XIII THE GAME OF GUCKS 137 



moved on and soon put up a jackal, which gave a good 

 run but went to ground. A move was then made home- 

 wards, the whole field forming a long, irregular column. 

 Every now and then little parties of the Abyssinian 

 officers would gallop to the front of the cavalcade and 

 give an exhibition of the national game oi gucks, which 

 consists of one horseman pursuing another and throwing 

 a light spear-shaft. Very dexterous they are in guiding 

 their horses and swaying their bodies to avoid being 

 struck. 



When the British Agency compound was reached, 

 the Emperor entered, accompanied by a few of his 

 principal chiefs, and, having dismounted, was escorted 

 by the Indian sowars to the reception tent, in front of 

 which the British and Ethiopian flags were flying. While 

 Captain Harrington entertained this party with cham- 

 pagne and coffee, we dispensed hospitality to the lesser 

 officials in the next tent, and were much amused by their 

 anxiety to get as much gas as possible with their cham- 

 pagne. Indeed, they were so keen on it, that I think 

 they would have preferred drinking out of the bottle. 

 After a while, the Emperor asked to be conducted round 

 the stables, to see some twenty ponies, which were being 

 tried for polo, and in fulfilment of an old promise made 

 to the Negus were being groomed by Abyssinians. It 

 was while walking from the tents to the stables that the 

 Emperor remarked to Ras Wolda Giorgis, " Englishmen 

 are curious people, quite unlike any other nation I have 

 seen ; for they build a house for their horses, before they 

 have a roof over their own heads." The custom of the 

 country is to give a horse the very roughest rub-down 



