Vasin, N.A.: The Land of Black Christians. A Description of Abyssinia, its People and Nature

Title

Strana chernykh khristian. Opisanie Abissinii, ee zhitelei i prirody, Moskva 1905

The Land of Black Christians. A Description of Abyssinia, its People and Nature

Keywords

Summary

The book is addressed to children and aims at describing the population of “black Christians” in Ethiopia. It contains several illustrations of landscapes and local people. The author begins by presenting general information about the country, including its size and population. In chapters two to five details about nature, landscape, climate, flora and fauna are provided. In chapter six, the focus shifts to ethnographic commentary: Vasin asserts that the population is diverse, as it encompasses black people, Jewish minorities, and white communities. Following a discussion on the Jewish minority, referred to as Fellashi, the author proceeds to portray the Ethiopian people (Abyssinians). This includes descriptions of their physical appearance, clothing habits, societal structure, architecture, cuisine, and traditions and main rituals (funerals and weddings). In the following chapters the author explores the local economy and religion, highlighting the strength of the Christian faith. The book comes to an end with information on Ethiopia’s history (chapter nine), its military organisation (chapter ten), and with an overview of its main cities (chapter eleven).

Bio

Nikolai Vasin was the author of stories about military life in the Far East (Sick on a Camping Trip, 1904 and On a Bright Night in Manchuria, 1904) and books for children, including Nikola Salos: From the History of Pskov and a biography of Mikhail Zagoskin (1914). In 1910 he published a volume on the conquest of Siberia entitled Siberia: Essay on the Conquest and Settlement in Siberia. In 1903 he translated from French Paul Labbé’s Un bagne russe. L’île de Sakhaline. In a letter dated November 15, 1903, addressed to Anton Chekhov, Vasin requested to enhance his translation by incorporating brief references to Chekhov’s notable work, Sakhalin Island. Although the contents of Chekhov’s reply are unknown, the letter appears to have been positive, as the book was promptly published under the title Sakhalin Island. Travel Impressions.About Africa Vasin also published the short biography The Tireless Traveller. Life and Travels of H.M. Stanley (1905).

Sources

Arkhiv A.P. Chekhova: annotirovannoe opisanie pisem k A.P. Chekhovu, ed. by N. Meshcheriakov, Moskva 1939, p. 32-33;

Chekhov i mirovaia literatura, ed. by Z. Papernyi, E. Polotskaia, Moskva 1997, p. 358.

M.E.