Life with the Hamran Arabs. An account of a sporting tour ... in the Soudan during the winter of 1874-5. ... With photographs

Front matter

THE HAMRAN ARABS ILICS. LIFE WITH THE HAMRAN ARABS an account of A SPORTING TOUR OF SOME OFFICERS OF THE GUARDS IN THE SOUDAN DURING THE WINTER OF 1874-5 BY ARTHUR B. R. MYERS SURGEON, COLDSTREAM GUARDS WITH PHOTOGRAPHS LONDON SMITH, ELDER, & CO., 15 WATERLOO PLACE 1876 [A 1 1 rights reserved] TO MAJOR-GENERAL HIS SERENE HIGHNESS PRINCE EDWARD OF SAXE WEIMAR, C.B. THIS VOLUME IS (BY PERMISSION) ». t-itnteb IN REMEMBRANCE OF HIS PAST KINDNESS TO THE AUTHOR

Preface

. At THE REQUEST of many of our friends, I have con sented to publish the following account of our sporting tour in the Soudan, during the winter of 1874-75. But little alteration has been made in the daily entries of my journal, as I think-that those who take a personal in terest in our welfare will feel more in accord with us as they follow us through our novel experiences, our little trials and difficulties, and, finally, through that one great calamity which cast so dark a shadow over our joys, if I retain it in the simple form in which it was originally written ; and to those who knew him whose bright life was at last sacrificed to his love for sport, I feel every confidence that at least a portion of these pages will produce more than a passing interest. To the general public I should apologise for adding

PREFACE.

. one more to the ever-increasing list of similar publica tions, when it can but take a low rank amongst them. In conclusion, I would ask all my readers, as they will have ample scope for severe criticism, to bear in mind that the period to which my diary refers is very short ; that, owing to the necessarily great sameness in the daily routine of our lives, little matters were apt to attract undue notice ; and that, as we went out purely for the purpose of sport, this is the subject to which the following pages have been chiefly devoted. CONTENTS.

Chapter I

Arrival at Cairo — Reception by the Khedive— Our Staff— The first disappointment — Final arrangements at Suez — Great addition to our party — Visit to the photographer — How we fared on Christmas-day — Among the coral reefs — A patent hammock— M. Marcopoli — Arrival at Souakim — First Sunday on land — An Arab's genuine dollar — We settle down for the night — Enemies of the night — Departure of Gondokoro party — A valuable present . . . . . . page i

Chapter II

The desert journej* is begun — Hunger versus religion — Coke's camel shows off his paces — Important result — The Arabs are our masters — One practical lesson — Hadendowa Arabs' special pride — Their costume and armour — The right man in the right place — A dying camel — Model kitchen range — Ariel and Gazelle — Our first desert visitor — Arab home-life — A practical dairyman — Water filtration — Religious scruples are satisfied — A desert sunset — Even camel riding has its charms — Sport more varied — Whirlwinds and mirage — A narrative from ' Baker ' — Loss of a valuable companion — Demonstrative joy — Arrival outside the walls of Kassala . . . . . . .18

Chapter III

Munsinger Pasha — One of the family ? — Our reception by the Governor — Daily details of desert journeys — Kassala — Visit to ' a happy family ' — Our house — Nights at Kassala — Examination of stores — We entertain Munsinger Pasha — He tells us about his people — Government of the CONTENTS. X Soudan — Vaccination — Capable development of country— The river Gash — Albert in his element — We ride round the Town — A new cotton manufactory — Very mixed society — On abolition of slavery — Munsinger's prophecy — We leave Kassala — Parting words of advice . PAGE 40

Chapter IV

The Kassala mountain — Asclepias— Our relations 'at home 'jr-Albert and Bob see a cobra — A domestic disturbance — Villainous thorns — Arrival at the Hamran village — Hospitable reception — Novel telescope — We bathe in the Settite — Sheik Agbill — A good practical lesson — Choosing horses and engaging our hunters — A very intelligent Sheik — His neighbours — A modest request ...... 58

Chapter V

Gwayha — Departure from — Sheik Aghill learns our names — Arab rifles — Life of the Hamran sword-hunter — ' Baker's ' pictures — Our four hunters— Essafi is appointed the chief — We see elephant tracks — Hippopotami — Disposition of hunters — Heartless proceeding — Only stunned — Vivian among the elephants — Successful result — An unexpected moonlight meeting — Essafi's excitement — Waiting for a shot- Tracking a wounded elephant — The unlucky eight-bore —Native visitors — preparation for a great feast — First shot at a lion — Acacias — Native scent .......... 70

Chapter VI

A native fruit tree — Vivian again to the front — The successful sportsman's return— Our tents — A place vacant at dinner — Surrounded by buffaloes — Additions to game list — A delicacy from the forest — Hamran entertainment — Eccentricities of Uncle Sam — Catching turtle — Successful hunt — The Maariff and Mehedehet — Special characteristics — Unwelcome guests . . . . . . . . -87 •

Chapter VII

Our new encampment — Good sport with a buffalo — Study of tracks — A night alarm — Its practical lesson — Jali, the chief of the Hamran Sword-hunters— Ostriches — Their local value — The guinea fowl — Coke is unfortunate— Essafi on the track of rhinoceros— We disturb CONTENTS. XI the morning nap— Silver's vulcanite pad— Backsheesh— Our protectors — The dying hippo— Disturbance over the spoil— Arab method of preserving meat —Great increase of temperature — Superstition about rhinoceros' horn — A sudden call to arms— Result of playing with edge-tools — Giraffes ' at home ' — Voracious companions — An old friend page ioo

Chapter VIII

Abdullah returns to his master — The African buffalo — Bringing home a lively companion — Lions abound here— The Kassala post— The smooth-bore does its duty — Unpleasant society — Uncle Sam's invitation is refused — Our hunters' superstitions —Ostriches' eggs — Sanitary measures — How to catch a rhinoceros — Plenty of game — Extraordinary flight of small birds — The dead hippo — Study of native habits — Essafi's delicate attention — Coke's first lion adventure — A narrow escape — Uncle Sam's idea of safety . . . . . .121

Chapter IX

Cumming is attacked by a maariff — Is wounded in the thigh — Arabs try to entertain him — Arab method of wrestling — Emanuel to the front — Crocodiles' eggs — Cunning of the elephant — Great sympathy of our neighbours — Various birds — The Aboo Goumba — Marabou storks — Albert and Essafi have a row— Its cause and consequences — Albert receives a lecture — Respective merits of our staff — Uncle Sam gives proof of his courage — 'Inshallah' — Soreness of horses' backs — The great separation is arranged — Harness idea of a handsome costume 138

Chapter X

A sorrowful parting — Our immediate neighbours — Mek Nimmur — The Base — How they live — The Arabs' fear of them — Essafi's idea of plenty of water— A giant tree — Home of the bees — How their honey is taken — Sentenced to death — The old soldier's donkey — My first lion — Two shots are heard — Essafi's alarm — The explanation --Native language — We enter Abyssinia— Our Arabs object to come with us — Essafi's .encounter with a wounded maariff — Music of the night — Waiting upon> lion — Albert and the Italian oculist — A lesson in surgery . .156 CONTENTS XII

Chapter XI

A very unlucky day — An ostrich lost — Final smash of my pet gun — Jarrone decamps — Bad news for the Hamrans — Their opinion of Munsinger — An addition to our party — A popular dish — Fire-flies — Hadji Basheer's grief over the loss of Jarrone — Surrounded by enemies — A fatal shot — Essafi loses his charger — Sheik Aghill and the Abyssinian chiefs — Curious shot at a cobra — We lie in ambush — Vivian has exciting sport with a lion — Mohamed deserts his master — We set sire to the jungle — Watching and being watched — Albert's career as an oculist — Its unfortunate finale— Chasing a wounded giraffe . . PAGE 177

Chapter XII

Return to the Settite — Face to face — Lion-shooting experience— Twice disappointed — Comfortable quarters — Essafi in disgrace— Drawbacks to perfect happiness — Ants and butterflies — A charitable conclusion — Hauling a hippo to land — Peaceful enjoyment — When animals drink — Diligence in prayer — Governor, two goose ! — Is it Jarrone ? — Unadulterated ' butter ' — Guided by vultures — Attacked by the Base — Hadji Basheer visits the Arab camp — His new pet — Troops of baboons — Arab teeth — How to make a koorbatch — Giraffe-hunting — Habits of rhinoceros — The well-known foot-print — Satisfactory hunt — Jali arrives — A crocodile bags my hyæna — Departure of Kassala post — Losing a ' right and left' at lions— A fine specimen — Arrival of birds of prey — Tracking a female slave — Her escape — The slave trade— A cheap offer .......... 196

Chapter XIII

The rhinoceros bird — A lucky shot — A doubtful friend — One week's sport — Night visit to an unknown camp — A ' peculiar ' Arab left to die ? — Return of the sick horse — We lie in wait for ostriches — Their nest — Experienced thieves — The Seance is disturbed — Midnight visitors — Water from a new skin — Thirst — Thoughts of the Base — Sheik Aghill with us again — His little dodges — We entertain him — Arab vanity — A disappointing study — Success of a galvanic battery — Suggestive performance of Aghill — His liberal offer — His appeal — Essafi is the sufferer — Dying struggle of a lioness — Is it by sight or by CONTENTS. XIII scent ? — Shot at last — A feast for a Gourmet — A malformed head— Cumming visits us — The heat becomes oppressive — Approach of the rains — A doubtful performance— Buffalo hunt at night— A deaf and dumb Arab— He kills a wounded buffalo — More about Albert's past life — He converses freely with the deaf and dumb Arab — Surprising news . . . ■ PAGE 221

Chapter XIV

A great gathering — An unpleasant position — Report of the Massowah party — Arkwright attacked by Abyssinians — His narrow escape — Cumming is nursed by Emanuel — A trapped rhinoceros — No news from home ! — Small-pox at Kassala — Mohamed and Ibrahim fight — Hadji Basheer is wounded — Coke is chased by a rhinoceros — We feel more respect for this animal — Coke recognises an old friend — Hippopotamus shooting — An unnecessaiy alarm — Our fishing experiments ........... 247

Chapter XV

Homeward bound — Arab cattle — The proof positive — Fine specimen of the Hamran Arab — Ibrahim's treat — Dethronement of Aghill — Great rejoicings — Sport on April 1 — Watching by night for elephants — A comfortable bed — Harmless visitors — Bad news from Ranfurly — A fatiguing ride — A capital joke ? — Ranfurly is ill with dysentery — Its cause — Cumming's first rhinoceros — Not dead yet ! — Success of Arkwright and Ranfurly — Ranfurly is better — The wart hog — Pork versus Koran 261

Chapter XVI

Ranfurly and Arkwright separate — Arab elephant trap — Essafi gives me an easy shot at a lion— Questionable night visitors — Ranfurly feels the heat greatly — An eventful day — A shot in the right place — The diary is neglected — I pay the penalty of exposure to the sun — Another grave case — An unpleasant occupation — Surprising result — Vivian kills a sine lion — Albert ignores the sun — Our sick list increases. — Great sport of Arabs — Abyssinian • customs — An Arab killed CONTENTS. by a lion — Albert very ill— Great prostration of Ranfurly and myself — A favourite practice amongst Arabs — Rain at last — Highest temperature yet recorded ....... page 275

Chapter XVII

Return to the Hamran village — Aghill no longer all-powerful — Ranfurly rapidly losing strength — Great thunderstorm — Our parting with the Hamrans — First halt on homeward desert journey — An anxious night with Albert — Is he dead? — Where are the others? — Once again together — Our troubles increase — Albert utterly collapses — Arrival at Kassala — Kind treatment of Greeks — Lorenzo joins us — All at Kassala — An important question — Albert's shock — Preparations for departure — Great sport of our friends — Mr. Cohen entertains us — Last night in Kassala ......... 290

Chapter XVIII

Departure from Kassala — Our faithful friends — Stranded in the desert — We send for relief — Killing time — On again minus some baggage — A sudden check— Ibrahim supplies the larder — An appeal for water — Our limited supply — Ranfurly's condition is more hopeful — A bath in the desert — Hadendowa Arabs again — A night hurricane — A grave complication — Vivian is injured — Ranfurly's state becomes critical— More Arabs desert — We seize camels — Our guide loses his way — Anxiety about Vivian — Painful desert travelling — Burning winds and blinding sandstorms — Vivian still absent . . . 305

Chapter XIX

A grave question to decide— Our little stores — Ranfurly's great trials — We keep watch over our last Arab — Vivian is heard of — Are our troubles now to end? — Unpleasant misgivings as to food A lucky shot — The last desert dinner — No water!— The desert journey is over — A meeting of friends — Hcuse of Ali Effendi — Vivian arrives The last night on land— What comfort in that prayer ! — Visit to the Governor — Souakim and its inhabitants — Young girls and women water-carriers — Liberality of our host — We go on board the ' Cosfeet' CONTENTS. XV

Chapter XX

Postponement of departure— Ranfurly sleeps— His last moments-His burial— Alii Addeen Bey— A curious coincidence-Good-bye to Souakim— How to regain stolen property— Result of experiments- Blowing a gale— An unpleasant roll— The priest's dream— Arrival at Suez— Our expedition is at an end page 341 APPENDIX— Weather Report 35 * LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. Mounted Relics . \s'. ' .X/ • • • Frontispiece Water Buck (Kohus ellipsyprymnus) to face sage 97 Rhinoceros (R. Keitloa) „ n6 Malformed Maariff (Hippotragus Bakerii) . ,,238 Soudan Souvenirs . . -,m

Chapter I

December 1 1. — At last our much-talked-of shooting expedition to the Nile tributaries of Abyssinia feels like a reality, for we have set foot in Cairo, and now whilst wandering about in the midst of the teeming population of. an Eastern city, jostled by men of all nationalities in their characteristic costumes, it is no wonder that the fact is brought very plainly before our minds that our winter programme has really begun, and that we must set to work in earnest to complete our arrangements for it. Our most important stores, including rifles, guns, and ammunition, were despatched from England last October, and one dragoman has already been engaged ; and as our steamer does not leave Suez for Souakim until the 22nd, we have ample time at our disposal. Our own party at present only numbers four — viz., Lord Coke, Sir W. Gordon Cumming, Captain Vivian and I - B myself, and on the arrival by the next mail steamer of Lord Charles Ker it will be complete.

Two other friends are waiting here for the departure of the Red Sea steamer on the 22nd— viz., the Earl of Ranfurly and Mr. Charles Arkwright, but they purpose landing at a port beyond Souakim, named Massowah, to hunt chiefly in the Bogos country. Life in Cairo has been so often described and is now so well known, that it would be but. repetition to record our daily doings here, so I shall for the present confine myself to such matters of detail as have immediate reference to our expedition. Dec. 14. — We have accomplished one important business to-day in having been presented to the Khedive by the Consul-General, who explained to him in French the purport of our visit. With this the Khedive was evidently much amused, but he was greatly astonished at our undertaking so long a journey as to the Soudan merely for sport when there was so much to be obtained in our own country.

He has promised us every assistance in his power, so far as granting us firmans to the governors of those districts under his rule through which we shall have to pass. Afterwards I presented a letter of introduction to Nubar Pasha from Mr. W. H. Russell, and though he is now out of office he may prove of great service to us, for he has most kindly promised me letters both to his OUR STAFF. 3 cousin Arekel Bey,1 Governor of Massowah, and to the governors of Souakim and Kassala, who he states are his intimate friends. Our Maltese dragoman, named Emanuel Vassalo, has been very busy all day making out lists of things that he thinks we shall require, but as he has had no experience of such an expedition as ours they will need very careful supervision. He at least enters very keenly into the spirit of the thing, and, judging by his testimonials, we ought to consider we have found that wonder of wonders, an honest dragoman.

He has brought with him from Malta a young friend whom, according to his wish, we have agreed to take to act as an assistant to him. His name is Achille Perotti, but by common consent he is to be known for the future as ' Bob.' He has a thoroughly good honest face, and, what is also of great importance, he looks a strong healthy fellow. This certainly cannot be said of another young fellow, named Albert Bensilum, whom we have engaged to-day as a second dragoman in consequence of his excellent testimonials and of his having spent one winter in Kassala, and therefore knowing something of the country we are about to visit. Of very slight build and sallow complexion, he does not appear to be the man to 1 Arekel Bey, with some Egyptian soldiers, has been recently killed in Abyssinia by native soldiers.

B stand the rough life we expect to encounter, but he declares himself to be thoroughly strong and well, and his perfect knowledge of English and Arabic makes him a valuable addition to our party. He looks like an Italian, but we have not as yet found out his nationality. Still one more addition has been made to our number to day by the engagement of a cook, recommended by Emanuel, named Mohamed. He at least is not likely to suffer from the heat in the Soudan, for he is a swarthy Nubian, and almost as black as a coal. Having picked up a few English words in Nile expeditions, he would fain have us believe he is master of the language, but this is a minor matter if his knowledge of his special art is a trifle less limited. The additional stores we are collecting here are rapidly assuming a rather too imposing appearance, owing to sundry sacks of rice, biscuits, potatoes, camel saddles (which have been made for us), water barrels, and leather bottles ; besides numerous articles of food in smaller quantities and sundry camp requisites, that Emanuel considers indispensable ; among these are two huge traps, with massive chains, which, owing to the great strength required to set them, promise to be a source of far greater danger to ourselves than to any night visitor to our camp.

Dec. 1 8. — I arrived last evening at Alexandria, and to-day, after seeing our goods cleared at the Customs, FINAL ARRANGEMENTS AT SUEZ. 5 returned to Cairo. Fortunately for us the Khedive telegraphed to the Custom House officials to pass them without loss of time, or we should certainly have lost our steamer. Our first disappointment dates from to-day ; for Ker, who arrived at Alexandria this morning, has received very urgent telegrams from England, which will necessitate his return by to-morrow's steamer. Dec. 22. — All at Suez last night ; but preceded by Coke by two days, as he went in advance with Mohamed to see to our interests there ; for not only have we to find our own supplies on board the steamer, but also a cook and kitchen utensils. He experienced great difficulty in getting our ammunition put on board the steamer, and not without telegraphing to the Consul- General for his assistance, when the matter was promptly settled.

Besides our own party and the two friends mentioned as going to Massowah, there are other passengers who will join our mess on board — viz., Captain Burnaby, Mr. J. Russell, and M. Marcopoli, who will land at Souakim, en route to Gondokoro, to join Colonel Gordon's expedition ; and also the Earl of Mayo and Mr. Flower, ,who intend landing at Massowah on a distinctly separate shooting expedition to that of Ranfurly and Arkwright. We therefore number, with our ten servants, twenty-one in all, and we have entered into a contract with a general provision dealer here to supply us with provisions and live stock for the voyage, for 44/. It is calculated that the steamer, named ' Dessouk,' will arrive at Souakim, a distance of about 750 miles, in four days, and Massowah, 200 miles farther, in less than six days from time of departure.

Mr. Levick, the English post-master here, has given us very useful assistance in the despatch of our goods and through him we learn that we should have been saved much trouble and expense if we had had them consigned to an agent at Suez instead of Alexandria, where the charge for landing and carriage to Suez amounted to nearly 60/. Suez has not many attractions for a stranger, so we have occupied a good part of the morning in a visit to the barber, who carried out our orders to the letter according to our individual tastes, some allowing the razor to make a clean sweep of their faces, whilst others preferred the very closest application of the scissors to their heads. Thus so altered as to be hardly recognisable to one another, and more nearly resembling a party of convicts, we adjourned to the photographer, and if he does us justice it will prove a valuable and interesting group to send to our friends on our return.

After luncheon we were taken on board the 'Dessouk' by a Government steam tug, as she was lying about three miles from Suez ; and at 4 P.M. she got under weigh, a fresh breeze blowing at HOW WE FARED ON CHRISTMAS-DAY. 7 the time from the south-east, the sky overcast and the day therefore cool. Mohamed at Suez did his utmost to get into our good graces, and, fearing lest anything in his charge might be stolen, would guard our stores by night and by day. To-day Albert has come to the front in a critical moment during the transfer of our baggage to the ' Dessouk,' in consequence of Emanuel having drunk success to the expedition just once too often with his friends at Suez to be of any use at the time. By universal consent we have decided that a light breakfast at 8 A.M., a more substantial one at 1 1.30 A.M., dinner at 5 p.m., and supper at 9 p.m., will be the best way to kill time on board ship compatible with health ; and our cook, Mohamed, has been appointed chef de cuisine.

Dec. 25. — With the thermometer standing at S40 in the shade, it is difficult to realise that this is really Christ mas-day, but we have not been without the means of bearing it in mind in a social sense, thanks to a present from Mr. Grace, our Alexandrian agent, of a plum-pudding of most perfect home manufacture, and to another from the Peninsular and Oriental Company of some ice by which we were able to conceal any slight deficiencies in the quality of Cairo champagne; nor have we lacked the musical element, for Mayo has a banjo, and is accompanied by an English engineer of the steamer on the fiddle. The wind, however, is continuing to blow very freshly from the south-east, and causing the steamer to roll greatly has somewhat damped our spirits. We are, nevertheless, a very jolly party, and the ' Dessouk ' is very comfortably fitted up, especially one large cabin, which was originally intended for the ladies of the Hareem.

Dec. 26. — Yesterday the Captain, an old Egyptian, told us that we should arrive at Souakim this afternoon in all probability, but in consequence of his fearing during the night that he might run the steamer on the coral reefs which abound in this part of the Red Sea, he altered the course so much to the east that we have lost ground considerably, and cannot now arrive before to morrow. Whilst the steamer was being brought back this morning to her proper course, we had the pleasant excitement of suddenly finding that we were running right on to a coral reef ; only two small points of rock appeared above the surface, but stretching along for a great distance directly in front of us the unmistakable line of breakers denoted the impassable barrier, with on one side of it a sheet of perfectly smooth water.

The excitement of the crew and the rapid bearing round again to the east, showed us pretty plainly that this obstruction had neither been expected nor observed much too soon for the general safety. At 4 p.m. we an- A PATENT HAMMOCK. 9 chored in a harbour named Sheik el Baghout, where we must remain till daybreak. In the meantime we are not allowed to go on shore, owing to quarantine being in force for some parts of the coast. The nights are so warm that we have preferred sleeping on deck, and Ranfurly has had to set up a patent hammock, with which some of our party have also been supplied, and here it certainly answers ad mirably. Its chief points of fixture are two very strong iron pins made like a corkscrew, which are meant to be screwed into the earth, but now have been driven into the deck, though the Captain, curiously enough, did raise some slight objection to the proceeding.

These screws are placed at a short distance beyond the hammock, to which they are fastened by ropes, and the hammock is thus raised about a foot from the ground and made taut by fixing a forked stick about midway beneath the connecting ropes at each end. They are certainly pretty, but I doubt their being good serviceable beds for travelling over varied soils, and they have one disadvantage in being very expensive, each, if I remember rightly, costing over io/. M. Marcopoli has proved him self a most agreeable addition to our present circle, and it is he to whom Sir Samuel Baker refers so frequently in ' Ismalia ' as Marco Polo. He is a Greek, and has so thoroughly mastered Arabic that he not only speaks the language, but also reads it with perfect facility. Burnaby is the most industrious of our party, and may frequently be seen holding a conversation with one of the crew with the assistance of an Arabic vocabulary (Sacroug), and he is making rapid progress in their language.

There is a party of French Roman Catholic missionaries, including a bishop, on board, bound for Massowah, and when not occupied with their meditations they take great interest in hearing allrabout our future respective plans, though they perhaps would agree with the Khedive that we are putting ourselves to a very great amount of trouble merely for sport. M. Marcopoli has translated for our benefit our various firmans. One from the Khedive to the Governor of Souakim orders that every attention shall be paid to us, and that all our ammunition and stores shall be landed without examination. Another, to Munsinger Pasha, the chief representative of the Government in this portion of the Egyptian dominions, whose head-quarters are at Kassala, requests that all necessary protection shall be given us whilst in his dis trict, and that our wants shall be supplied so far as possible.

Dec. 27. — We arrived this morning in the harbour of Souakim, and anchored about a quarter of a mile from the town. At this distance it has a somewhat imposing appearance, as the chief buildings, with a few minarets, are collected together on a small island only separated ARRIVAL AT SOUAKIM. 11 from the rest of the town by a narrow strip of water, and slightly elevated above the mainland, which extends for miles as a low flat plain, bounded in the distance by ranges of mountains that have been partially obscured from our view by a slight mist. After seemingly endless confusion and excitement amongst the black-skinned local boatmen, we succeeded at last in getting our apparently enormous stores transferred to their cranky boats, and then, under the guidance of M. Marcopoli, we landed on the island and went to the house of the governor, and in his absence were received by his representatives, to whom we presented our firmans.