Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-07-22
A TICKLE PEOPLE
SOME QUEER CHARACTERISTIC
OF THE ABYSSINIANS.
Loose Domestic Enthusiastically Not
Known-Husbands Change
Wives at Will.
From the New York Tribune.

From the New York Tribune
a recent murder near the sources OF the
Blue Nile has turned the eyes OF Europe
.Sld America again toward half Christian.
half pagan Abyssinia. While NJ Dubois
Desaulle. correspondent OF the Figaro.
was accompanying the expedition Of W. y.
Mcmillan, the American explorer. ha WAS
waylaid and killed Two companions found
the body and tracked tl~ murderer from
village to village. The criminal, however
finally escaped. through the aid OF fellow
natives and the connivance OF a Dinkle
chieftain.
he object or Mr.. McMlllan's expedition
Is to learn how much of the Blue Nile Is
navigabe. SO that. with the opening Of the
British built canal around the Second Cat
aract of the Nile in Egypt. the rich agri-
cultural and mineral products of central
Ahyssinia may be hoatcd down To the
Mediterranean. Mr. Mcmillan has dis
patched messengers to procure the arrest
of the murderer, and in thu mean time the
powers awaiting developments France
has just slain several hundred Morncrlns
in punishment for "A much less serious Of
Tense. Now the question IS. What will she
do with the AhysSuianS? AS the head OF
the expedition is st. Louis man. and his
present position Is not without grave dan
ger, Washington, as well Paris. Is in
tereSted.
nara Fighters.
The disastrous defeat of Italy some time
ago at the hands Of King A;ertaIK has
warned Caucasian nations that tie Ahys-
sinan is not tn be tritled with. Dwelling on
broad table land some six thousand feet
above the Red sea, which lies to the east
ward. and possessing a country as large
as the states OF New York and California
combined the Abyssinau has great nat
ural advantages over an invading foa Nor
mally a coward. he can be aroused to "A
high pitch of ferucity, and fights with much
the same frenzy his Mahurnetan neigh
Dor on the seacoast. the Somtl!man.
diplomacy. therefore. Is often far more
potent in yanquishing the Abyssinian aan
sunpowder He is supremacy volatile"
Quick To anger. he Is quicker to forgiy,,
and forget. Catch him In the right mood
and one may bend him to his will. This
inercurial temperament crops out In a hun
bred various ways. In birth. marriage and
even death. the Abyssinian bctrays his
tickle nature.
a husband who afford the expense
is thus continually adding to his household
of wives. AS soon as his favorite begins Ia
pail on him he depOseS her for another.
The new wife rules the house, dictates
orders to the other wives. who. strange
as 1t may seem. obey her without open
Icmonstrance. II any OF the former fav-
orites ever cared for their lord they soon
cease To be Jealous of his affections They
know too that the time Will surely come
when they viii be turned out into tho
streets to look for another master
Unhappy Women.
on n visit to Gondar. the capital on the
province OF Ambara. American vas
awakened one morning by n chorus ., fem
mime screams. He thought at first there
was a massacre. and. looking from his
window. he saw half hundred women
running no and down the street.
Nv no are these women he asked
They the wives Of the chief" WIS
the complaisant answer.
is the chief dead?"
"Oh. He is only going TO his sum-
mer home In the mountains. He mas only
left his wives behind. They Weep now
Tomorrow they Will laugh They Will find
new masters"
The custom Of discarling wives at ram
dom has practically destroyed the Ahyssfn-
ians Idea of morality. Though devout IN
observing the mere forms of Christianity
in fasting nearly two thirds OF the year.
and In giving to the priests. yet his social
life is deeply debased. Chastity is said
to be practically unknown. The word fra
ternity does not belong to the language.
Most brothers are half brothers embittcr-
ed one toward another by domestic quar-
relS.
Avarice Of Natives.
Avarice Is another besetting sin OF me
AbySStrian and saving 10 corp,,op