The Hawaiian gazette., 1868-07-22

al or luxurious kind. Workmens tools
and huge glass tumblers, apparently Of
English make, seemed the principle articles
of import, drinking being, next to fighting,
the great business Of awealthy Abyssinian's
life, and these mixed up with crosses, GEN.
sers, mitres, bells-the spoils Of Gondar
churches-Amharic Bibles, odd volumes
of encyclopedias, foolscap paper. old match
locks, pistols, swords, powder TASKS and
percussion caps, formed altogether as
strange a tumble as it would be easy to
} find anywhere.
The loot on the whole. has rather dis
appointed the captors. Mr.. Holmes, for
instance, who came out here as archeolo-
gist for the British Museum, and who has
hitherto had singularly disappointing and
unfruitful journey, was lucky enough to
rescue a handsome crown, probably an
archbishop's, and a gold chalice, bearing
the following inscription in Amharie: The
chalice of King Adam Segud, called va
500, the son Of Queen Brain Morgussa,
presented to Kwoskwan Sanctuary Con
dar). May my body and soul be purified.
Weight, twenty-five workkits of pure gold,
value five hundred dollars. Made by Wal
do Georgis.' The Emperor's own crown
has also been found, and is, | believe, to be
sent home to the Queen.
THEoDoRE'S LAST MoNENTs-DEsERTIoN AND
SUICIDE.
saw in the hands Of an English soldier,
what, under the circumstances, was GER
tainly very singular and interesting bit
of loot, a six-barrelled revolver, with an
inscription declaring that it was presented
by the Queen to the Emperor Theodore,
in token Of her gratitude for 1.-The kind
ness shown by him TO her servant Plow-
dom" The soldier told me that he had
seen FIVE pistols with this inscription. and
had hard fight to get one for himself; so
far, only one has been given up to the prize
agents, 1t is curious INSTANCE of the
irony of history that it was not improba-
bly, with one of these very pistols-tokens
Of the British Queens gratitude for kind
ness shown by him to her servant-that
Theodore shot himself at the approach of
a British soldier, for there is now no doubt
that he did shoot himself A soldier Of
the Thirty-thir swears that he witnessed
the act, and what is more important, both
Of the medical men on the committee APP
pointed to identify the body and inquire
into the cause Of his death, declare unhes-
itatingly that the fatal wound must have
been selfinhicted. Twice his followers
stood aloof from him in sullen, resentful
disobedience when summoned to his side,
and positively refused, when he invited
them as the last chance TO fly from Mag
dala, to accompany him and any longer
share his fortune. Even his favorite and
most distinguished chiefs, the very men
who in the end renamed faithful and died
with him, seemed to have wavered strange
ly between their old allegiance and their
newborn distrust.
From the plainness Of his dress, the
body was not at first recognized, but as
soon as it was identified, and on the APP
proach of Sir Robert Napier, drawn forth
into the principal pathway, an involuntary
cheer burst forth from the soldiers around.
Such cheer over the body of fallen foe
rather Jared upon the nerves, but still it
was natural and pardonable enough, for at
bottom it meant, not exultation over the
death of an enemy, but delight at the sud
den discovery beyond all doubt that the
last object of tedious campaign had been
accomplished. and that there was now moth
ing to prevent the force from turning its
face in triumph home. Theodore's escape
was dreaded up to the latest moment as
the possible source of further detention in
Abyssinia, and the soldiers would have
been more than human If they had repress-
ed the first outbreak of joy at discovering
that from this dread evil they were now
safe.
As the first soldiers appeared above the
stOckade the chiefs were shot down, but
Theodore. who had already dropped his
royal robe Of silk to escape unobserved,
fed from the gateway to retired spot
higher up on the citadel, and there shot
himself, putting the pistol into his mouth.
TheOdore's body was found, not near
those of his chiefs in the gateway, but alone
on the hill above. After sending you
telegram TO say that he had killed himself,
| heard that the cOmmander-in chief had
telegraphed home that he was killed in
battle, and this now seems to be the belief
of those who are perhaps likely to know
best. His face seemed to me rather dis
one after all that has been said
about it, but then it was impossible to
judge properly after death, especially as
the eye was said to be, from its fire and
expression, the most remarkable feature
There was a look of bloated, sensual in
diligence about the cheeks by no means
heroic or kingly, but the forehead was in
telIectual and the mouth singulariy deter
mined and cruel A very strange smile
fingered about the lips. as if in the death
throe his last thought had been one of
triumph, at having banked his conquerers
by dying king.