The New York herald., 1868-02-20
ABY S sINIA.
Military Review Of the Position Of the
British Invading Army.
The Landing, Encampment,
March and Difficulties.
Organization Of the Army and Nor
tality in the Corps.
SPECIAL CORRESPONDENCE Of the HERALD.

SPECIAL CORRESPONDENCE Of THE HERALD.
ydne Of tho English Advance and tho Battle
Grounds Of Africa-The Natives and Native
The Con,missnriat-Dnnser and Difficulties
Of tho Expedition-Nortality Report.
MULKATro. Jan. l5 1868.
have now been some little time at this delect-
able spot, and ~ Sir Robert Napier has now
landed and the expedition may thus be said to be
fairly begun, send you my first letter on Abyssi.
mia. Imagine large bay, with low shore, COM
posed OF sand as fne as the finest -four, with
stunted bushes scattered everywhere. much
more unpromising site for the Decentralization Of
an army could hardly be imagined. A gradually
shoaling shore, so that even ships boats cannot
como within two hundred yards. no stones or wood
to form piers Or jetties, water within thirteen
miles. no forage for the baggage animals within
seventy. Very few armies ever landed under
greater difficulties. Every drop Of water con-
sumed here has to be condensed on board ship.
Every pound of grass and corn for the baggage
animals taking up stores for the first seventy miles
of our journey has 70 be brought from Bombay or
England. There seems, however, to have been no
help for it. range Of lofty mountains run down
the whole side of Abyssnis. There are only three
,ssble. The most easy and direct Of these appears
to be that of Kormaylo, and this place is the near
est point upon the coast to it. As l steamed up
the hay should rath have thought that was
approaching a commercial port Of the first i'm.
portance than place the very existence of which
was unknown until six months ago. Fifty or sixty
ships lay at ancnor, almost the whole Of which
were Of the largest class and great proportion
cfo Wo pnho - ,u@ = @hn mi; ;Joko
them, and all eyes were directed to the shore,
which is, for some months ut any rate, to be our
home The hour was three M; strong wind
was blowing, and all that could be seen was Q
Long. low shore, upon which few wooden stores
and lines Of white tents dim and misty in the
midst Of . thick cloud Of lurid dust. The noun
tains in the distance were perfectly invisible. Il
was altogether . depressing sight, The next
morning, however, things looked more cheerful.
There was no wind and the long line Of white
tents stretching away among the green bushes
looked cool and pleasant. Behind the camp the
land lay for mile fiat and green, then some slight
undulation above the level, and behind these,
twelve miles inland. . long range OF lofty noun
tains rose in an unbroken line, as far as the eye
could reach, north and south. Getting my traps
together, obtained Q ships boat aud landed.
has been built since NJ expedition arrived here.
There has been considerable difficulty in its con-
struction. for every stone had to be fetched in
native boats from the opposite side Of the bay,
ten miles distant. The water ct the end Of the
pier is five feet deep At low water,
eight feet at high. On landing upon the
jetty l found a scene of the greatest hustle
and activity. A number Of cavalry horses were
being landed from float on which they had been
towed from the vessels which bad brought them.
Several native boats lay alongside. and from these
stores Of all kinds were being landed, while from
others which could not get alongside, long line
OF natives were carrying bales Of pressed hay and
bags Of rice and grain their heads to the shore.
Along the pier line Of rail was laid and trucks
stood upon them to receive the goods as they
were landed.
The instant that they we're landed . number Of
natives pushed them along the track. keeping up
they did SO a monotoaous chant, without which,
! have since found that they can do nothing. The
natives, although they are very dark, with frzzly
hair, have none Of the negro characteristics.
Their features are well cast, and in some cases
almost classical; their lips are thin, their FORE
heads frequently high, and their well formed.
They have by far the most intelligent features Of
any black race ever saw. Their figures, too, are
upright darts and their limbs perfectly straight.
The great drawback to their appearance is their
extreme leanness. They are so thin that they cast
no shadow to sp ak Of, and their legs are hardly
thicker sAan pipe stems. or course there are ex-
ceptions; and have seen figures which might
serve as model Of symmetry fat native have
not yet seen. Their Dress when at work, consists
of merely lpin- cloth; but ut other times they
wear q long piece of cotton cloth, wound round
and round them, and falling from the shoulder in
graceful and really classic folds. i imagine that
there il very little difference between the dress OF
an Abyssnian and the garb Of the old Roman Sen.
ator. The women dress much In the same way,
but those who belong 10 tribes in the interior are
dressed entirely in leather, which is generally
ornamented by white shells sown upon il In eabo.
rate devices. Leather does not sound graceful
material but some Of these dresses are really very
picturesque. OF the women il is difficult to speak
generally. or course they differ as much in ap-
pearsnce as do the women Of other countries.
Their features, like those Of the men, show no
trace whatever of negro origin, and some Of them
are really pretty, with delicate features. If they
would but use water occasionally and abstain
from frizziing and greasing their hair they would
be really good looking women. They are, as in
most Eastern nations, mere slaves TO the men.
They carry the wood and grass, they fetch water.
and, in fact, DO nearly all the hard work, while
the men stroll about with their swords and shields
and spears. am now speaking more OF the ma
tvss upon the plateau than down here, where
women are comparatively rare, The mems swords
are exactly the shape, but larger, Of an Irish
resper's sickle. The spears are six or seven feet
long, and round the Shaft, both at the butt and
where the head joins the shaft, are rings Of iron,
which serve TO balance and at the same time to
weight the spear. In a hand to hand fight these
would be really formidable weapons, for the ma
tives can throw them with very great force and
considerable accuracy for a distance OF thirty
yards. The shields are made Of hippopottamus