224 SPORT IN ABYSSINIA. 



was any chance of a fight taking place. It was very- 

 amusing to see a little fellow strutting up and down 

 opposite this armed rabble and haranguing them, 

 calling upon them to fight well and to follow Borum 

 Bras, their chief ; telling them, in so many words, they 

 were the bravest of the brave, and there were no 

 heroes in the world like them. Then something like a 

 word of command was given, and the whole of the men 

 moved forward a little, shouting and yelling, then they 

 squatted down again. I asked if there was any chance 

 of seeing this robber, or of his coming here. An old 

 Mahomedan, who seemed wiser than the rest, informed 

 me that there was not the slightest likelihood of his 

 coming to attack Koudoofellassie, as the people were 

 much too numerous. I went back to camp and got 

 my things packed up, as I intended to march to 

 Terramnee that day. 



When all was ready I started off, and found that 

 the army of Koudoofellassie had moved some little 

 way outside the town. Borum Bras, and his attend- 

 ants, on horseback, might be seen in the distance 

 going through a variety of extraordinary evolutions, 

 galloping hither and thither, making a pretence of 

 spearing people. When I came up to the crowd I 

 found the women of the village were going about 

 with large jars of water to quench the thirst of their 

 husbands and relatives, and some of them had brought 



