Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1889-07-20
CAPTIVE TO KING JOHN.

UAPIllE III kING JUN.
Col L. Il. Mitchell, who has been in theser
vice Of the khedive of Egypt for ten years,
was attached to the staff of Stone Pasha, gen.
eTal Of the Egyptian army, where he won
fame as the foremost geologist and nlineralo-
gist Of the Orient lie was for a long time
chief Of primary triangulation, and was for
the past year or SO specially engaged by the
Egyptian government to search for petroleum
near the Dead sea. Some years ago the
cablegrams from Europe announced that Col.
Mitchell had been captured by the Abyssin-
fans near Massowab and killed. He was not
killed, but suffered two months of brutal and
cruel captivity. he has given the following
account Of his capture and sufferings:
Ny capture came about in this way Gen.
c. P. Stone, then chief Of staff Of the Egyp-
tian army, ordered me to go as far as As
mara, In the province Of Hamaseen, to exam
inc carefully and report upon the Hot Springs
Mt Ailet; to make a geological examination
of the route from Massowah to Sanhiel, and
finally, to examine the geological and min
eralogical structure Of the country in the
vicinity Of the last named place King John
forcibly occupied the province Of Hanaseen
with his troops, and l could not carry out
my instructions to the letter. However, a
brisk traffic had sprung up between the peo-
pie of Massowah and the Abyssinians in
Ha,naseen and peace seemed practically as
sured i had been at Ailet some weeks,
making explorations and important topo-
graphical and geological examinations, when
two-thirds of the men under me became i'll
with fever. Very soon l became Ill too, but
with robust constitution and proper care l
began to get well The men in my party
were recovering, too, although still quite
weak. Ailet, as / understood it then, be-
longed to Egypt, and l had no special cause
to fear an attack from the Abyssinians.
On the evening of the 3lst of January l
was planning and had arranged to strike
tents on the ID Of February, and moved down
the valley to Ain, a station In the Massowah
and Sanhiel route About 10 o'clock of the
evening mentioned my guide Techlahaima-
not, informed me that two friendly Abys-
sinians had just come down from the plateau
Of Hamaseen and reported to the people Of
the village that they thought the Abyssinian
troops stationed On the plateau intended to
raid Alet. While had been in that country
] had heard so many wild rumors that |
placed little credence In the story Of the two
Abyssinians l have regretted bitterly my
skepticism on that occasion. Ny guide agreed
with me, and we somehow felt no great
alarm.
shall never forget that night preceding
my capture. There is nothing superstitious
about me, but remember that | went to bed
shortly after midnight and tried to sleep,
but could not. got up and walked out into
the cool plight air. A sense of impending
danger now and then seized me- and repeat
edly was on the point of arOusing my men,
loading the caInels and starting the caravan
en- route for Sahorti; but the perfect quiet
that reigned In the village, and the sense Of
security that seemed to dominate the minds
of all, checked my impulse to retreat. In
the early morning my guide, Techlahaimanot,
called my attention to a crowd Of villagers
on the south side of the town. | found about
eighty of them armed and ready to receive
the Abyssinians If they came in that direc-
ton They were In the most exposed posi-
ton for an attack. However, they consid-
cred the chances Of danger very remote.
returned to camp and gave directions to
the camel drivers to hold the camels In readi-
ness for an immediate departure About 6
o'clock took cup Of coffee and was wait
ing for my breakfast, when suddenly my
guide rushed into my tent and exclaimed:
1.-The battle is beginningl" At that instant
l heard the crack Of rife on the north side
of town. The village was taken by SURPRISE
the Abyssinians coming from the north IN
stead of the south. ! wished to remain and
receive the Abyssinians in my camp, and, as
| was not at war with them, negotiate with
them to save my expedition
Ny guide said that they were bent on
plumber, and would listen to no overtures Of
any kind. He said we must save ourselves
by fight at once. / told him that we must
save the government chests containing the
instruments apparatus, ETC., and went out
to order the drivers to load the camels with
them. was just in time to see the last Of
the camelS passing at full speed by my tent.
At the sound Of the first gun the drivers had
mounted and started 70 the mountains
My next thought was to save my men.
started them in the direction of Sahorti, but
they were Ii from fever and could not run. l
cheered and urged them forward as best /
might. We climbed the mountains until my
soldiers became exhausted, and were lying
down or seated on rocks Suddenly terrific
yell reached us from below, and l knew that
we had been discovered. / knew that could
have escaped, but my men were too weak 10
run, and so | remained with them. The min
ing corporal was in q small valley at the right
Of our little group, and the cook had Just dis
appeared over the crest of the ridge in front
Of us It was useless TO fight horde OF well
armed Abyssinians with a handful of feeble
soldiers There was one exception 10 the
feeble soldiers, and his name was Bayoumi
He stood near me, erect, calm, cool-a true
soldier He cooked his gun ready for a deadly
aim and quietly asked me; MIR. Mitchell, is
1t necessary TO fireP' l told him no.
The Abyssinians called TO us; "Dahan. da-
han; amau, aman,n which Bayoumi said
means Good. good: peace. peace" In other