SPOR T IN ABYSSINIA. 1 69 



them crashing away through the forest. It was a 

 very pretty picture to see these huge animals standing 

 amongst the thick trees and jungle, the rays of the 

 setting sun, at the time, just lighting up the broad 

 and sparkling river as it ran below us — the whole 

 being a thoroughly wild African scene, and one which 

 any lover of sport would have appreciated. I should 

 say that whilst fishing that afternoon I left a hand- 

 line in charge of a native, who afterwards assured me, 

 when I asked him if he had had a bite, that some 

 big fish had taken hold of it and pulled him on to his 

 knees ; certainly one of his knees was a little bit 

 bruised by the stones. The thermometer here ranged 

 from 109'^ to 115° in the tent, in the middle of the 

 day ; so my readers may imagine it was pretty hot, 



Feb. 18. — To-day Brou got the raft ready for 

 launching, and a large caravan of nearly four hundred 

 people came across the river, most of whom camped 

 close by. One of our messengers, whom we had 

 employed to carry letters for us to the coast, had 

 taken this opportunity of joining the caravan in 

 order to bring the letters down to us. Arrekel Bey, 

 the Governor of Massowah, had sent me some French 

 newspapers, so we were well posted up in all the news. 

 The chief of the caravan had been very kind to our 

 coolie, who was named Givra Michael, and had 

 given him food during the journey. We sent for 



