SPORT IN ABYSSINIA. 95 



a fire which two of the ballagas had made in a sort of 

 hut, which \\'as built to live in during the time that 

 the corn was ripening and that they were thrashing it 

 out. These natives slept in the hut, and guarded the 

 corn at night from the inroads of wild beasts. I told 

 Goubasee to come on and not lag behind — as after 

 it gets hot in this country one never sees any 

 game, for all retire to the thick jungle. I walked 

 up a steep hill, and soon came, at the top, on a 

 broad level plateau. Part of this plateau was culti- 

 vated ; the rest of it was short, dry grass, which 

 reached up to the knees. It looked a very likely 

 place for game, especially pigs or deer. I made 

 Goubasee and another man I had with me spread out 

 and walk through the grass, in the hopes of " putting 

 up " something ; but we saw nothing there. Where 

 the grass ceased there was a rocky, stony piece of 

 ground, with short, stunted trees growing on it. All 

 of a sudden, by the side of one of these little trees, I 

 saw a fine old boar standing. He looked steadily at 

 me, and I looked at him — we were both very much 

 taken by surprise, as I almost came on the top of 

 him. The colour of this animal is so much like the 

 dried-up ground that it is very hard at first to discern. 

 H. had lent me his Express this morning, so I 

 fired and hit him behind the shoulder. He galloped 

 ofi", and was circling round towards me, when I gave 



