CHAPTER XXXVII 



The Italian frontier station — A hearty welcome — Civilisation again — News 

 of the world — Return of a lion-hunter — Adi Ugri fortress — Hospitality 

 of the garrison — Intelligence of my journey — My reported massacre 

 — Simien and its snow — Arrival at Asmara — Major Elia — The 

 governor — The club — The gold-mining company — Selling off the 

 caravan — Asmara, new and old — The road to the plains — Rail-head — 

 Massowah — Aden — Marseilles — Home. 



Early next morning we marched up-hill into the wide 

 valley of Gundet, where Fitaurari Arier, in charge of 

 the irregular frontier-guard of the Italians, came to meet 

 me, bringing a bottle of fresh milk, a luxury I had not 

 seen for days. He was very anxious for me to go to 

 his house to rest, but as I wanted to push on to Adi 

 Ouala, he sent a man in advance to give notice of my 

 arrival. A long climb to the head of the valley brought 

 us out on a flat, muddy road ; here a sentry joined us, 

 and a little later Mohamed, the Arab who had attached 

 himself to the caravan at Gondar and had disappeared 

 three days before, came out to meet us. At ten we 

 reached Adi Ouala, the first large village in Italian 

 territory, on the main road from Adua to Asmara. It 

 is the headquarters of an Intelligence Officer, whose 

 duty it is to watch the frontier and to report all that 

 430 



