The New York herald., 1868-04-13


convenienees met them everywhere. Without send
ing ecient and responsible men to prepare the road,
erect sheds and conveniences, and select suitable
landing place, they sent one Lieutenant Colonel
Merewether, the political President Of Alden,
on tour OF observation, who reported IN
p sad million s pounds to % the English govern
ment, besides retarding the progress OF the
fall nearly the whole OF the PLAN or beach on which
the camp at Zoula Is pitched will be inundated much
OF 1t being beneath sea level and an appalling loss OF
eviLaby be the result. General Staveley foresees this
terrible result should ne be caught unprepared and
that Is the primary reason why he Is SO earnest in
forwarding stores, men and animals to K0omayee
Pass, where they would De safe.
Yhs next @ t. morning MOI % a5er my arrival rs IN aOqla
proximity OF the opposing forces. My traps were
perfectly adapted for rapid marching, and mounting
our horses my Arab surgee and myself set our faces
westward, travelling directly towards the
tremendous mountains. which were apparently I'M
om G way a 0tse se e ao a t
distance OF thirteen miles, For the first four miles
our road lay through soft sand, which had been
torn up by the hoofs Of animals and men, then 1t
changed to large loose stones and pebbles and
sand, which was covered over by acacia bushes,
Of commerce, and the pods OF which are employed
In Nubia for tanning purposes. Then the surface
Of the plain again changed into mass OF impene-
trabe th0rny jungle, where the hyenas and jackals
lurked In numbers. After travelling about nine
miles We struck the dry bed Of considerable
banks grew the kautuffa tree, bushy shrub six or
eight feet high, very thorny and clotted with
at The foot OF the mountain this tree was very abun.
dant and the road had been cut through several miles
of it, When an Abyssinian king Is about to commence
o warllke expedition the clearing OF the ground OF
this thorny shrub becomes OF primary importance
and one OF his first proclamations runs Cut down
the kautua In the four quarters OF the world, for
do not know where am going"
AS We approach koomaylee Pass the road gradu-
ridc distinctness Great bouders hang 3 tcpplingiy
over from the almost perpendicular slopes, While the
submits are literally buried in the clouds. Rocks
have been charged and blown to pieces by the sap
pers under MAJOR Baignie, the old tiger hunter OF
India, and you reach the commissariat depot at
Koonaylee by splendid road twenty feet in width,
which has admitted the Eng0il army into the heart
OF Abyssnia. The depot Is merely stretch OF level
camping ground or small plateau on one side Of
the sight Of which can well Imagine the powerful
force Of the stream a the rainy months. From this
which over hundred noble ships ride at anchor the
plain dotted with dark green bushes, with the long
line OF white tents which shelter the army the isles
or Massowah anu Dsa standing like set pillars In the
Red Sea. magnificent scene; one which fails r1t
to strike one with sorrow at the th0agh Of leaving
as he gazes up the dark gorge ed Catches glimpse
OF the great rocks and crags overlooking tomorrOws
road.
we encamped here one night and drew rations for
one European FOR one day as Yellowstone and O
quarter pound of beef or mutton one pound OF pota
toes, one pound Of bread threequarers Of an ounce
of tea two and half ounces ofsugar onethird OF an
ounce Of salt four ounces OF onions and four
OF ghee; Tor my Arab follower, nine ounces Of rice
nine ounces OF -four and four ounces OF dhall; for
each horse, i've pounds OF grain and eight pounds OF
Water has been procured here by digging wells,
at which American pumps are at worA, aay and
night pumping up sufficient for use.
The entrance to this pass affords sufficient camping
ground for at least three regiments, and battery OF
pose by King Theodorus had he possessed IL.
From K0Omaylee Pass our route lay up the dry
ea H .e Uer and Sas trees and corenda
which In many places form impenetrable jungles on
either side OF the road, in the shady recesses OF
panther and cheatah, and troops Of monkeys,
which utter their circumstances at our intru-
sion, sometimes in rather startling rOars. Soil
tary lizards Of great size gambol unmolested
In the sun upon the warm surface OF the
rocks Gaily plumed birds utter strange notes which
raise shrly echoes among the deep cnasins and ra
vines OF these mountains. Above all can be heard
the clear nageolet Of the butcher bird. The bird
glad notes aloud, and hops from bush to bush with
hghtness and grace that is really charming.
Now the delie winds 80 much and becomes so mar
row that are necessated to at right angles
several times III the course OF the next few minutes,
that the rises and falls OF the banks from the tor
rents bed trying 10 Our cattle. AT several places
which we passed | noticed that the slopes Oi the
mountains rising perpendicularly from the bottom Of
the gorge were scarcely fifteen feet across from side
to side, which could have been easily blocked up and
rendered impassable by few slarpshoOters placed
| on the summit which would have put q different
| aspect To this war and ten times more peril
Gus to the invaders than somewhat SINH
lar case which happened during the retreat
war, when the fierce Afghans manned every
mountain height and poured their murderous vol
leys upon the unresistlng English at the bottom.
Each OF the mountains winch fanked the road from
koomayee were at least 1000 feet, some of them
granite, gneiss and slatestone; Others laying dago-
nally with rfted sides, In which rested the mountain
hare and Jackal, and many rose slopngly away on
each SIDE clothed with evergreen trees and an init
mite variety Of iourishing shrubs.
From Koonaylee To the next commissariat station,
Upper Sooroo is fourteen miles, where we encamped
the second night. This station, like the former, is
guarded by IA company oil Sikis, where ample
supply of provisions Is stored Tor the passing cara
vans OF transport animals. The scenery becomes
wilder and grander at every step we take into the
heart OF these tremendous mountains. AT this place
there was u small stream OF water, but which sunk
suddenly in the ground a few rods from the post.
Should the torrent come down every animal here
at the place. The rocks about this ovenlike
spot, called SOoroo Pass, which is but a
continuation OF the gorge through which the rushing
kOOmayee sweeps 10 AInesey Bay, are composed or
white and rcd marble and p0rphyry, occasionally
diversified by layers OF clayslate quartz and SER
pentine, which am told contains, as Embedded min
erals q great variety Of cornelians and jaspers.
After passing the Sooroo station we sighted the
baobab tree and tree which the natives call kol-
quail. The baobab, or monkey bread, IL gigantic
tree, extending Its branches ali around Tor the space
OF forty feet or more, forming superb canopy OF
green which affords grateful shade IN this burning
climate. In the branches OF each baobab growled
and screamed hosts OF ginger monkeys, VINO were
uncommonly daring for Wild creatures. These ami
mails have very large heads, with blunted muZzles,
and strong aud muscular limbs. At our approach
they bark something like mastiii
The kolqua above mentioned, Is q very eXtTaordi-
nary tree. II has q succulent column, with very
rough appearance, about five six inches in
diameter VI the same thickness from the top to the
bottom, nuted and angled, which Is surmounted by
succulent and angular branches devoid OF leaves OF
any sort. Flowers of golden color issue out OF the
ends Of the branches, which are succeeded by u
deep crimson triangular fruit.
Much work has been expended on the road from
Sooroo TO the next station, Jnde Wells, which are
situated about fourteen miles apart. From Undel
Wells 10 Raraguddy, the next station, the distance
Is about sixteen miles. The stream Is again on
the surface here, though flowing for only about n
mile before II sinks In the ground. The reason OF
such u small quantity OF water being found In the
mountain Is because the rain fall the last was
very deficient and unless heavy rain should fall in
the next four weeks wells will have TO be dug at all
the stations for the supply Of the troops.
From Raraguddy TO Senate, post No. 2, is n dis.
tance OF nine miles. This Is the most difficult part of
the road. ON our left rose Atshum Plains and Isaro
Peak. The former Is extensive sandstone plateau,
covered with good coating Of soil, but flrrowed
down its centre ny main water channel, which re-.