I70 A SPORTING TRIP THROUGH ABYSSINIA chap. 



at the pictures on the outer wall of the innermost 

 enclosure. 



Shortly after this the priest arrived, apparently in a 

 towering passion, and, so far as I could make out, 

 accused us of church-breaking. McKelvie, who was 

 with us, took up our defence very vigorously, and it 

 looked as if they would shortly come to blows, but the 

 present of a dollar soon smoothed things over, and the 

 irate priest led us round the building and explained the 

 subjects of the various pictures. My men were chiefly 

 impressed with one of the present Emperor and his 

 Court, and they carried on quite an animated debate with 

 the priest as to the identity of some of the personages. 

 I was most struck with a quaint picture of St. George 

 and a wonderful dragon. It is only during one or two 

 festivals in the year that these churches are crowded by 

 worshippers from Adis Ababa ; at other times they are 

 almost deserted. 



Before leaving the ridge, McKelvie pointed out the 

 road to the north I should have to follow, which went 

 past Salali to the Blue Nile and Gojam. We were now 

 in the midst of the winter, or light, rains, which com- 

 menced when we first came to the capital. 



On the evening of 20th February we had a very 

 heavy storm, an amusing account of which, written by a 

 member of the Embassy, and wherein he makes merry at 

 my expense, gives an excellent idea of what we went 

 through, though of course one must allow for a little 

 picturesque exaggeration. 



