The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-12-18
TO EXPLORE AeYssINIA.
Major Marchand to Take an Extended
Journey.


Journey.
Since the French government has de-
termined tina Major Marchand snail
retire from Fashoda the immediate
casus belli of "A French-English war Is
removed. Marchand has furnished an
interesting and instructive study in
African history. geography and politics
Ia those who followed his course. This
he will continue to do. for in his with
drawal he will pass through quite as
interesting a country as hat through
which he has already passed. Accord
ing To his own calculation the energetic
explorer will arrive at Jibutil. via
Abyssinia, about June. and reach home
about October Of next year.
From Fashoda Major Marchand will
first steam to the mouth of the Sobat,
and go up that river as far as II is nav
igable. Then he will have To march
across country as far as Ads Abeba.
proceeding thence TO Jibutil on the Gulf
of Tajurra.
Al Sobat the major will find an Egyp-
tian garrison which the sirdar planted
there My a few weeks ago. Sobat, in
deed. vas an Egyptian post in 1875. II
was one OF the first Gordon established
between Khartoum and Gondoroko in
order tn break up the slave trade. An
other Of Gordon's posts was at Nassau.
$50 miles up the Sobat river. So. for
POO miles. Marchand will travel through
country marked Egyptian by Gordon.
The eXact route between Sobat and
Ads Abeba Is impossible to prophecy.
The sirdar. in one of his dispatches.
said that the nearest Abyssinian post
to the Nile was about $50 miles up the
Sobat. But IL is very doubtful IL the
Sobat is ~navigable so far up. II it be.
Major Marchand may disembark from
HE IffFIa ctoa into the ~ m
Abyssinian force that would conduct
him 10 Menelek's capital. or. again. II
the rumors OF Abyssinian advances to-
ward the Nile prove true he might
meet with a force sooner In the day.
and what would he then do? Turn
back toward the coveted great river, or
go on oward home?
This. however. is a very problematic
kind Of speculation. IL seems more like
~ that the expedition will have a
tramp of some 40 miles before reaching
Menelek's headquarters. and as these
lie 5000 feet above sea level. the march
would not be one Of the easiest. 70
find the way should not be difficult. as
In the past communication between the
Soudan and Ankober. the old capital of
Abyssinia, was frequent.
At Ads Abeba Marchand will find
himself I'm a settlement which has only
existed "A few years. and ann exist
for more than a few years longer. From
the narrative of Count Gleichen. who
accompanied Rennell Rodd's mission -
Abyssinia last year. IL seems that Ads
Abeba is a huge camp. rather than a
town, covering a large area at the foot
OF the Entotto hills. The settlement
consists OF n great mass Of circular or
elliptical huts. with matched conical
roofs. the emperor's Enclosure u
ing n small hill In the center. The site
Is only n temporary one. and will short
ly have 20 be changed. as all the wood
I'm the vicinity is being cut down and
consumed. and soon the distance from
the forest will become inveniently great.
From Ads Abeba 1t is probable that
the major will march To- Harar. a dis
Jibutil will then leave him about 200
miles tn accomplish. Supposing every
thing goes well. the time Marchand has
allowed for his journey will leave him
a months margin. which would prob
ably be spent in Ads Aheba. But this
margin Is necessary. as he must make
sure Of reaching Jibutil by June. for a,
the end Of May or the beginning of
Jrne the Abyssinian wet season begins
and the low country becomes an i'm
passable morass.
Jibutil itself is on the southern shor
Of the Gulf Of Tajurra. The French
frontiers march with those 81 British
Somaaliland and were settled by an
agreement made in 1855. Later there
has been some talk In Paris Of seriously
terrifying Jibutil. but nothing practical
has yet been Perhaps IL g. be
cause Great Britain Possesses som,
rocky islets at the entry TO the Guli
OF Tajurra. which could easily be for.
tilted at the same time that any suct
steps were taken with regard Co ~
butil.-London cor. Of the Philadelphia
Times.