V 
RECONNAISSANCE OF ABYSSINIAN BORDER 141 
The Abyssinian DAgo said he was sure Makunan would be 
pleased at the trophy, which would be a very suitable compli- 
ment, because only important Abyssinians are allowed to be 
in possession of rhino horns. They make sword -handles and 
drinking-cups of them ; the latter being supposed to neutralise 
the effect of any poison poured into them. He sent our letter 
to Makunan at once by a mounted messenger, at the same time 
begging that we would wait encamped here till noon the next 
day, when the answer might be expected. 
We said we could leave Gildessa whenever we chose, but 
that, as we wished to be on friendly terms with the local 
authorities, and to respect their rules, we would camp under the 
trees outside till the afternoon of the next day. We now 
marched out and camped half a mile to the north of the town, 
on the right bank of the river, at a spot where it was overlooked 
by some low hills from a distance of a hundred yards. 
In the afternoon the Abyssinian officials took us into their 
own huts, in the town, and gave us tea, sitting on rugs. The 
soldiers also were very friendly, and, now that business was 
over, they forgot the late akwardness, and tried to show us 
that they bore no ill-will, but had only tried to do what they 
believed to be their duty to B4s Makunan. In the evening 1 
received them in my hut, giving them tea, which they seemed 
to prefer to coffee. 
When the Abyssinians were gone a large concourse of Gil- 
dessa people came to camp, amongst them many Esa and Arab 
merchants. They carried presents, among which were three 
large sugar-cane stems, with spreading leaves, Indian-corn cobs, 
potatoes, tomatoes, lettuce, and two sheep ; all the vegetables 
having been grown at Gildessa by the Abyssinians. Some of 
the Arab merchants were Aden people ; they came clad in their 
best yellow and green silks ; and being versed in the tastes of 
the white man, heading the procession, they brought us gravely, 
as an acceptable gift, a bottle of absinthe carefully wrapped up 
in a wet cloth ! Apparently this and breech-loading small-arms 
form the chief articles of commerce between the French port of 
Jibuti and Harar. Neither Abyssinians, Esa, nor Arabs would 
accept any return present, saying that we were their guests and 
not expected to give anything. 
The Esa insisted, before the Abyssinians, that they were 
British u subjects.” One old man had been to London and 
Bombay as a ship’s fireman ; he advised us to send down to 
