The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-04-22

sun Is vertical. is a cool country, and its
rich soil produces any sort OF crops that
can be thought Of. The officers of the en-
bassy. with Engnsh unfailing delight In
landscape, pronounced the scenery beau
tiful. The people raise only what they need
from day 10 day. live I'm huts and are des-
perately. childishly superstitious. Imagine
land OF wild rose and jasmine. rich forests
and endless fields of grain. so fertile that
IL only requires to be poked with a crooked
stick In orIer 10 send up crops, imagine
what a land this would be for Teutonic
farming races. The Abyssinians know how
precious their country would be 10 white
men. and therefore they have an extreme
antipathy TO admitting white men within
their boundaries. Still. their King. Menelik.
Is a man OF some knowledge OF the natural
laws OF commerce. and wishes to enrich
himself through commerce with Europeans.
hence the embassy. The embassy was con-
Neyed by hundreds OF mules and camClS.
the Journey lasted months, and an escort
Cf Indian soldiers was necessary TO protect
the mission and their servants from the
natives. Strange TO say, the Abyssinians
lever eat their own wild fowl, so the young
officers had plenty OF sport on the way In
duck hunting. Africa. like America, Is not
originally the home OF high CIVILIZATION.
immigrants from Europe alone can create
great nations there. and probably sooner or
later white races Will cultivate the rich
helds OF Abyssinia: whether this Is Just or
unjust old Dame Nature Will have IL so:
III spite OF himself King Menelik Is obliged
10 employ a white councillor OF state. \
swiss, who always stands at his right hand.
end whose intelligence the King continually
consults The Queen is very dignified
woman OF much ability; she belongs TO one
OF the fair races OF Abyssinia. King Men
elk Is man OF fine personal appearance.
ana he possesses an almost superhuman
activity and capacity for detail: he has
welded his immense empire into har-
monious whole. He is superior TO his peo-
pie In ability. His manners are kind and
simple and he gives the impression OF
nan who wishes TO get at the root or
matter at once. He gets up at every
morning. There is energy for you. He IS
very accessible TO his people. and he and
his ministers decide an enormous number u
questions. He has no sons like so many
Oriental potentates.
In no country is the contrast between
the aristocracy and the proetariat so strik-
ing In Abyssinia. The common people
OF the land chew tobacco, and in one re-
spect they have better manners than our
own tobacco-chewers, for when one Abys-
slEian speaks 10 a friend he respectfully
takes his chew of tobacco from his mouth
and places IL behind his ear. Abyssinian
bread resembles large pancakes, habby and
full OF grit. When an Abyssinian sits down
to a meal he squats on the floor with
tons by wiping his hand on the top bread,
which serves as a napkin. Raw meat. with
Pepper and SALT with the common people,
Ia the favorite article of diet the aristoc-
iacy has a variety of cooking. The Abys-
sinian soldier is not good shot. The pco-
pie OF Menelik cannot be made to use
money. Cartridges and bars of salt are
their cash. Only a few OF the aristocracy
can read Ethiopic. The Catholic priests
have no influence over King Menelik. For
eign merchants in Abyssinia have hard
times. because the King keeps trade in his
own hands; II there is any money 10 be
made out of trade he is going TO have e.
Menelik Is "A strong power; he gave the em-
eassy twenty thousand brilliantly-clad SOL
diers as an escort on their departure from
his capital. His character and individuality
are so strong and he Is so sensible that he
may well be called a genius in country
where all are far below him in power of
mind The book contains some account
OF the terrible defeat of the Italian army
by the Abyssinians few years ago. Hun
dreds Of italian prisoners were still being
ransomed when Count Gleichen was there.
These prisoners were kept one by one, in
the huts Of the Abyssinians, and each host
vas responsible for his prisoner. a horse
soldier was one day taking his prisoner out
Tor exercise. when the Italian began to ad-
mire the Abyssinian's horse, and said he
would like TO try the horse. The two were
or friendly terms. so the horseman dis
mounted and the Italian got up. Naturally.
the Italian disappeared at once. After that
for some days the Abyssnian was seen
prowling about the woods rife in hand,
and, on being asked what he was about.
replied: well, you see. 1 have lost my
Italian and 1 go out stalking every morn
ing now to see If 1 can't catch another"
MARY DEAN.