Reconnoitring in Abyssinia: a narrative of the proceedings of the reconnoitring party, prior to the arrival of the main body of the expeditionary Field Force

Front matter

RECONNOITRING IN ABYSSINIA. ARolfe ddL .MSHHuriiait imp ILLELEIA Fm 210 Lcndon; SsaHi.Bder * i Place 1870. i RECONNOITRING IN ABYSSINIA a narrative of the proceedings of THE RECONNOITRING PARTY, prior to the arrival of the main body of THE EXPEDITIONARY FIELD FORCE BY COLONEL H. St. CLAIR WILKINS, ROYAL ENGINEERS, AIDE-DE-CAMP TO THE QUEEN, COMMANDING ENGINEER ABYSSINIAN EXPEDITIONARY FORCE. WITH TEN COLOURED VIEWS FROM SKETCHES MADE IN THE COUNTRY, AND A MAP. LONDON : SMITH, ELDER & CO., 15, WATERLOO PLACE. 1870. (The right of Translation is reserved.] PAGE CONTENTS. Chapter I. ROUTES.

Object of the Abyssinian Expedition — Composition of the Force —Base of Operations in India— Selection of Routes— Physical Character of Abyssinia — Three Routes from the Red Sea- Government of Bombay ordered to Organize the Expedition- Sir Robert Napier appointed Commander-in-Chief— Northern Routes negatived— Distance of Magdala from the Coast- Country and Coast Tribes on Southern Route — Consul Plowden's Opinion — His Death — Dr. Krapf's Recommendation — M. Munzinger's Report of Routes — Salt Lake Visited by Mr. Coffin — Don Alonzo Mendez — M. Lefebvre — Dangerous Physical Character of the Salt Lake — M. Lefebvre's Sun-stroke — Doctor Beke — His Knowledge of the Country — His Journey to Abyssinia in 1866 on behalf of Prisoners — His Failure — His Discovery of the Course of the River Hadas — His Recommendations — His Condemnation of any Route from Amphilla Bay, or by the Nile — A Reconnoitring Party ordered to Select the Route to be adopted by the British Expedition — Doctor Beke's Latest Opinions — Sir William Coghlan's Scheme — Probability of his Appointment as Commander-in- Chief — Duke of Cambridge Selects Sir Robert Napier — Colonel Merewether's Proceedings on Behalf of the Captives — His Excursions — His Visit to Amphilla Bay, and to the Agametta Plateau — Great Heat at Massowah and Tajura — Rise of the Chief Kasa in Tigre" — Colonel Merewether recommends Amphilla Bay as the Point of Debarkation — Final Decision of the Ministry — M. Munzinger's Perilous Journey — His Discovery of the Oasis of Ragoole" — Point of Debarkation and Route into Abyssinia still undetermined VI CONTENTS.

PAGE Chapter II. PREPARATIONS. Officers warned for Field Service — Colonel Merewether's Arrival at Bombay — News ofthe Prisoners — Mr. Flad's Interview with Theodorus — The King Harassed by Rebels — His Cruelty — Critical Position of Prisoners — Supineness of the British Government — Menelek, King of Shoa — His Escape from Magdala — His Letter to the Queen— His Apologies — A Reconnoitring Field Force Ordered — Composition of Field Force — Objects to be Attained — Commander-in-Chief's Memorandum — His Foresight — Appoints a Committee of Officers of the R. F. F. to Decide upon the Place of Debarkation, &c. — Memorandum of the Governor of Bombay — Effect of Northerly Winds on the Bay — Protection, how afforded — Season for Active Operations — South-west Monsoon — Departure of R. F. F. Postponed — The Three Steamers 30 Chapter III. voyage.

Preface

. Although more than one account of the Abyssinian Expedition has been published, little beyond a passing notice has been accorded by the writers to the operations of the Reconnoitring Party, which preceded the Expeditionary Force. This omission is probably owing to the fact, that the authors did not accompany, or belong to, that Party, and were consequently unwilling to describe what they had not personally witnessed. The Reconnoitring Force left Bombay as early as the 1 6th September, and arrived at Massowah on the ist October, 1867. During October and November the country was reconnoitred in several directions, and preparations were made on the sea-coast for the arrival of the Expeditionary Force. The line of country which was selected for the route of the British army from

PREFACE.

. the Red Sea up to the highlands of Abyssinia, was explored by the 8th, and finally decided upon by the Reconnoitring Committee on the 1 7th November. The Advance Brigade, sent to support the Reconnoitring Party, arrived in Annesley Bay on the 2 ist October; and following the route which had been chosen, occupied a post on the highlands on the 6th December, 1867. The main body of the Expeditionary Force disembarked at Zulla in the months of December and January, and the Commander-in-Chief arrived on the 3rd January, 1868. It is evident, therefore, from the dates above given, that a narrative of the proceedings of the Reconnoitring Party is required to complete the history of the Abyssinian Expedition ; and with this object in view, the present volume has been written.

Chapter I. Routes

Object of the Abyssinian Expedition — Composition of the Force — Base of Operations in India — Selection of Routes — Physical Character of Abyssinia — Three Routes from the Red Sea — Government of Bombay ordered to Organize the Expedition — Sir Robert Napier appointed Commander-in-Chief — Northern Routes negatived — Distance of Magdala from the Coast — Country and Coast Tribes on Southern Route — Consul Plowden's Opinion — His Death — Dr. Krapf's Recommendation — M. Munzinger's Report of Routes — Salt Lake Visited by Mr. Coffin — Don Alonzo Mendez — M. Lefebvre — Dangerous Physical Character of the Salt Lake — M. Lefebvre's Sun-stroke — Doctor Beke — His Knowledge of the Country — His Journey to Abyssinia in 1866 on behalf of Prisoners — His Failure — His Discovery of the Course of the River Hadas — His Recommendations — His Condemnation of any Route from Amphilla Bay, or by the Nile — A Reconnoitring Party ordered to Select the Route to be Adopted by the British Expedition — Doctor Beke's Latest Opinions — Sir William Coghlan's Scheme — Probability of his Appointment as Commander-in-Chief — Duke of Cambridge Selects Sir Robert Napier — Colonel Merewethe.s Proceedings on Behalf of the Captives — His Excursions — His Visit to Amphilla Bay, and to the Agametta Plateau — Great Heat at Massowah and Tajura — Rise of the Chief Kasa in Tigre" — Colonel Merewether recommends Amphilla Bay as the Point ot Debarkation— Final Decision of the Ministry— M. Munzinger's Perilous Journey— His Discovery ofthe Oasis of Ragoole— Point of Debarkation and Route into Abyssinia still undetermined.

In August, 1867, the British Government resolved upon the invasion of Abyssinia. It was decided to despatch a military expedition to that remote country, for the purpose of releasing from the hands of the Christian King Theodorus a British Consul and an Envoy and suite confined in irons in the fortress of Magdala without just cause, and con trary to the law of nations ; and to obtain full satisfaction for the dishonour thus cast upon the British nation. The country to be invaded being a portion of the continent of Africa situated but a few degrees from the Equator, it was considered advisable that the force to be employed should not be despatched from England ; but that troops, with officers and staff, of Indian experience, would be more at home in Abyssinia, and by their organization and equip ments adapted to the tropics, better fitted for the particular service in hand.

It was also decided that the Expeditionary Force should include native troops, both cavalry and infantry. Bombay, being the British dependency in India nearest to England and Abyssinia, was fixed upon by the English Government as the base of opera- ROUTES. 3 tions, from whence the greater portion of the force and materiel should be despatched to the almost terra incognita called Abyssinia. As soon as the Expedition was determined upon, with Magdala, the objective point, supposed to be situated between n° and 12 ° of north latitude, it became necessary to select the route to be adopted by the invading force. The idea of reaching the heart of Abyssinia from Egypt by the Nile was proposed and advocated by Sir Henry Bulwer. This route was, however, negatived for various reasons, physical and political, and it then remained for Government to fix upon some line of approach from the Red Sea.

It was well known that the physical conformation of Abyssinia was rugged in the extreme ; that it consisted of a table-land of great elevation, much cut up and intersected by deep ravines, the moun tains supporting it being steep, and in many parts very precipitous. Much difficulty was anticipated in penetrating through so rough and mountainous a country, as all travellers reported it to be ; but the lowland lying between the Red Sea and the base of the Abyssinian mountains was especially to be dreaded, as most injurious to the constitution of Europeans from the extreme tropical heat prevailing, and the generally supposed deficiency of its water supply. The routes from the Red Sea which came under discussion may be generalized under three heads. The first, proposed by the accomplished Nile ex plorer, Sir Samuel Baker, was from Souakin, a port in the Red Sea, situated some 300 miles north of Massowah, in 200 north latitude.

This entailed a long land journey of 250 miles before the northern provinces of Abyssinia could be reached. The second, proposed by Major-General Sir W. M. Coghlan, R.A., for many years Political Resident and Commandant at Aden, was from Massowah, the Egyptian port of Abyssinia ; or from the bays to the south of Massowah, known by the names of Annesley and Amphilla, the routes from which to the highlands led up through rugged and mountainous passes. The third, proposed by the Abyssinian traveller and missionary, Dr. Krapf, was by way of the Gulf of Tajura, situated one degree south of the Straits of Bab-ul-Mandeb, in the latitude of which the fortress of Magdala was supposed to be situated. The Secretary of State for India instructed the Government of Bombay, under Sir Seymour Fitz gerald, to organize the Expedition ; and appointed Lieutenant-General Sir Robert Napier, Commander in-Chief of Bombay and Member of Council, to the command of the Expedition as Plenipotentiary and General.

ROUTES. 5 The Bombay Government readily accepted the task, which proved onerous enough, for it was no light matter organizing an expedition for the invasion of an unknown country, distant nearly 2,000 miles, and which was not to be depended upon for supplies of any description, or for the necessary carriage of an army. Not only was it necessary to organize the Expedition in the first instance, but the heavy and responsible duties connected with it never ceased until the termination of the campaign and the return of the troops nearly twelve months afterwards. The first route named, by Souakin, was negatived on account of the long and desert land journey through Egyptian territory, and the political necessity of avoiding any apparent united action between the British and Egyptian Governments.

The choice of a route therefore lay between the Massowah and Tajura routes, or routes contiguous to either port. The eastern margin of the highlands of Abyssinia having a direction due north and south, and the shore of the Red Sea south of Massowah bearing south-east, the low land intervening forms an isosceles triangle, the apex at Massowah, Tajtira at one angle of the base, and Ankobar at the other. Magdala was supposed to be situated a short distance within the highland margin due west of Tajura, as shown in the diagram : — The distance from Massowah to Magdala, and from Tajura to the fortress, was almost identical ; the consideration of the Bombay Government was therefore directed to the advantages attending the adoption, broadly, as will be hereafter seen, of either line. On the one hand, the route from Massowah would lead the army across an almost unknown alpine country, with a tolerably cool climate due to elevation above the sea, water supply unknown ; on the other, the country to be traversed was com- ROUTES. 7 paratively level and easy, but badly provided with water, and cursed with an infamous climate.

The route from the Gulf of Tajura to Ankobar, the capital of Shoa, the southernmost province of Abyssinia, and from which Magdala was supposed to lie some 150 miles due north, was well known to Government. A mission, under the direction of the late Sir William Harris, an officer of the Bombay Engineers, had been sent by the British Government to Sahela Selasse, the king of Shoa, in the year 1841. Sir William Harris, in his book and despatches, had given a very accurate description of the route he had taken, which passed through a most wretched low country almost devoid of water, and inhabited by savage tribes of Adal and Somal, the heat of the climate being intense. The character of the natives inhabiting the lowland country near Tajura and adjacent coasts was known to the Government through Colonel, now Sir William Merewether, and his predecessors, Political Residents at Aden.

Mahomedans, not Abyssinians, descendants of Arab invaders, they are divided into tribes which are perpetually at feud with each other ; regarding a murder or cowardly assassination with pride, as entitling the murderer to wear, as a distinction, a white ostrich feather in his hair ; avaricious in the extreme ; and thoroughly untrustworthy and savage. The writer having in the years 185 1 and 1856 visited the country about Tajura, and the neighbouring Somali ports of Zeyla, Berbera, and Ain terrad on shooting expeditions, had made the acquaintance of the nomad races under discussion. For good-humour, savage villainy, treachery, lying, and rapacity, he unhesitatingly awards them the palm amongst all Eastern nations with which he is acquainted. From the information which existed as to the more direct and westerly line from Tajura or Raheita, via lakes Assal, Aussa, and Haik, it was considered impracticable, being very unhealthy even for the natives ; and from the low level of the country by Lake Assal — the lake being salt, and 570 feet below sea level — sweet water, in any quantity, could not be expected.

Moreover, the anchorages at Tajura, Zeyla, and Raheita, were known to be difficult and bad." Concerning this route, the Political Resident at Aden wrote : — " The route from Tajourra (Tajura) is the shortest and most direct to Magdala, but the inhabitants of the country between Tajourra and Angoba, pagan Danakil, are of the worst description, the most inveterate thieves and murderers on the face of the earth. The distance from Tajourra to Done, near Lake Haik, in Ardoba, is about * Captain Cruttenden, I. N. — Blue Book, -p. 167. ROUTES. 9 220 miles. For the first hundred there is scarcely any water, and that brackish. Until Abyssinia is reached, that is Angoba, there are no supplies." For the reasons given, the routes south of the Red Sea Straits could not be entertained, and the more northerly route, or some route nearer the apex of the lowland triangle, was regarded as the solution of the problem.

The information possessed regarding the routes from Massowah and the neighbouring bays into Abyssinia was vague, conflicting, and for the most part conjectural. Consul Plowden, who was unfortunately killed near G6ndar, in 1860, by the Chief Garred, a cousin of Theodorus, in rebellion against him, and who of all English travellers was the best acquainted with the Abyssinians and their country, who was also well aware of Mr. Salt's, the Abys sinian traveller's, proposal to open up the Amphilla Bay route, considered the ordinary kafilah road from Massowah as the best entrance into the country. It may be mentioned incidentally here, that on the King following up the rebellious Negussieh, accompanied by the Englishman Bell, the Chief Garred and his brother came suddenly upon them in a wood. Before the rebels could throw their spears, Bell shot Garred dead, and was immediately afterwards killed by the brother, whose spear penetrated his forehead.

Theodorus cut down Garred's brother, and afterwards, in revenge for the death of Plowden and Bell, executed 1,500 of the Chief's followers by cutting off their hands and feet. Dr. Krapf, the missionary, who had given a brief account of his return journey from Tekoonda to Harkiko in 1842, and who had four years pre viously travelled from Massowah to Halai by the river Hadas, recommended the third route from Tajura, already discarded. M. Munzinger, the French and acting British Consul at Massowah, who had resided for ten years in Northern Abyssinia, reported in January, 1867, that " There are only two roads leading to Northern Abyssinia which are worth close examination, because they alone are practicable to camels : — " One is by Tekoonda, following the well-known torrent of Hadas to the foot of the Taranta Moun tain, where it turns to the left ; then along another torrent to the ascent to Tekonda, which could easily be made practicable for any carriage.

" The other is to Kiaguor." M. Munzinger added that from Kiaguor " the road ascends the hill not practicable at present for camels, but can easily be made so." M. Munzinger made a reconnoissance of this road to Kiaguor, in January, 1867, at Colonel Merewether's request. The route mentioned by M. Munzinger to ROUTES. 11 Tekoonda by the River Hadas, was the same as that described by Dr. Krapf, mentioned above. Mr. Salt, the traveller, who had been private secretary to Lord Valentia, and who was subse quently British Consul-General in Egypt, was sent in the year 1805 on a mission to Ras Walda Selasse, ruler of Tigre. Mr. Salt proposed to open up the track leading from Amphilla Bay to the highlands. For the furtherance of his project he despatched his companion, Mr. Coffin, early in the present century, to explore the route — an under taking which he accomplished at great risk.

The death of Ras Walda Selasse, and, subsequently, that of Mr. Salt himself, prevented the further progress of his design.. Mr. Coffin, who, it may be mentioned, lived for more than half a century in Abyssinia, and lately died there, started from Amphilla on the 10th of January, 1S10. After traversing fifty miles of barren and rugged country he arrived at the edge of an extensive salt plain, said to be four days' journey in extent. Crossinghalf a mile of salt marsh, the surface became strongly crusted, hard, and crystalline, resembling in appearance a rough coarse sheet of ice. The Salt Lake took Mr. Coffin and his party five hours to cross, and the route up to the highlands was over steep and rugged passes. This route was also travelled by the Jesuit priest, Don Alonzo Mendez, in May and June, 1625.

He says: — "Eating very little besides rice we had with us, meeting no town to furnish us with provisions, and the heat so violent that it melted the wax in our boxes ; without any shade but that of briars, which did us more harm than good, lying on the hard ground, and drinking brackish water of very ill scent, and sometimes but very little of that," &c. Subsequently, M. Lefebvre attempted to make a journey from the highlands towards the Salt Plain. He descended to Ficho, a few hours' journey from the plain, to which place the Taltals bring up salt from the lake. The market of Ficho was attended by caravans from Atsbe, Adigerat, Dessa, and Oika messal, the Taltals only taking the salt as far as Ficho. The Chief of Ficho informed M. Lefebvre that the Salt Lake, named " Alelbad," often changed its shape and place.

As he expressed it, "the lake moves." " Often," said the Chief, " on going to a place which the evening before was quite solid, you suddenly break through and disappear in the abyss." " But what is more frightful," states M. Lefebvre, " is the overflow of the waters ; sometimes the lake rises like a mountain and falls again into the plain like a deluge ; entire caravans, men and beasts, are ROUTES. 13 engulphed. There are, however, precursory signs, of which mounted men only can take advantage by flying at the utmost speed of their animals ; occasionally, some of them have thus escaped, and it is from them that these terrible details are procured. " The salt is found in the neighbourhood of the lake, in horizontal beds two inches thick, which are got out with wooden levers ; the pieces are then cut into the proper size for sale with little hatchets.

A little to the north three volcanoes are found, at the foot of which sulphur is found mixed with salt ; from these volcanoes is often heard a dull sound, which the Taltals call the Devil's thunder." M. Lefebvre was very curious to visit the Salt Plain, but he was told that " an Abyssinian, much more a white man, could not support the heat ; the Taltals themselves often fell struck by congestion of the brain." He persisted in undertaking the journey, but before he came in sight of the Salt Plain he, too, was struck down by the sun, and was obliged to retreat precipitately, narrowly escaping with his life. M. Lefebvre subsequently became insane, and was put in chains at Gondar by a chief in rebellion against Theodorus. Consul Plowden effected his release in 1856. To complete the information obtained from the descriptions given by various travellers, bearing upon the north-easterly routes into Abyssinia, it only remains to mention last, but certainly not least, the voluminous correspondence and writings of the learned Dr. Beke, who has made Abyssinian affairs his study ever since he first visited the country thirty years ago.

It is unnecessary to refer to Dr. Beke's earlier writings, or to the information respecting Abyssinia, or its affairs, he was in the habit of communicating to Government prior to the year 1866, when he started for Abyssinia on a private mission to King Theodorus, bearing a letter from the friends of the captives ; for his knowledge of the north-easterly routes, extended by his visit on that occasion, is freely given in the numerous letters he addressed to the Government on his return from his well-intentioned, but ineffectual attempt to soften the heart of the despotic King. On the 1 2th April, 1867, Dr. Beke wrote to the English Minister for Foreign Affairs, and the information given in his letter bearing upon the subject in hand may be thus summarised : — That the readiest access to Abyssinia was from the west coast of Annesley Bay, where the table land, 8,000 feet high, approaches within twenty miles of the sea-shore.

That Dr. Beke travelled to the edge of the table-land up the valley of the River Hadas, and discovered that this river falls into the Bay near the ancient city of Adulis. ROUTES. 15 That Dr. Beke subsequently learned that a far preferable road led to Senafe, either from the head of Annesley Bay, or from Howakil Bay further south, which road the Government must have heard of from Mr. Salt. That if Magdala was to be seized by a coup de main, another road altogether, that from Raheita in the Straits, should be preferred. Thus it will be observed, that Dr. Beke did not recommend the route taken by him up the valley of the River Hadas to Halai, which, with the exception of the lowland portion from Adulis, was the same as that taken by Dr. Krapf, and described by him in 1842 ; but readily gave up that with which he was acquainted, for a route he had only heard of as leading from the head of Annesley Bay, or from Howakil Bay to Senafe.

On the 13th June, 1867, Dr. Beke wrote in condemnation ol any route from Amphilla Bay ; likewise of the route from Egypt up the Nile. His argument against the adoption ofthe Nile route was quite conclusive and unanswerable. On the 25th July, the Secretary of State for India telegraphed to the Governor of Bombay to send a reconnoitring party to settle the route to be adopted ; and the telegram was replied to within three days. Dr. Beke wrote again to the Foreign Office on 10th and 14th August; but the officers sent to Abyssinia in September, did not become acquainted with Dr. Beke's latest opinions as expressed in these communications — which were in favour of a route with which he was personally unacquainted, and respecting which he could give no information — until their labours had drawn to a close.

Although Dr. Beke's letters had no influence upon the proceedings of the exploring party, it will not be out of place to give the substance of his communications. Dr. Beke's recommendations may be summed up as follows, his remarks in cxtenso being too long for insertion : — In case it might be necessary to march a British army as far as Magdala, or into the interior of Abyssinia, he suggested Senafe for the encampment of the British force ; this post on the highlands being attained either by a route from Adulis up the valley of the Hadas to Tekoonda, or by the supposed better road from the peninsula of Bure, by the north end ofthe Salt Plain of Harko. In case of an alternative plan of endeavouring to seize Magdala by a coup de main, with a small force, making forced marches, the route from Raheita to Magdala was to be preferred over that from Tajura to Shoa.

Thus while Dr. Beke's acquaintance with Abys- ROUTES. 17 1 sinia, its people and languages, probably not exceeded by that of any other European now living, may be fully conceded, together with the fact that, for the last thirty years, he has endeavoured, by his learned scientific writings and letters, to create in the minds of his countrymen an interest in that extraordinary land ; yet, as respects the march of the British force from the sea-coast into that country, — the ordinary level of which is equal in elevation above the sea to the summit of the St. Gothard Pass over the Alps — he was not in a position, from the want of personal knowledge, to give useful and reliable information. Dr. Beke was not acquainted with the portion of the route from the foot of Shumfaito to Tekoonda, and from thence to Senaie, or with the routes between Bure and Senafe.

He was misinformed as to the existence of water in the bed of the Hadas, " all the way down to close to the sea-shore," as it was afterwards discovered that no water existed between the base of the mountains at Hadoda, on the Hadas, and the watering-place of Zulla, at Mulkuttoo, a distance of at least fourteen miles, the whole width of the lowlands at this point. These observations conclude that portion of the narrative which relates to the information in possession of Government, obtained from their own archives, and from the writings and suggestions of private individuals acquainted with the country. proceedings of Government through their own officers must now be described. On the 20th March, 1867, Major-General Sir W. M. Coghlan, of the Royal Artillery, who had for many years held the post of Political Resident and Commandant at Aden, and who was conversant with the localities and political affairs of the tribes occupying the countries adjacent to the Red Sea, submitted to the Home Government a matured scheme for an Abyssinian Expeditionary Force.

In the preparation of his scheme, Sir William Coghlan stated he had availed himself largely of the assistance of the Rev. G. P. Badger, a gentleman well known to Government as an Oriental scholar, and who, from his intimate acquaintance with Orientals, had rendered signal service to the country during the Persian war. Sir William Coghlan proposed, that the Expedi tion should not consist of less than 10,000 men of all arms. After fully discussing the political aspect of the question which led him to form the estimate of the force which, in his opinion, would be necessary to effect the object in view, he proceeded to say : — " The next subject of importance is the route to be adopted, in order to reach the high table land of Abyssinia. Of these there are several : — " Sir William Coghlan's remarks upon the routes ROUTES. 19 are so far-seeing, and judicious, that no apology is needed for quoting them in full : — " First, that by Tajourra (opposite to Aden) to Shoa, which has been recommended by Dr. Krapf.

But the road is rough, desolate, and barren, and in several parts almost destitute of water. The French traveller, M. Rochet, who traversed it four times, describes it thus : — ' Je crois pouvoir dire il y a peu de voyages plus fatigants pour l'esprit et pour le corps, plus perilleux a la fois, et plus mono tone, que de parcourir les deserts des Adels.' Moreover, it is by no means the nearest route to Begemder, the head-quarters of Theodorus ; and although the Shoa people would undoubtedly be ready to co-operate with the British, and might furnish a respectable contingent, nevertheless, as a wide extent of country interposes between them and Begemder, inhabited by warlike Gallas, who would be as jealous of Shoa ascendency as they may be disaffected towards Theodorus, by contracting any alliance with the Shoans, we may run the risk of evoking the antagonism of their Galla rivals, and thereby dispose the latter to gravitate towards the Royal party.

" The nearest route is unquestionably by Am philla (Hansila), situated on the western shore of the Red Sea, opposite to Hodeida ; but Moresby describes it as ' one of the most wretched places on coast. The village, which hardly deserves the name, consists of six miserable huts, close to the sea, on the verge of a sandy plain, and does not appear capable of furnishing any supplies.' Consul Plow den calls it ' a bad roadstead, and a worse landscape ; very unfavourable to the shipment of goods, with little water, and that of a bad quality.' Another drawback, which he mentions, is the fierce tribe of the Taltals, who occupy the intermediate region between the coast and the highlands in the interior, and of whom we know scarcely anything beyond their treachery and barbarity. The sole advantage of vicinity, therefore, is quite neutralized by the difficulties attending that route.