EGYPTIANS MODERNISED.

Auckland Star, Volume XXIX, Issue 148, 25 June 1898, Page 3 (Supplement)

EGYPTIANS MODERNISED.

Abyssinia is making some progress in modern civilisation, and the recent prolonged find involuntary presence in the country of thousands of captive Italians has given the natives a chance to provide themselves with something that they very much admire frescoes unci other decorations fur their rude churches.

A recent visitor to the cathedral of Gundet, in tlie northern part of Abyssinia, the neighbourhood of which Avitncssed the crushing defeat of the Egyptians in 1875 and 1876, describes the extraordinary fresco •which he saw on the Avails of this Abyssinian •place of worship.

An ivnknoAvn artist, very likely Dalian, had been employed' to paint :-, great picture of the overAvhelmingof Ihe host of Pharaoh in the Bed Sea. In a way, this Biblical scene represented the recent triumphs of the Abyssinians over their enemies. Tlie church people could not very Avell presume to depict so recent a scene a.s

THE DEFEAT OF THE ITALIANS, particularly if they-had an Italian to do the painting. ,So they came a.s near to it as they could.

Pharaoh was represented riding down into Ihe Red Sea with a revolver in one hand and a field-glass in the other. Behind him followed the, Egyptian army, every man of Avhich bore a Remington rifle! The costumes belonged neither to ancient Egypt nor to modern Italy, but Avere no doubt sufficiently suggestive of realities to be full of significance to ihe Abyssinian Avorshippcrs in the cathedral.

The temptation to represent their victories in their churches must be great to the Abyssininns, for some of the victories have been of a distinctly religious character. At the time of the Egyptian Avar of 1875, Mohammedanism, under the. patronage of the continually encroaching Egyptians, Avas replacing Christianity on the northern highlands of the country. The Khedive Avas at the maximum of his power. His garrisons Avere in tlie. Red Sea ports, and his armies had gained a foothold in Somalila.nd and in Southern Abyssinia; they appeared likely to crush

THE WHOLE NATIVE POWER, and practically to extinguish Christianity in large districts.

With a large force, they penetrated to Gundet; but here they Avere defeated and utterly routed. Nearly the Avhole army of invaders perished, and Avith them fell the Egyptian commander, Arakel Bey, and his lieutenant, a Dane named Arendrup.

Next year another Egyptian army accompanied by the Khedive's son Hassan again entered the Alryssinian plateau, ancl occupied a strong position. Hut once more the natives proved the superiors of their invaders, both in force and strategy. The Egyptians Avere defeated, though the Abyssinians also suffered heavy losses.

It Avas reported that after this battle all the Egyptians avlio Avere. taken prisoners Avere tatooed on the arm Avith the cross, in token of the victory of Christianity over Mohammedanism, but there is no historical proof of the statement. It is certain that since this victory the native form of Christianity has made great gains in Abyssinia, Avhile Mahommedanism has lost; but, unfortunately, most of the conversions from Islam have been Avrought by force.