Travels to Discover the Source of the Nile, Volume 3 (of 5): In the years 1768, 1769, 1770, 1771, 1772 and 1773Bruce, James
History
Travels to Discover the Source of the Nile, Volume 3 (of 5): In the years 1768, 1769, 1770, 1771, 1772 and 1773
Bruce, James
Egypt -- Description and travel; Ethiopia -- Description and travel; Ethiopia -- History; Natural history -- Ethiopia; Nile River
At the same time came an officer from Janni, with a violent mandate,
in the name of Ras Michael, declaring to the person that was the
cause of our detention, That, was it not for ancient friendship, the
present messenger should have carried him to Ras Michael in irons;
discharging me from all awides; ordering him, as Shum of the place,
to furnish me with provisions; and, in regard to the time he had
caused us to lose, fixing the awides of the whole caravan at eight
piasters, not the twentieth part of what he would have exacted. One
reason of this severity was, that, while I was in Masuah, Janni had
entertained this man at his own house; and, knowing the usual vexations
the caravans met with at Kella, and the long time they were detained
there at considerable expence, had obtained a promise from the Shum,
in consideration of favours done him, that he should let us pass
freely, and, not only so, but should shew us some little civility. This
promise, now broken, was one of the articles of delinquency for which
he was punished.
Cohol, large needles, goats skins, coarse scissars, razors, and steels
for striking fire, are the articles of barter at Kella. An ordinary
goat’s skin is worth a quart of wheat-flour. As we expected an order
of deliverance, all was ready upon its arrival. The Moors with their
asses, grateful for the benefit received, began to bless the moment
they joined us; hoping, in my consideration, upon our arrival at the
customhouse of Adowa, they might meet with further favour.
Yasine, in the four days we had staid at Kella, had told me his whole
history. It seems he had been settled in a province of Abyssinia,
near to Sennaar, called Ras el Feel; had married Abd el Jilleel, the
Shekh’s daughter; but, growing more popular than his father-in-law,
he had been persecuted by him, and obliged to leave the country. He
began now to form hopes, that, if I was well received, as he saw, in
all appearance, I was to be, he might, by my interest, be appointed
to his father-in-law’s place; especially if there was war, as every
thing seemed to indicate. Abd el Jilleel was a coward, and incapable
of making himself of personal valued to any party. On the contrary,
Yasine was a tried man, an excellent horseman, strong, active, and
of known courage, having been twice with the late king Yasous in
his invasions of Sennaar, and both times much wounded there. It was
impossible to dispute his title to preferment; but I had not formed
that idea of my own success that I should be able to be of any use or
assistance to him in it. Kella is in lat. 14° 24´ 34´´ North.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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