'The Transactions of the Bombay Geographical Society. From January 1865 to December 1867. (Edited by the Honorary Secretary.) Volume XVIII.' [‎5] (140/268)

I
al ^setoj
° te Puaii
! country,
‘“Prisonej
afterwards
' le mission,,
m and of (,
ftmd by attj
d purpom,,
ions. Thej:
ie ir wires, i
e well supp!
t he gives ft
■lassowa, an
Acting Frei
aptain Caira
5, in the Boj
; on Hamassf
nission;
op can suppoi
oned with li
chiefly to
^ Kerens ft
a issued hf
all Europer
:ted for Kasss
s knowing j
plain Camei 1
vs of his ft)
nly, ®
iotherw esst *
wever,
:hy and P'j
the TalkJ 0
•An •
errift 0 ’
g July
)2 deg' a
ie relate
A u 3
PRESENT STATE OF ABYSSINIA. 5
of the shore, we found that from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. the thermometer
stood at 100 to 115 deg., and our intended stay of three days was re
duced to one day on experiencing the change of temperature.
The Kafelahs from Abyssinia and the Soudan arrived in Massowa
during the latter end of September, bringing large quantities of gold,
ivory, hides, civet, bees’ wax, &c-, which are exchanged at Massowa
with the merchants for piece goods, gunpowder, lead, velvets, &c. At
Massowa the price of gold was 15J to 16 dollars per dollar’s weight;
that of the best ivory 50 dollars for 43 lb. of 16 dollars’ weight; bees’
wax about 5 lb. per dollar ; gunpowder was sold at Massowa at 3}
dollars per lb., but the sale is now entirely prohibited by the Sublime
Porte, who, despite the constant boast of King Theodorns “that his
kingdom extends to the sea,” exercise the control and collect the
taxes of the whole of the lowland bordering on the sea, to a distance
of 40 miles inland. In conclusion, I would beg to remind you that
these statements are but gleanings, derived generally from a race who
study untruthfulness as an art, and who consider the capability of
concocting a series of falsehoods in verification of each other a desir
able accomplishment at all times; and I may also mention that no
vessel, either native or European, was (during my stay) allowed to
leave for Aden (a matter of rare occurrence), without some most
plausible rumours and reports having been specially concocted and im
ported to Massowa, doubtless in the hope of obtaining some small
remuneration for the (to be presumed) welcome facts, so opportunely
arriving for transmission to our friends.
During the month of October the monotony of Massowa was very
tr ving to all the mission, and to myself peculiarly so; and having
suffered severely for some time from the great variation in temperature,
which began to occur almost hourly, my friend Dr. Blanc, and myself,
arranged an excursion to Ailaat, with objects which I have previously
stated. Accordingly, having obtained tents, camels for carriage of ser
vants and our kit, guides and other necessaries (and having sent on the
tents the evening before, attended by the nephew of the Naieb and an
oiderly kindly lent by the Acting Governor, intending them to reach
Sciati, the first resting and watering place, situated about 15 miles due
w est from Massowa, at daylight on the day of our starting, and to have
Die whole day to pitch them and arrange for our arrival), I left
Massowaatsunset to join Dr. Blanc at Moncooloo, a village distant about