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2/22/1957 - Asmara to Addis Ababa: Abunas, Castles, and Tubeless Tires by Smith Hempstone Jr.

NOT FOR PUBLICATION INSTITUTE OF CURRENT WORLD AFFAIRS SH ebruary Asmara Addis Ababa U S Hbassy Abunas Castles Addis Ababa Tubeless Tires Ethiopia Nr Walter S Rogers Institute Current World Affairs Fifth Avenue New York New York Map Dea Mr Rogers The scavenger which preceded departure Ethiopia unfruitful It produced mattress gallon water water distillation K rations xpired oroccan automobile letters Bishop Axum Governor Gondar Swedish missionary Adua government official Addis Ababa Ethiopian Airline officials Addis Ababa A Besse representative ogadiscio manager Sinbad Hotel alindi Kenya In addition these liberated items purchased assorted canred goods gallon leaky kerosene lantern stove strips traction sandy areas chest blankets funnel pound drops styled Army Starch Jelly Candy Type IV Class III assorted plates knives forks We spade patches pillows rifle revolver finally cleared Customs after months admitted transit Ethiopia apparently country world which recognize Carrier international travel document vehicles throuh intercession Bitwoded Andargachaw Haile Selassie Emperor representa Eritrea Despite admitted order Imperial government found impossible oOtain Eritrean without paying value which could repaid departure opening negotiations government Such negotiations known years usually require impetus bri0es proper places reach successful conclusion So afixed expired lqoroccan their numbers Customs people which satisfied completely buzzed The worked charm serve until reach Kenya British international plates After round farewells warnings about picture taking driving through bandit areas prophecies Customs people outside Addis Ababa would surely confiscate cigarettes whiskey after taking seats started wanderings The Asmara Addis Ababa through Adigrat Quiha Dessie distance about miles The sually takes three decided Adi Ugri Adua Axsum Ethiopia thence Gondar ancient capital There Gonda Addis Aaba meant would Adua cross mountain range Adigrat where would Addis AOaba doubling mileage The clear drove doyen Asmara Corso italia lined Avenue Empress Nenen country At Africa before The lonely plain which Asmara brown scrubby dotted solitary poplars eucalyptus herds multi splotched goats guarded ragged suddenly valleys endless ranges hills engine second costs Eritrea Ethiopia little dovaq coasting helps other reason shining running resplendent Noroccan By lunch paving getting shaggier passed Adi Ugri beneath riverbed beyond Tigre province Ethiopia We stopped sretched washed throats ouart would u_til Kenya The countryside desolate uninhabited occasional goatherd charges continued rough hilly ground parched burned waterless No gazelle The silence And sories By afternoon Adua green oasis trees small valley before white infantry battali uartered slopes above regular orderly promise stability whose constancy inconstancy A bicycle Swedish mission We presented letter introduction andasked allowed within compound Our hostess middle Lutheran steel rimmed glasses eruptions around corners mouth coffee absence husband granted request We thanked climbed headed Axsum drive south intent seeing possible We tomorrow drive Gondar would The wonderful Asum writes reformed suffragette pinko Sylvia Pankhurst drumbater pagandist Ethiopia where ancient architecture Ethiopia reached grandest forms Was cradle Ethiopia Christian faith centre Government first centuries Christian remains piceless storehouse wonderful relics triumphal Pankhurst gilds without doubt Axsum remarkable archaeological The Axsumite kingdom impartial torians believe reached about third cetur A D decline which culminated destruction unknown eighth century The extent power unknown beliaved Axs kings ntact Pharoahs Egypt Greek Phoenician traders Red Sea raided Eritrea The Smdan across Red Sea Aden It believed Axsumite converted Christianity fourth entury shipwrecked Tyrian youths Aedisius Frumentiuso As drove Axsum little glory AXSUMITE On right which relics triumphal winds hills pleasant valley stand stelae about twenty almost hidden Of Pankhurst publishes rather tendentious works under Lalibela imprint country vanity press edits weekly government subsidized Ethiopian Observer teaches University College Addis Ababa Sylvia Pankhurst Ethiop A Cultural History Lalibela House London present inhabita They reminiscent Egyptian obelisks inscriptions At entrance triangu ornamental garden Italians filled heterogeneous lection stone relics standing cactus As drive through streets jammed cattle goats Country people their wares littl ancient civilization Onthe south pasture perhaps twenty thirty inscripti0nless granite stelae ranging eight twelve Some sides others protrude sharp angles fromthe groundand stand straight The angled vriety demand among local scratchers Having cursory thetown presented ourselves eoureud ecclesiastical ernor This mortar tructure built Emperor lenelik Ii commemorate bloody victory Italians Adowa Adua pleasant garden trees bougainvillaea In village picked shorts beret andspoke little English He disappeared Zhe residence reappeared minutes later signalling The central gloomy unfurnished We Some rickety stairs second floor entrance There chairs Center which eboureud archbishop handsome portly perhaps sixty He b_earded andlwore around white cotton cloth western clothes He motioned We Hangers 0egan accumulate until there about twelve Evervood standing except leboureud ourselves He letter chief federal administrator Eritra asked could service Isaid wntedpermission photograph ruins Axsum andth 0town jewels Churchof St Sion Coptic St Peter He asked through redbereted friend goimg ondar I He waved hangers produced foldin chair which plced between Ne bOureudto serve We offered accepted scotch He Traditionally naked unless shamma white shawl wrappedaround It uncommon dressed Wsten Clohes collar plaid laces cloth draDed shoulder abstained saying chatted Red interpretive talents could I Emperor returned Addis Ababa Mas yesterday because death Ras prince theEmpress thitwoded would Eritrea He heard excited In Ethiopia follows Salt commodity people chants leading their burro camel rains interior often communication isolated towns central government Addis Aaba A month least normal Another servant brought clefs thick liquid THE NEBOUREUD The eboureud added water After tumblersand motioned drink We drank sickeningly sweet fermented honey national drink Ethiopia T seldom drunk except occasmons In public taverns glass serves thrown bargain This provides means livelihood Zor younger widows otherwise would starve death girls presents their services satisfactory Then governo answered questions I friend EthiOpia I would beallowed crowns enelik Yohannes Halle Selassie For others would impossible Come eight clock would himself church Ve thanked gagged appropriate smiles smackings headed Adua By nightfal unloaded mattress blankets stretched beans creamed simmering nicely alcohol burner A adroit applications Worcestershire sauce ketchup strew which gourmet could found fault A coffee hands including zabna night watchman patched overcoat carrying Italian rifle bullets ready After further cementing relations zabanya theft insurance present K ration chocolate biscuits putting revolver flashlight under mattress great silver through grove poplars scudding clouds asleep Dav shivering behind light fading stiff intact zabanya bucket water After frigid coffee friend included presented almost measure rency another largesse choco pulled compound headed hills Axsum The Neboureud house arrived After several itless consultations hangers Red Beret arrived The Neboureud seemed alread church Ve follow We threaded through village St Mar Sion square stone structure knoll Kitty being woman allowed further Red Beret I approached priest traditional white trousers turban topped black cloak In horse whisker other silver Coptic cross Red Beret kissed priest Driest placing hands small Red Beret leaning weight slightl I bowed Red Beet priest Abuna bishop church Then explained wanted The A0una asked I permission visit St Sion I I letter Imperial goverrm eOoureud permission Nore inerchane between Red AOuna Then waited Several other priests arrived honage Abuna kissing They abunas Red Each abuna young attending their upper lower teeth their mouth knocked Since Coptic clerg marry seemed rfluous there simpering master elbow Finally allowed enter church It pictures A priests stood church chanting Ge forgotten priestly langage clergy ancestor Amharic Another priest uatting floor pounded large hands cadence chanting A monke skins stood forehead pressed oozing walls church penance leper cross gloom Otherwise church V Red ieret stick aside ragged cloth church There stylized Ethiopian behind cloth I through ripeness chanting gloom courtyard Then waited Another abuna He white decaying Yohannes emperor followed schedule gettim drunk every night rising shout psalms He saint We entered another building walked passageway monkeyskin lepers small unlighted sanctuar This Copts repository Ark Covenant brought Queen Sheba N enelik I legendary union Kino Solomon after visit father court Only lqeboureud enter The Abuna blocked sanctuar placed hands either THE T0 The eboureud appeared shadowy OF YOHANNES gloom sanctuary Each Psalmist priests knelt under AOuna outstretched kissed cross eooureud Then turned aside walked small courtyard overgrovn scraggly grass A priest brought tattered Persian spread steeps 0uilding And 0rout three crowns square crown ienelik emeralds shaped crown Yohannes studded rubies diamond encrusted coronet Haile Selas Rejoining Kitty herself dispensing business visited court hidden vlled labyrinth where found Red Beret ancient thrones Axsum Scattered about sacri icial altars several hundred yards gigantic truly impressive stele hundred Nost inscriptions neither Red priests could aoout All meaning could really meaning All Axs_ exactl The 0oasts kings douOtful sources Still Axsum 0oasted inscription found translated Cosmas ilexandrian merchant visited Axumite kingdom century during reign Roman Emperor Justinus having comanded peoples peace I waged fiercely overthrew following peoples I fought Agazi people SH Agame Sogaet I vanquished I apart their possessions their inhabitants share I overthrew Ava Zingabene Angabo Tiamo Atagau Kalaa after crossing river I conquered Semen people other Nile Takkaze among inhospitable mountains covered deeply having frozen snowdrifts everFwhere which their knees Then I overthrew Lsine Zaa Gabala range mountains Sides which springs water forth sides mountains Then I overthrew Atalmo Beja people round And having overthrown Tangautoor occupy country frontier Egypt I turned territories marched Egypt Then I fought Annines etines precipitous mount people Sesea impassable mountain I camped round about prisoners I I wished their young women their youths maidens their sessions overthrew peoples Rhauzi ricts interior Barbarians trafi incense waterless plains people Saulate I manded guard beaches When I fougjt overthrovn battles wherein I myself these peoples tected mighty mountains permitted their lands tributaries great numOer people ubmitted voluntarilyand tri0ute I senta naval force soldiers against Arrhabites Kinaidokolpites other Red Sea When I overthrown their kings I conunand tribute their country about their business Oy peace I Leuke Kome Sab All these peoples conquered kings before through grace which found before august Ares begotten subject sovereignty peoples adjoin East Land Incense West lands Ethiopia Sasou against I myself marched fought against I troops And having established peaOe world which conquered I Adulis offer sacrifices Zeus Ares Poseidon behalf seafaring And having collected athered ether trooDs I establish throne offer Ares pledge twenty seventh s0vereignty The thrown tires settled thickly rgery erham T eGo_er_nmen i0ia_ Faber Faber London This prqbablg impartial general thiopia Perham considered enemy Ethiopia SH IO monuments boastful struck south Gondar nobody seemed The turned rough gravel plain marked Enda Selassie Sainted Holy Tiniy gassed A kilometers outside ofEnds Selssie first I fixed headed extra inflated wheel Our tubeless tires stumped thegas station attendant I explained I could these tiresneeded tubes required nflate themvs Seal inner either Oy The Ethiopian shook doubtfully Out pumped With gusto A crowd assembled listen hissing Unsealed The station attendant shrugged shoulders There Italian mechanic Prhaps would The Italian argumen Ethiopian which resulted refusing despite Was familiar withsuch things An later Enda Selassie inflated spare An drive reached lmperiel Highway Authority which Americans unenviable maintaining improving exceilnt decaying network italians bUilt during their occupation Ethoiopia I showed Ethiopian foreman letter Imperial government agreed compresser The discussion Over absence UP Final tugging pushing tremendous compres sealed usiness again astonishment Several kilometers south drops sharply mour2tain series hairpin Curves valley TakeZze River There first running water rockg stream vivid green water Several trucks stopped bridge their drivers swimming river black glistening ebony CROWNS OF THE ENPERORS And began climb Up corkscrew descended At mountain flattened We people dwellers which would indicate dangerous years And first great trees bearing tubular straw containers higjh branches strange fruit which natives place there hoping swarm leave their Here underbrush sparse ground became color bronze The solitar natives perched platforms branches trees became infrequent Off southwest jagged peaks mountain ranges which would climb before reached Gondar pushed sharp fingers daubed cloudless We climbed another ridge stopped I something about mechanics I about sanskrit The battery would Over wouldn start pressure We plent water The wouldn start It obviousl getting Which meant something matter ffuel primp And meant I business So cioarette A truck which stage I greeted approximatel enthusiasm I would Second Co_ing puffed I flagged explained truck driver Eritrean roblem He nodded He apart to_gether again othing happened He carburetor apart monkeyed while happened Finally Nothing happened Then offered Gondar distance kilometers U S dollars bargaining position could described I accepted And jolting under began It lasted I miles jolting salvation Something apparentl lodged aperture inside One displaced Just I starter engine roared again hopin As sunset mountain shadow Dashan highest _ountain Ethiopia We choices Gondar which meant driving night through country villages night The latter course would wiser safer choice because conditions p0ssibilit brigands We chose former The hours which followed consisted pulling steep corkscrew roads lights reflected foxes baboons ghostly memorials Italians building razor backed ridges braking coasted downhill stopping little village barricade across later learned driving night forbidden because brigandage situation which existed years since quieted twice right continue challenged times unsuccessfully By midnight reached Gondar plateau A minutes later second I fixed clock covered rolled Gondar ancient capital Ethiopia The hotel coffee water HEALTH CENTER PATIENTS We eight search Unhoped gains amechanic The mechanic Shell station Shell monopoly retail sales thopia recentl broken obilgas Caltex admitted change tubeless A perienced Italian mechanic stumped But Ve attractive Polish woman Danish doctor atsched World Health Organizatien UNICEF Point Ethiopian Government clinic medical school located outside Gondar She volunteered services center mechanics business After shaking finally fioured tires inflation 9hture travellers around circumference insert handle twist tourniquet squeezing inflate It worked dream Then short health center The health center institution could exist world where there overlapping fuzzily defined spheres responsibilit F little consequence The edical College ealth School staffed HO Hospital doctors hired joint Point IV Ethiopian Government funds medical supplies powdered provided UNICEF overall direction project Point IV nations represented staff About years Center build hospital built during italia occupation various funds about adding plant trucking mountainous which travelled modern medical equipment The project provide medical portion Ethiopia previously without facilities train Ethiopians connunity service field heretofore neglected supervision being accomplished unhoped The hospital predominately German staff healing serving working classroom students The College offering three courses three course Community Health Officers combining elementary medical training intensive public healtl_ probl THE BATHS OF FASILADAS THE NAIN CASTLE GONDAR lidnight revels Houses thatch graduates first class urses graduate girls spring course Sanatarians provide existing hospitals competent aides A clinic sponsored Hospital Center recent opened Kallabula small village about kilometers Gondar It three others planned serve interning centers years graduates School under supervision staff doctors Within years funds trained personnel become available similar clinics planned throughout country Our completed about seeing could about visiting century ruined castles which historians exception redoubtable Pankhurst attribute Portuguese Ethiopia saved country Islam terrors hammed Gran Left Handed onljw rewarded years later persecution expulsion We found would permission governor general office visit ruins The usual uestions asked I profession I letter government The secre general Gondar satisfied The police however would passports identification papers These produced permission finally granted The castle grounds however found And police afraid walls We argued And finally allowed climb The principal structure castle Fasiladas still stands brownstone turrets lonel among circe But unused shell Other smaller Out buildings castle fallen disrepair walls which surround castle grounds A short distance watered mountain stream Baths Fasiladas structure sighting above large inclosed lower Here _oeror midnight revels Aside basic similar construction undertaken Ethiopians before since princi reasons believing Portuguesebullt castles found original sources The P_ortuguese described Gondar seventeenth century found unwalled small round houses thatch When ather Paez built palace Lake Tana Emperor during centur Ethiopians wonder And recta house impressive castle Gondar certainl forei design other thmooian architecture crzmble italian conquerers Ethiopia something restore falling castle gounds postponed until following visit etachristian Se assie Church HoI T Trinity Gondar churches repository remarkable century Ethiopian religious still extant F Alvarez Narrative Port Ha Society London P LAKE TANA Guebre Sellass chroni Ree JVenelik II Paris Pythons monasteries source Blue Nile But before visiting church scheduled Gorgora Lake Tana kilometers Between Gondar Gorgora people around legend fantastic tales where incredible commonplace They called Falashas exiles Black Jews although Hebrew believed writers anthropologists Hamitic stock The Falasha introverted people enter their houses after having talked Christian without washing changing their clothes The follow Old Testament rituals beliefs And artisans workers which contributed making their difficult ancient traditions regard workers unclean credit abilit change themselves hyenas night But We found F alasha Only plain dusty burro trains bringing coffee remote western areas country exchanged Lake Tana itself miles pythons monasteries white German named Geunther Deinin He loneliest Africa The pytNons which natives skins Up loony according reports There crocodiles The which splash middle brown desert about above level surroundedby trees hills speckled islands which monastery The monks unlike clergy marry strict extent F women allowed islands female animals domesti permitted We brief visit Gorgora drove dusty kilometers Gondar guide young Ethiopi Betachristian Selassie To reach church leave outskirts Gondar across narrow saddle great gorges either climb ridge covered knoll The church surrounded The structure itself imposing ectangular building every other Coptic church Seen round Oeen built Portuguese CaZholics perhaps built entirely stone In tower which bulges surrounding group ranging fourtee years chanting Ge They deacons When little older become estimated million Coptic priests nation about sixteen million people The priest charge about propriety letting church A small donation reassures sense decorum admitted From ceiling highly stylized almost Byzantine faces countless angels The walls covered presentations Biblical scenes Some Ethiopian saints presented including algetleman earned sanctity standing years And there great chained devil devouring Jolack woman The priest pulls aside AUTHOR piece cloth picture Habitat under blanket It highlF crucifixion stylized In corner drums which during There seats The floor covered straw which comes moldy The paintings which canvas tacked shredded reach In corner leaked paintings there rotted There buzzing rafters The following morning bright early doubling ixsum Adua Ther around Lake Tana through Debra Nar Dessie impassable We thoroughly frightened ylight mountains passed night after triumphant return Enda Selassie tires flated serviceaOle reach Swedish mission after hours drive Our zaban_a friend chocolate supervise cooking excellent chili Da finds twisZing unpaved Adigrat dropping plain lined Here several miles along average mileage Gondar somethin under And still Amhara country there chanes peo_ie Unlike those around Gondar usually SH IO carry rifle least spear these unarmed But friendly superstitious You behind moment woman across front priests devil always following across before think strike devil Maybe Here roads vnereal disease incidence Syphilis Danish doctor friend It follows roads climb mountain Ten miles whole villages without single The doctor story natives quite frank about their maladies In village asked after syphilis The answer always smile He posed question however answer No I I suppose sophistication Up through mountains climbed little valley another several villages twelve naked children blowing women atured carrying babies papoose style trudging after burro trains occasional being dragged market camels munching among groves topped acacias brilliant light By afternoon reached Ceu Sudan Interior lission station there The missionary middle named Davenport could compound there another hours away_ Alomata wanted kilometers under belts We going later reached The almost straight valley three thousand below It learned later curves seven miles We found mission compound where wanted introduced ourselves Eorman Couser Ethiopian years 00Sudan Interior issionaries cover almost every Africa We Not could compound could bedding empty clinic We thanked cooked supper corned provided courtesy ission turned early anticipation drive Addis Ababa At rolled mattress coffee tomato drove night In darkness Lalibala behind dwelling monks The villages asleep barricades ithin althouh still completely headlights began signs solitary hands draped across stick shoulders women starting water earthenware strapped their backs dozens rolling empty gallon drums miles narket drivimgherds Of bleating goats steering proached The faint ghostly oulderS First clouds lo0ked black laced crimson Then turned mountains began AHARA BOY morning And clouds smoke Gumdrops villages brilliant parakeets flitting goodwill foxes racing cover mount And scamperng monkeys Oushes stopped hotel Dessie proper coffee riends Asmara U colonel Addis Ababa He three tires punctured trouble custom barrier outside Addis Ababa They unload everything iscated liquor cigarette contraOand disregarding agreement exists beSween United States Ethiopia governing rights Kagnew Station He whole thing straightened Vith pounds baggage I decided would unloaded I chains Of drive through desolate dusty peopled Galla horsemen passed I iount Abu yamyeda poking holes clouds about gradual climb still knovn Usso Pass At tunnel through mountain great plateau Shoa province Addis Ababa We through screams terrified women hawing burros world AXSUNITE STELAE Boastful kings demand For miles sretched great seratcherso plateau ertile black vblcanic which creates sometimes fifteen The black green grass yellow wheat The cattle Stately groves trees clean villages More Spain Africa Through drove hours after bluffing custom barrier letter waving promises retribution reached Addis Ababa journey amazed realize travel passenger trucks It Sincerely Smith Hempstoe Received New York GONDAR OUNTAINS I