i8o A SPORTING TRIP THROUGH ABYSSINIA chap. 



black cloth, was pitched in the centre of the camp. This 

 was surrounded by the tents of his chief officers, which 

 were of similar shape but of cotton cloth ; behind each 

 of these stretched those of the soldiers under his 

 immediate command. Some had little pent-shaped 

 cotton-cloth tents, others built themselves rough grass- 

 huts, or contented themselves with a humble screen 

 covered with grass. Ponies and mules were tethered 

 indiscriminately about the lines. It poured nearly all 

 that night and was raining steadily next morning, so 

 that starting was impossible. At last, Thursday, ist 

 March, saw us busily loading the twenty-one baggage- 

 mules. After the experience with the mules on the 

 way to Managasha, I expected to be half the day at 

 it, but, to my surprise, three and a half hours saw the 

 work finished and the men bidding last adieux to their 

 tearful wives and sweethearts. It was evident that they 

 looked upon the journey as little less dangerous than 

 the one Captain Wellby made, when, in addition to 

 those who died on the march, several on their way 

 back succumbed to fever contracted at Fashoda. How- 

 ever, the thought^of the pay increasing month by month, 

 as they got further from home, evidently weighed heavily, 

 and I had no difficulty in selecting eighteen men, among 

 them several who had been with Wellby, to accompany 

 me to Asmara, They came from all parts of Abyssinia ; 

 two or three were Gallas, some were Shoans, others 

 came from Gojam, some from Tigre ; several had served 

 under the Italians and been taken prisoners or escaped 

 after the battle of Adua. The headman, Nasser, had 

 been a small merchant, but an unfortunate speculation 



