Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1854-06-24


commended still better than hot ron it eats further
in But some suakebites, he nady adds scarcely
| cured any how.
Shoes, Of course, luxury not to be tolerated in
Abyssina Mr.. Parkyns had no covering for his feet
except the horny sole which few months rough usage
placed under them Thus and bare footed he
walked through all the summers heat not only without
ever catching headache, but without feeling foot
though he walked constantly the toughest pos
sibe places. True, he sometimes splinter or rather
small stake into his foot until it protruded from the IN
step but either because Of the Of his physical
habit because of the cts medeax of the climate he
experienced any inconvenience from such casual in
eiisnts Of his travels.
Mr.. Parkynss headquarters in Ahyssnia, during nine
months Of his sourn in that country were in Rohabait
small district or province belonging to the church
glebe lands. After waiting two years without receiving
any supplies communications from his friends and
bankers in Europe he began think that he would be
compelled to remain any rate for considerable period
in Abyssina. Not wishing to "rust in ideness and in
action he applied to the powers that be for government
in those parts, offering not only regular tribute to his
superior but also engaging to keep in order the hostile
Barea tribe to the north of Rohabaita who made fre
quen ncursons into its sacred territory Sancho Panza
his island could not have been happier than
Mr.. Parkyns as vce-regent and great man at Roha-
baita Hear him as he discourses on this wise
81 look back upon Rohabaita as sort Of Happy Val
ley with all the necessary enjoyments and Of the
drawbacks Of the described by Johnson But
deceive my friends The climate wretchedly bad
at certain of the year. the accommodation rather
inferior to that by gypsies and for whole
have tasted nothing beyond the produce Of the
chase o. game and honey and little of the da
gousha bread and capsicums can remember running
greedy haste of school boy who hears Of the arrival of
box Of good things from his mamma feastng my inlag
nation galore Of onions, which servant had
procured from neghboring village Even milk was very
scarce, only one mch COW being found in the neghbor
hood and she left In these points was Rohabaita in
Serior to the Happy Valley.
"During my whole stay at Rohabaa was looked
| upon by the people chief Of Importance
among them (be IL known were in state of semi
rebelon) and consulted all the most important
sions !, for my part felt myself one of them, and
entered with the greatest sympathy and zeal into all
their proceedings At feast no one enjoyed the dance
and song more than did. l had the most guns dis
charged at funeral No hunting party foragng
petition but in it took my turn in scouting and
ontlyings; aud afraid must add that even
two occasions, though Of had hand in the
act prvy TO the getting rid Of few disagreeabe
soldiers who TO annoy village and to rob the
poor peasany OF what little their predecessors had left
them" ...
Apropos Of scoutings," we frd the following in an
other part Of the work
"There is nothing so agreeaby exciting q foraying
expedition scouting in these countries though
the latter is rather lonely work, especially when, is
often the case IL Is undertaken by single Still
have than started of this of errand
for my amusement without saying where was
going or indeed without much knowing 1t myself
/ 1t most independent hfe My dress these
ons consisted Of short kilt Of nicely tanned anteopes
hide, piece Of cotton cloth wrapped around my
waist by day belt and used covering by night and
small wild cats or jackas skin thrown the left
shoulder Add to these kdskin filed with aour, little
horn Of cayenne pepper and salt mixed, and small
piece Of thin leather for bed and you have oil the
wardrobe kitchen, and furniture which Abyssinian
fronterman thinks necessary for fortnghts outlying
A flint aud steel, slow match an awl, nppers for ex-
tracing horns, with aud ammunition Of course
added and with such means for procuring comforts
and some luck with his rifle, IL cannot be happy
in dry climate, ! wonder what he would wish for !!
Even you have sport with game there are always
small birds, snakes, lizards fish, &C. be had, SO that
| you never want.
The reader will not wonder, after this when we state
that Mr. Parkyns expresses decided preference for the
savage over the civilized He occasionally grows
quite melancholy and pathetic as he commiserates the
tame and conventional life Of the European. He pro-
fesses but little respect for those civized lovers" Of
Nature who consider themselves having enjoyed suf
cent of her charms IL they have fair view or
beautiful waterfall in Switzerland Nature, he excaims
is no longer be in "hackneyed glacier and
terfall" IN
! .Oh she is fairest in her features wild,
Where nothing poish'd dares pollute her path
1t is only in the backwoods of North and South America
or in the wiis Of Africa that any thing remains worthy
of Mr.. Parkyn's cutie" The arid mountain slopes Of
Abyssiuia and the jolly "niggers" Of sennasr each
dear in his eyes TO the heart Of Herman Melville
the sunny wales Of the enchanted islands in the Southern
Sea- with their hearted warriors carousng around
cannba banquet and their tender-eyed madens feasng
on raw fish, scales and all.
From Mr. Parkynss chapter the personal appear
ance dress, &C. Of the Abyssnians select the follow
trait ds mosu-s which be Characteristic Of the
E" universal nation: :"
"In general neither sex wears any covering on the
head preferrng to tress and butter that with which
ure has provided them The hair Of the Abyssnian Is
admirably adapted for this purpose, being neither short
and crisp like negros yet Of the soft elasticity Of
Europeans, but between the two sufficiently long 70
tress WE'LL and often to hang luxuranty over the
shoulders, but at the time sufficiently wooly 70
prevent its being liable to out OF pait as soon as
is done, which always does had the greatest bo
her in the world with mine In the rst place. requir
ed twice much pulling body elses otherwise
it would not have remained moment in its place and
then il had be tied at the ends and stuck with fxa
tnre Of boiled cotton-sc.ds end after all It never last
ed in plait than week.
/" The operation Of ressng is very tedious one
ally occupying hour TIVE per head therefore, Of
course, it is repeated seldom as possible by
great dandies fortnight by Others once MONTH
or even less frequently In the interim large supplies Of
fresh butter employed when obtanabe in order to
prevent the chance Of settlement Of vermin and
piece of stick like skewer used for scratching The
hair gathered in paits close the whole surface of
the head the lines running fore and aft, and the ends
hanging down in ringets the neck In both
\ the patterns chosen are various Some will have ony