VI A VISIT TO RAS MAKUNAN OF HARAR, 1893 173 
may be the mainspring of the eastern movement which began 
with the absorption of Harar, formerly a buffer state between 
Abyssinia and the Somalis. 
Abyssinians regard the European Powers with mixed feelings. 
They say they wish for the internal improvement of their country 
according to European methods, and promise commercial privi- 
leges to the Power which can bring about such improvement. 
They are, on the other hand, shy of the word “ Protectorate,” 
and naturally wish to be recognised for ever as an independent 
State. Abyssinians claim to have authority as far as the confines 
of the Equatorial Province, and even claim lately to have done 
something against the Central African slave trade. 
According, therefore, to my friend’s statement, Abyssinia 
would appear to be the Power on whose progress the future 
enlightenment of Central Africa largely depends. My own hopes 
fall far short of this; for though enlightened and honourable 
Abyssinians, of whom Ras Makunan may be taken as the type, 
may have high ambitions, yet the ruck of the people, from the 
specimens of soldiers whom I saw at Harar, appear to be 
certainly no better than the nomad Somalis, except in their 
possession of rifles. 
The Ras was unwell on the 19th, and could not see any one. 
I received visits from the Archbishop and M. Guigniony. The 
medium of conversation with Europeans in Harar was French ; 
curiously enough, the only person who could speak English 
fluently was Gobau Desta, the Abyssinian who generally acted 
as my interpreter with the Ras. 
On 20th March I received a visit from Count Salimbeni, 
and after dinner I had a long farewell interview with the Ras, 
when he gave me the following presents :—The Ras’s photograph, 
the Ras’s own drinking-cup, three other cups of buffalo and 
rhinoceros horn, a buffalo-hide officer’s shield decorated with 
silver, two Abyssinian spears, a gray riding mule and em- 
broidered equipment. 
The interview of the 20th March was held at 8 p.m. by lamp- 
light, and was the last I had with the Ras in his house. As it 
was a farewell visit, he had sent for his household and elders, 
and I amused them by showing the various English positions in 
use with the match rifle, several attempting them on the floor of 
the audience-room. 
The Ras again asked me about taming elephants, a subject 
which appears to have impressed him. The presents for me 
