CHAP. IV.] 
NO SUPPLIES. 
121 
and we could purchase nothing for any article except 
molotes. These iron hoes are made principally in this 
country, thus it appeared strange that they should 
demand them. Legge does a large business with these 
hoes, sending them into the Berri and Galla countries 
to the east, with various beads and copper bracelets, to 
purchase ivory. Although there are very few elephants 
in the neighbourhood of Ellyria, there is an immense 
amount of ivory, as the chief is so great a trader that 
he accumulates it to exchange with the Turks for 
cattle. Although he sells it so dear that he demands 
twenty cows for a large tusk, it is a convenient station 
for the traders, as, being near to Grondokoro, there 
is very little trouble in delivering the ivory on ship¬ 
board. 
Although 1 had presented Legge with what he 
desired, he would give nothing in return, neither 
would he sell either goats or fowls; in fact, no pro¬ 
vision was procurable except honey. I purchased about 
eight pounds of this luxury for a hoe. My men were 
starving, and I was obliged to serve them out rice 
from my sacred stock, as I had nothing else to give 
them. This they boiled and mixed with honey, and 
they were shortly sitting round an immense circular 
bowl of this rarity, enjoying themselves thoroughly, 
but nevertheless grumbling as usual. In the coolest 
manner possible the great and greedy chief, Legge, 
who had refused to give or even to sell anything to 
keep us from starving, no sooner saw the men at their 
novel repast than he sat down among them and almost 
choked himself by cramming handfuls of the hot rice 
and honey into his mouth, which yawned like an old 
hippopotamus. The men did not at all approve of 
this assistance, but as it is the height of bad manners 
in Arab etiquette to repel a self-invited guest from 
the general meal, he was not interfered with, and was 
thus enabled to swallow the share of about three 
persons. 
Legge, although worse than the rest of his tribe, 
