SPORT IN ABYSSINIA. 37 



CHAPTER III. 



GENERAL KIRKHAM — DIK-DIK — AN ABYSSINIAN HOUSE — A SUCCESS- 

 FUL DODGE — EGYPTIAN OUTPOSTS — A PET SHEEP — SPORTSMAN'S 

 PARADISE — LOST IN A MIST— A "NASTY CROPPER "—SAFE IN 

 CAMP— DIGGING FOR PIGS— A LUCKY SHOT — A SHOWER BATH. 



I HAD heard at Massowah that General Kirkham, 

 commander in-chief of the King of Abyssinia's army, 

 was at Gindar, about half-a-day's march from Ailet. I 

 had written to the General from Massowah, and, this 

 evening, a servant of the missionaries brought me a 

 note from him, saying that he would come and see us 

 next morning. I was very much interested in seeing 

 General Kirkham, who had lived so long in Abyssinia 

 away from his own country.* 



* General Kirkham was formerly a steward in the P. and O. service. 

 He left the P. and O. ship in China, to join the British contingent 

 which Colonel Gordon at that time was raising for the war in China. 

 General Kirkham was terribly wounded both in the head and shoulder 

 in this war ; he came home, and Sir William Fergusson, the surgeon, 

 cured him. He afterwards went to Annesley Bay, and, at the time of 

 the Abyssinian expedition, he was employed by Lord Napier of Mag- 

 dala to buy bullocks for commissariat purposes ; when the expedition 

 was over he received leave from Lord Napier to go into Abyssinia. He 



