The Conservative. (M'connelsville, Ohio) 1866-1871, 1869-01-29
The British Captiyes- Imprisonment IN
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Mr.. q. Duncan Cameron, British Consul
in Abyssinia, has submitted q long report
to Lord Stanley, narrating the causes that
led ~ aud the sufferings consequent upon
his imprisonment and that of his fellow
Euglishmen. There is little in this nnrra-
tive of strict interest to American readers,
but That little we give.
Speaking Of his course, Mr.. Cameron
SAYS that he was as moderate and c5ncilia-
tory rs the circumstances and his instruc-
tons would permit, and that Theodorus
was courteous and respectful in all the
diplomatic CORES pondence that passed be-
tween them.
The reasons for his imprisonment, he
says, were his ~interposition in behalf of
Mr.. Stern, an E~nglisbmhn who had been
bastinadoed, kept in chains, and otherwise
ill-treated by the Abyssinian Emperor.
In consequence of Those efforts in favor OF
his c~ountTymen, Mr.. Cameron says he was
arrested and cast into prison, and plumber
of all his property.
~ was taken out of n sick bed TO be
chained, " says Mr.. Cameron; "huddled in
to n tent with my own servants, and n
crowd of Europeans, fettered TO n dirty
native and guarded by others covered with
filth and vermin, who not only shared my
bed, but lay across me to prevent my es-
cape. Afterwards, / was fettered with ankle
chains, which were so mercilessly hammer
ed ON rs to swell one leg to such an extent
asto threaten modification.
''The next phase in this wretched histo-
~ was torture Of the most cruel kind, with
ropes. our arms being dashed tightly from
wrist To arm-pit, then brought together as
close rs possible, by main force. behind
our backs, the ropes beng wetted at inter.
walls to produce the effect more completely,
while our chests and stoInachs were like.
wise tightly corded so rs just TO allow o.
breathing. Our clothes were mt this tor
ture torn of our backs, and we were left
nake1 for some weeks.
"Then the rainy season came. This We
had 20 meet in our tent, which was n mere
rent rag, that no stitches could keep to-
| gether.
"Our tent, shortly after the beginning OF
tho rainy season, was pitched among the
common prisoners. and the change, Accom-
panied as it was with the greatest rigor in
regard to ON servants, kept us in a con-
slant state of terror.
awe were in momentary dread, and not
without reason. of death in the most fear
ful forms. We were afraid. in fcct, even
10 buy meat, lest our money should be
taken away, when starvation would soon
! have finished us, as the only token of his
Majesty remembrance during those rainy
months was "a handful of parched peas for
each. doled out to us for a few days.
Hunger. daily exposure 10 tropical
rains, and constant terror, not %unfounded,
at the slightest movement around, wholly
unneryed ms.
IN, Bardel was ont Of his senses during
this period. As for myself / was so pros.
tr,ted az 10 be barely able TO sit MP. and
was often delirious from sheer weakness
Mr., Eemns was reduced to n skeleton by
diarrhmo. The remainder of our party
looked like the inmates of q madhouss.-
Those OF MS who were weak with illness
were covered with vcrmin.
AT the close Of this, our first rainy sea-
son, we were dragged in chains from Con.
dtr tu Magdnln, u distance of, perhaps, two
huudt,d miles, exposed 10 the gtzc ui
thousands of the Kings soldiers. then put
into the commOn PRISON hedge, and re-
poatcdly obliged 10 share n hut with forty
of the refuse OF the prisoners, the better
class being considered too good for M TO
be mixed with.
"On the 18th Of July, 1865, our right
u'iuuh were CHilllteu 10 our loot-letlclbi ana
We remained thus doubled up, without in
PERMISSION, until we were temporarily re-
lieved FROM our chains on tho 9th of Feb
ruary. 1866.
After joining Mr.. Rassam, /, in com
mon with the other captIycs, got permission
to leave for England. We were arrested
on the road, and brought to the royal
camp in chains. 1 was then plundored ior
the second time.
ION reaching the camp our chains were
taken of, but we were prisoners, never be-
ing allowed 20 leave the royal enclosure
without an armed guard.
From the 10th of August, 1866, until
u delivemnce by Lord Napier on the 10th
Of April, 1868, / was in anlle-chains ut
Maadaln."