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bread and meat to General Merewether on his arrival, and when a Chinese silk was offered in return, she replied that some money to send to her imprisoned husband would be more acceptable. The English camp faces the fair lady's tower, a little stream flowing between; and a few miles to the eastward is the church of Gaala, in a delicious shady grove, with a bright stream flowing from the sandstone cliffs which overhang the trees. Here the good and brave Father Jacobi, with his Catholic Mission, was established for some years, during the time of Dejatch Oubie, and he introduced the vine, potatoes, and other vegetables.

On the accession of Kâsa, he adopted a very unwise and suspicious policy in the government of the different provinces, often attempting to ensure his own power by dividing the rule amongst several chiefs. Thus in Agamé he gave the government to two grandsons of Sabagadis named Barya-hoo and Guksa, sons of Waldo Mikhail, who was slain in Akula-Guzay. But he associated two other chiefs with them-one a total stranger to the district, and the other an old servant of their grandfather named Tessu. This arrangement was resented by the whole family of Sabagadis, and Barya-hoo rose in rebellion. He is still" out against Kâsa," with his Agamé retainers, and many of his young cousins, such as Hagoos, the son of Sabhât, and Waldo Gabriel, the son of Aragow.2 The malcontents have sent civil messages to the English camp, explaining their grievance and asking for help. This unsettled state of affairs renders Adigirat a very important position along the line of march, and here will be formed the second permanent depôt, the first being at Senafé.

On the 7th of February M. Munzinger and Major Grant arrived at Adigirat from Adowa, escorted by a chief sent by Kâsa, with nagareets and long horns,

1 Kâsa himself is a grand nephew of Sabagadis, through his maternal grandmother.

2 Aragow is the youngest son of Sabagadis. He is now a state prisoner of Teodoros's, in the dungeons of Magdala,

making a most diabolical noise. This chief is the Lika-Mankwass Ilma.1 He was received in durbar by Sir Robert Napier, witnessed some evolutions of the Scinde Horse and 3d Cavalry, finished twelve bottles of rum in two sittings, and set out on his return to Adowa with two huge pats of butter on his head, representing an early morning toilette. The British soldier turned his somewhat strange name into "Liquormy-goose."

General Merewether has taken great pains to make the means of transport in the country along the line of march available for the purposes of the expedition. This is a most important point under any circumstances, but more especially so in the present state of the transport-train; and his wise measures have been highly successful. In the neighbourhood of Senafé the owners of bullocks agreed to deliver bags of grain and flour at Adigirat, at the rate of one dollar and a half for each bag of 60 lbs. ; and immediately after the convention had been signed 1,400 bullocks started from Senafé in two days. At Adigirat General Merewether arranged a similar convention with the people to carry bags as far as Agula, forty-four miles on the road towards Antalo; and it was entered upon by them with even greater eagerness and good-will. Bullocks, donkeys, and even women were pressed into the service, and the road was soon covered with all available beasts of burden, carrying supplies for the British force. And this is the country which is said to furnish no means of transport!

On February the 11th, Brigadier Collings, with the advanced brigade, marched from Adigirat for Antalothe Quartermaster-General, with a small pioneer force, having gone on some days before. General Merewether, having completed all necessary arrangements at Adigirat, followed on the 12th. Mean

1 The Lika-mankwass was the officer who dressed exactly like the king on the field of battle, and rode the same coloured horse. Ilma is hereditary Chief of Gundupta, near Adowa, of a very ancient family. His father, Desta, married a daughter of Sabagadis.

while the head-quarter wing of the 4th Regiment had arrived. But the Commander-in-Chief still remained behind, and-it was evident that there were to be further delays. There was to be a complimentary interview with Kâsa, a tame elephant was to be brought up for his inspection, and a battery of six ninepounder guns must be dragged up, at least as far as Adigirat or Antalo, to show the people what the English can do.

The Harat range of mountains suddenly ends about eight miles south of Adigirat, and the broad fertile plain of Haramat stretches away to the southward, from its base. This is the commencement of the basin of the Nileall the streams flowing to the Tăkkǎzie, the main affluent of the Atbara, which is the chief fertilizing tributary of the great river of Egypt. At Dongolo, 35 miles south of Adigirat, there is a steep descent of more than 1,000 feet. Hitherto, from Senafé to Dongolo, the plains and valleys had averaged an elevation of 7,000 feet above the sea; from Dongolo to Antalo they are 6,000 feet and upwards; acacias and mimosas taking the place of juniper and other hardier trees. Agula is a district at this lower level, where there are many Mohammedan converts, who are all traders, and owners of capital strong-built camels. During the two days that the advanced brigade stopped at Agula, the Adigirat people brought in 63,600 lbs. of grain and flour; and here General Merewether completed another convention with the people to carry bags on to Antalo, on their camels and donkeys, on similar terms. The country between Agula and Antalo, a distance of 33 miles, is a succession of grassy plains and valleys divided by ridges running east and west. It is well watered, has plenty of grass, can furnish any quantity of butcher's meat, and large supplies of grain. Strong hardy little mules can be bought in great numbers, and the people are ready to use the bullocks, donkeys, and women on hire, for carriage. This is certainly not a country where an onward march should be delayed for want of provisions and means of transport.

Antalo was once a large and flourishing place, the capital of Râs Waldo Salassy. It is now half-deserted, a straggling desolate village of circular huts of mud and stone, with thatched pointed roofs. But on Mondays the market gives rise to a lively and bustling scene. Villagers come in from all directions; Maria Theresa dollars, with blocks of salt (amule) as small change, exchange hands rapidly, as cows, mules, camels, sheep, blankets, white cotton cloth, hides, corn, beans, butter, honey, wax, chilies, onions, tobacco, kosso, are bought and sold. Antalo is on a terrace, at the foot of the overhanging cliffs of lofty Amba Aradom, and more than 1,000 feet above the vast plain, covered with long grass and huge stones, which it overlooks, and which stretches away to the southward. On the northern side of the Antalo hills there is a valley in which the far pleasanter village of Chelicut nestles in groves of trees, amidst irrigated fields and gardens. The great circular church of Chelicut, dedicated to the Trinity, is surrounded by a grove of tall straight junipers; its outer wall consists of a series of narrow arched openings forming an arcade, within which is a cloister surrounding the Holy of Holies; and the cloister wall is covered with gaudy and grotesque Biblical pictures. Near the church a long stretch of green sward, bordered by running stream, is shaded by the widespreading branches of a venerable dahro tree. Here General Merewether had an interview with the priest and principal people of the place, sitting in a circle on the ground. They were informed of the intentions of the English, and that everything would be paid for, and they promised to encourage the villagers to bring produce to the camp for sale.

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The British camp was pitched on the southern side of the great plain, five miles S.E. of Antalo, near the banks of the river Baya. The advanced brigade and pioneer force arrived on the 20th of February, having completed a good practicable road for baggage mules from Adigirat to Antalo. This camp will be the third permanent depôt. It is just

half-way between the coast and Magdala, the distance remaining to be marched being 140 miles, which might easily be done in a fortnight. The people of Agula have brought flour and grain in, with such punctuality, and in such quantity, that there is now sufficient here to enable a small force to march on to Magdala at once, and complete the work. General Merewether has concluded a convention with the people round Antalo to carry provisions onwards, and now there are upwards of 4,000 Government mules between Senafé and Antalo, so that there cannot well be much longer delay. The Commanderin-chief is, however, still in the rear, holding interviews with Kâsa, and causing heavy artillery to be dragged forward, which will not be required for actual operations against Teôdoros. The Quartermaster - General is one march ahead, at a place called Misgi, with the pioneer force1 and an escort of cavalry; and General Collings is in the Buya camp with a force consisting of the head-quarter wing of the 33d, a battery of Armstrong steel mountain-guns, 150 of the Beloochees, and detachments of Sind Horse and 3d Cavalry.

The dominions of Kâsa, the new ruler of Tigré, have their southern limit on the banks of the Buya stream. Beyond is the province of Wodgerat, which extends to the northern frontier of Lasta. Dejatch Waldo Yesûs, the powerful chief of Wodgerat, perched on his impregnable fastness of Amba Alaji, is thus placed between the rival rulers of Tigré and Lasta; but he is said to

1 One company of the 10th Bombay Native Infantry, one of Bombay Sappers, and one of Punjaub Pioneers.

incline towards the latter. However that may be, he is most friendly to the English, and has already sent his brother, Barya Gorgis, an intelligent young fellow, to General Merewether, with presents and offers of assistance. Gobazie, the ruler of Lasta, is now with an army near Lalibela, watching the movements of his enemy Teôdoros, and sending repeated messages to the English, urging them to hasten forward. Teodoros himself, who has been so long dragging his guns and his heavy mortar over the difficult road towards Magdala, has at length all but completed his herculean task. The last news from the prisoners was dated the first week in February, when they were all well, but dreading the arrival of their jailer.

Such is the position of affairs at the close of what may be considered the second act of the expedition. The first act, extending from the arrival of General Merewether to that of the Commander-in-chief, was one of preliminary operations. The port was selected, the best pass to the interior was discovered and opened, and an advanced force was established on the Abyssinian highlands. The second act includes the months of January and February, when the plan of the campaign was decided upon, a friendly understanding was established with all the rulers and people along the line of march, the resources of the country were developed, and an advanced force was established at Antalo, half way to Magdala.

The third act will contain the march to that fortress, and, let us hope, the liberation of the prisoners and a successful termination to the expedition.

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24.25.27.& 28. OXFORD STW

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