The Express.
London, England, 1867-10-31 00:00:00

THE ABYSSINIAN CAPTIVES.

The following letter from Mr. Rau= has been
received :

" Magdala, Sept. 7.
" My dear —, Your kind and welcome note of the 2nd
of March was nearly five months on its way here. Where the
delay took place I cannot make out. Our affairs are sadly
neglected at Maasowali, and it appears that our agent there
has been attending to any other matter save the wretched
Abyssinian captives. Ever since we were sent as prisoners
to this place in July, 1866, I have been sending regularly
a monthly post, and sometimes I despatched extra couriers
when had anything important to communicate. You
will all be sorry to learn that myself and party are
nigh starving, owing to the mismanagement of those who
hays to do with our affair at Massowala. I have repeatedly
written for money, but my messengers are sent back with
the same story, that Colonel Merewether had given orders
that no money was to be sent to me excepting rid Ka-
termus. The road between that place and Magdala has
been quite blocked up, partly by the rain and partly by
the rebels, and there is no more chance of our obtaining
money thence than from Timbuctoo. I have warned them
over and over again not to trust to that route ; but as we
have always been successful through the Tigree and Lasts
road, I begged that money should be sent to us constantly
by that way ; but my advice was not listened to, hence
this difficulty. Only Ood knows what will happen to us
in case we do not get any succour from the coast for five
or six weeks longer.
" The rebellion has now become general !all over Abys-
sinia, the few districts between the royal camp at Dabrata-
boor and this place have thrown off their allegiance to Xing
Theodora, and consequently they have closed the roads
against all travellers,and have succeeded so far as to prevent
public communication from taking place between Debra-
talboor and Magdala. For the last four months the Em-
peror has only communicated three times with this place,
and even then be was obliged to employ a servant of one
of the native prisoners in order that he might not be re-
cognised. Our royal friend is now becoming quite despe-
rate, and consequently he spares neither male nor female
if any of the rebels happen to fall into his hands ; the
rebels, on the other hand, imitate the practice of their late
master by butchering any person found outside the hedge
which is now built outside the royal camp. I have only
been able to communicate with Mr. Find at Dabrataboor
since his return. Every time I tried to send a messenger
they were plundered, but the letters they have always
managed to save. The carnage which takes place daily in
the royal camp from famine, pestilence, and the sword is
quite terrifying; 2,500 men who had intended to run
away were butchered like sheep, and 295 chiefs were
starved to death, after they had had their arms
and feet cut off, for the same reason. For two
whole days, from morning till evening, nothing
was beard but reports of musketry, and at each discharge
either the wife, mother, or child of a deserter was killed.
Ladies of noble families were tortured to death, and the
poor creatures breathed their last under most frightful
agony. Alen are now held responsible for the desertion of
their brothers-in-law, sons-in-law, or fathers-in-law, as they
are expected to know the movements of their marriage
relations. Between 40 and 50 persons die daily of different
diastases.

"Some one has told the Emperor that if he persisted in
keeping in. and my fellow-prisoners in this country England
would be compelled to fight him. ' Let them tome, said
he, and call rare • woman if I do not best them.' Yon will
all be glad to know that his Majesty still treats me with
consideration and mock friendship, and he never fails to
send in. polite messages, sod orders the authorities of this
place to be kind to inn and to come and see me often. Mr.
'lad tells me that in the beginning of Let month the
Em-
peror ordered some swords to be presented to deserving
officers who showed good service in thefield. A sword which
was presented to me by his Majesty before my incarceration
was brought out with the rest intended for presentation,
and on seeing it be said to the officer in charge of the arms,
• Take care of that sword, it is the property of Mr. Bassani,
whom I have chained only because I had listened to insti-
gators. I shall bring him together with them ' (my Euro-
pean fellow-prisoners) ' and release him and give him his
property.' He may keep my sword for the sake of old
friendship, but there is no more chance of his letting us
out without coercion from without than to tly up to the
moon. He sent me • letter the other day wherein he
oalLd me • friend and • brother, and assured me the
only thing he wished in the world WAX the friendship of
my Queen and that of myself. The chiefs of the moun-
tain are still as kind to me as ever. Before the rain
began they enlarged my eouriyerd. which enabled rne
to make a nice garden ...mind nit house. which
hes been built anew by the chiefs of this Immo. It is
eoneidered the prettiest h se the.* an.l the moot eivn•
Notable. In front of the dem I have enacted a nice ar-
bour, covered ever with toned., elem., I%a bare had a
great deal of elekness on this tam foi the 461 three
month.. from whsob fleetly one.thint of the native vi-
saner. have been carried oil. I thank (La nos oule gh,ag
more of our people have been infected by the epi,kinie, but
it has nut even touched our quarter.
" far rainy season will be over in ten days, when we
fear the F.osperve will begin to make a more towards this
plate. If he continues to behave civilly towards me we
might have • little quiet, but if he begins to bully me woe
betide us. However, I have such • great faith in the
mercies of our Heavenly Father that I feel sanguine that
everything will yet end well and to the honour of England.
" I hope that you are all enjoying perfect health, and
with kind love to your husband and your children,
" I remain, se ever, your affectionate friend,
" H. Itausair."

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