Page:Africa by Élisée Reclus, Volume 1.djvu/203

 garment resembling the Roman toga, which they fold grncefully round the body in divers fashions. In general the forehead is high, the nose straight, or even aquiline, the lips thick, the mouth somewhat pouting, and the chin pointed. The bead is dolichocephalous, and covered with slightly frizzled, almost woolly, hair, often arranged in little tufts, which the Mussulman slave-dealers call "peppercorns." Like most other Africans they are rarely bearded, but in common with them have the habit of lowering the eyelids, which often gives them a treacherous and deceitful appearance. The colour of the skin varies greatly, from the deep black of the Negro to the pale complexion of the Mediterranean coast peoples, but is generally of a darkish yellow hue, clear enough to admit of blushes being observed. Most of the women when young are very graceful, but their beauty does not last long; they are shorter than the men, their height, according to Hartmann, rarely exceeding from 4 feet 11 inches to 5 feet.

The Abyssinians, both men and women, are subject to internal parasites, probably due to the practice of eating raw flesh, common to all the natives, excepting those of the northern province of Seraweh, whose diet consists almost exclusively of vegetables. In the last century Bruce's account of these feasts of brondo, or steaks cut from the living animal and eaten with pepper and pimento, were discredited; but his statements have been confirmed by all subsequent explorers. To free themselves from these internal pests, the Abyssinians make decoctions of the kusso leaf, bitter barks, and various other herbs; but they prefer to expose themselves to this disorder rather than abandon their savoury brondo. Leprosy, amongst other diseases, is very common in the kwallas, and more especially in the Fclasha villages. Like those of Europe and South America, the Abyssinian highlanders, and especially the women, suffer much from goitre. According to Dr. Blanc, an Englishmen who was for some time a prisoner of King Theodore's, the women frequently die in parturition, whilst in the neighbouring countries they pass easily through this trial. Wounds heal slowly, the slightest contusion often causing bone diseases of long standing, although amputation of the arms and legs, and even the mutilations of eunuchs, are rarely mortal, and in general heal rapidly. The peoples of the upper plateaux dread the feverish atmosphere of the kwallus as much as Europeans, and rarely descend below a height of 3,000 feet during the rainy season. The danger these mountaineers run under the deleterious influence of this damp heat is the best safeguard of the lowlanders against the attacks of the Abyssinian marauders. When the "king of kings" has occasion to punish one of these lowland peoples, he despatches a band of Galla warriors, accustomed to a similar climate in their forests of southern Abyssinia. However, the elephant hunters and slave dealers, whose pursuits bring them to these regions, are said to brave the miasmas with impunity, protecting themselves successfully against the marsh fever by daily fumigations of sulphur.

Most European observers describe the Amharas and Tigrés as distinguished by their great intelligence, much natural gaiety, and easy address. Although untutored in elocution, they express themselves with a remarkable fluency, rendered the more impressive by their commanding height and appropriate gestures. Vain, selfish.