The Nile Tributaries of Abyssinia, and the Sword Hunters of the Hamran Arabs

CHAPTER I.. Above the Cataract.

ABOVE THE CATARACT.

Sterility--Arrival at Korosko--Twenty-six Days from Cairo--The Nubian Desert--Nature's Pyramids--Volcanic Bombs--The Stony Sea-- The Camel's Grave--The Crows of Moorahd--A delicious Draught--Rocks of the Desert--The perished Regiment--Arrival at the Nile--Distance from Korosko--Gazelles of the Desert--Dryness 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 Governor's Friendship--Save me from my Friends.

CHAPTER II.. The Cairo Dragoman Mahomet--Mahomet Forsakes His Pistols--the

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.

CHAPTER III.. Wild Asses of the Desert.

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 Hadendowa Arabs--The Wells of Soojalup--Antelopes--Antelope Stalking--Arab Migrations--The Arab's Prayer--The Barren Women--Difficulty in fording the River Gash--Arrive at Cassala--Hospitality of the Greek Merchant.

CHAPTER IV.. Route From Cassala to Souakim.

ROUTE FROM CASSALA TO SOUAKIM.

Facilities of the Port of Souakim--Fortifications of Cassala--Conquest 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.

CHAPTER V.. The Storm.

THE STORM.

Cotton Farm of Malem Georgis--Ferocious Crocodiles--Shoot a Monster--The Public Enemy--Resistance of a Crocodile's Scales--Discover Gold--Heavy Action 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.

CHAPTER VI.. Sheik Achmet Abou Sinn.

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 Rahat 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.

CHAPTER VII.. The Departure.

THE DEPARTURE.

First-class Hygeens--Travelling Arrangements--The Evening Bivouac--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 Establishment--My "Baby"--An African Elysium--No Pipe!--The Elements at Work.

CHAPTER VIII.. The Plagues of Egypt.

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 Holy Body--The Faky's Grave--Arab Doctoring--Delights of Arab Surgery--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--Arab 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 Meat across a River--Buoy for Men and Cargo--Scare the Crocodiles--The Lions devour the Giraffe--Arab Music--Arrange to cross the River.

CHAPTER IX.. Form a Raft With the Sponging Bath.

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.

CHAPTER X.. A Few Notes At Ehetilla.

A FEW NOTES AT EHETILLA.

Fire the Valley--Arrival of Birds--Seized by a Crocodile--Audacity of the Buzzard--The Abomination of Thorns--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--Advantages 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.

CHAPTER XI.. The Ford.

THE FORD.

Girls carried away by the Rapids--An amphibious Arab Girl--Search for the drowned Girl--The Corpse recovered--The Sheik lays down the Law--"The Fact is simply impossible"--The Sheik's Idea of Matrimony--The Duties of his Four 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 Katariff--The Market Day--Scenes at the Fair--Custom of scarifying the Cheeks--The Galla Slave--Purchase her Freedom --Singular Misunderstanding--Mahomet's Explanation--Mek Nimmur invades the Frontier--Mek Nimmur's Tactics--Insecurity of the Country--Mek Nimmur sends me his Compliments--Roder Sheriff's withered Arm--The Aggageers--Mixture for Bullets--We make Arrowroot--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 Explosive Shell--Recover my old wounded Elephant--Fraternize with the Sword Hunters.

CHAPTER XII.. Old Neptune Joins the Party.

OLD NEPTUNE JOINS THE PARTY.

The Arab Centaurs--Wild Arab Horsemanship--Discipline of the Gun-bearers--Off goes the Gun, and its Master!--Ombrega (Mother of the Thorn)--Leopard Springs into the Camp--The Dog carried off--The 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 Camp--Mahomet hears the Lions--Tales of the Base.

CHAPTER XIII.. The Lions Find the Buffalo.

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 Hippopotamus--Its Activity.

CHAPTER XIV.. A Foreboding of Evil.

A FOREBODING OF EVIL.

Jali's Thigh is broken--Abou Do saves Jali--Extraordinary Dexterity--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 Hunting--Power of Scent--Horns of the Rhinoceros--Peculiarity of the Rhinoceros--Rhinoceros Snare-- Barrake poisons herself--Attractive Food for Elephants--Florian killed by a Lion--Gloomy Prediction.

CHAPTER XV.. Antelopes on the Settite.

ANTELOPES ON THE SETTITE.

The Camp at Delladila--Trionis Nilotica--Fish linked to Reptiles--Scenes on the River's Margin--The Nellut (A. Strepsiceros)--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 Fire--The Mehedehet Antelope--Sauve qui peut!--Nearly caught--Fire 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.

CHAPTER XVI.. Abou Do Is Greedy.

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--Difficulty 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 feroce--We bury poor Barrake.

CHAPTER XVII.. We Reach the Royan.

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--Roder 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--Visit to Mek Nimmur--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 Nimmur--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 Nimmur--The Reception--The poisonous Stream--Unfortunate Contretemps--Nimmur behaves like a Gentleman--Pharaoh's lean Kine.

CHAPTER XVIII.. A Camel Falls, and Dies.

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 Hyaena 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".

CHAPTER XIX.. Send a Party to Reconnoitre.

SEND A PARTY TO RECONNOITRE.

Ahead of the Camels--The Maarif--View from the Peak--The Rhinoceros attacks the Horse--The Bullet saves him--Arrival 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 Exploration completed.

CHAPTER XX.. Arrival At Metemma, or Gallabat.

ARRIVAL AT METEMMA, OR GALLABAT.

Poisonous Water--The Trade of Abyssinia--We encounter Missionaries--The theological Blacksmith--The Missionaries' Medicine-Chest--Jemma, Sheik of the Tokrooris--The Egyptians' attack upon Gallabat--Settlement of the Tokrooris--Industry of the Tokrooris--Weapons, Type, and Character--The Colonization by Tokrooris--Honey Wine of Abyssinia--All drunk last Night--Distance from an Act of Parliament--We leave Gallabat--A Row with the Tokrooris--I settle the Tokroori Champion--A real flat-nosed African Nigger--Death of Aggahr and Gazelle--Forced March to the Rahad--The River Rahad.

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