William Cornwallis Harris

From the Cape, he arranged a hunting trip, which was to last from 1836 to 1837, to the Western Transvaal and Magaliesberg with William Richardson of the Bombay Civil Service, who had been a fellow passenger on the voyage.

They sailed to Algoa Bay and made their way to Grahamstown, where they outfitted their expedition and received helpful advice from the ivory traders David Hume and Robert Schoon.

From 1841 to 1843, Harris led a British diplomatic mission from Bombay to Sahle Selassie, Negus of Shewa, at the time an autonomous district of Ethiopia, with whom they negotiated a commercial treaty.

Harris managed to capture the political atmosphere and attitudes of Sahle's court towards his enemies, in a song of praise played by one of his female chorist (Azmari).

The sabre feels the royal grasp, And Pagans writhe in death's cold clasp; The Galla taste the captive fare, And dread the vengeance which they dare.