Diary. 37 



bacon, four bottles of whisky, one khiali, four 

 tobes (article of dress), a bag of tobacco, and the 

 Queen's image in Rs. 30. The whisky, bacon and 

 'baccy were kept, the rest returned. I then went 

 over a<_rain and told the boss I was asl tamed to 

 take so much and give so little, but he would 

 take no more. I offered him my 303 and 100 

 rounds. He said I might send him anything 

 through his boss at Harrar when I got back, but 

 he would take nothing; now. He heard I wanted 

 donkeys and was trying to buy them, so is going 

 to present me with three to-morrow. Much talk 

 as to whether the Ogaden were British subjects 

 or Abyssinian ; my only reply was that I knew 

 nothing political and that this would be settled 

 by Abud, not by me. Khubber that two sahibs 

 are at Awarra where I am steering for. This 

 stops all my bundobust (arrangements). Khubber 

 that six lions drink at Fanat, one march off, very 

 nearly the direction I have come, and that my 

 bio--footed friend is one of them. Go to Fanat 

 to-morrow. Lions probably only three in number 

 at the most, but if, as these people say, they 

 drink regularly in the shallow wells in the river 

 bed, I ought to get some of them. Water here 



