LAT. 79 



requires so large a number. The little tents used on the 

 hills in India are lighter than bell tents, much easier to 

 pitch, and afford far more security against bad weather. 



At Lat we found Major Grant and Captain Moore, 

 who had been sent back by the Commander-in-chief to 

 expedite the arrangements for the carriage of commis- 

 sariat stores to the front. The Transport Train had, from 

 the very commencement of the campaign, proved quite 

 ■ inadequate by itself to perform this service, and native 

 carriage had been very largely employed. As far as 

 Atala aU had worked smoothly, and the stores had 

 been pretty regularly delivered ; but between Atala and 

 Ashangi, and still more beyond Ashangi, trickery and 

 oppression on the part of some of the petty chieftains 

 had caused a complete breakdown in the system, and 

 had not Gobazye's chieftains afforded a most unexpected 

 amount of assistance to the officers of the Commissariat 

 in procuring supplies, the army would have fared far 

 worse than it did. As it was, there was • always abun- 

 dance of food, though it only consisted of tough beef 

 and inferior flour. 



From these officers we at last learned something 

 definite as to the route in front, and the great passes still 

 to be surmounted. They had quitted the head-quarters 

 camp at Santara, on the Wadela plateau, six marches of 

 various lengths beyond Lat, and Magdala was stiU four 

 or five marches farther. When the fortress would be 

 reached was stiU uncertain, but we might stiU be in time 

 to witness its fall. It was amusing, with reference to 

 this subject, to hear the reports which circulated from 



