An Abyssinian Quest By Wilfred Thesiger Much of the mystery surrounding the "dis- appearance " of ihe Hawash River in the Aussa Sultanate of Abyssinia was cleared up on a recent expedition when 1 followed the river along its entire course through Badhu and Aussa. .1 was the first white man ever to traverse the Aussa Sultanate, and my explora- tions indicated that many theories held about the river's disappearance have been incorrect. I was accompanied to Abyssinia by Mr. David Haig Thomas, as ornithologist, and we hoped to form a comprehensive collection of birds, mammals, and plants from the Aussa Sultanate. The expedition collected 850 specimens of birds and mammals and garnered a great amount of information on the country and its tribal customs. We arrived at Addis Ababa, the capi- tal, early in September, 1933, and decided to undertake a two months' trek in the Arussi Mountains beforc entering the Dankali countrv. The excursion was intended to try out our caravan and to allow time for fevcr prevailing in the Hawash Valley to clear up. At the end of this trip Mr. Thomas was obliged to return home, having developed throat trouble. I decided to make the expedition along the Hawash Valley alone, save fcr my native attendants. NATURE OF CARAVAN The Abyssinian Government provided me with an escort of 15 zaba7nias (soldiers), who met me at the Hawash station. I heard that the Asaaimara tribes of Badhu were bidding defiance to the Government, and the Government was preparing to forbid my departure. I therefore slipped away as quickly aFpossible, leaving the station on December 1. I was accompanied by 23 of my men with 14 rifles and by the 15 armed zabanias. I felt we were too strong to prove a temptation to irresponsible young men out for trophies, without being sufficiently numerous to alarm the Dankalis by our approach. The zabanias carried their own food on their camels. I had 18 camels and found that one camel could carry sufficient food for 23 men for nine days. The Dankalis live entirely on a diet of meat and milk, and their greatest delicacy consists of ghee and berberri mixed in curdled milk. They never partake of both meat and milk on the same day, believing that this would make them ill. The country between Hawash station and Badhu is a plain some 2,500ft. above sea level, much broken by dry water-courses and low rocky escarpments. The wall of the Abyssinian tableland is clearly visible to the west. The Hawash River is sluggish and only fordable in certain places. Its banks are covered with a narrow belt of dense forest, where the mosquitoes are generally bad. The surrounding country is mostly thin thorn scrub bush inter- sected by level plains of powdered earth with tufts of burnt-up grass and low evergreen bushes. Except along the river the only water to be found is at the bottom of deep wells, jealously guarded by the natives. The Abyssinians call the inhabitants of this country the Dankali or Adal. while the Somali refer to them as the Oder Ali; they call them- selves Afar. They are divided into two main sections, hostile to each other, but sometimes united against their traditional foes the Essa Somali, the raiding Wagerat of Tigrc, and the Itou and Karayou Gallas. These two sections, the Asaaimara and the Adaaimara, are each divided into eight great tribes, which again are subdivided indefinitely. The Asaaimara posscss the only two fertile districts in Danakil, Badhu and Aussa. but they are separated from each other by the Adaaimara of Borharamalaland of Adau. The Asaaimara extend north from Aussa across the deserts towards Eritrea. East of Aussa the country belongs to the Adaaimara, who occupy the whole of northern French Somaliland centring on Tajura. Across the Gulf of Tajura is the land of the Essa. South of Badhu the Adaaimara extend as far as the railway line beyond which arc the Itou Gallas. But there is also a wedge of Itou terri- tory based on the Asabot Mount and extending north across the plain of Aledek nearly as tar as Bilen. To the west round Metahara are the redoubtable Karayu. LAWLESS CONDITIONS On the second day we had an example of the lawless condition of this country, passing the spot where an Arab had been ambushed and shot down a few days before by a tribe from across the river. The Dankalis, in whose terri- tory we were, not wishing to be held responsible should anything happen to us. insisted on our taking rather elaborate precautions. I pushed on to Bilen. Here we heard stories of the Asaaimara, and werc assured on every hand that we should nevcr succeed in entering Badhu. Leaving Bilen, we spent one night by the swamps of Kurtonc. A long march from there took us to Lake Hertale and withih reach of Badhu. This lake lies at the foot of a sheer basalt precipice, and is very lovely, with its deep blue waters and reed-encircled banks. We found that the Asaaimara had raided the tribe here two nights before, and we partook of the funeral feast to their victims. There was a tense atmosphere in the village, and every one was expecting a further raid at any moment. [ placed the camp well out in the ppen, fortifying it with somne care and doubling all the sentries. The only cnttance into Badhu from this side runs along the foot of the Avalon escatpmcnt, and is coiifined on the right by the impassable swamp of Mataka. This place has a bad name for arnbushes, and many attacks on Badhu have corhe to grief bere, as the numerous graves alorig the hillside testify. I was thankful when we emerged into the fertile plains beyohd. Badhu is; dominated by the great cone of Mount Ayclou, 6,800ft. high. This is the sacred mountain of the Dankalis. The plain which we entered was densely populated; the river banks were liricd with huts, beehive structures formed of camel mats thrw,, ove a framework of bent sticks, 'Great herds of cattle and of sheep wo.e spread out over the plain, and I nirticed-numerous well-cared-for ponies, used solely for raiding. ASSEMBLED WARRIORS There was a large gathering of warriors asscmbled under one of the great " shola " trces which dot the river bank. Like all Dankalis, they were beautifully-built men, clad in short, dirty loin-cloths. The Dan- kalis here possess practically without ex- ception " fusils gras " but they are short of cartridges, and it is uncommon to see anyone. with more than 10 in his belt. They carry their rifles across their backs. NMany of them had spears and alt wore the well-known Dankali knife, strapped across the front of their stomachs-a for- nidable curved weapon with a blade 18in. long and sharp on' both sides. Some of these knives were elaborately decorated with silver. Our reception lacked cordiality, and the Dankalis tried to provoke a quarrel with my Somalis, saying they were Essa with whom they were ~at war. We managed to bluff them into'thinking that my rifle case contained a. machine-gun. But a present of so'ne sheep did not reassure us, since the,e people are notoriously treacherous. The night, however, passed off quietly, and next day we marched down to the village-of a very ancient and autocratic savage'called Afleodham; -He insisted on our: camping among his: hovels-in the middle of. a most malarious- bog.. After hours--wasted in discussion he agreed to send us down to Aussa. But that evening a letter arrived from the Government, handed on from headman to headman. It ordered me to return, since the country was too dangerous, and in the event of my refusal, the zabanias were commanded to return.- The Dankalis were told that the Government took no further respon- sibility'for me. Though,, before the arrival of this letter, I was fairiy confident that I could have got down to Aussa, I now had no alternative but to return. I marched back across the desert,' strik- ing the railway line at Afdem on Decem- bcr 20, half-way between the Hawash station and Dire Dawa. On the Mullu River I passed the ruins of an Adaaimara village, which the Asaaimara had wiped out two months before, killing 61 pcople. It appeared that the Asaaimara had sent a deputation of seven old men to this village to negotiate a settlement over an ancient pasturage dispute. The Adaai- mara had received the mission with every token of friendship, and celebrated the occasion with a feast. That night, how- ever, they murdered six of these Asaai- mara, only one of whom escaped, grievously wounded. I met him on my return to Badhu, and while I was doctor- ing him he told me the story. From Afdem station I went to Addis Ababa to try once more to obtain permission to make my journey into Aussa. AN ABYSSINIAN QUEST I.-FINDING A LOST RIVER IN UNKNOWN AUSSA