The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1879-10-09
HELD FOR RANSOM.
SuiIerinss Of Professor Mitchell, an American
Scientist in Abyssinia.
MARCHING IN CHAINS.
Driven to King Johns Capital Naked,
Hungry. Thirsty and Footsore.

The HERALD. few days back. contained an inter-
view with one of the American officers now IN TINS
city. who served in the Egyptian army for many
years. in relation the difficulties existing between
King John of Abyssinia and the Cairo government
Among other interesting things the gentleman inter
viewed mentions the capture by Shell Allula an Abyss
sinian general. of Professor L. II. Mitchell. an
American mining engineer who was geologizing in
the Egyptian service. He added that the Professor
was long prisoner. and was probably the only
American citizen who in the last half of the nine
tecnth century had been captive held for ran
som. Since then HERALD reporter has obtained from
Egyptian officer further particulars Of Professor
Mitchell's capture and the hardships he endured
while a captive Of the so-called Christian King.
The Professor is now in Egypt, occupying o sub
ordinate position in the civil service. but the story
of his captivity has never before been fully told in
this country.
1t seems that in 1876 Mr.. Mitchell was sent, with
a small party, to Massowah. port on the Red Sea.
for the purpose Of making study OF the geology
and mneralogy of the country between the coast
and the Abyssi1lian plateau. He accomplished an
exhaustive reconnaissance Of the line between
Massowah and Gura. in Abyssinia-the place
where Ratb Pacha's army badly
whipped in March, 1876. General Loring Pacha.
American. being second in command and ex-
amined many points to the right and left OF that
line thereby adding much to the knowledge already
possessed by the world in reference to that region
not only regards its geological structure. but also
in many Typographical details That duty per-
formed the Professor ordered to gain more def
mite knowledge Of the Hot Springs OF Allet, long
famous in those parts for their medicinal qualities
and located about twelve miles southwest OF
Massowah. where an Egyptian force was on guard.
and to make geological examination Of the route to
Sanhet.
PROFESSOR AND HIS PARTY.
The agitation the border, incident to the occu-
patton Of Province of Hamasseen by the troops of
King John. having Gained down. and a brisk traffic
having sprung up between the inhabitants of Masso-
wah and the people of Abyssinia. the way appeared
clear for Professor Mitchell to commence his work.
All sign OF had passed away. the two peoples
practically peace with each other. and Mitchell
left Massowah the 18th of December 1876. His
party consisted Of himself and assistant named
Danziger, escort Of corporal and eight soldiers.
| three four servants and score or SO Of camel
drivers For weeks the Professor worked hard. and
then Intermittent fever broke out in his camp.
| polling him to withdraw from the springs to the
village Of Ailet, situated in the open plain. Within
four days least twothrds of his entire party
down with the fever. Weeks of sickness passed. the
| Professors assistant had to return to Massowah.
| and finally of the soldiers died.
CHASED ABYssINIANs.
On the LIST OF February, 1877 the Abyssnans
bent on plumber. TOOK the village by surprise and
| pushed on for Mitchclis camp. The sound of mus
| kerry was heard. aud, being anxious to tho
valuable instr uments and apparatus he gave orders
to load tho cames and retreat. But at sound Of
first gun the cameleers had slipped the fastening
ropes from the canes. and in an instant all
full retreat for the mountains. The only thing left
| to Mitchell was to himself and soldiers Men,
| women and children fleeing in every direction
| from the village when the Professor and his men
started the mountains in the direction Of Sahar
to which place the Abyssinians had not yet cut the
| line of communication. Enfeebled by disease
aud exhausted by their for liberty. the
poor soldiers could scarcely climb the towering
heights. the foot of which they had now reached.
| The American we'll and hearty and might have
escaped: but he preferred to die. if need be. with
the men who had been faithful in all things.
Slowly his party drag themselves up the ridge; the
yells Of their pursuers heard close upon them;
| the exhausted sink down on the rocks; one
! soldier alone wants to fight, and with cooked gun
stands ready to shoot the foremost of his pursuers
but Mitchell bids him stay his hand. In another in
| the hands of the Abyssinans. The small force that
had captured him hastened to rejoin the main body.
consisting OF about fifteen hundred horse aud foot
| AN AMERICAN IN CAPTIVITY.
| The defenceless village destroyed by fire. and
then, company with ut least hundred innocent
and children. destined like himself to suffer
all the accumulated horrors OF barbarous, brutal
| captivity worse than death itself. Professor
Mitchell started with his captors for the Hamasseen.
| No order whatever observed in the progress of
the march. sheep cattle, camels aud human beings
| we're driven along the narrow difficult way at
| q rapid pace. without regard to prudence. Abyss
| sinian lances at the back of old and young forced
the wretched human beings to keep pace with the
four-footed beasts. Vlanous spears the hands OF
Mitches captor, who held ownership over him,
forced him to climb the ascent to the plateau.
Cold, wet, stiff and with foot shoeless. he
toed along until his fast failing strength gave way
and he fell to the ground; but his captor permitted
| him only few moments time III which to take
breath. The tropical sun poured its heated rays
down upon this American gentleman. who was with
ignorant fellow possessed only of savage instincts
Choking with thirst, he crawled upward. often on
| mis- hands and knees long precipitous portion OF
the route and then sank faint and breathlcss on the
ground with strangling sensation in his throat n
wildly palpitating heart and feeling of great pain
| in his breast. A few moments of rest revived his
| strength, he crawled slowly on. and finally they
upon tho crest of the great plateau within tho
proyince of Hamassecn. 1t was d superb scene hat
| presented itself to this poor unfortunate American
| scientist The air dry, pure and COOL but he
was permitted no time to contemplate the beautiful
in nature Move ON, move on. his barbarian mas
ter called out in loud tones. and so. hungry thirsty
short OF breath and footsore. he .crawlod ON until
they to village where he found water and q
| EVER syMpATHIzISa WOMAN.
That night The eyes OF the women and children of
! the place fixed Mitchell with mingled
| curiosity and contempt; but now and then some
| matronly Abyssinian woman showed him Kindness
| and sympathy. 1t was this night when the Profess
sor's captor gave him to understand that he to
| reward or ransom. The next day. while tho
march, his captor robbed him of his shirt, leaving
him clothed only in pair OF drawers and one shoe.
| He had been taken prisoner on tho morning of the
lat OF February; on the fourth day ho was marched
into the camp OF Shell Allula. the Abys.
sinian officer who had pursued Ras Michael
into the Abyssinian country. Here the
Professor passed into the hands OF petty Abyssin.
ian chief master of the barbarous creature who had
captured him. The next day he taken before
Alula who treated himigraciorsly and where for the
first time since his capture he got square meal"
Aiiula helped himself to Mitchells watch and com
PEELED the owner to teach him how to wind 1t and
how to determine the time of day. The chief also
permitted him TO send letter to the
commandant ut Massowah asking for certain articles
of personal comfort. IL this message which
first gave to the Egyptian authorities definite infor-
nation as to the fate of Mitchell and his party, all
of whom it was believed had been massacred. But
he was thrust into prison cell, where he was
greatly annoyed by constant stream OF Abyssinian
soldiers. Now aud then. however, he was visited by
some Of the females. who. much to his discomfort