The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-10-01
TRAVELLER PAYS A VISIT
 TO THE ABYSSINIAN KING

tary melange, the infantry consisting of 20,000 men without uniform, whose only equipment is a gun and cartridge belt. and it is unique from the fact that the sword is invariably worn upon the right side Of the officers. The cavalry Is mounted upon ponies that would make excellent polo animals, while the artil- lery consists of several Colt repeaters perched upon tripods. The soldiers are universally poor marksmen and ammuni- tion Is expensive, twelve cartridges being worth one Maria Teresa dollar, equal to about 50 cents. There are 500,000 French rifles in the empire and some 5000 maga- zine rifles, which is the sum total of t>air modern means of defense. The national flag is a simple green and red emblem.
 "It seems that at the battle of Adna the Abyssinian troops captured sixty can mons from the Italians but these guns instead of being employed as military arms were dismounted and the wheels utilized as wheelbarrows and go-carts With this exception there are no car riages, wagons nor whA>.d vehicles in the land, mules, donkeys and .camels be- ing employed as beasts of burden for the transportation of commodities, merchant disc, wares and utensils.
 "Harrar is the most important town of Abyssnia. Its population numbers TOGO. and here one finds ample opportunity to study the characteristics of the native Huge hunks of butter are carried upon the head until 1t melts, constituting a highly prized pomade, and frequently cloth.is worn around the forehead to pre- vent the butter from trickling Into the eyes.
 '"rhe national drink Is tel which Is fer mented from honey, and with a little aga becomes a strong intoxicant.
 "The natives are exceptionally fond of eating uncooked meat and the habit of l. l..A.- fl. CT reintroduced, into the country, for un- til recently it was quite an offense, the upper lip being cut off from any one who used pipe cigar.
 Two Wives Allowed.
 While Koptic is the predominating re- ligion of the country, two wives are all lowed for each man and the divorce laws are as accommodating as those of Chi cago. Watches are regarded fabulous treasures, possessed with superhuman at- tributes and upon my visit to a native chief, whom I had advised in advance of my coming, I found seven of these time pieces set in row upon a table for my inspection.
 My object in visiting Abyssinia was to hunt the ibex, but l failed to secure a single trophy. It is a tims* animal and difficult to follow, its mountainous haunts being much more precipitous and danger ous than those of the chamois in Switz- erland. Moreover, the enthusiasm which any modern rifle and outfit aroused 3a the breasts of my native attendants was un- restrainable and calculated to frighten the wary object of my pursuit long before we came within gun shot.
 "Menelik claims direct descent from a son of King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba, who was called Prince Menelik the First. This prince migrated to Ethi- opia with a picked escort of Jews and Sabians, taking with him the ark of the Covenant. This ark, the Abyssinians as- sert, Is still preserved in temple at Ak hum, in Abyssinia. No European has ever seen 1t and Meneik himself has been prohibited from laying his eyes upon 1t, | 1t being deemed too holy to be gazed upon except by unmarried priests of the highest grade, In whose charge 1t rests. l This may be purely legendary, but the matter is worthy of Investigation and in view of the remarkable confirmation of Biblical truths which recent researches l have effected 1t seems to me that the re- 1 covery of the Ark of the Covenant is a 1 subject which should enlist the attention of the missionaries or Knights Templar | of our land"