Narrative of a Mission to Central Africa Performed in the Years 1850-51, Volume 1: Under the Orders and at the Expense of Her Majesty's GovernmentRichardson, James
History
Narrative of a Mission to Central Africa Performed in the Years 1850-51, Volume 1: Under the Orders and at the Expense of Her Majesty's Government
Richardson, James
Africa, Central -- Description and travel; Africa, North -- Description and travel; Richardson, James, 1806-1851
We started rather late, about seven A.M., but made a long day,
continuing till sunset, or twelve hours. Our course was north-north-west
for three or four hours, on the plain towards Serdalous, and then
entered the pass of Abulaghlagh; which, though represented as plain and
smooth as the hand by Hateetah, was sufficiently difficult and rocky for
the boat-laden camels. The beginning of the pass was remarkable for a
number of curiously-formed sandstone rocks, several of them swinging or
resting on a small base like a pivot, and others cleft asunder, as
straightly and clearly as if cut by a knife. Our course along the pass
was west, but when well through it we turned round southwards towards
Ghât.
Immediately on clearing the pass we saw the celebrated Kasar Janoon, or
Palace of the Demons; of and concerning which the people had been
talking all day: we had then the range of hills or mountains to our
left, and some sand-hills on our right. Dr. Overweg at once discovered
we were in a new region, or zone. The mountains on the left are composed
of slate-marl, and not sandstone, as before stated by myself and Dr.
Oudney. Overweg considers them of a very peculiar character and is
delighted with their castle-like and battlemented shapes. But we shall
have much to say of these marl-slate mountains, coloured so beautifully,
and looking nobly to the eye.
Before entering the pass of Abulaghlagh, Hateetah hid some of his wheat
under the rocks to lighten his camels. I joked him, and told him I knew
his hiding-place, and would return and fetch the wheat. All over these
hills things are hidden, and often money, which is sometimes lost for
ever, the owner dying without pointing out his hiding-place. There was
no herbage for camels to-night, but we had brought a little hasheesh
with us. A strong wind set in towards evening and continued nearly all
night, preventing us from sleeping. We were much exhausted by our day's
march, and so were all our animals; they suffer much from these long
stretches. We gave them dates, as we give horses corn.
_14th._--We rose before daylight, and got off by sunrise, continuing
till about two hours after noon. The wind was so exceedingly strong,
blowing from the south-east, that we did not feel the heat of the sun.
But now and then we had strong gusts of hot wind, like the breath of a
furnace. I tied a thin dark cotton handkerchief over my eyes, and found
great relief.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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