The New York herald., 1868-05-07
Napier's March and Camp at
.oa Lake Ashangi.
FO0t-sOre Elephants Fitted
With Boots.
The Huge Boulder Peaks, Fertile Table
Lands and Coming Assault.


ises Of Native Supplies--A Chiefs Idea Of
Good News-Rural scenes-'Theodorus' Re- |
solve to His SOLVER LIE Dain.'
MEBERA, LAKE AsHANaHI, PROVINCE OH
..l WOGGERAT, Abyssina, March Is, 1863
However much the impatient "British Taxpayers !
whose ingenious letters are often published in a |
London newspaper may fret and worry about the
Abyssnan expedition your readers may rest assured
that 1t is moving on, to use the phrase very often
heard in this camp, jolly Slow" and that the ex-
penses are gradually increasing until they threaten
to submerge the English government in debt. But
as the "dgnity and honor' Of the English must be
maintained at all hazards our prOracted stay In the
land OF the Abyssinan Negus need concern nobody
except the persons with it, whose appetes are In
creasng at fearful rate. Our animals also, who,
when first landed, were rather delicate, grow strong
under the plentiful supply OF grain which the silver
dollars call FORTH 1t was believe, well understood
by everybody that the British field force were to be
on their return by the 1st OF April having achieved
the release of the unfortunate captves but it will
be miracle II we see the walls OF Magdala before
that day, and there are many bets In camp that we
shall not them before the 1st Of May and Theo
dorus as wise and brave he is reported. stay
may be protracted indefinitely, although British
pluck and Obstinacy are proverblai.
AT the present camp on Lake Ashang, which place
we arrived at yesterday, there are 4,500 men. The
heavy artillery and mountain batteries are behind
because the elephants are so footsore that boots
have to be provided for them before they can sue
ceed In coming up the tremendous ghauts between
here and Antalo. Though Sir Robert intends to
march tomorrow, we shall be compelled to halt some
where between here and Magdala to allow the artil
lery to come up. 1t is barely possible that he in.
tends to march on Magdala and then await the
arrival Of the guns without which the labor OF at
,o, hat
method It will certainly be novel one, before
attempted In this age Of artillery. Some ideas have
been formed of what this famous fortress s by the
Ambas, whose rocky peaks everywhere pierce the
horizon, and If Magdala resembles these Ambas the
only way to reduce 1t will be by regular siege Of
many months duration.
From what your correspondent has seen of the
nature of the country through which We are at pre-
sent travelling, any other plan OF releasing the pri-
sOners must certainly have been q failure An idea
OF what this gala country really is, where the di
cues OF travel increased tenfold may be formed
by imagining the States Of New York and Pennsyl-
vania to be mass Of peaks similar to Longs Peak,
north of Denver, in the Rocky Mountains. Around
the base Of these hills and up their steep Sides
right angles with each turn the road winds up over
which the army must cross. Looking up at the long
| line of men and animals from some deep chasm,
have very often likened them TO a flock Of eagles
slowly sailing to their eyres in the Ambas or 'High
Mountains"
A reduction was ordered to be made in the number
Of servants and camp followers, but with few excep
tions the order not carried into effect. Many OF
the officers totally dsregarded II, and allowed their
gh0rawallahs, pOfuwallahs, panewallahs, kletmut-
gars, khitmatgars, bawarchs, hanalls and dhObees
to come along, deeming them indispensable for
their health and comfort. One officer, who is an
aidede camp but titled noble has thirteen of these
adjuncts to luxurious ife aud what prevents others
from following his example, thus swelling an army
xAf 0nffa 0nhf mon N VA
presence Il but clogs to is advance and this Is the
main reason why hats are SO frequent.
There are three intermediate stations between
Antalo and Ashangi Lake. These are Meshack.
Musbee and Alia, each station about fifteen miles
apart thus making tn the distance om An Aniao mere
is eighty miles, which can be performed within SIX
days. cut, GO.
Napier, was visited by welda Yaso0s or the Son OF
Jesus, the chief OF the province OF Woggerat ac-
where he was residing with garrison OF 500 mus.
keteers was sharp conical hil rising $50 feet per-
pendcularly above platform which lowered higher
than any mountain In the vicinity, resembling q
gigantic sugar loaf set upon table. The extreme
height OF the Amba was 1850 feet above the
situated in the valley through which the
river Salasse runs. Amba AlIeuii rose up q few
degrees; leaning from the perpend.c1lar $500 feet
camped. One OF the bouders which lined ia extreme
edges could have been rolled down into the centre OF
inside, and formed q cave wherein his men lived,
provided with four months provisions. From ii
li the chief Of Woggerat was els unmo mo
dered on his own, and he had defed both Prince
Kussai, Of Tigre, and Waagshum Gobazy, each with
an army Of 10000 men; but owing to desertions
from his force he had been lattery inclined To listen
| to some propositions made TO him by Gobazye, OF
whom he Is at the present time an ally.
welda Yasoos was received with ali the honors due
his rank, and after being Introduced by Cap,ain
Speedy, the Basaw felecca OF Theodorus army ana
the usual salitatiOns having been given sir hopert
Napier broache the object for which he had invited
HIM by expressing wish that there should be peace
between the English and his people, ana tnat ne
would like his people to supply his camp with pro-
vender. YasoOs who was stately man wnh nnc
Caucasian features though Of rather dusky CON-
permitted his people 10 trade with the terni9hees.
He then said that he had received cerssl ss
people 10 give him battle. and as the sFernighee
chief like the rhinoceros, had plunged through his
for his enemy K,ssai. it was but right that
| he should try aud persuade kussal not To
20 TO war against him. Sir Robert Napier
denied that the Tigrean chief meant to fight
inasrnuc ~ he had promised him faithfully To desist
| from war while the English were IN the country.
rect and unless the fernghec chief wished 10 see
his conveys destroyed ne had better write letter TO
Kussa urging him 10 desist from war The English
General was convinced that his transports must
suffer and he would use all efforts TO keep ut peace
with All except the Abyssin3n King.
| ON being asked whether he thought Theodorus
would fight his troher Buria, Gurias replied that he
would most certainly run away, though u was his
1rrn beef that Abyssna had not seen for many %
century braver or greater King. Napier ex-
pressed surprise that such brave King would retreat
without striking q blow, upon which Weida Yasoos
said ASK Bashaw Feecca, and he will tell you. as he
knows him we'll" Captain speedy was Of the opin-
ion that Theodorus would Offer desperate resistance
which opinion Yasoos endorsed eulphaticaily. on
being asked by Merewether. who was present why
they gave such contradictory answers, they answered
boldly that they had only done 10 piease the Eng
Isb Presents Of eguero were then brought ont and
distributed, which pleased them greatly The ele-
plants were also brought out 10 show their tricks.
a pvee wi
and excaim, ''These white-faced Fernghees are
wonderful people, when they can make The elephant
~ obedient az mnlc. The Negus must beware,
otherwise he will fall into Q pit His evil hour y
drawing near" Having said which they made men
salaains snd withdrew. With strong spygltss we
could see the operation OF drawing them ny 10 'ner
fortress with ropes.
Two Gala chiefs also came In pay their respects
and promise supplies, which Napier graelOusy ac.
cepted not however, without utering some noas.,ui
remarks concerning his might and power aIier the
style Of an Indian chief The fierce Galas said that