84 A SPORTING TRIP THROUGH ABYSSINIA chap. 



ceiving dues and granting receipts. Opposite them lies 

 a long range of buildings, in which the merchandise has 

 to be stored until it has been valued and the Customs 

 are paid. Lying about in odd corners are elephant 

 tusks, some whole, others sawn in half, while outside 

 the verandah are piles of forty and fifty each, among 

 them some splendid specimens. A mile and a half to 

 the west lies M. Savoure's, the chief French merchant's 

 new house and shop, and a little further on is the Italian 

 Embassy. Looking south-east from just below the 

 market, where all the Greek and Indian merchants' 

 shops are situated, we get the best view of the Gebi 

 enclosure, the new Aderash or great hall being its most 

 prominent feature. As we descend the hill of St. 

 George's in the direction of the palace, we pass M. Ilg's 

 house on our right, then cross a muddy ford and slippery 

 ascent, to descend again to a ditch, which borders on 

 the palace stockade, and arrive just opposite the principal 

 oate. Keeping the Gebi on our right, we cross first 

 the line of pipes which supply the palace with water from 

 a spring close to the French Embassy, and next a single 

 line of rail used to convey the stone for the new building 

 from the quarry. We now turn north-east, cross a small 

 bridge, and then pass between Selassee Hill and an 

 expanse of fairly level turf lying at its foot. On the 

 left, close under the hill, are some gardens belonging 

 to the Emperor, in which geshii is grown. This Is 

 an evergreen plant, the leaves of which are used in 

 making tej, to increase the intoxicating effect of the 

 beverage. At the further side of this grassy plain are 

 Menelik's store-houses and arsenal, protected by the 



