Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-01-28

| experiences, however.
Mr.. Campbell has been schooled not only
| in European capitals, but in some of the
most out of the-way places of the world on
two hemispheres.
There are few in the consular service, l
fancy, who have experienced such rare op-
portunities for seeing humanity in the mass
AT It's best and worst.
His experience as British resident at the
Court OF Abyssinia was perhaps the most
unusual, and he talks most entertainingly
about it.
Before quoting Mr. Campbell on the sub
iect, the following facts about the little
known land are interesting:
rJVHE name Abyssinia Is from the Arabic
L word IIabesch meaning mixture, and
refers TO the mixed character of the people.
The country has an area of about 2OO,OUO
square miles poorly defined.
1t Is supposed to contain little more
than 1000, 900 inhabitants.
1t Is mountainous country, many Of the
peaks being almost perpetualy covered with
snow.
The climate is one of the most salubrious
on the face of the globe.
Abyssinia is one of the most ancient mon
arches in the world.
The legendary anceStress Of Its royal line
is the Queen of Sheba.
The prevailing religion is very corrupt
form Of Christianity. professed by n possible
majority of the people and the reigning
family.
its language religion and literature is the
AmhariC, with a mixture Of Arabic and
some Greek roots.
T ITERATURE in Abyssinia amounts to
IL little. What there is deals with religion
and history.
Agriculture is the principal industry, al
though cotton cloth, leather and parchment
are exported and iron and brass are manu-
featured in a primitive way.
III l., IL,
modern ruler. were recruited largely from
the Gala race.
They came from the South and are still
fierce, turbulent and difficult OF control.
Gold in small quantities, ivory, slaves,
coffee, leather, hides, wax and honey are
the principal exports.
railroad 500 miles long runs from
Diibuti on the Gulf of Alden to the capital
Ads Abeba.
- who some years ngo delivered n number
Of lectures on Africa. had some interesting
experiences in Abysslnia.
He was proceeding westward from the
Gulf of Alden through Southern Abyssinia
when he was halted by native general and
bodyguard.
He was ordered TO proceed no further
without the permission Of the Negus Meme
LEX.
A letter dispatched to the Emperor
DlOu6ui MS ttlusuI' NTllteH III ItHCIl, u
DR.. Smiths marching further into the
country.
As the result the explorer had to turn
back and make Il long detour southwark be-
fore he could proceed west again.
Rulers Of that country have always, down
TO the present, endeavored 10 prevent travel
by white men anywhere in their country.
CONSUL GENERAL CAMPBELL, in q
~ very entertaining talk about the little
known country, tells me that there IS but
one American in Abyssinia 80 far us he
knows.
He is a colorcd man, blacksmith, and
as the United States has no consular repre-
sentative at Ads Abeba he is under British
The capital, Ads Abeba, has n shifting
population Of about 10000" said Mr..
Campbell. except when some OF the big
chiefs come in with their armies and camp
on the outskirts for week or So Then the
population rises 10 perhaps 80 600.
The capital itself is collection OF houses
with mud walls and thatched roofs.
THE horses and dOnkeys are sheltered
under the same roof with the family.
There nre no streets to speak OF, merely
country roads.
In winter they arc all right, but IN sum-
mer and NftCr rain they are really i'm
pGssable.
"One or two Of the thoroughfares are
paved with stone. There are raised stepping
lame the ponies and donkeys. The market
place is also paved with stones after
fashion.
THE principal European countries are
represented at the AbySSinian Court con-
tinued Mr.. Campbell. There nre French,
Turkish, Italian. Russian, Greek and Brit
ish there. We take care of the interests Of
the United States.
'There was an American dentist named
Love at the capital during 1919 and 1914
but there are very few white men Of any
nation in the country.
IS A DIS ABEBA occupies beautiful site
"A 5000 feet above the sen.
at lies AT n distance of 800 miles from
the sea coast, and It requires three days TO
make the journey.
1.-THE French built the railroad md they
were ten years engaged In the enterprise 1t
was completed TO the capital about two
years ago.
After the death of the Emperor AIenclcb
his nephew, Lii Yassu, succeeded to the
throne.
He was a high aicr and very dissoIute
He got mixed up during the World War
with the Germans and Turks and was en-.
dcavoring 10 aid them in fOmcntlng Mos
lem rcvolUton
He was depOsed in favor Of the EMPRESS
ZNndtu, whp Still reigns.
'AbyNS!nia Is one of the few countries
where one can still find excellent big game
hunting. i requires special permission,
however, from the sovereign to undertake a
hunting expedition.
"Abyssiuiu, as II whole, is beautiful
country but absolutely undeye!oped.
II have no doubt that 1t is rich in min.
erals. Toward Somaliland traces OF oil have
been discovered. and | understand thar
concession Of some kind has been granted for
this.
E'T,IIE AbysEinian Army has never been
l. beaten except some years ago, when
n British punitive expedition chastised il.
''Thc soldiers are armed with rifles and
they have some old fashioned French breech-
loading cannon and mitrailleyse or two
and some other machine guns.
They can use their machine guns all
right as long as they are in order but once
they nre broken they, have no way Of repair
ing them in the field
"hbyssn!ans Of the south are rather dark
while those Of the north are light or COP,
per color, They have Semitic feature and