324 A SPORTING TRIP THROUGH ABYSSINIA chap. 



received with courtesy by the Emperor hiniseU', was to 

 be made a fool of and insulted by a beardless youth 

 like him ? Did he intend to obey the Negus Negusti's 

 commands and find me a guide or not ? As my words 

 were translated, first into Arabic by my Somali, who 

 could hardly repress his rising anger at the insults 

 offered to his sahib, and then into Amharic by Adarar, 

 I saw the Dedjatch's colour rise and his fingers twitch 

 convulsively, as he half rose from his seat. When 

 Adarar had finished, no one spoke for a few seconds, 

 then a low murmur ran round the tent and was 

 taken up by the group of soldiers crowded round the 

 door. 



I kept my eyes fi.xed on the Dedjatch, who glared as 

 if about to rush at me ; but when two of his advisers 

 began to whisper to him, his gaze faltered and fell : I 

 had won. After hesitating for a little, he made reply 

 .that he only wished to obey the Emperor, and had no 

 intention of angering me. At these words a sigh of 

 relief made itself heard, and was the signal for every one 

 to begin talking at once. The Dedjatch ordered the 

 man to go back with me, but this proposition I met 

 with a prompt refusal, saying I had already had more 

 than enough of his guidance. The man excused himself 

 by saying that, though he knew the path well, he could 

 not find it on account of its being hidden by the grass. 

 As the latter was nowhere four inches high, my two 

 men broke out into derisive laughter on hearing this 

 lame excuse. Dedjatch Merrit then said if I would 

 wait a few minutes another guide should be found ; to 

 which I replied that I would wait outside the stockade 



