The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1900-03-16
A VISIT TO MENELIK.
How Party of English Hunters We


How Party of English Hunters Were
Received and Entertained.
Captain Powell Cotton sends the fol-
lowing notes of vieit which he recently
paid to the Emperor Menelli.
Left the British Agency compound
$40 and reached the outer stockade of
the Jfbbee (palace) just before o'clock,
rode through three large muddy and UNI
tidy courtyards, with crowds of follow
ers loaflng about. We We're a party of
six, Captain Harrington, Fl. B. M. Agent
at the Court Of Menelik, and Baird, his
secretary in spotless khaki uniform, on
two fine gray ponies; we four in dress
clothes and pumps, with felt hats and
listers, mounted on four sorry mules,
| which required much beating to get
them along; an Abyssinian interpreter,
and DR.. Martin, taken as child from
| Magdala after the siege, now in Govern
ment employ in Burmah, come here oil
leave to see if he can get employment
in the land of his birth; the rear
brought up by two smart Indian So
wars
At the gate of the last Enclosure we
dismounted, took off our coats and
shivered, it being cloudy, windy day
after pouring night. Only for q min
ute, however, for His Majesty has the
name of great punctuality. A court
functionary of sorts came to call us, and
we entered small yard with clock
| tower in one corner and an open-fronted
building joining it, approached by two
staircases. Up one of these we filed
| AT the back of the room, some 20 feet
square, was a dals, 10 feet long. and
raised some four feet from the ground
and covered, as was the floor in front
of it, with European green and rather
bright coored carpets. On this, with
his legs tucked on one eide under him,
and half reclining to the opposite side
on two large ping sating cushions, was
Menelik. Two similar cushions were
on the other side Of him Some twenty
attendants stood about, mostly in a
group, by a door on his right
We were each introduced in turn; my
name he had repeated twice, as he could
not catch it. To each he gave his hand
and emiled, as he half bowed in return
to cures. His age is fffty-eight, but he
hardly looks tia very dark but not
Black face, marked by smallpox; rather
even, but not very white. teeth; short
grayish beard and whiskers; face that
is full of strength and shrewdness, quick
in altering expression, a pleasant smile
and hearty laugh. After a few words
he asked us to be seated which we were
on cane chairs in a circle in front of
him. Then. as he listened to the inter-
prefer, his eyes moved from one to the
other as he took in every detail Of our
appearance. His head was covered by
white muslin, drawn tight on the skull,
and many folds on the forehead and at
the sides of the head. A fine rose cut
diamond stud In the left ear; plain
gypsy ring on the little finger Of the
ringht hand; white trousers coat Of
green and yellow striped silk; black
satin cloak with gold braid and lined
with pink, was his costume.
After we had expressed our thanks for
leave to visit his country, and the good
sport we had had, we asked fc- leave
for three to go to Rudolf, which he
readily granted and promised guide
Then l asked leave to go north for ibex,
the interpreter didn't know the name
for ibex, but described it; the King in
a moment gave the name, and said 1t
was only to be found in Semen. He then
asked which Of us were going, and look |
ed hard at me when the interpreter said
| was going alone. He then smiled, and |
said I could CO. and that / should GER
tainly bag them, and he would give me
letters guides. etc. Meanwhile, he had |
sent for a natural history book, and at |
once turned up a picture Of an ibex. |
Butler then offered him a pair of dogs, |
which he at once accepted, and chaff- |
ngly asked who would be his guaran- |
tee, according to Abyssinian custom; on |
which Harrington said Englishmen re-
luired none and there was general
,haff, the King laughing heartily.
He then asked when we proposed
tarting, and on our saying at once, said
WHAT without lunching or dining with
ne?" and promptly asked us for Sum
lay, which we, of course, accepted. The
then turned on coureing,
md he decided to come out on Tuesday
o see a. course. While this was going
IN he was turning over the leaves Of
,ook sent him by Lady Meux, repro
luction of an old Abyssnian bible. The
pictures and the binding, being in exact
acsmile, evidently excited his wonder,
nd he remarked on it several times.
Dr.. Martin had some words with him,
md the word Magdala caused him to
ook serious for few minutes We told
i'm we had brought no present, wishing
o find out what he would like. He re-
lied that any kind of new rifle was his
reatest joy. When told that Butler and
Vhitehouse had kept their elephant
usks, being the first they had killed, he
expressed his pleasure, and hoped we {
,ould all take large tusks to England !
o show what came from his country.
We then shook hands and Departed {
ute impressed with his shrewdness and
N B.-"Bill'' (Whitehouse. was point
d out to him as an American he .
said, What part of Ameri-
az" and then remarked that he had
ONE by far the furthest of any Of us I
} see his country.-London Standard.