214 



A S PORTING TRIP THROUGH ABYSSINIA 



I turned over the pages, they named the different beasts 

 shown in the pictures. It evidently interested them, for, 

 when I had done, they took the book and went all over 

 it again, asking the names of those animals foreign to 

 them. They said buffalo were scarce and that I should 

 have to go a long way for them. I then produced 

 the magazine-pistol I had brought for the king, and 



FiTAURARI NOTORI AND SUITE. 



explained its working. At first they could not under- 

 stand the dummy cartridges, and edged away, as if half 

 expecting me to shoot some one, but, when I finally fired 

 five shots in rapid succession in the air, they were full 

 of admiration for the little weapon. I then made my 

 excuses for bringing no present for Fitaurari Notoro 

 and begged his acceptance of a bottle of brandy and one 

 of absinthe. As I rose to go, they pressed me to stay 

 and take some refreshment. A cloth was then solemnly 

 let down over the window to shut out the evil eye, and a 

 bottle of absinthe produced. Before any of us drank, a 



