Artamonov, L.K.: A Brief Summary of a Trip to Abyssinia

Title

Kratkii referat doklada o puteshestvii v Abissiniiu, in “Otchet Geograficheskogo Obshchestva za 1898”, Sankt-Peterburg 1899, p. 24-27

A Brief Summary of a Trip to Abyssinia

Keywords

Summary

The summary of Leonid Artamonov’s expedition to Ethiopia was published in the annual Report of the Geographical Society for 1898, in the section on journeys organised by the society that year. However, as noted in an introductory remark, Artamonov financed the journey independently. His expedition took him to the basin of the Sobat river, a tributary of the White Nile. According to Artamonov’s report, Emperor Menelik himself assigned him to accompany the detachment led by Tessema Nadew, whose mission was to occupy the Sobat river basin on the right bank of the Nile. The expedition began on March 3, 1898, in Addis Ababa. After reaching the Baro river a month later, Artamonov arrived at the border of Ethiopia. Here, they encountered the Motcha people, who accepted Menelik’s authority without resistance. Shortly afterward, the expedition advanced toward the Dzhubba River and crossed the Ajuba region, populated by what the author describes as “completely primitive Negro tribes” who, nevertheless, excelled in agriculture. He noted that local women “disgustingly” mutilated their lower lips by inserting wooden pieces from the age of four, which enlarged until the lip formed a ring hanging low from the mouth. On May 6, 1898, a smaller detachment headed northeast, eventually reaching the White Nile. Here, the Ethiopians planted their flags before beginning the return journey. The return, however, is described as arduous due to the onset of the rainy season, exacerbated by numerous snakes and insects. In conclusion, the author claims to have gathered extensive geographical data and various specimens, as well as to have conducted numerous surveys.

Bio

Leonid Artamonov was a Russian military engineer, general, geographer, author, and traveller. He received his education at the Mikhailovskii Cadet School and the General Staff Academy. In 1897, Artamonov joined a Russian diplomatic mission to Ethiopia, where he served as a military adviser to Emperor Menelik II, aiding in the modernisation of the Ethiopian military. He participated in an expedition to the White Nile and assisted Ethiopian forces in conflicts with Sudanese troops. When Artamonov returned to Russia he enlisted in the Russian Army during World War I. Artamonov was an active member of the Russian Geographical Society, and wrote a book about his experiences in Ethiopia entitled Through Ethiopia to the White Nile. He also led a group of military analysts during the Anglo-Boer War and commanded fortresses in Vladivostok and Kronstadt. After the 1917 Revolution, Artamonov continued his work in scientific, engineering, and military fields under the Soviet government. He lived in Saint Petersburg until his death in 1932.

Sources

M. Zabrodskaia, Russkie puteshestvenniki po Afrike, Moskva 1955;

M. Rait, Russkie ekspeditsii v Efiopii v seredine XIX-nachale XX vv. i ikh etnograficheskie materialy, “Afrikanskii etnograficheskii sbornik”, 1956, 1, p. 220-281;

M. Gornung, I. Oleinikov, Geograficheskoe izuchenie Afriki v Rossii, in Izuchenie Afriki v Rossii (dorevoliutsionnogo perioda), ed. by A. Davidson, G. Nersesov, Moskva 1977, p. 30-71;

I. Kantselson, Predislovie, in: L. Artamonov, Cherez Efiopiiu k beregam Belogo Nila, Moskva 1979.

M.E.