A Narrative Of Captivity In Abyssinia With Some Account Of The Late Emperor Theodore, His Country And People By Henry Blanc
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They Were Not Allowed To Leave
That Night; Even A Large Bundle Of Chains Was Brought In; But On
Some
Of the chiefs representing to his Majesty that without their
labour it would be exceedingly difficult to make roads and
Guide
the waggons, and that he could always put them in chains when he
reached Magdala, Theodore relented. He allowed them to go to their
own tents in the daytime, when not on duty; but at night for their
own safety, and, as he said, on account of the badness of his people,
he made them all sleep in one tent, a few yards from his own: with
the exception of a few days, they remained prisoners at night and
slaves during the day, until the beginning of April.
From early dawn to late at night Theodore was himself hard at work;
with his own hands he removed stones, levelled the ground, or helped
to fill up small ravines. No one could leave so long as he was there
himself; no one could think of eating, drinking, or of rest, whilst
the Emperor showed the example and shared the hardships. When he
could capture a few peasants or some of the rebels that crowned all
the heights around him, and day and night insulted or laughed at
him, he killed them in some cruel way or the other; but towards the
soldiers, ever since leaving Debra Tabor, he behaved better, and
left off beating or imprisoning them, as had been of late his wont.
On one or two occasions only he called them all around him, and,
standing on an elevated rock, addressed them in these terms:
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