Next in my queue of National Geographic magazines is the August, 1928, issue, Volume LIV, Number 2. The first article is "Nature and Man in Ethiopia," written by Wilfred H. Osgood, Ph.D.
My attention was immediately captured by "the ancient, independent Empire of Ethiopia, which sits aloof on its elevated plateau, unconquered, little known. . .inhabited by a wonderfully patriotic and warlike people, who have defended it against all comers" (p. 121). During the last century, it seemed that either a country was owned by another or a country was the landlord. This is wonderful: an independent although not democratic nation in 1928!
The country of Ethiopia is in northwest Africa, bordered on the east by French Somaliland and British Somaliland, on the south by Italian Somaliland, Kenya, and Uganda, on the West by Anglo Egyptian Sudan and on the north by Erithea. "With Afghanistan and Siam, it is one of the three absolute monarchies left in the world" (p. 121).
The capital city, Addis Abba (means 'new flower') is a new city, having been founded at the close of the nineteenth century. With Ethiopia's history reaching back perhaps 5,000 years, Addis Abba mixes the old with the new. A photo on page 125 shows "camels and donkeys share the right of way with American motor cars in this paradoxical city." There are approximately 300 motor cars in a country with a population of ten million! Slavery still exists here, "although the present government is making a sincere effort to mitigate and diminish it" (p. 126). "Outside the capital city there is nothing modern and the customs of the people have not changed for centuries" (p. 132).
Dr. Osgood, financed by the Chicago Daily News, took a zoological expedition of 40 men and 60 mules on a tour of this country of nature undisturbed by paved roads. After seven months, they had "traveled nearly 2,000 miles and had established 200 camps. . .The country through which we traveled is beautiful beyond description. Mountains and valleys, forests and meadows, lakes and rivers, deep-cut gorges and sheer-walled canyons, all combine to furnish a variety of natural conditions as is rarely to be found" (p.135).
"The titular head of the State is the Empress Zanditu. . .but practical affairs are largely in the hands of the young and progressive Ras Taffari. . .We found the regent a man of quiet dignity and much charm of manner, educated far beyond most of his subjects, and deeply interested in and devoted to the welfare of his country" (p. 131).
The country's wildlife was abundant with gazelles, hyenas, leopards, baboons, antelopes, oryx, Grevy's zebras, the elephant shrew (mouse), birds, "crocodiles in the river, and troops of small gray guenon monkeys" scampering through the trees (p. 135). Lions are nearly extinct in Ethiopia. The photographer, Alfred M. Bailey, was fascinated by the Guereza monkey: "The first time he saw one crashing through the branches, with its long white-tufted tail waving aloft like a pompon and its black and white body flashing through the green, he promptly characterized it "a hearse on a spree" " (p. 149).
"Birds of prey are numerous throughout Ethiopia, kite being the most common of all. It was ever present and so bold that it would dart across the cook's fire and steal food from his pans" (p. 151).
FYI/Interesting Facts: 1) "In the highlands. . .with the lack of such murderous insects as the tsetse fly, it is possible to use mules and horses" (p. 132). 2) Bandits were an ever-present danger: "Their forays are likely to be directed against lifelong enemies of adjoining tribes rather than against foreigners, whose ability to shoot straight has their respect" (p. 134).
The entire expedition was so enjoyable that they were disappointed to leave at the end, "A spell of some sort seemed to prevail, as each man realized that a wonderfully interesting trip was virtually over."
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