MAJOR ELIA 



signs of him ; ihcn ihc rain began : so, fnuling an 

 Italian non-commissioned officer, I asked his permission 

 to stand the mules in a military stable hard by, which 

 was readily granted. As soon as the rain slackened a 

 bit we pitched camp, and had just got the tents up when 

 it came down in sheets. During this downpour Major 

 Elia, the chief of the staff, rode up, and very kindly 

 insisted on my accompanying him to the club, whence, 

 in spite of my travel-stained appearance, he took me to 

 the official residence of H.E. the Governor of Erythrea ; 

 to him I was introduced, and we had a short conversa- 

 tion on the subject of my journey. 



While we were walking across to the Military Club- 

 house, my head muleteer, who had stayed behind on 

 the road, came up with the body of a long grey-haired 

 monkey, which he had shot on the way, knowing I had 

 been so an.xious to obtain a specimen. He told me the 

 police had stopped him and taken away his rille and 

 cartridges. Major Elia explained that no native, unless 

 a soldier, was allowed to carry arms in Erythrea, and 

 gave my man a note to the police sergeant, directing 

 him to return the weapon. This was only one of the 

 many instances I noticed of the sensible lines on which 

 the Italian Government rule their colony — a pleasing 

 contrast to the French methods at Jibuti. 



Major Elia was so good as to offer me a house to 

 put up in, but I thought it best to remain by my caravan, 

 which he advised me to break up here, instead of march- 

 ing to Massowah. I dined with him and several other 

 officers of the staff at an excellent restaurant, where 

 their mess was temporarily housed tluring some re- 



