CONVEYANCE OF THE STORES. 43 



messenger returned from Angolahlah, with orders 

 from the King* that I should be allowed to proceed 

 thither, and that the stores should be conveyed to 

 his presence. Considerable bustle and confusion 

 seemed thereupon to take possession of the pre- 

 viously quiet town. Vociferous proclamations were 

 from time to time issued by the misselannee in 

 person, standing upon the stone enclosure in the 

 centre of the market-place. Numerous informants, 

 willing to be the first bearers of good news, hurried 

 to acquaint us with the cause of all the stir, and to 

 assure us that we were to start in the morning ; for 

 that the requisite permission had arrived from the 

 King, and the Wallasmah had directed our mules 

 to be brought in from the grazing ground. The 

 proclamations of the misselannee were to the effect 

 that all persons owing suit and service to the Wal- 

 lasmah, on account of land held of him, must 

 present themselves; and either personally, or by their 

 slaves, convey the boxes and other packages as far 

 as Aliu Amba, on the road to Angolahlah, from 

 which town a relief party would then take the duty 

 of carrying them the remaining distance. 



From the character of the road, badly con- 

 structed and in wretched condition, all the 

 packages had to be conveyed up the long ascent to 

 Shoa upon the shoulders of men. Besides, the only 

 beasts of burden, except an occasional worn-out 

 mule or horse, employed by the Abyssinians, are 

 asses, and these were found to be unequal to the 

 carriage of large angular-formed boxes, which, in 



