Observers' Field Reports 203 



town; 2 more days of travel brought us to Barrani, another Coast Guard station. From 

 Barrani, a journey of 2 l / 2 days brought us to Sellum, where the camels and drivers were 

 dismissed. After completing my observations at Sellum, I was enabled, through the 

 courtesy of the Director of Coast Guards, to return to Alexandria with my interpreter 

 and baggage on a Coast Guard cruiser. 



On arriving at Alexandria, I received instructions from the Office to proceed to 

 Abyssinia by way of the Red Sea, and to occupy several secular-variation stations on 

 the way. Accordingly, I went to Suez by rail, thence to Port Sudan and Aden by 

 steamer, and finally to Jibuti, on the French Somali coast. A railroad, known as the 

 Franco-Ethiopian Railway, is now being constructed by the French government from 

 Jibuti to Addis Abeba. At the time of my journey, it was completed and opened to 

 traffic as far as Hawash, about 345 miles from Jibuti, leaving about 155 miles still to be 

 completed before reaching Addis Abeba. 



At Hawash I engaged as interpreter a Somali who could speak English and Abys- 

 sinian and could also cook. I then endeavored to organize a caravan to convey me to 

 Addis Abeba. The rainy season had now begun and camels were no longer used for 

 long journeys; consequently, there was an increased demand for mules, making it impos- 

 sible to get any on satisfactory terms. I telephoned to the American Consul-General 

 at Addis Abeba and requested him to send mules to meet me at the end of the railway. 

 Mr. Wood informed me that he was leaving Abyssinia, and was starting the very next 

 day. We arranged to meet at Ula Ula, the railway terminus, where his mules would 

 be placed at my disposal. Permission was obtained from the railway company to go 

 50 miles farther on the construction train. 



Accordingly, I left Hawash with my interpreter and baggage on an open freight 

 car that was loaded with steel rails. About 8 hours later, we camped at Ula Ula, and 

 made observations during the 2 days' wait for the Consul-General, who arrived in due 

 time, pitched his camp near mine, and give me letters of introduction to officials at 

 Addis Abeba. Rain occurred during every one of the 5 days of mule travel from Ula 

 Ula to Addis Abeba. The trail was muddy, and the whole distance was a climb from 

 3,759 to 8,242 feet, according to the aneroid. The country traversed was a peaceful 

 farming district. The soil was black and fertile, and produced abundant crops even 

 with the very primitive methods of agriculture practiced. The natives were very 

 polite, and were glad to sell us chickens, eggs, and barley bread. 



After arriving at Addis Abeba, I paid off and dismissed the caravan, and called at the 

 British and Italian legations. In the absence of the American Consul, the British repre- 

 sentative was in charge of American interests, so I arranged with him to secure for me 

 the necessary passport from the Abyssinian government. 



In investigating the possibilities of routes to follow to secure a desirable distribu- 

 tion of stations in Abyssinia, I found that the heavy rains at that season, the thick mud, 

 swamps and swollen rivers, left only one other possible route besides the way I had 

 come. This was a route along the mountain tops northeastward to Ankoba and then 

 northward to Asmara. I was warned that the journey would be difficult, and that it 

 would take 2 months, whereas in the dry season it would take but one; nevertheless, 

 I determined to undertake it. 



When all preparations were completed, I left Addis Abeba on the morning of July 

 27 with a caravan of 12 mules and 7 natives; 2 rifles were taken for protection. The 3 

 weeks' journey from Addis Abeba to Dessi6 was the hardest part of the trip. It rained 

 incessantly. The mountain trails were steep and rocky, and many streams were diffi- 

 cult to ford. Thick mud and marshes often made traveling very slow. The weather 

 was cold because of the great altitudes. We were frequently above 11,000 feet and 

 but once below 9,000. The country was exceedingly picturesque, great mountains, tre- 



