On returning to camp I found Suleiman conversing with a man wearing a belt full of cartridges (a rather uncommon spectacle). The conversation lasted some time. I was told afterwards that when he learned from Suleiman that we had been again by or in Abyssinian territory, he exclaimed, “You have to thank the good God that you came away when you did. Had the Abyssinians seen your tents and all those boxes they would certainly have come down on you and killed everyone of you for the sake of the tents alone, to say nothing of the boxes.” He also informed him that about a month ago they killed a party of Hamrans, who went up there hunting from this neighbourhood, just for the sake of a gun or two, and whatever else they could lay their hands on.
A buck nellut, two wild boars, killed; two buffalos wounded. Temperature, 97° F. in shade.
March 21st.—Temperature, 100°. Nothing of interest to-day. A tetél, two nellut, and mehedehét shot; maariff wounded, but not secured. To-morrow we turn our faces to the Red Sea coast, and expect to reach Massawa in about three weeks time.
March 22nd.—Last night, just as I was about to retire for the night, I was sent for to Ali, the cook, who had just been stung on the thigh by a scorpion. He was evidently suffering great pain. I gave him a strong dose of ammonia and some brandy, at the same time advising him to poultice the wound after I had cauterised it. Suleiman having more faith in a more heroic mode of treatment, obtained a razor, and with it made a series of little gashes, remarking at the same time, “There, now Ali better after that; the bad blood come from him now.” Of course I did not interfere, but allowed them both to have their own way, to their mutual satisfaction.
As we were now about to take our farewell of the river, I indulged in a swim at 6 a.m., not forgetting at the time to hurl in several large stones preparatory to my dive, as a warning to all crocodiles to vanish for a time.
At 10 a.m. the hamlah was on the move. Our journey this day was pursued under very unpleasant conditions, as we travelled frequently through large bushes of mimosa and kittars, tearing our helmets and clothes to pieces, and inflicting not a few scratches on our bodies. At 7 p.m. we encamped at Khor-Maiatah, about five miles from our old camp. The day’s sport was a crocodile and buffalo.