SPORT IN ABYSSINIA. 145 



with water, and wc were very glad of their shade 

 after the march of the day. For myself, I was rather 

 tired, and was not in very good working condition, 

 having through most of our marching been riding a 

 mule. After having lunched we pitched our tents ow 

 the flat top of a little rocky hill which just overlooked 

 the two large trees that formed the great feature in this 

 camping-place. On my road here I shot at a gazelle, 

 but, unluckily, the man who was carrying my Express 

 rifle was some distance behind, and so I could only fire 

 at it with m}' little i6-bore gun with a bullet. The 

 next day we were to come to a place called Coom- 

 Coom-Dema. 



This is the head-quarters of those Abyssinians who 

 come down to hunt elephants, for the young Abys- 

 sinians, that is to say the gentlemen of the country, 

 think it part of their education to come here to shoot 

 elephants. There are regular ivory hunters, who 

 live at Azho and the villages near, and these go down 

 to assist. The young Abyssinians who seek to dis- 

 tinguish themselves shoot at the elephant with small 

 shot or slugs, just enough to draw blood, and then it 

 is left to the Neftenias, or hunters, to finish him off 

 with bullets. Their mode of hunting is rather curious. 

 When they see the elephant, of course they stalk him 

 with great care : two lines are made ; the first line, on 

 coming up to the elephant, fire and take to their heels 



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