XVIII TROUBLE WITH SERVANTS 191 



cultivated land and saw numerous herds of cattle, 

 besides horses, mules, donkeys, sheep, and goats. Near 

 one village, a long line of men were beating out with 

 green boughs a grass fire that threatened to envelop 

 their huts. The headman ran after us and, shaking 

 me by the hand, insisted on my waiting till a great 

 bowl of fresh milk was brought me to drink. I reached 

 camp at five, in a heavy downpour of rain. After tea 

 the Abyssinians came to me in a body and asked for 

 salt, chillies, and clothes, and requested that they should 

 not have to carry skins. I told them that the wages 

 and conditions of their service had been settled before 

 we started ; that if they did good work they would be 

 well rewarded, but that, if they were dissatisfied, they 

 could leave at once, as I could not agree to make any 

 further concession, or say that they should not do this 

 or that. I then had an inspection of the mules, and 

 found six sore backs — a bad beginning. 



As soon as dawn broke, I sent off a man with the 

 Emperor's letter to Ras Dargee, governor of Salali 

 (an uncle of Menelik), as my direct road to Gojam, 

 whither I was bound, lay to the west of Futchey, at 

 which place Dargee was lying ill. The country we 

 passed through was highly cultivated and rich in cattle 

 and flocks. In the evening my messenger returned. 

 He said that the Ras had conversed with him through 

 a sentry at the door of his apartment, and given him a 

 letter to the headman of the village through which the 

 main road from Gojam passes, and which commands 

 the ford across the Blue Nile. Next day, after the 

 first two hours' march, we passed a little village perched 



