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diff --git a/old/39470.txt b/old/39470.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..66f6019 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/39470.txt @@ -0,0 +1,12209 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of March to Magdala by G. A. Henty + + + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no +restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under +the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or +online at http://www.gutenberg.org/license + + + +Title: March to Magdala + +Author: G. A. Henty + +Release Date: April 17, 2012 [Ebook #39470] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: US-ASCII + + +***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK MARCH TO MAGDALA*** + + + + + + THE MARCH TO MAGDALA. + + LONDON: + ROBSON AND SON, GREAT NORTHERN PRINTING WORKS, + PANCRAS ROAD, N.W. + + + + + + THE + + MARCH TO MAGDALA. + + + BY G. A. HENTY, + SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT OF THE "STANDARD;" AUTHOR OF "A SEARCH FOR A + SECRET," ETC. + + + +LONDON: +TINSLEY BROTHERS, CATHERINE STREET, STRAND. +1868. + + + + + + CONTENTS + + +Preface +Introductory chapter +The March to Magdala +On board Transport General Havelock, December 1st, 1867 +Annesley Bay, December 4th +Annesley Bay, December 6th +Koomaylo, December 9th +Koomaylo, December 12th +Upper Sooro, December 13th +Camp, Senafe, December 16th +Senafe, December 19th +Senafe, December 20th +Camp, Senafe, December 23d +Camp, Senafe, December 26th +Zulla, Annesley Bay, January 2d, 1868 +Zulla, Jan. 6th +Zulla, January 19th +Zulla, January 22d +Senafe, January 31st +Senafe, February 3d +Goun-Gonna, February 4th +Attegrat, February 7th +Attegrat, February 13th +Attegrat, February 17th +Ad Abaga, Feb. 20th +Dongolo, Feb. 26th +Doullo, February 29 +Antalo, March 4th +Antalo, March 7th +Antalo, March 11th +Meshech, March 14th +Mahkan, March 16th +Ashangi Lake, March 19th +Lat, March 21st +Dildee, March 24th +Dildee, March 24th +Santarai, March 29th +Scindee, April 5th +Dalanta, April 5th +Dalanta, April 7th +Before Magdala, April 11th +April 12th +Ten o'clock P.M. +Before Magdala, April 14th +Before Magdala, April 16th +Antalo, May 1st +Footnotes +Transcriber's Note + + + + + + PREFACE. + + +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 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. + +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, 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. + +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 _Standard_; 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 "with all +their errors on their head." + + G. A. H. + + + + + + + INTRODUCTORY CHAPTER. + + +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 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 difficulties whatever beyond mountain and ravine, the +want of transport, and the scarcity of food. + +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. + +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 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. + +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 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. + +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. + +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, 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. + +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 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. + +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, "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." 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 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 "her Majesty's Consul in Abyssinia," 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 despatch on the subject, "Now this was altogether +contrary to the instruction he had received." 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. + +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 representative 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, "the chief cause of the Emperor's anger with +Consul Cameron was this journey to Bogos." 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. + +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. + +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: + +"Where have you been since you parted from Samuel at Bogos?" + +"Into the frontier provinces of Soudan." + +"What for?" + +"To see about cotton and trade, and so forth." + +"Who told you to go there?" + +"The British Government." + +"Have you brought me an answer from the Queen of England?" + +"No." + +"Why not?" + +"Because I have not received any communication from the Government upon +the subject." + +"Why, then, do you come to see me now?" + +"I request permission to return to Massowah." + +"What for?" + +"Because I have been ordered by the Government to go there." + +"So," exclaimed the exasperated monarch, "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." + +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. + +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 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. + +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 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? + +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. + +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 "after much deliberation he +had come to the conclusion that he ought not to advise the Queen to write +to the King of Abyssinia." + +So matters might have remained to the present day had 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. "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." 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 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. + +Throughout all the numerous debates in the Houses of 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 +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 _via_ +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 released, 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. + +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. + +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--"when you have no case, +blackguard your opponent"), it must be assumed that in all material points +Dr. Beke's statements are correct. + +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. + +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 _laches_ 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 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. + +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. + +As the present is merely a narrative of the march of the army to Magdala, +I must pass cursorily over the preparations 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. + +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. + +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, "will be one of great importance, and should be +very strong." "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." Farther on he says: "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." In the same minute +he says: "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 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." + +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 "vital" +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. + +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. + +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: "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." + +Considerable correspondence took place in relation to the formation and +constitution of the pioneer force, concerning 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: "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." 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. + +The general instructions to the pioneer force were precise: they were +directed to select a place of landing, and then to 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 reconnoissance. 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, "_It is not at all intended +that this force shall take up a position on the high ground_, for which +its strength and composition are unfitted." Farther on he says, "If news +is satisfactory, Staveley's brigade will sail, and _upon its arrival_ the +advance may be made." To Colonel Phayre he was equally explicit. In a +letter to him dated 9th October he says, "_It is not of course intended +that Colonel Field should move to the high table-land_ at Dexan, &c., but +merely to take up such position as will cover the depot and protect the +cattle." And again farther on, "You will understand that it is _not my +desire to precipitate a lodgment upon the table-land_, which we should +have to maintain too long before advancing." + +How these officers carried out the instructions thus clearly and strongly +laid down, we shall see hereafter. + +It is needless now to enter into any detail of the preparations 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. + +After these introductory remarks, I begin my narrative from the date of my +own sailing from Bombay. + + + + + + THE MARCH TO MAGDALA. + + + + + On board Transport General Havelock, + December 1st, 1867. + +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, "as soon as possible," 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. + +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 +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, &c.; and all this +with the strong 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, &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 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-general's department, the ordnance, and so on _ad infinitum_. +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. + +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-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 "specials;" 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 +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. + +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, 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. + + ---------------------- + + + + + Annesley Bay, December 4th. + +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 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, "Five +fathoms!" His call two minutes before had been ten fathoms. The captain +shouted "Stop her!" "Turn her astern!" 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 "Two fathoms!" 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 +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 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 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 "We +are afloat." + +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 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. + + ---------------------- + + + + + Annesley Bay, December 6th. + +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 some doubt +whether the King of Tigre 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 +Tigre. 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 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, &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. + +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 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. + +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. + +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 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 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 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. + +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 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 _laches_ 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 +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. + +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. + + + +At the time that the above letter was written I had only 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. + +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 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. + +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, "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;" and again, he had written at the end of October, "that if the +news were satisfactory, Staveley's Brigade would sail, and _upon its +arrival_ the advance may be made." To Colonel Phayre he had written +October 9th: "It is not of course intended that Colonel Field should move +to the high table-land at Dexan, &c., but shall merely take up such +position as will cover the depot and protect the cattle;" and again, in +the same letter: "You will understand that it is not my desire to +precipitate a lodgment upon the table-land, which we should have to retain +too long before advancing." 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 "great care should be taken to +prevent their being overworked." And yet, in spite of these orders, +Colonels Merewether and Phayre, together with Colonel Wilkins,--to whom the +making of piers, &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. + +Senafe is five days' march from Zulla, up a ravine of almost unparalleled +difficulty. + +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. _Cui bono?_ 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 Merewether 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 "officer +commanding,"--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. + + ---------------------- + + + + + Koomaylo, December 9th. + +I mentioned in my letter of two days since, that the news from the front +was, that the King of Tigre, with an army of 7000 men, was inclined to +make himself unpleasant. Our last "shave," 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 exception of the King +of Tigre, 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 Beloochee +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. + +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 +_intendance generale_, 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. + +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 "_Partant pour la Syrie_" 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 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. + +The road from Annesley Bay to Koomaylo can hardly be 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 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. + +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 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. + +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 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 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. + +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. As it is, I foresee we shall have very great +difficulty with them. + + ---------------------- + + + + + Koomaylo, December 12th. + +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, 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 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, &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. + + + +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. "There cannot," he +proceeded, "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 +floating-wharves for use at low water, particularly should the shores +shelve gently. Spars to form floating shears should also be forwarded." +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. + + + +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 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 +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. + +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. + +A letter has just come down from Colonel Merewether saying that all is +going on well at Senafe. The King of Tigre 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 "salaam." I do not +know that these petty chiefs, who are subjects of the King of Tigre, are +of much importance one way or another, but their friendship would be +useful if they would bring in a few hundred 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. + + ---------------------- + + + + + Upper Sooro, December 13th. + +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 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 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. + +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 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. + +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 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 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, 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. + +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 +present case. But I shall never cease to think of that bottle of beer with +gratitude. + +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 water-proof 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. + +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. + +Upper Sooro is a large commissariat depot, 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 encamp. 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. + +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 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. + +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. + + ---------------------- + + + + + Camp, Senafe, December 16th. + +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 Tigre are, to a certain extent, +founded on fact. He 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. + + ---------------------- + + + + + Senafe, December 19th. + +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 Tigre were +untrue, and that that monarch was at present pursuing a course of masterly +inactivity. I will now, therefore, resume my 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 river in Eastern Africa, with rice, cotton, and corn +abounding upon its banks, and a climate beyond reproach. In consequence of +this report the "Universities Mission" 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. + +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 +saddle, and your belongings come to the ground with a crash. With our two +mules we have the "Otago saddle," 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 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 picturesque 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. + +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, 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 _Euphorbia candalabriensis_, +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. + +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 foetid odour. This was only to be expected, as the +poor animals had been obliged to 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 depot 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 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, 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. + +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 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 body of the army arrives I have +no doubt that they will find a fair road up to the plateau. + + ---------------------- + + + + + Senafe, December 20th. + +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 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. + +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 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. + +Things are very tranquil here. The King of Tigre, 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, "Why +should we not be friends? My foes are your foes; my interests your +interests. Take therefore my forage, and my blessing." Colonel Merewether +is greatly delighted at this message, and sees, through those +rose-coloured spectacles of his, an early end to the expedition. Everyone +else is perfectly indifferent. The King of Tigre'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. + +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 "Charge!" 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 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 +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. + +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 "Lockaree, lockaree!"--which is +the Hindoostanee for wood, they having picked up that word,--and "Parne!" +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. + +All praise must be given to the commissariat for the way in which they +have performed the service from Zulla to this 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. + +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. + + + +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 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? + +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, &c., but he declines +positively to allow a _confrere_ and myself to accompany him. He is civil, +but firm. "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." 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 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. + + ---------------------- + + + + + Camp, Senafe, December 23d. + +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. + +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 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 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. + +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 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, "What becomes of the letters?" 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 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. + +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 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--"Return at once, and I will release my prisoners; move one step +forward, and I will sacrifice every one." 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 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. + +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, "Sahib, your baggage-pony ill." 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 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. + +This morning the 10th Native Infantry were engaged in 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. + + ---------------------- + + + + + Camp, Senafe, December 26th. + +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 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. + +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, &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 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 +manoeuvres. 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 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, &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 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 deg. 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 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 "All friends at home." + +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. + + ---------------------- + + + + + Zulla, Annesley Bay, January 2d, 1868. + +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 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 depot, 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, "From Sooro to Senafe, about thirty miles +more, water never fails." The fact being, not one single drop is to be +found in the thirty miles above Sooro, save at one muddy well. + +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 "the Douglas +pitcher-spout pump," are certainly admirable 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 companies 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 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 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. + +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. + + ---------------------- + + + + + Zulla, Jan. 6th. + +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 _bunder_--in England +called pier; but here everything has its Indian name. The _bunder_ has, +since I last wrote, been lengthened a few yards, and has been widened at +the end 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 +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 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 over pumice-stones with naked feet. + +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 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 provisions 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 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.(1) 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 "routies"--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, 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 deg. 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. + +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 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, 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 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. + +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 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 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 pure starvation; and I +understand that General Staveley at once ordered that grain should be +issued to them. + +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 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. + +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 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. + +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. + +We have now completed our circular ride round the camp; and I must leave +the camps and depots lying in the interior of the circle until another +occasion, for I have not yet touched upon the immediate news of the day. + +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. + +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 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 "God save the Queen," the troops salute, and +Sir Robert Napier has taken command of the forces here. + +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 _on dit_ 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. + +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 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, +"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, &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." + +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 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 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. + +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 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 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. + +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 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. + + ---------------------- + + + + + Zulla, January 19th. + +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 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, &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. + +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, &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, &c. "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." "The +saddles will invariably, when taken 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." 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, &c. to make out +with their own hands, unless they take one of the few European inspectors +from his work to act as clerk. "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." 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. + +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 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 _sine qua non_ 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. + +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; 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. + +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. + + + +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, 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 "relay" system than by the "through." +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, &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. + + + +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 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! + +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, 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. + +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 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. + +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, &c., and to say to them, +"Deliver them in certain proportions at such and such stations along the +road." This done, their responsibility ceases. If there is a deficiency +anywhere, they have only to say, "We handed over the stores at Zulla in +ample time, and if they have not arrived it is no fault of ours." 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.(2) + +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 +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. +"You say you are Christians," the Shoho said; "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." + +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; 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. + +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, _via_ 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, &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.(3) + +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, 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 depot +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 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 +"he had determined on raising the whole African coast three feet," while +others more moderate denied the exactness of this, and said that he was +merely "seized with a desire to show the Bombay people how reclamations +from the sea ought to be carried out." 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, 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. + +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 +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 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-train arrived here in the most perfect order. The saddles, +accoutrements, &c., arrived with the mules, together with the proper +complement of drivers, complete with warm clothing, &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. + +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 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. + +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 "a troop of baboons are watching Theodore." 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 "political +agent," I do not 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 small. In my next letter I hope to be able to speak +of at least a probability of a forward movement. + + ---------------------- + + + + + Zulla, January 22d. + +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 +"forward" is the cry. The 25th Native Infantry are already on the move, +the 4th, "King's Own," 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 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, 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 deg. to 112 deg., in a +tent, and surrounded and covered with a fine dust, existence can scarcely +be called a pleasure here. + +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, +&c. &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 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, &c., and the rugs, &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, &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. + + ---------------------- + + + + + Senafe, January 31st. + +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 difficulty 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 nothing 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 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 shattered 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. + +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. + +The Beloochees are deservedly one of the most popular regiments in the +Indian service, and there is an _esprit de corps_--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 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 _esprit de corps_, 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. + +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. + +I found that the telegraph is making rapid progress. The wire now works as +far as Sooro, and is also erected downwards 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. + +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. + +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. + +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, &c., followed by dhoolie 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 +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 "the grave where _our_ hero we buried." + +Sir Robert Napier arrived here with his personal staff the day before +yesterday, having been five days _en route_, 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. + +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 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 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 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 depots and moving on stage by stage. In this latter case there is +no predicting the probable limit of the expedition. + +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, &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 suffering, 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 remonstrances 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. + +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 expected +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. + +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. + +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 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 _esprit de corps_, 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 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, &c., are not the property of the Government, +but of the men, or rather of some among the men. + +The Scinde Horse are, and always were, an irregular cavalry, upon what is +called the "sillidar" 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 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, &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 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. + +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 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: "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." Rassam +answers somewhat in this style: "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;" and more fulsome stuff of the same character. Dr. Blanc's letters to +us are at once spirited and manly. "We are delighted," he says, "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." 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. + +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 archaeologist; 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 +"specials;" for a general order was actually issued the other day, saying +that "gentlemen unconnected with the army were to pay for a month's +rations in advance." 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 "unconnected with the army," +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 "I thought I might have been considered as good for the +payment at the end of each month as officers were." "Ah," said the astute +officer, "but suppose anything were to happen to you, whom should we look +to for payment?" The reply was obvious: "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?" 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. + +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. + + ---------------------- + + + + + Senafe, February 3d. + +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. + +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 Abyssinia, +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, &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 the aged and infirm, they would decline with +thanks General Napier's gift. + +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, "five." 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, "1015." This means, +"move to the support of the fourth division," 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, +"Concentrate on the centre division." It is, indeed, astonishing 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 "Concentrate upon your left flank;" 1022 "Concentrate upon your +right." 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 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, &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. + +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 feeding 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. + +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. + +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 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, 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. + +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 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 +day with the price probably enhanced two or three dollars over that +demanded on the first occasion. + +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. + + ---------------------- + + + + + Goun-Gonna, February 4th. + +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 _en route_, 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. 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. + +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 +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 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 +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 "force" 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. + +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 +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, &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. + + ---------------------- + + + + + Attegrat, February 7th. + +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 vaticinations 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 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. + +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 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, 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 certainly 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. + +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 properly 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 graveyards 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 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 _penetralia_ 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. + +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 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 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 Abyssinian eyes, and +we are always required to take off our hats on entering the outside gates. + +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 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. + +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 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 +formidable 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 chalet. 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. 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 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. + +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 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 +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. + +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. + +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. + + ---------------------- + + + + + Attegrat, February 13th. + +Our grand Christmas farcio-pantomime, entitled "Harlequin and the Magic +Durbar; or the Ambassador, the Archbishop, and the Barbarian Cortege," has +been played to an immensely amused and numerous audience. The title had +been advertised as "The King, the Archbishop, &c.;" 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 +"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." 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 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 Liege; 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 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: "My eye, Bill, if these are +the sort of chaps we've come to fight, we sha'n't have much trouble with +them." 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 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 cortege 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 "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." + +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 "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." He then said "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." The General answered "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." The Ambassador then made a statement which showed that his last +question was not _bona fide_, and that the King had really no intention of +coming at all. He said "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." +The Chief replied that, "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." There was then a pause in the conversation, and the Ambassador +begged to know when he might be allowed 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. + +Our savage visitors, however, were more impressed with 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, "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." The general feeling in the +camp, indeed, upon the subject was that of disappointment. It was exactly +the reverse of "the stern joy that warriors feel in foe-men worthy of +their steel." 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. + +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 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. + +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. + +The following is a summary of the news from the front, as communicated to +us by General Napier's orders: + +"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 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." + +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 Magdala, the _a_ 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 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. + +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. + +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; 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. + +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 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 _coups_ 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 +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. + +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 +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 +levee 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. + +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 his appearance at +present is almost irresistibly inducive of laughter. + +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 deg. 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 deg. or 37 deg., 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 deg. 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. + +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. + +The Commander-in-chief has, since he started from the sea, shown every +desire to forward our objects in every way. We were invited to be present +at the reception of the Tigre ambassador, and Sir Robert very kindly sent +in a _precis_ 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. + + ---------------------- + + + + + Attegrat, February 17th. + +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 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 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. + +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 collecting 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, 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. + +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 privileged to do +nothing, unless they really did do a little fighting occasionally. + +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. + +Three of the officers of the 4th regiment saw, the other day, at Fokado, +an operation which was described by Bruce, 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 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. + +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 _precis_ 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 _in propria persona_. If +he does come it will no doubt be a very 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. + +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 appear 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 _employe_ 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 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. + +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 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 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. + +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 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 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, 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 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 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. + + ---------------------- + + + + + Ad Abaga, Feb. 20th. + +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 "that all animals +not off by half-past six must wait until after the departure of the column +at seven;" 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 _en route_ 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 uniforms. 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 "Red, White, and Blue." 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 "Nelly Bligh." After the troops came the head of a long +line of baggage-animals. Having seen the column pass, I rode on and +rejoined my baggage. + +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 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. + +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 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 _on dit_ 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. + + ---------------------- + + + + + Dongolo, Feb. 26th. + +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 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. + +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 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. + +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 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. + +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-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. + +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 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 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 _infra-dig._ +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. + +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 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 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. + +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 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 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 +"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." 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 +which our troops were paraded, and went through a few manoeuvres 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. + +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, 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. + +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. + +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 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. + +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 expedition 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. + +On the day after the last mail left we were favoured with a _precis_ 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. + + ---------------------- + + + + + Doullo, February 29. + +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 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. + +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 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, &c., considerable quantities of flour and +bread. + +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 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. + +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. + +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. + +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 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 Griffiths, 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. + + ---------------------- + + + + + Antalo, March 4th. + +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 probable that beyond Lat 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 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 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. + +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. + +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 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. + +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. + +Lat 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. + +I now return to the narrative of our march here. From 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. + +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. + +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 +border 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. + +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 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. + +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. + +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 lookers-on to +understand me availed to elicit the required information. + +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 _vice versa_. 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. + +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. + +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 are less picturesque +in dress and less pleasing in feature than those of Attegrat. Their +morality is lax in the extreme. "A virtuous woman is a crown to her +husband:" 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 "tedge." 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 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; that +having our own baggage-animals, and providing our forage, &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. "All servants +to be sent back, a grass-cutter only being allowed for each horse." 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 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 quarter-master-general's department assembling to consider +the question of "evasion of the general order relating to servants by +officers and civilians attached to the army." + + ---------------------- + + + + + Antalo, March 7th. + +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. + +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 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. + +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. 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. + +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. Munzinger, 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. + +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 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. + +The general health of the troops continues excellent. There have been a +few cases of dysentery, but the hospitals are all but empty. + +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 himself 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: "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." 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. + +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 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. + +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 is of the size and colour +of the "everlasting-pea;" 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. + +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. + +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. + +The remaining wing of the 4th Regiment arrived two days ago, and the +second wing of the 33d marched in this 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. + +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. + +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 manoeuvres would have no interest to a +general reader beyond those of any garrison field-day. + + ---------------------- + + + + + Antalo, March 11th. + +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 this officer +and Captain Goodfellow, of the Engineers, was received. It stated, "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." 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 frequented 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. + +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 _per-contra_, 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 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, &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. + +The natives here unanimously express their hopes and wishes that we should +take possession of the country and 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 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 "A British Taxpayer" 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 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 +depots 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 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 "Taxpayer" 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 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 "British Taxpayer" that penny +wisdom is an equivalent for pound foolishness. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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, 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. + +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: + +"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 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." + +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. + + ---------------------- + + + + + Meshech, March 14th. + +We have advanced two days' marches into the Abyssinian hills, and at every +step forward we see more clearly the difficulties 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 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. + +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 +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 depots. 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 "Phayre" 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 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 Lat there is plenty of forage; in that case Lat 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. + + ---------------------- + + + + + Mahkan, March 16th. + +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 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. + +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. + +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: "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, however, 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." + +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 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 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. + +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 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, &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 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 incessantly 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 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 "Wolf!" +that they will not believe it when the real animal makes his appearance. + +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 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. + + ---------------------- + + + + + Ashangi Lake, March 19th. + +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 _hors de combat_. It is terribly fatiguing too for the troops. Nor +is anything gained by it. The old proverb, "the more haste the less +speed," 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. + +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-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. + +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 Tedros +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, 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 +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 innumerable 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. + +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 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 generally of small sizes, which merely rattle against a goose's +feather at a distance of fifty yards. + +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 +"belief which we hold in common, namely," he said, "the Old and New +Testament, and the Koran." 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 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, &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. + +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 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 Lat, 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 Staveley, and will +arrive with him at Lat. 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. + + ---------------------- + + + + + Lat, March 21st. + +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. + +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 +the head of the lake, upon flat ground. The distance from Ashangi was +little over six miles. + +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. + +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, &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, +&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 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 +Lat 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 baggage until we +return to Lat, 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. + +This morning we started for this place. Lat has always been spoken of as a +place where we should halt and form a depot, 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 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. + +Sir Robert Napier's original plan was to have formed a depot 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 Lat with only fifteen +days' provisions, and there is no depot 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 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. + + ---------------------- + + + + + Dildee, March 24th. + +I sent off a very hurriedly-written letter two days since from Lat. 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 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, &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, 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. + +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 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 _tentes d'abri_, 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, 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, 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. + +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, +&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. + +Of course we have now a constant succession of news from the front. It is +very contradictory, but the general report is 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. + + ---------------------- + + + + + Santarai, March 29th. + +We are beginning to believe Magdala to be a _fata morgana_, an _ignis +fatuus_, 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 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. + +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 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. + +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 Lat. 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 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. + +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 +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. + +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. + +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 doing so. +The camping-ground had also the disadvantage of a very great scarcity of +wood. + +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. + +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 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. + +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 _pro_ and _con_ 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. + +We went on half-a-mile farther across the valley to a point where the +commissariat had collected a depot 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 surprisingly 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. + +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. + +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. + +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 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. + +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 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. + +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, for heretofore we had not seen an animal which could even by +courtesy be called a horse since we landed in Abyssinia. + +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. + +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 mention 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. + +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, 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 "unload!" +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 "fire!" 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. + + ---------------------- + + + + + Scindee, April 5th. + +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 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 deg. at eleven o'clock, and go +down to 19 deg. 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 +Lat 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 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. + +The next day's march was sixteen miles, to Ad Gazoo, 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 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. + +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 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. + +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 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. + +"Hallo, Jack!" they said good-humouredly, "where are you coming?" + +"Coming?" Jack said, "I ain't coming anywhere. I am only towing the craft; +it's the chap behind does the steering." + +It is always so with them. The head-rope is always either the "tow-rope" +or "the painter." They starboard or port their helm, "tack through a +crowd," or "wear the ship round" in a most amusing way. They have of +course shore-titles for the occasion, but do not always answer to them. + +The other day I heard an officer call out, "Sergeant-major!" + +No answer. + +"Sergeant-major!" This time louder. + +Still no reply. + +A third and still louder hail produced no response. + +"Boatswain, where the devil are you?" + +"Ay, ay, sir!" was the instant answer from the man, who was standing close +by, but who had quite forgotten his new rank of sergeant-major. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +The difficulties of writing since we left Lat 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. + + ---------------------- + + + + + Dalanta, April 5th. + +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. + +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 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. + +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 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. + +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 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, +been applied to by the Commander-in-chief, he would, no doubt, have +afforded every facility to the geographer and archaeologist 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. + +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 hyaenas 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 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 +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. + + ---------------------- + + + + + Dalanta, April 7th. + +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 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, &c. &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. + +This unexpected influx of grain, &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, &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. + +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. + +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 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. + +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 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. + +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. + + ---------------------- + + + + + Before Magdala, April 11th. + +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 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. + +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, &c. +&c., and nowhere, even at Antalo, did supplies flow in with such rapidity +as at this place, where we expected to find a desert. + +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. + +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 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. + +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. + +Sir Charles Staveley was in command of the advance, 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. + +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 where 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. + +From the Bachelo a broad ravine with a flat bottom ran 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 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 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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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 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, "A large force is coming down +the road on the brow of the fortress." + +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. + +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 +aide-de-camp 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 less than a +minute the first rocket whizzed out on the plain. + +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 +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 +detachment 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. + +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 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 _sauve qui peut_, 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 heavy rains which had been pitilessly coming down for the +last hour. + +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 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. + +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 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 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. + +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 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. + +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. + +Theodore was general enough to perceive and to take advantage of Colonel +Phayre's egregious blunder; but his 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. + +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. + +Theodore had come in after the engagement in a rather philosophical mood, +and said, "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." + +And so the two captives came into camp. Both looked well and hearty, and +acknowledged that, as far as eating and 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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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-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. + +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. + + ---------------------- + + + + + April 12th. + +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 +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. + + ---------------------- + + + + + Ten o'clock P.M. + +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 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. + +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. + + ---------------------- + + + + + Before Magdala, April 14th. + +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. + +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 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 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. + +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. 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. + +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. + +From the shoulder we climbed up the very winding road 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. + +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 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. + +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. + +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 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, 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, &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. + +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 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. + +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 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. + +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. + +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 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. + +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 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. + +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. + +The huts were all of the same size and description--stone walls with +conical roofs, and no light except that which entered 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. + +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, &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 +"tedge"--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. 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. + +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, "that they had made +the attack in gallant style." 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. + +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: "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! Weight 25 wohkits of +pure gold, and value 500 dollars. Made by Waldo Giergis." 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. + +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. + +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 +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. + +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. + + ---------------------- + + + + + Before Magdala, April 16th. + +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 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, &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. + +The Gallas have been extremely troublesome for the last three days. The +unfortunate fugitives from Magdala are 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 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 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 manoeuvre 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. + +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 hope that nothing will occur to postpone our departure. Some of +the troops will certainly start to-day or to-morrow. + + ---------------------- + + + + + Antalo, May 1st. + +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, "The Abyssinian +Expedition," 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. 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, _pace_ +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 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. + +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 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 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 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. + +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: + + + + + + +"SOLDIERS OF THE ARMY OF ABYSSINIA, + +"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. + +"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. + +"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. + +"Magdala, on which so many victims have been slaughtered, has been +committed to the flames, and remains only a scorched rock. + +"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. + +"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. + +"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. + +"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. + + (Signed) R. NAPIER, Lieut.-general, + Commander-in-chief. + (Signed) M. DILLON, Lieut.-colonel, + Military Secretary." + + + + + + +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 "batta," 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. + +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 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 disturbed 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 Lat +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 force, and attempt to plunder +openly, they are invariably beaten. + +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 +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 "politicals" as usual had their way; +and Lieutenant Story was summarily removed from the transport-train. + +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 +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. + +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 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: "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." + +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. + +Respecting the country, I have little to tell that is not 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. + +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 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. + +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. + +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, 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. + +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. + +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 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 +"little wars." + + + + + + THE END. + + + + + + LONDON: + ROBSON AND SON, GREAT NORTHERN PRINTING WORKS, + PANCRAS ROAD, N.W. + + + + + + + FOOTNOTES + + + 1 It was not for some months after this date that the transport + officers were allowed to move their camp to a more habitable spot. + + 2 This regimental arrangement was carried out during the latter part + of the march to Magdala, and was found to answer extremely well. + + 3 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. + + + + + + TRANSCRIBER'S NOTE + + +The table of contents has been added to the electronic version. + +The following changes have been made to the text: + + page 16, "o" changed to "of" + page 17, period changed to comma after "released" + page 23, "reconnoisance" changed to "reconnoissance" + page 118, "ever" changed to "over" + page 120, "provisons" changed to "provisions" + page 273, "Grifiths" changed to "Griffiths" + page 322, "innumnerable" changed to "innumerable" + page 353, period changed to comma after "Gazoo" + page 372, "were" changed to "where" + page 377-378, "aide-camp" changed to "aide-de-camp" + +Variations in hyphenation (e.g. "breakdown", "break-down"; "waterproof", +"water-proof") have not been changed. + + + + + +***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK MARCH TO MAGDALA*** + + + + CREDITS + + +April 17, 2012 + + Project Gutenberg TEI edition 1 + Produced by David Edwards, Stefan Cramme and the Online + Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This + file was produced from images generously made available by The + Internet Archive) + + + + A WORD FROM PROJECT GUTENBERG + + +This file should be named 39470.txt or 39470.zip. + +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + + + http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/3/9/4/7/39470/ + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one -- the old editions will be +renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no one +owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation (and +you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without permission +and without paying copyright royalties. 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