Wallowa chieftain. [volume] (Joseph, Union County, Or.) 1884-1909, 1902-07-10
REALM OF MENELIK.
GREAT PUNCTILIOUSNESSA6 ABOUT
SAlUTATlONS.
Greetings Depend Upon Ronk and
Time of Day-How Population Is Di-
vided-No Traffic in Slaves Is Car
ried on in Abyssinia.

Time of Day-How Population Is Di-
vided-No Traffic in slaves Is Car
ried on in Abyssinia.
"Indet adru" This is not curse.
but Abyssinian for Good morning."
The words mean literally, How have
you spent the night?" The people Of
King Menelik are very punctilious in
their salutations and have carefully
graded scale of greetings according to
the person addressed and the time Of
/ day Thus TO an inferior or to an inti-
mate friend instead of "Indet adru"
they would say, "Indet adreh" pro-
nounced "adrech'-ch as in loch).
Good afternoon" would be "lndet
watur' or watch" meaning, How
have you spent the morning?" And
Good evening" "Indet mashu," or
''masheh," /. e. How have you spent
the day?'
There is similar complete series of
good-bys for people separating at differ
ent times. Two friends parting in the
evening, say one going home and the
other going TO his club (only they
haven't clubs in Abyssinia-except
wooden ones, perhaps), would say to
each other, "Badehna adar" c'May you
spend the night well'O, which we might
translate, Good night; be good"
The Abyssinian calendar is a fearful
and wonderful thing. Nearly every
day is a saints day and is known by
its proper name and not by Its date.
For instance, If you ask an Abyssinlan
whether certain thing happened on
the 14th of Hadar (the equivalent of
our Nov. 23D he will not understand
what you mean; but if you say, Was 1t
on Abunt Aragwe the name for that
day. that you stole that sheepT a COM
pretending smile will overspread his
handsome and intelligent features.
The year is divided into twelve
months of thirty days each and at the
end of the year, to make up the 800
days, are added five days. called "Quag-
me-" Each year in succession is called
Matthews, Markos, Lukos, Johannis
Matthews, Markos and Johannis have
each "Quagme" of five days, but Lu-
kos, or leap year, has "Quagme" of
six days. The Abyssinian year begins
on our Sept. II and although, dating as
we do from the birth of Christ, they are
nearly eight years behind us in time
Sept IL, 1900, was in their calendar Isl
Maskaram, 1893 Their method OF
reckoning the hours of the day is also
peculiar, to our notions. They count
the day as beginning at sunrise and moi
at midnight, as we do. Thus, our a
m. is their l o'clock day, and our p
IN. their II O'Clock day. 8 p. IN. with us
would be 2 o'clock night with them ant
our a. IN. would be their 10 O'CLOCK
night.
The whole population consists of two
tifths soldiers, two-ffths priests anC
one-fifth merchants, at least as far al
the Abyssinians-the dominant race
} are concerned. All the other necessar!
work of the community is performed
by subject races, like the Gallas o.
e Somalis or domestic slaves-m
prisoners of war captured in the west
, ern negro provinces. All Abyssinian
except the very poorest employ slave
for domestic purposes. These are wei
g cared for and are regarded after tim
d as members of the family.
: There is no trade in slaves in Abys
Il sinia, as they can only be procured b.
!, the kings order, which has to be show
t to the governor of the province, VIII
Il thereupon gives his sanction. Tn
s slaves, generally boys or girls-the fol
h mer for outdoor and the latter for In
a door work-are purchased from thei
parents at an average price of $40
: head, but the purchaser may never re
= sell them, though he may If he like
l. give them away. The soldiers lead a
easy life and have no work to do excep
when called out to serve on an exped
tion. 1t is true their pay is only s.
Z year-cash is scarce in Abyssinia-bu
:. during peace time they are billeted o
=. the Gallas, subject race, who ar
e bound to give them all they need |
addition to this munlficent rate of pa,
u says the London Express, patterns
y government provides the new recru
u at the outset of his military caree
'e with a donkey free. But his rife th
! soldier must provide himself, as b
10 must also maintain his donkey.