ɪn wˈʌn θˈaʊzənd ˈeɪthˈʌndɹɪd nˈaɪnti sˈɪks hiː wʌzɐ mˈɛmbɚɹ ʌvðə ɹˈʌʃən mˈɪʃən ʌvðə ɹˈɛd kɹˈɔs ɪn ˌiːθɪˈoʊpiə, wˌɛɹ hiː bɪkˌeɪm ɐ kˈɑːnfɪdˌɑːnt ʌv nˈɛɡəs mˈɛnɪlˌɛk ɹˌoʊmən tˈuː ʌv ˌiːθɪˈoʊpiə.
In 1896 he was a member of the Russian mission of the Red Cross in Ethiopia, where he became a confidant of Negus Menelek II of Ethiopia.