The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1935-08-15


way tracks" quarter. 1t has also lega-
tons, cOnsulates, hotels, many Ameri-
can motor cars, airplanes of sorts, and
some presentable business buildings.
On one of the two principal elevations
of the city is the ever-interesting mar
ket place. Here once stood the great
tree which served for generations as
a gibbet. The other main elevation Is
crowned by the group of buildings
which make up the imperial palace.
The most imposing edifice on this des-
ignated "Hill Of the Gebbi" is the
Audience Hall Of the Conquering Lion
of the Tribe of Judah, constructed of
stone and given its high-sounding title
by order Of the late Emperor Meme
lik- Menelik claimed his title by vir-
tue of his descent from that first
Menelik who was born to Sheba after
her visit to Solomon.
Ethiopia claims TO be the oldest
Christian sovereign state The teach
ings of Christ were introduced about
A. D. $50 by two shipwrecked Phoeni-
clan youths. Before they became
Christians, the ruling classes of Ethi-
Opians were adherents Of Judaism.
Their present church ceremonial re-
tains many traces of that great and
venerable religion.
Resources of the Country
After the professions of priest and
soldier, agriculture is the principal &C.
cupation in Ethiopia. The country is
very fertile, though methods of cult
Walton are still primitive. Many fine
beef cattle are produced, and the peo-
pie are great meat eaters. They have
what might be called a ceremonial Gus
tom of eating a bit of raw beef as
sort Of hors d'oeuvre.
In addition TO the ordinary kinds of
stock, Ethiopian farmers in parts Of
the country raise civet cats for COM
mercial purposes. From these animals
they obtain liquid musk marketable
to French and American perfumers at
81 an ounce The chase is also a COM
mercialized industry In Ethiopia, and
naturally ivory heads the list Of its
products. Veteran hunters and traders
say that most of the ivory passing
through Adds Ababa comes from ele-
plant herds in the western and south
western parts of the country.
Many an Ethiopian leopard invOlun-
tarily contributes his skin TO American
feminine fashion. As many as 100000
of these spotted skins have gone TO
American furriers in a single year.
Also monkey furs are an item of prof
liable trade. A shy member of the
monkey tribe, called the guereza, lives
in the trees of the Ethiopian high
lands. Their long, silky, black-and-
white fur was worn by the Ethiopians
as capes until Partisan dressmakers
fancied it as a trimming for feminine
inery. Lately the Ethiopian govern
ment has decided to protect its wild
game by requiring the taking out Of
licenses and payment of hunters fees.
EthiOpians appear to enjoy litiga-
ton, whether friendly or otherwise,
and IL is more often friendly than
otherwise One of the important CEN
tiers of the market place in Adds
Ababa and in other large towns is the
courthouse. 1t consists usually of a
stable wooden booth. with benches on
three sides for the judges and their
friends. The fourth side is entirely
open to the market ground In front
of this open side gather those who
have complaints to be heard They are
given all the time they desire to argue
their own cases, for time is of small
import in Ethiopia.
Where Fine Coffee Is Grown.
The Harar district, town and prov
ince, is the center of production Of
cultivated coffee in Ethiopia The bean
produced is of excellent quality and
ranks next only to Mocha in world
markets. 1t is called "lOng-berry
Mocha" and is sold to a discriminate
ing clientele in the United States. Al
though the Harar plantations are de-
scended from seed introduced from
the Mocha district in Arabia, Ethiopia
is the home of coffee. The tree was
found originally by Arab travellers In
the Ethiopian province of Kafa, from
which il took its name. Seed was
taken from Kafa to Arabia. and thence
came back TO Harar. According to the
Arabs, the cultivation of coffee also
spread TO other parts of the world
from the Yemen, in southwestern
Arabia.
In Kafa and adjoining parts of
southwestern Ethiopia may be seen
today vast and virgin forests of coffee
of the indigenous variety. II neces-
sarily grows without cultivation or
care and thousands Of tons Of the
berries fall TO the ground In waste
each year. The outer fringes of some
of these forests are worked by natives
in sections not too far from export
trading centers, where the market
value of coffee is known. Egypt buys
much Of this coffee, shipped via Khar-
toum. in place of former importations
Of the Brazilian product.
Lions are numerous in the Harar
district. They are the fine black
named fellows so alluring to the big
game hunter. Probably other kinds
can chew one up Just as thoroughly,
but the Harar fellow is particularly
When an Ethiopian kills a
lion. he has the right to demand a
special audience from the emperor
during which TO declaim and act out
the feat. Afterwards he is privileged
to wear the name and skin as part Of
bis warrior dress.