4.六年后，与非洲人的另一场小规模战争仓促爆发。非洲西海岸的阿善提人阻止当地的其他部落与英国进行贸易交往。英国向阿善提派出一支小部队，由加内a Transvaal.-A State north of the river Vaal，founded by Dutch Boers （farmers）in 1848.Its independencewas declared in 1852.It was annexed to the British possessions in 1877.
b Prince Consort，维多利亚女王的德裔丈夫，对女王影响很大。--译者注c 阿比西尼亚：非洲东海岸的一个国家，位于努比亚南部和红海西部。
d 马弋达拉：一个岩石耸立的城堡，离红海约300英里。
特·沃尔斯利爵士率领。当地人被击败，他们的首都被烧成灰烬，他们的国王巴不得媾和，并答应了英国人提出的全部条件。
5.俄国与土耳其在1877年爆发了一场新的战争，最后土耳其战败。直到战争行将结束，其他势力也没有介入其中。随后，交战双方在柏林会面并签订了和约。与此同时，英国与土耳其签订了秘密协议，承诺保卫土耳其在亚洲的各个地区，使其免遭俄国的攻击。
6.这些还没有结束，一场阿富汗战争就爆发了。印度政府受到警告：因为阿富汗统治者似乎更愿意取悦于俄国人，已经超过了向英国示好的程度。于是，一支英国部队从印度挺进阿富汗，并占领了首都喀布尔。缔结和约之后，英国特使路易斯·卡瓦哥纳里爵士被残忍杀害，于是战争爆发。但是英国人民并不喜欢战争。内阁改组开始了，使得战争迅速结束。
7.大约在同时，英国和祖鲁之间在南非也爆发了一场战争。祖鲁国王拒绝让他的士兵放下武器。英国在一次战役中损失惨重，但最终他们赢得了战争，祖鲁国王被捕入狱。一两年之后，南非德兰士瓦a的殖民地人民造反，成立了一个“自由邦”。这次事件带来另一场战争，在战争中，殖民地人民在获得一定成功之后，被迫接受了英国提出的条件。
a 德兰士瓦：瓦尔河北部的一个省，1848年由荷兰的布尔人（农民）创立。于1852年宣布独立。1877年，德兰士瓦成为英国领地。
153
THE ABYSSINIAN WAR
阿比西尼亚战争
civilized，cultured.
complied with，agreed to.
consul，representative of the Government.
negotiate，make terms；treat.obstinacy，stubbornness.proposals，offers；terms.recognition，acknowledgment.
renown，fame.stockade，fence；barrier.succession，series.toilsome，laborious.torrid，very hot.tributaries，feeders.triumphed，succeeded.
1.Abyssinia is a mountainous country in the east of Africa，lying near the entrance to the Red Sea.Some of the principal tributaries of the Nile pour their waters from its rocky table-lands.The great Nile flood owes its volume every summer-and Egypt therefore owes her bread-to the rains and melting snows of this land，which we may call the Highlands of Africa.
2.In 1868it happened that Mr.Cameron，the British Consul in that region of Africa，gave offence to an Abyssinian chief or king，named Theodore，by having visited some provinces that were friendly to Egypt.The hot-blooded African，supposing that some secret plot was being formed against his power，seized a number of British subjects，and refused to set them free.The Queendeclared war，and sent a force to storm the fortress of this Abyssinian chief.
3.A general，trained in Indian warfare，and bearing a name of great military renown-that of Napier-was selected to command the expedition.Sir Robert had at his disposal an army of twelve thousand fighting-men；but the difficulties of the way were so great that a still greater number was required.The entire body of men under his command numbered about twenty-six thousand.
4.The landing-place was on a bay in the Red Sea.The object of the toilsomemarch was the capture of Magdala-a fortress perched on the summit of a barren hill，far up the stony wilds of this torrid land.Here Theodore，like a vulture in his nest，looked out upon realms where the white man’s foot had seldom trodden.
5.We read in the books written by men who have travelled in Egypt，thatthe ascent of the Great Pyramid consists in climbing up a succession of stone steps，each step being breast high.The march accomplished by the British army in ascending the table-lands that lead to Magdala was very like this kind of climbing，only that the steps were mountain terraces.The struggle at first was not with a human foe，not with a scorching climate，but with the vast rocksthat pile themselves up on every side，as if forbidding entrance to the heart of the land.
6.But our engineers triumphed over every obstacle.If the entrance to a steep pass was blocked up by a great hill of stone，they blew the hill to fragments with powder，and used the fragments to pave a road for the advancing forces.If the mountain-wall rose sheer and smooth，they cut a narrow shelf，along which the soldiers marched in single file.The cannon werecarried on the backs of elephants.
7.King Theodore knew little of real warfare as it is waged among civilized nations.In a combat with lances，arrows，and hard-wood clubs，he was well skilled；and he knew also of gunpowder and its terrors in war.He possessed one largecannon，on the supposed powers of which he rested all his hopes of destroying the white-skinned warriors，who，as his scouts toldhim，were every day forcing theirway nearer to his rocky stronghold.
THE MARCH TO MAODALA.
8.Planting this gun on a rock，he drew his army up near it in what seemed to him a powerful array of battle.The British drew near，and made their way slowly but steadily up the mountains.Theodore ordered the great gun to be fired；but，to his surprise，it produced no effect on the advance of the enemy！
9.Soon from them a quick firing began.Armed with breech-loading rifles，the British soldiers kept up a fire so rapid and unceasing that all the echoes of the rocky glens were roused as if into a rattling storm.Then the light cannon，which the elephants had carried，were brought into play；and so deadly did the rain of conical bullets and steel shells become，that the Abyssinian army-if we may dignify the crowd of black men by using such a word-scattered in flight.Thus，upon the very first opportunity of conflict，victory crowned the British arms.
10.Two of the European prisoners，bearing a flag of truce，then entered the British camp，sent thither by King Theodore in order to negotiate with Sir Robert Napier.He gladly met them；but he sent them back With a message to the effect that he would listen to no proposals unless all the European captives were at once sent to his camp.This was complied with；but it was thought necessary to teach a stern lesson to the wanton tyrant whose obstinacy and cruelty had put Great Britain to so great cost and trouble.