5 6 SPOR T IN ABYSSINIA . 



We went on ascending, and as we did the vegeta- 

 tion became thinner and thinner. At the top stunted 

 yew-trees grew, so it must be cold here at most seasons 

 of the year. We then went over some low hills, and 

 at length found ourselves on a large plain, with culti- 

 vated land here and there. A flock of large cranes 

 were flying round and round ; at last they settled 

 on a bit of ploughed land not far from the road. 



I rode towards them and tried to stalk them, but 

 they would not let me come very close. I fired my 

 i6-bore gun into the " brown " as they rose, but it had 

 no effect. I would recommend all future sportsmen 

 to take out wire cartridges with them : one never 

 knows what one may come across in a wild country, 

 and a wire cartridge at close quarters w^ould act 

 like a bullet, and for long shots of course they are 

 capital. 



In the distance might be seen the village of As- 

 marra ; the houses flat-roofed and built into the side 

 of the low hill on which the village stands. About 

 ten or twelve of the natives came out to meet us ; 

 they saluted us respectfully, and we touched our 

 hats. They had come out not only to meet us but also 

 to stop our baggage-bullocks from coming any farther 

 than the top of the hills, as there was cattle disease 

 among the herds of the Shoho Arabs, and an order 

 had been issued all through Abyssinia that no cattle 



