I deemed it to be an object of great geographical1 importance that the flying survey of the kingdom of Shoa should be completed by a visit to the country forming the boundary to the south-east, famous for its numerous volcanoes, recently in full activity, and hitherto untrodden in any part by European foot. A pretext2 presented itself in the existence of the wild buffalo3 in the lower districts; but it was necessary, in the first instance, to overcome the royal scruples4, which opposed our attempting the chase of that animal. This I at length succeeded in doing; and the despot being made to comprehend that his children ran less risk of being demolished5 than he had formerly6 chosen to believe, vouchsafed7 the desired permission. The requisite8 instructions were issued to men in authority to promote the views of those “whom the king delighteth to honour;” and, preceded by queen Besábesh, His Majesty9 then set out on his annual visit to Mésur Méder.
“There is one point,” he observed, when we proceeded to take leave, “on which I wanted to consult you. The locusts10 are destroying the crops, and the priests have been unable by their prayers to arrest their progress. Have you no medicine to drive them away?”
Ayto Wolda Hana, under whose immediate11 orders are all the second-class governors in the realm, had received commands to summon to Ankóber the Misleyni (Literally “Like myself”) or vice-governor, of Berhut and of the plains lying betwixt the Casam and the Háwash—a tract12 inhabited partly by the Ada?el, whose nominal13 fealty14 is preserved through the influence of Wulásma Mohammad, and partly by the Karaiyo Galla, over whom the Negoos asserts more substantial jurisdiction15. But many days elapsed without the appearance of that worthy16, whom His Majesty had delegated to make efficient arrangements for our journey; and Déftera Séna, chief of the king’s scriveners, having, after twelve hours of close application, contrived17 to complete a written representation to the throne, a courier was despatched with it on horseback to the royal camp. No Abyssinian will ever think of declaring himself the bearer of an express, unless pointedly18 questioned upon that head, nor will he then relinquish19 possession until distinctly ordered so to do. On the return of the special messenger, who had been three days absent on the service confided20 to him, I asked him for the answer, but my application was followed by none of the usual fumbling21 among the folds of his girdle for the tiny scroll22 in its wax envelope; and the caitiff was finally fain to confess, that on being summoned to the presence of his sovereign at Mésur Méder, and commanded to deliver up the document with which he had been charged, he for the first time recollected23 that it had been mislaid at Ankóber!
But a peasant, who fortunately fell in with the missing parchment by the road-side, had carried it, in accordance with the immutable24 law of the realm, straightway to the king, who immediately, upon becoming aware of the contents, and long before Déftera Séna had completed a duplicate copy, deputed Mamrie Salomon, now chief of the eunuchs, to see his royal intentions on my behalf carried into instant effect. A number of tribute-bearers from Berhut were on the point of returning to their district; they were forthwith pressed for the transportation of our baggage, and all minor25 difficulties being at length overcome, we quitted the capital on a cold morning towards the close of March.
Immediately beyond the church dedicated26 to Aboo, one of the most celebrated27 of Abyssinian saints, the path struck off to the southward along the course of the Airára, which, from the diminutive28 mill-stream of the Cháka, soon assumes a more brawling29 demeanour, and receives numerous tributaries30 from the mountains on either side, its deep channel cutting so smoothly31 through the trap rock, as to wear the appearance of being artificially formed. This valley is extremely varied32 in width, extending in some parts from six to seven miles, whilst in others it is reduced to a mere33 ravine by the converging34 spurs of the two great ranges. Throughout, the scenery is tame, the cliffs being flat and naked, and the vegetation restricted to a small scrubby species of dwarf35 acacia, interspersed36 with the euphorbia, styled kolquál—the charcoal37 obtained from which is preferred in the manufacture of gunpowder38. But wheresoever the plough could be held, there the hand of industry had been busy, and for the first eight miles there was little uncultivated soil.
In these parts the rains descend39 with extreme violence; and having, in the first instance, scooped40 up and carried away all the rotten débris, each succeeding deluge41 has added its mining activity and perseverance42, until the entire mountain range, for miles, presents the singular appearance of a succession of perfectly43 isolated44 cones45, the apices of many being crowned by villages or by the dwellings47 of great men, whilst the sloping sides are smoothed and levelled with the utmost nicety. The valley is thickly peopled, flourishing hamlets peeping out in every direction; but, as in other parts of the country, the best of the land, whether arable48 or pasture, pertains49 to the crown—Bukerfine, one of the richest farms in the district, having been conferred upon Misht Malafeya (i.e. “The Lady Excellent.”), a royal concubine, by whom the king has a favourite daughter.
Many monasteries50 dotting the wooded peaks, are here visible in all the pride of place above the residence of the common herd—their localities no doubt tending to rivet51 the chains of the infatuated Abyssinian. Priestly intimations issuing from a temple often shrouded52 from human ken53 under impenetrable fog, are received with increased attention, and the thunder of excommunication commands utter abasement54 and prostration55 of spirit, when fulminated from these grand scenes of elementary strife56. The revenues of many of the villages passed are appropriated to the service of the church; those of Moi-Amba, containing upwards57 of two hundred houses, being appropriated to the cathedral of Saint Michael in Ankóber.
A few hours’ journey had substituted the heat of a tropical climate for the cool breezes of the mountains; and the momentarily increasing temperature afforded sufficient proof of the rapid declination of the route, even had it not led along the banks of the Airára, which, having been crossed and recrossed a dozen times, was now tumbling down through a succession of foaming58 cascades59, with a sound most refreshing60 to the ear. Emerging at length from its walls of basalt, and joined by the Kubánoo, bearing a large body of water from the west, it expands into a broad channel, and is employed in irrigating61 the extensive cotton plantations62 which every where abound63 on its borders. The stream is diverted by a simple pile of pebbles64; but the elevated aqueducts, somewhat ingeniously termed masalel wahá, “the water-ladder,” are constructed with infinite care, and passing frequently along narrow ledges65, are widened by means of wooden tressels supporting a trough of brushwood and shingle66. A sufficient supply is thus raised to nurture67 the magnificent cotton plants, the stems of many of which measuring seven, eight, and nine inches in girth, support a crop that, on arriving at maturity68, does justice to these gigantic proportions.
Shortly after the accession of Sáhela Selássie, His Majesty marched to the Kubánoo, for the purpose of holding a conference with the Ada?el; and his armoury being in those days by no means so well furnished as it now is, the array of old matchlocks was regarded by the Moslems with the utmost contempt and derision. A rush was made during the night upon the royal camp—many of the Christians70 were slain—and whilst the remnant, with their youthful sovereign, fled in dismay to the stronghold of the capital, the treacherous71 assailants returned undisturbed in triumph to their desert plains.
Kittel Yellish, the village at which we proposed to halt, had been represented by our guides to be situated72 within a very moderate march of Ankóber; but the Abyssinians possess not a better idea of the measure of distance than of the value of time; and, after eight hours passed in the saddle, we took refuge about sunset in the Moslem69 hamlet of Manyo, a cluster of huts crowning the summit of a cone46, and overlooking a wild uncultivated tract, intersected by a labyrinth73 of tremendous ravines, arched over by the thorny74 branches of the acacia, and other vegetation of a strictly75 tropical aspect. Swine, agazin, and some of the smaller species of antelope76, here abound to such an extent, that the peasants attempt no crop but cotton, exchanging the raw material for what they need of other produce. The village was strongly fortified77 in all directions against the inroads of the leopard78 and hyena79, by palisades enclosing a stiff thorn fence; and there being no room even for the smallest tent, we passed the night in a shed rudely thatched with the leaves of the papyrus80, which would not have been tenable for five minutes in the alpine81 regions that we had quitted in the morning.
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1
geographical
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| adj.地理的；地区(性)的 | |
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pretext
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| n.借口，托词 | |
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buffalo
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| n.(北美)野牛；(亚洲)水牛 | |
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scruples
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| n.良心上的不安( scruple的名词复数 )；顾虑，顾忌v.感到于心不安，有顾忌( scruple的第三人称单数 ) | |
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5
demolished
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| v.摧毁( demolish的过去式和过去分词 )；推翻；拆毁（尤指大建筑物）；吃光 | |
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formerly
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| adv.从前，以前 | |
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vouchsafed
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| v.给予，赐予( vouchsafe的过去式和过去分词 )；允诺 | |
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8
requisite
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| adj.需要的，必不可少的；n.必需品 | |
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majesty
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| n.雄伟，壮丽，庄严，威严；最高权威，王权 | |
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locusts
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| n.蝗虫( locust的名词复数 )；贪吃的人；破坏者；槐树 | |
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11
immediate
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| adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的 | |
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12
tract
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| n.传单，小册子，大片(土地或森林) | |
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13
nominal
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| adj.名义上的；(金额、租金)微不足道的 | |
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fealty
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| n.忠贞，忠节 | |
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jurisdiction
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| n.司法权，审判权，管辖权，控制权 | |
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worthy
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| adj.(of)值得的，配得上的；有价值的 | |
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contrived
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| adj.不自然的，做作的；虚构的 | |
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pointedly
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| adv.尖地，明显地 | |
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relinquish
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| v.放弃，撤回，让与，放手 | |
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confided
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| v.吐露（秘密，心事等）( confide的过去式和过去分词 )；（向某人）吐露（隐私、秘密等） | |
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fumbling
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| n. 摸索,漏接 v. 摸索,摸弄,笨拙的处理 | |
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scroll
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| n.卷轴，纸卷；(石刻上的)漩涡 | |
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recollected
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| adj.冷静的；镇定的；被回忆起的；沉思默想的v.记起，想起( recollect的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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24
immutable
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| adj.不可改变的，永恒的 | |
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minor
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| adj.较小(少)的，较次要的；n.辅修学科；vi.辅修 | |
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dedicated
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| adj.一心一意的；献身的；热诚的 | |
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celebrated
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| adj.有名的，声誉卓著的 | |
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diminutive
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| adj.小巧可爱的，小的 | |
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brawling
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| n.争吵，喧嚷 | |
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30
tributaries
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| n. 支流 | |
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31
smoothly
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| adv.平滑地，顺利地，流利地，流畅地 | |
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varied
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| adj.多样的，多变化的 | |
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mere
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| adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过 | |
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converging
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| adj.收敛[缩]的，会聚的，趋同的v.（线条、运动的物体等）会于一点( converge的现在分词 )；（趋于）相似或相同；人或车辆汇集；聚集 | |
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35
dwarf
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| n.矮子，侏儒，矮小的动植物；vt.使…矮小 | |
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interspersed
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| adj.[医]散开的；点缀的v.intersperse的过去式和过去分词 | |
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37
charcoal
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| n.炭，木炭，生物炭 | |
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38
gunpowder
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| n.火药 | |
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39
descend
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| vt./vi.传下来，下来，下降 | |
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40
scooped
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| v.抢先报道( scoop的过去式和过去分词 )；（敏捷地）抱起；抢先获得；用铲[勺]等挖（洞等） | |
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41
deluge
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| n./vt.洪水，暴雨，使泛滥 | |
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42
perseverance
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| n.坚持不懈，不屈不挠 | |
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43
perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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44
isolated
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| adj.与世隔绝的 | |
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45
cones
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| n.（人眼）圆锥细胞；圆锥体( cone的名词复数 )；球果；圆锥形东西；（盛冰淇淋的）锥形蛋卷筒 | |
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46
cone
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| n.圆锥体，圆锥形东西，球果 | |
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47
dwellings
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| n.住处，处所( dwelling的名词复数 ) | |
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48
arable
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| adj.可耕的，适合种植的 | |
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49
pertains
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| 关于( pertain的第三人称单数 )； 有关； 存在； 适用 | |
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50
monasteries
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| 修道院( monastery的名词复数 ) | |
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51
rivet
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| n.铆钉；vt.铆接，铆牢；集中(目光或注意力) | |
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52
shrouded
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| v.隐瞒( shroud的过去式和过去分词 )；保密 | |
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53
ken
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| n.视野，知识领域 | |
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54
abasement
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| n.滥用 | |
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55
prostration
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| n. 平伏, 跪倒, 疲劳 | |
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56
strife
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| n.争吵，冲突，倾轧，竞争 | |
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57
upwards
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| adv.向上，在更高处...以上 | |
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58
foaming
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| adj.布满泡沫的；发泡 | |
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cascades
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| 倾泻( cascade的名词复数 )； 小瀑布（尤指一连串瀑布中的一支）； 瀑布状物； 倾泻（或涌出）的东西 | |
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refreshing
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| adj.使精神振作的，使人清爽的，使人喜欢的 | |
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irrigating
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| 灌溉( irrigate的现在分词 )； 冲洗（伤口） | |
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62
plantations
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| n.种植园，大农场( plantation的名词复数 ) | |
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63
abound
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| vi.大量存在；(in，with)充满，富于 | |
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64
pebbles
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| [复数]鹅卵石； 沙砾； 卵石，小圆石( pebble的名词复数 ) | |
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ledges
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| n.（墙壁，悬崖等）突出的狭长部分( ledge的名词复数 )；（平窄的）壁架；横档；（尤指）窗台 | |
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66
shingle
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| n.木瓦板；小招牌(尤指医生或律师挂的营业招牌)；v.用木瓦板盖（屋顶）；把（女子头发）剪短 | |
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67
nurture
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| n.养育，照顾，教育；滋养，营养品；vt.养育，给与营养物，教养，扶持 | |
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maturity
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| n.成熟；完成；(支票、债券等)到期 | |
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Moslem
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| n.回教徒，穆罕默德信徒；adj.回教徒的，回教的 | |
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Christians
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| n.基督教徒( Christian的名词复数 ) | |
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treacherous
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| adj.不可靠的，有暗藏的危险的；adj.背叛的，背信弃义的 | |
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situated
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| adj.坐落在...的，处于某种境地的 | |
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labyrinth
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| n.迷宫；难解的事物；迷路 | |
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thorny
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| adj.多刺的，棘手的 | |
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strictly
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| adv.严厉地，严格地；严密地 | |
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76
antelope
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| n.羚羊；羚羊皮 | |
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77
fortified
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| adj. 加强的 | |
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leopard
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| n.豹 | |
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hyena
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| n.土狼，鬣狗 | |
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80
papyrus
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| n.古以纸草制成之纸 | |
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81
alpine
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| adj.高山的；n.高山植物 | |
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