CHAPTER XXI 



A load goes to the bottom of a stream — A large escort — Ceremonial re- 

 ception by the Governor of Damot — He asks about London and 

 England — My men have a great feast — A token of honour — The 

 Ras questions me about the Queen and the Royal family — The 

 Soudan and Fashoda — The Dervishes and the French — Our church 

 and clergy — The Ras and his new church — I bid him farewell — A 

 fine mountain view — A handsome old man — The Abyssinian plough. 



Next morning, our start was a good deal delayed by 

 the number of people who turned up to be doctored, 

 several having patches of white skin which seemed to 

 distress them very much, though I could not learn that 

 they caused any pain. A narrow but deep stream that 

 we had to cross gave a lot of trouble, the bottom being 

 very slippery. One mule fell, its load going right under 

 water ; it consisted — as luck would have it — of the case of 

 magazine-pistols I had brought as presents, a large open 

 tin of biscuits, and all my ginger-beer powders, besides 

 many other odds and ends that water did not improve. 

 Letting the rest of the caravan go on ahead, I remained 

 behind and got everything unpacked and spread out to 

 dry, after tipping the water out of the boxes. In a 

 couple of hours the hot sun dried everything, and, hastily 

 repacking, we started after the others. After an hour's 



