The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-12-29
C()VETS THE S|)UDAN
MeneIik of Abyssinia Has
100000 Soldiers
AND IMMENSE AMBITION
At a Stroke He May Undo
Kitchener's Work.

French Exposition. as he had intened-
And only a few days before the cable
supplied the explanation Of this change
in the royal plans, in the shape OF a
statement that Menelik was preparing TO
march on the Soudan as soon as the Sir
dar had left for South Africa
The ambitions and characteristics Of
Menelik make this more than probable
He btlieves himself to be the direct de-
scendant of Solomon, by the the Queen
of Sheba. alleged in Abyssinian tradi-
lions to have come from the land then
known as Ethiopia, a name still applied
to It by its inhabitants. The name Alb
yssinia is an appellation bestowed by
the Arabs It means mixture" refer
ing to the mixed charcter OF the inhao-
tants of that great country.
There is no exact limit to the vast do
main loosely called Abyssinia. Lying be-
tween deg. 30 min. and Is deg. 40 min,
north latitude. forming the extreme
eastern uortion of Central Africa, il is
the most delightful OF countries, not
withstanding its proximity 10 the equa-
tor. for its mountains and tablelands-
lying six thousand or eight thousand
feet above the sea level-afford all pos
sible varieties OF climate and products.
Menelik. "Negusa Negust' ('King Of
Kings'D. is absolute monarch OF all the
wide domain. with It's four or five mil
lion inhabitants. It is divided into three
large provinces-Tigre on the north, Am
hara on the south and Shoa on the
southeast. Ethopic is the language Of
the first: Amharic is spoken In the two
other provinces.
The inscriptions of Egypt point TO the
Importance Of Ethiopia in ancient times,
and II is known that there was constant
communication and often warfart be
tween Egypt and Ethouia. Up to a ftw
years ago, however. little was thought
and less was known Of the country and
its inhabitants. The Ethiopian was
thought of merely as one Of the num-
erous savage African peoples. But he
Is not even a negro. He bears no re-
semblance to the othtr inhabitants OF
the Dark Continent; in fact, many OF
the inhabitants of Abyssinia are OF the
I'd
proaching more nearly 10 the Bedouin
than to any other people in appearance.
More than this, the Abysslnians are
Christian people, and have been since
the fourth century. when Bishop Ath-
anasius of Alexandria he who wrote the
famous Athanasian Greed. sent mission
aries to- them. They are Independent
Christians, however. like no other creed
on earth They practise much OF the
Old Testiment code. observing the rite
Of circumcision. the distinctions between
animals called clean and Unclean in the
Pentateuch. and enforce the law "An eye
for an eye" with a literalness never
practiced in Palestine But they do not
forget the Golden Rule, which is OBJ
served with directness and simplicity.
II a priest was married before he en-
tered the priesthood he may stiIl re-
tain his wife but If not married he can
not marry after becoming priest There
are numerous churches. but no images
in them. Great reverence is paid 70 the
saints. especially SIS. George and Mich
ael. The walls Of the churches are COW
cred with frescoes. where may be seen
the Crucifxion. with Pesus on the cross. /
the two thieves on either side the Ro-
man soldier extending the sponge soaked
in vinegar. Anachrorisms do not en-
harrass their mural decorations, for In a
picture OF the Isrseiites crossing the Red
Sea, the soldiers Of Pharaoh are armed
with guns, Nor are they always true
TO the traditional interpretations OF the /
Bible, for Eve tempts Adam with bs- |
mana instead Of with an apple The ar /
fist probably never saw an apple. The /
churches are rude buildings. circular in 1
shape. with three divisions in them 4
an outer one for the people. an inner /
one for the priests and the inmost cen 1
trail part fer the holy OF HOLES. like The 4
temple at Jerusalem.
In fact Meneiik shows great consider
alton for a tribe Of Jews in Abyssinia,
the FaIashas. and prides himself upon
hi5 descent from the wisest Of soverf9ns
through MeneHk / Hence he calls him
self MeneHk IT.
The life ard customs ~ the Abyr~fn-
Ians are simple 70 primiiivenezs. vet they
are an intelligent people. capable OF a
high civilization. The army Of Meneiik
numbers some two hundred thousand, 4
force trained - they are md
SUPPLIED with modern weapons The
Italians had Httla experience Win
hem which they VIII remember 20
many wears 20 come for the fr5ops -
pere1fk 70 lr-o bsttis 20 hEat win
-iass = they can. stir sabre sni sh-el8
xhe7 they have crancs- n t8ei- lsRt
~ cH -
-ue-ev-o-e thousand 1ut ore thogzsn2
ESCAPED. some three thousand were TAX
N p-tsone-a AID The rest were kIies
outright
Trey u1sera,s1s the vsu's - f'seip-
me bit they couple wt.a fhs order -
-ossrn troops the ferceasae q TIRE say
,ra a-a ziu rush ~ Kill tarouKh
res,nses % re oeafh sher-selrs=
The discipline enforced even gr.an -
.hiess "a - tsa severeFt = Neeeiix
"a. r.esssd win tas a-tz - ona % a.
sisss he senEs - re rza. srS rita
Il ozn -eysl asnsE aye onlgatllT vith
STICK The monarch does = tbo-ouesly
Wy a-rniy. f9r ths GOD @; re ElnS-
ON
ne rht-ss sc Tsspo1efsl. - hfn
erso-a.Iy FOR thei- u.-n ard far ths lax
s ressi-e3 8eD-ak - 80 easily o. ,
eve for - gees ssozf Ike q ssossrn
iara1u - Rasehia - go 'sst az 4 ,
ron n RE cspEzzl Aaa 1eszs Hsf ,
x~n z~~cers5s % - rgTsl k3sca@a
~; sstag ss~ases hi1n. ans - 49, Z
zzeraess ~ 80 anf aera rvsry thgnr :
= car sasrea f thrs~ - sass e-sYz :
rErhr fo~ atrae Fse ~ar - A. -~~ !