Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-02-18
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Feast.
English Illustrated MagazInc.l

OF Adowa. The houses with their little
wallcd-in gardens Of fig, pomegranate-,
and oliye-trces cluster on the slopes nd
base of the hills fringing and oyerhang-
ing the cliffs Of nullab, through winch
runs the riyulct. called Assam. that sup
plies the town with water. The streets
are so narrow that in some places 1t Is
necessary for one of the passers TO go
10 the wall. and so short and angular are
they. and 80 often ending in cuts-de-sdc'
that the maze at Hampton-Court Palace
in comparison would be a very small
mystery. The rocky and stony path com
pels ones mule to think twice before he
takes another step, and if the birds and
hyenas have not quite finished their re-
past off some dead animal that has been
thrown across the roadway the mule
will rear and swerve from his course.
boiling back through the labarynth OF
streets he has with great difficulty
threaded, and the dilemma soon presents
itself of discovering new route TO
avoid this block Of carrion. or dlsmount-
| ing TO find ones way on foot to one S
destination. The majority of houses
have a second story. at least a sort OF
attic under the cxtinguisher roof oft
hatch. trimming circular frame Of dried
mud or wood resting on the angles OF
four walls of mud and stone. either IN
square. or the ground plan taking the
lines of a Greek cross, and the interior
face is surrounded by a circular outer
! wall of the same material.
Within live the occupants, with their
cattle. fowls. dogs. cats. and a Noah :
ark of insects, which the natives foster
with the greatest care by not touching
soap and by using very little water.
The excessive disregard to cleanliness is
quite mania with AbysSinians. IL is
not from a want of water. There i
plenty; and the famous soap-trce.
called indoed, grows everywhere, the
seeds of which. when carefully dried in
the sun. may be worked into good
lather that is very cleansing. An
Ethiopian will tell You without blush
that he is necessarily washed at birth.
washes himself on his marriage morn,
and hopes TO be washed after
death; that once every year he dips
himself in the river on the festival Of
st. John. and every morning he vets
the end Of his toga with the moisture
from his mouth and frcShcnS mp his
ewes. Whenever he feels hard and UNI
comfortable he will anoint himself with
mutton Eat till his head and body gliS-
ten in the sun. This extreme JUNCTION
on the part Of the natives creates an IN
iammability Of body and wearing APP
parel. if not dangerous to the commu-
nifty at large. very often individually.
when once the clothes are ignitcd.
On our first arrival at Adowa DIR.
Gimlctt was called to two cases ofburn-
ing. one was that of little girl who
bad her right side literally roasted.
Though calling in the doctor. the pa
rents paid no attention to his orders. the
mother simply CRYING and moaning over
the little sufferer IN the most helpless
way. The child died during the
night. and ut sunrise next morn
ing She was buried. all the mourn
crS after the intermcnt vending
their way to the markct-place, where
the women. over two hundred in num-
Der. arrived first. and squatted on the
grass, forming circle around the
mother. Standing up. supported by a
companion who held her gently round
the waist. she Swayed herself to and
fro, tearing her hair in her grief. cX-
tolling the beauty and goodness of
her lost babe. while her friends
around walled in low tone in sym
pathy. Presently the priests. attend
ed by their mcn-at-arms and the
male mourncrS. slowly marched on to
the ground and sat down at
respectful distance from the woman.
quietly listening TO the funeral dirge till
the time came for the chosen friends to
return to the house Of mourning to re-
gale themselves with beer and tedgc.
At the funerals of old people or chiefs
the waling by their bcreayed friends
takes place for several days. An ctligy
representing the dead person. cloth
covered over some cushions generally
scrves-will be placed in the centre of
the circle Of moUncrS for the Mark
Antony to act unto.
II was my lot the same day TO see an
other custom. an ordinary Wedding. !
noticed a great connection III one of the
streets, and presently from one of the
houses man came Running by carrying
a woman in his arms. followed by All
other man holding over both toga.
Close behind them were men with tom
toms and long trumpctS blowing and
beating their hardest. followed by
crowd of Young girls and boys clapping
their hands and jumping for JOY. Gain
ing the outskirts of the town and arr
wing on the spo, where the mournerS
walled at the break Of day. the bride
for the abducted lady was no less the
happy onC-bcing deposited on the
ground with the tOGa still held over hcr.
became the centre Of a hoistcrouS circle.
the drums becoming more dcaieniug and
the tr,mpetS braying their loudeSt.
Several male relatives of the bride stop
ped under the toga to wish her good
luck. and though | was afterwards con-
tradictcd by native. am sure dis
tinctly heard loud kissing. Presently.
from the direction of the city. the bride
groom advanced mounted on mule.
with one or two fOotmcn carrying fire
arms and his shield and spear. The
presence of this happy gentleman was
the cause of more noise from drum and
trump. and when lac diSmomted. and
taking the bride to his bosom. kissed
her under his new European umbrella.
the little girls and boys got so excited
that am sure they would have shouted
" Hurrah :" but that expression Of
enthusiasm is unknown in Abys-
sinia; so they shricked and made loud
noise, which suppose did quite AZ we'll.
In Ethiopia marriages are civil con-
tracts. dissolved at pleasure. Ii il
only after many years. if the partie,
find they still agree and love each other.
that they pledge themselves to fidelity