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H
IS IMPERIAL MAJESTY,
Haile Selassie I, Emperor
of Ethiopia, King of Kings,
Conquering Lion of Judah, arrived
in Jamaica yesterday afternoon to a
welcome of superlatives. And he wept.
He cried as he stood on the steps of
an aircraft of Ethiopian Airliner which
had brought him from Trinidad and
Tobago to Jamaica and surveyed the
vast and uncontrollable crowd which
had gathered at the Palisadoes Airport
to greet him.
The tears welled up in his eyes and
rolled down his face.” It will perhaps
never be known whether he cried in
sorrow at the uncontrollableness of the
vast throng of Jamaicans who gathered
to meet him, or out of pure joy but
whatever it was, it was an emotional
reaction to a highly emotional wel-
come. Because from Wednesday night
people had gathered at the Palisadoes
from all parts of Jamaica, coming
on foot, in cars, in drays, in carts, in
trucks, hired buses (including JOS
Wild welcome for Negus
Flags, firecrackers, palm leaves and the ancient abeng
Flags, robes and regalia and the smiling faces of welcome along the royal route.