XI 
WITH BRITISH MISSION TO KING MENELIK 283 
lost in wonder as they marched beside my mule, continually 
exclaiming in their own language, “Now we have seen that the 
Amhdra are like the sand in number.” 
On arriving at Shola the chief officers said farewell, and the 
army left us to go on to Akaki alone. Forthwith we returned 
to the daily routine of the road, going back to the coast by 
Harar, the way we had come. The only difference was that the 
journey was faster, for we feared the break of the great rains, 
and were subjected to the preliminary cold winds and showers. 
We all had plenty to occupy us in looking after the troublesome 
string of mules; but to my other duties — primarily political, 
and secondarily looking after the transport — I had added astro- 
nomical observations ; and every spare moment, while coming on 
slowly with the rearguard, was devoted to taking photographs, 
drawing, or collecting butterflies. The recording of astronomical 
observations was a self-imposed duty, for it had struck me that 
it would be a pity for seven of us to go to Addis- Abbaba without 
even fixing its position in the interests of geography. The 
busy intelligence officer kindly falling in with this idea, consented 
to make a route-sketch, supported by such astronomical positions 
as I could give him. Count Gleichen’s share of this programme, 
carried out in the turmoil of the daily march, on a narrow path, 
with pushing mules constantly going by, was certainly the 
hardest, but was thoroughly well done. 
We used to dine at seven, after which those of us who were 
not developing photographs in the mess tent turned in to sleep. 
But the astronomical work usually kept me up till midnight or 
even later, busily engaged with the transit theodolite, watches, 
and a loudly ticking “metronome” — a musical instrument for 
marking time which I had pressed into astronomical service. 
Sometimes, indeed, the two blank cartridges fired by the sentry 
to rouse the camp, and the first streak of dawn, surprised me 
at my labours. But the nights, when fine and cloudless, were 
so serene, the climate was so perfect, and the occupation so 
engrossing, that there was no real hardship in this comparatively 
restful work after a worrying, busy day with the mules. 
It will readily be understood that on the way up, with heavy 
transport work, there was not much time for observations ; but 
a few places were fixed, and they are given in an appendix 
to The Mission to Menelik. My position for Addis-Abbaba, 
therein published, was that of the Mission enclosure ; it was 
obtained from observations of occultations by the moon’s disc 
