1907.] on Across Widpst Africa. 733 



victories in colonial wars rather to their fame than to their present 

 lighting (jualities, or their skill and conrage. The conqnered and 

 neighbouring tribes are in positive terror of the Abyssinians. But 

 with the death of Menelik matters will change, and perhaps it will 

 not be so easy to hold the country together. I am not a prophet, 

 but there is no foretelling what all these European ententes corcllales 

 may do for many an African potentate. One cannot help admiring 

 Emperor Menelik personally. He possesses an abnormal amount of 

 sound sense ; he is as just and fair to his countrymen as is possible 

 to an Emperor ; he is generous enough with what he possesses, and 

 tries hard to do all that is right and proper. Perhaps were Menelik 

 a younger man, and were he persuaded to take a journey to Europe, 

 a great many sensible reforms — and possibly some not quite so 

 sensible — would certainly follow. All Abyssinia needs is to be 

 established on a sound basis for natives and foreigners alike, and 

 above all the establishment of a proper government and administra- 

 tion, with some stability of laws. 



The journey from xldis-Ababa to the Baro and then the Sobat 

 river presented no difficulty. One or two rivers had a good deal of 

 water, but we had no trouble in crossing them. 



In Western Abyssinia I found the Galla people extremely inter- 

 esting. They were to my mind the only important race of people in 

 Menelik's empire who were worth anything. First of all they were not 

 Christians but Mussulmans. They detested the Abyssinians. At 

 Menelik's death I am sure they would only be too happy to be under 

 British rule. They were great shepherds and cultivators of the land, 

 and had a fair idea of trading. They were peaceful enough, and, for 

 a nation of tropical Africa, they seemed to possess sound sense. 



The western portion of the Abyssinian plateau seemed by far the 

 richest of Menelik's possessions. Owing to the elevation of the 

 plateau the climate was semi-temperate. The local agricultural 

 resources could be improved to no mean extent. AVild coffee of 

 delicious quality was plentiful, and also rubber. The mineral wealth 

 of the country offered fair prospects, but perhaps it is problematic 

 whether the difficulty and expense of transporting machinery, and 

 other greater risks, make it worth while under present conditions to 

 exploit it. Gold was washed in small quantities in the Baro river. 



As you came down very abruptly from the Abyssinian plateau, 

 you found yourself in a lower zone owned by the Abyssinians, but 

 partly under the management of Anglo-Egyptian officials. The 

 result of this was that nobody seemed to have any authority in that 

 portion of the country, and the natives took advantage of it. 



At the foot of the escarpment there lived the Yambo — a race 

 of people of a stature a good deal above the normal. Some, like the 

 chief and his brother, were regular giants ; but they were all tall. 



Gambela, the first Anglo-Egyptian post on Abyssinian territory 

 under an Egyptian officer, was a deadly spot for men and beasts. 



