SFOR T IN ABYSSINIA. 2 1 9 



side of a real hero,' i.e., comparing him with Theodore, 

 the late king. King Johannes has totally subjugated 

 his country and the rebels that were in it. The people 

 cultivate their land in peace, and tranquillity prevails. 

 As for his subjects being in a state of chronic rebel- 

 lion, it is not the case ; let any one who doubts this 

 travel through the country, and judge for himself. 

 Secondly, the ' Cologne Gazette ' says, with regard to 

 Colonel Kirkham, 'that all his attempts to improve 

 the country have failed.' Now, as every one knows, 

 with nothing, nothing can be done. Colonel Kirkham 

 was living with me for a month, and has often told 

 me the first thing to be done in Abyssinia is to make 

 and improve the roads. He has often tried to per- 

 suade King Johannes to do this, but the king will not 

 spend a farthing and keeps his money hoarded up. 

 Thirdly, with regard to the missionaries at Gindar, 

 it is so far true that General Kirkham, to whom 

 Gindar has been given by the king, allowed the mis- 

 sionaries to build a house there. I never heard any- 

 thing of the Abyssinians threatening to kill the mis- 

 sionaries and burn their houses. I passed through 

 Gindar myself on the 25th of March last ; the mission- 

 aries' house was standing still, but the missionaries had 

 left, one of their number having died of fever after the 

 rains, so they moved to a healthier place, f'ourthly, 

 the article now ends by saying that ' a struggle of the 



