SPORT IN ABYSSINJjf. 20: 



of which I was in great need. It may interest some of 

 my readers to know what the rate of exchange was : 

 one Manchester cotton pocket-handkerchief for one 

 chicken and six eggs. The haggling and bargaining 

 over these important mercantile transactions was very 

 amusing, but Petros seemed up to everything ; in fact, 

 his usual occupation was that of a merchant in the 

 bazaar at Suez. In the afternoon the man who had 

 pointed the gun at me and called me a robber came to 

 pay me a visit. I asked why he had called me a robber. 

 He said that when he heard the shot fired, the people 

 told him I had shot his brother. He had brought me 

 half a large pumpkin as a sort of peace-offering. I said 

 to him, if he would bring me a whole one I would give 

 him a red pocket-handkerchief. He went away and 

 fetched a large pumpkin, and I gave him a red hand- 

 kerchief, and then told him I was not accustomed to 

 be called a robber, and that, although I w^as very sick, 

 if he would get two thick sticks I would go outside 

 the village with him and give him an excellent 

 thrashing. My friend sneaked off at this, and another 

 Abyssinian, who was standing by, seemed much 

 amused. I had not got rid of the horrid complaint 

 that troubled me, and I was afraid that dysentery had 

 set in in earnest. I sent back a coolie from here to 

 H., with a letter to say that I had really started for 

 the coast. I heard no more of him till I cot to 



