Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 56, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 8 March 1917 — Through Abyssinia [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Through Abyssinia

THE Recruiters’ Bulletin, the official publication of the United, States Marine Corps recruiting service, tells the story of an expedition made by a small company of marines to the capital of the late Abyssinian monarch in the latter part of. 1903. It is a story of lions and tigers and other wild beasts, of fetes and state dinners, and finally of honorsshown to the expedition by the famous black monarch. The account, written by Leonard J. Gates, a former marine, and a member of the expedition, is In part as follows: “The Abyssinian expedition was one of the most hazardous and difficult ever undertaken by a military body, and only the services of picked volunteers with a reputation for courage were accepted. The route lay across lands infested with hostile tribes, through forests and over long stretches of burning sands, where water holes were miles and miles apart. Camels and mules furnished transportation facilities. “The American party consisted of five officers, Including United States Commissioner Robert P. Skinner and slaj. G, C. Thorpe of the Marine Corps, seventeen marines, five bluejackets, and a messenger. The expedition was inaugurated by President Roosevelt for the purpose of establishing commercial relations with King Menelik, ruler of Abyssinia, a vast area rich in ivory and other valuables. The efforts of Commissioner Skinner and the little band were successful in every particular, and the most friendly relations between strange people and the United States resulted. “The marines and sailors chosen for ’the party were landed at Djibouti, British Somaliland, in the middle of November of 1903. The season was midwinter for that section of -Africa, a condition denoted by the fact that the nights were comparatively cool, frosts being prevalent, but during the day the sun burned the earth with scorching intensity. Through a Wild Country. “Froth Djibouti a railway runs as far as Dire Daounh, and at this sun-baked city camels, donkeys and guides were procured for the long march through unexplored territory. For the first few days the trail led through fertile lands, broken only with occasional desert patches. Stunted mimosa groves and rolling prairies dotted with-wandering-herds of deer and antelope, made a “mgfirf neverToTie fbfg&ttetn ———— — “The forest lands were infested with lions, tigers and various beasts of-prey, and from time to time ravaged territory would be encountered, showing where some herd of raving elephants had devastated the small trees and herbage. As to lions and tigers they were seldom seen, being nocturnal in their hah-, its, but their presence was too realistically portrayed by the disappearance almost nightly of one-or more of the mules. Such losses occurred in spite of the sentinels and numerous fires

constantly kept burning. y “Hyenas were plentiful and during the dark hours they would make the rolling desert wastes ring with tltelr weird laughter. A more gruesome sound than that is Impossible to imagine. Jackals also added their melancholy wails to the midnight serenades. These wolflike animals have a strange way of calling to one another through tie hours before the dawn. “From sop e distant knoll one hreaks forth in plaintiff cries, shrill and clear, rising like a moan. For a half hour the creature howls, then ceases abruptly, and another lone Jackal In an entirely different locality moans through a long half hour. . He likewise ceases his cry as abruptly as his predecessor, while another takes hlB turn in the music fest. ■ ™ • “In passing through the wooded areas baboons were often encountered, creatures of massive size, their features almost human In spite of their wild grotesqueness. As though enraged at the disturbance created by the cavalcade, they would beat* yith huge claws on their broad, hairy chests, which boomed like a muffled drum under the terrific impact. Jabbering and gesticulating horribly they would glare upon the weary .plodders, uprearing themselves through the tangled growths, or swinging wildly through the trees. Monkeys were numerous «nd, at onepoint, the company narrowly escaped destruction before a wild •stampede of frenzied monkeys and baboons. “ j~ ——y • : ••.. •Stampede of Baboons and Monkeys. “The caravan was. proceeding quietly along on a troll banked on one aide

by a sloping knoll. From afar in the distance a faint murmur suddenly arose. The noise increased rapidly until it seemed almost like the frenzied shouting of terror-stricken persons. The Americans, not knowing what to expect, dismounted. This move had 'scarcely been accomplished when over the crest of the hill appeared a tumbling, writhing mass of baboons and monkeys, charging in wild disorder directly toward the party. The plunging herd numbered thousands in strength, the creatures all in a seemingly insane state of agitation. Volley after volley was. fired into the animal army, which, alarmed at the fusillade, suddenly swerved sharply to the right, and passed the caravan at close range. “Throughout the route the territory of dozens of tribes were traversed, but' many of these wqre under the rulership of King Menelik and the reception given the travelers was of the most bountiful the country could offer. They were feted and dined on the fat of the hind, and In many places were given one of the palaces of the village in which to pass the night. At times, long before a settlement was reached, they would be met by thousands of the natives. In their naked state they danced about them jubilantly, and with weird music and shouting escorted the party into the precincts of the city. “The habits of King Menelik’s subjects are most peculiar, and their various customs as displayed to us would fill a book. Many of them were of tall, sturdy physique, their height enhanced by their thick mop of course hair, of-, times half a foot in length, which stood perpendicular on their heads. For every person killed by them the men wear a feather in their hair, and extremely proud are those who flaunt a goodly number of this insignia. “In the journey over the arid wastes many sand storms were encountered. These tempests sweep up with appalling suddenness, and the tiny particles make travel impossible. The approach of such a blast is always presaged hours, and even days, before the gale bursts, by the action of the camels, who become restless, and snort repeatedly. Long before sweeping sand clouds appear on the horizon these intelligent creatures throw themselves upon the ground and bury their noses in the soft anil.: - ... ,

In Addis Abeba. ..‘‘Arriving at the capital, the recep: tion of King Menelik’s subjects was atom vuciftauus. TKrarign of tn» p6pu« lace swooped down upon the cavalcade and so intermingled with them as to make nnv semblance of order itanossible. As the American detachment entered the eity a crudebandof African instruments struck up “The StarSpangled Banner.” King Menelik himself received the wanderers aiyi every possible hospitality was lavished upon them, and they yvere given the freedom of the city and lodged in close proximity to the palace—a structure much like a barn in this country. “Addis Abeba, the capital city, has many thousand inhabitants. The houses were mostly crude matted structures of but a few feet in height. A wonderful zoo xvus kept by the king, and in 6 this were captive specimens of all the beasts of the jungle. The donkeys have heen interbred so much that their stature become stunted and many were scarcely more than a foot high, y#t with large heads and huge ears resembling in many ways a strange species of rabbit. “The Americans were anxious to get hold of several of the animals to transport out of curiosity, but there are strict rules guarding against taking the creatures from the country. “Two weeks, were spent at the monarch’s stronghold before the return trip was commenced. Prior to the departure, King Menelik shook hands with all members of the expedition and presented each with a gold medal as a souvenir. On one side of the ornament was his own profile and on the other two lions, under which were inscribed the words, ‘Lion Among Lions, King Among Kings:* Besides concluding a successful treaty with the king, the expedition brought out many relics and curios for the Smithsonian institution.”

ON THE WAY TO ADDIS ABEBA