92 SPORT IN ABYSSINIA. 



back to camp, but on the way I slipped and fell, 



denting both the barrels of my little i6-bore. "It 



seldom rains but it pours :" these two accidents occurred 



in the space of about five minutes. The gun was 



rendered quite useless by this accident ; so I returned 



home dejected, and on the way I amused myself by 



throwing a spear at a mark on a tree. The two 



Abyssinians who were with me made very good 



practice. It is extraordinary how hard it is to make 



sure of hitting anything with this weapon, though 



the mode of throwing it is simple enough. The 



spear is held in the right hand, not over the head, but 



about in a line with the shoulder ; lightly balancing 



it one takes three steps, starting with the left foot, 



and delivers the spear as the right foot comes to the 



ground. King Theodore was a celebrated spear 



thrower ; it is said he could make sure of a man at 



thirty yards or more. On my way home I was 



puzzling in my mind how to get the dented barrels of 



my little gun straight again. I had some hardened 



bullets with me for my rifle, which fitted this gun 



exactly, and I thought if one of these bullets was 



introduced into the barrel and gently and gradually 



tapped with one of our wooden tent-mallets it might 



straighten it When I got to camp I told Fisk 



what I thought of it ; he said he would try, and 



being a very handy fellow and understanding guns 



