334 CLUMSY EARRINGS. 



which, I must observe, are finished by a piece of 

 round wood being fitted like a thin cork into the 

 lower and smaller end), but also earrings are turned 

 from the long black horn of the sala, a species of 

 antelope, common in Adal and the low countries 

 around Abyssinia. The solid extremities of the 

 horns only are used, so that not more than two 

 pair of earrings can be made from one horn, which 

 is at least two feet long. The earrings are large 

 and clumsy, but, considering the simple means em- 

 ployed in making them, are not despicable works 

 of art. Each is turned in two pieces, not at all 

 unlike in form and size high convex buttons, with 

 small straight shafts projecting from the inside 

 centres. These shafts are made so that one receives 

 the other, and the earring thus formed looks 

 like two small wheels connected by a short axle. 

 To receive them into the ear a very large hole is 

 required, and the axis of one of the halves being 

 first introduced, the other is fixed upon it, and the 

 lady then turns round, to ask how the new orna- 

 ment looks. 



Sometimes I have seen these horn earrings orna- 

 mented with an inlaid star of silver, and many an 

 hour's labour have I had myself, letting in little 

 brass studs from an old box-lid into the surface in 

 the same manner, to please some of my female 

 friends, who would come begging to have their 

 earrings thus improved in appearance. Besides 

 these ornaments turned from the sala horn, small 



