LEAVE FARREE. 13 



that I was not exactly right, and meeting some 

 labourers going into the fields to work, I asked the 

 way, by repeating the word, Ankobar. They were 

 too much surprised to speak, but pointed in the 

 direction of the road, and I left them staring after 

 me with a wondering look, as if to ask what would 

 come next. Having reached a village about five 

 miles to the north-west of Farree, I found it 

 impossible to go on, it having been one continual 

 ascent along the roughest and most winding path 

 that can well be imagined. Oppressed with diffi- 

 culty of breathing, fatigued, and foot-sore, I turned 

 toward the door of the first house, and sitting down 

 on a stone, made signs that I wanted some water. 

 Hereupon such a screaming was set up by the only 

 inmates, two naked children, that it could not have 

 been exceeded if I had intimated that they were 

 about to be devoured. Their cries brought two other 

 little girls, who came running round the house, but 

 seeing me, promptly turned back, tumbling over each 

 other to get out of the way, contributing as they lay 

 not a little to the frantic roaring of the children 

 inside. 



The noise soon brought all the disposable people, 

 men and women of all ages, who had not left the 

 village for their labours in the fields, who soon recog- 

 nised in their visitor a Gypt or Egyptian, as the Abys- 

 sinians call all white men. I was glad to find that 

 the character seemed to be a very respected one, 

 although the first evidence I had of it, was the 



