Bararetta. 193 
hen-coop. Over this, dry grass, hay, straw, fern leaves, 
fan-palm fronds, rushes, or it may be hides, are thrown, 
indifferently made fast, and the house is complete. 
When finished it looks in size and form very much 
like a heap of hay or a poor gipsy-tent. An English 
field in hay harvest will look much like a Galla town 
would do, if the huts were only more numerous and 
were built in rows. As it is the English field has the 
advantage. All the huts we saw were empty, the 
Gallas having fled the country on account of the Masai. 
At 4.30 p.m. we left this place, and at sunset reached 
a hamlet of five huts, which belonged to one of our 
men, Boije Hirebaya, his family having been driven 
from it in his absence by the Masai. Here we put up. 
While our men were collecting fire-wood, sweeping up 
the huts, and getting up the fires we took a walk over 
to another hamlet about three hundred yards off. 
All the huts seemed to have been left in great haste ; 
for calabashes, skins, stools, cooking vessels, and 
utensils of all kinds were found in almost all of them. 
Buiya explained that the people had taken away only 
what was necessary, that they might be the less en- 
cumbered with goods in their flight. It was grievous 
to see the country so deserted. 
It was now fast growing dark, and we returned to the 
camp. Hark ! the musquitos have risen, and their 
low hum falls unpleasantly upon the ear. Our necks 
and faces are covered with them, and we sweep them 
off by scores with our hands, which holding up in the 
dim light we find to be streaked with blood. Ugh ! 
No one should think of being out of doors here a mo- 
ment after the sun has disappeared. The house should 
be sought; windows, doors, and every aperture should 
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