158 Abyssinian War, 1875-76.

Ismail Pasha was thus encouraged to think that he was entitled to the whole of the Red Sea coast, and could resist any pretensions of the Abyssinians to a port ; while England believed that she had erected a safeguard against European settlement on the coast, and had opened the way to a Slave Treaty with Egypt.

.

War with Abyssinia, 1875-1876.

Abyssinia. During the same period other important events were Expedition, passing in Abyssinia. Soon after the acquisition of the 1875. Port of Zeila by the Khedive, an Egyptian force was despatched to Massawa under Colonel Arendrup, a Danish officer in the Egyptian service. King Johannes had lately formed a new province (Ginda), which included the seaboard from the head of Annesley Bay to Amphilia Bay and the Shoho, the Port of Zula, and the district of Ginda lying south of Ailet. This he had done to ensure the Port of Zula to Abyssinia, and he made Kirkman Governor of the new province, giving him the freehold for life. Kirkman accordingly had established his headquarters at Ginda, and ran up the British flag. In October, 1875, Arendrup's force, having landed at Massawa, proceeded to Ginda and took possession of it, and soon afterwards moved on Adua, the capital of Abyssinia. King John, however, having collected a large force, surprised and totally annihilated the Egyptian army at Gundet, on the 11th of November. On the news reaching Cairo, another expedition on a larger scale was immediately organised, and the chief command given to Ratib Pasha, who was accompanied by Prince Hassan and several American officers in the service of the Khedive. The headquarters arrived at Massawa about the middle of December.

Owing, however, to the disorganised state of the Staff, and the difficulties of transport, the army did not get under way till the middle of January, 1876, and, after Defeatof the tedious marches, it arrived at the Kaya Klior Pass, near which place, at Gura, it was met and defeated by King John on 7th March.

The Egyptians retired into a fort they had constructed at Kaya Khor, where, during the next two days, they were assailed by the Abyssinians. On the 11th of March, Destruction of Egyptian Army, 11.11.75.

Second expedition fitted out, December, 1875.

Egyptians 7th March 1876.