CHAPTER I. 
Aden — Porpoises and dolphins — Arrival at Berbera — Young lioness— 
Shooting parties— Scarcity of camels — G-etting together a caravan — 
European compound of Berbera. 
On" reaching Aden en route to the Somali Coast, where I 
proposed making an expedition in search of natural history 
specimens, I found nearly all the shops shut, as the big 
merchant of the place was having a jubilee. However, I 
set to work at once, hired a tailor at 10 a.m. to make me 
two suits of clothes, which I got finished the same evening 
at the cost of twelve shillings each suit, and routed out a 
headman, who proved afterwards to be one of the greatest 
scoundrels unhanged, a nice-looking ‘ boy ’ or ‘ butler,’ as he 
called himself, a syce, or groom, and a fine, strong-looking 
shikari, or hunter. 
The news of_ my intentions was soon all over the town, 
and my bedroom was besieged from morning to night by 
every sort, shape, and size of black rufiianism, begging to 
be engaged. The day was ended at last, and I went to 
bed, perspiring out of every pore, and endeavoured to sleep. 
But night was rendered hideous by the shrieks and howls 
of innumerable cats. 
Next morning I was up at 5 a.m., and after cliota 
hazri and a hair-cut, I discovered on the shops opening I 
was too late for the weekly steamer to Berbera, the Somali 
Coast town. On the voyage out I had maSe the acquaint- 
ance of two young officers from Cairo, who were going 
across for some big- game shooting, so we clubbed together, 
and chartered a steamer to take us straight over with our 
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