58 SPORT AND TRAVEL PAPERS 



collector of wild animals. The tracker, who leads the way, is 

 a tall, powerful man ; his immense mass of curly hair is well 

 greased, and has the long wooden hairpin stuck through it ; he 

 is naked except round the loins, which are scantily covered with 

 the folds of his cotton garment ; a pair of sandals, a charm 

 or two above the elbow, and the usual spear, complete his outfit. 

 On he strides in front of his mounted comrade, who looks very 

 business-like on his glossy-coated horse, and who ought to be 

 able to show us good sport. His only garment also, is a 

 loin-cloth, his weapon a broad cross-handled sword, which, in its 

 wooden scabbard, is carried underneath the left thigh, between 

 it and the saddle flap, its sling being attached to the high 

 pommel in front. This weapon, with which Baker's famous 

 " aggageers " did such wonderful work in single combat with all 

 the most formidable animals of the jungle, I never saw used, it 

 might just as well have been left behind ; not even could I get 

 our wretched men to show their prowess with it when a badly 

 wounded elephant gave an excellent opportunity. Fastened to 

 the saddle behind, and lying upon the horse's back, is carried 

 a large ghirba, full of water, and both Gr. and I constantly 

 remarked the enormous quantities of water which these men 

 consumed. We had long since accustomed ourselves never to 

 touch our bottles before noon, having found that early drinking 

 only increased thirst to an almost unbearable extent. We often 

 returned with our bottles half full of cold tea the beverage 

 taken having hardly felt the want of anything at all, though 

 out in the hot sun all day. How enjoyable, then, was the first 

 good drink after arrival in camp ! Thus, in single file, we three 

 rode and walked over an immense plateau, extending as far 

 as the high Abyssinian mountains in the far distance, covered 

 chiefly with low, thorny mimosa shrub, overlooked here and 

 there by higher bushes, with a few giant baobab-trees towering 

 over all. The ground generally was bare, but in some parts 

 thickly covered with dry golden-yellow grass, from which we put 

 up many a quail, guinea-fowl, and sand-grouse; gazelle and 

 antelope also were plentiful, sometimes allowing us to approach 

 quite close, as if well aware that we should not molest them for 

 fear of disturbing the bigger game, which we had hopes of 

 finding. Tracks there were many of antelope, gazelle, ostrich, 

 and giraffe, also of elephants, though these were old, dating 



