SPORT IN ABYSSINIA. 9 1 



out of camp down the river, and shot an old cock 

 guinea-fowl and a brace of small sandgrouse. These 

 latter were most lovely little birds, and Fisk preserved 

 one for H.'s collection. 



Jan. 22. — ^I find, according to my journal, that the 

 events of this day were most unlucky. I went up the 

 river with Goubasee and the elephant-hunter that Brou 

 had with him as a sort of servant, I only saw a deer 

 cross the dry bed of the river in front of me, but out 

 of .shot. I had gone up some little way, and was 

 resting, sitting on some large granite rocks. The force 

 of the water during the rains must be tremendous, as 

 these rocks were scooped and hollowed out as if 

 by the hand of man. A large pool of water was just 

 below me ; the hot weather had not yet dried it up, 

 and the basin of rock prevented it filtering away 

 through the sand. My rifle lay close by me, and 

 wishing to put it at half-cock, I touched the trigger 

 without taking it up. By mistake I fingered the 

 wrong one : it went off, and as nearly as possible shot 

 Goubasee, who was reclining close beside me. He took 

 it very well, and the elephant-hunter only laughed, 

 and made a movement as if digging in the sand with 

 his stick ; meaning, if the ball had hit him it would 

 have been all up with poor Goubasee, and we should 

 have had to bury him, I got up very much disgusted 

 with myself, and walked over the rocks on the way 



