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CORRESPONDENCE.

THE ABYSSINIAN EXPEDITION.

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THE ABYSSINIAN EXPEDITION. DISPATCHES FROM SIR ROBERT NAPIER. Sir Stafford Northcote has received the following telegrams from Sir Robert Napier :— CAMP ARRANRIEM, FEB. 16. Prince Kassai met me yesterday with about 10,000 followers. His demeanour was extremely friendly. We conversed together for many hours, and our intercourse was most gratifying and satis- factory. The Prince accompanied me in the afternoon to a parade of my troops, after which himself and his army escorted me to the Prince's own tent, where the Prince entertained me till oight. He has promised to arrange for the supply of necessaries to our army. I am about to arrange this importa-nt matter with the Prince's brothers, and shall march to-day towards Antaio. ANTALO, MARCH. 2. I arrived here to-day, with the wings of four regiments and four horsed guns of G Battery, 14th Brigade Royal Artillery. The advance column moves towards Ashangi to-morrow, the 3rd inst. SUEZ. March 21. Advices received here from Abyssinia (date not given) state that King Theodore was entrenched on Tilanta Plateau, and that he intends giving battle. The fifth brigade was to advance on Ashangi on the 11th of March. Nearly all the troops are on the high lands. Large supplies have been collected in the neighbourhood of Antola. The Times special correspondent with the Abys- sinian expedition telegraphs as follows, under date of Antalo, March 8th:—'The advance guard has arrived at Antola, about 20 miles north of Lake Ashangi. The roads are extremely bad. A detach- ment is opening a mule road. The only provisions to be found in the country are flour and meat. Head-quarters will be at Ashangi by the middle of March. All well.' THE ABYSSINIAN EXPEDITION. The news from Abyssinia is, on the whole, good. There is still difficulty with the muleteers, who refuse after a long march to supply their animals with sufficient water, by which the prejudices of the muleteers are consulted, and the mules them- selves not overworked. This somewhat accounts for the delay which has been remarked upon in the March on Magdala. It appears that the dis- tance between-Attegerat andAntalo has been over, calculated by some twenty miles, so that instead of the troops having a hundred miles to march they will only have some seventy-nine. The cor- respondent of the Times, in mentioning this matter, says that the two hundred miles between Antalo and Magdala is likely, by taking a direct route, y 11 to dwindle to 150 miles. The passes have proved better than was expected, and though there are some roughs bits of road, altogether things have been very fair. There is a report that Theodore is marching on Gobazye. Though the authority is not good, the Times correspondent seems to think the rumour not improbable. It would be one of the best moves the King could make, as, if he takes Gobazye before the British come up, he will restore his prestige, which has sadly fallen with his troops. The I-Ierald correspondent gives some interesting facts concerning the character of the Abyssinians. He relates a story in which the Hindoo Syces con- nected with the British army trespassed on sacred ground. The priests brought the matter before Sir Robert Napier, who ordered the offenders to receive fifty lashes each. Whereupon the natives went down on their knees and declared they would not rise unless the trespassers were forgiven. He also confirms the truth of what Bruce said, that the natives cut steaks from the living ox. Some officers lately came upon the natives just as they were in the act of performing it. The unfortunate bullock was thrown, and its four legs were tied together. The operator then cut an incision in the Z, skin near the spine, just behind the hip-joint. He blew into this to separate the skin from the flesh, and then cut two other incisions at right angles to the first, and then lifted a flap of skin four or five inches square. From this he cut out a lump of flesh, cutting with the knife under the skin, so that the amount of flesh taken out was larger than the portion uncovered. The operator then filled, up the hole with cow-dung, replaced the flap of skin, plastered it up with mud, untied the feet of the poor animal, who bad kept up a low moaning while the operation was going on, gave it a kick to make it get up, and the whole thing was over. ?-' Z5 I should mention that the operator cut two or three gashes in the neighbourhood of the wound, apparently as a sign that the animal had'been operated upon in that part. The otticer observed that several of the other cattle in the same herd were marked in a precisely similar manner. They returned in half an hour, and found the animal walking about and feeding quietly. Antalo was looked forward to as a sort of paradise and everyone was wishing to get to it. It did not, however, come up to expectation. The Telegraph correspondent says Our reception by the good people of Antalo cannot be said to have been hos- pitable no one came near us, and the governors were reported absent. The commissariat officer, who rode into the town, came back desponding. He reported that Antalo, instead of being the mag- nificent place we had pictured to ourselves, was a straggling, dirty village he saw scarcely any inhabitants, except women, who, when we asked for grain, only said, I Ob, for goodness sake, go away we have no grain-nothing to eat. For pity's sake, get out of the town.' The fact is, the people are all frightened out of their wits. It takes 1,hem days to realise the extraordinary fact that we do not pillage them; they cannot under- stand it at aU." In the march on Antalo frequent stoppages were, 'made, in consequence of the gun's having to b< lifted over hills and unwieldy-ground, Complaints regarding the stoppages were loud and frequent, regarding the stoppages were loud and frequent, for they made the day and the march seem urt- usuually long, and the afternoon was well spent before the men reached the camp. This, the Daily News correspondent says, was unfortunate in more ways than one for no sooner had they arrived than the east showed unmistakeable signs of an approaching storm, and before tents could be pitched or shelter provided, a thunderstorm was raging among the bills. The lightning was characterised by a. vividity unknown elsewhere than in tropical latitudes the thunder was loud and the rain heavy though, luckily for more than one, Mai Wahiz was visited only by the tail of the shower. Writing from Ad Abagi, on the 22nd February, the same: correspondent says Major Grant and Captain Speedy, both belonging to the Intelligence Department, returned to Howzen this morning. These officers had met Kassai a few miles beyond that place, and made as definite arrangements as possible regarding the meeting, which may take place to-morrow, if the Tigre prince is ascertained to be at the appointed place-a plain about five miles from Ad Abagi, in the direction of Adowa. Several chiefs have already visited the camp, in order to satisfy themselves of the truth or falsity of the rumours that are abroad concerning the force and the more bright and intelligent of them have been initiated into the mysteries of the Armstrongs and Sniders, after beholding which, and asking- many shrewd and very practical questions, went away declaring themselves perfectly satisfied as to the genuineness of the Christianity of the English. Part of the advance brigade is now five miles beyond Antalo, which is reported to be no great city, but another Senafe, so far as size and popu- lation are concerned. The head quarters wing of the 33rd Regiment being beyond Antalo does not indicate any further advance for the present; Jet us hope the move was made to secure for the re- giment not only a defensible position, but a con- venient and commodious camp as well. The remainder of the brigade—the Scinde Horse, part of the 3rd Bombay Cavalry, two companies] Otb Native Infantry, a company 23rd Punjab Pioneers, 3rd and 4th companies Bombay Sappers, A 21 Royal Artillery, and two companies of Beloochees -must either be near Antalo or at work on the road. The health of the troops and followers con- tinues excellent, and the weather is pleasant, though of course the thermometer rises as we ad- vance southward." o SERIOUS ACCIDENT AT GATRSHEAD.-On Thurs- day Mr Gieves, traveiler for Messrs Bentley and Co, brewers, Leeds, called at a house in Gateshead to transact business, leaving his dogcart, to which was a spirited thoroughbred horse, in the charge of a little boy. The animal took fright, and bolted down hill for a distance of four miles, coming in contact with several vehicles in its route, and was finally brought to a stand still by entering the window front of Mr Caris, a jeweller. A man named Carr, was knocked down, and received a compound fracture of the leg. A woman, named Gilbert, who had a child in her arms, was also knocked down and had her collar bone dislocated, whilst the child escaped unhurt. Mr Caris has sustained serious damage. His shop has bay win- dows, the glass of which was of the strongest make. One of the shafts erf the vehicle went right into the window, bringing out rings, watches, and guards innumerable into the street. The horsey which had partly freed itself from the harness, made a jerk forward, causing the back part of the dog cart to crash into the window and complete the ruin. Mr Caris s stock was exhibited by means of plate glass shelves, firmly supported by strong iron, and these were riven out, and the whole of the contents precipitated into the street. Rings, watches, lockets, chains, and brooches of all des- criptions were rolling in the street, Mr Caris must have lost a great deal of valuable property, which z;1 was picked up unobserved. He caught one girl with half a-dozen watches in her pinafore, and men were seen walking off with gold rings and chains. He estimates his loss at from £400 to £500. WILLS AND BEQUESTS.—Probate of the will of the Right Hon. William Parsons, Earl of Rosso and Baron of Oxmantown, K.P., LL.D. of the Parsontown, in King's County, Ireland, was sealed in the London Court on the 2nd inst, having been first proved, on the 14th ult, in the priflcipal regis- try in Her Majesty's Court of Probate in Dublin, by the executors, the Hon. Mary, Countess ot Rosse, the relict; Mr John Gilbert King, M.P., of Ballylin, his Lordship's cousin and the Hon. Lawrence Parsons, of Uplands, Hampshire, his Lordship's brother, the joint acting executors. The personalty in England was sworn under £ 60,000, and that in Ireland under £20,000. The will is dated June 24th, 1867; and his Lordship died at Sea Point, Dublin, October 31 last, aged 67. To his Countess he has left an immediate legacy of £20,000 and all her jewelry, the carriages, horses, and the plate, except that which was his late father's, which is to pass with the estates under settlement, and to which the testator has added the castle aud domains of Parsonstown, which had lately been devised to his Lordship. To his eldest son and successor he leaves all his astronomical, mathema- tical, and philosopical instruments, engines and mechanical apparatus, and all his scientific works and library. His Lordship appoints his wife resi- duary legatee for life; and upon her ladyship's decease his youngest sons are entitled to the sum of £ 30,000. The surplus residue is to be divided among all his sonsequally. The will of Sir Edmund Walker Head, K.C.B., D,C.L., P.C., formerly of Chester-place^ Hyde Park, afterwards ofChesham- street, Belgravia-sqaare, and late of Eaton-square, Pimlico, was proved in the principal registry, on the 9th inst, by Anna Maria Lady Head,"the relict the 9th inst, by Anna Maria Lady Head; the relict sole executrix and guardian of her infant children. I The personalty in this counrty was sworn under £ 35,000. Sir Edmund was formerly Governor of Canada. He had also held the appointment of Poor Law Commissioner. Sir Edmund died, Jan- uary 28 last, at the age of 63, having executed his will September 29, 1863. He has left the whole of his property, real and personal, to his wife abso- lutely. The will of Mr Joseph Guest, of Dudley, Worcestershire, and of Barston, Warwickshire, was proved in the district registry at Worcester, by the executors, Edward Fisher Smith, of Dudley, and Edwin Dudley, of Kingswinford, Staffordshire. The personalty was sworn under £140,000. The will is dated the 24th of October, 1867, and the testator died on the 22nd of November following. He has bequeathed to the Society for the Promo- tion of Christian Knowledge, the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts, the National Society, and the Curate's Aid Society, ..each a legacy of jj500. He has left the interest of £1,600 to clothe the children of Barston Sunday School, and a legacy of X150 towards erecting a bridge at Eastcote. There are numerous legacies to relatives and friends and to servants. To each of his executors he leaves a legacy of X500. His sisters, Elizabeth Bennett and Mary Charlton, are largely interested under the will, and -be, has also appointed them residuary legatee,—Illustrated London Actcs. I CONFESSION tOF THE SELBY MURDERER.—FXED. Parker, who was convicted on Thursday last at York of the ipurder of Daniel Driscoll, a few miles from Selby, made a statement in the presence of Captain Lawrie, the governor of York Castle, and the chaplain, to the effect that be was guilty of the n murder and that his sentence was ajust one. THE TODMOKDEN TRAGEDY.—On inquiring at the Vicarage, late last night, we ( Manchester Courier) learnt that Mrs Plow still continues to improve; she is able to leave her bed. Her Majesty the Queen has, through Lord Stanley, written a letter of condolence to Mrs Plow, and kindly inquires as to the state of her health. THE CONDEMNED FENIANs,-On Sunday morning a respite arrived in Manchester for Thompson and Mullady, the convicts sentenced to death last week for participating in the attack on the prison van; and the murder of Sergeant Brett. They appeareo to be greatly relieved by the intelligence, although t, I they stated that they expected a reprieve. DETERMINED SUICIDE -An inquest was held at Penrith, on Friday afternoon, upon the body of II young man, apparently about 25 years of age> which had been found dead upon a footpath in a field about a mile from that town. When discovered early in the morning by a railway platelayer the body was lying face downwards, horribly mangled about the head and face. There was a pistol in the right hand, which seemed nearly new, and brains were scattered about to a distance of 30 yards. Tn the pocket of the deceased, whO was respectably attired, was found the sum of 7s. IOid., some percussion caps, an eyeglass, and a few other articles, but nothing by which he could be identified. He wore a dark grey tweed shooting coat and trousers, a black cloth waistcoat, short Wellington boots, a tartan scarf, &r. The jutf returned a verdict that he had committed suicide. the body had not been identified up till Saturday. ACCIDENT TO A BALLET DANCER.—A serious accident happened at Day's Concert-hall, Birming" ham, ou Friday evening. The performance con- cludes with a ballet divertissement, and in one -Of the scenes, representing "the Home of the FairieS, a number of dancers are arranged round the sta £ while the principal performs a pas seul. One<>f the dancers accidently touched a lamp with b& wand, and the wick falling upon the dress °* another of the dancers, she was immediately ell veloped in flames. She rushed on and off the stage, but none of the officials rendered any assistance. A man jumped from the side gallery on to the? stage, and, pulling off his coat, enveloped the sufferer with it, and extinguished the flimes. Sb* was taken to the Queen's Hospital, and now lie" in a very precarious condition, although up to rlid, day on Saturday there were hopes that she might recover. Every particle of clothing was burnt.off her. The proprietor has pieces of baize in u-atet at the wings in order to be used in case of accident" but the men whose duty it was to look after these matters were either absent or neglected their duty*

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