The New York herald., 1868-05-21

| From what we hear he has not deigned to take the
slightest notice Of u.s. except communicating lately
to his army that party Of English merchants with
| jewels, gold and silver and precious raiment were
en- route to his camp to ransom the captives, and
that he meant by sudden and smart attack to make
| himself master of all. One letter was received from
Mr.. Ross and the captive envoy dated yesterday at
Magdala, informing Merrywether that Theodorus
was bound on some secret expedition and bidding
| us beware Of him.
| When we left Lot, fifteen days. provisions were
taken with US, which supposed to be sufficient to
take us into Magdala, reckoning days march to
| be ten miles, and suppOsng that we captured Mag
the first day OF arrival at the fortress there
would have been an ample supply for both horses and
men; but through the ndisposon OF the General in
Chief to hurry matters, the English army halted
every two or three days and provisions soon ran
short, which caused serious suffering to all. We
have now lived for the last week from hand to mouth
depending for native carriage and the produce OF
the country for our sustenance Foraging parties
have been, sent through the country to purchase
grain and nour and cattle, and the most they have
been able to get proved but scanty supply for one
day. On the march the animals, weakened by long
fasting fell down exhausted and literally mark each
furong OF the route Soldiers Injured to the heat OF
india campaigning in its ungles and marching up its
numerous ghauts, fall down. limp and Aerveess with
the terrlbetask OF fclimbing Abyssnan mountains on
half rations The further go the more impractical
bic the task Of releasing the captives appears One
OF the most dcult ravines has been crossed by the
advance brigade under General Snyder, though not
without severe loss. The ravine through which the
Jeddah river ran appeared abruptly under our feet
while marching level plain as that bet ween
the Missouri river and the Rocky Mountains. For
q true idea Of the terrible picture, fancy the
Illinois prairie opening into q gaping chasm Of
two miles directly across abyss OF four thousand
feet In DEPTH you will have then just conception of
the reality. 1t was the formidable task of making
road across this gorge that delayed Theodorus so
long lately when marching from Debra Tabor to
garrison Magdala and prepare to receive the English
army. How he managed to accomplish this gigantic
task in the short space Of four weeks is utterly OF
the pale OF my imagination, nor can conceive how
he dragged four cannon weighing In the aggregate
81, 900 pounds up height OF 1000 feet
On the top Of the plain directly at the mouth Of the
pass leading into the Jeddah his camp had been stu
ated. The wicker tents, made just as the Pawnee
Indians make theirs, still stood when their owners
occupied them, the remnants OF the straw bundles on
which the Abyssnian army fed their animals were
scattered near each rough wgwa the ashes Of their
fires still remained to show US where the African
soldier cooked his humble meal, and q large cir
cuar space cleared Of rocks and rubbish marked the
site OF the imperial tent. From the appearance and
size OF the camping place, which stretched over an
area OF twenty square miles, we judged that the
royal army must have numbered over $1,000 men,
II was quite interesting sight and Imagination
was busy c0nurng up hosts or scenes and incidents
In connection with the Abyssinian camp. We might
have been able to point out the place where deserters
were executed by cruchxion or where the thief was
fered the extreme penalty by decapitation Frequent
mounds OF stones testified that death had taken
place In the camp and the obong slabs OF stone with
the Ambarc hieroglyphcs recorded the manner OF
their death.
Truth compes your correspondent to state that he
Is truly sorry for Theodorus. What I have seen OF
his handiwork and what have heard OF him from
captain CT commander Of his army stamps him as
genius Two solid perpendicular walls Of rock,
ranging from one to seventy-fve feet In height,
nanked preciptous road thirty feet wide the com.
the Jeddah. This road had been blasted by the
engineers OF Theodorus' army, through solid shell
The road stii Of the same width, continued to wind
aong In zgzag manner for the distance Of three
miles, miles until we arrived a. M the y dry ped Of the Jedda
along the spine Of sloping HILL whose summit
formed kind OF terrace half way to the summit OF
about half mile wide the road bordered on each
side by the rocks scraped from It, ascended very
feet forming sharp angles until il reached the top Of
the plain. On the southern side OF the Jeddah, from
It's bed 70 the very summit Of Talanta, was I'VE
miles. Had not Theodorus prepared the way for the
English army BY this magnificent piece OF engineer
ing It must have been delayed here for three or four
was fourteen hours were occupied In crossing from
side to side by one brigade numbering 5000 men,
Even Theodorus did not cross the Jeddah ravine
keys were found on this remarkable road, and
our Abyssinian guides some Of whom were present
say that the Negus used to ride swift white mule
backward and forward, sometimes lending hand TO
haul mp his cannon, and then belaboring with might
which artists may enpsnS their genius paint
ing Iheodorus on his mule, surrounded BY thousands
9l p ms soldiers, constructing the road across the
thinks, this work OF Theodorus would be more SUBJ
w which ne was surrounded. An English army In his
Mehees King Of shonn In hh 'front.' wayshun
anu Auzbo Gsllas on his right.
We are obliged 70 halt on Tasnta plateau for day
vi @ wo 70 enable the second and third brtgades 70
secure enough supplies TO sustain the army until Il
tne Basha, which Is said to be similar to the
miles from the Bashila and about four miles from
, h, on ,he southern side Of which Theodorus has
prosch to Mayaa. ne q a deences commanding the sp
so1aaron nf napier and his star accompanied BY
sscnnnoi.sanc "a .ne ~ third bengal Light Cavalry msdes
He reports the crossing slmost "a srduons sasr \:
rom ias sgdsa was 70 be plainly and
pesred to be Lone Amba SS, rsina wS5n sSra,,Is sP
Hros rayins na lsoaR ssURns a plain extending ro the
Amba Or Mount OF Isamgi not quite so hish ~ us~ =
dae. IN Tue rear OF Magdala, at distance of an.
parenuy two miles rose Tauts consisting Of rsnas
| The external appearance OF Msgdsaa mountsin n.
semblsd vast slacis impossible 70 scale except Al
one point which seemed 70 connect n nv iovs ~
Ing ridge or spine Of hin with slama, which = AZ
| % gaTsoned BY meodorus troops. There formeriv
was well made road which connected both Ambas
but Theodorus hes destroyed b. It appears shas he
intends 70 defend both Ambas and II defeated n
lsamgA the nearest point 70 the Arogil crosans IN
| retreat 70 Magdala and make the last grand stsn6
where, capture will appear Inevitable, he mar rive
orders TO kin the prieonoGD and then himself fafher
nan be made prisoner Duch n toe cOuse expected Of