'The Transactions of the Bombay Geographical Society. From December 1854 to March 1856. (New Issue.) Edited by the Secretary. Volume XII.' [‎84] (101/258)

Ixxxiv
PROCEEDINGS OF THE SOCIETY.
part of the world ; hanchvoven, they far surpass the produce of our manufactures
in beauty and durability. The city has little trade with Zeyla, properly its north
ern port, owing to an old dissension between the rulers. It sends three caravans
every year toBerberra, two small ones in January and February and a large one at
the end of the season. The latter may consist of about 2000 men : it stays but a
few days on the coast, when business is hurriedly transacted. He who commands
at Berbera “holds the beard of Harar in his hand,” is a phrase which I heard even
within the city walls.
Harar is celebrated for learning, but though tres repandu in society, I saw none
except in the purely religious sciences. Within the city a language is spoken
quite different from the Somali and the districts. It appears like the former to be
partly Arabic in Etymology and Grammar, the Semitic scion being grafted upon
an indigenous stock. I hastily collected the grammatical forms and a vocabulary,
which will, perhaps, afford the learned some idea of this as yet unknown tongue.
The Amir received me fiercely at first, thinking me to be a Turk. At the second
interview he accepted a revolver, and he dismissed me after 10 days with the pre
sent of a mule for myself and with a letter and a mule for the Governor of Aden.
During my stay the two Somalis who had been sent with me from Aden, behaved
admirably, both as regards courage and conduct. As small-pox was raging in the
town, I found an easy pretext for wishing to resume my journey. These African
cities are all prisons on a large scale. You enter at your own bidding—you leave at
another’s is the native proverb, true and significant. My speedy dismissal was
principally owing to a rcport spread by a Somali from the coast, that three brothers
had been sent by Government to Eastern Africa, one (Lieutenant Speke) landed
at Makhar, and the second (Lieut. Herne) was waiting for me (the third) at
Berberra. There is positively nothing to be seen in Harar ; even its Italian climate
and Alpine scenery will not compensate for the dangers and difficulties to be eu-
. countered among a bigotted people with a barbarous ruler.
Quitting the city on the 13th of January, I passed through in nine days the
grasping hands of the Garad Aden, a noted mauvais sitjet in this part of the world.
I had promised to meet Lieut. Herne at Berberra before the end of January.
Two inarches across the prairie convinced me that, if I accompanied my caravan,
we should not arrive there before the end of February. Therefore, committing my
four camels and one mule to the charge of two women cooks and a one-,eyed lad
hired at Zeyla, I placed them in the bands of the Gudabursi, telling him that they
were Sharmarkay's property, and with half a dozen biscuits, a few limes and lumps
of sugar pour toutpotaye, mounted my mule, and with three attendants and a spare
animal for the guide, started for the coast.
We took five days and the best part of two nights to finish the distance, which
in a straight line must be 180 statute miles A linear distance of 1,760 yards. . Our hapless mules bad to be brought
in with the spear. We chose the wildest roads, to save my servants from the
hostile Habeawal. The country was the reflection of the northern line over
which I travelled, and during two days we did not see a human, being. Happily for
us it rained almost every night, and thus our animals had water as well as g'rass.
At Berberra I met Lieuts. Herne and Stroyan, who were anxiously waiting my
arrival, and a few days of rest and food sufficed to restore my health and strength.
I am now preparing to start southwards at the end of the Berberra fair, with the
return caravans. We take with us cloth and provision for a six months march,
and pledge ourselves to survey only the Somali country.”
Lieutenant Burton, on arriving at Aden, proceeded on sick leave to England,
and after a stay of a few weeks, the spirit of adventhre still glowing within
him,—joined the army in the Crimea. I have dwelt the more fully on the
Somali Expedition, not only because of its being composed of Bombay Officers,
and by reason of our intimate connection with the country, which supplies Aden
with work-people, boatmen, and provisions,but because it is in our own reports
that the accounts of nearly all the preceding journeys into it have been record-