1 70 SFOR T IN ABYSSINIA. 



the chief and talked some time with him : he told me 

 he was taking his people, and cows, and belongings, 

 back to his home in \Valkait_, the country then being at 

 peace. There are very often feuds and disputes going 

 on among the petty chiefs, especially in this part 

 of Abyssinia. I amused the Abyssinian by showing 

 him my guns and revolvers, and, for his edification, 

 fired at a mark with one of my revolvers : he was 

 much astonished at the rapidity with which the re- 

 volver went off". I made him a present of a pocket- 

 handkerchief and two hanks of beads, with which he 

 was very much delighted. I had with me at the 

 time Rassam's book, called ' British Mission to Abys- 

 sinia ;' in the frontispiece of the first volume is a 

 picture of King Theodore, and this I showed to the 

 chief and most of his followers. They were in- 

 tensely interested with it, and said the likeness was 

 very good. It was very amusing to hear their re- 

 marks and to see the expression on their faces as the 

 picture was handed round. I went out fishing in the 

 evening, but some monster of the deep ran out about 

 seventy yards of my line so fast that I could scarcely 

 hold it. I am rather better to-day, having taken some 

 opium. 



Feb. 19. — Brou came to me this morning to tell 

 me that Barrakee was suffering from diarrhoea, and 

 begged I would give him a little brandy and water. I 



