Chapter XIII

Hitherto our journey had been one of the most agreeable that could be conceived. The novelty of the country, the purity of the air, the many striking objects that came under our observation, kept me in an intense state of enjoyment, and my spirits were often wild with excitement.

But there was a change coming, for which none of us were prepared, that completely put an end to all our interest in the scenes through which we had still to pass before reaching our home.

My father had for some days been indisposed, but not sufficiently so as to alarm any of us. On reaching Gagee, he was unable to proceed further, grew rapidly worse, and, after five days varying illness, borne with unvarying serenity and resignation—breathed his last. Thus were we, before we were fully aware of his danger, bereaved of a parent on whose enlightened guidance and affectionate sympathy we all depended in every circumstance of our lives. But private griefs shrink from publicity, and I cannot dwell on them in these pages. We sent to the chiefs of the village to request a place in their cemetery. They expressed their sympathy with our sorrow, they immediately desired us to take our choice, and then guided us to the spot, which was about two miles from the river.

It was indeed a dreary walk; the sky was dark, the wind blew the fine sand in clouds around us, and we could see only a few yards in advance. After selecting the ground, the inhabitants of the village prepared the tomb, and were found assembled near it in crowds of all ages, when we again approached to lay the loved form in the deep grave they had dug.

After reading the funeral service, according to our English customs, we distributed alms, in conformity to those of the Arab. With these people, charity is not confined to the moment of interment; but for months, and even years after, on Friday, (the Mahometan Sabbath), the relations of the deceased attend at the grave to keep it in repair, and give food and money to the poor, who go there as the surest place to obtain assistance; and it is for the purpose of sheltering such persons, that the small mosques and buildings often found in these localities, are erected.

The cemeteries are always respected—indeed, are held as sacred among these wild, untutored people as among ourselves; so much so are they in public opinion, that when setting out on a journey, the Nubians frequently deposit near them their valuables. The place is not enclosed, and we often beheld in the cemeteries a collection of household goods, pitchers, &c., suspended from a tree, or laid near a grave, the vicinity of which was a sufficient protection during the absence of the owner.

During our five days’ detention here, the guides had behaved very well, paying daily visits, and making kind inquiries at our tent; but now the second guide refused to proceed without his brother, whose return was not expected in less than seven days, and even threatened to take us back to Berber, alleging, as his reason, that his engagement no longer held good. Our servants expressed their indignation at his conduct in such unequivocal terms, that his resolution, if he ever entertained it, began to waver, and it presently became evident that he had changed his mind altogether. We showed a determined indifference to his opinion; the camels were collected and brought into the encampment before dark; the packages were prepared, the burthens adjusted, and when, at sunrise, everything was ready for a start, he, without further demur, placed himself at the head of the caravan.

Slowly and sadly we climbed the steep bank, and wound our way through the thicket of doum palms which, a short time since, we had entered with feelings so very different. We made a circuit to behold once more the burying-ground. How desolate it looked in the grey of the morning, with its neat graves, with their dark headstones and mounds, sprinkled over with snow-white, quartz pebbles. Before us lay a flat plain, over which a few stunted mimosas were scattered, and here and there we observed that the sand was shaded grey and white by the _débris_ of the quartz rocks, which in several places rose to a great height, in grotesque shapes, resembling ruins; one even was named to us as a temple. In the distance were two purple hills, standing by themselves, so unlike in colour to anything else in the landscape, that they did not seem to belong to it.

The sun rose, covered for the first time with clouds; the wind was from the north, and so keen that, after a few hours’ ride, we were so benumbed with cold as to be glad to dismount and seek shelter behind some bushes, where we basked in the sun till we were warm enough to proceed. For these sudden variations of temperature, according as the wind blew from the south or north, we were quite unprepared, and found them very trying.

Nothing could exceed the considerate attention of our own Arab servants; to have lost a traveller, whilst under their care, was a great blow to them, and it was the first time they had been visited by such a misfortune. The dragoman especially took the most tender care of all of us; sometimes, on the march, dropping behind out of hearing of our conversation, sometimes striving to counsel, often endeavouring to amuse. He told stories illustrative of Arab manners and traditions, and kept guard at night over our tent and water; in short, he did everything that could in any way promote the comfort of his charge.

Such attention was needed by some of us, and appreciated by all during our ten days’ march, which every day extended to the limits of our strength and daylight. Our only desire now being to reach home with as little delay as possible.

On the 21st, after proceeding some time along the river, we arrived at Aboohamed. From having heard the name coupled with Khartoum and Korosko, as stages in our homeward journey, we expected at least to see a town. We beheld only a few houses, one half inhabited solely by rats and pigeons.

We proceeded to the Government House, and found it a room walled with mud, and roofed with loose straw. It had been cleaned out and brushed up a little for us; and had it been a little less liberal in the way of draughts, from an over-abundant supply of doors and windows, we should have taken Daireh’s advice, and slept there; it was greatly to be preferred to the dust and strong winds outside. As it was, we lived there in tolerable comfort during the day; at night left it to our servants, and retreated to our tents which were pitched outside, where we were not half so comfortable.

The water we obtained here comprised two casks, six cow-skins, four sheep-skins, and eight goat-skins, which sufficed to load seven camels. We were disappointed in finding only two fowls and sixteen eggs, in return for the nine piastres we had forwarded to this village by the camel-sheik some days before. The people, however, brought us the change. It is not in all civilized countries you could send forward one shilling and sixpence with equal success.

The hand of death had visited Aboohamed, and we were edified by the sight of five or six girls dancing round the corpse of their relative, whom they lamented with shrieks, saltatory gestures, and by heaping ashes on their heads. As the deceased had been “a great man among the camels,” our fine dromedaries were saddled, and galloped about, racing with one another—a bad preparation for a long journey.

We did all we could to persuade our men to get water-skins for themselves, offering to pay for them; but they started with only four skins for fifteen men, trusting to our humanity for a sufficient supply, which of course did not fail them.

Two donkeys were also purchased at this place, with poles to support a bed, in case of illness. As a further precaution, we had sent for a litter, or tack caravan, by the guide who went for provisions, &c., to Berber.