The Sun.
London, England, 1868-06-09 00:00:00

ROYAL GEOGRAPHICAL SOCIETY.

On Monday evening a meeting of the members of this
society took place at Burlington House, Piccadilly ; Sir
Roderick Murchison, Bart., president of the institution,
in the chair. It having become known that Mr. C. It.
Markham (one of the secretaries of the society), who had
acted as the accredited geographer in the Abyssinian
expedition, was about to communicate his experiences
of the country between Antalo and Magdala, a more
than ordinary amount of interest attached to the
occasion, and the attendance of members was very
numerous. A paper was read by Dr. Neumayer
upon the scientific explorations of Central Aus-
tralia, recommending a new exploring expedition,
at a cost of more than £21,000, and extending over three-
and-a-half years ; and a brief discussion having ensued on
this subject, Mr. Markham proceeded to detail the result
of the observations he had made during the recent Abys-
sinian expedition. The country, he observed, between
Antalo and Magdala was a mountainous region, entirely
composed of volcanic rock. He then described the geo-
graphical formation of the country and also the character
of the various tribes of people by whom the region was in-
habited. He particularly alluded to the excellence of King
Theodore's road, which he said was thirty feet wide, and
owed its origin entirely to the ingenuity, and its execution
10 the personal energy of that m3narch, adding that but for
that road our troops would have been at least ten clays
longer in reaching Magdala. Mr. Markham next gave
some interesting particulars regarding Theodore's camp,
which was very extensive, but without canvas tents, the
soliiers being housed in huts or in hovels constructed of
the branches of trees. Magdala itself was a mass of
basaltic rock, 9,050 feet above the level of the sea, and
had been founded and fortified by Theodore as his prin.
tipal stronghold, and there he retired in the hope of mak-
bg terms with the English, and, in the event of his
railing, lie determined to end his career in the manner he
o.(1 chosen. He then proceeded to describe Theodore's
tttempt to capture Colonel Phayre, the attack on the
)aggage, the action of the 10th April, and the defeat of
:lie Abyssinian army, of which 800 men were killed
tnd 1,500 wounded, including most of the leaders and
great men in the King's service. The particulars of Theo-
dore's endeavour to obtain peace without complying with
the demand to give up the prisoners, and surrender him-
self and his stronghold to his conquerors—his attempt
apon his own life the day after his first defeat—the letter
tie sent to the English general, giving an account of his life
and policy, written when he had abandoned all hope, and
had resolved upon self-destruction—the preients of cows
and sheep he sent by him to the English camp—the arrival
there of the prisoners—the singular appearance of the
sun on the morning of the 13th April, which the English
regarded as a good omen, and Theodore as a bad one—the
bombardment of Magdala, the assault and capture of the
fortress, and the death of the king by his own hand—all
these details were vividly described by Mr. Markham,
and he concluded a very interesting paper by stating the
scientific results which the expediton had prduced. A
S of thanks, at the suggestioni.ofthe preosident, was
passed to Mr. Markham, and the meeting separated.

BULL-FIGHTS IN FRANCE.—The Journal du
Sarre announces that bull-fights are to be held in that
own in the course of the present month, in the circus of
the Boulevard Francois I. ; and that some of the best ban.
derillos and picadores of Spain have been engaged.
Twelve bulls have been procured.
THE MEETING OF THE NATIONAL RIFLE Asso-
CIATION.—The regulations respecting the forthcoming
camp and rifle gathering on Wimbledon Common have
been issued. The camp is to be under the command of
Colonel the Hon. W. Colville, and will be ready for occu-
pation on the 11th of July, the shooting otiti prize.
Eautuitlikalciatt