SFOR T IN ABYSSINIA. 1 3 7 



keep this," a remark that amused us very much, as 

 he had previously been all for the Abyssinians, and 

 now he was quite ready to take the native's pumpkin. 

 These pumpkins make a very good dish, boiled in 

 water with a little sugar. It is wonderful on occasions 

 of this sort how " 'cute " one gets at foraging for food. 

 To-day was the only time, during our whole journey, 

 that I saw a snake. I just caught a glimpse of the 

 reptile as he wriggled away among some corn sheaves; 

 he was yellow, and almost of the colour of the corn. 



In consequence of the "row" about the donkeys, we 

 could not start until next day. The old chief, Adik, 

 came to say good-bye to us. He had never, all through 

 the time of our stay at Adiaboo, been half so civil as 

 the younger native, and the servants felt unanimously 

 that it was owing to him that the donkeys had been 

 taken ; so I intimated that I would not say good-bye 

 or take any notice of him unless he apologised for all 

 the trouble he had given us. I had put it very strongly 

 to his relative, the young man, and told him, in so 

 many words, I did not think he had behaved as an 

 Abyssinian chief ought to behave to Englishmen, 

 when they came to pay a visit to his country. He said 

 at first that he would not apologise, but at length, 

 towards the evening, he came up and said he was 

 very sorry for what had happened, and he hoped 

 we should have a pleasant journey and lots of sport. 



