138 
ORIGIN OF THE AMERICAN NEGRO. 
enemies, the Mahometans and the pagan Gallas. Nor, except when 
led to a profitable and pious invasion of ''Habash,” do the people 
of the low countries often penetrate the wild passes of the Abys¬ 
sinian mountains. It happens, therefore, that from whichever side 
the traveler approaches Abyssinia, he can glean but little informa¬ 
tion from the natives, concerning the country beyond the mighty 
wall of mountains which rise in 
majesty and grandeur before him, as 
if to bar his path. 
The Abyssinians trace the origin 
of their empire to the days of Solo¬ 
mon and the Queen of Sheba's visit 
to him; and their line of kings to the 
joint issue of those two potentates. 
Their religion exhibits a strange 
mixture of Judaism and Christianity; 
a great pride of race and religion 
animates this singular people whose 
monarch bears the haughty title of 
'Tving of Kings;" and they consider 
themselves not only the peers, but 
even the superiors, of all the rest of 
mankind. 
It was the English expedition 
against King Theodorus, in 1867, 
that opened out the country and let 
in some light on its dark places. 
Great was the surprise of Christen¬ 
dom, which had previously classed 
the Abyssinians among other savage 
and warring tribes, leading a nomadic existence in the deserts and 
jungles of Africa, where the climate and wild beasts dispute with 
equally savage men the entrance or egress of the foreigner and repel 
the onward march of civilization. Since then they have defeated 
Italy in a disastrous campaign, undertaken to claim them as a 
colony. 
CARVED IVORY TUMPETS. 
