THE LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES /^ /Z 7^7 \ ^.r ^1. SPORT IN ABYSSINIA. SPORT ABYSSINIA; The Mareb and Tackazzee. BY THE EARL OF MAYO, LIEUTENANT, GRENADIER GUARDS. LONDON: JOHN MURRAY, ALBEMARLE STREET. 1876. rn , DEDICATED D PREFACE. I PRESENT this book to the Public simply as an account of what I did and saw ; and the impressions the different events and scenes made upon my mind. I have written it from notes and my daily Journal. The stories that are in it were told me, some by Natives, others by Europeans ; either over the camp tire, or to while away the tedium of a long march, or the cnmii of life on board ship. These tales must be taken as they are written ; they amused me much at the time, and if they only interest my readers I shall be content. I hope to revisit Abyssinia, but under more favourable auspices ; and trust that better luck may attend me. I have spelt the names of places as they are pro- noimccd, having had them repeated over several times to me by our excellent interpreter, Peter Brou. Vidoria Street, Lorulon, 1870. d2 CONTENTS. CHAPTER I. PACE CAIRO — THE KHEDIVE "AT HOME" — THE PYRAMIDS — PETROS, OUR CONDUCTOR — SUEZ — OUR PROVISIONS— THE START FROM SUEZ — ON BOARD THE DESSOOK — SOUAKIM — A USEFUL WEA- PON — MASSOWAH — NATIVE FISHERMEN — PEARLS — OUR FIRST ENCAMPMENT — ARTIFICIAL SHADE — "MY BATTERY" — "EN ROUTE" — ON CAMEL-BACK — THE FIRST SHOT — AND MISS A NEW METHOD OF LOADING — PICK-A-BACK — THE RESULT ARREKEL BEY — WATER SUPPLY — OUR PARTY DIVIDES — VULTURE TRAP — BAGGAGE TRAIN — CONVICT LABOUR — TURKISH DINNER-PARTY — THE CORPS DE BALLET I CHAPTER H. OUR EQUIPMENT — TENTS AND BEDS — COMMISSARIAT — THE KITCHEN — MULES, THEIR HABITS AND TREATMENT — CAMELS — UP COUNTRY — MY FIRST BAG — SILVER CUPS — A WILD BOAR — AILET — OUR ESCORT — THE FIRST OF THE JUNGLE — SWEDISH MISSIONARIES — AN ABYSSINIAN " SPA "— A HOT BATH— THE " RAINS " — THRASHING THE TENTS 20 CHAPTER HI. GENERAL KIRKHAM — DIK-DIK — AN ABYSSINIAN HOUSE — A SUCCESSFUL DODGE — EGYPTIAN OUTPOSTS — A PET SHEEP sportsman's PARADISE — lost IN A MIST — A "NASTY cropper" — SAFE IN CAMP — DIGGING FOR PIGS — A LUCKY SHOT — A SHOWER BATH 37 viii CONTENTS. CHAPTER IV. PAGF- A STRANGE " GET-UP " — AN UNLUCKY SHOT — CRANES — AN INSOLENT "CHICKER" — OUR COOLIES STRIKE — FLORICAN SERVANT HUNTING— NIGHT MARCHING — FIRST SIGHT OF THE MAREB— " LONG LIE" — COPTIC CHURCH— A PEAL OF STONE BELLS — HIGHWAY ROBBERY — A CHASE— DOMESTIC QUARREL — LUGGAGE DIFFICULTIFS— A MOONLIGHT RACE 55 CHAPTER V. A GENERAL BATH— RELIGIOUS PROCESSION— THE GAME OF GOUX— DINNER-PARTY IN A STABLE— ETIQUETTE — GRAM FRENCH LEAVE— HOSTILITIES— A PARLEY AND RECONCILIA- TION — NATIVE BEER — A WHIRLWIND — CULTIVATION — ROADS — FINE SCENERY — A TALISMAN — A FIANCEE — CAPTURE OF A GUIDE — ROBBERS AND THEIR PUNISHMENT — THE CROPS CAMP ON THE MAREB — TOMATOS — LIONS — A NARROW ESCAPE —SPEAR THROWING 75 CHAPTER VI. A WART-HOG — " BRUNDO " BUTCHERING — AN "ETON BLUE" BIRD — BABOONS — DESERTED VILLAGE— ROUGH WALKING THE ABYSSINIAN ADAM AND EVE — JEALOUSY — THE PRIESTS SAVAGE CUSTOMS — TAMARISK COVER — NATIVE SPORTSMEN DANCING AND SINGING — WANT OF A DOG — NEWS OF A LION — RED POCKET-HANDKERCHIEFS AND THEIR EFFECT — " BOR- ROWED PLUMES " — THE JUNGLE ON FIRE— WE STEER WEST " BLACKMAIL "—SUMMARY JUSTICE 94 CHAPTER VII. A LONG MARCH — A NATIVE GARDEN— COOLIES AND THE WAY TO TREAT THEM — MARKETS — A BATTLE-FIELD — COOL SHADE — "THE FIRST POST " — SHIELDS AND SPEARS — JOHN — POTA- CONTENTS. PAGE TOES— SILVERSMITHS— A NEW FRIEND— COOLIE SQUABBLES —AN APPEAL — DONKEY BUYING — SHOE-MAKING— A BIKD's- EYE VIEW OF OUR ROUTE — SOURCES OF THE TACKAZZEE MARRIAGE FESTIVITIES — I TURN SURGEON — A MUSICAL PARTY — MY REPUTATION AS A DOCTOR II4 CHAPTER VIII. DONKEY ROBBERIES — REPRISALS — A FRIEND IN NEED — POST- MEN — APOLOGIES — A THIEF SURPRISED — IN SEARCH OF A MILLER — THE WAY TO GET WATER — A SWIM — ARRIVAL OF MY RIFLE — CUSTOM-HOUSE — ELEPHANT-HUNTING — HINTS ON COSTUME — FIRESIDE TALES — HOW TO PRODUCE FIRE — AN EPICURE — HARTEBEEST AND GIRAFFES — JUNGLE FIRES 1 34 CHAPTER IX. THE FOREST — THE TACKAZZEE AT LAST — A FORD — AN UN- HEALTHY CAMP — HIPPOPOTAMI — A RAFT— ON THE ELEPHANT TRACK — IN SIGHT OF GAME — A LION AND A MESS — BIVOUACK- ING — BEGINNING OF MY ILLNESS — GUINEA FOWL — WE TURN HOMEWARDS — "THE BLUES "—RAFT-BUILDING-^A CARAVAN — ELEPHANT AGAIN — A BIG FISH ! — NEWSPAPERS — CHANGE OF QUARTERS — THE GAME OF " GALANIFT " 152 CHAPTER X. OUR DAILY ROUTINE — BAKING A JERKED KOODOO — LOSS OF AN ELEPHANT— A SEPARATION — MY ILLNESS INCREASES — STAR- VATION — A GODSEND — SAD PLIGHT — FRESH SUPPLIES — A HARD MARCH — NARROW ESCAPE — AN EXCITING HUNT PRIMITIVE BUTCHERY — A CURIOUS SHOT — CARAVAN — EX- CHANGE OF CIVILITIES "church" — CHANGE OF AIR ACCIDENT TO THE KITCHEN — STRANGE VISITORS — A THUN- DERSTORM ... .173 X CONTENTS. CHAPTER XL PAGE AN INGENIOUS BED — EN ROUTE FOR THE COAST — A SAD PLIGHT — UNPLEASANT TRAVELLING — FRIENDS — FORCIBLE PERSUASION — AN AMUSING ENCOUNTER — AN ADVENTURE — OPEN A BAZAAR — PRICES — HOSPITALITY — HAGGLING — REIN- FORCEMENT — LETTERS FROM HOME — A MISERABLE NIGHT FALSE RUMOURS — I SELL TWO DONKEYS — "HARD UP "— GEESE AND HORNBILLS — ILL-TIMED THEFT — STRANGE QUAR- TERS — TOOTH-BRUSHES ....... 195 CHAPTER Xn. SELF-HELP — SCARCITY OF PROVISIONS — LAID-UP AGAIN — A RE- UNION — HOSPITALITY — AN OLD FRIEND — AN ALARM — ORDER OF BATTLE — A FIELD DAY — "KIND ENQUIRIES" — OLIVES AND OIL — PURCHASE OF A CLUB — CATTLE PLAGUE — AN IN- JUDICIOUS DINNER — MY ILLNESS INCREASES — I HAVE TO BE CARRIED— LUXURY OF A WASH — I BUILD A HOUSE — THE SEA — CIVILIZATION AGAIN 2I4 CHAPTER XIH. FRENCH FRIENDS — ON BOARD — COMPARATIVE COMFORT — QUEER FISH — A DINNER PARTY — A CARGO OF GAZELLES ROUGH WEATHER — VOYAGE TO SUEZ — AND ARRIVAL 243