VI 
A VISIT TO RAS MAKUNAN OF HARAR , 1893 159 
with a soft answer, I said, “ This is also an English custom, to 
do you honour ” ; and so we parted, shaking hands ; and I 
marched back my own men to my camp, and Banaguse crossed 
the valley to his zerfba, followed by his little army. 
In the afternoon an Abyssinian named Gabratagli came to 
me with a small escort, having just arrived from Darima, a 
village in the highlands about a day’s march distant. He was 
an agent of Menelek, and had been appointed to inspect routes 
and regulate caravan fees. He reported that Ibis Makunan 
had just arrived at Harar after his visit to Shoa, but had not 
yet had time to hear of my coming. Gabratagli had, however, 
heard of it, and had come in haste from Darima to bid me 
welcome to the country on his own responsibility, as he knew 
of my correspondence with the Rds at Gildessa last year, and 
of Makunan’s wish to know British officers. Gabratagli be- 
haved with great courtesy, and assured me that Rds Makunan 
would be delighted to hear that I had come at last. He said 
that the people on the frontier were all mad, and suspicious of 
the English, but that now he had come all would go well with 
me. Gabratagli and his friends finished my small stock of 
whisky and cigarettes ; and cheered by the comforts of my 
table, became very friendly and communicative. 
It appears that Banaguse is a Taurari, or ‘‘general command- 
ing the advance guard .” 1 He is in some ways an able man, 
1 The following titles were explained to me by an Abyssinian, and, though 
I cannot vouch for their accuracy of spelling, I jot them down : — 
Negusa Negust, the Emperor ; literally the “ king of kings.” 
Negus, King. 
Rds-Bitodet and Rds, high titles ranking next to Negus. 
Dejasmatch, General of Division. 
Kanyasmatch , General of the Right. 
Gemsmateh, General of the Left. 
Fi Taurari, General of the Advance. 
Balanbaras , Commandant of a fortress. 
Turk Baslia, General of Artillery. 
Yeshi Alaka , Chief of a thousand. 
The combined camp of a large Abyssinian army is so arranged that the 
Emperor and various kings occupy the central camp. In front is that of 
several Rds, Dejasmatch, and Taurari ; to the right several Rds, Dejasmatch, 
and Kanyasmatch ; to the left several Rds, Dejasmatch , and Gerasmatch. 
Some idea of Ras Makunan’s importance as Governor of Harar may be 
gained from the fact that he has under him four Dejasmatch , eight Balanbaras, 
four Kanyasmatch, nine Gerasmatch , and five Fi Taurari. 
Any of the kings has apparently a chance of becoming Emperor. The 
present Emperor, Menelek, is also King of Shoa. 
