Evening star., 1937-01-24
By George Cyrus
ThOrbe.

~ outmOuiltCu Ny Giio ShNDi
~ which Is a collection Of pic
n turesque buildings for the i'm
perial residence, surrounded by severa,
concentric walls. When We had passed
through one gate after another and
reached the inner Enclosure, we were
confronted by a long line Of cannon
that the Abyssinians had captured
from the Italians in their last war
(1896).
The American party dismounted and
marched into a shell-like building,
some 200 feet long by 100 feet wide,
known as the aderach, or audience
hall, at one end of which Menelik II,
the Conquering Lion of Judah, sat
buried in cushions. He lounged on an
enormous four-posted throne that had
been presented by the French Repub-
lie. Our troops were halted few
steps from the throne, while the COM
missioner and officers went forward to
shake the Emperor's hand. We were
given seats, while cannon roared a
salute of 81 guns to the American
Republic. Then the commissioner
made a speech in French, which was
translated into Amharic.
Menelik was obviously much more
interested In the military aspects OF
the situation than in the diplomatic.
For one thing, our Marine uniforms
were much more glittering and gaudy
than the diplomatic plain blacks" :"
Furthermore, the Emperor was in
debted to his recent successes at arms
for the firm seat on his throne.
Both sides of the aderach were filled
with mobiles, rases, governors, warriors
and other leaders of state, and here
again was a glistening display OF sill
ver-mounted shields and long spears.
At the foot of the throne, at Menelik's
right and left hand, stood two little
boys, apparently about years of age,
decked out in all the paraphernalia
of highest ranking warriors. except
that every weapon they carried was
in miniature. They were the Emper-
or's grandsons, and one of them was
destined to succeed him.
Among the gifts we presented was
an inkwell in the form of a world
globe. When the respective positions
of Adds Ababa and Washington were
indicated, Menelik asked what time
of day it was in Washington at that
moment. He was anxious to hear of
President Roosevelt's military prowess
and asked particularly as to our own
individual war experiences. When we
marched out of the aderach, band
played and big lions, chained In the
compound, roared, while a monstrous
elephant strolled about.
Our party mounted, and, escorted by
q throng of Menelik's troops, pro-
ceeded to the palace that had been
assigned to our use. We erected our
tents there and called it Camp Roose-
velt." Here we received every day
great quantities Of provisions sent by
royal orders-much more than we
could use, in fact. At one time we had
an excess Of 10 steers and 80 goats.
A MONG visits we were expected to
4 make was one to the abuna, the
patriarch of the Abyssinian Church.
AS he sat under his elaborately en-
broidered umbrella Of state we learned
Of st. Frumentius, who had con-
verted the Abyssinian nation to Chris
tianity in 800 A. D. The saint was a
Greek, taken to India as child by
rich uncle, with his brother, for the
sake of their education. As they were
returning through the Straits of Bab-
eI-Mandeb the boys were fascinated by
the bushy-haired Somalis, or perhaps
Sudanese. who sailed strange craft
about the Greek ship. They urged
their uncle to anchor and allow them
to go ashore. He consented. The boys
had scarcely reached the beach when
they were made prisoners, while their
uncle,s ship was surrounded BY the
treacherous nativesf It was plundered