260 FORTUNATE CIRCUMSTANCE. 



believed I had observed every particular, that I had 

 been taught was necessary to convert wood into 

 charcoal. Fortunately for my credit, just when I 

 concluded that I knew nothing about it, and had 

 best say so, and before the whole heap had been 

 consumed, a sudden shower of rain poured down ; 

 this of course spoiled all my arrangements, and 

 among other things, to all appearance put out 

 the fire. Here was a case for condolence ; and 

 Walderheros, thinking I must want something to 

 support me under the disappointment, when the 

 rain had ceased, which was not for some hours, 

 took a straw basket and went to examine the ruins. 

 One effect of the rain, it seems, had been to beat 

 down the dome of earth and moist stalks of the 

 thorn apple, when the support of the wood inside 

 had been lost by the combustion. This buried con- 

 siderable portions of unburnt extremities of the 

 pieces of ted, and as they continued smouldering 

 underneath the fallen cover, the result was that, 

 much to my surprise, Walderheros brought me 

 back the basket full of beautifully close-grained 

 shining black and very light pieces of char- 

 coal. As Walderheros thought it was all quite 

 natural and right, I made no other remark than 

 merely asking him " if the people in Shoa ever 

 made charcoal like that." 



Having succeeded so well in this, it encouraged 

 us to proceed, and I sent to Tinta to say, that on 

 the morrow he must supply me with hand-mills and 



