San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1889-08-03

After several days OF hard travelling over
the stony mountains ! found that | could
go no further
An Abyssinian soldier who had been de.
tailed to my special guard was ever at my
heels, and felt that had no mercy to ex'
pect from him. | seated myself upon well.
lie ordered me to move on, and staggered
forward, only to stop in few minutes. The
soldier was abrupt and rough in his manner,
and was armed with a gun, sword and spear,
besides carrying a heavy stick, with which,
when angry, lie was wont TO iufiict punish
rlent. Ordering me again to proceed, arose,
and, starting up the ascent, suddenly stag
rered and fell to the ground. | expected to
be beaten, but 1 resolved to appeal to his
prejudice fauaticism and pride, for human.
itv no Abvssinian possesses | looked him
straight in the eye as he approached and
By means of signs and few words of Arabic
and Abyssinan, which we mutually under
stood. said. You are . Christian. am a
Christian. Why do you treat me thus?
can 60 no further Shoot me, if you will
through the hcart-hut you must not strike
me-"
In these few words had struck the three
controlling strings in the diapason of his
soul The result was perfect chord, which
awakened in his heart all the tenderness and
sympathy of a child He was mine! All the
brute had disappeared. His face was lighted
up with a soft, gentle expression which
seemed to say: what can do to help your
Raising his hand placed it upon my heart
Ghlch with every beat seemed ready to spring
rom my breast He exclaimed: "Hamoon,
StoloDnntr In other
Words Sick, sick! Lie down, lie down" He
arranged pillow for my head and sat by me
until felt able to go.
We reached AdOwa, and learned that the
king was at Meckela, distance of four or
five days journey to the southeast of Adowa.
| wanted to visit the Europeans in Adowa,
but was not allowed. We started after day
in Adowa for Meckela, but in chains. After
leaving the town, however, we were I'M
chained. After some days of marching we
met the king en- route for Adowa. Our
chains had been put on us again for the king
to see us.
The king passed on horseback about the
middle of the forenoon. We gave him
salute, which he noticed but did
not return. King John was not large man.
He was not tall, but rather thick set and
muscular. Before he became king he was by
profession highway rObber. Covered with
vermin and in rags had to march back to
Adowa. | was gradually starving to death
Ny body was mass of scabS and raw, bleed
ing sores from neck to heels In such a con-
dition | crept back to AdOwa a shadow and
physical wreck Innocent of all wrong do
ing against the king or his people, either IN
thought, word or deed, nevertheless to such
a plight as this had been brought as the
effect of treatment received at the hands of
the Christian officers of this very Christian
kingI If the cardinal principles of the Chris
tan religion consist of injustice, cruelty, GOV
selfishness, prejudice, fanaticism,
pride, bigotry, superstition, shamelessness,
and immortality, which can be defined only
as the very essence of unbridled licentiOus-
ness and beaStly lust, then, indeed, Is the
Abyssinian, in point of fact, as in name,
Christian.
Bayoumi and the other soldiers under me
at Ailet were treated as captive and made to
do mental labor | was to be released be
cause | was Christian, my soldiers made
slaves because they were MOhammedanS ]
did all could to save them, but without sue
cess Two interpreters questioned me and
my story as to whom was why | was in
Ailet, and that | did not know that the
Abyssinians claimed Ailet as their territory,
were reported to the king, but even then he
did not release me until Gordon Pasha, TIE
governor of the Soudan, wrote him a letter
asking him to do So In rags, skeleton and
fostering with sores, was released and found
my way to some European friends in Adowa,
who took care of me- King John never apollo
gized for the treatment received. During
my painful captivity of over two months !
never met with any kind treatment from the
natives, except in a Mohammedan town.
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