A Narrative Of Captivity In Abyssinia With Some Account Of The Late Emperor Theodore, His Country And People By Henry Blanc
- Page 318 of 373 - First - Home
Mrs. Rosenthal Was Also Allowed To Accompany The Party,
And All Arrived On The Amba On The Afternoon Of The
26th of January.
The five Europeans were sent to us; and on the interpreter's hut
being given to Mr. and
Mrs. Rosenthal, the larger one that gentleman
had previously occupied was made over to the other five. We were
well pleased to be all together. The new comers had much to tell
us, and we in return gave them an account of our doings. We were,
above all things, rejoiced at the arrival of Mrs. Rosenthal; our
morbid idea having been for months, almost up to the end, that some
flying column would be detached from the main body of our army to
cut off Theodore from the mountain; and our anxiety had been great
on account of Mrs. Rosenthal and her child, as Theodore, according
to his system of hostages, had kept her near him as a security to
prevent the Magdala prisoners from running away.
Messengers now went backwards and forwards daily, sometimes twice
in the same day, between the camp and the amba. At first, we saw
with anxiety the near approach of Theodore and the renewed facility
of his communications with us; but as it was an evil we were powerless
to contend against, we consoled ourselves as best we could, and
though fearing the worst, hoped for the best. One advantage we
gained was the facility of corresponding with Mr. Flad, who always,
with great courage, had, ever since his return from England, on all
possible occasions, kept us informed of Theodore's doings, and of
anything he might have said with reference to the existing difficulties.
He wrote to us in the beginning of February to inform us that, from
some, conversation he had had with officers of the Imperial household,
it was his opinion that his Majesty was aware of the landing of our
troops, and had purposely sent to him a chief to find out what the
intentions of our Government were concerning himself, and if there
was still any hope of the matter being peaceably settled.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 318 of 373
Words from 87395 to 87748
of 102802
