It was from other slaves that I learned the gossip of the city.
Troops were pouring in from the west and south, and pouring out toward the east. I asked an old slave who was sweeping the dirt into little piles in the gutters of the street where the soldiers were going. He looked at me in surprise.
"Why, to fight the yellow men, of course," he said. "They have crossed the border, and are marching toward New Gondar.""Who will win?" I asked.
He shrugged his shoulders. "Who knows?" he said. "I hope it will be the yellow men, but Menelek is powerful--it will take many yellow men to defeat him."Crowds were gathering along the sidewalks to view the emperor's entry into the city. I took my place among them, although I hate crowds, and I am glad that I did, for Iwitnessed such a spectacle of barbaric splendor as no other Pan-American has ever looked upon.
Down the broad main thoroughfare, which may once have been the historic Unter den Linden, came a brilliant cortege. At the head rode a regiment of red-coated hussars--enormous men, black as night. There were troops of riflemen mounted on camels. The emperor rode in a golden howdah upon the back of a huge elephant so covered with rich hangings and embellished with scintillating gems that scarce more than the beast's eyes and feet were visible.
Menelek was a rather gross-looking man, well past middle age, but he carried himself with an air of dignity befitting one descended in unbroken line from the Prophet--as was his claim.
His eyes were bright but crafty, and his features denoted both sensuality and cruelness. In his youth he may have been a rather fine looking black, but when I saw him his appearance was revolting--to me, at least.
Following the emperor came regiment after regiment from the various branches of the service, among them batteries of field guns mounted on elephants.