Cyber Ethiopia

Richard Rivington Holmes (later Sir Richard, 1835-1911) was an Englishman appointed by the British Museum to accompany the British Expedition against Emperor Tewodros of Ethiopia, in 1867-8. His task was to obtain Ethiopian objects for the museum. We publish today, and next week, three of his letters, and one from the British Commander-in-Chief, Lord Robert Napier of Magdala. These hitherto largely unpublished documents are of considerable interest for Ethiopian history in general. They also throw light on the question of the loot from Emperor Tewodros's capital, at Maqdala - and hence on the demand for the restitution of this loot currently demanded by AFROMET, the Association for the Return of Ethiopian Maqdala Treasures. The first of these letters was written by Holmes on 16 April 1868

- only three days after the British capture of Maqdala. It was written from "Fort Magdala" (where sanitary conditions, as it reveals, were particulurly bad), and addressed to the British Museum's "Principal Librarian". Holmes declared: Under Fire... Most Valuable Relics in the Amba" "I hear a post is leaving unexpectedly in half an hour. So I send a hurried line to let you know how matters are with me, and how I have already advanced in the work which the capture of Magdala opened to me. After being under fire for some time waiting for the entry of the stormers into the fortress I entered its gate with the Commander in Chief [i.e. Robert Napier]. I knew I must be in at once or many things might disappear and I am glad to say that I had not half an hour before I obtained from a soldier what I believe to be one of the most valuable relics in the Amba. This is a chalice of gold - weighing at least 6 lbs - with an inscription stating that it was presented by King Adam Segued to the Church of Gondar - He lived AD 1557-1573 - I also obtained the curious gilded or gold triple crown of the Abuna - of its date I can as yet hardly form a decided opinion. I also found MSS but these I could not carry - nor have I been able to revisit the town - Exposure on the filthy hillside that night brought on the diarrhea again badly and I could not walk or ride even had I been able to bear the pestilent atmosphere of Magdala and its adjacent hills. Sir Robert Napier has given orders that I am to have the first selection from the articles which have been taken, and which are all under guard. I forgot to mention in the hurry in which I write that I gave £4 - for the two gold articles - but I think I may have to give the value of the metal to the Prize Agents which I shall endeavour to avoid as I have had Sir R. Napier's authority to retain the articles. - I have also purchased an almost unique shield for £25. It is covered with gold filigree, and is the finest specimen of this work I have met with. Of the MSS which will be all brought down I will send a full list - of those I select as well as those I shall be obliged to reject for want of carriage. Not Washed for Four Days" "Our privations here are terrible - water is so scarce that I have not washed for four day. And I shall be very glad when the Prize Sale is over and I can start for Axum on my way back". A Second Letter Holmes wrote a second, more detailed, letter, on 22 April, from "Camp Dalanta Plain, overlooking the Djedda River". The loot seized by the British troops had by then been collected by a Prize Committee, and had just been auctioned, on the Dalanta Plain, to raise Prize Money for the troops. Most of the looted manuscripts had, however, been retained by the Commander-in-Chief for shipment to the British Museum. Going over much of the story told in his earlier letter, but also cutting new ground, Holmes writes: I Entered the Captured Fortress as Soon as Possible" "I have the honour to inform you that since the date of my last report of the 16th inst. written from almost the same spot from where I am now writing this on my way home - I have been marching with the Head Quarters of the Army. During this time we have crossed the Djedda and Bashil[o rivers] over the road made by Theodorus himself to Magdala, the army has captured and destroyed the fortress, and the projects of the expedition have been attained with a celerity and completeness which has surprised and delighted every one. The good fortune which attended the efforts of the Army has also in some measure attended myself. Knowing that if the fortress of Magdala were stormed, the soldiery would quickly appropriate or destroy many objects of interest and value, I made it my duty to follow as closely as I could, and entered the captured fortress as soon after them as possible. The [British] flag had not been waved over the outer gate much more than ten minutes before I stood inside the walls and was present when the dead body of Theodore was recognised in the disguise he had assumed just before he shot himself. I stopped by the body for a few minutes to sketch the features of our dead enemy, and was fortunate enough to secure what has been universally admitted to be a very good portrait of the tyrant. The sketch with letters authenticating the likeness I shall have much pleasure in offering to the Trustees on my return. I do not like to entrust it to the post office of the Expedition - or any of the other sketches which I have made. The Crown and the Chalice "A few minutes afterwards I met a soldier carrying some articles evidently of value which he had picked up. These he showed me and I instantly secured them for the Trustees. In the dim light I could hardly see what they were but next morning I found that for £4 I became possessed of the crown of the Abuna of gold - or silver gilt - and a solid gold chalice which proved by an inscription round the rim to be a gift from King Adam Segud (circa AD 1560) to the Church of Gondar. My own [? ink blot ?] searches in the place were principally directed to finding MSS [i.e. manuscripts] of antiquity - but here I was disappointed. The MSS have however been collected and are being sent down to Zulla [i.e the Red Sea port] for transmission to England by order of the Commander in Chief. It had been my intention to examine each volume & to send a list to you of their contents and value - but I am sorry to say that exposure in bivouacs with hard marching, indifferent food in small quantity, and water less in quantity and worse in quality, render me so ill, that the surgeon positively refused to allow me to work upon them. For they lay in heaps in the sun and the labour of turning them over was great. I saw some hundred of them however, and though many were finely written and profusely illustrated, I was disappointed not to find among so many - they take 91 mules - any of particular interest or antiquity". Holmes continues: The Prize Committee "The last two days have been devoted to the sale of the articles taken at the capture of Magdala. A general order commanded the surrender into the hands of a Prize Committee of all the plunder of the fortress, for the purpose of an auction for the benefit of the soldiers - I took my prizes to the Commander in Chief and he allowed me to retain them. I believe however that I shall be called upon by the Prize Committee to pay for them on a valuation. I attended the sale of the spoil and purchased several articles of which I enclose a list. I was careful to select typical specimens of workmanship, and as far as possible to select only fine specimens. The competition was very keen for the objects and some articles of interest I was obliged to give up. Considering the great interest that there is in England in everything connected with the expedition I hope the Trustees will not think I have been too lavish in my expenditure".