Henry Salt

“ All the natives, both men and women, have an extraordinary craving after tobacco: they smoke it, take it in the form of snuff, and are in the habitual practice of chewing it, which, in a certain degree, I imagine, satisfies the calls of hunger. The dress of the men consists of a single piece of Arabian or Abyssinian cloth loosely wrapped round the body, and their hair, which is crisped, is curiously dressed out, frizzed, powdered with brown dust, and covered with grease in a similar way to that practised by the Hazorta and other tribes on the coast. ”

“ The main land, towards the sea, is every where skirted with a thick jungle, (if I may so express it) of the rack-tree, much frequented by a species of fox, called by the natives 'wobit,' which comes down regularly to the sea-side, on the fall of the tide, to seek for shell-fish and other marine substances, on which it principally feeds. This circumstance was early noticed by Pliny, who calls the fox, a small dog, and the rack, "an olive-tree." ”

“ I proceeded to declare my perfect satisfaction at the treatment I had received from the Dumhoeta during my stay at Amphila, and I promised, notwithstanding the change in my plans, to give them the whole sum which I had agreed to pay for a passage through their country, in the hope that it might render them grateful, and induce them hereafter to abide strictly by those principles of friendship for the English which they had sworn so solemnly to maintain. ”

“ ON Friday, December 8th, at four in the morning, we weighed anchor from Mocha Roads, and stood over to the coast of Abyssinia, accompanied by the ship's launch, which our Captain had fitted out With schooner rigging as a tender, steering W. 3⁄4 S. with a strong gale from the southward. The sea ran very high in mid-channel, but as we approached the Abyssinian shore, the water became smooth, and the wind more moderate, which is customary in crossing this part of the sea, however hard it may blow on the Arabian side. ”

“ I shall now give you further advice, with respect to what you mention 'that the Nayib of Massowa will not allow the guns to pass his country, from the apprehension of their being employed against him.' The only way is to make good presents to Alli Govéta, Alli Manda, and his friends, so that they with camels and mules may bring you up one day's journey to the salt plain, where I will meet you with a thousand of the Ras's people. ”

“ During our stay in this quarter, a large flight of these insects came over to one of the islands, and in a few days destroyed nearly half the vegetation upon it, not sparing even the bitter leaves of the rack-tree. These locusts are called Jerād in Yemen, and Anne in Dankali, and are commonly used as food by the wandering tribes of both these nations, who, after broiling them, separate the heads from the bodies, and devour the latter in the same manner as Europeans eat shrimps and prawns. ”

“ The shores to windward of these islands are, in general, steep; and, when the weather is foul, difficult of approach, owing to the encroachments of the sea, which have undermined the rocks, leaving in many places singular-shaped pillars and hollow caves, bearing a strong resemblance to works of art. On the leeward side, a grove of rack trees is commonly found, particularly convenient for supplying fire-wood to vessels, and the natives will permit any quantity to be cut down for a few dollars. ”

“ The tribe of greatest consequence is that of the Dumhoeta, who hold possession of the coast from Béluol to Aréna, besides considerable districts in the interior: the number of their fighting men may be computed at one thousand. Next to these may be reckoned the two tribes of the Taieméla and the Hadarem, each of which can bring two hundred men into the field; both having their residence among the mountains in the neighbourhood of the salt plain. ”

“ The only road into this country is by Massowa, which is frequented by the cáfila. Buré was formerly the road of the cáfila, but many of the people were killed by the Arata Bedowee. The Ras has no power whatever lower than where the salt comes from, which is Upper Buré. Massowa is at present on very good terms, and the best road that can be travelled. ”

“ A small species of hare, greatly resembling, a rabbit, which delights in frequenting dry and desert situations, seemed to be common on the coast. Among the birds worthy of observation, a large and fine species of bustard, and several species of lapwing were most conspicuous, all of which, upon an examination of the contents of their stomachs, appeared to feed chiefly on locusts, with which the neighbourhood was at this time much infested. ”

“ I discovered likewise a new species of lark, which is very common on all the islands, and which, from its colour and habits, may be aptly termed the desert lark. A list of these birds, arranged according to their proper genera and species, will be given, along with others found in Abyssinia, in the Appendix.
On the 23d we took leave of Alli Govéta and his friends at Amphila, [11] and set sail for Massowa. In attempting to get out of the harbour, the wind veered suddenly round to the eastward, which compelled us to come to an anchor in five fathoms, in the mid-channel. ”

“ These letters are written in a manner so strongly characteristic of the writer, that I shall without hesitation lay them before the reader in his own words.
⁠"Sir,
"I received your letter by the hand of Alli Manda, and I can assure you that it gave me the greatest happiness to hear you are well.
"I shall now tell you the best and safest way into this country: the road you mention by Buré is impracticable for any goods or person to travel safe. It is under no government. ”

“ At the same time he had refused to deliver up my letters to Alli Manda, and had written a foolish one in Arabic, which was forwarded by an inferior messenger; the young chief himself being too proud to "become a carrier," as he expressed it, "of any other than English letters." The consequence, which resulted from the arrival of this letter in the country, proved that the Ras paid no attention to its contents, as he declared, "that he could not descend to correspond with an Arab." ”

“ Dalrymple's hypothesis respecting the formation of coral islands has been very generally admitted to be correct, and indeed seems to account very satisfactorily for those not elevated more than one or two feet above the level of the ocean; since the moment one point of coral rises to its surface, birds will of course resort to it, and there leave shells, bones, and other remains of their food, which in time producing vegetation, may continually accumulate until the whole mass become a solid stratum of earth. ”

“ I saw at a glance that he might prove troublesome, and therefore, by way of securing his good will, made him a larger present than I had before intended, consisting of a remnant of broad cloth, some juwarry, coffee and coarse cloth. In the evening a large ox was sent from the shore, charged at ten dollars, which was in fine condition, and yielded 260lbs. of beef. This, as well as the rest of the cattle procured during our stay, was brought up from Aréna; the country round Madir yielding neither water nor pasturage for their support. ”

“ On the 20th January, Wursum's boat fortunately returned from Mocha with an ample supply of cloth, rice, and other articles, which enabled me to reward all the natives who had in any degree been of service to us; and, on the 22d, preparations were made for our departure from Amphila. Before I quit it, it may not be amiss to introduce a few general remarks, made during my stay on the spot, respecting the islands, the coast and its inhabitants. ”

“ When a marriage takes place, at which time great rejoicings are made, an intoxicating kind of liquor called booza is supplied by the friends, and the foot of a kid is cut off, and hung up in the house of the chief, to serve as a rude kind of calendar to mark the event. ”

“ All the tribes above-mentioned speak the same language, and may be considered as Danákil: [10] their united forces are said to amount to full six thousand men.
These tribes profess the religion of Mahomed, of which, however, they know little more than the name; they have neither priests nor mosques in their country. In their manners they are rude and uncultivated, leading a wandering life among the hills, and shifting about as occasion requires, from station to station, in search of pasture for their cattle. Each tribe is perfectly independent ”

“ A little juwarry bread, a small quantity of fish, an inadequate supply of goats and camels milk, and a kid on very particular occasions constitutes the whole of their subsistence. In the interior they live a little better, and possess large droves of cattle, which, during the rainy season yield abundance of milk. ”

“ The tribe is one of the Danákil, and said to be called Adoole, consisting of about two hundred persons, men, women and children, of whom a part resides on the islands of Dabalac, Valentia, and Howakil. The only communication which subsists between Ayth and Abyssinia lies by the way of Madir, a village situated at the bottom of the Bay of Amphila. ”

“ Those immediately in the neighbourhood of the villages are fit for use only during a short time after the rains have fallen, being at other periods dry or impregnated with salt water. The best wells are found on Amphila Point, about six miles east by south from the harbour, which afford a sufficient quantity of water for the supply of a fleet ”

“ It is worthy of observation, that the leaves of the rack, though exceedingly bitter and acrid to the taste, form the chief support of the numerous droves of camels kept on the coast, which, from this circumstance, are esteemed more stout and capable of bearing fatigue, than any others fed in a different manner. [9]
The supply of water on this coast depends upon a number of wells, rudely hollowed out by the natives. ”

“ The main points were fixed by my own observations taken with a theodolite on shore; and the shoals and soundings were ascertained by Captain Weatherhead. As the subject is not interesting to the generality of readers, I shall insert further particulars relative to the navigation of the Bay in the body of the chart itself.
On Saturday the 16th, the Dola of Madir, a brother of Alli Govéta, visited me on board the ship. His first appearance did not prepossess me much in his favour. Being a thin, tall, and elderly man, with a sharp hooked nose, and an eye like that of a vulture. ”

“ The Dola immediately took up the conversation: "We are," said he, "a people consisting of many Kurreas, [7] (tribes) and each has several head men. You now see those belonging to the Dumhoeta, besides which may be reckoned the Taieméla and the Hadarem, who have agreed with us to leave the settlement of this business to Alli Govéta and Alli Manda. ”

“ The other islands do not seem to have been at any time inhabited; but those which are accessible from the continent at low water, are sometimes visited by the natives, and the vegetation found upon them affords sustenance to a great number of camels, goats and kids, the flesh of which latter, in a wild state, is almost equal to venison. ”

“ This information was given me by Wursum, the son of Yunus, who on the death of his father had succeeded, according to the customs of the Somanil, to the command of the boat. This young man had come down to Ayth, for the purpose of performing the last duties to his deceased father, who having married a woman of a Dankali tribe, belonging to this village, had, on his being taken ill, retired to her house to die. ”

“ The dress of the women is somewhat more modest than that of the men, though not very appropriate to their sex, part of it being formed of a close covering resembling a species of drawers, the edges of which are variously ornamented with kowries and other shells. ”

“ Translation of a Letter from Nayib Idris and Omar Aga, chiefs commanding at Massowa (without date) to the chieftains of the Bedowee tribes in the neighbourhood of Amphila: (directed "to the land of the Dumhoeta") received by them on or about the fifteenth Showad, A. H. 1224 (Nov. 8th 1809.)
To Audku brother of Ahmed sons of Aysa Mahomed, Alli Govéta son of Kácena, Mukáin Ali son of Nukeeta, Aysa, 'Nacodar,' ('master of a dow') son of Alli Kiefar, Dittah Sáleh son of Moorain Mahomed, and all intelligent men of the tribe of Dumhoeta, upon whom rest the blessing of God. Amen. ”

“ Pearce, written in English, for the purpose of preventing any unpleasant consequences should they by chance fall into the hands of the Nayib.
This dispatch to Alli Govéta was rendered in some degree unnecessary by the arrival on the 14th of a young chieftain, named Alli Manda, [1] who proved to be a nephew of Alli Govéta, holding the command of a district on the mountains, over which the road lies to Abyssinia. He was a young man who possessed a strong and lively expression in his countenance, and was dressed in a striped silk garment, made after the fashion of the upper country. ”

“ Discovery of a secure Harbour in Amphila Bay—Communications with Alli Govéta, and other men of consequence on the Coast—Return of Alli Manda—Letters from Mr. Pearce—Resolutions in consequence—Conference with the principal men of the Tribes—Arrival of a messenger from Massowa—Determination to proceed to that Place—Second Dispatch to Abyssinia. Description of the Bay of Amphila—of the Coast—Manners, Dress, and Customs of the Tribes who inhabit it—Departure from Amphilas. ”