CHAPTER IV.
MEDITATIONS AMONG THE TOMBS— A FRACAS— THE RETURN
MARCH— THE NORTH-EAST MONSOON— RELIEF FROM PERSECUTION—
INTERESTING ANIMALS— GORI AGAIN— SHOOTING
A WOMAN— ARRIVAL AT ADEN— FRESH PROJECTS—
ARRANGEMENTS.
3d January 1855. — During these three days I
visited a ruined musjid and a cemetery, which, though
much resembling the one at Rhut in every respect,
was said to be of more recent origin, and built by
Mohammedans. On my walking amongst the tombs,
and inspecting the crosses * at their heads, the interpreter
rebuked me for sacrilegious motives, and desired
me to come away, lest the Dulbahantas should
find it out, and be angry with me. Besides this, I
daily tried to draw Sumunter, like a badger, from his
hut, which was four miles distant from iny tent, but
without effect. He and his wife, two dwarf sisters
(little bits of things, who, the interpreter said, were too
small to be of any use), and some children, all lived
together in a small beehive hut, so low that they had
* From the presence of these crosses, it would appear as though in
ignorance they had adopted the emblem of their Christian predecessors.
to crawl in on all-fours, and so small that it was marvellous
how they could turn round in it. At length
to-day he arrived in a sullen angry mood, and said,
haughtily, he was displeased at my trying to force him
into compliance, as if I had the power to make him
move unless he chose. I t was impossible to keep one s
temper under such constant provocation \ so I abused
him vehemently, and warned him off the camp, again
repeating he had abused his commission, as well as the
Government authorities who engaged him, and entreated
he would “ get away,” and let me take my
chance of proceeding how I could, for his presence
simply made my position one of purgatory. He
laughed in scorn, wishing to know if I thought I
could do anything without him, and said he had
only to turn his back an instant, and the Dulbahantas
were ready to devour me. I still persisted ; and then
he said, “ If you say go once more, I take you at your
word; and see you to the consequences.”
My resolution was fixed; fop I plainly saw I could
not by any possibility be worse off. He now tried
frightening me by assembling the Dulbahantas to confirm
his words, making them say they only permitted
my residence there out of the love they bore to their
brother Sumunter, and that they certainly would kill
me if he once left the place. They did not fear guns.
The English could not reach them ; besides, their
fathers had driven Christians from these lands; and if
an army was to attack them, they would assemble so
many cavalry, and ride in such rapidity around them,