230 A SPORTING TRIP THROUGH ABYSSINIA chap. 



After taking a photo of the Ras and an attendant, 

 holding his beautiful shield of office, and surrounded by 

 his Shums and escort, I thanked him for his kindness, 

 and hoped that one of these days we might meet again, 

 possibly even in England. Then, escorted by a number 

 of his followers, I set out, striking due north through a 

 hilly forest country. At mid-day I crossed the river 

 Futem, flowing in a clear narrow stream along a wide 

 stony bed, one of the tributaries of the Abbai, which never 

 runs dry. Early in the afternoon we crossed the little 

 stream of Jackome and found camp pitched on its banks 

 at Agasar. From this camp we had a fine view of the 

 Argomeder range, with its great peak of Askuner piercing 

 the clouds like a huge domed tower. Next morning I 

 started with the mules soon after eight o'clock along an 

 ever rising path, through country dotted with small 

 wooded hills. After an hour and a quarter's going, we 

 struck off to the right to Zinguinea, a marshy lake some 

 four miles long by a mile wide. Here we saw some 

 reedbuck, but all were does. After travelling for three 

 hours, we found we had overshot camp and had to 

 retrace our steps. Although it was a hot day, my men 

 had carefully pitched my tent in the open, despite the 

 fact that a fine shady tree was close by ! I had now 

 crossed into the province of Argomeder, and, on reaching 

 camp, found that a number of people belonging to 

 Masfin, the local Ras, were waiting to receive me. They 

 had come down from Anjavera, a village perched on a 

 hill-top, a little to the north. Here I was quite over- 

 whelmed with presents, among them a hundred and 

 fifty eggs, which the Somalis, on being offered some. 



