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"itle6 A Narrative of Captivity in Abyssinia *ith 0o#e Account of the 7ate -#peror "heodore,
His Country and People
Author6 Henry Blanc
/elease $ate6 0epte#ber, 899; <-Boo! =>>1;@ <'es, we are #ore than one year ahead of
schedule@ <"his file was first posted on August 19, 899A@
-dition6 19
7anguage6 -nglish
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CHAP"-/ &
"he -#peror "heodoreKHis /ise and ConLuestsKHis Ar#y and Ad#inistrationKCauses of his
+allKHis Personal Appearance and CharacterKHis Household and Private 7ife
CHAP"-/ &&
-uropeans in AbyssiniaKBell and PlowdenK"heir Career and $eathsKConsul Ca#eronKG
7ejeanKG Bardel and Napoleon's Answer to "heodoreK"he Gaffat PeopleKGr 0tern and the
$jenda GissionK0tate of Affairs at the -nd of 1>MA
CHAP"-/ &&&
&#prison#ent of Gr 0ternKGr Eerans arrives with 7etters and CarpetKCa#eron, with his
+ollowers, is put in ChainsKG Bardel returns fro# the 0oudanK"heodore's $ealings with
+oreignersK"he Coptic PatriarchKAbdul /ah#an BeyK"he Captivity of the -uropeans
e.plained
CHAP"-/ &,
News of Ca#eron's &#prison#ent reaches Ho#eKGr /assa# is selected to proceed to the
Court of Gondar, and is acco#panied by $r BlancK$elays and $ifficulties in co##unicating
with "heodoreK$escription of Gassowah and its &nhabitantsKArrival of a 7etter fro# the
-#peror
CHAP"-/ ,
+ro# Gassowah to EassalaK"he 0tartK"he HababKAdventures of G GarcopoliK"he Beni
A#erKArrival at EassalaK"he Nubian GutinyKAtte#pt of $e Bisson to found a Colony in the
0oudan
CHAP"-/ ,&
$eparture fro# EassalaK0hei! Abu 0inK/u#ours of "heodore's $efeat by "isso
GobaNOKArrival at Gete##aK*ee!ly Gar!etK"he "a!ruries at $rillK"heir +oray into
AbyssiniaKArrival of 7etters fro# "heodore
CHAP"-/ ,&&
-ntrance into AbyssiniaKAltercation between "a!ruries and Abyssinians at *ochneeKBur
-scort and BearersKApplications for GedicineK+irst /eception by his GajestyK"he Pueen's
7etter translated and Presents deliveredKAcco#pany his Gajesty through GetshaKHis
Conversation en route
CHAP"-/ ,&&&
7eave the -#peror's Ca#p for EourataK"he "ana 0eaK"he Abyssinian
NavyK"he &sland of $e!KArrival at EourataK"he Gaffat People and
for#er Captives join usKCharges preferred against the 7atterK+irst
,isit to the -#peror's Ca#p at QagOK+lattery before Coercion
CHAP"-/ &R
0econd ,isit to QagOKArrest of Gr /assa# and the -nglish Bfficers
KCharges brought against Gr /assa#K"he for#er Captives are brought
in Chains to QagOKPublic "rialK/econciliationKGr +lad's $eparture
K"he &#prison#ent at QagOK$eparture for Eourata
CHAP"-/ R
0econd /esidence at EourataKCholera and "yphus brea! out in the
Ca#pK"he -#peror resolves to #arch to $ebra "aborKArrival at
GaffatK"he +oundry transfor#ed into a PalaceKPolitical "rial at
$ebra "aborK"he Blac! "entK$r Blanc and Gr /osenthal seiNed at
GaffatKAnother Public "rialK"he Blac! HoleKGarch with the -#peror
to Aiban!abK0ent to Gagdala, and Arrival at the A#ba
CHAP"-/ R&
Bur first House at GagdalaK"he Chief has a %little Business% with usK+eelings of a -uropean
when being put in ChainsK"he Bperation describedK"he Prisoners' "oiletteKHow we
7ivedKBur first Gessenger a +ailureKHow we obtained Goney and 7ettersKA Gagdala
$iaryKA /ainy 0eason in a Godjo
CHAP"-/ R&&
$escription of GagdalaKCli#ate and *ater 0upplyK"he -#peror's HousesKHis Hare# and
GagaNinesK"he ChurchKPrisonHhouseKGuards and GaolK$isciplineKA previous ,isit of
"heodore to GagdalaK0laughter of the GullasKCharacter and Antecedents of 0a#uelKBur
friends, Qenab the Astrono#er, and Geshisha the 7uteHplayerK$ay GuardsK*e build new
HutsKAbyssinian and Portuguese 0ervantsKBur &nclosure is enlarged
CHAP"-/ R&&&
"heodore writes to Gr /assa# about Gr +lad and the ArtisansKHis
two 7etters contrastedKGeneral Gerewether arrives at GassowahK$anger
of sending 7etters to the CoastK/as -ngeddah brings us a few
0toresKBur GardenK0uccessful /esults of ,accination at GagdalaKBur
$ay Guard againK0econd /ainy 0easonK"he Chiefs are CealousK"he
/as and his CouncilK$a#ash, Hailo, $aily 7ife during /ainy 0easonK"wo
Prisoners atte#pt to -scapeK"he Enout in AbyssiniaKA $ying Gan's
Prophecy
CHAP"-/ R&,
0econd /ainy 0eason endsK0carcity and dearness of ProvisionsKGeshisha and Co#fou plot
their -scapeK"hey succeedK"heodore is robbedK$a#ash pursues the +ugitivesK"he Night
Attac!K"he Galla *arHcry, and the %0auve Lui peut%K"he *ounded left on the
+ieldKHospitality of the GallasK"heodore's 7etter on the 0ubjectKGastiate's
"roublesK*a!shu# Gabra GedhinK0!etch of GobaN's CareerKHe invites the CoHoperation of
the Bishop in seiNing GagdalaK"he Bishop's planKAll the rival Chiefs intrigue for the
A#baKGr /assa#'s &nfluence overrated
CHAP"-/ R,
$eath of Abouna 0ala#aK0!etch of his 7ife and CareerKGrievances of "heodore against
hi#KHis &#prison#ent at GagdalaK"he *allo GallasK"heir Habits and Custo#sKGenile!
appears with an Ar#y in the Galla CountryKHis PolicyKAdvice sent to hi# by Gr /assa#KHe
invests Gagdala, and fires a feuHdeHjoieK"he Pueen's behavior K0teps ta!en by the
ChiefsKBur Position not i#provedK"he -ffects of 0#o!e on Genile!KBur $isappoint#ent
followed by great CoyK*e receive news of the 7anding of British "roops
CHAP"-/ R,&
"heodore's Proceedings during our stay at GagdalaKHis treat#ent of Bege#derKA /ebellion
brea!s outK+orced Garch on GondarK"he Churches are plundered and burntK"heodore's
CrueltiesK"he &nsurgents increase in 0trengthK"he $esigns of the -#peror on Eourata
frustratedKGr Bardel betrays the new *or!#enK"heodore's &ngratitude towards the Gaffat
PeopleKHis /aid on +oggara unsuccessful
CHAP"-/ R,&&
Arrival of Gr +lad fro# -nglandK$elivers a 7etter and Gessage fro# the PueenK"he -pisode
of the "elescopeKBur Property ta!en care ofK"heodore will not yield e.cept to +orceKHe
recruits his Ar#yK/as Adilou and Qallallou desert hi#KHe is repulsed at Belessa by 7ij Abitou
and the PeasantsK"he -.pedition against GetrahaKHis Cruelties thereK"he great
%0ebastopol% is castK+a#ine and Pestilence co#pel the -#peror to raise his Ca#pK"he
difficulties of his Garch to GagdalaKHis arrival in $alanta
CHAP"-/ R,&&&
"heodore in the ,icinity of GagdalaKBur feelings at the "i#eKAn A#nesty granted to
$alantaK"he Garrison of Gagdala join the -#perorKGrs /osenthal and other -uropeans are
sent to the +ortressK"heodore's Conversation with +lad and *ald#eier on the Co#ing of the
"roopsK0ir /obert Napier's 7etter to "heodore reaches usK"heodore plunders $alantaKHe
abuses Gr *ald#eierK/eaches the BecheloKCorrespondence between Gr /assa# and
"heodoreKGr /assa# is released fro# his +ettersK"heodore arrives at &sla#geeKHis
Puarrel with the PriestsKHis +irst ,isit to the A#baK"rial of the two ChiefsKHe places a new
Co##andant over the Garrison
CHAP"-/ R&R
*e are counted by the new /as, and conde#ned to 0leep in one HutK"heodore's 0econd ,isit
to the A#baKHe sends for Gr /assa#, and gives orders that Prideau. and #yself should have
our Chains ta!en offK"he Bperation describedKBur /eception by the -#perorK*e are sent
for to see %0ebastopol% landed on &sla#geeKConversation with his GajestyK"he re#aining
Prisoners are freed fro# their +ettersK"heodore is unable to plunder his own Property
CHAP"-/ RR
All the Prisoners leave the A#ba for &sla#geeKBur /eception by
"heodoreKHe harangues his "roops, and releases so#e of the
PrisonersKHe infor#s us of the Advance of the -nglishK"he
GassacreK*e are sent bac! to GagdalaK-ffects of the Battle of
+ahlaKGessrs Prideau. and +lad sent to NegotiateK/elease of the
Captives, and their narrow -scapeK"heir Arrival in the British
Ca#p
( ( ( ( (
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"he +etters on the Cover of this ,olu#e represent the 7egHchains worn by $r Blanc "heir
weight is about seven pounds
P/-+AC-
( ( ( ( (
*ith a view of gratifying the natural curiosity evinced by a large circle of friends and
acLuaintance to obtain accurate infor#ation as to the cause of our captivity, the #anner in
which we were treated, the details of our daily life, and the character and habits of "heodore, &
undertoo! the tas! of writing this account of our captivity in Abyssinia
& have endeavoured to give a correct s!etch of the career of "heodore, and a description of his
country and people, #ore especially of his friends and ene#ies
&n order to #a!e the reader fa#iliar with the subject, it was also necessary to say a few words
about the -uropeans who played a part in that strange i#broglioKthe Abyssinian difficulty Gy
!nowledge of the#, and of the events that occurred during our captivity, was acLuired through
personal e.perience, and also by intercourse with wellHinfor#ed natives, during long #onths of
enforced idleness
&n preparing this wor! for the press, & found it necessary to the co#pleteness of the narrative,
to incorporate so#e portions of #y /eport to the Govern#ent of Bo#bay on Gr /assa#'s
#ission, which appeared in an &ndian newspaper, and was subseLuently republished in a s#all
volu#e
+or the sa#e reason & have also included a few articles contributed by #e to a 7ondon
newspaper
"he sufferings of the Abyssinian captives will be ever associated, in the annals of British valour,
with the triu#phant success of the e.pedition, so s!ilfully organiNed by its co##ander, whose
title, 7ord Napier of Gagdala, co##e#orates the crowning achieve#ent of a glorious career
7ondon, Culy 8A, 1>M>
A NA//A"&,- B+ CAP"&,&"' &N AB'00&N&A
CHAP"-/ &
"he -#peror "heodoreKHis /ise and ConLuestsKHis Ar#y and Ad#inistrationKCauses of his
+allKHis Personal Appearance and CharacterKHis Household and Private 7ife
7ij Eassa, better !nown as the -#peror "heodore, was born in Eouara about the year 1>1> His
father was a noble of Abyssinia, and his uncle, the celebrated $ejatch Co#fou, had for #any
years governed the provinces of $e#bea, Eouara, "schelga, Tc Bn the death of his uncle he
was appointed by /as Ali's #other, *aiNero Genen, governor of EouaraF but, dissatisfied with
that post, which left but little scope for his a#bition, he threw off his allegiance, and occupied
$e#bea as a rebel 0everal generals were sent to chastise the young soldierF but he either
eluded their pursuit or defeated their forces However, on the sole#n pro#ise that he would,
be well received, he repaired to the ca#p of /as Ali "his !indHhearted but wea! ruler thought
to attach to his cause the brave chieftain, and to acco#plish that object gave hi# his daughter
"awavitch Ishe is beautifulJ 7ij Eassa returned to Eouara, and for a ti#e re#ained faithful to his
sovereign He #ade several plundering e.peditions in the low lands, carried fire and sword into
the Arab huts, and always returned fro# these e.cursions bringing with hi# hordes of cattle,
prisoners, and slaves
"he successes of Eassa, the courage he #anifested on all occasions, the abste#ious life he led,
and the favour he showed to all who served his cause, soon collected around hi# a band of
hardy and rec!less followers Being a#bitious, he now for#ed the project of carving out an
e#pire for hi#self in the fertile plains he had so often devastated -ducated in a convent, he
had not only studied theological subjects, but #ade hi#self conversant with the #ystic
Abyssinian history His early education always e.ercised great influence on his afterHlife, giving
to his intercourse with others a religious character, and i#pressed vividly upon his #ind the
idea that the Gussul#an race having for centuries encroached on the Christian land, it should
be the ai# of his life to reHestablish the old -thiopian e#pire Drged on, therefore, both by
a#bition and fanaticis#, he advanced in the direction of Eedaref at the head of 1M,999
warriorsF but he had soon to learn the i##ense superiority of a s#all nu#ber of wellHar#ed
and wellHtrained troops over large but undisciplined bodies of #en Near Eedaref he ca#e in
sight of his #ortal foes the "ur!s, a #ere handful of irregularsF yet they were too #uch for hi#6
for the first ti#e, defeated and disheartened, he had, for a while, to abandon his longH
cherished sche#e
&nstead of returning to the seat of his govern#ent, he was obliged, on account of a severe
wound received during the fight, to halt on the frontier of $e#bea +ro# his ca#p he infor#ed
his #otherHinHlaw of his condition, and reLuested that she would send hi# a cowKthe fee
reLuired by the Abyssinian doctor *aiNero Genen, who had always hated Eassa, now too!
advantage of his fallen condition to hu#ble his pride still #oreF she sent hi#, instead of the
cow, a s#all piece of #eat with an insulting #essage Near the couch of the wounded chieftain
sat the brave co#panion who had shared his fortunes, the wife who# he loved Bn hearing the
sneering #essage of the Pueen, her fiery Galla blood fla#ed with indignation 0he rose and
told Eassa that she loved the brave but abhorred the cowardF and she could not re#ain any
longer by his side if, after such an insult, he did not revenge it in blood Her passionate words
fell upon willing earsF vengeance filled the heart of Eassa, and as soon as he had sufficiently
recovered he returned to Eouara and openly proclai#ed his independence
+or the second ti#e /as Ali called hi# to his courtF but the su##ons #et with a stern refusal
0everal generals were sent to enforce the co##and, but the young soldier easily routed these
courtiersF whilst their followers, char#ed with Eassa's insinuating #anners and daNNled by his
splendid pro#ises, al#ost to a #an enrolled the#selves under his standard His wife again
e.erted her influence, showing hi# how easily he #ight secure for hi#self the supre#e power,
and, as he hesitated, again threatened to leave hi# Eassa resisted no longerF he advanced into
Godja#, and carried all before hi# "he battle of $jisella, fought in 1>;A, decided the fate of
/as Ali His ar#y had been but for a short ti#e engaged when, panicHstric!en, the /as left the
field with a body of ;99 horse, leaving the rest of his large host to swell the ran!s of the
conLueror ,ictory followed victory, and after a few years, fro# 0hoa to Gete##a, fro#
Godja# to Bogos, all feared and obeyed the co##ands of the -#peror "heodoreF for under
that na#e he desired to be crowned, after he had by the battle of $eras!iO, fought in +ebruary,
1>;;, subdued "igrO, and conLuered his #ost for#idable opponent, $ejatch BubiO
0hortly after the battle of $eras!iO, "heodore turned his victorious ar#s against the *allo
Gallas, possessed hi#self of Gagdala, and ravaged and destroyed so co#pletely the rich Galla
plain that #any of the chiefs joined his ran!s, and fought against their own country#en He had
now not only avenged the longHoppressed Christians, so often victi#s of the Galla inroads, but
curbed for a long ti#e the haughty spirit of these clans At the height of success, he lost his
brave and loving wife He felt the cruel blow deeply 0he had been his faithful counsellor, the
co#panion of his adventures, the being he #ost lovedF and he cherished her #e#ory while he
lived &n 1>MM, when one of his artisans al#ost forced hi#self into his presence to reLuest
per#ission for #e to re#ain a few days near the #an's dying wife, "heodore bent his head, and
wept at the re#e#brance of his own wife who# he had so deeply loved
"he career of "heodore #ay be divided into three very distinct periods6K+irst, fro# his early
days to the death of his first wifeF secondly, fro# the fall of /as Ali to the death of Gr BellF
thirdly, fro# this last event to his own death "he first period we have described6 it was the
period of pro#ise $uring the secondKwhich e.tends fro# 1>;A to 1>M9Kthere is still #uch to
praise in the conduct of the -#peror, although #any of his actions are unworthy of his early
career +ro# 1>M9 to 1>M> he see#s little by little to have thrown off all restraint, until he
beca#e re#ar!able for rec!less and wanton cruelty His principal wars during the second
period were with $ejatch Goscho Beru, governor of Godja#F with $ejatch BubiO, who# he
conLuered, as we have already stated, at the battle of $eras!iO, and with the *allo Gallas He
could, however, still be #erciful, and though he i#prisoned #any of the feudal chiefs, he
pro#ised to release the# as soon as the pacification of his e#pire should be co#plete
&n 1>M9 he advanced against his cousin Garad, the #urderer of Consul Plowden, and gained the
dayF but he lost his best friend and adviser, Gr Bell, who saved the -#peror's life by sacrificing
his own &n Canuary, 1>M1, "heodore #arched with an overwhel#ing force against a powerful
rebel, Agau Negoussi, who had #ade hi#self #aster of all northern AbyssiniaF by cunning and
s!ilful 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 #erciless e#peror refused hi# even a drop of water to #oisten his fevered lips His
cruel vengeance did not stop there Gany of the co#pro#ised chiefs, who had surrendered on
his sole#n pledge of a#nesty, were either handed over to the e.ecutioner or sent to linger for
life, loaded with fetters, in so#e of the prison a#bas +or the ne.t three years "heodore's rule
was ac!nowledged throughout the land A few petty rebels had risen here and there, but with
the e.ception of "adla Gwalu, who could not be driven fro# the fastness of his a#ba in the
south of Godja#, all the others were but of little i#portance, and did not disturb the
tranLuillity of his reign
But though a conLueror, and endowed with #ilitary genius, "heodore was a bad ad#inistrator
"o attach his soldiery to his cause, he lavished upon the# i##ense su#s of #oneyF he was
therefore forced to e.act e.orbitant tributes, al#ost to drain the land of its last dollar, in order
to satisfy his rapacious followers +inding hi#self at the head of a powerful host, and feeling
either reluctant or afraid to dis#iss the# to their ho#es, he longed for foreign conLuestsF the
drea# of his younger days beca#e a fi.ed idea, and he believed hi#self called upon by God to
reHestablish in its for#er greatness the old -thiopian e#pire
He could not, however, forget that he was unable to cope singleHhanded with the wellHar#ed
and disciplined troops of his foesF he re#e#bered too well his signal failure at Eedaref, and
therefore sought to gain his longHdesired object by diplo#acy He had heard fro# Bell,
Plowden, and others, that -ngland and +rance were proud of the protection they afforded to
Christians in all parts of the worldF he therefore wrote to the sovereigns of those two countries,
inviting the# to join hi# in his crusade against the Gussul#an race A few passages selected
fro# his letter to our Pueen will prove the correctness of this assertion %By his power Iof GodJ
& drove away the Gallas But for the "ur!s, & have told the# to leave the land of #y ancestors
"hey refuse5% He #entions the death of Plowden and Bell, and then adds6K%& have
e.ter#inated those ene#ies Ithose who !illed Bell and PlowdenJ, that & #ay get, by the power
of God, your friendship% He concludes by saying, %0ee how the &sla# oppress the Christian5%
"heodore's ar#y at this ti#e consisted of so#e 199,999 or 1;9,999 fighting #enF and if we ta!e
as the average four followers for every soldier, his ca#p #ust have nu#bered between
;99,999 and M99,999 souls Ad#itting, also, the population of Abyssinia to be nearly A,999,999,
about one fourth of the nu#ber had to be paid, fed, and clothed by the contributions of the
re#ainder
$uring a few years, such was "heodore's prestige that this terrible oppression was Luietly
acceptedF at last, however, the peasants, halfHstarved and al#ost na!ed, finding that with all
their sacrifices and privations they were still far fro# satisfying the daily increasing de#ands of
their terrible #aster, abandoned the fertile plains, and under the guidance of so#e of the
re#aining hereditary chiefs, retired to high plateaus, or concealed the#selves in secluded
valleys &n Godja#, *al!ait, 0hoa, and "igrO, the rebellion bro!e out al#ost si#ultaneously
"heodore had for a while to abandon his ideas of foreign conLuest, and did his ut#ost to crush
the #utinous spirit of his people *hole rebel districts were laid wasteF but the peasants,
protected by their strongholds, could not be reached6 they Luietly awaited the departure of the
invader and then returned to their desolated ho#es, cultivating just enough for their
#aintenanceF thus, with only a few e.ceptions, the peasants evaded the terrible vengeance of
the now infuriate -#peror His i##ense ar#y soon suffered severely fro# this #ode of
warfare -ach year the provinces which the soldiers could plunder beca#e fewerF severe
fa#ines bro!e outF large districts such as $e#bea, the granary of Gondar and of central
Abyssinia, lay waste and uncultivated "he soldiers, for#erly pa#pered, now in their turn half
starved and badly clad, lost confidence in their leaderF desertions were nu#erousF and #any
returned to their native provinces, and joined the ran!s of the discontented
"he fall of "heodore was even #ore rapid than his rise He was still unconLuered in the
battlefield, as, after the e.a#ple of Negoussi's fate, none dared to oppose hi#F but against the
passive warfare of the peasantry and the +abianHli!e policy of their chiefs he could do nothing
Never resting, al#ost always on the #arch, his ar#y day by day beco#ing reduced in strength,
he went fro# province to provinceF but in vain6 all disappeared at his approach "here was no
ene#yF but there was no food5 At last, reduced by necessity, in order to !eep around hi# so#e
re#nants of his for#er i##ense ar#y, he had no alternative left but to plunder the few
provinces still faithful to hi#
*hen & first #et "heodore, in Canuary, 1>MM, he #ust have been about fortyHeight years of age
His co#ple.ion was dar!er than that of the #ajority of his country#en, the nose slightly
curved, the #outh large, the lips so s#all as hardly to be perceived Bf #iddle siNe, well !nit,
wiry rather than #uscular, he e.celled as a horse#an, in the use of the spear, and on foot
would tire his hardiest followers "he e.pression of his dar! eyes, slightly depressed, was
strangeF if he was in good hu#our they were soft, with a !ind of gaNelleHli!e ti#idity about
the# that #ade one love hi#F but when angry the fierce and bloodshot eye see#ed to shed
fire &n #o#ents of violent passion his whole aspect was frightful6 his blac! visage acLuired an
ashy hue, his thin co#pressed lips left but a whitish #argin around the #outh, his very hair
stood erect, and his whole deport#ent was a terrible illustration of savage and ungovernable
fury
'et he e.celled in the art of duping his fellowH#en -ven a few days before his death he had
still, when we #et hi#, all the dignity of a sovereign, the a#iability and goodHbreeding of the
#ost acco#plished %gentle#an% His s#ile was so attractive, his words were so sweet and
gracious, that one could hardly believe that the affable #onarch was but a consu##ate
disse#bler
He never perpetrated a deed of treachery or cruelty without pleading so#e specious e.cuse, so
as to convey the i#pression that in all his actions he was guided by a sense of justice +or
e.a#ple, he plundered $e#bea because the inhabitants were too friendly towards -uropeans,
and Gondar because one of our #essengers had been betrayed by the inhabitants of that city
He destroyed QagO, a large and populous city, because he pretended that a priest had been
rude to hi# He cast into chains his adopted father, Cantiba Hailo, because he had ta!en into
his service a fe#ale servant he had dis#issed "ese##a -ngeddah, the hereditary chief of
Gahinte, fell under his displeasure because after a battle against the rebels he had shown
hi#self %too severe,% and our first headHjailor was ta!en to the ca#p and put in chains because
he had %for#erly been a friend% of the Eing of 0hoa & could adduce hundreds of instances to
illustrate his habitual hypocrisy &n our case, he arrested us because we had not brought the
for#er captives with usF Gr 0tern he nearly !illed, #erely for putting his hand to his face, and
he i#prisoned Consul Ca#eron for going to the "ur!s instead of bringing hi# bac! an answer to
his letter
"heodore had all the disli!e of the roving Bedouin for towns and cities He loved ca#p life, the
free breeNe of the plains, the sight of his ar#y gracefully enca#ped around the hilloc! he had
selected for hi#selfF and he preferred to the palace the Portuguese had erected at Gondar for a
#ore sedentary !ing, the delights of roa#ing about incognito during the beautiful cool nights of
Abyssinia His household was wellHregulatedF the sa#e spirit of order which had introduced
so#ething li!e discipline into his ar#y, showed itself also in the arrange#ents of his do#estic
affairs -very depart#ent was under the control of a chief, who was directly responsible to the
-#peror, and answerable for everything connected with the depart#ent entrusted to hi#
"hese officers, all #en of position, were the superintendents of the tej #a!ers, of the wo#en
who prepared the large flat Abyssinian bread, of the woodHcarriers, of the water girls, TcF
others, li!e the %Balderas,% had charge of the /oyal stud, the %ANage% of the do#estic servants,
the %Bedjerand% of the treasury, stores, TcF there were also the Agafaris or introducers, the
7i!a#aLuas or cha#berlain, the Afa Negus or #outh of the Eing
0trange to say, "heodore preferred as his personal attendants those who had served
-uropeans His valet, the only one who stood by hi# to the last, had been a servant of Barroni,
the viceHconsul at Gassowah Another, a young #an na#ed Paul, was a for#er servant of Gr
*al!erF others had at one ti#e been in the service of Plowden, Bell, and Ca#eron -.cepting
his valet, who was al#ost constantly near his person, the others, although they resided in the
sa#e inclosure, had #ore especially to ta!e care of his guns, swords, spears, shields, Tc He
had also around hi# a great nu#ber of pagesF not that & believe he reLuired their presence, but
it was an %honour% he bestowed on chiefs entrusted with distant co##ands or with the
govern#ent of re#ote provinces Al#ost all the duties of the household were perfor#ed by
wo#enF they ba!ed, they carried water and wood, and swept his tent or hut, as the case #ight
be "he #ajority of the# were slaves who# he had seiNed fro# slaveHdealers at the ti#e he
#ade %#anly% efforts to put a stop to the trade Bnce a wee!, or #ore often as the case
reLuired, a colonel and his regi#ent had the honour of proceeding to the nearest strea#, to
wash the -#peror's linen and that of the &#perial household No one, not even the s#allest
page, could, under the penalty of death, enter his hare# He had a large nu#ber of eunuchs,
#ost of the# Gallas, or soldiers and chiefs who had recovered fro# the #utilation the Gallas
inflict on their wounded foe "he Lueen or the favourite of the day had a tent or house to
herself, and several eunuchs to attend upon herF at night these attendants slept at the door of
her tent, and were #ade responsible for the virtue of the lady entrusted to their care As for
the ordinary wo#en, the objects of passing affections or of stronger passions that ti#e had
Luenched, a tent or hut in co##on for ten or twenty, one or two eunuchs and a few fe#ale
slaves for the whole, was all the state he allowed these neglected ladies
"heodore was #ore bigoted than religious Above all things he was superstitiousF and that to a
degree incredible in a #an in other respects so superior to his country#en He had always with
hi# several astrologers, who# he consulted on all i#portant occasions Kespecially before
underta!ing any e.pedition,Kand whose influence over hi# was unbounded He hated the
priests, despised the# for their ignorance, spurned their doctrines, and laughed at the
#arvellous stories so#e of their boo!s containF but still he never #arched without a tent
church, a host of priests, defteras, and deacons, and never passed near a church without !issing
its threshold
"hough he could read and write, he never condescended to correspond personally with any
one, but was always acco#panied by several secretaries, to who# he would dictate his lettersF
and so wonderful was his #e#ory that he could indite an answer to letters received #onths,
nay years, before, or dilate on subjects and events that had occurred at a far re#ote period
0uppose hi# on the #arch Bn a distant hilloc! arose a s#all red flannel tentKit is there where
"heodore fi.ed his te#porary abode and that of his household "o his right is the church tentF
ne.t to his own the Lueen's or that of the favourite of the day "hen ca#e the one allotted to
his for#er lady friends, who travelled with hi# until a favourable opportunity presented itself
of sending the# to Gagdala, where several hundreds were dwelling in seclusion, spinning
cotton for their #aster's sha#as 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 hi#
*hen he #ade any lengthened stay at a place he had huts erected by his soldiers for hi#self
and people, and the whole was surrounded by a double line of fences "hough not wanting in
bravery, he never left anything to chance At night the hilloc! on which he dwelt was
co#pletely surrounded by #us!eteers, 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, ta!ing no food that
had not been prepared by the Lueen or her %re#placanteF% and even then she and several
attendants had to taste it first &t was the sa#e with his drin!6 be it water, tej, or arrac!, the
cupHbearer and several of those present at the ti#e had first to drin! before presenting the cup
to his Gajesty He #ade, however, an e.ception in our favour one day that he visited Gr
/assa# at Gaffat "o show how #uch he respected and trusted the -nglish, he accepted so#e
brandy, and allowing no one to taste it before hi#, he unhesitatingly swallowed the whole
draught
He was a very jealous husband Not only did he ta!e the precautions & have already #entioned,
but Ie.cept in the last #onths of his life, when it was beyond possibility for hi# to do
otherwiseJ he never allowed the Lueen or any other lady in his establish#ent to travel with the
ca#p "hey always #arched at night, well concealed, with a strong guard of eunuchsF and woe
to hi# who #et the# on the road, and did not turn his bac! on the# until they had passed5 Bn
one occasion a soldier who was on guard crept near the Lueen's tent, and, ta!ing advantage of
the dar!ness of the night, whispered to one of the fe#ale attendants to pass hi# a glass of tej
under the tent 0he gave hi# one Dnfortunately, he was seen by a eunuch, who seiNed hi#,
and at once brought hi# before his Gajesty After hearing the case, "heodore, who happened
to be in good spirits that evening, as!ed the culprit if he was very fond of tejF the tre#bling
wretch replied in the affir#ative %*ell, give hi# two wanchas <+ootnote6 A wancha is a large
horn cup@ full to #a!e hi# happy, and afterwards fifty lashes with the girf <+ootnote6 A long
hippopota#us whip@ to teach hi# another ti#e not to go near the Lueen's tent% -vidently,
"heodore, with a large e.perience of the beau se.e of his country, was profoundly convinced
that his precautions were necessary Bn one of his visits to Gagdala, one of the chiefs of that
a#ba #ade a co#plaint to hi# against one of the officers of the &#perial household, who# he
had caught so#e ti#e before in his lady's apart#ent
"heodore laughed, and said to hi#, %'ou are a fool $o & not loo! after #y wifeU and & a# a
!ing%
"heodore was always an early riserF indeed, he indulged in sleep but very little 0o#eti#es at
two o'cloc!, at the latest before four, he would issue fro# his tent and give judg#ent on any
case brought before hi# Bf late his te#per was such that litigants !ept out of his wayF he
nevertheless retained his for#er habits, and #ight be seen, long before daybrea!, sitting
solitary on a stone, in deep #editation or in silent prayer He was also very abste#ious in his
food, and never indulged in e.cesses of the table He rarely partoo! of #ore than one #eal a
dayF which was co#posed of injera <+ootnote6 "he panca!e loaves #ade of the s#all seed of
the teff@ and red pepper, during fast daysF of wVt, a !ind of curry #ade of fish, fowl, or #utton,
on ordinary occasions Bn feast days he generally gave large dinners to his officers, and
so#eti#es to the whole ar#y At these festivals the %brindo% <+ootnote6 /aw beef@ would be
eLually enjoyed by the sovereign and by the guests At these public brea!fasts and dinners the
Eing usually sat on a raised platfor# at the head of the table No one has ever been !nown,
e.cept perhaps Bell, to have dined out of the sa#e bas!et at the sa#e ti#e as "heodoreF but
when he desired specially to honour so#e of his guests, he either sent the# so#e food fro#
his bas!et, or had others placed on the platfor# near hi#, or, what was a still higher honour,
sent to the favoured one his own bas!et with the re#ains of his dinner
Dnfortunately "heodore had for several years before his death greatly ta!en to drin! Dp to
three or four o'cloc! he was generally sober and attended to the business of the dayF but after
his siesta he was invariably #ore or less into.icated &n his dress he was generally very si#ple,
wearing only the ordinary sha#a, <+ootnote6 A white cotton cloth, with a red border, woven in
the country@ nativeH#ade trousers, and a -uropean white shirtF no shoes, no covering to the
head His rather long hairKfor an AbyssinianKwas divided in three large plaits, and allowed to
fall on his nec! in three plaited tails Bf late he had greatly neglected his hairF for #onths it had
not been plaitedF and to show the grief he felt on account of the %badness% of his people, he
would not allow it to be bes#eared with the heavy coating of butter in which Abyssinians
delight Bn one occasion he apologiNed to us for the si#plicity of his dress He told us that,
during the few years of peace that followed the conLuest of the country, he used often to
appear in public as a !ing should doF but since he had been by the bad disposition of his people
obliged to wage constant war against the#, he had adopted the soldier's rai#ents, as #ore
beco#ing his altered fortune However, after his fall beca#e i##inent, he on several occasions
clad hi#self in gorgeous costu#es, in shirts and #antles of rich brocaded sil!s, or of goldH
e#broidered velvet He did so, & believe, to influence his people "hey !new that he was poor,
and though he hated po#p in his own attire, he desired to i#press on his few re#aining
followers that though fallen he was still %the Eing%
$uring the lifeti#e of his first wife and for so#e years afterwards, "heodore not only led an
e.e#plary life, but forbade the officers of his household and the chiefs #ore i##ediately
around hi# to live in concubinage Bne day in the beginning of 1>M9 "heodore perceived in a
church a handso#e young girl silently praying to her patron, the ,irgin Gary 0truc! with her
beauty and #odesty, he #ade inLuiries about her, and was infor#ed that she was the only
daughter of $ejatch BubiO, the Prince of "igrO, his for#er rival, who# he had dethroned, and
who was then his prisoner He as!ed for her hand, and #et with a polite refusal "he young girl
desired to retire into a convent, and devote herself to the service of God "heodore was not a
#an to be easily thwarted in his desires He proposed to BubiO that he would set hi# at liberty,
only retaining hi# in his ca#p as his %guest,% should the Prince prevail on his daughter to
accept his hand At last *aiNero "erunish I%thou art pure%J sacrificed herself for her old father's
welfare, and accepted the hand of a #an who# she could not love "his union was
unfortunate "heodore, to his great disappoint#ent, did not find in his second wife the fervent
affection, the al#ost blind devotion, of the dead co#panion of his youth *aiNero "erunish was
proudF she always loo!ed on her husband as a %parvenu,% and too! no pains to hide fro# hi#
her want of respect and affection &n the afternoon, "heodore, as it had been his for#er habit,
tired and weary, would retire for rest in the Lueen's tentF but he found no cordial welco#e
there His wife's loo!s were cold and full of prideF and she even went so far as to receive hi#
without the co##on courtesy due to her !ing Bne day when he ca#e in she pretended not to
perceive hi#, did not rise, and re#ained silent when he inLuired as to her health and welfareF
she held in her hand a boo! of psal#s, and when "heodore as!ed her why she did not answer
hi#, she cal#ly replied, without lifting up her eyes fro# the boo!, %Because & a# conversing
with a greater and better #an than youKthe pious Eing $avid%
"heodore sent her to Gagdala, together with her newHborn son, Ala#ayou I%& have seen the
world%J, and too! as his favourite a widowed lady fro# 'edjow, na#ed *aiNero "a#agno, a
rather coarse, lasciviousHloo!ing person, the #other of five children by her for#er husbandF she
soon obtained such an ascendancy over his #ind that he publicly proclai#ed %that he had
divorced and discarded "erunish, and that "a#agno should in future be considered by all as the
Lueen% 0oon *aiNero "a#agno had nu#erous rivalsF but she was a wo#an of tactF and far
fro# co#plaining, she rather encouraged "heodore in his debauchery, and always received hi#
with a s#ile Bne day she said to her fic!le lord, who felt rather astonished at her forbearance,
%*hy should & be jealousU & !now you love but #eF what is it if you stoop now and then to pic!
up so#e flowers, to beautify the# by your breathU%
Although "heodore had several children, Ala#ayou is the only legiti#ate one "he eldest, a lad
of about twentyHtwo, called Prince Geshisha, is a big, idle, laNy fellow "hough at QagO,
"heodore introduced hi# to us, and desired us to #a!e hi# a friend with the -nglish, he did
not love hi#6 the young #an was, indeed, so unli!e the -#peror that & can well understand
"heodore having had serious doubts of his being really his son "he other children, five or si. in
nu#ber, the illegiti#ate offspring of so#e of his nu#erous concubines, resided at Gagdala,
and were brought up in the hare# He see#s to have ta!en but very little notice of the#6 but
every ti#e he passed through Gagdala he would send for Ala#ayou, and play with the boy for
hours A few days before his death he introduced hi# to Gr /assa#, saying, %Ala#ayou, why
do you not bow to your fatherU% and after the audience he sent hi# to acco#pany us bac! to
our Luarters
*aiNero "erunish, Al#ayou's #other, never #ade any co#plaintF though forsa!en by her
husband, she re#ained always faithful to hi# 0he spent usually the long days of her seclusion
reading the boo!s she delighted inKthe psal#s, the lives of the saints and of the ,irgin
GaryKand bringing up by her side her only son, for who# she had a deep affection Although
she had never loved her husband, in difficult ti#es she bravely stood by his side *hen
Genile!, the Eing of 0hoa, #ade his de#onstration before the a#ba, and treachery was feared,
she sent out her son and #ade all the chiefs and soldiers swear fidelity to the throne "wo days
before his death, "heodore sent for the wife he had not seen for years, and spent part of the
afternoon with her and his son
After the stor#ing of Gagdala, *aiNero "erunish and her rival, *aiNero "a#agno, were told to
co#e to our for#er prison, where they would #eet with protection and sy#pathy &t fell to #y
lot to receive the# on their arrivalF and & did #y ut#ost to inspire the# with confidence, to
assuage their fears, and to assure the# that under the British flag they would be treated with
scrupulous honour and respect
&t was on the 1Ath of April, 1>MM, that "heodore, still powerful, had treacherously seiNed us in
his own houseF and strange to say, on the 1Ath of April, two years afterwards, his dead body lay
in one of our huts, while his wife and favourite had to see! shelter under the roof of those
who# he had so long #altreated
Both his Lueens and Ala#ayou acco#panied the -nglish ar#y on its #arch bac!, *aiNero
"a#agno left, with feelings of gratitude for the !indness and attention she had received at the
hands of the -nglish co##anderHinHchief, as soon as she could with safety return to her native
land, 'edjowF but poor "erunish died at Ai!ullet Her child, Ala#ayou, the son of "heodore, and
grandchild of BubiO, has now reached the -nglish shore, an orphan, an e.ile, but well cared for
CHAP"-/ &&
-uropeans in AbyssiniaKBell and PlowdenK"heir Career and $eaths
KConsul Ca#eronKG 7ejeanKG Bardel and Napoleon's Answer to
"heodoreK"he Gaffat PeopleKGr 0tern and the $jenda GissionK0tate
of Affairs at the end of 1>MA
Abyssinia see#s to have had a strange fascination for -uropeans "he two first who were
connected with the late Abyssinian affairs are Gessrs Bell and Plowden, who both entered
Abyssinia in 1>W8 Gr Cohn Bell, better !nown in that country under the na#e of Cohannes, first
attached hi#self to the fortunes of /as Ali He too! service with that prince, and was elevated
to the ran! of basha IcaptainJF but it see#s that /as Ali never gave hi# #uch confidence, and
tolerated hi# rather on account of his I/as Ali'sJ friendship for Plowden, than for any li!ing for
Bell hi#self Bell shortly afterwards #arried a young lady belonging to one of the good fa#ilies
of Bege#der +ro# this union he had three children6 two daughters, afterwards #arried to two
of the Eing's -uropean wor!#en, and a son, who left the country together with the released
captives Bell fought by /as Ali's side at the battle of A#ba $jisella, which ended so fatally for
that prince, and afterwards retired into a church, awaiting in that asylu# the good pleasure of
the victor "heodore hearing of the presence of a -uropean in the sanctuary, sent hi# word to
co#e to hi#, giving hi# a #ost sole#n pledge that he would be treated as a friend Bell
obeyed, and a strong friendship sprang up between the -#peror and the -nglish#an
Bell had for #any years Luite identified hi#self with the Abyssinians both in dress and #ode of
life He was a #an of sound judg#ent, brave, wellHinfor#ed, appreciated all that was great and
goodF and seeing in "heodore an ideal he had often conceived, he attached hi#self to hi# with
disinterested affectionKal#ost worshipped hi# "heodore gave hi# the ran! of li!a#aLuas,
and always !ept hi# near his person Bell slept at the door of his friend's tent, dined off the
sa#e dish, joined in every e.pedition, and would freLuently re#ain for hours, at the -#peror's
reLuest, narrating to hi# all the wonders of civiliNed life, the advantages of #ilitary discipline,
and the rules of good govern#ent "heodore gave hi# on several occasions a few hundred
young #en to drillF but -uropean tactics being distasteful to the unruly Abyssinians, he
obtained such indifferent results that the -#peror soon relieved hi# fro# that hopeless tas!
"heodore ordered his friend to #arry his wife %by the sacra#ent% Bell at once consentedF but,
strange to say, the fa#ily of his wife, out of disli!e to "heodore, refused to give their consent
*hereupon the -#peror presented hi# with a Galla slave, to who# he was #arried, the
-#peror officiating as father to the bride
Bell was #uch beloved by all who !new hi#, and all -uropeans who ca#e into the country
were sure to find in hi# a friend Between hi# and Plowden the brotherly friendship that
united the# only increased with ti#eF and on hearing of the #urder of his friend, Bell too! a
sole#n oath that he would avenge his death About seven #onths afterwards the -#peror
#arched against Garad, and suddenly ca#e upon hi# not far fro# the spot where Plowden fell
"he -#peror was riding ahead, ne.t to hi# ca#e his faithful cha#berlainF on their entering a
s#all wood the two brothers Garad appeared in the #iddle of the road, only a few yards in
front of the# 0eeing the danger that threatened his #aster, Bell rushed forward, placed
hi#self before the -#peror, so as to protect hi# with his body, and, with a steady ai#, fired at
his friend Plowden's #urderer Garad fell &##ediately the brother, who had been watching
the -#peror's #ove#ents, turned upon Bell, and shot hi# through the heart "heodore
pro#ptly avenged his faithful friend, for hardly had Bell fallen to the ground than his opponent
was #ortally wounded by the -#peror hi#self
"heodore ordered the place to be at once surrounded, and all Garad's followersKso#e 1,M99, &
believeKwere #ade prisoners and #urdered in cold blood "heodore #ourned for several days
the death of his faithful follower, in who# he lost #ore than a brave chief and a hardy soldier6 &
#ay al#ost say he lost his !ingdo#, for none dared honestly to advise and fearlessly to counsel
hi# as Bell had done, and none ever enjoyed that confidence which rendered Bell's advice so
acceptable
Plowden see#s to have been of a #ore a#bitious turn of #ind than his friend *hilst Bell
adopted Abyssinia as his ho#e, and contented hi#self with service under the native princes, it
is evident that Plowden strove to represent -ngland in that distant land, and to be
ac!nowledged by the rulers of Abyssinia as consuls are in the -ast,Ka s#all i#periu# in
i#perio He went the right way to wor!6 induced /as Ali to send presents to the Pueen, and
carried the# hi#selfF i#pressed upon 7ord Pal#erston the advantages of a treaty with
AbyssiniaF spo!e a great deal about Gussul#ans, slaveHtrade, oppressed Christians, TcF and at
length prevailed upon the +oreign 0ecretary to assent to his plans, and appoint hi# consul for
Abyssinia &n justice to hi#, & #ust say, that fro# all accounts no #an could have been better
fitted for the post6 he was beloved by all classes, and his na#e is still #entioned with respect
He did not, so #uch as Bell, identify hi#self with the nativesF he always wore a -uropean dress,
and !ept his house in a se#iH-nglish style Bn the other hand, he was fond of show, and never
travelled without being followed by several hundred servants, all well ar#edKa #ere parade,
as on the day of his death his nu#erous retinue did not afford hi# the slightest assistance
Plowden returned to Abyssinia as consul in 1>WM He was well received by /as Ali, with who#
he was a favourite, and he soon after concluded a paper treaty with that prince /as Ali was a
wea!H#inded debaucheeF all he as!ed for was to be left alone, and on the sa#e principle he
allowed every one around hi# to do pretty well as they li!ed Bne day Plowden as!ed
per#ission to erect a flagHstaff /as Ali gave a willing consent, but added, %$o not as! #e to
protect it, & do not care for such thingsF but & fear the people will not li!e it% Plowden hoisted
the Dnion Cac! above his consulateF a few hours afterwards it was torn to pieces by the #ob
%$id not & tell you soU% was all the satisfaction he could obtain fro# the ruler of the land After
the fall of /as Ali, Bell, who had, as & have already #entioned, followed the fortunes of
"heodore, wrote to his friend in enthusiastic ter#s, depicted in the eloLuent language of
ad#iring friendship all the good Lualities of the rising #an, and advised Plowden to present
hi#self before the powerful chieftain who undoubtedly before long would be the
ac!nowledged ruler of the whole of Abyssinia
Plowden's first reception by "heodore was courteous in the e.tre#eF but he had this ti#e to
deal with a very different !ind of #an to his predecessor "heodore was all a#iability, even
offered #oney, but declined to recogniNe in hi# %the consul,% or to ratify the treaty he
IPlowdenJ had #ade with /as Ali +or several years Plowden see#ed to have joined his friend
Bell in singing the praises of "heodoreF he was to be the refor#er of his country, had
introduced a certain discipline in his ar#y, and, to use Plowden's own words, %he is an honest
#an, and strives to be just, and, though fir#, far fro# cruel%
$uring the last years of his life, Plowden's opinion had been greatly #odified "heodore did not
li!e hi#F he feared hi#F and it was only on account of his friendship for Bell that he did not lay
violent hands on hi# Plowden, on one occasion, was told to acco#pany his Gajesty to
GagdalaF arrived there, "heodore called for the Head of the #ountain, who was at that ti#e
the son of the Galla Lueen, *or!ite, and as!ed hi# his advice as to whether he should put
Plowden in chains or not "he prince, who had a great regard for Plowden, told his Gajesty that
if they watched hi# with the eye it was sufficient, and that he would be answerable for his
prisoner Plowden returned with "heodore so#e ti#e afterwards to the A#hara country, but
was constantly surrounded by spies All his actions were reported to the -#peror, and for a
long ti#e, under so#e pretence or the other, he was refused leave to return to -ngland At last,
bro!en in health, and disappointed, Plowden al#ost insisted on going His Gajesty granted his
reLuest, but at the sa#e ti#e infor#ed hi# that the roads were infested with rebels and
thieves, and strongly advised hi# to await his return & was told on good authority that his
Gajesty only acLuiesced in Plowden's wishes because he believed that it was Luite i#possible
for hi# to leave
However, Plowden, trusting in his popularity, and, perhaps, also in his retinue, started at once
on his ho#eward journey At a short distance fro# Gondar he was attac!ed and #ade prisoner
by a rebel na#ed Garad, a cousin of "heodore &t is probable that he would have been let off
with a ranso#, but for an unfortunate circu#stance Plowden, sic! and tired, was resting under
a tree, and while Garad was spea!ing to hi#, put his hand towards his belt, as his servant told
us, to ta!e out his hand!erchiefF but the rebel chief, believing that he intended to draw a pistol,
i##ediately wounded hi# #ortally with the lance he held in his hands Plowden was ranso#ed
by the Gondar #erchants, but died a few days afterwards, in Garch, 1>M9, fro# the effects of
the wound
$uring our stay at Euarata, at the ti#e 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 i#pression,
how changed his opinion5 He had begun to see through the fine words of the -#perorF he #ore
than suspected that before long a hateful tyranny would replace the fir# but just rule he had
for#erly so greatly ad#ired & re#e#ber well that at QagO, when our luggage was returned to
us a few hours after the arrest, with what haste and an.iety Prideau., in whose charge the
#anuscript was at the ti#e, opened his trun! behind his bed, so that the guards should not
perceive the dangerous paper before he had ti#e to destroy it
&f Bell and Plowden had been both living, it #ay be as!ed, would "heodore have dealt with
the# so as ulti#ately to call for the intervention of Govern#ent on Abyssinian affairsU & believe
so "he Eing, as & have said, disli!ed Plowden personallyF he repaid his ranso# to the Gondar
#erchants, it is true, but it was only a political %dodge% of hisF he !new well to who# he gave
the #oney, and too! it bac! %with interest,% a few years later Bften he has been heard to sneer
at the #anner in which Plowden was !illed, and say, %"he white #en are cowards6 loo! at
PlowdenF he was ar#ed, but he allowed hi#self to be !illed without even defending hi#self%
"his was a #alicious assertion on the part of "heodore, as he was well aware that Plowden was
so sic! at the ti#e that he could hardly wal!, and that though he carried a pistol, it was not
loaded Not long before his own death, "heodore spo!e, on several occasions, in very harsh
ter#s of Bell's eldest daughter, and on so#e of her friends representing to his Gajesty that he
should not forget that she was the daughter of the #an who died protecting hi#, "heodore
Luietly replied, %Bell was a foolF he would never carry a shield5%
A few #onths after the news of Consul Plowden's death had reached -ngland, Captain Charles
$uncan Ca#eron was appointed to the vacant post, but for so#e reason or other, he reached
Gassowah only in +ebruary, 1>M8, and Gondar in Culy of the sa#e year Captain Ca#eron had
not only served with distinction during the Eaffir war, and passed alone through #ore than 899
#iles of the ene#y's country, but had also been e#ployed on the staff of General *illia#s, and
had been for several years in the consular service He was, in all respects, well fitted for his
postF but, unfortunately for hi#, when he entered Abyssinia he had to deal with a fascinating,
vainglorious, shrewd #an, hiding his cunning under an appearance of #odesty6 in a word, with
"heodore who had beco#e an overHbearing despot Bn his first arrival, Ca#eron was received
with great honours, and treated by the -#peror with #ar!ed respect, and when he left in
Bctober, 1>M8, he was loaded with presents, escorted by the -#peror's servants, and al#ost
ac!nowledged as a consul 7i!e so #any othersK& can say, li!e ourselves,Kat first he had been
so co#pletely ta!en in by "heodore's #anners that he did not discern the true character of the
#an 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 hi#
+ro# Adowa Captain Ca#eron forwarded "heodore's letter to our Pueen by native
#essengers, and proceeded to the province of Bogos, where he dee#ed his presence
necessary He found out during his stay that 0a#uel, the Georgis balderaba <+ootnote6 An
introducer6 generally given to foreigners in the capacity of a spy@ who# "heodore had given
hi#Ka clever, but rather unscrupulous 0hohoKwas intriguing with the chiefs of the
neighbourhood, tributaries of "ur!ey, in favour of his i#perial #aster Captain Ca#eron
thought it therefore advisable, in order to avoid future difficulties with the -gyptian
Govern#ent, to leave 0a#uel behind with the 0ervants he did not reLuire 0a#uel was #uch
hurt at not being allowed to acco#pany Ca#eron in his tour through the 0oudan, and though
he pretended to be well pleased with the arrange#ent, he shortly afterwards wrote a long
letter to his #aster in which he spo!e in very unfavourable ter#s of Captain Ca#eron Arrived
at Eassala, Captain Ca#eron one evening at a friend's house as!ed his Abyssinian servants to
show the guests their native warHdanceF so#e refused, others co#plied, but as it was not
appreciated by the spectators, they were told to leave off I& #ention this fact as it was #ade a
serious offence by "heodore, and is a sa#ple of the pretences adopted by hi# when he desired
to vindicate his conductJ Arrived at Gete##a, Ca#eron, who was at the ti#e suffering fro#
fever, wrote to his Gajesty to infor# hi# of his arrival, and reLuesting his per#ission to
proceed to the #issionary station of $jendaF which was granted
Gr Bardel, a +rench#an, had acco#panied Ca#eron on his first voyage to AbyssiniaF they
disagreed, and Bardel left Ca#eron's service to enter the -#peror's At the ti#e "heodore sent
Ca#eron with a letter to the Pueen of -ngland, he also entrusted one to Bardel for the
-#peror of the +rench $uring Bardel's absence G 7ejean, the +rench Consul at Gassowah,
arrived in AbyssiniaF he was the bearer of credentials to the -#peror "heodore, and also
brought with hi# a few trifles to be presented to his Gajesty in the na#e of the -#peror
Napoleon G 7ejean was not allowed to leave before the arrival of Gr BardelF who returned to
Gondar in 0epte#ber, 1>MA, with an answer fro# the +rench 0ecretary for +oreign Affairs,
who# he described to "heodore as the #outhpiece Iafa negusJ of Napoleon All the -uropeans
were su##oned fro# Gondar to witness the reading of the letterF the Eing, seated at the
window of the palace, had the letter read, and as!ed Bardel how he had been received
%Badly,% he replied %& had an audience with the -#peror, when Gr $'Abbadie whispered to
hi# that your Gajesty was in the habit of cutting off hands and feetF on that, without a word
#ore, Napoleon turned his bac! upon #e%
"heodore then too! the letter, and, tearing it to pieces, said6K%*ho is that NapoleonU Are not
#y ancestors greater than hisU &f God #ade hi# great, can he not #a!e #e also greatU% After
which his Gajesty ordered a safe conduct to be given to G 7ejean, with orders that he should
leave the country at once
"he Abouna, at that ti#e in favour, afraid above all things of the /o#an Catholics, urged the
-#peror to let 7ejean depart, lest the +rench should be afforded an e.cuse for ta!ing
possession of so#e part of the country, fro# whence their priests would endeavour to
propagate their doctrines But two days after 7ejean's departure, "heodore, who had by that
ti#e regretted that he had let hi# go, sent to have hi# arrested on the road and brought bac!
to Gondar
&n the autu#n of 1>MA the -uropeans in Abyssinia nu#bered about twentyHfiveF they were,
Ca#eron and his -uropean servants, the Basle #ission, the 0cottish #ission, the #issionaries of
the 7ondon 0ociety for the Conversion of the Cews, and so#e adventurers
&n 1>;; $r Erapf, acco#panied by Gr +lad, entered Abyssinia as pioneers for a #ission which
Bishop Gobat desired to establish in that country "he lay #issionaries he intended to send
were to be wor!#en, who would receive a s#all salary, if necessary, but were supposed to
support the#selves by their wor!6 they were also to open schools, and seiNe every opportunity
to preach the *ord of God Gr +lad #ade several journeys bac!wards and forwards, and, at
the ti#e of the first trouble that befell the -uropeans since the beginning of "heodore's reign,
the lay #issionaries, who had been joined by a few adventurers,Kthe whole of the# better
!nown by natives and -uropeans under the na#e of the %Gaffat people% Ion account of the
na#e of the village they usually resided inJ, a#ounted to eight Gr +lad had so#e ti#e
previously abandoned the Basle Gission for the 7ondon Gission for the Conversion of the Cews
"he %Gaffat people% played an i#portant part in all the transactions that, fro# 1>MA, too! place
between his Abyssinian Gajesty and the -uropeans residing in the country "heir position was
not an enviable oneF they had not only to please his Gajesty, but, in order to !eep the#selves
free fro# i#prison#ent or chains, to forestall his wishes, and to !eep his fic!le nature always
interested in their wor! by devising so#e new toy suited to please his childish love for novelty
Bn their first arrival in the country they did their best to fulfil the instructions of their patron,
the Bishop of Cerusale# But on "heodore learning that these #en were able wor!#en, he sent
for the# one day and told the#, %& do not want teachers in #y country, but wor!#en6 will you
wor! for #eU% "hey bowed, and with good grace placed the#selves at his Gajesty's disposal
Gaffat, a s#all hilloc! about four #iles fro# $ebra "abor, was assigned to the# as a place of
residence "here they built se#iH-uropean houses, established wor!shops, Tc Enowing that he
would have a greater hold upon the#, and that they would have #ore difficulty in leaving the
country, "heodore ordered the# to #arry6 they all consented "he little colony flourished, and
"heodore for a long ti#e behaved very liberally to the#F gave the# large su#s of #oney, grain,
honey, butter, and all necessary supplies in great abundance "hey were also presented with
silver shields, goldHwor!ed saddles, #ules, horses, TcF their wives with richly e#broidered
burnouses, orna#ents of gold and silverF and to enhance their position in the country they
were allowed all the privileges of a /as
%His children,% as "heodore called the#, so far had nothing to co#plain ofF but the -#peror
soon got tired of carriages, pic!a.es, doors, and such li!eF he was bent on having cannons and
#ortars cast in his country He gently insinuated his desireF but they fir#ly refused, on the
ground that they had no !nowledge of such wor! "heodore !new how to #a!e the# consentF
he had only to appear displeased, to frown a little, and they awaited in tre#bling to have his
good pleasure #ade !nown to the# "heodore as!ed for cannonsF they would try His Gajesty
s#iledF he !new the #en he had to deal with After the guns, they #ade #ortarsF then
gunpowderF then brandyF again #ore cannons, shells, shots, Tc 0o#e were sent to #a!e
roads, others erected foundriesF a large nu#ber of intelligent natives were apprenticed to
the#, and with their assistance e.ecuted so#e really re#ar!able wor!s &, who happened to
witness one day the harsh, i#perative tone he too! with the# because he felt annoyed at a
#ere trifle, can well understand their co#plete sub#ission to his iron will, and cannot bla#e
the# "hey had given in at first, and accepted his bountyF they had wives and children, and
desired to be left in Luiet possession of their ho#es, and were only an.ious to please their hard
tas!#aster
Another #issionary station had been established at $jenda "hese gentle#en, #ost of the#
scriptureHreaders, not conversant with any trade, and striving but for one object,Kthe
conversion of the +alashas, or native Cews,Kdeclined to wor! for "heodore "he -#peror could
not understand their refusal According to his notions every -uropean could wor! in so#e way
or the other He attributed their refusal to illHwill towards hi#, and only awaited a suitable
opportunity to visit the# with his displeasure "hey and the Gaffat people were not in accordF
though, for appearance' sa!e, a !ind of brotherhood was !ept up between the rival stations
"he $jenda Gission consisted of two #issionaries, of the 0cottish 0ociety6 a #an na#ed
Cornelius, <+ootnote6 He died at Gaffat in the beginning of 1>M;@ brought to Abyssinia by Gr
0tern, on his first tripF of Gr and Grs +lad, and of Gr and Grs /osenthal, who had
acco#panied Gr 0tern on his second journey to Abyssinia "he /ev Henry 0tern is really a
#artyr to his faith A fine type of the brave selfHdenying #issionary, he had already e.posed his
life in Arabia, where he had, with the rec!lessness of conviction, underta!en a dangerous,
al#ost i#possible, journey, in order to bring the %good tidings% to his oppressed brethren the
Cews of 'e#en and 0anaa He had just escaped al#ost by a #iracle fro# the hands of the
bigoted Arabs, when he undertoo! a first voyage to Abyssinia, in order to establish a #ission in
that country, where thousands of Cews were living
Gr 0tern arrived in Abyssinia in 1>M9, was well received and !indly treated by his Gajesty Bn
his return to -urope he published a valuable account of his tour, under the title of *anderings
a#ongst the +alashas of Abyssinia &n that boo! Gr 0tern gives a very favourable account of
"heodoreF but, as beco#es a true historian, gave so#e details of the -#peror's fa#ily, which
were, to a certain e.tent, the cause of #any of the sufferings he had afterwards to undergo
About that ti#e several articles appeared in one of the -gyptian newspapers, purporting to
have issued fro# the pen of Gr 0tern, and reflecting rather severely on the #arriage of the
Gaffat people Gr 0tern has always denied having been the author of these articlesF and
though &, and every one else who !nows Gr 0tern, will place unli#ited confidence in his word,
still the Gaffat people would not accept his denial6 to the very last they believed hi# to have
written the obno.ious articles, and harboured bitter feelings against hi#, in conseLuence
Gr 0tern undertoo! a second journey to Abyssinia in the autu#n of 1>M8, acco#panied this
ti#e by Gr and Grs /osenthal He and his party reached $jenda in April, 1>MA
As soon as the Gaffat people heard of the arrival of Gr 0tern at Gassowah, they went in a body
to the -#peror and begged hi# not to allow Gr 0tern to enter Abyssinia His Gajesty gave an
evasive answer, but did not co#ply with the reLuestF on the contrary, he see#s to have
rejoiced at the idea of an en#ity e.isting between the -uropeans in his country, and chuc!led
at the prospect of the advantages he #ight reap fro# their jealousy and rivalry Gr 0tern soon
perceived the great change that had already ta!en place in the deport#ent of "heodore, and
saw but too plainly, during his several #issionary tours, abundant proofs of the cruelty of the
#an he had so shortly before ad#ired and praised "he Abouna IAbyssinian bishopJ at the ti#e
in freLuent collision with the -#peror, spo!e but too openly of the #any vices of the ruling
sovereign, and as he had always been friendly disposed towards Gr 0tern, this gentle#an
freLuently visited hi#, even #ade so#e short stays in his house "his friendship was construed
by the -#peror as i#plying an understanding between the bishop and the -nglish priest
unfavourable to hi#self, and with a view to the cession of the church lands for a certain su# of
#oney, which was to be placed in -gypt at the Abouna's disposal
"o su# up, this was the state of the different parties when the stor# at last burst on the head
of the unfortunate Gr 0tern6KBell and Plowden, the only -uropeans who #ight have had
so#e influence for good over the #ind of the -#peror, were dead "he Gaffat people wor!ed
for the Eing, were freLuently near his person, and entertained anything but friendly feelings
towards Gr 0tern and the $jenda Gission *hile Captain Ca#eron and his party were watched
in Gondar, and in no way #i.ed up with the differences that unfortunately divided the other
-uropeans
CHAP"-/ &&&
&#prison#ent of Gr 0ternKGr Eerans arrives with 7etters and
CarpetKCa#eron, with his +ollowers, is put in ChainsKGr
Bardel's /eturn fro# the 0oudanK"heodore's $ealings with
+oreignersK"he Coptic PatriarchKAbdul /ah#an BeyK"he Captivity
of the -uropeans e.plained
0uch was the state of affairs when Gr 0tern obtained leave to return to the coast
Dnfortunately it was i#possible for hi# to avail hi#self at once of this per#ission Bn Gr 0tern
at last ta!ing his departure he had to re#ain at Gondar a few days, and, but too late, thought of
presenting his respects to his Gajesty He also accepted during his short stay there the
hospitality of the bishop Bn the 1Ath Bctober Gr 0tern, acco#panied for a short distance by
Consul Ca#eron and Gr Bardel, started on his ho#eward journey Bn arriving on the *aggera
Plain he perceived the Eing's tent *hat followed is well !nown6 how that unfortunate
gentle#an was al#ost beaten, to deathF and fro# that hour, al#ost without re#ission, loaded
with chains, tortured, and dragged fro# prison to prison, until the day of his deliverance fro#
Gagdala by the British ar#y
*hen spea!ing of "heodore's treat#ent of foreigners, & will endeavour to e.plain the real cause
of the #isfortunes that befell Gr 0tern "hat he was only the victi# of circu#stances, is a fact
beyond any doubt "he e.tracts fro# his boo! and the notes fro# his diary, brought as charges
against hi#, were only discovered several wee!s after #any cruelties had been inflicted upon
hi# But & believe that #any s#all, apparently trifling, incidents co#bined to #a!e hi# the first
-uropean victi# of the Abyssinian #onarch "he -#peror could not endure the thought that
-uropeans in his country should do aught else but wor! for hi# Bn his first interview with Gr
0tern, after this gentle#an's return to Abyssinia, "heodore, on being infor#ed as to the
#otives of Gr 0tern's journey, said, in an angry #ood, %& have enough of your Bibles%
"heodore also believed that by illHusing Gr 0tern he would please his %Gaffat children,%
therefore, i##ediately after Gr 0tern's i#prison#ent, he wrote to the# saying, %& have
chained your ene#y and #ine%
"hat the crisis was at last brought on by #alicious representations to his Gajesty of trifling
incidents, was proved to us Luite accidentally on our way down At Antalo & had a few friends at
dinner, a#ongst the# Gr 0tern, when, in the evening, Peter Beru, an Abyssinian who had
received his education at Galta and had been one of the interpreters of Gr 0tern's boo! at the
fa#ous public trial at Gondar, ca#e into the tent, and, being a little e.cited, told Gr 0tern that
three things had called down upon hi# the Eing's displeasure6 first, the en#ity of the Gaffat
people against hi#F secondly, his IGr 0tern'sJ inti#acy with the AbounaF thirdly, his not having
called upon his Gajesty during his last stay at Gondar
Bn the 88nd of Nove#ber Gr 7aurence Eerans arrived at Gondar He ca#e for the purpose of
joining Captain Ca#eron in the capacity of private secretary He brought with hi# so#e letters
for Captain Ca#eronF a#ongst the# one fro# -arl /ussell ordering the consul bac! to his post
at Gassowah Bf all the captives none deserves greater sy#pathy than poor Eerans Puite a
youth when he entered Abyssinia, he suffered four years of i#prison#ent in chains, for no
reason whatever e.cept that he arrived at an inauspicious ti#e &t is true that, according to his
wonted habit, his Gajesty charged hi# with having intended to insult hi# by offering hi# a
carpet representing Gerard the lionH!iller Gerard, in his Qouave costu#e, "heodore said,
represented the "ur!s, the lion was hi#self, upon who# the infidel was firing, the attendant a
+rench#anF but he added, %& do not see the -nglish#an who ought to be by #y side% Poor
Eerans re#ained only a few wee!s in se#iHliberty at GondarF he had presented on his own
account a rifle to his Gajesty Ithe carpet was supposed to have been sent by Captain 0peedy,
who had previously been in AbyssiniaJF and every #orning 0a#uel, who was the balderaba of
the -uropeans, would present hi#self, with supposed co#pli#ents fro# his Gajesty, adding,
%"he -#peror desires to !now what you would li!eU% Eerans answered, %A horse, a shield, and
a lance% "he ne.t #orning 0a#uel would as!, fro# his Gajesty, what !ind of horse he
preferred, and so on, until at last the poor lad, who was obliged every day to bow to the ground
in than!fulness for the supposed gift, began to suspect that all was not right
Consul Ca#eron, a few days after the arrival of Eerans, was called to the Eing's ca#p and told
to re#ain 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 per#ission to do so
Ca#eron waited until the beginning of Canuary, daily e.pecting a letter for the -#peror, but at
last, as none ca#e, he considered hi#self bound to obey his instructions, and accordingly,
infor#ed his Gajesty that he had received orders fro# his Govern#ent to return to Gassowah,
and begged that he #ight be allowed to leave in a few days
"he ne.t #orning, Wth Canuary, Ca#eron, his -uropean servants, the #issionaries fro# Gondar,
and Gessrs 0tern and /osenthal Iboth since so#e ti#e already in chainsJ, were all sent for by
his Gajesty "hey were ushered into a tent close to the -#peror's inclosure, with two loaded
twelveHpounders placed in front of it and pointed in that direction "he place was crowded with
soldiersF everything was so arranged as to #a!e resistance i#possible 0hortly after Ca#eron's
arrival "heodore sent several #essages, as!ing, %*here is the answer to the letter & gave youU
*hy did you go to #y ene#ies the "ur!sU Are you a consulU% At last the #essages ceased with
this last one6 %& will !eep you a prisoner until & get an answer, and see if you are a consul or
not% Bn that Ca#eron was very rudely handled by the soldiersF he was !noc!ed down, his
beard torn off, and heavy fetters ha##ered on hi# "he captives were all placed in a tent near
the -#peror's inclosureF for a ti#e they were well supplied with rations, and, apart fro# the
fetters, not otherwise ill used
Bn the Ard of +ebruary Gr Bardel returned fro# a #ission the -#peror had intrusted to hi#,
viN, to spy the land, and report about the doings of an -gyptian general, who, at the head of a
considerable force, had been for so#e ti#e staying at Gete##a, the nearest post to Abyssinia
on the northHwest frontier "he following day the Gaffat people were called by the -#peror to
consult about the liberation of the -uropean captives Bn their reco##endation, two
#issionaries of the 0cottish society, two Ger#an hunters, Gr +lad and Cornelius, were freed
fro# their fetters, and allowed to re#ain at Gaffat with the wor!#en "he head of the Gaffat
people then told Captain Ca#eron that he would reLuest "heodore to release the whole of
the# and allow the# to depart, if Captain Ca#eron would give a written docu#ent to the
effect that no steps would be ta!en by -ngland to avenge the insult inflicted upon her in the
person of her representative Ca#eron, not considering hi#self justified in ta!ing upon hi#self
such a responsibility, declined A few days afterwards Gr Bardel having offended his Gajesty,
or rather being of no #ore use to hi#, was sent to join those who# he had been greatly
instru#ental in depriving of their liberty
"he /ev Gr 0tern has ably described the painful captivity which he and his fellowHsufferers
e.perienced up to their first release on the arrival of our #ission in the beginning of 1>M;F how
they were dragged fro# Gondar to ANaNoF the horrid torture inflicted upon the# on the 18th of
Gay6 their long #arch in chains fro# ANaNo to GagdalaF their confine#ent in chains on that
a#ba in the co##on jailF and the horrid tale of sufferings and #isery they had for so #any
#onths to endure 0uffice it to say, that on the date of Captain Ca#eron's noteK1Wth of
+ebruary, 1>MWKwhich gave the first inti#ation of their i#prison#ent, the captives, eight
altogether, were Captain Ca#eron and his followers IEerans, Bavdel, GcEilvie, Ga!erer, and
PietroJ, Gessrs 0tern and /osenthal
Guch of what & have said, and a great deal of what & have still to narrate, would appear
unintelligible if & were not to describe the conduct "heodore had adopted towards foreigners &t
is plain, fro# facts that & will now adduce, that "heodore had for several years syste#atically
insulted the# He did so partly to daNNle the people with his power, and partly because he
believed that co#plete i#punity would always attend his grossest #isdeeds
&n $ece#ber, 1>;M, $avid, the Coptic Patriarch of Ale.andria, arrived in Abyssinia, bearer of
certain presents for "heodore, and the e.pression of the goodHwill of the Pasha of -gypt "he
fa#e of "heodore had spread far and wide in the 0oudanF and probably the -gyptian
authorities, in order to save that province fro# being plundered, or unwilling to engage at the
ti#e in an e.pensive war with their powerful neighbour, adopted that e.pedient as the best
suited to appease the ire of their for#er foe As usual, "heodore found an e.cuse for the ill
treat#ent he inflicted upon the aged Patriarch, on the ground that a dia#ond cross presented
to hi# was only intended as an insult6 it #eant, he said, that they considered hi# as a vassalF
and on the Patriarch proposing that he should send a letter to the Pasha, acco#panied with
suitable presents, and that the Pasha would in return send hi# fireHar#s, cannons, and officers
to drill his troops, his Gajesty e.clai#ed, %& see, they now desire #e to declare #yself their
tributary%
Gost probably "heodore, always jealous of the power of the Church, too! advantage of the
presence of its highest dignitary to show to his ar#y who# they had to fear and obey Bn the
prete.ts above #entioned 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 !ept his father in close
confine#ent "heodore had so#e ti#e previously been e.co##unicated by the BishopF he
therefore enjoyed very #uch the disreputable Luarrel which too! place on that #atter, as he
induced the Patriarch, through fear, to ta!e off the e.co##unication of his inferior After a
while, however, "heodore apologiNed, and allowed the terrified old #an to depart "he
Patriarch on his return told his tale, but the fa#e for justice and wisdo# of the wouldHbe
descendant of 0olo#on was so great that, far fro# being credited, the "ur!ish Govern#ent,
who attributed the failure of the negotiation to the unfitness of their agent, soon after
despatched a #ission on a larger scale, together with nu#erous and costly presents, under the
orders of an e.perienced and trusty officer, Abdul /ah#an Bey
"he -gyptian envoy reached $e#bea in Garch, 1>;2 At first "heodore, gratified at receiving
such beautiful gifts, treated the a#bassador with all courtesy and distinctionF but on account of
the unsafe condition of the country at the ti#e, he too! his guest with hi#, and considering
Gagdala a proper and suitable place of residence, left hi# there He soon ignored hi# entirely,
and the unfortunate #an had to re#ain nearly two years, a se#iHprisoner, on that a#ba At
last, on the reception of several strongly worded and threatening letters fro# the -gyptian
Govern#ent, he allowed hi# to depart, but caused hi# to be plundered of all he had near the
frontier, by the 0hu# of "schelga "heodore, after the departure of Abdul /ah#an Bey, wrote
to the -gyptian Govern#ent, denying any !nowledge of the plunder, and accusing the envoy of
serious cri#es Hearing of this, the unfortunate Bey, fearing that his denials would not stand
against the charge brought against hi# by the pious -#peror, poisoned hi#self at Berber
His third victi# was the Nab of Ar!i!o He had acco#panied the -#peror to Godja#, when,
without reason given, the -#peror cast hi# into prison and loaded hi# with chains &t was only
on the representation of several influential #erchants, who, fearing that the Nab's relations
would retaliate on the Abyssinian caravans, i#pressed upon his Gajesty the prudence of letting
hi# depart, that the -#peror allowed his vassal to return to his country
"he sa#e day on which he i#prisoned the Nab of Ar!i!o, G 7ejean, a #e#ber of the +rench
diplo#atic service, disgusted with Abyssinia and the #any disco#forts of ca#p life, presented
hi#self before the -#peror to apply for leave to depart "heodore could not grant the desired
interview, but G 7ejean persisted in his de#and, and sent a second ti#e, representing that, as
his Gajesty was en route for Godja#, each day would increase the difficulty of his return 0uch
presu#ption could not be tolerated "heodore had defied -gyptF he would now defy +rance
7ejean was seiNed, and had to re#ain in full unifor# for twentyHfour hours in chains He was
only released on his #a!ing an hu#ble apology, and desisting fro# his desire to leave the
country He was sent to Gaffat, and ordered to abide there until the return of Gr Bardel
"heodore scoffed at and i#prisoned the Patriarch of Ale.andriaF the -gyptian a#bassador he
!ept a se#iHprisoner for several yearsF the Nab he chainedF the +rench consul he chained,
insulted, and !ic!ed out of the country Nothing ca#e of all this6 on the contrary, in his own
ca#p his influence was greater Dnder these circu#stances, any barbarian would have done
and thought e.actly as "heodore did He ca#e to the conviction that, either through fear of his
power or the i#possibility of reaching hi#, whatever ill treat#ent he #ight inflict on strangers,
no punish#ent could possibly overta!e hi# "hat such was his i#pression is evident fro# the
gradually increasing brutality of his conduct, always #ost severe, but never so outrageous as in
the case of the British captives "he savage, barbarous treat#ent he inflicted on Gessrs 0tern,
Ca#eron, /osenthal, and their followers, is without precedent in #odern history "heodore at
last too! no trouble to hide his conte#pt for -uropeans and their govern#ents
He !new in August, 1>MW, that before a #onth an answer to his letter to the Pueen had arrived
at Gassowah %7et the# wait #y good pleasure,% was the only observation he #ade on the
subject &t is probable that he would never have ta!en any notice of her Gajesty's letter or of
the #ission sent to hi#, if his rapid fallKat that ti#e beginningKhad not influenced his
conduct *hen we arrived at Gassowah in Culy, 1>MW, "heodore was still powerful, at the head
of a large ar#y, and #aster of the greater part of the country His ca#paign to 0hoa in 1>M;
was #ost disastrous He lost by it, not only that prosperous !ingdo#, but a large portion of his
ar#yF the Gallas seiNing the occasion to annoy hi# greatly on his return He foresaw his fall, and
it probably struc! hi# that the friendship of -ngland #ight be useful to hi#F or should he doubt
its possibility, he #ight seiNe us as hostages, in order to #a!e capital out of usF therefore, but
with apparent reluctance, he granted us the longHe.pected per#ission to enter his country
*e have now the solution of a part of this difficult proble#F we can understand, to a certain
degree, the strange character of this #an so re#ar!able in #any ways &#bued with a few
-uropean notions, he longed to obtain so#e of the advantages he had heard of6 but howU
-ngland and +rance would only return his friendship by wordsKhe wanted deedsF sweet
phrases he would not listen to He soon beca#e convinced that he #ight with i#punity insult
foreigners or envoys fro# friendly statesF and at last it struc! hi# that, while he insulted and ill
used -uropeans, he #ight as well !eep in his hands an i#portant #an li!e a consul, as a
hostage
CHAP"-/ &,
News of Ca#eron's &#prison#ent reaches Ho#eKGr /assa# is selected to proceed to the
Court of Gondar, and is acco#panied by $r BlancK$elays and $ifficulties in Co##unicating
with "heodoreK$escription of Gassowah and its &nhabitantsKArrival of a 7etter fro# the
-#peror
&n the spring of 1>MW it was vaguely ru#oured that an African potentate had i#prisoned a
British consulF the fact appeared so strange, that few credited the assertion &t was soon
ascertained, however, that a certain -#peror of Abyssinia, calling hi#self "heodore, had cast
into prison and loaded with chains, Captain Ca#eron, the consul accredited to his court, and
several #issionaries stationed in his do#inions A s#all pencil note fro# Captain Ca#eron at
last reached Gr 0peedy, the acting viceHconsul at Gassowah, giving the nu#ber and na#es of
the captives, and suggesting that their release depended entirely on the receipt of a civil letter
in answer to the one the Eing had forwarded so#e #onths before
"here is no doubt that #uch difficulty presented itself in order to #eet the reLuest e.pressed
by Consul Ca#eron 7ittle was !nown about Abyssinia, and the conduct of its ruler was so
strange, so contrary to all precedents, that it beca#e a #atter of grave consideration how to
co##unicate with the Abyssinian -#peror without endangering the liberty of others
&n the official correspondence on Abyssinian affairs there is a letter fro# Gr ColLuhoun, her
Gajesty's Agent and ConsulHGeneral in -gypt, dated Cairo, 19th Gay, 1>MW, in which that
gentle#an infor#s -arl /ussell %that it is difficult to get at "heodore% He was e.pecting to learn
what #eans the Bo#bay Govern#ent could place at his disposal, as fro# -gypt none were
availableF he adds, %e.cept fro# Aden & really can see no #easures feasible, and such could only
be of a #ild nature, for fro# the character we have had of late of the Eing, he would appear to
beco#e subject to fits of rage which al#ost deprive hi# of reason, and would render all
approach dangerous%
Bn Cune 1Mth the +oreign Bffice selected for the difficult and dangerous tas! of -nvoy to
"heodore, Gr Hor#uNd Bassa#, Assistant Political /esident at AdenF instructions were at the
sa#e ti#e forwarded to that gentle#an to the effect that he should hold hi#self in readiness
to proceed to Gassowah, and, if needful, to Abyssinia, with a view of obtaining the release of
Captain Ca#eron and other -uropeans detained in captivity by Eing "heodore A letter fro# her
Gajesty the Pueen of -ngland, one fro# the Coptic Patriarch of Ale.andria for the Abouna, and
one fro# the sa#e to Eing "heodore, were forwarded to Gr /assa#, in order to facilitate his
#ission Gr /assa# was to be conveyed to Gassowah in a shipHofHwarF he was at once to
infor# "heodore of his arrival, bearing a letter to hi# fro# the Pueen of -ngland, and also
forward, by the sa#e #essenger, the letters fro# the Patriarch to the Abouna and to the
-#peror He was to await a reply at Gassowah, before deciding whether he should proceed
hi#self, or forward the Pueen's letter to Captain Ca#eron for delivery "he instructions added
that Gr /assa# #ight, however, adopt any other course which #ight appear to hi# #ore
advisableF but he should ta!e special care not to place hi#self in a position that #ight cause
further e#barrass#ent to the British Govern#ent
&t so happened that at the ti#e Gr /assa# received an inti#ation that he was selected for the
duty of conveying a letter fro# the Pueen to the -#peror of Abyssinia, & had gone with hi# on
a visit to 7ahej, a s#all Arab town about twentyHfive #iles fro# Aden *e tal!ed a great deal
about that strange land, and on #y e.pressing #y desire to acco#pany Gr /assa# to the
Abyssinian Court, that gentle#an proposed to Colonel Gerewether, the Political /esident at
Aden, to allow #e to go with hi# as his co#panion6 a reLuest that Colonel Gerewether
i##ediately granted, and which was shortly afterwards sanctioned by the Governor of Bo#bay
and the ,iceroy of &ndia
*e had to wait a few days, as the Pueen's letter had been detained in -gypt, in order to have it
translated, and it was only on the 89th of Culy, 1>MW, that Gr /assa# and #yself left Aden for
Gassowah in her Gajesty's stea#er $alhousie
Bn the #orning of the 8Ard, at a distance of about thirty #iles fro# the shore, we sighted the
high land of Abyssinia, for#ed of several consecutive ranges, all running fro# N to 0, the #ore
distant being also the highestF so#e of the pea!s, such as "aranta, ranging between 18,999 and
1A,999 feet
As the outline of the coast beca#e #ore distinct, the sight of a s#all island covered with white
houses surrounded by green groves, reflecting their welco#e shadows in the Luiet blue water
of the bay, gave us a thrill of delightF it see#ed as if at last we had co#e to one of those
enchanted spots of the -ast, so often described, so seldo# seen, and to the longing of our
an.ious hearts the Luic! #otion of the stea#er see#ed slow to satisfy our ardent wishes But
nearer and nearer as we approached the shore, one by one all our illusions disappearedF the
pleasant i#agery vanished, and the stern reality of #angrove swa#ps, sandy and sunburnt
beach, wretched and sLualid huts, stared us in the face &nstead of the se#iHParadise distance
had painted to our i#agination, we found Iand, alas5 re#ained long enough to verify the factJ
that the land of our te#porary residence could be described in three wordsKsun, dirt, and
desolation
Gassowah, latitude 1;AM N, longitude A2A9 -, is one of the #any coral islands that abound in
the /ed 0eaF it is but a few feet above highHwater #ar!, about a #ile in length, and a Luarter in
breadth "owards the north it is separated fro# the #ainland by a narrow cree! about 899
yards in breadth, and is distant fro# Ar!i!o, a s#all town situated at the western e.tre#ity of
the bay, about two #iles HalfHaH#ile south of Gassowah, another s#all coral island, al#ost
parallel to the one we describe, covered with #angroves and other ran! vegetation, the proud
owner of a shei!'s to#b of great veneration, lies between Gassowah and the Gede# pea!, the
high #ountain for#ing the southern boundary of the bay
"he western half of the island of Gassowah is covered with houses6 a few two stories high, built
of coral roc!, the re#ainder s#all wooden huts with straw roofs "he first are inhabited by the
wealthier #erchants and bro!ers, the "ur!ish officials, and the few Banians, -uropean consulsF
and #erchants whose unfortunate fate has cast the# on this inhospitable shore "here is not a
building worth #entioning6 the Pasha's residence is a large, ungainly #ansion, re#ar!able only
for its e.tre#e filthiness $uring our stay the offensive s#ell fro# the accu#ulation of dirt on
the yards and staircases of the palace was Luite overwhel#ing6 it is easier to i#agine than to
describe the abo#inable stench that pervaded the whole place "he few #osLues are without
i#portanceK#iserable whitewashed coral buildings Bne, however, under construction
pro#ised to be a shade better than the others
<&llustration6 +ort, Gission House and "own of Gassowah@
"he streetsKif by this na#e we #ay call the narrow and irregular lanes that run between the
housesKare !ept pretty cleanF whether with or without #unicipal intervention & cannot say
-.cept in front of the Pasha's residence, there is no open space worthy of the na#e of sLuare
"he houses are #uch crowded together, #any even being half built over the sea on piles 7and
is of such value on this spot so little !nown, that recla#ation was at several points going onF
though & do not suppose that shares and dividends were either issued or pro#ised
"he landingHplace is near the centre of the island, opposite to the gates of the town, which are
regularly shut at eight PGF why, it is difficult to say, as it is possible to land on any part of the
island Luite as easily, if not #ore so, than on the greasy pier Bn the landingHplace a few huts
have been erected by the collector of custo#s and his subordinatesF these, surrounded by the
bro!ers and tallowHscented Bedouins, register the i#ports, e.acting such duties as they li!e,
before the #erchandise is allowed to be purchased by the Banians or conveyed to the baNaar
for sale "his lastHna#ed placeKthe sine Lua non of all -astern townsKis a wretched affair
0till, the Bedouin beau, the BashiHbaNou!, the native girls, and the #any flaneurs of the place,
#ust find so#e attractions in its precincts, for though redolent with effluvia of the worst
description, and swar#ing with flies, it is, during part of the day, the rendeNvous of a #erry and
jostling crowd
"he eastern half of the island contains the burialHground, the waterHtan!s, the /o#an Catholic
#issionHhouse, and a s#all fort
"he burialHground begins al#ost with the last houses, the boundary between the living and the
dead being #erely no#inal "o i#prove the closer relationship between the two, the waterH
tan!s are placed a#ongst the graves5 but there are but few tan!s still in good condition After
heavy showers, the surface drainage finds its way into the reservoirs, carrying with it the
detritus of all the accu#ulated filth of the last year or two, and adding an infusion of hu#an
bodies, in all stages of deco#position 0till, the water is highly priNed, and, strange to say,
see#s to have no no.ious effects, on the drin!ers At the north and south points of this part of
the island two buildings have been erectedKthe one the e#ble# of goodHwill and peaceF the
other, of war and strifeKthe #issionHhouse and the fort But it is difficult to decide which of
the two #eans the #ost #ischiefF #any are inclined to give the pal# to the worthy fathers'
abode "he fort appears for#idable, but only at a great distanceF on near approach it is found
to be but a relic of for#er ages, a cru#bledHdown ruin, too wea! to bear any longer its three
old rusty guns now lying on the ground6 it is the terror, not of the neighbourhood, but of the
unfortunate gunner, who has already lost an ar# whilst endeavouring to return a salute
through their honeyco#bed tubes Bn the other hand, the #issionHhouse, garbed in
i##aculate whiteness, s#iles radiantly around, inviting instead of repulsing the invader But
within, are they always words of love that fill the echoes of the do#eU &s peace the only sound
that issues fro# its wallsU "hough the past spea!s volu#es, and though the history of the
/o#an 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 #issionaries here, li!e all Christian
#issionaries, only strive to pro#ote one objectKthe cause of Christ
Gassowah, as well as the i##ediate surrounding country, is #ainly dependent on Abyssinia for
its supplies Cowaree is the staple foodF wheat is little usedF rice is a favourite a#ongst the
better classes Goats and sheep are !illed daily in the baNaar, cows on rare occasionsF but the
flesh of the ca#el is the #ost estee#ed, though, on account of the e.pense, rarely indulged in
e.cept on great occasions
"he inhabitants being Gussul#ans, water is the ordinary beverageF tej and ara!i I#ade fro#
honeyJ can, however, be purchased in the baNaar "he li#ited supply of water obtained fro#
the few re#aining tan!s is Luite inadeLuate to #eet the wants of even a s#all portion of the
co##unityF water is conseLuently brought in daily fro# the wells a few #iles north of
Gassowah, and fro# Ar!i!o "he first is brought in leather bags by the young girls of the villageF
the latter conveyed in boats across the bay "he water in both cases is brac!ish, that fro#
Ar!i!o highly so +or this reason, and also on account of the greater facility in the transport, it is
cheaper, and is purchased only by the poorer inhabitants
"o avoid useless repetitions, before spea!ing of the population, cli#ate, diseases, Tc, a short
account of the i##ediate neighbourhood is necessary
About four #iles north of Gassowah is Haitoo#loo, a large village of about a thousand huts,
the first place where we #eet with sweet waterF a #ile and a Luarter further inland we ca#e
upon Goncullou, a s#aller but better built village A #ile westward of the last place we find the
s#all village of Qaga "hese, with a s#all ha#let east of Haitoo#loo, constitute all the inhabited
portions of this sterile region "he ne.t village, Ailat, about twenty #iles fro# Gassowah, is
built on the first terrace of the Abyssinian range, M99 feet above the level of the sea All these
villages are situated in the #idst of a sandy and desolate plainF a few #i#osas, aloes, senna
plants, and cactuses struggle for life in the burning sand "he country residences of the -nglish
and +rench consuls shine li!e oases in this desert, great pains having been ta!en to introduce
trees that thrive even in such a locality
<&llustration6 Grove House at Goncullou@
"he wells are the wealth of the villagesKtheir very e.istence Gost 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 "he wells nu#ber about twenty Gany old
ones are closed, but new ones are freLuently dug, so as to !eep up a constant supply of water
"he reason old wells are abandoned is, that after a while the water beco#es very brac!ish &n a
new well the water is al#ost sweet "he water obtained fro# these wells proceeds fro# two
different sources6 +irst, fro# the high #ountains in the vicinity "he rain filters and i#pregnates
the soil, but not being able to soa! beyond a certain depth, on account of the volcanic roc!s of
the undersoil, for#s a s#all stratu# always #et with at a certain depth 0econdly, fro# the sea
by filtration "he wells, though about four #iles fro# the shore, are only fro# twenty to
twentyHfive feet deep, and conseLuently on or below the level of the sea
"he proof of an undercurrent of water, due to the presence of the high range of #ountains,
beco#es #ore apparent as the traveller advances into the interiorF though the soil is still sandy
and barren, and little vegetation can as yet be seen, trees and shrubs beco#e #ore plentiful,
and of a larger siNe A few #iles farther inland, even during the su##er #onths, it is always
possible to obtain water by digging to the depth of a few feet in the driedHup bed of a waterH
torrent
&t often struc! #e that what artesian wells have done for the 0ahara they could eLually
acco#plish for this region "he locality see#s even #ore favourable, and there is every hope
that, li!e the great African desert, the now desolate land of 0a#har could be transfor#ed into a
rich dateHbearing land
"a!en as they areF these wells could certainly be i#proved Bn our arrival at Goncullou, we
found the water of the well belonging to the consular residence scarcely used, on account of its
very brac!ish tasteF we had the well e#ptied, a large Luantity of saltish sand re#oved, and we
dug deeper until large roc!s appeared "he result was that we had the best well in the place,
and reLuests for our water were #ade by #any, including the Pasha hi#self Dnfortunately,
the forefathers of the present Goncullites never did such a thing to their wells, and as all
innovations are distasteful to a se#iHciviliNed race, the fact was ad#ired, but not i#itated
Ar!i!o, at the e.tre#ity of the bay, is #uch nearer the #ountains than the villages situated
north of Gassowah, but the village is built al#ost on the beach itselfF the wells, not a hundred
yards fro# the sea, are also #uch #ore superficial than those on the northern side,
conseLuently the seaHwater, having a #uch shorter distance to filter through, retains a greater
proportion of saline particles, and & believe, were, it not for the presence of a s#all Luantity of
sweet water fro# the hills, it would be Luite unpalatable
&n the neighbourhood of Gaasowah there are several hot #ineral springs "he #ost i#portant
are those of Adulis and Ailat &n the su##er of 1>M; we #ade a short trip to Annesley Bay, to
inspect the locality "he ruins of Adulis are several #iles fro# the shore, and, with the
e.ception of a few frag#ents of bro!en colu#ns, contain no traces of the for#er i#portant
colony "he place was even hotter than GassowahF there was no vegetation, no trace of
habitations on that desolate shore +ancy our surprise, on reaching the sa#e spot in Gay, 1>M>,
to find piers, railways, baNaars, TcKa bustling city had sprung out of the wilderness
"he springs of Adulis <+ootnote6 A short ti#e before our departure for the interior, so#e of the
water of the hot springs of Adulis was collected and forwarded to Bo#bay for analysis@ are
only a few hundred yards fro# the seaHshore, surrounded by a pleasing green patch covered
with a vigorous vegetation, the rendeNvous of #yriads of birds and Luadrupeds, who, #orning
and evening, swar# thither to Luench their thirst
At Ailat <+ootnote6 *ater collected and sent to Bo#bay, Nove#ber, 1>MW@ the hot spring
issues fro# basaltic roc!s on a s#all plateau between high and precipitous #ountains At the
source itself the te#perature is 1W1 +ahrenheit, but as the water flows down the different
ravines, it gradually cools until it differs in no way fro# other #ountain strea#s &t is palatable,
and used by the inhabitants of Ailat for all purposes6 it is also highly estee#ed by the Bedouins
Bn account of its #edicinal properties, nu#bers resort to the natural baths, for#ed of
hollowed volcanic roots, for the relief of every variety of disease +ro# what & could gather, it
appears to prove beneficial in chronic rheu#atis# and in diseases of the s!in Probably in these
cases any war# water would act as well, considering the usual #orbid condition of the
integu#ent in those dirty and unwashed races
"he population of Gassowah, including the surrounding villages Ias far, at least, as & could
ascertainJ, a#ounts to 19,999 inhabitants "he Gassowah race is far fro# pureF being a #i.ture
of "ur!ish, Arab, and African blood "he features are generally good, the nose straight, the hair
in #any instances short and curlyF the s!in brown, the lips often large, the teeth even and
white "he #en are of the #iddle heightF the wo#en under it 0o #uch for their physical
appearance Gorally they are ignorant and superstitious, having apparently retained but few of
their forefathers' virtues, but a great #any of their vices A very good distinction can be #ade,
in the #ale portion of the co##unity, between those who wear turbans and long white shirts,
and those hardHwor!ing wretches who, girded with a single leather s!in, roa# about with their
floc!s in search of pasture and water "he first live & !now not how "hey call the#selves
bro!ers5 &t is true that three or four ti#es a year caravans arrive fro# the interior, but as a rule,
with the e.ception of a s!in or two of honey, and a few bags of jowaree, nothing is i#ported
*hat possible business can about ;99 bro!ers haveU How ten dollars' worth of honey and fifty
of grain can give a bro!erage sufficient to clothe and feed, not only the#selves but also their
fa#ilies, is a proble# & have in vain endeavoured to solve5
&n the -ast, children, instead of being a burden to poor people, are often a source of wealth6 at
Gassowah they certainly are "he young girls of Goncullou, Tc, bring in a pretty good inco#e
to their parents & !now big, strong, but laNy fellows who would sLuat 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
Gassowah laden with a large s!in full of water "he waterHgirls vary in age fro# eight to si.teen
"he younger ones are rather pretty, s#all, but well #ade, the hair neatly braided and falling on
the shoulders A s#all piece of cotton reaching fro# the waist to the !nee is generally the only
gar#ent of the poorest "hose better off wear also a piece of plaid thrown gracefully across the
shoulders "he right nostril is orna#ented with a s#all copper ringF as a substitute, a shirtH
button is #uch estee#ed, and during our stay our buttons were in constant de#and
&f we ta!e into consideration that Gassowah is situated within the tropics, possessing no
running strea#, that it is surrounded by burning deserts, and that rain seldo# falls, the
conclusion we could beforehand have arrived at is, that the cli#ate is essentially hot and dry
+ro# Nove#ber to Garch the nights are cool, and during that period the day, in a good house
or tent, is pleasant enough +ro# April to Bctober the nights are close, and often very
oppressive $uring those hot #onths, both in the #orning before the seaHbreeNe springs up and
in the evening when it has died away, all ani#al creation falls into a torpid state "he perfect
cal# that then reigns is fearful in its stillness and painful in its effects
+ro# Gay to August sandHstor#s freLuently occur "hey begin usually at four PG Ithough
occasionally they appear in the #orningJ, and last fro# a few #inutes only to a couple of hours
7ong before the stor# is felt, the horiNon towards the NN* is Luite dar!F a blac! cloud
e.tends fro# the sea to the #ountain range, and as it advances the sun itself is obscured A few
#inutes of dead cal#, and then suddenly the dar! colu#n approachesF all see#s to disappear
before it, and the roar of the terrible hurricane of wind and sand now coursing over the land is
al#ost subli#e in its horrors Co#ing after the #oist sea breeNe, the hot and dry wind appears
Luite cool, though the ther#o#eter rises to 119 or 11; degrees After the stor# a gentle land
breeNe follows, and often lasts all night "he a#ount of sand carried by the wind in these
stor#s can be i#agined by the #ere #ention of the fact that we could not discern, at a short
distance fro# us, such a large object as a tent
&t seldo# rainsF occasionally there are a few showers in August and
Nove#ber
As far as -uropeans are concerned, cli#ates li!e the one we have just described cannot be
considered as unhealthyF they debilitate and wea!en the syste#, and predispose to tropical
diseases, but seldo# engender the# & e.pected to find #any cases of scurvy, due to the
brac!ish condition of the water and to the absence of vegetablesF but either scurvy did not e.ist
to a great e.tent or did not co#e under #y observation, as during #y stay & did not #eet with
#ore than three or four cases +evers affect the natives after a fall of rain, but though so#e
cases are of a very pernicious type, the #ajority belong to the si#ple inter#ittent or re#ittent,
and yield rapidly to a proper treat#ent
0#allHpo. now and then #a!es fearful ravages *hen it brea!s out, a #ild case is chosen, and
fro# it a great #any are inoculated "he #ortality is considerable a#ongst those who sub#it
to the operation Bn several occasions during the su##er & received vaccine ly#ph, and
inoculated with it &n no case did it ta!eF owing, & suppose, to the e.tre#e heat of the weather
$uring, the cold season & applied again, but could not obtain any "he greatest #ortality is due
to childbirthKa strange fact, as in the -ast confine#ents are generally easy "he practice in use
here has probably #uch to do with this unfavourable result After her confine#ent the wo#an
is placed upon an alga or s#all native bedF underneath which, fire with aro#atic herbs is so
arranged as al#ost to suffocate the newlyHdelivered wo#an $iarrhoea was freLuent during
the su##er of 1>M;, and dysentery at the sa#e period proved fatal to #any $iseases of the
eyes are seldo# #et with, e.cept si#ple infla##ation caused by the heat and glare of the sun
& suffered fro# a severe attac! of ophthal#ia, and was obliged in conseLuence to proceed to
Aden for a few wee!s & have #et with no case of disease of the lungs, and bronchial affections
see# al#ost un!nown & had occasion to attend upon cases of neuralgia, and one of gouty
rheu#atis#
+or several years locusts have been co##itting great da#age to the crops &n 1>MW they
occasioned a scarcity and dearness of the first necessaries of life, but in 1>M; the whole of
"igrO, Ha#asein, Bogos, Tc had been laid waste by swar#s of locusts, and at last no supplies
whatever reached fro# the interior "he local Govern#ent sent to Hodeida and other ports for
grain, and rice, and thus avoided the horrors of a co#plete fa#ine As it was, nu#bers died,
and #any halfHstarved wretches were ready victi#s for such a disease as cholera "his lastH
na#ed scourge #ade its appearance in Bctober, 1>M;, at the ti#e we were #a!ing our
preparations to proceed into the interior "he epide#ic was severely felt All those who had
been suffering fro# the effects of insufficient or inferior food beca#e an easy preyF few,
indeed, of those who contracted the disease ralliedF al#ost all died $uring our residence at
Gassowah, out of the s#all co##unity of -uropeans five died, two fro# heat apople.y, two
fro# debility, and one fro# cholera INone ca#e under #y careJ "he Pasha hi#self was
several ti#es on the point of death, fro# debility and co#plete loss of tone of the digestive
organs He was at last prevailed upon to leave, and saved his life by a ti#ely trip to sea
"he Bedouins of the 0a#har, li!e all bigoted and ignorant savages, have great confidence in
char#s, a#ulets and e.orcis#s "he %#edicine #an% is generally an old, venerableHloo!ing
0hei!Ka great rascal, for all his sanctified loo!s His #ost usual prescription is to write a few
lines of the Eoran upon a piece of parch#ent, wash off the in! with water, and hand it over to
the patient to drin!F at other ti#es the writing is enclosed in s#all sLuares of red leather, and
applied to the seat of the disease "he Gullah is no conte#ptible rival of his, and though he
also applies the allHefficacious words of the revealed %cow,% he effects #ore rapid cures by
spitting several ti#es upon the sic! person, #uttering between each ejection appropriate
prayers which no evil spirit could withstand, should his already sanctified spittle not have been
sufficient to cast the# off Gassowah boasts, #oreover, of a regular #edical practitioner, in
the shape of an old BashiHbaNou! "hough superior in intelligence to the 0hei! and the Gullah,
his #edical !nowledge is on a par with theirs He possesses a few drugs, given to hi# by
travellersF but as he is not acLuainted with their properties or doses, he wisely !eeps the# on a
shelf for the ad#iration of the natives, and e#ploys si#ples, with which, if he effects no
wonderful cures, he still does no har# Bur confXre is not at all conceited, though he no doubt
i#poses upon the credulity of the aboriginesF when we #et in %consultation,% he always, with
beco#ing #ee!ness, ac!nowledged his ignorance
Gassowah, as & have already stated, is built on a coral roc!F the sa#e for#ation e.ists on #any
parts of the coast, and for#s cliffs, so#e of the# thirty feet above the level of the sea +urther
inland, towards Goncullou and Haitoo#loo, volcanic roc!s begin to appear, scattered here and
there as if carelessly thrown on the sandy plainF at first isolated land#arts over the level space,
they soon beco#e #ore united, increasing in nu#ber, siNe, and i#portance, until the
#ountains the#selves are reached, where al#ost every stone declares the predo#inance of
the volcanic for#ation
"he flora is scanty, and belongs, with but few e.ceptions, to the 7egu#inosae 0everal varieties
of antelopes roa# over the desert Partridges, pigeons, and several species of the Natatores at
certain seasons, arrive in great nu#bers Apart fro# these, nothing useful to #an is #et with
a#ongst the other #e#bers of the ani#al creation, consisting principally of hosts of hyenas,
sna!es, scorpions, and innu#erable insects
*e re#ained at Gassowah fro# the 8Ard of Culy, 1>MW, to the >th of August, 1>M;, the date of
our departure for -gypt, where we went in order to receive instructions, when a letter at last
reached us fro# the -#peror "heodore Gassowah offered no attractions6 the heat was so
intense at ti#es that we could hardly breatheF and we ardently longed for our return to Aden
or &ndia, as we had given up all hopes regarding the acceptance of our #ission by the
Abyssinian -#peror No pains were spared, no stone was left unturned, no possible chance left
untried to obtain infor#ation as to the condition of the captives, to supply the# with the
necessaries of life, or induce the obstinate potentate to call for the letter it was said he was so
an.ious to receive "he very day of our arrival at Gassowah, efforts were #ade to engage
#essengers to proceed to the Abyssinian court and infor# his -thiopian Gajesty that officers
had arrived at the coast with the answer to his letter to the Pueen of -ngland But such was the
dread of his na#e, that it was with great difficulty, and only on the pro#ise of a large reward,
that any could be obtained Bn the evening of the 8Wth, the day after our arrival, the
#essengers were despatched with the letters to the Abouna and the -#peror fro# the
Patriarch, one fro# Gr /assa# to the Abouna, and one to the -#peror, the #essengers
pro#ising to be bac! in the course of a #onth or so
Gr /assa#, in his letter to the -#peror "heodoros, infor#ed hi#, in courteous language, that
he had arrived at Gassowah the day before, bearing a letter fro# HG the Pueen of -ngland
to his address, and that he was desirous of delivering it into his Gajesty's hands He also
infor#ed hi# that he would await the answer at Gassowah, and reLuested, should his Gajesty
send for hi#, !indly to provide hi# with an escort He, however, left to "heodore the option of
sending the prisoners down with a trustworthy person to who# he could deliver the letter fro#
the Pueen of -ngland He concluded by advising his Gajesty that his e#bassy to the Pueen had
been accepted, and should it reach the coast before his IGr /assa#'sJ departure for Aden, he
would ta!e the necessary steps to see that it reached -ngland in safety
A #onthKsi. wee!sKtwo #onths, passed in hourly e.pectation of the return of the
#essengers All suppositions were e.hausted6 perhaps the #essengers had not reachedF
possibly the Eing had detained the#F or they #ight have lost the pac!et whilst crossing so#e
river, etcF but as no reliable infor#ation could #oreover be obtained, as to the e.act condition
of the captives, it was i#possible to re#ain any longer in such a state of uncertainty Gr
/assa#, therefore, despatched with considerable difficulty two #ore #essengers, with a copy
of his letter of Culy 8W, acco#panied by an e.planatory note Private #essengers were, at the
sa#e ti#e, sent to the -#peror's ca#p to report on his treat#ent of the captives, and to
different parts of the country, fro# whence we supposed infor#ation #ight possibly be
obtained A short ti#e afterwards, having succeeded in securing the na#es of so#e of the
Gaffat people who had for#erly been in co##unication with Consul Ca#eron, we wrote to
the# in -nglish, +rench, and Ger#an, not !nowing what language they understood, earnestly
reLuesting that they would infor# us as to what steps they considered #ost advisable in order
to obtain the release of the captives
Again we waited on the desert shore of Gassowah for that answer so long e.pectedF none
ca#e, but on Christ#asHday we received a few lines fro# Gessrs +lad and 0chi#per, the two
-uropeans with who# we had co##unicated All they had to say was, that the #isfortunes
which had befallen the -uropeans were due to the -#peror's letter not having been answered,
and they advised Gr /assa# to send the letter he had brought with hi# to his Gajesty
However, Gr /assa# thought it unbeco#ing the British Govern#ent to force upon the
-#peror a letter signed by the Pueen of -ngland, when, by his refusing even to ac!nowledge its
presence at Gassowah, he clearly showed that he had changed his #ind and did not care any
#ore about it
&n the #eanwhile so#e of the prisoners' servants had arrived with letters fro# their #astersF
other #essengers despatched fro# Gassowah were also eLually successfulF stores, #oney,
letters were now regularly forwarded to the captives, who, in return, !ept us infor#ed as to
their condition and the #ove#ents of the Eing 0o far our presence at Gassowah was of the
ut#ost i#portance, since without the supplies and #oney we were able to provide the# with,
their #isery would have been increased tenfold, if even they had not at last succu#bed to
privation and want
"he friends of the captives and, to a great e.tent, the public, unaware of the efforts #ade by
Gr /assa# to acco#plish the object of his #ission, and of the great difficulties that were to be
contended with, attributed the apparent failure to causes far re#ovedF #any suggestions were
advanced, a few even tried, but no result followed &t was said that one of the reasons his
Gajesty did not vouch us an answer was, that the #ission was not of sufficient i#portanceF
that his Gajesty considered hi#self slighted, and therefore would not condescend to
ac!nowledge us "o re#edy this, in +ebruary, 1>M;, Govern#ent decided on adding another
#ilitary officer to our party, and, as the press reported at the ti#e, it was confidently e.pressed
that great results would follow this step Hence, 7ieut Prideau., of her Gajesty's Bo#bay 0taff
Corps, arrived in Gassowah in Gay As #ight reasonably be e.pected, his presence at the coast
did not in the least influence "heodore's #ind "he only advantage gained by the addition of
this officer to the #ission was a char#ing co#panion, who was doo#ed to spend with #e in a
tent on the seaHbeach the hot #onths of hot Gassowah Gore #onths elapsed6 still no answer5
the condition of the prisoners was very precariousF they saw with great apprehension another
rainy season about to set inF their letters were written in a #ost desponding toneF and though
we had done our ut#ost to supply the# with #oney and a few co#forts, the distance and the
rebellious state of the country #ade it difficult to provide #ore abundantly for their wants
At last, in Garch, we deter#ined on a last effortF should it fail we would reLuest our recall *e
had heard of 0a#uel, how he had been in #any respects #i.ed up in the affair, and we !new
that he enjoyed in so#e degree the confidence of his #asterF so when we were infor#ed that
one of his relations was willing to convey a letter and he assured us of an answer before forty
days, once #ore our hopes were e.cited and we trusted in the possibility of success "he forty
days e.pired, then two, then three #onthsF but we heard nothing55 &t see#ed as if a !ind of
fatality attended our #essengers6 fro# whatever class they were ta!enKsi#ple peasants,
followers of the Nab, or relatives of one of the -#peror's courtiersKthe result was invariably
the sa#eF not only they did not bring bac! any answer fro# the -#peror, but not even one
returned to us
"he prolonged delay of Gr /assa#'s #ission at Gassowah without any apparent good results
having been achieved, was so contrary to all e.pectations, that it was at last decided to resort
to other #eans
&n +ebruary, 1>M;, a Copt, Abdul Gela!, presented hi#self at the consulate of Ceddah,
pretending to have just arrived fro# Abyssinia with a #essage fro# the Abouna to the ConsulH
General, purporting that if he could bring fro# HG's ConsulHGeneral in -gypt a written
declaration to the effect that, should the -#peror allow the -uropeans in chains to depart, no
steps would be ta!en to punish the offence, he, the Abouna, would engage hi#self to obtain
their liberation, and beco#e their security "hat i#postor, who had never been in Abyssinia at
all, gave such wonderful details that he co#pletely i#posed upon the Consul of Ceddah and the
ConsulHGeneral "he fact that he pretended to have passed through Gassowah without
entering into co##unication with Gr /assa# was by itself suspiciousF but had these
gentle#en possessed the slightest !nowledge of Abyssinia, they would at once have discovered
the deception when he purchased so#e %suitable% presents for the Abouna, before proceeding
on the #ission that had been intrusted to hi# &n Abyssinia tobacco is considered %unclean% by
the priestsF none ever s#o!eF and even ad#itting that in his privacy the Abouna #ight have
now and then indulged in a weed, he would have ta!en great care to !eep the #atter as Luiet
as possible "herefore to present hi# with an a#ber #outhpiece would have been a
gratuitous insult to a #an who was supposed to have rendered an i#portant favour &t was,
indeed, the very last testi#onial any one in the slightest degree conversant with Abyssinian
priesthood would ever have selected As it is, the #an started, and lived for #onths a#ongst
the Arab tribes between Eassala and Gete##a, on the strength of a certificate that described
hi# as an a#bassador and reco##ended hi# to the protection of the tribes that lay on his
road *e #et hi# not for fro# EassalaF he ac!nowledged the deceit he had practised, and was
delighted when he heard that we had no intention of reLuesting the "ur!ish authorities to
#a!e hi# a prisoner
Govern#ent at last decided on recalling us, and appointed Gr
Palgrave, the distinguished Arabian traveller, in our stead
&n the beginning of Culy we went for a short trip to the Habab country, situate north of
GassowahF on our return, we were #et in the desert of Chab by so#e of the Naib's relations,
who infor#ed us that &brahi# Ithe relative of 0a#uelJ had returned with an answer fro# his
Gajesty, and was e.pected dailyF that all our for#er #essengers had obtained leave to departF
but what was still #ore gratifying was the intelligence, brought down by the#, that "heodore,
to show his regard for us, had liberated Consul Ca#eron and his fellowHcaptives Bn Culy 18,
&brahi# arrived He gave full details about the release of the ConsulF a story which was
corroborated a few days afterwards by another relative of his, also one of our for#er
#essengers & believe, fro# what & afterwards learnt, that "heodore hi#self was party to the
lie, as he publicly, in presence of the #essengers, gave orders to so#e of his officers to go and
re#ove the Consul's fettersF only the #essengers i#proved on it by stating that they had seen
the Consul after the chains had been re#oved
"he reply "heodore had at last granted to our repeated de#ands was not courteous, nor even
civilKit was neither signed nor sealedF he ordered us to proceed through the distant and
unhealthy route of the 0oudan, and, once arrived at Gete##a, to infor# hi# of our arrival
there, and that he would then provide us with an escort *e did not li!e the letterF it see#ed
#ore the production of a #ad#an than of a reasonable being & select a few e.tracts fro# this
letter, as they are really curiosities in their way He said6K
%"he reason & do not write to you in #y na#e, because of Abouna 0ala#a, the soHcalled Eo!ab
I0ternJ the Cew, and the one you called Consul, na#ed Ca#eron Iwho was sent by youJ &
treated the# with honour and friendship in #y city *hen & thus befriended the#, on account
of #y an.iety to cultivate the friendship of the -nglish Pueen, they reviled #e
%Plowden and Cohannes ICohn BellJ, who were called -nglish#en, were !illed in #y country,
whose death, by the power of God, & avenged on those who !illed the#F on account these Ithe
three above #entionedJ abused #e, and denounced #e as a #urderer
%Ca#eron, who is called Consul, represented to #e that he was a servant of the Pueen &
invested hi# with a robe of honour of #y country, and supplied hi# with provisions for the
journey & as!ed hi# to #a!e #e a friend of the Pueen
%*hen he was sent on his #ission, he went and stayed so#e ti#e with the "ur!s, and returned
to #e
%& spo!e to hi# about the letter & sent through hi# to the Pueen He said, that up to that ti#e
he had not received any intelligence concerning it *hat have & done, said &, that they should
hate #e, and treat #e with ani#osityU By the power of the 7ord #y creator, & !ept silent%
Although the stea#er ,ictoria only arrived in Gassowah on the 8Ard of Culy, we had as yet
received no letters fro# Consul Ca#eron, nor fro# any of the captives By the ,ictoria we
were infor#ed that Gr /assa# was recalled and Gr Palgrave appointed Dnder the new
aspect #atters had suddenly ta!en, Gr /assa# could but refer to Govern#ent for instructions
*e therefore at once started for -gypt, where we arrived on the ;th of 0epte#ber
"hrough her Gajesty's Agent and ConsulHGeneral, Govern#ent was apprised of the receipt of a
letter fro# "heodore, granting us per#ission to enter AbyssiniaF that the letter was
uncourteous, and not signedF that Ca#eron was released, and though Ca#eron had always
insisted on our not proceeding into the interior with or without safeHconduct, we were ready to
go at once, should Govern#ent consider it advisable Gr Palgrave was told to re#ain, Gr
/assa# and his co#panions to goF a certain su# of #oney was allowed for presentsF letters for
the governors of the 0oudan were obtainedF and, our necessary stores and outfit being
purchasedF we returned to Gassowah, where we arrived on the 8;th of 0epte#ber
"here we heard that #essengers had arrived fro# the prisonersF that they had been ta!en to
Aden by a #anHofHwarF and that they had verbally reported, that far fro# having been released,
handHchains had been added to the captives' previous fetters As we could not find anybody to
acco#pany us through the 0oudan Ion account of its unhealthiness at that ti#e of the yearJ
before the #iddle of Bctober, we thought it advisable to proceed at once to Aden, in order to
gain correct infor#ation fro# the captives' letters, as to their actual condition, and to confer
with the Political /esident of that station, as to the e.pediency of co#plying with the -#peror's
reLuests, under the totally different aspect #atters now presented
Although Captain Ca#eron, in several of his for#er co##unications, had repeatedly insisted
that on no account we should enter Abyssinia, in the note just received he i#plored us to co#e
up at once, as our declining to do so would prove of the ut#ost danger to the prisoners "he
Political /esident, therefore, ta!ing into consideration Captain Ca#eron's earnest appeal for
Gr /assa# to acLuiesce with "heodore's reLuest, advised us to proceed and hope for the best
After a short stay at Aden we again returned to Gassowah, and, with the ut#ost diligence,
#ade all our arrange#ents for the long journey that lay before us Dnfortunately cholera had
bro!en out, the natives were unwilling to cross the plains of Bra!a and "a!a, on account of the
#alarious fever, so deadly at that ti#e of the year, and it reLuired all the influence of the local
authorities to insure our speedy departure
CHAP"-/ ,
+ro# Gassowah to EassalaK"he 0tartK"he HababKAdventures of G GarcopoliK"he Beni
A#erKArrival at EassalaK"he Nubian GutinyKAtte#pt of $e Bisson to found a Colony in the
0oudan
Bn the afternoon of the 1;th Bctober, all our preparations being apparently co#plete, the
#ission, co#posed of Gr H /assa#, 7ieut *+ Prideau., of her Gajesty's Bo#bay 0taff Corps,
and #yself, started on its dangerous enterprise *e were acco#panied by a nephew of the
Naib of Ar!i!oF and an escort of "ur!ish &rregulars had been graciously sent by the Pasha to
protect our si.ty ca#els, laden with our personal luggage, stores, and presents for the
-thiopian #onarch *e also too! with us several Portuguese and other &ndian servants, and a
few natives of Gassowah as #uleteers
Bn a first #arch so#ething is always found wanting Bn this occasion #any of the ca#eleers
were unprovided with ropes6 bo.es, port#anteauHbags, were strewed all over the road, and
night was far advanced before the last ca#el reached Goncullou A halt was in conseLuence
absolutely necessary, so that the actual start was only #ade on the afternoon of the 1Mth
+ro# Goncullou our route lay N* across the desert of Chab, a dreary wilderness of sand,
intersected by two winter torrents, generally dry6 but by digging in their sandy beds it is
possible at all seasons to obtain so#e #uddy water "he rapidity with which these torrents fill
up is #ost astonishing
$uring the su##er of 1>M;, we had #ade a trip to AfHAbed, in the Hababs' country Bn our
return, whilst crossing the desert, we e.perienced a very severe stor# *e had just reached
our enca#pingHground on the 0outhern ban! of one of these waterHcourses, and half the
ca#els had already crossed the dry bed of the river, when, on a sudden, a tre#endous roar was
heard, shortly afterwards followed by a fearful rush of water &n the for#er e#pty bed of the
torrent now dashed a #ighty strea#, tearing down trees and roc!s, so that no hu#an being
could possibly cross Bur luggage and servants were still on the opposite ban!, and although we
were only a stone's throw fro# the party so suddenly cut off fro# us, we had to spend the
night on the bare ground, with no other covering than our clothing
&n the very centre of the desert of Chab, arises, A#ba Goneb, a conical basaltic roc! several
hundred feet high, an advanced sentry detached fro# the now approaching #ountains Bn the
evening of the 1>th, we reached Ain, and fro# the glaring and dreary desert passed into a
lovely valley, watered by a s#all winding strea#, cool and li#pid, shaded by #i#osas and
ta#arinds, and glowing with the freshness and lu.uriance of topical vegetation <+ootnote6 "he
distance fro# Gassowah to Ain is about fortyHfive #iles@
*e were fortunate enough to leave the cholera behind us Apart fro# a few cases of diarrhoea,
easily chec!ed, the whole party was in e.cellent healthF every one in high spirits at the prospect
of visiting al#ost un!nown regions, and above all at having at last bid adieu to Gassowah,
where we had spent in an.ious e.pectation long and dreary #onths
+ro# Ain to Gahaber <+ootnote6 +ro# Ain to Gahaber Idirection - by NJ about twenty #iles@
the road is #ost picturesLueF always following the winding of the s#all river Ain, here and
there co#pressed to only a few yards by perpendicular walls of trachyte, or basaltF further on
e.panding into #iniature green plateaus, bordered by conical hills, covered to the very su##it
by #i#osas and huge cactuses, alive with large hordes of antelopes Ithe agaNinJ, which,
bounding fro# roc! to roc!, scared by their frolics the countless host of huge baboons "he
valley itself, graced by the presence of gaudyHfeathered and sweetHsinging birds, echoed to the
shrill cry of the nu#erous guineaHfowls, so ta#e, that the repeated reports of our fireHar#s did
not disturb the# in the least
At Gahaber we were obliged to re#ain several days awaiting fresh ca#els "he Hababs, who
had now to supply us, frightened by the presence of the hairy nephew of the Nab and the
BashiHhaNou!s, #ade the#selves scarce, and it was only after #uch parley and the repeated
assurance that every one would be paid, that the ca#els at last #ade their appearance "he
Hababs are a large pastoral tribe, inhabiting the Ad "e#aria#, a hilly and wellHwatered district,
about fifty #iles northHwest of Gassowah, included between longitude A>A2 and latitude 1M to
1MA9 "hey represent the finest type of the roving BedouinsF of #iddle height, #uscular, well
#ade, they clai# an Abyssinian origin *ith the e.ception of a dar!er hue of the s!in, certainly
in other respects they do not differ fro# the inhabitants of the tableHland, and have but few
characteristics of the aboriginal African races 0o#e fifty years ago they were a Christian
tribeKno#inally, at leastKbut were converted to Goha##edanis# by an old 0hei!, still alive,
who resides near Goncullou, and is an object of great veneration all over the 0a#har Bnce
their doubts re#oved, their suspicions lulled, the Hababs proved the#selves friendly, willing,
and obliging
Gratitude is no co##on virtue in Africa, at least as far as #y own e.perience goes &ts rarity
brings bac! to #y #e#ory a fact that & will here record Bn our previous trip to the Ad
"e#aria#, & had seen several patients, a#ongst the# a young #an, suffering fro# re#ittent
fever, and & gave hi# so#e #edicine Hearing of our arrival at Gahaber, he ca#e to than! #e,
bringing as an offering a s#all s!in of #il! He apologiNed for the absence of his aged father,
who also, he said, wished to !iss #y feet, but the distance Iabout eight #ilesJ was too #uch for
the old #an's strength
& #ay as well #ention here that a young co##ercial traveller, Gr Garcopoli, had acco#panied
us fro# Gassowah He was going to Gete##a, viV Eassala, to be present at the annual fairs
held at that place in winter He too! advantage of our short stay at Gahaber, to proceed to
Eeren, in the Bogos, where he was called by business, intending to join again our party a few
stages ahead *e loo!ed at our #ap, and esti#ated the distance fro# our haltingHplace to the
Bogos at the ut#ost eighteen #iles As he was provided with e.cellent #ules, in four or five
hours he naturally e.pected to reach his destination He accordingly started at daybrea!, and
never halted onceF but night was far advanced before he perceived the lights of the first village
on the Bogos plateau6 so #uch for travellers' #aps "he poor #an's an.iety had been great
0oon after dar! he perceivedKor, as & suspect, i#agination wor!ed to a high pitch of
e.cite#ent through fear, conjured to his fancy the phanto# of so#e huge ani#alKa lion, a
tiger, he did not !now very e.actlyF but, at all events, he saw so#e horrid beast of prey, glaring
at hi# through the brushwood, with fiery and bloodshot eyes, watching all his #ove#ents for a
suitable opportunity to fall upon his helpless prey However, he reached Eeren in safety
He found that we were e.pected by the Bogos people, who believed that we were proceeding
by the upper route +lowers were to be strewed in our path, and our entrance was to be
welco#ed by dances and songs in our praiseF the officer in co##and of the troops was to
receive us with #ilitary honours, the civil governor intended to entertain us on a large scale6 in
a word, a grand reception was to be offered to the -nglish friends of the #ighty "heodore "he
disappoint#ent was no doubt great when Gr Garcopoli infor#ed the Bogosites that our route
lay in an opposite direction to their fair province Bn that the #ilitary co##ander decided on
acco#panying Gr Garcopoli bac!, and paying us his respects at our haltingHplace Garcopoli
was delightedF he had a too vivid recollection of his lion not to be overjoyed at the idea of
having co#panions with hi#
7ate in the evening they started, the Abyssinian officer and his #en having before #arching
indulged in deep draughts of tej to !eep out the cold Bn their way down, the %warriors%
cantered about in the #ost frantic #annerF now riding at a full gallop up to poor Garcopoli, the
lance in rest, and de.terously wheeling round when the weapon al#ost touched his breastF
then charging upon hi# at full speed and firing off their loaded pistols Luite close, and only a
few feet above his head Garcopoli felt very unco#fortable in the society of his bellicose and
drun!en escort, but not !nowing their language, he had nothing to do but to appear pleased
-arly in the #orning, at our second stage fro# Gahaber, these speci#ens of Abyssinian
soldiers #ade their appearance, and a batch of #ore villanousHloo!ing scoundrels & have never
seen during #y stay in Abyssinia6 evidently "heodore was not very particular as to who# he
selected for such distant outposts, unless he considered the roughest and #ost disorderly the
fittest for such duties "hey presented us with a cow they had stolen on the road, and begged
us not to forget to #ention to their #aster that they had co#e all the distance fro# Bogos to
pay their respects to his guests After having refreshed the#selves with a few glasses of brandy
and parta!en of a slight collation, they !issed the ground in ac!nowledg#ent of the pleasant
things they had received in return for their gift, and departedKto our great satisfaction
Bn that 8Ard we started fro# Gahaber, going due west, and following for eight #iles longer
the char#ing valley of Ain Afterwards, we diverged to the left, going in a southHwest direction,
until we reached the province of Bar!aF when again our route lay west by north, until we ca#e
to Qaga +ro# this point to Eassala the general direction is west by south <+ootnote6 "he
distance fro# Gahaber to Adart on the frontier of Bar!a is about fifty #ilesF fro# Adart to
Eassala about 1A9 #iles@ +ro# Gahaber to Adart the road is very pleasantF for several days we
continually ascended, and the #ore we advanced into the #ountainous region the #ore
agreeable and pleasant did we feel it, and we enjoyed the sight of splendid and lu.uriant
vegetation
Bn the 8;th we crossed the Anseba, a large river flowing fro# the high lands of Bogos,
Ha#asien, and Gensa, and joining the river Bar!a at "jab <+ootnote6 "jab, lat 13 19', long A3
1;'@
*e spent a pleasant day in the beautiful Anseba valley, but aware of the danger of re#aining
after sunset near its flowery but #alarious ban!s, we pitched our tent on a rising ground at
so#e distance, and the ne.t #orning proceeded to Haboob, the highest point we had to gain
before descending into the Bar!a through the difficult pass of 7oo!u# After this abrupt
descent of #ore than 8,999 feet, the roads generally slope towards the low land of Bar!a
+ro# Ain to Haboob <+ootnote6 "he Anseba, at the point we crossed, is about W,999 feet above
the level of the seaF Haboob about W,;99@ the country is well wooded, and watered by
innu#erable s#all strea#s "he soil is for#ed of the detritus of the volcanic roc!s, specially of
feldsparF pu#ice abounds in the ravines "he channels of the rivulets are the only roads for the
traveller "his #ountain chain is, on the whole, a pleasant spot, #ore delightful for the reason
that it rises between the arid shores of the /ed 0ea and the flat, hot, and level plains of the
0oudan "he province of Bar!a is a boundless prairie, about 8,;99 feet above the level of the
sea, covered at the ti#e of our journey with halfHdried grass so#e five or si. feet high, and
dotted here and there with s#all woods of stunted #i#osas
+ro# Bar!a to Gete##a we find alluviu# as the general for#ation
*ater is scarceF even a #onth 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 Bar!a and its tributaries *hen
we passed through these plains #any spots were still greenF but a few #onths later we should
have crossed a parchedHup prairie little better than the desert itself
Bur pretty songsters of Ain were no #ore to be seen "he guineaHfowl was seldo# #et with,
and only a few tiny antelopes wandered over the solitary e.panse &nstead, 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 lur!ing around our tents
Bn the A1st of Bctober we reached Qaga, a large sloping plain situated at the junction of the
Bar!a and the Gogareib *ater can be obtained at that spot by digging wells in the driedHup
beds of the rivers, in sufficient Luantity to have induced the Beni A#er to #a!e it their winter
enca#pingHground
*e had that day #ade a very long #arch, on account of the absence of water on the road
0tarting at two PG, we only reached our halting ground Ithe bed of a driedHup winter torrent,
a few hundred yards below the Beni A#er's ca#pJ, a couple of hours before daybrea! *e
were so sleepy and tired that during the latter part of the stage it had been with great difficulty
that we #anaged to !eep in the saddleF 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 cloa!s, lay down to rest until daybrea! &
offered to Gr Garcopoli to share #y %bedding,% as his own had not arrived, and in a few
#inutes we both fell into that deep slu#ber that follows the e.haustion of a long weary #arch
& re#e#ber #y disgust at being violently sha!en by #y bed co#panionF who, in a faint and
tre#bling voice, whispered into #y ear6 %7oo! there5% & understood at once his loo! of anguish
and terror, for two splendid lions, not #ore than twenty paces fro# us, were drin!ing near the
wells that had been san! by the Arabs & thought, and told #y co#panion, that as we had no
fireHar#s with usF the wisest plan was to go to sleep and re#ain as Luiet as possible & set hi#
the e.a#ple, and only wo!e up late in the #orning, when the sun was already high up and
pouring its burning rays over #y uncovered head Garcopoli, with an absent terrified loo!
i#pressed on his countenance, was still sitting near #e He told #e that he had not slept, but
!ept watching the lions6 they had re#ained for a long ti#e, drin!ing, roaring and beating their
sides with their tailsF and even when they departed he !ept listening to their dreadful roar,
sounding #ore distant as the first rays of day appeared
*e had, no doubt, had a narrow escape, as that night a lion had carried away a #an and a child
who had strayed fro# the Arab enca#p#ent "he 0hei! of the Beni A#er, during the few days
we re#ained at Qaga, with true Arab hospitality, always placed at night a strong guard around
our tent, to watch the large fires that they !indle in order to !eep at a respectful distance these
unwelco#e night rovers
*e had agreed with the Hababs that we would e.change ca#els at this spot, but none could be
obtained for love or #oney &t was luc!y for us that the Bedouins had by this ti#e found out
that all white #en are not "ur!s, otherwise we should have been cast helpless in the very
centre of Bar!a "he Beni A#ers could never be induced even to ac!nowledge that they had
ca#els, though #ore than 19,999 were graNing under our very eyes
"he Beni A#ers are Arabs, spea! the Arab language, and have preserved up to the present day
all the characteristics of their race A roving Bedouin of the 'e#en and a Beni A#er are so
#uch ali!e that it see#s hardly credible that the Beni A#ers possess no record of their advent
on the African coast, or of the causes that induced the# to leave the land of their ancestors
"heir long, blac!, sil!y hair has not acLuired the woolly te.ture of that of the sons of Ha#, and
the s#all e.tre#ities, the wellH!nit li#bs, the straight nose and s#all lips, the dar! bronNed
co#ple.ion, distinguish the# ali!e fro# the 0han!allas and the Barias, and fro# the #i.ed
races of the plateaus "hey wear a piece of cloth a few yards in length, folded round the body,
with an elegance peculiar to the savage -ven with this dirty rag, they #ust be ad#ired, li!e the
&talian beggar, not only for their beautiful for#s, but also for the loo! of i#pudence and
roguery displayed in the bright glare of their dar! eyes "he Beni A#ers retain to a high degree
that nuisance so well described by a distinguished traveller in the -ast, and, li!e their brethren
of the Arabian shore, they are une race bavarde et criarde "hey pay a no#inal tribute to the
-gyptian Govern#ent, and the reason we could not obtain ca#els was that, troops being
#oved about, they feared that on their arrival at Eassala they would be pressed into the
Govern#ent service, and not only receive no pay, but #ost li!ely in the end lose the greater
nu#ber of their ca#els "his tribe roa#s along the ban!s of the Bar!a and its #any tributaries
Qaga is only their winter stationF at other ti#es they wander over the i##ense plains north of
Bar!a in search of pasture and water for their innu#erable floc!s All over the district of Qaga
ca#ps appeared in every directionF the herds of cattle, especially ca#els, see#ed without
nu#ber6 this all indicates that they for# a wealthy, powerful tribe
*e enca#ped near their headHLuarters, where resides the 0hei! of all the Beni A#ers, Ah#ed,
surrounded by his wives, children, and people He is a #an of #iddle age, conspicuous a#ong
his cunning followers by a shrewd and crafty loo! He was friendly to us, and presented us with
a few sheep and cows His ca#p covered several acres of ground, the whole enclosed by a
strong fenceF the wigwa#s are built in a circle a few feet fro# the hedgeF the open space in the
centre being reserved for the cattle, always driven in at night "he chief's s#all circular wood
and grass huts contrasted favourably with the dwellings of his followers "he latter, constructed
in a circle, are for#ed by thrusting into the ground the e.tre#ities of s#all branchesF a few
pieces of coarse #atting thrown over the# co#plete the structure "hey cannot be #ore than
four feet high, and their average circu#ference is twelve feetF nevertheless, so#e eight or ten
unwashed faces were seen peeping through the s#all door, staring with their blac!, frightened
eyes at the strange white #en 0#allHpo. was raging at the ti#e with great virulenceF fever also
was daily clai#ing #any victi#s & gave #edicine to several of the sufferers, and good hygienic
advice to 0hei! Ah#ed He listened with all beco#ing respect to the good things that fell fro#
the Ha!ee#'s lips6 he would seeF but they had never done so before, and with Gussul#an
bigotry and superstition he put an end to the conversation by an %Allah Earee#% <+ootnote6
%God is #erciful%@
Bn the Ard of Nove#ber we were again on the #arch Bn the ;th we arrived al 0abderat, the
first per#anent village we had #et with since leaving Goncullou "his villageKin appearance
si#ilar to those of the 0a#harKis built on the side of a large granitic #ountain, cleft in two
fro# the su##it to the base Nu#erous wells are dug in the driedHup bed of the waterHcourse
that separates the village "he inhabitants of this divided village often contend between
the#selves for the possession of the precious fluidF and when the rushing waters have
disappeared, hu#an passions too often fill with strife and warfare the otherwise Luiet bed of
the strea#
Bn the #orning of Nove#ber M we entered Eassala "he Nab's nephew had preceded us, to
infor# the governor of our arrival, and present hi# with a letter reco##ending us to the care
of the authorities, written by the Pasha of -gypt "o honour us according to his #asters fir#an,
the governor sent all the garrison to #eet us a few #iles fro# the town, with a polite apology
for his absence, due to sic!ness "he senior partner of the Gree! fir# of Paniotti also ca#e to
welco#e us, and afforded us the hospitality of his house and board
Eassala, the capital of "a!!a, a walled town near the /iver Gash, containing about 19,999
inhabitants, is on the #odel of #ost #odern -gyptian towns, public as well as private buildings
being ali!e of #ud "he arsenal, barrac!s, Tc are the only structures of any i#portance
Beautiful gardens have been #ade at a short distance fro# the town, near the Biver Gash, by
the -uropean portion of the co##unity Cust before, and i##ediately after the rains, the place
is very unhealthy $uring those #onths #alarious fever and dysentery prevail to a great e.tent
Eassala, for#erly a prosperous city, the centre of all the trade of the i##ense tract of country
included fro# Gassowah and 0ua!in to the Nile, and fro# Nubia to Abyssinia, was, at the date
of our arrival, al#ost deserted, covered with ruins and ran! vegetation, destitute of the #ost
co##on necessaries of life, the spectre of its for#er self, haunted by its few re#aining ghostH
li!e and plagueHstric!en citiNens Eassala had just gone through the ordeal of a #utiny of
Nubian troops Pernicious fevers, #alignant dysenteries and cholera had deci#ated both rebels
and loyalistsF war and sic!ness had #arched hand in hand to #a!e of this fair oasis of the
0oudan a wilderness painful to conte#plate "he #utiny bro!e out in Culy "he Nubian troops
had not been paid for two years, and when they clai#ed a portion of their arrears, they only
#et with a stern refusal Dnder these circu#stances, it is not astonishing that they beca#e
ready listeners to the treasonable words and e.travagant pro#ises #ade to the# by one of
their petty chiefs, na#ed $enda, a descendant of the for#er Nubian !ings "hey #atured their
plot in great secresy, and every one was horrified one #orning to learn that the blac! troops
had bro!en out in open #utiny and #urdered their officers, and, no longer restrained, had
followed their natural inclinations to revel in carnage and plunder A few -gyptian regulars had,
luc!ily, possession of the arsenal, and held it against these infuriated savages until troops could
arrive fro# Eedaref and Ehartou# "he -uropeans and -gyptians gallantly defended their part
of the town "hey erected walls and s#all earthwor!s between the#selves and the #utineers,
and continually on the alert, though few in nu#ber, they repulsed with great gallantry the
assault of the fiends thirsting for their lives and property -gyptian troops poured in fro# all
directions and relieved the besieged city Gore than a thousand of the #utineers were !illed
near the gates of the townF nearly a thousand #ore were tried and e.ecutedF and those who
atte#pted to escape the vengeance of the #erciless pasha and fled for safety to the
wilderness, were hunted down li!e beasts by the roving Bedouins "hough order was now
restored, it was no easy #atter to obtain ca#els &t reLuired all the power and persuasion of
the authorities to induce the 0hu!rieHArabs to enter the town and convey us to Eedaref
*e heard at Eassala the #iserable end of 7e Co#te de Bisson's #ad enterprise &t appears that
the Co#te, for#erly an officer in the Neapolitan ar#y, had #arried at an advanced age a
beautiful, acco#plished and rich heiress, the daughter of so#e contractorF it was %a #ariage de
convenance,% a title bought by wealth and beauty &n the autu#n of 1>MW, $e Bisson reached
Eassala acco#panied by so#e fifty adventurers, the scu# of the outcasts of all nations, who
had enrolled the#selves under the standard of the a#bitions Co#te, %on the pro#ised
assurance that power and wealth would be, before long, their envied portion% $e Bisson's idea
see#s to have been to personify a second Goses6 he ca#e not only to coloniNe, but also to
convert "he wild roving Bedouin of the Bar!a plains would, he believed, not only at once and
with gratitude ac!nowledge 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 -uropean party,Ka useless set of vagabonds, who adorned the#selves with
the regi#ental unifor#, accepted the rifle, pistol, and sword, drew their rations, were punctual
in their attendance and always ready to salaa#, but showed #uch disli!e to the drill and other
civiliNed notions the Co#te and his officers endeavoured to i#press upon the#
"heir departure fro# Eassala for the land of #il! and honey was Luite theatricalF in front rode
on a ca#el, a gallant captain Iwho had ta!en his discharge fro# the Austrian service,J playing
on the bugle a parting %fanfareF% behind hi#, the second in co##and, #ounted on a prancing
charger, and followed by the -uropean part of the force, who with #ilitary step, and shoulder
to shoulder, #arched as #en for who# victory is their slave Behind ca#e 7e Co#te hi#self,
clad in a general's unifor#, his breast covered with the #any decorations which sovereigns had
only been too proud to confer on such a noble spiritF ne.t to hi# rode gracefully his beautiful
wife, loo!ing handso#er still in the picturesLue !epi and red unifor# of a +rench NouaveF
behind, closing the #arch, the wellH!nit Arabs, with plunder written in their dar! bright eyes,
#arched with a Luic! elastic step and as #uch regularity as could be e.pected fro# #en who
abhorred order and had been drilled for so short a ti#e Need & say that the e.pedition failed
utterlyU "he Arabs of the plains declined to accept another pontiff and !ing in the person of the
gallant and noble Co#te "hey were even vicious enough to induce those of their brethren who
had accepted service, to return to their for#er occupations, and forget to leave behind the#
on their departure the ar#s, clothes, etc, which had been dealt out to the# on their entering
the Co#te's service
"he return to Eassala was hu#ble6 there was no tru#pet this ti#eF the brilliant unifor#s had
given way to soiled and patched rai#ents6 even the general adopted a civilian's dressF the lady
alone was still s#iling, laughing, beautiful as everF but no Arab in gaudy attire closed the
hungryHloo!ing and worn out cortege $e Bisson had failed6 but whyUKBecause the -gyptian
Govern#ent had not only afforded none of the assistance that had been pro#ised to hi#, but
all at once stopped the supplies he considered hi#self entitled to e.pect A clai# of & do not
!now how #any #illions was at once #ade on the -gyptian Govern#ent A co##issioner was
sent out, who it appears too! a very different view of the Luestion, as he declared the
%Co#te's% pretensions absurd and unreasonable "he Co#te soon afterwards, with his wife,
returned to Nice, leaving at Eassala the re#nant of his -uropean ar#yF the few who had not
succu#bed to fever or other #alarious diseases
At the ti#e of the #utiny of the Nubian troops, a few not in hospital or on their way to
Ehartou# or Gassowah, fought wellF two even paid with their lives their gallant atte#pt at a
sortie, and they had gained for the#selves, by their bravery in those difficult ti#es, the respect
they had lost during the long days of inaction
$e Bisson was instru#ental in spreading the #ost fallacious reports as to the condition of the
captives held by "heodore, and even when an ar#y was already #arching to their rescue,
%correct% accounts appeared of the repulse of the British by "heodoreF at another ti#e a
#endacious report was spread that a great battle had been fought in "igrO between "heodore
and a powerful rebelKa battle which was said to have lasted three days without any #ar!ed
success having been gained by either sideF and that "heodore, having perceived in the ene#y's
ca#p so#e -uropeans, had sent orders for our i##ediate e.ecutionF the fulfil#ent of the
sentence resting with the -#press, who was residing at Gondar, and that his I$e Bisson'sJ
agent was using his influence to stay the e.ecution Absurd and ridiculous as were these
reports, they were not the less productive of great distress to the fa#ilies and friends of the
captives
$uring the five days we spent at Eassala, & a# happy to say that & was able to relieve #any
sufferersF a#ongst the# our host hi#self, and one of his guests, a young, wellHeducated
-gyptian officer, laid at death's door by a severe attac! of dysentery
A Nubian colonel called on us one #orningF he strongly advised us to stop before it was too
late He had heard #uch about "heodore's doings, and assured us that we would #eet but with
deceit and treachery at his hands Bn our telling hi# that we were officers and bound to obey,
he said, nothing #ore, but bid us goodHby in a sorrowful voice
CHAP"-/ ,&
$eparture fro# EassalaK0hei! Abu 0inK/u#ours of "heodore's
$efeat by "isso GobaNOKArrival at Gete##aK*ee!ly Gar!et
K"he "a!ruries at $rillK"heir +oray into AbyssiniaKArrival
of 7etters fro# "heodore
Bn the afternoon of the 19th Nove#ber we started for Eedaref Bur route now lay in a #ore
southerly direction Bn the 1Ath we crossed the Atbara, a tributary of the Nile, bringing to the
father of rivers the waters of Northern Abyssinia Bn the 13th we entered 0hei! Abu 0in, the
capital of the province of Eedaref <+ootnote6 +ro# Eassala to Eedaref is about 189 #iles@ Bur
ca#eleers belonged to the 0hu!rieHArabs "hey are a se#iHpastoral, se#iHagricultural tribe, and
reside principally in the neighbourhood of and along the course of the Atbara, or wander over
the i##ense plains that e.tend al#ost without li#it fro# this river to the Nile "hey are #ore
degenerated than the BeniHA#ers, having #i.ed #ore with the Nubian and other tribes that
dwell around the# "hey spea! an i#pure Arabic Gany have retained the features and general
appearance of the original race, whilst others #ight be loo!ed upon as halfHcastes, and so#e
can with difficulty be distinguished fro# the Nubians or "a!ruries
+ro# Eassala to Eedaref we crossed inter#inable plains, covered with high grass, spec!led here
and there with woods of #i#osas, too scanty to afford the slightest shade or protection during
the fearful heat of the #idHday sun Here and there on the horiNon appeared a few isolated
pea!sF the $jbel Eassala, a few #iles south of the capital of "a!!a -astward, the -la Hugel and
the AboHGa#el were in sight for #any days, whilst towards the west, lost al#ost in the #isty
horiNon, appeared in succession the outlines of $er!eda and Eassa#ot
"he valley of the Atbara, lu.uriant in vegetation, inhabited by all varieties of the feathered
tribe, visited by the huge thirsty Luadruped of the savannah, presented a spectacle so grand in
its savage beauty that we could with difficulty tear ourselves fro# its shady grovesF had it not
been that %+orward% was our watchword, we would, braving #alaria, have spent a few days
near its green and fragrant ban!s
0hei! Abu 0in is a large villageF the houses are circular and built of wood and covered with
strawF A s#all hut belonging to the fir# of Paniotti, our host of Eassala, was placed at our
disposal *e shortly afterwards received the visit of a Gree! #erchant, who ca#e to consult
#e for a stiff joint brought on by a gunHshot wound &t appears, that so#e years before, whilst
riding a ca#el on an elephantHhunting e.pedition, the gun, a large halfHounce bore, went off by
itself, he never !new how All the bones of the foreHar# had been s#ashed, the cicatrice of a
dreadful fleshHwound showed what sufferings he had undergone, and it was indeed a wonder
for #e that, residing as he did in such a hot unhealthy cli#ate, deprived of all #edical advice,
he had not succu#bed to the effects of the wound, still #ore that he had been able to save the
li#b & considered the cure so e.traordinary, that, as there was nothing to be done, & advised
hi# to leave well alone
"he governor also called upon us, and we returned his civility *hilst sipping our coffee with
hi# and other grandees of the place, we were told that "isso GobaNO, one of the rebels, had
beaten "heodore and #ade hi# a prisoner He said he believed the news to be correct, but
advised us to inLuire into it on our arrival at Gete##a, and should we find it untrue, to return
on our steps and on no account to enter Abyssinia if "heodore was still the ruler He then gave
us so#e e.a#ples of the -#peror's cruelty and treacheryF but we did not put #uch credence in
his word, as we !new that of old a bad feeling e.isted between the Abyssinian Christians and
their Gussul#an neighbours of the plain At Gete##a that ru#our was not even !nownF
however, we had no choice, and never thought one instant of anything else but of
acco#plishing the #ission intrusted to us, in face of all perils and dangers
At Eedaref we were luc!y enough to arrive on a #ar!etHday, conseLuently had no difficulty in
e.changing ca#els "hat very evening we were en route again, still towards the south, but this
ti#e #a!ing al#ost an angle with our for#er route, #arching towards the rising sun
Between 0abderat and Eassala, between that town and the Gash, we had for the first ti#e seen
so#e cultivationF but it was nothing co#pared to the i##ense vista of cultivated fields,
beginning a day's journey fro# 0hei! Abu 0in, and e.tending, al#ost without interruption,
throughout the provinces of Eedaref and Galabat ,illages appeared in all directions, crowning
every rounded hilloc! As we advanced, these e#inences increased in siNe until they gave place
to hills and #ountains, which ulti#ately blend with the uninterrupted chain of high pea!s
for#ing the Abyssinian tableHland, now again, after so #any days, rising before us
*e arrived at Gete##a on the afternoon of the 81st of Nove#ber &n the absence of 0hei!
Cu##a, the potentate of these regions, we were received by his alter ego, who put one of the
&#perial residences Ka wretched barnKat the disposal of the %great #en fro# -ngland% &f we
deduct the seven days we were obliged to halt en route, on account of the difficulty we had in
obtaining ca#els, we perfor#ed the whole journey between Gassowah and Gete##a, a
distance of about WW9 #iles, in thirty days Bur journey on the whole was e.tre#ely dreary and
fatiguing Apart fro# a few pretty spots, such as fro# Ain to Haboob, the valleys of the Anseba
and Atbara, and fro# Eedaref to Galabat, we crossed only endless savannahs, saw not a hu#an
being, not a hut, only now and then a few antelopes, or the trac!s of elephants, and heard no
sound but the roar of wild beasts "wice our caravan was attac!ed by lionsF unfortunately we
did not see the#, as we were on both occasions riding ahead, but every night we heard their
awful roar, echoing li!e distant thunder in the still nights of those silent prairies
"he heat of the day was at ti#es really painful &n order that the ca#els #ight start in ti#e, our
tents were pac!ed earlyF so#eti#es we would sit for hours waiting the good pleasure of the
ca#eleers under the scanty shade of a #i#osa, vainly endeavouring to find in its dwarfed
foliage a relief fro# the burning rays of the sun Night after night, be it #oonlight or starlight,
on we wentF the tas! was before us, and duty urged us on to reach the land where our
country#en were lingering in chains Bften in the saddle between three and, four PG, we
have jogged along on our wearied #ules until the #orning star had disappeared before the first
rays of day +or several days we had no water but the hot and filthy fluid we carried in leathern
s!insF and even this nauseous decoction was so scanty and precious, that we could not afford to
soothe the sunHburnt s!in and refresh the e.hausted fra#e by a ti#ely ablution
Notwithstanding the disco#fort, inconveniences, nay, danger of crossing the 0oudan in that
unhealthy season of the year, by care and attention we reached Gete##a without having had
a single death to la#ent 0everal of the followers and native servants, even Gr /assa#,
suffered #ore or less fro# fever "hey all eventually recovered, and when a few wee!s later we
started for Abyssinia, the whole party was in better health than when we left the hot and sultry
shores of the /ed 0ea
Gete##a, the capital of Galabat, a province situated on the western frontier of Abyssinia, is
built in a large valley, about four #iles fro# the Atbara A s#all rivulet runs at the foot of the
village, and separates Galabat fro# Abyssinia Bn the Abyssinian side there is a s#all village,
inhabited by the few Abyssinian traders who reside there during the winter #onthsF at which
period a large traffic is carried on with the interior "he round, conical hut is here again the
abode of all classes the siNe and better state of repair being the only visible difference between
the dwelling of the rich and that of his less fortunate neighbour 0hei! Cu##a's palaces are
inferior to #any of his subjects' huts, probably to dispel the credited suspicion that he is rich,
and that incalculable treasures are buried under the ground "he huts put at our disposal were,
as & have already stated, his propertyF they are situated on one of the s#all hills that overloo!
the townF the 0hei! re#oves there with his fa#ily during the rainy season, as it is in so#e
degree less unhealthy than the swa#py ground below
"hough following the creed of the Gedina prophet, the capital of
Galabat cannot boast of a single #osLue
"he inhabitants of Galabat are "a!ruries, a negro race fro# $arfur "hey nu#ber about 19,999F
of these 8,999 reside in the capital, the re#ainder in the #any villages that arise in all
directions a#idst cultivated fields and green #eadows "he whole province is well adapted for
agricultural purposes 0#all rounded hilloc!s, separated by sloping valleys watered by #any
rivulets, i#part a pleasing aspect to the whole districtF and if it was not for the e.tre#e
unhealthiness of the place, it is possible to understand the selection #ade by the $arfur
pilgri#s6 though it is no co#pli#ent paid to their own native land "he pious $arfur
Gussul#ans, on their way to Gecca, observed this favoured spot, and fancied it realiNed,
#inus the houris, so#e of the inferior Paradises of Goha##ed At last so#e re#ainedF
Gete##a was builtF other pilgri#s followed the e.a#pleF and soon, though a laNy and indolent
race, owing to the e.tre#e fertility of the soil, they for#ed a prosperous colony
At the outset they ac!nowledged the 0ultan of $arfur, paid hi# tribute, and were governed by
one of his officers But the Galabat colony soon found out that the -gyptians and Abyssinians
were #ore to be feared than their distant sovereign, who could neither protect nor injure
the#F accordingly, they Luietly #urdered the viceroy fro# $arfur, and elected a 0hei! fro#
a#ongst the#selves "he ruler at once #ade ter#s with both -gyptians and Abyssinians, and
tendered yearly tribute to both "his wise but servile policy #et with the best resultsF the
colony increased and prospered, trade flourished, Abyssinians and -gyptians floc!ed to the
wellHsupplied #ar!et, and the tribute of a few thousand dollars to each party fell lightly on the
now rich and cunning negroes
+ro# Nove#ber to Gay, on Gondays and "uesdays, the #ar!et is held on a large open space in
the centre of the village Abyssinians bring horses, #ules, cattle, and honeyF the -gyptian
#erchant displays in his stall, calico, shirtings, hardware, and gaudy prints Arabs and "a!ruries
arrive with ca#els laden with cotton and grain "he #ar!etHplace is now a crowded and e.citing
scene6 horses are tried by halfHna!ed joc!eys, who, with whip and heel, drive at a furious pace
their di#inutive steeds, rec!less as to the li#bs and lives of the venturous spectators
Here cotton is being loaded on don!eys, and will soon find its way to "schelga and GondarF here
so#e fat Nubian girls, redolent with rancid castorHoil flowing fro# their woolly heads down
their nec!s and shoulders, issue grinning fro# a +ran!'s store, holding in their hands red and
yellow !erchiefs, the longHdesired object of their drea#s "he whole scene is livelyF goodH
hu#our prevailsF and though the noise is fearful, the bargaining being long and cla#orous, and
every one is ar#ed with lance or club, still, all is peaceful6 no blood is ever shed on these
occasions but that of a few cows, !illed for the #any visitors fro# the high country who enjoy
their raw beefstea! under the cool shadow of the willows that border the strea#
Bn +riday the scene changes Bn that day the whole co##unity is seiNed with #artial ardour
Having no #osLue, the "a!ruries devote their holy day to cere#onies #ore suited to their
taste, and resort to the #ar!etHplace, now transfor#ed into a paradeHground, a few to drill, the
greater nu#ber to ad#ire 0o#e "a!ruries, having served for a ti#e in the -gyptian ar#y,
returned to their adopted land full of the value of disciplined troops, and of the superiority of
#us!ets over lances and stic!s "hey prevailed on their country#en to for# a regi#ent on the
#odel of %#aster's,% Bld #us!ets were purchased, and 0hei! Cu##a had the glory to see
during his reign the 1st, or Cu##a's Bwn, rise to e.istence A #ore ludicrous sight could not, &
believe, be witnessed About a hundred flatHnosed, woolly, grinning negroes #arch around the
paradeHground in &ndian file, out of step, for about ten #inutes 7ine is then for#ed, but not
being as yet well up to the proper value of the words of co##and, half face on one side, half
on the other 0till the crowd ad#iresF white teeth are displayed fro# ear to ear "he yellowH
eyed #onsters now feel confident that with such support nothing is i#possible, and no sooner
is %stand at ease% proclai#ed, than the spectators rush, forward to ad#ire #ore closely, and to
congratulate, the future heroes of Gete##a
0hei! Cu##a is an ugly speci#en of an ugly race6 he is about si.ty years of age, tall and lan!,
with a wrin!led face, very blac!, having a few grey patches on the chin, and the owner of a nose
so flat that it reLuires ti#e to see that he has one at allF He is generally drun!, and spends the
greater part of the year carrying the tribute either to the Abyssinian 7ion, or to his other #aster
the Pasha of Ehartou# A few days after our arrival at Gete##a he returned fro# Abyssinia,
and politely paid us a visit, acco#panied by a #otley and howling train of followers *e
returned his callF but he had got drun! in the interval, and was at least uncivil, if not positively
rude
$uring our stay we had occasion to witness the great yearly, festival of the reHelection of the
0hei! -arly in the #orning a crowd of "a!ruries ca#e pouring in fro# all directions, ar#ed with
stic!s or spears, a few #ounted, the #ajority on foot, all howling and screeching I& believe they
call it singingJ, so that before even the dust raised by a new party could be seen, the ear was
deafened by their cla#our -very "a!rurie warriorKthat is, every one who can howl and carry a
bludgeon or lanceKis entitled to a voteF for this privilege he pays a dollar "he polling consists
in counting the #oney, and the a#ount decides the ruler's fate "he reHelected 0hei! Isuch was
the result of the election we witnessedJ !illed cows, supplied jowaree loaves, and, above all,
i##ense jars of #erissa Ia !ind of sour toastHandHwater, into.icating for all thatJ, and feasted
for two days the whole body of the electors &t is difficult to say which of the two is out of
poc!et, the elector or the 0hei! "here is no doubt that every "a!rurie will eat and drin! to the
full a#ount of his dollarF is content with paying his ho#age, and wishes to have the worth of
his #oney Bribery is un!nown5 "he dru#s, the sign of royalty, have been silent for three days
Iduring the interregnu#J, but the cows are no sooner slaughtered and the #erissa handed
round by blac! #aidens or fair Galla slaves, than their #onotonous beat is again heardF soon to
be drowned under the howling chorus of two thousand into.icated negroes
"he following #orning the whole asse#bled %by orders% on a place so#e distance fro# the
town Arranged in a large crescent, 0hei! Ca##a addressed his warriors in these words6 %*e
are a strong and #ighty people, uneLualled in horse#anship and in the use of the club and the
spear5% Goreover, Isaid heJ, they had increased their power by adopting the syste# of fireH
ar#s, the real strength of the "ur!s He was allHconfident that the very sight of their gun#en
would stri!e terror into every neighbouring tribe He ended by proposing a raid into Abyssinia,
and said6 %*e will ta!e cows, slaves, horses, and #ules, and please our #aster the great
"heodore by plundering his ene#y "isso GobaNO5% A wild feuHdeHjoie, and a terrible roar, fro#
the e.cited crowd, infor#ed the old 0hei! that his proposal was accepted "hat very sa#e
afternoon they started on their e.pedition, and probably surprised so#e peaceful district, as
they returned after a few days, driving before the# several thousand heads of cattle
Gete##a, fro# Gay to Nove#ber, is very unhealthy "he principal diseases are continued,
re#ittent, and inter#ittent fevers, diarrhoea, and dysentery "he "a!ruries are a tough race,
and resist well the no.ious influences of the cli#ateF but not so the Abyssinian, or the white
#an6 the first is al#ost certain to die should he atte#pt to spend the dreaded #onths in the
#alarious low country, the second #ost probably will suffer #uch in health, but resist for a
season or two $uring our stay, & had #any de#ands for #edicine 7arge, ca!eHli!e spleens
were greatly reduced by local applications of tincture of iodine, and the internal ad#inistration
of s#all doses of Luinine and iodine of potassiu# Chronic diarrhoea yielded readily to a few
doses of castor oil, followed by opiu# and tannic acid Acute and chronic dysentery was treated
by ipecacuanha, followed by astringents Bne of #y patients was the son and heir of the 0hei!
He had been suffering for the last two years fro# chronic dysenteryF and although under #y
care he entirely recovered, his ungrateful father never even than!ed #e for all #y trouble
0i#ple ophthal#ia, s!in diseases, and glandular swellings were also co##on
"he "a!ruries have no !nowledge whatever of #edicine6 char#s are here, as throughout the
0oudan, the great re#edy "hey are also used as preventatives to !eep off the evil eye, bad
spirits, and genii of different sortsF for these reasons al#ost every individualK nay, cattle,
#ules, and horses, are covered with a#ulets of all shapes and siNes
"he day after our arrival at Gete##a we despatched two #essengers with a letter to the
-#peror "heodore, to infor# hi# that we had reached Gete##a, the place he had hi#self
fi.ed upon, and were only waiting for his per#ission to proceed to his presence *e feared that
the fic!le despot #ight change his #ind, and leave us for an unli#ited period in the unhealthy
Galabat Gore than a #onth had elapsed, and we were giving way to despair, when, to our
great joy, on the 8;th of $ece#ber I1>M;J, the #essengers we had despatched on our arrival,
also those sent fro# Gassowah at the ti#e of our departure, returned, bringing for us civil and
courteous answers fro# his Gajesty 0hei! Cu##a was also ordered by his Abyssinian #aster to
treat us well, and to provide us with ca#els up to *ochnee At that village, "heodore infor#ed
us, we should be #et by an escort and by so#e of his officers, by who# arrange#ents would
be #ade to convey our luggage to the i#perial ca#p
CHAP"-/ ,&&
-ntrance into AbyssiniaKAltercation between "a!ruries and
Abyssinians at *ochneeKBur -scort and BearersKApplications
for GedicineK+irst /eception by his GajestyK"he Pueen's 7etter
"ranslated, and Presents $eliveredKAcco#pany his Gajesty through
GetchaKHis Conversation en route
Heartily sic! of Gete##a, and longing to cli#b the high range so long a forbidden barrier to
our hopes and wishes, we soon #ade our preparations, but were delayed a few days on
account of the ca#els 0hei! Cu##a, probably proud of his late achieve#ents see#ed to ta!e
his orders pretty coolly, and, had we not been #ore an.ious ourselves to penetrate into the
tiger's den than the 0hei! to co#ply with the Eing's reLuest, we should no doubt have
re#ained #any a day longer at the court of that negro potentate By dint of courteous
#essagesF pro#ises, and threats, the reLuired nu#ber of ca#els was at last forthco#ing, so
that on the afternoon of the 8>th $ece#ber, 1>M;, we passed the -thiopian /ubicon, and
halted for the night on Abyssinian ground Bn the #orning of the A9th we arrived at *ochnee,
and pitched our tents under so#e syca#ores at a short distance fro# the village "his, our first
stage in Abyssinia, led us through woods of #i#osas, acacias, and incenseHtreesF the undulating
ground, waving li!e the ocean after a stor#, was covered with high and still green grass As we
advanced, the ground beca#e #ore irregular and bro!en, and we crossed several ravines,
having each its s#all running rivulet of crystal water ByHandHby the rounded hilloc!s acLuired a
#ore abrupt and steep appearanceF the grass was no longer tall and green, but fine and dryF
the syca#ore, the cedar, and large ti#berHtrees began to appear As we approached *ochnee,
our route was a succession of ascents and descents #ore precipitous and very fatiguing, as we
trudged through deep ravines and cli#bed the al#ost perpendicular sides of the first range of
the Abyssinian #ountains
At *ochnee we found no one to welco#e us "he ca#eleers, having unladen their ca#els,
were going to depart, when a servant of one of the officers sent to receive us by his Gajesty
arrived He brought us co#pli#ents fro# his #aster, who could not join us for a few days, as
he was collecting bearersF he told us that we #ust proceed another stage by the ca#els, as no
bearers could be obtained in the district of *ochnee A serious altercation then too! place
between the governor of *ochnee and the ca#eleers "hey declined to proceed any further,
and after a short consultation between the#selves, each #an seiNed his ca#el and wal!ed
away But the governor and the officer's servant had also been consulting together6 seeing the
ca#eleers departing, they went to the village, and, as it happened to be #ar!etHday, soon
collected a good nu#ber of soldiers and peasants As the ca#eleers were passing close to the
village, on a given signal, the whole of the ca#els were seiNed & regret to say, for the honour of
the Arabs and "a!ruries, that, though well ar#ed, they did not show fight, but on the contrary,
ran away in every direction Dnwilling to lose their precious beasts of burden, the owners
returned by twos and threes Gore consultations followed6 at last, on the pro#ise of an e.tra
dollar for each, and a cow for all, peace and har#ony were satisfactorily restored After a
couple of hours' #arch, we reached Balwaha & can understand the difficulties the ca#eleers
raised, as the road is e.ceedingly bad for ca#els, passing as it does over two high and steep
#ountains and across two narrow ravines densely overgrown with tall ba#boos
At Balwaha we enca#ped in a s#all natural enclosure, for#ed by beautiful foliaged trees
"hree days after our arrival, two of the officers sent by "heodore to #eet us at last #ade their
appearance, but no bearers *e had unfortunately arrived during the last days of the long feast
before Christ#as, and we #ust, said the chief of the escort, have patience till the feast was
over
Bn the Mth Canuary about twelve hundred peasants were asse#bled, but the confusion was so
great that no start could be #ade before the following day, and even then we only #ade the
short stage of four #iles "he greater part of the heavy baggage was left behind, and it reLuired
a reinforce#ent fro# "schelga to allow us to proceed on our journey Bn the 2th we #ade a
better stage, and halted for the night on a s#all plateau opposite the high hill fort of Qer A#ba
*e were now fairly in the #ountains, and had often to dis#ount to descend so#e precipitous
declivity, wondering how our #ules could cli#b the opposite steep, wallHli!e ascent Bn the
19th the sa#e awful road, only worse and worse as we advancedF and when at last we had
ascended the al#ost perpendicular precipice that leads to the Abyssinian plateau itself, and
ad#ired the grand vista that lay at our feet, we congratulated ourselves upon having at last
reached the land of pro#ise *e halted a few #iles fro# the #ar!et town of "schelga, at a
place called *ali $abba Here we had to e.change bearers and conseLuently to wait several
days till the new ones arrived, or anything li!e order could be introduced +ro# that day #y
troubles began
& was at all hours of the day surrounded by an i#portuning crowd, of all ages and se.es,
afflicted by the #any ills that flesh is heir to & had no #ore privacy, and no #ore rest $id &
leave our ca#p with #y gun in search of ga#e, a cla#orous crowd followed #e Bn the #arch,
at every halt fro# *ali $abba to "heodore's ca#p in $a#ot, & heard nothing else fro# sunrise
to sunset but the incessant cries of %Abiet, abietF #edanite, #edanite% <+ootnote6 %7ord
Gaster, #edicine, #edicine%@ & did #y bestF & attended at any hour of the day those who would
benefit fro# a few doses of #edicine But this did not satisfy the great #ajority, co#posed of
old syphilitic cases, nor the leper, nor those suffering fro# elephantiasis, the epileptic, the
scrofulous, or those who had been #utilated at the hands of the cruel Gallas $ay after day the
crowd of patients increasedF those who had #et with refusal re#ained in the hope that on
another day the %Ha!ee#'s% bo.es of unheardHof #edicine #ight be opened, for the# also
New ones daily poured in "he #any cures of si#ple cases that & had been able to acco#plish
spread #y fa#e far and wide, and even reached #y country#en at Gagdala, who heard that
an -nglish Ha!ee# had arrived, who could brea! bones and instantly set the#, so that the
individual operated upon wal!ed away li!e the paralytic in Holy *rit At last the nuisance
beca#e intolerable, and & was obliged to !eep #y tent closed all day longF whenever & left it &
was surrounded by an ad#iring crowd "he officers of the escort were obliged to place a guard
round #y tent, and only allowed their relatives and friends to approach 0till, these were often
countless, and it was not till the dread of the despot overca#e even their love of life and
health, that successful and unsuccessful postulants returned to their ho#es
Bn the 1Ath Canuary we began our #arch towards the -#peror's ca#p, and passed successively
through the provinces of "schelga, part of $e#bea, $agossa, *andigO, Atchefur, Agau Gedar,
and $a#ot, leaving the "ana 0ea on our left "he three firstHna#ed provinces had a few years
before fallen under the wrath of the despotF every village had been burnt, every crop
destroyed, and the inhabitants had either perished fro# fa#ine or been absorbed into the
&#perial ar#y A few had just then returned to their bro!enHdown ho#es, on hearing of the
pardon proclai#ed by the -#perorF who, after three years, had relented, and allowed those
who still wandered in distant provinces, destitute and ho#eless, to return again to the land of
their fathers Here and there, a#ongst the ruins of for#er prosperous villages, so#e halfH
starved and al#ost na!ed peasants were seen erecting s#all sheds on the ashes of their
ancestral huts, near the land they were going again to cultivate Alas, they !new not how soon
the sa#e #erciless hand would be stretched upon the#5 Atchefur had also been plundered at
the sa#e dateF but their %cri#e% not having been so great, the %father of his people% had been
content to strip the# of all their property, and did not call fire in aid to co#plete his
vengeance "he villages of Atchefur are large and well builtF so#e, such as 7i#ju, can ran! with
s#all townsF but the people had a poor and #iserable appearance "he s#all a#ount of
cultivation indicated but too plainly that they e.pected another plunder, and just tilled the soil
enough to #eet their i##ediate wants
<&llustration6 ,&77AG- B+ $ANEB/A &N A"CH-+D/@
<&llustration6 CHD/CH B+ E-$D0 G-B/G&0 AN$ ,&77AG- B+ N-+A0A AGAD G-$D/@
"he Agau Gedars were always pets of the -#perorF he never plundered the#, or, what is the
sa#e, he never #ade any lengthened %friendly stay% a#ong the# "he rich and abundant
harvest ready for the sic!le, the nu#erous herds of cattle graNing in the flowerHspec!led
#eadows, the large and neat villages, the happy loo! 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 the#selves driven by warfare and bloodshed to perish fro# #isery and
hunger
"heodore's ca#p was at this ti#e in $a#ot He had already burnt, plundered, and slaughtered
to his heart's contentF it is therefore not astonishing that fro# Agau to his ca#p we saw, apart
fro# our escort and bearers, not a hu#an being6 no slee! cattle, no s#iling ha#letKa dire,
contrast to the happy Agau that %0t Gichael protects%
"he 8;th of Canuary was our last stage *e had halted the night before at a short distance fro#
the &#perial ca#p "he blac! and white tents of "heodore, pitched on a high conical hill, stood
out in bold relief as the setting sun #ade the dar! bac!ground dar!er still A faint, distant hu#,
such as one hears on approaching a large city, ca#e now and then to us, carried by the soft
evening breeNe, and the s#o!e that arose for #iles around the dar! 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 al#ost in the #idst of his countless host As we
approached, #essenger after #essenger ca#e to #eet usF we had to halt several ti#es, #arch
on again for a while, and then halt anewF at last the chief of the escort told us that it was ti#e
to dress A s#all rowtie was accordingly pitchedF we put on our unifor#s, and, #ounting again,
we had hardly proceeded a hundred yards, when, co#ing to a sudden turn in the road, we saw
displayed before us one of those -astern scenes which brought bac! to our #e#ory the days of
7obo and of Bruce
A conical wooded hill, opposite to the one honoured by the &#perial tents, was covered to the
very su##it by the gunners and spear#en of "heodoreF all in gala dressF they were clad in
shirts of richHcoloured sil!s, the blac!, brown, or red la#d <+ootnote6 A peculiar #antle of fur or
velvet@ falling fro# their shoulders, the bright iron of the lances glancing in the light of the
#idday sun which poured its rays through the dar! foliage of the cedars &n the valley between
the hills a large body of cavalry, about 19,999 strong, for#ed a double line, between which we
advanced Bn our right, dressed in gorgeous array, al#ost all bearing the silver shield and the
Bitwa, their horses adorned with richly plated bridles, stood the whole of the officers of his
Gajesty's ar#y and household, the governors of provinces and of districts, Tc All were
#ounted, so#e on really nobleHloo!ing ani#als, tribute fro# the plateaus of 'edjow and the
highlands of 0hoa Bn our left, the corps of cavalry was dar!er, but #ore co#pact, than its
aristocratic visHYHvis "he horses, though on the whole, perhaps, less graceful, were strong and
in good conditionF and seeing their iron ran!s, we could well understand how panicHstric!en the
poor scattered peasants #ust have been when "heodore, at the head of his wellHar#ed and
wellH#ounted band of ruthless followers, suddenly appeared a#ong their peaceful ho#es, and,
before his very presence was suspected, had co#e, destroyed, and gone
&n the centre opposite to us stood /as -ngeddah, the Pri#e Ginister, distinguished fro# all by
his gentle#anly appearance and the great si#plicity of his attire BareHheaded, the sha#a
girded in to!en of respect, he delivered the &#perial #essage of welco#e, translated into
Arabic by 0a#uel, who stood by hi#, and whose finely chiselled features and intellectual
countenance at once proclai#ed his superiority over the ignorant Abyssinian Co#pli#ents
delivered, the /as and ourselves #ounted, and advanced towards the &#perial tents, preceded
by the body of #ounted grandees, and followed by the cavalry Arrived at the foot of the hill,
we dis#ounted, and were conducted to a s#all red flannel tent pitched for our reception on
the ascent itself "here we rested for a while, and partoo! of a slight collation "owards three
o'cloc! we were infor#ed that the -#peror would receive usF we ascended the hill on foot,
escorted by 0a#uel and several other officers of the &#perial household As soon as we
reached the s#all plateau on the su##it, an officer brought us renewed greetings and
co#pli#ents fro# his Gajesty *e advanced slowly towards the beautiful durbarHtent of red
and yellow sil!, between a double line of gunners, who, on a signal, fired a salute very
creditable to their untaught s!ill
Arrived at the entrance of the tent, the -#peror again inLuired after our health and welfare
Having ac!nowledged with due respect his courteous inLuiries, we advanced towards the
throne, and delivered into his hands the letter fro# her Gajesty the Pueen "he -#peror
received it civilly, and told us to sit down on the splendid carpets that covered the ground "he
-#peror was seated on an alga, wrapped up to the eyes in a sha#a, the sign of greatness and
of power in Abyssinia Bn his right and left stood four of his principal officers, clad in rich and
gay sil!s, and behind hi# watched one of his trusty fa#iliars, holding a doubleHbarrelled pistol
in each hand "he Eing #ade a few co#plaints about the -uropean prisoners, and regretted
that by their conduct they had interrupted the friendship for#erly e.isting between the two
nations He was happy to see us, and hoped that all would be well again After a few
co#pli#ents had been e.changed, on the plea that we #ust be tired, having co#e so far, we
were allowed to depart
"he letter fro# the Pueen of -ngland, which we had handed over to his Abyssinian Gajesty,
was in -nglish, and no translation had been affi.ed to it His Gajesty did not brea! the seal
before us, probably on account of the presence of his high officersF as he would not have li!ed
the# to witness his disappoint#ent had the letter not suited his views As soon as we had
reached our tent, the letter was sent to us to be translatedF but as we had with us no -uropean
who understood the language of the country, it had to be rendered first by Gr /assa# into
Arabic to 0a#uel, and by hi# fro# that language into A#haric "here is #uch reason to regret
that none of the -uropeans in the country who were conversant with the A#haric language
were sent for before that i#portant docu#ent was #ade over to his GajestyF for & believe that
not only the translation wasKin #any respectsKa bad one, but, #oreover, incorrect A si#ple
phrase was rendered into one of deep i#portance to the success of the #issionKone of such
serious #eaning, considering "heodore's position, that & a# still inclined to believe that it was
introduced in the A#haric translation by "heodore's instructions "he -nglish ran thus6K%And
so, not doubting that you will receive our servant /assa# in a favourable #anner, and give
entire credit to all that he shall say to you on our part% "his was rendered6K%He will do for you
whatever you reLuire,% or words to that effect His Gajesty was greatly pleased, so his
confidential servants said, with the Pueen's letterF and inti#ated that he would before long
release the captives
Bn the following #orning "heodore sent for us He had no one near hi# e.cept /as -ngeddah
He was standing at the entrance of his tent, leaning gracefully on his lance He invited us to
enter the tentF and there, before us, he dictated to his secretary, in presence of /as -ngeddah,
0a#uel, and our interpreter, a letter to the Pueen,Kan hu#ble, apologiNing letter, which he
never intended to despatch
&n the afternoon we had the honour of another interview, in order to #a!e over to hi# the
presents we had brought with us He first as!ed if the gifts ca#e fro# the Pueen or fro# Gr
/assa# hi#self Having been infor#ed that they had been purchased in the na#e of the
Pueen, he accepted the#F re#ar!ing, at the sa#e ti#e, that he did so not for their value, but
as a to!en fro# a friendly Power whose renewed friendship he was so happy to ac!nowledge
A#ongst the presents there was a large loo!ingHglass Gr /assa#, on presenting it, told his
Gajesty that he had intended it for the Pueen Bn that his Gajesty loo!ed rather seriousF but
cal#ly replied that he had not been happy in his #arried life, and that he was on the point of
#arrying another lady, to who# he would offer the splendid #irror 0oon 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 fro# the &#perial !itchen
His Gajesty acco#panied us several stages towards the "ana 0ea, Eourata having been fi.ed
upon as our place of residence until the arrival of our country#en fro# Gagdala Bn the first
day's #arch we were left behind, on account of our luggage, and had a good opportunity of
e.periencing what it is to travel with an Abyssinian ar#y "he fighting #en were in front with
the !ing, but the ca#pHfollowers Inu#bering on that occasion about 8;9,999J, encu#bered as
they were with the tents and provisions of the soldiers, ca#e #ore slowly behind &t is al#ost
i#possible to describe the crush and confusion that freLuently too! place when a s#all river
had to be forded, or when a single footpath led along a steep, incline of al#ost na!ed roc!s
"housands heaped together pushed, screa#ed, and vainly endeavoured to penetrate the living
#ass, which always increased as the #ules and don!eys beca#e #ore frightened, and the
#uddy ban!s of the strea# #ore slippery and bro!en 0everal ti#es, driven to despair by hours
of patient waiting, we went in search of another road, or so#e other ford, where the crush and
crowd #ight be less &t was only late in the afternoon that we reached our enca#pingHground6
we had been the whole day upon a #arch that the -#peror acco#plished in an hour and a half
"heodore, having heard to what inconvenience we had been put, had the heavy luggage
conveyed as beforeF but ourselves, with a few light articles, were allowed the privilege of riding
with hi# in front of the ar#y $uring the few days he acco#panied us we #ade but short
stages, never #ore than ten #iles a day "heodore travelled with us for several reasons6 he
wanted to ta!e us by a short cut by the "ana 0ea, 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
$a#otF the inhabitants had fled, but the harvest ready for the sic!le re#ained, and at a sign
fro# the -#peror was reaped by thousands of hands *hilst the greater part of his soldiers
were thus e#ployed, and the sword was practically used as an i#ple#ent of peace, the Eing,
with a large body of cavalry, left the ca#p, and shortly afterwards the s#o!e that arose far and
wide proclai#ed their #erciless errand
A few incidents that occurred during our short stay with "heodore deserve to be recorded, as
they will illustrate his character during his friendly #oods Bn our second day's #arch with his
Gajesty, I+ebruary 1st,J the Blue Nile was crossed not far fro# its sourceF the ban!s were steep
and slippery, the crush was fearful, and #any a child or wo#an would have been drowned or
otherwise !illed had not "heodore sent so#e of the chiefs, who waited on hi#, to #a!e steps
on the slope with their spears, whilst he re#ained there until the last ca#pHfollower had
passed *hen we arrived his Gajesty sent us word not to dis#ount *e crossed the water on
our #ulesF but the #o#ent we reached the opposite ban! we alighted, and cli#bed to the spot
where his Gajesty was standing "he road was so precipitous and slippery that Gr /assa#,
who was in front, had so#e difficulty in reaching the su##itF "heodoreF seeing his position,
advanced, too! hi# by the hand, and said, in Arabic, %Be of good cheer, do not be afraid%
"he following day, during the #arch, "heodore sent 0a#uel bac!wards and forwards with
Luestions,Ksuch as6 %&s the A#erican war overU How #any were !illedU How #any soldiers
had theyU $id the -nglish fight with the AshanteesU $id they conLuer the#U &s their country
unhealthyU &s it li!e thisU *hy did the Eing of $aho#ey !ill so #any of his subjectsU *hat is his
religionU% He then gave one of his e.cuses for not having sent for us sooner He had been
disappointed, he said, with all the -uropeans that had entered his country None were good but
Bell and PlowdenF and he wanted to !now, by report, if the -nglish#an who had landed at
Gassowah was li!e all the rest His patience was such that he had believed hi# to be a good
#an, and had, therefore, decided upon sending for hi#
Bn the Wth he again sent for us He was alone, sitting in the open air He #ade us sit down on a
carpet near hi#,Kand spo!e at length about his for#er career He told us how he dealt with
the rebels6 first he sent the# word to pay tributeF if they refused, he went hi#self and
plundered their, country Bn the third refusal, to use his own words, %he sent their bodies to
the graveF and their souls to hell% He also told us that Bell had spo!en to hi# so #uch about
our Pueen, that for #any years he had intended sending her an e#bassyF he had even
everything ready whenF Captain Ca#eron #ade hi# an ene#y of his for#er friend He had
ordered, he said, so#e to!ens of his regard to be #ade for us, as he had nothing with hi# fit to
offer usF he had been pleased to see us, and considered us as %three brothers% "he interview
was longF when at last his Gajesty dis#issed us, he infor#ed us that the following day he
would send us to Eourata to await there the arrival of our country#en fro# Gagdala 0hortly
after reaching our tent, Gr /assa# received a polite note, infor#ing hi# that he would receive
;,999 dollars, which he #ight spend as he li!ed, but always in a #anner agreeable to the 7ord
A verbal #essage was also sent to #e to inLuire if & !new anything about s#elting iron, casting
guns, etc6 to which & answered, in pursuance of friendly advice, that & was ignorant of
everything e.cept #y own #edical profession
CHAP"-/ ,&&&
7eave the -#peror's Ca#p for EourataK"he "ana 0eaK"he Abyssinian
NavyK"he &sland of $e!KArrival at EourataK"he Gaffat People and
for#er Captives join usKCharges preferred against the latterK+irst
,isit to the -#peror's Ca#p at QagOK+lattery before Coercion
Bn the Mth of +ebruary his Gajesty sent us word to depart *e did not see hi#, but before we
left he sent us a letter infor#ing us that as soon as the prisoners joined us he would ta!e steps
to send us out of his country in %honour and safety% "he officer ordered to proceed to Gagdala
to deliver the captives, and conduct the# to us, was one of our escortF we were the bearers of
an hu#ble apology fro# "heodore to our Pueen6 all s#iled upon usF and rejoiced beyond
e.pression by the apparently co#plete success of our #ission, we retraced our steps with a
light and than!ful heart through the plains of Agau Gedar Bn the afternoon of the 19th of
+ebruary, we enca#ped on the shore of the "ana 0ea, a large freshHwater la!e, the reservoir of
the Blue Nile "he river enters at the southHwest e.tre#ity of the la!e, and issues again at its
southHeast e.tre#ity, the two branches being only separated by the pro#ontory of QagO
<&llustration6 ,&77AG- B+ EANBA, &N *AN$&GS@
"he spot we pitched our ca#p upon was not far fro# Eanoa, a pretty village in the district of
*andigO, Eourata being al#ost opposite to us, bearing NN- *e had to wait several days
while boats were constructed for ourselves, escort, and luggage "hese boatsKof the #ost
pri#itive !ind of construction still in e.istenceKare #ade of bulrushes, the papyrus of the
ancients "he bulrushes are tied together so as to for# a flat surface so#e si. feet in breadth
and fro# ten to twenty feet in length "he two e.tre#ities are then rolled up and tied together
"he passengers and boat#en sit upon a large sLuare bundle of bulrushes for#ing the essential
part of the boat, which the outward cage serves only to !eep in place, and by its pointed
e.tre#ities to favour progression "o say that these boats lea! is a #ista!eF they are full of
water, or rather, li!e a piece of cor!, always half sub#erged6 their floating is si#ply a Luestion
of specific gravity "he #anner in which the boats are propelled adds greatly to the disco#fort
of the traveller "wo #en sit in front, and one behind "hey use long stic!s, instead of oars,
beating the water alternately to the right and leftF at each stro!e they send in front and fro#
behind jets of spray li!e a showerHbath, and the unfortunate occupant of the boat, who had
beforehand ta!en off his shoes and stoc!ings and well tuc!ed up his trousers, finds that he
would have been wiser had he adopted a #ore si#ple costu#e still, and followed the e.a#ple
of the na!ed boat#en
"he Abyssinian navy does not weigh heavily on the esti#ates, nor does it ta!e years to
construct a fleetF two days after our arrival fifty new vessels had been launched, and several
hundreds had joined fro# QagO and the &sle of $e!
"he few days we spent on the shore of the "ana 0ea were a#ong the s#all nu#ber of happy
ones we have seen in this country 0a#uel, now our balderaba IintroducerJ and chief of the
escort, did not allow the for#er crowds to invade #y tent Being an intelligent #an, and his
relatives and friends less nu#erous than those of his predecessor, he only brought to #e those
he !new would benefit by a few doses of #edicine, or who# he was co#pelled to introduceF
for by refusing the petty chiefs and i#portant #en of the several neighbouring districts he
would have #ade serious ene#ies &t was now a recreation, instead of a fatigueF a study of the
diseases of the countryF a fact al#ost i#possible, before, when & could only defend #yself
against the i#portunities of a crowd, and in peace not e.a#ine a single case "he re#ainder of
#y ti#e was spent in shooting ALuatic birds, duc!s, geese, Tc, were in abundance, and so
ta#e that the survivors did not #ove away, but re#ained bathing, feeding, and cleaning their
bright feathers around the dead bodies of their #ates and co#panions
<&llustration6 ,iew fro# *andige of 7a!e "ana@
Bn the #orning of the 1Mth we started for $e!, the largest and #ost i#portant island of the
"ana 7a!eF it is situated about halfHway fro# our startingHplace and Eourata *e were showerH
bathed for about si. hoursF our speed was about two and a half !nots, so that the distance
#ust be about fifteen #iles $e! is a very pretty island indeedF a long, flat volcanic roc!,
surrounded by conical hilloc!s, for#ing so #any island pearls around a coronet "he whole
island is well wooded, covered with the #ost lu.uriant vegetation, dotted with nu#erous and
prosperous villages, and proudly boasts of four old and revered churchesKthe shrines of #any
devoted pilgri#s *e spent the night in the heart of the picturesLue islandKthe ideal of an
earthly abode Alas5 we !new only so#e ti#e afterwards that the passage of the white #en
caused tears and distress a#ong the Arcadian inhabitants of that peaceful land "he inhabitants
of the island had been ordered to supply us with 19,999 dollars "he chiefs, al#ost despairing
of being able to raise so large a su#, #ade a powerful appeal to their friends and neighboursF
painted in true colours the wrath of the despot should he learn that his reLuest had not been
co#plied with, and the wilderness that would then replace their rich and happy isle "he
eloLuence of so#e, and the threats of others, were eLually successful All the savings of years
were brought to the chiefsF silver rings and chainsKthe dower and fortune of #any a young
#aidenKwere added to the newly spun sha#a of the #atron6 all were reduced to poverty, and
were tre#blingF though they s#iled whilst #a!ing the sacrifice of all their worldly goods How
they #ust have cursed, in the bitterness of their grief, the poor white strangers who were the
innocent cause of all their #isfortunes5
"he following #orning we started for Eourata, the distance and inconvenience being about the
sa#e as on the preceding day Bnce again on terra fir#a, we hailed with delight the end of our
short and disagreeable passage Bn the beach we were received by the clergy, who had turned
out in full canonicals to welco#e us with all the po#p usually accorded only to royaltyF for such
had been the &#perial co##and "wo of the wealthiest #erchants of the place clai#ed us as
their guests, in the na#e of their royal #aster, and, #ounted on beautiful #ules, we ascended
the hill on which Eourata is builtF the privilege of riding through the sacred streets having been
conferred on, the honoured guests of the sovereign of the land
Eourata is, after Gondar, the #ost i#portant and wealthy city of AbyssiniaF it is a town of
priests and #erchants, built on the sides of a conical hill and bathed by the waters of the "ana
0ea "he houses, #any of the# built of stone, are superior to any we saw in Abyssinia "he
church erected by the Pueen of 0ocinius is held in such sanctity that the whole town is
considered sacred, and none but the bishop or the e#peror are allowed to ride through its
narrow and steep lanes +ro# the sea it is al#ost i#possible to see the town, so close and
co#pact are the towering dar! cedars and syca#oresKthe just pride of the inhabitants "he
whole hilloc! is so co#pletely covered with vegetation of every description, that the spot fro#
a distance see#s #ore li!e a lu.uriant waste untouched by #an's hand, than the abode of
thousands, and the central #art of *estern Abyssinia +or a few days we resided in the town,
where several of the best houses had been put at our disposalF but the countless host of
un#entionable insects fairly drove us away *e obtained per#ission to pitch our tents on the
sea beach, on a pleasant spot only a few hundred yards fro# the town, where we enjoyed the
double lu.ury of fresh air and abundance of water
A few days after our arrival at Eourata we were joined by the %Gaffat people% "he -#peror had
written to the# to co#e and re#ain with us during our stay, as he feared that we #ight feel
lonely and unhappy in his country, separated fro# our own people Agreeably to the
instructions they had received, on arriving at a short distance fro# our enca#p#ent, they sent
to infor# us of their arrival, and reLuested per#ission to present the#selves before us & was
never so #uch ta!en abac! as at the sight of these -uropeans wearing the Abyssinian gala
dress, sil! shirts of gaudy colours, trousers of the sa#e #aterial, the sha#a thrown over the
left shoulder, #any with na!ed feet, several without covering to their head "hey had been so
long in Abyssinia that & doubt not they considered the#selves very s#artF and, if we did not
ad#ire the#, the natives certainly did "hey pitched their ca#p a little distance in rear of ours
A few days later their wives and children arrived, and on #ore inti#ate acLuaintance we soon
perceived that several a#ongst the# were wellHeducated and wellHinfor#ed #enKnot at all
despicable co#panions in that distant laud
Bn the 18th of Garch our poor country#en, so long in chains and #isery, at last arrived *e
provided tents for those who had none, and they re#ained in our inclosure "hey all, #ore or
less, bore traces of the #any sufferings they had enduredF but Gessrs 0tern and Ca#eron
#ore than the others *e endeavoured to cheer the# up by the prospect of a speedy return to
-urope, and only regretted that we could not show the# #ore !indnessF as Gr /assa# did not
thin! it advisable, on account of "heodore's suspicious character, to appear to be on too
inti#ate ter#s with the# "hey !new the -#peror better than we did, and now and then
e.pressed doubts as to the favourable issue of the affair "hey had heard en route that they
would have to #a!e boats for "heodore, and were always an.ious and nervous each ti#e a
#essenger arrived fro# the &#perial ca#p
"heodore, after plundering Getcha, the fertile province at the southern e.tre#ity of 7a!e "ana,
destroyed the large and populous town of QagO, and pitched his ca#p on a s#all strip of land
connecting the pro#ontory of QagO with the #ainland "he -#peror was very attentiveF he
sent us ;,999 dollars #ore, supplies in abundance, and put thirty #ilch cows at our disposalF he
also sent us lion cubs, #on!eys, Tc, and al#ost every second day wrote civil and courteous
letters to Gr /assa# All our interpreters, all the #essengers, even Gr /assa#'s butler, went
one after the other to Qag to be invested with %the order of the shirt% "o the #essenger who
had brought us down the false intelligence of Captain Ca#eron's release, he gave a #arguf
Isil!HborderedJ sha#a, a title, and the govern#ent of a districtF and reLuested Gr /assa# to
love hi#, and cause hi# to be loved by our Pueen, as his stratage# had fortunately succeeded,
and had induced us to co#e to hi# *hen one of our interpreters, B#ar Ali, a native of
Gassowah, went in his turn to be decorated, he found his Gajesty sitting near the beach
#a!ing cartridges He told hi#, %'ou see #y occupationF but & a# not asha#ed of it & cannot
#a!e up #y #ind to let 0tern and Ca#eron goF but, for the sa!e of your #asters, & will & li!e
the# because they are always so well behaved, hold their caps in their hand as soon as they
approach #y presence, and are respectful before #e, whilst Ca#eron used to pull his beard
about all the ti#e%
&f & #ention these apparent trifles, it is to show that "heodore was still doubtful in his #ind
whether he would allow any one to depart or not As he was still wavering, he #ight, perhaps,
have allowed hi#self to be guided by his better Lualities, had not a few incidents that occurred
at the ti#e wor!ed upon his suspicious nature
"heodore, always fond of showing hi#self as a just #an before his people, desired a !ind of
trial of the for#er captives to ta!e place, before hi# and us, and in presence of his soldiersF
when, had they ac!nowledged that they were wrong, and begged his Gajesty's pardon, he
would probably have gone through the for# of a public reconciliation, and after presenting
the# with a few gifts, allowed the# to depart
Gr /assa#, on the contrary, believed it to be advisable that his Gajesty should not see the
for#er captives, as their sight #ight put hi# in a passionF and as everything appeared to
progress so favourably, he considered it #ore prudent to do his ut#ost to avoid a #eeting
between the two
0hortly after the arrival of the Gagdala prisoners, who had been joined at $ebra "abor by those
who had been detained there on parole, his Gajesty, at Gr /assa#'s instigation, instead of
calling the# to hi# as he had intended, sent several of his officers, his secretary, etc, to
Eourata, and reLuested 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 asse#bled in Gr
/assa#'s tent, the scribe read the charges "he first was against Captain Ca#eron "heodore
began by stating that Ca#eron, on his representing hi#self to be a #essenger fro# the Pueen,
was received with all due honour and respect, and welco#ed to the best of his ability He
accepted with hu#ility the presents the Pueen sent to hi#, and on Ca#eron e.plaining that an
e.change of consuls between the two countries would be greatly to the interest of Abyssinia,
"heodore, to use his own words, said, %& was glad on hearing this, and said, very well5% He
continued by stating that he i#pressed upon the consul that the "ur!s were his ene#ies, and
reLuested hi# to protect the #ission and presents he intended to send to the PueenF that he
gave hi# a friendly letter, and sent hi# away, but Ca#eron, instead of delivering the letter,
went to the "ur!s who hated hi#, and before who# he insulted and lowered hi#F that on
Ca#eron's return, he as!ed hi#, %'*here is the answer to the friendly letter & entrusted you
withU what have you co#e forU' He answered6 '& do not !nowF' so & said to hi#, ''ou are not the
servant of #y friend the Pueen, as you had represented yourself to be,' and by the power of
#y creator & i#prisoned hi# As! hi# if he can deny this%
"he second charge was against Gr BardelF but he had evidently got tired of the affair, as the
charges against 0tern, /osenthal, Tc are not specifiedF though on for#er occasion he several
ti#es referred to his grievances against the# "hey are included in a general charge which runs
as follows6K
%"he other prisoners have abused #e, & a# well aware, & used to love, and honour the# A
friend ought to be a shield to his friend, and they ought to have shielded #e *hy did they not
defend #eU Bn this account & disli!ed the#
%Now, by the power of God5 for the sa!e of the Pueen, and the British people, and yourselves, &
cannot continue #y disli!e against the# & wish you to #a!e between us a reconciliation fro#
the heart &f & a# in fault, do you tell #e and & will reLuite the#F but if you find that & a#
wronged, & wish you to get the# to reLuite #e%
After the charges had been read, the captives were as!ed if they had done wrong or not &t
would have been absurd for the# not to have ac!nowledged their faults, and begged for
pardon *e !new that they were innocent, injured #en, and that any errors of judg#ent they
#ight have co##itted were so trivial co#pared to the sufferings they had undergone, that
they could, under any other circu#stances, have applied for the reLuital he offered the# &n
ac!nowledging that they were wrong they acted wisely6 it was what we counselled, nay
ordered
"he sitting concluded with the public reading of the A#haric translation of the Pueen's letter,
and of the reply which "heodore said he would send by us
"hough all see#ed s#ooth and favourable, no doubt a stor# was i##inentF and shortly
afterwards, though everything was as yet friendly, we should have been far less confident had
our !nowledge of "heodore been greater
Bn our way to Eourata we had been as!ed indirectly by his servants whether we !new anything
about boatH#a!ingU *e replied in the negative As & have stated, so#e of the escort had told
Captain Ca#eron, that at Eourata he would be e#ployed in shipHbuilding "here was no doubt
that his Gajesty had #ade up his #ind to have a s#all navy, and & believe that the real reason
we were sent to Eourata, and the Gaffat people to !eep us co#pany there, was that "heodore
i#agined that we !new #ore about #a!ing boats than we wished to say, and hoped to coa. us
into underta!ing the wor! "he Gaffat people, were told to #a!e boatsF they replied that they
!new nothing about it, but would wor! with any one who could direct the#6 at the sa#e ti#e
they inti#ated that his Gajesty ought to ta!e advantage of Gr /assa#'s friendship to as! hi#
to write for so#e proper person and instru#entsF that they had no doubt that on Gr /assa#
#a!ing the application, his Gajesty would obtain anything he reLuired
A few days later "heodore wrote to Gr /assa# reLuesting hi# to write for wor!#en, and to
await their return Dntil that date all had been plain sailing & ac!nowledged that the letter was
rather a %da#per% on Gr /assa# "wo courses were left open to hi#6 to decline, in courteous
ter#s, on the ground that his instructions did not warrant his #a!ing such a reLuestF or accept,
on condition that the for#er captives should be allowed to depart, hi#self re#aining with one
of his co#panions until the wor!#en arrived &nstead of that Gr /assa# too! a halfHway
courseF he told "heodore that it would be better for hi# if he was allowed to depart, as at
ho#e he could better represent the desires of his Gajesty, but if the -#peror insisted upon it
he would write
"heodore was so far confir#ed in the i#pression conveyed to hi# by his wor!#en that through
the intervention of Gr /assa# he could obtain anything he li!ed, that the only thing which for
a few days longer re#ained undecided by hi# wasKshould he endeavour to gain his object by
flatteries or by bullyingU He at once went to wor!, and did the best to succeed by a#icable
#easures +or this purpose he sent us a polite invitation to co#e and spend a day with hi# at
QagO, ordering at the sa#e ti#e his wor!#en to acco#pany hi# Bn the 8;th of Garch we
proceeded by native boats and reached QagO after a fourHhours' showerHbathF at a short
distance fro# the landingHplace we dressed ourselves in unifor#, and were #et on our arrival
by /as -ngeddah ICo##anderHinHChiefJ, the Gaster of the Horse, and several other high
officials of the &#perial household His Gajesty had sent us by the /as polite greetings, and
#ounting the beautiful #ules sent fro# the royal stable, we proceeded to the -#peror's
inclosure *e were at first conducted to so#e sil! tents, which had been pitched at a short
distance fro# his banLuetingHhall, so that we #ight rest awhile and parta!e of the collation his
Pueen had forwarded to us &n the afternoon the -#peror sent us word that he would co#e
and see us
*e shortly afterwards went out to #eet hi#, and to our astonish#ent saw hi# co#ing
towards us, his cloth folded and the right ar# uncovered6 a sign of inferiority, of high
respectKan honour "heodore was never !nown to have paid to any #an He was all s#iles, all
a#iability, sat down a few #inutes on Gr /assa#'s couch, and when he left he shoo! hands in
the #ost friendly #anner with hi# A little later we returned his call *e found hi# in the
audienceHhall, seated on a carpetF he gracefully saluted us, and #ade us sit down by his side "o
his left stood his eldest son Prince Geshisha, and /as -ngeddahF his wor!#en were also
present standing in the centre of the hall in front of hi# He had before hi# Luite an arsenal of
guns and pistolsF he spo!e about and showed those we had brought with us, guns that had
been #ade to order by the brother of a gun#a!er in his service, a #anufacturer at 0t -tienne,
near 7yons He conversed on various topics, about the different ran!s in his ar#y, presented us
to his son, and ordered hi# at the conclusion of the audience, together with the Gaffat people,
to escort us bac! to our tent
"he following day "heodore sent repeated !ind #essagesF but we did not see hi# &n the
#orning he called, all his chiefs together, and as!ed the# to advise hi# as to whether he
should allow the -uropeans to depart or not All e.clai#ed, %7et the# goF% one only re#ar!ing
that if once out, and they wanted to fight, %let the# co#e, we will then have God on our side%
As soon as he had dis#issed his chiefs, he called the Gaffat people and as!ed the# also what
he should do "hey told us that they had strongly advised hi# to let us depart &t was reported
that on returning to his houseF his valet said to hi#, %-very one tells you to let the# goF you
!now that they are your ene#ies, and what will you have in your handsU% &n the evening his
Gajesty was rather e.cited6 he sent for the Gaffat people, and ta!ing hold of the rude pillar of
his hut, said6 %&s that the dwelling fit for a !ingU% *hat conversation passed between the# at
the ti#e, & cannot sayF but a few days afterwards one of the# told #e that his Gajesty was
#uch put out, as Gr /assa# had not #entioned to hi# the objects he had so dear at heart,
viN6 the artisans and instru#ents, and that on our applying to be allowed to return to Eourata,
his Gajesty loo!ed very blac! at first, and refused, and that they had had great fears that he
#ight have forcibly detained us
Bn our return to Eourata the correspondence between "heodore and Gr /assa# began
afresh "he letters, as a rule, contained nothing of i#portance, but the #essages brought
bac!wards and forwards were highly special, and had significant reference to the for#er
captives, with who# "heodore was bent on having a reconciliation before their departure
Apprehensive that "heodore #ight get into a passion at the sight of the#, Gr /assa#
endeavoured6 by all #eans to avoid a #eeting he so #uch dreadedF and, at last, his Gajesty
see#ed to have been convinced by his friend's reasonings, and to all appearance gave in to
hi# 0o#e of the for#er captives were naturally an.ious, and would have #uch preferred the
ris! of having to bear a few harsh words rather than e.cite "heodore's suspicions &t was too
late He had already #ade up his #ind to detain us forcibly, and at the ti#e he pretended to
agree not to see the for#er captives, he was all the while, building a fence for their reception
Gr /assa#, to divert the -#peror's #ind, proposed to hi# to institute an order to be called
the %Cross of Christ and 0olo#on's 0ealF% the rules and regulations were drawn out, one of the
wor!#en #ade a #odel of the badges according to Gr /assa#'s direction, his Gajesty
approved of the#, and nine were orderedKthree of the first, three of the second, three of the
third orders Gr /assa#, together with /as -ngeddah and Prince Geshisha, were to be #ade
!nights of the first orderF the -nglish officers of the #ission were to be second classF as for the
third, & do not !now for who# they were destined, unless for such as Bappo, his butler
Puite unaware of all that was going on behind the scenes, we fancied that we had nothing
#ore to fear, and that all obstacles had been cleverly re#ovedF we were building castles in the
airKseeing in i#agination dear friendly faces once #ore, and, thin!ing we were ho#eward
bound, we laughed at the scorching heat of the 0oudan's hottest #onths6 when suddenly all
our plans, hopes, and e.pectations were cruelly crushed
CHAP"-/ &R
0econd visit to QagOKArrest of Gr /assa# and the -nglish
BfficersKCharges brought against Gr /assa#K"he for#er Captives
are brought in Chains to QagOKPublic "rialK/econciliationKGr
+lad's $epartureK"he &#prison#ent at QagOK$eparture for Eourata
Bn the 1Ath of April we #ade our third e.peri#ent of the bulrush boats, as the -#peror
desired once #ore to see his dear friends before they left "he -uropean wor!#en of Gaffat
acco#panied us All the Gagdala and Gaffat prisoners started the sa#e day, but by another
routeF the whole party was to rendeNvous at "an!al, near the northHwest e.tre#ity of the la!e,
where the luggage was also to be conveyed by boats
Bn our arrival at QagO, we were received with the usual #ar!s of respect /as -ngeddah and
several high officers ca#e to #eet us on the beach, and richly harnessed #ules were provided
for us fro# the royal stables *e dis#ounted at the entrance of his Gajesty's inclosure, and
were conducted at once to the large audienceHhall, erected Luite close to the -#peror's private
fence Bn entering, we were surprised to see the large hall lined on both sides by Abyssinian
officers in their gala dress "he throne had been placed at the e.tre#ity of the hall, but was
e#pty, and the large circular space around it was filled with the highest officers of the real#
*e had only advanced a few stages, preceded by /as -ngeddah, when he bowed and !issed the
ground, we thought out of respect for the throneF but it was the signal for an act of base
treachery No sooner had the /as prostrated hi#self, than nine #en, posted for the purpose,
rushed upon each of us, and in less ti#e than & can e.press it our swords, belts, and caps were
cast to the ground, our unifor#s torn, and the officers of the -nglish #ission, seiNed by the ar#
and nec!, were dragged, to the upper part of the hall, degraded and reviled before the whole of
"heodore's courtiers and grandees5
*e were allowed to sit down, our captors sitting ne.t to us "he -#peror did not appear, but
Luestions were brought to us by the /as -ngeddah, Cantiba Hailo Ithe -#peror's adopted
fatherJ, 0a#uel, and the -uropean wor!#en 0o#e of the Luestions as!ed by his Gajesty were,
to say the least, childish6 %*here are the prisonersU *hy have you not brought the# to #eU
'ou had no right to send the# without #y per#ission & wished you to reconcile #e with the#
& intended also to give to those who had no #ule a #ule, and to those who had no #oney so#e
#oney for the road *hy have you given the# fireHar#sU $id you not co#e with a friendly
letter fro# the Pueen of -nglandU *hy have you sent letters to the coastU% and such li!e
rubbish
Gany of the highest officers several ti#es e.pressed openly their approval of our answersKa
rare proceeding in an Abyssinian Court "hey evidently did not li!e, nor could they justify, the
treacherous conduct of their #aster Between the Luestions, a paper was partially read,
referring to his Gajesty's pedigree As it had nothing to do with, our alleged offences, & could
not understand its object, e.cept that it was a certain wea!ness of this parvenu to glory in his
supposed ancestors His Gajesty's last #essage was6 %& have sent for your brethren, and when
they arrive, & will see what & shall do%
"he asse#bly having been dis#issed, we waited a little while, whilst a tent was pitched for us
near the -#peror's inclosure At the ti#e we were undergoing our trial, all the luggage we had
brought with us was personally e.a#ined by his Gajesty All ar#s, #oney, papers, !nives, Tc,
were confiscatedF the re#ainder being sent to us after we had been escorted to the tentF *e
had hardly entered our new abode, and had not yet recovered fro# our surprise at the turn the
Abyssinian i#broglio had just ta!en, when cows and bread in abundance were sent to us by
"heodore a strange contrast to his recent dealings
At about the sa#e hour which witnessed this reverse in our fortunes, the released captives
were also destined to #eet with a fearful disappoint#ent "heir fate was even worse than ours
After about two hours' ride they ca#e 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 nu#ber of soldiers
entered, and the chief of the escort, showing the# a letter, as!ed the# if it was his Gajesty's
seal Bn their replying in the affir#ative, they were told to sit down "hey were rather
perple.ed, but i#agined that perhaps his Gajesty had sent the# a letter to bid the# farewell,
and that they were allowed to sit down as they were tired However, their conjectures were
soon set at rest Bn a signal given by the chief of the escort, they were seiNed by the soldiers
who lined the roo# "he letter fro# "heodore was then read to the# &t was addressed to the
chief of the escort, and ran thus6K%&n the na#e of the +ather, the 0on, and the Holy Ghost, to
Bitwaddad "adla By the power of God, we, "heodore, the !ing of !ings, are well *e are angry
with our friends, and with the -uropeans, who say, '*e are going to our country,' and we are
not yet reconciled Dntil we consult as to what we shall do, seiNe the#F but do not #a!e the#
unco#fortable or afraid, and do not hurt the#%
&n the evening they were chained two by two, their servants were watched, and but two
allowed to each individual to prepare his foodF the following #orning they were ta!en to
Eourata "here they heard of our arrest, and even reports to the effect that we had been !illed
"he wives of the Gaffat people treated the# very !indly6 they the#selves were in great
anguish, as they were Luite ignorant of the fate of their relatives Bn the #orning of the 1;th
they were ta!en over by boat to QagO Bn their arrival they were received by guards, who
conducted the# to a fenced spaceF #ules had been brought for Captain Ca#eron, Grs
/osenthal, and Grs +lad, and shortly afterwards the -#peror sent the# cows, sheep, bread,
Tc, in abundance
"he three days we spent in the s#all tent at QagO were days of great an.iety *e had until then
seen but the good side, the a#iable #ood of our host, and we were not as yet accusto#ed to
his sudden bursts of te#per, to his violence and treachery As soon as our luggage was
returned, we destroyed every letter, paper, note, diary, in our possession, and repeatedly
Luestioned 0a#uel as to our future prospects Bn the #orning of the second day "heodore
sent us his co#pli#ents, and told us that as soon as the captives arrived, everything would be
all right *e sent hi# so#e shirts that had been #ade for hi# during our stay at EourataF he
received the#, but declined the soap that acco#panied the#, as, he said, we should reLuire it
for the road &n the afternoon we watched hi# through the lin!s of the tent, whilst he was
sitting for hours on a raised platfor# in front of his inclosure He appeared cal#, and re#ained,
for a long ti#e, in conversation with his favourite, /as -ngeddah, who stood below
*e were guarded night and day, and could not #ove a few steps outside the tent without
being followed by a soldierF at night, if we had to go out, we were told to carry a lantern with
us Bur guards were all old confidential chiefs of the -#peror, #en of ran! and position, who
e.ecuted their orders, but did not abuse their position to #a!e us feel still #ore our disgrace
Bn the evening of the 1;th a s#all farce was played that a#used #e at the ti#e & was going
out a short distance, a servant carrying a lantern before #e *e had only advanced a few steps
when a soldier roughly seiNed #y servantF i##ediately the officer on guard ran up towards us,
and pretending to be very indignant at the soldier's conduct, told hi# to let #y servant go, and
lifting up his stic!, gave hi# a few stro!es on the bac!, e.clai#ing, %*hy do you stop hi#U
"hese are not prisonersF they are the friends of the Eing% Bn turning roundF & saw the chief and
the soldier having a good laugh together "he following #orning the reconciliation was to ta!e
place "heodore desired to i#press us with the idea that we #ight be still his friends, and that
we had better give in to hi# with good grace, as the arrest of the 1Ath would prove to us that
he could also treat us as ene#ies His plan was not a bad oneF at all events it succeeded
Bn the 13th we received a #essage fro# his Gajesty, telling us to go to hi#, as he desired to
try before us the -uropeans who had, he said, for#erly insulted hi# "heodore !nows well how
to #a!e a displayF and on this occasion he did his ut#ost to i#press all, -uropeans 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 audienceHhall All the great officers of state were stationed on his left hand in frontF
on his right were the -uropeans, and around these #ore i#portant individuals, the petty chiefs
and soldiers for#ed an al#ost co#plete circle
As soon as we approached, his Gajesty rose and saluted usF received us, in short, as though we
were still his honoured guests, and not the heralds fro# a great Power he had recently so
grossly insulted *e were told to sit down A few #inutes of silence followed, and we saw
advancing fro# the outer gate our country#en guarded as cri#inals, and chained two by two
"hey were arranged in a line in front of his Gajesty, who, after observing the# for a few
seconds, %!indly% inLuired after their health, and how they had spent their ti#e "he captives
ac!nowledged these co#pli#ents by repeatedly !issing the ground before that incarnation of
the -vil Bne, who all the ti#e grinned in delight at the sight of the #isery and hu#iliation of his
victi#s Captain Ca#eron's and Gr Bardel's fetters were then opened, and they were told to
co#e and sit down near us All the other captives re#ained standing in the sun, and had to
answer to the -#peror's Luestions He was collected, and cal#F only once, when addressing us,
did he appear in any way e.cited
He as!ed the#, %*hy did you wish to leave #y country before you too! leave of #eU% "hey
answered that they had only acted according to Gr /assa#'s orders, to who# they had been
#ade over He then said, %*hy did you not as! Gr /assa# to bring you to #e, and be
reconciled before you leftU% and turning towards Gr /assa#, said, %&t is your fault & told you to
reconcile #e with the#F why did you not do soU% Gr /assa# replied6 that he had believed the
written reconciliation that followed the trial of the charges he had sent against the# to be
sufficient "he -#peror then said to Gr /assa#, %Bid & not tell you & wanted to give the# #ules
and #oney, and you answered #e that you had bought #ules for the#, and that you had
#oney enough to ta!e the# to their countryU Now, on your account, you see the# in chains
+ro# the day you told #e that you desired to send the# by another road & beca#e suspicious,
and i#agined that you did so in order that you #ight say in your country that they were
released through your cunning and power%
"he for#er captives' supposed cri#es are well !nown, and its the re#ainder of the trial was
only a repetition of the one of Gondar, it would be a #ere waste of ti#e to spea! of it hereF
suffice it to say that these unfortunate and injured #en answered with all hu#ility and
#ee!ness, and endeavoured by so doing to avert the wrath of the wretch in whose power they
were
"he -#peror's pedigree was then read6 fro# Ada# to $avid all went on s#oothly enoughF fro#
0olo#on's supposed son Genile! to 0ocinius few na#es were givenKperhaps they were
patriarchs in their own wayF but when it ca#e to "heodore's father and #other the difficulty
increased, indeed it beca#e seriousF #any witnesses were brought forward to testify to their
royal descent, and even the opinion of the puppetH-#peror Cohannes was recorded in favour of
"heodore's legal right to the throne of his ancestors
*e were then called forward, and the scene of the 1>th enacted over, again After we had
been told to sit down, "heodore called his wor!#en before hi#, and as!ed the# if he ought to
get %!assaU% I#eaning a reparation for what he had suffered at the hands of the -uropeansJ
0o#e did not audibly replyF whilst others loudly proclai#ed that %!assa was good% &n
conclusion, his Gajesty said, addressing hi#self to us %$o you want to be #y #astersU 'ou will
re#ain with #eF and wherever & go, you will goF wherever & stay, you will stay% Bn that we
were dis#issed to our tents, and Captain Ca#eron was allowed to acco#pany us "he other
-uropeans, still in chains, were sent to another part of the ca#p, where several wee!s before a
fence had been erected, no one !new why
"he following day we were again called before "heodore, but this ti#e it was Luite a private
affair "he prisoners were first conducted to our tent, and released fro# their fetters *e were
then called into his presenceF the for#er captives followed us, and the Gaffat people shortly
afterwards entered, and were told to sit at the -#peror's right As soon as the released
prisoners enteredF they bowed their heads to the ground and begged for pardon His Gajesty
told the# to rise, and after infor#ing the# 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
re#ained in that attitude until they had repeatedly told hi#, %+or God's sa!e, we forgive you5%
Captain Ca#eron then read aloud $r Be!e's letter and the petition of the prisoners' relatives
"he reconciliation effected, the -#peror dictated a letter for our Pueen, and Gr +lad was
selected to convey it *e then all had our tents pitched in a large enclosure, fenced that very
#orning under his Gajesty's supervision *e were once #ore all unitedF but this ti#e all
prisoners Gr +lad leftF we e.pected that his #ission would be unsuccessful, and that -ngland,
disgusted with so #uch treachery, would not condescend to treat further, but enforce her
de#ands "he day Gr +lad left, his wife acco#panied the wor!#en, who were ordered bac! to
EourataF with the# we had #uch less intercourse than before, as they were at all ti#es ti#id,
and very careful not to have #any dealings with doubtful friends of the Eing
QagO was one of the principal towns of the for#erly prosperous and populous district of
Getsha, but when we ca#e we saw nought but ruinsF and had we not been told that the guicho
and coffeeHcovered hill was only a few wee!s before the abode of thousands, we could not
have credited itF nor that the s#all circular patches, now green with grass and weeds, had been
the ho#es of a thriving and industrious population
A few days after the reconciliationKthe very #orning +lad left for -nglandKhis Gajesty
returned us our ar#s, and a portion of our #oneyF he also presented us at the sa#e ti#e with
silverH#ounted shields, spears, and #ules, and a few days later with horses *e saw hi# on
several occasions6 twice he ca#e to see us in our tentsF one day we went with hi# to assist at
the trial of so#e guns #ade by his -uropean wor!#enF once duc!Hshooting with hi# on the
la!eF another ti#e to see hi# play the national ga#e of gouc!s He endeavoured to appear
friendly, supplied us with abundant rations, and twice a day sent his co#pli#entsF he even fired
a salute and gave a feast on our Pueen's birthday Nevertheless, we felt unhappy6 our cage was
gilt, but still a cageF and the e.perience we had had of the Eing's treachery #ade us constantly
fear a recurrence of it *hen we #et hi# in $a#ot, and when we visited hi# before at QagO,
we had only seen the actor in his s#iling #oodF now all restraint was thrown off6 wo#en were
flogged to death close to our tents, and soldiers laden with chains or beaten to death on the
#ost trivial prete.ts "he true character of the tyrant beca#e daily #ore apparent, and we felt
that our position was #ost dangerous and critical
"heodore was still bent on building boatsF seeing that everybody see#ed reluctant to help hi#
he went to wor! hi#selfF he #ade an i##ense flatHbotto#ed bulrush boat of great thic!ness,
and to propel it #ade two large wheels wor!ed by hand6 in fact he had invented a paddle
stea#er, only the loco#otive agent was deficient *e saw it several ti#es on the waterF the
wheels were rather high up and it reLuired at least a hundred #en on it to #a!e the# dip
sufficiently 0trange to say he spent his ti#e in that frivolous way and never too! notice of a
large rebel force not four #iles fro# his ca#p
Cholera had been #a!ing havoc in "igrOF we were not surprised, therefore, to hear that it had
spread over other provinces, and that several cases had already bro!en out at Eourata "he
Eing's ca#p was pitched in a very unhealthy situation, on a low, swa#py groundF fevers,
diarrhoea, and dysentery had prevailed to a great e.tent &nfor#ed of the approach of cholera,
his Gajesty wisely decided upon #oving his ca#p to the highlands of Bege#der Grs
/osenthal was at the ti#e very unwell, and could not stand the journey by landF she was
therefore allowed to proceed by water to Eourata, acco#panied by her husband, #yself, and
Captain Ca#eron, also in delicate health *e started on the evening of the A1st of Gay, and
reached Eourata early the ne.t #orning A gale of wind was blowing at the ti#e, and we had to
#a!e freLuent stoppages on the lee of the land, as the heavy sea freLuently threatened to
swa#p our frail boats *ithout e.aggeration, this last passage was in all respects the ne plus
ultra of disco#fort
CHAP"-/ R
0econd /esidence in EourataKCholera and "yphus brea! out in the Ca#pK"he -#peror
resolves to #arch to $ebra "aborKArrival at GaffatK"he +oundry transfor#ed into a
PalaceKPolitical "rial at $ebra "aborK"he Blac! "entK$r Blanc and Gr /osenthal seiNed at
GaffatKAnother Public "rialK"he Blac! HoleKGarch with the -#peror to Aiban!abK0ent to
Gagdala, and Arrival at the A#ba
At Eourata a few e#pty houses were put at our disposal, and we went to wor! to #a!e these
dirty native dwellings inhabitable &t was ru#oured that "heodore intended to spend the rainy
season in the neighbourhood, and on the Wth he #ade a sudden visitF he was only acco#panied
by a few of his chiefs He ca#e and returned by water /as -ngeddah arrived about an hour
before hi# & was advised to go and #eet hi# on the beachF & therefore acco#panied the Gaffat
people, who also went to present hi# their respects His Gajesty, on seeing #e, as!ed #e how
& was, if & li!ed the place, Tc No one ever !new why he ca#e & believe, to judge for hi#self if
the cholera was raging there at the ti#e or not, as he #ade #any inLuiries on the subject
Bn the Mth of Cune "heodore left QagO with his ar#yF Gr /assa# and the other prisoners
acco#panied hi#F all the heavy baggage had been sent by boat to Eourata Bn the 2th, his
Gajesty enca#ped on a low pro#ontory south of Eourata Cholera had by this ti#e bro!en out
in the ca#p, and hundreds were dying daily &n the hope of i#proving the sanitary condition of
the ar#y, the -#peror #oved his ca#p to so#e high ground a #ile or so north of the townF
but the epide#ic continued to rage with great virulence both in the ca#p and in the town "he
church was so co#pletely cho!ed up with dead bodies that no #ore could be ad#itted, 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 ce#etery 0#allH
po. and typhus fever also #ade their appearance, and clai#ed the victi#s cholera had spared
Bn the 18th Cune we received orders to join the ca#p, as "heodore intended to leave on the
following day for the higher and #ore healthy province of Bege#der Bn the 1Ath, at early
#orning, the ca#p was struc!, and we enca#ped in the evening on the ban!s of the Gu#arO, a
tributary of the Nile "he ne.t day the #arch was resu#ed *e had been #ore or less
ascending since our departure fro# Eourata, and Butoo Ia beautiful plateau, our haltingHplace
of the 1WthJ #ust have been several thousand feet higher than the la!eF nevertheless, cholera,
s#allHpo., and typhus fever continued unabated His Gajesty inLuired what was usually done in
our country under si#ilar circu#stances *e advised hi# to proceed at once to the higher
plateau of Bege#der, to leave his sic! at so#e distance fro# $ebra "abor, to brea! up as far as
possible his ar#y, and distribute it over the whole province, selecting a few healthy and
isolated localities where every fresh case that bro!e out should be sent He acted upon this
advice, and before long had the satisfaction of seeing the several epide#ics lose their virulence,
and, before #any wee!s, disappear entirely
Bn the 1Mth we #ade a very long #arch *e started at about M AG and never halted once
until we arrived at $ebra "abor at about 8 PG As soon as we reached the foot of the hill on
which the &#perial houses arise, we received a #essage fro# his Gajesty telling us not to
dis#ount, and shortly afterwards he rode towards us, acco#panied by a few of his bodyguard
*e all started for Gaffat, the -uropean station, about three #iles east of $ebra "abor -n route
we were overta!en by the #ost severe hailstor# & have ever seen or e.periencedF such was its
violence, that "heodore was several ti#es obliged to halt "he hail poured down in such thic!
#asses, and the stones were of such an enor#ous siNe, that it was indeed Luite painful to bear
At last we reached Gaffat, froNen and drenched to the s!inF but the -#peror, see#ingly Luite
unaffected by the recent shower, acted as our cicerone, and too! us about the place, e.plaining
to us the foundry, wor!shops, waterHwheels, Tc A few plan!s were transfor#ed into seats, and
a fire lighted by his order, and we re#ained with hi# alone for #ore than three hours,
discussing the laws and custo#s of -ngland 0o#e carpets and cushions had been left behind at
$ebra "abor, and he sent bac! /as -ngeddah to have the# conveyed As soon as he returned
with the bearers, "heodore 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 Gr /assa# Bther houses were
distributed to the other -uropeans, after which his Gajesty left
Bn the 13th Cune the -uropean wor!#en, who had re#ained behind at Eourata, arrived at
$ebra "abor *e are not aware that they #ade any objection to our occupying their houses,
but the -#peror perceived by their de#eanour that they were not pleasedF he therefore
acco#panied the# to Gaffat, and in a few hours had the foundry, by #eans of sha#as, gabis,
and carpets, transfor#ed into a very decent abode "he throne was also conveyed there, and
when all was ready we were called His Gajesty, after apologiNing for the acco##odation he
was obliged to give us for a few days, returned to $ebra "abor, pro#ising that the ne.t day he
would see for a #ore suitable dwelling for his guests Accordingly, the following #orning he
arrived, and had several native houses on a s#all hill opposite Gaffat cleared out for our
reception As Gr /assa#'s house was rather s#all, that gentle#an too! advantage of the
circu#stance to reLuest that the -#peror would withdraw the honour of placing the throne in
his roo# His Gajesty acLuiesced, 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 #ade their appearance at Gaffat, and fro# #orning
to night & was in constant attendance on the sic! Bne of #y patients, the wife of one of the
-uropeans, greatly occupied #y ti#e6 she had first been attac!ed with cholera, and was
afterwards laid for #any days at death's door with typhus fever
Bn the #orning of the 8;th of Cune we received a #essage fro# the -#peror, to the effect that
Gr /assa#, his co#panions, the priests, and any one he would li!e to ta!e with hi#, should
repair to $ebra "abor, to be present at a political trial "he -uropean wor!#en, Cantiba, Hailo,
and 0a#uel acco#panied us Arrived at $ebra "abor, we were surprised at not being received
with the usual salutations, and instead of being at once conducted to the presence of
"heodore, we were ushered into a blac! tent pitched in the Eing's inclosure *e sur#ised that
the political trial concerned ourselves *e had been seated but a few #inutes, when the
-uropean wor!#en were sent for by his Gajesty After a while they returned, with Cantiba
Hailo, 0a#uel, and an Afa Negus I#outh of the EingJ, who delivered the &#perial #essages
"he first and #ost i#portant was, %& have received a letter fro# Cerusale#, in which & a# told
that the "ur!s are #a!ing railways in the 0oudan, to attac! #y country conjointly with the
-nglish and +rench% "he second #essage was #uch to the sa#e effect, only adding that as Gr
/assa# #ust have seen the railway in construction, he ought to have infor#ed his Gajesty of
it "he third Luestion was, %&s it not true that the -gyptian railway was built by the -nglishU%
+ourthly, %$id he not give a letter to Consul Ca#eron for hi# to deliver to the Pueen of
-ngland, and did not the Consul return without an answerU $id not Gr /osenthal say that the
-nglish Govern#ent had laughed at his letterU% AltogetherF there were so#e seven or eight
Luestions, but the others were insignificant, and & do not re#e#ber the# A few days before a
Gree! priest had arrived fro# the coast with a letter for his Gajesty6 *hether these state#ents
were contained in the #issiveF or were #erely a prete.t invented by "heodore hi#self, to give
a reason for the ill treat#ent he intended to inflict upon his innocent guests, it is i#possible to
say "he concluding #essage was, %'ou #ust re#ain hereF your ar#s his Gajesty no longer
trusts in your hands, but your property will be sent to you%
Gr /osenthal obtained per#ission to return to Gaffat to see his wife, and & was granted leave
to acco#pany 0a#uel, as Grs *ald#eier was that day in a very critical state Gr /assa# and
the other -uropeans re#ained in the tent Gr *ald#eier, on account of his wife's serious
illness, had re#ained at Gaffat, and he was #uch startled and grieved when he heard of our
new #isfortuneF especially as it would deprive his wife of #edical attendance at a ti#e her life
was despaired of He begged #e to re#ain near her for an hour, whilst he would gallop to
$ebra "abor to entreat his Gajesty to let #e re#ain with hi# until his wife should be out of
danger Grs *ald#eier is a daughter of the late Gr Bell, who was held in great estee# and
affection by the -#peror Not only did "heodore at once grant *ald#eier's reLuest, but
added, that if Gr /assa# had no objection, he would allow #e to re#ain at Gaffat, as sic!ness
was prevailing there, during the e.pedition he intended to #a!e As & was #uch reduced by
chronic diarrhoea and overe.ertion, & was #uch pleased at the prospect of re#aining at Gaffat,
instead of ca#paigning during the rains Gr /assa# hi#self on the following day reLuested his
Gajesty to allow #e and so#e of our co#panions to re#ain for the rainy season at Gaffat &n
#y case and in Gr /osenthal's, per#ission was granted, but was refused to all the others
-very day we heard that orders had been issued for the ca#p to be struc!, but his Gajesty did
not leave He daily inLuired after Grs *ald#eier, and sent #e his co#pli#ents He visited
Gaffat twice during the few days & was there, and on each occasion sent for #e and received
#e courteously Gr /assa# and the other -uropeans were allowed to co#e to Gaffat and
spend the day with usF and although now and then the word %Gagdala% was whispered, still it
see#ed as if the stor# had blown over, and we hoped before long to be all again united at
Gaffat, and there in peace spend the rainy season Bn the Ard of Culy an officer brought #e the
&#perial co#pli#ents, and stated that his Gajesty was co#ing to inspect the wor!s, and that &
#ight present #yself before hi# & went at once to the foundry, and on the road & #et two of
the Gaffat wor!#en also proceeding there A little incident then occurred, which was followed
by serious conseLuences *e #et the -#peror near the foundry, riding ahead of his escortF he
as!ed us how we were, and we all lowed and too! off our hats As he passed, along, the two
-uropeans with who# & wal!ed, covered the#selvesF but aware how touchy his Gajesty, was
on all points of etiLuette, & !ept #y head uncovered, though the sun was hot and fierce Arrived
at the foundry, the -#peror again greeted #e cordiallyF e.a#ined for a few #inutes the
drawing of a gun his wor!#en proposed to cast for hi#, and then left, all of us following &n the
courtyard he passed close to Gr /osenthal, who did not bow, as "heodore too! no notice of
hi#
As the -#peror issued fro# the foundry fence a poor old beggar as!ed for al#s, saying, %Gy
lords IgaitotshJ the -uropeans have always been !ind to #e Bh5 #y !ing, do you also relieve
#y distress5% Bn hearing the e.pression %lord% applied to his wor!#en, he got into a fearful
passion %How dare you call any one 'lord' but #yself Beat hi#, beat hi#, by #y death5% "wo of
the e.ecutioners at once rushed upon the beggar, and began beating hi# with their long stic!s,
"heodore all the while e.clai#ing, %Beat hi#, beat hi#, by #y death5% "he poor old cripple, at
first in heartrending ter#s, i#plored for #ercyF but his voice grew fainter and fainter, and in a
few #inutes #ore there lay his corpse, that none dare re#ove or pray for "he laughing hyenas
that night caroused undisturbed on his abandoned re#ains
"heodore's rage was by no #eans abated by this act of crueltyF he advanced a few steps, then
stopped, turned, his lance in rest, loo!ing around, the very i#age of ungovernable fury His
eyes fell upon Gr /osenthal %0eiNe hi#5% cried heF &##ediately several soldiers rushed
forward to obey the i#perial co##and %0eiNe the #an they call a Ha!ee#% &nstantly a doNen
ruffians pounced upon #e, and & was held fast by the ar#s, coat, trousersKby every place that
afforded a grip He then addressed hi#self to Gr /osenthal %'ou don!ey, why did you call #e
the son of a poor wo#anU *hy did you abase #eU% Gr /osenthal said, %&f & have offended your
Gajesty, & beg for pardon% All the while the -#peror was sha!ing his lance in a threatening
#anner, and every #inute & e.pected that he would throw itF & feared that, blind with rage, he
would not be able to control hi#selfF and & well !new that if once he began to give vent to his
passions, #y fate was also sealed
+ortunately for us both, "heodore turned towards his -uropean wor!#en and abused the# in
no #easured ter#s %'ou slaves5 Have & not bought you with #oneyU *ho are you that you
dare call yourselves 'lordsU' "a!e care5% "hen addressing the two & had #et on the road, he said,
%'ou are proud, are youU 0laves5 *o#en5 /otten don!eys5 you cover your heads, in #y
presence5 $id you not see #eU $id not the Ha!ee# !eep his head uncoveredU Poor #en that &
have #ade rich5% He then turned towards #e, and seeing #e held by a doNen soldiers, he cried
out, %7et hi# goF bring hi# before #e% All drew bac! e.cept one, who conducted #e to within
a few feet fro# the -#peror He then as!ed #e, %$o you !now ArabicU% "hough & understand a
little of that language, & thought it #ore prudent, under the circu#stances, to reply in the
negative He then told Gr 0chi#per to translate what he was going to say %'ou, Ha!ee#, are
#y friend & have nothing against youF but others have abused #e, and you #ust co#e up with
#e to witness their trial% "hen ordering Cantiba Hailo to give #e his #ule, he #ounted, & and
Gr /osenthal followingF the latter on foot, dragged the whole way by the soldiers who had first
seiNed hi#
As soon as we reached $ebra "abor, the -#peror sent word to Gr /assa# to co#e out with
the other -uropeans, as he had so#ething to tell hi# "heodore sat upon a roc!, about twenty
yards in front of usF between hi# and ourselves stood a few of his high officers, and behind us a
deep line of soldiers He was still angry, brea!ing the edges of the roc! with the buttHend of his
lance, and spitting constantly between his words He at once addressed hi#self to the /ev Gr
0tern, and as!ed hi#, %*as it as a Christian, a heathen, or a Cew, that you abused #eU "ell #e
where you find in the Bible that a Christian ought to abuseU *hen you wrote your boo!, by
whose authority did you do itU "hose who abused #e to you, were they #y ene#ies or yoursU
*ho was it told you evil things against #eU% Tc He afterwards said to Gr /assa#, %'ou, also,
have, abused #e% %&U% replied Gr /assa# %'es, youF in four instances +irst, you read Gr
0tern's boo!, wherein & a# abusedF secondly, you did not reconcile #e with the prisoners, but
wanted to send the# out of the countryF thirdly, your Govern#ent allows the "ur!s to !eep
Cerusale#Kit is #y inheritance "he fourth & have forgotten% He then as!ed Gr /assa#
whether he !new or not that Cerusale# belonged to hi#, and that the Abyssinian convent there
had been seiNed by the "ur!sU As the descendant of Constantine and Ale.ander the Great, &ndia
and Arabia belonged to hi# He put #any foolish Luestions of the sa#e !ind At last he said to
0a#uel, who was interpreting, %*hat have you to say if & chain your friendsU% %Nothing,%
replied 0a#uelF %are you not the #asterU% Chains had been brought, but the answer so#ewhat
pacified hi# He then addressed one of his chiefs, saying, %Can you watch these people in the
tentU% "he other, who !new his answer, replied, %'our Gajesty, the house would be better% Bn
that he gave orders for our baggage to be conveyed fro# the blac! tent to a house contiguous
to his own, and we were told to go
"he house assigned to us was for#erly used as a godown6 it was built of stone, with a large
verandah all around, and closed by a single s#all door, with no window or other aperture &t
was only when several lighted candles had been brought that we could find our way into the
dar! central roo#, and it only reLuired nu#bers to react the fearful dra#a of the Calcutta Blac!
Hole 0o#e soldiers carried in our bedding, and a doNen guards sat near us, holding lighted
candles in their hands "he -#peror sent us several #essages Gr /assa# too! advantage of
this circu#stance to co#plain bitterly of the unfair treat#ent inflicted upon us He said, %"ell
his Gajesty that & have done #y best to bring on a good understanding between #y country
and hi#F but when toHday's wor! is !nown, whatever the conseLuences #ay be, let hi# not
throw the bla#e upon #e% "heodore sent bac! word, %&f & treat you well or notF it is the sa#eF
#y ene#ies will always say that & have illHtreated you, so it does not #atter%
A little later we were rather startled by a #essage fro# his Gajesty, infor#ing us that he could
not rest before co#forting his friend, and that he would co#e and see us "hough we did our
best to dissuade hi# fro# such a step, he soon afterwards ca#eF acco#panied by so#e slaves
carrying arrac! and tej He said, %-ven #y wife told #e not to go out, but & could not leave you
in grief, so & have co#e to drin! with you% Bn that he had arrac! and tej presented to all of us,
hi#self setting the e.a#ple
He was cal#, and rather serious, though he #ade great efforts to appear gay He #ust have
re#ained at least an hourF conversing on different topics, the Pope of /o#e being the principal
one discussed A#ongst other things6 he said, %Gy father was #ad, and though people often
say that & a# #ad alsoF & never would believe itF but now & !now it is true% Gr /assa#
answered, %Pray do not say such a thing% His Gajesty replied, %'es, yes, & a# #ad,% 0hortly
before leaving, he said, %$o not loo! at #y face or ta!e heed of #y words when & spea! to you
before #y people, but loo! at #y heart6 & have an object% As he returned, he gave orders to
the guards to withdraw outside, and not to inconvenience us "hough we have seen hi# since
then once or twice, at a distance, it is the last ti#e we conversed with hi#
"he two days we spent in the blac! hole at $ebra "abor, all huddled up together, obliged to
have lighted candles day and night, and in an.ious uncertainty about our future fate, were
really days of #ental torture and physical disco#fort *e hailed with joy the announce#ent
that we were going to #oveF any alternative was preferable to our positionKbe it rain in a
wornHout tent, be it chains in one of the a#basKanything was better than close confine#ent,
deprived of all co#forts, even of the cheering light of day
At noon on the ;th of Culy, we were infor#ed that his Gajesty 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 *e did not reLuire a second co##and, and did not even give a second thought
to the journey, rain, #ud, and such li!e inconveniences Bn that day we #ade but a short stage,
and enca#ped on a large plain called Can#Zda, a few #iles south of Gaffat -arly #orning the
following day the ar#y #oved off, but we waited in the rear at least three hours before the
order ca#e for us to start "heodore, seated on a roc!, had allowed the whole force, ca#pH
followers included, to go on in advance, and li!e us, unprotected fro# the pouring rain, and
see#ingly in deep thought, e.a#ined the different corps as they passed before hi# *e were
now strictly watchedF several chiefs with their #en guarded us day and night, a detach#ent
#arched ahead of us, another in the rear, and a strong party never lost sight of us
*e halted that afternoon on a large plain near a s#all e#inence called Eulguali!o, on which
the &#perial tents were pitched "he following day, the sa#e #ode of departure was adopted,
and after travelling all night we halted at a place called Aiban!ab, at the foot of Gount Guna,
the highest pea! in Bege#der, often covered during the rainy season with froNen hail
*e re#ained the >th at Aiban!ab &n the afternoon his Gajesty told us to ascend the hill on
which his tents were pitched, to see the snowHcovered su##it of the Guna, as fro# our
position below we could not obtain a good view of it A few polite #essages passed between
us, but we did not see hi#
-arly on the 2th, 0a#uel, our balderaba, was sent for He stayed away a long ti#e, and on his
return infor#ed us that we were to go on in advance, that our heavy baggage would be sent
after us, and that we #ust !eep with us a few light articles which the soldiers of our escort and
our #ules could carry 0everal of the officers of the &#perial household, to who# we had
shown so#e !indness, ca#e to bid us goodHby, all loo!ing very sadKone with tears in his eyes
"hough no one infor#ed us of our destination, we all sur#ised that Gagdala and chains were
our lot
Bitwaddad "adla, with the #en under his co##and, now too! charge of us *e soon perceived
that we were #ore strictly guarded than everF one or two #ounted soldiers had special charge
of each separate individual of our party, flogging the #ules if they did not go fast enough, or
causing those in front to wait until the less well #ounted could co#e up *e #ade a very long
#arch on that day, fro# 2 AG to W PG, without a halt "he soldiers, who carried a few
parcels, ca#e on shortly after us, but the baggage #ules only arrived at sunset, and dead tired
As the s#all 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 forthco#ing, we !illed a
sheep and broiled it over the fire, Abyssinian fashionF hungry and tired, we thought it the #ost
e.Luisite #eal we had ever #ade
At sunrise, the following #orning, our guards told us to get ready, and soon after we were in
the saddle Bur route lay -0- Any slight doubts we #ight still have had about our destination
now vanishedF the for#er prisoners !new too well the road to Gagdala to have any #isgivings
on the subject Bn the previous day the road was a gradual ascent over a wellHcultivated and
populous districtF but on the 19th, the country bore a wild aspect, few villages were to be seen,
and but few dar! tufts of cedars graced the su##it of the distant hills, proclai#ing the
presence of a church "he scenery was grand, and for the artist no doubt full of attractionsF but
for -uropeans, driven li!e cattle by se#iHbarbarians, the precipitous descents and steep
acclivities had certainly no char#s After a few hours' #arch, we arrived at an al#ost
perpendicular precipice Ial#ost 1,;99 feet in height, and not #ore than a Luarter of a #ile in
breadthJ, that we had both to descend and ascend in order to reach the ne.t plateau Another
couple of hours' #arch brought us to the gate's of Bege#der &n front of us arose the plateau of
$ahonte, only about a couple of #iles distant, but we had to ascend a #ore abrupt precipice
than the one we had just passed and cli#b again a steeper ascent before we could reach it "he
valley of the Ciddah, a tributary of the Nile, was between us and our haltingHplaceKa stiff
#arch, as the silver thread we viewed fro# the narrow passage between the basaltic colu#ns
of the -astern Bege#der ridge was A,999 feet below us "ired and worn out, at lastF we
acco#plished our tas!
*e halted for the night at a place called Gagat, on the first terrace of the $ahonte plateau,
about ;99 feet fro# the su##it Bur s#all tent arrived in ti#e, our servants had carried with
the# a few provisions, and we #anaged to #a!e a frugal #ealF but only one or two of the best
baggage #ules #ade their appearance, so that we had to lie on the bare groundKthose best
off on leathern s!ins &t was five days after our arrival at Gagdala before a s#all 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 -arly on the #orning of the 11th
we continued our ascent, and soon reached the splendid plateau of $ahonte "his s#all
province is but a large circular plain about twelve #iles in dia#eter, covered at the ti#e of our
journey, with fields in all stages of cultivation, and with beautiful green #eadows, where graNed
thousands of heads of cattle, and where #ules, horses, and innu#erable floc!s everywhere
#eet the eye "he whole circu#ference of this plain is dotted with s#all rounded hilloc!s, and
fro# their base to the su##it nu#erous wellHbuilt villages arise $ahonte is certainly the #ost
fertile and picturesLue district & have seen in Abyssinia
By noon we reached the eastern e.tre#ity of the plateau, and there before us again appeared
one of those awful chas#s we had encountered twice on our road since leaving $ebra "abor
*e did not at all rejoice at the idea of having to descend, then wade through the wide and
rapid Bechelo, and again cli#b the opposite precipiceKa perfect wallKto co#plete our day's
wor! +ortunately, our #ules 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 #ountain At dawn on the 18th we continued our descent, crossed the Bechelo, and
ascended to the opposite plateau of *atat, where we arrived at eleven AG "here we #ade a
slight halt and partoo! of a frugal brea!fast, sent by the chief of Gagdala to Bitwaddad "adla,
who !indly shared it with us
+ro# *atat to Gagdala the road is an inclined plain, constantly but gradually shelving upwards
towards the high plateau of the *allo countryKthe end of our journey, as Gagdala is on its
border "he a#ba, with a few isolated #ountains, all perpendicular and crowned with walls of
basalt, see# li!e #iniatures of the large e.panses of $ahonte and *alloKs#all particles
detached fro# the neighbouring gigantic #asses
"he road on nearing Gagdala is #ore abruptF one or two conical hills have to be crossed before
the a#ba itself is reached Gagdala is for#ed of two cones, separated by a s#all plateau
na#ed &sla#gee, a few hundred feet lower than the two pea!s it divides "he northern pea! is
the higher of the two, but on account of the absence of water and the s#all space it affords, it
is not inhabitedF and to Gagdala alone belonged the privilege of being "heodore's #ost fa#ous
fortress, his treasury, and his gaol
+ro# &sla#gee the ascent is steeper, but we were able to ride on our #ules up to the second
doorF a feat we could not perfor# whilst ascending fro# the Bechelo and Ciddah, as we had not
only to descend al#ost all the way on foot, but had freLuently to dis#ount at the ascent, and
cli#b on allHfours, leaving the #ules to find their way as best they could "he distance fro#
*atat to Gagdala is generally acco#plished in five hours, but we were nearly seven, as we had
to #a!e freLuent halts, and #essengers ca#e to and fro fro# the A#ba Gany of the chiefs of
the #ountain ca#e out to #eet Bitwaddad "adla
At &sla#gee another long halt was #ade, & suppose while our lettre de cachet was e.a#ined by
the chiefs in council At last, one by one, counted li!e sheep, we passed the doors, and were
ta!en to a large open space in front of the Eing's house "here we were #et by the /as IHead of
the #ountainJ and the si. superior chiefs, who join with hi# in council on every i#portant
occasion As soon as they had greeted Bitwaddad "adla they retired a few yards, and consulted
with hi# and 0a#uel After a few #inutes, 0a#uel told us to co#e onF and, acco#panied by
the chiefs, escorted by their followers, we were ta!en to a house near the &#perial fence A fire
was lighted "o fatigued and dejected #en the prospect of a roof, after so #any days passed in
the rain, cheered us even in our #isery, and when the chiefs had retired, leaving a guard at the
door, we soon forgotKtal!ing, s#o!ing, or sleeping near the fireKthat we were the innocent
victi#s of base treachery "wo houses had been allowed to our party At first we all slept in one
of the#, the other being #ade over to the servants, and used as a !itchen
CHAP"-/ R&
Bur +irst House at GagdalaK"he Chief has a %little Business% with usK+eelings of an -uropean
when being put in ChainsK"he Bperation describedK"he Prisoner's "oiletKHow we
7ivedKBur first Gessenger a +ailureKHow we obtained Goney and 7ettersKA Gagdala
$iaryKA /ainy 0eason in a Godjo
&t was already dar! when we had arrived the evening before Bur first thought in the #orning
was to e.a#ine our new abode &t consisted of two circular huts, surrounded by a strong thorny
fence, adjoining the -#peror's -nclosure "he largest hut was in a bad state of repairF and as
the roof, instead of being supported by a central pole, had about a doNen of lateral ones
for#ing as #any separate divisions, we #ade it over to our servants and to our balderaba
0a#uel "he one we !ept for ourselves had been built by /as Hailo, at one ti#e a great
favourite of "heodore, but who had unfortunately fallen under his displeasure /as Hailo was
not chained during the ti#e he re#ained in that house6 for a ti#e he was even %pardoned,%
and #ade chief of the #ountain But "heodore, after a while, again deprived hi# of his
co##and and confidence, and sent hi# to the co##on gaol, chained li!e the other prisoners
+or an Abyssinian house it was well builtF the roof was al#ost the best & saw in the country,
being #ade with s#all ba#boos closely arranged and bound with rings of the sa#e #aterial
After /as Hailo had been sent to the gaol, his house had been #ade over to the favourite of the
day, /as -ngeddahF but, according to custo#, "heodore too! it away fro# hi# to lodge his
-nglish guests
+or us it was s#all6 we were eight, and the place could not contain easily #ore than four "he
evenings and nights were bitterly cold, and the fire occupying the centre of the roo#, so#e of
us had to lay half the body in a recess that lea!ed, and half in the roo# At first we felt our
position bitterly "he rainy season had set in, and hailstor#s occurred al#ost every day Gany
of us IPrideau. and #yself a#ongst the#J had not even a change of clothes, no bedding, nor
anything to cover ourselves with during the long cold da#p nightsF and & always shall re#e#ber
with feelings of gratitude the 0a#aritan act of 0a#uel, who, pitying #e, !indly lent #e one of
his sha#as
*e had hardly any #oney, and we had not the re#otest idea fro# whence we could obtain
any "hough there was so#e tal! of rations being supplied fro# the &#perial stores, the for#er
captives only laughed at the ideaF they !new, fro# bitter e.perience, that prisoners on A#ba
Gagdala %were e.pected to give, but never to receive% "he event proved that their sur#ises
were right6 we never received anything fro# the #an who on all occasions loudly proclai#ed
hi#self our friend but a s#all jar of tej, that for so#e #onths was daily sent to 0a#uel6 I&
believe all the ti#e it was intended for hi#F at all events, he and his friends dran! itFJ and on
great feast days a couple of lean, hungryHloo!ing cows, of which, & a# delighted to say, &
declined a share
"o the -uropean, accusto#ed to find at his door every necessary of life, the fact that not a shop
e.ists throughout the breadth and width of Abyssinia #ay appear strangeF but still it is so *e
had, therefore, to be our own butchers and ba!ers, and as for what is called grocery stores, we
had si#ply to dispense with the# Bur food was abo#inably badF the sheep we purchased
were little better than 7ondon catsF and as no flourH#ill is to be found in Abyssinia, far less any
ba!ers, we were obliged to purchase the grain, beat it to re#ove the chaff, and grind it
between two stonesKnot the flat grindingHstones of -gypt or &ndia, but on a s#all curved piece
of roc!, where the grain is reduced to flour by #eans of a large hard !ind of pebble held in the
hand &t was brown bread with a vengeance Bn the #ountain we #ight buy eggs and fowlsF
but as the first were generally bad when sold to us, we soon got disgusted with the#F and
though we put up with the fowls as a change of diet, their toughness and leanness would have
#ade the# rejected everywhere else Being the rainy reason, we had great difficulty in
purchasing a little honey *ild coffee was now and then obtainableF but it #ade, in the absence
of sugar, and with or without s#o!y #il!, such a bitter, nauseous co#pound, that, after a
while, & and others preferred doing without it 0uch was then the a#ount of %lu.uries% we had
to depend on during our long captivity,Kcoarse, vitreousHloo!ing, badlyHba!ed breadF the everH
returning dish of s!inny, tough #utton, the veteran coc!, s#o!ed butter, and bitter coffee "ea,
sugar, wine, fish, vegetables, Tc, were not, either for love or #oney, to be obtained anywhere
"he coarseness and unifor#ity of our food, however, was as nothing co#pared with our dread
of being starved to deathF for even the few and inferior articles & have #entioned would fail us
when our #oney was e.pended
& was very badly off for clothes Before leaving $ebra "abor, & was told to leave everything
behind in the charge of the Gaffat people, and only ta!e with #e the few things & reLuired for
the road Gy only pair of shoes, what fro# rain, sun, and cli#bing, had beco#e so thoroughly
wornHout, and so hard, as to bring on a wound that too! #onths to heal, so that until the arrival
of one of #y servants fro# the coast, #any #onths afterwards, & had to wal!, or rather crawl,
about on na!ed feet
7ife in co##on a#ong #en of different tastes and habits is, indeed, dreadful "here we were,
eight -uropeans, all huddled up in the sa#e s#all place, a waitingHroo#, a diningHroo#, a
dor#itoryF #ost of us entire strangers before, and only united by one bondKco##on
#isfortune Adversity is but little fitted to i#prove the te#per6 on the contrary, it brea!s down
all social habitsF the #ore so if education and birth do not enable the sufferer to contend
against the greatest difficulties *e feared above all things that fa#iliarity which creeps on so
naturally between #en of totally different social positions, and leads to harsh words and
conte#pt *e had to live on ter#s of eLuality with one of the for#er servants of Captain
Ca#eronF we had to be Luiet if so#e re#ained tal!ing part of the night, and put up silently
with the defects of others in the hope that our own #ight #eet with the sa#e leniency
A party of soldiers, varying fro# fifteen to twenty, ca#e every evening a little before dus!, and
pitched a s#all blac! tent al#ost opposite our door As it freLuently rained at night, the greater
nu#ber of the soldiers re#ained in the tentF only two or three, supposed to be watching, went
to sleep under the shelter of a projecting part of the roof "hey did not disturb us, and, if we
went out after dar!, they #erely watched where we went, but did not follow &n the dayti#e
we had four guards, two ta!ing it in turn to watch the gate of our inclosure "hese #en were
never changed during all the ti#e of our stayF but we had not #uch reason to be satisfied with
the selection #ade, as, with one e.ception, our day guards were fearful rascals and dangerous
spies
*e had already spent three days at Gagdala, and were beginning to hope that our punish#ent
would be li#ited to %si#ple i#prison#ent,% when about noon on the 1Mth we perceived the
chief, acco#panied by a large escort, co#ing in the direction of our prison 0a#uel was sent
for, and a long consultation too! place between hi# and the chief outside the gate *e were
yet in ignorance of what was going on, and felt rather unco#fortable when 0a#uel returned to
us with a serious countenance, and told us that we #ust all go into the roo#, as the chief had a
%little business% with us *e obeyed, and shortly afterwards the /as IHead of the #ountainJ,
the five #e#bers of council, and about eight or ten #ore presented the#selves "he /as and
the principal chiefs, all ar#ed to the teeth, sLueeNed the#selves into the roo#, the others
re#aining outside "he ordinary Abyssinian conversationKthat is to say, a great deal of tal!ing
about religion, loo!ing pious, ta!ing God's and the Eing's na#e in vain every #inuteKopened
the proceedings & was sitting near the door, and as the conversation did not interest #e #uch,
& was loo!ing at the #otley crowd outside, when all at once & perceived that two or three #en
were carrying large bundles of chains & pointed the# out to Gr /assa#, and as!ed hi# if he
believed they intended the# for usF he spo!e to 0a#uel in Arabic on the subject, and the
affir#ative answer he received revealed to us the subject of the long consultation that had
ta!en place outside
"he /as now dropped the desultory conversation he had been holding since his arrival, and in
Luiet ter#s infor#ed us that it was the custo# of the #ountain to chain every prisoner sent
thereF that he had received no instructions fro# the -#peror, and would at once despatch a
#essenger to infor# hi# that he had put us in irons, and he had no doubt that before long his
#aster would send orders for our fetters to be re#oved, but that in the #eanwhile we #ust
sub#it to the rules of the a#baF he added that in our case it was with regret that he felt hi#self
obliged to enforce the# "he poor fellow really #eant wellF he was !indHhearted and, for an
Abyssinian, had gentle#anly #annersF he had so#e hope that "heodore #ight have by that
ti#e regretted the unnecessary and cruel order, and would perhaps seiNe the opportunity he
thus offered hi# and cancel it & #ay as well add here that, not #any #onths afterwards, the
/as was accused of being in correspondence with the !ing of 0hoaF he was ta!en in irons to the
ca#p, where he shortly afterwards died fro# the conseLuences of the #any tortures inflicted
upon hi#
"he chains were brought, and the real business of the day beganF one after another we had to
sub#it to the operation, the for#er captives being first served and favoured with the heaviest
chains At last #y turn ca#e & was #ade to sit down on the ground, tuc! up #y trousers, and
place #y right leg on a large stone that had been brought for the purpose Bne of the rings was
then placed on #y leg a couple of inches above the right an!le, and down ca#e, upon the thic!
cold iron, a huge sledgeHha##er6 every stro!e vibrated through the whole li#b, and when the
ha##er fell not Luite straight it pressed the iron ring against the bone, causing #ost acute
pain &t too! about ten #inutes to fi. on properly the first ringF 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 ha##ered down until they perfectly joined "he operation was
then perfor#ed on the left leg & was always afraid of the blac!s#ith #issing the iron and
s#ashing #y leg to pieces All at once & felt as if the li#b was being torn asunderF the ring had
bro!en just when the operation was nearly co#pleted +or the second ti#e & had to sub#it to
the ha##ering process, and this ti#e the fetter was rivetted to the entire satisfaction of the
s#ith and chief
& was now told that & #ight rise and go to #y seatF but that was no easy #atter, and, having no
practice in this, for #e, Luite new way of loco#otion, & could hardly ta!e the necessary three or
four steps Although & was in great bodily pain, and felt deeply the degradation we were
subjected to, & would not give the officers of the #an who was thus illHtreating us cause to
believe that & cared in the least about it Bn rising to #y legs & lifted up #y cap and shouted, to
their great astonish#ent, %God save the Pueen,% and went on laughing and chatting as if & felt
perfectly happy As every detail of our life was reported to "heodore, and #y conte#pt for his
chains was public, he was at once infor#ed of it6 but he only #entioned the fact twentyHone
#onths afterwards, when he alluded to it in conversation with Gr *ald#eier, to who# he
said that every one allowed the#selves to be chained without saying a wordF that even Gr
/assa# had s#iled upon the#F but that the doctor and Gr Prideau. had loo!ed at the# with
anger
After the operation was over, and the witnesses of the scene had each favoured us with a %Gay
God open thee,% the #essenger the chiefs were sending to "heodore Ia fellow na#ed 7ib, a
great spy, and confidant of the -#perorF the sa#e who had brought our lettres de cachet,J was
introduced to receive any #essage Gr /assa# desired to convey to his Gajesty "hat
gentle#an, in Luiet and courteous words, reproached his Gajesty for his treachery, and cast
upon hi# the onus of the conseLuences such unfair treat#ent would #ost li!ely bring upon
hi# Dnfortunately 0a#uel, always ti#id, and at this ti#e al#ost dead with fright, as he did not
!now whether chains were not in reserve for hi# also, declined to interpret, and si#ply sent
the ordinary co#pli#ents instead
*hen our gaolers had withdrawn, we loo!ed at one another, and the sight was so ridiculous, so
absurd, that for all our sorrow we could not help laughing heartily "he chains consisted of two
heavy rings connected together by three s#all thic! lin!s, leaving just a span between one ring
and the otherF and these we wore for nearly twentyHone #onths5 At first we could not wal! at
allF our legs were bruised and sore fro# the ha##ering on, and the iron pressing on the an!les
was so painful that we were obliged to tie bandages under the chains during the dayti#e At
night & always too! off the bandages, as the constant i#pedi#ent to the circulation they
occasioned, caused the feet to swellF yet at night we felt the weight and pressure even #ore
than during the day6 our legs see#ed for a long ti#e never to get restF we could not #ove the#
about, and when in our sleep we turned fro# one side to the other, the lin!s, by stri!ing the
bone of the leg, caused such acute pain as to awa!e us at once "hough after a ti#e we got
#ore accusto#ed to the#, and could wal! about our s#all inclosure with #ore ease, still every
now and then we had to re#ain Luiet for so#e days, as the legs got sore, and s#all ulcers
appeared on the parts where the greatest pressure bore -ven since they have been re#oved,
for #onths #y legs were wea!er than before, the an!les s#aller, and the feet so#ewhat
enlarged
"he evening we were put in chains we had to cut open our trousers as the only way of getting
the# off $uring their for#er captivity at Gagdala, Gessrs Ca#eron, 0tern 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 #aterial at hand to #a!e the first, and as for passing even the thinnest
ca#bric through the rings in the swollen condition of the li#b, that was Luite out of the
Luestion Necessity, it is said, is the #other of invention6 at all events & invented the %Gagdala
trousers% Bn ta!ing off #ine that evening, & cut the# near the outward sea#, and collecting all
the buttons & could obtain, had the# sewed on, and buttonHholes #ade along the Bea# as near
to one another as #y li#ited supply allowed 0o#e wee!s afterwards & was able, with the
assistance of a native, to pass through the rings calico drawersF and as #y legs grew thinner, in
ti#e, & was able to put on trousers #ade of thin Abyssinian cotton clothF and such is the force
of habit and practice, that at last & could ta!e off or put on #y trousers as Luic!ly al#ost as if
#y legs were free
*e had gone to bed early that evening, not !nowing what to do, when we heard a discussion
going on outside our hut between 0a#uel and the chief of the guard that night, na#ed Gara, a
descendant of so#e Ar#enian and a great worshipper of his &#perial #aster 0a#uel at last
ca#e in and told us that he had endeavoured to persuade the officer not to disturb us, but that
he insisted on e.a#ining our chains to see if they were all right *e declined at first to sub#it
to the inspection, and only consented, in order to get rid of the fellow, to sha!e our chains
under the sha#a with which we were covered, as he passed fro# one to another
As we e.pected to be at least si. #onths in GagdalaKgiving ti#e for the news to reach
-ngland, and the troops to arrive that we felt certain would i##ediately be despatched to set
us free and punish the despotKGr /assa# endeavoured, through 0a#uel, to obtain a few
#ore huts for our acco##odation 0a#uel spo!e to the /as and to the other chiefs, and they
agreed to give us a s#all hut and two godjos, Is#all huts, the roof for#ed by the ends of the
twigs being tied together at the free e.tre#ity, and the whole covered with straw,J when they
would have collected wood enough to #a!e a new fence &n the #eanwhile two of us, Pietro
and Gr Eerans, were induced to live in the !itchen, where they would have #ore roo# and
leave #ore space for ourselves
Bur first thought on reaching Gagdala was to co##unicate the intelligence to our friends and
to Govern#entF since we had been chained we !new that every hour lost was a day added to
our disco#fort and #isery, and that we ought to lose no ti#e in sending a trusty #essenger to
Gassowah &t was always very difficult for us to write, but #ore so in the beginning, as we were
afraid even of 0a#uel, afterwards so useful in all that concerned our #essengers All the
country up to 7asta still recogniNed "heodore, and we were obliged to be very guarded in our
e.pressions, in case the letter should fall into the hands of so#e of his chiefs and be forwarded
to hi# Bn the 1>th, our pac!et was readyF but, strange to say, it was the only ti#e our letter
ca#e to grief *e could only trust servants that had been so#e ti#e with us,Kat least, so we
thought at the ti#e,Kand therefore selected an old servant of Ca#eron who had been
for#erly, on several occasions, e#ployed as #essenger He was a good #an, a firstHrate wal!er,
but very Luarrelso#eF and to spite his adversary was capable of anything "o acco#pany hi#
through the rebel country we obtained a servant fro# a political prisoner, $ejatch Garet6 they
were to travel together and return with an answer fro# Gr GunNinger 0oon after, leaving
Gagdala, the two began to Luarrel, and on reaching the rebels' outposts, a Luestion of
precedence between the# led to the discovery of our pac!etF both #essengers were seiNed,
tied with ropes for a few days, and when released, our #an was told to go bac!, and the letters
were burnt Afterwards we #ade better arrange#ents6 the #essengers carried in their belts
the letters which were of a dangerous natureF otherwise we sewed the# up in leather, in the
shape of the a#ulets and char#s worn by the natives, or had the# stitched between patches
on old trousers, or near the sea#s "hose writing fro# the coast used the sa#e precautionsF
and though we #ust have sent about forty #essengers with letters during our captivity,
without #entioning those e#ployed elsewhere, they all, with the one e.ception & have
#entioned, reached in safety
Ne.t ca#e the Luestion so vital to us, how to get #oney &t so happened that "heodore, about
that ti#e, gave a thousand dollars to each of his wor!#en Gany of the#, judging fro# the
political condition of the country that the -#peror's power would soon fall entirely, were
desirous of sending their #oney out of the country, and as we were only too an.ious to get
so#e, the #atter was easily arranged to our #utual satisfaction *e sent servants to $ebra
"aborF and as the road was still safe, and we had, by suitable presents, #ade friends of the
chiefs of the districts that lay in the way, the servants were not #olested or plundered "hey
carried the dollars either in bags, on #ules, laden at the sa#e ti#e 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 $irections were also given to Gr GunNinger to forward #oney to Gete##a, fro#
whence we could draw it by sending servants &t was only during the second year of our
captivity that we e.perienced any serious difficulty on that score "he -#peror's power beca#e
#ore and #ore li#itedF rebels and thieves infested the roadsF the route between Gete##a
and Gagdala was closedF the Gaffat people had none to spareF and at one ti#e it see#ed as if it
was perfectly i#possible for #essengers to reach us "hough for #onths we were rather hard
up, what by e#ploying servants of political prisoners, friends or relatives of the rebels, by using
the influence of the Bishop, or through the protection of *agshu# GobaNO, #oney again found
its way to Gagdala, and relieved us fro# our apprehensions "heodore !new indirectly that we
sent servants to the coast, but as it is the custo# to allow prisoners' servants to go to their
#asters' fa#ilies to beg for the#, he could not well forbid usF the #ore so as he never gave us
anything &f #essengers had fallen into his hands he would probably have plundered the
#oney, but not injured the# As for letters it was Luite a different affair6 if those we wrote had
by accident co#e into his possession, he would have #ade short wor! of the #essenger, and
#ost certainly of us also
&t #ight appear strange that the AbyssiniansKa race of thievesKshould have proved
the#selves so honest on these occasions, and not absconded with the couple of hundred
dollars entrusted to the#6 a fortune for a poor servant "hough it would be ungrateful to run
down these #en, who e.posed the#selves to great perils, often travelled the whole distance
fro# Gassowah to Gagdala at night, and who, & #ay say, saved us fro# starvationF still &
believe that they acted #ore on the old adage that honesty is the best policy, than fro# any
innate virtue +irst, they were handso#ely rewarded, well treated, and e.pected a further
reward Iwhich they very properly receivedJ should fortune once #ore s#ile upon usF 0econdly,
all the great rebel chiefs befriended us, and we should have had but to co##unicate with the#
directly, or, better still, through the BishopF for the# to have at once seiNed the delinLuent,
deprived hi# of his illHgotten wealth, and punished hi# severely "his they !new perfectly well
7oo!ing bac!, & cannot i#agine how & got through the long, dreary days of idleness, always the
sa#e, for twentyHone #onths Chains were nothing co#pared to the fearful want of
occupation 0uppose we had !ept a daily diary, the entries would have been generally as
follows6K%"oo! a bath Ia painful operation, as the chains, unsupported by the bandages, hurt
fearfullyJF s#all boy helps to pass #y trousers between the chains "oHday, being dry, we
crawled up and down our fifteen yards' wal! Brea!fastF felt happier that tas! over 0ic! ca#e
for #edicine As & a# doctor and apothecary, prescribed and #ade the #edicine #yself
0a#uel, or so#e trusty native friend who !nows that #y tej is ripe, ca#e for a glass or two Go
now and s#o!e a pipe with Ca#eron 7ay down and read GcCulloch's Co##ercial $ictionaryF
very interesting boo!, but sends #e to sleep Afternoon, lay down and got up againF tried once
#ore the Co##ercial $ictionary $inner I& wonder what age the coc! we ate had reachedJF
crawled about for, an hour between the hutsF lay down, too! Gadby's Appendi.F but as & !new
it by heart, even his curious descriptions have no #ore attraction 0#all boy lighted the fireF the
wood was green, the s#o!e fearful Had a ga#e of whist with /assa# and Prideau. & do not
suppose they would play with our dirty cards in a guardHroo# 7ost twenty points 0#all boy
too! off the trousers "he guards were cursing us because they had to sleep outside in the rain
Bravo, 0a#uel, you are a friend indeed5%
"his i#aginary page & #ight repeat ad infinitu# As a change, so#eti#es we wrote to our
friends, or received letters and so#e scraps of newspapersKdelightful daysF few and far
between Bn 0undays we had divine serviceF Gr 0tern, though sic! and weary, always did his
ut#ost to co#fort and encourage us 0uch was, as a rule, our daily life6 it is true we had our
e.citing ti#es, perhaps too #uch of it at the endF we had also, now and then, a few other
occupations, such as building a new hut, #a!ing a s#all garden, settling a Luarrel a#ongst the
servants6 details that will co#e in our narrative as we proceed & #entioned that the chiefs had
pro#ised to enlarge our fenceF they !ept to their word +our or five days after we had
undergone the chaining operation, they #ade us another visit, consulted, discussed for a long
ti#e, and at last agreed to #a!e a s#all brea! in the fence and inclose the three huts they had
pro#ised us 0a#uel, who had the distribution of the new pre#ises, gave the s#all house to
/assa#, too! one of the godjos for hi#self, and gave the third one to Prideau. and #yself
Eerans and Pietro were still to re#ain in the !itchen, so that our first house was left to Gessrs
Ca#eron, 0tern, and /osenthal
Bn the 8Ard Culy, 1>MM, Prideau. and #yself entered our new abode6 and, without
e.aggeration, if a dog were tied up in a si#ilar shed in -ngland & #ay say that the owner would
be prosecuted by the 0ociety for the Protection of Ani#als As it was, we were only too happy
to get it, and at once went to wor!Knot to #a!e it co#fortable, that was Luite out of the
Luestion, butKto try to !eep out the rain
CHAP"-/ R&&
$escription of GagdalaKCli#ate and *ater 0upplyK"he -#peror's HousesKHis Hare# and
GagaNinesK"he ChurchKPrisonHhouseKGuards and GaolK$isciplineKA previous ,isit of
"heodore to GagdalaK0laughter of the GallasKCharacter and Antecedents of 0a#uelKBur
friends Qenab the Astrono#er, and Geshisha the 7uteKplayerK$ay GuardsK*e build new
HutsKAbyssinian and Portuguese 0ervantsKBur &nclosure is enlarged
A#ba Gagdala, distant about A89 <+ootnote6 According to Gr C Gar!ha#@ #iles fro# Qulla,
and about 1>9 fro# Gondar, arises in the province of *orahai#anoo, on the border of the
*allo Galla country "he approach is difficult on account of the steep ascent and narrow
precipitous ravines that separate it fro# the rivers Bechelo and Ciddah and fro# the tableHland
of *allo &t stands al#ost isolatedKa#ongst gigantic surrounding #asses, and viewed fro# the
western side possesses the appearance of a crescent Bn the e.tre#e left of this curve appears
a s#all flat plateau called +ahla, connected by a strip of land with a pea! higher than the a#ba
itself, and called 0elassiO ItrinityJ, on account of the church erected upon it, and designated by
that na#e +ro# 0elassiO to A#ba Gagdala itself there is a large plain called &sla#gee, several
hundred feet lower than the two pea!s it separates At &sla#gee several s#all villages had been
erected by the peasants who cultivate the land for the -#peror, the chiefs, and soldiers of the
a#ba "he servants of the prisoners had also there a spot given to the# where they were
allowed to build huts for the#selves and cattle Bn 0aturday a wee!ly #ar!et, for#erly well
supplied, was held at the foot of 0elassiO Nu#erous wells were generally sun! during the dry
season close to the springs of &sla#gee, which wells afforded a s#all but constant supply of
water +ro# &sla#gee the road up to Gagdala is very steep and difficult "o the first gate it
follows, at ti#es very abruptly, the flan! of the #ountain "o the right, the sides of the a#ba
rise li!e a huge wallF below is a giddy abyss +ro# the first to the second gate the road is
e.ceedingly narrow and steep, turning to the right at a sharp angle with the first part of the
road 0#all earthwor!s had been erected on the flan!s near the gates, protecting every wea!
pointF "he su##it of the ridge was strongly fenced and loopholed "wo other gates led fro#
the a#ba to the foot of the #ountainF one had so#e ti#e before been closed, but the other,
called Eafir Ber, opened in the direction of the Galla country "he a#ba is well fortified by
nature, and "heodore, to increase its strength, added so#e rude fortifications
"he Gagdala plateau is oblong and so#ewhat irregular, about a #ile and a half in length, and
on the average about a #ile broad &t was one of the strongest fortresses in Abyssinia, and by
its position between the rich and fertile plateau of $ahonte, $alanta, and *orahai#anoo,
easily provisioned Gagdala is #ore than 2,999 feet above the level of the seaF and enjoys a
splendid cli#ate &n the evenings, al#ost all the year round, a fire is welco#e, and, though a
#onth or two before the rains the te#perature rises so#ewhat, in the huts we never found it
too hot to be unco#fortable "he high land that surrounds the a#ba in the distance is barren
and blea!, due to the great altitude, and #any of the pea!s in the Galla country are, for several
#onths in the year, covered with snow or froNen hail *ater, during and for so#e #onths after
the rainy season, is abundant, but fro# Garch to the first wee! in Culy it gets scarcer and
scarcer, until it is obtained only with difficulty &n order to re#edy this disadvantage, "heodore,
with his usual forethought, had several large tan!s constructed on the #ountain, and also sun!
wells in pro#ising places "he effort was pretty successfulF the wells gave only a s#all supply of
water, it is true, but it was a constant one all the year round "he water collected in the tan!s
was of very little use "hose reservoirs were not covered after the rains, and the water,
i#pregnated with all !inds of vegetable and ani#al #atter, soon beca#e Luite unfit to drin!
"he principal springs are at &sla#geeF there are a few on the a#ba itself, and nu#erous less
i#portant ones issue fro# the sides, not #any feet fro# the su##it, at the base of the ridge
itself
Gagdala was not only used by "heodore as a fortress, but also as a gaol, a #agaNine, a granary,
and as a place of protection for his wives and fa#ily "he Eing's house and the granary stood
al#ost in the centre of the a#baF in front towards the west a large space had been left open
and clearF behind stood the houses of the officers of his householdF to the left, huts of chiefs
and soldiersF to the right, on a s#all e#inence, the godowns and #agaNines, soldiers' Luarters,
the church, the prisonF and behind again another large open space loo!ing towards the Galla
plateau of "anta
"heodore's houses had nothing regal about the# "hey were built on the sa#e pattern as the
ordinary huts of the country, but only on a larger scale He hi#self, & believe, never, or at least
very rarely, lived in the#F he preferred his tent at &sla#gee, or on so#e neighbouring height, to
the larger and #ore co##odious abode on the a#ba "o his disli!e to houses in general, &
believe was added a particular objection to shutting hi#self up in the fort "he #ajority of
these houses were occupied by "heodore's wives and concubines, the eunuchs, and fe#ale
slaves "he granary and tej houses were in the sa#e inclosure, but separated fro# the ladies'
depart#ent by a strong fenceF the granary consisted of half a doNen huge huts, protected fro#
the rain by a double roof "hey contained barley, tef, beans, peas, and a little wheat All the
grain was !ept in leather bags piled up until they reached al#ost to the roof &t is said that, at
the ti#e of the capture of Gagdala by our troops, there was grain in sufficient Luantity stored
in these granaries to last the garrison and other inhabitants of the a#ba for at least si. #onths
"he dwellings of the chiefs and soldiers were built on the #odel of the A#hara
housesKcircular, with a pointed thatched roof "he huts of the co##on soldiers were built
without order, in so#e places in such close pro.i#ity that if, as it happened on one or two
occasions, a fire bro!e out, in a few seconds twenty or thirty houses were at once burnt to the
ground6 nothing could possibly stop the conflagration but rapidly pulling down to leeward the
huts not as yet on fire "he principal chiefs had several houses for the#selves, all in one
inclosure, surrounded and separated fro# the soldiers' huts by a high and strong fence 0ince
about a year before his death "heodore had been gradually accu#ulating at Gagdala the few
re#nants of his for#er wealth 0o#e sheds contained #us!ets, pistols, TcF others boo!s and
paperF others carpets, sha#as, sil!s, so#e powder, lead, shot, capsF and the best the little
#oney he still possessed, the gold he had seiNed at Gondar, and the property of his wor!#en
sent over to Gagdala for safe custody All the storeHhuts were during the rainy season covered
with blac! woollen cloth, called #Y!, woven in the country Bnce or twice a wee! the chiefs
would #eet in consultation in a s#all house erected for that purpose in the #agaNine inclosure
to discuss public affairs, but, above all, to assure the#selves by personal inspection that the
%treasures% entrusted to their care were in perfect order and in safe !eeping
"he Gagdala church, consecrated to the 0aviour of the *orld IGedani Alu#J, was not in any
respect worthy of such an i#portant place &t was of recent date, s#all, unadorned with the
custo#ary representations of saints, of the life of the Apostles, of the "rinity, of God the +ather,
and the devil No 0t George was seen on his white charger, piercing the dragon with his
A#hara lanceF no #artyr s#iled benignly at his fiendHli!e tor#entors "he #ud walls had not
even been whitewashedF and every pious soul longed for the acco#plish#ent of "heodore's
pro#iseKthe building of a church worthy of his great na#e "he inclosure was as bare as the
holy place itselfF no graceful juniper, tall syca#ore, or dar! green guicho sole#niNed its
precincts, or offered cool shade where the hundred priests, defteras, and deacons who daily
perfor#ed service, could repose after the fatiguing cere#onyKthe howling and the dancing to
$avid's psal#s Bn the sa#e line, but below the hilloc! on which stood the church, the Abouna
possessed a few houses and a gardenF but, alas for hi#, his piedHYHterre had for several years
beco#e his prison
"he prisonHhouse, a co##on gaol for the political offenders, thieves, and #urderers, consisted
of five or si. huts inclosed by a strong fence, and surrounded by the private dwellings of the
#ore wealthy prisoners and guards, e.tending fro# the eastern slope of the hilloc! to the edge
of the precipice and to the open space towards the south At the ti#e of our captivity these
houses cannot have contained less than MM9 prisoners Bf these, about >9 died of re#ittent
fever, 13; were released by his Gajesty, A93 e.ecuted, and 21 owed their liberty to the
stor#ers of Gagdala "he prison rules were in so#e respects very severe, in others #ild and
foreign to our civiliNed ideas At sunset every prisoner was ordered into the central inclosure As
they passed the gate they were counted and their fetters e.a#ined "he wo#en had a hut for
the#selvesF only a late arrange#ent, however, as before they had to sleep in the sa#e houses
as the #en "he space was very li#ited and the prisoners were pac!ed in li!e herrings in a
barrel Abyssinians the#selves, hardHhearted as they are, described the scene at night as
so#ething fearful "he huts, crowded to e.cess, were close, the at#osphere fetid, the stench
unbearable "here lay, side by side, the poor, starved vagabond, chained hands and feet, and
often with a large for!ed piece of wood several yards long fi.ed round his nec!, and the warrior
who had bled in #any a hardHwon fight, the governor of provincesKnay, the sons of !ings and
conLuered rulers the#selves &n the centre the guards, !eeping candles lighted all night,
laughed or played so#e noisy ga#e, indifferent to the sufferings of the unfortunates they
watched At dayHdawn, always about M AG in that latitude, the prisonHdoor was opened, and
those who were luc!y enough to possess any, repaired to the huts they had erected in the
vicinity of the sleepingHhouses, while the poorer crawled about the prison inclosure, awaiting
their panca!e loaf with all the i#patience of hungry #en, just !ept fro# i##ediate starvation
by the bounty of the -#peror Bthers strolled about in couples, begging fro# their #ore
favoured co#panions, or, when leave was granted, went fro# house to house i#ploring al#s in
the na#e of the %0aviour of the *orld%
"he prison guards were the greatest ruffians & have ever seen "hey had been for so #any years
in contact with #isery in its worst shape that the last spar! of hu#an feeling had died out in
their callous hearts &nstead of showing co#passion or pity for their prisoners, #any of the#
innocent victi#s of a low treachery, they added to their #isery by the harshness and cruelty of
their conduct Had a chief received at last a s#all su# of #oney fro# his distant province, he
was soon #ade aware that he #ust satisfy the greed of his rapacious gaolers But that was
nothing co#pared to the #oral tortures they inflicted on their prisoners Gany of the# had
been for years confined on the a#ba, and had brought their fa#ilies to reside near the# *oe
to the wo#an who would not listen to the solicitations of these infa#ous wretchesF threatened
and even beaten, few indeed of the sorrowful wives and daughters held outF others willingly
#et advancesF and when the chief, the #an of ran!, or the wealthy #erchant, left his day
house, he !new that his wife would i##ediately receive her chosen lover, or, what was still
#ore heartrending, a #an she despised but feared
0uch was the daily life of those whose fault was to have given ear to the fair words of
"heodore, an error that weighed heavier upon the# than a cri#e But when the -#peror, on
his way, stopped a few days at Gagdala, what an.iety, what anguish, reigned in that accursed
place5 No day house, no hours spent with the fa#ily or the friend, no food hardlyF the prisoners
#ust re#ain in the night houses, as the -#peror at any #o#ent #ight send for so#e one of
the# to set hi# at liberty, or, #ore li!ely, to put an end to his #iserable e.istence 7et us ta!e,
for e.a#ple, his visit to Gagdala in the first days of Culy, 1>M;, on his return fro# his
unsuccessful ca#paign in 0hoa No doubt longHcontinued #isfortunes crush the better Lualities
of #en, and induce the# to perfor# acts at the #ere thought of which in better days they
would have blushed 0uch was the case with Beru Goscho, for#erly the independent ruler of
Godja# 0ince years he had lingered in chains &n the hope of i#proving his position, he had the
baseness to report to his Gajesty that when a ru#our was started that he had been !illed in
0hoa, a great #any of the prisoners had rejoiced "heodore, on receiving this #essage, gave
orders for all the political prisoners who were only chained by the leg to have hand chains put
onKe.e#pting only fro# this order his infor#er Beru Goscho However, so#e days later, this
chief having sent a servant to "heodore to as! as a reward to be allowed to have his wife near
hi#, the -#peror, who did not approve of treachery in others, pretended to be annoyed at his
reLuest, and gave orders that he should also be put in hand chains But this was trifling
co#pared with the #assacre of the Gallas, which happened during that sa#e visit of "heodore
After subduing the Galla country he reLuired hostages Accordingly, the Pueen *or!ite sent
hi# her son, the heir to the throneF and #any chiefs, believing in the high character of
"heodore, willingly acco#panied hi# "he Galla prince had at first been !indly treatedF even
#ade governor of the #ountainF but soon, on so#e prete.t or other, he was disgraced6 first
#ade a prisoner at large, and then sent to the co##on gaol, to endure chains and #isery for
years
Genile!, the grandson of 0ehala 0elassiO, had been since his youth brought up near the
-#perorF he was entrusted with an independent co##and, and in order to strengthen his
adherence to his cause, "heodore gave hi# his daughter in #arriage Dnder these
circu#stances, & can easily fancy the rage and passion of "heodore when, one #orning, he was
infor#ed that Genile! had deserted with his followers, and was already on his way to clai# the
do#inions of his fathers "he -#peror with a telescope saw on the distant *allo plain Genile!
received, with honour by the Galla Pueen *or!ite Blind, with rage, he had no thought but
revenge He dared not venture to pursue Genile! and encounter the two alliesF at hand he had
easy victi#sKthe Galla prince and his chiefs "heodore #ounted his horse, called his bodyH
guard, and sent for those #en, who had already lingered long in captivity through trusting to
his word, and then followed a scene so horrible that & dare not write the details All were !illed
so#eKthirtyHtwo, & believeKand their still breathing bodies hurled over the precipice &t is
probable that shortly afterwards "heodore regretted having allowed hi#self to be guided by
passion *ith Genile! he had lost 0hoaF by the #urder of the Galla prince he had #ade those
tribes his deadly foes He sent word to the Bishop, %*hy, if & was acting wrongly, did you not
co#e out with the '+itta Negust' IAbyssinian code of lawJ in your hands, and tell #e & was
wrongU% "he Bishop's reply was si#ple and to the point6K%Because & saw blood written in your
face% However, "heodore soon consoled hi#self "he rains were late, and water scarce on the
a#ba6 the ne.t day it rained "heodore, full of s#iles, addressed his soldiers, saying, %0ee the
rainF God is pleased with #e because & have !illed the infidels%
0uch is Gagdala, the sunHburnt barren roc!, the arid lonely spot where we had to undergo
nearly two years of captivity in chains
*e furnished our house without #uch e.penseF two tanned cows' hides were all we reLuired
"hese, together with a few old carpets "heodore had presented us with at QagO, was about the
e.tent of our worldly goods & had a s#all folding table and a ca#pHstool Iso#e of our !it had
arrived a few days beforeJF but our hovel was too s#all to ad#it the# and us "he rainy season
had fairly set in, and the bro!en roof of our godjo was rapidly giving way under the weight of
the wet grassF we propped it up as best we could by #eans of a long stic!, still it loo!ed very
sha!y, and lea!ed worse and worse "he ground, always da#p now, had Luite the appearance
of an &rish bogF and if the straw that was placed underneath the s!ins to #a!e our bed a little
softer was not re#oved every other day, the stea# rose even through the old carpets that
adorned our abode At last & could stand it no longer6 & was afraid of falling ill &t was bad enough
to be in chains and in a hovel, but sic!ness into the bargain would have driven #e to despair &
sent #y Abyssinian servants to cut so#e wood, and #ade a s#all raised platfor#F it was rather
irregular and hard, but & preferred it to sleeping for so long on the wet ground
*ell do & still re#e#ber that long, dreary, rainy season, and with what i#patience we loo!ed
for the +east of the Cross, about the 8;th of 0epte#berF as the natives told us that the rains
always ceased about that ti#e5 & had brought with #e fro# Gaffat an A#haric gra##ar %+aute
de #ieu.,% & struggled hard to study it, but the #ind was not fitted for such wor!F and, boo! in
hand, & was in spirit, thousands of #iles away, thin!ing of ho#e, drea#ing awa!e of beloved
friends, of freedo# and liberty "owards the end of August, shortly after the return of our illH
fated #essenger, we wrote again and sent another #an6 by this ti#e we had abundant proof
that 0a#uel,Kfor#erly our introducer, now our gaoler,Kwas co#pletely in our interestsF and
by his good arrange#ents the #essenger started without any one !nowing of it, and #anaged
to reach Gassowah with his letter
& have spo!en often of 0a#uel, and shall again and again have to #ention his na#e in #y
narrative He was, fro# the beginning, #i.ed up with the affairs of the -uropeans, and & believe
at one ti#e he was rather unfriendly towards the#F but since our arrival and during our
captivity, he behaved e.ceedingly well He was a shrewd, cunning #an, and one of the first who
perceived that "heodore was losing ground Butwardly he swore by his na#e, and !ept his
confidenceF but all the while he was serving us, and helping us in our co##unications with the
coast, the rebels, Tc &n his youth his left leg had been bro!en and badly setF and though
"heodore li!ed hi#, he did not give hi# a #ilitary co##and, but always e#ployed hi# in a civil
capacity He did not li!e to spea! of the accident that occasioned his defor#ity, and would, if
as!ed, always give an evasive answer Pietro, the &talian, was a great gossip, and his stories
could not always be relied upon His account of the bro!en leg was that when 0a#uel went to
0hoa, so#e -nglish#an there gave hi# a !ic! which sent hi# rolling down so#e s#all ravine,
and in the fall the leg was bro!en &t was on account of that blow fro# an -nglish#an, Pietro
said, that 0a#uel hated the# all so #uch, and was so bitter against the# at first &t #ay be soF
but & believe that he had not been understood
0a#uel fancied that he was a very great #an in his own country His father had been a s#all
shei!F and "heodore, after 0a#uel's native country had rebelled, #ade hi# governor of it *ith
all the appearance of great hu#ility, 0a#uel was proudF and by treating hi# as if he was in
reality a great #an, he was as easily #anaged as a child He had suffered fro# a severe attac!
of dysentery during our stay at Eourata & attended hi# carefully, and he always felt grateful for
#y attentions towards hi# *hen we separated and lived in different houses, he did not allow
the guards to sleep inside our hut &t is true it would have been difficultF but Abyssinian soldiers
are not particular6 they sleep anywhere,Kon their prisoner's bed, if there is no other place,
#a!ing use of hi# as a pillow Bf course Gr /assa# had noneF but he was the great #an, the
dispenser of favours 0tern, Ca#eron, and /osenthal, being neither rich nor favourites, had the
advantage of the presence of two or three of those ruffians as their co#panions every nightF
nor were those in the !itchen better off, as so#e soldiers were always sent in at night not to
watch Eerans and Pietro, but the Eing's property Iour own !itJ
0a#uel soon #ade friends with so#e of the chiefs After a while, two of the# were constantly
in our inclosure, and, under the prete.t of co#ing to see 0a#uel, would spend hours with us
Eerans, a good A#haric scholar, was the interpreter on those occasions6 one of the#, $eftera
Qenab, the Eing's chief scribe, Inow tutor to Ala#ayou,J is an intelligentF honest #anF but he
was Luite #ad on astrono#y, and would listen for hours to anything concerning the solar
syste# Dnfortunately, either the e.planations were faulty or his co#prehension dull as each
ti#e he ca#e he wanted the whole dissertation over again until at last our patience was fairly
e.hausted, and we gave hi# up as a bad job His other inti#ate was a goodHnatured young #an
called Afa Negus Geshisha, son of a for#er governor of the A#baF "heodore, on the death of
the father, had given Geshisha the title, but nothing #ore His forte was playing the lute, or a
rude instru#ent so#ething li!e it 0a#uel could listen to hi# for hoursF but two #inutes was
Luite enough to #a!e us run off He was, however, useful in his way, as he gave us good
infor#ation about what was going on in "heodore's ca#p,Kintelligence which his position as
an occasional #e#ber of the council enabled hi# to obtain
0uch, apart fro# ourselves, was our only society &t is true that the /as and the great #en
would occasionally call on Gr /assa#, #uch #ore freLuently since he give the# arrac! and
toj, instead of the coffee he used to offer the# at firstF but, unless one of the# wanted so#e
#edicine, it was very rare that they honoured us with a visitF they thought that they had done
Luite enoughKindeed bestowed a great favour, for which we ought to be gratefulKif, as they
passed near our hut, they shouted %Gay God open thee5%
But our ene#y was one of the day guards, na#ed Abu +ale!, an old rascal who delighted in
#a!ing #ischiefF he was hated by every one on the #ountain, and on that account outwardly
respected "he 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 har#, but
could reach no higher than our servants6 our dollars were too #uch for hi#
-verything has an end *ith Gas!al Ithe +east of the CrossJ ca#e sunshine and pleasant cool
weather *e had already been two #onths and a half in chains, and we e.pected that soon
so#e co#forting news would reach us, telling us %Be of good cheerF we are co#ing%
0ince our arrival at Gagdala we had not received a single letter6 and #ore than si. #onths had
elapsed without news fro# our friends, or any intelligence whatsoever fro# -urope
&##ediately after the rains, Gr /assa# had his house repaired and i#proved, and a new hut
built, as Grs /osenthal was e.pected to join our partyF 0a#uel obtained a piece of ground
adjoining our inclosure, which was afterwards included in it, and on which he built a hut for
hi#self and fa#ily 0a#uel had several ti#es spo!en to #e about pulling down our wretched
godjo, and building a larger hut insteadF but & thought it was hardly worth the while, as before
#any #onths so#e change or the other would ta!e place6 another reason was, that part of the
old fence stood in front of #y godjo, and & should hardly have gained #ore than a foot of
ground 0a#uel pro#ised to do his best to have the fence re#oved if & would buildF & agreed to
do so, and he endeavoured to fulfil his part of the contract, but failed However, a few wee!s
later, one of the chiefs, who# & had attended al#ost since our arrival, in his first burst of
gratitude at being cured, too! upon hi#self to brea! down the fence, and pro#ised to send #e
his #en to help #e
All the #aterialsKwood, ba#boos, cowHhides, strawKcould be purchased below the
#ountain, and in a few days all was ready & sent word to #y patient, who ca#e at once, with
about fifty soldiers, who, by his orders, bro!e down the fence, and pulled down #y godjo "he
ground was afterwards levelled, the circu#ference of the hut traced with a stic!, fi.ed to the
centre by a piece of string, and a trench a foot and a half deep dug "wo strong stic!s 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 the# in the ditch, filling up the vacant space with the
earth that had been ta!en outF they had only to tie, with strips of cowHhide, fle.ible branches
transversely in order to !eep the vertical ones together, and the first part of the structure was
co#plete A few days afterwards they returned, #ade the fra#ewor! of the roof, and lifted it
up on the wallsF it then only reLuired the thatcher to render our new abode inhabitable "he
servants brought water and #ade #ud, with which the walls were coated inside, and a wee!
fro# the day the godjo had been pulled down, Prideau. and #yself were able to give our
houseHwar#ing "he soldiers were delighted with their job, and always ca#e in large nu#bers
when we reLuired their assistance, as we treated the# very liberally6 for instance, the #aterials
for our new hut cost eight dollars, but we spent fourteen dollars in feasting those who had
assisted us *e had now seven feet of ground each, the table could be placed in the centre, and
the folding chair offered to a visitor Gr /assa# had tried, with success, to whitewash the
interior of his hut with a !ind of soft white yellowish sandstone, that could be obtained in the
vicinity of the A#baF we, therefore, also put our servants to wor!, but first had the #ud walls
several ti#es bes#eared with cowHdung, in order to #a!e the whitewash adhere *e enjoyed
very #uch the neat clean appearance of our hut Dnfortunately, being situate between two
high fences and surrounded by other huts, it was rather dar! "o obviate this defect, we cut out
of the walls so#e of the fra#ewor!, and #ade four windowsF this was certainly a great
i#prove#ent, but at night we felt the cold bitterly 7uc!ily, our friend Qenab gave us so#e
parch#entF out of an old bo. we #ade so#e rude fra#es, and the parch#ent, previously well
soa!ed in oil served instead of glass
*e were obliged to !eep a large staff of servants, as we had to prepare everything for
ourselves 0o#e wo#en were engaged to grind flour for us and the Abyssinian servantsF others
to bring water or wood GenHservants went to the #ar!et or to the neighbouring districts to
purchase grain, sheep, honey, TcF #any were e#ployed as #essengers to the coast or to
Gaffat & had with #e two Portuguese, who were the tor#ent of #y life, as they were always
Luarrelling, often drun!, i#pertinent, and unwilling to wor! "he Portuguese lived in the
!itchen, but as they were always fighting with the other servants, and we were perfectly
helpless, and could not possibly enforce our co##ands, & had a s#all hut erected for the# "he
inclosure had been enlarged again by the chief, and Ca#eron had built a logHhouse for hi#self,
and Gr /osenthal had had one #ade for his servantsF #ine for the Portuguese was built on the
sa#e spot, and before the rainy season & had another one #ade for the Abyssinians, as they
gru#bled and threatened to leave, if they had to spend the rains in a tent
All these arrange#ents too! us so#e ti#eF we had been glad to have so#ething to do, as the
days passed #uch Luic!er, and ti#e did not weigh so heavily upon us Bur Christ#as was not
very #erry, nor did we on New 'ear's $ay wish one another #any returns of a si#ilar oneF but
we were on the whole #ore accusto#ed to our captivity, and certainly in #any respects #ore
co#fortable
CHAP"-/ R&&&
"heodore writes to Gr /assa# about Gr +lad and the ArtisansKHis two 7etters
contrastedKGeneral Gerewether arrives at GassowahK$anger of sending 7etters to the
CoastK/as -ngeddah brings us a few 0tores KBur GardenK0uccessful /esults of ,accination
at GagdalaKBur $ay Guard againK0econd /ainy 0easonK"he Chiefs are CealousK"he /as
and his CouncilK$a#ash, Hailo, TcK$aily 7ife during /ainy 0easonK"wo Prisoners atte#pt to
-scapeK"he Enout in AbyssiniaKA $ying Gan's Prophecy
About this ti#e a servant of Gr /assa#, who# he had sent to his Gajesty so#e #onths
previously, returned on the 8>th of $ece#ber with a letter fro# "heodore, in which was
inclosed one fro# our Pueen "heodore infor#ed Gr /assa# that Gr +lad had arrived at
Gassowah, and had sent hi# the letter which he had forwarded us for perusalF he told Gr
/assa# to await his arrival, as he would be co#ing before long, and they would consult
together about an answer *e were greatly rejoiced at the tenor of the Pueen's letter6 it was
plain that at last a higher tone had been adopted, that the character of "heodore was better
!nown, and all his futile plans would be frustrated by the attitude our Govern#ent had ta!en
Bn the 3th of Canuary, 1>M3, /as -ngeddah arrived on the A#ba, having acco#panied thither a
batch of prisoners He sent us his co#pli#ents and a letter fro# "heodore "heodore's letter
was rather a boastful and i#perious one6 he, first gave a su##ary of +lad's letter to hi#self, in
which he had been infor#ed by that gentle#an that everything he had reLuired had been
consented to, but that in the #eanwhile he had changed his behaviour towards us "heodore
also gave us his intended reply6 he said -thiopia and -ngland had for#erly been on a footing of
friendshipF and for that reason he had loved the -nglish e.ceedingly But since then Ito use his
own wordsJ, %having heard that they have calu#niated and hated #e with the "ur!s, & said to
#yself, Can this be trueU and & felt so#e #isgiving in #y heart% He evidently wanted to ignore
the ill treat#ent he had inflicted upon us, as he said6 %Gr /assa# and his party you sent to #e
& have placed in #y house in #y capital at Gagdala, and & will treat the# well until & obtain a
to!en of friendship% He concluded his letter by ordering Gr /assa# to write to the proper
authorities, so that the things should be sent a to hi#F he desired Gr /assa#'s letter to be
forwarded to hi#, and Luic!ly, so that Gr +lad #ight co#e without delay
"his letter #ust probably have been a postHprandial oneF it was not the line of conduct he
wanted to adopt6 he !new too well that his only chance was to natter, appear hu#ble, #ee!
and ignorantF he #ight, he !new, enlist -ngland's sy#pathy by appearing in that light, and that
an overbearing tone would not suit his purpose, nor secure hi# the object he longed for -arly
the following day a #essenger arrived fro# the &#perial ca#p with a letter fro# General
Gerewether, and another fro# "heodore How different this letter fro# the one brought by
/as -ngeddah5 &t was insinuating, courteousF he orders no #ore, he hu#bly reLuestsF he
#ee!ly entreats and begs6 he begins by saying6K%Now in order to prove the good relationship
between #e and yourself, let it be shown by your writing, and by getting the s!ilful artisans and
Gr +lad to co#e viV Gete##aF "his will be the sign of our friendship% He Luotes the story of
0olo#on and Hira# on the occasion of the building of the te#pleF then adds, %And now when &
used to fall girded at the feet of the great Pueen, her nobles, peopleF hosts, etc, could it be
possible to be #ore hu#bleU% He then describes his reception of Gr /assa#, and the way he
treated hi#F how he released the for#er captives the very day of his arrival, in order to co#ply
with the reLuest of the PueenF he e.plains the cause of our i#prison#ent by reproaching Gr
/assa# with having ta!en away the prisoners without first bringing the# to hi#F and concludes
by saying, %As 0olo#on fell at the feet of Hira#, so &, beneath God, fall at the feet of the Pueen,
and her Govern#ent, and her friends & wish you to get the# Ithe artisansJ viV Gete##a, in
order that they #ay teach #e wisdo#, and show #e clever arts *hen this is done & will #a!e
you glad and send you away, by the power of God%
Gr /assa# replied to his Gajesty at once, infor#ing hi# that he had co#plied with his
reLuest "he #essenger, on his arrival at the -#peror's ca#p, was well received, presented
with a #ule, and Luic!ly despatched on his errand +or several #onths we heard nothing #ore
upon the subject
General Gerewether, in his letter to "heodore, infor#ed hi# that he had arrived at Gassowah
with the wor!#en and presents, and that on the captives being #ade over to hi# he would
allow the wor!#en to proceed to his Gajesty's ca#p *e were Luite overjoyed when we heard
that General Gerewether was entrusted with the negotiation6 we !new his ability, and had full
confidence in his tact and discretion &ndeed, he deserves our sincere gratitudeF for he was the
captives' friend6 fro# the #o#ent he landed at Gassowah to the day of our release, he spared
hi#self neither trouble nor pains to effect our deliverance
Gessengers now were despatched #ore regularlyF by the# we wrote long accounts of
"heodore's proceedings, and urged that force should be e#ployed to obtain our release *e
!new the great ris! we ran, but we preferred death to a continuance of such a #iserable
e.istence *e infor#ed our friends that we had Luite #ade up our #inds, and that our safety
was not to weigh for one instant in the balance &t was a chance6 the only one left to us, and we
i#plored that we #ight have the advantage of it *e gave all the infor#ation in our power as
to the resources of the country, the #ove#ents of his Gajesty, the strength of his ar#y, the
course he would probably follow should troops land, how to deal with hi#, and the #eans to
adopt in order to insure success *e !new that should any of such letters fall into "heodore's
hands, we had no #ercy, no pity to e.pectF but we considered it our duty to sub#it our
opinion, and to the best of our ability assist those who were labouring for our release
At this ti#e we freLuently received news fro# our friends, as well as newspapers, or a few
articles cut out of the#, and inclosed in an envelope *ar was still but little tal!ed ofF the press,
with but few e.ceptions, see#ed to loo! upon it as a rash underta!ing that would only lead to
failure Correspondents, to our despair and disgust, e.patiated on guineaHwor#s, poisonous
flies, absence of water, and such li!e rubbish +or another two #onths and a half we led the
sa#e #onotonous life Gy #edicines were getting low, and as the nu#ber of #y patients was
great, & was very an.ious to receive so#e #ore
Bn the 12th of Garch /as -ngeddah arrived on the A#ba with a few thousand soldiers He had
brought with hi# so#e #oney, powder, and various stores which "heodore thought would be
safer at Gagdala At the sa#e ti#e he sent us so#e stores, #edicines, Tc, which Captain
Goodfellow had forwarded to Gete##a soon after Gr +lad's arrival & will give credit to
"heodore for having behaved well on that occasion As soon as we were infor#ed that the
stores had arrived at Gete##a, Gr /assa# wrote to the -#peror, as!ing his per#ission to
send servants and #ules, in order to have the# conveyed to Gagdala "heodore said that he
would have the# carried hi#self, and #oreover !ept his word He sent one of his officers to
*ochnee, with instructions to the various chiefs of districts to have our things carried to $ebra
"abor & had long ago given everything up, and was agreeably surprised when those few
co#forts reached us +or so#e days, we treated ourselves to green peas, potted #eats, cigars,
Tc, and felt in better spiritsF not so #uch on account of the stores the#selves, as for the
attention our dangerous host had shown us
& re#e#ber that during the following #onths we felt #ore than at any ti#e the burden of such
an e.istence *e had e.pected great things, and nothing was effected6 we could not have
believed, on our first arrival at Gagdala, that another rainy season was in reserve for usF we
never would have credited the assertion that long before that date all would not have been
over, so#e way or the other *hat we disli!ed above all things was the uncertainty in which we
were now placed6 we tre#bled at the idea of the cruelties and tortures "heodore inflicted upon
his victi#sF and each ti#e a royal #essenger arrived, we could be seen going fro# one hut to
the other, e.changing an.ious loo!s, and repeatedly as!ing our fellowHsufferers, %&n there any
newsU &s there anything concerning usU%
General Gerewether, with !ind forethought, had sent us so#e seeds, and we obtained #ore
fro# Gaffat /assa#'s inclosure had been considerably enlarged by the chiefs, and he was able
to arrange a nice garden He had before sown so#e to#ato seedsF these plants sprang up
wonderfully well, and Gr /assa#, with great taste, #ade with ba#boos a very pretty trellisH
wor!, soon entirely covered by this novel creeper Between our hut, the fence, and the hut
opposite ours, we had a s#all piece of ground, about eight feet broad on the average, and
about ten feet long Prideau. and #yself laboured hard, delighted at the idea of having
so#ething to doF with slitHup ba#boos we #ade a s#all trellisHwor!, dividing our garden into
sLuares, triangles, Tc, and on the 8Wth of Gay, in honour of our Pueen's birthday, we sowed
the seed 0o#e things ca#e out very Luic!lyF peas, in si. wee!s, were seven or eight feet high,
#ustard, cress, radishes, and salads prospered But our central flowerHbed re#ained for a long
ti#e barrenF and when at last a few plants ca#e out, they belonged to so#e biennial species,
as they only flowered in the following spring A few peas, just to taste Iour garden was too
s#all to enable us to get fro# it #ore than a scanty dish or twoJ, raw lettuces Iwe had no oil,
and only inferior vinegar #ade out of tejJ, with now and then a radish, were lu.uries we
i##ensely enjoyed after our long #eat diet *hen a second parcel of seeds reached us, we
transfor#ed into %gardens% every available spot, and had the pleasure of eating a few turnips,
#ore lettuces, and a cabbage or two 0oon after the rainy season everything withered awayF
the sun burnt up our treasures, and left us again to our #utton and fowls
A #onth or so before the rainy season of 1>M3, fever of a #alignant type bro!e out in the
co##on gaol "he place was dirty enough before, and the horrors of that abode were
indescribable even when sic!ness did not prevailF but when about 1;9 #en of all ran!s lay
prostrate on the ground, conta#inating still #ore the already i#pure at#osphere, the scene
was horrible in the e.tre#e, giving a better idea of the place of tor#ents than even $ante's
vivid description "he epide#ic lasted until the first rains set in About eighty diedF and #any
#ore would have succu#bed, had not, fortunately, so#e of the guards contracted the disease
As long as it was only the prisoners, they turned a deaf ear to all #y suggestionsF now they had
beco#e willing listeners, and Luic!ly adopted the advice they had spurned but a short ti#e
before "o all who clai#ed #y services & willingly sent #edicineF and, when so#e of the guards
also ca#e to #e for treat#ent, & gave the# so#e also6 but on condition that they would treat
with #ore !indness the unfortunate #en in their charge
General Gerewether, always thoughtful and !ind, aware that #uch of our co#fort depended
on our being on friendly ter#s with the garrison, sent #e so#e vaccine ly#ph in s#all tubes &
e.plained to so#e of the #ore intelligent natives the wonderful properties of that prophylactic,
and induced the# to bring #e their children to be inoculated A#ongst se#iHciviliNed races it is
often difficult to introduce the blessings of vaccinationF but on this occasion they were
universally and gratefully accepted +or about si. wee!s an i##ense crowd collected outside
the gates on vaccinating daysF so #uch so that it was with so#e difficulty that they were !ept
bac!, so an.ious were they to avail the#selves of the fa#ous #edicine that protected fro# the
dreaded %!oufing% Is#allHpo.J &t so happened that, a#ongst the children & operated upon, was
the child of old Abu +ale! Ior rather his wife'sJ, the day guard & have already #entioned He was
naturally illHnatured and disobliging, and to save hi#self the trouble of bringing his child to have
others inoculated fro# it, and at the sa#e ti#e so as not to be accused of selfishness, he
spread the ru#our that the children fro# who# the ly#ph was ta!en would shortly afterwards
die "his was the deathHblow to #y endeavours to introduce vaccine a#ongst the nativesF
nu#bers still collected to be vaccinated, but none ca#e to give the ly#ph, and as & had no
#ore tubes, & was obliged to discontinue an e.peri#ent which had so wonderfully succeeded
"he rainy season of 1>M3 set in about the end of the first wee! in Culy *e had better shelter,
and had ti#e to #a!e arrange#ents for provision for our followers and ourselves before the
rains fairly co##enced, and in that respect were better off than the year beforeF but, for other
reasons, such as the political condition of the country, the daily increasing difficulty of
co##unicating with the coast, it was perhaps, on the whole, #ore trying and disagreeable
"he chiefs of the #ountain had not been long in finding out that the -nglish captives had
#oney "hey all had freLuently been presented with douceurs, in the shape of dollars for
the#selves, sha#as or orna#ents for their wivesF also tej and arrac!, which was brewed by
0a#uel under Gr /assa#'s direction, of which they partoo! freLuently and freely "hey tried
to cut one another outF each one in his private visits pretending to be %the best friendF% but
they could not openly leave the councilHroo#, and start off for a glass, without being
acco#panied by the whole batch, so they forbade every one but the#selves fro# visiting us
Poor Qenab for #onths too! no #ore lessons in astrono#y, and Geshisha played the lute to his
wives and followers "hey even went so far as to forbid the petty chiefs and soldiers co#ing to
#e for #edicine But this was too #uchF though a despotis#, the constitution of the country
only ac!nowledged one #aster "he soldiers therefore sent their petty chiefs in a body to the
/as and #e#bers of the councilF they tal!ed even of representing the #atter to "heodoreF and,
as the chiefs were far fro# being i##aculate, and dreaded nothing so #uch as reports to their
#aster, they were obliged to give in, and cancel the order
"heodore had, after his capture of Gagdala, appointed a chief as governor of the A#ba, giving
hi# a !ind of unli#ited power over the garrisonF but so#e years later he adjoined to hi# a few
chiefs as his councillors, still allowing the Head of the #ountain to retain a great deal of his
for#er power Always suspicious, but less able to satisfy his soldiers than before, he too! every
precaution to avoid treachery, and to #a!e certain that, when engaged on distant e.peditions,
he #ight depend on his fortress of Gagdala *ith that object he ordered a council to asse#ble
on all i#portant occasions, and to consult on all #atters concerning the internal econo#y of
the #ountain -very head of depart#ent, and every chief of a corps, had a voiceF the officers in
co##and of the troops were to send separate and private #essengersF the /as was still
considered as the Head of the #ountain, but his authority was li#ited, and his responsibility
great, should he thin! proper to overrule his co#panions Dnder these circu#stances, it is not
astonishing that, as a rule, he would follow the advice of those chiefs who# he !new to be the
greatest worshippers of his #aster, his #ost faithful spies and beloved taleHbearers
"he Head of the #ountain on our arrival, /as Eidana Garia#, was, on account of his fa#ily
connections and his position in the country, considered %dangerous% by "heodore, and, as &
have already #entioned, was on a false charge ta!en to the ca#p 0hortly before depriving /as
Eidana Garia# of his co##and he had pro#oted hi# fro# a $edjaN#atch to the ran! of /as
-very u#bel IcolonelJ was pro#oted by the sa#e order to be a Bitwaddad Iso#ething li!e a
BrigadierHGeneralJ, or a $edjaN#atch, a title only applied in for#er days to governors of one
large or of several s#all provincesF bachas IcaptainsJ were #ade colonels, and so on
throughout the whole garrisonF which after this consisted only of officers and nonH
co##issioned officers, the lowest in ran! being at least a sergeant "heodore wrote to the# at
the ti#e to infor# the# that they would draw the pay and rations according to their ran!, and
when, as he e.pected before long, he should see the#, he would treat the# so generously that
even the %unborn babe would rejoice in his #other's wo#b% "heodore, on three or four
occasions, out of his few re#aining dollars, gave the# a s#all advance of pay About forty
dollars was the a#ount a general touched during the ti#e we were thereF a sergeant, during
the sa#e period, about eight, & believe *ith that they were supposed to feed and clothe
the#selves, fa#ilies, and followersF for no rations were distributed at the sa#e ti#e as the
#oney At first they were all daNNled by their new ran!sKthe only thing "heodore could
distribute with a liberal handF but they soon found out what these were worth, and, ragged,
hungry, and cold, they were the first to jo!e about their highHsounding but e#pty titles
A distant relation of "heodore by his #other's side, na#ed /as Bisawar, was, on the dis#issal
of Eidana Garia#, selected for the vacant post He had in his youth been brought up for the
church, had even been #ade a deftera, when the brilliant e.a#ple of his relative too! hi# fro#
the peaceful and Luiet life he had first chosen to cast hi# a#idst the tur#oil of ca#p life He
was a great big hul!ing fellow, baldHheaded, and rather goodHnaturedF but for all his sword and
pistols could not conceal his first pursuit in life6 he was still the deftera in borrowed plu#age
His great fault was to be too wea!F he had no decision of character, no fir#ness, and was
always guided in his actions by the last tal!er
Ne.t in i#portance ca#e Bitwaddad $a#ash, the ugliest and #ost po#pous puppy and the
biggestHboasting villain on the whole #ountain He was very sic! when we first arrived, but
though he could not co#e hi#self he was far too #uch interested in our affairs not to be at all
hours of the day infor#ed of our doingsF for that purpose he sent his eldest son, a lad of about
twelve, several ti#es in the day with co#pli#ents and inLuiries after our welfare As soon as he
could wal! about a little he ca#e now and then hi#self, to see #e for advice, and when
restored to health, in the than!fulness of the first #o#ent, he helped to build our house But
gratitude is not a lasting LualityKin Abyssinia it hardly e.istsKand not long afterwards $a#ash
gave strong hints that if we wanted hi# to be our friend we #ust not %forget hi#% Prideau.
and #yself had not #uch #oney to spare, but as he was !nown to be a great scoundrel, we
thought it would not be prudent to #a!e an ene#y of hi#, and therefore sent hi#, as a to!en
of friendship, Prideau.'s s#all folding loo!ingHglass, the only presentable thing we had between
us +or so#e ti#e the loo!ingHglass consolidated our friendship, but when, on a second
application for %to!ens,% we turned a deaf ear to his soft words, he would have nothing #ore to
do with asF he called us bad #en, sneered at us, #ade us ta!e off our caps before hi#, and
even went so far as to insult Ca#eron and 0tern, sha!ing his head at the# in a threatening
#anner as, #ore or less into.icated, he left in the afternoon the roo# of his beloved and
generous friend, Gr /assa# $a#ash had co##and of half the gun#en, so#e 839, the /as of
the rest, about 899
"he third #e#ber of council was Bitwaddad Hailo, the best of the lotF he was in charge of the
gaol, but was never !nown to abuse his position His two brothers had co##anded our escort
fro# the frontier to the -#peror's ca#p in $a#otF his #other, a fine old lady, also
acco#panied us part of the way6 the brothers and the #other had been well treated by us, so
that even before we ca#e to the A#ba we were !nown to hi#, and he always conducted
hi#self very civilly, and proved useful on #any occasions *hen he heard of "heodore's
approach, as he !new that charges were going, to be brought against hi#, he ran, away and
joined the -nglish ca#p
He #anaged his escape, in a very clever #anner indeed According to the, rules of the
#ountain, not even a Bitwaddad could pass the gate without per#ission fro# the /as, and
since desertions had ta!en place the per#ission was no #ore granted His wife and child were
also on the A#ba, and since he was suspected, if they had left he would have been strictly
watched His #other had acco#panied "heodore's ca#p, being desirous of seeing her son
*hen his Gajesty enca#ped in the valley of the Bechelo, she as!ed his per#ission to be
allowed to go to Gagdala, and on her arrival at &sla#gee she sent word to her son to give
orders at the gate to let her inF but he declined, stating publicly, as the #otive of his refusal,
that, not having received inti#ation fro# his Gajesty that he had granted her reLuest, he could
not ta!e upon hi#self to ad#it her into the fort "he #other had been #ade a party to the plot
beforehand, and played her part wellF it was #ar!etHday, and therefore the place was crowded
with soldiers and petty chiefs Bn hearing of her son's refusal to ad#it her, she pretended to be
driven to despair, tore her hair and cried aloud, Luite overco#e by the ingratitude of the son
she had #ade such a long journey to e#brace "he spectators too! her part, and, in her na#e,
sent to hi# againF but he was fir# %"oH#orrow,% he said, %& will send word to the -#perorF if
he allows you to co#e & will be only too happy to ad#it youF toHday, all & can do is to send you
#y wife and child to re#ain with you until the evening% "he old lady, with the wife and child,
retired to a Luiet corner for a friendly chat, and when no #ore noticed, Luietly wal!ed away At
about ten at night, acco#panied by one of his #en, and assisted by so#e friends, Hailo #ade
his escape and rejoined his fa#ily
Another #e#ber of council was called Bitwaddad *assiO6 he also was in charge of the prison
alternatively with Hailo He was a goodHte#pered #an, always laughing, but, it appears, not
beloved by the prisoners, for, after the ta!ing of Gagdala, the wo#en flew at hi#, and gave
hi# a sound thrashing He was re#ar!able in one respect6 he would never accept anything, and
though #oney was repeatedly offered to hi# he always declined it $edjaN#atch Goji, in
co##and of ;99 spear#en, a tall old #an, was as big a fool as he was bul!yF he loved but one
thing, tej, and worshipped but one being, "heodore Bitwaddad Ba!al, a good soldier, a si#pleH
#inded #an, in charge of the &#perial household, and a few insignificant old #en, co#pleted
the Luoru#
7et us suppose a wet day during the rainy season of 1>M3 Bur #oney was getting very scarce,
and all co##unication with Gete##a, Gassowah, or $ebra "abor was co#pletely
interrupted *ar had been tal!ed of #ore seriously at ho#e, and, in the absence of news, we
were in an.ious e.pectation of what would be decided "he weather did not per#it us to do
#uch gardeningF and other occupations were few *e wrote ho#e, Ian easier tas! during the
rains, as the guards !ept to their huts,J studied A#haric, read the fa#ous Co##ercial
$ictionary, or visited one another, and s#o!ed bad tobacco, si#ply to !ill ti#e Gr /osenthal,
a very clever linguist, #anaged, with an &talian Bible, to #aster that language, and, to drive
away dull care, spent his evenings studying +rench with only the help of a portion of GuiNot's
Histoire de la Civilisation &f it cleared up a little, we puddled about in the s#all road between
the now increased hutsF but probably, before long, would be scared away by so#e one
shouting out,K%"he /as and the chiefs are co#ing5% &f we could directly run away we did soF
but if perceived, we had to put on our blandest s#ile, bow to the rude inLuiry, %How art thouU
good afternoon to thee% Ithe second person singular is only e#ployed as a sign of disrespect,
towards an inferiorJ, and, B gods5 pull off our ragged caps and !eep our heads uncovered "o
see the# waddling along, ready to burst with selfHconceitF whilst we !new that the clothes they
were clad with, and the food they had parta!en of that day, were all purchased with British
#oney, was very annoying As they accepted bribes the least they could do was to be civilF on
the contrary, they loo!ed down upon us as if we were se#iHidiots, or a species between the#
and #on!eys,K%white don!eys,% as they called us when they spo!e of us a#ong the#selves
Preceded by 0a#uel, they would #a!e straight for Gr /assa#'s houseF they were hardly swore
civil to hi# than to us, though they always swore to hi# eternal friendship & often ad#ired Gr
/assa#'s' patience on these occasions6 he could sit, tal!, and laugh with the# for hours,
gorging the# with bu#pers of tej until they reeled out of his place, the laughingHstoc!s, yet
envied objects, of the soldiers who helped the# to regain their ho#es Bn the whole they were
a vile set6 to please their #aster they would have shuddered at no cri#e, and stopped at no
infa#y *hen they thought that any cruel act of theirs #ight please "heodore, their god, no
consideration of friendship or fa#ily ties would arrest their hands or soften their hearts "hey
ca#e to Gr /assa#, though he was !ind to the#, out of no regard, only because it was part of
their instructions, and they could indulge their appetite for spirituous drin!sF but had we been,
by want of #oney, reduced to appeal to the#, & doubt whether they would have sanctioned for
us, to who# they owed so #uch, even the s#all pittance daily doled out to the poor Abyssinian
prisoners
About that ti#e these wretches had a good opportunity of showing their Neal for their beloved
#aster Bne 0aturday two prisoners too! advantage of the bustle always attending #ar!etH
days, to atte#pt their escape Bne of the#, 7ij BariO, was the son of a chief in "igrOF so#e years
before he had been i#prisoned on %suspicion,% or, #ore li!ely, because he #ight prove
dangerous, as he was #uch li!ed in his province His co#panion was a young lad, a se#iHGalla,
fro# the 0hoa frontier, who had been !ept for years in chains on the A#ba awaiting his trial
Bne day, as he was cutting wood, a large splinter flew off, and, stri!ing his #other in the chest,
caused her death "heodore was, at the ti#e, on an e.pedition, and to conciliate the Bishop, he
#ade over the case to hi#F who, however, declined to investigate it as it did not fall under his
jurisdiction "heodore, ve.ed at the Bishop's refusal, sent the lad to Gagdala, where he was
chained, awaiting the good pleasure of his judges 7ij BariO had only been able to open one of
the rings, the other being too strongF so he fastened the chain and ring on one leg by #eans of
a large bandage as well as he could, and put on the shirt and cloth of one of the servantHgirls,
who was in his confidence, and, carrying on his shoulder the go#bo Iearthen jar for waterJ, left
the prison inclosure without being seen "he boy had fortunately been able to get rid of his
fetters altogether, and he slipped out also without being noticedF not being encu#bered with
#uch clothing, and Luite free in his li#bs, he soon reached the gate, passed out with the
followers of so#e chief, and was already far away and in safety before his disappearance was
noticed
7ij BariO failed in his atte#pt *hat with the chain fastened on one leg, the wo#an's dress, and
the go#bo, he could not advance Luic!ly He was, however, already half way between the
prison and the gate, so#ewhere not far fro# our inclosure, when a young #an, perceiving a
goodHloo!ing girl co#ing in his direction, advanced to spea! to herF but as he ca#e closer, his
eyes fell upon the bandage, and to his astonish#ent 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 #et so#e soldiersF he told the# his suspicions, and
they fell upon 7ij BariO and #ade hi# a prisoner A crowd soon collected around the
unfortunate young #an, and the alar# being given that a prisoner had been seiNed as he was
endeavouring to escape, several of the guards rushed to the spot, and at once recogniNing their
old in#ate, clai#ed hi# as their property &n an instant all his clothes were torn off his bac!,
and the cowardly ruffians struc! hi# with the buttHends of their lances, and with the bac! of
their swords, until his whole body was a #ass of wounds and sores, and he lay senseless, nearly
dead, on the ground But even this was not enough to satisfy their savage revengeF they carried
hi# off to the prison, ha##ered on hand and foot chains, placed a long heavy log of wood
round his nec!, put his feet in the stoc!s, and left hi# there for days, #ore dead than alive,
until the good pleasure of the -#peror should be !nown
An i##ediate search was #ade for his co#panion and for the servantHgirl, his acco#plice "he
first was already beyond their reach, but they succeeded in capturing the unfortunate young
wo#an "he /as and council i##ediately asse#bled, and conde#ned her to receive, in front of
the -#peror's house, one hundred blows fro# the heavy gir[f "he ne.t #orning the /as,
acco#panied by a large nu#ber of chiefs and soldiers, ca#e to the spot to witness the
e.ecution of the sentence "he girl was thrown down on the ground, stripped of her s!irt, and
leather ropes tied to her feet and hands to !eep her at full stretch A strong, powerful ruffian
was entrusted with the e.ecution of the punish#ent -ach fall of the whip could be heard fro#
our inclosure, resounding li!e a pistolHshotF every blow tore off a strip of fleshF and after every
ten stro!es the gir[f beca#e so heavy with blood that, it had to be wiped before the operation
could be continued 0he never said a word, nor even groaned *hen she was re#oved, after
the hundredth stro!e, the na!ed ribs and the bac!Hbone were visible through the flowing
blood6 the whole of the flesh of the bac! having been torn to pieces
0o#e ti#e afterwards a #essenger brought bac! "heodore's answer 7ij BariO was first to have
his hands and feet cut off, before all the Abyssinian prisoners, and afterwards to be thrown
over the precipice "he chiefs #ade Luite a holiday of that e.ecutionF and even sent a polite
#essage to 0a#uel reLuesting hi# to %co#e and see the fun% 7ij BariO was brought out, a
doNen of the bravest fell upon hi# at onceF and, with their ungainly blunt swords, hac!ed away
at his hands and feet with all the delight an Abyssinian has for spilling blood *hilst sub#itting
to this agoniNing torture, 7ij BariO never lost his courage or presence of #ind, and it is very
re#ar!able that whilst they were so un#ercifully #urdering hi#, he prophesied, al#ost to a
letter, the fate that before long awaited the# %'ou cowards,% he shouted out, %fit servants of
the robber your #aster5 He can seiNe no #an but by treacheryF and you can !ill the# only when
they are unar#ed and in your power But before long the -nglish will co#e to release their
peopleF they will avenge in your blood the ill treat#ent you have inflicted upon their
country#en, and punish, you and your #aster for all your cowardice, cruelties, and #urders%
"he wretches too! little notice of the dying words of the brave ladF they hurled hi# over the
precipice, and, in a body, wal!ed over to our place to finish the day, so well begun, by parta!ing
of Gr /assa#'s generous hospitality
CHAP"-/ R&,
0econd /ainy 0eason endsK0carcity and $earness of ProvisionsKGeshisha and Co#fou plot
their -scapeK"hey succeedK"heodore is robbedK$a#ash pursues the +ugitivesK"he Night
Attac!K"he Galla *arHcry and the %0auve Lui peut%K"he wounded left on the
+ieldKHospitality of the Gallas K"heodore's 7etter on the 0ubjectKGastiate's
"roublesK*a!shu# Gabra GedhinK0!etch of GobaNO's CareerKHe invites the CoHoperation
of the Bishop in seiNing GagdalaK"he Bishop's PlanKAll the rival Chiefs intrigue for the
A#baKGr /assa#'s &nfluence overrated
Another Gas!al I+east of the CrossJ had gone by and 0epte#ber ushered in fine, pleasant
weather No i#portant change had ta!en place in our daily life6 it was the sa#e routine over
againF only we were beginning to be very an.ious about the long delay of our #essengers fro#
the coast, as our #oney was running short6 indeed, we had hardly any left, and every necessary
of life had risen to fabulous prices +ive oblong pieces of salt were now given in e.change for a
Garia "heresa dollar, whilst for#erly, at Gagdala, during their first captivity, our co#panions
had often got as #uch as thirty, never less than fifteen or eighteen "hough the value of the salt
had so greatly increased, the articles purchased with it had not followed the sa#e proportion,
they were, on the contrary, lowered in a#ount and Luality *hen the salts were abundant we
could buy four old fowls for a saltF now that they were scarce, we could only buy twoF and
everything in the sa#e ratioF conseLuently all our e.penses had risen 899 per cent 0upplies in
the #ar!et were also getting very scarceF and often we could not purchase grain for our
Abyssinian servants "he soldiers on the #ountain suffered greatly fro# this scarcity and high
pricesF they were continually begging, and #any, no doubt, were saved fro# starvation by the
generosity of those they !ept prisoners ,ery fortunately, & had put aside a s#all su# of #oney
in case of accident, otherwise & believe the Abyssinian difficulty would have been at an end, so
far as we were concerned & !ept a little for #yself, and handed the rest over to Gr /assa#, as
he usually supplied us with #oney fro# the su#s forwarded to hi# by the agent at Gassowah
*e dis#issed as #any servants as we possibly could, reduced our e.penses to a #ini#u#, and
sent #essengers after #essengers to the coast to bring us up as #uch #oney as they could At
that ti#e, if we had fortunately been provided with a large su# of ready cash, & do really
believe that we #ight have bought the #ountainF so discouraged and #utinous were the
soldiers of the garrison at the long privations and se#iHstarvation they were enduring for a
#aster of who# they had no reliable infor#ation "he agent at the coast did his best Hosts of
#essengers had been despatched, but the condition of the country was such that they had to
bury the #oney they were carrying in the house of a friend at Adowa, and abide there for
several #onths, 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
Bn the #orning of the ;th of 0epte#ber, whilst at brea!fast, one of our interpreters rushed
into the hut, and told us that our friend Afa Negus Geshisha Ithe luteHplayerJ, and Bedjerand
Co#fou, one of the officers in charge of the godowns, had run away "heirs was a longH
preconcerted and ably #anaged plan At the beginning of the rainy season, ground had been
allotted to the various, chiefs and soldiers, at &sla#gee and at the foot of the #ountain 0o#e
of the chiefs #ade arrange#ents with the peasants living below for the# to till the soil on their
account, they supplying the seed grain, and the harvest to be divided between the twoF others,
who had #any servants, did the wor! the#selves Afa Negus Geshisha's and Bedjerand
Co#fou's lots happened to be at the foot of the #ountainF they the#selves undertoo! the
cultivation, occasionally visited their fields, and sent once or twice a wee! all their #ale and
fe#ale servants to pull out the weeds under the superintendence of their wives "he whole of
the land they had received had not been put under cultivation, and, a few days before, Co#fou
spo!e to the /as about it, who advised hi# to sow so#e tef, as, with the prevailing scarcity, he
would be happy to reap a second harvest Co#fou approved of the idea, and as!ed the /as to
send hi# a servant on the #orning of the ;th, to allow hi# to pass the gates "he /as agreed
Bn that very #orning Geshisha went to the /as, and told hi# that he also wanted to sow so#e
tef, and as!ed hi# to allow hi# to go down "he /as, who had not the slightest suspicion,
granted his reLuest Both had that #orning sent down several of their servants to weed the
fields, and, not to e.cite suspicion, had sent their wives by another gate, also under the sa#e
pretence As the Gallas often attac!ed the soldiers of the garrison at the foot of the #ountain,
the doorH!eepers were not surprised to see the two officers well ar#ed and preceded by their
#ulesF nor did they ta!e #uch notice of the bags their followers carried, when they were told
that it was tef they were going to sow, a state#ent #oreover corroborated by the /as's servant
hi#self Bff they started in open daylight, #eeting #any of the soldiers of the #ountain on the
way down Arrived, at the fields, they told their servants to follow the#, and #ade straight for
the Galla plain 0o#e of the soldiers who were at the ti#e wor!ing at their fields suspected that
all was not right, and at once returned to the A#ba and co##unicated their suspicions to the
/as He had but to ta!e 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 i##ediate pursuit orderedF but during the interval the fugitives had gained ground, and
were at last perceived Luietly resting on the plain above, in co#pany with such a respectableH
loo!ing body of Galla horse#en that prudence dictated to the braves of Gagdala the
advisability of not following any further Bn their way bac! they found, hiding herself in the
bushes, the wife of Co#fou, carrying her infant babe in her ar#s &t appears that, flurried and
e.cited, that young wo#an failed to find the place of rendeNvous, and was concealing herself
until the soldiers had passed by, when the cries of her child attracted their attention 0he was
triu#phantly brought bac!, chained hand and feet, and cast into the co##on gaol, %awaiting
orders%
*hilst the garrison had been sent on their unsuccessful errand, the chiefs had #et together,
and as one of the runaways was superintendent of the storehouses and #agaNines, an
i##ediate search was #ade, in order to ascertain whether he had helped hi#self to so#e of
the %treasures% before ta!ing his uncere#onious leave "o their horror they soon found out
that sil!s, caps, powder, even the -#peror's gala dress, his favourite pistol and rifle, together
with a large su# of #oney, were #issing6 in fact, the bags of tef were full of spoils "he /as
felt the gravity of his positionF he had not only allowed hi#self to be grossly duped, but,
#oreover, so#e of the #ost valuable of the -#peror's property intrusted to his care had been
carried off by his for#er friend He utterly lost his headF he painted to hi#self "heodore's rage
on hearing the newsF he saw hi#self an in#ate of the gaol, loaded with fetters, or perhaps
conde#ned to a speedy and cruel death He asse#bled the council, and laid the case before
the chiefsF the wisest and #ost e.perienced were for trusting to his relationship with the
-#peror, and to his wellH!nown friendship for hi#F others proposed an e.pedition in the Galla
country, a night attac! on the village where it was supposed the fugitive would spend the
nights6 a few hundred would start in the evening, they said, surprise the fugitives, bring the#
bac!, recover the lost property, and, at the sa#e ti#e, #urder a few Gallas, and plunder as
#uch as they couldKe.ploits that would i##ensely gratify their royal #aster, and #a!e hi#
forget the easy way the /as had been i#posed upon
"his last advice was carried outF and, though so#e still dissented, the /as overruled their
objections6 he was already so deeply co#pro#ised that he clutched at every chance that
offered itself of retrieving his position Bitwaddad $a#ash, the friend and country#an of
"heodore, the brave warrior, was intrusted with the co##andF under hi# were, placed
Bitwaddad Hailo, Bitwaddad *assiO, and $edjaN#atch Goji, all of the# %old friends of ours,%
and of who# & have given a short description "wo hundred of $a#ash's gun#en, and two
hundred of Goji's spear#en, all pic!ed soldiers, well ar#ed and well #ounted, for#ed the
attac!ing party "owards sunset they all asse#bled Before leaving, $a#ash, clad in a sil! shirt,
wearing gallantly over his shoulders a splendid tiger's s!in, ar#ed with a pair of pistols and a
doubleHbarrelled gunF ca#e to our prison to bid us goodHbyF or rather to gratify his vanity by
our co#pelled ad#iration, and to obtain a parting blessing fro# his friend Gr /assa#, who
courteously perfor#ed the cere#ony
"wice before, $a#ash had, during our stay at Gagdala, started for *atat, a village so#e twelve
#iles distant fro# Gagdala, not far fro# where the Bechelo separates the province of
*orahai#anoo fro# the plateau of $ahonte "here the -#peror's cattle were !ept, and
#essengers had been sent to the A#ba by the peasants reLuesting i##ediate assistance, as a
Galla force had #ade its appearance, and they felt the#selves unable to protect "heodore's
cows Bn these occasions the very sight of $a#ash and his gun#en had driven the Gallas away6
at least so they said on their returnF but #auvaises langues asserted that it was only a tric! of
the country people the#selves, who desired to be reported to the -#peror as faithful subjects
of his and an.ious to protect the cattle they had in charge Gany of the younger and
ine.perienced soldiers felt confident that on this occasion the result would be the sa#eF the
fugitives would be surprised, and the Gallas run away in all directions at the sight of $a#ash
and his valiant co#panions, leaving their ho#esteads and property at the #ercy of the
invaders
"he /as passed an an.ious, sleepless nightF at dayHdawn he and his friends went upon the s#all
hilloc! near the prison, and telescope in hand an.iously watched the Galla plain Hours passed
away, and they saw nothing *hat had occurredU why had not $a#ash and his #en co#e
bac!U such were the Luestions every, one as!ed6 the old #en shoo! their headsF they had
fought in their days in the Galla country, and !new the valour of these savage horse#en -ven
our old spy, Abu +ale!, probably to see what we would say e.clai#ed, %"hat fool $a#ash had
the i#pudence to #a!e a raid in the Galla country, when even "heodore hi#self could not go
there now% At last the welco#e intelligence that $a#ash and his #en were co#ing bac!,
spread li!e wildHfire all over the #ountain6 they had been seen descending a steep ravine, not
the road they had ta!en on going, but a shorter one 0oon afterwards horses and #en were
perceived on the plainF and so#ething li!e confusion, and cattle being hurried down could be
#ade out by the glasses "he party fro# the garrison were seen to halt at a short distance fro#
the ravine they had descended, and #arch on very slowly 0o#ething was wrong evidentlyF
horse#en were at once despatched by the /as to ascertain the result of the e.pedition "hey
returned with a doleful tale, and the A#ba soon rang with the wailing of widows and orphansF
eleven dead, thirty wounded, scores of fireHar#s lost, the fugitives at large, was in su# the
intelligence they brought bac! to the desponding /as
A Galla renegade had the night before led $a#ash and his #en straight to the village of the
chief in whose co#pany they had been seen in the #orning, and under whose hospitable roof
he justly sur#ised that they would spend the night At first all succeeded as they had e.pected
"hey reached the doo#ed village an hour before dayHdawn, and surrounded at once the house
of the chief, whilst a s#all body was sent to search and plunder the village itself A fearful
#assacre too! placeF surprised in their sleep, the #en were #urdered before they were aware
of the presence of the ene#yF only a few were spared, together with so#e wo#en and
children, by the less bloodHthirsty of these #idnight assassins Before retiring to rest, Geshisha
and Co#fou, thin!ing that perhaps an atte#pt #ight be #ade to capture the#, advised the
chief to be on his guard, and proposed to sleep with hi# in a s#all bro!enHdown hut at so#e
distance fro# his house +ortunately for the# and the chief, they adopted that prudent courseF
awo!e by the cries and shouts in the village, they bridled their readyHsaddled steeds, and were
off before even their presence had been suspected
$a#ash collected his #en, and with his prisoners and plunder at once retraced his steps,
glorying in his great deed and rejoicing in his successF it is true he had not caught the fugitives,
but after all that was the /as's business He had planned the e.pedition, carried fire and sword
into the Galla countryF and without the loss of a single #an was returning to the A#ba with
prisoners, horses, cows, #ules, and other spoils of war He !new how pleased "heodore would
be, and he fancied hi#self already the fortunate successor of the disgraced /as He was within
a few hundred yards of the short road he intended to ta!e on his way bac!, leading fro# the
"anta plateau to the valley below Gagdala, when he saw on the distant horiNon a few
horse#en riding towards hi# at full speed "he cattle and prisoners under charge of Goji and a
few #en were already engaged in the narrow road, and retreat was i#possible He placed his
gun#en so as to face the horse#en, only a doNen, hoping to scare that handful off by the very
sight of his large forceF but he was #ista!en Brave Gaho#ed Ha#Na had the blood of his
relations to avenge, and, though at the head of only twelve #en, he bravely charged the W99
A#hara soldiers A shot struc! hi# in the forehead, and he fell dead fro# his horse His
co#panions, however, before the A#haras could reload, #ade a second brilliant charge,
avenged their chief, and carried away the body all were an.ious to #utilate Gore horse#en
ca#e pouring in fro# all directionsF the warHcry was echoed far and wideF #en, wo#en, and
children assailed the A#haras with lances and stones Gaho#ed's brothers, now supported by
fifty lances, charged again and again the affrighted ene#y, and drove the# li!e sheep to the
very brin! of the precipice
$a#ash, however, had not co#e to fight but to slayF he was only brave when he had prisoners
to bully, defenceless #en to #urder, and children to reduce to slavery6 the cattle had reached
the valley below and the road was clear, so throwing away his tiger's s!in, his shield, his pistols,
his gun, and abandoning his horses, he gave the e.a#ple of the sauve Lui peut, and rolled
rather than ran down the steep descent His e.a#ple was followed by all the A#haras A
co#plete rout followedF the ground was strewed with #atchloc!s, spears, and shieldsF
wounded and dead were ali!e abandoned on the battlefield "he Gallas did not follow the#
down the ravine as they could not charge on the bro!en ground belowF they, however, !illed
several with sharp stonesKa dreadful weapon in a Galla's handKas their terrified foe hurried
down the narrow pass and tu#bled one over the other in their eagerness to reach the valley,
where these cowards !new well that they would be safe
Al#ost all the wounded ca#e to #eF and for twelve hours & was busy bandaging and dressing
their wounds &n several cases, where & !new that recovery was i#possible, & infor#ed the
relations of the factF as otherwise their death would have been laid to #e, a rather serious
#atter in our critical position "hose thus warned always sought native advice, but they found
out very soon that char#s and a#ulets were of no avail, and that #y prognostic had been but
too true & re#e#ber one case6 a chief who had often been on guard at night over our prison
had his left leg co#pletely s#ashed by a stoneF without entering into professional details,
suffice it to say that & at once pronounced a#putation as the only possible re#edyF but to
please the chiefs, who too! a great interest in hi#, & agreed to dress his wound for a wee!, and
after that ti#e, should & be still of the sa#e opinion to infor# the# of it He had a s#all godjo
built in our inclosure, and re#ained there until & gave for the second ti#e as #y opinion that
nothing could save his life but i##ediate a#putation He was on that ta!en to his house and
#ade over to a 0hoa doctor, who pro#ised not only to save his life but also the li#b "he poor
#an was tortured by that ignorant Luac! for a wee! or ten days, until death put an end to his
#isery
"wo days after, on a fe#ale spy reporting that in the ravine where the A#haras had been
slaughtered, she had seen two wounded #en hidden a#ong the bushes, and still aliveF an old
chief, also a Galla renegade, with a few hundred #en, was ordered to proceed to the spot, and
endeavour to bring the# bac! and bury the deadF they were on no account to engage in any
action with the Gallas, but to retreat at once should he #eet with resistance He saw no ene#y
e.cept his old co#rade Co#fou, who, fro# a roc! above, fired at the# with his rifle, without
wounding or !illing any oneF they returned his fire, but to no purpose, and, having fulfilled their
instructions, brought in the two wounded #en6 both, however, died shortly afterwards Bne of
the# had his right ar# and left leg bro!enF #oreover, a spear had cut open the abdo#inal
integu#ents, and the bowels protruded6 he said that he had suffered greatly fro# thirst, but
that his greatest trouble was, with his left hand, to !eep off the vultures fro# tearing his
intestines
"he /as, it is true, was now in a worse plight than beforeF but this ti#e not alone $a#ash had
abandoned his #en, run away, and lost the gun, pistols, and horse the -#peror had given, or
rather lent, hi# Gany of the petty chiefs and soldiers had followed $a#ash's e.a#ple, and
so#e twentyHfive #atchloc!s could not he accounted for, and of spears and shields the nu#ber
#issing was still greater ByHtheHby, $a#ash pretended to be wounded, and for a long ti#e we
saw nothing of hi#, a circu#stance at which we rejoiced e.tre#ely, but his friends told us that
he was only suffering fro# a few e.coriations due to his rather too rapid retreat
&f force had failed, perhaps negotiations #ight succeed &t was !nown that the two fugitives
were still living in so#e of the villages belonging to the relations of Gaho#ed, awaiting the
return of a #essenger they had sent to the Galla Pueen Gastiate, whose ca#p was a few days
distant "he Gagdala 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 ta!en away with
the#, they would set the# allK#en, wo#en, and childrenKfree, and restore the cattle that
had been plundered A wo#an, the wife of one of the principal #en captured, volunteered to
go "o the honour of the Gallas, they proudly and with scorn refused to give up their guests6
they preferred to allow their relatives to linger in chains at Gagdala, and abandon the# to
tortures and death, rather than obtain their release by a dishonourable action
"he Gagdala #agnates had now to give up all hope of redee#ing their conduct in the eyes of
"heodoreF the good understanding between the# was #uch sha!en6 they ta.ed one another,
when in their cups, with cowardice, sent #essengers separately to the -#peror, accusing one
another, and lived in as #uch dread of the arrival of an &#perial #essenger as we did ourselves
But "heodore, surrounded by difficulties, al#ost cut off fro# his a#ba, was far too cunning to
show his displeasure6 his letter on the subject was perfect *hat if two of his servants had run
awayU they were unfaithful, and he was only too glad that they had left his a#baF as for the
ar#s lost, what did it #atterU he had #ore to give the#F and when he ca#e they should ta!e
their revenge A few, not #any, were ta!en in, but all pretended to be so, and several only
awaited a favourable opportunity to follow the e.a#ple of those they had endeavoured to
capture
-very one suspected that Gastiate, the Galla Pueen, would resent the foray #ade in her
country, and avenge the death of her subjects so treacherously #urdered 0he would probably,
they feared, destroy their crops at the foot of the A#ba, stop the #ar!et, and starve out the
place 0he had, they !new, faithful allies in Co#fou and Geshisha, and as the latter had been
al#ost brought up on the #ountain, and !new the #any paths by which to leadF at night, the
Galla host, #uch an.iety, therefore, prevailed, and great precautions were ta!en to protect the
A#ba against a sudden attac!
& believe that it was indeed Gastiate's plan, and that she was on the point of e.ecuting it when
a serious danger fro#, another side reLuired her presence *a!shu# GobaNO, at the head of a
powerful ar#y, had invaded her do#inions
Bur days of cal# repose were at an endF if it was not one rebel chief or the other that
threatened the A#ba, it was the good news fro# ho#e that at last an e.pedition for our
deliverance had been decided upon, or the less welco#e infor#ation that the Eing was about
to #ove in our directionF and one e.cite#ent had hardly subsided before we were again a prey
to anotherKone day full of hope, the ne.t, perhaps, desponding and cast down
*atshu# GobaNO's career, had been full of adventure As a young #an he acco#panied his
father, *a!shu# Gabra Gedhin, the hereditary chief of 7asta, to the &#perial ca#p Bn
"heodore's first ca#paign in 0hoa, which ended in the sub#ission of that country, GobaNO's
father fell under "heodore's displeasure, and was on the point of being e.ecuted when the
Bishop interfered, and, as he was of great use to "heodore at the ti#e, his reLuest was granted
However, not long afterwards, GobaNO and his father seiNed their opportunity, deserted fro#
"heodore's ar#y, and retired into 7asta "hey had not #uch difficulty in inducing the
#ountaineers to espouse their cause, and declare the#selves independent "heodore deputed
to suppress that insurrection the rebel's own cousin, called *a!shu# "eferi, a brave soldier
and splendid horse#an He pursued his relative, totally defeated his ar#y, and brought hi# a
chained prisoner to the foot of the throne "heodore was at the ti#e in *adela, a high plateau
situate between 7asta and Bege#der He conde#ned the rebel chief to deathF and as but few
trees are to be found on that elevated plateau, he had hi# hung on the one near which his tent
was pitched, so that the body of his ene#y #ight be seen far and wide GobaNO had #anaged
to escapeF and so#e ti#e afterwards, "heodore, who was afraid of *a!shu# "eferi, as he was
beloved and ad#ired by the soldiers, put hi# in chains,Kforgetting that the #an had served
hi# so faithfully as even to bring to the scaffold his blood relation, Kon the prete.t that he had
willingly allowed GobaNO to escape
GobaNO for a while re#ained hidden in the fastnesses of the high #ountains of 7asta, but no
sooner did he perceive that the -#peror's power was wea!ened and that the peasants were
discontented with his tyrannical rule, than he ca#e forth fro# his retreat, and having collected
around hi# so#e of the for#er followers of his father, hoisted the standard of rebellion, and
loudly proclai#ed hi#self the avenger of his race All 7asta soon ac!nowledged hi# His rule
was #ildF and before long GobaNO found hi#self at the head of a considerable force He
advanced in the direction of "igrO, subdued the provinces of -nderta and *ajjerat, #arched
into "igrO proper, conLuered "heodore's lieutenant, and left there his deputy, $ejatch Eassa
He hi#self returned to 7asta, having in view the e.tension of his power towards 'edjow and the
Galla country, so as to protect 7asta fro# being invaded by these tribes during his proposed
conLuest of the A#hara country Circu#stances were greatly in his favour, and for a while he
was the #an to who# all Abyssinia loo!ed to as their future ruler Bn his return to 7asta he was
at once ac!nowledged by *adela, and at the sa#e ti#e so#e runaway chiefs of 'edjow having
co#e to hi#, he availed hi#self of their assistance to #a!e hi#self #aster of that province He
had so#e trouble, however, in settling it, as part of it was strongly in favour of an alliance with
the *allo Gallas6 he dee#ed it the wisest course, therefore, to invade the *allo country after
the rainy season, and dictate his ter#s He detached a s#all force, and sent with it one of his
relations to receive the sub#ission of $alantaF and not long afterwards $ahonte was evacuated
by the Gallas, and occupied by his troops &n the beginning of 0epte#ber he entered the *allo
Galla country by its northHeastern frontier, not far fro# 7a!e Ha\! Bn the intelligence reaching
Pueen Gastiate she hastened to oppose his #arch, and enca#ped a few #iles in advance of
his ar#y, on a large plain, where her splendid cavalry would have all advantage +or at least a
fortnight or three wee!s the two ar#ies re#ained in front of each otherF GobaNO awaiting his
ene#y on the bro!en ground he had enca#ped upon, and where the Galla horse could not
charge, but where his gun#en would be allHpowerfulF while the Pueen, on her side, would not
leave the ground she had chosen, and where she was al#ost certain of victory
GobaNO had been long before in co##unication with the Bishop and with Gr /assa# Before
the rainy season of 1>M3, he had sent word to the Bishop that he was co#ing to Gagdala,
presented hi# a few hundred dollars, and as!ed hi# to afford all the assistance in his power
should he advance towards the place "he Bishop said he would do his ut#ost, and that as soon
as the A#ba was invested he would leave no stone, unturned to facilitate his plans GobaNO
sent bac! word that if the Bishop would secure hi# the services of $a#ash, Goji, and the /as
Ithe three who had all the garrison under their joint co##andJ, that he would co#e at once
"his reLuest was si#ply absurdF if we had been able to gain over these #en to our cause, we
could have dispensed with the presence of GobaNO altogether *hat the Bishop proposed was,
that GobaNO should enca#p at &sla#geeF the #o#ent he appeared below the #ountain, the
Bishop would supply us and so#e #en upon who# he could depend with fireHar#s and
a##unition *e should in the #eanwhile open our chains with the assistance of our servants,
and ar# all those a#ongst the# who could be trustedF and on the Bishop being infor#ed, that
we were ready, he would co#e out in full canonicals, carrying the holy cross, and
e.co##unicate "heodore and every one who adhered to hi#, placing under an irrevocable
curse all who atte#pted to arrest hi# or us Bur party, including Portuguese, natives of
Gassowah, and #essengers, would have a#ounted to at least twentyHfiveF the Bishop could
bring fifty #en, and surround hi#self with about 899 priests and defteras, so as to for# a
#i.ed sortieF all, however, ready to fight in case of need 0hould persuasion or threats fail to
force the way to the gate, they were to shoot down any one atte#pting to #olest us in our
advance Arrived at the gate, the Bishop and the priests would stand before the inner door,
whilst the ar#ed party would seiNe upon the outer gate and hold it until the *a!shu# and his
#en, ready at hand, would #arch in and ta!e possession of the fort
"he plan was a very good one, and no doubt would have succeeded *e !new 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 #ade prisoners again &n presence of even a handful of
#en, deter#ined to sell their lives dearly, few of the soldiers would have ventured on an open
attac!F the affair would have been sudden, and the garrison ta!en by surprise6 #oreover, we
had to deal with bigoted people, and #any who #ight have rushed upon us, would have been
!ept bac! by the presence of the Bishop, and would !iss the ground before his feet rather than
encounter his dreaded e.co##unication "he Bishop infor#ed GobaNO of this plan, and for
days we lived in a fearful state of e.cite#ent, always hoping that the #essenger would return
with the grateful intelligence that GobaNO had accepted it However, we were doo#ed to
disappoint#ent6 GobaNO did not approve the suggestionF he sent word to the Bishop, %&t is
better for #e to go to Bege#der and attac! there #y blood ene#y6 only give #e your blessing
Bn the fall of "heodore, the A#ba belongs to #eF it is far preferable that & should fight hi#
instead of attac!ing Gagdala, as you !now well that we cannot ta!e forts% "he blessing was
duly givenF but GobaNO thought better of it6 he did not venture to attac! the #urderer of his
father, and a few days afterwards we heard that he had #arched into 'edjow GobaNO behaved
always very well towards usF he assisted, as #uch as lay in his power, our #essengers on their
way to the coast, and was an.ious to effect our deliveranceF unfortunately he had not sufficient
courage to fight when "heodore was his opponent
GobaNO and Gastiate after a ti#e got tired of staring at one another "he latter was aware that
before long she would have to deal with even a #ore serious ene#y, in the person of her rival
*or!ite, and she would willingly have co#e to ter#s 0he sent a horse to GobaNO as a peaceH
offering, but he returned the present, acco#panied with a parcel of cotton and a spindle, with
a #essage 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 GobaNO, however, shortly afterwards heard
that in "igrO, $ejatch Eassa, who for so#e #onths had abandoned his cause, had #ade hi#self
very powerful, and #arched upon Adowa 0upplies also began to run short in his ca#p, whilst
Gastiate being in her own country, could draw the# with all facilityF he therefore retraced his
steps towards 'edjow Gastiate followed hi# in the rear, only biding her ti#e to fall upon hi#
when a favourable opportunity presented itself GobaNO found his position difficult, and #ade
advances Gastiate saw her advantage and #ade her own ter#s 0he pro#ised not to interfere
in the affairs of 'edjow, on condition that he #ade over to her the provinces of $ahonte and
$alanta, which he had shortly before occupied He agreed, and peace was #ade between the
two partiesF it was even reported that an offensive and defensive alliance had been concluded
between the#F but this could hardly have been the case, as soon afterwards, when Gastiate
was hard pressed by Genile!, her new ally did not afford her any assistance
"o us these constant changes of rulers was #ost annoying, #ore so as we had no #oney, and
were constantly obliged to #a!e presents to the new chiefs appointed by the conLueror of the
day *e had hardly #ade %friends% with the shu#s IgovernorsJ "heodore had left in those
provinces, than we had to open co##unications with the deputies of the Galla Pueen, and
again with those of GobaNO on the evacuation of those districts by the Gallas, and a fourth ti#e
on their reoccupation by the Gallas6 we had to ensure their neutrality, at least,Kfor they had
already plundered several of our #essengersKby suitable offerings and pro#ises of #ore,
should they favour our cause &n one respect we were very fortunate6 on our arrival we were
saved fro# #uch disco#fort, if not fro# so#ething worse, by the #oney the -#peror gave to
his wor!#enF who #ade it over to us $uring the rainy season we were again saved fro#
starvation by a few dollars & had !ept in reserveF for the third ti#e, everything appeared
desperate, and we were so reduced that so#e sold and others were tal!ing of selling their
#ules and anything available, when a #essenger at last reached us with a few hundred dollars
*hilst Gastiate was negotiating with GobaN, her son wrote to Gr /assa# and to the Bishop
He as!ed Gr /assa# to use his influence and give hi# the #ountain, pro#ising in return to
treat us honourably if we li!ed to re#ain in his country, or enable us to reach the coast if we
desired to return to our own native land "o the Bishop he pro#ised all protectionF he would
allow hi# to ta!e away his property, and would not injure what he called %his idols%
0o long as we could get out of the clutches of "heodore, it did not #atter #uch into whose
hands we fell6 not that we ever e.pected,Ksuch, at least, was the opinion of the #ajority
a#ongst us,Kthat we should be allowed to leave the country6 but, at all events, we should not
be in daily fear of our lives, of tortures, and of starvation, as we were then *e should not have
li!ed to fall into the hands of the peasants or of so#e petty chief6 the first would have at once
put us to death out of hatred to the white #enF the second, #ost probably would have illH
treated us or have sold us to the highest bidder "he great rebels would have acted differently6
we should have been, for a ti#e, at least, co#paratively free, and allowed to depart on a
suitable ranso# being given "herefore, to Ali, to GobaN, to Ah#ed the son of Gastiate, or to
Genile! the Eing of 0hoa, Gr /assa#'s answer was always the sa#e, %Co#eF invest this place,
and then we will see what we can do for you%
&t a#used us so#eti#es to watch all these different rivals of "heodore, each of the#
endeavouring to seiNe upon Gagdala even before "heodore was Luite out of the way GobaNO
and Genile!, had both in view to #a!e the#selves rulers of Abyssinia, by the possession of
Gagdala6 Iindeed the latter had also written before the rainy season, infor#ing the Bishop of
his co#ing to ta!e possession of his a#ba, and reLuesting the bishop to ta!e care of his
propertyJ Apart fro# the great prestige it would confer upon the#, they would obtain the
three things they rightly judged would #ost li!ely insure the fulfil#ent of their a#bitious views6
viN, the throne, the Bishop, and the -nglish prisoners All wanted Gr Bassa#, not #erely to
help the#, but to give the# the #ountain6 they were aware that the chiefs were on friendly
ter#s with us, and supposed that we were in possession of fabulous su#s of #oney, so that, by
#eans of friendship and bribery, we #ight open the gates to the candidate we selected
Gagdala could only beco#e theirs by treachery6 in their i##ense ar#ies, they could not have
found twenty #en with sufficient courage to venture on an assault Gagdala had the
reputation of being i#pregnableF and, indeed, against natives badly ar#ed, it was very nearly
so -ven "heodore only too! possession of it because the Galla garrison, through fear,
evacuated the place during the night He had pitched his ca#p at the foot of the A#ba, and
atte#pted an assaultF but soon retired fro# his hopeless tas! before the shower of #issiles
thrown fro# above &t was not until several days after the Gallas had retired, that one of the
chiefs, suspecting the place to be e#pty, cautiously ventured to ascertain the fact, and
returned to infor# "heodore that he #ight Luietly wal! in as the ene#y had disappeared
CHAP"-/ R,
$eath of Abouna 0ala#aK0!etch of his 7ife and CareerKGrievances of "heodore against
hi#KHis &#prison#ent at GagdalaK"he *allo GallasK"heir Habits and Custo#sKGenile!
appears with an Ar#y in the Galla CountryKHis PolicyKAdvice sent to hi# by Gr /assa#KHe
invests Gagdala and fires a feuHdeHjoieK"he Pueen's Behaviour K0teps ta!en by the
ChiefsKBur Position not &#provedK"he -ffects of 0#o!e on Genile!KBur $isappoint#ent
followed by Great CoyK*e receive News of the 7anding of British "roops
Bn the 8;th of Bctober, Abouna 0ala#a Ithe Bishop of AbyssiniaJ died after a long and painful
illness
Abouna 0ala#a was in #any respects a re#ar!able #an "wo such characters as "heodore and
hi#self are seldo# #et with at the sa#e ti#e in those distant lands Both a#bitious, both
proud, both passionate, it was inevitable that sooner or later they #ust co#e into collision, and
the stronger crush the wea!er
Abyssinia had been for years without a bishop Priests could no #ore be consecrated, nor new
churches dedicated to Christian worship, as the ar! could not contain the tabot blessed by the
bishop of the land /as Ali, although outwardly a Christian and belonging to a converted fa#ily,
had still too #any connections a#ongst the Gussul#an Gallas, his true friends and supporters,
to care for #ore than an apparent profession of the 0tate religion, and troubled hi#self very
little about the inconvenience to which the priesthood was subjected by the longHcontinued
vacancy of the bishopric
$ejatch BubiO was at that ti#e the se#iHindependent ruler of "igrO +ro# the position of a
si#ple governor he had gradually risen to power, and now at the head of a large ar#y strove
for the title of /as "hough still on apparent ter#s of friendship with /as Ali, even to a certain
degree ac!nowledging hi# as his superior, he was all the while secretly e.erting his influence to
overthrow the /as's power in order to reign in his stead +or these reasons he despatched so#e
of his chiefs, with Gonsignor de Cacobis, an &talian noble#an and /o#an Catholic bishop at
Gassowah, to -gypt, to obtain a bishop for the Abyssinian seeF <+ootnote6 According to the
rules of the Abyssinian Church, the bishop #ust be a Coptic priest ordained at Cairo "he
e.penses reLuired for the consecration of a bishop a#ount to about 19,999 dollars@ and in
order to secure for hi#self such a powerful weapon as the support of the priesthood, he
incurred the heavy e.pense reLuired for the consecration of an Abouna $e Cacobis #ade
strenuous efforts to have a bishop anointed who would favour the /o#an CatholicsF but he
failed, as the Patriarch chose for that dignity a young #an who had received part of his
education at an -nglish school at Cairo, and whose views were #ore in favour of Protestantis#
than of the Copt's longHstanding adversary, the Church of /o#e
Andraos, this young priest, was only in his twentieth year *hen infor#ed that he #ust leave
his #onastery and the co#panionship of the #on!s his friends to proceed to the distant and
se#iHciviliNed land of Habesch, he fir#ly declined the honour proposed for hi# He reLuested
his superiors to fi. their choice on a worthier #an, declaring hi#self unfit for the dignity so
suddenly thrust upon hi# His objections were not ad#itted, and as he still persisted in his
refusal, the superior of the convent put hi# in ironsF wherein he should re#ain, he was told,
until he agreed to obey the head of the Coptic Church Andraos gave inF and having been duly
anointed and consecrated Bishop of Abyssinia, under the title of Abouna 0ala#a, with all the
po#ps and cere#onies proper to the occasion, started shortly afterwards in an -nglish #anHofH
war, reaching Gassowah in the beginning of 1>W1
$ejatch BubiO received hi# with great honoursF added nu#erous villages and large districts to
those the hereditary possession of the bishops, and #ade every endeavour to attach hi# to his
cause He succeeded even beyond his e.pectations Abouna 0ala#a, instead of needing the
persuasions of BubiO to join hi# in the overthrow of /as Ali, proposed the atte#pt "hrough his
influence BubiO concluded an alliance with Goscho Beru, the ruler of Godja# "he two chiefs
agreed to #arch on $ebra "abor, attac! /as Ali, wrest fro# hi# the power he had usurped, and
divide the govern#ent of Abyssinia, confir#ing the Bishop's alleged rights to a third of the
revenue of the land
BubiO and Goscho Beru !ept to their engage#ents, offered battle to /as Ali near $ebra "abor,
and utterly routed his ar#yF /as Ali with difficulty escaping fro# the field with a s#all body of
wellH#ounted followers &t so happened, however, that BubiO celebrated his success in
potations too #any and deep 0o#e of the fugitive soldiers of /as Ali accidentally entered
BubiO's tent, found their #aster's conLueror in the condition !nown as dead drun!, and availed
the#selves of his helpless condition to #a!e hi# their prisoner "his sudden contrete#ps
changed the aspect of affairs Certain wellH#ounted horse#en galloped after /as Ali and
succeeded in overta!ing hi# towards evening He would not at first believe in his good fortuneF
but others of his soldiers arriving and confir#ing the glad tidings, he returned to $ebra "abor,
reunited his scattered followers, and was able to dictate ter#s to his captive conLueror BubiO
was pardoned and allowed to return to "igrO, the Bishop being answerable for his fidelity /as
Ali treated the Bishop with all respect, fell at his feet and i#plored hi# not to listen to the
calu#nies of his ene#ies, assuring hi# that the Church had no #ore faithful son than hi#self,
nor any #ore willing to co#ply with the holy father's wishes "he Bishop, now on friendly ter#s
with all parties, and all but worshipped by the#, soon #ade his authority feltF and had not
"heodore risen fro# obscurity, Abouna 0ala#a would, no doubt, have been the Hildebrand of
Abyssinia
$uring the ca#paigns of 7ij Eassa against the ruler of Godja#, and during that period of
revolution ending in the overthrow of /as Ali, Abouna 0ala#a retired to his property in "igrO,
residing there in peace under the protection of his friend BubiO -ver since his arrival in
Abyssinia Abouna 0ala#a had shown the bitterest opposition to the /o#an Catholics6 an
en#ity not so #uch engendered by conviction, perhaps, as infla#ed by the fact that so#e of
his property had been seiNed at Ciddah at the instigation of so#e /o#an Catholic priests, who
had through his influence been plundered, illHtreated, and e.pelled fro# Abyssinia *hen the
intelligence reached the Abouna that 7ij Eassa was #arching against "igrO, he publicly
e.co##unicated hi#, on the ground that Eassa was the friend of the /o#an Catholics,
protected their Bishop, $e Cacobis, and wanted to subvert in favour of the creed of /o#e the
religion of the land But Eassa was a #atch for the AbounaF he denied the charge, and at the
sa#e ti#e stated %that if Abouna 0ala#a could e.co##unicate, Abouna de Cacobis could
re#ove it% "he Bishop, alar#ed at the influence his ene#ies #ight possibly obtain, offered to
recall his anathe#a, on condition that Eassa would e.pel $e Cacobis "hese ter#s having been
agreed upon, Abouna 0ala#a shortly afterwards consented to place the crown of Abyssinia on
the usurper's head, and did so in the very church BubiO had erected for his own coronation,
under the na#e of "heodore &&
Pleased with the Bishop's co#pliance, "heodore showed hi# the ut#ost respect He carried his
chair, or wal!ed behind hi# 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 !issed his hand
Abouna 0ala#a for a ti#e believed that his influence over "heodore was unbounded, as it had
been over /as Ali and BubiOF #istoo! "heodore's show of hu#ility for sincere ad#iration and
devotionF and the #ore hu#ble "heodore see#ed disposed to be, the #ore arrogant did the
Bishop, publicly show hi#self But he had not Luite understood the character of the -#peror
he had anointedF and overrating his own i#portance, at last he #ade of "heodore an open and
relentless ene#y "he crisis ca#e when Abouna 0ala#a least e.pected it Bne day "heodore
went in state to pay hi# his respects Arrived at the Abouna's tent, he infor#ed hi# of his visitF
the Bishop sent word that he would receive hi# when convenient, and #eanwhile bade hi#
wait without "heodore co#pliedF but as ti#e passed and the Bishop #ade no appearance,
"heodore wal!ed away, the ene#y of his prelate, and burning for revenge
+or years afterwards they lived in open en#ity, or en#ity slightly #as!ed6 each wor!ed hard at
the destruction of the other &f "heodore's reign had been a peaceful one, the Abouna would
have gained the dayF but the -#peror, surrounded as he was by a large ar#y of devoted
followers, found ready listeners to his descriptions of the Bishop's character Abouna 0ala#a
was never very popularF he was, without being a #iser, far fro# liberal +riendship in Abyssinia
#eans presents6 it is accepted as such by allF and every chief, every #an of note, who courts
popularity, lavishes with an unsparing hand "he -#peror naturally too! 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 #erchant at heartF that instead of selling the tribute he received in !ind
to the people of the country, as was for#erly the custo#, he sent it by caravans to Gassowah,
traffic!ed with the "ur!s, and hoarded all his #oney in -gypt 7ittle by little "heodore wor!ed
on the #inds of his people, i#pressing the# with the idea that, after all, the Bishop was only a
#an li!e the#selvesF and, at least in "heodore's ca#p, he had already lost #uch of his prestige
when the -#peror spread the report that his honour had been assailed by the Bishop who#
they all worshipped
"heodore, when detailing to us his grievances one day on our way to Agau Gedar, introduced
the subject of his Luarrel with the Abouna He then stated as the reason of his en#ity against
hi# that, one day when he was entertaining his officers at a public brea!fast, the Bishop, ta!ing
advantage of his absence, and under pretence of confessing the Pueen, went into her tent
*hen "heodore returned after the brea!fast was over, he presented hi#self at the door of his
wife's apart#ent, but on being infor#ed that she was engaged in her religious duties with the
Abouna he wal!ed away &n the evening he returned again to his wife's tent *hen he entered,
she flew to hi#, and sobbing on his nec! told hi# that she had been that day unwillingly
unfaithful to hi#, having been unable to resist the violence of the Bishop He forgave her, he
said, because she was innocentF and as for the suborner of his honour he could not punish hi#6
nothing but death could avenge such a cri#e, and how could he lay violent hands on a dignitary
of the ChurchUK"here is no doubt that the whole was an abo#inable inventionF but "heodore
had evidently told the sa#e story over and over again until at last he had co#e to believe it
hi#self
Abouna 0ala#a lost reputation, though, perhaps, few people believed the -#peror's assertion
But on the principle that if you throw #ud so#e will stic!, the Abouna's character was a#ongst
a certain class fairly goneF and henceforward his friends were only to be found a#ongst the
Eing's ene#ies, while his foes were "heodore's boso# friends &n public "heodore still always
treated hi# with respect, though not with such a great show of hu#ility as beforeF but he
evidently, for the sa!e of his people, #ade a distinction between the official character of the
Abouna, respecting it on account of his Christian faith, and his private one, for which he
e.pressed the greatest scorn
+or a long while the Luestion of the Church lands was a great deal discussed between the#
"heodore could not tolerate any power in the 0tate but his own He had fought hard to be the
supre#e ruler of AbyssiniaF he had done his ut#ost to bring the Abouna into conte#pt, and
when he thought the occasion favourable to do away entirely with his power and influence, he
confiscated all the Church lands and revenuesKso#e of the Bishop's hereditary property by
the sa#e stro!eKand placed hi#self virtually at the head of the Church "he Abouna's anger
!new no bounds Naturally of a violent te#per, he grossly abused "heodore on every occasion
0o#e of their Luarrels were #ost unbeco#ingF the intense hatred burning in the prelate's
heart showing itself in e.pressions that ought never to have fallen fro# his lips "he Bishop of
Abyssinia was never tolerant & have #entioned that towards /o#an Catholics he was #ost
intolerant He persecuted the# at every opportunity, and even when hi#self a prisoner at
Gagdala 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 #an had visited
/o#e and beco#e a convert there "owards Protestants he was better inclinedF still, he would
not hear of %conversions% Gissionaries #ight instruct, but they had to stop thereF and when, as
it happened, so#e Cews were led by the teachings of the #issionaries to accept Christianity,
they had to be baptiNed and received as #e#bers of the Abyssinian Church He showed hi#self
on all occasions friendly towards -uropeans, not /o#an Catholics, and in ti#e of trouble
proved of good service to the -uropean captivesF even helping the# with s#all su#s of #oney
at a ti#e of great scarcity and want But his friendship was dangerous "heodore distrusted,
nay, disli!ed any one who was on friendly ter#s with his great ene#yF the horrid torture the
-uropeans suffered at ANNaNoo was due entirely to that causeF and the Luarrels or
reconciliations between Church and 0tate always influenced their and our fate "he Abouna left
ANNaNoo with the Eing's ca#p after the rainy season of 1>MW
A serious rebellion had bro!en out in 0hoa, and "heodore, leaving his prisoners, wives and
ca#pHfollowers at Gagdala, #ade a Luic! #arch through the *allo Galla countryF but he found
the rebels so strong that he could do nothing against the# He was greatly annoyed at the
Bishop's refusal to acco#pany hi# "he 0hoa people are of all Abyssinians the #ost bigoted,
and have the greatest regard for their AbounaF with hi# in his ca#p #any of the opposing
chiefs would at once have laid down their ar#s and returned to their allegiance But the Bishop,
who had in view his fertile districts in "igrO, proposed acco#panying "heodore first to that
provinceF and after the rebellion had been put down in that part of the !ingdo#, to proceed
with hi# to 0hoa "heir interview on that occasion was very stor#yF and "heodore #ust have
had great co##and over hi#self to have refrained fro# e.tre#ities Abouna 0ala#a re#ained
at Gagdala, according to his desireF but a prisoner He was never put in chainsF though it is said
that "heodore had several ti#es resolve it should be done, and even had the fetters preparedF
but he was always restrained by dread of the effect that such a #easure #ight have on his
people "he Bishop was allowed to go as far as the church, should he desire itF but at night a
s#all guards always watched outside his houseF so#eti#es even a few of the soldiers passed
the night in the Abouna's apart#ent Al#ost all his servants were spies of the Eing He could
trust no one, e.cept a few of his slavesKyoung Gallas given to hi# in for#er days by
"heodoreKand a Copt, who, with so#e priests, had acco#panied the Patriarch $avid on his
visit to Abyssinia6 so#e of the# had accepted the Eing's service, whilst others, li!e the Copt
servant & have #entioned, devoted the#selves to their co#patriot and bishop
$uring the for#er i#prison#ent of the captives at Gagdala, the intercourse between the
Bishop and the# had been very li#ited "hey never saw each otherF but occasionally a young
slave of the Bishop's would carry a verbal #essage, or a short Arabic note containing so#e
piece of news, generally so#e e.aggerated ru#ours of the rebels' doings Ialways believed by
the too credulous AbounaJ, or si#ple inLuiries about #edicine, Tc
"he day of our arrival, and whilst the chiefs were reading "heodore's instructions concerning
us, the young slave above #entioned ca#e up to Gr /osenthal with !ind co#pli#ents fro#
the Abouna, to infor# us that as far as his #aster then !new there was nothing bad for the
present, but great fears for the future "he Bishop, we !new, had freLuent co##unications
with the great rebel chiefs I"heodore was also well aware of the fact, and hated hi# all the
#ore for itJF he had shown hi#self at all ti#es well disposed towards us, and as he was as
an.ious as ourselves to escape fro# the power of "heodore, we dee#ed it of the highest
i#portance to open co##unication with hi# But the difficulties in the way were enor#ous
Nothing would have injured our prospects #ore than the betrayal of our intercourse with the
Bishop to the -#peror 0a#uel in that respect could not for a long ti#e be trustedF as a deadly
en#ity e.isted between hi#self and the Bishop &t reLuired all the persuasive powers of Gr
/assa# to bring on a good understanding between the twoF he, however, #anaged the affair
so s!ilfully that he not only succeeded, but after #utual e.planations, they beca#e affectionate
friends But, until this difficulty had been overco#e, great precautions were necessary
"he s#all slave was soon suspected by our vigilant guards &t would have been dangerous to
confide to hi# anything of i#portance, for he #ight at any ti#e be seiNed and searched *e
therefore e#ployed servantHgirls, who were !nown to the Bishop, as they had resided on the
#ountain with the for#er captives "he Bishop accepted with eagerness our proposal to escape
fro# the A#ba, and, sanguine as he was hasty, at first gave us great hopesF but when we ca#e
to the details of his plot, as far as we were concerned, we found it was perfectly ridiculous He
wanted so#e nitrate of silver in order to blac!en his face, so as to pass unperceived through
the gates Bnce free, he was to join either Genile! or the *a!shu#, e.co##unicate and
depose "heodore, and proclai# the rebel e#peror in his place He had evidently forgotten that
the days of BubiO and /as Ali were gone long ago, that the #an who held Gagdala cared but
little for e.co##unication, and that, deposed or not, "heodore still would virtually be !ing "he
Bishop #ight have succeeded, perhapsF but had he been caught, or had it ever been !nown
that we were parties to his escape, no power in the world would have saved us fro# the rage of
the infuriated #onarch
After the Bishop's reconciliation with 0a#uel our relations with hi# were #ore freLuent and
inti#ate He was at all ti#es willing to help us to the best of his ability, lent as a few dollars
when we were hard pressed for #oney, wrote to the rebels to protect our #essengers, invited
the# to co#e to our release, pro#ising to the successful one his support, and, & believe, would
even have accepted a reconciliation with the #an fro# who# he had received so #any injuries,
solely for our sa!e
$isappointed in his a#bition, deprived of his property, insulted, degraded, without power,
without liberty, Abouna 0ala#a succu#bed to the too co##on te#ptation of #en who suffer
#uch Al#ost without society, leading a dull #isanthropic life, he did not re#e#ber that
sobriety in all respects was essential to his health and that overHindulgence at table was not
consistent with his forced seclusion Constant annoyances, added to inte#perate habits, could
but bring on sic!ness $uring our first winter & attended hi#, through Ala!a Qenab, our friend
and his, and under #y care he recovered Dnfortunately, he only listened to #y advice and
obeyed #y injunctions for a short ti#eF soon #issing the sti#ulants he had for years been
accusto#ed to, he gradually felt the want of their cheering influence, and again resorted to
the# $uring the rainy season of 1>M3 he had a #ore serious attac! "his ti#e 0a#uel, being
able to visit hi# at night, was our #ediu#, and being a very intelligent #an could give us a
correct account of his condition +or a while his health i#provedF but he was even #ore
unreasonable than for#erly6 hardly was he convalescent than several ti#es a day he sent to
inLuire if he could drin! so#e arrac!, ta!e a little opiu#, or indulge in so#e of his #ore
favourite dishes &t is not astonishing that relapse Luic!ly followed6 though & showed hi# the
danger of the course he was pursuing, he persisted in it
&n the beginning of Bctober the Bishop's condition beca#e so critical that he applied to the /as
and chiefs to allow #e to visit hi# "hey #et in consultation, and in a body repaired to Gr
/assa#, when & was called and as!ed if & would attend hi# & replied that as far as & was
concerned & was perfectly willing "he chiefs then retired to consider the #atterF and on one of
the# insinuating that "heodore would not be sorry if his ene#y the Abouna died, and that he
would be angry if he !new that the Bishop had been brought in contact with the -uropeans,
they decided on refusing his reLuestF though they consented to the attendance of the cowH
doctor *ith the Abouna we lost a staunch ally, a good friendF nay, the only one we had in the
country Had a rebel succeeded in #a!ing hi#self #aster of the A#ba his protection would
have been invaluable6 not that & believe his influence would have been sufficient to ensure our
releaseF but still, with hi#, we should have #et at the hands of any of the great rebel chiefs
nothing but good treat#ent and courteous de#eanour
"he #essenger sent to convey the tidings of the Abouna's death to the -#peror, was rather
puNNled how to e.press hi#self, not !nowing in what light his Gajesty would receive the news
He adopted a #iddle course as the safest, and tried to appear neither sorry nor rejoiced
"heodore listened to his tale and e.clai#ed, %"han! God, #y ene#y is dead5% "hen, addressing
the #essenger, he added, %'ou fool5 why did you not on reaching #e shout out 'Giserach'
Igood tidingsJU & would have given you #y best #ule%
*ith the death of the Bishop, our hopes, though always of the faintest !ind, when natives were
e.pected to be the deliverers, see#ed for ever crushed *a!shu# GobaNO had, for a ti#e at
least, by his treaty with Gastiate, given up his pretensions to the possession of GagdalaF and
Genile!, even if he !ept to his word and atte#pted the siege of our a#ba, would, no doubt, fall
bac! on 0hoa as soon as he should be apprised of the death of his friend who# he was so
an.ious to release *e had no precise infor#ation as to the steps that were ta!en at ho#e for
our rescueF and, until certain that troops had landed, we felt very an.ious lest so#e
contrete#ps should, at the last instant, occur, and the e.pedition be abandoned, or so#e
#ore or less chi#erical plan adopted in its stead *e had received a little #oney of late, but as
everything was scarce and dear, we had to be very careful, and refuse #any a %friend's%
reLuestKrather a dangerous proceeding in those days
*e believedKbut events proved we were wrongKthat if any great rebel, any rising #an of
influence, should present hi#self before the A#ba, the discontented, halfHstarved wretches
would be only too glad to open the gates and receive hi# as a saviour "he garrison, we !new,
would not on any account surrender to the Gallas +or years they had been at en#ity, and the
#arauding e.peditions which the soldiers of the #ountain had lately #ade into their territory,
had increased that bad feeling, and Luite destroyed any hope of reconciliation "his was the
#ore ve.atious, as now that Gastiate had, by her treaty with GobaNO, obtained possession and
garrisoned all the districts around Gagdala, it was but natural to e.pect that she would #a!e
so#e efforts at least to seiNe upon a fortress that lay within her do#inions Not #any days
after the departure of GobaNO for 'edjow, she issued orders to the people of the
neighbourhood to cease supplying the A#ba, and forbade any of her subjects fro# attending
the wee!ly #ar!etF she even fi.ed a day for the troops she had detached to $alanta and
$ahonte to rendeNvous at a short distance fro# Gagdala, as she intended to destroy the whole
of the country for #iles around, and reduce the garrison by fa#ine
"he *allo Gallas are a fine race, far superior to the Abyssinian in elegance, #anliness, and
courage Briginally fro# the interior of Africa, they #ade their first appearance in Abyssinia
towards the #iddle of the si.teenth century "hese hordes invaded the fairest provinces in such
nu#bers, they e.celled so greatly the A#haras in horse#anship and in courage, that not only
did they overrun the land, but lived for years on the resources of the country in i#prudent
security After a while they settled down on the beautiful plateau e.tending fro# the river
Bechelo to the highlands of 0hoa, and fro# the Nile to the lowland inhabited by the Adails
"hough retaining #ost of the characteristics of their race, they adopted #any of the custo#s of
the people they conLuered "hey lost in great #easure their predatory and pastoral habits,
tilled the soil, built per#anent dwellings, and to a certain, e.tent adopted in their dress, food,
and #ode of life the usages of the for#er inhabitants
&n appearance the Galla is tall, well #ade, rather slender, but wiryF the hair of both #en and
wo#en is long, thic!, waving, rather than curly, and is altogether #ore li!e coarse -uropean
hair than the se#iHwoolly te.ture that covers Abyssinian s!ulls "heir dress is in #any respects
identicalF both wear trousers, only those of the Gallas are shorter and tighter, so#ewhat
rese#bling those worn by the people of "igrO "hey both wear a large cotton cloth, a robe by
day and a covering by nightF the only difference being that the Galla seldo# weaves in the side
the broad red stripe, the pride of the A#hara "he food of both races is nearly the sa#eF both
enjoy the raw #eat of the cow, the shiro or hot spiced dish of peas, the wVt, and the teps
Itoasted #eatJF they only differ in the grain they use for bread, the A#hara delighting in
panca!es #ade of the s#all seed of the tef, whilst the Galla's bread is #ore loafHli!e, and is
prepared with the flour of wheat or barley, the only grain that prospers on their elevated land
"he Galla wo#en are generally fairF and when not e.posed to the sun, their large, blac!,
brilliant, shining eyes, their rosy lips, their long, blac!, and neatlyHbraided hair, their little feet
and hands, their graceful and wellHrounded for#s, #a!e the# co#parable to the fairest
daughters of 0pain or &taly "he long shirt falling fro# the nec! to the an!le, and fastened round
the waist by the a#ple folds of a white cotton beltF the silver an!lets, fro# which hang tiny
bells, the long nec!lace of beads and silver, the white and blac! rings covering the taper fingers,
are all very #uch the sa#e articles as those that are thought necessary for the toilette of the
Galla a#aNon and the #ore sedentary A#hara lady
"he #ost apparent difference is in their religion At the ti#e of their first appearance, the *allo
Gallas, li!e #any of the divisions of the sa#e fa#ily who, having settled further inland and
having less intercourse with foreigners, are still plunged in the grossest idolatry, worshipped
trees and stonesF or rather under these natural objects rendered adoration to a being called the
Dn!nown, who was to be propitiated by hu#an sacrifices &t is i#possible to obtain any correct
infor#ation as to the e.act date of their conversion to &sla#is#F but it has been accepted by
the *allo tribe al#ost universally None at the present day are given to heathen practices, and
only a few fa#ilies belong to the Christian faith
&f we co#pare the races still further, and e.a#ine the #orality and social habits of the two, at a
first glance it would see# that both are licentious, both dissolute But, on closer inspection, the
degradation of the one is seen to be so thorough, that the other #ay clai#, by contrast,
so#ething li!e pri#itive si#plicity "he A#hara's life is one round of sensual debaucheryF his
conversation seldo# deviates to pure or innocent subjects6 no title is so envied by the #en as
that of libertine, and the wo#en, also, are all a#bitious of a li!e distinction6 an %unfortunate% is
not regarded as unfortunate there "he richest, the noblest, the highest in the land are
profligates in love, or #ercenary6 #ore freLuently both Nothing is so disagreeable to an
Abyssinian lady's ear as an insinuation that she is virtuousF for that would be ta!en to #ean
that she is either illHloo!ing or for so#e other reason is not favoured with #any lovers
&n so#e parts of the Galla country the fa#ily e.ists in the old patriarchal for# "he father is in
his hu#ble hut as absolute as the chief is over the tribe &f a #an #arries and is afterwards
obliged to leave his village on a distant foray, his wife is i##ediately ta!en under the close
protection of his brother, who is her husband until the elder's return "his custo# was for #any
years very prevalentF now it is #ore li#ited6 it is #ost co##on in the plateau arising fro# the
Bechelo to $alanta or $ahonte, where Galla fa#ilies, al#ost isolated fro# the general tribe,
have preserved #any of the institutions of their forefathers "he stranger invited under the
roof of a Galla chief will find in the sa#e large s#o!y hut individuals of several generations "he
heavy straw roof rests on so#e ten or twelve wooden pillars, having in the centre an open
space, where the #atrons, sitting near the fire, prepare the evening #eal, while a swar# of
children play around the# Bpposite the rude door of s#all twigs, held together by nothing but
a few branches cut fro# the nearest tree, stands the si#ple alga of the %lord of the #anor%
Near his bed neighs his favourite horse, the pet of young and old &n other partitioned places
are his stores of barley or wheat *hen the evening #eal is over, and the children sleep where
they last fell in their ro#ping ga#es, the chief first sees that the co#panion of his forays is well
litteredF he then conducts his guest to the spot where so#e sweetHs#elling straw has been
spread under a dried cowHhide Nor is that the end of his hospitality, which at this point
beco#es rather e#barrassing to the #arried traveller But the strange way in which the guest
is honoured #ust not be set down to licentiousnessF it really is si#plicity
-very Galla is a horse#an, every horse#an a soldierF and thus is for#ed a perfect #ilitia, an
always ready ar#y, where no discipline is reLuired, no drill but to follow the chief As soon as
the warHcry is heard, or the signal fire is seen on the su##it of the distant pea!, the everHready
steed is saddled, the young son ju#ps up behind his father to hold his second lance, and fro#
every ha#let, fro# every apparently peaceful ho#estead, brave soldiers rush to the
rendeNvous *hen "heodore hi#self, at the head of his thousands, invaded their land, then
farewell to their ho#es His revengeful hand burnt for#s and villages far and wide wherever he
was opposed, and the defenceless peasants fled in order to save their lives, !nowing well how
futile were their hopes of safety, should they fall into his power
"he *allos are divided into seven tribes Presenting no differences a#ongst the#selves, they
were si#ply separated by civil wars Could these brave horse#en only understand the #otto
%Dnion is strength,% they could #a!e as easy a conLuest of the whole of Abyssinia as their
fathers did of the plains they now dwell upon *hen united, they have always carried their
ar#s successfully into an ene#y's country Children of their race, the Goo!sas, the GariOs, the
Alis, have held the -#peror in their sway, and governed the land for years Dnfortunately
during the days of our captivity, as had been but too freLuently the case before, petty
jealousies, unworthy rivalries, wea!ened to such an e.tent their power that, far fro# being able
to i#pose their laws on others, they in turn beca#e but tools in the hands of the Christian !ings
and rulers *ith Abusheer died the last vestige of union &f not at actual war, one party was
always wor!ing against anotherF and no distant ca#paign could be thought of when their
ene#ies in their own country dwelt
Abusheer, the last &#a# of the *allo Gallas, left two sons by different wives, *or!ite
<+ootnote6 +ine gold@ and Gastiate <+ootnote6 7oo!ingHglass@ "he son of the for#er, as we
#entioned in a previous chapter, was !illed by "heodore on the escape of Genile! to 0hoa, and
*or!ite had no option left but to see! the hospitality of the young !ing for who# she had
sacrificed so #uch
"hus for #ore than two years Gastiate was left in undisturbed possession of the supre#acy
vested in her by the unani#ous consent of the chiefs, a regent for her son until he attained his
#ajority
Genile!, after his escape, had no easy tas! before hi#6 the chief who had headed the rebellion
in the na#e of his !ing, after the gallant repulse and the chec! he inflicted upon "heodore,
declared hi#self independentKbeca#e the Cro#well instead of the Gon! of Abyssinia
Genile! was, however, well received by a s#all party of faithful adherentsF *or!ite had also
been acco#panied by a s#all force of trusty followersF and on a large nu#ber of the chiefs
abandoning the usurper and joining the standard of Genile!, he #arched against the powerful
rebel, who still held the capital and #any strong places, utterly defeated his ar#y and #ade
hi# a prisoner
"his victory was shortly afterwards followed by the co#plete sub#ission of 0hoa to his ruleF
chief after chief #ade their obedience, and all ac!nowledged as their !ing the grandson of
0ahela 0elassi Bnce his rights ad#itted by his people, he led his ar#y against the nu#erous
Galla tribes who inhabit the beautiful country e.tending fro# the southHeastern frontier of
0hoa to the picturesLue la!e of Guaragu But, instead of plundering these agricultural races, as
his father had done, he pro#ised the# honourable treat#ent, a !ind of #ild vassalage, on the
pay#ent of a s#all annual tribute "he Gallas, surprised at his une.pected generosity and
cle#ency, willingly accepted his ter#s, and, fro# for#er foes, enrolled the#selves as his
followers, and acco#panied hi# on his e.peditions "heodore had left a strong garrison on an
al#ost i#pregnable a#ba, situated at the northern frontier of 0hoa, co##anding the entrance
into the pass leading fro# the Galla country to the highlands of 0hoa Genile!, before his
ca#paign in the Galla country, had invested that last stronghold of "heodore in his own
do#inions, and, after a si. #onths' siege, the garrison, who had repeatedly applied to their
#aster for relief, at last gave in and opened their gates to the young !ing Genile! treated
the# e.ceedingly well, #any were honoured with appoint#ents in his household, others
received titles and co##ands, or were placed in positions of trust and confidence
Genile! owed #uch to *or!iteF without her ti#ely protection he would have been pursued,
and as 0hoa had shut its gates upon hi#, his position would have beco#e 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 !ingdo#6 his debt of gratitude towards her was i##ense, and nothing he could do
could adeLuately repay her for her devotion But if he could not give her bac! her #urdered
son, he would, at all events, #arch against her rival, and restore by force of ar#s the disgraced
Lueen to the throne she had lost on his account At the end of Bctober, 1>M3, Genile!, at the
head of a considerable ar#y, co#puted at W9,999 to ;9,999 #en, co#posed of A9,999 cavalry,
so#e 8,999 or A,999 #us!eteers, and the rest spear#en, entered the *allo Galla plain6 he
proclai#ed that he ca#e not as an ene#y, but as a friendF not to destroy nor to plunder, but to
reHestablish in her rule the deposed and lawful Lueen *or!ite 0he was acco#panied by a
young lad who, she asserted, was her grandson, the child of the prince who had been !illed
#ore than two years before at Gagdala 0he stated that he had been born in the *allo
country, before her departure for 0hoa, the result of one of those freLuent casual unions so
co##on in the country, and that she had ta!en hi# away when she sought refuge in the land
of the #an who# she had saved "o avoid any atte#pt being #ade by her rival to secure the
person of her grandchild, she had until then !ept the #atter secret However, her story was but
little credited6 & !now on the A#ba the soldiers laughed at itF still it offered an e.cuse to #any
of her for#er adherents for again joining her cause, and if they did not credit her tale they
pretended at least to do go
"he Galla chiefs for so#e ti#e re#ained undecided Genile! !ept to his wordF he neither
plundered nor #olested any one, and, before long, he reaped the reward of his wise policy
+ive of the tribes sent in their adhesion, and recogniNed *or!ite as regent for her grandson
Gastiate, in presence of such defection, adopted the #ost prudent course of retiring with her
reduced ar#y before the overwhel#ing forces of her adversariesF they followed her for so#e
days, but without overta!ing her Genile!, believing that they had nothing #ore to fear on that
side, settled as he best could the clai#s of *or!ite, and, acco#panied by a large force of his
new allies, #arched against Gagdala
Genile! had evidently placed #uch confidence in the wellH!nown disaffection of the garrison,
and he e.pected that, through the influence of the Bishop Iof whose death he was not awareJ,
of his uncle Aito $argie, and of Gr Eassa#, he would find on his arrival a party in his favour,
who would #aterially assist hi#, if not #a!e over the A#ba to hi# at once No doubt, had the
Bishop been still alive he would either have succeeded by pro#ises, threats, or force in opening
the gates to his beloved friend Aito $argie, & believe, contrived to secure a pro#ise of
assistance fro# a few chiefsF but they were not powerful enough, and at the last #o#ent
lac!ed courage
As for Gr /assa#, he adopted the #ost prudent course of suiting his policy to the #ove#ents
of Genile!F too #uch caution could not be used, as there was #uch reason to fear that the
great deeds about to be achieved would end in e#pty boasting "o Genile! he gave great
encourage#ent, offered hi# the friendship of -ngland, and even went so far as assuring hi#
that he would be ac!nowledged by our Govern#ent as !ing, should we be indebted to hi# for
our deliveranceF he reLuested hi# to enca#p at 0elassiO, fire his two guns against the gate, and
should the garrison not give in, to enca#p between ArogiO and the Bechelo, and !eep
"heodore fro# reaching the A#ba until the arrival of our troops
*e had been greatly disappointed by *a!shu# GobaNO6 for si. wee!s he was always co#ing,
but never ca#e Ne.t we had Gastiate as our great e.cite#ent6 she, we thought, would strive
to gain possession of her a#baF but she also never #ade her appearanceF and now for nearly a
#onth we were in daily e.pectation of the arrival of Genile! *e had already given hi# up
when, to our great surprise, on the #orning of the A9th of Nove#ber, we perceived a large
ca#p pitched on the northern slope of "antaF and on the top of a s#all e#inence co##anding
the plateau, and opposite to Gagdala, stood the red, white, and blac! tents of the Eing of 0hoa,
the a#bitious young prince who styled hi#self already %Eing of !ings% Bur astonish#ent was
co#plete when, towards noon, we heard the report of a steady #us!etryHfire #ingled with the
occasional discharge of s#all cannon *e at once gave credit to Genile! for greater pluc! than
we ever believed hi# capable ofF e.pecting that under cover of his fire the elite of his troops
would assault the placeF and aware of the little resistance he would #eet with, we already
rejoiced at the prospect of liberty, or at least of an advantageous change of #asters *e had
not finished our #utual congratulations when the firing ceased6 as everything was cal# and
Luiet on the A#ba, we could not #a!e out what was going on, until so#e of our guards ca#e
into our huts and as!ed us if we had heard Genile!'s %fa!er% Alas, it was indeed nothing but a
#ere boast6 he had fired fro# the verge of the Galla plateau, far out of range, to terrify into
sub#ission the wavering garrisonF then, satisfied with his day's wor!, he and his #en had
retired to their tents, awaiting the result of their warli!e de#onstration
"he fact of Genile! being enca#ped on the Galla plain was full of peril for ourselves without
being of any avail to hi# "he ne.t #orning he sent a #essage to us through Aito $argie, as!ing
what he should do *e again strongly urged upon hi# the necessity of his attac!ing the A#ba
by the &sla#gee sideF and in case he dee#ed it i#possible to assault the place, to stop all
co##unication between the fortress and the &#perial ca#p Bur great fear was that "heodore,
on hearing that Genile! was besieging his a#ba, would send orders for the i##ediate
e.ecution of all prisoners of note, ourselves included No doubt great disaffection e.isted on
the A#ba, and if Genile! had gone the proper way to wor!, before #any days the place would
have been his But he never did anythingF he re#ained enca#ped on the spot he had first
chosen, and #ade no other atte#pt to rescue us
*aiNero "erunish, "heodore's Lueen, acted well on that occasion6 she gave an adderash Ipublic
brea!fastJ, presided over by her son Ala#ayou, to all the chiefs of the #ountain &t being a fastH
day, the feast was li#ited to tef bread, and a peppery sauceF and as the supply of tej in the
royal cellars was scanty, the enthusias# was not very considerable 0till it had the desired
effectKchiefs and soldiers had publicly to proclai# their loyalty to "heodoreF as with the party,
still strong, that would give ear to no treachery, she was prepared to seiNe the #alcontents
individually, before they had ti#e to declare the#selves in open rebellion as the adherents of
Genile! -very one who thought that he was in any way suspected, and #any who had no
doubt #ade pro#ises to Genile! and accepted his bribes, felt very nervous 0a#uel was sent
forF he did not li!e the prospect at all, and we were very #uch afraid for hi# ourselves, and
glad when we saw hi# co#e bac! Bn its being perceived that so#e of the chiefs had not #ade
their appearance, inLuiries were #ade as to the cause of their absenceF they, seeing that there
was very little hope of securing a strong party in favour of Genile!, gave e.planations that were
accepted, conditionally that on the following day they would repair to the Eing's inclosure, and
there, in presence of the asse#bled garrison, proclai# their loyalty "hey went as they had
been ordered, and were the loudest in their praise of "heodore, in their e.pressions of
devotion to his cause, and in their abuse of the %fat boy% who had ventured near a fortress
entrusted to their care
"he Pueen had done her duty well and honourably "he /as and chiefs consulted together, and
considered it advisable, in order to show their affection and devotion for their #aster, to do
so#ething the#selves also But what should be doneU "hey had already placed e.tra guards at
night on the gates, and protected every wea! point on the A#baF nothing re#ained but to bully
the prisoners "he second evening after the arrival of Genile! before the #ountain, 0a#uel
received orders fro# the chiefs to #a!e us all sleep at night in one hutF the only e.ception
being #ade in favour of the !ing's friend, Gr /assa# But poor 0a#uel, though sic!, went to
the /as and insisted on having the order cancelled6 & believe his influence was bac!ed on that
occasion by a douceur he Luietly slipped into the /as's hand "he chiefs in their wisdo# had
also decreed, and the ne.t #orning enforced the order that all the servants, Gr /assa#'s
e.ceptedF should be sent down fro# the #ountain "he #essengers and other public servants
e#ployed by Gr /assa# were also obliged to leave "o Prideau. and #yself they allowed,
apart fro# our Portuguese, a waterHgirl and a s#all boy each & had no house down at &sla#geeF
0a#uel could not thin! of allowing #e to pitch a tent, so the poor fellows would have been very
badly off if Captain Ca#eron had not very !indly allowed the# to share his servants' Luarters
*e were put to great inconvenience by this absurd and ve.atious order, and & had so#e
trouble, when everything was again Luiet, in getting the servants up againF it reLuired all the
influence of 0a#uel and a douceur to the /as, out of #y poc!et, to gain #y object
As #ay well be e.pected, the Abyssinian prisoners were not sparedF all their servants were
counted, and sent down the #ountain, one only being allowed to three or four during the
dayti#e to carry wood, water, and prepare their food "hey were not suffered to leave the
nightHhouses, but had to re#ain day and night in those filthy places -very one on the #ountain
was e.ceedingly an.ious that Genile! should decide on so#ething, and put an end to that
painful state of an.iety
-arly on the #orning of the Ard of $ece#ber we were apprised by our servants that Genile!
had struc! his ca#p and was on the #ove *here he was going to no one !newF but, as we
were to so#e e.tent in his confidence, we flattered ourselves that he had accepted our advice,
and would before long be seen on 0elassiO, or on the plateau of &sla#gee *e spent a very
an.ious #orningF the chiefs see#ed perple.ed, evidently e.pecting an assault fro# that
direction, and we were confidentially infor#ed that we should be called upon to #an the guns
should the A#ba be attac!ed However, our suspense was shortly at an end "he s#o!e rising
in the distance, and in the direction of the road to 0hoa, showed us but too clearly that the
wouldHbe conLueror had, without stri!ing a blow, returned to his own country, and, with great
gallantry, was burning a few #iserable villages, whose chiefs were adherents of Gastiate
"he e.cuse Genile! gave for his hasty retreat was, that his supplies had run short, and that,
having no ca#pHfollowers with hi# he could not have flour preparedF that his troops being
hungry and dissatisfied, he had decided on returning at once to 0hoa, collect his ca#pH
followers, and advance again better provisioned, and re#ain in the neighbourhood of Gagdala
until it fell "he truth was, that to his great disappoint#ent he had heard fro# his ca#p the
#us!ets fired during the %fa!eringF% he !new that, as far as treachery was concerned, his
chance was gone for a while, and that he #ust await the effects of want and privation induced
by a long siege 0upplies he #ight have obtained in abundance, as he was the ally of *or!ite
and in a friendly country 0hould he even have reLuired #ore, the undefended districts of
*orahai#anoo, $alanta, etc, would have been Luite willing to send abundant provisions into
his ca#p on the assurance that they would not be #olested But if this %fa!ering% so#ewhat
deranged his plans, so#ething he saw on the evening of the second day, a #ere spec! of
s#o!e, #ade hi# fairly run away "hat s#o!e was !indled by the terrible "heodore He was, it
is true, still far awayF but who could sayU His fatherHinHlaw, Genile! !new well, was a #an of
long #arches and sudden attac!s How his large ar#y would be scattered li!e chaff before the
wind at the cry, %"heodore is co#ing,% he was well aware, and he ca#e to the conclusion that
the sooner he was off the better
Bur disappoint#ent was so#ething beyond description Bur rage, our indignation and scorn for
such cowardice, & cannot e.press "he %fat boy,% as we also now called hi#, we hated and
despised Had we been i#prudent enough openly to ta!e his part, what would have beco#e of
usU Genile!, doubtless, #eant well, and probably would have succeeded had the Bishop lived a
few wee!s longer As it is, he did us a great deal of har# Had he and *or!ite never left 0hoa,
Gastiate would have laid siege to the #ountain 0ooner or later it #ust have surrendered, and
neither "heodore nor his #essengers would ever have ventured south of the Bechelo if
Gastiate had been there with her 89,999 horse#en
*ith Genile!'s departure, &, for one, #ade up #y #ind never again to credit any of the
pro#ises of the native chiefs, which always ended in #ere #oonHshine 0ince then, & heard with
the ut#ost indifference that soHandHso was #arching in such a direction, that he or she would
attac! "heodore, or invest the A#ba and stop all co##unication between the rascals on the
top and %our friend% "heodore *e had been a long ti#e without #essengers, and the last had
not brought us the intelligence so an.iously loo!ed for Bur i#patience was greater since we
!new that we could e.pect nothing fro# the natives, and believed the e.pedition fro# -ngland
to be on its way6 we felt that so#ething was going on and we longed for the certainty
How well & re#e#ber the 1Ath of $ece#ber, a glorious day for us5 No lover ever read, with
#ore joy and happiness the longHe.pected note fro# the beloved one, than & did that day the
!ind and cheering letter of our gallant friend, General Gerewether "roops had landed5 0ince
the Mth of Bctober, our country#en were in the sa#e land that saw us captives /oads, piers,
were being #adeF regi#ent after regi#ent were leaving the shores of &ndia, so#e already
#arching across the Abyssinian Alps to rescue or avenge &t see#ed too delightful to be true6
we could hardly credit it -re long all #ust be over5 7iberty or death5 Anything was better than
continued slavery "heodore was co#ingKLu'i#porteU *as not Gerewether thereU the brave
leader of #any a hard fightF the gallant officer and acco#plished politician *ith such #en as a
Napier, a 0taveley at the head of British troops, who could feel but conte#pt for petty
ve.ationsU *e were prepared even for a worse fate, if it was to be our lot At least, -ngland's
prestige would be restored, her children's blood not left unrevenged &t was one of those
e.citing #o#ents in a #an's life that few can realiNe who have not passed through #onths of
#ental agony, and then been suddenly overco#e with joy *e laughed #ore than ever at the
idea of giving even a thought to such poltroons as GobaN and Genile! "he hope of #eeting our
brave country#en cheered us &n the #ind's eye we beheld the#, and in our hearts we than!ed
the# for the toils and privations they would have to undergo before they could set the
captives free +or the second ti#e, Christ#as and New 'ear's $ay found us in fetters at
GagdalaF but we were happy6 they would be the last, at all events, and, full of trust in our
deliverance, we now loo!ed forward to spending the ne.t at ho#e
CHAP"-/ R,&
"heodore's Proceedings during our 0tay at GagdalaKHis "reat#ent of Bege#derKA /ebellion
brea!s outK+orced Garch on GondarK"he Churches are Plundered and BurntK"heodore's
CrueltiesK"he &nsurgents increase in 0trengthK"he $esigns of the -#peror on Eourata
+rustratedKGr Bardel Betrays the New *or!#enK"heodore's &ngratitude towards the
%Gaffat People%KHis /aid on +oggara Dnsuccessful
"heodore re#ained at Aiban!ab for only a few days after our departure, and returned to $ebra
"abor He had told us once, %'ou will see what great things & will achieve during the rainy
season,% and we e.pected that he would #arch into 7asta or "igrO before the roads were closed
by the rains, to subdue the rebellion that for years he had allowed to pass unnoticed &t 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 #uch "heodore's ene#y as hi#selfF he
see#s to have been possessed with an evil spirit urging hi# to his own destruction Gany a
ti#e he would have regained the ground he had lost, and put down to a certain e.tent
rebellionF but all his actions, fro# the day we left hi# until he arrived at &sla#gee, were only
calculated to accelerate his fall
Bege#der is a large, powerful, fertile province, the %land of sheep% Ias its na#e indicatesJ, a
fine plateau, so#e 3,999 or >,999 feet above the sea, well watered, well cultivated, and thic!ly
populated "he inhabitants are warli!e, brave for Abyssinians, and often have repulsed the
rebels venturing to invade their province, so fir# in its allegiance to "heodore Not #any
#onths before "ese##a -ngeddah, a young #an, hereditary chief Bf Gahinte, a district of
Bege#der near its eastern frostier, with the aid of the peasants, attac!ed a force sent into
Bege#der by GobaNO, utterly routed it and put every #an to deathF e.cept a few chiefs who
were !ept for the -#peror to deal with as he thought fit
Bege#der paid an annual tribute of A99,999 dols, and supplied at all ti#es the Pueen's ca#p
with grain, cows, Tc, and during the stay of the -#peror in the province liberally provided his
ca#p Goreover, it furnished 19,999 #en to the ar#y, all good spear#en, but bad shots
"heodore, therefore, preferred for his #us!eteers the #en of $e#bea, who showed #ore s!ill
in the use of fireHar#s
Bege#der, the proverb says, %is the #a!er and destroyer of !ingsF% certainly it was so in the
case of "heodore After the flight of /as Ali, Bege#der at once ac!nowledged hi#, and caused
hi# to be loo!ed upon as the future ruler of the land "heodore was well aware of the difficult
ga#e he had to play, but believed his precautions were such that he would inevitably succeed
At first he was all s#ilesF chiefs were rewarded, peasants flatteredF his stay would be shortF
every day he e.pected he would leave "he annual tribute was paidF "heodore gave handso#e
presents to the chiefs, honoured #any with sil! shirts, and swore that as soon as the cannons
his -uropeans were casting should be co#pleted, he would start for Godja#, and with his new
#ortars destroy the nest of the archHrebel "adla Gwalu He invited, all the chiefs to reside in his
ca#p during his stay, to rejoice his heart "hey were his friends, when so #any rose against
hi# *ould they advance hi# a year's tributeU could they not provide #ore liberally for the
wants of his ar#yU He was going away for a long ti#e, and would not for years trouble the# for
tribute or supplies "he chiefs did their bestF every available dollar, all the corn and cattle the
peasants could spare, found its way into "heodore's treasury and ca#p But the peasants at last
got tired, and would not listen any longer to the entreaties of their chiefs Good words
"heodore perceived would be of no avail any #ore, so he adopted an i#perious, #enacing
tone Bne after the other, on so#e good ground, he i#prisoned the chiefsF but it was only to
test their fidelity6 they would, he !new get for hi# what he wanted, and then he would not only
release the#, but treat the# with the greatest honour "he poor #en did their best, and the
peasants, in order to obtain the deliverance of their chiefs, brought all they had as a ranso# At
last, both chiefs and peasants found that all their efforts failed to satisfy their insatiable #aster
"his state of things lasted for #ore than eight #onths, and during that period, first by plausible
and honeyed words, afterwards by inti#idation, he !ept hi#self and ar#y without difficulty
and without trouble He #ade no e.peditions during that ti#e, e.cept one against Gondar He
hated GondarKa city of #erchants and priests, always ready to receive with open ar#s any
rebel6 any robber chief #ight sit undisturbed in the halls of the old Abyssinian !ings and receive
the ho#age and tribute of its peaceful inhabitants 0everal ti#es before "heodore had vented
his rage on the unfortunate cityF he had already #ore than once sent his soldiers to plunder it,
and the rich Gussul#an #erchants had only saved their houses fro# destruction by the
pay#ent of a large su# &t was no #ore the fa#ous city of +asiladas, nor the rich co##ercial
town that for#er travellers had describedF confidence could no longer dwell under the
repeated e.tortions of !ing and rebel, nor could the #etropolis of Abyssinia afford to answer
the repeated calls #ade upon its wealth But still the fortyHfour churches stood intact,
surrounded by the noble trees that gave to the capital such a picturesLue appearanceF no one
had dared e.tend a sacrilegious hand to those sanctuaries, and until then "heodore hi#self had
shrun! fro# such a deed But now he had #ade up his #ind6 the gold of Eoos!ua#, the silver
of Bata, the treasures of 0elassiO should refill his e#pty coffersF her churches should perish with
the doo#ed city6 nothing would he leave standing as a record of the past, not a dwelling to
shelter the people he despised
Bn the afternoon of the 1st of $ece#ber, "heodore started on his #erciless errand, ta!ing with
hi# only the elite of his ar#y, the best #ounted and the best wal!ers a#ongst his #en He
never halted until he ca#e, the ne.t #orning, to the foot of the hill on which Gondar is builtKa
#arch of #ore than eighty #iles in less than si.teen hours But though he suddenly pounced
upon his ene#y, it was too lateF the news of his approach had spread faster "he joyous elelta
resounded fro# house to houseF the an.ious and terrified inhabitants desired to appear happy
in presence of the dire cala#ity such a visit presaged "he rebel's deputy had left the palace in
ti#e, and acco#panied by a few hundred horse#en, awaited, at so#e distance fro# the town,
the result of "heodore's co#ing He had not long to wait "he invaders searched every house,
plundered every building, fro# the churches to the poorest hut, and drove away before the#
li!e cattle the 19,999 re#aining inhabitants of that large city "hen, the wor! of destruction
began6 fire spread fro# house to house, the churches and palace, the only re#ar!able buildings
the country possessed, beca#e a heap of blac!ened ruins But the priests loo!ed sullenF so#e
entreated, others #ur#ured, a few were bold enough to curseF at an order given by "heodore,
hundreds of aged priests were hurled into the fla#es But his insatiate fury de#anded fresh
victi#s *here were the young girls who had welco#ed his entrance *as it not their joyous
shouts that had scared away the rebelU %7et the# be brought5% cried the fiend, and these
young girls were thrown alive into the fire5
"he e.pedition had been successfulF Gondar was utterly destroyed +our inferior churches only
had escaped destruction Gold, sil!s, dollars were now abundant in the royal ca#p "heodore
was received on his return to $ebra "abor with all the triu#phal honours bestowed on a victorF
the Gaffat people went to #eet hi# with lighted torchesF and co#pared hi# to the pious
HoNe!iah &f "heodore's star had been di# before this wanton barbarity, it disappeared
altogether fro# that day6 all went against hi#Ksuccess never attended hi# #ore
"he burning of Gondar increased i##ensely the power of the rebels "hey advanced steadily
and cautiously, seiNing district after district, until whole provinces ac!nowledged their sway,
and all joined in anathe#atiNing the sacrilegious #onarch who had not hesitated to destroy
churches that even the Gussul#an Gallas had respected As long as the soldiers had #oney the
peasants willingly sold the# their goodsF but this could not last long6 soon scarcity prevailed in
the ca#p "heodore applied to the chiefsF they #ust use their influence and force the %bad
peasant% to bring in #ore supplies "he peasants would listen no longerF they told the chiefs,
%7et the !ing set you free and then we will do anything you tell us, but now we !now that you
are only acting under co#pulsion% "heodore ordered the chiefs to be tortured6 %&f they cannot
bring grain they #ust give #oney% 0o#e who had a few savings sent the#Kfor torture was
worse than povertyF but this did not i#prove their condition "heodore believed that they had
#ore, and as they had nothing to give, #any died under the daily repetition of the tortures
"heodore now inflicted on his prisonersF a#ongst who# were his bravest soldiers, his
staunchest supporters, nay, his boso# friends
$esertions were now #ore freLuent than everF chiefs left in the open day with their followersF
the gun#an threw away his weapon, and joined his oppressed brother the peasantF great
nu#bers of the Bege#der soldiery daily abandoned his cause and returned to their villages
"heodore, in this plight, resorted to a for#er practice of his He #ust plunder, and feed his
ar#y by plunder But the Bege#der #en would not plunder their own country#en, and he did
not place #uch confidence in the bravery of his $e#bea #en6 therefore he pitted the #an of
Gahinte against the peasant of &fag, the sons of Gahdera Garia# against those of -stOKall
districts of the sa#e province, but far distant fro# one another, and with long feuds e.isting
between so#e of the# At first he succeeded, and returned fro# his e.peditions with a#ple
suppliesF but his fearful cruelties at last aroused the peasants Coined by the deserters they
fought in their own way, cut off stragglers, sent their fa#ilies to distant provinces, and for #iles
around $ebra "abor ceased cultivating the soil
&n Garch, 1>M3, "heodore started for Eourata, the third town in i#portance in Abyssinia, and
the greatest co##ercial centre after Gondar and Adowa But this ti#e he failed co#pletelyF
ever since his e.pedition to Gondar, the peasants of all the surrounding districts were always
on the alert6 beaconHfires were ready, the people telegraphed to each other in their rude way,
and the victi#s evaded the tyrant
At Eourata he found no one, and hardly any plunderF the rich #erchants, priests, every one had
e#bar!ed with all their goods in the s#all native boats, and, out of range of "heodore's rifles,
Luietly awaited his departure to return to their ho#es "heodore was greatly disappointedF he
e.pected to reap a rich harvest and found nothing He #ust revenge hi#selfF but here, again,
he was frustrated "he soldiers deserted en #asseF few, very few would re#ain with hi#, he
was told, if he destroyed Eourata "he sacred town, houses, streets, trees, had all been
dedicated to God's serviceF such a sacrilege was beyond the rascality of even the Abyssinian
soldier "heodore had to return to $ebra "abor 0o#eti#es once or twice a wee! he would go
forth and plunderF but with little success6 each ti#e his difficulties increasedF the peasants had
lost their first great dread of hi#F they fought well at places, and defied the gailyHdressed
chiefs6 none as yet stood before hi#, but the day was not far off when his prestige had fallen so
low that a #an was found who challenged his anointed !ing
"he position of the -uropeans near "heodore was, indeed, #ost painful Always to please a
ferocious, #ad, enraged tiger, would have been trifling co#pared to what they had to undergo
during the last year they served hi# "heodore was Luite changedF no one who had !nown hi#
in for#er days would have now recogniNed the elegant and chivalrous young prince, or the
proud, but just -#peror, in the ho#icidal #ono#aniac of $ebra "abor
A few days before we left for Gagdala Iafter the political trialJ, Gessrs 0taiger, Brandeis, and
the two hunters, foreseeing that captivity, and probably chains, would be our lot before long,
availed the#selves of a for#er per#ission they had obtained to re#ain near Grs +lad during
her husband's absence, in order to !eep clear of the co#ing stor# GcEelvie Ia for#er captive,
and servant of Capt Ca#eron,J pretended sic!ness, also re#ained behind, and shortly
afterwards too! service with his Gajesty Gac!erer Ialso a for#er captive, and servant of Capt
Ca#eron,J had previously been in "heodore's service, and preferred to return to hi# rather
than go through a second captivity at Gagdala 7ittle were they aware at the ti#e how #uch
they would have to go through the#selves
Grs /osenthal, on account of her health, could not acco#pany us thenF afterwards she several
ti#es applied for leave to join her husband, but until a couple of #onths before our release,
was always refused on so#e specious reason or the other Grs +lad and children belonged to
the sa#e party, having been left by her husband on his departure, under the protection of the
%Gaffat people%
Altogether the nu#ber of -uropeans with his Gajesty during the ti#e of our captivity at
Gagdala, including Gr Bardel, was fifteen, e.clusive of the two ladies and several halfHcastes
"heodore had no sooner returned to $ebra "abor, after sending us to Gagdala, than he set to
wor!, with the assistance of the -uropeans, casting cannons of various shapes and siNes, and
#ortars of i##ense weight and calibre Gaffat, where the foundry had been erected, was only
a few #iles fro# $ebra "abor, and every day "heodore was in the habit of riding down with a
s#all escort and superintending the wor!s Bn these occasions, the four who had re#ained
behind IGr 0taiger and his partyJ usually ca#e to present their respects, but did not wor!
Gac!erer and GcEelvie had been apprenticed to so#e of the Gaffat people, and did their
ut#ost to please the -#peror, and he, to encourage the#, presented the# with a sil! shirt and
199 dollars each Bne #orning when the four had co#e as usual to loo! on, "heodore, in an
angry voice, as!ed the# why they did not wor! with the others "hey perceived by his tone and
#anner that it was i#prudent to refuseF and accordingly bowed in acLuiescence and set to
wor! "heodore, to #ar! his pleasure, ordered the# to be invested with robes of honour, and
sent the# also 199 dollars each +or so#e ti#e they wor!ed at the foundry, but were
afterwards sent with Gr Bardel to #a!e roads for the artilleryF "heodore, with his usual
caution, having two constructed at the sa#e ti#e, one in the direction of Gagdala, the other
leading towards Godja#, so as to leave every one, his people and the rebels, in doubt as to his
#ove#ents
At this ti#e Gr Brandeis and Gr Bardel happened to #eet at so#e hot springs not far fro#
$ebra "abor, whither they had gone with his Gajesty's per#ission for the benefit of their
health "hough Bardel was not a favouriteF being justly distrusted by all, it see#s that a !ind of
inti#acy sprung up between the two, and in an hour of confidence Gr Brandeis revealed to
Bardel a plot they had #ade to run away, proposing to hi# to join their party Bardel accepted
A short ti#e afterwards they returned to $ebra "abor, or rather to a short distance fro# it,
where they were #a!ing the roads "hey at once set to wor! to co#plete their arrange#ents,
and at last, everything being ready for the route, they fi.ed upon the night of the 8;th of
+ebruary for their departure "owards ten in the evening Bardel loo!ed into the tent where all
were asse#bled, and seeing at a glance that everything was ready, pretended to have
forgotten so#ething in his tent, and begged the# to wait a few #inutes for hi# "hey agreed,
and #ounting his horse, Bardel started at full gallop to fetch "heodore "hat #an, so
unprincipled that even Abyssinians loo!ed upon hi# with conte#pt, had basely betrayed, out
of #ere love of #ischief, those poor #en who had trusted in hi# "heodore was Luite ta!en
abac! when Bardel told hi# that the four he had ta!en into his service, and Gac!erer, were on
the point of deserting %But were you not also one of the partyU% "heodore inLuired Bardel
said that it was trueF but if he had entered into the plot, it was only to be able to prove his
attach#ent to his #aster by revealing it to hi#, when he could with his own eyes assure hi# of
the correctness of the assertion "heodore acco#panied hi# to the tent where the others were
an.iously e.pecting their co#panion's return +ancy their dis#ay and astonish#ent when they
saw the -#peror Luietly wal!ing in followed by their betrayer5
"heodore was cal#, as!ed the# why they were so ungrateful, and why they wanted to run
awayU "hey replied that they longed to see their country "hey were given in charge to the
soldiers who had acco#panied "heodore, chained hand and foot, each of the# to one of their
servantsF all their followers were stripped na!ed, tied with ropes, and several of the# !illed
"heir condition ever since was #ost dreadful6 they were confined at first with hundreds of
starving and na!ed Abyssinians, witnessed the e.ecution of thousands, #any of who# had
been their bed co#panions, and e.pected at any instant to be called upon to pay with their
lives the penalty of their rash atte#pt However, "heodore after a while #ade a difference
between the# and his people, he set apart a s#all tent for the#, did not deprive the# of all
their clothes, and allowed the# so#e servants to prepare their food
"he rebellion had by this ti#e, April, 1>M3, beco#e so universal, that apart fro# a few
provinces in the neighbourhood of Gagdala, that fortress and another one, Qer A#ba, near
"schelga, he could only call his own the few acres on which his tents were pitched His
-uropean wor!#en had cast so#e guns for hi#, and afraid that at Gaffat these #ight be seiNed
by so#e rebel, he deter#ined upon re#oving the# to his ca#p He too! advantage of the
receipt of a letter fro# Gr +lad, to appear displeased at the news he had received, and thereby
cover his ingratitude towards those faithful servants by a plausible e.cuse
Bn the 13th of April "heodore went to Gaffat, stopped at the foot of the hilloc! on which it is
built, sent for the -uropeans, and told the# that he had received a letter fro# Gr +lad,
containing serious #atters, and that, as he could not trust the# far fro# hi#, they #ust go to
$ebra "abor until Gr +lad's return, when all would be e.plainedF he added that he had also
heard that preparations for the reception of troops were being #ade at Eedaref, and that %if he
was to be !illed, they would die first% Bne of the -uropeans, GoritN Hall, re#onstrated against
the unfair treat#ent he was subjected to, after long and faithful services6 %Eill us at once,% he
e.clai#ed, %but do not degrade us in this wayF if in the letter you have received, there is
anything you can charge against us, then have it read out before your people $eath is better
than unjust suspicion% "heodore, in angry tone, ordered hi# to be silent, and sent the# all
under escort to $ebra "aborF their wives and fa#ilies followedF all their property was seiNed,
but afterwards partly returned, and on the tools and instru#ents being given bac! to the#,
they were told to wor! "he -uropeans and guns safe in his ca#p, "heodore left $ebra "abor
on a plundering e.peditionF but in Bege#der he #et with such constant resistance fro# the
peasantry, that his soldiers at last objected
"o please the#, he led the# towards +oggara, a fertile plain to the northHwest of Bege#derF
but he found hardly anything there All the grain had been buried, and the cattle re#oved to
distant parts of the country Bne of our #essengers sent to hi# by Gr /assa# found hi#
there, and on his return, gave us the #ost dreadful description of the -#peror's te#per6
floggings, beatings, and e.ecutions were going on all day, and he was so badly off for #oney,
that he had i#prisoned several of his own personal attendants, fi.ing their release at 199
dollars each $uring his absence, the Gaffat people had consulted a#ongst the#selves as to the
best #eans of regaining the -#peror's favour, and decided on proposing to cast an i##ense
#ortar for hi# "heodore was delighted A foundry was erected, and the %Great 0ebastopol,%
which was destined to be the crushing blow for hi#, and the #eans of our salvation, was
begun
CHAP"-/ R,&&
Arrival of Gr +lad fro# -nglandK$elivers a 7etter and Gessage fro# the PueenK"he -pisode
of the "elescopeKBur Property ta!en care ofK"heodore will not yield e.cept to forceKHe
/ecruits his Ar#yK/as Adilou and Qallallou desert hi#KHe is repulsed at Belessa by 7ij Abitou
and the PeasantsK"he -.pedition against GetrahaKHis Cruelties thereK"he %Great
0ebastopol% is CastK+a#ine and Pestilence co#pel the -#peror to raise his Ca#pK"he
$ifficulties of his Garch to GagdalaKHis Arrival in $alanta
0oon after the Gaffat people had been sent to $ebra "abor, Gr +lad arrived fro# -ngland, and
#et "heodore in $e#bea on the 8Mth of April "heir first #eeting was not very friendly Gr
+lad handed to his Gajesty the Pueen's letter, with others fro# General Gerewether, $r Be!e,
and fro# the relations of the for#er captives Bn presenting General Gerewether's letter to
"heodore, +lad infor#ed hi# that he had brought as a present to hi# fro# that gentle#an, an
e.cellent telescope "heodore as!ed to see it "he telescope was rather difficult to arrange so
as to suit "heodore's sight, and as it too! so#e ti#e before +lad could put it in order, "heodore
got i#patient and said, %"a!e it to the tent, we will try it toH#orrowF but & !now it is not a good
telescope6 & !now it is not sent to #e for good%
"heodore then ordered every one to retire, and having told +lad to sit down, as!ed hi#, %Have
you seen the PueenU% +lad replied in the affir#ative, adding that he had been very graciously
received, and that he had a verbal #essage to deliver to hi# fro# her Gajesty %*hat is itU%
"heodore i##ediately as!ed Had replied, %"he Pueen of -ngland has told #e to infor# your
Gajesty, 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 e.pect any further friendship fro# her% "heodore
listened attentively, and even had the #essage repeated to hi# several ti#es After a pause, he
said to +lad, %& have as!ed fro# the# a sign of friendship, but it is refused to #e &f they wish to
co#e and fight, let the# co#e, and call #e a wo#an if & do not beat the#%
"he following day Gr +lad presented hi# with the several gifts he had brought with hi# fro#
Govern#ent, $r Be!e, and othersF the supplies he had brought for as he put aside, but
everything was sent to the royal tent, and 1,999 dollars he had also conveyed for us, "heodore
too!, saying the roads were dangerous, and that he would send an order for it to Gr /assa# at
Gagdala Bn the 82th "heodore sent again for the telescope6 one of his officers had e.a#ined
it, and found it e.cellent, but "heodore pretended not to be able to see anything with it
%&t is not sent for good,% he saidF %it is the sa#e story as so#e years ago when Basha +ala!a
ICaptain 0peedyJ sent #e a carpet by EeransF but by the power of God & chained the bearer of
that carpet "he #an who sends #e the telescope only wants to annoy #eF he wishes to tell
#e, '"hough you are a !ing and & send you an e.cellent telescope, you will not be able to see
through it'% +lad did his best to disabuse his Gajesty of this i#pression, and convince hi# of
the fact that the telescope was sent to hi# as a to!en of friendshipF but as "heodore only got
#ore violent, +lad thought it prudent to be silent
Bn Gonday, the A9th, "heodore sent for +lad again and told hi# that he was going to send hi#
to rejoin his fa#ily at $ebra "abor +lad too! advantage of this occasion to give a full account of
the dealings of the rebels with +rance, and their desire to be ac!nowledged by usF he assured
"heodore that if he did not co#ply with our Pueen's reLuest he would certainly involve hi#self
in a disastrous war, etc "heodore listened with great coolness and indifference, and when +lad
ceased tal!ing, Luietly said6 %$o not be afraid6 the victory co#es fro# God & trust in the 7ord
and he will help #eF & do not trust in #y power & trust in God who says, &f you have faith li!e a
#ustard seed, you can re#ove #ountains% He said that even if he had not chained Gr /assa#
it would have been all the sa#eF they would not have sent hi# the wor!#en He !new already,
at the ti#e of Bell and Plowden, that the -nglish were not his friends, and he only treated these
two well out of personal regard for the# He concluded by saying, %& leave it to the 7ord6 he will
decide it when we fight on the battleHfield%
"heodore had vented his rage about the telescope to hide his disappoint#entF he had said to
one of his wor!#en at the ti#e he wrote to +lad to co#e up with the artisans, %'ou do not
!now #e yetF but call #e a fool, if by #y cunning & do not get the#% &nstead of artisans, white
#en to be held as hostages, he received a fir# #essage, holding out no hope of friendship
unless he set at liberty all those he had so long unlawfully detained His answers, so full of
#ee!ness, he !new would please his followersF they were superstitious and ignorant, and
placed a certain credence in his hopeful words
$esertions had considerably reduced his ar#y He well !new the influence of nu#bers in a
country li!e Abyssinia, and to increase his scanty host, after plundering for the fourth or fifth
ti#e $e#bea and "accosa, he issued a procla#ation to the peasants in the following
ter#s6K%'ou have no #ore ho#es, grain, or cattle & have not done it6 God did it Co#e with
#e, and & will ta!e 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 na#e for the districts of Bege#der he
had lately destroyedF and #any of these poor starving, ho#eless creatures, not !nowing where
to go or how to live, were only too glad to accept his offer
"heodore's position was not an enviable one &n Gay, /as Adilou, together with all the 'edjow
#en, the only cavalry left to hi#, departed fro# the ca#p in open daylight, ta!ing with the#
their wives, children, and followers "heodore was afraid of pursuing the deserters, lest the
greater part of his re#aining force should seiNe the opportunity thus offered to the# and join
the discontented, instead of fighting to capture the# Not long before, a young chief of
Gahinte, na#ed Qallallou, at the head of two hundred horse, had fled to his native province,
and through his influence all the peasants of that warli!e district had ai#ed and prepared
the#selves to defend their country against "heodore and his fa#ished host Qallallou, the very
day he left the &#perial ca#p, fell upon so#e of our servants en route to $ebra "abor, where
they were going to purchase suppliesF all were plundered of everything they had, stripped, and
several detained as prisoners for a few days
$ahonte and $alanta not long afterwards, declared the#selves for the Gallas, turned out of
their provinces the governors "heodore had appointed over the#, and seiNed upon the cattle,
#ules, and horses belonging to the Gagdala garrison, which had been sent there, as was the
custo# before the rainy season, on account of the scarcity of water on the A#ba itself &f
"heodore, only a few #onths before, had but a very insecure portion of his for#er vast e#pire
that he could call his own, at that date, Cune, 1>M3, he was a !ing without a !ingdo#, and a
general without an ar#y Gagdala and Qer A#ba were still garrisoned by his troopsF but apart
fro# these forts, he had nothing left6 even his ca#p was only full of #utinous #en, and
desertions went on at such a rate that he could then only #uster fro# M,999 to 3,999 #en, the
#ajority of who# were peasants, who had followed hi# to avoid starvation +or #iles around
$ebra "abor the country was a perfect desert, and "heodore saw with dread the rainy season
co#ing on, for he had no supplies in ca#p, and a large nu#ber of followers, the people of
Gondar, and an endless host of useless individuals to support
<&llustration6 0DGG&" B+ Q-/ AGBA +B/"/-00 N-A/ "-CH-7GA@
&n Bege#der plundering was out of the6 LuestionF the peasants were always on the watch, and
on the slightest sign of a #ove were everywhere on the alert, !illing the stragglers and
plunderers, and !eeping out of the way of the gun#en who stood around the -#peror
"heodore re#e#bered a rich district not as yet plundered, Belessa, at the northHeast of
Bege#der &n order to surprise the inhabitants co#pletely, he proclai#ed so#e days before
that he was going on an e.pedition in Luite a different direction, and to #a!e his ar#y appear
as for#idable as possible, he had given orders that every one who possessed a horse or a #ule,
or a servant, #ust send the#, under penalty of death, to acco#pany the e.pedition "he
Belessa people, far fro# being surprised, had been infor#ed of his intention by their spies, and
"heodore, to his disappoint#ent, saw fro# a distance their villages on fireF the peasants
the#selves having preferred destroying their ho#es to leaving the# a prey to the invader
Dnder the conduct of a gallant chief, 7ij Abitou, a young #an of good fa#ily, and a runaway
officer, fro# the &#perial household, the peasants, well ar#ed, too! up a position on a s#all
plateau, separated by a narrow ravine fro# the route "heodore would ta!e "o his surprise,
instead of running away at the #ere sight of his charger, they not only stood their ground, but
several wellH#ounted chiefs rode out in front and bid defiance to "heodore hi#self Astrologers
#ust have told hi# 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 #en in person,
and before this une.pected resistance gave way and ordered a retreat Belessa was saved6 the
hungry, fa#ished robbers that "heodore called soldiers passed a dreadful nightF tired, hungry,
and cold, they could not sleep, for the peasants #ight surprise and attac! the#, in their turn
"he cruelties "heodore perpetrated after his return to $ebra "abor were fearfulF too horrible to
be related At last, tired of ta!ing his revenge on the innocent, he turned his thoughts to the
place he #ight #ost easily plunder, and fi.ed upon the island of Getraha
"hat island, situate in the "ana 0ea, about twenty #iles north of Eourata, is only a few hundred
yards fro# the #ainland &t was considered in the light of an asylu#, and protected by its
sacred character, priests and #on!s resided there in peaceF while #erchants and rich
landowners sent their goods and stores there for safe custody "heodore had no scruples about
violating the sanctity of the island6 the asylu# afforded by the churches to all before his ti#e he
had long ago violated, and, certain of a large booty, did not hesitate to add another sacrilege to
his nu#erous cri#es Bn his arrival before Getraha, he at once ordered his people to #a!e
rafts *hilst "heodore was occupied in their construction, a priest ca#e in a boat, and
approaching within spea!ing distance, inLuired of the -#peror what it was that he desired
"heodore told hi# the grain that they had in store "he priest replied that they would send it to
hi#F but "heodore, not satisfied with the grain alone, told the priest not to be afraid, but to
send their boats He too! a sole#n oath that he would not injure the#, nor re#ove anything
but the grain he reLuired "he priest, on his return to the island, infor#ed the people of his
conversation with the -#peror, and the #ajority being in favour of co#plying with his
reLuests, it was agreed that all the available boats should be ta!en to the #ainland A few who
had no trust in "heodore's word entered their canoes, and paddled away in an opposite
direction "heodore ordered the -uropeans to fire upon the# with the s#all cannons they had
brought "hey co#pliedF but, to "heodore's great disappoint#ent, failed to hit any of the
fugitives No sooner had "heodore and a select party been ad#itted on the island than he
caused all the re#aining inhabitants to be shut up in a few of the larger housesF and after all
the grain, silver, gold, and #erchandise had been re#oved, he set the place on fire, and burnt
to death priests, #erchants, wo#en and children5
+or a while, abundance reigned in "heodore's ca#p "he wor! of casting the big cannon had
been going on for so#e ti#e6 the day of its co#pletion at last arrived, and -#peror and
wor!#en an.iously awaited the result of their labours "he -uropeans, to their great dis#ay,
saw that they had failedF but "heodore, not in the least put out, told the# not to be afraid, but
to try again6 perhaps they would succeed another ti#e "heodore e.a#ined carefully
everything, connected with the s#elting, in order to find out the cause of the failure, and he
soon perceived that it was due to the presence of so#e water around the #ould He at once
set to wor!, and had a large, deep, broad trench constructed fro# beneath the #ould to so#e
distance outside "his drain dried up the place, and on a second atte#pt being #ade the
success was co#plete "heodore was delightedF he #ade handso#e presents to the wor!#en,
and prepared everything reLuisite to carry away with hi# his i##ense piece of ordnance
$uring that rainy season I1>M3J "heodore's difficulties were very great6 indeed, the punish#ent
of his evil deeds was falling heavily upon hi#, and to his proud nature it #ust have been a daily
and constant agony "he rebels were now so little afraid of "heodore that every night they
#ade attac!s on his ca#p, and were always on the watch to seiNe stragglers, or ca#pH
followers "hey had at last beco#e such a terror to the soldiers that, to protect the#, and at
the sa#e ti#e chec!, to a certain e.tent, desertion, "heodore had a large stoc!ade built around
the foot of the hill on which his ca#p was pitched A war of e.ter#ination on both sides now
too! placeF "heodore showing no pity to the peasants who# he succeeded in capturing, and
they, on their side, torturing and #urdering any one who belonged to the -#peror's ca#p A
detailed account of the atrocities co##itted by "heodore during the last #onth of his stay in
Bege#der would be too horrible to narrate6 suffice it to say that he burnt alive, or sentenced to
so#e cruel death, in that short space of ti#e, #ore than A,999 persons5 His rage at ti#es was
so blind that, unable to satisfy his revenge by punishing those who daily insulted and scorned
hi#, he vented his anger on the few re#aining faithful co#panions who shared his fate6 chiefs
who had fought by his side for years, friends who# he !new fro# his childhood, old
respectable #en who had protected hi# in for#er days, all had to suffer #ore or less for their
faithfulness, and fell innocent victi#s to his #ad fits of violence Gany succu#bed to a lingering
death, or chains and torture, for no reason whatever e.cept that they loved hi#5
$esertions were still freLuent, but the difficulty of escape was greater than beforeF the
peasants often put to death the fugitivesF and always stripped and plundered the# of
everything they had "he gates of the fence were guarded night and day by faithful #en, and it
reLuired often a good deal of ability and cunning to be able to pass through the# & was told an
anecdote which e.e#plifies the e.pedients the soldiers resorted to in order to get out of the
dreaded ca#p Bne evening, about half an hour before sunset, a wo#an presented herself at
the gate, carrying on her head one of the large flat bas!ets used for !eeping breadF she said,
with tears in her eyesF that her brother was lying down so#e short distance fro# the fence so
dangerously wounded that he could not wal!F she had brought hi# a little bread and water,
etc "he guards allowed her to pass A few #inutes afterwards a soldier presented hi#self at
the gate, and as!ed if they had seen a wo#an go through, giving the description of the one that
had just gone out "he guards said that they hadF the soldier appeared to be in a fearful
passion, and said that she was his wife, who had #ade an assignation to run away with her
loverF and he threatened to report the# to the -#peror "he guards told hi# that she could
not be far off, and that he had better go Luic!ly and overta!e herF off he went6 as #ight be
e.pected, neither appeared again
"o the annoyances and difficulties caused by the presence of large bodies of ar#ed peasants,
day and night hanging about the outs!irts of the ca#p, were soon added the evils of fa#ine6 a
s#all Abyssinian loaf cost a dollarF a salt and a half, a dollarF butter could not by any #eans be
obtainedF and hundreds died daily of want and starvation *hen the grain plundered at
Getraha was consu#ed, no #ore could be foundF plundering was now Luite i#possible, and as
long as "heodore did not #ove his ca#p there was no hope of supplies of any !ind being
obtained Al#ost all the #ules, horses, and the few re#aining sheep had died fro# want of
foodF they could not graNe any #ore in close vicinity to the ca#p, that pasture being co#pletely
eaten upF and as to driving the# to so#e green fields at a distance, that was i#possible "he
poor ani#als dropped one after the other, and infected the place by the stench that arose fro#
their dead bodies "he cows had all been !illed long before by order of "heodore Bne day,
when, after one of his first raNNias, he had brought bac! with hi# to $ebra "abor #ore than
>9,999 cowsF at night the peasants ca#e, and fro# a distance i#plored hi# to have pity upon
the#, and restore the# their cattle, without which they were unable to cultivate the soil
"heodore was on the point of acceding to their reLuest, when so#e of the rascals around hi#
said, %$oes not your Gajesty !now that there is a prophecy in the country, that a !ing will seiNe
a large a#ount of cattle, and that the peasants will co#e and beg hi# to return the#F the !ing
will co#ply, but soon afterwards die% "heodore replied, %*ell, the prophecy will not apply to
#e% He i##ediately gave orders for all the cows in ca#p, those he had lately brought, and all
others, to be !illed at onceF the order was obeyed, and nearly, it is said, 199,999 were !illed and
left to rot in the plain at a short distance fro# the ca#p
"he ne.t day, "heodore, seated outside his hut, perceived a #an driving a cow into the fieldsF
he sent for hi#, and as!ed hi# if he had not heard the order "he #an replied in the
affir#ative, but said that he had not !illed his cow because his wife having died the day before
on giving birth to a child, he had !ept that one for the sa!e of her #il! "heodore told hi#,
%*hy did not you !now that & would be a father to your childU Eill the #an,% he said to those
around hi#, %and ta!e care of his child for #e%
"he waggons being at last ready, "heodore decided upon #arching towards Gagdala
Pestilence, engendered by fa#ine and the no.ious effluvia arising fro# the heap of unburied
dead bodies, now increased the already dis#al condition of the -#peror's ar#yF and in a few
wee!s #ore he and his whole host #ust have perished fro# sic!ness and want Bn the 19th of
Bctober, his Gajesty set fire to his houses at $ebra "abor, and destroyed the whole placeF
leaving only, as a record of his stay, a church he had built as an e.piation for his sacrilege at
Gondar His #arch was, indeed, the #ost wonderful feat he ever acco#plishedF none but he
would have ventured on such an underta!ingF and no other #an could have succeeded in
acco#plishing the arduous journey that lay before hi#6 it reLuired all his energy, perseverance,
and iron will to carry out his purpose under such i##ense difficulties
He had not #ore than ;,999 #en with hi#, all #ore or less in bad condition, wea!ened by
fa#ine, discontented, and only awaiting a favourable opportunity to run away "he ca#pH
followers, on the contraryF nu#bered between forty and fifty thousand helpless and useless
beings who# he had to protect and feed He had, #oreover, several hundred prisoners to
guard, an i##ense a#ount of baggage to carry, fourteen gunHcarriages, with cannon or
#ortarsKone of the# the fa#ous %0ebastopol,% weighing between fifteen and si.teen
thousand poundsKand ten waggons, the whole to be dragged by #en across a country without
roads "heodore did not let hi#self be influenced by all these unfavourable circu#stancesF he
see#ed, for a ti#e, to have regained #uch of his for#er self, and behaved with #ore
consideration towards his followers His daily #arches were very short, not #ore than a #ile
and a half to two #iles a day A portion of his ca#p #arched early every #orning, carrying the
heavy luggage, dragging the waggons, and protecting the followers fro# the attac!s of the
rebels, who were always hovering in the distance, watching a favourable opportunity to avenge
the#selves on the -#peror's people for all the #iseries they had suffered at his handF another
portion re#ained behind to guard what could not be carriedF off, and, on the return of the first
batch, all started for the spot fi.ed upon for that day's halt, conveying what had been left
behind in the #orning -ven then the day's wor! wast not overF the corn was as yet not Luite
ripe, and stood in the fields by the side of the roadF "heodore would set the e.a#ple, pluc! a
few unripe ears of barley, rub the# between his hands, and, satisfied with this frugal #eal,
repair to the nearest broo! to Luench thirst +ro# $ebra "abor to Checheo, such was the daily
routine of the reduced host of "heodore,Kharnessed to waggons, in place of the horses and
#ules now so scarce in the ca#pF constantly on the alert, as the country was all up in ar#s
against the#F with no supplies available, only the unripe barley pluc!ed by the waysideF no
peace by day nor rest at night6 in a word, a #arch uneLualled in the annals of history
"he prisoners were very badly off6 #anyKeven the -uropeansKwere in hand and foot chainsF
to wal! a few steps in such a condition is fatiguing in the e.tre#e, but to have to go over a #ile
or two of bro!en ground with such fetters eLuals the cruellest torture Grs +lad and Grs
/osenthal every day, as soon as they arrived at the stage, sent bac! their #ules for the
-uropeans to rideF and so#e ti#e afterwards, on Gr 0taiger #a!ing a gala dress for his
Gajesty, the handHchains of all five were ta!en away Bn the native prisoners reLuesting to be
allowed to ride, his Gajesty sent the# word that, as he !new they had #oney, he would grant
per#ission to those who would send hi# a dollar "heodore #ust have been hard up, indeed,
to be satisfied with such a trifle 0everal co#plied with his de#and, and, by giving s#all
presents to those chiefs who had #ules, they got an occasional lift
At Aiban!ab "heodore halted a few days to rest his #enF near it two heaps of stones arise,
giving to the place the na#e of Ei#r $engea <+ootnote6 %Ei#r $engea,% heap of stones@ "he
story the people of the country narrate with reference to these heaps of stones is that on one
occasion a Pueen, at the head of her ar#y, went on an e.pedition against the GallasF 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 the# to place a stone at a short distance fro# the
for#er heap "he first is a large #ass, the second very #uch s#allerF the Pueen !new by that
how great her loss had been, and never since then ventured against the Gallas
At Ei#r $engea "heodore fell in with a caravan of saltH#erchants on their route to Godja# He
as!ed the# why they went to the rebels instead of co#ing to hi# "he chief of the caravan
honestly replied that they had heard fro# #erchants that his Gajesty was in the habit of
burning people alive, and conseLuently they were afraid to co#e near hi# "heodore said, %&t is
true & a# a bad #an, but if you had trusted and co#e to #e, & would have treated you wellF but
as you prefer the rebels, & will ta!e care that in future you do not go to the#% He then seiNed
the salt and #ules, sent all the #erchants into an e#pty house, had it surrounded with dry
wood, put guards at the door, and set fire to it
"he peasants of Gahinte, to who# "heodore offered an a#nesty, declined to accept itF on
three occasions he issued a procla#ation offering the# a free pardon should they return to
hi# At last, however, they sent hi# so#e priests to see what ter#s he would #a!eF he
received the priests well, and told the# that he would not enter Gahinte6 he only reLuired a
few suppliesF but to prove to hi# their sincerity they #ust send fro# each village a person of
influence to reside in his ca#p until he left Bege#der 7uc!ily for the#, the peasants declined
to co#ply with his de#andsF "heodore was too prudent to venture into their valleys, and
contented hi#self by plundering at a short distance fro# his ca#pF burning alive, before he
left, a few poor wretches who had been si#ple enough to rely on the faith of his procla#ation
"heodore arrived at the foot of the steep ascent that leads fro# Bege#der to Checheo on the
88nd of Nove#ber Dp to that spot the road was not badF but now an al#ost perpendicular
height stood before hi#, and he was obliged to blast enor#ous roc!s, cut a road through
basalt, to enable hi# to bring his waggons, guns, and #ortars on the QObite plains above
About that ti#e he #ust have received the first intelligence of the landing of British troops at
QullaF for one afternoon he said to the -uropeans, %$o not be afraid if & send for you at night
'ou #ust be on the watch, as & hear so#e don!eys intend stealing #y slaves% "he -uropeans
could not #a!e out his #eaning, and retired as usual to their tents &n the #iddle of the night,
all of the#, with the e.ception of an old #an called Qander, and GcEelvie, who had for a long
ti#e been suffering fro# dysentery, were awo!e by soldiers co#ing into their Luarters and
ordering the# to go at once to the -#peror "hey were all ushered into a s#all tent, and #any
frivolous charges #ade against the# "hey were not allowed to leave that nightF even a large
bundle of chains was brought inF but on so#e of the chiefs representing to his Gajesty that
without their labour it would be e.ceedingly difficult to #a!e roads and guide the waggons,
and that he could always put the# in chains when he reached Gagdala, "heodore relented He
allowed the# to go to their own tents in the dayti#e, when not on dutyF but at night for their
own safety, and, as he said, on account of the badness of his people, he #ade the# all sleep in
one tent, a few yards fro# his own6 with the e.ception of a few days, they re#ained prisoners
at night and slaves during the day, until the beginning of April
+ro# early dawn to late at night "heodore was hi#self hard at wor!F with his own hands he
re#oved stones, levelled the ground, or helped to fill up s#all ravines No one could leave so
long as he was there hi#selfF no one could thin! of eating, drin!ing, or of rest, whilst the
-#peror showed the e.a#ple and shared the hardships *hen he could capture a few
peasants or so#e of the rebels that crowned all the heights around hi#, and day and night
insulted or laughed at hi#, he !illed the# in so#e cruel way or the otherF but towards the
soldiers, ever since leaving $ebra "abor, he behaved better, and left off beating or i#prisoning
the#, as had been of late his wont Bn one or two occasions only he called the# all around
hi#, and, standing on an elevated roc!, addressed the# in these ter#s6 %& !now that you all
hate #eF you all want to run away *hy do you not !ill #eU Here & a# alone, and you are
thousands% He would pause for a few seconds, and add, %*ell, if you will not !ill #e, & will !ill
you all, one after the other%
Bn the 1;th of $ece#ber, the road being co#pleted, he brought up his waggons on the plain of
QObite, and enca#ped there for a few days "he peasants of that district, believing that
"heodore would never be able to ascend to their plateau, with all the incu#brances he had
with hi#Kthough they were the#selves ready to fly at the shortest noticeKhad not re#oved
their cattle and grainF thus "heodore, for the first ti#e for #any #onths, was able to provide
food for his s#all ar#y, and #a!e even so#e provision for the future +ro# QObite to *adela
the road is naturally good, so that, as far as that district, the tas! before hi# was easy He
reached that plateau on the 8;th of the sa#e #onth, and enca#ped at Bet Hor
But the wor! now before hi# would have driven any other #an to despairF though not fifty
#iles fro# his A#ba Gagdala, he had, before he could rest there, to #a!e roads down two
precipitous descents, cross two rivers, and sur#ount again two steep perpendicular ascents He
went, however, steadily to wor! 7ittle by little he #ade a road, creditable even to a -uropean
engineer, bringing with hi# his #ortars, cannons, TcF he plundered at the sa#e ti#e, and !ept
away by his na#e alone *atshu# GobaNO and his uncle Geshisha, who were both watching his
#ove#ents6 not that they intended to attac! hi#, but who were an.ious to be able to deca#p
at the first sign of his #arching in the direction of the provinces they %protected% Bn the 19th
of Canuary he began his descent, reached the valley of the Ciddah on the 8>th of the sa#e
#onth, ascended the opposite precipice, and enca#ped on the $alanta plain on the 89th of
+ebruary, 1>M>
CHAP"-/ R,&&&
"heodore in the vicinity of GagdalaKBur +eelings at the "i#eKAn A#nesty granted to
$alantaK"he Garrison of Gagdala join the -#perorKGrs /osenthal and other -uropeans are
sent to the +ortressK"heodore's Conversations with +lad and *ald#eier on the co#ing of the
"roopsK0ir /obert Napier's 7etter to "heodore reaches usK"heodore plunders $alantaKHe
abuses Gr *ald#eierK/eaches the BecheloKCorrespondence between Gr /assa# and
"heodoreKGr /assa# is /eleased fro# his +ettersK"heodore arrives at &sla#geeKHis
Puarrel with the PriestsKHis first ,isit to the A#baK"rial of the "wo ChiefsKHe places a New
Co##andant over the Garrison
*e have now followed the -#peror's career fro# the day of our departure fro# $ebra "abor
to his arrival in our neighbourhood $uring that ti#e, apart fro# the letters he addressed to
Gr /assa# relative to the one fro# the Pueen, and about Gr +lad and the artisans, we had
but little intercourse with hi# +or a long ti#e #essengers passed with the greatest difficulty,
and, afraid lest his written co##unications with the chiefs on the A#ba #ight fall into the
hands of the rebels, he had of late sent only verbal #essages -very #essenger usually brought
us co#pli#ents, and when any were sent fro# the A#ba they always ca#e to us by order of
the chief before they left, so that Gr /assa# #ight return a civil #essage in answer to the one
he had received
"he ordinary staff of #essengers were too well !nown on the road to be able to pass through
the districts in rebellionF and for a long ti#e we rejoiced at the idea that all co##unications
were for ever interrupted between the ca#p and the fort, when one day a young Galla, servant
of one of the political prisoners, reached the A#ba, bringing a letter fro# his Gajesty "he lad
went forwards and bac!wards #any ti#esF but, apart fro# the presents be received fro# us, &
do not believe he ever even got a salt for so constantly e.posing his lifeF a few #ore #en, who
had friends and acLuaintances on the road, #anaged also to pass through All of the# were
very useful to us, as they also carried the correspondence between us and Gr +lad, and, beings
well rewarded, could be trusted with the #ost dangerous letters *e thought it even good fun
to #a!e the Eing's #essenger our #ediu# of co##unication between our friends in his ca#p
and ourselves, often on treasonable #atters
0oon after reaching Bet Hor, "heodore issued a procla#ation to the rebel districts of $ahonte
and $alanta, offering full a#nesty for the past, and pledging hi#self, %by the death of Christ,%
that he would neither plunder nor illHuse the#, should they return to their allegiance +or so#e
days both districts refused, as GobaNO had pro#ised to co#e and defend the#F but the people
of $alanta, on seeing that, far fro# giving the# any help, GobaNO was hi#self getting out of the
way of "heodore, thought that, after all, it was perhaps better to accept the latter's offer, and,
as they could not help the#selves, trust to his pledged word $ahonte, however, re#ained in
its rebellion, and proposed to resist by force of ar#s any atte#pt on the part of "heodore to
plunder the province As the -#peror had spo!en in very friendly ter#s to his wor!#en and
others about Gr /assa#, that gentle#an was advised by the chiefs to write to the Eing,
congratulating hi# on his safe arrival "his he repeated on several si#ilar occasionsF and the
#essengers he sent with these letters were very cordially treated by his Gajesty "heodore also
wrote to Gr /assa# on one or two occasionsF and we had a ludicrous repetition of the
courteous and edifying correspondence that had passed for#erly between the two in the sunny
days of Eourata
Canuary, 1>M>, ushered in a period of great #ental e.cite#ent for us, which lasted until the
very endF increasing in intensity as we approached the last days, as we well !new that then our
fate would be decided But there is so#ething in the constant repetition of sti#ulants, be they
#oral or physical, which blunts the feelings, hardens the heart, and at last allows the person
long sub#itted to their influence to loo! upon everything with indifference and i#passiveness
*e had had so #any %shoc!s% during the last three #onthsKso #any ti#es we e.pected to be
tortured or !illedKthat when the day arrived that we were in reality placed al#ost beyond
hope, the crisis did not affect us #uch, and once passed, we never thought of the #atter again
Having beco#e %reconciled% with his children of $alanta, "heodore's tas! was #uch easier
0everal thousand peasants helped hi# in his roadH#a!ing, others carried part of his property to
Gagdala, and now that the brave garrison of the A#ba could cross the $alanta plateau without
fear, he sent for the#, leaving only a few old #en on the #ountain beyond the ordinary
nu#ber of prisoners' guards Bn the >th of Canuary Bitwaddad $a#ash, in co##and, with the
%brave% Goji as his lieutenant, and acco#panied by seven or eight hundred #en, started for
*adela Gany left with beating hearts, tre#bling at the prospect of #eeting the -#peror He
was worshipped at a distance, but dreaded on his approach His Gajesty, however, received
the# very wellF but was not over civil to all $a#ash he treated rather coollyF but as he wanted
the# a little ti#e longer, he did not say #uch, nor give the# any cause to believe that he was
greatly displeased with the#
A few days after "heodore had reached $alanta he sent bac! the Gagdala garrison to the
A#ba, to acco#pany thither the prisoners he had brought, with hi#,Kthe -uropeans
included,Kand forwarded by the# so#e powder, shot, and the instru#ents belonging to his
wor!#en Grs /osenthal was also allowed to acco#pany the party, and all arrived on the
A#ba on the afternoon of the 8Mth of Canuary "he five -uropeans were sent to usF and on the
interpreter's hut being given to Gr and Grs /osenthal, the larger one that gentle#an had
previously occupied was #ade over to the other five *e were well pleased to be all together
"he new co#ers had #uch to tell us, and we in return gave the# an account of our doings *e
were, above all things, rejoiced at the arrival of Grs /osenthalF our #orbid idea having been
for #onths, al#ost up to the end, that so#e flying colu#n would be detached fro# the #ain
body of our ar#y to cut off "heodore fro# the #ountainF and our an.iety had been great on
account of Grs /osenthal and her child, as "heodore, according to his syste# of hostages, had
!ept her near hi# as a security to prevent the Gagdala prisoners fro# running away
Gessengers now went bac!wards and forwards daily, so#eti#es twice in the sa#e day,
between the ca#p and the a#ba At first, we saw with an.iety the near approach of "heodore
and the renewed facility of his co##unications with usF 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 Bne advantage we gained was the facility of corresponding with Gr +lad,
who always, with great courage, had, ever since his return fro# -ngland, on all possible
occasions, !ept us infor#ed of "heodore's doings, and of anything he #ight have said with
reference to the e.isting difficulties He wrote to us in the beginning of +ebruary to infor# us
that, fro# so#e, conversation he had had with officers of the &#perial household, it was his
opinion that his Gajesty was aware of the landing of our troops, and had purposely sent to hi#
a chief to find out what the intentions of our Govern#ent were concerning hi#self, and if there
was still any hope of the #atter being peaceably settled
"here is no doubt that for several #ouths past, his Gajesty had been advised by his spies that
-nglish troops had landed in his countryF but under the difficulties he was placed in at the ti#e,
he considered it advisable to !eep silent on the subject 0ince he had reached the vicinity of the
A#ba, however, he freLuently, in his conversation with his people, gave strong hints that he
e.pected before long to have to contend with the soldiers of -urope Bn the >th of +ebruary
"heodore told Gr *ald#eier, the head of the wor!#enKa very intelligent and wellHeducated
#an, for who# "heodore had a great regard, though of late he had so#ewhat roughly used
hi#Kthat he had received news fro# the coast infor#ing hi# that the -nglish had
dise#bar!ed at Qulla "he following day he sent for Gr +lad, and calling hi# aside, told hi#,
%"he people fro# who# you brought #e a letter, and who you said would co#e, have arrived
and landed at Qulla "hey are co#ing up by the 0alt Plain *hy did they not ta!e a better roadU
"he one by the 0alt Plain is very unhealthy%
+lad e.plained to hi# that for troops arriving fro# &ndia, that road was the best, as they would
in three or four days reach the highlands of Aga# "heodore said, %*e are #a!ing roads with
great difficultyF for the# it will only be play to #a!e roads everywhere &t see#s to #e that it is
the will of God that they should co#e &f He who is above does not !ill #e, none will !ill #e,
and if He says, ''ou #ust die,' none can save #e6 re#e#ber the history of HeNe!iah and
0ennacherib% "heodore appeared very cal# and co#posed during that conversation "wo days
afterwards he said to so#e of his wor!#en, %& long for the day & shall have the pleasure of
seeing a disciplined -uropean ar#y & a# li!e 0i#eonF he was old, but before he died he
rejoiced his heart by holding the 0aviour in his ar#s & a# old, tooF but & hope God will spare #e
to see the# before & die Gy soldiers are nothing co#pared to a disciplined ar#y, where
thousands obey the co##and of one #an% -vidently he still entertained so#e vague hope
that the co#ing event #ight turn to his advantage, as on another occasion he said to Gr
*ald#eier, %*e have a prophecy in our country that a -uropean !ing will #eet an Abyssinian
one, and that afterwards a !ing will reign in Abyssinia greater than any before hi# "hat
prophecy is going to be fulfilled at the present ti#eF but & do not !now whether & a# the !ing
alluded to, or if it is so#e one else%
*e were delighted at the receipt of this intelligenceF for a long ti#e we believed that "heodore
!new of the landing of our troops, but as he had never #ade any #ention of the fact we still
had our doubts on the subject, and were so#ewhat in dread of his first burst of passion on the
intelligence reaching hi#
Bn the 1;th of +ebruary a letter fro# the Co##anderHinHChief addressed to "heodore was
brought to us by the #essenger to who# it had been entrusted, as he was afraid of handing it
over to his Gajesty hi#self "his placed us in a difficult positionF though as regarded the
A#haric translation, it was perhaps as well that it had not reached "heodore, as that version,
on so#e i#portant points, gave a totally different #eaning fro# that of the letter itself & was
Luite delighted at listening to the Co##anderHinHChief's #anly and straightforward language
"he letter was as fir# as it was courteous, and & felt happy and proud, even in #y captivity, that
at last an -nglish general had torn asunder the veil of false hu#ility which for so long a ti#e
had concealed the bold and haughty spirit of -ngland *e felt strengthened by the conviction
that the hour was co#e when right and #ight would prevail, and the #erciless despot who had
acted towards us with such unheardHof treachery would #eet his fate
According to the latest news we had received fro# the &#perial ca#p, "heodore did not see#
inclined to vent upon us his disappoint#ent and anger at seeing all his plans frustrated by the
landing of an -nglish ar#yF it was therefore decided to !eep for the present the i#portant and
valuable docu#ent that had so accidentally fallen into our hands, as a powerful weapon to use,
should a change ta!e place in the line of conduct "heodore had adopted since he was #ade
conversant of the fact that force was at last resorted to to effect our deliverance6 for we had
our fears, !nowing his changeable and fic!le disposition
Nor did "heodore's peaceful #ood last #uch longer "he $alanta people, relying on his
pro#ises, and an.ious to get rid of his presence, gave hi# every assistance in their power,
carrying his baggage to the A#ba, or wor!ing at the roads under his direction "he honourable
way in which he had !ept his word with the people of $alanta induced the neighbouring district
to send hi# deputations begging for pardon, and offering to pay hi# tribute and send supplies
into his ca#p, if he would proclai# in their favour the sa#e a#nesty he had granted to the
$alanta people Had "heodore been wise, even then he had a good opportunity of regaining
part of his lost !ingdo#F and had he continued to !eep to his word, province after province,
disgusted with the cowardice of the rebels, would have returned to hi# But he was too fond of
plundering6 the peasants did not, according to his ideas, send sufficient suppliesF and as he
!new that the district was e.ceedingly rich in grain and cattle, regardless of his oath, on the
13th of +ebruary, he gave orders for his soldiers to plunder the peasants' houses
"a!en Luite by surprise, very little resistance was offered "heodore succeeded beyond his
e.pectationsF corn and cattle were now in abundance, and in order to econo#iNe his supplies,
he allowedF all the Gondar people who were still with hi#, and #any of the wo#en and
children of runaway soldiers and chiefs, to leave the ca#p and go wherever they li!ed 0ince
Bhecheo he had for#ed the strongest and hardiest of the wo#en of his ca#p into a plundering
bandF he was always #uch pleased with their bravery, and one of the# having !illed a petty
chief, and brought to hi# the sword of her adversary, he was so delighted that he gave her a
title of ran! and presented her with one of his own pistols *e !new enough of the -#peror's
character to fear that, when once he again too! to plundering and !illing, he would lose #uch
of the a#enity and gentleness he had of late displayed, and loo! upon the arrival of an ar#ed
force fro# -ngland in a very different lightF we were not, therefore, #uch astonished to hear
that he had again Luarrelled with the -uropeans around hi# &t is also not i#probable that a
copy of the procla#ation the Co##anderHinHChief had sent to the different chiefs #ay have
fallen into his hands about this ti#e, as one was found after his death a#ongst his papers
*hatever #ay have been the cause of his sudden change, he, without any apparent reason, all
at once regarded his wor!#en with suspicion, and though he ordered the# to be in constant
attendance upon his person, he would not for #any days allow the# to wor!
Gr *ald#eier one evening, on returning to his tent to ta!e his evening #eal, entered into
conversation with a spy of the -#peror's on the subject of the advance of the -nglish ar#y
*ald#eier, a#ongst other things, told the #an that it would be a very unwise act of his
Gajesty if he did not at once #a!e friends with the -nglish, as he had not a single friend in the
country Bn the officer reporting that conversation, "heodore in a fearful passion sent for all
the -uropeansF for a while his rage was such that he could not spea!, but !ept wal!ing up and
down, loo!ing fiercely at the#, and holding his spear in a threatening attitudes At last,
stopping before Gr *ald#eier, he abused hi# in no #easured ter#s6 %*ho are you, you dog,
but a don!ey, a poor #an who ca#e fro# a far country to be #y slave, and who# & have paid
and fed for yearsU *hat does a beggar li!e you !now about #y affairsU Are you to dictate to #e
what & a# to doU A Eing is co#ing to treat with a Eing5 *hat do you !now about such #attersU%
"heodore then threw hi#self on the ground and said, %"a!e #y spear and !ill #eF but do not
revile #e% *ald#eier prostrated hi#self before hi# and begged for pardonF the -#peror
rose, but refused to grant his reLuest, and ordered hi# to rise and follow hi#
Bn the 1>th of +ebruary "heodore pitched his ca#p near the ridge of the $alanta plateau, and
the following day the chiefs of the A#ba, with their telescopes, could perceive several wor!ing
parties engaged in #a!ing the road down to the Bechelo "heodore had #ade about a
thousand prisoners when he had plundered $alanta, and all of the#, under strong escorts,
were set to wor! for hi#F but when the road was finished half way, he allowed the# to return
to $alanta
+or a while the co##unications between the A#ba and the ca#p were again suspended "he
few chiefs and soldiers that had re#ained at Gagdala viewed with great despondency this last
breach of faith of their #aster, as it foreboded anything but gratitude towards the# for the
#any privations they had sub#itted to in fulfil#ent of the trust vested in the# *ith great
difficulty we succeeded in getting a #essenger to pass through the valley of the Bechelo, on
account of the disturbed condition of the country since $alanta had been plundered "he news
he brought was a little #ore favourable His Gajesty had reconciled hi#self with Gr
*ald#eier, and now treated all his artisans with consideration and !indness He did not,
however, allow the# to wor!, and they all slept in a tent near his Gajesty6 a precaution he had
for a short ti#e ceased to ta!e Bften he spo!e to his soldiers, or to the -uropeans, about the
co#ing of our troopsF so#eti#es avowing his intention to fight with the#, at other ti#es
e.pressing hi#self in a #ore conciliatory tone He had hardly #entioned our na#es of lateF he
spo!e about Gr 0tern, but, contrary to his habit, not in anger He referred several ti#es to a
certain letter of Grs +lad's, which had given hi# great offence so#e years before "hat lady
alluded in it to the possible invasion of the county by the -nglish and +rench, giving as her
opinion that he would not be afraid "heodore freLuently said that Grs +lad was right6 %"hey
are co#ing, and & do not fear%
Bn the 1Wth of Garch his Gajesty, with all his waggons, cannons, and #ortars, reached the
valley of the Bechelo +ro# a letter we received fro# Gr +lad it appears that his Gajesty was
in a great hurry to reach Gagdala "he -uropeans were still treated courteously, but, day and
night, were strictly watched He evidently received good infor#ation of what was going on in
the British ca#p "o Gr *ald#eier, who was #ore than any other in his confidence, he said,
%*ith love and friendship they will overco#e #eF but if they co#e with other intentions & !now
they will not spare #e, and & will #a!e a great bloodHbath, and afterwards die%
Bn the 1Mth he despatched a #essenger to the A#ba to rejoice his people with the good news
of his approach, and sent us a courteous #essage Gr /assa# at once wrote to hi#,
co#pli#enting hi# on his success Gr /assa# is certainly deserving of praise for
endeavouring, by every #eans in his power, to i#press upon his Gajesty the fervent friendship
he felt for hi#, and the sincere ad#iration and deep devotion which ti#e had only
strengthened, and that even captivity and chains could not destroy Gr /assa#'s official
position gave hi# great advantages over the other captivesF he was able to #a!e %friends% of all
the royal #essengers, of all the personal attendants, of his Gajesty, and of every one on the
A#ba or in the ca#p, who could say a good word for hi# &gnorant of the source of Gr
/assa#'s liberality, the chief courtiers, and even his Gajesty hi#self, ca#e to the conclusion
that Gr Prideau. and #yself were very inferior beingsKhar#less individuals, who# it would
be perfectly absurd to place on a footing of eLuality with the openHhanded, sweetHtal!ing
gentle#an, who alone, and out of #ere regard, again congratulated his Gajesty
"heodore was so pleased with Gr /assa#'s letter that early on the 1>th he sent Gr +lad, his
secretary and several officers, with a friendly letter to that gentle#an, and instructed the chief
of the A#ba to re#ove at once his friend's fetters "heodore, in his letter to Gr /assa#,
forgetting that he hi#self had on several occasions #ade #ention of his fetters, said that he
had no Luarrel with hi#, and that when he had sent hi# to Gagdala he had only told his
people to watch hi#, but out of precaution they put hi# in chains He sent hi# also 8,999
dollars for the #oney and things +lad had brought with hi#, and said that, on account of the
rebellious condition of the country, he had not been able to forward the#, and hoped he
would, at the sa#e ti#e, accept a present of a hundred sheep and fifty cows No one else was
included in the orderF and & confess that we were foolish enough to feel this disappoint#ent
bitterly Probably twenty #onths of captivity wea!ens the #ind as well as the body, as at other
ti#es we should not have given even a thought to the #atter -ven as it was we soon forgot all
about it, wisely re#e#bering that freedo# and liberty would be ours when the British flag
should float over our for#er gaol &t appears that our displeasure had been re#ar!ed, and a spy
started at once for the ca#p to infor# his Gajesty that we were angry at our chains not being
opened
Gr +lad returned that evening to the &#perial ca#p, already pitched on the northern ban!s of
the BecheloF and the following #orning the -#peror sent for hi# and as!ed hi# if he had seen
us all, and if we were loo!ing well He inLuired especially about Gr Prideau. and #yselfF +lad
told his Gajesty that we were in good health, but sorry that he had #ade a difference between
us and Gr /assa# At this the -#peror, s#iling all the while, said6K%'es, & have heard of it6
when they were put in chains by #y people Gr /assa# did not say a word, but both of the#
loo!ed angrily at the chains & have no anger against the#, nor have they done #e any wrongF
as soon as & shall #eet Gr /assa# & will ta!e off their chains also%
Gr +lad e.plained to his Gajesty that we had felt disappointed, as so#e one, on Gr /assa#'s
chains being ordered to be opened, had co#e to the conclusion that the Consul, $r Blanc, and
Gr Prideau. would be included in the sa#e order, and had run on ahead to bring us the
#iserach Igood newsJF that Gr /assa# was also very sorry his two co#panions were
separated fro# hi#, and had as!ed hi# the reason why it was so, but as he did not !now his
Gajesty's #otives he could not answer hi#, Tc "heodore, still s#iling, said to Gr +lad, %&f
there is only friendship, everything will be right%
Bn the evening of the 8;th of Garch, his Gajesty pitched his ca#p on the s#all plateau of
&sla#geeF he had brought his cannons and even the #onster #ortar as far as the foot of the
ascent, and was hard at wor! #a!ing the road reLuired for the# to be dragged up
-arly on the #orning of the 8Mth, the priests of the A#ba, in full canonicals, carrying crosses
and gailyHtinselled u#brellas, went to &sla#gee to congratulate the -#peror on his safe arrival
"heodore received the# with great courtesy, and shortly afterwards dis#issed the#, saying,
%Go bac!, #y fathers, be of good cheerF if & have #oney & will share it with you Gy clothes will
be yours, and with #y corn & will feed you% "hey were on the point of starting when an old
bigoted priest, who had always shown hi#self badly disposed towards us, turned round and
addressed his Gajesty in the following ter#s6K%Bh, #y Eing, do not abandon your religion5%
"heodore, Luite surprised, inLuired of hi# what he #eant "he priest, rather e.cited,
e.clai#ed, in a loud voice, %'ou do not fast, you observe no #ore the feasts of the saints5 & fear
that you will soon follow entirely the religion of the +ran!s% "heodore turned towards so#e of
the -uropeans that stood near hi# and said, %$id & ever inLuire of you about your religionU $id &
ever show any desire to follow your creedU% "hey all replied, %Certainly not% "heodore then
addressed the priests, who were listening with dis#ay to this conversation, and told the#,
%Cudge this #an% "he priests did not consult long, and with one accord gave as their decision,
that %the #an who insults his !ing is worthy of death% Bn that, the soldiers fell upon the old
priest, tore off his clothes, and would have, !illed hi# on the spot had not "heodore #itigated
the punish#ent He ordered hi# to be put in chains, sent to the A#ba, and for seven days not
to be allowed either bread or water
Another priest, who had also on a for#er occasion grossly insulted his Gajesty, was sent up to
the prison at the sa#e ti#e "hat priest had said to so#e of the -#peror's spies that their
#aster wore three #atabs6 <+ootnote6 Gatab6 a string #ade of blue sil!, and worn round the
nec! as the sign of Christianity in Abyssinia@ one, because he was a Gussul#an, having burnt
the churchesF the second because he was a +ran!, never observing the fast daysF the third, to
#a!e the people believe he was a Christian
"he following #orning we were awo!e by the #erry eleltaKthe shrill cry of joy uttered by the
Abyssinian beau se.e on great and happy events Bn this occasion a peculiar #i.ture of joyous
and plaintive strains slightly #odified its usual character, and it was a sharp but also tre#ulous
sound that greeted the arrival of the -#peror "heodore on the A#ba Carpets were at once
spread on the open space in front of his house, the throne was brought out and dec!ed with
gorgeous sil!s, and the state u#brella unfolded to protect the reclining -#peror fro# the hot
rays of the sun *e e.pected, on seeing all these preparations #ade and the large nu#ber of
courtiers and officers asse#bled in front, that before long we would be called for, and that
so#ething si#ilar to the trial and reconciliation of QagO was going to be acted over again *e
were, however, #ista!en6 it was on account of so#e private affairs that the -#peror,
abandoning for a day his wor!, had called a court of justice
+or a long ti#e various charges had been whispered against two of the chiefs of the A#ba, /as
Bisawar and Bitwaddad $a#ash His Gajesty now desired to investigate the#F he listened
Luietly to the accusers, and having heard the defence, he as!ed the opinion of the chiefs
around hi# "hey advised hi# to forgive the# on account of their for#er good services, but
that they should not be trusted any #ore Had not a chief, they said, deserted a few nights
beforeKa feat he could not have acco#plished had not several of the garrison helped hi# in
his escapeUKand #oreover, should an ene#y present hi#self before the A#ba during one of
the -#peror's absences, they would #ost probably Luarrel a#ongst the#selves instead of
defending the place "he -#peror accepted their decision and said that he would send a new
garrison, that the for#er one should proceed that very day to his ca#p, and that as their store
of grain would only be a burden to the#, they should leave it behindF he would give orders to
the writers to #a!e out a correct account of all they had, and, to oblige the#, he would !eep
the grain hi#self and pay the# the value in #oney He afterwards sent for the two priests he
had i#prisoned the day before, released the# fro# their fetters, and told the# that he forgave
the#, but that they #ust leave his country at once Bn going away, he sent word by 0a#uel to
Gr /assa# that he had intended to co#e and see hi# but that he felt too tiredF he added,
%'our people are nearF they are co#ing to deliver you%
"he soldiers of the garrison were greatly annoyed at having to leave, and were #uch pleased
early the ne.t #orning to learn that "heodore had rescinded his order He had, he said,
pardoned the# on account of their long and faithful services "he /as was put on %halfHpay,%
and a new co##andant, Bitwaddad HassaniO, sent to ta!e over the charge, while the garrison
was reinforced by so#e W99 #us!eteers
&t is probable that "heodore wanted si#ply to !now what a#ount of corn the garrison
possessed, as he #ight perhaps reLuire it hi#self before long, and possibly also the cle#ency
shown by hi# was due to his being pleased at the soldiers having co#plied with his orders and
purchased grain, as he had directed the#, with the #oney he had a short ti#e before given
the#
CHAP"-/ R&R
*e are counted by the new /as, and conde#ned to sleep in Bne HutK"heodore's 0econd ,isit
to the A#baK0ends for Gr /assa# and gives orders that Prideau. and #yself should have our
Chains ta!en offK"he Bperation describedKBur /eception by the -#perorK*e are sent for
to see %0ebastopol% landed on &sla#geeKConversation with his GajestyK"he re#aining
Prisoners are freed fro# their +ettersK"heodore is unable to Plunder his own property
Bn the 8>th of Garch, all of us, with the e.ception of Gr /assa#, were called out and #ade to
stand in a line to be counted by the new /asF then at about ten at night, as we were
undressing, 0a#uel ca#e to infor# us that he had received orders to put us all, with the
e.ception of Gr /assa#, 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 Ca#eron, Gr
/osenthal, and Gr Eerans were #ade to join us co#pany, and four villanousHloo!ing rascals,
with lighted candles burning all night, were posted inside the door to prevent our going out
0a#uel and two chiefs slept in Gr /assa#'s roo#, and & strongly suspect that 0a#uel was on
that occasion #ore in the position of a prisoner than a guardian
*e slept but little, e.pecting that the #orning would bring so#e change for the worse "o our
day guards so#e ten or fifteen of the greatest scoundrels of the ca#p had been recently
added, and we felt rather an.ious when we learnt early the ne.t #orning that "heodore had
sent word he would co#e up in the course of the day to #uster the garrison
At about three in the afternoon so#e of our servants ca#e rushing into our hut to tell us that
"heodore had arrived on the A#ba, and that he appeared to be a little drun! 0hortly
afterwards Gr +lad ca#e with a #essage to Gr /assa# fro# the -#peror, to the effect that if
his Gajesty had ti#e he would send for hi# after his return fro# the church A redHflannel tent,
the sign of royalty, was, in the #eanwhile, pitched in the plain, and all around carpets were
spread *hen "heodore issued fro# the church he was in a great passion, seiNed a priest by the
beard, and said to hi#, %'ou say that & want to change #y religionF before any one could force
#e to do so & would cut #y throat% He then thrust his spear with violence into the ground,
%fa!ered,% cursed the Bishop,Kin a word, acted in all respects as if drun! or #ad He called Gr
Geyer, who was standing at a short distance fro# hi#, and told hi# to go to Gr /assa# with
the #essage, %'our people are co#ing & put you in chains for that purpose & have not obtained
what & wanted Co#e to #e, and in the sa#e dress you used to wear before%
*e all felt very nervous about the interview, as "heodore see#ed in a bad dispositionF
however, all went on well As soon as Gr /assa# approached the tent, "heodore advanced a
few steps to #eet hi#, shoo! hands with hi#, and as!ed hi# to sit down He then said, %&
cannot say that & could not bring #y throne today, as you are aware that it is at GagdalaF but
out of respect for #y friend the Pueen, who# you represent here, & desire to sit on the sa#e
carpet as yourself% After a while, he said to Gr /assa#, %"hose two persons who ca#e with
you are neither #y friends nor #y ene#ies, but if you consent to beco#e their security, & will
have their chains opened% Bn that Gr /assa# rose, and said, %Not only will & beco#e their
security, but should they do anything displeasing to your Gajesty, do not say it is Blanc or
Prideau., but that /assa# did it% "heodore then as!ed Gr /assa# to send two persons to
have our chains ta!en off, and as his Gajesty insisted upon it, Gr /assa# #entioned Gr +lad
and 0a#uel
"he servants had heard the good news and rushed in before +lad ca#e to us with the welco#e
intelligence Bn the arrival of +lad and 0a#uel, we were ta!en to Gr /assa#'s house, where
Gr +lad delivered to us fro# his Gajesty the following #essage6K%'ou are neither #y friends
nor #y ene#ies & do not !now who you are & chained you because & chained Gr /assa#6 now
& open your chains because he pro#ised to be your security &f you run away it will be a sha#e
for you and for #e%
Bn that we were told to sit downF an iron wedge was first ha##ered 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 Bn each side a long pole was then fi.ed in the leather loops, and
five or si. #en pulled on the# 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 foot6 the operation was then perfor#ed
on the other leg &t too! at least half an hour to ta!e #ine off, and even #ore to open
Prideau.'s "hough we were delighted at the prospect of having again the free use of our li#bs,
we did not enjoy the rude operation at allF and although Ias we were in favourJ the soldiers did
their best not to hurt us, still the pain was at ti#es Luite unbearable, as the %point d'appui%
now and then slipped fro# the stone to the chain itself, and pressing on the shin it see#ed to
us as if the leg would be crushed to pieces
At first we could hardly wal! Bur legs see#ed to us as light as feathersF we could not guide
the#, and we staggered very #uch li!e drun!en #en6 if we #et with a s#all stone in our way,
we involuntarily lifted up the foot to a ridiculous height +or days the li#b was painful, and the
slightest e.ertion was followed by great fatigue
"heodore having e.pressed his desire that we should present ourselves before hi# in unifor#,
we dressed ourselves i##ediately the chains were ta!en off As & was the first to get rid of #y
twentyHone #onths' friends, & was ready when Prideau. ca#e inF but no sooner had he begun
ta!ing off his prison garb to dress hi#self, than #essenger after #essenger rushed in, sent
fro# "heodore to hurry us on *ell !nowing the fic!le disposition of their #aster, all the chiefs
present, 0a#uel, the guards, every one !ept continually shouting out to Prideau., %Ga!e haste,
#a!e haste5% +lurried, and unaccusto#ed since so #any #onths to the civiliNed way of putting
on his clothes, and unable to guide his feet properly, in his hurry he tore his unifor# trousers
al#ost in two But no one ]would hear of waiting any longer6 off we #ust go 7uc!ily a few pins
were at hand, and what with his cap as a screen, the accident, if not repaired, was hidden Bn
reaching the &#perial tent, his Gajesty, after greeting us cordially, said, %& chained you because
your people believed that & was not a strong !ingF now that your #asters are co#ing & release
you to show the# that & a# not afraid +ear notF Christ is #y witness, and God !nows, that &
have nothing in #y heart against you three 'ou ca#e to this country !nowing what the Consul
had done $o not fear, nothing will happen to you 0it down%
Bnce seated he ordered so#e tej to be given to us, and conversed with Gr /assa#F a#ongst
other things he said, %& a# li!e a wo#an in the fa#ily way, and !now not if it will be an
abortion, a girl or a boyF & hope it will be a boy 0o#e #en die when they are young, so#e at
#iddle age, so#e when they are oldF so#e are pre#aturely cut off, but what #y end will be,
God only !nows% He then introduced his son to Gr /assa# He inLuired if we had carpets, and
if our houses were co#fortableF and on Gr /assa# telling hi# that by his favour we had
everything we reLuired, and that his Gajesty would be pleased if he saw the nice ho#e he had,
"heodore loo!ing up to heaven said, %Gy friend, believe #e, #y heart loves youF as! #e for
whatever you li!e, even for #y own flesh, and & will give it to you%
His Gajesty, during the whole of the interview, was #ost courteous and appeared #uch
pleased with Gr /assa#'s answers, and laughed heartily #ore than once *hen he dis#issed
us, he sent his son and the -uropeans to acco#pany us to our huts
& heard, both fro# Gr /assa# and fro# the -uropeans that were present all along, that before
as well as during the ti#e we were present, "heodore had shown hi#self #ost friendly and
!ind "he -uropeans told #e that whilst our chains were being opened he tal!ed on #any
subjects with Gr /assa# A#ongst other things, he said to hi#, %Gr 0tern has wounded #e in
the ar#, but if anything bad is to happen, before that & will wound hi# also% He also said, %& will
fightF you #ay see #y dead body, and say there is a bad #an, who has injured #e and #ineF
and perhaps you will not bury #e%
After we left he #ustered his troops and spo!e to the# about us %*hatever happens, & will not
!ill these threeKthey are #essengersF but a#ongst those that are co#ing, and here also, &
have ene#iesF those & will !ill if they want to injure #e% As he was passing the gate on his way
bac! to his ca#p, he called the /as and told hi#, %Gr /assa# and his co#panions are not
prisoners, they #ay play and runF watch the# with the eye only%
"hat night we had no guards inside our roo#F they slept outside as before *e, however, did
not venture to avail ourselves of the order and wal! about the A#ba, but re#ained Luietly in
our inclosure
Bn reaching his ca#p, "heodore asse#bled his people and said to the#6K%'ou hear of white
#en co#ing to fight #eF it is no ru#our, but Luite true% A soldier shouted out, %Never #ind,
#y !ing, we will fight the#% "heodore loo!ed at the #an, and said, %'ou fool5 you do not !now
what you say "hese people have long cannons, elephants, guns, and #us!ets without nu#ber
*e cannot fight against the# 'ou believe that our #us!ets are good6 if they were so they
would not sell the# to us & #ight !ill Gr /assa#, as he brings these soldiers against #e & did
hi# no har#6 it is true & put hi# in chainsF but it is your fault, you people of Gagdala, you
should have advised #e better & #ight !ill hi#, but he is only oneF and then those who are
co#ing would ta!e away #y children, #y wo#en, #y treasures, and !ill #e and you%
"he following #orning, the A9th, a #essage was sent to the five who had lately joined us,
as!ing the# to wor! again for hi#, as he wanted #ore stone shots Bn accepting his offer, their
foot chains were ta!en off, hand chains put by pairs, and they were conducted to the ca#p A
tent was pitched for the#, and on their arrival they received a present of tej, #eat and bread,
fro# his Gajesty
None of us were over sanguine at the recent good treat#ent we had received at the hands of
"heodoreF we !new how suddenly he changed, and that often,Kas for#erly in our case,Khe
pretended great friendship, when he intended all the while to illHuse, or even !ill his dupes *e
were, however, in good spirits and !ept up our courage, !nowing that the end was near6 we left
the result in God's hands, and hoped for the best
Bn the 1st of April we learnt that the evening before, "heodore, being very drun!, had
%fa!ered% a great deal At about ten in the forenoon a large nu#ber of soldiers ca#e rushing in
fro# the ca#p below Iwe always disli!ed very #uch those abrupt #ove#ents of the soldiersJ,
but instead of co#ing towards our fence, as at first we feared, they went in the direction of the
#agaNines, and shortly afterwards we saw the# again passing along on their way bac!, carrying
the cannons "heodore had on the #ountain, powder, cannonHballs, Tc *e supposed that
"heodore had either decided on defending 0elassiO, or had sent for his guns, as he intended,
such was the general opinion, to have a great %fa!er%
-arly on the #orning of the 8nd, so#e of the chiefs were sent by the -#peror to infor# us that
his Gajesty reLuired us i##ediately to proceed to &sla#gee +ro# our for#er e.perience of
"heodore's fic!le disposition we !new not what would be our fate, whether a polite reception,
i#prison#ent or so#ething worseF but as there was no help for it, we dressed, and,
acco#panied by the chiefs, left our huts, Iperhaps never to see the# again,J and wal!ed down
to the ca#p below the #ountain &t was the first ti#e, with the e.ception of the short distance
we had gone on the day our chains had been opened, that we had left our inclosure *e had
but a very indifferent idea of the A#ba, and were astonished to find it #uch larger than we
e.pected, the road between the gates longer and steeper, and the paths along the side of the
A#ba #ore abrupt and #ore lengthy than we had supposed fro# our recollections of twentyH
one #onths before
*e found "heodore seated on a heap of stones about twenty yards below &sla#gee, on the
side of the road just co#pleted, and through which the cannons, #ortars, and waggons were
going to be dragged +ro# the spot he had chosen he could see all the road down to the foot of
&sla#gee, where all his people were busily engaged fi.ing long leather ropes to the waggons,
and, under the supervision of the -uropeans, #a!ing everything ready, for the ascent "he
-#peror was dressed very si#ply6 the only difference in his attire fro# the chief in attendance
standing so#e ten yards on his side, was in the sil! border of his sha#a6 he held a spear in his
hand, and two long pistols were fi.ed in his belt He greeted us cordially and #ade us sit down
behind hi#6 a proof of confidence, he would certainly not have accorded to his dearest
Abyssinian friend, as we had only to give hi# a sudden push, and he would have rolled down
the precipice below
"he road he had #ade on the side of &sla#gee was broad but very steep on the average at a
gradient of one in threeF half way an al#ost straight angle intersected it, and we feared that
there #ight be so#e difficulty in turning the heavy waggons without upsetting the# He did
not spea! #uch at first, being intent on e.a#ining the waggons belowF but as soon as the big
#ortar ca#e in sight he pointed it out to us, and as!ed Gr /assa# his opinion about it *e all
ad#ired the huge piece, and Gr /assa#, having co#pli#ented his Gajesty on his great wor!,
added, that before long he hoped that our people would have the sa#e pleasure of ad#iring it
as we did 0a#uel, who translated on that occasion, turned Luite pale, but as the -#peror
understood a little Arabic he was obliged to render the sentence, though he evidently did not
li!e it "heodore laughed, and sent 0a#uel to tell Gr *ald#eier what Gr /assa# had just
said A few #inutes afterwards his Gajesty got upF we rose also, and Gr /assa# told hi#,
through 0a#uel, that to gladden his heart still #ore he begged hi# to be gracious enough to
release fro# their fetters our co#panions still in chains on the A#ba "his ti#e 0a#uel not only
turned pale, but shoo! his head, declining to open such a subjectF but on Gr /assa# repeating
his reLuest, this ti#e in a higher tone of voice, "heodore loo!ed round, and 0a#uel, having no
option left, co#plied His Gajesty loo!ed sullen and a little annoyed, but after a short pause
gave orders to so#e of his attendants and to 0a#uel to proceed at once to the A#ba and have
the chains of the five re#aining captives opened at once
"he -#peror then wal!ed down to the spot where the road #ade a sharp angle, and directed
the laborious tas! of having such heavy #asses dragged up the precipitous incline He sent us
to the other side of the road, where we #ight witness the whole scene well, and appointed
several of his high officers to attend upon us None but "heodore, & believe, could have directed
that difficult operationF the leather ropes, fro# long use, were always brea!ing, and we were
very #uch afraid that so#e accident #ight happen, and that, at the very last stage, the
ponderous #ortar %0ebastopol% would tu#ble over the precipice *e fancied the rage his
Gajesty would be inF and our close pro.i#ity to hi# #ade us earnestly pray that nothing of the
!ind would occur "he sight was well worth witnessing6 "heodore standing on a projecting roc!,
leaning on his spear, sent his aideHdeHca#p at every #o#ent with instructions to those who
directed the five or si. hundred #en harnessed to the ropes At ti#es when the noise was too
great, or when he wanted to give so#e general instructions, he had but to lift up his hand and
not a sound would arise fro# the thousands engaged in the wor!, and the clear voice of
"heodore would alone be heard in the deep silence that his si#ple gesture had produced
At last the big #ortar was safely landed on &sla#gee *e cli#bed up as fast as we could, and
co#pli#ented his Gajesty on the achieve#ent of his great underta!ingF he sent us word to
e.a#ine the #ortar *e all three ju#ped on the gunHcarriage, greatly ad#ired it, and loudly
e.pressed our astonish#ent and delight to the bystanders His Gajesty was evidently well
pleased with the praises we had bestowed upon his great favourite, and #ade us sit down near
hi# on the verge of the &sla#gee plateau whilst the re#aining cannons and waggons were
being drawn up "he wonderful wor! of dragging up the 1M,999 pounds weight of %0ebastopol%
once overKthough so#e of the cannons were also of a considerable siNe,Kthe rest of the
operation was only child's play, and his Gajesty, though present, never interfered
*e #ust have re#ained with hi# for at least several hours in Luiet and friendly tal! As the sun
was getting hot, his Gajesty insisted on our putting on our caps, and, on Gr /assa# a short
ti#e afterwards as!ing his per#ission to open an u#brella, he not only granted it, but, seeing
that & had none, !indly sent one of his pages for his own, opened it, and gave it to #e He told
us of all the difficulties he had undergone, and how the peasants refused every assistance He
said, %& was obliged to #a!e roads during the day and drag #y waggons, and to plunder at
night, as #y people had nothing to eat% All the country, he said, had been against hi#, and
when they could seiNe any of his followers they i##ediately put the# to deathF in return, when
he #ade any of the# prisoners, to avenge his friends, he burnt the# alive6 this he told us in the
Luietest way possible, just as if he had done the right thing He then as!ed about our troops,
the elephants, the rifles, Tc Gr /assa# told hi# everything we !newF that about 18,999
troops had landed, but that not #ore than ;,999 or M,999 would advance on GagdalaKadding,
%&t will only be friendship% "heodore said, %God only !nowsF before, when the +rench ca#e into
#y country, at the ti#e of that robber 'Agau Negussi,' & #ade a Luic! #arch to seiNe the#, but
they had run away $o you believe that & would not have gone to #eet your people, and as!ed
the# what they ca#e into #y country forU but how can &U 'ou have seen toHday #y ar#y,
and%Kpointing to the A#ba aboveK%there is all #y country But & will wait for the# here, and
then let God's will be done%
He ne.t spo!e about the Cri#ean war, of the late contest between Austria and Prussia, of the
needleHgun, and as!ed us if the Prussians had #ade the -#peror of Austria a prisoner, or seiNed
his country Gr /assa# told hi# that the needleHguns, by their rapid fire, had gained the
victory for the PrussiansF that on peace being #ade the -#peror of Austria was obliged to pay a
large su# of #oneyF that a part of his territory had been anne.ed by the conLueror, and all his
allies had lost their !ingdo#s His Gajesty listened with great co#posure, only when he was
told that only ;,999 #en were co#ing, the proud curl of his lip e.pressed how #uch he felt his
fallen condition when so few #en were considered sufficient to conLuer hi# He afterwards
spo!e to us about his old grievances against Ca#eron, 0tern, and /osenthal About us he said,
%'ou have never done #e any wrong & !now that you are great #en in your country, and & feel
very sorry to have illHtreated you without cause%
After the last waggon had been drawn up, he rose and told us to followF we wal!ed a few yards
behind hi#, and when 0a#uel, who had gone to give orders for a tent to be pitched for us,
returned, he as!ed us, through hi#, several Luestions about shells, the charge reLuired for his
big #ortar, Tc, to all of which Gr /assa# replied, that being a civilian he !new nothing about
it He then told hi# to as! #e, but Gr /assa# replied that & was only acLuainted with
#edicines Bn that he ceased his inLuiries and conducted ne to the tent prepared for usF then
bidding us good afternoon, retired to his apart#ent An Abyssinian brea!fast, tej, and a few
-uropean dishes and ca!es that Grs *ald#eier had preparedF according to his instructions,
were then sent for us to parta!e of A short ti#e afterwards he sent for Gr *ald#eier and
0a#uel
&t see#s that "heodore had already been drin!ing, as he tal!ed to the# in a very e.cited
#anner, inLuiring why he had not received any inti#ation of the landing of our troops and if it
was not custo#ary for a !ing to infor# another that he was invading his country Tc Gr
*ald#eier and 0a#uel, when they returned, appeared rather alar#ed, as it was no unfreLuent
case with "heodore to be very friendly in the #orning, and, when in his cups, to change his
de#eanour and illHtreat those he had petted a little while before 0a#uel and *ald#eier were
a second ti#e sent for "heodore then abused 0a#uel a great deal, told hi# that he had #any
charges to bring against hi#, but that he left it for another dayF he then ordered hi# to ta!e us
bac! to the fort, gave instructions for three #ules to be brought, and for the co##andant of
the #ountain, together with the for#er one, to escort us "o Gr *ald#eier he said, %"ell Gr
/assa# that a s#all fire, the siNe of a pea, if not put out in ti#e, #ay cause a great
conflagration6 it is left to Gr /assa# to e.tinguish it before it spreads% *e were glad to return
safe and sound to our old prison, and rejoiced on seeing our co#panions freed fro# their
fetters and loo!ing happy and hopeful
Bn the following #orning Gr /assa# sent word to the -#peror, reLuesting his per#ission to
be allowed to infor# the Co##anderHinHChief of the British ar#y of his Gajesty's goodHwill
towards the -uropeans in his powerF but "heodore answered that he did not desire hi# to
write, as he had opened the chains of the captives not out of fear, but si#ply on account of his
personal friendship for Gr /assa#
As "heodore had on several occasions e.pressed his astonish#ent at not receiving any
co##unication fro# the Co##anderHinHChief, we thought it advisable to reLuest 0ir /obert
Napier, through our friends, to be !ind enough to send a short courteous letter to the -#peror,
infor#ing hi# of the object of the e.peditionF as the letter he had addressed to hi# before
landing had been detained by Gr /assa#, and the ulti#atu# sent by 7ord 0tanley previous to
the intervention of an ar#ed force, having also fallen into Gr /assa#'s hands, instead of
reaching the -#peror, had been destroyed by that gentle#an
"he five IGr 0taiger and his partyJ were #a!ing stone balls for his Gajesty's cannons, but as
none of the -uropeans in his service would stand security for the#, every evening the hand
chains were ha##ered on after their day's wor! was over Bn the evening of the Ard "heodore
sent to Gr /assa#, as!ing hi# to beco#e their guaranteeF but he refused, as he could not, he
said, hold hi#self responsible for the# so long as they were wor!ing for his Gajesty and
resided at a distance fro# hi# However, Gr +lad and one of the other -uropeans consenting
to beco#e security, the torture of having the chains daily fastened on was discontinued, and
the captives were si#ply guarded at night in their tent
Provisions were running short, and for so#e days a foraging e.pedition was #uch tal!ed about,
$ahonte being considered as the place selected But "heodore, unwilling to e.pose his s#all
force to a repulse, did not venture so far, but on the #orning of the Wth of April plundered his
own people, the few s#all villages situate at the foot of the A#baF and he unsuccessfully
atte#pted to sac! the village of *atat, where his own cattle were !ept "heodore #et with
#uch #ore resistance than he e.pected fro# the Galla peasantsF #any of the soldiers were
!illed, and the booty brought bac! was very s#all
"he soldiers on the #ountain were #ore despondent than ever6 little aware of the great
change that before long was to ta!e place, they viewed with great concern and an.iety this last
raid, as, were the -#peror to go away, they would be left to starve on their roc! +ro# Gr
GunNinger we freLuently received short notes, which reached us sewn in the wornHout trousers
of so#e peasant or #essengerF thus we !new that our deliverers were now near, and we
longed for the day, not far distant, when our fate would be decided6 for we suffered #ore fro#
constant an.iety and doubtKas to what every #inute #ight bring, than fro# the certainty of
death6 even the few hopeful thoughts we now and then indulged in were nothing co#pared to
regained liberty
CHAP"-/ RR
All the Prisoners leave the A#ba for &sla#geeKBur /eception by
"heodoreKHe harangues his "roops, and releases so#e of the
PrisonersKHe infor#s us of the Advance of the -nglishK
"he GassacreK*e are sent bac! to GagdalaK-ffects of the
Battle of +ahlaKGessrs Prideau. and +lad sent to negotiate
K/elease of the Captives, and their Narrow -scapeK"heir
Arrival in the British Ca#p
Bn the evening of the 3th of April we heard indirectly that the ne.t #orning all the prisoners,
ourselves included, would be called before his Gajesty, who was at the ti#e enca#ped at the
foot of 0elassiO, and that in all probability we should not return to the A#ba At dayHdawn a
#essenger ca#e fro# "heodore ordering us to go down, and ta!e with, us our tents and
anything else we #ight reLuire As was our wont on such occasions, we put on our unifor#s,
and proceeded to the -#peror's ca#p acco#panied by the for#er captives Bn approaching
0elassiO we perceived his Gajesty, surrounded by #any of his chiefs and soldiers, standing near
his guns in conversation with so#e of his -uropean wor!#en He saluted us courteously, and
told, us to advance and stand near hi# Ca#eron was staggering fro# the effects of the sun,
and could with difficulty !eep hi#self fro# falling to the ground Bn perceiving his condition his
Gajesty as!ed us what was the #atter with hi# *e answered that Ca#eron was unwell, and
begged per#ission for hi# to sit down, a reLuest that was i##ediately granted "heodore then
greeted the other prisoners, as!ed the# how they were, and on perceiving the /ev Gr 0tern
he said, s#iling all the while, %B Eo!ab I0tarJ, why have you plaited your hairU% <+ootnote6 Bnly
soldiers plait the hairF peasants and priests shave the head about once a #onth@ Before he
could answer 0a#uel told the -#peror, %'our Gajesty, it is not plaitedF it falls naturally on his
shoulders%
"heodore then retired a little way fro# the crowd, and told us three and Ca#eron to follow
hi# 0eating hi#self on a large stone, and telling us also to sit down, he said, %& have sent for
you, as & desire to loo! after your safety *hen your people co#e and fire upon #e & will put
you in a safe placeF and should you even there be in danger & will re#ove you to so#ewhere
else% He as!ed us if our tents had arrived, and on being infor#ed that they had not, he ordered
one of his own, of red flannel, to be pitched in the #eanwhile He re#ained with us about half
an hour conversing on different topicsF he narrated the anecdote of $a#ocles, as!ed us about
our laws, Luoted 0criptureKin a word, ju#ped fro# one subject to the other, discoursing on
topics Luite foreign to his thoughts He did his best to appear cal# and a#iable, but we soon
detected that he was labouring under great e.cite#ent *hen, in Canuary, 1>MM, he received us
at QagO, we were struc! by the si#plicity of his dress, in every respect the sa#e as that of his
co##on soldiersF of late, however, he had adopted a #ore gaudy attire, but nothing co#pared
to the harleLuin coat he wore that day
After he had dis#issed us, he ascended the hill under which our tent was pitched, and for two
hours, at about fifty yards fro# us, surrounded by his ar#y, he %fa!ered% IbraggedJ to his
heart's content He discoursed first on his for#er deeds, or what he intended to do when he
should encounter the white #en, spea!ing all the while in conte#ptuous ter#s of his
advancing foe Addressing the soldiers who# he was sending as an advanced post to ArogiO, he
told the#, on the approach of the white #en, to wait until they had fired, and before the
ene#y had ti#e to reload, to fall upon the# with their spearsF and showing the gaudy dress he
had put on for the occasion, he added6 %'our valour will #eet with its reward, and you will
enrich yourselves with spoils, co#pared to which the rich dress & a# wearing is but a #ere
trifle% *hen he had concluded his harangue he dis#issed his troops, and sent for Gr /assa#
He told hi# not to notice what had ta!en place, as it #eant nothingF but that he was obliged to
spea! publicly in that #anner to encourage his soldiers He then #ounted his #ule and
ascended to the top of 0elassiO to e.a#ine the road fro# $alanta to the Bechelo, and ascertain
the #ove#ents of the -nglish ar#y
"he ne.t day, the >th, we only saw his Gajesty at a distance, seated on a stone in front of his
tents, and tal!ing Luietly to those around hi# &n the afternoon he ascended to the top of
0elassiO, and on his return sent us word that he had seen nothingF but that our people could
not be far off, as a wo#an had co#e to infor# hi# that, the evening before, horses and #ules
had been ta!en down to the Bechelo to be watered
As we ca#e down fro# the A#ba the day before, we had #et on the road all the prisoners
crawling along, #any of the# in hand and foot chains, having in that condition been obliged to
wal! down the irregular and steep descent "heir appearance was enough to inspire pity in the
#ost callous heartF #any had no other covering than a s#all piece of rag round the loins, and
were living s!eletons, covered with so#e loathso#e s!in disease Chiefs, soldiers or beggars, all
wore an an.ious e.pression6 they had but too #uch reason to fear that they had not been
dragged out of the prison where they had spent years of #isery for any good purpose
However, on that #orning "heodore gave orders for about seventyHfive to be released, all
either for#er servants of his, or chiefs who# he had i#prisoned, without cause, during his fits
of #adness, so freLuent of late
0oon after his return fro# 0elassiO, his #erciful #ood being over, "heodore sent orders to have
seven prisoners e.ecutedF a#ongst the# the wife and child of Co#fou Ithe store!eeper who
had run away in 0epte#berJKpoor innocent beings on who# the despot vented his rage for
the desertion of the husband6 they were shot by the %brave A#haras,% and their bodies hurled
over the nearest precipice "heodore sent #e word to go and visit Bardel, who was lying
dangerously ill in a tent close by Having seen hi# and prescribed, & afterwards visited so#e of
the -uropeans and their fa#iliesF & found the# all e.ceedingly an.ious and none could arrive at
any conclusion as to the probable course "heodore would adopt
-arly on the #orning of the 2th so#e of the -uropean wor!#en infor#ed us that "heodore
was #a!ing roads to drag part of his artillery to +ahla, where it overloo!s the BecheloF they also
told us that before parting he had given orders for the release of about one hundred prisoners,
#ost of the# wo#en or poor people "owards 8 PG the -#peror returned, and sent us word
by 0a#uel that he had seen a Luantity of baggage co#ing down fro# $alanta to the
BecheloKfour elephants, but very few #en He had also re#ar!ed, he said, so#e s#all white
ani#als, with blac! heads, but he could not #a!e out what they were $id we !nowU *e #ade
a rough guess, and answered that they were probably Berbera sheep He sent a last #essage,
saying, %& a# tired fro# loo!ing out so longF & a# going to rest awhile *hy are your people so
slowU%
A severe stor# then bro!e outF and it had hardly subsided when we saw soldiers rushing fro#
all directions towards the side of the precipiceKa couple of hundred yards fro# our tent *e
soon heard that his Gajesty, in a fearful passion, had left his tent, and had gone to Gr
/assa#'s servants' houses, where the Gagdala prisoners had been shut up since they had been
ta!en down to &sla#gee
As & have said, that #orning "heodore had released a large nu#ber of his prisoners "hose who
re#ained, believing that they #ight avail the#selves of the -#peror's good disposition,
cla#oured for bread and water, as for two days they had been deprived of both, all their
servants having deca#ped and !ept away since they had been re#oved fro# Gagdala At the
cries of %abiet, abiet,% <+ootnote6 %Abiet,% #aster, lord "he usual e.pression used by beggars
when as!ing al#s@ "heodore, who was reposing after indulging in deep potations, as!ed his
attendant, %*hat is itU% He was told that the prisoners begged for water and bread "heodore,
seiNing his sword, and telling the #an to follow hi#, e.clai#ed, %& will teach the# to as! for
food when #y faithful soldiers are starving% Arrived at the place where the prisoners were
confined, blind with rage and drin!, he ordered the guards to bring the# out "he two first he
hac!ed to pieces with his own swordF the third was a young childF though it arrested his hand, it
did not save the poor creature's life, and he was hurled alive over the precipice by "heodore's
order He see#s to have been so#ewhat cal#er after the two first #urders, and so#ething li!e
order prevailed during the re#ainder of the e.ecutions As every prisoner was brought out he
inLuired his na#e, his country, and his cri#e "he greater part were found guilty, hurled over
the precipice, and shot below by #us!eteers sent there to despatch any one who still showed
signs of ani#ation, as #any had escaped with life fro# the awful fall 0o#e A93 were put to
death, and 21 reserved for another day "hese last, strange to say, were all chiefs of noteF #any
of who# had fought against the -#peror, and all, he !new, were his deadly ene#ies
*hat our feelings were all this ti#e can easily be sur#ised6 we could see the deep line of
soldiers standing behind the -#peror, and counted up to two hundred discharges of fireHar#s,
when we left off the agoniNing calculation of how #any victi#s were being slaughtered A
friendly chief ca#e to us, and i#plored us to re#ain very Luiet in our tents, as it would be very
dangerous if "heodore re#e#bered us in his present #ood At dus! he returned, followed by
an ad#iring crowd He, however, too! no notice of usF and, after a while, seeing all Luiet, we
felt pretty confident that we were safe for that day at least
"here is no doubt that when "heodore sent for us and all the prisoners, he had #ade up his
#ind to !ill every one His apparent cle#ency was #erely used as a blind to #as! his intent and
inspire hopes of freedo# in the hearts of those whose death he had already deter#ined upon
-arly on the #orning of the 19th his Gajesty sent us word to get ready to return to Gagdala
0hortly afterwards one of his servants brought us the following #essage6K%*ho is that wo#an
who sends her soldiers to fight against a !ingU 0end no #ore #essengers to your people6 if a
single servant of yours is #issing, the covenant of friendship between you and #yself is
bro!en% A few #inutes afterwards a boy who# & had so#e days previously sent to General
Gerewether, with a reLuest that a letter should be sent to "heodore, who had on several
occasions #anifested great astonish#ent at not receiving any co##unication fro# the ar#y,
returned with a letter fro# his -.cellency the Co##anderHinHChief for the -#peror "he letter
was perfectF just what we had wished forKfir#, courteousF it contained no threats, no
pro#ises, e.cept that "heodore would be honourably treated if he delivered the prisoners
uninjured into his hands *e at once sent 0a#uel to infor# the -#peror that a letter fro# 0ir
/ Napier had arrived for hi# His Gajesty declined to receive it %&t is of no use,% he saidF %&
!now what & have to do% However, shortly afterwards he sent for 0a#uel privately, and as!ed
hi# its contents, and as 0a#uel had translated it, he infor#ed hi# of the principal points His
Gajesty listened attentively, but #ade no re#ar!s A #ule fro# the &#perial stables was sent
for Gr /assa#'s use to rideF 7ieutenant Prideau., Captain Ca#eron, and #yself were told that
we #ight ride our own #ulesF but this favour was denied to the other captives Bn our return
to Gagdala we were hailed by our servants, and the few friends we had on the #ountain, as
#en who had returned fro# the grave *e sent for our tents, bedding, Tc, and awaited with
an.iety the ne.t #ove of the fic!le despot
About noon the whole of the garrison of the A#ba were told to ar# and proceed to the Eing's
ca#pF a few old #en only and the ordinary prisoners' guard re#aining on the #ountain
Between A and W PG a violent thunderHstor# burst over the A#ba *e thought now and then
that we could distinguish a#idst the peals of thunder distant guns, and so#e close at hand At
other ti#es we were al#ost certain that the sound we had just heard was a volleyF but we only
laughed at the idea, and wondered how the echoes of the al#ost constant thunder could to our
e.cited i#agination bear such close rese#blance to the welco#e #usic of an attac! by the
ar#y of rescue 0hortly after W PG the stor# subsided, and then no #ista!e was possibleF the
deep, dull sound of guns, and the sharp reports of s#all ar#s, now reached us plainly and
distinctly But what was itU No one would or could say "wice during the ne.t hour the joyous
elelta resounded fro# &sla#gee to the A#ba above, where it was responded to by the soldiers'
fa#ilies "hen all doubts vanished6 evidently the Eing was only %fa!eringF% no fight could have
ta!en place, as no elelta would be heard if "heodore had ventured to encounter the British
troops
*e were fast asleep, Luite unaware of the glorious battle that had ta!en place a few #iles fro#
our prison, when we were aroused by a servant, who told us to dress Luic!ly, and co#e over to
Gr /assa#'s house, as #essengers had just arrived fro# his Gajesty *e found on entering
Gr /assa#'s roo# Gessrs *ald#eier and +lad, and several of the -#peror's chiefs, who had
co#e up to deliver the &#perial #essage "hen for the first ti#e we heard of the battle of
+ahlaF heard, indeed, that we were now safeF that the hu#bled despot had ac!nowledged the
greatness of the power he had for years despised "he &#perial #essage was as follows6K%&
thought that the people that are now co#ing were wo#enF & now find that they are #en & have
been conLuered by the advance guard alone All #y #us!eteers are dead /econcile #e with
your people%
Gr /assa# sent hi# bac! word that he had co#e to his country to #a!e peace, and now, as
well as for#erly, he only wished to see that happy result obtainedF he proposed, he said,
sending 7ieutenant Prideau. for hi#self, and that his Gajesty should send Gr +lad, or any
other -uropean who# he trusted, together with one of his noble#en, to the British ca#p to
#a!e ter#sF but that unless he was willing to deliver over to the Co##anderHinHChief all the
prisoners, the proposed steps would be Luite useless "he two -uropeans and the other
#essenger re#ained so#e ti#e with us to rest and refresh the#selves6 they told us that his
Gajesty had #ista!en a battery of artillery for Baggage, and seeing only a few #en at ArogiO,
he had given in to the i#portunities of his chiefs, and allowed the# to have their own way Bn
a cannon being fired, the Abyssinians, e.cited by the prospect of a large booty, rushed down
the hill His Gajesty co##anded the artillery, which was served by Abyssinian wor!#en, under
the direction of a Copt, the for#er servant of the Bishop, and of 7ij -ngeddah *ar!, the son of
a converted Bengal Cew At the first discharge the largest piece of ordnance, %"heodoros,%
burst, the Abyssinians by #ista!e having ra##ed in two cannon balls "owards dus! he had
sent to recall his troops, but #essenger after #essenger was despatched to no purpose6 at last
the bro!enHdown re#nants of his ar#y were seen slowly cli#bing the steep ascent, and he
heard for the first ti#e the dis#al tale of their disaster +itaurari <+ootnote6 +itaurari, the
co##ander of the advanced guard@ GabriO, his longHattached friend, the bravest of the brave,
lay dead on the battleHfieldF he inLuired for others, but the answer was $ead, dead, dead55 Cast
down, conLuered at last, "heodore, without saying a word, wal!ed bac! to his tent with no
other thought but an appeal to the friendship of his captives and to the generosity of his foe
/eturning to the -#peror's tent Gessrs +lad and *ald#eier infor#ed hi# of their arrival by
one of the eunuchs who had acco#panied the# for that purpose &t appears that in the
#eanwhile "heodore had been drin!ing hardF he ca#e out of his tent very #uch e.cited, and
as!ed the -uropeans, %*hat do you wantU% "hey told hi# that as he had co##anded the#,
they had spo!en on his behalf to Gr /assa#, and that that gentle#an had proposed sending
Gr Prideau., Tc Tc "he -#peror interrupted the#, and in an angry tone e.clai#ed, %Gind
your own business6 go to your tents5% "he two -uropeans stood still, in the hope that his
Gajesty #ight change his #indF but seeing that they did not depart, he got into a rage, and in a
high tone of voice ordered the# to retire at once
At about W AG a #essenger was sent by his Gajesty to call Gessrs +lad and *ald#eier before
hi# As soon as they arrived he as!ed, %$o you hear this wailingU "here is not a soldier who has
not lost a friend or a brother *hat will it be when the whole -nglish ar#y co#esU *hat shall &
doU counsel #e% Gr *ald#eier told hi#6 %'our Gajesty, peace is the best% %And you, +lad,
what do you sayU% %'our Gajesty,% replied Gr +lad, %ought to accept Gr /assa#'s proposal%
"heodore re#ained a few #inutes silent, his head between his hands, apparently in deep
thought, and then said, %*ell, go bac! to Gagdala, and tell Gr /assa# that & trust in his
friendship to reconcile #e with his people & will do what he thin!s best% Gr +lad brought us
this #essage, Gr *ald#eier re#aining with the -#peror
Bn 7ieutenant Prideau. and Gr +lad reaching &sla#gee they were conducted to the -#peror,
who# they found sitting outside on a stone and dressed in his ordinary #anner He received
the# very graciously, and i##ediately ordered one of his best #ules to be saddled for
Prideau.'s use Noticing that he was rather e.hausted fro# the rapid wal!, he gave hi# a horn
of tej to refresh hi#self with on the road He then dis#issed the# with the following
#essage6K%& had thought before this that & was a strong #an, but & have now discovered that
they are strongerF now reconcile #e% "hey then left, and acco#panied by $ejatch Ala#O, the
-#peror's sonHinHlaw, proceeded to the British ca#p at ArogiO, where they arrived after a two
hours' ride, and were war#ly cheered and greeted by all After a short stay in the ca#p, they
returned to his Gajesty bearing a letter fro# 0ir /obert Napier, couched in fir# but conciliatory
ter#s, and assuring "heodore that, provided he sub#itted to the Pueen of -ngland and
brought all the prisoners and other -uropeans to the British ca#p, honourable treat#ent
would be accorded to hi#self and his fa#ily
0ir /obert Napier received $ejatch Ala#O with great courtesy Ia fact that was i##ediately
reported to "heodore by a special #essengerJ, invited hi# into his tent, and spo!e plainly to
hi# He told hi# that not only all the -uropeans #ust at once be sent to the ca#p, but the
-#peror hi#self #ust co#e in also and sub#it to the Pueen of -ngland He told hi# that if he
co#plied he would be honourably treated, but that if any one of the -uropeans in his hands
were injured, he could e.pect no pityF and that had he I0ir /obert NapierJ to re#ain for five
years in the country, he would not leave until the last #urderer was punished, had he even to
buy hi# fro# his #other He then showed Ala#O so#e of the %toys% he had brought with hi#,
and e.plained to hi# their effects
Bn the return of Prideau. and his co#panions to "heodore's ca#p, they found hi# sitting on
the brow of 0elassiO, overloo!ing the British ca#p, and in anything but a pleasant hu#our "hey
had been joined on their arrival by Gr *ald#eier, and together they presented the#selves
before hi#, and delivered the letter into his hands &t was twice translated, and at the
conclusion of the second reading he as!ed, in a deliberate #anner, %*hat does honourable
treat#ent #eanU $oes it #ean that the -nglish will help #e to subdue #y ene#ies, or does, it
#ean honourable treat#ent as a prisonerU% Prideau. replied, that on the first point the
Co##anderHinHChief had said nothingF that all his wishes were contained in his letterF and that
the -nglish ar#y had si#ply co#e into the country to rescue their fellowHcountry#en, and that
object effected they would then return "his answer did not please hi# at all -vidently his
worst passions were arousedF but, controlling hi#self, he #otioned the# to stand a little
distance fro# hi#, while he dictated a letter to his secretary,Ka letter begun before the arrival
of Prideau., an incoherent epistle, not sealed, stating, a#ongst other things, that he had
hitherto surrendered to no #an, and was not prepared to do so now He inclosed with his letter
the one he had just received fro# 0ir /obert Napier, handed it over to Prideau., and bade the#
be off at onceF not allowing Prideau. even to wait for a glass of water, telling hi# that there
was no ti#e to lose
Another couple of hours' ride brought Prideau. and +lad again to the British ca#p 0ir /obert
Napier, however reluctant he #ust have felt, after allowing the# ti#e to rest, despatched
the# bac! to "heodore &t was, indeed, the proper way to deal with hi#6 fir#ness alone could
save our livesF as we had but too a#ple proofs that the !ind of adoration for so long bestowed
upon hi# resulted in nothing but a nonsensical correspondence, and no real advantage had
ever been gained No answer could possibly be given to the #ad production "heodore had
sentF a verbal #essage to the sa#e purport as the first co##unication fro# the Co##anderH
inHChief was all that was reLuired
*e were still in the power of "heodoreF had not, as yet, tasted libertyF whatever, before long,
would be our fate, we were passive, and ready to sub#it with as #uch good grace as possible
to the sentence we every #inute e.pected Gr +lad had left his wife and children on &sla#gee,
and could not well decline to go bac!F but for Prideau. the case was Luite different6 he
returned, li!e a brave, gallant #an, ready to sacrifice his own life in endeavouring to save ours,
and going willingly to al#ost certain death in obedience to his duty None of the brave soldiers
who gallantly wear the ,ictoria Cross ever did a nobler deed +ortunately, however, as they
were nearing 0elassiO, they #et Gr Geyer, one of the -uropean wor!#en, who co##unicated
to the# the welco#e intelligence that we were all liberated and on our way to the ca#p "hey
gladly turned round the heads of their tired #ules, and, together with Gr Geyer, brought bac!
the good news to our an.ious country#en
But we #ust return to ourselves, still shut up in Gagdala *e re#ained all day in great
suspense, not !nowing at any #o#ent what course "heodore would adopt & dressed several of
the wounded and saw #any of the soldiers who had ta!en part in the fight of the previous day
All were #uch cast down, and declared that they would not fight again %Bf what use is it,% they
said, %fighting against your peopleU *hen we fight with our country#en each side has its turnF
with you it is always your turn 0ee how #any dead and wounded we have5 *e did not see any
of your #en fall6 and then you never run away% "he roc!ets terrified the# greatly, and if their
description of the shells is correct they #ust indeed be terrible weapons
0hortly after receiving an answer fro# 0ir /obert Napier, and despatching Prideau. and +lad for
the second ti#e, "heodore called his principal chiefs and so#e of his -uropean wor!#en
before hi# and held a !ind of councilF but he soon beca#e so e.cited, so #ad, that it was with
difficulty he was restrained fro# co##itting suicide "he chiefs reproved hi# for his wea!ness,
and proposed that we should all be !illed, or !ept in a hut in the ca#p and burnt alive on the
approach of our soldiers His Gajesty too! no notice of these suggestions, dis#issed his chiefs,
and told Gessrs Geyer and 0aal#^ller, two of his -uropean wor!#en, to get ready to
acco#pany us to the -nglish ca#p At the sa#e ti#e he sent two of his high officers, Bitwaddad
HassaniO and /as Bissawur, to us with the following #essage6K%Go at once to your people6 you
will send for your property toH#orrow%
*e did not li!e that #essage at all "he two chiefs were sullen and downcast, and 0a#uel was
so e.cited that he would give us no e.planation of this sudden decision *e called our servants
to pac! up a few things, and #any of the# bade us goodHby with tears in their eyes "he best
disposed of the guards loo!ed sad and sorrowful6 no doubt the general i#pression was the
sa#e as ours, that we were sent for, not to go to the -nglish ca#p, but to certain death "here
was no use in re#onstrating or in co#plaining, so we dressedF glad that at all events the end of
our captivity had arrived, whatever it #ight beF we bade goodHby to our servants, and under a
strong escort left the A#ba *hilst we had been dressing, 0a#uel had consulted with the two
chiefsF they told hi# that "heodore was Luite #ad, and that anything which #ight delay our
#eeting should not be neglected, as ti#e to allow hi# to cool down a little was of the ut#ost
i#portance "hey decided on sending a soldier in advance with a supposed #essage fro# us, to
as! fro# his Gajesty the favour of a last interview, as we could not depart without first bidding
hi# goodHby
Arrived at the foot of the A#ba, we found that the -#peror had sent no #ules, as was his
custo#, and we had to have ours saddled, or borrow so#e fro# the -uropean wor!#en "he
place see#ed al#ost deserted, and on our way to the &#perial tent we #et only a few soldiersF
but as we advanced we perceived that the heights of 0elassiO and +ahla were crowded with the
re#nants of the &#perial host
At about a hundred yards fro# the Eing's tent we #et the #essenger who# 0a#uel and the
chiefs had sent to reLuest a last interview, co#ing bac! towards us He said that the Eing was
not in his tent, but between +ahla and 0elassiO, and that he would only see his beloved friend
/assa# Brders were then given by the chiefs who escorted us to conduct Gr /assa# by one
road, and the re#ainder of the captives by another *e had to follow a s#all pathway on the
side of 0elassiO, and Gr /assa# was conducted by a road so#e fifty yards above *e advanced
in that #anner for a couple of hundred yards, when we were ordered to stop "he soldiers told
us that the -#peror was co#ing towards Gr /assa#, and that we #ust wait until their
interview was over
After a while we were told to advance, as Gr /assa# had left the
Eing and was #oving on
& was wal!ing in front of our party, and great was #y surprise, after a few steps, on arriving at a
sudden turn in the road, to find #yself face to face with "heodore & at once perceived that he
was in a fearful passion Behind hi# stood about twenty #en in a line, all ar#ed with #us!ets
"he spot on which he was standing is a s#all platfor#, so narrow that & would have al#ost to
touch hi# on #y way onwards Below the platfor# the precipice was abrupt and deepF above,
the roc!s rose li!e a huge wall6 evidently he could not have chosen a better place if he had any
evil intentions against us
He could not have seen #e at first, as his face was half turnedF he whispered so#ething to the
soldier nearest to hi#, and stretched out his hand to ta!e the #an's #us!et & was Luite
prepared for the worst, and, at the #o#ent, had no doubt in #y #ind that our last hour had
co#e
"heodore, his hand still on his #us!et, turned roundF he then perceived #e, loo!ed at #e for a
second or two, dropped his hand, and in a low sad voice as!ed #e how & was, and bade #e
goodHby
"he chief on the following day told #e that, at the ti#e, "heodore was undecided as to
whether he would !ill us all or notF only allowing Gr /assa# to go on account of his personal
friendship for hi#, and that we owed our lives to the #ere accident that his eye first fell upon
#e, against who# he had no ani#osityF but that the result would have been Luite different had
his anger been roused by the sight of those he hated
A few #inutes later we rejoined Gr /assa#, and #oved on as fast as our #ules could a#ble
Gr /assa# told #e that "heodore had said to hi#, %&t is getting dar!F it is perhaps better if you
re#ained here until toH#orrow% Gr /assa# said, %Cust as your Gajesty li!es% "heodore then
said, %Never #indF go% He shoo! hands with Gr /assa#, both crying at the idea of parting, and
Gr /assa# pro#ising to return early the ne.t #orning
*e had nearly reached the outposts of the &#perial ca#p when so#e soldiers shouted for us to
stop Had "heodore again changed his #indU 0o near liberty, were we again doo#ed to
captivity or deathU 0uch thoughts i##ediately crossed our #indsF but our suspense was short,
as we perceived running towards us one of the -#peror's servants, carrying Prideau.'s sword,
as well as #y own, which his Gajesty had seiNed at $ebra "abor so#e twentyHone #onths
before *e sent bac! our than!s to his Gajesty by the servant, and resu#ed our #arch
7ittle did we !now at the ti#e the narrow escape we had just had &t appears that, after our
departure, "heodore sat down on a stone, and, putting his head between his hands, began to
cry /as -ngeddah said to hi#, %Are you a wo#an, to cryU 7et us bring bac! these white #en,
!ill the#, and run awayF or fight and die% "heodore rebu!ed hi# in these words6K%'ou
don!ey5 have & not !illed enough these two last daysU $o you want #e to !ill these white #en,
and cover Abyssinia with bloodU%
"hough now fairly out of the &#perial ca#p, and in sight al#ost of our pic!ets, we could hardly
credit that we were not the victi#s of so#e delusion &nvoluntarily, we would loo! bac!, fearful
that, regretting his cle#ency, "heodore #ight follow and overta!e us before we reached our
ca#p But God, who had al#ost by a #iracle delivered us that day, still protected usF and
shortly afterwards, with grateful and joyful hearts, we entered the British linesF and heard the
gladdening sound of -nglish voices, the hearty cheers of our country#en, and shoo! hands with
the dear friends who had laboured so Nealously for our release
CBNC7D0&BN
Bn the #orning of the 18th, the day following our deliverance, "heodore sent a letter of
apology, e.pressing his regret for having written the i#pertinent #issive of the day before He
at the sa#e ti#e reLuested the Co##anderHinHChief to accept a present of 1,999 cowsF this,
according to Abyssinian custo#, i#plying a peaceHoffering, which once accepted, re#oved all
apprehension of hostilities
"he five captives who had joined us in Canuary, 1>M> IGr 0taiger and his partyJ, Grs +lad and
her children, several of the -uropeans, and the fa#ilies of all of the#, were still in "heodore's
power "he -uropeans who had acco#panied us the evening before, and who had spent the
night at the ca#p, were early that #orning sent bac! to "heodoreF and 0a#uel, who was one of
the party, was instructed to de#and that the whole of the -uropeans and their fa#ilies should
be allowed to depart at once A dhoolee and bearers were also sent at the sa#e ti#e for Grs
+lad, whose state of health did not allow her to ride Before starting, 0a#uel was told by Gr
/assa# that the Co##anderHinHChief had accepted the cows6 an unfortunate #ista!e, as it
#isled and deceived "heodore, but so far opportune, that it probably saved the lives of the
-uropeans still in his power
*hen the -uropeans who had returned to 0elassi to bring down their fa#ilies, and 0a#uel,
approached the -#peror, his first Luestion was, %Have the cows been acceptedU% 0a#uel,
bowing respectfully before hi#, said6 %"he -nglish /as says to you, '& have accepted your
present6 #ay God give it bac! to you'% Bn that "heodore drew a long breath, as if relieved of a
deep an.iety, and told the -uropeans, %"a!e your fa#ilies and go% "o Gr *ald#eier he said,
%'ou also want to leave #eF well, go6 now that & have friendship with the -nglish, if & want ten
*ald#eiers & have only to as! for the#% &n the afternoon the -uropean wor!#en and their
fa#ilies, Gr 0taiger and his party, Grs +lad and children, 0a#uel, and our servants, all ca#e
into the British ca#p "hey had been allowed to ta!e away their property, and on their
departure "heodore, in good spirits, bade the# goodHby
Bn 0aturday, the 11th, 0ir /obert Napier had clearly pointed out to $ejatch Ala#O, the course
he had adopted, and that not only the captives, but "heodore also, #ust co#e into the British
ca#p before twentyHfour hours, otherwise hostilities would begin anewF but at the urgent
reLuest of $ejatch Ala#O, who !new how difficult it would be for "heodore to co#ply with that
part of the order which referred to hi#self, he pro#ised to e.tend to fortyHeight hours the
ter# he had fi.ed upon for his ulti#atu# to be acceded to
Bn the #orning of the 1>th, the -#peror having not as yet #ade his sub#ission, it beca#e
necessary to co#pel hi# to obey, and steps were being ta!en to co#plete the wor! so ably
begun, when several of the greatest chiefs of "heodore's ar#y #ade their appearance, stating
that they ca#e in their own na#e and in that of the soldiers of the garrison, to lay down their
ar#s and surrender the fortressF they added that, "heodore, acco#panied by about fifty
followers, had #ade his escape during the night
&t appears that the evening before, "heodore, on hearing that the cows had not been accepted,
but were still outside the -nglish pic!ets, believed that he had been deceived, and that, if he fell
into the hands of the -nglish, he would either be doo#ed to chains or to a cruel death All night
he wal!ed about 0elassiO an.ious and cast down, and towards early #orn called upon his
people to follow hi# But instead of obeying they retired to another part of the plain "heodore
shot the two nearest to hi#F but this daring act did not Luell the #utinous disposition of the
soldiery6 on the contrary, they only retreated further bac!
*ith the few #en who followed hi#, he passed through the Eafir Ber, but had not gone far
before he saw the Gallas advancing fro# all sides in order to surround hi# and his party He
then said to his few faithful followers, %7eave #e6 & will die alone% "hey refusedF on that he said
to the#, %'ou are rightF but let us return to the #ountain6 it is better to die by the hands of
Christians%
"he surrender of the ar#y, the stor#ing of Gagdala, the selfHinflicted death of "heodore, are
too wellH!nown facts for #e to enlarge upon the# & entered the place shortly after it had been
occupied by our troops Bne of the first objects that attracted #y attention was the dead body
of "heodore "here was a s#ile on his lipKthat happy s#ile he so seldo# wore of late6 it gave
an air of cal# grandeur to the features of one whose career had been so re#ar!able, whose
cruelties are al#ost unparalleled in historyF but who at the last hour see#ed to have recalled
the days of his youth, fought li!e a brave #an, and !illed hi#self rather than surrender
& re#ained that night in Gagdala &t see#ed passing strange to spend a night as a free #an in
the sa#e hut where & had been so long confined a prisoner -nglish soldiers now guarded our
for#er gaolers, the Lueen was our guest, the dead body of "heodore lay in one of our huts6 in
the short span of fortyHeight hours our position had so co#pletely changed that it was difficult
to realiNe it6 at ti#es & was apprehensive of being the victi# of a delusion & was too e.cited to
sleep
General *ilby, his aideHdeHca#p Captain Cappel, and his brigadeH#ajor Gajor Hic!s, shared #y
hutF hungry and tired they enjoyed Luite as #uch as & did, the si#ple Abyssinian dish of teps,
the peppery sauce, and so#e tej, which we ourselves went to fetch fro# the cellars in the royal
buildings "he ne.t day we returned to ArogiO, and during #y stay there & received the !ind
hospitality of General Gerewether Bn the 1Mth, so#e of the released captives and #yself
started for $alanta, where we waited a few days until all had joinedF and on the 81st, after 0ir
/obert Napier had presented us to our deliverers, we proceeded on our way to the coast, and
reached Qulla on the 8>th of Gay
7oo!ing bac! now, a free #an in a free country, the past appears to #e li!e a horrible drea#, a
!ind of #issing lin! in #y lifeF and when & re#e#ber that our deliverance was followed so
shortly afterwards by the selfHdestruction of the passionate despot who held us in his power, &
can find no truer solution to this difficult proble#, than the words inscribed by the war#H
hearted country#en of Eerans, on the banner that floated at Ahascragh to welco#e his return,
%God is good, who set you free%
-//A"DG
Page AA, line 1A,K+or %0a#uel, the Georgis balderaba% /ead %0a#uel Georgis, the balderaba%
-nd of the Project Gutenberg -Boo! of A Narrative of Captivity in Abyssinia by Henry Blanc
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