the expectations of the public. As soon as the elevating power shall, in this way, have been perfected, the work will be completed, because the propelling force is ample, the machinery for elevating and depressing sufficient, the steering apparatus in fine working order, and, in short, the whole of the Avitor is fully under the control of the operator.

THE ETHNOLOGY OF ABYSSINIA.

THE ordinary monthly meeting of the London Ethnological Society was held last evening at the rooms of the society, St. Martin's-place; Mr. J. Crawfurd, president of the society, occupied the chair; and among those present were Sir H. Rawlinson, Dr. Beke, Sir Alexander Waugh, Mr. Wyld, M.P., Captain Sherrard Osborn, Dr. Lockhardt, Lady Franklin, Dr. Hyde Clark, Dr. King, and Messrs. Dickenson, Franks, R. J. Slack. and J. G. Major. After the usual routine business had been transacted,

Mr. Major, the secretary of the Geographical Society, read a paper prepared by Mr. J. Crawford, upon "The Ethnology of Abyssinia and the adjacent countries," founded upon the report of the late Mr. Plowden, consul in Abyssinia, made in 1854. In this report Mr. Plowden described the country as most productive, and the climate of the highlands of Abyssinia as very salubrious. The valleys, however, he stated, were at certain seasons rendered dangerous by fevers. The country combined mineral resources and tropical luxuriance with so much general salubrity as to prevent the risk of any great waste of European life. Little, however, had been done for the country by energy or skill, and the utter want of roads and bridges, the stagnant or lawless nature of the social customs, the obstinate attachment to ancient usages and manners, the multitude of rulers, indifferent to anything but their own enjoyment, the constant wars and consequent insecurity of life and property, were fast ruining it. The members of each tribe had different peculiarities, but the general characteristics of the whole people were thus described by Mr. Plowden-" In some respects they are a happy people. They possess in their own land all the necessaries and many of the luxuries of life in profusion; they have great freedom of speech and action, and are always gay, systematically, as by constitution. Their conversation, often sensible, is always witty. A practical philosophy leads then to prefer laughter to tears; the tradgedy and comedy of life are received alike with indifference or a joke. Misfortunes and death are generally met with fortitude. It is hard to convince them that they will benefit either by our science or our wealth. The most curious point in their character is this, that no one is expected to feel ashamed of any crime or vice; and whereas in other countries men in committing serious crimes are morbidly excited, in Abyssinia they are perpetrated with indifference,

and generally recounted, sometimes by the individual himself, certainly by others, with gaiety and laughter. In the same way, females are rarely gross or immodest outwardly, seeing that they need in no way be ashamed of the freest intercourse with the other sex. I have never yet been able to discover what an Abyssinian could be ashamed of, except a solecism in what he considers good manners, or the neglect of some superstitious form of social observance. They are peculiarly sensitive, however, to ridicule and abuse, whether true or untrue, and half the time of an Abssyinian master is passed in deciding disputes on such subjects. Some traits, though apparently of slight consequence, are often very irksome to a stranger; for instance, every man above the lowest rank as a door-keeper, whose duty it is to examine who should be admitted and when. The insolence of this officer rises in proportion to the rank of his master. The primitive ante-chamber is a court in the open air, without seats, often muddy, always filthy; and as the porter will contrive to keep you waiting, even against his master's orders, this system is most disagreeable to a European. Further, you wait amongst a crowd, and it is pointed out to you that the brothers or sons of the King are there in the same position. Sometimes the order comes to clear the court, when sticks are used without distinction of persons." Further he said :-" They have in general an aversion to change in their religious observances, laws, and customs; their ancient laws are, however, nearly forgotten, and their manners are changing yearly.

"This, which is characteristic of the race, is a great obstacle to improvement. Neither the idea of progress nor the word exists; for all absurdities and abuses, even for injustice, the reason it has always

been so is held sufficient even when the error is admitted. In consequence, as nothing can be stationary, their whole institututions are degenerating. They are very quick of apprehension and subtle of speech, and as from childhood they are accustomed to select phrases that may be agreeable to the person they are addressing or useful to themselves, are always specious and sometimes eloquent. It is very difficult for a stranger to arrive at the truth by questions. They are fond of litigation, and most of them skilled in the quibbles and proverbs that are essential to success in any dispute. It is the favourite sport of boys and children, and the smallest difference of opinion furnishes matter for a long and sometimes expensive lawsuit. Their obstinacy in trifles is a mark perhaps of their Jewish blood. Notwithstanding the abundance of food in Abyssinia, nothing is more difficult or occupies more time than to provide for the daily wants of an establishment. A chief can obtain anything at once, and often without payment, where a stranger infinitely richer would, without his friendship and assistance, run the risk of starving.

Nothing can be obtained by money except at a market, and often at a very great distance. Shops are unknown, and almost all trades must be practised in each household. Water must be carried for household purposes from a distant brook, corn must be converted into flour, cookery must be prepared, bread baked, and beer brewed in every es

tablishment according to its numbers, and to no office of domestic utility will a man put his hand for any amount of hire. On a journey where no markets can be found all necessaries must be carried at least to the next large town, involving a very inconvenient amount of baggage." * "Individually they are brave, but in masses, being without discipline, are hesitating, and little to be feared. Having no coinage of their own, the only money that passes current in Abyssinia is the German crown Maria Theresa. This is changed in Teegre, iato pieces of cloth of various lengths, fabricated from cotton of the country or of India; and in the Amhara into blocks of salt, vary in number at each market-place. This salt is cut in the plains of the Taltal, near the Red Sea, and transported far into the interior. It becomes very valuable in the Galla provinces, where eight small pieces are sometimes exchanged for a dollar, and a hundred will purchase a slave. Gold, which under their emperors was used as a currency by weight, and was abundant, according to tradition has now almost disappeared. The ruler of Shoa sent some pounds of fine gold to the court of Gondar, moulded in the shape of a mule, in token of fealty. The custom was continued till the last forty years.

The whole dress of the people is of white cotton cloths, spun and wove in the country, nor do they consider a foreigner as dressed at all unless he throws one of their white mantles over his own apparel. It illustrates curiously the character of this nation, so vain and stubborn in trifles, to see the servants of even a well-dressed European follow him almost with shame, and the rest of the populace regarding him with laughter or sneers; nor is this a small matter nor a trifling difficulty. The first impression does much, and ridicule is harder to vanquish than persecution. Socrates, in our modern attire, would scarcely be respected in Abyssinia. There are no castes in Abyssinia, but the people may be divided into four classes-military, sacredotal, agricultural, and mercantile; the number that cannot be included in these is insignificant - a few workmen, as tanners, saddlers, and blacksmiths, disproportioned even to the wants of the community, and some idlers who live by the produce of their farms.

The great chiefs have generally much dignity of manner, and some of them might be models of tact and polite suavity, particularly those who have any pride of ancestry: but engrossed with the sensual pleasures afforded by their wealth and power, and uncertain how long they may enjoy them, they never dream of improving the condition of their subjects, though often just and indulgent in their rule, as far as the paramount necessity of conciliating their armies will permit." The character of King Theodore, or as he was then catled Dejaj Kasai, was thus drawn by Mr. Plowden :-" Dejaj Kasai is vigorous and subtle, daring to a fault, and, perhaps, more disposed to innovation than any. He has abolished in his army the practice of mutilating dead bodies; taught his soldiers some discipline, makes war without baggage or camp followers, and encourages foreigners. Though proud, his manner is all humility; he is severe, liberal, and usually just, but breaks out now and then into unaccountable acts of violence, which

indicate a somewhat unsettled temperament; he commences enterprises with more vigour than he pursues them, and is much under the influence of prophets and fortune-tellers."

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Mr. Crawfurd, in his paper, made some general comments upon the consular report, and summed up the whole matter by declaring his opinion that we must come to the conclusion that, although the Abyssinians are very old Christians, they are but very indifferent ones, and that in civilisation and morals they rank below most of the nations professing Mahomedanism, Hinduism, and Buddhism."

The paper was listened to with great attention, and at its conclusion there was some applause. In the course of a short discussion which followed,

Sir H. Rawlinson expressed his confidence in Mr. Plowden, as the best authority upon Abyssinia as it existed in his time, but reminded his hearers that during thirteen years which had elapsed since the date of his report there had been many essential changes in the circnmstances of that country. King Theodore had abolished Mahomedanism, had secularised the church property, and had crushed the priestly influence, which in the time of Mr Plowden was one of the crying evils of Abyssinia. He had also introduced many useful reforms into the administration of justice, and had adopted measures for the encouragement of industry. As long as Plowden and Bell were alive he was to a certain extent a model sovereign, but since their deaths he had gone to the bad.

Dr. Beke said that Mr. Plowden's account of the Abyssinans was, as far as it went, the best that he knew; but it had some faults. Mr. Plowden did not visit the best provinces-the southern provinces -and therefore could not report of them. He knew the Amharas and the Tegrees, but he did not know the Gallas. King Theodore, he said, was from the first an arrant villain. He was made a great man and a good man by Bell and Plewden, but the moment they died he became bad. As long ago as 1852 he was an arrant drunkard, and used to fire under the table at the legs of his guests.

Both Sir H. Rawlinson and Dr. Beke made some observations upon the races and languages of Abyssinia, and after Mr. Crawfurd had replied upon some points upon which he differed with them, the proceedings closed with the customary vote of thanks.

CHARTS, ETC., PUBLISHED BY THE HYDROGRAPHIC OFFICE, ADMIRALTY, in November, 1867.-Sold by J. D. Potter, 31, Poultry, and 11, King Street, Tower Hill, London.

2084. DEm = 0·30 Africa, South Coast, Mossel Bay to St. Francis Cape. Staff-Commanders Skead and Stanton, R.N. 1867. 3s.

1707. DEm = 0·7 Australia, South Coast, Port Western. Commander Cox, R.N. 1867. 2s. 6d.

Sailing Directions for West Coast of Scotland and the Hebrides. Captain Otter, R.N., C.B. 1867. 3s 6d.

Sailing Directions for South-east Coast of Nova Scotia and Bay of Fundy. Staff-Commander G. F. McDougall, RN. 1867. 4s.

Tide Tables for 1868. Staff-Commander John Burdwood, R.N. 1s. 6d. EDWARD DUNSTERVILLE, Commander, R.N.

Hydrographic Office, Admiralty, 20th November, 1867.