For his journey round the wild borders of the north, Shah acquired the wrecked shell of the Emperor Haile Selassie's jeep, with the khat-chewing Bahru as chauffeur. First he explored the rock-hewn churches of Lalibela and was shown an ancient cross known as "the Gold of Sheba". Venturing from there among the feared Danakil tribe, he left Bahru to drive to Mekelle and joined a camel caravan back across the desert. Due to the greed of the people of the Afar Region, he was told, God has turned to salt the gold that once abounded there. Somewhere in the region to the north, it is rumoured, are the mines from which the Queen of Shaba derived her gold.
