The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1886-11-03
THe KINa o. AeYssINlA.

An English Paymaster Gives an Ao-
count of His Visit to the King.
Capt Harrison Smith, paymaster. r
n, was sent by her majssty's govern
ment to the king of Abyssinia to present
to him letter and sword Of honor from
her majesty the queen. ~On April 10"
says the captain, I'VE arrived suddenly
in sight Of the kings camp and Lake Ash
augi. As we neared camp we were met
by the soldier whom I had sent on. He
brought message from the king. The
king requested me to come at once TO
him. The soldier added that the king
had threatened to punish him should he
fail to bring me into camp that evening,
but he begged me to wait few minutes,
till an escort Of 200 men should arrive to
accompany me. The officer command
ing the escort informed me that they
had been ordered to conduct me di-
rectly 10 the king.
L was obliged to change clothes on
the road. unpack the letters from her
ma jesty and Lord 5, and the swords for
the king and his son. These proceed
ings entertained the soldiers greatly.
The soldiers took up a sort of formation.
- - - .s-l,s.>l, .,-.-l A. --.----~->-
who were Instructed TO carry the pres
ents rode. Thus we crossed plain, and
then climbed the hill on which the king
is building a new palace. There l was
the beholden of many hundreds, having
dismomted and walked 70 the door of
the cokel-roofed building in which his
majesty was seated.
About to enter was abruptly stopped,
because at the last moment the king had
sent for chair, which had not yet ar
rived. The chair was brought and
placed with its back against the pole
which supports the roof in the center,
and exactly facing the king. As usual
he was seated on an angerib "a kind of
bedstead). supported ON either side by a
large cushion. On my entering he ex-
tended his arm to its full length, and re-
| ceived me in the most codial manner
with his stamina nearly down to his
waist
AT first | thought he was beckoning
me to a chair, to which his outstretched
hand was pointing, but l soon perceived
his meaning, and having taken his hand
and bowed. presented her majesty's
letter, enveloped in an imposing EN-
broidered cover which l had brought
from Cairo, and which appropriately had
gold lion resembling the kings seal
worked in the center. Then laid be-
fore the king the sword in its case with
| the lid opened, and afterward the sword
for his son, Ras Aria Selassie. At the
| conclusion of the brief announcement
with which / accompanied each presen-
tation the king bowed and expressed
| thanks. He then said he had ordered q
camp to be prepared for me. and that l
must go and rest. l found a large but
very thin tent pitched, and furnished
with an angerib covered with carpet
| and having the two usual cushions.
| Other carpets were laid on the ground,
and for some time l sat in state till my
escort was marched off, and l was left
| only with the small guard.
"In the evening presents of goods,
consisting of a COW, bread, ghee, tedge
| Qiquor made from honey, red pepper,
firewood and fireplaces, and spoon for
my use arrived, and were continued
regularly during my stay.
~On the-19th l called on the king at
a. En. Talked, and wrote an
addition to the latter for the
queen. Then was taken out, and ar
rayed with shirt and trousers. do
not mean that at the time l wore neither
of these useful articles, but these were
| special garments Of honor. | was also
presented with a lions name, the king
own mare, a horse. a mule. twenty-one
spears. and a shield. At 11:20 got on the
march. and kept till $40 when we
reached our old camp near Bebbah.' -
| London News.