276 A SPORTING TRIP THROUGH ABYSSINIA chap. 



the lake in one stream. On this island was a little 

 cluster of herdsmen's huts, built of rushes, from which 

 one of the men paddled over in a boat-shaped raft of 

 reeds. 



After taking some photos, we returned to a village 

 we had passed, where a local Shum met us with a band 

 of followers. They all sat down in a semicircle round 

 me ; we exchanged the usual compliments, and I was 

 asking some questions about the Abbai, when one of 

 his men brought up a big bowl of fresh milk, which 

 he had taken from one of the huts. This was given 

 to me as coming from the Shum, and no sooner had I 

 accepted it, than the headman of the village, evidently 

 in a towering rage, dashed up and attempted to carry it 

 off. In a moment a first-class row was on foot ; the man 

 was seized and held a prisoner, while others of the party 

 searched all the huts. Dogs barked furiously, women 

 ran about screaming, and children cried. Meanwhile, 

 however, several jars of milk and ghee were discovered 

 and brouo-ht out. These were rans^ed before the Shum, 

 and the man, who had suddenly recovered his temper, 

 was released ; he unwound his cummerbund and tied 

 it round his left arm, then, handing the end to his 

 captor, he was led before the court. The Shum now- 

 made some scathing remarks about his selfish and 

 unseemly conduct in objecting to his superior helping 

 himself to his, the headman's, goods, especially when 

 they were intended for the entertainment of a dis- 

 tinguished stranger. The man said he did not for 

 the moment realise who had ordered the milk to be 

 taken, and apologised for his behaviour ; his arm 



