20 ARRIVAL OF MR. SCOTT. 



if they had him in their country. My proposal to 

 go back was met with their decided appro nation. 

 It was accordingly arranged that Carmel and Adam 

 should accompany me in the evening, whilst the rest 

 of the escort were to remain, and during the night 

 manage to steal my mule, and as many more as they 

 could, and join us at the little Wahama town 

 Dophan, beyond which they knew very well no 

 attempt would be made to pursue us. 



I was in the act of making a few cartridges for 

 my anticipated return journey, when I heard a 

 loud cry of " Commander, Commander," an English 

 word, by which the Abyssinians had been taught to 

 designate the head of the Mission. Two or three 

 of the inhabitants of Farree came also in a great 

 hurry to call me out of the house, and tell me that 

 some Gypt or other was approaching. I was 

 equally eager, and even ran in a most undignified 

 manner to meet this messenger of light, who, 

 mounted on a mule, now appeared upon the 

 summit or crest of the road before it descends into 

 the little hollow where stands the market-place. 

 There was a great air of civilization about him. 

 He wore a broad-brimmed hat, somewhat like my 

 own, covered with white cotton cloth, a sailor's 

 large pea-jacket belted round his waist, an old 

 pair of grey check trowsers, and came with a sober 

 steady pace along the narrow path. 



I met him as he dismounted beneath the few 

 mimosa-trees, and after a hearty shake of the hand, 



