ABSTRACT
One of the significant outcomes of Rodd's visit was the establishment of diplomatic contacts between Britain and Ethiopia. As Britain's diplomatic representative at Menelik's court, John Lane Harrington was to play a crucial role in negotiating the borders separating Ethiopia from British territories. Wellby had to hurry out of India in order to meet Harrington, who was scheduled to arrive in Zeila on the Somali coast on September 7, 1898. Effectively blocked from reaching Lake Rudolf through Somaliland as Smith had done in 1894–1895, Wellby had no choice but to rejoin Harrington and go on to Addis Ababa. Wellby very much admired the Ethiopians and planned to return to Addis Ababa as an assistant to Harrington. As Harrington noted, the regret was "that a brilliant career should have been thus cut short with its bright promise but partly fulfilled." Harrington was anxious to quickly replace the Union Jacks originally put up at the northern end of the lake in 1898.
