NGESIKHATHI sikaPhawuli kwakungela mikhumbi ethwala abantu kuphela. Umuntu owayefuna ukuhamba ngomkhumbi wayejayele ukubuza kwabanye ukuthi bangabe belolwazi yini ngemikhumbi yempahla eyayisiya lapho afuna ukuya khona engavuma ukuthwala labantu. (ImiSeb. 21:2, 3) Lanxa umkhumbi wawungaqondi lapho ayelubangise khona, wayengafika adinge omunye phambili owawuzamtshiya eduze lalapho ayefuna ukuyakhona.​—ImiSeb. 27:1-6.

Imikhumbi yayingahambi umnyaka uqala uze uyephela kodwa yayihamba ngezikhathi ezithile zomnyaka. Kanti njalo yayingela sikhathi esibekiweyo sokusuka lokufika lapho eyakhona. Kwesinye isikhathi abagwedli babecina bengasukanga ngesikhathi ababefisa ukusuka ngaso ngenxa yomkhathi omubi. Abanye ababekholwa izinto zesidimoni babesithi bangabona iwabayi likhala lisentanjeni ezibamba amaseyili kumbe umkhumbi ubhidlikile ekhunjini babone kungcono ukungahambi. Kwakusithi nxa umoya ungaphambani labo baqalise uhambo lwabo. Umuntu wayesithi angawuthola umkhumbi azahamba ngawo ayemela eduze kwalapho imikhumbi esukela khona elindele ukuzwa isimemezelo sokuthi usuzasuka.

Isazi sembali okuthiwa nguLionel Casson sithi: ‘Edolobheni leRoma kwakulendlela elula eyayinceda abantu ukuthi bangatshoni bebhoda bedinga imikhumbi. Ukhumbi lwedolobho leli lwalulapho uMfula uTiber owawuthela khona. Idolobho le-Ostia elaliseduzane khonapho lalilegceke elikhulu eligonjolozelwe ngamawofisi. Amawofisi amanengi ayekhonapho ayengawalabo abakhangela ngokuhamba kwemikhumbi endaweni ezitshiyeneyo. Abedolobheni leNarbonne [khathesi idolobho leli liseFrance] babelewofisi khonapho, labeCarthage [khathesi idolobho leli liseTunisia] babelayo, njalo njalo. Loba ngubani owayedinga umkhumbi wayengaziqondela emawofisini akhangela ngemikhumbi eya emadolobheni asemangweni walapho alubangise khona.’

Ukuhamba ngomkhumbi kwakuyindlela engcono kulazo zonke ngalesosikhathi. Lanxa kunjalo kwakuyingozi kwezinye izikhathi. Ngokwesibonelo, uPhawuli wabhidlikelwa ngumkhumbi kanengi ngesikhathi ehamba elwandle engumnali.​—2 Khor. 11:25.