New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1868-02-16


enewered hat had intonded 10 kav
done 50 but thai rom AatAmma there BIZ
been 90 means q COMMUNICATION with BIN
and that on mg arrival At Wochaee, Ral
9akoob had seized and brought me to Cos
And here you will remain as long al
your head is on your shoulders
Mith5this comfortable assurance, he gave
oEders 80 lead me away. Naturally In
qnired what my crime or ogfense was sap
posed to be. 4a F 8I8
.'0h ~ said he, II DO not know ret.
But until do the glmp is the. best place for
you, Besides, as have already imprisoned
your consul and other cOuntrynen, Won car,
have no reason to be particularly friendly
disposed toward me and whoever is not
with me Is against me. $3.50
/" But what ground for suspicion can your
majesty have against meYv
:. You English are all il \ plot against
me l know that. What business has an
English doctor 10 Abyssiuia? He comes
either for curiosity or business. The first
Is very reprehensible the second, as it is
not osseBsible, must be so also. You have
come to spy out the land, no Doubt
And here, upon sign from his imperial
majesty, four gigantic fellows sprang upon
me and hustled me out Of the presence in
Q most unceremonious fashion, too painful
10 be described and thus ended my first
interview with King Theodore.
The locality to which had been led
after my first audience with the king, and
the manner in which was treated, were
far better than l expected and knowing
bis majesty's penchant for trenching arms
and legs from the bodies of his unfortunate
i0Nsr Z La, 4
escaped as well as l had, at any rate for the
time being. Not far from the kings apart
ments a long low gallery connected two
parts Of the castle, and in this gallery, form
ing place of Imprisonment for divers
AbXssinians and Moslems, among whom
was also certain Armenian, Serkis Ciacki-
gian, was / 10 take up my abode. How
long | should have to remain was an inter
esting question for me in my position, but
somehow or other never felt any serious
misgivings as to the ultimate result. In
fact, the oVerpowering feeling with me was
that of hunger, and on ascertaining that
there was nothing eatable to be obtained,
became perfectly ravenous. However, the
Moslems, though captive, did not forget the
precepts of the Koran, and sustained their
reputation for hospitality by inviting me,
in the name of Allah, to partake of their
repast. Alter dinner-shall l call it'll
became comparatively comfortable and
twisting mp a cigarette with some tobacco
Ciackigian, who spoke excellent Italian,
had given me, felt inclined to Danish all
thoughts of the past and future, and merely
live for the present.
But when the sun sank lowey In the west
ern sky, pouring his golden rays, tiuged
with evening crimson, through the barred
windows of my dungeon, lighting up the
sqgalid, filthy Interior, and beaming upon
the CHASTITY features of the unhappy Great
ures who had been langnishing there for
years, a solemn sadness stole over me, truly
not so much on my own account, but sor-
row for the ravages in mind and body q
cruel incarceration causes upon man, when
the noblest gift of nature-liberty and free
dom-is torn away from him. And as
the soft, full moon, gradually emery
ing from the glowing play Of oolofs
in the sunset sky, gained the ascendant,
overlooking the landscape around with
her misty, ethereal light, forlorn and help
less certainly did fell and pressing my
burning face to the cold iron bars of the
window to which | had clambered up,
gave full vent to my feelings, and managed
to look and feel as miserable as any one of
my companions in grief who were all
stepped in the deepest slumber, in blest
oblivion Of all their woes. enVied them !;
aud closing my eyes stTove to initiate
them Long it was before succeeded
not before the stars began to pale then
did at last manage to obtain little sleep.
Oh, blessed booni best gift Of God S to earth.
Soft comforter Of grief; al hallowed Sleep
Until the shades Oh death around US creep;
Through the long midnight hours doth grieving
HATH not invoked thine aid, and whilst the hot
Meath thy protecting wings forgotten all his woe 2?
Toward six O'Clock, the mufled-up fg-
ures began to stretch themselves and yawn,
and shortly afterward the door opened,
giving ingress TO long, gaunt figure with
green turban on, bearing a number Of
small fngan," or coffee cups, and potful
Of fragrant Mocha, which he dealt out at
about one.eighth Of farthing per cup.
Hadji Ihrahim, l acknowledge my debt to
thee, Oh dispenser of the costly infusion
He presented me with a cup gratis, as a
kind of welcome, suppose and sitting
down by the side Of Ciaekigian, supping
the fragant beverage, and blowing the
equally fragrant smoke from my cigarette
into the air, listened to the accounts and
anecdotes be related to me concerning
King Theodore.
L thIhk it is Heredotus who tells such
wonderful stories about the Anthropophagi
on the shores Of the Red Sea, which are
only 70 be collapsed by the still more mar
veloua ones Bruce thought ct to re-
late II bnr to- every tale however wild,
thers is generally some foundation !;
50 also here; for il not exactly canni-
balls, or live meat eaters, the Abyssinians
cert&inly do indulge in rda0 meat, which
entails very unpleasant consequence. most
OF them suffering irem tape-worm. To rid
themselves OF this unpleasant visitor they
make use OF an herb termed kousso and
thereby hangs tale--no less a one than
the atorgot King Tbeodore's rise to She
Abyssinian crown. 5
Some forty years ago there lived in the
neighb0rhood of Gondar poor widow,
who gained a living for herself and son by
gathering this herb kousso. Her son was
named KaSsa Kuarauya, and now occupies
the throne of the once so mighty kingdom
Of Ethiopia, whose treasures Makada, queen
Of Sheba, brought as a testimony Of her adj
miratiOn TO King Solomon at Jerusalem. As
tradition hath it, when the queen returned
TO her native land, she presented it with a
proof OF the admiration King Solomon had
had for her In the shape of son, who was
named Menilek From this Menlik, who
eventually became king OF Ethiopia, Deias
(Duke) Halo Marian, the father OF our
hero, Kassa, traced his descent, and some
times his mother is also supposed to be. q
libeal descendant Of the great Jewish king.
The versions vary. At the death Of his
fathes, Kssa, was placed in the monastery
Of Tschankers near Lake Tapjas where be