Washington sentinel., 1899-12-09

aziHe,
Here is Menelk of Ethiopia,
victor over Italian regiments with
gatling guns and smokeless pow
der-a homely, 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 gait), with keen, restless
eyes under threatening brows--a
warrior in mien and build, as in
fact. There is much oi contradic
tion in Menelik, for tradition makes
him a Hebrew bv descent, from
Solomon and Sheba's Queen, and
yet he shows no sign Ol the Jew;
straight nose and thick lips, stern
ness OF glance, with kindness in the
smile, fighter and a patriarch, a
Christian king in Africa. Let no
man think of this man as ruler OF
negroes; say rather ruler OF dark
skinned Romans, some MANY
shades lighter than himself, with
classic cut features, high brows.
thin lips, straight hair, purer type
by far than MeneliK himself, who
shows a minghng OF races, where
from it NAV be, comes his strength.
These Ethiopians wear the gar
ment worn in Caesars time, their
ekCWMa being quite the Roman
toga IN form and WaV OF draping.
They go bareheaded for the most
part, though some bind their brows
with a white turban, and bare
footed; that is, all save Menelik,
who alone in the realm has taken
TO European shoes and European
hat-symbols, one may believe, OF
his friendliness to Western innova-
tions.
A country OF lions and rugged
men this Ethiopia, as the people
call it. not A5yssinIa, which is a
disparaging word in use among the
Arabs An Ethiopian worthy to
wear in battle the lions skin that
Menehk gives to the bravest must
be one who can 60 three day s
without food, fighting the while or
journey ing over deserts and noun
taius; one who cares nothing Tor
pain or death. II is a custom
among these men, after battle or
waTllke manouvres, to squat down
on the ground in lohg line and FIRE
in the AIR, barrels up, butts between
the knees; no blank cartridges
here, but balls that wound or kill
whomsoever they strike in the de-
scent. A cannon shot gives signal,
and forthwith the firing starts far
down the line, rolling nearer and
nearer, until it swells into a roar
Of musketry about the Emperor
himself. then dies away at the far
ther side. And the bullets come
down upon soldiers or citizens as
may be; for this hring, liks as not,
tak.s place in a crowded city.
"Would 1t not be wise, your maj
esty," asked a French traveller,
aghast at this reckless procedure,
ito use blank cartudres7" why
sos" asked Menelik at would
economic rife balls and save life. ."
II do not mind losing a few rife
balls, lit makes my people des-
pIse them"
The Italians found at Adowa
what these soldiers think oil rifle
balls; saw them come bounding on
in the charge, pierced through and
through with Mauser bullets, and
go on fighting; saw the Emperor
himself toward the close rush in,
waving his sword, and kill with his
own hands. The Abvssinians Ito
use the accepted word) 60 into
battle with modern rifles, and know
how to use them; but IN the heat Of
action their spirit Is to throw these
down and come at the enemy man
TO man with sabre and shield Each
one carries on his left arm con-
Vex buckler made hippopotamus
hide, so thick and tough that often
a swift flying projeCtile is detected
by It. Of IL 900 men, blacks and
whites, who fought in this battle on
the Italian side, about 1000 es-
capped, about 5000 were made
prisoners, and the rest were killed.
And at Amba Alagui, which pre-
ceded 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 perfect leet,
with toes that can grip and cling.
The Italians were on a hill rising
from a plateau, impregnable, as
they supposed, on three sides, and
guarded on the fourth by strong
artillery. Against these cannon
the black men would hurl them
selves. and that would be the end
OF them. So reasoned the Euro
peans, but counted without black
leet; tor what the Abyssinians did
was 70 take the hill from the rear,
straight up the precrplce, doing
this stealthIly, so as to give no
alarm. And when enough OF them
had gained the vantage ground be
hind, they swept down like a wave
.-~- ~ Ts~is~-- .h-- 49,, 49, %.
won. Again, at the siege OF Ma
kelle. the Italians were able to
Judge what kind OF a Christianity
It IS the AbVssinians practise. The
Europeans were hemmed in by the
Ras Makonnen and $1,000 soldiers,
The situation was desperate, for
water had been shut off and they
were perIshing OF thirst. So the
Italians sent forth their natives,
5000 blacks, to propItiate, It may
be, the Ras Makonnen, a famous