The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1876-11-30
EGYPT AND ABYSSINIA.
The Horrors of the Defiles Of Gcundel al
GOnpn

The Horrors Of the Defles Of Gcundel and
GOura.
Correspondence New York Herald.
London, Oct. l1.-A correspondent
Of the London Times furnishes that
journal with some extraordinary and
interesting particulars relating to the
two expeditions which the Khedive
sent out against his enemy, King John,
of Abyssinia. The history of these
expeditions has hitherto remained an
unfathomable secret, the Egyptian
authorities having *tsuppressed'' it
owing to the disasters which overlook
their forces and, moreover, at a time
when the Khedive's finances were in
such an apparently desperate condi-
tfon and had excited so much feeling
in England it was probably deemed
advisable by the Khedive not to add to
the panic by proclaiming too loudly
his misfortunes in war. Hence the
present revelations are in measure
the first authentic news of that secret
and terrible chapter of Egyptian
history.
The correspondent says he happened
to meet at Vichy an officer who took
part in he second expedition under
Prince Hassan. The officer was inter-
viewed on the subject and gave the
following circumstantial details of
the horrible events Of which Abyssin.
ia has been the theatre during the
attempts Of Egypt to chastise the
Abyssininans. To the question as to
what truth there was in the different
accounts which had been given in the
European papers of tho war in Abys-
sinia, the officer replied:
''These papers we're wrong in trans
forming that terrible campaign into a
narrative of imaginary gayety. The
truth is too earnest to provoke laugh.
ter" Then, giving his interviewer
his word of honor that all he would
tell would be the exact truth, he pro-
ceeded TO give the ensuing narrative :
There have been known two expe-
ditions it is the third which has just
been organized, and of which your cor
respondent at Alexandria speaks. The
first of these expeditions-that which
met with the most terrible fate-was
made in October, 1875. Itconsisted of
a 900 men, cavalry and infantry, with
artillery. 1t was conducted by Col.
Arendrnp. The history Of this first
expedition can be told in a. few lines.
The force commanded by Arendrup, at
the moment when it was advancing on
| Adoua, without having taken the least
precaution to cover itself, merely fol-
lowing the vanguard commanded by
Arakel Bey, was surprised in the de.
file of Goundel, overwhelmed by a
force ten times its number, extermi-
mated without mercy from the first to
tho last-from Arakel Bey at the van.
guard to Arendrup himself, from the
I,Gene1al-in. Chief to the humblest sol.
der.
The following dark incident detaches
itself from this monotonous horror :
Among the volunteers in this expe.
dition there was an officer, an Aus.
trian gentleman, Count Lichy, in the
vanguard, who; was wounded and left
for dead on the field Of battle. Fifteen
days after NJ. de Sarseck. the French
consul.general at Massowah, wishing
to see King John before going awaV
for a holiday, went to Adoua and
crossed the horrible defile of Goundel,
where the massacred Egyptian army
had drbeenfabandoned. :, Among the dead
bodies NJ: de Sarseck discovered aman
who was still breathing. NJ. de Sar'
seek approached him and gave bin
Immediate assistance, and found that
this sole survivor was Count de Lchy,
land that he had been left as dead, had