enforce peace if possible between the respective residents of this border-land, believing a display of force would accomplish those objects without bloodshed.

Ignorant of the country and of the character of the people with whom he had to deal, and despising his savage adversary too much, the unfortunate Arendrup divided his force and neglected the most ordinary precautions. While marching through the defile of Goundel on Abyssinian territory with but 800 men, he fell into an ambuscade, and after desperate resistance he and almost his whole force were cut to pieces, the few survivors being afterwards butchered in cold blood by the victors. This slaughter was planned, and participated in, by King Johannes himself, who thus commenced hostilities, setting up the alleged invasion of his territory by an armed Egyptian force as his plea for the bloody act.

With Arendrup perished the gallant young Governor of Massowah, Arakel Bey, nephew to Nubar Pasha-one of the ablest and most intelligent of the younger generation of Egyptian statesmen. Count Zichy, a volunteer, brother of the Austrian ambassador at Constantinople, met a still more tragic and terrible fate. Two weeks after the slaughter, the French consul at Massowah, traversing the theatre of combat where the mutilated and unburied bodies of the slain still were lying as they fell, was startled by the apparition of a bloody and ghastly object-whether bestial or human he could not tell -crawling through the bushes towards his party. It proved to be the unfortunate Count Zichy, who had been left for dead on the field, and who, though fearfully wounded and disfigured, had contrived to drag himself about on all fours, subsisting on berries during the interval.

They placed the almost dying sufferer on a litter, and so strong was his will, and such his tenacity of life, that he rallied sufficiently to show his indomitable spirit by humming some favourite airs as they bore him along. For some unexplained reason the people with whom he was afterwards left in charge, delivered up the poor creature, thus miraculously rescued, to some of the followers of Johannes to be taken to the king; but these soon released him from his sufferings by putting him to death, having recognised him as one of Arendrup's force. It has been reported and believed that the whole of Arendrup's original force was massacred; but this is untrue, as not more than one-third accompanied him on his fatal march through the valley. It is stated by officers who accompanied the second expedition, that on their arrival at Massowah they found more than 2000 of the survivors of Arendrup's force, who had been stationed at various points remote from the scene of his massacre, and who therefore took no part in that affair.

A detachment of these was menaced by the Abyssinians, flushed with victory; but owing to the skilful generalship of the foreign officers commanding, especially of Major Dennison, a young American, it presented a bold front during the day, and retreated successfully under cover of the night, until it safely reached Massowah.

In consequence of this disastrous event, it became absolutely necessay for the Khedive to despatch a second and stronger expedition into Abyssinia, for the double purpose of restoring Egyptian authority and prestige on the frontier, and of preventing incursions from an opponent flushed with victory, and menacing Egypt with a war of invasion.

Accordingly, early in December

1875, a second expedition was despatched for Abyssinia, numbering in all about 16,000 men, well officered, armed, and provisioned, under command of Ratib Pasha the Egyptian generalissimo, accompanied by General Loring, an American in Egyptian service, an old and experienced soldier, who had left an arm in Mexico twenty years before; with it was a very able staff of American and other foreign officers. The troops composing this expedition were the picked men of the Egyptian army, armed not only with the Remington rifle, but provided with artillery, including Krupp guns. It was, in all respects, an admirably well-equipped and well-appointed force, fully adequate (as was supposed) to carry out the double purpose aimed at. The subsequent narrative will show why it fell short of full success. force was sent in steamers from Suez nearly 1000 miles down the Red Sea, to Massowah, an Egyptian post, ceded some years ago by the Sultan, and ever since an Egyptian possession, its natural and trading advantages being very great.

This

Massowah is a picturesque-looking oriental town, in whose port vessels of the largest class can safely lie at anchor. It is built on an island of coral formation, and connected with the mainland by a causeway a mile long. On another coral island adjoining, the late Governor, Arakel Bey, had built a palace, in excellent taste and oriental style, which forms one of the most attractive objects in the vicinity. The town is of Arab character and construction, but of consider able extent; the population very mixed, comprising specimens of the sixteen different nationalities which people Egypt, in whose faces every shade of brown, black, or coffee colour could be witnessed. They constitute a busy, peaceful, orderly,

trading population; keen for a bargain, but inoffensive. The climate. in winter is delightful; in summer, trying to European constitutions.

With this expedition Prince Hassan, third son of the Khedive and present Minister of War, went as a volunteer aide to the Generalin-Chief.

The expeditionary force remained some months at Massowah before penetrating far into the Abyssinian country, which is shut in by ranges of hills, rising in succession until they almost attain the dignity of mountains, by which latter name they are usually designated.

The difficulty of passing these natural barriers has been greatly exaggerated, as there are passes through all of them, many of which are well wooded, affording the protection of cover to an invading as well as to an ambushed force. Many of them can also be dominated and swept by artillery, as the Abyssinians found to their cost during their second encounter with the Egyptian troops.

Officers who had served in Mexico declare that the general features of Abyssinia reminded them of that country, though with less majestic mountains and feebler vegetation; for Abyssinia only nestles among her hills; and marching into the interior from the coast, the country, though rugged, is hot, lying comparatively low, between the 9th and 16th degrees of latitude. Proceeding further inland, from 30 to 80 miles from the coast, you reach plateaux 2000 feet above the level of the Red Sea, and enjoy one of the most delightful and salubrious climates in the world-bright and sunny in winter, and in summer refreshed by constant rains. From June to October you have several variations of climate every day. The morning breaks bright and clear, with unclouded sunshine;

at mid-day it becomes cloudy; and two hours later the rain comes down in torrents; then follows a splendid sunset, succeeded by a clear night, the heavens studded with stars, both the North Star and Southern Cross being plainly perceptible at the same time. The continual rains temper the heat, until the summer solstice becomes as endurable as the spring season. Hence the tablelands of Abyssinia, though lying in the midst of a burning region, are both temperate and healthy all the year round.

Large and numerous water-courses fertilise and refresh this region, among which are the Mareb, Taccaze, Blue Nile, and Atbara- the two latter being the great fertilisers which, for thousands of years, have rendered their annual tribute to old Father Nile, and have added immensely to the fertility and productiveness of Egypt, by bringing down with their turbid waters the rich deposits of the valleys and hillsides of Abyssinia, washed down by the annual floods.

So that, in despite of its wild and untamable chieftains who interpose a barrier to the encroaching civilisation of their powerful neighbour, Abyssinia still continues to pay her rich annual tribute to Egypt, and must continue so to do until the affluents of the Nile have altered their course. The Khedive himself, when taxed with the intention of absorbing or annexing Abyssinia in whole or in part, referred to this, when he said that, as Nature al ready was sending him down the best part of Abyssinia, he had no desire for the residue.

From the notes of officers attached to the expedition, the following statement of the military operations is taken :

"Our force of 16,000 men was under the command of Ratib Pasha -an Egyptian, of Circassian blood,

General-in-Chief of the Egyptain army. With him was sent General Loring of the American contingent, -an old officer of much experience, whose hand the Khedive placed in that of the Pasha before leaving Cairo, enjoining brotherly concord between them. With them also went a picked staff of American and other foreign officers. The armament comprised a splendid park of artillery, including Krupp guns, and the men were armed with the Remington rifle - the best small-arm in the world. No army ever was fitted out with better material of war and equipment-and the comfort both of officers and men was thoroughly provided for.

"After establishing two depots en route to keep open our communication, we marched from Massowah, on the coast, to the plateau, crossing the mountain of Kayakhor for almost 80 miles inland. We then marched to a valley six miles distant, and established breast works, intrenching ourselves in a strong fortification deemed impregnable, which received the name of Fort Gura. At the same time we also fortified the mountain of Kayakhor, which we had just passed. It is necessary to bear in mind that the two positions were only six miles apart. The valley extended from Kayakhor to eight miles beyond Fort Gura, with a width of from one and a half to two miles.

"At Fort Gura we had about 7700 men, rank and file, and at Kayakhor about 5000. These figures included all arms of the servicethe depots being filled with abundance of ammunition and provisions. The balance of our command and supplies were rapidly moving up to join us. Such was the state of affairs when we received information from our scouts that King John was moving in the distance around our front with a large force.

Finally, he commenced a movement along our right flank, keeping under shelter of the mountains, twenty or thirty miles distant, endeavouring to draw us out into the open country. Not having our forces all up and concentrated, we were not in a position to move out, even had we desired it; so we pursued the waiting policy, well knowing that, with his large force, swelled by the numerous camp-followers, in the shape of women and children who always accompany the fighting men, he must soon exhaust the country over which he was passing-which cause, together with the want of water, would compel him to make an effort to cross our path and attack us.

as

"From his position he could not cross the valley in any other way than between our two fortified positions above described. Such being the situation, Ratib Pasha was advised to leave the impregnable Fort Gura, with 800 men and the artillery, which could sweep the valley, and marching the rest of his force back to Kayakhor, there effect a junction with the rest of his forces as soon possible, and await the enemy, who was daily expected there, in his forced march across the valley in quest of water and provisions. This counsel was given on the 4th of March; and had the Pasha adopted it, and acted prompt ly, a splendid victory, which would at once have terminated the struggle, would certainly have resulted. But Ratib Pasha could not be persuaded to move until three days later; and it was not until the 7th of March, when we knew the enemy was moving on the Amhoor road leading into the valley, that any movement was made by the Egyptian troops. Then, late in the day, Ratib Pasha moved out with 5000 men, only about three miles from his fortified position, and

took up a stand, equally distant from that and Kayakhor, immediately opposite the Amhoor road, making no effort to unite forces; and on the opposite side of the valley to that on which it was known King John would debouch into it, and which he did in full sight of our forces.

"We now believe that Ratib Pasha took out his corps for observation, not intending an engagement; but he was anticipated by the Abyssinians, who at once made a savage and desperate onslaught in mass, variously estimated at from 40,000 to 50,000 men of all arms. Of this horde not more than 8000 to 10,000 were armed with singlebarrelled shot-guns, old Tower muskets, &c. ; as many more with swords and shields; the rest with clubs. But they were never able to display or actively use more than 15,000 or 20,000 at a time, from the nature of the ground. Being in a favourable position for judging, this is my estimate.

"The battle lasted two hours, and there was fearful carnage, with considerable loss to the Egyptians, and far greater to the Abyssinians, owing to the inferiority of the latter in respect to arms and position.

"No skilled soldier present doubts that had Ratib Pasha united his army as advised on the 4th, or even as late as the 6th, instead of taking up the intermediate position, and there inviting attack with a divided force, he might have crushed the enemy at one blow.

"The valley of Gura commands on the left the rich valley of Gouzi Goraï, and on the right that of Hamacen, both of which contain what for Abyssinia may be considered large and thriving populations, displaying not only a friendly feeling towards Egypt, but manifesting a strong desire to be permanently annexed to that country.

"We had fortified and provisioned

some of the strongest mountain passes on our route, such as Bahr Réza, Adderasso, and Kayakhorgiving a line of frontier protection against the wandering nomads of Abyssinia, who live by plundering their own peaceful cultivators as well as those of Egypt."

Why the Egyptian General-inChief delayed until too late carrying out the advice of his staff officer and second in command, General Loring, and fought the enemy in detail, instead of concentrating his forces, has never been satisfactorily explained. Neither has the conduct of Osman Pasha, one of his superior native officers, who, with a force of 3000 men within hearing of the guns, did not move from his position nor take part in the fighting; though, if he had brought up his reserve, he might have utterly routed and dispersed the army of the Abyssinians. These two mistakes opened the campaign with advantage to the Abyssinians, and encouraged them to continue the war. To resume the narrative :

"On the 8th of March there was little or no fighting. On the 9th we fully expected that King John would be compelled to attack us; for his people, who had suffered severely on the 7th, and with insufficient supplies of food and water, were, we learned, becoming almost mutinous, and crying out to be led at once to the attack.

"So with a force of about 3000 men, in our intrenched position at Fort Gura, well supplied with artillery and all munitions of war, we expected his assault.

"As we anticipated, King John, early on the 9th, commenced his movement in a soldier-like manner by throwing out large bodies of skirmishers under cover of the undergrowth which extends through the valley, and by firing into our

breast works, about half a mile distant. While this was going on, he commenced a movement from his camp, pouring out his masses along the hillsides and slopes, and even crowding the slopes and crests of the hills with men, women, and children, making an imposing display of force-about a mile distant. In addition to these, he moved on to the fort with his fighting men, probably 30,000 or 40,000 in number. Simultaneously he detached several thousands to attack our works, moving up under cover of some old breast works which had not been destroyed, contiguous to the fort now occupied by us. A large force was thus enabled to approach the fort to within 30 or 40 yards.

"Ratib Pasha had been cautioned by the staff and by the engineers as to the necessity of destroying these old breastworks, but had neglected to order their removal. With this assaulting force, which came up boldly to its work, sustained by a rattling fire from their skirmishers, it was not long before we had a desperate and deadly conflict at all points, which lasted for several hours, in which our artillery did deadly execution; and their frantic efforts to storm our position were beaten back with great loss of half-naked warriors. Their masses, spread out by thousands along the hillsides, kept swaying and surging to and fro, yelling and brandishing their lances and clubs, ready to

move on us en masse as soon as

they saw their attacking column. leap our breastworks, when we should have been overwhelmed by numbers. A well-directed fire from our artillery into the swarms on the hillsides inflicted immense destruction among the poor wretches, forcing them constantly to shift their position.

"Our Krupp gun did great execution, while the Remington rifle