The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1868-04-15
General Napier's March Towards Mag
dala and Preparations for Battle.
Provincial Districts Of the Empire and Diff
culties Of the Route.
Theodorus' :, Army<--Its Disci-
pine and Power.
How Az Abyssinian Premier Repre-
sents Royalty.
SPECIAL CORRESPONDENCE or the HERALD.

SPECIAL CORRESPONDENCE or THE HERALD.
descriptive Sketch of Acknowledgement
Napier With the Main ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Of the Advance Observation-Disclosures
ties and Perils of the ExpeditiOn-The Chief
Of Dallas Declares War--IIeeting Between
Prince Kussai and Napier-Theodorns'
Armies and Situafion-Natve Tactics md
Resolution.
CITY OF ANTALo Tigre, Abyssinia,
March @, 1868.
An inspection OF a good map OF Abyssnia and due
attention to the itineraries which your correspondent
shall have occasion TO introduce Will afford much
more valuable assistance to the readers OF the
HERALD than the most labored delineation Of OBJ
SQUIRE boundaries in the usual typographical dstrbu
ICONS some of which have thought proper to send,
rs the British expedition is about to approach its
point Of destination.
Abyssnia, the proper Ethiopia Of early authors,
called Utopia by the natives regarded In general
point Of view forms extensive table land, incln
ing somewhat to the northwest and having two great
steepes the east and south. The first is that which
we crossed, which Overlooks the Red Sea the Sec
ond is that range Of mountains called the Galla
which looks towards the interior of Africa These
two declivties consist mostly Of isolated
tans, which shoot up everywhere in sharp peaks
the submits Of which are gained by means Of ropes
and ladders. Abyssinia is at present divided into
four districts, which are subdivded into kingdoms
and provinces. The monarch claims to be absolute
ruler over all, to prevent which despotism the cOun
try is now plunged into O civil war. Crossing the
Great Blue river about the twelfth degree Of latitude
we come to the province or Kingdom Of Dembea,
consisting Of fertile plains surrounding the Lake
TZana, and containing GOndar the capital OF the en-
pire, which is city OF about sixty thousand inhabt
ants To the south of Dembea the Nile winds around
no ,anfG whit 10 Inv raIn 70
the form Of peninsula. This province. though
Astounding in all sorts Of productions, derives its
principal riches from numerous herds Of cattle.
Eastward Of GoJam Is the country of Begemder and
the Edou Gullr. The former is celebrated for its
Ane ioeks Of sheep. It's inhabitants are very war
Ake and send into the field formidable contingent
Of horsemen. Amhara Proper, little further to the
SOUTH has always been esteemed as Of the finest
provinces Of Abyssinia, and contains numerous as
well as brave race Here Is the State prison. which
e composed OF steep mountains having a cavern,
either natural or excavated by the hand OF man. into
which the prisoners are made to descend by means
Of rope. Here the Emperor causes to be kept un-
der his own eye, all those princes from whom he
Shnks that he has anything to apprehend; and 1t Is
often to this living tomb that the grandees Of the
empire repair TO select the ruler whom they are
about to call TO the throne
Lasta Is mountainous country, inhabited by
tribes who style themselves independent and vh3
possess considerable source of wealth in their
mines Of iron.
5h6a c6issSSts ei q large valley very dficut OF
access which has given occasion TO OF the most
beautiful nctions in the English language the ro-
nance OF "Rasselas.r
Damot is a province situated beyond the Lake
Tzana and celebrated for Its gold mines and cattle
with monstrous horns
The above provinces, with the exception OF Shoa,
comprehend the grand division Of Abyssina called
Amhara. This Is the region, am told, which gives
customs and manners TO the modern AbyssInians |
while the Amharic, being the dialect used a, court
has obtained the distinction OF the royal language
and s spoken throughout AT least onehalf the king
DOM
The most important section Of Abyssinia is Tigrc.
The description OF which was given in a previous
letter.
On the western side are Sire, Samen. Woggara
which in some maps are called woggerat, Wolkayt
and Woldubba. This last is extolled one OF the
granaries OF Abyssinia. The humid wales OF Sire
produce numerous palms and a variety OF fruit
trees, enjoying besides all the beauty which
arises from the vicinity OF the Tacazze, whose
banks are covered with the most luyuriant
verdure, and Samen, which, when viewed from a
distance, appears only as series of mountain
chains destitute OF agricultural wealth, possesses
for instance, which has steep an ascent as to
render 1t almost inaccessible Is said TO be sufficient
both In extent and fertility 10 support many thou
sands II was formerly the fortress OF the Abyssinan
Jews who were once masters OF the province.
The more remote districts In the South are chiefly
under the yoke OF the ferocious Gala and other
savage tribes hostile TO the government OF Gondar
To the eastward the countries OF Augote Bali,
Gooderoo, Tatgar, Fiat and Cambat and the Kingdom
Of Enarea, which Is an elevated plain watered by
several rivers which have no visible outlet and derv
ing from iis lofty position the comfort of temperate
climate. The natives Of these countries trade with
she inhabitants of Melinda In the Indian Ocean and
Angola on the Ethiopic.
PROVINCIAL DIVISIONAL DISTRICTS.
The following is u tabular view OF the provinces
which will serve much better than the most tninute
descriptions TO illustrate the distribution the extent
and the relative position OF the several parts of t
great semi-barbarous empire.
FIRST DIsrRICr-ANHARA.
1-Amhara Proper. 5-Begemder.
2-Dcnbea. 6-Anjote.
3-Damot. 7-Walaka.
4-GOJaIn. S-Manabet.
l-Tgre Proper. 7--Averpate.
2-Agame. s-samen.
S-Euderta. 9-Temben.
4-Woggerat or Veg. l0-Sire or Shire
t-woGia. i2-waidabba.
6-Lasia
rHIRD DTsTarcTmNlpRE RAHARNAoAsu, OR DISTRICT
or TUE PRINCE OF THE SEA-"
J. MassOwah. 6-Amphila
2-Arkeeko. 7-Madr.
3-Ioulla. s-Arcna.
4-WClh. p-Duroro.
b-TubbOo. l0-Jarvela.
FouHTH CONGRATULATIONS STATES IN TIE
SOUTH
l-Shoa. 7-Cafuhat
! -Eidt S-Hurrur
3--Gooderoo. o-GhIm
4-Eharea. l0-Adel
6-Gurage. I1-VeU
6-kal IN. l2-Dowaro.
Vi ere is good dqal OF obgcurity prevailing rcspect.
Ing tue interior OF the empire bull the above Is rue
yet orlef outnne OF the physical geography OF the
coun Ty through which the British army il now
march Ug, for which am indebted to manuscripts
20 ten W by Captain Speedy, the great Abyssin1n
lr weller Vatey captain IN 1heodorus's army Major
Grant. tn ' Nile explorer, Mr.. Henry Duftan Inc
author OF q y late book on Abyssinia and the Rev
Louis Krapf Niate prisoner IN Theodorus's hands ali
Of whom are present with the army at this camp
TIE BRITISH ADVANCE
We have been here q fortnight awaiting the arrival