Henry Salt

“ The natives of Abyssinia in general seem to entertain more than usual dread of this animal; for, if any one goes to the Tacazze even to wash his hands, he takes a companion with him to throw stones into the water for the purpose of keeping off the crocodile; and in crossing a ford, it is usual with the natives to carry their spears and to make as much noise as possible, though these animals are seldom known to frequent the shallower parts of the stream: while the very thought of bathing in the river seemed to strike them all with horror. ”

“ He fancied that he was sitting on the brow of a hill, and, that he saw me, in a plain below, passing along and sowing grain with both hands, and that the corn sprung up instantaneously round me in great profusion; while, at the same instant, he perceived, that his lap was full of gold. It is astonishing what an effect trifling circumstances of this description produce in a country where the minds of the inhabitants are deeply tinged with superstition and a love of scriptural lore. ”

“ As they descended into the valley, the inhabitants of Chelicut went out to receive them, and greeted them with the same joyful acclamations with which they honour their warrior's when they return from battle. The service of escorting these cafilas may be considered indeed as extremely hazardous; the whole neighbourhood of the plain, from which the salt is procured (which has been before described,) being infested by a cruel race of Galla, who make it a practice to lie in wait for the individuals engaged in cutting it. ”

“ Throughout this extensive district, all crimes, differences, and disputes, of however important or trifling a nature, are ultimately referred to his determination, all rights of inheritage are decided according to his will, and most wars are carried on by himself in person. To rule a savage people of so many different dispositions, manners, and usages as the Abyssinians, requires a firmness of mind, and a vigour of constitution, rarely united in the same individual at his advanced age ”

“ Chelika Negusta, then a young man of only nineteen years of age, was of too proud a disposition to let such outrages pass with impunity; and, therefore, took occasion, the first time he met his opponent, personally to affront him, and, with more courage than prudence, challenged him to single combat. The elder chief, who had before been distinguished in battle, accepted the challenge, expressing, at the same time, great contempt for his antagonist ”

“ At this instant three of us discharged our guns, the contents of which appeared to strike on its forehead; when it turned its head round with an angry scowl, made a sudden plunge, and sunk down to the bottom, uttering a kind of noise between a grunt and a roar. We for some minutes entertained very sanguine hopes, that we had either killed or seriously wounded the animal, and momentarily expected to see the body float on the surface; but we soon discovered, that an hippopotamus is not so easily killed ”

“ The river Arequa appears, from the width of its bed, and the body of water which occasionally comes down in the rainy season, to be larger than any other existing between the coast and the Tacazze. It is said to rise at a place called Assa, about ten miles only from Antálo, whence it runs nearly in a north-west direction, through the province of Avergale, until it joins the former river in the district of Temben, so that it probably collects in its course the various small streams which water the fertile province of Enderta. ”

“ Pearce kept him amused in conversation; as, in a former instance, when I had made a similar attempt, the man, having perceived what I was about, ran away in great alarm, through fear of a spell being laid upon him. Perhaps it may be worthy of remark, that these Galla, on observing the red hair of one of our party, were so much delighted with it, that they called him, "Moti," a name equivalent to that of Ras, [20] in the Abyssinian language. The Abyssinians, on the contrary, made the light colour of our hair, and the pale complexion of our features, an occasional subject of ridicule. ”

“ According to tradition, the Agows were once worshippers of the Nile, but so late as in the seventeenth century they were converted to the Christian religion, and are now more particular in their attention to its duties, than most of the other natives of Abyssinia. Like the people of Dixan, they are very regular in their morning's devotion; for which purpose, the inhabitants of each village assemble before the door of their respective chiefs, at the earliest dawn, and recite their prayers in a kind of rude chorus together. ”

“ Bruce could have forgotten altogether, on his return, the fact of Signor Balugani's having attended him during his whole excursion to the Nile, (a circumstance which appears to me absolutely incredible in itself) yet can it be believed for a moment, that he should not have been reminded of the fact by the frequent sight of the Italian manuscript journal, &c. written by Balugani, which is full of his own personal observations, and from which we know that Mr. Bruce, in writing his work, continually made extracts? ”

“ Several of the chiefs cried out, that "the destruction had come upon them which they had expected to ensue from our arrival in the country;" others, more alarmed, crept under the couches; and some ran, frightened and screaming, into the corners of the room: while the Ras and a few only of the more resolute kept quietly on their seats. At the instant that I perceived the confusion which was likely to be produced by this exhibition, I jumped from my couch, stood immediately before the Ras, and, with open arms, kept off the sparks of fire that fell towards him ”

“ Tacazze: they make us slaves.
Our mothers with alarm flee to the mountains;
and leave us alone in strange hands."
Generally speaking, however, the slaves in Abyssinia are very happy; and several of those I conversed with, who had been captured at an advanced period of life, preferred their latter mode of living to that which they had led in their native wilds; a circumstance which, in a great measure, may be attributed to the docility of their character which allows them soon to become naturalized among strangers. ”

“ Chelika Negusta had early in life inherited the possession of a small district in the neighbourhood of the Tacazze, on the borders of which resided a more powerful chief, who, taking advantage of the superior number of his troops, was continually in the habit of plundering the domains of his neighbour. ”

“ These poor fellows, who are generally of the lowest order of natives, are said, in the absence of the Balgudda and his parties, to be compelled to lie down flat on the surface, when working, that they may escape the observation of their barbarous enemies, and, on the approach of a stranger, they are described as running away with great alarm to the mountains. Even when the Balgudda and his soldiers are present, frequent skirmishes take place between them and the savage borderers, in which the Galla, however, are generally the sufferers. ”

“ Among other presents which I had taken up into the country, a quantity of artificial fire-works had been selected, chiefly consisting of serpents, small wheels, and crackers, which at different times had afforded the Ras and his chiefs much amusement; the former taking great delight in lighting them himself, and in throwing them among his attendants. Several Galla chiefs, whom I have before mentioned, and other strangers being present at the time, the Ras expressed a desire that I would let Mr. Pearce exhibit some of the best of these compositions; which were accordingly produced. ”

“ The tribe, of which he had been a member, was called Dizzela, inhabiting a district named Dahanja, three days journey beyond the Nile, in a country bearing the general appellation of Damitchequa. He mentioned, that his countrymen entertain a very imperfect notion of God, whom they call Mussa-guzza. The only species of adoration they offer up to the deity, is during a great holiday, called kemoos, when the whole people assemble to sacrifice a cow, which is not killed in the usual way, by having its throat cut, but by being stabbed in a thousand places. ”

“ The first situation he held of any importance, and which undoubtedly led to his greatness, that of Balgudda, or protector of the salt caravans, which come up from the plains of Assa Durwa; an office always conferring considerable consequence on its possessor, owing to his being entitled to a duty on every load of salt imported into the country, and from the power which it gives him of withholding this very necessary article of consumption as well as of barter, from the interior provinces. ”

“ I have before omitted to mention, that at the commencement of Lent, the priest Guebra Mariam, who attended us from Massowa, had proved of great service, owing to his having kindly absolved the whole of our party from the necessity of keeping it, a privilege which it appears the priests of the country are entitled to grant to all persons engaged in travelling, or similar pursuits. Some little difficulty had been experienced in persuading Ayto Debib to accept this indulgence; but, after seeing us eat meat for a few days, his inclination got the better of his scruples ”

“ As all these chiefs had sent me presents of cattle on my arrival, I felt it necessary to bestow upon them some trifling gifts in return, with which the seemed highly gratified. The Prince, Kasimaj Yasous, was also constant in his visits, whom I found to be very superior in accomplishments to most of the young men in the country, as he both read and wrote the Geez with unusual facility. The young men attending him, who were all natives of Gondar, appeared likewise to be more careful in their dress, and more polished in their manners, than the inhabitants of Tigré ”

“ They have no long voyage to make, no violent change of habits to undergo, no outdoor labour to perform, and no "white man's scorn" to endure; but, on the contrary, are frequently adopted, like children, into the family, and, to make use of an Eastern expression, "bask in the sunshine of their master's favour."
On the 2d of May, in consequence of my having acceded to Mr. Coffin's desire of remaining in the country, the Ras assembled at midnight four of the chief priests of Antalo, and declared before them his intentions respecting both him and Mr. Pearce. ”

“ With such views, on the 5th of April I left Chelicut, accompanied by Mr. Pearce, Mr. Coffin, Ayto Debib, and a young chief named Chelika Negusta, holding a district in the part of the country through which our road lay, and whom the Ras had appointed to attend us with an escort. I had a short time before been made acquainted with some circumstances relating to the life of this young man, which are so characteristic of the manners of the country, that I shall here mention them by way of introducing him to the knowledge of the reader. ”

“ On the 8th of April we left Agora, at an early hour, and proceeded westward, about three miles, when, having arrived in one of the most picturesque scenes that can be imagined, among some rude rocks, rising by the side of the river Arequa, we left our mules in a place of security, and gave up the morning to the pursuit of the various species of game which abounded in the neighbourhood, consisting of Guinea-fowl, partridges, and deer of various kinds, of which we killed more than sufficient to supply the whole party with food for the day. ”

“ Their horses are generally strong, of a beautiful make, and in very high condition; but the latter part of the description could not be very correctly applied to the riders, who, from the long continuance of the fast, looked, for the most part, terribly thin and emaciated. The Abyssinians, in general, are well skilled in horsemanship, and exceedingly graceful in their movements, managing their arms with great dexterity, and at the same time never for an instant losing the perfect command of their horses. ”

“ They do not marry so early as the Abyssinians, but wait till they are seventeen or eighteen years of age, yet no such thing as connection between the sexes is said to be ever known to take place till after marriage. Adultery is punished with death. The women, besides taking care of the house, assist the men in ploughing, and are entitled to an equal share of the produce of the land. ”

“ Here we perceived a sensible change in the atmosphere, and the thermometer at mid-day was 65°.
On the following day we left Antálo, at half past seven o'clock; and having passed through a rich and highly cultivated part of Enderta, which seemed to be well supplied with water, entered the district of Wazza. We afterwards descended two steep precipices, which brought us, in the evening, to a rude and picturesque village, called Cali, situated in a nook of the mountains, in the district of Saharti. ”

“ When a man dies, he is buried without ceremony in his clothes: and the relations kill and feast on the cattle he leaves behind him, the wife having for her share, the household furniture which her husband may have possessed, and the sons inheriting his arms, implements of agriculture, and land. The favourite occupation of the men is hunting ”

“ I shall merely observe, that at the commencement of such meetings, nothing can be more agreeable than to witness the gaiety, mutual harmony, and mirth which is displayed, and it is remarkable, that, even during the scenes of intoxication, which almost variably ensue, the higher ranks are very rarely known to quarrel, no single instance of any one of them drawing his knife on such an occasion having ever fallen under my own observation. ”