Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-12-01
MENELlK OF ABYSSI MIA
Acted the Part of Christian in Treating
His Italian Enemies.
His Curious Way of Making His Men
Accustomed to a Rain
of Bullets.
leyslapd Monctt in the windsor Magazine.

Cleveland MpfTctt in the Windsor Magazine.
Here is Menelik of Ethiopia. victor over
Italian regiments with Calling guns and
smokeless powder-a homeIy, pock-marked
man, whose skin is black; whose hair is
turning white. for he has passed the fifty
year point; massive in chest, strong in
tread Though of a clumsy gaiO, with keen,
restless eyes under threatening brows-a
warrior in micn and build in fact.
There is much Of contradiction in Menelik.
for tradition makes him a Hebrew by de-
scent, from solomon and Shebas queen,
and Vet he shows no sign of the Jew;
straight nose and thick lips. Sternness of
glance. with kindness in the smile, a fight
er and a patriarch, a Christian king in At
RIGA Let no man think of this man as
ruler Of negroes, say rather ruler of dark
skinned Romans, some many shades light
CT than himself, with classic cut of tea-
lures, high brows, thin lips, straight hair,
a pUrer type by far than Menelik himself,
who shows a minSiing of races, where
from, it may he, comes his strength. These
Philippians wear the garment worn in Gaze
SaTS time, their chemma being quite the
Roman t0ga in form and way of draping.
They 90 baTtheadsd for the most part,
though some bind their brOwS with 4 white
urban and barefooted-that is, all save
MeneIik who alone in the realm has taken
TO European shoes and European hat
symbols, one may believe, of his friendli-
ness To western innovations.
a country of lions and rugged men this
Ethiopia, as the people call it-not Abys-
siuia, which is disparaging word in use
among the Arabs. An Ethiopian worthy to
wear in battle the lions skin that Menelk
gives To the bTavcst must be one who can
go three days without food, fighting the
Will" or journeying over deserts and noun
tain~; one who cares nothing for pain
death. II is a custom among these men
after battle or waIlike maneuvers to squat
down on the ground in long line and fire
their rifles in the air. barrels up, butts be
I.af n n nj "a rtr if plZ hArn
but balls that wound or kill whomSoeVer
they strike III the descent. y cannon shot
gives the signal. and forthwith the firing
starts far down the line, rolling nearer and
nearer. untilit sWelIs into 4 roar of muSketry
about the emperor himself, then dies away
at the further side. And the bullets come
down upon soldiers citizens as may be;
for this firing. like as not, takes place in
crowded city. Would it not be wise. your
majesty asked a French traveller, aghast
at this reckless procedure, TO use blank
cartridges - why So?' asked MeneIk.
1t would economic rifle balls and save
life" Il do not mind losing a few rifle
balls, if it makes my people deSpiSc them"
The Italians found at Adowa what these
soldiers think of rife balls; saw them come
bounding on in the charge, pierced through
and through with Mauser bullets, and go
on fighting: saw the emperor himself to-
ward the close rush in, waving his sword,
and kill with his own hands The Abys-
SinidnS ito use the accepted wOrdD go into
battle with modern rifles, and know how to
use them. but in the heat of action their
spirit l. to throw these down and come at
the enemy man to man with saber and
shield. Each one carries on his left arm a
convex buckIer made of hippopotamus hide.
50 thick and tough that often a swift flying
prOJecuIe Is detected by ii. OF y 300 men,
blacks and whites, who fought in this bat
tie on the Italian side about 900 ESCAPED
about 5000 were made prisoners, and the
rest We're killed And at Amba Alagui
which preceded their final disaster, the
Italians found OUT what il means to fight
an army that knows not shoes, but comes
at you in your fortified place with per
feet feet. with toes that can grip and cling
The Italians We're on hill rising from a
plateau, impregnable. as they supposed on
three sides. and guarded the fourth by
strong artillery. Against these cannon the
black men would hurl themselves, and that
would be the end of them. So reasoned the
Europeans. but counted without black feet;
Tor what the Abyssinians did was to take
the hill from the rear, straight up the
precipice. doing this stealthily, 50 as to give
no alarm And when enough of them had
gained the vantage ground behind they
swept down like a wave upon the Italians,
ana the day was won. Again, at the siege
Of Makelle. the Italians were able to Judge
what kind OF a Christianity it is the Abys-
sinlanS practice The Europeans We're hem
med IN by the Ras Makonnen and 10 900
soldiers The situation was desperate for
water had been cut off and they were per
lShing OF thirst So the Italians sent forth
their natives 5000 blacks to rropitfate in
might be, the Ras Makonnen, a famous
Abyssinian general and cousin Of Menelik
and the Ras Makonnen gave the natives
drink and food. and let them go their wav
linen the whites, seeing their own ca sc
hopeless and that many We're dying, came
out to beg for terms and were received by
Menelik himself. You have not been kind
TO me or mine. said he: you have broken
your pledged word and drawn the sword
against US. Nevertheless, 1 do not wish it
said that Christians died here like dogs. so
you may GO And he gave orders that the
y ia ,-lof
with mules for their Journey and he LET
them depart in peace