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SECTION X.

journey through the mountainous part of yemen.

Chap. I.

Departure from Beit el Fakih.

We met with less difficulty in the prosecution of our researches at Beit el Fakih, than any where else through Yemen. The inhabitants of that city were no strangers to European manners, and knew that we could not, like them, rest constantly in one place. They were therefore nowise surprized at our excursions, but were fully satisfied when we told them, that the exercise was necessary for our health.

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Our Friends, whom Mr Forskal and I consulted upon the subject of our expeditions, could not comprehend why we chose to travel about in the season when the heats were most intense; while they who were accustomed to the climate, never went without doors when they could avoid it. Believing, that we had come into Arabia, only to find an opportunity of a passage to India; they advised us to take no fatigue, but to attend to our health. At length, when they saw us persist in neglecting their advice, and observed, that we lived at a considerable expence, without seeking to gain by trade; they began to imagine, that we had the art of making gold, and that Mr Forskal, in his excursions upon the mountains, was seeking plants which might be necessary in this great work. My astronomical observations, again, acquired me the reputation of a magician.

Happily for us, these shrewd conjectures were confined to the small circle of our acquaintance. The Dola seemed to have absolutely forgotten us, and had as yet made no enquiry concerning our purpose in visiting his dominion. I was desirous, therefore, to avail myself of this short period of liberty, and to penetrate into the interior parts of Yemen, after rambling through the environs of Beit el Fakih, in Tehama. The southern part of the mountains I expected to see, in a journey which we purposed to make from Mokha to Sana;

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at present, therefore, I determined to visit Udden and Taœs. But I found that the situation of these towns had been represented to me, as more northern than it really was.

Through all Tehama, travelling is equally safe by night as by day. Still, however, I feared that it might be dangerous to travel alone in a mountainous country, in solitary roads, where disagreeable accidents might befal one by day not less than by night. Besides, I could not speak the language of the Highlanders, which differs considerably from that of the inhabitants of the plain. For all these reasons, I was induced to beg Mr Forskal, who had learned something of the language of the Highlands, upon the coffee-mountains, to accompany me in my intended expedition. My friend agreed, in the hope of finding new matter for his botanical researches.

The preparations for our journey were easily made. We hired two asses, and the owner attended us on foot, as our guide, our servant, and occasionally our interpreter. We had already large beards in the Arab fashion; and these, with our long robes, gave us a very oriental appearance. To disguise ourselves still more, each of us assumed an Arabic name; and, under these pretensions, our real condition was so perfectly concealed, that even the owner of asses thought

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us Christians of the East; and had no suspicion that we were Europeans. In this garb, and attended by the ass-hirer, we set out on the 26th of March, from Beit el Fakih.

Chap. II.

Route by Udden.

We passed through several villages in crossing the plain, and, after a journey of five German miles and a half, reached Robo, where is a weekly Suk or market. Here we lay the first night.

Next day, after advancing a mile farther, we entered upon the mountains. Near the first village, we observed a running stream, the first we saw in Arabia. Till it enters Tehama, this river is called Wadi Zebid. Its channel is very broad; but as no rain had for a long time fallen, the stream covered the breadth of twenty, or four and twenty feet. In this place it runs with a considerable current; but in Tehama it spreads into a shallow lake, and is lost among the sands.

The same day, we passed near Mount Sullam, where, from the account given by an Arab who lived in the country, I had been led to expect that I should find hieroglyphics or inscriptions

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cut upon the rock. But, I found only some figures which had been impressed at an idle hour by some shepherd, and were as coarsely executed as those upon Mount Sinai. We lay at Machsa.

The road by which we travelled is not much frequented by travellers. The ways are very bad and unsafe, and scarce a house appears upon any hand. Within these few years, however, they have become less dangerous than they were before. The lord of Udden has placed some soldiers with a Sub-Dola, at Machsa, who is responsible for the thefts or robberies that happen in his district. This regulation of the police has dispersed the robbers.

Machsa is one of the villages in which weekly fairs are held. The houses are still more wretched here than in Tehama. They have no walls, and consist merely of a few poles laid together, and covered with reeds. We could scarcely lodge in one of those huts; so small were they, that a person could not stand straight in the middle; and two persons lying together upon the floor, occupied the whole area of the house. It would not have held a single Serir. The inhabitants sit and sleep upon the bare ground. The air being colder in this part of the country, than in Tehama; the people here put on a bag upon their bodies when they go to sleep, and are warmed by their natural perspiration. In none of the

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inns, could we find any other sort of food but coarse Durra bread, made of millet with camel’s milk; but the water is every where delicious.

On the 28th of March, we passed, by winding roads, through a district in which the lands began to appear more fertile and better cultivated. The houses are here much more commodious, being built of stone, and flat-roofed. Yet, the houses of the peasants are, here too, without walls, unless we give the name to dry stones, piled one upon another, and having no mortar to cement them. The roofs are covered with earth.

We passed through a village in which was a fair; a circumstance which made us hasten forward, as we were desirous to avoid the crowd. Near this place, at the foot of a high hill, we observed a sort of glistering, micaceous sand. The people of the country have been led, from the appearance of this sand, to fancy that the hill affords gold. On the heights, we saw the tombs of several saints too; and near one of those tombs a wooden trough, into which some devout persons are constantly pouring water for the use of the cattle which pass. We lay in a coffee-hut, near a village which is inhabited only for one day in the week, namely the market-day; so that we found no inhabitant there, when we passed, except our landlord.

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The inhabitants of those parts had been long looking impatiently for rain. In order that they might make the most of it, when it should fall, the peasants had raised dykes along the heights, to direct the course of the waters upon their fields. The fields lay favourably for receiving it, being formed into terraces, and these supported by walls, with ditches to preserve what water may be necessary to support vegetation. If this practice merit approbation, yet we cannot avoid condemning the unskilful expedient which those Highlanders employ for felling trees: they set fire to the root, and keep it burning till the tree fall of itself.

Next day, we came to a small river which runs into the Zebid, and crossed also several rivulets, which seem to be numerous in this part of the country. Here, for the first time since our departure from Beit el Fakih, we saw plantations of coffee-trees, along the sides of the road. We now drew nearer to the river Zebid, of which a branch at this time was dry, and having its channel filled with reeds growing to the height of twenty feet, served as a line of road, which was agreeably shaded by the reeds. In the evening we arrived at Udden.

The town of Udden is small and unprotected. It contains three hundred houses, all of stone. The Imam keeps no Dola here. An hereditary Schiech,

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Schiech, who is a vassal of the Imam’s, is the governor. The Schiech resides in a palace, standing upon a high hill without the city.

Except the immediate neighbourhood of Udden, the whole tract of country through which we travelled in this excursion is thinly peopled. But the territory of the town is so much the more populous, on account of the abundant produce of its coffee-trees, which is esteemed the very best coffee in all Arabia.

Chap. III.

From Udden to Dsjobla.

Leaving Udden on the 30th of March, we proceeded through a country which we found every where more populous. Near a village we saw a plain planted with very indifferent sugar-canes.

Half the way lay over a very steep Mountain; and had been formerly paved; but had now been long left without repairs. On this mountain, I saw a new inifance of the care with which the Arabians provide for the accommodation of travellers. Here, for the first time, we found a Madgil, or reservoir of excellent fresh-water for the use of passengers. Such reservoirs are of mason-work,

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of a conical figure, and beside a reservoir, a vase always stands for drawing the water. The traveller will do well, however, to carry with him a cup of his own; and still better, if, with the cup, he have also a bucket. Through all the fertile parts of Yemen, we found many of those Madgils, by the sides of the highways.

As storms are pretty frequent among these mountains, some small vaulted houses have been built upon that over which we passed, to shelter travellers when surprized by any sudden blast.

The thermometer which we had with us, compared with that which Mr Baurenfeind at the same time used in Beit el Fakih, shewed the great difference between the temperature of the air upon the hills, and that of the plain. The dress of the inhabitants affords the same indication, in a simpler and more natural manner while the inhabitants of Tehama went almost naked, those of the mountains wore warm sheepskins.

As we advanced on our journey, we saw several villages situate in a cultivated tract. The sides of the hills were covered with rye, and had an agreeable aspect. This part of the country, although in other respects very fertile, produces no coffee.

The Arabs of Yemen, and especially the Highlanders, often stop strangers, to ask whence they

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come and whether they are going. These questions are suggested merely by curiosity; and it would be indiscreet therefore to refuse to answer. We told them commonly, that we came from Escham, the north; which led them to imagine, that we were Turks from Syria. When asked whether we were Turks, we replied that we were Nassara; and they then supposed us Greeks or Armenians. We concealed our country, lest we should have exposed ourselves still more to the impertinence of their curiosity. The mistress of the coffeehouse supposed us to be Turkish clergymen, and recommended herself to our prayers. At Dsjobla a man saluted me by the name of Hadsji Achmed; taking me for an old acquaintance.

Through the whole of this journey, we were not once teized for passports, or required to pay duties of any sort, nor subjected to any of those difficulties, which, even in Europe, are so generally troublesome to travellers. Although it was in Ramadan, we still found our ordinary food, even in the most solitary coffee-houses; and, in the towns, gave no offence, when we purchased those articles which we preferred, in open day.

The town of Dsjobla is the capital of a district, and the seat of a Dola. It stands upon the brink of a steep precipice, and seems to contain about six hundred houses, of a considerable height

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and a good appearance. Its streets are paved; a case uncommon in Arabia. The Jews dwell here, and through all Yemen, in a separate quarter, without the city.

This place has been celebrated for ages; and yet I could discover no remarkable inscription about it. I was shewn the ruins of some mosques; but these did not appear to me very ancient. The town has neither a castle, nor walls. At some distance is a place inclosed with walls, where a Turkish Pacha has been interred: and this proves that the conquests of the Ottoman Porte have been extended even over these mountanous regions.

Chap. IV.

Route from Dsjobla by Tœs to Hœs.

On the 31st of March, we continued our journey, by winding paths, over a tract of country diversified by many inequalities of surface. We lay in a very large Simsera, (the Arabic name for Kan or Karavanserai,) situate on the side of a lofty hill.

From this Kan we took a guide, to conduct us over a contiguous mountain, which was much

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higher, and on which, we had been told, that we should see an old Arabic castle. On the summit of this mountain we accordingly found the ruins of a considerable building of hewn stone, the walls of which were flanked with towers. Here are still two reservoirs, of solid mason-work. The whole structure appears to be of great antiquity: the Arabs ascribe it to one Assane Jæhheli. The word Jæhheli signifies an unlettered person; and by this appellation the Arabs distinguish their own Pagan ancestors from other idolaters, whom they call Kafr, or infidels. I found no inscription about this castle. From this eminence, a noble prospect opens, of towns and villages spreading over the country, to a considerable distance.

From the Simsera, where we had slept, we proceeded down the hill by the highway, which passes between Mokha and Sana: This road is paved, and not at all incommodious to the traveller, although it winds around the steep declivity of a hill. We then crossed a pretty large plain, and passed near by a great number of villages, coffee-huts and Madjsils.

We lay in one of the huts, which was so ill-provided in victuals, that we could procure nothing for supper, but a small portion of bad bread. The landlord had even difficulty in gathering some forage to feed our asses. Early next day, we came

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within sight of the citadel of Tœs, but it was noon before we reached or saw the city.

Not wishing to be known, and intending to see Tœs again on our journey to Sana, we did not enter the city, but continued our progress towards Tehama. We soon left the great road from Mokha, and turning westward, travelled along stony and irregular paths, without seeing any thing remarkable.

Next day, the third of April, we continued our journey through a thinly inhabited and unfertile region. We were surprised at the quantities of stones which lay over the arable lands. Some of the inhabitants think them necessary, to prevent the lands from being parched by the sun, but they rather mark negligence in the husbandmen: And, indeed, to such a degree is every exertion of industry that might contribute to furnish the necessaries of life, relaxed here, that we should scarcely have found food in this district, if we had not taken the precaution to bring with us eggs and bread.

We then crossed a plain covered with date-trees; but soon after, regaining the mountains, we entered the territory of Ibn Aklan, where the fields, though less stony, appeared to be equally ill-cultivated. The terrace walls were generally in a bursting, broken condition. This desolation is the consequence of a war between the Imam

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of Sana, and the independent Schiech of the family of Aklan, to whom this district appertains. But, in the issue of the war, the Schiech was obliged to acknowledge the sovereign authority of the Imam, and now no longer maintains troops.

Proceeding on our way to Tehama, we saw several villages, and crossed some small rivers. We passed the night in a detached coffee-hut: and even the master of it left us by night, and retired to a neighbouring village. When alone, we could not help congratulating one another, on being thus far returned in safety from a journey among those Arabian mountains, which would not have been without danger, even in the best regulated states in Europe.

On the 4th of April, we travelled along bad roads, among hills, and crossed several times over the Wadi Suradsji, a considerably large and rapid river, even at that time, although no rain had fallen for a long while. We saw no village near, but several coffee-huts.

In this desart tract, upon the confines of the Tehama, Mr Forskal was much rejoiced to discover the tree which affords the balm of Mecca. The plant which he found was pretty large, and in flower. Here was nothing to hinder my friend from examining, and making a description of it. This tree grows in many places through Yemen

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But the inhabitants who call it Abu Scham, the sweet smelling tree, know no other use for it but to perfume their apartments, by burning the wood. Many branches of the specimen which we found) had been torn off for this purpose.

Continuing our journey, we passed through several small rivers, which appeared all to empty themselves into one large river. To the south, we had a view of a large chain of mountains; but the only habitations that we saw in this hilly region, were a few inns. We came at length to a large village, containing many Kubbets, and at no great distance from Hœs, where we arrived this evening.

The city of Hœs, twelve miles distant from Tæs, and situate in the Tehama, is small and built. However, it is the capital of the district, and the seat of a Dola, who occupies a small fortress. A considerable quantity of earthen-ware is manufactured here, especially coarse drinking cups This district is but of narrow extent, being bounded on one side by Zebid, and on the other, by the territories of the Schiech of Ibn Aklan.

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Chap. V.

Return to Beit el Fakih

We left Hœs on the 5th of April, and, after passing several villages and coffee-huts, arrived on the same evening at Zebid. We passed without wetting our feet, over the river Suradsji, which we had lately seen so large among the hills. But as we proceeded through the beautiful and cultivated plains which it watered, we perceived both the cause of its diminution, and the effects which it produced.

Our way from Zebid to Beit el Fakih was the same that I have already described. We arrived at the latter city on the 6th of April.

Upon leaving the mountains, we felt the heat excessive. We halted to rest ourselves at an inn in a village between Hœs and Zebid. There we were refreshed by an agreeable breeze, although all was calm and torrid without, for the walls were built of loose stones, the many chinks, among which, naturally admitted a current of air. We found this coolness a great refreshment amidst the burning heat which prevailed all around. I was so imprudent as to sit down on the ground, without wrapping myself in my large

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cloak, and being faint, from the heat and the fatigues of my journey, I fell asleep. My imprudence cost me dear; I was in a violent fever before we reached Zebid, which continuing after my return to Belt el Fakih, rendered me unable to take any fatigue.

On our arrival in this city, upon the 6th of April, we found Mr Von Haven likewise indisposed. He had been attacked with a scurvy, and was weary of the mode of life to which we were here confined. We had long wanted wine and brandy; we were dissuaded from coffee, as being of a heating quality. Kischer, although esteemed wholesome, is but an insipid drink; and through all Tehama, the water is very bad. Our cook could prepare us no such simple dishes of food as those used by the Arabs, a nation distinguished for temperance. Upon this account, we daily ate animal food, although our friends, who knew the climate better, had advised us to abstain from it. Our persisting in this, doubtless, greatly injured our health, and was, in a particular manner hurtful to Mr Von Haven, who, except to sit down at table, never rose from his sopha.

The first day of Bairam happened this year to be the 14th of April. On this day the Dola proceeded out of the city with a multitude of attendants,

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to perform prayers in a large inclosed square area, in the open air. This festival lath three days, during which the Arabs indulge in festive amusements, and begin no piece of work, nor enter upon any journey.

On the 17th of April, we saw an instance at Beit el Fakih, of the coolness of temper, and firmness of mind, by which the Arab character is distinguished. The southern end of a house caught fire; and, as the wind blew strong from the south, a great part of the city was soon burnt down. The inhabitants, however, retained their usual tranquillity. No cries nor complaints were heard in the streets, and when addressed with expressions of condolence, upon their misfortune, they would calmly reply; “It is the will of God.” We occupied a house with stone walls, in that part of the town which was spared by the flames; we went upon the roof, and saw the roofs of the other houses crowded with people, who were beholding the conflagration with the utmost indifference. A poor scholar, who used often to visit us, came, after removing his effects to a place of security, to see us, and, with an air of indifference, marked the instant when the flames reached his own house. When such an accident happens, indeed, an Arab does not lose much; as the fire approaches, he removes his

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goods, and takes refuge, either in a different quarter of the city, or in the open country. He thus loses nothing but his paltry hut, which is rebuilt easily, and at a small expence.