SPORT AND TRAVEL 



45 



unwilling to go to the expense of purchasing a new 

 weapon ; but even up to the day of my leaving Eng- 

 land for Africa, on March 30, 1895, the lost rifle had 

 not been recovered. 



Leaving England on January 25, and travelling by 

 way of Marseilles, I reached Smyrna on February 2 

 in the steamer " Alphee," one of the oldest, smallest, 

 and slowest boats of the French Messageries Mari- 

 times line. We were two days behind time, having 

 encountered very bad weather in the Mediterranean ; 

 but even had we arrived at our destination on the 

 appointed day, I consider that this route to Asia 

 Minor has nothing to recommend it but its compara- 

 tive cheapness, as I found the long sea-passage very 

 tedious in a small and by no means luxurious steamer. 

 I had with me a pretty little sporting .303 Lee-Metford 

 rifle, kindly lent to me for my trip by Mr. Henry 

 Holland, the well-known rifle-maker of New Bond 

 Street, and feared I might experience some trouble 

 in landing it at Smyrna, as I knew that the Turk- 

 ish custom-house authorities always troublesome 

 would now be more than usually obstructive, owing 

 to the attitude taken up by the principal European 

 nations on account of the recent excesses of the 

 Turkish troops in Armenia. However, I was saved 

 from all difficulties through the kindness of my friend 

 Mr. Fred. Holmwood, our Consul-General at Smyrna, 

 who, being notified of my arrival, came on board the 

 " Alphee " to meet me, and took all my baggage 



