1 8 SPORT IN ABYSSINIA. 



The natives of Moncullu were ranged round the 

 open part of the marquee, singing to the music and 

 keeping time by clapping their hands. All the dancing 

 girls did was to sway their bodies about in an affected 

 manner, stamp with their feet on the ground, and wag 

 their heads backward and forward, making their long 

 plaited hair swing across their faces. They were 

 highly scented with musk, etc., a la mode Arabe. 

 Like all Arab women, they were very small but 

 beautifully made, with tiny hands and feet. 



This entertainment lasted about three hours, and, 

 between the heat of the hut and the smell of the 

 negroes, I very nearly went to sleep. At last the 

 performance came to a close, and we retired to our 

 respective tents. The soldiers put out the lights, but 

 I could see Arrekel Bey's native servants, after we 

 were gone, regaling themselves on the remains of the 

 liqueur and brandy left upon the table in the marquee. 

 My head, the next morning, was not quite so clear as 

 it might have been. It must have been the Turkish 

 sweetmeats that caused it, I think ! 



ya7i. 3. — To-day we were all up at sunrise. Our 

 mules were loaded, and also our three camels. Two 

 more mules had arrived the evening before. H. 

 bought one, of a grey colour, for his English ser- 

 vant to ride, and I was to ride a small brown mule. 

 She turned out a capital animal and very sure-footed 



