A Woman's Journey Round the World Part 39

Unfortunately I could not scold him in words, but I picked up the mantle and threw it at his feet, and explained to him that I would keep the remainder of the fare if he did not bring me to Oromia to- morrow on the third day. I then turned my back to him (one of the greatest slights), seated myself on the ground, and, resting my head in my hands, gave myself up to the most melancholy reflections.

What should I have done here if my guide had left me, or had thought fit to remain until a caravan happened to pa.s.s by.

During my dispute with the guide, some women had come up from the village. They brought me some milk and some hot food, seated themselves by me, and inquired what I was so troubled about.

I endeavoured to explain the whole affair. They understood me and took my part. They were vexed with my guide, and endeavoured to console me. They did not stir from me, and pressed me so heartily to partake of their food, that I found myself compelled to eat some.

It consisted of bread, eggs, b.u.t.ter, and water, which were boiled up together. Notwithstanding my trouble, I enjoyed it very much. When I offered the good people a trifle for this meal they would not take it. They seemed gratified that I was more at ease.

30th July. About 1 o'clock at night my guide began to stir himself, saddled my horse, and called me to mount. Still I was at a loss to understand his proceedings, for I saw no signs of a caravan. Could he mean to take his revenge on me? Why did he travel at night through a country which he ought to have chosen day-time for? I did not understand enough Persian to be able to obtain an explanation, and did not wish to say anything more to the fellow about not keeping his contract, so I was obliged to go--and I did go.

With great anxiety I mounted my horse and ordered my guide, who was inclined to ride behind, to go on in front. I had no mind to be attacked from behind, and kept my hand constantly on my pistols. I listened to every sound, watched every movement of my guide, even the shadow of my own horse sometimes scared me; however, I did not turn back.

After a sharp ride of about half-an-hour, we came up with a large caravan train, which was guarded by half a dozen well-armed peasants. It really appeared that the place was very dangerous, and that my guide had been acquainted with the pa.s.sing of a caravan.

Nothing caused me more surprise on this occasion, than the indolence of these people. As they are accustomed to travel in the night during the hot season, they also continue the custom at other times, and pa.s.s through the most dangerous places, although the danger would be much less during the day.

After some hours we came to the Lake Oromia, which henceforth continued on our right side; on the left lay barren hills, ravines and mountains, extending for some miles, forming a most dreaded place. Morning brought us into another beautiful fruitful valley, studded with villages, the sight of which gave me courage to leave the caravan, and hasten on.

The Lake Oromia, from which the town takes its name, is more than sixty miles long, and in many places more than thirty wide. It appears closely surrounded by lofty mountains, although considerable levels intervene. Its water contains so much salt, that neither fish nor mollusca can live in it. It is a second Dead Sea--it is said that a human body cannot sink in it. Large patches of the sh.o.r.e are covered with thick, white saline incrustations, so that the people have only to separate the salt they want from the ground.

Although the lake, and the country round it are very beautiful, they do not present a very attractive prospect, as the surface of the lake is not enlivened by any boats.

Since I had left the sandy deserts round Baghdad, I had not seen any camels, and thought that I should not see this animal again, as I was travelling northwards. To my astonishment, we met several trains of camels, and I learnt afterwards, that these animals were used as beasts of burden by the Kurds, as well as the Arabs. This is a proof that they are able to bear a colder climate; for in winter the snow drifts to a depth of several feet in the valleys.

The camels in these districts are somewhat more robust, their feet are thicker, their hair closer and longer, their necks longer, and not nearly so slender, and their colour darker. I did not see any light-coloured ones.

The Kurds of the valleys employ beasts of burden for carrying their crops, as well as waggons, which are however very simple and clumsy.

The body is formed of several long thin stems of trees bound together; the axles of shorter stems, with disks of thick board for wheels, of which each waggon has generally only two. Four oxen are yoked to these, each pair being led by a guide, who sits very oddly on the shaft between the yoke, with his back towards them.

Late in the evening, we reached Oromia safely, after a hard ride of more than sixteen hours. I had no letters to any of the missionaries, and with the exception of Mr. Wright, they were all absent. They lived with their wives and children in the country.

However, Mr. Wright received me with true Christian friendship, and after many disagreeable days I again found comfort.

The first evening I laughed heartily when Mr. Wright told me in what manner the servant had informed him of my arrival. As I did not know enough of Persian to be able to tell the servant to announce me, I merely pointed to the stairs. He understood this, and went up to his master, saying that there was a woman below who could not speak any language. Afterwards I asked a servant for a gla.s.s of water, in English; he rushed up stairs as if he had been possessed, not, as I thought, to get what I wanted, but to tell his master that I spoke English.

Mr. Wright acquainted the other missionaries of my presence, and they were so good as to come and visit me. They also invited me to spend a few days with them in the country, but I accepted their friendly invitation for one day only, as I had already lost so much time on the road. They all advised me not to go any further alone; although they admitted that the most dangerous part of the journey was past, and recommended me to take with me some armed peasants when pa.s.sing the mountains near Kutschie.

Mr. Wright was so good as to look out for a courageous and trusty guide. I paid double fare, in order to reach Tebris in four, instead of six days. In order to make the guide think that I was a poor pilgrim, I gave Mr. Wright the half of the agreed price, and begged him to pay it instead of myself, and also to say that he would be paid the other half by Mr. Stevens, the English consul.

I made as good use as possible of the day which I pa.s.sed at Oromia.

In the morning I visited the town, and afterwards I visited, with Mrs. Wright, several rich and poor families, in order to observe their mode of life.

The town contains 22,000 inhabitants, is surrounded by walls, but not closed by gates; it is possible to pa.s.s in and out at any hour of the night. It is built like all Turkish towns, with this exception--that the streets are rather broad, and kept clean.

Outside the town are numerous large fruit and vegetable gardens, which are surrounded by very high walls; pretty dwelling-houses stand in the centre of the gardens.

The women here go closely veiled. They cover over their heads and breast with a white kerchief, in which thick impenetrable network is inserted, at the places opposite the eyes.

In the houses of the poorer cla.s.ses two or three families live under one roof. They possess little more than straw mats, blankets, pillows, and a few cooking utensils, not to forget a large wooden box in which the meal, their chief property, is kept. Here as everywhere else where corn is cultivated, bread is the princ.i.p.al food of the common people. Every family bake twice daily, morning and evening.

Many of the small houses have very pretty courts, which are planted with flowers, vines, and shrubs, and looked like gardens.

The dwellings of the wealthy are lofty, airy, and s.p.a.cious; the reception rooms have a large number of windows, and are covered with carpets. I saw no divans, people always lie upon the carpets. As we made the visits without being invited, we found the women in very plain coloured cotton dresses, of course, made in their own fashion.

In the afternoon I rode with the missionaries to their large country-house, which is situated about six miles from the town, on some low hills. The valley through which we rode was very large, and altogether well cultivated and delightful. Although it is said to lie about 4,000 feet above the level of the sea, cotton, castor- oil plants, vines, tobacco, and every kind of fruit grow here as in South Germany. The castor-oil plant, indeed, is not more than four feet high, and the cotton but one foot; they produce, however, rather abundantly. Several villages are half hid in orchards. I came into this country at a fortunate time: there were beautiful peaches, apricots, apples, grapes, etc., true fruits of my native country, of which I had long been deprived.

The house of the missionary society is most charmingly situated; it commands a view of the whole valley, the town, the low range of hills, and the mountains. The house itself is large, and furnished with every possible convenience, so that I thought I was in the country-house of wealthy private people, and not under the roof of simple disciples of Christ. There were four women here, and a whole troop of children, great and small. I pa.s.sed several very pleasant hours among them, and was heartily sorry that I was obliged to take leave of them at 9 in the evening.

Several native girls were also introduced to me who were educated by the wives of the missionaries. They spoke and wrote a little English, and were well acquainted with geography. I cannot avoid, on this occasion, making some observations with regard to the missionaries, whose mode of life and labours I had frequent opportunities of observing during my journey. I met with missionaries in Persia, China, and India, and everywhere found them living in a very different manner to what I had imagined.

In my opinion the missionaries were almost, if not complete martyrs, and I thought that they were so absorbed with zeal and the desire to convert the heathen, that, like the disciples of Christ, quite forgetting their comforts and necessaries, they dwelt with them under one roof, and ate from one dish, etc. Alas! these were pictures and representations which I had gathered out of books; in reality the case was very different. They lead the same kind of life as the wealthy: they have handsome dwellings, which are fitted up with luxurious furniture, and every convenience. They recline upon easy divans, while their wives preside at the tea-table, and the children attack the cakes and sweetmeats heartily; indeed their position is pleasanter and freer from care than that of most people; their occupation is not very laborious, and their income is certain, whatever may be the national or political condition of their country.

In places where several missionaries reside meetings are held three or four times a week. These meetings or a.s.semblies are supposed to be for the transaction of business; but are not much other than soirees, at which the ladies and children make their appearance in elegant full dress. One missionary receives his friends at breakfast, a second at dinner, the third at tea, several equipages and a number of servants stand in the court-yard.

Business is also attended to: the gentleman generally retire for half an hour or so; but the greater part of the time is pa.s.sed in mere social amus.e.m.e.nt.

I do not think that it can be easy to gain the confidence of the natives in this way. Their foreign dress, and elegant mode of life, make the people feel too strongly the difference of rank, and inspire them with fear and reserve rather than confidence and love.

They do not so readily venture to look up to people of wealth or rank, and the missionaries have consequently to exert themselves for some time until this timidity is overcome. The missionaries say that it is necessary to make this appearance, in order to create an impression and command respect; but I think that respect may be inspired by n.o.ble conduct, and that virtue will attract men more than external splendour.

Many of the missionaries believe that they might effect a great deal by preaching and issuing religious tracts in the native language in the towns and villages. They give the most attractive report of the mult.i.tude of people who crowd to hear their preaching and receive their tracts, and it might reasonably be thought that, according to their representations, at least half of their hearers would become converts to Christianity; but unfortunately the listening and receiving tracts is as good as no proof at all. Would not Chinese, Indian, or Persian priests have just as great troops of hearers if they appeared in their respective national costume in England or France, and preached in the language of those countries? Would not people flock round them? would they not receive the tracts given out gratis, even if they could not read them?

I have made the minutest inquiries in all places respecting the results of missions, and have always heard that a baptism is one of the greatest rarities. The few Christians in India, who here and there form villages of twenty or thirty families, have resulted princ.i.p.ally from orphan children, who had been adopted and brought up by the missionaries; but even these require to be supplied with work, and comfortably attended to, in order to prevent them from falling back into their superst.i.tions.

Preaching and tracts are insufficient to make religious doctrine understandable, or to shake the superst.i.tions which have been imbibed in infancy. Missionaries must live among the people as fathers or friends, labour with them--in short, share their trials and pleasures, and draw them towards them by an exemplary and unpretending mode of life, and gradually instruct them in a way they are capable of understanding. They ought not to be married to Europeans for the following reasons:--European girls who are educated for missionaries frequently make this their choice only that they be provided for as soon as possible. If a young European wife has any children, if she is weak or delicate, they are then unable to attend any longer to their calling, and require a change of air, or even a journey to Europe. The children also are weak, and must be taken there, at latest in their seventh year. Their father accompanies them, and makes use of this pretext to return to Europe for some time. If it is not possible to undertake this journey, they go to some mountainous country, where it is cooler, or he takes his wife and family to visit a Mela. {287} At the same time, it must be remembered that these journeys are not made in a very simple manner: as mine has been, for instance; the missionary surrounds himself with numerous conveniences; he has palanquins carried by men, pack-horses, or camels, with tents, beds, culinary, and table utensils; servants and maids in sufficient number. And who pays for all this? Frequently poor credulous souls in Europe and North America, who often deny themselves the necessaries of life, that their little savings may be squandered in this way in distant parts of the world.

If the missionaries were married to natives, the greater part of these expenses and requirements would be unnecessary; there would be few sick wives, the children would be strong and healthy, and would not require to be taken to Europe. Schools might be established here and there for their education, although not in such a luxurious manner as those at Calcutta.

I hope that my views may not be misunderstood; I have great respect for missionaries, and all whom I have known were honourable men, and good fathers; I am also convinced that there are many learned men among them, who make valuable contributions to history and philosophy, but whether they thus fulfil their proper object is another question. I should consider that a missionary has other duties than those of a philosopher.

For my own part, I can only express my obligations to the missionaries; everywhere they showed me the greatest kindness and attention. Their mode of life certainly struck me, because I involuntarily a.s.sociate with the name "missionary" those men who at first went out into the world, without support, to diffuse the doctrines of Christ, taking nothing with them but a pilgrim's staff.

Before concluding my description of Oromia, I must remark that this neighbourhood is considered to be the birth-place of Zoroaster, who is said to have lived 5,500 years before the birth of Christ, and was the founder of the sect of Magi, or fire-worshippers.

On the 1st of August, I rode ten hours to the village of Kutschie, which lies near the Lake Oromia; we seldom caught sight of the lake, although we were always very near to it all day. We pa.s.sed through large, fertile villages, which would have presented a charming prospect if they had not been situated between barren and naked hills and mountains.

I had not enjoyed so pleasant a day during the whole journey from Mosul, or from Baghdad. My guide was a remarkably good fellow, very attentive to me, and provided everything carefully when we reached Kutschie; he took me to a very cleanly peasant's cottage, among some excellent people; they immediately laid down a nice carpet for me on a small terrace, brought me a basin of water to wash, and a quant.i.ty of large black mulberries on a lacquered plate. Afterwards I had some strong soup with meat, fat, sour milk, and good bread, all in clean vessels; but what was better than all, the people retired as soon as they had set the food before me, and did not stare at me as if I was a strange animal. When I offered to pay these good people, they would not take anything; I had no opportunity of rewarding them until the following morning, when I took two men of the family as guard across the mountains, and gave them twice as much as they are generally paid; they thanked me, with touching cordiality, and wished me safety and good fortune on my journey.

2nd August. It occupied three hours to pa.s.s the most dangerous part of these desolate mountains. My two armed men would not, indeed, have afforded me much protection against a band of robbers, although they were the means of making the journey less terrible than it would have been if I had gone with my old guide alone. We met several large caravans, but all going towards Oromia.

When we had crossed the mountains, the two men left us. We entered into enormous valleys, which seemed to have been forgotten by nature, and deserted by man. In my opinion, we were not in any degree out of the danger, and I was right; for, as we were pa.s.sing three ruined cottages in this barren valley, several fellows rushed out upon us, laid hold of our horses' reins, and commenced rummaging my luggage. I expected nothing but an order to dismount, and already saw my little property lost. They talked with my guide, who told them the tale which I had imposed upon him--that I was a poor pilgrim, and that the English consuls or missionaries paid all my travelling expenses. My dress, the smallness of my baggage, and being alone, agreed perfectly with this; they believed him, and my silent supplicative look, and let me go; they even asked me if I would have some water, of which there is a scarcity in these villages. I begged them for a draught, and so we parted good friends. Nevertheless I was for some time fearful that they might repent their generosity and follow us.

We came to the sh.o.r.es of the lake again today, and continued to travel for some time at its side. After a ride of fourteen hours, we rested at a chan in the village of Schech-Vali.

3rd August. The oppressive sense of fear was now at an end. We pa.s.sed through peaceful inhabited valleys, where the people were working in the fields, carrying home corn, tending cattle, etc.

During the hot noon hours we rested at Dise-halil, a rather considerable town, with very clean streets; the princ.i.p.al street is intersected by a clear brook, and the court-yards of the houses resemble gardens. Here also I saw outside the town a great number of very large gardens surrounded by high walls.

From the number of chans, this town would appear to be very much visited. In the small street through which we pa.s.sed, I counted more than half a dozen. We dismounted at one of them, and I was quite astonished at the conveniences which I found there. The stalls were covered; the sleeping-places for the drivers were on pretty walled terraces; and the rooms for travellers, although dest.i.tute of all furniture, were very clean, and furnished with stoves. The chans were open to every one, and there is nothing to pay for using them; at the utmost, a small trifle is given to the overseer, who provides the travellers' meals.

In this respect, the Persians, Turks, and the so-called uncultivated people, are much more generous than we are. In India, for example, where the English build bungalows, travellers must pay a rupee per night, or even for an hour, which does not include any provision for the driver or the animals: they are obliged to take their rest in the open air. The travellers who are not Christians are not allowed to come into most of the bungalows at all; in a few they are admitted, but only when the rooms are not required by a Christian; if, however, one should arrive at night, the poor unbeliever is obliged to turn out for him without pity. This humane custom extends also to the open bungalows, which consist only of a roof and three wooden walls. In the countries of the unbelievers, however, those who come first have the place, whether they are Christians, Turks, or Arabs; indeed, I am firmly convinced, that if all the places were occupied by unbelievers, and a Christian was to come, they would make room for him.

In the afternoon, we went as far as Ali-Schach, a considerable place, with a handsome chan.

We here met with three travellers, who were also going to Tebris.

My guide agreed to travel with them, and that we should start at night. Their society was not very agreeable to me, for they were well armed, and looked very savage. I should have preferred waiting until daybreak, and going without them, but my guide a.s.sured me that they were honest people; and trusting more to my good fortune than his word, I mounted my horse about 1 o'clock at night.