xii THROUGH SOMALILAND AND ABYSSINIA 
and I have always been pioneering, the men who have followed 
in our footsteps have naturally had better opportunities for 
sport than we had, and I only give such of my more successful 
sporting experiences as will assist me in my main object of 
giving a general portrait of the country. 
With reference to the following pages of my book, I may 
say that I merely present a collection of facts. To write a 
continuous narrative of my movements, in a manner to hold the 
interest of the reader throughout, requires a special literary gift 
such as I do not possess. The careful notes of all that came 
within the observation and experience of my brother and myself, 
during our ten thousand miles of wanderings with camel caravans, 
are here collected and presented in their most simple form. 
Most of the illustrations are direct reproductions of my own 
drawings, representing incidents I have seen, for the artistic 
merit of which I must beg my readers’ indulgence. 
My thanks are due to Brigadier-General J. Jopp, C.B., 
A.D.C., British Resident at Aden; and to Lieut.-Colonel E. V. 
Stace, C.B., Political Agent and Consul for the Somali Coast ; 
and to many officers of the Aden Political Staff under whom I 
have been employed, or with whom I have been associated, for 
many kindnesses and hospitalities extended to me in Aden and 
the Somali Coast ports. Also to my brother, Captain E. J. E. 
Swayne, 16th Bengal Infantry, for the use of his journals and 
sketches, for all his valuable and indefatigable assistance, to say 
nothing of his saving my life in a plucky and skilful manner 
under circumstances the difficulty of which only sportsmen 
can fully appreciate. My best thanks are also due to Prince 
Boris Czetwertynski and Mr. Seton Karr for having given me 
permission to reproduce some of their beautiful and artistic 
photographs ; to Captain H. M. Abud, Assistant Resident at 
Aden, for many hospitalities, and for his kindness in having 
supplied me with the historical notes given in the first chapter. 
T am also greatly indebted to Lieut.-General E. . Chapman, 
C.B., Director of Military Intelligence, and to Lieut.-Colonel 
J. K. Trotter, and other officers of the Intelligence Staff, for 
having permitted me to use and to copy a reduction of my 
routes, which was made under their direction ; and also to Mr. 
W. Knight for the excellent manner in which he has designed 
and drawn the maps which accompany this book. My third 
chapter is rewritten from articles which have already been 
published in the Meld in 1887, and I have to thank the Editor 
