56 THROUGH UNKNOWN AFRICAN COUNTRIES. 
at the same time singing and shouting to the accompani- 
ment of a huge bass drum. They clapped their hands, 
danced, and twisted themselves into all manner of mad 
shapes. After this had gone on for some time, Sheikh Ali 
came forward and conducted us to the camping-place that 
had been prepared a couple of hundred yards further on, 
and here again we were surrounded by a dancing, singing 
mob. Later in the afternoon great feasts were prepared 
by the natives, as well as by my boys, to whom I gave a 
fat camel and an extra portion of ghee. 
The women were not allowed to take part in these fes- 
tivities, having to content themselves by looking on a long 
distance off. Luckily there was only a small shower 
through the day, but during the night and almost the 
whole of the next day there was a steady downpour, and 
we felt the cold keenly. 
Several Abyssinians came to the camp; but, from the 
continual tales they offered of the difficulties and dangers 
of the road ahead, I was afraid they were secretly doing 
all they could to prevent our progress. I told them I was 
very anxious to visit the chain of lakes that extends south 
from Demble, and thence pass southwest to Lake Rudolf." 
The Abyssinians had been very polite, bringing us grain 
and animals for sale at reasonable prices. One young 
officer brought his wife, a girl of about fifteen, and told me 
he would relinquish all claim to her as long as I remained 
1 To the west of Sheikh Husein, twelve miles distant, there is a high, rocky, 
barren mountain called Abougasin, towering to the height of nearly nine thou- 
sand feet. It is quite isolated in a broad valley, and acts as a landmark in this 
country. After we left this neighborhood the Abyssinians informed me that at 
the foot of Mount Abougasin there were some curious stone figures of horsemen. 
Just around the southern base of this mountain curves the Webi Shebeli. I was 
glad of this discovery, as it had been believed by some that the Webi Shebeli 
arose from a chain of smail lakes not far from the Erer River, but here it was 
coming from the high mountains about Demble, and passing at the very foot of 
Sheikh Husein. 
