Sport in Abyssinia

In Short

This travelogue records an 1870s hunting and diplomatic expedition through Abyssinia, undertaken by a British aristocrat and his companions. Traveling from Cairo to Massowah and into the interior highlands, the party moves through mountain passes and river valleys, encountering indigenous villagers, Ottoman outposts, and local rulers. The author tracks big game, struggles with harsh weather, contracts severe illness, and observes political tensions between Abyssinia and Egypt. The book endures as a vivid, unvarnished portrait of Victorian colonial-era sporting travel, offering regional observation alongside the logistical realities of expeditionary life in the Horn of Africa.

The Story

The narrative opens with the author setting out from Cairo, navigating the transit through Suez and across the Red Sea onboard the steamer Dessook. Upon touching land at Massowah, the expedition marshals its equipment, assembling a train of camels, mules, and baggage to push inward toward the Abyssinian highlands. Early encounters involve Ottoman administrators such as Arrekel Bey, who entertains the party at Moncullu with Turkish dinners and traditional musical performances.

As the expedition moves up-country into Ailet, Gindar, and the surrounding wilderness, the routine of the trail takes shape. The author hunts regional fauna, recording his early success over small game like the dik-dik alongside misses at larger quarry. At Gindar, the group connects with General Kirkham, an Englishman serving King Johannes of Abyssinia. Kirkham facilitates their passage, providing local guidance and introducing them to Peter Brou, a Maltese-educated interpreter fluent in Amharic, Arabic, and English. Brou quickly becomes indispensable in managing camp affairs, negotiating supplies, and navigating local customs.

The journey continues past regional markets like Koudoofellassie and Adiaboo. The terrain proves grueling, characterized by jagged ravines, table-lands, and extreme temperature swings ranging from bitter morning frosts to suffocating midday heat. Field living requires constructing "dases"—temporary bowers made of intertwined boughs—to escape the sun. While hunting along the Mareb and Tackazzee regions, the author tracks wild boar, water fowl, deer, and lions, though missing prime opportunities at elephants leaves the party crestfallen.

Logistical friction grows as the party moves further into remote territories. Donkeys collapse, provisions dwindle, and local chiefs demand high prices or refuse cooperation outright. Friction culminates when the party attempts to obtain flour near monastic lands governed by Debra Bizen, requiring direct confrontation to secure food. The group eventually splits so that the author's hunting partner, H., can push toward the frontier while the author remains near Coom-Coom-Dema.

Severe illness soon strikes the author. Stranded with depleted supplies, missing donkeys, and starving servants, he faces acute hardship before securing passage toward the coast. Meanwhile, H. encounters violent hostility: Zardic, an aggrieved local chief, ambushes H.'s party in retaliation for earlier disputes. Reaching Massowah, the author recovers and reflects on the broader geopolitics of the region, accurately predicting that Egyptian forces will struggle against Abyssinian guerrilla tactics in the mountain passes.

How It Unfolds

The voyage begins The party departs Cairo, traveling through Suez and down the Red Sea to Massowah. There they organize camels, collect supplies, and accept the hospitality of Arrekel Bey before launching their expedition inland.

Crossing the lowlands Marching through scorching terrain toward Ailet and Gindar, the author bags his first African game—a small dik-dik—and learns the demanding rhythm of tracking game across dense, thorny jungle.

Meeting General Kirkham At Gindar, the group meets General Kirkham, who assists their travel arrangements and introduces them to Peter Brou, an exceptionally capable Maltese-educated interpreter who joins their staff.

Highland market towns Traversing high table-lands and deep ravines, the team stops at market villages such as Koudoofellassie and Adiaboo to trade for honey, corn, and sulfur while securing local porters.

The frustration of the hunt Near the Mareb, the hunters stalk a pair of elephants, only to be distracted by a sudden lion encounter. Misfires and double detonations allow both the lion and the elephants to escape into the brush.

Scarcity and separation The expedition splits to cover more territory, but food supplies run dangerously low. The author suffers from severe fever at Coom-Coom-Dema, left stranded without flour until a passing cotton caravan offers aid.

Retaliation on the trail While the author retreats toward the coast to recover, his companion H. is ambushed and beaten by Chief Zardic's men, who seek revenge for earlier disputes with the foreign travelers.

Reflections at the coast Back at Massowah, the author recovers from his illness and publishes observations on Abyssinian military strength, correctly anticipating that native forces will repulse Egyptian territorial ambitions.

The People

• The Author (Earl of Mayo)

A lieutenant in the Grenadier Guards who travels to Abyssinia primarily for big-game hunting and adventure. He is persistent in the field despite frequent missed shots, harsh climate, and life-threatening illness.

• General Kirkham

A British officer residing in Abyssinia as a military advisor to King Johannes. Dressed in a frock-coat and forage cap amidst the jungle, he assists foreign travelers by providing shelter, advice, and key contacts.

• Peter Brou

An Abyssinian interpreter educated in Malta who speaks English, Amharic, and Arabic. He manages camp logistics, translates complex negotiations with local chiefs, and maintains order during tense supply shortages.

• H.

The author’s primary hunting companion. He shares the trials of the trail, splits off to explore frontier shooting grounds, and later survives a violent assault by hostile local villagers.

• Goubasee

The author’s dedicated Abyssinian gun-bearer. Known for his remarkable endurance and pace on long marches, he earns recognition as the most reliable native worker in the expedition's crew.

• Zardic

An influential local chief at Adiaboo. Rude and antagonistic toward the foreigners, he orchestrates a violent ambush against H.'s party following a dispute over livestock and local altercations.

In Its Own Voice

"He was struggling and bounding about on the ground when I got up to him, when I made several vigorous stabs at him with my knife, but, to my great chagrin, he scampered away."

The author describes his frantic first attempt to secure a wounded dik-dik in the brush near Ailet.

"The Abyssinians are just as well armed as the Afghans were when we fought against them on the frontiers of India. The name of the Turk is hated in Abyssinia, and used as an epithet of opprobrium."

Writing to the press after his return, the author assesses regional military capabilities and local sentiment toward Egyptian expansion.

What It's Really About

Beneath its surface as a sporting diary, the narrative contrasts the ideals of British leisure hunting with the practical difficulties of nineteenth-century African travel. It examines the fragile dynamics between foreign visitors and host communities, showing how minor misunderstandings over payment, food supplies, or physical altercations escalate into dangerous conflicts.

The text also sheds light on the geopolitical landscape of the Horn of Africa during the 1870s. Through observations of King Johannes’s consolidated rule, the influence of European advisors like Kirkham, and the pervasive tension with Egyptian outposts, the book captures a region on the brink of significant international conflict.

Why Read It Today

This volume appeals to readers interested in Victorian travel literature, historic field sports, and the 19th-century history of Ethiopia. The prose is straightforward and unpretentious, drawn directly from daily journal entries rather than polished romantic posturing.

Readers should be prepared for period-typical attitudes regarding hunting ethics, big-game shooting, and foreign cultures. The author presents unvarnished descriptions of killing wildlife alongside matter-of-fact observations of local inhabitants. The narrative's strength lies in its detail: it captures the exhaustion of long marches, the frustration of equipment failures, the miseries of tropical fever, and the reality of navigating regional politics where imperial privilege offers no guarantee of safety.