74 A SPORTING TRIP THROUGH ABYSSINIA chap. 



Struggled into Rogge, a wind-swept and stony valley, 

 with a small stream running through it. The air was 

 very chilly, and it was a long time before any wood 

 could be got for cooking purposes ; and so we had to sit, 

 shivering and impatiently waiting for dinner. During 

 the night we had a smart shower of rain, of which I got 

 the full benefit, as my waterproof sheet was employed 

 in keeping dry my dress-clothes and white shirts. 



Monday, \st Jaimary 1900. — I crawled out of my 

 wet blankets, feeling seedy and cold, after a most uncom- 

 fortable night. We got away at "J.^o, and, pushing ahead 

 of the baggage, came in sight of the outskirts — if there 

 can be said to be any — of Adis Ababa at 10.45. ^^ 

 had now entered a basin of undulating, rough grass-land 

 almost surrounded by hills, on the top of which, and 

 nearly facing us, was Entotto, the former capital of 

 Shoa. Nearly in the centre of the basin, and rather to 

 our left, was a small hill covered with trees, among 

 which we could make out, first, one conspicuous white 

 building, and as we drew nearer, many others. This 

 was the Gebi or Emperor's palace. Dotted about the 

 plain were clusters of huts, many stockaded enclosures 

 — large and small — and several camps, but all very much 

 scattered and more resembling a collection of villages 

 and farmsteads than the capital of a great empire. In 

 reply to our eager requests to Mahomed to point out 

 the British Agency, he said, " Other side, see by and 

 by." We were now coasting round a projecting spur on 

 our right, along a villainous path of deep ruts and quag- 

 mires. At last, on the slope of a hill, we espied a 

 large white -washed, thatched building, not unlike an 



