The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1868-05-04
A Ride with Napier'S Elephant and
Camel Train.
Climateand Productions of the
Highlands.
Christianity, the Churches, Church
characterization and Ceremonies.


Ter In Camp-Review Of the British Army
Cost Of Living.
ArTEGRAT, March /. 1868.
. Since last wrote you have exchanged a burning
sun, clouds OF binding ants and an extreme paucy
of water for one OF the most delightful climates in
the world. We are now nearly seven thousand feet
above the level of the At night the thermometer
goes down to % or 20 Fahrenheit; In the day 1t is
l2o In the sun, difference Of ninety degrees. This
extreme variation OF temperature would have been
thought to be most prejudicial to the health; but
we feel 1t much less than might have been ex-
pected, owing to the fact that there is always fresh
breeze In the daytime which tempers the heat,
while at night there is always dead calm,
SO that the cold is little felt The native troops,
indeed suffer somewhat from dysentery, but the
health of the European troops Ia excellent. must
now describe my journey up here. started on the
25th ult as was DESTROYS OF keeping ahead Of the
Commandern- Chief who was to start upon the fol-
lowing day. Our first days journey was to Kor-
magic, station which lies at the entrance Of the
valley or pass we were to ascend to gain the plain.
This first days ride was most disagreeable 1t led
almost entirely over the hat plain In the fine dust OF
which our horses sank to their fetlocks raising dense
clouds which almost blinded u.s. Kormaglo maybe
termed the headquarters OF the transport train and
the valley which is about quarter Of a mile wide,
at its mouth completely covered with the lines
Of these animals. The elephants and camels were
here These animals both 60 down to Zoula one day
and come back with their loads the next The ee-
plants have to get water at both ends;
the camels are only watered at Kormaglo. There
are also five divisions Of mule trans, each,
when complete. two thousand strong, and
one division OF bulocks, all Of which work
up and down between Kormaglo and Senate four
0aV9f Journey. The tronsnOrt rat ora q Oh
here and these contain two thousand sick or disabled
animals. The wells are sunk in the dry bed of the
torrent and the water which used to be brought to
the surface IN buckets, il now pumped up by some
admirable little American pumps. These In ordinary
ground, can be driven in without any well being
previously sunk; but the bed OF the torrent IL COM
posed OF gravel and stones, mixed with immense
boulders, which the hollow iron pipe OF the pump
was unable to penetrate. and 1t was consequently
found preferable to sink well down to the water
works, and then to drive the pump pipe down
another four or five feet. There are q number Of
these pumps now at work. There are long troughs
before each and the various species OF animals have
each their allotted watering places that the large
number OF animals are watercd without the slightest
confusion or delay. Seven or eight hundred troops
were encamped at KOrmago as passed through.
From KormaglO we rode for eight miles
side the hills rose to great height, gra-
dually on the left hand, but more precpitousy to
the right They completely destitute Of trees,
but were scattered with low bushes and shrubs The
bottom OF the valley was strewn with stone and
boulders, and was traversed by the dry bed of the
torrent which serpentined backward and forward In
II. The whole bottom OF the valley was covered with
thick growth Of q terribly thorny shrub, through
which 1t would have been impossible to have ridden
had not road been cleared through It. This
road has now been made the whole distance to
Senate. II has been cleared of the boulders stone
and bushes In the level portion OF the valley by
strong fatigue parties the regiment which have gone
up in the passes II has been admirably constructed
by the sappers and miners, and Is indeed triumph
OF engineering skill; and eight miles beyond Sooro
we came upon running water, and the valley mar
rows to gorge, the sides OF which Ia some places
rose perpendculary for many hundreds OF feet. The
bottom Of this gorge Is sometimes not more than
thirty feet wide, and is everywhere encountered
with vast blocks OF stone, between which loaded
mule could not pass before the road was constructed
Sometimes these blocks have formed a dam and
stand like wall thirty forty feet high across the
pass. over and through these the road has been
constructed for four miles, by blasting the rocks
here and forming zgzag roads there until II reaches
Sooro, fifteen hundred feet higher than
the point at which IL had entered the
gorge. IL s now perfectly passable for artillery.
From Sooro 70 Rayray Guddy IL distance OF thirty
three miles, ascending o nat valley exactly siini-
lar to that have described IA above Kormaglo.
dead nat varying for three 10 eight or nine hundred
yards across with the torrent bed winding across
II and spur after spur Of the mountain range chang
ing its direction every quarter, OF mile. The vege-
tatiOn within had changed, and the thnrny bushes
were gradually giving place to brighter and more
interesting vegetation. We had now great trees Of
ivy, with gnarled and twisted stems and long roots
CrppDtug over the surrounding rocks for yords
had the evergreen oak and occasionally gigantic tree
with foliage Ike tulip tree. Climbing everywhere
over the trees and sometimes almost hiding them
were creepers Of various kinds, ana on tie ground
were vast quantities OF alocs and several Varieties
OF cactus. strangest Of all, upon the hill side grew
an immense plant or rather tree OF the cactus tribe
of from thirty 10 forty feet In height II started with
a straight stem a thick a mans body and fifteen
or twenty feet from the ground an immense number
of arms branched out, all growing az close together
and nearly possible upwards 20 that 70 exactly
resembled gigantic caullnower. Its scientific name
IL Julien Euphorbia candaabriensis Some OF the
mountain slopes are completely covered with this
strange plant. From the nam valley up which We
valleys branched OF, the view up some Of
which was fine in the extreme. This thirty.
DAYS, march at UndeI Wells. where oririnaly there
was only one very scanty we containing water the
color OF pea soup The pumps now afford an abun-
20 Ragray Guddy the valley again narrows to a
gorge and we have pass similar In character, but
miles between Ragray Guddy and Senate are very
lovely. The valley IL here so narrow that there il
barely room for the torrent bed which now forms the
road between the slopes OF the hills The lower
slopes are here covered with brilliant foare
All the trees and plants l have mentioned.
with hundreds OF others, from q wall OF
verdnre on both sides OF the road. Here, too are
the acacia, laburnum and the wild ng. The siris
sweet with the blossom OF the arbutts, and hum.
ming birds and butterflies dit here and there and vie
with each other in the brilliancy OF their hues
After winding for seven miles along this lovely
of road suddenly IN tnrr hal
commences 10 climb the steep mountain side 10 gain
the plateau land OF AbyssInla. Formerly this was
an almost impossible climb for laden animals and |
nothing but the little cattle Of the country, which
are as footed goats, could have carried their
loads up and down. Now, however, an |
excellent road has been cut In easy |
zlgzags up the face OF the mountain, |
and which II well constructed that carriage and
pair could drive down IL without fear or danger. |
Certainly the work which has been executed along |
this sixty miles OF ROAD In the course OF couple OF
months by the pioneer force Of the expedition |
reflects extreme credit upon its makers, and will |
remain a monument OF British pluck and enterprise
when the memory OF King Theodorus win have be- |