216 ENGAGE A THATCHER. 



off, and had not Walderheros constructed a kind of 

 pent-house over my bed with a stiffly-dried ox-hide, 

 I should have been very soon wet through. The 

 necessity, too, of having some kind of candle or other 

 on emergencies, was forcibly suggested to us, by the 

 difficulty we experienced in getting the damp fire- 

 wood lighted, by the blaze of which alone we could 

 see to arrange our substitutes for umbrellas. Wal- 

 derheros, however, soon overcame all difficulties, 

 and after extending his bed, the aforesaid skin, 

 over me for my protection, he coiled himself up 

 under a huge Amharic shield, tilted upon its edge, 

 and supported by a stick in that position. 



It is unnecessary to say we did not go to sleep 

 again, but kept talking away about what we would 

 do to the roof, as soon as the sun had risen, and we 

 could only get out. Accordingly by twart (sunrise), 

 Walderheros had started on a long walk nearly to 

 Ankobar to get some straw, and also to engage 

 a " wandum," that is, a near relation of his 

 whom I had determined, at his request, to receive 

 as an additional servant. His wages were to be 

 only five ahmulahs a-month, about one shilling 

 and a half-penny, and as he was stated to be the 

 very first of all modern thatchers, I did not consider 

 this an extravagant demand, particularly as I 

 required his services so much at this time. 



"Wandum" is, strictly speaking, brother, but 

 with the Shoans it is used as a general term for all 

 male relatives. An uncle is the "wandum," of the 



