The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1900-04-01
VISITING MENELEK.
How Some English Hunters Were
Affably Received.
Hondon Standard.)

Hondon Standard.)
Captain Powell Cotton sends the fol-
lowing notes of visit which he recent
ly paid to the Emperor Menelek:
Left the British agency compound
500 and reached the outer stockade Of
the Jibbee (palace) just before 4
o'clock, rode through three large mud
dy and untidy courtyards, with crowds
of followers loafng about. We were a
party of six, Captain Harrington, II.
B. NJ. agent at the court Of Menelek,
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 AbyS-
sinian interpreter, and DR.. Martin,
taken as a child from Hagdala after
the siege, now in government employ
in Burmah, come here on leave to see
if he can get employment in the land Of
his birth; the rear brought up by two
smart Indian s0wars.
At the gate Of the last Enclosure we
dismounted, took off our coats and
shivered, it being a cloudy, windy day
after a pouring night. Only for min
ute, however, for his majesty has the
name Of great punctuality. A court
functionary Of sorts came to call US,
and we entered a small yard, with a
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
twenty feet square, was dais, ten feet
long, and raised some four feet from
hea nd 70
floor in front of it, with European
green and rather bright colored car
pets. On this, with his legs tucked on
one side under him, and half reclining
TO the opposite side on two large pink
satin covered cushions, was Menelek.
Two similar cushions were on the other
side Of him. Some twenty Attendants
stood about, mostly in a group, by
door on his right.
We were each introduced in turn;
my name he had repeated twice, as, he
his hand and smiled, as he half bowed
in return to ours. His age is So, but
he hardly looks tia very dark but not
black face, marked by smallpox; rather
even. but not very white, teeth; a short
grayish beard and whiskers; a face
that is full of strength and shreWdneSs,
quick in altering expression, a pleas
ant 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 lis
tened to the interpreter, 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 with
many folds on the forehead and at the
side of the head. A fine rose cut dia-
mOnd stud in the left ear; a plain
gypsy ring on the little finger of the
right hand; white trousers, a 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 for
leave for three to go to Rudolf, which
guide. Then I asked leave to go north
for ibex. The interpreter didn't know
the name for ibex, butt described it:
the king in a moment gave the name,
and said it was only to be found in
Semen. He then asked which of us
were going, and looked hard al me
when the Interpreter said 1 was going
alone. He then smiled, and said I
could so, and that 1 should certainly
bag them, and he would give me let
tiers, guides, etc. Meanwhile he had
sent for 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
chaffingly asked who would be his
guarantee, according TO AbySsinian
custom; on which Harrington said
Englishmen required none, and there
was general chaff. the king laughing
heartily.
He then asked when we proposed
starting. and on our saying at once.
said, What without lunching or din
ing with me?" and promptly asked US
for Sunday, which we, of course. ac-
cepted. The conversation then turned
on cOursing. and he decided to come
out on Tuesday to see a course. While
this was going on he was turning over
the leaves of a book sent him by Lady
MeuX, a reproduction of an old Abys-
sinian Bible The pictures and the bind
ing, being in exact facsimile, evidently
excited his wonder, and he remarked
on it several times. DR.. Martin had
some words with him. and the word
Magdala caused him TO look serious for
few minutes. We told him we had
brought no present, wishing to find out
what he would like. He replied that
any kind of new rifle was his greatest
joy. When told that Butler and
Whitehouse had kept their elephant
tusks, being the first they had killed.
he expressed his pleasure, and hoped
we would all take large tusks to Eng
land to show what came from his coun-
try. We then shook hands and departed
quite impressed with his shire Wdness
and affability.
n. B.-"BilP' (Whitehousel was
pointed out to him as an American: he
promptly said, What part of Amer
ica?" and then remarked that he had
come by far the furthest of any of US
TO see his country.