THE ITALIAN RESIDENCY 



77 



collection of timber for a large house in Adis Ababa 

 is a matter of much time and difficulty, he decided to 

 buy an existing compound with two houses. These he 

 converted into dining- and drawing-rooms, connected 

 by passages with a circular reception hall, from which 

 the sleeping apartments and offices opened out. The 

 whole formed one of the most picturesque yet comfort- 

 able dwellings I have ever seen. Entering through a 

 gatehouse into a courtyard, we left our mules and 

 attendants, and then proceeded through a second 

 gate ; on either side was a raised open tucul, in one 

 of which the sentry on guard beat a gong to announce 

 our approach. We then found ourselves in a second 

 courtyard encircled by a covered way and with beauti- 

 fully laid out tlower-beds in the centre. At the further 

 end was the reception hall, hung round with leopard 

 skins and trophies of arms ; in this Captain Ciccodicola 

 received us and led us to the drawing-room. This 

 apartment, with its Persian carpets, couches covered 

 with polar-bear skins, statuary, pictures, precious curios 

 and works of art, its shaded lamps and candles, was 

 pervaded by an atmosphere of luxury and refinement 

 which contrasted strangely with the rough camp life of 

 the last two months. 



Our host had staying with him two Englishmen, 

 Messrs. Lane and Wetherall, who had come up to the 

 capital before the arrival of Captain Harrington, and 

 as they were soon to leave him, he had determined to 

 give an exclusively English New Year's dinner-party. 

 And a very merry party it was that sat down to a menu 

 worthy of Paris or London. How it could have been 



