The Waterbury Democrat., 1935-10-24
Webb Miller GiDes
 Picture Of Scenes
tcontinued from Page l)

line. We are the first to reach it.
 Other correspondents were John T. Whitaker, New York Herald Tri- bune, and W. w. Chaplin, Universal Service.)
 Our automobile was the first to penetrate this far, although the trail has been used for caravans for centuries.
 Hundreds of Italian engineers and laborers are working on the trail between Adigrat and Edaga- -Ha- mus, constructing an entirely new road.
 Residents Returning
 The trail is dotted with groups of Ethiopiaas, men, women and chil- dren, returning to Adigrat whence they fled with donkeys bearing all their scanty possessions as the Ital- ians advanced. Now, hearing that they are safe and can make plenty of money selling cattle, chickens and eggs to the Italian troops, they are coming back.
 Most of the men are carrying ri- fles, which the Italians surprising ly permit them to keep. The rifle is an Ethiopian's dearest possession. Gen. Umberto Somri1a, command ing the october 28 division, per- sonally accompanied us to a won- derful observation post which com mands 8 view 50 miles ahead to- ward the dim mountains of the hell hold of Danakil on the left of the Italian line, shimmering in heat. The men who are road making beyond Adigrat pass rocks from hand to hand like bucket brigades. Often there is 8 line for 100 yards keeping a continuous stream Of stones in motion. Also the rolling of huge stones down the mountain side, accompanied by a shouted warning, introduces a new hazard in travelling in the front areas.
 Despite erroneous reports abroad I am able to confirm that Adigrat has not been damaged by Italian aerial bombs, as all bombs were purposely dropped outside of town. Few Casualties A French military eye witness of the bombardment said that the oply casualties were two natives wounded and five oxen killed.
 The town is intact. Had he wished to, Count Ciano Count Ga- leazzo Ciano, Mussolini's son-in- law, who commanded the bomber squadron) could have demolished the little town with half @ dozen bombs,
 When you see the name of Adj grat, one of Ethiopia's important towns in big letters on newspaper war maps, you probably imagine it has some semblance to a city. Ac- tually 1t is a squalid huddle of rude one story flat roofed stone mud plastered huts covering about 40 acres and housing about 5000 mis- erable bare headed, bare footed Ehpny humans clad in dirty cotton nightgown-like shammas, whose greasy heads are crawling with flies and fleas.
 The steep, narrow, stony, dusty streets are infested with half starved dogs, scrawny chickens, bleating goats and half naked, spin de shanked children.
 The principal building, situated on a hill in the middle of town, is a circular, thatched, stone-and-mud Coptic Christian church, 9 hundred feet in diameter, more like a COW shed than church.
 Correspondent Busy Inside the church are two nar- row, concentric corridors floored with straw and corn husks covered with bird guatlo. The straw is alive with fleas. John Whitaker, New York Herald Tribune correspondent, became the temporary residence of a couple of handful of fleas and spent half the afternoon reading his shirt and pants to the atnuse- rnent of the soldiers at the road side where he halted for his flea hunt. My religious fervor is less 50 I caught only Q few fleas. Tn the inner concentric ring, where entrance k forbidden, are scores of crude childish paintings in raw, primary colors, depicting Bib- Heal scenes. Ethiopian artists are particularly fond of bloody inci- dents. Many scenes show heads be- ing hacked of with swords. st. Paul is shown being hanged head downward, with . stone tied around his neck.
 We happened to arrive on the first market day since the occupation. The market is held in a bare, dtls- ty space At the edge of the village, swarming with about 500 villagers and na,as1fr,, fnll at.rillt, .laafkpsls.ky .