Sport in Abyssinia; Or, The Mareb and Tackazzee — Text and Context

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Authors: Mayo, Dermot Robert Wyndham Bourke, Earl of, 1851-1927, Whymper, Charles, 1853-1941 [Illustrator] Digital Source: Project Gutenberg Gutenberg Release Year: 2013 First Publication Year: Not confirmed

Key Word: Ethiopia -- Description and travel; Mayo, Dermot Robert Wyndham Bourke, Earl of, 1851-1927; Hunting -- Ethiopia Target Reader: Readers of public-domain and historical texts

Book Edition: Project Gutenberg digital edition Book Language: en

Edition facts

Words 79,578

Reading time 346 min

Text sections 9

The catalog record for Sport in Abyssinia; Or, The Mareb and Tackazzee — Text and Context provides practical reading context through 79,578 words, 5 hr 46 min estimated reading time, and 9 detected text sections.

The text analysis averages about 19.1 words per sentence, while the detected sections provide another way to judge how the source is divided.

Project Gutenberg metadata also associates the work with “Ethiopia -- Description and travel,” connecting these edition facts with the source record’s subject description.

Source: Project Gutenberg record #43606

An editorial note on the Earl of Mayo's 1876 hunting narrative in Abyssinia, focusing on how the opening, middle, and later excerpts guide a first reading through his journal-based structure, practical observations, and self-deprecating voice.

Editorial Edition Score 4.7/5

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Description quality20 pts
Title & short description10 pts
Source metadata20 pts
Text length15 pts
Chapters / structure15 pts
EPUB file integrity20 pts

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Edition quality

File: pg43606

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CAIRO -- THE KHEDIVE "AT HOME" -- THE PYRAMIDS -- PETROS, OUR CONDUCTOR -- SUEZ -- OUR PROVISIONS -- THE START FROM SUEZ -- ON BOARD THE DESSOOK -- SOUAKIM -- A USEFUL WEAPON -- 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 -- A VULTURE TRAP -- BAGGAGE TRAIN -- CONVICT LABOUR -- A TURKISH DINNER-PARTY -- THE CORPS DE BALLET 1

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

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

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 DIFFICULTIES -- A MOONLIGHT RACE 55

A GENERAL BATH -- RELIGIOUS PROCESSION -- THE GAME OF GOUX -- DINNER-PARTY IN A STABLE -- ETIQUETTE -- GRAM -- FRENCH LEAVE -- HOSTILITIES -- A PARLEY AND RECONCILIATION -- NATIVE BEER -- A WHIRLWIND -- CULTIVATION -- ROADS -- FINE SCENERY -- A TALISMAN -- A FIANCÉE -- CAPTURE OF A GUIDE -- ROBBERS AND THEIR PUNISHMENT -- THE CROPS -- CAMP ON THE MAREB -- TOMATOS -- LIONS -- A NARROW ESCAPE -- SPEAR THROWING 75

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 -- "BORROWED PLUMES" -- THE JUNGLE ON FIRE -- WE STEER WEST -- "BLACKMAIL" -- SUMMARY JUSTICE 94

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 -- POTATOES -- SILVERSMITHS -- A NEW FRIEND -- COOLIE SQUABBLES -- AN APPEAL -- DONKEY BUYING -- SHOE-MAKING -- A BIRD'S-EYE VIEW OF OUR ROUTE -- SOURCES OF THE TACKAZZEE -- MARRIAGE FESTIVITIES -- I TURN SURGEON -- A MUSICAL PARTY -- MY REPUTATION AS A DOCTOR 114

DONKEY ROBBERIES -- REPRISALS -- A FRIEND IN NEED -- POSTMEN -- 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 134

THE FOREST -- THE TACKAZZEE AT LAST -- A FORD -- AN UNHEALTHY CAMP -- HIPPOPOTAMI -- A RAFT -- ON THE ELEPHANT TRACK -- IN SIGHT OF GAME -- A LION AND A MESS -- BIVOUACKING -- 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

OUR DAILY ROUTINE -- BAKING A JERKED KOODOO -- LOSS OF AN ELEPHANT -- A SEPARATION -- MY ILLNESS INCREASES -- STARVATION -- A GODSEND -- SAD PLIGHT -- FRESH SUPPLIES -- A HARD MARCH -- NARROW ESCAPE -- AN EXCITING HUNT -- PRIMITIVE BUTCHERY -- A CURIOUS SHOT -- CARAVAN -- EXCHANGE OF CIVILITIES -- "CHURCH" -- CHANGE OF AIR -- ACCIDENT TO THE KITCHEN -- STRANGE VISITORS -- A THUNDERSTORM 173

AN INGENIOUS BED -- EN ROUTE FOR THE COAST -- A SAD PLIGHT -- UNPLEASANT TRAVELLING -- FRIENDS -- FORCIBLE PERSUASION -- AN AMUSING ENCOUNTER -- AN ADVENTURE -- I OPEN A BAZAAR -- PRICES -- HOSPITALITY -- HAGGLING -- REINFORCEMENT -- LETTERS FROM HOME -- A MISERABLE NIGHT -- FALSE RUMOURS -- I SELL TWO DONKEYS -- "HARD UP" -- GEESE AND HORNBILLS -- ILL-TIMED THEFT -- STRANGE QUARTERS -- TOOTH-BRUSHES 195

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The Earl of Mayo's Sport in Abyssinia; Or, The Mareb and Tackazzee (1876) opens with a preface that frames the book as a straightforward account of what the author did and saw, drawn from his daily journal. This is not a systematic geography or a colonial treatise, but a personal narrative that moves from Cairo to the Abyssinian highlands, with an emphasis on hunting, travel logistics, and encounters with local peoples. The early chapters establish a pattern: Mayo describes his equipment, the challenges of mules and camels, and his first shots, often with a wry tone—he notes a miss and a new method of loading. The reader is immediately placed in a world of practical problem-solving, where the author's voice is direct and occasionally self-deprecating.

A Journal-Based Structure

The text is organized by dated entries, a fact Mayo announces in his preface. This gives the narrative a diaristic immediacy: events unfold in sequence, with no retrospective smoothing. For instance, on February 16, Mayo records being ill, staying in camp to read and take medicine, and amusing himself by making a model of a raft for hippopotamus hunting. The next day, he notes feeling better but then goes out to complete the raft, standing in water under a hot sun—a decision he calls stupid. This self-critical observation is typical. The journal format also allows for digressions: a caravan of three or four hundred people crosses the river, and Mayo tries to buy a donkey but finds the price too high. Such details accumulate to create a textured record of daily life, not just a hunting log.

Practical Observations and Craft

Mayo's narrative is rich with practical detail about equipment and local conditions. He describes the construction of his raft in precise terms: six logs of dome-palm lashed with raw hide from a cow killed in camp, cross pieces, pliable boughs, and dried hippopotamus grass jammed in for buoyancy. This is not mere description; it reflects a hands-on approach to problem-solving. Similarly, he notes that partridges on the Tackazzee were less numerous than on the Mareb, and that without dogs it was hard to flush them—they ran tremendously. He also observes that the birds' bills and legs were red, unlike English partridges, and that the heat caused meat to spoil quickly, a drawback when game was killed in camp. These observations ground the narrative in sensory and practical reality, giving the reader a sense of the environment's constraints.

Encounters and Cultural Notes

Throughout the excerpts, Mayo records interactions with local people and their customs. He mentions an interpreter, Peter Brou, who helped with place names. He describes a caravan from Tigré carrying grain and salt, and notes that such caravans assemble in large numbers for safety against the Baria. He also recounts a failed fishing attempt using a bamboo rod and raw meat bait, and a report of elephants on the opposite bank—a moment of suspense that is left unresolved in the provided text. These episodes are presented without moralizing; Mayo's tone is that of a curious observer. He does not claim deep insight into Abyssinian society, but his journal entries capture fleeting encounters and practical transactions, such as haggling for a donkey. This restraint lends authenticity to the narrative.

Voice and Self-Awareness

Mayo's authorial voice is distinctive for its honesty and occasional humor. He admits to mistakes—the missed shot, the ill-advised work on the raft while sick—and presents himself as a fallible sportsman. His preface states that the stories were told to him by natives and Europeans over camp fires or to while away marches, and he offers them as they were written, hoping only to interest readers. This modesty is consistent throughout the excerpts. He does not inflate his achievements; when he catches nothing fishing, he says so plainly. The reader is left with the impression of a man who is earnest about his sport but not boastful. This self-awareness makes the narrative engaging beyond its hunting content, as it reveals the character of the author as much as the country he travels through.

For a first reading, pay attention to the interplay between Mayo's journal entries and his broader reflections. The dated structure rewards sequential reading, but the book can also be dipped into for specific episodes. The illustrations by Charles Whymper, though not reproduced here, likely complement the text's visual details. Readers interested in Victorian travel writing, hunting literature, or Ethiopian history will find this a valuable primary source, but it is best approached as a personal narrative rather than a comprehensive guide.

That rainy afternoon, Earl of Mayo’s self-deprecating voice in Sport in Abyssinia made the dusty journal feel almost conspiratorial. Afterwards, I drifted to The Land's End: A Naturalist's Impressions In West Cornwall, Illustrated — Story, Setting & Ideas, and found the same quiet honesty—not adventure, but patient noticing. One book simply leaned into the next, like weather changing.