Evening Republican, Volume 17, Number 265, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 6 November 1913 — SECLUDED ABYSSINIA [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

SECLUDED ABYSSINIA

WHY THE COUNTRY IS CUT OFF FROM THE REST OF THE WORLD - - *

NOTHER unconfirmed report the death of Menelik 11., emperor f ■ of Abyssinia, has drawn attention to that monarch’s isolated and lit-tie-known kingdom, which since yo—j, the monarch’s illness has been governed by a council of ministers. The present ruler’s reign began in n—j IEB9, when, taking advantage of ISdI RS the disordered state of northern Abyssinia, Menelik proclaimed U£yZt£s&al himself king of kings of Ethiopia 4 on March 12, 1829, and was crowned at Entollo on November 3 of the same year. Ras Mangascia, a natural son of Theodore, made several attempts to regain power, but Menelik defeated all efforts to overthrow him. He conducted his government with firmness and sagacity and steadily consolidated bis power. In the first year of his reign he made a treaty with the Italians, practically placing Abyssinia under their protectorate, they on their part agreeing to lend him 4,000,000 frapcs. In consequence of disputes with the Italians and their encroachment on his territory and also of differences relative to the Ucciali treaty Menelik raised a large army and inflicted a serious reverse on the Italian advance guard at Umbalago in December, 1895. The Negus then made propositions of peace, but they were unacceptable to the Italians as they included a demand for retirement and also for a modification'of the Ucciali treaty. On February 24, 1896, the Abyssinians concentrated at Adowa and were pursued there by the Italian forces under General Baratlerl. The Italian troopß advanced agairfSt the Abyssinians in three columns, but the configuration of the country permitted Menelik to concentrate his men in an attack on the left column, and the other tw r o columns being prevented —partly by the configuration of the ground and partly it Is said by bad dispositions consequent on a want of unanimity amongst the generals—from arriving in time to assist the Italians suffered an overwhelming defeat with a loss of 7,000 men killed and wounded. This caused the fall of Signor Crjspi's government, and General Valles was sent with full power to treat, and an agreement fully recognizing the Independence of Abyssinia was signed. Menelik had three concubines, by whom he had one son, who died at the age of thirteen, and two daughters. One of them, Zeodita (Judith), married a Dijasmach who was governor of the Wonomlgra Gallas, and' the other, Schoagasch, married Ras Michael, governor of the Wollo Galla country. Menelik married in 1883 Taitou, the present empress. She was a daughter of Batul, a former Ras of Gondar, where the women are famous for their white skins. She herself was a great beauty and very fair. She first married Waldo Gabriel, one of King Theodore’s generals, but he was killed by Theodore shortly after their marriage. Soon after King Theodore’s death she took for her second husband Dedjaz Tekla Georgia, whom she divorced. She was then married for the third time to the governor of one of the provinces, who was subsequently imprisoned by King John of Abyssinia- Bhe then returned to a convent for a time but left there to marry the Kanjazmach Llkargacho. Then Menelik fell in love with her, and in 1823, all obstacles having been removed, she made him her fifth husband. Queen Taitou has borne Menelik no children. She has the reputation of being a woman of unusual strength of character and is said to have had great Influence with her husband. She does «iot, however, share his views with regard to the encouragement of foreigners and foreign ways, but is much more Inclined to discourage foreign Intercourse and foreign civilization and to keep Abyssinia and its inhabitants to the customs and cruder methods of the old regime. According to report ft was she who stiffened the backbone of Menelik during the varying fortunes of the battle of Adowa, and it was her advice that induced him to hold on until the ammunition of the Italian coin mu was exhausted and so enabled him to surround and decimate the force opposinghim. A clever retort is ascribed to Queen Taitou when a foreign representative was impresair*, upon her the advantages of foreign and more > * .-• , z'

civilized countries, instancing telephones, railways, etc., and the various luxuries of civilized life. “If,” she said, “things are so much better and pleasanter over there, why do your people come here?” The defeat of the Italians greatly increased the prestige of Menelik. He presented President Carnot with the Order of the Holy Ghost and also sent him two tame lions. Afterwards he renewed negotiations with France, which had lapsed ip 1891. He a mission to the czar, and In February, 1897, he concluded a commercial treaty with the French, who In March of the same year dispatched an embassy under M. Lagarde to his court. -, In 1898 a British mission under Sir Rennell Rodd was received by Menelik In great state, 20,000 troops being present, and in spite of the efforts of Colonel Leontieff at the head of the Russian mission and Prince Henri d’Orleans. who were endeavoring to induce him to thwart British efforts in Soudan, a treaty was concluded between the British government and Menelik. A curious circumstance connected with the British embassy was that the average height of the officials of the mission was over six feet, which fact appears to have greatly impressed the Abyssinians. The chief points of the treaty, which was ratified by Queen Victoria in July, were a settlement of the British Somali Protectorate frontier, the keeping open of the trade route from Zeylah to Harrar, and the prevention of transit through Abyssinia of arms for the Mahdists. In ft letter to Queen Victoria Menelik said. “A treaty of peace now exists between our governments, and we hope it will increase in firmness and last forever.” In April, 1898. Lieutenant Harrington of the Bombay staff corps—now Sir John Lane Harrington, K. C. M. G. —who had been acting as British vice-consul on the Somali coast, was Bent as British agent to Menelik’s court, where he remained up to 1909. His firmness and the able management of such questions as arose from time to time between the British and Abyssinian governments gained him the confidence of Menelik and gave him considerable Influence in the country. In October. 1898, Ras Mangascia, governor of Tigre, rebelled and a large force was sent against him, but eventually negotiations were opened up and they settled matters amicably. Since that period Menelik continued consolidating his power, and his great force of character made itself felt to such an extent that peace has reigned throughout all his dominions from one end of the country to the other; the mandates o' Menelik have been received with profound respect and implicitly obeyed. One nation after another has dispatched a representative to Abyssinia, and MeneIlk was until his recent Illness in touch with the whole civilized world. In November, 1909, Menelik was Itruck with cerebral paralysis and was stated to be at the point of death. A proclamation in his name was read to the chiefs preaching peace and unity and obedience to the successor he had selected. Lij Yasu. Ras Tesamma was to continue to be the guardian of his heir, and his majesty called down the curse of the Almighty on anyone who might attempt to oppose his successor. After this he recovered his bodily health but was too feeble mentally to attend to his work. He suffered another rolapse in the summer of 1909, but

made a satisfactory recovery. In November, 1909, he had a paralytic stroke which, depriving him of all speech and'almost of motion, entirely Incapacitated him from all work. Since then, notably in 1910, he has on more than one occasion been reported dead, and although these rumors have been at once denied the fact remains that for the last two or three years he has been a mere figurehead, the government of the country having been carried out by a council of ministers under the presidency of Llj Yasu, the heirapparent, and during this period it is doubtful whether he has been seen by any one but a few select court officials. i Llj Yasu, the heir-apparent. Is the son of Menelik’s daughter, Schoagasch, and Ras Michael, and was born In 1897. Voyagers whose ways take them “somewhere* east of Suez" may know something of Djibouti, but to the average person Djibouti is practically unknown. Suffice It to say that, although situated In the French Somaliland protectorate, it Is practically the only port that serves the country of Abyssinia. From Djibouti a single track (metregauge) railway runs to Dire-Dawa, some 185 miles Inland. The trains run twice a week and the journey frequently takes 11 hours to accomplish, passing through some of the most desolate desert country imaginable. 11 ... Dire-Dawa has grown up around the railway terminus, and as It Is some 3,000 feet above the sea level is much cooler than Djibouti. The place Is not very large, but the wide streets and whitewashed buildings give the place an air of space and cleanliness. There is a large Arab and Somali settlement adjoining. Here one comes under Abyssinian officialdom and one’s baggage has to pass the Abyssinian customs, usually not a very trying ordeal. At Dire-Dawa travelers to Adis Ababa have to arrange their own caravans for the journey. Both mules and camels are available, but usually mules are taken, as they cover the journey in much quicker time than camels, which are usually only employed for heavy baggage anfi merchandise. One has choice of three routes from Dire-Dawa to the capital—the Cher-cher route, by which one travels along the Cher-cher, mountain range through fine forest and amongst beautiful pine-topped hills. This route is rather longer than the others, but is by far the most comfortable, as It is cooler, and one may purchase fresh provisions—milk, eggs, and sheep—from the small Abyssinian villages that one passes en route. Camels are unable to take this track, owing to the many steep ascents and descents, which can only be managed by mule or donkey. The second trail is via the Asabot, passing along the foot of the Cher-cher range and joining the former route near the Hawash river. This route passes through the flat Danakil country, through great forests of mimosa trees and occasional open plains, where one meets from time to time enormous herds of cattle and camels guarded by flerce-looking Danakil shepherds armed with spears and curved knives. No pro visions can be purchased on this route, but It Is fairly good going except during the very dry season before the rains begin, when water is apt to be scarce. 1 The third route, the Bilan, runs farther north In the Danakil country, and though flat Is vqry trying on account of the great heat and long marches that have to be made from watering place to watering place. From Tchoba It Is two days’ journey to Gondabourka at the foot of the Balchi pass. Hers the track rises nearly 900 feet, a sheer ascent, and the steepest climb on the Journey. The path is simply cut along the mountain side, and at times one is about six inches from a drop of 200 feet. From Balchi the road Is very uninteresting, passing through long rolling plains of cultivated land, and about two days brings one in sight of the capital. The view of the city as ons approaches is very fine. A large circle of hills surrounds it, and on a small elevation running out Into tjie center of the circle is built the "guebl,” or emperor's palace. There are hardly any buildings of Importance. and the guebi Itself Is but a miscellaneous collection of semi-European and native buildings,