It was not until the last third of century that the great powers began. their frst systematic Attempts to establish more substantial relations with the legendary Christian kingdom. This was the Ume when the African coasts were annexed, conquered, opened or otherwise quired by the Europeans, British, French, Italian fags now waved over the glowing Somalian coasts sterile deserts lying before the Abyssinian Garden of Eden.
'The first to act positively was Great Britain. In 1868 H, M. Queen Victoria's Government had some rea~ fon to send a. small army into 'Abyssinia, under the command of Sir' Robert Napier. 'The army march-cross-country to Magdala, a big ative village and residence' of the then ruling" King Theodore, Then came the famous" Battle of
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.