to be your Majesty's opinion, viz., that such separate jurisdiction would be impossible to carry out, and is also unnecessary where the laws are so mild as in Abyssinia, this would be sufficient for the present.

But it seems to me that a few hours' conversation would settle these matters either one way or the other.

As your Majesty is now, by God's grace, master of Shoa, I would gladly know whether your Majesty has any intention of opening a trade through Zeyla in opposition to Massowah. In the meantime, I can only point it out to your Majesty as worthy of attention.

If I could have some assurance with regard to the stopping of the Slave Trade in this country, which has again been opened, I believe without your Majesty's knowledge, I feel certain that satisfactory information on that point would be received with much pleasure by my Government.

A clause in the Treaty on this subject would be still better.

I can only thank your Majesty now for the courteous manner in which your Majesty has received the presents I brought, of which, as well as of the distinguished manner in which I have hitherto been treated, I shall write immediately to England.

It is my duty, however, to add that if your Majesty wishes me to stay until I have finished everything thoroughly, I can dismiss my people if they are too many for a camp, and stay till you have quite done with me.

I owe it to my Government to tell you this.

I am now about to write to the Pasha of Massowah, telling him that if he commits any aggression on those under your Majesty's rule, from where he is on the coast, I feel certain that his conduct will be greatly disapproved of by my Government.

I will also write to my Government, mentioning your Majesty's wise resolution not to give either Egypt or Turkey any ground for attack, which I feel sure will do much to confirm its opinion of your Majesty's prudence as well as courage.

Your Majesty has many enemies besides the Turks and Egyptians who will rejoice in putting your Majesty in the wrong, and who will rejoice especially if your Majesty gives them an opportunity of doing so.

The King of Abyssinia.

I have, &c.

C. DUNCAN CAMERON.

(Inclosure 2.)-The King of Abyssinia to the Queen of England.

(Translation.)

IN the name of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, one God in Trinity, chosen by God, King of Kings, Theodoros of Ethiopia, to Her Majesty Victoria, Queen of England. I hope your

Majesty is in good health. By the power of God I am well. My fathers the Emperors having forgotten our Creator, he handed over their Kingdom to the Gallas and Turks. But God created me, lifted me out of the dust, and restored this Empire to my rule. He endowed me with power, and enabled me to stand in the place of my fathers. By His power I drove away the Gallas. But for the Turks I have told them to leave the land of my ancestors. They refuse. I am now going to wrestle with them. Mr. Plowden, and my late Grand Chamberlain, the Englishman Bell, used to tell me that there is a great Christian Queen, who loves all Christians. When they said to me this, "We are able to make you known to her, and to establish friendship between you," then in those times I was very glad. I gave them my love, thinking that I had found your Majesty's goodwill. All men are subject to death, and my enemies, thinking to injure me, killed these my friends. But by the power of God I have exterminated those enemies, not leaving one alive, though they were of my own family, that I may get, by the power of God, your friendship.

I was prevented by the Turks occupying the sea-coast from sending you an Embassy when I was in difficulty. Consul Cameron arrived with a letter, and presents of friendship. By the power of God I was very glad hearing of your welfare, and being assured of your amity. I have received your presents, and thank you much.

I fear that if I send Ambassadors with presents of amity by Consul Cameron, they may be arrested by the Turks.

And now I wish that you may arrange for the safe passage of my Ambassadors everywhere on the road.

I wish to have an answer to this letter by Consul Cameron, and that he may conduct my Embassy to England. See how the Islam oppress the Christian.

No. 5.-Consul Cameron to Earl Russell.-(Received March 9.) MY LORD, Axum, Abyssinia, January 1, 1863. I HAVE the honour to report that I have been intercepted in my journey coastward by the sudden rising of a rebel on my road.

His object was to possess himself of my person, strengthen himself with my arms and ammunition, and then proceed to the plunder of Adona.

He is supported by 300 followers.

Intelligence of this having reached me, I remained on my guard at Adona.

The Governor, at the same time, sent out a hasty levy to put down the insurgent. These were beaten back, after a sharp skirmish, and arrived at Adona at midnight, when I was hurried away by the

officials, barely carrying with me my money, ammunition, some clothes, and writing materials.

I am now lodged at Axum, whose church enjoys privileges of sanctuary, similar to those of medieval Europe My person is, therefore, safe; my property left behind is, I trust, equally so, being deposited in the church at Adona.

This movement has no political significance. The rebel in question, whose name is Sidj Cassa, is a mere robber. His father, Atto Goldja, was also a noted brigaud, though of influential family. He was slain before Adona two years since, with two of his sons, while preparing an attack on the town, and his remains were contumeliously burned-a great insult in this country. The object of the surviving son is revenge and plunder. One of the causes which have laid this province open to so daring a defiance of authority, is King Theodore's having lately sent for the grandees of Tigré to pay him homage, who have drained the country of their military followers.

This result will, I hope, have one good effect, in showing His Majesty that he has much to do before he can meditate any but defensive foreign wars. I have, &c. Earl Russell.

C. DUNCAN CAMERON.

SIR,

No. 6.-Earl Russell to Consul Cameron.

Foreign Office, April 22, 1863. WITH reference to your despatch of the 31st of October last, I have to state to you that it is not desirable for Her Majesty's Agents to meddle in the affairs of Abyssinia, and you would have done better had you returned to your post at Massowah when the King told you to do so. This it will be right that you should do at once, and you will remain at Massowah until further orders.

You will of course keep Her Majesty's Government fully and accurately informed of French proceedings in Abyssinia.

C. D. Cameron, Esq.

I am,

&c.

RUSSELL.

No. 7.-Consul Cameron to Earl Russell.-(Received July 5.) (Extract.) Bogos, Abyssinia, March 31, 1863. WITH reference to my despatch of the 1st of January, I have the honour to state that King Theodore having sent one of his Generals to Tigré to break up the force of the brigand Cassa, the latter has been stripped of everything, and has taken refuge in the Turkish territory.

The road being thus once more rendered safe, as I had received

a very doubtful reply from the Pasha of Cassala to my despatch pointing out to him the necessity of restraining the predatory incursions of the frontier Arabs on Abyssinia, I considered it my duty to proceed to Bogos, which, as well as the neighbouring country, has long been under our protection.

This was the more necessary as a number of the cattle of which the natives had been stripped in Mr. Plowden's time, and only a portion of which had been returned on his application to the Egyptian Government, still remained to be handed over, and the inhabitants looked to me to see the work of my predecessor brought to a close.

As the fate of Cassa had not then been quite ascertained, and the recent disturbance in Tigré had raised many robber bands, who availed themselves of the confusion to plunder on their own account, I applied to the authorities, who furnished me with an escort of 5,000 men across the River Mareb.

The strength of the escort was regulated by their own fears, as the King had previously written to say that if anything happened to me he would reduce Tigré to a desert; and he would have kept Lis word.

After a stay of some days at Hamazeyn, where I had the satisfaction of settling a local feud which threatened to throw the whole Province into confusion, I proceeded to Bogos, where I found matters much in the state I had anticipated in the conclusion of my despatch of the 31st October.

The Shangallas under Egyptian rule had come down and swept away 300 head of cattle from there, and the Roman Catholic missionary Stella, who resides at Kerew, had gone to the Shangalla country to effect, if possible, their return. The remaining in

habitants had driven their flocks and herds into the mountains.

Within the last week the Shangallas have again been down, plundered 12 villages of their cattle, and killed 9 of the inhabitants, leaving 3 more wounded.

A complaint has been made to me by a Chief of Barka that his brother, an undoubted Abyssinian subject, and a favourite of King Theodore's, has been carried away, and is now in prison at Cassala

This on the Cassala side. On that of Massowah, the Naib of Arkeeko has given shelter to the brigand Cassa, and has been collecting tribute in every direction, while 7 of the principal inhabitants of the Halhal have been tried by his Wakil, and sent to the Habab. The country is in such confusion in consequence that a messenger whom I sent to the Wakil, begging him to be careful of not levying tribute on Abyssinian subjects, has been obliged to

return.

A statement of these facts is being carried to King Theodore by [1862-63. LIII.] F

his Representative here, who persists, with his master, in viewing the Turkish claim to the Bogos, Halhal, and Habab as illusory.

Whatever the claim in question may be worth, it only asserts a right to levy tribute, and makes no pretence either to furnish protection to the inhabitants, ameliorate their condition, or keep them in restraint.

I have written to King Theodore twice since my last despatches to the Foreign Office, once telling him that I had forwarded a letter to the Pasha of Cassala to insure tranquillity on his side, and that it was now a point of honour with His Majesty to do the same by his own Governors, and a second time from here to-day, putting the best colour I can on facts which it is impossible for me to ignore, recommending him to establish a regular Government of some kind here, which can be easily kept in check by my locum tenens for Massowah, and telling him that I will go to Cassala myself, in order to settle everything there as far as possible.

My letters from Cassala assure me that I will have no difficulty in doing so, which I have also told the King, in order to prevent his making any hostile movement.

What effect the news from here may have on a character at once so passionate and politic, it is impossible for me to say. He may either allow his grievances to accumulate, in order to lay them before Europe hereafter, or at once take violent measures to compel the Turks to a certain amount of decency in their transactions on his frontier. He will, however, do nothing without seeing his way.

But for his having called away the principal nobles of Tigré, of which I before informed your Lordship, serious local hostilities would already have commenced, His Majesty having given orders to the Governor of Hamazeyn immediately to resent any aggression on the part of the Turks. I reported this in my despatch of the 22nd July last.

I have to-day written a letter to the Pasha of Massowah, in which, without entering on the vexed question as to what part of these provinces belongs to Abyssinia, what to Turkey, I have recommended him to keep a strict watch over his collectors of tribute, whose irregularities are great, and to set at liberty the Chiefs made prisoners by the Nayib's Wakil, unless he is quite sure that the Wakil was in the right, as all these matters may soon be laid before. Europe, and it may tell mischievously for his country if he proved in the wrong.

I have alluded to the rebel Cassa's being in his district; but left it to himself to act as he thinks most wise.

I shall proceed to Cassala as soon as I receive answers to my despatches of the 31st October.

I would leave at once, but that the country on that side, too, is