248 A SPORTING TRIP THROUGH ABYSSINIA chap. 



making a circle round us. As soon as he had answered 

 a few of the numerous questions asked him, he began 

 the story of his journey : 



The day I left I let the mule graze a little at the first water, and 

 then pushed on till evening, passing the night at a little village near 

 Angavera. 



Next morning, as I was sitting on the bank of the Futem drinking, 

 my rifle across my knees and my mule beside me, a party of ten men 

 rushed on me from behind, took away my rifle, mule, and the packet 

 of letters I had in my cummerbund, and led me away a prisoner. 

 I recognised them as some of Ras Wurgay's soldiers. After accusing 

 me of having fought with the Italians against them, and of now being 

 in the service of an Englishman, they beat me and kept me for two 

 hours tied up ; then, releasing me, they returned the rifle and mule, and 

 ordered me to go back to my master and say they had taken the 

 letters. I started on my way back to where I had slept on the 

 previous night ; there the owner of the tucul where I lodged told me 

 he would show me another road, which avoided Burey, Ras Wurgay's 

 place. So I waited till it was dark, and then set out, he guiding me 

 for half the night, till we reached a road I knew, when he left. As 

 day broke I hid myself in a patch of jungle by some water. For three 

 more nights I travelled like this — sometimes riding, sometimes walk- 

 ing, — always avoiding the big villages ; but on the fourth night, when 

 going down a steep hill, the mule fell, and we both rolled down the 

 slope. On regaining my feet I found the mule had injured itself, but I 

 led it along to the bank of the Abbai, which I reached the night after 

 the accident. Here, just after the animal had a drink, it fell dead ; 

 so I took off the saddle and bridle and crossed the river. Once on 

 the other side I knew I was safe, and travelled openly, saying I carried 

 news from my master to Captain Harrington, and that my mule had 

 died on the way. 



On the third day after crossing the Abbai, I reached Adis Ababa 

 at noon, but found on arrival at the British Agency that Mr. Beru was 

 away and McKelvie ill. I went on to the Italian Embassy, and thence 

 on to M. Savoure, the French merchant, hoping to find him, but did 

 not catch him till he returned to the Agency, when I told him all I 

 knew. He at once took me to Captain Harrington, who, when he had 



