The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1868-05-15
THE COMMANDER. IN. CHIEF,


Sir Robert Napier, is man of ability
he is certainly courteous gentleman, and
so is Brigadier General Meriwether, who
looks more like an American than an
Englishman. .fr.. ....
The have both made great mistakes in
sanctioning the engagement of foreign
muleteers. The Arabs prefer to die BY
the roadside than 60 any further while the
Hindoos, who, eat nothing but rice and
dhall, become weak -kneed, and die from
sheer exhaustion during the fatiguing
marches. From Senate to Antalo, how
ever many the cross roads, however intr-
cate the by paths or however expansive
the level plateau or dense the banbool for
est, no stranger could need guide, for
the dead mules and horses which lined
the track would have guided him on the
way to Autalo and butfor the carcasses
it would have baen impossible to have
found il, for the East Indian sappers and
pioneers have done their work in very
ineffective manner from the Senate to An.
talo. 4. .-. I'D ..lf.r8t .'..,.rala 557ST
THE CHIEF OF TIGRE IN coUCIL-How HE
EMPLOYED COL, MERIwETHER. g-5
Two days before we passed through
General Napier had been visited by the
ambassador of Kussai, Chief of Tigre,
who came with well armed retinue num-
bering over hundred men. They were
all mounted upon feet, hardy ponies, but
the ambassador and his secretary were
mounted upon the same horse. They all
wore clean coarse cotton cloth with the
inevitable red stripe, and kind of high,
steep turbau. They rode to the presence
OF the General with great pomp aud pa
rade Of horsemanship, bowling barbarous-
ly and throwing the spear after the man.
ner of the Turkish tBoritle. After anus
ing the Generals staff with several battle
man@uyers very we'll executed they aligh-
ted from their horses and salaamed before
the Generals marquee. The council then
commenced, during which the envoy laid
his head in Meriwether's lap, staring up
in his face very insolently for which, 1
was told, Meriwether used him very
roughly, SO there was reason 10 suppose
that Kussai, the Chief of Tigre, would be
apt to consider it an insult and resent it
accordingly. Your correspondent did not
arrive in time to hear the speeches, which
were good Eastern orations.
The Kussai was formerly chief of the
western part of Tigre, when Wagsbum
Gobayze was governor Of the whole prov
ince.. Kussai was sent to punish another
rebelious chief, and so we'll did Kussai
perform his allotted task that Gobazye
confirmed him ruler over one-half his
province. BY and by Wagsbum Gobayze
rebelled against Theedorus, the Empero or
OF Abyssinia, When Kussai declared him-
self in favor of Theodorus. Gobayze was
SO iuccnsed that he marched against him
with an army, which was defeated, upon
which kussai assumed the governorship
of Tigre, which ticklcd Theodorus SO
much in getting such strong supporter
Of his throne, that be permitted him to re.
tain that which he had won. Having
been successful so far he scars higher, and
already fancies himself supreme ruler, as
he signs himself Chief of Ethiopia, and
seals his letters with the great seal of
Abyssinnia, the lion of the tribe of Judah.
Feeling assured that Theodorus' reign is
about to draw to close he seeks to
strengthen his claim to the regal dignity
by timely friendly alliance with the
Ferringhees, by whom he imagiues he is
about to be made Negashi of the empire.
He is to meet Sir Robert Napier at Hus-
sein on the Goth, small village standing
half way between Adabergen and Dongalo,
where treaty will be made.
Gobayze, his former master, is sorely
pressed BY Theodorus, who is advancing
upon him with his whole army apparently
careless whether he meet the Ferringhees
or not, although he knows they are 10 the
country. The Wagsbum is inclined to
receive the British force with omen arms