The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-05-10

and Surgeon, Egyptian Army.
copyright, 1896, by T. D. Johnson,
NJ Do
The recent repulse of an Italian
army of invasion by the Abyssinians
brings back to my mind the fate of a
similar expedition which accompanied
some years ago, and recalls reminis-
cences of my own involuntary sojourn
among this remarkable people.
Ambitious for a broader field in
which to practice my chosen profess
sion-that of a surgeon-I enlisted, with
rank of major, in the Egyptian army,
and reached Cairo just in time to join
the Khedives expedition which was
being fitted oat to avenge the fate OF
Arrendurp and his men who had been
sent against the AbySsinlanS several
weeks before
Suffice 1t here to say that we met the
enemy about thirty miles from Adowa
and a dreadful slaughter ensued. The
Egyptians. taken completely by sur
prise, made little attempt at resist
ance, and were butchered by thou
sands. The cavalry took to flight, and
most of the mounted officers escaped.
Some 500 men got back to Fort Goura
out of an army Of 5000. which had
marched out in the morning. about 800
killed on the battlefield, most of them
efter they had surrendered or offered
to surrender.
1 was wounded with a spear about
2 o'clock IN the afternoon, and taken
prisoner. With a confused throng of
captured camels, mules and Egyptian
soldiers. I was hurried away soon
afterward on foot. a large body of
Withholding Abyssinians guarding US.
At the rapid pace they compelled US
to keep / was soon overcome with
fatigue and nearly fanished from
thirst. and l made signs to my guards
for water, which they either failed to
understand or chose not to heed. After
we had gone some distance we passed
a dirty pool into which mules and
camels were thrusting their noses in
discriminatory TO drink Forcing my
way in among these I filled my hat and
drank freely of the muddy water, at
which my captors laughed heartily.
After going a distance of several
miles we reached an old field or large
open space where the whole Abys-
sinian army seemed to have gathered.
Here / witnessed acts of brutality that
it Sichens me now to think of, and
that 1 do not suppose were ever any
where else enacted or tolerated by the
officers and men of any organized body
of soldiers. Each bashaw or captain
would appear before his commander
and deliver a wild harangue, rushing
to and fro. at the same time gesticulat-
ing furiously, and after raging and
shouting thus like a mailman for a
few minutes he would make such dis
position of his prisoners as he saw fit
In most instances when he had boasted
sufficiently of his prowess-for 1 pre-
sumo this, in each case, was the
burden of the excited address-he
would strike one of his prisoners with
a club or spear and compel him to run,
and as soon as the poor victim got a
few PAGES away he would be shot or
Speared to death and fell on the ground
for wild beasts to devour. saw scores
thus treated that evening, while thou
sands of fierce Abyssinian warriors
stood by cheering with eXultation at
the sight Even the women, Of whom
there were numbers present, looked
on without a touch of pity in their
faces. After many had been killed at
this barbarous sport they desisted
leaving the remainder of their captives
as we had a right to think, to be
similarly treated on another occasion
We were given some food and water
ard I was then stripped of nearly all
my clothing, and bound with leather
thongs hand and foot to another caD-
tive, an Arab sergeant.
RELIGION OF THE ABYSSINIANS.
My captivity and stay among the
Abyssinians was mainly during the
Lenten season, which they observe very
strictly. Their religion is that of the
Coptic church. Many Of them carry
about with them their Bibles. or the
book of psalms published in the Am
haric language. Their bishop is ap-
pointed and sent to them by the patri-
arch Of Alexandria. They have several
orders of priests. whose ranks can be
tod nv he 11pf- IF Ia
cap they wear The bishops cap re-
sembles in height and hideousness that
worn by British lfe-guardsman.
Two large red tents in the camp were
used as churches. and in these services
were held almost every night. At the
conclusion of each service the men and
women arranged themselves in line
and in dolef1l tone chanted the psalter
after the priests. After this they all
prostrated themselves with elbows and
foreheads touching the earth, and re-
manned in silent prayer a short time
Then they dispersed without any ben
ediction or dismissal During Lent
they all, men, women and children,
fast rigidly from food and water from
sunrise of each day to o'clock in the
afternoon, at which hour they believe
the Savior died.
TEDGE THEIR NATIONAL BEVER-
AGE.
On Easter Sunday I was awakened
at q very early hour by psalm singing.
which seemed 10 be general. and more
cheerful than any I had heard up to
that time. 1t was day of universal
feasting and rejoicing. Each person of
consequence in the camp seemed to be
entertaining his subordinates and de-
Dsndents. Guns were firing all over
the camp, COWS or beeves were driven
in front Of the tents and shot down,
raw meat was eaten in liberal quanti-
ties aTilSy and tedge were drunk, and
every body seemed to be happy. The
kings sister on that day gave me a
cup of coffee with pinch of salt in it,
which was esteemed A great luxury.
Salt is money in Abyssinia.
The bread which they use in that
country IS made from teff and doura,
small grains like our wheat and bar
ley. The women grind this grain be-
tween stones into a coarse meal. of
which they make a batter cake. Over
this they pour a gravy of melted butter,
thiciened with meal, and seasoned with
: red pepper and other sharp condiments
IJuring the time I remained with them
could hear the poor women at all
hours Of the night pounding away at
the grain, striving to crush it between
breakfast.
IN complexion the natives of, Abys-
sinia resemble our negroes. Some Of
them are almost Jet black; some like
the king, quito bright: the majority are
codee-colored. But while in complex
ion they resemble the negro, in form
Foof 7I7-a +g1cv ora Co11a1sia-c Thax,