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diff --git a/8815-8.txt b/8815-8.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..23873e7 --- /dev/null +++ b/8815-8.txt @@ -0,0 +1,10274 @@ +Project Gutenberg's A Narrative of Captivity in Abyssinia, by Henry Blanc + +Copyright laws are changing all over the world. Be sure to check the +copyright laws for your country before downloading or redistributing +this or any other Project Gutenberg eBook. + +This header should be the first thing seen when viewing this Project +Gutenberg file. Please do not remove it. Do not change or edit the +header without written permission. + +Please read the "legal small print," and other information about the +eBook and Project Gutenberg at the bottom of this file. Included is +important information about your specific rights and restrictions in +how the file may be used. You can also find out about how to make a +donation to Project Gutenberg, and how to get involved. + + +**Welcome To The World of Free Plain Vanilla Electronic Texts** + +**eBooks Readable By Both Humans and By Computers, Since 1971** + +*****These eBooks Were Prepared By Thousands of Volunteers!***** + + +Title: A Narrative of Captivity in Abyssinia + With Some Account of the Late Emperor Theodore, + His Country and People + +Author: Henry Blanc + +Release Date: September, 2005 [EBook #8815] +[Yes, we are more than one year ahead of schedule] +[This file was first posted on August 10, 2003] + +Edition: 10 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK CAPTIVITY IN ABYSSINIA *** + + + + +Produced by Distributed Proofreaders + + + + + A NARRATIVE OF CAPTIVITY IN ABYSSINIA; + + WITH SOME ACCOUNT OF + THE LATE EMPEROR THEODORE, + HIS COUNTRY AND PEOPLE. + + BY HENRY BLANC, M.D., + M.R.C.S.E., F.A.S.L., ETC., + + STAFF ASSISTANT-SURGEON HER MAJESTY'S BOMBAY ARMY, + (LATELY ON SPECIAL DUTY IN ABYSSINIA.) + + + +CONTENTS + + PREFACE + + CHAPTER I. + +The Emperor Theodore--His Rise and Conquests--His Army +and Administration--Causes of his Fall--His Personal +Appearance and Character--His Household and Private Life + + CHAPTER II. + +Europeans in Abyssinia--Bell and Plowden--Their Career and +Deaths--Consul Cameron--M. Lejean--M. Bardel and Napoleon's Answer +to Theodore--The Gaffat People--Mr. Stern and the Djenda Mission--State +of Affairs at the End of 1863 + + CHAPTER III. + +Imprisonment of Mr. Stern--Mr. Kerans arrives with Letters and +Carpet--Cameron, with his Followers, is put in Chains--M. Bardel +returns from the Soudan--Theodore's Dealings with Foreigners--The +Coptic Patriarch--Abdul Rahman Bey--The Captivity of the Europeans +explained + + CHAPTER IV. + +News of Cameron's Imprisonment reaches Home--Mr. Rassam is selected +to proceed to the Court of Gondar, and is accompanied by Dr. +Blanc--Delays and Difficulties in communicating with Theodore--Description +of Massowah and its Inhabitants--Arrival of a Letter from the Emperor + + CHAPTER V. + +From Massowah to Kassala--The Start--The Habab--Adventures of M. +Marcopoli--The Beni Amer--Arrival at Kassala--The Nubian Mutiny--Attempt +of De Bisson to found a Colony in the Soudan + + CHAPTER VI. + +Departure from Kassala--Sheik Abu Sin--Rumours of Theodore's Defeat +by Tisso Gobazé--Arrival at Metemma--Weekly Market--The Takruries +at Drill--Their Foray into Abyssinia--Arrival of Letters from Theodore + + CHAPTER VII. + +Entrance into Abyssinia--Altercation between Takruries and Abyssinians +at Wochnee--Our Escort and Bearers--Applications for Medicine--First +Reception by his Majesty--The Queen's Letter translated and Presents +delivered--Accompany his Majesty through Metsha--His Conversation +_en route_ + + CHAPTER VIII. + +Leave the Emperor's Camp for Kourata--The Tana Sea--The Abyssinian +Navy--The Island of Dek--Arrival at Kourata--The Gaffat People and +former Captives join us--Charges preferred against the Latter--First +Visit to the Emperor's Camp at Zagé--Flattery before Coercion + + CHAPTER IX. + +Second Visit to Zagé--Arrest of Mr. Rassam and the English Officers +--Charges brought against Mr. Rassam--The former Captives are brought +in Chains to Zagé--Public Trial--Reconciliation--Mr. Flad's Departure +--The Imprisonment at Zagé--Departure for Kourata + + CHAPTER X. + +Second Residence at Kourata--Cholera and Typhus break out in the +Camp--The Emperor resolves to march to Debra Tabor--Arrival at +Gaffat--The Foundry transformed into a Palace--Political Trial at +Debra Tabor--The Black Tent--Dr. Blanc and Mr. Rosenthal seized at +Gaffat--Another Public Trial--The Black Hole--March with the Emperor +to Aibankab--Sent to Magdala, and Arrival at the Amba + + CHAPTER XI. + +Our first House at Magdala--The Chief has a "little Business" with +us--Feelings of a European when being put in Chains--The Operation +described--The Prisoners' Toilette--How we Lived--Our first Messenger +a Failure--How we obtained Money and Letters--A Magdala Diary--A +Rainy Season in a Godjo + + CHAPTER XII. + +Description of Magdala--Climate and Water Supply--The Emperor's +Houses--His Harem and Magazines--The Church--Prison-house--Guards +and Gaol--Discipline--A previous Visit of Theodore to Magdala--Slaughter +of the Gullas--Character and Antecedents of Samuel--Our friends, +Zenab the Astronomer, and Meshisha the Lute-player--Day Guards--We +build new Huts--Abyssinian and Portuguese Servants--Our Inclosure +is enlarged + + CHAPTER XIII. + +Theodore writes to Mr. Rassam about Mr. Flad and the Artisans--His +two Letters contrasted--General Merewether arrives at Massowah--Danger +of sending Letters to the Coast--Ras Engeddah brings us a few +Stores--Our Garden--Successful Results of Vaccination at Magdala--Our +Day Guard again--Second Rainy Season--The Chiefs are Jealous--The +Ras and his Council--Damash, Hailo, Daily Life during Rainy Season--Two +Prisoners attempt to Escape--The Knout in Abyssinia--A Dying Man's +Prophecy + + CHAPTER XIV. + +Second Rainy Season ends--Scarcity and dearness of Provisions--Meshisha +and Comfou plot their Escape--They succeed--Theodore is robbed--Damash +pursues the Fugitives--The Night Attack--The Galla War-cry, and the +"Sauve qui peut"--The Wounded left on the Field--Hospitality of the +Gallas--Theodore's Letter on the Subject--Mastiate's Troubles--Wakshum +Gabra Medhin--Sketch of Gobaz's Career--He invites the Co-operation +of the Bishop in seizing Magdala--The Bishop's plan--All the rival +Chiefs intrigue for the Amba--Mr. Rassam's Influence overrated + + CHAPTER XV. + +Death of Abouna Salama--Sketch of his Life and Career--Grievances +of Theodore against him--His Imprisonment at Magdala--The Wallo +Gallas--Their Habits and Customs--Menilek appears with an Army in +the Galla Country--His Policy--Advice sent to him by Mr. Rassam--He +invests Magdala, and fires a _feu-de-joie_--The Queen's behavior +--Steps taken by the Chiefs--Our Position not improved--The +Effects of Smoke on Menilek--Our Disappointment followed by great +Joy--We receive news of the Landing of British Troops + + CHAPTER XVI. + +Theodore's Proceedings during our stay at Magdala--His treatment +of Begemder--A Rebellion breaks out--Forced March on Gondar--The +Churches are plundered and burnt--Theodore's Cruelties--The Insurgents +increase in Strength--The Designs of the Emperor on Kourata +frustrated--Mr. Bardel betrays the new Workmen--Theodore's Ingratitude +towards the Gaffat People--His Raid on Foggara unsuccessful + + CHAPTER XVII. + +Arrival of Mr. Flad from England--Delivers a Letter and Message +from the Queen--The Episode of the Telescope--Our Property taken +care of--Theodore will not yield except to Force--He recruits his +Army--Ras Adilou and Zallallou desert him--He is repulsed at Belessa +by Lij Abitou and the Peasants--The Expedition against Metraha--His +Cruelties there--The great "Sebastopol" is cast--Famine and Pestilence +compel the Emperor to raise his Camp--The difficulties of his March +to Magdala--His arrival in Dalanta + + CHAPTER XVIII. + +Theodore in the Vicinity of Magdala--Our feelings at the Time--An +Amnesty granted to Dalanta--The Garrison of Magdala join the +Emperor--Mrs. Rosenthal and other Europeans are sent to the +Fortress--Theodore's Conversation with Flad and Waldmeier on the +Coming of the Troops--Sir Robert Napier's Letter to Theodore reaches +us--Theodore plunders Dalanta--He abuses Mr. Waldmeier--Reaches the +Bechelo--Correspondence between Mr. Rassam and Theodore--Mr. Rassam +is released from his Fetters--Theodore arrives at Islamgee--His +Quarrel with the Priests--His First Visit to the Amba--Trial of the +two Chiefs--He places a new Commandant over the Garrison + + CHAPTER XIX. + +We are counted by the new Ras, and condemned to Sleep in one +Hut--Theodore's Second Visit to the Amba--He sends for Mr. Rassam, +and gives orders that Prideaux and myself should have our Chains +taken off--The Operation described--Our Reception by the Emperor--We +are sent for to see "Sebastopol" landed on Islamgee--Conversation +with his Majesty--The remaining Prisoners are freed from their +Fetters--Theodore is unable to plunder his own Property + + + CHAPTER XX. + +All the Prisoners leave the Amba for Islamgee--Our Reception by +Theodore--He harangues his Troops, and releases some of the +Prisoners--He informs us of the Advance of the English--The +Massacre--We are sent back to Magdala--Effects of the Battle of +Fahla--Messrs. Prideaux and Flad sent to Negotiate--Release of the +Captives, and their narrow Escape--Their Arrival in the British +Camp + + * * * * * + + CONCLUSION + + * * * * * + + LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. + + +PASS OF LOOKUM (Frontispiece). + +FORT, MISSION HOUSE, AND TOWN OF MASSOWAH + +GROVE HOUSE AT MONCULLOU + +VILLAGE OF DANKORA IN ATCHEFUR + +CHURCH OF KEDUS GEORGIS AND VILLAGE OF NEFASA, AGAU MEDAR + +VILLAGE OF KANOA IN WANDIGÉ + +VIEW FROM WANDIGÉ OF LAKE TANA + +SUMMIT OF ZER AMBA, A FORTRESS NEAR TSCHELGA + + * * * * * + +_The Fetters on the Cover of this Volume represent the Leg-chains +worn by Dr. Blanc. Their weight is about seven pounds._ + + + + + PREFACE. + + * * * * * + +With a view of gratifying the natural curiosity evinced by a large +circle of friends and acquaintance to obtain accurate information +as to the cause of our captivity, the manner in which we were +treated, the details of our daily life, and the character and habits +of Theodore, I undertook the task of writing this account of our +captivity in Abyssinia. + +I have endeavoured to give a correct sketch of the career of Theodore, +and a description of his country and people, more especially of his +friends and enemies. + +In order to make the reader familiar with the subject, it was also +necessary to say a few words about the Europeans who played a part +in that strange imbroglio--the Abyssinian difficulty. My knowledge +of them, and of the events that occurred during our captivity, was +acquired through personal experience, and also by intercourse with +well-informed natives, during long months of enforced idleness. + +In preparing this work for the press, I found it necessary to the +completeness of the narrative, to incorporate some portions of my +Report to the Government of Bombay on Mr. Rassam's mission, which +appeared in an Indian newspaper, and was subsequently republished +in a small volume. + +For the same reason I have also included a few articles contributed +by me to a London newspaper. + +The sufferings of the Abyssinian captives will be ever associated, +in the annals of British valour, with the triumphant success of the +expedition, so skilfully organized by its commander, whose title, +Lord Napier of Magdala, commemorates the crowning achievement of a +glorious career. + +_London, July 23, 1868._ + + + + A NARRATIVE OF CAPTIVITY IN ABYSSINIA. + + + + + CHAPTER I. + + +The Emperor Theodore--His Rise and Conquests--His Army and +Administration--Causes of his Fall--His Personal Appearance +and Character--His Household and Private Life. + +Lij Kassa, better known as the Emperor Theodore, was born in Kouara +about the year 1818. His father was a noble of Abyssinia, and his +uncle, the celebrated Dejatch Comfou, had for many years governed +the provinces of Dembea, Kouara, Tschelga, &c. On the death of his +uncle he was appointed by Ras Ali's mother, Waizero Menen, governor +of Kouara; but, dissatisfied with that post, which left but little +scope for his ambition, he threw off his allegiance, and occupied +Dembea as a rebel. Several generals were sent to chastise the young +soldier; but he either eluded their pursuit or defeated their forces. +However, on the solemn promise that he would, be well received, he +repaired to the camp of Ras Ali. This kind-hearted but weak ruler +thought to attach to his cause the brave chieftain, and to accomplish +that object gave him his daughter Tawavitch (she is beautiful). Lij +Kassa returned to Kouara, and for a time remained faithful to his +sovereign. He made several plundering expeditions in the low lands, +carried fire and sword into the Arab huts, and always returned from +these excursions bringing with him hordes of cattle, prisoners, and +slaves. + +The successes of Kassa, the courage he manifested on all occasions, +the abstemious life he led, and the favour he showed to all who +served his cause, soon collected around him a band of hardy and +reckless followers. Being ambitious, he now formed the project of +carving out an empire for himself in the fertile plains he had so +often devastated. Educated in a convent, he had not only studied +theological subjects, but made himself conversant with the mystic +Abyssinian history. His early education always exercised great +influence on his after-life, giving to his intercourse with others +a religious character, and impressed vividly upon his mind the idea +that the Mussulman race having for centuries encroached on the +Christian land, it should be the aim of his life to re-establish +the old Ethiopian empire. Urged on, therefore, both by ambition and +fanaticism, he advanced in the direction of Kedaref at the head of +16,000 warriors; but he had soon to learn the immense superiority +of a small number of well-armed and well-trained troops over large +but undisciplined bodies of men. Near Kedaref he came in sight of +his mortal foes the Turks, a mere handful of irregulars; yet they +were too much for him: for the first time, defeated and disheartened, +he had, for a while, to abandon his long-cherished scheme. + +Instead of returning to the seat of his government, he was obliged, +on account of a severe wound received during the fight, to halt on +the frontier of Dembea. From his camp he informed his mother-in-law +of his condition, and requested that she would send him a cow--the +fee required by the Abyssinian doctor. Waizero Menen, who had +always hated Kassa, now took advantage of his fallen condition to +humble his pride still more; she sent him, instead of the cow, a +small piece of meat with an insulting message. Near the couch of +the wounded chieftain sat the brave companion who had shared his +fortunes, the wife whom he loved. On hearing the sneering message +of the Queen, her fiery Galla blood flamed with indignation. She +rose and told Kassa that she loved the brave but abhorred the coward; +and she could not remain any longer by his side if, after such an +insult, he did not revenge it in blood. Her passionate words fell +upon willing ears; vengeance filled the heart of Kassa, and as soon +as he had sufficiently recovered he returned to Kouara and openly +proclaimed his independence. + +For the second time Ras Ali called him to his court; but the summons +met with a stern refusal. Several generals were sent to enforce +the command, but the young soldier easily routed these courtiers; +whilst their followers, charmed with Kassa's insinuating manners +and dazzled by his splendid promises, almost to a man enrolled +themselves under his standard. His wife again exerted her influence, +showing him how easily he might secure for himself the supreme +power, and, as he hesitated, again threatened to leave him. Kassa +resisted no longer; he advanced into Godjam, and carried all before +him. The battle of Djisella, fought in 1853, decided the fate of +Ras Ali. His army had been but for a short time engaged when, +panic-stricken, the Ras left the field with a body of 500 horse, +leaving the rest of his large host to swell the ranks of the +conqueror. Victory followed victory, and after a few years, from +Shoa to Metemma, from Godjam to Bogos, all feared and obeyed the +commands of the Emperor Theodore; for under that name he desired +to be crowned, after he had by the battle of Deraskié, fought in +February, 1855, subdued Tigré, and conquered his most formidable +opponent, Dejatch Oubié. + +Shortly after the battle of Deraskié, Theodore turned his victorious +arms against the Wallo Gallas, possessed himself of Magdala, and +ravaged and destroyed so completely the rich Galla plain that many +of the chiefs joined his ranks, and fought against their own +countrymen. He had now not only avenged the long-oppressed Christians, +so often victims of the Galla inroads, but curbed for a long time +the haughty spirit of these clans. At the height of success, he +lost his brave and loving wife. He felt the cruel blow deeply. She +had been his faithful counsellor, the companion of his adventures, +the being he most loved; and he cherished her memory while he lived. +In 1866, when one of his artisans almost forced himself into his +presence to request permission for me to remain a few days near the +man's dying wife, Theodore bent his head, and wept at the remembrance +of his own wife whom he had so deeply loved. + +The career of Theodore may be divided into three very distinct +periods:--First, from his early days to the death of his first wife; +secondly, from the fall of Ras Ali to the death of Mr. Bell; thirdly, +from this last event to his own death. The first period we have +described: it was the period of promise. During the second--which +extends from 1853 to 1860--there is still much to praise in the +conduct of the Emperor, although many of his actions are unworthy +of his early career. From 1860 to 1868 he seems little by little +to have thrown off all restraint, until he became remarkable for +reckless and wanton cruelty. His principal wars during the second +period were with Dejatch Goscho Beru, governor of Godjam; with +Dejatch Oubié, whom he conquered, as we have already stated, at the +battle of Deraskié, and with the Wallo Gallas. He could, however, +still be merciful, and though he imprisoned many of the feudal +chiefs, he promised to release them as soon as the pacification of +his empire should be complete. + +In 1860 he advanced against his cousin Garad, the murderer of Consul +Plowden, and gained the day; but he lost his best friend and adviser, +Mr. Bell, who saved the Emperor's life by sacrificing his own. In +January, 1861, Theodore marched with an overwhelming force against +a powerful rebel, Agau Negoussi, who had made himself master of all +northern Abyssinia; by cunning and skilful tactics, he easily +overthrew his adversary but tarnished his victory by horrid cruelties +and gross breach of faith. Agau Negoussi's hands and feet were cut +off, and though he lingered for days, the merciless emperor refused +him even a drop of water to moisten his fevered lips. His cruel +vengeance did not stop there. Many of the compromised chiefs, who +had surrendered on his solemn pledge of amnesty, were either handed +over to the executioner or sent to linger for life, loaded with +fetters, in some of the prison ambas. For the next three years +Theodore's rule was acknowledged throughout the land. A few petty +rebels had risen here and there, but with the exception of Tadla +Gwalu, who could not be driven from the fastness of his amba in the +south of Godjam, all the others were but of little importance, and +did not disturb the tranquillity of his reign. + +But though a conqueror, and endowed with military genius, Theodore +was a bad administrator. To attach his soldiery to his cause, he +lavished upon them immense sums of money; he was therefore forced +to exact exorbitant tributes, almost to drain the land of its last +dollar, in order to satisfy his rapacious followers. Finding himself +at the head of a powerful host, and feeling either reluctant or +afraid to dismiss them to their homes, he longed for foreign +conquests; the dream of his younger days became a fixed idea, and +he believed himself called upon by God to re-establish in its former +greatness the old Ethiopian empire. + +He could not, however, forget that he was unable to cope single-handed +with the well-armed and disciplined troops of his foes; he remembered +too well his signal failure at Kedaref, and therefore sought to +gain his long-desired object by diplomacy. He had heard from Bell, +Plowden, and others, that England and France were proud of the +protection they afforded to Christians in all parts of the world; +he therefore wrote to the sovereigns of those two countries, inviting +them to join him in his crusade against the Mussulman race. A few +passages selected from his letter to our Queen will prove the +correctness of this assertion. "By his power (of God) I drove away +the Gallas. But for the Turks, I have told them to leave the land +of my ancestors. They refuse!" He mentions the death of Plowden +and Bell, and then adds:--"I have exterminated those enemies (those +who killed Bell and Plowden), that I may get, by the power of God, +_your friendship_." He concludes by saying, "_See how the Islam +oppress the Christian!_" + +Theodore's army at this time consisted of some 100,000 or 150,000 +fighting men; and if we take as the average four followers for every +soldier, his camp must have numbered between 500,000 and 600,000 +souls. Admitting, also, the population of Abyssinia to be nearly +3,000,000, about one fourth of the number had to be paid, fed, and +clothed by the contributions of the remainder. + +During a few years, such was Theodore's prestige that this terrible +oppression was quietly accepted; at last, however, the peasants, +half-starved and almost naked, finding that with all their sacrifices +and privations they were still far from satisfying the daily +increasing demands of their terrible master, abandoned the fertile +plains, and under the guidance of some of the remaining hereditary +chiefs, retired to high plateaus, or concealed themselves in secluded +valleys. In Godjam, Walkait, Shoa, and Tigré, the rebellion broke +out almost simultaneously. Theodore had for a while to abandon his +ideas of foreign conquest, and did his utmost to crush the mutinous +spirit of his people. Whole rebel districts were laid waste; but +the peasants, protected by their strongholds, could not be reached: +they quietly awaited the departure of the invader and then returned +to their desolated homes, cultivating just enough for their +maintenance; thus, with only a few exceptions, the peasants evaded +the terrible vengeance of the now infuriate Emperor. His immense +army soon suffered severely from this mode of warfare. Each year +the provinces which the soldiers could plunder became fewer; severe +famines broke out; large districts such as Dembea, the granary of +Gondar and of central Abyssinia, lay waste and uncultivated. The +soldiers, formerly pampered, now in their turn half starved and +badly clad, lost confidence in their leader; desertions were numerous; +and many returned to their native provinces, and joined the ranks +of the discontented. + +The fall of Theodore was even more rapid than his rise. He was still +unconquered in the battlefield, as, after the example of Negoussi's +fate, none dared to oppose him; but against the passive warfare of +the peasantry and the Fabian-like policy of their chiefs he could +do nothing. Never resting, almost always on the march, his army day +by day becoming reduced in strength, he went from province to +province; but in vain: all disappeared at his approach. There was +no enemy; but there was no food! At last, reduced by necessity, in +order to keep around him some remnants of his former immense army, +he had no alternative left but to plunder the few provinces still +faithful to him. + +When I first met Theodore, in January, 1866, he must have been about +forty-eight years of age. His complexion was darker than that of +the majority of his countrymen, the nose slightly curved, the mouth +large, the lips so small as hardly to be perceived. Of middle size, +well knit, wiry rather than muscular, he excelled as a horseman, +in the use of the spear, and on foot would tire his hardiest +followers. The expression of his dark eyes, slightly depressed, was +strange; if he was in good humour they were soft, with a kind of +gazelle-like timidity about them that made one love him; but when +angry the fierce and bloodshot eye seemed to shed fire. In moments +of violent passion his whole aspect was frightful: his black visage +acquired an ashy hue, his thin compressed lips left but a whitish +margin around the mouth, his very hair stood erect, and his whole +deportment was a terrible illustration of savage and ungovernable +fury. + +Yet he excelled in the art of duping his fellow-men. Even a few +days before his death he had still, when we met him, all the dignity +of a sovereign, the amiability and good-breeding of the most +accomplished "gentleman." His smile was so attractive, his words +were so sweet and gracious, that one could hardly believe that the +affable monarch was but a consummate dissembler. + +He never perpetrated a deed of treachery or cruelty without pleading +some specious excuse, so as to convey the impression that in all +his actions he was guided by a sense of justice. For example, he +plundered Dembea because the inhabitants were too friendly towards +Europeans, and Gondar because one of our messengers had been betrayed +by the inhabitants of that city. He destroyed Zagé, a large and +populous city, because he pretended that a priest had been rude to +him. He cast into chains his adopted father, Cantiba Hailo, because +he had taken into his service a female servant he had dismissed. +Tesemma Engeddah, the hereditary chief of Gahinte, fell under his +displeasure because after a battle against the rebels he had shown +himself "too severe," and our first head-jailor was taken to the +camp and put in chains because he had "formerly been a friend" of +the King of Shoa. I could adduce hundreds of instances to illustrate +his habitual hypocrisy. In our case, he arrested us because we had +not brought the former captives with us; Mr. Stern he nearly killed, +merely for putting his hand to his face, and he imprisoned Consul +Cameron for going to the Turks instead of bringing him back an +answer to his letter. + +Theodore had all the dislike of the roving Bedouin for towns and +cities. He loved camp life, the free breeze of the plains, the sight +of his army gracefully encamped around the hillock he had selected +for himself; and he preferred to the palace the Portuguese had +erected at Gondar for a more sedentary king, the delights of roaming +about incognito during the beautiful cool nights of Abyssinia. His +household was well-regulated; the same spirit of order which had +introduced something like discipline into his army, showed itself +also in the arrangements of his domestic affairs. Every department +was under the control of a chief, who was directly responsible to +the Emperor, and answerable for everything connected with the +department entrusted to him. These officers, all men of position, +were the superintendents of the tej makers, of the women who prepared +the large flat Abyssinian bread, of the wood-carriers, of the water +girls, &c.; others, like the "Balderas," had charge of the Royal +stud, the "Azage" of the domestic servants, the "Bedjerand" of the +treasury, stores, &c.; there were also the Agafaris or introducers, +the Likamaquas or chamberlain, the Afa Negus or mouth of the King. + +Strange to say, Theodore preferred as his personal attendants those +who had served Europeans. His valet, the only one who stood by him +to the last, had been a servant of Barroni, the vice-consul at +Massowah. Another, a young man named Paul, was a former servant of +Mr. Walker; others had at one time been in the service of Plowden, +Bell, and Cameron. Excepting his valet, who was almost constantly +near his person, the others, although they resided in the same +inclosure, had more especially to take care of his guns, swords, +spears, shields, &c. He had also around him a great number of +pages; not that I believe he required their presence, but it was +an "honour" he bestowed on chiefs entrusted with distant commands +or with the government of remote provinces. Almost all the duties +of the household were performed by women; they baked, they carried +water and wood, and swept his tent or hut, as the case might be. +The majority of them were slaves whom he had seized from slave-dealers +at the time he made "manly" efforts to put a stop to the trade. +Once a week, or more often as the case required, a colonel and his +regiment had the honour of proceeding to the nearest stream, to +wash the Emperor's linen and that of the Imperial household. No +one, not even the smallest page, could, under the penalty of death, +enter his harem. He had a large number of eunuchs, most of them +Gallas, or soldiers and chiefs who had recovered from the mutilation +the Gallas inflict on their wounded foe. The queen or the favourite +of the day had a tent or house to herself, and several eunuchs to +attend upon her; at night these attendants slept at the door of her +tent, and were made responsible for the virtue of the lady entrusted +to their care. As for the ordinary women, the objects of passing +affections or of stronger passions that time had quenched, a tent +or hut in common for ten or twenty, one or two eunuchs and a few +female slaves for the whole, was all the state he allowed these +neglected ladies. + +Theodore was more bigoted than religious. Above all things he was +superstitious; and that to a degree incredible in a man in other +respects so superior to his countrymen. He had always with him +several astrologers, whom he consulted on all important occasions +--especially before undertaking any expedition,--and whose +influence over him was unbounded. He hated the priests, despised +them for their ignorance, spurned their doctrines, and laughed at +the marvellous stories some of their books contain; but still he +never marched without a tent church, a host of priests, defteras, +and deacons, and never passed near a church without kissing its +threshold. + +Though he could read and write, he never condescended to correspond +personally with any one, but was always accompanied by several +secretaries, to whom he would dictate his letters; and so wonderful +was his memory that he could indite an answer to letters received +months, nay years, before, or dilate on subjects and events that +had occurred at a far remote period. Suppose him on the march. On +a distant hillock arose a small red flannel tent--it is there where +Theodore fixed his temporary abode and that of his household. To +his right is the church tent; next to his own the queen's or that +of the favourite of the day. Then came the one allotted to his +former lady friends, who travelled with him until a favourable +opportunity presented itself of sending them to Magdala, where +several hundreds were dwelling in seclusion, spinning cotton for +their master's shamas and for their own clothes. Behind were several +tents for his secretaries, his pages, his personal attendants, and +one for the few stores he carried with him. When he made any +lengthened stay at a place he had huts erected by his soldiers for +himself and people, and the whole was surrounded by a double line +of fences. Though not wanting in bravery, he never left anything +to chance. At night the hillock on which he dwelt was completely +surrounded by musketeers, and he never slept without having his +pistols under his pillow, and several loaded guns by his side. He +had a great fear of poison, taking no food that had not been prepared +by the queen or her "remplacante;" and even then she and several +attendants had to taste it first. It was the same with his drink: +be it water, tej, or arrack, the cup-bearer and several of those +present at the time had first to drink before presenting the cup +to his Majesty. He made, however, an exception in our favour one +day that he visited Mr. Rassam at Gaffat. To show how much he +respected and trusted the English, he accepted some brandy, and +allowing no one to taste it before him, he unhesitatingly swallowed +the whole draught. + +He was a very jealous husband. Not only did he take the precautions +I have already mentioned, but (except in the last months of his +life, when it was beyond possibility for him to do otherwise) he +never allowed the queen or any other lady in his establishment to +travel with the camp. They always marched at night, well concealed, +with a strong guard of eunuchs; and woe to him who met them on the +road, and did not turn his back on them until they had passed! On +one occasion a soldier who was on guard crept near the queen's tent, +and, taking advantage of the darkness of the night, whispered to +one of the female attendants to pass him a glass of tej under the +tent. She gave him one. Unfortunately, he was seen by a eunuch, who +seized him, and at once brought him before his Majesty. After hearing +the case, Theodore, who happened to be in good spirits that evening, +asked the culprit if he was very fond of tej; the trembling wretch +replied in the affirmative. "Well, give him two wanchas [Footnote: +A wancha is a large horn cup.] full to make him happy, and afterwards +fifty lashes with the girf [Footnote: A long hippopotamus whip.] +to teach him another time not to go near the queen's tent." Evidently, +Theodore, with a large experience of the _beau sexe_ of his +country, was profoundly convinced that his precautions were necessary. +On one of his visits to Magdala, one of the chiefs of that amba +made a complaint to him against one of the officers of the Imperial +household, whom he had caught some time before in his lady's +apartment. + +Theodore laughed, and said to him, "You are a fool. Do I not look +after my wife? and I am a king." + +Theodore was always an early riser; indeed, he indulged in sleep +but very little. Sometimes at two o'clock, at the latest before +four, he would issue from his tent and give judgment on any case +brought before him. Of late his temper was such that litigants kept +out of his way; he nevertheless retained his former habits, and +might be seen, long before daybreak, sitting solitary on a stone, +in deep meditation or in silent prayer. He was also very abstemious +in his food, and never indulged in excesses of the table. He rarely +partook of more than one meal a day; which was composed of injera +[Footnote: The pancake loaves made of the small seed of the teff.] +and red pepper, during fast days; of wât, a kind of curry made of +fish, fowl, or mutton, on ordinary occasions. On feast days he +generally gave large dinners to his officers, and sometimes to the +whole army. At these festivals the "brindo" [Footnote: Raw beef] +would be equally enjoyed by the sovereign and by the guests. At +these public breakfasts and dinners the King usually sat on a raised +platform at the head of the table. No one has ever been known, +except perhaps Bell, to have dined out of the same basket at the +same time as Theodore; but when he desired specially to honour some +of his guests, he either sent them some food from his basket, or +had others placed on the platform near him, or, what was a still +higher honour, sent to the favoured one his own basket with the +remains of his dinner. + +Unfortunately Theodore had for several years before his death greatly +taken to drink. Up to three or four o'clock he was generally sober +and attended to the business of the day; but after his siesta he +was invariably more or less intoxicated. In his dress he was generally +very simple, wearing only the ordinary shama, [Footnote: A white +cotton cloth, with a red border, woven in the country.] native-made +trousers, and a European white shirt; no shoes, no covering to the +head. His rather long hair--for an Abyssinian--was divided in three +large plaits, and allowed to fall on his neck in three plaited +tails. Of late he had greatly neglected his hair; for months it had +not been plaited; and to show the grief he felt on account of the +"badness" of his people, he would not allow it to be besmeared with +the heavy coating of butter in which Abyssinians delight. On one +occasion he apologized to us for the simplicity of his dress. He +told us that, during the few years of peace that followed the +conquest of the country, he used often to appear in public as a +king should do; but since he had been by the bad disposition of his +people obliged to wage constant war against them, he had adopted +the soldier's raiments, as more becoming his altered fortune. +However, after his fall became imminent, he on several occasions +clad himself in gorgeous costumes, in shirts and mantles of rich +brocaded silks, or of gold-embroidered velvet. He did so, I believe, +to influence his people. They knew that he was poor, and though he +hated pomp in his own attire, he desired to impress on his few +remaining followers that though fallen he was still "the King." + +During the lifetime of his first wife and for some years afterwards, +Theodore not only led an exemplary life, but forbade the officers +of his household and the chiefs more immediately around him to live +in concubinage. One day in the beginning of 1860 Theodore perceived +in a church a handsome young girl silently praying to her patron, +the Virgin Mary. Struck with her beauty and modesty, he made +inquiries about her, and was informed that she was the only daughter +of Dejatch Oubié, the Prince of Tigré, his former rival, whom he had +dethroned, and who was then his prisoner. He asked for her hand, +and met with a polite refusal. The young girl desired to retire +into a convent, and devote herself to the service of God. Theodore +was not a man to be easily thwarted in his desires. He proposed to +Oubié that he would set him at liberty, only retaining him in his +camp as his "guest," should the Prince prevail on his daughter to +accept his hand. At last Waizero Terunish ("thou art pure") sacrificed +herself for her old father's welfare, and accepted the hand of a +man whom she could not love. This union was unfortunate. Theodore, +to his great disappointment, did not find in his second wife the +fervent affection, the almost blind devotion, of the dead companion +of his youth. Waizero Terunish was proud; she always looked on her +husband as a "parvenu," and took no pains to hide from him her want +of respect and affection. In the afternoon, Theodore, as it had +been his former habit, tired and weary, would retire for rest in +the queen's tent; but he found no cordial welcome there. His wife's +looks were cold and full of pride; and she even went so far as to +receive him without the common courtesy due to her king. One day +when he came in she pretended not to perceive him, did not rise, +and remained silent when he inquired as to her health and welfare; +she held in her hand a book of psalms, and when Theodore asked her +why she did not answer him, she calmly replied, without lifting up +her eyes from the book, "Because I am conversing with a greater and +better man than you--the pious King David." + +Theodore sent her to Magdala, together with her new-born son, +Alamayou ("I have seen the world"), and took as his favourite a +widowed lady from Yedjow, named Waizero Tamagno, a rather coarse, +lascivious-looking person, the mother of five children by her former +husband; she soon obtained such an ascendancy over his mind that +he publicly proclaimed "that he had divorced and discarded Terunish, +and that Tamagno should in future be considered by all as the queen." +Soon Waizero Tamagno had numerous rivals; but she was a woman of +tact; and far from complaining, she rather encouraged Theodore in +his debauchery, and always received him with a smile. One day she +said to her fickle lord, who felt rather astonished at her forbearance, +"Why should I be jealous? I know you love but me; what is it if you +stoop now and then to pick up some flowers, to beautify them by +your breath?" + +Although Theodore had several children, Alamayou is the only +legitimate one. The eldest, a lad of about twenty-two, called Prince +Meshisha, is a big, idle, lazy fellow. Though at Zagé, Theodore +introduced him to us, and desired us to make him a friend with the +English, he did not love him: the young man was, indeed, so unlike +the Emperor that I can well understand Theodore having had serious +doubts of his being really his son. The other children, five or six +in number, the illegitimate offspring of some of his numerous +concubines, resided at Magdala, and were brought up in the harem. +He seems to have taken but very little notice of them: but every +time he passed through Magdala he would send for Alamayou, and play +with the boy for hours. A few days before his death he introduced +him to Mr. Rassam, saying, "Alamayou, why do you not bow to your +father?" and after the audience he sent him to accompany us back +to our quarters. + +Waizero Terunish, Almayou's mother, never made any complaint; though +forsaken by her husband, she remained always faithful to him. She +spent usually the long days of her seclusion reading the books she +delighted in--the psalms, the lives of the saints and of the Virgin +Mary--and bringing up by her side her only son, for whom she had a +deep affection. Although she had never loved her husband, in difficult +times she bravely stood by his side. When Menilek, the King of Shoa, +made his demonstration before the amba, and treachery was feared, +she sent out her son and made all the chiefs and soldiers swear +fidelity to the throne. Two days before his death, Theodore sent +for the wife he had not seen for years, and spent part of the +afternoon with her and his son. + +After the storming of Magdala, Waizero Terunish and her rival, +Waizero Tamagno, were told to come to our former prison, where they +would meet with protection and sympathy. It fell to my lot to receive +them on their arrival; and I did my utmost to inspire them with +confidence, to assuage their fears, and to assure them that under +the British flag they would be treated with scrupulous honour and +respect. + +It was on the 13th of April, 1866, that Theodore, still powerful, +had treacherously seized us in his own house; and strange to say, +on the 13th of April, two years afterwards, his dead body lay in +one of our huts, while his wife and favourite had to seek shelter +under the roof of those whom he had so long maltreated. + +Both his queens and Alamayou accompanied the English army on its +march back, Waizero Tamagno left, with feelings of gratitude for +the kindness and attention she had received at the hands of the +English commander-in-chief, as soon as she could with safety return +to her native land, Yedjow; but poor Terunish died at Aikullet. Her +child, Alamayou, the son of Theodore, and grandchild of Oubié, has +now reached the English shore, an orphan, an exile, but well cared +for. + + + + + CHAPTER II. + + +Europeans in Abyssinia--Bell and Plowden--Their Career and Deaths +--Consul Cameron--M. Lejean--M. Bardel and Napoleon's Answer to +Theodore--The Gaffat People--Mr. Stern and the Djenda Mission--State +of Affairs at the end of 1863. + + +Abyssinia seems to have had a strange fascination for Europeans. +The two first who were connected with the late Abyssinian affairs +are Messrs. Bell and Plowden, who both entered Abyssinia in 1842. +Mr. John Bell, better known in that country under the name of +Johannes, first attached himself to the fortunes of Ras Ali. He +took service with that prince, and was elevated to the rank of basha +(captain); but it seems that Ras Ali never gave him much confidence, +and tolerated him rather on account of his (Ras Ali's) friendship +for Plowden, than for any liking for Bell himself. Bell shortly +afterwards married a young lady belonging to one of the good families +of Begemder. From this union he had three children: two daughters, +afterwards married to two of the King's European workmen, and a +son, who left the country together with the released captives. Bell +fought by Ras Ali's side at the battle of Amba Djisella, which ended +so fatally for that prince, and afterwards retired into a church, +awaiting in that asylum the good pleasure of the victor. Theodore +hearing of the presence of a European in the sanctuary, sent him +word to come to him, giving him a most solemn pledge that he would +be treated as a friend. Bell obeyed, and a strong friendship sprang +up between the Emperor and the Englishman. + +Bell had for many years quite identified himself with the Abyssinians +both in dress and mode of life. He was a man of sound judgment, +brave, well-informed, appreciated all that was great and good; and +seeing in Theodore an ideal he had often conceived, he attached +himself to him with disinterested affection--almost worshipped him. +Theodore gave him the rank of likamaquas, and always kept him near +his person. Bell slept at the door of his friend's tent, dined off +the same dish, joined in every expedition, and would frequently +remain for hours, at the Emperor's request, narrating to him all +the wonders of civilized life, the advantages of military discipline, +and the rules of good government. Theodore gave him on several +occasions a few hundred young men to drill; but European tactics +being distasteful to the unruly Abyssinians, he obtained such +indifferent results that the Emperor soon relieved him from that +hopeless task. Theodore ordered his friend to marry his wife "by +the sacrament." Bell at once consented; but, strange to say, the +family of his wife, out of dislike to Theodore, refused to give +their consent. Whereupon the Emperor presented him with a Galla +slave, to whom he was married, the Emperor officiating as father +to the bride. + +Bell was much beloved by all who knew him, and all Europeans who +came into the country were sure to find in him a friend. Between +him and Plowden the brotherly friendship that united them only +increased with time; and on hearing of the murder of his friend, +Bell took a solemn oath that he would avenge his death. About seven +months afterwards the Emperor marched against Garad, and suddenly +came upon him not far from the spot where Plowden fell. The Emperor +was riding ahead, next to him came his faithful chamberlain; on +their entering a small wood the two brothers Garad appeared in the +middle of the road, only a few yards in front of them. Seeing the +danger that threatened his master, Bell rushed forward, placed +himself before the Emperor, so as to protect him with his body, +and, with a steady aim, fired at his friend Plowden's murderer. +Garad fell. Immediately the brother, who had been watching the +Emperor's movements, turned upon Bell, and shot him through the +heart. Theodore promptly avenged his faithful friend, for hardly +had Bell fallen to the ground than his opponent was mortally wounded +by the Emperor himself. + +Theodore ordered the place to be at once surrounded, and all Garad's +followers--some 1,600, I believe--were made prisoners and murdered +in cold blood. Theodore mourned for several days the death of his +faithful follower, in whom he lost more than a brave chief and a +hardy soldier: I may almost say he lost his kingdom, for none dared +honestly to advise and fearlessly to counsel him as Bell had done, +and none ever enjoyed that confidence which rendered Bell's advice +so acceptable. + +Plowden seems to have been of a more ambitious turn of mind than +his friend. Whilst Bell adopted Abyssinia as his home, and contented +himself with service under the native princes, it is evident that +Plowden strove to represent England in that distant land, and to +be acknowledged by the rulers of Abyssinia as consuls are in the +East,--a small _imperium in imperio_. He went the right way +to work: induced Ras Ali to send presents to the Queen, and carried +them himself; impressed upon Lord Palmerston the advantages of a +treaty with Abyssinia; spoke a great deal about Mussulmans, +slave-trade, oppressed Christians, &c.; and at length prevailed +upon the Foreign Secretary to assent to his plans, and appoint him +consul for Abyssinia. In justice to him, I must say, that from all +accounts no man could have been better fitted for the post: he was +beloved by all classes, and his name is still mentioned with respect. +He did not, so much as Bell, identify himself with the natives; he +always wore a European dress, and kept his house in a semi-English +style. On the other hand, he was fond of show, and never travelled +without being followed by several hundred servants, all well armed--a +mere parade, as on the day of his death his numerous retinue did +not afford him the slightest assistance. + +Plowden returned to Abyssinia as consul in 1846. He was well +received by Ras Ali, with whom he was a favourite, and he soon after +concluded a paper treaty with that prince. Ras Ali was a weak-minded +debauchee; all he asked for was to be left alone, and on the same +principle he allowed every one around him to do pretty well as they +liked. One day Plowden asked permission to erect a flag-staff. Ras +Ali gave a willing consent, but added, "Do not ask me to protect +it, I do not care for such things; but I fear the people will not +like it." Plowden hoisted the Union Jack above his consulate; a few +hours afterwards it was torn to pieces by the mob. "Did not I tell +you so?" was all the satisfaction he could obtain from the ruler +of the land. After the fall of Ras Ali, Bell, who had, as I have +already mentioned, followed the fortunes of Theodore, wrote to his +friend in enthusiastic terms, depicted in the eloquent language of +admiring friendship all the good qualities of the rising man, and +advised Plowden to present himself before the powerful chieftain +who undoubtedly before long would be the acknowledged ruler of the +whole of Abyssinia. + +Plowden's first reception by Theodore was courteous in the extreme; +but he had this time to deal with a very different kind of man to +his predecessor. Theodore was all amiability, even offered money, +but declined to recognize in him "the consul," or to ratify the +treaty he (Plowden) had made with Ras Ali. For several years Plowden +seemed to have joined his friend Bell in singing the praises of +Theodore; he was to be the reformer of his country, had introduced +a certain discipline in his army, and, to use Plowden's own words, +"he is an honest man, and strives to be just, and, though firm, far +from cruel." + +During the last years of his life, Plowden's opinion had been greatly +modified. Theodore did not like him; he feared him; and it was only +on account of his friendship for Bell that he did not lay violent +hands on him. Plowden, on one occasion, was told to accompany his +Majesty to Magdala; arrived there, Theodore called for the Head of +the mountain, who was at that time the son of the Galla queen, +Workite, and asked him his advice as to whether he should put Plowden +in chains or not. The prince, who had a great regard for Plowden, +told his Majesty that if they watched him with the eye it was +sufficient, and that he would be answerable for his prisoner. +Plowden returned with Theodore some time afterwards to the Amhara +country, but was constantly surrounded by spies. All his actions +were reported to the Emperor, and for a long time, under some +pretence or the other, he was refused leave to return to England. +At last, broken in health, and disappointed, Plowden almost insisted +on going. His Majesty granted his request, but at the same time +informed him that the roads were infested with rebels and thieves, +and strongly advised him to await his return. I was told on good +authority that his Majesty only acquiesced in Plowden's wishes +because he believed that it was quite impossible for him to leave. + +However, Plowden, trusting in his popularity, and, perhaps, also +in his retinue, started at once on his homeward journey. At a short +distance from Gondar he was attacked and made prisoner by a rebel +named Garad, a cousin of Theodore. It is probable that he would +have been let off with a ransom, but for an unfortunate circumstance. +Plowden, sick and tired, was resting under a tree, and while Garad +was speaking to him, put his hand towards his belt, as his servant +told us, to take out his handkerchief; but the rebel chief, believing +that he intended to draw a pistol, immediately wounded him mortally +with the lance he held in his hands. Plowden was ransomed by the +Gondar merchants, but died a few days afterwards, in March, 1860, +from the effects of the wound. + +During our stay at Kuarata, at the time we were in high favour, +office copies of Plowden's official letters for the year preceding +his death, were brought to us. How altered his impression, how +changed his opinion! He had begun to see through the fine words of +the Emperor; he more than suspected that before long a hateful +tyranny would replace the firm but just rule he had formerly so +greatly admired. I remember well that at Zagé, when our luggage was +returned to us a few hours after the arrest, with what haste and +anxiety Prideaux, in whose charge the manuscript was at the time, +opened his trunk behind his bed, so that the guards should not +perceive the dangerous paper before he had time to destroy it. + +If Bell and Plowden had been both living, it may be asked, would +Theodore have dealt with them so as ultimately to call for the +intervention of Government on Abyssinian affairs? I believe so. The +King, as I have said, disliked Plowden personally; he repaid his +ransom to the Gondar merchants, it is true, but it was only a +political "dodge" of his; he knew well to whom he gave the money, +and took it back "with interest," a few years later. Often he has +been heard to sneer at the manner in which Plowden was killed, and +say, "The white men are cowards: look at Plowden; he was armed, but +he allowed himself to be killed without even defending himself." +This was a malicious assertion on the part of Theodore, as he was +well aware that Plowden was so sick at the time that he could hardly +walk, and that though he carried a pistol, _it was not loaded_. +Not long before his own death, Theodore spoke, on several occasions, +in very harsh terms of Bell's eldest daughter, and on some of her +friends representing to his Majesty that he should not forget that +she was the daughter of the man who died protecting him, Theodore +quietly replied, "Bell was a fool; he would never carry a shield!" + +A few months after the news of Consul Plowden's death had reached +England, Captain Charles Duncan Cameron was appointed to the vacant +post, but for some reason or other, he reached Massowah only in +February, 1862, and Gondar in July of the same year. Captain Cameron +had not only served with distinction during the Kaffir war, and +passed alone through more than 200 miles of the enemy's country, +but had also been employed on the staff of General Williams, and +had been for several years in the consular service. He was, in all +respects, well fitted for his post; but, unfortunately for him, +when he entered Abyssinia he had to deal with a fascinating, +vainglorious, shrewd man, hiding his cunning under an appearance +of modesty: in a word, with Theodore who had become an over-bearing +despot. On his first arrival, Cameron was received with great +honours, and treated by the Emperor with marked respect, and when +he left in October, 1862, he was loaded with presents, escorted by +the Emperor's servants, and almost acknowledged as a consul. Like +so many others--I can say, like ourselves,--at first he had been +so completely taken in by Theodore's manners that he did not discern +the true character of the man he had to deal with, and but too late +found out the worth of his gracious reception and the flatteries +which had been so liberally bestowed upon him. + +From Adowa Captain Cameron forwarded Theodore's letter to our Queen +by native messengers, and proceeded to the province of Bogos, where +he deemed his presence necessary. He found out during his stay that +Samuel, the Georgis balderaba [Footnote: An introducer: generally +given to foreigners in the capacity of a spy.] whom Theodore had +given him--a clever, but rather unscrupulous Shoho--was intriguing +with the chiefs of the neighbourhood, tributaries of Turkey, in +favour of his imperial master. Captain Cameron thought it therefore +advisable, in order to avoid future difficulties with the Egyptian +Government, to leave Samuel behind with the Servants he did not +require. Samuel was much hurt at not being allowed to accompany +Cameron in his tour through the Soudan, and though he pretended to +be well pleased with the arrangement, he shortly afterwards wrote +a long letter to his master in which he spoke in very unfavourable +terms of Captain Cameron. Arrived at Kassala, Captain Cameron one +evening at a friend's house asked his Abyssinian servants to show +the guests their native war-dance; some refused, others complied, +but as it was not appreciated by the spectators, they were told to +leave off. (I mention this fact as it was made a serious offence +by Theodore, and is a sample of the pretences adopted by him when +he desired to vindicate his conduct.) Arrived at Metemma, Cameron, +who was at the time suffering from fever, wrote to his Majesty to +inform him of his arrival, and requesting his permission to proceed +to the missionary station of Djenda; which was granted. + +Mr. Bardel, a Frenchman, had accompanied Cameron on his first voyage +to Abyssinia; they disagreed, and Bardel left Cameron's service to +enter the Emperor's. At the time Theodore sent Cameron with a letter +to the Queen of England, he also entrusted one to Bardel for the +Emperor of the French. During Bardel's absence M. Lejean, the French +Consul at Massowah, arrived in Abyssinia; he was the bearer of +credentials to the Emperor Theodore, and also brought with him a +few trifles to be presented to his Majesty in the name of the Emperor +Napoleon. M. Lejean was not allowed to leave before the arrival of +Mr. Bardel; who returned to Gondar in September, 1863, with an +answer from the French Secretary for Foreign Affairs, whom he +described to Theodore as the mouthpiece (_afa negus_) of Napoleon. +All the Europeans were summoned from Gondar to witness the reading of +the letter; the King, seated at the window of the palace, had the letter +read, and asked Bardel how he had been received. + +"Badly," he replied. "I had an audience with the Emperor, when Mr. +D'Abbadie whispered to him that your Majesty was in the habit of +cutting off hands and feet; on that, without a word more, Napoleon +turned his back upon me." + +Theodore then took the letter, and, tearing it to pieces, said:--"Who +is that Napoleon? Are not my ancestors greater than his? If God +made him great, can he not make me also great?" After which his +Majesty ordered a safe conduct to be given to M. Lejean, with orders +that he should leave the country at once. + +The Abouna, at that time in favour, afraid above all things of the +Roman Catholics, urged the Emperor to let Lejean depart, lest the +French should be afforded an excuse for taking possession of some +part of the country, from whence their priests would endeavour to +propagate their doctrines. But two days after Lejean's departure, +Theodore, who had by that time regretted that he had let him go, +sent to have him arrested on the road and brought back to Gondar. + +In the autumn of 1863 the Europeans in Abyssinia numbered about +twenty-five; they were, Cameron and his European servants, the Basle +mission, the Scottish mission, the missionaries of the London Society +for the Conversion of the Jews, and some adventurers. + +In 1855 Dr. Krapf, accompanied by Mr. Flad, entered Abyssinia as +pioneers for a mission which Bishop Gobat desired to establish in +that country. The lay missionaries he intended to send were to be +workmen, who would receive a small salary, if necessary, but were +supposed to support themselves by their work: they were also to +open schools, and seize every opportunity to preach the Word of +God. Mr. Flad made several journeys backwards and forwards, and, +at the time of the first trouble that befell the Europeans since +the beginning of Theodore's reign, the lay missionaries, who had +been joined by a few adventurers,--the whole of them better known +by natives and Europeans under the name of the "Gaffat people" (on +account of the name of the village they usually resided in), amounted +to eight. Mr. Flad had some time previously abandoned the Basle +Mission for the London Mission for the Conversion of the Jews. + +The "Gaffat people" played an important part in all the transactions +that, from 1863, took place between his Abyssinian Majesty and the +Europeans residing in the country. Their position was not an enviable +one; they had not only to please his Majesty, but, in order to keep +themselves free from imprisonment or chains, to forestall his wishes, +and to keep his fickle nature always interested in their work by +devising some new toy suited to please his childish love for novelty. +On their first arrival in the country they did their best to fulfil +the instructions of their patron, the Bishop of Jerusalem. But on +Theodore learning that these men were able workmen, he sent for +them one day and told them, "I do not want teachers in my country, +but workmen: will you work for me?" They bowed, and with good grace +placed themselves at his Majesty's disposal. Gaffat, a small hillock +about four miles from Debra Tabor, was assigned to them as a place +of residence. There they built semi-European houses, established +workshops, &c. Knowing that he would have a greater hold upon them, +and that they would have more difficulty in leaving the country, +Theodore ordered them to marry: they all consented. The little +colony flourished, and Theodore for a long time behaved very liberally +to them; gave them large sums of money, grain, honey, butter, and +all necessary supplies in great abundance. They were also presented +with silver shields, gold-worked saddles, mules, horses, &c.; their +wives with richly embroidered burnouses, ornaments of gold and +silver; and to enhance their position in the country they were +allowed all the privileges of a Ras. + +"His children," as Theodore called them, so far had nothing to +complain of; but the Emperor soon got tired of carriages, pickaxes, +doors, and such like; he was bent on having cannons and mortars +cast in his country. He gently insinuated his desire; but they +firmly refused, on the ground that they had no knowledge of such +work. Theodore knew how to make them consent; he had only to appear +displeased, to frown a little, and they awaited in trembling to +have his good pleasure made known to them. Theodore asked for +cannons; they would try. His Majesty smiled; he knew the men he had +to deal with. After the guns, they made mortars; then gunpowder; +then brandy; again more cannons, shells, shots, &c. Some were sent +to make roads, others erected foundries; a large number of intelligent +natives were apprenticed to them, and with their assistance executed +some really remarkable works. I, who happened to witness one day +the harsh, imperative tone he took with them because he felt annoyed +at a mere trifle, can well understand their complete submission to +his iron will, and cannot blame them. They had given in at first, +and accepted his bounty; they had wives and children, and desired +to be left in quiet possession of their homes, and were only anxious +to please their hard taskmaster. + +Another missionary station had been established at Djenda. These +gentlemen, most of them scripture-readers, not conversant with any +trade, and striving but for one object,--the conversion of the +Falashas, or native Jews,--declined to work for Theodore. The +Emperor could not understand their refusal. According to his notions +every European could work in some way or the other. He attributed +their refusal to ill-will towards him, and only awaited a suitable +opportunity to visit them with his displeasure. They and the Gaffat +people were not in accord; though, for appearance' sake, a kind of +brotherhood was kept up between the rival stations. + +The Djenda Mission consisted of two missionaries, of the Scottish +Society: a man named Cornelius, [Footnote: He died at Gaffat in the +beginning of 1865.] brought to Abyssinia by Mr. Stern, on his first +trip; of Mr. and Mrs. Flad, and of Mr. and Mrs. Rosenthal, who had +accompanied Mr. Stern on his second journey to Abyssinia. The Rev. +Henry Stern is really a martyr to his faith. A fine type of the +brave self-denying missionary, he had already exposed his life in +Arabia, where he had, with the recklessness of conviction, undertaken +a dangerous, almost impossible, journey, in order to bring the "good +tidings" to his oppressed brethren the Jews of Yemen and Sanaa. He +had just escaped almost by a miracle from the hands of the bigoted +Arabs, when he undertook a first voyage to Abyssinia, in order to +establish a mission in that country, where thousands of Jews were +living. + +Mr. Stern arrived in Abyssinia in 1860, was well received and kindly +treated by his Majesty. On his return to Europe he published a +valuable account of his tour, under the title of _Wanderings +amongst the Falashas of Abyssinia_. In that book Mr. Stern gives +a very favourable account of Theodore; but, as becomes a true +historian, gave some details of the Emperor's family, which were, +to a certain extent, the cause of many of the sufferings he had +afterwards to undergo. About that time several articles appeared +in one of the Egyptian newspapers, purporting to have issued from +the pen of Mr. Stern, and reflecting rather severely on the marriage +of the Gaffat people. Mr. Stern has always denied having been the +author of these articles; and though I, and every one else who knows +Mr. Stern, will place unlimited confidence in his word, still the +Gaffat people would not accept his denial: to the very last they +believed him to have written the obnoxious articles, and harboured +bitter feelings against him, in consequence. + +Mr. Stern undertook a second journey to Abyssinia in the autumn of +1862, accompanied this time by Mr. and Mrs. Rosenthal. He and his +party reached Djenda in April, 1863. + +As soon as the Gaffat people heard of the arrival of Mr. Stern at +Massowah, they went in a body to the Emperor and begged him not to +allow Mr. Stern to enter Abyssinia. His Majesty gave an evasive +answer, but did not comply with the request; on the contrary, he +seems to have rejoiced at the idea of an enmity existing between +the Europeans in his country, and chuckled at the prospect of the +advantages he might reap from their jealousy and rivalry. Mr. Stern +soon perceived the great change that had already taken place in the +deportment of Theodore, and saw but too plainly, during his several +missionary tours, abundant proofs of the cruelty of the man he had +so shortly before admired and praised. The Abouna (Abyssinian bishop) +at the time in frequent collision with the Emperor, spoke but too +openly of the many vices of the ruling sovereign, and as he had +always been friendly disposed towards Mr. Stern, this gentleman +frequently visited him, even made some short stays in his house. +This friendship was construed by the Emperor as implying an +understanding between the bishop and the English priest unfavourable +to himself, and with a view to the cession of the church lands for +a certain sum of money, which was to be placed in Egypt at the +Abouna's disposal. + +To sum up, this was the state of the different parties when the +storm at last burst on the head of the unfortunate Mr. Stern:--Bell +and Plowden, the only Europeans who might have had some influence +for good over the mind of the Emperor, were dead. The Gaffat people +worked for the King, were frequently near his person, and entertained +anything but friendly feelings towards Mr. Stern and the Djenda +Mission. While Captain Cameron and his party were watched in Gondar, +and in no way mixed up with the differences that unfortunately +divided the other Europeans. + + + + + CHAPTER III. + + +Imprisonment of Mr. Stern--Mr. Kerans arrives with Letters and +Carpet--Cameron, with his Followers, is put in Chains--Mr. +Bardel's Return from the Soudan--Theodore's Dealings with +Foreigners--The Coptic Patriarch--Abdul Rahman Bey--The Captivity +of the Europeans explained. + +Such was the state of affairs when Mr. Stern obtained leave to +return to the coast. Unfortunately it was impossible for him to +avail himself at once of this permission. On Mr. Stern at last +taking his departure he had to remain at Gondar a few days, and, +but too late, thought of presenting his respects to his Majesty. +He also accepted during his short stay there the hospitality of the +bishop. On the 13th October Mr. Stern, accompanied for a short +distance by Consul Cameron and Mr. Bardel, started on his homeward +journey. On arriving on the Waggera Plain he perceived the King's +tent. What followed is well known: how that unfortunate gentleman +was almost beaten, to death; and from that hour, almost without +remission, loaded with chains, tortured, and dragged from prison +to prison, until the day of his deliverance from Magdala by the +British army. + +When speaking of Theodore's treatment of foreigners, I will endeavour +to explain the real cause of the misfortunes that befell Mr. Stern. +That he was only the victim of circumstances, is a fact beyond any +doubt. The extracts from his book and the notes from his diary, +brought as charges against him, were only discovered several weeks +_after_ many cruelties had been inflicted upon him. But I +believe that many small, apparently trifling, incidents combined +to make him the first European victim of the Abyssinian monarch. +The Emperor could not endure the thought that Europeans in his +country should do aught else but work for him. On his first interview +with Mr. Stern, after this gentleman's return to Abyssinia, Theodore, +on being informed as to the motives of Mr. Stern's journey, said, +in an angry mood, "I have enough of your Bibles." Theodore also +believed that by ill-using Mr. Stern he would please his "Gaffat +children," therefore, immediately after Mr. Stern's imprisonment, +he wrote to them saying, "I have chained your enemy and mine." + +That the crisis was at last brought on by malicious representations +to his Majesty of trifling incidents, was proved to us quite +accidentally on our way down. At Antalo I had a few friends at +dinner, amongst them Mr. Stern, when, in the evening, Peter Beru, +an Abyssinian who had received his education at Malta and had been +one of the interpreters of Mr. Stern's book at the famous public +trial at Gondar, came into the tent, and, being a little excited, +told Mr. Stern that three things had called down upon him the King's +displeasure: first, the enmity of the Gaffat people against him; +secondly, his (Mr. Stern's) intimacy with the Abouna; thirdly, his +not having called upon his Majesty during his last stay at Gondar. + +On the 22nd of November Mr. Laurence Kerans arrived at Gondar. He +came for the purpose of joining Captain Cameron in the capacity of +private secretary. He brought with him some letters for Captain +Cameron; amongst them one from Earl Russell ordering the consul +back to his post at Massowah. Of all the captives none deserves +greater sympathy than poor Kerans. Quite a youth when he entered +Abyssinia, he suffered four years of imprisonment in chains, for +no reason whatever except that he arrived at an inauspicious time. +It is true that, according to his wonted habit, his Majesty charged +him with having intended to insult him by offering him a carpet +representing Gerard the lion-killer. Gerard, in his Zouave costume, +Theodore said, represented the Turks, the lion was himself, upon +whom the infidel was firing, the attendant a Frenchman; but he +added, "I do not see the Englishman who ought to be by my side." +Poor Kerans remained only a few weeks in semi-liberty at Gondar; +he had presented on his own account a rifle to his Majesty (the +carpet was supposed to have been sent by Captain Speedy, who had +previously been in Abyssinia); and every morning Samuel, who was +the balderaba of the Europeans, would present himself, with supposed +compliments from his Majesty, adding, "The Emperor desires to know +what you would like?" Kerans answered, "A horse, a shield, and a +lance." The next morning Samuel would ask, from his Majesty, what +kind of horse he preferred, and so on, until at last the poor lad, +who was obliged every day to bow to the ground in thankfulness for +the supposed gift, began to suspect that all was not right. + +Consul Cameron, a few days after the arrival of Kerans, was called +to the King's camp and told to remain there until further orders. +He was already so far a prisoner that he was not allowed to return +to Gondar, when, on the plea of bad health, he applied for permission +to do so. Cameron waited until the beginning of January, daily +expecting a letter for the Emperor, but at last, as none came, he +considered himself bound to obey his instructions, and accordingly, +informed his Majesty that he had received orders from his Government +to return to Massowah, and begged that he might be allowed to leave +in a few days. + +The next morning, 4th January, Cameron, his European servants, the +missionaries from Gondar, and Messrs. Stern and Rosenthal (both +since some time already in chains), were all sent for by his Majesty. +They were ushered into a tent close to the Emperor's inclosure, +with two loaded twelve-pounders placed in front of it and pointed +in that direction. The place was crowded with soldiers; everything +was so arranged as to make resistance impossible. Shortly after +Cameron's arrival Theodore sent several messages, asking, "Where +is the answer to the letter I gave you? Why did you go to my enemies +the Turks? Are you a consul?" At last the messages ceased with +this last one: "I will keep you a prisoner until I get an answer, +and see if you are a consul or not." On that Cameron was very rudely +handled by the soldiers; he was knocked down, his beard torn off, +and heavy fetters hammered on him. The captives were all placed in +a tent near the Emperor's inclosure; for a time they were well +supplied with rations, and, apart from the fetters, not otherwise +ill used. + +On the 3rd of February Mr. Bardel returned from a mission the Emperor +had intrusted to him, viz., to spy the land, and report about the +doings of an Egyptian general, who, at the head of a considerable +force, had been for some time staying at Metemma, the nearest post +to Abyssinia on the north-west frontier. The following day the +Gaffat people were called by the Emperor to consult about the +liberation of the European captives. On their recommendation, two +missionaries of the Scottish society, two German hunters, Mr. Flad +and Cornelius, were freed from their fetters, and allowed to remain +at Gaffat with the workmen. The head of the Gaffat people then +told Captain Cameron that he would request Theodore to release the +whole of them and allow them to depart, if Captain Cameron would +give a written document to the effect that no steps would be taken +by England to avenge the insult inflicted upon her in the person +of her representative. Cameron, not considering himself justified +in taking upon himself such a responsibility, declined. A few days +afterwards Mr. Bardel having offended his Majesty, or rather being +of no more use to him, was sent to join those whom he had been +greatly instrumental in depriving of their liberty. + +The Rev. Mr. Stern has ably described the painful captivity which +he and his fellow-sufferers experienced up to their first release +on the arrival of our mission in the beginning of 1865; how they +were dragged from Gondar to Azazo; the horrid torture inflicted +upon them on the 12th of May: their long march in chains from Azazo +to Magdala; their confinement in chains on that amba in the common +jail; and the horrid tale of sufferings and misery they had for so +many months to endure. Suffice it to say, that on the date of +Captain Cameron's note--14th of February, 1864--which gave the first +intimation of their imprisonment, the captives, eight altogether, +were Captain Cameron and his followers (Kerans, Bavdel, McKilvie, +Makerer, and Pietro), Messrs. Stern and Rosenthal. + +Much of what I have said, and a great deal of what I have still to +narrate, would appear unintelligible if I were not to describe the +conduct Theodore had adopted towards foreigners. It is plain, from +facts that I will now adduce, that Theodore had for several years +systematically insulted them. He did so partly to dazzle the people +with his power, and partly because he believed that complete impunity +would always attend his grossest misdeeds. + +In December, 1856, David, the Coptic Patriarch of Alexandria, arrived +in Abyssinia, bearer of certain presents for Theodore, and the +expression of the good-will of the Pasha of Egypt. The fame of +Theodore had spread far and wide in the Soudan; and probably the +Egyptian authorities, in order to save that province from being +plundered, or unwilling to engage at the time in an expensive war +with their powerful neighbour, adopted that expedient as the best +suited to appease the ire of their former foe. As usual, Theodore +found an excuse for the ill treatment he inflicted upon the aged +Patriarch, on the ground that a diamond cross presented to him was +only intended as an insult: it meant, he said, that they considered +him as a vassal; and on the Patriarch proposing that he should send +a letter to the Pasha, accompanied with suitable presents, and that +the Pasha would in return send him fire-arms, cannons, and officers +to drill his troops, his Majesty exclaimed, "I see, they now desire +me to declare myself their tributary." + +Most probably Theodore, always jealous of the power of the Church, +took advantage of the presence of its highest dignitary to show to +his army whom they had to fear and obey. On the pretexts above +mentioned he caused one day a hedge to be built around the Patriarch's +residence, and for several days the eldest son of the Coptic Church +kept his father in close confinement. Theodore had some time +previously been excommunicated by the Bishop; he therefore enjoyed +very much the disreputable quarrel which took place on that matter, +as he induced the Patriarch, through fear, to take off the +excommunication of his inferior. After a while, however, Theodore +apologized, and allowed the terrified old man to depart. The Patriarch +on his return told his tale, but the fame for justice and wisdom +of the would-be descendant of Solomon was so great that, far from +being credited, the Turkish Government, who attributed the failure +of the negotiation to the unfitness of their agent, soon after +despatched a mission on a larger scale, together with numerous and +costly presents, under the orders of an experienced and trusty +officer, Abdul Rahman Bey. + +The Egyptian envoy reached Dembea in March, 1859. At first Theodore, +gratified at receiving such beautiful gifts, treated the ambassador +with all courtesy and distinction; but on account of the unsafe +condition of the country at the time, he took his guest with him, +and considering Magdala a proper and suitable place of residence, +left him there. He soon ignored him entirely, and the unfortunate +man had to remain nearly two years, a semi-prisoner, on that amba. +At last, on the reception of several strongly worded and threatening +letters from the Egyptian Government, he allowed him to depart, but +caused him to be plundered of all he had near the frontier, by the +Shum of Tschelga. Theodore, after the departure of Abdul Rahman +Bey, wrote to the Egyptian Government, denying any knowledge of the +plunder, and accusing the envoy of serious crimes. Hearing of this, +the unfortunate Bey, fearing that his denials would not stand against +the charge brought against him by the pious Emperor, poisoned himself +at Berber. + +His third victim was the Nab of Arkiko. He had accompanied the +Emperor to Godjam, when, without reason given, the Emperor cast him +into prison and loaded him with chains. It was only on the +representation of several influential merchants, who, fearing that +the Nab's relations would retaliate on the Abyssinian caravans, +impressed upon his Majesty the prudence of letting him depart, that +the Emperor allowed his vassal to return to his country. + +The same day on which he imprisoned the Nab of Arkiko, M. Lejean, +a member of the French diplomatic service, disgusted with Abyssinia +and the many discomforts of camp life, presented himself before the +Emperor to apply for leave to depart. Theodore could not grant the +desired interview, but M. Lejean persisted in his demand, and sent +a second time, representing that, as his Majesty was _en route_ +for Godjam, each day would increase the difficulty of his return. +Such presumption could not be tolerated. Theodore had defied Egypt; +he would now defy France. Lejean was seized, and had to remain in +full uniform for twenty-four hours in chains. He was only released +on his making an humble apology, and desisting from his desire to +leave the country. He was sent to Gaffat, and ordered to abide there +until the return of Mr. Bardel. + +Theodore scoffed at and imprisoned the Patriarch of Alexandria; the +Egyptian ambassador he kept a semi-prisoner for several years; the +Nab he chained; the French consul he chained, insulted, and kicked +out of the country. Nothing came of all this: on the contrary, in +his own camp his influence was greater. Under these circumstances, +any barbarian would have done and thought exactly as Theodore did. +He came to the conviction that, either through fear of his power +or the impossibility of reaching him, whatever ill treatment he +might inflict on strangers, no punishment could possibly overtake +him. That such was his impression is evident from the gradually +increasing brutality of his conduct, always most severe, but never +so outrageous as in the case of the British captives. The savage, +barbarous treatment he inflicted on Messrs. Stern, Cameron, Rosenthal, +and their followers, is without precedent in modern history. Theodore +at last took no trouble to hide his contempt for Europeans and their +governments. + +He knew in August, 1864, that before a month an answer to his letter +to the Queen had arrived at Massowah. "Let them wait my good +pleasure," was the only observation he made on the subject. It is +probable that he would never have taken any notice of her Majesty's +letter or of the mission sent to him, if his rapid fall--at that +time beginning--had not influenced his conduct. When we arrived at +Massowah in July, 1864, Theodore was still powerful, at the head +of a large army, and master of the greater part of the country. His +campaign to Shoa in 1865 was most disastrous. He lost by it, not +only that prosperous kingdom, but a large portion of his army; the +Gallas seizing the occasion to annoy him greatly on his return. He +foresaw his fall, and it probably struck him that the friendship +of England might be useful to him; or should he doubt its possibility, +he might seize us as hostages, in order to make capital out of us; +therefore, but with apparent reluctance, he granted us the long-expected +permission to enter his country. + +We have now the solution of a part of this difficult problem; we +can understand, to a certain degree, the strange character of this +man so remarkable in many ways. Imbued with a few European notions, +he longed to obtain some of the advantages he had heard of: but +how? England and France would only return his friendship by words--he +wanted deeds; sweet phrases he would not listen to. He soon became +convinced that he might with impunity insult foreigners or envoys +from friendly states; and at last it struck him that, while he +insulted and ill used Europeans, he might as well keep in his hands +an important man like a consul, as a hostage. + + + + + CHAPTER IV. + + +News of Cameron's Imprisonment reaches Home--Mr. Rassam is +selected to proceed to the Court of Gondar, and is accompanied +by Dr. Blanc--Delays and Difficulties in Communicating with +Theodore--Description of Massowah and its Inhabitants--Arrival +of a Letter from the Emperor. + +In the spring of 1864 it was vaguely rumoured that an African +potentate had imprisoned a British consul; the fact appeared so +strange, that few credited the assertion. It was soon ascertained, +however, that a certain Emperor of Abyssinia, calling himself +Theodore, had cast into prison and loaded with chains, Captain +Cameron, the consul accredited to his court, and several missionaries +stationed in his dominions. A small pencil note from Captain Cameron +at last reached Mr. Speedy, the acting vice-consul at Massowah, +giving the number and names of the captives, and suggesting that +their release depended entirely on the receipt of a civil letter +in answer to the one the King had forwarded some months before. + +There is no doubt that much difficulty presented itself in order +to meet the request expressed by Consul Cameron. Little was known +about Abyssinia, and the conduct of its ruler was so strange, so +contrary to all precedents, that it became a matter of grave +consideration how to communicate with the Abyssinian Emperor without +endangering the liberty of others. + +In the official correspondence on Abyssinian affairs there is a +letter from Mr. Colquhoun, her Majesty's Agent and Consul-General +in Egypt, dated Cairo, 10th May, 1864, in which that gentleman +informs Earl Russell "that it is difficult to get at Theodore." He +was expecting to learn what means the Bombay Government could place +at his disposal, as from Egypt none were available; he adds, "except +from Aden I really can see no measures feasible, and such could +only be of a mild nature, for from the character we have had of +late of the King, he would appear to become subject to fits of rage +which almost deprive him of reason, and would _render all approach +dangerous_." + +On June 16th the Foreign Office selected for the difficult and +dangerous task of Envoy to Theodore, Mr. Hormuzd Bassam, Assistant +Political Resident at Aden; instructions were at the same time +forwarded to that gentleman to the effect that he should hold himself +in readiness to proceed to Massowah, and, if needful, to Abyssinia, +with a view of obtaining the release of Captain Cameron and other +Europeans detained in captivity by King Theodore. A letter from her +Majesty the Queen of England, one from the Coptic Patriarch of +Alexandria for the Abouna, and one from the same to King Theodore, +were forwarded to Mr. Rassam, in order to facilitate his mission. +Mr. Rassam was to be conveyed to Massowah in a ship-of-war; he was +at once to inform Theodore of his arrival, bearing a letter to him +from the Queen of England, and also forward, by the same messenger, +the letters from the Patriarch to the Abouna and to the Emperor. +He was to await a reply at Massowah, before deciding whether he +should proceed himself, or forward the Queen's letter to Captain +Cameron for delivery. The instructions added that Mr. Rassam might, +however, adopt any other course which might appear to him more +advisable; but he should take special care not to place himself in +a position that might cause further embarrassment to the British +Government. + +It so happened that at the time Mr. Rassam received an intimation +that he was selected for the duty of conveying a letter from the +Queen to the Emperor of Abyssinia, I had gone with him on a visit +to Lahej, a small Arab town about twenty-five miles from Aden. We +talked a great deal about that strange land, and on my expressing +my desire to accompany Mr. Rassam to the Abyssinian Court, that +gentleman proposed to Colonel Merewether, the Political Resident +at Aden, to allow me to go with him as his companion: a request +that Colonel Merewether immediately granted, and which was shortly +afterwards sanctioned by the Governor of Bombay and the Viceroy of +India. + +We had to wait a few days, as the Queen's letter had been detained +in Egypt, in order to have it translated, and it was only on the +20th of July, 1864, that Mr. Rassam and myself left Aden for Massowah +in her Majesty's steamer _Dalhousie_. + +On the morning of the 23rd, at a distance of about thirty miles +from the shore, we sighted the high land of Abyssinia, formed of +several consecutive ranges, all running from N. to S., the more +distant being also the highest; some of the peaks, such as Taranta, +ranging between 12,000 and 13,000 feet. + +As the outline of the coast became more distinct, the sight of a +small island covered with white houses surrounded by green groves, +reflecting their welcome shadows in the quiet blue water of the +bay, gave us a thrill of delight; it seemed as if at last we had +come to one of those enchanted spots of the East, so often described, +so seldom seen, and to the longing of our anxious hearts the quick +motion of the steamer seemed slow to satisfy our ardent wishes. But +nearer and nearer as we approached the shore, one by one all our +illusions disappeared; the pleasant imagery vanished, and the stern +reality of mangrove swamps, sandy and sunburnt beach, wretched and +squalid huts, stared us in the face. Instead of the semi-Paradise +distance had painted to our imagination, we found (and, alas! +remained long enough to verify the fact) that the land of our +temporary residence could be described in three words--sun, dirt, +and desolation. + +Massowah, latitude 15.36 N., longitude 39.30 E., is one of the many +coral islands that abound in the Red Sea; it is but a few feet above +high-water mark, about a mile in length, and a quarter in breadth. +Towards the north it is separated from the mainland by a narrow +creek about 200 yards in breadth, and is distant from Arkiko, a +small town situated at the western extremity of the bay, about two +miles. Half-a-mile south of Massowah, another small coral island, +almost parallel to the one we describe, covered with mangroves and +other rank vegetation, the proud owner of a sheik's tomb of great +veneration, lies between Massowah and the Gedem peak, the high +mountain forming the southern boundary of the bay. + +The western half of the island of Massowah is covered with houses: +a few two stories high, built of coral rock, the remainder small +wooden huts with straw roofs. The first are inhabited by the wealthier +merchants and brokers, the Turkish officials, and the few Banians, +European consuls; and merchants whose unfortunate fate has cast +them on this inhospitable shore. There is not a building worth +mentioning: the Pasha's residence is a large, ungainly mansion, +remarkable only for its extreme filthiness. During our stay the +offensive smell from the accumulation of dirt on the yards and +staircases of the palace was quite overwhelming: it is easier to +imagine than to describe the abominable stench that pervaded the whole +place. The few mosques are without importance--miserable whitewashed +coral buildings. One, however, under construction promised to be a +shade better than the others. + +[Illustration: Fort, Mission House and Town of Massowah] + +The streets--if by this name we may call the narrow and irregular +lanes that run between the houses--are kept pretty clean; whether +with or without municipal intervention I cannot say. Except in front +of the Pasha's residence, there is no open space worthy of the name +of square. The houses are much crowded together, many even being +half built over the sea on piles. Land is of such value on this +spot so little known, that reclamation was at several points going +on; though I do not suppose that shares and dividends were either +issued or promised. + +The landing-place is near the centre of the island, opposite to the +gates of the town, which are regularly shut at eight P.M.; why, it +is difficult to say, as it is possible to land on any part of the +island quite as easily, if not more so, than on the greasy pier. +On the landing-place a few huts have been erected by the collector +of customs and his subordinates; these, surrounded by the brokers +and tallow-scented Bedouins, register the imports, exacting such +duties as they like, before the merchandise is allowed to be purchased +by the Banians or conveyed to the bazaar for sale. This last-named +place--the _sine qua non_ of all Eastern towns--is a wretched +affair. Still, the Bedouin beau, the Bashi-bazouk, the native girls, +and the many _flaneurs_ of the place, must find some attractions +in its precincts, for though redolent with effluvia of the worst +description, and swarming with flies, it is, during part of the +day, the rendezvous of a merry and jostling crowd. + +The eastern half of the island contains the burial-ground, the +water-tanks, the Roman Catholic mission-house, and a small fort. + +The burial-ground begins almost with the last houses, the boundary +between the living and the dead being merely nominal. To improve +the closer relationship between the two, the water-tanks are placed +amongst the graves! but there are but few tanks still in good +condition. After heavy showers, the surface drainage finds its way +into the reservoirs, carrying with it the detritus of all the +accumulated filth of the last year or two, and adding an infusion +of human bodies, in all stages of decomposition. Still, the water +is highly prized, and, strange to say, seems to have no noxious +effects, on the drinkers. At the north and south points of this +part of the island two buildings have been erected--the one the +emblem of good-will and peace; the other, of war and strife--the +mission-house and the fort. But it is difficult to decide which of +the two means the most mischief; many are inclined to give the palm +to the worthy fathers' abode. The fort appears formidable, but only +at a great distance; on near approach it is found to be but a relic +of former ages, a crumbled-down ruin, too weak to bear any longer +its three old rusty guns now lying on the ground: it is the terror, +not of the neighbourhood, but of the unfortunate gunner, who has +already lost an arm whilst endeavouring to return a salute through +their honeycombed tubes. On the other hand, the mission-house, +garbed in immaculate whiteness, smiles radiantly around, inviting +instead of repulsing the invader. But within, are they always words +of love that fill the echoes of the dome? Is peace the only sound +that issues from its walls? Though the past speaks volumes, and +though the history of the Roman Church is written in letters of +blood all over the Abyssinian land, let us hope that the fears of +the people have no foundation, and that the missionaries here, like +all Christian missionaries, only strive to promote one object--the +cause of Christ. + +Massowah, as well as the immediate surrounding country, is mainly +dependent on Abyssinia for its supplies. Jowaree is the staple food; +wheat is little used; rice is a favourite amongst the better classes. +Goats and sheep are killed daily in the bazaar, cows on rare +occasions; but the flesh of the camel is the most esteemed, though, +on account of the expense, rarely indulged in except on great +occasions. + +The inhabitants being Mussulmans, water is the ordinary beverage; +_tej_ and araki (made from honey) can, however, be purchased +in the bazaar. The limited supply of water obtained from the few +remaining tanks is quite inadequate to meet the wants of even a +small portion of the community; water is consequently brought in +daily from the wells a few miles north of Massowah, and from Arkiko. +The first is brought in leather bags by the young girls of the +village; the latter conveyed in boats across the bay. The water in +both cases is brackish, that from Arkiko highly so. For this reason, +and also on account of the greater facility in the transport, it +is cheaper, and is purchased only by the poorer inhabitants. + +To avoid useless repetitions, before speaking of the population, +climate, diseases, &c., a short account of the immediate neighbourhood +is necessary. + +About four miles north of Massowah is Haitoomloo, a large village +of about a thousand huts, the first place where we meet with sweet +water; a mile and a quarter further inland we came upon Moncullou, +a smaller but better built village. A mile westward of the last +place we find the small village of Zaga. These, with a small hamlet +east of Haitoomloo, constitute all the inhabited portions of this +sterile region. The next village, Ailat, about twenty miles from +Massowah, is built on the first terrace of the Abyssinian range, +600 feet above the level of the sea. All these villages are +situated in the midst of a sandy and desolate plain; a few mimosas, +aloes, senna plants, and cactuses struggle for life in the burning +sand. The country residences of the English and French consuls shine +like oases in this desert, great pains having been taken to introduce +trees that thrive even in such a locality. + +[Illustration: Grove House at Moncullou.] + +The wells are the wealth of the villages--their very existence. +Most probably, huts after huts have been erected in their vicinity +until the actual prosperous villages have arisen, surrounded as +they are on all sides by a burnt and desert tract. The wells number +about twenty. Many old ones are closed, but new ones are frequently +dug, so as to keep up a constant supply of water. The reason old +wells are abandoned is, that after a while the water becomes very +brackish. In a new well the water is almost sweet. The water obtained +from these wells proceeds from two different sources: First, from +the high mountains in the vicinity. The rain filters and impregnates +the soil, but not being able to soak beyond a certain depth, on +account of the volcanic rocks of the undersoil, forms a small stratum +always met with at a certain depth. Secondly, from the sea by +filtration. The wells, though about four miles from the shore, are +only from twenty to twenty-five feet deep, and consequently on or +below the level of the sea. + +The proof of an undercurrent of water, due to the presence of the +high range of mountains, becomes more apparent as the traveller +advances into the interior; though the soil is still sandy and +barren, and little vegetation can as yet be seen, trees and shrubs +become more plentiful, and of a larger size. A few miles farther +inland, even during the summer months, it is always possible to +obtain water by digging to the depth of a few feet in the dried-up +bed of a water-torrent. + +It often struck me that what artesian wells have done for the Sahara +they could equally accomplish for this region. The locality seems +even more favourable, and there is every hope that, like the great +African desert, the now desolate land of Samhar could be transformed +into a rich date-bearing land. + +Taken as they are; these wells could certainly be improved. On our +arrival at Moncullou, we found the water of the well belonging to +the consular residence scarcely used, on account of its very brackish +taste; we had the well emptied, a large quantity of saltish sand +removed, and we dug deeper until large rocks appeared. The result +was that we had the best well in the place, and requests for our +water were made by many, including the Pasha himself. Unfortunately, +the forefathers of the present Moncullites never did such a thing +to their wells, and as all innovations are distasteful to a +semi-civilized race, the fact was admired, but not imitated. + +Arkiko, at the extremity of the bay, is much nearer the mountains +than the villages situated north of Massowah, but the village is +built almost on the beach itself; the wells, not a hundred yards +from the sea, are also much more superficial than those on the +northern side, consequently the sea-water, having a much shorter +distance to filter through, retains a greater proportion of saline +particles, and I believe, were, it not for the presence of a small +quantity of sweet water from the hills, it would be quite unpalatable. + +In the neighbourhood of Maasowah there are several hot mineral +springs. The most important are those of Adulis and Ailat. In the +summer of 1865 we made a short trip to Annesley Bay, to inspect the +locality. The ruins of Adulis are several miles from the shore, +and, with the exception of a few fragments of broken columns, contain +no traces of the former important colony. The place was even hotter +than Massowah; there was no vegetation, no trace of habitations on +that desolate shore. Fancy our surprise, on reaching the same spot +in May, 1868, to find piers, railways, bazaars, &c.--a bustling +city had sprung out of the wilderness. + +The springs of Adulis [Footnote: A short time before our departure +for the interior, some of the water of the hot springs of Adulis +was collected and forwarded to Bombay for analysis.] are only a few +hundred yards from the sea-shore, surrounded by a pleasing green +patch covered with a vigorous vegetation, the rendezvous of myriads +of birds and quadrupeds, who, morning and evening, swarm thither +to quench their thirst. + +At Ailat [Footnote: Water collected and sent to Bombay, November, +1864.] the hot spring issues from basaltic rocks on a small plateau +between high and precipitous mountains. At the source itself the +temperature is 141 Fahrenheit, but as the water flows down the +different ravines, it gradually cools until it differs in no way +from other mountain streams. It is palatable, and used by the +inhabitants of Ailat for all purposes: it is also highly esteemed +by the Bedouins. On account of its medicinal properties, numbers +resort to the natural baths, formed of hollowed volcanic roots, for +the relief of every variety of disease. From what I could gather, +it appears to prove beneficial in chronic rheumatism and in diseases +of the skin. Probably in these cases any warm water would act as +well, considering the usual morbid condition of the integument in +those dirty and unwashed races. + +The population of Massowah, including the surrounding villages (as +far, at least, as I could ascertain), amounts to 10,000 inhabitants. +The Massowah race is far from pure; being a mixture of Turkish, +Arab, and African blood. The features are generally good, the nose +straight, the hair in many instances short and curly; the skin +brown, the lips often large, the teeth even and white. The men are +of the middle height; the women under it. So much for their physical +appearance. Morally they are ignorant and superstitious, having +apparently retained but few of their forefathers' virtues, but a +great many of their vices. A very good distinction can be made, in +the male portion of the community, between those who wear turbans +and long white shirts, and those hard-working wretches who, girded +with a single leather skin, roam about with their flocks in search +of pasture and water. The first live I know not how. They call +themselves brokers! It is true that three or four times a year +caravans arrive from the interior, but as a rule, with the exception +of a skin or two of honey, and a few bags of jowaree, nothing is +imported. What possible business can about 500 brokers have? How +ten dollars' worth of honey and fifty of grain can give a brokerage +sufficient to clothe and feed, not only themselves but also their +families, is a problem I have in vain endeavoured to solve! + +In the East, children, instead of being a burden to poor people, +are often a source of wealth: at Massowah they certainly are. The +young girls of Moncullou, &c., bring in a pretty good income to +their parents. I know big, strong, but lazy fellows who would squat +down all day in the shade of their huts, living on the earnings of +two or three little girls, who daily went once or twice to Massowah +laden with a large skin full of water. The water-girls vary in age +from eight to sixteen. The younger ones are rather pretty, small, +but well made, the hair neatly braided and falling on the shoulders. +A small piece of cotton reaching from the waist to the knee is +generally the only garment of the poorest. Those better off wear +also a piece of plaid thrown gracefully across the shoulders. The +right nostril is ornamented with a small copper ring; as a substitute, +a shirt-button is much esteemed, and during our stay our buttons +were in constant demand. + +If we take into consideration that Massowah is situated within the +tropics, possessing no running stream, that it is surrounded by +burning deserts, and that rain seldom falls, the conclusion we could +beforehand have arrived at is, that the climate is essentially hot +and dry. + +From November to March the nights are cool, and during that period +the day, in a good house or tent, is pleasant enough. From April +to October the nights are close, and often very oppressive. During +those hot months, both in the morning before the sea-breeze springs +up and in the evening when it has died away, all animal creation +falls into a torpid state. The perfect calm that then reigns is +fearful in its stillness and painful in its effects. + +From May to August sand-storms frequently occur. They begin usually +at four P.M. (though occasionally they appear in the morning), and +last from a few minutes only to a couple of hours. Long before the +storm is felt, the horizon towards the N.N.W. is quite dark; a black +cloud extends from the sea to the mountain range, and as it advances +the sun itself is obscured. A few minutes of dead calm, and then +suddenly the dark column approaches; all seems to disappear before +it, and the roar of the terrible hurricane of wind and sand now +coursing over the land is almost sublime in its horrors. Coming +after the moist sea breeze, the hot and dry wind appears quite cool, +though the thermometer rises to 110 or 115 degrees. After the storm +a gentle land breeze follows, and often lasts all night. The amount +of sand carried by the wind in these storms can be imagined by the +mere mention of the fact that we could not discern, at a short +distance from us, such a large object as a tent. + +It seldom rains; occasionally there are a few showers in August and +November. + +As far as Europeans are concerned, climates like the one we have +just described cannot be considered as unhealthy; they debilitate +and weaken the system, and predispose to tropical diseases, but +seldom engender them. I expected to find many cases of scurvy, due +to the brackish condition of the water and to the absence of +vegetables; but either scurvy did not exist to a great extent or +did not come under my observation, as during my stay I did not meet +with more than three or four cases. Fevers affect the natives after +a fall of rain, but though some cases are of a very pernicious type, +the majority belong to the simple intermittent or remittent, and +yield rapidly to a proper treatment. + +Small-pox now and then makes fearful ravages. When it breaks out, +a mild case is chosen, and from it a great many are inoculated. The +mortality is considerable amongst those who submit to the operation. +On several occasions during the summer I received vaccine lymph, +and inoculated with it. In no case did it take; owing, I suppose, +to the extreme heat of the weather. During, the cold season I applied +again, but could not obtain any. The greatest mortality is due to +childbirth--a strange fact, as in the East confinements are generally +easy. The practice in use here has probably much to do with this +unfavourable result. After her confinement the woman is placed upon +an alga or small native bed; underneath which, fire with aromatic +herbs is so arranged as almost to suffocate the newly-delivered +woman. Diarrhoea was frequent during the summer of 1865, and +dysentery at the same period proved fatal to many. Diseases of the +eyes are seldom met with, except simple inflammation caused by the +heat and glare of the sun. I suffered from a severe attack of +ophthalmia, and was obliged in consequence to proceed to Aden for +a few weeks. I have met with no case of disease of the lungs, and +bronchial affections seem almost unknown. I had occasion to attend +upon cases of neuralgia, and one of gouty rheumatism. + +For several years locusts have been committing great damage to the +crops. In 1864 they occasioned a scarcity and dearness of the first +necessaries of life, but in 1865 the whole of Tigré, Hamasein, Bogos, +&c. had been laid waste by swarms of locusts, and at last no +supplies whatever reached from the interior. The local Government +sent to Hodeida and other ports for grain, and rice, and thus avoided +the horrors of a complete famine. As it was, numbers died, and many +half-starved wretches were ready victims for such a disease as +cholera. This last-named scourge made its appearance in October, +1865, at the time we were making our preparations to proceed into +the interior. The epidemic was severely felt. All those who had +been suffering from the effects of insufficient or inferior food +became an easy prey; few, indeed, of those who contracted the disease +rallied; almost all died. During our residence at Massowah, out of +the small community of Europeans five died, two from heat apoplexy, +two from debility, and one from cholera. (None came under my care.) +The Pasha himself was several times on the point of death, from +debility and complete loss of tone of the digestive organs. He was +at last prevailed upon to leave, and saved his life by a timely +trip to sea. + +The Bedouins of the Samhar, like all bigoted and ignorant savages, +have great confidence in charms, amulets and exorcisms. The "medicine +man" is generally an old, venerable-looking Sheik--a great rascal, +for all his sanctified looks. His most usual prescription is to +write a few lines of the Koran upon a piece of parchment, wash off +the ink with water, and hand it over to the patient to drink; at +other times the writing is enclosed in small squares of red leather, +and applied to the seat of the disease. The Mullah is no contemptible +rival of his, and though he also applies the all-efficacious words +of the revealed "cow," he effects more rapid cures by spitting +several times upon the sick person, muttering between each ejection +appropriate prayers which no evil spirit could withstand, should +his already sanctified spittle not have been sufficient to cast +them off. Massowah boasts, moreover, of a regular medical practitioner, +in the shape of an old Bashi-bazouk. Though superior in intelligence +to the Sheik and the Mullah, his medical knowledge is on a par with +theirs. He possesses a few drugs, given to him by travellers; but +as he is not acquainted with their properties or doses, he wisely +keeps them on a shelf for the admiration of the natives, and employs +simples, with which, if he effects no wonderful cures, he still +does no harm. Our _confère_ is not at all conceited, though +he no doubt imposes upon the credulity of the aborigines; when we +met in "consultation," he always, with becoming meekness, acknowledged +his ignorance. + +Massowah, as I have already stated, is built on a coral rock; the +same formation exists on many parts of the coast, and forms cliffs, +some of them thirty feet above the level of the sea. Further inland, +towards Moncullou and Haitoomloo, volcanic rocks begin to appear, +scattered here and there as if carelessly thrown on the sandy plain; +at first isolated landmarts over the level space, they soon become +more united, increasing in number, size, and importance, until the +mountains themselves are reached, where almost every stone declares +the predominance of the volcanic formation. + +The flora is scanty, and belongs, with but few exceptions, to the +_Leguminosae_. Several varieties of antelopes roam over the +desert. Partridges, pigeons, and several species of the _Natatores_ +at certain seasons, arrive in great numbers. Apart from these, +nothing useful to man is met with amongst the other members of the +animal creation, consisting principally of hosts of hyenas, snakes, +scorpions, and innumerable insects. + +We remained at Massowah from the 23rd of July, 1864, to the 8th of +August, 1865, the date of our departure for Egypt, where we went +in order to receive instructions, when a letter at last reached us +from the Emperor Theodore. Massowah offered no attractions: the +heat was so intense at times that we could hardly breathe; and we +ardently longed for our return to Aden or India, as we had given +up all hopes regarding the acceptance of our mission by the Abyssinian +Emperor. No pains were spared, no stone was left unturned, no +possible chance left untried to obtain information as to the condition +of the captives, to supply them with the necessaries of life, or +induce the obstinate potentate to call for the letter it was said +he was so anxious to receive. The very day of our arrival at Massowah, +efforts were made to engage messengers to proceed to the Abyssinian +court and inform his Ethiopian Majesty that officers had arrived +at the coast with the answer to his letter to the Queen of England. +But such was the dread of his name, that it was with great difficulty, +and only on the promise of a large reward, that any could be obtained. +On the evening of the 24th, the day after our arrival, the messengers +were despatched with the letters to the Abouna and the Emperor from +the Patriarch, one from Mr. Rassam to the Abouna, and one to the +Emperor, the messengers promising to be back in the course of a +month or so. + +Mr. Rassam, in his letter to the Emperor Theodoros, informed him, +in courteous language, that he had arrived at Massowah the day +before, bearing a letter from H.M. the Queen of England to his +address, and that he was desirous of delivering it into his Majesty's +hands. He also informed him that he would await the answer at +Massowah, and requested, should his Majesty send for him, kindly +to provide him with an escort. He, however, left to Theodore the +option of sending the prisoners down with a trustworthy person to +whom he could deliver the letter from the Queen of England. He +concluded by advising his Majesty that his embassy to the Queen had +been accepted, and should it reach the coast before his (Mr. Rassam's) +departure for Aden, he would take the necessary steps to see that +it reached England in safety. + +A month--six weeks--two months, passed in hourly expectation of the +return of the messengers. All suppositions were exhausted: perhaps +the messengers had not reached; possibly the King had detained them; +or they might have lost the packet whilst crossing some river, etc.; +but as no reliable information could moreover be obtained, as to +the exact condition of the captives, it was impossible to remain +any longer in such a state of uncertainty. Mr. Rassam, therefore, +despatched with considerable difficulty two more messengers, with +a copy of his letter of July 24, accompanied by an explanatory note. +Private messengers were, at the same time, sent to the Emperor's +camp to report on his treatment of the captives, and to different +parts of the country, from whence we supposed information might +possibly be obtained. A short time afterwards, having succeeded in +securing the names of some of the Gaffat people who had formerly +been in communication with Consul Cameron, we wrote to them in +English, French, and German, not knowing what language they understood, +earnestly requesting that they would inform us as to what steps +they considered most advisable in order to obtain the release of +the captives. + +Again we waited on the desert shore of Massowah for that answer so +long expected; none came, but on Christmas-day we received a few +lines from Messrs. Flad and Schimper, the two Europeans with whom +we had communicated. All they had to say was, that the misfortunes +which had befallen the Europeans were due to the Emperor's letter +not having been answered, and they advised Mr. Rassam to send the +letter he had brought with him to his Majesty. However, Mr. Rassam +thought it unbecoming the British Government to force upon the +Emperor a letter signed by the Queen of England, when, by his +refusing even to acknowledge its presence at Massowah, he clearly +showed that he had changed his mind and did not care any more about +it. + +In the meanwhile some of the prisoners' servants had arrived with +letters from their masters; other messengers despatched from Massowah +were also equally successful; stores, money, letters were now +regularly forwarded to the captives, who, in return, kept us informed +as to their condition and the movements of the King. So far our +presence at Massowah was of the utmost importance, since without +the supplies and money we were able to provide them with, their +misery would have been increased tenfold, if even they had not at +last succumbed to privation and want. + +The friends of the captives and, to a great extent, the public, +unaware of the efforts made by Mr. Rassam to accomplish the object +of his mission, and of the great difficulties that were to be +contended with, attributed the apparent failure to causes far +removed; many suggestions were advanced, a few even tried, but no +result followed. It was said that one of the reasons his Majesty +did not vouch us an answer was, that the mission was not of sufficient +importance; that his Majesty considered himself slighted, and +therefore would not condescend to acknowledge us. To remedy this, +in February, 1865, Government decided on adding another military +officer to our party, and, as the press reported at the time, it +was confidently expressed that great results would follow this step. +Hence, Lieut. Prideaux, of her Majesty's Bombay Staff Corps, arrived +in Massowah in May. As might reasonably be expected, his presence +at the coast did not in the least influence Theodore's mind. The +only advantage gained by the addition of this officer to the mission +was a charming companion, who was doomed to spend with me in a tent +on the sea-beach the hot months of hot Massowah. More months +elapsed: still no answer! the condition of the prisoners was very +precarious; they saw with great apprehension another rainy season +about to set in; their letters were written in a most desponding +tone; and though we had done our utmost to supply them with money +and a few comforts, the distance and the rebellious state of the +country made it difficult to provide more abundantly for their +wants. + +At last, in March, we determined on a last effort; should it fail +we would request our recall. We had heard of Samuel, how he had +been in many respects mixed up in the affair, and we knew that he +enjoyed in some degree the confidence of his master; so when we +were informed that one of his relations was willing to convey a +letter and he assured us of an answer before forty days, once more +our hopes were excited and we trusted in the possibility of success. +The forty days expired, then two, then three months; but we heard +nothing!! It seemed as if a kind of fatality attended our messengers: +from whatever class they were taken--simple peasants, followers of +the Nab, or relatives of one of the Emperor's courtiers--the result +was invariably the same; not only they did not bring back any answer +from the Emperor, but not even one returned to us. + +The prolonged delay of Mr. Rassam's mission at Massowah without any +apparent good results having been achieved, was so contrary to all +expectations, that it was at last decided to resort to other means. + +In February, 1865, a Copt, Abdul Melak, presented himself at the +consulate of Jeddah, pretending to have just arrived from Abyssinia +with a message from the Abouna to the Consul-General, purporting +that if he could bring from H.M.'s Consul-General in Egypt a written +declaration to the effect that, should the Emperor allow the Europeans +in chains to depart, no steps would be taken to punish the offence, +he, the Abouna, would engage himself to obtain their liberation, +and become their security. That impostor, who had never been in +Abyssinia at all, gave such wonderful details that he completely +imposed upon the Consul of Jeddah and the Consul-General. The fact +that he pretended to have passed through Massowah without entering +into communication with Mr. Rassam was by itself suspicious; but +had these gentlemen possessed the slightest knowledge of Abyssinia, +they would at once have discovered the deception when he purchased +some "suitable" presents for the Abouna, before proceeding on the +mission that had been intrusted to him. In Abyssinia tobacco is +considered "unclean" by the priests; none ever smoke; and even +admitting that in his privacy the Abouna might have now and then +indulged in a weed, he would have taken great care to keep the +matter as quiet as possible. Therefore to present him with an +_amber mouthpiece_ would have been a gratuitous insult to a +man who was supposed to have rendered an important favour. It was, +indeed, the very last testimonial any one in the slightest degree +conversant with Abyssinian priesthood would ever have selected. As +it is, the man started, and lived for months amongst the Arab tribes +between Kassala and Metemma, on the strength of a certificate that +described him as an ambassador and recommended him to the protection +of the tribes that lay on his road. We met him not for from Kassala; +he acknowledged the deceit he had practised, and was delighted when +he heard that we had no intention of requesting the Turkish authorities +to make him a prisoner. + +Government at last decided on recalling us, and appointed Mr. +Palgrave, the distinguished Arabian traveller, in our stead. + +In the beginning of July we went for a short trip to the Habab +country, situate north of Massowah; on our return, we were met in +the desert of Chab by some of the Naib's relations, who informed +us that Ibrahim (the relative of Samuel) had returned with an answer +from his Majesty, and was expected daily; that all our former +messengers had obtained leave to depart; but what was still more +gratifying was the intelligence, brought down by them, that Theodore, +to show his regard for us, had liberated Consul Cameron and his +fellow-captives. On July 12, Ibrahim arrived. He gave full details +about the release of the Consul; a story which was corroborated a +few days afterwards by another relative of his, also one of our +former messengers. I believe, from what I afterwards learnt, that +Theodore himself was party to the lie, as he publicly, in presence +of the messengers, gave orders to some of his officers to go and +remove the Consul's fetters; only the messengers improved on it by +stating that they had seen the Consul after the chains had been +removed. + +The reply Theodore had at last granted to our repeated demands was +not courteous, nor even civil--it was neither signed nor sealed; +he ordered us to proceed through the distant and unhealthy route +of the Soudan, and, once arrived at Metemma, to inform him of our +arrival there, and that he would then provide us with an escort. +We did not like the letter; it seemed more the production of a +madman than of a reasonable being. I select a few extracts from +this letter, as they are really curiosities in their way. He said:-- + +"The reason I do not write to you in my name, because of Abouna +Salama, the so-called Kokab (Stern) the Jew, and the one you called +Consul, named Cameron (who was sent by you). I treated them with +honour and friendship in my city. When I thus befriended them, on +account of my anxiety to cultivate the friendship of the English +Queen, they reviled me. + +"Plowden and Johannes (John Bell), who were called Englishmen, were +killed in my country, whose death, by the power of God, I avenged +on those who killed them; on account these (the three above mentioned) +abused me, and denounced me as a murderer. + +"Cameron, who is called Consul, represented to me that he was a +servant of the Queen. I invested him with a robe of honour of my +country, and supplied him with provisions for the journey. I asked +him to make me a friend of the Queen. + +"When he was sent on his mission, he went and stayed some time with +the Turks, and returned to me. + +"I spoke to him about the letter I sent through him to the Queen. +He said, that up to that time he had not received any intelligence +concerning it. What have I done, said I, that they should hate me, +and treat me with animosity? By the power of the Lord my creator, +I kept silent." + +Although the steamer _Victoria_ only arrived in Massowah on +the 23rd of July, we had as yet received no letters from Consul +Cameron, nor from any of the captives. By the _Victoria_ we +were informed that Mr. Rassam was recalled and Mr. Palgrave appointed. +Under the new aspect matters had suddenly taken, Mr. Rassam could +but refer to Government for instructions. We therefore at once +started for Egypt, where we arrived on the 5th of September. + +Through her Majesty's Agent and Consul-General, Government was +apprised of the receipt of a letter from Theodore, granting us +permission to enter Abyssinia; that the letter was uncourteous, and +not signed; that Cameron was released, and though Cameron had always +insisted on our not proceeding into the interior with or without +safe-conduct, we were ready to go at once, should Government consider +it advisable. Mr. Palgrave was told to remain, Mr. Rassam and his +companions to go; a certain sum of money was allowed for presents; +letters for the governors of the Soudan were obtained; and, our +necessary stores and outfit being purchased; we returned to Massowah, +where we arrived on the 25th of September. + +There we heard that messengers had arrived from the prisoners; that +they had been taken to Aden by a man-of-war; and that they had +verbally reported, that far from having been released, hand-chains +had been added to the captives' previous fetters. As we could not +find anybody to accompany us through the Soudan (on account of its +unhealthiness at that time of the year) before the middle of October, +we thought it advisable to proceed at once to Aden, in order to +gain correct information from the captives' letters, as to their +actual condition, and to confer with the Political Resident of that +station, as to the expediency of complying with the Emperor's +requests, under the totally different aspect matters now presented. + +Although Captain Cameron, in several of his former communications, +had repeatedly insisted that on no account we should enter Abyssinia, +in the note just received he implored us to come up at once, as our +declining to do so would prove of the utmost danger to the prisoners. +The Political Resident, therefore, taking into consideration Captain +Cameron's earnest appeal for Mr. Rassam to acquiesce with Theodore's +request, advised us to proceed and hope for the best. + +After a short stay at Aden we again returned to Massowah, and, with +the utmost diligence, made all our arrangements for the long journey +that lay before us. Unfortunately cholera had broken out, the natives +were unwilling to cross the plains of Braka and Taka, on account +of the malarious fever, so deadly at that time of the year, and it +required all the influence of the local authorities to insure our +speedy departure. + + + + + CHAPTER V. + + +From Massowah to Kassala--The Start--The Habab--Adventures +of M. Marcopoli--The Beni Amer--Arrival at Kassala--The +Nubian Mutiny--Attempt of De Bisson to found a Colony in +the Soudan. + +On the afternoon of the 15th October, all our preparations being +apparently complete, the mission, composed of Mr. H. Rassam, Lieut. +W.F. Prideaux, of her Majesty's Bombay Staff Corps, and myself, +started on its dangerous enterprise. We were accompanied by a nephew +of the Naib of Arkiko; and an escort of Turkish Irregulars had been +graciously sent by the Pasha to protect our sixty camels, laden +with our personal luggage, stores, and presents for the Ethiopian +monarch. We also took with us several Portuguese and other Indian +servants, and a few natives of Massowah as muleteers. + +On a first march something is always found wanting. On this occasion +many of the cameleers were unprovided with ropes: boxes, portmanteau-bags, +were strewed all over the road, and night was far advanced before +the last camel reached Moncullou. A halt was in consequence absolutely +necessary, so that the actual start was only made on the afternoon +of the 16th. + +From Moncullou our route lay N.W. across the desert of Chab, a +dreary wilderness of sand, intersected by two winter torrents, +generally dry: but by digging in their sandy beds it is possible +at all seasons to obtain some muddy water. The rapidity with which +these torrents fill up is most astonishing. + +During the summer of 1865, we had made a trip to Af-Abed, in the +Hababs' country. On our return, whilst crossing the desert, we +experienced a very severe storm. We had just reached our encamping-ground +on the Southern bank of one of these water-courses, and half the +camels had already crossed the dry bed of the river, when, on a +sudden, a tremendous roar was heard, shortly afterwards followed +by a fearful rush of water. In the former empty bed of the torrent +now dashed a mighty stream, tearing down trees and rocks, so that +no human being could possibly cross. Our luggage and servants were +still on the opposite bank, and although we were only a stone's +throw from the party so suddenly cut off from us, we had to spend +the night on the bare ground, with no other covering than our +clothing. + +In the very centre of the desert of Chab, arises, Amba Goneb, a +conical basaltic rock several hundred feet high, an advanced sentry +detached from the now approaching mountains. On the evening of the +18th, we reached Ain, and from the glaring and dreary desert passed +into a lovely valley, watered by a small winding stream, cool and +limpid, shaded by mimosas and tamarinds, and glowing with the +freshness and luxuriance of topical vegetation. [Footnote: The +distance from Massowah to Ain is about forty-five miles.] + +We were fortunate enough to leave the cholera behind us. Apart from +a few cases of diarrhoea, easily checked, the whole party was in +excellent health; every one in high spirits at the prospect of +visiting almost unknown regions, and above all at having at last +bid adieu to Massowah, where we had spent in anxious expectation +long and dreary months. + +From Ain to Mahaber [Footnote: From Ain to Mahaber (direction E. +by N.) about twenty miles.] the road is most picturesque; always +following the winding of the small river Ain, here and there +compressed to only a few yards by perpendicular walls of trachyte, +or basalt; further on expanding into miniature green plateaus, +bordered by conical hills, covered to the very summit by mimosas +and huge cactuses, alive with large hordes of antelopes (the agazin), +which, bounding from rock to rock, scared by their frolics the +countless host of huge baboons. The valley itself, graced by the +presence of gaudy-feathered and sweet-singing birds, echoed to the +shrill cry of the numerous guinea-fowls, so tame, that the repeated +reports of our fire-arms did not disturb them in the least. + +At Mahaber we were obliged to remain several days awaiting fresh +camels. The Hababs, who had now to supply us, frightened by the +presence of the hairy nephew of the Nab and the Bashi-hazouks, made +themselves scarce, and it was only after much parley and the repeated +assurance that every one would be paid, that the camels at last +made their appearance. The Hababs are a large pastoral tribe, +inhabiting the Ad Temariam, a hilly and well-watered district, about +fifty miles north-west of Massowah, included between longitude 38.39 +and latitude 16 to 16.30. They represent the finest type of the +roving Bedouins; of middle height, muscular, well made, they claim +an Abyssinian origin. With the exception of a darker hue of the +skin, certainly in other respects they do not differ from the +inhabitants of the table-land, and have but few characteristics of +the aboriginal African races. Some fifty years ago they were a +Christian tribe--nominally, at least--but were converted to +Mohammedanism by an old Sheik, still alive, who resides near +Moncullou, and is an object of great veneration all over the Samhar. +Once their doubts removed, their suspicions lulled, the Hababs +proved themselves friendly, willing, and obliging. + +Gratitude is no common virtue in Africa, at least as far as my own +experience goes. Its rarity brings back to my memory a fact that I +will here record. On our previous trip to the Ad Temariam, I had +seen several patients, amongst them a young man, suffering from +remittent fever, and I gave him some medicine. Hearing of our +arrival at Mahaber, he came to thank me, bringing as an offering a +small skin of milk. He apologized for the absence of his aged +father, who also, he said, wished to kiss my feet, but the distance +(about eight miles) was too much for the old man's strength. + +I may as well mention here that a young commercial traveller, Mr. +Marcopoli, had accompanied us from Massowah. He was going to Metemma, +_viâ_ Kassala, to be present at the annual fairs held at that +place in winter. He took advantage of our short stay at Mahaber, +to proceed to Keren, in the Bogos, where he was called by business, +intending to join again our party a few stages ahead. We looked +at our map, and estimated the distance from our halting-place to +the Bogos at the utmost eighteen miles. As he was provided with +excellent mules, in four or five hours he naturally expected to +reach his destination. He accordingly started at daybreak, and +never halted once; but night was far advanced before he perceived +the lights of the first village on the Bogos plateau: so much for +travellers' maps. The poor man's anxiety had been great. Soon after +dark he perceived--or, as I suspect, imagination worked to a high +pitch of excitement through fear, conjured to his fancy the phantom +of some huge animal--a lion, a tiger, he did not know very exactly; +but, at all events, he saw some horrid beast of prey, glaring at +him through the brushwood, with fiery and bloodshot eyes, watching +all his movements for a suitable opportunity to fall upon his +helpless prey. However, he reached Keren in safety. + +He found that we were expected by the Bogos people, who believed +that we were proceeding by the upper route. Flowers were to be +strewed in our path, and our entrance was to be welcomed by dances +and songs in our praise; the officer in command of the troops was +to receive us with military honours, the civil governor intended +to entertain us on a large scale: in a word, a grand reception was +to be offered to the English friends of the mighty Theodore. The +disappointment was no doubt great when Mr. Marcopoli informed the +Bogosites that our route lay in an opposite direction to their fair +province. On that the military commander decided on accompanying +Mr. Marcopoli back, and paying us his respects at our halting-place. +Marcopoli was delighted; he had a too vivid recollection of _his +lion_ not to be overjoyed at the idea of having companions with +him. + +Late in the evening they started, the Abyssinian officer and his +men having before marching indulged in deep draughts of tej to keep +out the cold. On their way down, the "warriors" cantered about in +the most frantic manner; now riding at a full gallop up to poor +Marcopoli, the lance in rest, and dexterously wheeling round when +the weapon almost touched his breast; then charging upon him at +full speed and firing off their loaded pistols quite close, and +only a few feet above his head. Marcopoli felt very uncomfortable +in the society of his bellicose and drunken escort, but not knowing +their language, he had nothing to do but to appear pleased. + +Early in the morning, at our second stage from Mahaber, these +specimens of Abyssinian soldiers made their appearance, and a batch +of more villanous-looking scoundrels I have never seen during my +stay in Abyssinia: evidently Theodore was not very particular as +to whom he selected for such distant outposts, unless he considered +the roughest and most disorderly the fittest for such duties. They +presented us with a cow they had stolen on the road, and begged us +not to forget to mention to their master that they had come all the +distance from Bogos to pay their respects to his guests. After +having refreshed themselves with a few glasses of brandy and partaken +of a slight collation, they kissed the ground in acknowledgment of +the pleasant things they had received in return for their gift, and +departed--to our great satisfaction. + +On that 23rd we started from Mahaber, going due west, and following +for eight miles longer the charming valley of Ain. Afterwards, we +diverged to the left, going in a south-west direction, until we +reached the province of Barka; when again our route lay west by +north, until we came to Zaga. From this point to Kassala the general +direction is west by south. [Footnote: The distance from Mahaber +to Adart on the frontier of Barka is about fifty miles; from Adart +to Kassala about 130 miles.] From Mahaber to Adart the road is very +pleasant; for several days we continually ascended, and the more +we advanced into the mountainous region the more agreeable and +pleasant did we feel it, and we enjoyed the sight of splendid and +luxuriant vegetation. + +On the 25th we crossed the Anseba, a large river flowing from the +high lands of Bogos, Hamasien, and Mensa, and joining the river +Barka at Tjab. [Footnote: Tjab, lat. 17 10', long. 37 15'.] + +We spent a pleasant day in the beautiful Anseba valley, but aware +of the danger of remaining after sunset near its flowery but malarious +banks, we pitched our tent on a rising ground at some distance, and +the next morning proceeded to Haboob, the highest point we had to +gain before descending into the Barka through the difficult pass +of Lookum. After this abrupt descent of more than 2,000 feet, the +roads generally slope towards the low land of Barka. + +From Ain to Haboob [Footnote: The Anseba, at the point we crossed, +is about 4,000 feet above the level of the sea; Haboob about 4,500.] +the country is well wooded, and watered by innumerable small streams. +The soil is formed of the detritus of the volcanic rocks, specially +of feldspar; pumice abounds in the ravines. The channels of the +rivulets are the only roads for the traveller. This mountain chain +is, on the whole, a pleasant spot, more delightful for the reason +that it rises between the arid shores of the Red Sea and the flat, +hot, and level plains of the Soudan. The province of Barka is a +boundless prairie, about 2,500 feet above the level of the sea, +covered at the time of our journey with half-dried grass some five +or six feet high, and dotted here and there with small woods of +stunted mimosas. + +From Barka to Metemma we find alluvium as the general formation. + +Water is scarce; even a month after the rainy season all the rivers +are dried up, and water is only obtained by digging in the sand of +the dry beds of the river Barka and its tributaries. When we passed +through these plains many spots were still green; but a few months +later we should have crossed a parched-up prairie little better +than the desert itself. + +Our pretty songsters of Ain were no more to be seen. The guinea-fowl +was seldom met with, and only a few tiny antelopes wandered over +the solitary expanse. Instead, we were aroused by the roar of the +lion, the laugh of the hyena, and we had to protect our sheep and +goats, as the spotted leopard was lurking around our tents. + +On the 31st of October we reached Zaga, a large sloping plain +situated at the junction of the Barka and the Mogareib. Water can +be obtained at that spot by digging wells in the dried-up beds of +the rivers, in sufficient quantity to have induced the Beni Amer +to make it their winter encamping-ground. + +We had that day made a very long march, on account of the absence +of water on the road. Starting at two P.M., we only reached our +halting ground (the bed of a dried-up winter torrent, a few hundred +yards below the Beni Amer's camp), a couple of hours before daybreak. +We were so sleepy and tired that during the latter part of the stage +it had been with great difficulty that we managed to keep in the +saddle; and no sooner did our guide give us the grateful intelligence +that we had arrived, than we stretched on the ground the piece of +tanned cowhide we carried with us, and covering ourselves with our +cloaks, lay down to rest until daybreak. I offered to Mr. Marcopoli +to share my "bedding," as his own had not arrived, and in a few +minutes we both fell into that deep slumber that follows the +exhaustion of a long weary march. I remember my disgust at being +violently shaken by my bed companion; who, in a faint and trembling +voice, whispered into my ear: "Look there!" I understood at once +his look of anguish and terror, for two splendid lions, not more +than twenty paces from us, were drinking near the wells that had +been sank by the Arabs. I thought, and told my companion, that as +we had no fire-arms with us; the wisest plan was to go to sleep and +remain as quiet as possible. I set him the example, and only woke +up late in the morning, when the sun was already high up and pouring +its burning rays over my uncovered head. Marcopoli, with an absent +terrified look impressed on his countenance, was still sitting near +me. He told me that he had not slept, but kept watching the lions: +they had remained for a long time, drinking, roaring and beating +their sides with their tails; and even when they departed he kept +listening to their dreadful roar, sounding more distant as the first +rays of day appeared. + +We had, no doubt, had a narrow escape, as that night a lion had +carried away a man and a child who had strayed from the Arab +encampment. The Sheik of the Beni Amer, during the few days we +remained at Zaga, with true Arab hospitality, always placed at +night a strong guard around our tent, to watch the large fires that +they kindle in order to keep at a respectful distance these unwelcome +night rovers. + +We had agreed with the Hababs that we would exchange camels at this +spot, but none could be obtained for love or money. It was lucky +for us that the Bedouins had by this time found out that all white +men are not Turks, otherwise we should have been cast helpless in +the very centre of Barka. The Beni Amers could never be induced +even to acknowledge that they had camels, though more than 10,000 +were grazing under our very eyes. + +The Beni Amers are Arabs, speak the Arab language, and have preserved +up to the present day all the characteristics of their race. A +roving Bedouin of the Yemen and a Beni Amer are so much alike that +it seems hardly credible that the Beni Amers possess no record of +their advent on the African coast, or of the causes that induced +them to leave the land of their ancestors. Their long, black, silky +hair has not acquired the woolly texture of that of the sons of +Ham, and the small extremities, the well-knit limbs, the straight +nose and small lips, the dark bronzed complexion, distinguish them +alike from the Shankallas and the Barias, and from the mixed races +of the plateaus. They wear a piece of cloth a few yards in length, +folded round the body, with an elegance peculiar to the savage. +Even with this dirty rag, they must be admired, like the Italian +beggar, not only for their beautiful forms, but also for the look +of impudence and roguery displayed in the bright glare of their +dark eyes. The Beni Amers retain to a high degree that nuisance so +well described by a distinguished traveller in the East, and, like +their brethren of the Arabian shore, they are _une race bavarde +et criarde_. They pay a nominal tribute to the Egyptian Government, +and the reason we could not obtain camels was that, troops being +moved about, they feared that on their arrival at Kassala they would +be pressed into the Government service, and not only receive no +pay, but most likely in the end lose the greater number of their +camels. This tribe roams along the banks of the Barka and its many +tributaries. Zaga is only their winter station; at other times they +wander over the immense plains north of Barka in search of pasture +and water for their innumerable flocks. All over the district of +Zaga camps appeared in every direction; the herds of cattle, +especially camels, seemed without number: this all indicates that +they form a wealthy, powerful tribe. + +We encamped near their head-quarters, where resides the Sheik of +all the Beni Amers, Ahmed, surrounded by his wives, children, and +people. He is a man of middle age, conspicuous among his cunning +followers by a shrewd and crafty look. He was friendly to us, and +presented us with a few sheep and cows. His camp covered several +acres of ground, the whole enclosed by a strong fence; the wigwams +are built in a circle a few feet from the hedge; the open space in +the centre being reserved for the cattle, always driven in at night. +The chief's small circular wood and grass huts contrasted favourably +with the dwellings of his followers. The latter, constructed in a +circle, are formed by thrusting into the ground the extremities of +small branches; a few pieces of coarse matting thrown over them +complete the structure. They cannot be more than four feet high, +and their average circumference is twelve feet; nevertheless, some +eight or ten unwashed faces were seen peeping through the small +door, staring with their black, frightened eyes at the strange white +men. Small-pox was raging at the time with great virulence; fever +also was daily claiming many victims. I gave medicine to several +of the sufferers, and good hygienic advice to Sheik Ahmed. He +listened with all becoming respect to the good things that fell +from the Hakeem's lips: he would see; but they had never done so +before, and with Mussulman bigotry and superstition he put an end +to the conversation by an "Allah Kareem." [Footnote: "God is merciful"] + +On the 3rd of November we were again on the march. On the 5th we +arrived al Sabderat, the first permanent village we had met with +since leaving Moncullou. This village--in appearance similar to +those of the Samhar--is built on the side of a large granitic +mountain, cleft in two from the summit to the base. Numerous wells +are dug in the dried-up bed of the water-course that separates the +village. The inhabitants of this divided village often contend +between themselves for the possession of the precious fluid; and +when the rushing waters have disappeared, human passions too often +fill with strife and warfare the otherwise quiet bed of the stream. + +On the morning of November 6 we entered Kassala. The Nab's nephew +had preceded us, to inform the governor of our arrival, and present +him with a letter recommending us to the care of the authorities, +written by the Pasha of Egypt. To honour us according to his masters +firman, the governor sent all the garrison to meet us a few miles +from the town, with a polite apology for his absence, due to sickness. +The senior partner of the Greek firm of Paniotti also came to welcome +us, and afforded us the hospitality of his house and board. + +Kassala, the capital of Takka, a walled town near the River Gash, +containing about 10,000 inhabitants, is on the model of most modern +Egyptian towns, public as well as private buildings being alike of +mud. The arsenal, barracks, &c. are the only structures of any +importance. Beautiful gardens have been made at a short distance +from the town, near the Biver Gash, by the European portion of the +community. Just before, and immediately after the rains, the place +is very unhealthy. During those months malarious fever and dysentery +prevail to a great extent. + +Kassala, formerly a prosperous city, the centre of all the trade +of the immense tract of country included from Massowah and Suakin +to the Nile, and from Nubia to Abyssinia, was, at the date of our +arrival, almost deserted, covered with ruins and rank vegetation, +destitute of the most common necessaries of life, the spectre of +its former self, haunted by its few remaining ghost-like and +plague-stricken citizens. Kassala had just gone through the ordeal +of a mutiny of Nubian troops. Pernicious fevers, malignant dysenteries +and cholera had decimated both rebels and loyalists; war and sickness +had marched hand in hand to make of this fair oasis of the Soudan +a wilderness painful to contemplate. The mutiny broke out in July. +The Nubian troops had not been paid for two years, and when they +claimed a portion of their arrears, they only met with a stern +refusal. Under these circumstances, it is not astonishing that they +became ready listeners to the treasonable words and extravagant +promises made to them by one of their petty chiefs, named Denda, a +descendant of the former Nubian kings. They matured their plot in +great secresy, and every one was horrified one morning to learn +that the black troops had broken out in open mutiny and murdered +their officers, and, no longer restrained, had followed their natural +inclinations to revel in carnage and plunder. A few Egyptian regulars +had, luckily, possession of the arsenal, and held it against these +infuriated savages until troops could arrive from Kedaref and +Khartoum. The Europeans and Egyptians gallantly defended their part +of the town. They erected walls and small earthworks between +themselves and the mutineers, and continually on the alert, though +few in number, they repulsed with great gallantry the assault of +the fiends thirsting for their lives and property. Egyptian troops +poured in from all directions and relieved the besieged city. More +than a thousand of the mutineers were killed near the gates of the +town; nearly a thousand more were tried and executed; and those who +attempted to escape the vengeance of the merciless pasha and fled +for safety to the wilderness, were hunted down like beasts by the +roving Bedouins. Though order was now restored, it was no easy +matter to obtain camels. It required all the power and persuasion +of the authorities to induce the Shukrie-Arabs to enter the town +and convey us to Kedaref. + +We heard at Kassala the miserable end of Le Comte de Bisson's mad +enterprise. It appears that the Comte, formerly an officer in the +Neapolitan army, had married at an advanced age a beautiful, +accomplished and rich heiress, the daughter of some contractor; it +was "a mariage de convenance," a title bought by wealth and beauty. +In the autumn of 1864, De Bisson reached Kassala accompanied by +some fifty adventurers, the scum of the outcasts of all nations, +who had enrolled themselves under the standard of the ambitions +Comte, "on the promised assurance that power and wealth would be, +before long, their envied portion." De Bisson's idea seems to have +been to personify a second Moses: he came not only to colonize, but +also to convert. The wild roving Bedouin of the Barka plains would, +he believed, not only at once and with gratitude acknowledge his +rule, but would soon, abandoning his false creed, fall prostrate +before the altar he intended to erect in the wilderness. About a +hundred town Arabs were induced to join the European party,--a +useless set of vagabonds, who adorned themselves with the regimental +uniform, accepted the rifle, pistol, and sword, drew their rations, +were punctual in their attendance and always ready to salaam, but +showed much dislike to the drill and other civilized notions the +Comte and his officers endeavoured to impress upon them. + +Their departure from Kassala for the land of milk and honey was +quite theatrical; in front rode on a camel, a gallant captain (who +had taken his discharge from the Austrian service,) playing on the +bugle a parting "fanfare;" behind him, the second in command, mounted +on a prancing charger, and followed by the European part of the +force, who with military step, and shoulder to shoulder, marched +as men for whom victory is their slave. Behind came Le Comte himself, +clad in a general's uniform, his breast covered with the many +decorations which sovereigns had only been too proud to confer on +such a noble spirit; next to him rode gracefully his beautiful wife, +looking handsomer still in the picturesque kepi and red uniform of +a French zouave; behind, closing the march, the well-knit Arabs, +with plunder written in their dark bright eyes, marched with a quick +elastic step and as much regularity as could be expected from men +who abhorred order and had been drilled for so short a time. Need +I say that the expedition failed utterly? The Arabs of the plains +declined to accept another pontiff and king in the person of the +gallant and noble Comte. They were even vicious enough to induce +those of their brethren who had accepted service, to return to their +former occupations, and _forget to leave_ behind them on their +departure the arms, clothes, etc., which had been dealt out to them +on their entering the Comte's service. + +The return to Kassala was humble: there was no trumpet this time; +the brilliant uniforms had given way to soiled and patched raiments: +even the general adopted a civilian's dress; the lady alone was +still smiling, laughing, beautiful as ever; but no Arab in gaudy +attire closed the hungry-looking and worn out cortege. De Bisson +had failed: but why?--Because the Egyptian Government had not only +afforded none of the assistance that had been promised to him, but +all at once stopped the supplies he considered himself entitled to +expect. A claim of I do not know how many millions was at once made +on the Egyptian Government. A commissioner was sent out, who it +appears took a very different view of the question, as he declared +the "Comte's" pretensions absurd and unreasonable. The Comte soon +afterwards, with his wife, returned to Nice, leaving at Kassala the +remnant of his European army; the few who had not succumbed to fever +or other malarious diseases. + +At the time of the mutiny of the Nubian troops, a few not in hospital +or on their way to Khartoum or Massowah, fought well; two even paid +with their lives their gallant attempt at a sortie, and they had +gained for themselves, by their bravery in those difficult times, +the respect they had lost during the long days of inaction. + +De Bisson was instrumental in spreading the most fallacious reports +as to the condition of the captives held by Theodore, and even when +an army was already marching to their rescue, "correct" accounts +appeared of the repulse of the British by Theodore; at another time +a mendacious report was spread that a great battle had been fought +in Tigré between Theodore and a powerful rebel--a battle which was +said to have lasted three days without any marked success having +been gained by either side; and that Theodore, having perceived in +the enemy's camp some Europeans, had sent orders for our immediate +execution; the fulfilment of the sentence resting with the Empress, +who was residing at Gondar, and that his (De Bisson's) agent was +using his influence to stay the execution. Absurd and ridiculous +as were these reports, they were not the less productive of great +distress to the families and friends of the captives. + +During the five days we spent at Kassala, I am happy to say that I +was able to relieve many sufferers; amongst them our host himself, +and one of his guests, a young, well-educated Egyptian officer, +laid at death's door by a severe attack of dysentery. + +A Nubian colonel called on us one morning; he strongly advised us +to stop before it was too late. He had heard much about Theodore's +doings, and assured us that we would meet but with deceit and +treachery at his hands. On our telling him that we were officers +and bound to obey, he said, nothing more, but bid us good-by in a +sorrowful voice. + + + + + CHAPTER VI. + + +Departure from Kassala--Sheik Abu Sin--Rumours of Theodore's +Defeat by Tisso Gobazé--Arrival at Metemma--Weekly Market +--The Takruries at Drill--Their Foray into Abyssinia--Arrival +of Letters from Theodore. + + +On the afternoon of the 10th November we started for Kedaref. Our +route now lay in a more southerly direction. On the 13th we crossed +the Atbara, a tributary of the Nile, bringing to the father of +rivers the waters of Northern Abyssinia. On the 17th we entered +Sheik Abu Sin, the capital of the province of Kedaref. [Footnote: +From Kassala to Kedaref is about 120 miles.] Our cameleers belonged +to the Shukrie-Arabs. They are a semi-pastoral, semi-agricultural +tribe, and reside principally in the neighbourhood of and along the +course of the Atbara, or wander over the immense plains that extend +almost without limit from this river to the Nile. They are more +degenerated than the Beni-Amers, having mixed more with the Nubian +and other tribes that dwell around them. They speak an impure +Arabic. Many have retained the features and general appearance of +the original race, whilst others might be looked upon as half-castes, +and some can with difficulty be distinguished from the Nubians or +Takruries. + +From Kassala to Kedaref we crossed interminable plains, covered +with high grass, speckled here and there with woods of mimosas, too +scanty to afford the slightest shade or protection during the fearful +heat of the mid-day sun. Here and there on the horizon appeared a +few isolated peaks; the Djbel Kassala, a few miles south of the +capital of Takka. Eastward, the Ela Hugel and the Abo-Gamel were +in sight for many days, whilst towards the west, lost almost in the +misty horizon, appeared in succession the outlines of Derkeda and +Kassamot. + +The valley of the Atbara, luxuriant in vegetation, inhabited by all +varieties of the feathered tribe, visited by the huge thirsty +quadruped of the savannah, presented a spectacle so grand in its +savage beauty that we could with difficulty tear ourselves from its +shady groves; had it not been that "Forward" was our watchword, we +would, braving malaria, have spent a few days near its green and +fragrant banks. + +Sheik Abu Sin is a large village; the houses are circular and built +of wood and covered with straw; A small hut belonging to the firm +of Paniotti, our host of Kassala, was placed at our disposal. We +shortly afterwards received the visit of a Greek merchant, who came +to consult me for a stiff joint brought on by a gun-shot wound. It +appears, that some years before, whilst riding a camel on an +elephant-hunting expedition, the gun, a large half-ounce bore, went +off by itself, he never knew how. All the bones of the fore-arm had +been smashed, the cicatrice of a dreadful flesh-wound showed what +sufferings he had undergone, and it was indeed a wonder for me that, +residing as he did in such a hot unhealthy climate, deprived of all +medical advice, he had not succumbed to the effects of the wound, +still more that he had been able to save the limb. I considered the +cure so extraordinary, that, as there was nothing to be done, I +advised him to leave well alone. + +The governor also called upon us, and we returned his civility. Whilst +sipping our coffee with him and other grandees of the place, we were +told that Tisso Gobazé, one of the rebels, had beaten Theodore and +made him a prisoner. He said he believed the news to be correct, but +advised us to inquire into it on our arrival at Metemma, and should +we find it untrue, to return on our steps and on no account to enter +Abyssinia if Theodore was still the ruler. He then gave us some examples +of the Emperor's cruelty and treachery; but we did not put much credence +in his word, as we knew that of old a bad feeling existed between the +Abyssinian Christians and their Mussulman neighbours of the plain. +At Metemma that rumour was not even known; however, we had no choice, +and never thought one instant of anything else but of accomplishing the +mission intrusted to us, in face of all perils and dangers. + +At Kedaref we were lucky enough to arrive on a market-day, consequently +had no difficulty in exchanging camels. That very evening we were +_en route_ again, still towards the south, but this time making +almost an angle with our former route, marching towards the rising +sun. + +Between Sabderat and Kassala, between that town and the Gash, we +had for the first time seen some cultivation; but it was nothing +compared to the immense vista of cultivated fields, beginning a +day's journey from Sheik Abu Sin, and extending, almost without +interruption, throughout the provinces of Kedaref and Galabat. +Villages appeared in all directions, crowning every rounded hillock. +As we advanced, these eminences increased in size until they gave +place to hills and mountains, which ultimately blend with the +uninterrupted chain of high peaks forming the Abyssinian table-land, +now again, after so many days, rising before us. + +We arrived at Metemma on the afternoon of the 21st of November. In +the absence of Sheik Jumma, the potentate of these regions, we were +received by his _alter ego_, who put one of the Imperial residences +--a wretched barn--at the disposal of the "great men from England." +If we deduct the seven days we were obliged to halt _en route_, +on account of the difficulty we had in obtaining camels, we performed +the whole journey between Massowah and Metemma, a distance of about +440 miles, in thirty days. Our journey on the whole was extremely +dreary and fatiguing. Apart from a few pretty spots, such as from +Ain to Haboob, the valleys of the Anseba and Atbara, and from Kedaref +to Galabat, we crossed only endless savannahs, saw not a human +being, not a hut, only now and then a few antelopes, or the tracks +of elephants, and heard no sound but the roar of wild beasts. Twice +our caravan was attacked by lions; unfortunately we did not see +them, as we were on both occasions riding ahead, but every night +we heard their awful roar, echoing like distant thunder in the still +nights of those silent prairies. + +The heat of the day was at times really painful. In order that the +camels might start in time, our tents were packed early; sometimes +we would sit for hours waiting the good pleasure of the cameleers +under the scanty shade of a mimosa, vainly endeavouring to find in +its dwarfed foliage a relief from the burning rays of the sun. Night +after night, be it moonlight or starlight, on we went; the task was +before us, and duty urged us on to reach the land where our countrymen +were lingering in chains. Often in the saddle between three and, +four P.M., we have jogged along on our wearied mules until the +morning star had disappeared before the first rays of day. For +several days we had no water but the hot and filthy fluid we carried +in leathern skins; and even this nauseous decoction was so scanty +and precious, that we could not afford to soothe the sun-burnt skin +and refresh the exhausted frame by a timely ablution. + +Notwithstanding the discomfort, inconveniences, nay, danger of +crossing the Soudan in that unhealthy season of the year, by care +and attention we reached Metemma without having had a single death +to lament. Several of the followers and native servants, even Mr. +Rassam, suffered more or less from fever. They all eventually +recovered, and when a few weeks later we started for Abyssinia, the +whole party was in better health than when we left the hot and +sultry shores of the Red Sea. + +Metemma, the capital of Galabat, a province situated on the western +frontier of Abyssinia, is built in a large valley, about four miles +from the Atbara. A small rivulet runs at the foot of the village, +and separates Galabat from Abyssinia. On the Abyssinian side there +is a small village, inhabited by the few Abyssinian traders who +reside there during the winter months; at which period a large +traffic is carried on with the interior. The round, conical hut is +here again the abode of all classes the size and better state of +repair being the only visible difference between the dwelling of +the rich and that of his less fortunate neighbour. Sheik Jumma's +palaces are inferior to many of his subjects' huts, probably to +dispel the credited suspicion that he is rich, and that incalculable +treasures are buried under the ground. The huts put at our disposal +were, as I have already stated, his property; they are situated on +one of the small hills that overlook the town; the Sheik removes +there with his family during the rainy season, as it is in some +degree less unhealthy than the swampy ground below. + +Though following the creed of the Medina prophet, the capital of +Galabat cannot boast of a single mosque. + +The inhabitants of Galabat are Takruries, a negro race from Darfur. +They number about 10,000; of these 2,000 reside in the capital, the +remainder in the many villages that arise in all directions amidst +cultivated fields and green meadows. The whole province is well +adapted for agricultural purposes. Small rounded hillocks, separated +by sloping valleys watered by many rivulets, impart a pleasing +aspect to the whole district; and if it was not for the extreme +unhealthiness of the place, it is possible to understand the selection +made by the Darfur pilgrims: though it is no compliment paid to +their own native land. The pious Darfur Mussulmans, on their way +to Mecca, observed this favoured spot, and fancied it realized, +_minus_ the houris, some of the inferior Paradises of Mohammed. +At last some remained; Metemma was built; other pilgrims followed +the example; and soon, though a lazy and indolent race, owing to +the extreme fertility of the soil, they formed a prosperous colony. + +At the outset they acknowledged the Sultan of Darfur, paid him +tribute, and were governed by one of his officers. But the Galabat +colony soon found out that the Egyptians and Abyssinians were more +to be feared than their distant sovereign, who could neither protect +nor injure them; accordingly, they quietly murdered the viceroy +from Darfur, and elected a Sheik from amongst themselves. The ruler +at once made terms with both Egyptians and Abyssinians, and tendered +yearly tribute to both. This wise but servile policy met with the +best results; the colony increased and prospered, trade flourished, +Abyssinians and Egyptians flocked to the well-supplied market, and +the tribute of a few thousand dollars to each party fell lightly +on the now rich and cunning negroes. + +From November to May, on Mondays and Tuesdays, the market is held +on a large open space in the centre of the village. Abyssinians +bring horses, mules, cattle, and honey; the Egyptian merchant +displays in his stall, calico, shirtings, hardware, and gaudy prints. +Arabs and Takruries arrive with camels laden with cotton and grain. +The market-place is now a crowded and exciting scene: horses are +tried by half-naked jockeys, who, with whip and heel, drive at a +furious pace their diminutive steeds, reckless as to the limbs and +lives of the venturous spectators. + +Here cotton is being loaded on donkeys, and will soon find its way +to Tschelga and Gondar; here some fat Nubian girls, redolent with +rancid castor-oil flowing from their woolly heads down their necks +and shoulders, issue grinning from a Frank's store, holding in their +hands red and yellow kerchiefs, the long-desired object of their +dreams. The whole scene is lively; good-humour prevails; and though +the noise is fearful, the bargaining being long and clamorous, and +every one is armed with lance or club, still, all is peaceful: no +blood is ever shed on these occasions but that of a few cows, killed +for the many visitors from the high country who enjoy their raw +beefsteak under the cool shadow of the willows that border the +stream. + +On Friday the scene changes. On that day the whole community is +seized with martial ardour. Having no mosque, the Takruries devote +their holy day to ceremonies more suited to their taste, and resort +to the market-place, now transformed into a parade-ground, a few +to drill, the greater number to admire. Some Takruries, having +served for a time in the Egyptian army, returned to their adopted +land full of the value of disciplined troops, and of the superiority +of muskets over lances and sticks. They prevailed on their countrymen +to form a regiment on the model of "master's," Old muskets were +purchased, and Sheik Jumma had the glory to see during his reign +the 1st, or Jumma's Own, rise to existence. A more ludicrous sight +could not, I believe, be witnessed. About a hundred flat-nosed, +woolly, grinning negroes march around the parade-ground in Indian +file, out of step, for about ten minutes. Line is then formed, but +not being as yet well up to the proper value of the words of command, +half face on one side, half on the other. Still the crowd admires; +white teeth are displayed from ear to ear. The yellow-eyed monsters +now feel confident that with such support nothing is impossible, +and no sooner is "stand at ease" proclaimed, than the spectators +rush, forward to admire more closely, and to congratulate, the +future heroes of Metemma. + +Sheik Jumma is an ugly specimen of an ugly race: he is about sixty +years of age, tall and lank, with a wrinkled face, very black, +having a few grey patches on the chin, and the owner of a nose so +flat that it requires time to see that he has one at all; He is +generally drunk, and spends the greater part of the year carrying +the tribute either to the Abyssinian Lion, or to his other master +the Pasha of Khartoum. A few days after our arrival at Metemma he +returned from Abyssinia, and politely paid us a visit, accompanied +by a motley and howling train of followers. We returned his call; +but he had got drunk in the interval, and was at least uncivil, if +not positively rude. + +During our stay we had occasion to witness the great yearly, festival +of the re-election of the Sheik. Early in the morning a crowd of +Takruries came pouring in from all directions, armed with sticks +or spears, a few mounted, the majority on foot, all howling and +screeching (I believe they call it singing), so that before even +the dust raised by a new party could be seen, the ear was deafened +by their clamour. Every Takrurie warrior--that is, every one who +can howl and carry a bludgeon or lance--is entitled to a vote; for +this privilege he pays a dollar. The polling consists in counting +the money, and the amount decides the ruler's fate. The re-elected +Sheik (such was the result of the election we witnessed) killed +cows, supplied jowaree loaves, and, above all, immense jars of +merissa (a kind of sour toast-and-water, intoxicating for all that), +and feasted for two days the whole body of the electors. It is +difficult to say which of the two is out of pocket, the elector or +the Sheik. There is no doubt that every Takrurie will eat and drink +to the full amount of his dollar; is content with paying his homage, +and wishes to have the worth of his money. Bribery is unknown! The +drums, the sign of royalty, have been silent for three days (during +the interregnum), but the cows are no sooner slaughtered and the +merissa handed round by black maidens or fair Galla slaves, than +their monotonous beat is again heard; soon to be drowned under the +howling chorus of two thousand intoxicated negroes. + +The following morning the whole assembled "by orders" on a place +some distance from the town. Arranged in a large crescent, Sheik +Jamma addressed his warriors in these words: "We are a strong and +mighty people, unequalled in horsemanship and in the use of the +club and the spear!" Moreover, (said he), they had increased their +power by adopting the system of fire-arms, the real strength of the +Turks. He was all-confident that the very sight of their gunmen +would strike terror into every neighbouring tribe. He ended by +proposing a raid into Abyssinia, and said: "We will take cows, +slaves, horses, and mules, and please our master the great Theodore +by plundering his enemy Tisso Gobazé!" A wild _feu-de-joie_, +and a terrible roar, from the excited crowd, informed the old Sheik +that his proposal was accepted. That very same afternoon they started +on their expedition, and probably surprised some peaceful district, +as they returned after a few days, driving before them several +thousand heads of cattle. + +Metemma, from May to November, is very unhealthy. The principal +diseases are continued, remittent, and intermittent fevers, diarrhoea, +and dysentery. The Takruries are a tough race, and resist well the +noxious influences of the climate; but not so the Abyssinian, or +the white man: the first is almost certain to die should he attempt +to spend the dreaded months in the malarious low country, the second +most probably will suffer much in health, but resist for a season +or two. During our stay, I had many demands for medicine. Large, +cake-like spleens were greatly reduced by local applications of +tincture of iodine, and the internal administration of small doses +of quinine and iodine of potassium. Chronic diarrhoea yielded readily +to a few doses of castor oil, followed by opium and tannic acid. +Acute and chronic dysentery was treated by ipecacuanha, followed +by astringents. One of my patients was the son and heir of the +Sheik. He had been suffering for the last two years from chronic +dysentery; and although under my care he entirely recovered, his +ungrateful father never even thanked me for all my trouble. Simple +ophthalmia, skin diseases, and glandular swellings were also common. + +The Takruries have no knowledge whatever of medicine: charms are +here, as throughout the Soudan, the great remedy. They are also +used as preventatives to keep off the evil eye, bad spirits, and +genii of different sorts; for these reasons almost every individual-- +nay, cattle, mules, and horses, are covered with amulets of all +shapes and sizes. + +The day after our arrival at Metemma we despatched two messengers +with a letter to the Emperor Theodore, to inform him that we had +reached Metemma, the place he had himself fixed upon, and were only +waiting for his permission to proceed to his presence. We feared +that the fickle despot might change his mind, and leave us for an +unlimited period in the unhealthy Galabat. More than a month had +elapsed, and we were giving way to despair, when, to our great joy, +on the 25th of December (1865), the messengers we had despatched +on our arrival, also those sent from Massowah at the time of our +departure, returned, bringing for us civil and courteous answers +from his Majesty. Sheik Jumma was also ordered by his Abyssinian +master to treat us well, and to provide us with camels up to Wochnee. +At that village, Theodore informed us, we should be met by an escort +and by some of his officers, by whom arrangements would be made to +convey our luggage to the imperial camp. + + + + + CHAPTER VII. + + +Entrance into Abyssinia--Altercation between Takruries and +Abyssinians at Wochnee--Our Escort and Bearers--Applications +for Medicine--First Reception by his Majesty--The Queen's Letter +Translated, and Presents Delivered--Accompany his Majesty through +Metcha--His Conversation _en route_. + + +Heartily sick of Metemma, and longing to climb the high range so +long a forbidden barrier to our hopes and wishes, we soon made our +preparations, but were delayed a few days on account of the camels. +Sheik Jumma, probably proud of his late achievements seemed to take +his orders pretty coolly, and, had we not been more anxious ourselves +to penetrate into the tiger's den than the Sheik to comply with the +King's request, we should no doubt have remained many a day longer +at the court of that negro potentate. By dint of courteous messages; +promises, and threats, the required number of camels was at last +forthcoming, so that on the afternoon of the 28th December, 1865, +we passed the Ethiopian Rubicon, and halted for the night on +Abyssinian ground. On the morning of the 30th we arrived at Wochnee, +and pitched our tents under some sycamores at a short distance from +the village. This, our first stage in Abyssinia, led us through +woods of mimosas, acacias, and incense-trees; the undulating ground, +waving like the ocean after a storm, was covered with high and still +green grass. As we advanced, the ground became more irregular and +broken, and we crossed several ravines, having each its small running +rivulet of crystal water. By-and-by the rounded hillocks acquired +a more abrupt and steep appearance; the grass was no longer tall +and green, but fine and dry; the sycamore, the cedar, and large +timber-trees began to appear. As we approached Wochnee, our route +was a succession of ascents and descents more precipitous and very +fatiguing, as we trudged through deep ravines and climbed the +almost perpendicular sides of the first range of the Abyssinian +mountains. + +At Wochnee we found no one to welcome us. The cameleers, having +unladen their camels, were going to depart, when a servant of one +of the officers sent to receive us by his Majesty arrived. He brought +us compliments from his master, who could not join us for a few +days, as he was collecting bearers; he told us that we must proceed +another stage by the camels, as no bearers could be obtained in the +district of Wochnee. A serious altercation then took place between +the governor of Wochnee and the cameleers. They declined to proceed +any further, and after a short consultation between themselves, +each man seized his camel and walked away. But the governor and the +officer's servant had also been consulting together: seeing the +cameleers departing, they went to the village, and, as it happened +to be market-day, soon collected a good number of soldiers and +peasants. As the cameleers were passing close to the village, on +a given signal, the whole of the camels were seized. I regret to +say, for the honour of the Arabs and Takruries, that, though well +armed, they did not show fight, but on the contrary, ran away in +every direction. Unwilling to lose their precious beasts of burden, +the owners returned by twos and threes. More consultations followed: +at last, on the promise of an extra dollar for each, and a cow for +all, peace and harmony were satisfactorily restored. After a couple +of hours' march, we reached Balwaha. I can understand the difficulties +the cameleers raised, as the road is exceedingly bad for camels, +passing as it does over two high and steep mountains and across two +narrow ravines densely overgrown with tall bamboos. + +At Balwaha we encamped in a small natural enclosure, formed by +beautiful foliaged trees. Three days after our arrival, two of the +officers sent by Theodore to meet us at last made their appearance, +but no bearers. We had unfortunately arrived during the last days +of the long feast before Christmas, and we must, said the chief of +the escort, have patience till the feast was over. + +On the 6th January about twelve hundred peasants were assembled, +but the confusion was so great that no start could be made before +the following day, and even then we only made the short stage of +four miles. The greater part of the heavy baggage was left behind, +and it required a reinforcement from Tschelga to allow us to proceed +on our journey. On the 9th we made a better stage, and halted for +the night on a small plateau opposite the high hill fort of Zer +Amba. + +We were now fairly in the mountains, and had often to dismount to +descend some precipitous declivity, wondering how our mules could +climb the opposite steep, wall-like ascent. On the 10th the same +awful road, only worse and worse as we advanced; and when at last +we had ascended the almost perpendicular precipice that leads to +the Abyssinian plateau itself, and admired the grand vista that lay +at our feet, we congratulated ourselves upon having at last reached +the land of promise. We halted a few miles from the market town +of Tschelga, at a place called Wali Dabba. Here we had to exchange +bearers and consequently to wait several days till the new ones +arrived, or anything like order could be introduced. From that day +my troubles began. + +I was at all hours of the day surrounded by an importuning crowd, +of all ages and sexes, afflicted by the many ills that flesh is +heir to. I had no more privacy, and no more rest. Did I leave our +camp with my gun in search of game, a clamorous crowd followed me. +On the march, at every halt from Wali Dabba to Theodore's camp in +Damot, I heard nothing else from sunrise to sunset but the incessant +cries of "_Abiet, abiet; medanite, medanite_." [Footnote: "Lord +Master, medicine, medicine."] I did my best; I attended at any hour +of the day those who would benefit from a few doses of medicine. +But this did not satisfy the great majority, composed of old +syphilitic cases, nor the leper, nor those suffering from elephantiasis, +the epileptic, the scrofulous, or those who had been mutilated at +the hands of the cruel Gallas. Day after day the crowd of patients +increased; those who had met with refusal remained in the hope that +on another day the "Hakeem's" boxes of unheard-of medicine might +be opened, for them also. New ones daily poured in. The many cures +of simple cases that I had been able to accomplish spread my fame +far and wide, and even reached my countrymen at Magdala, who heard +that an English Hakeem had arrived, who could break bones and +instantly set them, so that the individual operated upon walked +away like the paralytic in Holy Writ. At last the nuisance became +intolerable, and I was obliged to keep my tent closed all day long; +whenever I left it I was surrounded by an admiring crowd. The +officers of the escort were obliged to place a guard round my tent, +and only allowed their relatives and friends to approach. Still, +these were often countless, and it was not till the dread of the +despot overcame even their love of life and health, that successful +and unsuccessful postulants returned to their homes. + +On the 13th January we began our march towards the Emperor's camp, +and passed successively through the provinces of Tschelga, part of +Dembea, Dagossa, Wandigé, Atchefur, Agau Medar, and Damot, leaving +the Tana Sea on our left. The three first-named provinces had a few +years before fallen under the wrath of the despot; every village +had been burnt, every crop destroyed, and the inhabitants had either +perished from famine or been absorbed into the Imperial army. A +few had just then returned to their broken-down homes, on hearing +of the pardon proclaimed by the Emperor; who, after three years, +had relented, and allowed those who still wandered in distant +provinces, destitute and homeless, to return again to the land of +their fathers. Here and there, amongst the ruins of former prosperous +villages, some half-starved and almost naked peasants were seen +erecting small sheds on the ashes of their ancestral huts, near the +land they were going again to cultivate. Alas, they knew not how +soon the same merciless hand would be stretched upon them! Atchefur +had also been plundered at the same date; but their "crime" not +having been so great, the "father of his people" had been content +to strip them of all their property, and did not call fire in aid +to complete his vengeance. The villages of Atchefur are large and +well built; some, such as Limju, can rank with small towns; but the +people had a poor and miserable appearance. The small amount of +cultivation indicated but too plainly that they expected another +plunder, and just tilled the soil enough to meet their immediate +wants. + +[Illustration: VILLAGE OF DANKORA IN ATCHEFUR.] + +[Illustration: CHURCH OF KEDUS GEORGIS AND VILLAGE OF NEFASA AGAU MEDUR.] + +The Agau Medars were always pets of the Emperor; he never plundered +them, or, what is the same, he never made any lengthened "friendly +stay" among them. The rich and abundant harvest ready for the sickle, +the numerous herds of cattle grazing in the flower-speckled meadows, +the large and neat villages, the happy look of the peasants, clearly +proved what Abyssinia can do for its children if their rich and +fertile soil was not laid waste in wanton destruction, and themselves +driven by warfare and bloodshed to perish from misery and hunger. + +Theodore's camp was at this time in Damot. He had already burnt, +plundered, and slaughtered to his heart's content; it is therefore +not astonishing that from Agau to his camp we saw, apart from our +escort and bearers, not a human being: no sleek cattle, no smiling +hamlet--a dire, contrast to the happy Agau that "St. Michael +protects." + +The 25th of January was our last stage. We had halted the night +before at a short distance from the Imperial camp. The black and +white tents of Theodore, pitched on a high conical hill, stood out +in bold relief as the setting sun made the dark background darker +still. A faint, distant hum, such as one hears on approaching a +large city, came now and then to us, carried by the soft evening +breeze, and the smoke that arose for miles around the dark hill +crowned by its silent tents, left us no, doubt that we should before +long find ourselves face to face with the African despot, and that +we were even then almost in the midst of his countless host. As we +approached, messenger after messenger came to meet us; we had to +halt several times, march on again for a while, and then halt anew; +at last the chief of the escort told us that it was time to dress. +A small rowtie was accordingly pitched; we put on our uniforms, +and, mounting again, we had hardly proceeded a hundred yards, when, +coming to a sudden turn in the road, we saw displayed before us one +of those Eastern scenes which brought back to our memory the days +of Lobo and of Bruce. + +A conical wooded hill, opposite to the one honoured by the Imperial +tents, was covered to the very summit by the gunners and spearmen +of Theodore; all in gala dress; they were clad in shirts of +rich-coloured silks, the black, brown, or red lamd [Footnote: A +peculiar mantle of fur or velvet.] falling from their shoulders, +the bright iron of the lances glancing in the light of the midday +sun which poured its rays through the dark foliage of the cedars. +In the valley between the hills a large body of cavalry, about +10,000 strong, formed a double line, between which we advanced. On +our right, dressed in gorgeous array, almost all bearing the silver +shield and the Bitwa, their horses adorned with richly plated +bridles, stood the whole of the officers of his Majesty's army and +household, the governors of provinces and of districts, &c. All +were mounted, some on really noble-looking animals, tribute from +the plateaus of Yedjow and the highlands of Shoa. On our left, the +corps of cavalry was darker, but more compact, than its aristocratic +_vis-à-vis_. The horses, though on the whole, perhaps, less +graceful, were strong and in good condition; and seeing their iron +ranks, we could well understand how panic-stricken the poor scattered +peasants must have been when Theodore, at the head of his well-armed +and well-mounted band of ruthless followers, suddenly appeared among +their peaceful homes, and, before his very presence was suspected, +had come, destroyed, and gone. + +In the centre opposite to us stood Ras Engeddah, the Prime Minister, +distinguished from all by his gentlemanly appearance and the great +simplicity of his attire. Bare-headed, the shama girded in token +of respect, he delivered the Imperial message of welcome, translated +into Arabic by Samuel, who stood by him, and whose finely chiselled +features and intellectual countenance at once proclaimed his +superiority over the ignorant Abyssinian. Compliments delivered, +the Ras and ourselves mounted, and advanced towards the Imperial +tents, preceded by the body of mounted grandees, and followed by +the cavalry. Arrived at the foot of the hill, we dismounted, and +were conducted to a small red flannel tent pitched for our reception +on the ascent itself. There we rested for a while, and partook of +a slight collation. Towards three o'clock we were informed that the +Emperor would receive us; we ascended the hill on foot, escorted +by Samuel and several other officers of the Imperial household. As +soon as we reached the small plateau on the summit, an officer +brought us renewed greetings and compliments from his Majesty. We +advanced slowly towards the beautiful durbar-tent of red and yellow +silk, between a double line of gunners, who, on a signal, fired a +salute very creditable to their untaught skill. + +Arrived at the entrance of the tent, the Emperor again inquired +after our health and welfare. Having acknowledged with due respect +his courteous inquiries, we advanced towards the throne, and delivered +into his hands the letter from her Majesty the Queen. The Emperor +received it civilly, and told us to sit down on the splendid carpets +that covered the ground. The Emperor was seated on an alga, wrapped +up to the eyes in a shama, the sign of greatness and of power in +Abyssinia. On his right and left stood four of his principal officers, +clad in rich and gay silks, and behind him watched one of his trusty +familiars, holding a double-barrelled pistol in each hand. The King +made a few complaints about the European prisoners, and regretted +that by their conduct they had interrupted the friendship formerly +existing between the two nations. He was happy to see us, and hoped +that all would be well again. After a few compliments had been +exchanged, on the plea that we must be tired, having come so far, +we were allowed to depart. + +The letter from the Queen of England, which we had handed over to +his Abyssinian Majesty, was in English, and no translation had been +affixed to it. His Majesty did not break the seal before us, +probably on account of the presence of his high officers; as he +would not have liked them to witness his disappointment had the +letter not suited his views. As soon as we had reached our tent, +the letter was sent to us to be translated; but as we had with us +no European who understood the language of the country, it had to +be rendered first by Mr. Rassam into Arabic to Samuel, and by him +from that language into Amharic. There is much reason to regret +that none of the Europeans in the country who were conversant with +the Amharic language were sent for before that important document +was made over to his Majesty; for I believe that not only the +translation was--in many respects--a bad one, but, moreover, +incorrect. A simple phrase was rendered into one of deep importance +to the success of the mission--one of such serious meaning, considering +Theodore's position, that I am still inclined to believe that it +was introduced in the Amharic translation by Theodore's instructions. +The English ran thus:--"And so, not doubting that you will receive +our servant Rassam in a favourable manner, and give entire credit +to all that he shall say to you on our part." This was rendered:--"He +will do for you whatever you require," or words to that effect. His +Majesty was greatly pleased, so his confidential servants said, +with the Queen's letter; and intimated that he would before long +release the captives. + +On the following morning Theodore sent for us. He had no one near +him except Ras Engeddah. He was standing at the entrance of his +tent, leaning gracefully on his lance. He invited us to enter the +tent; and there, before us, he dictated to his secretary, in presence +of Ras Engeddah, Samuel, and our interpreter, a letter to the +Queen,--an humble, apologizing letter, which he never intended to +despatch. + +In the afternoon we had the honour of another interview, in order +to make over to him the presents we had brought with us. He first +asked if the gifts came from the Queen or from Mr. Rassam himself. +Having been informed that they had been purchased in the name of +the Queen, he accepted them; remarking, at the same time, that he +did so not for their value, but as a token from a friendly Power +whose renewed friendship he was so happy to acknowledge. Amongst +the presents there was a large looking-glass. Mr. Rassam, on +presenting it, told his Majesty that he had intended it for the +Queen. On that his Majesty looked rather serious; but calmly replied +that he had not been happy in his married life, and that he was on +the point of marrying another lady, to whom he would offer the +splendid mirror. Soon after our arrival, cows, sheep, honey, tej, +and bread were sent in abundance, and ourselves and followers were +daily supplied with all necessaries of life from the Imperial +kitchen. + +His Majesty accompanied us several stages towards the Tana Sea, +Kourata having been fixed upon as our place of residence until the +arrival of our countrymen from Magdala. On the first day's march +we were left behind, on account of our luggage, and had a good +opportunity of experiencing what it is to travel with an Abyssinian +army. The fighting men were in front with the king, but the +camp-followers (numbering on that occasion about 250,000), encumbered +as they were with the tents and provisions of the soldiers, came +more slowly behind. It is almost impossible to describe the crush +and confusion that frequently took place when a small river had to +be forded, or when a single footpath led along a steep, incline of +almost naked rocks. Thousands heaped together pushed, screamed, and +vainly endeavoured to penetrate the living mass, which always +increased as the mules and donkeys became more frightened, and the +muddy banks of the stream more slippery and broken. Several times, +driven to despair by hours of patient waiting, we went in search +of another road, or some other ford, where the crush and crowd might +be less. It was only late in the afternoon that we reached our +encamping-ground: we had been the whole day upon a march that the +Emperor accomplished in an hour and a half. + +Theodore, having heard to what inconvenience we had been put, had +the heavy luggage conveyed as before; but ourselves, with a few +light articles, were allowed the privilege of riding with him in +front of the army. During the few days he accompanied us we made +but short stages, never more than ten miles a day. Theodore travelled +with us for several reasons: he wanted to take us by a short cut +by the Tana Sea, and as the country was depopulated, he was obliged +to have our luggage carried by his soldiers. He had not as yet +plundered that part of Damot; the inhabitants had fled, but the +harvest ready for the sickle remained, and at a sign from the Emperor +was reaped by thousands of hands. Whilst the greater part of his +soldiers were thus employed, and the sword was practically used as +an implement of peace, the King, with a large body of cavalry, left +the camp, and shortly afterwards the smoke that arose far and wide +proclaimed their merciless errand. + +A few incidents that occurred during our short stay with Theodore +deserve to be recorded, as they will illustrate his character during +his friendly moods. On our second day's march with his Majesty, +(February 1st,) the Blue Nile was crossed not far from its source; +the banks were steep and slippery, the crush was fearful, and many +a child or woman would have been drowned or otherwise killed had +not Theodore sent some of the chiefs, who waited on him, to make +steps on the slope with their spears, whilst he remained there until +the last camp-follower had passed. When we arrived his Majesty sent +us word not to dismount. We crossed the water on our mules; but the +moment we reached the opposite bank we alighted, and climbed to the +spot where his Majesty was standing. The road was so precipitous +and slippery that Mr. Rassam, who was in front, had some difficulty +in reaching the summit; Theodore; seeing his position, advanced, +took him by the hand, and said, in Arabic, "Be of good cheer, do +not be afraid." + +The following day, during the march, Theodore sent Samuel backwards +and forwards with questions,--such as: "Is the American war over? +How many were killed? How many soldiers had they? Did the English +fight with the Ashantees? Did they conquer them? Is their country +unhealthy? Is it like this? Why did the King of Dahomey kill so +many of his subjects? What is his religion?" He then gave one of +his _excuses_ for not having sent for us sooner. He had been +disappointed, he said, with all the Europeans that had entered his +country. None were good but Bell and Plowden; and he wanted to +know, by report, if the Englishman who had landed at Massowah was +like all the rest. His patience was such that he had believed him +to be a good man, and had, therefore, decided upon sending for him. + +On the 4th he again sent for us. He was alone, sitting in the open +air. He made us sit down on a carpet near him,--and spoke at length +about his former career. He told us how he dealt with the rebels: +first he sent them word to pay tribute; if they refused, he went +himself and plundered their, country. On the third refusal, to use +his own words, "he sent their bodies to the grave; and their souls +to hell." He also told us that Bell had spoken to him so much about +our Queen, that for many years he had intended sending her an +embassy; he had even everything ready when; Captain Cameron made +him an enemy of his former friend. He had ordered, he said, some +tokens of his regard to be made for us, as he had nothing with him +fit to offer us; he had been pleased to see us, and considered us +as "three brothers." The interview was long; when at last his +Majesty dismissed us, he informed us that the following day he would +send us to Kourata to await there the arrival of our countrymen +from Magdala. Shortly after reaching our tent, Mr. Rassam received +a polite note, informing him that he would receive 5,000 dollars, +which he might spend as he liked, but always _in a manner agreeable +to the Lord_. A verbal message was also sent to me to inquire +if I knew anything about smelting iron, casting guns, etc.: to which +I answered, in pursuance of friendly advice, that I was ignorant +of everything except my own medical profession. + + + + + CHAPTER VIII. + + +Leave the Emperor's Camp for Kourata--The Tana Sea--The Abyssinian +Navy--The Island of Dek--Arrival at Kourata--The Gaffat People and +former Captives join us--Charges preferred against the latter--First +Visit to the Emperor's Camp at Zagé--Flattery before Coercion. + + +On the 6th of February his Majesty sent us word to depart. We did +not see him, but before we left he sent us a letter informing us +that as soon as the prisoners joined us he would take steps to send +us out of his country in "honour and safety." The officer ordered +to proceed to Magdala to deliver the captives, and conduct them to +us, was one of our escort; we were the bearers of an humble apology +from Theodore to our Queen: all smiled upon us; and rejoiced beyond +expression by the apparently complete success of our mission, we +retraced our steps with a light and thankful heart through the +plains of Agau Medar. On the afternoon of the 10th of February, we +encamped on the shore of the Tana Sea, a large fresh-water lake, +the reservoir of the Blue Nile. The river enters at the south-west +extremity of the lake, and issues again at its south-east extremity, +the two branches being only separated by the promontory of Zagé. + +[Illustration: VILLAGE OF KANOA, IN WANDIGÉ.] + +The spot we pitched our camp upon was not far from Kanoa, a pretty +village in the district of Wandigé, Kourata being almost opposite +to us, bearing N.N.E. We had to wait several days while boats were +constructed for ourselves, escort, and luggage. These boats--of the +most primitive kind of construction still in existence--are made +of bulrushes, the papyrus of the ancients. The bulrushes are tied +together so as to form a flat surface some six feet in breadth and +from ten to twenty feet in length. The two extremities are then +rolled up and tied together. The passengers and boatmen sit upon a +large square bundle of bulrushes forming the essential part of the +boat, which the outward cage serves only to keep in place, and by +its pointed extremities to favour progression. To say that these +boats leak is a mistake; they are full of water, or rather, like a +piece of cork, always half submerged: their floating is simply a +question of specific gravity. The manner in which the boats are +propelled adds greatly to the discomfort of the traveller. Two men +sit in front, and one behind. They use long sticks, instead of oars, +beating the water alternately to the right and left; at each stroke +they send in front and from behind jets of spray like a shower-bath, +and the unfortunate occupant of the boat, who had beforehand taken +off his shoes and stockings and well tucked up his trousers, finds +that he would have been wiser had he adopted a more simple costume +still, and followed the example of the naked boatmen. + +The Abyssinian navy does not weigh heavily on the estimates, nor +does it take years to construct a fleet; two days after our arrival +fifty new vessels had been launched, and several hundreds had joined +from Zagé and the Isle of Dek. + +The few days we spent on the shore of the Tana Sea were among the +small number of happy ones we have seen in this country. Samuel, +now our balderaba (introducer) and chief of the escort, did not +allow the former crowds to invade my tent. Being an intelligent +man, and his relatives and friends less numerous than those of his +predecessor, he only brought to me those he knew would benefit by +a few doses of medicine, or whom he was compelled to introduce; for +by refusing the petty chiefs and important men of the several +neighbouring districts he would have made serious enemies. It was +now a recreation, instead of a fatigue; a study of the diseases of +the country; a fact almost impossible, before, when I could only +defend myself against the importunities of a crowd, and in peace +not examine a single case. The remainder of my time was spent in +shooting. Aquatic birds, ducks, geese, &c., were in abundance, and +so tame that the survivors did not move away, but remained bathing, +feeding, and cleaning their bright feathers around the dead bodies +of their mates and companions. + +[Illustration: View from Wandige of Lake Tana] + +On the morning of the 16th we started for Dek, the largest and most +important island of the Tana Lake; it is situated about half-way +from our starting-place and Kourata. We were shower-bathed for about +six hours; our speed was about two and a half knots, so that the +distance must be about fifteen miles. Dek is a very pretty island +indeed; a long, flat volcanic rock, surrounded by conical hillocks, +forming so many island pearls around a coronet. The whole island +is well wooded, covered with the most luxuriant vegetation, dotted +with numerous and prosperous villages, and proudly boasts of four +old and revered churches--the shrines of many devoted pilgrims. We +spent the night in the heart of the picturesque island--the ideal +of an earthly abode. Alas! we knew only some time afterwards that +the passage of the white men caused tears and distress among the +Arcadian inhabitants of that peaceful land. The inhabitants of the +island had been ordered to supply us with 10,000 dollars. The chiefs, +almost despairing of being able to raise so large a sum, made a +powerful appeal to their friends and neighbours; painted in true +colours the wrath of the despot should he learn that his request +had not been complied with, and the wilderness that would then +replace their rich and happy isle. The eloquence of some, and the +threats of others, were equally successful. All the savings of years +were brought to the chiefs; silver rings and chains--the dower and +fortune of many a young maiden--were added to the newly spun shama +of the matron: all were reduced to poverty, and were trembling; +though they smiled whilst making the sacrifice of all their worldly +goods. How they must have cursed, in the bitterness of their grief, +the poor white strangers who were the innocent cause of all their +misfortunes! + +The following morning we started for Kourata, the distance and +inconvenience being about the same as on the preceding day. Once +again on _terra firma_, we hailed with delight the end of our +short and disagreeable passage. On the beach we were received by +the clergy, who had turned out in full canonicals to welcome us +with all the pomp usually accorded only to royalty; for such had +been the Imperial command. Two of the wealthiest merchants of the +place claimed us as their guests, in the name of their royal master, +and, mounted on beautiful mules, we ascended the hill on which +Kourata is built; the privilege of riding through the sacred streets +having been conferred on, the honoured guests of the sovereign of +the land. + +Kourata is, after Gondar, the most important and wealthy city of +Abyssinia; it is a town of priests and merchants, built on the sides +of a conical hill and bathed by the waters of the Tana Sea. The +houses, many of them built of stone, are superior to any we saw in +Abyssinia. The church erected by the Queen of Socinius is held in +such sanctity that the whole town is considered sacred, and none +but the bishop or the emperor are allowed to ride through its narrow +and steep lanes. From the sea it is almost impossible to see the +town, so close and compact are the towering dark cedars and +sycamores--the just pride of the inhabitants. The whole hillock is +so completely covered with vegetation of every description, that +the spot from a distance seems more like a luxuriant waste untouched +by man's hand, than the abode of thousands, and the central mart +of Western Abyssinia. For a few days we resided in the town, where +several of the best houses had been put at our disposal; but the +countless host of unmentionable insects fairly drove us away. We +obtained permission to pitch our tents on the sea beach, on a +pleasant spot only a few hundred yards from the town, where we +enjoyed the double luxury of fresh air and abundance of water. + +A few days after our arrival at Kourata we were joined by the "Gaffat +people." The Emperor had written to them to come and remain with +us during our stay, as he feared that we might feel lonely and +unhappy in his country, separated from our own people. Agreeably +to the instructions they had received, on arriving at a short +distance from our encampment, they sent to inform us of their +arrival, and requested permission to present themselves before us. +I was never so much taken aback as at the sight of these Europeans +wearing the Abyssinian gala dress, silk shirts of gaudy colours, +trousers of the same material, the shama thrown over the left +shoulder, many with naked feet, several without covering to their +head. They had been so long in Abyssinia that I doubt not they +considered themselves very smart; and, if we did not admire them, +the natives certainly did. They pitched their camp a little distance +in rear of ours. A few days later their wives and children arrived, +and on more intimate acquaintance we soon perceived that several +amongst them were well-educated and well-informed men--not at all +despicable companions in that distant laud. + +On the 12th of March our poor countrymen, so long in chains and +misery, at last arrived. We provided tents for those who had none, +and they remained in our inclosure. They all, more or less, bore +traces of the many sufferings they had endured; but Messrs. Stern +and Cameron more than the others. We endeavoured to cheer them up +by the prospect of a speedy return to Europe, and only regretted +that we could not show them more kindness; as Mr. Rassam did not +think it advisable, on account of Theodore's suspicious character, +to appear to be on too intimate terms with them. They knew the +Emperor better than we did, and now and then expressed doubts as +to the favourable issue of the affair. They had heard _en route_ +that they would have to make boats for Theodore, and were always +anxious and nervous each time a messenger arrived from the Imperial +camp. + +Theodore, after plundering Metcha, the fertile province at the southern +extremity of Lake Tana, destroyed the large and populous town of Zagé, +and pitched his camp on a small strip of land connecting the promontory +of Zagé with the mainland. The Emperor was very attentive; +he sent us 5,000 dollars more, supplies in abundance, and put thirty +milch cows at our disposal; he also sent us lion cubs, monkeys, +&c., and almost every second day wrote civil and courteous letters +to Mr. Rassam. All our interpreters, all the messengers, even Mr. +Rassam's butler, went one after the other to Zag to be invested +with "the order of the shirt." To the messenger who had brought us +down the false intelligence of Captain Cameron's release, he gave +a marguf (silk-bordered) shama, a title, and the government of a +district; and requested Mr. Rassam to love him, and cause him to +be loved by our Queen, as his stratagem had fortunately succeeded, +and had induced us to come to him. When one of our interpreters, +Omar Ali, a native of Massowah, went in his turn to be decorated, +he found his Majesty sitting near the beach making cartridges. He +told him, "You see my occupation; but I am not ashamed of it. I +cannot make up my mind to let Stern and Cameron go; but, for the +sake of your masters, I will. I like them because they are always +so well behaved, hold their caps in their hand as soon as they +approach my presence, and are respectful before me, whilst Cameron +used to pull his beard about all the time." + +If I mention these apparent trifles, it is to show that Theodore +was still doubtful in his mind whether he would allow any one to +depart or not. As he was still wavering, he might, perhaps, have +allowed himself to be guided by his better qualities, had not a few +incidents that occurred at the time worked upon his suspicious +nature. + +Theodore, always fond of showing himself as a just man before his +people, desired a kind of trial of the former captives to take +place, before him and us, and in presence of his soldiers; when, +had they acknowledged that they were wrong, and begged his Majesty's +pardon, he would probably have gone through the form of a public +reconciliation, and after presenting them with a few gifts, allowed +them to depart. + +Mr. Rassam, on the contrary, believed it to be advisable that his +Majesty should not see the former captives, as their sight might +put him in a passion; and as everything appeared to progress so +favourably, he considered it more prudent to do his utmost to avoid +a meeting between the two. + +Shortly after the arrival of the Magdala prisoners, who had been +joined at Debra Tabor by those who had been detained there on parole, +his Majesty, at Mr. Rassam's instigation, instead of calling them +to him as he had intended, sent several of his officers, his +secretary, etc., to Kourata, and requested us to have certain charges +read publicly to the captives, who would declare whether he or they +were in the wrong. + +All the captives, the Gaffat people, and the Abyssinian officers, +being assembled in Mr. Rassam's tent, the scribe read the charges. +The first was against Captain Cameron. Theodore began by stating +that Cameron, on his representing himself to be a messenger from +the Queen, was received with all due honour and respect, and welcomed +to the best of his ability. He accepted with humility the presents +the Queen sent to him, and on Cameron explaining that an exchange +of consuls between the two countries would be greatly to the interest +of Abyssinia, Theodore, to use his own words, said, "I was glad on +hearing this, and said, very well!" He continued by stating that +he impressed upon the consul that the Turks were his enemies, and +requested him to protect the mission and presents he intended to +send to the Queen; that he gave him a friendly letter, and sent him +away, but Cameron, instead of delivering the letter, went to the +Turks who hated him, and before whom he insulted and lowered him; +that on Cameron's return, he asked him, "'Where is the answer to +the friendly letter I entrusted you with? what have you come for?' +He answered: 'I do not know;' so I said to him, 'You are not the +servant of my friend the Queen, as you had represented yourself to +be,' and by the power of my creator I imprisoned him. Ask him if +he can deny this." + +The second charge was against Mr. Bardel; but he had evidently got +tired of the affair, as the charges against Stern, Rosenthal, &c. +are not specified; though on former occasion he several times +referred to his grievances against them. They are included in a +general charge which runs as follows:-- + +"The other prisoners have abused me, I am well aware, I used to +love, and honour them. A friend ought to be a shield to his friend, +and they ought to have shielded me. Why did they not defend me? On +this account I disliked them. + +"Now, by the power of God! for the sake of the Queen, and the British +people, and yourselves, I cannot continue my dislike against them. +I wish you to make between us a reconciliation from the heart. If +I am in fault, do you tell me and I will requite them; but if you +find that I am wronged, I wish you to get them to requite me." + +After the charges had been read, the captives were asked if they +had done wrong or not. It would have been absurd for them not to +have acknowledged their faults, and begged for pardon. We knew that +they were innocent, injured men, and that any errors of judgment +they might have committed were so trivial compared to the sufferings +they had undergone, that they could, under any other circumstances, +have applied for the requital he offered them. In acknowledging +that they were wrong they acted wisely: it was what we counselled, +nay ordered. + +The sitting concluded with the public reading of the Amharic +translation of the Queen's letter, and of the reply which Theodore +said he would send by us. + +Though all seemed smooth and favourable, no doubt a storm was +imminent; and shortly afterwards, though everything was as yet +friendly, we should have been far less confident had our knowledge +of Theodore been greater. + +On our way to Kourata we had been asked indirectly by his servants +whether we knew anything about boat-making? We replied in the +negative. As I have stated, some of the escort had told Captain +Cameron, that at Kourata he would be employed in ship-building. +There was no doubt that his Majesty had made up his mind to have a +small navy, and I believe that the real reason we were sent to +Kourata, and the Gaffat people to keep us company there, was that +Theodore imagined that we knew more about making boats than we +wished to say, and hoped to coax us into undertaking the work. The +Gaffat people, were told to make boats; they replied that they knew +nothing about it, but would work with any one who could direct them: +at the same time they intimated that his Majesty ought to take +advantage of Mr. Rassam's friendship to ask him to write for some +proper person and instruments; that they had no doubt that on Mr. +Rassam making the application, his Majesty would obtain anything +he required. + +A few days later Theodore wrote to Mr. Rassam requesting him to +write for workmen, and to await their return. Until that date all +had been plain sailing. I acknowledged that the letter was rather +a "damper" on Mr. Rassam. Two courses were left open to him: to +decline, in courteous terms, on the ground that his instructions +did not warrant his making such a request; or accept, on condition +that the former captives should be allowed to depart, himself +remaining with one of his companions until the workmen arrived. +Instead of that Mr. Rassam took a half-way course; he told Theodore +that it would be better for him if he was allowed to depart, as at +home he could better represent the desires of his Majesty, but if +the Emperor insisted upon it he would write. + +Theodore was so far confirmed in the impression conveyed to him by +his workmen that through the intervention of Mr. Rassam he could +obtain anything he liked, that the only thing which for a few days +longer remained undecided by him was--should he endeavour to gain +his object by flatteries or by bullying? He at once went to work, +and did the best to succeed by amicable measures. For this purpose +he sent us a polite invitation to come and spend a day with him +at Zagé, ordering at the same time his workmen to accompany him. +On the 25th of March we proceeded by native boats and reached Zagé +after a four-hours' shower-bath; at a short distance from the landing-place +we dressed ourselves in uniform, and were met on our arrival by Ras +Engeddah (Commander-in-Chief), the Master of the Horse, and several other +high officials of the Imperial household. His Majesty had sent us by the +Ras polite greetings, and mounting the beautiful mules sent from the +royal stable, we proceeded to the Emperor's inclosure. We were at first +conducted to some silk tents, which had been pitched at a short distance +from his banqueting-hall, so that we might rest awhile and partake of +the collation his Queen had forwarded to us. In the afternoon the +Emperor sent us word that he would come and see us. + +We shortly afterwards went out to meet him, and to our astonishment +saw him coming towards us, his cloth folded and the right arm +uncovered: a sign of inferiority, of high respect--an honour Theodore +was never known to have paid to any man. He was all smiles, all +amiability, sat down a few minutes on Mr. Rassam's couch, and when +he left he shook hands in the most friendly manner with him. A +little later we returned his call. We found him in the audience-hall, +seated on a carpet; he gracefully saluted us, and made us sit down +by his side. To his left stood his eldest son Prince Meshisha, and +Ras Engeddah; his workmen were also present standing in the centre +of the hall in front of him. He had before him quite an arsenal of +guns and pistols; he spoke about and showed those we had brought +with us, guns that had been made to order by the brother of a +gunmaker in his service, a manufacturer at St. Etienne, near Lyons. +He conversed on various topics, about the different ranks in his +army, presented us to his son, and ordered him at the conclusion +of the audience, together with the Gaffat people, to escort us back +to our tent. + +The following day Theodore sent repeated kind messages; but we did +not see him. In the morning he called, all his chiefs together, and +asked them to advise him as to whether he should allow the Europeans +to depart or not. All exclaimed, "Let them go;" one only remarking +that if once out, and they wanted to fight, "let them come, we will +then have God on our side." As soon as he had dismissed his chiefs, +he called the Gaffat people and asked them also what he should do. +They told us that they had strongly advised him to let us depart. +It was reported that on returning to his house; his valet said to +him, "Every one tells you to let them go; you know that they are +your enemies, and what will you have in your hands?" In the evening +his Majesty was rather excited: he sent for the Gaffat people, and +taking hold of the rude pillar of his hut, said: "Is that the +dwelling fit for a king?" What conversation passed between them at +the time, I cannot say; but a few days afterwards one of them told +me that his Majesty was much put out, as Mr. Rassam had not mentioned +to him the objects he had so dear at heart, viz.: the artisans and +instruments, and that on our applying to be allowed to return to +Kourata, his Majesty looked very black at first, and refused, and +that they had had great fears that he might have forcibly detained +us. + +On our return to Kourata the correspondence between Theodore and +Mr. Rassam began afresh. The letters, as a rule, contained nothing +of importance, but the messages brought backwards and forwards were +highly special, and had significant reference to the former captives, +with whom Theodore was bent on having a reconciliation before their +departure. Apprehensive that Theodore might get into a passion at +the sight of them, Mr. Rassam endeavoured: by all means to avoid a +meeting he so much dreaded; and, at last, his Majesty seemed to +have been convinced by his friend's reasonings, and to all appearance +gave in to him. Some of the former captives were naturally anxious, +and would have much preferred the risk of having to bear a few harsh +words rather than excite Theodore's suspicions. It was too late. +He had already made up his mind to detain us forcibly, and at the +time he pretended to agree not to see the former captives, he was +all the while, building a fence for their reception. + +Mr. Rassam, to divert the Emperor's mind, proposed to him to institute +an order to be called the "Cross of Christ and Solomon's Seal;" the +rules and regulations were drawn out, one of the workmen made a +model of the badges according to Mr. Rassam's direction, his Majesty +approved of them, and nine were ordered--three of the first, three +of the second, three of the third orders. Mr. Rassam, together with +Ras Engeddah and Prince Meshisha, were to be made knights of the +first order; the English officers of the mission were to be second +class; as for the third, I do not know for whom they were destined, +unless for such as Bappo, his butler. + +Quite unaware of all that was going on behind the scenes, we fancied +that we had nothing more to fear, and that all obstacles had been +cleverly removed; we were building castles in the air--seeing in +imagination dear friendly faces once more, and, thinking we were +homeward bound, we laughed at the scorching heat of the Soudan's +hottest months: when suddenly all our plans, hopes, and expectations +were cruelly crushed. + + + + + CHAPTER IX. + + +Second visit to Zagé--Arrest of Mr. Rassam and the English +Officers--Charges brought against Mr. Rassam--The former Captives +are brought in Chains to Zagé--Public Trial--Reconciliation--Mr. +Flad's Departure--The Imprisonment at Zagé--Departure for Kourata. + + +On the 13th of April we made our third experiment of the bulrush +boats, as the Emperor desired once more to see his dear friends +before they left. The European workmen of Gaffat accompanied us. +All the Magdala and Gaffat prisoners started the same day, but by +another route; the whole party was to rendezvous at Tankal, near +the north-west extremity of the lake, where the luggage was also +to be conveyed by boats. + +On our arrival at Zagé, we were received with the usual marks +of respect. Ras Engeddah and several high officers came to meet us +on the beach, and richly harnessed mules were provided for us from +the royal stables. We dismounted at the entrance of his Majesty's +inclosure, and were conducted at once to the large audience-hall, +erected quite close to the Emperor's private fence. On entering, +we were surprised to see the large hall lined on both sides by +Abyssinian officers in their gala dress. The throne had been placed +at the extremity of the hall, but was empty, and the large circular +space around it was filled with the highest officers of the realm. +We had only advanced a few stages, preceded by Ras Engeddah, when +he bowed and kissed the ground, we thought out of respect for the +throne; but it was the signal for an act of base treachery. No +sooner had the Ras prostrated himself, than nine men, posted for +the purpose, rushed upon each of us, and in less time than I can +express it our swords, belts, and caps were cast to the ground, our +uniforms torn, and the officers of the English mission, seized by +the arm and neck, were dragged, to the upper part of the hall, +degraded and reviled before the whole of Theodore's courtiers and +grandees! + +We were allowed to sit down, our captors sitting next to us. The +Emperor did not appear, but questions were brought to us by the Ras +Engeddah, Cantiba Hailo (the Emperor's adopted father), Samuel, and +the European workmen. Some of the questions asked by his Majesty +were, to say the least, childish: "Where are the prisoners? Why +have you not brought them to me? You had no right to send them +without my permission. I wished you to reconcile me with them. I +intended also to give to those who had no mule a mule, and to those +who had no money some money for the road. Why have you given them +fire-arms? Did you not come with a friendly letter from the Queen +of England? Why have you sent letters to the coast?" and such like +rubbish. + +Many of the highest officers several times expressed openly their +approval of our answers--a rare proceeding in an Abyssinian Court. +They evidently did not like, nor could they justify, the treacherous +conduct of their master. Between the questions, a paper was partially +read, referring to his Majesty's pedigree. As it had nothing to +do with, our alleged offences, I could not understand its object, +except that it was a certain weakness of this _parvenu_ to +glory in his supposed ancestors. His Majesty's last message was: +"I have sent for your brethren, and when they arrive, I will see +what I shall do." + +The assembly having been dismissed, we waited a little while, whilst +a tent was pitched for us near the Emperor's inclosure. At the time +we were undergoing our trial, all the luggage we had brought with +us was personally examined by his Majesty. All arms, money, papers, +knives, &c., were confiscated; the remainder being sent to us after +we had been escorted to the tent; We had hardly entered our new +abode, and had not yet recovered from our surprise at the turn the +Abyssinian _imbroglio_ had just taken, when cows and bread in +abundance were sent to us by Theodore a strange contrast to his +recent dealings. + +At about the same hour which witnessed this reverse in our fortunes, +the released captives were also destined to meet with a fearful +disappointment. Their fate was even worse than ours. After about +two hours' ride they came to a village, and were resting under the +shade of a few trees, until their tents should be pitched, when +they were called for, and told to enter the house of the chief of +the village. As soon as they were all collected, a number of +soldiers entered, and the chief of the escort, showing them a letter, +asked them if it was his Majesty's seal. On their replying in the +affirmative, they were told to sit down. They were rather perplexed, +but imagined that perhaps his Majesty had sent them a letter to bid +them farewell, and that they were allowed to sit down as they were +tired. However, their conjectures were soon set at rest. On a signal +given by the chief of the escort, they were seized by the soldiers +who lined the room. The letter from Theodore was then read to them. +It was addressed to the chief of the escort, and ran thus:--"In the +name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, to Bitwaddad Tadla. +By the power of God, we, Theodore, the king of kings, are well. We +are angry with our friends, and with the Europeans, who say, 'We +are going to our country,' and we are not yet reconciled. Until we +consult as to what we shall do, seize them; but do not make them +uncomfortable or afraid, and do not hurt them." + +In the evening they were chained two by two, their servants were +watched, and but two allowed to each individual to prepare his food; +the following morning they were taken to Kourata. There they heard +of our arrest, and even reports to the effect that we had been +killed. The wives of the Gaffat people treated them very kindly: +they themselves were in great anguish, as they were quite ignorant +of the fate of their relatives. On the morning of the 15th they +were taken over by boat to Zagé. On their arrival they were +received by guards, who conducted them to a fenced space; mules had +been brought for Captain Cameron, Mrs. Rosenthal, and Mrs. Flad, +and shortly afterwards the Emperor sent them cows, sheep, bread, +&c., in abundance. + +The three days we spent in the small tent at Zagé were days +of great anxiety. We had until then seen but the good side, the +amiable mood of our host, and we were not as yet accustomed to his +sudden bursts of temper, to his violence and treachery. As soon +as our luggage was returned, we destroyed every letter, paper, note, +diary, in our possession, and repeatedly questioned Samuel as to +our future prospects. On the morning of the second day Theodore +sent us his compliments, and told us that as soon as the captives +arrived, everything would be all right. We sent him some shirts +that had been made for him during our stay at Kourata; he received +them, but declined the soap that accompanied them, as, he said, we +should require it for the road. In the afternoon we watched him +through the links of the tent, whilst he was sitting for hours on +a raised platform in front of his inclosure. He appeared calm, and +remained, for a long time, in conversation with his favourite, Ras +Engeddah, who stood below. + +We were guarded night and day, and could not move a few steps outside +the tent without being followed by a soldier; at night, if we had +to go out, we were told to carry a lantern with us. Our guards were +all old confidential chiefs of the Emperor, men of rank and position, +who executed their orders, but did not abuse their position to make +us feel still more our disgrace. On the evening of the 15th a small +farce was played that amused me at the time. I was going out a short +distance, a servant carrying a lantern before me. We had only +advanced a few steps when a soldier roughly seized my servant; +immediately the officer on guard ran up towards us, and pretending +to be very indignant at the soldier's conduct, told him to let my +servant go, and lifting up his stick, gave him a few strokes on the +back, exclaiming, "Why do you stop him? These are not prisoners; +they are the friends of the King." On turning round; I saw the chief +and the soldier having a good laugh together. The following morning +the reconciliation was to take place. Theodore desired to impress +us with the idea that we might be still his friends, and that we +had better give in to him with good grace, as the arrest of the +13th would prove to us that he could also treat us as enemies. His +plan was not a bad one; at all events it succeeded. + +On the 17th we received a message from his Majesty, telling us to +go to him, as he desired to try before us the Europeans who had, +he said, formerly insulted him. Theodore knows well how to make a +display; and on this occasion he did his utmost to impress all, +Europeans as well as natives, with an idea of his power and greatness. +He was seated on an alga in the open air, in front of the audience-hall. +All the great officers of state were stationed on his left hand in +front; on his right were the Europeans, and around these more +important individuals, the petty chiefs and soldiers formed an +almost complete circle. + +As soon as we approached, his Majesty rose and saluted us; received +us, in short, as though we were still his honoured guests, and not +the heralds from a great Power he had recently so grossly insulted. +We were told to sit down. A few minutes of silence followed, and +we saw advancing from the outer gate our countrymen guarded as +criminals, and chained two by two. They were arranged in a line in +front of his Majesty, who, after observing them for a few seconds, +"kindly" inquired after their health, and how they had spent their +time. The captives acknowledged these compliments by repeatedly +kissing the ground before that incarnation of the Evil One, who all +the time grinned in delight at the sight of the misery and humiliation +of his victims. Captain Cameron's and Mr. Bardel's fetters were +then opened, and they were told to come and sit down near us. All +the other captives remained standing in the sun, and had to answer +to the Emperor's questions. He was collected, and calm; only once, +when addressing us, did he appear in any way excited. + +He asked them, "Why did you wish to leave my country before you +took leave of me?" They answered that they had only acted according +to Mr. Rassam's orders, to whom they had been made over. He then +said, "Why did you not ask Mr. Rassam to bring you to me, and be +reconciled before you left?" and turning towards Mr. Rassam, said, +"It is your fault. I told you to reconcile me with them; why did +you not do so?" Mr. Rassam replied: that he had believed the written +reconciliation that followed the trial of the charges he had sent +against them to be sufficient. The Emperor then said to Mr. Rassam, +"Bid I not tell you I wanted to give them mules and money, and you +answered me that you had bought mules for them, and that you had +money enough to take them to their country? Now, on your account, +you see them in chains. From the day you told me that you desired +to send them by another road I became suspicious, and imagined that +you did so in order that you might say in your country that they +were released through your cunning and power." + +The former captives' supposed crimes are well known, and its the +remainder of the trial was only a repetition of the one of Gondar, +it would be a mere waste of time to speak of it here; suffice it +to say that these unfortunate and injured men answered with all +humility and meekness, and endeavoured by so doing to avert the +wrath of the wretch in whose power they were. + +The Emperor's pedigree was then read: from Adam to David all went +on smoothly enough; from Solomon's supposed son Menilek to Socinius +few names were given--perhaps they were patriarchs in their own +way; but when it came to Theodore's father and mother the difficulty +increased, indeed it became serious; many witnesses were brought +forward to testify to their royal descent, and even the opinion of +the puppet-Emperor Johannes was recorded in favour of Theodore's +legal right to the throne of his ancestors. + +We were then called forward, and the scene of the 18th enacted over, +again. After we had been told to sit down, Theodore called his +workmen before him, and asked them if he ought to get "kassa?" +(meaning a reparation for what he had suffered at the hands of the +Europeans). Some did not audibly reply; whilst others loudly +proclaimed that "kassa was good." In conclusion, his Majesty said, +addressing himself to us "Do you want to be my masters? You will +remain with me; and wherever I go, you will go; wherever I stay, +you will stay." On that we were dismissed to our tents, and Captain +Cameron was allowed to accompany us. The other Europeans, still in +chains, were sent to another part of the camp, where several weeks +before a fence had been erected, no one knew why. + +The following day we were again called before Theodore, but this +time it was quite a private affair. The prisoners were first +conducted to our tent, and released from their fetters. We were +then called into his presence; the former captives followed us, and +the Gaffat people shortly afterwards entered, and were told to sit +at the Emperor's right. As soon as the released prisoners entered; +they bowed their heads to the ground and begged for pardon. His +Majesty told them to rise, and after informing them that they had +never done anything wrong, and that they were his friends, bowed +his head to the ground, and in his turn begged for pardon. He +remained in that attitude until they had repeatedly told him, "For +God's sake, we forgive you!" Captain Cameron then read aloud Dr. +Beke's letter and the petition of the prisoners' relatives. The +reconciliation effected, the Emperor dictated a letter for our +Queen, and Mr. Flad was selected to convey it. We then all had our +tents pitched in a large enclosure, fenced that very morning under +his Majesty's supervision. We were once more all united; but this +time all prisoners. Mr. Flad left; we expected that his mission +would be unsuccessful, and that England, disgusted with so much +treachery, would not condescend to treat further, but enforce her +demands. The day Mr. Flad left, his wife accompanied the workmen, +who were ordered back to Kourata; with them we had much less +intercourse than before, as they were at all times timid, and very +careful not to have many dealings with doubtful friends of the King. + +Zagé was one of the principal towns of the formerly prosperous +and populous district of Metsha, but when we came we saw nought but +ruins; and had we not been told that the guicho and coffee-covered +hill was only a few weeks before the abode of thousands, we could +not have credited it; nor that the small circular patches, now green +with grass and weeds, had been the homes of a thriving and industrious +population. + +A few days after the reconciliation--the very morning Flad left for +England--his Majesty returned us our arms, and a portion of our +money; he also presented us at the same time with silver-mounted +shields, spears, and mules, and a few days later with horses. We +saw him on several occasions: twice he came to see us in our tents; +one day we went with him to assist at the trial of some guns made +by his European workmen; once duck-shooting with him on the lake; +another time to see him play the national game of goucks. He +endeavoured to appear friendly, supplied us with abundant rations, +and twice a day sent his compliments; he even fired a salute and +gave a feast on our Queen's birthday. Nevertheless, we felt unhappy: +our cage was gilt, but still a cage; and the experience we had had +of the King's treachery made us constantly fear a recurrence of it. +When we met him in Damot, and when we visited him before at Zagé, +we had only seen the actor in his smiling mood; now all restraint +was thrown off: women were flogged to death close to our tents, and +soldiers laden with chains or beaten to death on the most trivial +pretexts. The true character of the tyrant became daily more apparent, +and we felt that our position was most dangerous and critical. + +Theodore was still bent on building boats; seeing that everybody +seemed reluctant to help him he went to work himself; he made an +immense flat-bottomed bulrush boat of great thickness, and to propel +it made two large wheels worked by hand: in fact he had invented a +paddle steamer, only the locomotive agent was deficient. We saw it +several times on the water; the wheels were rather high up and it +required at least a hundred men on it to make them dip sufficiently. +Strange to say he spent his time in that frivolous way and never +took notice of a large rebel force not four miles from his camp. + +Cholera had been making havoc in Tigré; we were not surprised, +therefore, to hear that it had spread over other provinces, and +that several cases had already broken out at Kourata. The King's +camp was pitched in a very unhealthy situation, on a low, swampy +ground; fevers, diarrhoea, and dysentery had prevailed to a great +extent. Informed of the approach of cholera, his Majesty wisely +decided upon moving his camp to the highlands of Begemder. Mrs. +Rosenthal was at the time very unwell, and could not stand the +journey by land; she was therefore allowed to proceed by water to +Kourata, accompanied by her husband, myself, and Captain Cameron, +also in delicate health. We started on the evening of the 31st of +May, and reached Kourata early the next morning. A gale of wind was +blowing at the time, and we had to make frequent stoppages on the +lee of the land, as the heavy sea frequently threatened to swamp +our frail boats. Without exaggeration, this last passage was in all +respects the _ne plus ultra_ of discomfort. + + + + + CHAPTER X. + + +Second Residence in Kourata--Cholera and Typhus break out in +the Camp--The Emperor resolves to march to Debra Tabor--Arrival +at Gaffat--The Foundry transformed into a Palace--Political +Trial at Debra Tabor--The Black Tent--Dr. Blanc and Mr. Rosenthal +seized at Gaffat--Another Public Trial--The Black Hole--March with +the Emperor to Aibankab--Sent to Magdala, and Arrival at the Amba. + + +At Kourata a few empty houses were put at our disposal, and we went +to work to make these dirty native dwellings inhabitable. It was +rumoured that Theodore intended to spend the rainy season in the +neighbourhood, and on the 4th he made a sudden visit; he was only +accompanied by a few of his chiefs. He came and returned by water. +Ras Engeddah arrived about an hour before him. I was advised to go +and meet him on the beach; I therefore accompanied the Gaffat people, +who also went to present him their respects. His Majesty, on seeing +me, asked me how I was, if I liked the place, &c. No one ever knew +why he came. I believe, to judge for himself if the cholera was +raging there at the time or not, as he made many inquiries on the +subject. + +On the 6th of June Theodore left Zagé with his army; Mr. Rassam +and the other prisoners accompanied him; all the heavy baggage had +been sent by boat to Kourata. On the 9th, his Majesty encamped on +a low promontory south of Kourata. Cholera had by this time broken +out in the camp, and hundreds were dying daily. In the hope of +improving the sanitary condition of the army, the Emperor moved his +camp to some high ground a mile or so north of the town; but the +epidemic continued to rage with great virulence both in the camp +and in the town. The church was so completely choked up with dead +bodies that no more could be admitted, and the adjoining streets +offered the sad sight of countless corpses, surrounded by the +sorrowful relatives, awaiting for days and nights the hallowed grave +in the now crowded cemetery. Small-pox and typhus fever also made +their appearance, and claimed the victims cholera had spared. + +On the 12th June we received orders to join the camp, as Theodore +intended to leave on the following day for the higher and more +healthy province of Begemder. On the 13th, at early morning, the +camp was struck, and we encamped in the evening on the banks of the +Gumaré, a tributary of the Nile. The next day the march was resumed. +We had been more or less ascending since our departure from Kourata, +and Outoo (a beautiful plateau, our halting-place of the 14th) must +have been several thousand feet higher than the lake; nevertheless, +cholera, small-pox, and typhus fever continued unabated. His Majesty +inquired what was usually done in our country under similar +circumstances. We advised him to proceed at once to the higher +plateau of Begemder, to leave his sick at some distance from Debra +Tabor, to break up as far as possible his army, and distribute it +over the whole province, selecting a few healthy and isolated +localities where every fresh case that broke out should be sent. +He acted upon this advice, and before long had the satisfaction of +seeing the several epidemics lose their virulence, and, before many +weeks, disappear entirely. + +On the 16th we made a very long march. We started at about 6 A.M. +and never halted once until we arrived at Debra Tabor at about 2 +P.M. As soon as we reached the foot of the hill on which the Imperial +houses arise, we received a message from his Majesty telling us not +to dismount, and shortly afterwards he rode towards us, accompanied +by a few of his bodyguard. We all started for Gaffat, the European +station, about three miles east of Debra Tabor. _En route_ we +were overtaken by the most severe hailstorm I have ever seen or +experienced; such was its violence, that Theodore was several times +obliged to halt. The hail poured down in such thick masses, and the +stones were of such an enormous size, that it was indeed quite +painful to bear. At last we reached Gaffat, frozen and drenched to +the skin; but the Emperor, seemingly quite unaffected by the recent +shower, acted as our cicerone, and took us about the place, explaining +to us the foundry, workshops, water-wheels, &c. A few planks were +transformed into seats, and a fire lighted by his order, and we +remained with him alone for more than three hours, discussing the +laws and customs of England. Some carpets and cushions had been +left behind at Debra Tabor, and he sent back Ras Engeddah to have +them conveyed. As soon as he returned with the bearers, Theodore +led the way up the hill to Gaffat, and with his own hands spread +the carpets, and placed the throne in the house selected for Mr. +Rassam. Other houses were distributed to the other Europeans, after +which his Majesty left. + +On the 17th June the European workmen, who had remained behind at +Kourata, arrived at Debra Tabor. We are not aware that they made +any objection to our occupying their houses, but the Emperor perceived +by their demeanour that they were not pleased; he therefore accompanied +them to Gaffat, and in a few hours had the foundry, by means of +shamas, gabis, and carpets, transformed into a very decent abode. +The throne was also conveyed there, and when all was ready we were +called. His Majesty, after apologizing for the accommodation he was +obliged to give us for a few days, returned to Debra Tabor, promising +that the next day he would see for a more suitable dwelling for his +guests. Accordingly, the following morning he arrived, and had +several native houses on a small hill opposite Gaffat cleared out +for our reception. As Mr. Rassam's house was rather small, that +gentleman took advantage of the circumstance to request that the +Emperor would withdraw the honour of placing the throne in his room. +His Majesty acquiesced, but had the place well carpeted, and the +walls and ceiling lined with white cloth. After all these daily +changes we thought that we were settled for the rainy season. Cholera +and typhus fever had made their appearance at Gaffat, and from +morning to night I was in constant attendance on the sick. One of +my patients, the wife of one of the Europeans, greatly occupied my +time: she had first been attacked with cholera, and was afterwards +laid for many days at death's door with typhus fever. + +On the morning of the 25th of June we received a message from the +Emperor, to the effect that Mr. Rassam, his companions, the priests, +and any one he would like to take with him, should repair to Debra +Tabor, to be present at a political trial. The European workmen, +Cantiba, Hailo, and Samuel accompanied us. Arrived at Debra Tabor, +we were surprised at not being received with the usual salutations, +and instead of being at once conducted to the presence of Theodore, +we were ushered into a black tent pitched in the King's inclosure. +We surmised that the political trial concerned ourselves. We had +been seated but a few minutes, when the European workmen were sent +for by his Majesty. After a while they returned, with Cantiba Hailo, +Samuel, and an Afa Negus (mouth of the King), who delivered the +Imperial messages. + +The first and most important was, "I have received a letter from +Jerusalem, in which I am told that the Turks are making railways +in the Soudan, to attack my country conjointly with the English and +French." The second message was much to the same effect, only adding +that as Mr. Rassam must have seen the railway in construction, he +ought to have informed his Majesty of it. The third question was, +"Is it not true that the Egyptian railway was built by the English?" +Fourthly, "Did he not give a letter to Consul Cameron for him to +deliver to the Queen of England, and did not the Consul return +without an answer? Did not Mr. Rosenthal say that the English +Government had laughed at his letter?" Altogether; there were some +seven or eight questions, but the others were insignificant, and I +do not remember them. A few days before a Greek priest had arrived +from the coast with a letter for his Majesty: Whether these statements +were contained in the missive; or were merely a pretext invented +by Theodore himself, to give a reason for the ill treatment he +intended to inflict upon his innocent guests, it is impossible to +say. The concluding message was, "You must remain here; your arms +his Majesty no longer trusts in your hands, but your property will +be sent to you." + +Mr. Rosenthal obtained permission to return to Gaffat to see his +wife, and I was granted leave to accompany Samuel, as Mrs. Waldmeier +was that day in a very critical state. Mr. Rassam and the other +Europeans remained in the tent. Mr. Waldmeier, on account of his +wife's serious illness, had remained at Gaffat, and he was much +startled and grieved when he heard of our new misfortune; especially +as it would deprive his wife of medical attendance at a time her +life was despaired of. He begged me to remain near her for an hour, +whilst he would gallop to Debra Tabor to entreat his Majesty to let +me remain with him until his wife should be out of danger. Mrs. +Waldmeier is a daughter of the late Mr. Bell, who was held in great +esteem and affection by the Emperor. Not only did Theodore at once +grant Waldmeier's request, but added, that if Mr. Rassam had no +objection, he would allow me to remain at Gaffat, as sickness was +prevailing there, during the expedition he intended to make. As I +was much reduced by chronic diarrhoea and overexertion, I was much +pleased at the prospect of remaining at Gaffat, instead of campaigning +during the rains. Mr. Rassam himself on the following day requested +his Majesty to allow me and some of our companions to remain for +the rainy season at Gaffat. In my case and in Mr. Rosenthal's, +permission was granted, but was refused to all the others. + +Every day we heard that orders had been issued for the camp to be +struck, but his Majesty did not leave. He daily inquired after Mrs. +Waldmeier, and sent me his compliments. He visited Gaffat twice +during the few days I was there, and on each occasion sent for me +and received me courteously. Mr. Rassam and the other Europeans +were allowed to come to Gaffat and spend the day with us; and +although now and then the word "Magdala" was whispered, still it +seemed as if the storm had blown over, and we hoped before long to +be all again united at Gaffat, and there in peace spend the rainy +season. On the 3rd of July an officer brought me the Imperial +compliments, and stated that his Majesty was coming to inspect the +works, and that I might present myself before him. I went at once +to the foundry, and on the road I met two of the Gaffat workmen +also proceeding there. A little incident then occurred, which was +followed by serious consequences. We met the Emperor near the +foundry, riding ahead of his escort; he asked us how we were, and +we all lowed and took off our hats. As he passed, along, the two +Europeans with whom I walked, covered themselves; but aware how +touchy his Majesty, was on all points of etiquette, I kept my head +uncovered, though the sun was hot and fierce. Arrived at the +foundry, the Emperor again greeted me cordially; examined for a few +minutes the drawing of a gun his workmen proposed to cast for him, +and then left, all of us following. In the courtyard he passed close +to Mr. Rosenthal, who did not bow, as Theodore took no notice of +him. + +As the Emperor issued from the foundry fence a poor old beggar asked +for alms, saying, "My lords (gaitotsh) the Europeans have always +been kind to me. Oh! my king, do you also relieve my distress!" +On hearing the expression "lord" applied to his workmen, he got +into a fearful passion. "How dare you call any one 'lord' but myself. +Beat him, beat him, by my death!" Two of the executioners at once +rushed upon the beggar, and began beating him with their long sticks, +Theodore all the while exclaiming, "Beat him, beat him, by my death!" +The poor old cripple, at first in heartrending terms, implored for +mercy; but his voice grew fainter and fainter, and in a few minutes +more there lay his corpse, that none dare remove or pray for. The +laughing hyenas that night caroused undisturbed on his abandoned +remains. + +Theodore's rage was by no means abated by this act of cruelty; he +advanced a few steps, then stopped, turned, his lance in rest, +looking around, the very image of ungovernable fury. His eyes fell +upon Mr. Rosenthal. "Seize him!" cried he; Immediately several +soldiers rushed forward to obey the imperial command. "Seize the +man they call a Hakeem." Instantly a dozen ruffians pounced upon +me, and I was held fast by the arms, coat, trousers--by every place +that afforded a grip. He then addressed himself to Mr. Rosenthal. +"You donkey, why did you call me the son of a poor woman? Why did +you abase me?" Mr. Rosenthal said, "If I have offended your Majesty, +I beg for pardon." All the while the Emperor was shaking his lance +in a threatening manner, and every minute I expected that he would +throw it; I feared that, blind with rage, he would not be able to +control himself; and I well knew that if once he began to give vent +to his passions, my fate was also sealed. + +Fortunately for us both, Theodore turned towards his European workmen +and abused them in no measured terms. "You slaves! Have I not bought +you with money? Who are you that you dare call yourselves 'lords?' +Take care!" Then addressing the two I had met on the road, he said, +"You are proud, are you? Slaves! Women! Rotten donkeys! you cover +your heads, in my presence! Did you not see me? Did not the Hakeem +keep his head uncovered? Poor men that I have made rich!" He then +turned towards me, and seeing me held by a dozen soldiers, he cried +out, "Let him go; bring him before me." All drew back except one, +who conducted me to within a few feet from the Emperor. He then +asked me, "Do you know Arabic?" Though I understand a little of +that language, I thought it more prudent, under the circumstances, +to reply in the negative. He then told Mr. Schimper to translate +what he was going to say. "You, Hakeem, are my friend. I have nothing +against you; but others have abused me, and you must come up with +me to witness their trial." Then ordering Cantiba Hailo to give me +his mule, he mounted, I and Mr. Rosenthal following; the latter on +foot, dragged the whole way by the soldiers who had first seized +him. + +As soon as we reached Debra Tabor, the Emperor sent word to Mr. +Rassam to come out with the other Europeans, as he had something +to tell him. Theodore sat upon a rock, about twenty yards in front +of us; between him and ourselves stood a few of his high officers, +and behind us a deep line of soldiers. He was still angry, breaking +the edges of the rock with the butt-end of his lance, and spitting +constantly between his words. He at once addressed himself to the +Rev. Mr. Stern, and asked him, "Was it as a Christian, a heathen, +or a Jew, that you abused me? Tell me where you find in the Bible +that a Christian ought to abuse? When you wrote your book, by whose +authority did you do it? Those who abused me to you, were they my +enemies or yours? Who was it told you evil things against me?" &c. +He afterwards said to Mr. Rassam, "You, also, have, abused me." +"I?" replied Mr. Rassam. "Yes, you; in four instances. First, you +read Mr. Stern's book, wherein I am abused; secondly, you did not +reconcile me with the prisoners, but wanted to send them out of the +country; thirdly, your Government allows the Turks to keep Jerusalem--it +is my inheritance. The fourth I have forgotten." He then asked Mr. +Rassam whether he knew or not that Jerusalem belonged to him, and +that the Abyssinian convent there had been seized by the Turks? As +the descendant of Constantine and Alexander the Great, India and +Arabia belonged to him. He put many foolish questions of the same +kind. At last he said to Samuel, who was interpreting, "What have +you to say if I chain your friends?" "Nothing," replied Samuel; +"are you not the master?" Chains had been brought, but the answer +somewhat pacified him. He then addressed one of his chiefs, saying, +"Can you watch these people in the tent?" The other, who knew his +answer, replied, "Your Majesty, the house would be better." On +that he gave orders for our baggage to be conveyed from the black +tent to a house contiguous to his own, and we were told to go. + +The house assigned to us was formerly used as a godown: it was built +of stone, with a large verandah all around, and closed by a single +small door, with no window or other aperture. It was only when +several lighted candles had been brought that we could find our way +into the dark central room, and it only required numbers to react +the fearful drama of the Calcutta Black Hole. Some soldiers carried +in our bedding, and a dozen guards sat near us, holding lighted +candles in their hands. The Emperor sent us several messages. Mr. +Rassam took advantage of this circumstance to complain bitterly of +the unfair treatment inflicted upon us. He said, "Tell his Majesty +that I have done my best to bring on a good understanding between +my country and him; but when to-day's work is known, whatever the +consequences may be, let him not throw the blame upon me." Theodore +sent back word, "If I treat you well or not; it is the same; my +enemies will always say that I have ill-treated you, so it does not +matter." + +A little later we were rather startled by a message from his Majesty, +informing us that he could not rest before comforting his friend, +and that he would come and see us. Though we did our best to dissuade +him from such a step, he soon afterwards came; accompanied by some +slaves carrying arrack and tej. He said, "Even my wife told me not +to go out, but I could not leave you in grief, so I have come to +drink with you." On that he had arrack and tej presented to all of +us, himself setting the example. + +He was calm, and rather serious, though he made great efforts to +appear gay. He must have remained at least an hour; conversing on +different topics, the Pope of Rome being the principal one discussed. +Amongst other things: he said, "My father was mad, and though people +often say that I am mad also; I never would believe it; but now I +know it is true." Mr. Rassam answered, "Pray do not say such a +thing." His Majesty replied, "Yes, yes, I am mad," Shortly before +leaving, he said, "Do not look at my face or take heed of my words +when I speak to you before my people, but look at my heart: I have +an object." As he returned, he gave orders to the guards to withdraw +outside, and not to inconvenience us. Though we have seen him since +then once or twice, at a distance, it is the last time we conversed +with him. + +The two days we spent in the black hole at Debra Tabor, all huddled +up together, obliged to have lighted candles day and night, and in +anxious uncertainty about our future fate, were really days of +mental torture and physical discomfort. We hailed with joy the +announcement that we were going to move; any alternative was +preferable to our position--be it rain in a worn-out tent, be it +chains in one of the ambas--anything was better than close confinement, +deprived of all comforts, even of the cheering light of day. + +At noon on the 5th of July, we were informed that his Majesty had +already left, and that our escort was in attendance. All were +delighted at the prospect of seeing fresh air and green fields and +bright sun. We did not require a second command, and did not even +give a second thought to the journey, rain, mud, and such like +inconveniences. On that day we made but a short stage, and encamped +on a large plain called Janmêda, a few miles south of Gaffat. +Early morning the following day the army moved off, but we waited +in the rear at least three hours before the order came for us to +start. Theodore, seated on a rock, had allowed the whole force, +camp-followers included, to go on in advance, and like us, unprotected +from the pouring rain, and seemingly in deep thought, examined the +different corps as they passed before him. We were now strictly +watched; several chiefs with their men guarded us day and night, a +detachment marched ahead of us, another in the rear, and a strong +party never lost sight of us. + +We halted that afternoon on a large plain near a small eminence +called Kulgualiko, on which the Imperial tents were pitched. The +following day, the same mode of departure was adopted, and after +travelling all night we halted at a place called Aibankab, at the +foot of Mount Guna, the highest peak in Begemder, often covered +during the rainy season with frozen hail. + +We remained the 8th at Aibankab. In the afternoon his Majesty told +us to ascend the hill on which his tents were pitched, to see the +snow-covered summit of the Guna, as from our position below we could +not obtain a good view of it. A few polite messages passed between +us, but we did not see him. + +Early on the 9th, Samuel, our balderaba, was sent for. He stayed +away a long time, and on his return informed us that we were to go +on in advance, that our heavy baggage would be sent after us, and +that we must keep with us a few light articles which the soldiers +of our escort and our mules could carry. Several of the officers +of the Imperial household, to whom we had shown some kindness, came +to bid us good-by, all looking very sad--one with tears in his eyes. +Though no one informed us of our destination, we all surmised that +Magdala and chains were our lot. + +Bitwaddad Tadla, with the men under his command, now took charge +of us. We soon perceived that we were more strictly guarded than +ever; one or two mounted soldiers had special charge of each separate +individual of our party, flogging the mules if they did not go fast +enough, or causing those in front to wait until the less well mounted +could come up. We made a very long march on that day, from 9 A.M. +to 4 P.M., without a halt. The soldiers, who carried a few parcels, +came on shortly after us, but the baggage mules only arrived at +sunset, and dead tired. As the small rowties we had brought with +us had not arrived, the head of the guard had a house in the village +of Argabea cleared out for our reception. No food being forthcoming, +we killed a sheep and broiled it over the fire, Abyssinian fashion; +hungry and tired, we thought it the most exquisite meal we had ever +made. + +At sunrise, the following morning, our guards told us to get ready, +and soon after we were in the saddle. Our route lay E.S.E. Any +slight doubts we might still have had about our destination now +vanished; the former prisoners knew too well the road to Magdala +to have any misgivings on the subject. On the previous day the road +was a gradual ascent over a well-cultivated and populous district; +but on the 10th, the country bore a wild aspect, few villages were +to be seen, and but few dark tufts of cedars graced the summit of +the distant hills, proclaiming the presence of a church. The scenery +was grand, and for the artist no doubt full of attractions; but for +Europeans, driven like cattle by semi-barbarians, the precipitous +descents and steep acclivities had certainly no charms. After a few +hours' march, we arrived at an almost perpendicular precipice (almost +1,500 feet in height, and not more than a quarter of a mile in +breadth), that we had both to descend and ascend in order to reach +the next plateau. Another couple of hours' march brought us to the +gate's of Begemder. In front of us arose the plateau of Dahonte, +only about a couple of miles distant, but we had to ascend a more +abrupt precipice than the one we had just passed and climb again +a steeper ascent before we could reach it. The valley of the Jiddah, +a tributary of the Nile, was between us and our halting-place--a +stiff march, as the silver thread we viewed from the narrow passage +between the basaltic columns of the Eastern Begemder ridge was 3,000 +feet below us. Tired and worn out, at last; we accomplished our +task. + +We halted for the night at a place called Magat, on the first terrace +of the Dahonte plateau, about 500 feet from the summit. Our small +tent arrived in time, our servants had carried with them a few +provisions, and we managed to make a frugal meal; but only one or +two of the best baggage mules made their appearance, so that we had +to lie on the bare ground--those best off on leathern skins. It was +five days after our arrival at Magdala before a small portion of +our luggage arrived, and until then we could not even change our +clothes, and had nothing to protect ourselves against the cold +nights of the rainy season. Early on the morning of the 11th we +continued our ascent, and soon reached the splendid plateau of +Dahonte. This small province is but a large circular plain about +twelve miles in diameter, covered at the time of our journey, with +fields in all stages of cultivation, and with beautiful green +meadows, where grazed thousands of heads of cattle, and where mules, +horses, and innumerable flocks everywhere meet the eye. The whole +circumference of this plain is dotted with small rounded hillocks, +and from their base to the summit numerous well-built villages +arise. Dahonte is certainly the most fertile and picturesque district +I have seen in Abyssinia. + +By noon we reached the eastern extremity of the plateau, and there +before us again appeared one of those awful chasms we had encountered +twice on our road since leaving Debra Tabor. We did not at all +rejoice at the idea of having to descend, then wade through the +wide and rapid Bechelo, and again climb the opposite precipice--a +perfect wall--to complete our day's work. Fortunately, our mules +were so tired that the chief of our guard halted, for the night +half way down the descent, at one of the villages that are perched +on the several terraces of this basaltic mountain. At dawn on the +12th we continued our descent, crossed the Bechelo, and ascended +to the opposite plateau of Watat, where we arrived at eleven A.M. +There we made a slight halt and partook of a frugal breakfast, sent +by the chief of Magdala to Bitwaddad Tadla, who kindly shared it +with us. + +From Watat to Magdala the road is an inclined plain, constantly but +gradually shelving upwards towards the high plateau of the Wallo +country--the end of our journey, as Magdala is on its border. The +amba, with a few isolated mountains, all perpendicular and crowned +with walls of basalt, seem like miniatures of the large expanses +of Dahonte and Wallo--small particles detached from the neighbouring +gigantic masses. + +The road on nearing Magdala is more abrupt; one or two conical hills +have to be crossed before the amba itself is reached. Magdala is +formed of two cones, separated by a small plateau named Islamgee, +a few hundred feet lower than the two peaks it divides. The northern +peak is the higher of the two, but on account of the absence of +water and the small space it affords, it is not inhabited; and to +Magdala alone belonged the privilege of being Theodore's most famous +fortress, his treasury, and his gaol. + +From Islamgee the ascent is steeper, but we were able to ride on +our mules up to the second door; a feat we could not perform whilst +ascending from the Bechelo and Jiddah, as we had not only to descend +almost all the way on foot, but had frequently to dismount at the +ascent, and climb on all-fours, leaving the mules to find their way +as best they could. The distance from Watat to Magdala is generally +accomplished in five hours, but we were nearly seven, as we had to +make frequent halts, and messengers came to and fro from the Amba. +Many of the chiefs of the mountain came out to meet Bitwaddad Tadla. + +At Islamgee another long halt was made, I suppose while our _lettre +de cachet_ was examined by the chiefs in council. At last, one +by one, counted like sheep, we passed the doors, and were taken to +a large open space in front of the King's house. There we were met +by the Ras (Head of the mountain) and the six superior chiefs, who +join with him in council on every important occasion. As soon as +they had greeted Bitwaddad Tadla they retired a few yards, and +consulted with him and Samuel. After a few minutes, Samuel told us +to come on; and, accompanied by the chiefs, escorted by their +followers, we were taken to a house near the Imperial fence. A fire +was lighted. To fatigued and dejected men the prospect of a roof, +after so many days passed in the rain, cheered us even in our misery, +and when the chiefs had retired, leaving a guard at the door, we +soon forgot--talking, smoking, or sleeping near the fire--that we +were the innocent victims of base treachery. Two houses had been +allowed to our party. At first we all slept in one of them, the +other being made over to the servants, and used as a kitchen. + + + + + CHAPTER XI. + + +Our First House at Magdala--The Chief has a "little Business" +with us--Feelings of an European when being put in Chains--The +Operation described--The Prisoner's Toilet--How we Lived--Our +first Messenger a Failure--How we obtained Money and Letters--A +Magdala Diary--A Rainy Season in a Godjo. + + +It was already dark when we had arrived the evening before. Our +first thought in the morning was to examine our new abode. It +consisted of two circular huts, surrounded by a strong thorny fence, +adjoining the Emperor's Enclosure. The largest hut was in a bad +state of repair; and as the roof, instead of being supported by a +central pole, had about a dozen of lateral ones forming as many +separate divisions, we made it over to our servants and to our +balderaba Samuel. The one we kept for ourselves had been built by +Ras Hailo, at one time a great favourite of Theodore, but who had +unfortunately fallen under his displeasure. Ras Hailo was not chained +during the time he remained in that house: for a time he was even +"pardoned," and made chief of the mountain. But Theodore, after a +while, again deprived him of his command and confidence, and sent +him to the common gaol, chained like the other prisoners. For an +Abyssinian house it was well built; the roof was almost the best I +saw in the country, being made with small bamboos closely arranged +and bound with rings of the same material. After Ras Hailo had been +sent to the gaol, his house had been made over to the favourite of +the day, Ras Engeddah; but, according to custom, Theodore took it +away from him to lodge his English guests. + +For us it was small: we were eight, and the place could not contain +easily more than four. The evenings and nights were bitterly cold, +and the fire occupying the centre of the room, some of us had to +lay half the body in a recess that leaked, and half in the room. +At first we felt our position bitterly. The rainy season had set +in, and hailstorms occurred almost every day. Many of us (Prideaux +and myself amongst them) had not even a change of clothes, no +bedding, nor anything to cover ourselves with during the long cold +damp nights; and I always shall remember with feelings of gratitude +the Samaritan act of Samuel, who, pitying me, kindly lent me one +of his shamas. + +We had hardly any money, and we had not the remotest idea from +whence we could obtain any. Though there was some talk of rations +being supplied from the Imperial stores, the former captives only +laughed at the idea; they knew, from bitter experience, that prisoners +on Amba Magdala "were expected to give, but never to receive." The +event proved that their surmises were right: we never received +anything from the man who on all occasions loudly proclaimed himself +our friend but a small jar of tej, that for some months was daily +sent to Samuel: (I believe all the time it was intended for him; +at all events, he and his friends drank it;) and on great feast +days a couple of lean, hungry-looking cows, of which, I am delighted +to say, I declined a share. + +To the European, accustomed to find at his door every necessary of +life, the fact that not a shop exists throughout the breadth and +width of Abyssinia may appear strange; but still it is so. We had, +therefore, to be our own butchers and bakers, and as for what is +called grocery stores, we had simply to dispense with them. Our +food was abominably bad; the sheep we purchased were little better +than London cats; and as no flour-mill is to be found in Abyssinia, +far less any bakers, we were obliged to purchase the grain, beat +it to remove the chaff, and grind it between two stones--not the +flat grinding-stones of Egypt or India, but on a small curved piece +of rock, where the grain is reduced to flour by means of a large +hard kind of pebble held in the hand. It was brown bread with a +vengeance. On the mountain we might buy eggs and fowls; but as the +first were generally bad when sold to us, we soon got disgusted +with them; and though we put up with the fowls as a change of diet, +their toughness and leanness would have made them rejected everywhere +else. Being the rainy reason, we had great difficulty in purchasing +a little honey. Wild coffee was now and then obtainable; but it +made, in the absence of sugar, and with or without smoky milk, such +a bitter, nauseous compound, that, after a while, I and others +preferred doing without it. Such was then the amount of "luxuries" +we had to depend on during our long captivity,--coarse, vitreous-looking, +badly-baked bread; the ever-returning dish of skinny, tough mutton, +the veteran cock, smoked butter, and bitter coffee. Tea, sugar, +wine, fish, vegetables, &c., were not, either for love or money, +to be obtained anywhere. The coarseness and uniformity of our food, +however, was as nothing compared with our dread of being starved +to death; for even the few and inferior articles I have mentioned +would fail us when our money was expended. + +I was very badly off for clothes. Before leaving Debra Tabor, I was +told to leave everything behind in the charge of the Gaffat people, +and only take with me the few things I required for the road. My +only pair of shoes, what from rain, sun, and climbing, had become +so thoroughly worn-out, and so hard, as to bring on a wound that +took months to heal, so that until the arrival of one of my servants +from the coast, many months afterwards, I had to walk, or rather +crawl, about on naked feet. + +Life in common among men of different tastes and habits is, indeed, +dreadful. There we were, eight Europeans, all huddled up in the +same small place, a waiting-room, a dining-room, a dormitory; most +of us entire strangers before, and only united by one bond--common +misfortune. Adversity is but little fitted to improve the temper: +on the contrary, it breaks down all social habits; the more so if +education and birth do not enable the sufferer to contend against +the greatest difficulties. We feared above all things that familiarity +which creeps on so naturally between men of totally different social +positions, and leads to harsh words and contempt. We had to live +on terms of equality with one of the former servants of Captain +Cameron; we had to be quiet if some remained talking part of the +night, and put up silently with the defects of others in the hope +that our own might meet with the same leniency. + +A party of soldiers, varying from fifteen to twenty, came every +evening a little before dusk, and pitched a small black tent almost +opposite our door. As it frequently rained at night, the greater +number of the soldiers remained in the tent; only two or three, +supposed to be watching, went to sleep under the shelter of a +projecting part of the roof. They did not disturb us, and, if we +went out after dark, they merely watched where we went, but did not +follow. In the daytime we had four guards, two taking it in turn +to watch the gate of our inclosure. These men were never changed +during all the time of our stay; but we had not much reason to be +satisfied with the selection made, as, with one exception, our day +guards were fearful rascals and dangerous spies. + +We had already spent three days at Magdala, and were beginning to +hope that our punishment would be limited to "simple imprisonment," +when about noon on the 16th we perceived the chief, accompanied by +a large escort, coming in the direction of our prison. Samuel was +sent for, and a long consultation took place between him and the +chief outside the gate. We were yet in ignorance of what was going +on, and felt rather uncomfortable when Samuel returned to us with +a serious countenance, and told us that we must all go into the +room, as the chief had a "little business" with us. We obeyed, and +shortly afterwards the Ras (Head of the mountain), the five members +of council, and about eight or ten more presented themselves. The +Ras and the principal chiefs, all armed to the teeth, squeezed +themselves into the room, the others remaining outside. The ordinary +Abyssinian conversation--that is to say, a great deal of talking +about religion, looking pious, taking God's and the King's name in +vain every minute--opened the proceedings. I was sitting near the +door, and as the conversation did not interest me much, I was looking +at the motley crowd outside, when all at once I perceived that two +or three men were carrying large bundles of chains. I pointed them +out to Mr. Rassam, and asked him if he believed they intended them +for us; he spoke to Samuel in Arabic on the subject, and the +affirmative answer he received revealed to us the subject of the +long consultation that had taken place outside. + +The Ras now dropped the desultory conversation he had been holding +since his arrival, and in quiet terms informed us that it was the +custom of the mountain to chain every prisoner sent there; that he +had received no instructions from the Emperor, and would at once +despatch a messenger to inform him that he had put us in irons, and +he had no doubt that before long his master would send orders for +our fetters to be removed, but that in the meanwhile we must submit +to the rules of the amba; he added that in our case it was with +regret that he felt himself obliged to enforce them. The poor fellow +really meant well; he was kind-hearted and, for an Abyssinian, had +gentlemanly manners; he had some hope that Theodore might have by +that time regretted the unnecessary and cruel order, and would +perhaps seize the opportunity he thus offered him and cancel it. +I may as well add here that, not many months afterwards, the Ras +was accused of being in correspondence with the king of Shoa; he +was taken in irons to the camp, where he shortly afterwards died +from the consequences of the many tortures inflicted upon him. + +The chains were brought, and the real business of the day began; +one after another we had to submit to the operation, the former +captives being first served and favoured with the heaviest chains. +At last my turn came. I was made to sit down on the ground, tuck +up my trousers, and place my right leg on a large stone that had +been brought for the purpose. One of the rings was then placed on +my leg a couple of inches above the right ankle, and down came, +upon the thick cold iron, a huge sledge-hammer: every stroke vibrated +through the whole limb, and when the hammer fell not quite straight +it pressed the iron ring against the bone, causing most acute pain. +It took about ten minutes to fix on properly the first ring; it was +beaten down until a finger could just be introduced between the +ring and the flesh, and then the two pieces, where they overlapped +one another, were hammered down until they perfectly joined. The +operation was then performed on the left leg. I was always afraid +of the blacksmith missing the iron and smashing my leg to pieces. +All at once I felt as if the limb was being torn asunder; the ring +had broken just when the operation was nearly completed. For the +second time I had to submit to the hammering process, and this time +the fetter was rivetted to the entire satisfaction of the smith and +chief. + +I was now told that I might rise and go to my seat; but that was +no easy matter, and, having no practice in this, for me, quite new +way of locomotion, I could hardly take the necessary three or four +steps. Although I was in great bodily pain, and felt deeply the +degradation we were subjected to, I would not give the officers of +the man who was thus ill-treating us cause to believe that I cared +in the least about it. On rising to my legs I lifted up my cap and +shouted, to their great astonishment, "God save the Queen," and +went on laughing and chatting as if I felt perfectly happy. As every +detail of our life was reported to Theodore, and my contempt for +his chains was public, he was at once informed of it: but he only +mentioned the fact twenty-one months afterwards, when he alluded +to it in conversation with Mr. Waldmeier, to whom he said that every +one allowed themselves to be chained without saying a word; that +even Mr. Rassam had smiled upon them; but that the doctor and Mr. +Prideaux had looked at them with anger. + +After the operation was over, and the witnesses of the scene had +each favoured us with a "May God open thee," the messenger the +chiefs were sending to Theodore (a fellow named Lib, a great spy, +and confidant of the Emperor; the same who had brought our _lettres +de cachet_,) was introduced to receive any message Mr. Rassam +desired to convey to his Majesty. That gentleman, in quiet and +courteous words, reproached his Majesty for his treachery, and cast +upon him the onus of the consequences such unfair treatment would +most likely bring upon him. Unfortunately Samuel, always timid, and +at this time almost dead with fright, as he did not know whether +chains were not in reserve for him also, declined to interpret, and +simply sent the ordinary compliments instead. + +When our gaolers had withdrawn, we looked at one another, and the +sight was so ridiculous, so absurd, that for all our sorrow we could +not help laughing heartily. The chains consisted of two heavy rings +connected together by three small thick links, leaving just a span +between one ring and the other; and these we wore for nearly +twenty-one months! At first we could not walk at all; our legs were +bruised and sore from the hammering on, and the iron pressing on +the ankles was so painful that we were obliged to tie bandages under +the chains during the daytime. At night I always took off the +bandages, as the constant impediment to the circulation they +occasioned, caused the feet to swell; yet at night we felt the +weight and pressure even more than during the day: our legs seemed +for a long time never to get rest; we could not move them about, +and when in our sleep we turned from one side to the other, the +links, by striking the bone of the leg, caused such acute pain as +to awake us at once. Though after a time we got more accustomed to +them, and could walk about our small inclosure with more ease, still +every now and then we had to remain quiet for some days, as the +legs got sore, and small ulcers appeared on the parts where the +greatest pressure bore. Even since they have been removed, for +months my legs were weaker than before, the ankles smaller, and the +feet somewhat enlarged. + +The evening we were put in chains we had to cut open our trousers +as the only way of getting them off. During their former captivity +at Magdala, Messrs. Cameron, Stern and others, either wore petticoats +or native drawers, which they had been taught to pass between the +leg and the chain. But we had no material at hand to make the first, +and as for passing even the thinnest cambric through the rings in +the swollen condition of the limb, that was quite out of the question. +Necessity, it is said, is the mother of invention: at all events I +invented the "Magdala trousers." On taking off mine that evening, +I cut them near the outward seam, and collecting all the buttons I +could obtain, had them sewed on, and button-holes made along the +Beam as near to one another as my limited supply allowed. Some weeks +afterwards I was able, with the assistance of a native, to pass +through the rings calico drawers; and as my legs grew thinner, in +time, I was able to put on trousers made of thin Abyssinian cotton +cloth; and such is the force of habit and practice, that at last I +could take off or put on my trousers as quickly almost as if my +legs were free. + +We had gone to bed early that evening, not knowing what to do, when +we heard a discussion going on outside our hut between Samuel and +the chief of the guard that night, named Mara, a descendant of some +Armenian and a great worshipper of his Imperial master. Samuel at +last came in and told us that he had endeavoured to persuade the +officer not to disturb us, but that he insisted on examining our +chains to see if they were all right. We declined at first to submit +to the inspection, and only consented, in order to get rid of the +fellow, to shake our chains under the shama with which we were +covered, as he passed from one to another. + +As we expected to be at least six months in Magdala--giving time +for the news to reach England, and the troops to arrive that we +felt certain would immediately be despatched to set us free and +punish the despot--Mr. Rassam endeavoured, through Samuel, to obtain +a few more huts for our accommodation. Samuel spoke to the Ras and +to the other chiefs, and they agreed to give us a small hut and two +godjos, (small huts, the roof formed by the ends of the twigs being +tied together at the free extremity, and the whole covered with +straw,) when they would have collected wood enough to make a new +fence. In the meanwhile two of us, Pietro and Mr. Kerans, were +induced to live in the kitchen, where they would have more room and +leave more space for ourselves. + +Our first thought on reaching Magdala was to communicate the +intelligence to our friends and to Government; since we had been +chained we knew that every hour lost was a day added to our discomfort +and misery, and that we ought to lose no time in sending a trusty +messenger to Massowah. It was always very difficult for us to +write, but more so in the beginning, as we were afraid even of +Samuel, afterwards so useful in all that concerned our messengers. +All the country up to Lasta still recognized Theodore, and we were +obliged to be very guarded in our expressions, in case the letter +should fall into the hands of some of his chiefs and be forwarded +to him. On the 18th, our packet was ready; but, strange to say, it +was the only time our letter came to grief. We could only trust +servants that had been some time with us,--at least, so we thought +at the time,--and therefore selected an old servant of Cameron who +had been formerly, on several occasions, employed as messenger. He +was a good man, a first-rate walker, but very quarrelsome; and to +spite his adversary was capable of anything. To accompany him through +the rebel country we obtained a servant from a political prisoner, +Dejatch Maret: they were to travel together and return with an +answer from Mr. Munzinger. Soon after, leaving Magdala, the two +began to quarrel, and on reaching the rebels' outposts, a question +of precedence between them led to the discovery of our packet; both +messengers were seized, tied with ropes for a few days, and when +released, our man was told to go back, and the letters were burnt. +Afterwards we made better arrangements: the messengers carried in +their belts the letters which were of a dangerous nature; otherwise +we sewed them up in leather, in the shape of the amulets and charms +worn by the natives, or had them stitched between patches on old +trousers, or near the seams. Those writing from the coast used the +same precautions; and though we must have sent about forty messengers +with letters during our captivity, without mentioning those employed +elsewhere, they all, with the one exception I have mentioned, reached +in safety. + +Next came the question so vital to us, how to get money. It so +happened that Theodore, about that time, gave a thousand dollars +to each of his workmen. Many of them, judging from the political +condition of the country that the Emperor's power would soon fall +entirely, were desirous of sending their money out of the country, +and as we were only too anxious to get some, the matter was easily +arranged to our mutual satisfaction. We sent servants to Debra +Tabor; and as the road was still safe, and we had, by suitable +presents, made friends of the chiefs of the districts that lay in +the way, the servants were not molested or plundered. They carried +the dollars either in bags, on mules, laden at the same time with +grain or flour which the Gaffat people now and then sent us, or +tied in the long cotton sash that Abyssinians wear as a belt. +Directions were also given to Mr. Munzinger to forward money to +Metemma, from whence we could draw it by sending servants. It was +only during the second year of our captivity that we experienced +any serious difficulty on that score. The Emperor's power became +more and more limited; rebels and thieves infested the roads; the +route between Metemma and Magdala was closed; the Gaffat people had +none to spare; and at one time it seemed as if it was perfectly +impossible for messengers to reach us. Though for months we were +rather hard up, what by employing servants of political prisoners, +friends or relatives of the rebels, by using the influence of the +Bishop, or through the protection of Wagshum Gobazé, money again +found its way to Magdala, and relieved us from our apprehensions. +Theodore knew indirectly that we sent servants to the coast, but +as it is the custom to allow prisoners' servants to go to their +masters' families to beg for them, he could not well forbid us; the +more so as he never gave us anything. If messengers had fallen into +his hands he would probably have plundered the money, but not injured +them. As for letters it was quite a different affair: if those we +wrote had by accident come into his possession, he would have made +short work of the messenger, and most certainly of us also. + +It might appear strange that the Abyssinians--a race of thieves--should +have proved themselves so honest on these occasions, and not absconded +with the couple of hundred dollars entrusted to them: a fortune for +a poor servant. Though it would be ungrateful to run down these +men, who exposed themselves to great perils, often travelled the +whole distance from Massowah to Magdala at night, and who, I may +say, saved us from starvation; still I believe that they acted more +on the old adage that honesty is the best policy, than from any +innate virtue. First, they were handsomely rewarded, well treated, +and expected a further reward (which they very properly received) +should fortune once more smile upon us; Secondly, all the great +rebel chiefs befriended us, and we should have had but to communicate +with them directly, or, better still, through the Bishop; for them +to have at once seized the delinquent, deprived him of his ill-gotten +wealth, and punished him severely. This they knew perfectly well. + +Looking back, I cannot imagine how I got through the long, dreary +days of idleness, always the same, for twenty-one months. Chains +were nothing compared to the fearful want of occupation. Suppose +we had kept a daily diary, the entries would have been generally +as follows:--"Took a bath (a painful operation, as the chains, +unsupported by the bandages, hurt fearfully); small boy helps to +pass my trousers between the chains. To-day, being dry, we crawled +up and down our fifteen yards' walk. Breakfast; felt happier that +task over. Sick came for medicine. As I am doctor and apothecary, +prescribed and made the medicine myself. Samuel, or some trusty +native friend who knows that my tej is ripe, came for a glass or +two. Go now and smoke a pipe with Cameron. Lay down and read +McCulloch's _Commercial Dictionary_; very interesting book, +but sends me to sleep. Afternoon, lay down and got up again; tried +once more the _Commercial Dictionary_. Dinner (I wonder what +age the cock we ate had reached); crawled about for, an hour between +the huts; lay down, took Gadby's _Appendix_; but as I knew it +by heart, even his curious descriptions have no more attraction. +Small boy lighted the fire; the wood was green, the smoke fearful. +Had a game of whist with Rassam and Prideaux. I do not suppose they +would play with our dirty cards in a guard-room. Lost twenty points. +Small boy took off the trousers. The guards were cursing us because +they had to sleep outside in the rain. Bravo, Samuel, you are a +friend indeed!" + +This imaginary page I might repeat _ad infinitum_. As a change, +sometimes we wrote to our friends, or received letters and some +scraps of newspapers--delightful days; few and far between. On +Sundays we had divine service; Mr. Stern, though sick and weary, +always did his utmost to comfort and encourage us. Such was, as a +rule, our daily life: it is true we had our exciting times, perhaps +too much of it at the end; we had also, now and then, a few other +occupations, such as building a new hut, making a small garden, +settling a quarrel amongst the servants: details that will come in +our narrative as we proceed. I mentioned that the chiefs had +promised to enlarge our fence; they kept to their word. Four or +five days after we had undergone the chaining operation, they made +us another visit, consulted, discussed for a long time, and at last +agreed to make a small break in the fence and inclose the three +huts they had promised us. Samuel, who had the distribution of the +new premises, gave the small house to Rassam, took one of the godjos +for himself, and gave the third one to Prideaux and myself. Kerans +and Pietro were still to remain in the kitchen, so that our first +house was left to Messrs. Cameron, Stern, and Rosenthal. + +On the 23rd July, 1866, Prideaux and myself entered our new abode: +and, without exaggeration, if a dog were tied up in a similar shed +in England I may say that the owner would be prosecuted by the +Society for the Protection of Animals. As it was, we were only too +happy to get it, and at once went to work--not to make it comfortable, +that was quite out of the question, but--to try to keep out the +rain. + + + + + CHAPTER XII. + + +Description of Magdala--Climate and Water Supply--The Emperor's +Houses--His Harem and Magazines--The Church--Prison-house--Guards +and Gaol--Discipline--A previous Visit of Theodore to Magdala--Slaughter +of the Gallas--Character and Antecedents of Samuel--Our friends Zenab +the Astronomer, and Meshisha the Lute--player--Day Guards--We build +new Huts--Abyssinian and Portuguese Servants--Our Inclosure is enlarged. + + +Amba Magdala, distant about 320 [Footnote: According to Mr. C. Markham.] +miles from Zulla, and about 180 from Gondar, arises in the province +of Worahaimanoo, on the border of the Wallo Galla country. The +approach is difficult on account of the steep ascent and narrow +precipitous ravines that separate it from the rivers Bechelo and +Jiddah and from the table-land of Wallo. It stands almost +isolated--amongst gigantic surrounding masses, and viewed from the +western side possesses the appearance of a crescent. On the extreme +left of this curve appears a small flat plateau called Fahla, +connected by a strip of land with a peak higher than the amba itself, +and called Selassié (trinity), on account of the church erected +upon it, and designated by that name. From Selassié to Amba Magdala +itself there is a large plain called Islamgee, several hundred feet +lower than the two peaks it separates. At Islamgee several small +villages had been erected by the peasants who cultivate the land +for the Emperor, the chiefs, and soldiers of the amba. The servants +of the prisoners had also there a spot given to them where they +were allowed to build huts for themselves and cattle. On Saturday +a weekly market, formerly well supplied, was held at the foot of +Selassié. Numerous wells were generally sunk during the dry +season close to the springs of Islamgee, which wells afforded a +small but constant supply of water. From Islamgee the road up to +Magdala is very steep and difficult. To the first gate it follows, +at times very abruptly, the flank of the mountain. To the right, +the sides of the amba rise like a huge wall; below is a giddy abyss. +From the first to the second gate the road is exceedingly narrow +and steep, turning to the right at a sharp angle with the first +part of the road. Small earthworks had been erected on the flanks +near the gates, protecting every weak point; The summit of the ridge +was strongly fenced and loopholed. Two other gates led from the +amba to the foot of the mountain; one had some time before been +closed, but the other, called Kafir Ber, opened in the direction +of the Galla country. The amba is well fortified by nature, and +Theodore, to increase its strength, added some rude fortifications. + +The Magdala plateau is oblong and somewhat irregular, about a mile +and a half in length, and on the average about a mile broad. It was +one of the strongest fortresses in Abyssinia, and by its position +between the rich and fertile plateau of Dahonte, Dalanta, and +Worahaimanoo, easily provisioned. Magdala is more than 9,000 feet +above the level of the sea; and enjoys a splendid climate. In the +evenings, almost all the year round, a fire is welcome, and, though +a month or two before the rains the temperature rises somewhat, in +the huts we never found it too hot to be uncomfortable. The high +land that surrounds the amba in the distance is barren and bleak, +due to the great altitude, and many of the peaks in the Galla country +are, for several months in the year, covered with snow or frozen +hail. Water, during and for some months after the rainy season, is +abundant, but from March to the first week in July it gets scarcer +and scarcer, until it is obtained only with difficulty. In order +to remedy this disadvantage, Theodore, with his usual forethought, +had several large tanks constructed on the mountain, and also sunk +wells in promising places. The effort was pretty successful; the +wells gave only a small supply of water, it is true, but it was a +constant one all the year round. The water collected in the tanks +was of very little use. Those reservoirs were not covered after the +rains, and the water, impregnated with all kinds of vegetable and +animal matter, soon became quite unfit to drink. The principal +springs are at Islamgee; there are a few on the amba itself, and +numerous less important ones issue from the sides, not many feet +from the summit, at the base of the ridge itself. + +Magdala was not only used by Theodore as a fortress, but also as a +gaol, a magazine, a granary, and as a place of protection for his +wives and family. The King's house and the granary stood almost +in the centre of the amba; in front towards the west a large space +had been left open and clear; behind stood the houses of the officers +of his household; to the left, huts of chiefs and soldiers; to the +right, on a small eminence, the godowns and magazines, soldiers' +quarters, the church, the prison; and behind again another large +open space looking towards the Galla plateau of Tanta. + +Theodore's houses had nothing regal about them. They were built +on the same pattern as the ordinary huts of the country, but only +on a larger scale. He himself, I believe, never, or at least very +rarely, lived in them; he preferred his tent at Islamgee, or on +some neighbouring height, to the larger and more commodious abode +on the amba. To his dislike to houses in general, I believe was +added a particular objection to shutting himself up in the fort. +The majority of these houses were occupied by Theodore's wives and +concubines, the eunuchs, and female slaves. The granary and tej +houses were in the same inclosure, but separated from the ladies' +department by a strong fence; the granary consisted of half a dozen +huge huts, protected from the rain by a double roof. They contained +barley, tef, beans, peas, and a little wheat. All the grain was +kept in leather bags piled up until they reached almost to the roof. +It is said that, at the time of the capture of Magdala by our troops, +there was grain in sufficient quantity stored in these granaries +to last the garrison and other inhabitants of the amba for at least +six months. The dwellings of the chiefs and soldiers were built on +the model of the Amhara houses--circular, with a pointed thatched +roof. The huts of the common soldiers were built without order, in +some places in such close proximity that if, as it happened on one +or two occasions, a fire broke out, in a few seconds twenty or +thirty houses were at once burnt to the ground: nothing could +possibly stop the conflagration but rapidly pulling down to leeward +the huts not as yet on fire. The principal chiefs had several houses +for themselves, all in one inclosure, surrounded and separated from +the soldiers' huts by a high and strong fence. Since about a year +before his death Theodore had been gradually accumulating at Magdala +the few remnants of his former wealth. Some sheds contained muskets, +pistols, &c.; others books and paper; others carpets, shamas, silks, +some powder, lead, shot, caps; and the best the little money he +still possessed, the gold he had seized at Gondar, and the property +of his workmen sent over to Magdala for safe custody. All the +store-huts were during the rainy season covered with black woollen +cloth, called màk, woven in the country. Once or twice a week the +chiefs would meet in consultation in a small house erected for that +purpose in the magazine inclosure to discuss public affairs, but, +above all, to assure themselves by personal inspection that the +"treasures" entrusted to their care were in perfect order and in +safe keeping. + +The Magdala church, consecrated to the Saviour of the World (Medani +Alum), was not in any respect worthy of such an important place. +It was of recent date, small, unadorned with the customary +representations of saints, of the life of the Apostles, of the +Trinity, of God the Father, and the devil. No St. George was seen +on his white charger, piercing the dragon with his Amhara lance; +no martyr smiled benignly at his fiend-like tormentors. The mud +walls had not even been whitewashed; and every pious soul longed +for the accomplishment of Theodore's promise--the building of a +church worthy of his great name. The inclosure was as bare as the +holy place itself; no graceful juniper, tall sycamore, or dark green +guicho solemnized its precincts, or offered cool shade where the +hundred priests, defteras, and deacons who daily performed service, +could repose after the fatiguing ceremony--the howling and the +dancing to David's psalms. On the same line, but below the hillock +on which stood the church, the Abouna possessed a few houses and a +garden; but, alas for him, his _pied-à-terre_ had for several +years become his prison. + +The prison-house, a common gaol for the political offenders, thieves, +and murderers, consisted of five or six huts inclosed by a strong +fence, and surrounded by the private dwellings of the more wealthy +prisoners and guards, extending from the eastern slope of the hillock +to the edge of the precipice and to the open space towards the +south. At the time of our captivity these houses cannot have contained +less than 660 prisoners. Of these, about 80 died of remittent fever, +175 were released by his Majesty, 307 executed, and 91 owed their +liberty to the stormers of Magdala. The prison rules were in some +respects very severe, in others mild and foreign to our civilized +ideas. At sunset every prisoner was ordered into the central +inclosure. As they passed the gate they were counted and their +fetters examined. The women had a hut for themselves; only a late +arrangement, however, as before they had to sleep in the same houses +as the men. The space was very limited and the prisoners were packed +in like herrings in a barrel. Abyssinians themselves, hard-hearted +as they are, described the scene at night as something fearful. The +huts, crowded to excess, were close, the atmosphere fetid, the +stench unbearable. There lay, side by side, the poor, starved +vagabond, chained hands and feet, and often with a large forked +piece of wood several yards long fixed round his neck, and the +warrior who had bled in many a hard-won fight, the governor of +provinces--nay, the sons of kings and conquered rulers themselves. +In the centre the guards, keeping candles lighted all night, laughed +or played some noisy game, indifferent to the sufferings of the +unfortunates they watched. At day-dawn, always about 6 A.M. in that +latitude, the prison-door was opened, and those who were lucky +enough to possess any, repaired to the huts they had erected in the +vicinity of the sleeping-houses, while the poorer crawled about the +prison inclosure, awaiting their pancake loaf with all the impatience +of hungry men, just kept from immediate starvation by the _bounty_ +of the Emperor. Others strolled about in couples, begging from their +more favoured companions, or, when leave was granted, went from +house to house imploring alms in the name of the "Saviour of the +World." + +The prison guards were the greatest ruffians I have ever seen. They +had been for so many years in contact with misery in its worst shape +that the last spark of human feeling had died out in their callous +hearts. Instead of showing compassion or pity for their prisoners, +many of them innocent victims of a low treachery, they added to +their misery by the harshness and cruelty of their conduct. Had a +chief received at last a small sum of money from his distant province, +he was soon made aware that he must satisfy the greed of his rapacious +gaolers. But that was nothing compared to the moral tortures they +inflicted on their prisoners. Many of them had been for years +confined on the amba, and had brought their families to reside near +them. Woe to the woman who would not listen to the solicitations +of these infamous wretches; threatened and even beaten, few indeed +of the sorrowful wives and daughters held out; others willingly met +advances; and when the chief, the man of rank, or the wealthy +merchant, left his day house, he knew that his wife would immediately +receive her chosen lover, or, what was still more heartrending, a +man she despised but feared. + +Such was the daily life of those whose fault was to have given ear +to the fair words of Theodore, an error that weighed heavier upon +them than a crime. But when the Emperor, on his way, stopped a few +days at Magdala, what anxiety, what anguish, reigned in that accursed +place! No day house, no hours spent with the family or the friend, +no food hardly; the prisoners must remain in the night houses, as +the Emperor at any moment might send for some one of them to set +him at liberty, or, more likely, to put an end to his miserable +existence. Let us take, for example, his visit to Magdala in the +first days of July, 1865, on his return from his unsuccessful +campaign in Shoa. No doubt long-continued misfortunes crush the +better qualities of men, and induce them to perform acts at the +mere thought of which in better days they would have blushed. Such +was the case with Beru Goscho, formerly the independent ruler of +Godjam. Since years he had lingered in chains. In the hope of +improving his position, he had the baseness to report to his Majesty +that when a rumour was started that he had been killed in Shoa, a +great many of the prisoners had rejoiced. Theodore, on receiving +this message, gave orders for all the political prisoners who were +only chained by the leg to have hand chains put on--exempting only +from this order his informer Beru Goscho. However, some days later, +this chief having sent a servant to Theodore to ask as a reward to +be allowed to have his wife near him, the Emperor, who did not +approve of treachery in others, pretended to be annoyed at his +request, and gave orders that he should also be put in hand chains. +But this was trifling compared with the massacre of the Gallas, +which happened during that same visit of Theodore. After subduing +the Galla country he required hostages. Accordingly, the Queen +Workite sent him her son, the heir to the throne; and many chiefs, +believing in the high character of Theodore, willingly accompanied +him. The Galla prince had at first been kindly treated; even made +governor of the mountain; but soon, on some pretext or other, he +was disgraced: first made a prisoner at large, and then sent to the +common gaol, to endure chains and misery for years. + +Menilek, the grandson of Sehala Selassié, had been since his youth +brought up near the Emperor; he was entrusted with an independent +command, and in order to strengthen his adherence to his cause, +Theodore gave him his daughter in marriage. Under these circumstances, +I can easily fancy the rage and passion of Theodore when, one +morning, he was informed that Menilek had deserted with his followers, +and was already on his way to claim the dominions of his fathers. +The Emperor with a telescope saw on the distant Wallo plain Menilek +received, with honour by the Galla Queen Workite. Blind, with rage, +he had no thought but revenge. He dared not venture to pursue +Menilek and encounter the two allies; at hand he had easy victims--the +Galla prince and his chiefs. Theodore mounted his horse, called his +body-guard, and sent for those men, who had already lingered long +in captivity through trusting to his word, and then followed a scene +so horrible that I dare not write the details. All were killed +some--thirty-two, I believe--and their still breathing bodies hurled +over the precipice. It is probable that shortly afterwards Theodore +regretted having allowed himself to be guided by passion. With +Menilek he had lost Shoa; by the murder of the Galla prince he had +made those tribes his deadly foes. He sent word to the Bishop, "Why, +if I was acting wrongly, did you not come out with the 'Fitta Negust' +(Abyssinian code of law) in your hands, and tell me I was wrong?" +The Bishop's reply was simple and to the point:--"Because I saw +blood written in your face." However, Theodore soon consoled himself. +The rains were late, and water scarce on the amba: the next day it +rained. Theodore, full of smiles, addressed his soldiers, saying, +"See the rain; God is pleased with me because I have killed the +infidels." + +Such is Magdala, the sun-burnt barren rock, the arid lonely spot +where we had to undergo nearly two years of captivity in chains. + +We furnished our house without much expense; two tanned cows' hides +were all we required. These, together with a few old carpets Theodore +had presented us with at Zagé, was about the extent of our +worldly goods. I had a small folding table and a camp-stool (some +of our kit had arrived a few days before); but our hovel was too +small to admit them and us. The rainy season had fairly set in, and +the broken roof of our godjo was rapidly giving way under the weight +of the wet grass; we propped it up as best we could by means of a +long stick, still it looked very shaky, and leaked worse and worse. +The ground, always damp now, had quite the appearance of an Irish +bog; and if the straw that was placed underneath the skins to make +our bed a little softer was not removed every other day, the steam +rose even through the old carpets that adorned our abode. At last +I could stand it no longer: I was afraid of falling ill. It was bad +enough to be in chains and in a hovel, but sickness into the bargain +would have driven me to despair. I sent my Abyssinian servants to +cut some wood, and made a small raised platform; it was rather +irregular and hard, but I preferred it to sleeping for so long on +the wet ground. + +Well do I still remember that long, dreary, rainy season, and with +what impatience we looked for the Feast of the Cross, about the +25th of September; as the natives told us that the rains always +ceased about that time! I had brought with me from Gaffat an Amharic +grammar. "Faute de mieux," I struggled hard to study it, but the +mind was not fitted for such work; and, book in hand, I was in +spirit, thousands of miles away, thinking of home, dreaming awake +of beloved friends, of freedom and liberty. Towards the end of +August, shortly after the return of our ill-fated messenger, we +wrote again and sent another man: by this time we had abundant proof +that Samuel,--formerly our introducer, now our gaoler,--was completely +in our interests; and by his good arrangements the messenger started +without any one knowing of it, and managed to reach Massowah with +his letter. + +I have spoken often of Samuel, and shall again and again have to +mention his name in my narrative. He was, from the beginning, mixed +up with the affairs of the Europeans, and I believe at one time he +was rather unfriendly towards them; but since our arrival and during +our captivity, he behaved exceedingly well. He was a shrewd, cunning +man, and one of the first who perceived that Theodore was losing +ground. Outwardly he swore by his name, and kept his confidence; +but all the while he was serving us, and helping us in our +communications with the coast, the rebels, &c. In his youth his +left leg had been broken and badly set; and though Theodore liked +him, he did not give him a military command, but always employed +him in a civil capacity. He did not like to speak of the accident +that occasioned his deformity, and would, if asked, always give an +evasive answer. Pietro, the Italian, was a great gossip, and his +stories could not always be relied upon. His account of the broken +leg was that when Samuel went to Shoa, some Englishman there gave +him a kick which sent him rolling down some small ravine, and in +the fall the leg was broken. It was on account of that blow from +an Englishman, Pietro said, that Samuel hated them all so much, and +was so bitter against them at first. It may be so; but I believe +that he had not been understood. + +Samuel fancied that he was a very great man in his own country. His +father had been a small sheik; and Theodore, after Samuel's native +country had rebelled, made him governor of it. With all the appearance +of great humility, Samuel was proud; and by treating him as if he +was in reality a great man, he was as easily managed as a child. +He had suffered from a severe attack of dysentery during our stay +at Kourata. I attended him carefully, and he always felt grateful +for my attentions towards him. When we separated and lived in +different houses, he did not allow the guards to sleep inside our +hut. It is true it would have been difficult; but Abyssinian soldiers +are not particular: they sleep anywhere,--on their prisoner's bed, +if there is no other place, making use of him as a pillow. Of course +Mr. Rassam had none; but he was the great man, the dispenser of +favours. Stern, Cameron, and Rosenthal, being neither rich nor +favourites, had the advantage of the presence of two or three of +those ruffians as their companions every night; nor were those in +the kitchen better off, as some soldiers were always sent in at +night not to watch Kerans and Pietro, but the King's property (our +own kit). + +Samuel soon made friends with some of the chiefs. After a while, +two of them were constantly in our inclosure, and, under the pretext +of coming to see Samuel, would spend hours with us. Kerans, a good +Amharic scholar, was the interpreter on those occasions: one of +them, Deftera Zenab, the King's chief scribe, (now tutor to Alamayou,) +is an intelligent; honest man; but he was quite mad on astronomy, +and would listen for hours to anything concerning the solar system. +Unfortunately, either the explanations were faulty or his comprehension +dull as each time he came he wanted the whole dissertation over +again until at last our patience was fairly exhausted, and we gave +him up as a bad job. His other intimate was a good-natured young +man called Afa Negus Meshisha, son of a former governor of the Amba; +Theodore, on the death of the father, had given Meshisha the title, +but nothing more. His forte was playing the lute, or a rude instrument +something like it. Samuel could listen to him for hours; but two +minutes was quite enough to make us run off. He was, however, +useful in his way, as he gave us good information about what was +going on in Theodore's camp,--intelligence which his position as +an occasional member of the council enabled him to obtain. + +Such, apart from ourselves, was our only society. It is true that +the Ras and the great men would occasionally call on Mr. Rassam, +much more frequently since he give them arrack and toj, instead of +the coffee he used to offer them at first; but, unless one of them +wanted some medicine, it was very rare that they honoured us with +a visit; they thought that they had done quite enough--indeed +bestowed a great favour, for which we ought to be grateful--if, as +they passed near our hut, they shouted "May God open thee!" + +But our enemy was one of the day guards, named Abu Falek, an old +rascal who delighted in making mischief; he was hated by every one +on the mountain, and on that account outwardly respected. The day +he was on guard it was very difficult to write, as he was always +putting his ugly grey head in at the door to see what we were doing. +He did his best to do us harm, but could reach no higher than our +servants: our dollars were too much for him. + +Everything has an end. With Maskal (the Feast of the Cross) came +sunshine and pleasant cool weather. We had already been two months +and a half in chains, and we expected that soon some comforting +news would reach us, telling us "Be of good cheer; we are coming." + +Since our arrival at Magdala we had not received a single letter: +and more than six months had elapsed without news from our friends, +or any intelligence whatsoever from Europe. + +Immediately after the rains, Mr. Rassam had his house repaired and +improved, and a new hut built, as Mrs. Rosenthal was expected to +join our party; Samuel obtained a piece of ground adjoining our +inclosure, which was afterwards included in it, and on which he +built a hut for himself and family. Samuel had several times spoken +to me about pulling down our wretched godjo, and building a larger +hut instead; but I thought it was hardly worth the while, as before +many months some change or the other would take place: another +reason was, that part of the old fence stood in front of my godjo, +and I should hardly have gained more than a foot of ground. Samuel +promised to do his best to have the fence removed if I would build; +I agreed to do so, and he endeavoured to fulfil his part of the +contract, but failed. However, a few weeks later, one of the chiefs, +whom I had attended almost since our arrival, in his first burst +of gratitude at being cured, took upon himself to break down the +fence, and promised to send me his men to help me. + +All the materials--wood, bamboos, cow-hides, straw--could be purchased +below the mountain, and in a few days all was ready. I sent word +to my patient, who came at once, with about fifty soldiers, who, +by his orders, broke down the fence, and pulled down my godjo. The +ground was afterwards levelled, the circumference of the hut traced +with a stick, fixed to the centre by a piece of string, and a trench +a foot and a half deep dug. Two strong sticks were placed at the +spot where the door would be, and each soldier, carrying several +of the branches with which the walls are built, placed them in the +ditch, filling up the vacant space with the earth that had been +taken out; they had only to tie, with strips of cow-hide, flexible +branches transversely in order to keep the vertical ones together, +and the first part of the structure was complete. A few days +afterwards they returned, made the framework of the roof, and lifted +it up on the walls; it then only required the thatcher to render +our new abode inhabitable. The servants brought water and made mud, +with which the walls were coated inside, and a week from the day +the godjo had been pulled down, Prideaux and myself were able to +give our house-warming. The soldiers were delighted with their job, +and always came in large numbers when we required their assistance, +as we treated them very liberally: for instance, the materials for +our new hut cost eight dollars, but we spent fourteen dollars in +feasting those who had assisted us. We had now seven feet of ground +each, the table could be placed in the centre, and the folding chair +offered to a visitor. Mr. Rassam had tried, with success, to whitewash +the interior of his hut with a kind of soft white yellowish sandstone, +that could be obtained in the vicinity of the Amba; we, therefore, +also put our servants to work, but first had the mud walls several +times besmeared with cow-dung, in order to make the whitewash adhere. +We enjoyed very much the neat clean appearance of our hut. +Unfortunately, being situate between two high fences and surrounded +by other huts, it was rather dark. To obviate this defect, we cut +out of the walls some of the framework, and made four windows; this +was certainly a great improvement, but at night we felt the cold +bitterly. Luckily, our friend Zenab gave us some parchment; out of +an old box we made some rude frames, and the parchment, previously +well soaked in oil served instead of glass. + +We were obliged to keep a large staff of servants, as we had to +prepare everything for ourselves. Some women were engaged to grind +flour for us and the Abyssinian servants; others to bring water or +wood. Men-servants went to the market or to the neighbouring districts +to purchase grain, sheep, honey, &c.; many were employed as messengers +to the coast or to Gaffat. I had with me two Portuguese, who were +the torment of my life, as they were always quarrelling, often +drunk, impertinent, and unwilling to work. The Portuguese lived in +the kitchen, but as they were always fighting with the other servants, +and we were perfectly helpless, and could not possibly enforce our +commands, I had a small hut erected for them. The inclosure had +been enlarged again by the chief, and Cameron had built a log-house +for himself, and Mr. Rosenthal had had one made for his servants; +mine for the Portuguese was built on the same spot, and before the +rainy season I had another one made for the Abyssinians, as they +grumbled and threatened to leave, if they had to spend the rains +in a tent. + +All these arrangements took us some time; we had been glad to have +something to do, as the days passed much quicker, and time did not +weigh so heavily upon us. Our Christmas was not very merry, nor did +we on New Year's Day wish one another many returns of a similar +one; but we were on the whole more accustomed to our captivity, and +certainly in many respects more comfortable. + + + + + CHAPTER XIII. + + +Theodore writes to Mr. Rassam about Mr. Flad and the Artisans--His +two Letters contrasted--General Merewether arrives at Massowah--Danger +of sending Letters to the Coast--Ras Engeddah brings us a few Stores +--Our Garden--Successful Results of Vaccination at Magdala--Our Day +Guard again--Second Rainy Season--The Chiefs are Jealous--The Ras and +his Council--Damash, Hailo, &c.--Daily Life during Rainy Season--Two +Prisoners attempt to Escape--The Knout in Abyssinia--A Dying Man's +Prophecy. + + +About this time a servant of Mr. Rassam, whom he had sent to his +Majesty some months previously, returned on the 28th of December +with a letter from Theodore, in which was inclosed one from our +Queen. Theodore informed Mr. Rassam that Mr. Flad had arrived at +Massowah, and had sent him the letter which he had forwarded us for +perusal; he told Mr. Rassam to await his arrival, as he would be +coming before long, and they would consult together about an answer. +We were greatly rejoiced at the tenor of the Queen's letter: it was +plain that at last a higher tone had been adopted, that the character +of Theodore was better known, and all his futile plans would be +frustrated by the attitude our Government had taken. + +On the 7th of January, 1867, Ras Engeddah arrived on the Amba, +having accompanied thither a batch of prisoners. He sent us his +compliments and a letter from Theodore. Theodore's letter was rather +a boastful and imperious one: he, first gave a summary of Flad's +letter to himself, in which he had been informed by that gentleman +that everything he had required had been consented to, but that in +the meanwhile he had changed his behaviour towards us. Theodore +also gave us his intended reply: he said Ethiopia and England had +formerly been on a footing of friendship; and for that reason he +had loved the English exceedingly. But since then (to use his own +words), "having heard that they have calumniated and hated me with +the Turks, I said to myself, Can this be true? and I felt some +misgiving in my heart." He evidently wanted to ignore the ill +treatment he had inflicted upon us, as he said: "Mr. Rassam and his +party you sent to me I have placed in my house in my capital at +Magdala, and I will treat them well until I obtain a token of +friendship." He concluded his letter by ordering Mr. Rassam to write +to the proper authorities, so that the things should be sent a to +him; he desired Mr. Rassam's letter to be forwarded to him, and +quickly, so that Mr. Flad might come without delay. + +This letter must probably have been a post-prandial one; it was not +the line of conduct he wanted to adopt: he knew too well that his +only chance was to natter, appear humble, meek and ignorant; he +might, he knew, enlist England's sympathy by appearing in that +light, and that an overbearing tone would not suit his purpose, nor +secure him the object he longed for. Early the following day a +messenger arrived from the Imperial camp with a letter from General +Merewether, and another from Theodore. How different this letter +from the one brought by Ras Engeddah! It was insinuating, courteous; +he orders no more, he humbly requests; he meekly entreats and begs: +he begins by saying:--"Now in order to prove the good relationship +between me and yourself, let it be shown by your writing, and by +getting the skilful artisans and Mr. Flad to come _viâ_ Metemma; +This will be the sign of our friendship." He quotes the story of +Solomon and Hiram on the occasion of the building of the temple; +then adds, "And now when I used to fall girded at the feet of the +great Queen, her nobles, people; hosts, etc., could it be possible +to be more humble?" He then describes his reception of Mr. Rassam, +and the way he treated him; how he released the former captives the +very day of his arrival, in order to comply with the request of the +Queen; he explains the cause of our imprisonment by reproaching Mr. +Rassam with having taken away the prisoners without first bringing +them to him; and concludes by saying, "As Solomon fell at the feet +of Hiram, so I, beneath God, fall at the feet of the Queen, and her +Government, and her friends. I wish you to get them (the artisans) +_viâ_ Metemma, in order that they may teach me wisdom, and +show me clever arts. When this is done I will make you glad and +send you away, by the power of God." + +Mr. Rassam replied to his Majesty at once, informing him that he +had complied with his request. The messenger, on his arrival at the +Emperor's camp, was well received, presented with a mule, and quickly +despatched on his errand. For several months we heard nothing more +upon the subject. + +General Merewether, in his letter to Theodore, informed him that +he had arrived at Massowah with the workmen and presents, and that +on the captives being made over to him he would allow the workmen +to proceed to his Majesty's camp. We were quite overjoyed when we +heard that General Merewether was entrusted with the negotiation: +we knew his ability, and had full confidence in his tact and +discretion. Indeed, he deserves our sincere gratitude; for he was +the captives' friend: from the moment he landed at Massowah to the +day of our release, he spared himself neither trouble nor pains to +effect our deliverance. + +Messengers now were despatched more regularly; by them we wrote +long accounts of Theodore's proceedings, and urged that force should +be employed to obtain our release. We knew the great risk we ran, +but we preferred death to a continuance of such a miserable existence. +We informed our friends that we had quite made up our minds, and +that our safety was not to weigh for one instant in the balance. +It was a chance: the only one left to us, and we implored that we +might have the advantage of it. We gave all the information in our +power as to the resources of the country, the movements of his +Majesty, the strength of his army, the course he would probably +follow should troops land, how to deal with him, and the means to +adopt in order to insure success. We knew that should any of such +letters fall into Theodore's hands, we had no mercy, no pity to +expect; but we considered it our duty to submit our opinion, and +to the best of our ability assist those who were labouring for our +release. + +At this time we frequently received news from our friends, as well +as newspapers, or a few articles cut out of them, and inclosed in +an envelope. War was still but little talked of; the press, with +but few exceptions, seemed to look upon it as a rash undertaking +that would only lead to failure. Correspondents, to our despair and +disgust, expatiated on guinea-worms, poisonous flies, absence of +water, and such like rubbish. For another two months and a half we +led the same monotonous life. My medicines were getting low, and +as the number of my patients was great, I was very anxious to receive +some more. + +On the 19th of March Ras Engeddah arrived on the Amba with a few +thousand soldiers. He had brought with him some money, powder, and +various stores which Theodore thought would be safer at Magdala. +At the same time he sent us some stores, medicines, &c., which +Captain Goodfellow had forwarded to Metemma soon after Mr. Flad's +arrival. I will give credit to Theodore for having behaved well on +that occasion. As soon as we were informed that the stores had +arrived at Metemma, Mr. Rassam wrote to the Emperor, asking his +permission to send servants and mules, in order to have them conveyed +to Magdala. Theodore said that he would have them carried himself, +and moreover kept his word. He sent one of his officers to Wochnee, +with instructions to the various chiefs of districts to have our +things carried to Debra Tabor. I had long ago given everything up, +and was agreeably surprised when those few comforts reached us. +For some days, we treated ourselves to green peas, potted meats, +cigars, &c., and felt in better spirits; not so much on account +of the stores themselves, as for the attention our dangerous host +had shown us. + +I remember that during the following months we felt more than at +any time the burden of such an existence. We had expected great +things, and nothing was effected: we could not have believed, on +our first arrival at Magdala, that another rainy season was in +reserve for us; we never would have credited the assertion that +long before that date all would not have been over, some way or the +other. What we disliked above all things was the uncertainty in +which we were now placed: we trembled at the idea of the cruelties +and tortures Theodore inflicted upon his victims; and each time a +royal messenger arrived, we could be seen going from one hut to the +other, exchanging anxious looks, and repeatedly asking our +fellow-sufferers, "In there any news? Is there anything concerning +us?" + +General Merewether, with kind forethought, had sent us some seeds, +and we obtained more from Gaffat. Rassam's inclosure had been +considerably enlarged by the chiefs, and he was able to arrange a +nice garden. He had before sown some tomato seeds; these plants +sprang up wonderfully well, and Mr. Rassam, with great taste, made +with bamboos a very pretty trellis-work, soon entirely covered by +this novel creeper. Between our hut, the fence, and the hut opposite +ours, we had a small piece of ground, about eight feet broad on the +average, and about ten feet long. Prideaux and myself laboured hard, +delighted at the idea of having something to do; with slit-up bamboos +we made a small trellis-work, dividing our garden into squares, +triangles, &c., and on the 24th of May, in honour of our Queen's +birthday, we sowed the seed. Some things came out very quickly; +peas, in six weeks, were seven or eight feet high, mustard, cress, +radishes, and salads prospered. But our central flower-bed remained +for a long time barren; and when at last a few plants came out, +they belonged to some biennial species, as they only flowered in +the following spring. A few peas, just to taste (our garden was too +small to enable us to get from it more than a scanty dish or two), +raw lettuces (we had no oil, and only inferior vinegar made out of +tej), with now and then a radish, were luxuries we immensely enjoyed +after our long meat diet. When a second parcel of seeds reached us, +we transformed into "gardens" every available spot, and had the +pleasure of eating a few turnips, more lettuces, and a cabbage or +two. Soon after the rainy season everything withered away; the sun +burnt up our treasures, and left us again to our mutton and fowls. + +A month or so before the rainy season of 1867, fever of a malignant +type broke out in the common gaol. The place was dirty enough before, +and the horrors of that abode were indescribable even when sickness +did not prevail; but when about 150 men of all ranks lay prostrate +on the ground, contaminating still more the already impure atmosphere, +the scene was horrible in the extreme, giving a better idea of the +place of torments than even Dante's vivid description. The epidemic +lasted until the first rains set in. About eighty died; and many +more would have succumbed, had not, fortunately, some of the guards +contracted the disease. As long as it was only the prisoners, they +turned a deaf ear to all my suggestions; now they had become willing +listeners, and quickly adopted the advice they had spurned but a +short time before. To all who claimed my services I willingly sent +medicine; and, when some of the guards also came to me for treatment, +I gave them some also: but on condition that they would treat with +more kindness the unfortunate men in their charge. + +General Merewether, always thoughtful and kind, aware that much of +our comfort depended on our being on friendly terms with the garrison, +sent me some vaccine lymph in small tubes. I explained to some of +the more intelligent natives the wonderful properties of that +prophylactic, and induced them to bring me their children to be +inoculated. Amongst semi-civilized races it is often difficult to +introduce the blessings of vaccination; but on this occasion they +were universally and gratefully accepted. For about six weeks an +immense crowd collected outside the gates on vaccinating days; so +much so that it was with some difficulty that they were kept back, +so anxious were they to avail themselves of the famous medicine +that protected from the dreaded "koufing" (small-pox). It so happened +that, amongst the children I operated upon, was the child of old +Abu Falek (or rather his wife's), the day guard I have already +mentioned. He was naturally ill-natured and disobliging, and to +save himself the trouble of bringing his child to have others +inoculated from it, and at the same time so as not to be accused +of selfishness, he spread the rumour that the children from whom +the lymph was taken would shortly afterwards die. This was the +death-blow to my endeavours to introduce vaccine amongst the natives; +numbers still collected to be vaccinated, but none came to give the +lymph, and as I had no more tubes, I was obliged to discontinue an +experiment which had so wonderfully succeeded. + +The rainy season of 1867 set in about the end of the first week in +July. We had better shelter, and had time to make arrangements for +provision for our followers and ourselves before the rains fairly +commenced, and in that respect were better off than the year before; +but, for other reasons, such as the political condition of the +country, the daily increasing difficulty of communicating with the +coast, it was perhaps, on the whole, more trying and disagreeable. + +The chiefs of the mountain had not been long in finding out that +the English captives had money. They all had frequently been +presented with _douceurs_, in the shape of dollars for themselves, +shamas or ornaments for their wives; also tej and arrack, which was +brewed by Samuel under Mr. Rassam's direction, of which they partook +frequently and freely. They tried to cut one another out; each one +in his private visits pretending to be "the best friend;" but they +could not openly leave the council-room, and start off for a glass, +without being accompanied by the whole batch, so they forbade every +one but themselves from visiting us. Poor Zenab for months took no +more lessons in astronomy, and Meshisha played the lute to his wives +and followers. They even went so far as to forbid the petty chiefs +and soldiers coming to me for medicine. But this was too much; +though a despotism, the constitution of the country only acknowledged +one master. The soldiers therefore sent their petty chiefs in a +body to the Ras and members of the council; they talked even of +representing the matter to Theodore; and, as the chiefs were far +from being immaculate, and dreaded nothing so much as reports to +their master, they were obliged to give in, and cancel the order. + +Theodore had, after his capture of Magdala, appointed a chief as +governor of the Amba, giving him a kind of unlimited power over the +garrison; but some years later he adjoined to him a few chiefs as +his councillors, still allowing the Head of the mountain to retain +a great deal of his former power. Always suspicious, but less able +to satisfy his soldiers than before, he took every precaution to +avoid treachery, and to make certain that, when engaged on distant +expeditions, he might depend on his fortress of Magdala. With that +object he ordered a council to assemble on all important occasions, +and to consult on all matters concerning the internal economy of +the mountain. Every head of department, and every chief of a corps, +had a voice; the officers in command of the troops were to send +separate and private messengers; the Ras was still considered as +the Head of the mountain, but his authority was limited, and his +responsibility great, should he think proper to overrule his +companions. Under these circumstances, it is not astonishing that, +as a rule, he would follow the advice of those chiefs whom he knew +to be the greatest worshippers of his master, his most faithful +spies and beloved tale-bearers. + +The Head of the mountain on our arrival, Ras Kidana Mariam, was, +on account of his family connections and his position in the country, +considered "dangerous" by Theodore, and, as I have already mentioned, +was on a false charge taken to the camp. Shortly before depriving +Ras Kidana Mariam of his command he had promoted him from a Dedjazmatch +to the rank of Ras. Every umbel (colonel) was promoted by the same +order to be a Bitwaddad (something like a Brigadier-General), or a +Dedjazmatch, a title only applied in former days to governors of +one large or of several small provinces; bachas (captains) were +made colonels, and so on throughout the whole garrison; which after +this consisted only of officers and non-commissioned officers, the +lowest in rank being at least a sergeant. Theodore wrote to them +at the time to inform them that they would draw the pay and rations +according to their rank, and when, as he expected before long, he +should see them, he would treat them so generously that even the +"unborn babe would rejoice in his mother's womb." Theodore, on three +or four occasions, out of his few remaining dollars, gave them a +small advance of pay. About forty dollars was the amount a general +touched during the time we were there; a sergeant, during the same +period, about eight, I believe. With that they were supposed to +feed and clothe themselves, families, and followers; for no rations +were distributed at the same time as the money. At first they were +all dazzled by their new ranks--the only thing Theodore could +distribute with a liberal hand; but they soon found out what these +were worth, and, ragged, hungry, and cold, they were the first to +joke about their high-sounding but empty titles. + +A distant relation of Theodore by his mother's side, named Ras +Bisawar, was, on the dismissal of Kidana Mariam, selected for the +vacant post. He had in his youth been brought up for the church, +had even been made a deftera, when the brilliant example of his +relative took him from the peaceful and quiet life he had first +chosen to cast him amidst the turmoil of camp life. He was a great +big hulking fellow, bald-headed, and rather good-natured; but for +all his sword and pistols could not conceal his first pursuit in +life: he was still the deftera in borrowed plumage. His great fault +was to be too weak; he had no decision of character, no firmness, +and was always guided in his actions by the last talker. + +Next in importance came Bitwaddad Damash, the ugliest and most +pompous puppy and the biggest-boasting villain on the whole mountain. +He was very sick when we first arrived, but though he could not +come himself he was far too much interested in our affairs not to +be at all hours of the day informed of our doings; for that purpose +he sent his eldest son, a lad of about twelve, several times in the +day with compliments and inquiries after our welfare. As soon as +he could walk about a little he came now and then himself, to see +me for advice, and when restored to health, in the thankfulness of +the first moment, he helped to build our house. But gratitude is +not a lasting quality--in Abyssinia it hardly exists--and not long +afterwards Damash gave strong hints that if we wanted him to be our +friend we must not "forget him." Prideaux and myself had not much +money to spare, but as he was known to be a great scoundrel, we +thought it would not be prudent to make an enemy of him, and therefore +sent him, as a token of friendship, Prideaux's small folding +looking-glass, the only presentable thing we had between us. For +some time the looking-glass consolidated our friendship, but when, +on a second application for "tokens," we turned a deaf ear to his +soft words, he would have nothing more to do with as; he called us +bad men, sneered at us, made us take off our caps before him, and +even went so far as to insult Cameron and Stern, shaking his head +at them in a threatening manner as, more or less intoxicated, he +left in the afternoon the room of his beloved and generous friend, +Mr. Rassam. Damash had command of half the gunmen, some 270, the +Ras of the rest, about 200. + +The third member of council was Bitwaddad Hailo, the best of the +lot; he was in charge of the gaol, but was never known to abuse his +position. His two brothers had commanded our escort from the frontier +to the Emperor's camp in Damot; his mother, a fine old lady, also +accompanied us part of the way: the brothers and the mother had +been well treated by us, so that even before we came to the Amba +we were known to him, and he always conducted himself very civilly, +and proved useful on many occasions. When he heard of Theodore's +approach, as he knew that charges were going, to be brought against +him, he ran, away and joined the English camp. + +He managed his escape, in a very clever manner indeed. According +to the, rules of the mountain, not even a Bitwaddad could pass the +gate without permission from the Ras, and since desertions had taken +place the permission was no more granted. His wife and child were +also on the Amba, and since he was suspected, if they had left he +would have been strictly watched. His mother had accompanied +Theodore's camp, being desirous of seeing her son. When his Majesty +encamped in the valley of the Bechelo, she asked his permission to +be allowed to go to Magdala, and on her arrival at Islamgee she +sent word to her son to give orders at the gate to let her in; but +he declined, stating publicly, as the motive of his refusal, that, +not having received intimation from his Majesty that he had granted +her request, he could not take upon himself to admit her into the +fort. The mother had been made a party to the plot beforehand, and +played her part well; it was market-day, and therefore the place +was crowded with soldiers and petty chiefs. On hearing of her son's +refusal to admit her, she pretended to be driven to despair, tore +her hair and cried aloud, quite overcome by the ingratitude of the +son she had made such a long journey to embrace. The spectators +took her part, and, in her name, sent to him again; but he was firm. +"To-morrow," he said, "I will send word to the Emperor; if he allows +you to come I will be only too happy to admit you; to-day, all I +can do is to send you my wife and child to remain with you until +the evening." The old lady, with the wife and child, retired to a +quiet corner for a friendly chat, and when no more noticed, quietly +walked away. At about ten at night, accompanied by one of his men, +and assisted by some friends, Hailo made his escape and rejoined +his family. + +Another member of council was called Bitwaddad Wassié: he also was +in charge of the prison alternatively with Hailo. He was a good-tempered +man, always laughing, but, it appears, not beloved by the prisoners, +for, after the taking of Magdala, the women flew at him, and gave +him a sound thrashing. He was remarkable in one respect: he would +never accept anything, and though money was repeatedly offered to +him he always declined it. Dedjazmatch Goji, in command of 500 +spearmen, a tall old man, was as big a fool as he was bulky; he +loved but one thing, tej, and worshipped but one being, Theodore. +Bitwaddad Bakal, a good soldier, a simple-minded man, in charge of +the Imperial household, and a few insignificant old men, completed +the quorum. + +Let us suppose a wet day during the rainy season of 1867. Our money +was getting very scarce, and all communication with Metemma, Massowah, +or Debra Tabor was completely interrupted. War had been talked of +more seriously at home, and, in the absence of news, we were in +anxious expectation of what would be decided. The weather did not +permit us to do much gardening; and other occupations were few. We +wrote home, (an easier task during the rains, as the guards kept +to their huts,) studied Amharic, read the famous _Commercial +Dictionary_, or visited one another, and smoked bad tobacco, +simply to kill time. Mr. Rosenthal, a very clever linguist, managed, +with an Italian Bible, to master that language, and, to drive away +dull care, spent his evenings studying French with only the help +of a portion of Guizot's _Histoire de la Civilisation_. If it +cleared up a little, we puddled about in the small road between the +now increased huts; but probably, before long, would be scared away +by some one shouting out,--"The Ras and the chiefs are coming!" If +we could directly run away we did so; but if perceived, we had to +put on our blandest smile, bow to the rude inquiry, "How art thou? +good afternoon to thee" (the second person singular is only employed +as a sign of disrespect, towards an inferior), and, O gods! pull +off our ragged caps and keep our heads uncovered. To see them +waddling along, ready to burst with self-conceit; whilst we knew +that the clothes they were clad with, and the food they had partaken +of that day, were all purchased with British money, was very annoying. +As they accepted bribes the least they could do was to be civil; +on the contrary, they looked down upon us as if we were semi-idiots, +or a species between them and monkeys,--"white donkeys," as they +called us when they spoke of us among themselves. Preceded by Samuel, +they would make straight for Mr. Rassam's house; they were hardly +swore civil to him than to us, though they always swore to him +eternal friendship. I often admired Mr. Rassam's' patience on these +occasions: he could sit, talk, and laugh with them for hours, gorging +them with bumpers of tej until they reeled out of his place, the +laughing-stocks, yet envied objects, of the soldiers who helped +them to regain their homes. On the whole they were a vile set: to +please their master they would have shuddered at no crime, and +stopped at no infamy. When they thought that any cruel act of theirs +might please Theodore, their god, no consideration of friendship +or family ties would arrest their hands or soften their hearts. +They came to Mr. Rassam, though he was kind to them, out of no +regard, only because it was part of their instructions, and they +could indulge their appetite for spirituous drinks; but had we been, +by want of money, reduced to appeal to them, I doubt whether they +would have sanctioned for us, to whom they owed so much, even the +small pittance daily doled out to the poor Abyssinian prisoners. + +About that time these wretches had a good opportunity of showing +their zeal for their beloved master. One Saturday two prisoners +took advantage of the bustle always attending market-days, to attempt +their escape. One of them, Lij Barié, was the son of a chief in +Tigré; some years before he had been imprisoned on "suspicion," +or, more likely, because he might prove dangerous, as he was much +liked in his province. His companion was a young lad, a semi-Galla, +from the Shoa frontier, who had been kept for years in chains on +the Amba awaiting his trial. One day, as he was cutting wood, a +large splinter flew off, and, striking his mother in the chest, +caused her death. Theodore was, at the time, on an expedition, and +to conciliate the Bishop, he made over the case to him; who, however, +declined to investigate it as it did not fall under his jurisdiction. +Theodore, vexed at the Bishop's refusal, sent the lad to Magdala, +where he was chained, awaiting the good pleasure of his judges. +Lij Barié had only been able to open one of the rings, the other +being too strong; so he fastened the chain and ring on one leg by +means of a large bandage as well as he could, and put on the shirt +and cloth of one of the servant-girls, who was in his confidence, +and, carrying on his shoulder the gombo (earthen jar for water), +left the prison inclosure without being seen. The boy had fortunately +been able to get rid of his fetters altogether, and he slipped out +also without being noticed; not being encumbered with much clothing, +and quite free in his limbs, he soon reached the gate, passed out +with the followers of some chief, and was already far away and in +safety before his disappearance was noticed. + +Lij Barié failed in his attempt. What with the chain fastened on +one leg, the woman's dress, and the gombo, he could not advance +quickly. He was, however, already half way between the prison and +the gate, somewhere not far from our inclosure, when a young man, +perceiving a good-looking girl coming in his direction, advanced +to speak to her; but as he came closer, his eyes fell upon the +bandage, and to his astonishment he saw a piece of chain peeping +through the interstices of the cloth. He guessed at once that this +was a prisoner endeavouring to escape, and followed the individual +until he met some soldiers; he told them his suspicions, and +they fell upon Lij Barié and made him a prisoner. A crowd soon +collected around the unfortunate young man, and the alarm being +given that a prisoner had been seized as he was endeavouring to +escape, several of the guards rushed to the spot, and at once +recognizing their old inmate, claimed him as their property. In +an instant all his clothes were torn off his back, and the cowardly +ruffians struck him with the butt-ends of their lances, and with +the back of their swords, until his whole body was a mass of wounds +and sores, and he lay senseless, nearly dead, on the ground. But +even this was not enough to satisfy their savage revenge; they +carried him off to the prison, hammered on hand and foot chains, +placed a long heavy log of wood round his neck, put his feet in the +stocks, and left him there for days, more dead than alive, until +the good pleasure of the Emperor should be known. + +An immediate search was made for his companion and for the servant-girl, +his accomplice. The first was already beyond their reach, but they +succeeded in capturing the unfortunate young woman. The Ras and +council immediately assembled, and condemned her to receive, in +front of the Emperor's house, one hundred blows from the heavy girãf. +The next morning the Ras, accompanied by a large number of chiefs +and soldiers, came to the spot to witness the execution of the +sentence. The girl was thrown down on the ground, stripped of her +skirt, and leather ropes tied to her feet and hands to keep her at +full stretch. A strong, powerful ruffian was entrusted with the +execution of the punishment. Each fall of the whip could be heard +from our inclosure, resounding like a pistol-shot; every blow tore +off a strip of flesh; and after every ten strokes the girãf became +so heavy with blood that, it had to be wiped before the operation +could be continued. She never said a word, nor even groaned. When +she was removed, after the hundredth stroke, the naked ribs and the +back-bone were visible through the flowing blood: the whole of the +flesh of the back having been torn to pieces. + +Some time afterwards a messenger brought back Theodore's answer. +Lij Barié was first to have his hands and feet cut off, before +all the Abyssinian prisoners, and afterwards to be thrown over the +precipice. The chiefs made quite a holiday of that execution; and +even sent a polite message to Samuel requesting him to "come and see +the fun." Lij Barié was brought out, a dozen of the bravest fell +upon him at once; and, with their ungainly blunt swords, hacked +away at his hands and feet with all the delight an Abyssinian has for +spilling blood. Whilst submitting to this agonizing torture, Lij +Barié never lost his courage or presence of mind, and it is very +remarkable that whilst they were so unmercifully murdering him, he +prophesied, almost to a letter, the fate that before long awaited +them. "You cowards," he shouted out, "fit servants of the robber +your master! He can seize no man but by treachery; and you can kill +them only when they are unarmed and in your power. But before long +the English will come to release their people; they will avenge in +your blood the ill treatment you have inflicted upon their countrymen, +and punish, you and your master for all your cowardice, cruelties, +and murders." The wretches took little notice of the dying words +of the brave lad; they hurled him over the precipice, and, in a +body, walked over to our place to finish the day, so well begun, +by partaking of Mr. Rassam's generous hospitality. + + + + + CHAPTER XIV. + + +Second Rainy Season ends--Scarcity and Dearness of Provisions--Meshisha +and Comfou plot their Escape--They succeed--Theodore is robbed--Damash +pursues the Fugitives--The Night Attack--The Galla War-cry and the +"Sauve qui peut"--The wounded left on the Field--Hospitality of the Gallas +--Theodore's Letter on the Subject--Mastiate's Troubles--Wakshum Gabra +Medhin--Sketch of Gobazé's Career--He invites the Co-operation +of the Bishop in seizing Magdala--The Bishop's Plan--All the rival Chiefs +intrigue for the Amba--Mr. Rassam's Influence overrated. + +Another Maskal (Feast of the Cross) had gone by and September ushered +in fine, pleasant weather. No important change had taken place in +our daily life: it was the same routine over again; only we were +beginning to be very anxious about the long delay of our messengers +from the coast, as our money was running short: indeed, we had +hardly any left, and every necessary of life had risen to fabulous +prices. Five oblong pieces of salt were now given in exchange for +a Maria Theresa dollar, whilst formerly, at Magdala, during their +first captivity, our companions had often got as much as thirty, +never less than fifteen or eighteen. Though the value of the salt +had so greatly increased, the articles purchased with it had not +followed the same proportion, they were, on the contrary, lowered +in amount and quality. When the salts were abundant we could buy +four old fowls for a salt; now that they were scarce, we could only +buy two; and everything in the same ratio; consequently all our +expenses had risen 200 per cent. Supplies. in the market were also +getting very scarce; and often we could not purchase grain for our +Abyssinian servants. The soldiers on the mountain suffered greatly +from this scarcity and high prices; they were continually begging, +and many, no doubt, were saved from starvation by the generosity +of those they kept prisoners. Very fortunately, I had put aside a +small sum of money in case of accident, otherwise I believe the +Abyssinian difficulty would have been at an end, so far as we were +concerned. I kept a little for myself, and handed the rest over to +Mr. Rassam, as he usually supplied us with money from the sums +forwarded to him by the agent at Massowah. We dismissed as many +servants as we possibly could, reduced our expenses to a minimum, +and sent messengers after messengers to the coast to bring us up +as much money as they could. At that time, if we had fortunately +been provided with a large sum of ready cash, I do really believe +that we might have bought the mountain; so discouraged and mutinous +were the soldiers of the garrison at the long privations and +semi-starvation they were enduring for a master of whom they had +no reliable information. The agent at the coast did his best. Hosts +of messengers had been despatched, but the condition of the country +was such that they had to bury the money they were carrying in the +house of a friend at Adowa, and abide there for several months, +until they could, with great prudence and by travelling only at +night, venture to pass through districts infested with thieves, and +a prey to the greatest anarchy. + +On the morning of the 5th of September, whilst at breakfast, one +of our interpreters rushed into the hut, and told us that our friend +Afa Negus Meshisha (the lute-player), and Bedjerand Comfou, one of +the officers in charge of the godowns, had run away. Theirs was a +long-preconcerted and ably managed plan. At the beginning of the +rainy season, ground had been allotted to the various, chiefs and +soldiers, at Islamgee and at the foot of the mountain. Some of the +chiefs made arrangements with the peasants living below for them +to till the soil on their account, they supplying the seed grain, +and the harvest to be divided between the two; others, who had many +servants, did the work themselves. Afa Negus Meshisha's and Bedjerand +Comfou's lots happened to be at the foot of the mountain; they +themselves undertook the cultivation, occasionally visited their +fields, and sent once or twice a week all their male and female +servants to pull out the weeds under the superintendence of their +wives. The whole of the land they had received had not been put +under cultivation, and, a few days before, Comfou spoke to the Ras +about it, who advised him to sow some tef, as, with the prevailing +scarcity, he would be happy to reap a second harvest. Comfou approved +of the idea, and asked the Ras to send him a servant on the morning +of the 5th, to allow him to pass the gates. The Ras agreed. On that +very morning Meshisha went to the Ras, and told him that he also +wanted to sow some tef, and asked him to allow him to go down. The +Ras, who had not the slightest suspicion, granted his request. Both +had that morning sent down several of their servants to weed the +fields, and, not to excite suspicion, had sent their wives by another +gate, also under the same pretence. As the Gallas often attacked +the soldiers of the garrison at the foot of the mountain, the +door-keepers were not surprised to see the two officers well armed +and preceded by their mules; nor did they take much notice of the +bags their followers carried, when they were told that it was tef +they were going to sow, a statement moreover corroborated by the +Ras's servant himself. Off they started in open daylight, meeting +many of the soldiers of the mountain on the way down. Arrived, at +the fields, they told their servants to follow them, and made +straight for the Galla plain. Some of the soldiers who were at the +time working at their fields suspected that all was not right, and +at once returned to the Amba and communicated their suspicions to +the Ras. He had but to take a telescope to perceive the two friends +winding their way in the distance along the road that led to the +Galla plain. All the garrison was at once called out, and an immediate +pursuit ordered; but during the interval the fugitives had gained +ground, and were at last perceived quietly resting on the plain +above, in company with such a respectable-looking body of Galla +horsemen that prudence dictated to the braves of Magdala the +advisability of not following any further. On their way back they +found, hiding herself in the bushes, the wife of Comfou, carrying +her infant babe in her arms. It appears that, flurried and excited, +that young woman failed to find the place of rendezvous, and was +concealing herself until the soldiers had passed by, when the cries +of her child attracted their attention. She was triumphantly brought +back, chained hand and feet, and cast into the common gaol, "awaiting +orders." + +Whilst the garrison had been sent on their unsuccessful errand, the +chiefs had met together, and as one of the runaways was superintendent +of the storehouses and magazines, an immediate search was made, in +order to ascertain whether he had helped himself to some of the +"treasures" before taking his unceremonious leave. To their horror +they soon found out that silks, caps, powder, even the Emperor's +gala dress, his favourite pistol and rifle, together with a large +sum of money, were missing: in fact, the _bags of tef_ were +full of spoils. The Ras felt the gravity of his position; he had +not only allowed himself to be grossly duped, but, moreover, some +of the most valuable of the Emperor's property intrusted to his +care had been carried off by his former friend. He utterly lost his +head; he painted to himself Theodore's rage on hearing the news; +he saw himself an inmate of the gaol, loaded with fetters, or perhaps +condemned to a speedy and cruel death. He assembled the council, +and laid the case before the chiefs; the wisest and most experienced +were for trusting to his relationship with the Emperor, and to his +well-known friendship for him; others proposed an expedition in the +Galla country, a night attack on the village where it was supposed +the fugitive would spend the nights: a few hundred would start in +the evening, they said, surprise the fugitives, bring them back, +recover the lost property, and, at the same time, murder a few +Gallas, and plunder as much as they could--exploits that would +immensely gratify their royal master, and make him forget the easy +way the Ras had been imposed upon. + +This last advice was carried out; and, though some still dissented, +the Ras overruled their objections: he was already so deeply +compromised that he clutched at every chance that offered itself +of retrieving his position. Bitwaddad Damash, the friend and +countryman of Theodore, the brave warrior, was intrusted with the +command; under him were, placed Bitwaddad Hailo, Bitwaddad Wassié, +and Dedjazmatch Goji, all of them "old friends of ours," and of +whom I have given a short description. Two hundred of Damash's +gunmen, and two hundred of Goji's spearmen, all picked soldiers, +well armed and well mounted, formed the attacking party. Towards +sunset they all assembled. Before leaving, Damash, clad in a silk +shirt, wearing gallantly over his shoulders a splendid tiger's skin, +armed with a pair of pistols and a double-barrelled gun; came to +our prison to bid us good-by; or rather to gratify his vanity by +our compelled admiration, and to obtain a parting blessing from his +friend Mr. Rassam, who courteously performed the ceremony. + +Twice before, Damash had, during our stay at Magdala, started for +Watat, a village some twelve miles distant from Magdala, not far +from where the Bechelo separates the province of Worahaimanoo from +the plateau of Dahonte. There the Emperor's cattle were kept, and +messengers had been sent to the Amba by the peasants requesting +immediate assistance, as a Galla force had made its appearance, and +they felt themselves unable to protect Theodore's cows. On these +occasions the very sight of Damash and his gunmen had driven the +Gallas away: at least so they said on their return; but _mauvaises +langues_ asserted that it was only a trick of the country people +themselves, who desired to be reported to the Emperor as faithful +subjects of his and anxious to protect the cattle they had in charge. +Many of the younger and inexperienced soldiers felt confident that +on this occasion the result would be the same; the fugitives would +be surprised, and the Gallas run away in all directions at the sight +of Damash and his valiant companions, leaving their homesteads and +property at the mercy of the invaders. + +The Ras passed an anxious, sleepless night; at day-dawn he and his +friends went upon the small hillock near the prison, and telescope +in hand anxiously watched the Galla plain. Hours passed away, and +they saw nothing. What had occurred? why had not Damash and his +men come back? such were the questions every, one asked: the old +men shook their heads; they had fought in their days in the Galla +country, and knew the valour of these savage horsemen. Even our old +spy, Abu Falek, probably to see what we would say exclaimed, "That +fool Damash had the impudence to make a raid in the Galla country, +when even Theodore himself could not go there now." At last the +welcome intelligence that Damash and his men were coming back, +spread like wild-fire all over the mountain: they had been seen +descending a steep ravine, not the road they had taken on going, +but a shorter one. Soon afterwards horses and men were perceived +on the plain; and something like confusion, and cattle being hurried +down could be made out by the glasses. The party from the garrison +were seen to halt at a short distance from the ravine they had +descended, and march on very slowly. Something was wrong evidently; +horsemen were at once despatched by the Ras to ascertain the result +of the expedition. They returned with a doleful tale, and the Amba +soon rang with the wailing of widows and orphans; eleven dead, +thirty wounded, scores of fire-arms lost, the fugitives at large, +was in sum the intelligence they brought back to the desponding +Ras. + +A Galla renegade had the night before led Damash and his men straight +to the village of the chief in whose company they had been seen in +the morning, and under whose hospitable roof he justly surmised +that they would spend the night. At first all succeeded as they had +expected. They reached the doomed village an hour before day-dawn, +and surrounded at once the house of the chief, whilst a small body +was sent to search and plunder the village itself. A fearful massacre +took place; surprised in their sleep, the men were murdered before +they were aware of the presence of the enemy; only a few were spared, +together with some women and children, by the less blood-thirsty +of these midnight assassins. Before retiring to rest, Meshisha and +Comfou, thinking that perhaps an attempt might be made to capture +them, advised the chief to be on his guard, and proposed to sleep +with him in a small broken-down hut at some distance from his house. +Fortunately for them and the chief, they adopted that prudent course; +awoke by the cries and shouts in the village, they bridled their +ready-saddled steeds, and were off before even their presence had +been suspected. + +Damash collected his men, and with his prisoners and plunder at +once retraced his steps, glorying in his great deed and rejoicing +in his success; it is true he had not caught the fugitives, but +after all that was the Ras's business. He had planned the expedition, +carried fire and sword into the Galla country; and without the loss +of a single man was returning to the Amba with prisoners, horses, +cows, mules, and other spoils of war. He knew how pleased Theodore +would be, and he fancied himself already the fortunate successor +of the disgraced Ras. He was within a few hundred yards of the +short road he intended to take on his way back, leading from the +Tanta plateau to the valley below Magdala, when he saw on the distant +horizon a few horsemen riding towards him at full speed. The cattle +and prisoners under charge of Goji and a few men were already engaged +in the narrow road, and retreat was impossible. He placed his gunmen +so as to face the horsemen, only a dozen, hoping to scare that +handful off by the very sight of his large force; but he was mistaken. +Brave Mahomed Hamza had the blood of his relations to avenge, and, +though at the head of only twelve men, he bravely charged the 400 +Amhara soldiers. A shot struck him in the forehead, and he fell +dead from his horse. His companions, however, before the Amharas +could reload, made a second brilliant charge, avenged their chief, +and carried away the body all were anxious to mutilate. More +horsemen came pouring in from all directions; the war-cry was echoed +far and wide; men, women, and children assailed the Amharas with +lances and stones. Mahomed's brothers, now supported by fifty lances, +charged again and again the affrighted enemy, and drove them like +sheep to the very brink of the precipice. + +Damash, however, had not come to fight but to slay; he was only +brave when he had prisoners to bully, defenceless men to murder, +and children to reduce to slavery: the cattle had reached the valley +below and the road was clear, so throwing away his tiger's skin, +his shield, his pistols, his gun, and abandoning his horses, he +gave the example of the _sauve qui peut_, and rolled rather +than ran down the steep descent. His example was followed by all +the Amharas. A complete rout followed; the ground was strewed with +matchlocks, spears, and shields; wounded and dead were alike abandoned +on the battlefield. The Gallas did not follow them down the ravine +as they could not charge on the broken ground below; they, however, +killed several with sharp stones--a dreadful weapon in a Galla's +hand--as their terrified foe hurried down the narrow pass and tumbled +one over the other in their eagerness to reach the valley, where +these cowards knew well that they would be safe. + +Almost all the wounded came to me; and for twelve hours I was busy +bandaging and dressing their wounds. In several cases, where I knew +that recovery was impossible, I informed the relations of the fact; +as otherwise their death would have been laid to me, a rather serious +matter in our critical position. Those thus warned always sought +native advice, but they found out very soon that charms and amulets +were of no avail, and that my prognostic had been but too true. I +remember one case: a chief who had often been on guard at night +over our prison had his left leg completely smashed by a stone; +without entering into professional details, suffice it to say that +I at once pronounced amputation as the only possible remedy; but +to please the chiefs, who took a great interest in him, I agreed +to dress his wound for a week, and after that time, should I be +still of the same opinion to inform them of it. He had a small godjo +built in our inclosure, and remained there until I gave for the +second time as my opinion that nothing could save his life but +immediate amputation. He was on that taken to his house and made +over to a Shoa doctor, who promised not only to save his life but +also the limb. The poor man was tortured by that ignorant quack for +a week or ten days, until death put an end to his misery. + +Two days after, on a female spy reporting that in the ravine where +the Amharas had been slaughtered, she had seen two wounded men +hidden among the bushes, and still alive; an old chief, also a Galla +renegade, with a few hundred men, was ordered to proceed to the +spot, and endeavour to bring them back and bury the dead; they were +on no account to engage in any action with the Gallas, but to retreat +at once should he meet with resistance. He saw no enemy except his +old comrade Comfou, who, from a rock above, fired at them with his +rifle, without wounding or killing any one; they returned his fire, +but to no purpose, and, having fulfilled their instructions, brought +in the two wounded men: both, however, died shortly afterwards. +One of them had his right arm and left leg broken; moreover, a spear +had cut open the abdominal integuments, and the bowels protruded: +he said that he had suffered greatly from thirst, but that his +greatest trouble was, with his left hand, to keep off the vultures +from tearing his intestines. + +The Ras, it is true, was now in a worse plight than before; but +this time not alone. Damash had abandoned his men, run away, and +lost the gun, pistols, and horse the Emperor had given, or rather +lent, him. Many of the petty chiefs and soldiers had followed +Damash's example, and some twenty-five matchlocks could not he +accounted for, and of spears and shields the number missing was +still greater. By-the-by, Damash pretended to be wounded, and for +a long time we saw nothing of him, a circumstance at which we +rejoiced extremely, but _his friends_ told us that he was only +suffering from a few excoriations due to his rather too rapid +retreat. + +If force had failed, perhaps negotiations might succeed. It was +known that the two fugitives were still living in some of the +villages belonging to the relations of Mahomed, awaiting the return +of a messenger they had sent to the Galla Queen Mastiate, whose +camp was a few days distant. The Magdala chiefs, therefore, proposed +to the Gallas in their power that if they could induce their relations +to give up the two fugitives, with the things they had taken away +with them, they would set them all--men, women, and children--free, +and restore the cattle that had been plundered. A woman, the wife +of one of the principal men captured, volunteered to go. To the +honour of the Gallas, they proudly and with scorn refused to give +up their guests: they preferred to allow their relatives to linger +in chains at Magdala, and abandon them to tortures and death, rather +than obtain their release by a dishonourable action. + +The Magdala magnates had now to give up all hope of redeeming their +conduct in the eyes of Theodore; the good understanding between +them was much shaken: they taxed one another, when in their cups, +with cowardice, sent messengers separately to the Emperor, accusing +one another, and lived in as much dread of the arrival of an Imperial +messenger as we did ourselves. But Theodore, surrounded by difficulties, +almost cut off from his amba, was far too cunning to show his +displeasure: his letter on the subject was perfect. What if two of +his servants had run away? they were unfaithful, and he was only +too glad that they had left his amba; as for the arms lost, what +did it matter? he had more to give them; and when he came they +should take their revenge. A few, not many, were taken in, but all +pretended to be so, and several only awaited a favourable opportunity +to follow the example of those they had endeavoured to capture. + +Every one suspected that Mastiate, the Galla Queen, would resent +the foray made in her country, and avenge the death of her subjects +so treacherously murdered. She would probably, they feared, destroy +their crops at the foot of the Amba, stop the market, and starve +out the place. She had, they knew, faithful allies in Comfou and +Meshisha, and as the latter had been almost brought up on the +mountain, and knew the many paths by which to lead; at night, the +Galla host, much anxiety, therefore, prevailed, and great precautions +were taken to protect the Amba against a sudden attack. + +I believe that it was indeed Mastiate's plan, and that she was on +the point of executing it when a serious danger from, another side +required her presence. Wakshum Gobazé, at the head of a powerful +army, had invaded her dominions. + +Our days of calm repose were at an end; if it was not one rebel +chief or the other that threatened the Amba, it was the good news +from home that at last an expedition for our deliverance had been +decided upon, or the less welcome information that the King was +about to move in our direction; and one excitement had hardly +subsided before we were again a prey to another--one day full of +hope, the next, perhaps, desponding and cast down. + +Watshum Gobazé's career, had been full of adventure. As a young +man he accompanied his father, Wakshum Gabra Medhin, the hereditary +chief of Lasta, to the Imperial camp. On Theodore's first campaign +in Shoa, which ended in the submission of that country, Gobazé's +father fell under Theodore's displeasure, and was on the point of +being executed when the Bishop interfered, and, as he was of great +use to Theodore at the time, his request was granted. However, not +long afterwards, Gobazé and his father seized their opportunity, +deserted from Theodore's army, and retired into Lasta. They had not +much difficulty in inducing the mountaineers to espouse their cause, +and declare themselves independent. Theodore deputed to suppress +that insurrection the rebel's own cousin, called Wakshum Teferi, a +brave soldier and splendid horseman. He pursued his relative, +totally defeated his army, and brought him a chained prisoner to +the foot of the throne. Theodore was at the time in Wadela, a high +plateau situate between Lasta and Begemder. He condemned the rebel +chief to death; and as but few trees are to be found on that elevated +plateau, he had him hung on the one near which his tent was pitched, +so that the body of his enemy might be seen far and wide. Gobazé +had managed to escape; and some time afterwards, Theodore, who was +afraid of Wakshum Teferi, as he was beloved and admired by the +soldiers, put him in chains,--forgetting that the man had served +him so faithfully as even to bring to the scaffold his blood relation, +--on the pretext that he had willingly allowed Gobazé to escape. + +Gobazé for a while remained hidden in the fastnesses of the high +mountains of Lasta, but no sooner did he perceive that the Emperor's +power was weakened and that the peasants were discontented with his +tyrannical rule, than he came forth from his retreat, and having +collected around him some of the former followers of his father, hoisted +the standard of rebellion, and loudly proclaimed himself the avenger +of his race. All Lasta soon acknowledged him. His rule was mild; and +before long Gobazé found himself at the head of a considerable force. +He advanced in the direction of Tigré, subdued the provinces +of Enderta and Wajjerat, marched into Tigré proper, conquered +Theodore's lieutenant, and left there his deputy, Dejatch Kassa. +He himself returned to Lasta, having in view the extension of his power +towards Yedjow and the Galla country, so as to protect Lasta from being +invaded by these tribes during his proposed conquest of the Amhara country. +Circumstances were greatly in his favour, and for a while he was +the man to whom all Abyssinia looked to as their future ruler. On +his return to Lasta he was at once acknowledged by Wadela, and at +the same time some runaway chiefs of Yedjow having come to him, he +availed himself of their assistance to make himself master of that +province. He had some trouble, however, in settling it, as part of +it was strongly in favour of an alliance with the Wallo Gallas: he +deemed it the wisest course, therefore, to invade the Wallo country +after the rainy season, and dictate his terms. He detached a small +force, and sent with it one of his relations to receive the submission +of Dalanta; and not long afterwards Dahonte was evacuated by the +Gallas, and occupied by his troops. In the beginning of September +he entered the Wallo Galla country by its north-eastern frontier, not +far from Lake Haïk. On the intelligence reaching Queen Mastiate she +hastened to oppose his march, and encamped a few miles in advance of his +army, on a large plain, where her splendid cavalry would have all +advantage. For at least a fortnight or three weeks the two armies +remained in front of each other; Gobazé awaiting his enemy on +the broken ground he had encamped upon, and where the Galla horse +could not charge, but where his gunmen would be all-powerful; while +the Queen, on her side, would not leave the ground she had chosen, +and where she was almost certain of victory. + +Gobazé had been long before in communication with the Bishop and +with Mr. Rassam. Before the rainy season of 1867, he had sent word +to the Bishop that he was coming to Magdala, presented him a few +hundred dollars, and asked him to afford all the assistance in his +power should he advance towards the place. The Bishop said he would +do his utmost, and that as soon as the Amba was invested he would +leave no stone, unturned to facilitate his plans. Gobazé sent +back word that if the Bishop would secure him the services of Damash, +Goji, and the Ras (the three who had all the garrison under their +joint command), that he would come at once. This request was simply +absurd; if we had been able to gain over these men to our cause, +we could have dispensed with the presence of Gobazé altogether. +What the Bishop proposed was, that Gobazé should encamp at +Islamgee; the moment he appeared below the mountain, the Bishop would +supply us and some men upon whom he could depend with fire-arms and +ammunition. We should in the meanwhile open our chains with the +assistance of our servants, and arm all those amongst them who could +be trusted; and on the Bishop being informed, that we were ready, +he would come out in full canonicals, carrying the holy cross, and +excommunicate Theodore and every one who adhered to him, placing +under an irrevocable curse all who attempted to arrest him or us. +Our party, including Portuguese, natives of Massowah, and messengers, +would have amounted to at least twenty-five; the Bishop could bring +fifty men, and surround himself with about 200 priests and defteras, +so as to form a mixed sortie; all, however, ready to fight in case +of need. Should persuasion or threats fail to force the way to the +gate, they were to shoot down any one attempting to molest us in +our advance. Arrived at the gate, the Bishop and the priests would +stand before the inner door, whilst the armed party would seize +upon the outer gate and hold it until the Wakshum and his men, ready +at hand, would march in and take possession of the fort. + +The plan was a very good one, and no doubt would have succeeded. +We knew well, that no pity would have been shown to us had we been +recaptured, and we would have fallen one after the other, rather +than allow ourselves to be made prisoners again. In presence of +even a handful of men, determined to sell their lives dearly, few +of the soldiers would have ventured on an open attack; the affair +would have been sudden, and the garrison taken by surprise: moreover, +we had to deal with bigoted people, and many who might have rushed +upon us, would have been kept back by the presence of the Bishop, +and would kiss the ground before his feet rather than encounter his +dreaded excommunication. The Bishop informed Gobazé of this plan, +and for days we lived in a fearful state of excitement, always hoping +that the messenger would return with the grateful intelligence +that Gobazé had accepted it. However, we were doomed to +disappointment: Gobazé did not approve the suggestion; he sent word +to the Bishop, "It is better for me to go to Begemder and attack there +my blood enemy: only give me your blessing. On the fall of Theodore, +the Amba belongs to me; it is far preferable that I should fight him +instead of attacking Magdala, as you know well that we cannot take +forts." The blessing was duly given; but Gobazé thought better +of it: he did not venture to attack the murderer of his father, +and a few days afterwards we heard that he had marched into Yedjow. +Gobazé behaved always very well towards us; he assisted, as much as +lay in his power, our messengers on their way to the coast, and was +anxious to effect our deliverance; unfortunately he had not sufficient +courage to fight when Theodore was his opponent. + +Gobazé and Mastiate after a time got tired of staring at one +another. The latter was aware that before long she would have to +deal with even a more serious enemy, in the person of her rival +Workite, and she would willingly have come to terms. She sent a +horse to Gobazé as a peace-offering, but he returned the present, +accompanied with a parcel of cotton and a spindle, with a message to +the effect that she had nothing to do with horses, and as her +occupation was to spin cotton, he had sent her the necessary articles. +Gobazé, however, shortly afterwards heard that in Tigré, Dejatch +Kassa, who for some months had abandoned his cause, had made +himself very powerful, and marched upon Adowa. Supplies also began to +run short in his camp, whilst Mastiate being in her own country, could +draw them with all facility; he therefore retraced his steps +towards Yedjow. Mastiate followed him in the rear, only biding her time +to fall upon him when a favourable opportunity presented itself. +Gobazé found his position difficult, and made advances. Mastiate saw +her advantage and made her own terms. She promised not to interfere in +the affairs of Yedjow, on condition that he made over to her the +provinces of Dahonte and Dalanta, which he had shortly before occupied. +He agreed, and peace was made between the two parties; it was even +reported that an offensive and defensive alliance had been concluded +between them; but this could hardly have been the case, as soon +afterwards, when Mastiate was hard pressed by Menilek, her new ally +did not afford her any assistance. + +To us these constant changes of rulers was most annoying, more so +as we had no money, and were constantly obliged to make presents +to the new chiefs appointed by the conqueror of the day. We had +hardly made "friends" with the shums (governors) Theodore had left +in those provinces, than we had to open communications with the +deputies of the Galla Queen, and again with those of Gobazé +on the evacuation of those districts by the Gallas, and a fourth +time on their reoccupation by the Gallas: we had to ensure their +neutrality, at least,--for they had already plundered several of +our messengers--by suitable offerings and promises of more, should +they favour our cause. In one respect we were very fortunate: on +our arrival we were saved from much discomfort, if not from something +worse, by the money the Emperor gave to his workmen; who made it +over to us. During the rainy season we were again saved from +starvation by a few dollars I had kept in reserve; for the third +time, everything appeared desperate, and we were so reduced that +some sold and others were talking of selling their mules and anything +available, when a messenger at last reached us with a few hundred +dollars. + +Whilst Mastiate was negotiating with Gobaz, her son wrote to Mr. +Rassam and to the Bishop. He asked Mr. Rassam to use his influence +and give him the mountain, promising in return to treat us honourably +if we liked to remain in his country, or enable us to reach the +coast if we desired to return to our own native land. To the Bishop +he promised all protection; he would allow him to take away his +property, and would not injure what he called "his idols." + +So long as we could get out of the clutches of Theodore, it did not +matter much into whose hands we fell: not that we ever expected,--such, +at least, was the opinion of the majority amongst us,--that we +should be allowed to leave the country: but, at all events, we +should not be in daily fear of our lives, of tortures, and of +starvation, as we were then. We should not have liked to fall into +the hands of the peasants or of some petty chief: the first would +have at once put us to death out of hatred to the white men; the +second, most probably would have ill-treated us or have sold us to +the highest bidder. The great rebels would have acted differently: +we should have been, for a time, at least, comparatively free, and +allowed to depart on a suitable ransom being given. Therefore, to +Ali, to Gobaz, to Ahmed the son of Mastiate, or to Menilek the +King of Shoa, Mr. Rassam's answer was always the same, "Come; invest +this place, and then we will see what we can do for you." + +It amused us sometimes to watch all these different rivals of +Theodore, each of them endeavouring to seize upon Magdala even +before Theodore was quite out of the way. Gobazé and Menilek, +had both in view to make themselves rulers of Abyssinia, by the +possession of Magdala: (indeed the latter had also written before +the rainy season, informing the Bishop of his coming to take +possession of _his_ amba, and requesting the bishop to take +care of _his_ property.) Apart from the great prestige it would +confer upon them, they would obtain the three things they rightly +judged would most likely insure the fulfilment of their ambitious +views: viz., the throne, the Bishop, and the English prisoners. All +wanted Mr. Bassam, not merely to help them, but to _give_ them +the mountain: they were aware that the chiefs were on friendly terms +with us, and supposed that we were in possession of fabulous sums +of money, so that, by means of friendship and bribery, we might +open the gates to the candidate we selected. + +Magdala could only become theirs by treachery: in their immense +armies, they could not have found twenty men with sufficient courage +to venture on an assault. Magdala had the reputation of being +impregnable; and, indeed, against natives badly armed, it was very +nearly so. Even Theodore only took possession of it because the +Galla garrison, through fear, evacuated the place during the night. +He had pitched his camp at the foot of the Amba, and attempted an +assault; but soon retired from his hopeless task before the shower +of missiles thrown from above. It was not until several days after +the Gallas had retired, that one of the chiefs, suspecting the place +to be empty, cautiously ventured to ascertain the fact, and returned +to inform Theodore that he might quietly walk in as the enemy had +disappeared. + + + + + CHAPTER XV + + +Death of Abouna Salama--Sketch of his Life and Career--Grievances +of Theodore against him--His Imprisonment at Magdala--The Wallo +Gallas--Their Habits and Customs--Menilek appears with an Army in +the Galla Country--His Policy--Advice sent to him by Mr. Rassam--He +invests Magdala and fires a _feu-de-joie_--The Queen's Behaviour +--Steps taken by the Chiefs--Our Position not Improved--The Effects +of Smoke on Menilek--Our Disappointment followed by Great Joy--We +receive News of the Landing of British Troops. + + +On the 25th of October, Abouna Salama (the Bishop of Abyssinia) +died after a long and painful illness. + +Abouna Salama was in many respects a remarkable man. Two such +characters as Theodore and himself are seldom met with at the same +time in those distant lands. Both ambitious, both proud, both +passionate, it was inevitable that sooner or later they must come +into collision, and the stronger crush the weaker. + +Abyssinia had been for years without a bishop. Priests could no +more be consecrated, nor new churches dedicated to Christian worship, +as the ark could not contain the tabot blessed by the bishop of the +land. Ras Ali, although outwardly a Christian and belonging to a +converted family, had still too many connections amongst the Mussulman +Gallas, his true friends and supporters, to care for more than an +apparent profession of the State religion, and troubled himself +very little about the inconvenience to which the priesthood was +subjected by the long-continued vacancy of the bishopric. + +Dejatch Oubié was at that time the semi-independent ruler of +Tigré. From the position of a simple governor he had gradually +risen to power, and now at the head of a large army strove for the +title of Ras. Though still on apparent terms of friendship with +Ras Ali, even to a certain degree acknowledging him as his superior, +he was all the while secretly exerting his influence to overthrow +the Ras's power in order to reign in his stead. For these reasons +he despatched some of his chiefs, with Monsignor de Jacobis, an +Italian nobleman and Roman Catholic bishop at Massowah, to Egypt, +to obtain a bishop for the Abyssinian see; [Footnote: According to +the rules of the Abyssinian Church, the bishop must be a Coptic +priest ordained at Cairo. The expenses required for the consecration +of a bishop amount to about 10,000 dollars] and in order to secure +for himself such a powerful weapon as the support of the priesthood, +he incurred the heavy expense required for the consecration of an +Abouna. De Jacobis made strenuous efforts to have a bishop anointed +who would favour the Roman Catholics; but he failed, as the Patriarch +chose for that dignity a young man who had received part of his +education at an English school at Cairo, and whose views were more +in favour of Protestantism than of the Copt's long-standing adversary, +the Church of Rome. + +Andraos, this young priest, was only in his twentieth year. When +informed that he must leave his monastery and the companionship of +the monks his friends to proceed to the distant and semi-civilized +land of Habesch, he firmly declined the honour proposed for him. +He requested his superiors to fix their choice on a worthier man, +declaring himself unfit for the dignity so suddenly thrust upon +him. His objections were not admitted, and as he still persisted +in his refusal, the superior of the convent put him in irons; wherein +he should remain, he was told, until he agreed to obey the head of +the Coptic Church. Andraos gave in; and having been duly anointed +and consecrated Bishop of Abyssinia, under the title of Abouna +Salama, with all the pomps and ceremonies proper to the occasion, +started shortly afterwards in an English man-of-war, reaching +Massowah in the beginning of 1841. + +Dejatch Oubié received him with great honours; added numerous +villages and large districts to those the hereditary possession of +the bishops, and made every endeavour to attach him to his cause. +He succeeded even beyond his expectations. Abouna Salama, instead +of needing the persuasions of Oubié to join him in the overthrow +of Ras Ali, proposed the attempt. Through his influence Oubié +concluded an alliance with Goscho Beru, the ruler of Godjam. The +two chiefs agreed to march on Debra Tabor, attack Ras Ali, wrest +from him the power he had usurped, and divide the government of +Abyssinia, confirming the Bishop's alleged rights to a third of the +revenue of the land. + +Oubié and Goscho Beru kept to their engagements, offered battle +to Ras Ali near Debra Tabor, and utterly routed his army; Ras Ali +with difficulty escaping from the field with a small body of well-mounted +followers. It so happened, however, that Oubié celebrated his +success in potations too many and deep. Some of the fugitive soldiers +of Ras Ali accidentally entered Oubié's tent, found their master's +conqueror in the condition known as dead drunk, and availed themselves +of his helpless condition to make him their prisoner. This sudden +contretemps changed the aspect of affairs. Certain well-mounted +horsemen galloped after Ras Ali and succeeded in overtaking him +towards evening. He would not at first believe in his good fortune; +but others of his soldiers arriving and confirming the glad tidings, +he returned to Debra Tabor, reunited his scattered followers, and +was able to dictate terms to his captive conqueror. Oubié was +pardoned and allowed to return to Tigré, the Bishop being answerable +for his fidelity. Ras Ali treated the Bishop with all respect, fell +at his feet and implored him not to listen to the calumnies of +his enemies, assuring him that the Church had no more faithful son +than himself, nor any more willing to comply with the holy father's +wishes. The Bishop, now on friendly terms with all parties, and all +but worshipped by them, soon made his authority felt; and had not +Theodore risen from obscurity, Abouna Salama would, no doubt, have +been the Hildebrand of Abyssinia. + +During the campaigns of Lij Kassa against the ruler of Godjam, and +during that period of revolution ending in the overthrow of Ras +Ali, Abouna Salama retired to his property in Tigré, residing +there in peace under the protection of his friend Oubié. Ever +since his arrival in Abyssinia Abouna Salama had shown the bitterest +opposition to the Roman Catholics: an enmity not so much engendered +by conviction, perhaps, as inflamed by the fact that some of his +property had been seized at Jiddah at the instigation of some Roman +Catholic priests, who had through his influence been plundered, +ill-treated, and expelled from Abyssinia. When the intelligence +reached the Abouna that Lij Kassa was marching against Tigré, +he publicly excommunicated him, on the ground that Kassa was the +friend of the Roman Catholics, protected their Bishop, De Jacobis, +and wanted to subvert in favour of the creed of Rome the religion +of the land. But Kassa was a match for the Abouna; he denied the +charge, and at the same time stated "that if Abouna Salama could +excommunicate, Abouna de Jacobis could remove it." The Bishop, +alarmed at the influence his enemies might possibly obtain, offered +to recall his anathema, on condition that Kassa would expel De +Jacobis. These terms having been agreed upon, Abouna Salama shortly +afterwards consented to place the crown of Abyssinia on the usurper's +head, and did so in the very church Oubié had erected for his own +coronation, under the name of Theodore II. + +Pleased with the Bishop's compliance, Theodore showed him the utmost +respect. He carried his chair, or walked behind him with a lance +and shield as if he was nothing but a follower of his, and on all +fit occasions fell down to the ground in his presence and respectfully +kissed his hand. Abouna Salama for a time believed that his influence +over Theodore was unbounded, as it had been over Ras Ali and Oubié; +mistook Theodore's show of humility for sincere admiration and +devotion; and the more humble Theodore seemed disposed to be, the +more arrogant did the Bishop, publicly show himself. But he had not +quite understood the character of the Emperor he had anointed; and +overrating his own importance, at last he made of Theodore an open +and relentless enemy. The crisis came when Abouna Salama least +expected it. One day Theodore went in state to pay him his respects. +Arrived at the Abouna's tent, he informed him of his visit; the +Bishop sent word that he would receive him when convenient, and +meanwhile bade him wait without. Theodore complied; but as time +passed and the Bishop made no appearance, Theodore walked away, the +enemy of his prelate, and burning for revenge. + +For years afterwards they lived in open enmity, or enmity slightly +masked: each worked hard at the destruction of the other. If +Theodore's reign had been a peaceful one, the Abouna would have +gained the day; but the Emperor, surrounded as he was by a large +army of devoted followers, found ready listeners to his descriptions +of the Bishop's character. Abouna Salama was never very popular; +he was, without being a miser, far from liberal. Friendship in +Abyssinia means presents: it is accepted as such by all; and every +chief, every man of note, who courts popularity, lavishes with an +unsparing hand. The Emperor naturally took advantage of this want +of liberality in the Bishop's character, to contrast it with his +own generosity. He insinuated that the Abouna was only a merchant +at heart; that instead of selling the tribute he received in kind +to the people of the country, as was formerly the custom, he sent +it by caravans to Massowah, trafficked with the Turks, and hoarded +all his money in Egypt. Little by little Theodore worked on the +minds of his people, impressing them with the idea that, after all, +the Bishop was only a man like themselves; and, at least in Theodore's +camp, he had already lost much of his prestige when the Emperor +spread the report that his honour had been assailed by the Bishop +whom they all worshipped. + +Theodore, when detailing to us his grievances one day on our way +to Agau Medar, introduced the subject of his quarrel with the Abouna. +He then stated as the reason of his enmity against him that, one +day when he was entertaining his officers at a public breakfast, +the Bishop, taking advantage of his absence, and under pretence of +confessing the Queen, went into her tent. When Theodore returned +after the breakfast was over, he presented himself at the door of +his wife's apartment, but on being informed that she was engaged +in her religious duties with the Abouna he walked away. In the +evening he returned again to his wife's tent. When he entered, she +flew to him, and sobbing on his neck told him that she had been +that day unwillingly unfaithful to him, having been unable to resist +the violence of the Bishop. He forgave her, he said, because she +was innocent; and as for the suborner of his honour he could not +punish him: nothing but death could avenge such a crime, and how +could he lay violent hands on a dignitary of the Church?--There is +no doubt that the whole was an abominable invention; but Theodore +had evidently told the same story over and over again until at last +he had come to believe it himself. + +Abouna Salama lost reputation, though, perhaps, few people believed +the Emperor's assertion. But on the principle that if you throw mud +some will stick, the Abouna's character was amongst a certain class +fairly gone; and henceforward his friends were only to be found +amongst the King's enemies, while his foes were Theodore's bosom +friends. In public Theodore still always treated him with respect, +though not with such a great show of humility as before; but he +evidently, for the sake of his people, made a distinction between +the official character of the Abouna, respecting it on account of +his Christian faith, and his private one, for which he expressed +the greatest scorn. + +For a long while the question of the Church lands was a great deal +discussed between them. Theodore could not tolerate any power in +the State but his own. He had fought hard to be the supreme ruler +of Abyssinia; he had done his utmost to bring the Abouna into +contempt, and when he thought the occasion favourable to do away +entirely with his power and influence, he confiscated all the Church +lands and revenues--some of the Bishop's hereditary property by the +same stroke--and placed himself virtually at the head of the Church. +The Abouna's anger knew no bounds. Naturally of a violent temper, +he grossly abused Theodore on every occasion. Some of their quarrels +were most unbecoming; the intense hatred burning in the prelate's +heart showing itself in expressions that ought never to have fallen +from his lips. The Bishop of Abyssinia was never tolerant. I have +mentioned that towards Roman Catholics he was most intolerant. He +persecuted them at every opportunity, and even when himself a +prisoner at Magdala he never sought to obtain the release of an +unfortunate Abyssinian who had been years before cast into chains +at his instigation, for the sole reason that the man had visited +Rome and become a convert there. Towards Protestants he was better +inclined; still, he would not hear of "conversions." Missionaries +might instruct, but they had to stop there; and when, as it happened, +some Jews were led by the teachings of the missionaries to accept +Christianity, they had to be baptized and received as members of +the Abyssinian Church. He showed himself on all occasions friendly +towards Europeans, not Roman Catholics, and in time of trouble +proved of good service to the European captives; even helping them +with small sums of money at a time of great scarcity and want. But +his friendship was dangerous. Theodore distrusted, nay, disliked +any one who was on friendly terms with his great enemy; the horrid +torture the Europeans suffered at Azzazoo was due entirely to that +cause; and the quarrels or reconciliations between Church and State +always influenced their and our fate. The Abouna left Azzazoo with +the King's camp after the rainy season of 1864. + +A serious rebellion had broken out in Shoa, and Theodore, leaving +his prisoners, wives and camp-followers at Magdala, made a quick +march through the Wallo Galla country; but he found the rebels so +strong that he could do nothing against them. He was greatly annoyed +at the Bishop's refusal to accompany him. The Shoa people are of +all Abyssinians the most bigoted, and have the greatest regard for +their Abouna; with him in his camp many of the opposing chiefs would +at once have laid down their arms and returned to their allegiance. +But the Bishop, who had in view his fertile districts in Tigré, +proposed accompanying Theodore first to that province; and after +the rebellion had been put down in that part of the kingdom, to +proceed with him to Shoa. Their interview on that occasion was +very stormy; and Theodore must have had great command over himself +to have refrained from extremities. Abouna Salama remained at +Magdala, according to his desire; but a prisoner. He was never put +in chains; though it is said that Theodore had several times resolve +it should be done, and even had the fetters prepared; but he was +always restrained by dread of the effect that such a measure might +have on his people. The Bishop was allowed to go as far as the +church, should he desire it; but at night a small guards always +watched outside his house; sometimes even a few of the soldiers +passed the night in the Abouna's apartment. Almost all his servants +were spies of the King. He could trust no one, except a few of his +slaves--young Gallas given to him in former days by Theodore--and +a Copt, who, with some priests, had accompanied the Patriarch David +on his visit to Abyssinia: some of them had accepted the King's +service, whilst others, like the Copt servant I have mentioned, +devoted themselves to their compatriot and bishop. + +During the former imprisonment of the captives at Magdala, the +intercourse between the Bishop and them had been very limited. They +never saw each other; but occasionally a young slave of the Bishop's +would carry a verbal message, or a short Arabic note containing +some piece of news, generally some exaggerated rumours of the rebels' +doings (always believed by the too credulous Abouna), or simple +inquiries about medicine, &c. + +The day of our arrival, and whilst the chiefs were reading Theodore's +instructions concerning us, the young slave above mentioned came +up to Mr. Rosenthal with kind compliments from the Abouna, to inform +us that as far as his master then knew there was nothing bad for +the present, but great fears for the future. The Bishop, we knew, +had frequent communications with the great rebel chiefs (Theodore +was also well aware of the fact, and hated him all the more for +it); he had shown himself at all times well disposed towards us, +and as he was as anxious as ourselves to escape from the power of +Theodore, we deemed it of the highest importance to open communication +with him. But the difficulties in the way were enormous. Nothing +would have injured our prospects more than the betrayal of our +intercourse with the Bishop to the Emperor. Samuel in that respect +could not for a long time be trusted; as a deadly enmity existed +between himself and the Bishop. It required all the persuasive +powers of Mr. Rassam to bring on a good understanding between the +two; he, however, managed the affair so skilfully that he not only +succeeded, but after mutual explanations, they became affectionate +friends. But, until this difficulty had been overcome, great +precautions were necessary. + +The small slave was soon suspected by our vigilant guards. It would +have been dangerous to confide to him anything of importance, for +he might at any time be seized and searched. We therefore employed +servant-girls, who were known to the Bishop, as they had resided +on the mountain with the former captives. The Bishop accepted with +eagerness our proposal to escape from the Amba, and, sanguine as +he was hasty, at first gave us great hopes; but when we came to the +details of his plot, as far as we were concerned, we found it was +perfectly ridiculous. He wanted some nitrate of silver in order +to blacken his face, so as to pass unperceived through the gates. +Once free, he was to join either Menilek or the Wakshum, excommunicate +and depose Theodore, and proclaim the rebel emperor in his place. +He had evidently forgotten that the days of Oubié and Ras Ali +were gone long ago, that the man who held Magdala cared but little +for excommunication, and that, deposed or not, Theodore still would +virtually be king. The Bishop might have succeeded, perhaps; but +had he been caught, or had it ever been known that we were parties +to his escape, no power in the world would have saved us from the +rage of the infuriated monarch. + +After the Bishop's reconciliation with Samuel our relations with +him were more frequent and intimate. He was at all times willing +to help us to the best of his ability, lent as a few dollars when +we were hard pressed for money, wrote to the rebels to protect our +messengers, invited them to come to our release, promising to the +successful one his support, and, I believe, would even have accepted +a reconciliation with the man from whom he had received so many +injuries, solely for our sake. + +Disappointed in his ambition, deprived of his property, insulted, +degraded, without power, without liberty, Abouna Salama succumbed +to the too common temptation of men who suffer much. Almost without +society, leading a dull misanthropic life, he did not remember that +sobriety in all respects was essential to his health and that +over-indulgence at table was not consistent with his forced seclusion. +Constant annoyances, added to intemperate habits, could but bring +on sickness. During our first winter I attended him, through Alaka +Zenab, our friend and his, and under my care he recovered. +Unfortunately, he only listened to my advice and obeyed my injunctions +for a short time; soon missing the stimulants he had for years been +accustomed to, he gradually felt the want of their cheering influence, +and again resorted to them. During the rainy season of 1867 he had +a more serious attack. This time Samuel, being able to visit him +at night, was our medium, and being a very intelligent man could +give us a correct account of his condition. For a while his health +improved; but he was even more unreasonable than formerly: hardly +was he convalescent than several times a day he sent to inquire if +he could drink some arrack, take a little opium, or indulge in some +of his more favourite dishes. It is not astonishing that relapse +quickly followed: though I showed him the danger of the course he +was pursuing, he persisted in it. + +In the beginning of October the Bishop's condition became so critical +that he applied to the Ras and chiefs to allow me to visit him. +They met in consultation, and in a body repaired to Mr. Rassam, +when I was called and asked if I would attend him. I replied that +as far as I was concerned I was perfectly willing. The chiefs then +retired to consider the matter; and on one of them insinuating that +Theodore would not be sorry if his enemy the Abouna died, and that +he would be angry if he knew that the Bishop had been brought in +contact with the Europeans, they decided on refusing his request; +though they consented to the attendance of the _cow-doctor_. +With the Abouna we lost a staunch ally, a good friend; nay, the +only one we had in the country. Had a rebel succeeded in making +himself master of the Amba his protection would have been invaluable: +not that I believe his influence would have been sufficient to +ensure our release; but still, with him, we should have met at the +hands of any of the great rebel chiefs nothing but good treatment +and courteous demeanour. + +The messenger sent to convey the tidings of the Abouna's death to +the Emperor, was rather puzzled how to express himself, not knowing +in what light his Majesty would receive the news. He adopted a +middle course as the safest, and tried to appear neither sorry nor +rejoiced. Theodore listened to his tale and exclaimed, "Thank God, +my enemy is dead!" Then, addressing the messenger, he added, "You +fool! why did you not on reaching me shout out 'Miserach' (good +tidings)? I would have given you my best mule." + +With the death of the Bishop, our hopes, though always of the +faintest kind, when natives were expected to be the deliverers, +seemed for ever crushed. Wakshum Gobazé had, for a time at least, +by his treaty with Mastiate, given up his pretensions to the +possession of Magdala; and Menilek, even if he kept to his word and +attempted the siege of our amba, would, no doubt, fall back on Shoa +as soon as he should be apprised of the death of his friend whom +he was so anxious to release. We had no precise information as to +the steps that were taken at home for our rescue; and, until certain +that troops had landed, we felt very anxious lest some _contretemps_ +should, at the last instant, occur, and the expedition be abandoned, +or some more or less chimerical plan adopted in its stead. We had +received a little money of late, but as everything was scarce and +dear, we had to be very careful, and refuse many a "friend's" +request--rather a dangerous proceeding in those days. + +We believed--but events proved we were wrong--that if any great +rebel, any rising man of influence, should present himself before +the Amba, the discontented, half-starved wretches would be only too +glad to open the gates and receive him as a saviour. The garrison, +we knew, would not on any account surrender to the Gallas. For years +they had been at enmity, and the marauding expeditions which the +soldiers of the mountain had lately made into their territory, had +increased that bad feeling, and quite destroyed any hope of +reconciliation. This was the more vexatious, as now that Mastiate +had, by her treaty with Gobazé, obtained possession and garrisoned +all the districts around Magdala, it was but natural to expect that +she would make some efforts at least to seize upon a fortress that +lay within her dominions. Not many days after the departure of +Gobazé for Yedjow, she issued orders to the people of the +neighbourhood to cease supplying the Amba, and forbade any of her +subjects from attending the weekly market; she even fixed a day for +the troops she had detached to Dalanta and Dahonte to rendezvous +at a short distance from Magdala, as she intended to destroy the +whole of the country for miles around, and reduce the garrison by +famine. + +The Wallo Gallas are a fine race, far superior to the Abyssinian +in elegance, manliness, and courage. Originally from the interior +of Africa, they made their first appearance in Abyssinia towards +the middle of the sixteenth century. These hordes invaded the fairest +provinces in such numbers, they excelled so greatly the Amharas in +horsemanship and in courage, that not only did they overrun the +land, but lived for years on the resources of the country in imprudent +security. After a while they settled down on the beautiful plateau +extending from the river Bechelo to the highlands of Shoa, and from +the Nile to the lowland inhabited by the Adails. Though retaining +most of the characteristics of their race, they adopted many of the +customs of the people they conquered. They lost in great measure +their predatory and pastoral habits, tilled the soil, built permanent +dwellings, and to a certain, extent adopted in their dress, food, +and mode of life the usages of the former inhabitants. + +In appearance the Galla is tall, well made, rather +slender, but wiry; the hair of both men and women is long, thick, +waving, rather than curly, and is altogether more like coarse +European hair than the semi-woolly texture that covers Abyssinian +skulls. Their dress is in many respects identical; both wear +trousers, only those of the Gallas are shorter and tighter, somewhat +resembling those worn by the people of Tigré. They both wear +a large cotton cloth, a robe by day and a covering by night; the +only difference being that the Galla seldom weaves in the side the +broad red stripe, the pride of the Amhara. The food of both races +is nearly the same; both enjoy the raw meat of the cow, the shiro +or hot spiced dish of peas, the wât, and the teps (toasted meat); +they only differ in the grain they use for bread, the Amhara +delighting in pancakes made of the small seed of the tef, whilst +the Galla's bread is more loaf-like, and is prepared with the flour +of wheat or barley, the only grain that prospers on their elevated +land. The Galla women are generally fair; and when not exposed to +the sun, their large, black, brilliant, shining eyes, their rosy +lips, their long, black, and neatly-braided hair, their little feet +and hands, their graceful and well-rounded forms, make them comparable +to the fairest daughters of Spain or Italy. The long shirt falling +from the neck to the ankle, and fastened round the waist by the +ample folds of a white cotton belt; the silver anklets, from which +hang tiny bells, the long necklace of beads and silver, the white +and black rings covering the taper fingers, are all very much the +same articles as those that are thought necessary for the toilette +of the Galla amazon and the more sedentary Amhara lady. + +The most apparent difference is in their religion. At the time of +their first appearance, the Wallo Gallas, like many of the divisions +of the same family who, having settled further inland and having +less intercourse with foreigners, are still plunged in the grossest +idolatry, worshipped trees and stones; or rather under these natural +objects rendered adoration to a being called the Unknown, who was +to be propitiated by human sacrifices. It is impossible to obtain +any correct information as to the exact date of their conversion +to Islamism; but it has been accepted by the Wallo tribe almost +universally. None at the present day are given to heathen practices, +and only a few families belong to the Christian faith. + +If we compare the races still further, and examine the morality and +social habits of the two, at a first glance it would seem that both +are licentious, both dissolute. But, on closer inspection, the +degradation of the one is seen to be so thorough, that the other +may claim, by contrast, something like primitive simplicity. The +Amhara's life is one round of sensual debauchery; his conversation +seldom deviates to pure or innocent subjects: no title is so envied +by the men as that of libertine, and the women, also, are all +ambitious of a like distinction: an "unfortunate" is not regarded +as unfortunate there. The richest, the noblest, the highest in the +land are profligates in love, or mercenary: more frequently both. +Nothing is so disagreeable to an Abyssinian lady's ear as an +insinuation that she is virtuous; for that would be taken to mean +that she is either ill-looking or for some other reason is not +favoured with many lovers. + +In some parts of the Galla country the family exists in the old +patriarchal form. The father is in his humble hut as absolute as +the chief is over the tribe. If a man marries and is afterwards +obliged to leave his village on a distant foray, his wife is +immediately taken under the close protection of his brother, who +is her husband until the elder's return. This custom was for many +years very prevalent; now it is more limited: it is most common in +the plateau arising from the Bechelo to Dalanta or Dahonte, where +Galla families, almost isolated from the general tribe, have preserved +many of the institutions of their forefathers. The stranger invited +under the roof of a Galla chief will find in the same large smoky +hut individuals of several generations. The heavy straw roof rests +on some ten or twelve wooden pillars, having in the centre an open +space, where the matrons, sitting near the fire, prepare the evening +meal, while a swarm of children play around them. Opposite the rude +door of small twigs, held together by nothing but a few branches +cut from the nearest tree, stands the simple alga of the "lord of +the manor." Near his bed neighs his favourite horse, the pet of +young and old. In other partitioned places are his stores of barley +or wheat. When the evening meal is over, and the children sleep +where they last fell in their romping games, the chief first sees +that the companion of his forays is well littered; he then conducts +his guest to the spot where some sweet-smelling straw has been +spread under a dried cow-hide. Nor is that the end of his hospitality, +which at this point becomes rather embarrassing to the married +traveller. But the strange way in which the guest is honoured must +not be set down to licentiousness; it really is simplicity. + +Every Galla is a horseman, every horseman a soldier; and thus is +formed a perfect militia, an always ready army, where no discipline +is required, no drill but to follow the chief. As soon as the war-cry +is heard, or the signal fire is seen on the summit of the distant +peak, the ever-ready steed is saddled, the young son jumps up behind +his father to hold his second lance, and from every hamlet, from +every apparently peaceful homestead, brave soldiers rush to the +rendezvous. When Theodore himself, at the head of his thousands, +invaded their land, then farewell to their homes. His revengeful +hand burnt forms and villages far and wide wherever he was opposed, +and the defenceless peasants fled in order to save their lives, +knowing well how futile were their hopes of safety, should they +fall into his power. + +The Wallos are divided into seven tribes. Presenting no differences +amongst themselves, they were simply separated by civil wars. Could +these brave horsemen only understand the motto "Union is strength," +they could make as easy a conquest of the whole of Abyssinia as +their fathers did of the plains they now dwell upon. When united, +they have always carried their arms successfully into an enemy's +country. Children of their race, the Gooksas, the Mariés, the +Alis, have held the Emperor in their sway, and governed the land +for years. Unfortunately during the days of our captivity, as had +been but too frequently the case before, petty jealousies, unworthy +rivalries, weakened to such an extent their power that, far from +being able to impose their laws on others, they in turn became but +tools in the hands of the Christian kings and rulers. With Abusheer +died the last vestige of union. If not at actual war, one party was +always working against another; and no distant campaign could be +thought of when their enemies in their own country dwelt. + +Abusheer, the last Imam of the Wallo Gallas, left two sons by +different wives, Workite [Footnote: Fine gold.] and Mastiate. +[Footnote: Looking-glass.] The son of the former, as we mentioned +in a previous chapter, was killed by Theodore on the escape of +Menilek to Shoa, and Workite had no option left but to seek the +hospitality of the young king for whom she had sacrificed so much. + +Thus for more than two years Mastiate was left in undisturbed +possession of the supremacy vested in her by the unanimous consent +of the chiefs, a regent for her son until he attained his majority. + +Menilek, after his escape, had no easy task before him: the chief +who had headed the rebellion in the name of his king, after the +gallant repulse and the check he inflicted upon Theodore, declared +himself independent--became the Cromwell instead of the Monk of +Abyssinia. Menilek was, however, well received by a small party of +faithful adherents; Workite had also been accompanied by a small +force of trusty followers; and on a large number of the chiefs +abandoning the usurper and joining the standard of Menilek, he +marched against the powerful rebel, who still held the capital and +many strong places, utterly defeated his army and made him a prisoner. + +This victory was shortly afterwards followed by the complete +submission of Shoa to his rule; chief after chief made their +obedience, and all acknowledged as their king the grandson of Sahela +Selassi. Once his rights admitted by his people, he led his army +against the numerous Galla tribes who inhabit the beautiful country +extending from the south-eastern frontier of Shoa to the picturesque +lake of Guaragu. But, instead of plundering these agricultural +races, as his father had done, he promised them honourable treatment, +a kind of mild vassalage, on the payment of a small annual tribute. +The Gallas, surprised at his unexpected generosity and clemency, +willingly accepted his terms, and, from former foes, enrolled +themselves as his followers, and accompanied him on his expeditions. +Theodore had left a strong garrison on an almost impregnable amba, +situated at the northern frontier of Shoa, commanding the entrance +into the pass leading from the Galla country to the highlands of +Shoa. Menilek, before his campaign in the Galla country, had invested +that last stronghold of Theodore in his own dominions, and, after +a six months' siege, the garrison, who had repeatedly applied to +their master for relief, at last gave in and opened their gates to +the young king. Menilek treated them exceedingly well, many were +honoured with appointments in his household, others received titles +and commands, or were placed in positions of trust and confidence. + +Menilek owed much to Workite; without her timely protection he would +have been pursued, and as Shoa had shut its gates upon him, his +position would have become one of great difficulty and danger. He +could not forget, either, that to save his life she had sacrificed +her only son and lost her kingdom: his debt of gratitude towards +her was immense, and nothing he could do could adequately repay her +for her devotion. But if he could not give her back her murdered +son, he would, at all events, march against her rival, and restore +by force of arms the disgraced queen to the throne she had lost on +his account. At the end of October, 1867, Menilek, at the head of +a considerable army, computed at 40,000 to 50,000 men, composed of +30,000 cavalry, some 2,000 or 3,000 musketeers, and the rest spearmen, +entered the Wallo Galla plain: he proclaimed that he came not as +an enemy, but as a friend; not to destroy nor to plunder, but to +re-establish in her rule the deposed and lawful queen Workite. She +was accompanied by a young lad who, she asserted, was her grandson, +the child of the prince who had been killed more than two years +before at Magdala. She stated that he had been born in the Wallo +country, before her departure for Shoa, the result of one of those +frequent casual unions so common in the country, and that she had +taken him away when she sought refuge in the land of the man whom +she had saved. To avoid any attempt being made by her rival to +secure the person of her grandchild, she had until then kept the +matter secret. However, her story was but little credited: I know +on the Amba the soldiers laughed at it; still it offered an excuse +to many of her former adherents for again joining her cause, and +if they did not credit her tale they pretended at least to do go. + +The Galla chiefs for some time remained undecided. Menilek kept +to his word; he neither plundered nor molested any one, and, before +long, he reaped the reward of his wise policy. Five of the tribes +sent in their adhesion, and recognized Workite as regent for her +grandson. Mastiate, in presence of such defection, adopted the most +prudent course of retiring with her reduced army before the +overwhelming forces of her adversaries; they followed her for some +days, but without overtaking her. Menilek, believing that they had +nothing more to fear on that side, settled as he best could the +claims of Workite, and, accompanied by a large force of his new +allies, marched against Magdala. + +Menilek had evidently placed much confidence in the well-known +disaffection of the garrison, and he expected that, through the +influence of the Bishop (of whose death he was not aware), of his +uncle Aito Dargie, and of Mr. Kassam, he would find on his arrival +a party in his favour, who would materially assist him, if not make +over the Amba to him at once. No doubt, had the Bishop been still +alive he would either have succeeded by promises, threats, or force +in opening the gates to his beloved friend. Aito Dargie, I believe, +contrived to secure a promise of assistance from a few chiefs; but +they were not powerful enough, and at the last moment lacked courage. + +As for Mr. Rassam, he adopted the most prudent course of suiting +his policy to the movements of Menilek; too much caution could not +be used, as there was much reason to fear that the great deeds about +to be achieved would end in empty boasting. To Menilek he gave +great encouragement, offered him the friendship of England, and +even went so far as assuring him that he would be acknowledged by +our Government as king, should we be indebted to him for our +deliverance; he requested him to encamp at Selassié, fire his +two guns against the gate, and should the garrison not give in, to +encamp between Arogié and the Bechelo, and keep Theodore from +reaching the Amba until the arrival of our troops. + +We had been greatly disappointed by Wakshum Gobazé: for six +weeks he was always coming, but never came. Next we had Mastiate +as our great excitement: she, we thought, would strive to gain +possession of her amba; but she also never made her appearance; and +now for nearly a month we were in daily expectation of the arrival +of Menilek. We had already given him up when, to our great surprise, +on the morning of the 30th of November, we perceived a large camp +pitched on the northern slope of Tanta; and on the top of a small +eminence commanding the plateau, and opposite to Magdala, stood the +red, white, and black tents of the King of Shoa, the ambitious young +prince who styled himself already "King of kings." Our astonishment +was complete when, towards noon, we heard the report of a steady +musketry-fire mingled with the occasional discharge of small cannon. +We at once gave credit to Menilek for greater pluck than we ever +believed him capable of; expecting that under cover of his fire the +elite of his troops would assault the place; and aware of the little +resistance he would meet with, we already rejoiced at the prospect +of liberty, or at least of an advantageous change of masters. We +had not finished our mutual congratulations when the firing ceased: +as everything was calm and quiet on the Amba, we could not make out +what was going on, until some of our guards came into our huts and +asked us if we had heard Menilek's "faker." Alas, it was indeed +nothing but a mere boast: he had fired from the verge of the Galla +plateau, far out of range, to terrify into submission the wavering +garrison; then, satisfied with his day's work, he and his men had +retired to their tents, awaiting the result of their warlike +demonstration. + +The fact of Menilek being encamped on the Galla plain was full of +peril for ourselves without being of any avail to him. The next +morning he sent a message to us through Aito Dargie, asking what +he should do. We again strongly urged upon him the necessity of his +attacking the Amba by the Islamgee side; and in case he deemed it +impossible to assault the place, to stop all communication between +the fortress and the Imperial camp. Our great fear was that Theodore, +on hearing that Menilek was besieging his amba, would send orders +for the immediate execution of all prisoners of note, ourselves +included. No doubt great disaffection existed on the Amba, and if +Menilek had gone the proper way to work, before many days the place +would have been his. But he never did anything; he remained encamped +on the spot he had first chosen, and made no other attempt to rescue +us. + +Waizero Terunish, Theodore's queen, acted well on that occasion: +she gave an adderash (public breakfast), presided over by her son +Alamayou, to all the chiefs of the mountain. It being a fast-day, +the feast was limited to tef bread, and a peppery sauce; and as the +supply of tej in the royal cellars was scanty, the enthusiasm was +not very considerable. Still it had the desired effect--chiefs and +soldiers had publicly to proclaim their loyalty to Theodore; as +with the party, still strong, that would give ear to no treachery, +she was prepared to seize the malcontents individually, before they +had time to declare themselves in open rebellion as the adherents +of Menilek. Every one who thought that he was in any way suspected, +and many who had no doubt made promises to Menilek and accepted his +bribes, felt very nervous. Samuel was sent for; he did not like +the prospect at all, and we were very much afraid for him ourselves, +and glad when we saw him come back. On its being perceived that +some of the chiefs had not made their appearance, inquiries were +made as to the cause of their absence; they, seeing that there was +very little hope of securing a strong party in favour of Menilek, +gave explanations that were accepted, conditionally that on the +following day they would repair to the King's inclosure, and there, +in presence of the assembled garrison, proclaim their loyalty. They +went as they had been ordered, and were the loudest in their praise +of Theodore, in their expressions of devotion to his cause, and in +their abuse of the "fat boy" who had ventured near a fortress +entrusted to their care. + +The Queen had done her duty well and honourably. The Ras and chiefs +consulted together, and considered it advisable, in order to show +their affection and devotion for their master, to do something +themselves also. But what should be done? They had already placed +extra guards at night on the gates, and protected every weak point +on the Amba; nothing remained but to bully the prisoners. The second +evening after the arrival of Menilek before the mountain, Samuel +received orders from the chiefs to make us all sleep at night in +one hut; the only exception being made in favour of the king's +friend, Mr. Rassam. But poor Samuel, though sick, went to the Ras +and insisted on having the order cancelled: I believe his influence +was backed on that occasion by a douceur he quietly slipped into +the Ras's hand. The chiefs in their wisdom had also decreed, and +the next morning enforced the order that all the servants, Mr. +Rassam's excepted; should be sent down from the mountain. The +messengers and other public servants employed by Mr. Rassam were +also obliged to leave. To Prideaux and myself they allowed, apart +from our Portuguese, a water-girl and a small boy each. I had no +house down at Islamgee; Samuel could not think of allowing me to +pitch a tent, so the poor fellows would have been very badly off +if Captain Cameron had not very kindly allowed them to share his +servants' quarters. We were put to great inconvenience by this +absurd and vexatious order, and I had some trouble, when everything +was again quiet, in getting the servants up again; it required all +the influence of Samuel and a douceur to the Ras, out of my pocket, +to gain my object. + +As may well be expected, the Abyssinian prisoners were not spared; +all their servants were counted, and sent down the mountain, one +only being allowed to three or four during the daytime to carry +wood, water, and prepare their food. They were not suffered to leave +the night-houses, but had to remain day and night in those filthy +places. Every one on the mountain was exceedingly anxious that +Menilek should decide on something, and put an end to that painful +state of anxiety. + +Early on the morning of the 3rd of December we were apprised by our +servants that Menilek had struck his camp and was on the move. Where +he was going to no one knew; but, as we were to some extent in his +confidence, we flattered ourselves that he had accepted our advice, +and would before long be seen on Selassié, or on the plateau of +Islamgee. We spent a very anxious morning; the chiefs seemed +perplexed, evidently expecting an assault from that direction, and +we were confidentially informed that we should be called upon to +man the guns should the Amba be attacked. However, our suspense was +shortly at an end. The smoke rising in the distance, and in the +direction of the road to Shoa, showed us but too clearly that the +would-be conqueror had, without striking a blow, returned to his +own country, and, with great gallantry, was burning a few miserable +villages, whose chiefs were adherents of Mastiate. + +The excuse Menilek gave for his hasty retreat was, that his supplies +had run short, and that, having no camp-followers with him he could +not have flour prepared; that his troops being hungry and dissatisfied, +he had decided on returning at once to Shoa, collect his camp-followers, +and advance again better provisioned, and remain in the neighbourhood +of Magdala until it fell. The truth was, that to his great +disappointment he had heard from his camp the muskets fired during +the "fakering;" he knew that, as far as treachery was concerned, +his chance was gone for a while, and that he must await the effects +of want and privation induced by a long siege. Supplies he might +have obtained in abundance, as he was the ally of Workite and in a +friendly country. Should he even have required more, the undefended +districts of Worahaimanoo, Dalanta, etc., would have been quite +willing to send abundant provisions into his camp on the assurance +that they would not be molested. But if this "fakering" somewhat +deranged his plans, something he saw on the evening of the second +day, a mere speck of smoke, made him fairly run away. That smoke +was kindled by the terrible Theodore. He was, it is true, still far +away; but who could say? His father-in-law, Menilek knew well, was +a man of long marches and sudden attacks. How his large army would +be scattered like chaff before the wind at the cry, "Theodore is +coming," he was well aware, and he came to the conclusion that the +sooner he was off the better. + +Our disappointment was something beyond description. Our rage, our +indignation and scorn for such cowardice, I cannot express. The +"fat boy," as we also now called him, we hated and despised. Had +we been imprudent enough openly to take his part, what would have +become of us? Menilek, doubtless, meant well, and probably would +have succeeded had the Bishop lived a few weeks longer. As it is, +he did us a great deal of harm. Had he and Workite never left Shoa, +Mastiate would have laid siege to the mountain. Sooner or later it +must have surrendered, and neither Theodore nor his messengers would +ever have ventured south of the Bechelo if Mastiate had been there +with her 20,000 horsemen. + +With Menilek's departure, I, for one, made up my mind never again +to credit any of the promises of the native chiefs, which always +ended in mere moon-shine. Since then, I heard with the utmost +indifference that so-and-so was marching in such a direction, that +he or she would attack Theodore, or invest the Amba and stop all +communication between the rascals on the top and "our friend" +Theodore. We had been a long time without messengers, and the last +had not brought us the intelligence so anxiously looked for. Our +impatience was greater since we knew that we could expect nothing +from the natives, and believed the expedition from England to be +on its way: we felt that something was going on and we longed for +the certainty. + +How well I remember the 13th of December, a glorious day for us! +No lover ever read, with more joy and happiness the long-expected +note from the beloved one, than I did that day the kind and cheering +letter of our gallant friend, General Merewether. Troops had landed! +Since the 6th of October, our countrymen were in the same land that +saw us captives. Roads, piers, were being made; regiment after +regiment were leaving the shores of India, some already marching +across the Abyssinian Alps to rescue or avenge. It seemed too +delightful to be true: we could hardly credit it. Ere long all must +be over! Liberty or death! Anything was better than continued +slavery. Theodore was coming--_qu'importe_? Was not Merewether +there? the brave leader of many a hard fight; the gallant officer +and accomplished politician. With such men as a Napier, a Staveley +at the head of British troops, who could feel but contempt for petty +vexations? We were prepared even for a worse fate, if it was to be +our lot. At least, England's prestige would be restored, her +children's blood not left unrevenged. It was one of those exciting +moments in a man's life that few can realize who have not passed +through months of mental agony, and then been suddenly overcome +with joy. We laughed more than ever at the idea of giving even a +thought to such poltroons as Gobaz and Menilek. The hope of meeting +our brave countrymen cheered us. In the mind's eye we beheld them, +and in our hearts we thanked them for the toils and privations they +would have to undergo before they could set _the captives free_. +For the second time, Christmas and New Year's Day found us in fetters +at Magdala; but we were happy: they would be the last, at all events, +and, full of trust in our deliverance, we now looked forward to +spending the next _at home_. + + + + + CHAPTER XVI. + + +Theodore's Proceedings during our Stay at Magdala--His Treatment +of Begemder--A Rebellion breaks out--Forced March on Gondar--The +Churches are Plundered and Burnt--Theodore's Cruelties--The Insurgents +increase in Strength--The Designs of the Emperor on Kourata +Frustrated--Mr. Bardel Betrays the New Workmen--Theodore's Ingratitude +towards the "Gaffat People"--His Raid on Foggara Unsuccessful. + + +Theodore remained at Aibankab for only a few days after our departure, +and returned to Debra Tabor. He had told us once, "You will see +what great things I will achieve during the rainy season," and we +expected that he would march into Lasta or Tigré before the roads +were closed by the rains, to subdue the rebellion that for years +he had allowed to pass unnoticed. It is very probable that if he +had adopted that course he would have regained his prestige, and +easily reduced to obedience those provinces. No one was so much +Theodore's enemy as himself; he seems to have been possessed with +an evil spirit urging him to his own destruction. Many a time he +would have regained the ground he had lost, and put down to a certain +extent rebellion; but all his actions, from the day we left him +until he arrived at Islamgee, were only calculated to accelerate +his fall. + +Begemder is a large, powerful, fertile province, the "land of sheep" +(as its name indicates), a fine plateau, some 7,000 or 8,000 feet +above the sea, well watered, well cultivated, and thickly populated. +The inhabitants are warlike, brave for Abyssinians, and often have +repulsed the rebels venturing to invade their province, so firm in +its allegiance to Theodore. Not many months before Tesemma Engeddah, +a young man, hereditary chief Of Gahinte, a district of Begemder +near its eastern frostier, with the aid of the peasants, attacked +a force sent into Begemder by Gobazé, utterly routed it and put +every man to death; except a few chiefs who were kept for the +Emperor to deal with as he thought fit. + +Begemder paid an annual tribute of 300,000 dols., and supplied at +all times the Queen's camp with grain, cows, &c., and during the +stay of the Emperor in the province liberally provided his camp. +Moreover, it furnished 10,000 men to the army, all good spearmen, +but bad shots. Theodore, therefore, preferred for his musketeers +the men of Dembea, who showed more skill in the use of fire-arms. + +Begemder, the proverb says, "is the maker and destroyer of kings;" +certainly it was so in the case of Theodore. After the flight of +Ras Ali, Begemder at once acknowledged him, and caused him to be +looked upon as the future ruler of the land. Theodore was well aware +of the difficult game he had to play, but believed his precautions +were such that he would inevitably succeed. At first he was all +smiles; chiefs were rewarded, peasants flattered; his stay would +be short; every day he expected he would leave. The annual tribute +was paid; Theodore gave handsome presents to the chiefs, honoured +many with silk shirts, and swore that as soon as the cannons his +Europeans were casting should be completed, he would start for +Godjam, and with his new mortars destroy the nest of the arch-rebel +Tadla Gwalu. He invited, all the chiefs to reside in his camp during +his stay, to rejoice his heart. They were his friends, when so many +rose against him. Would they advance him a year's tribute? could +they not provide more liberally for the wants of his army? He was +going away for a long time, and would not for years trouble them +for tribute or supplies. The chiefs did their best; every available +dollar, all the corn and cattle the peasants could spare, found its +way into Theodore's treasury and camp. But the peasants at last got +tired, and would not listen any longer to the entreaties of their +chiefs. Good words Theodore perceived would be of no avail any more, +so he adopted an imperious, menacing tone. One after the other, on +some _good_ ground, he imprisoned the chiefs; but it was only +to test their fidelity: they would, he knew get for him what he +wanted, and then he would not only release them, but treat them +with the greatest honour. The poor men did their best, and the +peasants, in order to obtain the deliverance of their chiefs, brought +all they had as a ransom. At last, both chiefs and peasants found +that all their efforts failed to satisfy their insatiable master. + +This state of things lasted for more than eight months, and during +that period, first by plausible and honeyed words, afterwards by +intimidation, he kept himself and army without difficulty and without +trouble. He made no expeditions during that time, except one against +Gondar. He hated Gondar--a city of merchants and priests, always +ready to receive with open arms any rebel: any robber chief might +sit undisturbed in the halls of the old Abyssinian kings and receive +the homage and tribute of its peaceful inhabitants. Several times +before Theodore had vented his rage on the unfortunate city; he had +already more than once sent his soldiers to plunder it, and the +rich Mussulman merchants had only saved their houses from destruction +by the payment of a large sum. It was no more the famous city of +Fasiladas, nor the rich commercial town that former travellers had +described; confidence could no longer dwell under the repeated +extortions of king and rebel, nor could the metropolis of Abyssinia +afford to answer the repeated calls made upon its wealth. But still +the forty-four churches stood intact, surrounded by the noble trees +that gave to the capital such a picturesque appearance; no one had +dared extend a sacrilegious hand to those sanctuaries, and until +then Theodore himself had shrunk from such a deed. But now he had +made up his mind: the gold of Kooskuam, the silver of Bata, the +treasures of Selassié should refill his empty coffers; her churches +should perish with the doomed city: nothing would he leave standing +as a record of the past, not a dwelling to shelter the people he +despised. + +On the afternoon of the 1st of December, Theodore started on his +merciless errand, taking with him only the elite of his army, the +best mounted and the best walkers amongst his men. He never halted +until he came, the next morning, to the foot of the hill on which +Gondar is built--a march of more than eighty miles in less than +sixteen hours. But though he suddenly pounced upon his enemy, it +was too late; the news of his approach had spread faster. The joyous +_elelta_ resounded from house to house; the anxious and terrified +inhabitants desired to appear happy in presence of the dire calamity +such a visit presaged. The rebel's deputy had left the palace in +time, and accompanied by a few hundred horsemen, awaited, at some +distance from the town, the result of Theodore's coming. He had not +long to wait. The invaders searched every house, plundered every +building, from the churches to the poorest hut, and drove away +before them like cattle the 10,000 remaining inhabitants of that +large city. Then, the work of destruction began: fire spread from +house to house, the churches and palace, the only remarkable buildings +the country possessed, became a heap of blackened ruins. But the +priests looked sullen; some entreated, others murmured, a few were +bold enough to curse; at an order given by Theodore, hundreds of +aged priests were hurled into the flames. But his insatiate fury +demanded fresh victims. Where were the young girls who had welcomed +his entrance. Was it not their joyous shouts that had scared away +the rebel? "Let them be brought!" cried the fiend, and these young +girls were thrown alive into the fire! + +The expedition had been successful; Gondar was utterly destroyed. +Four inferior churches only had escaped destruction. Gold, silks, +dollars were now abundant in the royal camp. Theodore was received +on his return to Debra Tabor with all the triumphal honours bestowed +on a victor; the Gaffat people went to meet him with lighted torches; +and compared him to the pious Hozekiah. If Theodore's star had been +dim before this wanton barbarity, it disappeared altogether from +that day: all went against him--success never attended him more. + +The burning of Gondar increased immensely the power of the rebels. +They advanced steadily and cautiously, seizing district after +district, until whole provinces acknowledged their sway, and all +joined in anathematizing the sacrilegious monarch who had not +hesitated to destroy churches that even the Mussulman Gallas had +respected. As long as the soldiers had money the peasants willingly +sold them their goods; but this could not last long: soon scarcity +prevailed in the camp. Theodore applied to the chiefs; they must +use their influence and force the "bad peasant" to bring in more +supplies. The peasants would listen no longer; they told the chiefs, +"Let the king set you free and then we will do anything you tell +us, but now we know that you are only acting under compulsion." +Theodore ordered the chiefs to be tortured: "If they cannot bring +grain they must give money." Some who had a few savings sent them--for +torture was worse than poverty; but this did not improve their +condition. Theodore believed that they had more, and as they had +nothing to give, many died under the daily repetition of the tortures +Theodore now inflicted on his prisoners; amongst whom were his +bravest soldiers, his staunchest supporters, nay, his bosom friends. + +Desertions were now more frequent than ever; chiefs left in the +open day with their followers; the gunman threw away his weapon, +and joined his oppressed brother the peasant; great numbers of the +Begemder soldiery daily abandoned his cause and returned to their +villages. Theodore, in this plight, resorted to a former practice +of his. He must plunder, and feed his army by plunder. But the +Begemder men would not plunder their own countrymen, and he did not +place much confidence in the bravery of his Dembea men: therefore +he pitted the man of Gahinte against the peasant of Ifag, the sons +of Mahdera Mariam against those of Esté--all districts of the same +province, but far distant from one another, and with long feuds +existing between some of them. At first he succeeded, and returned +from his expeditions with ample supplies; but his fearful cruelties +at last aroused the peasants. Joined by the deserters they fought +in their own way, cut off stragglers, sent their families to distant +provinces, and for miles around Debra Tabor ceased cultivating the +soil. + +In March, 1867, Theodore started for Kourata, the third town in +importance in Abyssinia, and the greatest commercial centre after +Gondar and Adowa. But this time he failed completely; ever since +his expedition to Gondar, the peasants of all the surrounding +districts were always on the alert: beacon-fires were ready, the +people telegraphed to each other in their rude way, and the victims +evaded the tyrant. + +At Kourata he found no one, and hardly any plunder; the rich +merchants, priests, every one had embarked with all their goods in +the small native boats, and, out of range of Theodore's rifles, +quietly awaited his departure to return to their homes. Theodore +was greatly disappointed; he expected to reap a rich harvest and +found nothing. He must revenge himself; but here, again, he was +frustrated. The soldiers deserted _en masse_; few, very few +would remain with him, he was told, if he destroyed Kourata. The +sacred town, houses, streets, trees, had all been dedicated to God's +service; such a sacrilege was beyond the rascality of even the +Abyssinian soldier. Theodore had to return to Debra Tabor. Sometimes +once or twice a week he would go forth and plunder; but with little +success: each time his difficulties increased; the peasants had +lost their first great dread of him; they fought well at places, +and defied the gaily-dressed chiefs: none as yet stood before him, +but the day was not far off when his prestige had fallen so low +that a man was found who challenged his anointed king. + +The position of the Europeans near Theodore was, indeed, most +painful. Always to please a ferocious, mad, enraged tiger, would +have been trifling compared to what they had to undergo during the +last year they served him. Theodore was quite changed; no one who +had known him in former days would have now recognized the elegant +and chivalrous young prince, or the proud, but just Emperor, in the +homicidal monomaniac of Debra Tabor. + +A few days before we left for Magdala (after the political trial), +Messrs. Staiger, Brandeis, and the two hunters, foreseeing that +captivity, and probably chains, would be our lot before long, availed +themselves of a former permission they had obtained to remain near +Mrs. Flad during her husband's absence, in order to keep clear of +the coming storm. McKelvie (a former captive, and servant of Capt. +Cameron,) pretended sickness, also remained behind, and shortly +afterwards took service with his Majesty. Mackerer (also a former +captive, and servant of Capt. Cameron,) had previously been in +Theodore's service, and preferred to return to him rather than go +through a second captivity at Magdala. Little were they aware at +the time how much they would have to go through themselves. + +Mrs. Rosenthal, on account of her health, could not accompany us +then; afterwards she several times applied for leave to join her +husband, but until a couple of months before our release, was always +refused on some specious reason or the other. Mrs. Flad and children +belonged to the same party, having been left by her husband on his +departure, under the protection of the "Gaffat people." + +Altogether the number of Europeans with his Majesty during the time +of our captivity at Magdala, including Mr. Bardel, was fifteen, +exclusive of the two ladies and several half-castes. + +Theodore had no sooner returned to Debra Tabor, after sending us +to Magdala, than he set to work, with the assistance of the Europeans, +casting cannons of various shapes and sizes, and mortars of immense +weight and calibre. Gaffat, where the foundry had been erected, was +only a few miles from Debra Tabor, and every day Theodore was in +the habit of riding down with a small escort and superintending the +works. On these occasions, the four who had remained behind (Mr. +Staiger and his party) usually came to present their respects, but +did not work. Mackerer and McKelvie had been apprenticed to some +of the Gaffat people, and did their utmost to please the Emperor, +and he, to encourage them, presented them with a silk shirt and 100 +dollars each. One morning when the four had come as usual to look +on, Theodore, in an angry voice, asked them why they did not work +with the others. They perceived by his tone and manner that it was +imprudent to refuse; and accordingly bowed in acquiescence and set +to work. Theodore, to mark his pleasure, ordered them to be invested +with robes of honour, and sent them also 100 dollars each. For some +time they worked at the foundry, but were afterwards sent with Mr. +Bardel to make roads for the artillery; Theodore, with his usual +caution, having two constructed at the same time, one in the direction +of Magdala, the other leading towards Godjam, so as to leave every +one, his people and the rebels, in doubt as to his movements. + +At this time Mr. Brandeis and Mr. Bardel happened to meet at some +hot springs not far from Debra Tabor, whither they had gone with +his Majesty's permission for the benefit of their health. Though +Bardel was not a favourite; being justly distrusted by all, it seems +that a kind of intimacy sprung up between the two, and in an hour +of confidence Mr. Brandeis revealed to Bardel a plot they had made +to run away, proposing to him to join their party. Bardel accepted. +A short time afterwards they returned to Debra Tabor, or rather to +a short distance from it, where they were making the roads. They +at once set to work to complete their arrangements, and at last, +everything being ready for the route, they fixed upon the night of +the 25th of February for their departure. Towards ten in the evening +Bardel looked into the tent where all were assembled, and seeing +at a glance that everything was ready, pretended to have forgotten +something in his tent, and begged them to wait a few minutes for +him. They agreed, and mounting his horse, Bardel started at full +gallop to fetch Theodore. That man, so unprincipled that even +Abyssinians looked upon him with contempt, had basely betrayed, out +of mere love of mischief, those poor men who had trusted in him. +Theodore was quite taken aback when Bardel told him that the four +he had taken into his service, and Mackerer, were on the point of +deserting. "But were you not also one of the party?" Theodore +inquired. Bardel said that it was true; but if he had entered into +the plot, it was only to be able to prove his attachment to his +master by revealing it to him, when he could with his own eyes +assure him of the correctness of the assertion. Theodore accompanied +him to the tent where the others were anxiously expecting their +companion's return. Fancy their dismay and astonishment when they +saw the Emperor quietly walking in followed by their betrayer! + +Theodore was calm, asked them why they were so ungrateful, and why +they wanted to run away? They replied that they longed to see their +country. They were given in charge to the soldiers who had accompanied +Theodore, chained hand and foot, each of them to one of their +servants; all their followers were stripped naked, tied with ropes, +and several of them killed. Their condition ever since was most +dreadful: they were confined at first with hundreds of starving and +naked Abyssinians, witnessed the execution of thousands, many of +whom had been their bed companions, and expected at any instant to +be called upon to pay with their lives the penalty of their rash +attempt. However, Theodore after a while made a difference between +them and his people, he set apart a small tent for them, did not +deprive them of all their clothes, and allowed them some servants +to prepare their food. + +The rebellion had by this time, April, 1867, become so universal, +that apart from a few provinces in the neighbourhood of Magdala, +that fortress and another one, Zer Amba, near Tschelga, he could +only call his own the few acres on which his tents were pitched. +His European workmen had cast some guns for him, and afraid that +at Gaffat these might be seized by some rebel, he determined upon +removing them to his camp. He took advantage of the receipt of a +letter from Mr. Flad, to appear displeased at the news he had +received, and thereby cover his ingratitude towards those faithful +servants by a plausible excuse. + +On the 17th of April Theodore went to Gaffat, stopped at the foot +of the hillock on which it is built, sent for the Europeans, and +told them that he had received a letter from Mr. Flad, containing +serious matters, and that, as he could not trust them far from him, +they must go to Debra Tabor until Mr. Flad's return, when all would +be explained; he added that he had also heard that preparations for +the reception of troops were being made at Kedaref, and that "if +he was to be killed, they would die first." One of the Europeans, +Moritz Hall, remonstrated against the unfair treatment he was +subjected to, after long and faithful services: "Kill us at once," +he exclaimed, "but do not degrade us in this way; if in the letter +you have received, there is anything you can charge against us, +then have it read out before your people. Death is better than +unjust suspicion." Theodore, in angry tone, ordered him to be silent, +and sent them all under escort to Debra Tabor; their wives and +families followed; all their property was seized, but afterwards +partly returned, and on the tools and instruments being given back +to them, they were told to work. The Europeans and guns safe in his +camp, Theodore left Debra Tabor on a plundering expedition; but in +Begemder he met with such constant resistance from the peasantry, +that his soldiers at last objected. + +To please them, he led them towards Foggara, a fertile plain to the +north-west of Begemder; but he found hardly anything there. All the +grain had been buried, and the cattle removed to distant parts of +the country. One of our messengers sent to him by Mr. Rassam found +him there, and on his return, gave us the most dreadful description +of the Emperor's temper: floggings, beatings, and executions were +going on all day, and he was so badly off for money, that he had +imprisoned several of his own personal attendants, fixing their +release at 100 dollars each. During his absence, the Gaffat people +had consulted amongst themselves as to the best means of regaining +the Emperor's favour, and decided on proposing to cast an immense +mortar for him. Theodore was delighted. A foundry was erected, and +the "Great Sebastopol," which was destined to be the crushing blow +for him, and the means of our salvation, was begun. + + + + + CHAPTER XVII. + + +Arrival of Mr. Flad from England--Delivers a Letter and Message +from the Queen--The Episode of the Telescope--Our Property +taken care of--Theodore will not yield except to force--He +Recruits his Army--Ras Adilou and Zallallou desert him--He +is repulsed at Belessa by Lij Abitou and the Peasants--The +Expedition against Metraha--His Cruelties there--The "Great +Sebastopol" is Cast--Famine and Pestilence compel the Emperor +to raise his Camp--The Difficulties of his March to Magdala--His +Arrival in Dalanta. + +Soon after the Gaffat people had been sent to Debra Tabor, Mr. Flad +arrived from England, and met Theodore in Dembea on the 26th of +April. Their first meeting was not very friendly. Mr. Flad handed +to his Majesty the Queen's letter, with others from General Merewether, +Dr. Beke, and from the relations of the former captives. On presenting +General Merewether's letter to Theodore, Flad informed him that he +had brought as a present to him from that gentleman, an excellent +telescope. Theodore asked to see it. The telescope was rather +difficult to arrange so as to suit Theodore's sight, and as it took +some time before Flad could put it in order, Theodore got impatient +and said, "Take it to the tent, we will try it to-morrow; but I +know it is not a good telescope: I know it is not sent to me for +good." + +Theodore then ordered every one to retire, and having told Flad to +sit down, asked him, "Have you seen the Queen?" Flad replied in the +affirmative, adding that he had been very graciously received, and +that he had a verbal message to deliver to him from her Majesty. +"What is it?" Theodore immediately asked. Had replied, "The Queen +of England has told me to inform your Majesty, that if you do not +at once send out of your country all those you have detained so +long against their will, you have no right to expect any further +friendship from her." Theodore listened attentively, and even had +the message repeated to him several times. After a pause, he said +to Flad, "I have asked from them a sign of friendship, but it is +refused to me. If they wish to come and fight, let them come, and +call me a woman if I do not beat them." + +The following day Mr. Flad presented him with the several gifts he +had brought with him from Government, Dr. Beke, and others; the +supplies he had brought for as he put aside, but everything was +sent to the royal tent, and 1,000 dollars he had also conveyed for +us, Theodore took, saying the roads were dangerous, and that he +would send an order for it to Mr. Rassam at Magdala. On the 29th +Theodore sent again for the telescope: one of his officers had +examined it, and found it excellent, but Theodore pretended not to +be able to see anything with it. + +"It is not sent for good," he said; "it is the same story as some +years ago when Basha Falaka (Captain Speedy) sent me a carpet by +Kerans; but by the power of God I chained the bearer of that carpet. +The man who sends me the telescope only wants to annoy me; he wishes +to tell me, 'Though you are a king and I send you an excellent +telescope, you will not be able to see through it.'" Flad did his +best to disabuse his Majesty of this impression, and convince him +of the fact that the telescope was sent to him as a token of +friendship; but as Theodore only got more violent, Flad thought it +prudent to be silent. + +On Monday, the 30th, Theodore sent for Flad again and told him that +he was going to send him to rejoin his family at Debra Tabor. Flad +took advantage of this occasion to give a full account of the +dealings of the rebels with France, and their desire to be acknowledged +by us; he assured Theodore that if he did not comply with our Queen's +request he would certainly involve himself in a disastrous war, +etc. Theodore listened with great coolness and indifference, and +when Flad ceased talking, quietly said: "Do not be afraid: the +victory comes from God. I trust in the Lord and he will help me; +I do not trust in my power. I trust in God who says, If you have +faith like a mustard seed, you can remove mountains." He said that +even if he had not chained Mr. Rassam it would have been all the +same; they would not have sent him the workmen. He knew already, +at the time of Bell and Plowden, that the English were not his +friends, and he only treated these two well out of personal regard +for them. He concluded by saying, "I leave it to the Lord: he will +decide it when we fight on the battle-field." + +Theodore had vented his rage about the telescope to hide his +disappointment; he had said to one of his workmen at the time he +wrote to Flad to come up with the artisans, "You do not know me +yet; but call me a fool, if by my cunning I do not get them." Instead +of artisans, white men to be held as hostages, he received a firm +message, holding out no hope of friendship unless he set at liberty +all those he had so long unlawfully detained. His answers, so full +of meekness, he knew would please his followers; they were superstitious +and ignorant, and placed a certain credence in his hopeful words. + +Desertions had considerably reduced his army. He well knew the +influence of numbers in a country like Abyssinia, and to increase +his scanty host, after plundering for the fourth or fifth time +Dembea and Taccosa, he issued a proclamation to the peasants in the +following terms:--"You have no more homes, grain, or cattle. I have +not done it: God did it. Come with me, and I will take you where +you will find plenty to eat, cattle in abundance, and punish those +who are the cause of God's anger upon you." He did the name for the +districts of Begemder he had lately destroyed; and many of these +poor starving, homeless creatures, not knowing where to go or how +to live, were only too glad to accept his offer. + +Theodore's position was not an enviable one. In May, Ras Adilou, +together with all the Yedjow men, the only cavalry left to him, +departed from the camp in open daylight, taking with them their +wives, children, and followers. Theodore was afraid of pursuing the +deserters, lest the greater part of his remaining force should seize +the opportunity thus offered to them and join the discontented, +instead of fighting to capture them. Not long before, a young chief +of Gahinte, named Zallallou, at the head of two hundred horse, had +fled to his native province, and through his influence all the +peasants of that warlike district had aimed and prepared themselves +to defend their country against Theodore and his famished host. +Zallallou, the very day he left the Imperial camp, fell upon some +of our servants _en route_ to Debra Tabor, where they were +going to purchase supplies; all were plundered of everything they +had, stripped, and several detained as prisoners for a few days. + +Dahonte and Dalanta not long afterwards, declared themselves for +the Gallas, turned out of their provinces the governors Theodore +had appointed over them, and seized upon the cattle, mules, and +horses belonging to the Magdala garrison, which had been sent there, +as was the custom before the rainy season, on account of the scarcity +of water on the Amba itself. If Theodore, only a few months before, +had but a very insecure portion of his former vast empire that he +could call his own, at that date, June, 1867, he was a king without +a kingdom, and a general without an army. Magdala and Zer Amba were +still garrisoned by his troops; but apart from these forts, he had +nothing left: even his camp was only full of mutinous men, and +desertions went on at such a rate that he could then only muster +from 6,000 to 7,000 men, the majority of whom were peasants, who +had followed him to avoid starvation. For miles around Debra Tabor +the country was a perfect desert, and Theodore saw with dread the +rainy season coming on, for he had no supplies in camp, and a large +number of followers, the people of Gondar, and an endless host of +useless individuals to support. + +[Illustration: SUMMIT OF ZER AMBA FORTRESS NEAR TECHELGA.] + +In Begemder plundering was out of the: question; the peasants were +always on the watch, and on the slightest sign of a move were +everywhere on the alert, killing the stragglers and plunderers, and +keeping out of the way of the gunmen who stood around the Emperor. +Theodore remembered a rich district not as yet plundered, Belessa, +at the north-east of Begemder. In order to surprise the inhabitants +completely, he proclaimed some days before that he was going on an +expedition in quite a different direction, and to make his army +appear as formidable as possible, he had given orders that every +one who possessed a horse or a mule, or a servant, must send them, +under penalty of death, to accompany the expedition. The Belessa +people, far from being surprised, had been informed of his intention +by their spies, and Theodore, to his disappointment, saw from a +distance their villages on fire; the peasants themselves having +preferred destroying their homes to leaving them a prey to the +invader. Under the conduct of a gallant chief, Lij Abitou, a young +man of good family, and a runaway officer, from the Imperial +household, the peasants, well armed, took up a position on a small +plateau, separated by a narrow ravine from the route Theodore would +take. To his surprise, instead of running away at the mere sight +of his charger, they not only stood their ground, but several +well-mounted chiefs rode out in front and bid defiance to Theodore +himself. Astrologers must have told him that the day was not +favourable, as after several of his chiefs who had answered the +cartel had been laid dead on the field, he still refused to lead +his men in person, and before this unexpected resistance gave way +and ordered a retreat. Belessa was saved: the hungry, famished +robbers that Theodore called soldiers passed a dreadful night; +tired, hungry, and cold, they could not sleep, for the peasants +might surprise and attack them, in their turn. The cruelties Theodore +perpetrated after his return to Debra Tabor were fearful; too +horrible to be related. At last, tired of taking his revenge on the +innocent, he turned his thoughts to the place he might most easily +plunder, and fixed upon the island of Metraha. + +That island, situate in the Tana Sea, about twenty miles north of +Kourata, is only a few hundred yards from the mainland. It was +considered in the light of an asylum, and protected by its sacred +character, priests and monks resided there in peace; while merchants +and rich landowners sent their goods and stores there for safe +custody. Theodore had no scruples about violating the sanctity of +the island: the asylum afforded by the churches to all before his +time he had long ago violated, and, certain of a large booty, did +not hesitate to add another sacrilege to his numerous crimes. On +his arrival before Metraha, he at once ordered his people to make +rafts. Whilst Theodore was occupied in their construction, a priest +came in a boat, and approaching within speaking distance, inquired +of the Emperor what it was that he desired. Theodore told him the +grain that they had in store. The priest replied that they would +send it to him; but Theodore, not satisfied with the grain alone, +told the priest not to be afraid, but to send their boats. He took +a solemn oath that he would not injure them, nor remove anything +but the grain he required. The priest, on his return to the island, +informed the people of his conversation with the Emperor, and the +majority being in favour of complying with his requests, it was +agreed that all the available boats should be taken to the mainland. +A few who had no trust in Theodore's word entered their canoes, and +paddled away in an opposite direction. Theodore ordered the Europeans +to fire upon them with the small cannons they had brought. They +complied; but, to Theodore's great disappointment, failed to hit +any of the fugitives. No sooner had Theodore and a select party +been admitted on the island than he caused all the remaining +inhabitants to be shut up in a few of the larger houses; and after +all the grain, silver, gold, and merchandise had been removed, he +set the place on fire, and burnt to death priests, merchants, women +and children! + +For a while, abundance reigned in Theodore's camp. The work of +casting the big cannon had been going on for some time: the day of +its completion at last arrived, and Emperor and workmen anxiously +awaited the result of their labours. The Europeans, to their great +dismay, saw that they had failed; but Theodore, not in the least +put out, told them not to be afraid, but to try again: perhaps they +would succeed another time. Theodore examined carefully everything, +connected with the smelting, in order to find out the cause of the +failure, and he soon perceived that it was due to the presence of +some water around the mould. He at once set to work, and had a +large, deep, broad trench constructed from beneath the mould to +some distance outside. This drain dried up the place, and on a +second attempt being made the success was complete. Theodore was +delighted; he made handsome presents to the workmen, and prepared +everything requisite to carry away with him his immense piece of +ordnance. + +During that rainy season (1867) Theodore's difficulties were very +great: indeed, the punishment of his evil deeds was falling heavily +upon him, and to his proud nature it must have been a daily and +constant agony. The rebels were now so little afraid of Theodore +that every night they made attacks on his camp, and were always on +the watch to seize stragglers, or camp-followers. They had at last +become such a terror to the soldiers that, to protect them, and at +the same time check, to a certain extent, desertion, Theodore had +a large stockade built around the foot of the hill on which his +camp was pitched. A war of extermination on both sides now took +place; Theodore showing no pity to the peasants whom he succeeded +in capturing, and they, on their side, torturing and murdering any +one who belonged to the Emperor's camp. A detailed account of the +atrocities committed by Theodore during the last month of his stay +in Begemder would be too horrible to narrate: suffice it to say +that he burnt alive, or sentenced to some cruel death, in that short +space of time, more than 3,000 persons! His rage at times was so +blind that, unable to satisfy his revenge by punishing those who +daily insulted and scorned him, he vented his anger on the few +remaining faithful companions who shared his fate: chiefs who had +fought by his side for years, friends whom he knew from his childhood, +old respectable men who had protected him in former days, all had +to suffer more or less for their faithfulness, and fell innocent +victims to his mad fits of violence. Many succumbed to a lingering +death, or chains and torture, for no reason whatever except that +they loved him! + +Desertions were still frequent, but the difficulty of escape was +greater than before; the peasants often put to death the fugitives; +and always stripped and plundered them of everything they had. The +gates of the fence were guarded night and day by faithful men, and +it required often a good deal of ability and cunning to be able to +pass through them. I was told an anecdote which exemplifies the +expedients the soldiers resorted to in order to get out of the +dreaded camp. One evening, about half an hour before sunset, a woman +presented herself at the gate, carrying on her head one of the large +flat baskets used for keeping bread; she said, with tears in her +eyes; that her brother was lying down some short distance from the +fence so dangerously wounded that he could not walk; she had brought +him a little bread and water, etc. The guards allowed her to pass. +A few minutes afterwards a soldier presented himself at the gate, +and asked if they had seen a woman go through, giving the description +of the one that had just gone out. The guards said that they had; +the soldier appeared to be in a fearful passion, and said that she +was his wife, who had made an assignation to run away with her +lover; and he threatened to report them to the Emperor. The guards +told him that she could not be far off, and that he had better go +quickly and overtake her; off he went: as might be expected, neither +appeared again. + +To the annoyances and difficulties caused by the presence of large +bodies of armed peasants, day and night hanging about the outskirts +of the camp, were soon added the evils of famine: a small Abyssinian +loaf cost a dollar; a salt and a half, a dollar; butter could not +by any means be obtained; and hundreds died daily of want and +starvation. When the grain plundered at Metraha was consumed, no +more could be found; plundering was now quite impossible, and as +long as Theodore did not move his camp there was no hope of supplies +of any kind being obtained. Almost all the mules, horses, and the +few remaining sheep had died from want of food; they could not graze +any more in close vicinity to the camp, that pasture being completely +eaten up; and as to driving them to some green fields at a distance, +that was impossible. The poor animals dropped one after the other, +and infected the place by the stench that arose from their dead +bodies. The cows had all been killed long before by order of +Theodore. One day, when, after one of his first razzias, he had +brought back with him to Debra Tabor more than 80,000 cows; at night +the peasants came, and from a distance implored him to have pity +upon them, and restore them their cattle, without which they were +unable to cultivate the soil. Theodore was on the point of acceding +to their request, when some of the rascals around him said, "Does +not your Majesty know that there is a prophecy in the country, that +a king will seize a large amount of cattle, and that the peasants +will come and beg him to return them; the king will comply, but +soon afterwards die." Theodore replied, "Well, the prophecy will +not apply to me." He immediately gave orders for all the cows in +camp, those he had lately brought, and all others, to be killed at +once; the order was obeyed, and nearly, it is said, 100,000 were +killed and left to rot in the plain at a short distance from the +camp. + +The next day, Theodore, seated outside his hut, perceived a man +driving a cow into the fields; he sent for him, and asked him if +he had not heard the order. The man replied in the affirmative, but +said that he had not killed his cow because his wife having died +the day before on giving birth to a child, he had kept that one for +the sake of her milk. Theodore told him, "Why did not you know that +I would be a father to your child? Kill the man," he said to those +around him, "and take care of his child for me." + +The waggons being at last ready, Theodore decided upon marching +towards Magdala. Pestilence, engendered by famine and the noxious +effluvia arising from the heap of unburied dead bodies, now increased +the already dismal condition of the Emperor's army; and in a few +weeks more he and his whole host must have perished from sickness +and want. On the 10th of October, his Majesty set fire to his houses +at Debra Tabor, and destroyed the whole place; leaving only, as a +record of his stay, a church he had built as an expiation for his +sacrilege at Gondar. His march was, indeed, the most wonderful feat +he ever accomplished; none but he would have ventured on such an +undertaking; and no other man could have succeeded in accomplishing +the arduous journey that lay before him: it required all his energy, +perseverance, and iron will to carry out his purpose under such +immense difficulties. + +He had not more than 5,000 men with him, all more or less in bad +condition, weakened by famine, discontented, and only awaiting a +favourable opportunity to run away. The camp-followers, on the +contrary; numbered between forty and fifty thousand helpless and +useless beings whom he had to protect and feed. He had, moreover, +several hundred prisoners to guard, an immense amount of baggage +to carry, fourteen gun-carriages, with cannon or mortars--one of +them the famous "Sebastopol," weighing between fifteen and sixteen +thousand pounds--and ten waggons, the whole to be dragged by men +across a country without roads. Theodore did not let himself be +influenced by all these unfavourable circumstances; he seemed, for +a time, to have regained much of his former self, and behaved with +more consideration towards his followers. His daily marches were +very short, not more than a mile and a half to two miles a day. A +portion of his camp marched early every morning, carrying the heavy +luggage, dragging the waggons, and protecting the followers from +the attacks of the rebels, who were always hovering in the distance, +watching a favourable opportunity to avenge themselves on the +Emperor's people for all the miseries they had suffered at his hand; +another portion remained behind to guard what could not be carried; +off, and, on the return of the first batch, all started for the +spot fixed upon for that day's halt, conveying what had been left +behind in the morning. Even then the day's work wast not over; the +corn was as yet not quite ripe, and stood in the fields by the side +of the road; Theodore would set the example, pluck a few unripe +ears of barley, rub them between his hands, and, satisfied with +this frugal meal, repair to the nearest brook to quench thirst. +From Debra Tabor to Checheo, such was the daily routine of the +reduced host of Theodore,--harnessed to waggons, in place of the +horses and mules now so scarce in the camp; constantly on the alert, +as the country was all up in arms against them; with no supplies +available, only the unripe barley plucked by the wayside; no peace +by day nor rest at night: in a word, a march unequalled in the +annals of history. + +The prisoners were very badly off: many--even the Europeans--were +in hand and foot chains; to walk a few steps in such a condition +is fatiguing in the extreme, but to have to go over a mile or two +of broken ground with such fetters equals the cruellest torture. +Mrs. Flad and Mrs. Rosenthal every day, as soon as they arrived at +the stage, sent back their mules for the Europeans to ride; and +some time afterwards, on Mr. Staiger making a gala dress for his +Majesty, the hand-chains of all five were taken away. On the native +prisoners requesting to be allowed to ride, his Majesty sent them +word that, as he knew they had money, he would grant permission to +those who would send him a _dollar_. Theodore must have been +hard up, indeed, to be satisfied with such a trifle. Several complied +with his demand, and, by giving small presents to those chiefs who +had mules, they got an occasional lift. + +At Aibankab Theodore halted a few days to rest his men; near it two +heaps of stones arise, giving to the place the name of Kimr Dengea. +[Footnote: "Kimr Dengea," heap of stones.] The story the people of +the country narrate with reference to these heaps of stones is that +on one occasion a Queen, at the head of her army, went on an +expedition against the Gallas; before starting she ordered every +one of her soldiers as he passed along to put a stone on a certain +spot, and on her return again ordered them to place a stone at a +short distance from the former heap. The first is a large mass, the +second very much smaller; the Queen knew by that how great her loss +had been, and never since then ventured against the Gallas. + +At Kimr Dengea Theodore fell in with a caravan of salt-merchants +on their route to Godjam. He asked them why they went to the rebels +instead of coming to him. The chief of the caravan honestly replied +that they had heard from merchants that his Majesty was in the habit +of burning people alive, and consequently they were afraid to come +near him. Theodore said, "It is true I am a bad man, but if you had +trusted and come to me, I would have treated you well; but as you +prefer the rebels, I will take care that in future you do not go +to them." He then seized the salt and mules, sent all the merchants +into an empty house, had it surrounded with dry wood, put guards +at the door, and set fire to it. + +The peasants of Gahinte, to whom Theodore offered an amnesty, +declined to accept it; on three occasions he issued a proclamation +offering them a free pardon should they return to him. At last, +however, they sent him some priests to see what terms he would make; +he received the priests well, and told them that he would not enter +Gahinte: he only required a few supplies; but to prove to him their +sincerity they must send from each village a person of influence +to reside in his camp until he left Begemder. Luckily for them, the +peasants declined to comply with his demands; Theodore was too +prudent to venture into their valleys, and contented himself by +plundering at a short distance from his camp; burning alive, before +he left, a few poor wretches who had been simple enough to rely on +the faith of his proclamation. + +Theodore arrived at the foot of the steep ascent that leads from +Begemder to Checheo on the 22nd of November. Up to that spot the +road was not bad; but now an almost perpendicular height stood +before him, and he was obliged to blast enormous rocks, cut a road +through basalt, to enable him to bring his waggons, guns, and mortars +on the Zébite plains above. + +About that time he must have received the first intelligence of the +landing of British troops at Zulla; for one afternoon he said to +the Europeans, "Do not be afraid if I send for you at night. You +must be on the watch, as I hear some donkeys intend stealing my +slaves." The Europeans could not make out his meaning, and retired +as usual to their tents. In the middle of the night, all of them, +with the exception of an old man called Zander, and McKelvie, who +had for a long time been suffering from dysentery, were awoke by +soldiers coming into their quarters and ordering them to go at once +to the Emperor. They were all ushered into a small tent, and many +frivolous charges made against them. They were not allowed to leave +that night; even a large bundle of chains was brought in; but on +some of the chiefs representing to his Majesty that without their +labour it would be exceedingly difficult to make roads and guide +the waggons, and that he could always put them in chains when he +reached Magdala, Theodore relented. He allowed them to go to their +own tents in the daytime, when not on duty; but at night for their +own safety, and, as he said, on account of the badness of his people, +he made them all sleep in one tent, a few yards from his own: with +the exception of a few days, they remained prisoners at night and +slaves during the day, until the beginning of April. + +From early dawn to late at night Theodore was himself hard at work; +with his own hands he removed stones, levelled the ground, or helped +to fill up small ravines. No one could leave so long as he was there +himself; no one could think of eating, drinking, or of rest, whilst +the Emperor showed the example and shared the hardships. When he +could capture a few peasants or some of the rebels that crowned all +the heights around him, and day and night insulted or laughed at +him, he killed them in some cruel way or the other; but towards the +soldiers, ever since leaving Debra Tabor, he behaved better, and +left off beating or imprisoning them, as had been of late his wont. +On one or two occasions only he called them all around him, and, +standing on an elevated rock, addressed them in these terms: "I +know that you all hate me; you all want to run away. Why do you not +kill me? Here I am alone, and you are thousands." He would pause +for a few seconds, and add, "Well, if you will not kill me, I will +kill you all, one after the other." + +On the 15th of December, the road being completed, he brought up +his waggons on the plain of Zébite, and encamped there for a few +days. The peasants of that district, believing that Theodore would +never be able to ascend to their plateau, with all the incumbrances +he had with him--though they were themselves ready to fly at the +shortest notice--had not removed their cattle and grain; thus +Theodore, for the first time for many months, was able to provide +food for his small army, and make even some provision for the future. +From Zébite to Wadela the road is naturally good, so that, as far +as that district, the task before him was easy. He reached that +plateau on the 25th of the same month, and encamped at Bet Hor. + +But the work now before him would have driven any other man to +despair; though not fifty miles from his Amba Magdala, he had, +before he could rest there, to make roads down two precipitous +descents, cross two rivers, and surmount again two steep perpendicular +ascents. He went, however, steadily to work. Little by little he +made a road, creditable even to a European engineer, bringing with +him his mortars, cannons, &c.; he plundered at the same time, and +kept away by his name alone Watshum Gobazé and his uncle Meshisha, +who were both watching his movements: not that they intended to +attack him, but who were anxious to be able to decamp at the first +sign of his marching in the direction of the provinces they +"protected." On the 10th of January he began his descent, reached +the valley of the Jiddah on the 28th of the same month, ascended +the opposite precipice, and encamped on the Dalanta plain on the +20th of February, 1868. + + + + + CHAPTER XVIII. + + +Theodore in the vicinity of Magdala--Our Feelings at the Time--An +Amnesty granted to Dalanta--The Garrison of Magdala join the +Emperor--Mrs. Rosenthal and other Europeans are sent to the +Fortress--Theodore's Conversations with Flad and Waldmeier on the +coming of the Troops--Sir Robert Napier's Letter to Theodore reaches +us--Theodore plunders Dalanta--He abuses Mr. Waldmeier--Reaches the +Bechelo--Correspondence between Mr. Rassam and Theodore--Mr. Rassam +is Released from his Fetters--Theodore arrives at Islamgee--His +Quarrel with the Priests--His first Visit to the Amba--Trial of the +Two Chiefs--He places a New Commandant over the Garrison. + +We have now followed the Emperor's career from the day of our +departure from Debra Tabor to his arrival in our neighbourhood. +During that time, apart from the letters he addressed to Mr. Rassam +relative to the one from the Queen, and about Mr. Flad and the +artisans, we had but little intercourse with him. For a long time +messengers passed with the greatest difficulty, and, afraid lest +his written communications with the chiefs on the Amba might fall +into the hands of the rebels, he had of late sent only verbal +messages. Every messenger usually brought us compliments, and when +any were sent from the Amba they always came to us by order of the +chief before they left, so that Mr. Rassam might return a civil +message in answer to the one he had received. + +The ordinary staff of messengers were too well known on the road +to be able to pass through the districts in rebellion; and for a +long time we rejoiced at the idea that all communications were for +ever interrupted between the camp and the fort, when one day a young +Galla, servant of one of the political prisoners, reached the Amba, +bringing a letter from his Majesty. The lad went forwards and +backwards many times; but, apart from the presents be received from +us, I do not believe he ever even got a salt for so constantly +exposing his life; a few more men, who had friends and acquaintances +on the road, managed also to pass through. All of them were very +useful to us, as they also carried the correspondence between us +and Mr. Flad, and, beings well rewarded, could be trusted with the +most dangerous letters. We thought it even good fun to make the +King's messenger our medium of communication between our friends +in his camp and ourselves, often on treasonable matters. + +Soon after reaching Bet Hor, Theodore issued a proclamation to the +rebel districts of Dahonte and Dalanta, offering full amnesty for +the past, and pledging himself, "by the death of Christ," that he +would neither plunder nor ill-use them, should they return to their +allegiance. For some days both districts refused, as Gobazé had +promised to come and defend them; but the people of Dalanta, on seeing +that, far from giving them any help, Gobazé was himself getting +out of the way of Theodore, thought that, after all, it was perhaps +better to accept the latter's offer, and, as they could not help +themselves, trust to his pledged word. Dahonte, however, remained +in its rebellion, and proposed to resist by force of arms any attempt +on the part of Theodore to plunder the province. As the Emperor had +spoken in very friendly terms to his workmen and others about Mr. +Rassam, that gentleman was advised by the chiefs to write to the +King, congratulating him on his safe arrival. This he repeated on +several similar occasions; and the messengers he sent with these +letters were very cordially treated by his Majesty. Theodore also +wrote to Mr. Rassam on one or two occasions; and we had a ludicrous +repetition of the courteous and edifying correspondence that had +passed formerly between the two in the sunny days of Kourata. + +January, 1868, ushered in a period of great mental excitement for +us, which lasted until the very end; increasing in intensity as we +approached the last days, as we well knew that then our fate would +be decided. But there is something in the constant repetition of +stimulants, be they moral or physical, which blunts the feelings, +hardens the heart, and at last allows the person long submitted to +their influence to look upon everything with indifference and +impassiveness. We had had so many "shocks" during the last three +months--so many times we expected to be tortured or killed--that +when the day arrived that we were in reality placed almost beyond +hope, the crisis did not affect us much, and once passed, we never +thought of the matter again. + +Having become "reconciled" with his children of Dalanta, Theodore's +task was much easier. Several thousand peasants helped him in his +road-making, others carried part of his property to Magdala, and +now that the brave garrison of the Amba could cross the Dalanta +plateau without fear, he sent for them, leaving only a few old men +on the mountain beyond the ordinary number of prisoners' guards. +On the 8th of January Bitwaddad Damash, in command, with the "brave" +Goji as his lieutenant, and accompanied by seven or eight hundred +men, started for Wadela. Many left with beating hearts, trembling +at the prospect of meeting the Emperor. He was worshipped at a +distance, but dreaded on his approach. His Majesty, however, received +them very well; but was not over civil to all. Damash he treated +rather coolly; but as he wanted them a little time longer, he did +not say much, nor give them any cause to believe that he was greatly +displeased with them. + +A few days after Theodore had reached Dalanta he sent back the +Magdala garrison to the Amba, to accompany thither the prisoners +he had brought, with him,--the Europeans included,--and forwarded +by them some powder, shot, and the instruments belonging to his +workmen. Mrs. Rosenthal was also allowed to accompany the party, +and all arrived on the Amba on the afternoon of the 26th of January. +The five Europeans were sent to us; and on the interpreter's hut +being given to Mr. and Mrs. Rosenthal, the larger one that gentleman +had previously occupied was made over to the other five. We were +well pleased to be all together. The new comers had much to tell +us, and we in return gave them an account of our doings. We were, +above all things, rejoiced at the arrival of Mrs. Rosenthal; our +morbid idea having been for months, almost up to the end, that some +flying column would be detached from the main body of our army to +cut off Theodore from the mountain; and our anxiety had been great +on account of Mrs. Rosenthal and her child, as Theodore, according +to his system of hostages, had kept her near him as a security to +prevent the Magdala prisoners from running away. + +Messengers now went backwards and forwards daily, sometimes twice +in the same day, between the camp and the amba. At first, we saw +with anxiety the near approach of Theodore and the renewed facility +of his communications with us; but as it was an evil we were powerless +to contend against, we consoled ourselves as best we could, and +though fearing the worst, hoped for the best. One advantage we +gained was the facility of corresponding with Mr. Flad, who always, +with great courage, had, ever since his return from England, on all +possible occasions, kept us informed of Theodore's doings, and of +anything he might have said with reference to the existing difficulties. +He wrote to us in the beginning of February to inform us that, from +some, conversation he had had with officers of the Imperial household, +it was his opinion that his Majesty was aware of the landing of our +troops, and had purposely sent to him a chief to find out what the +intentions of our Government were concerning himself, and if there +was still any hope of the matter being peaceably settled. + +There is no doubt that for several mouths past, his Majesty had +been advised by his spies that English troops had landed in his +country; but under the difficulties he was placed in at the time, +he considered it advisable to keep silent on the subject. Since he +had reached the vicinity of the Amba, however, he frequently, in +his conversation with his people, gave strong hints that he expected +before long to have to contend with the soldiers of Europe. On the +8th of February Theodore told Mr. Waldmeier, the head of the +workmen--a very intelligent and well-educated man, for whom Theodore +had a great regard, though of late he had somewhat roughly used +him--that he had received news from the coast informing him that +the English had disembarked at Zulla. The following day he sent for +Mr. Flad, and calling him aside, told him, "The people from whom +you brought me a letter, and who you said would come, have arrived +and landed at Zulla. They are coming up by the Salt Plain. Why did +they not take a better road? The one by the Salt Plain is very +unhealthy." + +Flad explained to him that for troops arriving from India, that +road was the best, as they would in three or four days reach the +highlands of Agam. Theodore said, "We are making roads with great +difficulty; for them it will only be play to make roads everywhere. +It seems to me that it is the will of God that they should come. +If He who is above does not kill me, none will kill me, and if He +says, 'You must die,' none can save me: remember the history of +Hezekiah and Sennacherib." Theodore appeared very calm and composed +during that conversation. Two days afterwards he said to some of +his workmen, "I long for the day I shall have the pleasure of seeing +a disciplined European army. I am like Simeon; he was old, but +before he died he rejoiced his heart by holding the Saviour in his +arms. I am old, too; but I hope God will spare me to see them before +I die. My soldiers are nothing compared to a disciplined army, +where thousands obey the command of one man." Evidently he still +entertained some vague hope that the coming event might turn to his +advantage, as on another occasion he said to Mr. Waldmeier, "We +have a prophecy in our country that a European king will meet an +Abyssinian one, and that afterwards a king will reign in Abyssinia +greater than any before him. That prophecy is going to be fulfilled +at the present time; but I do not know whether I am the king alluded +to, or if it is some one else." + +We were delighted at the receipt of this intelligence; for a long +time we believed that Theodore knew of the landing of our troops, +but as he had never made any mention of the fact we still had our +doubts on the subject, and were somewhat in dread of his first burst +of passion on the intelligence reaching him. + +On the 15th of February a letter from the Commander-in-Chief addressed +to Theodore was brought to us by the messenger to whom it had been +entrusted, as he was afraid of handing it over to his Majesty +himself. This placed us in a difficult position; though as regarded +the Amharic translation, it was perhaps as well that it had not +reached Theodore, as that version, on some important points, gave +a totally different meaning from that of the letter itself. I was +quite delighted at listening to the Commander-in-Chief's manly and +straightforward language. The letter was as firm as it was courteous, +and I felt happy and proud, even in my captivity, that at last an +English general had torn asunder the veil of false humility which +for so long a time had concealed the bold and haughty spirit of +England. We felt strengthened by the conviction that the hour was +come when right and might would prevail, and the merciless despot +who had acted towards us with such unheard-of treachery would meet +his fate. + +According to the latest news we had received from the Imperial camp, +Theodore did not seem inclined to vent upon us his disappointment +and anger at seeing all his plans frustrated by the landing of an +English army; it was therefore decided to keep for the present the +important and valuable document that had so accidentally fallen +into our hands, as a powerful weapon to use, should a change take +place in the line of conduct Theodore had adopted since he was made +conversant of the fact that force was at last resorted to to effect +our deliverance: for we had our fears, knowing his changeable and +fickle disposition. + +Nor did Theodore's peaceful mood last much longer. The Dalanta +people, relying on his promises, and anxious to get rid of his +presence, gave him every assistance in their power, carrying his +baggage to the Amba, or working at the roads under his direction. +The honourable way in which he had kept his word with the people +of Dalanta induced the neighbouring district to send him deputations +begging for pardon, and offering to pay him tribute and send supplies +into his camp, if he would proclaim in their favour the same amnesty +he had granted to the Dalanta people. Had Theodore been wise, even +then he had a good opportunity of regaining part of his lost kingdom; +and had he continued to keep to his word, province after province, +disgusted with the cowardice of the rebels, would have returned to +him. But he was too fond of plundering: the peasants did not, +according to his ideas, send sufficient supplies; and as he knew +that the district was exceedingly rich in grain and cattle, regardless +of his oath, on the 17th of February, he gave orders for his soldiers +to plunder the peasants' houses. + +Taken quite by surprise, very little resistance was offered. Theodore +succeeded beyond his expectations; corn and cattle were now in +abundance, and in order to economize his supplies, he allowed; all +the Gondar people who were still with him, and many of the women +and children of runaway soldiers and chiefs, to leave the camp and +go wherever they liked. Since Ohecheo he had formed the strongest +and hardiest of the women of his camp into a plundering band; he +was always much pleased with their bravery, and one of them having +killed a petty chief, and brought to him the sword of her adversary, +he was so delighted that he gave her a title of rank and presented +her with one of his own pistols. We knew enough of the Emperor's +character to fear that, when once he again took to plundering and +killing, he would lose much of the amenity and gentleness he had +of late displayed, and look upon the arrival of an armed force from +England in a very different light; we were not, therefore, much +astonished to hear that he had again quarrelled with the Europeans +around him. It is also not improbable that a copy of the proclamation +the Commander-in-Chief had sent to the different chiefs may have +fallen into his hands about this time, as one was found after his +death amongst his papers. Whatever may have been the cause of his +sudden change, he, without any apparent reason, all at once regarded +his workmen with suspicion, and though he ordered them to be in +constant attendance upon his person, he would not for many days +allow them to work. + +Mr. Waldmeier one evening, on returning to his tent to take his +evening meal, entered into conversation with a spy of the Emperor's +on the subject of the advance of the English army. Waldmeier, amongst +other things, told the man that it would be a very unwise act of +his Majesty if he did not at once make friends with the English, +as he had not a single friend in the country. On the officer reporting +that conversation, Theodore in a fearful passion sent for all the +Europeans; for a while his rage was such that he could not speak, +but kept walking up and down, looking fiercely at them, and holding +his spear in a threatening attitudes. At last, stopping before Mr. +Waldmeier, he abused him in no measured terms: "Who are you, you +dog, but a donkey, a poor man who came from a far country to be my +slave, and whom I have paid and fed for years? What does a beggar +like you know about my affairs? Are you to dictate to me what I +am to do? A King is coming to treat with a King! What do you know +about such matters?" Theodore then threw himself on the ground and +said, "Take my spear and kill me; but do not revile me." Waldmeier +prostrated himself before him and begged for pardon; the Emperor +rose, but refused to grant his request, and ordered him to rise and +follow him. + +On the 18th of February Theodore pitched his camp near the ridge +of the Dalanta plateau, and the following day the chiefs of the +Amba, with their telescopes, could perceive several working parties +engaged in making the road down to the Bechelo. Theodore had made +about a thousand prisoners when he had plundered Dalanta, and all +of them, under strong escorts, were set to work for him; but when +the road was finished half way, he allowed them to return to Dalanta. + +For a while the communications between the Amba and the camp were +again suspended. The few chiefs and soldiers that had remained at +Magdala viewed with great despondency this last breach of faith of +their master, as it foreboded anything but gratitude towards them +for the many privations they had submitted to in fulfilment of the +trust vested in them. With great difficulty we succeeded in getting +a messenger to pass through the valley of the Bechelo, on account +of the disturbed condition of the country since Dalanta had been +plundered. The news he brought was a little more favourable. His +Majesty had reconciled himself with Mr. Waldmeier, and now treated +all his artisans with consideration and kindness. He did not, +however, allow them to work, and they all slept in a tent near his +Majesty: a precaution he had for a short time ceased to take. Often +he spoke to his soldiers, or to the Europeans, about the coming of +our troops; sometimes avowing his intention to fight with them, at +other times expressing himself in a more conciliatory tone. He had +hardly mentioned our names of late; he spoke about Mr. Stern, but, +contrary to his habit, not in anger. He referred several times to +a certain letter of Mrs. Flad's, which had given him great offence +some years before. That lady alluded in it to the possible invasion +of the county by the English and French, giving as her opinion that +he would not be afraid. Theodore frequently said that Mrs. Flad was +right: "They are coming, and I do not fear." + +On the 14th of March his Majesty, with all his waggons, cannons, +and mortars, reached the valley of the Bechelo. From a letter we +received from Mr. Flad it appears that his Majesty was in a great +hurry to reach Magdala. The Europeans were still treated courteously, +but, day and night, were strictly watched. He evidently received +good information of what was going on in the British camp. To Mr. +Waldmeier, who was more than any other in his confidence, he said, +"With love and friendship they will overcome me; but if they come +with other intentions I know they will not spare me, and I will +make a great blood-bath, and afterwards die." + +On the 16th he despatched a messenger to the Amba to rejoice his +people with the good news of his approach, and sent us a courteous +message. Mr. Rassam at once wrote to him, complimenting him on his +success. Mr. Rassam is certainly deserving of praise for endeavouring, +by every means in his power, to impress upon his Majesty the fervent +friendship he felt for him, and the sincere admiration and deep +devotion which time had only strengthened, and that even captivity +and chains could not destroy. Mr. Rassam's official position gave +him great advantages over the other captives; he was able to make +"friends" of all the royal messengers, of all the personal attendants, +of his Majesty, and of every one on the Amba or in the camp, who +could say a good word for him. Ignorant of the source of Mr. Rassam's +liberality, the chief courtiers, and even his Majesty himself, came +to the conclusion that Mr. Prideaux and myself were very inferior +beings--harmless individuals, whom it would be perfectly absurd to +place on a footing of equality with the open-handed, sweet-talking +gentleman, who alone, and out of mere regard, again congratulated +his Majesty. + +Theodore was so pleased with Mr. Rassam's letter that early on the +18th he sent Mr. Flad, his secretary and several officers, with a +friendly letter to that gentleman, and instructed the chief of the +Amba to remove at once _his friend's_ fetters. Theodore, in +his letter to Mr. Rassam, forgetting that he himself had on several +occasions made mention of his fetters, said that he had no quarrel +with him, and that when he had sent him to Magdala he had only told +his people to watch him, but out of precaution they put him in +chains. He sent him also 2,000 dollars for the money and things +Flad had brought with him, and said that, on account of the rebellious +condition of the country, he had not been able to forward them, and +hoped he would, at the same time, accept a present of a hundred +sheep and fifty cows. No one else was included in the order; and I +confess that we were foolish enough to feel this disappointment +bitterly. Probably twenty months of captivity weakens the mind as +well as the body, as at other times we should not have given even +a thought to the matter. Even as it was we soon forgot all about +it, wisely remembering that freedom and liberty would be ours when +the British flag should float over our former gaol. It appears that +our displeasure had been remarked, and a spy started at once for +the camp to inform his Majesty that we were angry at our chains not +being opened. + +Mr. Flad returned that evening to the Imperial camp, already pitched +on the northern banks of the Bechelo; and the following morning the +Emperor sent for him and asked him if he had seen us all, and if +we were looking well. He inquired especially about Mr. Prideaux and +myself; Flad told his Majesty that we were in good health, but sorry +that he had made a difference between us and Mr. Rassam. At this +the Emperor, smiling all the while, said:--"Yes, I have heard of +it: when they were put in chains by my people Mr. Rassam did not +say a word, but both of them looked angrily at the chains. I have +no anger against them, nor have they done me any wrong; as soon as +I shall meet Mr. Rassam I will take off their chains also." + +Mr. Flad explained to his Majesty that we had felt disappointed, +as some one, on Mr. Rassam's chains being ordered to be opened, had +come to the conclusion that the Consul, Dr. Blanc, and Mr. Prideaux +would be included in the same order, and had run on ahead to bring +us the _miserach_ (good news); that Mr. Rassam was also very +sorry his two companions were separated from him, and had asked him +the reason why it was so, but as he did not know his Majesty's +motives he could not answer him, &c. Theodore, still smiling, said +to Mr. Flad, "If there is only friendship, everything will be right." + +On the evening of the 25th of March, his Majesty pitched his camp +on the small plateau of Islamgee; he had brought his cannons and +even the monster mortar as far as the foot of the ascent, and was +hard at work making the road required for them to be dragged up. + +Early on the morning of the 26th, the priests of the Amba, in full +canonicals, carrying crosses and gaily-tinselled umbrellas, went +to Islamgee to congratulate the Emperor on his safe arrival. Theodore +received them with great courtesy, and shortly afterwards dismissed +them, saying, "Go back, my fathers, be of good cheer; if I have +money I will share it with you. My clothes will be yours, and with +my corn I will feed you." They were on the point of starting when +an old bigoted priest, who had always shown himself badly disposed +towards us, turned round and addressed his Majesty in the following +terms:--"Oh, my King, do not abandon your religion!" Theodore, quite +surprised, inquired of him what he meant. The priest, rather excited, +exclaimed, in a loud voice, "You do not fast, you observe no more +the feasts of the saints! I fear that you will soon follow entirely +the religion of the Franks." Theodore turned towards some of the +Europeans that stood near him and said, "Did I ever inquire of you +about your religion? Did I ever show any desire to follow your +creed?" They all replied, "Certainly not." Theodore then addressed +the priests, who were listening with dismay to this conversation, +and told them, "Judge this man." The priests did not consult long, +and with one accord gave as their decision, that "the man who insults +his king is worthy of death." On that, the soldiers fell upon the +old priest, tore off his clothes, and would have, killed him on the +spot had not Theodore mitigated the punishment. He ordered him to +be put in chains, sent to the Amba, and for seven days not to be +allowed either bread or water. + +Another priest, who had also on a former occasion grossly insulted +his Majesty, was sent up to the prison at the same time. That priest +had said to some of the Emperor's spies that their master wore three +matabs: [Footnote: _Matab_: a string made of blue silk, and +worn round the neck as the sign of Christianity in Abyssinia.] one, +because he was a Mussulman, having burnt the churches; the second +because he was a Frank, never observing the fast days; the third, +to make the people believe he was a Christian. + +The following morning we were awoke by the merry _elelta_--the +shrill cry of joy uttered by the Abyssinian _beau sexe_ on +great and happy events. On this occasion a peculiar mixture of +joyous and plaintive strains slightly modified its usual character, +and it was a sharp but also tremulous sound that greeted the arrival +of the Emperor Theodore on the Amba. Carpets were at once spread +on the open space in front of his house, the throne was brought out +and decked with gorgeous silks, and the state umbrella unfolded to +protect the reclining Emperor from the hot rays of the sun. We +expected, on seeing all these preparations made and the large number +of courtiers and officers assembled in front, that before long we +would be called for, and that something similar to the trial and +reconciliation of Zagé was going to be acted over again. We were, +however, mistaken: it was on account of some private affairs that the +Emperor, abandoning for a day his work, had called a court of justice. + +For a long time various charges had been whispered against two of +the chiefs of the Amba, Ras Bisawar and Bitwaddad Damash. His Majesty +now desired to investigate them; he listened quietly to the accusers, +and having heard the defence, he asked the opinion of the chiefs +around him. They advised him to forgive them on account of their +former good services, but that they should not be trusted any more. +Had not a chief, they said, deserted a few nights before--a feat +he could not have accomplished had not several of the garrison +helped him in his escape?--and moreover, should an enemy present +himself before the Amba during one of the Emperor's absences, they +would most probably quarrel amongst themselves instead of defending +the place. The Emperor accepted their decision and said that he +would send a new garrison, that the former one should proceed that +very day to his camp, and that as their store of grain would only +be a burden to them, they should leave it behind; he would give +orders to the writers to make out a correct account of all they +had, and, _to oblige them_, he would keep the grain himself +and pay them the value in money. He afterwards sent for the two +priests he had imprisoned the day before, released them from their +fetters, and told them that he forgave them, but that they must +leave his country at once. On going away, he sent word by Samuel +to Mr. Rassam that he had intended to come and see him but that +he felt too tired; he added, "Your people are near; they are coming +to deliver you." + +The soldiers of the garrison were greatly annoyed at having to +leave, and were much pleased early the next morning to learn that +Theodore had rescinded his order. He had, he said, pardoned them +on account of their long and faithful services. The Ras was put on +"half-pay," and a new commandant, Bitwaddad Hassanié, sent to take +over the charge, while the garrison was reinforced by some 400 musketeers. + +It is probable that Theodore wanted simply to know what amount of +corn the garrison possessed, as he might perhaps require it himself +before long, and possibly also the clemency shown by him was due +to his being pleased at the soldiers having complied with his orders +and purchased grain, as he had directed them, with the money he had +a short time before given them. + + + + + CHAPTER XIX. + + +We are counted by the new Ras, and condemned to sleep in One +Hut--Theodore's Second Visit to the Amba--Sends for Mr. +Rassam and gives orders that Prideaux and myself should have +our Chains taken off--The Operation described--Our Reception +by the Emperor--We are sent for to see "Sebastopol" landed on +Islamgee--Conversation with his Majesty--The remaining Prisoners +are freed from their Fetters--Theodore is unable to Plunder his +own property. + + +On the 28th of March, all of us, with the exception of Mr. Rassam, +were called out and made to stand in a line to be _counted_ +by the new Ras; then at about ten at night, as we were undressing, +Samuel came to inform us that he had received orders to put us all, +with the exception of Mr. Rassam, in one hut for that night, but +that as none of our huts was large enough, he had obtained leave +that we should be distributed into two. Cameron, Mr. Rosenthal, and +Mr. Kerans were made to join us company, and four villanous-looking +rascals, with lighted candles burning all night, were posted inside +the door to prevent our going out. Samuel and two chiefs slept in +Mr. Rassam's room, and I strongly suspect that Samuel was on that +occasion more in the position of a prisoner than a guardian. + +We slept but little, expecting that the morning would bring some +change for the worse. To our day guards some ten or fifteen of the +greatest scoundrels of the camp had been recently added, and we +felt rather anxious when we learnt early the next morning that +Theodore had sent word he would come up in the course of the day +to muster the garrison. + +At about three in the afternoon some of our servants came rushing +into our hut to tell us that Theodore had arrived on the Amba, and +that he appeared to be a _little_ drunk. Shortly afterwards +Mr. Flad came with a message to Mr. Rassam from the Emperor, to the +effect that if his Majesty had time he would send for him after his +return from the church. A red-flannel tent, the sign of royalty, +was, in the meanwhile, pitched in the plain, and all around carpets +were spread. When Theodore issued from the church he was in a great +passion, seized a priest by the beard, and said to him, "You say +that I want to change my religion; before any one could force me +to do so I would cut my throat." He then thrust his spear with +violence into the ground, "fakered," cursed the Bishop,--in a word, +acted in all respects as if drunk or mad. He called Mr. Meyer, who +was standing at a short distance from him, and told him to go to +Mr. Rassam with the message, "Your people are coming. I put you in +chains for that purpose. I have not obtained what I wanted. Come +to me, and in the same dress you used to wear before." + +We all felt very nervous about the interview, as Theodore seemed +in a bad disposition; however, all went on well. As soon as Mr. +Rassam approached the tent, Theodore advanced a few steps to meet +him, shook hands with him, and asked him to sit down. He then said, +"I cannot say that I could not bring my throne today, as you are +aware that it is at Magdala; but out of respect for my friend the +Queen, whom you represent here, I desire to sit on the same carpet +as yourself." After a while, he said to Mr. Rassam, "Those two +persons who came with you are neither my friends nor my enemies, +but if you consent to become their security, I will have their +chains opened." On that Mr. Rassam rose, and said, "Not only will +I become their security, but should they do anything displeasing +to your Majesty, do not say it is Blanc or Prideaux, but that Rassam +did it." Theodore then asked Mr. Rassam to send two persons to have +our chains taken off, and as his Majesty insisted upon it, Mr. +Rassam mentioned Mr. Flad and Samuel. + +The servants had heard the good news and rushed in before Flad came +to us with the welcome intelligence. On the arrival of Flad and +Samuel, we were taken to Mr. Rassam's house, where Mr. Flad delivered +to us from his Majesty the following message:--"You are neither my +friends nor my enemies. I do not know who you are. I chained you +because I chained Mr. Rassam: now I open your chains because he +promised to be your security. If you run away it will be a shame +for you and for me." + +On that we were told to sit down; an iron wedge was first hammered +in where the ring was joined, and when the intervening space was +considered sufficient, three or four loops of strong leather rope +were passed inside the irons, and we were told to put one leg on a +large stone brought in for the purpose. On each side a long pole +was then fixed in the leather loops, and five or six men pulled on +them with all their strength, using the stone as a "point d'appui" +for the lever. As the leather thongs acted on the iron ring, little +by little it gave way and stretched out, until at last it was wide +enough to pass over the foot: the operation was then performed on +the other leg. It took at least half an hour to take mine off, and +even more to open Prideaux's. Though we were delighted at the +prospect of having again the free use of our limbs, we did not enjoy +the rude operation at all; and although (as we were in favour) the +soldiers did their best not to hurt us, still the pain was at times +quite unbearable, as the "point d'appui" now and then slipped from +the stone to the chain itself, and pressing on the shin it seemed +to us as if the leg would be crushed to pieces. + +At first we could hardly walk. Our legs seemed to us as light as +feathers; we could not guide them, and we staggered very much like +drunken men: if we met with a small stone in our way, we involuntarily +lifted up the foot to a ridiculous height. For days the limb was +painful, and the slightest exertion was followed by great fatigue. + +Theodore having expressed his desire that we should present ourselves +before him in uniform, we dressed ourselves immediately the chains +were taken off. As I was the first to get rid of my twenty-one +months' friends, I was ready when Prideaux came in; but no sooner +had he begun taking off his prison garb to dress himself, than +messenger after messenger rushed in, sent from Theodore to hurry +us on. Well knowing the fickle disposition of their master, all the +chiefs present, Samuel, the guards, every one kept continually +shouting out to Prideaux, "Make haste, make haste!" Flurried, and +unaccustomed since so many months to the civilized way of putting +on his clothes, and unable to guide his feet properly, in his hurry +he tore his uniform trousers almost in two. But no one _would hear +of waiting any longer: off we must go. Luckily a few pins were at +hand, and what with his cap as a screen, the accident, if not +repaired, was hidden. On reaching the Imperial tent, his Majesty, +after greeting us cordially, said, "I chained you because your +people believed that I was not a strong king; now that your masters +are coming I release you to show them that I am not afraid. Fear +not; Christ is my witness, and God knows, that I have nothing in +my heart against you three. You came to this country knowing what +the Consul had done. Do not fear, nothing will happen to you. Sit +down." + +Once seated he ordered some tej to be given to us, and conversed +with Mr. Rassam; amongst other things he said, "I am like a woman +in the family way, and know not if it will be an abortion, a girl +or a boy; I hope it will be a boy. Some men die when they are young, +some at middle age, some when they are old; some are prematurely +cut off, but what my end will be, God only knows." He then introduced +his son to Mr. Rassam. He inquired if we had carpets, and if our +houses were comfortable; and on Mr. Rassam telling him that by his +favour we had everything we required, and that his Majesty would +be pleased if he saw the nice home he had, Theodore looking up to +heaven said, "My friend, believe me, my heart loves you; ask me for +whatever you like, even for my own flesh, and I will give it to +you." + +His Majesty, during the whole of the interview, was most courteous +and appeared much pleased with Mr. Rassam's answers, and laughed +heartily more than once. When he dismissed us, he sent his son and +the Europeans to accompany us to our huts. + +I heard, both from Mr. Rassam and from the Europeans that were +present all along, that before as well as during the time we were +present, Theodore had shown himself most friendly and kind. The +Europeans told me that whilst our chains were being opened he talked +on many subjects with Mr. Rassam. Amongst other things, he said +to him, "Mr. Stern has wounded me in the arm, but if anything bad +is to happen, before that I will wound him also." He also said, "I +will fight; you may see my dead body, and say there is a bad man, +who has injured me and mine; and perhaps you will not bury me." + +After we left he mustered his troops and spoke to them about us. +"Whatever happens, I will not kill these three--they are messengers; +but amongst those that are coming, and here also, I have enemies; +those I will kill if they want to injure me." As he was passing the +gate on his way back to his camp, he called the Ras and told him, +"Mr. Rassam and his companions are not prisoners, they may play and +run; watch them with the eye only." + +That night we had no guards inside our room; they slept outside as +before. We, however, did not venture to avail ourselves of the order +and walk about the Amba, but remained quietly in our inclosure. + +On reaching his camp, Theodore assembled his people and said to +them:--"You hear of white men coming to fight me; it is no rumour, +but quite true." A soldier shouted out, "Never mind, my king, we +will fight them." Theodore looked at the man, and said, "You fool! +you do not know what you say. These people have long cannons, +elephants, guns, and muskets without number. We cannot fight against +them. You believe that our muskets are good: if they were so they +would not sell them to us. I might kill Mr. Rassam, as he brings +these soldiers against me. I did him no harm: it is true I put him +in chains; but it is your fault, you people of Magdala, you should +have advised me better. I might kill him, but he is only one; and +then those who are coming would take away my children, my women, +my treasures, and kill me and you." + +The following morning, the 30th, a message was sent to the five who +had lately joined us, asking them to work again for him, as he +wanted more stone shots. On accepting his offer, their foot chains +were taken off, hand chains put by pairs, and they were conducted +to the camp. A tent was pitched for them, and on their arrival they +received a present of tej, meat and bread, from his Majesty. + +None of us were over sanguine at the recent good treatment we had +received at the hands of Theodore; we knew how suddenly he changed, +and that often,--as formerly in our case,--he pretended great +friendship, when he intended all the while to ill-use, or even kill +his dupes. We were, however, in good spirits and kept up our courage, +knowing that the end was near: we left the result in God's hands, +and hoped for the best. + +On the 1st of April we learnt that the evening before, Theodore, +being very drunk, had "fakered" a great deal. At about ten in the +forenoon a large number of soldiers came rushing in from the camp +below (we always disliked very much those abrupt movements of the +soldiers), but instead of coming towards our fence, as at first we +feared, they went in the direction of the magazines, and shortly +afterwards we saw them again passing along on their way back, +carrying the cannons Theodore had on the mountain, powder, cannon-balls, +&c. We supposed that Theodore had either decided on defending +Selassié, or had sent for his guns, as he intended, such was the +general opinion, to have a great "faker." + +Early on the morning of the 2nd, some of the chiefs were sent by +the Emperor to inform us that his Majesty required us immediately +to proceed to Islamgee. From our former experience of Theodore's +fickle disposition we knew not what would be our fate, whether a +polite reception, imprisonment or something worse; but as there was +no help for it, we dressed, and, accompanied by the chiefs, left +our huts, (perhaps never to see them again,) and walked down to the +camp below the mountain. It was the first time, with the exception +of the short distance we had gone on the day our chains had been +opened, that we had left our inclosure. We had but a very indifferent +idea of the Amba, and were astonished to find it much larger than +we expected, the road between the gates longer and steeper, and the +paths along the side of the Amba more abrupt and more lengthy than +we had supposed from our recollections of twenty-one months before. + +We found Theodore seated on a heap of stones about twenty yards +below Islamgee, on the side of the road just completed, and through +which the cannons, mortars, and waggons were going to be dragged. +From the spot he had chosen he could see all the road down to the +foot of Islamgee, where all his people were busily engaged fixing +long leather ropes to the waggons, and, under the supervision of +the Europeans, making everything ready, for the ascent. The Emperor +was dressed very simply: the only difference in his attire from the +chief in attendance standing some ten yards on his side, was in the +silk border of his shama: he held a spear in his hand, and two long +pistols were fixed in his belt. He greeted us cordially and made +us sit down _behind him_: a proof of confidence, he would +certainly not have accorded to his dearest Abyssinian friend, as +we had only to give him a sudden push, and he would have rolled +down the precipice below. + +The road he had made on the side of Islamgee was broad but very +steep on the average at a gradient of one in three; half way an +almost straight angle intersected it, and we feared that there might +be some difficulty in turning the heavy waggons without upsetting +them. He did not speak much at first, being intent on examining the +waggons below; but as soon as the big mortar came in sight he pointed +it out to us, and asked Mr. Rassam his opinion about it. We all +admired the huge piece, and Mr. Rassam, having complimented his +Majesty on his great work, added, that before long he hoped that +our people would have the same pleasure of admiring it as we did. +Samuel, who translated on that occasion, turned quite pale, but as +the Emperor understood a little Arabic he was obliged to render the +sentence, though he evidently did not like it. Theodore laughed, +and sent Samuel to tell Mr. Waldmeier what Mr. Rassam had just said. +A few minutes afterwards his Majesty got up; we rose also, and Mr. +Rassam told him, through Samuel, that to gladden his heart still +more he begged him to be gracious enough to release from their +fetters our companions still in chains on the Amba. This time +Samuel not only turned pale, but shook his head, declining to open +such a subject; but on Mr. Rassam repeating his request, this time +in a higher tone of voice, Theodore looked round, and Samuel, having +no option left, complied. His Majesty looked sullen and a little +annoyed, but after a short pause gave orders to some of his attendants +and to Samuel to proceed at once to the Amba and have the chains +of the five remaining captives opened at once. + +The Emperor then walked down to the spot where the road made a sharp +angle, and directed the laborious task of having such heavy masses +dragged up the precipitous incline. He sent us to the other side +of the road, where we might witness the whole scene well, and +appointed several of his high officers to attend upon us. None but +Theodore, I believe, could have directed that difficult operation; +the leather ropes, from long use, were always breaking, and we were +very much afraid that some accident might happen, and that, at the +very last stage, the ponderous mortar "Sebastopol" would tumble +over the precipice. We fancied the rage his Majesty would be in; +and our close proximity to him made us earnestly pray that nothing +of the kind would occur. The sight was well worth witnessing: +Theodore standing on a projecting rock, leaning on his spear, sent +his aide-de-camp at every moment with instructions to those who +directed the five or six hundred men harnessed to the ropes. At +times when the noise was too great, or when he wanted to give some +general instructions, he had but to lift up his hand and not a sound +would arise from the thousands engaged in the work, and the clear +voice of Theodore would alone be heard in the deep silence that his +simple gesture had produced. + +At last the big mortar was safely landed on Islamgee. We climbed +up as fast as we could, and complimented his Majesty on the achievement +of his great undertaking; he sent us word to examine the mortar. +We all three jumped on the gun-carriage, greatly admired it, and +loudly expressed our astonishment and delight to the bystanders. +His Majesty was evidently well pleased with the praises we had +bestowed upon his great favourite, and made us sit down near him +on the verge of the Islamgee plateau whilst the remaining cannons +and waggons were being drawn up. The wonderful work of dragging up +the 16,000 pounds weight of "Sebastopol" once over--though some of +the cannons were also of a considerable size,--the rest of the +operation was only child's play, and his Majesty, though present, +never interfered. + +We must have remained with him for at least several hours in quiet +and friendly talk. As the sun was getting hot, his Majesty insisted +on our putting on our caps, and, on Mr. Rassam a short time afterwards +asking his permission to open an umbrella, he not only granted it, +but, seeing that I had none, kindly sent one of his pages for his +own, opened it, and gave it to me. He told us of all the difficulties +he had undergone, and how the peasants refused every assistance. +He said, "I was obliged to make roads during the day and drag my +waggons, and to plunder at night, as my people had nothing to eat." +All the country, he said, had been against him, and when they could +seize any of his followers they immediately put them to death; in +return, when he made any of them prisoners, to avenge his friends, +he burnt them alive: this he told us in the quietest way possible, +just as if he had done the right thing. He then asked about our +troops, the elephants, the rifles, &c. Mr. Rassam told him everything +we knew; that about 12,000 troops had landed, but that not more +than 5,000 or 6,000 would advance on Magdala--adding, "It will only +be friendship." Theodore said, "God only knows; before, when the +French came into my country, at the time of that robber 'Agau +Negussi,' I made a quick march to seize them, but they had run away. +Do you believe that I would not have gone to meet your people, and +asked them what they came into my country for? but how can I? You +have seen to-day my army, and"--pointing to the Amba above--"there +is all my country. But I will wait for them here, and then let God's +will be done." + +He next spoke about the Crimean war, of the late contest between +Austria and Prussia, of the needle-gun, and asked us if the Prussians +had made the Emperor of Austria a prisoner, or seized his country. +Mr. Rassam told him that the needle-guns, by their rapid fire, had +gained the victory for the Prussians; that on peace being made the +Emperor of Austria was obliged to pay a large sum of money; that a +part of his territory had been annexed by the conqueror, and all +his allies had lost their kingdoms. His Majesty listened with great +composure, only when he was told that only 5,000 men were coming, +the proud curl of his lip expressed how much he felt his fallen +condition when so few men were considered sufficient to conquer +him. He afterwards spoke to us about his old grievances against +Cameron, Stern, and Rosenthal. About us he said, "You have never +done me any wrong. I know that you are great men in your country, +and I feel very sorry to have ill-treated you without cause." + +After the last waggon had been drawn up, he rose and told us to +follow; we walked a few yards behind him, and when Samuel, who had +gone to give orders for a tent to be pitched for us, returned, he +asked us, through him, several questions about shells, the charge +required for his big mortar, &c., to all of which Mr. Rassam replied, +that being a civilian he knew nothing about it. He then told him +to ask me, but Mr. Rassam replied that I was only acquainted with +medicines. On that he ceased his inquiries and conducted ne to the +tent prepared for us; then bidding us good afternoon, retired to +his apartment. An Abyssinian breakfast, tej, and a few European +dishes and cakes that Mrs. Waldmeier had prepared; according to +his instructions, were then sent for us to partake of. A short time +afterwards he sent for Mr. Waldmeier and Samuel. + +It seems that Theodore had already been drinking, as he talked to +them in a very excited manner, inquiring why he had not received +any intimation of the landing of our troops and if it was not +customary for a king to inform another that he was invading his +country &c. Mr. Waldmeier and Samuel, when they returned, appeared +rather alarmed, as it was no unfrequent case with Theodore to be +very friendly in the morning, and, when in his cups, to change his +demeanour and ill-treat those he had petted a little while before. +Samuel and Waldmeier were a second time sent for. Theodore then +abused Samuel a great deal, told him that he had many charges to +bring against him, but that he left it for another day; he then +ordered him to take us back to the fort, gave instructions for three +mules to be brought, and for the commandant of the mountain, together +with the former one, to escort us. To Mr. Waldmeier he said, "Tell +Mr. Rassam that a small fire, the size of a pea, if not put out in +time, may cause a great conflagration: it is left to Mr. Rassam to +extinguish it before it spreads." We were glad to return safe and +sound to our old prison, and rejoiced on seeing our companions freed +from their fetters and looking happy and hopeful. + +On the following morning Mr. Rassam sent word to the Emperor, +requesting his permission to be allowed to inform the Commander-in-Chief +of the British army of his Majesty's good-will towards the Europeans +in his power; but Theodore answered that he did not desire him to +write, as he had opened the chains of the captives not out of fear, +but simply on account of his personal friendship for Mr. Rassam. + +As Theodore had on several occasions expressed his astonishment at +not receiving any communication from the Commander-in-Chief, we +thought it advisable to request Sir Robert Napier, through our +friends, to be kind enough to send a short courteous letter to the +Emperor, informing him of the object of the expedition; as the +letter he had addressed to him before landing had been detained by +Mr. Rassam, and the ultimatum sent by Lord Stanley previous to the +intervention of an armed force, having also fallen into Mr. Rassam's +hands, instead of reaching the Emperor, had been destroyed by that +gentleman. + +The five (Mr. Staiger and his party) were making stone balls for +his Majesty's cannons, but as none of the Europeans in his service +would stand security for them, every evening the hand chains were +hammered on after their day's work was over. On the evening of the +3rd Theodore sent to Mr. Rassam, asking him to become their guarantee; +but he refused, as he could not, he said, hold himself responsible +for them so long as they were working for his Majesty and resided +at a distance from him. However, Mr. Flad and one of the other +Europeans consenting to become security, the torture of having the +chains daily fastened on was discontinued, and the captives were +simply guarded at night in their tent. + +Provisions were running short, and for some days a foraging expedition +was much talked about, Dahonte being considered as the place selected. +But Theodore, unwilling to expose his small force to a repulse, did +not venture so far, but on the morning of the 4th of April plundered +his own people, the few small villages situate at the foot of the +Amba; and he unsuccessfully attempted to sack the village of Watat, +where his _own cattle_ were kept. Theodore met with much more +resistance than he expected from the Galla peasants; many of the +soldiers were killed, and the booty brought back was very small. + +The soldiers on the mountain were more despondent than ever: little +aware of the great change that before long was to take place, they +viewed with great concern and anxiety this last raid, as, were the +Emperor to go away, they would be left to starve on their rock. +From Mr. Munzinger we frequently received short notes, which reached +us sewn in the worn-out trousers of some peasant or messenger; thus +we knew that our deliverers were now near, and we longed for the +day, not far distant, when our fate would be decided: for we suffered +more from constant anxiety and doubt--as to what every minute might +bring, than from the certainty of death: even the few hopeful +thoughts we now and then indulged in were nothing compared to +regained liberty. + + + + + CHAPTER XX. + + +All the Prisoners leave the Amba for Islamgee--Our Reception by +Theodore--He harangues his Troops, and releases some of the +Prisoners--He informs us of the Advance of the English-- +The Massacre--We are sent back to Magdala--Effects of the +Battle of Fahla--Messrs. Prideaux and Flad sent to negotiate +--Release of the Captives, and their Narrow Escape--Their +Arrival in the British Camp. + + +On the evening of the 7th of April we heard indirectly that the +next morning all the prisoners, ourselves included, would be called +before his Majesty, who was at the time encamped at the foot of +Selassié, and that in all probability we should not return to +the Amba. At day-dawn a messenger came from Theodore ordering us +to go down, and take with, us our tents and anything else we might +require. As was our wont on such occasions, we put on our uniforms, +and proceeded to the Emperor's camp accompanied by the former +captives. On approaching Selassié we perceived his Majesty, +surrounded by many of his chiefs and soldiers, standing near his +guns in conversation with some of his European workmen. He saluted +us courteously, and told, us to advance and stand near him. Cameron +was staggering from the effects of the sun, and could with difficulty +keep himself from falling to the ground. On perceiving his condition +his Majesty asked us what was the matter with him. We answered that +Cameron was unwell, and begged permission for him to sit down, a +request that was immediately granted. Theodore then greeted the +other prisoners, asked them how they were, and on perceiving the +Rev. Mr. Stern he said, smiling all the while, "O Kokab (Star), why +have you plaited your hair?" [Footnote: Only soldiers plait the +hair; peasants and priests shave the head about once a month.] +Before he could answer Samuel told the Emperor, "Your Majesty, it +is not plaited; it falls naturally on his shoulders." + +Theodore then retired a little way from the crowd, and told us three +and Cameron to follow him. Seating himself on a large stone, and +telling us also to sit down, he said, "I have sent for you, as I +desire to look after your safety. When your people come and fire +upon me I will put you in a safe place; and should you even there +be in danger I will remove you to somewhere else." He asked us if +our tents had arrived, and on being informed that they had not, he +ordered one of his own, of red flannel, to be pitched in the +meanwhile. He remained with us about half an hour conversing on +different topics; he narrated the anecdote of Damocles, asked us +about our laws, quoted Scripture--in a word, jumped from one subject +to the other, discoursing on topics quite foreign to his thoughts. +He did his best to appear calm and amiable, but we soon detected +that he was labouring under great excitement. When, in January, +1866, he received us at Zagé, we were struck by the simplicity +of his dress, in every respect the same as that of his common +soldiers; of late, however, he had adopted a more gaudy attire, but +nothing compared to the harlequin coat he wore that day. + +After he had dismissed us, he ascended the hill under which our +tent was pitched, and for two hours, at about fifty yards from us, +surrounded by his army, he "fakered" (bragged) to his heart's +content. He discoursed first on his former deeds, or what he intended +to do when he should encounter the white men, speaking all the while +in contemptuous terms of his advancing foe. Addressing the soldiers +whom he was sending as an advanced post to Arogié, he told them, +on the approach of the white men, to wait until they had fired, and +before the enemy had time to reload, to fall upon them with their +spears; and showing the gaudy dress he had put on for the occasion, +he added: "Your valour will meet with its reward, and you will +enrich yourselves with spoils, compared to which the rich dress I +am wearing is but a mere trifle." When he had concluded his harangue +he dismissed his troops, and sent for Mr. Rassam. He told him not +to notice what had taken place, as it meant nothing; but that he +was obliged to speak publicly in that manner to encourage his +soldiers. He then mounted his mule and ascended to the top of Selassié +to examine the road from Dalanta to the Bechelo, and ascertain the +movements of the English army. + +The next day, the 8th, we only saw his Majesty at a distance, seated +on a stone in front of his tents, and talking quietly to those +around him. In the afternoon he ascended to the top of Selassié, +and on his return sent us word that he had seen nothing; but that +our people could not be far off, as a woman had come to inform him +that, the evening before, horses and mules had been taken down to +the Bechelo to be watered. + +As we came down from the Amba the day before, we had met on the +road all the prisoners crawling along, many of them in hand and +foot chains, having in that condition been obliged to walk down the +irregular and steep descent. Their appearance was enough to inspire +pity in the most callous heart; many had no other covering than a +small piece of rag round the loins, and were living skeletons, +covered with some loathsome skin disease. Chiefs, soldiers or +beggars, all wore an anxious expression: they had but too much +reason to fear that they had not been dragged out of the prison +where they had spent years of misery for any good purpose. However, +on that morning Theodore gave orders for about seventy-five to be +released, all either former servants of his, or chiefs whom he had +imprisoned, without cause, during his fits of madness, so frequent +of late. + +Soon after his return from Selassié, his merciful mood being +over, Theodore sent orders to have seven prisoners executed; amongst +them the wife and child of Comfou (the storekeeper who had run away +in September)--poor innocent beings on whom the despot vented his +rage for the desertion of the husband: they were shot by the "brave +Amharas," and their bodies hurled over the nearest precipice. +Theodore sent me word to go and visit Bardel, who was lying dangerously +ill in a tent close by. Having seen him and prescribed, I afterwards +visited some of the Europeans and their families; I found them all +exceedingly anxious and none could arrive at any conclusion as to +the probable course Theodore would adopt. + +Early on the morning of the 9th some of the European workmen informed +us that Theodore was making roads to drag part of his artillery to +Fahla, where it overlooks the Bechelo; they also told us that before +parting he had given orders for the release of about one hundred +prisoners, most of them women or poor people. Towards 2 P.M. the +Emperor returned, and sent us word by Samuel that he had seen a +quantity of baggage coming down from Dalanta to the Bechelo--four +elephants, but very few men. He had also remarked, he said, some +small white animals, with black heads, but he could not make out +what they were. Did we know? We made a rough guess, and answered +that they were probably Berbera sheep. He sent a last message, +saying, "I am tired from looking out so long; I am going to rest +awhile. Why are your people so slow?" + +A severe storm then broke out; and it had hardly subsided when we +saw soldiers rushing from all directions towards the side of the +precipice--a couple of hundred yards from our tent. We soon heard +that his Majesty, in a fearful passion, had left his tent, and had +gone to Mr. Rassam's servants' houses, where the Magdala prisoners +had been shut up since they had been taken down to Islamgee. + +As I have said, that morning Theodore had released a large number +of his prisoners. Those who remained, believing that they might +avail themselves of the Emperor's good disposition, clamoured for +bread and water, as for two days they had been deprived of both, +all their servants having decamped and kept away since they had +been removed from Magdala. At the cries of "abiet, abiet," +[Footnote: "Abiet," master, lord. The usual expression used by beggars +when asking alms.] Theodore, who was reposing after indulging in deep +potations, asked his attendant, "What is it?" He was told that the +prisoners begged for water and bread. Theodore, seizing his sword, +and telling the man to follow him, exclaimed, "I will teach them +to ask for food when my faithful soldiers are starving." Arrived +at the place where the prisoners were confined, blind with rage and +drink, he ordered the guards to bring them out. The two first he +hacked to pieces with his own sword; the third was a young child; +though it arrested his hand, it did not save the poor creature's +life, and he was hurled alive over the precipice by Theodore's +order. He seems to have been somewhat calmer after the two first +murders, and something like order prevailed during the remainder +of the executions. As every prisoner was brought out he inquired +his name, his country, and _his crime_. The greater part were +found guilty, hurled over the precipice, and shot below by musketeers +sent there to despatch any one who still showed signs of animation, +as many had escaped with life from the awful fall. Some 307 were +put to death, and 91 reserved for another day. These last, strange +to say, were all chiefs of note; many of whom had fought against +the Emperor, and all, he knew, were his deadly enemies. + +What our feelings were all this time can easily be surmised: we +could see the deep line of soldiers standing behind the Emperor, +and counted up to two hundred discharges of fire-arms, when we left +off the agonizing calculation of how many victims were being +slaughtered. A friendly chief came to us, and implored us to remain +very quiet in our tents, as it would be very dangerous if Theodore +remembered us in his present mood. At dusk he returned, followed +by an admiring crowd. He, however, took no notice of us; and, after +a while, seeing all quiet, we felt pretty confident that we were +safe for _that day_ at least. + +There is no doubt that when Theodore sent for us and all the +prisoners, he had made up his mind to kill every one. His apparent +clemency was merely used as a blind to mask his intent and inspire +hopes of freedom in the hearts of those whose death he had already +determined upon. + +Early on the morning of the 10th his Majesty sent us word to get +ready to return to Magdala. Shortly afterwards one of his servants +brought us the following message:--"Who is that woman who sends her +soldiers to fight against a king? Send no more messengers to your +people: if a single servant of yours is missing, the covenant of +friendship between you and myself is broken." A few minutes afterwards +a boy whom I had some days previously sent to General Merewether, +with a request that a letter should be sent to Theodore, who had +on several occasions manifested great astonishment at not receiving +any communication from the army, returned with a letter from his +Excellency the Commander-in-Chief for the Emperor. The letter was +perfect; just what we had wished for--firm, courteous; it contained +no threats, no promises, except that Theodore would be honourably +treated if he delivered the prisoners uninjured into his hands. We +at once sent Samuel to inform the Emperor that a letter from Sir +R. Napier had arrived for him. His Majesty declined to receive it. +"It is of no use," he said; "I know what I have to do." However, +shortly afterwards he sent for Samuel privately, and asked him its +contents, and as Samuel had translated it, he informed him of the +principal points. His Majesty listened attentively, but made no +remarks. A mule from the Imperial stables was sent for Mr. Rassam's +use to ride; Lieutenant Prideaux, Captain Cameron, and myself were +told that we might ride our own mules; but this favour was denied +to the other captives. On our return to Magdala we were hailed by +our servants, and the few friends we had on the mountain, as men +who had returned from the grave. We sent for our tents, bedding, +&c., and awaited with anxiety the next move of the fickle despot. + +About noon the whole of the garrison of the Amba were told to arm +and proceed to the King's camp; a few old men only and the ordinary +prisoners' guard remaining on the mountain. Between 3 and 4 P.M. a +violent thunder-storm burst over the Amba. We thought now and then +that we could distinguish amidst the peals of thunder distant guns, +and some close at hand. At other times we were almost certain that +the sound we had just heard was a volley; but we only laughed at +the idea, and wondered how the echoes of the almost constant thunder +could to our excited imagination bear such close resemblance to the +welcome music of an attack by the army of rescue. Shortly after 4 +P.M. the storm subsided, and then no mistake was possible; the deep, +dull sound of guns, and the sharp reports of small arms, now reached +us plainly and distinctly. But what was it? No one would or could +say. Twice during the next hour the joyous _elelta_ resounded +from Islamgee to the Amba above, where it was responded to by the +soldiers' families. Then all doubts vanished: evidently the King +was only "fakering;" no fight could have taken place, as no +_elelta_ would be heard if Theodore had ventured to encounter +the British troops. + +We were fast asleep, quite unaware of the glorious battle that had +taken place a few miles from our prison, when we were aroused by a +servant, who told us to dress quickly, and come over to Mr. Rassam's +house, as messengers had just arrived from his Majesty. We found +on entering Mr. Rassam's room Messrs. Waldmeier and Flad, and several +of the Emperor's chiefs, who had come up to deliver the Imperial +message. Then for the first time we heard of the battle of Fahla; +heard, indeed, that we were now safe; that the humbled despot had +acknowledged the greatness of the power he had for years despised. +The Imperial message was as follows:--"I thought that the people +that are now coming were women; I now find that they are men. I +have been conquered by the advance guard alone. All my musketeers +are dead. Reconcile me with your people." + +Mr. Rassam sent him back word that he had come to his country to +make peace, and now, as well as formerly, he only wished to see +that happy result obtained; he proposed, he said, sending Lieutenant +Prideaux for himself, and that his Majesty should send Mr. Flad, +or any other European whom he trusted, together with one of his +noblemen, to the British camp to make terms; but that unless he was +willing to deliver over to the Commander-in-Chief all the prisoners, +the proposed steps would be quite useless. The two Europeans and +the other messenger remained some time with us to rest and refresh +themselves: they told us that his Majesty had mistaken a battery +of artillery for Baggage, and seeing only a few men at Arogié, +he had given in to the importunities of his chiefs, and allowed +them to have their own way. On a cannon being fired, the Abyssinians, +excited by the prospect of a large booty, rushed down the hill. His +Majesty commanded the artillery, which was served by Abyssinian +workmen, under the direction of a Copt, the former servant of the +Bishop, and of Lij Engeddah Wark, the son of a converted Bengal +Jew. At the first discharge the largest piece of ordnance, "Theodoros," +burst, the Abyssinians by mistake having rammed in two cannon balls. +Towards dusk he had sent to recall his troops, but messenger after +messenger was despatched to no purpose: at last the broken-down +remnants of his army were seen slowly climbing the steep ascent, +and he heard for the first time the dismal tale of their disaster. +Fitaurari [Footnote: _Fitaurari_, the commander of the advanced guard.] +Gabrié, his long-attached friend, the bravest of the brave, lay dead +on the battle-field; he inquired for others, but the answer was +Dead, dead, dead!! Cast down, conquered at last, Theodore, without +saying a word, walked back to his tent with no other thought but +an appeal to the friendship of his captives and to the generosity +of his foe. + +Returning to the Emperor's tent Messrs. Flad and Waldmeier informed +him of their arrival by one of the eunuchs who had accompanied them +for that purpose. It appears that in the meanwhile Theodore had +been drinking hard; he came out of his tent very much excited, and +asked the Europeans, "What do you want?" They told him that as he +had commanded them, they had spoken on his behalf to Mr. Rassam, +and that that gentleman had proposed sending Mr. Prideaux, &c. &c. +The Emperor interrupted them, and in an angry tone exclaimed, "Mind +your own business: go to your tents!" The two Europeans stood still, +in the hope that his Majesty might change his mind; but seeing that +they did not depart, he got into a rage, and in a high tone of voice +ordered them to retire at once. + +At about 4 A.M. a messenger was sent by his Majesty to call Messrs. +Flad and Waldmeier before him. As soon as they arrived he asked, +"Do you hear this wailing? There is not a soldier who has not lost +a friend or a brother. What will it be when the whole English army +comes? What shall I do? counsel me." Mr. Waldmeier told him: "Your +Majesty, peace is the best." "And you, Flad, what do you say?" "Your +Majesty," replied Mr. Flad, "ought to accept Mr. Rassam's proposal." +Theodore remained a few minutes silent, his head between his hands, +apparently in deep thought, and then said, "Well, go back to Magdala, +and tell Mr. Rassam that I trust in his friendship to reconcile +me with his people. I will do what he thinks best." Mr. Flad brought +us this message, Mr. Waldmeier remaining with the Emperor. + +On Lieutenant Prideaux and Mr. Flad reaching Islamgee they were +conducted to the Emperor, whom they found sitting outside on a stone +and dressed in his ordinary manner. He received them very graciously, +and immediately ordered one of his best mules to be saddled for +Prideaux's use. Noticing that he was rather exhausted from the rapid +walk, he gave him a horn of tej to refresh himself with on the road. +He then dismissed them with the following message:--"I had thought +before this that I was a strong man, but I have now discovered that +they are stronger; now reconcile me." They then left, and accompanied +by Dejatch Alamé, the Emperor's son-in-law, proceeded to the British +camp at Arogié, where they arrived after a two hours' ride, and were +warmly cheered and greeted by all. After a short stay in the camp, +they returned to his Majesty bearing a letter from Sir Robert Napier, +couched in firm but conciliatory terms, and assuring Theodore that, +provided he submitted to the Queen of England and brought all the +prisoners and other Europeans to the British camp, honourable +treatment would be accorded to himself and his family. + +Sir Robert Napier received Dejatch Alamé with great courtesy +(a fact that was immediately reported to Theodore by a special +messenger), invited him into his tent, and spoke plainly to him. +He told him that not only all the Europeans must at once be sent +to the camp, but the Emperor himself must come in also and submit +to the Queen of England. He told him that if he complied he would +be honourably treated, but that if any one of the Europeans in his +hands were injured, he could expect no pity; and that had he (Sir +Robert Napier) to remain for five years in the country, he would +not leave until the last murderer was punished, had he even to buy +him from his mother. He then showed Alamé some of the "toys" he +had brought with him, and explained to him their effects. + +On the return of Prideaux and his companions to Theodore's camp, +they found him sitting on the brow of Selassié, overlooking the +British camp, and in anything but a pleasant humour. They had been +joined on their arrival by Mr. Waldmeier, and together they presented +themselves before him, and delivered the letter into his hands. It +was twice translated, and at the conclusion of the second reading +he asked, in a deliberate manner, "What does honourable treatment +mean? Does it mean that the English will help me to subdue my +enemies, or does, it mean honourable treatment as a prisoner?" +Prideaux replied, that on the first point the Commander-in-Chief +had said nothing; that all his wishes were contained in his letter; +and that the English army had simply come into the country to rescue +their fellow-countrymen, and that object effected they would then +return. This answer did not please him at all. Evidently his worst +passions were aroused; but, controlling himself, he motioned them +to stand a little distance from him, while he dictated a letter to +his secretary,--a letter begun before the arrival of Prideaux, an +incoherent epistle, not sealed, stating, amongst other things, that +he had hitherto surrendered to no man, and was not prepared to do +so now. He inclosed with his letter the one he had just received +from Sir Robert Napier, handed it over to Prideaux, and bade them +be off at once; not allowing Prideaux even to wait for a glass of +water, telling him that there was no time to lose. + +Another couple of hours' ride brought Prideaux and Flad again to +the British camp. Sir Robert Napier, however reluctant he must have +felt, after allowing them time to rest, despatched them back to +Theodore. It was, indeed, the proper way to deal with him: firmness +alone could save our lives; as we had but too ample proofs that the +kind of adoration for so long bestowed upon him resulted in nothing +but a nonsensical correspondence, and no real advantage had ever +been gained. No answer could possibly be given to the mad production +Theodore had sent; a verbal message to the same purport as the first +communication from the Commander-in-Chief was all that was required. + +We were still in the power of Theodore; had not, as yet, tasted +liberty; whatever, before long, would be our fate, we were passive, +and ready to submit with as much good grace as possible to the +sentence we every minute expected. Mr. Flad had left his wife and +children on Islamgee, and could not well decline to go back; but +for Prideaux the case was quite different: he returned, like a +brave, gallant man, ready to sacrifice his own life in endeavouring +to save ours, and going willingly to almost certain death in obedience +to his duty. None of the brave soldiers who gallantly wear the +Victoria Cross ever did a nobler deed. Fortunately, however, as +they were nearing Selassié, they met Mr. Meyer, one of the European +workmen, who communicated to them the welcome intelligence that we were +all liberated and on our way to the camp. They gladly turned round +the heads of their tired mules, and, together with Mr. Meyer, brought +back the good news to our anxious countrymen. + +But we must return to ourselves, still shut up in Magdala. We +remained all day in great suspense, not knowing at any moment what +course Theodore would adopt. I dressed several of the wounded and +saw many of the soldiers who had taken part in the fight of the +previous day. All were much cast down, and declared that they would +not fight again. "Of what use is it," they said, "fighting against +your people? When we fight with our countrymen each side has its +turn; with you it is always your turn. See how many dead and wounded +we have! We did not see any of your men fall: and then you never +run away." The rockets terrified them greatly, and if their description +of the shells is correct they must indeed be terrible weapons. + +Shortly after receiving an answer from Sir Robert Napier, and +despatching Prideaux and Flad for the second time, Theodore called +his principal chiefs and some of his European workmen before him +and held a kind of council; but he soon became so excited, so mad, +that it was with difficulty he was restrained from committing +suicide. The chiefs reproved him for his weakness, and proposed +that we should all be killed, or kept in a hut in the camp and burnt +alive on the approach of our soldiers. His Majesty took no notice +of these suggestions, dismissed his chiefs, and told Messrs. Meyer +and Saalmüller, two of his European workmen, to get ready to +accompany us to the English camp. At the same time he sent two of his +high officers, Bitwaddad Hassanié and Ras Bissawur, to us with +the following message:--"Go at once to your people: you will send +for your property to-morrow." + +We did not like that message at all. The two chiefs were sullen and +downcast, and Samuel was so excited that he would give us no +explanation of this sudden decision. We called our servants to pack +up a few things, and many of them bade us good-by with tears in +their eyes. The best disposed of the guards looked sad and sorrowful: +no doubt the general impression was the same as ours, that we were +sent for, not to go to the English camp, but to certain death. There +was no use in remonstrating or in complaining, so we dressed; glad +that at all events the end of our captivity had arrived, whatever +it might be; we bade good-by to our servants, and under a strong +escort left the Amba. Whilst we had been dressing, Samuel had +consulted with the two chiefs; they told him that Theodore was quite +mad, and that anything which might delay our meeting should not be +neglected, as time to allow him to cool down a little was of the +utmost importance. They decided on sending a soldier in advance +with a supposed message from us, to ask from his Majesty the favour +of a last interview, as we could not depart without first bidding +him good-by. + +Arrived at the foot of the Amba, we found that the Emperor had sent +no mules, as was his custom, and we had to have ours saddled, or +borrow some from the European workmen. The place seemed almost +deserted, and on our way to the Imperial tent we met only a few +soldiers; but as we advanced we perceived that the heights of +Selassié and Fahla were crowded with the remnants of the +Imperial host. + +At about a hundred yards from the King's tent we met the messenger +whom Samuel and the chiefs had sent to request a last interview, +coming back towards us. He said that the King was not in his +tent, but between Fahla and Selassié, and that he would only see +his beloved friend Rassam. Orders were then given by the chiefs who +escorted us to conduct Mr. Rassam by one road, and the remainder +of the captives by another. We had to follow a small pathway +on the side of Selassié, and Mr. Rassam was conducted by a road +some fifty yards above. We advanced in that manner for a couple of +hundred yards, when we were ordered to stop. The soldiers told us that +the Emperor was coming towards Mr. Rassam, and that we must wait until +their interview was over. + +After a while we were told to advance, as Mr. Rassam had left the +King and was moving on. + +I was walking in front of our party, and great was my surprise, +after a few steps, on arriving at a sudden turn in the road, to +find myself face to face with Theodore. I at once perceived that +he was in a fearful passion. Behind him stood about twenty men in +a line, all armed with muskets. The spot on which he was standing +is a small platform, so narrow that I would have almost to touch +him on my way onwards. Below the platform the precipice was abrupt +and deep; above, the rocks rose like a huge wall: evidently he could +not have chosen a better place if he had any evil intentions against +us. + +He could not have seen me at first, as his face was half turned; +he whispered something to the soldier nearest to him, and stretched +out his hand to take the man's musket. I was quite prepared for the +worst, and, at the moment, had no doubt in my mind that our last +hour had come. + +Theodore, his hand still on his musket, turned round; he then +perceived me, looked at me for a second or two, dropped his hand, +and in a low sad voice asked me how I was, and bade me good-by. + +The chief on the following day told me that, at the time, Theodore +was undecided as to whether he would kill us all or not; only +allowing Mr. Rassam to go on account of his personal friendship for +him, and that we owed our lives to the mere accident that his eye +first fell upon me, against whom he had no animosity; but that the +result would have been quite different had his anger been roused +by the sight of those he hated. + +A few minutes later we rejoined Mr. Rassam, and moved on as fast +as our mules could amble. Mr. Rassam told me that Theodore had +said to him, "It is getting dark; it is perhaps better if you +remained here until to-morrow." Mr. Rassam said, "Just as your +Majesty likes." Theodore then said, "Never mind; go." He shook hands +with Mr. Rassam, both crying at the idea of parting, and Mr. Rassam +promising to return early the next morning. + +We had nearly reached the outposts of the Imperial camp when some +soldiers shouted for us to stop. Had Theodore again changed his +mind? So near liberty, were we again doomed to captivity or death? +Such thoughts immediately crossed our minds; but our suspense was +short, as we perceived running towards us one of the Emperor's +servants, carrying Prideaux's sword, as well as my own, which his +Majesty had seized at Debra Tabor some twenty-one months before. +We sent back our thanks to his Majesty by the servant, and resumed +our march. + +Little did we know at the time the narrow escape we had just had. +It appears that, after our departure, Theodore sat down on a stone, +and, putting his head between his hands, began to cry. Ras Engeddah +said to him, "Are you a woman, to cry? Let us bring back these white +men, kill them, and run away; or fight and die." Theodore rebuked +him in these words:--"You donkey! have I not killed enough these +two last days? Do you want me to kill these white men, and cover +Abyssinia with blood?" + +Though now fairly out of the Imperial camp, and in sight almost of +our pickets, we could hardly credit that we were not the victims +of some delusion. Involuntarily, we would look back, fearful that, +regretting his clemency, Theodore might follow and overtake us +before we reached our camp. But God, who had almost by a miracle +delivered us that day, still protected us; and shortly afterwards, +with grateful and joyful hearts, we entered the British lines; and +heard the gladdening sound of English voices, the hearty cheers of +our countrymen, and shook hands with the dear friends who had +laboured so zealously for our release. + + + + + CONCLUSION. + + +On the morning of the 12th, the day following our deliverance, +Theodore sent a letter of apology, expressing his regret for having +written the impertinent missive of the day before. He at the same +time requested the Commander-in-Chief to accept a present of 1,000 +cows; this, according to Abyssinian custom, implying a peace-offering, +which once accepted, removed all apprehension of hostilities. + +The five captives who had joined us in January, 1868 (Mr. Staiger +and his party), Mrs. Flad and her children, several of the Europeans, +and the families of all of them, were still in Theodore's power. +The Europeans who had accompanied us the evening before, and who +had spent the night at the camp, were early that morning sent back +to Theodore; and Samuel, who was one of the party, was instructed +to demand that the whole of the Europeans and their families should +be allowed to depart at once. A dhoolee and bearers were also sent +at the same time for Mrs. Flad, whose state of health did not allow +her to ride. Before starting, Samuel was told by Mr. Rassam that +the Commander-in-Chief had accepted the cows: an unfortunate mistake, +as it misled and deceived Theodore, but so far opportune, that it +probably saved the lives of the Europeans still in his power. + +When the Europeans who had returned to Selassi to bring down their +families, and Samuel, approached the Emperor, his first question +was, "Have the cows been accepted?" Samuel, bowing respectfully +before him, said: "The English Ras says to you, 'I have accepted +your present: may God give it back to you.'" On that Theodore drew +a long breath, as if relieved of a deep anxiety, and told the +Europeans, "Take your families and go." To Mr. Waldmeier he said, +"You also want to leave me; well, go: now that I have friendship +with the English, if I want ten Waldmeiers I have only to ask for +them." In the afternoon the European workmen and their families, +Mr. Staiger and his party, Mrs. Flad and children, Samuel, and our +servants, all came into the British camp. They had been allowed to +take away their property, and on their departure Theodore, in good +spirits, bade them good-by. + +On Saturday, the 11th, Sir Robert Napier had clearly pointed out to +Dejatch Alamé, the course he had adopted, and that not only the +captives, but Theodore also, must come into the British camp +before twenty-four hours, otherwise hostilities would begin anew; +but at the urgent request of Dejatch Alamé, who knew how difficult +it would be for Theodore to comply with that part of the order +which referred to himself, he promised to extend to forty-eight hours +the term he had fixed upon for his ultimatum to be acceded to. + +On the morning of the 18th, the Emperor having not as yet made his +submission, it became necessary to compel him to obey, and steps +were being taken to complete the work so ably begun, when several +of the greatest chiefs of Theodore's army made their appearance, +stating that they came in their own name and in that of the soldiers +of the garrison, to lay down their arms and surrender the fortress; +they added that, Theodore, accompanied by about fifty followers, +had made his escape during the night. + +It appears that the evening before, Theodore, on hearing that the +cows had not been accepted, but were still outside the English +pickets, believed that he had been deceived, and that, if he fell +into the hands of the English, he would either be doomed to chains +or to a cruel death. All night he walked about Selassié anxious +and cast down, and towards early morn called upon his people to +follow him. But instead of obeying they retired to another part +of the plain. Theodore shot the two nearest to him; but this daring +act did not quell the mutinous disposition of the soldiery: on the +contrary, they only retreated further back. + +With the few men who followed him, he passed through the Kafir Ber, +but had not gone far before he saw the Gallas advancing from all +sides in order to surround him and his party. He then said to his +few faithful followers, "Leave me: I will die alone." They refused; +on that he said to them, "You are right; but let us return to the +mountain: it is better to die by the hands of Christians." + +The surrender of the army, the storming of Magdala, the self-inflicted +death of Theodore, are too well-known facts for me to enlarge upon +them I entered the place shortly after it had been occupied by our +troops. One of the first objects that attracted my attention was +the dead body of Theodore. There was a smile on his lip--that happy +smile he so seldom wore of late: it gave an air of calm grandeur +to the features of one whose career had been so remarkable, whose +cruelties are almost unparalleled in history; but who at the last +hour seemed to have recalled the days of his youth, fought like a +brave man, and killed himself rather than surrender. + +I remained that night in Magdala. It seemed passing strange to spend +a night as a free man in the same hut where I had been so long +confined a prisoner. English soldiers now guarded our former gaolers, +the queen was our guest, the dead body of Theodore lay in one of +our huts: in the short span of forty-eight hours our position had +so completely changed that it was difficult to realize it: at times +I was apprehensive of being the victim of a delusion. I was too +excited to sleep. + +General Wilby, his aide-de-camp Captain Cappel, and his brigade-major +Major Hicks, shared my hut; hungry and tired they enjoyed quite as much as +I did, the simple Abyssinian dish of teps, the peppery sauce, and some tej, +which we ourselves went to fetch from the cellars in the royal buildings. +The next day we returned to Arogié, and during my stay there I received +the kind hospitality of General Merewether. On the 16th, some of the +released captives and myself started for Dalanta, where we waited a few +days until all had joined; and on the 21st, after Sir Robert Napier had +presented us to our deliverers, we proceeded on our way to the coast, +and reached Zulla on the 28th of May. + +Looking back now, a free man in a free country, the past appears +to me like a horrible dream, a kind of missing link in my life; and +when I remember that our deliverance was followed so shortly +afterwards by the self-destruction of the passionate despot who +held us in his power, I can find no truer solution to this difficult +problem, than the words inscribed by the warm-hearted countrymen +of Kerans, on the banner that floated at Ahascragh to welcome his +return, "God is good, who set you free." + + +ERRATUM. + +Page 33, line 13,--_For_ "Samuel, the Georgis balderaba" +_Read_ "Samuel Georgis, the balderaba" + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of A Narrative of Captivity in Abyssinia +by Henry Blanc + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK CAPTIVITY IN ABYSSINIA *** + +This file should be named 8815-8.txt or 8815-8.zip + +Produced by Distributed Proofreaders + +Project Gutenberg eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the US +unless a copyright notice is included. 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