356 A SPORTING TRIP THROUGH ABYSSINIA chap. 



suddenly arrived on the scene without any previous 

 warning ; I hurried through my meal and had rugs 

 spread on the ground in front of the tent for his 

 followers, while the Balambaras occupied a chair just 

 in the doorway. He was rather a fine-looking old man, 

 tall, with good features and a neatly trimmed white 

 beard. After the usual compliments and the reading of 

 the Emperor's letter by one of his suite, 1 inquired if 

 there was a road that would take me quickly down to 

 Walkait, where I had heard that buffalo and giraffe were 

 to be found. He replied that it was a bad time of 

 year to go, because of the fever, and that, as in sixteen 

 days or less the Takazze would be impassable for three 

 or four months, I should not have time to go and return. 

 I then asked about the laa/a, which he said were to be 

 found only one day's march from Inchatkab ; adding that 

 their horns were two to three arms long, and much sought 

 after for the purpose of making into tumblers. As in 

 Abyssinia an arm means the length from the elbow to 

 the tip of the middle finger, or about iS inches, this 

 equals from three to four and a half feet. I opened a 

 bottle of champagne, but it was evidently an unknown 

 drink to the governor, who seemed very suspicious of it, 

 and after merely sipping its contents, passed on the 

 tumbler to his followers, who were nearly as distrustful. 

 I showed my rifles and Ward's book, in both of 

 which he merely took a polite interest. It was settled 

 that I should rest here this day — the mules being 

 much done up, and having to make a long march on 

 the morrow. \Ye had no rain all day, so that I was 

 able to have every skin unpacked for examination, 



