82 A SPORTING TRIP THROUGH ABYSSINIA chap. 



characterises the place. Thus the visitor will find the 

 latest invention in telegraphic and telephonic apparatus 

 lying on tables made of rough packing-cases, side by 

 side with a few aiiiold or salts and a pile of cartridge- 

 cases (both empty and full), which have been received 

 in payment of messages sent. Besides the instruments 

 in use, materials of all sorts are scattered about — cells, 

 insulators, receivers, call-bells, and so on ; for here are 





An Abyssinian Weaver. 



kept the supplies for the smaller stations between this 

 and Harrar. The doubling- of the line of copper wire 

 is now nearly completed, which will add greatly to its 

 usefulness, for at present a message from the capital to 

 Harrar can be heard at all the intermediate stations and 

 is, more often than not, interrupted by a message 

 between the latter. In order to prevent such inter- 

 ruption in the early morning, each station is guarded 

 while the official messages go through, but after this 

 time the ordinary mortal has to take his chance, and, 

 as the Abyssinian official has always plenty of time on 



