The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-09-27
ABYSSIEIA'S BURIED MONEY.
ODD CUSTOM THAT MAKES HER
TRADE WORTH SEEKING. 3

ODD CUSTOM THAT MAKES HER
TRADE WORTH SEEKING.
/ All Glasses buying More ,Foreign GesAs
-Things CsnsnI General ekinncr WIN
see Whsa He Gees 10 NegGtiats
= Commercial treaty with Meaclik.
The journey which Consul General skim
ner h about TO make 10, Abyssinia for, the
purpose Of arranging . commercial treaty
with King Menelik val be especially In
+, teresting, because we have not been In tho
habit Of sending populations to the newer
parts Of the world to advance our CONF
mercial relations with them. M
Abyssinia IL d country Of rich. red soil
well watered and wooded. growing many OF
the products Of the temperate zone, begging
for developments and stall lacking the atten-
ton due to its great resources. 'Pha lofty
plateau also has . healthful, invigorating
climate suitable for white men the whole
year round. The country is sure to have
large development. .., .t~...
TO reach Adds Abeha Mr.. Skinner Will
ascend the gradually rising plateau to .
height Of 5000 feet above the sea. II he
visits other parts Of the country, he u
likely to stand on elevations Of 10000 feee
above the sea. af- s8 rS ",2'',r 4
He viii find that the people are peace
ful, kind and simple IN manner; and that
they have resisted the inhuenoe Of Isiams
and remained Christian, though their,form
Of Christianity h rot highly developed.
In mentality King Menelik's subjects are
among the brightest In Africa. They
would long ago have participated more
largely in the commerce Of the world II
their country were not separated from the.
sea by desert which until recently has
been crossed only with much danger by
caravans at cost for transport aInouns-
ing to S1ss . ton. +aSE' 53"'' r'ofN
This dihiculty Is now partly obviated'
by q railroad from Judith to Harrar; and IN
| few years the road will be pushed west
J ward to Adds Ababa, the capital in the
southern part Of Abyssinia.
In spite OF the difIiculties Of TRANSPORT
Abyssinian commerce. now represents
about q, 500 900 a year The most impor-'
tant item in the imports is cotton goods; and
our contribution to this trade is about one
third OF the entire commerce of the ooun-
VIC C6pVuuSu tiho li@h NOV AVi SOssSsA'
by means OF cottonade very beautiful
and solid '-' - ~
There win be no competition for the next
four years in the cotton trade because the
house Of Livierato Freres Of Marseilles and
! New York has purchased the exclusive
right to import cottons. This firm, through
It's New York house, is likely TO Increase
the sale Of American fabrics, which it has
already estsblished on very profitable
basis.
When Consul General Skinner reaches
the AbyssiniAn capital he will find that
though It IL about 1--WE miles square, Il In
ntt more than an asslomeration Of round.
matched huts made Of bamboo or grass,
without windows or chimneys. King Meme
lik's so-callsd palace Is q collection OF some
| what larger houses Of the same type. IN
addition to . few stone houses that have
been constructed BY Indian wormen
Of course Mr. Skinner viii meet McKelvy.
who has lived in Abyssinia for many years
and has had IN extraordinary career. He
was q British subject who went with the
army to Abyssinia as an ofiicer's servant
and was taken prisoner during the war
| against King Theodore.
After the war he chose to remain In Abys-.
sinia, and for thirty mine years he has lived
as an Abyssinian. He adopted the native
dress and customs, and when Capt. Har-
, rington, the British resident, hrst went
to Adds Abeba he found that McKelvy
had actually forgotten HIS own In ing has
been observed wherever men have had no
opportunity for many years to speak their
native tongue. When Or. Livingstons re-
turned to England after his first great ex-
plorations In Africa he addressed large,
audience in Exeter Hau N broken ana
ence for his imperfect use Of the language.
which he said was due to the fact that he
had had no opportunity to speak English
for sixteen years.
Under the tuition Of Capt. Harrington
MoKelvy's knowledge OF English soon
interpreter at the capital, where ne nves
with his Abyssinian wife. He has lost al
semblance OF his own nationality.
King Menelik will undoubtedly receive
the United States representative with All
honor. He is about % years Of age, dark
pox and his chin covered with a slight
gray beard. He has keen, thoughtfpl
face, brilliant dark eyes. and through an
interpreter converses intelligently with
his guests.
After Mr.. Skinner reaches Harrar by
railroad, his route to the Abyssinian capital
will be only along paths over which cameis.
donkeys, mules and horses walk In single
fle. As soon as the railroad is completed
the toisome journey, which now requires
about three weeks. may be performed in
two days. He will find that the principal
buyers Of the country are as yet the EN-
peror himself and the different Ras, or Chiefs
Of the feudal tribes, among whom the larger
part Of the wealth Of the country rs dis
| tributed.
Among all classes. however, the practice
of buying foreign goods is developing. and
during the past few years the value OF the
exchanges between Abyssinia and foreign
countries has been most notably increased.
This fact Ia attributed in part TO curious
circumstance.
The Abyssinians, like many other people
living in the countries that are frequently
disturbed by war, have been in the habit.
in times Of trouble OF burying their Marie
Thkrese dollars and other money, For
wears after Menelik asoended the throne
there were frequent civil wars, but for
several years past he has preserved perfect
order, and there is now no reason to hoard
money in the soil,
The people are consequently digging up
their money and spending it, This Pc
culiar circumstance Is taken from report
recently made j. L. Baird, the British Consul
at Adds Ababa,
TOY CAMPING OUTFITS