2i6 A SPORTING TRIP THROUGH ABYSSINIA chap. 



present, and really seemed grateful for what had been 

 done for them. After they had talked to me, they sat 

 for a long time chatting to my men, and asked how 

 many Englishmen there were in Adis Ababa, what we 

 did there, and how Menelik treated them. Meanwhile, 

 the news of my arrival having spread, the sick and the 

 maimed began to crowd in on me, and I had much ado 

 to satisfy their claims to be doctored. A wandering 

 Greek, who had arrived from the north with some 

 merchants, also came to see me, but, except for a few 

 words of Amharic, we could find no language that we 

 mutually understood, though we tried some half dozen. 



Early next morning, the iSth of March, I heard that 

 the king's answer to my letter had arrived during the 

 night, but, as it was Sunday, they wanted me to put off 

 my start till the following day. However, the weather 

 was fine, and I was anxious to get on with my journey, 

 so, while the mules were being loaded, I went up for a 

 farewell interview with Fitaurari Notoro. I found a 

 numerous body-guard thronging the courtyard, but not 

 drawn up in order. Notoro, who was in his everyday 

 attire of dingy white clothing, received me very affably. 

 After saying the king had given orders that I was to go 

 and shoot where I liked, that guides were to be given 

 me, and that I was to be passed from Ras to Ras, who 

 would see that I got all I wanted, he remarked that it 

 was Sunday, and that the necessary arrangements could 

 not be carried out that day. I replied that I had far to 

 go, that the rains were drawing near, that the weather 

 was fine, and that, as I travelled slowly, a messenger 

 could easily overtake me on the following day. Seeing 



