288 A SPORTING TRIP THROUGH ABYSSINIA chap. 



was a fine, well-made man, and much above the average 

 in intelligence. We had a long talk about the Dervishes 

 and how they had devastated all this region, and from 

 him I learnt something of the splendid ruins I might 

 expect to see at Gondar. As I never expected to visit 

 this part of the country, I had taken no trouble to 

 read it up before leaving home, and, beyond some in- 

 formation concerning the obelisks at Axum and the 

 snow -clad peaks of Simien, knew very little about it. 

 He apparently took a fancy to me, for twice he went off to 

 fetch more provisions, returning first with a fat goat, and 

 then with bread, barley, etc. I gave him some wax- 

 candles, the whiteness and smoothness of which much 

 pleased him, since they were so different to their own, 

 which are made of unrefined wax poured over a cotton 

 wick. After admiring them for a moment or two, he 

 closed his eyes and offered up a prayer for my safe 

 return to my own country. 



Late in the evening, a message came from the 

 Dedjatch asking me to bring my whole caravan to his 

 village next day. After another night of heavy rain a 

 two hours' march took us to Chelkar, where we pitched 

 camp at a little distance from the Dedjatch's compound. 

 An hour later a guard of honour of fifty men came to 

 fetch me, nearly all of whom were armed with Italian 

 magazine-rifles. I was conducted through two courts 

 with weak bamboo-fences, and through one tucul to the 

 door of another. Here every one, except myself and my 

 two interpreters, with the chamberlain who conducted us, 

 was stopped. As I entered, the smell of an undressed 

 wound and of rancid butter was almost overpowering. 



