58 ABYSSINIA AND ASHANTI. 



the weather; but in all three, a wise selection of the 

 proper moment for starting, with adequate preparations 

 made beforehand, for the supply of the necessary stores, 

 combined subsequently with a vigorous prosecution of 

 the objects of the expedition in sufficient force to ensure 

 success followed by an immediate withdrawal the 

 instant this had been realized enabled the commanders 

 to bring 1 them to a triumphant conclusion with com- 

 paratively trivial loss. 



Those who witnessed the departure of the troops for 

 Abyssinia and Ashanti will, however, doubtless remem- 

 ber the dismal foreboding with which the deadly nature 

 of the climate was regarded. It is only necessary to 

 refer to the files of the newspapers of the day to 

 realize how strong a hold this view had taken upon 

 the public mind. 



Many people thought that very few of those who 

 went out would ever return nor can it be said that 

 these fears were altogether groundless, for judging 

 from the experiences of former expeditions at the end 

 of the last and the beginning of the present century, 

 very great losses seemed not improbable. But, by 

 going at the right time, in the right manner, and 

 lastly by getting away again in time, as we have 

 pointed out, these disasters were avoided. 



It will merely be necessary to refer to a single one 

 of the many cases where in former times these things 

 were done with an entire disregard to these con- 

 siderations, to show the appalling consequences which 

 ignorance and incompetence in such matters are almost 

 certain to entail. 



We shall select the case of the Walcheren Expe- 

 dition of 1809. 



