76 A SPORTING TRIP THROUGH ABYSSINIA chap. 



sections — one a narrow strip at the back, where the 

 Soudanese with their households hved in little huts, 

 next to this a large grass field, in which the ponies 

 were tethered and where the dhobie spread his washing. 

 Adjoining this came the stable-yard, which contained 

 a long, pent-roofed building, supported down the centre 

 by poles, and capable of holding thirty horses ; in front 

 of this structure were other tuculs, comprising a harness- 

 room, fodder stores, and quarters for the men of the 

 Aden troop. The last enclosure, lying nearest the 

 city, was filled with tuculs for the Abyssinian servants 

 and their wives, in the largest of which grinding 

 corn and baking the native bread was continuously 

 going on. 



Captain Harrington had ordered tents to be pitched 

 for us and our men at the lower end of his own com- 

 pound, and insisted on us all being his guests during 

 our stay. After tiffin, of which we stood much in 

 need, we heard the first news that had reached us of 

 the Boer War— of the battle of Talana, the siege of 

 Ladysmith, and the reverses at Magersfontein and 

 Colenso ; later a fresh mail from home came in, and 

 between reading letters and news, and discussing our 

 future plans, we were busy till it was time to dress 

 and ride over to the Italian Legation. It took nearly 

 an hour, over a rough path which crossed two ravines 

 with steep sides, and slippery boulders strewn along 

 their muddy bottom, to reach Captain Ciccodicola, who 

 has built himself the most luxurious dwelling in Adis 

 Ababa. As he was anxious to have a suitable place 

 for the Italian Residency as soon as possible, and the 



