The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1868-05-20
Interesting Gossip from Abyssfnaa.
A correspondent Of the Chicago Tribune
who accompanied General Napier's expedi-
ton writes from near Magdala, March 2Sth |:

II
manners andscustoms would occupy a.much
larger space than letter of this kind would
allow. Amhara, province which lies to
our right, is to the other provinces Of the
empire what Paris is to France. Its4peo-
pie give manners, customs, and religious
example to the rest of the Abyssinians.
They are the most ciyilized rand refined Of
all the nations in the whole of Africa south
of Egypt. Gondar, the capital Of Itiopia,"
as the natives term their country, is stu
.ated in Amhara. Here are the only manu-
5factories, schools, and academies in Abys-
isinia. =, - ~
The people Of Gondar work skilful de-
signs in gold and silver, make excellent
swords and muskets, and gunpowder is also
manufactured there, while, from the fer
tility ofsits agricultural districts, Amhara,
has been called the granary of Abyssinia.
The province Of Wadela, through which
we are now travelling, has long been oneiof
Theodore's favorite recruiting departments.
The inhabitants, who are Of very warlike
disposition, are perpetually at war, either
with each other or with their neighbms.
The people are known by the name Of
Wolls-Gallas, and zhaye always possessed
more or less republican ideas, and, of
course, ever. since Theodore commenced his
tyrannical career have been his most ac-
tive enemies. Inappearapce, the province
resembles the rocky plain around Fort
Laramie, in Dakota Territory 8-Ii3
sS,sEo g4S5 CUKIotis FASHIONS. ~ ts1iaasa
A distinctive feature Of chief in this
country is the quantity Of ghee or clarified
butter with which he; anoints his hair,
plated, twisted, curled, and. braided as it
is. A peasant contents himself with simply
putting a patch Of this yellow grease on the
top of the head, but chief, or 'sheik, lit
orally plasters his Uranium with it, 30 that
the color of his hair is hardly distinguish
able, and his head is more like sailors
slush-rag than anything lean fliken it to.
When the sun shines this grease melts, and
his face then resembles o half-roasted and
well-larded goose. s3z s2sl 70 > III a7zsiA 4
The women have their fashions as well as
the aristocratic Mrs. Grundy who lives on
Fifth avenue, the recognized leaderiof the
creme de Ia creme of society. Near the sea-
coast the women allow their hair to grow as
long as it can, never disturbing themselves
about its appearance, cleanliness, orgrowth.
son the tabie-land, at Senate, they tie it up
in knot on the top of the head. II About
aategerath and thence to lAutalow, in Tigre,
the women have shaven crowns, while q
multitude of tiny braids dangles about the
sides of the head. In Woggerat, they plait
their hair in seven long rows, extending
from the forehead to the nape of the neck !;
and in Wadela, the hair is curled in front
and then folded and twirled up into a gi-
gantic chignon at the back of the head,
which is well CREASED andykept in order.
The Abyssinian females pay more atten-
ton to their hair than they do their suck
lings, who are swung carelessly to their
backs like Indian pappooses.r KS ral.
They, are utterly regardless of their
bodies, which, / believe, they never wash,
|. if may Judge by the dirt with which they
are incrusted. The clothing ofsthe chiefs
daughters is syery scant, indeed, and consists
of q goat skin wrapped around their loins,
leaving the upper and lower extremities ex-
posed to the vulgar gaze, while the lower
classes, with the exception of few, 60
about in perfect state of nudity. These
come to our camps with loads of grain, ghee,
butter, honey, clabber, wax, and bread, and
afford infinite delight to the English SOL
diers, who, verify believe, have less self
respect than any soldiers in the world. The
females perform the manual labor, till the
fields, harvest, and attend to- other labori-
GUS outdoor labor, while the wander
about listlessly, or do the marketing, al
ways carrying their spears and shoYels
wherever they go.ogzsr,,.,s < y..zrss sz.s
gt,s 49, y THE BIBLE IN ABYssIN1A.
= The people of Abyssinia are great Scrip
4 81,