646 Report on Shoa [No. 140. 



but the Amhara has altogether a very indistinct idea of woodcraft. One of 

 the chiefs burning with the desire to emulate the white men in the dis- 

 tinction of an elephant, lately proceeded to the jungles with a retinue of 

 1000 adherents, and a large party of the king's gun-men ; but after fruit- 

 lessly spending a month in the covers, he was fain to return without 

 having destroyed any thing of larger dimensions than a spotted monkey. 

 Hyenas are suffered to multiply to a great extent in some parts of the 

 country, owing to the superstition of the natives, who firmly believe 

 that Jewish sorcerers descend from the mountains during the night, and 

 transform themselves into the likeness of these foul animals, and that in 

 consequence, there would be no good result in the pursuit. 



70. The bulk of the nation is indeed decidedly agricultural, although 

 it appears somewhat strange that the minds of the people are not more 

 disturbed and upset by the continual military expeditions they are 

 forced to make against the Galla. Probably the selfishness of the des- 

 pot in appropriating the lion's share of the spoil has most salutary effect 

 in checking innate restlessness, and the Abyssinian is taught in a rough 

 school to understand fully, that there is more profit to be obtained from 

 holding the plough than from wielding the sword, and it is certainly the 

 fact, that when the foray is over, the war horse is turned loose in the 

 meadow, and the partisan willingly applies himself, according to his 

 means, as usual, to his peaceful avocations among the fields. 



7 1 . Mounting on the left side with the assistance of their spear, the 

 natives when seated do not by any means ride well, though they do not 

 very often tumble from their horses or mules, owing to the high fortifi- 

 cations of wood and leather which are built upon the saddle to protect 

 the rider in front and rear ; and although they can carry a horse at speed 

 over bad ground, their seat is awkward and ungainly, and they have no 

 idea whatever of easing an animal in his distress. Bitted in the most 

 cruel and barbarous manner, they bear as heavy as lead upon the bridle 

 rein, and no horse is ever five minutes in the hands of an Amhara without 

 having his mouth pulled to pieces, and the blood streaming as the tortured 

 animal tosses his head in the air for relief. 



72. The sojourner in Abyssinia can easily believe what Bruce relates 

 concerning his recorded instance of cruelty to animals, for although it 

 is not fair to brand the nation with a foul stigma resting on a solitary 

 fact, yet there is no good reason to disbelieve the veracity of the traveller ; 



