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+            <titleStmt>
+                <title>March to Magdala</title>
+                <author><name reg="Henty, G. A.">G. A. Henty</name></author>
+            </titleStmt>
+            <publicationStmt>
+                <publisher>Project Gutenberg</publisher>
+                <date value="2012-04-17">April 17, 2012</date>
+                <idno type='etext-no'>39470</idno>
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+                  You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under
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+                <bibl>
+                    <title>March to Magdala.</title>
+                <author><name reg="Henty, G. A.">G. A. Henty</name></author>
+                    <imprint>
+                        <pubPlace>London</pubPlace>
+                        <publisher>Robson and Son</publisher>
+                        <date>1868</date>
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+      <div rend="page-break-before: right">
+<pb/><anchor id='Pgi'/>
+
+<p rend="center; font-size: large">
+THE MARCH TO MAGDALA.
+</p>
+
+<pb/><anchor id='Pgii'/>
+
+<p rend="center">
+LONDON:<lb/>
+ROBSON AND SON, GREAT NORTHERN PRINTING WORKS,<lb/>
+PANCRAS ROAD, N.W.
+</p>
+    
+</div>
+    
+<titlePage rend="page-break-before: always; center">
+<pb/><anchor id='Pgiii'/>
+    <docTitle>
+        <titlePart type="main">THE<lb/><lb/>
+<hi rend="font-size: xx-large">MARCH TO MAGDALA.</hi></titlePart>
+    </docTitle>
+    <lb/><lb/><lb/>
+    <byline><hi rend='smallcaps'>By</hi> <docAuthor>G. A. HENTY</docAuthor>,<lb/>
+    <hi rend="font-size: small">SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT OF THE <q>STANDARD;</q> AUTHOR OF
+<q>A SEARCH FOR A SECRET,</q> ETC.</hi></byline>
+    <lb/><lb/><lb/>
+    <docImprint><pubPlace>LONDON:</pubPlace><lb/>
+    <publisher>TINSLEY BROTHERS, CATHERINE STREET, STRAND.</publisher><lb/>
+    <date>1868.</date>
+    </docImprint>
+<pb/><anchor id='Pgiv'/>
+</titlePage>    
+    <div rend="page-break-before: right">
+        <index index="pdf" level1="Contents"/>
+        <head>Contents</head>
+        <divGen type="toc"/>
+    </div>
+    <div rend="page-break-before: right">
+<pb n='v'/><anchor id='Pgv'/>
+<index index="toc" level1="Preface"/><index index="pdf" level1="Preface"/>        
+<head>PREFACE.</head>
+
+<p>
+In submitting to the public in a collected form the
+Letters which have already appeared in the daily
+press, a Special Correspondent has the option of
+one of two courses. The one course is, to publish
+the Letters as nearly as possible as they originally
+stood, as a journal written from day to day, and
+from week to week; the other, to recast the whole,
+to rewrite the Letters, and to give a continuous
+narrative of the expedition as of a past event.
+The second of these courses has the advantage of
+unity of purpose; it will contain fewer errors, fewer
+mistaken predictions of the probable course of
+events, and, above all, less of the repetitions which
+must unavoidably occur in a series of letters. The
+style, too, will naturally be far smoother and more
+polished than in the original letters, written as they
+usually were in haste and under circumstances of
+great difficulty. But, on the other hand, such a
+narrative would lose much of the freshness which
+original letters possess, and it would be deficient
+in that interest which a knowledge of the hopes and
+<pb n='vi'/><anchor id='Pgvi'/>fears, the doubts and anticipations, the plans destined
+to be frustrated, and the opinions constantly
+varying with the course of events, must give to a
+narrative. The present tense too is far more pleasant
+and less monotonous than the preterite. I
+have therefore determined, in submitting my Letters
+for republication, to adhere as closely as possible
+to the original form and matter; not hesitating,
+however, to make many additions, alterations, and
+excisions, where subsequent information or the course
+of events have proved my opinions or conclusions
+to have been erroneous.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The present work does not profess to be a scientific
+record of the expedition. It gives neither statistics,
+general orders, nor official documents. This
+will no doubt be hereafter done by some officer far
+better qualified for the task than I can be. It is
+merely the plain narrative of a looker-on, who accompanied
+the expedition from the commencement
+of December 1867, when affairs at Zulla were at
+their worst, to the closing scene at Magdala. At
+the same time, I have not shrunk from stating my
+own opinions as to the course of events. A great
+disaster like that of the complete break-down of
+the Transport-train at Zulla cannot occur without
+grievous blame attaching to somebody. I conceive
+it to be one of the first duties of a correspondent
+to state fearlessly the persons and the causes which,
+<pb n='vii'/><anchor id='Pgvii'/>in his opinion, have brought on a great public disaster.
+Unpleasant, therefore, though it be to find
+fault, I have not hesitated to assign the blame where
+I consider it was due. This I did in the very first
+letter I wrote from Zulla after landing, before I had
+gone up to Senafe; and the opinion I then expressed,
+I now, after months have elapsed, and after
+hearing the matter discussed in every light, do not
+hesitate to reaffirm.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+With the exceptions I have alluded to, the
+Letters are the same in form and substance as when
+they appeared in the columns of the <hi rend='italic'>Standard</hi>; and
+although, for the reasons I have given, I am convinced
+that it is the wisest course to leave them
+so, yet, remembering as I do the circumstances of
+haste, fatigue, and difficulty under which they were
+written, I cannot but feel extreme diffidence in submitting
+them to the public <q>with all their errors
+on their head.</q>
+</p>
+
+<signed rend="text-align: right">G. A. H.</signed>
+    </div>
+<pb/><anchor id='Pgviii'/>
+</front>
+<body rend="page-break-before: right">
+    <div>
+<pb n="1"/><anchor id="Pg001"/>
+<index index="toc" level1="Introductory chapter"/><index index="pdf" level1="Introductory chapter"/>
+<head>INTRODUCTORY CHAPTER.</head>
+
+<p>
+The Abyssinian expedition has, from the time it was first
+determined upon, attracted an amount of attention, not only
+in Great Britain but throughout the civilised world, altogether
+disproportionate to the strength of the army employed,
+or to the extent of the interests at stake. The total force
+engaged was under, rather than over, 10,000 men; not one-fifth
+the strength of an army which we might ourselves put
+into the field for a campaign in India; scarcely a fiftieth
+of the force at the command of either of the great Continental
+Powers. It was clearly not the magnitude of the
+expedition, then, which attracted attention: it was the extraordinary
+and novel circumstances under which it was
+undertaken; the almost insurmountable difficulties to be
+overcome; the unknown nature of the country to be traversed,
+and the romantic disinterestedness of the motives
+which led England to embark upon it, which has rendered
+it one of the most interesting and notable campaigns ever
+undertaken. Since the expedition of Pizarro and Cortes in
+the middle ages, no such novel and hazardous expedition
+is on record. The country itself was like that of the far-famed
+Prester John—everything about it smacked of the
+marvellous. It was more mountainous, more inaccessible,
+more war-loving, more wild than any other country in the
+<pb n="2"/><anchor id="Pg002"/>world. The king with whom we waged war was a potentate
+who by his military talents had raised himself from a
+comparatively obscure position to the sovereignty of all
+Abyssinia: he was enlightened beyond his race; patronised
+strangers, encouraged manufactures, endeavoured in every
+way to improve the condition of his country, and was yet
+a bloodthirsty tyrant. The people themselves were a strange
+race, far more civilised than other African nations, Christians
+in the midst of a Mahometan and Pagan continent, a mixture
+of many races—African, Greek, Arab, and Jew. Altogether
+it was a land of romance. Nor had travellers done
+much to enlighten us as to the country. Some had described
+it as fertile in the extreme; others had spoken of
+it as a land of mountain and defile, where no sustenance
+could be hoped for for the army. They had united only
+in prophesying evil things—hunger and thirst, inaccessible
+mountain and pathless wastes, fever, cholera, small-pox,
+dysentery, the tetse-fly, tapeworm, and guinea-worm. We
+were to be consumed with fire; we were to be annihilated
+with stones rolled upon us when in ravines; we were to be
+cut off in detail upon our marches; we were to be harassed
+to death by repeated night and day attacks. All these and
+many other prophecies were freely uttered, and it really
+appeared as if our expedition was to partake strongly of
+the nature of a forlorn-hope. The friends of officers and
+men said good-bye to them as if they were going to certain
+death, and insurance-offices doubled and trebled the premium
+upon their lives. All this assisted to raise the public
+interest and anxiety to the highest point. It is needless
+now to say that almost the whole of the adverse predictions
+were entirely falsified, and that we have met with no
+diffi<pb n="3"/><anchor id="Pg003"/>culties whatever beyond mountain and ravine, the want of
+transport, and the scarcity of food.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Generally as the subject is known, it is yet necessary,
+before commencing the history of the campaign, to say a
+few words upon the events which preceded and caused it;
+and as the subject has been exhausted by Dr. Beke in his
+able work on the Abyssinian captives, I cannot do better
+than preface my story with a brief epitome of the facts recited
+in his volume. Dr. Beke was well-acquainted with
+Mr. Plowden, our late Consul there, and knew thoroughly
+the whole of the events which led to the captivity of the
+English party, and he was in intimate communication with
+their friends here. His statements are supported by numerous
+official documents; and this volume, in which he
+now sets forth the state of the case, may be apparently received
+with confidence as reliable in every particular.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The kingdom of Abyssinia is of extreme antiquity, and
+was once a great and flourishing empire. It has been ruled
+by a succession of monarchs claiming direct descent from
+Menilek, the son of King Solomon by the Queen of Sheba.
+For the last century the legitimate monarch has had very
+little power, the real authority being in the hands of the
+most powerful of the chiefs of the various tribes composing
+the empire, and who, as in turns they became dominant,
+assumed the title of ras or vizier, keeping the puppet emperor
+in a state of honourable captivity, administering affairs
+and carrying on wars without the slightest reference to his
+wishes and opinions. The kingdom of Abyssinia consists
+of an immense elevated plateau or table-land, of great fertility,
+and possessing a temperate and agreeable climate.
+At its north-eastern extremity it approaches very nearly to
+<pb n="4"/><anchor id="Pg004"/>the sea, the port of Massowah at that point being its natural
+outlet. Towards the south the table-land trends away from
+the sea, being separated from it by a wide low-lying plain,
+inhabited by Mahometan tribes. The religion of the natives
+of Abyssinia itself has been from very early times Christian,
+and they possess a native version of the Scriptures which
+dates from the fourth century of the Christian era. The
+laws of this singular people are, like our own, founded upon
+the code of Justinian. The various tribes which form the
+empire, although acknowledging the supremacy of the emperor,
+are yet virtually independent, paying a mere nominal
+tribute, and making war upon and deposing him whenever
+they feel strong enough to do so. These tribes are
+very numerous, but the principal may be considered to be
+those inhabiting Tigre, which is the province nearest to
+Massowah, and therefore commanding the avenues of approach
+to the interior; Amhara, the capital, lying to the
+south of Tigre, Lasta in the centre, and Shoa, Godjam, and
+Kwara to the west. Of these Tigre is the representative of
+the ancient kingdom. It is almost entirely surrounded by
+the river Takkazye, which separates it from the rest of the
+empire; and its inhabitants speak the language of the ancient
+Ethiopic, in which is the early version of the Bible. Since
+the middle of the sixteenth century the Turks have claimed
+the entire seaboard, but have only occupied the Sawakin and
+Massowah.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+In the year 1810 the English Government, alarmed at
+the attempts of the French to obtain a footing in Egypt, dispatched
+Mr. Salt, afterwards Consul-General in Egypt, to
+Abyssinia, to open friendly relations with that power; and
+that gentleman, being unable to penetrate beyond Tigre, the
+<pb n="5"/><anchor id="Pg005"/>chief of which country was at the time the ras, or most
+powerful chief in the kingdom, delivered the letter from
+King George, and the accompanying presents, to that personage.
+Almost simultaneously, however, the power of the
+French in the Indian Ocean was annihilated, and a few years
+afterwards the fall of Napoleon relieving the British Government
+of all fear of French aggression in the East, the diplomatic
+relations between England and Tigre came to an end.
+A constant jealousy and struggle, however, appears to have
+been maintained between the Protestant and Roman Catholic
+missions, which were alternately fostered and expelled by the
+various sovereigns of the country.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+In 1847 a British consulate was established, Mr. Plowden
+being selected for the post. He unfortunately committed the
+great error of entering into friendly relations with the potentate
+of Amhara, in place of the independent chief of Tigre,
+who, possessing the only outlet of communication, rendered an
+alliance with Amhara completely nugatory to both parties.
+Mr. Plowden himself, when too late, seems to have discovered
+that he had committed an error, and wrote to the Earl of
+Clarendon, who was then Foreign Secretary, that he feared
+that little commercial advantage could be obtained. His
+lordship replied that, having made the treaty and established
+the consulate, her Majesty’s Government were reluctant
+to renounce all hope of benefit, and begged him to suggest
+some plan of establishing himself at Massowah or some
+other seaport, and of keeping up a communication with the
+interior.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Mr. Plowden in his report gave full details as to the
+country, and especially the northern portion, into which the
+Egyptians were constantly making plundering expeditions,
+<pb n="6"/><anchor id="Pg006"/>carrying off the cattle and inhabitants, and selling the latter
+as slaves. Consul Plowden wrote strongly to the Egyptian
+authorities upon their conduct, and in consequence of his
+representations Lord Clarendon remonstrated energetically
+with the Viceroy of Egypt upon his aggressions against
+Abyssinia. While this was going on, a remarkable man had
+made his appearance. Dedjatj Kassai was chief of one of
+the Kawra tribes. A man of great ambition and talent, he
+conceived the design of making himself master of the whole
+of Abyssinia, and in turn attacked and defeated the neighbouring
+potentates, and speedily conquered the whole of the
+country, with the exception only of Tigre, and then assumed
+the title of the Emperor Theodore. Theodore is described in
+Mr. Plowden’s despatches as a man of good impulses, and a
+desire to rule well and wisely, but of a violent temper, and
+an inordinate pride in his kingly dignity and position. With
+him Mr. Plowden entered into negotiations for a treaty with
+England, for the despatch of an embassy to this country, and
+for the establishment of the British consulate in Abyssinia,
+with power and jurisdiction in all cases in which a British
+subject might be interested.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The Emperor objected to the clause conferring jurisdiction
+on the Consul, but promised to give the matter his earnest
+attention when he should find time to do so, as he was most
+favourably disposed towards England. Lord Clarendon highly
+approved of the course Consul Plowden was pursuing, and
+stated that the Queen would have much pleasure in receiving,
+and treating with due honour, the ambassadors whom his
+Majesty might send to her Court. The ratification of this
+treaty and the sending the embassy were put off in consequence
+of the constant wars in which Theodore was engaged
+<pb n="7"/><anchor id="Pg007"/>with rebellious tribes in various parts of his empire, but he
+always expressed himself as willing to carry out these engagements
+as soon as he could find leisure to enable him to
+do so. In March 1860, Consul Plowden was killed during
+his journey back to Massowah, from which he had been absent
+at the Court of Theodore for five years.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Mr. Layard most wrongfully accused Mr. Plowden, in a
+speech delivered in the House of Commons on June 30th,
+1865, of breach of duty. He stated that Consul Plowden,
+<q>instead of attending to the object with which he was placed
+there, that of encouraging commercial intercourse between
+Great Britain and Abyssinia, plunged into local intrigues....
+Her Majesty’s Government at once sent out instructions
+for him to return to his post at Massowah, and no
+longer to interfere in their local differences.</q> This accusation
+brought forth an indignant protest upon the part of Consul
+Plowden’s brother. He showed that Mr. Plowden was
+accredited to Abyssinia, and not to Massowah, which is a
+Turkish port without trade, and with no British subjects or
+interests to protect, and only valuable as the means of entry
+into Abyssinia, and of communication with Europe, and obviously
+for that reason only made the head-quarters of the
+consulate. The duties of the Consul were to watch and
+counteract foreign intrigue, to keep peace between Abyssinia
+and Egypt, to put down the slave-trade, and to encourage
+commerce; duties which it is evident he could not
+perform if remaining at Massowah, separated from the seat
+of the empire by a hostile tribe. Mr. Plowden pointed out
+that his brother had commenced his consulship by going into
+the interior with letters and presents to the reigning potentate,
+and that he had during his whole term of office remained
+<pb n="8"/><anchor id="Pg008"/>there with but few intermissions, his last visit there lasting
+for five years without a break. That during all this time he
+corresponded regularly with the Foreign Office, who were
+aware of his movements, and by whose instruction he was
+guided. Thus Mr. Plowden showed conclusively that the
+reckless attack which Mr. Layard so chivalrously made, five
+years after his death, upon an officer who had nobly performed
+most difficult duties, was altogether without foundation.
+Upon Consul Plowden’s death Captain Cameron was
+gazetted <q>her Majesty’s Consul in Abyssinia,</q> but it was only
+on February 9th, 1862, that he arrived at Massowah. His
+instructions were rather vague, a good deal being necessarily
+left to his own discretion, but he was generally enjoined to
+carry on Consul Plowden’s policy, to continue the negotiations
+for the treaty, and for the despatch of an embassy to
+England. Massowah was of course to be his head-quarters,
+but no injunctions were given him against going into the interior.
+On the contrary, he was furnished with letters and
+presents to the Emperor, to whom Earl Russell introduced
+him, and requested Theodore’s protection and favour in his
+behalf. Captain Cameron, during the period which elapsed
+between his appointment and his departure for his post, had
+been thoroughly instructed in the progress which had been
+made in the negotiations by Consul Plowden, and had full
+authority to take them up at the point at which they were at
+that gentleman’s death, and Mr. Stern, the missionary, was
+requested by Earl Russell himself to remain in London at
+that time in order to discuss with Captain Cameron the contemplated
+embassy and other matters. And yet, in the face
+of this, Mr. Layard ventured to say, in his place in Parliament,
+on October 31, 1865, when quoting Consul Cameron’s
+<pb n="9"/><anchor id="Pg009"/>despatch on the subject, <q>Now this was altogether contrary
+to the instruction he had received.</q> Consul Cameron was received
+with great state and courtesy by the Emperor Theodore,
+who again expressed his desire to send an embassy to England.
+But a day or two after the Consul reached the Abyssinian
+Court the intelligence arrived that our Consul at Jerusalem,
+who had been always looked upon, and who had acted
+as the protector of the Abyssinian colony there, had received
+orders from the Foreign Secretary to withdraw that protection,
+and that consequently their convent had been plundered
+by the Armenians. This affair of the Jerusalem Abyssinians
+is told by Dr. Beke with great clearness, but space forbids
+me here to enter upon it; suffice it that Earl Russell without
+the smallest cause or pretext withdrew the protection, or rather
+good offices, which had been extended by Lord Malmesbury
+to the Abyssinian colony, and which had been one cause of
+the goodwill with which England was regarded in Abyssinia.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Upon the day after this the Emperor saw Captain Cameron,
+told him that he had well considered the subject of the treaty,
+about which there would be no difficulty, and he presented
+him with a letter which he had written to her Majesty. In
+this, after many expressions of regard and good wishes, the
+Emperor expresses his intention of attacking the Turks on
+account of their constant aggressions upon him, and requests
+her Majesty to arrange for the safe-conduct of the ambassadors,
+whom he is prepared to send at once to England. Upon
+receiving this letter Consul Cameron at once started for
+the sea-coast. He was, however, stopped upon his way
+by a rebel chief; but his letters were sent down by a native
+messenger, and arrived in London the 12th February 1863.
+Captain Cameron himself, accompanied by the Emperor’s
+re<pb n="10"/><anchor id="Pg010"/>presentative and a strong escort, proceeded to Bogos, to examine
+into the truth of the alleged inroads of the Turks or
+Egyptians, as they are indifferently called, into that province.
+Finding that these were still continued, Captain Cameron
+wrote to Consul-General Colquhoun at Alexandria, begging
+him to remonstrate with the Egyptian Government. He also
+wrote to Earl Russell from Bogos, and twice to the Emperor,
+acquainting him with the steps he was taking for the protection
+of his subjects, in these respects taking as guide the
+conduct of his predecessor, Consul Plowden, acting, as the
+advocate of the cause of the Christian Abyssinians against
+the Turks, in perfect accord with the representative and
+favourite of the Emperor, who was his companion. It is
+therefore clear that there is not the least foundation for Earl
+Russell’s ill-advised allegation, <q>the chief cause of the Emperor’s
+anger with Consul Cameron was this journey to
+Bogos.</q> His proceedings, however, incurred the displeasure
+of both the Egyptian Government and the home authorities.
+In Mr. Plowden’s time Egypt had been in a state of disorganisation,
+and therefore the British Government had, on
+receiving their Consul’s account of the atrocities executed by
+the Egyptian troops upon the inhabitants of Bogos, addressed
+the energetic remonstrances of our Foreign Minister to the
+Viceroy; but now things were changed. Egypt was compact
+and strong, and Earl Russell would not for worlds
+offend so well regulated an ally; therefore a sharp reproof
+was sent off to Captain Cameron to mind his own business,
+and to return to Massowah. Such is the effect of a changed
+state of things, and poor Consul Cameron, by not reflecting
+on this, was blamed for doing precisely the same for which
+Consul Plowden had gained much credit.
+</p>
+
+<pb n="11"/><anchor id="Pg011"/>
+
+<p>
+When Captain Cameron returned to the Court in July,
+after his lengthened absence, his position was not a pleasant
+one, for he was still without an answer to the Emperor’s
+letter to the Queen, which had been sent off October 31st of
+the previous year; he had not, indeed, received as yet an
+answer to his own despatch enclosing that letter; for owing
+to delays it had not, as has been said, reached England until
+February the 12th, and Earl Russell had not thought it of
+sufficient importance to answer it for more than two months
+afterwards, and then without making the slightest allusion to
+the Emperor’s letter which it enclosed.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+After the Consul had parted with the Emperor’s representative
+at Bogos, he had made a visit into the Egyptian province
+of Soudan, in accordance with instructions he had received
+from the Foreign Office, to inquire into the prospects
+of cotton-growing there, as the subject of Egyptian cotton
+was then attracting great notice in England. This expedition
+added to the anger which the Emperor Theodore felt at not
+having received an answer to his letter to her Majesty. The
+following conversation took place at his first interview with
+Captain Cameron, and plainly enough testifies as to the real
+cause of the Emperor’s anger:
+</p>
+
+<p>
+<q>Where have you been since you parted from Samuel at
+Bogos?</q>
+</p>
+
+<p>
+<q>Into the frontier provinces of Soudan.</q>
+</p>
+
+<p>
+<q>What for?</q>
+</p>
+
+<p>
+<q>To see about cotton and trade, and so forth.</q>
+</p>
+
+<p>
+<q>Who told you to go there?</q>
+</p>
+
+<p>
+<q>The British Government.</q>
+</p>
+
+<p>
+<q>Have you brought me an answer from the Queen of
+England?</q>
+</p>
+
+<pb n="12"/><anchor id="Pg012"/>
+
+<p>
+<q>No.</q>
+</p>
+
+<p>
+<q>Why not?</q>
+</p>
+
+<p>
+<q>Because I have not received any communication from
+the Government upon the subject.</q>
+</p>
+
+<p>
+<q>Why, then, do you come to see me now?</q>
+</p>
+
+<p>
+<q>I request permission to return to Massowah.</q>
+</p>
+
+<p>
+<q>What for?</q>
+</p>
+
+<p>
+<q>Because I have been ordered by the Government to go
+there.</q>
+</p>
+
+<p>
+<q>So,</q> exclaimed the exasperated monarch, <q>your Queen
+can give you orders to go and visit my enemies the Turks,
+and then to return to Massowah; but she cannot send a
+civil answer to my letter to her. You shall not leave me
+till that answer comes.</q>
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Captain Cameron then, in July 1863, became a prisoner,—not
+in bonds, indeed, but a prisoner upon parole. In September
+the answer arrived from the Emperor Napoleon, to
+whom Theodore had despatched a letter at the same time as
+to the Queen. This answer gave great offence, as it was
+written by Marshal O’Neil, and not by the Emperor himself.
+Its contents, too, were singularly ill-judged, and the missive
+was torn to pieces before a council of the dignitaries by the
+Emperor, and trodden under foot. The French Consul and a
+companion were peremptorily ordered to quit the Abyssinian
+territory.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+In October arrived Earl Russell’s answer to Captain
+Cameron, but without the slightest allusion to Theodore’s
+letter. Up to this time no cause of dispute whatever had
+arisen between Messrs. Stern and Rosenthal and the Emperor;
+but the fury which Theodore felt at the slight so wantonly
+passed upon him by the British Foreign Secretary now
+<pb n="13"/><anchor id="Pg013"/>burst upon the heads of the whole of that nation. On October
+the 15th Captain Cameron’s servant, or messenger, was
+seized and beaten; and in the evening of the same day Mr.
+Stern’s two servants were seized and beaten so cruelly that
+they both died the same night. Mr. Stern himself, who was
+standing by at the time, happened, in his horror at the proceeding,
+to place his hand to his mouth. It was at once
+said he was biting his thumb at the Emperor, which is considered
+a threat of revenge; and he was accordingly seized
+and cruelly beaten, and his life was also for some time despaired
+of. For some time nothing further took place, and
+then the Emperor, who desired to justify in some way his fit
+of rage against a man with whom he had had no dispute or
+cause of complaint, had all Mr. Stern’s and Mr. Rosenthal’s
+books and papers examined and read, this office being performed
+by a Frenchman named Bardel, who appears throughout
+to have been a treacherous and bitter enemy of the English
+party. Enough criminatory matter was found here, in
+the shape of remarks in their diaries upon the conduct of the
+Emperor, and they were condemned to death; but this was
+commuted to imprisonment.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+On Nov. 22d a young Irishman named Kearns arrived
+with another despatch from the Foreign Office,—probably the
+one of August 13th, but which contained no allusion whatever
+to the Emperor’s letter. This naturally exasperated Theodore
+more than ever, and Captain Cameron was now ordered to
+be chained upon both hands. On the 4th of January Captain
+Cameron, his attendants, and the missionaries, were all
+put in fetters, and confined in the common prison. The
+cause of this fresh proof of the wrath of the King is reported
+by Mr. Steiger, a member of the Scottish mission, to have
+<pb n="14"/><anchor id="Pg014"/>been the arrival of the head of the Abyssinian convent at
+Jerusalem with the news that the British Consul there had
+declined to interfere in their behalf. Is anything further
+necessary to establish the fact that the treatment of the unfortunate
+missionaries was a mere episode incidental to the
+main question, which was entirely between the Emperor
+Theodore and the British Government?
+</p>
+
+<p>
+As to the long imprisonment, the torture and indignities
+inflicted upon the captives, they are already well known to
+the public. Let us now see what steps were taken by the late
+Government to procure their release.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The news of the imprisonment of Captain Cameron appeared
+in the Paris and London papers of the 15th of
+December; but no one could believe it, the favour in which
+the British Consul stood being a matter of notoriety. Lord
+Clarendon, however, stated in the House of Lords, in the debate
+on February 9, 1866, that the news had been received at
+the early date given of the Consul’s detention; but it was only
+upon March 16, 1864, or three months after it was known at
+the Foreign Office, that the London Society for promoting
+Christianity among the Jews received and made public the sad
+intelligence. Mrs. Stern wrote a petition to the Queen, asking
+her to send a letter under the sign-manual, written by herself
+to the Emperor. Lord Shaftesbury handed this letter to
+Earl Russell, adding his own prayer to that of Mrs. Stern’s,
+and requesting him to present the petition to the Queen. On
+the following day, May 7th, Earl Russell returned the petition,
+unpresented, to Lord Shaftesbury, saying that <q>after much
+deliberation he had come to the conclusion that he ought not
+to advise the Queen to write to the King of Abyssinia.</q>
+</p>
+
+<p>
+So matters might have remained to the present day had
+<pb n="15"/><anchor id="Pg015"/>not a note which Captain Cameron had written during his
+captivity been received by his relatives, and by them most
+indiscreetly published in the papers. In this he said that
+there was no hope of his release unless an answer was sent to
+the Emperor’s letter. Everyone was filled with indignation
+at the delay of fourteen months which had taken place in
+sending an answer to so important a document, and Earl
+Russell and his colleagues came to the conclusion that after
+all they ought to advise her Majesty to reply to the letter,
+which she accordingly did, and towards the end of June
+the letter was sent off. But so inefficiently was this done,
+that after it had reached Cairo it was sent back to England
+to have alterations made in it, and even then it was not
+perfect, for it was discovered many months afterwards that
+the royal signet had not been attached, and a fresh letter
+was accordingly sent out in February or March 1865. The
+person selected to carry out this delicate business was a
+Mr. Rassam, who had acted as paymaster to the men employed
+by Mr. Layard at Nineveh, and who was instructed
+to demand the release of Consul Cameron, but that as the
+other captives were not British subjects, he was not to speak
+too authoritatively in their behalf. But Mr. Rassam had,
+Dr. Beke affirms, another and far more delicate mission.
+<q>He was to make a good case for the British Government—to
+remove the blame from their shoulders, even if it were
+thrown on those of anyone else. It did not matter who
+might be the scapegoat as long as the Government were
+exonerated. This is said quite advisedly.</q> Mr. Rassam went
+to Massowah, where he remained a year doing apparently
+nothing whatever. Dr. Beke thinks that all along, both
+in this and in his subsequent conduct, when he went into
+<pb n="16"/><anchor id="Pg016"/>the interior and saw the Emperor, his conduct was not, to
+say the least of it, judicious. The release of the prisoners
+when Mr. Rassam did at last see the Emperor and present
+the Queen’s letter, and their subsequent imprisonment, together
+with Mr. Rassam, are known to all.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Throughout all the numerous debates in the Houses <anchor id="corr016"/><corr sic="o">of</corr>
+Parliament during this period, Earl Russell and Mr. Layard
+persistently endeavoured to burke all discussion by declaring
+that it would come to the ears of the Emperor; but when
+at last the House insisted upon being no longer put off with
+vague generalities, these two gentlemen, who had so deprecated
+anything being said which might hurt the feelings of
+the Emperor Theodore, were now guilty of applying the
+strongest and most offensive epithets to him, which, had
+they come to the knowledge of the Emperor, would have
+insured the instant execution of his captives. This was, to
+say the least of it, a strange and peculiar instance of inconsistency
+upon the part of these thoughtful statesmen. In
+consequence of these debates in the House, Earl Russell at
+length found that it was a matter which could no longer be
+tampered with, and he himself appointed Mr. Palgrave to
+start for Abyssinia to endeavour to effect the release of the
+Consul and his companions in captivity. Mr. Rassam, however,
+prevented anything being done by this gentleman.
+Nothing, indeed, if Dr. Beke is to be trusted, can be more
+extraordinary than the conduct of this person. He received
+the news of his recall while he was, as usual, waiting quietly
+at Massowah. Instantly he embarked in the steamer which
+brought the intelligence, steamed to Suez, and from there
+telegraphed to her Majesty’s agent and Consul-General in
+Egypt that Consul Cameron had been released. This is
+<pb n="17"/><anchor id="Pg017"/>proved to have been utterly without foundation, but it had
+the desired effect of putting a stop to Mr. Palgrave’s progress,
+that gentleman having arrived at Cairo, and being
+upon the point of proceeding up the Nile. Mr. Rassam
+declined all fellowship with Mr. Palgrave, and refused to
+agree to the proposition that one should proceed up the Nile
+and the other <hi rend="italic">viâ</hi> Massowah. Mr. Rassam then took the
+presents brought by Mr. Palgrave, and started back for
+Massowah, from whence he did what there is no apparent
+reason why he should not have done at first, started for the
+interior. Mr. Palgrave remained at Cairo to await the result
+of Mr. Rassam’s mission. There he remained when the
+news came, in March 1866, that the captives were <anchor id="corr017"/><corr sic="released.">released,</corr>
+and were on their way to the coast; there he remained
+until Mr. Flad arrived in Egypt with the news of the detention
+of Mr. Rassam and the captives; and then, extraordinary
+to state, when it would seem that he might be
+of use, he started off by the first steamer to England.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+As Dr. Beke says, the whole matter is an enigma which
+requires solution. This sudden passage of Mr. Rassam to
+Egypt upon the news of his recall being received by him,
+the untrue telegram which he sent off from thence, and
+which put a stop to Mr. Palgrave’s expedition—in short,
+every incident connected with the conduct of Mr. Layard’s
+ex-paymaster requires a most searching investigation.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Such is the account given by Dr. Beke; and as Mr.
+Layard, although openly attacked, has never disproved a
+single statement alleged against him, but has contented himself
+with vehement personal attacks upon Dr. Beke (probably
+upon the principle of the lawyer—<q>when you have no
+<pb n="18"/><anchor id="Pg018"/>case, blackguard your opponent</q>), it must be assumed that
+in all material points Dr. Beke’s statements are correct.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Such was the state of things when the Conservative
+Ministry came into power; and after another fruitless effort
+to ransom the prisoners, war was determined upon as the
+only resource remaining.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The announcement of the intention of Government was
+received with general satisfaction. It was not a war for
+which any enthusiasm was felt; there was no national glory
+to be gained, no national advantage; but a national stain was
+to be wiped off, and a party of our countrymen rescued
+from a position into which they had fallen by no fault whatever
+of their own, but by the disgraceful <hi rend="italic">lâches</hi> of the Government
+they served; therefore it may be said that England
+in general, if it did not enter heartily into the war, and
+winced a little at the thought of the probable enormous expense,
+yet cordially acquiesced in its necessity. War once
+determined upon, the columns of the newspapers were inundated
+with suggestions from everyone who had ever been
+in Abyssinia, and from a vast number of persons who had
+not; and these, although they differed upon almost every
+point, yet agreed upon piling danger upon difficulty, and
+horror upon horror, until the very air, earth, and water of
+Abyssinia seemed to swarm with worms and other creeping
+things. In the mean time the preparations went steadily on.
+Officers were sent from England to Egypt, Spain, and
+various parts of the Mediterranean to purchase mules; Woolwich
+was busied with the preparation of mountain guns;
+transports were taken up, hospital-ships were fitted out,
+and large quantities of tents and other stores sent out from
+the Tower. This was nearly all which England was to
+<pb n="19"/><anchor id="Pg019"/>contribute, for it was determined that the expedition should
+be entirely an Indian one, and that Bombay should have the
+honour as well as the responsibility of all the arrangements.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+As soon as orders were received from England to fit
+out an expedition with all speed, Sir Seymour FitzGerald,
+the Governor of Bombay, and Sir Robert Napier, Commander-in-chief
+of the Bombay army, set to work in earnest.
+The greatest credit is undoubtedly due to the former
+for his untiring zeal and earnestness; he was indefatigable:
+but at the same time I doubt greatly the wisdom of committing
+the arrangements connected with a great expedition of
+this sort to a civilian, who necessarily must be unacquainted
+with the requirements of an army, and who must be entirely
+guided by the advice of his council. The consequence
+was that Sir Robert Napier was obliged to consult the Governor
+on every point, and the Governor again had to consult
+his own military adviser, an officer necessarily of far
+less standing than Sir Robert Napier, who was thus liable
+to be overruled, nominally by the Governor, but in reality
+by a subordinate officer. Thus, as one instance out of many,
+Sir Robert Napier’s plan for a transport train, which was
+sent in to the Governor for sanction early in September,
+was entirely put aside, and the new scheme was not issued
+by the Governor for two months afterwards; thus Sir Robert,
+who when he once arrived in Abyssinia was solely
+responsible, was liable to have the whole of his arrangements
+destroyed by the break-down of a transport train,
+with the organisation of which he had nothing whatever
+to do.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+As the present is merely a narrative of the march of the
+army to Magdala, I must pass cursorily over the
+prepara<pb n="20"/><anchor id="Pg020"/>tions in Bombay. I will, however, give a few extracts from
+the memoranda issued by Sir Robert Napier, and which will
+be sufficient to show how accurately he estimated the difficulties
+of the work to be done, and how thoroughly he
+thought over every detail.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+In his memorandum of August 8th, Sir Robert Napier
+estimates that he will require 12,000 men, for that 2000 must
+remain at the port, and at Post No. 1 upon the high land
+(Senafe); 2000 men at Antalo, or at some similar point in advance;
+and 2000 men to keep open communication with the
+advanced column, and to support it if necessary.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+In minute of August 31st, he farther develops his plans.
+He there speaks of Post No. 1 as at Zulla, Post No. 2 as at
+Senafe, Post No. 3 as at Antalo, which, he says, <q>will be
+one of great importance, and should be very strong.</q> <q>Post
+No. 4 will probably be not far from Socota, which will also
+be a very vital point. It is in a difficult and rugged country,
+and will be our last main base of supplies from which the
+operating force will be supported.</q> Farther on he says: <q>It
+will be necessary to convey to our extreme base, which for
+convenience I will call Socota, for the force required to hold
+that mountainous country, and for the corps of operation
+(probably in all 7000 men), supplies for four months.</q> In
+the same minute he says: <q>On advancing from Post No. 2
+(Senafe) the leading division will move forward at once to
+Antalo, and the remainder of the advancing force will take
+post upon the road to cover the transit of supplies for five
+months from No. 2 to No. 3, being posted at stations where
+they may obtain water and forage, and then supplies will be
+passed on to the front for 9000 men. From Antalo the same
+process will be repeated until the supplies for 7000 men shall
+<pb n="21"/><anchor id="Pg021"/>have been carried to Post No. 4 at Socota. From that point
+the operative column will act with supplies for one or two
+months as may be convenient.</q>
+</p>
+
+<p>
+These extracts are exceedingly interesting, as they show
+the original plans of the campaign as laid down by Sir Robert
+Napier. In the course of the narrative, it will be seen how entirely
+this plan had to be deviated from, owing to the scarcity
+of food and forage, and the partial break-down of the transport
+train; how Post No. 4, described as of <q>vital</q> importance,
+had to be altogether dispensed with; and how, in consequence,
+the army, when within five or six days of Magdala,
+were almost destitute of supplies, while their base at Antalo
+was two hundred miles distant.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+On September 12th Sir Robert issued an excellent memorandum
+on the fitting-up of the ships and the appliances for
+landing animals, and making many suggestions for the health
+and comfort of the troops.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+In regard to the selection of the troops to form the expedition,
+Sir Robert himself chose the various regiments. A considerable
+discussion arose between the different Presidencies,
+Madras and Bengal naturally wishing to contribute as large a
+quota as possible. Upon this subject the General wisely said,
+September 5th: <q>I consider it especially of advantage to
+have the native regiments, if possible, of one army, as they
+work in harmony with and rely upon each other; if they are of
+different Presidencies, feelings of great bitterness arise when
+one or other is left in the rear, and partialities are conjured
+up as the reason why one or other is not taken to the
+front.</q>
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Considerable correspondence took place in relation to the
+formation and constitution of the pioneer force, concerning
+<pb n="22"/><anchor id="Pg022"/>which the General’s opinion was overruled by that of his
+excellency the Governor. The following extract from memorandum
+of September 8th fully shows this: <q>I concluded that
+I should receive some formal and definite information of any
+change in his excellency’s views or plans, and I was therefore
+not prepared to learn from Colonel Marriott, when the
+expedition was nearly ready to proceed, that his Excellency
+had decided to submit entirely to Colonel Merewether the responsible
+duty of determining finally the point of debarkation,
+and of converting the reconnoissance into an occupation of
+the coast by a body of about 1500 men. Of all the various
+circumstances which may have led his Excellency to this conclusion,
+I am not fully informed; but I entertain strong objections
+to the question being left entirely to Colonel Merewether’s
+decision,—he being, in compliance with his Excellency’s
+opinion (expressed in his Excellency’s note to Colonel
+Marriott), in military command of the party,—because, while
+concurring entirely with his Excellency in his high estimation
+of that officer, it has seemed to me that Colonel Merewether
+has strong preconceived opinions in favour of a line of route
+which from the most recent reports, especially that of M.
+Munsinger, appears to me to be one that would be dangerous
+to the success of the expedition, and that his selection of a
+point of debarkation will be sensibly influenced by such very
+strong and sincere opinions.</q> Sir Robert Napier’s protest
+was attended to, and other officers were associated with Colonel
+Merewether; but this extract is sufficient to show how much
+was done by the Governor of Bombay without the concurrence
+or even consultation of Sir Robert Napier.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The general instructions to the pioneer force were precise:
+they were directed to select a place of landing, and then to
+<pb n="23"/><anchor id="Pg023"/>inquire about the question of obtaining carriage and supplies
+from the natives (this last being Colonel Merewether’s
+special duty); and to Colonel Wilkins, R.E., was assigned
+specially to determine the adaptability of the shore for landing,
+the erection of piers, floating wharves, and shelter of all
+kinds; he was also ordered to advise upon the military value
+of positions selected, and to assist in general <anchor id="corr023"/><corr sic="reconnoisance">reconnoissance</corr>.
+But the point upon which above all others General
+Napier laid stress was, that the pioneer force should on no
+account push forward into the high land; he knew that there
+could be no possible utility in their so doing, and that it
+would entail a great and unnecessary labour to provision them
+at a distance from the sea, especially up so difficult a country.
+Both upon Colonel Merewether and Colonel Phayre did he
+impress this point. In his letter of the 9th October to the
+former officer he said, <q><hi rend="italic">It is not at all intended that this
+force shall take up a position on the high ground</hi>, for which
+its strength and composition are unfitted.</q> Farther on he
+says, <q>If news is satisfactory, Staveley’s brigade will sail, and
+<hi rend="italic">upon its arrival</hi> the advance may be made.</q> To Colonel
+Phayre he was equally explicit. In a letter to him dated 9th
+October he says, <q><hi rend="italic">It is not of course intended that Colonel
+Field should move to the high table-land</hi> at Dexan, &amp;c., but
+merely to take up such position as will cover the dépôt and
+protect the cattle.</q> And again farther on, <q>You will understand
+that it is <hi rend="italic">not my desire to precipitate a lodgment upon
+the table-land</hi>, which we should have to maintain too long
+before advancing.</q>
+</p>
+
+<p>
+How these officers carried out the instructions thus clearly
+and strongly laid down, we shall see hereafter.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+It is needless now to enter into any detail of the
+prepara<pb n="24"/><anchor id="Pg024"/>tions at Bombay, but it may be said that they were of the
+most extensive and complete character. Everything which
+could be thought of was provided for the health and comfort
+of the troops. Money was lavished like water; but, in the
+haste and bustle which prevailed, there is no question that the
+authorities were in many cases grossly imposed upon, and
+that stores were sent out of quality so utterly bad as to be
+perfectly useless. I may mention as an example the boots for
+the drivers of the transport train, which never lasted over a
+week, and very few of which attained even that comparatively
+respectable age. As with these, so with many other stores;
+but it is probable that cases of this sort are inseparable
+from a hastily-prepared expedition. The stores which were
+subsequently forwarded were very much better in quality.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+After these introductory remarks, I begin my narrative
+from the date of my own sailing from Bombay.
+</p>
+
+</div><div rend="page-break-before: always">
+<pb n="25"/><anchor id="Pg025"/>
+<index index="toc" level1="The March to Magdala"/><index index="pdf" level1="The March to Magdala"/>
+<head>THE MARCH TO MAGDALA.</head>
+    
+    <div>
+<index index="toc" level1="On board Transport General Havelock, December 1st, 1867"/>
+        <index index="pdf" level1="On board Transport General Havelock, December 1st, 1867"/>
+<dateline>
+On board Transport General Havelock,<lb/>
+December 1st, 1867.
+</dateline>
+
+<p>
+I am happy to say that, speaking personally, the Abyssinian
+expedition has begun. I am on my way to that cheerful
+and well-ordered country. Had I known on landing in Bombay
+that I should be detained there for a month, I should
+have made myself very comfortable, and should have enjoyed
+myself exceedingly. But I thought that, although the Commander-in-chief
+and the main body of the expedition were
+not sailing for two months, I should do better to push on at
+once. I accordingly applied for a passage, and was promised
+one as soon as possible. This phrase, <q>as soon as possible,</q>
+in the mouth of an ordinary individual, means something.
+From an official it means just nothing. It is merely
+one of those vague ambiguities in which the official mind
+delights. It is a phrase which admits of no argument whatever.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Day after day passed, and nothing came of it. A steamer
+or two started, but although we expressed our willingness to
+sleep on deck, and put up with any accommodation whatever,
+no room could be found. One of our number, hopeless
+and disgusted, took passage in the last Peninsular and
+<pb n="26"/><anchor id="Pg026"/>Oriental steamer, and is probably at the present moment wandering
+about Aden, praying for a passage across. I thought
+it better to wait here until I could be taken direct to our
+destination. At last came the intelligence that our horses
+could be put on board a sailing-ship. This was something
+done, and I felt really thankful when, after a long day’s work,
+I left the ship’s side, leaving the horses and their syces on
+board. Indeed, the servant question is one of the most serious
+of those which present themselves to the mind of an intending
+Abyssinian expeditionist. It is not difficult to get one.
+You only have to speak, to get half-a-dozen servants and
+syces. But you know, both by the warnings of your friends
+and by your own instincts, that so many applicants, so many
+rogues. It is at present the very best profession in Bombay
+to get hired to a master going to Abyssinia, and to disappear
+two days before he leaves with his purse and any
+other portable valuables which may come handy. My first
+servant, a mild Hindoo of engaging aspect, was seized with
+a pulmonary affection, while his brother, who was servant to
+a friend of mine, was at the last moment melted by the tears
+of an aged and despairing mother, and both left us; but not
+until some hours after their departure did we find that they
+had, of course accidentally, carried away with them a considerable
+amount of specie and small valuables. When at last
+a servant is obtained who really does mean to go to Abyssinia,
+there is no little trouble to be gone through with him.
+He must have a month’s, or perhaps two months’, pay in advance.
+He must have an arrangement made for the payment
+of the greater part of his wages to his family during his
+absence. He must be provided, at your expense, with warm
+clothes, boots, blankets, &amp;c.; and all this with the strong
+<pb n="27"/><anchor id="Pg027"/>chance of his bolting at the last moment. One of my syces
+alarmed me greatly by not turning up on the morning when
+the horses were to be embarked; but he finally appeared upon
+the landing-stage just as they were being slung into a lighter,
+three hours after the time named. Whether he or any of the
+syces finally accompanied the horses I am unable to say, as
+the ship, instead of sailing that afternoon as positively settled
+by the authorities, was detained three or four days; and it is
+very probable that during that time the syces slipped ashore
+with their warm clothes, advance of wages, &amp;c. This painful
+question cannot be solved until the ship with the horses
+arrives at Annesley Bay. Another four or five days passed,
+and then came the welcome order to go at once on board
+the General Havelock, which was to start the next day at
+noon. On board we accordingly went, but found, as we anticipated,
+that there was no chance of her starting for that
+day at any rate. The usual conflict of departments was taking
+place. Some department had ordered a force of twenty
+European soldiers and fifty Sepoys belonging to the transport
+train to come on board. This they did. Then came a
+committee of some other department, and questioned whether
+the Havelock was fit to carry this force, and whether
+they had not better be transferred to some other ship.
+Finding that the men’s things were all below, it was determined
+to leave them as they were. Then the same committee,
+with a view, I suppose, of making the vessel more
+comfortable, determined to send three and a half tons of
+gunpowder on board, and with this intent sent a carpenter
+in the course of the afternoon, who took down the only
+available bath, and prepared to convert the same into a powder-magazine.
+The next morning the same carpenter came
+<pb n="28"/><anchor id="Pg028"/>on board and brought some more tools, and then returned
+to shore. In the afternoon he fetched the tools away. In
+the mean time one department had sent the water-lighter
+alongside; but another department had sent no tanks on
+board to receive it. Presently that department sent some
+tanks, but as it had not occurred to it to measure the hatchways,
+the tanks were considerably larger than the opening
+down which they had to go, so they had to be taken away
+and a fresh set of tanks brought on board. Then, long after
+dusk, the water-ship again came alongside, and we took in
+our water. In the mean time we went ashore to the department
+which had sent us on board, to ask when it was probable
+that the Havelock would really sail. We were assured
+by that department that she had already started, and we had
+great difficulty in persuading it that she was still at anchor,
+and likely to remain so. The next morning, the powder not
+having arrived, and nothing more having been heard either
+of it or of the carpenter, our captain got up steam and
+started; and it is by no means improbable that the powder,
+with one or two committees of departments, are at present
+cruising about Bombay harbour looking for the Havelock.
+And yet ours is an absolutely favourable example, for a
+steamer last week was detained six days after the date of
+the embarkation of its passengers. And if this confusion
+exists now, when only one or two vessels are starting a-week,
+what a scene of confusion will it be when the main body of
+the force sails! It always is so, and always will be so, as
+long as our army is managed by a set of independent departments,
+who have no concert whatever between them. We
+have here the quartermaster-general’s department, the
+commissariat, the land-transport, the marine, the
+adjutant-<pb n="29"/><anchor id="Pg029"/>general’s department, the ordnance, and so on <hi rend="italic">ad infinitum</hi>.
+Military men are the first and loudest to complain of this
+multiplication of offices without union or concert, which work
+together well enough in quiet times, but which in emergencies
+paralyse each other’s efforts, and cause a confusion in
+exact proportion to their own number. It needs some military
+reformer of an iron will, and an assured parliamentary
+support, to put an end to all this, to do away with the independence
+of the various departments of the service, and
+to make them all subordinate branches of the adjutant-general’s
+office; so that a general upon service may give his
+orders to his adjutant-general only, and the latter may instruct
+the officers of the departments under him as to what
+should be done. All indents and orders should be given to
+him alone, and he should be responsible for the working of
+the several branches. In some respects it turned out to be
+as well that we had not started at the time named, for at
+night, when the rations were served out to the troops, it
+was found that both the porter and arrack, which form a
+somewhat important part of a soldier’s rations, had not been
+sent on board by the commissariat. Great was the consternation.
+However, fortunately next day, while departments
+were skirmishing over water and water-tanks, and the carpenter
+was going and coming with his tools, there was time
+to send to the commissariat, and for them to repair their
+error.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The General Havelock is a steamer of about 250 tons,
+and the object of her builders appears to have been to combine
+the maximum of rolling qualities with the minimum of
+speed. In calm weather she can steam six and a half knots
+an hour; in a slight swell she can roll to an angle of
+thirty-<pb n="30"/><anchor id="Pg030"/>five degrees. Having said this, I have said all that can be
+said in dispraise of the vessel. She has capital accommodation
+for a ship of her size, a snug little poop-deck, extremely
+comfortable seats and chairs, a perfect absence of any smell
+from the engine-room, and one of the jolliest skippers in existence.
+So we are very comfortable. We are five in number;
+three officers of the Land Transport Corps, and two
+<q>specials;</q> and as we get under the awnings on the poop-deck,
+while a fair breeze is helping us along at the rate of
+eight knots an hour, we agree that we have all the advantages
+of keeping a steam-yacht without the expense. The
+charge Government makes to officers while on board is eight
+rupees a-day, which is handed over to the captain of the
+ship, who has to supply everything for that sum. I do not
+think that the captain of the Havelock will be a gainer by
+this transaction. We all sleep on deck, not from necessity,
+for there are plenty of berths below, but partly because the
+nights on deck are charming, although a little cold, and
+partly from horror of a species of monster, which appears
+to me to be as large as cats—but this may be the effect
+of imagination and extreme terror—and to run much faster.
+They have many legs, and horns resembling bullocks’. They
+are fearless of man, and indeed attack him with ferocity.
+I call them vampires—their ordinary name is cockroaches.
+This sleeping on deck is attended with occasional drawbacks.
+Last night I was awakened by a splash of water on my face.
+Thinking it was spray, I pulled my rug over my face, but
+only for an instant, for a rush of water came down upon
+me as if emptied from a bucket. In an instant everyone was
+upon his feet, and began dragging his bed over to the leeward
+side of the ship. But it was no use. The rain tore
+<pb n="31"/><anchor id="Pg031"/>across the deck as if pumped by a hundred steam fire-engines,
+and nothing remained for us but to beat a retreat
+down through the cabin staylight, for to go outside the awning
+by the ordinary poop-ladder was out of the question.
+Our first amazement and consternation over, we had a great
+laugh as we gained the cabin-floor, drenched through, and
+with our silk sleeping-dresses clinging to us in the most
+uncomfortable manner. By the time we had changed these
+the storm was over as suddenly as it had begun, and taking
+fresh rugs we soon regained our beds, which, turned over,
+were dry enough on the lower side for all practical purposes.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Over the engine-room is a large bridge-deck, and here
+are the quarters of the European soldiers, twenty-five in
+number, while the sepoys occupy the main deck. Both the
+Europeans and sepoys are volunteers from various regiments
+into the Land Transport Train. This is a newly-organised
+corps, and is only formed for the purposes of the expedition,
+both officers and men returning at its conclusion to their
+regiments. It is commanded by Major Warden, and consists
+of fourteen divisions, each containing two thousand baggage-animals.
+To look after each of these divisions are a
+captain and two subalterns, together with thirty-eight men—Europeans
+and sepoys, who are divided into four classes.
+When it is remembered that among the two thousand animals
+are oxen, horses, mules, camels, and elephants, and that
+there will be an attendant to each two animals, it will be
+seen that the post of officer in a division of the Land Transport
+Corps will be by no means a sinecure. His difficulties,
+too, will be heightened by the fact that the drivers will be
+men of innumerable nationalities and races—Spaniards and
+Italians with the mules, Greeks from Smyrna and Beyrout,
+<pb n="32"/><anchor id="Pg032"/>Egyptians and Nubians, Arabs and Affghans, together with
+men from all the varied tribes of India. The sepoys who
+are with us do not appear to me at all the sort of men for
+the service. They belong entirely to infantry regiments,
+and are quite unaccustomed to horses. The Hindoo is not
+naturally a horseman; and to take a number of infantry
+sepoys and put them on horses, and set them at once to
+severe work, is an absurdity, which will be speedily demonstrated
+to be such by the men being knocked up and in hospital
+by the end of the first week. Only men belonging
+to the native cavalry should have been allowed to volunteer.
+It is true that many of the Europeans also belong to line
+regiments, but the same objection does not hold good to
+them, for most Englishmen are more or less accustomed to
+horses, and if not they soon fall into it.
+</p>
+
+<milestone unit="tb" rend="rule: 30%"/>
+</div><div>
+    <index index="toc" level1="Annesley Bay, December 4th"/>
+    <index index="pdf" level1="Annesley Bay, December 4th"/>
+<dateline>Annesley Bay, December 4th.</dateline>
+
+<p>
+Our voyage has not terminated so uneventfully as it began,
+and I am no longer writing on board the General Havelock,
+but on the Salsette, a very fine Peninsular and Oriental
+steamer, having a portion of the 33d regiment from Kurrachee
+on board, and having the Indian Chief, with another
+portion of the same regiment, in tow. This Red-Sea navigation
+is a most intricate and dangerous business, and this
+western shore is in particular completely studded with
+islands and coral-reefs. These islands differ entirely in
+their character—some are bold rocks rising perpendicularly
+from the water with rugged peaks and fantastic outlines, and
+attaining an elevation of two or three hundred feet; others,
+far more dangerous, are long flat islets, rising only two or
+<pb n="33"/><anchor id="Pg033"/>three feet above the sea, and imperceptible on a dark night
+at a distance of fifty yards. Still others, again, most dangerous
+of all, have not yet attained the dignity even of islets,
+although millions of little insects work night and day to bring
+them up to the surface. These are the coral-reefs, which,
+rising from a depth of many fathoms to within a few feet of
+the surface, form so many pitfalls to the unsuspecting mariner.
+The General Havelock was running along the coast
+with a favourable breeze, and we had been all the morning
+watching the low shore, with its stunted bushes and the
+strangely-conical hills which rise from it, bearing a fantastic
+resemblance to haycocks, and barns, and saddles, and
+with a mighty range of mountains in the distance. These
+mountains had a strange interest to us, for among and over
+them we have to go. They were our first sight of Abyssinia,
+and were by no means encouraging as a beginning.
+In this way we spent the morning, and after lunch were
+about to resume doing nothing, when we were startled by
+hearing the man who was standing in the chains heaving the
+lead, shout out, <q>Five fathoms!</q> His call two minutes before
+had been ten fathoms. The captain shouted <q>Stop
+her!</q> <q>Turn her astern!</q> and the chief engineer leapt below
+to see the order carried out. In the momentary pause
+of the beat of the screw, the leadman’s voice called out
+<q>Two fathoms!</q> The screw was reversed, and a rush of
+yellow foaming water past the side of the ship told us at
+once that it was at work, and that the sandy bottom was
+close to her keel. Very gradually we stopped, and were
+congratulating ourselves on the near shave we had had,
+when, looking over her side, we saw that, vigorously as the
+screw was working astern, the ship remained just where
+<pb n="34"/><anchor id="Pg034"/>she was. The General Havelock was palpably ashore. At
+first we were disposed to make light of the affair, for,
+grounding as she did imperceptibly, we imagined that she
+would get off with little difficulty. Accordingly we first
+worked ahead, then astern, but with an equal absence of
+result. The head and stern both swung round, but she was
+fast amidships, and only moved as on a pivot. The troops
+were now ordered on deck, and were massed, first aft and
+then forward; but the General Havelock gave no sign.
+Then it was resolved to roll her, the men running in a body
+from side to side. Then we tried to jump her off. The
+whole of the Europeans and sepoys were set to jump in
+time—first on one side, and then on the other. A funnier
+sight, eighty men, black and white, leaping up and down,
+and then going from side to side, could not be conceived.
+Everyone laughed except those who swore when their naked
+feet were jumped upon by the thick ammunition-boots of
+some English soldier. Presently the laughter abated, for
+everyone was getting too hot even to laugh. The scene
+was strangest at this time, and reminded me, with the
+leaping figures, the swarthy skins, and the long hair, more
+of a New Zealand war-dance than anything I had ever seen.
+Hours passed in experiments of this sort, but still the General
+Havelock remained immovable, only when the sun went
+down and the wind rose she rolled almost as heavily as if
+afloat, and lifted on the waves and fell into her bed with a
+heavy bump which was very unpleasant. Boats were now
+lowered and soundings taken, and it was found that the
+water was deeper on nearly every side than at the exact spot
+upon which we had struck. Hawsers were got out and the
+men set to work at the capstan; but the anchors only drew
+<pb n="35"/><anchor id="Pg035"/>home through the sandy bottom, and brought up branches
+of white coral. Part of the crew were all this time occupied
+in shifting the cargo. But in spite of every effort the
+ship remained perfectly fast. It was evident that she would
+not move until a portion at least of her cargo was removed
+from her. While we were debating how this was to be done,
+for the shore on either side was a good mile distant, the
+wind fresh, and the boats small, an Arab dhow, which we
+had observed running down, anchored about a hundred yards
+off. The Sheik came on board, and after immense talk
+agreed to come alongside for three or four hours to take a
+portion of the cargo and the troops on board, and so to
+lighten our ship. When the bargain was closed, and the
+sum to be paid agreed upon, he discovered that there was
+not water enough for his boat to float alongside. The negotiations
+thus came to an end, and the Sheik returned to his
+own craft. Soon after another and larger dhow came up and
+anchored at a short distance. We sent off to see if he could
+help us, but it seemed that he had no less than seventy-two
+camels on board bound for Annesley Bay. How the poor
+brutes could have been stowed in a boat which did not look
+large enough to hold twenty at the very most, I cannot imagine,
+and they had come in that state all the way from Aden.
+About an hour after we had got ashore, a large steamer,
+which we knew by her number to be the Salsette, with a
+ship in tow, had passed at a distance of about three miles,
+and to her we signalled for assistance. She, however, passed
+on, and anchored with her consort under the lee of an island,
+and about six miles off. We had given up all hopes of aid
+from her, and had begun as a last resource to throw our
+coal overboard, when at nine o’clock in the evening we saw
+<pb n="36"/><anchor id="Pg036"/>a boat approaching with a lug-sail. When she came alongside
+she turned out to belong to the Salsette, which had most
+fortunately orders to anchor at the spot where we had seen
+her. We found, on conversation with the officer who had
+come on board, that, loaded with troops as she was, it would
+not be safe for her to come within towing distance of us,
+and therefore that she must leave us to our fate, especially
+as we did not appear to be in any immediate danger. They
+kindly offered, however, to take my fellow-correspondent
+and myself on board, an offer which we gratefully accepted,
+as it was quite possible that we might not be off for another
+week. When we arrived on board the Salsette we were received
+with the greatest kindness, and before starting in the
+morning had the satisfaction of seeing the signal flying from
+the Havelock of <q>We are afloat.</q>
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Relieved from all anxiety on account of our late shipmates,
+our servants, and our luggage, we enjoyed the run to Annesley
+Bay exceedingly. It is an immense bay, and, indeed,
+a finer harbour, once in, could hardly be imagined. The
+entrance, however, is intricate and dangerous. Long shoals
+extend for miles near its mouth, and there are several islands
+within the bay itself. All eyes, or rather all telescopes, were
+directed towards the spot which was to be our destination.
+My glass, one by Salomans, is a wonderful instrument for its
+size, and is indeed far better than any I have tried it against
+since I left England. My first impressions of our landing-place
+are, I confess, anything but pleasing. A mist hangs over the
+land, which excludes a view of the hills, or, indeed, of anything
+except the foreshore. This is a dead flat, covered with
+low bushes. The town consists of about fifty tents and marbuees,
+a large skeleton of a wooden storehouse, piles of hay
+<pb n="37"/><anchor id="Pg037"/>and grain-bags, hundreds of baggage-animals, with a throng
+of natives wandering about. There is but one pier, and this
+is still in course of construction. In the harbour are anchored
+a dozen or so of transports and a few native dhows.
+Some of these dhows are occupied in transporting forage and
+stores from the ships to shore; and as they cannot themselves
+approach within a distance of a couple of hundred
+yards of the shore, long lines of natives transport the goods
+upon their heads to land. One ship is unloading mules;
+this she accomplishes by lowering them on to a raft, upon
+which they are towed with ropes to within a short distance
+of the shore, when the horses are pushed or persuaded to
+alight and walk. The Havelock came in just before sunset,
+about two hours after ourselves. I have not yet been ashore.
+The Beloochees, who arrived yesterday in the Asia and the
+Peckforten Castle, are landing to-day.
+</p>
+
+<milestone unit="tb" rend="rule: 30%"/>
+</div><div>
+    <index index="toc" level1="Annesley Bay, December 6th"/>
+    <index index="pdf" level1="Annesley Bay, December 6th"/>
+
+<dateline>Annesley Bay, December 6th.</dateline>
+
+<p>
+I had not intended to write again until the time of the
+departure of the next mail, as my last letter went off only
+yesterday morning; but two companies of the 33d regiment
+are to land this afternoon and to start at midnight, and as
+this is the first body of European troops who have landed, I
+think it as well to accompany them to Senafe, sixty miles
+distant, where Colonels Merewether and Phayre have gone
+up with the pioneer force. They will not advance beyond
+this point for some time, and I shall therefore, when I have
+seen the passes, return, after a few days’ stay there, to this
+place, which is at present the main point of interest. I
+should not move from it, indeed, were it not that there is
+<pb n="38"/><anchor id="Pg038"/>some doubt whether the King of Tigré will permit us to
+pass. He is at present stationed near the head of the pass
+with a body of 7000 men, but I fancy his only object in this
+is to make us buy his friendship at as high a rate as possible.
+If he really means mischief it will be a very serious matter
+indeed; for, although we should of course scatter his forces
+easily enough, it would give us such an enormous line of
+march to be guarded that it would be impossible to move a
+step until we had completely subdued Tigré. I sincerely
+hope that this will not be the case. But another week or
+two will show; and in the mean time, as I shall have plenty
+of opportunities of writing on the subject, I must return to
+my present topic, which is the state of things at the landing-place
+here. It is not, as I said in my last, a cheerful place
+to look at from on board ship, but it is very far worse on
+landing. The pier is nearly finished, and is a very creditable
+piece of work indeed. It is of stone, and about 300
+yards long, and is wide enough for a double line of rails.
+One line is already laid down, and saves an immensity of
+labour; for the goods are landed from the native boats,
+which bring them from the ship’s side, are put on to the
+trucks, and are run straight into the commissariat yard,
+which is fifty yards only from the end of the pier. Before
+this pier was finished everything had to be carried on shore
+upon the heads of the natives; and as a boat cannot approach
+within 300 yards of shore, owing to the shallow water, it
+may be imagined how slowly the work of debarcation went
+on. The pier is ridiculously insufficient for the purpose.
+Even now the ships are lying in the harbour for days, waiting
+for means of landing their goods, although lines of natives
+still supplement the pier, and pass bales of goods through
+<pb n="39"/><anchor id="Pg039"/>the water on their heads. When the whole expedition is here
+there will be a complete dead-lock, unless a very great increase
+of landing accommodation is afforded. The commissariat
+yard is piled with enormous quantities of pressed hay,
+Indian and English, grain, rice, &amp;c. They are well arranged,
+and in such weather as we have at present there is
+no fear of their taking damage from being exposed to the
+air, especially as the precaution has been taken to have
+trusses of pressed hay laid down as a foundation for the piles
+of grain-bags. The commissariat yard is distinguished by the
+fact that here only do we see women—bright-coloured, picturesquely-clad
+creatures, a hundred of whom have been sent
+across from India to serve as grinders of corn. Beside the
+commissariat tents are a few others belonging to the other
+departments, and these, with a large unfinished wooden storehouse,
+at which a dozen Chinese carpenters are at work, constitute
+the camp at the landing-place. But this is only a
+small portion of the whole, the main camp being a mile and
+a half inland; and, indeed, there are half-a-dozen small camps,
+a cluster of tents scattered within the circle of a mile.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The reason why the main camp was fixed at such an inconvenient
+distance from the landing-place was, that water
+was at first obtainable from wells sunk there. But this
+supply has ceased some time, and it would be better to concentrate
+the offices of the departments near the landing-place,
+and that every soul whose presence down here is not
+an absolute necessity should be sent up to Koomaylo, which
+is fourteen miles inland, and which is the first place at which
+water can be obtained. As it is, all living things, man and
+beast, have to depend for their supply of water upon the
+ships. Every steamer in harbour is at work night and day
+<pb n="40"/><anchor id="Pg040"/>condensing water, the average expense being twopence-halfpenny
+a gallon for the coal only. The result is of course
+an enormous expense to the public, and very great suffering
+among the animals.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Leaving the camp, I proceeded to the watering-place, and
+here my senses of sight and smell were offended as they
+have not been since the days of the Crimea. Dead mules
+and camels and oxen lay everywhere upon the shore, and
+within a short distance of it. Here and there were heaps of
+ashes and charred bones, where an attempt had been made
+to burn the carcasses. Others, more lately dead, were surrounded
+by vultures, who, gorged with flesh, hardly made an
+effort to rise as we approached. One ox had fallen only a
+few minutes before we reached it, and several vultures were
+already eying it, walking round at a respectful distance, and
+evidently not quite assured that the animal was dead. Here
+and there half-starved mules wandered about, their heads
+down, their ears drooping, and their eyes glazing with approaching
+death. Some would stagger down to the sea-side,
+and taste again and again the salt water; many of them,
+half-maddened by thirst, would drink copiously, and either
+drop dead where they stood, or crawl away to die in the low
+scrub.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+More miserable still was the appearance of the camels.
+Several native boats were unloading them at a distance of
+two or three hundred yards from shore. The water was
+not more than three or four feet deep; but when the poor
+beasts were turned into it most of them lay down, with only
+their heads above water, and positively refused to make an
+effort to walk to land. Some never were able to make the
+effort, and their bodies drifted here and there in the smooth
+<pb n="41"/><anchor id="Pg041"/>water. Some of the camels had got within fifty yards of
+shore, and then had lain down, looking, with their short
+bodies and long necks, like gigantic water-fowl. Those who
+had been driven ashore were in little better plight. Their
+bones seemed on the very point of starting through their
+skin, and they lay as if dead upon the sand, uttering feebly
+the almost human moaning and complainings peculiar to the
+camel. Others had recovered a little. These were endeavouring
+to browse the scanty leaves on the bushes around.
+Some of these camels have been twenty days on the voyage,
+and during this time have been crowded together like sheep
+in a pen, with next to nothing either to eat or drink during
+the whole time. The wonder is that any of them survived it.
+Government suffers no loss by the death of these unfortunates,
+as a contractor agreed to deliver them here in a fair
+condition, and only those who survive the voyage, and recover
+something of their former strength, are accepted and paid for.
+At least, this is one version of the story. The other is, that they
+are consigned to the Land Transport Corps. That body, however,
+receive no intimation of their coming, and boatload after
+boatload of camels arrive, and wander away from the beach
+to die for want of the water within their reach. At a mile
+from the landing-place the scene is painful in the extreme.
+Camels and mules wander about in hundreds without masters,
+without anything. Here they strive for a few days’
+existence by plucking scanty shoots; here they sicken and
+die. The scenes were frightful everywhere, but were worst
+of all at the watering-troughs. These were miserably-contrived
+things. Only ten or a dozen animals could approach
+at once; they were so unevenly placed, that when one end
+was full to overflowing there was not an inch of water at
+<pb n="42"/><anchor id="Pg042"/>the other; and beside this, at a time when water was worth
+its weight in gold, they leaked badly. They were only supplied
+with water for an hour or so in the morning, and for
+a similar time in the evening; and in consequence the scene
+was painful in the extreme. There was a guard to preserve
+order, but order could not have been kept by ten times as
+many men. There were hundreds of transport animals, with
+one driver to each five or six of them. What could one
+driver do with six half-mad animals? They struggled, they
+bit, they kicked, they fought like wild-beasts for a drink of
+the precious water for which they were dying. Besides these
+led animals were numerous stragglers, which, having broken
+their head-ropes, had gone out into the plain to seek a living on
+their own account. For these there was no water; they had
+no requisition pinned to their ears, and as they failed thus
+scandalously to comply with the regulations laid down by the
+authorities, the authorities determined that they should have
+no water. They were beaten off. Most of them, after a repulse
+or two, went away with drooping heads to die; but
+some fought for their dear lives, cleared a way to the trough
+with heels and teeth, and drank despite the blows which
+were showered upon them. I inquired of the Land Transport
+Corps why these scattered mules are not collected and fed.
+I am told that nearly the whole of these mule- and camel-drivers
+have deserted and gone to Massowah. And so it is.
+The mules and camels are dying of thirst and neglect; the
+advanced brigade cannot be supplied with food; the harbour
+is becoming full of transports, because there are no means of
+taking the men inland, although there are plenty of animals;
+and all this because the land transport men desert. The
+officers of that corps work like slaves; they are up early and
+<pb n="43"/><anchor id="Pg043"/>late, they saddle mules with their own hands, and yet everything
+goes wrong. Why is all this? One reason undoubtedly
+is, that the animals have been sent on before the men.
+A few officers and a comparatively small body of native followers
+are sent out, and to them arrive thousands of bullocks,
+thousands of mules, thousands of camels. The Arab followers,
+appalled by the amount of work accumulating upon them,
+desert to a man, the officers are left helpless. Had a fair
+number of officers and followers been sent on to receive the
+animals as they came, all might have gone well. It was
+simply a miscalculation. And so it is, I regret to say, in
+some other departments. You apply for a tent, and are told
+there are no bell-tents whatever arrived. You ask for a
+pack-saddle, and are told by the quartermaster-general that
+there is not a single pack-saddle in hand, and that hundreds
+of mules are standing idle for want of them. You ask for
+rations, and are informed that only native rations have yet
+arrived, and that no rations for Europeans have been sent,
+with the exception of the sixty days’ provisions the 33d regiment
+have brought with them. Why is this? There are
+scores of transports lying in Bombay harbour doing nothing.
+Why, in the name of common sense, are they not sent on?
+The nation is paying a very fair sum for them, and there
+they lie, while the departments are pottering with their petty
+jealousies and their petty squabbles.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The fact is, we want a head here. Colonels Merewether
+and Phayre have gone five days’ march away, taking with
+them all the available transport. Brigadier-General Collings
+only arrived yesterday, and of course has not as yet been
+able to set things in order. I am happy to say that General
+Staveley arrived last night, and I believe that he will soon
+<pb n="44"/><anchor id="Pg044"/>bring some order into this chaos. The fact is, that in our
+army we leave the most important branch of the service to
+shift for itself. Unless the Land Transport Train is able to
+perform its duty, nothing can possibly go right; but the Land
+Transport Corps has no authority and no power. It is nobody’s
+child. The commissariat owns it not, the quartermaster
+and adjutant-general know nothing whatever of it.
+It may shift for itself. All the <hi rend="italic">lâches</hi> of all the departments
+are thrown upon its shoulders, and the captains who are
+doing the work may slave night and day; but unaided and
+unassisted they can do nothing. The land transport should
+be a mere subordinate branch of the commissariat; that
+department should be bound to supply food at any required
+point. Now, all they have to do is to join the other departments
+in drawing indents for conveyance upon the unhappy
+land transport, and then sitting down and thanking
+their gods that they have done everything which could be
+expected of them. General Staveley is an energetic officer,
+and will, I believe, lose no time in putting things straight.
+Even to-day things look more hopeful, for General Collings
+yesterday afternoon put the services of 200 Madras dhoolie-bearers
+at the disposition of the Transport Corps to supply
+the place of the mule- and camel-drivers who have deserted.
+I have therefore every hope that in another week I shall
+have a very different story to tell. In addition, however,
+to the mortality caused by the voyage, by hardships, and by
+bad food and insufficient water, there is a great mortality
+among the horses and mules from an epidemic disease which
+bears a strong resemblance to the cattle-plague. Ten or
+twelve of the mules die a day from it, and the 3d Native
+Cavalry lost ninety horses from it while they were here. The
+<pb n="45"/><anchor id="Pg045"/>district is famous, or rather infamous, for this epidemic; and
+the tribes from inland, when they come down into the plain,
+always leave their horses on the plateau, and come down on
+foot. The Soumalis and other native tribes along this shore
+are a quarrelsome lot, and fights are constantly occurring
+among the native workmen, who inflict serious, and sometimes
+fatal, injuries upon each other with short, heavy clubs
+resembling Australian waddies. The washing, at least such
+washing as is done, is sent up to Koomaylo. Yesterday two
+dhoolies, or washermen, were bringing a quantity of clothes
+down to the camp, when they were set upon by some natives,
+who killed one and knocked the other about terribly, and
+then went off with the clothes.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Some of the ships have brought down the horses in magnificent
+condition. The Yorick, which has carried the horses
+of the officers of the 33d, is a model of what a horse-ship
+should be. The animals are ranged in stalls along the whole
+length of her main-deck, and the width is so great that there
+is room for a wide passage on either side of the mast. These
+passages were laid down with cocoa-nut matting, and the
+animals were taken out every day—except once when the
+vessel rolled too much—and walked round and round for
+exercise. In consequence they arrived in just as good condition
+as they were in upon the day of starting. While I am
+writing, the Great Victoria is signalled as in sight. This
+vessel contains, it is said, the Snider rifles, the warm clothing,
+the tents, and many other important necessaries. Her
+arrival, therefore, will greatly smooth difficulties and enable
+the troops to advance.
+</p>
+
+<milestone unit="tb"/>
+
+<p>
+At the time that the above letter was written I had only
+<pb n="46"/><anchor id="Pg046"/>been a few hours upon shore, and was of course unable to
+look deeper than the mere surface. I could therefore only
+assign the most apparent reason for the complete break-down
+of the transport train. The disaster has now become
+historical, and rivalled, if it did not surpass, that of
+the worst days of the Crimea; and as for a time it paralysed
+the expedition, and exercised throughout a most disastrous
+influence, it is as well, before we proceed up the
+country, that we should examine thoroughly into its causes.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+After a searching inquiry into all that had taken place
+prior to my arrival, I do not hesitate to ascribe the break-down
+of the transport train to four causes, and in this
+opinion I may say that I am thoroughly borne out by ninety-nine
+out of every hundred officers who were there. The first
+cause was the inherent weakness of the organisation of the
+transport train, the ridiculous paucity of officers, both commissioned
+and noncommissioned, the want of experienced
+drivers, and the ignorance of everyone as to the working of
+a mule-train. The second cause was the mismanagement
+of the Bombay authorities in sending animals in one ship,
+drivers in another, and equipments scattered throughout a
+whole fleet of transports, instead of sending each shipload
+of animals complete with their complement of drivers and
+equipments, as was done by the Bengal authorities. The
+third cause was the grossly-overcoloured reports of the officers
+of the pioneer force as to the state of water and forage,
+and which induced the Bombay authorities to hurry forward
+men and animals, to find only a bare and waterless desert.
+The fourth reason was the conduct of the above-mentioned
+officers in marching with all the troops to Senafe, in
+direct disobedience of the orders they had received. This last
+<pb n="47"/><anchor id="Pg047"/>cause was the most fatal of all. In spite of the first three
+causes all might, and I believe would, have gone tolerably
+well, had it not been for the fourth.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+At Koomaylo and at Hadoda, each thirteen miles distant
+from Zulla, there was water in abundance, together with
+bushes and browsing-ground for the camels. Had the animals
+upon landing been taken at once to these places, and
+there allowed to remain until the time approached for a general
+forward movement of the whole army, as Sir Robert
+Napier had directed, everything would have gone well. The
+officers would have had plenty of time to have effected a
+thorough and perfect organisation; the men would have
+learnt their new duties, and would have acquired some sort
+of discipline; the camels could have gone to Zulla and
+brought out forage for the mules; not an animal need have
+remained at Zulla, not one have suffered from thirst; and
+the immense expense of condensing water for them would
+have been avoided, besides the saving of life of many thousands
+of animals. But what happened? As I have shown
+in the previous chapter, General Napier had said to Colonel
+Merewether, in his parting instructions, <q>It is not at all
+intended that this force shall take up a position upon the high
+land, for which its strength and composition are not fitted;</q>
+and again, he had written at the end of October, <q>that if
+the news were satisfactory, Staveley’s Brigade would sail,
+and <hi rend="italic">upon its arrival</hi> the advance may be made.</q> To Colonel
+Phayre he had written October 9th: <q>It is not of course intended
+that Colonel Field should move to the high table-land
+at Dexan, &amp;c., but shall merely take up such position as
+will cover the dépôt and protect the cattle;</q> and again, in the
+same letter: <q>You will understand that it is not my desire
+<pb n="48"/><anchor id="Pg048"/>to precipitate a lodgment upon the table-land, which we
+should have to retain too long before advancing.</q> General
+Napier, then, had been as explicit as it was possible for a man
+to be in his orders that no advance should take place; and
+he had specially said, in his memorandum of 7th September,
+the subject of the transport train, that <q>great care should be
+taken to prevent their being overworked.</q> And yet, in spite
+of these orders, Colonels Merewether and Phayre, together
+with Colonel Wilkins,—to whom the making of piers, &amp;c., had
+been specially assigned by the General in his instructions
+to the pioneer force,—with Colonel Field and the whole of
+the troops, start up to Senafe on or about the 1st of December!
+And this at a time when two or three large transports
+might be expected to arrive daily! The consequences
+which might have been expected ensued. The unfortunate
+animals, the instant they arrived, were saddled, loaded, and
+hurried off without a day to recover from the fatigue of the
+voyage. The muleteers were in like way despatched, without
+a single hour to acquire a notion of their duties.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Senafe is five days’ march from Zulla, up a ravine of
+almost unparalleled difficulty.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Up and down this ravine the wretched animals stumbled
+and toiled, starving when in the pass, and dying of thirst
+during their brief pauses at Zulla; the fortunate ones dying
+in scores upon the way, and the less happy ones incurring
+disease of the lungs, which, after a few painful weeks,
+brought them to the welcome grave. And all this to feed
+Colonels Merewether and Phayre and the troops at Senafe.
+<hi rend="italic">Cui bono?</hi> No one can answer. No one to this day has
+been able to offer the slightest explanation of the extraordinary
+course adopted by these officers. If Colonel
+Mere<pb n="49"/><anchor id="Pg049"/>wether had felt it his duty to go to Senafe in order to enter
+into political relations with the chiefs in the neighbourhood,
+and to arrange for the purchase of animals and food, a small
+escort would have enabled him to do so. Not only was their
+absence disastrous to the mule-train, but it was productive of
+the greatest confusion at Zulla. There no one was left in
+command. Astounding as it may appear to every military
+man, here, at a port at which an amount of work scarcely,
+if ever, equalled, had to be got through, with troops, animals,
+and stores arriving daily in vast quantities, there was at the
+time of my arrival absolutely no <q>officer commanding,</q>—not
+even a nominal head. Each head of department did his
+best; but, like Hal o’ the Wynd, he fought for his own hand.
+The confusion which resulted may be imagined but cannot be
+described. Having thus briefly adverted to the causes which
+led to the breakdown of the transport train, I continue my
+journal.
+</p>
+
+<milestone unit="tb" rend="rule: 30%"/>
+</div><div>
+    <index index="toc" level1="Koomaylo, December 9th"/>
+    <index index="pdf" level1="Koomaylo, December 9th"/>
+<dateline>Koomaylo, December 9th.</dateline>
+
+<p>
+I mentioned in my letter of two days since, that the news
+from the front was, that the King of Tigré, with an army of
+7000 men, was inclined to make himself unpleasant. Our last
+<q>shave,</q> that of yesterday, goes into the opposite extreme,
+and tells us that the Kings of Shoa and Lasta have both
+sent to Colonel Merewether, and have offered to attack Theodore.
+The hostilities and the alliances of the kings of these
+tribes are, of course, matters of importance; but as these
+native potentates seldom know their own minds for many
+hours together, and change from a state of friendship to one
+of hostility at a moment’s notice, or for a fancied affront, I
+do not attach much importance to any of them, with the
+ex<pb n="50"/><anchor id="Pg050"/>ception of the King of Tigré, through whose dominions we
+have to pass. If he allows us to pass to and fro without
+interference, we can do very well without the alliance of Shoa
+or of Lasta. We are strong enough to conquer Theodore, even
+if he were backed by the three kings named; and now we
+have got everything ready, the difference of expense between
+a war of a few weeks’ duration and one of twice as many
+months, will be comparatively trifling. As for the troops,
+nothing would cause such disgust as to return without doing
+anything, after all the preparations which have been made.
+I do not think, however, that it would make much difference
+in our movements now, even if the prisoners are given up.
+Of course, had they been released a year ago, in consequence
+of our entreaties or in exchange for our presents, we should
+have been contented; but now we must demand something
+more than a mere delivery of the prisoners. There is compensation
+to be made for their long and painful sufferings,
+and an attempt at any rate made to obtain some sort of
+payment for our enormous expenses. I attach, therefore,
+little importance to what is doing at Senafe, but consider
+the state of the preparations at the landing-place at Annesley
+Bay to be the central point of interest. For the last two
+days much has been done towards getting things in order.
+Pack-saddles in abundance have been landed. Sir Charles
+Staveley has disembarked, and is hard at work; and in the
+Land Transport Corps, in particular, great things have been
+done. Captain Twentyman, who is in command, laid a number
+of suggestions before the general, which he at once sanctioned.
+Fodder was strewed near the watering-place, and as
+the starving animals strayed down they were captured. One
+hundred and fifty of them were handed over to the
+Beloo<pb n="51"/><anchor id="Pg051"/>chee regiment, whose men cheerfully volunteered to look
+after them. Tubs were obtained from the commissariat to
+supplement the absurdly-insufficient troughs at the watering-place,
+and which were only kept full of water at certain times
+of the day. The 200 Madras dhoolie bearers, who have been
+transferred to the transport, are doing good work, and there
+is every hope that in another week things will be straight,
+and the wretched stragglers who at present shock one with
+their sufferings be again safely hobbled in line with other
+animals.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The work which the officers of this corps get through is
+prodigious. Captains Twentyman, Warren, and Hodges, and
+Lieutenant Daniels, are beginning to forget what a bed is
+like, for they are at work and about for more than twenty
+hours out of the twenty-four. Indeed, I must say that I
+never saw a greater devotion to duty than is shown by the
+officers of the various departments. The quartermaster’s department,
+the commissariat, and others, vie with each other
+in the energy which they exhibit, and the only thing to be
+wished is that there were a little more unanimity in their
+efforts. Each works for himself. Whereas if they were
+only branches of an <hi rend="italic">intendance générale</hi>, the heads of the departments
+might meet each other and their chief of an evening,
+each state their wants and their wishes, concert together
+as to the work to be performed next day, and then act with
+a perfect knowledge of what was to be got through. However,
+this is a Utopia which it is vain to sigh for. Probably
+till the end of time we shall have separate departments and
+divided responsibilities; and between the stools the British
+soldier will continue to fall, and that very heavily, to the
+ground.
+</p>
+
+<pb n="52"/><anchor id="Pg052"/>
+
+<p>
+On the afternoon of the 7th the first two companies of
+the 33d regiment were to land; and this spectacle was
+particularly interesting, as they were the first European regiment
+to land upon the shores of Abyssinia. A large flat,
+towed by a steam-barge, came alongside, and the men, with
+their kit-bags and beds, embarked on board them. As they
+did so, the regimental band struck up, the men and their
+comrades on board ship cheering heartily. It was very
+exciting, and made one’s blood dance in one’s veins; but to
+me there is always something saddening in these spectacles.
+This is the third <q><hi rend="italic">Partant pour la Syrie</hi></q> that I have seen.
+I witnessed the Guards parade before Buckingham Palace.
+I saw them cheer wildly as the band played and the Queen
+waved her handkerchief to them; and six months afterwards
+I saw them, a shattered relic of a regiment, in the Crimea.
+Last year I described a scene in Piacenza, on the eve of the
+march of the Italian army into the Quadrilateral. There,
+too, were patriotic songs and hearty cheerings, there were
+high hopes and brave hearts. A week after I saw them
+hurled back again from the land they had invaded, defeated
+by a foe they almost despised. Fortunately, in the present
+case I have no similar catastrophe to anticipate. As far as
+fighting goes, her Majesty’s 33d regiment need fear nothing
+they will meet in Abyssinia, or, indeed, in any part of the
+world. It is a regiment of veterans; it won no slight glory
+in the Crimea, and a few months later it was hurried off
+to aid in crushing the Indian mutiny. In India they have
+been ever since, and are as fine and soldierlike a set of men
+as could be found in the British army. We were to have
+landed at two o’clock, but a few of the little things which always
+are found to be done at the last moment delayed us half
+<pb n="53"/><anchor id="Pg053"/>an hour; and that delay of half an hour completely changed
+the whole plans of the day. It had been intended that, after
+landing, the men should remain quiet until five o’clock, by
+which time the heat of the day would be over; that they
+should then pack the baggage upon the camels, which were
+to start at once with a guard, that the men should lie down
+and sleep till midnight, and that they should then march, so
+as to arrive at Koomaylo at five o’clock in the morning. All
+these arrangements, admirable in their way, were defeated by
+this little half-hour’s delay. There was not a breath of wind
+when we left the ship, but in the quarter of an hour the passage
+occupied the sea-breeze rushed down, and when we reached
+the pier the waves were already breaking heavily. Time
+after time the man-of-war’s boats came to us as we lay thirty
+yards off, and took off a load each time; once, too, we drifted
+so close to the end of the pier that the men were able to leap
+off upon the rough stones. In this way all the troops got off
+except the baggage-guard. But by this time the surf had
+increased so much, that the boats could no longer get alongside;
+accordingly the tug had to tow the barge a couple of
+hundred yards out, and there to remain until the sea-breeze
+dropped. In consequence it was nine in the evening before
+the baggage got ashore, and nearly one in the morning before
+the camels had their loads; and even then some of the men’s
+beds had to be left behind. Considering the extreme lateness
+of the hour, and the fact that the moon would soon be down,
+I thought it best to get a sleep until daylight. Under the
+shelter of a friendly tent I lay down upon the sand until five
+o’clock, and then, after the slight toilet of a shake to get rid
+of loose sand, I started.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The road from Annesley Bay to Koomaylo can hardly be
+<pb n="54"/><anchor id="Pg054"/>termed either interesting or strongly defined. It at first goes
+straight across the sand, and, as the sand is trampled everywhere,
+it is simply impossible to follow it. We were told
+that the route lay due west, but that just where the jungle
+began there was a sign-post. Compass in hand, we steered
+west, and entered the low thorny scrub which constitutes the
+jungle. No sign-post. We rode on for a mile, when, looking
+back at the rising sun, I saw something like a sign-post in the
+extreme distance. Riding back to it, it proved to be the desired
+guide, and the road from here is by daylight distinct
+enough. For the first six miles it runs across a dead-level
+of sand, covered with a shrub with very small and very scanty
+leaves, and very large and extremely-abundant thorns. Bustards,
+grouse, deer, and other game are said to be very abundant
+here, but we saw none of them. A sort of large hawk
+was very numerous, but these were the only birds we saw.
+At about six miles from the sea the ground rises abruptly
+for about ten feet in height, and this rise ran north and south
+as far as the eye could reach. It marked unquestionably
+the level of the sea at some not very remote period. From
+this point the plain continued flat, sandy, and bushy as before
+for two miles; but after that a rocky crag rose, rather to our
+right, and the sand became interspersed with stones and boulders.
+Our path lay round behind the hill, and then we could
+see, at about four miles’ distance, a white tent or two, at the
+mouth of an opening in the mountain before us. These white
+tents were the camp at Koomaylo. About three miles from
+Koomaylo we came upon a very curious burial-place. It was
+in a low flat, close to a gully, and covered a space of perhaps
+fifty yards square. The graves were placed very close
+together, and consisted of square piles of stones, not thrown
+<pb n="55"/><anchor id="Pg055"/>together, but built up, about three feet square and as much
+high. They were crowned by a rough pyramid of stones, the
+top one being generally white. Underneath these stone
+piles was a sort of vault. From this point the ground rose
+more steeply than it had yet done.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Koomaylo is situated at the mouth of the pass which
+takes its name from it. The valley here is about half-a-mile
+wide. It is rather over thirteen miles from the sea, and is
+said to be 415 feet above the sea-level; but it does not appear
+to be nearly so high. At any rate, its height does not
+make it any cooler; for, hot as it is at Annesley Bay, it is
+at least as hot here. The greatest nuisance I have at present
+met with in Abyssinia are the flies, which are as numerous
+and irritating as they are in Egypt. Fortunately they go to
+sleep when the sun goes down; and as there are no mosquitoes
+to take their place, one is able to sleep in tranquillity.
+We found on arriving at Koomaylo that the troops had
+not been in very long. They had got scattered in the night,
+owing to some of the camels breaking down; had lost their
+guides, lost each other, and lost the way. Finally, however, all
+the troops came in in a body under their officers at about eight
+o’clock. The animals were not quite so unanimous in their
+movements; for a number of them took quite the wrong road,
+and went to Hadoda, a place about six miles from here, to
+the north, and twelve miles from Zulla. There are wells
+there, so they got a drink, and came on in the course of the
+day. A few, however, have not yet turned up, and one of
+these missing animals bore a portion of my own luggage
+and stores. The others will perhaps arrive; but I have a
+moral conviction that that animal will never again make his
+appearance. As the men were too tired upon their arrival
+<pb n="56"/><anchor id="Pg056"/>to pitch their tents, many of which indeed had not yet
+arrived, they were allowed to take possession of a number
+of tents which had been pitched for head-quarters. When we
+arrived they were all shaken down; the men were asleep in
+the tents, and the camels had gone down to water. The first
+step was to go down to water our horses and mules, the next
+to draw rations for ourselves, our followers, and beasts. The
+watering-place is a quarter of a mile from this camp, which
+is on rather rising ground. The wells are, of course, in the
+bed of what in the rainy season must be a mighty torrent fifty
+yards wide.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+I have seen many singular scenes, but I do not know
+that I ever saw a stranger one than these wells presented.
+They are six in number, are twelve or fourteen feet across,
+and about twelve feet deep. They are dug through the mass
+of stones and boulders which forms the bed of the stream,
+and three of the six have a sort of wooden platform, upon
+which men stand to lower the buckets to the water by ropes.
+The other wells have sloping sides, and upon them stand
+sets of natives, who pass buckets from hand to hand, and
+empty them into earth troughs, or rather mud basins, from
+which the animals drink. The natives while so engaged keep
+up the perpetual chant without which they seem to be unable
+to do any work. The words of this chant vary infinitely, and
+they consist almost always of two words of four or five syllables
+in all; which are repeated by the next set of men, with
+the variation of one of the syllables, and in a tone two notes
+lower than that used by the first set. Round these wells are
+congregated a vast crowd of animals—flocks of goats and small
+sheep, hundreds in number, strings of draught-bullocks, mules,
+ponies, horses, and camels, hundreds of natives, with their
+<pb n="57"/><anchor id="Pg057"/>scanty attire, their spears, their swords exactly resembling
+reaping-hooks, and their heavy clubs. Here are their wives
+and sisters, some of them in the ordinary draped calico, others
+very picturesquely attired in leathern petticoats, and a body-dress
+of a sort of sheet of leather, going over one shoulder and
+under the other arm, covering the bust, and very prettily ornamented
+with stars and other devices, formed of white shells.
+Round their necks they wear necklaces of red seeds and shells.
+Some of them are really very good-looking, with remarkably
+intelligent faces. The scene round the wells is very exciting,
+for the animals press forward most eagerly, and their attendants
+have the greatest difficulty in preserving order, especially
+among the mules and camels. The supply, however, is equal
+to the demand, and by the end of the day the wells are nearly
+deserted, except by the soldiers, who like to go down and
+draw their water fresh from the wells. The upper wells,
+where buckets with ropes only are used, are really very fair
+water; those for the animals are not clear, but are still drinkable.
+All have a taste somewhat resembling the water from
+peat-bogs. Natives are employed digging more wells, which
+can be done, for the quantity which is drawn appears to make
+little or no difference in the level of the water in the present
+wells. Some of the camels occasionally get quite furious; to-day
+I saw one, whose saddle had slipped round under its belly,
+begin to jump and plunge most wildly, with its head in the
+air, and uttering the most uncouth cries. There was a general
+stampede, especially among the mules, many of whom have,
+I fancy, never seen a camel before. It was some minutes
+before the animal could be caught and forced down upon its
+knees by its driver, and by that time he had quite cleared the
+ground in his neighbourhood. The camels are kept as much
+<pb n="58"/><anchor id="Pg058"/>as possible kneeling, and there were a hundred or two near
+him at the time he commenced his evolutions. When one
+camel rises, all in his neighbourhood always endeavour to do
+the same; and the efforts of these beasts to rise, the shouts of
+their drivers, and the stampede of the mules, made up a most
+laughable scene. Near the wells is another large graveyard;
+the tombs here are rather more ornate than those I have already
+described, some of them being round, and almost all
+having courses of white quartz stones. Upon the top of many
+of these tombs are two or three flat stones, placed on end, and
+somewhat resembling small head- and foot-stones. As there
+is no inscription upon them it would be curious to find out the
+object with which the natives erect them.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Having finished watering our horses, we proceeded to
+the commissariat tent. Here an immense quantity of work
+is got through, all the animals and men drawing their
+rations daily; and I have heard no complaint of any sort,
+except that some Parsees, while I was getting my rations,
+came up and complained bitterly because there was no
+mutton, and it was contrary to their religion to eat beef.
+The commissariat officer regretted the circumstance, but
+pointed out that at present no sheep had been landed, and
+that the little things of the country are mere skin and bone,
+and quite unfitted for the troops. The Parsees, who were, I
+believe, clerks to one of the departments, went off highly
+discontented. The moral of this evidently is that Parsees
+should not go to war in a country where mutton is scarce.
+As for the Hindoos, I cannot even guess how they will
+preserve their caste intact. It is a pity that their priests
+could not give them a dispensation to put aside all their
+caste observances for the time they may be out of India.
+<pb n="59"/><anchor id="Pg059"/>As it is, I foresee we shall have very great difficulty with
+them.
+</p>
+
+<milestone unit="tb" rend="rule: 30%"/>
+</div><div>
+    <index index="toc" level1="Koomaylo, December 12th"/>
+    <index index="pdf" level1="Koomaylo, December 12th"/>
+
+<dateline>Koomaylo, December 12th.</dateline>
+
+<p>
+When I wrote two days ago I hardly expected to have
+dated another letter from Koomaylo. I had prepared to
+start for Senafe, leaving my baggage behind me, and returning
+in ten days or so. The great objection to this plan
+was that neither at Zulla nor here are there any huts or
+stores where things can be left. The only thing to be done,
+therefore, was to leave them in the tent of some friend;
+but as he, too, might get the route at any moment, it would
+have been, to say the least of it, a very hazardous proceeding.
+The night before last, however, I received the joyful
+and long-expected news that the ship which had left
+Bombay with my horses six days before I started myself
+was at last in harbour. My course was now clear; I
+should go down, get my horses, and then go up to Senafe,
+carrying my whole baggage with me. Vessels and troops
+are arriving every day, and the accumulations of arrears
+of work are increasing in even more rapid proportion.
+Major Baigrie, the quartermaster-general, is indefatigable,
+but he cannot unload thirty large vessels at one little
+jetty, at whose extremity there is only a depth of five feet
+of water. Unless something is done, and that rapidly,
+and upon an extensive scale, we shall break down altogether.
+It is evident that a jetty, at which at most three of these
+country boats can lie alongside to unload, is only sufficient
+to afford accommodation for one large ship, and that it
+would take several days to discharge her cargo of say one
+thousand tons, using the greatest despatch possible. How,
+<pb n="60"/><anchor id="Pg060"/>then, can it be hoped that the vessels in the harbour,
+whose number is increasing at the rate of two or three
+a-day, are to be unloaded? In the Crimea great distress
+was caused because the ships in Balaclava harbour could not
+manage to discharge their stores. But Balaclava harbour
+offered facilities for unloading which were enormous compared
+to this place. There was a wharf a quarter of a mile
+long, with deep water alongside, so that goods could be
+rolled down planks or gangways to the shore from the
+vessels. The harbour was land-locked, and the work of unloading
+never interrupted. Compare that with the present
+state of things. A boat-jetty running out into five-foot
+water, and only approachable for half the day owing to the
+surf, and, as I hear, for months not approachable at all. It
+can be mathematically proved that the quantity of provision
+and forage which can be landed from these boats,
+always alongside for so many hours a-day, would not supply
+the fifth of the wants of twenty-five thousand men and
+as many animals. Everything depends upon what the state
+of the interior of the country is. If we find sufficient
+forage for the animals and food for the men—which the
+most sanguine man does not anticipate—well and good.
+If not, we must break down. It is simply out of the question
+to land the stores with the present arrangements in
+Annesley Bay, or with anything like them. The pier-accommodation
+must be greatly increased, and must be made
+practical in all weather, that is to say, practical all day in
+ordinary weather. To do this the pier should be run out
+another fifty yards, and should then have a cross-pier erected
+at its extremity. The native boats could lie under the
+lee of this and unload in all weathers, and there would
+<pb n="61"/><anchor id="Pg061"/>be sufficient depth of water for the smaller transports to
+lie alongside on the outside in calm weather, and to unload
+direct on to the pier. I know that this would be an expensive
+business, that stone has to be brought from a distance,
+&amp;c. But it is a necessity, and therefore expense is
+no object. I consider that the railway which is to be laid
+between the landing-place and this point will be of immense
+utility to the expedition; but I believe it to be a work of quite
+inferior importance in comparison with this question of increased
+pier-accommodation. There is no doubt that in
+spite of the troops and animals arriving from Bombay before
+things were ready for them here, things would have
+gone on far better than they have done, had there been
+any head to direct operations here. But the officers of
+the various departments have been working night and day
+without any head whatever to give unity and object to
+their efforts. I understand that General Staveley was astonished
+to find that before the arrival of General Collings,
+two days previous to himself, there had been no head to
+the expedition.
+</p>
+
+<milestone unit="tb"/>
+
+<p>
+Sir Robert Napier was fully alive to the extreme importance
+of this question of wharfage, for in his memorandum
+of September 12th he recommended that planking,
+tressles, piles, and materials to construct wharves should be
+forwarded with the 1st Brigade. <q>There cannot,</q> he proceeded,
+<q>be too many landing-places to facilitate debarkation,
+and on such convenience will depend the boats being
+quickly cleared, and the stores removed from them dry. It
+would be advisable that a considerable number of empty
+casks should be forwarded to be used as rafts, or to form
+<pb n="62"/><anchor id="Pg062"/>floating-wharves for use at low water, particularly should
+the shores shelve gently. Spars to form floating shears
+should also be forwarded.</q> Thus Sir Robert Napier, himself
+an engineer, had long before foreseen the extreme importance
+of providing the greatest possible amount of landing
+accommodation; and yet three months after this memorandum
+was written, and two months after the arrival of the pioneer
+force at Zulla, an unfinished pier was all that had
+been effected, and Colonel Wilkins, the officer to whom
+this most important work had been specially intrusted, was
+quietly staying up at Senafe with Colonels Merewether, Phayre,
+and Field. A second pier was not completed until the end
+of February, and consequently many vessels remained for
+months in harbour before their cargoes could be unloaded,
+at an expense and loss to the public service which can hardly
+be over-estimated.
+</p>
+
+<milestone unit="tb"/>
+
+<p>
+We had quite a small excitement here this afternoon. I
+was writing quietly, and thinking what a hot day it was,
+when I heard a number of the soldiers running and shouting.
+I rushed to the door of my tent and saw a troop of very large
+monkeys trotting along, pursued by the men, who were
+throwing stones at them. Visions of monkey-skins flashed
+across my mind, and in a moment, snatching up revolvers
+and sun-helmets, three or four of us joined the chase. We
+knew from the first that it was perfectly hopeless, for the
+animals were safe in the hills, which extended for miles.
+However, the men scattered over the hills, shouting and
+laughing, and so we went on also, and for a couple of hours
+climbed steadily on, scratching ourselves terribly with the
+thorn-bushes which grow everywhere—and to which an
+<pb n="63"/><anchor id="Pg063"/>English quickset-hedge is as nothing—and losing many
+pounds in weight from the effect of our exertions. Hot as
+it was, I think that the climb did us all good. Indeed, the
+state of the health of everyone out here is most excellent, and
+the terrible fevers and all the nameless horrors with which
+the army was threatened in its march across the low ground,
+turn out to be the effect of the imagination only of the well-intentioned
+but mischievous busybodies who have for the last
+six months filled the press with their most dismal predictions.
+I have heard many a hearty laugh since I have been here
+at all the evils we were threatened would assail us in the
+thirteen miles between Annesley Bay and this place. We
+were to die of fever, malaria, sunstroke, tetse-fly, Guinea-worm,
+tapeworm, and many other maladies. It is now
+nearly three months since the first man landed, and upon
+this very plain there are at present thousands of men, including
+the Beloochee regiment and other natives, hundreds,
+taking Europeans only, of officers, staff and departmental, with
+the conductors, inspectors, and men of the transport, commissariat,
+and other departments. From the day of the first
+landing to the present time there has not been one death, or
+even an illness of any consequence, among all these men
+upon this plain of death. As for the two companies of the
+33d, their surgeon tells me that the general state of their
+health is better than in India, for that there has not been
+a single case of fever or indisposition of any kind in the five
+days since they landed, whereas in India there were always a
+proportion of men in hospital with slight attacks of fever.
+All this is most gratifying, and I believe that all the other
+dangers and difficulties will, when confronted, prove to have
+been equally exaggerated. The difficulties of the pass to the
+<pb n="64"/><anchor id="Pg064"/>first plateau, 7000 feet above the sea, have already proved to
+be insignificant. There are only four miles of at all difficult
+ground, and this has already been greatly obviated by the
+efforts of the Bombay Sappers. The December rains have
+not yet begun, but yesterday and to-day we have heavy
+clouds hanging over the tops of the mountains. The rain
+would be a very great boon, and would quite alter the whole
+aspect of the country. The whole country, indeed, when not
+trampled upon, is covered with dry, burnt-up herbage, presenting
+exactly the colour of the sand, but which only needs
+a few hours’ rain to convert it into a green plain of grass, sufficient
+for the forage of all the baggage-animals in the camp.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+While I have been writing this the Beloochees and a company
+of Bombay Sappers and Miners have marched into camp,
+with their baggage and camels. The Beloochees are a splendid
+regiment—tall, active, serviceable-looking men as ever
+I saw. Their dress is a dark-green tunic, with scarlet facings
+and frogs, trousers of a lighter green, a scarlet cap, with a
+large black turban around it; altogether a very picturesque
+dress. The Sappers and Miners are in British uniform.
+Both these corps go on early to-morrow morning to Upper
+Sooro. I have not decided yet whether I shall accompany
+them, or go on by myself this evening.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+A letter has just come down from Colonel Merewether
+saying that all is going on well at Senafe. The King of
+Tigré has sent in his adhesion, and numbers of petty chiefs
+came in riding on mules, and followed by half-a-dozen ragged
+followers on foot, to make their <q>salaam.</q> I do not know
+that these petty chiefs, who are subjects of the King of Tigré,
+are of much importance one way or another, but their friendship
+would be useful if they would bring in a few hundred
+<pb n="65"/><anchor id="Pg065"/>head of bullocks and a few flocks of sheep. It is, I understand,
+very cold up there, and the troops will have need of
+all their warm clothing.
+</p>
+
+<milestone unit="tb" rend="rule: 30%"/>
+</div><div>
+    <index index="toc" level1="Upper Sooro, December 13th"/>
+    <index index="pdf" level1="Upper Sooro, December 13th"/>
+
+<dateline>Upper Sooro, December 13th.</dateline>
+
+<p>
+I must begin my letter by retracting an opinion I expressed
+in my last, namely, that the defile would probably
+turn out a complete bugbear, as the fevers, guinea-worm, and
+tetse flies have done. My acquaintance with most of the
+passes of the Alps and Tyrol is of an extensive kind, but I
+confess that it in no way prepared me for the passage of an
+Abyssinian defile. I can now quite understand travellers
+warning us that many of these places were impracticable for
+a single horseman, much less for an army with its baggage-animals.
+Had not Colonel Merewether stated in his report
+that the first time he explored the pass he met laden bullocks
+coming down it, I should not have conceived it possible that
+any beast of burden could have scrambled over the terrible
+obstacles. Even now, when the Bombay Sappers have been
+at work for three weeks upon it, it is the roughest piece of
+road I ever saw, and only practicable for a single animal at
+once. It is in all twelve miles; at least, so it is said by the
+engineers, and we took, working hard, seven hours to do it;
+and I found that this was a very fair average time. A single
+horseman will, of course, do it in a very much shorter time,
+because there are miles together where a horse might gallop
+without danger. I remained at Koomaylo until the afternoon,
+as it was too hot to start till the sun was low. Nothing
+happened during the day, except the arrival of the
+Beloochees and Bombay Engineers. The soldiers had two or
+<pb n="66"/><anchor id="Pg066"/>three more chases after the monkeys, of which there are extra
+ordinary numbers. I need hardly say that they did not catch
+any of them: a dog, however, belonging to one of the soldiers
+seized one for a moment, but was attacked with such fury by
+his companions that it had to leave its hold and beat a precipitate
+retreat. I have just been watching a flock or herd—I
+do not know which is the correct term—of these animals,
+two or three hundred in number, who have passed along the
+rocks behind my tent, at perhaps thirty yards’ distance.
+They have not the slightest fear of man, and even all the
+noise and bustle of a camp seem to amuse rather than alarm
+them. They are of all sizes, from the full-grown, which are
+as large as a large dog, down to tiny things which keep close
+to their mothers, and cling round their necks at the least
+alarm. The old ones make no noise, but step deliberately
+from rock to rock, sitting down frequently to inspect the
+camp, and indulge in the pleasure of a slight scratch. These
+full-sized fellows have extremely long hair over the head and
+upper part of the body, but are bare, disagreeably so, towards
+the caudal extremity. The small ones scamper along, chattering
+and screaming; they have no mane or long hair on
+the head. The old monkeys, when they do make a sound,
+bark just like a large dog. In the afternoon an enormous
+number of locusts came down the pass, and afforded amusement
+and diet to flocks of birds, who were, I observed, rather
+epicures in their way, for on picking up many of the dead
+bodies of the locusts, I found that in every case it was only
+the head and upper part of the thorax which had been eaten.
+I shall accept this as a hint; and in case of the starvation
+days with which this expedition is threatened—in addition to
+innumerable other evils—really coming on, I shall, when we
+<pb n="67"/><anchor id="Pg067"/>are driven to feed on locusts, eat only the parts which the
+birds have pointed out to me as the tit-bits. I am happy to
+say that there is no probability of our being driven to that
+resource at present; for on our way here yesterday I passed
+considerable quantities of native cattle, and any quantity is
+procurable here, and as for goats they are innumerable. We
+bought one this morning for our servants for the sum of a
+rupee. The commissariat have made up their minds that all
+servants and followers must be Hindoos, and therefore abstainers
+from meat, and so issue no meat whatever in their
+rations—nothing, indeed, except rice, grain, a little flour,
+and a little ghee. Now, the fact is that the followers are
+generally not Hindoos. Many of the body-servants are
+Portuguese, Goa men; and the horse-keepers are frequently
+Mussulmans, or come from the north-west provinces, where
+they are not particular. Even the mule-drivers are Arabs,
+Egyptians, and Patans, all of whom eat flesh. It thus happens
+that the whole of our five servants are meat-eaters, and
+it is fortunate that we are able to buy meat from the natives
+for them, especially as they have really hard work to do; and
+in the cold climate we shall enter in another day or two meat
+is doubly necessary.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+We had intended to start at three o’clock, but it was four
+before our baggage was fairly disposed upon the backs of the
+four baggage-animals—two strong mules and two ponies—and
+we were in the saddles of our riding-horses. Our route,
+after leaving the wells, ran, with of course various turnings
+and windings, in a south-westerly direction. The way lay
+along the bottom of the valley, a road being marked out by
+the loose stones being removed to a certain extent, and laid
+along both sides of the track. The valley for the first seven
+<pb n="68"/><anchor id="Pg068"/>or eight miles was very regular, of a width of from 200 to
+300 yards. Its bottom, though really rising gradually, appeared
+to the eye a perfect flat of sand, scattered with boulders
+and stones, and covered with the thorny jungle I have
+spoken of in a previous letter. This scrub had been cleared
+away along the line of road, or there would have been very
+little flesh, to say nothing of clothes, left upon our bones by
+the time we came to our journey’s end. Backward and forward,
+across the sandy plain, as the spurs of the hills turned
+its course, wound the bed of the torrent—I should think that
+we crossed it fifty times. It is probable that on occasions of
+great floods the whole valley is under water. To our left the
+hills, though rocky and steep, sloped somewhat gradually, and
+were everywhere sprinkled with bushes. On the right the
+mountain was much more lofty, and rose in many places
+very precipitously. Sometimes the valley widened somewhat,
+at other times the mountains closed in, and we seemed
+to have arrived at the end of our journey, until on rounding
+some projecting spur the valley would appear stretching away
+at its accustomed width. Altogether, the scenery reminded
+me very much of the Tyrol, except that the hills at our side
+were not equal in height to those which generally border the
+valleys there.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+At half-past six it had become so dark that we could no
+longer follow the track, and the animals were continually
+stumbling over the loose stones, and we were obliged to halt
+for half-an-hour, by which time the moon had risen over the
+plain; and although it was some time longer before she was
+high enough to look down over the hill-tops into our valley,
+yet there was quite light enough for us to pursue our way.
+In another three-quarters of an hour we came upon a sight
+<pb n="69"/><anchor id="Pg069"/>which has not greeted my eyes since I left England, excepting,
+of course, in my journey through France—it was running
+water. We all knelt down and had a drink, but,
+curiously enough, although our animals had been travelling
+for nearly four hours enveloped in a cloud of light dust, they
+one and all refused to drink; indeed, I question if they had
+ever seen running water before, and had an idea it was something
+uncanny. This place we knew was Lower Sooro, not
+that there was any village—indeed, I begin to question the
+existence of villages in this part of the world, for I have not
+yet seen a single native permanent hut, only bowers constructed
+of the boughs of trees and bushes. But in Abyssinia
+it is not villages which bear names; it is wells. Zulla, and
+Koomaylo, the Upper and Lower Sooro, are not villages, but
+wells. Natives come and go, and build their bowers, but they
+do not live there. I fancy that when there is a native name,
+and no well, it is a graveyard which gives the name. We
+passed two or three of these between Koomaylo and Sooro, all
+similar to those I have already described. From Lower to
+Upper Sooro is a distance of four miles. It is in this portion
+of the road that the real difficulties of the pass are situated,
+and I never passed through a succession of such narrow and
+precipitous gorges as it contains. The sides of these gorges
+are in many places perfectly perpendicular, and the scenery,
+although not very lofty, is yet wild and grand in the extreme,
+and seen, as we saw it, with the bright light and deep shadows
+thrown by the full moon, it was one of the most impressive
+pieces of scenery I ever saw. The difficulty of the
+pass consists not in its steepness, for the rise is little over
+three hundred feet in a mile, but in the mass of huge boulders
+which strew its bottom. Throughout its length, indeed, the
+<pb n="70"/><anchor id="Pg070"/>path winds its way in and out and over a chaos of immense
+stones, which look as if they had but just fallen from the
+almost overhanging sides of the ravine. Some of these
+masses are as large as a good-sized house, with barely room
+between them for a mule to pass with his burden. In many
+places, indeed, there was not room at all until the Bombay
+Sappers, who are encamped about half-way up the pass, set
+to work to make it practicable by blasting away projecting
+edges, and in some slight way smoothing the path among the
+smaller rocks. In some places great dams have been formed
+right across the ravine, owing to two or three monster boulders
+having blocked the course of the stream, and from the
+accumulated rocks which the winter torrents have swept
+down upon them. Upon these great obstacles nothing less
+than an army of sappers could make any impression, and
+here the engineers have contented themselves by building a
+road up to the top of the dam and down again the other side.
+We were three hours making this four-mile passage, and the
+labour, the shouting, and the difficulties of the way, must be
+imagined. Of course we had dismounted, and had given our
+horses to their grooms to lead. Constantly the baggage was
+shifting, and required a pause and a readjustment. Now our
+tin pails would bang with a clash against a rock one side;
+now our case of brandy—taken for purely medicinal purposes—would
+bump against a projection on the other. Now one
+of the ponies would stumble, and the other nearly come upon
+him; now one of the mules, in quickening his pace to charge
+a steep ascent, would nearly pull the one which was following,
+and attached to him, off his feet; then there would be a fresh
+alarm that the ponies’ baggage was coming off. All this was
+repeated over and over again. There were shouts in English,
+<pb n="71"/><anchor id="Pg071"/>Hindostanee, Arabic, and in other and unknown tongues.
+Altogether it was the most fatiguing four miles I have ever
+passed, and we were all regularly done when we got to the
+top. I should say that the water had all this time tossed and
+fretted between the rocks, sometimes hidden beneath them for
+a hundred yards, then crossing and recrossing our path, or
+running directly under our feet, until we were within a few
+hundred yards of Upper Sooro, when the ravine widening out,
+and the bottom being sandy, the stream no longer runs above
+the surface. Altogether it was a ride to be long remembered,
+through that lonely valley by moonlight in an utterly unknown
+and somewhat hostile country, as several attempts at robbery
+have been made by the natives lately upon small parties; and
+although in no case have they attacked a European, yet
+everyone rides with his loaded revolver in his holster. A
+deep silence seemed to hang over everything, broken only by
+our own voices, except by the occasional thrill of a cicada
+among the bushes, the call of a night-bird, or by the whining
+of a jackal, or the hoarse bark of a monkey on the hills
+above.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+It was just eleven o’clock when we arrived at Upper Sooro.
+An officer at once came to the door of his tent, and with that
+hospitality which is universal, asked us to come in and sit
+while our tent was being pitched. We accepted, and he
+opened for us a bottle of beer, cool, and in excellent condition.
+Imagine our feelings. Brandy-and-water would have
+been true hospitality, but beer, where beer is so scarce and so
+precious as it is here, was a deed which deserves to be recorded
+in letters of gold. I forbear to name our benefactor.
+The Samaritan’s name has not descended to us; the widow
+who bestowed the mite is nameless. Let it be so in the
+pre<pb n="72"/><anchor id="Pg072"/>sent case. But I shall never cease to think of that bottle of
+beer with gratitude.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+My tent was now pitched; my servant procured some hot
+water and made some tea; and having taken that and some
+biscuit, and having seen that the horses were fed, I slightly
+undressed, lay down upon my <sic>water-proof</sic> sheet, and lighted
+a final cigar, when to my horror I observed many creeping
+things advancing over the sheet towards me. Upon
+examination they turned out to be of two species—the one a
+large red ant, the other a sort of tick, which I found on inquiring
+in the morning are camel-ticks. They are a lead
+colour, and about the size of sheep-ticks, but they do not run
+so fast. This was, indeed, a calamity, but there was nothing
+to be done. I was far too tired to get up and have my tent
+pitched in another place; besides, another place might have
+been just as bad. I therefore wrapped myself as tightly as I
+could in my rug, in hopes that they would not find their way
+in, and so went to sleep. In the morning I rejoiced greatly to
+find that I had not been bitten; for they bite horses and men,
+raising a bump as big as a man’s fist upon the former, and
+causing great pain and swelling to the latter.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+I describe thus minutely the events of every day, because
+the life of most officers and men greatly resembles my own,
+and by relating my own experience I give a far more accurate
+idea of the sort of life we are leading in Abyssinia than I could
+do by any general statements.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Upper Sooro is a large commissariat dépôt, exceedingly
+well managed by Conductor Crow. It is a new basin of five
+hundred yards long by two hundred across, a widening out
+of the pass. It is selected for that reason, as it is the only
+place along the line near water where a regiment could
+en<pb n="73"/><anchor id="Pg073"/>camp. Owing to its elevation above the sea the temperature
+is very pleasant, except for two or three hours in the middle
+of the day. Another agreeable change is that the thorny
+bushes have disappeared, and a tree without prickles, and
+which attains a considerable size, has taken their place.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+At seven o’clock this morning the Beloochees began to
+arrive, having started at midnight. The advanced guard
+were therefore exactly the same time doing the distance that
+we were. Their baggage, however, has been dropping in all
+day, for it was loaded on camels, and most of these animals
+stuck fast in the narrow passages of the pass, and had to be
+unloaded to enable them to get through; and this happened
+again and again. The pass, in fact, is not, as yet, practicable
+for camels; mules can manage it, but it is a very close fit for
+them, and it will be some time yet before camels can pass with
+their burdens. I suppose after to-day’s experience camels will
+not be again employed this side of Koomaylo until the pass
+has been widened. Some of the poor animals were stuck fast
+for a couple of hours before they could be extricated. There
+are now a hundred of them lying down within fifty yards of
+my tent. I consider the camel to be the most ridiculously-overpraised
+animal under the sun. I do not deny that he
+has his virtues. He is moderately strong—not very strong for
+his size, for he will not carry so much as a couple of good
+mules; still he is fairly strong, and he can go a long time
+without water—a very useful quality in the desert, or on the
+sea-shore of Abyssinia. But patient! Heaven save the mark!
+He is without exception the most cantankerous animal under
+the sun. When he is wanted to stand up, he lies down; when
+he is wanted to lie down, he will not do it on any consideration;
+and once down he jumps up again the moment his driver’s
+<pb n="74"/><anchor id="Pg074"/>back is turned. He grumbles, and growls, and roars at any
+order he receives, whether to stand up or lie down; whether
+to be loaded or to have his packs taken off. When he is once
+loaded and in motion he goes on quietly enough; but so does
+a horse, or a donkey, or any other animal. After having
+made himself as disagreeable as possible, there is small praise
+to him that he goes on when he cannot help it. I consider the
+mule, which people have most wrongfully named obstinate, to
+be a superior animal in every respect—except that he wants
+his drink—to the much-bepraised camel.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+A messenger passed through here yesterday from Abyssinia.
+He was bringing letters from Mr. Rassam to Colonel
+Merewether. He reports that Theodore is continuing his
+cruelties, and killing his soldiers in numbers. Under these
+circumstances one can hardly feel surprised at the news that,
+in spite of his efforts, he is unable to increase his army beyond
+seven or eight thousand men. He is still at Debra Tabor.
+</p>
+
+<milestone unit="tb" rend="rule: 30%"/>
+</div><div>
+    <index index="toc" level1="Camp, Senafe, December 16th"/>
+    <index index="pdf" level1="Camp, Senafe, December 16th"/>
+
+<dateline>Camp, Senafe, December 16th.</dateline>
+
+<p>
+I arrived here only half-an-hour since, and find that the
+post is on the point of starting. I therefore have only time to
+write a few lines to supplement my last letter, which was sent
+from Sooro. All description of the pass between that resting-place
+and Senafe I must postpone to my next letter, and only
+write to say that there is no particular news here. The messenger
+from Mr. Rassam arrived in the camp yesterday. He
+states that the King of Shoa’s men are between Theodore and
+Magdala, and that there is every hope that they will take the
+latter place, and liberate the prisoners. The reports about the
+King of Tigré are, to a certain extent, founded on fact. He
+<pb n="75"/><anchor id="Pg075"/>has professed the greatest friendship, but there are sinister
+reports that he really means mischief, and for two or three
+days the pickets have been doubled. It is not thought that
+there is any foundation for the report of his intention to attack
+us. The situation of this camp is very pleasant—upon a lofty
+table-land, seven thousand feet above the sea, and with a delightfully
+bracing wind blowing over it, and reminding one of
+Brighton Downs in the month of May. At night I am told
+that the thermometer goes down below freezing-point. The
+camp is situated in a slight hollow or valley in the plain;
+through its centre flows a stream, which when the camp was
+first formed was knee-deep, but has greatly fallen off since,
+so much so that reservoirs are being formed and wells sunk
+in case the supply should cease. Short as the time is before
+the post goes, I might have sent you more intelligence were
+it not that Colonels Merewether and Phayre are both absent
+upon some expedition in the surrounding country, and I am
+therefore unable to draw any news from any official source.
+The health of everyone up here is excellent, and the horses
+are suffering less from the disease which has almost decimated
+them in the lower ground. There are plenty of cattle brought
+in for sale, but unfortunately the authorities have no money
+to buy them with.
+</p>
+
+<milestone unit="tb" rend="rule: 30%"/>
+</div><div>
+    <index index="toc" level1="Senafe, December 19th"/>
+    <index index="pdf" level1="Senafe, December 19th"/>
+
+<dateline>Senafe, December 19th.</dateline>
+
+<p>
+I wrote a few lines, upon my arrival here two days
+ago; but as the post was upon the point of starting, I could
+not do more than state that the rumours which had reached
+us down below respecting the King of Tigré were untrue,
+and that that monarch was at present pursuing a course
+of masterly inactivity. I will now, therefore, resume my
+<pb n="76"/><anchor id="Pg076"/>letter at the point where my last regular communication
+ended—namely, at the station of Sooro, in the pass leading
+to this place. I do not apologise for making my description
+of this pass very detailed, for at present the whole interest of
+the expedition centres in the passage of the troops and baggage
+from Zulla to this point, and I feel sure that any particulars
+which may enable the public to picture to themselves
+the country through which our soldiers are marching will be
+read with keen interest. From Sooro to Rayray Guddy, the
+next regular station, is, according to the official report, twenty-eight
+miles; but I am convinced, and in this opinion I am
+borne out by every officer I have spoken to, that thirty-three
+would be much nearer the fact. Indeed, in every march
+up here the official distances are a good deal under the truth.
+But, indeed, the officers of the exploring force appear to have
+seen everything through rose-coloured spectacles. At Zulla
+they reported plenty of water, and they found, a short way
+further, an abundance of forage, which no one else has been
+able to discover before or since. It was on the strength of
+these reports of forage and water that the baggage-animals
+were hurried forward. I am not blaming the officers who
+made the reports. They simply acted as it is the nature of
+explorers to act. Every father thinks his own child a prodigy.
+Every discoverer believes that the country, or river,
+or lake which he has been the first to report on, is a country,
+river, or lake such as no man ever saw before. Over and over
+again this has happened, and disastrous consequences have ere
+now arisen from the persistent use by explorers of these rose-coloured
+spectacles. It is not more than four or five years—to
+give one example out of a thousand—since Dr. Livingstone
+reported that he had discovered a magnificent navigable
+<pb n="77"/><anchor id="Pg077"/>river in Eastern Africa, with rice, cotton, and corn abounding
+upon its banks, and a climate beyond reproach. In consequence
+of this report the <q>Universities Mission</q> was organised,
+and a band of missionaries, headed by their bishop,
+Mackenzie, started. After months of struggle they arrived
+at the place of disembarkation, having already discovered that
+their noble stream was, at a good average time of year, about
+three feet deep. There they set up their mission; there, one
+by one, these noble fellows died of want and of fever, victims
+of an explorer’s rose-coloured spectacles. After that we must
+not grudge the few hundred mules that have fallen a sacrifice
+to the want of springs and forage which could be seen only
+through the glasses of the chiefs of the exploring party.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+From Sooro to Rayray Guddy is too far a march to be
+made in one day along such a road as there is at present, and
+accordingly it is generally broken at a spot called Guinea-fowl
+Plain, where there is a well yielding a small supply of
+water, the colour of pea-soup. We had had quite sufficient
+of night-marching previously, and, having passed one day at
+Sooro, we started at ten o’clock the following morning. We
+had intended to have started an hour earlier; but making a
+start here is a very different thing from sending for a cab at
+an appointed time to catch a train. In the first place there
+are the trunks, which have been opened the night before, to
+close; there is the tent to strike and pack up. Then at the
+last moment you discover that your servants have not washed up
+the breakfast-things, and that your mule-wallah has not yet
+taken his animals to water. At last, when all is ready, comes
+the important operation of loading the four baggage-animals.
+Each load has to be adjusted with the nicest precision, or the
+very first piece of rough ground you arrive at, round goes the
+<pb n="78"/><anchor id="Pg078"/>saddle, and your belongings come to the ground with a crash.
+With our two mules we have the <q>Otago saddle,</q> which is
+excellent. Indeed, in the opinion of almost everyone here,
+it is by far the best of the rival saddles. Upon these saddles
+we pack our own baggage, and once fairly adjusted this is
+pretty safe for the day. Not so the other animals, for which
+we have common mule-saddles. Upon these is piled a multifarious
+collection of bundles. Our servants’ five kits, our
+animals’ rugs and ropes, our tents, two sacks containing
+cooking-utensils and numerous etceteras, and a water-skin
+for use upon the road. The actual weight that these animals
+have to carry is not so great as that borne by the others; but
+the trouble of adjusting and fastening on is at least ten times
+as great. The loads have frequently to be taken off three or
+four times, and then when we think all is right, and get fairly
+into motion, we have not gone twenty yards before there is a
+gradual descending motion observed on one side of an animal,
+and a corresponding rise of the opposite burden, and we are
+obliged to stop and readjust everything, or in another minute
+or two the whole would have toppled over. These things
+ruffle the temper somewhat, and our equanimity is not improved
+by the intense stupidity which our native servants
+always manifest upon these occasions. They seem to have
+no eye. They heap bundles on the side which was before
+palpably the heaviest; they twist cords where cords can be
+of no earthly use: altogether they are horribly aggravating.
+However, by this time I am getting accustomed to these
+things, and take matters into my own hands, and insist on
+things being done exactly as I direct them. At ten o’clock,
+then, we were fairly off, and I do not know that I ever rode
+through a more monotonous valley than that between Sooro
+<pb n="79"/><anchor id="Pg079"/>and Guinea-fowl Plain. It was the counterpart of that I
+described in my last letter as extending between Koomaylo
+and Lower Sooro. A dead flat of two or three hundred
+yards across, with the torrent’s bed winding across it, and
+spur after spur of mountain turning it every quarter of a
+mile. Some of the mountain views which we saw up the
+ravines were certainly very fine, but it became monotonous
+in the extreme after six hours’ march at the rate of little over
+two miles an hour. The vegetation, however, had changed
+since the preceding day. The thorny bush no longer covered
+everything, but a variety of shrubs now bordered the path,
+and the diversity of their foliage was a relief to the eye. Immense
+quantities of locusts were everywhere met with, making
+the ground yellow where they lay, and rising with a
+rustling noise, which was very discomposing to the horses at
+our approach. They did not eat all the shrubs, but the
+species upon which they fed were absolutely covered with
+them, and most of their favourite plants were stripped completely
+bare. Monkeys, or rather baboons, still abounded:
+we saw numerous large troops of them, which must have been
+over a hundred strong. It was about five o’clock when we
+reached Guinea-fowl Plain, which may have guinea-fowls,
+although we saw none; but which is most certainly not a
+plain, for at the place where the well is the valley is narrower
+than it had been for miles previously. Here we found some
+really large trees, and under them we pitched our tent. It
+was not long before our servants had fires lighted and dinner
+in a forward state. There were two or three other parties
+who had arrived before us, and, as it got dusk, all lighted
+fires; and, as each party, with their cooking and grooms’
+fires, had at least three bonfires going, it made quite a
+pictur<pb n="80"/><anchor id="Pg080"/>esque scene. The night was raw and cold, and we had a few
+drops of rain. It was fortunate that we had brought water
+with us for cooking purposes, for the water in the well was
+perfectly undrinkable.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The next morning we were again off early for our longest
+journey, that on to Rayray Guddy, where food would be procurable
+for horse and man, neither one nor the other being
+obtainable at Guinea-fowl Plain, where there is no commissariat
+station. We had carried our own food, and a small
+portion of grain for the horses; but they would have fared
+very badly had we not met some natives in the pass with a
+bundle of hay, and done a little barter with them for rice.
+The valley for the first twelve or fourteen miles from Guinea-fowl
+Plain greatly resembled in its general features that we
+had passed the day previously, but the vegetation became
+more varied and interesting every mile. We now had great
+trees of ivy, we had the evergreen oak, and occasionally
+gigantic tulip-trees. We had great numbers of a tree, or
+rather large shrub, of the name of which I am ignorant; its
+leaves more resembled the sprays of the asparagus when it
+has run far to seed than any other foliage I know, but the
+growth of the shrub was more like a yew. Upon its
+branches were vast quantities of a parasite resembling the
+mistletoe, whose dark-green leaves afforded a fine contrast to
+the rather bluish tint of the tree. Climbing everywhere over
+the trees, and sometimes almost hiding them, were creepers
+of various kinds; on the ground grew vast quantities of
+the aloe. There were, too, numerous cacti of various kinds,
+some thick and bulky, others no thicker than a lady’s little
+finger, and growing like a creeper over the trees. But,
+strangest of all, upon the hill-sides grew an immense plant,
+<pb n="81"/><anchor id="Pg081"/>or rather tree, of the cactus tribe, which I had never seen
+before. It started by a straight stem fifteen or twenty feet
+high, and thicker than a man’s body. This branched out
+into a great number of arms, which all grew upwards, and to
+just the same height, giving it a strange and formal appearance,
+exactly resembling a gigantic cauliflower. I believe its
+name is <hi rend="italic">Euphorbia candalabriensis</hi>, but do not at all vouch for
+this. Some of the mountain slopes were quite covered with
+this strange tree, but as a general thing it grew singly or in
+pairs. The tulip-trees were superb; they grew generally in
+rocky places, and with their huge twisted trunks, and glossy
+green leaves, and limbs more than a hundred feet long, they
+were studies for a painter.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+At about three miles from Rayray Guddy the valley narrowed
+to a ravine, and we came upon running water. The
+pass from here to the station is steep and difficult, but nothing
+to that at Sooro. Having drawn our rations, and received
+the unwelcome intelligence that there was no hay, and only
+the scantiest possible amount of grain for our animals, we
+established our camp and went up to look at the land transport
+division, about a quarter of a mile higher up the valley.
+There were four or five hundred mules and ponies here, in
+good order, but hardly good condition; in fact, the work has
+been hard and forage scant. How hard the work has been,
+our journey of the two preceding days had testified. All
+along the line of march we had come across the carcasses of
+dead animals, from which great vultures rose lazily at our
+approach. As we approached Rayray Guddy the remains of
+the victims occurred much more frequently, and the air was
+everywhere impregnated with the fœtid odour. This was
+only to be expected, as the poor animals had been obliged to
+<pb n="82"/><anchor id="Pg082"/>endeavour to accomplish the march of thirty miles from Sooro
+without food, and in most cases without water. No time
+should be lost in forming a small commissariat dépôt at
+Guinea-fowl Plain, where a ration of hay and grain could be
+served out to the animals as they pass through. The work
+these baggage-animals have to go through is extremely severe,
+and their half-starved appearance testifies that they have
+not sufficient food served out to them, and to expect them to
+do two days’ work on their one day’s scanty rations is a little
+too much even from mules. We found our friends who had
+started before us from Guinea-fowl Plain encamped up there
+with Captain Mortimer of the transport train. It was proposed
+that we should throw in our mess with them. We
+accordingly returned to our own encampment, took our meat
+and rum, our plates and knives and forks, and marched back
+again. In an hour dinner was ready, and in the mean time
+I was glad of an opportunity of inquiring how this advanced
+division of the transport train had got on. I found that they
+had, like the one down at Zulla, had the greatest trouble with
+their drivers. The officer complained bitterly of the class of
+men who had been sent out—Greeks, Italians, Frenchmen,
+Spaniards, the mere sweepings of Alexandria, Cairo, Beyrout,
+and Smyrna. The Hindoo drivers, he said, upon the
+whole, worked steadily, and were more reliable than the
+others, but were greatly wanting in physical strength. The
+Persians, on the contrary, were very strong and powerful
+men, and could load three mules while a Hindoo could load
+one; but they had at first given very great trouble, had
+mutinied and threatened to desert in a body, but, upon the
+application of the lash to two or three of the ringleaders,
+things had gone on more smoothly. The Arab drivers had
+<pb n="83"/><anchor id="Pg083"/>almost all deserted. Even up here the mules still suffer from
+the disease which prevailed down upon the plain, and which
+carried off a hundred horses of the 3d Native Cavalry. It is
+very sudden in its action, and is in nearly every case fatal.
+The animals seem seized with some internal pain, arch their
+backs, and become rigid. In a short time the tongue grows
+black, a discharge takes place from the nostrils, and in a few
+hours, sometimes not more than one, from the time he is attacked,
+the animal is dead. At present, as with our cattle-disease,
+all remedies are ineffectual. Animals in good condition
+are more liable to be attacked than are the poorer ones.
+After dinner we returned to our tent, where, however, we
+did not pass a remarkably-pleasant night. In the first place,
+it was bitterly cold—the temperature of Rayray Guddy is
+indeed colder than it is here; and in the second, a mule had
+broken loose from its head-ropes, and came down to our
+encampment. Five or six times it nearly upset our tent by
+tumbling over the tent-ropes, in addition to which it made
+our horses so savage by going up among them, that we were
+afraid of their breaking loose. Four or five times, therefore,
+did we have to get up and go out in the cold to drive the
+beast away with stones. The grooms were sleeping at their
+horses’ heads, but were so wrapped up in their rugs that
+they heard nothing of it. The next morning it was so cold
+that we were really glad to be up and moving, and were on
+our way at a little before eight. The first six miles of the
+road is narrow and winding, and is as lovely a road as I ever
+passed. With the exception only of the narrow pathway, the
+gorge was one mass of foliage. In addition to all the plants
+I have mentioned as occurring below, we had now the wild
+fig, the laburnum, various sorts of acacia, and many others,
+<pb n="84"/><anchor id="Pg084"/>One plant in particular, I believe a species of acacia, was in
+seed; the seed-pods were a reddish-brown, but were very
+thin and transparent, and when the sun shone upon them
+were of the colour of the clearest carmine. As these shrubs
+were in great abundance, and completely covered with seed-pods,
+their appearance was very brilliant. Among all these
+plants fluttered numerous humming-birds of the most lovely
+colours. Other birds of larger size and gorgeous plumage
+perched among the trees at a short distance from the path.
+Brilliant butterflies flitted here and there among the
+flowers.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+At last we came to an end of this charming ride, and
+prepared for a work of a very different nature. We turned
+from the ravine which we had now followed for sixty miles,
+and prepared boldly to ascend the hill-side. As soon as
+we left the ravine all the semi-tropical vegetation was at an
+end; we were climbing a steep hill covered with boulders,
+between which stunted pines thrust their gnarled branches
+and dark foliage. We had gone at one leap from a tropical
+ravine to a highland mountain-side. The ascent was, I
+should say, at the least a thousand feet, and a worse thousand-feet
+climb I never had before and never wish to have
+again. It is a mere track which zigzags up among the rocks
+and trees, and which was made by the 10th Native Infantry
+and the Sappers, as the pioneer force rested below and had
+breakfast. The men effected marvels considering that it
+was the work of two hours only; but it is at best a mere
+track. Sometimes the mules mount a place as steep as a
+flight of stairs; then they have to step over a rock three
+feet high. In fact, it is one long struggle up to the top,
+and in no place wide enough for two mules to pass. One
+<pb n="85"/><anchor id="Pg085"/>mule falling puts a stop to a whole train, and this was exemplified
+in our case, for we were following a long line of
+mules when they suddenly came to a stop. For half-an-hour
+we waited patiently, and then, climbing up the rocks
+and through the trees at the side of the stationary mules,
+we finally came to the cause of detention—one of the mules
+had fallen. The drivers had taken no efforts to remove his
+pack or his saddle, but were sitting by his side quietly
+smoking their pipes. After a little strong language we took
+off his saddle, got things right, and the train proceeded
+again. This is the great want of the transport corps—a
+strong body of inspectors, as they are called, volunteers from
+European regiments. There ought to be one of these to
+every ten or fifteen drivers, who, as in the present case,
+if not looked after by a European, will shirk work in every
+possible way. But this is a subject upon which I shall have
+much more to say at a future time. This road or path is
+really not practicable for the passage of mules, for, although
+singly they can go up well enough, if one party going up
+were to meet another going down, it is probable that, if no
+European came up to make one party or other retrace their
+steps, they would remain there until the last animal died
+of starvation. Three companies of the Beloochee regiment
+arrived yesterday at the bottom of the hill, and have set to
+work to widen and improve it; and as a party of sappers
+and miners have begun to work downwards from the top,
+the road will soon be made passable. For this hill-side is
+not like the pass of Sooro, which would require an incredible
+amount of labour to render it a decent road. There
+are no natural obstacles here beyond trees to be cut down
+and stones to be rolled away; so that by the time the main
+<pb n="86"/><anchor id="Pg086"/>body of the army arrives I have no doubt that they will
+find a fair road up to the plateau.
+</p>
+
+<milestone unit="tb" rend="rule: 30%"/>
+    </div><div>
+<index index="toc" level1="Senafe, December 20th"/>
+    <index index="pdf" level1="Senafe, December 20th"/>
+
+<dateline>Senafe, December 20th.</dateline>
+
+<p>
+I closed my letter in great haste yesterday afternoon,
+for the authorities suddenly arrived at the conclusion that
+it was the last day for the English mail. I was obliged to
+break off abruptly in my description of the road, being at
+the point where we had just arrived upon the plateau. Looking
+backwards, we could see peak after peak extending behind
+us, which when we had been winding among their
+bases had looked so high above us, but which now were
+little above the level of the spot where we were standing. A
+few of the peaks around us might have been a thousand or
+fifteen hundred feet higher than the plateau, and we
+were standing nearly on the summit of that high range of
+hills we had seen from the sea. We are now seven thousand
+four hundred feet above Zulla, and by my description
+of the pass it will be seen that it is no child’s-play to attain
+this height. It is not that the ascent is so steep; on the
+contrary, taking the distance at seventy miles, the rise is
+only one in a hundred, an easy gradient for a railway; but
+more than half the rise takes place in three short steep
+ascents, namely, the Sooro pass, a rise of one thousand five
+hundred feet in four miles; the Rayray Guddy pass, a rise
+of one thousand feet in three miles; and the last climb on
+to the plateau, a rise of one thousand five hundred feet in
+two miles. Thus four thousand feet, or more than half the
+rise, takes place in nine miles, and over the remaining distance
+the rise is only one foot in every two hundred. The
+<pb n="87"/><anchor id="Pg087"/>difficulties of the journey are the general roughness of the
+road, the long distances the animals have to go without
+water, and the ascent of the Sooro pass, for there is no doubt
+that the final rise to the plateau will soon be made a good
+road by the exertions of the Beloochees and Sappers. Turning
+our horses’ heads we proceeded onward. The change
+to an open plain and a fresh wind in place of the long valley
+and oppressive stillness was charming. One would have
+thought oneself on the top of a Welsh hill. The ground
+was a black peaty soil, with a short dried-up grass. Here
+and there were small patches of cultivated ground, and
+clumps of rock cropped up everywhere. Looking forward,
+we could see that the general character of the ground was
+that of a plain; but enormous masses of rock, of seven or
+eight hundred feet in height, rose perpendicularly in fantastic
+shapes sheer up from the plain. Here and there were
+ranges of mountains, some of considerable altitude. Far in
+the distance we could see hills rising between hills, but
+never attaining any great height. Everywhere over the
+plain were little groups of cattle and sheep grazing. We
+were evidently in a thickly-populated country.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+After about two miles’ ride we turned the corner of a
+slight rise, and there before us lay the camp. It is prettily
+situated on the side of a little valley, and faces the north.
+The 10th Native Infantry are encamped on the right
+wing; the Mountain Train occupy the centre; and the
+3d Cavalry camp lies on the left. Behind the rise a
+plain stretches away, and upon this the troops will be encamped
+as they arrive. The soil of the valley-side and of
+the plain beyond is a mere sand, covered with grass and
+bushes, but in the hollow of the valley, where the stream
+<pb n="88"/><anchor id="Pg088"/>runs, or rather used to run, it is a deep black peat. Wells
+are now being sunk in this peat, and these rapidly fill with
+water. There are still deep pools where the stream formerly
+ran, and dams have been formed, which will keep
+back a considerable supply of water. The troops are not,
+therefore, likely to fall short for some time, and if they
+should, there is plenty at a stream two or three miles farther
+on. The health of the troops is pretty good, but both
+officers and men are subject to slight attacks of fever, much
+more so than they were when encamped on the plain by
+the sea. This is singular, for except that the nights are
+rather cold, this feels the very perfection of climate. The
+horses and mules are doing much better up here, and although
+some died at first, it is probable that they had brought
+the seeds of the disease with them from the pass below.
+As it is, the cavalry have suffered terribly. The 5th Cavalry,
+out of five hundred horses, have lost one hundred and seventy,
+and the officers’ horses of the infantry and Mountain Train
+have been nearly exterminated.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Things are very tranquil here. The King of Tigré,
+after first being friendly, and then blustering a little, has
+just at present, influenced probably by the reports of the
+increasing force of the expedition, determined upon the prudent
+policy of friendship, at any rate until he sees a better
+opportunity of plunder than he does at present. Yesterday
+afternoon an ambassador arrived from him, saying magnanimously,
+<q>Why should we not be friends? My foes
+are your foes; my interests your interests. Take therefore
+my forage, and my blessing.</q> Colonel Merewether is greatly
+delighted at this message, and sees, through those rose-coloured
+spectacles of his, an early end to the expedition.
+<pb n="89"/><anchor id="Pg089"/>Everyone else is perfectly indifferent. The King of Tigré’s
+army of 7000 men could be scattered like chaff by a battalion
+of Europeans; and if he ever sees a chance of falling
+upon our rear, it is more than probable that his friendly
+professions will go for nothing. I do not think that the
+smallest reliance can be placed in the friendship of these
+semi-savage chiefs.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+We gave his ambassador a lesson this morning, which
+will, I have no doubt, have its effect. It was a brigade field-day,
+and Colonel Merewether took the ambassador out to
+witness it. It is a great pity that the artillery and the infantry
+had not a few rounds of blank cartridge, which would
+have given his ambassadorship a much more lively idea of
+what the real thing would be like, and would have given
+him such a tale to bear to his king and master as would
+have opened his Majesty’s eyes to what the consequences
+of a war with us would probably be. But even as it was,
+it no doubt had a very salutary effect. The enemy were
+supposed to be holding a steep rise at the mouth of a long
+valley. The infantry threw forward skirmishers, and the
+mountain guns took up a position upon a neighbouring hill,
+and were supposed to open a heavy fire. Presently the infantry
+advanced in line, and made a rush up the steep rise.
+As they reached the top they lowered bayonets to the charge,
+and with a loud cheer rushed upon the defenders. An instant
+afterwards the word <q>Charge!</q> was given to cavalry,
+and away they went down the valley, sweeping the enemy’s
+supports and the fugitives from the hill before them for
+half a mile, and then scattering in pursuit. It was very
+well done, and, as I have said, no doubt had its effect, especially
+when the ambassador was made to understand that
+<pb n="90"/><anchor id="Pg090"/>the force he saw before him was only one-tenth of our advancing
+army. The movements of the troops were fairly
+performed, and did great credit to their respective commanding-officers.
+Their remaining horses are in excellent
+condition, and are very strong serviceable animals. Their
+uniform is a very effective one, light-blue and silver, with
+white covers to their forage caps. The infantry, whose uniform
+is precisely similar to our own, also wear white cap-covers.
+Going out to the parade-ground, which is about
+two miles distant from here, we passed several native villages,
+and a great number of them can be seen scattered
+all over the plains. The country, indeed, is very thickly
+populated; very much more so than a rural district in England
+of the same extent. The people possess goats, sheep,
+and cattle in abundance, together with ponies, donkeys, and
+mules. They are ready to sell all these animals to us, but
+demand very high prices, which has been to a certain extent
+encouraged by the prices Colonel Merewether has
+ordered to be paid at the bazaar for them. Thus, he has
+fixed the price of a goat at a dollar and a half, that is six
+and ninepence, whereas I paid down in the pass only two
+shillings for a goat, and could have bought any number
+at that price. It is probable, too, that the current price
+for goats, or indeed for any animals, is considerably less
+here than in the valley, for there forage is extremely scarce,
+and must be sought at long distances; whereas here it is
+abundant, the plains being covered with it. Of course, this
+price having been once fixed, the natives will not take less,
+that is, in specie. They would take a shilling’s worth of
+rice for a goat; but of course we have no rice to give them.
+It may make but little difference to Colonel Merewether
+<pb n="91"/><anchor id="Pg091"/>whether he pays seven shillings or two shillings for a goat;
+but the subalterns naturally grumble at having to pay three
+times the real value for their food. Not, indeed, that the
+officers here have to buy much, for their guns supplement
+their rations to a very considerable extent. Guinea-fowls,
+partridges, ducks, and geese abound, and a large number
+are daily shot by the sportsmen of the camp. The ration
+allowance of one pound of meat, including bone, a pound
+of biscuit, two ounces of preserved vegetables, and a quarter
+of a pound of rice, is quite insufficient for one’s wants
+in a bracing atmosphere like this. The meat issued contains
+an enormous proportion of bone, so that there is little
+if at all more than half a pound of clear meat in a ration.
+I am sure that I consume at least three times my daily
+allowance of meat.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The natives completely swarm about our camp. The
+men do not do much, but loiter about with their swords and
+spears, and shields made of elephant-hide. These spears are
+really formidable weapons. They are from six to ten feet
+long, and weighted at both ends, and the natives are able
+to throw them with great force and considerable accuracy
+for a distance of over thirty yards. These would be ugly
+weapons in a hand-to-hand fight in a bush, but as it is,
+against a disciplined force armed with firearms, they are
+simply absurd, and I have seen no offensive weapons—such
+as bows or arrows—which could be used with effect against
+us during the passage of a defile, in their possession, since
+my arrival in the country. The women appear to do all
+the work. They come into the camp in hundreds laden
+with firewood, and keep up a perpetual cry of <q>Lockaree,
+lockaree!</q>—which is the Hindoostanee for wood, they having
+<pb n="92"/><anchor id="Pg092"/>picked up that word,—and <q>Parnè!</q> water. Even the children
+bring their bundles of wood. The women are not
+nearly so pretty as some of them I saw down the pass, nor
+are they so neatly clad. They are dressed in cotton and
+leather; but neither are these so tastefully arranged, or so
+fancifully ornamented with shells, as were those I described
+in a previous letter. They are very thin, many of the children
+painfully so, which is surprising when one sees the
+abundance of their flocks and herds. The villages, too, are
+well built. The houses are low and flat-roofed. They are
+in many cases built of stone, and some of them have inner
+courts, with a sort of veranda formed of boughs to sit under.
+They have, like the Arab villages I saw at Alexandria, and
+which they strongly resemble, no windows; but as the native’s
+life is entirely passed in the open air, I suppose that matters
+but little. The natives seem to feel the cold much,
+and go shivering about in the early morning and evening in
+a pitiful way. They bring in honey for sale in pots, weighing
+about ten pounds, and for which they charge two dollars.
+Their own drink is made of this honey, fermented
+with the juice of a plant which grows abundantly upon the
+plain. The honey, as they bring it into camp, is very impure,
+and needs refining before using. The commissariat
+officer rode out yesterday to one of the villages, and bought
+a quantity of chillies, which will prove a great addition to
+our fare when they begin to issue them, for we have had
+no pepper served out since we landed; and a course of
+mutton, unrelieved by condiment of any kind, is apt to pall
+upon the stomach.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+All praise must be given to the commissariat for the way
+in which they have performed the service from Zulla to this
+<pb n="93"/><anchor id="Pg093"/>place. Not one day have the troops been without their rations;
+and the animals, although they have not always received their
+full supply, have yet always had something to eat at the end
+of the day’s work. No commissariat officer accompanied the
+pioneer force in their march up; but the whole arrangements
+were made by Conductor Darcey, to whom the greatest credit
+is due. During the whole march he did not lose a single
+animal, or a single bag of grain. A commissariat officer has
+arrived within the last two days; but honour should be given
+where it is due, and certainly the greatest credit is due to
+those noncommissioned officers for the manner in which,
+alone and unaided, they have carried out the difficult duties
+intrusted to them. Two prisoners were brought in yesterday.
+They are part of the gang who have been infesting the pass,
+robbing every convoy without a guard of Europeans. They
+were captured by a friendly chief, who, with his men, came
+upon the whole gang. The rest fled, throwing away their
+weapons, of which quite a bundle was brought into camp.
+The prisoners, being old men, were unable to escape, and
+were brought in triumph by their captors into Rayray Guddy,
+whence they were forwarded to Colonel Merewether. Their
+preliminary examination by the interpreter took place in the
+open air. The prisoners and their accusers squatted in a
+circle, and a number of natives gathered round. These last
+were evidently greatly amused and surprised at the formality
+of the proceedings,—as the guilt of the accused was undoubted,
+articles of European manufacture, such as portions
+of harness, being found in their possession,—and the idea
+being evidently prevalent that we should hang them at once.
+They were removed to the guard-tent, and will, I suppose,
+be regularly tried, and well flogged, in a day or two.
+</p>
+
+<pb n="94"/><anchor id="Pg094"/>
+
+<p>
+This expectation was not verified; the prisoners were let
+off, with an admonition to behave better in future; and this
+happened again and again. The absurd course pursued by
+our political officer towards native offenders produced, as
+might have been expected, very disastrous consequences
+afterwards. The natives learnt that our baggage could
+be plundered with impunity, and that even when taken red-handed
+in the act, the chances were that no punishment
+whatever would be inflicted. They naturally ascribed this
+conduct on our part to fear—for in Abyssinia the punishment
+for theft is very severe, the culprit frequently having
+his hand cut off—and were encouraged to plunder accordingly.
+A moderate share of energy, one grain of common
+sense among the authorities at Senafe at this time, so that the
+first two or three offenders caught plundering our convoys in
+open day should have been flogged to within an inch of their
+lives, and plundering would have been put a stop to at once
+and for ever; and a very great many lives, both of our own
+muleteers and of the natives themselves, would have been
+eventually saved.
+</p>
+
+<milestone unit="tb"/>
+
+<p>
+It is a great satisfaction to know that in the course of a
+short time we shall be able to purchase for the use of the army
+any number of bullocks and sheep. We have not been able
+to do so heretofore, for the absurd reason that we have had no
+money. Will it be believed that a body of troops marching
+on into a country where it is supposed they would be able to
+purchase any quantity of animals for themselves and the army
+which is to follow them, should have come up with the military
+chest totally unprovided with money? It is almost too
+preposterous, but it is perfectly true. A chest of two thousand
+<pb n="95"/><anchor id="Pg095"/>pounds arrived yesterday under a guard. But what are two
+thousand pounds when we want three or four thousand bullocks
+alone, and when Colonel Merewether has fixed the price
+of each at six dollars and a half—that is, as nearly as possible,
+thirty shillings?
+</p>
+
+<p>
+I shall be able to send you but little news from here.
+Colonel Merewether proceeds to-morrow morning forty miles
+into the interior. He takes with him a troop of cavalry, a
+large stock of mules, &amp;c., but he declines positively to allow
+a <hi rend="italic">confrère</hi> and myself to accompany him. He is civil, but
+firm. <q>The addition of two persons would probably break
+down the whole party. Starvation might ensue, and he could
+not guarantee that we should be fed.</q> These are actually
+word for word the reasons he gives for declining to allow the
+only two special correspondents here from accompanying his
+force. He can victual himself, Colonel Phayre, three or four
+other staff-officers, and a troop of cavalry; but two correspondents
+were too much for the resources of the commissariat.
+We called upon him twice; we urged upon him that it was
+a matter of great interest to the public that we should go
+forward. We said that we would put him to no trouble, but
+would bring our own mules, with ten days’ provisions, if
+necessary. He declined positively to allow us to go. He
+would, when he returned, give us details, and that was all he
+would do. The public, in fact, might read his official report
+and be thankful; for none other, says he, shall they receive.
+Had we arrived here as two unaccredited strangers, his conduct
+was perfectly explicable; but provided as we were by
+the courtesy of the India Office with letters to Sir Robert
+Napier, and furnished by him, in consequence, with a circular
+letter, requesting all officers of the army to forward our
+<pb n="96"/><anchor id="Pg096"/>wishes in every way, we certainly had not expected to have
+been refused the chance of availing ourselves of the very first
+opportunity which has fallen in our way of sending you something
+really new from Abyssinia.
+</p>
+
+<milestone unit="tb" rend="rule: 30%"/>
+</div><div>
+    <index index="toc" level1="Camp, Senafe, December 23d"/>
+    <index index="pdf" level1="Camp, Senafe, December 23d"/>
+
+<dateline>Camp, Senafe, December 23d.</dateline>
+
+<p>
+At the time I closed my last letter I had no idea that my
+next communication would be dated Senafe. Colonel Merewether’s
+unaccountable refusal to allow my fellow-correspondent
+and myself to accompany him upon his expedition had
+rendered our further stay here useless.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Accordingly, an hour or two after the expedition had
+started from camp, I packed up a light kit and started for the
+sea-shore. The road, as far as the top of the first descent, is
+now so free from stone that it might be used as a race-course,
+but we found that nothing had yet been done with the zigzag
+down the face of the hill. However, as we met no mules upon
+our way it was an easy descent enough; indeed the whole
+pass, from end to end, although it has its difficulties, still presents
+no real obstacle to a single traveller. It is only when
+viewed in the light of a highway for an army, as the only
+line of communication up which the stores of 20,000 men
+must come, that one considers it to be a really terrible business.
+No forage is procurable for the baggage-animals between
+the sea and Senafe, seventy miles. A large proportion,
+therefore, of the mules is occupied in carrying food for themselves
+and their companions. The stages, too, for heavily-burdened
+animals across an exceedingly-rough road are distressingly
+long. Twelve miles a-day, with a pause for an hour
+to feed and water in the middle of the day, could be done by
+<pb n="97"/><anchor id="Pg097"/>heavily-loaded mules without deterioration of their quality.
+But here all the stages, except the last, considerably exceed
+that distance; and from Sooro to Rayray Guddy, over thirty
+miles, is practically without food or water. This is what
+makes the Koomaylo Pass so difficult as the highway of an
+army—want of forage the whole distance, and long intervals
+between the watering-places; to which may be added the
+disease which infects the pass and decimates the animals as
+they go up and down. The mule, although one of the most
+enduring of creatures, and capable of sustaining great privations,
+is yet a delicate animal. Feed him well, keep him supplied
+with water and hay, and he will do wonders; but without
+regular and abundant food he falls away rapidly. During
+the last campaign in Italy there were thousands of mules engaged
+transporting provisions up the Tyrol to Garibaldi. They
+had great fatigue and long marches, but they were well fed
+and had plenty of water; and consequently throughout the
+campaign I never saw a dead mule, and hardly one out of
+condition. Here it is just the reverse; the mules are greatly
+fallen off, and although they are now much better fed, they
+will be a very long time before they regain their lost strength.
+In respect to food a great improvement has been effected in
+the last few days. Captain Sewell has been here about a
+week. He is in charge of the commissariat, and has purchased
+considerable quantities of hay, which is now served
+out to the mules here, and to their even worse-off brethren
+down at Rayray Guddy; for here, at least, in their intervals
+of labour the mules were able to graze, while in the valley
+there is not a blade of grass to be had. Captain Mortimer,
+indeed, who is in charge of the transport division there, only
+kept his animals alive by compelling their drivers to go up
+<pb n="98"/><anchor id="Pg098"/>to the summit of the hills, either before their day’s work is
+begun or after it was over, and to cut and bring down a certain
+weight of hay. It is very fortunate that vultures are
+so abundant in this country. Were it not for them the pass
+would be unbearable from the taint of dead animals. Between
+the top of the pass and Rayray Guddy, a distance of eight
+miles, we passed more than that number of dead mules and
+ponies, most of which had been only dead three days at most;
+and everyone of these had been partially eaten by the vultures,
+who keep wheeling and circling in the air overhead,
+and scarcely is life out of an animal before these scavengers
+swoop down upon it. I have seen as many as seven or eight
+of these great birds eating and fighting over the carcass of a
+single horse. The ride from the bottom of the steep incline
+to Rayray Guddy I have already described, and it is certainly
+the most beautiful ride of seven miles I ever traversed, the
+brilliancy and variety of the foliage, the number and beauty
+of the humming-birds and butterflies, all being in addition to
+the ordinary scenery of a mountain pass. I find that the great
+trees I described as tulip-trees are not really tulip-trees, although
+their foliage strangely resembles that tree. Authorities
+differ as to what they really are; some affirming that they are
+banyan-trees, while others say that no banyan-tree was ever
+seen without the long pendulous roots from its branches, of
+which there are here no trace.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Upon reaching Rayray Guddy we found that Sir Charles
+Staveley had arrived there two hours previously from Sooro.
+He had not heard of the departure of Colonels Merewether,
+Phayre, and Wilkins, and as the principal object of his
+journey had been to see them, he was of course much disappointed.
+However, he determined now he had come so
+<pb n="99"/><anchor id="Pg099"/>far, to go on to Senafe, and we decided upon returning with
+him, as we had now no motive for going down, and, indeed,
+it was possible that he might either ride out himself
+to the point whither Colonel Merewether had gone, or might
+send an aide-de-camp to request him to return, in either
+of which cases we knew that he would grant us permission
+to go. General Staveley was the more disappointed at the
+absence of Colonel Merewether because he had taken the
+precaution of writing two days previously to announce his
+coming. The letter, of course, had not arrived, for the
+general had performed the distance in three days from Zulla
+to Senafe, and the post would take at least two days longer.
+Nothing, indeed, can possibly be worse than the postal arrangements,
+or rather want of arrangement. Relays of
+men on foot carry the letters, and even these do not travel
+at night. But the great question which everyone is asking
+is, <q>What becomes of the letters?</q> I have not received
+a single letter or newspaper of a later date than November 4th.
+Some few people have been more fortunate, and occasionally
+get a letter or paper; but they are exceptions. One
+feels as absolutely cut off from England as if a great gulf
+had opened between us. I did hear this morning from someone
+who had had the luck to receive an odd newspaper that
+the amount for the Abyssinian war had been voted, and we
+had a hearty laugh over the news that the expenses were
+laid at four millions. I only hope that the post down is a
+little better regulated than that up, for if not, instead of
+getting my letters regularly once a-week, they will probably
+arrive in a mass about the end of next June. The general
+came up here on the 22d. He will, I believe, start on his
+return journey to-morrow, whether Colonel Merewether and
+<pb n="100"/><anchor id="Pg100"/>his party come into camp or not, as his presence is absolutely
+necessary on the sea-shore. It will be unfortunate if
+he should miss them after his long journey up here, especially
+as he had made certain of seeing them; for the committee
+of exploration, which consisted of Colonels Merewether,
+Phayre, and Wilkins, was dissolved by an order of General
+Napier, which was published ten days since, and of which
+these gentlemen of course received a copy. General Napier
+thanked them warmly for their efforts to carry out their
+duty, and for the success which had attended them, but
+stated that General Sir Charles Staveley had gone to Zulla
+to take the command until he himself arrived, and that
+therefore there was no longer any occasion for the existence
+of the committee. In the face of this order General Staveley
+could hardly have expected that these gentlemen would have
+proceeded on an expedition forty miles into the interior
+without any consultation or reference to himself.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+An important messenger came into the camp on the afternoon
+of the 22d. He stated that he was the servant of
+Mr. Flad, and, indeed, was identified as being so by several
+people in camp. He stated that he had started with a letter
+from Mr. Flad, and with one from King Theodore, but that
+he had been robbed of them upon the way. He brought,
+however, one piece of important and very disagreeable news,
+namely, that Theodore had marched from Debra Tabor to
+Magdala; had raised the siege of that place by the King
+of Shoa, and had taken the whole of the captives back with
+him to Debra Tabor. This is the most unfortunate occurrence
+which could possibly have taken place. As long as
+the captives were separated from him by his enemies they
+were safe; and if, as will in all probability be the case, the
+<pb n="101"/><anchor id="Pg101"/>army of Theodore should disband at our approach, and
+he himself rule safely in the fortresses of the mountains,
+where search for him would be out of the question, we
+should have marched to Magdala and effected the release
+of the prisoners. Now we have no such hope. We may
+toil on across mountain and ravine, but we know that our
+hands are shackled, and that the tyrant we war against can
+at any moment purchase peace upon his own terms. Theodore
+can laugh our efforts to scorn; he knows that he need
+not disquiet himself. He can let the expedition approach
+him. He can chuckle over the enormous waste of treasure
+and effort, even if not of human life; and he knows that at
+the last moment he can arrest us with the ultimatum—<q>Return
+at once, and I will release my prisoners; move one
+step forward, and I will sacrifice every one.</q> This is very
+disheartening, and takes away from the expedition that zest
+and buoyancy which the thought of a possible skirmish at
+the end of the toilsome journey would give it. Nothing
+could be more unfortunate than the loss of Theodore’s letter
+by Mr. Flad’s servant. It may be that in it Theodore
+offered to restore the captives at once upon the agreement
+that we would advance no farther. It may be that he held
+out the threat that the prisoners would be put to death did
+we not at once agree to his terms. Altogether it is most
+unfortunate. It is to be hoped that Theodore will see the
+manifest likelihood of his messenger being stopped upon the
+way, and will send his letter in duplicate by some other
+hand. There is a rumour current among the natives this
+morning that Theodore has released the captives, and that
+they are upon their way down. There is, of course, no finding
+out the origin of this report, but it is most unlikely
+<pb n="102"/><anchor id="Pg102"/>that he would deliver them up until, at any rate, he had
+obtained a promise that we in return would abandon all
+idea of advancing upon him.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The disease among the horses still continues. Those who
+have been the longest up here appear comparatively safe, but
+it would seem to require some time to get the disease out of
+the blood. Every morning three or four mules are dragged
+out of the camp to the foot of the hills, a mile off, there to be
+eaten by the vultures. Yesterday afternoon my groom came
+to me with the unpleasant intelligence, <q>Sahib, your baggage-pony
+ill.</q> I went out and found him lying down. Upon
+the veterinary surgeon arriving he shook his head, and, pointing
+to the swollen tongue, said that it was the disease, and
+that in a couple of hours it would be dead. We tried brandy-and-water
+in the vain hope of reviving him, but it was quite
+useless, and in a little over the two hours the pony died,
+having been apparently unconscious for an hour and a half
+previously. Yesterday, too, the horse of Dr. Lamb, chief
+veterinary surgeon of the transport corps, died. Dr. Lamb
+came up with us a week since. After spending three days
+here inspecting the animals he returned, but as he did not
+wish his horse to run the risk of again going down into the
+pass, he left it here in perfect health, and rode down again
+upon a baggage-pony. Yesterday the poor animal died, after
+the usual three hours’ illness. Dr. Lamb strongly recommended
+that all animals which can be spared should be at
+once sent up here. Unfortunately none of the baggage-animals,
+except those which work the last stage from Rayray
+Guddy here, can be spared. They must remain below
+to carry up provisions and baggage whatever the mortality
+may be. General Staveley has ordered that in future 10
+<pb n="103"/><anchor id="Pg103"/>per cent of spare animals shall accompany every train of
+loaded mules, to take the baggage off those who give in on
+the way. He has also ordered that the artillery-horses shall
+be instantly sent up here with their native attendants. The
+soldiers cannot accompany them, as their warm clothing has
+not yet arrived. He has also ordered that the cavalry regiments
+shall be sent on the instant they land. The general
+has taken particular interest in the transport train since he
+arrived at Zulla, and it is due to the order he gave and to
+the assistance with which he supplied them from the 33d and
+Beloochee regiments, that the train down at Zulla has been
+enabled to make head against the tremendous difficulties they
+have sustained owing to the wholesale desertion among the
+drivers, and to the uselessness of a great portion of those who
+remain. He has divided the baggage-animals which are in
+the country into regular squadrons, stationing a number at
+each station proportioned to the length and hardship of the
+journey. General Staveley, indeed, is the very man for an
+expedition of this sort. Whatever he sees is necessary, he
+takes upon himself the responsibility of ordering to be done.
+I consider his arrival at Zulla to have been most providential.
+Everything was going wrong, disorder ruled supreme. All
+this is now at an end. General Staveley has taken the command,
+and unity of action is once more introduced. Whether
+Colonel Phayre, now that his committee of exploration is dissolved,
+may determine to go down to Zulla or to remain here,
+is now of little importance, as Major Baigrie, the deputy-quartermaster-general,
+is fully capable of carrying on the
+duties, supported as he is by the weight of General Staveley’s
+authority.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+This morning the 10th Native Infantry were engaged in
+<pb n="104"/><anchor id="Pg104"/>clearing a large space of ground of stones, in order to make
+it suitable for a parade-ground. It was wonderful to see how
+fast they got through the work, and how much more they
+accomplished than an equal number of Europeans would
+have done in the same time. And this because squatting
+is the normal attitude of an Oriental. In this attitude they
+can remain for hours; therefore the work of collecting the
+stones into heaps, which in turn were carried away in empty
+rice-bags by another party, was the easiest affair possible.
+It is very amusing looking on at these native fatigue-parties,
+the varieties of costume are so great. The 10th Native Infantry,
+like the Beloochees, is recruited from all parts of
+India, and contain Mussulmans, Punjaubees, Sikhs, Patans,
+Hill-men, and, in fact, specimens of most of the native races,
+the Hindostanee proper being greatly in the minority. To a
+certain extent these men cling to their own costume, consequently
+in a party of a hundred of them on fatigue-duty the
+variety is astonishing. Men in red turbans and white turbans,
+in red, white, or violet nightcaps—these articles having
+been served out to these men as part of their warm clothing—some
+in coloured jackets, white underclothing, and long
+drawers, others with nothing on but the cumberband, or loincloth,
+some entirely in white, with their legs covered to the
+knee. Many are the shades of colour too, from nearly jet
+black down to the rich bronze of the Sikhs. Almost all are
+fine, well-built men, and all appear to work with good temper
+and with a will. The parade is to take place upon the new
+ground to-morrow evening. It is not settled yet upon what
+day General Staveley will leave, but his present intention is,
+in case Colonel Merewether returns on the morning of the
+25th, to start the same afternoon.
+</p>
+
+<milestone unit="tb" rend="rule: 30%"/>
+    </div><div>
+        <index index="toc" level1="Camp, Senafe, December 26th"/>
+        <index index="pdf" level1="Camp, Senafe, December 26th"/>
+<pb n="105"/><anchor id="Pg105"/>
+
+<dateline>Camp, Senafe, December 26th.</dateline>
+
+<p>
+When I wrote on the 23d instant I had not made up my
+mind whether I should spend Christmas here or on the road
+downwards. But circumstances finally compelled me to wait
+here until to-day; and I am glad for several reasons that I
+did so. The first and most important was in reference to the
+story brought by Mr. Flad’s servant, namely, that Theodore
+had marched to Magdala, had raised the siege of that fortress
+by the rebels, and had taken all the captives back with him
+to Debra Tabor. As this news was brought by a man who
+was recognised by some in camp as being what he claimed—Mr.
+Flad’s servant—his statement was received without suspicion,
+and the event was justly considered to be most unfortunate.
+When, however, the exploring-party returned, Dr.
+Krapf, the chief interpreter, examined the man, cross-questioned
+him as to time and dates, and found that these were
+quite incompatible with the truth, as the man described them
+as having taken place in the latter part of October, whereas
+our last news from Mr. Flad himself was to November 7th,
+at which time none of these movements had taken place. Finding
+himself thus caught, the man confessed that his whole
+statement was a lie. I need not say that this contradiction
+of the false news gave the greatest satisfaction to everyone,
+but the general feeling was that six dozen, well laid on, would
+be of enormous benefit to the man who thus invented false
+news, apparently merely for the pleasure of gratuitous lying.
+Of course he will not be punished, for the policy pursued with
+respect to the natives is mild in the extreme. By all means
+conciliate natives, by all means pay for all you take, do no
+wrong to anyone; but at the same time make them respect
+you by the firmness with which you administer justice upon
+<pb n="106"/><anchor id="Pg106"/>thieves and plunderers, and do not encourage the people to
+cheat you by ordering a price at least six or eight times above
+their former prices for every animal or article you buy. The
+men who were taken in the act almost of robbery down the
+pass, and whose preliminary examination I described a week
+since, have not been flogged, or, as far as I am aware, in any
+way punished, nor have three other ruffians who were captured
+the following day. The natives put this forbearance
+down to timidity on our part. They cannot comprehend
+that any other feeling could prevent our punishing these
+men, who have been robbing our convoys, now that we have
+them in our power. It may be a course of Christian forbearance,
+but officers whose kits have been plundered are very
+sore that fellows of this kind are not summarily punished
+upon the spot.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The exploring-party went forward to Attegrat, a place of
+some size, about thirty-five miles from here. They went by
+one route and returned by another. One line was rather
+more mountainous than the other, but both are, I hear, quite
+practicable, and water, forage, and wood were found in abundance.
+At Attegrat a large fair was going on, and very
+large quantities of cattle, sheep, goats, ponies, and mules,
+together with grain, chillies, honey, &amp;c., were exposed for
+sale. The appearance of the escort of cavalry excited the
+greatest curiosity, and the party were almost mobbed as they
+walked through the fair. On parts of the route they passed
+through enormous flights of locusts, which the people were
+endeavouring to frighten away from their fields by beating
+drums and pieces of metal together, and by lighting great
+fires. The locusts abound everywhere here; not a bush
+which has not half-a-dozen of these insects, hardly a rock
+<pb n="107"/><anchor id="Pg107"/>without one or two crawling over it. The natives say they
+have not had so many for years, and that the crops have
+been very greatly damaged by them. The only things which
+benefit by them are the monkeys and birds, both of which
+feed upon them. The natives themselves also eat them to a
+certain extent. The method of preparation is as follows: A
+large hole is made in the ground. This is lined smoothly
+with clay. A large fire is lighted in this, and when this has
+burnt down the ashes are scraped out, the hole is filled with
+locusts, and covered up with clay. When the insects are
+sufficiently baked they are taken out and pounded into a fine
+powder, which is eaten mixed with rice or flour. At Attegrat
+the expedition found blocks of salt used as the medium
+of exchange: we have not seen any in this part of the
+country. In the fair they also saw some really warm cloths
+of native manufacture. This is important, as, if the supply
+turns out to be abundant, it will save the expense of bringing
+warm clothing for the native troops from England. Indeed,
+warm clothes appear to me to be a most unnecessary portion of
+our enormous baggage. The weather by day, even at this the
+coldest time of year, and upon one of the most elevated parts
+of our journey, is never cold enough for warm clothing. At
+night men require an extra blanket for warmth, and this they
+might wrap round them over their greatcoat upon unusually
+cold nights. On Christmas-eve the general inspected the
+troops, who performed several manœuvres. He left on
+Christmas-day at three o’clock, four hours after the return of
+the expeditionary force, and having had a conversation of
+some length with Colonels Merewether and Phayre. One
+good result among the many brought about by the general’s
+visit here will be, that we shall now have some little attention
+<pb n="108"/><anchor id="Pg108"/>paid to health. A medical officer had been appointed as sanitary
+officer, but his appointment, for any good it did, might
+as well have never been made. It was not that this officer
+failed in his duty, or that there was no need for his services;
+on the contrary, the state of the watering arrangements was
+disgraceful, the native troops washing, &amp;c. in the pools above
+those from which the drinking-water was taken. The water
+certainly has to filter through the peat before it reaches the
+other pools, but that is little satisfaction. It is true that this
+was against orders, but the number of sentries posted was
+quite insufficient, or else they winked at the proceedings of
+their fellow-soldiers. I myself rode past half-a-dozen times,
+and never without seeing native soldiers washing on the edge
+of the pool. The latrine arrangements connected with the
+10th Native Infantry hospital were also simply scandalous.
+But worst of all was the state of the pass, dotted with dead
+baggage-animals in every stage of decomposition, and the
+stench from which was almost overpowering. The sanitary
+officer had pointed out these evils, and had applied for power
+to take on a few natives to burn the carcasses in the pass.
+This suggestion, however, had been passed over as absurd,
+and he might as well have been in Bombay. Nothing whatever
+was done. General Staveley, however, restored this
+officer to his proper place, and gave him authority to take on
+the natives and burn the dead animals, which, had nothing
+been done, were offensive enough to have created the worst
+epidemic among the advancing troops. Other medical officers
+have been appointed to take bands of coolies and clear
+the different stages of this pass. The horse-disease still continues
+very bad. Of the six horses brought up by the
+general and the members of his staff, four were taken ill the
+<pb n="109"/><anchor id="Pg109"/>day after his arrival here. They do not, however, appear to
+have taken it in a virulent form, and will, I hope, get over
+it. Yesterday being Christmas-day was of course kept with
+all honour; that is to say, with such honours as could be
+paid. It was hard to believe it was Christmas-day, especially
+among native troops; to them, of course, it was no festival.
+The day was fine and hot—the thermometer 75° in the shade,
+but very hot where there was no shelter. I fastened a large
+bunch of fir and of a plant somewhat resembling myrtle to
+my tent-pole, and two or three of the other tents were similarly
+decorated. One of the engineer officers had quite a
+triumphal arch of green erected before his tent. Large circular
+arbours were built up by the 10th Native Infantry and
+by the 3d Cavalry, to serve as shelter from the wind while
+they sat round the fire after dinner. I was invited by the
+3d Native Cavalry to take my Christmas dinner with them,
+and a capital dinner it was under the circumstances. Two
+huge bunches of fir were fastened to the tent-poles, the table
+was formed of the lids of packing-cases, and we sat round
+upon boxes and chairs of every height and make. Here was
+a man on a seat so low that his chin hardly appeared above
+the table; next to him one perched up so high that his knees
+were on a level with his plate. Nor were the fittings of the
+table less various. It was the camp rule that everyone
+should bring his own plates, knives, forks, and glasses.
+Some of us therefore fed off tin, some off crockery, some
+off enamelled iron. Some drank from glasses, some from
+pewter-pots. The only uniformity was in the bottle of
+champagne placed before each diner. Most of us would, I
+think, have preferred beer; but there was not a bottle left in
+the camp, and the champagne before us had been hoarded for
+<pb n="110"/><anchor id="Pg110"/>this sacred occasion. The dinner was various. Mutton and
+guinea-fowl; spur-fowl and venison; but, whatever we ate,
+everyone present religiously took a piece of the joint of roast
+beef. It was the only reminder of the occasion. I need not
+say how heartily each joined in the toast of <q>All friends at
+home.</q>
+</p>
+
+<p>
+I start this afternoon on my way down the pass again to
+Zulla, and shall carry this letter down to post there, as the
+ridiculous arrangements to which I have before alluded still
+prevail. A native still creeps up and down the pass with a
+bag on his back, and takes his four or five days to do the
+seventy miles, whereas two relays of men on mules or ponies
+would bring the bag down in fifteen hours easily. As it is,
+no one knows whether they will be in time to catch a post or
+not. In fact, it is a pure haphazard proceeding.
+</p>
+
+<milestone unit="tb" rend="rule: 30%"/>
+</div><div>
+    <index index="toc" level1="Zulla, Annesley Bay, January 2d, 1868"/>
+    <index index="pdf" level1="Zulla, Annesley Bay, January 2d, 1868"/>
+
+<dateline>Zulla, Annesley Bay, January 2d, 1868.</dateline>
+
+<p>
+I have been now three days back in Zulla, which is literally
+crowded with troops. In respect to the pass, nothing
+could be more surprising than the change which has taken
+place in the road during the fortnight which has elapsed since
+I first passed up. This is due to the way in which the sappers
+and miners, under officers of the Royal Engineers, and
+the advanced companies of the Beloochees, under Major Hogg,
+have worked. The latter are at work in the valley below the
+Rayray Guddy pass, and here they make very nearly a mile
+of road a day, along which artillery might be taken without
+difficulty. It is wonderful to see the change which they have
+effected, and the hearty way in which they work. Not less
+surprising is the change which the sappers and miners have
+<pb n="111"/><anchor id="Pg111"/>effected in the Sooro Gorge. When I last rode up it, it was,
+as I described it, all but impracticable for loaded animals.
+One had to clamber over a huge boulder here, to scramble
+through between two others there. It was a really difficult
+proceeding, and loaded camels were unable to get through
+the narrow places. Now all this is changed. A path winds
+here and there among the rocks, down which I was able to
+ride my horse without the smallest difficulty. The worst part
+of the journey was the passage of the thirty-three miles between
+Rayray Guddy and Sooro, without water, except a
+bucket of pea-soup-coloured stuff at Guinea-fowl Plain for
+the animals. It is proposed to sink more wells at this point,
+to put up some pumps, and to establish a small commissariat
+dépôt, in order that troops may break their march there. As
+we rode down this dry parched valley for thirty miles, occasionally
+meeting detachments of weary men, who asked us
+pitifully how far it was to water, we could not help thinking
+of one of Colonel Phayre’s reports, in which he stated,
+<q>From Sooro to Senafe, about thirty miles more, water
+never fails.</q> The fact being, not one single drop is to be
+found in the thirty miles above Sooro, save at one muddy
+well.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+At Koomaylo I found an astonishing change. The thorn-trees
+which had lined the bottom of the valley had been all
+cut down; a large space had been cleared as a camping-ground
+for troops as they march through; fresh wells have been sunk,
+and there are some of the American pumps at work, discharging
+a stream of clear water, which, flowing through a succession
+of tubs, enables the animals to be watered in one quarter
+the time formerly occupied. These pumps, which are called
+<q>the Douglas pitcher-spout pump,</q> are certainly admirable
+<pb n="112"/><anchor id="Pg112"/>machines. When I had first heard of their arrival, and of
+the principle of their construction, I had not thought it possible
+that they could be used in such ground as this. They
+consist of a number of thin iron tubes like gas-pipes, screwing
+into each other, the lowest one terminating in a sharp spike
+of slightly bulbous form, so that, being thicker than the rod
+itself, it only touches the soil through which it is driven at
+that point, thus greatly diminishing the friction and resistance.
+On to the pipe, at about four feet from its upper end,
+is screwed a block of iron, which can be shifted as the rod
+gradually descends. A heavy weight of iron, with a hole
+through it, is put on the rod above this block, and to this
+weight ropes are attached working through pulleys placed on
+the top of the rod four feet higher. Two men pull these
+ropes, and the weight rises, and then falls, acting as a rammer
+upon the anvil of iron below. In this manner the whole
+rod is driven down, fresh lengths being added as required,
+and then a pump is established without the labour of sinking
+a well. The whole thing is simple in the extreme, and admirably
+adapted for clay or gravel soils. It could, however,
+hardly be expected to be successful in the bed of a torrent,
+where the gravel is mixed with blocks of stone of every size,
+as it is evident that a hollow pipe could not be driven through
+solid rock. The tube, however, in nine cases out of ten,
+pushes any obstacle aside, and reaches the required depth.
+It is intended to arrange a series of troughs, so that the animals
+may be enabled to drink upon their arrival without the weary
+hour of waiting which they have now to go through. Indeed,
+it is a wonder that serious accidents have not occurred owing to
+the eagerness with which the maddened animals struggle and
+fight to get to the water. At Koomaylo we found two
+com<pb n="113"/><anchor id="Pg113"/>panies of the 33d regiment. They have since been joined
+by another, and the three marched last night on their way to
+Sooro. Three other companies of the same regiment marched
+from here this morning, and will at once follow their advanced
+wing, while the head-quarters and remaining companies go
+on to-morrow. There is also a battery of the Royal Artillery
+at Koomaylo, that is, the guns, and a portion of the men are
+there, the horses and drivers having been sent up to Senafe
+to be clear of the disease. I met them at Sooro, and the animals
+were then all in splendid condition, and not a single
+horse or baggage-animal was as yet affected. Great as I
+had found the changes at other points along the line, the alterations
+were as nothing to those which had taken place at
+Zulla. The harbour contained more than double the number
+of vessels that were here before. It is probable that hardly a
+great commercial port in the world contains such a fine fleet
+of steamers and sailing-transports as are now lying off this
+place, of which no one had ever heard six months ago. The
+camp, too, was so altered that I had the greatest difficulty in
+finding the tent I was in search of, although it stood precisely
+where I left it three weeks since. But the place, which then
+contained under twenty tents, can now count ten times that
+number. The 33d are encamped to the right of the landing-place,
+at a quarter of a mile distant. General Staveley and
+his staff have moved their tents from the spot where they before
+stood, in the very centre of the dust and din of the place,
+to a little beyond the 33d lines, where General Napier’s tents
+are also pitched. The harbour is full of troops, who are clamouring
+for carriage to enable them to get on. The Scinde
+Horse are landing, as are the 3d Native Infantry. The 25th
+Native Infantry and her Majesty’s 4th Foot are there, as are
+<pb n="114"/><anchor id="Pg114"/>artillery batteries and mountain trains, as are mules and
+horses innumerable, and a bewildering amount of stores.
+Very large quantities of these latter are now being forwarded
+to the front, and 3000 of the little cattle and donkeys of the
+natives have been engaged upon the service. The price paid
+is two and a quarter dollars per bag, and each bullock carries
+two bags, some of the smaller donkeys taking one each. The
+natives are responsible for any loss of stores, but up to the
+time I left Senafe not one single bag had gone astray. These
+animals are rather a nuisance to meet going down the pass.
+Our own mules go in strings, one tied behind the other, and
+the drivers, if one meets them, endeavour, as far as possible,
+to make room for an officer to pass. The natives, on the
+contrary, drive their animals in a herd before them, occupy
+the whole width of the track, and make no effort whatever to
+get their cattle out of the way. It is in vain shouting and
+being angry. The Shohos regard one with placid indifference,
+and you must push your horse into a thorn-thicket or
+up a rock to get out of their way. If you happen to overtake
+one of these native herds in rather a narrow place, it is still
+more provoking, for there is nothing to do for it but to follow
+patiently in their train for perhaps half-a-mile, half smothered
+in the dust they raise, until the valley opens, and you are able
+to leave the path, and get past them among the stones and
+scrub. These oxen are very small, but extremely hardy.
+There is nothing for them in the way of forage all the way
+up. All they have to eat are a few leaves from the bushes,
+and such handfuls of grass as their masters may get for them
+by climbing the sides of the hills, and yet they arrive at Senafe
+in good condition and without signs of distress, with their
+skin smooth, and their eyes bright. This accession of stores
+<pb n="115"/><anchor id="Pg115"/>at Senafe is a great assistance. It is an addition to our stock
+there, and it is a great relief to the transport corps to be able
+to continue their regular work of forwarding regiments, and
+stores for present consumption of man and beast. The transport
+train is now doing its work very much better; but I
+shall have more remarks to make upon them in my next.
+Brigadier-general Collings started yesterday to take the
+command at Senafe, and I expect to find that very material
+changes have, in consequence, taken place there. Brigadier-general
+Schneider has arrived here, and will take the command
+at this landing-place.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The great event of to-day is the arrival of Sir Robert
+Napier, whose ship, her Majesty’s steam-ship Octavia, Captain
+Colin Campbell, was signalled as about to enter the harbour
+early this morning. The anchor was dropped at about
+half-past ten, and General Staveley and the heads of departments
+went off at once to see him. He is to disembark this
+evening. As it is war-time, there was no salute or demonstration
+upon the arrival of the ship.
+</p>
+
+<milestone unit="tb" rend="rule: 30%"/>
+</div><div>
+    <index index="toc" level1="Zulla, Jan. 6th"/>
+    <index index="pdf" level1="Zulla, Jan. 6th"/>
+
+<dateline>Zulla, Jan. 6th.</dateline>
+
+<p>
+It is only after a ride or two round camp that one sees
+how very great are the changes which have taken place in
+the last three weeks. I do not know that anywhere in the
+world could more objects of various interest, more life and
+movement and bustle, be found than in a couple of hours’
+ride through this camp. Start we from the head of the
+<hi rend="italic">bunder</hi>—in England called pier; but here everything has its
+Indian name. The <hi rend="italic">bunder</hi> has, since I last wrote, been
+lengthened a few yards, and has been widened at the end
+<pb n="116"/><anchor id="Pg116"/>to a width of fifteen or twenty yards. On one side, too,
+wooden piles have been driven down, so that the great landing
+barges can lie safely alongside and discharge. It will
+be a great thing when it is finished in the same way all
+round the pier-head. Not very pleasant are one’s first steps
+upon Abyssinian soil, for the pier is made of great rough
+pieces of rock and pumice-stone, painful to walk upon, and
+utterly destructive to boots. In spite of this the pier-head
+is crowded. The hour at which we start upon our ride is
+daybreak, and from daybreak until eight o’clock bathing is
+allowed from the pier, as also from five to seven in the evening.
+Here we have a number of figures, some dressing,
+some undressing, some picking their way painfully over the
+stones to their clothes, others in the act of plunging into
+the water, which is at high tide seven feet deep. Around,
+the sea is dotted with heads, many of which we recognise
+and address. Here is a quartermaster-general, there a colonel
+of infantry, next to whom is a drummer-boy, and beyond
+a dozen privates. There is no distinction of rank here.
+Everyone picks out the softest stone he can find to sit upon,
+and cares nothing whether his next neighbour be a general
+officer or a full private. We pick our way as well as we
+can across this bit of rough ground and through the groups
+of bathers, and then at ten yards from the head of the pier
+we come upon smoother ground. Here is a line of rails,
+and the surface has been smoothed by spreading sand over
+it, an improvement which has only been completed two or
+three days since. Before, a walk down the bunder was
+certain destruction to any but the most iron-shod pair of
+boots. By the side of the bunder, where the rail commences,
+a large barge is lying. She has just come alongside, and
+<pb n="117"/><anchor id="Pg117"/>fifty or sixty mules and ponies, her cargo, are looking over
+her rail with excited eyes and restless inquiring ears at the
+bustle on the quay, and at this land, which, although they
+know it not, is destined to be the grave of many of them.
+On the pier, awaiting their arrival, is one of the indefatigable
+officers of the transport train. He has with him a
+couple of men. A long gangway is laid from the barge,
+which is much higher than the pier, down on to the stones;
+on this are thrown some gunny-bags, and then the animals,
+some coming readily enough, others resisting strenuously,
+snorting and struggling, are led down. As they reach the
+land their head-ropes are tied together in fours, and they
+are sent off with their drivers to wait at the end of the
+bunder until all are landed. It is not a long operation. Ten
+minutes or so, and then an inspector takes them off, first
+to the watering-troughs and then to the lines. Opposite
+the landing-barge, on a vacant spot on the pier, a distilling
+apparatus is at work. This machine, I believe, partly supplies
+the sailing-ships, and also the wants of the fatigue-parties
+at work on the pier. Next to the barge lie two native
+boats discharging stores, which a fatigue-party are loading
+into the trucks, under the direction of the officers of the
+quartermaster’s or commissariat departments. As soon as
+the trucks are loaded, a party of Soumalis seize them and
+push them along the track to the yard, shouting their universal
+chorus as they do so. Next to the native craft unloading
+are a number of boats belonging to the ships in
+harbour, and which are either supplied to one of the departments,
+or are waiting while their skippers are on shore. On
+the opposite side of the pier the water is more shallow, and
+boats never come in here, but it is by no means empty at
+<pb n="118"/><anchor id="Pg118"/>present, for there are a couple of hundred men bathing all
+along—less adventurous spirits, who do not care for the
+plunge into deep water, or for walking <anchor id="corr118"/><corr sic="ever">over</corr> pumice-stones
+with naked feet.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+When we get to the end of the bunder we mount our
+horses, which our gorrawallahs have been holding, and we
+follow the line of rails. As soon as we are fairly ashore, we
+find great piles of stores lying by the rails. These belong
+to the land transport stores. Hundreds of great cases,
+each containing four Otago mule-saddles. Piles of Bombay
+pads and of camel-saddles. Their other stores are sent up
+to their own lines, a quarter of a mile farther; but the
+heavy saddles have not been sent there, as the line has only
+been opened to that point during the last two days, and it
+is much easier to bring the mules down and to saddle them
+here than it is to take the heavy cases on farther. There
+is a saddling-party at work now. It consists of a fatigue-party
+of artillery, directed by an officer of the transport
+corps. A Chinese carpenter opens the cases. Two of the
+men lift the contents out, and cut the lashings which secure
+each separate article of the fittings together. Others stand
+round and fit the saddles together—no easy task, for they
+are extremely complicated. This, however, is not of so
+much consequence as it would otherwise be, for, once put
+together, they do not require much subsequent unstrapping.
+Others then put the saddles and bridles on to the mules,
+some of which object most strongly to the operation, pull
+back violently, turn round and round as fast as the man
+with the saddle approaches, and lash out with a steady power
+which, exerted in any other way, would be highly satisfactory.
+In vain the soldiers try to keep them steady. In
+<pb n="119"/><anchor id="Pg119"/>vain pat, coax, strike, and swear. In vain they strap up
+one of the fore-legs. Some of the beasts are quite unmanageable,
+and are only subdued by strapping up a leg,
+and then keeping them going round and round upon the
+other three until quite exhausted. The cases of the saddlery
+are broken up, and spread out upon the ground to pile bags
+of rice or grain upon—no unnecessary precaution, for a
+high tide the other night wetted an immense quantity of
+hay, and the stores have been since shifted farther inland.
+The engineers had constructed a sort of sand-wall to prevent
+the recurrence of such an event; but they calculated
+without their host. They fortified against the enemy in front,
+but made no account of him in the rear. The consequence
+was that in the heavy rain of Saturday night the water
+came rushing down from behind, and being prevented flowing
+into the sea by this dam, again created a small flood,
+but this time of fresh water, in the commissariat yard. The
+commissariat yard when I was last here stood where the
+transport yard now stands, but it is now shifted more to the
+left. The reason of this was that the commissariat stores,
+the bundles of compressed hay and the bags of rice and
+grain, are not too heavy to be carried ashore by the natives,
+while the heavy cases of the transport corps necessarily
+were put in the cars. The commissariat stores are therefore
+principally landed in native boats, which come into
+three-foot water, and from which lines of wading Soumalis
+bear them to land. The heavier stores, such as barrels of
+rum and ghee, are of course landed on the bunder and
+brought up on the trucks. Everywhere about the end of
+the pier is bustle. Here are a party of Madras coolies moving
+stores. There are a hundred mules just starting with
+<pb n="120"/><anchor id="Pg120"/><anchor id="corr120"/><corr sic="provisons">provisions</corr> for the front. Here come a detachment of one
+of the regiments to take charge of some of their baggage
+just being landed. Everywhere an energetic officer of the
+various departments directing the operations. We now ride
+on. Leaving the line of rails we turn to the right, bearing
+gradually away from the sea. The first group of tents
+we come upon are those of the officers of the land transport.
+They will not be there long, however, for they have
+orders to shift over to the other side, where the lines of
+their animals are five minutes’ walk away, and at the extreme
+right of the camp. Did these officers’ duties lie
+principally at their lines, there would be some reason for
+this; but as it is, they are either on the bunder landing
+horses, or else saddling down by the shore. The duties
+of looking after the animals in their lines have of course
+to be generally supervised by an officer from each division,
+but are under the charge of English inspectors, who are
+sergeants in cavalry or line regiments. The lines, being to
+leeward of the camp, are constantly enveloped in a cloud
+of blinding dust, so thick that one cannot see fifty yards.
+To live in such an atmosphere is next to impossible, especially
+when delicately scented by the odour of the three or
+four thousand mules, ponies, and oxen, to say nothing of
+the native attendants close at hand. The former spot where
+they were encamped was only five minutes’ walk distant,
+and to insist upon these officers living and working close
+by their lines is about as reasonable as an order would be
+for the officers of the Life Guards to sleep in their stables.
+I am convinced that General Schneider will have to revoke
+his order, for it will be simply impossible to keep books or
+accounts in a dust which would be two inches thick in five
+<pb n="121"/><anchor id="Pg121"/>minutes upon everything; and although an officer’s comfort
+or health may be a very trifling matter, anything which
+might be an obstacle to his returning the necessary number
+of reports and statements will be certain to be considered.<note place="foot">It was not for some months after this date that the transport officers
+were allowed to move their camp to a more habitable spot.</note>
+Riding through the transport officers’ lines, we come upon
+a line of tents occupied by the medical staff. Then comes
+a gap, and then we enter the lines of the European regiments,
+at present occupied by portions of the 33d and 4th
+infantry and artillery. Its appearance bears little resemblance
+to that presented by a regiment under canvas at
+home. The tents are of an entirely different shape; they
+are single-poled tents, and are perhaps fifteen feet square.
+They have canvas walls of nearly six feet high, so that one
+can stand upright anywhere. Above the tent itself is a
+cover, which extends over it and projects three feet beyond
+the walls, making the tent double over the roof, and forming
+an awning around it. About eight inches is left between
+the two roofs for the circulation of air. These tents
+are in their way perfect, but they are extremely heavy, and
+will be left here, and the troops will take up with them tents
+known as native <q>routies</q>—I do not guarantee the spelling
+of this or any other native word—which I shall describe
+hereafter. Not less than the tents do the men differ
+from the European standard. The gray suits of karkee—a
+sort of stout jean—and the ugly helmets of the same material,
+look like anything rather than the garb of the British
+soldier. Then, too, the arrangement of the camp looks unfamiliar,
+for the tents are placed far asunder. This is necessitated
+by the great length of the ropes of the tent. Here,
+<pb n="122"/><anchor id="Pg122"/>too—strange sight in an English camp—interspersed among
+the tents are queer bowers of shrubs, covered with gunny-bags,
+old sacks, and other odds and ends. Round these
+bowers squat swarthy figures scantily clothed. These are
+the camp-followers, the attendants on the British soldier;
+these their abodes. These men draw his water, pitch his
+tents, sweep out his camp—in fact, perform all the work
+which a soldier in England does for himself. In India the
+soldier is a valuable animal. He is valued at one hundred
+pounds, and is too costly to be risked by doing hard work in
+the sun. He is kept for fighting only, and it is very right
+that it should be so. It has been questioned whether it
+would not have been better to have brought soldiers direct
+from England, who are accustomed to rough it for themselves.
+There is much to be said upon the subject, to which
+I shall some day revert, but at present I am inclined to
+think that in this respect the authorities have judged rightly,
+for judging by the 102° which the thermometer marked here
+in the shade on New Year’s-day, we shall have a more than
+Indian heat—that is, those down upon this plain will—in
+the middle of summer, and although the heat in the interior
+will probably be nothing to what it will be here, there can
+be no doubt that the less men are exposed to it the better.
+But we must continue our ride.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Just behind the European lines, that is, between them
+and the sea, is a line of tents, some of which are of large
+size, and by the side of one of these the British ensign is
+flying. These are the tents of the head-quarters staff. We
+turn our backs on this and gallop across the European lines,
+that is, inland. There is an unoccupied space of perhaps
+four hundred yards, and then we come upon a camp of
+<pb n="123"/><anchor id="Pg123"/>quite different aspect from the last. Here the tents are
+ranged in two lines, and are placed quite close together,
+that is, with not more than three or four yards between
+them. The neat and orderly appearance of these lines of
+tents shows to all the greater advantage after the straggling
+look of the European lines. These tents are routies. They
+are large double-poled tents, single, but lined with blue
+bunting. The tents, like the English bell-tents, reach nearly
+to the ground, with only a wall of about eighteen inches in
+height. The opening is at one end, and extends from the
+pole downwards. This is, for a climate like the present, a
+great drawback, for the opening is very large and cannot
+be closed. In a hot climate this would matter but little;
+but for a country with heavy dews and cold nights in winter,
+and with heavy downpours in the rainy season, it is a very
+serious disadvantage. Opposite the long line of the routies
+are the mess and officers’ tents. There are two regiments
+camped in these lines, or, more properly, portions of two
+regiments. The men on duty look more like England than
+the European troops had done, for they are all in their
+scarlet tunics and black trousers. It is only the headgear
+which is different. The 3d Native Infantry have blue puggaries
+round their forage-caps. The 25th Native Infantry
+have green. The 10th Native Infantry wear white puggaries,
+and the Sappers and Miners black, and this acts as an easily-distinguished
+mark between the various native regiments. They
+all wear the regulation tunic and trousers, but vary the puggary
+or cap-cover according to the taste of their commander.
+When I say they all wear the British uniform, I mean that
+the old sepoy regiments do so. Some of those who have only
+been admitted among the regular Indian army of late years,
+<pb n="124"/><anchor id="Pg124"/>such as the Beloochees, wear quite different uniforms. I
+have omitted to state that in our ride between the 33d and
+Native Infantry camps, we passed through some artillery;
+but these, as well as the sappers and miners, and the ordnance
+commissary tents—which, with the telegraph, railway,
+and other departments, are pitched near the line of
+railway—I must reserve for another letter. We are only
+making a tour of the outside of the camp upon the present
+occasion. Riding on through the native infantry lines, and
+crossing a few hundred yards of open ground, we come to
+the bazaar, which is on the main road to Koomaylo. The
+bazaar is certainly not much to look at. Two or three dozen
+tents, composed of rough poles covered with matting, constitute
+it. As there are no windows to any of these establishments,
+it is unnecessary to state that there is no display
+of goods. There is an open doorway through which any intending
+purchaser enters, and asks for anything he desires.
+If it is kept there a box is opened and the article produced,
+if not he goes into the next shop. There is a guard of
+European soldiers at the entrance to the bazaar to keep
+order, and their services are not unfrequently called into
+requisition. During the last part of our ride we have fairly
+got into the dust, which hangs over Zulla in a sort of lurid
+cloud, and entirely shuts off all the view, even the nearest
+hills from the harbour. This dust is terrible. It fills the
+eyes, mouth, and nostrils, and equals the dust on the Champ
+de Mars in Paris, which I had hitherto considered unrivalled
+in the world. Sometimes the wind blows steadily,
+and then there is one great uniform swoop of dust; at other
+times it seems to lull for a while, and then from three or
+four spots a straight column ascends, such as burning piles
+<pb n="125"/><anchor id="Pg125"/>of green wood upon a calm day might produce. These
+columns will remain stationary for three or four minutes,
+and then move rapidly along, and woe to the unfortunate
+tents over which they may pass, for they will make a clean
+sweep of every light object, and will leave three inches
+deep of sand on everything. In camp phraseology, these
+little whirlwinds are called devils. Passing from the bazaar,
+still moving as before in the arc of a circle, we come upon
+the railroad. The railroad has made far less progress in
+the last month than anything else here has done; at this
+rate it will not be near Koomaylo by next Christmas. I
+do not hesitate to say that ten English navvies would have
+done very much more in the same time; and as for the
+Army Works Corps, which we had in the Crimea, they
+would have half-finished it to Koomaylo. But this delay
+is due to no want of zeal on the part of those who have the
+direction of it, but simply a want of method, and of materials,
+which are, no doubt, somewhere on board ship, but
+cannot be got at. Just at this part we pass under some
+poles with a fine copper wire extending between them. This
+is the telegraph, which in a very short time will be open
+to Koomaylo, and thence will be pushed on in a week or
+so, for the wire is at all the stations along the line of march;
+and it would have been completed to Senafe by this time
+were it not that the poles have not come to hand, from
+some reason or other.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+We now are approaching the lines of the transport animals.
+This is the most interesting sight in the whole camp.
+Here are long lines of ponies, just arrived from Suez. Next
+to them are hundreds of mules of all nations and breeds.
+Here are the cart-mules, and 200 light carts, to be drawn
+<pb n="126"/><anchor id="Pg126"/>by one or two animals, are ranged near them. Beyond them
+are the baggage-mules, 600 in number. All of them have
+arrived during the last two or three days; many of them
+have not yet been saddled, for the unpacking and fitting
+together of the saddles is a long and tedious operation. Many
+of the mules are not even branded. Beyond them, again,
+come the draught-oxen, with their carts. They are the same
+beautiful white Brahmin cattle which I saw at Bombay—enormous
+animals, as strong as camels and quiet and docile
+as sheep. Near them are ranged their carts, which are of
+altogether different construction from those for the mules. On
+the ground under the feet of all these animals is scattered
+a thick layer of chopped straw and hay, and their condition
+and state afford as strong a contrast as can possibly be conceived
+to that of the famished, dying animals I described
+in the letter I wrote upon landing a month since. This extraordinary
+improvement must be assigned to the immense
+efforts which all the officers of the Transport Corps have
+made, and especially to those of Captain Twentyman, of the
+18th Hussars, who during that period has been in command.
+But even the exertion of all these officers would have been
+in vain had it not been for the strong and cordial assistance
+which General Staveley has given to Captain Twentyman.
+Every suggestion made by the latter has been indorsed and
+ordered to be carried out by the general, who is fully alive
+to the fact that the Transport Corps is the all-important
+branch of the expedition. The animals are all picketed by
+their head-ropes to long lines of picket-rope, but no heel-ropes
+are used. Certainly the use of heel-ropes adds greatly
+to the uniformity of the appearance of picketed animals, as
+they all retain the same distance from each other and from
+<pb n="127"/><anchor id="Pg127"/>the ropes, and there is also the advantage that they cannot
+kick each other or any passer-by. On the other hand,
+it may be said that mules seldom or never do set to and
+kick when picketed. I have seen no instance of their so
+doing; and I understand from the transport officer that there
+have been no cases of mules being injured by kicks received
+when picketed. The advantages of their not having foot-ropes
+are that they have much greater freedom of position.
+They can lie down, get up, and move across the
+rope, and, in fact, stretch their tired limbs far better than
+they can when they are confined by foot-ropes; and, lastly,
+the mules are not accustomed to the ropes, and frequently
+get sore fetlocks from their use. The balance of advantages
+is, then, in favour of allowing them to remain picketed only
+by their head-ropes, especially as the fastening by the heel-rope
+involves driving in pegs and loss of time in roping—matters
+of importance when a train arrives late at night
+with drivers and animals alike jaded and fatigued. The
+whole of the animals are now in fair working condition, with
+the exception only of about 200 camels, which are out at
+Hadoda, where they were sent to recruit, having arrived in
+too bad a condition to be set to work. There were more
+sent out, but some have returned to work, others have died—many
+of pure starvation, although there were stores of
+grain lying at Weir, within two or three miles, literally
+rotting. But the custom is not to give camels grain, but
+allow them to get their livelihood by plucking a few leaves
+from the shrubs. It is not to be wondered at, then, that
+the poor beasts gained no strength. This will now be remedied,
+for Dr. Lamb, one of the veterinary surgeons of
+the Transport Corps, has reported that they are dying of
+<pb n="128"/><anchor id="Pg128"/>pure starvation; and I understand that General Staveley at
+once ordered that grain should be issued to them.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+In my next letter I shall describe the organisation of
+the Transport Corps; but at present we must continue our
+ride, which is now nearly over, for we have almost completed
+our circle, and are again approaching the sea-shore.
+We pass on our way some strange bower-like structures,
+whose progress I have watched for the last few days with
+some curiosity. I first saw three or four long lines of sand,
+which were carefully levelled, and were four or five yards
+wide, and perhaps fifty yards long. By each side of these
+lines of sand coolies were engaged sticking rods, about the
+same length, but thinner, than hop-poles. I could not even
+guess the object of these lines. Next day I found that poles
+had been stuck in across the ends, and that at distances of
+four yards across partitions had been made. Riding close,
+I saw that in the side row a gap was left as a doorway to
+each of these partitions. The next day I found that thinner
+rods were being fastened to the tops of the others—along
+which horizontal pieces had been tied—and that these were
+being bent over and twined in the centre, so as to form a
+bower. The mystery was now explained. These long rows
+of poles were the framework for rows of huts; bushes are
+to be entwined between them, and the whole, when finished,
+will accommodate, or rather hold, five hundred of the commissariat
+coolies, for whom they are destined. We now
+trot on to the watering-place. The last time I was here
+it was one of the most painful sights I ever witnessed to
+see the animals watered. They were formed in lines near
+the miserable little troughs, and were with the greatest difficulty
+kept back until these were full. Half maddened with
+<pb n="129"/><anchor id="Pg129"/>thirst as they were, it was a service of real danger to restrain
+them, and when they were allowed to rush forward
+it was too often to find that there was scarcely a mouthful
+of water each. It was no wonder that they screamed and
+struggled and fought. It was a battle for life, in which
+the victors moved off unsatisfied, but with sufficient water
+to enable them to live until the next scanty supply was issued,
+while the vanquished dragged themselves away to die.
+Thank God this is over now. There is plenty of water for
+all. I do not think an animal in this camp has an insufficiency
+of water. The trough is long and wide, and the
+animals advance on each side and drink as much as they
+desire. The times for watering them is from six to eight
+in the morning, and from four to six of an evening. A
+strong fatigue-party are present to pump the water from
+the tank into the trough, and to keep order. They are
+ordered to leave the trough full when they cease pumping,
+so that any animal which may arrive late may not be deprived
+of its drink.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+We have now only to ride along the shore for another
+300 yards to arrive at the commissariat stores on the left of
+the bunder, from which we started. Here everything is
+excellently arranged and managed. The great piles of stores
+are covered with tarpaulins and old sails to keep off the rain;
+and as it was impossible to procure stones to form a foundation
+for the sacks, and to keep them clear of the damp,
+broken-up packing-cases were laid down first on the sand,
+then empty sacks, and then bales of hay from Bombay, which
+is much more bulky and less valuable than the compressed
+hay from England. No damage of any great extent can
+therefore ensue from the heaviest flood. There are two very
+<pb n="130"/><anchor id="Pg130"/>large wooden stores, in which articles readily damageable by
+rain are housed; and there are two very large framework
+buildings erected, which only require the corrugated iron-plates.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Nearly opposite the commissariat a long wooden jetty is
+in course of erection. It is already completed for a considerable
+distance; but the water is so shallow, that it will
+have to be carried very much further out before boats can
+come alongside to load.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+We have now completed our circular ride round the
+camp; and I must leave the camps and dépôts lying in the
+interior of the circle until another occasion, for I have not
+yet touched upon the immediate news of the day.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+General Napier landed yesterday morning at half-past
+seven. A guard of honour of the 4th regiment was drawn
+up at the end of the pier, and the various generals here, with
+their staffs, and the heads of the different departments, received
+him. I had heard that he was going to land earlier,
+and went down to the waterside just at daylight.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Everything was quiet then, and not a breath of wind
+ruffled the water. Presently there was a sign of life in the
+men-of-war, the Octavia, Serapis, and Argus. Men began
+to climb the rigging, and to fasten man-lines above the
+yards. Then they came down again, and all was quiet on
+board the men-of-war; but the merchant-vessels were now
+making a move, and the native boats were putting off towards
+the ships they were told off to discharge. In the mean time
+the guard of honour and the officers took their places at the
+head of the bunder. Now a signal is run up to the mast-head
+of the Octavia, and, as if by magic, a crowd of white
+figures leap up the shrouds of the men-of-war, and run out
+<pb n="131"/><anchor id="Pg131"/>upon the yards. Another minute of silence, and then a boat
+with an awning pulls out from the after-side of the Octavia,
+and a few seconds afterwards the thunder of her guns tells
+us that the Chief of the invading army has left the ship.
+Three minutes later the little guns of the mountain train
+proclaim that he has landed; the band strikes up <q>God save
+the Queen,</q> the troops salute, and Sir Robert Napier has
+taken command of the forces here.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+After all, this is more a ceremony than a reality, for the
+General has been ashore examining into all that was going on
+every day since he came into harbour. There is a great
+feeling of satisfaction at his arrival, as, in the first place,
+he is a most popular chief, and in the next, nothing definite
+could be decided upon as to the movements of troops or on
+the plan of the campaign until he arrived. The <hi rend="italic">on dit</hi> now
+is that no more troops will be sent forward at present, but
+that the whole efforts of the transport corps and commissariat
+will be devoted to accumulating a six months’ stock of
+provisions at Senafe. The 33d have already gone on; but it
+is now probable that no other regiment will move for another
+fortnight.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+We have at last authentic news from the interior. A
+letter has arrived from the prisoners, dated Dec. 15th (I can
+hardly understand how, at the Shoho rate of travelling, it can
+have come so fast), in which they report that the King of
+Shoa, who was besieging Magdala, and upon whose assistance
+Colonel Merewether had built much, has retired from before
+the place, and that it is now open to Theodore. This is certainly
+bad news. Not that I have ever put the smallest trust
+in the assistance of any of these kinglings. On the contrary,
+I think that the policy which has been hitherto pursued with
+<pb n="132"/><anchor id="Pg132"/>respect to the natives has been a mistake. We should have
+never asked for alliance or friendship. We are perfectly
+strong enough to go on by ourselves, and were we not it is
+certain that we could place no reliance upon any professions
+of friendship. Why, then, make the natives think we are
+weak by asking for allies? Say firmly to each king, <q>We
+are going on through your country to fetch the prisoners
+beyond. We are perfectly strong enough to do this, and
+anything beside which may be necessary. We go through
+and return without making any stay. In your country are
+many kings and many rivals. We need no assistance, and
+we know that if we enter into alliance with one chief we gain
+the enmity of another by so doing. We wish not, therefore,
+to enter into any alliance whatever. We are friends passing
+through your country. We require stores, cattle, &amp;c., and
+we mean to have them; but we pay for everything we require,
+and that at prices which the imagination of the herd-and
+flock-owner of Abyssinia never before conceived even in
+his wildest dreams.</q>
+</p>
+
+<p>
+There are numerous rumours current in camp that the
+chiefs are forming an alliance against us, and that they intend
+to put their forces in motion to attack us. But of all
+this I cannot say that I believe one word. Nor do I consider
+it a matter of importance one way or another, for if they do
+come they will go away again at a vastly greater rate of speed
+than they advance, and will be very much more civil afterwards.
+After the landing of the Chief yesterday I went on
+board the Gomta, which has brought in nineteen elephants
+from Bombay, in charge of Captain Annesley, of the Land
+Transport Train. They all arrived in excellent condition,
+having been perfectly well during the whole voyage, except
+<pb n="133"/><anchor id="Pg133"/>for two days, when there was a strong wind, which made
+them very unhappy. The debarkation was to begin directly
+the Commander-in-chief had landed. Accordingly, a party
+of sailors and marines came on board from the Octavia. The
+tackle had been already fixed, and the barge was alongside.
+It had been at first proposed that the animals should have
+been lowered over the ship’s side into the water, and allowed
+to swim ashore; but the difficulty in relieving them of the
+slings would have been so great that it was determined, at
+any rate, to make the experiment with the barge. The
+animals were down in the hold, which was amply high
+enough even for the largest of them. They were ranged
+along on either side, with strong beams between each. They
+could lie down or stand up as they pleased. The operation
+of landing them was superintended by Captain Annesley,
+and by one of the officers of the Octavia. Large blocks
+were attached to the mainyard, which was strengthened by
+extra stays. One of the animals who was in the stall immediately
+under the hatchway was selected for the first experiment.
+The first difficulty consisted in getting the sling
+which was of the strongest canvas, with strong ropes along
+each side, under him. It was laid down upon the ground,
+and the mahout endeavoured to back the animal over it.
+Again and again he got him into the right position, but
+the instant the sailors pulled to the cords to lift up the sling
+the elephant made a rush forward. At last Sergeant Evans,
+who is one of the first-class inspectors in the transport train,
+succeeded in getting the sling under him in his stall, and then
+getting on his back, backed him under the blocks, the sailors
+keeping the sling in its place until they could get the hooks
+fast. Even then all was not finished, for the alarmed
+<pb n="134"/><anchor id="Pg134"/>elephant continued trumpeting, and endeavouring to rush
+back to his stall. Sergeant Evans managed to get the
+breast- and hind-ropes fast, and then all that remained was
+for the men on deck to work the capstan. The fife struck
+up, and the elephant, protesting strongly but uselessly, was
+gradually lifted off his feet. Once in the air the great beast’s
+strength was useless, and he swung an inert mass, except that
+as he went through the hatchway he got his hind-feet against
+it, and pushed with so much force, that it was feared for an
+instant that he would push himself head foremost out of the
+slings. In another minute, however, he rose above the hatchway,
+and was now beyond the possibility of doing himself or
+anyone else any harm. Up he rose, higher and higher, and
+then he was swung clear of the bulwarks, and lowered down
+into the barge. Here his mahout and attendant received him,
+stroked his trunk, and soothed him, and he allowed his slings
+to be taken off quietly, and stood quite tranquil until two more
+of his companions were raised from the hold and lowered to
+his side. Thus far nothing could be more satisfactory. Some
+of the others who landed later in the day gave more trouble,
+and had it not been for Sergeant Evans there would have been
+very great difficulty with them; but he is, without exception,
+the most resolute and fearless fellow I ever saw at work.
+Had it not been for him it is questionable whether the
+elephants would have been got on board at Bombay on the
+day fixed for their embarkation, and he was raised from the
+position of a third-class to that of a first-class inspector on
+the spot for his gallantry.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+When these animals were on the barge it was determined
+to disembark them before lowering others down, in order to see
+whether they would walk on to the pier. A steam launch
+<pb n="135"/><anchor id="Pg135"/>accordingly took the barge in tow, and steamed away to the
+landing-place. These little steam launches are the most
+handy and useful things here; no matter how large the barge
+or how long the string of laden boats, one of these little craft
+seizes upon it and rushes off with it without the slightest
+difficulty. On arriving at the wharf I saw at once that we
+should have a difficulty. The naval authorities who had
+charge of the landing had entirely disregarded the nature
+and instincts of the animals; and every child who has ever
+read anything at all about an elephant has heard that these
+clumsy-looking animals can get up and down the most difficult
+places, but that they have an invincible objection to
+trusting themselves upon any platform or bridge, and can
+only be induced to do so after many experiments as to its
+strength. The barge was nearly four feet above the level of
+the pier, and as the sides of the latter slanted somewhat, the
+side of the barge was distant about a foot from the jetty. But
+an elephant would have got down this as easily as a man
+would have done. Instead of allowing him to do this, some
+rails which had been landed for the line were put from the
+shore to the barge, the gangway used by the mules placed
+upon this, and the elephants were required to walk down.
+They naturally objected, especially as they were not allowed
+to pause and examine it, but were urged to walk straight on.
+This they refused pointblank to do, in spite of the efforts of
+the mahout, and the shoving and striking of the attendants
+behind them. They would not advance, but lay down to express
+their determination. At last one of them, on being forced
+close to the gangway, kneeled down, and with his head gave
+the whole structure a push which moved it several inches.
+He then stood up and walked away, having proved to his
+<pb n="136"/><anchor id="Pg136"/>own satisfaction that we must be fools to expect an animal
+his size to walk along such a rickety structure as that. Still
+the heads of the debarkation were loth to give up their favourite
+idea of a platform. The gangway was taken away,
+and the marines and sailors brought rails and laid them tier
+on tier, gridiron-fashion, and placed the gangway on that;
+and thus having formed a sort of step or platform two feet
+high, they invited the elephants to step on to it. Again the
+elephants positively declined, and everything was again tried
+except patience, the one thing needed. Fortunately, just as
+the naval authorities were variously discussing the necessity
+of again slinging the animals and lowering them into the sea,
+to walk ashore, Captain Moore, interpreter to the Commander-in-chief,
+appeared upon the scene. At his suggestion the
+animals were allowed to approach quietly and to kneel down
+and inspect and try the structure upon which they were to
+trust themselves; and in another quarter of an hour they
+were all three safely landed.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+An order of the day appeared yesterday thanking the
+pioneer force and Colonel Field at Senafe for their efforts.
+There are many remarks down here upon the fact that while
+the officers and men who marched up to Senafe, and have
+passed a comparatively quiet and pleasant time up there, have
+been thanked, there should be no word of praise for the men
+who have been working almost night and day down here. If
+any praise was to be given, it has certainly been earned by
+the men who have borne the heat and burden of the bad
+times at Zulla. This morning the mountain-guns, made at
+Woolwich, were out for practice. These guns have been fully
+described in the columns of the English press, I need not
+therefore enter into any details. The practice with shell was
+<pb n="137"/><anchor id="Pg137"/>very fair, the little guns throwing the shell, which are nearly
+half their own length, with great precision, at 2000 yards.
+They appeared to me, however, to throw rather to the right.
+The troops were also out at exercise, and an order has been
+issued that all the regiments shall go for a march out every
+morning. This is as it should be: it will keep the men in
+health, and prepare them, to a certain extent, for the hard
+work they will probably have to go through when they once
+start.
+</p>
+
+<milestone unit="tb" rend="rule: 30%"/>
+</div><div>
+    <index index="toc" level1="Zulla, January 19th"/>
+    <index index="pdf" level1="Zulla, January 19th"/>
+
+<dateline>Zulla, January 19th.</dateline>
+
+<p>
+This has been a week altogether barren of events. No
+move of any kind has been made, or is at all likely to be
+made, for another fortnight at the very earliest. The transport
+train is exclusively employed in taking provisions to the
+front, and this is a very tedious process. The mules and
+ponies carry nominally a burden of two hundred pounds
+each, the camels four hundred pounds; but there are very
+few indeed of the former capable of bearing their proper
+burden, and I think I may say not one of the latter. Were
+an attempt to be made to load them to their full weight, the
+result would be that one-third of the animals at least would
+break down in the first two miles. A great number of animals
+are in hospital; but a vastly-greater proportion are still
+able to perform a certain amount of work, but nothing like
+their full quota. These are afflicted with coughs and lung-affections,
+which will, sooner or later, bring them into hospital,
+and thence to their graves, the victims of overwork,
+when in a weakened state, from irregular and scanty supplies
+of food and water. The transport train is at present so
+essentially the corps upon which the movements of the army
+depend, that it will not be out of place if I explain at some
+<pb n="138"/><anchor id="Pg138"/>little length the constitution and duties of the corps and its
+officers. The transport train is commanded by Major Warden,
+and is divided into fourteen divisions, each of which,
+when complete, contains two thousand animals and twelve
+hundred men, including drivers, farriers and smiths, saddlers,
+&amp;c. Each division is commanded by a captain, who has two
+subalterns. He has four inspectors or sergeant-majors, two
+second-class inspectors, sergeants; five third-class inspectors,
+corporals—all European soldiers. He also has two second
+inspectors and five third inspectors—natives; and one hundred
+native soldiers, who are supposed to act as assistants.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+It will be seen that each division is as strong as three
+cavalry regiments; it is composed entirely of drivers collected
+hastily from all parts, Egyptians, Arabs, Italians,
+Greeks, Hindoos, &amp;c.—all men without the smallest conception
+of military discipline; and to manage this vast body of
+men and animals there are a captain and two officers, and
+eleven white noncommissioned officers. Were each division
+stationary, or did it move in a body together, the task would
+be comparatively easy; but it is scattered over the pass, in
+convoys of from 200 down to little parties of twos and fours,
+with officers’ baggage. The rules which have been drawn up
+for the regulation of the corps are admirable on paper, but
+utterly impracticable on service. Each native soldier is supposed
+to have control over twelve drivers and twenty-five
+mules, and is himself amenable to a head muccadum, or
+fourth inspector, he to a third, the third to the second, &amp;c.
+<q>Each man in charge of a squad is to see that every animal
+brought in from duty is groomed, has the feet picked and
+cleaned, the provender put before him, the back well sponged
+with hot water.</q> <q>The saddles will invariably, when taken
+<pb n="139"/><anchor id="Pg139"/>off the animals, be placed upside down to dry, pads towards
+the sun, and afterwards neatly piled up with the equipments
+affixed to each, in rear of each squad, dressing from the right
+of the line.</q> All these, and many similar rules, are admirable
+in theory; utterly impracticable in the field. A convoy
+arrives late at night. Its first task is to unload, and then to
+place food before the animals, and to water them if water is
+attainable; then drivers and animals lie down alike exhausted,
+and grooming, picking feet, and arranging equipments,
+dressing from the right, are alike unheeded. The
+officers of this corps have an almost impossible amount of
+work to get through. They are supposed to see their animals
+watered, to parade those which have to start, to see them fed,
+to see them groomed, to examine their backs, to see that the
+numerous convoys start at the right time, to look after the
+polyglot variety of drivers, most of them speaking Arabic,
+and other unknown tongues. Then they have to look after
+the native soldiers, to send in reports innumerable, and to
+keep office-books; they have to perform quartermaster duties
+and paymaster duties; they have the pay-sheets, family-payment
+rolls, returns of stores, equipments, defaulter-sheets, &amp;c.
+to make out with their own hands, unless they take one of
+the few European inspectors from his work to act as clerk.
+<q>They are further responsible for the good order and condition
+of the cattle, and the due preservation and completeness
+of their equipments, and must see that each individual soldier,
+noncommissioned officer and inspector, does his work.</q> In
+addition to all this, at present they have to be on the pier,
+seeing the animals landed, and to inspect the putting together
+and fittings of the saddles and equipments, and the issue of
+warm clothing to the drivers.
+</p>
+
+<pb n="140"/><anchor id="Pg140"/>
+
+<p>
+This is a slight sketch of the duties which these three
+officers have to perform for 2000 animals and 1200 men,
+with half-a-dozen European noncommissioned officers to
+assist them. The inspectors, too, have been in many cases
+selected by the officers commanding regiments, without the
+slightest reference to their acquirements. Very many of
+them can hardly speak a word of Hindoostanee, and are of
+course perfectly useless. All this greatly augments the
+labour and difficulty of the officer. To say that these last
+are at work from morning to night is nothing. It is one
+incessant round of toil, from five in the morning till seven at
+night, and then reports and accounts. If the officers could
+but do their work their own way, each for his own division,
+they would do it—roughly perhaps, but effectually; but it is
+this constant demand for reports, and the changes which are
+constantly being made in the arrangements, which make the
+work far too much to be got through. The great mistake
+which was committed was the sending any Hindoo inspectors
+and soldiers unless all, or at any rate the greater part, of the
+drivers had been also Hindoo. Hindoo drivers would have
+obeyed Hindoo inspectors and soldiers; the Arabs and Egyptians,
+who form the great proportion of the drivers, laugh in
+their faces. A Hindoo, too, is not an inventive man—give
+him his orders, be quite sure that he understands them, and
+he will carry them out as long as all goes straight; but he is
+a very helpless man if things go wrong. These mule-drivers
+are the most utterly reckless of men. If a mule breaks down,
+they leave him and his load upon the road. If one breaks
+down in a narrow spot they will be a good hour before they
+come to the resolution to pull him out of the way and continue
+their journey. If a cart-wheel gives out, there it may
+<pb n="141"/><anchor id="Pg141"/>lie. If an animal has a sore back, or has the disease, or any
+other malady, it will never occur to them to say a word about
+it until he falls helpless. Altogether, the drivers of the train
+are a very reckless lot, who essentially want looking after.
+The pay offered to the inspectors of the different classes is
+very good, and there would have been no difficulty in obtaining
+volunteers from English regiments throughout India, it
+being of course made a <hi rend="italic">sine quâ non</hi> that they should have
+had some colloquial knowledge of Hindoostanee. There
+should have been at least fifty to each division, and then no
+convoy of over twenty mules would ever have gone out
+without a European to look after them. If one of the animals
+had been ill or lame the inspector would report it; if
+a mule dropped he would see that the burden was divided
+among the others; if a wheel had broken he would make
+some shift or other to patch it up. He should have carried
+side-arms, and would have seen that the animals kept together
+without straggling, and would have prevented any
+looting on the part of the natives. In fact, he would have
+saved his pay twenty times over. It is this utter recklessness
+on the part of the drivers which has contributed largely to the
+great mortality among the animals. They will work the poor
+beasts with the most terrific sore backs, until in their agony
+they can go no further; then they will turn them loose and
+steal another from the lines, so that the veterinary surgeons
+only find out that animals are ill when they are utterly beyond
+work. Were sore backs, lameness, and disease only
+reported at the right time, a few days’ rest and a little care
+would set most of the animals up; now, frequently the first
+intimation is received from someone who, riding along, has
+seen the poor beast lying down by the roadside dying.
+</p>
+
+<pb n="142"/><anchor id="Pg142"/>
+
+<p>
+There has been great discontent excited among these
+hard-worked officers of the transport train—some of whom
+have been at work in Egypt or India since August last;
+others of whom have borne the brunt of the worst time
+here—at the introduction of a number of other officers over
+their heads. The corps was constituted as a corps some
+months since, and the officers have been placed according
+to their regimental rank. According to all rule and precedent,
+every officer gazetted to the corps after that would
+hold rank—that is, local rank—according to the date of his
+gazetting into the corps. Instead of this, they have been
+placed according to their date of commission as captain,
+consequently the whole of the captains who have been at
+work here from the landing of the expedition—who have
+borne the toil and anxiety from the first—find two or three
+officers placed over their heads, and, in fact, if this procedure
+continue, will at the end of the campaign be six
+or seven lower on the list than they were before. This
+is the more inexcusable, as fourteen divisions were to be
+formed, and fourteen captains were gazetted, thus making
+the corps complete; and each man hoped, and had a
+right to expect, to have a division. Indeed, at first even
+the authorities recognised this; and these captains, who
+wished to come out to Abyssinia, but could obtain no
+other appointment, were gazetted as subalterns in the transport
+train; and as this was subsequent to the gazette forming
+the corps, it was naturally supposed by the other officers
+that they came in as junior of that rank. When, however,
+the first vacancy occurred in the captains, instead of the
+senior lieutenant obtaining promotion as he expected, one
+of these captain-subalterns was promoted to the vacancy;
+<pb n="143"/><anchor id="Pg143"/>and, as he was an old captain, he actually not only jumped
+over the heads of all the subalterns, but over those of every
+captain who was here when he landed, and thus become
+second in command of the transport train. Since then
+other appointments have been made, and the original captains
+at present find themselves going gradually down instead
+of rising in their corps. This, after such work as they
+have gone through, is not a little hard, and is, I believe,
+quite without precedent in the service.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The arrangements for the position of the divisions have
+been so frequently altered during the past fortnight that I
+am quite unable to say where they are now posted. It was
+originally arranged by Captain Twentyman—at the time
+he was in command—that each division should have one
+station, and pass the stores from station to station. This
+was afterwards entirely altered, and it was ordered that each
+division should work from Koomaylo up to Senafe, and a
+captain was sent up to send the animals down for the purpose.
+Forty-eight hours afterwards another captain was
+despatched to entirely countermand these orders, and to make
+perfectly fresh arrangements, and these again have been
+altered during the last day or two. I need not say that
+these constant and needless changes add very greatly to the
+difficulties with which the officers of the train have to struggle.
+At present the stores from here to Koomaylo are carried
+by camels, and thence taken up by mules, oxen, and
+ponies from station to station.
+</p>
+
+<milestone unit="tb"/>
+
+<p>
+Strangely enough, the through system, as it was called—that
+is, the sending animals right on for days with the same
+loads—was persevered in to the very end of the campaign,
+<pb n="144"/><anchor id="Pg144"/>although it could be mathematically proved that the relay
+system was in every respect greatly superior. Captain Ellis,
+of the transport train, sent in a table to the authorities, which
+proved conclusively that the same number of mules would
+carry one-sixth more goods in a given time by the <q>relay</q>
+system than by the <q>through.</q> But the other advantages
+were even greater; an officer stationed at any given place
+had the men and animals of his division always under his eye.
+He would get to know both man and beast; he would soon
+find out which men did their work and which failed in it.
+The drivers and mules would each have its allotted place, and
+an infinity of confusion would be avoided; the arrangements
+for drawing forage for the animals, and food for the men, for
+cooking, &amp;c. would have all been simple and practicable.
+Indeed, in every single respect, the relay system possesses
+immense advantages. It could not, of course, have been
+adopted beyond Antalo, but the saving of labour and life, the
+increase of efficiency, regularity, and discipline, from its introduction
+between Zulla and Antalo, would have been
+enormous.
+</p>
+
+<milestone unit="tb"/>
+
+<p>
+I am unable to say how many animals are at present at
+work—probably nine or ten thousand, and this number, devoted
+entirely to the conveyance of commissariat stores as
+they are at present, would carry really large amounts forward,
+were it not that they carry their own forage, and were
+they of proper strength; but unfortunately a very large number
+of them have lung-disease, brought on by insufficient and
+irregular water and food. The number in hospital is terrible.
+There are at present about 700 mules and 700 camels in hospital,
+and the deaths are over 200 a-week. This is a terrible
+<pb n="145"/><anchor id="Pg145"/>mortality; but were all the others in good working order, it
+would matter comparatively little; the worst is, that very
+many are poorly, and will fill the hospital ranks far quicker
+than death or discharge empty them. There are nominally ten
+veterinary surgeons to the force under Veterinary Surgeon
+Lamb, an officer of great experience; only five of the ten
+have arrived, and these are terribly overworked, as they have
+no staff, and have to inspect, prescribe, and administer medicines
+themselves. No time should be lost in filling up the
+ranks of the veterinary surgeons, and in giving them assistance,
+for when the numbers are complete they will have at
+least 100 such animals each to attend to, and these not trifling
+cases, but terrible sore backs, the last stages of lung-disease,
+and the local plague. The authorities appear to have thought
+the lives of the native drivers, officers, and non-commissioned
+officers, of no consequence whatever, for although there will
+be 280 Europeans and 18,000 native drivers when the corps
+is complete, there is not a single surgeon appointed for them!
+And this although the great part of the force will be stationed
+at small stations along the road, at which there will be no
+troops whatever, and of course no medical officer. The men
+are very liable to broken limbs and injuries from the kicks
+of the animals, and to illness from hardship and exposure;
+and yet to this numerous body of men, nearly equalling in
+number the whole of the rest of the expedition, there has not
+been a single medical man appointed!
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The animals which appear to support the hard work and
+irregular food with the least deterioration are the bullocks.
+Of these a very small number indeed have been ill, and the
+deaths amount to only one or two weekly. They look in really
+good condition, and perform their work admirably. Indeed,
+<pb n="146"/><anchor id="Pg146"/>the greater part of the mules and ponies look in fair condition,
+and they have certainly no lack of food, except at the
+up-stations. Very great credit is due to the commissariat
+department, who have done very well, and against whom one
+never hears a complaint. Since the first landing they have
+had an abundance of stores for the men; and no instance has,
+as far as I have heard, occurred of men being unable to obtain
+their proper rations. The Commander-in-chief is making
+every effort to strengthen the transport train, and has gazetted
+a number of unattached subalterns for it. He has also, I
+believe, applied to the native regiments here for volunteers for
+that corps; among the subalterns, I hear, there have been
+few, if any, answers in the affirmative. I understand that
+the European regiments have also been applied to for volunteers
+among the noncommissioned officers and men, to act as
+inspectors in the train. Among these, as among the officers,
+I hear the appeal has not been responded to. The work of
+the train is tremendously hard; and men fancy, and perhaps
+with reason, that they have less chance of going forward to
+the front in the train than they would have in their own regiments.
+There would have been no difficulty originally in obtaining
+any number of men from the regiments not coming to
+Abyssinia, as men would have volunteered for the very reason
+that makes the men here refuse to do so—namely, that they
+wished to see the war; in addition to which, as I have said,
+the pay in the train is really very good.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+But, after all, what is most required by the transport train
+is a commanding officer of far higher rank than a major. The
+transport train is, as I have shown, a collection of fourteen
+divisions, each as numerous as three cavalry regiments, the
+whole equalling in men alone the rest of the expedition. To
+<pb n="147"/><anchor id="Pg147"/>command this immense corps a brigadier-general of energy
+and standing should have been selected—a man who would
+see the work done, and at the same time insist on being allowed
+to carry out his plans in his own way, without interference
+from others. As it is, everyone has advice to offer
+to the transport train, and, while throwing the blame of
+everything that goes wrong upon their shoulders, men do
+little to assist them; think nothing of sending for transport
+animals, and then keep them waiting for hours; start at
+times which render it impossible that the animals can be
+watered; send in their requisitions at all sorts of odd times;
+and, in fact, show no regard whatever for anything but their
+personal convenience. Major Warden does his best, and
+works indefatigably; but it requires an officer of much higher
+rank and of great firmness and decision. The present would
+be a great chance for an officer to make himself a name. To
+have successfully managed so enormous a corps as the transport
+train under such extreme difficulties as have already,
+and will in future visit it, would be a feather in the cap of
+the most distinguished officer.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+It is a moot question, whether it would not have been far
+better to have done here as in India—namely, to put the
+transport train under the commissariat; and the overwhelming
+majority of opinion is, that this would have been
+a very preferable course. In the first place, the commissariat
+have no responsibility whatever. They have simply
+to hand over at Zulla so many thousand bags of rice, sugar,
+biscuit, &amp;c., and to say to them, <q>Deliver them in certain
+proportions at such and such stations along the road.</q> This
+done, their responsibility ceases. If there is a deficiency anywhere,
+they have only to say, <q>We handed over the stores
+<pb n="148"/><anchor id="Pg148"/>at Zulla in ample time, and if they have not arrived it is no
+fault of ours.</q> I cannot but think that it would be far better
+for the commissariat to have a transport train of their own.
+In India they have proved over and over again that they are
+capable of carrying out their transport arrangements admirably.
+During the mutiny there was hardly a case occurred
+where the commissariat did not manage to have the food up
+ready for the men at the end of the day’s march. For the
+conveyance of military stores and baggage, the transport
+train should be perfectly distinct from that of the commissariat.
+So many mules and drivers should be told off to each
+regiment, and that regiment should be responsible for them.
+One of the officers and a sergeant or two would be told off to
+look after them, and see that they were properly fed, watered,
+and looked after. The transport-train officer with the division
+would be in charge of spare mules, and exchange them when
+required for regimental mules which might have fallen sick
+by the way; in addition to which, a certain proportion of
+spare mules for casualties might be handed to each regiment.
+In case of a halt of a few days only, the mules would remain
+in charge of the troops; but if the halt were likely to be prolonged,
+the mules would be handed over to the transport
+officer, and by him used to assist the commissariat, or upon
+any duty for which they might be required.<note place="foot">This regimental arrangement was carried out during the latter part
+of the march to Magdala, and was found to answer extremely well.</note>
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The elephants have been handed over to the commissariat
+train. They walk backwards and forwards between this place
+and Koomaylo, and take large quantities of stores forward.
+The natives are never tired of watching the huge beasts at
+their work, and wondering at their obedience to us. This
+<pb n="149"/><anchor id="Pg149"/>astonishes them, indeed, more than anything they have seen
+of us, with the exception of our condensing water from the
+sea. One of them was speaking the other day to an officer,
+who is thoroughly acquainted with Arabic. <q>You say you
+are Christians,</q> the Shoho said; <q>this cannot be, for you
+wear no blue cords round your necks. You are sons of
+Sheitan. You are more powerful than the afrits of old.
+They could move mountains, and fly across the air, but they
+could never drink from the sea, they could never change
+salt-water into fresh. You must be sons of Sheitan.</q>
+</p>
+
+<p>
+No troops have gone forward this week, with the exception
+of two companies of the 25th Native Infantry, who have
+gone out to Koomaylo to furnish guards and fatigue-parties
+there. No troops have landed, with the exception of considerable
+numbers of the Scinde Horse. I was anxious to see
+this regiment, which I have seen highly praised in books, but
+which Indian officers with whom I have conversed on the
+subject have generally spoken of in terms the reverse of
+complimentary. I confess that their appearance is not imposing.
+The men are dressed in long green frock-coats,
+green trousers, black belts, and sabretasches, red sash round
+waist, and red turban. A picturesque uniform in itself; but
+the long coat has a clumsy effect on horseback. Their horses
+are, without exception, the very ugliest set of animals I ever
+set eyes on. A greater contrast between these men and horses
+and the smart 3d Cavalry at Senafe could hardly be conceived;
+and yet the men individually are a fine set of fellows, indeed
+are almost too heavy for cavalry. The great point which has
+always been urged in favour of the Scinde Horse is, that they
+carry their own baggage, and are independent of commissariat
+or transport train. This is, of course, a most valuable quality;
+<pb n="150"/><anchor id="Pg150"/>and in India, where forage and provisions are purchased
+readily enough, it is probable that the regiment may be able
+to move about to a great extent on its own resources. Here
+it is altogether different, and the regiment have indented
+upon the transport train for just as many baggage-animals
+as other cavalry corps would require. The only use of the
+herds of ponies which they have brought with them is, to
+carry very large kits for the men’s use—a matter of no advantage
+whatever to the public service, and, on the contrary,
+involving great expense, as these ponies were brought from
+India at the public expense, and have now to be fed and
+watered. I shall probably have to return to this subject
+during the campaign, as this system is one which has been
+strongly advocated and as strongly attacked among Indian
+officers. The railway continues to creep forward, and the
+first engine made a trial trip to-day upon it. Although there
+is little more to do than to lay the sleepers into the sand and
+to affix the rails, there is at present only a mile complete.
+One dry watercourse has been crossed, and here iron girders
+have been laid; but these nullahs should be no obstacle whatever
+to the progress of the work, as parties ought to be sent
+forward to get the little bridges, or any small cuttings there
+may be, finished in readiness, so that no pause may be occasioned
+in the laying the line. The country, with the exception
+of these little dry watercourses, which are from three
+to five feet deep, is perfectly flat; and the railway might, at
+any rate, be temporarily laid down with great ease and rapidity,
+especially with such a number of men as are employed
+upon it. As the work is being carried on at present without
+either method or plan or judgment, it is impossible even to
+predict when it will be finished to Koomaylo.
+</p>
+
+<pb n="151"/><anchor id="Pg151"/>
+
+<p>
+It is a great pity that the matter was not put into the
+hands of a regular railway contractor, who would have
+brought his plant, gangers, and plate-layers from England,
+<hi rend="italic">viâ</hi> Egypt, in three weeks from the date of signing the contract,
+and who would, with native labour, have had the line
+open to Koomaylo, if not to Sooro, ere this. I am not
+blaming the engineer officers who are in charge of the railway.
+They exert themselves to the utmost, and have no
+assistance in the way of practical gangers and platelayers,
+and have neither tools nor conveniences of any kind. Indeed,
+the actual laying down of a line can hardly be considered
+engineers’ work. An engineer makes the surveys
+and plans, and sees that the bridges, &amp;c., are built of proper
+materials; but he is not a professed railway-maker, and is
+ill-calculated to direct a number of natives, who neither understand
+his language nor have a conception of what he is
+aiming at. It needed a body of thorough navvies, a couple
+of hundred strong, such as we had in the Crimea, to show
+the natives what to do, and to do the platelaying and skilled
+portion of the work themselves. When I say the railway
+has been, and will be, of no use to the advancing expedition,
+I of course except the line of rails down upon the pier and up
+to the stores, as this has been of the very greatest utility.<note place="foot">My anticipations with regard to the railway were more than realised;
+for the last two miles of the railway to Koomaylo were not made at the
+termination of the expedition, and the portion which was completed was,
+without exception, the roughest, most shaky, and most dangerous piece of
+railway ever laid down. It is to be hoped that upon any future occasion a
+contractor will be employed instead of an engineer officer, who cannot have
+either the requisite knowledge or experience.</note>
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The photographing party are up the pass, and have executed
+some excellent views of the gorge. The engineers
+have succeeded in sinking pumps at Guinea-fowl Plain,
+<pb n="152"/><anchor id="Pg152"/>or, as it is now called, Undel Wells, and have got a plentiful
+supply of good water. This is most important and
+gratifying news. The journey from Sooro to Rayray
+Guddy, thirty miles, without water, was the trying part
+of the journey forward, and if the animals could speak not
+a few of them would lay their illnesses to that long and
+distressing journey. It is true that there was generally a
+little water to be had at the old well, but this was so deep
+and so difficult to get at, that, although a party of three or
+four animals could be watered there, it was quite impossible
+that a largo convoy could be watered. Now a large dépôt of
+provisions and forage will be established there, and the journey
+will henceforth be divided into five day’s marches, of
+nearly equal length. Fresh animals arrive here every day,
+and the amount of stores of every description which is poured
+on shore is really surprising. Nothing could work better or
+more evenly than do all the departments here. There is no
+confusion of any sort, and the issue of rations and stores, and
+the general arrangements, work as smoothly as at Aldershot.
+The military bands play morning and evening, and all is as
+quiet and according to rule as if we had been six months and
+intended to stay six months more upon this plain, twenty-four
+hours’ sojourn upon which was declared by our prophets of
+evil to be fatal to a European. The only thing in which we
+differ from a stationary camp is that there are no parades.
+Everyone is at work upon fatigue-duty. Every available
+man is ordered off to some work or other, and as we have
+with pioneers, coolies, hired natives, and soldiers, four or five
+thousand men here, we really ought to make considerable
+progress with our railway, which is now the only work of
+importance, with the exception of the wooden commissariat
+<pb n="153"/><anchor id="Pg153"/>jetty, and the never-ending task of receiving and landing
+stores. Up to three days ago there was a piece of work in
+progress which was a great joke in camp. I mentioned in a
+former letter that the commissariat stores having been flooded,
+the engineers built a dam which was intended to keep out
+the sea, but which on the first heavy rain kept in the water
+and caused a fresh-water flood instead of a salt one. Colonel
+Wilkins then resolved upon a work on a large scale; on so
+large a scale, indeed, that there were reports through the
+camp that <q>he had determined on raising the whole African
+coast three feet,</q> while others more moderate denied the exactness
+of this, and said that he was merely <q>seized with a
+desire to show the Bombay people how reclamations from the
+sea ought to be carried out.</q> The last report was nearer to
+the truth than the first, for his intention was to raise the
+shore from one jetty to another, a distance of about 400 yards,
+the shore to be raised being thirty or forty yards in width,
+and needing three feet of additional height at the very least.
+The material to be used was sand. Accordingly, about a
+thousand men worked for a week with baskets at what their
+officers called mudlarking, and had not the sea fortunately
+interposed, they might have worked for another six months
+longer, with the certain result that the very first time a high
+tide, accompanied by wind, set in the work would altogether
+disappear; sand having—as most children who have built
+castles upon the Ramsgate sands are perfectly aware—an
+awkward knack of melting away when beaten upon by the
+sea. Fortunately, before more was done than making a sort
+of bank next to the sea, and when the labour of filling the
+whole shore behind this to the same level began to be apparent
+even to the most obstinate, the sea rose, came over the dam,
+<pb n="154"/><anchor id="Pg154"/>covered the low ground behind three feet deep, entered the
+commissariat stores, and, as it could not escape, did considerably
+more damage than it would have done had the shore remained
+as it was before the labour of a thousand men for a
+week was expended upon it.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The rainy season, like most other things connected with
+Abyssinia, has turned out a myth. It was to have come in
+November, then it was postponed to December, then the 1st
+of January was named as the latest time, and yet, with the
+exception of one heavy shower, we have had no rain whatever.
+The dust is blowing again in perfect clouds. We
+taste it in all we eat and in all we drink. Grit is perpetually
+between our teeth. As for our hair, what with sea-bathing
+and what with dust it is approaching fast to the appearance
+of a hedgehog’s back. Were it not for the evening
+bathe I do not know how we should get on. A great improvement
+has been effected in this respect during the last
+ten days. The end of the pier is now kept for officers only,
+the rest being devoted to the men. This is a great boon, and
+makes the end of the pier quite a pleasant place of assembly
+of an evening. Everyone is there, and everyone knows everyone
+else, so that it forms the grand rendezvous of the day.
+Our meeting-room is the sea, our toilet strict undress. I
+only wish that the water we use internally were as pleasant
+as the salt-water is for bathing, but the fact is, it is almost
+undrinkable. Why it is so no one seems to know; but there
+is no question as to the fact. It is extremely salt, and has a
+strong earthy taste in addition, and occasionally a disagreeable
+smell. Why it should be salt I know not, but can only
+suppose that the condensers are worked too hard, and that
+salt-water goes over with the steam. The earthy flavour and
+<pb n="155"/><anchor id="Pg155"/>unpleasant smell which it sometimes has I attribute to the
+fact that the water which comes on shore from the ships must
+be bad. I have smelt exactly the same odour in water on
+board ship. The bad taste is so strong that it cannot be disguised
+or overpowered by the strongest admixture of spirits.
+By far the best water here is made by the condenser at the
+head of the pier, and this is served out to the European regiments,
+who are camped rather nearer to it than the native
+regiments are. Filters remove to a certain extent the earthy
+taste, but they do not alter the saline. A more serious matter
+even than the badness of the water is the fact that the supply
+has several times within the last ten days been insufficient,
+and hundreds of animals have had to go to their work in the
+morning, or to their beds at night, without a drop of water.
+It is this which lays the foundation of the lung-diseases, fills
+our hospitals with sick animals, to say nothing of the suffering
+caused to them. When the Scinde Horse, with their numerous
+baggage-animals, have moved forward, it is to be hoped
+that the naval authorities will be able to supply a sufficiency
+of drinkable water for the rest of the camp. The party of
+engineers have just begun a work which, when completed,
+will enable a much larger amount of stores to be landed daily
+than can at present be accomplished. They are driving piles
+so as to lengthen the pier some twenty or thirty yards, and
+to form a pier-head, on all sides of which lighters and boats
+can lie alongside to unload instead of only at one side, as at
+present. The commissariat wharf is also making considerable
+progress, and when this and the new pier-head are completed,
+the amount of stores which can be daily landed will be
+very large. As it is, it is wonderful what immense quantities
+of stores are landed and sent up the pier in the trucks
+<pb n="156"/><anchor id="Pg156"/>by the commissariat, quartermaster, transport train, and
+engineer departments. Many hands make light work, and
+there is abundance of labour here, and a boat comes alongside,
+and its contents are emptied and placed upon a railway-truck
+in a very few minutes. Were a double line laid down
+the pier—which was specially built for it—and two or three
+connections or crossings laid down, so that full trucks could
+go out, and empty ones come in without waiting for each
+other, the capacity of the pier would be vastly greater than
+it is. Why this is not done no one seems to know. With
+the abundance of labour at hand it might be made in a day
+without interfering with the working of the present line. A
+great improvement has taken place in the conveyance of the
+post between this and Senafe. Ponies are in readiness at
+the various stations, and the mails are taken up in two days.
+Things are in fact getting into order in all the branches of
+the service, and with the exception of the water-supply and the
+ridiculously-slow progress of the railway, there is little to be
+wished for. The Punjaub Pioneers, whose arrival I mentioned
+in my last letter, are an uncommonly fine body of men.
+Their loose cotton dress and dark claret-brown turbans, and
+their picks and shovels slung across their shoulders, in addition
+to their arms and accoutrements, give them the appearance
+of a corps ready for any work; and this they have quite
+borne out. They have brought a number of ponies with them,
+and are fit for any service. The corps which have thus far
+arrived from Bengal and Madras have certainly done very
+great credit to these Presidencies, and make it a matter of
+regret that Bombay should have endeavoured to keep as far
+as possible the monopoly of an immense expedition like the
+present in her own hands. The Lahore division of the
+mule-<pb n="157"/><anchor id="Pg157"/>train arrived here in the most perfect order. The saddles,
+accoutrements, &amp;c., arrived with the mules, together with the
+proper complement of drivers, complete with warm clothing,
+&amp;c. This division were therefore ready to take their load
+and to march up the very day after their landing, without
+the slightest confusion or delay. Of course the animals from
+Egypt and the Mediterranean could not arrive in this state
+of order, but there was no reason whatever why the Bombay
+division should not have arrived in a state of complete efficiency,
+instead of the animals coming by one ship, the drivers
+in another, the officers and inspectors in a third, and the accoutrements
+and clothing scattered over a whole fleet. Madras,
+too, has done well, although her contingent is a very small
+one. The Madras Sappers and Miners have greatly distinguished
+themselves, and the Madras dhoolie corps, which was
+raised and organised by Captain Smith, of the commissariat,
+has turned out of the very greatest utility. They have worked
+admirably, and have been quite willing to do any work to
+which they were set, however foreign it might be to the purpose
+for which they were engaged. Numbers of them have
+been transferred to the transport train; and, indeed, so useful
+has the corps proved, that orders have been sent to Madras
+for another of equal strength.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+We had quite a pretty sight here the other night. The
+Pacha on board the Turkish frigate, which with two small
+consorts is lying in the harbour, invited Sir Robert Napier
+and the other generals, with their respective staffs, and the
+commanding officers of regiments and departments, to dinner.
+The frigate was illuminated with hundreds of lanterns hung
+along her shrouds and yards. The dinner was spread on the
+quarter-deck, which had awnings both roof and sides, so that
+<pb n="158"/><anchor id="Pg158"/>it formed a perfect tent. The dinner was very good, and the
+fittings and ornaments of the table admirable. The sight, to
+men who had been for the last month eating off pewter and
+drinking out of tin cups, of a pile of porcelain plates, which
+were evidently some of Minton’s or Copeland’s best work,
+would be almost tantalising, and the dinner was enjoyed
+proportionately to its being so exceptional a circumstance.
+There was no making of speeches or drinking of healths, but
+the men-of-war and other boats as they left the frigate with
+their guests gave a hearty cheer to the Pacha for his hospitality.
+There is still a great want of boats in the harbour,
+and it is most difficult to get out to a ship to see a friend or
+to buy stores. Many of the ships are not unloading, and the
+men have nothing to do. It would be an excellent plan to
+authorise some of these vessels to send boats to shore to ply
+for hire, at a regular tariff. The men would like it, as they
+would gain good pay, and it would be a great boon to us on
+shore.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+There is no news from the front, with the exception of
+that brought in just as the last mail was leaving, namely,
+that Theodore was moving towards Magdala, and that the
+Waagshum with his army was watching him. As Waagshum
+had neither the force nor the courage to hold the passes
+between Debra Tabor and Magdala—which, according to all
+accounts, a hundred men might easily hold against a thousand
+similarly armed—I do not think that the news that he was
+watching Theodore was of any more importance than if it
+had been <q>a troop of baboons are watching Theodore.</q> I
+have not the least faith in these barbarian allies of ours.
+They will do nothing, and will demand great presents for
+it. Except that it amuses our <q>political agent,</q> I do not
+<pb n="159"/><anchor id="Pg159"/>see that the slightest possible utility can come from these
+native chiefs. The only king of any real importance is
+the King of Tigre, upon whose territory we are already encamped
+at Senafe. I hear that the purport of the message
+brought in by the ambassador or envoy who arrived before
+Christmas was to request that an envoy might be sent to him
+to enter into negotiations, and to arrange for a meeting between
+himself and the Commander-in-chief. In consequence,
+Major Grant, of Nile celebrity, goes forward to-morrow,
+with Mr. Munzinger, our consul at Massowah, who acts as
+political adviser and interpreter. They will, I understand,
+go on from Senafe with a small guard of eight or ten cavalry.
+They will call upon the King of Tigre as official envoys, and
+will assure him of our friendship, and inform him that Sir
+Robert Napier is anxious to see him, and will meet him at
+Attegrat in a short time. I have now finished the news of
+the week, with the exception only of an adventure which
+befell Captain Pottinger, of the quartermaster’s department.
+He was ordered to reconnoitre the passes leading from Senafe
+down to the head of Annesley Bay. He started with
+eight men, and had proceeded about forty miles when he was
+met by a party of armed Shohos, 100 strong. They ordered
+him to return to Senafe under pain of an instant attack. Of
+course Captain Pottinger, with his eight men, would have
+had no difficulty in defeating the 100 Shohos, but had blood
+been shed serious complications might have ensued, and he
+very wisely determined that it would be better to retire, as
+his mission was not one of extreme importance. This little
+affair is of itself of no consequence, but is worth notice as
+being the first time since our arrival here that the natives
+have in any way interfered with an armed force, however
+<pb n="160"/><anchor id="Pg160"/>small. In my next letter I hope to be able to speak of at
+least a probability of a forward movement.
+</p>
+
+<milestone unit="tb" rend="rule:30%"/>
+</div><div>
+    <index index="toc" level1="Zulla, January 22d"/>
+    <index index="pdf" level1="Zulla, January 22d"/>
+
+<dateline>Zulla, January 22d.</dateline>
+
+<p>
+Only three days have elapsed since I last wrote to you,
+but those three days have completely changed the prospects
+of things here. Then a move forward appeared to be an
+event which, we hoped, might happen somewhere in the dim
+future, but which, with the reports that provisions were
+scarcely accumulating at Senafe, but were being consumed
+as fast as they were taken up, seemed a very distant matter
+indeed. Now all this is changed, and <q>forward</q> is the cry.
+The 25th Native Infantry are already on the move, the 4th,
+<q>King’s Own,</q> are to go in a day or two, and the 3d Native
+Infantry are to follow as soon as possible. Sir Robert
+Napier goes up to-morrow or next day. Whether he will
+remain up there, and go forward at once, or whether he will
+return here again for a short time, is a moot point. I incline
+to the former opinion. From what I hear, and from what I
+see in the English papers, pressure is being strongly applied
+to Sir Robert Napier to move forward. Now, with the
+greatest deference for the home authorities and for the leader-writers
+upon the London press, I submit that they are forming
+opinions upon matters on which no one who has not
+visited this place is competent to judge. No one, I repeat,
+can form any opinion of the difficulties with which the Commander-in-chief
+has to contend here. The first want is the
+want of water, the second the want of forage, the third the
+want of transport. Twenty-eight thousand animals were to
+have been here by the end of December; not more than half
+<pb n="161"/><anchor id="Pg161"/>that number have arrived, and of the 12,000 which have been
+landed 2000 are dead, and another 2000 unfit for work. The
+remainder are doing quite as much as could be expected of
+them, and are working well and smoothly; but 8000 are not
+sufficient to convey the provisions and stores of an army up
+seventy miles, and to carry their own forage as well. That
+is, they might convey quite sufficient for their supply from
+day to day, but they cannot accumulate sufficient provisions
+for the onward journey. The difficulties are simply overwhelming,
+and I do not know of a position of greater responsibility
+than that of Sir Robert Napier at the present moment.
+If he keeps the troops down here upon the plain, the increasing
+heat may at any moment produce an epidemic; and, in
+addition to this, the English public will ferment with indignation.
+On the other hand, if he pushes on with a few
+thousand men, he does so at enormous risk. He may take
+any number of laden animals with them; but if we get, as in
+all probability we shall get, into a country where for days no
+forage is obtainable, what is to become of the animals? It
+is not the enemy we fear—the enemy is contemptible; it is
+the distance, and the questions of provisions and transport.
+If a column goes on, it cuts itself loose from its base. With
+the exception of the laden animals, which start with it, it can
+receive no supplies whatever from the rear; it must be self-supporting.
+When Sherman left Atalanta he travelled through
+one of the most fertile countries in the world. We, on the
+contrary, go through one series of ravines and passes, and
+although there are many intervening places where we may
+count upon buying cattle, it is by no means certain that we
+can procure forage sufficient to last the animals across the
+next sterile pass. Altogether, it is a most difficult business,
+<pb n="162"/><anchor id="Pg162"/>and one where the wisest would hesitate upon giving any
+opinion as to the best course to be pursued. I am sure General
+Napier will push forward if he sees any chance of a
+favourable issue; and if he does not, he will remain where he
+is in spite of any impatient criticism on the part of those who
+cannot guess at one tithe of his difficulties. Since writing
+the above I have received reliable information that the wing
+of the 33d will move forward to Antalo (a hundred miles in
+advance) in a few days. This is palpable evidence that at
+any rate we are going to feel our way forward. Personally
+I need not say how pleased I am, for living with the thermometer
+from 104° to 112°, in a tent, and surrounded and
+covered with a fine dust, existence can scarcely be called a
+pleasure here.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Sir Robert Napier is making great efforts to reduce the
+weight to be carried forward, and in this he is, without doubt,
+highly to be commended. The great curse of this army is its
+enormous number of followers. European regiments have
+quite a little host of sweepers, Lascars, water-bearers, &amp;c. &amp;c.
+Even the native regiments have a number of followers. Had
+English troops direct from England been employed, the
+weight to be carried would have been very much less than
+it is at present, and the men, being accustomed to shift and
+work for themselves, would have been more handy. It is
+said that the soldier’s kit, now very heavy, is to be reduced;
+but at present the efforts are being directed almost exclusively
+against officers. An officer, whatever his rank, is to
+be allowed one mule only, and there is some rumour that
+even that allowance is to be reduced. I do not hesitate to
+say that that amount is insufficient. If an officer had his
+mule merely to carry his baggage it would be ample, but this
+<pb n="163"/><anchor id="Pg163"/>is very far from being the case. On it he has to carry his
+groom’s luggage and warm clothes, and those of his body-servant.
+He has to carry his cooking-utensils, &amp;c., and the
+rugs, &amp;c., for his horse; consequently he will be lucky if
+forty or fifty pounds remains for his own kit. This is not a
+campaign for a week or a month; it may, in all human probability
+will, last for a year, perhaps longer, and he has to
+carry clothes, bedding, &amp;c., for a hot and a cold climate. It
+is simply impossible to do this in the limits of fifty pounds.
+Regimental officers are ordered to send back their servants to
+Bombay, only one to be kept for every three officers. Of
+course such officers will be able to get most of the work they
+require performed for them by their own men; but, at the
+same time, it is a hardship both to officers and servants. In
+all cases an officer has made an advance of from two to three
+months’ pay to his servants; in all cases he has provided them
+with warm clothing; and it is very hard that he should lose
+all this, and be obliged to turn servants, whom he may have
+had for years, adrift at a moment’s notice.
+</p>
+
+<milestone unit="tb" rend="rule: 30%"/>
+    </div><div>
+<index index="toc" level1="Senafe, January 31st"/>
+    <index index="pdf" level1="Senafe, January 31st"/>
+
+<dateline>Senafe, January 31st.</dateline>
+
+<p>
+After the heat and dust of Zulla this place is delightful.
+The heat of the day is tempered by a cool wind, and the
+really cold nights brace us up thoroughly. Above all, we
+have no dust. We are clean. One has to stop for a month
+upon the Plain of Zulla thoroughly to appreciate the pleasure
+of feeling clean. Here, too, there is water—not only to
+drink, but to wash in. After being dust-grimed and unable
+to wash, the sensation of being free from dust and enabled
+to wash at pleasure is delightful. Having with great
+diffi<pb n="164"/><anchor id="Pg164"/>culty succeeded in purchasing baggage-animals, I started
+early from Zulla, and arrived at Koomaylo in plenty of time
+to be able to examine the wonderful changes which have
+taken place there in the last three weeks. There were then
+some hundreds of animals there; now there are thousands.
+The lines of the mules and ponies extend in every direction;
+besides which are bullocks, camels, and elephants. Koomaylo
+is indeed the head-quarters of the transport-train animals.
+The camel divisions are here. They go down to the
+landing-place one day, are fed there, and come back loaded
+next day, getting their water only here. The elephants
+work in the same way, but they have to be watered at each
+end of their journey. The bullock division is here, and
+works upwards to Rayray Guddy, three days’ march, taking
+up stores and bringing down Senafe grass when there is
+any to spare. Four mule and pony divisions are here;
+these, like the bullocks, work to Rayray Guddy and back.
+The sick animals of these six divisions are also here, and
+number nearly twelve hundred, including camels. The watering
+of all these animals morning and evening is a most
+interesting sight. There are long troughs, into which water
+is pumped continuously from the little American pumps.
+The different animals have each their allotted troughs. As
+they arrive they are formed in lines, and as one line has
+drunk the next advances. There is no bustle or confusion,
+for there is an ample supply of water for all. The water is
+very clear and good, but is quite warm, and most of the
+animals object to it the first time of tasting. Although the
+mules are in better condition than they were some time since,
+very many of them are still very weak, especially those that
+have been stationed at Rayray Guddy, where they get
+no<pb n="165"/><anchor id="Pg165"/>thing to eat but the coarse Senafe hay, and have had very
+frequently to go without even this. The greatest difficulty
+of the transport train at present is most unquestionably in
+its drivers. The greater part were, as I have before said,
+collected haphazard from the scum of Smyrna, Beyrout,
+Alexandria, Cairo, and Suez. They are entirely without
+any idea of discipline, are perfectly reckless as to the Government
+stores, and are brutally cruel to their animals.
+By cruel, I do not mean actively cruel, but passively cruel.
+They do not thrash their mules much, they are too indifferent
+to the pace at which they travel to put themselves
+to the trouble of hurrying them. But they are horribly
+cruel in a passive way. They will continue to work their
+animals with the most terrible sore backs. They will never
+take the trouble to loosen the chain which forms part of the
+Bombay headgear, and which, unless it is carefully watched,
+will cut into the flesh under the chin, and in hundreds of
+cases has done so. They will jerk at the rein of their draught-mules
+until the clumsy bit raises terrible swellings in the
+mouth; they will say no word about the ailments of their
+beasts until they can absolutely go no single step further, and
+then, instead of taking them to the hospital lines, they turn
+them adrift, and report upon their arrival at night that the
+mules have died upon the way. There is, however, far less
+of this going on now than formerly, for a mounted inspector
+accompanies each train, and many of the large convoys have
+officers in charge of them. But not only for their cruelty
+and carelessness are these Egyptian, Levant, and Turk
+drivers objectionable; they are constantly mutinous. I saw
+the other day at Zulla a party of fifty who had arrived a
+few days before deliberately refuse to work. They did not
+<pb n="166"/><anchor id="Pg166"/>like the place, and they would go back. Everything was
+tried with them; they were kept upon less than half rations
+and water for days, but they sturdily refused to do anything.
+The whole party might of course have been flogged, but that
+would not have made them work; and the first day that
+they went out with mules they would have thrown their burdens
+off and deserted with their animals. I was present
+when Colonel Holland, director-general of transport, endeavoured
+to persuade them to work. They steadily refused,
+and even when he promised that they should be sent back
+to Suez by the first ship, they refused to do any work whatever
+until the time for embarkation. As they stood in a
+circle round him, some gesticulating, but most standing in
+surly obstinacy, I thought I had never seen such a collection
+of thorough ruffians in my life—the picked scoundrels of the
+most lawless population on earth. I stopped one day at
+Koomaylo, and then came rapidly up the pass. The road
+is now really a very fair road for the whole distance, with
+the exception of four miles between Koomaylo and lower
+Sooro. This piece of road has not, by some strange oversight,
+been yet touched; but I hear that the 25th Native
+Infantry, one wing of which regiment is at Koomaylo, are
+to be set to work at it at once. It is along the flat of
+the valley, and only requires smoothing, and removing boulders,
+so that a few days will see this, the last piece of the
+road, completed. For the rest of the distance the road
+is everywhere as good as a bye-road in an out-of-the-way
+district at home. In many places it is very much better.
+Up the passes at Sooro and Rayray Guddy it is really an
+excellent road. The vast boulders, which I described upon
+the occasion of my first passing through it, are either
+shat<pb n="167"/><anchor id="Pg167"/>tered to pieces by blasting, or are surmounted by the road
+being raised by a gradual incline. Too much praise cannot
+be given to the Bombay Sappers and Miners, who have
+carried out these works. The same party, after finishing
+these passes, have now just completed a broad zigzag road
+from the bottom of the pass up to the Senafe plain. This
+was before the most trying part of the whole journey, now
+it is a road up which one might drive in a carriage and pair,
+and which reminds one of the last zigzags upon the summits
+of the Mount Cenis and St. Gothard passes. The whole of
+the works I have described are at once samples of skilful
+engineering and of unremitting exertion. No one who passed
+through six weeks ago would have believed that so much
+could possibly be effected in so short a time. Next only to
+the Bombay Sappers credit must be given to the Beloochee
+regiment, one wing of which under Major Beville at Sooro,
+and the other under Captain Hogg at Rayray Guddy, have
+made the road along those places where blasting was not
+required.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The Beloochees are a remarkably fine regiment, and work
+with a willingness and good-will which are beyond praise.
+Great regret is expressed on all sides that they have not been
+selected to accompany the 33d regiment upon its advance,
+especially as they are armed with Enfield rifles.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The Beloochees are deservedly one of the most popular
+regiments in the Indian service, and there is an <hi rend="italic">esprit de
+corps</hi>—a feeling of personal attachment between men and
+officers, and a pride on the part of the latter to belong to so
+good a regiment—which the present extraordinary and unsatisfactory
+state of the Indian service renders altogether out
+of the question in the regular native regiments. There an
+<pb n="168"/><anchor id="Pg168"/>officer forms no part of the regiment. He belongs to it for
+the time being, but if he goes home for leave, he will upon
+his return be posted in all probability to some other regiment.
+In this way all <hi rend="italic">esprit de corps</hi>, all traces of mutual good feeling
+between men and officers, is entirely done away with.
+How such a system could ever have been devised, and how,
+once devised, it has ever been allowed to continue, is one of
+those extraordinary things which no civilian, and no military
+man under the rank of colonel, can understand.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+At the station of Sooro and Rayray Guddy little change
+has been effected since I last described them, and about the
+same number of men are stationed there; but at Undel Wells,
+or Guinea-fowl Plain, as it was formerly called, the place was
+changed beyond all recognition. When last I was there it
+was a quiet valley, with a few Shohos watering their cattle
+at a scanty and dirty well. My own party was the only
+evidence of the British expedition. Now this was all changed.
+No city in the days of the gold-mining rush in Australia ever
+sprung into existence more suddenly. Here are long lines
+of transport-animals, here are commissariat-tents and stores,
+here a camp of the pioneers. The whole of the trees and
+brushwood have been cleared away. Here is the watering-place,
+with its troughs for animals and its tubs for men—the
+one supplied by one of Bastier’s chain-pumps, a gigantic
+specimen of which used to pour out a cataract of water for
+the delectation of the visitors to the Paris Exhibition—the
+other by one of the little American pumps. Everything
+works as quietly and easily as if the age of the station was
+to be counted by months instead of by days.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+I found that the telegraph is making rapid progress. The
+wire now works as far as Sooro, and is also erected
+down<pb n="169"/><anchor id="Pg169"/>wards from Senafe to Rayray Guddy. It is a very fine
+copper wire, and in the midst of the lofty perpendicular rocks
+of the Sooro Pass it looks, as it goes in long stretches from
+angle to angle, with the sun shining bright upon it, like the
+glistening thread of some great spider.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+It would have been long since laid to Senafe, but the
+greatest difficulty has occurred in obtaining poles, all those
+sent from Bombay having been thrown overboard to lighten
+the vessel in which they were shipped upon an occasion of
+her running aground. It has been found impossible to procure
+the poles for the remaining distance; and I hear that a
+wire coated with india-rubber is to be laid a few inches under
+the soil.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Senafe itself is but little altered. The 10th Native Infantry
+are still in their old camp. The 3d Native Cavalry
+have gone out about eight miles from here to a spot called
+Goose Plain, and the sappers and miners are encamped in
+the old lines of the 3d. The 33d lines are in a plain close
+to, but a little beyond, the old camp, and concealed from
+view until one has passed it.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+On my arrival in camp I found that a deep gloom hung
+over everyone, and I heard the sad news that Colonel Dunn,
+the commanding officer of the 33d, had the day before accidentally
+shot himself when out shooting. The native servant
+who alone was with him reports that he himself was at the
+moment stooping to pour out some water, that he heard the
+report of a gun, and turning round saw his master stagger
+back, and then sink into a sitting position with the blood
+streaming from his breast. The man instantly ran back to
+camp, a distance of five miles, for assistance, and surgeons at
+once galloped off with bandages, &amp;c., followed by dhoolie
+<pb n="170"/><anchor id="Pg170"/>wallahs, with a dhoolie to carry him back to camp. When
+the surgeons arrived, they found Colonel Dunn lying on his
+back, dead. His flask was open by his side, his cap pulled
+over his face. He had bled to death in a few minutes after
+the accident. It is supposed that the gun was at full cock,
+and that the slight jar of putting the butt to the ground must
+have let the hammer down. There are very few men who
+could have been less spared than Colonel Dunn; none more
+deeply regretted. As an officer he was one of the most rising
+men in the service, and had he lived would probably have
+gained its highest honours and position. He was with the
+11th Hussars in the Balaclava charge, and when the men
+were asked to select the man who in the whole regiment was
+most worthy of the Victoria Cross, they unanimously named
+Lieutenant Dunn. Never was the Victoria Cross placed on
+the breast of a more gallant soldier. When the 100th regiment
+was raised in Canada, he enrolled a very large number
+of men, and was gazetted its major. After attaining the rank
+of lieutenant-colonel he exchanged into the 33d, of which,
+at the time of this sad accident, he was full colonel, and was
+next on the list for his brigadier-generalship. He was only
+thirty-five years of age, the youngest colonel in the British
+service, and would, in all human probability, have been a
+brigadier-general before he was thirty-six. Known as a
+dashing officer, distinguished for his personal bravery, a
+colonel at an age when other men are captains, there was no
+rank or position in the army which he might not have confidently
+been predicted to attain, and his loss is a loss to the
+whole British army. But not less than as a soldier, do all who
+knew poor Dunn regret him as a man. He was the most
+popular of officers. Unassuming, frank, kind-hearted in the
+<pb n="171"/><anchor id="Pg171"/>extreme, a delightful companion, and a warm friend—none
+met him who were not irresistibly attracted by him. He
+was a man essentially to be loved. In his regiment his loss
+is irreparable, and as they stood beside his lonely grave at
+the foot of the rock of Senafe, it is no disgrace to their manhood
+to say that there were few dry eyes amongst either
+officers or men. He was buried, in accordance with a wish
+he had once expressed, in his uniform, and Wolfe’s lines on
+the burial of Sir John Moore will apply almost word for
+word to <q>the grave where <hi rend="italic">our</hi> hero we buried.</q>
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Sir Robert Napier arrived here with his personal staff the
+day before yesterday, having been five days <hi rend="italic">en route</hi>, spending
+one day carefully examining each station, inquiring, as
+is his custom, into every detail, and seeing how each department
+worked. Never was a commander more careful in this
+inquiry into every detail than is Sir Robert Napier. Nothing
+escapes him. He sees everything, hears what everyone has
+to say, and then decides firmly upon what is to be done.
+The army have rightly an unbounded confidence in him.
+He is essentially the man for an expedition of this sort. His
+reputation for dash and gallantry is well known, but at the
+same time he has a prudence and sagacity which will fit him
+for the extremely difficult position in which he is placed. If
+it is possible to make a dash into Central Abyssinia, undoubtedly
+he will do it; if, on the other hand, it cannot be
+done without extraordinary risk and difficulty—if it is next
+to impossible—no amount of outcry at home will drive him
+to attempt it.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+It is believed here that, moved by the home authorities, a
+rapid dash is on the point of being made, and bets are freely
+exchanged that the expedition will be over by the 1st of
+<pb n="172"/><anchor id="Pg172"/>April. For myself, I confess that even in the face of the
+approaching advance of the first division I have no anticipations
+whatever that such will be the case. Sir Robert, I
+believe, does mean to try. Urged on to instant action from
+home, he will despatch two or three regiments, with cavalry
+and artillery, and with the lightest possible baggage. But if
+the country at all resembles that we have already traversed,
+if it is one tithe as difficult and deficient in food and forage as
+Abyssinian travellers have told us, I am convinced that the
+column will have to come to a halt, and wait for supplies, and
+will have to proceed in a regular military way. I hope that
+I may be mistaken; I sincerely hope that the advancing
+column may meet with no insuperable obstacles; but, remembering
+that it is by no means certain that when we get
+to Magdala we shall find Theodore and the captives there, I
+am far more inclined to name nine months than three as the
+probable time which will elapse before we have attained the
+objects of our expedition,—that is, always supposing that
+Theodore does not deliver up the captives as we advance. It
+is quite certain that the advancing column must depend entirely
+upon themselves. They will be able to receive no supplies
+from the rear, for other regiments will take the place of
+those that go on from Senafe, and the transport train cannot
+do much more than keep Senafe supplied with provisions at
+present, even supplemented as their efforts are by those of
+thousands of the little native cattle. Indeed, had it not been
+for the quantity of stores brought up by the natives on their
+own cattle, there would not have been sufficient stores at
+Senafe to have supplied the troops who now move on. As
+some 1500 animals will be withdrawn from the strength of
+the transport train to march with the advance brigade, it is
+<pb n="173"/><anchor id="Pg173"/>evident that the stores sent up for some time will not be much
+more than sufficient to supply Senafe, and that no animals
+will be available to send on fresh supply to the front. The
+brigade that advances, then, must depend entirely upon itself.
+It must not hope for any assistance whatever. To say the
+least, it is an expedition upon the like of which few bodies of
+men ever started. We have 330 miles to go, across a country
+known to be exceptionally mountainous and difficult. We
+have already learned that, with the exception of cattle, the
+country will provide us with no food whatever. The kings
+or chiefs through whose territory we march will be but
+neutral, and even if actively friendly, which they certainly
+are not, could afford us no practical assistance. To crown
+all, it may be that towards the end of the march we may have
+to fight our way through difficult passes, defended by men
+who, if ill-armed, are at least warlike and brave. History
+hardly records an instance of such an accumulation of difficulties.
+Pizarro’s conquest of Mexico, perhaps, ranks foremost
+among enterprises of this sort, but Pizarro fought his
+way through the richest country in the world, and could
+never have had difficulties as to his supplies. There is no
+question about our conquering—the great question is as to
+our eating. If we were always certain of finding forage our
+difficulties would be light in comparison. Unfortunately our
+mules must eat as well as we, and we know that we shall
+have long passes where no forage whatever is procurable. If
+the mules were certain of their food it would be a mere arithmetical
+question—how many mules are required to convey
+food for 2500 men for forty days? As it stands now, we
+have no data to go upon, and whether our present advance
+succeeds or not is almost entirely dependent upon whether we
+<pb n="174"/><anchor id="Pg174"/>can obtain forage for our animals. If we can do this, we
+shall get to Magdala; but if we find that we have to pass
+long distances without forage, it becomes an impossibility,
+and we must fall back upon the regular military method of
+forming dépôts and moving on stage by stage. In this latter
+case there is no predicting the probable limit of the expedition.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+General Napier is taking the most stringent but necessary
+steps for reducing the baggage to a minimum. No
+officer, whatever his rank, is to be allowed more than one
+mule. Three officers are to sleep in each bell-tent, and one
+mule is allowed for two bell-tents. One mule is allowed
+to each three officers for cooking-utensils and mess-stores.
+Only one native servant is to be allowed for each three
+officers. No officers, except those entitled to horses in England,
+are to be mounted; they may, however, if they choose,
+take their own horse as a pack-animal instead of the mule
+to which they are entitled, in which case a pack-saddle will
+be issued to them. Similar reductions are being made
+among the regimental baggage and followers. The latter,
+whose name was legion, and who were at least as numerous
+as the fighting-men, are to be greatly curtailed. The Lascars,
+sweepers, water-bearers, &amp;c. are either to be sent back,
+or to be turned into grass-cutters for the cavalry and baggage-animals.
+The European soldiers are to be limited to
+35lb. weight of baggage, and part of this they will have to
+carry for themselves. All this is as it should be. In India
+it is policy as well as humanity to take every possible care
+of the British soldier. He is a very expensive machine, and
+although, as was found during the mutiny, he can work
+in the sun during an emergency without his health
+suffer<pb n="175"/><anchor id="Pg175"/>ing, still at ordinary times it is far better to relieve him as
+far as possible from all duties whatever save drill and guard.
+Labour and food are so cheap in India that the expense of
+this host of camp-followers is comparatively slight. Here
+it is altogether different. It was known long before we
+started that the ground would be exceptionally difficult, that
+the difficulties of transport would be enormous, and that every
+mouth extra to be fed was of consequence; and yet in spite
+of this the European regiments arrived here with little short
+of 500 followers; and the native regiments have also hosts
+of hangers-on. As I have said, all this is now very properly
+to be done away with. The army will march as nearly as
+possible with European kit and following, and the transport
+train will be relieved of the incubus of thousands of
+useless mouths to be provided for. In speaking of the transport
+train, I should mention that Sir Robert Napier is in
+no way accountable for its absurd organisation and consequent
+break down. The Bombay authorities are alone responsible.
+When the expedition was first seriously talked
+of in August last, Sir Robert Napier drew up a scheme for
+a transport train, which I am assured by those who have
+seen it was excellent. This he sent in on the 23d of August.
+No notice was taken of it until the middle of September,
+when Sir Robert was told that a scheme would be prepared
+by the commissary-general. Another precious month elapsed,
+and then in the middle of October the present absurd scheme
+was hatched. It was sent to Sir Robert for his opinion, and
+he returned it with the memorandum that it was perfectly
+impracticable. The authorities persisted, however, in the
+teeth of his opinion, in having their plan carried out; and
+it was only upon Sir Robert’s repeated and earnest
+remon<pb n="176"/><anchor id="Pg176"/>strances that they consented to increase the number of European
+inspectors and native overlookers to the present ridiculously-insufficient
+number. The result has abundantly proved
+the wisdom of the General, and the fatuity of the men who
+would interfere in every detail, and overrule the opinion of
+the man to whom everything was to be intrusted from the
+day of his leaving Bombay. Events have abundantly proved
+the error of intrusting the management of the expedition
+to civilians and men of bureaux.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+And now, as to the advance brigade. Neither its composition
+nor its date of advance are yet known for certain. The
+Chief is not a man who says anything about his plans until
+the moment arrives when the necessary orders are to be given.
+It will probably comprise the whole or part of the 33d regiment,
+the 4th regiment—a portion of which is expected to
+arrive here to-day—the 10th Native Infantry, the Beloochees,
+the Punjaub Pioneers, the Bombay Sappers and Miners, the
+3d Native Cavalry, and the Scinde Horse. Of these, two
+companies of the 33d regiment, and two of the 10th Native
+Infantry, are already at Attegrat, thirty-five miles in advance.
+Three more companies of each regiment started to-day.
+Brigadier-general Collings goes on with them, and
+will for the present command the advance. Part of the
+Pioneers are here, as are the Bombay Sappers. These go
+on in a day or two to make the road near and beyond Attegrat,
+the intermediate part having been already made by the
+33d regiment. The Scinde Horse are some eight or nine
+miles away, and near them are the 3d Native Cavalry. I
+have omitted in my list of troops for the advance brigade to
+name the mountain trains, and three guns of the artillery,
+which will be carried by elephants. These animals are
+ex<pb n="177"/><anchor id="Pg177"/>pected here in a day or two. I should be sorry to meet them
+on horseback in a narrow part of the pass, and I expect that
+they will cause terrible confusion among the transport-animals,
+for they have all a perfect horror of the elephant—that
+is, the first time that they see one. When they get to learn
+that he, like themselves, is a subjugated animal, they cease
+to feel any terror of him.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+There is one pleasing change which has taken place since
+I last left Senafe, and which I have not yet spoken of. I
+mentioned that Sir Charles Staveley, when he was up here,
+ordered huts to be built for the muleteers by the 10th Native
+Infantry. These are now completed. They are long, leafy
+bowers, running along in regular lines between the rows of
+animals. They are very well and neatly built—so regular,
+indeed, that it is difficult at a short distance to believe that
+they are really built of boughs. They may not be as warm
+as houses, but they keep off the wind, and afford a great
+protection to the muleteers at night. The division here, that
+of Captain Griffiths, is the first which landed. It is now in
+very good order, and will accompany the advance brigade.
+The disease up here is, I am happy to say, on the decrease.
+The sick animals are out at Goose Plain with the artillery.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Yesterday, in the afternoon, there was a parade of the
+33d, and 10th Native Infantry; small parties of the Royal
+Engineers, of 3d Native Cavalry, and of Scinde Horse were
+also present. Sir Robert Napier rode along the line, and
+the regiments then marched past. The little party of the
+3d Cavalry came first, followed by the Scinde Horse, and
+offering as strong a contrast to each other as could be well
+imagined. The one was upon the European, the other upon
+the Asiatic model. The Scinde horsemen were much the
+<pb n="178"/><anchor id="Pg178"/>heavier and more powerful men; and although they have not
+the military seat or the dashing air of the 3d, they had in
+their dark dresses, and quiet, determined look, the appearance
+of men who would be most formidable antagonists.
+Their horses, although ugly, are strong; and in a charge,
+it was the opinion of many of those who were looking on,
+that they would be much more than a match for their more
+showy rivals. The Scinde Horse are more discussed than
+any regiment out here; and, indeed, it is so famous a
+regiment, and is always stationed so much upon the frontiers,
+that its coming was looked forward to with considerable
+curiosity. Its appearance is certainly against it; that
+is, its horses are very ugly animals; but this is not the
+fault of the regiment, for its station is so far in Northern
+India that it cannot procure, except at very great cost, any
+but the native horses. I believe that this is almost the only
+objection which can be urged against the regiment; the men
+are remarkably fine; indeed, as I before stated, they are too
+heavy for cavalry. They are, as a whole, drawn from a
+much higher and wealthier class of natives than the men of
+any other regiment; they enlist in the Scinde Horse just as
+a young nobleman takes a commission in the Guards. There
+is a very great feeling of <hi rend="italic">esprit de corps</hi>, and mutual good-feeling
+between officers and men; and all are proud of their
+regiment. The uniform, as I have said in a previous letter,
+is a long, dark-green coat, with red turban. It is the men’s
+own choice, and is quite an Eastern uniform; their long
+curved sabres are also quite Asiatic. The men provide their
+own carriage; and from this point the transport train will
+not be called upon to assist them in any way beyond carrying
+their provisions. I alluded before to the wretched ponies
+<pb n="179"/><anchor id="Pg179"/>they brought with them; but the case has been explained to
+me, and there is no blame to be attached to the corps on this
+score. The men were provided with camels to carry their
+baggage, and were told that these would do for Abyssinia.
+While upon their march down to the sea-coast a telegram
+arrived, stating that camels would not do; and the men
+were obliged to sell their camels at a sacrifice, and to buy
+any ponies they could get. I speak of the men doing so,
+because the horses, &amp;c., are not the property of the Government,
+but of the men, or rather of some among the men.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The Scinde Horse are, and always were, an irregular
+cavalry, upon what is called the <q>sillidar</q> system. Government
+contracts with the men to find their own horses, accoutrements,
+arms, food, and carriage. This is the irregular
+cavalry system, upon which all native cavalry regiments are
+now placed. The sum paid is thirty rupees a month. Here,
+however, only twenty rupees are to be paid, as Government
+finds food and forage. The advantages of this system for
+frontier-work are enormous. The men are scattered over a
+wide extent of country in tens and twelves, and it would be
+manifestly impossible to have a series of commissariat stations
+to supply them. Whether the system is a good one for regiments
+stationed for months or years in a large garrison town
+is a very moot question, and one upon which there is an immense
+difference of opinion. These regiments would have
+no occasion for carriage. If they had to move to another
+town, it would be cheaper for them to send their baggage in
+carts than to keep up a sufficient baggage-train. When,
+therefore, the order to march on service comes, there are no
+means of transport. The 3d Native Cavalry are exactly a
+case in point. Four years ago they were changed from a
+<pb n="180"/><anchor id="Pg180"/>regular to an irregular cavalry regiment; but, like all regiments,
+the 3d had its traditions, and stuck to them. They
+adhere to their old uniform and equipments, and are, at a
+short distance, undistinguishable from a European hussar
+regiment. They pay extreme attention to their drill, and
+are to all intents and purposes a regular cavalry. They are
+mounted on excellent horses, and are certainly wonderfully-cheap
+soldiers at three pounds a month, including everything.
+But they have been long stationed at Poonah, and consequently
+had no occasion to purchase baggage-animals, and
+came on here without them. When it was found that the
+regiment had arrived here without baggage-animals, there
+was, of course, considerable angry feeling in the official mind;
+and had it not been that the animals were dying in the plain,
+and that no other cavalry regiment was at hand to go up with
+the advance brigade, it is probable that they would have
+been kept in the rear of the army. However, they were
+badly wanted, and so carriage was given to them. I have
+already spoken in the highest terms of their bearing and
+efficiency. There is one point, however, in the sillidar system
+which strikes me as being particularly objectionable. It
+is not always with the men themselves that this contract is
+made; it is with the native officers. Some of the men do
+supply their own horses, &amp;c.; but the native officers each
+contract to supply so many men and horses complete, buying
+the horses and accoutrements, and paying the men ten
+rupees a month. This, I cannot help thinking, is an unmixed
+evil. The man has two masters—the man who pays
+him, and the Government he serves. This evil was carried
+to a great extent in the days before the mutiny; and I have
+heard a case of a regiment at that time of which almost the
+<pb n="181"/><anchor id="Pg181"/>whole of the horses and men were then owned by one native
+officer. Had that man been hostile to the Government, he
+might have taken off the whole regiment. Efforts have since
+been made to put a stop to this excessive contracting, and no
+officer is now allowed to own more than six of the horses.
+It appears to me that it should be altogether done away with,
+and that each man should find his own horse.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+But I have wandered very far away from the parade-ground
+at Senafe. After marching past the regiments formed
+in close order, the General then addressed a few words to
+each. To Major Pritchard of the Engineers he said how
+glad he was to have his own corps with him again, and that
+he hoped some day to employ them to blow down the gates
+of Magdala. To the 33d he said a few words complimenting
+them upon their efficiency, and regretting that they
+would not be led by the gallant officer whose loss he and
+they deplored. The General then addressed the 10th Native
+Infantry, complimenting them upon their conduct and
+efficiency. Sir Robert spoke in Hindoostanee, a language
+of which my knowledge is unfortunately confined to about
+eight words; none of these occurred in the speech, and
+I am therefore unable to give the text. The regiments
+which go on are delighted at the prospect of a move, and
+the 10th Native Infantry cheered lustily as they marched
+off with their band at their head. Fresh troops arrive as
+fast as others move on. While I have been writing this a
+portion of the 4th King’s Own have marched in, as also
+have the mule-battery with the light rifled guns from Woolwich.
+The most important, however, of to-day’s arrivals has
+been that of a hundred bullock-carts. A string of camels has
+also come in, as I can tell by the lugubrious bellowings and
+<pb n="182"/><anchor id="Pg182"/>roar which at present fills the air. The pass is therefore
+proved to be practicable, and the camels and bullock-carts
+will be a great assistance to us. The natives must be astonished
+at seeing this string of carts coming up a place which
+all their tradition must represent as almost impassable even
+for their own cattle, which, like goats, can go almost anywhere.
+Their ideas about us must altogether be rather
+curious; and as we know by experience how a story expands
+and alters as it goes, the reports which must reach
+the extreme confines of Abyssinia must be something astounding.
+Even here they are not contented with the facts.
+There is a report among them that the cattle we are buying
+up are intended to be food for a train of elephants we have
+coming to help us fight Theodore, and that we have also a
+lion-train, which will shortly be here. Our news from Magdala
+is as before. Theodore is slowly, very slowly advancing.
+He has got heavy cannon, and insists upon taking them with
+him. Waagshum, the king who has been besieging Magdala,
+has fairly run away, and the tribes around Magdala
+have all sent in their allegiance to Theodore. Theodore has
+been writing to Rassam as if he were his dearest friend, and
+Rassam has been answering him as if he were Theodore’s
+grovelling slave. Theodore’s letter runs in this style: <q>How
+are you? Are you well? I am quite well. Fear not. I am
+coming to your assistance. Keep up your head. I shall soon
+be with you. I have two big cannon. They are terrible, but
+very heavy to move.</q> Rassam answers somewhat in this
+style: <q>Illustrious and most clement of potentates, I, your
+lowest of slaves, rejoice at the thought that your coming will
+throw a light upon our darkness. Our hearts swell with
+a great joy;</q> and more fulsome stuff of the same character.
+<pb n="183"/><anchor id="Pg183"/>Dr. Blanc’s letters to us are at once spirited and manly.
+<q>We are delighted,</q> he says, <q>at the thought of your
+coming. How it will end no one can say. We are all prepared
+for the worst; but we have at least the satisfaction of
+knowing that our deaths will be avenged.</q> Up to the last
+moment of doing this we have no day fixed for Sir Robert
+Napier’s advance upon Attegrat. The 5th is named as the
+earliest date upon which a messenger can return from Grant’s
+party, and say when Kassa, the King of Tigre, will be at
+Attegrat to meet the General. It is probable that the King
+will start almost immediately Grant arrives, and in that case
+Sir Robert will have to move forward at once in order to
+arrive first at the place of meeting. I go on to-morrow,
+unless any circumstance should occur to change my plan.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The scientific and the general members of the expedition
+are arriving very fast. Dr. Markham, the geographer of the
+expedition, has long been here. Mr. Holmes, of the British
+Museum, arrived yesterday, as archæologist; he is going off
+to-morrow to a church a few miles distant, to examine some
+manuscripts said to exist there. The Dutch officers arrive
+up to-day, and I hear two French officers arrive to-morrow.
+In reference to these foreign officers, I am assured to-day
+by a staff-officer, to whom I was regretting that more was
+not done for them, that they are not really commissioners.
+It may be so; but as, at any rate, they are officers who are
+paid by foreign governments, and are allowed to accompany
+the expedition, I confess that I am unable to see any essential
+difference. The staff-officer assured me, as a proof of
+the beneficent intentions of the authorities, that these foreign
+officers would not be charged for their rations. John Bull is
+indeed liberal. He is much more sharp as to the <q>specials;</q>
+<pb n="184"/><anchor id="Pg184"/>for a general order was actually issued the other day, saying
+that <q>gentlemen unconnected with the army were to pay
+for a month’s rations in advance.</q> With the exception of
+the scientific men, who are all sent out by Government,
+and must, I suppose, be considered official persons, there are
+only four gentlemen here <q>unconnected with the army,</q>
+namely, three other special correspondents and myself. I
+remarked to a commissariat-officer, with a smile, when called
+upon to pay my month in advance, that <q>I thought I might
+have been considered as good for the payment at the end of
+each month as officers were.</q> <q>Ah,</q> said the astute officer,
+<q>but suppose anything were to happen to you, whom should
+we look to for payment?</q> The reply was obvious: <q>But,
+on the other hand, suppose that unpleasant contingency
+should occur, of whom are my representatives to claim the
+amount for the days paid for but not eaten?</q> At whose
+suggestion this general order was issued I know not; but I
+do know that anything more paltry and more unworthy the
+general order of a large army was never issued. Who issued
+this order I know not, for I cannot but repeat that no one
+could be more kind and considerate than are Sir Robert
+Napier and every member of his staff to all of us.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+I must now close my letter, for it is getting late, and my
+hand is so cold I can hardly hold a pen. I may just mention
+that colds are very prevalent here, and that at night
+there is an amount of coughing going on among the natives
+in the tents around, that is greater even than could be heard
+in an English church on a raw November morning during a
+dull sermon.
+</p>
+
+<milestone unit="tb" rend="rule: 30%"/>
+
+</div><div>
+    <index index="toc" level1="Senafe, February 3d"/>
+    <index index="pdf" level1="Senafe, February 3d"/>
+<pb n="185"/><anchor id="Pg185"/>
+
+<dateline>Senafe, February 3d.</dateline>
+
+<p>
+When I closed my letter on the evening of the 31st
+ultimo, I had intended to start early the next morning.
+My plan was to have gone on to Attegrat, to have stopped
+a day or two there, and to have returned in plenty of time
+to have gone up again with Sir Robert Napier. After I had
+closed my letter, however, I heard that he would probably
+leave on the 5th; I should not, therefore, have had time to
+carry out my plan, and determined, in consequence, to wait
+here another day or two, and then to move on quietly in
+advance of the General, so as to be able to devote a short
+time to the examination of the country in the neighbourhood
+of each of the stations. I had another course open to me.
+The extreme advanced party are pushing on beyond Attegrat,
+on the road to Antalo. Should I go with them, or
+should I remain near head-quarters and report the regular
+progress of events? It was more amusing, of course, to be
+pushing on ahead; but it seemed to me that the interest of
+the public lay not in the road, but in the progress of the
+troops along that road. I have therefore made up my mind
+to jog quietly along with the main body of the army, the
+more especially as the meeting between Sir Robert Napier
+and the King of Tigre will be one of the most interesting
+events in the whole expedition.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Mr. Speedy has arrived in camp. He is to act as political
+adviser to General Napier, and his arrival is a general
+matter of satisfaction. Mr. Speedy was at one time an officer
+in the 81st Foot; he afterwards exchanged into the 10th
+Punjaubees, of which regiment he was some time adjutant.
+He afterwards left the service and wandered out to
+Abys<pb n="186"/><anchor id="Pg186"/>sinia, where he entered the service of Theodore, and assisted
+him to organise and drill his army. Finding he was likely
+to share the fate of other British in this potentate’s employ,
+and to be cast into prison, Mr. Speedy threw up his appointment,
+and has since been living in Australia. General
+Napier, having heard of him, wrote to beg him to come;
+and Mr. Speedy received the letter just in time to come off
+by the mail, with a kit, according to popular report, consisting
+only of two blankets. He is not, I am happy to say,
+an Abyssinian worshipper. Dr. Krapf, Colonel Merewether’s
+adviser, is so. He seems to think that the black is a very
+much finer specimen of humanity than the white man; and
+that deeds which would be punished in the latter are highly
+excusable, if not laudable, when perpetrated by the former.
+Dr. Krapf is not singular in his ideas. Had his lines lain
+in England, I have no doubt that he would have been one
+of Governor Eyre’s foremost persecutors. I am very glad
+that a healthier tone is likely to be introduced in our dealings
+with the natives. Mr. Speedy rode out yesterday, at the
+General’s request, to some of the villages round, called upon
+the priests, and offered a present of money for the relief of
+the poor and distressed. The answer in each case was the
+same. The priests said that had it not been for our coming,
+a period of severe distress and suffering would probably have
+occurred. The crops had been devastated by the locusts, and
+the present drought would seriously affect the next harvest.
+Thanks, however, to the money which the English had distributed
+through the country in payment for cattle purchased
+by the commissariat, and for hay, wood, milk, &amp;c., and for
+the hire of transport, the people were better off than usual;
+and therefore, with the exception of three or four dollars for
+<pb n="187"/><anchor id="Pg187"/>the aged and infirm, they would decline with thanks General
+Napier’s gift.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The Engineer Corps here have been very busy for the
+last few days practising signalling. The method used is
+Captain Bolton’s system, which is in use in the Royal Navy.
+The method in which these signals are managed on land is,
+however, less known, and is specially interesting, as it is the
+first time they have been used in actual warfare. The present
+is, indeed, a sort of experiment; and if it prove successful
+and useful, it is probable that the system will be generally
+introduced into the army. The Engineers are giving lessons
+in the art of signalling to soldiers of the 33d regiment, and
+will teach men of each regiment out here, so that the system
+may be fairly tested. The signals by day are conveyed by
+flags; there are white, white-and-black, and black, according
+to the alphabet or method to be used. A single wave to the
+right means one; two waves, two; and so on up to five; the
+remaining four numbers are made either by waves to the left
+or by combination of wavings to either side. These numbers,
+like the flags on board ship, refer to a number in a book with
+which each signalman is furnished. Let us suppose, for
+example, that a general situated upon rising ground wishes
+to signal to any given division of his army. He makes
+the signal, let us say, <q>five.</q> The signal is passed along
+by the line of signalmen to the fifth division, who all, by
+waving their flags, testify readiness. The signal is then
+passed, <q>1015.</q> This means, <q>move to the support of the
+fourth division,</q> which is instantly done without loss of time.
+Or the flags may be addressed to all the corps of the army;
+and the order, waved over thirty miles of country, might be,
+<q>Concentrate on the centre division.</q> It is, indeed,
+asto<pb n="188"/><anchor id="Pg188"/>nishing how much time would be gained by using this method
+instead of sending a score of aides-de-camp scouring all over
+the country. At night the signals are conveyed by means of
+flashing lights. These are extremely ingenious in their construction.
+The signaller, who is always accompanied by a companion
+with a signal-book, has a brass tube some eight feet
+long, at the extremity of which is a lantern; in this lantern
+a spirit-lamp burns; underneath this spirit-lamp is a receptacle
+in which is placed a powder composed of magnesium,
+resin, and lycopodium, very much like the mixture with which
+stage-carpenters produce lightning by blowing it through a
+candle. This lamp acts on precisely the same principle. A
+bellows is attached to the brass tube. This bellows the signaller
+works, either in short or in long pressures; and the
+air, as it passes up, goes through the powder and forces a
+small quantity of it through a pair of nozzles placed close
+to the spirit-flame. The result is a brilliant flash, which is
+long or short according to the pressure upon the bellows.
+This light can be seen at a very great distance, and two or
+three parties of signallers placed upon hill-tops could convey
+an order a distance of fifty miles in a very few minutes.
+The difficulty, of course, lies in the liability to error. A
+single puff more or less might entirely change the order.
+1021 might mean <q>Concentrate upon your left flank;</q> 1022
+<q>Concentrate upon your right.</q> It is all very well to say
+that each signal is repeated, and therefore that a mistake
+would be instantly corrected; but we all know what mistakes
+occur in telegraphic messages, even if we pay for their being
+repeated. The system appears as good and as little liable to
+error as anything of the kind could be; but when we consider
+that a miscounting of the flashes of light or of the
+<pb n="189"/><anchor id="Pg189"/>waving of a flag might entirely alter the order given, it is
+evident that the risk is so great that a general would rather,
+if possible, despatch a mounted officer with written instructions.
+At the same time, the system for distant communication
+is undoubtedly adapted to expedite the movements of
+an army over a large tract of country. General Napier has
+taken a great interest in the experiments, and I have no
+doubt the system will be thoroughly tried during the present
+expedition. The apparatus for each signalling-party is singularly
+complete and handy; it is carried in two baskets or
+mule-panniers, and includes everything which could be required,
+comprising a light-tent, a canteen, flags, lanterns, a
+supply of alcohol and powder, a small case for writing in the
+rain, signal-books, &amp;c. Each of these double panniers contains,
+in fact, everything required for the signalmen; and
+with twelve such apparatus, distributed among parties placed
+upon hill-tops, signals might be flashed at night from London
+to Edinburgh.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The elephants for the guns have not yet arrived, but are
+expected to-morrow, and in that case will go on with Sir
+Robert Napier; who, I believe, will positively leave in the
+afternoon. As several other bodies of troops move on the
+same day, it will make his entry into Attegrat quite an
+imposing affair. In fact, I should not be surprised if the
+sight of the elephants created quite a stampede among the
+natives. Speaking of elephants, a sad accident occurred a
+few days since at Sooro. These animals are to be met with
+in the mountains between that place and the sea, and three
+have been killed by officers of the Beloochees. Accordingly,
+Major Beville and Lieutenant Edwards went out to try their
+fortune, and were successful in finding a herd of them
+feed<pb n="190"/><anchor id="Pg190"/>ing in a valley. The animals scented them before they could
+get within fair shot, and began to run rapidly away; whereupon
+Edwards rushed out, crossed a small intervening nullah,
+and followed upon their heels. Elephants, however, are not
+animals that like being followed, and accordingly one of
+them turned and charged his pursuer. Edwards fired at
+him, but failing to check him, took to his heels. The animal
+overtook him in his descent of the nullah, seized him
+in his trunk, dashed him to the ground, and endeavoured
+to trample on him, but fortunately the slope of the ground
+rendered this a matter of difficulty. At this critical moment
+Major Beville arrived, and fired into the animal, who, most
+fortunately, upon finding himself wounded, quitted his victim
+and fled. Extraordinary to state, poor Edwards was not
+killed; but he has received some severe internal injuries,
+and is now lying at Sooro in a very precarious state.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The bullock-carts, which arrived the day before yesterday,
+aroused, as I anticipated, the admiration and wonder of the
+natives to the highest point. I believe that they never saw
+a wheeled vehicle before; and the apparition of the long
+line of carts, drawn by the splendid Brahmin cattle, coming
+up laden with stores, from a defile which all their traditions
+from time immemorial have represented to them as being
+impracticable even for their own sure-footed little cattle,
+completed their assurance that the English are truly sons
+of Sheitan. Our energy and resources must indeed appear
+something quite supernatural to this primitive people.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+One of my principal grounds for objection to the Abyssinians
+is that they are such an intensely lazy race. Now,
+if people like to be lazy, and to eat the scanty bread of idleness
+instead of the large loaf gained by hard work, it is
+<pb n="191"/><anchor id="Pg191"/>their own business, and a mere matter of taste, in favour
+of which there is much to be said. But the Abyssinian,
+although intensely lazy, is by no means satisfied to eat the
+bread of idleness. The noble savage is keenly awake to the
+value of labour, and insists that all the members of his family,
+with the exception only of himself and such of his sons as may
+be big enough to have their own way, work like the veriest
+slaves. You will see a great lout of a man walking lazily
+along towards the camp, armed with his spear and shield,
+while before him stagger his old mother, his wife, his sister,
+and his four or five children, carrying enormous bundles of
+hay. I am not exaggerating when I say that you will frequently
+see little girls not more than seven years old carrying
+bundles of hay of forty-five pounds weight into camp;
+and poor little mites of three or four years old carry a proportionate
+burden. The weight is never carried on the head,
+always upon the back, fastened by a thong of leather, which
+goes over the arms just below the shoulder and across the
+chest. The child or woman, as the case may be, walks bent
+forward, almost double. The men never carry loads; it is
+beneath the dignity of a noble savage. The whole of the
+work is done by the females and by the little boys of the
+family. My blood has fairly boiled many times, and I have
+longed heartily to lay my riding-whip across the shoulders
+of these lazy scoundrels, who are too lazy to work, but not
+too proud to drive their little children to work, and to live
+upon the result. The boys do, as I have said, a certain
+amount. When they are quite little they do nearly as much
+as their sisters, but as they grow up they do less and less,
+and it is rare to see a boy over twelve years old carrying
+a burden. The women here carry their babies on their backs,
+<pb n="192"/><anchor id="Pg192"/>and not across the hip as the Hindoostanee women always do.
+The children are held in a sort of small shawl of leather,
+which is wrapped tightly round the mother, and only the
+top of the little thing’s head is generally to be seen. In
+this way the mother has her arms free, and can carry about
+her bundle of wood or grass for sale; but in this case the
+burden is, of course, carried in her arms before her. I have
+often wondered that the children survive the double risk—of
+suffocation, from pressure against their mother’s backs, and
+of sunstroke, from the sun coming down full upon the unprotected
+tops of their little bald heads. They do not seem
+to mind it, and I do not think that I have heard more than
+one or two infants utter a wail when being carried in that
+position. I can only suppose that the natural warmth of
+their mothers’ naked backs is agreeable to them; but, with
+our present style of dress, it is not an experiment which I
+should recommend an English nurse to try with a fractious
+child, unless she wishes a coroner’s inquest to be held upon
+it, with possibly other more unpleasant proceedings to follow.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The stores in the commissariat-yard here continue to increase,
+thanks to the amount brought up by the native cattle.
+At present there is, I understand, about a month’s consumption
+for the troops here and in advance. The arrangements of
+the commissariat-yard are very good; as, indeed, most of the
+arrangements of that department have been throughout the
+expedition. At times this yard presents a most interesting
+spectacle. Here are large piles of rice- and flour-bags, and
+beside them the Parsees weighing out the rations to the
+numerous applicants. A little farther on is the butcher’s
+shop, where the meat-rations are cut up and distributed.
+Here is a large enclosure fenced round with bushes, and
+<pb n="193"/><anchor id="Pg193"/>containing cattle purchased for the troops from the natives.
+Here are some hundreds of mules unloading stores which they
+have brought from below. Farther on are more being loaded
+with grass, to go down for the sustenance of the animals in
+the pass. Here, again, are hundreds of women and children
+laden with grass, which an officer of the commissariat is
+weighing and paying for; giving, however, the money to
+the men; who, the instant the women have brought in the
+grass, send them off, and exert themselves so far as to receive
+the money. Near these is the wood-yard, where a similar
+scene is being enacted. Back again by the store-yard are
+a host of native cattle, which are waiting to receive stores
+to take forward to Attegrat. The contract price for this
+is a dollar and a half per head; and I am glad to say that
+we can obtain as many cattle as we like for the purpose.
+Here we have men; the only employment, indeed, which the
+Abyssinian men will undertake is driving cattle, or rather
+following them, for they never attempt in any way to guide
+or influence their movements, but dawdle after them with
+their eternal spears and shields, knowing well that the sagacious
+little cattle will always follow the beaten track. Close
+by is a space marked off for a market. Here we have groups
+of men squatted about everywhere among their cattle, sheep,
+and goats: there are a good many donkeys too, and a few
+mules. For these latter they have raised the price very
+greatly during the last month: then a good mule could be
+bought for fifteen dollars, now they charge thirty-five and
+forty. They are very independent too, and refuse to abate
+a single dollar in the price they ask: if they do not obtain
+the exact sum they demand, they will, after a certain time,
+mount and ride off to their villages, to return again next
+<pb n="194"/><anchor id="Pg194"/>day with the price probably enhanced two or three dollars
+over that demanded on the first occasion.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+I must now close this, as I am on the point of starting for
+Attegrat. I shall endeavour to send a few lines in from
+Goun-Gonna, the next station; for as the next mail starts
+in four days, and I shall be getting farther away every
+march, a letter from Attegrat could not get in here in time
+for the post.
+</p>
+
+<milestone unit="tb" rend="rule: 30%"/>
+</div><div>
+    <index index="toc" level1="Goun-Gonna, February 4th"/>
+    <index index="pdf" level1="Goun-Gonna, February 4th"/>
+
+<dateline>Goun-Gonna, February 4th.</dateline>
+
+<p>
+I feel quite glad to be again getting forward. Senafe
+has so long been my advanced post, that it seemed as if we
+were never going to get beyond that point. However, now
+I am once more <hi rend="italic">en route</hi>, I hope that I shall have no further
+stop—beyond a few days at Attegrat, to see the meeting of
+the King of Tigre and the General—until I arrive at Antalo.
+Antalo will be about ten days’ march from here, and, once
+there, half the distance to Magdala will have been accomplished.
+My ride yesterday afternoon was one of the most
+pleasant I have had here. The temperature was delightful—a
+bright sun and a strong cool wind; the road, too, for some
+distance, across an undulating plain, descending sharply into
+a magnificent valley, was a charming change after the monotony
+of the long valleys, up and down which I have been
+riding for the last six weeks, and the wide expanse of the
+sandy plain of Zulla. After leaving Senafe the plain falls
+for some distance, and after about five miles’ ride we came
+down to the lowest point, where, in ordinary times, a small
+stream of water crosses the road, but which at present is
+perfectly dry, except where it has accumulated in large pools.
+<pb n="195"/><anchor id="Pg195"/>By the side of one of these, about two miles to our left, we
+saw the camp of cavalry and sick animals. I may mention,
+by the way, that although the disease among the mules is
+much upon the decrease, and has altogether lost the virulence
+which at first characterised it, there are still, by the last
+weekly statement, two thousand six hundred animals, including
+camels, unfit for work, from one cause or other.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+In this watered valley are immense herds of cattle. The
+plain is covered with a thick coarse grass, which has now
+been everywhere cut, either by the troops themselves for their
+horses, or by the natives for sale to us. Crossing the plain,
+we have a steep rise up the side of the hill, and then, surmounting
+the rise, we find ourselves at the head of a valley
+running nearly due south. This we descend; and from
+the number of villages perched on the eminences on either
+side, it is evident that water is generally found in this locality.
+It was probably, at some not very distant time, much more
+thickly populated than it is at present, for many of the villages
+are ruinous and deserted. This valley is very pretty,
+and, after the treeless plain of Senafe, is doubly agreeable,
+for the sides of the hills are everywhere clothed with the
+gigantic candelabra cactus. These are now just bursting into
+blossom. The blossoms grow from the extremity of each of
+the innumerable arms of the candelabra; and as their colour
+varies from white, through delicate shades of pink, to dark-red,
+the effect is very beautiful; indeed, with their regular
+growth, and perfect mass of blossom, they look as if they had
+just been transplanted from the grounds of the Messrs. Veitch
+to this country for some gigantic flower-show. There is a
+church in this valley, which is much venerated as being the
+scene of the martyrdom of some eight or ten Christians in the
+<pb n="196"/><anchor id="Pg196"/>time of the persecution. My knowledge of Abyssinian history
+is, I confess, of too meagre a nature for me to give you
+an approximate date of this affair. Their bones are, however,
+still to be seen; and from this I should say that the event
+could not be very distant, as in a climate subject to great
+heat and heavy rains as this is, it is probable that bones would
+very speedily decay. The church is at some distance from
+the road, and is, like most of the churches here, upon a hill.
+I did not, therefore, turn aside to examine it, as I shall have
+plenty of opportunities of examining churches hereafter, and,
+with the exception of the martyrs’ bones, it presents no feature
+of peculiar interest. Descending the valley, we find it
+to be only a feeder of a wide valley running east and west.
+The valley was, like Goose Plain, covered with coarse grass,
+and contained immense herds of cattle. The side opposite to
+that by which we had entered it was very steep; the mountains
+are nearly bare, and near their summits present an
+appearance which, had I not seen it also upon the rock at
+Senafe, I should have said had been caused by a very slight
+fall of snow. I learn, however, that it is a very small lichen,
+which is abundant upon the rocks. I presume that this lichen
+is at present in flower or seed; for I did not observe the
+peculiar appearance at my first visit to Senafe, and it is so
+remarkable that I could not have failed to notice it had it
+existed at that time. We know now that we are near our
+destination, for we see the grass-cutters going along with
+great bundles of hay. We cross the valley and enter a
+smaller valley, which forks at a slight angle with the large
+one. As we fairly entered it, we saw near its extremity the
+camp of Goun-Gonna. A prettier situation could hardly
+have been selected. The hills to the right-hand are almost
+<pb n="197"/><anchor id="Pg197"/>perpendicular, and upon a ledge about half-way up a village
+is nestled. The stream which flows down it has been used
+for the purpose of irrigation, and the bright green of the
+young crops was a delightful relief to our eyes. On the left-hand
+the hills are less precipitous, but are still very steep.
+The valley is less than a quarter of a mile in width, and ends
+abruptly with a semicircular sweep a short distance above the
+spot where the camp is pitched. What adds greatly to the
+beauty of the valley is, that it contains several of those immense
+trees with distorted trunks and bright-green foliage,
+whose real name is a moot point, but which are alike claimed
+to belong to the banyan, india-rubber, or tulip-tree species.
+At any rate, whatever be their species, they are one of the
+most picturesque species of tree I ever saw. They cover an
+immense extent of ground, and their trunks sometimes lie
+along the ground, sometimes rise in strange contorted forms.
+Their bark is extremely rough, and whitish-gray, and if seen
+without the foliage, would be certainly rather taken for strange
+blocks and pillars of stone than for the trunks of trees. In
+the camp we found a company of the 33d and the head-quarters
+of that regiment, who are upon their way to join the
+wing at Attegrat, and who had just come in, as had the
+mountain battery of steel guns under Colonel Milward, both
+having left Senafe two or three hours before ourselves. There
+was also a convoy of the Transport Train on their way to the
+front, and also a troop of the Scinde Horse. This station
+must be fifteen hundred feet below Senafe, and the difference
+of temperature is surprising. Last night I did not at all feel
+cold, whereas at Senafe it was next to impossible to keep
+warm, however numerous the wrappings in which one enveloped
+oneself. This morning I have been up a very pretty
+<pb n="198"/><anchor id="Pg198"/>little broad valley, about a quarter of a mile in length. This
+branches off from the larger valley exactly opposite the camp,
+and it is down this that the little stream of water comes. The
+valley is clothed in shrubs and small trees, and the water falls
+into it over a perpendicular rock fifty feet high at its upper
+extremity. It put me very much in mind of a Westmoreland
+glen, with a little <q>force</q> at the extremity. Here, too, to increase
+the resemblance, I found some old friends whom I have
+not seen since I left England, namely dog-roses, common
+brambles, and honeysuckle. Down by the water’s edge, upon
+the rocks, kept moist by the water-spray, grew maiden-hair
+and other ferns. The air was sweet with arbutus-flowers,
+and the plash of the water was most grateful to the ear after
+the dry plains of Zulla and Senafe. Here, too, we had the
+aloe in flower, with its long heads of reddish-orange blossom.
+Here we had a sort of scabius ten feet high, and a rush or
+water-grass twenty feet in height, with its plumy reed. Here
+over the shrubs crept the familiar clematis, with its great
+clusters of white downy reed. Here was a sort of tares, with
+their pink blossom, and growing straight and strong to a
+height of four or five feet. Upon the trees were perched
+wood-pigeons and doves, which called to one another with
+their soft coo. Altogether it was a lovely little spot, and it
+was with the greatest reluctance that I left it to come back
+to camp to write this letter previous to starting for Fokado,
+the next station.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+You will see that, although the mail only goes once a
+week, I am, as long as I am moving forwards, obliged to
+write every three days, as for every day I move further the
+mail takes another day to come down. It is, in addition, no
+easy matter to find time to write when upon the march. One
+<pb n="199"/><anchor id="Pg199"/>rises at daybreak, which is little before seven, and, using the
+very greatest diligence, it is nearly two hours before the tent
+can be struck, and the mules loaded and upon their way. I
+generally give them a start of an hour, and then ride on,
+overtake them, and see that all is going on well. If so, I
+ride forward, and use some friend’s tent until my own arrives,
+which, if the distance is fourteen miles, will not be until
+nearly four in the afternoon; for my mules, with stoppages
+to readjust baggage, &amp;c., do not make above two miles an
+hour. Then there is pitching the tent, drawing rations, and
+seeing the horses watered and fed; and by the time dinner
+is ready and our work done, it is past six o’clock. One generally
+puts one’s rations with those of friends; and by the
+time the meal is over, and the succeeding pipe and glass of
+arrack-and-water discussed, one is far more fit for bed than
+for sitting down to chronicle the events of the day. My next
+letter will be from Attegrat, where I expect to stay for a
+few days.
+</p>
+
+<milestone unit="tb" rend="rule: 30%"/>
+</div><div>
+    <index index="toc" level1="Attegrat, February 7th"/>
+    <index index="pdf" level1="Attegrat, February 7th"/>
+
+<dateline>Attegrat, February 7th.</dateline>
+
+<p>
+I have been so long looking forward to arriving at Attegrat,
+that, being here, I feel that I have made a long
+stage into the interior of Abyssinia. I confess, however, that
+I am disappointed in Attegrat. It is foolish, I own. I
+ought by this time to have learnt the utter hollowness and
+emptiness of all statements connected with the country; and
+everything we have been told, everything we have been led
+to expect, has alike turned out utterly incorrect. Sometimes
+we have been told pleasant things, sometimes we have been
+threatened with dire calamities; but in both cases the
+vati<pb n="200"/><anchor id="Pg200"/>cinations have turned out equally incorrect. Guinea-worms
+and tape-worms, fever and cholera, small-pox and dysentery,
+tetse-fly and sunstroke—all these have been distinguished by
+their absence: but as a counterbalance, so have Colonel
+Phayre’s green fields and gushing springs at Zulla, his perennial
+water between Sooro and Rayray Guddy, and his
+emporium of commerce at Senafe, which turned out a village
+of six mud-huts. Still, in spite of previous disappointments,
+I confess I clung to the idea that I should find a town of
+considerable size at Attegrat. The place was marked in
+Roman capitals upon the maps. It had been spoken of as a
+town flowing with milk and honey; it was to be one of our
+main halting-places; and altogether one certainly did expect
+to find rather more than twenty hovels, a barn called a
+church, and another ruinous barn which was once a palace.
+But before I describe Attegrat, let me detail my journey
+here from Goun-Gonna. I sent my baggage off at seven
+o’clock in the morning, at the same time that the baggage of
+the head-quarters of the 33d and Colonel Penn’s battery of
+mountain guns started. I then explored the pretty valley I
+described in my last, and afterwards went into a friend’s
+tent and finished my letter to you. At twelve o’clock I
+started for what I was told was an eleven miles’ ride; but it
+turned out the longest sixteen I have ever ridden. Every
+officer and man to whom I have spoken—and among others
+I may quote Colonel Milward and Colonel Penn of the Artillery,
+and Major Cooper, and all the officers of the 33d—agreed
+with me that it was over sixteen miles. Colonel
+Phayre’s and the quartermaster’s departments’ gross miscalculation
+of distances is becoming a very serious nuisance.
+It is absolutely cruel upon the men. If soldiers are told
+<pb n="201"/><anchor id="Pg201"/>that they have a sixteen miles’ march across a rough country,
+and beneath a hot sun, they will do the distance. It may
+be hard work; but they know when they start what is before
+them, and they make up their minds to it. But when they
+are told it is eleven miles, at the end of that distance they
+begin to look out anxiously for their camping-place. They
+become cross and impatient, and are infinitely more fatigued
+than they would have been had they been told the real distance
+that was before them.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+I now resume my account of my day’s march. For the
+first two miles the road mounted very steeply, until we were
+at least a thousand feet above Goun-Gonna, and had gained
+the great plateau out of which the valley is cut. It must
+have been a very difficult ascent before the road was made
+by the Sappers and Miners and Punjaub Pioneers. I do
+not know which parts of the road between Senafe and Attegrat
+are to be assigned to each regiment; but I believe
+that the road between Senafe and Goun-Gonna was executed
+principally by the 33d, assisted by the 10th Native Infantry,
+and that beyond this point it has been entirely the work of
+the Sappers and Miners and the Pioneers. The road from
+Goun-Gonna to Attegrat has not been continuously formed,
+as it is from Zulla to Goun-Gonna. It is only made in very
+difficult places, where it would have been next to impossible
+for a mule to have passed without its burden getting over
+its ears or tail. In other places we have the mere track
+worn by the people of the country; but where we ascend or
+descend gulleys or ravines, or where the road winds along
+on the face of a hill, when a false step would have involved
+a roll of a thousand feet down, there a fair road has been
+cut, which, although frequently steep, is always safe and
+<pb n="202"/><anchor id="Pg202"/>passable. The road, take it as a whole, from Goun-Gonna
+to this place, is about as good as a bridle-road among the
+Welsh or Scotch hills. There are some extremely-steep
+places, where one mule falling down would stop a whole
+force, and where the loads shift terribly; but there are no
+places which cannot with care be surmounted, even by a
+baggage-train of mules. But this has been the easy portion
+of the journey. From this place to Antalo the difficulties
+will be vastly greater; beyond Antalo still greater again.
+It is for this reason that I look forward to a time when my
+knapsack will contain my whole luggage, and when sleeping
+in the open air will be the rule for everyone. Upon getting
+fairly up to the top of the hill-side from Goun-Gonna, a
+flat of apparently almost illimitable extent stretched away
+before us. Two or three of the curious conical hills which
+abound in this country rose at a considerable distance, and
+in the horizon were the peaks of the most fantastically-jagged
+range of mountains I ever saw. Nothing in the Alps will
+give any idea of the varied outline of this range of peaks.
+They are serrated and jagged in every conceivable form.
+Single peaks and double peaks, peaks like a cavalry saddle,
+and great square-topped blocks with perpendicular sides.
+The plain itself was dotted with low bushes, and covered
+everywhere with a luxuriant growth of grass, or rather hay,
+which reached up to the horses’ girths. The ground was
+strewn with loose stones, which, with the numerous small
+holes, made any progress beyond a walking-pace difficult and
+even dangerous. The stones, and indeed the whole formation
+of this upper plateau, are composed of a very white
+sandstone. In the pass up to Senafe the formation was entirely
+schist, broken and cracked-up in a wonderful manner,
+<pb n="203"/><anchor id="Pg203"/>with numerous veins of quartz, and occasional walls of very
+hard volcanic stone traversing it. On the plain of Senafe,
+and throughout the whole country this side of it, we have a
+superincumbent bed of sandstone, which has evidently been
+exposed for a very long time to the action of water. The
+great rocks of Senafe are everywhere water-worn, and were
+islets, which rose above the level of a great sea, and resisted
+the action of the water, which has cleared away the sandstone
+around them to the general regular level of the plateau.
+Traversing the plain, we found that the seemingly almost
+boundless level was apparent rather than real, for the road
+constantly wound to avoid great valleys, which everywhere
+penetrated far into it. The sensation of coming suddenly
+upon a valley of 1000 or 1500 feet deep when apparently
+travelling upon a level plain was very singular. It quite
+upset all our preconceived notions of scenery. One found
+that the mountains to our left, which had appeared to rise a
+thousand feet or so above the plain, were really double that
+height from the bottom of the before-invisible valley which
+intervened between ourselves and them, and that the plain
+we were traversing was not a plain at all, but a succession
+of flat mountain-tops. Sometimes these valleys ran so far
+into the plateau that the road would have to diverge too
+much from the straight line to pass round their heads, and
+in these cases we descended some hundred feet and mounted
+up the other side. The view down some of these valleys
+was extremely fine, the mountains beyond frequently rising
+for miles in an unbroken perpendicular wall of two or three
+thousand feet. The finest view, however, was about two
+miles from our halting-place; and this, although I have seen
+much splendid scenery in my varied wanderings, was
+cer<pb n="204"/><anchor id="Pg204"/>tainly the finest and most striking scene I ever beheld. Our
+path was winding along the face of a high mountain, along
+which our pioneers had cut a path some ten or twelve feet
+wide. We were perhaps a hundred feet above the general
+level of the plateau, but were passing round the head of a
+valley which lay some fifteen hundred feet below us. This
+valley was only a short branch of a broader valley which
+ran at right-angles to it, and beyond and in the middle of
+which a number of isolated hills rose up like islands; these
+were all flat-topped, and rose to the exact level of the general
+plateau. Some had sloping sides, others were perfectly perpendicular;
+and it required no stretch of the imagination to
+picture the time when a mighty river was sweeping down
+this great valley, and when these island-mountains breasted
+and divided its waters. To our right this valley was ten or
+twelve miles wide, and the numerous islands presented an
+extraordinary vista of precipice and slope. On the opposite
+side of the valley the plateau extended for a mile or two,
+and then rose into lofty rounded mountains; more to the
+left it stretched away for many miles, and the view was
+bounded by the extraordinary fantastic range of peaks of
+which I have already spoken. It was a most glorious view,
+and, broken by the lights and shadows thrown by a sinking
+sun, will always remain in my recollection as the most extraordinary
+and magnificent landscape I ever saw.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+We arrived at Fokado at half-past four, getting in half
+an hour before our baggage, which had been eight hours and
+a half upon the road, and quite determined that in future,
+whatever labour it involved, we would not again let it out of
+our sight. The break-down of a baggage-animal, if one is
+at hand oneself to see that one’s servants instantly and
+pro<pb n="205"/><anchor id="Pg205"/>perly reload it, is an affair of ten minutes at most; but if
+the servants are left to their own devices, it will occupy
+over half-an-hour. First of all there are ten minutes wasted
+in deploring the calamity, another ten in undoing the cords,
+and at least twenty more in repacking and getting under
+way. Fokado, like all our camping-stations, lies in a slight
+basin; this basin is, like the rest of the plateau-land, covered
+with long grass. A dozen men with scythes could cut enough
+in a day to supply a cavalry regiment; but they would have
+to be very careful to choose such portions of the plain as are
+not covered with stones. As it is, the grass-cutters are supplied
+with very small sickles, which do very well to hack off
+a bunch of grass, but which are of little use towards getting
+in any large quantity. Fortunately the natives cut and bring
+it in in considerable amount, and I am able to purchase an
+abundance from them; for no forage is issued by the commissariat
+for our baggage-animals, and it would be out of
+the question to expect our syces to go out and cut grass after
+a long and fatiguing day’s march. There is a well at Fokado
+from which plenty of cool and moderately-pure water is obtained.
+After having seen my tent erected and my rations
+drawn and on the fire, I walked on with two or three officers
+of the 33d to see the church. It stood, as most of the
+churches here do, upon slightly-rising ground, and was surrounded
+by a high wall, with the gateway entering beneath
+a sort of tower. Having paid my dollar—the modest tariff
+here demanded for admission—I entered the enclosure. It
+was in a state of the utmost disorder; loose boulders and
+stones were strewn everywhere, and I saw no signs whatever
+of graves. This was the case in the other three churches I
+have since visited, and is the more singular as the
+grave<pb n="206"/><anchor id="Pg206"/>yards I saw and described coming up the pass, and which
+were those of the Mahometan tribes who inhabit that part
+of the country, were so carefully constructed and so religiously
+preserved. I have not seen a single grave since I
+entered the Christian part of Abyssinia. Near the church-door
+was a framework of three cross-poles, and from this
+were suspended, by straw ropes, two large stones of sonorous
+qualities. These were the church-bells. The church itself
+was a low edifice, built of rough stones, with large blocks
+forming the door-frame. Entering, I found myself in a low
+chamber, the roof being supported by four rough stone columns.
+The floor was littered down with rushes, and had
+exactly the appearance of a stable. On the wall was a rude
+half-length fresco of the Virgin, squinting terribly; and on
+the door leading to the next chamber was a skin or parchment
+with a somewhat similar painting. Having bowed
+deeply before each of these portraits at the request of the
+officiating priest, I was admitted into the next chamber,
+which was precisely similar to the first, but, having no windows,
+it only received such light as came in through the
+crevices of the doors. There was some demur as to my
+entering the next chamber, which indeed had been refused
+to all the officers who had been previously there; but I
+pointed to my white solar hat; and this and the fact of my
+not being in uniform convinced them, I believe, that I was
+a priest; for I should mention that the Abyssinian priests
+are distinguished by wearing white turbans, all the rest of
+the population going bare-headed. I was therefore admitted
+into the holy of holies. This was a more lofty chamber than
+the others, and was lighted by a window high up on the side
+wall. Across the room, at a distance of about a yard from
+<pb n="207"/><anchor id="Pg207"/>the door, hung a screen about six feet high; this screen was
+made of roughly-embroidered canvas, and was apparently
+intended to prevent the eyes of the worshippers in the second
+chamber catching a glimpse of the <hi rend="italic">penetralia</hi> when the door
+was opened. Looking round the end of this curtain, I saw
+an erection resembling a painter’s easel. A parchment or
+skin was stretched across the upper portion, and on this probably
+was a painting of some sort; but as it was wrapped
+up in a cloth, I was unable to examine it, as I was not
+allowed to go beyond the line of the screen. Returning,
+I noticed in one corner of the first chamber some long sticks,
+with a double bend at the top; that is, resembling in form
+a cross, with the top piece broken off. These are used in
+the service. Near them, in a niche in the wall, were some
+pieces of iron fastened together so as to make a jingling noise
+when shaken. These, no doubt, supply the place of the bell
+at the raising of the host. I have omitted to say that in
+the churchyard were two rough fonts; they were round
+blocks of stone, about two feet and a half high and eighteen
+inches in diameter; the hollow at the top for water was
+about eight inches deep. I have seen no fonts in the other
+churches I have entered.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The following morning I started for Attegrat, a march
+of about eleven miles. For some distance the road kept
+along the top of the plateau, which was here undulating, and
+the road in many places was very rough. At last we came
+to the brink of a valley, into the bottom of which we had to
+descend. How anything like a laden animal ever got down
+before the road was made it is next to impossible to imagine.
+We came along a beaten track to the top of the valley, and
+we could see the path again going straight along below us
+<pb n="208"/><anchor id="Pg208"/>from the bottom; but there was no trace of any track or
+path down the tremendously-steep descent; and I suppose
+the little bullocks, which are as sure-footed as goats, and
+the donkeys, were allowed to pick their way down as they
+liked best. Fortunately, we were not reduced to this alternative,
+which would certainly have ended in three out of
+our four baggage-animals breaking their necks, even if the
+fourth—a sturdy little Massowah mule, with the zebra-marks
+upon his back and legs—had managed to get in safety to the
+bottom. A road has been cut along the face of the hill by
+the Sappers and Pioneers; and this road, although exceedingly
+steep in some places, is yet perfectly practicable. It
+is, however, only six feet wide, and in two or three places
+even less, and consequently a train of mules are a long time
+getting down; for if the load of one shifts and gets over his
+ears, all the rest must wait until it is readjusted-no easy
+matter upon a steep incline. If one fall from weakness or
+disease, there would be no resource but to roll him at once
+over the edge of the path into the valley below. Fortunately,
+none of these contingencies happened to us. The loads all
+got on to the animals’ necks, but our men and ourselves
+were able to keep them balanced there until we reached the
+foot of the hill, when all the loads had to be taken off and
+entirely repacked. Just at the foot of the incline was a
+village. During our journey across the plateau from Goun-Gonna
+to this point we had only passed Fokado and one
+other village. We saw many down in the deep valleys
+around whose heads we had skirted, but upon the flat level
+of the plateau we did not see a single habitation. There
+were numerous herds of cattle, but these probably come up
+to graze upon the thick grass during the day, and descend
+<pb n="209"/><anchor id="Pg209"/>into the valleys for water at night. We also passed some
+curious piles of stones upon the plateau-land, which I omitted
+to mention in my description of that part of my journey.
+These piles were thirty or forty feet in diameter, and five or
+six feet high; they were of stones roughly thrown together,
+and had I met with them in England I should have supposed
+that they had been merely cleared off the fields; but here
+there were no signs of cultivation, and the stones were too
+thickly strewn everywhere to render it probable that any
+Abyssinian cultivator would have undertaken the labour of
+clearing piles of stones of this size off his land—a work
+which, without wheeled vehicles, would be very great. These
+heaps always occurred near the track, and were generally
+surrounded by bushes. I passed at least twenty of them.
+It is possible that these cairns may be burying-places; but
+the deserted position, the fact that they were far from villages,
+and the labour which they must have taken to make,
+all seem to negative this supposition. Besides which, there
+was hardly the regularity about their shape which one meets
+with in the burying-cairns of even the most savage nations.
+I confess that they are to me a perfect mystery. In the
+village at the foot of the descent was a church which was
+exactly similar to the one at Fokado. It had no fonts that
+I could observe, but boasted of a gong in addition to the
+sonorous stones for summoning the faithful to prayers. In
+the enclosure, lying among the stones, was a large volcanic
+bomb, the first of the sort I have seen in the country; it
+had apparently been brought there as something strange, and
+perhaps supernatural, and had therefore been put on holy
+ground; for the enclosure within the walls is holy in
+Abys<pb n="210"/><anchor id="Pg210"/>sinian eyes, and we are always required to take off our hats
+on entering the outside gates.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+From this village to Attegrat the road keeps in the bottom
+of a broad valley, the great part of which is ploughed up
+and ready for the seed, which is, I suppose, sown before the
+June rains. The soil is light and good, in many places a rich
+light loam, which would delight an English gardener’s heart.
+The ploughs are drawn by oxen, and are exactly similar to
+those I have seen in parts of Italy, except that the share of this
+is broader and does certainly more work. Indeed, it is by no
+means badly adapted for shallow ploughing on a light ground.
+A ride of about five miles down the valley brought us to a
+slight rise in the ground, and on surmounting this, Attegrat
+lay before us. My first impression was that of disappointment,
+for, with the exception of its containing two or three
+larger buildings, it differed in nothing from the other villages
+we have seen. The valley, at the point where Attegrat lies,
+is about two miles wide, and the twenty or thirty flat-roofed
+huts, which, with the church and a ruined palace, constitute
+the city, stand on rising ground nearly in its centre. On the
+left of this valley, near the slope, is the British camp. Behind
+it the ground rises gradually, affording camping-ground,
+if necessary, for a considerable force. Indeed, with the exception
+of some ploughed fields round the town, the whole
+valley is well suited for a camp. The force at present here
+are the five companies of the 33d regiment, whose camp, with
+that of Penn’s mountain battery of steel guns and the Royal
+Engineers, is the first we arrive at. Next to the 33d lines
+are the commissariat stores. A few hundred yards farther
+down in the valley is the camp of the six companies of the
+10th Native Infantry. Their tents, like those of the European
+troops, are upon the slope. Beyond them this slope becomes
+<pb n="211"/><anchor id="Pg211"/>much steeper, and accordingly the 3d Native Cavalry are
+camped in the bottom. Next to them come the Mule Train.
+The divisions here are the Lahore Mule Train and the A Division
+under Captain Griffiths. It was this division which first
+landed, and brought up the pioneer force. It has been ever
+since in the front, and is now in admirable condition. The
+Egyptian, Arab, Italian, and, in fact, all the drivers, except
+only the Hindoostanee drivers, have been during the last few
+days sent down to the coast to be returned to their own
+countries, and their places have been filled with the Hindoo
+dhoolie bearers, and others whose services will be no longer
+required, now that the regiments have all to march without
+followers. It need hardly be said that this will very greatly
+improve the efficiency of the division, for the Hindoo, if he
+has less strength than the Arab, Egyptian, or Persian, is yet
+amenable to discipline, and will, to the best of his power,
+carry out the orders he receives; whereas the other men were
+utterly reckless and disobedient, and could not be trusted
+out of reach of the eye of their officers. The camp of the
+Scinde Horse is still farther down the valley, beyond the
+transport lines. Sir Robert Napier arrived yesterday afternoon.
+His camp had been pitched for him on some slightly-rising
+ground in front of the 33d lines, and distant three or
+four hundred yards. To-day, however, the tents are being
+struck, and will be pitched in a line with the 33d tents, and
+forming a connection between them and the artillery. His
+tent, therefore, is in the exact centre of the European line,
+with the artillery on his right, the 33d on his left flank.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+I now proceed to describe Attegrat. The most conspicuous
+building, as seen from our camp, is a detached sort
+of fortress, which looks like nothing so much as the castle of
+<pb n="212"/><anchor id="Pg212"/>Bluebeard in a pantomime. It stands on a rising knoll, and
+consists of a square building of two stories high. Upon the
+top, and greatly overhanging each side, are four extraordinary-looking
+erections, like great dog-kennels or pigeon-cots,
+but which must be six or seven feet square. Almost
+the whole of these constructions project over the walls. What
+may be the use of these curious appendages to the tower, it
+is impossible to say. Next to this square tower stands a
+building as incongruous with it in its construction as it is
+possible to conceive. It is round, and has a high thatched
+roof, like a beehive. In addition to these main structures
+are several low sheds. The whole are enclosed in a high
+wall with a tower in it, underneath which is the gateway.
+The buildings are, no doubt, of stone, but they are all plastered
+over with mud, and look as if made of that material.
+As I have said, it is exactly one’s idea of Bluebeard’s castle,
+and one expects to see sister Anne waving her handkerchief
+out of one of the pigeon-cots at its summit. Certainly, if
+the gate were to open, and a stout figure in an immense
+pasteboard head, with a blue beard trailing upon the ground,
+and surrounded by a host of retainers also with big heads—which
+their chief would, of course, belabour occasionally with
+his staff—were to issue out, it would be in such admirable
+keeping with the place, that one would feel no astonishment.
+And yet this fortress has its history, and has stood its siege.
+It seems that the king or chief of this part of the country used
+seldom to live in his palace in the town itself, and his brother
+had his abode there. The brother took too much upon himself,
+and the jealousy and ire of the chief were aroused, and
+he ordered his brother to move out of the palace. This he
+did, but constructed at half-a-mile from the town this
+for<pb n="213"/><anchor id="Pg213"/>midable castle. A disagreement arose, and the king attacked
+the castle, which he took after twenty hours’ siege. The
+castle is at present inhabited by the wife of a chief—I cannot
+say whether it is the same chief, for dates in Abyssinia
+are somewhat confused—who is a prisoner of Gobayze, King
+of Lasta. She has, I hear, taken a vow never to go out
+of doors while her husband is in captivity. Passing Bluebeard’s
+castle, it is a good half-mile to the town. At the
+right-hand on a rising rock is the church, which at a
+distance exactly resembles a Swiss châlet. It is, of course,
+surrounded by its wall, and within the enclosure grow some
+of the gigantic candelabra cactus. The church itself is more
+lofty than any I have yet seen. It is square, and is covered
+with a high thatched roof, the eaves of which project all
+round a considerable distance, and are supported by poles.
+Upon paying the usual fee, I was admitted in the enclosure,
+and saw at once that this church was of far greater pretensions
+than any I had yet seen. The entrance was by a doorway
+of squared beams, with two arches, each cut out of one
+piece, and each ornamented with five rolls of wood underneath.
+Entering this, we were in a sort of lobby or hall.
+The walls of this were covered with frescoes representing the
+feats of the founder of the church, who was either the father
+or grandfather of the present chief. Here that redoubted
+warrior is represented spearing an elephant; again he is
+kneeling and taking aim at a lion, whose claws are of truly-formidable
+dimensions. Here there are two or three battle-scenes,
+in which he is defeating his enemies with immense
+slaughter. To judge by his portraits, the founder of the church
+was a fair, round-faced man, with short hair and a slight
+moustache. I passed from this vestibule into the church itself.
+<pb n="214"/><anchor id="Pg214"/>Its construction differs entirely from the others I have seen,
+inasmuch as instead of the sacred chamber being placed
+beyond two others, it was in the centre of the building,
+and was surrounded by a passage, the walls of which were
+covered with frescoes representing events in Old and New
+Testament writing, and in the lives of the saints. Here
+we have St. George nobly spearing the dragon, while the
+King of Egypt’s daughter and her maidens stand by with
+clasped hands and admiring eyes. Here we have St. Peter
+suffering martyrdom by being crucified head downwards;
+with a vast number of other martyrdoms. The biblical events
+all strictly follow the scriptural description; the only remarkable
+difference being that at the Last Supper thirteen apostles
+are represented as being present. In all these, as in the first
+frescoes, the faces of the actors are represented as white;
+while in the Temptation the tempter has his traditional sable
+hue. These frescoes are all in the early Byzantine style,
+and were they but really ancient, would be extremely curious
+and valuable; but as the church is not, at most, more
+than sixty or seventy years old, it is evident that they are
+the work of some Egyptian or Greek artist brought down
+for the purpose. I was not allowed to see what was in the
+central chamber. Leaving the church, I crossed the town,
+sixty or seventy yards, to where, at its other extremity,
+stands the ruined palace. It is surrounded by a wall, which
+encloses a considerable extent of ground. The principal portion
+of the palace far more resembles a church than do any
+of the actual churches of the country. It consists of a hall
+fifty feet long by twenty-five feet wide, with a small round
+room at the end opposite to the door. The entrance is underneath
+a porch; and along this, at about eight feet from the
+<pb n="215"/><anchor id="Pg215"/>ground, there are built into it a line of bullocks’ horns, with
+their points projecting outwards. The hall was thirty feet
+high to the springing of the roof, and must have been really
+a fine hall, country and place being taken into consideration.
+The greater part of one side-wall has, however, fallen; and
+the roof is entirely gone. Some of the great beams which
+crossed it lie on the ground, and it would be a matter of
+considerable interest to inquire whence, in a treeless country
+like this, these massive beams were obtained. The most
+interesting portion of the ruin is the room beyond the great
+hall, and which was probably the king’s own room. It is
+entered by a double-arched door, of workmanship and design
+similar to that I have described at the church; the two buildings
+being coeval, and the woodwork unquestionably worked
+by some foreign artificer brought here for the purpose. The
+chamber itself is about fifteen feet across, with three deep
+recesses, each lighted by a small double-arched window of
+the same pattern as the door. The room was about twelve feet
+high, and was ceiled by a circular arched roof, which still
+remains. It is made of reeds or rushes sewn side by side,
+like the basketwork of the country, and dyed with a pattern
+in reel and blue. This was all worth describing in the palace;
+there were several other buildings attached to it, but none
+worthy of any special notice.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+About a mile beyond Attegrat, upon the other side of
+the valley, there is another church, whose site might well
+have been selected by the monks of old for a monastery, so
+charming is the grove in which it is situated. This grove
+is of considerable extent, and consists of several sorts of
+really lofty trees: there is a thick undergrowth—with plenty
+of paths for walking, however—of all sorts of plants. There
+<pb n="216"/><anchor id="Pg216"/>are some tall bananas with their broad, graceful leaves, the
+first I have seen since I left Bombay. There are roses and
+honeysuckles, wild figs and acacias; over all of which a thick
+cordage of various creepers twines in clusters. To add to the
+enjoyment, the whole air is heavy with the fragrance of the
+wild jasmine, which grows in great bushes, covered with
+clusters of its white star-like flowers. While sitting down
+with a party of three or four officers of the 33d enjoying the
+delightful shade and the charming fragrance, the priest with
+several natives came up to us, and taking seats, or rather
+squatting—I do not think an Abyssinian knows how to sit
+down—beside us, they entered into a species of conversation
+with us, inquiring particularly, as do all the natives, if we
+were Christians. Presently they made signs they would like
+to see some sketches I had been taking; but when they took
+them in their hands they were completely puzzled, turned
+them upside down and sideways, and even looked behind
+at the back of the paper: they could evidently make nothing
+of them. Presently the priest, with an air of great self-satisfaction,
+made signs that he could write, and demanded
+if I could do so. I had no writing at hand, but in my
+sketch-book I had a column of your paper which I had cut
+out for purposes of reference; this I gravely handed over,
+and it was received with a perfect shout, first of astonishment,
+then of delight. They had never seen such even and
+perfect manuscript in their lives. The priest evidently thought
+I must be a priest of high grade, and he at once offered to
+show us the church, which he did without demanding the
+usual dollar from any one of the party. It was so similar
+to those I have previously described that I need not say
+anything about it, except that in the holy of holies, in place
+of a frame like a painter’s easel, the shrine was composed of
+<pb n="217"/><anchor id="Pg217"/>three poles, seven or eight feet long, inclining towards each
+other, and meeting at the top like a tripod: a piece of cloth
+was wrapped round the upper part of this frame. I cannot
+say whether it concealed anything, but it did not appear to me
+to do so. Below this a skin was stretched between the three
+legs, so as to make a sort of shelf, and upon this were placed
+a number of withered flowers. I should mention that, in the
+inner chamber of most of these churches, those who have
+entered with me have agreed that there was a faint but
+distinct odour of incense. It may be, however, that in all
+of them might have been some flowers, such as jasmine, the
+perfumes of which may have deceived us. It is rather singular
+that the grape has not been introduced into a country
+which would seem by its climate to be well suited for it.
+There is no wine to be obtained here; and the sacrament
+is administered by squeezing a raisin into a chalice of water.
+Raisins are, however, very scarce; and in some churches
+years have elapsed without the administration of the sacrament,
+owing entirely to the absence of even a single raisin.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+In my description of Attegrat I have omitted to say,
+that although the town itself does not contain more than
+twenty or thirty houses, yet the population within a short
+distance is very large; for on the hill-side, behind the church
+I have just been describing, there are numerous villages,
+which are probably known in the local tongue as lower
+and upper Attegrat, new and old, eastern and western
+Attegrat. Attegrat, at any rate, is their centre; and
+judging by the number of natives one sees in and about
+the camp, and the number of houses in the various villages,
+there must be a population of six or eight thousand clustered
+in a circle of three or four miles from the town.
+</p>
+
+<pb n="218"/><anchor id="Pg218"/>
+
+<p>
+I have now described the general features of the place,
+and shall close and send off this letter, although it is only
+four days since I posted my last, and the next mail is not
+advertised to start for another eight days. I shall write
+again for that post; but my experience has taught me that the
+mail here is one of those charming uncertainties upon which
+it is impossible to calculate. Besides this, I may at any
+moment find myself compelled to push on; and, in that case,
+there would be no saying when my next letter would reach
+you. I hope, however, to be enabled to give you a full
+description of the visit of the King of Tigre, who is expected
+to-morrow or next day.
+</p>
+
+<milestone unit="tb" rend="rule: 30%"/>
+</div><div>
+    <index index="toc" level1="Attegrat, February 13th"/>
+    <index index="pdf" level1="Attegrat, February 13th"/>
+
+<dateline>Attegrat, February 13th.</dateline>
+
+<p>
+Our grand Christmas farcio-pantomime, entitled <q>Harlequin
+and the Magic Durbar; or the Ambassador, the Archbishop,
+and the Barbarian Cortege,</q> has been played to an
+immensely amused and numerous audience. The title had
+been advertised as <q>The King, the Archbishop, &amp;c.;</q> but,
+owing to the unavoidable absence of the principal actor, the
+Ambassador was at the last moment substituted for the King.
+The opening scene may be described as <q>The camp of the
+Knight Errant, Sir Robert Napier, with Bluebeard’s Castle
+in the middle distance, and the town of Attegrat and the
+mountains in the background.</q> Flourish of trumpets! A
+herald arrives, the part being enacted by Major Grant, who
+states that the King is unable to come in person to wait upon
+the valiant Knight, but that he had sent his dear brother,
+the Grand Vizier, together with his Archbishop, to assure
+the Knight of his friendship. Bustle and excitement in the
+<pb n="219"/><anchor id="Pg219"/>camp. A pause. Sound of strange and barbaric music in
+the distance. This gradually approaches, and then, from the
+rear of Bluebeard’s Castle—of which a full description was
+given in my last—enter the head of procession, consisting of—three
+men blowing upon cow-horns. These were inserted
+into the ends of long sticks, and in appearance were very like
+the long horns used by heralds of old. Their sound is lugubrious
+in the extreme. Next follows a man of tall stature,
+beating violently upon a tom-tom. Next follow the musqueteers
+of the body-guard; dress—dirty clothes miscellaneously
+draped; bare heads frizzled and oiled; arms—any
+stage-properties which might come conveniently to hand; old
+Portuguese match-locks, and new fowling-pieces from Liège;
+double-barrelled guns, and guns with one long and frequently
+crooked barrel, the large proportion quite incapable of being
+fired. Next follows the Ambassador of the King on a mule,
+with gorgeous caparisons of stamped green and red leather,
+bearing the tiger rampant, the arms of the great potentate
+his master. The Ambassador is clothed like his body-guard,
+in whity-brown cloth of coarse cotton, with red ends.
+With this, as a sign of his dignity, he envelopes not only his
+body, but his mouth and chin, as do the chiefs behind him.
+He wears round his neck a fur collar with long tails. The
+Ambassador of the great King is bareheaded. His hair
+is arranged, as is the manner of the chiefs of his people,
+in a series of little plaits, which run in parallel lines from his
+forehead over the head to the nape of the neck. This style
+appears to be copied from the Assyrian bas-relievos in the
+British Museum. Next to the Ambassador of the great
+King rides the Archbishop, upon a mule similarly caparisoned.
+The Archbishop is clothed in absolutely white robes, with
+<pb n="220"/><anchor id="Pg220"/>turban to match. These dignitaries have both stirrups to
+their saddles, in which the great-toes only are placed, to, I
+should say, the imminent danger of those members if the
+mule should stumble. Behind these great personages ride
+the inferior chiefs. These, either from a feeling of modesty,
+or from a lack of animals, ride two upon each mule. Behind
+follow the spearmen of the guard on foot. These are
+about thirty in number, and are armed with lance, sickle,
+and shield. When this procession has fairly wound round
+the corner of Bluebeard’s Castle, it halts to await the arrival
+of a herald from the good Knight. All this time the
+barbaric music continues to sound, and is answered by sister
+Anne and Fatimah in the castle, and by the women all over
+the country, by a prolonged cry on a single note, kept up
+with a quavering modulation for a considerable time. This
+is a welcome on the part of the people of the country to
+the ambassador of the great King. While the procession
+halts, the soldiers of the Knight Errant flock out to inspect
+them. Irregular chorus of soldiers: <q>My eye, Bill,
+if these are the sort of chaps we’ve come to fight, we sha’n’t
+have much trouble with them.</q> The remainder of the pantomime
+I will, for brevity’s sake, describe as if it had been
+a real event in the expedition; but the reader must bear in
+mind that the whole piece, its accessories and appointments,
+were infinitely funny and amusing. After conferring with
+the Commander-in-chief, Major Grant and Mr. Speedy went
+out to meet the procession, and conducted them through the
+camp to the tent of General Merewether. During their progress
+the wild music continued to sound, and nearly effected
+a stampede of the whole of the animals in camp. In the
+mean time three companies of the 33d regiment, two of the
+<pb n="221"/><anchor id="Pg221"/>10th N.I., with the bands of both regiments, were drawn up
+in line in front of and facing Sir Robert Napier’s tent, an
+interval of about fifty yards being left. On the flanks of the
+line two squadrons of the 3d N. Cavalry and of the Scinde
+Horse were drawn up. When all was ready, the cortége advanced,
+horns blowing and tom-toms beating. At their head
+strode Mr. Speedy, who is nearly six feet six inches tall, and
+who carried in his hand a sword nearly as tall as himself.
+As the procession approached, the military bands struck up
+and the troops saluted. The din at this moment was astounding.
+The bands played different tunes, and the cow-horns
+and tom-toms played no tune at all. Mr. Speedy with some
+trouble marshalled his ragged irregulars in line, and, this
+accomplished, led the two ambassadors to the chief’s tent.
+The tent was one of the long narrow tents called native
+routies, and, being lined with scarlet, made a very good tent
+for the reception. Sir Robert Napier was seated with his
+helmet on at one end. The ambassadors were introduced by
+Mr. Speedy, who acted as interpreter, and after bowing very
+deeply, they shook hands with the chief. They then took
+seats upon the ground beside him; as many officers as could
+find room without crowding ranged themselves along the sides
+of the tent, and also took their places behind Sir Robert
+Napier, the back of the tent being open as well as the front.
+The conversation commenced by one of the ambassadors
+stating <q>that the King of Tigre, his brother, had sent him
+to assure the British Commander-in-chief of his friendship.
+The King would have come in person to welcome Sir Robert,
+but he had been just solemnly proclaimed king, and it was
+strict etiquette that he should not leave his capital for thirty
+days afterwards.</q>
+</p>
+
+<pb n="222"/><anchor id="Pg222"/>
+
+<p>
+Sir Robert Napier replied that he was very glad to receive
+the assurance of the King’s friendship; that we ourselves had
+come with the most friendly intentions to all in Abyssinia,
+with the exception only of those who held our countrymen
+captives; that in our progress we should violently interfere
+with no one; and that, our enterprise over, we should return at
+once to our own country. The Ambassador said <q>that the
+King and everyone in the country wished well to our cause;
+for that Theodore was a tyrant who had ravaged the whole
+country, and had murdered thousands of people, including
+his own near relations. Therefore, he hoped, that we should
+punish him for his wickedness.</q> He then said <q>that the
+King was very anxious to see Sir Robert, and would be very
+glad if he would let him know how long he was likely to remain
+at Attegrat.</q> The General answered <q>that he could
+not say when he should leave; that his preparations were not
+yet completed; but that when he was able to fix a day for his
+departure he would, if the King wished, send a message to let
+the King know; but that he feared he could not give sufficient
+notice for the King to arrive in time.</q> The Ambassador then
+made a statement which showed that his last question was not
+<hi rend="italic">bonâ fide</hi>, and that the King had really no intention of coming
+at all. He said <q>that the King had a large army—that as
+long as he was with them they behaved well, but that he could
+not leave them, for if he did so they would spread over the
+country and oppress the peasantry.</q> The Chief replied that,
+<q>under these circumstances he could quite understand the
+King’s reluctance to leave his army, but that he hoped on his
+return from Magdala he should have the pleasure of meeting
+his Majesty.</q> There was then a pause in the conversation,
+and the Ambassador begged to know when he might be
+al<pb n="223"/><anchor id="Pg223"/>lowed to leave. Sir Robert answered that early in the
+morning he would show him our soldiers, and after that he
+could leave whenever he chose. A few trifling articles were
+then presented to the Ambassador and Archbishop as tokens
+of friendship, and after again bowing and shaking hands with
+Sir Robert Napier, they took their leave, and, surrounded by
+their guards, moved off amid the din of music which had
+greeted their arrival. The next morning at seven o’clock the
+whole of the troops turned out to a general parade. The Ambassadors
+were present. After riding along the whole line,
+the General and staff took up their position in front, and the
+33d regiment were put through the bayonet exercise, which
+they performed exceedingly well, especially when it is considered
+that it is nearly four months since they last did it.
+They then went through the platoon drill; but the natives did
+not at all comprehend this. They heard the snapping of the
+locks as the Sniders were supposed to be fired in rapid volleys.
+When informed what was being done, they entirely disbelieved
+it, and plainly said so, stating that no guns could be
+fired so quickly as that. It is a very great pity that a small
+number of cartridges were not broken up and served out as
+blank cartridges; or better still, had a hundred ball cartridges
+been served out to ten men, to have been discharged as
+rapidly as possible against a rock on the hill-side. Weight
+is of course precious, but the lesson those hundred cartridges
+would have taught would have been cheaply purchased
+at any cost. It was emphatically a penny-wise-and-pound-foolish
+economy. Colonel Penn’s batteries of steel
+guns were then examined, and these fired a few rounds with
+blank cartridges.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Our savage visitors, however, were more impressed with
+<pb n="224"/><anchor id="Pg224"/>the artillery than they had been with the infantry. The
+guns, they said, were small, and did not make much noise;
+the infantry were pretty to look at, but of no use in a hilly
+country, and their long lines would be very easy to shoot at.
+These criticisms are very amusing on the part of the ragged
+savages, of whom I heard an Irish soldier of the 33d say,
+<q>And bedad it’s ashamed I’d be to have to fire me rifle at
+such a miserable set of divils intirely. It ’ud be like killing
+a definceless brute baste.</q> The general feeling in the camp,
+indeed, upon the subject was that of disappointment. It was
+exactly the reverse of <q>the stern joy that warriors feel in foe-men
+worthy of their steel.</q> We did hope that if we were to
+fight it would be against something in some way or another
+formidable. We had heard a good deal about Theodore’s
+army, who were said to be armed with guns and were drilled,
+and we did have a faint hope that our foe would not be utterly
+contemptible. But the first appearance of Abyssinian soldiery
+has quite dispelled any such idea. Mr. Speedy and our interpreters
+assure us that they are a fair sample of Abyssinian
+troops. Why, Falstaff’s ragged regiment was a disciplined
+and regular body to this band of savages. As for their guns,
+I should say by their appearance that at least two-thirds would
+burst at the very first volley fired, and would be infinitely
+more dangerous to themselves than to anyone else.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+If, however, our visitors thought very little of the infantry
+and artillery, they were greatly impressed by the cavalry.
+The Scinde Horse and 3d Native Cavalry made several charges,
+and these, they acknowledged, would upon level ground be
+irresistible. The horses themselves also struck them particularly.
+In Abyssinia there is nothing which could by the utmost
+stretch of courtesy be called a horse. They have nothing
+<pb n="225"/><anchor id="Pg225"/>but little rawboned ponies, together with mules and donkeys.
+The cavalry animals, and those of the staff, therefore, strike
+them as being prodigies of strength and beauty. It is satisfactory
+to know that one arm of the service at least found
+favour in the sight of our military critics, who, however, qualified
+even that meed of approbation by adding that it was not
+likely that Theodore would fight us upon ground where the
+cavalry could charge at all. Our show, therefore, as a show,
+was completely thrown away, and they saw nothing of the one
+thing which would have impressed them—namely, an exhibition
+of the powers of the Snider rifle.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The next day the embassy took its departure with its barbaric
+music playing, and the strange quavering cries of the
+women answering it over the country. There is still a possibility
+that the King of Tigre may himself come to meet the
+Commander-in-chief either at Antalo or at some place on
+our march thither. I hardly think, however, that he will
+do so. These native kings are generally so faithless and
+treacherous among themselves that they do not like to trust
+their persons into anyone else’s hands. Still, as the Ambassador
+was allowed to take his departure unharmed, it is quite
+upon the cards that the King will muster up courage and
+come in.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The following is a summary of the news from the front, as
+communicated to us by General Napier’s orders:
+</p>
+
+<p>
+<q>Letters were received on the 9th instant by General
+Merewether from Mr. Rassam and Dr. Blanc, dated Magdala,
+Jan. 17th, with enclosures from Mr. and Mrs. Flad, dated
+King’s Camp, Jan 9th. All the prisoners are reported well up
+to date. A detachment of troops, which had left Magdala on
+Jan. 8th, had joined the King in his camp, and had received
+<pb n="226"/><anchor id="Pg226"/>charge of a party of about 400 prisoners to escort from the
+camp to Magdala. The imprisoned Europeans were among
+the number. Their leg-fetters had been removed and handcuffs
+substituted, so that they might march. It is said Mr.
+Rosenthal would accompany them. The King was using
+every endeavour to get the road made, working with his
+own hands, and making the free Europeans help. He had
+made some slight progress, and had arrived at the bottom
+of the valley of the Djedda River. Mr. Rassam calculates
+he would reach Magdala about the end of February with his
+camp, though by abandoning the latter he could any day
+arrive there. The people of Dalanta continue submissive;
+but those of Davout had rebelled again. His soldiers had
+suffered from the scarcity of provisions and transport. It
+was reported at Magdala that Menilek, the King of Shoa,
+had again set out for Magdala, better prepared to act against
+Theodorus than on his former visit. A detailed communication
+from one of the captives, sent to his friends in England,
+and there published, has by some means reached the King’s
+camp, and is in the hands of M. Bardel. Apprehensions are
+entertained that it may do injury there.</q>
+</p>
+
+<p>
+These letters add but little to what we knew before. Our
+last advice told us that Theodore was only distant a single
+day’s march from Magdala,—which, by the way, is spelt
+Magdalla throughout the summary, but which is pronounced
+Māgdālā, the <hi rend="italic">a</hi> being always long in Amharic,—and that he
+could at any moment ride in and fetch the captives confined
+in that fortress, or could send those with him to Magdala
+under a guard. He has chosen, it appears, the latter alternative.
+The captives have at least the melancholy satisfaction
+of being together. That the news of our coming has in no
+<pb n="227"/><anchor id="Pg227"/>way influenced the tyrant’s treatment of them is shown by
+the fact, that although their leg-chains have been removed to
+enable them to march, yet handcuffs have been substituted in
+their stead.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+From rumours among the natives, we hear that his cruelties
+are more atrocious than ever. Women are being put to
+death by being thrown down wells, at the bottom of which
+spears are fixed point upwards. Men are executed by having
+their feet first chopped off, then their hands, then their legs
+at the knees, and then being left as food for wild-beasts. I
+do not vouch for the truth of these stories; but they have been
+brought by deserters from Theodore’s camp, and are generally
+believed. I do sincerely trust that in no case shall we make
+a treaty with this demon which may save him from the punishment
+due to him.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The great question here is, first, whether Theodore will
+fight; and secondly, what we shall do if, when we arrive, he
+offers to deliver the prisoners to us as the price of our instant
+departure. As to the first point I can only repeat what I have
+before said, namely, that I am of opinion that he will fight,
+and I think fight at Magdala. The enormous trouble he is
+taking in conveying cannon with him to Magdala points conclusively
+to that result. If he only wished to carry his baggage
+and treasure into Magdala he might easily, with the
+force at his command, construct a mule-path in a few days
+at the latest; but he clings to his guns, and he can only require
+them so imperiously that he puts up with months of
+hardship for their sake that he may defend Magdala against
+us. These savages measure the offensive powers of a gun
+entirely by its size, and by the noise it makes. Thus Tigre’s
+ambassador regarded our mountain train as mere pop-guns;
+<pb n="228"/><anchor id="Pg228"/>and no doubt Theodore believes that with the great guns his
+European workmen have cast, and with the natural strength
+of the fortress, he can easily resist the attacks of the English.
+I believe that we shall find the King at Magdala, get there
+when we will; and that as he will offer no terms that we can
+accept, and as he will not assent to the demand for unconditional
+surrender which we are certain to make, we shall
+finally have to take the place by storm. The next question,
+as to what our course will be if he offers to deliver up the
+captives upon the condition of our instant retreat, is one
+which it is very difficult to predicate upon. No doubt Sir
+Robert Napier has instructions from home for his guidance
+under such a contingency; but I cannot bring myself to
+believe that these terms would be acceded to.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+And now as to gossip about this place. The Abyssinians
+are celebrated by travellers in their country as being an intelligent
+people. Intelligent is by no means the word, nor is sharp
+nor cute; they are simply the most extortionate thieves that
+the sun’s light ever shone on. Formerly the necessaries of
+life were extraordinarily cheap here. Mercher, the Tigre
+chief who acts as interpreter, tells me that, as an example,
+fowls could be purchased at forty for a dollar. I venture to
+say that, at the present moment, it is the dearest place in the
+habitable globe. I have seen three eggs offered for a dollar.
+This was, however, too much to be stood, and at present
+seven is the tariff; that is, as nearly as possible, eightpence
+apiece for very little eggs. An ordinary-sized fowl costs a
+dollar; and with great bargaining two very small and skinny
+ones can be obtained for that sum. Two pumpkins can be
+bought for a dollar: for a quart of milk a dollar is demanded,
+and I have seen it given. The commissariat give a dollar for
+<pb n="229"/><anchor id="Pg229"/>about seventeen pounds of grain: if we buy it for our horses
+in the camp—which we are obliged to do, as there are no
+rations issued for our baggage-animals—we have to give a
+dollar for about twelve pounds. The price of a good mule
+before we came here was seven or eight dollars; this had
+risen to thirty-two or thirty-three, at which the 3d Cavalry
+bought a considerable number, and to thirty-seven, the average
+price at which Captain Griffiths, of the Transport Train,
+purchased a good many. General Merewether, however, by
+one of those masterly <hi rend="italic">coups</hi> for which he is so distinguished,
+has suddenly raised the market price 25 per cent, by giving
+fifty dollars each for a lot of forty, among which were some
+very indifferent animals. After this, of course, fifty will be
+the current price, until General Merewether makes another
+purchase for the public service, after which there is no predicting
+the price at which they will probably arrive. It is all
+very well to say that they are cheaper here than they are in
+Egypt; that has, as far as I can see, nothing whatever to do
+with the question, any more than it would be to say they are
+cheaper than at the North Pole. The people were willing to
+sell them at thirty-seven dollars for picked animals; why, then,
+spoil the market by giving fifty? It is urged that we are in
+want of mules, and that, by offering even more than they ask,
+we shall induce them to send in larger quantities; but I cannot
+agree that it is so. We were before paying 700 per cent
+more than their ordinary price, and this would be sufficient
+temptation to owners of any mules within a hundred miles—and
+good mules are not common—to have brought them in.
+Every mule fit for the purpose would have come in, and by
+paying 900 per cent we can obtain no more. One source of
+irritation has been, I am happy to say, if not put down, at
+<pb n="230"/><anchor id="Pg230"/>least rebuked. After the parade the other day the Commander-in-chief
+rode to the church, attended by most of the
+mounted officers. The usual demand of a dollar a-head was
+made, which Sir Robert very properly refused to pay, and
+through the interpreter said a few appropriate words to the
+priest as to money-changers in the temple. He refused, he
+said, upon that ground to allow the charge of a dollar a-head
+to be paid, but promised that upon his return from Magdala
+he would present an altar-cloth at the church.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+I have not mentioned that oxen, for which even at the
+enormously-enhanced prices at Senafe we paid six and a-half
+dollars, are here charged sixteen and seventeen dollars; and
+this with the plains in many cases containing thousands upon
+thousands. Of course it is a great question as to how far
+we ought to put up with such extortion as this. It is certain
+that the French, under similar circumstances, would not do
+so; but then the success of the French against native populations
+has not upon the whole been brilliant; their case
+therefore is no argument in its favour. If we chose to take
+what we required, and to offer in payment the fair country
+price, or even its double, of course we could do so, and could
+thrash all Tigre if necessary; but, putting it in the mere pecuniary
+light, would it pay? Much as I hate extortion,
+dearly as I should like to punish the nation of thieves through
+whom we are passing, I yet do not think it would pay. It
+is hard to be cheated by a half-naked savage; but it is better
+to put up with it than to undergo the amount of labour,
+anxiety, and loss which savages could in our present circumstances
+entail upon us. They are at present driving a thriving
+trade by selling us part of the roofs of their houses. This
+sounds strange, but is absolutely the fact. Between this and
+<pb n="231"/><anchor id="Pg231"/>Senafe—a distance of forty miles—not a single tree is to be
+met with which could be used for telegraph-poles: the engineers
+were completely at a nonplus. At last we struck
+upon the expedient of buying poles from the natives, and an
+offer was made to give them a dollar for every six poles.
+Since then Mr. Speedy, who has undertaken the negotiation,
+has a complete levée of natives with poles. These poles are
+perfectly straight, and must be fourteen feet long; they are
+slight, much slighter than ordinary English hop-poles, and
+they are very thin towards the upper extremity. The natives
+use them for the roofs of their houses; but where they get
+them from, or what tree furnishes them, is at present a mystery;
+certainly I have seen no tree since my arrival in this
+country which grows at all in the same way. Some of these
+poles look freshly cut, but others are old and have evidently
+been used in the roofs of houses. They would not be nearly
+strong enough for an ordinary telegraph-wire, but can easily
+enough carry the fine copper-wire used here.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Mr. Speedy has been requested by the Commander-in-chief
+to wear the native attire; and his appearance, although
+no doubt very imposing to the native mind, is yet extremely
+comic to a European eye. Imagine a gentleman six feet
+and a half high, with spectacles, wearing a red handkerchief
+over his head, and shading himself with a native straw umbrella.
+Round his neck he wears the fur collar with tails, to
+which I have already alluded as part of a chief’s insignia;
+over his shoulders is the native white-cloth wrapping, with
+red ends; below this is a long coloured-silk garment; and
+below all this the British trousers and boots. Mr. Speedy is
+a capital fellow, and a general favourite with everyone; but
+<pb n="232"/><anchor id="Pg232"/>his appearance at present is almost irresistibly inducive of
+laughter.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The climate of this place is as near perfection as possible.
+It is not so hot as Senafe during the day, although even here
+in a single bell-tent the thermometer registered 110° to-day at
+eleven o’clock. But there is almost always a fresh breeze;
+and excepting from nine to twelve, when the wind generally
+drops, it is never too hot for walking. At night it is not so
+cold as at Senafe; for although the glass goes down to 36° or
+37°, there is no wind at night and very little dew, so that one
+does not feel the cold as one did at Senafe. It is really a
+delightful climate; and although 110° in a tent sounds hot,
+the sensation of heat is nothing approaching that of a sultry
+July day in England. There is no game here, with the exception
+of hares, which are very plentiful. Major Fanshawe,
+of the 33d, went out the other afternoon with his gun, and
+returned in a couple of hours with a bag of nineteen hares,
+an almost unprecedented amount of sport for two hours’
+shooting in an unpreserved country. The natives bring in
+leopard-skins for sale: where they shoot them I cannot say.
+They do not find any purchasers, for the amount of baggage
+allowed is so small, and will be smaller beyond Antalo, that
+no one will burden themselves with a pound of unnecessary
+weight.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The 33d went forward three days ago, and Sir Robert
+Napier himself starts for Antalo on the 17th instant. If the
+4th regiment arrive in time they will accompany him. I
+close my letter rather hastily, as I have just heard there is
+a mail expected to go three days before the regular packet.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The Commander-in-chief has, since he started from the
+sea, shown every desire to forward our objects in every way.
+<pb n="233"/><anchor id="Pg233"/>We were invited to be present at the reception of the Tigre
+ambassador, and Sir Robert very kindly sent in a <hi rend="italic">précis</hi> of the
+information received from Magdala. I am very glad, for the
+sake of my readers as well as myself, that in future I shall
+have no fear of either being kept in the dark or of being debarred
+from accompanying any expedition which may be on
+foot. I am still more glad to be able to say that the position
+of the foreign commissioners has been also improved.
+They are now all forward here, and one of the Prussian officers
+has been placed upon the Chief’s personal staff. This is much
+more as it should be. Now that we are fairly moving forward,
+bets are being freely exchanged as to the date of our arrival at
+Magdala. The first of May is the favourite time. I hardly
+think we shall be there as soon as that, but must delay the
+discussion of the pros and cons until my next.
+</p>
+
+<milestone unit="tb" rend="rule: 30%"/>
+</div><div>
+    <index index="toc" level1="Attegrat, February 17th"/>
+    <index index="pdf" level1="Attegrat, February 17th"/>
+
+<dateline>Attegrat, February 17th.</dateline>
+
+<p>
+Since I sent my letter off three days ago, nothing has
+occurred of any great importance; at the same time there
+is scarce a day passes here without some event of more or less
+interest taking place. A wing and the head-quarters of the
+4th regiment have marched in, and have taken the place of
+the 33d regiment. The Beloochees are here, and a portion of
+these have already pushed on to improve the road. On the
+15th we had quite a sensation in camp. Two elephants arrived,
+and 2000 or 3000 of the natives flocked around in a
+very few minutes. At first they kept at a prudent distance,
+but, emboldened by the sight of the Europeans standing round
+and giving the animals pieces of biscuit, they gradually closed
+in, and talked in tones of admiration and wonder, showing
+<pb n="234"/><anchor id="Pg234"/>all their white teeth, as is their custom. Presently, however,
+one of the elephants, not approving of all this hubbub, wheeled
+suddenly round, his trunk high in the air, and trumpeting
+loudly. An instant scattering of the natives took place, the
+crowd flying in all directions as if an infernal-machine had
+exploded in their midst. They gradually reassembled, but
+never again ventured to get within familiar distance of the
+elephants. Yesterday the G-14 battery of Artillery arrived,
+and created an admiration among the natives that our mountain
+guns had quite failed to arouse. The guns are twelve-pounders,
+and have been brought as far as this upon their
+wheels, a fact which speaks equally for the practicability of
+the road and for the energy and perseverance of its officers
+and men. In many places the guns had to leave the road,
+and to be hauled up difficulties with tackle and handspikes.
+At the descent into this valley, which I described in a former
+letter, the road cut along the face of the hill was not
+of sufficient width for the wheels, and the guns had to be
+lowered down the steep descent into the valley bottom with
+tackle. Three hours were occupied in getting the six guns
+down. They will probably go no further than Antalo upon
+their carriages, but three will be thence taken on upon elephants;
+the other three will, at any rate for the present, remain
+here. This camp is in process of being turned into an
+entrenched position. The lines have been laid out by Major
+Pritchard of the Engineers, and the 4th are at present at
+work upon them. That regiment moves on to-morrow, but
+the next which takes its place in camp will continue the work.
+The entrenchments do not include the whole of the present
+camp, as the number of men permanently stationed here will,
+of course, be much smaller than at present. The lines will
+<pb n="235"/><anchor id="Pg235"/>surround the commissariat stores and a portion of the water-pools;
+they also run round the summit of a steep shelf of
+rocks in the rear of the camp, and which, when thus strengthened,
+might be defended by 200 men against 500 similarly
+armed and disciplined, and therefore against any number of
+Abyssinians whatever. Even now that we have a strong
+force here, the people are exceedingly bumptious, and I have
+little doubt that there will be some row of greater or less importance
+when they see only a small body of troops stationed
+here.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Scarcely a day passes that they do not raise their war-cry
+about something or other. Some of the squabbles arise about
+our cutting grass; others about wood; others about their insisting
+upon wandering through the camp; and blows have
+been exchanged with fists and sticks upon all these and
+several other points. The noble Abyssinian is quite ready to
+cut and sell us any quantity of hay, and to charge us an exceedingly-remunerative
+price for the same. But although we
+have promised, and, indeed, have paid, a round sum for the
+privilege, they object strongly to our own men cutting hay,
+although it is of no use whatever to themselves. Consequently,
+a guard is always obliged to be sent on with the main body of
+grass-cutters. Any small parties who may go out in search
+of forage nearer to the camp than the regular grass plains are
+warned off, and driven back by the natives. There have been
+numerous rows on this score, and in some cases the natives
+have actually set fire to the grass rather than allow us to cut
+it. If they dared they would not allow a blade of grass to be
+cut except by themselves. The same questions arise as to
+wood. They will bring in large quantities of firewood themselves
+for sale, but they very strongly object to our men
+col<pb n="236"/><anchor id="Pg236"/>lecting it themselves, although there is not, of course, a shadow
+of pretence to say that our collecting dry wood can in any way
+damage them. There was a great hullabaloo yesterday on this
+subject. Two men had gone out for dry wood, and a priest
+and two or three natives came out and ordered them away.
+The priest told them that the grove where they were collecting
+the wood was sacred, and therefore they must not take
+it. The men of course did not understand a word he said,
+and expressed their determination to carry off their wood.
+He then called upon them as Christians to desist, and the
+men, being Hindoos, made some gestures of contempt or
+abhorrence at the name of Christians. An attack was then
+made upon them; but many of these Syces are remarkably
+strong, active fellows, and in a very short time the Abyssinians
+found that they had met with much more than their
+match. They set up their rallying-cry, and a number more
+natives hurried up, and the Hindoos would have got the
+worst of it had not another grass-cutter come up with a gun.
+The Hindoos then retired, followed by a crowd of enraged
+Abyssinians. When they reached the camp the Abyssinians
+attempted to follow them in, and blows had to be freely exchanged
+before the point of their exclusion was maintained.
+The priest alone was admitted, and instead of conducting
+himself quietly he ran about shouting and gesticulating until
+one of the camp policemen seized him, and, after a struggle,
+made him a prisoner. When Sir Robert Napier, who was
+out riding, came into camp, he investigated the whole matter;
+and, finding that the Syces had been in the wrong by insulting
+the religion of the people, he ordered them to have a
+dozen lashes each. But here the Abyssinians really showed
+themselves to be Christians, for the priest and his witnesses,
+<pb n="237"/><anchor id="Pg237"/>all of whom bore marks of having suffered in the skirmish,
+knelt down, and said they would not rise unless the culprits
+were forgiven, which accordingly they were. This certainly
+was a remarkable trait. Here were men who conceived that
+themselves and their religion had been insulted, and who had
+certainly been well thrashed, really and truly, while their
+wounds were still fresh, asking forgiveness for their foes. I
+fancy very few European Christians would have done it. It is
+pleasant to find a redeeming-point in the character of this
+nation of extortioners. It is also to be said for them that
+they are a very merry people, and are constantly on a broad
+grin. Quarrels among themselves are extremely rare; at
+least, I have not heard a single dispute since I arrived in this
+country.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The Abyssinians, too, are men with a strong sporting
+tendency. They bet freely on the speed of a horse or the
+accuracy of their aim. They bet, too, with conditions under
+which very few Englishmen would make a wager. They
+choose a judge, and the judge, whoever wins, takes the stakes,
+the loser of course paying. This system of betting, where one
+may lose and cannot win, is, as far as I am aware, without a
+precedent, and would do more, if introduced into England, to
+put down gambling than all the laws that Parliament could
+pass would do in a hundred years. Another thing to be said
+for them is that those who know them most like them best,
+and a stronger argument in their favour than this could
+hardly be used. Still, undoubtedly, they are fond of fighting,
+partly perhaps for its own sake, and partly because it would
+be manifestly impossible for them to put the whole of the
+hard work of the place on the shoulders of the women and
+children upon the plea of being warriors, and therefore
+privi<pb n="238"/><anchor id="Pg238"/>leged to do nothing, unless they really did do a little fighting
+occasionally.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+This morning there was another row, which at one time
+really threatened to come to fighting. One of the natives
+came inside our lines when the men were at work upon the
+entrenchments. The policeman—a soldier armed with a
+stick—warned him back; but he refused to go. Having
+spoken several times, the sentry pushed him. Whereupon
+the native drew his sword and rushed upon the soldier, who
+met him, however, with a tremendous blow of his stick, which
+knocked him backwards into the ditch with a broken head.
+The man set up his war-cry, and the natives flocked up,
+shouting and brandishing their spears. They refused to retire
+when ordered by the officer to do so, and continued to threaten
+an attack until Colonel Cameron ordered fifty of his men
+to load and fix bayonets, and told the natives that unless they
+retired he should order his men to advance. This was sufficient;
+and the place was speedily cleared. These little
+fracas, although trifling in themselves, sufficiently show that
+the natives are an extremely independent race, and are quite
+ready for a fight upon the smallest provocation. At present
+we are so strong as to render any open attack upon their
+part a hopeless proceeding; but when this post is left with
+only four or five hundred men I should not be at all surprised
+if the natives came to blows with us upon some trifling matter
+or other. The three cannon which are to be left here will no
+doubt have a salutary effect. The natives are astonished at
+them, and say that they are much bigger than those of
+Theodore.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Three of the officers of the 4th regiment saw, the other
+day, at Fokado, an operation which was described by Bruce,
+<pb n="239"/><anchor id="Pg239"/>but which has been denied by all subsequent travellers, and
+by the Abyssinians themselves. This was the operation of
+cutting a steak from the body of a living ox. They came
+upon the natives just as they were in the act of performing
+it. The unfortunate bullock was thrown down, and its four
+legs were tied together. The operator then cut an incision in
+the skin near the spine, just behind the hip-joint. He blew
+into this to separate the skin from the flesh, and then cut two
+other incisions at right angles to the first, and then lifted a
+flap of skin four or five inches square. From this he cut out
+a lump of flesh, cutting with the knife under the skin, so that
+the amount of flesh taken out was larger than the portion uncovered.
+The operator then filled up the hole with cow-dung,
+replaced the flap of skin, plastered it up with mud,
+untied the feet of the poor animal, which had kept up a low
+moaning while the operation was going on, gave it a kick to
+make it get up, and the whole thing was over. I should
+mention that the operator cut two or three gashes in the
+neighbourhood of the wound, apparently as a sign that the
+animal had been operated upon in that part. The officers
+observed that several of the other cattle of the same herd
+were marked in a precisely similar manner. They returned
+in half an hour, and found the animal walking about and
+feeding quietly. I have not mentioned that it bled very
+little at the time the operation was being performed. It certainly
+is very singular that, after so many years, Bruce’s
+story, which has been always considered as a traveller’s tale,
+should have been confirmed. All travellers have denied it.
+Mr. Speedy, who was a year among them, tells us that he
+never saw or heard of its being done, and that the Abyssinians,
+of whom he had inquired respecting the truth of Bruce’s
+<pb n="240"/><anchor id="Pg240"/>statement, had always most indignantly denied it, and indeed
+had asserted that it would be entirely contrary to their religion,
+for that they strictly keep the Mosaic law, to eat no
+meat unless the throat of the animal had been cut and the
+blood allowed to escape. Anatomists have denied the possibility
+of an animal when such an operation had been performed
+being able to walk afterwards. Here, however, was
+the indisputable fact. The operation was performed, and the
+ox did walk afterwards. It is true that it might not have been
+done by Abyssinians proper. The party may have been some
+wandering tribe belonging to the low country who might have
+come up for trading purposes. It is very unfortunate that
+neither Mr. Speedy nor any of the interpreters were at hand
+to find out the exact tribe to which these savages belonged.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+I am unable to give you any reliable account of Major
+Grant’s visit to the King of Tigre. He was, I know, hospitably
+received, and the horsemen of the King performed
+various feats, such as riding in and out between poles, and
+cutting at them; but I am unable to say more, as Sir Robert
+Napier, no doubt for some good reason of which I am ignorant,
+refused to allow us to see Major Grant’s report, or to
+have a <hi rend="italic">précis</hi> of it given to us. It is still reported that the
+King himself is coming to meet the General, and a place
+two days on our march towards Antalo is mentioned as the
+appointed place. We even hear that the King has set out
+from Adowa for that spot; but I confess that until I see his
+sable Majesty I shall not have much faith in his coming.
+Still, these very slippery men always do exactly the thing
+which one would expect that they would not do; and on this
+theory only it is quite possible that Kassa may appear <hi rend="italic">in
+propriâ personâ</hi>. If he does come it will no doubt be a very
+<pb n="241"/><anchor id="Pg241"/>much more stately affair than the pantomime I described in
+my last letter, and I hope that our elephants and cannon will
+open his Majesty’s eyes to the fact that we are a people whom
+it would be vastly safer to leave alone.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+I have been over to-day to the weekly fair at Attegrat.
+I was also there last Monday, but had no space to give to its
+description in my last letter. A more amusing sight I have
+seldom or never seen. Some two or three thousand people
+must have been present. The fair or market, as I suppose it
+should be called, is held upon a flat rocky slope on the other
+side of the village, and this is packed so close that one moves
+about among the squatting and standing groups with difficulty.
+At one end is the cattle-fair. The number each
+grazier brings into market is not large (seldom over two or
+three), and there they stand in little quiet groups surrounded
+by their master and several of his friends, and submitting to
+be felt, pinched, and examined as well as the best-behaved
+English cow would do. Here, too, are the donkeys, sturdy
+little beasts, not much bigger than a Newfoundland dog, but
+which will carry nearly as great a weight as a mule. I
+wonder our Transport Corps does not buy a lot of them for
+carrying commissariat stores. They will take two bags each,
+that is 150 pounds’ weight, and require no saddles, for the
+bags are merely laid upon their broad little backs and strapped
+there with a few strips of hide; they require no grain, and
+very little hay, and cost only five or six dollars. Any number
+of them might be purchased. These, like the oxen, stand
+very quietly, and appear perfectly indifferent as to any possible
+change in their ownership. They not unfrequently have
+young ones by their side, little round rough beasts with disproportionately-long
+ears and shaggy coats. The goats
+ap<pb n="242"/><anchor id="Pg242"/>pear to take matters with less indifference. Their masters
+endeavour to keep them in little circles, with their heads
+towards the centre; but they are continually trying to escape
+from this arrangement, and to make a bolt for it. They
+keep up a constant bleating as a protest against the whole
+proceeding. Near to them is the grain-market. Here are
+men and women with their grain-bags, made of skins of
+goats sewn up, and with only an opening at the neck. They
+sit about everywhere, while the buyers walk about among
+them and inspect the samples with a gravity and intentness
+which would do no discredit to Mark-lane. Their purchases
+probably will not exceed two or three pounds’ weight, but
+they are as careful over the matter as a brewer would be who
+was going to make a bid for a ship’s cargo. The grain is
+almost entirely barley, and splendid barley too. There are
+beside, however, a variety of other grain, of which I do not
+know the names. The natives distil a spirit from their barley,
+which is said to be something between gin and hollands in
+flavour. I have not yet tasted any. Very thick is the throng
+round a Parsee belonging to the commissariat, who is buying
+up all he can get for Government at a dollar for nineteen
+pounds. Near him is another little crowd: here another
+commissariat <hi rend="italic">employé</hi> is similarly engaged in buying up ghee—that
+is, clarified or boiled butter—for the native troops. It
+does not look very nice, and what does not make the sight
+the pleasanter is, that the women, when they have emptied
+the jars into the commissariat casks, invariably wipe them out
+with their hands, and then plaster the remainder upon their
+heads. An Abyssinian does not consider himself properly
+dressed unless his hair is shining with oil, not put on or
+rubbed on, but plastered on, and running down his neck as
+<pb n="243"/><anchor id="Pg243"/>the sun melts it. The idea is not, according to our notions,
+pleasant, but it is a matter of taste. When an Abyssinian
+really wants to make a great effect he uses butter, not ghee, and
+puts it on until his head is as white as that of a London footman.
+Then he is conscious that he has indeed done it, and walks
+with a dignity befitting his appearance. There were several
+swells of the period so got up at the market, and as they stood
+under the shelter of their straw umbrellas—for the sun would
+melt it and destroy the whole effect—I could not but wonder
+at and admire the different forms which human vanity takes.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Further on was the cloth mart. Here were women and
+men selling the black blankets which almost all women here
+wear, in addition to the ornamented skins, which form the
+only garments of the Senafe women. These blankets, which
+are very large, are worn wrapped round the body, and
+secured on one shoulder by a large iron pin. The blankets are
+coarse and thin, and have but little warmth. Officers have,
+however, bought large numbers for their servants, who feel
+the cold at night much. When we are stationary for a few
+days the followers construct some sort of tents with gunny-bags
+and clothes, but upon the march they have, of course,
+to sleep in the open air. Near to the vendors of blankets
+for the women are the sellers of the white-cotton cloth for
+the men. These are always men; I have seen no women
+engaged in selling cloth. I have no doubt they carry it to
+the market, but the men take the sale into their own hands.
+This is, perhaps, the busiest part of the fair. But beyond
+this we come to the largest and by far the most amusing
+portion of all. This is the miscellaneous market. Vegetables
+and herbs occupy by far the largest share of this.
+Here are women and girls with herbs of every sort and
+<pb n="244"/><anchor id="Pg244"/>kind, of very few indeed of which I had any previous knowledge.
+Here, too, are women with tobacco, very coarse, and
+broken up roughly, instead of being cut. The tobacco, of
+course, is carried in the skins, which appear to be the receptacles
+for everything in this country. Here are men
+with salt, in shape and appearance exceedingly like a
+mower’s whetstone. These serve as money, and are laid
+out upon the ground at so many for a dollar, but if the
+salesman sees a European approaching he will abstract a
+portion, and demand a dollar for less than half of the number
+which should be given for that amount. Here are men
+selling the blue string, which all Christians wear round their
+neck in token of their faith. Here are men selling the
+great iron pins, with a rough attempt at ornament upon
+their heads, which all women use to fasten their blankets
+upon their shoulders. Here are women with strings of
+beads, and pumpkins, and watercresses, and dried herbs, and
+chillies, and honey, and garlic, and potatoes, and young
+onions for sale. A miscellaneous catalogue, and sold quite
+as miscellaneously, for the goods are sold by barter more
+than for money, and each vendor will bring in half-a-dozen
+small baskets, which she places before her to contain the
+various articles which she may receive in exchange. Thus,
+for her beads she may get some grain, a few bulbs of garlic,
+and a bar or two of salt. Some of these, again, she will
+barter for a pumpkin, a chicken, and some dried herbs; and
+so the commerce is carried on. Imagine a large number of
+these dark-faced, scantily-dressed people, very grave over
+their purchases, but very merry, as is their wont, in their
+conversation with each other, the men generally walking
+about, the women squatting behind their wares, always in
+<pb n="245"/><anchor id="Pg245"/>groups, and laughing, chattering, and looking after their
+children—strange little potbellied black figures, with half of
+their heads shaved, and their sole garment a very small
+piece of goatskin on their shoulder. Some of the girls are,
+as I have already said, really pretty, with beautiful brown
+eyes. They have no objection to be looked at and admired.
+They pretend, of course, to be very shy, and half hide their
+faces, and look the other way; but really are very amused
+and a good deal gratified when a European pauses to look at
+them. It is singular how similar is the constitution of the
+female mind in savage and in civilised countries. An
+English beauty certainly does not betray any consciousness
+of being looked at and admired, excepting, of course, if she
+be a milkmaid; but she is no doubt equally conscious, and
+perhaps just as pleased—except that the sensation is more a
+matter of course—as is the dark-eyed and dark-skinned
+Abyssinian girl sitting in her scanty leathern garment and
+shell-ornamented wrapper in the market at Attegrat.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+I do not know when the rainy season begins; indeed, it
+is a moot point, authorities varying in their dates from April
+to July; but I know we had a thunderstorm here the other
+day which nearly washed us out of camp. It began at three
+o’clock in the afternoon, and found us quite unprepared, as
+we have had so many threatening-looking skies that we had
+ceased to believe in rain. However, this time there was no
+mistake about it. It came up in a dense black cloud from
+behind the mountain beyond Attegrat. The thunder roared,
+the lightning was for a while terrific, and for about an hour
+a tremendous storm of rain and hail poured down upon us.
+Being an old campaigner, one of my first cares upon pitching
+my tent had been to have a trench dug round it; but very
+<pb n="246"/><anchor id="Pg246"/>many officers, relying upon the fine weather, had neglected
+taking this precaution. Knowing what the state of things
+would be, immediately the rain ceased I sallied out. The
+camp was completely under water. As I have mentioned in
+a former letter, it is pitched upon the gradual slope of a hill,
+and down this slope a perfect stream of water came nearly
+two inches deep. As the rain held up, a few figures might
+be observed peering out of their tents to examine the skies,
+and as soon as it was quite certain that the rain was over,
+the camp, which had five minutes before appeared perfectly
+deserted, was like an ant-hill suddenly disturbed. Great was
+the devastation the flood had wrought. Through many of the
+tents it had swept in a flood two inches deep, soaking everything
+placed upon the ground. Here we saw the servants
+bringing out a bed, which, having been placed upon the
+ground, was drenched with water; here was another party
+bringing out hay with which some particular man had carefully
+carpeted his tent; here was an officer emptying out his
+trunks to see if the things at the bottom had suffered. As I
+wandered about I met Major Minion, the principal commissariat-officer
+here. He was hastening to the Chief for authority
+to issue first-class flour instead of second to the troops,
+as a great deal of the first quality had got wetted, and must
+be issued at once to prevent its being spoiled. Of course the
+native followers and others who had no tents suffered most
+of all; and the camp in a short time presented the appearance
+of undergoing a general washing-day, so many were the
+garments hung out to dry. Of course, in accordance with
+the old proverb of shutting the door after the horse was
+stolen, there was at once a great demand for picks and
+shovels, and everyone who had not already done so set to
+<pb n="247"/><anchor id="Pg247"/>work at digging a trench round their tents. The night after
+the storm was much less cold than the preceding one had
+been, and the whole country looks fresher and brighter for
+the washing. And now as to our most absorbing topic, the
+advance. It takes place positively to-morrow. Sir Robert Napier
+himself goes on, and is accompanied by the Artillery, 3d
+Native Cavalry, five companies of the 4th King’s Own, and the
+remaining three companies of the 10th Native Infantry. The
+Beloochees were also to have gone forward, but there is not
+sufficient transport, and they will follow in a day or two.
+The little party of Engineers also go forward with the photographic
+and signalling apparatus. The two elephants will
+also form part of the train. The march hence to Antalo is
+eight days’ journey, which are divided as follows: Mai Wahiz,
+13 miles; Ad Abaga, 15; Dongolo, 12; Agula, 14; Dowlo,
+19; Haig Kullat, 9; Afzool, 9; Antalo, 5: total, 96 miles.
+Colonel Phayre, who has again gone ahead, reports that the
+road presents no great difficulties; but it does not appear as
+if the first day’s march were by any means an easy business,
+for the baggage-guard of the 33d regiment, which left here
+at nine o’clock in the morning, did not arrive at its destination
+until six o’clock on the following morning. The Commander-in-chief
+rode out next day, and found the road really
+impracticable at two or three places. He was exceedingly
+angry that the corps which has gone ahead nominally to
+make this road should have left it in such a state. A party
+of the Beloochees were at once set on, and it is to be hoped
+that by to-morrow they will have made it passable. The
+party of Bombay Sappers and Miners, who have done such
+good work in the pass, have gone on to-day, with instructions
+to keep a day’s march ahead of the Chief. They will improve,
+<pb n="248"/><anchor id="Pg248"/>as far as they can, any very difficult places; but as they will
+have to progress as fast as the troops, they will of course be
+able to do very little. The last two days’ march even Colonel
+Phayre reports to be exceedingly difficult, as, instead of the
+flat sheets of sandstone over which much of the preceding
+day’s journey passes, we here have to cross sheets of bare
+limestone, upon which horses can stand with difficulty. He
+states that it will be necessary to strew soil or sand upon
+the rocks to make them at all passable. It is evident, therefore,
+that we shall have some serious difficulties to encounter
+even between this and Antalo; still, we may expect to be at
+that town by the end of the month. From thence to Magdala
+it is 160 miles, or thereabouts; for it is impossible to reckon
+within twenty miles in a country where the mountains and
+gorges necessitate such constant windings. I mentioned in
+my last letter that bets were freely offered and taken that
+we arrive at Magdala by the 15th of April. The whole question
+is one of provision and transport; and the most casual
+examination of the question will show that it will be a very
+long time before the provision for the onward march can be
+collected at Antalo. I related in my letters a month since
+how hard a task it was to feed the troops at Senafe and along
+the pass, and to accumulate provisions in our advance to
+Attegrat. Senafe is only five days’ march from Zulla;
+Antalo is sixteen; and, allowing for the mules to stop one
+day at Senafe, and one at Attegrat, to rest, which would
+be absolutely necessary, it is eighteen days from Zulla. We
+shall have twice as many troops to feed at Antalo as we had
+at Senafe; and as it is three times as long a journey, it will
+require six times as many transport-animals to feed the troops
+at Antalo now to what were required to feed the former force
+<pb n="249"/><anchor id="Pg249"/>at Senafe. In addition to this, we shall have a body of
+troops at Attegrat, and another at Senafe, to feed. The
+Transport Train is more efficient now than it was a month
+since, but it is not greatly more numerous, as the number
+of fresh arrivals is almost balanced by the number of mules
+going daily into hospital, broken down with over-work, bad
+feeding, and sore backs brought on by the pack-saddles.
+The fact of the road being now practicable for carts to Senafe,
+is also an assistance to the Transport Train; but I confess that
+I cannot see how they will manage to provision all the line,
+much less to accumulate stores. It is, we have just seen,
+eighteen days from Zulla to Antalo. Supposing that the
+mules go regularly up and down, stopping two days at
+each end to rest, it will take them forty days to make the
+circuit. Putting the number of available transport-animals
+at 16,000, which is over the mark, there would be only four
+hundred a-day to start from the sea-coast. When it is remembered
+that these four hundred animals would have to
+carry their own food for those places at which grain cannot
+be obtained, that they have to carry the rations for their
+drivers for the forty days, that they have to provision the
+different minor posts, together with Senafe and Attegrat,
+it will be seen that the quantity of provisions which will
+reach Antalo daily will be by no means excessive. And yet,
+before we can move forward from Antalo, on a journey which,
+going and returning, and with a pause of a week at Magdala,
+can hardly be calculated as under two months, we must have
+accumulated there a sufficient amount of provisions for the
+whole time we may be absent; and this not only for the
+troops and animals who go, but for the force which will
+remain there during our absence. We must also have a
+<pb n="250"/><anchor id="Pg250"/>supply accumulated at the posts along the road, as we shall
+take so large a portion of the transport-animals in our further
+advance, that we must be sure that a stock has accumulated
+sufficient to last some time. I hear that the number of mules
+which will go forward with us from Antalo will be about
+6000, with two months’ provisions for the column and a certain
+amount for themselves. Following out the calculation
+I have made, we prove mathematically that we never can
+accumulate this 6000 mule-loads at Antalo. Mathematical
+proofs, fortunately, occasionally are falsified by facts. It was
+mathematically proved that no steamer could ever cross the
+Atlantic. The feat was, however, somehow accomplished;
+and I have no doubt but that, in the teeth of mathematics,
+we shall somehow or other accumulate provisions at Antalo,
+and shall march on to Magdala; but it must be some time
+first. I think the 1st of May to be the very earliest date at
+which we can hope to leave Antalo. Of course much will
+depend upon the fruitfulness of the country in the immediate
+vicinity of that town. If we can only obtain sufficient grain
+to feed our animals, and to lay in a store of provender for
+them for the advance, it will greatly lessen our difficulties.
+As far as we have already come, such has not been the case.
+Even the extreme prices we have given have barely purchased
+sufficient grain for the daily supply, and animals upon
+the route have to be fed upon grain brought from Bombay.
+Still, we must hope for better things. The date of our advance
+depends almost entirely upon the state of the grain-market
+at Antalo. We start to-morrow morning at half-past six, and
+that means that we must be up and moving before five. I
+must therefore close this letter, but shall write again in time
+to save the post from Ad Abaga, where I believe we shall
+halt for a day.
+</p>
+
+<milestone unit="tb" rend="rule: 30%"/>
+    </div><div>
+<pb n="251"/><anchor id="Pg251"/>
+<index index="toc" level1="Ad Abaga, Feb. 20th"/>
+        <index index="pdf" level1="Ad Abaga, Feb. 20th"/>
+
+<dateline>Ad Abaga, Feb. 20th.</dateline>
+
+<p>
+I cannot say that starting a convoy of baggage-mules off
+at half-past six in the morning is a pleasant operation. The
+order was <q>that all animals not off by half-past six must wait
+until after the departure of the column at seven;</q> that is,
+allowing for delays, that they would not be able to start
+until eight. I acceded to the suggestion of my travelling-companion
+that we should get our mules off early. At five
+we were up, completed our packing, had a cup of chocolate
+and a speedy wash, and then struck our tent, which was
+wet through with the heavy dew. Folding this up and
+getting it into a sack meant to contain it only when dry, was
+a long operation, trying to the temper and very destructive
+to the finger-nails. However, it and all our final preparations,
+including the loading the animals, were completed in
+time, and we were fairly <hi rend="italic">en route</hi> at twenty minutes past
+six. We have long since come to the conclusion that the
+only way to get our baggage along is to be our own baggage-guard,
+and one or other of us, generally both, accompany
+it the whole distance. In this way we got into camp in
+the afternoon, from an hour and a half to two hours earlier
+than if we had trusted it only to the servants and drivers,
+and had we ridden on at our own pace we should only have
+had to wait doing nothing, and without a shelter, for three or
+four hours. On the present occasion my friend started with
+the baggage and I remained behind to see the column start.
+It was a pretty sight, and must have astonished the natives
+not a little. First came the 3d Native Cavalry, about
+three hundred strong, in their soldierly blue-and-silver
+uni<pb n="252"/><anchor id="Pg252"/>forms. This regiment has had no easy time of it since their
+arrival at Attegrat, for we are exceedingly short of cavalry,
+and since the Scinde Horse went on, the 3d have had to
+furnish all the guards and escorts. For some days they had
+only eighteen men left in camp. I hear that two hundred
+horses have arrived at Zulla as remounts in the place of those
+they have lost by the disease. The strength of the regiment
+will then be raised to its original number of nearly five
+hundred sabres. I mentioned in a letter, some time since,
+that this regiment had been looked upon with some disfavour
+by the authorities for having started from Bombay without
+the baggage-animals with which, according to the terms of
+their agreement, they should have furnished themselves.
+This fault they have done their best to remedy by purchasing
+every mule they could get. They have now nearly made up
+their number, and upon the present march only had to draw
+thirty-five transport-animals, which they hope in a few days
+to be able to dispense with. Next to the 3d Native Cavalry
+came the Artillery, who had, at the last moment, received
+orders to take four guns instead of three. The guns were
+all drawn by eight horses. The greater part of the horses of
+this battery are very light grays, and two of the guns are
+horsed entirely by grays. They are in admirable condition,
+and look exceedingly well. Next followed the little party
+of Engineers. Behind them came the 4th King’s Own, in
+their light-brown, or rather dust-coloured suits, with their
+band playing the <q>Red, White, and Blue.</q> Colonel Cameron
+sets an excellent example to his men and officers by having
+his horse led, and by always marching at their head. The
+line was closed by the 10th Native Infantry, their band playing
+<q>Nelly Bligh.</q> After the troops came the head of a long
+<pb n="253"/><anchor id="Pg253"/>line of baggage-animals. Having seen the column pass, I
+rode on and rejoined my baggage.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The road, as usual, leads over the plateau, with occasional
+steep ascents and descents. Two of these ascents turned out
+quite impracticable for artillery, and the road as made reflects
+great discredit upon those who went on in command of
+the pioneer force to make the way. The roads are made with
+short, sharp zigzags, where it is impossible for the horses to
+draw. Had not the artillery been accompanied by a strong
+force of infantry it would have been impossible to have got
+the guns up. As it was, the guns were pulled up the straight
+places by the horses aided by the men, and then the horses
+were taken out, the guns unlimbered, and the gun was
+dragged up first, round the curve, by the infantry with ropes,
+and the limbers were taken up afterwards. The work of
+getting the guns up one of these ascents occupied over two
+hours. Sir R. Napier is naturally extremely angry, as, had
+he not been informed by the officer in advance that the road
+was perfectly practicable, he would of course have sent on a
+strong working-party some days previously. I reached Mai
+Wahiz at half-past twelve, the 3d Cavalry having got in
+half-an-hour before me. In the afternoon we had another
+severe thunderstorm, with heavy rain, which fortunately only
+lasted about half-an-hour. Our camp at Mai Wahiz, instead
+of being, as usual, on a plain, or rather a slight rise near the
+plain, was placed upon a hill. I hear that in future we are
+always to encamp on a hill, or at any rate, as far as possible,
+in a defensible position. This shows that our Chief places
+exceedingly little faith in any protestations the Tigre king
+may make, and that he thinks that, even if he does come in
+to the durbar at this place, yet that he is not to be trusted
+<pb n="254"/><anchor id="Pg254"/>out of sight. Everything at Mai Wahiz is very scarce, and
+forage dearer than ever. I had to pay two dollars for about
+eighteen pounds of barley for my baggage-animals, that is,
+just sixpence a pound. Hay is equally dear. The commissariat
+served out no hay to the transport-animals, and
+all that they had after a hard day’s work, with the prospect
+of another equally hard on the morrow, was three pounds of
+grain each.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+From the foot of the hill we rode for some distance along
+a wide valley, with water in several places, and a good deal
+of cultivated ground. Then, after three or four miles of
+undulating plain we arrived at our camping-ground at a
+little after three o’clock. The natives here must be either
+a more warlike people than those whose villages we have
+passed since entering the country, or they must have much
+more warlike neighbours. For the villages are almost always
+surrounded by strong walls, and one or two were perched
+on eminences, and defended by walls and towers. One very
+curious castle we passed strongly resembling the old baronial
+castles one meets with in southern Scotland and the north
+of England. This was situated upon the edge of a precipice,
+and the rocks went sheer down from three sides of its walls
+for fifty or sixty feet. It must be impregnable in a country
+like this, where cannon are all but unknown. Another fort,
+which certainly looked of European construction, and if not
+must unquestionably have been built from a picture of a
+European fort, was perched upon the top of the mountain
+near where we descended into the valley. The precipice at
+its foot was at least a thousand feet down, but curiously
+enough the fort was in a sort of hollow, higher rocks at the
+distance of only a hundred yards on either side commanding
+<pb n="255"/><anchor id="Pg255"/>it. If a European designed it, he certainly did not choose
+its position. It was a round fort, of perhaps fifty feet high,
+but it was difficult to judge its height from our position on
+the plain so much below it. Its diameter was about equal to
+its height. It had regular lines of loopholes, and appeared to
+have been built by some robber-chief to enable him to swoop
+down upon the caravans of traders journeying up and down
+the road we had just come. This camp is at about the same
+elevation as that at Mai Wahiz, and the climate is even more
+charming than that of Attegrat, for the heat is less during
+the day, and the cold last night was not at all equal to that
+which we experienced there. The <hi rend="italic">on dit</hi> is that the King
+cannot arrive to-day, but will come to-morrow, and that we
+shall move out early and pitch our camp upon a plain six miles
+from here, and there receive him properly.
+</p>
+
+<milestone unit="tb" rend="rule: 30%"/>
+</div><div>
+    <index index="toc" level1="Dongolo, Feb. 26th"/>
+    <index index="pdf" level1="Dongolo, Feb. 26th"/>
+
+<dateline>Dongolo, Feb. 26th.</dateline>
+
+<p>
+The King of Tigre has turned out to be a living entity
+and not a mythical being, as we had begun to consider him.
+He was to have paid us a visit at Attegrat, but he sent us an
+ambassador in his place, and no one thought that we should
+ever hear any more of the King. However, he sent to say
+that he would meet us upon a plain near Ad Abaga, and we
+journeyed there, rather incredulous but still hopeful. The
+King was to have been at the appointed spot upon the day
+after we had reached Ad Abaga; but messengers sent out
+brought news that, although it was currently reported that
+he had started from Adowa, he had certainly not arrived
+anywhere in the neighbourhood. As it was most important
+that we should see the King, and remain upon friendly terms
+<pb n="256"/><anchor id="Pg256"/>with him, and as it was certain that if he had started to meet
+us, and found that we had gone on without stopping to see
+him, he would feel grievously affronted, the Commander-in-chief
+determined to wait. Fortunately, any delay we might
+experience could be of no importance to us, as it will be impossible
+to move forward from Antalo until a large stock of
+provisions are accumulated there, and whether we waited a
+week at Ad Abaga or at Antalo was perfectly immaterial. Wait
+accordingly we did for three days, before any reliable news
+reached us. At last we heard for certain, as we believed,
+that the King was at Hanzein, twelve miles off. This was on
+Saturday, and the messenger said that of course the King
+would not move on Sunday, but that he would come in on
+Monday morning to Mai Dehar, the appointed meeting-place.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+On Sunday Major Grant, Captain Moore, and Mr. Speedy
+set out to meet the King, and accompany him to the meeting-place.
+They rode out to Hanzein, and found a considerable
+body of armed men there, and some of the princes. They
+were told that the King was five miles further on, and five
+good miles they rode, and, again inquiring for his Majesty’s
+whereabouts, found that the miles must have been Irish ones,
+for that the King was still five miles further on. They decided
+to return, and at Hanzein had another interview with
+the men in authority there. These worthies tried very hard
+to induce them to concede, on the part of Sir Robert Napier,
+that he would come as far as Hanzein to meet the King.
+Their object in this was, of course, to enhance the dignity of
+the King in the eyes of his own people, by making us come
+as far out of our way as possible to meet him; Major Grant,
+however, altogether refused to concede this point. He stated
+<pb n="257"/><anchor id="Pg257"/>that we had already waited four days, and that unless the
+King moved forward at once, Sir Robert Napier would proceed
+upon his journey without seeing him. Major Grant
+then started with Major Pritchard of the Engineers, who had
+gone out to Hanzein with Lieutenant Morgan and his party
+of signallers, to return to camp. As it was dark when they
+started, they of course lost their way, and wandered about
+for some hours, leading their horses, which had two or three
+awkward falls. They arrived in camp at two o’clock in the
+morning. They did not pass any of the signallers’ posts on
+their way, and consequently Lieutenant Morgan and his men
+remained up all night, to flash the news across the hills of
+the hour of the King’s starting from Hanzein. Captain
+Moore and Mr. Speedy remained at Hanzein until the next
+day, and were hospitably, if not agreeably, entertained, with
+a repast, consisting of a large dish of half-baked bread, over
+which melted fat had been poured with a liberal hand. While
+they were occupied in endeavouring to find a morsel less
+saturated with fat than the rest, two or three of the chiefs
+showed them how the food should be eaten, by thrusting some
+exceedingly dirty hands into the mess, rolling up a large ball,
+and cramming it into their mouths. Captain Moore underwent
+a strong internal struggle, but conquered his desire to
+rush into the open air, and nobly shut his eyes and followed
+the example. Mr. Speedy—whose residence in Abyssinia has
+rendered him the reverse of dainty in matters of food—had
+already set-to with the grave complacency of a man who
+enjoys his repast.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+On Monday a messenger came in who reported that the
+King had really arrived at Hanzein, and would come on to
+Mai Dehar early next morning. A native in our pay having
+<pb n="258"/><anchor id="Pg258"/>verified this report, orders were issued for a move at daylight
+the next morning. The party was to consist of the four guns
+of Murray’s battery, a squadron of 3d Native Cavalry, four
+companies of the 4th Regiment, one company of the 10th
+Native Infantry, the party of Engineers with their signalling
+and photographing apparatus, and two elephants. Although
+Mai Dehar was only five miles off, the troops were ordered to
+take their tents and baggage, as it was uncertain at what hour
+the proceedings might be over; and as the next march on to
+this place was only ten miles, they would be able to march
+straight through the next day, and would therefore lose no
+time by sleeping at Mai Dehar.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+By seven o’clock we were all out of Ad Abaga, and by
+half-past nine the tents were pitched at Mai Dehar, which
+was not more than a four-mile march distant. Mai Dehar
+is a basin of about half a mile in diameter, with gradually-sloping
+sides, and possesses no picturesque effect whatever.
+A small stream runs through it, and the whole basin is covered
+with a long thick growth of hay. Orders were at once
+issued that no fires should be lighted or pipes allowed until
+the grass was all cut in the immediate vicinity of the tents,
+and for some little distance round the horses. This, of course,
+was a work which occupied some time; and at about eleven,
+before the fires were fairly alight, Mr. Speedy, who had gone
+straight on to meet the King, rode into camp with news that
+he had left him half an hour before, and that in a very few
+minutes he would arrive. In ten minutes a dark mass of
+figures showed upon the crest of the opposite rise of the
+valley, and presently a tent of bright scarlet colour rose in
+their midst, and showed that the King was present among
+them. Mr. Speedy again rode off to say that the
+Commander-<pb n="259"/><anchor id="Pg259"/>in-chief would move forward to meet him in an hour. By
+that time the men had breakfasted, and at half-past twelve,
+when the bugle sounded the assembly, all were ready for any
+work they might be called on to do. They were formed in line
+a few hundred yards behind the tent, which had been pitched
+near the little stream for the durbar. Major Grant, Captain
+Moore, and Mr. Speedy now rode forward again towards the
+King’s tent, accompanied by an escort of 3d Native Cavalry.
+Several officers who were not on duty, but who had come
+over on leave from the camp at Ad Abaga, also rode upon
+the flank of the cavalry, and among them I took my place.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The native army was ranged in line on both sides of the
+royal tent; they were not formed in any regular order, but
+stood thickly together, with the extremities of their line advanced
+in the form of the crescent of a young moon. There
+was no pressing or noise; all stood perfectly quiet as we advanced,
+and it was evident at once that we were in the presence
+of a greatly more formidable body of men than we had
+given Abyssinia credit for possessing. The only sound that
+broke the silence was the beating of a number of drums. These
+I afterwards had an opportunity of examining, and found them
+to be of the same shape, and as nearly as possible the same size,
+as our own kettledrums. Instead of being of metal, they were
+of thin wood, and were covered with skins with the hair on in
+the place of parchment. They were carried one on each side
+of a mule. There were six mules so laden, and the drums
+were beaten, some with small sticks, some with large and
+heavy ones. These last served as big drums, and kept time
+to the constant beating of the small ones. They played a sort
+of tune which, if rather monotonous, was by no means unmusical.
+The principal drummer had a red umbrella held
+<pb n="260"/><anchor id="Pg260"/>over his head—a distinction enjoyed by no other person
+except his Majesty himself. When we had arrived within
+forty or fifty yards of the King’s tent we halted. Major
+Grant and his party alighted from their horses and entered
+the royal tent, and the cavalry were drawn up in line parallel
+to the road the King would pass down on his way to the
+stream. Major Grant’s mission was to inform the King that
+Sir Robert Napier was ready, and would advance to meet
+him as soon as he saw the King had left his tent. Some
+personages in authority now gave some orders, and a body
+of four or five hundred men took their places a short distance
+in front of the royal tent. Some of these men were on foot,
+some mounted; the great majority were armed with guns of
+some kind, and in addition carried shield and sword. The
+remainder had lances. There was a far greater variety of
+costume, and much more brilliancy of colour, among their
+body than we had any notion of seeing in Abyssinia. The
+majority, of course, had the whitey-brown cotton cloth of the
+country, with generally the red ends and fur tippets with
+long ends which are distinctive of a warrior of rank. Many,
+too, had a lion’s mane over their shoulders, which is a sign
+that they have slain many enemies in battle. Very many
+too had on long shirts of state, reaching to the knees, and
+made of richly-brocaded silks, generally green, blue, or
+red, with yellow flowers. Some, the greatest dandies of all,
+wore mantles of velvet, violet being the prevailing colour.
+These reached a little below the waist, and were then cut
+into long tails of peculiar pattern, which, moreover, was
+always similar. These, who gave orders, and who were
+probably generals, were not bareheaded, as were all the rest
+of the Abyssinians, but had a coloured silk-handkerchief over
+<pb n="261"/><anchor id="Pg261"/>and around the head, Bedouin fashion, and falling down upon
+the neck, with a sort of fillet or coronet of metal, which
+looked like tin, but may have been silver, round their foreheads.
+Of this body, which was evidently composed of chiefs
+and warriors of distinction, about equal numbers were mounted
+and on foot. Very many of the mules carried double, which
+is here considered by no means an <hi rend="italic">infra-dig.</hi> method of travelling.
+In front of this body of men the band of drums took
+up their station, and in the rear five or six men blowing an
+instrument somewhat resembling a clarionet in appearance,
+except that it has only one note. Some of them were, however,
+pitched a tone above the others, so that the general
+result, although not so musical as that of the drums, was
+yet not discordant.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The King now came out of his tent, and mounted a mule.
+A dozen or so princes and personal attendants rode or walked
+near him, and two attendants walked one on each side, leaning
+against the mule, and supporting him, as it were, in his
+saddle. One held a large Magenta-silk umbrella over the
+King’s head. Kassa is a man of seven or eight and twenty.
+He was plainly dressed in a swathing of native cloth, the
+only distinction between himself and an ordinary warrior
+being that, in place of a broad scarlet end, it had a sort
+of Cashmere pattern. The princes had similar borders to
+their robes. The King wore a fur tippet, and the cloth was
+wrapped round and round him, so that his arms were not
+visible, and he looked a mere bunch as he sat upon his mule.
+The cloth was brought up round his chin and mouth. He
+was bareheaded; his hair was plaited in lines from the forehead
+to the back of the head, in the peculiar manner I have
+before described, and which exactly resembles that upon some
+<pb n="262"/><anchor id="Pg262"/>of the Assyrian wall-paintings in the British Museum. These
+plaits are each tied at the end, and form a little bunch of tails
+at the back of the neck. Kassa has a mild and rather irresolute
+face, and was evidently nervous at the unaccustomed
+ceremony he was about to go through. I believe that his
+face does not belie his character, and that he is quite guided
+by three or four of his principal advisers. Puppet kings are
+not confined to Abyssinia. Major Grant rode by the side
+of the King, and conversed with him through the medium
+of Mercher, the interpreter. The mule ridden by the King,
+and those of the principal personages, all had the gay green-and-red
+embossed leather trappings I described as adorning
+the mule ridden by the ambassador who came in to Attegrat.
+There were several priests in the train, distinguished as usual
+by their turbans and the whiteness of their robes. In my
+description of the King’s dress I have said nothing of his
+leggings or shoes, for the reason that he, as well as everyone
+of his nation, had bare legs and feet. Immediately the
+King had started, I closed-in with the unattached officers
+behind him, and the 3d Native Cavalry came on behind us.
+In the rear of them, and keeping a perfect line, came the
+main body of native troops—horsemen in front, footmen behind
+them. The whole effect was extremely picturesque, and,
+as seen from the opposite side of the valley, must have been
+most striking. As soon as we were in motion, we saw Sir
+Robert Napier approaching from the opposite camp. He
+rode in a howdah upon an elephant with scarlet trappings;
+behind followed the other elephant, and his staff rode around
+him. The troops remained in a line at some little distance
+in rear of the durbar tent, the 10th Native Infantry being
+drawn up as a guard of honour in front of the tent. When
+<pb n="263"/><anchor id="Pg263"/>we were about three-quarters of the distance down the slope
+upon our side of the hill, the body-guard in front of the King
+halted, and fell back upon each side, leaving a road, through
+which the King and his personal following rode. The 3d
+Native Cavalry followed, but the natives formed line again
+in the rear and halted. Sir Robert Napier arrived first at
+the stream, but the elephant refused to cross, and the General
+then alighted and mounted his horse, and again advanced to
+meet the King, who had by this time crossed the stream.
+Sir Robert and the King shook hands, and then rode together
+to the durbar tent. There everyone dismounted, and
+as many as the tent would accommodate entered. I was
+fortunate enough to be one of these. The King and the
+Commander-in-chief took seats in two chairs. Five of the
+principal princes sat upon the ground. The King’s shield-and-spear-bearer
+stood behind him, and several other native
+attendants stood near. About a dozen European officers
+ranged themselves round the sides of the tent. At the moment
+of entering the tent, the guard of honour and the
+artillery fired a salute, which caused a great commotion
+among the horses, and I have no doubt rather startled and
+alarmed the King of Tigre’s army, which had all remained
+upon the other side of the stream. Throughout the day the
+greatest discipline prevailed upon this point, not a single
+man crossing the stream, with the exception only of the
+King’s personal attendants.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The conversation between Sir Robert Napier and the King
+was interpreted by Mercher and by his brother, who formed
+part of the King’s retinue. Both these brothers are Tigre
+chiefs, who were curiously enough sent to Bombay to be educated,
+and to learn the English language. The conversation
+<pb n="264"/><anchor id="Pg264"/>was of the most formal kind. Sir Robert expressed his hope
+that the King was not fatigued with his journey. The King
+replied that he was never tired when he came to see his friends.
+Here the conversation languished a little, and then Sir Robert
+expressed the pleasure that we English, who sent missionaries
+to all parts of the world, experienced at finding a Christian
+nation here in the midst of Africa. To this the King replied,
+that he did not wish to see strangers in his country, but that
+if strangers came he preferred that they should be Christians.
+This was a decided damper; but Sir Robert, after a pause,
+rallied nobly, and said that we had a most friendly feeling for
+all the Abyssinians, with the exception only of the bad men
+who held our countrymen captive. The King replied that
+Theodore was our common enemy, and that he hoped we
+should punish him as he deserved. The General then inquired
+the names of the princes present, and found that one
+was an elder brother, and two were uncles of the King. These
+were all intelligent-looking men, with fine faces for Abyssinians.
+The King’s elder brother is a much more resolute
+and determined-looking man than the King. These men,
+as well as the King, we could now see, upon their sitting
+down and getting their arms a little free from the wrappings
+of cloth, had very large golden armlets, or rather wrist-ornaments,
+of exactly the same shape as a lady’s gauntlet. Sir
+Robert now said that he wished to present the King with some
+presents, to demonstrate our friendship. These were a double-barrelled
+rifle by Purday, some handsome Bohemian glass
+vases, and the horse upon which he himself rode when he met
+the King. By the way, I question much if the King will
+ever trust himself upon the horse, which is a high-spirited
+and rather restive animal, and which upon our leaving the
+<pb n="265"/><anchor id="Pg265"/>tent completely overpowered the native to whom it had been
+delivered, and had finally to be taken up to the royal tent by
+its own syce. The meeting now was over, that is, it was over
+as a public meeting, and all retired from the tent except two
+or three confidential officers on either side. What had preceded
+was merely a formal opening, and the interview was
+now really interesting. I am, of course, unable to give the
+details, but the general substance was that the King now entirely
+threw aside his reserve, and said that he hoped for our
+support in the disputes which will arise upon Theodore’s defeat.
+Sir Robert Napier <q>assured the King of our friendship,
+but stated that his Queen had sent him here solely with
+the design of rescuing our countrymen, but that she had
+given him strict orders on no account to take any part in the
+unfortunate dissensions which were taking place in the country.
+We have, as we marched onward to this place, seen
+everywhere the signs of these unfortunate wars, in the fields
+lying uncultivated, and in the deserted villages, and he hoped
+to hear that with the destruction of the power of Theodore,
+this most unfortunate state of things would cease. At the
+same time he assured the King that he might rely that if we
+could give him no support we should also abstain from giving
+any assistance whatever to his rivals.</q> Kassa afterwards, in
+answer to a request of the Chief, promised that he would send
+messengers to the principal towns upon our route, ordering
+the inhabitants to do all in their power to furnish us with
+provisions and supplies. After the interview was over, the
+King and princes were supplied with wine and spirits, not,
+however, without some difficulty, for there are very few
+bottles of wine remaining in the camp of the advancing
+column. There was then a pause of an hour or two, after
+<pb n="266"/><anchor id="Pg266"/>which our troops were paraded, and went through a few manœuvres
+before the King. These were not of much interest,
+as no powder was expended, and the ground, being full of
+deep holes, hidden by long grass, was most unfavourable for
+the movements of either artillery or cavalry. The action of
+the Armstrongs was also explained to the King. After this
+the troops returned to camp, and Sir Robert Napier and his
+staff crossed the stream with the King to pay a return visit to
+the royal tent. The natives, who had been clustered by the
+stream, all rose at his approach, and the drums struck up their
+strange music. We were now enabled, riding as we were
+among a dense throng of natives, to judge more accurately of
+their number and appearance than we had hitherto been
+able to do. The general opinion was, that there must have
+been about three thousand, three-quarters of whom were
+armed with guns. They were a fine, active-looking set of
+men, and in a rough country would make formidable antagonists
+even for trained soldiers. These men are known to be
+brave, and are fairly armed, but Theodore’s army has always
+defeated them. Theodore’s army must, therefore, have been
+by no means despicable antagonists; and although that army
+has now dwindled to four or five thousand men, it is probable
+that that four or five thousand are the most desperate characters
+and the most warlike warriors of his original force.
+Strong as Magdala naturally is, and garrisoned by a few thousand
+such men as these, it may possibly be a hard nut even
+for a British army to crack.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Arrived at the King’s tent, which is of considerable
+size, Sir Robert Napier entered with the King, princes, and
+as many of his staff as the tent would accommodate, and
+took seats upon the carpeted ground. Here refreshments,
+<pb n="267"/><anchor id="Pg267"/>small flat bread, and native liquors of fermented honey and
+herbs, and native spirits, were served round. Sir Robert
+Napier was declared by the King to be a good warrior, and
+the King presented him with his own lion-mane tippet, his
+own sword, shield, and spear, the mule he had himself ridden
+at the interview, with its saddle and trappings, and a silver
+gauntlet. After about half an hour the Commander-in-chief
+took his leave.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+As I rode up towards the tent I was smoking a cigar, and
+this attracted the greatest attention and astonishment from
+the natives who were crowding round. It was evident they
+had never seen a cigar before. I gave away several to the
+chiefs, who, however, were quite in the dark as to what to do
+with them when they had got them. I offered them my cigar
+to light those I had given them from; but they had no idea
+what to do with it, and were on the point of putting it into
+one of their mouths, when I rescued it, and struck a light with
+a vesuvian. This astonished them even more than the cigar.
+However, they lit their cigars, and smoked them with manifest
+content, occasionally lending them to their friends for a
+whiff. Numbers of applications then poured in upon me,
+which, however, I was obliged to refuse, for cigars are very
+precious articles here. I left when Sir Robert Napier did,
+as it was nearly six o’clock, and I wished to get back to Ad
+Abaga, where I had left my tent and baggage, before it became
+too dark to follow the track.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The opinion of the King and his principal warriors respecting
+our troops is similar to that expressed by the natives at the
+review at Attegrat, namely, that our troops would be invincible
+upon a plain, but that they would have no fear of us
+upon a mountain side. Our cannon are not so large as they
+<pb n="268"/><anchor id="Pg268"/>had expected to see; but they said that they had heard great
+things of our rockets, which rush through the air with a tremendous
+noise, and destroy those who are not killed by their
+explosion by a noxious vapour which is fatal to man and beast.
+They are thoroughly convinced that we have great power of
+enchantment; and this will probably do more to retain their
+neutrality than any fear of our arms would do. They say that
+by enchantment we have tamed the elephants; by enchantment
+we have kept the rain from falling near the sea-coast,
+and interrupting our work in the pass; by enchantment we
+have made the locusts disappear the moment we came up on
+to the high country; and therefore that were we offended, we
+should by enchantment also prevent rain from falling over
+the whole country, and thus create a dreadful famine in the
+land.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+As the natives are impressed by enchantment, and are not
+at all impressed by our soldiers, I should propose that in any
+future war of the same kind there should be an officer appointed
+under the title of magician to the forces, and that he
+should have subordinate officers as assistant magicians and
+deputy-assistant magicians. The duty of these officers should
+be to exhibit signs and wonders. Mr. Anderson might perhaps
+be induced to undertake the control of the machine
+tricks and general magic; Mr. Home would do the spiritual
+business, and could astonish the native mind with the sight
+of elephants floating in the air, or could terrify a negro potentate
+by tweaking his nose at a durbar by invisible fingers.
+One of the deputy-assistant magicians should be a pyrotechnist,
+whose duty would be to light up the camp with unearthly
+fire, and to place strange portents in the midnight sky. Certainly,
+had this department been organised before the
+expe<pb n="269"/><anchor id="Pg269"/>dition began, and had a few of its officers been present, we
+might have dispensed with several regiments, and the cost of
+the expedition would have been greatly lessened, however
+munificent the remuneration of the chiefs of the department
+might have been. Should Government adopt this suggestion,
+and I have no doubt they will do so, I shall expect a valuable
+appointment in the corps.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+On the day after the last mail left we were favoured with
+a <hi rend="italic">précis</hi> of the letters from Magdala which had arrived three
+days previously. They contained nothing of any great importance.
+Gobayze and Menelek were both near King Theodore;
+so near, indeed, that the camp-fires of the former could
+be seen from Theodore’s camp. They were both evidently
+afraid to attack him; but Gobayze had sent him an insulting
+message, and Theodore had at once put the unfortunate
+herald to death. Theodore was making very slow progress;
+and it was thought that he would not arrive until the end of
+March at Magdala. He was ten hours’ ride from that fortress,
+which would mean about twenty-five miles. Even if he
+travels at half the reported rate of speed, he will be there
+before us. The opinion is general now that we shall have a
+fight at the end of our journey.
+</p>
+
+<milestone unit="tb" rend="rule: 30%"/>
+</div><div>
+    <index index="toc" level1="Doullo, February 29"/>
+    <index index="pdf" level1="Doullo, February 29"/>
+
+<dateline>Doullo, February 29.</dateline>
+
+<p>
+We arrived here yesterday afternoon, after three days’
+marching. On the 26th the troops went from Mai Dehar to
+Dongollo, fifteen miles; on the 27th to Agula, nine miles; and
+on the 28th to Doullo, fifteen miles. The road has lain across
+a much more undulating country than that over which we
+have previously passed. On the first day’s march we had one
+<pb n="270"/><anchor id="Pg270"/>very long and steep descent. This tried the mules; and many
+were the upsets of packs, many the tired animals who lay
+down, and refused to move until unsaddled, upon the narrow
+ledge. Fortunately, however, although long and steep, it was
+straight, and so the artillery got down with comparative ease
+and without any accident. The camp was in a valley, where
+the water was very good, and where there was one pool of
+deep water nearly 200 yards long, which afforded excellent
+bathing. There were a good many fish in it, and several
+were caught of over a pound in weight. This is curious,
+as it shows that the Abyssinians are by no means skilful
+fishermen; for Mr. Speedy tells me that during his residence
+in the country he never saw nor heard of a fish more
+than three inches long being caught.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The next day’s march was a short and rather easy one.
+The last was not only long, but it had some very long and
+difficult ascents and descents; indeed, it was one succession
+of hills for the whole distance. The country has throughout
+been thinly populated. We have come across several ruined
+villages, which have probably been destroyed in the constant
+wars which are raging in this country. The churches,
+however, have generally been respected; and whenever a
+really fine clump of trees is to be seen, there is always a
+church to be found in their shade. Where the villages have
+been destroyed, the churches are of course deserted, and are
+more or less falling into ruins. This camp is pitched in a
+wide valley, and we are procuring more supplies than usual
+from the natives. Yesterday we bought 1500lb. of grain,
+and to-day we are obtaining an even larger supply. Grass,
+however, is comparatively scarce, and the water is by no
+means good. Cattle, as usual, are in abundance. We are
+<pb n="271"/><anchor id="Pg271"/>going on again to-morrow, and shall reach the camp beyond
+Antalo in two days. I hear very good accounts of the state
+of the supplies there, and am told that we have bought, in
+addition to grain, &amp;c., considerable quantities of flour and
+bread.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+This is by far the most satisfactory intelligence we have
+yet received since we landed in Abyssinia, and if these supplies
+continue to come in, it will very greatly shorten the duration
+of our campaign. The great question is to accumulate
+supplies sufficient for us to march to Magdala. As long as
+we have to consume the supplies the mules bring up, the
+process of accumulation must be a very long one. Flour and
+meat are the only two articles of diet which are of material
+weight. The preserved vegetables, tea, sugar, and salt, amount
+together to under six ounces per diem per man; and one
+mule would therefore carry the rations of 500 men of these
+articles. When we reach Antalo and join the advanced force
+our number will not exceed 1200 Europeans, and 50 mules
+will carry three weeks’ rations for them, exclusive of meat,
+which we can always purchase, flour, and rum. At present
+the ration of rum is one drachm a day, but it is possible that
+at any moment this may be stopped; and it is at all events
+probable that no rum will be carried beyond Antalo. If,
+therefore, we can purchase flour and meat along the march,
+and the Europeans of the advance force number 3000, we
+shall only require six mules a day to carry their rations, or
+186 mules for a month’s supply. Of course this calculation
+will not hold good for our journey, as it is most improbable
+that we shall succeed in getting flour or bread along the road;
+but if we can only buy sufficient quantities for our consumption
+while we are stopping at Antalo, it will be an immense
+<pb n="272"/><anchor id="Pg272"/>relief to the transport-train. The native bread is not at all
+bad. It is baked in cakes about an inch thick and eight
+inches in diameter. It is dark in colour, and sometimes
+sour; but I have tasted some as good bread as one could
+wish to eat. The price I have paid here is a dollar for five of
+these loaves, weighing about a pound and a half each. Wood
+is very scarce, a dollar being charged for four bundles of
+sticks weighing under ten pounds a bundle.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The pause of to-day is made partly to enable the artillery
+to repair a wheel of one of their store-wagons, which broke
+in coming down the last descent, partly to rest the animals,
+which now, after four days’ work, greatly needed a day’s rest.
+We require more cavalry with us. The 3d Native Cavalry
+have had tremendously hard work; what with marching and
+picket-duty, the men never get more than two nights in the
+week in bed, and sometimes not more than one. It is surprising
+how the animals, with so great an amount of work
+and with insufficient food, keep in such good condition as
+they are at present. All the animals will, however, be improved
+by a short stay at Antalo.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The weather has very much changed since we left Ad
+Abaga. We have a strong and really cold north-wind blowing
+all day, and between five and eight o’clock of an evening
+it is most cutting. At night it drops; and the temperature is
+then not so cold as it was either at Senafe or Attegrat. The
+natives generally are affected with coughs and colds; and the
+amount of coughing which goes on at night in the vicinity of
+our tent is both astonishing and disagreeable.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Sir Charles Staveley came up from Zulla, and joined us on
+the day of our leaving Ad Abaga. He has taken command
+of the advanced brigade. I hear that, owing to the quantities
+<pb n="273"/><anchor id="Pg273"/>of stores taken up by the trains which accompanied General
+Collings’s column and our own, the supplies at Senafe and
+other places along the line were very low; so much so, that
+the troops who were ordered up have been kept back at Zulla
+until further stores could be accumulated. I trust that by
+this time a large stock has been collected at Senafe, as Captain
+<anchor id="corr273"/><corr sic="Grifiths">Griffiths</corr>, who commanded the portion of the transport-train
+which went forward with General Collings’s column, has
+just passed downward with his mules to fetch up another
+supply.
+</p>
+
+<milestone unit="tb" rend="rule: 30%"/>
+</div><div>
+    <index index="toc" level1="Antalo, March 4th"/>
+    <index index="pdf" level1="Antalo, March 4th"/>
+
+<dateline>Antalo, March 4th.</dateline>
+
+<p>
+When I wrote, four days since, from Doullo, I mentioned
+that we had news of flour and other stores being purchased
+in considerable quantities at Antalo, and that if supplies continued
+to come in, the prospects of the expedition would be
+altogether changed. But I certainly did not anticipate that
+we should be able to advance from here under three weeks
+or a month. Two days before we arrived here, indeed, there
+were rumours of a much earlier move than had been anticipated;
+and an order was issued that in all probability we
+should be compelled to go forward without either rum, tea,
+or sugar. Of course everyone is prepared to make great
+sacrifices, and to submit to every hardship which may be
+absolutely necessary. Every reduction of kit, the dismissal
+of the native followers, and the diminution of carriage, has
+been received not only without a murmur, but with actual
+satisfaction by everyone. The reductions were felt to be
+necessary; for in no other way would it be possible to
+penetrate this inhospitable country. It was considered
+pro<pb n="274"/><anchor id="Pg274"/>bable that beyond Lât we should have to go without tents,
+and with only a blanket and one change of clothes; and I
+have not heard an expression of repugnance or complaint at
+the prospect: but this order to proceed without rum, tea,
+or sugar, was received with the gravest dissatisfaction by
+men and officers of all ranks. It was not as a matter of
+comfort that it was objected to, but as a matter of health.
+Rum is an article difficult of carriage, and can be dispensed
+with; sugar also might be done without; but tea is
+upon a campaign like this an absolute necessity, if the men
+are to have no rum. It is not that the tea is nice, for it
+certainly is not; it is positively nasty. It bears no resemblance
+whatever to the herb we drink in England as tea;
+at the same time it is an absolute essential. The mornings
+and nights are very cold; the troops are on the move at
+half-past five in the morning, when everything is saturated
+with dew; they are hard at work all day; their picket-duty
+is very severe; and to give them with their breakfast in the
+morning and their supper at the end of their day’s work
+nothing but cold water to drink, was simply to send the
+whole army into hospital. Were the water good, the results
+might not have been so disastrous, but it is almost always
+drawn from stagnant pools, and is the reverse of wholesome.
+Officers generally drink the water only after filtering, but
+the men never think of taking the trouble. Boiling the
+water is no doubt even superior in its effect to filtering it;
+but the men would certainly not boil the water if they had
+nothing to put in it. They would drink nothing but impure
+water, which in a country where the changes in temperature
+are so great and so sudden as they are here, would
+most certainly bring on dysentery in a very short time. The
+<pb n="275"/><anchor id="Pg275"/>privation of their rum would in itself be much felt among
+the men. They have all been some years in India, where
+rum forms part of a soldier’s regular ration. They are accustomed
+to its use, and no doubt would feel somewhat its
+sudden privation. Had they been troops fresh from England,
+it would have mattered comparatively little. Our
+adjutant-general, Colonel Thesiger, is a total abstainer; I
+believe that is the polite expression for a teetotaller. Of
+course his theory is, that men are much better without
+spirits; and the present will be a great opportunity for testing
+the effects of a Maine Law. I believe, however, that
+officers and men would give up their rum and their sugar
+without a murmur where tea is but allowed them; but I am
+sure that bad water alone will lay up half the troops. Nor
+will there be any saving in carriage by leaving tea behind.
+We shall have to take a greater weight of medicines than
+we should of the tea. The reason given for thus leaving behind
+what everyone feels to be, bad as it is, the most precious
+portion of our stores, was, that we can procure any amount
+of native carriage, but that the natives will only carry
+flour and grain, and refuse to undertake the carriage of
+rum, sugar, and tea, partly because of the greater responsibility,
+and partly because of the shape of the barrels and
+casks, which are inconvenient to pack upon the little oxen
+and donkeys. Everyone asks, Have we, then, no carriage
+of our own? Have we no available transport-mules besides
+those carrying the tents? One mule will carry from 150 to
+200 pounds weight, which would give 500 men their day’s
+ration of tea. The advance brigade will not contain much
+over 3000 men, and consequently fifty mules will carry two
+months’ rations of tea for them; and it is an extraordinary
+<pb n="276"/><anchor id="Pg276"/>thing if, out of the 15,000 baggage-animals in the transport-train,
+fifty cannot be spared to carry an article which everyone
+feels to be all-important both for the health and comfort
+of the troops. I am sure that Sir Robert Napier himself
+consented with the greatest reluctance to the proposition,
+and that he shares in the general satisfaction which is experienced
+at the report that the commissariat find that some
+of the natives are consenting to take on tea, if it is packed
+in skins or in stout bags, and that therefore a proportion
+of tea will at any rate be taken on.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+I began this letter by saying that the news of the purchase
+of flour and grain would, if true, completely change
+the whole prospect of the expedition. I am happy to say
+that the news we heard is now more than verified, and that
+the commissariat are purchasing at the rate of 12,000 lbs.
+or 14,000 lbs. of flour a day. In addition to this, they are
+buying sufficient bread for the daily consumption of the
+troops. Very large convoys of native baggage-animals have
+also come in during the last few days, and we find ourselves
+with two months’ provision of all kinds, and four months’
+provision of flour already in hand for the whole of the advanced
+division. This is a more forward state of things
+than I expected to have seen in another two months, and
+entirely alters the prospect of the campaign. Had we found
+the same dearth of food here which we experienced all along
+the line, we must have waited so long that it would have
+been an impossibility to have returned before the rain. Now
+there is a chance of our so doing.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Sanguine spirits even mention the 1st of April as the
+probable day for reaching Magdala. If we are there at the
+end of the first week in April, we shall, should Theodore
+<pb n="277"/><anchor id="Pg277"/>await us and no hitch occur, start upon our return march
+by the 15th, pass through this place by the 7th of May, and
+be at Zulla in another month, that is, before the rains begin.
+I have, however, seen so many unforeseen obstacles, so many
+unavoidable delays occur since we first landed, that I cannot
+put any faith in this sudden express speed. When we
+arrived here two days since, the intention was that we should
+march on the 6th. I hear that our advance is now postponed,
+at any rate, until the 9th; and I should not be surprised
+if we were here for a week after that date. The fact
+is, no one knows anything whatever about the roads in front
+of us. All travellers, with one exception, who have journeyed
+here have turned to the right at Antalo, and have
+gone down the valley to Socota. The one exception is Dr.
+Krapf, and his report of the road is far too vague to be of
+any practical utility. It only requires a look to the southward
+of this camp to give us a notion of the country we
+are going to travel through. A chain of rugged mountains
+with peak rising beyond peak extends in an unbroken line.
+Over or through them we have somehow to get, and at
+present we know next to nothing about them.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+A pioneer force of two companies of the 33d, some of
+the Beloochees, some Punjaub pioneers, sappers, and miners,
+and the Scinde horse have gone on ahead to make roads,
+and the reports we have at present received from them are
+the reverse of favourable.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Lât is our next halting-place; and until we hear that the
+road to that place is practicable for mules, it is no use advancing
+from here, where we are living upon the country
+and consuming no stores.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+I now return to the narrative of our march here. From
+<pb n="278"/><anchor id="Pg278"/>Doullo to Icullot was only an eight-miles’ march across a by-no-means
+difficult country. The next march on to this place
+was twelve miles, and the country was very undulating; but
+such an excellent road had been made by the advanced
+brigade that the mules had no difficulty whatever in crossing
+it. This road was better than anything we have traversed
+since we left Senafe. The Commander-in-chief, however,
+did not go by the same route, but turned off to visit Chalicote,
+a considerable town lying a little distance out of the
+line of march.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Chalicote is more prettily situated than any town we have
+hitherto seen. It lies in a well-wooded valley. The church
+is in precisely the same style as that at Attegrat, with frescoes
+drawn apparently by the same hand. I so fully described
+the church at Attegrat, that any details respecting
+this would be superfluous.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The Chief was accompanied by some of his staff, and by
+Mr. Holmes, of the British Museum, who had hoped to acquire
+some old manuscripts there, especially as he had heard
+of one said to be of great value, and bound in silver gilt. It
+turned out, however, to be quite modern; and up to the
+present time Mr. Holmes, although he has been indefatigable
+in his search, has not succeeded in finding any manuscript
+of great antiquity; he has, however, heard of some at a
+place a little distant from our line of march, which he
+hopes to acquire upon our return, and which, if they correspond
+to the description given of them, will be of very great
+value. It was hardly to be expected that, skirting as the
+line of march does upon the very edge of the table-land of
+Abyssinia—a portion of the country remote from the principal
+towns, and exposed to the constant devastation of
+bor<pb n="279"/><anchor id="Pg279"/>der warfare—any remains of very great antiquity would be
+met with. Had our course led through Axoum, which was
+the capital of that strange Greek possession of which Adulis
+or Zulla was the seaport, we might have expected some
+interesting discoveries to have taken place. There is yet a
+possibility that we may see Axoum; for although, if there is
+any chance of getting out of the country before the rainy
+season, we shall of course make every effort to get back in
+time, there is a rumour that, if we are obliged to pass the
+wet season here, a portion of the force will go back by Axoum
+and Adowa.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+This camp is called Antalo, but it is a mere name of
+courtesy, like that of a good many English railway-stations.
+It is nearly six miles from the town of Antalo, going by the
+most direct and most difficult road; eight miles fully by the
+more accessible path. The position of Antalo was certainly
+selected more with a view to its defensibility than for its
+convenience. It lies upon a small undulating plain six or
+seven hundred feet above the general level of the valley, and
+at the foot of a very lofty and precipitous hill which rises
+nearly sheer up fifteen hundred feet above it. This hill is
+accessible only at one or two places, and walls are built
+across them; so that it forms a safe retreat for the inhabitants
+of Antalo in the event of their being attacked by a
+superior force. This hill fortress is called Amba Antalo. A
+position such as this is no unnecessary protection in this part
+of the country, for Antalo lies at the very edge of the territory
+of the warlike Gallas. These tribes, whenever their
+harvest is a bad one, gather together and make a foray upon
+the villages of the plain, and sweep off crops and cattle.
+Everywhere on the plain are ruined villages, which attest
+<pb n="280"/><anchor id="Pg280"/>the frequency and ferocity of these forays; and Antalo itself
+has evidently, and at no very distant time, contained four
+times as large a population as it does at present. I rode
+over there the day before yesterday to the weekly fair.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+I described fully the market at Attegrat in a former
+letter; and as this was precisely the same scene upon a
+rather larger scale, I have little to add to what I then said.
+Very large quantities of flour were brought in, and the commissariat
+secured a considerable supply. Numbers of mules,
+donkeys, and cattle were also there. The small-goods market
+too was crowded, and herbs and grain of all sorts—onions,
+chillies, cloth, and most of the other articles I mentioned as
+having seen at Attegrat—were here, with the exception
+only of pumpkins, of which I did not see a single specimen.
+I, however, bought three pounds of coffee, which I look upon
+as a great prize, as it will be a change from the excessively
+bitter herb termed by courtesy tea. The commissariat have
+purchased a considerable quantity of coffee, and I am told we
+shall find it much more plentiful as we go forward. This will
+be a very great boon for the men.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+I think that the people here are more merry and full of
+fun than those at Attegrat; they enter, or rather attempt
+to enter, into conversation much more freely, and really seem
+anxious to do anything for one. I had at least a dozen of
+them yesterday all talking together, and endeavouring to
+make out what I wanted to find out about some small
+packets of lead-ore which were used as a medium of exchange.
+It was a rich flaky ore, containing quite eighty per
+cent of lead, and marking paper freely. I was very desirous
+of finding out which part of the country it came from;
+but neither my pantomime nor the united endeavours of the
+<pb n="281"/><anchor id="Pg281"/>lookers-on to understand me availed to elicit the required
+information.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+During my progress through the country I have not seen
+any sign of mineral ground, with the exception of some very
+rich samples of ironstone. During the last three or four
+days’ march the formation has changed several times from
+sandstone to a hard blue limestone, and <hi rend="italic">vice versâ</hi>. On the
+faces of these bare hills it would be easy even at a distance to
+detect the change of colour or the rising ridges which generally
+indicate the existence of a vein of mineral; but, as I
+have said, although I have carefully examined the country
+as I passed through it, I have seen no mineral indication
+whatever.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+To return to the fair. The scene, as at Attegrat, was
+very amusing; and the attitude of the groups—the women
+sitting about everywhere with their baskets, the men leaning
+upon their spears, the cattle standing about in groups—the
+whole scene reminded me strongly of an Irish fair, barring
+only the absence of the friendly pig, with his agonised shriek
+of expostulation and disgust.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Antalo consists of four or five villages, each standing
+upon the summits of small rises. They were formerly connected
+together, and even now are surrounded by ruined
+huts. The last blow Antalo suffered was three years ago,
+when it was attacked by the Gallas, incited and led by a
+rebel against Kassa, named Waldo Yasus. Both Antalo and
+the villages on the plains suffered greatly at that time; and
+a terrible attack of cholera, which swept over the country
+shortly afterwards, completed their ruin. The houses have
+all high conical roofs, thatched with rushes. Each house has
+a courtyard surrounded by a high wall. The women here
+<pb n="282"/><anchor id="Pg282"/>are less picturesque in dress and less pleasing in feature
+than those of Attegrat. Their morality is lax in the extreme.
+<q>A virtuous woman is a crown to her husband:</q> I fear
+there are very few crowned heads in Abyssinia. I had left my
+horse at the foot of the ascent from the plain up to Attegrat,
+and had walked the last two miles. It was a very hot day,
+and one of our first inquiries upon reaching the fair was for
+<q>tedge.</q> We were conducted to what answered to a public-house.
+Here we entered, and passing through a sort of outer
+passage, found ourselves in almost outer darkness. It was
+some time before we could see sufficiently to avail ourselves
+of the invitation to be seated, but presently descried two seats
+or couches, built up of stone and covered with skins. The
+room was semicircular in form, and very lofty, going up to
+the thatched roof, which was lined with bamboo; on either
+side were small chambers, which appeared devoted to miscellaneous
+purposes; for after we had been some minutes in the
+place, and were able to see a little, we made out that a donkey
+was standing placidly at the door of one of these chambers,
+and that a goat and a fireplace were the principal articles of
+furniture in the other. The walls of the room were smoothly
+plastered, and as an abode it no doubt possessed the advantage
+of coolness, even in the hottest weather. Tedge, as I
+have before said, is a liquor made from fermented honey and
+water, with herbs, and tastes like a mixture of small beer
+and lemonade made from mouldy lemons, and was brought
+in in a flask very like a Lucca oil-flask, but rather flatter,
+and with a larger neck. From the neck of this flask we
+drank by turns; and as it did not hold more than half a pint,
+and as we were four in number and the clay was hot, we
+demanded more. It seems that no more was strained; so a
+<pb n="283"/><anchor id="Pg283"/>large jar was brought, the wife of the proprietor put a fold
+of her very dirty garment over its mouth, and strained the
+liquor through it into the flask, and we drank it. In calmer
+moments and in other climes, it is probable that we should
+not have done so—probable even that a feeling of sickness
+would have overpowered us. I am happy to say, however,
+that the army in Abyssinia has altogether overcome any feeling
+of squeamishness. I have seen some rum drank in which
+several cockroaches had committed suicide; and I have assisted
+to eat honey which was black with ants whose appetites
+had caused their untimely death. As for cooking, I confess
+that I avoid the cooking-fires. I have seen sights which
+have tried my philosophy to the utmost, and am now quite
+content to eat the very excellent dinners our servants prepare
+from rations, and not to think of the processes the meat has
+undergone. My tent-companion and myself pride ourselves
+much upon our cooks. They are two Goa Portuguese, and
+are, we flatter ourselves, beyond all comparison the best cooks
+in camp. Their soups are excellent, their cutlets the best I
+ever tasted, their preserved potatoes, baked in cakes, delicious.
+They sent up birds in as good a style as I can get
+them in a London club. Their pumpkin-pie—when we could
+get pumpkins—was the talk of camp; the fame of their baked
+sheep’s head, with brain cutlets, came to the ears of Sir
+Robert Napier himself. Imagine, then, our feelings, when
+the stern decree was emanated—all native servants whatever
+are to be sent away; each officer is to carry 75 lb. of luggage,
+including bed, cooking-utensils, and plates and dishes; and
+three officers are to be allotted to each bell-tent. Heads of
+departments only are to be allowed a bell-tent between two.
+At first we had believed that this order did not apply to us;
+<pb n="284"/><anchor id="Pg284"/>that having our own baggage-animals, and providing our
+forage, &amp;c. at our own cost, and the tent being our own
+property, we thought that it was a matter which concerned
+no one but ourselves as to what or who we took on with us.
+But we were deceived. Quartermaster-generals, eager to
+effect the greatest possible cutting down, had their eyes upon
+the special correspondents and the scientific gentlemen who
+accompany the camp; and we were officially informed that
+we must be amenable to the same rules as others. We pointed
+out that we found our own carriage, and therefore that the
+weight we carried mattered to no one; but were sternly informed
+that if we purchased grain for our animals, there was
+so much the less available for the public service. To a certain
+extent this was true; and so we said that we were ready
+to go on with the weight that other officers were allowed,
+but that the tent in the first place was our own, and that it
+would be quite impossible for three men to write in a tent
+together. We were ready, therefore, to carry less than the
+permitted 75 lbs. of baggage, in order to have half a tent
+each; so that our total kit, including tent, would not exceed
+the prescribed 140 lbs. Our friends in the quartermaster
+department were quite unable to grant us this request, and
+it was only upon a personal application to Sir Robert Napier
+that we gained our point, as, upon our stating the case, he
+at once consented to our retaining our own tent to ourselves.
+The next question was that of servants. <q>All servants to be
+sent back, a grass-cutter only being allowed for each horse.</q>
+At first we thought we should be obliged to send our servants
+back. Fortunately, however, a grass-cutter is allowed for
+each horse; and as we have each two horses, we have retained
+our cooks under the title of grass-cutters for our
+<pb n="285"/><anchor id="Pg285"/>second horses. We are not singular in our management,
+and there are very few staff-officers who have not managed
+in some such manner to retain their servants. The fact is,
+that a rule of this sort bears very much more hardly upon a
+staff-officer, or a civilian living as we are, than it does upon
+a regimental officer. A soldier-servant is allotted to each
+officer upon application, and regimental officers who pick
+handy men from their own companies, and who live three in
+a tent, have their three soldier-servants between them as
+usual. It is far otherwise with a staff-officer: he may obtain
+a soldier-servant from a regiment; but that soldier does
+not know him, and will not work for him as he will for his
+own officer. In the next place, the soldier has certain regimental
+work to do, which will take him away from his master’s
+tent for a considerable portion of the day; and lastly, a
+staff-officer is liable to be sent away on duty from the camp
+where the regiment to which his servant belongs is stationed.
+In our own case a soldier-servant would be useless; we might
+wish at any moment to push on to the pioneer force, or to
+accompany the Commander-in-chief upon a short expedition,
+and we should then be left without any servant whatever. At
+any rate, the order is generally evaded. Were it not that
+two months must elapse before a copy of this letter can come
+out to us, I should not speak so freely upon this point, as we
+should be having a special committee of officers of the <sic>quarter-master-general’s</sic>
+department assembling to consider the
+question of <q>evasion of the general order relating to servants
+by officers and civilians attached to the army.</q>
+</p>
+
+<milestone unit="tb" rend="rule: 30%"/>
+
+</div><div>
+<pb n="286"/><anchor id="Pg286"/>
+<index index="toc" level1="Antalo, March 7th"/>
+    <index index="pdf" level1="Antalo, March 7th"/>
+
+<dateline>Antalo, March 7th.</dateline>
+
+<p>
+I am happy to say that Major Minion, of the commissariat,
+arrived here early this morning with a large convoy,
+carrying among other stores a large quantity of rum; and
+it is now finally decided that a certain quantity of both rum
+and tea shall be served out daily to the troops on the advance.
+This happy state of things has been principally
+brought about by the energetic remonstrances of all the
+medical officers, and by their representation of the disastrous
+effect which the sudden privation of tea and rum would
+have upon the health of the troops, especially under the circumstances
+of the water being so bad. Sir Robert Napier
+himself was, I know, most averse to so extreme a measure;
+and nothing but the most urgent feeling of the necessity of
+pushing on in the lightest and most speedy manner could
+have induced him to consent to it; and I am sure that he
+is as pleased as anyone that he is able to continue the issue
+of what are really essentials to the soldiers.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+It is still intended that we shall march on the 9th instant;
+indeed, orders were issued for a forward movement for both
+yesterday and to-day. The orders were, however, countermanded,
+for the road is not practicable for more than one
+day’s march. As to the state of the road beyond, we receive
+contradictory reports. Colonel Phayre, with his usual
+happy, sanguine way of seeing things, states, I hear, that
+it is not a very bad road; while the engineer officer, on the
+other hand, reports that it will require a great deal of work
+to make it practicable for baggage-animals, especially for
+the elephants with the guns. The reason why the order was
+given for the troops to march forward at once was, that
+<pb n="287"/><anchor id="Pg287"/>Colonel Phayre sent in to say that Waldo Yasus, the destroyer
+of Antalo, had sent in to say that he should oppose
+our passage. It caused quite an excitement for a time. But
+I learn to-day that Brigadier-general Field, who commands
+the pioneer forces, has sent in a letter to say that the whole
+thing is a mistake, and that Waldo Yasus is perfectly
+friendly, and that some of the Scindees have already gone on.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+M. Munzinger, whose name I have frequently had occasion
+to mention as French consul at Massowah, and as accompanying
+the force as political adviser and interpreter,
+has gone on ahead on a mission to Gobayze. M. Munzinger
+has been some years in the country; he has married an
+Abyssinian woman, and owns villages and land near here.
+He is therefore well known to the natives, speaks their language,
+and is in every respect very well fitted for an expedition
+of this sort. On the other hand, there is some dissatisfaction
+among members of the staff, who say that an
+officer ought to have been selected for a mission of such importance,
+and should of course have been accompanied by
+an interpreter. It is urged, too, that the French look with
+great jealousy at our proceedings, and that their interests
+are totally opposed to our own; and that therefore a gentleman,
+however eligible in other respects, who is a French
+official should not have been intrusted with so important a
+mission. From all I have heard of M. Munzinger, I think
+there need be no objection upon the latter score; but I confess
+that I agree with those who think that a British officer—Major
+Grant, for instance—ought to have gone as our
+ambassador, or at least should have accompanied M. Munzinger.
+M. Munzinger was, I believe, sent forward by
+Colonel Merewether without Sir Robert Napier’s knowledge.
+<pb n="288"/><anchor id="Pg288"/>As M. Munzinger went forward, he had an interview with
+Waldo Yasus, who expressed some little fear that we, as
+the friends of Kassa, might intend to attack his amba, or
+fort, which stands on a lofty rock immediately beside the
+defile through which we pass. M. Munzinger, however,
+tranquillised him upon that score, and assured him that we
+should in no way interfere with any dissensions in the country.
+Waldo expressed himself as perfectly satisfied. M. Munzinger
+has now nearly reached Lake Ashangi, and his report of
+the road is decidedly favourable.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The gentleman to whom this expedition is most greatly
+indebted, and who has done infinitely more with the natives
+than the whole of our so-called politicals and interpreters
+put together, is Mr. Speedy. I have already mentioned that
+Mr. Speedy was sent for from New Zealand to accompany
+the expedition, Sir Stafford Northcote having strongly recommended
+him to Sir Robert Napier. The summons arrived
+somewhat unexpectedly to Mr. Speedy, for he had
+already written to Colonel Merewether volunteering his
+services, which had been declined by that officer. Mr.
+Speedy, however, came off in three days after he received
+General Napier’s communication. His services here have
+been simply invaluable. Almost every useful negotiation
+with the natives has been conducted by him. He speaks
+the language exceedingly well, and is unwearied in his
+work. He hears complaints, receives chiefs, and is in fact
+at present our great medium of communication with the
+natives. He may be said to have completely extinguished
+the little light of our former politicals. Unquestionably he
+would have been the man to have sent to Gobayze; but even
+had not Colonel Merewether sent off his emissary, M.
+Mun<pb n="289"/><anchor id="Pg289"/>zinger, without consulting Sir Robert Napier, the Commander-in-chief
+would not have parted with Mr. Speedy, who
+is now his right-hand in all his communications with the
+natives. Among the other stores which have arrived to-day
+is some tobacco. The quantity is quite insufficient for the
+wants of the troops during their advance; but even a small
+supply per man will be a very great boon, for at present
+there is hardly any tobacco left among them. Even the
+officers’ supplies are beginning to run short, and they as
+well as the men will soon be reduced to smoke the country
+tobacco, which is a disgusting mixture of tobacco and cow-dung
+formed into flat cakes.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The generals of the advanced force are Brigadier-general
+Field (who has only just been promoted), who commands the
+pioneer force; Brigadier-general Schneider, who has the
+first brigade; and Brigadier-general Wilby the second.
+Brigadier-general Collings, who has hitherto commanded
+the advanced brigade, is to be left behind here. This has
+naturally given rise to very strong comment. General Collings
+is far senior in the service to any of the men who have
+been thus chosen for the post of honour, and he has seen
+probably as much active service as the other three officers
+together. He is in every respect an excellent soldier and a
+most popular man; and there is a general feeling that his
+being thus passed over is a most undeserved slight, to put
+it in the mildest form. There is another reason why he
+should have certainly formed part of the advance. The first
+division is composed almost entirely of Europeans; and yet
+two out of the three officers chosen are Indian officers who
+have never commanded an English soldier during the whole
+of their service. General Collings has not, as far as I have
+<pb n="290"/><anchor id="Pg290"/>heard, in any way neglected his duty; and his case is a
+matter of regret and sympathy with every officer with whom
+I have spoken—I mean, of course, outside the charmed pale
+of the official circle.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The general health of the troops continues excellent.
+There have been a few cases of dysentery, but the hospitals
+are all but empty.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Antalo is low, that is, in comparison with some of the
+places we have marched through: it is little over 6000 feet
+above the sea, that is, 3000 feet lower than Ad Abaga. The
+nights are consequently much milder than those we have
+lately experienced. The sun is hot between eight and ten in
+the morning; but at the latter hour a breeze springs up, which
+continues to blow with violence all day, and renders the heat
+of the sun, which would otherwise be great, bearable and even
+pleasant. The spirit of the troops is no less good than their
+health. Men who were marching up with the first wings of
+the 4th and 33d would suffer anything from sore feet rather
+than say a word on the subject, lest they should be left behind.
+One case of this illustrates the feeling even more strongly.
+The day upon which we marched out from Attegrat, three
+of the men of the 4th in some way obtained some liquor,
+and were convicted of drunkenness upon the line of march.
+This is a serious military offence, punishable by fifty lashes;
+but Colonel Cameron told them that, as they were all good-conduct
+men, he would only punish them by sending them
+back to the wing behind. The men all came forward and requested
+as a favour to be flogged instead of being left behind.
+Nothing could speak in stronger terms for the spirit of the
+troops than this. I am glad to say that, in consideration
+of their previous good conduct, Colonel Cameron felt
+him<pb n="291"/><anchor id="Pg291"/>self enabled to pardon them. This fact, in itself, is a better
+answer to those who argue for the abolition of corporal
+punishment in the army than a hundred pamphlets would
+be. The only cogent reason of any force which the objectors
+to corporal punishment can allege is, that it degrades
+a soldier in his own eyes, and that he is good for nothing
+afterwards. Now, this is not the case. I have at various
+times spoken to hundreds of soldiers on the subject, and
+their answer is almost invariably the same: <q>It is not the
+punishment in which is the disgrace; it is the crime. If
+a man is flogged for stealing, he gets it thrown in his teeth
+afterwards that he has been flogged for being a thief; but
+if he gets a drop too much, and perhaps is impudent to a
+sergeant or officer, he may be flogged, but he will never have
+it brought up against him as a disgrace afterwards.</q> The
+present instance proves this. These three soldiers, all good-conduct
+men, who had seen seven years of service, all considered
+that there would be much greater disgrace in being
+sent to the rear than in being flogged.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+There is not very much shooting in this neighbourhood;
+a few guinea-fowls and grouse, and an occasional hare, have
+been bagged, but even these are scarce. As for the wild-beasts,
+of which we were to see so much, they simply are
+not. The rhinoceroses, who were to dispute the passage of
+the defiles; the alligators and hippopotami, who were to lurk
+around the watering-places, and to render the fetching a
+jug of water a service of as great danger as was the drawing
+a goblet from the enchanted fountain in our dear old
+fairy tales,—all these monsters are unknown here. We hear
+of lions, indeed, but somehow they are never found in the
+parts of the country we traverse. The hyena and jackal
+<pb n="292"/><anchor id="Pg292"/>are the only animals met with which could, even by courtesy,
+be called wild-beasts. These, indeed, swarm; and
+their numerous holes are a serious hindrance and danger
+to riders; beyond this they are harmless, and one would as
+soon think of shooting a fox as a jackal. Sportsmen are
+seriously disappointed; almost everyone has brought out
+either rifle or gun, and many have carried both. Now,
+when our luggage is limited to seventy-five pounds, the
+weight of even one rifle, with its bullet-mould and a good
+stock of lead and powder, is a very material consideration;
+and, after the sacrifice of many little comforts to retain the
+rifle, it is very hard to find that it is quite useless. There
+is still a faint hope that we may find large game near the
+Ashangi Lake; but, considering that it is over 5000 feet
+above the sea, I can hardly think it is likely that we shall
+find any large game there, except perhaps elephants. The
+owners of fowling-pieces are better off. There have been
+few camping-grounds where a good shot might not get a
+guinea-fowl or two in an hour’s ramble; and a guinea-fowl
+well cooked is one of the best game birds I know. Powder
+and shot are very valuable; indeed, they cannot be bought
+at any price, unless one is fortunate enough to find some one
+who, in the readjustment of his baggage, finds that he cannot
+possibly carry on all his stock of ammunition.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The plains here are singularly devoid of flowers: I never
+travelled in any country, indeed, where there was such a
+complete absence of wild-flowers; excepting, of course, the
+little watered dells, which I have described in previous letters.
+There is one solitary sort of flower, however, which I have
+met with in the plains in the neighbourhood, and which
+differs from any I ever saw before: it is a pea. The flower
+<pb n="293"/><anchor id="Pg293"/>is of the size and colour of the <q>everlasting-pea;</q> but, instead
+of growing as a climber, the flower grows upon its own
+stalk from the ground. These flowers grow in clusters; but
+there are no leaves or stems, with the exception of the flower-stalk
+itself, three or four inches in height. The flower has
+a scent exactly resembling that of a violet, but less powerful:
+the seed is contained in a long, narrow pod, like that of a
+wallflower.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Scorpions are rather abundant here; and so, I am sorry to
+say, are white ants. It is not that one has any peculiar objection
+to white ants. They are certainly repulsive-looking
+insects, with their flabby white bodies and their big yellow
+heads, but that is of little consequence; and if they would
+but content themselves with walking about the tents and
+climbing over everything, as do other ants, together with
+spiders of every size, and a few beetles, one would not wish
+to interfere with their pleasures. Unfortunately they will
+not amuse themselves in this harmless way: they shun the
+light, and work in darkness, and their work consists in eating
+holes in the bottom of one’s portmanteau, or in the waterproof-sheet
+under one’s bed, or one’s saddles, or books, or
+anything else which may come handy to them.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Now, as we are going to leave most of our portmanteaus
+and luggage here until we return, this propensity of theirs
+becomes a grave inconvenience. I fancy that we shall find
+our luggage, when we return, in a very dilapidated condition.
+There is only one satisfaction,—our clothes are rapidly getting
+into a state beyond which even white ants can effect
+little further damage.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The remaining wing of the 4th Regiment arrived two
+days ago, and the second wing of the 33d marched in this
+<pb n="294"/><anchor id="Pg294"/>morning. We have therefore all the troops now collected in
+readiness for the forward move, with the exception only of
+a portion of the Beloochees, the 3d Dragoon Guards, and
+the elephants with the six-inch mortars; together with the
+elephants to carry Murray’s guns. All these will, it is said,
+be here in two or three days. There is another thing of
+some slight importance lacking: this is money.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The commissariat have purchased such enormous quantities
+of flour and other stores, that the money brought up is
+exhausted. Fortunately another treasure-convoy is expected
+in a day or two.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+This morning, at a quarter to six, General Staveley had
+all the troops out for a field-day. A deserted village upon
+a rising ground was attacked and carried in excellent style;
+but the manœuvres would have no interest to a general reader
+beyond those of any garrison field-day.
+</p>
+
+<milestone unit="tb" rend="rule: 30%"/>
+</div><div>
+    <index index="toc" level1="Antalo, March 11th"/>
+    <index index="pdf" level1="Antalo, March 11th"/>
+
+<dateline>Antalo, March 11th.</dateline>
+
+<p>
+When Colonel Phayre went ahead on the day of our arrival
+at Antalo, and reported that the road was rather bad, but not
+impracticable, every one looked at the range of peaks ahead
+of us and had serious misgivings. An order was issued for
+our march upon the 7th, and a party of pioneers were sent
+on to clear away any slight obstacles which might occur.
+The report of their commanding officer as to the state of the
+road was most unfavourable, and a wing of the 33d were
+sent out to assist. In consequence of the reports which
+came in, the march was postponed to the 9th, and Captain
+Macgregor, of the quartermaster’s department, was sent
+out to report. On the evening of the 8th a joint report from
+<pb n="295"/><anchor id="Pg295"/>this officer and Captain Goodfellow, of the Engineers, was
+received. It stated, <q>that they knew nearly every pass in
+India, but that in their experience they had met nothing
+whatever to compare to this defile, and that the Sooro pass
+was child’s-play in comparison. With the 800 men at work,
+it would, they calculated, take another ten days’ labour to
+make it practicable for mules.</q> All this time Colonel Phayre
+was still in front, but his reports gave us no idea of the true
+state of things. In the mean time we were receiving reports
+from Mr. Munzinger, who, as I stated in my last, had gone
+ahead to see Gobayze, and he said that the road, although
+difficult in places, was by no means bad. Of course, on the
+receipt of the reports of Captains Macgregor and Goodfellow,
+the march was again postponed. Everyone was indignant.
+Sir Robert Napier, I have reason to know, was more indignant
+than anyone, for his heart is set upon getting onward
+as fast as possible. On the 9th arrived an officer from the
+front, with the astounding intelligence that he had just ridden
+down the other road, which was known to exist; that it was
+six miles shorter; it passed over the mountain range at a
+point 1500 feet lower than the other, and presented throughout
+its whole distance no serious difficulties whatever. This
+it appeared, was the very route that Munzinger had travelled,
+and the discrepancies between his accounts and the real state
+of things were at once explained. At first the news was
+received with absolute incredulity. It seemed impossible
+that the quartermaster-general could have kept the troops
+at work for a week upon an impracticable road, when a good
+one lay ready at hand. The road, too, which Colonel Phayre
+had not explored is called the Royal road, which in itself
+was sufficient to show that it was the best and most
+fre<pb n="296"/><anchor id="Pg296"/>quented of the two. But the fact was, our political officer
+had heard that a rebel chief had a fortress upon this road;
+the same chief whom I mentioned in my last as having been
+reported by Colonel Phayre as opposing our way. The man
+really is perfectly friendly, and was at first rather more afraid
+of us than our quartermaster-general was of him. However,
+the mere fact of his being there was assumed to be a good
+reason for our not taking the road. And so a precious week
+has been wasted, and all the labour thrown away. The new
+road is, of course, not yet passable for the elephants with
+the heavy guns, but Sir Robert will push on with the 4th
+Regiment and the steel guns, and the 33d and the pioneer
+force will set to work and get it in order for the rest of the
+force as soon as possible. It is not often that we find a
+pioneer force engaged in making a road after the head-quarters
+and part of the army have gone by. Our first
+march is only eight miles. The distance thence up the pass
+is nineteen. I believe that the troops will do it in two days,
+but that Sir Robert Napier, with an escort, will go straight
+through to Attala, in order to judge for himself of the real
+state of things.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Our items of news from the rear are but of slight general
+interest. Captain St. John reports, I am told, that the
+natives have ceased to damage the telegraph-wires; but as
+a <hi rend="italic">per-contra</hi>, he says that the wires are frequently broken by
+the baboons, who climb up the poles, and hang on the wires
+by their tails. I am assured that this is an absolute fact.
+One of the mule-drivers near Attegrat shot a native the
+other day. The man, who was armed with a gun, attempted
+to rob the mule; but the driver resisted, wrenched the gun
+from his hand, and shot him. The robber is not dead, but
+<pb n="297"/><anchor id="Pg297"/>lies in a precarious state. The lesson was greatly required;
+but instead of being rewarded for his conduct, the mule-driver
+got a dozen lashes! I hope that the next driver
+whose mule is attacked will allow it to be looted, and that
+the functionary who has just so ably instructed mule-drivers
+not to defend the public property will be ordered to pay the
+cost of the stores stolen. Tents have been erected here for
+the reception of such luggage as cannot be carried on under
+the present regulations. I sent my portmanteau in this
+morning, and had the pleasure when moving it of finding
+that the white ants had eaten a large hole in the bottom.
+I do not expect to find any remains of it, or of its contents,
+upon my return. Captain Moore, the Commander-in-chief’s
+interpreter, has gone on ahead to pacify the local chiefs, and
+to assure them that we have no intention of molesting them.
+No better man could have been selected for the office. Captain
+Moore speaks almost every known language, and has
+had as much experience of native potentates as any man
+living. Major Grant has gone on to Attala, to buy provisions,
+&amp;c. An officer of his African experience and standing
+would have been far better employed as an ambassador
+to King Gobayze; while bargaining with natives would
+have been much more in accordance with Mr. Munzinger’s
+experience and powers. Some tobacco has come up, and has
+been distributed among the troops, to their great satisfaction.
+During the last few days the troops have been exercised in
+turning out rapidly on the alarm being sounded. The sentries
+have, too, been placed and instructed as if in front of an
+enemy, who might at any moment make a night attack.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The natives here unanimously express their hopes and
+wishes that we should take possession of the country and
+<pb n="298"/><anchor id="Pg298"/>become their masters. Our style of paying for everything
+we require has taken them entirely by surprise. It is altogether
+contrary to their experience. There is no doubt that
+they are extremely poor, and terribly ground down, and
+many of their very numerous vices are, to a certain extent,
+excusable upon this score. They are so poor that they will
+sell anything for dollars—their corn, their flour, their donkeys,
+their cattle, their wives, or their daughters. They are a
+terribly priest-ridden people. I should say that no people in
+the world pay such extortionate dues. The priests claim two-fifths
+of the gross produce; of the remainder one-third is
+claimed by the King; then comes the local chief: so that
+finally the unfortunate cultivator gets less than one-fifth of
+the crop he has raised. It is no wonder that the people are
+poor, and that in times of drought, or when the locusts sweep
+over the land, or the rebels, more destructive still, carry off
+crops and herds and flocks, famine stalks through the land.
+There is no doubt that our mastership would be an unmixed
+blessing to them, but it would certainly be the very reverse
+of advantageous to ourselves. From our landing at Zulla
+to the present time we have passed through a country more
+barren than any I ever traversed. Except for grazing purposes
+it is absolutely valueless. Here and there, in the
+valleys, are little patches of cultivation by the side of the
+streams; but in the whole two hundred miles we have passed
+through, looking east and west as far as the eye can reach, I
+do not think that we have seen, in all, five hundred acres
+of cultivated land. Taking the two hundred miles north and
+south by, say, ten miles east and west—in all, two thousand
+square miles—I would not take the fee-simple as a gift. I
+am not, of course, suggesting that the ground we have
+<pb n="299"/><anchor id="Pg299"/>traversed is to be taken as a fair sample of Abyssinia.
+Unquestionably it is not so. It would be as fair to land in
+the north of England, and to skirt the sea-coast, keeping
+on the Cumberland, Westmoreland, Lancashire, Welsh, and
+Cornwall hills, and then to pronounce England a sterile
+country. Still, by what we have seen, by the ranges of
+mountain-summits discernible everywhere in the far west,
+it is evident that a very large portion of Abyssinia is mere
+grazing-land; and it is probable that the valleys and low-lying
+plains, which are extremely fertile, would be unhealthy for
+European constitutions. Whatever ideas may have been
+entertained at one time as to our taking possession of a
+country so rich, so fertile, and so salubrious as this was
+represented to be, the experience of this expedition must
+have entirely dispelled this notion. The general aspect of
+the country is so bare, the fertile portions so distant from the
+coast, the roads so impracticable, that any idea of English
+colonisers settling here, as suggested by Mr. Dufton and
+others, is simply preposterous; and in addition to all this, a
+very large force would be required to keep a warlike and
+turbulent people in order. We see by the English papers
+that <q>A British Taxpayer</q> has been writing indignantly,
+demanding why two or three thousand men were not sufficient
+for this paltry business. If the British Taxpayer had
+been out here, he would not have asked such a question.
+British soldiers are by no means men to overrate difficulties,
+or to hold their enemies at higher than their real value.
+But the universal opinion here is, that we have not one man
+too many in the country. The tribes of Shohos on the sea-coast;
+the King of Tigre, who can summon 20,000 or 30,000
+men to his banner; the fierce Gallas, through whom we have
+<pb n="300"/><anchor id="Pg300"/>still to pass,—all these have been, and probably will be,
+friendly. But why? Simply because we are strong enough
+to keep them in order. No one doubts for a moment that if
+they thought that they were strong enough, they would fall
+upon us instantly for the sake of plunder. If the three thousand
+men who, according to this critic, would have been
+amply sufficient, could have been endowed with the agreeable
+faculty of going for three months without food, and if
+their horses had been similarly gifted, they would without
+doubt have been amply sufficient. Three thousand British
+soldiers, as long as they keep together in a compact body,
+could march from the Mediterranean to the Cape of Good
+Hope. But, unfortunately, men and animals who can go for
+three months without food are scarce in these degenerate
+days. Our experience here is that, with the exception of
+meat, no food whatever is procurable between Zulla and our
+present most advanced post, with the solitary exception of
+Antalo. Grain for the animals is almost as scarce. We
+have bought small quantities, indeed, at most of the stations,
+but we never get it for the first few days after our arrival.
+It is only after we have been at a place for a short time, and
+when the people find out how large a sum we pay for it,
+that they bring in even small quantities. Then the problem
+would present itself: these three thousand men must be fed.
+To be fed, they must carry supplies with them. These supplies
+must be conveyed upon baggage-animals. These baggage-animals
+must be fed. But there is no food to be
+obtained as they march on direct. Therefore, it is evident
+that dépôts must be formed, and these must be guarded;
+communication must be kept up, roads must be made to some
+extent, for there are many places perfectly impracticable for
+<pb n="301"/><anchor id="Pg301"/>loaded animals. And so the three thousand men would be
+frittered all over the country, and would be harassed to
+death by overwork and watching, and it is certain they could
+never penetrate to Magdala. Has a <q>Taxpayer</q> ever read
+the history of the French campaign in Spain? Has he any
+idea of the number of hundred thousand men who marched
+into that country, and of the numbers who returned to
+France? A very small proportion of the deficit fell under
+British steel and lead. They were accounted for by the
+peasantry. They died, shot down upon baggage-guard, cut
+off when in search of provisions, surprised when in small
+parties, harassed to death by overwork. Such would have
+been the fate of three thousand men landing in Abyssinia.
+The people here are as brave as the Spaniards, the country is
+beyond all comparison more difficult, and the resources which,
+it offers to an invader are as nothing to those of Spain.
+Our force, as it is now constituted, is sufficient to overawe
+the country, and it is fortunate that it is so. For I say fearlessly,
+and there is not an officer here who would not support
+me in that opinion, that if the people were hostile, we could
+not even with our present force have ever hoped to reach
+Magdala. It would have been a sheer impossibility. A
+mere passive resistance, the driving away of flocks and
+herds, and the burning of the grass, would have brought us
+to a standstill at Senafe; while the bare idea of defending our
+communication, and guarding the enormous trains required
+for our march of three hundred miles through a barren,
+hostile, and most difficult country, is so supremely ridiculous
+as to be laughable. The experiment of the three thousand
+men, had it been tried, would have ended in a disaster such
+as, with the exception of Cabul, the British arms have never
+<pb n="302"/><anchor id="Pg302"/>experienced, and it must afterwards have been retrieved with
+a force of three times the strength even of our present one,
+and at an expenditure which might have taught even the
+<q>British Taxpayer</q> that penny wisdom is an equivalent for
+pound foolishness.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+A general order has just appeared regulating the whole
+distribution of the troops; and as this is a final arrangement,
+it will no doubt be interesting to all who have friends in the
+army here.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+First Division.—Major-general Staveley, K.C.B., in
+command; Colonel Wood, deputy-adjutant-general; Major
+Baigrie, deputy-quartermaster-general. Pioneer Force: Brigadier-general
+Field. Troops: forty sabres 3d Native Cavalry;
+forty Scinde Horse; 3d and 4th company Bombay Sappers
+and Miners; two companies 33d Regiment; two companies
+Beloochees; one company Punjaub Pioneers.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+First Brigade, Brigadier-general Schneider.—Troops:
+Head-quarters wing 3d Dragoon Guards, 3d Native Cavalry,
+Scinde Horse, G battery, 14, Royal Artillery, A battery 21st
+company Royal Artillery, 4th King’s Own, Head-quarters
+and eight companies 33d, 10th company Royal Engineers,
+Head-quarters and two companies Beloochees, Head-quarters
+wing 10th Native Infantry.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Second Brigade, Brigadier-general Wilby.—Wing of 12th
+Bengal Cavalry, B battery 21st Royal Artillery, two 8-inch
+mortars, with detachment 5th battery 25th Royal Artillery,
+Rocket Naval Brigade, K company Madras Sappers, seven
+companies Punjaub Pioneers, wing of Beloochees.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+It will thus be seen that the 1st Division consists of four
+entire infantry regiments—the 4th, 33d, Beloochees, and
+Punjaub Pioneers—and a wing of the 10th Native Infantry,
+<pb n="303"/><anchor id="Pg303"/>of the 3d Native Cavalry, the Scinde Horse, a wing of the
+Dragoon Guards, and a wing of the 12th Bengal Cavalry,
+three batteries of Royal Artillery and two 8-inch mortars,
+and three companies of Sappers and Miners and one company
+of Royal Engineers; an admirably-selected force, and which,
+as long as it kept together, would be invincible.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Another general order has also been promulgated, which
+I have very great pleasure in giving, because it does full justice
+to a most meritorious and hardworking body of officers.
+I have the more pleasure in giving publication to the order,
+as it thoroughly indorses the opinion I have all along stated
+that the transport officers were in no way to blame for the
+confusion which took place at Zulla:
+</p>
+
+<p>
+<q>General Order.—Head-quarters, Camp Antalo, March
+4th.—The Commander-in-chief has lately received from the
+Director Transport Train, Abyssinia field force, a full and
+particular report of the service rendered to the corps by the
+officers under his command. His Excellency has perused this
+report with much satisfaction, and it is most gratifying to
+him to find that, in spite of the numerous and extraordinary
+difficulties with which the officers of the transport-train have
+had to contend, and notwithstanding the hard and unceasing
+work they have had to perform, they have, almost without
+exception, displayed an amount of steady determination to do
+their best which is beyond all praise. The Commander-in-chief
+begs to assure Major Warden and the officers under his
+command that the work performed by them has not been
+overlooked, and shall not be forgotten. His Excellency trusts
+that one and all will remember that upon their individual
+exertions depends, in a great measure, the success of the
+expedition. The transport-train, for reasons far beyond
+<pb n="304"/><anchor id="Pg304"/>the control of the officers belonging to it, has just commenced
+to assume that military organisation so requisite to its well-being,
+and for want of which at first it suffered so severely....
+The Commander-in-chief is well aware how much
+the services of the officers of the transport-train have been
+depreciated, and how unfairly blame has been attached to
+them for shortcomings beyond their control. His Excellency,
+however, assures them that he has never for a moment lost
+confidence in them, nor has he ever doubted that their exertions
+would eventually bring order and regularity out of
+confusion and indiscipline.... All cannot of course
+work under the eye of the Commander-in-chief, and comparatively
+few can accompany the advanced force; but his
+Excellency will make no distinction when the campaign is
+over between those who were in front and those who were
+necessarily in the rear. All by good work can contribute
+materially to the success of the campaign, and it will be by
+that standard, and by that alone, that his Excellency will be
+guided when making hereafter his report upon the services
+performed by the officers under his command.—By order of
+his Excellency the Commander-in-chief. Fred. Thesiger,
+lieutenant-colonel, deputy-adjutant-general.</q>
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Never was liberal praise more deserved, and it will be
+most gratifying to the men who have slaved and toiled almost
+night and day in the face of every possible discouragement.
+</p>
+
+<milestone unit="tb" rend="rule: 30%"/>
+</div><div>
+    <index index="toc" level1="Meshech, March 14th"/>
+    <index index="pdf" level1="Meshech, March 14th"/>
+
+<dateline>Meshech, March 14th.</dateline>
+
+<p>
+We have advanced two days’ marches into the Abyssinian
+hills, and at every step forward we see more clearly the
+diffi<pb n="305"/><anchor id="Pg305"/>culties with which we have to struggle. The first day’s journey
+was to Musgee; an easy march of eight miles across an
+undulating plain. At Musgee we found the two companies of
+the 33d, two of the 10th Native Infantry, and the Sappers
+and Miners, who constitute the pioneer force. They had just
+come in, recalled from the hard and unprofitable labour in
+the defile, and now prepared to set to work anew upon the
+new route. They report the pass as a tremendous defile,
+and say that the detachment of Scinde Horse have lost no
+less than seven horses either from falls or from over-fatigue.
+We were amused at the natives who came round, and absolutely
+made fun of the soldiers for their unsuccessful attempts
+at making roads in impassable places, when there
+was a good road ready at hand. The head-quarters and the
+other three companies of the 33d, and the company of the
+Punjaub Pioneers, were near the other end of the defile, and
+they had orders to push straight on to Attala, and begin to
+improve the road from the other end. At Musgee we had
+clear running water, which was really enjoyable after the
+stagnant stuff we had been drinking at Antalo. On the
+morning of the 13th Sir Robert Napier started with his staff
+and an escort at seven o’clock. The rest of the force left at
+ten precisely. The march was eight miles—a short distance
+apparently; but when I state that a great number of the
+animals did not arrive until eight in the evening, it will be
+at once seen that it was very much harder work than it
+appears at first sight. The first three or four miles of this
+road, or rather track, led along the hill-side, and then as the
+valley narrowed in, and its sides became very precipitous, it
+kept along the bottom. There we crossed and recrossed a
+little stream at least a dozen times; and much of the delay
+<pb n="306"/><anchor id="Pg306"/>and confusion was caused by mules insisting upon stopping
+to drink, and thereby of course bringing the whole line to a
+stop. This part of the march was by far the prettiest and
+most English we have seen out here. We were travelling in
+a grove of trees, with a thick underwood, except just where
+a path was cut wide enough for a single mule to pass. A
+really good-sized streamlet of clear water wound here and
+there, with quiet pools, and bright tumbling little cascades.
+Under our feet was a cool greensward, over our heads a
+shady screen of foliage. Imagine the charm of such a scene
+to us, who, except in an occasional secluded dell, have
+scarcely seen a tree, or felt shade, or heard the plash of
+falling water for months. How we should have liked to
+have halted, and to have enjoyed the turf and the shade for
+an hour or two! All our attention was required, however,
+for the work in hand, for in many places we had very rough
+bits, and the wood-nymphs and dryads must have been sorely
+startled at the shouting and tumult which arose in their quiet
+shades. On each side of us the mountains rose to a great
+height, crowned with perpendicular precipices, on one of
+which, seemingly accessible only to a bird, was the stronghold
+of some border chief. Presently the mountain sides receded
+a little, and we emerged into a small plain. In the centre
+of this ran the stream, and by its side were some very large
+trees, which I can best describe by saying they resemble oaks
+with willow-leaves. Here we encamped.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The troops had taken four hours to do the eight miles;
+but the commissariat animals, as I have stated, were more
+than double that time upon the road. Both at Musgee and
+here there is a great lack of grain for the animals. One
+pound of grain was all they got yesterday, and to-day at
+<pb n="307"/><anchor id="Pg307"/>twelve there is to be a similar large issue. If this sort of
+thing continues, the animals must inevitably break down.
+The drivers, after their day’s work was over, did go up into
+the hills and cut some grass; but the coarse grass contains
+very little nourishment, and the horses refuse to eat it. The
+mules eat it, indeed, but it can do them very little good. I
+have all along in my calculations of the probable duration of
+the campaign argued that we must expect to come to places
+where forage was not procurable, and that if we came to a
+place where for four days’ marches we could get no grain
+and but little grass, that we must come to a standstill and
+form dépôts. Of course the difficulty will be proportionately
+greater when we have the whole advance force, with its
+thousands of cavalry-horses and baggage-animals with us.
+We were to have started this morning at seven o’clock; but
+a messenger arrived at two this morning with a letter from
+the Commander-in-chief to General Staveley, saying that
+the road was so bad that we must halt for a day to enable
+the pioneer force to smooth some of the most impracticable
+places. We have also news of the head-quarters and three
+companies of the 33d who had pushed on by the <q>Phayre</q>
+road to Attala. They had a distance of fourteen miles to go,
+four of which they had comparatively cleared. They started
+early, and they got in the following day at twelve o’clock,
+having been twenty-eight hours on the road. The pioneer
+force is hard at work upon the road ahead, and to-morrow
+morning we start for Attala. It is stated to be an eight-mile
+march; but I hear that the opinion of those who have gone on
+is, that it is a good thirteen. At Attala I anticipate that we
+shall wait some days-that is, if forage is obtainable. Everything
+must now depend upon this vital point. We must
+<pb n="308"/><anchor id="Pg308"/>push-on to some place where abundant forage can be obtained,
+and we must then wait for the remainder of the force
+to come up. This must entail a halt of some days, whenever
+it is; for the 3d Dragoon Guards and the 12th Bengal
+Cavalry were both some marches’ distance from Antalo when
+we left, and they will, of course, have to make a halt of a
+day or two at that place upon their advance, to rest their
+animals. I hear that in the neighbourhood of Lât there
+is plenty of forage; in that case Lât will probably be our
+halting-place, if we find we cannot obtain sufficient grass and
+grain at Attala. Sportsmen have been looking forward to
+our arrival at Lake Ashangi, as game is likely to be abundant
+in that neighbourhood, especially wild-fowl. We have
+received a letter from Mr. Massinger, which shows that any
+attempt at wild-fowl shooting either at early dawn or at dusk
+is likely to be attended with some little danger. It is, he
+says, very difficult, and even dangerous, to approach the
+shores of the lake. They are very flat, and the whole surface
+of the ground has been broken up into chasms and crevasses,
+which are filled with soft mud, and are not easily distinguishable
+from the surrounding soil. A long stick plunged into
+the soft mud found no bottom, and a person falling into one
+of these would, unless immediate assistance was at hand, be
+inevitably lost. The natives say that these crevasses were all
+formed by an earthquake which took place about three years
+ago. Previous to that time the lake had an outlet through
+which the overflow water made its way into the Tacazze.
+This outlet is now stopped, and the water has risen and filled
+all these chasms made by the earthquake.
+</p>
+
+<milestone unit="tb" rend="rule: 30%"/>
+
+</div><div>
+<pb n="309"/><anchor id="Pg309"/>
+<index index="toc" level1="Mahkan, March 16th"/>
+    <index index="pdf" level1="Mahkan, March 16th"/>
+
+<dateline>Mahkan, March 16th.</dateline>
+
+<p>
+My last letter was dated from the pretty camping-ground
+bearing the scriptural denomination of Meshech. Thence to
+Atzala was a march of thirteen miles. The road led up the
+valley, as upon the previous day, for about six miles, and
+then we had a long, but fortunately tolerably gradual, climb
+up the saddle of the ridge. On the right of the summit of
+the pass is the Amba of Waldo: it is considerably the highest
+peak in the neighbourhood,—isolated, four-sided, and apparently
+perpendicular. As far as we could see, there were no
+walls or artificial defences. The huts which contain the garrison
+are built on ledges upon the face of the rock. Ledge
+is hardly the proper expression; for a ledge is a projection,
+whereas the huts are built in deep scores which run round
+the face. The rock overhead completely overhangs them;
+so that they are to a certain extent sheltered from the wind,
+which would, at an elevation of 12,000 feet above the sea, be
+otherwise almost unbearable in such an exposed condition.
+Waldo himself was at the top of the pass when we went
+along. He is a man of about thirty-five, with a very intelligent
+and pleasing face. A number of his warriors attended
+him, and he was very much interested in our various uniforms
+and appointments. He chatted for some time with General
+Staveley, who fired-off his revolver for his edification. The
+articles, however, that pleased him most were telescopes and
+field-glasses, and he expressed a strong desire for one. He
+was evidently acquainted with their use, for he shut one eye
+and examined the country through my telescope with a nautical
+air which would have done no discredit to the most
+aspiring midshipman. The Commander-in-chief presented
+<pb n="310"/><anchor id="Pg310"/>him with an excellent glass on the following day; and he
+will now from his eyrie be able to see any advancing foe in
+ample time to make his preparations for defence.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The descent from the top of the pass was much steeper
+and more severe than the ascent had been, and the train of
+mules was a very long time making its way to the bottom.
+Every animal that fell, every load which shifted, brought the
+whole line to a standstill. However, patience and care will
+effect wonders; and we got to the foot of the steep portion
+without a casualty among the animals.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+At Attala, or Atzala, as I find it is more correctly spelt,
+we found the Commander-in-chief encamped with the head-quarter
+wing of the 33d and a small escort of Scinde Horse
+and the 3d Native Cavalry. The Commander-in-chief intends,
+I believe, in future to accompany the Pioneer Force, and to
+judge for himself as to the capabilities of the roads, and to
+direct the work to be done to make them passable by the
+main body. Colonel Phayre will, however, still continue a
+couple of days’ march ahead, with a small escort. Sir Robert
+Napier gets through an immense quantity of work in the
+course of a day; and the following order, which has been
+lately issued, shows that he is unable to trust the political
+business, such as it is, out of his own hands, but is compelled
+to be his own political officer, as well as his own explorer:
+<q>The Commander-in-chief directs that in future all reports
+forwarded for his information by officers in the intelligence
+department may be sent to the political secretary, through
+the general or other officer commanding the division or post
+in which they may be serving. In special cases, where a
+more immediate communication to his Excellency may seem
+expedient, reports may be sent direct; copies of them,
+how<pb n="311"/><anchor id="Pg311"/>ever, being at once furnished to the officer’s immediate military
+superior. All instructions for the guidance of officers in
+the intelligence department will be sent to them by Captain
+Tweedie, political secretary, who must be considered as the
+sole officer authorised to convey to them his Excellency’s
+commands.</q>
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Atzala is situated in an extensive basin, apparently surrounded
+upon all sides by lofty hills. The abundance which
+we found at Antalo still continues, and the commissariat are
+able to purchase grain for the animals. I found upon my
+arrival in camp that Sir Robert Napier intended to push on
+at once with the Pioneer Force, leaving Sir Charles Staveley
+to follow, with an interval of a day or two, to allow the road
+to be improved. Sir Robert has also sent back for the light
+guns of Twiss’s Mountain Train, and for the Naval Rocket
+Brigade, both of which formed part of the 2d Brigade, according
+to the published list. There are two explanations of
+this order; the one being that he finds the roads so bad that
+he thinks it will perhaps be impossible to bring the heavy
+guns of Murray’s battery on without great loss of time; the
+other theory is, that he is now convinced that we shall have
+to fight at Magdala, and wishes to arrive there with as strong
+a force of artillery as possible. The advices from Magdala
+tell us that Theodore had received exact intelligence of our
+whereabouts and rate of moving; and that whereas, believing
+us to be nearer, he had decided upon waiting at Dalanta;
+and he has now pushed on with the greatest energy, and
+arrived with his guns and convoy quite close to Magdala.
+This is, I think, the best news we could receive. Theodore
+has evidently made up his mind to await us at any rate in
+his fortress. He may fight, he may pretend friendship, and
+<pb n="312"/><anchor id="Pg312"/>offer us the prisoners; but, at any rate, he will be there:
+whereas, if he had not been able to reach Magdala, he might
+have retired at our approach; and if he had ever taken to the
+hills, our expedition would have been almost interminable:
+once in Magdala, and surrounded, we are sure of him. Magdala
+may be, and I believe is, very strong, and may hold
+out for weeks; but we know that sooner or later we must
+have it. I believe that the guns we have will be useless,
+except for their moral effect upon the enemy. A shell thrown
+on to the summit of a rock fortress when the garrison were
+sheltered behind great boulders, or in caves or crevices, might
+alarm them, but would probably do very little harm. Our
+stock of missiles is very limited, and we shall probably have
+to take the place at last by assault. If Magdala at all approaches
+Waldo’s fortress in strength, an assault in the face
+of some thousands of determined men, commanded by a desperate
+chief like Theodore, will be no child’s-play even for
+British troops. A few stones rolled down would sweep the
+path of a whole line of stormers. A breastwork of great
+boulders rolled into position from above would baffle the
+bravest. People talk lightly of Magdala and its savage garrison;
+but if they prove true to their king, it will prove as
+hard a nut as British prowess ever had to crack. Officers
+speaking to me upon the subject have argued Magdala is
+probably not so strong as many of the hill-forts in India
+which we have in our time taken. This is no doubt true; as
+is the fact that the defenders of these hill-forts were as brave,
+and were in addition much better armed than are the garrison
+of Magdala. But, on the other hand, the defenders of
+Indian hill-forts knew what British troops were; they knew
+that our power was almost infinite; that we were the masters
+<pb n="313"/><anchor id="Pg313"/>of all India; and that sooner or later we could accumulate
+force enough to capture even the most seemingly impregnable
+fortress. It was, they knew, a mere question of time with
+us. However physically brave, the knowledge that final over-throw
+is certain, will to a great extent paralyse the efforts of
+any body of men. The reverse of all this is the case with
+Theodore’s soldiers. They have never fought but to conquer;
+they have a fanatical persuasion of the might of their leader,
+and believe in his star; they have been always told that
+Magdala is impregnable. For their enemies they have neither
+fear nor reverence. The few white men they have seen have
+been men of peace—missionaries and such-like—living but
+by their sufferance, and now for years held in the degrading
+position of captives. Theodore has impressed them with the
+belief that we are a mere nation of traders, and that although
+we manufacture good guns, and can use them at a distance,
+yet that we are wanting in courage, and no match for his
+men in a hand-to-hand fight. Doubtless, too, he will impress
+upon them the fact that we cannot have brought a large
+stock of ammunition for our guns across this long and difficult
+route; and that therefore his men have only to keep
+quiet and let us expend our missiles, and that then our power
+of doing harm will be at an end. He has, too, promised that
+they shall divide among themselves all our treasure and spoil;
+and as by this time they have probably heard that we are
+absolutely strewing the country with dollars, their idea of our
+probable spoil must be something magnificent.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+However, the problem of war or peace will soon be solved.
+At the rate at which we are now proceeding, another three
+weeks will see us in front of Magdala. Indeed, if we continue
+to press forward at the present rate, we should be at
+<pb n="314"/><anchor id="Pg314"/>our journey’s end in a fortnight, or, rather, we should be
+there if the whole of the mules did not die. To-day’s march
+has been fifteen of the longest and heaviest miles ever traversed,
+with scarcely a mile of level ground the whole distance.
+The difficulty began at the very start, for we had
+at once to climb a high and steep hill, and to descend at
+once on the other side. So long a time did this occupy,
+so many were the stoppages and breakdowns, that although
+the first of the train started before seven, it was ten before
+the last of the convoy of six hundred had even commenced
+the ascent. The Commander-in-chief was not to start till
+one o’clock, and a small party of mules would leave at that
+time with his tent, &amp;c. I therefore had, very fortunately as
+it turned out, resolved not to start my animals until the same
+time. After passing over the first hill, we came to another,
+which was the highest we had yet come to, being two hundred
+feet higher than the summit of the pass upon the preceding
+day. The ascent, although very long, was not very
+steep; indeed, all the hills we have crossed are much more
+precipitous on the southern than on the northern side. Here
+our difficulties commenced; for at the top of the hill were
+numbers of the animals who had started five hours before
+us. The descent was blocked up, and for ten minutes at a
+time everyone was brought to a stand-still. Great was the
+noise, tremendous the shouting in various languages. Once
+upon the descent of the hill, everyone kept in single file; but
+the confusion was greatest at the top, as everyone strove to
+get his own animal first upon the track. Here were Beloochees,
+Scinde Horse, Engineers, 33d men, and 3d Native
+Cavalry, all trying to insinuate the animals of which they
+were in charge into the straight line. Not unfrequently
+<pb n="315"/><anchor id="Pg315"/>some unfair effort to interlope ended in well-merited punishment,
+by one of the mules getting jammed between others,
+and his load pulled back over his tail. At last we got our
+animals fairly on to the descent, which was very steep and
+winding, and then there was nothing for it but patience.
+With our own animals we had no trouble, for we had long
+ago found out that although a string of four animals goes
+well enough along a plain, the only way to get them down
+steep places, or over very rough ground, is to unfasten them,
+and to make a servant go to each mule’s head. In this way,
+if the loads are properly packed upon Otago saddles, they
+will go anywhere; the mules can pick their way without
+being hurried, and the loads will not shift; whereas the government
+mules, being fastened three or four in a string,
+under the charge of a single driver, are continually coming
+to grief. The leading mule steps over stones or down steep
+places with comparative ease, and when on level ground
+steps boldly forward; while the unfortunate animals behind
+him, who are still on the difficult ground, are unable to pick
+their way, their heads are pulled into the air, they hang back
+and vainly resist, and either lie down at once, or are pulled
+off their legs. The present state of the Bombay saddles assists
+to aggravate the evil. The leather loops which were attached
+to them, and through which the ropes which fastened the
+baggage passed, are now in a majority of cases torn off, and
+the consequence is, that the load at once slips forwards or
+backwards immediately the animal gets upon an incline, and
+the saddle remains on the back, while the load rolls off. The
+mountain-side was thickly covered with shrubs; and as we
+went down in a long confused line, with the baggage-guard
+scattered at intervals along it, most of the men being
+in<pb n="316"/><anchor id="Pg316"/>cessantly employed in repacking the loads, with their arms
+piled near them while they did so, one could not but reflect that
+we shall have to travel in a very different fashion when we
+approach Magdala. Two or three hundred men, armed only
+with spears, concealed among the bushes, and rushing out
+at a given signal, could have annihilated the whole convoy
+before a bayonet could have been fixed or the slightest resistance
+offered. I believe that it is settled that we shall take
+no tents forward with us for the last three or four days’
+marches; and this, with the fact that a comparatively small
+number of mules will be required for the commissariat stores,
+will diminish our train to one-fourth of the present size. If
+Theodore has made up his mind to fight, there is little doubt
+that he will begin while we are in the passes. He has always
+been famous for his night-attacks, and we have been especially
+warned to beware of sudden attacks. The King of
+Tigre was very impressive on this score. Waldo, the other
+day, also warned us most earnestly to be upon our guard
+night and day. We had a turn-out of the troops this morning
+at Atzala. It took place at about ten in the morning,
+and was for a few minutes quite an exciting affair. With
+the exception only of Sir Charles Staveley and a few of his
+personal staff, no one knew whether it was a real alarm or
+not. We were now in the Gallas country, where we had
+been told to expect raids, and it was quite possible that the
+convoy, the rear of which was still mounting the hill, had
+been suddenly attacked. When, therefore, the first bugle
+sounded the alarm, and after a pause sounded again and
+again, quite a thrill ran through the camp. All the regimental
+bugles repeated the calls, and the camp presented
+the appearance of an ant-hive suddenly disturbed. The men
+<pb n="317"/><anchor id="Pg317"/>tumbled out from their tents in hot haste, buttoning-up their
+tunics and buckling-up their belts; the cooks and butchers
+left the half-cut-up carcasses, to run to their tents for their
+arms and accoutrements; officers shouted for their swords;
+the men who were out for wood or water came scampering
+up; the mule-drivers rapidly drove in the animals which were
+grazing on the plains; the dhoolie-bearers mustered round
+the palkees; the grasscutters buckled on swords of various
+descriptions; and I observed my servant busily engaged in
+loading a great double-barrelled pistol. The result showed
+that an enemy must manage to creep up very close before
+being observed, to catch us unawares. In two minutes and
+a half from the first bugle, the 4th were drawn up in close
+order in front of their lines, and being joined by the Beloochees,
+marched off, throwing out skirmishers before them.
+In another five minutes the Mountain Artillery were in motion,
+and the 3d Native Cavalry, who had, when the alarm
+sounded, been in their native undress, had dressed, saddled,
+and were dashing across the plain. A little in rear of the
+infantry the dhoolie-bearers were staggering along with their
+palkees, and an apothecary was in full chase with an armful
+of splints and bandages. It is evident that we shall not be
+caught asleep. Alarms of this sort do good occasionally, but
+should not be too often repeated, or the men get so accustomed
+to the cry of <q>Wolf!</q> that they will not believe it
+when the real animal makes his appearance.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+But I am leaving myself and my mules an unconscionable
+time upon the hill; scarcely, however, so long as I was there
+in reality, for it was getting dusk when I reached the foot,
+just three hours after my arrival at the top. There was no
+camp in sight, and, although we knew it was still six miles
+<pb n="318"/><anchor id="Pg318"/>distant, we were ignorant of the direction in which it lay.
+Fortunately, none of the loads had shifted, and we were
+thus enabled to push past great numbers of animals who
+were standing with their loads upon the ground beside them.
+It was a very weary and unpleasant six-miles’ march. There
+was no moon, and it soon became extremely dark; and as
+the way was a mere track, we were quite ignorant whether
+we were going in the right direction or not. Of course we
+followed mules in front of us, but there was no knowing
+whether they were going right—for a mule stopping for a
+minute, for a readjustment of the load, would lose sight of
+the one in advance, and would be just as likely as not to go
+in the wrong direction, and inevitably be followed by all in
+his rear. The way was across an undulating plain, with
+many deep nullahs covered with trees, and so dark that we
+could not see our horses’ ears. There was very little shouting
+now; everyone rode or walked along in a sort of sulky
+silence; the pace was of the slowest, the mules being scarcely
+able to crawl along. We could not pick our way, for we
+could not see the ground. Some got off and led their horses,
+others trusted to their horses’ eyes, and it was astonishing
+how well the animals picked their way; still there were some
+awkward falls. Even if one escaped these greater dangers,
+it was not pleasant to be caught by a bramble suddenly between
+the eyes, or to be nearly borne over the crupper of the
+horse by a stiff bough under the chin. At last, just when
+we had arrived at the conclusion that we must have missed
+our road, and that it would be better to draw off the way and
+pitch our tent until daybreak, we saw the camp-lights in the
+distance, and, after another mile’s travelling, arrived here,
+as I began this letter by saying, at half-past nine o’clock.
+</p>
+
+<milestone unit="tb" rend="rule: 30%"/>
+    </div><div>
+<pb n="319"/><anchor id="Pg319"/>
+<index index="toc" level1="Ashangi Lake, March 19th"/>
+        <index index="pdf" level1="Ashangi Lake, March 19th"/>
+
+<dateline>Ashangi Lake, March 19th.</dateline>
+
+<p>
+I finished my last letter on the night of my arrival at
+Mahkan, very tired, very hungry, and a good deal out of
+temper. We halted at Mahkan on the 17th, as the animals
+imperatively needed a day’s rest. There can be no question
+that these very long marches are a mistake in every way.
+Many of the animals which started at seven in the morning
+did not get in until ten or eleven o’clock next day; and
+fatigue of this sort, together with an almost starvation diet,
+is too much for any animals. The number which actually
+died upon the road was very small—only three or four, I am
+told; but then the animals have had a rest at Antalo, and
+have still some little strength left. I have no hesitation, however,
+in saying that three or four such marches as this would
+find the great majority of the transport-train animals <hi rend="italic">hors de
+combat</hi>. It is terribly fatiguing too for the troops. Nor is
+anything gained by it. The old proverb, <q>the more haste
+the less speed,</q> is amply verified. We did fifteen miles, and
+then had to halt a day; whereas had we halted at a spring
+at the foot of the steep descent, six miles from Mahkan, the
+animals could have easily marched some miles beyond Mahkan
+on the following day. Fifteen miles over a flat country is
+one thing, fifteen miles over a succession of mountains, with
+a rifle, sixty rounds of ammunition, and etceteras, is quite
+another; and I sincerely trust that we shall not again attempt
+such a tremendous march as this.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The mule-train is at present all that can be desired. The
+number of animals attached to the advanced division is 8000,
+and comprises the Lahore mule-train, the Raul Pindee
+mule-<pb n="320"/><anchor id="Pg320"/>train, and the A and D divisions of the transport-train. I
+have had occasion more than once to speak of the efficiency
+of the Lahore and Pindee trains, which arrived from Bengal
+in the most perfect order, and which, being marched straight
+to Senafe, did not share in the general disruption at Zulla.
+The A division, under Captain Griffiths, I have also spoken
+of, as being in excellent condition. This is the division which
+went up with the exploring party to Senafe, and staying there,
+partially escaped the crash. The D division is commanded
+by Captain Twentyman; an officer whose energy and devotedness
+at Zulla during the worst times helped to pull the transport-train
+through its greatest difficulties, as I had the pleasure
+of testifying at the time. These four divisions are under
+the control of Captain Hand, of the Lahore mule-train, who
+has been appointed their director. He is an able and energetic
+officer, and his management of the train gives the highest
+satisfaction. The transport-train authorities at Zulla have
+nothing whatever to do with the advanced portion, which is
+under the sole orders of Captain Hand.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+On the morning after our arrival at Mahkan the wing of
+the 33d was sent on to make the road, the head-quarter camp
+remaining with only the escort of the 2d Horse and 3d Cavalry.
+In the afternoon, however, a party of Beloochees and
+Punjaub Pioneers came in. During the day a man came in
+with one of the curious lozenge-shaped guitars I have already
+described, and kept up a monotonous chanting for some time.
+The words Magdala and Tèdros were the only words generally
+recognised; and it was supposed that he was singing some
+song he had composed in our honour. An interpreter, however,
+who happened to come up, undeceived us by explaining
+that the singer, relying upon our ignorance of the language,
+<pb n="321"/><anchor id="Pg321"/>was reciting our certain defeat, and the vengeance that Theodore
+would take upon us. I have no fear of the man turning
+out a true prophet; but it is certain that the people of the
+country generally look upon our chance of victory over Theodore
+as being a very poor one indeed. Yesterday morning
+we started at eight o’clock on our march to this place, and,
+owing to the 33d having gone on, our baggage-train was
+much smaller, and the difficulties and delays proportionately
+less. We found, upon mounting the first hill, that we had
+come on an entirely new and agreeable phase of Abyssinian
+scenery. Instead of the bare hills and plains over which, interspersed
+with wooded valleys, we had journeyed since we
+entered Abyssinia, we were transported at one bound into the
+very heart of Switzerland. Everywhere to the very mountain-tops
+was a pine-forest. In some places the trees grew
+closely together, with a thick underwood, which shut-in the
+path on both sides, and through which the road had been partially
+cleared by the 33d. At other times the trees were more
+thinly scattered about, or stood in clumps, affording every
+variety of park-like scenery. It was a delightful ride for
+about six miles through these, the road being smooth and
+easy. At the end of that time our difficulties began, the way
+lying over and along steep and very rocky hills covered with
+forest and brushwood. The General had expected to have
+found the road to a certain extent cleared by the 33d, but
+owing to an error, for which Major Cooper was in no way to
+blame, they had scarcely begun their work when we passed,
+instead of having been engaged upon it for twenty-four hours.
+Their orders had been to encamp at a stream five miles on
+from Mahkan, and then to set to work upon the road; and
+as they had started twenty-four hours before ourselves, it was
+<pb n="322"/><anchor id="Pg322"/>anticipated that the road would be perfectly practicable for
+mules by the next day. The 33d were, however, furnished
+with no guide, and the spring was not visible from the line of
+march; consequently they marched past it, and did not find
+out their error until they were miles ahead. Major Cooper
+then determined upon the best course to be pursued, namely,
+to march straight on to this station, to encamp there, and to
+march his men back at daybreak to work upon the road.
+They had done a good deal when we arrived; but of course
+the mules stopped their work for a time. In some places the
+track was very bad; and at one of these, a rocky wall along
+a ledge, on the face of which we had to pass, I found Sir
+Robert Napier himself engaged in planning another road to
+avoid this obstacle, which was dangerous in a high degree for
+loaded animals, as the projecting load nearly pushed each one
+over the edge. No accident, so far as I heard, occurred, and
+the delays were nothing like so long or tedious as those we
+had incurred on many previous occasions, while the delightful
+shade, the songs of <anchor id="corr322"/><corr sic="innumnerable">innumerable</corr> birds, and the fresh odour of
+the pine-trees rendered these halts most enjoyable. At last
+we reached the summit of the last ascent, and below us, at a
+distance of five miles, lay Lake Ashangi, a pretty sheet of
+water of about three miles in diameter. Its shores are in
+some places quite flat, but in others hills come down with
+gradual slopes to its very edge. Looking at England for an
+illustration, I should say that, except in being smaller, it more
+resembles Ulleswater than any of our other north-country
+lakes.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Beyond the lake several mountain-ranges rise one beyond
+another, and offer no prospect of easy journeys for some time
+to come. Our camp is pitched half a mile from the lake
+<pb n="323"/><anchor id="Pg323"/>upon ground which slopes gradually down to the water’s
+edge, above the level of which we are probably elevated
+thirty feet. The lake and its shores swarm with ducks and
+geese. The latter are very tame, and walk about to graze in
+the most unconcerned manner. A great many have been
+shot, and are, although rather fishy, fair eating. The great
+difficulty attending the sport is the exceedingly boggy nature
+of the ground. The fissures spoken of by Mr. Munzinger,
+and which I mentioned in my last upon the authority of his
+letters, are simply nonsense. It is a large and in some
+places a dangerous bog; but it is simply and purely a bog,
+and nothing else. I was out yesterday with my gun, as were
+a dozen others, and although I went in above my boots, I
+came upon nothing really impassable, nor, with one exception,
+did I hear of any one else doing so. Captain Hogg,
+however, of the quartermaster’s department, got upon a very
+bad part of the bog, and was some time finding his way out;
+indeed, he fell into one deep place, where he would unquestionably
+have lost his life had he not had a man with him,
+who was able to put the end of his gun within reach of
+Captain Hogg’s hand, and so draw him out of the quagmire,
+into which he was sinking fast. All round the level shore of
+the lake, a belt of white mud of sixty or seventy yards wide
+extends. Upon this the game congregate, and are safe from
+the sportsmen, as the mud will not support a man’s weight,
+and the dead birds could not be recovered. The geese in
+plumage more resemble ducks than geese, being dark brown
+and green, with a large white patch upon the under part of
+the wing, and which only shows during their flight. A good
+many escape, who would fall victims to large shot; but the
+amount of ammunition in camp is scanty, and the shot
+gene<pb n="324"/><anchor id="Pg324"/>rally of small sizes, which merely rattle against a goose’s
+feather at a distance of fifty yards.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+To-day we have remained here quietly. Another durbar
+has taken place; the ambassador, or nuncio—the latter, I
+suppose, being the appropriate word—having come in from
+the chief Ulem of the Gallas tribes. This man has immense
+influence with the Gallas, who are Mahommedans; and it
+was therefore a matter of great importance to conciliate
+him as far as possible. I have already described two of
+these official receptions, and as this was precisely similar to
+those I have before written about, I need not enter into particulars.
+The only variety was, that the proceedings opened
+with a long letter from the Ulem to Sir Robert Napier. It
+was of a most friendly character, and expressed the priest’s
+concurrence in the <q>belief which we hold in common,
+namely,</q> he said, <q>the Old and New Testament, and the
+Koran.</q> I was not aware that the Koran was an essential
+part of our creed, but I have learnt something from the
+Ulem’s letter. Later on, too, he speaks of Mahomet as the
+only true mediator. These, however, were not, apparently,
+according to the Ulem’s view, points of vital difference, and
+he accordingly states that he prays unceasingly in our behalf,
+which is, at any rate, kind on his part. He warned us very
+solemnly to be extremely watchful and ever upon our guard,
+and the general tone of his letter was anything but hopeful.
+He mentioned that it was the custom of the country to send
+presents to travellers, and that he therefore sent the chief a
+present, but that the greatest present he could give us would
+be his prayers. One thing is certain, if his prayers are not
+of vastly greater value than his other present, they will not be
+of any great worth, for the material present was a pot of
+<pb n="325"/><anchor id="Pg325"/>honey, value one dollar. The chief of course replied civilly,
+expressed our toleration of all religions and opinions, and
+that we had many Mussulmans in our ranks, and stated our
+friendly feelings towards the people of the country. He
+wound up by giving presents of robes, &amp;c., for the priests.
+These robes were put upon the ambassador, who is a son of
+the Ulem, and one of the most inane-looking young men I
+have seen in Abyssinia. His face, as he was being invested
+in the robes, was one of the most comic things I ever saw,
+and the officers present had the greatest difficulty in restraining
+their gravity. He looked exactly like a baboon
+affecting humility. Later in the afternoon another chief
+came in, preceded by tom-tom and flutes, and accompanied
+by a considerable body of warriors. A remarkable thing
+which I noticed then, and which I had not before seen, was
+that they carried headless lances, in token of amity.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+We had rather a curious scene this afternoon. A native
+was detected in the act of thieving, and was sentenced by
+Colonel Fraser, who acts as provost-marshal, to two dozen
+lashes. His friends and relatives, however, made so great a
+howling that the Commander-in-chief came out of his tent to
+see what was the matter. Finding that the natives took the
+matter greatly to heart, he gave the man over to be punished
+by themselves; and after a palaver of an hour, he was sentenced
+to pay one quarter of the value of the article stolen,
+or to receive six blows with a stick. Mr. Speedy was about
+to remonstrate with them upon the insufficiency of the punishment,
+when the chief who had acted as judge drew him
+aside, and stated that in the course of the examination they
+had found that the offender was a Christian, whereas they
+were themselves Mussulmans; and that if they were to punish
+<pb n="326"/><anchor id="Pg326"/>him as he deserved, it would cause a war. Throughout
+Abyssinia,—that is, as far as we have travelled,—even where
+Christians are in the majority, the Mahommedans look down
+upon them; and there is no doubt that in a moral point of
+view the Mahommedans are greatly the superior. Christianity
+certainly does not work well among natives. Both in India
+and here a Christian is by no means a man of high standing
+either in respectability or morality. It is singular that the
+abodes of the natives here are precisely similar to those at
+Zulla. There they were built of wattles, with conical thatched
+roofs. Since that time we have passed mud huts with flat
+roofs, stone huts with flat roofs, stone huts with thatched
+roofs, and now we have again come upon the Zulla type of
+cottages, wattled walls with conical thatched roofs. The
+villages are always perched upon eminences, and the houses
+are crowded together and surrounded by a thick fence of
+boughs, with the ends outwards like a military abattis. The
+natives are not quite so dark as the people of Tigre, and are
+not so well armed, for I have not seen any fire-arms among
+them. Sir Charles Staveley has, I hear, arrived at Mahkan,
+with the 4th, the 3d Native Cavalry, and Penn’s battery. He,
+like ourselves, is engaged in road-making. The orders are,
+that the pioneer force are to make the road practicable for
+mules, and that General Staveley’s force is to make it practicable
+for elephants. As elephants can go almost everywhere
+that mules are able to do, he will not be long delayed, and
+will probably arrive at Lât, which is two days’ march forward,
+within a day or two of ourselves. It is probable that
+we shall halt two or three days there, to allow the force to
+concentrate. I hear that Twiss’s Mountain Train and the
+Naval Rocket Brigade are only a march behind General
+<pb n="327"/><anchor id="Pg327"/>Staveley, and will arrive with him at Lât. I have seen to-night
+that the 45th has also been ordered to come on at once,
+to form part of the first division. This order will not only
+give satisfaction to the regiment itself, but also to us all; for
+the 45th is said to be one of the best and most efficient regiments
+in India.
+</p>
+
+<milestone unit="tb" rend="rule: 30%"/>
+</div><div>
+    <index index="toc" level1="Lât, March 21st"/>
+    <index index="pdf" level1="Lat, March 21st"/>
+
+<dateline>Lât, March 21st.</dateline>
+
+<p>
+We had all looked forward to a halt at this place for at
+least two or three days. This hope, however, has not been
+realised; for we arrived this afternoon, and start again to-morrow
+morning, at which time our real hardships may be
+said to commence in earnest. But it is better, before I enter
+upon this, to relate our doings of the last two days.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Leaving our camp near Ashangi, the road ran on level
+ground parallel to the lake for a mile or so, and then, the
+mountains approaching to the edge of the water, we had to
+climb over the spur. The height was not very great, but it
+was one of the roughest, and certainly the steepest climb we
+have yet had. Once on the crest, the hill sloped gradually
+down, and we presently came upon the water again near
+the head of the lake. This spot was the next day the scene
+of a fatal accident. Two or three officers came down to
+shoot, and one of the birds fell into the water. One of
+their servants, who was a good swimmer, at once went in to
+fetch it out. It is probable that he was seized with cramp,
+for he sank suddenly. Captain Pottinger at once jumped in,
+and swam out to the spot, but was unable to see anything of
+him. Our camping-ground was about two miles distant from
+<pb n="328"/><anchor id="Pg328"/>the head of the lake, upon flat ground. The distance from
+Ashangi was little over six miles.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+We halted here the next day in order to let General Staveley’s
+Brigade reach Ashangi. This they did upon the day
+after we had left it. There was considerable regret in camp
+to hear that General Staveley himself, who had been attacked
+at Atzala with acute rheumatism, was very much worse, and
+had been carried in a palkee. He had entirely lost the use
+of his limbs, and it was considered improbable that he would
+be able to come on farther with the army. This would be a
+very great loss for the expedition, and I sincerely hope that
+their apprehensions will not be verified.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The morning of our halt, a general order was promulgated
+which filled us with consternation. No baggage whatever is
+to be henceforward allowed either for men or officers. Soldiers
+are to carry their greatcoat, a blanket, and waterproof sheet,
+in addition to their rifle, ammunition, havresack, &amp;c. This
+will bring the weight to be carried by each man up to fifty-five
+pounds; an overwhelming weight over such a tremendous
+country as that which we have to traverse, and beneath a tropical
+sun. I question very much whether the men will be able
+to stand it, and several of the medical staff to whom I have
+spoken are quite of that opinion. What the roads are likely
+to be, is manifest enough by a portion of the general order,
+which says that in future no mule is to carry over 100
+pounds; and yet the authorities put more than half that
+weight upon a man’s shoulders. It is not even as if the
+men had their knapsacks, in which the greatcoat, &amp;c. could
+be packed, and carried with comparative ease; they will
+have to be slung over the shoulders by the coat-arms, and will
+distress the soldier far more than they would have done if
+<pb n="329"/><anchor id="Pg329"/>carried in knapsacks. It was an extraordinary oversight
+leaving the knapsacks behind at Antalo; for it was evident
+even then that they would be required. Unmounted officers
+are to have a greatcoat, blanket, and waterproof-sheet carried
+for them, and mounted officers may carry what they can put
+upon their horses. No baggage-animals whatever are to go
+forward with luggage. The men are to be packed twenty in
+a bell tent, and twelve officers are to have the same accommodation.
+More than a fourth part of the soldiers are out on
+picket and guard every night; therefore the number of men
+in each tent will be practically about the same as the officers.
+Fancy twelve officers in a tent! They will be packed like
+herrings in a tub; and men are calculating to-day how many
+square inches of ground each will possess. Everyone takes
+it good-humouredly, and there is no grumbling whatever;
+but for all that, it is rather a serious business. If it were for
+two or three days, it would be all well enough; but Magdala
+is a considerable distance from here. The Quartermaster-general’s
+department talk about a six days’ march. Captain
+Speedy says that sixteen is very much nearer the mark; and
+as he has a knowledge of the country, while the Quartermaster’s
+department have uniformly been wrong in their
+distances, it is safe to assume that it is a fifteen days’ march;
+that is to say, even without allowing a day for the capture
+of Magdala, or for arranging matters there, we cannot be
+back to Lât under a month. There is some talk of the baggage
+coming up after us; but this will certainly not come to
+anything. I know that we have barely animals enough with
+us to carry our food, and every available mule in the rear is
+coming on with Staveley’s Brigade. We may, then, calculate
+with tolerable certainty that we shall not get any of our
+bag<pb n="330"/><anchor id="Pg330"/>gage until we return to Lât, which, at the very earliest, will
+be a month hence, and not improbably twice that time. We
+are told that the cold at night is very great on ahead, and
+that the rains are heavy and frequent. It is therefore a very
+serious matter for men to start without a single change of
+clothes of any kind. Putting aside the rain, the men will
+suffer so greatly from the heat, and from the labour of climbing
+mountains with so heavy a load upon their backs, that it
+would be a most material matter for them to have at any rate
+a dry flannel-shirt to put on when the cold evening wind
+begins to blow. Time will show how the men stand it; but it
+is certainly a hazardous experiment.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+This morning we started for this place. Lât has always
+been spoken of as a place where we should halt and form a
+dépôt, and we had therefore expected to have found a large
+village; but as far as I have seen, there is not a native hut in
+the neighbourhood. Upon leaving our last camping-ground,
+we ascended a lofty and steep hill, and then had to wind for
+a long distance upon a rocky ledge, where a false step would
+have been certain death. After several minor rises and descents,
+we came down to the valley in which the stream, near
+which we are encamped, runs. Although there are no villages
+in sight, there must be a considerable native population in the
+neighbourhood, for a large number of natives have come in
+with supplies. The officers of the transport-train are buying
+every sword and spear brought in, for the use of the muleteers;
+as, although Theodore is reported at Magdala, he might at
+any moment make a sudden march down with a few thousand
+men, and might be upon us before we knew that he
+was within fifty miles’ distance. Should we be attacked in
+one of these gorges, or on a narrow ledge with a precipice
+<pb n="331"/><anchor id="Pg331"/>below, scattered as we should necessarily be over an immense
+length of road, Theodore might, by a sudden attack
+upon our baggage, do such damage in a few minutes, that
+we might be obliged to retire to Antalo, to fetch up fresh
+supplies. There is no disguising the fact, that in making our
+rush from such a long distance we are running no inconsiderable
+risk.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Sir Robert Napier’s original plan was to have formed a
+dépôt with five months’ provisions at some place about half-way
+between Antalo and Magdala, and to have marched forward
+from that place with two months’ provisions. Instead
+of this we are starting from Lât with only fifteen days’ provisions,
+and there is no dépôt of any importance, nor will
+there be, nearer than Antalo itself. The whole of the available
+mules will accompany the advancing division, and we shall
+have to depend entirely for future supplies upon the native
+carriage. The stock of food we have with us will barely last
+us to Magdala; we know not whether we shall be able to
+purchase any flour on the way, or how we may fare for forage
+for our animals. Between Antalo and Magdala are many
+tribes and chiefs,—we have already passed Waldo Yasus and
+the Gallas,—and some of these, after we have passed, may
+take it into their heads to stop the native animals going up
+with stores; and the whole of the system upon which we have
+solely to depend would then break down, and our position
+would be as precarious a one as it is possible to imagine. It
+is indeed a tremendous risk to run; but then we are playing
+for a very high stake. We are running a race with the rains.
+If we were to stop here for a fortnight or three weeks, and to
+send the whole of the transport animals down to Antalo to
+fetch up more provisions, we should infallibly have to wait
+<pb n="332"/><anchor id="Pg332"/>out here over the rainy season; and the difficulties of provisioning
+the force during that period, and the probable mortality
+which might ensue, would be so great that Sir Robert
+Napier no doubt considers himself justified in running a very
+considerable risk in order to reach the sea-coast before the
+rains. Of course the matter has been discussed and talked
+over in every light among the officers; and the general opinion
+is, that unless we obtain an unlooked-for supply, as we did
+at Antalo, somewhere between this and Magdala, our position
+will be a very critical one. With most other generals,
+men would, I think, be inclined to take rather a gloomy view
+of it; but everyone has such confidence in Sir Robert Napier
+that they are quite content to leave matters in his hands.
+</p>
+
+<milestone unit="tb" rend="rule: 30%"/>
+</div><div>
+    <index index="toc" level1="Dildee, March 24th"/>
+    <index index="toc" level1="Dildee, March 24th"/>
+
+<dateline>Dildee, March 24th.</dateline>
+
+<p>
+I sent off a very hurriedly-written letter two days since
+from Lât. In these two days we have crossed thirty-one miles
+of as rough a country as the warmest admirer of the desolate
+and savage could wish to see. Around us, as far as the eye
+could reach, was stretched a perfect sea of mountains; and
+up and down these we have tumbled and stumbled—not a
+few horses getting tremendous falls—from morning until
+long after nightfall. It has been one long monotonous toil.
+Sometimes we climb upon smooth slippery rock; then we
+ascend steep paths covered with loose boulders of every size;
+then we are upon a narrow ledge on a mountain’s face; then
+we are crashing through thick bushes. One can no longer
+keep count of the number of ravines we cross, for we climb
+a dozen hills a day. It would puzzle even the engineers of
+the Topographical Department to lay down this rugged and
+<pb n="333"/><anchor id="Pg333"/>broken country in a map. It would be as easy to make a
+map of the Straits of Dover, and to draw each wave to its
+proper scale. The toil of the troops during these two days
+has been tremendous. The first day’s march was thirteen
+miles; yesterday’s was eighteen,—many say it was twenty;
+but I think a long eighteen was about the mark. Eighteen
+miles would be a long march in England, but here it is a
+tremendous journey. Each man is carrying with him ammunition,
+&amp;c.—fifty-five pounds—more than half a mule-load.
+In addition to this, most of the troops are now upon baggage-guard,
+and have to assist in constantly adjusting loads and
+looking after the mules. Lastly, a fourth of the troops are
+out every night upon picket. I had occasion, in a letter
+written from Mahkan, to speak upon the cruel over-marching
+of men and animals; but that was nothing to these two days’
+marches. The country now is much rougher, the distances
+longer, and the men have in addition to carry their kits. The
+troops came in last night in a prostrate state; very many
+did not come in at all. I should say that not more than half
+the baggage arrived until this morning; and to add to the
+other disagreeables, we had a tremendous thunderstorm about
+eight o’clock, which wetted every soul, except the very few
+who had been fortunate enough to get up their tents, to the
+skin. The men have no change of clothes with them, and of
+course had to sleep in their wet clothes. Of those who were
+on the road when the rain began, some held on and came
+straggling in up to ten o’clock; the greater number, however,
+unrolled their blanket and waterproof-sheet, and lay
+down where they were for the night. I say fearlessly that
+such a march over such a country was never before made by
+similarly-weighted men. Of course we have to halt to-day,
+<pb n="334"/><anchor id="Pg334"/>and then by to-night we shall have progressed a less distance
+towards Magdala than we should have done had we made
+three days’ marches of, say, eleven miles each. Nor is there
+any reason why we should not have done so. We are fortunately
+now in a well-watered country. Good-sized streams
+run between each of the higher ranges, and we crossed four
+or five of them yesterday.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+General Staveley, who I am glad to hear is better, is only
+one day in our rear. An officer has gone back this morning
+to direct him to halt to-night at the stream three and a half
+miles behind. The weather has been warmer for the last two
+days, and this has of course increased the labour of the soldiers.
+Had it not been for the frequent occurrence of water,
+I do not think that one quarter of the troops would have
+got in last night. Yesterday’s camp was admirably chosen
+for defensive purposes, being surrounded on all sides by a
+deep nullah. To-day’s camp is convenient, and is also defended
+on one side by a nullah, but has the disadvantage
+that the nullah is two hundred feet deep, and is extremely
+precipitous, the water being only accessible even on foot at
+two places, and consequently the difficulty of watering the
+animals is very great. The water, however, and indeed all
+that we have met with for the last day or two, is delicious.
+This is indeed a treat. Hitherto the water has been singularly
+nasty—thick and full of insects when stagnant, earthy
+and bad-tasting when running. Here it is fresh, clear, and
+pure. Rum is quite at a discount. The ravine through
+which the stream runs is very picturesque. The slope is
+steep, but well-wooded down to the bottom of the nullah;
+but the stream itself has cut a way from twenty to thirty
+feet wide through the solid rock at the bottom. The sides
+<pb n="335"/><anchor id="Pg335"/>are as perpendicular as walls, and are in some places
+thirty feet deep. It is only, as I have said, at two points
+that we can get down to the water. This narrow gorge is
+overhung with trees, and in every cranny and on every tiny
+ledge grow lovely patches of green ferns. It requires no
+stretch of fancy to imagine oneself by the side of a pretty
+mountain-stream in Wales or Ireland. The vegetation is too
+bright and varied for a Highland stream. Nearly every
+officer in camp, and a good number of the men, have been
+down this morning for a bathe, which is doubly refreshing
+after the fatigue of yesterday and the paucity of our present
+washing appliances. The camp yesterday morning presented
+quite an unusual appearance. The head-quarter camp had
+shrivelled in dimensions from twenty tents down to four; and
+outside of them, soon after daybreak, the whole staff might
+be seen engaged in the various processes of washing and
+dressing. Twelve men may manage to sleep in a tent, but
+it is quite impossible that they can simultaneously dress there.
+Not, indeed, that any of the tents contained their full complement.
+Some had slung their blankets like hammocks upon
+the trees; others were content to roll themselves in their
+rugs, and sleep upon a waterproof-sheet under a bush; and
+besides this there was a hospital-tent, and as there are no
+sick, some of the officers were drafted off into this. Indeed,
+all might have been very much more comfortable, had those
+of their number who, like ourselves, have brought <hi rend="italic">tentes
+d’abri</hi>, been allowed to carry them on their horses. I was
+very fortunate in getting into shelter before the storm came
+on last night. I had ridden on before my spare horse, which,
+with my tent and etceteras upon his back, was nearly at the
+rear of the column. I arrived here about half-past four,
+<pb n="336"/><anchor id="Pg336"/>having been nearly nine hours upon the road; and I was
+fairly exhausted when I got in from fatigue and want of food.
+Fortunately, however, the natives had brought in bread for
+sale, and after eating some of this, and going down to the
+nullah for a bathe, I was quite restored again. I was not,
+however, comfortable in my mind; for the clouds had been
+banking-up fast, and the thunder had been almost incessant
+in the hills for the last two hours. I could see by the baggage
+which was coming in, that my animal could not, if he
+kept his place in the line, be in for hours, if at all. When
+I got up to the camp, I was delighted to see my little tent
+pitched. My companion, who had been behind me, had,
+finding that the road was badly blocked, got them along by
+other paths, fortunately without more damage than one of the
+horses falling over a precipice twelve or thirteen feet high,
+into some bushes, which broke the animal’s fall. The horse
+was but little hurt; and with this slight mishap, which is
+nothing here, where horses and mules are constantly rolling
+over steep places, he had succeeded in getting into camp
+three or four hours before the animals could have possibly
+reached it, had they kept in their original place in the line;
+indeed it was most improbable that they could have got in
+last night at all. The lightning during the next half-hour
+was incessant, and before the dinner could be cooked, great
+drops began to patter down. We shouted to the servants to
+do the best they could for themselves with their blankets and
+waterproof-sheets, while we took refuge in our little tent,
+with an officer whose baggage, like that of the great majority,
+had not arrived. In a minute or two, it came down almost in
+a sheet. We lit our pipes, and consoled ourselves that if we
+had nothing to eat, we were no worse off than anyone else,
+<pb n="337"/><anchor id="Pg337"/>whereas we were in shelter, while hardly another soul was so.
+While thus philosophising to our own contentment, the front
+of the tent was suddenly opened, and a hand was thrust in
+with a dish of cutlets, then plates and knives and forks.
+Our fellows had nobly stuck to their work, preferring to get
+drenched to the skin rather than that their masters should
+go without dinner. These Goa-men are certainly excellent
+servants. They are not physically strong: they are quiet,
+weakly-looking men, with little energy and no habitude to
+hardships. They make capital hotel-waiters, but could scarcely
+have been expected to have supported the fatigue of a campaign
+like this. They do so, however, and seem none the
+worse for it. Altogether they are worth any money upon
+an expedition of this sort, and are infinitely more serviceable
+than an English servant would be.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The storm ceased last night at about half-past ten. It
+is now thundering among the distant hills, and it is evident
+that we shall have, this afternoon, a repetition of last night’s
+storm. It will, however, find us better prepared to withstand
+it. The natives are bringing in an abundance of goods of all
+kinds. Honey, grain, onions, goats, sheep, fowls, bread, and
+eggs. The fowls and eggs are the first we have seen since
+Attegrat. Prices rule about the same. Two little fowls, a
+dollar; twelve eggs—about half of which average bad—at
+the same price. A bottle of honey, a dollar, &amp;c. Dear as
+things are, it is unnecessary to say that they are all eagerly
+bought up. We are accustomed to high prices now; and I
+heard a soldier, who did not get in until this morning, say
+that he paid a dollar in the night for a drink of water.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Of course we have now a constant succession of news from
+the front. It is very contradictory, but the general report is
+<pb n="338"/><anchor id="Pg338"/>that Theodore is marching towards Dalanta, to attack us on
+our way. Some of the spies assert that two o’clock on Friday
+night is the hour fixed for our destruction. If Theodore
+does mean, as is likely enough, to make a night attack, I do
+not think he would be weak enough to let it be known many
+hours beforehand as to where it will take place. However,
+it is no use offering any speculation now upon events which
+we may see determined in two or three days, and the result
+of which will be known by telegraph long before this letter
+can reach London.
+</p>
+
+<milestone unit="tb" rend="rule: 30%"/>
+</div><div>
+    <index index="toc" level1="Santarai, March 29th"/>
+    <index index="pdf" level1="Santarai, March 29th"/>
+
+<dateline>Santarai, March 29th.</dateline>
+
+<p>
+We are beginning to believe Magdala to be a <hi rend="italic">fata morgana</hi>,
+an <hi rend="italic">ignis fatuus</hi>, which gets more and more distant the
+nearer we approach it. At Dildee we were told that it was
+only four marches distant. We have made three marches,
+and have sixty more miles to go; and yet Magdala is not
+more than twenty-five miles in a straight line, and is visible
+from a point four miles distant from this camp. It is found,
+however, that the country is perfectly impracticable, and that
+we must take a detour of sixty miles to get there. I can
+hardly imagine what this country in a direct line to Magdala
+can be like, for we have passed over hundreds of miles which
+no one would have imagined it possible for an army with its
+baggage-animals to surmount. We have scaled mountains
+and descended precipices; we have wound along the face of
+deep ravines, where a false step was death; we are familiar
+with smooth slippery rock and with loose boulders; and after
+this expedition it can hardly be said that any country is impracticable
+for an army determined to advance. I hear, however,
+that between this and Magdala there are perpendicular
+<pb n="339"/><anchor id="Pg339"/>precipices running like walls for miles, places which could
+scarcely be scaled by experienced cragsmen, much less by
+loaded mules. We must therefore make a detour. It is
+tiresome, for everyone is burning with impatience to be at
+Magdala, and to solve the long-debated problems—will Theodore
+fight? will he fight in the open, or defend Magdala?
+or will he hand over the captives with an apology? and shall
+we be content to receive one? I believe that I can answer
+the last question with certainty. We shall not. If Theodore
+sends in the captives we shall receive them, but shall certainly
+exact retribution from him. We shall either take him
+prisoner or compel him to fly. If we obtain the prisoners
+unhurt, we shall still take Magdala. If he escape to the
+mountains with a few adherents, we shall, in that case, be
+content to retire, and to leave the task of hunting him down
+to his numerous enemies; but if he murder the prisoners we
+shall ourselves remain here until he is captured. I think I
+may positively state that this, or something very like it, is
+the tenor of the instructions given to Sir Robert Napier by
+the Government; and I think that they will be heartily approved
+by all, except by those negrophilists who deny that a
+black man can do wrong. It would be impossible to allow
+Theodore to go unpunished; indeed, it would be offering a
+premium to all savage potentates in future time to make
+prisoners of any English travellers who may fall into their
+hands.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+I now return to Dildee, from which place I last wrote,
+while we were halting in consequence of the tremendous
+march of the preceding day. Upon the evening of the day
+upon which we halted we heard that General Staveley had
+arrived with the force under his command at a stream five
+<pb n="340"/><anchor id="Pg340"/>miles in our rear, and had there halted. He had with him
+the 4th, a wing of the 33d, six companies of the Punjaub
+Pioneers, Twiss’s Battery, and the Naval Rocket Train. It
+was decided that the wing of the 33d, who were with us,
+should halt for a day, and should come on as a complete
+regiment, and that the 4th, which is numerically much weaker
+than the 33d, should push on with the advance. The
+next day’s march was short, but severe, as we had to climb
+a mountain 3000 feet above our camping-ground. It was
+hard work, but was got over much more speedily than usual,
+as the train was much smaller, owing to our diminished numbers;
+and we had consequently fewer of the tedious blocks
+so trying to both man and beast. The road was in most
+places pretty good; but was dangerous for a long distance
+where it wound along the face of a deep ravine. The country
+here must be either much more densely populated, or the
+people much more industrious than in most of the districts
+over which we have passed; for there were patches of cultivation
+to the very top of the mountain, which, where we
+crossed it, was about 11,000 feet above the sea. The mountain
+side was bare of trees, or even bushes; but, curiously
+enough, very near the summit were large quantities of small
+palm-trees, with thick straight stems, three or four feet high,
+and clustered heads of spreading leaves. Several Indian
+officers agreed with me in considering them to be a species
+of palm, but we had no botanist amongst us, and it seemed
+most unlikely that even dwarf palm-trees should be growing
+in such a lofty and exposed position. I have only before seen
+palm-trees twice in Abyssinia, once at Goun Gonna, where
+two or three grew near the church, and in a valley between
+Attegrat and Antalo.
+</p>
+
+<pb n="341"/><anchor id="Pg341"/>
+
+<p>
+Arrived at the top of the pass, we found ourselves at the
+head of a deep ravine, on the side of which, a quarter of a
+mile from the summit, it was decided that the camp should be
+pitched. A more uncomfortable place for a camp could hardly
+be imagined. The ground was ploughed, and was extremely
+sloping. The supply of water was deficient, and was four or
+five hundred feet below us, and the wind swept over the top
+of the pass with piercing force. However, there was no help
+for it. The 4th had started four miles behind us, and there
+was no ground even so good as that selected for another seven
+miles. Immediately on our arrival, and before the tents
+were pitched, a tremendous shower came on, and everyone
+got drenched before the baggage-animals arrived with the
+tents. The black earth turned, as if by magic, into slimy
+clay, and our position was the reverse of agreeable. Far
+worse, however, was the condition of the 4th, which, having
+halted at Dildee for two hours, did not arrive until between
+eight and nine in the evening, wetted of course to the skin.
+We now felt bitterly the inconvenience of not having even
+one change of clothes with us. It could, however, have
+hardly been foreseen that, after having had only two or three
+showers since we arrived in Abyssinia, we were to be exposed
+to heavy rains regularly every day, which has, with one exception,
+been the case for the last week. As it is, it is impossible
+to say how long we shall be in our present state of
+only having the clothes we stand in. It is a week since we
+left our little all behind us at Lât. We are still a week’s
+march from Magdala, and may calculate on being fully a month
+without our baggage. Officers have all managed somehow
+to bring on a second shirt and pair of stockings; but the
+soldiers have no change of any kind. For them, and indeed
+<pb n="342"/><anchor id="Pg342"/>for the officers, to be wetted through day after day, and to
+have no dry clothes to put on, and this at an altitude of 11,000
+feet above the sea, and when the cold at night is more pierceing
+than anything I ever experienced, is trying in the extreme,
+and a great many are already complaining of rheumatic
+pains. That night at the top of the hill was the most
+unpleasant that officers or men have passed since their arrival
+in the country: wet through, cold, and lying upon
+ground so steep that we kept perpetually sliding down off our
+waterproof sheet. As to lying in the orthodox fashion, side by
+side, with all the heels close to the pole, like the spokes of a
+wheel, the thing was simply impossible. In many of the
+tents the men’s feet would have been a yard higher than their
+heads. However, there were few grumblings at the discomfort;
+but I can answer that I for one was greatly pleased when
+I saw daylight break, to get up from my uncomfortable sliding
+couch. We were ordered to start at eight, but the men’s
+things were still so wet that the march was postponed for two
+hours, to allow the blankets and greatcoats to be dried in the
+wind and sun.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Our next march was again only seven miles to a place
+called Muja, not that there was a village of any kind there,
+or indeed at eighteen out of twenty places we have stopped at.
+To suppose that the natives have a name for every field is absurd.
+Two speculations have been started as to how the
+quartermaster-general’s department always obtain a name for
+our camping-ground—the one is that they say something to
+a native, and the first word he utters they put down at once
+for the station; the other is that they draw a certain number
+of vowels and consonants from a bag, drop them on the
+ground, and see what word they form. It is certain that
+<pb n="343"/><anchor id="Pg343"/>scarcely a name corresponds with those set down in maps,
+and instead of calling these flats and plains by any name the
+first native may tell them, it would be much more sensible,
+and would render it much more easy for an English reader to
+follow our course, if our quartermasters were to take some
+good map, and fix upon the name which most nearly corresponds
+with the position of our camps.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The seven-miles road down to Muja was not difficult, but
+was one of the most dangerous we have passed over. The path
+for the whole distance wound along on the face of a deep
+ravine. It was often little more than a foot wide, and was
+formed sometimes upon rock, and sometimes on black earth,
+which had been dried hard by the wind and sun before we
+passed along it, but which if wet would have been perfectly
+impassable. Had a storm come on when we were upon it,
+we must have stopped to unload the animals. As it was,
+only one stumbled and went over the edge, and was of course
+killed.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+We have had a good many casualties lately among the animals.
+The Scinde Horse, too, have lost several horses, but this
+is hardly surprising from the way in which they ride them. A
+Scinde horseman, and I believe most of the native cavalry,
+have an idea that it shows good horsemanship to ride a horse
+up and down very steep places. It would be a great saving
+of horseflesh if an order were issued that all native cavalry
+should dismount and lead their horses up, if not down also,
+long or steep hills. Our camping-ground at Muja was flat
+and turfy, but it had the disadvantage of being a great height
+above water. Sir Robert Napier himself upon his arrival rode
+a couple of miles farther in search of some site more convenient
+for watering the animals, but he was unsuccessful in
+<pb n="344"/><anchor id="Pg344"/>doing so. The camping-ground had also the disadvantage of
+a very great scarcity of wood.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Our view from Muja was very striking. Six miles in
+front, and a thousand feet below us, lay the valley of the
+Tacazze. Beyond arose a straight line of mountains, more
+steep and formidable than anything we have hitherto seen.
+The slope at their feet was comparatively easy, but it increased
+rapidly, and a wall of perpendicular rock of upwards
+of a hundred feet high ran along the crests without the
+slightest apparent break. The range looked like a mighty
+natural barrier to our further progress into Abyssinia. However,
+we knew that the exploring-party was upon the plateau
+on the summit, having gone up by the native road. Our
+order for the morrow was, that we were to march early
+down to the Tacazze; that we were to encamp in the valley,
+and that the troops were to set to work to make the road up
+the ghaut practicable for our ascent upon the following day.
+At eight o’clock in the evening, however, Captain Fawcett, of
+the quartermaster’s department, rode into camp with a letter
+from Colonel Phayre, evidently written in great consternation
+of mind, and saying that Mr. Munzinger, who is with Gobayze’s
+army, was missing, and had no doubt fallen into
+Theodore’s hands—that Theodore himself, with his army, had
+crossed the Bachelo river, and was advancing to attack us;
+and urging that more troops should be sent on.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Of course there was great excitement in the camp at this
+news. We were only thirty-five miles in a straight line from
+Magdala, only twenty-three from the Bachelo, and as Theodore,
+with his lightly-weighted natives would march nearly
+straight, it was probable that we should be attacked on the
+next night. In another hour an order was issued, which
+<pb n="345"/><anchor id="Pg345"/>showed that Sir Robert Napier, as well as ourselves, looked
+upon this information as most important. The column was
+only to halt for two or three hours at the Tacazze, while a
+strong working-party made the road to some extent passable.
+We were then to march up it, and to encamp upon the plateau
+for the night.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+It was evident that the Commander-in-chief felt the importance
+of gaining the summit of the precipitous range opposite
+before Theodore got to its top to prevent our so doing.
+All the evening our talk was of Sniders and night-attacks,
+and every <hi rend="italic">pro</hi> and <hi rend="italic">con</hi> was warmly discussed. At seven the
+troops started, and in two hours and a half reached the
+Tacazze. The Tacazze is here an insignificant stream, very
+inferior to many of those we have previously crossed. Indeed,
+it is more a succession of pools than a stream, and yet
+as one crossed it, one could not forget that this was one of the
+fountain-heads of the mighty Nile—that it was this little
+streamlet, which, swollen by a thousand tributaries, rushes
+every July into the main river, raising its level many feet,
+and fertilising all Egypt with the rich Abyssinian soil it
+carries down.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+We went on half-a-mile farther across the valley to a point
+where the commissariat had collected a dépôt of grain. Here
+the mules were unloaded, fed and watered, and the troops had
+breakfast, while strong fatigue-parties of the Beloochees,
+Punjaubees, and 4th went up the hill to work upon the road,
+under the direction of Captains Goodfellow and Lemessurier
+of the Engineers. In three hours afterwards the signallers
+on the top of the hill waved us word that the road was passable,
+and we started for a climb of a clear two thousand
+five hundred feet. It was hard work, but the road was
+sur<pb n="346"/><anchor id="Pg346"/>prisingly free from difficulties or dangers until we reached
+within two or three hundred feet of the top. Then there were
+some exceedingly nasty bits, but upon the whole it was nothing
+like what we had anticipated, and not to be compared
+to many places we have before passed.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+As we reached the top, Colonel Cameron called upon the
+4th for three cheers, telling them that thrashing Theodore
+would be nothing to the task of climbing that hill. The men
+responded heartily but feebly; breath, not inclination, being
+wanting. They then marched cheerily on across a plateau
+level for another mile, in high spirits at the brush they were
+looking forward to with Theodore. We soon found, as I had
+imagined that we should do, that this anticipation was destined
+for the present to be disappointed.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Munzinger was not missing, and never had been. He
+had gone out for a ride, and his servant said, on being questioned,
+that he did not know where he was. Theodore had
+not crossed, and apparently had not the least idea of crossing
+the Bachelo, but was still making every effort to get his guns
+into Magdala.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+We had no sooner reached the plateau than we became
+conscious of a very great change in the temperature. The
+wind blew bitterly cold, and not a single tree or even bush
+of the smallest size was visible for the purposes of firewood.
+There were numerous native cattle grazing on the hill-sides,
+and the men at once set to work to pick up dried cow-dung,
+which the natives habitually use for fuel; others busied themselves
+in cutting peat; and the fires were soon lighted under
+the cooking-pots. At six o’clock we had our usual heavy
+rain, lasting for two hours; but fortunately before it set in
+the tents were safely pitched. Only, therefore, the men on
+<pb n="347"/><anchor id="Pg347"/>duty got wet. The night was most piercingly cold. To say
+that ice formed upon water gives no idea whatever of the
+cold. A strong March east wind blew with a force which penetrated
+to the very bones. I can safely say that never in my
+life did I feel the cold so much as I have the two last nights.
+The troops, especially the natives, of course feel it still more
+severely. Rheumatic pains are beginning to be generally
+felt, and a week of this work will fill the hospital-tents. The
+cold will tell more severely when the stock of rum is exhausted.
+Each regiment brought up some with their fifteen
+days’ supplies, and this is not yet exhausted; but the commissariat
+supply is finished, and we have had none now for
+four days. The sugar has been also exhausted, and the tea
+was running very short. I am happy to say, however, that a
+fresh supply has arrived to-day; for cold water only in such
+a climate as this would be the reverse of cheering.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+It was arranged that we should halt here for two days, to
+allow General Staveley to come up with the force under him.
+Yesterday, early, news was brought in to the Chief that the
+uncle of Wagshum Gobayze was coming in to pay a visit,
+and Major Grant and Captain Moore went out to meet him.
+The Adjutant-general carelessly omitted to notify the pickets of
+the coming of the envoy; and accordingly, when the outlying
+sentry of the 4th regiment saw a body of 700 or 800 horsemen
+advancing, he naturally supposed that it was the enemy. He
+very properly called out the picket, who loaded their Sniders,
+and went out in skirmishing order to meet the enemy. In
+another quarter of a minute they would have opened fire,
+when an officer of the 4th came running up and stopped them.
+Had he been a minute later the consequences would have
+been most disastrous. Every shot would have told upon the
+<pb n="348"/><anchor id="Pg348"/>dense body of horsemen, and the twenty men, in the minute
+or two which must have elapsed before the cavalry could have
+reached them, would have done terrible execution; and even
+had the cavalry charged, would, by falling into a small square,
+not improbably have defended themselves against the whole
+force. But the lives so sacrificed would have been only the
+beginning of misfortunes. Nothing would ever have convinced
+Gobayze that the affair was the result of a mistake,
+and we should have had him for our foe as well as Theodore.
+And with Wagshum’s army hovering around us, cutting off
+our baggage-train and attacking small parties, our position
+would be indeed a precarious one.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Wagshum Gobayze’s uncle arrived with his body of cavalry
+at the other side of the little stream which borders our camp,
+and here halted for a few minutes. The troops were in the
+mean time paraded in front of their respective lines. Gobayze’s
+troops, of whom there were 700 or 800 present, drew up in a
+long line and dismounted, every man sitting down in front
+of his horse. They were by far the most formidable body
+we have seen since our arrival in this country. They were
+really cavalry, and rode small but very strong and serviceable
+horses. They were armed with shield and spear. I do
+not of course mean that these troops could stand for a moment
+against a charge of regular cavalry. It is probable that
+a hundred of the Scinde Horse or of the 3d Cavalry would
+scatter them like chaff; but for rough work, for dashing
+down a mountain side and attacking a convoy, they would
+be most formidable enemies. Their horses are all unshod,
+are marvellously surefooted, and will go at a gallop over
+places where an English horse could scarcely walk. We
+were greatly surprised at the sight of this body of cavalry,
+<pb n="349"/><anchor id="Pg349"/>for heretofore we had not seen an animal which could even
+by courtesy be called a horse since we landed in Abyssinia.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Leaving the main body of the force behind, the envoy
+advanced, escorted by the 3d Cavalry, who had gone out to
+meet him, and attended only by a dozen or so of his personal
+followers. As he passed through the lines the regiments
+saluted and the bands played. The envoy was an intelligent-looking
+man, dressed in a crimson-silk dressing-gown,
+brocaded with yellow; over this he wore the universal Abyssinian
+white-cloth wrapping, and had a white turban upon
+his head. By his side rode the officers who had gone out
+to meet him and Mr. Munzinger. The envoy could not be
+received in a public durbar, as the previous ambassadors have
+been, for Sir Robert Napier has now only a small tent of
+some eight to ten feet square. I am unable to say, therefore,
+what took place at the interview, except that the envoy
+expressed very considerable dread of Theodore, who, he said,
+had 10,000 men, and would unquestionably fight us at Magdala.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+At the conclusion of the interview the envoy was presented
+with a horse and a double-barrelled gun. While the
+interview was going on we amused ourselves by inspecting
+the envoy’s shield, which was carried by an attendant, and
+was a very magnificent affair indeed. The shield itself was
+of course of rhinoceros hide, and upon it was a piece of lion’s
+skin, with numerous raised bosses of gilt-filigree work, which
+appeared to me to be of Indian workmanship. It was one
+of the ten royal shields, all precisely similar, which exist in
+Abyssinia. The attendants were mostly fine, well-built fellows,
+as were the general body of cavalry, and of superior
+physique to any men we had hitherto seen. I should
+men<pb n="350"/><anchor id="Pg350"/>tion that all the horses have a strap going from the forehead
+down to the nose, upon which are two or more round plates
+of metal with a sharp spike in them, exactly resembling, but
+smaller, those worn upon the foreheads of the horses of the
+knights of old. The 4th, the Scinde Horse, and a body of
+3d Native Cavalry, were drawn up in front of the tent, and
+saluted as the envoy left. There is no doubt that Theodore
+will be no despicable foe, and the further we go the more
+evident this becomes. Gobayze’s army is said to be 20,000
+strong; and if, as I understand, those we saw to-day were a
+fair sample of them, they would be certainly formidable antagonists.
+And yet Gobayze has been watching Theodore for
+months, and did not dare to attack him, even when encumbered
+by his artillery and baggage. Gobayze indeed confesses
+that his army would have no chance with that of
+Theodore. The army of the latter, then, when garrisoning
+a position of such immense natural strength as that of Magdala,
+will be formidable even to an army of 4000 British
+troops. There can be no doubt that we shall capture the
+place; but the British public must not be surprised if we do
+not do it directly we arrive.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Sir Charles Staveley arrived to-day with his force, which
+slept last night at a halting-place at the foot of the ghaut.
+I am glad to say that the general has so far recovered from
+his attack of rheumatism as to be able to sit on his horse for
+a portion of the journey. He brought with him the whole of
+the 33d, six companies of the Punjaub Pioneers, Twiss’s steel
+battery, the 3d Native Cavalry, and the Naval Rocket Brigade.
+The 45th regiment, the 3d Dragoon Guards, and the
+second wing of the Beloochees are all coming up by forced
+marches, and, as well as the elephants with G 14 Battery,
+<pb n="351"/><anchor id="Pg351"/>will arrive here in three days. This afternoon the Naval
+Brigade went out to exhibit rocket practice. There was not
+room in the valley for the practice, and they therefore went
+up on to a hill, and fired at another hill about 2000 yards
+distant. There are twelve mules, each with a tube, and there
+is a supply of ninety rockets to each tube: there are four
+men to each tube, beside the man who leads the mule. At
+the word <q>unload!</q> the tubes, which are about three feet in
+length, are quickly taken off the mules and arranged in line.
+Each tube is provided with a sort of stand, with a marked
+elevator, by which it can be adjusted to any required angle.
+The order at first was to fire at ten degrees of elevation;
+and upon the word <q>fire!</q> being given, one after another of
+the rockets (which have no stick) rushed from the tube, and
+buzzed through the air to the top of the opposite hill. Three
+rockets were fired to this elevation, and then three from an
+elevation of five degrees. A very strong wind was blowing,
+and it was difficult therefore to form any opinion of the accuracy
+of aim attainable. The bolts as they shot through the
+air certainly did not appear to swerve in the slightest from
+their original line; and there is no doubt that this novel
+instrument of war will strike terror into the hearts of the
+garrison of Magdala.
+</p>
+
+<milestone unit="tb" rend="rule: 30%"/>
+</div><div>
+    <index index="toc" level1="Scindee, April 5th"/>
+    <index index="pdf" level1="Scindee, April 5th"/>
+
+<dateline>Scindee, April 5th.</dateline>
+
+<p>
+When I wrote from Santarai we were twenty-five miles
+in a direct line from Magdala. After marching thirty-five
+miles we are at exactly the same distance. In fact, we have
+marched along the base of a triangle, of which Magdala
+forms the apex. We have been obliged to do this to arrive
+<pb n="352"/><anchor id="Pg352"/>at the one practicable point for crossing the tremendous
+ravine of the Djedda. For the whole of this distance we have
+marched along a nearly level plateau ten thousand feet above
+the sea. The sun by day has been exceedingly hot, the wind
+at night piercingly cold, and we have had heavy thunderstorms
+of an afternoon. The extremes of temperature are
+very great, and it is indeed surprising that the troops preserve
+their health as they do. I have seen the thermometer
+register 145° at eleven o’clock, and go down to 19° at night.
+The plateau land has been bare and monotonous in the extreme,
+not a single shrub, however small, breaks the view,
+and the only variety whatever has been, that whereas in most
+places the soil is a black friable loam, at others it is so
+covered with stones of all sizes that the soil itself is scarcely
+visible, and travelling is difficult and painful in the extreme.
+Our first march was twelve miles in length to Gazoo, which
+is the name of a stream running for nearly the whole distance
+parallel to our line of march. At Gazoo, the very serious
+news reached us that the arrangements for the native transport
+had broken down, and that no supplies were on their
+way up. This was what I had, when we started from Lât
+for our rush forward, foreseen was exceedingly likely to
+happen, and our position at once became a very precarious
+one. We had only six days’ provision remaining. Magdala
+was five days’ march distant. It was now certain that no
+fresh supplies could possibly arrive until long after those we
+have with us are exhausted. It is hardly probable that we
+shall find any provisions upon our way, for to-morrow we
+shall come upon Theodore’s track, and it is said that he has
+burnt and plundered the whole country in the neighbourhood
+of his line of route. It is very doubtful whether we shall
+<pb n="353"/><anchor id="Pg353"/>obtain enough food for our animals; even now, when in a cultivated
+country which has not been ravaged, forage is very
+scarce, and the animals are upon the very shortest allowance
+which will keep life together. The prospect, therefore, was
+gloomy indeed, and there was a rumour that the Chief had
+made up his mind to halt, and to send the whole of the animals
+back to bring up provisions. This idea, however, if it
+was ever entertained, was abandoned; those energetic officers,
+Major Grant and Captain Moore, were sent back to endeavour
+to arrange the hitch in the native carriage; the ration of
+biscuit was reduced from a pound to half-a-pound per diem,
+and the army moved on. Fortunately news came up that the
+natives were bringing in a thousand pounds of flour a-day to
+the commissariat station which had been established at the
+Tacazze, and with these and our half-rations we might hold
+on for some time.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The next day’s march was sixteen miles, to Ad <anchor id="corr353"/><corr sic="Gazoo.">Gazoo,</corr>
+through a country precisely similar in character to that
+passed on the preceding day, except that it was more cultivated.
+The villages, indeed, were everywhere scattered, and
+although small were snug and comfortable-looking, the little
+clusters of eight or ten huts, with their high conical thatched
+roofs, looking very like snug English homesteads with their
+rickyards. Here, as indeed through the whole of the latter
+part of our journey, the people came out to gaze on the
+passing army of white strangers. Picturesque groups they
+formed as they squatted by the wayside. In the centre
+would probably be the priest, and next to him the patriarch
+and the chief of the village. Round them would sit the other
+men, and behind these the women and girls would stand, the
+latter chattering and laughing among themselves, or to the
+<pb n="354"/><anchor id="Pg354"/>younger men, who stood beside them. Here, too, would be
+the mothers, some with their little fat babies in their arms,
+some with two or three children hanging round them, and
+peeping bashfully out at the strange white men. Some of the
+women would generally have brought goats, or a pot of honey,
+or a jar of milk or ghee, or a bag of grain to sell, but they soon
+forgot to offer them in their surprise at the strange attires and
+beautiful horses of the strangers.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+From Ad Gazoo we yesterday moved our camp to this
+place, a distance of only two miles, Sir Charles Staveley
+bringing up his division to the camp we had left, so that the
+whole force is now well together in case of an attack. An
+affair took place yesterday evening, the consequences of which
+might have been very serious. Ashasta, Gobayze’s uncle, who
+visited us at Santarai, again came into camp with a couple of
+hundred followers. Care had been taken this time to prevent
+the possibility of his being fired into by the pickets, and
+when his visit was over he was escorted by an officer beyond
+the lines. After he had left us, he went to a village not far
+distant, where he billeted half of his men. With the remainder
+he started for another village; but upon his way he
+passed close to an outlying picket of General Staveley’s brigade,
+consisting of a corporal and four men of the 3d Native
+Infantry. These men of course knew nothing of his having
+come from our camp, and shouted to the party to keep their
+distance. The natives, who, as I have before said, have a
+strong impression that we cannot fight, replied by derisive
+cries and by brandishing their lances. The corporal, naturally
+supposing that it was a party of Theodore’s cavalry,
+ordered one of his men to fire, which was answered by a
+couple of shots on the part of the natives. The corporal then
+<pb n="355"/><anchor id="Pg355"/>gave the word to the others to fire, and then to charge, and
+the little party, sword in hand, went gallantly at the numerous
+party of their supposed enemy. Ashasta, seeing that it
+was a mistake, ordered his men to retreat, which they did,
+pursued by the picket, who came up with some of the hindmost
+of the party. They pursued for some distance, and
+then halted. Two of the natives were killed in the affair, one
+with a bullet, one by a sword-thrust, and two others were
+wounded. At the sound of the firing Staveley’s brigade was
+called out under arms, and considerable excitement prevailed
+for some time. Late in the evening, when the matter was
+understood, M. Munzinger went out to explain to Ashasta
+how it had happened; and as the men killed were not chiefs,
+and human life does not go for much in Abyssinia, our
+apologies were accepted, and Ashasta came into camp again
+to-day. Thus what might have been a very serious business
+is happily arranged. The men upon picket are in no
+way to blame; in fact, they behaved with great gallantry,
+and must have opened the eyes of the natives to the fact that
+we can fight when we like. Technically, they were somewhat
+to blame in charging, as the rule is that a picket should never
+advance, but should fire and hold its ground when possible, or
+retire upon its supports if threatened by an overwhelming force.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The Naval Rocket Brigade now form a portion of this
+camp. They are an admirable body of men, and do great
+credit to Captain Fellowes, their commanding officer. They
+support the fatigues and hardships with the good-temper peculiar
+to naval men. They march, contrary to what might
+have been expected, even better than the soldiers, and never
+fall out, even on the most fatiguing journeys. They are a
+great amusement to the troops, and their admonitions to
+<pb n="356"/><anchor id="Pg356"/>their mules, which they persist in treating as ships, are irresistibly
+comic. I saw a sailor the other day who was leading
+a mule, while a comrade walked behind it. A stoppage occurred,
+but he went right on into the midst of a number of soldiers.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+<q>Hallo, Jack!</q> they said good-humouredly, <q>where are
+you coming?</q>
+</p>
+
+<p>
+<q>Coming?</q> Jack said, <q>I ain’t coming anywhere. I
+am only towing the craft; it’s the chap behind does the
+steering.</q>
+</p>
+
+<p>
+It is always so with them. The head-rope is always
+either the <q>tow-rope</q> or <q>the painter.</q> They starboard or
+port their helm, <q>tack through a crowd,</q> or <q>wear the ship
+round</q> in a most amusing way. They have of course shore-titles
+for the occasion, but do not always answer to them.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The other day I heard an officer call out, <q>Sergeant-major!</q>
+</p>
+
+<p>
+No answer.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+<q>Sergeant-major!</q> This time louder.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Still no reply.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+A third and still louder hail produced no response.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+<q>Boatswain, where the devil are you?</q>
+</p>
+
+<p>
+<q>Ay, ay, sir!</q> was the instant answer from the man,
+who was standing close by, but who had quite forgotten his
+new rank of sergeant-major.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Of an evening, if we have a halt, Jack sometimes dances.
+The band of the Punjaubees—between whom and the sailors
+there is a great friendship, although of course they do not
+understand a word of each other’s language—comes over to
+the sailors’ camp, and plays dance-music; and half-a-dozen
+couples of sailors stand up and execute quadrilles, waltzes,
+and polkas.
+</p>
+
+<pb n="357"/><anchor id="Pg357"/>
+
+<p>
+The scene is a very amusing one. The Punjaubees do
+not stand, but sit in a circle, and play away with the greatest
+gravity; very well they play too, for they are beyond all
+comparison the best band out here. The sailors dance without
+the least idea that there is anything comic in the business;
+while round stand a crowd of amused soldiers and of
+astonished natives of the country, to whom the whole performance
+is a profound mystery.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The Punjaub Pioneers still maintain the high opinion
+they have earned by their hard work. They are indeed a
+splendid regiment, and reflect the greatest credit upon Major
+Chamberlain, their popular commanding-officer. Major
+Chamberlain’s case is a particularly hard one. He was promoted
+to the rank of major during the mutinies, and was
+subsequently, for his great services, recommended no less
+than three times for his colonelcy. The Indian Government,
+however, refused, on account of his recent promotion. Eleven
+years have since elapsed, and that objection must long ere
+this be done away with; and yet Major Chamberlain is only
+Major Chamberlain still. It is to be hoped that at the end of
+this campaign a tardy recognition will be made of his services.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+It was Major Chamberlain and his Punjaubees who found
+water at a short distance from Zulla. He asserted, and very
+rightly, that as there was water at Koomaylo, it must find
+its way down to the sea somehow, and so he set his men to
+work to dig. Down he went steadily, amidst the laughter
+and chaff of his friends in the Engineers. Still he persevered,
+and at nearly sixty feet from the surface he struck water.
+An abundant supply is now obtainable from this well, and
+by this service alone he has amply earned his promotion.
+</p>
+
+<pb n="358"/><anchor id="Pg358"/>
+
+<p>
+The difficulties of writing since we left Lât have been
+greater than ever, and the manual operation of inditing an
+epistle is a most serious business. Of course there is nothing
+resembling a chair or a table,—not even a box. The only
+way to write is lying upon the ground, and putting one’s
+paper upon one’s pillow. Now my pillow is not a comfortable
+one for sleeping upon, much less for writing. It is
+composed of a revolver, a box of cartridges, a telescope, a
+bag of dollars, a packet of candles, a powder-flask, a bag of
+bullets, a comb, a pair of stockings, and a flannel-shirt,—in
+fact, all my worldly belongings. A most useful kit, no
+doubt, but uncomfortable as a pillow, inconvenient as a
+writing-table. However, one gets accustomed to anything;
+and if this campaign lasts another month or two, we shall
+not improbably have learnt to dispense with much more important
+articles than tables and chairs; for we have only the
+clothes we stand in, and these are already giving unmistakable
+signs of approaching dissolution.
+</p>
+
+<milestone unit="tb" rend="rule: 30%"/>
+</div><div>
+    <index index="toc" level1="Dalanta, April 5th"/>
+    <index index="pdf" level1="Dalanta, April 5th"/>
+
+<dateline>Dalanta, April 5th.</dateline>
+
+<p>
+We are now getting to names which are somewhat familiar
+to us. The river Djedda, which the troops crossed
+yesterday, and the plain of Dalanta, where we are encamped
+to-day, were both mentioned frequently in the letters from
+the captives. The river Djedda was the place where Theodore
+was detained so long making a practicable road for his
+guns, and where he was represented as encouraging his men
+at their task by working with his own hands. Dalanta was
+the province or tract which was spoken of as in rebellion
+against him for a considerable time previously, but which
+submitted as soon as he had crossed the Djedda.
+</p>
+
+<pb n="359"/><anchor id="Pg359"/>
+
+<p>
+After I had sent off my letter of the 3d, intelligence
+arrived that Theodore had broken up his camp before Magdala,
+and was moving to attack us. I need hardly say that
+the news was untrue. The Chief, however, was bound to act
+upon it, and consequently we were ordered to march at seven;
+and instead of halting, as previously intended, upon the edge
+of the ravine of the Djedda, we were to cross and encamp on
+the other side, so as to avoid the possibility of having to take
+such a strong position. Colonel Milward, who had marched
+the evening before with the Punjaubees, and two companies of
+the 4th, was ordered to cross early, and General Staveley was
+to bring up his force to the edge of the ravine. We started
+punctually at the time ordered, and marched across a precisely
+similar country to that we had traversed for the few
+previous days. Some miles before we reached the edge of
+the Djedda the whole aspect was changed. The yellow stubble
+and hay, which had before stretched away upon both
+sides, was all burnt, and the ground was covered only with
+a black ash. The flocks and herds which had dotted the
+country were gone, and scarcely a human being was to be
+seen over the black expanse. The snug homesteads and villages
+had disappeared, and in their places were bare walls
+and heaps of stones. I rode up to one of these. On the floor
+lay the half-charred thatch of the roof; among it were portions
+of broken pots and baking effects. Here was a long
+round stone, which was used as a rolling-pin to make the
+flat bread; there was a large vessel of baked earth and cow-dung
+which had once held flour or milk. A rat scuttled
+away as I looked in. There was not a living soul in what
+had once been a large village. This was indeed the desolation
+of war. Presently we saw rising, apparently a few feet
+<pb n="360"/><anchor id="Pg360"/>above the plain, at a distance of five or six miles, a long
+perpendicular wall of rock. This, we knew, was the upper
+edge of the opposite side of the Djedda. The ground then
+sank a little in front of us, and, riding along the slight depression,
+we suddenly turned a corner, and below us lay the
+wonderful gorge of the Djedda. Its width from edge to edge
+was four or five miles, its depth to the stream 3800 feet. It
+was a wonderful ravine. As far as eye could see either way,
+the upper part upon sides appeared like two perpendicular
+walls of perhaps a third of its total depth. Then, on either
+side, was a plain or shoulder of from a mile to a mile and a
+half in width, with a gradual slope towards the stream. The
+lower portion was again extremely steep, but still with a
+gradual descent, and not mere walls of rock like the upper
+edges. It was easy to imagine the whole process of the
+formation of this gorge. Originally it must have been an
+arm of the sea; a gulf of five miles across, and with perpendicular
+cliffs upon either side, and its depth the level of the
+broad shoulders. Then the land rose, and a great river ran
+through the centre of what was now a noble valley, gradually
+eating its way down until its bed attained its present enormous
+depth. It was this ravine which had been the cause of the
+immense detour we have had to make. Forty miles back, at
+Santarai, we were said to be as close to Magdala as we were
+when we stood prepared to descend into the Djedda. But
+the perpendicular walls barred our progress, and we have
+marched along nearly parallel to its course until we have
+reached the one spot where a break in its iron walls allow
+of our descent. By this route Theodore marched, and when
+we saw the road he had made for us, we felt for the first time
+since our arrival really grateful to the Abyssinian tyrant.
+</p>
+
+<pb n="361"/><anchor id="Pg361"/>
+
+<p>
+It is really a wonderful road, almost as good as could
+have been made by our own engineers; the only difference
+being that they would have thrown a layer of earth over
+the loose stones to bind them together, and to afford a firm
+and level surface. The road is really constructed with great
+engineering skill. Blasting-tools have been freely used
+wherever the rock required it. Every wind and turn, every
+shoulder and slope, has been taken advantage of in order
+to make zigzags, and render the descent more gradual. It
+is true that in places it is fearfully steep—an incline of one
+and a quarter to one—which, to convey the idea more popularly,
+is about the slope of the bank of a railway-cutting.
+The leaving the road in its present state, with loose stones,
+may have been done with an object, for upon a solid road
+of this angle it would have been next to impossible to have
+kept heavy cannon on wheels from running down, whereas
+upon a very loose and heavy road the matter was comparatively
+easy. The length of the descent is four miles and
+a half, that of the ascent three miles and a half. Two
+miles and a half of the former, and a mile and a half
+of the latter, are across and partially along the shoulders,
+where the slope was very slight. In consequence, it may
+be said that actually three thousand feet of depth were
+on either side attained in two miles, which would give an
+average incline of one in three. The road is from twenty
+to thirty feet in width; generally it is made through basalt,
+which, in cooling, had crystallised, so that its surface resembles
+a mosaic pavement, and this readily breaks up.
+Parts, however, are cut through a hard stone, and portions
+through a conglomerate, which must have tried to the utmost
+the tools and patience of Theodore’s army. How he achieved
+<pb n="362"/><anchor id="Pg362"/>the task with the means at his disposal I am at a loss to
+understand; and the road has certainly raised Theodore very
+many degrees in the estimation of our men. Upon every
+level space in the camping-ground of his army, there are
+their fireplaces, and innumerable little bowers of five feet
+high and little more in diameter, in which his troops curled
+themselves up when their day’s work was over. It was a
+long and very weary descent. Going down a steep place
+is comparatively easy when one carries no load; but when
+one has over fifty pounds upon the back it is extremely
+trying. At last we reached the bottom, a stony waste of
+a quarter of a mile wide, with a few large trees growing
+upon what in the rainy season are, no doubt, islands. The
+bed of the stream is perfectly dry, except that here and
+there, at intervals of a quarter of a mile or so, were pools
+of water, very soft and unpleasant to the taste, and full of
+tadpoles. The troops when they arrived here were a good
+deal done up, having already marched thirteen miles, and
+it was hoped that the Chief would order a halt for the night.
+He, however, considered it essential that the plateau should
+be gained that evening, and Milward’s corps, whose rearguard
+left the river as we descended to it, supported. The
+troops were ordered to halt and rest until four o’clock, and
+to have their dinners, and the mules were to be unloaded,
+fed, and watered.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+It was three o’clock before the baggage began to arrive
+in the valley, and it was evident that it would not be all
+down until dark, and that much of it could not reach the
+plateau above that night. Three of us, therefore, resolved
+upon sleeping where we were, and upon going on at daybreak.
+We accordingly pitched our tents under a tree, saw
+<pb n="363"/><anchor id="Pg363"/>our horses picketed and fed, and dinner in course of preparation,
+and then went out for a walk to explore the valley.
+The temperature was very many degrees warmer than upon
+the plateau above, and the flora was more than proportionately
+luxuriant. Here I find, among hundreds of other
+plants of whose names and properties I am unfortunately
+ignorant, the wild verbena and heliotrope, also the cucumber.
+Unfortunately the cucumbers had only just begun to form,
+and were scarcely as large as gherkins, or we might have
+had an unexpected addition to our fare. I also found quantities
+of the rare palm-fern growing in crevices of the rocks.
+It was altogether a splendid field for a botanist, and I think
+it a great pity that a learned botanist did not accompany the
+expedition instead of a geographer, who, although a most
+distinguished savant, can but tell the world nearly the same
+particulars of the narrow strip of country through which we
+are travelling as must occur to any ordinary observer. Had
+this gentleman merely taken advantage of the protection
+given by our presence in the country to travel generally
+through it, he might have no doubt added largely to our
+store of information; but keeping to the line of route followed
+by the army, he can, with the exception of ascertaining
+the precise heights over which we travel, tell us really next
+to nothing. I believe, however, that this staying with the
+army is in no degree the fault of the gentleman in question,
+but of the military authorities, who here appear to have the
+idea that a civilian is a sort of grown-up baby, who must be
+kept strictly under their own eyes, or else that he will infallibly
+get into mischief, and either come to harm himself, or
+else be the cause of that dreadful and mysterious thing—complications.
+Had King Kassa, at the time he visited us,
+<pb n="364"/><anchor id="Pg364"/>been applied to by the Commander-in-chief, he would, no
+doubt, have afforded every facility to the geographer and
+archæologist to have wandered as they pleased among his
+dominions, and the latter especially might have visited the
+interesting cities of Adowa and Axum, and made discoveries
+of an important and interesting nature, instead of wasting
+his time on the summit of the bleak Abyssinian mountains.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+We enjoyed our little picnic amazingly. It was such a
+relief to get for once out of the routine of camp, with its
+sentries, and its countersigns, and bugle-calls, and mules,
+and to lie outside our tent and enjoy the warm evening air,
+which we had not been able to do since we left Zulla, where
+there was only sand to lie on. At eight o’clock, however,
+the rain came on and drove us in, with the pleasant knowledge
+that we had chosen well in stopping, for the last of the
+baggage was not down the hill until past six; and although
+they at once started upon their weary climb, it was
+impossible that they could reach the camp before morning.
+Our camp was presently increased in size by a dozen commissariat
+coolies, who were driving several hundred sheep and
+some oxen, and who did not get to the river until nearly
+eight o’clock. Jackals and hyænas were very numerous, so
+we piled together a good fire to keep them off our horses, and
+then lay down to sleep with our rifles and revolvers within
+reach, for it was of course just possible, although not—as
+some of the members of the staff to whom we had mentioned
+our intention to stay considered likely—probable, that some
+of Theodore’s cavalry might come along down the valley upon
+the look-out for stragglers. We came up at daybreak next
+morning, and after a cup of sugarless tea, started for camp.
+It was a very severe climb, and at the shoulder we came up
+<pb n="365"/><anchor id="Pg365"/>to many of the mules which had been unable to get up the
+night before. The road which Theodore has cut enables us to
+see very clearly the formation of the valley, and I have not
+the least question that coal would be found there. I do not
+mention this as a commercial, but as a scientific, fact; for,
+commercially, coal here would be of no more value than
+stones. But of the fact itself I have no question. The character
+of the formation, the stone, the bands of fireclay, and
+of black friable shale, are very distinct, and there is in my
+mind no doubt whatever of the existence of coal. On the
+way we passed several dead mules and horses, and there can
+be no question that the journey was a most cruel one. This
+extreme fatigue may not cripple a man at the time, he may
+be ready for duty the next morning; but it must tell, and tell
+severely upon his constitution, and there are not a few men
+here who will feel the effects of Mahkan, Dildee, and Dalanta,
+to the end of their lives. The camp is situated upon a dead-level
+about a mile from the top of the ascent. I find upon
+inquiry that the troops in general got in at nine o’clock—of
+course wet through—but that very many of them, and a
+great deal of baggage, did not come in until this morning.
+There were rumours of an attack, Rassam having sent in a
+letter warning the Chief to be particularly on his guard
+against night attacks. The men, therefore, went to sleep in
+their boots, with their rifles by their sides. No attack took
+place. The same precaution is used to-night. We find, as I
+expected, that very little is brought in by the natives. The
+horses and mules to-day only get two pounds of grain each.
+We are still upon half-rations of flour, which, by this means,
+and with what is bought at Tacazze and upon the way will, I
+hope, enable us to hold on until supplies arrive. Nothing
+<pb n="366"/><anchor id="Pg366"/>positive has yet been heard of the native carriage. Sir
+Robert Napier has been out all day making a long reconnoissance.
+From one point which he attained the tents of Theodore’s
+army upon the plain in front of Magdala were clearly
+visible. The party did not return until dark, and I have
+heard no particulars. Theodore is known, however, to be
+still there, and his efforts are directed to fortifying the hill
+which defends Magdala. He has several guns in position on
+the summit, and I apprehend that we shall have to capture it
+before we assault Magdala. It is not known yet whether we
+advance to-morrow or not, but it is believed that we shall
+start late, and make a short march, and that Sir Charles
+Staveley, who is encamped to-night at the bottom of the
+Djedda ravine, will come up to our present camp. It is a
+tremendously wet night.
+</p>
+
+<milestone unit="tb" rend="rule: 30%"/>
+</div><div>
+    <index index="toc" level1="Dalanta, April 7th"/>
+    <index index="pdf" level1="Dalanta, April 7th"/>
+
+<dateline>Dalanta, April 7th.</dateline>
+
+<p>
+We have had many surprises since we arrived in the
+country, but none greater, and certainly none more satisfactory,
+than that which we have here experienced. The
+letters from the captives had informed us that Theodore had
+burnt everything upon the plain of Dalanta; and we had in
+consequence imagined that we should be able to obtain nothing
+whatever either for ourselves or animals, and that the
+prospect of the latter especially was gloomy in the extreme,
+for we had not any corn whatever remaining for them. Captain
+Speedy, however, rode out to see the chief of Dalanta,
+with whom he had an acquaintance when residing in the
+country. He returned in the afternoon with the tidings that
+the chief had promised at least 100,000 lbs. of grain in two
+<pb n="367"/><anchor id="Pg367"/>days. It is evident that he is a man of his word, for we have
+had a market to-day which has surpassed anything we have
+seen in the country except at Antalo. There is a crowd of
+people with grain, bread, fowls, &amp;c. &amp;c., and the four or five
+commissariat Parsees cannot pay out the dollars for the bucket-loads
+of grain half as fast as the natives bring them in. It
+is indeed quite a scramble among these latter.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+This unexpected influx of grain, &amp;c., may be said to be
+the turning-point which secures the success of our expedition.
+Had we found no grain here we must have lost all the transport-animals,
+as these have already been on very short commons
+for some days. The supplies for the men too were
+running extremely short, and if Magdala holds out for a week
+our position would have been most unpleasant; now we are
+safe. We have abundant grain for the animals for another
+week, and we are told that supplies will continue to come in
+in any quantities. Very large quantities of bread too have
+been purchased, and both officers and men have laid in a
+stock of fowls, eggs, &amp;c. All anxiety is at an end. We
+have fairly overcome now all the difficulties of the country,
+and of supplies. Theodore and his men are, in comparison,
+contemptible foes.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Staveley’s brigade came up yesterday, and are encamped
+at a spot about two miles beyond us. Now that supplies are
+coming in in abundance, and a day is no longer of vital consequence,
+we shall, I believe, wait for another day or two to
+allow the wing of the 45th, the second wing of the Beloochees,
+and the 3d Dragoon Guards, to come up.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Yesterday almost every officer in camp went to the edge
+of the ravine to have a look at Magdala. It is a ride of a
+little over two miles, and the ravine goes down in an almost
+<pb n="368"/><anchor id="Pg368"/>unbroken precipice of 500 or 600 feet from the upper edge.
+The view is one of the finest, if not the very finest, we have
+had in Abyssinia. It is grand in the extreme. At our feet
+was the perpendicular precipice, then a short shoulder, and
+then another sharp fall down to the Bachelo, which is 3900
+feet below us. This side of the ravine is very similar, but
+steeper, to that of the Djedda. Upon the other side, however,
+the character is altogether different. In place of a
+corresponding ascent, as at the Djedda, the ground rises in a
+succession of billows one behind another, higher and higher,
+to the foot of some very lofty mountains, which form the
+background forty miles away. Such an extraordinary sea
+of hills I never saw. It was most magnificent, and stretched
+away east and west as far as the eye could reach. Above all
+this Magdala rose like a great ship out of the surrounding
+billows. There was no mistaking it, with its precipitous
+sides, its frowning aspect, and the cluster of tents clearly
+discernible upon its summit. As the crow flies it was about
+eight miles distant.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+I will endeavour to give as clear a description of it as
+possible, in order that our future operations may be readily
+understood. From the bed of the Bachelo the ground rises
+in a mass of rounded hills, with somewhat flat tops; down
+through these, deep ravines convey the streams from the
+distant hills into the Bachelo. One of these ravines comes
+down nearly direct from Magdala, and it is up this that the
+road goes, until it gets within about two miles of Magdala,
+when it leaves the ravine and goes up on to the flat hill-tops
+from the midst of which Magdala rises. Magdala, from here,
+appears like a three-topped mountain with almost perpendicular
+sides. Two of the summits, which together resemble
+<pb n="369"/><anchor id="Pg369"/>a saddle with high flat peaks, face this way. The hill to
+the right is Fahla; that on the left, which is some hundred
+feet higher, is Salamgi. The road winds up the face of Fahla
+to the saddle between the two, and it is evident that Fahla
+will be the first position to be attacked. There are apparently
+very few huts upon Fahla. The road, we hear, after reaching
+the top of the saddle, turns to the left, and crosses over
+Salamgi. Salamgi is tremendously strong; it is a series of
+natural scarps, of great height; and upon the terrace formed
+by these scarps a great portion of Theodore’s force is encamped.
+Salamgi, if well defended, even by savages, will
+be a most formidable position to assault. The third top of
+this singular fortress is Magdala itself. This, like Fahla,
+has a flat top, which is completely covered with large huts.
+We see only the top of Magdala, over the saddle between
+Salamgi and Fahla. It is apparently lower than Salamgi,
+but higher than Fahla. It is, we hear, connected with
+Salamgi by a flat shoulder. It appears to be about a mile
+distant from the summit of this mountain, and when, therefore,
+we have taken Salamgi, our light guns will not be of
+much utility in bombarding Magdala at so great a distance.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+I have now given an idea of the scene in which the great
+drama, which will commence to-morrow or next day, will be
+played. My next letter will, at any rate, give you the opening
+scene, and possibly even the entire drama.
+</p>
+
+<milestone unit="tb" rend="rule: 30%"/>
+</div><div>
+    <index index="toc" level1="Before Magdala, April 11th"/>
+    <index index="pdf" level1="Before Magdala, April 11th"/>
+
+<dateline>Before Magdala, April 11th.</dateline>
+
+<p>
+Although it was evident when I last wrote to you that
+the last act of our long drama was approaching, I certainly
+did not imagine that my next letter would convey the tidings
+<pb n="370"/><anchor id="Pg370"/>that all was over—that the captives were free, their prison
+captured, their oppressor punished, and general triumph
+amidst a blaze of blue fire. But so it is; for although
+Magdala has not yet fallen, it will undoubtedly do so before
+the post closes, and a more gratifying termination to our
+expedition than has eventuated could not have been desired
+by the most sanguine. I had better continue my letter in a
+narrative form from the date when I last wrote—for if I
+describe the final events first it would deprive the rest of the
+matter of all interest.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+I wrote last on the evening of the 7th from Dalanta.
+The following day brought in largely-increased supplies,
+and the market was completely thronged with the country
+people. In the three days we were there we purchased over
+100,000 lbs. of grain, besides quantities of bread, &amp;c. &amp;c.,
+and nowhere, even at Antalo, did supplies flow in with
+such rapidity as at this place, where we expected to find a
+desert.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+On the afternoon of the 8th the wing of the 45th marched
+into camp, having done the distance from Scindee. The authorities
+had thoughtfully sent down mules to the Djedda
+river to carry up their coats and blankets, and the men
+consequently arrived comparatively fresh. The sailors of
+the Naval Brigade turned out as they came into camp, and
+saluted them with three hearty cheers. The 45th are a
+remarkably fine body of men.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Thus reinforced Sir Robert Napier determined to move
+forward and to encamp before Magdala, even if he decided
+upon delaying the assault until the other wing of the Beloochees
+and the 3d Dragoon Guards joined us. The order
+was accordingly issued for a march the next day to the edge
+<pb n="371"/><anchor id="Pg371"/>of the Bachelo ravine, to which the second brigade, which
+were now two miles ahead of us, were also to proceed. We
+started at ten o’clock, and were soon upon our camping-ground,
+which was only five miles distant. Here the second
+brigade joined us, and together we formed a larger camp
+than any we have had since our landing at Zulla. From
+the front of the camp we had an excellent view of Magdala,
+which stood up, with Salamgi and Fahla, a thousand feet
+above the surrounding hills. We could now see that the
+ridge connecting Salamgi with Fahla was longer than it had
+appeared from our previous point of view, the distance from
+one end to the other of the saddle being apparently over
+half a mile.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The first brigade was ordered to advance at daybreak.
+The Commander-in-chief and his head-quarters were to move
+with the second brigade at ten o’clock, so as to allow the
+baggage of the first brigade to get first to the bottom of
+the ravine. The first brigade were to march to within two
+or three miles of Magdala. The second were to encamp
+upon the river, and to march on early the next morning.
+There was then not the slightest intention on the part of
+Sir Robert Napier that any attack should take place, and
+indeed, as I have before said, it was considered very probable
+that we should await the arrival of the troops hurrying
+up from behind before any assault was made upon Magdala.
+However, I determined to go on early, as it was quite possible
+that something would take place, and I had afterwards
+good reason to congratulate myself upon having so done, as
+several others who had not started until ten o’clock lost the
+exciting scene at the end of the day.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Sir Charles Staveley was in command of the advance,
+<pb n="372"/><anchor id="Pg372"/>and Colonel Phayre, as quartermaster-general of the army,
+went on in front with six companies of the Bombay and
+Madras Sappers to prepare the road, should it be necessary.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+At half-past five the next morning (Good Friday) we
+were in motion, and at once entered upon the steep descent
+to the Bachelo. It is a ravine of about the same depth as
+the Djedda, namely, 3800 feet, and the road, as made by
+Theodore, is a wonderfully good one. It is shorter, but at
+the same time scarcely so precipitous as parts of that down to
+the Djedda, and can hardly have presented quite so many
+difficulties, that is, there were fewer places <anchor id="corr372"/><corr sic="were">where</corr> the basalt
+had to be cut through with blasting-tools. Still, it was a
+fatiguing descent to the Bachelo, and the sun, when it rose,
+came down with tremendous power. The men had had but
+a scanty supply of water the night before, and hardly any
+before starting; they therefore looked forward eagerly for
+the welcome stream at the bottom. It turned out, however,
+a disappointment, for although there was an abundance of
+water, the river being eighty yards wide, and nearly waist-deep,
+the water was of a consistency and colour which would
+have rendered it perfectly undrinkable except to men suffering
+from great thirst. I do not think I ever saw such muddy
+water in a stream. It was the colour of coffee with milk in
+it, and perfectly opaque with mud. It looked like nothing
+so much as the water in a dirty puddle in a London street,
+just as it has been churned up by the wheels of a passing
+omnibus. However, there was no help for it, and, dirty as
+it was, everyone had a drink, and the soldiers filled their
+canteens, for it was probable that no more water would be
+obtainable during the day.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+From the Bachelo a broad ravine with a flat bottom ran
+<pb n="373"/><anchor id="Pg373"/>nearly straight to Salamgi, and along this Theodore’s road
+was made. It was believed, however, that guns had been laid
+to command this road, and it was not improbable that Theodore
+might make a sudden attack. It was therefore determined
+that the mountain guns, rocket trains, and baggage
+should proceed by this road, preceded by the six hundred
+Sappers and Miners; and that the infantry should at once
+climb the hills to its right, and should march along them, so
+as to clear them of any possible enemy. To cross the river
+the men had to wade, the first time that they have had to do so
+since they landed. Some wisely took off their trousers, others
+thinking vainly that the water would not reach above their
+knees, merely rolled their trousers up, and, of course, got
+thoroughly wet. Most of them took off shoes and stockings,
+but many stopped in the middle and put their boots on again,
+for the stones were so extremely sharp that wet shoes were
+preferable to cut feet. At last the troops were across, and
+after a short halt moved forward, the Sappers having gone on
+an hour previously with Colonel Phayre. After proceeding
+up the valley we prepared to climb the hill. On crossing it
+the 4th formed the advance, the men loading before they
+started, as it was impossible that we could tell when we
+might be attacked. Sir Charles Staveley, with General
+Schneider, the able and popular officer commanding the first
+brigade, with their staffs followed; and after them came the
+4th—the little party of Engineers under Major Pritchard, the
+Beloochees, the Punjaubees, and two companies of the 10th
+Native Infantry; also a squadron of the 3d Native Cavalry,
+the only cavalry we had with us. We have had some stiff
+climbing since we entered Abyssinia, but this altogether surpassed
+any of our previous experience. In fact, when we got
+<pb n="374"/><anchor id="Pg374"/>near the summit of the first range, we came to a spot which
+was almost impassable even for infantry, and quite so for the
+horses of the staff. Two or three officers endeavoured to drag
+their horses up, but the animals, although pretty well accustomed
+by this time to stiff places, were quite unable to get
+up, and one or two tumbled backwards and were nearly
+killed. The infantry therefore clambered up to the top; but
+we had to wait where we were for half-an-hour, until the Punjaub
+Pioneers cleared a sort of track up which we were able
+to scramble. When on the first level we had a halt for half-an-hour,
+for the troops were all very much exhausted by their
+climb, under one of the hottest suns I ever felt. They were
+now, too, beginning to suffer much from thirst, and the
+muddy water in the skins was drunk most eagerly. It tasted
+muddy, but was not otherwise bad; but we had to shut our
+eyes to drink it. While we were waiting here a messenger
+arrived from Colonel Phayre, saying that he held the head of
+the valley with the Sappers and Miners, and that the road was
+quite practicable. Sir Charles Staveley at once sent off an
+aide-de-camp to Sir Robert Napier, saying that the baggage
+and guns, which were waiting at the river for the receipt of
+this intelligence, might move forward in safety. We then
+marched four miles farther up a succession of rises to the
+place where it was hoped from the native accounts that we
+should find water; but there was only one small pool of very
+dirty water, with which, however, three or four skins were
+filled. The disappointment of the men, who were now suffering
+severely, was very great, but there was no help for it.
+Here, however, we met with a surprise, which to the commanding-officers
+quite dispelled any thought of thirst or discomfort;
+for here, to the astonishment and dismay of Sir
+<pb n="375"/><anchor id="Pg375"/>Charles Staveley, he found Colonel Phayre and the 800
+Sappers and Miners, who were supposed to be holding the
+head of the valley below us. This was now, we knew, crowded
+with our artillery, ammunition-baggage and supplies. This
+valley, as I before stated, ran straight to Magdala, and of
+course was visible for its whole length to the garrison of that
+fortress.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The whole of the baggage was therefore open to an attack
+from Magdala, and we upon the hill-top were powerless to
+give them the slightest assistance. Had Theodore made an
+attack at this period, it is not too much to say that the whole
+of our guns, ammunition, and stores must have fallen into
+his hands, for their whole guard was only eighty or a hundred
+men of the 4th scattered over a long line. What Colonel
+Phayre meant, or how he accounted for this extraordinary
+conduct, I know not; but a more stupendous blunder never
+was made, and had we had the most contemptible European
+force to deal with instead of savages, we must have sustained
+a crushing disaster.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+General Staveley at once sent off an officer to acquaint
+Sir Robert Napier with the state of affairs, and then ordered
+the troops to advance at once.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Another couple of miles brought us to our camping-ground,
+which lay a little behind the crest of a hill, and was
+not visible from Magdala. Here the tired troops threw
+themselves down, while the General advanced with his staff
+to the edge of the rising ground. As the scene before it was
+destined, although we were at the time ignorant of it, to
+become our battle-field, I will endeavour to give as accurate
+a description of it as possible, in order that the fight may be
+better understood.
+</p>
+
+<pb n="376"/><anchor id="Pg376"/>
+
+<p>
+We stood on the edge of a sort of plateau. At our feet
+was a small ravine or valley, dividing us from another plateau,
+which extended to the foot of Fahla and Salamgi. This
+plateau was a hundred feet or so below the spot upon which
+we stood, and would have been completely commanded by
+our guns. This plateau was bounded both to the right and
+left by ravines, the one to the left being the head of the
+valley in which was our baggage. The little valley which
+divided us from the plateau widened out to the left, the spot
+where it fell into the main valley being half a mile distant;
+and here we could see the spot where our baggage would
+arrive when it had climbed up from the valley beneath.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Sir Charles Staveley at once despatched the Punjaub
+Pioneers to this point; that done, there was nothing for it
+but to wait the event; and this waiting was painful in the
+extreme.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+It was now half-past three. Everyone was devoured
+with a burning thirst, which the scanty draught of mud
+seemed to excite rather than allay. Any money would have
+been cheerfully given for a drink of pure water. A storm
+was seen coming up, but it unfortunately did not pass over
+us; we got, however, the tail of the shower, and by spreading
+out my waterproof-sheet, I caught nearly half a pint,
+which I shall long remember as one of the most refreshing
+draughts I ever tasted.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+In the mean time Sir Robert Napier had arrived with his
+staff, and it was evident, by the anxious care with which he
+reconnoitred the hill before us, and the head of the valley,
+that he considered our position to be a critical one. We
+could see with our glasses half-a-dozen guns in line on the
+flat top of Fahla, and as many more upon Salamgi, and
+<pb n="377"/><anchor id="Pg377"/>presently we saw two artillerymen go from gun to gun, and
+load them in succession. Still all was quiet; but it was a
+time of most anxious suspense, for we knew that from the
+fortress they could see our long line of animals winding up
+the valley, and that the head of the train must be fast approaching.
+Presently the Naval Rocket Brigade, which was
+in front of the baggage, emerged upon the flat below us and
+joined the Punjaubees; and almost at the same moment a
+dozen voices proclaimed, <q>A large force is coming down the
+road on the brow of the fortress.</q>
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Every glass was turned there, and a large body of horse
+and foot-men were seen hurrying down pell-mell, and without
+any order or regularity. At first there was a divided
+opinion as to whether this was a peaceful embassy or an
+attack; but all doubt was put an end to in another minute
+by the booming of a gun from Fahla, and by a thirty-two
+pound shot striking the ground at a few yards from the body
+of Punjaubees. It was war, then, and a general burst of
+cheering broke from the officers who were clustered round
+the General. Theodore actually meant to fight, and not
+only that, but to fight in the open.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Still our position was a most serious one. The second
+brigade was miles behind, the baggage undefended except
+by the Punjaubees, and it was easy enough for the enemy
+to make a circuit down the ravine and to avoid them. Sir
+Robert Napier instantly despatched an aide-de-camp to Major
+Chamberlain, commanding the Pioneers, to order him to
+take up a position on elevated ground to his left, where he
+could the better protect the baggage, and to order the Naval
+Brigade to hurry up the valley to the commanding spur
+upon which we were standing. Aide-de-camp after
+<anchor id="corr377"/><corr sic="aide-camp">aide-<pb n="378"/><anchor id="Pg378"/>de-camp</corr> was sent back to bring up the infantry. It was a
+most exciting five minutes. The enemy were coming down
+with very great rapidity. They had already descended the
+road from the fortress, and were scattered over the plain;
+the principal body moving towards the valley in which was
+our baggage, the rest advancing in scattered groups, while
+the guns upon Fahla kept up a steady fire upon the Punjaubees.
+A prettier sight is seldom presented in warfare
+than that of the advance of the enemy. Some were in groups,
+some in twos and threes. Here and there galloped chiefs
+in their scarlet-cloth robes. Many of the foot-men, too,
+were in scarlet or silk. They kept at a run, and the whole
+advanced across the plain with incredible and alarming rapidity,
+for it was for some time doubtful whether they would
+not reach the brow of the little valley,—along which the
+Rocket Train was still coming in a long single file,—before
+the infantry could arrive to check them; and in that
+case there can be no doubt that the sailors would have
+suffered severely. The road, or rather path from the valley,
+up to the spur upon which we stood, was steep and very
+difficult, and considerable delay occurred in getting the animals
+up. After a few minutes, which seemed ages, the
+infantry came up at the double; all their fatigue and thirst
+vanished as if by magic at the thought of a fight. The
+4th, who were only about 300 strong—the remainder being
+with the baggage—were ordered to go on in skirmishing
+order; they were followed by the little party of Engineers,
+then came the Beloochees, and after them the two companies
+of the 10th N.I. and the Sappers and Miners. Just as the
+head of the infantry went down into the valley, the leading
+mules reached the top of the crest by our side, and in
+<pb n="379"/><anchor id="Pg379"/>less than a minute the first rocket whizzed out on the
+plain.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+It was our first answer to the fire which the guns of the
+fortress had kept up, and was greeted with a general cheer.
+As rocket after rocket rushed out in rapid succession, the
+natives paused for a minute, astonished at these novel missiles,
+and then, their chiefs urging them forward, they again
+advanced. They were now not more than five hundred
+yards from ourselves, a hundred from the edge of the little
+ravine up the side of which the skirmishers of the 4th were
+rapidly climbing. With my glass I could distinguish every
+feature, and as we looked at them coming forward at a
+run, with their bright-coloured floating robes, their animated
+gestures, their shields and spears, one could not help feeling
+pity for them, ruffians and cut-throats as most of them undoubtedly
+were, to think what a terrible reception they were
+about to meet with. In another minute the line of skirmishers
+had breasted the slope, and opened a tremendous fire
+with their Sniders upon the enemy. The latter, taken completely
+by surprise, paused, discharged their firearms, and
+then retreated, slowly and doggedly, but increasing in speed
+as they felt how hopeless was the struggle against antagonists
+who could pour in ten shots to their one. Indeed, at this
+point they were outnumbered even by the 4th alone, for they
+were in no regular order, but in groups and knots scattered
+over the whole plain. The 4th advanced rapidly, driving
+their antagonists before them, and followed by the native
+regiments. So fast was the advance that numbers of the
+enemy could not regain the road to the fortress, but were
+driven away to the right, off the plateau, on to the side of a
+ravine, from which the rockets again drove them, still further
+<pb n="380"/><anchor id="Pg380"/>to the right, and away from Magdala. The 4th and other
+regiments formed up at a few hundred yards from the foot of
+the ascent to the fortress, and for half-an-hour maintained an
+animated fire against the riflemen who lined the path, and
+kept up a brisk return from small rifle-pits and the shelter of
+stones and rocks. All this time the guns upon Fahla and
+some of those upon Salamgi, kept up a constant fire upon an
+advancing line; but the aim was very bad, and most of the
+shot went over our heads. Much more alarming were our
+own rockets, some of which came in very unpleasant proximity
+to us. Presently, to our great relief, the sailors joined
+us, and soon drove the enemy’s riflemen up the hill, after
+which they threw a few salvos of rockets with admirable aim
+up at the guns a thousand feet above us, doing, as it afterwards
+turned out, considerable damage, and nearly killing
+Theodore himself, who was superintending the working of the
+gun by his German prisoners. In the mean time a much
+more serious contest was taking place upon our left. The
+main body of the enemy had taken this direction to attack
+the baggage, and advanced directly towards the Punjaub
+Pioneers, who were defending the head of the road. Fortunately
+Colonel Penn’s mountain train of steel guns, which
+were following the naval train, now arrived at the top of
+the road, instantly unloaded, and took their places by the side
+of the Punjaubees. When the enemy were within three
+hundred yards the steel guns opened with shell, the Punjaubees
+poured in their fire and speedily stopped the advance
+of the head of the column. The greater part of the natives then
+went down the ravine to the left, along which they proceeded
+to the attack of the baggage, in the main valley of which this
+ravine was a branch. The baggage-guard, composed of a
+detach<pb n="381"/><anchor id="Pg381"/>ment of the 4th, scattered along the long line, had already been
+warned by the guns of the fortress that an attack was impending,
+and Captain Aberdie, of the transport train, gallopping
+down, brought them word of the advancing body of the
+enemy. The various officers upon duty instantly collected
+their men. Captain Roberts was in command, and was well
+seconded by Lieutenants Irving, Sweeny, and Durrant of
+the 4th, and by the officers of the transport train.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+As the enemy poured down the ravine they were received
+by a withering fire from the deadly Snider. A portion
+of the Punjaubees came down the ravine and took them in
+flank, and some of the guns of Penn’s battery, getting upon
+a projecting spur, scattered death everywhere amongst them.
+From the extreme rapidity of the fire of the Snider, the
+firing at this time in different parts of the field was as heavy
+and continuous as that of a general action between two large
+armies. The Punjaubees behaved with great gallantry and
+charged with the bayonet, doing great execution. The natives,
+who had fought with great pluck, now attempted to
+escape up the opposite side of the ravine, but great numbers
+were shot down as they did so, their white dresses offering a
+plain mark to our riflemen; at last, however, the remnant
+gained the opposite bank, and fled across the country to our
+left, their retreat to Magdala being cut off. The action, from
+the first to the last gun, lasted an hour and a half. It was,
+as far as our part of the fray was concerned, a mere skirmish.
+We had not a single man killed, and only about thirty
+wounded, most of them slightly. Captain Roberts, however,
+was hit in the elbow-joint with a ball, and will, it is
+feared, lose his arm. On the other hand, to the enemy this
+is a decisive and crushing defeat. Upwards of five thousand
+<pb n="382"/><anchor id="Pg382"/>of Theodore’s bravest soldiers sallied out; scarcely as many
+hundreds returned. Three hundred and eighty bodies were
+counted the next morning, and many were believed to have
+been carried off in the night. Very many fell on the slope
+of the hill, and away in the ravines to our right and left,
+where our burying-parties could not find them. Certainly
+five hundred were killed, probably twice as many were
+wounded, and of these numbers have only crawled away to
+die. It was a terrible slaughter, and could hardly be called a
+fight, between disciplined bodies of men splendidly armed,
+and scattered parties of savages scarcely armed at all. Much
+as the troops wish for an opportunity of distinguishing themselves,
+I have heard a general hope expressed that we shall
+not have to storm the place, for there is but little credit to be
+gained over these savages, and the butchery would be very
+great. The natives are, however, undoubtedly brave, and
+behaved really very gallantly. Not a single shield, gun, or
+spear has been picked up except by the side of the dead.
+The living, even the wounded, retreated; they did not fly.
+There was no <hi rend="italic">sauve qui peut</hi>, no throwing away of arms, as
+there would have been under similar desperate circumstances
+by European troops. As the troops returned to the rear we
+passed many sad spectacles. In one hollow a dozen bodies
+lay in various positions. Some had died instantaneously, shot
+through the head; others had fallen mortally wounded, and
+several of these had drawn their robes over their faces, and
+died like Stoics. Some were only severely wounded, and
+these had endeavoured to crawl into bushes, and there lay
+uttering low moans. Their gaudy silk bodices, the white
+robes with scarlet ends which had flaunted so gaily but two
+hours since, now lay dabbled with blood, and dank with the
+<pb n="383"/><anchor id="Pg383"/>heavy rains which had been pitilessly coming down for the
+last hour.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+I have omitted to mention that a tremendous thunderstorm
+had come on while the engagement was at its height,
+and the deep roar of the thunder had for a time completely
+drowned the heavy rattle of musketry, the crack of the steel
+guns, and the boom of the heavy cannon upon Fahla. Once,
+when the storm was at its height, the sun had shone brightly
+out through a rift of the thunder-clouds, and a magnificent
+rainbow shone over the field upon which the combatants were
+still fiercely contending. Only twice was the voice of man
+heard loudly during the fight. The first was a great cheer
+from the natives upon the hill, and which we could only
+conjecture was occasioned by the return unharmed of some
+favourite chief. The other was the cheer which the whole
+British force gave as the enemy finally retired up into their
+strongholds. Thus terminated, soon after six o’clock, one of
+the most decided and bloody skirmishes which, perhaps, ever
+occurred. It will be, moreover, memorable as being the first
+encounter in which British troops ever used breech-loading
+rifles. Tremendous as was the fire, and great as was the
+slaughter, I am of opinion, and in this many of the military
+men agree with me, that the number of the enemy killed
+would have been at least as great had the troops been armed
+with the Enfield. The fire was a great deal too rapid. Men
+loaded and fired as if they were making a trial of rapidity of
+fire, and I saw several instances in which only two or three
+natives fell among a group, the whole of which would have
+been mown down had the men taken any aim whatever. At
+the end of an hour there was scarcely a cartridge left of the
+ninety rounds which each man carried into action, and the
+<pb n="384"/><anchor id="Pg384"/>greater portion of them were fired away in the first quarter
+of an hour. The baggage-guard used up all their stock, and
+were supplied with fresh ammunition from the reserve which
+they guarded. Against close bodies of men the breech-loader
+will do wonders. In the gorges, where the natives
+were clustered thickly together, it literally mowed them down.
+Upon the open not one shot in a hundred told. In a great
+battle the ammunition, at this rate of expenditure, would be
+finished in an hour. From what I saw of the fighting, I am
+convinced that troops should, if possible, load at the muzzle
+when acting as skirmishers, and at the breech only when in
+close conflict against large bodies of cavalry or infantry. It
+is all very well to order men to fire slowly, a soldier’s natural
+eagerness when he sees his enemy opposite to him will impel
+him to load and fire as quickly as possible. He cannot
+help it, nor can he carry more than sixty rounds of ammunition,
+which will not last him twenty minutes. It certainly
+appears to me that a soldier’s rifle should combine
+breech- and muzzle-loading, and that he should only use the
+former method when specially ordered by his commanding
+officer.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The troops retired amidst a heavy rain, and were marched
+back to the camp they had left to fetch their greatcoats and
+blankets, which had been left behind when they advanced to
+the fight. Then they returned to the ground held by the
+Punjaubees, and took their station for the night, as they here
+guarded the top of the road, at which the baggage was now
+arriving, it having been kept back during the fight. It was
+perfectly dark before we reached our camping-ground, and
+as this was in many places covered with thorns and bushes,
+which in the darkness were quite invisible, very considerable
+<pb n="385"/><anchor id="Pg385"/>confusion prevailed. Now that the excitement was over,
+everyone was again tormented with thirst, but it was felt less
+than it would otherwise have been, owing to the thorough
+soaking which every man had got. Of course there was no
+getting at the baggage, which remained on a flat behind us,
+and everyone wrapped himself in his wet blanket and lay
+down to snatch a little sleep if he could, and to forget hunger
+and thirst for a while. As we had marched before daybreak,
+and went into action long before any of the baggage-animals
+came up, no one had taken food for the whole of the long
+and fatiguing day. Very strong bodies of troops were thrown
+out as pickets, and the whole were got up and under arms
+at two in the morning, lest Theodore should renew his attack
+before daybreak. There was now news that there was water
+to be had in a ravine to our left, and the bheesties were sent
+down with the water-skins, and numbers of the soldiers also
+went down with their canteens. The water was worse than
+any I ever drank before, and ever think to drink again.
+Numbers of animals, mules or cattle, had been slaughtered
+there; it appeared, in fact, to have been a camp of Theodore’s
+army. The stench was abominable, and the water was
+nearly as much tainted as the atmosphere. The liquid mud
+we had drank the day before was, in comparison, a healthy
+and agreeable fluid. However, there was no help for it, and
+few, if any, refused the noxious fluid. This climate must
+certainly be an extraordinarily healthy one; for, in spite of
+hardship and privation, of wet, exposure, bad water, and
+want of stimulants, the health of the troops has been unexceptionally
+good. Only once, at Gazoo, have we had threatenings
+of dysentery, and this passed away as soon as we moved
+forward. I question if we had a single man in hospital upon
+<pb n="386"/><anchor id="Pg386"/>the day of the fight, which is certainly most providential,
+considering the extreme paucity of medical comforts, and the
+very few dhoolies available for the sick and wounded. Before
+daybreak we again started—as the place upon which we
+were encamped was within range of the enemy’s guns—and
+marched back to this, the camping-ground of the preceding
+afternoon.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The 2d brigade arrived soon after daylight, and took up
+their camp a little in the rear of the position in which we had
+passed the night. Our baggage came on with us, and we
+had now the satisfaction of being in our tents again, and of
+getting what we greatly needed—food. After breakfast I
+rode over to the camp of the 2d brigade, and then, leaving
+my horse, went down into the ravine, where fatigue-parties
+were engaged in the work of burial. The scene was very
+shocking. In one or two narrow gorges in which they had
+been pent up, fifty or sixty dead bodies lay almost piled together.
+Very ghastly were their wounds. Here was a man
+nearly blown to pieces with a shell; near him another the
+upper part of whose head had been taken off by a rocket; then
+again, one who lay as if in a peaceful sleep, shot through
+the heart; next to him one less fortunate, who, by the nature
+of his wound, must have lingered in agony for hours through
+the long night before death brought a welcome relief.
+Two of them only still lived, and these were carried into
+camp; but their wounds were of so desperate a nature that
+it was probable they could not live many hours. Strangely
+enough, there were no wounds of a trifling nature. All who
+had not been mortally wounded had either managed to
+crawl away, or had been removed by their friends. With a
+very few exceptions it was a charnel-place of dead, whose
+<pb n="387"/><anchor id="Pg387"/>gaudy silk and coloured robes were in ghastly contrast with
+their stiffened and contorted attitudes. Among the few survivors
+was the Commander-in-chief of Theodore’s army, who
+was carried to the camp. He, like the others we were able
+to succour, expressed his gratitude for our kindness, and said
+the affair had been a complete surprise to them. They saw
+what was apparently a train of baggage without any protection
+whatever coming up the valley; and they had not noticed
+our small body of infantry on the brow. They sallied out
+therefore, anticipating little or no resistance. It certainly
+speaks well for the courage of the natives, that, taken by surprise,
+as they must have been, by our infantry, with the
+rockets and shells, they should yet have fought as bravely and
+well as they did. There can be no doubt that, had not the
+fight been brought on so suddenly as it was, and had the
+2d brigade been at hand, we should have gone straight up
+upon the heels of the fugitives, and captured the place then
+and there. As it was, although it might have been done, the
+troops were too tired and exhausted to have put them at such
+an arduous task; for Theodore would, no doubt, have fought
+with desperation, and we should have lost many men before
+we could have surmounted the hill. I say this, because it is
+the opinion of many that we might have taken the place at
+once, had we chosen to go on.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Altogether it was a wonderful success, especially considering
+that we fought under the disadvantage of a surprise,
+and without the slightest previous plan or preparation. It
+is only fortunate that we had to deal with Theodore and
+Abyssinians, and not with regular troops.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Theodore was general enough to perceive and to take
+advantage of Colonel Phayre’s egregious blunder; but his
+<pb n="388"/><anchor id="Pg388"/>troops were not good enough to carry out his intentions.
+As to Colonel Phayre, it is not probable that we shall hear
+any more of him while the expedition lasts; for Sir Robert
+Napier’s long-suffering patience for once broke down, and
+he opened his mind to Colonel Phayre in a way which that
+officer will not forget for the rest of his life.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Before I left camp for my ride to the ravine, an event of
+great interest occurred, but which I deferred mentioning in
+its place, as I wished to complete my description of the battle
+and field without a break. At half-past seven, just as I was
+at breakfast, I heard a great cheering and hurrahing, and
+found that Lieutenant Prideaux and Mr. Flad had come in
+with proposals from Theodore. This was a great relief to
+us all, as there was considerable fear that Theodore, in a fit
+of rage at his defeat the day before, might have put all the
+captives to death. This, however, was not the case. The
+prisoners had indeed passed an unenviable afternoon while
+the battle was going on; but Prideaux and Blanc consoled
+each other, as they heard the heavy firing of our rifles, that
+at least, if they were to die that night, they were to some
+extent avenged beforehand. These two gentlemen have
+throughout written in a spirit of pluck and resignation which
+does them every honour.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Theodore had come in after the engagement in a rather
+philosophical mood, and said, <q>My people have been out to
+fight yours. I thought that I was a great man, and knew
+how to fight. I find I know nothing. My best soldiers have
+been killed; the rest are scattered. I will give in. Go you
+into camp and make terms for me.</q>
+</p>
+
+<p>
+And so the two captives came into camp. Both looked
+well and hearty, and acknowledged that, as far as eating and
+<pb n="389"/><anchor id="Pg389"/>drinking go, they have been far better off than we are ourselves.
+Indeed, with the exception of captivity and light
+chains, the captives do not appear to have been ill-treated
+for many months. They have their separate houses, their
+servants, and anything they could buy with the supplies of
+money sent to them.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+A horrible business took place in Magdala on the very
+day before our arrival. Theodore had all the European captives
+out, and before their eyes put to death three hundred
+and forty prisoners, many of whom he had kept in chains for
+years. Among them were men, women, and little children.
+They were brought out chained, and thrown down on the
+ground, their heads fastened down to their feet. Among
+this defenceless and pitiable group the brutal tyrant went
+with his sword and slashed right and left until he had killed
+a score or so. Then, getting tired, he called out six of his
+musketeers, who continued to fire among the wretched crowd
+until all were despatched. Their bodies were then thrown
+over a precipice.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+There is a general feeling of surprise expressed in camp
+that the Englishmen who were witnesses of this horrible spectacle,
+and who were themselves unfettered, did not make a
+rush upon the monster and cut him down then and there.
+They could hardly have increased their own danger, for
+they tell us that they expected that they themselves would
+be put to death after the murder of the native prisoners.
+Besides, in the presence of so dreadful a butchery as this
+must have been, a man does not calculate—he feels; and the
+impulse to rush with a scream upon the drunken tyrant
+and to kill him would, one would think, have been overpowering.
+</p>
+
+<pb n="390"/><anchor id="Pg390"/>
+
+<p>
+The captives describe the usual mode of execution, by
+cutting-off the hands and feet, as being a refinement of
+cruelty. A slight gash is made round the member, and it
+is then wrenched-off by main force, the arteries being so
+much twisted that very little loss of blood takes place. The
+wretched beings are then left to die; and some of them linger
+for many days, and then expire of thirst more than of their
+wounds, it being death to administer either food or water to
+them.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+We can feel no pity for this inhuman monster; and
+should he resist, there is every hope that he will be killed
+in the fight. Sir Robert Napier declined to grant any conditions
+whatever, demanding an instant surrender of the
+whole of the prisoners and of the fortress, promising only
+that Theodore and his family should be honourably treated.
+With this answer the two captives returned, but came back
+again at three o’clock with a message from Theodore, begging
+that better terms might be offered him. Sir Robert
+Napier was most reluctantly obliged to refuse, and the captives
+again returned amidst the sorrowful anticipations of the
+camp. At half-past six, to the great joy of all, Mr. Flad
+came in with the news that the captives would all be in in
+an hour; and at seven the whole of them came in safe and
+sound, with the exception of Mrs. Flad and her children.
+She, being unable to walk, had been left behind by the carelessness
+or haste of Rassam, to whom the business had been
+intrusted by Theodore. This person, Rassam, is very unpopular
+among the rest of the prisoners; the only person who
+seems to have liked him being Theodore himself, to whom
+his demeanour, so different from that of Prideaux and Blanc,
+had to a certain extent ingratiated him. I trust that
+to-<pb n="391"/><anchor id="Pg391"/>morrow will see Mrs. Flad and her children safe in the camp,
+and then one of the objects of our expedition will have been
+completely and satisfactorily attained. Theodore has until
+mid-day to surrender Magdala; and if he does not do so, we
+shall storm it to-morrow night or next day. Some more
+scaling-ladders are in process of preparation, the materials
+being the long bamboo dhoolie-poles for the sides, and the
+handles of pickaxes for the rungs. The ladders are about
+five feet wide and twenty long.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+I close this letter now; but anticipate that my next, describing
+the fall of Magdala, will be in time for the same
+post by which this reaches England.
+</p>
+
+<milestone unit="tb" rend="rule: 30%"/>
+</div><div>
+    <index index="toc" level1="April 12th"/>
+    <index index="pdf" level1="April 12th"/>
+
+<dateline>April 12th.</dateline>
+
+<p>
+Contrary to expectation, the day has passed-off without
+event. One reason for this was, that Mrs. Flad and her
+children were still in Theodore’s hands, as also were some of
+the European workmen. At two o’clock, however, they came
+in; and we have now the whole of the captives safe in our
+hands. We have quite a native camp within our own, indeed,
+so large is the number of their attendants and following.
+The principal English prisoners have done very well with the
+money constantly supplied to them; but many of the German
+workmen have a miserably pinched and starved appearance.
+There are several half-castes among the party that have come
+in; their fathers being English or other Europeans who have
+resided in Abyssinia, their mothers natives. The natives
+who have come in have an idea that wearing a piece of red
+cloth round the head is a sign of friendliness to us, and they
+<pb n="392"/><anchor id="Pg392"/>therefore are generally so adorned. The released captives
+start to-morrow for England. Theodore this morning sent
+down a thousand cattle and five hundred sheep as a propitiatory
+offering; but Sir Robert Napier refused to receive them,
+and has sent-in a renewed demand for the surrender of the
+fortress. It has been all day thought that the assault would
+take place to-night, or rather at daybreak to-morrow. No
+orders have, however, yet been issued, and it is now believed
+that the attack will take place to-morrow, in which case it is
+doubtful whether any description of the affair will reach you,
+as I had hoped, by this mail.
+</p>
+
+<milestone unit="tb" rend="rule: 30%"/>
+</div><div>
+    <index index="toc" level1="Ten o'clock P.M."/>
+    <index index="pdf" level1="Ten o'clock P.M."/>
+
+<dateline><date>Ten o’clock <hi rend="small">P.M.</hi></date></dateline>
+
+<p>
+I have just received certain information that the attack is
+postponed. Sir Robert Napier, one of the kindest-hearted
+of men, has sent-off a letter this evening to Theodore, urging
+him to surrender, with a promise that his life shall be spared,
+and the lives of all his men. He has pointed out to him that
+his men cannot possibly resist our superior weapons; that cannon
+greatly superior to those we used in the fight of Good
+Friday have now arrived, and also the rest of our forces; so
+that our success is certain. He has therefore implored him
+to surrender, and to save any further effusion of blood, if not
+for his own sake, at any rate for that of the women and children,
+of whom alone it is said that there are 7000 in the
+fortress. I most earnestly trust that Theodore will consent
+to the appeal. Of course, the effusion of blood is to him, who
+only three days ago murdered 350 men, a matter of small
+moment. Still his own courage is failing. He yesterday,
+when he heard of the terms demanded, pretended to attempt
+to commit suicide, and fired a revolver close to his head; but
+<pb n="393"/><anchor id="Pg393"/>the ball only grazed his neck. This, however, shows that his
+courage is failing: a brave man will never commit suicide;
+still less will he, if driven by desperation to the act, inflict
+only a slight wound upon himself. It is evident that he is
+now afraid; and I trust that to save his own miserable life
+he will surrender, and so save the butchery that must ensue
+if we storm Magdala.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+To-day being Easter Sunday, we had, as usual, a church-parade,
+and our chaplain read the thanksgiving for our success,
+in which I am sure all will heartily join.
+</p>
+
+<milestone unit="tb" rend="rule: 30%"/>
+</div><div>
+    <index index="toc" level1="Before Magdala, April 14th"/>
+    <index index="pdf" level1="Before Magdala, April 14th"/>
+
+<dateline>Before Magdala, April 14th.</dateline>
+
+<p>
+When I closed my letter of the 12th, I mentioned that
+Sir Robert Napier had written to Theodore, urging him most
+strongly to surrender, as he had no possibility of a successful
+resistance; and the destruction of life, if we were to open fire
+upon Magdala, would be terrible.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+On the next morning several of the principal chiefs came
+into camp, and said that they could not fight against our
+troops, and would therefore surrender. They held, with
+their people, Fahla and Salamgi, and would hand-over these
+fortresses to us, on condition that themselves and their families
+were allowed to depart with their property unharmed.
+With them came Samuel, a man who has been frequently
+mentioned in connection with the prisoners, both in their
+own letters and in Dr. Beke’s work. This man exercised a
+strongly prejudicial influence at the early period of their captivity,
+but has since shown them kindness. Having been
+one of Theodore’s principal advisers, one could hardly have
+<pb n="394"/><anchor id="Pg394"/>expected to see him deserting his master in his adversity.
+Samuel is a strongly-built man, with remarkably intelligent
+features, and rather grizzly iron-gray hair, which he wears
+in its natural state, and not plaited and grease-bedaubed in
+the Abyssinian fashion. Sir Robert Napier accepted the
+surrender, and gave permission for the departure of their
+families and effects. Captain Speedy was ordered to return
+with them, with fifty of the 3d Native Cavalry, under
+Colonel Locke. Orders had been previously given for the
+whole of the troops to parade on the flat in front of the
+fortress. In half an hour after the departure of the cavalry,
+the troops were formed up, and made an imposing show, the
+first we have had since we landed. Hitherto the brigades
+have been separated, and so large a portion of them have
+been scattered along the line of baggage, that we have never
+had an opportunity of seeing our real force. We could now
+see that it was a very formidable body. The 33d were drawn
+up 750 strong; the 4th, 450; the 45th, 400. We had now
+the whole of the Beloochees, their left wing having arrived
+during the night, and the whole of the Punjaubees. We had
+two companies of the 10th Native Infantry, and six companies
+of Sappers and Miners—altogether a very complete
+body of infantry. We had Murray’s Armstrong battery, two
+seven-inch mortars, Penn’s Mountain Train of steel guns,
+Twiss’s Mountain Train, and the Naval Rocket Brigade—a
+very respectable corps of artillery. In cavalry alone we were
+wanting, having only the fifty troopers of the 3d Native Cavalry,
+who had come as the Commander-in-chief’s escort,
+and who had now just reached the top of the crest of Fahla.
+The rest of the cavalry—namely, the 3d Dragoons, 3d and
+12th Native Cavalry and Scinde Horse—had been sent round
+<pb n="395"/><anchor id="Pg395"/>into the valley to cut off Theodore’s retreat. General Staveley
+was, of course, in command of the division. We moved
+forward, headed by the 33d, to whom, as having—of the
+European regiments—borne the brunt of the advance work
+throughout, was now assigned the honour of first entering
+and of placing the British flag upon Magdala. They were
+followed by the 45th, Murray’s and Twiss’s battery, and the
+rest of the second brigade, which had not had an opportunity
+of taking part in the action on Good Friday. Then came
+the 4th and the rest of the 1st brigade, with the exception of
+the troops who were left behind to take care of the camp.
+Major Baigrie, as quartermaster-general of the 1st division,
+rode in advance.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+As the long line wound up the steep ascent in Fahla the
+effect was very pretty, and elicited several remarks that this
+was our Easter-Monday review. On the way up we met a
+large number of men, women, and children upon their way
+down. Once upon the shoulder which connects Fahla and
+Salamgi, we found ourselves in the midst of a surprising
+scene. A perfect exodus was in progress. Many thousands
+of men, women, and children were crowded everywhere,
+mixed up with oxen, sheep, and donkeys. The women, children,
+and donkeys were laden with the scanty possessions
+of the inhabitants. Skins of grain and flour, gourds and jars
+of water and ghee, blankets for coverings and tents—these
+were their sole belongings. It was a Babel of noises. The
+women screamed their long, quavering cry of admiration
+and welcome; men shouted to each other from rock to rock;
+mothers who had lost their children screamed for them, and
+the children wailed back in return; sheep and goats bleated,
+and donkeys and mules brayed. It was an astonishing scene.
+<pb n="396"/><anchor id="Pg396"/>All seemed extremely glad to see us, and to be relieved from
+the state of fear and starvation in which they had existed;
+men, women, and children bent until their foreheads touched
+the ground in token of submission. The men who bore no
+arms carried burdens, as did the women; but the warriors
+only carried their arms. The number of gaudy dresses
+among the latter was surprising, and their effect was very
+gay and picturesque. Shirts of red, blue, or purple brocade,
+with yellow flowers, and loose trousers of the same material,
+but of a different hue, were the prevailing fashion with the
+chiefs. These were distinguished from the soldiers by having
+silver ornaments upon their shields. At present all retained
+their arms; but the 10th Native Infantry had been left at
+the foot of the hill with orders to disarm them as they came
+down the road. All along our march over Salamgi this
+extraordinary scene continued; and we saw more people than
+we have seen during the whole time we have been in Abyssinia.
+The general opinion is, that there could not have been
+less than thirty thousand people congregated here; and I
+believe that this computation is rather under than over the
+mark.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+There was a universal feeling of thankfulness that we had
+not been obliged to bombard the place, as the slaughter among
+this defenceless crowd of people would have been terrible.
+Wherever was a level piece of ground, there their habitations
+were clustered. They were mere temporary abodes—a framework
+of sticks, covered with coarse grass, placed regularly
+and thickly, so as to turn the rain. They were about the
+size and shape of ordinary haycocks, and show that the people
+must sleep, as they sit, curled almost into a ball.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+From the shoulder we climbed up the very winding road
+<pb n="397"/><anchor id="Pg397"/>on the face of the natural scarps to Salamgi. The natural
+strength of these positions is astounding. Fahla is tremendously
+strong; but yet it is as nothing to Salamgi, which
+commands it. Colonel Milward, who commands the artillery,
+remarked to me that in the hands of European troops
+it would be not only impregnable, but perfectly unattackable.
+Gibraltar from the land side is considered impregnable; but
+Gibraltar is absolutely nothing to this group of fortresses.
+After capturing Fahla and Salamgi—if such a thing were
+possible—an attacking force would still have Magdala to deal
+with; and Magdala rises from the end of the flat shoulder
+which connects it with Salamgi in an unbroken wall, except
+at the one point where a precipitous road leads up to the
+gate. It is 2500 yards from the top of Salamgi to Magdala,
+and even the heaviest artillery could do nothing against the
+wall of rock. We may well congratulate ourselves that
+Theodore sent his army to attack our baggage; for had they
+remained and defended the place, provided as they were with
+forty cannon, our loss would have been very heavy; and
+even with our superior weapons it is a question whether we
+could have succeeded, the road in many cases winding along
+the face of a precipice, which a few men from above merely
+rolling down stones could have cleared. When we had
+reached the brow of Salamgi—a still higher scarp of which
+rose two hundred feet above us—Major Baigrie halted for
+orders, and I rode on with two or three others to the little
+body of the 3d Native Cavalry, who were half a mile further
+on, at the edge of the flat between Salamgi and Magdala.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+I should say that early in the morning we had received
+news that Theodore had left in the night with a small body
+of his adherents, and intended to gain the camp of the Queen
+<pb n="398"/><anchor id="Pg398"/>of the Gallas, and to throw himself upon her hospitality, the
+Gallas being wandering tribes, who, like the Arabs, would
+protect their bitterest enemy if he reached their tents and
+claimed hospitality. When we were nearly at the top of the
+hill, we had received a message from the cavalry, saying that
+there was a rumour that Theodore had returned, and had
+committed suicide.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+When we reached the cavalry, however, we found a state
+of some excitement prevailing: some eight or ten horsemen,
+among whom Captain Speedy had recognised Theodore himself,
+having just galloped up brandishing spears and discharging
+their muskets in defiance. Colonel Locke could
+not, of course, charge without orders; and, indeed, it would
+have been most imprudent to do so, as the whole of the
+shoulder, a quarter of a mile wide, and six or seven hundred
+yards to the fort of Magdala, were covered with the little
+huts, behind and in which any number of men might be
+concealed. Colonel Locke then threw-out a few of his men
+as skirmishers. The horsemen continued to gallop about,
+sometimes approaching to within three hundred yards, sometimes
+dashing across the plateau as if they meditated a descent
+into the valley far below by one of the winding paths
+which led down. To prevent this, Colonel Locke called to
+five or six soldiers of the 33d, and two or three artillerymen,
+who had somehow got separated from their corps and had
+come down towards us, to take up a position to command
+the path, and to open fire if the horsemen attempted to go
+down it.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+At the same time we saw upon the top of Salamgi, behind
+us, a company of the 33d, who had gone up there to plant
+the colours. Colonel Locke had the advance blown, and
+<pb n="399"/><anchor id="Pg399"/>signalled to them to come down to command the opposite
+side of the shoulder, in case the horsemen might attempt to
+descend into the valley by any path which might exist upon
+that side. The horsemen again moved in and discharged their
+rifles at us; and the cavalry keeping their places, our little
+party of 33d answered with their Sniders. As they did so,
+they moved forward, and in another hundred yards we came
+upon no less than twenty cannon, which Theodore had, no
+doubt, intended to have moved across into Magdala, but had
+had no time to accomplish. These were, of course, taken
+possession of; and, as an officer remarked with a laugh to
+me, it is probably the first time that twenty guns were ever
+captured in the face of an enemy by six men of the line, two
+artillerymen, three or four officers, and the press. In the
+tumbrils of the guns were their ammunition; and Lieutenant
+Nolan, of the Artillery, assisted by two artillerymen, Captain
+Speedy, and the civilians, at once proceeded to load them,
+and opened fire with ball upon the foot-men, a hundred or
+so of whom we could now see clustered at the foot of the road
+up to Magdala; the 33d men keeping up a fire upon the
+horsemen and a few foot-men running over the plains, and
+who occasionally answered; and the company of the 33d, who
+had now come down nearly to the foot of the slope behind us,
+also opening fire. It was one of the funniest scenes I ever
+saw. There was Magdala at 500 yards’ distance, with its
+garrison keeping up a scattered fire at us, none of the bullets,
+however, reaching so far; there were a few shots from behind
+the little haycock huts; there was Theodore himself galloping
+about with half a dozen of his chiefs—picturesque figures in
+their bright-coloured robes; and there was our little party
+waging a war upon them, with not another soldier in sight,
+<pb n="400"/><anchor id="Pg400"/>or, indeed, within half a mile of us. This lasted for ten
+minutes or so; and then an officer rode up to order the
+infantry to retire into the slope, but to keep the guns under
+their fire. The cavalry had previously been ordered to retire.
+In another quarter of an hour Penn’s battery came down to
+us and opened fire, and the steel shells soon drove the enemy
+up the road into the fortress. For a quarter of an hour they
+continued their fire; and, when they had once got the range,
+every shell burst close to the gateway, through which the
+road passed. Then there came an order to cease firing; and
+Murray’s guns, which had taken up their position upon the
+top of Salamgi, Twiss’s battery more to the right, and the Naval
+Rocket Brigade, took up the fire. For nearly two hours,
+with occasional intervals, these guns and Twiss’s battery kept
+up their fire. While this was going on, we discovered in
+a small tent, a hundred yards or so in our front, the Frenchman
+Bardel, who is sick with a fever, and was at once
+carried to the rear. We had, too, plenty of time to examine
+the guns. Some were of English, some of Indian manufacture:
+all were of brass, and varied in size from a fourteen-pounder
+downwards. There were two or three small mortars
+among them. This was evidently the arsenal, for here were
+tools and instruments of all descriptions—files, hammers,
+anvils, &amp;c. There were bags of charcoal and a forge; and
+here were many hundreds of balls, varying in size from
+grape-shot to immense stone balls for the giant mortar,
+which shattered to pieces the other day at the first attempt
+to fire it.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+At this time we made a discovery which quite destroyed
+the feeling of pity which the gallantry of Theodore in exposing
+himself to our fire had excited. The Beloochees had
+<pb n="401"/><anchor id="Pg401"/>joined us, and were posted near the edge of a precipice to
+our right. Their attention being attracted by an overpowering
+stench, they looked over the edge of the rock; and
+there, fifty feet below, was one of the most horrifying sights
+which was ever beheld: there, in a great pile, lay the bodies
+of the three hundred and fifty prisoners whom Theodore had
+murdered last Thursday, and whom he had then thrown over
+the edge of the precipice. There they lay—men, women,
+and little children—in a putrefying mass. It was a most
+ghastly sight, and recalled to our minds the horrible cruelty
+of the tyrant, and quite destroyed the effect which his bravery
+had produced.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+At last, at half-past three, the troops came down and
+took their places; and at a quarter to four the whole of the
+guns and rockets opened a tremendous fire to cover the
+advance; and the 33d, preceded by a small band of Engineers
+and Sappers under Major Pritchard, and followed
+by the 45th, advanced to the assault, the 4th and the rest of
+the first brigade retaining their places as a reserve. When
+within three hundred yards of the rock, the 33d formed line
+and opened fire at the gateway and high hedge which bordered
+the summit of the precipice—the most tremendous fire
+I ever heard. Even the thunder—which was, as during the
+fight of Good Friday, roaring overhead—was lost in the
+roar of the seven hundred Snider rifles, and which was re-echoed
+by the rocks in their front. Under cover of this
+tremendous fire the Engineers and the leading company
+advanced up the path. When they were half-way up, the
+troops ceased firing, and the storming-party scrambled up
+at a run. All this time answering flashes had come back
+from a high wall which extended for some feet at the side
+<pb n="402"/><anchor id="Pg402"/>of the gateway, and from behind the houses and rocks
+near it. When the Engineers, headed by Major Pritchard,
+reached the gateway, several shots were fired through loopholes
+in the wall, and two or three men staggered back
+wounded, Major Pritchard himself receiving two very slight
+flesh-wounds in the arm. The men immediately put their
+rifles through the holes, and kept up a constant fire, so as to
+clear-away their enemies from behind it.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Then there was a pause, which for a time no one understood;
+but at last a soldier forced his way down the crowded
+path with the astounding intelligence that the Engineers, who
+had headed the storming-party for the purpose of blowing the
+gate in, had actually forgotten to take any powder with them!
+Neither had they crowbars, axes, or scaling-ladders. General
+Staveley at once despatched an officer to bring up powder
+from the artillery-wagons.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The 45th opened fire to prevent the enemy’s skirmishers
+doing damage; and a few pioneers of the 45th were sent up
+with axes to force open the gate. In the mean time, however,
+the men of the 33d, upon the road leading up to the
+gate, discovered a spot half-way up, by which they were able
+to scramble up to the left, and, getting through the hedge,
+they quickly cleared away the defenders of the gate. A large
+portion of the regiment entered at this spot, the gate not
+being fairly opened for a quarter of an hour after the storming-party
+arrived at it; for when it was broken down, it was
+found that the gate-house was filled with very large stones;
+and therefore, had powder been at hand, and the gate been
+blown in, a considerable time must have elapsed before the
+party could have entered. Behind the gateway were a cluster
+of huts, many of whose inhabitants still remained in them in
+<pb n="403"/><anchor id="Pg403"/>spite of the heavy fire which had for two hours been kept up.
+Behind them was a natural scarp of twenty-five or thirty feet
+high, with a flight of steps wide enough only for a single
+man to ascend at a time. At the top of this was another
+gate, which had been blown open by the rifles of the 33d. I
+entered with the rear of the regiment; but all was by that
+time over. By the first gateway were six or seven bodies,
+and two or three men by the second. Beyond this was the
+level plateau, thickly scattered with the native huts of their
+ordinary construction—not the haycock-fabrics which had
+covered the other hills and plateau. At a hundred yards
+from the gate lay the body of Theodore himself, pierced with
+three balls, one of which, it is said, he fired with his own
+hand. He was of middle height and very thin, and the
+expression of his face in death was mild rather than the
+reverse. He had thrown-off the rich robe in which he had
+ridden over the plain, and was in an ordinary chief’s red-and-white
+cloth.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The fighting was now over. A hundred men or so had
+escaped down a path upon the other side of the fortress,
+and the rest of the defenders had fled into their houses, and
+emerged as peaceable inhabitants without their weapons.
+Nothing could be more admirable than the behaviour of the
+33d. I did not see a single instance of a man either of this
+or of the regiment which followed attempting to take a single
+ornament or other article from the person of any of the natives.
+These latter thronged out of their houses, bearing their
+household goods, and salaaming to the ground, as they made
+their way towards the gate of the fort. I went into several
+of the abandoned huts; they contained nothing but rubbish.
+A few goats and cattle stood in the enclosures, and bags of
+<pb n="404"/><anchor id="Pg404"/>grain were in plenty. The poor people had been well content
+to escape with their lives, and with what they could
+carry away on their own shoulders and those of their pack-animals.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+I presently met an affecting procession. These were the
+native prisoners. Laden with heavy feet-chains were at
+least a hundred poor wretches who had lingered for years in
+the tyrant’s clutches. Many of them were unable to walk,
+and were carried along by their friends. We pitied them
+vastly more than we have done the prisoners sent in to us,
+who, with commodious tents, numbers of servants, and plentiful
+supplies of money and food, have had a far better time
+of it than these poor wretches of natives. They endeavoured
+in every way to express their joy and thankfulness. They
+bent to the ground, they cried, they clapped their hands;
+and the women—at least such as were not chained—danced,
+and set-up their shrill cry of welcome. Very kind were the
+soldiers to them, and not a few gave-up their search for odd
+articles of plunder to set-to with hammer and chisel to remove
+their chains. There were some hundreds of huts upon
+the flat plateau, but not one of them bore any signs of the
+bombardment; and fortunately the great distance at which
+the guns were fired had saved the inhabitants from the injury
+which they must otherwise have suffered from the needless
+bombardment. A few people had been wounded when
+the 33d had first entered, but their number was very small;
+and it seems incredible that out of so large a population only
+some ten or fifteen, and these the defenders of the gate, were
+killed.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The huts were all of the same size and description—stone
+walls with conical roofs, and no light except that which
+en<pb n="405"/><anchor id="Pg405"/>tered by the door. The King himself lived in a tent. His
+wife, or I should rather say wives, lived in a house precisely
+similar in shape, but larger than the other tents. One
+or two of these poor women were among the wounded, having
+rushed wildly about the place before the firing ceased, and
+being struck by stray bullets. It is extremely satisfactory to
+know that no lives, with the exception of those of the actual
+fighting-men, were sacrificed.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+We have no killed, but have ten or fifteen wounded,
+most of them very slightly. One of the Punjaubees who
+was wounded in the fight three days before has since died.
+The loot obtained by the soldiers was generally of the most
+trifling description. Pieces of the hangings of the King’s
+tent, bits of tawdry brocade, and such-like, are the general
+total. A very few got some gold crosses, and other more
+valuable articles. A general order has been issued, ordering
+all valuable spoil to be returned; but I do not imagine that
+the amount returned will be large. All the spoil taken, with
+the arms, &amp;c., will be sold by auction in a day or two, and
+the result at once divided. It is known that considerable
+sums in dollars and gold have been buried, and a search
+is being instituted for them, but without, I imagine, much
+chance of success. In my wanderings I came upon a large
+hut, which turned out to be the royal cellar. Here the
+natives were serving-out <q>tedge</q>—which I have already described
+as a drink resembling small-beer and lemonade mixed,
+with a very strong musty flavour—to soldiers. There were
+at least a hundred large jars filled with the liquid, which the
+soldiers call beer, and which, thirsty as the men were, was
+very refreshing. It was now nearly six o’clock, and the
+soldiers had had nothing to eat or drink since early morning.
+<pb n="406"/><anchor id="Pg406"/>I should say that every soldier in the force supped that night
+upon fowl. Their value here, except when offered to us
+for sale, is merely nominal, and none of the people took the
+trouble to take them away; consequently they were running
+about in hundreds, and gave rise to many animated
+chases.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Magdala itself is about half a mile long by a quarter of
+a mile wide, its narrow end joining the shoulder to Salamgi,
+and as this end is rather narrow, it touches the shoulder only
+for about fifty or sixty yards. At this point I should say
+that the plateau of the fortress is 200 feet above the shoulder.
+Upon its other side it would be 1200 feet sheer down. The
+33d planted their colours upon the highest spot, and General
+Napier when he entered addressed a few words to the men,
+saying, <q>that they had made the attack in gallant style.</q>
+Of course, as it turned out, the danger was slight; but this
+does not detract from the way in which the regiment went up
+to the assault; as, for anything they could tell, there might
+have been hundreds of men concealed in the huts immediately
+behind the gate.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The two most valuable articles of booty which were known
+to have been obtained were purchased by Mr. Holmes, of the
+British Museum, for the nation, of the soldiers by whom they
+were taken. The one was, one of the royal shields of Abyssinia,
+one of which I described as having been borne by
+Gobayze’s uncle when he visited our camp. The other is a
+gold chalice, probably four or five centuries old. It has the
+inscription in Amharic, of which the following is the translation:
+<q>The chalice of King Adam-Squad, called Gazor,
+the son of Queen Brhan, Moquera. Presented to Kwoskwan
+Sanctuary (Gondar). May my body and soul be purified!
+<pb n="407"/><anchor id="Pg407"/>Weight 25 wohkits of pure gold, and value 500 dollars.
+Made by Waldo Giergis.</q> The name of the maker would
+seem to testify that he was either the son of an Italian, or
+an Italian who had adopted an Abyssinian first name. As
+these acquisitions are made for the nation, Sir Robert has
+decided that they are not to be given up. He has also
+directed that Mr. Holmes may select such other articles as
+may be suited to the Museum before the auction takes
+place.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The second brigade passed the night in Magdala, and still
+remain there; the first brigade returned to camp, which they
+did not reach until a very late hour. The aspect of the hill
+of Salamgi, and of the plains below it, was very striking, as
+I rode through it at night. The great emigrant population
+had encamped there, and their innumerable fires had a very
+pretty effect. During the night a very scandalous act of
+theft and sacrilege took place. The coffin of the late Abuna,
+a high priest, was broken open; his body was torn almost
+to pieces, and a cross, set with precious stones of the value
+of some thousands of pounds, was stolen. It is quite certain
+that this act was not perpetrated by our soldiers, as they of
+course knew nothing either of the Abuna or his cross. Suspicion
+generally points to some of the late prisoners, who
+knew, what was, it appears, a matter of notoriety, that the
+Abuna had purchased this extremely valuable ornament to
+be buried with it.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The expedition is now at an end. Its objects are most
+successfully attained, and the interest and excitement are
+over. We have now only our long and weary march back
+again. The day upon which we turn our faces homeward
+is not yet settled; the 20th is at present named. We shall
+<pb n="408"/><anchor id="Pg408"/>probably halt at Dalanta for a day or two, and there it is
+said that Gobayze will visit the Chief, and that we shall have
+a grand parade.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The opinion which the natives will entertain of us upon
+our homeward march will be singularly different from those
+with which they regarded us upon our advance. Then they
+looked upon us as mere traders, prepared to buy, but incompetent
+to fight for our countrymen in chains; now they will
+regard us as the conquerors of the hitherto invincible Theodore,
+and as braves, therefore, of the most distinguished
+order.
+</p>
+
+<milestone unit="tb" rend="rule: 30%"/>
+</div><div>
+    <index index="toc" level1="Before Magdala, April 16th"/>
+    <index index="pdf" level1="Before Magdala, April 16th"/>
+
+<dateline>Before Magdala, April 16th.</dateline>
+
+<p>
+My letter describing the fall of Magdala was only written
+two days ago, and I have but few scraps of intelligence to
+add. These, however, I shall now send, in hopes that they
+may arrive by the same mail which conveyed my last. We
+have had only two excitements here; the one the perquisition—indeed,
+by the way it was conducted, I may call it
+inquisition—for loot; the other, the constant plunder by
+those arrant thieves, the Gallas. The first orders with respect
+to plunder were reasonable and sensible enough. They
+were, that all articles of intrinsic value, or which might be
+nationally interesting, were to be given up. This no one
+objected to. It was only fair that all booty collected of any
+value should be fairly divided for the benefit of the force in
+general. The next order, however, was simply ridiculous,
+and caused naturally a good deal of grumbling. It was
+ordered that every article taken, of whatever value or description,
+should be returned. Now, the men had possessed
+<pb n="409"/><anchor id="Pg409"/>themselves of all sorts of small mementoes of the capture of
+Magdala. Spears and glass beads, books and scraps of
+dresses, empty gourds and powder-horns, all sorts of little
+objects in fact, the united intrinsic value of which would not
+be twenty dollars, but which were valuable mementoes to
+the three or four thousand men who had picked them up—all
+these were now to be given up; and so strict was the
+search, that I saw even the men’s havresacks examined to see
+that they had hidden nothing. The pile of objects collected
+was of the most miscellaneous description, and looked like
+the contents of a pawnbroker’s shop in the neighbourhood of
+Whitechapel. These things were valuable to the men, as
+having been collected by them in Magdala; but they will
+fetch nothing whatever when sold. It is a very great pity
+that the original order was not adhered to, as the men would
+have all acquiesced cheerfully enough in the summons that
+articles of intrinsic value should be delivered up. As it is,
+the whole value of the plunder will not exceed ten thousand
+dollars in value, and, indeed, I question if it will approach
+that sum. The principal articles of value, with the exception
+of some crosses, are of English manufacture, double-barrelled
+guns, &amp;c.; in fact, the presents which the English
+Government sent out by Rassam. A medical court have examined
+Theodore’s body, and have come to the conclusion
+that he died by his own hand. Mr. Holmes, of the British
+Museum, has taken an exceedingly good likeness of the dead
+monarch; indeed, I do not know that I ever saw a more
+striking resemblance. The Engineers have also taken a
+photograph of him.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The Gallas have been extremely troublesome for the last
+three days. The unfortunate fugitives from Magdala are
+<pb n="410"/><anchor id="Pg410"/>encamped at the foot of the hill, and are gradually moving-off
+to their respective homes. Round their camp, and round
+the unfortunates upon their march, the Gallas swarm in great
+numbers, robbing, driving-off their cattle and donkeys, carrying-off
+their women and children into captivity, and wounding,
+and sometimes killing, all who oppose them. Sometimes,
+too, they attempt to rob our mules and stores. We do all we
+can to protect the defenceless people, and detachments are
+constantly going out to drive the robbers off. The infantry,
+the rocket-train, and the guns have several times had to fire,
+and several of the plunderers have been killed. Eighteen are
+at present prisoners in our camp, some of whom were concerned
+in the murder of one of the Abyssinians. The night
+before last they made an attack upon some of the mules with
+the baggage of the 33d, near Magdala, but were beaten off
+with the loss of several men. Now that we have got Magdala,
+our difficulty is to dispose of it, and it is this only which
+is keeping us waiting here. Magdala is, as I have already
+said, an almost impregnable place, even in the hands of these
+savages. North and west of them the people are Christians.
+Whether their Christianity, or the Christianity of any savage
+people, does them any good whatever, or makes them the
+least more moral or better than their neighbours, it is needless
+now to inquire. At any rate they are a settled people,
+living by the culture of their land. To the east of these
+agricultural people are the Gallas, nomadic Mussulmans,
+whose hand is against every man’s, who live by robbery
+and violence, and who are slavers and man-stealers of the
+worst kind. Against them Magdala stands as a bulwark.
+It is on the road between their country and Abyssinia proper,
+and the garrison can always fall upon their rear in case
+<pb n="411"/><anchor id="Pg411"/>of an attempted foray. It was therefore desirable that it
+should be intrusted to some power strong enough to hold in
+check this nation of robbers. Theodore’s son, who, with his
+wives, has fallen into our hands, is too young to be thought
+of, and there remains only Gobayze, and his rival Menilek.
+Menilek in the early days of the expedition was heard a good
+deal of. General Merewether was always writing about him
+and his army of forty thousand men, and his great friendship;
+but, like most of the gallant general’s promised lands,
+Menilek’s assistance turned out a myth, and we have never
+heard of him since we came within a hundred miles of Magdala.
+Gobayze, on the other hand, has at any rate turned
+out to be a real personage. He has never, it is true, done
+the slightest thing to assist us in any way; still his uncle
+paid us a visit, and nearly got shot, so that we may presume
+that this uncle really has a nephew called Gobayze. Gobayze
+has been written to, to come and take possession of
+Magdala, but he has not arrived; but this morning his uncle
+has again appeared upon the scene, and, I understand, declines,
+in the name of his relative, to have anything to say to
+Magdala. Magdala, in fact, except as a stronghold to retreat
+to as a last resource, is absolutely valueless. It is too far removed
+from the main portion of Abyssinia to be of any strategical
+importance, and it would require a couple of thousand
+men to garrison it, and who would have to be supplied with
+provisions from a considerable distance. Gobayze wants all
+his available force for the struggle he will be engaged in
+with Menilek as soon as we leave the country, and he does
+not at all care about detaching two thousand men to an extreme
+corner of his dominions, where they could in no way
+affect the issue of the war. He may change his mind; but if
+<pb n="412"/><anchor id="Pg412"/>he should not do so, we shall in a couple of days start upon
+our backward course, and abandon Magdala to the first comer.
+The Abyssinians complain bitterly of our mode of fighting.
+With them an engagement is a species of duel. Both sides
+charge simultaneously, discharge their pieces, and retreat to
+load, repeating the manœuvre until one side or the other has
+had enough of it. They object, therefore, excessively to our
+continuous advance and fire, without any pause to reload.
+It is to this unseemly practice that they attribute their defeat.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The whole army are looking forward with the greatest
+eagerness for the order to retire. Existence here is not a
+pleasant one. The weather in the day is dry, hot, but not
+unpleasant; in the afternoon we have always heavy rains,
+and cold at night. Our variety of provisions is not great.
+We have plenty of meat, and little flour; no rum, no tea, no
+sugar, no vegetables. By the way, the commissariat actually
+managed to supply the extraordinarily liberal allowance of
+one dram of rum per man to the force on the day after the
+capture of Magdala. But our great want is water. We are
+literally without water. A mile and a half off is a limited
+quantity, but it is very limited indeed, and stinks abominably;
+so bad is it, that it is difficult to distinguish what one
+is drinking, even if one is fortunate enough to procure tea or
+coffee; and even of this there is not sufficient for drinking
+purposes alone, and a man enters another tent and asks as
+eagerly for a cup of water as if it were the choicest of drinks.
+Washing is altogether out of the question; and the animals
+have to be taken down to the muddy Bachelo, fifteen hundred
+feet below us, and six miles distant, for their daily draught.
+Decidedly the sooner we are out of this the better. At present
+the 18th is the happy day decided upon; and I earnestly
+<pb n="413"/><anchor id="Pg413"/>hope that nothing will occur to postpone our departure. Some
+of the troops will certainly start to-day or to-morrow.
+</p>
+
+<milestone unit="tb" rend="rule: 30%"/>
+</div><div>
+    <index index="toc" level1="Antalo, May 1st"/>
+    <index index="pdf" level1="Antalo, May 1st"/>
+
+<dateline>Antalo, May 1st.</dateline>
+
+<p>
+There are few things of less interest than the closing
+chapter of a campaign. The excitement and anxiety, the
+success and triumph, are over; the curtain has fallen upon
+the play, and we have only to put on our wraps and go home.
+Even by the present date the telegraph has told England of
+the success with which the expedition has been crowned.
+When he has once read the details, the English reader will,
+after the first little burst of natural pride and satisfaction, sit
+himself down with a slight sigh to count the cost, and then
+endeavour, as far as possible, to forget the unpleasant subject.
+I feel that the heading of my letter, <q>The Abyssinian Expedition,</q>
+will no longer be an attractive one. Epilogues are
+gone out of fashion, and are only retained as a relic of the
+past at the annual play of the Westminster boys. I should
+imagine that at the end of a modern play very few people
+would sit-out an epilogue; and in the same way, I anticipate
+that very few readers will care for hearing any more about
+the barren and mountainous country in which it has been our
+lot to sojourn for the last six months. I should imagine that
+they must be nearly as weary of the subject as we are ourselves.
+Never certainly in my experience have special correspondents
+had so hard or so ungrateful a task as that which
+has devolved upon us here. The country through which the
+army has marched has been barren and mountainous in the
+extreme. The actual events have been few and far between.
+<pb n="414"/><anchor id="Pg414"/>There has been no opportunity for generalship or strategical
+movement. It has been one long, slow, monotonous march,
+accompanied with more or less hardship to all concerned. It
+has presented no points of comparison with the shifting scenes
+and exciting phases of a European campaign. It is only by
+its results, and by the remembrance of the hostile criticisms
+and lugubrious prophecies with which it was assailed in its
+early days, that we ourselves can judge of the difficulty of the
+task accomplished, and of the way in which the world will
+view it. It has to us been simply a monotony of hard work
+and hard living. Until the last week of our march we had
+no excitement whatever to enliven it; and, as far as the
+incidents of the campaign have been concerned, there has
+been but little to recompense the British taxpayer for his
+outlay. In other respects there is no doubt that, worthless
+as were the set of people as a whole in whose favour this
+costly expedition has been undertaken, the money has been
+well spent. In no other way, with so comparatively small
+an outlay, could Great Britain have recovered the prestige
+which years of peace had undoubtedly much impaired
+both in Europe and the East. England has shown that
+she can go to war really for an idea; that she can embark
+in a war so difficult, hazardous, and costly, that no other
+European Power would have undertaken it under similar circumstances,
+and this, without the smallest idea of material
+advantage to herself. England had, <hi rend="italic">pace</hi> our French critics,
+no possible benefit to derive from the conquest or occupation
+of Abyssinia. With Aden and Perim in our power, the Red
+Sea is virtually an English lake, and the possession of Abyssinia,
+hundreds of miles from the port of Annesley Bay, which
+in itself is quite out of the track of vessels between Suez and
+<pb n="415"/><anchor id="Pg415"/>Aden, would be a source of weakness rather than of additional
+strength. The war was undertaken purely from a generous
+national impulse, aggravated by the feeling that the captivity
+of our unfortunate countrymen was due to no fault of their
+own, but attributable to the gross blundering of the men to
+whom the foreign affairs of the nation were unfortunately
+intrusted. Our success has been astonishing even to ourselves,
+and has been providentially accomplished in the face
+of blunders and mistakes which would have ruined any other
+expedition.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+In my last letter I stated that Gobayze had declined to accept
+the charge of Magdala. It was consequently determined
+to burn it; and on the 18th ultimo fire was applied, and in a
+very short time the whole of the thatched tents were in a
+blaze. The wind was blowing freshly at the time, and in
+a few minutes the whole of the plateau of Magdala was
+covered with a fierce blaze, which told to the surrounding
+country for miles that the last act of atonement was being
+inflicted. Had the scene taken place at night, it would
+have been grand in the extreme; but even in broad day the
+effect of the sheet of flame, unclouded as it was by smoke—for
+the dry roofs burned like tinder—was very fine. Imagine
+a gigantic farmyard of three-quarters of a mile long by nearly
+half a mile wide, and containing above 300 hayricks, in a
+blaze; and the effect of burning Magdala may be readily conceived.
+Simultaneously with the conflagration the gates were
+blown up and the pieces of ordnance burst; and then the
+troops who had been told-off for the task retired from the
+scene of their signal success to join their comrades, and march
+the next day for the sea-shore. I started for Dalanta the
+day before the departure of the troops, and was very glad
+<pb n="416"/><anchor id="Pg416"/>that I did so, as I thereby avoided the tremendous confusion
+of the baggage, part of which was nearly thirty hours upon
+the road, and witnessed one of the most extraordinary scenes
+I ever beheld. At the Bachelo river I came upon the van
+of the principal column of the fugitives from Magdala, who
+had encamped upon the previous night by the stream. Here
+the number of empty gourds, cooking-vessels, and rubbish
+of all kinds, showed that, scanty as their baggage was, it
+was already too great for their means of transport. A mile
+farther I came upon their rear. As far as the eye could
+reach up the winding path to the summit of the gorge, they
+swarmed in a thick gray multitude. Thirty thousand human
+beings, men, women, and children, besides innumerable animals
+of all kinds. Never, probably, since the great Exodus
+from Egypt, was so strange a sight witnessed. All were
+laden; for once, the men had to share the labours of their
+wives and families; and indeed I may say that the males of
+this portion of Abyssinia are less lazy, and more willing to
+bear their share of the family-labours, than were the men of
+Tigre, who, as I before mentioned, never condescend to assist
+their wives in any way. The men carried bags of grain—which,
+by the way, the men always carry on one shoulder,
+and not upon their backs as the women do; the women were
+similarly burdened, and in addition had gourds of water and
+ghee, with a child or two clinging round their necks. The
+children, too, carried their share of the household goods, all
+but the very little ones; and these, little, naked, pot-bellied
+things, trotted along holding by their mothers’ skirts. A
+few, who in the crowd and confusion had lost their friends,
+sat down and cried pitifully; but as a general thing they
+kept steadily up the steep ascent, which was trying enough
+<pb n="417"/><anchor id="Pg417"/>to men, to say nothing of these poor little mites. Although
+an involuntary exodus, it did not appear to me to cause any
+pain or regret to anyone. Neither upon this occasion nor
+upon the day when they quitted Magdala did I see a tear
+shed, or witness any demonstrations of grief. Now, the
+Abyssinians are an extremely demonstrative people, and weep
+and wail copiously and obstreperously over the smallest fancied
+grievance; consequently, I cannot but think that the great
+proportion of the people were glad to leave Magdala, and
+to return to their respective countries. All pressed steadily
+forward; there was no halting, no delay, scarce a pause to
+take breath; for on their rear and flank, and sometimes in
+their very midst, were the robber Gallas plundering all whom
+they came across. I spoke of the Gallas in my last. Since
+that time they have become even more bold and troublesome,
+and not a few have fallen in skirmishes with our troops.
+Soon after we had joined the body of fugitives, I heard
+screams and cries in front, and riding-in at a gallop with
+my friend, we came upon a number of natives in a state of
+great excitement, the women crying and wringing their
+hands. They pointed to a ravine, and made us understand
+that the Gallas were there. Riding up to it, we came upon a
+party of eight or ten men with spears and shields driving off a
+couple of dozen oxen they had just stolen. Before they could
+recover from their surprise we were in their midst, and our
+revolvers soon sent them flying up the hill with two or three
+of their number wounded. We drove back the cattle, and
+were received with acclamations by the unfortunate but miserably
+cowardly natives, who could only with stones have kept
+their assailants at a distance, had they had the pluck of so
+many sheep. A few hundred yards further on we came upon
+<pb n="418"/><anchor id="Pg418"/>another party of Gallas actively engaged in looting; and at
+the sight of us with our rifles and revolvers in hand, most
+of them fled; but we captured two of the robbers, who saw
+that throwing themselves upon their faces was the only chance
+of escape from being shot. We tied their hands behind them,
+and handed them over to our syces, who drove them before
+them until the end of the day, when we delivered them over
+to Colonel Graves of the 3d Cavalry, who was in command
+at Dalanta, and had the satisfaction of seeing them get two
+dozen lashes each, well laid on. After this skirmish, seeing
+numbers of Gallas hanging about, we constituted ourselves
+a sort of rearguard to the native column, and my double-barrelled
+rifle soon drove them to a distance, the long range
+at which it sent balls into groups waiting for an opportunity
+of attack evidently astonishing them greatly, and causing
+them to scatter in the greatest haste. I think it a question
+whether the Gallas or the Abyssinians are the greatest
+cowards. Two or three officers coming up later upon the
+same day had skirmishes with them, and three or four of
+the Gallas were killed. The natives encamped upon the
+plains of Dalanta, their black blanket-tents extending over
+a great extent of ground. The next day they crossed the
+Djedda, and after mounting to the table-land beyond, were
+safe from the attacks of the Gallas, and were able to pursue
+their way to Gondar, and the other places to which they
+belonged, in quiet.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+On the 20th the whole of the troops were at Dalanta, and
+a grand parade took place. The troops marched past, and
+were then formed into hollow square, and the following order
+of the day was read to them:
+</p>
+
+<pb n="419"/><anchor id="Pg419"/>
+
+<p>
+    <text><body>
+        <salute rend="text-align: left">“<hi rend="smallcaps">Soldiers of the Army of Abyssinia</hi>,</salute>
+        
+<p>
+<q rend="post: none">The Queen and the people of England intrusted to
+you a very arduous and difficult expedition—to release our
+countrymen from a long and painful captivity, and to vindicate
+the honour of our country, which had been outraged
+by Theodore, King of Abyssinia.</q>
+</p>
+
+<p>
+<q rend="post: none">I congratulate you, with all my heart, for the noble
+way in which you have fulfilled the commands of our Sovereign.
+You have crossed many steep and precipitous ranges
+of mountains, more than ten thousand feet in altitude, where
+your supplies could not keep pace with you. When you
+arrived within reach of your enemy, though with scanty food,
+and some of you for many hours without food or water, in
+four days you have passed the formidable chasm of Bachelo
+and defeated the army of Theodore, which poured down upon
+you from their lofty fortress in full confidence of victory. A
+host of many thousands have laid down their arms at your
+feet.</q>
+</p>
+
+<p>
+<q rend="post: none">You have captured and destroyed upwards of thirty
+pieces of artillery, many of great weight and efficiency, with
+ample stores of ammunition. You have stormed the almost-inaccessible
+fortress of Magdala, defended by Theodore with
+the desperate remnant of his chiefs and followers. After you
+forced the entrance, Theodore, who never showed mercy, distrusted
+the offers of mercy which had been held out to him,
+and died by his own hands. You have released not only the
+British captives, but those of other friendly nations. You
+have unloosed the chains of more than ninety of the principal
+chiefs of the Abyssinians.</q>
+</p>
+
+<p>
+<q rend="post: none">Magdala, on which so many victims have been
+slaugh<pb n="420"/><anchor id="Pg420"/>tered, has been committed to the flames, and remains only a
+scorched rock.</q>
+</p>
+
+<p>
+<q rend="post: none">Our complete and rapid success is due—first, to the
+mercy of God, whose hand I feel assured has been over us in
+a just cause. Secondly, to the high spirit with which you have
+been inspired. Indian soldiers have forgotten their prejudices
+of race and creed to keep pace with their European comrades.</q>
+</p>
+
+<p>
+<q rend="post: none">Never has an army entered on a war with more honourable
+feelings than yours; this has carried you through many
+fatigues and difficulties. You have been only eager for the
+moment when you could close with your enemy. The remembrance
+of your privations will pass away quickly, but
+your gallant exploit will live in history. The Queen and the
+people of England will appreciate your services. On my
+part, as your commander, I thank you for your devotion to
+your duty, and the good discipline you have maintained; not
+a single complaint has been made against a soldier of fields
+injured or villages wilfully molested, in property or person.</q>
+</p>
+
+<p>
+<q rend="post: none">We must not forget what we owe to our comrades who
+have been labouring for us in the sultry climate of Zulla and
+the Pass of Koomaylo, or in the monotony of the posts which
+maintained our communications; each and all would have
+given all they possessed to be with us, and they deserve our
+gratitude.</q>
+</p>
+
+<p>
+<q rend="post: none">I shall watch over your safety to the moment of your
+embarkation, and to the end of my life remember with pride
+that I have commanded you.</q>
+</p>
+<signed>(Signed) <hi rend="smallcaps">R. Napier</hi>, Lieut.-general,<lb/>
+Commander-in-chief.</signed>
+<signed>(Signed) <hi rend="smallcaps">M. Dillon</hi>, Lieut.-colonel,<lb/>
+Military Secretary.”</signed>        
+    </body></text>
+</p>
+
+<pb n="421"/><anchor id="Pg421"/>
+
+<p>
+The proclamation, if a little grandiose in style, is true to
+the letter. The men have endured privation and toil such as
+seldom falls to a soldier’s lot, with a good feeling and cheerfulness
+which has been literally beyond praise. The only occasions
+throughout this expedition upon which I have heard
+grumbling has been when the troops have been told by the
+quartermaster’s department that they were to march a certain
+distance, and when the march turned out to be half as far
+again. But this grumbling was not against the distance or
+the toil, great as both were; it was against the incapacity
+which had inflicted an unnecessary toil upon them. At any
+necessary privation, at picket-duty in wet clothes after a hard
+day’s march, at hunger and thirst, fatigue-duty, wet and cold,
+I never heard them grumble; and I feel assured that, as the
+general order says, the people of England will appreciate their
+toils and services. In one point at least they may be to some
+extent rewarded. Their pay here is exactly the same as they
+would have drawn in India; they have no field or other
+extra allowance whatever. Had the war taken place in India,
+the army would, most unquestionably, be granted a year’s
+<q>batta,</q> as a reward for their suffering and toil. In the present
+case the English Government holds the purse-strings,
+but I trust that this well-earned extra pay will be granted.
+It would form a comparatively small item in the expenses of
+the expedition, and the boon would be an act of graceful recognition
+on the part of the nation to the men who have borne
+its flag so successfully under the most arduous and trying
+circumstances.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+After the reading of the general order, Sir Robert Napier
+handed over the rescued prisoners to the representatives
+of the Governments to which they belonged; and the
+<pb n="422"/><anchor id="Pg422"/>general feeling of every one was, that we wished these officers
+joy of them, for a more unpromising-looking set could
+hardly be found anywhere else outside the walls of a prison.
+Sir Robert Napier, in handing these prisoners over, thanked
+the foreign officers for having accompanied the expedition,
+and for having shared in its toils and hardships. The
+ceremony over, the last act of the Magdala drama may be
+considered to have terminated, and the army on the next
+day marched for the coast, the second brigade leading, and
+the first following a day in their rear. The interest of the
+campaign being now over, I determined to come on at full
+speed, instead of travelling at the necessary slow pace of the
+army with all its encumbrances of material and baggage. It
+is, too, vastly more pleasant to travel alone, the journeys are
+performed in two-thirds of the time, and without the dust,
+noise, and endless delays which take place in the baggage-train.
+At the end of the journey the change is still more advantageous:
+one selects the site for one’s tent near the little
+commissariat stations, but far enough off to be quiet; and here,
+free from the neighing and fighting of horses and mules, the
+challenge of the sentries, the chattering of the native troops,
+who frequently talk until past midnight, and the incessant
+noise of coughing and groaning, and other unpleasant noises
+in which a Hindoo delights when he is not quite well, we pass
+the night in tranquillity. The hyenas and jackals are, it is
+true, a little troublesome, and howl and cry incessantly about
+the canvas of our tent; but the noise of a hyena is as music
+compared to the coughing and groaning of a sick Hindoo; and
+so we do not grumble. We have a party of four, making,
+with our ten servants, syces, and mule-drivers, a pretty strong
+party; no undesirable thing, as the country is extremely
+dis<pb n="423"/><anchor id="Pg423"/>turbed all the way down. Convoys are constantly attacked,
+and the muleteers murdered; indeed, scarce a day passes
+without an outrage of this kind. It is, perhaps, worst between
+Lât and Atzala; but beyond Antalo, and down even in
+the Sooro Pass, murders are almost daily events. The killing
+is not all on one side, for numbers of the natives have been
+shot by the guards of the convoys which they have attacked.
+The evil increases every day, and the Commander-in-chief
+has just issued a proclamation to the natives, which is to be
+translated into Amharic and circulated through the country,
+warning the people that the scouts have orders to fire upon
+any armed party they may meet, who do not, upon being
+called upon to do so, at once retire and leave the path clear.
+The fact is, that, except at this point, we have not enough
+troops in the country to furnish guards of sufficient strength
+to protect the convoys. A great many very wise people have
+talked about our force being too large. At the present moment
+it is actually insufficient for our needs, insufficient to
+protect our convoys even against the comparatively few robbers
+and brigands who now infest the line. A convoy of a
+thousand animals extends over a very long tract of country;
+three or four miles at the least. What can a dozen or so
+guards do to protect it? An instance occurred to-day within
+three miles of this place. A convoy of a thousand camels
+were coming along; the guards were scattered over its
+length; and a man in the middle of the convoy was murdered
+by three or four Abyssinians, whom the soldiers, who had
+gone on, had noticed sitting quietly on some rocks at a few
+yards from the line of march. The soldiers behind heard a
+cry, and rode up, only in time to find the muleteer lying
+dead, and his murderers escaped. When the robbers are in
+<pb n="424"/><anchor id="Pg424"/>force, and attempt to plunder openly, they are invariably
+beaten.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The other day Lieutenant Holt was in command of a train
+with treasure for Ashangi, having a guard of ten Sepoys.
+He was attacked by a band of fifty or sixty men, who came
+up twice to the assault, but were driven off, leaving three of
+their number dead upon the ground. These cases are not
+exceptional; they are of daily occurrence, and are rapidly
+upon the increase. It is greatly to be regretted; but it was
+to be foreseen from the course of conduct pursued in the first
+instance towards men caught robbing in the Sooro Pass. I
+predicted at the time of my first visit to Senafe, early in
+December last, what must be the inevitable result of the
+course pursued to the men caught pillaging. They were kept
+in the guard-house for a day or two, fed better than they had
+ever before been in their lives, and then dismissed to steal
+again, and to encourage their companions in stealing, believing
+that we were too weak and too pusillanimous to dare
+to punish them. And so it has been ever since. In the eyes
+of our political officers a native could do no harm. Any
+punishment which has been inflicted upon them has been
+given by regimental officers, or officers of the transport-train,
+who have caught them robbing. And even this moderate
+quota of justice was rendered at the peril of the judges.
+Lieutenant Story, 26th regiment, a most energetic officer of
+the transport-train—to give one example out of a score—found
+that at one of the stations the natives who were anxious to
+come in to sell grass and grain were driven away by two
+chiefs, who openly beat and ill-treated those who persisted in
+endeavouring to sell to us. The result was, that the natives
+kept away, and only a few ventured in at night to sell their
+<pb n="425"/><anchor id="Pg425"/>stores. Lieutenant Story found that his mules were starving,
+and very properly caught the two chiefs, and gave them
+half-a-dozen each. The chiefs reported the case; the mild
+<q>politicals</q> as usual had their way; and Lieutenant Story
+was summarily removed from the transport-train.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+I mentioned in a former letter the case of the mule-driver
+who wrested the musket from a man who was attempting to
+rob the mules, and shot him with his own weapon, and who
+was rewarded for his gallantry by having a dozen lashes. I
+could fill a column with similar instances. Had we had the
+good fortune to have had a man of decision and energy as
+our political officer instead of Colonel Merewether, all this
+would have been avoided. The first man caught with arms
+in his hands attacking and plundering our convoys should
+have been tried and shot; it is what he would have received
+at the hands of the native chiefs; and it would have put a
+stop to the brigandage. Instead of which, the policy—if such
+pottering can be termed policy—has been to encourage them,
+by every means in our power, to plunder our convoys and
+murder our drivers and men. A stern policy with savages
+is, in the end, infinitely the more merciful one. A couple of
+lives at first would have saved fifty, which have already on
+both sides been sacrificed, and a hundred more, which will
+be probably lost before we are out of the country. Sir R.
+Napier, now that he has taken the reins into his own hands,
+is fully alive to the error that has been committed, and to
+the absolute necessity of showing no more leniency to the
+robber-bands which begin to swarm around us. It is most
+unfortunate that the early stages of our intercourse with the
+natives had not been intrusted to a man of firmness and
+sound sense. With the repeated caution of the officers at
+<pb n="426"/><anchor id="Pg426"/>the various stations in our ears, and with the accounts we
+received at almost every halting-place of some attack and
+murder in the neighbourhood within a day or two of our
+arrival, it may be imagined that we took every precaution.
+Our servants were all armed with spears, our mules were
+kept in close file, and two of us rode in front, two in the
+rear of our party, with our rifles cocked, and our revolvers
+ready to hand. As we anticipated, we were not attacked;
+for, as a general rule, the cowardly robbers, however numerous,
+will not attack when they see a prospect of a stout
+resistance. Our precautions were not, however, in vain; for
+we knew that at least in one case we should have been attacked
+had we not been so palpably upon our guard. On
+the brow of the hill above Atzala we passed without seeing a
+single native; but looking back after we had gone three or
+four hundred yards, we saw a party of fifty or sixty men
+armed with spears and shields, get up from among some
+bushes and rocks by the roadside and make off. There is no
+doubt that, had we not been prepared, we should have been
+attacked, and probably murdered. For the remainder of our
+journey there is little danger. The looting, indeed, continues
+all down the line; but the country is open and bare, and the
+natives would never dream of attacking in the open.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+I have very great regret in announcing the death from
+dysentery of Lieutenant Morgan, of the Royal Engineers.
+He died at the front, and the news of the sad event probably
+reached England by the last mail; but I did not hear
+of it at Antalo until after I had despatched my last letter.
+He was at the head of the signalling-department, and was
+one of the most energetic and unwearied of officers. I
+never, indeed, met a man more devoted to his work; and
+<pb n="427"/><anchor id="Pg427"/>had he lived, he would have become most distinguished in
+his profession. Sir Robert Napier, who thoroughly appreciated
+his efforts, has issued the following general order:
+<q>The Commander-in-chief has received with great regret
+the report of the death of Lieutenant Morgan, R.E., in
+charge of the signallers of the 10th Company, R.E. Sir
+Robert Napier had constant opportunities of observing the
+unflagging zeal and energy of this young officer, and the
+cheerful alacrity with which he embraced every opportunity
+to render his special work useful to the forces. Lieutenant
+Morgan set a bright example to those under his command;
+and by his premature loss, owing to prolonged exposure and
+fatigue, her Majesty’s service and the corps of Royal Engineers
+are deprived of a most promising officer.</q>
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Not often does it fall to the lot of a subaltern to win such
+high and well-merited praise from his commander-in-chief;
+but poor Morgan was one in a thousand. His death unquestionably
+was the result of his hard work and exposure. He
+was one of those to whom his duty, however severe, was a
+pleasure. Although he could have ridden, had he chosen
+to do so, he marched at the head of his little body of men,
+lightening their labours by some cheerful remark; and when
+arrived at camp, and when other men’s work was over, he
+would perhaps be sent off to arrange for signalling orders
+to the brigade in the rear, a duty which would occupy the
+entire night. He would be off with a cheerful alacrity which
+I never saw ruffled. He was quiet and unaffected in manner,
+and was one of those men who are most liked by those who
+best know them. It is with sincere regret that I write this
+brief notice of his untimely death.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Respecting the country, I have little to tell that is not
+<pb n="428"/><anchor id="Pg428"/>already known to English readers. After the tremendous
+gorges of the Djedda and Bachelo, which are now ascertained
+to be 3900 feet in depth, the hills upon this side of the
+Tacazze, which had appeared so formidable when we before
+crossed them, are mere trifles. The roads, too, were much
+better than when we went up, the second brigade and Sappers
+and Miners having done a good deal of work upon them
+to render them practicable for elephants. The rain which
+has fallen lately has done a good deal to brighten-up the
+country; not upon the bare hill-sides—there all is brown
+and burnt-up as before—but in the bottom of the valleys and
+upon the hill-sides, where streamlets have poured down
+during the rains, the bright green of the young grass affords
+a pleasant relief to the eye. The crops, too, look bright and
+well; and it is a curious circumstance, that here there appears
+to be no fixed time for harvest. It is no unusual thing
+to see three adjoining patches of cultivated land—the one
+having barley in full ear, the second having the crop only
+a few inches above the ground, and the third undergoing the
+operation of the plough.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The army is now about seven days in my rear, as I
+travel very much faster than they do. Every available mule
+is being sent up to meet them, to carry down stores and
+baggage; and there is rum and all other comforts for them
+at the principal stations upon their way. The native carriage
+is at work bringing down the spare supplies; and if
+there are but sufficient of them employed, the stores will soon
+cease to trouble us; for the natives are such arrant thieves,
+that between this and Atzala, only two days’ march, bags
+of rice and flour which started weighing 75 lb. arrive weighing
+only 40 lb., 30 lb., and sometimes only 25 lb. The word
+<pb n="429"/><anchor id="Pg429"/>Habesh, which is their own general name for the people
+of Abyssinia, means a mixture; and I can hardly imagine a
+worse mixture than it is, for they appear to have inherited
+all the vices and none of the virtues of the numerous races
+of whom they are composed.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Beyond this I need write no more; but I cannot close
+my journal of the Abyssinian expedition without expressing
+my gratitude for the very great and uniform kindness with
+which I have been treated by the Commander-in-chief, and
+by the greater portion of his staff. I would particularly
+mention Colonel Dillon, the Military Secretary; one of the
+most able and certainly the most popular officer upon the
+staff, and whose kindness and attention to us has been unbounded.
+He has been always ready to afford us any information
+in his power, and to assist us in all those little
+difficulties with which a civilian travelling with an army is
+unavoidably beset.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The Abyssinian expedition may now be said to be over,
+and has been a more perfect and extraordinary success than
+the most sanguine could have predicted. It would, in the
+face of the terrible forebodings which were launched when
+it was first set about, have seemed an almost impossibility
+that we could have journeyed here, defeated and almost
+annihilated Theodore’s army, obtained the whole of the
+prisoners, stormed Magdala—incomparably the strongest
+fortress in the world—and killed Theodore, and returned before
+the rains, with the loss of only one man dead from his
+wounds, and two or three from sickness; a loss infinitely
+less than would have taken place in the ordinary course of
+nature among so large a body of men. And yet this apparent
+impossibility has been, by the special providence of God,
+<pb n="430"/><anchor id="Pg430"/>achieved; for that He has specially blessed our efforts, it
+would be the height of scepticism to doubt. We have passed
+through fatigues and hardships which one would have thought
+must have told upon the strongest constitution. We have
+had wet day after day, with bitterly cold winds, and no
+change even of underclothing for a month; we have had no
+tobacco or stimulants to enable the system to resist this wet
+and cold; and yet the hospitals are empty, and the health of
+the troops perfect. We have defeated a large and hitherto
+invincible army, and taken the strongest fortress in the
+world, with the loss of one man. We have accomplished a
+march through a country of fabulous difficulties, destitute of
+roads and almost destitute of food, and with our difficulties
+of transport vastly aggravated by the untrustworthy reports
+of those sent on before, and by the consequent breakdown of
+our baggage-train, from disease, thirst, and overwork; and
+yet we shall leave the country before the rains.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Humanly, too much credit can scarcely be given to Sir
+Robert Napier. He has had to overcome innumerable difficulties,
+which I have from time to time alluded to; but he
+has met them all admirably. As is often the case with successful
+commanders, he is immensely popular. The extreme
+kindness and thoughtfulness of his manner to all make him
+greatly beloved, and I believe that the men would have done
+anything for him.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Upon the whole, England may well be proud of the
+campaign,—proud of her General, and of the gallant and
+hardy army, whose endurance and labour carried it out
+successfully. It has not numerically been a great campaign;
+but by our success under innumerable difficulties, England
+has gained a prestige which, putting aside the proper objects
+<pb n="431"/><anchor id="Pg431"/>of the campaign, is cheaply attained at the cost, and which
+is the more gratifying inasmuch as that England, although
+she has always risen under difficulties, and has come triumphantly
+out of great wars, has yet notoriously failed in
+her <q>little wars.</q>
+</p>
+
+<p rend="center; margin-top: 5">THE END.</p>
+
+<p rend="center; margin-top: 5; small">LONDON:<lb/>
+ROBSON AND SON, GREAT NORTHERN PRINTING WORKS,<lb/>
+PANCRAS ROAD, N.W.</p>
+
+        </div></div></body>
+        <back>
+<div>
+            <pgIf output="pdf">
+                <then/>
+                <else>
+                    <div id="footnotes" rend="page-break-before: right">
+                        <index index="toc" level1="Footnotes"/>
+                        <head>Footnotes</head>
+                        <divGen type="footnotes"/>
+                    </div>
+                </else>
+            </pgIf>
+            </div>
+<div rend="page-break-before:right; x-class: boxed">
+                <index index="pdf" level1="Transcriber's Note"/><index index="toc" level1="Transcriber’s Note"/>
+                <head>Transcriber’s Note</head>
+    
+    <p>The table of contents has been added to the electronic version.</p>
+              
+                <p>The following changes have been made to the text:</p>
+            <list>
+              <item><ref target="corr016">page 16</ref>, <q>o</q> changed to <q>of</q></item>
+              <item><ref target="corr017">page 17</ref>, period changed to comma after <q>released</q></item>
+              <item><ref target="corr023">page 23</ref>, <q>reconnoisance</q> changed to <q>reconnoissance</q></item>  
+              <item><ref target="corr118">page 118</ref>, <q>ever</q> changed to <q>over</q></item>
+              <item><ref target="corr120">page 120</ref>, <q>provisons</q> changed to <q>provisions</q></item>
+              <item><ref target="corr273">page 273</ref>, <q>Grifiths</q> changed to <q>Griffiths</q></item>
+              <item><ref target="corr322">page 322</ref>, <q>innumnerable</q> changed to <q>innumerable</q></item>  
+              <item><ref target="corr353">page 353</ref>, period changed to comma after <q>Gazoo</q></item>  
+              <item><ref target="corr372">page 372</ref>, <q>were</q> changed to <q>where</q></item>  
+              <item><ref target="corr377">page 377-378</ref>, <q>aide-camp</q> changed to <q>aide-de-camp</q></item>  
+                
+            </list>
+                <p>Variations in hyphenation (e.g. <q>breakdown</q>, <q>break-down</q>;
+                    <q>waterproof</q>, <q>water-proof</q>)
+                    have not been changed.</p>          
+            </div> 
+            <div rend="page-break-before: right">
+                <divGen type="pgfooter"/>
+            </div>
+        </back>
+    </text>
+</TEI.2>