The Shasta courier., 1868-03-14
NUMBER /.
Fashionable Dinner Party in AbyssinIa.


great deal Of skepticism has been enter.
tanned in regard to the mode ofsupplying the
brinde, or raw meat, to the guests Of the
fashionable parties at Gondar, the capital of
Abysslnia. When the company have taken
their seats at the table, COW or bull is
brought to the door, and his feet strongly
tied; after which the cooks proceed to select
the most delicate morsels Before killing the
animal, all the flesh on the buttocks is cnt off
IN solid square pieces, without bones or much
efusion of blood. Two or three servants are
then employed, who, as fast as thew can nro.
cure 6rtnde, lay it upon cakes of teff placed
ike dishes down the table, without cloth or
anyIning ny else beneath them. By this time
an the guests have knives in their hands and
.he men prefer the large crooked ones. which
IN lne tlme ii, OF war, they put to all sorts Of
oeso'. Ane company are so arranged that
one gentleman sits between two ladies: and
lhe former, with his long knife, begins by
cutting 'nin piece, which would be thought
good steak In England, while the molten
OF the fbres is yet perfectly distinct,
In Abysslnia no man Of any fashion feeds
himself. or touches his own meat Tbo
women take the flesh and cut it lengthwise
IKE strings, about as thick as ones little
fingers, then crosswise into SQUARE pieces
somewhat smaller than dice. This ttey Law
upon portion of the teff bread. stronply
powdered with black pepper, or cayenne, or
iossii SAT-, and then wrap it up like a cart
ridge. In the meantime, the gentleman,
having put up his knife, with each hand
resting upon his neighbor's knee. his bodv
stopping, his head low and forward. and
mouth open like an idiot, turns to the one
whose cartridge is first ready, who stuffs the
whole of it between his jaws, at the imminent
risk OF oichoking him. This is a mark of gran.
deur. The greater the man would seem to be.
the larger Is the piece which he takes into
his mouth the more noise he makes in chew.
ing IT, the more polite does he prove himself.
None but beggars and thieves, saw they. eat
small pieces and in silence. Having despatch
ed this morsel, which be does yery ex-
pediaously, his neighbor on the other band
noius forth second pellet, which be devours
In the same way, and so on till he is satisfied.
He never drinks till he has finished eating:
ana before he begins, in gratitude to the fair
ones who have fed him, he makes up two
small rolls of the same kind and form each
OF the ladies opens her mouth at once. while
with his own hand he supplies a portion to
both at the same moment. Then commence
the potatlonS, which, we are assured. are not
regulated with much regard to sobrietv or
decorum. All this time the unfortunate vic-
tim at the door is bleeding, but bleeding lit.
tie for so skillful are the butchers, that
while they completely strip the bones of the
flesh, they avoid the parts which are traversed
by the great arteries. AT last they fall upon
the thighs likewise; and soon after, the
animal perishing from the loss of blood. be.
comes so tough that the unfeelne wretcbes
VINO iced on the remainder can scarcely SEN
arate the muscles with their teeth In the
description now given we have purnoselv
omitted some features which, it is not imnro.
babie, have been little ton highly colored.
II not even somewhat innccurateiv drawn
But there is no reason to doubt the GENERAL
correctness of the delineation. not excenting
the grossest and most repulsive particulars.