SFO£ T IN ABYSSINIA. 1 99 



the caravan to cany me in my palanquin. 1 here 

 wrote my journal lying on my bags and straw under 

 the shade of two beautiful trees, a luxury one appre- 

 ciates in this hot climate. I am much better, 1 think, 

 to-day. 



That afternoon I started for Azho ; the chief of the 

 caravan, by threats and persuasions, making his people 

 carry me. I was jolted along somehow or other ; and 

 the journey was not eventful, with one exception. One 

 old gentleman declined the honour of carrying me, 

 and made a great row. I found myself and my palan- 

 quin placed on the ground, with every prospect of 

 being left there. I said, if they would not take me 

 on to the next camping-place I would shoot them, and 

 I let off my revolver in the air, but still the old native 

 refused to take up the burden, and told the other 

 people not to carry me. I here leaped up and knocked 

 him backwards with " one in the eye ;" he tripped up 

 over his load of cotton, that he had placed down be- 

 side him, and turned a complete summersault. The 

 rest, seeing what had become of him, and being rather 

 astonished at a sick man getting well enough to do 

 this, picked up me and my palanquin and carried 

 me off. It was getting late, and the men carrying me 

 were going very slow, so I rode the mule belonging to 

 Ali the cook, for a little way, but found I should not 

 be able to get to Azho that night, and I stopped at 



