rror to see, at
the foot of the precipice to the right, a mass of human bodies in a
dreadful state of corruption, some chained together, others manacled,
many among them being those of old men, women, and children. They were
some unfortunate prisoners who had been carried off by a party from the
fortress some time before, and had been put to death in a drunken fit by
Theodore the day he heard of the approach of the British. It was, in
truth, a fearful sight, and increased the desire of the soldiers and
sailors to inflict condign punishment on the author of the atrocity.

The end was now approaching. Sir Robert had occupied with his troops
the nearest level spot to the principal gate of Magdala, and, planting
his artillery and rocket battery in commanding positions, he prepared
for the assault. Beyond this point, known as the Saddle of Islamgi, the
rock on which the fortress stood rose 300 feet in height, with
precipitous sides, a narrow, steep, and winding path leading up to it,
with two lines of defence, in each of which was a narrow gateway. It
was thus difficult to get a sight of the defenders, yet occasionally
armed men were seen moving about, and a stubborn resistance was
expected.

With a humanity worthy of imitation, Sir Robert so placed his guns that
they should only act upon the gate, without running the risk of hurting
the women and children still within the fortress. The two brigades now
advanced, the storming party leading, and, covered by their fire, up the
steep path they climbed with scaling-ladders fixed, and crowbars to
burst open the gates. They were met by a hot fire from the garrison,
not a man of whom could be seen. Before the stormers was a wall,
surrounded by a strong and thick barricade of stout stakes, with a
narrow stone gateway. On reaching this gateway the engineers, finding
that the powder-bags were not forthcoming, immediately set to work with
their crowbars and burst it in, when, what was their disappointment to
discover a pile of large stones, twelve feet in height, and a still
greater breadth, directly in front of them.

All this time they were exposed to the fire of the garrison. In vain
they endeavoured to surmount a formidable barricade, but at length a
party of the 33rd Regiment, turning to the right, discovered a lower
part of the wall, against which a scaling-ladder was placed.
Immediately mounting, they reached the top of the wall, and, leaping
down, forming as they d