The Madison journal. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1888-current, 1913-10-25

made a satisfactory recovery. In NoveuN
900, he had a paralytic stroke which, depn&
him of all speech and almost OF motion, emit
incapacitated him from all work. Since
notably in 1910. he has on more than one !
sion been reported dead, and although thes,
mors have been a. once denied the fact rem,
that for the last two or three years he has n
mere figurehead. the government Of the d
try having been carried out by a council Of
listers under the presidency of Lii Yasu the
apparent and during this period il is dou
whether he has been seen by any one but
select court officials.
Lii Yasu. the her-apparent is the son Of n
lik's daughter, Schoagasch and Ras Michaa I
was born in 1897.
Voyagers whose ways take them "somesa
east OF Suez" may know something of Din
but to the average person Djibouti is practd
unknown. Suffice 1t to say that. although i
uated in the French Somaliand protectorat
is practically the only port that serves the q
try of Abyssnia.
From Diibout a single track (metregu1
railway runs to DireDawa, some 1888 mila |
land. The trains run twice a week and the q
ney frequently takes II hours TO acoomt
passing through some OF the most desolate do
country imaginable
Dire Dawa has grown up around the rain
terminus. and as II is some 1000 feet above
sea level is much cooler than Diibouti The p5
is not very large. but the wide streets and WI
washed buildings give the place an air OF sd
and cleanliness. There Is large Arab 4
Somai settlement adjoining. Here one COZ
under Abyssinian officialdom and ones bagsl
has to pass the Abyssinian customs usually
a very trying ordeal
AT Dire-Dawa travellers to Ads Ababa have
arrange their own caravans for the iourns
Both mules and camels are available, but usual
mules are taken, as they cover the journey
much quicker time than camels, which are usd
~ only employed for heavy baggage and Nd
chandlse One has choice of three routes m
Dire-Dawa to the capitalize Cher-cher rod
by which one travels along the Cher-cher mo-
tain range through fine forest and amongst ba
tiful pine-topped hills This route is rather Id
er than the others. but is by far the most Cd
Portable. as 1t is cooler, and one may purchn
fresh provisions-milk, eggs, and sheep-su
the small Abyssinian villages that one pass
en- route. Camels are unable to take this trsc
owing to the many steep ascents and descer
which can only be managed BY mule or donks
The second trail is via the Asabot passA
along the foot OF the Chercher range and joint
the former route near the Hawash river n
route passes through the fiat Danakil counu
through great forests Of mimosa trees and OF
slonal open plains, where one meets from III
to time enormous herds OF cattle and cam
guarded by ferce-looking Danakil shephef
armed with spears and curved knives No p
visions can be purchased on this route, but
Is fairly good going except during the very
season before the rains begin, when water
apt TO be scarce.
The third route. the Bilan, runs farther nor
in the Danakll country, and though fiat is We
trying on account OF the great heat and lo
marches that have to be made from waterh
place % watering place.
From Tchoba II is two DAYS Journey to Go
dabourka at the foot OF the Balchi pass he
the track rises nearly 900 feet. sheer asceI
ard the steepest climb on the Journey The pa
Is simply cut along the mountain side. and
times one Is about six inches from a drop OF
feet. From Balchi the road is very uninterestir
passing through long rolling plains OF cultivab
land and about two days brings one in sight
the capital
The view of the city as one approaches Is ve
hne A large circle OF hills surrounds II, al
on a small elevation running out into the cent
or the circle is built the "guebi" or emperor
palace. There are hardly any buildings of impo
lance, and the guebi itself Is but miscelaneoc
collection of semiEuropean and native building