LEAFE THE AN SEE A VALLEY. 129 



A montli passed rapidly. The weather was by no 

 means unpropitious. Although this was the height of 

 the rainy season, the nights and mornings were invari- 

 ably fine. Rain usually commenced about two or three 

 o'clock in the afternoon, and lasted for one or two hours, 

 occasionally, but rarely, until sunset. More frequently 

 only a shower fell. Mockler, who devoted his attention 

 chiefly to rhinoceroses, was not very successful, but 

 before leaving the valley we succeeded in shooting a 

 second, rather smaller than the first. We had abundance 

 of small game ; guinea-fowl and partridges were always 

 procurable when the larder was empty, and Mockler 

 killed several koodoo ; all does, however, untU just as we 

 were leaving the valley, when we shot a fine buck be- 

 tween us. One evening Jesse and I, who had returned 

 to camp, received a message that Mockler was watching 

 a lion close by. We went out, and found our friend 

 sitting on a low hill. About 300 yards away, in an 

 open piece of ground, lay an immense lion with a short 

 mane, as usual in Abyssinia. Our attempt to shoot 

 him was, however, unsuccessful ; for, on approaching, 

 he slunk off. 



Our supplies gradually ran out, and the only corn 

 procurable at Keren was millet ; even that was very 

 scarce. On the 8th August we quitted the banks of the 

 Anseba with much regret, and crossed the Mashalit ridge 

 once more. Mr. Munzinger, who had only been able to 

 remain with us part of the time we were in the camp, 

 had rejoined us, and also a Mr. Schmidt, who was return- 

 ing from Keren. Whilst halting at Kokai on the 9th, a 



K 



