96 PERSONAL NARRATIVE. 



latter un described, being the most common. Despite the' 

 large number of fish-eating birds on the lake, all the Abys- 

 sinians persisted in denying the existence of fish in the 

 waters. I only saw one small kind, but the occurrence 

 of otters alone serves to indicate the existence of some 

 larger forms. I could catch none, however. 



The head-quarters, now the rear-guard of the army, 

 reached Ashangi on the 5th and left on the 6th May, 

 abandoning such stores as could not be carried with 

 them, and making a bonfire of huts, empty,, packages, 

 all the hay not wanted, &c. ; 400 or 500 mules and 

 ponies which were either lame or seriously galled, so 

 that there was no probability of their being made of 

 service during the return' journey as pack animals, were 

 also abandoned, and a great scramble took place amongst 

 the Abyssinians for their possession. The scene was most 

 amusing. Crowds of the poorer Abyssinians hung 

 about the camp, picking up anything they could, and by 

 no means disdaining to pilfer if a chance afibrded. Now 

 and then a few would be driven off, and the whole would 

 take to flight for the moment ; soon returning, however. 

 As each corps in succession moved off its ground with 

 its baggage, these people crowded into the abandoned 

 space to search for anything which might have been left 

 behind, and they might be seen carrying off the most 

 singular articles, — empty packages, broken Otago saddles, 

 or fragments of canvas, blocks of firewood, and bundles 

 of grass. ' A similar scene took place at every camp, 

 varied occasionally by some valuable commissariat stores, 

 such as flour or grain, being left behind for want of 



