Evening star., 1923-05-13

Wanderer IN the deserts, ne ola nOtn-
ing nor said a single word to betray
his thought. This silence was taken
by the emotional Shoans to indicate
that the dark. stern old warrior
stood strong for the faith above all
things, and was ready to pledge his
fealty TO Zeoditou.
Eyes were turned unconsciously to
the north; ears were alert for news
from Bessie; every rider who came by
Entoto was urged to tell when the
Negus would come. And finally riders
appeared in haste on blown ponies at
Ankober, and thence the wires
hummed with the intelligence that
the Negu5 was on his way at last
mounted on his war-horse Roll
them-up" and 10000 warriors
with him.
To the north. the east and the west.
carried the word Of the Negus to his
vassals. Over the rolling tableland
of Wallo, into the dark, unexplored
forests by the shores of Tsana. across
the deserts Of Tigre went the call.
The war drums throbbed and thun-
dered in remotest villages; the tom
toms beat by every nomad's camp;
there was a rafting Of lances. q
grinding of new edges on old scimi-
tars, shrill war songs that seemed to
set the desert stars to Quivering; and
then came the warriors of the north
by tens and hundreds and thousands
into inhospitable Bessie. Tapped in the
rugged mountains, where the dark.
unsmiling Negus awaited them. Omi-
nous as the flight OF vultures, the
host, swollen in numbers. inf1amed
with success, swept down on Adds
Abeba.
They advanced as barbarians ad-
vance. irregularly. on horses. on mule
and on foot. Most warriors had with
them for attendants a squire, shield
bearer and a couple of slaves. In the
advance 1t was hard to distinguish
master from slave. for all were
draped in robes Of dirty cotton cloth.
with homespun blankets on their
shoulders and crude rawhide sandals
laced across their feet.
OF weapons they had every variety.
from curved Arabian daggers to field
pieces captured from the Italians at
Adua. Bandoliers were slung over
their togas; slim scimitars curved be-
| hind them; and the horsemen bore
long lances which they could fling
with deadly precision.
They followed no roads, nor OBJ
served strict rules Of marching, each
ras leading his force by whatever
way suited him best. whether along
a ridge OF hills or following the me-
anderings of a convenient valley. All
that was necessary was to keep in
touch with tho Negus. and to main
tain as we'll as possible their roughly
assigned positions relative to the
center.
r night the Negus retired to his
"A unpretentious tent Of green cam
vas, and to this headquarters came
the great war chiefs or their couriers
to take orders or submit reports. In
the daytime the Negus led the van Of
the army, with Dedjatch Tadela in
advance. At the end of the left wing
marched Ras Omar, follower of the
prophet, advancing with blood In his
eye, and Allah ilallahi" upon his
scornful lips. Closer in on the same
flank came Ras Gebri-Gzaibyar, who
brought with him mules and noun
tain guns; while ranging far on the
right were the warriors Of Ras Gebri-
Christos. And this last was a curious
circumstances.
At one time Ras Gebri- -Christos had
been son-in-law OF the Negus himself,
who bestowed upon him rich lands
and large favors. But Gebri-Christos.
wearying Of his princess bride after
several years. in the easy manner of
the Abyssinian in such matters, sent
her back to her fathers thatched
palace. Infuriated, the Negus stripped
his vassal of all he had bestowed
| upon him. Beyond this he did moth
| ing, for Gebri- -Christos was within his
: right, and moreover he was q warrior
OF distinction. So nothing worse be-
2 = #. ~ t-