I o SFOR T IN ABYSSINIA. 



These guns were rather weak to shoot the large 

 game with, but H. had brought his Rigby's " Express" 

 with him, which, he said, I could use whenever I wanted 

 to do so. 



Dec. 31. — ^Ve had all four settled the evening before 

 to go out shooting, and accordingly, this morning, we 

 started early for the lowest range of hills to be seen 

 in the distance. We expected to find some small 

 game, such as gazelles and small deer. I rode a camel, 

 and H. a donkey. Traversing the narrow causeway 

 which joined the little peninsula on which our camp 

 was situate to the mainland, the first thing that struck 

 me was the beautiful colours of the fish in the sea- 

 water at each side of the causeway. A. got off his 

 camel and tried to shoot one, but the water was 

 rather deep. 



On reaching the mainland we found ourselves in a 

 large open plain covered with stunted bushes, and in 

 the distance could be seen the village of Moncullu, 

 where the residents of Massowah go during the heat 

 of summer, which is very great in this climate. 



H. and I made for the hills as quickly as we 

 could ; my camel striding ahead took the lead, and 

 he followed on his donkey. The motion of the camel 

 is very pleasant ; as I had bought a capital camel- 

 saddle in the bazaar at Cairo, so far from the motion 

 being inconvenient, as some travellers allege it to be. 



