CLOSE OF THE IXTERVIEW 



posed Starting on our journey, and on our saying, "At 

 once," retorted, "What! without lunching or dining 

 with mc ? " and promptly invited us all for the following 

 Sunday. The conversation then turned on coursing, 

 and Captain Harrington told Menelik of our recent 

 attempt. He was much interested, asked about the 

 different dogs, and finally decided to come himselt to 

 see a course. Durino- this conversation he was turning 

 over the leaves of a book sent him by Lady Meux — 

 a reproduction of an old Abyssinian bible. The pictures 

 and the binding were in exact facsimile, and so excited 

 his admiration that he remarked on it several times. 

 Dr. Martin also had some conversation with the 

 Emperor, and the word " Rlagdala" caused him to look 

 serious for a few minutes. Shortly before leaving, we 

 told him that we had brought no present, as we wished 

 first to find out what he would like. He replied that 

 any kind of new rifle was his greatest joy. Captain 

 Harrington then made some excuse for the smallness 

 of the tusks we had sent him, declaring that he had 

 been angry with us for shooting animals with such small 

 ivory, but asked for permission for W. and B. to keep 

 theirs, as trophies of their first elephant-hunt. Menelik 

 replied that all the ivory was small on the H awash, but 

 that we should find large tuskers towards Lake Rudolf; 

 he also said he would be very glad for W. and B. to 

 keep their first ivory, and hoped that each of us would 

 take back to England a pair of the largest tusks we 

 killed, in order to show what came from his country. 

 We then shook hands and departed, much impressed 

 with his shrewdness and affability. 



