MAMBERA 



159 



been traversed (by Colonel Sparkes Pasha, C.M.G.). 

 I chose that to the west. 



My first halting-place was Mambera, a tiny village 

 occupied by thirteen souls of Arab extraction. These 

 had sponged on the Sultan for some years, and were 

 now not allowed to return till they had repaid the 

 cost of their entertainment. Their case reminded me 

 of that of two Frenchmen whom one of our inspectors 

 found in Abyssinia. They belonged to the " Walking- 

 round-the-world-for-nothing " fraternity. In spite of 

 dissuasion, they insisted on entering Abyssinia, got 

 some way inland, were asked to pay the cost of enter- 

 taining them, and, as they were unable to do so, were 

 detained as gardeners by a Ras. The cost of their 

 board and lodging accumulated faster than it was paid 

 off. 



Till one has met this class of men one is apt to 

 take an interest in their movements. One does not 

 realise that they often blackmail hotel-keepers to take, 

 as sole payment, a puff in the papers they write 

 for, &c. One fellow, "skating" round the world, 

 carried his skates in his portmanteau, and boasted 

 that he always travelled first class, stopped at the 

 best hotels, and had not spent a fluke save in the 

 postage of his lurid lies to some rag. His record 

 was broken in one place, where, after unsuccessfully 

 trying to force himself on official hospitality, he was 

 forced to pay his hotel bill, and removed as an un- 

 desirable. He threatened to publish a special chapter, 

 which ought to be worth reading, on the place. 



We were now in virgin country. It was very 



