I had plenty of opportunities of having a good look at the town [Socota]. It consists of over 600 good sized houses besides many small ones, none of them in ruins. Giving five inhabitants only for each house, this would give a population of 3,000.

The enclosures round the houses were larger than in most towns, and the whole place was kept in excellent order, and very clean.

The houses were all of stone, many of them square shaped and well built, and the town was well wooded, there being many very large sycamore fig trees of several kinds. Some of the gardens were nicely kept, and produced plenty of vegetables of many descriptions, and the fruits consisted of the apricot, peach, grape, banana, lime, orange, pomegranate of large size, and shadock. Thick hedges of the "shipti" or soap plant divided the enclosures, and I was very pleased to purchase a large bag of its dried seed to wash our clothes.

The town possesses three fine churches, the oldest dedicated to the Virgin Mary, dating back several centuries; the second was built by Wag Choum Bru; and the third nearly finished by the present Choum.

LEAVING SOCOTA
We took a road leading to the south-east, which is the direct road to Dildi, and about three miles out of town got on the edge of the saucer-shaped plateau of Socota which appears as if mother nature had taken a bite out of the rim in one place so as to allow the drainage of the numerous springs to escape. Hailou came up to me here and turned us off from our due south-east course to one south-west and halted at a village in the Welleh valley.

There can be no doubt that the volcanic soil, and plenty of springs to irrigate with makes this part of Abyssinia so fertile. While the famine and failure of crops were going on in other parts of Abyssinia thay had plenty, and not only sold great quantities of grain, but had even a surplus left. The cattle plague was very bad, and the head man of the village, who was a very informed person, told me that I ought to have seen the country before the cattle plague as every acre of ground was then made use of.

THE PLUNDERING SOLDIER
My friend, the petty officer, at my request visited the nearest group of houses to buy some milk and eggs. He returned and told me he could get nothing. I then went with Hadgi Ali to try my luck, and I also was looked cross at. I produced a dollar, and then everything went on all right.

I was told that the soldier had said that he wanted so many things for me without payment and if they were not given then the Wag Choum would beat them and imprison them.

I had the soldier up and did police magistrate, and there was an amusing scene; at last the soldier got cornered and declared that these Wag people were the biggest liars in Abyssinia, and if I liked to believe them instead of him, well he did not think much of me.

This soldier amused me very much; the next morning he brought three women who had food for sale, and after Schimper had purchased it, the women went away down the side of the hill, and I soon heard them scream. On going down to see what was the matter, I found he had taken away the bar of salt and the pocket handkerchief that they had received, and they were in tears.

I made him give the stolen things back, and asked for an explanation. All I got was, "what a fool I was for not taking things when I could; that the women were accustomed to having things stolen from them, and how could a poor soldier live if he did not plunder?"

After this my soldier reformed, and was useful in procuring provisions, and never offered to take money, or the salts, or the cloth given to the women...

Part 8 of 16: Wag Province - Rebels and Gypsies

News arrived this evening that Fituari Avete, who lives about four hours march to the East, had rebelled against the Wag Choum on account of not being able to levy road dues on the market people, and had blocked the roads.

We now muster some 70 people all told, and about 50 rifles; I do not think we shall be harmed as we are too strong a party and these mal-contents do not like fighting and only rob those who do not dare retaliate.

THE WOUNDED
Our party have been joined by some wounded and the wife of Ras Mengesha's instructor of artillery, on her way back to Shoa. She is a nice middle-aged woman who comes from the Semien province where Queen Taitou comes from, and she has also a food order for herself and three servants, and cannot get her supplies without a great deal of trouble.

There is also the keeper of King Menelek's powder magazine, who had his leg shattered by a shell at the battle of Adowa, and a bullet wound through the shoulder. The right leg was amputated above the knee and has healed, but the bullet wound in the shoulder still suppurates.

Another of the wounded is a merry boy of about sixteen who had his left leg broken in two places above the ankle; the lower part has been taken off below the knee. I was greatly amused by the boy, his mule started along the road and he went hopping after it; caught it up and got into the saddle leap-frog fashion over the tail, a feat which a great many people with two legs could not do.

THE REBELS
Our road was due south for about four miles, when it divided into two; one branch going south-east to Dildi, and the other southwest to Beghemeder. We took the south-west road, so as to keep clear of Fituari Avete's people. Here we got into thick bush with many fig trees and others, and no signs of cultivation.

On entering the bush we heard shouting and people calling to each other from the tops of hills, which were supposed to be Avete's men. Hailou was in great form, making the caravan keep together and throwing out flanking scouts, and an advance guard.

We met no one until we came to the banks of one of the many tributaries of the Tserrare. This belt of bush is about six miles across. I am told also that it stretches down to the Tacazze, and that the dividing ridge between the two drainages is covered with forest.

At the first open ground we met about 100 of Ras Wolie's soldiers with many transport mules on their way to Axum and Adowa to bring away the wounded that had been left behind, and also the arms that the Ras had left behind in store at Adowa; he having received a large share of the spoils of war and had no means at the time of taking it back with him.

I remained at the banks of one of the streams for some time, talking to a party of priests who were on their way to Jerusalem, and they informed us that the Dildi road was not safe, as there was another rebel that had closed the Dildi-Aschangi roads and he mustered over 300 rifles, so they had to come round this way.

THE GYPSIES
I saw here the first gipsy encampment in Abyssinia, curious people with a red brown complexion, and long straight black hair with regular gipsy features. The Abyssinians dislike them and believe they are capable of doing all sorts of mischief by magic and other means.

They had with them a lot of waterproof grass baskets and wooden bowls and platters, which they manufacture and sell at the markets. They live by catching animals, and they have the reputation of being great thieves, helping themselves at night to the growing crops.

There are only a few bands of them left in the country, and I regret that Hailou would not allow me to enter into conversation with them; he pulled out his crucifix from the inside of his shirt and held it between himself and them until he got out of their sight...

KOA
Koa is very fertile, but here again the rinderpest epidemic killed off the whole of the cattle, and the chief of the village, who I had a long conversation with, told me he had lost 56 out of his 57 ploughing oxen, and all his cows in less than 10 days, with the exception of two or three heifers and some calves. He had a fine big house, and was formerly a well-to-do man, but now he was reduced to penury, and he and the whole of his family had to do their cultivation with the hoe.

Next:
Part 9: Lasta Province
"The Choum of the district, who had been absent, overtook us and told the guide to take us to Artemata, which was only about twelve miles off, and the march I shall remember as long as I live... "