The Highlands of EthiopiaHarris, William Cornwallis, Sir
History
The Highlands of Ethiopia
Harris, William Cornwallis, Sir
Ethiopia -- Description and travel
On the last day of the month, after nearly a week's tedious detention in
an insalubrious and soul-depressing spot, surrounded by black basaltic
rocks, where little forage could be obtained, where water, although
abundant, was extremely bad, and where the persecutions of prying
savages, from whom there was no escape, were unceasing, the Embassy was
again permitted to resume its march. Every hour had seemed an age, and
"_Galla gassetoi_," the well-known cry to load, had therefore never been
listened to with more heartfelt delight. Until after the rear of the
string of camels left the ground, and Izhak was fairly seated on his
mule, it was scarcely possible to believe that some fresh cause of
detention would not be discovered; but the debates were at last over,
and the litigants, weary of raising new objections, suffered their
victims to advance in peace.
The road wound up the Killulloo Wady, and thence over a barren rise
strewed with obsidian, and with stones, the common pest of the country,
to Waramilli. An interesting sight was presented in the line of march
of a tribe proceeding in quest of water to the northward--a long line of
dromedaries, homed cattle, oxen, sheep, and goats, interspersed by women
and children, scantily clad in leathern petticoats, and laden with the
rude date matting of portable wigwams, or the still ruder implements of
household gear. Whilst the females thus bore heavy burdens slung across
their breasts or led the files of camels, upon which rocked the long,
raking, ship-like ribs of the dismantled cabin, the lazy lords sauntered
ungallantly along, encumbered with naught save the equipment of spear
and buckler, the ferocious aspect of all giving ample presage of the
intentions entertained towards any party less formidable than
themselves.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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