8 2 SFOR T IN ABYSSINIA . 



honey " — Brou having told them I would shoot if 

 they tried to molest me. The noise went on, and I 

 thought it was likely to get serious, when suddenly 

 there was a lull, and a priest stepped out from the 

 crowd and requested a parley with me. I went up to 

 him, and he made me a bow and said something in 

 Amharic, which it is needless to say I did not un- 

 derstand. The Abyssinians are Coptic Christians, 

 and I thought I would try him with a text from the 

 Bible ; so I said, " I asked for bread, and they gave 

 me a stone." I never before saw a man's face change 

 so completely ; Brou had interpreted the sentence 

 exactly. The priest then said, "You speak like a 

 king ; these people are only dirt in comparison with 

 you," etc. Well, it all ended by my keeping the 

 honey, and the villagers returning to their houses. 

 We made up a good fire. Brou produced some bread, 

 which I ate with the honey ; it was excellent — stolen 

 fruit is always the sweetest. I piled the arms near 

 the fire, rolled myself up in a shama of Brou's, and 

 lay down on a sheepskin to go to sleep. I had al- 

 most dozed off when H. arrived with all the baggage. 

 The reason he was so late was that the men at 

 Koudoofellassie demanded exorbitant prices. We 

 have now twenty coolies and three donkeys to carry 

 into Adiaboo. K. made this arrangement : so we 

 shall have no more trouble for some little time. 



