The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1868-07-14
THE FUTURE OF ABYSSINIA.
Interesting Despatch from Sir Robsrt


From The London telegraph, oTttne 90.
| Some important correspondence with the Com.
f, mauderin Chief of the Abyssiuian Expedition
| has been pdollshed to-day. 1t includes des-
| patch from Sir X. Napier TO the Secretary of
| state for India, received on the 10Th instant,
| dated from the Commander in Chiefs
| Office, Political Department, Camp Dildee, 30th
April. sir K; Napier reyeEting to the events
| which took place at Magdala and in its neigh
| borhood, Writes:-
Anxious as felt to abstain from further in
terlerence in Abyssinian affairs after the object
of the expedition had oeen attained, yet 1t was
| necessary, for the sake of our national credit,
| that due consideration should be sho wn for tue
| large numbers whose interests and safety had
| centeIed in TheodOre's existence, aud who re-
maned disarmed and unprotected, and exposed
| to merciless plumber ana slaughter at the hands
| OF the wild tribes which circumstances had for
| the moment converted into our allies. The dis
| pOsal OF the fortress of Maedala first demanded
! attention. This strong position is situated geo.
| graphically in the country of the Wollo Gallas,
! from whom it was finally wrested by
| Theodorus about ten years ago, In his
| hands it has imposed an e1ectual check
| upon the eucTOaChmeuts OF the GalIaS on ChTl5-
tian Abysslnia. L desired, in the interests of
Christianity, to place the stronghold in the pos
session OF Wagshoom Gobazeb, the de f1c'o
ruler and principal chief OF this portion of Abys
sinia. Bot when | had sent for his lieutenant,
the Dajaz Mashashah, the latter excuse HIM
self, in his masters name, from accepting the
challenge, alleging as his reason that 1t would
require SO large garrison to hold it that it
would be a source of weakness rather than of
strength. Wagshoom Gobazeh himself not
outstanding his repeated Invitations 10 u.s.
through Brigadler-General Mere Gether, G. B.,
to come Quickly TO his aid had removed himself
and his army to u distant quarter before our
arrival, in pursuit of objects of hi, own, and 1t
was impossible Tor me to await "a Tepy
to the letter which ! addressed to HIM
on the subject of Magdala. | therefore de-
strOyed the gates of the tort, burned everything
on the mountain that was combustlble and
abandoned it. Several claimants tor its possess
sion had, in the meantime, addressed me re-
garding 1t. One OF these was the Chief of
Daoont, small territory lying adjacent to Mag
daa. Werkdlt, one of the two rival queens of
the Gallas, had also put tor ward her claims, as
likewise bad Masteeat the other and more
powerful OF the Gala Queens AT the time
when the disposal OF Magdaa was thus exciting
so many hopes and desires, the wido wed Queen
OF Theodore ard her son we're brought down III
safety from the mountain, and placed within
! the protection OF my camp; the removal of the
| dlsarmed garrison and release of the native
! prisoners was at the same time in progress.
Shortly after the arrival of Werkait's letter
soliciting that the fortress might be delivered TO
her, tue lady presented herself at my
plckets. Although ii was evening, she was i'm.
mediately admitted to an interview, and allow wed
to represent her claims. She was greatly af-
tected in revsitlng locality which had Oeen as.
soclated with so many misiOrtunes TO her family
and people. She remarked TO me:-"We fought
| with Theodore as long as we could, and when
| his power was too strong for us to resist any
| longer, my son submitted to him, on receiving a
promise OF good treatment notwithstanding
|
| thrown over the precipice of Magdala; and now
| l have come to see the grave of my enemy The
odore and the place where my son fell" At this
! time the offer of the fortress had been made to
GoOaZeh's lieutenant and his answer had not yet
! been received. Magdala was still the scene of
| military operations, while our troops were en-
! gaaed IN destroying TheOdore's cannon and the
! exodus OF its former Inhabitants continued in
| full progre,s. Therefore il was not thought
eYpeOient that WerkaIts wish to ascend the
| mountain should be INDUCED at such time
! Almost before her story was concluded ntima-
! ton was received that her rival Masteeat was
also in the neighboihood, and on her way to
! otter her congratulations and submit her claim.
! At first ! hoped to be able TO make peace be-
! tween these two rival Queens; but when this
was hinted at to Werkait she said:-"When two
! persons are striving for crown, how can peace
| be made between them? II Masteeat were to
make peace with me to-day, before you, she
| would betray me 10 morrow" The news OF Mas-
| tCeats approach caused great uneasness amongst
! Werkats escort and adherents; and after
second interview with me, during which she
! exhibited symptoms of much distress, she took
! hasty departure, appreheneiye lest she should
| be intercepted by her more powerful and more
| fortunate rival; more fortunate because her son
! is alive, and The centre of the hopes OF large
! body Of the people; while to poor Werkait
there remains only the memory OF her son,
SO treacherously slain by Theodore. Sulta-
! able presents were made to her, as she took
her leave; and shortly after her departure
Ahmad, and expressed no small gratitude
and rejoicing at Theodore's fall. She had re.
| tpOuueu very eueCIudlIy 10 our request TO close
all avenues by which the late king could have
| escaped, and thus she came to us in the charac-
| ter OF an established ally. To her request tor
! the possession OF Magdala, was able to answer
| that, GObaZeh's lieutenant having declined to
! receive it, would abandon The place, after dis
| mantling il and burning all of it that could be
| so destroyed, as a mark OF the anger of the
! British at the i'll treatment Of our couutrymen,
as well as OF our adherence of the Cruelties
which Theodore had commitled there. To
tins the Queen replied that, indeed,
nothing but fire could purify it. On
my asking her if she could make peace
| with Werkait, she answered that she would
. gladly do so. but that it was impossible; because
I If Werkait were to swear friendship on the
| Koran itself to-day, she would violate her oath
tomorrow. A list of the principal political
| prisoners liberated by US on.our occupation of
| Magdalais appended. An opportunity was taken
of receiving all of them who desired an inter-
| view with me, and advice suitable to their
| several circumstances was then rendered TO
| them. BOOroo Gooshoo, the Prince OF Godjam,
| was the first who was introduced. He bore IN
his eneebled frame the marks of fourteen
years spent IN captivity. 1t is probable that
Godam, which has generally formed a sepa-
! rate principally, will now become subject to
| maternal uncle of the present ruler of
Tigreb, was next presented TO me. He left
the following day for the court of his rela-
| tive, Dajasmaj Kassa. Wagshoom Tiferri who
is said by some to be in reality the hereditary
| Prince of Wag, was then introduced, aud after
wards other chiefs of lesser note. The widow
! of Theodore and her numerous attendants stll
! remain, as 1t were, the quests of our camp, and
will probably travel with us as far as the nearest
point III our route TO the ladY's native district of
semlan. Her severe illness during the past ten
| days has prevented my seeing her; but | tfust