322 A SPORTING TRIP THROUGH ABYSSINIA chap. 



the field providing fur himself — they consider it a great 

 sign of weakness if troops have to purchase food brought 

 from a distance. Various cheap jokes at the expense of 

 the English and their supposed feebleness in this matter 

 were bandied between master and men. The former 

 then remarked he wanted a pistol such as I had sent 

 to the Ras, his father. I replied that I had only brought 

 enough to present to those great oFhcials for whom the 

 Emperor had given me letters. He asked if I still 

 intended to go down to the Soudan and shoot, to which 

 I replied, "Certainly; what was to prevent me?" 

 "Was I not afraid of the robbers?" I said I had 

 heard of them before, but had seen none, and if any 

 harm befell me so close to Metemmeh, it was likely 

 to be a serious matter for those who were the cause of 

 it, to say nothing of the account the Emperor would 

 require at the hands of those he held responsible for 

 my safety. This caused a murmur of assent from 

 among the older men present, which was e\-idently not 

 to the liking of their young leader. I now rose, and, 

 reminding him of his promise to have a guide ready for 

 me in the morning, returned to camp. 



After a night of high wind and heavy rain, I again went 

 up to the Dedjatch's tent as soon as the loads were packed, 

 and asked for the guide, when, after keeping me waiting- 

 some time, he informed me the man had gone on with 

 the mules. So I took my leave and soon caught up the 

 caravan, but found no guide with them. Shortly after- 

 wards, however, he overtook us, and led us from the 

 path we were following on to another, but a little later 

 calmlv told me he did not know the way ; and we sat 



