when they saw it, the report spread far and wide, and every one came to our hut to inspect it.

Fitaurari (General) Meshsasha was one of these soldiers on his way to the wars; he was a vain man, and wished to have his photograph taken, and we were delighted to have the opportunity of doing it

GENERAL MESHSASHA WITH HIS SPEAR AND SHIELD BEARERS

quietly. He brought his shield-bearer and his lancebearer and his horse, splendidly caparisoned, with him. He put on all his grand robes in which he goes to battle, and he wore his lion's mane around his forehead. When mounted on his horse, with his

shield embossed with silver in one hand and his lance in the other, he looked a most formidable warrior. Then he wished to be taken in the garb of peace, with his beautiful embroidered robe or mergef around him, and his bearers holding his shield and lance behind him, his hair beautifully plaited and shining with butter. His followers held shammas up to form a dressing-room for him whilst he conscientiously changed his trousers, which did not show in the picture. After we had taken him in five different attitudes, he demanded to see the productions, and nothing could exceed his wrath and rudeness when we tried to explain the various processes the photograph would have to go through before completion; but as we had him safe on our negatives we did not much care, except that we rather wanted to buy his shield, which was SO prettily decorated with silver lions and curious patterns fastened on to the hide; but, of course, this was now out of the question, as our relations were so strained. However, I managed to get some of the stone bullets, used by the Abyssinians when ammunition is running short, out of one of his followers, and an iron gun-rest which the Abyssinian warriors stick in the ground when they fire, and which also serves to hang the shield on at night. This is probably a legacy of the Portuguese occupation, for such gun-rests were common in Europe about that period. (Vide illustration on p. 27.)

The long-dreaded summons from the Italian resident came that night. We must pack up at once,

he said, and be ready to start the following morning for Adoua, so as to avail ourselves of the escort of the Nebrid Tekla Giorghis, who was going to join. the forces of Ras Mangashah, and who was expected to be the last of the generals who would go. All the soldiers from Aksum and the neighbourhood had gone, and, as the Italian resident put it, we might, if we liked, stay at Aksum with comparative safety; for, in all probability, no one would interfere with the sanctity of the place; but then we could never hope to get away until the war, which might last for an indefinite period, should come to an end. The mountains around the Mareb were by this time swarming with brigands, and our only hope of an escort and safety was to join the Nebrid. This was the ninth day of our stay at Aksum, and we were enjoying the rest from travel and the constant work of research so exceedingly that it was very irksome to us again to pack up and be on the march. However, there appeared to be no help for it, and we gave the necessary orders.

In the morning I had still to take two more impressions of inscriptions. My wife's negatives were not dry, and the packing was arduous; so it was midday before we were ready to mount our mules. All Aksum came out to see us start, cheering and running by the side of our animals. The Nebrid Tekla Giorghis is an admirable specimen of the Abyssinian Church militant; his son went with him, and ten men, each armed with a rifle, formed his staff. He headed our procession as we left Aksum, mounted on his