lime. Accordingly I
constructed a kiln, with the assistance of the white
ants. The country was infested with these creatures,
which had erected their dwellings in all directions ;
CHAP, xvi.] WE COMMENCE SOAP BOILING. 425
these were cones from six to ten feet high, formed of
<-lay so thoroughly cemented by a glutinous prepara-
tion of the insects, that it was harder than sun-baked
brick. I selected an egg-shaped hill, and cut off the
top, -exactly as we take off the slice from an egg.
My Tokrooris then worked hard, and with a hoe and
their lances, they hollowed it out to the base, in spite
of the attacks of the ants, which punished the legs
of the intruders considerably. I now made a draught-
hole from the outside base, at right-angles with the
bottom of the hollow cone. My kiln was perfect. I
loaded it with wood, upon which T piled about six
bushels of oyster-shells, which I then covered with
fuel, and kept it burning for twenty-four hours. This
produced excellent lime, and I commenced my soap-
boiling. We possessed an immense copper pot of
Egyptian manufacture, in addition to a large and
deep copper basin called a " teshti." These would
contain about ten gallons. The ley having been
boiled down to great strength, I added a quantity
of lime, and the necessary fat. It required ten hours
boiling, combined with careful management of the
fire, as it would frequently ascend like foam, and
overflow the edge of the utensils. However, at length,
having been constantly stirred, it turned to soap.
Before it became cold, I formed it into cakes and balls
with my hands, and the result of the manufacture
was a weight of about forty pounds of most excellent
-soap, of a very sporting description, "Savon d la bete
Jeroce." We thus washed with rhinoceros soap ; our
426 -SAVON A LA BETE FEROCE. [CHAP. xvi.
lamp was trimmed with oil of lions ; our butter for
cooking purposes was the fat of hippopotami, while
our pomade was made from the marrow of buffaloes
and antelopes, scented with the blossoms of mimosas.
We were entirely independent, as our whole party had
subsisted upon the produce of the rod. and the rifle.
We were now destined to be deprived of two
members of the party. Mahomet had become simply
unbearable, and he was so impertinent that I was
obliged to take a thin cane from one of the Arabs
and administer a little . physical advice. An evil
spirit possessed the man, and he bolted off with some
of the camel men who were returning to Geera with
dried meat.*
Our great loss was Barrake. She had persisted in
eating the fruit of the hegleek, although she had
* Some months afterwards he found his way to Khartoum, where
he was imprisoned by the Governor for having deserted. He sub-
sequently engaged himself as a soldier in a slave-hunting expedi-
tion on the White Nile ; and some years later, on our return
from the Albert N'yanza we met him in Shooa on 3 north lati-
tude. He had repented hardships and discipline had effected a
change and like the prodigal son, he returned. I forgave him,
and took him with us to Khartoum, where we left him a sadder
but a wiser man. He had met many near relations during his
long journey, all of whom had stolen some souvenir of their cousin,
and left him almost naked. He also met Achmet his " mother's
brother's cousin's sister's mother's son," who turned up after some
years at Gondokoro as a slave-hunter ; he had joined an expedition,
and like all other blackguards, he had chosen the White Nile
regions for his career. He was the proprietor of twenty slaves, he
had assisted in the murder of a number of unfortunate negroes, and
he was a prosperous and respectable individual.
CHAP. XYI.] WE BURY POOR BARRAKK 427
suffered from dysentery upon several occasions. She
was at length attacked with congestion of the liver.
My wife took the greatest care of her, and for weeks
she had given her the entire produce of the goats,
hoping that milk would keep up her strength ; but
she died after great suffering, and we buried the poor
creature, and moved our 'camp.
CHAPTER XVII.
WE REACH THE ROY AN.
HAVING explored the Settite into the gorge of the
mountain chain of Abyssinia, we now turned due
south from our camp of Delladilla, and at a distance
of twelve miles we reached the river Roy an. The
intervening country was the high and flat table-land
of rich soil, that characterises the course of the Settite
and Atbara rivers ; this land was covered with hegleek
trees of considerable size^ and the descent to the
Roy an was through a valley, torn and washed by the
rains, similar in appearance to that of the Settite, but
upon a small scale, as the entire width did not exceed
a mile.
Descending the rugged ground, we arrived at the
margin of the river. At this season (February) the
bed was perfectly dry sand, about ninety yards from
bank to bank, and the high-water mark upon the
perpendicular sides was a little above nine feet deep.
The inclination was extremely rapid : thus the Royan
during the rainy season must be a most frightful
torrent, that supplies a large body of water to the
CHAP, xvii.] HOR MAI GUBBA. 429
Scttite, but winch runs dry almost immediately upon
the cessation of the rains.
We descended the bank in a spot that had been
broken down by elephants, and continued our course
up stream along the sandy bed, which formed an
excellent road. The surface was imprinted with the
footsteps of every variety of game, and numerous
holes about two feet deep had been dug in the sand
by the antelopes and baboons to procure water. Great
numbers of the oterop, a small reddish-brown antelope
without horns (Calotragus Montanus) were drinking
at these little watering-places, and did not appear to
heed us. We disturbed many nellut and tetel upon
the banks, and after having marched about four miles
along the river's bed, we halted at a beautiful open
forest of large trees at the junction of Hor Mai
Gubba. This was a considerable torrent, which is
tributary to the Eoyan ; at this spot it had cut
through a white sandstone cliff, about eighty feet
perpendicular : thus upon either side it was walled in.
The word Gubba is Abyssinian for the Nabbuk, there-
fore the torrent was the Nabbuk river : this flowed
past the village of Mai Gubba, which is the head-
quarters of Mek Nimmur, from which we were not
twenty-five miles distant. We camped in a forest
of the largest trees that we had as yet seen in Africa,
and as we had observed the fresh tracks of horses on
the sand, some of my Arabs went in search of the
aggageers of Taher Sherrif s party whom they had ex-
pected to meet at this point. While they were gone,
430 THE FRANCOLIN PARTRIDGE. [CHAP. xvn.
I took a few men to beat the low jungle within the
forest, for francolin partridge, numbers of which I
had seen running through the covert. I went up
the dry bed of the river at the junction of the Hor
Gubba, while they drove towards me, and I was
compelled to fire as fast as I could load, as these
beautiful birds flew across the ravine. I shot five
brace almost immediately. There is no better game
bird than the francolin : the flesh is white, and of a
most delicate and rich flavour. My shots had
attracted the aggageers, and shortly after my return
to camp they arrived with my Arabs, as they had been
stationed on the opposite side of the Eoyan in a, forest
within a quarter of a mile of us. Taher Sherrif was
delighted to see us free from the company of Abou
Do. His party had killed several elephants, and had
captured two young ones ; also, two young rhinoceros,
three giraifes, and several young antelopes : these were
to be sold to Johann Schmidt, who had contracted to
supply the Italian agent at Cassala. I agreed to have a
long day's hunt with Taher Sherrif; we were to start
before sunrise, as he wished to ride to a spot about
twenty-five miles distant, up the course of the Eoyan
that was a favourite resort for elephants.
That evening we had a delicious dinner of francolin
partridges. This species is rather larger than the
French partridge : it is dark brown, mottled with black
feathers, with a red mark around the eye, and double
spurs.
There was a small but deep pool of water in the
CHAP, xvii.j WE WATCH FOR GAME. 431
bed of the river, beneath the high bank about two
hundred paces from our canip ; this was a mere hole
of about twenty feet square, and I expected that
large game might come to drink during the night.
Accordingly, I determined to watch for elephants, as
their tracks were numerous throughout the bed of
the river. My wife and two gun-bearers accompanied
me, and we sat behind an immense tree that grew
on the bank, exactly above the drinking place. I
watched for hours, until I fell asleep, as did my men
likewise : my wife alone was awake, and a sudden
tug at my sleeve attracted my attention. The moon
was bright, and she had heard a noise upon the
branches of the tree above us : there were no leaves,
therefore I quickly observed some large animal upon
a thick bough. My Tokrooris had awoke, and they
declared it to be a baboon. I knew this to be im-
possible, as the baboon is never solitary, and I was
just preparing to fire, when down jumped a large
leopard within a few feet of us, and vanished before
I had time to shoot. It must have winded our
party, and quietly ascended the tree to reconnoitre.
Nothing but hyaenas came to the pool, therefore we
returned to camp.
According to my agreement, I went to the agga-
geers' camp .at 5 A.M., with Hadji Ali and Hassan,
both mounted on my two. horses, Aggahr and Gazelle,
while I rode Tetel. Taher Sherrif requested me not
to shoot at anything, as the shots might alarm and
scare away elephants; therefore I merely carried my
432 OUT WITH THE AGGAGEERS. [CHAP. XVH.
little Fletcher, in case of meeting the Base, who
hunted in this country. The aggageers mounted their
horses ; each man carried an empty water-skin slung
to his saddle, to be filled at the river should it be
necessary to quit its banks. We started along the
upward course of the Royan.
For seven hours we rode, sometimes along the
bed of the river between lofty overhanging rocks, or
through borders of fine forest-trees ; at other times
we cut off a bend of the stream, and rode for some
miles through beautiful country diversified with hills,
and abounding in enormous baobab-trees (Adansonia
digitata). At length we entered the mountains at
the foot of the great chain. Here the views were
superb. The Royan was no longer a stream of
ninety or a hundred yards in width, but it was re-
duced to a simple mountain torrent about forty yards
across, blocked in many places by masses of rock,
while at others it had formed broad pools, all of which
were now perfectly dry, and exhibited a bed of glaring
sand. Numerous mountain ravines joined the main
channel, and as the inclination was extremely rapid,
there could be little doubt that the violent storms of
the rainy reason, descending from the great chain of
mountains, would, by concentrating in the Royan,
suddenly give birth to an impetuous torrent, that
would materially affect the volume of the Settite.
The entire country bore witness to the effect of violent
rains, as the surface was torn and water-worn.
We had ridden nearly thirty miles, having seen
CHAP, xvn.] THE BANKS OF THE ROY AN. 433
large quantities of game, including antelopes, buffa-
loes, giraffes, and rhinoceros, none of which we had
hunted, as we were in search of elephants. This
was the country where the aggagcers had expected,
without fail, to find their game.
They now turned away from the Koyan, and de-
scended a sandy valley at the foot of the mountains,
the bottom of which appeared to have been overflowed
during the wet season. Here were large strips of
forest, and numerous sandy watercourses, along the
dry bed of which we quickly discovered the deep
tracks of elephants. They had been digging fresh
holes in the sand in search' of water, in which welcome
basins we found a good supply ; we dismounted,
and rested the horses for half an hour, while the
hunters followed up the tracks on the bed of the
stream. Upon their return, they reported the ele-
phants as having wandered off upon the rocky ground,
that rendered further tracking impossible.- We ac-
cordingly remounted, and, upon arrival at the spot
where they had lost the tracks, we continued along
the bed of the stream. We had ridden about a mile,
and were beginning to despair, when suddenly we
turned a sharp angle in the watercourse, and Taher
Sherrif, who was leading, immediately reined in his
horse, and backed him towards the party. I followed
his example, and we were at once concealed by the
sharp bend of the river. He now whispered, that a
bull elephant was drinking from a hole it had scooped
in the sand, not far round the corner. Without the
F F
434 WE FIND A BULL ELEPHANT. [CHAP. xvn.
slightest confusion, the hunters at once fell quietly
into their respective places, Taher Sherrif leading,
while I followed closely in the line, with my Tokrooris
bringing up the rear ; we were a party of seven
horses.
Upon turning the corner, we at once perceived the
elephant, that was still drinking. It was a fine bull ;
the enormous ears were thrown forward, as the head
was lowered in the act of drawing up the water
through the trunk ; these shaded the eyes, and, with
the wind favourable, we advanced noiselessly upon
the sand to within twenty yards before we were per-
ceived. The elephant then threw up its head, and,
with the ears flapping forward, it raised its trunk
for an instant, and then slowly, but easily, ascended
the steep bank, and retreated. The aggageers now
halted for about a minute to confer together, and
then followed in their original order up the crumbled
bank. We were now on most unfavourable ground ;
the fire that had cleared the country we had hitherto
traversed had been stopped by the bed of the torrent.
We were thus plunged at once into withered grass
above our heads, unless we stood in the stirrups ; the
ground was strewed with fragments of rock, and alto-
gether it was ill-adapted for riding. However, Taher
Sherrif broke into a trot, followed by the entire party,
as the elephant was not in sight. We ascended a hill,
and when near the summit, we perceived the elephant
about eighty yards ahead. It was looking behind
during its retreat, by swinging its huge head from
CHAP, xvii.] 1IELTER SKELTER. 435
side to side, and upon seeing us approach, it turned
suddenly round and halted. " Be ready, and take
care of the rocks ! " said Taher Sherrif, as I rode for-
ward by his side. Hardly had he uttered these words
of caution, when the bull gave a vicious jerk with
its head, and .with a shrill scream it charged down
upon us with the greatest fury. Away we all went,
helter shelter, through the dry grass, which whistled
in my ears, over the hidden rocks, at full gallop,
with the elephant tearing after us for about a hundred
and eighty yards at a tremendous pace. Tetel was a
.sure-footed horse, and, being unshod, he never slipped
upon the stones. Thus, as we all scattered in different
directions, the elephant became confused, and relin-
quished the chase ; it had been very near me at one
time, and in such ground I was not sorry when
it gave up the hunt. We now quickly united, and
again followed the elephant, that had once more re-
treated. Advancing at a canter, we shortly came in
view. Upon seeing the horses, the bull deliberately
entered a stronghold composed of rocky and uneven
ground, in the clefts of which, grew thinly a few
leafless trees, the thickness of a man's leg. It then
turned boldly towards us, and stood determinedly at
bay.
Now came the tug of war I Taher Sherrif came
dos3 to me and said, "You had better shoot the
elephant, as we shall have great difficulty in this
rocky ground : " this I declined, as I wished to end
the fight as it had been commence 1, with the sword ;
F F 2
436 THE ELEPHANT AT BAY. [CHAP, xvn
and I proposed that lie should endeavour to drive the
animal to more favourable ground. " Never mind/'
replied Taher, " Inshallah (please God) he shall not
beat us." He now advised me to keep as close to him
as possible, and to look sharp for a charge.
The elephant stood facing us like a statue ; it did
not move a muscle beyond a quick and restless action
of the eyes, that were watching all sides. Taher
Sherrif and his youngest brother Ibrahim now
separated, and each took opposite sides of the
elephant, and then joined each other about twenty
yards behind it ; I accompanied them, until Taher
advised me to keep about the same distance upon the
left flank. My Tokrooris kept apart from the scene,
as they were not required. In front of the elephant
were two aggageers, one of whom was the renowned
Kodur Sherrif, with the withered arm. All being
ready for action, Eodur now rode slowly towards the
head of the cunning old bull, who was quietly
awaiting an opportunity to make certain of some one
who might give him a good chance.
Rodur Sherrif rode a bay mare, that, having been
thoroughly trained to these encounters, was perfect at
her work. Slowly and coolly she advanced towards
her wary antagonist, until within about eight or nine
yards of the elephant's head ; the creature never
moved, and the mise en scene was beautiful ; not a
word was spoken, and we kept our places amidst
utter stillness, which was at length broken by
a snort from the mare, who gazed intently at
CHAP. XVIL] RODUR WITH THE WITHERED ARM. 437
the elephant, as though watching for the moment of
attack.
One more pace forward, and Rodur sat coolly upon
his mare, with his eyes fixed upon those of the
elephant. For an instant I saw the white of the eye
nearest to me : " Look out. Rodur ! he's coming ! "
' 9. O
I exclaimed. With a shrill scream, the elephant
dashed upon him like an avalanche !
Round went the mare as though upon a pivot, and
away over rocks and stones, flying like a gazelle, with
the monkey-like form of little Rodur Sherrif leaning
forward, and looking over his left shoulder as the
elephant rushed after him.
For a moment I thought he must be caught. Had
the mare stumbled, all were lost ; but she gained in
the race after a few quick bounding strides, and
Rodur, still looking behind him, kept his distance so
close to the elephant, that its outstretched trunk was
within a few feet of the mare's tail.
Taher Sherrif and his brother Ibrahim swept down
like falcons in the rear. In full speed they dexter-
ously avoided the trees, until they arrived upon open
ground, .when they dashed up close to the hind-
quarters of the furious elephant, who, maddened with
the excitement, heeded nothing but Rodur and his
mare, that were almost within its grasp. When close
to the tail of the elephant, Taher Sherrif s sword
flashed from its sheath, as grasping his trusty blade he
leapt nimbly to the ground, while Ibrahim caught the
reins of his horse ; two or three bounds on foot, with
438 THE SWORD WINS THE DAY. [CHAP. xvn.
the sword clutched in both hands, and he was close
behind the elephant ; a bright glance shone like
lightning, as the sun struck upon the descending
steel ; this was followed by a dull crack, as the sword
cut through skin and sinews, and settled deep in the
bone, about twelve inches above the foot. At the
next stride, the elephant halted dead short in the
midst of its tremendous charge. Taher had jumped
quickly on one side, and had vaulted into the saddle
with his naked sword in hand. At the same moment,
Rodur, who had led the chase, turned sharp round,
and again faced the elephant as before ; stooping
quickly from the saddle, he picked up from the
ground a handful of dirt, which he threw into the face
of the vicious-looking animal, that once more attempted
to rush upon him. It was impossible ! the foot was
dislocated, and turned up in front like an old shoe.
In an instant Taher was once more on foot, and again
the sharp sword slashed the remaining leg. The
great bull elephant could not move ! the first cut
with the sword had utterly disabled it ; the second
was its death blow ; the arteries of the leg were
divided, and the blood spouted in jets from the
wounds. I wished to terminate its misery by a
bullet behind the ear, but Taher Sherrif begged me
not to fire, as the elephant would quickly bleed to
death without pain, and an unnecessary shot might
attract the Base, who would steal the flesh and ivory
during our absence. We were obliged to return
immediately to our far distant camp, and the hunters
CHAP, xvn.] THE NIMBLE BAKE DIXE CHEAPLY. 439
resolved to accompany their camels to the spot upon
the following day. We turned our horses' heads, and
rode direct towards home, which we did not reach
until nearly midnight, having ridden upwards of sixty
miles during the day.
The hunting of Taher Sherrif and his brothers
was superlatively beautiful ; with an immense amount
of dash, there was a cool, sportsman-like manner in
their mode of attack, that far excelled the impetu-
ous and reckless onset of Abou Do ; it was difficult
to decide which to admire the most, whether the
coolness and courage of him who led the elephant,
or the extraordinary skill and activity of the aggahr
who dealt the fatal blow.
On the following day, the hunters started to the
dead elephant with camels and sacks, but they re-
turned at night thoroughly disgusted ; the nimble
Base had been before them, most probably attracted
to the carcase by the cloud of vultures that had
gathered in the air. Nothing remained but the
bones and skull of the elephant, the flesh and the
ivory had been stolen. The tracks of a great num-
ber of men were left upon the ground, and the
aggageers were fortunate to return without an at-
tack from overwhelming numbers.
After hunting and exploring for some days in
this neighbourhood, I determined to follow the bed
of the Boy an to its junction with the Settite. We
started at daybreak, and after a long march along
the sandy bed, hemmed in by high banks, or by
440 THE GREAT WHIRLPOOL. [CHAP. xvir.
precipitous cliffs of sandstone, we arrived at the
junction ; this was a curious and frightful spot
during the rainy season. The entire course of the
Royan was extremely rapid, but at this extremity,
it entered a rocky pass between two hills, and leapt
in a succession of grand falls into a circular basin
of about four hundred yards diameter. This pecu-
liar basin was surrounded by high cliffs, covered
with trees ; to the left was an island formed by a
rock about sixty feet high ; at the foot was a deep
and narrow gorge through which the Settite river
made its exit from the circle. This large river en-
tered the basin through a rocky gap, at right angles
with the rush of water from the great falls of the
Koyari, and as both streams issued from gorges
which accelerated their velocity to the highest de-
gree, their junction formed a tremendous whirlpool :
thus, the basin which was now dry, with the excep-
tion of the single contracted stream of the Settite,
was in the rainy season a most frightful scene of
giddy waters. The sides of this basin were, for
about fifty feet from the bottom, sheeted with white
sand that had been left there by the centrifugal
force of the revolving waters ; the funnel-shaped re-
servoir had its greatest depth beneath the mass of
rock that formed a barrier before the mouth of the
exit. From the appearance of the high-water mark
upon the rock, it was easy to ascertain the approx-
imate depth when the flood was at its maximum.
We pitched our camp on the slope above the basin,
CHAP, xvn ] THE ROYilN JUNCTION WITH THE SETTITE. 441
and for several days I explored the bed of the river,
which was exceedingly interesting at this dry season,
when all the secrets of its depths were exposed.
In many places, the rocks that choked its bed for
a depth of thirty and forty feet in the narrow
passes, had been worked into caverns by the constant
attrition of the rolling pebbles. In one portion of
the river, the bottom was almost smooth, as though
it had been paved with flagstones ; this was formed
by a calcareous sediment from the water, which had
hardened into stone ; in some places this natural
pavement had been broken up into large slabs by
the force of the current, where it had been under-
mined. This cement appeared to be the same that
had formed the banks of conglomerate, which in
some places walled in the river for a depth of ten
or fifteen feet, with a concrete of rounded pebbles of
all sizes, from a nutmeg to a thirty-two pound shot.
I fired the grass on the west bank of the Eoyan,
and the blaze extended with such rapidity, that in
a few hours many miles of country were entirely
cleared. On the following morning, the country looked
as though covered with a pall of black velvet.
To my astonishment there were the fresh tracks
of a rhinoceros within a quarter of a mile of the
camp : this animal must have concealed itself in
the bed of the Eoyan during the fire, and had
wandered forth when it had passed. I followed
up the tracks with Bacheet and two of my Tokrooris.
In less than half a mile from the spot, I found it
442 A BULL RHINOCEROS. [CHAP. xvn.
lying down behind a bush, and, creeping under cover
of an ant-hill, I shot it through the shoulder with
a Keilly No. 10 ; it immediately galloped off, but
after run of a couple of hundred yards it laid down
on the edge of thick thorny jungle that bordered
the margin of the Eoyan. I waited, in the expec-
tation that it would shortly die, but it suddenly
rose, and walked slowly into the .thorns. Determined
to cut off its retreat, I pushed through the bushes,
intending to reach the dry bed of the Royan and
shoot the rhinoceros as it crossed from the narrow
belt of jungle, into which it had retreated ; but I
had hardly reached half way, when I heard a sound
in the bush upon my right, and I saw the wounded
beast coming straight for our position, but evidently
unconscious of our presence, as we were to leeward.
I immediately crouched down, as did my men like-
wise, lest the animal should observe us. Slowly, but
surely, it came on exactly towards us, until it was
at last so near as to be unpleasant : I looked behind
me, and I saw by the expression of my men that
they were thinking of retreat. I merely shook my
fist and frowned at them to give them confidence,
and I waited patiently for my opportunity. It was
becoming too ridiculous ; the rhinoceros was within
five or six yards, and was slowly but steadily ad-
vancing direct upon us. At the next step that he
made, I raised my rifle gently to my shoulder, and
whistled sharply : in an instant it tossed its head
up, and seeing nothing in front, as my clothes
CHAP, xvn.] BACHEET HAS TO RUX. 443
matched with the leafless bushes, it turned its head
to the left, and I immediately pulled the trigger.
It fell as though s smitten by a sledge hammer, and
it lay struggling on the ground. Bacheet sprang
forward, and with an Arab sword he cut the ham-
string of one leg. To the astonishment of us all,
the rhinoceros jumped up, and on three legs it sprang
quickly round and charged Bacheet, who skipped
into the bushes, while I ran alongside the rhinoceros
as it attempted to follow him, and, with the Fletcher
No. 24, I fired through the shoulder, by placing
the muzzle within a yard of the animal. It fell
dead to this shot, which was another feather in the
cap of the good little rifle. The skull of the rhino-
ceros is very curiously shaped ; I had fired for the
temple, and had struck the exact point at which
I had aimed, but, instead of hitting the brain, the
bullet had smashed the joint of the jaw, in which
it stuck fast. I never have been able to understand
why that powerful rifle was thus baffled, unless there
had been some error in the charge of powder. This
rhinoceros had no ears, they had been bitten off
close to the head by another of the same species,
while fighting; this mutilation is by no means
uncommon.
From this point I traversed the country in all
directions ; upon one occasion I took a large supply
of water, and penetrated into the very heart of the
Base, half way between the Settite and the river
Gash or Mareb, near the base of the mountain chain ;
414 EGYPTIANS INVADED NIMMUR S COUNTRY. CHAP. [xvn.
but, although the redoubtable natives were occasion-
ally seen, they were as shy as wild animals, and
we could not approach them.
Having explored the entire country, and enjoyed
myself thoroughly, I was now determined to pay our
promised visit to Mek Nimmur. Since our departure
from the Egyptian territory, his country had been
invaded by a large force, according to orders sent
from the Governor-General of the Soudan. Mek
Nimmur as usual retreated to the mountains, but
Mai Gubba and a number of his villages were utterly
destroyed by the Egyptians. He would, under these
circumstances, be doubly suspicious of strangers.
My camel-men had constantly brought me the
news on their return from Geera with corn,* and they
considered that it was unsafe to visit Mek Nimmur
after his defeat, as he might believe me to be a spy
from the Egyptians ; he was a great friend of
Theodorus, the King of Abyssinia, and as at that
time he was on good terms with the English, I
saw no reason to avoid his country.
We arrived at Ombrega, but, instead of camping
among the thick jungle as formerly, we bivouacked
under four splendid tamarind trees that formed a
clump among the rocks on the left bank of the river,
and which shaded a portion of its sandy bed ; this
was a delightful resting-place. We were now only
* Among other news, I was glad to hear that my patient Jali
could walk without difficulty.
CHAP, xvii.] OUR ARABS DECLINE TO PROCEED. 445
one day from Geera, and we sent a messenger to the
sheik of the Hamrans, who shortly returned with a
young girl of about seventeen as a corn-grinder in the
place of Barrake ; she was hired from her owner at
a dollar per month.
My camel-men had determined not to proceed to
Mek Nimmur's country, as they feared that their
camels might be stolen by his people ; they therefore
came to me one evening, and coolly declared that they
should return to Geera, as it would be folly to tempt
Mek Nimmur. It w r as in vain that I protested, and
reminded them that I had engaged them to accom-
pany me throughout the exploration. They were afraid
of losing their camels, and nothing would satisfy them ;
they declared that they required no wages, as the meat
and hide &c. they had received were sufficient for their
services, but through Mek Nimmur's country they
were determined not to go. Taher Noor was the only
man who was willing, but he had no camel. We had
constructed a fence of thorns around our camp, in
which the camels were now reposing, and, as the argu-
ment had .become hot, the Arabs expressed their deter-
mination of starting homewards that very instant, and
we were to be left alone, unless they could persuade
other men of their tribe to join us with their animals.
Accordingly, they at once proceeded to saddle their
camels for an immediate start. Without saying an-
other word, I quietly took my little Fletcher rifle, and
cocked both barrels as I sat within ten yards of the
exit from the camp. The men were just ready to
446 OBLIGED TO THREATEN THE CAMELS. [CHAP. xvn.
depart, and several had mounted their camels. " Good
bye," I said ; " give my salaams to the sheik when
you arrive at Geera ; but the first camel that passes
the gate of the zareeba (camp) I shall shoot through
the head." They had heard the sharp click of the
locks, and they remembered the firing of the grass on a
former occasion when I had nearly burnt the camp ;
not a camel moved. My Tokrooris and Taher Noor
now came forward as mediators, and begged me not
to shoot the camels. As I had the rifle pointed, I
replied to this demand conditionally, that the Arabs
should dismount and unsaddle immediately : this led
to a parley, and I agreed to become responsible for
the value of the camels should they be stolen in Mek
Nimniur's country. The affair was settled.
On March 1 6th, the day following this argument, as
we were sitting in the evening beneath our trees in
the river's bed, I suddenly heard the rattle of loose
stones, and immediately after, a man on a white hygecn
appeared from the jungle on our side of the river,
followed quickly by a string of Arabs, all well mounted,
who silently followed in single file towards the ford.
They had not noticed us, as we were close to the high
rocky bank upon their left, in the deep shade of the
tamarind trees. I counted twenty-three ; their shields
and swords were slung upon their hygeens, and, as
their clothes were beautifully clean, they had evidently
started that morning from their homes.
The leader had reached the ford without observing
us, as in this wild spot he had expected no one, and
CHAP, xvn.] THE TROOP ON A FORAY. 447
the whole party were astonished and startled when I
suddenly addressed them with a loud " Salaam alei-
kum" (peace be with you). At first they did not
re-ply, but as I advanced alone, their leader also ad-
vanced from his party, and we met half way. These
were a troop of Mek Nimmur's people on a foray. I
quickly explained who I was, and I invited him to
come and drink coffee beneath the shade in our camp.
Taher Noor now joined us, and confidence having been
established, the leader ordered his party to cross the
ford and to unsaddle on the opposite side of the river,
while he accompanied me to our camp. At first he
was rather suspicious, but a present of a new tarboosh
(cap), and a few articles of trifling value, quickly reas-
sured him, and he promised to be our guide to Mek
Nimmur in about a couple of days, upon his return from
a marauding expedition on the frontier ; his party
had appointed to unite with a stronger force, and to
make a razzia upon the cattle of the Dabaina Arabs.
During the night, the marauding party and their
leader departed.
There was no game at Ombrega, therefore I em-
ployed the interval of two days in cleaning all the
rifles, and in preparing for a fresh expedition, as
that of the Settite and Eoyan had been completed.
The short Tatham No. 10 rifle carried a neavy
cylinder, instead of the original spherical ball. I
had only fired two shots with this rifle, and the
recoil had been so tremendous, owing to the heavy
weight of the projectile, that I had mistrusted the
448 NARROW ESCAPE THE RIFLE BURSTS. [CHAP. xvn.
weapon ; therefore, when the moment arrived to fire
off all the guns preparatory to cleaning, my good
angel whispered a providential warning, and I
agreed to fire this particular rifle by a long fishing-
line attached to the trigger, while the gun should
be fastened to a tree. It blew all to pieces ! The
locks were blown entirely away, and the stock was
shattered into fragments : nothing remained but the
thick end near the shoulder-plate. I had received
a mysterious presentiment of this ; had I fired that
rifle in the usual manner, I must have been killed
on the spot. The charge was five drachms, which
was small in proportion to the weight of the
cylindrical projectile. This may be a warning to
such sportsmen who adapt new-fashioned projectiles
to old-fashioned rifles, that were proved with the
spherical bullet, which in weight and friction bears
no proportion to the heavy cylinder; nevertheless,
this rifle should not have burst, and the metal
showed great inferiority, by blowing into fragments
instead of splitting.
The leader of Mek Nimmur's party returned, as
he had promised, to be our guide. I extract from
my journal, verbatim, my notes upon that date.
" March 19, 1862. Started at 1.30 P.M., and halted
at 5 P.M. There is no water for about thirty miles,
thus we had watered all the animals at their usual hour
(noon), and they will accordingly endure until to-
morrow evening. Upon ascending the slope of the
Settite valley, the country is an immense plain of
CHAP, xvii.] WE MARCH FROM THE SETTITE. 449
fertile soil, about two hundred feet above the river.
While on the march, I espied a camel wandering
without an owner; this was immediately secured as
a lawful prize by our guide. This fellow's name
is Mahomet ; he is, doubtlessly, an out-and-out
scoundrel ; he is about five feet ten inches in
height, and as thin as a live man can be ; he is
so crafty-looking, and so wiry and eel-like, that if I
were to lock him up I should secure the key-hole,
as he looks capable of squeezing through anything.
We slept on the plain.
11 March 20. Started at 5 A.M., and in three hours
we reached the chain of lofty wooded hills that
bound the plain. In a march of four hours from
this point, we arrived at a hor, or ravine, when we
halted beneath a large tamarind tree, and pitched
the tent according to the instructions of our guide,
The plain from the Settite to the base of the hilly
range that we had crossed, is about twenty-two
miles wide by forty in length, and like all the
table-land in this country, it is well adapted for
cotton cultivation. Were the route secure through
the Base country, loaded camels might reach Cassala
in six days, and from thence to Souakim. All this
country is uninhabited. On arrival at the base of
the first hill, a grove of tamarinds shades a spring,
at which we watered our horses, but the water is
impregnated with natron, which is common through-
out this country, and appears in many places as
an efflorescence on the surface of the ground. From
G G
450 INTERESTING ROUTE. [CHAP. XVH.
the spring at the eastern base of the hills, we
ascended a rugged pass, winding for some miles
among ravines, and crossing elevated shoulders of
the range. Upon the summit, we passed a rich
mass of both rose-coloured and white limestone,
similar to that we had seen at Geera ; this was
surrounded by basalt, and the presence of limestone
entirely mystifies my ideas of geology. Immense
quantities of very beautiful spar lay upon the surface
in all directions ; some of this was perfectly white,
and veined like an agate I believe it was white
cornelian ; other fragments, of sizes equalling sixty
or seventy pounds weight, were beautifully green,
suggesting the presence of copper. Large masses of
exquisite bloodstone, the size of a man's head, were
exceedingly numerous. Having crossed the hills, we
descended to a rich and park-like valley, covered
with grass, and ornamented with fine timber. Much
dhurra was cultivated, and several villages were
passed, that had been plundered by the Egyptians
during the recent attack. This country must be
exceedingly unhealthy during the rainy season, as
the soil is extremely rich, and the valleys, sur-
rounded by hills, would become swamps. From
the Settite river, at Ombrega, to our halting-place
beneath the tamarind-tree, at this spot, is about
thirty-five miles south, 10 east."
Our camp was in a favourable locality, well shaded
by large trees, on the margin of a small stream ; this
was nearly dry at this season, and the water was
CHAP, xvii.] MINERAL WEALTH OF ABYSSINIA. 451
extremely bad, having a strong taste of copper. I
had remarked throughout the neighbourhood unmis-
takable evidences of the presence of this metal the
surface of the rocks was in many places bright green,
like malachite, and, upon an exploration of the bed
of the stream, I found veins of a green substance in
the perpendicular cliffs that had been cut through by
the torrent. These green veins passed through a bed
of reddish, hard rock, glistening with minute crystals,
which I believe to have been copper. There is no
doubt that much might be done were the mineral
wealth of this country thoroughly investigated.
The day following our arrival, was passed in re-
ceiving visits from a number of Abyssinians, and
the head men of Mek Nimmur. There was a mixture
of people, as many of the Jaleen Arabs who had
committed some crime in the Egyptian territory, had
fled across the country and joined the exiled chief of
their tribe. Altogether, the society in this district
was not crdme de la creme, as Mek Mimmur s
territory was an asylum for all the blackguards of the
adjoining countries, who were attracted by the
excitement and lawlessness of continual border
warfare. The troop that we had seen at Ombrega
returned with a hundred and two head of camels,
that they had stolen from the west bank of the Atbara.
Mounted upon hygeens, Mek Nimmur's irregulars
thought nothing of marching sixty miles in one day,
thus their attack and retreat were equally sudden and
unexpected.
G G 2
452 PRESENT TO MEK NIMMUR. [CHAP. xvn.
I had a quantity of rhinoceros hide in pieces of the
size required for shields ; these were much prized in
this fighting country, and I presented them to a
number of head men who had honoured us with a
visit. I begged them to guide two of my people to
the presence of Mek Nimmur, with a preliminary
message. This they promised to perform. Accord-
ingly, I sent Taher Noor and Bacheet on horseback,
with a most polite message, accompanied with my
card in an envelop, and a small parcel, carefully
wrapped in four or five different papers ; this contained
a very beautiful Persian lance-head, of polished steel
inlaid with gold, that I had formerly purchased at
Constantinople,
During their absence, we were inundated with
visitors, the Abyssinians in their tight pantaloons
contrasting strongly with the loosely-clad Arabs. In
about an hour, my messengers returned, accompanied
by two men on horseback, with a hospitable message
from Mek Nimmur, and an invitation to pay him a
visit at his own residence. I had some trifling present
ready for everybody of note, and, as Taher Noor and
my people had already explained all they knew con-
cerning us, Mek Nimmur's suspicions had entirely
vanished.
As we were conversing with Mek Ninmmr's mes-
sengers through the medium of Taher Noor, who
knew their language, our attention was attracted by
the arrival of a tremendous swell, who at a distance I
thought must be Mek Nimmur himself. A snow-white
CHAP. xvn.J THE ABYSSINIAN MINSTREL. 453
mule carried an equally snow-white person, whose
tight white pantaloons looked as though he had for-
gotten his trowsers, and had mounted in his drawers.
He carried a large umbrella to shade his complexion ;
a pair of handsome silver-mounted pistols were
arranged upon his saddle, and a silver-hilted curved
sword, of the peculiar Abyssinian form, hung by his
side. . This grand personage was followed by an
attendant, also mounted upon a mule, while several
men on foot accompanied them, one of whom car-
ried his lance and shield. Upon a near approach,
he immediately dismounted, and advanced towards
us, bowing in a most foppish manner, while his
attendant followed him on foot with an enormous
violin, which he immediately handed to him. This
fiddle was very peculiar in shape, being a square, with
an exceedingly long neck extending from one corner ;
upon this was stretched a solitary string, and the bow
was very short and much bent. This was an Abys-
sinian Paganini. He was a professional minstrel of
the highest grade, who had been sent by Mek Nimmur
to welcome us on our arrival.
These musicians are very similar to the minstrels of
ancient times; they attend at public rejoicings, and
at births, deaths, and marriages of great personages,
upon which occasions they extemporize their songs
according to circumstances. My hunting in the Base
country formed his theme, and for at least an hour
he sang of my deeds, in an extremely loud and dis-
agreeable voice, while he accompanied himself upon
454 RICHARD C(EUR DE LION. [CHAP. xvn.
his fiddle, which he held downwards like a violin-
cello : during the whole of his song he continued in
movement, marching with a sliding step to the front,
and gliding to the right and left in a manner that,
if intended to be graceful, was extremely comic. The
substance of this minstrelsy was explained to me
by Taher Noor, .who listened eagerly to the words,
which he translated with evident satisfaction. Of
course, like all minstrels, he was an absurd flatterer,
and, having gathered a few facts for his theme, he
wandered slightly from the truth in his poetical
description of my deeds.
He sang of me as though I had been Eichard Cceur
de Lion, and recounted, before an admiring throng of
listeners, how "I had wandered with a young wife
from my own distant country to fight the terrible
Base ; how I had slain them in single combat ; and
how elephants and lions were struck down like lambs
and kids by my hands ; that during my absence in
the hunt, my wife had been carried off by the Base ;
that I had, on my return to my pillaged camp, gal-
loped off in chase, and, overtaking the enemy, hun-
dreds had fallen by my rifle and sword, and I had
liberated and recovered the lady, who now had
arrived safe with her lord in the country of the great
Mek Niminur," &c. &c. &c.
This was all very pretty, no doubt, and as true as
most poetical and musical descriptions, but I felt
certain that there must be something to pay for this
flattering entertainment ; if you are considered to be
CHAP. xvn.J / PART WITH MY DEAR MARIA THERESA. 455
a great man, a present is invariably expected in pro-
portion to your importance. I suggested to Taher
Noor that I must give him a couple of dollars.
"What!" said Taher Noor, " a couple of dollars?
Impossible ! a musician of his standing is accustomed
to receive thirty and forty dollars from great people,
for so beautiful and honourable a song."
This was somewhat startling ; I began to reflect
upon the price of a box at Her Majesty's Theatre in
London ; but there I was not the hero of the opera ;
this minstrel combined the whole affair in a most
simple manner ; he was Verdi, Costa, and orchestra
all in one ; he was a thorough Macaulay as historian,
therefore I had to pay the composer as well as the
fiddler. I compromised the matter, and gave him a
few dollars, as I understood that he was Mek Nim-
mur's private minstrel, but I never parted with my
dear Maria Theresa * with so much regret as upon
that occasion, and I begged him not to incommode
7 oo
himself by paying us another visit, or, should he be
obliged to do so, I trusted he would not think it
necessary to bring his violin.
The minstrel retired in the same order that he had
arrived, and I watched his retreating figure with
unpleasant reflections, that were suggested by doubts
as to whether I had paid him too little or too much ;
Taher Noor thought that he was underpaid ; my own
opinion was, that I had brought a curse upon myself
* The Austrian dollar, that is the only large current coin in that
country.
456 THE GHOST OF THE DEPARTED FIDDLER. [CHAP. xvn.
equal to a succession of London organ-grinders, a,s
I fully expected that other minstrels, upon hearing
of the Austrian dollars, would pay us a visit, and
sing of my great deeds.
In the afternoon, we were sitting beneath the
shade of our tamarind tree, when we thought we
could perceive our musical friend returning. As he
drew near, we were convinced that it was the iden-
tical minstrel, who had most probably been sent
with a message from Mek Nimmur : there he was,
in snow-white raiment, on the snow-white mule,
with the mounted attendant and the violin as before.
He dismounted upon arrival opposite the camp, and
approached with his usual foppish bow ; but we
looked on in astonishment : it was not our Paganini,
it was another minstrel ! who was determined to
sing an ode in our praise. I felt that this was an
indirect appeal to Maria Theresa, and I at once
declared against music. I begged him not to sing ;
"my wife had a headache I disliked the fiddle-
could he play anything else instead ? " and I ex-
pressed a variety of polite excuses, but to no pur-
pose ; he insisted upon singing; if I "disliked the
fiddle, he would sing without an accompaniment,
but he could not think of insulting so great a man
as myself by returning without an ode to comme-
morate our arrival."
I was determined that he should not sing ; he
was determined that he would, therefore I desired
him to leave my camp ; this he agreed to do, pro-
CHAP, xvii.] THE " LAY OF THE LAST MINSTREL." 457
videcl I would allow him to cross the stream, and
sing to my Tokrooris, in my praise, beneath a neigh-
bouring tree about fifty yards distant. He remounted
his mule with his violin, to ford the muddy stream,
and he descended the steep bank, followed by his
attendant on foot, who drove the unwilling mule.
Upon arrival at the brink of the dirty brook, that
was about three feet deep, the mule positively re-
fused to enter the water, and stood firm with its
fore-feet sunk deep in the mud. The attendant
attempted to push it on behind, at the same time
he gave it a sharp blow with his sheathed sword ;
this changed the scene to the " opera comicjue." In
one instant, the mule gave so vigorous and unex-
pected a kick into the bowels of the attendant, that
he fell upon his back, heels uppermost, while at
the same moment the minstrel, in his snow-white
garments, was precipitated head foremost into the
muddy brook, and for the moment disappearing, the
violin alone could be seen floating on the surface.
A second later, a wretched-looking object, covered
with slime and filth, emerged from the slough ; this
was Paganini the second ! who, after securing his
fiddle, that had stranded on a mud-bank, scrambled
up the steep slope, amidst the roars of laughter of
my people and of ourselves ; while the perverse
mule, having turned harmony into discord, kicked
up its heels and galloped off, braying an ode in
praise of liberty, as the "Lay of the last Minstrel."
The discomfited fiddler was wiped down by my
458 MY INTRODUCTION TO MEK NIMMUR. [CHAP. xvu.
Tokrooris, who occasionally burst into renewed fits
of laughter during the operation ; the mule was
caught, and the minstrel remounted, and returned
home completely out of tune.
On the following morning, at sunrise, I mounted
my horse, ancl, accompanied by Taher Noor and Ba-
cheet, I rode to pay my respects to Mek Nimmur.
Our route lay parallel to the stream, and, after a
ride of about two miles through a fine, park-like
country, bounded by the Abyssinian Alps about fif-
teen miles distant, I observed a crowd of people
around a large tamarind tree, near which were
standing a number of horses, mules, and dromeda-
ries. This was the spot upon which I was to
meet Mek Nimmur. Upon my approach, the crowd
opened, and, having dismounted, I was introduced
by Taher Noor to the great chief. He was a man
of about fifty, and exceedingly dirty in appearance.
He sat upon an angarep, surrounded by his people ;
lying on either side upon his seat were two brace
of pistols, and within a few yards stood his horse
ready saddled. He was prepared for fight or flight,
as were also his ruffianly-looking followers, who were
composed of Abyssinians and Jaleens.
I commenced the conversation by referring to the
hospitality shown by his father to my countryman,
Mr. Mansfield Parkyns, and I assured him that such
kind attentions were never forgotten by an English-
man, therefore I had determined to visit him, although
the Egyptian authorities had cautioned me not to
CHAP. xvn.J THE RECEPTION. 459
trust myself within his territory. I explained that
I was bound towards an unknown point, in search of
the sources of the White Nile, which might occupy
some years, but that I wished to perfect the explora-
tion by the examination of all the Abyssinian Nile
affluents ; and I concluded by asking for his assistance
in my journey to the Bahr Angrab and the Salaam.
He replied very politely, and gave me much local
information ; he said that the Egyptians gave him no
peace, that he was obliged to fight in self-defence ; but
that, if I could make overtures on his part to the
Egyptian authorities, he would engage never to
cross the Atbara, provided they observed a similar
condition. I promised to represent his offer to the
Governor-General on my arrival at Khartoum. He
agreed to give me a guide to the rivers Angrab and
Salaam, that were not far distant, and he at once
pointed out to me the two dark gorges, about twelve
and sixteen miles distant, in the chain of precipitous
mountains from which they flowed. He described
the country upon the other side of the mountains to
be the elevated plateau of Abyssinia, and he advised
me to visit the king before my departure from his
territory ; this I could not conveniently accomplish,
as my route lay in an opposite direction. He begged
me for a telescope, so that he should be able to see
the approach of the Turks (Egyptians) from a great
distance, as he explained that he had spies upon all
the mountain tops, so that no stranger could enter his
country without his knowledge. He confessed that
460 THE POISONOUS STREAM. [CHAP. xvn.
my movements while in the Base country had been
watched by his spies, until he had felt assured that
I had no sinister motive. I laughed at the idea ; he
replied, that we were most fortunate to have escaped
an attack from the natives, as they were far worse
than wild beasts, and he immediately pointed out
several Base slaves who were present in the crowd,
who had been captured when children ; they ap-
peared to be the same as the woolly-headed natives
of the south bank of the Blue Nile, and not at all
peculiar in appearance. He cautioned me against
bathing in the stream, or drinking the water in the
neighbourhood of our camp, as it was extremely
poisonous, and would produce an irritation of the
skin. I told him that I had discovered copper, and
that I attributed the poisonous quality of the water
to the presence of that mineral. This announcement
was received with a general expression of approbation.
" That is very curious," he said, " that we who live
in this country are ignorant, and that you, a stranger,
should at once explain the cause of the poison." He
at once agreed to the suggestion, as he said, that
during the rains, when the torrents were full, the
water was not unwholesome, but in the dry weather,
when the supply was scanty, and the stream feeble,
the strength of the poison was necessarily increased.
He assured me that, although the pasturage was ex-
cellent, all cattle that drank in that hor or stream,
became as thin as skeletons.
Mek Nimmur had been ignorant of the existence of
CHAP, xvn.] UNFORTUNATE CONTRETEMPS. 461
copper, but' he informed me that gold dust was
common in the sand of most of the ravines, and that,
if I would remain in his country, I might discover
considerable quantities. I informed him that I had
already discovered the existence of both gold and lead.
He requested me to give him every information
respecting the lead, as he should prefer it to gold, as
he could manufacture bullets to shoot the Turks (as
the Egyptians are called by the neighbouring tribes).
After a long and satisfactory conversation, I made my
salaam, and retired. Immediately on my arrival at
the camp, I despatched Wat Gamma on horseback with
Taher Noor, in charge of a pair of beautiful double-
barrelled pistols, with the name of Tatham as the
manufacturer ; these were loaded, and I sent a polite
message, begging Mek Nimmur' s acceptance of the
present ; they were accompanied by a supply of
ammunition.
In the evening Wat Gamma returned with the
pistols; they had burst! Mek Nimmur had requested
him to fire at a mark, and one barrel of each pistol
had given way ; thus, the double rifle and the pistols
of the same name, " Tatham," had all failed ;
fortunately no one was injured. I was afraid that
this would lead to some complication, and I was
much annoyed ; I had never used these pistols, but
I had considered that they were first-rate ; thus I had
given them to Mek Nimmur as a valuable present,
and they had proved their utter worthlessness. I
immediately mounted my horse, and with my revolver
432 NIMMUR BEHA7ES LIKE A GENTLEMAN. [CHAP. xvir.
in my bslt, and my beautiful single Beattie rifle in my
hand, I galloped off to Mek femmur ; he was seated
in the same spot, watching the harvest of dhurra,
enormous piles of which were being thrashed by a
number of Abyssinians. The instant that I arrived,
I went straight to him, and explained my regret and
disappointment at the failure of the pistols, and I
begged him to take his choice between my rifle and
revolver. He behaved remarkably well ; he had
begged my messenger to leave the broken pistols with
him, and not to mention the circumstance to me, as
he felt sure that I should feel even more annoyed
than himself; he now declined my offer, as he said
I should require the weapons during my proposed
journey up the White Nile, and he could not deprive
me of their use. He was afraid of the revolver, as
it was too complicated, but I tore from my note-book
a small piece of paper, which I requested one of his
people to stick upon a rock about ninety yards
distant. I took a steady shot with the single rifle,
and was fortunate enough to hit the paper exactly.
This elicited general applause, and Mek Nimmur
called one of his people, an Abyssinian, who he
declared to be a celebrated shot, and he requested
that he might be allowed to fire the rifle. I placed
a similar mark upon the rock, and the Abyssinian
fired from a rest, and struck the stone, in a good
]ine, about six inches below the paper. The crowd
were in raptures with the rifle, which I at once
insisted upon Mek Nimmur accepting. I then made
CHAP, xvn.] PHARAOH'S LEAN KINE. 463
my salaam, and mounted my horse amidst general
expressions of approval.
On the following morning, Mek Nimmur sent us
two camel-loads of corn ; a large gourd of honey,
weighing about fifty pounds ; and four cows that
must have been a detachment of Pharaoh's lean kine,
with a polite message that I was to select the fattest.
These cattle were specimens of the poisonous qualities
of the water ; but, although disappointed in the
substance of the present, my people were delighted
with the acquisition, and they immediately selected
a cow ; but, just as they were licking their lips at
the prospect of fresh meat, which they had not tasted
for some days, the cow broke away and made off
across country. In despair at the loss, my men
followed in hot pursuit, and two of the Tokrooris
overtook her, and held on to her tail like bull-dogs,
although dragged for some distance, at full gallop
through thorns and ruts, until the other men arrived
and overpowered the thin, but wiry animal. When
slaughtered, there was a great squabble between my
men and the Abyssinians, who endeavoured to steal
the meat.
CHAPTEE XVIII.
A CAMEL FALLS, AND DIES.
I EXTRACT a few notes from my journal :
" March 25, 1862. Mai Gubba is about twelve
miles E.N.E. of our camp. Mek Nimmur's strong-
hold is upon a lofty table mountain, due south of
this spot, from which great elevation (about 5,000
feet) the granite mountain of Cassala is said to be
plainly visible.
" March 27. We started for the Bahr Salaam,
and said good-bye to Mek Nimmur, as we passed
his position on our march ; he had given us a guide ;
an awful-looking scoundrel.
" We had hardly marched two miles, when one of
the baggage-camels suddenly fell down to die ; the
Arabs immediately cut its throat with a sword, and
Bacheet, having detached one ear as a witness of its
death, galloped back to borrow a fresh camel of
Mek Nimmur, which he very kindly sent without
delay. AVe were obliged to bivouac on the spot for
the night, as the Arabs required the flesh of their
< amel, which was cut into thin strips. As they
CHAP, xvin.] ARABS CONSUME THE RAW FLESH. 465
were employed in skinning it, they ate large
quantities raw and quivering. The stream, or hor,
that flows through this country, parallel with our
route, is the Ma Serdi ; all this district is rich in
copper.
" March 28. Started at 5 A.M. course S. W. We
crossed two hors, flowing from N.N.W. and joining
the Ma Serdi ; also a beautiful running stream of deep
and clear water, twelve miles from our bivouac of last
evening : this stream is never dry ; it springs from a
range of hills about ten miles distant. The whole of
this country is well watered by mountain streams,
the trees are no longer the thorny mimosas, but as
the land is not only fertile, but sufficiently moist, it
gives birth to a different kind of vegetation, and the
trees are mostly free from thorns, although at this
season devoid of foliage. The country is ornamented
by extensive cultivation, and numerous villages. We
halted at 5 P.M. having marched twenty-one miles.
The fertile soil of this country is thoroughly melted
by rain during the wet season, and in the intense heat
of the drought it becomes a mass of gaping crevices
many feet deep, that render hunting on horseback
most dangerous. Fortunately, as we halted, I observed
a herd of tetel, and three ostriches : the latter made
off immediately, but I succeeded in stalking the tdtel,
and shot two, right and left, one of which escaped, but
the other became the prize of my Tokrooris.
" March 29. Started at 5.30 A.M. and reached the
river Salaam at 8 A.M. ; the total distance from our
H H
466 ARRI7AL AT THE SAHR SALAAM. [CHAP. xvm.
camp in Mek Nimmur's country is thirty-five miles
S.W. The Bahr Salaam is precisely similar in character
to the Settite, but smaller ; it has scooped through the
rich lands a deep valley, like the latter river, and has
transported the fertile loam to the Atbara, to increase
the rich store of mud which that river delivers to the
Nile. The Salaam is about two hundred yards wide ;
it flows through perpendicular cliffs that form walls
of rock, in many places from eighty to a hundred
and fifty feet above its bed ; the water is as clear as
crystal, and of excellent quality ; even now, a strong
though contracted stream is running over the rounded
pebbles that form its bed, similar to that of the Settite.
We descended a difficult path, and continued along
the dry portion of the river's bed up stream. While
we were searching for a spot to encamp, I saw a fine
bull mehedehet (A. Redunca Ellipsiprymna) by the
water side ; I stalked him carefully from behind a bed
of high rushes, and shot him across the river with the
Fletcher rifle ; he went on, although crippled, but the
left-hand barrel settled him by a bullet through the
neck. We camped on the bank of the river.
" March 30. I went out to explore the country,
and, steering due east, I arrived at the river Angrab or
Angarep, three miles from the Salaam ; from a high
rock I could trace its course from the mountain gorge
to this spot, the stream flowing N,W. This noble
river or mountain torrent is about a hundred and fifty
yards wide, although the breadth varies according to
the character of the country through which it passes ;
CHAP, xvni.] CHARACTER OF THE TORRENTS. 467
in most places, it rushes through frightful precipices ;
sometimes it is walled within a channel of only forty
.or fifty yards, and in such places the cliffs, although
at least a hundred feet perpendicular height, bear the
marks of floods that have actually overtopped the
rocks, and have torn away the earth, and left masses
of bamboos and withered reeds clinging to the branches
of trees, which, growing on still higher rocks, have
dipped in the swollen torrent. I followed the circuit-
ous course of the river for some miles, until, after a
most fatiguing exploration among precipices and deep
ravines, I arrived at the junction of the Salaam river.
On the way, I came upon a fine bull nellut (A. Strep-
siceros) beneath a shady nabbuk by the river's side ;
I could only obtain an oblique shot, as his hind
quarters were towards me ; the bullet passed through
the ribs, and reached the shoulder upon the opposite
side. This nellut had the finest horns that I had yet
obtained ; they measured four feet in the curve, three
feet one inch and a half in a straight line, with a
spread of two feet seven inches from point to point.
I found tracks of hippopotami upon the high grassy
hills ; these animals climb up the most difficult places
during the night, when they ascend from the river to
seek for pasturage. I was not far from the tent when
I arrived at the junction of the An grab with the Bahr
Salaam, but the rivers were both sunk in stupendous
precipices, so that it was impossible to descend. The
mouth of the river Angrab was an extraordinary sight ;
it was not wider than about fifteen yards, although
H H 2
468 THE JUNCTION OF THE ANGRAB. [CHAP. xvm.
the river averaged a width of at least a hundred and
fifty yards. The exit of the water was between two
lofty walls of basalt rock, which overhung the stream,
which in the rainy season not only forced its way for
about a hundred yards through this narrow cleft, but
it had left proof of inundations that had leapt over the
summit of the obstruction, when the rush of water had
been too great for the area of the contracted passage.
Altogether, the two rivers Salaam and Angrab are
interesting examples of the destructive effect of water,
that has during the course of ages cut through, and
hollowed out in the solid rock, a succession of the most
horrible precipices and caverns, in which the maddened
torrents, rushing from the lofty chain of mountains,
boil along until they meet the Atbara, and assist to
flood the Nile. No one could explore these tremen-
dous torrents, the Settite, Boy an, Angrab, Salaam, and
Atbara, without at once comprehending their effect
upon the waters of the Nile. The magnificent chain of
mountains from which they flow, is not a simple line
of abrupt sides, but the precipitous slopes are the
walls of a vast plateau, that receives a prodigious rain-
fall in June, July, August, until the middle of Septem-
ber, the entire drainage of which is carried away by
the above-named channels to inundate Lower Egypt."
Not being able to cross the river at the point of junc-
tion with the Salaam, I continued along the margin,
of the precipice that overhangs the latter river, until
I should find a place by which we could descend with
the camel, as this animal had made a great circuit to
CHAP. xvm.[ GOOD SPORT. 469
avoid the difficulties of the Angrab. We were at length
united, and were continuing our route parallel with
the river, over undulations of withered grass about
three feet high, interspersed with trees, when I
perceived above the surface, the long horns of a
meheddhet (R. Ellipsiprymna). I knew that he must
be lying down, and, as he was about a hundred and
fifty yards distant, I stalked him carefully from tree
to tree ; presently I observed three other pairs of
horns at various distances ; two were extremely large ;
but, unfortunately, an animal with smaller horns was
lying between me and the largest. I could do no
more than creep quietly from point to point, until the
smaller animal should start and alarm the larger.
This it did when I was about a hundred yards from
the large bull, and both mdheddhets sprang up, and, as
is usual with this species, they stood for a few
moments seeking for the danger. My clothes and
hunting cap matched so well with the bark of the tree
behind which I was kneeling, that I was unobserved,
and, taking a rest against the stem with the little
Fletcher, I fired both barrels, the right at the most
distant bull. Both animals simply sprang for an
instant upon their hind legs, and fell. This was
capital; but at the report of the rifle, up jumped two
other m^hedehets, which appeared the facsimiles of
those I had just shot ; having missed their com-
panions, and seeing no one, they stood motionless and
gazed in all directions.
I had left my people far behind when I had com-
470 FOUR LUCKY HITS. [CHAP. xvm.
menced the stalk, therefore I had no spare rifle. I
reloaded behind the tree with all haste. I had capped
the nipples, and, as I looked out from my covering
point, I saw them still in the same spot : the larger,
with superb horns, was about a hundred and twenty
yards distant. Again I took a rest, and fired. He
sprang away as though untouched for the first three
or four bounds, when he leapt convulsively in the air,
and fell backwards. This was too much for the
remaining animal, that was standing about a hundred
yards distant he bounded off; but the last barrel of
the little Fletcher caught him through the neck at
full gallop, and he fell all of a heap, stone dead.
These were the prettiest shots T ever recollect to
have made, in a very long experience ; I had bagged
four with the same rifle, in as many shots, as quickly
as I could load and fire.
My Tokroori, Abdoolahi, who had been intently
watching the shots from a distance, came rushing
up in hot excitement with one of my sharp hunt-
ing knives, and, springing forward to hamstring one
of the animals, that was still struggling, he foolishly
made a downward cut, and, missing his blow, he
cut his own leg terribly across the shin, the knife
flying out of his hand as it struck against the bone;
he was rendered helpless immediately. I tied up
the wound with my handkerchief, and, having at
length loaded the camel with as much meat as we
could cut off the animals, Abdoolahi was assisted upon
its back ; my men carried the two finest heads. It
CHAP, xviii.] A FALL OVER A CLIFF. 47 i
was very late, and we now sought for a path by
which we could descend to the river.
At length we discovered a dangerous antelope-
track, that descended obliquely, by skirting an
exceedingly steep side of a hill, with a perpendicular
precipice immediately below, that fell for about
seventy feet sheer to the river. My horse Tetel was
as sure-footed as a goat, therefore, having taken off
my shoes to avoid slipping, I led him to the bottom
safely. Taher Noor called to the camel-driver not
to attempt to follow. Although warned, this fellow
persisted in leading the heavily-laden animal down,
the slippery and dangerous path. Hardly had he
gone a few paces, when the camel's feet slipped,
and it shot down the rapid incline, and disappeared
over the edge of the precipice. I heard the camel roar,
and, hastening up the path, I looked over the cliff,
holding to a rope that Taher Noor fastened to a tree.
I perceived that the animal was fortunately caught
upon a narrow ledge of rock, and was prevented from
falling to the bottom by a tough bush that grew
from a cleft ; this alone supported it in mid-air. My
Arabs were wild and stupid. Abdoolahi had held on
like a leech, and, as we were well provided with strong
ropes, we soon hauled him up, but the Arabs de-
clared their camel to be dead, as no power on earth
could save it. Having examined the cliff, I felt sure
that we could assist the camel, unless it had already
broken some bones by the fall ; accordingly, I gave
orders to the Arabs, who obeyed implicitly, as they
472 WE SAFE THE CAMEL. [CHAP. xvm.
were so heart-broken at the idea of losing their
animal, that they had lost all confidence in them-
selves. We lowered down Taher Noor by a rope
to the bush, and after some difficulty, he unfastened
the load of flesh, which he threw piece by piece to
a platform of rock below, about ten feet square,
which formed a shelf a few inches above the level
of the water. The camel being relieved of both
the load and its saddle, I ordered the Arabs to
fasten together all their ropes ; these, being made of
twisted antelope's hide, were immensely strong,
and as I had established a rule, that several extra
bundles should invariably accompany the water-
camel, we had a large supply. The camel was now
secured by a rope passed round the body beneath
the forelegs, and the cloths of the Arabs were
wrapped around the cord to prevent it from cutting
the skin. This being arranged, I took a double turn
of the rope round a tree, as thick as a man's thigh,
that grew in a cleft of the rock where we stood,
and throwing the honey axe to Taher Noor, I told
him to cut away the bushes that supported the
camel, and I would lower it gently down to the
shelf by the water's edge. In a few minutes the
bushes were cut away, and the camel, roaring with
fright, swung in mid-air. Taher Noor held on to
the rope, while I slacked off the line from the tree,
and lowered both man and beast safely to the shelf,
about seventy-feet below. The camel was unhurt,
and the Arabs w^ere delighted; two other men now
CHAP, xviii.] NARROW ESCAPE. 473
descended. We threw them down a quantity of
dry wood to make a fire, and, as they were well
off for meat, we left them prisoners upon the ledge
of rock with the profoundly deep river before them,
walled in by abrupt precipices upon either side.* It
was nearly dark, and, having to find my way to
the camp among dangerous ravines, I rode fast
ahead of my men to discover a ford, and to reach
home before complete darkness should increase the
danger. Tetel was as sure-footed and as nimble as
a cat, but we very nearly ended our days together,
as the bank of a precipice gave way while we were
skirting the edge. I felt it sinking, but the horse
sprang forward and saved himself, as I heard the
mass fall beneath.
That night we received a very audacious visit.
I was asleep in my tent, when I was suddenly
awakened by a slight pull at my sleeve, which was
the signal always given by my wife if anything
was wrong ; on such occasions, I never replied until
I had gently grasped my little Fletcher, which always
slept with me beneath my mat. She now whispered
that a hyaena had been within the tent, but, that it
had just bolted out, as these animals are so wary
that they detect the slightest movement or noise.
As a rule, I never shot at hyaenas, but, as I feared
it might eat our saddles, I laid in bed with the rifle
to my shoulder, pointed towards the tent door
* On the following morning, the camel was safely floated across
the river, supported by the inflated skins of the rnehedehets.
474 THE HYAENA ENTERS THE TENT. [CHAP. xvni.
through which the moon was shining brightly. In
a few minutes, a grey-looking object stood like an
apparition at the entrance, peering into the tent to
see if all were right before it entered. I touched
the trigger, and the hysena fell dead, with the bullet
through its head. This was a regular veteran, as
his body was covered with old scars from continual
conflicts with other hyaenas. This was the first time
that one of these animals had taken such a liberty ;
they were generally contented with eating the bones
that were left from our dinner outside the tent door,
which they cleared away regularly every night.
We remained in this beautiful country from
March 29th until April 14th, during which time I
seldom remained for an hour in camp, from sunrise
to sunset; I was always in the saddle or on foot.
Two of my best Tokrooris, Hadji Ali and Hassan,
usually acccompanied me on horseback, while Taher
Noor and a couple of Arabs rode upon camels with
a good supply of water. In this manner I traversed
the entire country, into the base of the great moun-
tain chain, and thence down the course of the
river towards the Atbara junction. This district was
entirely composed of the most fertile soil, through
which the great rivers Angrab and Salaam had cut
their way in a similar manner to the Atbara and
Settite. The Salaam, after the junction of the
Angrab, was equal in appearance to the Atbara, but
the inclination of this great mountain torrent is so
rapid, that it quickly becomes exhausted at the
CHAP, xvm.] HIPPOTRAGUS EAKERII. 4/5
essation of rain in the lofty mountains that form
its source. Both the Angrab and the Salaam are
short rivers, but, as they are the two main channels
for the reception of the entire drainage of a vast
mountain area, they bring down most violent floods,
that materially affect the volume of the main artery.
The whole of this country abounded in game
beyond any that I had hitherto seen, and I had
most glorious sport. Among the varieties of ante-
lopes, was a new species that I had seen upon
several occasions on the Settite, where it was ex-
tremely rare. On the high open plains above the
valley of the Salaam, this antelope was very numer-
ous, but so wild and wary that it was impossible
to approach nearer than from 350 to 500 yards.
This magnificent animal, the largest of all the
antelopes of Abyssinia and Central Africa, is known
to the Arabs as the Maarif (Hippotragus Bakerii).
It is a variety of the sable antelope of South Africa
(Hippotragus Niger). The colour is mouse-grey,
with a black stripe across the shoulders, and black
and white lines across the nose and cheeks. The
height at the shoulder would exceed fourteen hands,
and the neck is ornamented with a thick and stiff
black mane. The shoulders are peculiarly massive,
and are extremely high at the withers ; the horns
are very powerful, and, like those of the roan and the
sable antelope, they are annulated, and bend gracefully
backwards. Both the male and female are provided
with horns ; those of the former are exceedingly thick,
476 THE BASE OF THE ABYSSINIAN ALPS. [CHAP. xvm.
and the points frequently extend so far as to reach
the shoulders.
The Maarif invariably inhabits open plains, upon
which it can see an enemy at a great distance, thus
it is the most difficult of all animals to stalk.
Nothing can be more beautiful than a herd of these
superb animals, but the only successful method of
hunting would be to course them with greyhounds ;
my dogs were dead, thus I depended entirely upon
the rifle. I was also deprived of the assistance of
the aggageers, whom I had left at the Eoyan.
Ehinoceros and giraffes were very numerous through-
out this country ; but the ground was most unfavour-
able for riding. The surface resembled a beautiful
park, composed of a succession of undulations, inter-
spersed with thornless trees, and watered by streamlets
at intervals of five or eight miles, while the magni-
ficent Alps of Abyssinia bounded the view to the
south ; but there was no enjoyment in this country
on horseback. The rainy season converted this rich
loam into a pudding, and the dry season baked it
into a pie-crust. The entire surface was loose, flaky,
and hollow ; there was not a yard of ground that was
not split into deep crevices, that were regular pitfalls ;
and so unsound was the general character of the
country, that a horse sank above his fetlocks at every
footstep. I usually rode during the day when ex-
ploring ; but whenever I shot, it was necessary to
dismount, as it was impossible to follow an animal
successfully on horseback. I had on several occa-
CHAP, xvni.] DELIGHTFUL COUNTRY. 477
sions attempted to ride down a giraffe, but upon such
ground I had not the slightest chance ; thus the
aggageers, who invariably hunt the giraffe by riding
at full speed until they can hamstring it with the
sword, never visit this country. This accounted for
the presence of so large a number of animals, as they
were never disturbed by these untiring hunters.
Our camp was pitched at the junction of a torrent,
which, flowing from the higher ground, joined the
river Salaam in a succession of waterfalls. At this
season, a gentle stream, as clear as glass, rippled over
a rocky bed about twenty yards wide, and the holes
in the flat surface above the fall formed natural basins
of the purest water. I frequently strolled for some
miles along the bed of the stream, that afforded excel-
lent pasturage for the horses in a sweet, green grass,
that was not only an attraction to antelopes and buf-
faloes (Bos Caffer), but formed a covert for incredible
numbers of the beautiful francolin partridge, which
might have been shot in hundreds as they rose from
the cool herbage that afforded both food and conceal-
ment. I was returning late one evening along the
bed of the stream, after a day's shooting, during
which I had bagged several antelopes and wild boar,
when I observed at a distance a dark mass in the
bright yellow grass, which I quickly distinguished as
a herd of elephants. It was just dusk, and having
endeavoured to meet them as they came to drink, but
without success, I determined to track them up on
the following morning. I started at daybreak, with
4/8 FOLLOW A HERD OF ELEPHANTS. [CHAP. xvm.
all my horses and gun-bearers. For about sixteen
miles we tracked up the 'herd to within a short dis-
tance of the base of the mountain range. During the
march, we had seen large quantities of giraffes, and
all the varieties of large antelopes. The country, that
had consisted of a vast plain, now changed to rapid
undulations ; the trees were generally small, and, at
this season of intense dryness, were devoid of leaves.
At the bottom of one of these undulations, among a
number of skeleton trees, that afforded no shade,
we discovered the elephants, standing in the high
withered grass, that entirely concealed all but the
upper portion of their heads ; they were amusing
themselves by tearing up the trees, and feeding
upon the succulent roots. I ordered Taher Noor and
Bacheet each to take a horse and rifle, and to lead
them, together with my hunter Aggahr, about a
hundred yards behind me, while I advanced towards
the elephants on foot. At the sound of the first shot
they were to mount, and to bring my horse and spare
guns as rapidly as possible. Unfortunately, the herd
was alarmed by a large bull giraffe that was asleep in
the grass, which started up within thirty yards of us,
and dashed off in terror through the mass of elephants.
Their attention was roused, and they moved off to my
left, which change of position immediately gave them
our wind. There was no time to lose, as the herd was
in retreat ; and, as they were passing across my path,
at about two hundred paces distance, I ran at my best
speed, stumbling through the broken pie-crust, and
CHAP, xviii.] AGGAHR TAKES THE LEAD. 479
sinking in the yawning crevices, the sides of which
were perfectly rotten, until I arrived within shot of
about twenty-five elephants. I was just on the point
of firing at the temple of a large animal that was
within about ten yards, when it suddenly turned, and
charged straight at me. "With the right-hand barrel
of a Eeilly No. 10, I was fortunate enough to turn
it by a forehead shot, when so close that it was
nearly upon me. As it swerved, I fired the remaining
barrel exactly through the centre of the shoulder ; this
dropped and killed the elephant as though it had been
shot through the brain.
The difficulties of the ground were such, that the
horses were not led as quickly as I had expected ;
thus I had to reload, which I had just completed
when Aggahr was brought by Taher Noor. Spring-
ing into the saddle, I at once gave chase. The
gallant old horse flew along through the high grass,
regardless of the crevices and rotten ground. The
herd was about three hundred yards ahead, but the
long steady stride of Aggahr quickly shortened the
distance, and in a few minutes I was riding along-
side the elephants, that were shambling along at a
great pace. I determined to head them, and drive
them back towards my people, in which case I ex-
pected that we might be able to surround them. I
touched Aggahr with the spur, and he shot ahead
of the leading elephants, when I turned sharp to
the right exactly before their path, and gave a
shout to check their advance ; in the same instant.
480 FALL AT THE FEET OF THE ELEPHANTS. [CHAP. xvm.
Aggahr turned a complete sommersault within a few
yards of their feet, having put his fore-leg into a
deep crevice, and I rolled over almost beneath the
elephants with the heavy rifle in my hand. The
horse recovered quicker than I, and, galloping off,
he vanished in the high grass, leaving me rather
confused from the fall upon my head. The herd,
instead of crushing me as they ought to have done,
took fright, and bolted off at their best pace. My
eyes were dancing with the fall ; the mounted gun-
bearers were nowhere, as Gazelle would not face the
elephants, and Tetel was far behind. My English
saddle had vanished with Aggahr, and, as the
stirrups of the Arab saddles were simple rings for
the accommodation of the big toe, they were unser-
viceable. Had the aggageers been with me, I should
have had great sport with this herd ; but, with the
exception of Taher Noor, the men were bad horse-
men, and even he was afraid of the ground, which
was frightfully dangerous.
We discovered that the bullet had passed through
the great artery of the heart, which had caused the
instantaneous death of the elephant I had shot.
We were now at least seventeen miles from camp,
and I feared that Aggahr would be lost, and would
most likely be devoured by a lion during the night :
thus I should lose not only my good old hunter,
but my English saddle. I passed several hours in
searching for him in all directions, and, in order to
prevent him from straying to the south, we fired
HEAD OF MEHEDEHET (REDUNCA ELLIPS[PRYMNA).
See page 469.
CHAP, xvin.] BENIGHTED ON OUR RETURN TO CAMP. 481
the grass in all directions ; we thus had a line of
fire between the camp and ourselves ; this burnt
slowly, as the north wind had carried the blaze
rapidly in the other direction. We rode along the
bottom of a watercourse, and reached the Salaam
river, thus avoiding the fire ; but, some hours before
we neared the camp, night had set in. We had
beaten the fire, as we had got to windward, and
slowly and tediously we toiled along the crumbling
soil, stumbling among the crevices, that were nearly
invisible in the moonlight.
Thus we crept onwards; I had found riding im-
practicable, therefore the horses were led, with much
difficulty, as they constantly slipped up to their
knees in the numerous fissures. It was difficult to
recognise our position in the moonlight, and we were
doubtful w r hether we had not missed our route to
the camp.. My watch told me that it was past nine
o'clock, and we had been sixteen hours in hard work
without the slightest rest. We halted to confer
about the direction of the camp, when suddenly I
heard the report of a gun to our right; we imme-
diately turned, and hastened towards the welcome
sound ; presently I heard a distant shout. As we
approached, this was repeated, and as I hurried for-
ward, I recognised my own name shouted in an
agonised voice. I ran on alone at my best speed,
after giving a loud shrill whistle upon my fingers.
This was quickly replied to, and I repeated the well-
known signal, until in about ten minutes I met my
I I
482 "ALES WELL THAT ENDS WELL." [CHAP. xvm.
wife, who had been wandering about the country
half distracted for hours, searching for me in every
direction, as my horse Aggahr had returned to the
camp with the bridle broken, and the empty saddle
scratched by the boughs of trees ; she had naturally
concluded that some accident had happened. She
had immediately armed herself with the little Fletcher
that had been left in camp, being too small for
elephants ; with this, and several of the Arabs armed
with swords and lances, she had been hunting
throughout this wild country during the night in a
state of terrible anxiety. It was fortunate that she
had fired the shot to direct our attention, otherwise
we might have passed each other without being
seen. " All's well that ends well :" we were about
three miles from camp, but the distance appeared
short to everybody, as we now knew the true direc-
tion, and we at length perceived the glare of a large
fire that our people had lighted as a beacon.
The horse, Aggahr, must have found his way
without difficulty, as he had arrived a little before
sunset. This curious instinct, that enables a horse to
find the direction to its last halting-place in a wild
and pathless country, was thoroughly appreciated by
the Arabs, who had comforted me with the assurance,
that no Abyssinian horse would lose his way to the
spot where he had last passed the night, if separated
from his rider.
CHAPTER XIX.
SEND A PARTY TO RECONNOITRE.
I HAD thoroughly explored the beautiful country of
the Salaam and Angrab ; it was the llth of April, and
I intended to push on to Gallabat, the frontier market
town of Abyssinia. We had no guide, as the fellow
that had been supplied by Mek Nimmur had absconded
the day after our arrival at the Salaam, but during the
march he had pointed out a blue outline of a distant
mountain in the south, that was called Nahoot
Guddabi, or the saddle of Guddabi. This was an un-
mistakeable landmark, as it exactly resembled an
Arab saddle ; at the foot of this mountain was the
Tokroori village of Guddabi, the first habitation, at a
distance of about fifty miles from the Bahr Salaam.
Although, from the experience I had had in this neigh-
bourhood, I had little doubt of the supply of water on
the road, I sent three of my Tokroori s upon as many
camels with water-skins, to reconnoitre before I should
move the camp.
On the second day they returned, and reported the
existence of several small streams, all of which pro-
el need excellent water. .
T I 2
484 AHEAD OF THE CAMELS. [CHAP. xix.
We started on the following afternoon, and, with
Hassan as our guide, and Taher Noor upon a camel,
my wife and I cantered ahead of the main body, over
a high ridge of stony, and accordingly firm ground.
Upon arrival at the summit, we had a lovely view of
the surrounding country, and we commenced a gentle
descent into a vast plain sparsely covered with small
trees. In the extensive prospect before us, the dark
green veins of foliage in the otherwise yellow surface
of withered grass marked out distinctly the course of
small rivulets. "We hurried on, sometimes over
blackened ashes, where the fire had swept all before
it, at other times through withered grass, that had
been saved from destruction through the intervention
of some ravine. At 7.30 P.M. we arrived at an excel-
lent halting place, by a beautiful but small stream
of water, shaded by a fringe of dome palms ; this was
by dead reckoning seventeen miles from our ]ast camp.
It had been pleasant travelling, as the moon was full ;
we had ridden fast, therefore it was useless to expect
the camels for some hours ; we accordingly spread the
carpet on the ground, and lay down to sleep, with the
stocks of the rifles for pillows, as we had frequently
done on former occasions.
On the following morning I sent a couple of men
on camels to reconnoitre the country in advance,
towards Guddabi, and to return with the report of the
supply of water. This country abounded with large
game, especially with the beautiful antelope already
described, the maarif ; they were as usual extremely
CHAP, xix.] THE MAARIF. 485
wild, but I succeeded in breaking the hip of a fine
bull at a long range ; and, separating him from the
herd, I ran the wounded antelope until I was thoroughly
exhausted in the intense heat of the sun, but I lost it
in the thick bush not far from our camp. That night
we heard a lion roaring close to us, and upon searching
at daybreak I found the remains of a maarif, which I
imagine must have been my wounded bull.
I mounted my horse Tetel, and, with Taher Noor and
two of my Tokrooris, Hadji Ali and Hassan, I rode
towards a pyramidical hill about three miles distant,
which I intended to ascend in order to obtain a pano-
ramic view of the country. This hill was about three
hundred feet high, and, as the fire had swept away a
portion of the grass for several miles around, I should
obtain a clear view of all living animals that might
be in the neighbourhood. Upon arrival at the base of
the hill I dismounted, and led my horse up the steep
inclination of broken basalt that had fallen from the
summit. From the top of the peak I had a superb
panorama of the country, the mountain Nahoot Gub-
dabi bearing 8.W. about thirty miles distant. I had
a complete l)ird's-eye view of great extent, and T imme-
diately distinguished, in various positions, giraffes,
buffaloes, tetel, and boars. At this season the trees
were leafless, thus any animal upon the low ground
would be at once discovered from this elevated point.
I extract from my journal the account of this day's
hunt, as it was written immediately upon my return
to camp.
486 VIEW FROM THE PEAK. [CHAP. xix.
" I had been observing the country for some time
from my high station, when I suddenly perceived two
rhinoceros emerge from a ravine ; they walked slowly
through a patch of high grass, and skirted the base of
the hill upon which we were standing : presently they
winded something, and they trotted back and stood
concealed in the patch of grass. Although I had a
good view of them from my present position, I knew
that I should not be able to see them in their covert,
if on the same level ; I therefore determined to send
to the tent for my other horses, and to ride them
down, if I could not shoot them on foot ; accordingly,
I sent a man off, directing him to lead Tetel from
the peak, and to secure him to a tree at the foot of
the hill, as I was afraid the rhinoceros might observe
the horse upon the sky line. This he did, and we
saw him tie the horse by the bridle to the branch of
a tree below us, while he ran quickly towards the
camp. In the mean time I watched the rhinoceros ;
both animals laid down in the yellow grass, resembling
masses of stone. They had not been long in this
position, before we noticed two pigs wandering
through the grass directly to windward, towards the
sleeping rhinoceros ; in an instant these animals
winded the intruders, and starting up, they looked in
all directions, but could not see them, as they were
concealed by the high grass. Having been thus dis-
turbed, the rhinoceros moved their quarters, and
walked slowly forward, occasionally halting, and
listening; one was about a hundred yards in ad-
CHAP, xix.] THE RHINOCEROS ATTACKS THE HORSE. 487
vance of the other. They were taking a direction
at the base of the hill that would lead them directly
upon the spot where Tetel was tied to the tree. I
observed this to Taher Noor, as I feared they would
kill the horse. c Oh, no/ he replied, ' they will lie
down and sleep beneath the first tree, as they are
seeking for shade the sun is like fire/ However,
they still continued their advance, and, upon reaching
some rising ground, the leading rhinoceros halted, and
I felt sure that he had a clear view of the horse, that
was now about five hundred yards distant, tied to the
tree. A ridge descended from the hill, parallel with
the course the animals were taking ; upon this, I ran
as quickly as the stony slope permitted, keeping my
eye fixed upon the leading rhinoceros, who with his
head raised, was advancing directly towards the horse.
I now felt convinced that he intended to attack it,
Tetel did not observe the rhinoceros, but was quietly
standing beneath the tree. I ran as fast as I was
able, and reached the bottom of the hill just as the
wilful brute was within fifty yards of the horse, which
now for the first time saw the approaching danger ;
the rhinoceros had been advancing steadily at a walk,
but he now lowered his head, and charged at the
horse at full speed.
" I was about two hundred yards distant, and for
the moment I was afraid of shooting the horse, but
I fired one of the Eeilly No. 10 rifles ; the bullet,
missing the rhinoceros, dashed the sand and stones
into his face, as it struck the ground exactly before
48S Tin: BULLET SAFES HIM. [CHAP. xix.
Ins nose, when he appeared to be just into the un-
fortunate Tetel. The horse in the same instant reared,
and, breaking the bridle, it dashed away in the direc-
tion of the camp, while the rhinoceros, astonished
at the shot, and most likely half blinded by the sand
and splinters of rock, threw up his head, turned
round, and trotted back upon the track by which
he had arrived. He passed me at about a hundred
yards' distance, as I had run forward to a bush, by
which he trotted with his head raised, seeking for
the cause of his discomfiture. Crack ! went a bullet
against his hide, as I fired my remaining barrel at
his shoulder ; he cocked his tail, and for a few yards
he charged towards the shot ; but he suddenly
changed his course, and ran round several times in
a small circle ; he then halted, and reeling to and fro,
he retreated very slowly, and laid down about a
hundred yards off. Well done, Keilly ! I knew that
he had his quietus, but I was determined to bag his
companion, who in alarm had now joined him, and
stood looking in all quarters for the source of danger ;
but we were well concealed behind the bush.
Presently, the wounded rhinoceros stood up, and
walking very slowly, followed by his comrade, he
crossed a portion of rising ground at the base of the
hill, and both animals disappeared. I at once started
off Hassan, who could run like an antelope, in search
of Tetel, while I despatched another man to the
summit of the peak to see if the rhinoceros were
in view ; if not, T knew they must be among the
CHAP, xix.j ARRIVAL OF THE HORSES. 489
small trees and bushes* at the foot of the hill. I
thus waited for a long time, until at length the two
greys, Aggahr and Gazelle, arrived with my messenger
from the camp. I tightened the girths of the Arab
saddle upon Aggahr, and I had just mounted, cursing
all Arab stirrups, that are only made for the naked
big toe, when my eyes were gladdened by the sight
of Hassan cantering towards me upon T6tel, but from
the exact direction the rhinoceros had taken. 'Quick!
quick ! ' he cried, ' come along ! One rhinoceros is
lying dead close by, and the other is standing beneath
a tree not far off.'
" I immediately jumped on Tetel, and, taking * the
little Fletcher rifle, as lighter and handier than the
heavy No. 10, I ordered Taher Noor and Hassan to
mount the other horses, and to follow me with spare
rifles. I found the rhinoceros lying dead about two
hundred yards from the spot where he had received
the shot, and I immediately perceived the companion,
that was standing beneath a small tree. The ground
was firm and stony, all the grass had been burnt off,
except in a few small patches ; the trees were not so
thick together as to form a regular jungle.
"The rhinoceros saw us directly, and he valiantly
stood and faced me as I rode up within fifty yards
of* him. Te'tel is worth his weight in gold as a
shooting horse : he stands like a rock, and would
face the devil. I was unable to take a shot in
this position, therefore I ordered the men to ride
round a half-circle, as I knew the rhinoceros would
490 THE RHINOCEROS HUNT. [CHAP. xix.
turn towards the white horses, and thus expose his
flank ; this he did immediately, and firing well,
exactly at the shoulder, I dropped him as though
stone dead. Taher Noor shouted, ' Samme durrupto P
(well shot) ; the rhinoceros lay kicking upon the
ground, and I thought he was bagged. Not a bit
of it ! the No. 24 bullet had not force to break
the massive shoulder-bone, but had merely paralysed
it for the moment ; up he jumped, and started off
in full gallop. Now for a hunt ! up the hill he
started, then obliquely ; he chose a regular rhino-
ceros path,' and scudded away, Tetel answering to
the spur and closing with him ; through the trees ;
now down the hill over the loose rocks, where he
gained considerably upon the horse. 'Easy down
the hill, gently over the stones, Tetel/ and I took
a pull at the reins until I reached the level ground
beneath, which was firm and first-rate. I saw the
rhinoceros pelting away about a hundred and twenty
yards ahead, and spurring hard, I shot up to him at
full speed until within twenty yards, when round he
came with astonishing quickness, and charged straight
at the horse. I was prepared for this, as was my
horse also ; we avoided him by a quick turn, and
again renewed the chase, and regained our position
within a few yards of the game. Thus the hunt
continued for about a mile and a half, the rhinoceros
occasionally charging, but always cleverly avoided by
the horse. Tetel seemed to enjoy the fun, and
hunted like a greyhound. Nevertheless I had not
CHAP, xix.] RIDDEN TO BAY. 491
been able to pass the rhinoceros, who had thundered
along at a tremendous pace whenever I had at-
tempted to close ; however, the pace began to tell
upon his wounded shoulder ; he evidently went lame,
and, as 1 observed at some distance before us the
commencement of the dark-coloured rotten ground,
I felt sure that it would shortly be a case of 'stand
still.' In this 1 was correct, and, upon reaching
the deep and crumbling soil, he turned sharp round,
made a clumsy charge that I easily avoided, and he
stood panting at bay. Taher Noor was riding
Gazelle ; this was a very timid horse and was utterly
useless as a hunter, but, as it reared and plunged
upon seeing the rhinoceros, that animal immediately
turned towards it with the intention of charging.
Riding Tetel close to his flank, I fired both barrels
of the little Fletcher into the shoulder ; he fell to
the shots, and, stretching out his legs convulsively,
he died immediately."
This was a capital termination to the hunt ; as I
had expected the death of my good horse Tetel, when
the first rhinoceros had so nearly horned him. The
sun was like a furnace, therefore I rode straight to
camp, and sent men and camels for the hides and
flesh. As I passed the body of the first rhinoceros,
I found a regiment of vultures already collected
around it, while fresh arrivals took place every
minute, as they gathered from all quarters ; they had
already torn out the eyes, and dragged a portion of
flesh from the bullet- wound in the shoulder ; but the
492 ARRIVAL OF BIRDS OF PREY. [CHAP. xix.
tough hide of the rhinoceros was proof against their
greedy beaks. A number of Marabou storks had
also arrived, and were standing proudly among the
crowd of vultures, preparing to perform the duty of
sextons, when the skin should become sufficiently
decomposed. Throughout all the countries that I had
traversed, these birds were in enormous numbers.
A question has been frequently discussed whether
the vulture is directed to his prey by the sense of
smell, or by keenness of vision ; I have paid much
attention to their habits, and, although there can be
no question that their power of scent is great, I feel
convinced that all birds of prey are attracted to
their food principally by their acutenesss of sight.
If a vulture were blind, it would starve ; but were
the nostrils plugged up with some foreign substance
to destroy its power of smell, it would not materially
interfere with its usual mode of hunting. Scent is
always stronger near the surface of the ground ; thus
hyaenas, lions, and other beasts of prey will scent a
carcase from a great distance, provided they are to
leeward ; but the same animals would be unaware of
the presence of the body if they were but a short
distance to windward.
If birds of prey trusted to their nostrils, they
would keep as near the ground as possible, like the
carrion crow, which I believe is the exception that
proves the rule. It is an astonishing sight to witness
the sudden arrival of vultures at the death of an
animal, when a few moments before not a bird has
CHAP, xix.] HABITS OF CULTURES. 493
been in sight in the cloudless sky. I have frequently
lain down beneath a bush after having shot an animal,
to watch the arrival of the various species of birds
in regular succession ; they invariably appear in the
following order :
No. 1, the black and white crow : this knowing
individual is most industrious in seeking for his food,
and is generally to be seen either perched upon rocks
or upon trees ; I believe he trusts much to his sense of
smell, as he is never far from the ground, at the same
time he keeps a vigilant look out with a very sharp
pair of eyes.
No. 2 is the common buzzard : this bird, so well
known for its extreme daring, is omnipresent, and
trusts generally to sight, as it will stoop at a piece of
red cloth in mistake for flesh ; thus proving that it
depends more upon vision than smell.
No 3 is the red-faced small vulture.
No. 4 is the large bare-throated vulture.
No. 5, the Marabou stork, sometimes accompanied
by the adjutant.
When employed in watching the habits of these
birds, it is interesting to make the experiment of
concealing a dead animal beneath a dense bush. This
I have frequently done ; in which case the vultures
never find it unless they have witnessed its death ;
if so, they will already have pounced in their descent
while you have been engaged in concealing the body :
they will then upon near approach discover it by the
smell. But, if an animal is killed in 'thick grass,
494 THE MARABOU STORK. [CHAP, xix
eight or ten feet high, the vultures will seldom dis-
cover it. I have frequently knoVn the bodies of
large animals, such as elephants and buffaloes, to lie
for days beneath the shade of the dense nabbuk
bushes, unattended by a single vulture ; whereas, if
visible, they would have been visited by these birds
in thousands.
Vultures and the Marabou stork fly at enormous
altitudes. I believe that every species keeps to its
own particular elevation, and that the atmosphere
contains regular strata of birds of prey, who, invisible
to the human eye at their enormous height, are con-
stantly resting upon their wide-spread wings, and
soaring in circles, watching with telescopic sight the
world beneath. At that great elevation they are in
an exceedingly cool temperature, therefore they re-
quire no water ; but some birds that make long flights
over arid deserts, such as the Marabou stork, and the
bustard, are provided with water-sacks ; the former in
an external bag a little below the throat, the latter
in an internal sack, both of which carry a large
supply. As the birds of prey that I have enumerated,
invariably appear at a carcase in their regular succes-
sion, I can only suggest that they travel from dif-
ferent distances or altitudes. Thus, the Marabou
stork would be farthest from the earth; the large
bare-necked vulture would be the next below him,
followed by the red-faced vulture, the buzzard, and
the crow that is generally about the surface. From
their immense elevation, the birds of prey possess an
CHAP, xix.] SIGHT, NOT SCENT, DIRECTS THE VULTURE. 495
extraordinary field of vision ; and, although they are
invisible from the earth, there can be no doubt that
they are perpetually hunting in circles within sight of
each other. Thus, should one bird discover some
object upon the surface of the earth below, his
sudden pounce would be at once observed and imitated
by every vulture in succession. Should one vul-
ture nearest the earth perceive a body, or even should
he notice the buzzards collecting at a given point, he
would at once become aware of a prey; his rush
towards the spot would act like a telegraphic signal
to others, that would be rapidly communicated to
every vulture at successive airy stations.
If an animal be skinned, the red surface will attract
the vultures in an instant ; this proves that their sight,
and not their scent, has been attracted by an object
that suggests blood. I have frequently watched them
when I have shot an animal, and my people have
commenced the process of skinning. At first, not a
bird has been in sight, as I have lain on my back and
gazed into the spotless blue sky ; but hardly has the
skin been half withdrawn, than specks have appeared
in the heavens, rapidly increasing. " Caw, caw," has.
been heard several times from the neighbouring
bushes ; the buzzards have swept down close to my
people, and have snatched a morsel of clotted blood
from the ground. The specks have increased to
winged creatures, at the great height resembling flies,
when presently a rushing sound behind me, like a
whirlwind, has been followed by the pounce of a red-
496 ABOU SEEN-^" LAST BUT NOT LEAST." [CHAP. xix.
faced vulture, that has fallen from the heavens in
haste with closed wings to the bloody feast, followed
quickly by many of his brethren. The sky has be-
come alive with black specks in the far-distant blue,
with wings hurrying from all quarters. At length a
coronet of steady, soaring vultures, forms a wide circle
far above, as they hesitate to descend, but continue to
revolve around the object of attraction. The great
bare-necked vulture suddenly appears. The animal
has been skinned, and the required flesh secured by
the men ; we withdraw a hundred paces from the
scene. A general rush and descent takes place ; hun-
dreds of hungry beaks are tearing at the offal. The
great bare-necked vulture claims respect among the
crowd ; but another form has appeared in the blue
sky, and rapidly descends. A pair of long, ungainly
legs, hanging down beneath the enormous wings, now
touch the ground, and Abou Seen (father of the teeth
or beak, the Arab name for the Marabou) has arrived,
and he stalks proudly towards the crowds, pecking his
way with his long bill through the struggling vul-
tures, and swallowing the lion's share of the repast.
Abou Seen, last but not least, had arrived from the
highest region, while others had the advantage of the
start. This bird is very numerous through the Nile
tributaries of Abyssinia, and may generally be seen
perched upon the rocks of the water-side, watching
for small fish, or any reptile that may chance to
come within his reach. The well-known feathers
are situated in a plume beneath the tail.
CHAP, xix.] ROUTE TO NAHOOT GUDDABL 497
On 14th April we left our camp in the afternoon,
and, after marching nine miles, during which we passed
two small streams, flowing, like all others, from this
point, west to the Atbara, we slept by a large pool in a
third stream of considerable size. A waterfall flowed
over a row of perpendicular basalt columns that sur-
rounded a deep basin, resembling piles of ebony artifi-
cially arranged. On the following morning we started
before sunrise, and rode over the usual pathless burnt
prairies, until we reached the base of Nahoot Guddabi,
the mountain for which we had been steering. Eight
miles farther, we arrived at Metemma, a Tokroori
village, in the heart of the mountains, twenty-seven
miles from our last resting-place, and fifty-one miles
from our camp on the Salaam river. From this point
to the river Salaam, the entire country slopes per-
ceptibly to the west the drainage being carried to
the Atbara by numerous streams. The country that
we had now entered, was inhabited exclusively by
Tokrooris, although belonging to Abyssinia. They
came out to meet us upon our arrival at the village,
and immediately fraternised with those of our people
that belonged to their tribe, from whom they quickly
learnt all about us. They brought us a he-goat,
together with milk and honey. The latter we had
revelled in for some months past, as the countries
through which we travelled, abounded with a supply
in the rocks and hollow trees ; but the milk was a
luxury, as our goats were nearly dry. The he-goat
was a regular old patriarch of the flock, and, for those
K K
498 ARRIFE AT THE ATBARA. [CHAP. xix.
who are fond of savoury food, it might have been a
temptation, but as it exhaled a perfume that rendered
its presence unbearable, we were obliged to hand it
over as a present to our Tokrooris even they turned
up their noses at the offer. A. crowd of natives sur-
rounded us, and the account of our travels was related
with the usual excitement, amidst the ejaculations of
the hearers, when they heard that we had been in the
country of the Base, and had trusted ourselves in the
power of Mek Mmmur.
On the following morning we were off before sun-
rise, and marched rapidly over a good path through
low forest, at the foot of a range of hills ; and after a
journey of twenty miles, during which we had passed
several small villages, and many brooks that flowed
from the mountains, we arrived at our old friend, the
Atbara river, at the sharp angle as it issues from the
mountains. At this place it was in its infancy. The
noble Atbara, whose course we had tracked for
hundreds of weary miles, and whose tributaries we
had so carefully examined, was a second-class
mountain torrent, about equal to the Eoyan, and not
to be named in comparison with the Salaam or
Angrab. The power of the Atbara depended entirely
upon the western drainage of the Abyssinian Alps :
of itself it was insignificant, until aided by the grea,t
arteries of the mountain chain. The junction of the
Salaam at once changed its character ; and the Settite
or Taccazzy completed its importance as the great
river of Abyssinia, that has washed clown the fertile
CHAP, xix.] LAST riEW OF THE ATBAEA. 499
soil of those regions, to create the Delta of Lower
Egypt; and to perpetuate that Delta by animal de-
posits, that are now forming a new Egypt beneath
the waters of the Mediterranean. We had seen the
Atbara a bed of glaring sand a mere continuation of
the burning desert that surrounded its course, fringed
by a belt of withered trees, like a monument sacred
to the memory of a dead river. We had seen the
sudden rush of waters when, in the still night, the
mysterious stream had invaded the dry bed, and
swept all before it like an awakened giant; we knew
at that moment " the rains were falling in Abyssinia,"
although the sky above us was without a cloud. We
had subsequently witnessed that tremendous rainfall,
and seen the Atbara at its grandest flood. We had
traced each river, and crossed each tiny stream that fed
the mighty Atbara from the mountain chain, and we
now, after our long journey, forded the Atbara in its
infancy, hardly knee-deep over its rocky bed of about
sixty yards width, and camped in the little village
of Toganai, on the rising ground upon the opposite
side. It was evening, and we sat upon an angarep
among the lovely hills that surrounded us, and looked
down upon the Atbara for the last time, as the sun
sank behind the rugged mountain of Eas el Feel
(the elephant's head). Once more I thought of that
wonderful river Nile, that could flow for ever through
the exhausting deserts of sand, while the Atbara,
during the summer months, shrank to a dry skeleton,
although the powerful affluents, the Salaam and the
K K 2
500 THE ATBABA EXPLORATION COMPLETED. [CHAP. xix.
Settite, never ceased to flow ; every drop, of their
waters was evaporated by the air, and absorbed by the
desert sand in the bed of the Atbara, two hundred
miles above its junction with the Nile !
The Atbara exploration was completed ; and I
looked forward to the fresh enterprise of new rivers
and lower latitudes, that should unravel the mystery
of the Nile !
CHAPTER XX.
ARRIVAL AT METEMMA, OR GALLABAT.
WE left the village of Toganai at 5 A.M. and, after
a rapid march of sixteen miles, we came in view of
Metemma, or Gallabat, in the bottom of a valley sur-
rounded by hills, and backed on the east by the range
of mountains of which Nahoot Guddabi formed the
extremity of a spur. As we descended the valley,
we perceived great crowds of people in and about the
town, which, in appearance, was merely a repetition
of Katariff. It was market-day, and as we descended
the hill and arrived in the scene below, with our nine
camels heavily laden with the heads and horns of a
multitude of different beasts, from the gaping jaws
of hippopotami to the vicious-looking heads of
rhinoceros and buffalo, while the skins of lions and
various antelopes were piled above masses of the
much-prized hide of the rhinoceros, we were beset by
crowds of people who were curious to know whence
so strange a party had appeared. We formed a
regular procession through the market, our Tokrooris
feeling quite at home among so many of their brethren.
Upon arrival at the extremity of the valley, we were
502 POISONOUS WATER. [CHAP. xx.
horribly disgusted at the appearance of the water. A
trifling stream of about two inches in depth trickled
over a bed of sand, shaded by a grove of trees. The
putrefying bodies of about half a dozen donkeys, three
or four camels, and the remains of a number of horses,
lay in and about the margin of the water. Never-
theless, the natives had scraped small holes in the sand,
as filters, and thus they were satisfied with this
poisonous fluid ; in some of these holes, the women
were \vashing their filthy clothes. I immediately de-
termined to follow up stream, until I should arrive
at some clear spot above these horrible impurities, that
were sufficient to create a pestilence. Ascending the
rising ground, I found on the summit, at about half
a mile distant, an immense sycamore (F^cus sycamo-
rus), whose green and wide - spreading branches
afforded a tempting shade. Not far from this spot, I
found the bed of a dry torrent that flowed into the
poisoned stream of Gallabat. I ordered my men to
dig a deep hole in the sand, which fortunately dis-
covered clear and good-flavoured water. We imme-
diately pitched tents close to the sycamore. From
this elevation, about a hundred and fifty feet above
Gallabat, we had a beautiful view of the amphitheatre
of hills and mountains, while the crowded town lay
below, as in the bottom of a basin. The Atbara was
not far distant, in the ravine between the hill ranges,
as it had made a sharp angle at Toganai, and altered
its direction to the north.
Our arrival had made some stir in Gallabat, and
CHAP, xx.] THE TRADE OF ABYSSINIA. 503
many people had followed us, and stared with much
curiosity at the collection of hunting trophies.
Among our visitors was an Abyssinian merchant,
Jusef, whose acquaintance I had formerly made at
Cassala ; he was an agreeable and well-informed man,
who had been to Paris and London, and spoke French
and English tolerably. I accompanied him for a stroll
through the market, and was introduced by him to a
number of the principal Abyssinian merchants. The
principal trade of Gallabat, which is the market-
place for all commerce between Abyssinia and the
Egyptian provinces, is in cotton, coffee, bees'-wax, and
hides. Coffee is brought in large quantities by the
Abyssinian merchants, who buy cotton in exchange,
for the manufacture of clothes according to their own
fashion. I bought a quantity of excellent coffee at
the rate of two dollars for thirty-five pounds, equal
to about 2fc a pound. Sheds were arranged in
lines ; these were occupied by the coffee-merchants
with their stores, while a great stock of cotton in
bales, to the number of some thousand, were piled
in rows in an open space. Not far from the mass
of goods, was a confusion of camels, asses, and mules
that had formed the means of transport. I now met
an Italian merchant, with whom I subsequently be-
came intimately acquainted, Signor Angelo Bolognesi
he had arrived from Khartoum to purchase
coffee and bees'-wax. We were delighted to meet
a civilized European after so long an absence. For
some months we had had little intercourse with
504 WE ENCOUNTER MISSIONARIES. [CHAP. xx.
any human beings beyond the hunters that had
composed our party, in countries that were so wild
and savage, that the print of a naked foot upon r
sand had instinctively brought the rifle upon full
cock. Our European society was quickly increased :
two German missionaries had arrived, en route for
an establishment that had been set on foot in the
heart of Abyssinia, under the very nose of the King
Theodore, who regarded missionaries as an unsavoury
odour. Both were suffering from fever, having fool-
ishly located themselves in a hut close to the foul
stench of dead animals on the margin of the polluted
stream, the water of which they drank. One of these
preachers was a blacksmith, whose iron constitution
had entirely given way, and the little strength that
remained, he exhausted in endless quotations of texts
from the Bible, which he considered applicable to
every trifling event or expression. I regretted that I
could not agree with him in the propriety of invading
Abyssinia with Bible extracts, as the natives attached
as great importance to their own particular form of
Christianity, as any other of the numerous sects that
unhappily divide that beautiful religion into schisms ;
any fresh dogma introduced by strangers might de-
stroy the union of the Abyssinian Church, and would
be not only a source of annoyance to the priesthood,
but would most probably influence them and the king
against all Europeans.
The blacksmith assured me that, the special mission
upon which he was employed, was the conversion of
HORNS OF THE MAARIF ANTELOPE.
Seepage 485.
OF THE
UNIVERSITY
OF
CHAP, xx.] THE THEOLOGICAL BLACKSMITH. 505
the Abyssinian Jews. I suggested that we had a few
Jews in England, that might offer a fair field for an
experiment at home, before we commenced at so
distant a country as Abyssinia ; but I could not per-
suade the blacksmith, whose head was as hard as his
anvil ; he had fully persuaded himself that the word
of God (according to his own translation of it) was
the hammer with which, selon son metier, he was to
drive his views of the truth into the thick skulls of
the people. If he could twist iron, and hammer a
ploughshare into a sword, or reverse the form, why
should he be unable to effect a change in their
opinions ? It was perfectly useless to continue the
argument ; but I prophesied trouble, as the king was
already discontented, and an influx of missionaries
would not improve his humour. I advised him to
stick to his trade, which would obtain for him far
more respect than preaching. He replied, that " the
word of God must be preached in all countries ; that
the Apostle Paul had encountered dangers and diffi-
culties, but, nevertheless, he had preached to, and
converted the heathen," &c.
Whenever I have met an exceedingly ignorant mis-
sionary, he has invariably compared himself to the
Apostle Paul. In half an hour I found, that I was
conversing with St. Paul in the person of the black-
smith. Whether this excellent apostle is among the
captives in Abyssinia at the present moment, I do not
know ; but, if so, their memory of the Bible will be
continually refreshed by quotations, which fly from
506 THE MISSIONARIES' MEDICINE CHEST. [CHAP. xx.
the tongue of tlie smith like sparks from his anvil.
His companion was very ill, and incapable of moving.
I went to see the poor fellow upon several occasions,
and found him suffering from dysentery and diseased
liver. These excellent but misguided people had a
first-rate medicine-chest, filled with useful drugs and
deadly poisons, that had been provided for them
cheaply, by the agent for their society at Cairo, who
had purchased the stock-in-trade of a defunct doctor.
This had been given to the missionaries, together with
the caution that many of the bottles were not labelled,
and that some contained poison. Thus provided with
a medicine-chest that they did not comprehend, and
with a number of Bibles printed in the Tigre lan-
guage which they did not understand, they were pre-
pared to convert the Jews, who could not read. The
Bibles were to be distributed as the word of God, like
" seed thrown upon the wayside ; " and the medicines,
I trust, were to be kept locked up in the chest, as
their distribution might have been fatal to the poor
Jews. These worthy and well-meaning missionaries
were prepared to operate mentally and physically
upon the Abyssinians, to open their minds as well as
their bowels ; but as their own (not their minds)
were out of order, I was obliged to assist them by an
examination of their medicine-chest, which they had
regarded with such dread and suspicion, that, although
dangerously ill, they had not dared to attempt a
dose. This medicine-chest accompanied them like a
pet dog suspected of hydrophobia, which they did not
CHAP, xx.] JEMMA SHEIK OF THE TOKROORIS. 507
like to part with, and were yet afraid to touch. I
labelled the poisons, and weighed out some doses, that
in a few days considerably relieved them ; at the same
time I advised the missionaries to move to a healthier
locality, and to avoid the putrid water.
On the day following our arrival, I paid a visit
to the Sheik of Gallabat Jemma. He was ill, as
were most people. They were too much accustomed
to the use of the filthy water to trouble themselves
about a pure supply ; thus, a frightful amount of
sickness was prevalent among all classes. The Sheik
Jemma was a Tokroori, and as these people hate the
Turks or Egyptians, although fanatical Mussulmans,
he was exceedingly cold when he read my firman,
that I had produced as a passport. He replied to my
demand for assistance in men and camels, that " this
was Abyssinia, and the firman of the Viceroy of
Egypt was a bad introduction, as the Egyptians forced
them to pay tribute at the point of the bayonet,
a] though they had no right to enter this country ;"
they paid* taxes willingly to the King of Abyssinia,
as he had the right to exact them. I explained that,
I was an Englishman, and no Turk, but that, as I had
travelled through the dominions of the Viceroy, I had
been favoured with the sign-manual of his excellency
Said Pasha, and I narrated in a few words the object
of our expedition. He paid very little attention, and
merely asked me, if I could send him some goat's
milk, as he was very ill. I was astonished at such
a request, as there were great numbers of these
508 THE EGYPTIANS ATTACK GALLABAT. [CHAP. xx.
animals in the neighbourhood ; but he explained that,
his doctor had ordered him to drink the milk of a
black goat, and he had heard that I had two of that-
colour. I promised him a supply, and he agreed
to assist me in engaging camels and fresh men, as I
had formerly arranged with my people that their term
of service should expire upon our arrival at Gallabat
or Metemma The latter name merely signifies " the
capital ;" as many places are designated by the same
word, it creates much confusion.
The Sheik Jemma was the successor of Hamed, who
formerly governed the Tokrooris, The Egyptians had
captured Hamed three years previously, during which
time he had been imprisoned in Cairo. Upon his
release, he wrote to Jemma (who had governed pro
tempore) to prepare for his arrival ; but Jemma had
no intention of vacating his seat, and he replied by
an impertinent message. Hamed immediately applied
to the Governor-General of the Soudan for assistance,
declaring himself to be the subject of Egypt. Having
obtained a powerful force, he advanced upon Gallabat
and attacked Jemma, who came out to meet him.
This happened about three months before our arrival.
In a pitched battle, the Tokrooris were defeated with
great loss, and Jemma, with the greater portion of the
population, sought the assistance of Theodore, the
king of Abyssinia. Theodore summoned the rival
sheiks before him, and decided that, as Hamed had
appealed to Egypt for assistance, he should lose his
seat, and remain a prisoner in Abyssinia. Accord-
CHAP, xx.] SETTLEMENT OF THE TOKROOR7S. 509
ingly, Jemma was declared to be the governor of the
town .of Gallabat, and the sheik over all Tokrooris.
The Tokrooris are natives of Darfur, that were
converted to Mahometanism after the conquest of
Northern Africa by the Arabs. They are governed
by a sultan in their own country, who strictly pro-
hibits the entrance of white men ; thus Darfur re-
mains impenetrable to civilization. That country is
extremely arid and unfruitful ; thus, as the pilgrims
journeyed towards Mecca from their own inhospitable
soil, they passed through a land flowing with milk
and honey, with excellent pasturage and fertile soil,
in the district of Gallabat. As first settlements of
man have always been caused by some local attrac-
tion and advantage, so the Tokroori pilgrims, on their
return from Mecca, originally rested from the fatigues
of their journey in the neighbourhood of Gallabat, as
a country preferable to their own. The establishment
of a few settlers formed a nucleus, and, as successive
pilgrimages to Mecca were annually undertaken from
Darfur, the colony rapidly increased by the settlement
of the returned pilgrims. Thus commenced the esta-
blishment of a new tribe upon foreign soil, and, as
the numbers of settlers increased to an important
amount, permission was granted by the King of Abys-
sinia that they should occupy this portion of his ter-
ritory, upon payment of taxes as his subjects. The
Tokrooris are a fine, powerful race, exceedingly black,
and of the negro type, but differing from all negroes
that I have hitherto known, as they are particu-
.510 INDUSTRY OF THE TOKROORIS. [CHAP. xx.
larly industrious. They are great drunkards, very
quarrelsome, and are bad servants, as, although they
will work hard for themselves, they will do as little
-as they can for their master. They are seldom un-
employed ; and, while the Arab may be seen lazily
stretched under the shade of a tree, the Tokroori will
be spinning cotton, or working at something that will
earn a few piastres. Even during the march, I have
frequently seen my men gather the cotton from some
deserted bush, and immediately improvise a spindle,
l^y sticking a reed through a piece of camel-dung, with
which they would spin the wool into thread, as they
walked with the caravan. My Tokrooris had never
been idle during the time they had been in my service,
but they were at work in the camp during every spare
minute, either employed in making sandals from ele-
phant's or buffalo's hide, or whips and bracelets from
the rhinoceros skin, which they cleverly polished.
Upon our arrival at Gallabat, they had at least
camel-load of all kinds of articles they had manu-
factured. On the following morning I had fouikl
them sitting in the market-place, having established
stalls, at which they were selling all the various tro-
phies of their expedition fat, hides, whips, sandals,
bracelets, &c.
The district inhabited by the Tokrooris is about
forty miles in length, including a population of about
twenty thousand. Throughout the country, they have
cultivated cotton to a considerable extent, notwith-
standing the double taxes enforced by both Abys-
CHAP xx.] WEAPONS, TYPE, AND CHARACTER. 511
sinians and Egyptians, and their gardens are kept
with extreme neatness. Although of the negro type,
the Tokrooris have not the flat nose ; the lips are full,
but not to be compared with those of the negroes of
West Africa ; neither is the jaw prognathous. The
men are extremely independent in manner. They are
armed with lances of various patterns ; their favourite
weapon is a horrible instrument barbed with a dia-
bolical intention, as it can neither be withdrawn nor
pushed completely through the body, but, if once in
the flesh, there it must remain. This is called the
diimbane ; it is usually carried with two other lances
with plain heads. The Tokrooris despise shields ;
therefore, in spite of their superior personal strength,
they would be no match for the Arabs.
There is a curious weapon, the trombash, that is
used by these people, somewhat resembling the Aus-
tralian boomerang ; it is a piece of flat, hard wood,
about two feet in length, the end of which turns
sharply at an angle of about 30. They throw this
with great dexterity, and inflict severe wounds with
the hard and sharp edge ; but, unlike the boomerang,
the weapon does not return to the thrower.
The women are very powerful, but exceedingly
plain. They are good workers, and may be constantly
seen either spinning or weaving ; they keep their huts
remarkably clean, and are rarely idle.
The greater portion of the cotton exhibited in the
market of Gallabat is produced by the Tokrooris ; it
is uncleaned, and simply packed in mat bales of a
512 THE COLONIZATION BY TOKROORIS. [CHAP, xx-
hundred pounds weight, which at that date, April,
1862, sold for one dollar each.
Much might be done to improve these peculiar
people. Were the frontiers of Abyssinia positively
determined, and security insured to the new settlers,
the whole of that magnificent country through which
we had travelled between the Settite and Gallabat
might be peopled and cultivated. In many countries,
both soil and climate may be favourable for the
cultivation of cotton ; but such natural advantages
may be neutralised either by the absence of population,
or by the indolence of the natives. The Tokroori is
a most industrious labourer ; and, were he assured of
protection and moderate taxation, he would quickly
change the character of those fertile lands, that are
now uninhabited, except by wild animals. If the
emigration of Tokrooris from Darfur were encouraged,
and advantages offered to settlers, by grants of land
for a short term exempt from taxation, at a future
time to bear a certain rate per acre, a multitude of
emigrants would quit their own inhospitable country,
and would people the beautiful waste lands of the
Settite and the Salaam. These countries would pro-
duce an important supply of cotton, that might be
delivered at Souakim at an exceedingly low rate, and
find a market in England. Not only would the Tok-
rooris benefit by the change, but, should it be decided
that the Abyssinian frontier, instead of extending to
the Atbara river, should be confined to the ridge of
the great mountain chain, the revenues of Upper
CHAP, xx.] HONEY WINE OF ABYSSINIA. 513
Egypt might be enormously increased by the esta-
blishment of a Tokroori colony, as proposed.
I paid all my Tokrooris . their wages, and I gave
them an entertainment after their own taste, by pur-
chasing several enormous bowls of honey wine. The
Abyssinians are celebrated for this drink, which is
known as " tetch." It is made of various strengths;
that of good quality should contain, in ten parts, two
of honey and eight of water ; but, for a light wine,
one of honey, and nine of water is very agreeable.
There is a plant of an intoxicating quality known by
the Abyssinians as "jershooa," the leaves of which
are added to the tetch while in a state of fermentation ;
a strong infusion of these leaves will render the tetch
exceedingly heady, but without this admixture the
honey wine is by no means powerful. In our subse-
quent journey in Central Africa, I frequently made
the tetch by a mixture of honey and water, flavoured
with wild thyme and powdered ginger ; fermentation
was quickly produced by the addition of yeast from
the native beer, and the wine, after six or eight days,
became excellent, but never very strong, as we could
not procure the leaves of the jershooa.
My Arabs and Tokrooris enjoyed themselves amaz-
ingly, and until late at night they were playing
rababas (guitars) and howling in thorough happiness ;
but on the following morning at sunrise I was dis-
turbed by Wat Gamma, who complained that, during
the night some person had stolen three dollars, that had
for some months been carefully sewn up in his clothes ;
L L
514 ALL DRUNK LAST NIGHT. [CHAP. xx.
he exhibited the garment that bore the unmistakeable
impression of the dollars, and the freshly-cut ends of
the thread proved that it had been ripped open very
recently. Of course I was magistrate, and in all cases
I was guided by my own code of laws, being at some
thousand miles from an Act of Parliament.
Wat Gamma had no suspicion of any person in par-
ticular, but his money had evidently been stolen.
" Who was drunk last night ? " I inquired. " We
were all drunk," replied the plaintiff. " Who was very
drunk, and who was the least drunk ? " I inquired.
This entailed a discussion among the people who had
now assembled. It appeared that most of them had
been " very drunk ;" others only a little drunk ; and
one old white-headed Arab camel-driver had been
perfectly sober, as he never drank anything but water.
This was old Mini, a splendid specimen of a fine
partriarchal Arab ; he declared that he had riot even
joined the party. Wat Gamma had left his garment
rolled up in the mat, upon which he usually slept ; this
was in the same spot where the camel-drivers lived, and
where old Mini declared he was fast asleep during the
drinking bout
I had my suspicions, but to express them would
have defeated the chance of discovery. I therefore
adopted my usual rule in cases of theft. I counted my
people : nine camel-men, five Tokrooris, Taher Noor,
and Bacheet; in all sixteen, without Wat Gamma.
Three dollars were sixty piastres, sixty divided by
sixteen equalled three piastres and thirty paras. Thus
CHAP. xx. J THE THIEF DISCOVERED. 515
I condemned the whole party to make up the loss, by
each paying his share of the amount stolen, unless the
thief could be discovered.
This plan was generally successful, as the thief was
the only man contented with the arrangement. Every
innocent man became a detective, as he was deter-
mined not to pay a fine for another's theft. A tremen-
dous row took place, every one was talking and no one
listening, and the crowd went away from my court of
justice, determined to search the affair to the bottom.
In about half an hour they all returned, with the
exception of old Mini ; they had searched everywhere,
and had found three dollars concealed in the stuffing
of a camel's saddle, that belonged to Mini. He was
the sober man, who had been asleep while the others
were drinking. I considered the case proved ; and
Mini, having confessed, requested that I would flog
him rather than deliver him to the Tokroori authorities,
who would imprison him and take away his camel. I
told him that I would not disgrace his tribe by flog-
ging one of their oldest men, but that I should take
him before the Sheik of Gallabat, and fine him the
amount that he had stolen. This I immediately did,
and Mini handed over to Jemma with great reluctance,
three dollars for the poor-box of Gallabat, or the private
pocket of the sheik, as the case may be.
On my return to camp I visited the establish-
ments of the various slave merchants : these were
arranged under large tents formed of matting, and
contained many young girls of extreme beauty,
L L 2
516 VENUSES OF THE GALLA. [CHAP. xx.
ranging from nine to seventeen years of age. These
lovely captives, of a rich brown tint, with delicately
formed features, and eyes like those of the gazelle,
were natives of the Galla, on the borders of Abys-
sinia, from which country they were brought by
the Abyssinian traders to be sold for the Turkish
harems. Although beautiful, these girls are useless.
for hard labour ; they quickly fade away and die
unless kindly treated. They are the Venuses of that
country, and not only are their faces and figures per-
fection, but they become extremely attached to those
who show them kindness, and they ma'ke good and
faithful wives. There is something peculiarly cap-
tivating in the natural grace and softness of these
young beauties, whose hearts quickly respond to
those warmer feelings of love that are seldom known
among the sterner and coarser tribes. Their forms
are peculiarly elegant and graceful the hands and
feet are exquisitely delicate ; the nose is generally
slightly aquiline, the nostrils large and finely shaped ;.
the hair is black and glossy, reaching to about the-
middle of the back, but rather coarse in texture..
These girls, although natives of Galla, invariably
call themselves Abyssinians, and are generally known
under that denomination. They are exceedingly-
proud and high-spirited, and are remarkably quick
at learning. At Khartoum, several of the Europeans-
of high standing have married these charming ladies,,
who have invariably rewarded their husbands by-
great affection and devotion. The price of one of"
CHAP, xx.] WE LEA7E GALLABAT. 517
these beauties of nature at Gallabat was from twenty-
five to forty dollars.
On the 24th April we were refreshed by a shower
of rain, and in a few days the grass sprang from the
ground several inches high. There was an unpleasant
dampness in the air, and, although the rainy season
would not commence until June, showers would occa-
sionally fall among the mountains throughout the
month, of May. I accordingly purchased a number of
large tanned ox-hides, that are rendered waterproof by
a preparation with milk. These skins cost the trifling
sum of nine piastres each (not two shillings), and
were subsequently of great value during our White
Nile expedition, as coverlets during the night's
bivouac, &c.
The horse- fair was a disappointment. At this season
the entire country in the neighbourhood of Gallabat
was subject to an epidemic, fatal to these animals ;
therefore there were no good horses present. T had
nothing to detain me at this place, after having pro-
cured fresh camels, therefore I paid all my people, and
we parted excellent friends. To the Arabs and Tok-
rooris I gave all the hides of rhinoceros, elephants, &c.
that I did not require, and, with our loads considerably
lightened, we started from Gallabat, 12.30 P.M., 28th
April, 1862, and marched due west towards the river
Rahad. The country was hilly and well wooded, the
rocks were generally sandstone, and after a march of
three hours we halted at a Tokroori village. I never
witnessed more unprovoked insolence than was exhi-
518 A ROJF WITH THE TOKROORIS. [CHAP. xx.
bited by these people. They considered me to be a
Turk, to whom their natural hatred had been in-
creased by the chastisement they had lately received
from the Egyptians. It was in vain that my two lads,
"Wat Gamma and Baeheet, assured them that I was an
Englishman : they had never heard of such a country as
England ; in their opinion, a white man must be a
Turk. Not contented with refusing all supplies, they
assembled in large numbers and commenced a quarrel
with my men, several of whom were Tokrooris that
I had hired to accompany us to Khartoum. These
men, being newly engaged and entirely strange, were
of little service ; but, having joined in the quarrel, like
true Tokrooris who are always ready for a row, the
altercation grew so hot that it became rather serious.
The natives determined that we should not remain in
their village, and, having expressed a threat to turn us,
out, they assembled around us in a large crowd with
their lances and trombashes. My wife was sitting by
me upon an angarep, when the people closed around
my men, and one very tall specimen of a Tokroori
came forward, and, snatching a knife from its sheath
that was worn upon the arm of my servant, he chal-
lenged him to fight. As Tokrooris are always more or
less under the influence of drink, their fights are gene-
rally the effect of some sudden impulse. It was neces-
sary to do something, as the crowd were determined
upon a row ; this was now commenced by their
leader, who was eyeing me from head to foot with
most determined insolence, holding the knife in his
CHAP, xx.] TOKROORI CHAMPION INSISTS ON FIGHTING. 519
hand that he had taken from my man. I therefore
rose quietly from my seat, and, approaching him to
within a convenient distance for striking, if necessary,
I begged him very politely to leave my people to them-
selves, as we should depart on the following morning.
He replied with great impertinence, and insisted upon
fighting one or all of .our party. I accommodated him
without a moment's delay, as, stepping half a pace
backwards, I came in with a left and right as fast as a
rapid double-hit could be delivered, with both blows
upon his impudent mouth. In an instant he was on
his back, with his heels in the air ; and, as I prepared
to operate upon his backer, or upon any bystander who
might have a penchant for fighting, the crowd gave
way, and immediately devoted themselves to their
fallen companion, who lay upon the ground in stupid
astonishment, with his fingers down his throat search-
ing for a tooth ; his eyes were fixed upon my hands
to discover the weapon with which he had been
wounded. His friends began to wipe the blood from
his face and clothes, and at this juncture, the sheik of
the village appeared for the first time.
To my astonishment he was extremely civil ; a
sudden reaction had taken place, the Tokrooris had had
their row, and were apparently satisfied. The sheik
begged me not to kill his people by hitting them,
" as they were mere chickens, who would at once die
if I were to strike them with my fist." I begged him
to keep his " chickens " in better order, and at once to
order them away from our immediate neighbourhood.
520 ^ REAL FLAT-NOSED AFRICAN NIGGER. [CHAP. xx.
Tn a few minutes the sheik drove the crowd away,
who picked up their man and led him off. The sheik
then begged us to accept a hut for the night, and he
paid us every attention.
On the following morning, we left shortly after
sunrise ; the natives very civilly assisted to load our
camels, and among the most active, was my fighting
friend of yesterday, who, with his nose and mouth
all swollen into one, had been rapidly converted from
a well-featured Tokroori into a real thick-lipped,
flat-nosed African nigger, with prognathous jaw, that
would have delighted the Ethnological Society.
"April 29. It rained hard during the night. Our
course was due west, along the banks of a hor, from
which the natives procure water by sinking wells
about twelve feet deep in the sandy bed, which is dry
in the hot season. Throughout this country the water
is bad. At 11 A.M. we reached Koumele; this is
the last village between Gallabat and the river
Kahad. The natives say that, there is no water on
the road, and their accounts of the distance are so
vague and contradictory that I cannot rely upon
the information.
" I could procure only one water-skin, and none
of my old stock were serviceable ; I therefore arranged
to water all the animals, and push on throughout the
night, by which plan I hoped to arrive by a forced
march at the Eahad on the following morning, without
exhausting both men and beasts by a long journey
through an unknown distance in the heat of the sun.
CHAP, xx.] DEATH OF AGGAHR AND GAZELLE. 521
Hardly were the horses watered at a well in the dry
bed of the stream, when Aggahr was taken ill with in-
flammation. I left two men to attend upon him, with
orders to bring him on if better on the following day :
we started on our journey, but we had not proceeded
a quarter of a mile when Gazelle, that I was riding, was
also seized with illness, and fell down ; with the
greatest difficulty I led the horse back again to the
village. My good old hunter Aggahr died in great
agony a few minutes after our return, and Gazelle died
during the night ; the natives declared this to be the
horse sickness that was annually prevalent at this
season. The disease appeared to be inflammation of
the bowels, which I attributed to the sudden change of
food ; for months past they had lived principally upon
dry grass, but within the past few days they had
greedily eaten the young herbage that had appeared
after a few showers ; with this, may have been poison-
ous plants that they had swallowed unawares. We had
now only one horse, Tetel, that was ridden by my wife ;
I therefore determined to start on foot on the follow-
ing morning, and to set the pace at four miles an hour,
so as to reach the Eahad by a forced march in one
rapid stretch, and thus to eke out our scanty supply of
water. Accordingly we started, and marched at that
rate for ten hours, including a halt when half-way, to
rest for one hour and a half. Throughout the distance,
the country was a dead flat of the usual rich soil,
covered with mimosa forest. We marched thirty-four
miles, steering due west for a distant hill, which in
522 FORCED MARCH TO THE RAHAD. [CHAP. xx.
the morning had been a faint blue streak upon the
horizon.
" Upon our arrival at the hill we found that the
river, was some miles beyond, while a fine rugged
mountain that we had seen for two days previous,
rose about fifteen miles south of this point, and formed
an unmistakeable landmark ; the name of this moun-
tain is Hallowa. We had marched with such rapidity
across ,this stretch of thirty-four miles, that our men
were completely exhausted from thirst, as they had
foolishly drunk their share of water at the middle of
the journey, instead of reserving it for the moment of
distress. Upon arrival at the Eahad they rushed
down the steep bank, and plunged into the clear water
of the river.
" The Eahad does not exceed eighty or ninety yards
in breadth. The rain that had recently fallen in the
mountain had sent a considerable stream down the
hitherto dry bed, although the bottom was not entirely
covered. By dead reckoning, this point of the river is
fifty-five miles due west from Gallabat or Metemma ;
throughout this distance we had seen no game, neither
the tracks of any animals except giraffes. We were
rather hard up for provisions, therefore I took my rod,
and tried for a fish in a deep pool 1}elow the spot
where we had pitched the tent. I only had one run,
but I fortunately landed a handsome little baggar
about twelve pounds weight, which afforded us a good
dinner. The river Dinder is between fifty and sixty
miles from the Eahad at this point, but towards the
CHAP, xx.] THE RIVEU EAEAD. 523
north the two rivers approximate closely, and keep
a course almost parallel. The banks of the Eahad
are in many places perpendicular, and are about
forty-five feet above the bed. This river flows
through rich alluvial soil ; the country is a vast
level plain, with so trifling a fall that the current of
the river is gentle ; the course is extremely circuitous,
and although, when bank full, the Rahad possesses
a considerable volume, it is very inferior as a Nile
tributary to any river that T have visited to the east
of Gallabat,"
CHAPTER XXI.
FERTILITY OF THE COUNTRY ON THE BANKS
OF THE RAHAD.
WE daily followed the banks of the Rahacl, the mono-
tony of which I will not inflict upon the public. This
country was a vast tract of wonderfully fertile prairie,
that nearly formed an island, surrounded by the
Rahad, Blue Nile, Great Nile, and Atbara ; it was
peopled by various tribes of Arabs, who cultivated
a considerable extent upon the banks of the Rahad,
which, for upwards of a hundred miles to the north,
were bordered with villages at short intervals. Cotton
and tobacco were produced largely, and we daily met
droves of camels laden with these goods, en route for
the Abyssinian market. We had now fairly quitted
Abyssinian territory, and upon our arrival at the
Rahad we were upon the soil of Upper Egypt. I was
much struck with the extraordinary size and condition
of the cattle. Corn (dhurra) was so plentiful that it
was to be purchased in any quantity for eight piastres
the rachel, or about Is. 8d. for 500 pounds ; pumpkins
were in great quantities, with a description of gourd with
CHAP, xxi.j JOURNEY ALONG THE RAHAD. 525
an exceedingly strong shell, which is grown especial] y
for bowls and other utensils ; camel loads of these gourd-
basins packed in conical crates were also journeying
on the road towards Gallabat. Throughout the course
of the Eahad the banks are high, and, when full, the
river would average forty feet in depth, with a gentle
stream, the course free from rocks and shoals, and ad-
mirably adapted for small steamers.
The entire country would be a mine of wealth were
it planted with cotton, which could be transported
by camels to Katariff, and thence direct to Souakim.
We travelled for upwards of a hundred miles along
the river, through the unvarying scene of flat alluvial
soil ; the south bank was generally covered with low
jungle. The Arabs were always civil, and formed a
marked contrast to the Tokrooris; they were mostly
of the Eoofar tribe. Although there had been a
considerable volume of water in the river at the point
where we had first met it, the bed was perfectly dry
about fifty miles farther north, proving the great
power of absorption by the sand. The Arabs obtained
water from deep pools in the river, similar to those in
the Atbara, but on a small scale, of not sufficient
importance to contain hippopotami, which at this
season retired to the river Dinder. Wherever we slept
we were besieged by gaping crowds of Arabs : these
people were quite unaccustomed to strangers, as the
route we had chosen along the banks of the Rahad
was entirely out of the line adopted by the native
merchants and traders of Khaitoum, who travelled vid
526 RICH COUNTRY. [CHAP. xxi.
Abou Harraz and Katariff to Gallabat. These Arabs
were, as usual, perfectly wild, and ignorant of every-
thing that did not immediately concern them. My
compass had always been a source of wonder to the
natives, and I was asked whether by looking into it I
could distinguish the "market days" of the different
villages ? My own Tokrooris continually referred to
me for information on various topics, and, if I declined
to reply, they invariably begged me to examine my
moondera (mirror), as they termed the compass, and see
what it would say. This country swarmed with Arabs,
and abounded in supplies ; superb, fat oxen were
seven dollars each ; large fowls were a penny ; and
eggs were at the rate of nine for a penny farthing.
"We arrived at a large village, Sherrem, on May 11,
having marched 118 miles in a straight line along
the course of the Eahad. The heat was extreme, but
I had become so thoroughly accustomed to the sun
that I did not feel it so much as my men, whose heads
were covered with a thin cap of cotton (the tageea).
My camel-men had expected to find their families at a
village that we had passed about six miles from
Sherrem, and they had been rejoicing in anticipation,
but on arrival we found it deserted, " family out of
town ;" the men were quite dejected ; but upon arrival
at Sherrem they found all their people, who had mi-
grated for water, as the liver was dry. We waited at
Sherrem for a couple of days to rest the men, whose
feet were much swollen with marching on the burn-
ing soil. Although frequent showers had fallen at
CHAP. XXL] WE CROSS OVER TO THE DINDER. 527
Gallabat, we had quickly entered the dry country upon
steering north, where neither dew nor rain had moist-
ened the ground for many months. The country was
treeless on the north bank of the Rahad, and the rich
alluvial soil was free from a single stone or pebble for
many miles. Although for 118 miles we had travelled
along the course of the Rahad, throughout this distance
only one small brook furrowed the level surface and
added its waters during the rainy season to the river ;
the earth absorbed the entire rainfall. Our camels
were nearly driven mad by the flies which swarmed
throughout the fertile districts.
On the 15th of May we arrived at Kook, a small
village on the banks of the Rahad, and on the follow-
ing morning we started to the west for the river
Binder. The country was the usual rich soil, but
covered with high grass and bush ; it was uninhabited,
except by wandering Arabs and their flocks, that
migrate at the commencement of the rainy season,
when this land becomes a mere swamp, and swarms
with the seroot fly. At 6.30 P.M. we halted, and
slept on the road. This was the main route to
Sennaar, from which place, strings of camels were
passing to the Rahad, to purchase corn. On 16th
May, we started by moonlight at 4.30 A.M. due west,
and at 7.30 A.M. we arrived at the river Dinder,
which, at this point, was eighteen miles from the
village of Kook, on the Rahad.
We joined a camp of the Kunana Arabs, who
at this season throng the banks of the Dinder.
528 FEROCITY OF CROCODILES IN THAT RIFER. [CHAP. xxi.
This river is similar in character to the Kahad, but
larger : the average breadth is about a hundred and
ten yards ; the banks are about fifty feet high, and
the immediate vicinity is covered with thick jungle
of nabbuk and thorny acacias, with a great quantity
of the acacia arabica, that produces the garra, already
described as valuable for tanning leather. I made
ink with this fruit, pounded and boiled, to which
I added a few rusty nails, and allowed it to stand
for about twenty-four hours. The Binder was ex-
ceedingly deep in many places, although in others-
the bed was dry, with the exception of a most
trifling stream that flowed through a narrow channel
in the sand, about an inch in depth. The Arabs-
assured me that the crocodiles in this river were
more dangerous than in any other, and their flocks-
of goats and sheep were attended by a great number
of boys, to prevent the animals from descending to
the water to drink, except in such places as had
been prepared for them by digging small holes in
the sand. I saw many of these creatures, of very
large size ; and, as I strolled along the banks of
the river, I found a herd of hippopotami, of which
I shot two, to the great delight of my people, who-
had been much disappointed in the absence of game-
throughout our journey from Gallabat. We had
travelled upwards of 200 miles without having
seen so much as a gazelle, neither had we passed
any tracks of large game, except, upon one occa-
sion, those of a few giraffes. I had been told that
CHAP. xxi.J CHARACTER OF THE BINDER. 529
the Dincler country was rich in game, but, at this
season, it was swarming with Arabs, and was so
much disturbed, that everything had left the coun-
try, and the elephants merely drank during the
night, and retreated to distant and impenetrable
jungles. At night we heard a lion roar, but this, in-
stead of being our constant nightingale, as upon the
Settite river, was now an uncommon sound. The
inaneless lion is found on the banks of the Binder ;
all that I saw, in the shape of game, in the neigh-
bourhood of that river and the Eahad, were a few
hippopotami and crocodiles. The stream of the
Dinder is obstructed with many snags and trunks
of fallen trees that would be serious obstacles to
.rapid navigation : these are the large stems of the
soont (Acacia Ardbica), that, growing close to the
-edge, have fallen into the river when the banks have
given way. I was astonished at the absence of ele-
phants in such favourable ground ; for some miles I
walked along the margin of the river without seeing
.a track of any date. Throughout this country, these
ainimals are so continually hunted, that they have
^become exceedingly wary, and there can be little
doubt that their numbers are much reduced. Even
in the beautiful shooting country comprised between
the river Gash and Gallabat, although we had excel-
lent sport, I had been disappointed in the number of
elephants, which I had expected to find in herds of
many hundreds, instead of forty or fifty, which was the
largest number that I had seen together. The habits
M M
530 ACTIVITY OF THE AFRICAX ELEPHANT. [CHAP. xxi.
of all animals generally depend upon the nature of
the localities they inhabit. Thus, as these countries
were subject to long drought and scarcity of water,
the elephants were, in some places, contented with
drinking every alternate day. Where they were much
hunted by the aggageers, they would seldom drink
twice consecutively in the same river ; but, after
a long draught in the Settite, they would march from
twenty-five to thirty miles, and remain for a day
between that river and the Mareb or Gash, to which
they would hurry on the following night. At other
times, these wily animals would drink in the Settite,
and retire to the south ; feeding upon Mek Nimnmr's
cornfields, they would hurry forward to the river
Salaam, about thirty miles distant, and from thence,
in a similar manner, either to the Atbara on one side,
or into the Abyssinian mountains, where, at all times,
they could procure a supply of water. I have fre-
quently discovered fresh grains of dhurra in their
dung, at a great distance from the nearest cornfield ;
when the rapid digestion of the elephant is considered,
it must be allowed that the fresh dung found in the
morning bore witness to the theft of corn during-
the past night ; thus the elephant had inarched many
miles after feeding. In the " Eifle and Hound in
Ceylon/' published in 1854, I gave a detailed de~
scription of the elephants of that country, which,,
although peculiar in the general absence of tusks,
are the same as the Indian species.
Although the elephant is found throughout many
CHAP. xxi.J DISTINCTION OF SPECIES. 531
countries, extending over an enormous area, there
are only two species at present in existence, the
Indian and the African; these are totally different
in their habits, and are distinguished by peculiarities
of form. The most striking difference is in the shape
of the head and spine. The head of the Indian
species is perfectly distinct'; the forehead, when held
in the natural position of inaction., is perpendicular ;
and above the slight convexity at the root of the
trunk there is a depression, in shape like a herald's
shield ; a bullet in the lower portion of that shield
will reach the brain in a direct line. The head of
the African elephant is completely convex from the
commencement of the trunk to the back of the skull,
and the brain is situated much lower than in that
of the Indian species ; the bone is of a denser
quality, and the cases for the reception of the tusks
are so closely parallel, that there is barely room for
a bullet to find a chance of penetrating to the brain ;
it must be delivered in the exact centre, and ex-
tremely low, in the very root of the trunk; even
then it will frequently pass above the brain, as the
animal generally carries his head high, and thrown
slightly back. The teeth of the African elephant differ
materially from those of the Indian, by containing a
lesser i mmber of laminae or plates, the surfaces of
which, instead of exhibiting strait and parallel lines
like those of the Indian, are shaped in slight curves,
which increase the power of grinding. The ears of
the African species are enormous, and when thrown
M M 2
532 PECULIARITY OF FORM. [CHAP. xxr.
back, they completely cover the shoulders ; they are
also entirely different in shape from those of the
Indian species. When an African bull elephant ad-
vances in full charge with his ears cocked, his head
measures about fourteen feet from the tip' of one ear
to that of the other, in a direct line across the fore-
head. I have frequently cut off the ear to form a
.'mat, upon which I have slept beneath the shade of a
tree, while my people divided the animal.
The back of the Indian elephant is exceedingly
convex ; that of the African is exactly the reverse,
and the concavity behind the shoulders is succeeded by
a peculiarity in the sudden rise of the spine above the
hips. The two species are not only distinct in certain
peculiarities of form, but they differ in their habits.
The Indian elephant dislikes the sun, and invariably
retreats to thick shady forests at sunrise ; but I have
constantly found the African species enjoying them-
selves in the burning sun in the hottest hours of the
day, among plains of withered grass, many miles
from a jungle. The African is more active than the
Indian, and not only is faster in his movements,
but is more capable of enduring long marches, as
proved by the great distances through which it travels
to seek its food in the native's cornfields. In all
countries, the bulls are fiercer than the females.
I cannot see much difference in character between
Indian and the African species; it is the fashion
for some people to assert that, the elephant is an
innocent and harmless creature, that like the giraffe,
CHAP, xxi.] AFRICAN AND INDIAN ELEPHANTS. 533
it is almost a sin to destroy. I can only say that,
during eight years' experience in Ceylon, and nearly
five years' in Africa, I have found that elephants
are the most formidable animals with which a
sportsman has to contend. The African species is
far more dangerous than the Indian, as the forehead
shot can never be trusted ; therefore the hunter must
await the charge with a conviction that, his bullet
will fail to kill.
The African elephant is about a foot higher than
the average of the Indian species. The bulls of
the former are about ten feet six inches at the
shoulder; the females are between nine feet and
nine feet six. Of course there are many bulls that
exceed this height, and I have seen some few of
both species that might equal twelve feet, but those
are the exceptional Goliahs.
The tusks of elephants vary considerably, and
there appears to be no rule to determine a reason
for their size and quality. In Abyssinia and Taka,
a single tusk of a bull elephant seldom exceeds
forty pounds, nor do they average more than twenty-
five, but in Central Africa they average about forty,
and I have seen them upwards of one hundred and
fifty pounds. The largest that I have had the good
fortune to bag, was eighty pounds, the fellow-tusk
was slightly below seventy. Elephants invariably
use one tusk in preference, as we use the right
hand; thus it is difficult to obtain an exact pair, as
the Hadam (or servant), as the Arabs call the
534 DESTRUCTION OF FORESTS. [CHAP. xxi.
working tusk, is generally much worn. The African
elephant is a more decided tree-feeder than the
Indian, and the destruction committed by a large
herd of such animals when feeding in a mimosa
forest is extraordinary ; they deliberately march
forward, and uproot or break down every tree that
excites their appetite. The mimosas are generally
from sixteen to twenty feet high, and, having no
tap-root, they are easily overturned by the tusks
of the elephants, which are driven like crowbars
beneath the roots, and used as levers, in which
rough labour they are frequently broken. Upon the
overthrow of a tree, the elephants eat the roots
and leaves, and strip the bark from the branches
by grasping them with their rough trunks.
The African elephant is equally docile as the
Indian, when domesticated, but we have no account
of a negro tribe that has ever tamed one of these
sagacious animals : their only maxim is "kill and
eat." Although the flesh of the elephant is extremely
coarse, the foot and trunk are excellent, if properly
cooked. A hole should be dug in the earth, about
four feet deep, and two feet six inches in diameter,
the sides of which should be perpendicular; in this
a large fire should be lighted, and kept burning for
four or five hours with a continual supply of wood,
so that the walls become red-hot. At the expiration
of the blaze, the foot should be laid upon the
glowing embers, and the hole should be covered
closely with thick pieces of green wood laid parallel
CHAP. XXL] ELEPHANTS' FOOT, A LUXURY. 535
together to form a ceiling; this should be covered
with wet grass, and the whole should be plastered
with mud, and stamped tightly down to retain the
heat. Upon the mud, a quantity of earth should be
heaped, and the oven should not be opened for
thirty hours, or more. At the expiration of that
time, the foot will be perfectly baked, and the sole
will separate like a shoe, and expose a delicate sub-
stance that, with a little oil and vinegar, together
with an allowance of pepper and salt, is a delicious
dish that will feed about fifty men.
The Arabs are particularly fond of elephant's flesh,
as it is generally fat and juicy. I have frequently
used the fat of the animal for cooking, but it should
be taken from the body without delay; as, if left for
a few hours, it partakes of the peculiar smell of the
elephant, which no amount of boiling will overcome.
The boiling of fat for preservation requires much
care, as it should attain so great a heat that a few
drops of water thrown upon the surface will hiss
and evaporate, as though cast upon molten metal ; it
should then be strained, and when tolerably cool, it
should be poured into vessels, and secured. No salt
is necessary, provided it is thoroughly boiled. When
an animal is killed, the flesh should be properly dried
before boiling down, otherwise the fat will not melt
thoroughly, as it will be combined with the water
contained in the body. The fat should be separated
as well as possible from the meat ; it should then
be hung in long strips upon a line and exposed in
535 PRESERVATION OF FLESH FOE THE MARCH. [CHAP, xxi,
the sun to dry ; when nearly dried, it should be
cut into pieces of about two inches in length, and
placed in a large vessel over a brisk fire, and kept
constantly stirred. As the fat boils out from the
meat, the residue should be taken out with a pierced
ladle ; this, when cool, should be carefully preserved
in leather bags. This is called by the Arabs " reveet,"
a supply of which is most valuable, as a quantity
can be served out to each man during a long march
when there is no time to halt ; it can be eaten with-
out bread, and it is extremely nourishing. With a
good supply of reveet in store, the traveller need
not be nervous about his dinner. Dried meat should
also be kept in large quantities ; the best is that of
the giraffe and hippopotamus, but there is some care
required in preparing the first quality. It should be
cut from portions of the animals as free as possible
from sinews, and should be arranged in long thin
strips of the diameter of about an inch and a quarter ;
these ribbon-like morsels should be hung in the
shade. When nearly dry, they should be taken
down, and laid upon a flat rock, upon which they
should be well beaten with a stone, or club of hard
wood ; this breaks the fibre ; after which, they should
be hung up and thoroughly dried, care being taken
that the flesh is not exposed to the sun. If many
flies are present, the flesh should be protected by the
smoke of fires lighted to windward.
When meat is thus carefully prepared, it can be
used in various ways, and is exceedingly palatable ; if
. xxi.] PREPARATION OF BREAD FOR A JOURNEY. 537
pounded into small pieces like coarse sawdust, it
forms an admirable material for curry and rice. The
Arabs make a first-class disli of melach, by mixing
a quantity of pounded dried meat with a thick
porridge of clhurra meal, floating in a soup of bar-
mian ' (waker), with onions, salt, and red peppers;
this is an admirable thing if the party is pressed
for time (if not too hot), as a large quantity can be
eaten with great expedition. As the Arabs are
nomadic, they have a few simple but effective ar-
rangements for food during the journey. For a
fortnight preparatory to an expedition, the women
are busily engaged in manufacturing a supply of
abrey. This is made in several methods : there is
the sour, and the sweet abrey; the former is made
of highly-fermented dhurra paste that has turned
intensely acid ; this is formed into thin wafers, about
sixteen inches in diameter, upon the doka or hearth,
and dried in the sun until the abrey has become
perfectly crisp ; the wafers are then broken up
with the hands, and packed in bags. There is
no drink more refreshing than water poured over a
handful of sour abrey, and allowed to stand for
half an hour ; it becomes pleasantly acid, and is
superior to lemonade. The residue is eaten by the
Arabs, thus the abrey supplies both meat and drink.
The finest quality of sweet abrey is a very delicate
affair ; the flour of dhurra must be well sifted ; it
is then mixed with milk instead of water, and, with-
out fermenting, it is formed into thin wafers similar
538 THE SOS GAFFER. [CHAP. xxi.
to those eaten with ice-creams in this country, but
extremely large ; tliese are dried in the sun, and
crushed like the sour abrey ; they will keep for
months if kept dry in a leathern bag. A handful
of sweet abrey steeped in a bowl of hot milk, with,
a little honey, is a luxurious breakfast; nothing can
be more delicious, and it can be prepared in a
few minutes during the short halt upon a journey.
With a good supply of abrey and dried meat, the
commissariat arrangements are wonderfully simplified,
and a party can march a great distance without much
heavy baggage to impede their movements.
The flesh that is the least adapted for drying
is that of the buffalo (Bos Coffer) which is exceed-
ingly tough and coarse. There are two species of
the Bos Coffer in Abyssinia and Central Africa,
which, similar in general appearance, differ in the
horns ; that which resembles the true Bos Gaffer
of South Africa has very massive convex horns
that unite in front, and completely cover the fore-
head as with a shield ; the other variety has mas-
sive, but perfectly flat horns of great breadth, that
do not quite unite over the os front is, although
nearly so ; the flatness of the horns continues in a
rough surface, somewhat resembling the bark of a
tree, for about twelve inches ; the horns then become
round, and curve gracefully inwards, like those of
the convex species. Buffaloes are very dangerous
and determined animals ; but, although more accidents
occur in hunting these than any other variety of
CHAP, xxi.] THE MOST FORMIDABLE ANIMALS. 539
game, I cannot admit that they are such formidable
opponents as the elephant and" black rhinoceros ;
they are so much more numerous than the latter,
that they are more frequently encountered; hence
the casualties.
A buffalo can always be killed with a No. 10 rifle
and six drachms of powder when charging, if the
hunter will only wait coolly until it is so close that
he cannot miss the forehead ; but the same rifle will
fail against an African elephant, or a black rhinoceros,
as the horns of the latter animal effectually protect
the brain from a front shot. I have killed some
hundreds of buffaloes, and, although in many cases
they have been unpleasantly near, the rifle has always
won the day. There cannot be a more convenient size
than No. 10 for a double rifle, for large game. This
will throw a conical projectile of three ounces, with
seven drachms of powder. Although a breechloader is
a luxury, I would not have more than a pair of such
rifles in an expedition in a wild country, as they would
require more care in a damp climate than the servants
would be likely to bestow upon them, and the ammu-
nition would be a great drawback. This should be
divided into packets of ten cartridges each, which
should be rolled up in flannel, and hermetically sealed
in separate tin canisters. Thus arranged, they would
be impervious to damp, and might be carried conve-
niently. But I should decidedly provide myself with
four double-barrelled muzzle-loading No. 10's as my
regular battery ; that, if first class, would never get out
540 RIFLES FOR WILD COUNTRIES. [CHAP. xxi.
of order. Nothing gives such confidence to the gun-
bearers as the fact of their rifles being good slayers,
and they quickly learn to take a pride in their weapons,
and to strive in the race to hand the spare rifles. Dust
storms, such as I have constantly witnessed in Africa,
would be terrible enemies to breechloaders, as the
hard sand, by grating in the joints, would wear away
the metal, and destroy the exactness of the fittings.
A small handy double rifle, such as my little
Fletcher 24, not exceeding eight pounds and a half, is
very necessary, as it should seldom be out of the hand.
Such a rifle should be a breechloader, as the advan-
tage of loading quickly while on horseback is incal-
culable. Hunting-knives should be of soft steel,
similar to butchers' knives; but one principal knife
to be worn daily should be of harder steel, with
the back of the blade roughed and case-hardened
like a butcher's steel, for sharpening other knives
when required.
All boxes for rough travelling should be made of
strong metal, japanned. These are a great comfort, as
they are proof both against insects and weather, and
can be towed with their contents across a river.
Travelling is now so generally understood, that it
is hardly necessary to give any instructions for the
exploration of wild countries ; but a few hints may be
acceptable upon points that, although not absolutely
essential, tend much to the comfort of the traveller. A
couple of large carriage umbrellas with double lining,
with small rings fixed to the extremities of the ribs,
CHAP, xxi.] SUNDRY HINTS. 541
and a spike similar to that of a fishing-rod to screw
into the handle ; this will form an instantaneous
shelter from sun or rain during a halt on the march, as
a few strings from the rings will secure it from the
wind, if pegged to the ground. Waterproof calico
sheeting should be taken in large quantities, and a
tarpaulin to protect the baggage during the night's
bivouac. No vulcanised Indian-rubber should be em-
ployed in tropical climates ; it rots, and becomes
useless. A quart syringe for injecting brine into fresh
meat is very necessary. In hot climates, the centre of
the joint will decompose before the salt can penetrate
to the interior, but an injecting syringe will thoroughly
preserve the meat in a few minutes. A few powerful
fox-traps are useful for catching night-game in coun-
tries where there is no large game for the rifle : also
wire is useful for making springs. '
Several sticks of Indian-ink are convenient, as suffi-
cient can be rubbed up in a few moments to write up
the note-book during the march. All journals and
note-books should be of tinted paper, green, as the
glare of white paper in the intense sunlight of the
open sky is most trying to the eyes. Burning glasses
and flint and steels are very necessary. Lucifer
matches are dangerous, as they may ignite and de-
stroy your baggage in dry weather, and become utterly
useless in the damp.
A large supply of quicksilver should be taken for
the admixture with lead for hardening bullets, in addi-
tion to that required for the artificial horizon ; the
542 BULLETS FOR LARGE GAME. [CHAP. xxi.
effect of tliis metal is far greater than a mixture of tin,
as the specific gravity of the bullet is increased.
Throughout a long experience in wild sports, although
I admire the velocity of conical projectiles, I always
have retained my opinion that, in jungle countries,
where in the absence of dogs you require either to
disable your game on the spot, or to produce a distinct
blood-track that is easily followed, the old-fashioned
two-groove belted ball will bag more game than
modern bullets ; but on the other hand, the facility of
loading a conical bullet already formed into a cart-
ridge is a great advantage. The shock produced by
a pointed projectile is nothing compared to that of the
old belted ball, unless it is on the principle of Purday's
high velocity expanding bullet, which, although per-
fection for deer-shooting, would be useless against
thick-skinned animals, such as buffalo and rhinoceros.
In Africa, the variety of game is such, that it is impos-
sible to tell, when loading, at what animal the bullet
will be fired, therefore it is necessary to be armed with
a rifle suitable for all comers. My little Fletcher was
the Enfield bore, No. 24, and, although a most trusty
weapon, the bullets generally failed to penetrate the
skull of hippopotami, except in places where the bone
was thin, such as behind the ear, and beneath the eyes.
Although I killed great numbers of animals with the
Enfield bullet, the success was due to tolerably correct
shooting, as I generally lost the larger antelopes if
wounded by that projectile in any place but the neck,
head, or shoulder; the wound did not bleed freely,
CHAP, xxi.] ANTELOPES OF CENTRAL AFRICA. 543
therefore it was next to impossible to follow up the
blood-track; thus a large proportion of wounded
animals escaped.
I saw, and shot, thirteen varieties of antelopes while
in Africa. Upon arrival at Khartoum, I met Herr von
Heuglin, who commanded the expedition in search of
Dr. Vogel; he was an industrious naturalist, who had
been many years in the Soudan and in Abyssinia.
"We compared notes of all we had seen and done, and
he very kindly supplied me with a list of all the ante-
lopes that he had been able to trace as existing in
Abyssinia and the Soudan ; he now included my
maarif, which he had never met with, and which he
agreed was a new species. In the following list, which
is an exact copy of that which he had arranged, those
marked with an asterisk are species that I have
myself shot :
Catalogue des esp&ces du genre " ANTILOPE," observees enEgyptc,
dans la Nubie, au Soudan orientale et en Abissinie.
A. GAZELLA, Blains.
1. Spec. G. Dorcas* Arab. Ghasal.
2. G. ardbica* Ehr. A le cote de la Mer rouge.
3. G. Lcevipes, Sund. Arab. Abou Horabet ? (Nubie, Taka
Sennaar, Kordofan).
4. . spec. (? ?) en Tigreh Choquen (Bogos).
5. G. Dama* Licht. Arab. Adra, Ledra (Kiel, Bajouda, Berber,
Sennaar, Kordofan).
6. G. Soemmeringii, Eiipp. Arab. Om Oreba. Tigruh, Arab
(Taka, Massowa, Gedaref, Berber, Sennaar).
544 ANTELOPES OF CENTRAL AFRICA, [CHAP. xxi.
7. G. Leptoceros. Arab. Abou Harab. Gazelle a longues comes,
minces et parallelles (Bajouda, Berber, Taka, Sennaar,
Kordofan).
B. CALOTRAGUS, Luad.
8. C. montanus* Eiipp. Arab. Otrab and El Mor. Amhar.
Fiego. Sennaar, Abissinie, Taka, Galabat.
9. C. Saltatrix, Forst. Amhar. Sasa (Abissinie).
C. XANOTRAGUS, Wagn.
10 JV. Hemprichianus* Ehr. Arab. Om dig dig. Abissinie, ori-
entale et occidentale, Taka, Kordofan.
D. CEPHALOLOPHUS, H. Smith.
11. C. Madaqua. Amnar. Midakoua, Galabat, Barka, Abissinie.
12 and 13. Deus especes inconues du Eleuve blanc, nominees par
les Djenkes, "Amok."
E. EEDUNCA.
14. 7?. Eleotragus, Sclirb. Djenkeh, Bor. Babr el Abiad.
15. R. Behor, Eiipp. Amnar. Behor (Abissinie centrale, Kor-
dofan).
16. R. Kull, nov. spec. Djenke, Koul (Bahr el Abiad).
17. R. leucotis, Peters et Licht. Djenk. Adjel. Banr el abiad,
Saubat.
18. R. Wuily nov. spec. Djenke, Ouil. Bahr el Abiad, Saubat.
19. 72. Lechee* Gray. Bahr el Abiad.
20.- R. megaceros* Heuglin. Kobus Maria, Gray. Djenke,
Abok. Saubat, Bahr el Abiad and Bahr Crhazal.
21. R. Defassa,* Eiipp. Arab. Om Hetehet. Amhar. Do fasa.
Djenke, Bor. Bahr el Salame, Galabat, Kordofan, Bahr
el Abiad, Dender, Abissinie, occidentale et centrale.
22. R. ellipsiprymna, Ogilby. Djenk, Bor. Bahr el Abiad.
CHAP, xxi.] AND ABYSSINIA. 545
F. HIPPOTRAGUS, Sund.
23. //. niger, Harris. Arab. Abou Maarif. Kordofan meridi-
onale, fleuve Blanc (Chilouk).
24. //. nov. spec. Arab. Abou Maarif Bdkerii* Bahr el Sa-
laam, Galabat, Dender, fleuve Bleu. Sennaar meridionale.
25. //. Beisa, Eiipp. Arab. Bei'sa et Damma. Souakim, Mas-
sowa, Danakil, Somauli, Kordofan.
26. II. ensicornis, Ehr. Arab. Ouahoh el bagr. Nubie, Berber,
Kordofan.
27. //. Addax, Licht. Arab. Akach. Bajouda, Egypte occi-
dentale (Oasis de Siouali).
G. TAUROTRAGUS, Wagn.
28. T. Orcas, Pall. (Antilope Canna). Djenke, Goualgoual. Bahr
Abiad.
29. T. gigas, nov. spec. Chez les pleuplades Atoats, au Bahr el
Abiad.
H. TRAGELAPHUS, Blains.
30. Tr. strepsiceros (Pallas). Arab. Nellet, Miremreh. Tigreh,
Garona. Amhar. Agazen. Abissinie, Sennaar, Homran,
Galabat, Kordofan.
31. Tr. sylvaticus, Sprerm. Bahr el Abiad.
32. Tr. Dekula* Eiipp. Amhar. Dekoula, Arab. Houch, Djenke,
Ber. Taka, Abissinie, Bahr Abiad.
I. BUBALIS.
33. B. mauritanica, Sund, (Antilope Bubalis, Cuvier). Arab.
Tetel; Tigreh, Tori. Taka, Homran, Barka, Galabat, Kor-
dofan, Bahr Abiad.
34. B. Caama, Cuv. Arab. Tetel. Djenke, Awalwon. Bahr
Abiad, Kordofan meridional.
35. B. Senegalensis, H. Smith. Bahr el Abiad.
36. B. Tiang, nov. spec. Djenke, Tian. Bahr Abiad, Bahr
Ghazal.
37. B. Tian-rieL nov. spec. Bahr el Abiad.
N N
546 ANTELOPES OF CENTRAL AFRICA. [CHAP. xxi.
SPECIES INCERT2E.
" Soada" au Oualkait et Mareb (Taurotragns 1).
" Uorolo" an Godjam, Agow (Hippotragus).
" OuoademU" Mareb, Oualkait (Hippotragus).
" El Mor" Sennaar, Fazogle (Nanotragus ?).
El Khondieh." Kordofan (Eedunca ?).
" Om Khat." Kordofan (Gazella ?).
" M ffamra" Kordofan, Bajouda (Gazella?).
CHAPTEE XXII.
WE LEAVE THE D1KDEK.
FOR some days we continued our journey along the
banks of the Dinder, and as the monotonous river
turned towards the junction with the Blue Nile, a few
miles distant, we made a direct cut across the flat
country, to cross the Eahad and arrive at Abou Harraz
on the Blue Nile. We passed numerous villages and
extensive plantations of dhurra that were deserted by
the Arabs, as the soldiers had arrived to collect the taxes.
I measured the depths of the wells, seventy-five feet
and a half, from the surface to the bottom ; the allu-
vial soil appeared to continue the whole distance, until
the water was discovered resting upon hard sand, full
of small particles of mica. During the march over a
portion of the country that had been cleared by burn-
ing, we met a remarkably curious hunting-party. A
number of the common black and white stork were
hunting for grasshoppers and other insects, but
mounted upon the back of each stork was a large
copper-coloured flycatcher, which, p^prched like a rider
on his horse, kept a bright look-out for insects, which
N N 2
548 CURIOUS HUNTING PARTY. [CHAP. xxn.
from its elevated position it could easily discover
upon the ground. I watched them for some time :
whenever the storks perceived a grasshopper or other
winged insect, they chased them on foot, but if they
missed their game, the flycatchers darted from their
backs and flew after the insects like falcons, catching
them in their beaks, and then returning to their steeds
to look out for another opportunity.
On the evening of the 23rd May we arrived .at the-
Kahad close to its junction with the Blue Nile : it was
still dry, although the Dinder was rising. I accounted
for this, from the fact of the extreme length of the
Kahad's bed, which from its extraordinary tortuous
course, must absorb a vast amount of water in the dry
sand, before the advancing stream can reach the Nile.
Both the Kahad and Dinder rise in the mountains of
Abyssinia, at no great distance from each other, and
during the rains, they convey a large volume of water
to the Blue Nile. Upon arrival at Abou Harraz, four
miles to the north of the Eahad junction, we had
marched, by careful dead reckoning, two hundred and 1
eighty miles from Gallabat. We were now about a
hundred and fifteen miles from Khartoum, and we
stood upon the banks of the magnificent Blue Nile ;
the last of the Abyssinian affluents.
About six miles above this spot, on the south bank
of the river, is the large town of Wat Medene, which
is the principal trading place upon the river. Abou
Harraz was a miserable spot, and was only important
us the turning point upon the road to Katariff front
CHAP, xxii.] CHARACTER OF ABYSSINIAN RIPERS. 549
Khartoum. The entire country upon both sides of
the river is one vast unbroken level of rich soil, which
on the north and east sides is bounded by the
Atbara, The entire surface of this fertile country
might be cultivated with cotton. All that is required
to insure productiveness, is a regular supply of water,
which might be artificially arranged without much
difficulty. The character of all the Abyssinian rivers
is to rise and fall suddenly, thus, at one season there
is an abundance of water, to be followed by a scarcity :
but in all the fertile provinces adjacent to the Settite
and the upper portion of the Atbara, the periodical
rains can be absolutely depended upon, from June to
the middle of September ; thus, they are peculiarly
adapted for cotton, as a dry season is insured for
gathering the crop. As we advance to the north, and
reach Abou Harraz, we leave the rainy zone. When
we had left Gallabat, the grass had sprung several
inches, owing to the recent showers ; but as we had
proceeded rapidly towards the north, we had entered
upon vast dusty plains devoid of a green blade ; the
rainy season between Abou Harraz and Khartoum,
consisted of mere occasional storms, that, descending
with great violence, quickly passed away. Nothing
would be more simple than to form a succession of
weirs across the Kahad and Dinder, that would enable
the entire country to be irrigated at any season of the
year, but there is not an engineering work of any
description throughout Upper Egypt, beyond the sageer
or water-wheel of the Nile. Opposite Abou Harraz,
550 BORASSUS ^ETHIOPICUS. [CHAP. xxn.
the Blue Nile was a grand river, about five hundred
yards in width ; the banks upon the north side were
the usual perpendicular cliffs of alluvial soil, but per-
fectly bare of trees ; while on the south, the banks
were ornamented with nabbuk bushes and beauti-
ful palms ; the latter are a peculiar species known
by the Arabs as "dolape" (Borassus JEtliiopicus) :
the stem is long and of considerable thickness, but in
about the centre of its length it swells to nearly half
its diameter in excess, and after a few feet of extra
thickness, it continues its original size to the summit,
which is crowned by a handsome crest of leaves
shaped like those of the palmyra. The fruit of this
palm is about the size of a cocoa-nut, and when ripe
it is of a bright yellow, with an exceedingly rich per-
fume of apricots ; it is very stringy, and, although
eaten by the natives, it is beyond the teeth of a
European. The Arabs cut it into slices, and boil it
with water until they obtain a strong syrup. Sub-
sequently I found this palm in great quantities near
the equator.
At Abou Harraz I discharged my camels, and
endeavoured to engage a boat to convey us to
Khartoum, thus to avoid the dusty and uninteresting
ride of upwards of a hundred miles along its flat
and melancholy banks; but there was not a vessel
of any kind to be seen upon the river, except one
miserable, dirty affair, for which the owner demanded
fourteen hundred piastres for a passage. "We accord-
CHAP, xxii.] RUFAAR AND THE ARAB SHEIK. 551
ingly procured camels, and started, intending to
march as- rapidly as possible.
"June 2, 1862. "We packed the camels in the
morning and started them off to Kufaar. We
followed at 2.30 P.M. as the natives declared it was
half a day's journey ; but we did not arrive until
8.30 P.M. having marched about twenty-one miles.
The town is considerable, and is the head-quarters
of our old friend, the great Sheik Achmet Abou Sinn ;
he is now absent, but his son Ali is at home. He
received us very kindly, and lodged us in his own
house within a large inclosed court, with a well of
good water in the centre. Having read my firman,
he paid us the usual compliments, but he lacked the
calm dignity and ease of manner of his grand old
father. He sat stiffly upon the divan, occasionally
relieving the monotony of his position by lifting
up the cover of the cushions, and spitting beneath it.
Not having a handkerchief, but only the limited
natural advantages of a finger and thumb, a cold in
the head gave him much trouble, and unpleasant
marks upon the wall exhibited hieroglyphics of
recent date, that were ill adapted to the reception-
room of an Arab chieftain. In about an hour he
departed, and shortly after, a dinner was brought of
four dishes. No. 1 was an Arab Irish stew, but alas !
minus the potatoes ; it was very good, nevertheless, as
the mutton was fat ; No. 2 was an Arab stew, with
no Irish element : it was very hot with red pepper,
and rather dry ; No. 3 was a good quick fry of small
552 THE BLUE NILE. [CHAP. xxn.
pieces of mutton in butter and garlic (very good) ;
and No. 4 was an excellent dish of the usual melach,
already described.
The wind had within the last few days changed
to south, and we had been subjected to dust storms
and sudden whirlwinds similar to those we had
experienced at this season on the preceding year,
when about to start from Berber. "We left Kufaar,
and continued our march along the banks of the
Blue Nile, towards Khartoum. It was intensely hot ;
whenever we felt a breeze it was accompanied with
a suffocating dust, but the sight of the broad river
was cool and refreshing. During the dry season the
water of the Blue Nile is clear, as its broad surface
reflects the colour of the blue sky ; hence the appel-
lation, but at that time it is extremely shallow,
and in many places it is fordable at a depth of
about three feet, which renders it unnavigable for
large boats, which, laden with corn, supply Khar-
toum from the fertile provinces of the south. The
river had now begun to rise, although it was still
low, and the water was muddy, as the swelling
torrents of Abyssinia brought impurities into the
main channel. It was at this same time last year
when at Berber, that we had noticed the sudden
increase and equally sudden fall of the Nile, that
was influenced by the fluctuations of the Blue Nile,
at a time when the Atbara was dry.
From Abou Harraz throughout the route to Khar-
toum there is no object of interest; it is the same
CHAP, xxii.] THE VEEY GENTLEMANLY FAKY. 553
vast flat, decreasing rapidly in fertility until it
mingles with the desert ; and once more, as we
journey to the north, we leave the fertile lands
behind, and enter upon sterility. The glare of
barren plains, and the heat of the summer's sun
were fearful. Bacheet had a slight coup de soleil ;
my Tokrooris, whose woolly heads were shaved, and
simply covered with a thin skull-cap, suffered se-
verely, as we marched throughout the burning hours
of the day. The Arabs were generally very inhos-
pitable, as this was the route frequented by all
native merchants, where strangers were of dai]y oc-
currence ; but towards evening we arrived at a
village inhabited by a large body of Fakeers, or
priests. As we entered, we were met by the prin-
cipal Faky, who received us with marked attention,
and with a charming courtesy of manner that quite
won our hearts ; he expressed himself as delighted
at our arrival, hoped we were not fatigued by the
heat, and trusted that we would rest for a few
minutes before we departed to the enchanting village
"just beyond those trees," as he pointed to a clump
of green nabbuk on the yellow plain, about a mile
distant ; there, he assured us, we could obtain all
kinds of supplies, together with shade, and a lovely
view of the river. We were delighted with this
very gentlemanly Faky, and, saying adieu with re-
gret, we hurried on to the promising village "just
beyond those trees."
For fourteen miles we travelled hungry and tired
554 EUG ULARLY " SOLD:' [CHAP. xxii.
beyond the alluring clump of trees, along the wild
desert of hot sand without a habitation ; the only
portion of truth in the Faky's description was the
"lovely view of the river," that certainly accom-
panied us throughout our journey. We were regu-
larly " sold " by the cunning Faky, who, not wishing
to be incommoded with our party, had got rid of
us in a most gentlemanly manner. At length we
arrived at a village, where we had much difficulty
in procuring provisions for ourselves and people.
On the llth June, having slept at the village of
Abou Dome, we started at sunrise, and at 9 A.M.
we reached the bank of the river, opposite to
Khartoum. We were delighted with the view, as
the morning sun shone upon the capital of the
Soudan provinces ; the groves of date trees shaded
the numerous buildings, contrasting exquisitely their
dark green foliage with the many coloured houses
on the extreme margin of the beautiful river ; long
lines of vessels and masts gave life to the scene,
and we felt that once more, after twelve months
of utterly wild life, we had arrived in civilization.
We had outridden our camels, therefore we rode
through a shallow arm of the river, and arrived
upon an extensive sandbank that had been converted
into a garden of melons ; from this point, a large
ferry-boat plied regularly to the town on the south
bank. In a few minutes we found ourselves on
board, with our sole remaining horse, Tetel, also the
donkeys that we had purchased in Berber before
CHAP, xxn.] ARRIVAL AT KHARTOUM. 555
our expedition, and our attendants. As we gained
the centre of the river, that was about 800 yards
broad, we were greeted by the snort of three of our
old friends, the hippopotami, who had been attracted
to the neighbourhood by the garden of water-melons.
We landed at Khartoum, and, having climbed up the
steep bank, we inquired the way to the British
Consulate.
The difference between the view of Khartoum at
the distance of a mile, with the sun shining upon
the bright river Nile in the foreground, to the
appearance of the town upon close inspection, was
about equal to the scenery of a theatre as regarded
from the boxes or from the stage ; even that pain-
ful exposure of an optical illusion would be trifling
compared with the imposture of Khartoum ; the
sense of sight had been deceived by distance, but
the sense of smell was outraged by innumerable
nuisances, when we set foot within the filthy and
miserable town. After winding through some narrow
dusty lanes, hemmed in by high walls of sunbaked
bricks, that had fallen in gaps in several places,
exposing gardens of prickly pears and date palms,
we at length arrived at a large open place, that,
if possible, smelt more strongly than the landing
spot. Around this square, which was full of holes
where the mud had been excavated for brickmaking,
were the better class of houses ; this was the
Belgravia of Khartoum. In the centre of a long
mud wall, ventilated by certain attempts at frame-
556 THE BRITISH LION. [CHAP. xxn.
less windows, guarded by rougli wooden bars, we
perceived a large archway with closed doors; above
this entrance was a shield, with a device that
gladdened my English eyes : there was the British
lion and the unicorn ! Not such a lion as I had
been accustomed to meet in his native jungles, a
yellow cowardly fellow, that had often slunk away
from the very prey from which I had driven him,
but a real red British lion, that although thin and
ragged in the unhealthy climate of Khartoum, looked
as though he was pluck to the backbone.
This was the English Consulate. I regarded our
lion and unicorn for a few moments with feelings of
veneration, and as Mr. Petherick the consul, who
was then absent on the White Nile in search of Speke
and Grant, had very kindly begged me to occupy
some rooms in the Consulate, we entered a large court-
yard, and were immediately received by two ostriches
that came to meet us ; these birds entertained us by
an impromptu race as hard as they could go round the
court yard, as though performing in a circus. When
this little divertissement was finished, we turned to
the right, and were shown by a servant up a flight of
steps into a large airy room that was to be our resi-
dence, which, being well protected from the sun, was
cool and agreeable. Mr. Petherick had started from
Khartoum in the preceding March, and had expected
to meet Speke and Grant in the upper portion of the
Nile regions, on their road from Zanzibar, but there
are insurmountable difficulties in those wild countries,
CHAP, xxii.] THE ZOOLOGICAL COLLECTION. 55J
and his expedition met with unforeseen accidents, that,
in spite of the exertions of both himself, his very
devoted wife, Dr. Murie, and two or three Europeans,
drove them from their intended path. Shortly after
our arrival at the Consulate, a vessel returned from his
party with unfavourable accounts ; they had started
too late in the season, owing to some difficulties in
procuring boats, and the change of the wind to the
south, with violent rain, had caused great suffering,
and had retarded their progress. This same boat had
brought two leopards that were to be sent to England :
these animals were led into the courtyard, and, having
been secured by chains, they formed a valuable addi-
tion to the managerie, which consisted of two wild
boars, two leopards, one hyaena, two ostriches, and a
eynoceplialus or dog-faced baboon, who won my heart
by taking an especial fancy to me, because I had a
beard like his master.
Although I take a great interest in wild animals,.
I confess to have an objection to sleep in the
Zoological Gardens should all the wild beasts be
turned loose. I do not believe that even the
Secretary of that learned Society would volunteer
to sleep with the lions ; but as the leopards at the
Khartoum Consulate constantly broke their .chains,
and attacked the dogs and a cow, and as the hysena
occasionally got loose, and the wild boars destroyed
their mud wall, and nearly killed one of my Tok-
rooris during the night, by carving him like a,
scored leg of pork with their tusks, the fact of
558 OSTRICHES INVITE THEMSELVES TO TEA. [CHAP, xxir
sleeping in the open air in the verandah, with the
simple protection of a mosquito-netting, was full of
pleasant excitement, and was a piquante entertain-
ment that prevented a reaction of ennui after
twelve months passed in constant watchfulness. The
shield over the Consulate door, with the lion and
the unicorn, was but a sign of the life within ; as
the grand picture outside the showman's wagon may
exemplify the nature of his exhibition. I enjoyed
myself extremely with these creatures, especially
when the ostriches invited themselves to tea, and
swallowed our slices of water-melons and the greater
portion of the bread from the table a few moments
before we were seated ; these birds appeared to
enjoy life amazingly ; one kind of food was as sweet
as another ; they attacked a basket of white porce-
lain beads that had been returned by Mr. Petherick's
men, and swallowed them in great numbers in
mistake for dhurra, until they were driven off; they
were the scavengers of the courtyard, that con-
sumed the dung of the camels and horses, together
with all other impurities.
For some months we resided at Khartoum, as it
was necessary to make extensive preparations for the
White Nile expedition, and to await the arrival of
the north wind, which would enable us to start early
in December. Although the north and south winds
blow alternately for six months, and the former com-
mences in October, it does not extend many degrees
southward until the beginning of December. This is
CHAP, xxn.] / INTERCEDE FOR MEK NIMMUR. 559
a great drawback to White Nile exploration, as when
near the north side of the equator, the dry season
commences in November, and closes in February ;
thus, the departure from Khartoum should take place
by a steamer in the latter part of September; tlia
would enable the traveller to leave Gondokoro, lat. N.
4 54', shortly before November; he would then
secure three months of favourable weather for an
advance inland.
Having promised Mek Nimmur that I would lay
his proposals for peace before the Governor- General of
the Soudan, I called upon Moosa Pasha at the public
divan, and delivered the message ; but he would not
listen to any intercession, as he assured me that Mek
Nimmur was incorrigible, and there would be no ,real
peace until his death, which would be very speedy
should he chance to fall into his hands. He expressed
great surprise at our having escaped from his territory,
and he declared his intention of attacking him after he
should have given the Abyssinians a lesson, for whom
he was preparing an expedition in reply to an insolent
letter that he had received from King Theodore. The
King of Abyssinia had written to him upon a question
of frontier. The substance of the document was a
declaration that, the Egyptians had no right to Khar-
toum, and that the natural boundary of Abyssinia was
the junction of the Blue and White Niles as far north
as Shendy (Mek Nimmur' s original country) ; and
from that point, in a direct line, to the Atbara, but
that, as the desert afforded no landmark, he should
560 KING THEODORE'S ULTIMATUM. [CHAP. xxu.
send his people to dig a ditcli from the Nile to the
Atbara, and he requested that the Egyptians would
keep upon the north border. Moosa Pasha declared
that the king was mad, and that, were it not for the
protection given to Abyssinia by the English, the
Egyptians would have eaten it up long ago, but that
the Christian powers would certainly interfere should
they attempt to annex the country.
The Egyptians seldom had less than twenty thou-
sand troops in the Soudan provinces ; the principal
stations were Khartoum, Cassala, and Dongola. Cas-
sala was close to the Abyssinian frontier, and within
from fifteen to twenty days' march of Souakim, on the
Ked Sea, to which, reinforcements could be despatched
in five days from Cairo. Khartoum had the advan-
tage of the Blue Nile, that was navigable for steamers.
and sailing vessels as far south as Fazogle, from which
spot, as well as from Gallabat, Abyssinia could be
invaded ; while swarms of Arabs, including the cele-
brated Hamrans, the Beni Amer, Hallongas, Haden-
dowas, Shookeriahs, and Dabainas, could be slipped
like greyhounds across the frontier. Abyssinia is
entirely at the mercy of Egypt.
Moosa Pasha subsequently started with several
thousand men to drive the Abyssinians from Gallabat,.
which position they had occupied in force with the
avowed intention of marching upon Khartoum ; but
upon the approach of the Egyptians, they fell back
rapidly across the mountains, without a sign of
showing fight. The Egyptians would not follow
CHAP. xxit.J CLIMATE OF THE SOUDAN. 561
them, as they feared the intervention of the European
powers.
Upon our first arrival in Khartoum, from llth
June until early in October, the heat was very op-
pressive, the thermometer seldom below 95 Fahr. in
the shade, and frequently 100, while the nights were
82 Fahr. In the winter, the temperature was agree-
able, the shade 80, the night 62 Fahr. But the
chilliness of the north wind was exceedingly danger-
ous, as the sudden gusts checked the perspiration,
and produced various maladies, more especially fever.
I had been extremely fortunate, as, although exposed
to hard work for more than a year in the burning
sun, I had remarkably good health, as had my wife
likewise, with the exception of one severe attack
while at Sofi. Throughout the countries we had
visited, the temperature was high, averaging about
90 in the shade from May until the end of Sep-
tember ; but the nights were generally about 70
with the exception of the winter months, from
November until February, when the thermometer
generally fell to 85 Fahr. in the day, and sometimes
as low as 58 at between 2 and 5 A.M.
I shall not repeat a minute description of Khar-
toum that has already been given in the "Albert
N'yan^a ; " it is a wretchedly unhealthy town, con-
taining about thirty thousand inhabitants, exclusive
of troops. In spite of its unhealthiness and low situa-
tion, on a level with the river at the junction of the
Blue and White Niles, it is the general emporium for
o o
562 PRODUCTIONS OF THE SOUDAN. [CHAP. XXH.
the trade of the Soudan, from which the productions
of the country are transported to Lower Egypt, i. e.
ivory, hides, senna, gum arabic, and bees'-wax.
During my experience of Khartoum it was the hotbed
of the slave-trade. It will be remarked that the ex-
ports from the Soudan are all natural productions.
There is nothing to exhibit the industry or capacity of
he natives ; the ivory is the produce of violence and
robbery ; the hides are the simple sun-dried skins of
cxen ; the senna grows wild upon the desert ; the
gum arabic exudes spontaneously from the bushes of
the jungle; and the bees'-wax is the produce of the
only industrious creatures in that detestable country.
When we regard the general aspect of the Soudan,
it is extreme wretchedness ; the rainfall is uncertain
and scanty, thus the country is a desert, dependent
entirely upon irrigation. Although cultivation is sim-
ply impossible without a supply of water, one of the
most onerous taxes is that upon the sageer or water-
wheel, with which the fields are irrigated on the
borders of the Nile. It would appear natural that,
instead of a tax, a premium should be offered for the
erection of such means of irrigation, which would
increase the revenue by extending cultivation, the
produce of which might bear an impost. With all the
talent and industry of the native Egyptians, who must
naturally depend upon the waters of the Nile for their
existence, it is extraordinary that for thousands of
years they have adhered to their original simple form
of mechanical irrigation, without improvement.
CIIAP. xxii.J THE SAGEER OR WATER-WLLEEL. 563
If any one will take the trouble to watch the action
of the sagecr or water-wheel, it must strike him as a
most puny effort to obtain a great result, that would
at once suggest an extension of the principle. The
sageer is merely a wheel of about twenty feet
diameter, which is furnished with numerous earthen-
ware jars upon its exterior circumference, that, upon
revolving, perform the action of a dredger, but draw
to the surface, water instead of mud. The wheel, being
turned by oxen, delivers the water into a trough which
passes into a reservoir, roughly fashioned with clay,
from which, small channels of about ten inches in
width, radiate through the plantation. The fields,
divided into squares like a chess-board, are thus irri-
gated by a succession of minute aqueducts. The root
of this principle is the reservoir. A certain steady
volume of water is required, from which the arteries
shall flow throughout a large area of dry ground ; thus,
the reservoir insures a regular supply to each separate
channel.
In any civilized country, the existence of which
depended upon the artificial supply of water in the
absence of rain, the first engineering principle would
suggest a saving of labour in irrigation : that, instead
of raising the water in small quantities into reservoirs,
the river should raise its own waters to the required
level.
Having visited every tributary of the Nile during
the explorations of nearly five years, I have been
struck with the extraordinary fact that, although an
oo2
564 UNCONTROLLED ACTION OF THE NILE. [CHAP. xxn.
enormous amount of wealth is conveyed to Egypt by
the annual inundations of the river, the force of the
stream is entirely uncontrolled. From time immemo-
rial, the rise of the Nile has been watched with intense
interest at the usual season, but no attempt has been
made to insure a supply of water to Egypt during all
seasons.
The mystery of the Nile has been dispelled; we
have proved that the equatorial lakes supply the
main stream, but that, the inundations are caused by
the sudden rush of waters from the torrents of Abys-
sinia in July, August, and September ; and that the
soil washed down by the floods of the Atbara is at the
present moment silting up the mouths of the Nile, and
thus slowly, but steadily, forming a delta beneath the
waters of the Mediterranean, on the same principle
that created the fertile Delta of Egypt. Both the
water and the mud of the Nile have duties to
perform, the water to irrigate ; the deposit to fer-
tilize ; but these duties are not regularly performed,
sometimes the rush of the inundation is overwhelming,
at others it is insufficient ; while at all times an
immense proportion of the fertilizing mud is not
only wasted by a deposit beneath the sea, but na-
vigation is impeded by the silt. The Nile is a
powerful horse without harness, but, with a bridle
in its mouth, the fertility of Egypt might be increased
to a vast extent.
As the supply of water raised by the sageer is
received in a reservoir, from which the irrigating
CHAP, xxii.] SUGGESTIONS FOR IRRIGATION. 565
channels radiate through the plantations, so should
great reservoirs be formed throughout the varying
levels of Egypt, from Khartoum to the Mediterranean,
comprising a distance of sixteen degrees of latitude,
with a fall of fifteen hundred feet. The advantage
of this great difference in altitude between the Nile
in latitude 15 30', and the sea, would enable any
amount of irrigation, by the establishment of a
series of dams or weirs across the Nile, that would
raise its level to the required degree, at certain
points, from which the water would be led by canals
into natural depressions ; these would form reservoirs,
from which the water might be led upon a vast
scale, in a similar manner to the insignificant mud
basins that at the present day form the reservoirs for
the feeble water-wheels. The increase of the river's
level would depend upon the height of the dams ;
but, as stone is plentiful throughout the Nile, the
engineering difficulties would be trifling,
Mehemet Ali Pasha acknowledged the principle, by
the erection of the barrage between Cairo and Alex-
andria, which, by simply raising the level of the river,
enabled the people to extend their channels for irri-
gation ; but this was the crude idea, that has not
been carried out upon a scale commensurate with the
requirements of Egypt. The ancient Egyptians made
use of the lake Mareotis as a reservoir for the Nile
waters for the irrigation of a large extent of Lower
Egypt, by taking advantage of a high Nile to secure
a supply for the remainder of the year ; but, great
566 FORMATION OF A DELTA BY SCIENCE. [CHAP. XXH.
4
as were the works of those industrious people, they
appear to have ignored the first principle of irriga-
tion, by neglecting to raise the level of the river.
Egypt remains in the same position that nature
originally allotted to her ; the life-giving stream that
flows through a thousand miles of burning sands,
suddenly rises in July, and floods thr Delta which it
has formed by a deposit, during perhaps hundreds of
thousands of similar inundations ; and it wastes a
superabundance of fertilizing mud in the waters of the
Mediterranean. As nature has thus formed, and is
still forming a delta, why should not science create
a delta, with the powerful means at our disposal ?
Why should not the mud of the Nile, that now silts
up the Mediterranean, be directed to the barren but
vast area of deserts, that by such a deposit would be-
come a fertile portion of Egypt ? This, work might be
accomplished by simple means : the waters of the Nile,
that now rush impetuously at certain seasons with
overwhelming violence, while at other seasons they are
exhausted, might be so controlled that they should
never be in excess, neither would they be reduced to a
minimum in the dry season ; but the enormous volume
of water heavily charged with soil, that now rushes
uselessly into the sea, might be led throughout the
deserts of Nubia and Libya, to transform them into
cotton fields that would render England independent
of America, There is no fiction in this idea ; it is
merely the simple and commonplace fact, that with a
fall of fifteen hundred feet in a thousand miles, with a
CHAP, xxii.] A SERIES OF WEIRS UPON THE NILE. 56/
river that supplies an unlimited quantity of water and
mud at a particular season, a supply could be afforded
to a prodigious area, that would be fertilized not only
by irrigation, but by the annual deposit of soil from
the water, allowed to remain upon the surface. This
suggestion might be carried out by gradations ; the
great work might be commenced by a single dam
above the first cataract at Assouan, at a spot where
the river is walled in by granite hills ; at that place,
the water could be raised to an exceedingly high level,
that would command an immense tract of country.
As the system became developed, similar dams might
be constructed at convenient intervals, that would not
only bring into cultivation the neighbouring deserts,
but would facilitate the navigation of the river, that
is now impeded, and frequently closed, by the nume-
rous cataracts. By raising the level of the Nile sixty
feet at every dam, the cataracts would no longer exist,
as the rocks which at present form the obstructions,
would be buried in the depths of the river. At the
positions of the several dams, sluice gates and canals
would conduct the shipping either up or down the
stream. Were this principle carried out as far as the
last cataracts, near Khartoum, the Soudan would no
longer remain a desert ; the Nile would become not
only the cultivator of those immense tracts that are
now utterly worthless, but it would be the navigable
channel of Egypt for the extraordinary distance of
twenty-seven degrees of latitude direct from the
Mediterranean to Gondokoro, N. lat. 4 54'.
568 THE BENEFITS TO CUTLIZATION. [CHAP. xxn.
The benefits, not only to Egypt, but to civilization,
would be incalculable ; those remote countries in the
interior of Africa are so difficult of access, that,
although, we cling to the hope that at some future
time the inhabitants may become enlightened, it will
be simply impossible to alter their present condition,
unless we change the natural^conditions under which
they exist. From a combination of adverse circum-
stances, they are excluded from the civilized world :
the geographical position of those desert-locked and
remote countries shuts them out from personal com-
munication with strangers : the hardy explorer and
the missionary creep through the difficulties of dis-
tance in their onward paths, but seldom return : the
European merchant is rarely seen, and trade resolves
itself into robbery and piracy upon the White Nile,
and other countries, where distance and difficulty of
access have excluded all laws and political surveil-
lance. Nevertheless, throughout that desert, and
neglected wilderness, the Nile has flowed for ages, and
the people upon its banks are as wild and uncivilized
at the present day as they were when the pyramids
were raised in Lower Egypt. The Nile is a blessing
only half appreciated ; the time will arrive when
people will look in amazement upon a mighty Egypt,
whose waving crops shall extend, far beyond the
horizon, upon those sandy and thirsty deserts where
now only the camel can contend with exhausted
nature. Men will look down from some lofty point
upon a network of canals and reservoirs, spreading
CHAP, xxii.] ANCIENT IRRIGATION IN CEYLON. 569
throughout a land teeming with fertility, and wonder
how it was, that, for so many ages, the majesty of
the Nile had been concealed. Not only the sources
of that wonderful river have been a mystery from
the earliest history of the world, but the resources
and the power of the mighty Nile are still mysterious
and misunderstood.
In all rainless countries, artificial irrigation is the
first law of nature, it is self-preservation : but, even
in countries where the rainfall can be depended upon
with tolerable certainty, irrigation should never be
neglected ; one dry season in a tropical country may
produce a famine, the results of which may be terrible,
as instanced lately by the unfortunate calamity in
Orissa. The remains of the beautiful system of arti-
ficial irrigation that was employed by the ancients in
Ceylon, attest the degree of civilization to which they
had attained ; in that island, the waters of various
rivers were conducted into valleys that were con-
verted into lakes, by dams of solid masonry that
closed the extremity, from which the water was con-
ducted by artificial channels throughout the land.
In those days, Ceylon was the most fertile country
of the east : her power equalled her prosperity :
vast cities teeming with a dense population stood
upon the borders of the great reservoirs, and the
people revelled in wealth and plenty. The dams
were destroyed in civil warfare ; the wonderful works
of irrigation shared in the destruction ; the country
dried up ; famine swallowed up the population ; and
570 INDUSTRIOUS POPULATION OF EGYPT. [CHAP, xxn,
the grandeur and prosperity of that extraordinary
country collapsed and withered in the scorching sun,
when the supply of water was withdrawn.
At the present moment, ten thousand square miles
lie desolate in thorny jungles, where formerly a sea
of waving rice-crops floated on the surface ; the
people are dead, the glory is departed. This glory
had been the fruit of irrigation. All this prosperity
might be restored ; but in Egypt there has been no
annihilation of a people, and the Nile invites a
renewal of the system formerly adopted in Ceylon ;
there is an industrious population crowded upon a
limited space of fertile soil, and yearning for an
increase of surface. At the commencement of this
work, we saw the Egyptians boating the earth from
the crumbling ruins, and transporting it with arduous
labour to spread upon the barren sandbanks of the
Nile, left by the retreating river ; they were striving
for every foot of land thus offered by the exhausted
waters, and turning into gardens what in other
countries would have been unworthy of cultivation.
Were a system of irrigation established upon the
principle that I have proposed, the advantages would
be enormous. The silt deposited in the Mediterranean,
that now chokes the mouths of the Nile, and blocks
up harbours, would be precipitated upon the broad
area of newly-irrigated lands, and, by the time that
the water arrived at the sea, it would have been fil-
tered in its passage, and have become incapable
of forming a fresh deposit. The great difficulty of
CHAP. xxii.J CAPABILITIES FOR PROD UCING COTTON. 57 1
the Suez canal will be the silting up of the en-
trance by the Nile ; this would be prevented were
the mud deposited in the upper country.
During the civil war in America, Egypt proved
her capabilities by producing a large amount of cotton
of most excellent quality, that assisted us materially
in the great dearth of that article ; but, although
large fortunes were realized by the extension of this
branch of agriculture, the Egyptians suffered con-
siderably in consequence. The area of fertile soil
was too limited, and, as an unusual surface was de-
voted to the growth of cotton, there was a deficiency
in the production of corn ; and Egypt, instead of ex-
porting as heretofore, was forced to import large
quantities of grain. Were the area of Egypt in-
creased to a vast extent by the proposed system -of
irrigation, there would be space sufficient for both
grain and cotton to any amount required. The
desert soil, that is now utterly worthless, would be-
come of great value ; and the taxes upon the
increased produce would not only cover the first
outlay of the irrigation works, but would increase
the revenue in the ratio proportionate to the increased
surface of fertility. A dam across the Atbara would
irrigate the entire country from Gozeragup to Ber-
ber, a distance of upwards of 200 miles ; and the
same system upon the Nile would carry the waters
throughout the deserts between Khartoum and Don-
gola, and from thence to Lower Egypt. The Nubian
desert, from Korosko to Abou Hamed, would become a
572 THE GREAT SAHARA. [CHAP. xxn.
garden, the whole of that sterile country inclosed within
the great western bend of the Nile towards Dongola
would be embraced in the system of irrigation, and
the barren sands that now give birth to the bitter
melon of the desert (Cucumis colocynthis), would
bring forth the water-melon, and heavy crops of
grain. f The great Sahara is desert, simply because
it receives no rainfall ; give it only water, and the
sand will combine with the richer soil beneath, and
become productive. England would become a desert,
could it he deprived of rain for three or four years ;
the vegetation would wither and be carried away
by the wind, together with the lighter and more
friable portions of the soil, which, reduced to dust,
wou!4 leave the coarser and more sandy particles
expqseci upon the surface ; but the renewal of rain
would revivify the country. The deserts of Egypt
have never known rain, except in the form of an
unexpected shower, that has passed away as suddenly
as it arrived ; even that slight blessing awakens
ever-ready nature, and green things appear upon
the yellow surface of the ground, that cause the
* The great deserts of Northern Africa to about the 17 N. lat.,
are supposed to have formed the bottom of the Mediterranean, but
to have been upheaved to their present level. The volcanic bombs
discovered in the Nubian Desert, suggest by their spherical form,
that the molten lava ejected by active volcanos had fallen from a
great height into water, that had rapidly cooled them ; in the same
manner that lead shot is manufactured at the present day. It is
therefore highly probable that the extinct craters now in existence
in the Nubian Desert were active at a period when they formed
volcanic islands in a sea similar to Stromboli, &c. &s.
CHAP, xxii.] THE RACE OF LIFE. 573
traveller to wonder how their seeds could germinate
after the exposure for so many months in the burning
sand. Give water to these thirsty deserts, and they
will reply with gratitude.
This is the way to civilize a country : the engineer
will alter the hard conditions of nature, that have
rendered man as barren of good works as the sterile
soil upon which he lives. Let man have hope ; im-
prove the present, that his mind may look forward to
a future ; give him a horse that will answer to the spur
if he is to run in the race of life ; give him a soil that
will yield and tempt him to industry ; give him the
means of communication with his fellow-men, that he
may see his own inferiority by comparison ; provide
channels for the transport of his produce, and for the
receipt of foreign manufactures, that will engender
commerce : and then, when he has advanced so far in
the scale of humanity, you may endeavour to teach
him the principles of Christianity. Then, and not
till then, can we hope for moral progress. We must
begin with the development of the physical capabilities
of a country before we can expect from its inhabitants
sufficient mental vigour to receive and understand the
truths of our religion. I have met with many Chris-
tian missionaries, of various and conflicting creeds,
who have fruitlessly sown the seed of Christianity
upon the barren soil of Africa ; but their labours were
ill-timed, they were too early in the field, the soil is
unprepared; the missionary, however earnest, must
wait until there be some foundation for a super-
574 PREPARATIONS FOR DISCOVERY. [CHAP. xxn.
structure. Eaise the level of the waters, and change
the character of the surrounding deserts ; this will
also raise the intellectual condition of the inhabitants
by an improvement in the natural conditions of their
country
The first portion of our task was completed. We
had visited all the Nile tributaries of Abyssinia, in-
cluding the great Blue Nile that had been traced to
its source by Bruce. The difficult task still lay before
us to penetrate the unknown regions in the distant
south, to discover the White Nile source.* Speke and
Grant were on their road from Zanzibar, cutting their
way upon untrodden ground towards Gondokoro.
Petherick's expedition to assist them had met with
misfortune, and we trusted to be able to reach the
equator, and perhaps to meet our Zanzibar explorers
somewhere about the sources of the Nile. Although
we had worked hard throughout all seasons, over an
immense extent of country, we were both strong and
well, and the rest of some months at Khartoum had
only served to inspire us with new vigour for the
commencement of the work before us. By the 1 7th
December, 1862, our preparations were completed;
three vessels were laden with large quantities of
stores 400 bushels of corn, twenty-nine transport
* The account of the White Nile voyage, with the happy meeting
of Captains Speke and Grant, and the subsequent discovery of the
"Albert JSTyanza," has been already given in the work of that
title.
CHAP. xxii.J FAREWELL TO CIVILIZATION. 575
animals, including camels, donkeys, and horses (among
the latter was my old hunter Tetel). Ninety-six souls
formed my whole party, including forty well-armed
men, with Joliann Schmidt and Eicharn. On the
18th December we sailed from Khartoum upon the
AVhite Nile towards its unknown sources, and bade
farewell to the last vestige of law, government, and
civilization. I find in my journal, the last words
written at our departure upon this uncertain task,
"God grant us success; if He guides, I have no
fear."
INDEX.
PP
INDEX.
ABDEKACHMAN, Tokroori servant, in-
tended pilgrimage of, to Mecca, 850,
352 ; gratitude and affection of,
352.
Abdoolahi, Tokroori attendant, accident
to, caused by rashness while riding
a camel, and narrow escape of, 471.
Abdul Azziz Company, steamers of, 72.
Abou Do, father of Abou Do Koussoul,
singular and picturesque appearance
of, ' 296, 333 ; hippopotamus hur-
pooued by, 336 fit seq.
Abou Dome, village on the route to
Khartoum, 554.
Abou Do Roussoul, nephew of Sheik
Owat, Hamran Arab, splendid ap-
pearance of, 281 ; joins Sir S. Baker's
hunting party, 281 ; jealousy of,
354 ; covetousness of, 402 ; dismissed
from the party, ib. ; breaks a pro-
mise, 407, 408 ; caught in the act,
408 ; disappointed in his prize, 409.
Abou Hammed, arrival at, 14 ; bath
at, 15; start from, 16; route from,
along the Nile, ib.
Abou Harraz, village on the banks of
the Blue Nile, miserable appearance
of, 547 ; arrival at, ib. ; turning
point on the road from Katariff to
Khartoum, ib. ; attempt to obtain a
boat at, to sail up Blue Nile, 550 ;
start from, 551.
Abre, a large village passed by the
explorers, 68 ; halt near, on account
of Lady Baker's renewed attack of
fever, ib.
Abrey, food used by nomadic Arabs,
537 ; fine quality of, 538.
Abyssinia, mountain ranges of, 306,
334, 400, 476 ; rivers of, 280 ; pecu-
liar character of all rivers of, 549 ;
"market of, 524.
Abyssinian Alps, 334, 476.
Abyssinian territory, frontier of, unde-
termined, 512 ; fairly quitted by the
traveller on arrival at Kahad river,
524 ; protected from Egyptians by
the English, 560 ; at the mercy of
Egypt, ib.
Acacia Arabica, Soorit, fruit of, used
for tanning, 180 ; fallen trees of, ob-
structions on the Dinder river, 529.
Achniet, relative of Mahomet the
dragoman, chosen by him as servant,
84 ; bitten by a scorpion, 104 ; theft
by, and flight of, 207 ; last heard of,
426, note.
Adansonia diyitata, homera tree, gi-
gantic size of, 355 : halt beneath, for
shelter, ib. ; fruit of, 356 ; hollow
trunk of, sometimes used as a re-
servoir for water, ib.
Agates found in the desert, 59.
Aggageers, 167 ; famed elephant sword-
hunters, 171 ; party of, join Sir S.
Baker, 281 ; appearance of, on starting
lor the hunt, 297, 319 ; bloody inten-
tions of, towards the Base tribe, 377 ;
their wonderful knowledge of the
country, 320 ; lame the horses by
reckless riding, 402 (see Ilamran
Arabs).
Aggahr, name given to one of Sir S.
Baker's horses, purchase of, 242 ;
accident with, while hunting, 480 ;
search for, 480, 481 ; alarm of Lady
Baker, caused by return of, without
his rider, 482 ; death of, 521.
Ali, son of Sheik Achmet Abou Sinn,
reception of Sir S. Baker by, at Ru-
i'aar, 551 ; unpleasant manners of, ib.
Allatakoora hill, great height of, 399.
Ainbatch wood (Anemone mirabilis),
extreme lightness of, 176, 333 ; raft
made of, 176 ; float or buoy of,
fastened to the harpoon for hippo-
potamus hunting, 333.
Amulets, moustaches of lions worn as,
supposed protection from wild ani-
mals, 423.
P P 2
580
INDEX.
Ancient forts, vestiges of, on either
side of the Nile, 2.
Augarep, Arab bedstead, present of,
from Achmet Wat el Negur, 285 ;
comfort of, in a warm climate, 182.
Angrab river, tributary of the Nile,
intention of Sir S. Baker to explore,
280 ; assistance obtained from Mek
Ninimur in exploring, 459 ; arrival
at, 466 ; tracing the course of, from a
high rock, 466 ; junction of, with the
Salaam, 467 ; extraordinary appear-
ance of, at the mouth, ib. ; example
of the destructive effect of water on
rocks, 468 ; effect of, on Nile, ib.
Animals, of the desert, their places of
resort in times of drought, 34, 35 ;
caution to be remembered after shoot-
ing, 383 ; habits of, all depend on
the nature of the localities they
inhabit, 530.
Ankoleep, species of dhurra or corn,
sweetness of, 244.
Annexation, principal object of, 76.
Antelopes, many vaiieties of, 64, 543 ;
manner of stalking, 64, 86, 87 ;
shooting of one, of a fine species,
377 ; of another species, 386 ; skins,
of, how tanned and used, 180, 181 ;
thirteen varieties of, seen by Sir S.
Baker, 543 ; catalogue of different
species, ib.
Arabs, banks of the river occupied by,
34 ; appetite of, for raw meat, 57, 384 ;
uniformity of dress among the tribes,
65 ; arival and encampment of
several hundreds round Sir S. Baker's
fires, 67 ; evening prayers of, ib. ; ap-
plications of, for medicine, ib. ; de-
fence of their country by, against
Egyptians, 74 ; ease with which they
ride camels, 99 ; annual migrations of,
107, 109, et seq. ; adherence of, to
ancient customs, 127 ; strong religious
feeling of, 129 ; nomadic habits of,
128 ; daily habits of, illustrate Old
Testament, 129 et seq. ; few requirer
ments of, 129 ; eagerness of, to see new
arrivals, 143 ; faith in the Faky's or
priest's power, 157 ; love for relics,
159 ; doctoring by, 164, 165 ; un-
pleasant way of showing honour to a
guest, 227 ; custom of scarifying the
cheeks, 273 ; hunting of (see Hamran
Arabs}.
Arab girl, extraordinary escape of, from
drowning, 258 et seq.
Arabic language, necessity to the ex-
plorer of knowing, 21.
Ariel (Gazelle Dama), first sight of, at
Soojalup, 63 ; shooting of, 86 et seq.
Arrowroot, manufacture of, 285.
Asclepias gigantea plant, character of,
30 ; medicinally used in Ceylon, ib. ;
vegetable silk obtained from, ib. ;
poisonous qualities of, causing blind-
ness, 30, 31.
Assouan, difficulty and excessive labour
in cultivating the soil of, 2.
Atbara river, tributary of the Nile,
start for the junction of, with the
Nile, 25 ; route from Berber to, 29,
30 ; arrival at the junction of, with
the Nile, 31 ; crossing the dry " bed
of, ib. ; start on the route along
the margin of, 32 ; appearance
and breadth of, ib. ; banks of,
studded with dome palms, ib. ;
deep pools of water left in the
sharp bends of, asylums for all
animals, 34 ; comparison of, with
the Nile, 35 ; sudden and wonderful
change in, caused by coming down
of the river, 51, 52 ; dry bed of,
filled in one night with a mighty
stream, 53 ; departure from the
course of, 59 ; return to the valley
of, 89 ; commencement of descent
to, 90 ; changed appearance of, ib. ;
occurrence of landslips on the banks
of, ib. ; Arab name of, "Bahr el
Aswat," or Black river, why so
called, 91 ; its maximum height
reached, 154 ; dangers of crossing,,
from crocodiles, 93 ; crossing, on an
impromptu raft, 186, 187 ; crossing,
in sponging bath, 206 ; start from,
216 ; last return to, at the sharp
angle, where it issues from the
mountains, 498; insignificant appear-
ance of, in its infancy, ib. ; power
of, entirely dependent upon drainage
of Abyssinia, ib. ; different aspects in
which seen, 469 ; last sight of, ib. ;
exploration of, completed, 500.
Attendants, difficulty of procuring, 25 ;
two Turkish, sent by Governor of
Berber, 25 ; three procured at Cassala,
82, 85 ; difficulty of managing na-
tive, 349.
B.
BABONOOSE WOOD, inflammability of,
197.
Baboons, sharpness of, in avoiding a
crocodile, 177 ; bold visits from,
224 ; a herd of, hunting for berries,
237 ; capture of, by Hamran hunt-
ers, 307 ; whipped by the hunters, 308.
"Baby" rifle, Arab nick-name for,
151 ; delight of the Arab hunters on
seeing, 283 ; elephant killed by, 329.
Bacheet, young Arab servant procured
at Cassala, 82 ; waits at table,* 183 ;
his love of, sport, 216; skill of, in
INDEX.
581
landing fish, 223, 228 ; turns coward,
252, 256 ; ridiculed by the fair sex,
319.
Baggar, name given to the finest
species of fish in the Atbara, 229 ;
catching and landing, 228 et seq.
salting, 229.
Baker, Sir Samuel, his intention to ex-
amine the Nile tributaries, 280 ;
slight attack of fever, 21 ; unplea-
sant situation of, having lost his way
while stalking, 88 ; fire-arms carried
by, 151 ; advantages to, from
alliance with the Hamran sword-
hunters, 175 ; his discussions with
the sheik on women, &c. 262 et
seq. ; with Fakeers, 267 ; his fame
as a physician, 266, 268 ; his jungle
surgery, 346 ; his "eligible freehold
residence," 149 ; his hunting with
the aggageers (see Hunting) ; sub-
mits to Arab embraces, 277 ;
352 ; threatens the deserting camel-
men, 446 ; good health of, 418 ;
providential escape of, while clean-
ing rifles, 448 ; sends his card to
Mek Nimmur, 452 ; supposed
feats of, the subject of song, 454 ;
saves a camel that had fallen over a
precipice, 472 ; narrow escape of,
while riding Aggahr, 480 ; his dis-
cussions with missionaries at Galla-
bat, 504 et seq. ; administers justice
in a case of robbery, 514, 515 ; ac-
cepts a challenge from an insolent
native Tokroori, 519 ; pleasure of,
on seeing the "British Lion,"
556 ; observations of, on the re-
sources of the Nile as an irrigator of
Egypt, 562 et seq.
Baker, Lady, illness of, at Moorahd,
12 ; attacked by fever, 21 : illness
of, caused by arrival in the flooded
country, 66 ; a riding camel chosen
for, by El Baggar, 100 ; dangerous
attack of gastric fever at Sofi, 155 ;
crosses the Atbara in a sponging
bath, 206 ; assistance of, in camp
arrangements and decorations, 151 ;
kindness of, to the Arab women and.
children, 266 ; prepares for an at-
tack of a buffalo, 312 ; kindness of,
to the slave women, 215, 427 ; fear
of danger to, from the Base, 390 ;
hysena seen by, in the tent at night,
473 ; great alarm of, on seeing Ag-
gahr return to the tent without his
rider, 481, 482.
Bamboos, on the banks of the Angrab,
467.^
Barrake, slave woman purchased by Sir
Samuel Baker, 274 : engagement
with, 276 ; singularly misunder-
stands the duties expected of her,
277 ; illness of, from eating fruit of
the Hegleek tree, 368 ; death of, 427.
Basalt rocks, appearance of, on the
Settite river, 400 ; extraordinary
appearance of, at the mouth of
the Angrab, 468 ; destructive effect
of water seen on, ib. ; perpendicu-
lar column of, with a waterfall,
497.
Base tribe, origin of, unknown, 81 ;
inroads made on the territory of, by
Egyptians, 80 ; general opinion of
the ferocity of, ib. ; hostility of, to
all surrounding countries, 80, 81 ;
slaves, the only plunder obtained
from, 81 ; valuable as allies to the
Egyptians, 82 ; terror inspired by,
301, 316, 348 ; their fear of fire-
arms, 377 ; rumours of expected
attacks from, 399, 401 ; hunting in
the country of (see Hunting) ; en-
joyment of exploring the country,
444.
Basket-work, cleverness of Arab women
in, 182.
Bathing of Arab women, mode of, 265.
Bayard, fishing for, 213, 214.
Bazaar at Katariff, Manchester and
German goods sold at, 271 ; amusing
scenes at, 272.
Bedouins, 115 ; many tribes claim to
be descended from, ib.
Bees, fondness of, for the hollow
. trunks of homera trees, 355.
"Belgravia" of Khartoum, 555.
Berber, town on the Nile, arrival at,
17; description of, 18; kind recep-
tion given by the governor or Mu-
dir of, 18 ; hospitality of Halleem
Effendi, former governor, ib. ; sur-
rounded by well-cultivated gardens,
ib. ; water of the Nile made use of
for irrigation at, 19 ; visit from the
governor of, ib. ; departure from, at
sunset, 29.
Birds, brilliant colours of, change, 178;
nest-building of, 224 ; migrations of,
233 ; swarms of, on bushes beside
Atbara river, 239 ; way of drinking,
ib. ; constant pursuit of small, by
falcons and hawks, ib.
Birds of prey (see Vultures).
Bishareen Arabs, desert north of At-
bara occupied by, 37 ; fire-arms un-
known to, 40 ; peculiar mode of
wearing their hair, 57 ; taxes paid by,
58 ; dislike of, to Turkish soldiers,
ib. ; difficulty of procuring supplies-
from, how overcome, 58, 59.
Bivouac, evening, 135 ; jungle should
be avoided for, at night, 302 ; cover
lets used for, of ox-hides, 517.
582
INDEX.
Blood-stones found in the desert, 59;
large masses of, on the hills on the
route from Ombre ga, 450.
Bine Nile, junction of Dinder with,
547 ; of Rahad with, 548 ; arrival at
the banks of, ib. ; grand appearance
of, opposite Abou Harraz, 550 ;
clearness of the water, reason of the
name, 552 ; unnavigable in many
places, ib. ; ferry across to Khartoum,
a, 554.
"Boa constrictor (python), escape of n,
237.
Boar, encounter with a, 331 ; Eicharn
wounded by a, 332.
Boat, difficulty of procuring, on the
Nile, 550.
Bolognesi (Signor Angelo), Italian mer-
chant, meeting with, at Gallabat,
503.
Boorkatan, table mountain, description
of interesting country near, 399.
Boulti, species of perch caught at Col-
lodobad, 44 ; mention made of, by
Bruce, the traveller, ib. ; use of, as
bait, 212.
Boxes, for rough travelling should be
of japanned metal, 540.
Breech-loaders, luxury of, 539 ; why
not well suited for damp climates, ib.
Brace, Abyssinian traveller, dread en-
tertained by, of sand columns, 24 ;
Blue Nile traced to its source bv,
573.
Buffaloes, hunt and capture of, 310 e.fr
seq. ; value of a young one taken
alive, as a zoological specimen,
312 ; shooting of, 382 ; carcas-j
of, used as bait for lions, 413
et seq. ; flesh of, not suited for
drying, 538 ; some hundreds killed
by Sir S. Baker, 539 ; not so formi-
dable as elephants or rhinoceros, ib.
Bullets, making of, 284 ; different
kinds of, 542.
Buoy for floating cargo across the river,
of a tetel's skin, 200.
Burning-glass, use of, to a traveller,
385, 541.
Butter, enormous consumption of, by
Sheik Abou Sinn, 116 ; for cooking
purposes, what made of, 426.
Buzzards, attracted by fire, boldness of,
235.
C.
CAIRO, boat voyage from, 1 ; extracts
from journal written during voyage
from, 1 et seq.
Camels, feeding of, 9 ; "camel's grave "
at Moorahd, 9 ; skeletons of, in the
desert, 14 ; death of one in the
desert, 17 ; support required for, in
swimming, 69, 93 ; one drowned,
69 ; theft of, 93, 94 ; difficulty of
procuring, 82 ; unpleasantness of, for
riding, compared with dromedaries,
99 ; ease with which Arabs ride, ib. ;
migration of, in rainy season, 108 ;
milk of, ib. ; flight of one from a
lion, 421 ; one hundred and two
stolen by Mek Nimmur's foraging
party, 451 ; narrow escape of one,
from a fall, 472 ; torture of, by flies,
on a march, 527.
Camel-drivers abscond with camels, 93
et seq. ; refusal to enter Mck Nim-
mur's territory, 445 ; forced submis-
sion of, 446 ; robbery by one, 514.
Camp, purchase of a new permanent,
at Son, 148; furniture of, 151, 152;
conveniences of, 149 et seq. ; pleasant
life in, 214, 216 ; danger to, from
firing the grass, 391.
Canoe, failure in launching, 176.
Carriage, expenses of, 17, 272.
Cassala, capital of Taka country, situa-
tion of, 59; depot for Egyptian
troops, and military supplies, ib. ;
route from Atbara river to, 60 et
seq. ; arrival at, 69 ; respect paid by
the governor of, to the firman, 70 ;
hospitality experienced at, ib. ; visit
from Elias Bey, the governor, 'ib. ;
possibility of a more direct route to,
72 ; bazaar in, 74 ; fortifications of,
useless against cannon, ib. ; neigh-
bourhood of, well adapted for a mili-
tary station, 79, 80 ; start from, 82.
Cassala mountain, appearance and
height of, 68.
Catalogue des especes du genre antilope,
543 et seq.
Centaurs,likenessof Arab hunters to, 297.
Ceylon, plan of shooting in, 291 ;
habits of elephants in, 530 ; former
irrigation of, compared to present,
569 et seq.
Ceylon rifles, giraffes shot with, 192, 196.
" Chick ens, " Tokroori, 519.
Chimbane, deadly instrument of war
used by the Tokrooris, or Mahoni-
metan negroes, 511.
Church, Abyssinian, danger of disunion
in, by introduction of fresh doctrine
among the natives, 504.
Civilization, pleasure of returning to,
after wild life, 554 ; dependent on
the physical condition of a country,
568 et seq.
Cliffs, beautiful colours of, at Geera, 245.
Coffee, camel's milk unsuited for, 108 ;
luxury of, when halting, 133 ; largely
exchanged by Abyssinian merchants
INDEX.
583
at Gallabat for cotton, 503 ; cheapness
of, ib.
Coin, current among the Arabs, 176 ;
Austrian dollar of Maria Theresa tho
favourite, 175, 176.
Collodobad, deepest and largest pool of
water 011 the Atbara, at, 36 ; halt at,
ib. ; distress of Arabs congregated at,
from scarcity of food, 37 ; hippopotami
reported to be first seen at, ib. ; search
for, and shooting of two, 38 et seq. \
savage delight of the Arabs over their
carcases, 43 ; and gratitude to Sir S.
Baker for the supply of food, 44.
Commissariat, arrangement of, for the
march, 538.
Compass, found useful to Sir S. Baker,
88 ; desire of the Tokrooris to con-
sult, 526 ; their name for, ib.
Conical projectiles, velocity of, 542 ; fa-
cility of loading with, ib. ; disadvan-
tages of, to the hunter, ib.
Consulate, English, at Khartoum, arri-
val at, 556 ; menagerie of wild beasts
in, 557 et seq.
Coor fish, description of, 225.
Coorbatch, Arab whip of hippopotamus
hide, used for camels, 99 ; use of, in
love-making and matrimony, 125 ;
made by Florian, 145.
Copper, evidences of the presence of,
451 ; water poisoned by, 460.
Corn, 524 (see Dhurrd).
Cornelian, white, abundance of, seen on
the hills passed on the route from
Ombrega, 450.
Cotton, capabilities of country for culti-
vation of, 65, 73, 180, 249, 512,
525, 571 ; use of, by Arabs, 65 ;
weaving of, by Arabs, ib. ; in the
market of Gallabat, produced by
Tokrooris, 511 ; how the supply of,
might be increased by irrigation,
571 ; by emigration of Tokrooris
from Darfur, 512.
Crocodiles, warning against, while fish-
ing, by Arabs, 44 ; shooting, 51, 94,
et seq. ; men killed by, when crossing
the river, 93, 234 ; flesh of, used as
food, 96 ; one found far from water,
224 ; party of women attacked by,
239 ; cunning of, 240 ; peculiar mode
of stalking, 393 ; most dangerous
kind found in the Binder river, 528.
Ciicumis colocynthis, withered melons,
bitter taste of, 8 ; medicinal use of,
by Arabs, ib.
P.
DABAINAS, Arab tribe, 115 ; intended
razzia upon, by Mek Nimmur's men,
447.
Darfur, inhabitants of, prized as slaves,
273 ; Tokrooris, natives of, 509 ; why
impenetrable to civilization, ib. ; un-
fruitfulness of, ib. ; emigration from,
should be encouraged, 512.
Delladilla, forest on the margin of the
Settite river, encampment at, 372,
373; pleasantness of, for a camp, 374,
417 ; furthest spot visited by Euro-
peans, 389; encampment removed
from, sixteen miles further up, ib. ;
return to, 410 ; abundance of game
found at, ib. ; buffaloes and lions
shot at, 411 et seq. ; healthiness of,
418 ; death of Barrake at, 427 ;
camp removed from, ib. et seq.
Delta of Lower Egypt, how formed,
499.
Desert country, suffering of animals in,
9 et seq. ; comfort of travelling by
the bank of a river in, 36.
" Devil's horse," Arab's name for se-
cretary bird, 60.
Dhurra grain, use of r for camel's food,
9 ; price of, 77 ; sowing of, 78 ;
bread of, 79 ; analysis of, by Pro-
fessor Johnstone, ib. ; capabilities of
the country for cultivation of, 77.
Dik-dik, very small antelope, 96.
Dinder river, tributary of tho ISTilo,
Sir S. Baker's intention to explore,
280 ; course of, parallel with the
Kahad, 523 ; arrival at, 527 ; banks
of, thronged with Kussana Arabs,
527 ; similarity of, to Kahad, 528 ;
trees in the vicinity of, ib. ; dangerous
crocodiles found in, ib. ; maneless
lion found on the banks of, 529 ;
obstructions on, to rapid navigation,
ib. ; monotony of the journey along
the banks, 528, 547.
Dochail, grain, species of millet, culti-
vation of, 244.
Dogs, one carried off by a leopard,
303; Arabs' cure for distemper in, 165.
Dome palms, found on the banks
the Atbara river, 32 ; description of,
and uses of, ib. ; preparation of food
from fruit of, 33 ; Arabs chiefly sup-
ported by the fruit of, in times of
scarcity, ib. ; only shade on the route
along the margin of the river afforded
by, 34.
Dongalowas, Florian's attendants, 369.
Dragoman (see Mahomet).
Drainage, entire want of, in flat country
between Goozerajup and Cassala, 65 ;
of the mountains, the cause of tho
sudden rise of Nile and Atbara,
400.
Dromedary, riding camel (see H y-
gef.n).
584
INDEX,
E.
EGGS, omelettes of turtle's, 374 ; cheap-
ness of, in the country near the ftahad
river, 526.
Egypt, a new, formed beneath the
Mediterranean, by deposits washed
down by the Settite river, 499, 564 ;
revenues of Upper, might be in-
creased by establishment of Tokroori
colonies, 512 ; arrival on the soil of
Upper, at Rahad river, 524 ; irriga-
tion of, 565 et seq. and magnificent
possible results to, of irrigation, 568,
571.
Egyptians, conquest of Arab tribes by,
74 ; indifference of, to future well-
being of conquered races, 75 ; changes
in their government of conquered
Arab tribes since Sir S. Baker's visit
to the country, ib. government of,
why mistrusted by the Arabs, 76 ;
taxes, how raised, ib. ; warfare with
Mek Nimmur, 278 et seq. ; 459, 461 ;
called "Turks," by the neighbour-
ing tribes, 461 ; Mai Gubba, head-
quarters of Mek Nimmur, destroyed
by, 444.
Egyptian troops, destroyed by thirst in
crossing the Nubian desert, 12, 13 ;
soldier murdered by an Arab, 235 ;
twenty thousand generally kept in
the Soudan, 560 ; principal stations
of, ib.
Ehetilla, Arab name for the spot of
Sir S. Baker's encampment, opposite
Sofi, on the Atbara river, 216 ; de-
scription of encampment at, 206 ;
crossing the river to reach, 205 et seq. ;
charmingly independent life at, 216 ;
shooting and fishing at, extracts
from journal describing, 216 et seq. ;
move from, to Wat el Negur, 248.
El Baggar, black servant given by
Governor of Cassala, renown of, as a
sportsman, 85 ; his selection of a
riding camel for Lady Baker, 100.
Electricity, in hair and woollen ma-
terials, produced by heat and dry-
ness of the air, curious effect of, 17.
Elephants, hunting by aggageers, 172
et seq. at Wat el Negur, 254
et seq. : in Tooleet jungle, 289 ;
of a bull, at Ombrega, 304, 305 ;
close and dangerous figh't with a
bull, by aggageers, sword in hand,
323 ; discovery of a herd of, 325 ;
one killed by the "Baby" rifle,
329 ; seven killed by Sir S. Baker's
hunting party in one day, 330 ;
hunters chased by one, 435 ; danger-
ous encounter with one, 437 et seq. ;
shooting, 478 et seq.; horses used in
hunting them, 172 ; dangers of hunt-
ing, 174 ; dead carcases of, found
drowned, 178 ; eagerness of the
people over a dead one, 178 ; cunning
of, 250 ; damage done by, to dhurra
fields, ib. ; difficulty of tracking, 320 ;
herds of, near the Dinder, never
found so large as were expected, 529 ;
description of, 531 et seq. ; dis-
tinguishing features of Indian and
African, ib. ; measurements of; 532 ;
ear of, used as a mat, ib. ; harmless-
ness of, a mistaken idea, 533 ; African
most dangerous, ib. ; one killed by
sword when shot failed, 327 ; shot in
the forehead proved not fatal to
African, ib. ; encounter with, by
aggageers, without fire-arms, 344 ;
Jali's leg broken by one, 345 ; flesh
of, disagreeable for food, 341 ; foot
and trunk of, excellent as food, 534 ;
how to make use of the fat of, 535 ;
tusks of, why difficult to obtain an
exact pair, 533.
Elias Bey, governor of Cassala, firman
kissed by, 70 ; visit from, ib.
Emigration of Tokrooris from Darfur,
advantages of encouraging, 512.
Encampment, in the garden of Halleem
Effendi, outside Berber, 18 ; on the
banks of Atbara at Collodobad, 37 ;
at Cassala among wild fig-trees, 69; on
the Atbara at Goorashee, 98 ; at Sofi,
with a new camp, 149 ; removal of,
to the high plateau on the opposite
bank at Ehetilla, 206, 211 ; at Wat
el Negur, 248 ; on an island in the
Settite river, 313,315 ; at Delladilla,
in the Base country, 372 et seq.',
under tamarind trees, at Ombrega,
444 ; in Mek Nimmur's territory,
450 ; on the banks of the Salaam
river, 466.
England, power of, in protecting the
Abyssinian territory, 560.
Etiquette, Arab, 112.
European acquaintances made by Sir
S. Baker in Africa almost all dead,
371 ; goods sold at bazaar, at Kata-
riff, 271 ; pleasure of meeting with,
at Gallabat, 503.
Exodus, yearly, Arabs' enjoyment of,
110.
Expedition to explore the Nile tribu-
taries and Base country, commence-
ment of,. 4 ; launch into the Nubian
desert, 5 ; route across the desert, 6,
et seq. ; halt at Moorahd, 11 ; dreadful
route from Korosko to Abou Hammed,
15; sight of the Nile, ib. ; start from
Abou Hammed, 16 ; route along the
margin of the Nile, ib. ; arrival at
the town of Berber, 17 ; hospitable
INDEX.
585
reception by the governor and
Halleem Effeudi, 18 ct seq. ; a week's
rest in the gardens, 21 ; visit to Lady
Baker of Turkish ladies, 22 ; start from
Berber to Atbara river, 25 ; trouble
with the dragoman, and amusing
scenes in consequence, 28 et seq. ; arri-
val at junction of the Atbara with the
Nile, 30 ; crossing the dry bed of the
Atbara, 31 ; appearance of the river,
32 ; start on the ronte along the
margin, ib. ; intense beat during the
march, 35 ; comfort of travelling
along the banks of a river in the
desert, 36 ; arrival at the large pool
of Collodobad, ib. ; encampment
at Collodobad, 37 ; hippopotamus-
shooting at Collodobad, 41 et seq. ;
fishing 44 et seq. ; shooting gazelles,
47, 49 ; nearly suffocated by a whirl-
wind, 51 ; crocodile-shooting, ib. ;
sudden change on the Atbara, 52 et
seq. ; start from Collodobad, 54 ;
route along the margin of Atbara
continued, 55 et seq. ; pyramidical
hills at Gozerajup, 59 ; change
of route, Atbara river left, 59; arri-
val at limits of Nubian desert, 61 ; ar-
rival at Soojalup, 62 ; fertility of the
country, ib. ; abundance of game,
ib. 63 ; halt in the flooded country,
on account of illness of Lady Baker,
66 ; visit of crowds of Arabs round
the camp fires, 67 ; Sir S. Baker gets
fame as a physician, 68 ; arrival at Cas-
sala, 69 ; hospitality of Malcm Geor-
gis, a Greek merchant, 70 ; residence
at Cassala, ib. ; description of, and
country near, 73 et seq. ; informa-
tion acquired concerning Base tribe,
their rumoured ferocity, 80, 81 ;
start from Cas^ala, crossing the Gash
river, 85 ; inarch to rejoin the At-
bara, ib. et seq. ; arrival at valley of
Atbara, 89 ; descent to the river,
90 ; encampment on the banks, 92 ;
violent deluge of rain, ib. ; crocodile
shooting, 95 et seq. ; encampment at
Goorashee, 98 ; procuring hygeens or
riding camels, 100 et seq. ; start from
Goorashee, 102 ; halt on account of a
coming storm, 104 ; discovery of
scorpions, 104, 106 ; continuation of
march along Atbara river, 106 et
seq. ; commencement of rainy season,
107 ; its effect on the country, ib. ;
meeting with natives migrating to
the north, ib. ; arrival at the camp
of Sheik Abou Sinn, the great Arab
patriarch, 110 ; visit from the sheik,
110 et seq. ; an Arab welcome, 113
et seq. ; arrival at head-quarters of
Sheik Atalan Wat Said, and hospi-
table reception by, 136, 137; infor-
mation obtained about Mek Nimmur,
the Leopard King, 138 ; arrival at
the junction of the Settite with the
Atbara, 136 ; escorted to Sofi, by
Atalan Wat Said, 141 ; meeting with
Florian the German, 142 ; per-
manent encampment at Sofi, 149 et
seq. ; meeting with Hamran Arab
sword-hunters, or aggageers, 167 ;
engagement with some, to join the
hunting party, ib. et seq. ; exploits of
the sword-hunters, 171, 173 et seq.;
extracts from journal describing Sir
S. Baker's life at Sofi, 175 et seq. ;
cross to opposite side of river, and
encampment at Ehetilla, 205, 206,
et seq. ; life at Ehetilla, extracts
from journal, descriptive of, 216
et seq. ; excursion from Ehetilla for
shooting, 216 et seq. ; fishing near
the mouth of the Till, 220 et seq. ;
remove to Wat el Negnr, 248 ; pre-
parations made for hunting expedi-
tion in the Base country, 274, 284 ;
purchase and engagement of a slave
woman, 274 ; engagement of
Tokrooris or Mahometan negroes,
274 ; discussions with Sheik Wat el
Negur on women, 262 et seq. ; with
Fakeers, 267 ; shooting and hunting
with the Arab sword-hunters, 288 et
seq. ; encampment on an island in the
Settite river, 313, 315 ; hunting of
elephants, buffaloes, rhinoceros, lions,
in the Base country, 288 et seq. (see
Hunting] ; hippopotamus harpoon-
ing, 335 et seq. ; encampment at
Delladilla forest, 372; start along
the upward course of the Royan,
432 ; encampment at Ombrega, 444 ;
arrival and stay in Mek Nimmur's ter-
ritory, 451 et seq. ; visit of minstrels
to the camp, 453 ; arrival at Salaam
and Angrab rivers, 465, 466 ; shoot-
ing in the country round, 467 et seq. ;
march again to the Atbara, 497 ; reach
it where it issues from the hills, 498 ;
last look of it from Toganai village,
499 ; exploration of Atbara com-
pleted, 500 ; leave the village of To-
ganai and arrive at Gallabat, market-
town, 501 ; encampment at, and
meeting with Europeans, 502, 503 ;
a stroll through the market, 503 ;
march from Gallabat to the river
Rahad, 517 et seq. ; death of two
horses at Roumele, 521 ; exhausting
march from Roumele to Rahad river,
and monotony of the country on the
route, ib. ; extreme thirst of the
men, 522 ; reach the banks of the
Rahad, ib. ; route along the banks,
586
INDEX.
monotony of, 524 et scq. ; start from
Kahad to the Dinder, 527 ; march
along the hanks of the Dinder, 528 ;
arrive at Abou Harraz, on the 131 ue
Nile, 548 ; unsuccessful attempt to
procure a boat to sail to Khartoum,
550 ; route along the Nile to Khar-
toum, fearful heat of, 553 ; inhospi-
tality of the Arabs met with, ib. ;
cunning of a Faky, ib. ; hospitable
reception at Rufaar, head quarters of
Sheik Abou Sinn, 551 ; arrival at Abou
Dome, and view of Khartoum, 554 ;
ferry across the Blue Nile, ib. ;
pleasure of returning to civilization,
ib. ; residence in the British con-
sulate, ib. et scq. ; observations on
the rivers by the explorer, 563 d scq.
F.
FAITIT, the Arab's cure for all com-
plaints, 157.
Fakeer, Faky, or priest, numerous ap-
plications to, for all maladies, 157 ;
the only ArabM.D., ib. ; the Koran
his complete pharmacopeia, 157,
158 ; reverence for the dead body of
a, 1G2 ; grave of a Faky at Son, ib.
et seq. ; theological discussions of Sir
S. Baker with," 267 ; religious belief
of, ib. ; instance of cunning and
inhospitality of a, 553.
Falcons, small birds constantly pursued
by, 239.
Family tree, Mahomet's, incalculable
extent of, 83.
Fat, great desideratum of Arabs, 116 ;
used for head-dressing, 117 ; effect
upon, of a journey in the desert, ib. ;
necessary for the skin in hot cli-
mates, 127 ; of elephants, how to
"use, 535.
Fazogle, mines of gold worked at, by
Egyptian Government, 98.
Feasts, holy, of Arabs, 202.
Ferry across the Atbara, 92; across
the Blue Nile at Khartoum, 554.
Fever, slight attacks of, 21, 66, 68 ;
severe attack of, Lady Baker at Son,
155 ; cured by quinine, 70 ; causes
of, 66, 227, 561.
Fight, dangerous sword-in-hand, of
aggageers, with an elephant, 323 ;
with native Tokrooris, 518.
Fig-trees, wild, at Cassala, 69.
Firing the grass, difficulty of, 385 ; tho
camp endangered by, 391 ; on the
bank of the Royan, 441.
Firman, procured from the Viceroy, 4 ;
kissed by Elias Bey, 70 ; a never-
failing talisman, 82 ; not respected
by Jeinma, a Tokrooii sheik, 507.
Fish eagle, daring feat of a, 40.
Fishing at Collodobad, 44 et seq.
difficulty of procuring bait for, in the
desert, 44 ; excitement of, in the At-
bara pools, 44 ; near the mouth of
the Till, 213; exciting run, 221 et
scq. ; for baggar, 229, 231.
Florian, German settler at Sofi, wel-
come of, 142 ; stone house belonging
to, 143 ; why settled at Sofi, 145 ;
1 46 ; means of living, ib. ; valuable
information given by, regarding
seasons, 146, 147 ; agrees to ac-
company the hunting expedition,
147; illness of, at Sofi, 155; horso
purchased by, 286 ; first attempt at
mounting, ib. ; severe illness of, 369;
death of, killed by a lion, 370.
Fowls, cheapness of, 526 ; presents of,
brought by the women of Sofi, 266.
Fox traps, usefulness of, to the traveller
in catching night game, 541. '
Francolin partridges, five brace shot,
430 ; excellence of, as game, ib. ;
might be shot in hundreds near the
Salaam, 477.
Frendeet, painful disease, caused by
drinking the water accumulated in
pools during the rainy season, 269.
G.
GALENA, veins of, found, 375.
Galla, extreme beauty of native women
of, 516 ; sold for Turkish harems, ib.
Gallabat, frontier market-town of Abys-
sinia, 483 ; arrival at, 501 ; curiosity
of the natives, ib. ; market at, ib. ;
disgusting appearance of the water
at, 502 ; visit from Jusef, Abyssinian
merchant, 503 ; principal trade of,
ib. ; meeting with Signor Bolognesi,
Italian merchant, ib. ; with two
German missionaries, 504 ; visit to
the Sheik, 507.
Galton (Mr. Francis), advice given by,
for crossing a deep river with a
horse, 378.
Game (see Hunting) ; scarcity of, on
the route along Rah ad and Dinder
rivers, 528 ; different bullets required
for, 542.
Game paths made by animals going to
drink, 403.
Gardens of Halleem Effendi, on tho
outskirts of Berber, 18 ; artificial
irrigation of, 19 ; camp in, ib. ; de-
parture from, 25.
Garra, fruit of the Acacia Arabica, use
of, in tanning, 180 ; ink made from,
528.
G ish, or Hareb river, course of, 66 ;
country near Cassala flooded by, ib. ;
INJ)F.X.
587
difficulty of fording, 69 ; course of,
turned by Egyptians, 74 ; reerossing
of, 85 ; water of, should be filtered
during rainy season, 80.
Gazelles, two seen on the route from
Moorahd to Abou Hammed, 13 ;
stalking of buck, 47 ; habits and
beauty of, 48; difference between,
and those confined in temperate
regions, ib. ; coarse food of, ib. ;
flesh of, chief support in the desert,
49 ; skins of, used for girbas, 49.
Gazelle, name of one of Sir S. Baker's
horses, purchase of, 242 ; death of, 521.
Geera, cliffs of, appearance of the Set-
tite river between, 245 ; arrival at,
287 ; start from, for the Base country,
296.
Geese (wild), on the Atbara river, 32 ;
shooting of, 40, 96 ; pairing of, 54.
German, settler at Soft, delight of, at
seeing Europeans, 142 ; missionaries
at Gallabat, 504 ; goods, sold at
Katariff market, 271.
Gerrarat, stronghold of Mek Tim-
mur, destruction of, 244 ; curious
situation of, ib.
Giraffes, flocks of, seen, 175, 179 ; diffi-
cult stalking of, 188 et seq. 195;
shooting of, 191 ; statue-like appear-
ance of, 190 ; beauty of, 192 ; re-
treat of a herd, 191 ; extraordinary
power of vision the defence of, 192 ;
steaks of, 197; flesh of, devoured by
lions, 202.
Girbas, water-sacks, preparation of, 49 ;
one swallowed by a crocodile in mis-
take for a woman, 239.
Glands of the crocodile, ornaments of,
worn by women, 96; musk found in, ib.
Goats, purchase of, 287 ; one killed
by a leopard, 302 ; eat the poisonous
plant, Asclcpias yigantea, 31.
God, Arab's reverence for, 129, 130.
Gold, found in the sand of the Atbara,
98 ; mines for, at Fazogle, ib. ; dust,
common in the sand in the ravines,
461.
Goorashce, ferry to, 92 ; cotton farm of
Malein Georgis at, 93 ; encampment
at, 98 ; gold found in Atbara river at,
ib.
Gourds, use of shells of, for cups and
ladles, 241, 525 ; camel-loads met on
the road to Gallabat, ib.
Government of conquered tribes by
Egyptians, 75.
Governor of Berber' visit from, 19 ;
surprise of, on hearing the object of
expedition, ib. ; friendship of, how
proved, 24.
Gozerajup, -large permanent village,
arrival at, 57 ; description of, ib. ;
four pyramidical hills of granite op-
posite to, 59.
Granite, pyramidical hills of, at Goze-
rajup, 59 ; Cassala, mountain of, 68 ;
hills of, 375.
Grass, two species of, 209 ; impossible
to walk over when ripe, 210, 236 ;
enormous height of, in the jungle,
310 ; firing of, 384 et seq., 441 ;
should always be cleared away round
the camp when dry, 392.
Grave, camel's, at Moorahd, 9 ; Faky's,
162 ctsiq. ; of Johann Schmidt, 370.
Greeks, hospitality of, at Cassala, 70.
Greyhounds, use of, in coursing
gazelles, 48.
Guddabi, nearest viliage to the Salaam,
483 ; country round, ib.
Guide, desert, unquestioned authority
of, 8.
Guinea-fowl, abundance of, 135; jun-
gles full of, 63.
Guitars, generally made of turtle-shell,
203.
Gum-arabic, varieties of, from mimosa
tree, 73; beautiful appearance of, 35 6.
H.
II AD AM, Arab name for working tusk
of an elephant, 533.
Hadendowa Arabs, character of, 62 ;
conquest of, by Mehemet Ali Pasha,
ib. ; country of, ib. ; chief of, im-
prisoned by Egyptians, 75.
Hadji Achmet, Turkish servant, pro-
vided by the Governor of Berber, 25 ;
sent back to Berber, 71.
Hadji Velli, Turkish servant, provided
by the Governor of Berber, 25 ;
return of, to Berber, 54.
Hailstones, remains of, in Nubian
desert, 6.
Hair of Arabs, Bishareen's mode of
dressing, 57 ; distinction of tribes,
chiefly known by mode of dressing,
115 etseq. : pomade for, 117 ; dyeing
of, 120 ; elaborate dressing, by Arab
women, 121.
Hallonga tribe, allies of Hadendowa
tribe in the war with Egyptians, 62.
Hallowa mountain, unmistakable lanl-
mark, 522.
Halt in the desert, 8.
Hamed, former Sheik of Galabat, im-
prisonment of, by Egyptians, 508 ;
battle with Jemma, ib. ; appeal of,
to Egypt, for assistance, ib. ; Theo-
dore's decision in consequence, ib.
Hamran Arabs, aggageers, or elephant
sword-hunters, 167 et scq. ; distin-
guishing features of, 167, 168 ;
588
INDEX.
weapons of, 169, 170 ; interview of,
with Sir S. Baker, 171 ; advantages
to Sir S. Baker of alliance with,
175 ; party of, join the hunting expe-
dition, 281 ; splendid appearance of
some, ib. ; extraordinary feats of, 173 ;
hunting with, 296 et seq. (see
Hunting and Aggageers. )
Harpoon, dexterous use of, by Abou
Do, 296 ; description of, 333 ; hippo-
potamus-hunting with, 336 et seq..
395 et seq.
Hawks, small birds constantly pur-
sued by, 239.
Heat, suffering from, 5 ; terrific, at
Moorahd, 10 ; on the route along the
margin of the Atabara, 35 ; on the
route from Abou Harraz to Khartoum,
653 ; evaporation of water from
water-skins caused by, 5 ; effect of,
on paper, &c. &c. 17.
Hegleek tree (Balanites jEgyptiaca],
fruit of, 368 ; burnt wood of, used as
soap, ib.
Henna plant, its character, 3.
Heuglin, Herr Von, expedition of, in
search of Dr. Vogel, 543 ; catalogue
made by, 543 et seq.
Hippopotamus, search for, at Collodo-
bad, 39, 40 ; men killed by, 39, 234 ;
shooting of, by Sir S. Baker, 41
et seq. ; shooting of large bull, 51 ;
a good shot at, 253 ; number killed
by Florian, 147 ; harpooning of, by
Abou Do, 336 et neq. ; harpooning
of, 394 et seq. ; character and habits
of, 340 et seq. ; teeth of, 54 ; value
of tusks of, 342 ; wonderful speed of,
in escaping hunters, 337, 342.
Hoe (Dutch) use of, a similar implement
in Soudan, 77.
Holloway's pills, why of value to the
traveller, 67.
Holy shrines, pest spots of the world,
infectious disorders generally traced
to, 160 et seq.
Homera tree (see Adansonia digitata).
Honey, abundance of, in rocks and
hollow trees, 497.
Hor Mai Gubba, or Nabbuk river,
mountain torrent, tributary of the
Royan, 429 ; encampment near, ib.
Horns, annulated, of the buck gazelle,
48 ; of rhinoceros, great protection
to the animal, 364 ; of nellut, finest
obtained, 467 ; of buffalo, 538.
Horsemanship, Arab, wonderful excite-
ment of, 297, 298.
Horses, purchase of three, cheapness
of, 242 ; saddles and bits of, 243 ;
swimming across a river, 378 ; chase
of rhinoceros by, 359 et seq. ; brave
advance of one, towards a lion, 422 ;
advance of a mare in face of an
elephant, 436 ; lamed by reckless
riding of aggageers, 402 ; curious
instinct of, 482 ; epidemic among,
517; death of Sir S. Baker's two
hunters, 521.
Howarti, harpooner of hippopotami,
renown of, 295 ; exploit of, 338,
Hunting knives, 540.
Hunting party, meeting with a curious,
547.
Hunting, a boar, 331 ; buffaloes, 310,
311 ; elephants, 254 et seq., 288
et seq., 304, 322 et seq., 434 et seq.,
478 et seq. ; lions, difficulty of, 238,
410 et seq., 419 et seq. ; hippopotami,
39 et seq., 251 et seq. ; rhinoceros,
S57 etseq., 387, 405 et seq., 486 et
seq. (see Stalking.)
Hyaenas, Cassala rich in, 70 ; usefulness
of, in clearing away carrion, ib. ; bold
nocturnal visit of one, 473.
Hydrophobia, Arab precaution against,
165.
Hygeen, dromedary or riding camel,
exhibition of, for use of Lady Baker,
100 ; pleasure of riding, when well
trained, 133 ; beauty of those pro-
vided by Sheik Atalan Wat Said, 141,
142.
I.
INDIAN INK, sticks of, convenient for
traveller, 541.
Indian-rubber, vulcanized, useless in
tropical climates, 541.
Ink, made by Sir S. Baker, from garra
plant, 528.
Irrigation, means by which it might be
improved in Egypt, 564 et seq. ; in-
calculable benefit of, if properly
carried out, 568 et seq. ; great source
of civilization, 672.
Island, covered with nabbuk bushes,
on the Settite river, encampment on,
313, 315 ; camp removed from, 371.
Ismael Pasha, son of the Viceroy
Mehemet Ali Pasha, extortionate
demand of, from Sheik Mek
Nimmur, 139 ; how met, ib. ; death
of, by burning, as revenge, 139 et seq.
Itch, epidemic of, at Sofi, Sir S. Baker's
successful treatment of, 156.
J.
JALEEN ARABS, flight of, from Egyptian
territory, and alliance with Mek
Nimmur, 451.
Jali, Hamran Arab sword-hunter, ac-
INDEX.
589
companies Sir S. Baker's expedition
into the Base, 297 ; wonderful horse-
manship of, 297, 298 ; elephant
killed by, with a sword, 327 ; leg of,
broken by an elephant, 344 et seq. ;
gratitude of, to Sir S. Baker, for
his attention while ill, 347 ; returns
to Geera, ib.
Jershooa, intoxicating drink made
from, 513.
" Jenna el Wirde" (child of the fever)
frequency of, as a disease among
people of Sofi, 157.
Johann Schmidt, old companion of
Florian, arrival of, 369 ; object of,
in joining the hunting party, ib. ;
engagement of, by Sir S. Baker, for
White Nile expedition, 369 : grave
of, on the banks of the White Nile,
370.
Johnstone, Professor, analysis of dhurra
corn by, 79.
Jungles, swarming with guinea-fowl
at Soojalup, 63 ; cooking in, 217 ;
thick at Tooleet, 295 ; should be
avoided for night bivouac, 302 ;
enormous height of grass in, 310;
hunting in (see Hunting).
Jusef, Abyssinian merchant, meeting
with, at GaUabat, 503.
K.
KATARIFF, arrival at, to procure men
and a slave, 270 ; hospitable reception
at, by Michel Georgis, ib. ; bazaar at,
271 ; scenes at the market of, 272.
Khartoum, exhausting march to, 553 ;
. different appearance of, on a nearer
view, 555 ; meeting with Herr Von
Heuglin at, 543 ; stay at, preparing
for the White Nile expedition,
558 ; unhealthiness of, 561 ; sail
from, in search of the White Nile
source, 573.
Kisra, bread made in Arabia, grinding
of corn for, 78 ; preparation of, 79.
Kittar bush, nickname of, 103 ; conse-
quences of a charge through, 104,
290 ; impervious as a fence round
encampment, 374 ; disastrous rush
through, in flight from a rhinoceros,
387, 388.
Kook, small village on the banks of the
Rahad, arrival at, 527.
Koran, supposed power of, in cases of
illness, 358; use made of, by Fakeers,
ib. ; pork forbidden by, as food, 166.
Kordofan, finest gum arabic found in,
73 ; inhabitants of, prized as slaves,
273 ; scarcity of water in, 356.
Korosko, arrival at, 3 ; halting-place
for all vessels with merchandise for
the Soudan, ib. ; description of, 4 ;
departure from, 5.
Kunana Arabs, camp of, on the Binder
river, 527.
LADIES, visit of, to Lady Baker at
Berber, 22 ; dresses of, ib. ; conver-
sation of, ib. ; influence of, over their
husbands, ib.
Landmarks, natural, 59, 483, 522.
Language, ignorance of Arabic, makes
a small party desirable, 5 ; deter-
mination of Sir S. Baker to learn,
21 ; Tigre, Bibles printed in, 506.
Lead, Mek Niinmur's preference of, to
gold, 461.
Leather, bottles of, for water, directions
about, 13 ; manner of tanning, 180
et seq.
Leopard, snake killed by a, 225 ; carries
off a goat and a dog at Ombrega,
302 ; unpleasantness of, at the
English Consulate at Khartoum, 557.
Lice, 122, 123.
Lime, procured from oyster shells, for
making soap, 424.
Limestone, first seen at Geera, 245 ;
beautiful colours of the cliffs on the
Settite river, ib. ; fine grey found near
Katariff, 273 ; beautiful colours of,
found on the way from Ombrega to
Mek Nimmur's district, 450.
Lion, visit of a, to Sir S. Baker's tent,
237 ; danger of, to horses in a jungle,
314 ; sudden appearance of a lioness
close to the camp, 373 ; roaring of,
over a dead buffalo, 316 ; Florian
killed by a, 370 ; feeding on carcase
of buffalo, 414 ; tracking of, near
Delladilla, 413 et seq. ; escape of,
through indecision of Tokroori gun-
bearers, 415 ; lioness killed, 416 ;
difficulty of bagging, 417 ; continued
hunting of, 419 et seq. ; fury of, on
being attacked, 420 ; grand appear-
ance of, in the jungle, 421 ; fear of
men, 417 ; one carried to Lady Baker
in the camp, 423 ; fat of, used for
lamps, 424 ; parts of, valued as
amulets, 423.
Lucifer matches, danger of, in dry,
tropical weather, 541.
M.
MAARIFF (Hippotragus Bakerii) largest
of all the antelopes of Abyssinia and
Central Africa, description of, 475 ;
agreed to be a new species by Herr
590
INDEX.
Von Heuglin, 543 ; most difficult of
all animals to stalk, 476
Mahomet, the dragoman, peculiar cha-
racter of, 26; influence of hardships on
his temper, 27 ; feigns deafness, 28 ;
his paroxysms of rage, 28, 29 ; family
pride of, 83, 84 ; his wife, ib. ; bitten
by a scorpion, 104 ; fear of crossing
the river, 206 ; fury at his relative's
flight, 208 ; dangerous illness of,
209 ; interprets for Sir S. Baker,
275 ; his terror of the lions, 316 ;
his terror of the Base, 317, 390 ;
reassuring avowal to Lady Baker of
his military tactics, 390 ; deserts the
party, 426 ; impertinence of, ib.
Mai Gubba, head-quarters of Mek
Nimmur, 141 ; destruction of, by
Egyptian troops, 444.
.Malein Georgis, Greek merchant at
C'assala, hospitality of, 71 ; ferry-
boat across Atbara river, belonging
to, 92 ; cotton farm of, at Goorashee,
93.
Manchester, goods from, sold at Kata-
riff bazaar, 271.
Marabou stork, plucking of, 257 ; feed
with vultures, 492 ; peculiarities of,
494 ; very numerous beside the Nile
tributaries, 496.
March, proper arrangement of, 133 et
scq. ; pleasures of, 134 ; exhausting,
from Roumele to Eahad river, 522 ;
food suitable for, 536 et seq.
Mareotis, Lake, made use of by ancient
Egyptians as a reservoir, 565.
Maria Theresa, favourite coin among
Arabs, 175 ; regret of Sir S. Baker in
parting with one, 455.
Market, of Katariff, 270 et seq. ; of
Gallabat, 501.
Masara (Sarah) a slave hired at Sofi,
214 ; good character of, 215 ; affec-
tion for her daughter, ib.
Ma Serdi stream, 465.
Mat, elephant's ear used as, 532.
Matrimony among Arabs, how con-
ducted, 124 et seq.
Meat, dried, usefulness of, 536 ; pre-
serving, 541.
Mehemet Ali Pasha, conquest by, of
Hadendowa Arab tribe, 62 ; erection
by, of barrage between Cairo and
Alexandria, 565.
Mek Nimmur, chief of Sliendy, meaning
of name, 139, 140 ; Ismael Pasha's
extortionate demand from, 139 ;
revenge of, 140 ; territory given to,
by king of Abyssinia, ib.
Mek Nimmur, son of Mek Nimmur,
chief of Shendy, continual raids made
by, against the Egyptian frontier,
138, 141 ; desire of Sir S. Baker to
obtain an introduction to, 248 ; sud-
den invasion by, 278 ; several tribes
friendly to, 279 ; warlike tactics of,
ib. ; situation of his territory, 281 ;
invitation sent by, to Sir S. Baker,
ib. ; friendship of, with Theodore,
king of Abyssinia, 280, 444 ; villages
belonging to, destroyed by Egyp-
tians, ib. ; retreats to the mountains,
ib. ; meeting with a party of his men
on a foray, 446 ; encampment on the
district of, 450, 451 ; lawlessness of
the society there, how caused, 451 ;
civilities of, to Sir S. Baker, 452,
459 ; conversation with, and request
of, to Sir S. Baker, 459 ; desire of,
to be at peace with Egyptian govern-
ment, ib. ; cautions Sir S. Baker
against drinking the water in the
district, 460 ; present sent to, failure
of, 461 ; polite behaviour of, on the
occasion, 462 ; departure from the
territory of, 464 ; proposals of, re-
jected by Moosa Pasha, 559.
Melons, withered, found in Nubian
desert, bitter taste of, 8 ; medicinal
use of, by Arabs, ib. ; bed of, de-
stroyed by hippopotamus, 38.
Menagerie, at the English consulate at
Khartoum, 557 et seq.
Metemma (see Gallabat), signification
of term, 508.
Michel Georgis, Greek merchant,
nephew of Malem Georgis, hospitable
reception by, at Katariff, 270.
Migration of birds, 233 ; of people,
110; a village deserted in conse-
quence of, 526.
Milk, abundance of camels', 108 ; Arab
way of preparing and using, excellent
effect of, on delicate patients, 108;
carried by women, in baskets, 182.
Mimosas, appearance of, 102 ; magical
growth of the buds of, how accounted
for, 55 ; hooked thorns of, 102 ;
kittar bush, the worst species of,
103; use of fibre and bark, 178;
fruit of, 179.
Mini, old Arab camel-driver, robbery
of dollars by, 514 ; how discovered,
51 4 et seq.
Miua, species of bird, black, colonies
of, 224.
Minerals, gold in the sand of Atbara,
98 ; gold mines at Fazogle, ib. ;
large quantities of valuable, to be
found through Abyssinian mountains,
451 ; lead found in the ravines, 461.
Minstrels, visits from, while encamping
in Mek Nimmur's territory, 453,
456 ; subject of their song, 454 ;
payment expected by, 455.
Mirage, Egyptian troops destroyed by
591
following a, in the Nubian desert,
13.
Missionaries, two German, met at Gal-
labat, 504; opinion regarding the
inexpediency of present work of, in
Abyssinia, ib. et seq. ; illness of one,
506.
Moorahd, sufferings of men and camels
on the route to, 9, 10 ; bitterness of
water at, 5 ; description of the
mournful appearance of, 9; "camel's
grave" at, ib. ; crows attracted to,
10 ; heat of, ib. et seq. ; dreadful
route from, to Abou Hammed, 12,
13.
Moosa, an old fortune-teller, his power
of frightening the Tokrooris, 348.
Moosa Pasha, Governor-General of the
Soudan, rejection of Mek Nimmur's
overtures by, 559 ; declares his in-
tention of giving Abyssinians a les-
son, ib. ; acknowledges England's
power as a protector, 560 ; starts to
drive the Abyssinians from Gallabat,
ib.
Mosquitos and other insects, miserable
night caused by, 217.
Music, character of Arab, 203 ; love
of, ib. ; at Mek Nhnmur's encamp-
ment, 453 et seq.
Musk, obtained from crocodiles, 96 ;
in favour with Arab women, 119.
Mystery of the Nile, a clue obtained
to, 53 ; dispelled, 564.
N.
NABHUK BUSHES (Rhamnus lotus),
arbour of, 230 ; jungles of, how
produced in the Settite valley, 313 ;
an island covered with, 313 ; fruit
of, useful preserved, 368.
Nahoot Guddabi, mountain, unmis-
takable landmark, 483.
Nails, rusty, used in making ink,
528.
Names, common, in Arabia, 26.
Natron, water impregnated with,
449.
Nellut (A. Strepsiceros\ a kind of
antelope, killing of, 377, 467 ; horns
of, finest seen, 467.
Night, in the desert, charms of, 9, 36 ;
thunderstorm during, 105 ; alarm by
sudden rising of the Atbara during,
51 et seq. ; a miserable, 217 ; tem-
perature of, 185, 561.
Nile, hills on the banks of, 1 ; vestiges
of ancient forts on either side, 2 ;
appearance of, at Korosko, 4 ; com-
mencement of search for sources of,
4 ; departure from, 6 ; return to, 15 ;
slow rising of, 21 ; course of, through
the desert, marked by fringes of
bushes, 29 ; clue obtained to the
mystery of, 53, 564 ; tributaries of,
280 ; connexion between varieties of
fish and reptiles in, 375 ; sudden rise
of, caused by mountain drainage,
400 ; effect on, of other river tor-
rents, 468, 475 ; no attempt made to
secure a supply of water from, for all
seasons, 564 ; method in which the
land might be irrigated by, 565 ct
seq. ; possible future blessing of, to
the country, 568.
Nomadic habits of Arabs, 128 ; food
suited for, 537.
Nubia, Arab tribes of, 115.
Nubian desert, route across, from Ko-
rosko, 5 ; solitude of, 6 ; volcanic
hills in, ib. ; route through, to
Moorahd, ib. et seq. ; wave -like ap-
pearance of, 7 ; charm of the night
in, 9 ; Egyptian troops lost in, by
following a mirage, 12, 13 ; farthest
limit of, reached and passed, 61 ;
frontier of, marked by the landmark
of Gozerajup, ib. ; dreariness of, 60 ;
present daily life in, a mirror of the
past, 131.
0.
OLD TESTAMENT, similarity of descrip-
tions in, to present life among the
Arabs, 126, 129 ; great interest of,
studying while searching in the East,
130 el seq.
Olivine, crystals of, found in basalt,
401.
Ombrega, name, "mother of the thorn,"
301 ; beautiful situation of, ib. ;
bivouac at, ib. ; camp robbed during
the night by a leopard, 302 ; second
arrival at, and bivouac under tama-
rind trees, 444 ; meeting with party
of Mek Nimmur's men on a foray at,
446 et seq.
Onions, best substitute for meat, mode
of cooking, 89.
Ostriches, attempt to shoot, 404 ; ill
the English Consulate at Khartoum,
556.
Owat, Sheik of the Hamran tribe,
281.
Oysters, numerous in beds of Atbara
and Settite rivers, 233 ; lime inado
from shells of, 424.
Oxen, | trices of, 526.
Ox-hides, purchase of, for coverlets for
bivouac, 517.
592
INDEX.
p.
PALMS, on the banks of the Nile, 550.
Paper, effect on, of simoom, 17 ;
shonld be tinted, for use in tropical
climates, 541.
Partridges (see Francolin Par-
tridges).
Patriarch, a desert (see Sheik Achmet
Abou Sinn).
Perfumery, Arab women's love of, 117;
peculiar mode of using, 118.
Petherick, Mr., English Consul at
Khartoum, absence of, in search of
Speke and Grant, 556.
Philae ruins, peculiar situation of, 1 ;
misery of the land in the vicinity of,
2.
Pigeons, shooting at Gozerajup, 57.
Pigs, two rhinoceros disturbed by, 486 ;
forbidden to be eaten by the Khoran,
166.
Pilgrimages of Tokvooris to Mecca,
the cause of their settlement at
Gallabat, 509.
Pipe, " chibbook," of the Turks, want
of, as a camp luxury, 153.
Pistols, bursting of a pair, sent as a
present to Mek Nimmur, 461.
Plague, causes of, 161 ; frequent ap-
pearance of, among pilgrims, ib.
Poisonous, plant (Asclepias gigantea),
30 ; quality of water, 460.
Polygamy, Wat el Negur's discussion
on, 263 et seq.
Pomade, Arab, 117.
Pools, of Atbara river, largest at Col-
lodobad, 36 ; asylums for all animals
in time of drought, 34 ; danger of
drinking the water left in, 269.
Prayers, evening, of the Arab, 67.
Priesthood, fears of being influenced
against all Europeans, by their dis-
like to the missionaries, 504.
Pyramids, designs for, taken from hills
in the desert, 14.
Python (see Boa Constrictor.)
Q.
QUICKSILVER, use of, in making bul-
lets, 284 ; large supply of, necessary
to African traveller, 541.
Quinine, cure of fever by, 70.
B,
RAHAD RIVER, exhausting march to,
eagerness of the men for drink on
reaching, 522 ; fishing in, ib. ; infe-
riority of, as a Nile tributary, 523 ;
monotony of the banks of, 524 ;
plentifulness of corn near, ib. \
country round, a mine of wealth, if
planted with cotton, 525 ; exhausting
march along the banks of, 526 ; flies
torture the camels, 527.
Rabat, Arab kilt, worn by women,
124.
Rains, commencement of, 21 ; sources
of the Nile, 53 ; first experience of,
with thunderstorm, 60 ; disadvan-
tages of, to the traveller, ib. ; deluge
of, 105 ; migration of people and
camels caused by, 107 etseq. ; daily
storms of, 135, 153 ; tremendous
deluge of, 147 ; effect of, on the
soil, 153, 180 ; time of ceasing, 185 ;
last of the season, 209 ; absolute de -
pendence may be placed on the peri-
odical return of, 549.
Rapids, on Settite river, accident to
two Arab girls on, 258 : extraordi-
nary escape of one, 259.
Ras el Feel, "elephant's head,"
mountain, 499.
Regly plant, salad of, 175.
Reilly rifle, great power of, 293.
Relics, Arab fondness for, 159 ; danger
of, 160 etseq.
Religion, strong feeling for, among
Arabs, 129 ; unchanged belief re-
garding, of Arabs, 131 ; discussions
on, with Fakeers, 267.
Reservoirs for the Nile water, advan-
tages of being formed throughout
Egypt, 565.
Reveet, food obtained from elephants,
usefulness of, during a long march,
536.
Revenues of Upper Egypt, how might
be increased, 512.
Rhinoceros, descriptions of the varie-
ties of, 364 et seq. ; teeth of, peculiar,
365 ; horns of, protection to the
animal, 364 ; exciting chase after,
359 et seq. ; seven huntsmen fairly
beaten by, 362 ; enjoyment of the
run, 363, et seq. ; manner of trap-
ping, 366 et seq. ; dangerous prox-
imity to, and flight from two, 387
et seq. ; tracking and encounter with,
405 et seq. ; detaching the hide, 407 ;
shooting, 442, 486, et seq.
Richarn, Florian's black servant, 194 ;
wounded by a boar, 331.
" Rifle and Hound in Ceylon," descrip-
tion of habits of elephants given in,
530.
Rifles, carried by Sir S. Baker, 151 ;
cleaning of, 447 ; providential escape
of Sir S. Baker from an accident, by
blowing up of one, 448.
INDEX.
593
Rivers of Abyssinia explored by Sir S.
Baker, 280 ; character of all, 549.
Robbery by Achmet, the dragoman's
"relative," 207 ; by Mini, the camel
driver, of Wat Gamma's dollars, 514 ;
Sir S. Baker's plan of discovering,
515.
Rocks, varieties and appearance of,
376 ; of basalt, 400 ; one still re-
maining placed as a seat by Sir S.
Baker, 150.
Roofal tribe, civility of, 525.
Roumele, last village between Gallabat
and river Rahad, arrival at, 520 ;
scarcity of water at, ib. : death of
Gazelle and Aggahr near, 521.
Route from Korosko to Abou Ham-
med closed by order of Said Pasha,
15 ; reopened on application by
foreign consuls, ib. ; time occupied
in, ib. ; sufferings of, 14.
Royan river, tributary of the Nile,
arrival at, 428 ; description of, 429,
432 ; encampment near, ib. ; de-
scription of effect of rain on country
near, 432 ; its junction with the
Settite, frightful scene at, in rainy
weather, 440 ; rapid course of, ib. ;
effect of, on the Nile, 468.
Rufaar, head-quarters of Sheik Abou
Sinn, 551 ; kind reception at, ib.
S.
SACRIFICES of Arabs, peculiarity of,
202 ; relics of the ancient rite, 137.
Saddles of Arabs, 242, 243.
Sageer, water-wheel of the Nile, 549 ;
tax on, 562 ; insufficiency of, for the
work required, 563.
Sahara, why a desert, 572.
Said Pasha, ordered route between
Korosko and Abou Hammed to be
closed, 15.
Salaam river, tributary of the Nile,
280 ; assistance given by Mek Nim-
mur in exploring, 459 ; arrival at,
465 ; similarity of, to the Settite,
466 ; encampment on the bank of,
ib. ; destructive effect of water
seen on the rocky banks of, 468 ;
effect' of, on the Nile, ib.
"Salaam aleikum," Arab salutation,
110.
Sand-banks, only means of cultivation
at Assouan, 2.
Sand columns, causes and curious
effects of, 23 ; Arab superstitions
connected with, ib. ; exaggerated
dread entertained of, by Bruce, 24.
Sand-grouse, cry of in the desert, 30 ;
worthlessness of, as game, ib.
Scarifying the cheeks, custom of,
among Arabs, 273.
Scorpions, bite of, 104 ; discovery 01
a nest of, under the camp, brought
out by rain, 106.
Seasons, alternations of, 146, 147, 561 ;
proper for travelling, 135, 559.
Secretary bird, Arab name for, 60.
Senna, where grown, 73; camel's
"bonne bouche," ib.
Serootfly, ferocity of, 184 ; torture of,
196 ; giraffes attacked by, 189 ; dis-
appearance of, 210
Sesame grain, oil made from, 50.
Settite river, tributary of the Nile,
280 ; course through Base country,
80 ; junction with the Atbara, 136 ;
principal stream of Abyssinia, 138 ;
excursion of Sir S. Baker to, from
Ehetilla, 216 et seq. ; bivouac near,
245 ; beauty of the country near,
334 ; beautiful appearance of, at the
pass between the cliffs of Geera, 245 ;
appearance of, where joined by the
Hor Mehetape, 400 ; effect of, on the
Nile, 468; creates the Delta of
Lower Egypt, 499 ; a new Egypt
created by deposits from, ib.
Sheik AchmetAbou Sinn, the great Arab
patriarch in authority over all the
other denominations of Arabs, 75 ;
visit of, to Sir S. Baker, 110; mag-
nificent appearance of, 111 ; hospi-
tality of, ib. ; his encampment in the
desert, 112 et seq. ; his reception of
Sir S. Baker, 113 ; his retinue, 112;
advice given by, 114; enormous
consumption of butter by, 116; his
ten sons, 112 ; his last marriage, 116;
departure from the encampment of,
132 et seq.
Sheik Achmet "Wat el Negur, chief ot
"Wat el Negur, wise policy of, 247 ;
particular request of, to Sir S. Baker,
249 ; hospitality and character of,
ib. ; visits of, to the camp, 261 ; dis-
cussions with, and opinions of, about
women, England, &c. &c. 262 et seq. ;
duties of the four wives of, 265 ;
surprise of, on hearing that Sir S.
Baker had only one Avife, 263 ; pro-
tects Sir S. Baker's property from
Mek Nimmur, 278 ; taken leave of,
285.
Sheik Ali, grandson of Sheik Abou
Sinn, sent as guide to Sir S. Baker,
132.
Sheik Atalan Wat Said, chief of the
Dabainas tribe, 136 ; reception by,
137 ; ivitation of, ib. ; escort of, to
Sofi, 141 ; promises of assistance
from, 143; death of, how caused,
227.
Q Q
594
INDEX.
Sheik Hassan bel Kader, chief of Sofi,
cured of fever, by Sir S. Baker, 164 ;
celebrated hippopotamus hunter, 234.
Sheik Jemuia, cliief of Gallabat, illness
of, from impure water, 507 ; a
Tokroori, ib . ; his coldness on reading
the firman, reasons for, ib. ; requests
goat's milk, ib. ; promises to assist in
procuring fresh camels and men,
508 ; way in which he became sheik,
by help of Theodore, king of Abys-
sinia, ib. ; declared by Theodore,
sheik over all Tokrooris, 509.
Sheik Moosa, of the Haddendowas, im-
prisonment of, 75.
Sherrem, large village on the Rahad,
meeting of the men with their fami-
lies at, 526 ; rest at, for two days,
ib. '.
Sherif el Ibrahim, large village, excur-
sion to, 244 ; productiveness of land
near, ib.
Sherrifs, four famous brothers, Hamran
hunters, accompany the hunting ex-
pedition, 282, 355.
Sherrif, Roder, one of four famous
brother hunters, maimed condition
of, 282 ; feats of, 359 etseq., 437.
Sherrif, Taher, one of four famous
brother hunters, feats of, 359, 362,
433, et seq.
Shields, Arab, made of giraffe and
rhinoceros skins, 168.
Shoes, necessity for strong, on account
of the thorny grass, 182 ; pair of
Highland shooting, of great value,
242.
Shookeriyahs, one of the most powerful
tribes of Upper Egypt, from which
Sheik AbouSinn descended, 115.
Signer Georgis, Greek army doctor, at
Cassala, his kindness to Sir S.
Baker, 70.
Silk, vegetable, procured from Asclepias
giyantea plant, 30.
Simoom in Nubian desert, 7 ; damage
done by, 17, 54.
Slaves, obtained by plunder of the Base
country, 81 ; Masara or Sarah, one
hired 'at Sofi, 214 ; purchase of
Barrake, 274 ; considered necessary
by Arab women, 125 ; inhabitants of
Kordofan prized as, 273 ; proprietor's
care of, 274 ; beauty of those brought
from Galla, 516.
So.ipmaking, 424 ; lime necessary for,
how obtained, 424 ; fruit of hegleek
tree used by Arabs as, 368.
Son, arrival at. 142 ; description of,
144 ; residence at, during rainy
season, 152 et seq. ; permanent camp
bought at, 148 ; description of an
"eligible freehold" within a minute's
walk of, 149 ; German settler met
at, 142 ; extracts from journal, de-
scriptive of life at, 175 et seq. ; laws
of, 181 ; resolve to leave, 204.
Soojalup, first watering place on the
route to Cassala, arrival at, 62 ;
description of country round, ib. ;
contrivance for watering cattle at,
63; Ariel (Gazelle Dama) first seen
at, 63 ; jungles round, swarming
with guinea fowl, ib. ; departure
from, 64.
Soorit (see Acacia Arabica), 529.
Souakim, route to Cassala by way of,
72 ; present uncertainty of steamers
arriving at, ib. ; merchants afraid of
delay and high warehouse charges
at, 73 ; value of direct steam com-
munication between, and Suez, 273.
Soudan, exports of, 73, 74, 562 ; prin-
cipal towns of, 74 ; annexation of, to
Egypt, necessary, 75 ; fertility of,
77 ; cheapness of grain in, ib. ; go-
vernor-general of, orders Mek Kim-
mur's territory to be invaded, 444 ;
Egyptian troops in, 560 ; aspect of
wretchedness, 562.
Spar, immense quantities of beautiful,
on the hills, on the route from Om-
brega, 450.
Spinach, wild, 175.
Stalking, wild asses, 55 ; Ariel (G.
Dama), 86 ; antelopes, 64 ; nellut
(A. Strepsiceros), 377 ; tetel (A.
ubalis), 218, 308 ; giraffes, 188, 194
(see Hunting).
Storks, curious hunting party met, of
common black and white, 547.
Sulieman, one of the aggageers (sword-
hunters) of the party, 296.
Sunstroke, slight attack of, Bacheet, on
the march from Rataan to Khartoum,
553.
Swords, principal weapon used by agga-
geers, 167 ; value of, to Arabs, 169 ;
description of, 170 ; manner of hunt-
ing with, 171 ; danger of, to the
hunter himself, 174 ; elephant killed
by one, when shot failed, 327.
Sycamore (Ficus sycamorus), tempting
shade of, 502.
Syphilis, common throughout the
country, 166.
Syringe, necessity of, to the traveller,
541.
TACCAZZY, Abyssinian name for Settite
river, 138.
Taher Koor, game -tracker accompany-
ing the hunting expedition, 288, 296.
Taka country, situation of, 59 ; pic-
INDEX.
595
turesqueness of, 72 ; productions of,
73.
Tamarind trees, baboons occupying,
177; bivouac under, at Ombrega, 444.
Tarpaulin, necessity of, to travellers,
541.
Tarboosh (cap) presented to one of Mek
Nimmur's men, 447.
Tatham, all fire-arms with the name,
burst, 461.
Taxes, equal on rich and poor districts,
3 ; bad effect of, in preventing culti-
vation of land, 76 ; injustice of tax-
collectors, ib. ; paid by Tokrooris to
the King of Abyssinia, 507, 509:
onerous, on the water-wheel of the
Nile, 562.
Temperature, of the different spots
visited, 561 ; in the desert, 5, 6, 17.
Temples, ruins of, on the banks of the
Nile, 3.
Tetch, intoxicating drink of the Arabs,
513.
Tetel, species of antelope, hide of,
valuable as leather, 181; shooting,
192, 198 ; men and cargo floated
across the river by means of the
waterproof skin of a, 200 ; bull killed
by Abou Do, the aggageer, 308.
Tetel, name of trained hunter pur-
chased by Sir S. Baker, 242 ; brave
advance of, in face of a lion, 422.
Theodore, King of Abyssinia, advan-
tages to, of Mek Nimmur's frontier
warfare, 279 ; friendship of, with
Mek Nimmur, 280, 444 ; dislike of,
to missionaries, 504 ; grants permis-
sion to the Tokrooris to settle in his
countiy, 509 ; places Sheik Jemma
in power, in opposition to Egyptian
government, 508 et seq. ; quarrels
with Moosa Pasha, "and is threatened
by him, 559 et seq.
Thorns, caused by grass drying, suffer-
ing from, 236 ; kittar bush, 103 ;
name "mother of the thorn," 301.
Thunder, first time heard in Africa, 60,
effects of a storm of, 92 ; halt caused
by, 104 etseq,
'ick,
Tick, insect inhabiting sand and dust,
supposed connexion of, with the
Egyptian plague of lice, 122.
Till, rivulet, tributary of Atbara, ex-
haustion of, by the fall of the Atbara,
and retirement of fish from, 211 ;
source of, 245.
Tobacco, sowing of, 236 ; plantations
of, 376 ; production of, on the banks
of the Rahad, 524.
Toganai, camp for a night at, 499 ;
evening scene, last view of Atbara
river from, ib. ; start from, '501.
Tokrooris, tribe of Mahometan negroes,
six servants engaged, to accompany
Sir S. Baker's hunting expedition,
274 ; start with him, 296 ; seized
with panic, desire to desert, 348 etseq. ;
checkmated by Sir S. Baker, 352 ;
country inhabited exclusively by,
497 ; wonder of some, 011 hearing of
the exploits in the Base country,
498 ; natives of Darfur, 509 ; appear-
ance of, 509, 511 ; taxes paid by,
507 ; industry of, 510 ; weapons of,
511 ; bad as servants, 510 ; how
settled at Gallabat, 509 ; cotton pro-
duced by, 511 ; women of the tribe,
ib. ; much might be done for im-
provement of, 512 ; permission gran ted
to, by Theodore, to settle in his ter-
ritory, 509 ; farewell entertainment
given to, 513; Sir S. Baker parts
with the servants, 517 ; unprovoked
insolence of natives of a Tokroori
village, 518 et seq. ; a fight with, ib.
Tomat, head-quarters of Atalan Wat
Said, interesting appearance of, 136.
Tool-box, contents of, necessary to a
traveller, 247.
Tracking of elephants, 288 et seq.,
304, 320 et seq. ; of rhinoceros, 405 ;
of lions, 414 ; of elephants, 433.
Travelling, hints for comfort in, 539
et seq. ; articles useful for, in tropical
climates, 541.
Turtle, struggle with a, while fishing
in Atbara pool, 45 ; appearance of,
in water, 46 ; guitar made of shell,
203 ; omelette made of eggs of, 374 :
soup of, ib.
Turkish soldiers procured as escorts
at Berber, 25.
Tusks, absence of. in Ceylon elephants,
530 ; difficult to obtain an exact pair
of, 533.
U.
UMBRELLAS (carriage), description of,
necessary for travelling, 540.
V.
" VALLEY of dry bones" at Moorahd, 10.
Vegetables, wild, great abundance of,
226.
Vogel, Dr. search For, by Herr Von
Heuglin, 543.
Volcanic bombs, resembling cannon shot,
in the Nubian desert, 6, 7.
Volcanic hills in Nubian desert, 6.
Vultures, sudden descent of, 88 ; ques-
tion, whether attracted by vision or
smell, 492 ; different species of, 493 ;
interesting experiments in watching,
493 et seq.
596
INDEX.
W.
WAGES not high, 83.
Waker, wild vegetable, in great use
among Arabs, soup of, 226 ; well
known in India and Ceylon, under
different names, ib.
Wat el Negur, village, 243 ; reasons
why desirable for encampment,
248 ; wisdom of the Sheik of, 247;
capabilities of the country round, for
cultivation, 249 ; elephant-hunting
at, 254 et seq. ; pleasant life at, 266
ct seq. ; discussions with the Sheik
of, 262 etseq. ; preparations made at,
for the hunting expedition, 284 ;
start from, to explore the Base
eountoy, 285.
"Water, evaporation of, from skins, by
blast of simoom, 5 ; scarcity of, at
Moorahd, 11 ; after washing, drunk by
Arabs, ib. ; constant supply of, how
to ensure, 36 ; length of time camels
can endure without, 448-; poison-
ous nature of, from copper, in Mek
Nimmur's district, 460 ; destructive
effect of, on solid rocks, 468 ; impurity
of, at Gallabat, 502 ; great sickness,
inconsequence of impure, 507.
Waterfall over perpendicular basalt
columns, appearance of, 497.
"Water-jar, of Arabs, similarity of, to
to those in use a thousand years
ago, 129.
Waterproof sheeting, of use in tra-
velling, 541.
Wat Gamma, young Arab attendant,
procured at Cassala, origin of his
name, 82 ; consternation of, at the
failure of the present to Mek Nimmur,
461 ; robbed of his dollars, 533.
Wat Medene, large town, and principal
trading place, on the banks of the
Blue Nile, 548.
Weapons, most useful to the hun er ,
151, 539, 540 ; of Hamran Arab
sword -hunters, 168 et seq.
Weaving, Arab method of, 65.
Weirs, across Eahad and Binder rivers,
for irrigation, necessity of, 549 ;
across the Nile, advantages of form-
ing, 565.
Welcome, Arab, customs connected
with, 137, 227 : magnificence of
that given by Sheik Abou Sinn to
Sir S. Baker/ 113.
Wells of Arabs, 131 ; insufficient for
the cattle, 270.
Whirlwinds in the desert, sand columns
raised by, 23 ; nearly suffocated by
one, 51.
White ants, use made of a hill of,
424.
White Nile, resolution to explore, 574 ;
preparations for exploring completed,
ib. ; start towards the source of, ib.
Wild asses, first .sight of, 55 ; habits
and beauty of, 56 ; difficulty of cap-
turing, ib. ; first and last killed by
Sir S. Baker, ib. ; rissoles of the ?
flesh, 57.
Willow, species of, on the banks of
Atbara river, 239.
AVire useful to the traveller for springs,
541.
Wives, Wat el Negur's discussion and
opinions on, 262 et seq.
Women, Arab, corn ground by, 78*;
dislike of all, to the work, 79 ; their
love for perfumery, 118; unclean-
ness of, 122 et seq. ; dress and
appearance of, 124, 265 ; marriage
of, 125 ; adherence of, to ancient
customs, 127 ; bathing of, 265 ; Wat
el Negur's discussion on, 262 et seq. ;
superstitions of 273 ; ignorance of,
265 ; plainness and industry of
Tokroori, 511.
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