[Arabic]
(Zaribat el Harar, the coinage of Harar.)
On the reverse is the date, A.H. 1248. The Amir pitilessly punishes all
those who pass in the city any other coin.
The Amir Ahmed is alive to the fact that some state should hedge in a
prince. Neither weapons nor rosaries are allowed in his presence; a
chamberlain's robe acts as spittoon; whenever anything is given to or
taken from him his hand must be kissed; even on horseback two attendants
fan him with the hems of their garments. Except when engaged on the
Haronic visits which he, like his father [32], pays to the streets and
byways at night, he is always surrounded by a strong body guard. He rides
to mosque escorted by a dozen horsemen, and a score of footmen with guns
and whips precede him: by his side walks an officer shading him with a
huge and heavily fringed red satin umbrella,--from India to Abyssinia the
sign of princely dignity. Even at his prayers two or three chosen
matchlockmen stand over him with lighted fusees. When he rides forth in
public, he is escorted by a party of fifty men: the running footmen crack
their whips and shout "Let! Let!" (Go! Go!) and the citizens avoid stripes
by retreating into the nearest house, or running into another street.
The army of Harar is not imposing. There are between forty and fifty
matchlockmen of Arab origin, long settled in the place, and commanded by a
veteran Maghrebi.
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![First Footsteps In East Africa; Or, An Exploration Of Harar. By Richard F. Burton
- It bears
on one side the words:
[Arabic]
(Zaribat el Harar, the coinage of Harar.)
On the reverse is the - Page 300](../images/travel.jpg)
