The Sunday globe., 1901-07-14
THE MAD MULLAH
With Whom the British Are Now
al War.
MENELEK, KING OF ADYSSINlA
Has Undertaken 10 Aid Tho Brltlsh-kR Inter
estlng Country and Lille Tribute 10 King
TheodoruS, The Predecessor Of The Present
RuIer-HOube Massacre OF His Domestic
EnsmeS-SlaIn BY the Kings Own Hand,

dams in Samollland, is modifying an
army Of $4,000 men-who believe he is
demi-god or a prophet-for the pur-
pose of driving out the British. Mad
Mullah IS a fierce warrior, anu 1t is
great relief to the British troops and
adherenls that Menelik, king of Abys-
sinia, has undertaken to subdue the fe-
rocious old fellow. This is the same
Menelilk who defeated Italy's best
troops and generals, and forcel that
natio. to conclude an humiliating
peace.
Abyssinia has an interesting history,
and is an interesting country. The EN-.
perors call themselves princes of Ii.
gre, and claim direct descen from
King Solomon ana the Queen Of oheba.
The population of Abyssinia has
been estimated at 100000. The bulk
of the people belong to the Caucasian
race, and l., features do not differ from
the Bedouin Arabs. Another race is
mlngled with those more I sembling
the negroes. There is also a third race
called Gallas. In Gondar is the purest
type Of Abyssinians. OF the manners
of the people there are conflicting sto-
ries, Bruce, the traveller, describes a
feast Of the higher class in which
bull or COW is brought to the door; the
feet are tied; the skin is stripped off
the hindQuarters, and the flesh is cut
from the buttocks in solid square
pieces and eaten raw. That the Abys-
sinians eat raw flesh occasionally has
been proved by Pearce, who once saw
some brutal soldiers, on a marauding
expedition, while driving a COW, cut
steaks from the rump, which they de-
voured raw to satisfy their craving
hunger. The animal was then driven
to the camp and killed. But Euro
| peans who have lived for years in Ii
/ gre nave seen none of the indecencies
and grossness which Bruce portrays,
Intoxication, however, is common at
| feasts.
Abyssinians even now are not with
| out their authors and painters, and
| they are generally fond Of pictures,
with which they line the inside of
their churches and decorate their chief
| apartments.
OF the languages OF Abyssinia one
called the Ethiopian resembles the
! Sanscrit of India in being a dead Ian
| guage in which the sacred books are
written. The spoken languages are
derived from it, and constitute four
dialects; but while the dialects differ
considerably, the people understand
one another and do not neeC an inter
prefer
The women of high rank wear a robe
/ of pure white, with a broad scarlet
band. Silver bracelets adorn their
arms and ankles. Their nails are
/ dyed red with henna; and their friz-
zled hair is kept stiff with butter,
which in the heat streams down on the
bronzed necks and shoulders. The
dress of women Of lower rank differs
| but little, diminishing only in quality
and quantity.
The fair at Antala is held every
Wednesday All the inhabitants with
in twenty miles then congregate at
Antala to dispose of their grain, vege-
tables, bullocks and other products,
returning with bricks of salt,which are
| the current coin of me realm.
| In Abyssinia they have a delightful
mode of finding out thief A traveller
/ gives information on this point:
1T is very noticeable the mode
adopted for the detection of thieves.
THE thief catcher is much feared, and
belongs to the servants of the State.
When the theft has been committed,
| the sufferer gives information to this
official, upon which be SENDS his ser
want a certain dose of black meal com
pounded with milk, on which he makes
! him smoke tobacco. The servant is
thrown into a state Of frenzy, in
which state he goes from house to
house, crawling on his hands and feet
| like one out of his mind. After he has
smelt about a number of houses-his
master all the time holding him by a
cord fastened around the body-ihe
goes at last into a house, lays on it's
owners bed and sleeps for time.
LIS master then arouses him with
! blows, and he awakes and arrests the
owner of the house, who is forthwith
dragged before the priests, and they
make the victim of the robbery swear
that he will not assess more than the
real value of the article stolen. The
person into whose house the entry is
made is regarded as the thief, and is
forced to pay, whether he is innocent
or guilty No wonder that the popula-
ton trembles when the thief catcher
is seen in the streets, and that every
body tries to be on good terms with
him, as there is no saying when he
will make his appearance in the
house"
King Meneik is an enlightened ruler
and fosters many modern customs and
institutions His army is equipped
with modern guns, and is we'll drilled
and diseiplineI. He has hospitals,
medical SCHOOLS, educational institu-
tions, and many latter-day inventions.
He is withal. a shrewd, energetic and
strong ruler. But his predecessor,
King Theodorusw while equally able and
powerful. was different sort Of man.
1t will be remembered that Lord
Napier led an army against Theodorus
at Magdala and overthrew him after
desperate fighting The present Lord
Roberts was in this expedition. When
Lord Napier arrived at Magdala he
found at the foot Of the Cliff on which
Magdala stood, the mangled remains
OF hundreds Of victims of ale last mas
sacre of TheOdorus.
The native captives were formed in
line before the quarters Of the impris-
oned Europeans. King Theodorus ar
rayed himself in his state robes and
donned his imperial crown, and rode
to where the captives stood in two par
allel lines, surrounded by his soldiers.
After dismounting, the King walked
backward, up and down the line, eye
ing the victims sternly, and sort
of barbaric majesty provided every mo-
tion. Seemingly satisfied with his in
spection, he strobe quickly and ner-
..,,eI- 70 tho oaptar 90 tbo H.. - -,