ABYSSINIA. 



compel him to give up the captives, and that 

 accordingly the proper measures had been 

 taken. The preparations were now made with 

 the utmost dispatch. It was determined that 

 the invading army should be sent from the East 

 Indies, and that it should consist of about 

 10,000 troops, chiefly Punjaubees and a pro- 

 portion of cavalry. With these were sent 

 four field - batteries of artillery, and also one 

 mountain-battery, consisting of six rifled steel 

 seven-pounder guns carried on mules. Next, 

 there was a supply of Hale's rockets, 5,000 

 breech-loaders and revolvers, and a field tele- 

 graph. Of beasts of burden there were 21,000 

 mules, and 5,000 camels. Fifteen large steamers 

 were chartered in England to transport the 

 troops from Bombay to Abyssinia. Besides 

 these vessels, five or more steamers were taken 

 up to carry mules from the purchasing depots 

 in the Mediterranean to Egypt. 



The pioneer party departed from Bombay on 

 September 16th, and was followed on October 

 5th by the advanced guard, consisting of 1,400 

 troops, YOO camp-followers, and 1,000 horses 

 and mules ; and in the course of October, No- 

 vember, and December by the remainder of the 

 force, the whole of which consisted of about 

 12,000 effectives (4,000 European and 8,000 

 natives). The chief commander, General Sir 

 Eobert Napier, left India for Abyssinia on the 

 26th of December. 



On September 28th the exploring party, under 

 the command of Colonel Merewether, embark- 

 ed at Aden in the Coromandel and Euphrates. 

 The Coromandel was ordered to rendezvous at 

 Dissee Island, there to await the Euphrates^ 

 which steamed direct to Massowah, to pick up 

 any intelligence regarding the captives, off 

 which port she arrived on the 30th September. 

 Massowah is an island, the straits lying between 

 it and the mainland forming safe anchorage for 

 half a dozen vessels at the utmost not for a 

 fleet and therefore unfit to be fixed upon as a 

 general place of debarkation. The island has 

 been held by the Egyptians for some time, and 

 is now covered with houses inhabited by men of 

 many races, who trade as merchants with Abys- 

 sinia and the Arabian ports adjacent. Numerous 

 ferry-boats ply between the island and the main- 

 land, whither the inhabitants resort every even- 

 ing, so that Massowah becomes'at that time de- 

 serted. The fact is that fresh water is not to 

 be found on the island, and as Mucculla, where 

 the nearest wells are situate, is five miles in- 

 land, every one goes there for water. Having 

 at Massowah picked up the acting English con- 

 sul, M. Munzinger, who had received no recent 

 intelligence from the captives, the Euphrates 

 joined the Coromandel at Dissee Island, and 

 in company the two vessels reached Annesley 

 Bay* (20 miles south of Massowah, lat. 15 15' 



* An article bvM. Bonneau,in the Opinion Nationale of 

 Paris, states that the Bay of Adoulas, or Annesley, in the 

 Eed Sea, which the English selected as the place of disem- 

 barkation for the army sent against Abyssinia, was, with the 

 adjacent territory, " ceded in 1859 to France, and a captain 

 of the national navy, M. Kussell, was sent to the Eed Sea 



N.; long 39 45' W.) on October 3d; they 

 anchored off the small village of Ad-negoos, 

 on the eastern side of the bay. It was here 

 found that the wells, which were two miles 

 inland, did not contain sufficient water, and 

 accordingly early the following day the ex- 

 pedition steamed over to Zulla, on the op- 

 posite side of the bay. A dry river - course 

 was here found, in which the natives have 

 numerous wells, and it was soon apparent that 

 this place was the only one fit for the debar- 

 kation of troops, as Annesley Bay and Dissee 

 Island on the north gave the protection needed 

 against the northeast gales to vessels, any 

 number of which can be here accommodated. 



On October 6th, a proclamation, in the Am- 

 haric language, by Sir Kobert Napier (dated 

 17th of the month Maskanora [September]), was 

 sent out, of which the following is a faithful 

 translation: "Hear! Tedros, King of Abyssinia, 

 by binding Cameron, the consul of England, and 

 Eassam, the envoy of England, with many other 

 men, has violated the law of every country 

 where the people abide by laws. Now, all 

 friendly measures tried to free them having 

 proved useless, I am coming, commanded by 

 the Queen, with an army to liberate them. 

 Whoever is the friend of those prisoners, and 

 who will help to deliver them, shall be re- 

 warded; but whoever ill-treats them shall re- 

 ceive severe punishment. Further, reflect in 

 your heart, people of Ethiopia, in the time 

 of the coining of the army into your country, 

 that the Queen of England has not a thought of 

 anger against you, your country, your liberty, 

 and existence. All your persons and property, 

 all your convents and churches in your country 

 shall be protected with much care. All who 

 may bring provision's for sale will receive their 

 price. The inhabitants who remain quiet will 

 not be troubled by any one." 



Colonel Merewether at once started upon his 

 exploring expedition southwards, from which, 

 after a severe march of 130 miles, he returned 

 to Zulla on October 29th. In the country they 

 traversed now for the first time visited by 

 Europeans they found but little water, and 

 that in wells. In parts the thermometer ranged 

 at 110. The passes were through beds of tor- 

 rents, with huge masses of rock on every side. 

 Colonel Merewether, in a letter to Sir Stafford 

 Northcote, gives the following account of the 

 natives of the country, of the disposition of the 

 people, and the prospects of the expedition : 

 "We have just returned from a most inter- 

 esting and important reconnoissance up the 

 pass from Koomaylee to within five miles by 

 road from Senate, a distance of forty-one 

 miles. There were some very bad places in 

 one part, but the road has been made now by 

 the sappers easy for the passage of cavalry, in- 

 to regularise this important cession." By whom the cession 

 was made, M. Bonneau does not state, and he adds " It is 

 true that the French Government may since then have re- 

 nounced the possession of the Bay of Adoulas, as it for- 

 merly abandoned all the rights of France to the great Isle 

 of Madagascar." 





