8 A SPORTING TRIP THROUGH ABYSSINIA chap. 



necessary for the work, one must oneself have had the 

 fitting out and collection of such a caravan. . 



While strolling through the native town, we visited 

 the " cloak-room," where every native, as he enters the 

 town, has to leave his weapons, receiving a numbered 

 ticket in return, to be exchanged for them when he 

 departs. Some of the spears and large Esa knives we 

 saw were handsomely bound and ornamented with brass 

 wire. We tried to buy some, but, as the owners were 

 absent, could not do so. In this store-room we saw 

 a few rifles and revolvers, which had been purchased 

 at the French port of Jibuti, where, in defiance of 

 the Brussels Convention, any and every native who has 

 the wherewithal can procure both arms and ammunition. 

 We next went to the camping-ground, where caravans 

 halt on arrival, dispose of the hides, butter, gum, ostrich 

 feathers, etc., from the interior, and collect the return 

 loads of rice, dates, iron, cloth, salt, and beads. On 

 reaching the coast, the caravan camels are usually sent 

 to a distance to graze, but there are always a number 

 of these animals wandering about the camping-ground. 

 While waiting here, the caravan people generally build 

 themselves temporary huts of bent-wood, which they 

 roof in with the mats used to make the camel pack- 

 saddles. These mats when placed in position on the 

 animal in layers three and four thick are roped so as 

 not to shift or rub. 



All Somalis dislike being photographed, and although 

 men accustomed to take service under Europeans un- 

 willingly submit to the ordeal, the free man does his 

 best to keep clear of the camera. We found the easiest 



