Travel of Ḥasan bin Aḥmad al-Ḥaymī
Wadis with running water near Beilul
Title
Elephants' noises and muskets firing
Short description
Noises are heard made by four elephants drinking in the nearby wadis, muskets are fired to scare the animals. At the same time, the sound of firing muskets scare the nomads gathering and preparing to assault the travellers.
Text on source
وبعد أن قررت هذه الأمور بحسب الظن وقدر الإمكان توجهنا في ذلك الوقت من بيلول في أرض مستوية كثيرة الأشجار نحو مرحلتين ثم دخلنا بعد ذلك في أودية بين جبال عالية وفيها ماء جار وفي هذا المحل جاء ألينا من أخبار البدو أنهم يريدون غزونا في تلك الليلة فأمرنا الناس في تلك الليلة بالاحتراس وأن يكونوا على أهبة وكان من عجائب الاتفاق أنها جاءت في أربعة فيلة في تلك الليلة فأدركنا الحرس وسمعوا حسها في ذلك الوادي ففزعوا منها فاجتمع الناس بعضهم إلى بعض ثم تبينا الأمر فإذا هو تلك الفيلة فرمت عليها البنادق فسمع أولئك البدو رمي البندق فأرهبهم وأرعبهم وفرق شملهم وبدد جمعهم
English translation
After the affair had been settled with forethought and as well as possible, we departed at that time from Baylūl through flat country with many shrubs (al-ashdjār) [travelling] for about two stages. Then we entered wadis with flowing water between high mountains. At that place, information reached us that the nomads were planning to attack us in the following night. So we ordered the people to keep watch during that night and to be on the alert. It was one of those amazing coincidences (min ʿadjāʾib al-ittifāḳ) that there came four elephants during that night. The guards perceived them and heard their noises in that wadi; they were alarmed by them and the people gathered closely. Then the situation became clear to us and see! it was those elephants. The muskets (banādiḳ) were fired at them, and those nomads heard the firing of the muskets (banādiḳ), which frightened and terrified them, scattered their gathering and dispersed their assembling.
Folios/Pages
pp. 110-111
Date
1647 11 09
Observations on the events description
Once again in this event, the sound of muskets firing is utterly surprising and frightening for locals.
The dots on the map indicate the places where sound and music events were described. They don't represent travel stages.
Participants
No other participants in this event description.
How to quote
Pintimalli A., "Elephants' noises and muskets firing" (Event description), Echos. Sound Ecosystems in Travelogues. Published 2024 04 07.doi: 10.25430/echos.travels.86
This work is licensed under CC-BY-SA 4.0 
