,illustration3 ,father ,ohrwalder1 ,the ,sisters ,catterina ,chincarini and ,elisabetta ,venturini and ,the ,slave girl ,adila ,from a photograph by ,stromeyer ,heyman1 ,cairo4 ,sampson ,low1 ,marston ,co4 ,ltd4 ,,ten ,,years' ,,captivity ,,in ,,the ,,mahdi',s ,,camp #ahhb-ahib ,,from ,,the ,,original ,,manuscripts ,,of ,,father ,,joseph ,,ohrwalder ,,late ,,priest ,,of ,,the ,,austrian ,,mission ,,station ,,at ,,delen1 ,,in ,,kordofan ,,by ,,major ,f4 ,r4 ,,wingate1 ,r4,a4 ,,director ,,of ,,military ,,intelligence1 ,,egyptian ,,army2 ,,author ,,of ',,mahdiism ,,and ,,the ,,egyptian ,,sudan' ,,with ,,maps ,,and ,,illustrations ,,by ,,walter ,c4 ,,horsley ,,third ,,edition ,,london ,,sampson ,,low1 ,,marston ,,company ,,limited ,st4 ,dunstan's ,house ,,fetter ,,lane1 ,,fleet ,,street1 ,e4,c4 #ahib 7,all rights reserved47 ,,london3 ,,printed ,,by ,,william ,,clowes ,,and ,,sons1 ,,limited1 ,,stamford ,,street ,,and ,,charing ,,cross4 ,,preface4 ,illustration3 ,,father ,,ohrwalder4 ,after the fall of ,khartum in ,january #ahhe1 various attempts were from time to time made to effect the release of some of the ,european prisoners who had fallen into the ,mahdi's hands during the early stages of the ,sudan revolt4 ,these attempts were for the most part attended with little result4 ,the causes of their failure1 and eventual success in one instance1 are fully described in the following personal narrative of ,father ,ohrwalder4 ,as ,father ,ohrwalder is the first ,european who has escaped from the ,sudan since #ahhe1 ,i was fully occupied with him during the few days immediately following his arrival in ascertaining1 for official purposes1 the actual situation in the ,sudan1 and that completed1 we had many interesting conversations on the historical events which had occurred in these revolted districts during the last ten years4 ,having but recently completed a resum of these events1,a which had been largely compiled from the statements of natives who had escaped1 ,i was not unnaturally desirous to verify1 by the independent witness of ,father ,ohrwalder1 the accounts which they had given1 and ,i further begged ,father ,ohrwalder to carefully read over the book and point out the errors4 ,it was with considerable satisfaction that ,i learnt from him that the facts had been faithfully recorded2 but the flood of light which he was enabled to throw on many obscure passages1 and the great interest attaching to the narrative of an active participator in so many of these now historic occurrences1 induced me to suggest that he should set to work1 while the memory of these events was fresh in his mind1 to write a personal narrative of his varied and terrible experiences1 of which the general public have hitherto learnt but the bare outline4 ,it should be borne in mind that the circumstances under which ,father ,ohrwalder lived in the ,sudan precluded him from keeping any written record of his life2 it was therefore agreed that ,i should supervise his work which1 ,i need scarcely add1 it has given me great pleasure to do4 ,father ,ohrwalder's manuscript1 which was in the first instance written in ,german1 was roughly translated into ,english by ,yusef ,effendi ,cudzi1 a ,syrian2 this ,i entirely rewrote in narrative form4 ,the work does not therefore profess to be a literal translation of the original manuscript1 but rather an ,english version1 in which ,i have sought to reproduce accurately ,father ,ohrwalder's meaning in the language of simple narration4 ,england and the ,british public in general have shown so much interest in the stirring events which have occurred in the ,sudan1 and in which many gallant ,british officers and men have lost their lives1 that it is ,father ,ohrwalder's desire that the narrative of his experiences should be published in the first instance in ,england1 as his modest tribute to the nation which struggled so gallantly1 and so nearly successfully1 to effect the relief of ,khartum and the rescue of those unfortunate ,europeans who1 like himself1 had fallen into the hands of a cruel and merciless enemy4 ,it seems almost incredible that such sufferings as the ,european captives endured did not long ago bring to them the happy release of death they so ardently longed for2 but it was not to be4 ,the door of escape1 which they had thought closed to them for ever1 suddenly opened1 and they did not fear to risk the dangers and perils of that terrible desert journey1 with scanty food and water1 and the sure knowledge that they must ride for bare life2 re-capture would have ended in certain death1 or1 at best1 perpetual incarceration in a prison1 the horrors of which beggar description4 ,in spite1 however1 of all he has endured1 ,father ,ohrwalder longs for the time when it may be possible for him to return to the ,sudan and continue the ,mission work so suddenly and hopelessly interrupted since #ahhb4 ,i am greatly indebted to ,mr4 ,walter ,c4 ,horsley for the admirable manner in which he has executed his portion of the illustrations4 ,the remainder are chiefly from photographs1 taken by ,mr4 ,lekegian in his photographic studio in ,cairo1 of ,dervish prisoners captured at the action of ,toski1 and of refugees who have recently reached ,cairo from ,equatoria1 through the territory administered by the ,imperial ,british ,east ,africa ,company4 ,f4 ,r4 ,,wingate4 ,,cairo1 #cjth ,july1 #ahib4 ,,footnotes3 ,a ,published under the title of ',mahdiism and the ,egyptian ,sudan4' ,london3 ,macmillan ,co4 #ahia4 ,,contents4 ,,introduction4 ,,father ,,ohrwalder',s ,,journey ,,to ,,the ,,sudan4 ,,page ,description of ,kordofan and ,dar ,nuba--,the ,mission ,station at ,delen #a ,,chapter ,i4 ,,the ,,mahdi ,,and ,,his ,,rise ,,to ,,power4 ,the rise of the ,mahdi--,early successes--,personal appearance --,his ,khalifas described--,military organization--,makes new laws--,he summons ,el ,obeid to surrender #f ,,chapter ,,ii4 ,,father ,,ohrwalder ,,and ,,his ,,companions ,,taken ,,captive4 ,the storm rises in ,dar ,nuba--,the ,baggara begin to raid-- ,khojur ,kakum of ,delen--,mek ,omar besieges ,delen--,the slave guard deserts the ,mission--,the priests and nuns surrender-- ,they are sent to the ,mahdi #bb ,,chapter ,,iii4 ,,the ,,missionaries ,,and ,,the ,,mahdi4 ,description of ,el ,obeid--,said ,pasha's system of defence-- ,the ,mahdi's followers encircle the town--,townspeople desert to the ,mahdi--,unsuccessful attack on ,government buildings --,dervishes driven off with loss of #aj1jjj men--,the missionaries brought before the ,mahdi--,threatened with death--,preparations for the execution--,reprieved at the last moment--,the ,mahdi's camp described--,death of some of the missionaries--,illness of remainder #cd ,,chapter ,,iv4 ,,the ,,siege ,,of ,,el ,,obeid4 ,terrible sufferings of the besieged--,the ,kababish--,fall of ,bara--,fall of ,el ,obeid--,the ,mahdi enters the town--,fate of the ,el ,obeid ,mission--,cold-blooded murder of the brave defenders--,the ,dervishes live a life of ease in ,el ,obeid-- ,the ,mahdi makes laws--,he sends out proclamations--,prestige increased by capture of town--,news from ,khartum--,bonomi and ,ohrwalder summoned before the ,mahdi--,the interview #eb ,,chapter ,v4 ,,the ,,mahdi',s ,,victory ,,over ,,hicks ,,pasha4 ,the ,european captives learn that ,general ,hicks is advancing--,slatin ,bey's defence of ,darfur--,his heroism-- ,the ,mahdi prepares to resist ,hicks--,the march of the ,hicks ,expedition--,extracts from the diary of ,major ,herlth--,colonel ,farquhar's gallantry at ,rahad--,gustav ,klootz deserts to the ,mahdi--,klootz's interview with the ,mahdi in which ,ohrwalder and ,bonomi act as interpreters--,the expedition advances towards ,shekan--,is surrounded and annihilated--,description of the battle--,the ,mahdi victor of ,kordofan #gb ,,chapter ,,vi4 ,,the ,,mahdi',s ,,triumphal ,,entry ,,into ,,el ,,obeid4 ,fall of ,darfur--,slatin surrenders--,the ,mahdi's divinity credited after the annihilation of ,hicks--,king ,adam of ,tagalla--,stambuli's kindness to the ,european captives-- ,gordon writes to the ,mahdi--,power's letter--,the sisters seized and distributed amongst the emirs--,they are tortured--,the missionaries turned into slaves--,the terrible journey to ,rahad--,the ,greeks come to the help of the sisters--,the proclamation concerning the treatment of priests and hermits by ,mohammedans--,the ,mahdi at ,rahad-- ,ohrwalder's interviews with the ,mahdi concerning religion --,the ,dervishes attack the ,nubas #ia ,,chapter ,,vii4 ,,father ,,ohrwalder',s ,,views ,,of ,,gordon',s ,,mission4 ,ohrwalder describes his treatment at the hands of various masters--,the ,nubas surrender and afterwards desert--,news from ,khartum--,the capture of the ,english mail--,its arrival at the ,mahdi's camp--,the ,mahdi decides to advance on ,khartum--,brief review of events in ,khartum and ,berber--,ohrwalder's views on ,gordon's mission--,the ,mahdi sets out for ,khartum--,mohammed ,ali ,pasha's defeat and death--,colonel ,stewart1 ,mr4 ,power1 and others leave ,khartum in ss4 ,abbas--,description of their wreck and treacherous murder #aad ,,chapter ,,viii4 ,,the ,,siege ,,and ,,fall ,,of ,,khartum4 ,the surrender of ,omdurman fort--,gordon's dispositions for defence--,his great personal influence--,the night before the assault--,the attack and entry of the ,dervishes --,gordon's death--,the adventures of ,domenico ,polinari-- ,the massacre in ,khartum--,how most of the ,europeans died --,ruthless cruelty and bloodshed--,the fate of the wives and daughters of ,khartum--,ohrwalder's views on the situation in ,khartum and the chances of relief by the ,british ,expeditionary ,force--,his description of the town three months after the fall #aca ,,chapter ,,ix4 ,,the ,,mahdi',s ,,last ,,days4 ,ohrwalder's criticisms on certain events connected with the defence of ,khartum--,the ,sudan devastated by small-pox --,the ,mahdi gives way to a life of pleasure--,description of his harem life--,the ,mahdi sickens and dies--,the effect on his followers--,the ,khalifa ,abdullah succeeds--,party strife and discord--,abdullah prevails--,events in ,sennar and ,kassala #aeb ,,chapter ,x4 ,,the ,,escape ,,of ,,father ,,bonomi4 ,ohrwalder continues to describe his personal experiences -- ,mahmud the emir of ,el ,obeid--,his unsuccessful attempts to entrap the ,nubas--,the arrival of ,olivier ,pain in ,el ,obeid--,his motives in joining the ,mahdi--,his journey towards ,omdurman--,his sad fate--,lupton ,bey arrives at ,el ,obeid from the ,bahr el ,ghazal--,he is sent to ,omdurman and thrown into chains--,life in ,el ,obeid--,the escape of ,father ,bonomi--,ohrwalder's solitude--,the death of the ,khojur ,kakum #afi ,,chapter ,,xi4 ,,revolt ,,against ,,the ,,dervishes4 ,the black soldiers of the old ,sudan army--,they revolt against the ,dervishes in ,el ,obeid--,and march off to ,dar ,nuba--,the emir ,mahmud pursues and is slain--,ohrwalder quits ,el ,obeid for ,omdurman--,zogal and ,abu ,anga at ,bara #ahi ,,chapter ,,xii4 ,,ohrwalder',s ,,impressions ,,of ,,omdurman4 ,ohrwalder's arrival in ,omdurman--,his first impressions of the ,dervish capital--,khalifa ,abdullah's intentions to conquer ,egypt--,wad ,suleiman of the beit el mal--,wad ,adlan succeeds--,gordon's clothes1 medals1 c4--,adlan reorganizes the beit el mal--,the slave market1 museum1 mint1 and system of coinage--,counterfeit coining--,the lithograph press--,the ,khalifa's system of justice #bjd ,,chapter ,,xiii4 ,,the ,,khalifa ,,decides ,,to ,,conquer ,,abyssinia4 ,events subsequent to the fall of ,khartum--,capture of ,gedaref and ,galabat--,dervishes defeated by ,abyssinians at ,galabat--,abu ,anga's victorious expedition to ,tagalla --,his triumphal return to ,omdurman--,the ,khalifa's grand review--,destruction of the ,gehena tribe--,the ,khalifa decides to send ,abu ,anga's army to conquer ,abyssinia--,the battle of ,dabra ,sin--,abu ,anga sacks ,gondar--,the victorious ,dervishes return to ,galabat-- ,rejoicings at ,omdurman #baf ,,chapter ,,xiv4 ,,king ,,john ,,of ,,abyssinia ,,killed ,,in ,,battle4 ,destruction of the ,kababish tribe and death of ,saleh ,bey--,events in ,darfur--,revolt of ,abu ,gemaizeh--,his death and destruction of his army--,rabeh ,zubeir--,king ,theodore's son visits ,omdurman--,the conspiracy of ,sayidna ,isa--,death of ,abu ,anga--,king ,john of ,abyssinia attacks ,galabat--,success of ,abyssinians1 but the king killed--,victory turned to defeat--,the king's head sent to ,omdurman #bcb ,,chapter ,,xv4 ,,defeat ,,of ,,nejumi ,,at ,,toski1 ,,and ,,of ,,osman ,,digna ,,at ,,tokar4 ,the ,khalifa's intentions regarding ,egypt--,wad en ,nejumi despatched north--,various operations on the ,egyptian frontier--,battle of ,toski--,defeat and death of ,nejumi-- ,subsequent events in ,dongola--,osman ,digna's operations against ,sawakin--,is defeated at ,tokar--,emin ,pasha and events in ,equatoria--,recent events in ,uganda and ,unyoro #bed ,,chapter ,,xvi4 ,,the ,,famine ,,at ,,omdurman--#ahhh-ahhi4 ,ohrwalder describes ,omdurman--,the ,mahdi's tomb1 and how it was built--,pilgrimage to ,mecca forbidden--,a description of the great mosque--,the ,khalifa's palace--,the markets-- ,the population--,the ,khalifa's tyrannical rule--,the terrible famine of #ahhh-ahhi--;,awful scenes and sufferings--,the plague of locusts #bgc ,,chapter ,,xvii4 ,,the ,,khalifa ,,and ,,his ,,government4 ,the ,khalifa's system of government--,his household--,an outline of his character--,his system of prayers in the mosque--,his visions and dreams--,his espionage system--,his household troops--,his great activity and circumspection-- ,the great ,friday review described--,the emigration of the ,baggara and western tribes to ,omdurman--,the flight of ,sheikh ,ghazali--,management of the beit el mal--,system of taxation #bic ,,chapter ,,xviii4 ,a ,,chapter ,,of ,,horrors4 ,the revolt of the ,batahin tribe--,revolt suppressed with appalling cruelty--,wholesale executions--,method of hanging--,punishment by mutilation--,the execution of ,abdel ,nur--,trade with ,egypt--,wad ,adlan the emin beit el mal--,his imprisonment and death #cae ,,chapter ,,xix4 ,,social ,,life ,,at ,,omdurman4 ,system of public security and justice in ,omdurman--,the court of small causes--,bribery and corruption--,the story of the slave and her mistress--,how the ,khalifa deals with quarrelsome persons--,thieves and pickpockets-- ,the story of ,zogheir--,usurers and their trade--,the chief of police--,brigandage--,disproportion of males to females in ,omdurman--,how the ,khalifa overcame the difficulty-- ,immorality--,the marriage ceremony #cbh ,,chapter ,,xx4 ,,the ,,khalifa',s ,,treatment ,,of ,,the ,,white ,,captives4 ,description of the prison1 or ,saier--,the ,abu ,haggar --,the imprisonment of ,charles ,neufeld--,terrible sufferings of the prisoners--,domenico ,polinari--,the danger of corresponding with the ,european prisoners-- ,neufeld threatened with death--,he is given charge of the saltpetre pits--,the fate of ,sheikh ,khalil1 the ,egyptian envoy--,the ,khalifa's treatment of the ,whites--,exile to the ,white ,nile #cdd ,,chapter ,,xxi4 ,,lupton ,,bey ,,and ,,the ,,ammunition4 ,the ,khalifa's powder and ammunition begin to fail--,lupton ,bey makes fulminate--,unsuccessful attempts to make powder --,yusef ,pertekachi at last succeeds--,the explosion in the powder factory #cff ,,chapter ,,xxii4 ,,agriculture ,,and ,,commerce ,,in ,,the ,,mahdi',s ,,kingdom4 ,remarks on the agriculture and commerce of the ,mahdiist kingdom--,a sandstorm in ,omdurman--,the paucity of cattle-- ,system of taxation on imports--,provincial beit el mals-- ,local manufactures--,slavery and the slave-markets--,torture of slaves #cgf ,,chapter ,,xxiii4 ,,the ,,baggara ,,masters ,,of ,,the ,,sudan4 ,relations between ,abdullah and the rival ,khalifas-- ,mahdiism practically dead--,the ,khalifa's son ,osman--,his marriage to ,yakub's daughter--,his intentions regarding the succession--,the ,baggara and the ,aulad-,belad--,the ,baggara masters of the ,sudan--,examples of their tyranny --,emigration of the ,rizighat tribe--,hostility between the ,khalifa's and the late ,mahdi's households--,the ,ashraf conspiracy--,witchcraft--,the dispute between the ,khalifas--,riots in ,omdurman--,the ,mahdi's widows #chg ,,chapter ,,xxiv4 ,,preparations ,,for ,,the ,,flight4 ,ohrwalder forms plans for escape--,the fate of other ,europeans attempting to fly--,stricter surveillance-- ,ohrwalder's means of livelihood--,letters from ,cairo-- ,the faithful ,ahmed ,hassan discloses his plan--,archbishop ,sogaro--,miseries of captivity in ,omdurman--,death of ,sister ,concetta ,corsi--,preparations for flight #djh ,,chapter ,,xxv4 ,,on ,,camels ,,across ,,the ,,great ,,nubian ,,desert4 ,father ,ohrwalder and ,sisters ,venturini and ,chincarini escape--,the ride for life--,the rencontre with the ,dervish guard near ,abu ,hamed--,alarm of the party--,the journey across the great ,nubian desert--,five hundred miles on camel-back in seven days--,arrival at the ,egyptian outpost at ,murat--,safe at last--,arrival in ,cairo #dbd ,,chapter ,,xxvi4 ,,the ,,present ,,khalifa',s ,,despotism ,,in ,,the ,,sudan4 ,reflections on the situation in the ,sudan--,the horrors of the present ,khalifa's rule--,how long shall it continue8 #ddg ,,list ,,of ,,illustrations1 ,,map ,,and ,,plan4 ,,page ,father ,ohrwalder1 ,sisters ,venturini and ,chincarini1 and their servant ,adila 7,frontispiece74 ,zubeir ,pasha #h ,a native woman of ,dongola #fe ,hicks ,pasha #gd ,colonel ,arthur ,farquhar 7,chief of ,staff7 #hj ,a ,baggara emir1 present at the annihilation of the ,hicks ,expedition1 and afterwards captured at ,toski #hi ,father ,ohrwalder's interview with the ,mahdi at ,rahad1 concerning religion #ajg ,the gold medal struck by ,gordon to commemorate the siege of ,khartum #abb ,a ,dervish emir present in the attack on ,khartum1 and afterwards captured at ,toski #acf ,an ,egyptian ,harem woman #aef ,many a time did ,i turn round to look back1 until ,bonomi disappeared from view in the wood #aha ,a slave woman from ,equatoria #bji ,abyssinian dancing girls #bdc ,an ,arab sheikh of ,upper ,egypt #bee ,bishir ,bey1 sheikh of the ,ababdeh ,arabs #bei ,wad en ,nejumi 7from a photograph of a drawing made by an ,egyptian officer of the great ,emir1 as he lay dead on the field of ,toski7 #bfd ,a native woman of ,makaraka1 the wife of one of ,emin ,pasha's officers1 who reached ,egypt from ,uganda in ,june #ahib #bgj ,a trophy of arms1 banners1 and drums1 captured from the ,dervishes #cje ,charles ,neufeld #ced ,a slave girl from ,equatoria #chb ,a ,baggara woman #cih ,the ,arab guides who effected the escape of ,father ,ohrwalder and the ,sisters #dji ,we had scarcely gone twenty paces from the river1 when suddenly we heard the sound of a camel #dce ,plan of ,omdurman4 ,map of the ,nile ,basin1 showing route taken by ,father ,ohrwalder4 ,,ten ,,years' ,,captivity ,,in ,,the ,,mahdi',s ,,camp4 #ahhb-ahib4 ,,introduction4 ,,father ,,ohrwalder's ,,journey ,,to ,,the ,,sudan4 ,description of ,kordofan and ,dar ,nuba--,the ,mission ,station at ,delen4 ,i left ,cairo on the #bhth of ,december1 #ahhj1 as full of bright hopes for a happy future as any young man could wish to be4 ,i had no thought of the miserable fate which was so soon to overtake me4 ,our party consisted of ,bishop ,comboni1 two missionaries1 ,johann ,dichtl and ,franz ,pimezzoni 7these three have long since passed into eternity71 and several sisters4 ,we embarked at ,suez1 and spent the first day of #ahha on the ,red ,sea4 ,on the #dth of ,january we landed at ,sawakin4 ,at that time the governor of the town was ,ala ed ,din ,pasha1 who subsequently accompanied ,general ,hicks as ,governor-,general of the ,sudan1 and was eventually killed with him4 ,after a journey of twenty-eight days and travelling vi ,berber1 we reached ,khartum2 here the pleasant gardens and shady groves of date-palms impressed us most favourably4 ,standing on the high river bank1 just in front of the ,mission gardens1 were the various members of the ,mission1 headed by ,father ,alois ,bonomi1 also the ,austrian ,consul ,hansal and the ,italian ,consul ,legnani1 who gave us a hearty welcome4 ,the whole city was en fte1 to celebrate the return of the ,governor-,general ,rauf ,pasha from ,gedaref4 ,after landing1 we walked through the lovely garden towards the ,mission buildings1 and here1 in the principal parlour1 were collected ,rauf ,pasha1 ,giegler ,pasha1 ,gessi ,pasha1 who had just returned quite worn out from his campaigns in the ,bahr el ,ghazal2 the courageous ,slatin1 fresh from ,darfur2 ,marcopoli ,bey1 ,doctor ,zurbuchen1 ,marquet1 the ,african traveller ,jean ,maria ,schuver1 and many others who had come to welcome ,bishop ,comboni on his arrival4 ,on the #aeth of ,march we celebrated the fiftieth birthday of ,bishop ,comboni with general rejoicings3 in the evening the ,european colony dined at the ,mission1 and then followed a soire4 ,little did we think of the terrible fate that was in store for the majority of those gathered together on that happy evening6 ,in the meantime ,slatin ,bey had been appointed ,governor-,general of ,darfur1 and he considered it his duty to proceed as soon as possible to take up his new post4 ,our bishop accepted ,slatin's proffered invitation to travel together as far as ,el ,obeid1 and on the #bith of ,march we embarked on a steamer placed at our disposal by ,rauf ,pasha and proceeded to ,tur el ,hadra4 ,we were accompanied thus far by ,marcopoli ,bey1 ,dr4 ,zurbuchen and ,marquet1 and here1 mounting on camels1 we made a rapid march across the ,kordofan deserts1 arriving at ,el ,obeid on the #eth of ,april4 ,no sooner had we dismounted1 than two telegrams were handed to us3 one announced the sudden death1 on his return to ,khartum1 of ,dr4 ,zurbuchen1 and the other described the death of the ,czar ,alexander of ,russia at the hands of the ,nihilists4 ,we remained at ,el ,obeid while ,slatin was making arrangements for his journey to ,darfur4 ,bishop ,comboni then made a tour through ,jebel ,nuba1 returned to ,el ,obeid and subsequently to ,khartum1 where he died on the #ajth of ,october4 ,god1 in ,his mercy1 took him away so that he should not behold the terrible events in the ,sudan which followed soon after his death4 ,i left ,el ,obeid on the #bhth of ,november1 #ahha1 and reached ,delen in ,dar ,nuba on the #eth of ,december4 ,i was most favourably impressed with the ,nuba country4 ,whilst ,kordofan is merely an extensive plain with little change of scenery1 ,dar ,nuba presents an entirely different aspect4 ,here chains of picturesque hills1 running in various directions1 rise out of the plain1 interspersed with numerous watercourses4 ,jebel ,delen1 on which our ,mission station was situated1 is one of the smallest of the hills4 ,the other principal groups are ,nama1 ,kurun1 ,dobab1 ,dair1 ,kedaro1 ,tagalla1 ,gedir1 and ,tira1 in which gold is found1 besides a number of smaller hills4 ,it is estimated that in all there are upwards of one hundred inhabited mountains4 ,the intervening plains and valleys are rich in vegetation of every description2 trees of colossal dimensions are found1 more especially in the khors 7the beds of perennial streams71 and the thick luxuriant growth is so dense that the rays of the sun cannot penetrate4 ,the soil is exceptionally fertile and rain abundant1 consequently for six months in the year the density of the undergrowth makes it almost impossible to traverse these rich valleys2 but when the rains are over and the grass becomes dry1 it is generally fired1 and thus the plains and valleys become passable again4 ,a quantity of the rain from these hills flows into ,lake ,birket1 some passes also into the ,khor ,abu ,habl1 which becomes lost in the sand before it reaches the ,white ,nile4 ,the rain from the southern ,nuba hills finds its way into the ,bahr el ,arab4 ,the plains abound with quantities of deer1 giraffe1 antelope1 and wild boar1 whilst the woods contain myriads of birds of lovely plumage1 and apes and monkeys of every description4 ,during the winter season1 elephants were frequently to be seen in the neighbourhood of ,delen1 which also abounds with snakes1 amongst which the boa-constrictor is not uncommon4 ,the population of ,dar ,nuba1 which at one time was considerable1 does not now exceed #ej1jjj2 the scattered sub-tribes of ,baggara1 who roam the plains with the ,bederieh and ,ghodiat ,arabs1 have decimated the ,nubas1 and forced those that are left to fly to their mountain recesses1 where they eke out a wretched existence1 their protection being the inaccessible nature of their retreats4 ,i found the ,nubas a pleasant and well-disposed people2 indeed1 they have the reputation in the ,sudan of being the best of all the negroid races2 they cultivate only sufficient quantities of corn1 sesame1 and beans to serve for their livelihood2 whilst the wild fruits and vegetables of their country are so plentiful as to furnish almost sufficient food for their maintenance should they be unable to cultivate4 ,they possess numbers of goats and cattle which supply them with milk and butter2 they are much addicted to drinking marissa 7a kind of beer made from dhurra71 and great quantities of this beverage are consumed at their feasts1 principally at the feast known as ,zubeir4 ,on this occasion men and women drink and dance together2 but notwithstanding this unusual familiarity1 ,i never saw anything which might be considered an outrage to society4 ,with the exception of the ,khojur1 of whom ,i shall presently speak1 and the head sheikh1 monogamy is practised4 ,the ,nubas are governed entirely by their own traditional laws and customs1 the ,khojur only intervening in case of necessity4 ,the ,khojur is in reality a sort of religious chief1 whose power over the people depends entirely on his skilfulness and sagacity4 ,during the time ,i was in this neighbourhood the ,khojur was a certain ,kakum1 known as ,kakum of ,delen4 ,only a short time had elapsed since the ,egyptian ,government had made a settlement at ,delen4 ,a company of ,sudanese soldiers1 under the command of a captain who was appointed for the suppression of the slave-trade1 had been recently quartered there1 and they were also charged with the protection of our ,mission station4 ,i was very happy in ,delen1 where ,i found a variety of pursuits to occupy my time4 ,i amused myself in collecting insects1 of which ,i soon had a large selection4 ,i also skinned birds and snakes4 ,the various modes of ,nuba life and cultivation were1 moreover1 an immense interest to me1 and the presentation of a few glass beads enabled me to secure many strange objects in return4 ,the natives used to roar with laughter when they saw me examining with interest the curious insects they brought me4 ,we had quite a colony of blacks in the ,mission1 and as the number increased1 it became necessary to enlarge the accommodation1 so we began to make and burn bricks2 we obtained lime from the ,saburi mountain 7,i may here say the ,nubas gave us this information7 and the doleb-palm supplied us with plenty of wood4 ,assisted by ,father ,bonomi1 our carpenter ,gabriel ,mariani built a four-wheeled cart1 which we drove with two strong mules4 ,we worked along cheerfully and full of hope4 ,we turned out some #b1jjj good bricks4 ,our blacks were quite contented2 far removed from the corruption and temptation of the towns1 they kept steadily to their work1 and tilled their own little patches of ground2 everything was going well1 and we anticipated great results4 ,but suddenly our tranquillity was disturbed4 ,early in ,april #ahhb1 there were perceptible at ,delen the first murmurings of the terrible storm which was to deluge the entire ,sudan with blood1 and to bring misfortune and calamity on the land and on our happy ,mission2 but these events ,i will describe in the following pages4 ,,chapter ,i4 ,,the ,,mahdi ,,and ,,his ,,rise ,,to ,,power4 ,the rise of the ,mahdi--,early successes--,personal appearance--,his ,khalifas described--,military organization--,makes new laws--,he summons ,el ,obeid to surrender4 ,a few years previous to the time of which ,i speak1 an individual who called himself a ,dervish had attracted people's attention4 ,he wandered through the ,sudan in the garb of a ,dervish1 and strove to rouse the ,moslems to religious fanaticism4 ,he urged that reality no longer existed in the religion2 faith was becoming of no account1 and this religious decadence was due to a luxurious mode of life and contact with ,christians4 ,a number of influential sheikhs and merchants took up his cause1 and these he made to swear to remain faithful and true to him4 ,at this time at ,el ,obeid there was a certain ,said el ,mek1 who had the reputation of being a holy man1 and the ,dervish did all in his power to induce him to espouse his cause4 ,said el ,mek urged that religion had not fallen into such disrepute1 and that all would be well if more mosques were built2 but the ,dervish1 with threats that if he refused to join him he would compass his destruction1 extracted from him a promise to keep his plans secret4 ,he then prepared the way by continuing his wanderings1 preaching everywhere against the oppression of the ,turk and the decadence of the true ,moslem faith4 ,under the very nose of the ,government he collected a small body of faithful adherents1 set off with them for the island of ,abba on the ,white ,nile1 and there openly declared himself4 ,rumours that he intended to raise the people to revolt reached ,khartum4 ,at this time ,rauf ,pasha was ,governor-,general2 he sent a noted ,khartum townsman named ,abu ,saud to ,abba1 with instructions to invite the ,dervish to come and see the ,governor-,general4 ,abu ,saud nearly succeeded in his mission1 and had it not been for the advice of one of his adherents1 ,ahmed ,sharfi1 it is probable that the ,dervish would have accepted the invitation4 ,rauf ,pasha1 on learning of his refusal to obey the summons1 despatched two companies of troops to ,abba ,island at the end of ,july #ahha1 with instructions to bring the ,dervish forcibly to ,khartum4 ,the two captains of the companies had a difference of opinion1 and1 landing the troops in a most careless manner1 they were drawn on by the adherents of the ,dervish into a marshy swamp1 where they were fallen upon and a number of them killed with simple sticks4 ,ahmed ,sharfi himself told me this4 ,only a very few succeeded in escaping and returning to the steamer1 in which they made their way back to ,khartum4 ,this episode caused great excitement4 ,i was at ,el ,obeid when it happened1 and ,giegler ,pasha1 who was also there at the time1 told me about it4 ,giegler despatched ,mohammed ,said ,pasha to the ,white ,nile with orders to prevent the ,dervish from escaping south2 but ,said ,pasha soon afterwards returned1 having done nothing2 probably he did not dare to attack the rebels4 ,in the meantime the ,dervish quitted ,abba1 and succeeded in reaching ,tagalla in safety2 thence he proceeded to ,jebel ,gedir1 and located himself at the foot of that mountain4 ,the natives of this district are called ,kawakla1 and dwell on the top of the mountain2 they are possessors of a very celebrated and holy stone1 on which there is a tradition the prophet ,mohammed sat and prayed4 ,here the ,dervish ,mohammed ,ahmed now took up his abode1 and waited to see what action the ,government intended to take4 ,at ,delen the news of this ,dervish was very meagre1 though there was much talk of his wonderful miracles1 the most important of which was said to be his power to change the bullets of the ,government troops into water4 ,his repute as a worker of miracles grew rapidly1 and was the cause of largely increasing the number of his adherents4 ,the malcontents1 runaway slaves1 criminals evading justice1 and religious fanatics1 hurried to ,gedir2 but perhaps the bulk of his adherents were men who lived by theft and robbery1 and who were the main supporters of the movement4 ,to all1 the ,dervish gave promises of enormous shares of loot and everlasting happiness in the world to come4 ,but it was to the slave-dealers that ,mohammed appeared in the light of a saviour1 and it was to them that he owed his subsequent success4 ,illustration3 ,,zubeir ,,pasha4 ,from the time that ,gessi ,pasha put an end to the slave-trade in the ,bahr el ,ghazal by conquering ,suleiman1 the son of ,zubeir ,pasha1 and dispersing his forces--as ,gessi had often related to me--numbers of these runaway slave-dealers 7as they afterwards assured me7 owed their ruin to him4 ,these men were all warriors1 accustomed to every description of hardship1 well trained in the use of firearms1 and from their constant slave-fights well accustomed to war2 they flocked in numbers to the ,dervish1 and he gave them elaborate promises of quantities of booty and a complete resumption of the slave-trade4 ,mohammed ,ahmed had the power of inspiring these men with an extraordinary amount of fanatical ardour1 so much so1 indeed1 as we shall presently see1 that they would not hesitate to rush into certain death at one word from him4 ,he would compare these men with the ,government troops1 and prove how far inferior were these latter2 and1 on the other hand1 the ,government troops made the fatal mistake of underrating their enemies1 and conducting their operations with a complete disregard for the wary foes with whom they had to deal4 ,what more obvious example of this blind self-confidence can there be than in the miserable defeat of ,rashid ,bey1 ,mudir of ,fashoda1 who1 without any instructions1 advanced against the ,dervishes1 and was cut to pieces on the #ith of ,december1 #ahha8 ,rashid ,bey--so an eye-witness told me--was drawn into the middle of a forest1 and there he and his men were massacred1 before they could even alight from their camels1 so completely taken by surprise were they4 ,thus the ,dervishes gained an important and decisive victory1 with1 comparatively speaking1 no loss at all4 ,the ,german ,berghof1 inspector for the suppression of slavery at ,fashoda1 also fell in this fight4 ,what wonder is it that such successes as these strengthened the belief of the people that the ,mahdi could turn ,egyptian bullets into water6 ,this victory gave enormous impetus to the cause2 not only was a quantity of arms1 ammunition1 and stores captured1 but ,mohammed ,ahmed's moral influence was greatly increased4 ,he was now believed in as the true ,mahdi2 men flocked to his standard from all parts1 and were ready and willing to lay down their lives in his cause4 ,mohammed ,ahmed ,wad el ,bedri1 one of the ,mahdi's favourite and early adherents1 told me that it was the latter's intention to proceed to ,dar ,fertit1 and there organise an extensive revolt against the ,government2 but ,elias ,pasha1 a ,jaali1 and former ,mudir of ,el ,obeid1 urged him against this4 ,elias ,pasha was a bitter enemy of ,mohammed ,said ,pasha1 and of ,ahmed ,bey ,dafallah1 one of the principal merchants of ,el ,obeid1 and he took this opportunity to wreak his vengeance on them4 ,he fully convinced the ,mahdi of the inability of the garrison of ,el ,obeid to offer any prolonged resistance1 as the troops were few in number1 and he could count on all the inhabitants joining him4 ,it was this advice that caused the ,mahdi to turn his attention to ,kordofan4 ,during all this time the number of the ,mahdi's followers was continually increasing1 and the ,government at length decided to send an expedition against him4 ,on the #aeth of ,march1 #ahhb1 ,yussef ,pasha ,esh ,shellali1 formerly ,gessi's second in command in his campaign against ,suleiman ,zubeir1 left ,khartum for the south1 in command of some #d1jjj men1 a large number of whom deserted on the march4 ,about the middle of ,may1 however1 he left ,fashoda1 and advanced towards ,gedir4 ,at the same time another expedition under ,abdullah1 brother of ,ahmed ,bey ,dafallah and ,osman1 started from ,el ,obeid4 ,this force was composed entirely of volunteers1 whom it had taken almost a month to collect1 the noggara beating night and day as a summons to arms4 ,they were badly armed1 and in spite of ,abdullah's well-known bravery1 the expedition left with little hope of success4 ,besides1 an event happened which filled the men with gloomy forebodings4 ,just as the troops were starting1 ,abdullah fell from his horse1 and1 according to ,sudan superstition1 such an untoward event is always a sign that the expedition will meet with misfortunes4 ,abdullah effected a junction with ,yussef ,pasha1 and the combined force reached ,gedir1 where they entrenched themselves in a zariba near the base of the mountain4 ,a body of rebels1 noiselessly approaching by night1 succeeded unobserved in dragging away some of the thorns forming the zariba1 and in the early morning the ,dervishes1 with fearful yells1 broke in and threw themselves on the troops1 who1 scared by the suddenness of the attack1 offered little resistance2 they were soon overcome1 and fell a prey to the deadly dervish spears4 ,abdullah alone made a gallant stand1 and fought with desperate bravery1 but he too fell at last4 ,a few only succeeded in escaping to ,fashoda1 and ,emin ,bey1 who was there at the time1 on his way to the ,equatorial ,province1 was the first to receive the sad news4 ,the account of this massacre1 which took place on the #gth of ,june1 #ahhb1 was described to us by an eye-witness4 ,and now the ,mahdi determined to lay siege to ,el ,obeid1 a step which was hailed with satisfaction by all his followers4 ,large numbers of ,dar ,hamd1 ,ghodiat1 and ,bederieh ,arabs collected at ,birket1 which in winter-time becomes a large lake1 round which are clustered numerous villages4 ,in ,july #ahhb1 ,mohammed ,said ,pasha sent ,major ,nesim and ,osman1 the brother of ,abdullah who was killed at ,gedir1 with a force of #a1ejj men1 with orders to disperse the ,arabs4 ,after a stubborn resistance the ,arabs were defeated by ,nesim1 but the latter suffered heavily1 and ,osman was amongst the killed4 ,nesim afterwards returned to ,el ,obeid4 ,meanwhile the various military stations in ,kordofan were falling one by one into the ,mahdi's hands4 ,in ,july ,fiki ,rahma1 at the head of the ,gowameh ,arabs1 assaulted and took ,ashaf and razed it to the ground4 ,here terrible atrocities were committed2 not a woman was spared2 even those with child were ripped open and the unborn infant impaled on a lance4 ,on the #hth of ,august ,shat was captured and destroyed by ,wad ,makashif4 ,fiki ,minneh stormed and took ,tayara1 putting all the inhabitants to the sword4 ,bara and ,el ,obeid were now the only towns left in the whole province of ,kordofan over which the ,egyptian flag was still flying2 and these two places were gradually being invested1 while within lurked the spirit of treachery1 and the ,mahdi propaganda was being secretly instilled into not unwilling minds4 ,at ,el ,obeid1 ,elias ,pasha was the most active agent1 and it was to him that the ,mahdi had consigned the medals1 watches1 and other valuables captured at ,gedir1 with orders to sell them in ,el ,obeid4 ,the ,mahdi now became a man whose very name was a terror to the ,egyptians4 ,the way to ,el ,obeid lay open before him1 and when he saw how rapidly he had risen to power1 there is no doubt he really believed himself to be the true ,mahdi1 divinely sent by ,god to carry out this great revolution1 and the fulsome flattery of his numerous adherents must have confirmed him in this idea4 ,here a few remarks on the ,mahdi's antecedents may not be out of place4 ,mohammed ,ahmed belonged to the race of people known as the ,danagla--i4e4 inhabitants of ,dongola--who are notorious in the ,sudan as being the cleverest and most determined of the slave-dealers4 ,on the ,white ,nile and in the ,bahr el ,ghazal they had built numerous zaribas1 and it was through their means that this country became first known4 ,in ,darfur they always occupied the position of chief ministers or vazirs to the ,sultans2 even to the present day the prime minister of the ,sultan of ,borgo is a ,dongolawi4 ,in spite1 however1 of their capacity1 the ,danagla were rather despised throughout the ,sudan1 and it was only subsequently that they were created ,ashraf 7or noble7 by the ,mahdi4 ,mohammed ,ahmed's age was estimated at his death to have been about forty-five1 he must therefore have been born about the year #ahdj4 ,it appears that his father came into the ,sudan when quite a young man1 and sent his son to the ,mesit or ,kuran school at ,kererri1 and1 from what ,i have heard1 there is no doubt that the young ,mohammed ,ahmed showed signs of a violently fanatical nature at quite an early age4 ,after the fall of ,el ,obeid1 his former teacher came to see him1 and was received with great solemnity by his early pupil1 who at once arranged that he should receive a monthly salary4 ,mohammed ,ahmed's early youth was spent in learning the ,kuran2 later on he led the life of a ,dervish1 moving about from place to place1 distributing amulets1 and writing on little slips of paper mysterious words1 which were supposed to protect the wearer against all the ills and diseases to which human beings are liable4 ,through constant study1 and by leading the life of an ascetic1 he acquired a facility of speech which obtained for him a great reputation amongst the uneducated and superstitious classes in which he moved4 ,before he openly declared himself1 he retired for some time to a cave1 where he gave himself up entirely to prayer4 ,his repute for sanctity was so great that sailing vessels and even ,government steamers stopped to ask his blessing on their journey2 in return for which he received many valuable gifts4 ,as ,i have already said1 it was not till after he had prepared the ground by his itinerant preaching that he openly declared himself4 ,his outward appearance was strangely fascinating2 he was a man of strong constitution1 very dark complexion1 and his face always wore a pleasant smile1 to which he had by long practice accustomed himself4 ,under this smile gleamed a set of singularly white teeth1 and between the two upper middle ones was a ,v-shaped space1 which in the ,sudan is considered a sign that the owner will be lucky4 ,his mode of conversation too had by training become exceptionally pleasant and sweet4 ,as a messenger of ,god1 he pretended to be in direct communication with the ,deity4 ,all orders which he gave were supposed to have come to him by inspiration1 and it became therefore a sin to refuse to obey them2 disobedience to the ,mahdi's orders was tantamount to resistance to the will of ,god1 and was therefore punishable by death4 ,he called himself ,mahdi ,khalifat er ,rasul 7i4e4 the successor of the ,prophet71 while his adherents called him ,sayid 7i4e4 ,master72 ,sayidna el ,mahdi 7i4e4 our ,master the ,mahdi71 or ,sayidna el ,imam 7i4e4 our ,master the head1 or one who goes in front74 ,the ,mahdi in his every action endeavoured to imitate and follow in the exact footsteps of the ,prophet4 ,thus he made his hejira or flight to ,gedir1 and there appointed his four ,khalifas4 ,the first of these was the ,khalifa ,abdullah1 who assumed the title of ,khalifa ,abu ,bakr1 or ,khalifa ,es ,sadik2 he belonged to the ,taisha section of the ,baggara tribe1 and it was through his influence that the ,taisha1 ,rizighat and ,homr ,baggaras were won over to the ,mahdi's cause4 ,it was agreed that ,khalifa ,abdullah should1 in the event of the ,mahdi's death1 succeed4 ,the second ,khalifa was ,ali ,wad ,helu1 the chief of the powerful ,degheim and ,kenana tribes1 who also largely contributed to the ,mahdi's success4 ,the third was ,ali ,esh ,sherif1 a ,dongolawi1 and son-in-law of the ,mahdi2 the title of ,sherif1 or noble1 was given to him as being a member of the ,mahdi's family2 he was the representative of the ,gellabas 7or traders71 and of the inhabitants of ,gezireh1,b ,berber1 and ,dongola4 ,ali ,sherif was in reality the last ,khalifa1 for a fourth was never appointed4 ,the ,mahdi asked the son of ,sheikh ,senussi1 as by his influence he thought to win over ,egypt1 but he refused the honour1 and in consequence no one else was nominated to fill the place1 though strenuous efforts were made by the more ambitious adherents to secure this much-coveted position2 and it is needless to add that several who sought the honour were relegated to prison as possible rivals4 ,the ,khalifa ,abdullah is now about forty-three years of age1 has a dark copper-coloured complexion1 much marked by small-pox1 an intelligent face1 and is a man of great energy4 ,he is gifted by nature with common sense1 but he has had no education1 and can neither read nor write4 ,the ,khalifa ,ali is rather short1 and if he were only a little taller would pass for a good-looking man2 he has a ruddy complexion1 and wears a large beard2 he was educated at the ,el ,azhar university in ,cairo1 and has a considerable knowledge of ,islam theology4 ,he is at present under forty years of age1 and should succeed ,abdullah4 ,the ,khalifa ,sherif is not at present more than twenty-one years of age4 ,these three ,khalifas were the commanders-in-chief of the army1 of which each section had its own special distinctions1 whilst the ,mahdi himself had no distinctive military insignia--neither flag nor drum4 ,each ,khalifa had his own ,jehadieh1 or regular troops1 his cavalry and lance-bearers1 all from the tribe to which he himself belongs2 each had also his own distinctive flag2 ,abdullah's the ,raya ,zerga1 or black flag2 ,ali's the ,raya el ,hamra1 or red flag2 and ,sherif's the ,raya el ,hadra1 or green flag2 each ,khalifa had in addition his own war-drums made of brass1 and which were therefore called nahas1 in contradistinction to the ordinary drums known as noggara1 which are made of wood1 over which a piece of skin is tightly stretched2 the ,khalifa ,abdullah had also the onbaa1 a very powerful wind instrument made of an elephant's tusk1 hollowed out1 and which when blown has a very loud and impressive sound4 ,the whole of the ,mahdi's troops were thus divided into three sections under their respective flags1 and each ,khalifa was in actual command of his section4 ,the ,mahdi and ,sherif represented the ,gellabas1 who are known1 in contradistinction to the ,baggara1 as ,aulad-,belad 7country people71 and ,aulad-,bahr 7river people71 because they dwell on the banks of the ,nile2 whilst ,khalifa ,abdullah and ,ali ,wad ,helu represented the ,baggara1 i4e4 the ,arabs4 ,the former of these two parties was the most capable as well as the most numerous1 but1 as we shall presently see1 ,khalifa ,abdullah's party1 through their leader's immense energy1 gained the ascendency4 ,each ,khalifa has numbers of emirs under him1 all of whom have their different flags4 ,these banners are quite simple and require no great labour2 they are made of varied colours1 and on each the ,moslem creed is written1 with the addition of the words3 ,mohammed ,ahmed el ,mahdi ,khalifat er ,rasul 7i4e4 the successor of the ,prophet74 ,this is specially directed against the ,sultan of ,turkey1 who claims this title4 ,latterly flags were made to represent certain stated numbers of men2 for instance1 in the early days of the revolt1 ,abderrahman en ,nejumi was designated ,emir el ,umara 7or ,emir of ,emirs71 because in the first instance he commanded from #b1jjj to #d1jjj men1 and secondly1 these men received a regular rate of pay1 which in reality found its way into the emirs' pockets2 but latterly many of the emirs command only fifty men4 ,each emir is assisted by several mukuddums1 or under officers1 and each mukuddum also has his assistant4 ,thus did the ,mahdi organise the force which was to conquer the ,sudan4 ,he had absolutely no knowledge or system of drill1 but he had men in abundance2 and taking the proverb1 ,nekhrib ed ,dunia wa nammir el ,akher 7i4e4 ,we shall destroy this and create the next world7 as his motto1 he thought not of sparing the lives of his men1 but rather urged that by dying they should go direct to paradise4 ,his plan1 therefore1 was to attack in overwhelming numbers with wild shouts1 and to be regardless of all loss4 ,later on1 at ,abu ,kru in the ,bayuda desert1 they yelled so furiously in the hope that they would alarm the ,english1 that their commander1 ,nur ,angara1 tried to make them desist1 by telling them that if they continued shouting much longer1 the ,english would laugh at them4 ,in spite1 however1 of his bold tactics1 the ,mahdi did not hesitate to practise every possible deception and falsehood--indeed1 most of his early successes were secured by these means4 ,at the commencement of the revolt the use of firearms was forbidden2 sticks and lances formed the only arms1 as it was the ,mahdi's intention in this instance also to follow directly in the footsteps of the ,prophet who had gained all his victories without firearms4 ,the ,mahdi1 however1 whilst thus preparing for war1 did not relax in any degree his religious fervour4 ,his primary object was to be a religious reformer1 and to preach that to him was confided the task of bringing back the religion now polluted by the ,turks1 to its original purity4 ,he therefore formulated many severe orders4 ,the use of alcoholic drinks1 to which the ,sudanese are much addicted1 was entirely forbidden1 and any infringement of this order was punished by sixty blows with the kurbash4 ,smoking and chewing tobacco1 a custom much in vogue amongst the ,sudanese1 was also strictly forbidden2 and the use of hashish1 to which the ,turks and ,egyptians were addicted1 was entirely prohibited2 disobedience to this order was punishable by eighty lashes4 ,death often ensued before the punishment could be completed1 but the full number of lashes was always given4 ,if any one lived through his punishment he was considered purified both externally and internally4 ,any harmless word of abuse1 such as kelb 7dog71 was punishable with twenty-seven lashes4 ,this punishment went by the name of ,hakk-,allah,c 7the right of ,god71 and was also inflicted in the time of the ,prophet1 who1 to make it a really mild punishment1 ordained that the upper part of the arms and shoulders should be covered with camel's hide1 and the punishment inflicted on the lower arm only1 the indication that it had been correctly administered being shown by the fact that the camel's hide had not moved from its place4 ,the ,mahdiists1 however1 took quite another view of the matter1 and thought that the only correct way of administering ,god's right was to draw blood copiously4 ,the ,mahdi also issued many new orders regarding marriages4 ,hitherto in the ,sudan and in the ,east generally1 the marriage ceremony is accompanied by large feasts4 ,it was the custom of the father on the betrothal of his daughter to obtain in exchange as large a sum of money as possible2 that is the reason why fathers greatly preferred their children to be girls1 for they made quite a small fortune on their marriages4 ,but the ,mahdi changed all this1 and ordered that the bridegroom should expend a sum of ten dollars only1 besides providing a korbab 7girth7 coverlet1 perfumes and ointment for the bride's hair1 also another sort of ointment which the ,sudanese greatly appreciate1 and which is generally used for anointing the bridegroom's body2 also he must supply a pair of shoes4 ,the ceremonies of betrothal and marriage are very simple4 ,when the contract is completed and the above articles delivered by the bridegroom1 his friends and relations assemble1 generally on a ,friday or ,monday 7these days being considered lucky72 after a good meal the fiki asks the bride or some one appointed to represent her1 whether she consents to the marriage1 after which the bridegroom repeats the usual saying1 in which he mentions the ,mahdi's name1 the ceremony is thus concluded1 and is announced to the neighbours by the women of the party uttering at intervals the shrill cries of joy called ,zagharit4 ,young women are forbidden by the ,mahdi to walk about with uncovered faces2 an unveiled woman is considered to be naked2 but if she wear a veil and the rest of her body be unclothed1 it is not an offence4 ,the wearing of gold and silver ornaments1 and of goat's hair curled and plastered with gum 7a custom which some of the ,sudanese women affect71 was strictly forbidden1 and woe to the woman who thus adorned herself2 not only was her false hair forcibly torn from her1 but her real hair as well4 ,all these innovations the ,mahdi justified by the divinity of his mission4 ,he announced that he was the last of the prophets1 and that the end of the world was near2 further1 he said that during his lifetime the prophet ,jesus would appear1 and that the whole world would become ,moslem2 he therefore urged the people to repentance and prayer1 and do all in their power to further the ,jehad 7or holy war74 ,why should they seek after riches when in a very short time the world would cease to exist8 ,it is easy to see how such teaching as this must eventually result in famine and destruction4 ,the ,mahdi forbade all weeping and wailing for the dead1 on the grounds that to die in such times as the present for the ,mahdi's cause was an honour and reward which would without fail secure paradise to them4 ,as for those who did not have the good fortune to die1 the ,mahdi urged them to show their contempt for the pleasures of this life by continual fasting1 prayer1 and repentance4 ,if a man were suffering from hunger1 he recommended him to tighten his belt1 whilst his more fanatical adherents advised placing a heavy stone on the stomach4 ,he further ordained that the poorest of clothes should be worn1 the feet bared or in sandals1 and1 in imitation of the ,prophet's example1 the hard floor should be chosen as the place on which to sleep4 ,he made curious regulations regarding the manufacture of jibbehs 7i4e4 the ,mahdi uniform coat72 they should be made of damur1 a rough cotton fabric of the ,sudan1 and if torn1 they should be mended with new patches or old rags1 but that on no account should a new jibbeh ever be worn4 ,all these innovations1 which were based on religious motives1 were intended by him to enforce unity and cohesion amongst his followers1 and at the same time they had the effect of hardening them to undergo the perils of war without complaint2 for the ,mahdi thoroughly understood as long as men were rich they would fear death1 and that a luxurious and comfortable mode of life was the worst possible training for war4 ,the ,mahdi always conducted prayers in public1 and his followers considered it a very great privilege to be permitted to take part in worship with him2 consequently1 when he prayed1 his followers came in their thousands1 and ranged themselves in long regular lines behind him4 ,when prayers were concluded1 it was his custom to make religious discourses1 in which he explained various passages in the sacred books1 arguing that they referred to the divine message concerning his mission1 and the destruction of the ,turks and unbelievers4 ,the people whom he addressed were so ignorant and uneducated that they believed implicitly every word he uttered2 these were the guileless1 simple folk1 and they were entirely deceived by the ,mahdi2 but there were others who well knew that every word he uttered was a falsehood2 nevertheless they listened1 and1 to flatter him1 showed an apparent interest in his new doctrine4 ,thus the ,mahdi1 having prepared himself1 as we have seen1 and having already been three times victorious over the ,egyptian troops1 now quitted his place of refuge1 ,gedir1 and set off for ,kordofan1 which he intended to reduce to entire submission4 ,in order to cover his retreat in case of failure1 he left his uncle1 ,sherif ,mahmud1 with some troops at ,gedir1 where he also left the guns1 as transport at that time of the year was very difficult1 owing to the rain having flooded the khors and valleys2 he also left behind the arms captured from the ,turks4 ,hitherto he had not collected any large amount of treasure1 and had suffered considerable privations at ,gedir4 ,when the ,mahdi announced his departure from ,gedir1 he wrote letters to the tribes1 and soon they flocked to his standards in great numbers and from all directions2 ,baggara from the plains of ,dar ,nuba1 ,miserieh1 ,dar ,abu ,dali1 and ,hawazma ,arabs4 ,these hordes assembled1 according to the ,mahdi's orders1 at ,birket1 and to this place also came the ,bederieh1 ,ghodiat1 and ,dar ,homr ,arabs1 whilst on the further side of ,el ,obeid1 cruel fiki ,minneh was gathering the ,gowameh1 ,asaker ,abu ,kalam and ,dar ,giumeh ,arabs1 with whom he intended to assault ,el ,obeid from the north1 simultaneously with the ,mahdi's attack from the south4 ,the rumours of the enormous quantities of treasure stored in ,el ,obeid misled the ,arab hordes1 and there is no doubt that the town would not have fallen had the inhabitants remained loyal to the ,government4 ,mohammed ,said ,pasha had dug a ditch and raised a high parapet round the whole city2 but this line of defence was so extensive1 that it would have required at least #bj1jjj men to hold it2 besides1 the ditch was neither sufficiently deep nor broad1 and did not present a very serious obstacle to cross4 ,from ,birket the ,mahdi despatched three messengers to ,said ,pasha1 calling on him to surrender1 and to acknowledge him as ,mahdi2 in case he refused he was threatened with instant destruction4 ,the three messengers1 clothed in their soiled and tattered jibbehs1 were brought before a meeting of all the principal people in ,el ,obeid2 but in spite of their dirty appearance1 they behaved in such an overbearing and insolent way1 that ,said ,pasha1 regardless of the advice and counsel of a number of those present who were in reality in league with the ,mahdi1 at once ordered ,skander ,bey to hang them4 ,the order was carried out1 and in a few moments their lifeless bodies were dangling on the gallows4 ,if ,said ,pasha had taken strong measures in dealing with some of the principal townsmen1 he might have saved ,el ,obeid4 ,a certain ,ahmed ,dafallah1 a loyal supporter of the ,government1 urged him to put all the suspected people including himself in chains in the ,mudirieh2 this would have disposed of ,elias ,pasha1 ,mohammed ,wad el ,areik1 ,hajji ,khaled1 ,ben en ,naga1 and ,siwar ed ,dahab2 and their chiefs once away1 it is probable their followers would have returned to their former loyalty2 but ,said ,pasha refused to accept the proposal1 and instead of trying to win over his sworn enemy1 ,elias ,pasha1 he alienated him still further by taking possession of his newly-built house near the ,mudirieh and handing it over to ,elias's bitterest enemy1 ,ahmed ,dafallah1 to live in1 thus entirely disregarding ,elias ,pasha4 ,now was ,elias ,pasha's opportunity to revenge himself on his two adversaries1 the garrison of ,el ,obeid was unusually weak1 insignificant reinforcements had been sent from ,khartum under ,mohammed ,pasha ,khabir1 but he also1 being an enemy of the ,mudir1 joined the ,mahdi1 as ,i shall narrate in the following chapter4 ,,footnotes3 ,b ,the ,gezireh or ,geziret ,mere is generally applied to the country lying between the ,blue and ,white ,niles4 ,c ,in law1 the retributive chastisement which it is the duty of a magistrate to inflict for crime and offences against morality and religion4 ,,chapter ,,ii4 ,,father ,,ohrwalder ,,and ,,his ,,companions ,,taken ,,captive4 ,the storm rises in ,dar ,nuba--,the ,baggara begin to raid--,khojur ,kakum of ,delen--,mek ,omar besieges ,delen--,the slave guard deserts the ,mission--,the priests and nuns surrender--,they are sent to the ,mahdi4 ,leaving the ,mahdi at ,birket1 ,i shall now return to the narration of the events which befell us in ,jebel ,nuba4 ,as ,i have already said1 the first indication of a revolt occurred in our part of the country in ,april #ahhb4 ,when the ,mahdi had established himself at ,gedir1 the slave-hunters1 whose occupation had been destroyed by the action of the ,government1 and who were therefore greatly incensed1 were among the first to join his banners4 ,at that time the most notorious slave-dealer was a certain ,ismail ,wad el ,andok of ,haboba1 who took the opportunity1 when the ,government was collecting troops to attack the ,mahdi1 to assemble about #a1fjj men and make a slave raid on ,golfan-,nama4 ,he had already burnt over a hundred houses and captured the inhabitants1 when some of the poor ,nubas who had escaped1 arrived by night at ,delen and urgently begged the inspector of slaves1 ,roversi1 for help4 ,this1 ,roversi gladly promised he would give them1 but it required all his powers of persuasion to induce ,captain ,mohammed ,suleiman to consent2 and1 indeed1 there was no small risk in advancing with only eighty men--which was all ,roversi could raise--to attack this powerful band of robbers4 ,however1 we put our trust in ,god1 and asked ,his blessing on our humane undertaking4 ,roversi left that evening1 guided by the terror-stricken ,nubas4 ,golfan-,nama is about ten hours' journey from ,delen1 and ,roversi1 by making a forced march during the night1 arrived there at daybreak1 and was taken by the ,nubas to a high hill1 from which he could see the enemy's entire camp without being seen1 and1 indeed1 so close was he that he could hear the horses neighing and the sheep bleating4 ,after the men had taken a short rest1 they prepared for the assault4 ,soon after daybreak1 ,roversi gave the signal for attack by a trumpet call2 the enemy1 taken completely by surprise1 thought only of flight1 but the bullets coming from every direction1 gave them no time to think or look from whence they came or how many were opposed to them2 they fled as rapidly as they could1 leaving behind them all the people and cattle they had captured1 as well as a number of their own women4 ,roversi's men were soon masters of the situation1 and were welcomed by the relieved ,nubas with every expression of joy and delight2 the other ,nubas1 who had fled to the hills1 now came down and cut off the retreat of the ,arabs4 ,roversi captured a large quantity of loot1 received the warmest thanks from the captives he had rescued1 and soon after he released a number of the women whom he had taken prisoners4 ,the large number of cattle and sheep captured from the ,arabs in this expedition proved invaluable during the investment of ,delen1 which followed shortly afterwards4 ,the little force now returned laden with booty of every description1 and was received by the inhabitants with every manifestation of joy4 ,this1 however1 was our last victory4 ,i must now give a short description of ,delen before ,i proceed to narrate the events which occurred there later on4 ,delen1 situated five days' journey to the south of ,el ,obeid1 is on one of the smallest of the mountain ranges4 ,jebel ,delen itself consists of five hill summits1 decreasing in height from south to north1 the highest point being scarcely #a1ejj feet above the plain4 ,these five hills form a most picturesque group2 enormous granite blocks lie piled one over the other1 and the spacious cavities thus formed serve as haunts for panthers and other beasts of prey4 ,the rain1 which comes down in torrents1 has washed all the soil away1 leaving only the barren rocks standing in these huge piles2 far in the clefts1 a sort of wild fig has taken slender root1 and1 gradually shooting up1 gives a pleasant shade1 and takes off from the barren aspect which these hills would otherwise present4 ,of the five hills only two are inhabited1 and in all there cannot be more than #b1jjj inhabitants1 who are remarkable for their tall and graceful figures and unusual bravery4 ,at the foot of the northernmost hill lay our little ,mission station1 while at the foot of the south-east hill was situated the palisaded zariba of the soldiers2 to the west and north1 and close to the ,mission buildings1 stretched the ,nuba villages1 extending from the base to the summit of the hills4 ,the second hill from the north1 which is about #fjj yards from the first hill1 was inhabited by the ,nubas and their ,khojur ,kakum4 ,kakum was at that time a man of about fifty years of age1 of commanding appearance1 and greatly respected by the blacks4 ,he used to wear wide white trousers and a gallabieh1 and on his head a nicely embroidered cap with a large tassel which our sisters had made for him4 ,he had passed his youth in ,alexandria as a soldier1 and acquitted himself admirably as the ,khojur1 not of ,delen only1 but also of the neighbouring hills4 ,numbers of people used to come and seek his blessing and advice1 and when our ,bishop ,comboni arrived at ,el ,obeid1 he was there to beg him to send missionaries to teach his people and make men of them4 ,he always remained faithful and loyal to the ,government1 and when our time of difficulty and hardship came1 his continual motto was1 ,eed ,effendina tawileh 7i4e4 ,our ,khedive's hand is long7--that is to say1 his power is great4 ,the third mountain was occupied by a certain ,dogman1 with a small following who were for the most part inclined to ,mahdiism4 ,for the moment this man was not dangerous1 and the people on the two other hills remained loyal to us4 ,when the whole country was up in arms against the ,government1 this honesty and devotion on the part of these poor ,nubas was a bright exception2 they would even have fought for us had it been of any use and we had deemed it necessary4 ,the enemies we most feared were the ,baggara of the ,nuba plains1 who had their headquarters at ,singiokai1 about six hours north of ,delen4 ,these tribesmen had joined in the revolt from the beginning1 and had cut off our communication with ,el ,obeid2 they had organised themselves into a corps of from #aej to #bjj strong1 mounted on horses1 and they frequently made incursions on the people in the neighbourhood of ,delen2 they would suddenly appear galloping at full speed1 and as suddenly disappear1 destroying or seizing everything on their path4 ,their raids were principally directed against the ,nubas who were working in the fields1 and on their women who were carrying water from the wells4 ,these robber-dervishes appeared for the first time on the #hth of ,april1 #ahhb1 and a cry of alarm was raised from the mountains1 which echoed and re-echoed it back a hundred times4 ,every one fled to the mountains1 even the cattle instinctively made for their shelters4 ,some ,nubas were attacked and killed in the woods1 and twelve of the soldiers1 who were out looking after the camels grazing1 were all killed1 with the exception of one who fell severely wounded in the back2 all the camels were captured4 ,when the ,baggara had disappeared1 the ,nubas descended from the hills and came to the scene of the raid4 ,on finding the dead bodies1 with weeping and wailing they carried them back to the villages2 the women tore their hair1 rolled on the ground1 and put dust on their heads4 ,the large broad lances had made deep gaping wounds in the unfortunate soldiers who had fallen4 ,that night1 when all was still1 the widows of these poor men went to the top of a high rock and there sang a solemn dirge for the dead1 which made a melancholy echo in the deep recesses of the hills4 ,i never heard a more touching lamentation for the dead4 ,it was as if all nature joined in sympathy with these poor people1 whose happy homes had been destroyed4 ,i was deeply affected1 and the more so as ,i thought over the cruel fate which now seemed to be hanging over our heads4 ,soon afterwards the ,baggara appeared again1 but this time they were seen from a distance1 and by a preconcerted signal all fled to places of security1 and the robbers returned empty-handed4 ,the ,nubas now wanted to lie in wait for the ,baggara1 and asked the captain commanding the company to assist them with twenty men4 ,this1 however1 he refused to do1 so we gave them twenty rifles from the ,mission1 and they then prepared an ambush for the unsuspecting ,arabs1 who a few days afterwards came riding along on their tired horses4 ,the ,nubas waited till they came quite close1 and then suddenly opened fire2 fifteen of the enemy fell1 and the remainder galloped off at full speed2 eight horses and some booty fell into the hands of the ,nubas1 who returned in triumph to the village1 and were welcomed with great rejoicings4 ,it was interesting to see them as they marched slowly along1 leading their captured horses1 while the maidens of the village danced in front of them and sang songs in honour of the braves4 ,we had now a short period of tranquillity1 but soon afterwards the ,baggara renewed their attacks1 and we were in a state of constant alarm4 ,our information about the ,mahdi was distorted and unreliable2 we had practically no news from ,el ,obeid1 and we could only arrive at the conclusion that the ,government was powerless1 otherwise why should the ,baggara attack us8 ,one evening the captain told us that he had certain information that we were to be massacred that night2 he had heard that the ,baggaras had made a compact with the ,khojur ,kakum and the ,nubas1 and that our destruction had been agreed upon4 ,the alarm which fell upon our little colony at this news can be readily understood4 ,it was a very dark night1 and in the distance we saw a line of fires which we took to be the ,baggara camp-fires4 ,as we all quite believed in the captain's information1 we prepared ourselves for defence2 but as we thought over the situation we began to wonder how it was that ,kakum1 who had hitherto been our sworn friend1 and united to us by the tie of blood-brotherhood1 should suddenly join with his bitterest enemies1 the ,baggara1 to compass our destruction2 then1 if the news were false1 why should we spend a night of anguish8 ,after some deliberation1 ,father ,bonomi decided to ascertain the true state of affairs1 and taking with him two boys and a lantern1 he set off to see the ,khojur himself4 ,full of anxious thoughts1 we watched the light as it moved on towards the gap in the hills2 at length it reached the base1 and then began slowly ascending4 ,an ominous silence pervaded the whole place1 which was unusual1 for the ,nubas love gossiping till a late hour at night4 ,still we kept our eyes fixed on the light1 which eventually disappeared4 ,how anxiously we awaited its reappearance6 ,should the ,khojur intend treachery1 we knew we should not see ,bonomi again4 ,how slowly the time passed6 ,but at length the light reappeared1 and began to descend the hill4 ,we breathed again2 after all we should not lose our ,father ,bonomi4 ,in a few minutes he was with us again1 and with a cheery laugh told us how the captain's information was all wrong1 and how angry the ,khojur was that we should ever have doubted him4 ,i thereupon hastened to the soldiers' quarters1 to reassure the poor captain4 ,mohammed ,suleiman was really a good man1 but he was too old and unfitted for his position4 ,although it was midnight1 he and ,roversi returned with me to the ,mission1 and there he related how one of his female slaves1 who had a slight knowledge of the ,nuba language1 had gone to the ,khojur to grind some dhurra1 and had overheard him talking secretly with some of the ,nubas2 then some of them had got angry1 and1 standing up1 beat the ground with their spears4 ,this1 the woman concluded1 must mean an oath that we should be destroyed4 ,as for the rest of the story1 it was entirely the woman's invention4 ,everything was now explained1 and our fear gave way to cheerful conversation1 which we continued till dawn1 when the ringing of the ave bell awakened the echoes of the black mountains of ,delen4 ,at sunrise the ,khojur arrived1 accompanied by a number of followers and many influential ,nubas4 ,not content with his declaration of fidelity made the previous night1 the good man had come down to give us his solemn oath that1 far from fighting against us1 he and his men were ready to fight and die for us4 ,in a grave speech1 full of earnest fervour1 he assured us of his and of the ,nubas' friendship4 ,we1 on the other hand1 felt certain of his loyalty1 and we pledged the success of our compact in a bottle of wine1 which our good friend the ,khojur greatly enjoyed4 ,we lived in this state of uncertainty and fear for upwards of five months1 not knowing what the next day would bring forth2 we were entirely cut off from the rest of the world1 and our peaceful work and occupations were all disturbed4 ,we now no longer dared to expose ourselves on the plains1 but confined ourselves to the hills1 where we sometimes hunted the koodoo4 ,on one occasion1 when we went to the ,dogman mountain1 our suspicions were aroused by the way in which the people gathered round us1 and showed a curious desire to examine our arms4 ,as we were returning1 the former sheikh of this district--a man named ,isa--warned us not to come to the mountain again1 as some of the men intended to kill us1 and would have done so had they not been afraid of our arms4 ,roversi's rifle had a magazine for sixteen cartridges4 ,early in ,september our position became very critical4 ,the ,mahdi1 having quitted ,gedir1 had advanced into ,kordofan2 his adherents gathered round him at ,birket from all directions1 and from here he despatched a certain ,mek ,omar with letters and a small band of followers to take possession of ,delen4 ,mek ,omar arrived1 and encamped on the hill with his friend ,dogman1 and planting his standard1 he beat his war-drum incessantly1 day and night4 ,he then sent us a letter saying that the ,mahdi had captured ,el ,obeid1 and that all the inhabitants had joined him1 with the exception of ,mohammed ,said ,pasha and a few soldiers who still held out in the ,mudirieh buildings2 at the same time ,omar urged us to submit1 as resistance was useless4 ,the fact that ,omar1 with only fifty men1 possibly less1 had the audacity to pitch his camp under our very eyes1 rather induced us to believe in the truth of his assertions4 ,roversi1 however1 determined to attack him1 but was dissuaded from doing so by the captain4 ,we then held a council to consider what would be the best course to follow4 ,after much deliberation 7which is always the case in dealing with ,arabs7 it was unanimously decided to attempt a flight to ,fashoda4 ,the ,nubas also1 who offered us their services as guides1 advised us to take this course4 ,it is very probable we should have succeeded in this attempt1 as almost all the ,arabs who wanted to fight had followed the ,mahdi to ,el ,obeid1 in anticipation of the booty which they thought would so soon be theirs4 ,the route to ,fashoda lay far to the south of the scene of present operations1 and with the eighty ,remingtons of the soldiers1 and our thirty good rifles1 we felt confident that we should be able to make our way thither4 ,it was therefore decided that we should start off very quietly in the dead of night4 ,every one made up a small bundle of the few things he wished to take1 which would be required on the journey1 either as presents or to buy or offer in exchange for food4 ,we also had a sufficient number of camels1 mules1 and donkeys for the sisters and sick1 and we had made up into bundles all that we required2 we gave the rest of our things to the ,nubas1 so that nothing should fall into ,mek ,omar's hands4 ,the ,nubas gave us every possible assistance1 and through the darkness we could see them moving about like ghosts amongst the black rocks1 laden with every imaginable thing4 ,at midnight we quitted the ,mission and made our way to the soldiers' zariba1 hoping that we should find them all ready to start2 but instead we found them all in bed1 the captain had given no orders to prepare1 and ,roversi's influence was gone4 ,we tried in various ways to induce the captain to give orders1 but he merely answered that he was waiting till he received a reply from ,mek ,omar1 to whom he had written4 ,getting impatient1 he sent a trustworthy man to ,omar1 who never returned4 ,it was now nearly sunrise1 and all our efforts to move the captain were unavailing4 ,then the ,khedivial ,national ,anthem1 which was always blown at reveille1 was sounded1 but was smothered by the deafening rattle of the noggaras2 it was1 as it were1 a mockery1 showing that the light of civilisation was about to be extinguished by the barbaric hordes of ,jebel ,nuba4 ,in the meantime the soldiers had got ready of their own accord1 and declared themselves willing to undergo any fatigue1 and1 if needs be1 die for us2 but the fear and irresolution shown by their captain unnerved them1 and as the sun rose they one by one left the camp and submitted to ,mek ,omar4 ,a very few only stayed with ,roversi2 and when the captain quitted the zariba1 these too went over to the enemy4 ,thus were we left quite alone--a party of some #bjj persons1 of whom the greater number were women and children4 ,flight was now out of the question2 there was nothing left for us but to return to our homes4 ,we did so2 but what a sight met our eyes6 ,the ,nubas had carried off everything4 ,with heavy hearts we returned to the rooms of the ,mission2 here everything was wrecked and ruined2 what the ,nubas had thought of no use to themselves they had smashed to pieces4 ,roversi1 who had always been most loyal and true to us1 now went to ,mek ,omar to arrange for his own safety4 ,when the first bitterness of feeling had passed off1 we discussed the next step to be taken2 there was absolutely nothing left in the station1 and we had not a mouthful of food left4 ,i then went1 in company with ,bonomi1 to ,mek ,omar4 ,this former slave-dealer--a short1 crippled1 and dirty old ,takruri1 who had been well known to us a long time ago--received us in a friendly manner4 ,he had coffee brought to us1 and related the great bravery of the ,mahdi1 and then concluded with the following words3 ,i know that you will not turn ,mohammedans1 you must therefore understand that your property and slaves are no longer your own2 at the same time ,i will give you a letter to the ,mahdi regarding your situation4 ,hard as these conditions were1 we had no alternative but to accept2 and when our conference was over1 our arms were taken from us1 and all our blacks1 for whose welfare so many lives had been sacrificed and such trouble expended1 were suddenly lost to us at one fell stroke4 ,we then returned to the ,mission1 where we spent the night alone and on our knees4 ,these events took place on the #adth of ,september1 #ahhb4 ,on the morning of the #aeth of ,september we rang for the last time the ave-bell for ,heaven knows how many years4 ,at noon ,mek ,omar arrived with his followers1 and1 chanting the ,mohammedan creed1 he first entered the church1 and there we had the agony of beholding with our own eyes its destruction4 ,our blacks were taken over by ,omar's troops1 and attached to the ,government soldiers4 ,omar thought that he would find some treasure1 but here he was mistaken1 for we had hidden the little money we had to meet our future wants2 and as we had been cut off from ,el ,obeid for seven months1 we had consumed all our reserve stores2 for the fourteen days previous to this we had not even any salt to mix with our food4 ,we had to stay on at ,delen for three long days1 awaiting ,omar's pleasure to allow us to proceed4 ,it was pitiable to see the cruel and brutal way in which our poor blacks were treated by ,omar's followers4 ,before leaving we paid ,khojur ,kakum a visit2 the poor man was filled with pity for us1 and more especially for the sisters2 he longed to stay with us1 and1 bitterly weeping1 bade us farewell4 ,he also fully expected to meet a tragic fate4 ,we finally left our beloved ,nuba hills on the #ahth of ,september1 and after endless trouble succeeded in procuring from ,mek ,omar four animals on which the sisters could ride4 ,father ,bonomi1 myself1 and two lay brothers took it in turns to walk and ride4 ,our mounts consisted of a camel1 a mule1 and two donkeys4 ,mek ,omar placed us in charge of his son ,naser and a party of ,arabs2 several of the ,nubas accompanied us for some distance1 and as we passed ,kakum's hill1 we could see the poor man standing up and stretching out his hands towards us as a last farewell4 ,many of our young blacks also followed us1 but were forced by their new masters to turn back4 ,our departure caused us pangs of grief which pierced us to the very core4 ,in the evening we reached a small hill called ,kudru1 at the base of which there was a well1 and here we encamped for the night4 ,here also the ,nubas came down from the rocks to greet us4 ,we left the next morning1 and our road now lay through the great grass plains4 ,at this season of the year1 besides the rain1 there is always a very heavy dew which wetted us to the skin1 besides we often had to ford streams up to our necks1 and emerging with dripping clothes1 to continue our march4 ,we knew that this was sure to bring on fever and diarrhoea1 and so1 indeed1 it proved1 shortly after our arrival at ,el ,obeid4 ,at length we reached ,singiokai1 the head-quarters of the ,baggara1 and we found numbers of nomad ,arabs living in tents4 ,on our arrival1 every one1 old and young1 hastened to look at us1 and gaze on the hated captured ,christians4 ,this inquisitive and motley crowd derided us and heaped insults upon us2 the ugly old women1 whom one could only compare with hyenas1 were perhaps the most bitter in their disgraceful taunts4 ,we stayed here one day1 and then continued our journey4 ,whenever we came to a village we were subjected to the rudest treatment1 and had we not been guarded by our escort1 we must have inevitably been killed4 ,we were constantly searched1 in the hope that money would be found on us4 ,when we got near ,el ,obeid1 ,naser put us into a hut1 where we were told to remain until he should see the ,mahdi1 and ascertain from him his instructions regarding us4 ,we gathered from what he said that he was going to find out whether we should be killed where we were1 or brought first before the ,mahdi4 ,thus ,naser left us under strict guard4 ,,chapter ,,iii4 ,,the ,,missionaries ,,and ,,the ,,mahdi4 ,description of ,el ,obeid--,said ,pasha's system of defence--,the ,mahdi's followers encircle the town--,townspeople desert to the ,mahdi--,unsuccessful attack on ,government buildings--,dervishes driven off with loss of #aj1jjj men--,the missionaries brought before the ,mahdi--,threatened with death--,preparations for the execution--,reprieved at the last moment--,the ,mahdi's camp described--,death of some of the missionaries--,illness of remainder4 ,during our stay in the hut we were told how the inhabitants of ,el ,obeid had joined the ,mahdi1 and that only the garrison held out2 but ,i will here narrate what had actually occurred4 ,we left the ,mahdi last at ,birket1 while his three messengers had been hanged in ,el ,obeid4 ,he left ,birket on the #dth of ,september1 and encamped at ,kaba1 a place a few hours' journey from ,el ,obeid4 ,el ,obeid is situated in the midst of a vast plain1 which in the hot weather is just like a desert4 ,here and there a few ,adansonia trees1 transported from ,khartum1 break the monotony of this dreary scene which is bounded on the south-east by the ,kordofan mountains2 at a distance of about five kilometres to the north rises the cone-shaped hill known as ,korbatsh1 while to the north-west appears the small ,om ,herezeh mountain4 ,el ,obeid lies in a sort of hollow in the plain2 consequently during the winter-time the wells become full of water1 and serve as a sufficient supply for the whole year4 ,since the ,egyptian occupation of the ,sudan1 ,el ,obeid had become a town of some importance1 but the houses were for the most part built of mud1 with the exception of the ,government buildings1 which were constructed of sun-dried bricks4 ,the entrance to these buildings was through a lofty archway1 over which a second story had been raised1 thus making it a most conspicuous object1 and one which could be seen from a considerable distance4 ,el ,obeid1 at the time of which ,i speak1 was an important and flourishing city1 with a population of about #ajj1jjj souls4 ,it was noted principally for its gum1 the best quality of which was known by the name of ,kordofan gum4 ,the largest quantities came from ,tayara and ,dar ,homr1 where the gum trees were planted in large gardens regularly laid out4 ,thousands of camels were engaged in the transport of this valuable commodity to ,shatt on the ,white ,nile1 to ,omdurman1 and to ,dongola4 ,ostrich feathers also formed another important article of commerce4 ,at ,dar ,homr there are numbers of ostrich farms1 the animals being kept in large zaribas2 but as an article of trade1 the feathers of the wild ostriches are more valuable than those of the domestic animal4 ,ostrich feathers are always sold by weight4 ,other exports from ,kordofan are tamarinds1 senna1 and the skins of animals4 ,iron is also found in ,kordofan2 and one day1 when we were digging out a well at ,delen1 we came across quicksilver4 ,el ,obeid was also the supply dept for ,darfur1 ,shakka1 and ,dar ,nuba1 and thus became an important trade centre4 ,numbers of rich merchants lived here1 such as ,elias ,pasha1 ,omberer1 ,hajji ,mohammed ,ben en ,naga1 ,ahmed ,bey ,dafallah 7who owned thousands of slaves71 ,mohammed ,wad el ,areik1 ,hajji ,khaled1 ,ibrahim wad ,adlan1 besides numbers of ,copts and ,egyptians4 ,several of the principal mercantile houses in ,cairo also had their agents--,syrians1 ,greeks1 and ,jews--in ,el ,obeid4 ,kordofan was also rich in cattle4 ,the ,kababish1 ,dar ,homr1 ,beni ,jerrar1 and ,dar ,hamed ,arabs possessed large numbers of she-camels4 ,these animals are always kept in the deserts1 and are retained exclusively for breeding purposes4 ,quantities of the young camels are killed1 and their flesh1 which is preferred to any other kind of meat in the ,sudan1 is considered a great luxury1 and is generally eaten uncooked4 ,corn is largely grown in ,kordofan1 also sesame1 which is preferred to that grown on the ,white ,nile2 large white water-melons are also grown in abundance4 ,it may therefore be understood why ,kordofan was the richest province in the ,sudan and brought in the largest revenue to ,government4 ,the whole of this rich country was now in the hands of the ,mahdi1 with the exception of ,el ,obeid1 which was destined soon to be the scene of bloodshed and fanatical warfare between people of the same race and religion4 ,the ,arabs of various tribes1 who in peace time had brought their goods to ,el ,obeid to barter and exchange1 were now clamouring for the destruction of the town and the slaughter of its inmates4 ,as ,i have already related1 ,said ,pasha had completely surrounded the town by a ditch and parapet2 but as this would require such an enormous number of men to defend it1 and knowing that he could place little reliance on the inhabitants1 he had strongly entrenched the ,mudirieh and ,government buildings1 and at the same time put into a state of defence the barracks1 officers and officials' houses1 and those of the ,greek and ,syrian merchants4 ,the members of our ,mission station left their house and pretty church1 and hired rooms within the fortifications2 the loyal citizens and merchants followed their example1 while the remainder of the inhabitants continued to live in the town1 and conspired with the ,mahdi4 ,on the #gth of ,december1 that is to say1 the day on which the ,mahdi arrived at ,kaba1 the whole of these inhabitants quitted the town and joined him in his camp4 ,the wealthy merchants had for long been in communication with the ,mahdi1 others joined him because they were worked up to a pitch of wild fanaticism2 some feared to disobey the summons1 for they could see how weak were the ,government troops and how successful the ,mahdi had been4 ,amongst the deserters to the ,mahdi's side were ,mohammed ,khabir ,pasha of ,darfur1 and a number of irregular troops who had been despatched from ,khartum as reinforcements for ,el ,obeid4 ,thus by various means the ,mahdi's force now numbered upwards of #cj1jjj fighting men1 and with such an army as that it seemed to him a very easy matter to subdue ,said ,pasha and his meagre garrison4 ,the ,mahdi further incited his people to fight by assuring them that the gates of paradise were open to all those martyrs who should fall1 and that each of them should be attended by forty lovely houris when they entered its portals4 ,he also roused their feelings of cupidity by representing1 in the most exaggerated terms1 the value of the treasure locked up within the ,mudirieh1 and told them that victory was assured1 for ,god and his ,prophet had decreed that they should annihilate their enemies with simple sticks2 this he said because he knew that only a few of his followers had firearms4 ,having thus raised them to a pitch of the wildest excitement1 he advanced from ,kaba4 ,in the meantime the ,mudir1 seeing that he could not rely on the inhabitants1 did all in his power to improve the fortifications1 and awaited the assault of the enemy4 ,at daybreak the hordes appeared on the rising ground near ,el ,obeid2 the defenders heard only the dull roar caused by the mass of voices in the distance1 but the clouds of dust prevented them seeing anything2 it was only when the fitful gusts of wind blew away the dust that the thousands of horsemen could be seen galloping wildly about and then disappearing again behind the dust4 ,but the noise like approaching thunder became every instant more audible1 and soon above the clouds of sand the myriads of flags and banners became visible4 ,fiki ,minneh1 with about #aj1jjj men1 approached from the east1 whilst the ,mahdi's attack was directed on the south-west end of the town4 ,the first ditch was soon crossed1 and then the ,mahdiists spread out and completely encircled the town2 masses of wild fanatics rolled like waves through the deserted streets2 they did not advance through these alone1 but hurrying on from house to house1 wall to wall1 and yard to yard1 they reached the ditch of the ,mudirieh1 and like a torrent suddenly let loose1 regardless of every obstacle1 with wild shouts they dashed across it and up the ramparts1 from which the din of a thousand rifles and the booming of the guns suddenly burst forth2 but these wild hordes1 utterly fearless of death1 cared neither for the deadly ,remington nor the thunder of the guns1 and still swept forward in ever-increasing numbers4 ,the poor garrison1 utterly powerless to resist such an assault1 ran to the tops of the houses and kept up an incessant fire on the masses1 which now formed such a crowd that they could scarcely move--indeed the barrels of the rifles from the rapidity of the fire became almost red-hot2 and soon the streets and open spaces became literally choked with the bodies of those who had fallen4 ,there was a momentary pause1 and ,ali ,bey ,sherif1 seizing this opportunity1 collected a party of men and dashed towards the magazine1 where a fierce conflict was going on between the guard and the ,dervishes4 ,the latter had already become masters of the situation when ,ali ,bey suddenly appeared on the scene1 and firing on the mass1 whether friend or foe1 he drove the ,mahdiists back over the ditch1 and then formed up in the breach ready to repel any further attempt to break in4 ,meanwhile ,said ,pasha was heavily engaged in front of the ,mudirieh4 ,here an emir named ,wad ,gubara broke in1 and shouting1 ,death to the ,turks1 those dogs and swine6 he dashed forward at the head of his men1 but the determined resistance of the ,mudir forced them to retire back across the ditch4 ,ahmed ,dufallah defended that part of the line which was assaulted by ,ibrahim ,wad ,abdullah1 an emir who had gained great celebrity amongst the ,dervishes4 ,this brave ,arab attacked again and again1 hoping that the bodies of those who fell would soon fill up the ditch and make a passage which he could cross1 but his attempt failed1 and he too was forced to retire4 ,the ,mahdi all this time was watching at a safe distance1 and kept on ordering the assault to continue2 but it was impossible to stand up against the well-directed fire from the defences1 and consequently towards the afternoon he was forced to retire4 ,the gallant little garrison seeing this1 could not be restrained1 and dashing out over the heaps of slain they made a fierce onslaught on the houses in the town1 which were filled with ,dervishes in search of loot4 ,in their fury they killed all who came in their way1 and perhaps they may be excused1 for they were in a state of the wildest excitement1 occasioned by this fearful scene of bloodshed4 ,it was impossible not to admire the reckless bravery of these fanatics who1 dancing and shouting1 rushed up to the very muzzles of the rifles with nothing but a knotty stick in their hands1 only to fall dead one over the other4 ,numbers of them carried large bundles of dhurra stalk1 which they threw into the ditch1 hoping to fill it up and then cross over4 ,when the town was cleared1 the victorious troops had a great feast and general rejoicing4 ,amongst the dead bodies of the ,dervishes were found a near relative of the ,mahdi's named ,said ,mohammed1 also ,wad ,gubara2 the latter was a ,turk who1 with his two brothers1 had joined the ,mahdi at ,gedir2 he was one of the fiercest of the emirs4 ,he had fought with the greatest pertinacity in front of the ,mudirieh1 and1 mounted on a horse1 he was urging on his followers2 but the soldiers1 noticing his fair face1 persistently aimed at him1 and at length he and his horse fell on the top of a heap of dead bodies4 ,when the soldiers subsequently found his body1 they were so annoyed that a ,turk should have joined the ,mahdi that they cut off his head and hacked his body to pieces4 ,whilst the soldiers were clearing out the enemy from the houses1 the ,mahdi was retiring on ,kaba with a loss of #aj1jjj men4 ,said ,pasha then held a council to consider whether they should pursue2 but he himself was against pursuit1 for he thought that possibly ,fiki ,minneh might then fall on the defenceless town2 besides1 in all he had not more than #c1jjj men4 ,as for the ,mahdi1 he and his principal emirs were greatly alarmed1 and it is very probable that if they had been pursued1 the result would have been a complete victory for ,said ,pasha4 ,as it was1 the ,mahdi was on the point of retreating to the mountains1 and would have done so had not the inhabitants of ,el ,obeid1 who still thought of their houses and property1 dissuaded him4 ,the latter still urged him to continue the siege1 consequently on the following day he took up a position on a hill called ,gianzara1 about two kilometres distant to the north-west of the town1 and only one kilometre distant from the ,oshra ,well 7so called from the oshra or euphorbia which grows in quantities in the vicinity74 ,fiki ,minneh established himself to the north-west of the town1 and soon it was more closely invested than ever2 from that date nothing came in and nothing went out of the doomed city4 ,we had spent one day in the hut1 and had learnt all the details about the ,mahdi's attack on the town1 when a messenger sent by ,naser arrived1 and ordered us to move on to the ,mahdi's camp1 as it was his gracious intention to permit us to look upon his face4 ,shortly after we had set out1 we met ,naser returning1 accompanied by a party of ,dervishes4 ,as we approached ,el ,obeid1 the rattle of the rifles1 broken every now and then by the boom of a gun1 became more and more audible4 ,we were halted under a large ,adansonia tree and ordered to rest1 but we had scarcely laid down when we were suddenly attacked by ,naser and his party1 who seized our watches and other valuables1 and then stripped off our clothes2 they even attempted to remove the veils and outer garments of the sisters1 but to this we forcibly objected1 and seizing sticks tried to drive them off4 ,at length these wretched thieves1 ashamed of the unequal contest1 drew off1 and ,naser ordered our clothes to be returned2 but my suit1 in which ,i had stitched thirty dollars1 was not given back to me1 and ,i was reduced to appearing before the ,mahdi in a shirt and drawers6 ,our escort having satisfied their cupidity1 now mounted our donkeys1 and we were obliged to walk2 the burning sun beat down on our heads1 and the heated ground and heavy sand made our progress intensely laborious4 ,as we approached the camp1 at every step the crowd grew denser4 ,el ,obeid was now visible a short way off1 and the sight of the houses and trees was a pleasant break in the monotony of this desolate wilderness4 ,the continuous rattle of the bullets1 interrupted by the thunder of the cannon1 was an indication that a brisk engagement was going on4 ,as we entered the camp1 the crowd was so enormous that we were almost choked with the dust that was raised1 and soon became thoroughly exhausted4 ,our brother ,mariani1 who was sick at the time we left ,delen1 could keep up no longer1 and we were obliged to almost carry him along4 ,the fanatics now completely surrounded us1 and kept on threatening us with their lances1 clubs1 and sticks4 ,naser himself1 seeing some of the very excited ,dervishes pointing their lances at our breasts1 greatly feared for our safety1 and it seemed to us that there was now not the slightest doubt that they intended to kill us4 ,he therefore ordered our escort to draw their swords and form a square1 in the centre of which we walked4 ,the exertions of the last few days1 the heat1 the yelling of the crowd1 the monotonous chants of the ,dervishes1 and finally the din of this enormous camp of over #ajj1jjj men1 exclusive of women and children1 reacted on us to such an extent that we were well-nigh speechless4 ,slowly we made our way towards the centre of the camp where the great ,dervish1 ,mohammed ,ahmed1 had pitched his tent4 ,we were taken1 in the first instance1 to the hut of the ,khalifa ,sherif4 ,here we found a lad of twelve or thirteen years of age1 lying half-naked on a bedstead1 who invited us to come into the shade and rest ourselves1 at the same time he drove off with his whip the inquisitive crowd that kept pressing in to look at us4 ,he gave us some water to drink1 but we were so utterly weary and exhausted that we could not swallow it for some time1 and the heat and dust had literally glued our tongues1 so that we were unable to articulate4 ,we were allowed to rest for a short time1 as the ,mahdi had not risen from his noonday sleep1 and this brief respite enabled us to collect our thoughts1 which the events of the last few days and the uproar of the camp had caused to wander sadly4 ,at length an order came that the ,mahdi was up and wished to see us4 ,we were then taken to a small hut1 which had two sides open1 through which a cool breeze blew in2 close to the hut one of the tents captured from ,yusef ,pasha ,shellali had been pitched1 and as we arrived the ,mahdi came out of the tent and seated himself1 in ,arabic fashion1 on a straw mat spread on the floor of the hut4 ,he greeted us kindly1 and asked us about our nationality and our object in coming to the ,sudan1 also whether we had ever heard anything about the ,mahdi1 he then briefly explained to us the nature of his divine message1 and recounted his great victories over the enemies of ,god and ,his ,prophet1 by which name he designated the ,turks4 ,seeing that we were utterly exhausted1 he offered us some kamar-ed-din 7dried apricots7 mixed with water1 but almost before we could put it to our mouths it was full of flies4 ,in the meantime a certain ,george ,stambuli1 who had joined the rebels with the other inhabitants of ,el ,obeid1 came in1 and through him the ,mahdi endeavoured to place before us the great advantage of the ,islam religion4 ,the ,mahdi himself never asked us to adopt the ,moslem faith1 because he feared that we should answer in the negative4 ,he then stretched himself out on the mat as if he were preparing to behold a vision4 ,mohammed ,ahmed was a powerfully built man1 of dark-brown complexion and carefully kept skin2 he had a pleasant smile1 which showed to advantage the curious slit between his front teeth4 ,by constant training he had acquired a gentle manner in speaking1 and with these exceptions there was nothing unusual in his appearance4 ,he wore a dirty jibbeh1 on which parti-coloured strips of cotton had been sewn2 on his head the white skull cap or takia1 round which a broad white turban was bound2 he also wore a pair of loose drawers and sandals4 ,after he had lain for some time with closed eyes1 he rose and offered us some more kamar-ed-din1 from which he himself began to take out the flies2 but finding it absolutely useless to do so1 he gave it up1 and then went back to his tent1 probably to hold a council4 ,after a short time he again returned1 wearing a clean jibbeh patched with pieces of the vestments belonging to our ,mission church at ,el ,obeid4 ,he then began to recount to us the history of the numerous conversions which had taken place in the early days of the ,prophet4 ,seeing that we took little interest in what he said1 he got up and ordered us to be taken before the ,khalifa ,abdullah 7the present ruler of the ,sudan71 while he himself retired to his own tent4 ,on our arrival at ,abdullah's hut1 we found ourselves in company with twenty robbers who were chained hand and foot4 ,an enormous crowd stood round1 and amongst the faces ,i noticed some of our ,delen friends1 who had evidently followed us to see what the end would be4 ,our guard1 armed with ,remington rifles1 stood around us1 and close to us was the ,khalifa ,abdullah's horse1 which always remained saddled--a witness to his unbounded energy4 ,a short distance off1 about eighty flags were planted in the ground1 and beside them were the war-drums4 ,hardly had we seated ourselves when the ,khalifa ,abdullah entered4 ,he was at that time a man of about thirty-three years of age1 of middle height1 very thin--in fact1 little else but skin and bone2 he greeted us kindly1 and invited us to become ,moslems4 ,from his bombastic conversation1 we soon saw that he was a man of no education whatever1 and he ended up by saying that if we refused to obey we had only death to expect4 ,we were then marched off4 ,on the evening of the #bgth of ,september1 when ,george ,stambuli came to tell us that if we did not embrace ,islam1 we should most certainly die1 we gave him no hope that we should change our minds4 ,the ,mahdi frequently sent people to teach us the truths of religion1 but we soon tired of their nonsensical chattering1 and ,father ,bonomi used to send them away with strong words4 ,shortly afterwards ,abdullah came again1 bringing a water-melon with him1 and in default of a knife he broke it on the ground2 but we refused to take any4 ,greatly annoyed at this1 he went off in a rage1 saying that we should be beheaded the following morning4 ,at midnight ,stambuli came to us again1 to say that he had offered a considerable sum for our ransom1 but that the ,mahdi had refused to accept it4 ,we therefore gave him the few dollars we had left1 and asked him to come and see us the following morning1 which he promised to do4 ,we employed our few remaining hours in preparation for death4 ,the terrors and alarms which we had undergone for the last five months were over at last2 in the midst of our sufferings the thought of death1 which should soon take us out of the hands of these barbarians1 was a comfort to us4 ,a deep quiet had now settled down over the camp1 which was only occasionally broken by the clank of the prisoners' chains4 ,just before dawn a wonderful comet appeared in the east2 its golden tail seemed to project about ten feet into the blue firmament1 and was a most striking sight4 ,it brought back to our minds the star in the east which stood over the manger at ,bethlehem4 ,the ,arabs called it ,nigmet el ,mahdi 7the ,mahdi's star74 ,according to ,sudan superstition1 the appearance of a comet is supposed to forebode evil1 and1 indeed1 what catastrophe could have been greater than that which was now impending over the ,sudan8 ,the sudden clang of the war-drum startled me from the meditations which the appearance of that strange comet had produced4 ,the beating of the drums and the blast of the great ivory horn 7onbea7 was the signal for the ,ardeh-,kebir1 or grand review1 and ,i now had to bethink me of my own affairs and let the star pursue its way in the heavens4 ,the emirs' war-drums now took up the signal1 and soon people were rushing from all directions towards their particular flags1 which were planted to the east of ,el ,obeid4 ,stambuli again appeared and announced to us that our sufferings were nearly over4 ,we gave him a small piece of paper on which we had written our last farewells to our own loved ones at home1 and had signed our names4 ,this we begged him to send on when an opportunity occurred4 ,weeping bitterly1 he took the paper and went to his hut1 saying he could not bear to look on at our execution4 ,we were now all ready1 and at about nine o'clock a party of thirty men armed with lances arrived and ordered us to follow them4 ,we were still suffering from fatigue1 but we got up and followed4 ,after about half an hour's walk we arrived before the ,dervish hosts1 and thanked ,god that victory was now so near4 ,about #dj1jjj men were standing on parade1 and thousands of others were moving about the camp like ants4 ,we were taken to a central position and ordered to bend our necks to receive the death-blow1 and without the smallest hesitation we did so4 ,but our hour had not yet come4 ,we were summoned before the ,mahdi1 who was riding on a magnificent white camel2 behind him rode a slave carrying an umbrella to shade him from the sun's rays4 ,as we approached1 he turned round to us and said1 ,may ,god lead you into the way of truth1 and then rode on4 ,the troops were now dismissed1 and we were immediately surrounded by a turbulent crowd1 who threatened to crush us to death2 but the ,mahdi1 seeing us in danger1 turned back1 and ordered us to walk in front of his camel for protection4 ,we did so1 but were too weary to keep up1 and then the ,mahdi gave orders1 which we could not understand1 to a number of different emirs2 the latter ordered us to halt until the great rush of people had passed1 then they formed a square and asked each one of us separately whether we agreed to become ,moslems or would prefer to suffer death4 ,each one of us answered resolutely--death6 ,then1 full of anger1 we were forced on--exhausted and covered from head to foot with dust--till we reached the ,mahdi's hut4 ,having arrived there he said1 ,have you not seen my army8 and then he began to boast of the number of his followers and their great bravery4 ,we said nothing4 ,he then went off1 and we were taken back to ,khalifa ,abdullah's hut4 ,a council was now held to consider our fate2 the majority were for killing us1 but a certain ,hajji ,khaled--now an emir in ,omdurman--pointed out that1 according to the ,moslem law1 it was not lawful to kill priests who had not offered any armed resistance1 and who were1 moreover1 captives4 ,his view of the case was accepted1 and we were handed over to ,george ,stambuli1 who was made responsible for us4 ,we then left ,abdullah's hut1 and proceeded to ,stambuli's1 which was barely large enough for himself and his family1 so we were obliged to take up our quarters outside in the open1 where we remained for fifteen days1 exposed to the continual insults of the ,arabs1 until we were able to build a hut for ourselves4 ,we were now able to take a survey of this gigantic camp4 ,from the sandhill ,gianzara almost up to the base of the ,om ,herezeh mountain1 was one mass of small huts1 these were merely enclosures made of branches of euphorbia and 7sorghum7 dhurra stalks1 just sufficient to keep off the burning rays of the sun4 ,here and there a white tent indicated the headquarters of some important emir4 ,fiki ,minneh's camp adjoined that of ,gianzara1 and extended from ,fulla 7a small pond which runs dry in the summer months71 up to the base of ,om ,herezeh4 ,the huts were built so close to each other that constant fires took place1 which spread rapidly1 and caused great destruction4 ,this enormous camp presented a wonderful spectacle1 more especially at night1 when almost every one had his own cooking fire1 and the whole plain resembled a sea of fires which were lost in the distant horizon4 ,the din and noise created by hundreds of thousands of men1 women1 and children1 can be better imagined than described4 ,every emir's,d dwelling was known by two flags which were always planted near the entrance1 and beside them lay the war-drums1 which were beaten day and night1 almost without intermission4 ,besides all this1 the neighing of thousands of horses rendered the din still more unbearable4 ,the whole air was infected with the most sickening stench2 but to these wretched people1 pure or impure air makes no difference2 they do not mind4 ,all the filth was piled behind the huts1 dead donkeys lay about unburied2 no attempt was made to keep the place clean1 and all this huge mass of people lived in the midst of an ever-increasing heap of rotting impurities4 ,a daily market was held1 and the people laid their goods on the ground1 sheltering themselves under a strip of cloth1 known as ,farda1 stretched on the points of lances1 the bases of which were stuck in the ground4 ,el ,obeid was close by1 the great arched gate of the ,mudirieh towered above the other houses of the town1 and over it floated the red ,egyptian flag1 which was hoisted every ,friday4 ,some of the ,dervishes used to conceal themselves in the deserted houses of the town and fire at the fort1 while others pulled down the roofs and walls and dragged away the beams to the camp1 and there cut them up for firewood4 ,our church1 which was covered with galvanised iron plates1 was completely destroyed2 even the mosque was not spared4 ,there was a busy scene day and night at the ,oshra well2 here thousands of male and female slaves drew water1 and frequent quarrels and fights took place4 ,all this change of scene made a deep impression on me2 the strain of the last few days1 the tiring journey from ,delen to ,el ,obeid1 the continual uncertainty as to our fate1 anguish1 fear1 din1 tumult1 bad food1 had already considerably affected our health1 and now that we were at rest1 and that the ,arabs had ceased to molest us1 the re-action came1 and we fell a prey to disease4 ,the infected atmosphere of ,el ,buka--as the ,mahdi's camp is always called--brought on a burning fever and constant diarrhoea4 ,besides all this1 when confined with the robbers in ,abdullah's house1 we had become covered with horrible vermin2 it was impossible to get rid of them--they seemed to increase daily4 ,we had no clothes to change1 and as we had scarcely enough water to drink1 washing was out of the question4 ,with a feeling of utter despair we lay helpless and comfortless on the floor of that miserable black hut4 ,our maladies became worse1 and ere a month had passed1 three of our number were dead4 ,sister ,eulalia ,pesavento1 of ,verona1 died of fever on the #bhth of ,october2 carpenter ,gabriel ,mariani died of dysentery on the #cast of the same month1 and sister ,amelia ,andreis died on the #gth of ,november1 while we four who still remained1 hovering between life and death1 lay helplessly side by side with our dead brothers and sisters4 ,it was a terrible exertion to us to sew the corpses in mats and drag them to the door of the hut4 ,at length some slaves--much against their will1 and on the promise of good pay--removed the already decaying bodies1 and buried them in shallow pits1 which they covered up with sand4 ,no one lent a hand to bury these ,christian dogs1 as we were called4 ,it was a terrible grief to us not to accompany our poor companions in adversity to the grave1 but we were all too ill to move1 and so they were carried away to their last resting-place without prayer or chant2 and even to this day ,i cannot tell if the slaves really buried them1 or merely dragged the bodies beyond the huts1 and left them lying there on the ground4 ,the condition of us miserable wretches who were still alive is beyond description2 we envied our companions1 who were now beyond the reach of human suffering2 but our hour had not yet come4 ,towards the end of ,november we were somewhat recovered1 but our lives seemed to have been spared only to behold more terrible sights and sufferings than we had previously undergone4 ,meanwhile1 more of our companions in adversity had arrived from ,dar ,nuba4 ,shortly after we had been made over to ,stambuli1 ,roversi came1 and was interviewed by the ,mahdi1 who received him well1 and presented him with a horse4 ,roversi recounted to us the story of his misfortunes2 during his journey from ,delen to ,el ,obeid he was frequently in danger of losing his life2 the ,baggaras1 mindful of their defeat at his hands1 thirsted for vengeance4 ,roversi owed his life to his magazine rifle4 ,he used to visit us daily and tell us of the various plots of which we were the intended victims4 ,he told us how the ,arabs had determined to take the sisters1 and that they intended to distribute us amongst the various emirs4 ,this news terrified the sisters1 and there is little doubt that the bare thought of it hastened the deaths of the two who were so ill4 ,roversi further informed us that a quarrel had occurred between ,mek ,omar and the ,nubas regarding the distribution of the loot taken from our ,delen ,mission2 a conflict had taken place1 in which ,mek ,omar had lost a number of his men1 and had been obliged to retreat from ,delen to ,singiokai4 ,after ,roversi's arrival the ,mahdi wrote to ,said ,pasha again1 summoning him to surrender2 ,roversi also1 by the ,mahdi's order1 was forced to write to the ,mudir1 telling him that resistance was useless1 as it was out of the question to hope for reinforcements from ,khartum4 ,towards the end of ,october ,roversi fell ill with dysentery1 caused by the infected and foul atmosphere of the camp2 the last time he came to see us he was very weak2 then we heard that the ,mahdi had suddenly ordered him to ,kashgil for change of air1 and a few days later we heard that he was dead4 ,some said he had been killed1 others said that he had been poisoned by ,ismail ,wad el ,andok1 in revenge for his defeat at ,golfan-,nama4 ,roversi's maid-servant1 ,aisha--a black girl brought up in ,constantinople--and his man-servant1 ,hajji ,selim1 reported that they had found his shoes in the forest1 and his dead body in a hut4 ,the unfortunate young ,roversi was barely thirty years of age1 a ,protestant by religion1 and a man for whom we all cherished a great affection4 ,the date of his death was probably the #crd of ,november1 #ahhb4 ,a few days after this date ,mek ,omar and his men arrived in the camp1 bringing our ,delen blacks with them4 ,the latter at once came to see us1 and soon afterwards all of them--both boys and girls--were sold as slaves1 whilst the more grown-up youths were drafted into the ,mahdi's army4 ,two of the girls1 one an ,abyssinian and the other a black1 became concubines of the ,mahdi4 ,a cruel fate soon overtook ,mek ,omar3 it was reported that he had concealed some of the captured booty1 and he was at once put in chains by the ,mahdi's order4 ,shortly afterwards he sent for us1 and ,bonomi and ,i paid him a visit4 ,we found him shackled with two chains on his feet1 and a chain about fifteen feet long round his neck2 the poor man was completely bowed down with the weight of these chains1 and begged us most humbly to intercede for him1 as he told us it was the ,mahdi's intention to have him beheaded4 ,the condition of this unfortunate individual so touched us1 that ,bonomi went to the ,mahdi and represented that it was really the ,nubas who had stolen the booty1 and so ,mek ,omar was released4 ,as we slowly began to recover from our illness1 the thought of release was constantly in our minds4 ,we applied to the powerful ,elias ,pasha1 whom we had known very well in ,el ,obeid4 ,this blind old pasha received us kindly1 but said that ,abdel ,kader ,pasha in ,khartum1 was furious with him for having joined the rebels2 he therefore said that our best course was to apply daily to the ,mahdi1 who in time might perhaps be moved to grant our release4 ,we followed his advice1 but it was no easy matter to make our way through the crowd of fanatics who surrounded his hut day and night1 all struggling to get a sight of his face which1 it was said1 shed rays of light4 ,pushed about1 shoved in every direction1 and insulted1 we might perhaps succeed in reaching the doorway2 but here we were stopped by the guards1 and it was almost impossible to pass them4 ,however1 after superhuman efforts1 we succeeded twice in interviewing the ,mahdi4 ,he listened kindly to our entreaty1 and then said1 ,at present the roads are dangerous1 and ,i wish no harm to come upon you2 when ,el ,obeid has surrendered1 we will permit you to go to your own country4 ,he advised us to wear kuftans 7the ,arab outer garment71 for hitherto we wore merely a shirt and drawers1 as he said that1 dressed in this way1 we should escape the inquisitive glances of the multitude and we took his good advice4 ,,footnotes3 ,d ,the title ,emir really means ,prince1 and is far too high a title to give to these wretched chiefs2 but as it is the ,sudan custom1 ,i must retain it4--,j4 ,o4 ,,chapter ,,iv4 ,,the ,,siege ,,of ,,el ,,obeid4 ,terrible sufferings of the besieged--,the ,kababish--,fall of ,bara--,fall of ,el ,obeid--,the ,mahdi enters the town--,fate of the ,el ,obeid ,mission--,cold-blooded murder of the brave defenders--,the ,dervishes live a life of ease in ,el ,obeid--,the ,mahdi makes laws--,he sends out proclamations--,prestige increased by capture of town--,news from ,khartum--,bonomi and ,ohrwalder summoned before the ,mahdi--,the interview4 ,the garrison in ,el ,obeid now began to suffer from the effects of this close siege and blockade4 ,the necessaries of life were failing rapidly2 the price of provisions had gone up enormously4 ,the commonest food1 known as dokhn 7a kind of millet7 rose to #aej dollars1 and eventually to #ejj dollars the ardeb4 ,meat had almost entirely given out4 ,our ,mission brethren in the fort possessed one camel1 which was nothing but skin and bone1 and which was sold for #a1jjj dollars1 and two days afterwards the purchaser offered it for sale for #a1ejj dollars4 ,eventually the butcher bought it for #b1jjj dollars4 ,a chicken went for thirty dollars2 eggs a dollar apiece2 a loaf of sugar fifty dollars1 and twenty dollars for a pound of coffee4 ,a thimbleful of salt cost a dollar4 ,the above were the prices a month after the close investment had begun4 ,butter and oil could not be had for any money4 ,the poor began to starve quite at the beginning of the siege1 and soon were dying in considerable numbers4 ,a little later1 matters came to a terrible pass4 ,all the camels and cattle being finished1 donkeys1 dogs1 mice1 and even crickets were consumed1 as well as cockroaches1 which were considered quite tit-bits2 white ants1 too1 were eaten4 ,and now the deaths by starvation had reached an appalling figure4 ,the dead and dying filled the streets2 the space within the fortifications being so limited1 there was not room for all the people1 and in consequence many lay about in the streets and open spaces4 ,the air was poisoned by the numbers of dead bodies lying unburied1 while the ditch was half full of mortifying corpses4 ,scurvy and dysentery were rife2 the air was black with the scores of carrion-kites1 which feasted on the dead bodies2 these ugly birds became so distended by constant gorging that they could not even fly away1 and were killed in numbers by the soldiers1 who devoured them with avidity4 ,later on gum became the only food2 there was a quantity of this1 but it brought on diarrhoea1 and caused the bodies to distend--indeed1 numbers died from eating it4 ,the ground was dug up in all directions in search of the white ants' nests2 and the food which they had collected for the winter was greedily consumed4 ,some poor sufferers eked out a miserable existence by living on the undigested food found in the excrement of animals2 all sorts of leather1 shoes and sandals1 were boiled and eaten4 ,it was a terrible sight to see these human skeletons--their eyes sunk into the backs of their heads1 wandering about in search of food4 ,the ,mudir extorted all the corn and money he could from the rich merchants1 but of what good was a mere handful of corn to the soldiers8 ,they became desperate1 all discipline was at an end and they often broke into the houses by night in search of food4 ,during all this time the ,dervishes outside kept on shouting out curses and insults1 deriding those within for eating dog's-meat1 for1 during all this terrible famine in the city1 there was abundance of food in the ,dervish camp1 and this made the besiegers bolder and more insulting than ever1 for they knew that the town was practically in their hands4 ,we often tried to establish some sort of communication with our ,mission brethren in the city1 but we never succeeded in getting any reliable information about them4 ,at length1 towards the end of ,december1 we managed1 through the kind offices of ,george ,stambuli1 to send in a letter and received a reply from the ,father ,superior1 ,johann ,losi1 which was brought to us by one of our female slaves4 ,the news it contained was heart-rending2 all our brethren were down with scurvy--that is to say1 ,father ,rossignoli1 brother ,locatelli1 and four sisters1 whilst ,father ,losi himself was on the point of death4 ,for a month they had lived on nothing but dokhn and rice2 everything else was gone4 ,father ,losi sent us some clothes1 which were a godsend to us1 and also #bjj dollars1 while we in return could do nothing for our poor besieged brethren4 ,a few days later we heard that ,father ,losi died on the #bgth of ,december of scurvy4 ,the garrison frequently attempted small sorties1 in the hope that they might be able to secure a sheep or bullock1 or some wood1 and these always caused some excitement in the camp4 ,when anything of this sort took place1 the usual cry was ,et ,turki ,marak 7,the ,turks are coming out71 then the camp suddenly woke up1 and1 like a swarm of ants1 moved towards the town to drive the garrison in again4 ,on these occasions quantities of ammunition were expended without much result4 ,in the meantime the ,mahdi continued his daily preaching against the vanities of this life1 of his divine message1 and of the approaching end of the world4 ,during these sermons the people stood wrapped in wonder and astonishment at the ,mahdi's great wisdom4 ,the ,egyptian guns frequently fired into the camp1 and on two occasions shells burst close to our hut1 but did no harm4 ,the ,dervishes also returned the fire1 but their shots always fell far beyond2 had they only been skilled in the working of the guns they had1 the fortifications would have become untenable in a day1 but the ,mahdi seemed purposely to wish to prolong the siege1 and to thus compass the death of its defenders through famine4 ,the wells were only about one kilometre distant from the forts1 and in consequence within easy range of the fire of the besieged2 but the ,mahdi was quite regardless of this1 and often formed up his troops there--a proceeding which generally resulted in his losing some men4 ,it was about this time that the principal sheikhs of the powerful ,kababish tribe1 viz4 ,saleh and ,tome1 the sons of ,sheikh ,salem1 came to pay their allegiance to the ,mahdi4 ,as a gift they brought him two hundred camels1 and he in return ordered a great military display and a special bombardment of ,el ,obeid in their honour4 ,the two sheikhs did not1 however1 take a great interest in these proceedings2 and one day ,saleh suddenly took himself off1 and from that date became the ,mahdi's sworn enemy1 until the day of his death1 when1 as we shall presently see1 he was one of the last of the great sheikhs who was overthrown by the ,mahdi4 ,his brother ,tome was suddenly thrown into chains without any warning1 the ,mahdi giving as his reason that the ,prophet had appeared to him in a vision and told him to do so4 ,towards the end of ,november1 news arrived that a further reinforcement of troops had left ,khartum for ,el ,obeid4 ,this information occasioned a great stir in the camp1 because there was some idea that ,english troops had been sent4 ,these must have been the arrival of the first batch of troops destined eventually to form part of the ,hicks ,expedition2 but even then it was too late to send any help to ,el ,obeid4 ,one day it came to the ,mahdi's ears that provisions were being smuggled into ,el ,obeid1 where they were sold at enormous prices1 and to stop this he made the investment still closer4 ,some of the smugglers were caught1 and as a punishment their right hands were cut off1 and their handless arms tied to their necks2 they were then led round the camp as a warning to others4 ,meanwhile1 as the siege of ,el ,obeid was drawing to a close1 other places in ,kordofan were falling into the ,mahdi's hands4 ,the town of ,bara had been reduced to great straits4 ,a force marching to its relief under ,abu ,kuka1 was attacked by ,fiki ,minneh3 the majority were killed1 and it was only through the bravery of ,surur ,effendi that a few hundred of them succeeded in reaching the town4 ,the notorious ,nur ,angar1 who was on the walls of the town1 rendered no assistance during the siege1 and went over to the enemy4 ,at length1 on the #eth of ,january1 ,bara was forced to capitulate through famine1 and the garrison was sent to the ,mahdi's camp4 ,the victory was celebrated by a salute of guns1 and the unfortunate garrison in ,el ,obeid took this to be the approach of relieving troops2 but the ,mahdi made it known to ,said ,pasha that1 on the contrary1 it was in celebration of the fall of ,bara--an incident which caused the gloom to deepen over the doomed city2 and all hope of delivery was abandoned4 ,yet the ,mudir still continued to hope against hope that he should be relieved from ,khartum1 and his sanguine spirit kept up the courage of the garrison4 ,but it could not last much longer2 the soldiers were too weak even to hold their rifles in their hands1 and ,said ,pasha realized that further resistance was useless4 ,in desperation1 therefore1 he proposed to blow himself up in the powder magazine1 and this he certainly would have done had not the senior officers urged that in doing so numbers of other lives would have been sacrificed as well4 ,there was now nothing left to be done but to surrender1 and this event took place on the #aith of ,january1 #ahhc4 ,the ,mahdi and his hordes now entered ,el ,obeid1 and he made the ,mudirieh his residence4 ,guards under the command of mukuddums were posted outside every large house1 to prevent the notables escaping1 to further extort money and to search for treasure4 ,children1 servants1 and slaves were kept aside1 and by continual flogging were obliged to divulge the secret hiding-places4 ,the ,mission buildings were of course entered by thousands of ,mahdiists4 ,father ,bonomi and brother ,locatelli lay sick1 and the sisters were completely exhausted4 ,hundreds of ,dervishes struggled to break into the narrow enclosure where the unfortunate brethren lay ill4 ,the crosses which the sisters wore round their necks were wrenched off and broken to pieces with axes4 ,sister ,concetta ,corsi1 who was then one of the strongest1 flew at these cruel intruders and made them wonder at the boldness of a poor weak woman4 ,some of them then entered with drawn swords1 and1 pointing their lances within an inch of her bosom1 they threatened her with instant death if she made the slightest resistance2 but she answered1 ,you are dogs1 and not men6 whereupon one of those standing near her gave her a blow on the face1 which broke several of her teeth and made her mouth pour with blood4 ,three days after the ,mahdi's entry into ,el ,obeid1 our missionaries were taken before him1 and in a solemn assembly he tried in vain to force them to become ,moslems4 ,they were then sent forth with nothing but the clothes they wore1 in company with the other survivors of the siege1 to the ,dervish camp4 ,our little party was now increased by the arrival of ,father ,rossignoli1 brother ,locatelli1 who was then more dead than alive being carried on an angarib 7native bedstead71 and four sisters1 who were all suffering from scurvy4 ,they were brought to our hut1 and our meeting could not be otherwise than a sad one4 ,the sisters were accompanied by a girl named ,bianca ,limona1 who1 though a ,sudanese1 had quite a fair face1 and resembled an ,albino4 ,gordon1 when travelling from ,darfur to ,el ,obeid1 came across a youth of a similar type1 whom he brought to the ,mission1 and suggested that he should marry the girl2 but he being a fanatical ,mussulman1 the girl absolutely refused4 ,bianca1 being of no trade value1 was permitted by the ,dervishes to remain with the sisters4 ,all the other ,mission blacks remained with the soldiers1 but the young ones were sold4 ,from amongst the ,christian girls the ,mahdi selected two as concubines--an ,abyssinian and a black2 the latter had been well brought up1 had learnt handiwork of different sorts1 and she soon became the head of all the concubines4 ,the ,dervishes captured quantities of arms and ammunition in the fort1 also a considerable amount of rough gold1 goods of all sorts1 and furniture4 ,this was all carried off to the beit el mal2 the floors were all dug up in search of hidden treasure1 and even dead bodies were disentombed and examined4 ,the body of ,father ,losi1 who had died a month before1 was pulled up and searched1 as it was believed he had a quantity of money4 ,i must here recount an episode which will give an idea of the wonderful fidelity of our poor blacks1 and their affection for us4 ,father ,losi had purchased a little black boy in ,el ,obeid1 and for the ten long years during which this brave missionary had worked continuously for the welfare and happiness of the blacks1 his boy ,said served him most faithfully1 and during all the horrors of that dreadful siege this boy never left the side of his ,father1 as he used to call ,father ,losi4 ,when ,losi died1 the boy used to spend most of the day weeping over his grave1 and one day he was found lying stretched on the grave quite dead--he had died of grief4 ,the ,mudir1 ,said ,pasha1 and the senior officers were1 for a time1 placed under guard1 and refused1 even on pain of death1 to say where the treasure was2 but when ,said ,pasha heard that his concubine and servants had been cruelly flogged and beaten to make them divulge1 he at length handed over all his property to the ,mahdi1 and #f1jjj4 ,a few days after the fall of ,el ,obeid a fire broke out on the north side of the camp2 the strong wind drove the flames to the adjoining huts1 and soon half the camp was ablaze4 ,we had to run from our hut1 which was soon afterwards enveloped in flames1 and we were again obliged to encamp in the open4 ,however1 our good friend ,stambuli succeeded in procuring a small tent for us4 ,the ,mahdi now ordered the whole town of ,el ,obeid to be occupied by the ,arabs1 but it was not nearly large enough to hold all the people1 consequently an enormous circle of huts soon surrounded the town1 and we ourselves erected a small one1 just beyond the precincts of the ,mahdi's camp1 having some ,greeks and ,syrians1 who had been turned out of ,el ,obeid1 as our neighbours4 ,for about fifteen days most of the inhabitants of the town--clerks1 ,government officials1 and ,copts1 were closely guarded and continually flogged to make them disclose the hiding-places of their treasure4 ,most of the principal people were handed over to the emirs4 ,said ,pasha was placed in charge of ,ismail ,wad el ,andok1 and sent to ,aluba2 ,ali ,bey ,sherif was sent to ,birket1 and several of the ,coptic clerks were sent to ,singiokai4 ,ahmed ,bey ,dafallah and ,major ,yesin were dragged to ,shakka4 ,evil reports were spread about them1 and it was rumoured that both the ,mudir and ,ali ,bey ,sherif had written to ,khartum1 consequently the ,mahdi issued orders that the gallant defenders should be killed1 justifying his action by saying that the ,prophet had1 in a vision1 ordered him to do so4 ,ali ,bey ,sherif was beheaded close to the tent occupied by his wife and two children1 who were afterwards taken over by ,sayid ,abdel ,kader1 the ,mahdi's uncle4 ,said ,pasha was most cruelly slaughtered with axes at ,aluba2 he was greatly disliked by the people1 who called him ,jurab el ,ful 7,sack of beans7 because he was so stout4 ,ahmed ,bey ,dafallah and ,major ,yesin were executed at ,shakka4 ,such was the end of the brave defenders of ,el ,obeid1 who1 in truth1 deserved a better fate4 ,the ,mahdi1 having thus made away with his enemies1 was able to breathe more freely1 and1 as if to excuse himself for his horrible cruelty1 he published a vision1 in which he said that he had been told that ,said ,pasha did not go to hell1 but as he 7the ,mahdi7 had earnestly begged it1 he was permitted to go to paradise4 ,during the siege there was much friction between the ,mahdi and ,fiki ,minneh1 whose capacity for drinking marissa and stealing booty came to the ,mahdi's ears4 ,as long as ,minneh was useful to the ,mahdi he forbore with him2 but when ,el ,obeid fell1 he sent for him and forcibly made him divide his booty4 ,fiki ,minneh therefore returned in a sulky mood to ,tayara1 and from that time became the ,mahdi's enemy4 ,he openly collected a quantity of dokhn1 and brought together his fighting force4 ,the ,mahdi therefore despatched ,abu ,anga1 the ,commander-in-chief of his forces1 ,abderrahman en ,nejumi and ,abdullah ,wad en ,nur1 with a large number of men4 ,making a forced march1 they appeared suddenly at ,tayara1 and the ,gowameh followers of ,minneh fled on the first volley4 ,minneh's brother1 uncle1 and two sons were captured and beheaded on the same spot where ,minneh himself had slain the soldiers and their wives and children the previous year2 their heads were hung up in the market-place at ,el ,obeid as a warning to others4 ,the ,mahdi and his emirs now began to live a life of ease2 the latter occupied the various buildings around the ,mudirieh and made themselves comfortable3 they placed no restrictions on themselves in the way of food and drink2 there was money in abundance and supplies were plentiful1 consequently sensuality and luxurious living were substituted for the abstemious life which the ,mahdi doctrine had at first inculcated4 ,the principal emirs delighted in extensive harems and a show of splendour4 ,jibbehs were still worn1 but their ragged condition1 which was essential in the early days1 gave way to as much embellishment as such a garment would admit of4 ,the emirs vied with one another in their wealth of slaves1 cattle1 horses and donkeys2 their sword-hilts were now embellished with silver4 ,in place of lying on the dirty ground1 their clothes full of vermin1 they assumed the luxurious and comfortable mode of life of the ,turks and ,egyptians4 ,so shocked1 indeed1 was the ,mahdi's uncle1 ,sherif ,mahmud1 when he arrived from ,gedir to see the drunken and debauched lives led by the emirs1 more especially by ,wad en ,nejumi1 that he induced the ,mahdi to order the latter to reduce his harem by twenty wives1 who were subsequently sold in the beit el mal as slaves4 ,at the same time the ,mahdi issued the strictest orders against luxurious living1 and insisted that no gold and silver ornaments should be worn4 ,he further ordained that in future the dress should consist of a takia 7or skull cap7 made of the leaves of the dwarf-palm1 round which a turban should be worn with end hanging down2 the jibbeh 7or coat72 a pair of drawers2 and a girdle made of straw4 ,this made rather a becoming uniform to these swarthy warriors4 ,the rules regarding smoking and drinking were reiterated with greater severity4 ,it was next to impossible to induce the ,sudanese to give up smoking and chewing tobacco3 a man would willingly give all the money he had to secure even a small quantity4 ,then the blacks1 and especially the emirs1 are much addicted to marissa drinking1 which it was found still more difficult to stop2 if men or women were caught in the act of smoking or drinking1 they were obliged to walk through the market with the drinking bowl or tobacco on their heads1 followed by an insulting and hooting crowd4 ,it was sometimes the custom to break the bowl on the marissa drinker's head and drench him with its contents2 this was the signal for all the children to throw mud and dust at the culprit until he became almost unrecognisable2 he was then dragged before the kadi 7or judge7 in the market-place1 where he received eighty unusually heavy blows1 the first of which generally drew blood4 ,the place was full of spies1 who were always on the look-out to report smokers and drinkers to the ,mahdi4 ,sometimes they forced their way into the houses1 and finding nothing1 would surreptitiously throw some tobacco on the floor1 which they would then suddenly discover1 and declare it to be the property of the owner of the house1 who would be forthwith dragged off and thrashed unmercifully although perfectly innocent4 ,justice was administered according to the ,moslem law4 ,blasphemers of ,god or the religion were punished with instant death1 as well as all those who disbelieved in the ,mahdi4 ,a murderer was at once beheaded1 no extenuating circumstances were ever admitted4 ,a thief was deprived of a hand and a foot2 adultery between married persons was punished by beheading the man and stoning the woman1 but in the latter case a necessary proof was that the woman should be with child4 ,illicit intercourse between unmarried persons was punished with eighty lashes2 these laws regarding immorality were1 however1 in the case of slaves1 relaxed to some extent1 and they were1 as a rule1 punished by flogging only4 ,persons found concerned in the making of eunuchs were beheaded1 though curiously enough the khalifas and emirs all retained eunuchs for their harems4 ,slaves freed by the ,egyptian ,government were not recognised as such1 and were again forced to become slaves4 ,a slave's witness was not accepted in a trial4 ,all important cases were judged before the ,mahdi1 who sentenced persons as he thought fit4 ,the ,mosaic law--an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth--was generally practised4 ,the relations of murdered persons generally carried out the sentences on the criminal1 provided that the judge approved4 ,punishment could be modified or cancelled altogether by the payment of money4 ,in addition to the ,mahdi1 his relatives and the khalifas were permitted to judge cases--a proceeding which resulted in great confusion and miscarriage of justice4 ,the market-place was the chief centre of activity2 here the judge held his court1 and a profitable business he made of it by substituting money for punishments4 ,shortly after the fall of ,el ,obeid the ,mahdi set himself to regulate his finances4 ,the ,kordofan ,arabs1 who had gained many successes over the ,government1 and who had really taken up the ,mahdi's cause in anticipation of the loot they would acquire1 were ordered to bring all their booty--down to the smallest article--to the ,mahdi at ,el ,obeid1 and to enforce this order1 parties of ,dervishes were sent out in various directions to forcibly drive in the ,arabs1 who now regretted that they had so precipitately joined the ,mahdi in the first instance4 ,everything was brought to the beit el mal1 and there publicly sold2 of the proceeds1 one-fifth was given to the ,mahdi personally1 and the remaining four-fifths were set aside as administrative revenue1 but in point of fact a considerable portion of this sum also found its way into the ,mahdi's private treasury4 ,a native of ,dar ,mahas1 named ,ahmed wad ,suleiman and a great favourite of the ,mahdi1 was given unlimited control over the beit el mal treasury4 ,his master had had a divine revelation1 pointing out that he was the one man to hold this responsible position1 and in consequence he was unassailable4 ,whenever the ,mahdi rode out on horseback1 ,ahmed held the reins and walked barefooted at the horse's side4 ,all learned men were despised and disliked by the ,mahdi1 for he not unnaturally recognised a danger in their combating his claims by reference to divine books4 ,consequently all such documents were ordered to be burnt1 and any one who concealed a book did so at the risk of his life4 ,the ,mahdi's object was to keep the people in ignorance by proclaiming that he was the centre of all light and knowledge2 there were even flatterers to be found who asserted that they had seen flashes of light darting out of his head6 ,he frequently indulged in visions1 sometimes representing that he had been taken up in the spirit to the heavens1 where he conversed with ,god and ,his ,prophet4 ,to doubt the truth of these visions was an unpardonable offence4 ,he entirely abolished all the rules and customs practised by the ,government4 ,the wearing of the tarbush 7fez7 was strictly forbidden2 if any one was seen wearing one1 it was instantly pulled off and torn to shreds4 ,all ,government registers were burnt1 and debts contracted with the ,government considered cancelled4 ,he ordered his adherents to call themselves ,foggara,e or ,asyad4,f ,his usual custom was to pray on a small straw mat placed in the divan of the ,mudirieh and in the presence of all his followers2 a slave generally stood beside him with a pillow on which he either sat or knelt1 as the case might be4 ,when the prayers were over he received the visitors1 conversed on matters of general interest1 read his letters1 and discoursed on the manners and customs of the ,turks with the object of making his hearers despise and laugh at them4 ,he plunged wildly into the sensual delights of his immense harem4 ,in place of wine he substituted a drink much appreciated in the ,sudan1 consisting of date syrup mixed with ginger1 of which he drank quantities out of the silver cups taken from the ,mission ,church in ,el ,obeid4 ,in spite1 however1 of all this luxurious living1 the ,mahdi did not omit to publish his new propaganda far and wide4 ,he wrote several letters to the inhabitants of the ,gezireh 7the country between the ,blue and ,white ,niles71 calling on them to rise1 and threatening all those who refused to obey the summons4 ,numbers flocked to his standards1 partly through fear and partly because they recognised the inability of the ,government to cope with the revolt4 ,it was at this time that he despatched ,osman ,digna1 who afterwards became so notorious1 to the ,eastern ,sudan4 ,this fanatical adherent of the ,mahdi copied the example of his master in every respect1 wearing neither shoes nor sandals1 and only riding during exceptionally long marches1 his argument being that as the ,mahdi deigned to walk the earth1 he thereby made it holy4 ,a force was now despatched to capture ,sheikh ,tome of the ,kababish1 who was reported to be in friendly communication with ,khartum4 ,the unfortunate man was attacked by night1 captured and dragged off in chains with his wife1 child1 slaves1 and camels to ,el ,obeid4 ,the ,mahdi was prepared to pardon him1 but ,khalifa ,abdullah insisted on beheading him1 which was done2 this cruel act terrified the remainder of the tribe4 ,during the last fifteen days of ,ramadan the ,mahdi attended to no public business1 but gave himself up to fasting and prayer4 ,the holidays following ,ramadan were set aside for military parades and manoeuvres1 which served to rouse the fanatical ardour of his now numerous followers4 ,illustration3 ,a ,,native ,,woman ,,of ,,dongola4 ,about this time a letter came from ,mustafa ,yawer1 the ,mudir of ,dongola1 to ,osman ,tobji2 the latter was a most generous man1 who gave much of his money to the poor and to widows and orphans1 especially during the siege of ,el ,obeid2 ,tobji had thus won the honour and respect of all1 and on the fall of the town the ,mahdi returned to him the property he had captured2 thereupon he at once set to work to relieve the distressed ,egyptian families who had been turned out of house and home1 and whose property had been taken4 ,in his letter ,mustafa ,yawer asked his friend ,tobji if ,mohammed ,ahmed were the real ,mahdi or not2 this letter came into the ,mahdi's hands1 and ,tobji was at once sent for and asked what reply he intended to give4 ,osman answered1 ,when the sun has risen over the horizon it is visible to all1 and no further proof of its existence is required--thus if the ,mahdi be the true ,mahdi1 his works will bear witness of the truth4 ,this evasive answer did not however satisfy the ,mahdi1 who obliged ,tobji to sign a letter declaring that ,mohammed ,ahmed was the true ,mahdi1 and this letter was then despatched to the ,mudir of ,dongola4 ,the ,mahdi was well versed in the art of winning over people4 ,his unruffled smile1 pleasant manners1 generosity and equable temperament1 though at times somewhat severe1 all tended to enhance the popular idea of him4 ,he attributed the execution of ,said ,pasha and ,ali ,bey ,sherif to the ,khalifa ,abdullah1 and when the two little sons of the latter were brought to him1 the smiling hypocrite wept for their father's fate4 ,the popular belief in him and his cause almost amounted to worship3 women especially raved about him and thought him the most handsome of men4 ,they swore by him in the words ,hakk rabb el ,mahdi 7,by the ,mahdi's ,god7 or ,hakk ,sayidna el ,imam 7,by our ,lord1 the ,imam72 all solemn oaths and statements began with the words ,aleik el ,mahdi el ,muntaser 7,by the ,victorious ,mahdi72 his virtues were extolled in poems1 and constant reference was made to his good looks1 wisdom1 stature and to his repeated victories over the ,turks4 ,the beggars used to learn off by heart special laudatory verses1 and by reciting them from house to house they were sure to be given alms2 to such an extent was this laudation carried that if a beggar sang songs in which the ,prophet's name occurred1 he was at once interrupted and told to substitute the ,mahdi's for the ,prophet's name2 at every street corner his praises were sung2 soldiers on the march sang of his glorious victories2 female slaves gathering wood1 or laden with corn1 or grinding it between the stones--all sang the same refrain1 which indeed might be called the ,mahdi's national anthem1 and began with the words ,mahdi ,nur ,ainana 7the ,mahdi is the light of our eyes71 or ,el ,mahdi kammal et ,turk fi ,kana 7the ,mahdi conquered--lit4 gave their full to--the ,turks at ,kana74 ,the ,arabs delight in poetry1 and during the night generally collected in parties1 and seated on the sand sang the ,mahdi's praises1 the two principal singers keeping time by beating the ground with their sticks1 while the rest joined in the chorus at the end of each verse4 ,inspired sometimes by their theme1 they would stand up and flourish their swords in the air as if combating the ,turks1 shouting ,fi ,shan ,allah 7for ,god's cause74 ,thus the adulation of the ,mahdi extended from the highest emir to the lowest slave1 and woe to him who was ever heard to utter one word in deprecation or blame of the new ,prophet1 he would at once be pounced upon and beaten to death with sticks4 ,sometimes the ,mahdi was called ,khalifat er ,rasul 7the successor of the ,prophet71 and sometimes even they dignified him with the sacred title of ,nebbi 7,prophet74 ,in truth the ,prophet ,mohammed occupied in the people's minds quite a secondary position1 and the celebration of his birthday was forbidden by the ,mahdi4 ,on one occasion a dispute occurred between two men2 one argued that the ,mahdi would have a higher seat in heaven than the ,prophet1 while the other maintained that ,god was higher than the ,mahdi4 ,the dispute waxed hot1 and the case was referred to the judge1 who settled the matter by saying that the living was better than the dead1 but at the same time the man who advocated the ,prophet's claims was relegated to prison1 not so much for asserting what was perfectly true1 that ,god was higher than the ,mahdi1 but that the tone in which he had said it was tantamount to an insult to the ,mahdi4 ,naturally those ,moslems who still had some sense of the orthodox creed were much annoyed at this decision4 ,early in ,april a messenger arrived from ,khartum with a letter from the ,austrian ,consul ,hansal4 ,now as we were perfect strangers in ,el ,obeid1 people did not dare to associate with us2 the messenger therefore handed over the letter to ,george ,stambuli1 who was then a man well known to every one4 ,stambuli1 who supplied us with all the necessaries of life1 now came to us in a state of great excitement1 bringing the letter in which he hoped to find some news of the outside world4 ,we opened the letter1 which was long and well-written1 and found that it was directed to the ,mahdi4 ,we read it and considered it a well-written letter2 in it ,hansal called the ,mahdi ,sheikh1 and begged him to release us1 receiving as a ransom such a sum as he should demand1 and which he 7,hansal7 was prepared to give4 ,the bearer of the letter was then ordered to take it direct to the ,mahdi1 but fearing that its contents might compromise him1 he gave it to ,stambuli1 who gave it as his opinion that the letter was useless1 as he himself had been doing all in his power to effect our release1 but was unable to do so4 ,father ,bonomi1 however1 urged that as the letter was useless it was therefore harmless1 and that there could be no objection to giving it to the ,mahdi2 consequently it was taken to him1 and he expressed himself much pleased with it2 although he admitted that the system of ransoming was in vogue during the days of the ,prophet1 he stated that it had been changed by him1 as also was the tax per head formerly paid by ,christians4 ,he1 however1 promised to give us protection until the coming of ,sayidna ,isa 7,jesus ,christ71 when we should either have to turn ,moslems or die2 thus the letter was of no good to us1 and on the following day a rumour was spread abroad that the ,austrian ,consul had joined the ,mahdi4 ,the messenger asked us to give him a few lines to take back1 and thus prove that he had delivered the letter to us2 so we and ,stambuli complied1 and the messenger left for ,khartum2 but he was followed by spies1 and when at ,korsi--one and a half day's journey distant--he was searched by them1 and the letters found in the saddle-bag on the donkey1 consequently he was arrested1 brought back1 and thrown into chains4 ,the false news was now rapidly circulated that an ,english post had arrived4 ,father ,bonomi and ,i were at once summoned to read the letters4 ,it occurred to us that our letters had probably been seized and that we were in some danger4 ,i was not alarmed about my letter to ,hansal1 for ,i had written in ,german1 and there was no one besides myself in ,el ,obeid who understood ,german2 but ,bonomi's letters had been written in ,italian1 and there were several people who understood that language4 ,as we entered the ,mudirieh we saw ,stambuli also coming4 ,we were first taken to the ,khalifa ,sherif1 who was lying on a straw mat in his hut2 after greeting us1 he lifted up the mat and drew out several letters1 which we at once recognised as those we had written4 ,the ,khalifa asked us if we had written them1 and we replied in the affirmative4 ,he thereupon produced a piece of paper on which ,bonomi had written that the messenger should receive six pounds4 ,father ,bonomi translated this to the ,khalifa2 ,stambuli was then called in1 as he pretended to know a number of ,european languages1 while in point of fact he knew little or nothing2 when the paper was given to him to read he said that it contained a medical prescription1 and this translation did not of course agree with ,bonomi's version4 ,amidst the murmuring of the bystanders the ,khalifa now rose and bid us follow him into the divan of the ,mudirieh1 and thence into the room adjoining that in which the ,mahdi was sitting with the ,khalifa ,abdullah4 ,the latter had to keep his bed1 for his leg had been broken by a fall from a horse2 he had collided with another horseman1 and in falling had been badly kicked4 ,father ,bonomi and ,stambuli only were taken before the ,mahdi1 whilst ,i was left in the room outside2 there were a ,dervish and a ,greek also in the room1 and as ,i was sitting on the ground near the door1 the ,greek came up to me and told me that a sheikh wished to speak to me4 ,i replied1 ,let the sheikh come to me if he wants to speak to me2 ,i have nothing to ask of him4 ,a few moments afterwards the sheikh came up to me in a furious rage1 and without further ado attacked me with his fists1 kicked me1 and called me a ,christian dog2 then seizing me by the leg he dragged me out towards the gate1 where he said he intended to cut off my head4 ,the sound of this struggle reached the ,mahdi's ears1 and he sent a eunuch to take me out of the sheikh's hands4 ,shortly afterwards the ,mahdi himself1 ,bonomi1 and ,stambuli came out1 and were rather pleased than otherwise that my incident with the sheikh had interrupted their somewhat painful conversation4 ,the ,mahdi did not appear angry1 and as usual1 smiled pleasantly all round2 then1 surrounded by his principal emirs1 he performed the noonday prayers in the divan1 while the multitude conformed to the prayers in the ,mudirieh courtyard4 ,this over1 he sat down on his mat and opened his audience1 whilst a slave standing behind him fanned him and drove off the flies4 ,numbers of people submitted their cases to him in a very low and humble tone of voice1 and from the various gestures which took place1 ,i concluded that he had given satisfaction to all4 ,he then read aloud a letter from an influential sheikh in ,khartum1 whose name ,i have forgotten2 after which a number of sheikhs came in to take the oath of allegiance4 ,during this ceremony the man taking the oath had to place his hand in the ,mahdi's right hand2 then the latter repeated the oath in the following words3 ,thou consecratest thyself1 thy children and thy property to the ,mahdi4 ,thou shalt be guilty of no impurity2 thou shalt not steal1 nor drink alcohol2 and thou shalt bind thyself to do thy duty in the ,jehad4 ,the person to whom the oath was administered sealed it with a solemn ,amen4 ,if several persons took the oath together1 they were obliged to repeat it in chorus1 and at the conclusion they shouted ,fi ,shan ,allah4 ,when the audience was over1 we asked the ,mahdi's permission to retire1 which he allowed us to do4 ,bonomi now gave us an account of his interview with the ,mahdi and ,khalifa ,abdullah4 ,they had thought that we had written letters to the ,government at ,khartum1 but they could not read the letters which1 in point of fact1 contained nothing political4 ,bonomi had given the ,mahdi a short resum of their contents with which he seemed pleased1 but ,abdullah appeared dissatisfied4 ,for the next eight days we were in considerable danger1 and the one topic of conversation was what should be done to us4 ,it was the general idea that we were to be beheaded2 but ,stambuli was working his friends1 and by dint of bribes the matter was hushed up1 although ,i believe that we owed it principally to the good will and kindly disposition of the ,mahdi4 ,after about ten days we were summoned before a certain emir named ,hajji ,khaled1 who made enquiries about the letters1 and we told him that we were prepared to translate literally every word4 ,our fearless persistence impressed him1 and he did not trouble us further4 ,some of the ,european merchants could have translated the letters1 but ,stambuli bribed them with twenty pounds1 and on the #bfth of ,april1 thirteen days after the letters had been intercepted1 the ,mahdi pardoned ,stambuli at a public meeting1 and handed them back to him2 then in the presence of two trustworthy friends of the ,mahdi1 we translated them word for word into ,arabic1 and gave them back to the ,mahdi1 who1 judging from their general tenour1 appeared convinced of their harmlessness4 ,,footnotes3 ,e ,pl4 of ,fakir1 i4e4 a poor religious mendicant--one who has renounced the world4 ,f ,pl4 of ,sayid1 i4e4 a master4 ,,chapter ,v4 ,,the ,,mahdi',s ,,victory ,,over ,,hicks ,,pasha4 ,the ,european captives learn that ,general ,hicks is advancing--,slatin ,bey's defence of ,darfur--,his heroism--,the ,mahdi prepares to resist ,hicks--,the march of the ,hicks ,expedition--,extracts from the diary of ,major ,herlth--,colonel ,farquhar's gallantry at ,rahad--,gustav ,klootz deserts to the ,mahdi--,klootz's interview with the ,mahdi in which ,ohrwalder and ,bonomi act as interpreters--,the expedition advances towards ,shekan--,is surrounded and annihilated--,description of the battle--,the ,mahdi victor of ,kordofan4 ,in our present miserable plight all our hopes were directed on ,khartum1 from whence we expected succour4 ,hitherto we heard only vague rumours1 but the news of the defeat and death of ,wad ,makashef on the ,white ,nile encouraged us to hope on4 ,we had no idea who commanded the ,egyptian troops in this action4 ,we were quite uncertain as to what policy the ,government would adopt regarding ,kordofan2 and of course1 at this time1 false reports were flying about everywhere1 and it was quite impossible to arrive at the truth4 ,at first we were inclined to believe everything we heard1 but gradually we found that we lived in such an atmosphere of lying and deceit that we arrived at believing almost nothing we heard4 ,the ,sudanese proverb1 ,consider all news to be good and true1 even if it be false1 is universally acted on in the ,moslem world2 and those who looked for help from the ,government always hoped for good news1 and seized on the smallest pretext to give colour to their expectations2 their belief in dreams which never came true accentuated their misery4 ,it was useless to try and enlighten these poor ignorant people1 contradiction only made them annoyed4 ,fortune-tellers were often consulted about the future1 and naturally they foretold what they thought their interrogators wanted to hear1 and thus gave them hope for a short time2 but when it turned out incorrect--as was invariably the case--it only increased their depression4 ,god1 in ,his mercy1 sent a ray of light into the darkness of our captivity1 which again kindled the hope of succour which had been well-nigh quite extinguished4 ,on the #bast of ,june1 #ahhc1 a man came into our little hut and asked in a scared sort of way if we were the missionaries4 ,after repeated assurances that we were1 the man took courage and withdrew from his trousers a little note1 which he had concealed very carefully1 and handed it to ,father ,bonomi1 who at once tore it open in nervous haste and eagerly scanned the few lines which were to give us a new life4 ,the note was signed by ,marcopoli ,bey1 by order of ,general ,hicks1 and was to the effect that we should not abandon hope1 for as soon as the winter season began1 a large army would advance into the ,sudan to attack the ,mahdi4 ,we kissed that dirty little bit of paper1 and thanked ,god most heartily for sending us news so full of comfort4 ,we became reassured1 and now our dark future gave place to cheerful hopes which brightened the few months of anxious delay which followed the receipt of this note4 ,the letter was dated from the ,white ,nile1 where the ,general had already gained a victory over ,wad ,makashef1 and soon the news of the intended expedition against the ,mahdi spread like wildfire through the camp4 ,illustration3 ,,hicks ,,pasha4 ,it appears that ,consul ,hansal also wrote a letter to the ,mahdi1 but the latter said nothing to us about it4 ,amina1 one of our black girls whom the ,mahdi had taken as a concubine1 said she saw in the ,mahdi's hand a letter with a large seal1 on which the double-headed eagle was represented2 but the ,mahdi does not appear to have taken much notice of it4 ,in ,darfur the news of the intended ,hicks expedition had considerable effect4 ,slatin1 the ,governor-,general1 had been fighting continuously against the natives of ,darfur and against the ,rizighat1 ,habbanieh1 and other ,arab tribes2 he was now in the north1 then in the south1 combating with bravery and unusual rapidity the various revolts which sprang up throughout his province4 ,he was a scourge to the ,arabs and killed thousands of them2 he even pursued them into the almost inaccessible hills and valleys of ,jebel ,marra4 ,his powers of endurance were wonderful1 and he would often be twenty-four hours in the saddle1 constantly fighting1 and with nothing to eat or drink4 ,he slept on the bare floor or ground beside his native soldiers1 and lived on dhurra soaked in water2 he was just1 never took bribes1 generous1 ever ready to assist the poor and needy1 and never refused admittance to old and young who sought his help4 ,in spite1 however1 of his having--as he himself told me--fought in twenty-seven battles against the ,arabs1 he could not crush them1 for they were like fungus growing out of the earth4 ,in action ,slatin was most heroic4 ,on one occasion he was struck by a bullet which shattered one of his fingers2 but1 undismayed1 he seized the hanging remnant with his other hand and ordered the man standing next him to cut it off with his knife2 then he joined again in the fight1 and cheered his men on to victory4 ,not only in ,kordofan1 but throughout the entire ,sudan1 he was celebrated for his bravery in the face of the enemy4 ,still he was powerless to cope with the extensive revolt in his province1 and obtained little support from his ,egyptian officers1 who were jealous and constantly intrigued against him2 yet it was the wonder of all that he succeeded in holding out so long4 ,at length1 when his ammunition was almost finished1 came the news of ,hicks's projected expedition1 and to gain time he resorted to the following expedient4 ,his vakil was a man named ,mohammed ,zogal1 uncle to the ,mahdi1 and a man of sense2 with him ,slatin came to a private understanding1 and it was agreed that ,zogal should pay a visit to the ,mahdi1 inform him that ,slatin was prepared to submit1 provided he was permitted to hold his present position1 and then he was to return and bring back full information regarding the ,mahdi1 his power1 c41 and at the same time endeavour to arrange for a suspension of hostilities pending the arrival of ,hicks4 ,should ,hicks be victorious then ,slatin and ,darfur would be saved1 otherwise all would be lost2 but this plan1 if successful1 would enable ,slatin to hold out until ,hicks came1 which he could not otherwise have done4 ,zogal set out on his journey and arrived at ,el ,obeid early in ,september #ahhc1 where he was warmly welcomed by the ,mahdi4 ,the latter was much pleased with ,slatin's proposition1 and ordered a salute of one hundred guns to be fired to announce his surrender4 ,the ,mahdi could now turn his entire attention to his preparations to resist the advance of ,general ,hicks1 concerning the number of whose troops the wildest reports were circulated4 ,on learning of his departure from ,omdurman on the #ith of ,september1 he issued a proclamation instructing his emirs to read it to their followers4 ,in it he1 as usual1 styled himself the ,mahdi sent by ,god to defeat the ,turks1 who were the enemies of ,god and ,his ,prophet1 and that his mission was to conquer the world2 he extolled the virtues of holy war and promised paradise and its joys to all those who fell fighting in the holy cause4 ,he now quitted ,el ,obeid and pitched his tent under a large ,adansonia tree outside the walls2 his three ,khalifas and their followers copied his example1 and this was the signal for the whole town to be evacuated4 ,the life of ease and comfort was abandoned and people collected round their emirs' flags1 so that in a short time an enormous camp was formed in anticipation of the great battle4 ,couriers were sent in all directions to proclaim that anyone who refused to follow the ,mahdi would have his hand and foot cut off2 all men joined willingly1 the ,mahdi's camp daily grew larger1 and straw huts 7or tokuls7 soon covered the plain1 though the people were allowed in turns to go back to the town at night4 ,detachments of troops were sent to various parts of ,kordofan to collect the ,dervishes1 and whole tribes streamed from all directions towards ,el ,obeid4 ,daily manoeuvres and reviews were held1 and guns fired repeatedly so that the horses should get accustomed to the noise4 ,thus the ,mahdi instilled great enthusiasm into the masses1 and we began to have some fear for ,hicks4 ,the ,mahdi now despatched the three emirs1 ,abdel ,halim ,wad el ,hashmi1 ,hajji ,mohammed ,abu ,girgeh1 and ,omar ,elias ,pasha1 with their followers1 to ,duem4 ,they were instructed to watch the movements of ,hicks's force1 and when it left the ,white ,nile1 to cut his communication2 they were then to harass his march as much as possible1 but not to bring on a general engagement4 ,all these orders were admirably carried out4 ,general ,hicks left ,duem on the #bdth of ,september1 #ahhc1 and marched in a south-westerly direction through ,shatt1 ,zeregga1 ,aigella1 ,shirkeleh1 and ,rahad1 which he reached on the #bjth of ,october1 leaving ,tagalla and ,jebel ,dair on the left4 ,the inhabitants of the districts through which the troops passed1 quitted their villages and carried off all their goods1 so that when the troops arrived they found nothing but straw huts1 which the soldiers at first set fire to2 but ,general ,hicks soon forbade this practice4 ,the ill-fated army scarcely met a living soul1 but flocks of vultures followed them as if waiting for their prey4 ,shortly after the annihilation of the army1 a small and incomplete diary belonging to an ,austrian officer1 ,major ,herlth1 came into my hands1 but it was sufficient to give me an insight into the wretched condition of this force4 ,the facts were briefly as follows3 ,it was expected that on the arrival of the army at ,shirkeleh1 it would be joined by several thousand ,tagalla people1 and it was hoped that this reinforcement would inspire the troops with some life and energy1 which they entirely lacked2 but these reinforcements never appeared4 ,major ,herlth described the troops as anything but good1 and frequently refers to the want of agreement between the two commanders--,general ,hicks with his small body of ,european officers on the one hand1 and ,ala ed ,din ,pasha1 ,governor-,general of the ,sudan1 a man imbued with the old ,turkish system1 on the other4 ,the ,european officers were convinced that the expedition would not be successful2 the camels were badly looked after1 hundreds died every day1 and their loads were piled on to the others which were still alive2 saddles were for the most part without straw1 so that the bare wood rubbing on their backs made terrible wounds4 ,almost all the horses had died before the force reached ,rahad4 ,general ,hicks had also great trouble in keeping the men together2 numbers of them had recently been fighting against the ,english with ,arabi ,pasha1 and had been forcibly sent to the ,sudan4 ,it is also strange that the shorter route from ,duem to ,bara1 on which there was plenty of water1 was not chosen in preference to the long roundabout road they took4 ,while the latter route led through forests and long grass1 the former was entirely free from these obstructions1 and1 moreover1 the friendly ,kababish tribe would have supported them on their northern flank4 ,there was still another circumstance which contributed to the final disaster--the guides were treacherous1 and led the army into the hands of the ,dervishes2 indeed1 it was an open secret in the camp at ,el ,obeid that the guides had been sent by the ,mahdi4 ,at ,rahad1 ,hicks expected to have been joined by five hundred ,baggara horsemen1 and it is true a number of horsemen were seen in the distance1 and a white flag was shown2 but the riders did not approach1 and it was soon evident that they were enemies4 ,the force was in such a miserable and wretched condition that the emir1 ,abdel ,halim1 begged permission of the ,mahdi to be allowed to attack it with his own followers2 but this the ,mahdi would not permit him to do1 as he wanted to have all the honour and glory of victory for himself4 ,every day information about the movements of the ,egyptian troops was sent to the ,mahdi2 sometimes reports reached him twice a day1 and were always of the same tenour1 viz4 that the men had no heart to fight4 ,had an expedition been coming which had the elements of success in it1 public opinion would have shown itself by numbers deserting the ,mahdi's standards2 but they had heard nothing of ,hicks's early successes1 and now the only reports that reached them were that the army was in a hopeless condition4 ,all this only made the ,mahdi's prestige the greater1 and it must be remembered that the latter was an adept at inspiring fanaticism4 ,one of ,general ,hicks's spies was captured1 and he was at once impaled on lances4 ,the following extracts1 which ,i give from memory1 from ,major ,herlth's diary will show how demoralised the expedition had become4 ,the camp was pitched at ,rahad on a small eminence near the ,khor ,abu ,habl1 whilst the enemy1 who were concealed on the opposite side in the high grass and under the trees1 fired incessantly at the ,egyptians and killed a number of them4 ,one bullet entered ,hicks's tent and struck the seat on which he was sitting2 he then gave orders that the grass and woods should be at once cleared of the enemy4 ,there was still a little water in the ,khor1 and as it seemed to be deep1 a consultation was held as to how it should best be crossed4 ,the discussion lasted an hour4 ,at length a few1 more courageous than the rest1 decided to try and wade across1 and to their intense surprise found that it was quite shallow and easily fordable2 they then crossed over and drove back the enemy1 killing seven of them4 ,while at ,rahad1 it was discovered that the camp out of which they had marched the previous day had been entered1 and everything that they had left behind had been taken4 ,it was now evident that the enemy were in greater force than they had thought1 and in consequence ,general ,hicks made an entrenchment and put guns into position1 which were fired with some effect1 as one shell killed no less than thirteen men4 ,this news was sent to the ,mahdi4 ,at ,el ,obeid the slow advance of the troops could not be understood1 and this had a still more convincing effect on the ,dervishes that the expedition must be in a bad way4 ,it was a matter of no surprise that the troops had not been victorious1 as it was known that every element of success was wanting2 as for the poor ,egyptians1 the capture of a cow was an event of great importance1 and ,general ,hicks ordered every officer to be given a piece of it4 ,colonel ,farquhar1 chief of the staff1 did all he could to raise the courage of the soldiers4 ,on one occasion some horsemen were seen a short distance away sitting fearlessly on their horses as if challenging anyone to come out and fight them4 ,when ,farquhar saw them he mounted his horse and advanced straight on them4 ,when he approached they began to retire1 but he went in pursuit1 and coming up with them killed two1 the third he pulled off his horse1 and capturing the horses brought them back to camp4 ,in spite1 however1 of such a gallant example1 the men were listless and out of heart2 the long marches had thoroughly exhausted them4 ,illustration3 ,,colonel ,,arthur ,,farquhar4 7,chief of the ,staff47 ,at ,rahad1 ,gustav ,klootz1 a native of ,berlin1 deserted the army4 ,he was ,baron ,seckendorf's servant2 but at ,shirkeleh he quitted his master's service1 and became the servant of ,mr4 ,o',donovan1 correspondent of the ,daily ,news4 ,klootz had certain socialistic tendencies1 which caused him to change masters1 and there is no doubt that these ideas had much to do with his desertion4 ,he and a native of ,saxony determined to escape secretly1 and on the plea of gathering wood outside the camp1 these two men succeeded one evening in passing the outposts4 ,no sooner had they gone beyond the line than they heard firing1 and the ,saxony man1 fearing a sudden attack1 at once turned back to camp1 whilst ,klootz continued his flight4 ,when he had gone a short distance he fired two shots1 one to make the ,egyptians believe that the enemy was close to them1 and the other to make the enemy think that they were close to the ,egyptian outposts4 ,when night came on he lay down under a tree to sleep1 regardless of the fact that he was between two enemies2 and the next morning he began to debate with himself whether1 after all1 it would not be better to return4 ,he would not have hesitated for an instant had he not thought that perhaps the ,saxony man had betrayed his desertion4 ,at length he decided there was nothing for it but to go on towards the ,dervishes4 ,after going some distance he saw three dirty-looking men who pointed their rifles at him2 but he signed to them that he was not coming as an enemy1 and to further reassure them1 he threw down his rifle and revolver on the ground1 and advanced towards them4 ,the ,arabs also approached2 but ,klootz1 who did not understand a word of ,arabic1 called out1 ,dervish--where is the ,dervish8 7by ,dervish he meant the ,mahdi47 ,the ,arabs understood perfectly what he wanted to say1 but at that moment they were thinking much more of the loot they saw before them than of the ,mahdi2 so they seized the little money ,klootz had1 and took possession of his watch1 rifle1 revolver1 and even his boots4 ,klootz soon realised into whose hands he had fallen1 for these ,arabs1 having taken everything from him1 then directed him towards the ,dervish camp4 ,on he plodded barefooted1 through the long grass1 and often over thorns1 until at last he met an old woman1 who made him understand by gestures that he was close on the camp4 ,a few moments later several horsemen appeared1 and1 surrounding him1 took him in triumph to ,abu ,girgeh2 for they thought at length they had captured a hated ,englishman4 ,klootz1 to his astonishment1 now found himself in a large entrenched camp1 where the ,dervishes were living in perfect safety4 ,the horsemen had told ,abu ,girgeh that they had found him sitting in a tree writing1 so he was at once put in chains1 tied tightly to a bedstead1 and then interrogated about ,hicks's troops4 ,at the same time a messenger was sent to the ,mahdi to inquire what should be done with the ,englishman4 ,the ,mahdi ordered that he should be at once brought to ,el ,obeid2 the chains were therefore removed1 and a rope put round his neck1 by which he was drawn by horsemen to the ,mahdi's camp4 ,the journey lasted a day and a half1 and he was obliged to walk the whole way barefooted in the burning sun1 so that when he reached ,el ,obeid his feet were swollen up and in a dreadful condition4 ,as swift as lightning the news now spread through the camp that an ,english officer had been captured4 ,who could the unfortunate man be8 we wondered4 ,when ,klootz was brought before the ,mahdi all he could say was that he was ,nimsawi 7a ,german74 ,the ,mahdi therefore summoned ,stambuli1 ,bonomi1 and myself1 to act as interpreters4 ,when we entered the crowded enclosure everyone understood the object of our coming2 most of them were busy cleaning their lances1 and shouted out after us1 ,mind you make careful inquiries of him4 ,there was such a crowd in front of the ,mahdi's tent that it was almost impossible to make our way through2 but at last there was a cry of ,ahl ,delen 7,here are the ,delen people71 and they made way for us4 ,we took off our shoes1 and were shown into the ,mahdi's presence4 ,i was intensely anxious to see who this ,englishman might be2 we had seen nothing but black faces for so long1 that had he been a creature from the other world1 we could not have been more interested2 then we were on tenter-hooks to know how the expedition was progressing1 whether it was under ,english command1 c41 c4 ,of course ,general ,hicks's name was well known1 but we knew nothing about the composition of his force4 ,when we entered we saw the ,mahdi1 the supposed ,english officer1 and ,ahmed ,wad ,suleiman sitting on a straw mat4 ,we saluted the ,mahdi1 who returned our salute in a most gracious manner4 ,he was smiling1 and seemed much pleased4 ,he introduced the ,englishman to me1 and asked me to question him about his coming4 ,my imagination1 in which ,i had pictured an ,englishman1 received a rude shock1 for ,i beheld before me a young man with blonde hair1 blue eyes1 a sunburnt face1 and a nose from which the skin was peeled off4 ,he wore a dirty tarbush2 his clothes were made of rough canvas1 and he looked very much like the fireman of an engine4 ,before anything else ,i expressed to him my sincere pity at his having fallen into the hands of savages1 for ,i did not then know that he had come of his own accord4 ,i asked him his name2 he replied1 ,gustav ,klootz1 of ,berlin1 and said that he was the correspondent of an important newspaper4 ,he afterwards gave me a true account of himself4 ,i translated everything to the ,mahdi4 ,i then asked him about the state of the army4 ,he said that it consisted of barely #aj1jjj men1 and he added that it was generally believed by the ,european officers that they would be defeated4 ,it was with the greatest difficulty that ,i concealed the blow to my feelings which this news occasioned4 ,i asked him why he deserted1 and he excused himself by saying that he did so to save his life4 ,i now knew that he could be no soldier2 but1 of course1 ,i did not translate to the ,mahdi the wretched account he gave of the army4 ,at this moment ,i received a kick in the ribs from ,ahmed ,wad ,suleiman1 who cried out1 ,ask him how many guns are in possession of the unbelievers8 ,i was then given a small book1 which turned out to be ,klootz's diary1 and was told to translate it4 ,there were only a few leaves1 in which the date of departure from ,shatt and other places was noted2 the number of camels that died daily2 a few observations on his master1 and sundry other things4 ,the ,mahdi then asked whether1 if he wrote to ,hicks1 he would be likely to surrender1 to which ,klootz naturally replied that he was sure nothing would induce him to do so4 ,the ,mahdi further asked whether ,klootz thought he or ,general ,hicks was the more powerful1 to which ,klootz answered that he thought the ,mahdi would be successful2 but that he would probably lose a number of his followers1 as ,hicks's force was well supplied with good firearms1 to which ,wad ,suleiman added1 ,death will be our reward4 ,the ,mahdi seemed delighted with the news he had received1 and ordered a plate of fried meat to be brought1 which he shared with us1 eating with his fingers4 ,it was considered a very high favour when he touched the plate with his hand1 and handed a small piece of meat to those who sat with him1 and this favour he conferred on us4 ,it was rather striking that he should have done this1 for many ,moslems consider it wrong even to eat in the presence of ,christians4 ,when the meal was over he dismissed us1 and ,klootz was handed over to ,stambuli till further orders4 ,just as we got outside the hut1 ,klootz and ,i were called in again4 ,the ,mahdi was now quite alone4 ,he ordered us to sit down on the floor1 and then whispered in my ear1 ,tell this man he may count on the best of treatment if he will turn ,moslem2 if not1 he must die4 ,i explained this to ,klootz in ,german1 and he replied that he was quite prepared to do anything the ,mahdi required2 whereupon the latter presented him with his shoes and a jibbeh1 and named him ,mustafa1 as it struck him that there was a similarity of sound between ,mustafa and ,gustav4 ,when we left the hut we found an enormous crowd of people all clamouring to know what the ,englishman had said4 ,of course everyone wanted to see him1 and it was impossible for us to move a step4 ,stambuli1 therefore1 procured a horse1 mounted ,klootz upon it1 and in this manner we proceeded to ,stambuli's house4 ,we did not at first believe in ,klootz's statement1 and thought that he must have purposely given the ,mahdi false information1 so as to gain favour and save his own skin2 but when we were alone together1 ,i bound him by a solemn oath to tell me the absolute truth1 and1 to my astonishment1 he told me he had nothing to add to what he had already said4 ,it is impossible to describe our misery when we heard ,klootz's report4 ,we had counted for months on the success of the expedition to deliver us from the hands of our enemies1 and now all our bright hopes were rapidly fading away1 and again a gloomy future yawned in front of us4 ,general ,hicks left ,rahad on the #bfth of ,october1 and arrived at ,aluba on the #bith2 here he received the ,mahdi's letter summoning him to submit4 ,of course this was taken no notice of1 and on the #crd of ,november the army advanced towards ,kashgeil1 which is about twelve miles south of ,el ,obeid4 ,in the meantime the ,mahdi had been collecting his followers1 and doing all in his power to inspire them with wild fanaticism2 anyone who saw the enormous hordes of savages which were brought together1 must have trembled for the fate of ,hicks4 ,it was said that the ,mahdi had been promised the assistance of #dj1jjj angels from paradise1 and everyone quite believed in the truth of this assertion4 ,anyone beholding this immense multitude of fanatics of every race and age1 even though he had formerly been a disbeliever in the ,mahdi1 must now have been convinced of his divinity4 ,the uneducated masses of the ,sudan are entirely governed by the influence of external appearances1 they had never heard or seen anything of this description before2 now heralds were going from end to end of the camp foretelling the death of everyone who refused to follow the ,mahdi4 ,on the #ast of ,november1 ,mohammed ,ahmed quitted ,el ,obeid1 and everyone--man1 woman1 and child--followed him4 ,every house was evacuated1 and woe to him who attempted to hide himself6 ,wad ,gubara and his flag alone remained behind as garrison of ,el ,obeid4 ,the throng1 noisy bustle and din of the camp suddenly gave way to almost absolute silence--the silence of the grave4 ,the days which followed were for us a period of terrible anxiety4 ,although we felt almost certain that a terrible catastrophe was about to take place1 yet we still had a slight hope that1 with the help of ,european leaders1 good rifles1 and machine-guns1 the result might be different4 ,abu ,anga1 who had separated from his ,jehadieh 7black troops7 just the day before1 now joined the powerful division of ,abdel ,halim1 and on the #crd of ,november the ,mahdi's followers also joined this division1 whilst the ,mahdi himself1 accompanied by his ,khalifas1 set out for ,birket4 ,it was on the #crd of ,november that the action actually began1 for1 in accordance with the ,mahdi's orders1 his followers had gradually completely encircled the troops1 who were now opposed by black soldiers with ,remington rifles1 ,wad en ,nejumi's ,gellabas1 and the flags of ,abdel ,halim1 ,sherif ,mahmud1 and many others4 ,in the attack which occurred on this date1 the ,dervishes were forced back with the loss of ,fauzi1 one of the ,mahdi's katibs1 ,elias ,pasha's son1 and the son of ,hajji ,khaled2 but ,general ,hicks's losses were considerably greater2 he had also run short of water1 and was doing his utmost to dig wells1 though he did not know that within fifteen minutes' walk of him there was a large reservoir of rain-water4 ,what days of terrible anxiety these must have been for the principal officers1 and especially for ,general ,hicks1 on whom the entire responsibility rested6 ,major ,herlth's diary stops abruptly on the #dth of ,november2 he writes on that day that ,dr4 ,georges ,bey was wounded the previous day and died shortly afterwards4 ,as far as ,i can remember1 the ,major then continues3--,these are bad times2 we are in a forest1 and everyone very depressed4 ,the general orders the band to play1 hoping that the music may enliven us a little2 but the bands soon stop1 for the bullets are flying from all directions1 and camels1 mules1 and men keep dropping down2 we are all cramped up together1 so the bullets cannot fail to strike4 ,we are faint and weary1 and have no idea what to do4 ,the general gives the order to halt and make a zariba4 ,it is ,sunday1 and my dear brother's birthday4 ,would to ,god that ,i could sit down and talk to him for an hour6 ,the bullets are falling thicker4444 ,here the writer suddenly breaks off2 possibly a bullet had penetrated his weary heart4 ,the ring of encircling ,dervishes was gradually drawing in and enclosing the ill-fated troops4 ,the greatest destruction was done by ,abu ,anga's men who may be said to have destroyed the army2 hidden behind shrubs and bushes1 they fired incessantly at very close range into the midst of the ,egyptians4 ,one of ,abu ,anga's men told me that he alone had fired one hundred and fifty rounds4 ,on that terrible ,sunday ,general ,hicks had to abandon a number of guns1 for he had no mules to carry them4 ,dire confusion prevailed everywhere1 the troops were suffering terribly from thirst1 discipline was gone1 and the men could not even lay their guns properly4 ,klootz1 whom the ,khalifa ,abdullah took with him1 told me that he was some way from the place where the actual fighting was going on1 and that the shells were striking the branches overhead4 ,it would seem that the army made three attempts to break through the ,dervish lines1 but failed1 and ,klootz told me that the bodies were scattered in three large heaps extending over a distance of nearly two miles4 ,the largest heap was in the forest of ,shekan near ,kashgeil1 and it was here that the ,dervishes fell on the remainder of the force and the ,european officers1 and killed them with their lances on the #eth of ,november4 ,according to the evidence of the ,dervishes themselves1 the ,european officers fought most heroically4 ,general ,hicks was one of the last to fall2 he had emptied his revolver1 and1 holding his sword in his right hand1 waited for the rush of the enemy2 he was soon surrounded and his horse wounded in the back2 he then dismounted and fought most gallantly with his sword until he fell1 pierced by several spears4 ,the heroism of these brave men was the admiration of all4 ,after the massacre the bodies were stripped and mutilated4 ,even long after the battle those who were present used to talk of the terrible spectacle of all these bodies lying with their mouths gaping open and covered with blood4 ,these savages used to plunge their spears into the bodies of the dead so as to dip them in the bloody entrails of their enemies1 and for long after they talked and revelled over the yellow-looking fat of the ,turks1 which protruded through their gaping wounds4 ,baron ,seckendorf1 who was remarkable for his enormous size1 had been beheaded1 and his head was taken to the ,mahdi2 it was thought that he must have been ,general ,hicks4 ,a few escaped by hiding themselves under the heaps of dead bodies or behind guns or waggons2 at the end of the action these were all collected1 and numbered one hundred persons4 ,during the actual fighting no quarter was given4 ,an ,egyptian soldier pursued by some ,dervishes fled towards the ,khalifa ,sherif and begged to be spared2 but the latter laughed at his fear1 and he was at once despatched with spears4 ,the ,dervishes then collected their dead and laid them out in a line4 ,it seems almost incredible to say so1 but there were only three hundred and fifty in all killed4 ,the ,mahdi offered up a prayer over them1 and then they were buried4 ,the dead bodies of the ,egyptians were left a prey to the vultures and hyenas4 ,klootz1 who said that he understood doctoring1 was permitted by the ,mahdi to collect all the medicines in the field1 and when doing so he was enabled to examine the bodies of the ,europeans4 ,he told me that it was with the greatest difficulty he kept himself from breaking down when he saw the mutilated corpses of those with whom he had but a short time ago laughed and spoken4 ,the body of a soldier was seen hanging between earth and sky2 he had evidently climbed up an ,adansonia tree in search of water1 when a bullet must have killed him1 and in falling he was caught by the branches4 ,amongst those who escaped was a man named ,abderrahman ,ben en ,naga ,bey1 whose father1 then in ,el ,obeid1 had entreated the ,mahdi to spare him4 ,a few days before the catastrophe he was found writing letters to ,omar ,wad ,elias ,pasha1 then with ,abdel ,halim's force2 in consequence he and his men had been put in irons1 and it was ,ala ed ,din ,pasha's intention to execute him2 but ,hicks would not allow it1 saying that he would be fairly tried after ,el ,obeid was captured4 ,ben en ,naga was in the thickest of the fight1 and had already lost an eye1 when his father's slaves succeeded in reaching him and saving his life4 ,illustration3 ,a ,,baggara ,,emir1 ,,present ,,at ,,the ,,annihilation ,,of ,,the ,,hicks ,,expedition1 ,,and ,,afterwards ,,captured ,,at ,,toski4 ,the ,mahdi and his followers were greatly delighted1 for they had not calculated on such a complete victory1 and a messenger was at once despatched to ,el ,obeid to order a salute of one hundred guns to be fired4 ,it was early on ,tuesday morning1 the #fth of ,november1 that the thunder of the guns was heard in the camp1 and our alarm at this terrible news can well be understood4 ,our bright hopes1 which enabled us to support a wretched existence for more than a year1 were rudely dashed to the ground4 ,we now gave up all idea of the ,government sending a second expedition4 ,it was clear that ,khartum must look to its own safety1 and as the ,mahdi had in the first instance gained possession of ,kordofan through his victory over ,yusef ,pasha ,esh ,shellali1 so now his annihilation of ,general ,hicks's force placed almost the entire ,sudan in his hands4 ,,chapter ,,vi4 ,,the ,,mahdi',s ,,triumphal ,,entry ,,into ,,el ,,obeid4 ,fall of ,darfur--,slatin surrenders--,the ,mahdi's divinity credited after the annihilation of ,hicks--,king ,adam of ,tagalla--,stambuli's kindness to the ,european captives--,gordon writes to the ,mahdi--,power's letter--,the sisters seized and distributed amongst the emirs--,they are tortured--,the missionaries turned into slaves--,the terrible journey to ,rahad--,the ,greeks come to the help of the sisters--,the proclamation concerning the treatment of priests and hermits by ,mohammedans--,the ,mahdi at ,rahad--,ohrwalder's interviews with the ,mahdi concerning religion--,the ,dervishes attack the ,nubas4 ,the ,mahdi remained seven days with his entire force at ,birket1 so as to collect families and stragglers and to take possession of the loot which the greedy ,arabs had seized and refused to give up4 ,several of the latter were flogged1 and seven slaves belonging to the ,mahdi's uncle1 ,sayid ,mohammed ,taha1 suffered the loss of a hand and a foot because they had kept for themselves some of the ,mahdi's booty4 ,the loot referred to consisted of war material1 such as ,krupp guns1 machine guns1 and ,remington rifles1 besides a number of axes1 pickaxes1 and shovels1 which were required for making zaribas2 a quantity of money1 watches1 and clothing1 was also included1 and the whole was carried off to the beit el mal4 ,some of the dead bodies were secretly set fire to1 so as to make the ignorant people think that these unbelievers were being consumed by hell-fire4 ,general ,hicks's white horse was handed over to ,klootz with orders to cure the wound in its back4 ,at length the pestilential smell of thousands of dead bodies of men and animals drove the conquerors forward4 ,the ,mahdi's entry into ,el ,obeid was a scene of wild enthusiasm and excitement4 ,the many-coloured flags came first1 then followed thousands upon thousands of ,dervishes moving to the ever-swelling murmur of ,la ,ilaha il'lallah 7,there is no god but ,god71 whilst others danced out of the ranks and shook their blood-bespotted spears1 uttering fearful yells4 ,after them followed the cavalry with the three ,khalifas4 ,every now and then a halt was made1 when a number of riders would dash forward at full gallop1 poising their lances ready for the thrust1 and then would return to the ranks amidst the loud applause of the others4 ,after the cavalry followed a few prisoners1 the wretched remnant of ,hicks's army4 ,most of them were naked1 and were being dragged forward under the continual insults of the ,dervishes2 then came the guns drawn by wounded mules1 and last of all came the ,mahdi himself1 riding a magnificent white camel1 and surrounded by his most fanatical adherents1 whose monotonous ,la ,ilaha il'lallah resembled the sound of a rushing stream4 ,clouds of dust filled the air1 and as the ,mahdi passed by1 the spectators threw themselves down and kissed the ground1 whilst the women shouted ,mahdi ,allah 7,the ,mahdi of ,god74 ,such a scene of wild triumph had never before been witnessed4 ,the ,mahdi was now honoured almost as a god4 ,this victory gained for him an enormous increase of power and respect4 ,the fear of his name sped like wildfire throughout every province and district in the ,sudan4 ,he was now regarded as the true ,mahdi1 every ,moslem believed in him1 and all doubt was put aside4 ,at the battle near ,shekan numbers of people said they saw the angels whom the ,mahdi had summoned to fight against the ,turks4 ,he now became the object of almost superhuman adoration2 even the water with which he washed himself was handed by the eunuchs to the believers1 who drank it with avidity as an antidote to all ills and diseases4 ,after a time the captured ,egyptians were released1 and many died in a state of beggary in the market-place at ,el ,obeid4 ,the captured blacks were distributed amongst the beit el mal soldiers1 and were known by the name of ,hiksani1 for example1 ,morgan ,hiksani4 ,it was one of the ,mahdi institutions that slaves should--besides their own names--bear also the names of their masters4 ,our ,delen blacks were also given my name1 ,yusef4 ,of course it would have been more correct if they had called them after our chief1 ,luigi ,bonomi1 but the ,arabs found this name rather difficult to pronounce4 ,the ,mahdi now became more imperious1 and his success made him bolder and more confident4 ,he despatched letters to various parts of the world1 proving the divinity of his mission by his success in arms1 and summoning all to rise against the ,turks4 ,he wrote very strongly to the inhabitants of the ,gezireh1 threatening them with fire and sword if they refused to rise against the ,government and join him4 ,having rid himself of his enemies1 the ,mahdi now turned his attention to ,darfur4 ,he appointed his uncle1 ,zogal ,bey1 who was known as ,sayid ,mohammed ,khaled1 emir of ,darfur1 and sent him to that province1 accompanied by ,abdel ,samad1 the son of ,ahmed ,sharfi1 and ,omar ,wad ,elias4 ,khalifa ,sherif1 immediately after the victory over ,hicks1 urged the ,mahdi to advance to the ,white ,nile and attack ,khartum1 which he might easily have done1 but the ,mahdi was anxious first of all to secure ,darfur1 and he also wished to rest on his laurels a little longer4 ,he wrote to ,slatin ,bey informing him of the destruction of ,hicks's army1 and he also forced ,klootz to write to the same effect4 ,zogal started on the #afth of ,december1 #ahhc1 and proceeded in the first instance to ,dara1 where ,slatin was at that time4 ,he then sent in a messenger with the ,mahdi's letter1 in which he was called upon to surrender4 ,zogal well knew that this was a mere formality1 for ,slatin was quite unable to hold out any longer1 and he had only five cartridges per man left2 his men too refused to make any further stand4 ,slatin1 therefore1 on receipt of the letter1 rode out to ,zogal and submitted4 ,the ,dervishes then entered ,dara1 and as usual began to plunder4 ,zogal subsequently proceeded to ,el ,fasher1 which was at that time commanded by the ,mudir1 ,said ,bey ,guma1 who had put the town in a state of defence4 ,in spite of the wells being beyond the lines1 ,said ,bey offered a resistance which from the outset was hopeless2 seven days later1 that is to say on the #aeth of ,january1 #ahhd1 he surrendered4 ,kebkebieh also yielded to ,zogal1 and ,omshanga had already submitted4 ,thus the populous and valuable province of ,darfur1 which had cost ,egypt much blood and money1 was entirely lost in the short space of eight days4 ,in the meantime the ,mahdi had despatched his son-in-law1 ,wad el ,beshir1 to the ,gezireh to head the revolt against the ,government in that district4 ,the ,mahdi showed his wisdom in never attempting to invade a district which had not previously declared in his favour4 ,when he heard of the submission of ,el ,fasher and ,dara1 he despatched ,abu ,girgeh to undertake the siege of ,khartum4 ,the latter left with only a small body of troops1 but numbers joined him on the way1 especially when he reached the ,white ,nile2 so that he was not afraid of advancing towards the capital4 ,thus through his victory at ,shekan1 the ,mahdi had virtually made himself master of the whole ,sudan from the ,red ,sea to the boundaries of ,waddai1 and from the ,bahr el ,ghazal to ,dongola4 ,all eyes were turned to him1 and the majority of the people believed him to be the true ,mahdi2 some thought he must be a great magician4 ,even now at the present time1 when he has already been six years in his grave1 and the fallacy and misery wrought by ,mahdiism are thoroughly admitted1 still his wonderful success is attributed to witchcraft4 ,his own countrymen--the ,danagla--although they now admit he was not the ,mahdi1 say that he was undoubtedly a very holy man1 and was supernaturally endowed by ,god with extraordinary authority and wisdom4 ,amongst others who feared the ,mahdi's power was ,king ,adam of ,tagalla1 who with his wife1 child1 and slaves1 came down from his mountain retreat and surrendered4 ,for a long time the ,king's ,kadi had endeavoured to convince his master that ,mohammed ,ahmed was not the true ,mahdi1 and did his utmost to dissuade him from joining2 but after the defeat of ,hicks1 ,adam delayed no longer1 and moreover took his ,kadi with him4 ,when they reached ,melbeis1 about three hours' journey from ,el ,obeid1 the ,kadi deserted1 but he was recaptured1 put in chains1 and brought with the king to ,el ,obeid4 ,on their arrival near the town1 ,khalifa ,abdullah went out with a large retinue to meet ,adam1 who had a great reputation throughout ,kordofan1 and greeted him most cordially4 ,a salute was fired1 and every one rejoiced at the ,mahdi's bloodless victory4 ,king ,adam was warmly welcomed by the ,mahdi1 given a special place to live in1 and treated with the greatest respect4 ,to gain still more favour in the ,mahdi's eyes1 ,adam sent him six of his prettiest young girls as concubines4 ,after a short time1 however1 the mountain king seemed to tire of residence in ,el ,obeid and began to suffer from melancholia4 ,in his mountains he was absolute master1 here in ,el ,obeid he was nothing but a slave4 ,at first he thought he would be permitted to return to his mountains1 but soon he had to give up all hope of this2 and before long he realised that one of the first principles of ,mahdiism was that those who were fortunate enough to behold its light would never be permitted to wander back into darkness4 ,now he bitterly repented that he had not accepted his ,kadi's advice1 while the spies by whom he was surrounded soon let the ,mahdi know what the ,kadi's opinions were2 and when ,khalifa ,abdullah learnt that he meditated flight1 he at once had him seized and beheaded4 ,thus was the unfortunate ,adam intimidated2 then his horses were taken from him1 and last of all1 to save his life1 he had to sell his wives4 ,almost all the inhabitants of ,jebel ,nuba sent messengers to say that they were the ,mahdi's subjects4 ,even in ,khartum already numbers were inclined to him4 ,in proof of this statement1 the case of the ,sub-,mudir of the town1 ,wad ,gesuli1 may be quoted4 ,when this individual heard of ,gordon's arrival at ,berber1 he at once fled from ,khartum and came to ,el ,obeid1 where he threw himself at the ,mahdi's feet and assured him that the inhabitants of ,khartum to a man were on his side4 ,all hope of release now seemed at an end4 ,our pitiful condition was somewhat lightened through the kind offices of our ,syrian friend1 ,george ,stambuli1 who was both the ,mahdi's favourite and our benefactor at the same time1 and he supplied us with the necessaries of life4 ,the sisters made jibbehs 7,dervish coats71 which ,stambuli sold and gave us the proceeds4 ,we obtained the material chiefly from the clothes of the soldiers who had been killed1 and from the officers' tunics4 ,o',donovan's mackintosh and some other articles of clothing which ,klootz recognised came into our hands and were soon cut up4 ,most of the clothing was stained with blood1 which we were obliged to wash out2 but what bitter thoughts occupied our minds in this sad task6 ,towards the end of ,january #ahhd an unfortunate incident occurred which brought us into difficulties4 ,one of ,stambuli's female slaves1 having come to an understanding with his ,dongolawi servant1 went to the ,khalifa ,abdullah and reported that her master was a ,christian1 and prayed daily4 ,stambuli's suspicions were aroused1 and that evening he hid away everything which could be brought up against him1 except a small silver cross which his little daughter wore round her neck4 ,almost before dawn his house was surrounded by a number of ,dervishes1 and ,nejumi with ,wad ,suleiman1 who had been ordered to take possession of his house1 broke into it and began a thorough search4 ,stambuli who1 since the fall of ,el ,obeid1 had never been questioned1 had his house full of all sorts of things1 and was also in possession of a quantity of gum and ostrich feathers4 ,the house was turned upside down1 but nothing of an implicating nature could be found3 the slave had1 however1 mentioned the little girl's cross1 and the inquisitors demanded to see the children2 when they saw the cross they at once asked what it was4 ,stambuli replied that it was an ornament which had no special signification1 and ,wad ,suleiman then pulled it off the child's neck and kept it4 ,i must here remark that numbers of people were very envious and jealous of ,stambuli1 and did not at all care to see a white man in possession of all this property2 they therefore took every occasion to rob and steal from him4 ,stambuli was now put into chains1 whilst his property was carried off to the beit el mal4 ,it was decided that he was to be beheaded1 but his ,syrian countrymen and the ,greeks consulted together1 then went to the ,mahdi and begged for his life4 ,they were kindly received by the latter1 who gave them some hope1 and fifteen days later ,stambuli was pardoned4 ,he was obliged to appear before the ,mahdi with a shebba 7i4e4 a long piece of forked wood in which the neck was placed1 and which had the effect of forcing the head back71 and in this condition he was obliged to implore the ,mahdi's forgiveness4 ,his property was never returned to him1 and he could support us no more4 ,father ,bonomi seized this opportunity to write to the ,mahdi and beg for our release1 which he had so frequently promised4 ,the ,mahdi wrote several kind words on the reverse of the petition1 but they meant nothing2 he said ,father ,bonomi was aware with what affection he regarded him1 and that1 therefore1 he could not bear the thought of losing him4 ,at the same time he instructed ,wad ,suleiman to give us whatever was necessary for our sustenance from the beit el mal2 this occurred on the #eth of ,february1 #ahhd4 ,just at this time1 when all hopes of release seemed at an end1 ,god sent us light in the midst of our darkness4 ,some people arrived from ,khartum and reported that ,gordon ,pasha had reached there and had been received with great enthusiasm4 ,the alarm with which this news was received by the ,mahdi and his adherents1 and the delight which it occasioned to those who still hoped for deliverance1 can readily be understood4 ,the ,mahdi1 who thought the ,sudan was actually in his grasp1 was thoroughly upset1 for it was generally believed that ,gordon had brought ,englishmen with him4 ,a few days later he received a letter from ,gordon1 and the anxiety to know what it contained was enormous4 ,nothing else was talked about1 and when the ,mahdi ordered the letter to be read in public the disappointment was very great4 ,in this letter ,gordon offered the ,mahdi the whole of the ,western ,sudan1 of which he said he should be considered the ,sultan4 ,he authorised the continuance of the slave trade1 and free transit to all pilgrims going to ,mecca2 and1 in conclusion1 he asked for the release of the prisoners4 ,the ,mahdi laughed at ,gordon's proposals1 and thought him a very cunning unbeliever1 who was attempting to delude him with vain promises merely to gain time4 ,he could not understand how it was ,gordon came to offer him what he already possessed some time ago2 and he remarked that the very ground on which ,gordon was standing was practically in his hands4 ,the fact that ,gordon had brought no troops with him served to further increase his pride1 and his reply was couched in the following terms3--,he said that when he was at ,abba ,island he had warned the ,government officials that if they refused to recognise him as the ,mahdi1 they would undoubtedly perish4 ,he had repeated the same warning to ,yusef ,pasha ,esh ,shellali1 and to ,hicks ,pasha4 ,he informed him of the surrender of ,darfur1 and concluded by saying that he had no desire for worldly benefits4 ,his object was to reform the people1 and he invited ,gordon to come and join him4 ,with the letter the ,mahdi sent him a complete set of ,dervish garments1 viz4 a jibbeh1 takia1 turban1 girth1 and pair of sandals4 ,meanwhile the ,mahdi had despatched the emir ,abu ,anga with some troops1 also the emirs ,wad ,nejumi and ,abdullah ,wad en ,nur to ,jebel ,dair1 where the king 7,mek7 ,kumbo was still offering resistance4 ,it was thought that the number of troops would alarm these mountaineers2 but they successfully resisted the first attack1 and then withdrew to their mountain fastnesses where the troops could not follow them4 ,on the #bcrd of ,march1 #ahhd1 a man arrived from ,khartum with a small note from ,consul ,power4 ,it was written in ,english on one side1 and in ,french on the other3 ,courage pour un peu4 ,gordon est ici4 ,courage tout ira bien1 was what this good man wrote4 ,he also asked for the names of the survivors of ,hicks's expedition1 and the names of the ,european prisoners in ,kordofan4 ,we answered all his questions4 ,these few words of the consul gave us no little comfort and encouragement4 ,the time of the ,mahdi's departure from ,el ,obeid was now drawing near4 ,the crowd of people who had been collected was so enormous that the water in the wells was insufficient1 and rose greatly in price1 and anyone with slaves had to pay dearly for the luxury4 ,disturbances frequently took place round the wells1 and often people fell in4 ,the wells were from #aej to #afj feet deep4 ,the ,mahdi's further stay at ,el ,obeid was now useless1 and he decided to advance on ,khartum4 ,he issued a proclamation summoning all people to join him1 and heralds were despatched in all directions with the ,mahdi's orders4 ,at the same time it was announced that all people should follow in the ,mahdi's track via ,rahad1 and ,arabs living to the north and east of ,el ,obeid were instructed to fall upon any travellers1 put them in chains1 and drag them to that town4 ,provisions now became very cheap1 such as coffee1 wheat1 dates1 c42 but1 on the other hand1 the rates of hire of camels and donkeys increased enormously4 ,money was distributed to everyone for the journey4 ,with regard to ourselves1 however1 as we were not permitted to leave1 we resolved to try and escape2 but this was most difficult1 for we were avoided by everyone and no one dared associate with us4 ,we managed1 however1 to procure a trustworthy man1 who succeeded in getting us camels and guides2 but ,god had disposed otherwise4 ,khalifa ,abdullah1 accompanied by a number of followers1 suddenly appeared at our huts on the #bhth of ,march1 and ,father ,bonomi1 brother ,joseph ,rognotto and myself were summoned before him4 ,we found him seated on his sheepskin in the midst of a circle of emirs1 and when he had beckoned to us to sit down1 he then began to address to us a heap of questions1 all leading up to the one important point--that we should accept his faith4 ,his arguments were valueless1 and had no effect upon us1 so we were sent back to our huts4 ,that evening1 at about sunset1 some thirty men1 mounted on horses1 broke into our humble abode1 and said that they had orders to remove the sisters1 assuring us with mock modesty that no harm should happen to them4 ,we1 however1 well knew what would happen1 and absolutely refused to be separated1 saying that if they wished they could kill us1 and cut off our heads2 but that it would be a cruel shame for the ,mahdi to ill-treat these poor women after all his solemn promises and assurances4 ,but of what avail could our protests be against brutal violence6 ,they forced their way in1 seized the sisters1 and took them before the ,khalifa ,abdullah4 ,he and ,khalifa ,sherif used every means of cruel barbarity to shake the faith of these poor sisters1 and the latter1 seizing a pair of scissors1 which one of the sisters was carrying1 cut the partition between her nostrils4 ,the ,khalifa's wives also howled and insulted them in every base way1 and then they were distributed amongst the emirs1 and sent to ,rahad4 ,we spent that night in our own huts1 but early the following morning the ,dervishes came and took us to the ,khalifa1 who made us over to various emirs4 ,my master was to be ,abdullah ,wad en ,nur2 but as at that time he happened to be at ,jebel ,dair1 ,i was made over to his brother ,makin1 who was then occupying ,mohammed ,said ,pasha's house4 ,father ,bonomi1 together with the little property we had left1 was put into the beit el mal2 but my diary1 which ,i had now written for the third time1 also ,herlth's diary1 ,general ,hicks's ,bible and prayer book1 and a sandwich case and small bundle1 belonging to ,o',donovan1 were all lost4 ,we were now exposed to ill-treatment and insult from all sides4 ,the ,mahdi's three sons1 ranging from seven to ten years of age1 used to come and insult me daily2 but ,i cannot mention the details1 which will for ever remain engraven on my memory4 ,at length1 on the #gth of ,april1 #ahhd1 the ,mahdi set out1 and we with him4 ,the huge camp1 swarming with thousands and thousands of people1 became empty in a few days1 and each one1 as he left his hut1 set fire to it1 so that nothing was to be seen but clouds of smoke and flames darting upwards to the sky4 ,just as we were leaving ,i was made over to another master1 ,idris ,wad el ,hashmi4 ,when ,i arrived at his house1 ,i found everything ready for the journey2 numbers of well-bound books were lying about on the floor4 ,i picked one up1 and found it was ',the ,soldier's ,pocket ,book1' by ,lord ,wolseley4 ,i would like to have searched amongst these books for a diary1 but they turned me out3 ,idris had taken them out of some good leather trunks1 which he had filled with his own effects4 ,three days after the ,mahdi's departure my master and ,i quitted ,el ,obeid4 ,the road to ,rahad was one uninterrupted stream of human beings--men1 women1 and children2 camels carrying the household goods1 on the top of which were fastened angaribs1 on which women were seated2 oxen and donkeys1 all heavily laden2 numbers of ,arabs were driving along their flocks with them2 here one would see a camel fallen prone under its heavy load1 there a child or a slave vainly seeking in the crowd for his lost master4 ,of course ,i had to walk1 and to act as a camel-driver as well1 subject to continual insult and threatening4 ,i moved along as best ,i could2 the ,arabs applauded my master's good sense in making me his camel-driver1 and urged that ,i should carry a load as well4 ,we had to halt frequently1 as the camels were so heavily laden4 ,the burning sun and fatigue were terribly oppressive1 and it is always a wonder to me how ,i escaped sunstroke4 ,as to food1 ,i had a share of my master's horses' meal4 ,in the evening ,i was obliged to clean the dokhn1 which was given to the horse1 and the pangs of hunger made me covet even this1 while ,i was obliged to ask my master's slave to occasionally give me a gulp of water2 indeed1 this slave pitied my wretched state4 ,it took us three days to reach ,rahad1 though1 under ordinary circumstances1 the journey could easily be performed in one and a half days4 ,the burning sand had blistered my feet1 and caused my legs to swell4 ,one day ,i saw the unfortunate ,king ,adam1 of ,tagalla1 riding by2 he was mounted on a mule1 and his feet heavily chained4 ,they thought that the sight of his native mountains might make him wish to desert4 ,soon after his arrival at ,rahad the poor king died1 heart-broken1 and to him death must have come as a happy deliverance2 while to us1 who also longed for it1 death would never come4 ,rahad is situated in a depression1 which in winter becomes a swamp2 the water remains standing for some time1 and there are numerous wells1 which are sufficient for a large number of men and animals4 ,during the dry season1 ,rahad is a centre in which large numbers of ,arab tribes collect1 and about four hours to the south rises the great ,dobab mountain 7called by the ,arabs ,dair1 because of its semicircular shape74 ,dobab is perhaps the best naturally-fortified hill of the entire ,nuba group4 ,it is accessible from one side only1 and is easily defensible2 there are quantities of water1 which would enable the inhabitants to stand a prolonged siege4 ,the circumference of the base of the mountain is about eighteen miles1 and the inhabitants live on the top4 ,already the ,dervishes had constructed their rude barracks under the shady trees of ,rahad1 and soon an enormous camp sprang up4 ,shortly after my arrival1 ,i was again obliged to change masters2 the one with whom ,i had recently been was not really bad1 but my new master1 ,abdel ,halim ,wad ,id1 was a very great and fanatical emir4 ,before1 however1 ,i proceed to describe the events which occurred at ,rahad1 ,i must give a brief outline of what had happened to the sisters since they were so cruelly wrenched away from us4 ,they had set out from ,rahad with the various emirs amongst whom they had been distributed2 on the journey they suffered greatly2 they were obliged to walk the whole distance barefooted1 over thorns and burning sand2 they underwent the agonies of hunger and thirst1 and some of them had to carry loads2 one of them1 for a whole day1 had not a drop of water to drink4 ,these brutal savages were continually beating1 insulting1 and abusing them1 and when1 tired and weary1 they sat down for a moment1 they were driven forward under the lash of the cruel whip4 ,on their arrival at ,rahad they scarcely looked like human beings1 with their faces all scorched and peeled by the burning sun2 and here new tortures awaited them4 ,one of them was suspended from a tree1 and beaten on the soles of the feet until they became swollen and black1 and soon afterwards the nails dropped off4 ,in spite of all this suffering1 and notwithstanding the continual threats of these barbarians that they would be violated1 these sisters clung firmly to their faith and belief4 ,one night1 one of the sisters succeeded in escaping to the ,mahdi's hut1 and1 forcing her way into his presence1 appealed vehemently to him against the cruel treatment which she and her companions were suffering at the hands of his tyrannical emirs1 and that their only fault was that they resolved to adhere to their own faith4 ,under other circumstances the ,mahdi would never have forgiven this bitter reproach1 but when he saw this poor sister wounded and bleeding1 he pretended that he knew nothing of the matter1 and at once ordered all the sisters to be brought to his enclosure1 where they were1 to some extent1 safe from ill-treatment2 yet they were in constant terror of being dishonoured1 and therefore decided to seek the protection of some of the ,greeks who were in favour with the ,mahdi1 and who1 at the sisters' request1 sought his permission to take charge of them and care for them4 ,the ,mahdi1 who really pitied them from his heart1 sanctioned the proposal of the ,greeks1 to whom the sisters were duly handed over2 but it was not1 of course1 admitted that pity for them had induced this decision4 ,it is a well-known fact that in the ,kuran the ,prophet ,mohammed enjoins respect and toleration of the ministers of ,christianity1 whom he calls ,rahban1 or pious persons consecrated to ,god's service2 and1 moreover1 he tells his followers that it is their duty to do so4 ,in support of this ,i may here quote a translation of the celebrated passage which occurs in the manuscripts kept in the ,greek convent on ,mount ,sinai4 ,it is as follows3-- ,in the name of the merciful ,god1 ,mohammed ,ibn ,abdullah issues this proclamation to all4 ,he announces that he is the trusted one of ,god1 by whom he has been placed over his creatures4 ,no one1 therefore1 can shelter himself under the plea of ignorance4 ,i have written this proclamation in the form of an order to my nation1 and to all ,christians in the ,east and ,west1 far and near1 young and old1 known and unknown4 ,he who fails to follow the instructions laid down in this order is conducting himself contrary to ,god's will1 and renders himself liable to a curse1 whoever he may be1 whether ,sultan or any other ,moslem4 ,if a priest or a monk retire to a mountain1 grotto1 cave1 plain1 desert1 city1 village1 or church1 ,i myself am prepared to follow them with my army and my subjects1 to protect them against any enemies they may meet1 for these priests are my rayas 7subjects71 and ,i myself will prevent any harm coming to them4 ,taxes shall not be taken from them1 except those which they may give of their own free will and accord1 not being compelled to do so by any one4 ,it is not permissible to remove a bishop from his bishopric1 a priest from his church1 or a monk from his retreat4 ,no objects shall be removed from their churches and used in the construction of mosques1 nor1 indeed1 for the construction of the houses of ,mussulmans4 ,whoso doth not act in accordance with this1 acteth contrary to the law of ,god and ,his ,prophet4 ,it is forbidden to burden bishops or other holy men with taxes4 ,i shall uphold these their privileges everywhere1 on land or sea1 in the ,east or ,west1 ,north or ,south4 ,they shall enjoy my favour and protection against anything harmful1 disagreeable1 or unpleasant to them4 ,those who cultivate on mountains or distant places shall not be burdened with the tithe or tenth-tax1 even if they give it of their own free will and accord1 provided that what they cultivate is for their own maintenance4 ,if there is a scarcity of corn1 they shall be supported each with one quart of corn for each house4 ,it shall never be necessary for them to go to war or to pay tribute4 ,those in possession of unmovable goods shall not pay more than twelve drams of silver annually4 ,no one shall be burdened4 ,no discussions will take place with those who follow the teaching of the ,gospels1 they should rather be in some degree sympathized with so as to put aside all enmity and to cause the wings of mercy to spread out4 ,should a ,christian woman go amongst ,moslems1 they shall treat her well and permit her to go through her prayers in church1 and allow nothing to come between her and her religion4 ,whoso acteth contrary to these orders acteth in rebellion to ,god and ,his ,prophet4 ,christians should be supported in the maintenance of their churches and houses2 their religion should help them to do so4 ,it is not their duty to carry arms1 the ,moslems shall do that for them1 and ,moslems should ever hold firmly this order until the world's end4 ,the witnesses who confirm the truth of this proclamation1 which is hereby issued by ,mohammed ,ibn ,abdallah1 the messenger of ,god to all ,christians1 which proclamation is to seal their privileges1 are1 ,ali ,ibn ,abu ,taleb1 ,bakr ,ibn ,ali ,kohaifi1 ,omar ,ibn ,el ,khattab1 ,othman ,ibn ,affan1 ,abu ,el ,darda1 ,abu ,horeireh1 ,abdullah ,abu ,masaud1 ,abbas ,ibn ,abdel ,muttaleb1 ,fodeil ,ibn ,abbas1 ,zoheir ,ibn ,awan1 ,talaat ,ibn ,obeidallah1 ,saad ,ibn ,maaz1 ,saad ,ibn ,obadi1 ,tabet ,ibn ,kais1 ,abu ,khayetma1 ,hashim ,ibn ,omaya1 ,hareth ,ibn ,tabet1 ,abdallah ,ibn ,amr ,bin el ,aas1 ,amr ,ibn ,yasin1 ,moazzam ,ibn ,koreishi1 ,abdel ,azim ,ibn ,hassan4 ,this proclamation is written by the hand of ,ali ,taleb on the #crd ,moharrem of the second year of the ,hejira corresponding with the #ast of ,august1 #fbb of the ,christian ,era4 ,it is signed by the ,prophet himself4 ,blessed be he who followeth the contents thereof1 and cursed be he who acteth contrary to them4 ,no doubt the precepts enjoined in the above proclamation weighed with the ,mahdi in his decision to hand over the sisters to the ,greeks1 and thus it was that the danger was for the time tided over4 ,later on1 when ,khartum fell and hundreds of the young women who had been in the harems of the principal people of the town fell into the hands of the emirs1 the persecution of the sisters was entirely stopped1 and in retirement they at length secured some rest and quietude1 gaining their daily bread by sewing and other handiwork4 ,after this digression1 let us return to ,rahad1 where numbers of straw huts were now erected4 ,a market was opened and provisions were cheap4 ,various ,arab tribes--the ,dar ,homr1 ,bederieh1 ,ghodiat1 ,baggara ,howazma1 ,miserieh1 and ,dar ,nauli--streamed hither with their flocks and herds1 and soon the camp extended greatly4 ,sherif ,mahmud1 whom the ,mahdi had left behind in ,el ,obeid1 was instructed to send all the people on from there4 ,the ,mahdi set up his abode between two large trees1 and the ,khalifas lived around him4 ,the combined movements of this enormous crowd were most impressive4 ,at prayer-time thousands upon thousands of ,dervishes ranged themselves in well-ordered lines behind the ,mahdi1 and the shout of ,allahu ,akbar resounded through the air4 ,often the singers of the ,mahdi's praises would go on till long after midnight1 and thus did he continue to inspire his gigantic audience4 ,illustration3 ,,father ,,ohrwalder',s ,,interview ,,with ,,the ,,mahdi ,,at ,,rahad1 ,,concerning ,,religion4 ,i was also twice summoned by the ,mahdi2 on one occasion two of his body-guard rushed up to me quite out of breath1 just to show how expeditiously they carried out the ,mahdi's orders1 and brandishing their swords over my head shouted1 ,get up1 the ,mahdi wishes to speak to you4 ,as a matter of fact ,i had no desire to see him1 but ,i had to get up1 and this ,i did as slowly as ,i possibly could1 and then ,i was pushed forward in the direction ,i had to go4 ,at length ,i reached the two large trees1 and sitting down beside them ,i leaned against the roots4 ,the ,mahdi had not arrived4 ,close to me was a hut roughly built of dokhn reeds1 which ,i was told was the fort1 around which a small thorn zariba had been constructed to keep off the crowding ,dervishes who were collected in their thousands1 most of them seated in long lines on the sand and repeating their subhan allah4 ,the ,mahdi's huts and tents were close by4 ,it was then the time for noonday prayers1 and as the ,mahdi approached there was a short buzz and hum followed by a deep silence4 ,when the ,mahdi came to the place where the sheepskin was stretched out on the ground1 a slave came up and took off his sandals1 after which he conducted prayers4 ,these over1 he turned round and greeted me4 ,then some of his favourites came forward and presented petitions to him1 some of which he approved at once by writing a few words on the back of the paper1 while the remainder were put aside for consideration4 ,since the occasion on which the ,mahdi had interviewed ,klootz1 ,i had not seen him4 ,i now saw a considerable change in him2 he had grown much stouter1 but he still wore the same clothes of rough damur1 consisting of drawers1 jibbeh1 girth1 and turban4 ,his conversation soon turned on religion1 and he asked me if we ,christians used the ,hamdu 7a form used by the ,moslems as they bow in prayer7 in our prayers4 ,i replied that not only had we one but several1 and at his request ,i repeated the ,lord's ,prayer in ,arabic4 ,this created much surprise amongst the ignorant listeners1 who believe that ,christians do not know how to pray1 and ,i was thought quite fasich 7i4e4 educated74 ,after a long conversation on the ,psalms of ,david1 the ,mahdi said1 ,i know that you ,christians are very good people1 and that you feed the hungry4 ,he then told me about deeds of mercy1 and added that all such acts were useless1 as anyone who did not believe in the ,mahdi was but wood for the fire4 ,our conversation was interrupted by the ,aser or afternoon prayers1 after which the ,mahdi again held a reception4 ,amongst others a small dwarf appeared1 and the ,mahdi spoke to him about his tribe and asked if he were married4 ,the dwarf replied that he had come to ask for a wife1 and explained that the possession of one was the desire of his heart1 whereupon the ,mahdi gave orders that he should at once be provided with one4 ,he then rose up to leave1 and ,i was permitted to go home4 ,on the following day ,i was again summoned before him1 and he explained that through the noonday prayers he knew he should win over the whole world4 ,he said that ,god had given him a period of forty years 7as a matter of fact he only lived four years1 but a cypher more or less is of no consequence7 during which he should make all people believe on him and acknowledge that he was the ,mahdi4 ,he added that after the subjugation of the ,sudan he would take ,egypt1 which would only offer a weak resistance1 and that afterwards he would attack ,mecca1 where the most bloody battle which the world had ever seen would take place2 from ,mecca he should proceed to ,jerusalem1 where ,jesus ,christ should descend from heaven4 ,of course1 ,i said1 ,christ will possess all the characteristics which the ,gospel attributes to ,him2 but the ,mahdi continued1 ,would ,christ not fight with anti-,christ8 ,if ,i do not believe in ,him ,he will kill me4 ,the ,mahdi then asked me if ,i ever had dreams1 and ,i replied that even if ,i did have dreams ,i did not believe in them4 ,then the ,mahdi turned round to those who were near and said1 ,assuredly the ,turks do not believe in dreams1 or they would have admitted that ,i am the ,mahdi4 ,it is said that ,mahmud ,bey ,ahmedani1 ,mudir of ,khartum1 who had accompanied ,hicks and had fallen near ,shekan1 had seen the ,mahdi's shadow on the wall surrounded with a halo of light1 but in his obstinacy he still refused to acknowledge him4 ,just then a ,sherif of ,syria came in1 and1 making obeisance to the ,mahdi1 said1 ,sire1 you are my relation6 7,by this he meant that as he belonged to the ,prophet's tribe1 and as the ,mahdi had sprung from the ,prophet1 that therefore they were connected47 ,the ,mahdi was much gratified by this flattery1 and ordered ,wad ,suleiman to give him fifty dollars and a concubine4 ,the conversation was then turned on ,gordon4 ,the ,mahdi remarked he was full of pity for him1 for he said that he was convinced it was the ,ulema's arguments which had made ,gordon believe that he was not the true ,mahdi4 ,he then asked me what was the object of the wires with which ,gordon had surrounded ,khartum4 ,i replied that ,i knew nothing of the art of war1 but others said that this was telegraph wire1 which ,gordon had put down so that in case of attack the horses would stumble over it4 ,the ,mahdi smiled1 and remarked that ,god was more mighty than all the tricks and artifices of ,gordon4 ,it was now evening1 and the ,mahdi got up to go1 so ,i went home1 and when ,i returned to ,sheikh ,idris1 several came up and congratulated me for having had the good fortune to talk with the ,mahdi4 ,for my own part ,i would gladly have dispensed with this good fortune4 ,when ,i was summoned the next day ,i sent word that ,i was very ill1 and by this means secured some rest4 ,whilst at ,rahad1 the ,mahdi's eyes were continually directed on ,jebel ,dair1 and when ,abu ,anga and the emirs who were sent to subjugate these districts1 returned1 defeated in their attempts to scale the mountain1 the ,mahdi then despatched every man fit for war to reinforce him4 ,he excused himself for this unusual measure by saying that all persons should be exercised in war1 and that1 moreover1 this was penance to those who had only recently joined him1 to purify them from the sin of not having joined him earlier4 ,as a matter of fact1 these ,arabs were a source of great trouble and annoyance to the ,mahdi1 for they did nothing but wander about the market-place begging1 and it was no small difficulty to keep such vast crowds in order4 ,the war against the ,nubas was waged in the most cruel manner2 the proud ,dervishes were incensed at the stubborn resistance of these poor black slaves1 as they used to call the ,nubas4 ,on one occasion1 when the ,dervishes1 led by ,abu ,anga and followed by the ,gellabas1 attempted to ascend the mountain1 the ,nubas allowed them to advance some way and then pounced down upon the ,gellabas in the narrowest pass2 these men were badly armed1 and four hundred of them were killed4 ,abu ,anga seeing this beat a rapid retreat1 and on coming into the pass was implored by the wretched wounded ,gellabas to carry them away1 but ,abu ,anga's men jeeringly replied that they must die in ,god's cause1 and left them to the tender mercies of the ,nuba lances4 ,i may here remark that there was great ill-feeling between the blacks and the ,dervishes1 for the black soldiers complained that they were always placed in the forefront of the battle4 ,in another attack the ,dervishes succeeded in reaching the ,nuba village1 burning the huts1 killing a large number of them and carrying off their wives and children as captives to ,rahad1 where they were sold as slaves4 ,on this occasion ,nur ,angar cut off the heads of three ,nubas who had already submitted1 while ,abu ,anga's men seized the little children by the feet and dashed their brains to pieces on the rocks4 ,at ,rahad a special zariba was built for the ,nuba captives1 who were driven like cattle into a pen to be sold4 ,these poor creatures1 without covering from the sun or rain1 suffered terribly from hunger and thirst2 each evening they were given a handful of dhurra and some water1 but that was quite insufficient1 and in a few days mothers had to see their children slowly starving to death1 while the little suckling babes gathered round their mothers in the vain search for food4 ,each morning the guards looked in to inquire if there were any dead or dying1 and then ordered the wretched survivors1 who had scarcely the strength to get up1 to drag out their dead and dying friends and relations4 ,it would take a long time to tell of all the horrible atrocities and cruelties which these poor ,nubas suffered at the hands of the ,dervishes--and why8 because they tried to retain their freedom and defend their fatherland1 refusing to follow that base liar who called himself the ,mahdi1 to the siege of ,khartum4 ,amongst the captives in the zariba was a man and his wife and two small children4 ,the sight of his starving children was breaking the father's heart2 the view of his native mountain so affected him that he became desperate1 and knowing that he would probably be separated from his wife and children and sold the next day1 he took a terrible resolution3 in the middle of the night he embraced his wife1 kissed his little children1 and then plunged his knife into each of them1 preferring rather that they should die than become slaves2 he then broke out of the zariba and fled1 the guards fired and missed him2 thus the wretched man succeeded in reaching his beloved hills4 ,,chapter ,,vii4 ,,father ,,ohrwalder',s ,,views ,,of ,,gordon',s ,,mission4 ,ohrwalder describes his treatment at the hands of various masters--,the ,nubas surrender and afterwards desert--,news from ,khartum--,the capture of the ,english mail--,its arrival at the ,mahdi's camp--,the ,mahdi decides to advance on ,khartum--,brief review of events in ,khartum and ,berber--,ohrwalder's views on ,gordon's mission--,the ,mahdi sets out for ,khartum--,mohammed ,ali ,pasha's defeat and death--,colonel ,stewart1 ,mr4 ,power1 and others leave ,khartum in ss4 ,abbas--,description of their wreck and treacherous murder4 ,the war with ,jebel ,dair dragged on a long time2 the ,nubas fought with desperate courage4 ,i used to hear of their bravery from the ,dervishes who frequented my master's house4 ,after about a month my master was sent to ,birket1 where he was ordered to collect the ,arabs and send them on to ,rahad4 ,at this place he practised unprecedented cruelty4 ,a man found drinking marissa he ordered to be flogged with eighty lashes1 until the poor victim's bowels fell out4 ,during his absence ,i was sent back to my old master1 ,sheikh ,idris1 where ,i continued to lead a wretched existence1 eating out of the horses' nose-bag and quenching my thirst from the share of water which was allotted to the animals4 ,the ground was my bed1 the sky my roof4 ,every morning when ,i got up ,i had to shake off the scorpions from my clothes1 into which they had crept during the night4 ,it is curious that the sting of these animals1 which at other times was always most painful1 caused me little trouble or irritation4 ,the filth in the camp1 owing to the entire absence of all sanitary rules1 caused the flies to increase prodigiously2 eating during the daytime was impossible1 for one would have eaten as many flies as food4 ,i still suffered threats and insults here as in other places1 and many a time did ,i intentionally put my head in danger in the hope that death would release me from these savages4 ,sheikh ,idris was annoyed at my ill-treatment1 but what could one man do with these hordes of fanatics8 ,one day after a review ,i was asked by ,idris to have breakfast with him in his hut2 after breakfast he began to talk confidentially with me1 and said that the ,prophet ,mohammed had expressly forbidden the ill-treatment of priests and hermits4 ,he then said that ,egypt had lost the ,sudan1 and that ,gordon would not be able to withstand the ,mahdi2 most of the fikis and sheikhs had already submitted to the ,mahdi1 and the ,sudan was in their hands4 ,when ,i pointed out the great difficulties he would have in traversing the deserts to ,wadi ,halfa1 he remarked that the ,mahdi's undertaking was not likely to be hindered by the death of a few thousand men8 ,i then argued that it was most unlikely that the white ,moslems would ever accept a black ,mahdi2 and that1 moreover1 according to the traditions1 the ,mahdi would appear in ,mecca4 ,he replied1 ,god is the ,lord of all1 by which he meant to say that ,god can make a black ,mahdi4 ,we had a long conversation about the ,mahdi1 and it seemed to me that ,sheikh ,idris did not believe in him1 but had merely joined him in the hope of gain and rewards4 ,idris also added1 ,by what right should we be ruled by the ,turks8 can we not govern ourselves8 ,if there had been many more sensible and enlightened men like ,sheikh ,idris1 it is probable that ,mahdiism would have taken a very different form2 but ,idris was an exception--most of the principal emirs were uneducated and ignorant savages4 ,it was ,god's will that this ,idris should fall later on in the battle of ,argin in #ahhi1 fighting against ,wodehouse ,pasha4 ,a few days after this conversation1 my original master1 ,abdullah ,wad en ,nur1 arrived from ,jebel ,dair to obtain the ,mahdi's instructions as to the future conduct of the war4 ,the ,mahdi presented him with a very good horse4 ,khalifa ,abdullah asked him what he intended to do with me1 and advised him that when he again went to the ,nuba country he should take me with him and put me in the front so that the ,nubas might kill me4 ,sheikh ,idris told me this1 and ,khalil ,hassanein1 ,roversi's old clerk1 who had obtained a good place in the beit el mal1 brought me three dollars for the journey4 ,i was delighted with the idea of a change1 for ,i could not have been worse off than ,i was at ,rahad4 ,at first ,i was handed over to a fiki1 who bothered me with his useless and nonsensical talk2 his name was ,mahmud1 and he came from ,tuti ,island1 near ,khartum2 he joined the ,mahdi after ,hicks's defeat1 and brought a donkey and a few dollars with him4 ,the first thing he did was to sell his donkey and purchase a concubine1 but in two days the latter purchase ran away1 so he lost both his donkey and his money4 ,he then joined the ,khalifa ,abdullah1 who recommended him to ,idris as a good man to instruct me in the right way2 but instead of convincing me of the ,mahdi's divinity1 ,i very soon convinced him of the reverse1 and it was by no means difficult to do so2 the fiki used frequently to go to the beit el mal to try and get a concubine1 but no one took the smallest notice of him4 ,on the other hand he used constantly to see the numerous concubines of ,idris1 who was rich1 while he was but a poor man4 ,from this ,i made him understand that the chiefs of ,mahdieh sought only how they could best gain riches and honour at the expense of their poorer brethren4 ,soon afterwards he fell sick at ,rahad1 and there was no one to look after him or care for him2 ,i knew that in his heart he had had quite enough of the ,mahdi1 but he was ashamed to acknowledge it before me4 ,one night1 not hearing his voice in the miserable hut which had been given to him1 ,i looked in and found him lying stretched out dead on the ground4 ,i felt sorry for the poor creature who had died away from his own home4 ,another reason which made me glad to go away to ,dair1 was that ,i was ill and suffering much from my old complaint1 which forced me to frequently retire outside the camp amidst the jeers of the ,arabs2 but suddenly the ray of hope which had come to me with the thought of a change to the mountain1 was as suddenly extinguished1 for it transpired that ,idris had arranged with ,abdullah1 without my knowledge1 to leave me at ,rahad4 ,the war against the ,nubas was continued1 and from ,rahad ,i could see the columns of smoke ascending1 showing where the villages had been burnt by these cruel ,dervishes4 ,at length these poor but brave mountaineers1 overwhelmed by superior numbers1 became discouraged1 and agreed to submit on condition that they should remain free1 and be allowed to live in their mountains4 ,the ,mahdi approved1 for the ,dervishes were quite worn out with their long and bloody war4 ,the brave inhabitants descended from their hills--men1 women1 and children--in astonishing numbers1 and established themselves at the foot of the mountain1 and near the ,dervish camp1 while ,mek ,kumbo and the principal chiefs went to the ,mahdi to take the ,bea'a 7oath of allegiance74 ,there was now great rejoicing4 ,the ,mahdi received them kindly1 gave them presents1 and handed back to them those who still remained in the beit el mal2 but before they left his presence he ordered them and their wives and children to follow him to the ,white ,nile4 ,this was quite contrary to the agreement made between them1 but the ,mahdi cared little about honour and keeping his word1 his main object was to attain his point by any fraud or deception he could practise4 ,the ,nubas promised to do so1 and went back to their camp2 but on talking to their people1 they agreed to escape during the night1 preferring rather to starve in the caves and recesses of their own mountains1 than to leave their native country4 ,like one man1 they rose and fled to the hills1 and the fight was once more renewed4 ,many of them fought with the most stubborn desperation2 several were killed1 but the ,dervish loss was also very heavy4 ,the ,nubas retired into the inmost recesses of the hills1 where the enemy could not possibly follow them4 ,on one occasion the ,dervishes all but captured ,mek ,kumbo2 his horse and lance fell into their hands1 but he himself escaped4 ,at length1 thoroughly exhausted by this tedious and interminable war1 they returned to ,rahad2 but heavy rain had fallen1 the ,khor was now a rushing torrent1 and here hundreds of ,mahdiists were drowned--victims to their rash fanaticism--for they believed that the ,mahdi's power could save them from the wild impetuous stream4 ,many of them crossed on angaribs 7native beds71 to each post of which an inflated skin was attached4 ,towards the end of ,june1 #ahhd1 ,slatin ,bey arrived at ,rahad4 ,the ,khalifa ,abdullah ordered the big war-drums to be beaten1 and the whole of the cavalry left the camp to meet him and escort him in4 ,the ,mahdi received ,slatin very kindly1 and he was attached to ,khalifa ,abdullah's followers4 ,abdullah delighted in collecting foreigners around him4 ,one day ,father ,bonomi and ,i were summoned by ,abdullah to meet ,slatin1 and this gave me a chance of meeting ,father ,bonomi1 whom ,i had not seen for months4 ,it was about this time that ,marietta ,combotti1 one of our black girls1 came from ,khartum to ,rahad4 ,after ,hicks's defeat we sent her to ,khartum to inform our people there about our condition and about the ,mahdi's power1 and urged everyone to leave ,khartum as soon as possible4 ,we gave her some letters which were sewn into the end of a mat4 ,consul ,hansal had assisted ,combotti in every way1 and had given her several things for us1 such as clothes1 money1 and medicines4 ,she had suffered greatly on the journey1 had been put in chains1 and all she had succeeded in saving was her money4 ,she had been away seven months4 ,amongst other things ,consul ,hansal sent us a photograph of our new and highly-honoured bishop1 ,monsignor ,imbrien1 of the ,tyrol4 ,marietta also brought a letter from the consul to me describing the condition of ,khartum1 and the defeat of ,baker ,pasha1 about which we had heard nothing4 ,the consul further added3 ,we hope that the ,english will energetically push forward into the ,sudan1 or we shall be lost4 ,our condition is desperate4 ,this letter was dated early in ,january1 #ahhd4 ,hansal also sent us the ,tyroler ,volksblatt newspaper1 published in ,posen1 and in it ,i was surprised to read an account of my own death4 ,the paper said ,i had been captured by the ,mahdiists1 and had died of fatigue and ill-treatment4 ,so my friends believed ,i was dead6 and1 indeed1 ,i felt then that death could not be far distant4 ,my complaint was worse than ever1 and ,i was suffering from scurvy as well4 ,we did indeed feel grateful to the unfortunate ,hansal who had done all he could to alleviate our distress2 but ,god has disposed otherwise4 ,how ,i wish poor ,hansal had taken our advice and gone home4 ,the state of moral darkness in which we lived1 the constant insults1 being gazed upon by such multitudes1 being at the mercy and sport of these savages1 just as if one were a monkey or other curious animal1 all had a dulling effect on one's spiritual nature1 and ,i felt that ,i must be losing my mind2 but yet in all these trials and afflictions ,god did not leave us4 ,again a ray of hope shone through the obscurity4 ,we had already heard something about ,english troops1 but the information was very vague4 ,one of the ,mahdi's messengers1 who took the ,mahdi's answer back to ,gordon in ,khartum1 told me that ,gordon had received him well1 had given him some bakshish1 not like the ,god-forsaken ,mohammed ,said ,pasha1 who had executed the ,mahdi's messengers2 but1 prior to his departure1 ,gordon had warned him in the following words3--,go1 tell the ,mahdi that ,i have only to stamp my feet on the ground1 and thousands of ,englishmen will at once spring up4 ,i believed this story1 for ,i did not think the messenger was clever enough to invent it2 besides1 ,i felt sure that ,gordon must have known quite well that he alone was utterly unable to extinguish the fire of this gigantic revolt4 ,but at length all these reports were fully confirmed4 ,it was ,friday4 ,the ,khalifas were out on parade1 when two camels1 carrying an ,english mail1 arrived4 ,khalifa ,abdullah at once left the review1 and sent for ,klootz to read the letters4 ,klootz came at once to me and said that an entire ,english mail for ,gordon had been captured near ,omdurman4 ,it was clear from several letters that ,english troops were advancing into the ,sudan from three directions2 that is to say1 from ,suakin to ,berber1 from ,korosko to ,abu ,hamed1 and from ,dongola1 where there were #bj1jjj infantry and #aj1jjj cavalry4 ,there was a telegram from ,cairo to ,assuan announcing ,general ,graham's advance2 a touching little letter from a young girl to her father in ,khartum1 whose name ,i forget4 ,in this letter she told of the alarm she felt for her father's safety1 and how she prayed daily that her father might not meet the same fate as ,general ,hicks4 ,in another letter ,gordon was informed that #fj1jjj had been sent to him4 ,all these letters had been sent from ,berber to ,general ,gordon by ,joseph ,cuzzi1 who had written a letter to ,gordon to that effect in ,italian4 ,one letter said that it was well known that the ,khalifa ,abdullah was the moving spirit of the revolt1 and that the ,mahdi merely supplied the religious element2 but ,klootz did not translate this in the ,mahdi's presence4 ,when the latter got up to go1 ,klootz translated this sentence to the ,khalifa ,abdullah1 who was delighted with this flattering remark4 ,cuzzi's ,italian letter was concealed by ,klootz1 who afterwards brought it to me4 ,in this letter ,cuzzi briefly informed ,general ,gordon that he was forwarding the letters2 that he had sent a messenger to ,sawakin to come to an understanding with ,general ,graham1 and that the rebels at ,abu ,hamed had seized a number of the ,government boats4 ,he added that ,gordon should have no anxiety about ,berber1 as long as ,hussein ,pasha ,khalifa was ,mudir4 ,but in this matter he proved to have been completely deceived4 ,the general import of all these letters convinced the ,mahdi that the ,english were in earnest4 ,he therefore decided to take no action for a time1 and to remove the camp to the foot of the mountain1 where it was his intention to await their advance4 ,but soon after came the news that ,berber had fallen1 and that ,general ,graham had returned to ,sawakin1 and this decided the ,mahdi to advance on ,khartum4 ,the ,nubas now began to give some difficulty4 ,no sooner had the ,dervishes abandoned their camp at the foot of the mountain1 than the ,nubas rendered all roads in the vicinity of ,rahad1 and for a considerable distance1 unsafe4 ,slaves going out to gather wood or straw were suddenly swooped down upon by these bold mountaineers1 who killed or captured them4 ,in this way they revenged the cruelties which they had suffered4 ,the ,mahdi was quite unable to subdue these blacks1 and his failure to do so was a great blow to his pride4 ,i may here remark that at this period of the ,mahdieh religion1 violation of moral laws was very severely punished4 ,one of the ,mahdi's bodyguard caught in flagrante in the practice of a species of immorality by no means uncommon in ,eastern countries1 both culprits were led out in chains and beheaded in the presence of the assembled multitudes4 ,before following the ,mahdi on his march to ,khartum1 it is advisable here to take a brief review of the events which had occurred in ,khartum1 ,berber1 and the ,gezireh4 ,the catastrophe which had overtaken ,general ,hicks's force filled the inhabitants of ,khartum with indescribable dismay4 ,several of them returned to ,egypt1 and the members of the ,austrian ,mission1 with their blacks1 quitted ,khartum on the #aath of ,december1 #ahhc4 ,fortunate were those who seized this chance of escape before the roads became blocked6 ,general ,gordon's arrival in ,khartum gave fresh life and hope to the inhabitants4 ,great were the rejoicings1 and a magnificent reception was prepared for the long-expected deliverer4 ,this reception took place on the #ahth of ,february1 #ahhd1 and must have greatly encouraged ,general ,gordon in his undertaking2 but it was not ,gordon's individual presence which so greatly inspired the people4 ,what could ,gordon do alone1 against the now universally worshipped ,mahdi8 ,the nature of the revolt was not political2 the ,sudanese had no intention of establishing an empire under the ,mahdi's rule1 and1 even had this been the case1 it is very improbable that ,gordon's mediation would have been of any avail4 ,illustration3 ,,the ,,gold ,,medal ,,struck ,,by ,,gordon ,,to ,,commemorate ,,the ,,siege ,,of ,,khartum4 ,the movement was a religious movement1 and was not limited to the ,sudan alone2 the ,mahdi's intention was to subdue the world4 ,he was a prophet1 and in his own and the estimation of his followers he was a greater man than the ,prophet ,mohammed4 ,the world was to come to an end in his time4 ,had ,gordon only known beforehand how boundless was the wild fanaticism1 and how completely the ,mahdi's followers were intoxicated by it1 he would never have accepted the mission4 ,as it appeared to us in ,kordofan1 and to the ,mahdi himself1 ,gordon's undertaking was very strange2 it was just as if a man were attempting to put out an enormous fire with a drop of water4 ,gordon's name alone could not suppress the revolt1 and it was not on account of his name that the ,khartum people rejoiced at his arrival2 it was because they looked on ,gordon as an ,english representative1 and that he was only the precursor of an ,english expedition sent to take possession of the ,sudan for ,england4 ,that is what made the people glad1 and caused them to put aside all idea of departure4 ,had they not been certain that an ,english expedition was coming1 not a soul would have remained in ,khartum1 and ,i have no hesitation in saying that had the ,egyptian ,government not sent ,gordon1 then undoubtedly the evacuation originally ordered could have been carried out without difficulty4 ,those who escaped massacre in ,khartum have often told me that they were perfectly ready to leave1 and it was only ,gordon's arrival that kept them back2 but ,gordon's arrival without troops had rather disappointed them4 ,had he been accompanied by five hundred ,british bayonets1 his reputation in the ,sudan might have been maintained1 and probably the ,mahdi would never have left ,kordofan4 ,gordon himself committed a mistake1 by which he gave a death-blow to himself and his mission4 ,on his way to ,khartum he stopped at ,berber and interviewed the ,mudir ,hussein ,pasha ,khalifa2 he imprudently told him that he had come up to remove the ,egyptian garrisons1 as ,egypt had abandoned the ,sudan4 ,at ,metemmeh also--a strong place between ,berber and ,khartum1 and the headquarters of the powerful ,jaalin tribe--he committed a similar imprudence1 by giving the same information to ,haj ,ali ,wad ,saad1 the emir of ,metemmeh4 ,this ,haj ,ali was a man held in great respect1 on account of his just dealings1 and afterwards1 when he died in ,omdurman1 there was public mourning for him4 ,the fact1 indeed1 that the ,khalifa had pardoned him after marissa had been found in his house1 sufficiently indicates how greatly he was respected4 ,both ,haj ,ali and ,hussein ,pasha ,khalifa informed all their principal people about the decision of the ,government1 and it was this announcement that made these faithful sheikhs1 who were then trembling in the balance1 throw in their lot with the ,mahdi4 ,why should they remain loyal to a ,government which had decided to give up their land8 ,had they remained faithful1 what had they to expect when the ,mahdi prevailed8 ,it was this announcement of ,gordon's which was the main cause of the fall of ,berber1 which place was essential for ,gordon's plan of operations4 ,haj ,ali1 shortly before his death1 and when in great suffering1 reviewed the misery which the ,mahdi had brought upon the ,sudan1 and the part he himself had taken in it1 and he then said that it was nothing but the knowledge of the intention of the ,government to abandon the ,sudan which made him join the ,mahdi4 ,how1 he said1 could ,i have remained loyal to a ,government which ,i knew intended to leave me in the lurch afterwards8 ,i would only have been paving the way for the ,mahdi's vengeance4 ,at the time ,haj ,ali said this he was in doubt about the ,divine nature of the ,mahdi1 and spoke openly to people on these matters4 ,but1 he added1 at that time every one thought only of himself4 ,gordon thought only how he could save himself and the ,egyptians1 and we thought how we could save ourselves and avert the ,mahdi's vengeance by taking his part2 so we went to ,berber1 joined with the ,ababdeh1 besieged and took the town1 and then cut ,gordon's communications with ,egypt4 ,gordon was soon destined to see with his own eyes what a fatal mistake he had made1 but only when it was too late4 ,no notice was taken of ,gordon's peaceful proclamations2 the revolt was now widespread1 and masses of fanatical ,dervishes were gradually encircling ,khartum4 ,mohammed ,wad el ,besir1 the sheikh ,el ,obeid--a man held in great respect in the ,gezireh--his sons1 and the ,fiki ,medawi advanced on the town from the south4 ,on the #afth of ,march1 #ahhd1 ,gordon's troops were heavily defeated1 and their leaders were executed by ,gordon for treachery4 ,another blow fell on ,gordon by the surrender1 at ,fedasi1 of ,saleh ,wad el ,mek1 with #a1djj men1 to the emir ,abu ,girgeh4 ,still ,gordon did not despair of success1 and it was his individuality which inspired the inhabitants of ,khartum with hope4 ,saleh ,wad el ,mek's surrender greatly encouraged the ,dervishes4 ,rebels were also gathering to the north of ,khartum4 ,the ,jaalin of ,metemmeh and the ,ababdeh1 as ,i previously stated1 prepared to attack ,berber4 ,hussein ,pasha ,khalifa1 ,sheikh of the ,ababdeh1 who had been ,mudir there since the #ahth of ,december1 #ahhc1 remained faithful to the ,government1 but his subordinates paid no attention to him2 and it was largely due to the influence of these officials that numbers of local sheikhs joined the ,mahdi4 ,the ,ababdeh1 ,barabra1 and ,jaalin1 under the supreme command of ,mohammed el ,kheir1 now besieged ,berber4 ,eight days later the town was taken by storm1 and most of the garrison and a number of inhabitants were massacred4 ,joseph ,cuzzi had attempted to escape1 but he was caught and sent to ,khartum to endeavour to induce ,gordon to surrender4 ,he was subsequently sent on to the ,mahdi at ,rahad4 ,gordon's communications with the north were now cut4 ,after ,saleh ,pasha's surrender1 the number of besieging ,dervishes increased greatly1 and ,abu ,girgeh growing bolder1 seized the village of ,buri1 where he built a fort and began to shell the town4 ,gordon therefore1 on the #bnd of ,may1 sent out a considerable force1 which attacked ,abu ,girgeh1 drove him out of his position1 and all but succeeded in capturing him4 ,thus did ,gordon1 although hemmed in on all sides1 maintain a bold front1 and employed every art of war to keep the ,dervishes from investing the town more closely4 ,to return now to the ,mahdi at ,rahad4 ,he was at this time in full preparation for departure to the siege of ,khartum1 and1 as usual1 he despatched ,abu ,anga1 ,wad ,nejumi1 ,wad ,en ,nur1 and ,wad ,gubara1 with all his best troops in advance4 ,as ,i have previously related1 ,cuzzi1 who arrived at ,rahad at the end of ,june1 had been previously sent by the ,dervishes to ,khartum to try and induce ,gordon to surrender1 and ,gordon had given strict orders that he should not be permitted within the walls4 ,when1 therefore1 he arrived at ,rahad1 the ,mahdi received him very well1 loaded him with presents1 and then sent him back with ,george ,clementino to ,khartum as bearer of letters to ,gordon4 ,he arrived at the ,dervish camp at the same time as ,nejumi4 ,clementino was permitted to converse with the ,greek consul1 ,leontides1 but ,cuzzi returned to ,berber4 ,the ,mahdi passed the month of ,ramadan in ,rahad1 and it was not until the #hth of ,august that he set out for ,khartum4 ,the whole population1 like a swarm of bees1 accompanied him on the same road which ,hicks had taken4 ,the people joyfully undertook this long journey through pathless districts1 and at a time when the rainfall was heaviest4 ,camels1 too1 were expensive and difficult to procure2 but1 in spite of all these obstacles1 fanaticism was more pronounced than ever4 ,there were in all upwards of #bjj1jjj people1 and at ,shirkeleh the cavalry numbered #d1jjj4 ,to defeat such an enormous force as this1 a ,european expedition was necessary1 not the weak force at ,gordon's disposal4 ,throughout the entire route fresh cavalry joined1 whilst the herds of cattle which the ,arabs drove along served as food1 and meat was then cheap enough4 ,numbers of animals died during the march1 and the road was plainly marked by an unbroken line of dead camels1 donkeys1 horses1 and oxen4 ,the route lay from ,shirkeleh to ,shatt1 and thence to ,duem4 ,here a halt was called for a few days to collect stragglers4 ,all notion of working in the fields was abandoned1 and agricultural pursuits were entirely dispensed with4 ,thus it happened that on the ,mahdi's arrival at ,omdurman the ,dervishes were in great want of grain4 ,the ,mahdi arrived at ,omdurman on the #bcrd of ,october1 #ahhd1 but the whole of the stragglers did not reach it till early in ,november4 ,everything had been prepared4 ,gordon was surrounded by numerous enemies1 still he did not despair4 ,in ,august both ,niles had risen considerably2 the ,blue ,nile had arrived almost at its full height1 while the ,white ,nile had overflowed its low bank1 and now swept past ,fort ,mukran and the houses in ,khartum4 ,so high was it1 that a dam had to be constructed to keep the water within bounds4 ,at high ,nile the ,white river is very broad2 and at a later date1 when ,i crossed over from ,omdurman to the roughly built fort which has long since been destroyed1 ,i was sea-sick4 ,but as the river fell it left the ditch full of mud1 and this proved a source of great danger4 ,when the river was high1 ,gordon made several successful counter-attacks4 ,mohammed ,ali ,pasha went up the ,blue ,nile to a place near ,gereif1 and on the #cjth of ,august fell upon the ,arabs1 utterly defeating them4 ,this brave leader also attacked the old ,sheikh ,el ,obeid at ,halfaya1 and captured a quantity of dhurra and cattle4 ,khartum breathed once more1 and it seemed as if all would be well2 the bands played in the evening1 and the town was full of joy1 which1 alas1 was soon to be turned to sadness4 ,mohammed ,ali ,pasha1 emboldened by his late successes1 advanced again on the ,sheikh ,el ,obeid1 whom he defeated near ,el ,eilafun2 but1 advancing into the desert to renew the attack on the #dth of ,september1 he and upwards of #hjj of his troops fell into an ambush and were slaughtered4 ,this proved a very severe blow to ,gordon1 and ,khartum being now closely invested1 he decided to send a steamer north to communicate with the ,government1 and give them full information of the state of affairs4 ,as the ,nile was now high1 it was thought the small steamer ,abbas would be able to make her way safely to ,dongola4 ,the ,abbas left ,khartum on the #ajth of ,september1 and was accompanied by two other steamers towing boats1 in one of which were a number of ,greek1 and in the other ,syrian merchants4 ,these steamers ran the gauntlet of shot and shell till past ,berber4 ,when a short way beyond that town1 the steamers ,mansureh and ,safia turned back1 and reached ,khartum only with the greatest difficulty1 being fired upon throughout almost the entire distance4 ,the ,abbas continued her journey north1 and drew up for the night at a small island4 ,the two boats which had been cast off when the other steamers left1 now passed the ,abbas1 but were driven on to some rocks by the wind1 and here they had to stop for the night to repair4 ,the next morning the ,abbas passed them1 and ,colonel ,stewart urged them to push forward4 ,the ,greek boat started1 but it was some time before the ,syrians could set sail2 and again they were driven on to the rocks1 where they remained firmly fixed4 ,in the meantime the ,dervishes at ,berber1 who had gained possession of the steamer ,el ,fasher when the town fell into their hands1 at once sent her off in pursuit1 together with two large sailing boats4 ,the ,fasher soon came up with the wrecked ,syrian boat1 which now made a sign of truce1 was boarded and taken possession of4 ,the ,dervishes1 having obtained all information1 left one of their boats in charge of their capture1 and then pursued the ,greek boat1 with which they soon came up1 and1 having secured her1 the ,fasher continued her pursuit of the ,abbas4 ,she proceeded almost as far as ,abu ,hamed1 but here the captain refused to take her any further1 as he feared running her on to a rock4 ,so she returned to ,berber with her captured boats1 in which there were in all twelve ,greeks and fifteen ,syrians4 ,of the latter1 eight were males1 five females1 and two children4 ,the steamer ,abbas1 after passing ,abu ,hamed1 entered the ,wadi ,gamr cataracts1 which are very rocky and dangerous1 and here she struck on a rock near the village of ,hebbeh1 the inhabitants of which belong to the ,monasir tribe4 ,colonel ,stewart had the baggage disembarked on an island1 on which the travellers now took up their abode until the expected ,greek and ,syrian boats should arrive2 but1 after waiting two days1 ,stewart sent his interpreter1 ,hassan ,husni1 with ,mohammed ,hilmi ,gorab and the captain1 ashore1 with instructions to see the sheikhs1 and1 by the offer of presents and the promise of a good reward from the ,government1 to induce them to supply camels to enable the shipwrecked party to continue their journey to ,dongola4 ,these messengers were well received by ,sheikh ,suleiman ,wad ,naaman1 and neither he nor his people were wearing jibbehs2 they asserted that they were thoroughly loyal to the ,government1 and added that it was only the arrival of ,sheikh ,heddai that had made them pretend to be against the ,government4 ,suleiman said that he would assist the shipwrecked passengers with the greatest pleasure1 and so well did he conceal his wicked treachery that the messengers returned to ,stewart greatly elated with their success4 ,but in the meantime ,suleiman had prepared a treacherous trap1 into which the over-confident passengers blindly fell4 ,he sent secret orders to all the people round about to prepare for a fight1 and then drove some camels along the river bank1 to show that he was preparing for the journey4 ,colonel ,stewart ordered all the spare ammunition to be thrown into the river1 and then landed with the other passengers4 ,suleiman invited him and the consuls1 ,power and ,herbin1 to go into his house1 so as to make final arrangements with the camel-owners1 and at the same time he begged them to remove their arms1 as the ,arabs might get alarmed and make difficulties about hiring their camels4 ,an artillery captain who was with ,stewart begged him not to let go his arms1 as there might be treachery2 but ,stewart laughed at his fears1 and he1 with the two consuls and the interpreter1 entered the house1 while the others remained outside2 they still retained their revolvers4 ,suleiman begged them to be seated1 and proceeded to present to them a number of ,arabs1 who1 he asserted1 were the camel-owners4 ,the traitor had dates brought to them1 and1 so as not to offend him1 they took some4 ,then ,suleiman stood up and lifted his leather water-bottle1 which was the prearranged signal for the ,arabs to rush out of their hiding-places and attack the guests4 ,in a second the house was full of armed men1 who called upon them to throw down their revolvers and submit2 but before they had even time to do this1 the ,arabs rushed upon them with their swords4 ,consul ,herbin1 who was standing near the door1 was the first to fall2 his head was chopped off with an axe4 ,consul ,power and ,colonel ,stewart were soon cut to pieces4 ,the interpreter1 ,hassan1 begged to be spared1 crying out1 ,i am a ,moslem6 ,i am a ,moslem1 and my name is ,hassan6 ,so he was not killed1 but received a wound in the shoulder4 ,the murderers then rushed off to the river bank to attack the others1 who were soon killed1 except two artillerymen1 who jumped into the river1 and a few servants4 ,it was said that the interpreter1 ,hassan1 had arranged the betrayal1 and ,i was afterwards told that when he got into difficulties later1 he sent a petition to ,mohammed el ,kheir1 in which he said that he was entitled to reward for having secured ,colonel ,stewart's death4 ,he is still living in ,omdurman4 ,suleiman sent all the correspondence he captured to the ,mahdi1 who thus became thoroughly aware of ,gordon's desperate condition4 ,on the #bbnd of ,october he wrote to ,gordon1 informing him of the event1 and summoned him to submit1 as he had no hope of receiving any relief4 ,this catastrophe was another terrible blow to ,gordon4 ,he had counted on ,stewart being able to inform the ,government of the straits to which ,khartum was reduced1 and the necessity of sending immediate help4 ,the state of ,khartum now became very serious4 ,nejumi and the other forces were clustering round ,kalakala2 there was daily fighting1 and bullets fell in the streets of ,khartum4 ,there were upwards of #aj1jjj ,dervishes1 extending from ,kalakala to ,buri4 ,wad ,gubara and ,wad ,sheikh el ,obeid had their camp at ,khojali1 on the right bank of the ,nile1 to the north4 ,thus was ,khartum surrounded by hordes of fanatical ,arabs1 who attacked the starved and forsaken town from morning till night4 ,,chapter ,,viii4 ,,the ,,siege ,,and ,,fall ,,of ,,khartum4 ,the surrender of ,omdurman fort--,gordon's dispositions for defence--,his great personal influence--,the night before the assault--,the attack and entry of the ,dervishes--,gordon's death--,the adventures of ,domenico ,polinari--,the massacre in ,khartum--,how most of the ,europeans died--,ruthless cruelty and bloodshed--,the fate of the wives and daughters of ,khartum--,ohrwalder's views on the situation in ,khartum and the chances of relief by the ,british ,expeditionary ,force--,his description of the town three months after the fall4 ,the ,mahdi camped on the south side of ,omdurman fort1 and at once began to direct the siege1 the command of his troops was vested in ,abu ,anga2 but he did not dare to send his black troops1 who had previously fought in the ,egyptian service under ,gordon1 against ,khartum1 fearing that1 owing to the influence which ,gordon had formerly exercised over them1 they might desert to him4 ,omdurman ,fort1 which was then under the command of ,faragallah ,pasha1 was soon reduced to great straits1 and the ,mahdiists threw up trenches1 in which they were comparatively safe from the continuous fire4 ,eventually they succeeded in entrenching themselves between the fort and the river1 thus cutting the communications1 which ,gordon was unable to restore4 ,consequently1 the garrison soon began to starve2 but they still fought courageously1 and inflicted great loss on the ,dervishes4 ,amongst the latter was a certain emir1 named ,mohammed ,wad el ,areik1 who1 while in the act of laying a gun at ,omdurman1 was struck in the back of the neck by a bullet4 ,he was visited by the ,khalifa ,abdullah1 who promised that he should recover2 but1 in spite of this promise1 he died the following day4 ,faragallah1 having now no food left1 was obliged to surrender1 and thus the ,mahdi was enabled to press the siege of ,khartum more closely than ever4 ,the town itself was full of traitors2 almost all the important townsmen had written to the ,mahdi from time to time1 to the effect that they wished to submit to him1 and that they believed in him4 ,gordon was1 so to speak1 alone in the midst of enemies1 but the expected arrival of the ,english kept the inhabitants from surrendering4 ,every day ,gordon invented some means of making the people believe that their deliverers were near2 he frequently had the walls placarded with announcements that they were very near ,khartum1 but all his promises came to nothing4 ,gordon was almost superhuman in his efforts to keep up hope4 ,every day1 and many and many a time during the day1 did he look towards the north from the roof of the palace for the relief which never arrived4 ,he overcame the want of money by issuing paper bonds2 but soon the people refused to accept them1 and to enforce his order he sent fourteen merchants to the east bank1 just in front of the enemy's guns2 this he did to frighten them1 and when they agreed to accept the bonds he had them brought back to the town4 ,to further strengthen the belief of the people in the speedy arrival of the ,english1 he hired all the best houses along the river bank1 and had them prepared for their occupation4 ,he was sure they would come--but when8 ,the time was pressing4 ,how eagerly he searched the distant horizon for the ,english flag he longed to see1 but every day he was doomed to disappointment4 ,the troops were famine-stricken1 and began to lose heart1 whilst the enemy without the walls daily grew bolder in anticipation of the plunder they hoped so soon would be theirs4 ,from ,buri to ,kalakala the ,dervishes extended in one unbroken mass1 whilst their hundreds of noggaras never ceased beating in ,gordon's ears night and day4 ,the town was closely hemmed in on three sides4 ,wad ,gubara on the north was near enough to shell his palace2 and under the hole where the first shot struck the wall ,gordon inscribed the date as a remembrance4 ,none of us can realize how heavily his terrible responsibilities weighed upon him4 ,despair had seized upon the town4 ,the unreliable nature of the ,sudanese was a constant source of anxiety to him1 and enhanced the critical situation4 ,those in charge of the biscuits and dhurra stole quantities of it on every possible occasion1 and tried to deceive ,gordon by assuring him that there were millions of okes in store1 when in reality there was almost nothing4 ,in their endeavours to enrich themselves they forgot that they were only preparing the way for their ultimate destruction4 ,the officer in charge of the dhurra store was arrested and brought before a ,court of ,inquiry2 but ,gordon had to point out to those who were making the investigation that they should not inquire too critically into the matter4 ,he knew all that had taken place1 but he was powerless to stop it4 ,he won the people's hearts by his generosity2 and even to this day all who knew him never cease speaking of his kindness4 ,his endeavours to recompense the ,greeks for their honesty are affecting in the extreme4 ,he elaborated numerous plans for their escape4 ,his first intention was to place a steamer at their disposal to convey them to ,emin ,pasha in ,equatoria2 and1 to avoid ill-feeling and jealousy1 he made known his plans to them at a public meeting1 remarking that as most of them were natives of the ,greek islands1 they had necessarily considerable experience of boats and navigation1 and that therefore it became their duty to patrol with the steamers on the ,blue and ,white ,niles1 and watch the enemy's movements2 but secretly he warned them that they should be in readiness1 as soon as they saw ,khartum was lost1 to set off and join ,emin ,pasha4 ,this plan did not1 however1 please the ,greeks1 so ,gordon proposed another1 which was that1 in case of great danger1 they should proceed north2 and for this purpose he kept a steamer moored off the palace1 well stocked with biscuits and other necessaries4 ,to enable them to get their families on board during the night without the other townspeople knowing about it1 he gave orders that after #i ,p4,m4 all traffic along the roads leading to the ,blue ,nile should be stopped1 and that no persons were to be allowed out of their houses after that hour4 ,in this way1 should the ,dervishes enter the town by night1 the ,greeks could easily escape to the steamer1 start down stream1 and meet the ,english4 ,some of them resolved that1 should the ,mahdiists effect an entrance1 they would forcibly carry off ,gordon and put him on board the steamer1 for they felt sure he would not leave ,khartum of his own accord4 ,everything was carefully prearranged and considered2 and all would have been well but for a disagreement amongst the ,greeks themselves1 which mainly arose through the phlegmatic and short-sighted conduct of their consul ,nicola ,leontides4 ,on that fatal ,sunday evening one of the principal ,greeks came to the consul and begged him urgently to spend that night on the steamer4 ,the consul refused1 arguing that there was no imminent danger1 and that he was sure the troops could hold out a few days longer4 ,the ,greek argued in vain1 and at length left him2 and that was the last time they saw each other4 ,that night proved to be the last night on earth for ,gordon and thousands of others4 ,while they were sleeping soundly1 and dreaming perhaps of the arrival of the ,english1 the ,dervishes were creeping like snakes towards the parapets4 ,it is hardly likely ,gordon could have slept4 ,for two days he had remarked considerable movement in the ,mahdi's camp2 he had observed numbers of boats passing to and fro on the ,white and ,blue ,niles4 ,he could not have doubted that the ,mahdi was preparing to strike the final blow4 ,and so it proved1 for he was planning the assault on ,khartum4 ,he had received news of the destruction of his troops at ,abu ,klea and ,abu ,kru1 and of the advance of the ,english4 ,the ,mahdi was convinced that if one ,englishman reached ,khartum his chance of success was gone1 and that he must retire to ,kordofan4 ,that was his reason for attempting the assault4 ,gordon1 on the other hand1 expected the arrival of the ,english at any moment2 and while he was counting the hours which might elapse ere they could reach him1 his enemies were shaking their lances with which they should pierce him4 ,the moon had gone down1 deep obscurity reigned2 and now the ,dervishes stealthily advanced in perfect silence towards that portion of the defence which had been destroyed during the high ,nile1 and which1 as the river receded1 had left an open space in which ditch and parapet had almost disappeared4 ,here there was little to impede their entry2 and the ,dervishes1 shouting their wild battle-cry1 dashed in wild disorder over this open ground4 ,farag ,pasha commanded the whole of this portion of the defences4 ,many people in the ,sudan1 more especially those who used to be in the ,government service1 say that ,farag ,pasha betrayed the town2 but the fact that he was killed almost immediately after the fall points to his not having done so4 ,it is a well-known fact that many of the senior officers were wavering1 and numbers of ,khartum merchants were in correspondence with the ,mahdi4 ,it is possible that their action may have assisted the ,dervishes4 ,the latter naturally assert that ,khartum was captured entirely by force of arms1 for any acknowledgment on their part of treachery within the town would tend to detract from the effect of the ,mahdi's success4 ,the matter stands thus3 the parapet which had been destroyed had never been repaired4 ,this was not ,gordon's fault2 in his desperate position he could not be everywhere4 ,it is a thousand pities that he had not a few trusty ,european officers with him4 ,with the exception of this defective portion near the ,white ,nile1 the whole line of defence was almost impregnable2 the ditch was so deep and the parapet so high that it would have been next to impossible to cross it4 ,illustration3 ,a ,,dervish ,,emir1 ,,present ,,in ,,the ,,attack ,,on ,,khartum1 ,,and ,,afterwards ,,captured ,,at ,,toski4 ,on coming through the open space the ,dervishes broke up into two parties4 ,one party dashed along the parapet1 breaking all resistance1 and slaughtering the soldiers in all directions2 the other party made for the town4 ,the inhabitants1 roused from their sleep by the shouts of the ,arabs and the din of rifle-shots1 hurried out1 anticipating what had occurred4 ,like a pent-up stream suddenly released1 over #ej1jjj wild ,dervishes1 with hideous yells1 rushed upon the #dj1jjj inhabitants of ,khartum1 besides the #e1jjj soldiers--all that was left of the #i1jjj at the commencement of the siege4 ,the only cry of these fanatical hordes was ,kenisa6 ,saraya6 7,to the church6 the palace67--i4e4 the ,austrian ,mission ,church and ,gordon's palace1 where they expected to find treasure stored up in the cellars1 and priests and sisters4 ,the surging mass threw itself on the palace1 overflowed into the lovely garden1 and burst through the doors in wild search for their prey2 but ,gordon went alone to meet them4 ,as they rushed up the stairs1 he came towards them and tried to speak to them2 but they could not or would not listen1 and the first ,arab plunged his huge spear into his body4 ,he fell forward on his face1 was dragged down the stairs1 many stabbed him with their spears1 and his head was cut off and sent to the ,mahdi4 ,such was the end of the brave defender of ,khartum4 ,when ,i came from ,el ,obeid to ,omdurman ,i visited ,khartum1 and went to the palace1 where ,i was shown some black spots on the stairs which they told me were the traces of ,gordon's blood4 ,on ,gordon's head being brought to the ,mahdi1 he appeared to have been much displeased at his death--not because he felt pity for him1 but he believed that ,gordon might join his army4 ,had he not done so1 he would have imprisoned him and reduced him to slavery4 ,it was much better that ,gordon should have died when he did than have remained a captive in the hands of these cruel and fanatical ,arabs4 ,gordon's head was hung on a tree in ,omdurman1 and the wild multitude rejoiced in heaping curses on it and insulting it4 ,after the palace1 the ,mission building was the next principal object on which the wild1 plunder-seeking ,arabs vented their fury4 ,general ,gordon had some time previously hired this building1 which was of stone and bomb-proof1 and turned it into a powder magazine and ammunition store4 ,the ,dervishes killed the guards mounted outside the garden1 and then broke in1 while others clambered over the high wall4 ,a black who was employed in the ,mission garden was lying on the point of death on his mattress in the garden2 the ,dervishes ended his life by ripping open his body4 ,the ,mission gardener1 brother ,domenico ,polinari1 who had been left to take charge of the ,mission property1 on the first alarm1 had rushed to the main gate of the garden to see what was the matter4 ,he opened the gate slightly1 and1 seeing an array of lances1 he slammed to the gate with all his might1 and fled to a small hut in the garden which was full of hay1 and he hid himself in the corner underneath the hay4 ,several slaves who were working in the garden followed his example2 but they did not stay long1 for1 thinking it was not a sufficiently good hiding-place1 they were running off to another hut when they were fallen upon and massacred4 ,domenico heard their shrieks and the click of the sword which beheaded them from his place of concealment2 but he dared not move from the spot1 though half choked with the dry grass in which he lay4 ,several ,dervishes entered the hut and thrust their spears into the hay to search for any one in concealment4 ,one can realize the terror of poor ,domenico as the naked spear-heads were forced through and almost touched him4 ,he lay1 however1 undiscovered for some hours1 and at last the noise and din of rifle-shots grew less4 ,though suffering agonies from thirst1 he still did not dare to move till close on midnight1 when he emerged from his bed of hay4 ,all was still1 the stillness of death4 ,he could see the ,dervish guard fires2 and1 as he crept along1 he stumbled over the dead body of the black who had been working in the garden4 ,horror-stricken1 he slowly moved forward again4 ,at every step he saw a dead man1 all of them labourers and watchmen who had attempted to escape when the ,dervishes entered4 ,creeping under the shadow of the large lemon-trees1 he reached the main gate1 above which was a small hut which had been occupied by one of the black families belonging to the ,mission4 ,the windows of the hut looked into the garden1 and ,domenico scrambled through one of these into the room4 ,here he found one of the women1 ,halima1 and begged her to give him some bread and water4 ,he questioned her about the entrance of the ,dervishes and the fate of the inhabitants4 ,she replied in a few words that the town had been stormed1 and numbers of the inhabitants1 as well as ,general ,gordon1 ,consul ,hansal1 and most of the ,europeans1 had been killed4 ,this was a new shock to the already terror-stricken ,domenico4 ,he threw himself on the bed and begged that ,halima would not betray him2 but she1 fearing to be found out1 crept out of the hut1 went up to the ,dervishes who were collected round the camp fire1 and told them that there was a ,turk in her cottage4 ,some of them jumped up1 and1 following ,halima into the hut1 they drove out the unfortunate ,domenico with the butt ends of their lances4 ,he was brought in front of the camp fire and carefully searched for money2 but he at once drew forty pounds out of his pocket1 which he distributed amongst them1 and they were satisfied and did not ill-treat him4 ,on the following day he was taken before ,ahmed ,wad ,suleiman1 the ,emin beit el mal1 who made full inquiries of him regarding the ,mission money4 ,domenico said that when the ,mission left ,khartum they took all the money with them1 and had left nothing4 ,domenico was then sent to the garden to work there for his new master1 but soon afterwards was betrayed a second time1 and fell into grievous trouble and danger4 ,a few days before the fall of ,khartum he had buried #aej in the garden1 intending to make use of it when the needful time came2 but one of the blacks who was working at the steam-pump in the garden1 to whom ,domenico had confided his secret1 and who was one of the garden labourers who had escaped the massacre1 went and told ,ahmed ,sharfi 7one of the ,mahdi's nearest relations7 that ,domenico had concealed money4 ,this he did to ensure his own safety1 for the ,dervishes had been greatly disappointed in the quantity of loot they expected to find4 ,in the palace they had discovered only paper money1 and in the ,mission some furniture1 instead of the treasure they had been led to expect4 ,ahmed ,sharfi was therefore much pleased with the black's information1 himself came to ,domenico and asked to be shown the place where the money was buried4 ,in vain ,domenico protested that he had given all the money to ,gordon4 ,he was at once knocked down and flogged with a kurbash2 but the first stroke1 which drew blood1 made him cry for mercy2 he disclosed the hiding-place1 and1 when ,ahmed ,sharfi had secured the money1 he was released4 ,the ruthless bloodshed and cruelty exercised by the ,dervishes in ,khartum is beyond description4 ,i will briefly describe the deaths of the best-known people4 ,nicola ,leontides1 the ,greek consul1 who1 on account of his amiable character1 was much respected in ,khartum1 had his hands cut off first1 and was then beheaded4 ,martin ,hansal1 the ,austrian consul1 who was the oldest member of the ,european colony1 was alive up till #b ,p4,m41 when some ,arabs from ,buri1 led by his chief kavass1 who was on bad terms with him1 entered the courtyard of the house1 and1 on ,hansal being summoned to come down1 he was at once beheaded4 ,at the same time ,mulatte ,skander1 a carpenter who lived with him1 was killed in the same way4 ,his body1 together with that of his dog and parrot1 were then taken out1 alcohol poured over them1 and set fire to4 ,after a time1 when the body had become like a red-hot coal1 it was thrown into the river4 ,human blood and ruthless cruelty alone seemed to satisfy the ,dervishes4 ,the ,austrian tailor1 ,klein1 on making the sign of the cross1 had his throat cut from ear to ear with a knife which was used to slaughter animals1 and his life-blood was poured out before the eyes of his horror-stricken wife and children4 ,not satisfied with the death of the father1 they seized his son1 a youth of eighteen1 and1 burying their lances in his body1 they stretched him out at his mother's feet1 a corpse6 ,they then took counsel as to how they should kill the next son1 a lad of fifteen4 ,but by this time the mother1 a daughter of ,cattarina ,nobili1 of ,venice1 was worked up into a state of mad despair4 ,seizing her son of five years old with her right hand1 while she held her suckling babe to her breast with her left1 she fought against these murderers like a tigress being robbed of her young1 and they could not wrest her children from her2 but they seized her daughter1 a girl of eighteen1 who became the wife of an ,arab4 ,the son-in-law of ,doctor ,georges ,bey 7who had been killed in the ,hicks's expedition7 was roused from sleep by the noise of the ,arabs breaking in4 ,he rose from his bed1 and1 making the sign of the cross1 rushed to the window1 where he shouted ,aman 7,security of life72 but a bullet struck him in the forehead1 and he fell dead at the feet of his young wife4 ,the ,dervishes forced their way into the house1 broke in the door of the room where the dead man lay stretched out on the bed1 killed another ,greek1 and clove open the head of the little son1 a boy of twelve years of age1 with an axe1 scattering his brains over his unfortunate mother1 who was sitting beside him4 ,she saved her little son of six months old by saying he was a girl4 ,the mother herself was not killed1 as she was with child1 but she was reserved to become the wife of ,abderrahman ,wad en ,nejumi4 ,aser1 the ,american consul1 fell down dead on seeing his brother beheaded before his eyes4 ,the males of most of the ,coptic families were massacred1 but the women were spared4 ,i know several of these poor women who1 from continuously weeping over the cruelties of that terrible #bfth of ,january1 have become quite blind4 ,those men whose lives were spared have to thank ,providence that either they fell into the hands of those less cruel than their comrades1 or that they did not quit their houses for two days1 at the end of which time the first wild passions of these murderers had cooled down4 ,the fate of seven ,greeks was a sad one2 these were all together in one house1 for1 through a merciful ,providence1 they had fallen into less cruel hands4 ,it was past noon1 and they were rejoicing at having escaped from the general massacre4 ,then a certain ,george ,clementino entered4 ,this ,clementino had originally come from ,el ,obeid1 and had frequently been sent by the ,mahdi with messages to ,gordon1 and when he returned from ,khartum to the ,mahdi1 the latter treated him with much favour4 ,when the capture of ,khartum was known in ,omdurman1 ,clementino hastened to the town1 with the intention of rescuing any compatriots he could find1 and he soon heard of the seven surviving ,greeks4 ,full of delight at their safety1 he congratulated them1 and advised them to make their way to the house of ,manoli1 the ,greek who1 with his wife and nephew1 had escaped by concealing themselves in the dove-cot4 ,it was ,clementino's intention to collect all the ,greeks here1 and then take them to ,omdurman4 ,the seven ,greeks trusted to their compatriot's name and influence to protect them1 but ,dervishes were on the watch to stop them4 ,as they were following ,clementino to ,manoli's house1 which was only a short distance off--indeed1 they had only gone a few steps--they were met by a party of ,ahmed ,sharfi's ,danagla1 who were searching the streets filled with the dead and wounded1 with the object of giving the coup de grce to any who might still be alive4 ,when these murderers espied the party of white men from a short distance1 they shouted1 ,look6 ,some of these dogs1 these unbelievers1 are still alive1 and1 full of anger1 they rushed upon the unfortunate ,greeks4 ,clementino begged and prayed that they might be spared1 but they were beheaded before his eyes1 and he himself barely escaped with his life4 ,pale1 terror-stricken1 and trembling1 he fled to ,omdurman1 and for some months he lay on the point of death1 so great had been the shock of witnessing the massacre of his fellow-countrymen4 ,numbers even of women and little children were not spared1 and the torture which the survivors had to undergo1 to force them to produce their money1 are scarcely credible4 ,ibrahim ,pasha ,fauzi 7the favourite of ,gordon7 was tied for several days to a date-palm and flogged till he gave up all his money4 ,the old widow of ,mustafa ,tiranis was flogged almost to death4 ,she was a rich ,circassian lady1 and had supplied ,gordon with money in donkey loads1 and had been decorated by him with the ,khartum medal4 ,slaves were most cruelly tortured1 beaten1 and forced to disclose the hiding-places of their masters' money and treasures4 ,the ,shaigieh tribe in particular was most harshly dealt with2 this was the only tribe which remained loyal to the ,government1 and even eight days after the fall of ,khartum1 if a ,shaigi was seen1 he was instantly killed2 hence the ,dervish proverb1 ,esh ,shaigi1 ,wad er ,rif el ,kelb ma yelga raha fil ,mahadieh 7,the ,shaigi1 the ,egyptian1 i4e41 the white one1 the dog1 no rest shall he find in ,mahdieh74,g ,farag ,pasha did not live long after the fall2 some still said he had betrayed the town1 and the ,dervishes were furious with him because1 some ten days before the assault1 during one of the preliminary attacks1 he had shot ,abdullah ,wad en ,nur1 an emir of great repute1 and much beloved by the ,ansar4 ,farag was summoned before ,wad ,suleiman1 who ordered him to produce all the money he had4 ,incensed at his treatment and at the charge of treachery1 he fell into a hot dispute with ,wad ,suleiman1 who had him forthwith beheaded as an unbeliever and an obstinate man4 ,if he was really a traitor1 he richly deserved his fate2 but if not1 his death was that of a brave man4 ,when the massacre in ,khartum was at an end1 the ,mahdi himself gave orders that the survivors should be spared1 but the wild fury of these fanatical ,arabs had been satiated at the cost of #aj1jjj lives2 the streets were filled with headless corpses1 which were left unburied until the plunder had been distributed4 ,the whole of ,khartum was now divided up amongst hundreds of emirs and their mukuddums4 ,every emir planted his flag in the midst of the quarter captured by his men1 and then the work of collecting the survivors was begun4 ,ahmed ,wad ,suleiman ordered all free women and slaves to be brought to the beit el mal2 here the young and good-looking fair women were locked up in a separate enclosure1 the good-looking1 unmarried ,sudanese girls in another zariba1 and in a third were placed black slave girls1 suitable as concubines4 ,it is deplorable to think that at such a time were found certain of the well-known townsmen of ,khartum who assisted the ,dervishes to lay hands on all the prettiest girls in ,khartum2 through their intermediary1 many of the women who had cut off their hair1 and in other ways concealed their beauty and sex by disguising themselves as men1 fell into the hands of the ,ansar4 ,may ,god's curse fall on those wicked traitors who delivered up these unfortunates in order to gain favour with the ,mahdi6 ,what sufferings these miserable creatures underwent when they lay huddled together like cattle in a pen1 awaiting their cruel fate6 ,many of them were still in their silken robes1 all bespattered with the blood of their husbands and children1 and there they lay1 awaiting their turn to become the wives of those who had murdered their husbands and their offspring6 ,the first selection was1 of course1 made for the ,mahdi1 who took for himself all girls of five years of age and upwards1 who1 in a few years' time1 he would take to his harem2 then came the turn of the three ,khalifas1 whose selections were made especially under the direction of ,wad ,suleiman2 then followed the emirs1 each in the order of his rank1 and one by one they made their choice of these wretched women4 ,those that were left were distributed amongst the ,ansar4 ,then were openly enacted sights which would have melted hearts of stone4 ,the weeping and lamentation of the white women1 as they prayed and besought the pity of their masters1 the rough jeering and foul replies of these monsters1 it is all too horrible to relate4 ,the old unmarried women were given a few rags with which to partially cover themselves1 and were sent to ,nejumi's camp1 where they were kept in captivity for a few days4 ,all suffered the agonies of hunger and thirst1 heat and cold4 ,little babies1 not yet weaned1 were left to die of hunger1 and for weeks after the fall young widowed mothers could be seen wandering naked through the market at ,omdurman1 begging4 ,some poor women brought forth children in the streets1 and there they would lie1 mother and child1 naked and foodless1 until death came as a happy release from their misery4 ,the ,mahdi had directed that all gold and silver jewellery1 precious stones and ornaments1 should be collected in the beit el mal2 but of course most of this had already found its way into the pockets of the emirs2 and1 in spite of the ,mahdi's most stringent orders1 and his threats that those who concealed the booty would be punished in hell-fire1 still the ,ansar kept the loot and risked the eternal flames4 ,considerable quantities of treasure were1 however1 collected in the beit el mal1 for ,khartum was wealthy1 and the women especially had quantities of gold and silver ornaments2 but so much loot soon reduced the currency1 and a sovereign was now valued at two and a half dollars4 ,every penny was extracted from the prisoners by the lash1 and all were reduced to complete beggary4 ,they were then sent to ,nejumi's camp2 and on their way thither they were again beaten and searched4 ,they were kept a few days longer as prisoners in that camp1 and then those who had the fortune to meet with relations or friends who had been released would weep together over their wretched state4 ,the confusion was terrible4 ,women wandered through the camps in search of their children1 children sought their parents2 but how few ever found them6 ,after a time all the prisoners were permitted to live in ,omdurman1 where they eked out a miserable existence by begging2 but hunger1 disease1 and all the sufferings they had undergone carried off hundreds4 ,for days they remained naked1 scorched under the burning sun by day1 and perished with cold at night4 ,how could people accustomed to ease and comfort bear up against such hardships8 ,when at length all the houses in ,khartum had been evacuated1 the furniture1 c41 removed1 and their owners robbed of all they possessed1 the effects were sold from the beit el mal at a low price4 ,the various coloured stuffs were cut up and utilised for making the patches on the jibbehs 7,dervish uniform71 gold brocades were purchased by those who knew their real value for a mere trifle1 and the gold melted down and made into ornaments4 ,mirrors and looking-glasses were chopped in pieces with axes1 and valuable china and pottery articles1 which might have been sold for much1 were smashed in pieces4 ,the beautiful ,khartum gardens were divided up amongst the chiefs2 the ,khalifa ,abdullah became the possessor of ,gordon's garden1 ,khalifa ,sherif took that of the ,roman ,catholic ,mission1 and ,khalifa ,ali ,wad ,helu became owner of ,albert ,marquet's4 ,every emir selected the best house he could find1 and there he installed himself with his wives and slaves2 while the ,ansar took the houses of the poorer ,copts and ,egyptians4 ,but ,omdurman1 and not ,khartum1 was now considered the ,dervish capital4 ,intoxicated by their success1 and insatiable in their desire for women and plunder1 the ,dervishes had forgotten altogether about the ,english1 for whom ,gordon had waited so long4 ,how cruel is fate6 ,two days after the fall1 on the #bhth of ,january1 #ahhe1 two steamers were seen slowly making their way along the western shore of ,tuti ,island4 ,khartum and ,omdurman were electrified2 a consultation was quickly held1 and it was at once decided to prevent their landing4 ,the ,english could be seen searching in all directions for some sign to show them that ,gordon was still alive2 but the only answer they got was the rain of thousands of bullets fired from thousands upon thousands of rifles and guns at ,omdurman and ,fort ,mukrun4 ,all rushed to the river bank4 ,the women1 seizing sticks and waving them over their heads1 shrieked and yelled like hyenas1 ,mt lil ,inglez6 7,death to the ,english67 and they were prepared to rush at them with their sticks if they attempted to land4 ,when the ,english saw this1 they could have had little doubt as to what had happened2 they turned back and disappeared4 ,the rage of the ,dervishes at their departure was unbounded4 ,they rained bullets and shell after them2 but they were soon out of sight4 ,let us now consider for a moment the chances of success of the ,english relief expedition4 ,the defeat at ,abu ,klea struck terror into the ,mahdiists gathered round ,khartum2 the arrival of some wounded men at ,omdurman added to the general alarm4 ,had twenty redcoats arrived at ,khartum1 it would have been saved4 ,their presence would have given fresh courage to the inhabitants2 and1 confident of their approaching deliverance1 they would have striven might and main to hold out longer4 ,general ,gordon1 assisted by the advice and energy of a few ,english officers1 would have completely regained his influence4 ,it is true1 indeed1 that the soldiers were weary of the long siege and continual fighting1 and they had lost all faith in ,gordon's repeated promises that the ,english were coming4 ,they became heart-broken and in despair2 but ,khartum was not for long in the state of distress which prevailed in ,el ,obeid before that town fell4 ,in ,khartum they had only been eating gum for a few days previous to the fall1 while in ,el ,obeid they had existed on it for months1 and had practically nothing else to live upon4 ,had the ,khartum people but seen one ,englishman with their own eyes1 they would have taken fresh courage1 and would in all probability have held out for another month1 until the relief for which they had waited so long was a fait accompli4 ,the ,mahdi would not have dared to assault ,khartum2 and even if he had1 it is most probable he would have been beaten back4 ,many survivors of ,khartum often said to me1 ,had we seen one ,englishman1 we should have been saved2 but our doubt that the ,english were really coming1 and the feeling that ,gordon must be deceiving us1 made us discouraged1 and we felt that death would be preferable to the life of constant war and daily suffering we were leading during the siege4 ,the unaccountable delay of the ,english was the cause of the fall of ,khartum1 the death of ,gordon1 and the fate of the ,sudan4 ,the ,mahdi only made up his mind to attack when he heard that they had delayed at ,gubat4 ,he did not begin to cross over his troops till the #bdth of ,january1 and it was not till ,sunday night that the crossing was complete4 ,he could not have attacked earlier than he did4 ,when the first news of his defeat at ,abu ,klea reached him he wished to raise the siege and retire to ,kordofan4 ,if the ,english had appeared at any time before he delivered the attack he would have raised the siege and retired4 ,indeed1 it was always his intention to revisit ,el ,obeid before he made his attack4 ,even to the present day people in the ,sudan cannot understand the reason for the delay4 ,some say that the ,english general was wounded at ,abu ,klea1 and was lying insensible1 and that those who were acting for him did not dare to undertake any operations until he was sufficiently recovered to be able to give his own orders4 ,the ,sudanese wondered why ,europeans1 who generally take precautions for every eventuality1 should not have done so in this case4 ,others thought that ,kashm el ,mus ,pasha must have urged the ,english to attack the ,arabs about ,metemmeh and ,shendi1 in revenge for the persistency with which they had attacked and harassed the steamers4 ,the above are only some of the many reasons by which the ,sudanese seek to explain the delay after the battle of ,abu ,klea4 ,when the ,english were convinced that ,khartum had fallen1 they retreated north4 ,once the town had fallen1 the little ,english fighting force was in the gravest peril2 the ,mahdi had now his entire force at his disposal to combat them4 ,he at once despatched ,nejumi and a large number of his best emirs with a large force2 and had not the ,english already retreated before he reached ,metemmeh1 they could not have escaped4 ,the ,mahdi was furious when he heard that the ,english1 who had killed such numbers of his best troops1 had retired2 and1 though the latter failed in their object1 still their bold attempt to snatch the prey from the lion's mouth must remain for ever a grand exploit4 ,the bravery of the ,english in advancing on ,khartum with such a small number of men is always a source of wonder to the ,sudanese4 ,but1 alas1 what a useless sacrifice of blood and money6 ,the relief came too late4 ,the memory of ,gordon1 the heroic defender of ,khartum1 is still held in respectful remembrance in the ,sudan4 ,his bravery1 generosity1 and voluntary self-sacrifice have won the admiration of his bitterest enemies4 ,it is the common saying amongst ,moslems1 ,had ,gordon been one of us1 he would have been a perfect man4 ,i will now give a slight sketch of the events subsequent to the fall1 and the fate of the town4 ,after the retreat of the ,english1 the new masters of ,khartum settled down and made themselves comfortable4 ,the ,ashraf1 i4e4 the ,mahdi's relatives1 especially made themselves at home in the best houses and gardens1 the best dancers entertained them by night1 and they lived a life of ease and luxury4 ,after the death of the ,mahdi1 which occurred on the #bbnd of ,june1 #ahhe1 his successor1 the ,khalifa ,abdullah1 looked on the prosperity of ,khartum with jealous eyes4 ,when ,i arrived in ,khartum from ,el ,obeid in ,april #ahhf1 ,i visited every part of the town1 and examined it most carefully2 very few houses had been destroyed1 and the town was thickly populated4 ,i also visited the lines of defence between the ,blue and ,white ,niles1 they extended about six kilometres4 ,the impression ,i gathered from the appearance of the ditch1 which at that time had been much damaged by the heavy rains1 was that it could not have been crossed1 except near the ,white ,nile where it was quite choked up with mud and sand4 ,at various points along the line there were strongly-built forts manned with guns1 and a little in rear of the parapets were high structures which commanded the ditch2 behind every loophole were small mud shelters1 evidently made by the troops to protect themselves from the cold and strong winds4 ,the ,messalamieh gate was built of burnt bricks and cement and was then in a good state1 but the iron gate lay unopened against the side of the ditch4 ,i counted about #aej bodies along the parapet2 there they lay1 shrivelled up like mummies1 while rats and mice had made their homes in them4 ,in one place ,i saw two bodies tied together by the feet1 they had evidently been killed in this position4 ,it was impossible to distinguish the ,egyptians from the blacks1 for the sun had burnt up and shrivelled the skin into one black colour4 ,here1 where there had been such bustling activity1 now only the stillness of the tomb prevailed4 ,as one walked along1 lizards and other reptiles would creep from beneath the skeletons and dart off to take refuge under others4 ,i strolled on from the ,messalamieh gate to the ,european cemetery4 ,here what desolation and desecration met my eyes6 ,the crosses had been smashed to pieces and lay strewn about in little bits4 ,graves had been dug up and the bodies pulled out4 ,i recognised from their clothes three who had died in ,january #ahha4 ,the grave of ,bishop ,comboni1 who had died on the #aath of ,october1 #ahha1 and had been buried in the ,mission garden1 had also been opened1 but the obelisk erected to his memory by the townspeople of ,khartum had not been destroyed4 ,the church bells had been pulled down1 but lay there in the garden undamaged4 ,shortly after my visit1 ,khartum was reduced to ruins4 ,the ,khalifa ,abdullah1 jealous of the ,ashraf1 who had completely established themselves in the town1 and whose actions he could not therefore sufficiently supervise1 determined to order its evacuation4 ,in ,august the command was given to all to quit the town within three days2 it was carried out at once1 and on the fourth day the destruction of ,khartum began4 ,houses were pulled down1 the wood of the windows1 balconies1 and doors was transported to ,omdurman1 and within a very short time the whole place was in ruins2 the burnt bricks were for the most part brought to ,omdurman2 the only buildings which were spared were the ,arsenal1 in which work still continues to be done1 ,gordon's palace1 and the ,mission house4 ,in fact1 ,khartum is now nothing but a heap of mud ruins1 here and there a wall is left standing1 everywhere large prickly thorn bushes have sprung up and cover as with a veil the sad remnants of the once thriving and populous metropolis of the ,sudan4 ,,footnotes3 ,g ,according to the ,mahdi doctrine1 dogs1 being considered impure animals1 are destroyed2 but this subject will be considered in another chapter4 ,,chapter ,,ix4 ,,the ,,mahdi',s ,,last ,,days4 ,ohrwalder's criticisms on certain events connected with the defence of ,khartum--,the ,sudan devastated by small-pox--,the ,mahdi gives way to a life of pleasure--,description of his harem life--,the ,mahdi sickens and dies--,the effect on his followers--,the ,khalifa ,abdullah succeeds--,party strife and discord--,abdullah prevails--,events in ,sennar and ,kassala4 ,looking back on the events which occurred during the siege of ,khartum1 ,i cannot refrain from saying that ,i consider ,gordon carried his humanitarian views too far1 and that this excessive forbearance on his part both injured the cause and considerably added to his difficulties4 ,it was ,gordon's first and paramount duty to rescue the ,europeans1 ,christians1 and ,egyptians from the fanatical fury of the ,mahdi1 which was specially directed against them4 ,this was ,gordon's clear duty1 but unfortunately he allowed his kindness of heart to be made use of to his enemy's advantage4 ,khartum during the siege was full of the wives1 relations1 and children of men who had joined the ,dervishes1 and were foremost in their efforts to harass and attack the town4 ,these crafty people thus assured themselves that should the ,mahdi be victorious1 their loyalty to him would ensure the safety of their families and property in ,khartum1 while1 on the other hand1 should ,gordon be victorious then their wives and families would be able to mediate for them with the conquerors4 ,thus in his kindness of heart did ,gordon feed and support the families of his enemies4 ,it was quite sufficient for a number of women to appeal to ,gordon with tears in their eyes1 that they were starving1 for him to order that rations of corn should at once be issued to them1 and thus it was that the supplies in the hands of the ,government were enormously reduced4 ,had ,gordon1 in the early stages of the siege1 relieved ,khartum of the presence of these people1 as he subsequently was forced to do1 he would have had supplies sufficient to prolong the resistance of his troops far beyond the limits at which they had arrived when the assault took place1 and1 after all1 should not ,gordon's first care have been for his troops8 ,his men clamoured against the lavish way in which ,gordon distributed what should have been their rations amongst the families of the besiegers1 but it was of no avail4 ,gordon should have recognised that the laws of humanity differ in war from peace time1 more especially when the war he was waging was especially directed against wild fanatical savages who were enemies to all peace4 ,he was entirely deceived if he believed that by the exercise of kindness and humanity he was likely to win over these people to his side2 on the contrary1 they ridiculed his generosity and only thought it a sign of weakness4 ,the ,sudanese respect and regard only those whom they fear1 and surely those cruel and hypocritical ,mahdiists should have received very different treatment to civilized ,europeans4 ,i also think that ,gordon brought harm on himself and his cause by another action which ,i am convinced led to a great extent to his final overthrow4 ,such men as ,slatin1 ,lupton1 ,saleh ,wad el ,mek1 and others had offered at the risk of their lives to come and serve him4 ,it is almost certain that some means could have been found of rescuing from slavery these brave men who had defended their provinces with the greatest determination against treachery from within and overwhelming numbers from without1 and they could have rendered him most valuable and useful services4 ,none knew better than these men the weak and the strong points of the ,mahdi's rule and his method of warfare1 and it is quite possible that they might have been able to alter the fate of ,khartum4 ,in the ,mahdi's camp they were looked upon as brave and skilful leaders1 indeed they were feared1 and that is why they were put in chains1 as it was thought they might attempt to escape4 ,had they been permitted to enter ,khartum they would not only have been able to assist in the ,mahdi's overthrow1 but they would have been able to encourage the garrison4 ,gordon would not1 however1 even vouchsafe an answer to the letters of appeal these men wrote to him4 ,he could not have believed they were traitors1 such an idea could not have entered into the mind of an ,european4 ,the ,mahdi never for an instant doubted their inclinations1 and treated them with the greatest mistrust2 but even to these savages the idea of killing men who had been loyal to the ,government1 and had fought bravely for their provinces1 was objectionable1 unless they could have produced a really valid reason for doing so4 ,how was it possible ,gordon could be for an instant in doubt as to the inclinations and intentions of these men8 ,i feel strongly on these points1 and therefore cannot refrain from mentioning them4 ,after the fall of ,khartum only two strong places remained in the hands of the ,government1 ,kassala and ,sennar1 both of which were closely besieged4 ,the ,english had retired north1 and the ,mahdi could rest at last1 assured that he was now possessor of the ,sudan4 ,the enormous multitudes around ,khartum had been engaged during the whole of the winter season in war1 consequently cultivation was neglected1 and had it not been for the quantities of cattle available1 a disastrous famine must have occurred4 ,as it was1 there was a great deal of distress1 and numbers died of starvation4 ,famine and war had brought disease in their train4 ,in addition to fever and dysentery1 small-pox1 which in the ,sudan is endemic1 increased with fearful rapidity4 ,in ,omdurman hundreds died1 and the principal business of the beit el mal was distributing kafans 7shrouds74 ,it was curious that the ,sudanese1 who much dread this disease1 should have attributed it to the ,english2 but that they did so is a fact1 and this is how it came about4 ,when the ,english retired1 from ,gubat1 they left behind them a quantity of preserved stores and tinned meat4 ,the ,dervishes1 in spite of the belief that they contained pork1 which is an abomination to them1 were so hungry that they consumed almost everything they found1 and it is said that almost immediately afterwards they were attacked by small-pox1 which gave rise to the idea that the ,english had mixed their food with the germs of the disease1 and this was implicitly believed in4 ,owing to the prevalence of small-pox in ,omdurman1 many people fled to ,kordofan1 ,darfur1 and other places1 and consequently caused the disease to spread over the whole country4 ,several false doctors1 with the sole object of making money1 guaranteed to check the disease by inoculation2 but as the inoculated matter was frequently in itself diseased1 the epidemic was still further increased4 ,notwithstanding this national calamity1 the ,mahdi now gave himself up to a life of ease and luxury1 in which the unfortunate women captured in ,khartum played a prominent part4 ,he represented that all those who died of small-pox were suffering ,god's punishment for being evil-minded or having appropriated the booty4 ,people believed what he said1 and would still believe him1 if he were alive and told them even more incredible things4 ,the capture of ,khartum had1 of course1 raised his prestige enormously1 and now the belief in his ,divine message needed no further confirmation4 ,before the assault took place he said that he would divide the river into two parts1 just as ,moses had divided the ,red ,sea1 so that his followers could cross to ,khartum on dry land if they failed to take it by assault4 ,his promise1 too1 that very few should fall by the sword1 not only encouraged them in the attack1 but its verification served only to further prove his divinity4 ,his uncle1 ,sayid ,abdel ,kader1 up to the time of the fall of ,khartum1 still doubted that he was the true ,mahdi2 but1 once the town was taken1 he doubted no longer4 ,illustration3 ,,an ,,egyptian ,,harem ,,woman4 ,all this success increased the adulation and worship of the ,mahdi to an extraordinary extent1 and as for himself1 although he was continually warning his followers to despise the good things of this world1 and to abandon all luxurious modes of life1 he surrounded himself with every sort of comfort and luxury1 appreciating to the utmost the very pleasures which he declaimed so violently4 ,he urged moderation in eating and drinking1 yet he secured for himself every dainty which ,khartum could possibly produce4 ,he now wore shirts and trousers of the finest material1 and1 before putting them on1 his wives were obliged to perfume them with incense and other costly fragrances4 ,his wives attended on him in turns1 but no regularity was preserved4 ,they anointed his body with all sorts of precious unguents1 but his speciality was the expensive ,sandalia 7a perfume prepared from sandal-wood and oil71 and so saturated was he with these perfumes that when he went forth the air was laden with sweet-smelling odours4 ,the courtyard of his harem was full of women1 from little ,turkish girls of eight years old to the pitch-black ,dinka negress or copper-coloured ,abyssinian2 almost every tribe in the ,sudan supplied its representative1 so that one might say the entire ,sudanese woman-world was to be seen here4 ,amongst this vast concourse four only were lawful wives2 the remainder were considered as ghenima1 or booty1 and were looked upon as slaves and concubines4 ,his principal wife was called ,aisha1 or1 as she is better known in ,omdurman1 ,om el ,muminin 7the ,mother of the ,faithful74 ,she was a woman of considerable influence1 for the wives of all the principal emirs visited her1 and she was assisted by them in elaborating an extensive system of espionage4 ,alas1 how many unfortunate girls were left weeping day and night for their miserable state1 robbed by this ,aisha of their happiness and liberty6 ,the ,mahdi's dwelling was built for the most part of the captured loot4 ,from the boards of ,general ,hicks's stable he had two huts built1 and near these a hut made of mortar and a small magazine4 ,this man1 who hitherto had but a small straw mat1 now lay on fine bedsteads originally brought from ,jedda and captured in ,khartum1 while the floors were spread with ,persian carpets4 ,here was this ,divine ,mahdi leading indoors a life of the most immoderate uxoriousness1 whilst outside his fanatical followers hailed him as the direct messenger of ,god1 sent to purge the world from the evil practices of the hated ,turk4 ,two persons whom ,i knew well1 and who had visited the ,mahdi less than three weeks before his death1 gave me an account of the sort of life he was then leading4 ,it was the month of ,ramadan1 the great fast1 and any one who failed to keep it strictly was punishable by death4 ,from noon till midnight people used to crowd to the mosque1 which was then only a large enclosure surrounded by a zariba4 ,thousands of ,dervishes could be accommodated in this large rectangular space1 in which the clash of a forest of spears indicated their impatience to see the ,mahdi as he came to prayers2 they had seen him hundreds and hundreds of times before1 but they seemed never tired of gazing at him1 and often fought to get a place near the mihrab 7niche7 where he prayed4 ,whilst the impatient murmur of thousands of voices indicates that the time of his approach has almost arrived1 let us for a moment turn into the ,mahdi's harem1 and here is a true picture of what my friends there beheld4 ,the ,mahdi reclining on a magnificent carpet1 his head propped up by a pillow covered with gold brocade2 he is clothed in a linen shirt of finest texture1 a pair of drawers1 and a gallabieh2 his shaved head covered by a takia of embroidered silk4 ,upwards of thirty women stand around him2 some fan him with great ostrich feathers1 others gently rub his feet 7a practice in which the ,sudanese delight71 without in any way disturbing his slumber2 others gently smooth his hands1 and ,aisha lies beside him1 covering his head and neck with loving embraces4 ,meanwhile hundreds of ,ansar are shouting outside his zariba1 impatiently awaiting his blessing1 and anxiously expecting to hear his voice4 ,the eunuchs are trying to drive off this importunate crowd with whips1 but they will not leave until they have obtained the earnestly sought blessing4 ,at length one of the eunuchs enters1 and receives from ,aisha the blessing1 which she gives without disturbing the ,mahdi4 ,he then returns and tells the impatient crowd that the ,mahdi is at present in deep contemplation1 but that he is graciously pleased to give them his blessing1 which is then repeated4 ,this is the signal for a wild shout of joy1 and then they return to the mosque to range themselves in their appointed lines for prayers4 ,and now those who were not present to receive the blessing press forward to touch the others1 and thus obtain some of its virtue4 ,the ,mahdi is gradually sinking from his half doze into a sound slumber1 when ,aisha very gently rouses him and tells him that the appointed time for ablutions and prayers is already passed4 ,the women now assist him to rise1 his red shoes are brought1 and then he proceeds to the place of ablution1 followed by four women carrying his water-bottle4 ,on his return the women throw themselves down frantically on the spots which his feet have touched1 and struggle with each other in their endeavours to embrace the ground on which he has trodden4 ,it is believed that the earth touched by the ,mahdi's foot has healing properties1 and has1 moreover1 the effect of ensuring a quick and painless delivery2 it is therefore distributed amongst holy women1 and even to this day is carefully preserved for the purpose which ,i have cited4 ,not a drop1 too1 of the water with which the ,mahdi has washed is allowed to be wasted1 but is hoarded with the greatest care1 and drunk as an unfailing remedy for every sort of illness and malady4 ,but to return to my friends' description4 ,the ,mahdi's ablutions over1 his son ,bashra runs up to him and shows him a golden ring his mother has given him4 ,bashra asks permission to wear the ring1 but the ,mahdi1 who has by this time noticed the presence of two strangers1 says1 ,oh1 my son1 only the ,turks wear such ornaments1 because they love the things of this world2 but it is not becoming in us to wear such ornaments1 which are perishable2 we strive to obtain things imperishable4 ,give the ring back to your mother4 ,the little hypocrite well understands what his father means1 and obeys4 ,aisha then clothes the ,mahdi in his ,dervish jibbeh1 girdle1 and turban1 and in this godly raiment he marches off to the mosque4 ,as he quits the palace1 his bodyguard surround him and keep off the crowd4 ,on reaching the mihrab he is received with a shout by the assembled multitude4 ,after prayers he gives a short sermon1 and then returns to his wives4 ,thus did the ,mahdi enjoy the sweets of victory indoors1 whilst outside he practised the most abominable hypocrisy4 ,most of his principal emirs 7with the exception of his uncle1 ,sayid ,abdel ,karim1 who had been sent to reduce ,sennar7 followed in their divine master's footsteps1 and led a life of pleasure and debauchery4 ,sometimes the ,mahdi used to cross over to ,khartum and disport himself in ,gordon's palace1 whither he ordered a portion of his harem to be transferred4 ,but all this good living and unbridled sensuality were to be the cause of his speedy dissolution4 ,he grew enormously fat4 ,the two visitors1 whom ,i mentioned above1 saw him only eight days before his death1 and told me that they believed then he could not live much longer4 ,early in ,ramadan he fell sick1 and soon became dangerously ill4 ,the hand of ,god's justice fell heavily upon him2 and it was decreed that he should no longer enjoy the empire which he had raised on the dead bodies of thousands of the victims to his wretched hypocrisy and deceit4 ,it is1 indeed1 terrible to think of the awful misery and distress brought upon his own country by this one man4 ,his disease grew rapidly worse2 he complained of pain in the heart1 and died1 on the #bbnd of ,june1 #ahhe1 of fatty degeneration of the heart4 ,some say that he was a victim to the vengeance of a woman who had lost husband and children in the fall of ,khartum1 and who repaid the ,mahdi's outrage on her own person by giving him poison in his food4 ,this may be so2 and it is true1 poison is generally used in the ,sudan to put people out of the way2 but ,i am rather inclined to think that it was outraged nature that took vengeance on its victim2 and that it was the ,mahdi's debauched and dissolute mode of life which caused his early death4 ,he died in the mortar hut1 which ,i previously described2 and his adherents gave out that he was about to travel through the heavens for a space of three years4 ,people were not allowed to say ,the ,mahdi is dead1 but ,el ,mahdi intakal 7i4e4 ,the ,mahdi has been removed74 ,the shock of his death was terrible4 ,the wild fanatics were1 so to speak1 struck dumb2 their eyes were suddenly opened2 and their very confusion showed that they had realized1 the ,mahdi was a liar4 ,omdurman was full of suppressed murmuring2 and the people were collected in groups1 talking of this awful catastrophe4 ,those who were oppressed believed that the sudden collapse of ,mahdieh must result in a revolution4 ,no one believed that the ,mahdi's party could continue ruling in his name4 ,would that some good man could have been found to rapidly seize this opportunity of putting himself at the head of the anti-,mahdiists2 he must have been successful6 ,the confusion in the ,mahdi's household was beyond description2 his women wept and wailed in the wildest grief4 ,ahmed ,wad ,suleiman and the ,mahdi's nearest relatives prepared a grave immediately beneath the bed on which he had died2 the body was washed1 wrapped in a shroud1 according to the ,moslem custom1 and1 in the presence of the ,khalifas and all the members of the ,mahdi's family1 it was lowered into the grave1 amidst the lamentations and wailing of the enormous crowd collected outside the building4 ,before the grave was filled in1 the body was sprinkled with perfumes2 then each person present took a handful of earth and threw it into the grave1 amidst murmurs of ,ya ,rahman1 ,ya ,rahim6 7i4e4 ,o merciful1 ,o gracious ,god67 ,a simple monument was erected over the tomb4 ,thus ended the ,mahdi--a man who left behind him a hundred thousand murdered men1 women1 and children1 hundreds of devastated towns and villages1 poverty1 and famine4 ,upon his devoted head lies the curse of his people whom he had forced into a wild and fanatical war1 which brought indescribable ruin upon the country1 and which exposed his countrymen to the rule of a cruel tyrant1 from whom it was impossible to free themselves4 ,before his death1 the ,mahdi had nominated the ,khalifa ,abdullah as his successor2 he saw that this was the only man capable of holding in check the rapacious ,sudanese tribes1 and of governing the strange empire which he had raised2 but the selection of this foreigner was a bitter disappointment to the ,danagla and ,jaalin1 who1 hitherto rulers1 had now to become the ruled2 and from whose hands their authority was transferred to the cruel and tyrannical ,baggaras1 who henceforth became the conquerors of the ,sudan1 and who governed its inhabitants with a rod of iron4 ,in nominating the ,khalifa ,abdullah1 the ,mahdi threw the firebrand of discord amongst the hitherto united ranks of ,mahdieh1 and thereby greatly weakened his cause4 ,it was hard for the ,mahdi to die1 just when he had established an empire stretching from the ,bahr el ,ghazal to ,egypt1 and from ,darfur to the ,red ,sea2 he had neither had the time nor the inclination to try and govern it2 his mission had been the destruction of all existing forms of government2 and he had carried it out to the letter4 ,immediately after the ,mahdi's death1 the ,khalifa ,abdullah summoned a meeting1 and then and there insisted on the two ,khalifas and the ,ashraf acknowledging him as the ,khalifat el ,mahdi 7or ,mahdi's successor74 ,after a long discussion it was at length agreed to1 and he gave a solemn assurance that he would follow absolutely in the ,mahdi's footsteps4 ,just at this time the agitation was too great for him to think of introducing the selfish and ambitious plans which he had already formulated4 ,moreover1 ,sennar and ,kassala were still holding out2 it was therefore the first necessary step to be most conciliating on all sides1 and to all parties4 ,the ,mahdi's name was still paramount in inspiring fanaticism2 and therefore the ,khalifa's watchword became ,ed din mansur 7,religion is victorious72 thus he sought to establish unity and concord by means of the new religion which the ,mahdi had founded1 and which1 now that its originator was dead1 he sought to make unassailable4 ,nevertheless1 discord very soon sprang up4 ,the ,khalifa ,sherif and the ,ashraf were furious at being out of power1 and they could not long conceal their discontent4 ,each ,khalifa now did his utmost to show his independence of the other2 each of them rode about in ,omdurman in the greatest splendour1 as if he were a king1 and ordered his own great war-drum to be beaten4 ,jealousy1 hatred1 and discontent spread rapidly amongst the people2 and soon ,omdurman was divided into two distinct camps3 ,khalifas ,sherif and ,ali ,wad ,helu in the one1 and ,khalifa ,abdullah in the other4 ,both parties now prepared for battle4 ,abdullah had the ,baggaras and blacks1 under ,fadl ,maula 7,abu ,anga's brother74 ,there were frequent disputes in the market-place2 and every day it was thought a fight must take place4 ,at length matters reached such a stage that ,abdullah challenged the two other ,khalifas to fight on the open plain1 on which the great reviews usually take place1 just outside the town4 ,the two parties collected their entire forces2 but it was evident the ,baggaras were by far the stronger2 and as they marched out they shouted ,mt el ,gellaba 7,death to the ,gellabas6 i4e4 the ,danagla1 in contradistinction to the ,baggara74 ,khalifa ,wad ,helu now acted the part of mediator1 and went across to confer with ,abdullah2 the troops of the latter were drawn up in battle-array1 and quite prepared for the fray4 ,khalifa ,sherif feared to enter the lists alone1 and therefore he submitted2 he was obliged to hand over his soldiers1 arms1 ammunition1 flags1 and war-drums1 which ,abdullah took possession of1 and was allowed to retain only fifty men1 with firearms1 as a bodyguard4 ,thus ,abdullah constituted himself the one and only ruler1 and showed that he was quite resolved to allow no one else to share his authority with him4 ,gradually he reduced the power of the two other ,khalifas and of the ,ashraf1 and in a short time they became men of little influence4 ,the ,mahdi's two uncles1 ,abdel ,karim and ,abdel ,kader1 who showed the most open and violent animosity1 were at once thrown into chains1 their houses destroyed1 and themselves declared enemies of the ,mahdi2 and1 as we shall presently relate1 he ordered ,abu ,anga to secure ,zogal and put him in prison4 ,whilst all these disturbances were going on in ,omdurman1 the two places1 ,sennar and ,kassala1 in which ,government troops were still holding out1 were now in the greatest straits2 and ,i will here give a brief account of the events which occurred4 ,sennar had suffered from the ,mahdiists for a very long time4 ,ahmed ,wad el ,makashef had besieged it in #ahhc2 ,abdel ,kader ,pasha1 ,governor-,general of the ,sudan1 had advanced to its relief with a large force1 had defeated the ,makashef1 and then raised the siege4 ,abdel ,kader himself was wounded in this fight1 and his watch was broken to pieces by a bullet4 ,sennar and ,khartum were once more in communication4 ,it is unfortunate that ,abdel ,kader1 who was greatly feared by the ,sudanese1 was recalled to ,egypt4 ,in #ahhd the rebels again attacked ,sennar1 but were repulsed4 ,it was then besieged by ,el ,mehrdi ,abu ,rof1 who succeeded in defeating the ,egyptian troops under ,nur ,bey4 ,i shall presently relate how this ,mehrdi was afterwards treated by the ,sudanese4 ,some say that the fall of ,khartum had a very discouraging effect on the gallant garrison of ,sennar2 but this was not so--they determined to make a stand4 ,the ,mudir1 ,hassan ,sadik1 who had been put in chains by ,nur ,bey1 volunteered1 if he should be released1 to attack the rebels1 and1 in fact1 he succeeded in driving them off2 but on his return to the town he fell into an ambush and was killed4 ,brave ,nur ,bey again pursued the enemy1 and succeeded in inflicting a further defeat on them4 ,abdel ,karim now arrived with a large force1 and summoned the garrison to surrender4 ,nur ,bey refused1 and on the #afth of ,june the city was assaulted2 but ,abdel ,karim was driven back1 and was himself wounded in the thigh4 ,he then decided to make the garrison capitulate by famine4 ,the siege was pressed very closely1 and on the #ahth of ,july ,nur ,bey made a successful sortie1 inflicting considerable loss on the enemy2 but he too was wounded in the leg1 and was rendered permanently lame4 ,the determined defence of the town now induced the ,khalifa to despatch ,wad ,en ,nejumi with large reinforcements4 ,meanwhile the garrison had been suffering greatly from famine1 and ,nur ,bey had decided to make a last sortie1 which should be under the command of ,hassan ,bey ,osman2 but this proved unsuccessful1 the commander was killed on the #aith of ,august1 #ahhe1 and ,nur ,bey was forced to capitulate4 ,of the #c1jjj men of whom the garrison had originally consisted1 #gjj only remained--a tangible proof of the vigorous and determined resistance they had made4 ,it is thought throughout the ,sudan that the defence of ,sennar was most praiseworthy4 ,nur ,bey still lives in ,omdurman4 ,only last year his old wound was cut open to remove the splinters of bone4 ,he was better again when ,i escaped1 but is still lame4 ,wad ,en ,nejumi arrived two days after the fall of the town and found it in ruins4 ,all that is left of ,sennar are a few mud and sand heaps1 and its very name has ceased to exist1 although early in this century it was better known even than ,dongola or ,kordofan4 ,kassala alone was left4 ,this town is situated on the ,khor el ,gash1 not far from the ,atbara ,river1 and about midway between ,khartum and ,massawah4 ,it had a population of #ac1jjj1 and was surrounded by a wall4 ,here the celebrated moslem1 ,sid el ,hassan1 is buried1 and a dome is erected over his grave4 ,this man was greatly venerated in the ,eastern ,sudan2 and if any one swears by his name1 it is believed that he must be speaking the truth4 ,one of his pupils1 whom ,i met in ,omdurman1 told me of his miracles1 of which ,i will quote one or two examples4 ,one day he was preaching a sermon2 and when it was over1 several of the listeners came to him and begged for alms4 ,sid el ,hassan struck his knee1 and forthwith a number of dollars fell out--the exact sum for which the beggars had asked4 ,amongst the bystanders was a poor shame-faced man1 who immediately begged that he might have one dollar4 ,sid el ,hassan again struck his knee1 and one dollar fell out1 which he at once handed to the man1 saying1 ,this is for the poor shame-faced one4 ,the man at once fell at his feet and gratefully kissed his hands4 ,all who were present were greatly astonished at this miracle1 and some1 bolder than the rest1 approached ,sid el ,hassan and touched him1 when they found1 to their wonder1 that he felt just like a sack full of dollars4 ,on another occasion two travellers arrived1 with the intention of making a map of the country4 ,having failed in their purpose1 they applied to ,sid el ,hassan for advice1 and1 after offering them food and drink1 he handed to them the map they required4 ,he performed many different miracles1 and was1 moreover1 a very tolerant man1 rendering the ,government many valuable services1 especially when he succeeded in stopping a revolt of the soldiers4 ,during all the recent events1 his relations remained perfectly loyal4 ,but to return to my narrative4 ,when ,osman ,digna came to the ,sawakin neighbourhood1 he sent the emir1 ,mustafa ,hadal1 to commence the siege of ,kassala2 but1 as the ,shukrieh tribe supplied quantities of corn1 it was enabled to stand a very prolonged siege4 ,in ,january #ahhd1 it was assaulted1 and the ,mudir suffered serious loss4 ,the ,arabs1 who had hitherto remained loyal1 seeing no hope of help from the ,government1 also deserted4 ,the siege was now more closely pressed1 and the suburb of ,khatmieh was nearly captured2 but the enemy were at length driven back4 ,a treaty was concluded with ,abyssinia to relieve the ,egyptian garrisons and bring them through that country to ,massawah2 and though at that time all the donkeys in the town had been eaten1 they still hoped for relief4 ,in ,june #ahhe1 the city was hemmed in on all sides1 and was in a desperate condition4 ,nevertheless the attempted assault on the #aeth of the month was successfully repulsed1 and the ,mudir pursued the enemy1 of whom he killed #cjj4 ,he also succeeded in capturing #a1jjj head of cattle4 ,this enabled the town to hold out for a short time2 and the news of the ,mahdi's death served to further encourage the garrison4 ,but at last the town was reduced to absolute starvation1 and1 on condition that the lives of the inhabitants should be spared1 the ,mudir surrendered4 ,no sooner1 however1 were the arms given up than the conquerors began to pillage the town and inflict all sorts of cruelties on the people4 ,osman ,digna1 who was at that time furious on account of his defeat by ,ras ,alula on the #bbnd of ,september at ,kufit1 vented his wrath on the unfortunate ,mudir1 ,ahmed ,bey ,effat1 ,hassan ,agha1 and ,ibrahim ,eff ,shawki1 and also on two ,greeks1 ,stello ,apostolidi and ,tadros ,manioseh1 whom he caused to be beheaded on the #cjth of ,september1 #ahhe4 ,from that time ,kassala remained under ,osman ,digna2 but in #ahhf1 when the latter was fully occupied in his operations against ,sawakin1 the ,khalifa sent ,abu ,girgeh there as emir4 ,when ,abu ,girgeh was subsequently sent to ,tokar1 ,sayid ,hamed became emir of ,kassala1 which from that time formed a part of the province of ,galabat1 of which ,sheikh ,nasri1 of the ,bederieh tribe1 became emir4 ,abu ,girgeh was eventually sent to ,berber to replace ,osman ,wad ,dekeim1 who had fallen into disgrace4 ,this ,osman was very anxious to marry a pretty woman he had seen in ,berber1 and had frequently visited her in the hope that she would consent2 but the woman1 who did not want to marry him1 decided on a stratagem1 and agreed to have a rendezvous on a certain day4 ,she1 however1 told her brothers and relations to lie in wait2 and when ,osman arrived at the appointed hour1 and was almost sure that he had succeeded1 the brothers suddenly broke into the hut and thrashed him so soundly that he made off1 and resolved not to urge his suit a second time4 ,abu ,girgeh did not long remain on good terms with this low ,arab1 and soon they were both recalled to ,omdurman2 the former was again sent to ,kassala1 where he accused ,nasri of having oppressed the inhabitants1 and appropriated a quantity of money2 the latter fled to ,omdurman1 where the ,khalifa pardoned him4 ,sayid ,hamid also quarrelled with ,abu ,girgeh1 and just before ,i left the ,sudan ,i was told that the ,khalifa had recalled him on suspicion that he was in league with the ,italians4 ,it is generally believed in the ,sudan that ,italy will shortly take possession of the weakly defended ,kassala1 but accurate information of occurrences in the ,eastern ,sudan is more likely to be received in ,cairo than in ,omdurman4 ,,chapter ,x4 ,,the ,,escape ,,of ,,father ,,bonomi4 ,ohrwalder continues to describe his personal experiences--,mahmud the emir of ,el ,obeid--,his unsuccessful attempts to entrap the ,nubas--,the arrival of ,olivier ,pain in ,el ,obeid--,his motives in joining the ,mahdi--,his journey towards ,omdurman--,his sad fate--,lupton ,bey arrives at ,el ,obeid from the ,bahr el ,ghazal--,he is sent to ,omdurman and thrown into chains--,life in ,el ,obeid--,the escape of ,father ,bonomi--,ohrwalder's solitude--,the death of the ,khojur ,kakum4 ,i must now return to the narrative of my own personal experiences1 which ,i broke off in order to follow those events of the ,mahdi's career in which ,i did not take part4 ,before the ,mahdi left ,rahad1 ,i was again handed over to yet another master2 this was ,sherif ,mahmud1 the ,mahdi's uncle1 and ,governor of ,kordofan1 and ,i was put into his charge when he came to ,rahad to see the ,mahdi off4 ,i stayed a few days with ,mahmud at ,rahad4 ,i was then in a wretched state of health2 to my horror ,i discovered black spots on my body1 my teeth were chattering1 and then ,i knew that ,i had scurvy4 ,i longed to escape to the ,dobab hills1 but my guards were always with me1 and ,i could not succeed4 ,at length ,mahmud started back for ,el ,obeid1 and he gave me one of the few surviving mules of the ,hicks expedition1 which had been wounded by a bullet in the neck and which had never healed4 ,the heavy rain had entirely changed the aspect of the country1 which was now a mass of green1 and under any other circumstances the journey would have been pleasant enough4 ,we were twice overtaken by terrible thunder-storms1 which obliged us to halt1 as the heavy rain made travelling impossible2 at night we had to sleep on the wet ground4 ,as we approached ,el ,obeid we heard the war-drums beating1 to announce the ,governor's arrival4 ,the great sandy plain around was transformed into green fields planted with dokhn4 ,we halted for a time under the leafy ,adansonia tree1 under which the ,mahdi's tent had been pitched1 and ,i noticed that the entire bark of the tree had been peeled off4 ,i afterwards learnt that the people believed the ,mahdi's presence had hallowed the tree1 and that in consequence the bark had been stripped off and boiled1 the liquid being used as medicine or for witchcraft purposes4 ,only a few huts were left standing in ,el ,obeid1 and ,mahmud went to live in the ,mudirieh4 ,he had a great reception on his arrival1 and the most profuse flattery was showered upon him4 ,it was the usual thing to say that during his absence the town had been as still as the grave and as dark as night1 but1 thanks be to ,god1 on his return light was once more restored1 c41 c4 ,the ,sherif delighted in this adulation4 ,a few days after our arrival1 ,father ,bonomi was brought from ,rahad to ,el ,obeid in chains1 and he and ,i were given a small hut in the midst of his slaves' quarters1 where it was thought we would be in safe custody4 ,sherif ,mahmud was a small thin man about fifty years of age1 full of wiry strength and with evil1 malignant-looking eyes4 ,he had formerly been a slave-dealer in ,dar ,fertit and had then joined ,zubeir ,pasha's army4 ,even at ,abba he was one of the ,mahdi's most fanatical adherents4 ,he pretended to hate the things of this world1 was always poorly dressed1 and before others always eat of the worst and humblest food4 ,but he was inordinately proud1 and loved the power of commanding4 ,during his prayers he used to throw about his arms and legs and shout ,hoa6 ,hoa6 7,it is ,he6 it is ,he6 i4e4 ,god74 ,his followers used to say that when he did this he saw ,god in his vision2 but others who knew him of old laughed at these antics1 though at the same time they were afraid of him and indulged him with flattery4 ,he was excessively severe and strict1 but was impartial in his administration of justice4 ,he dealt very severely with the robbers who now infested ,el ,obeid1 and cut off a number of hands and feet4 ,he thoroughly believed in the ,mahdi's divine message1 and had the reputation of being the bravest of the family4 ,he had received a bullet wound at ,gedir1 and at ,shekan he was always in front1 carrying a flag1 until he disappeared in the smoke2 he fell pierced by two bullets and was thought to have been killed2 after the battle1 however1 his people found him lying on the ground with both legs broken2 but he recovered4 ,he carried such a number of arms that men laughed at him4 ,in addition to the two broad-bladed spears1 he carried two smaller ones1 as well as a number of javelins in a quiver2 from his shoulder hung his sword and a small ,remington rifle1 while his girdle was stuck all over with revolvers and knives4 ,women always fled out of his path1 for he whipped them ruthlessly2 sometimes he would dash amongst a crowd of women on his horse and lay about him right and left4 ,he had a very choice harem1 and amongst his women was a young ,egyptian girl2 it is the great desire of a ,mahdiist to possess a fair woman1 and they often have recourse to the most violent and cruel practices in order to acquire what they want4 ,mahmud frequently went through his prayers with his wives and concubines1 and on one occasion they began to laugh1 in consequence of which the ,egyptian girl was sent away and the rest flogged4 ,from this date he took an intense dislike to all the fair-skinned people1 and the few ,egyptian families who still lived in ,el ,obeid were banished from it4 ,he flattered himself that neither ,abu ,anga nor ,nejumi understood how to wage war against the ,nubas1 and therefore he once more determined to attack these mountaineers2 but he set about it in a very different manner from his predecessors4 ,he armed #djj ,takruris and instructed them to encamp at the foot of the mountain2 they were to say they were at enmity with the ,dervishes and desired the friendship and assistance of the ,nubas4 ,meanwhile ,mahmud pitched his camp at ,rahad1 and was in constant readiness for the attack4 ,at first the ,nubas were inclined to fall into the trap1 and made a treaty of friendship with the ,takruris2 but they too had recourse to a still more successful stratagem1 and when the ,takruris seemed quite certain of their prey1 the ,nubas suddenly fell upon them during a wild1 stormy night and killed almost all of them1 very few escaped1 and ,mahmud was obliged to return crestfallen to ,el ,obeid4 ,on the #aeth of ,august1 #ahhd1 a great surprise came upon ,el ,obeid4 ,quite unexpectedly1 at about two o'clock in the afternoon1 a ,european and three ,arabs1 mounted on good camels1 entered the open yard of the ,mudirieh1 where ,ali ,bakhit1 the chiefs1 and a number of ,dervishes were assembled4 ,the ,european dismounted1 and boldly advanced towards the crowd4 ,he was tall1 and gave one the impression of being a powerful and energetic man2 he had a fair beard1 and his face was very sunburnt4 ,his appearance made a great commotion amongst the ,dervishes4 ,immediately all sorts of wild rumours were flying about2 some said he was the ,king of ,france2 others that he was one of the principal ministers of that nation4 ,he wore a jibbeh1 white cap and turban1 and at once was directed to ,ali ,bakhit4 ,being unable to speak ,arabic1 ,father ,bonomi was immediately summoned to act as interpreter2 but he had much difficulty in making himself understood4 ,the stranger informed ,bonomi that he had marched from ,dongola to ,el ,obeid in thirteen days2 that he had escaped from ,dongola1 as the ,english had endeavoured to thwart him in his projects2 that his name was ,olivier ,pain1 and that he was the bearer of letters from ,zubeir ,pasha to the ,mahdi2 but that fear of the ,english had obliged him to destroy them4 ,he said that he came in the name of ,france1 to place his nation's submission in the ,mahdi's hands2 and that he was prepared to assist the ,mahdi1 both by advice and1 if required1 by deeds4 ,after this statement ,olivier ,pain was searched1 and at once relieved of his money2 a small hut was then pointed out1 in which he was to live1 in charge of a guard2 the three guides were also secured in another place4 ,the ,dervishes did not credit ,pain's statement2 they could not believe it possible that a ,european would voluntarily come into the ,sudan to join the ,mahdi2 they entirely distrusted ,europeans1 whose mental superiority they thoroughly recognised2 they therefore concluded that ,pain was a spy sent by the ,english to take stock of the situation4 ,on the following day ,bonomi was again summoned2 the various articles ,pain had brought with him were laid before him1 such as books of travels in the ,sudan1 an ,arabic dictionary1 a ,kuran in ,french1 a few maps1 letters1 and a passport4 ,bonomi had to explain these various articles to the ,dervishes1 who were not a little surprised about the maps of the ,sudan1 and more especially that of ,kordofan4 ,it is true there was nothing found in ,pain's baggage of a suspicious nature2 still1 the ,dervishes did not trust him2 and he was kept under a very strict guard2 we were not permitted to visit him4 ,the next day ,pain complained of the bad food he was given2 but the ,dervishes gave him wholesome instruction3 they told him that the true adherents of the ,mahdi were dead to the things of this world4 ,poor ,pain's mind must have been sadly disabused by this reception4 ,the ,dervishes were full of curiosity about this strange ,frenchman's doings and intentions1 and kept worrying us to know why he should have come2 but it was also a mystery to us2 and when they asked him1 he always gave the same answer--,the whole of the ,european nations1 more especially ,france1 and with the one exception of ,england1 entirely sympathised with the ,mahdi4 ,he was asked if the ,senussi had risen against the unbelievers in ,egypt2 but he replied that the ,senussi feared the ,english4 ,when asked what the ,english were doing1 he replied that they were building forts at ,assuan2 whereupon ,ali ,bakhit observed--,may ,god destroy their forts4 ,but1 question as they would1 ,pain's arrival and his reasons for coming still remained a mystery to them4 ,he was therefore sent1 in charge of a large escort1 to ,mahmud at ,rahad2 ,mahmud received him well1 gave him a horse and a female slave1 and sent him on to the ,mahdi1 who was then on his march to ,omdurman4 ,on the #bhth of ,august ,pain arrived at ,aigella1 where one of our ,el ,obeid ,mission brothers was staying2 the latter at once inquired of ,pain what he was going to do4 ,on this occasion1 it appears1 he spoke more openly2 he asked if the brother understood ,french2 but the latter replied that he could not speak it1 though he understood it4 ,then ,pain proceeded to say that he was correspondent of a newspaper1 and came to see the ,mahdi and his empire1 about which he intended to write full accounts to his paper4 ,this brother endeavoured to explain to him the difficulties he would be sure to meet with1 and on what dangerous ground he was treading1 adding that it was most unlikely he would ever return2 but ,pain replied that if he succeeded in his undertaking1 he would receive an immense reward2 and that hitherto the ,dervishes had not treated him badly2 moreover1 he was full of energy1 and would not give up hope of escape in the future4 ,pain also explained to the brother the difficulties with which the ,english expedition would be sure to meet1 and how he believed ,khartum would certainly be lost4 ,pain caught up the ,mahdi at the village of ,busata4 ,various were the surmises of those in camp regarding his intentions4 ,slatin1 ,klootz1 and the other ,europeans were especially perplexed4 ,olivier ,pain had imagined that the immense services which he would be able to render the ,mahdi would cause the latter to receive him with open arms2 but the poor man was sadly deluded4 ,he was presented to the ,mahdi1 who greeted him coldly1 and asked him his reasons for coming4 ,pain replied--,to acknowledge you as ,mahdi1 and to lay before you the submission of the ,french nation4 ,the ,mahdi gave an ironic smile1 as much as to say he did not believe a word ,pain was saying2 and then he ordered ,abu ,anga to take charge of him1 guard him most carefully1 and permit no one to see him4 ,during the march to ,shatt1 ,klootz managed to approach ,pain1 and began talking to him2 but for this disobedience he was at once seized and put in chains4 ,on ,slatin's representations1 however1 to the ,khalifa ,abdullah1 he was released4 ,at ,shatt1 ,pain began to suffer from dysentery and fever1 brought on by over-fatigue and bad water4 ,the ,mahdi permitted ,slatin to visit him2 and ,pain's wretched condition so disturbed ,slatin that he begged the ,mahdi to give him a little money1 with which he could buy some better food1 which it was absolutely necessary ,pain should have4 ,but his disease became worse2 and it was with the greatest difficulty he could continue his march to ,om ,sadik4 ,here his condition became hopeless2 he explained that he could go on no longer1 and begged for some medicine4 ,the custom in the ,sudan is to drink melted butter2 and after ,pain had taken a little1 he was placed on a camel2 but it had scarcely gone a few steps1 when he was seized with a fainting fit1 and fell off4 ,as he lay unconscious on the ground1 and was deathly pale1 his guards believed that he must be dead2 so they dug a rough grave1 in which poor ,pain was laid1 covered him over with sand1 and then hurried on4 ,it is quite possible the unfortunate man was not dead4 ,they marked his grave by planting his stick in the sand1 and tying his sandals to it4 ,this event occurred on the #aeth of ,november1 #ahhd4 ,early in ,september1 ,lupton ,bey1 ,mudir of ,bahr el ,ghazal arrived at ,el ,obeid2 he had been permitted to retain his property1 and he was most kind to us2 indeed1 ,i have no words to express our gratitude to him for his unvarying generosity to us4 ,he told us a great deal about his own fights1 and related how1 after the destruction of ,general ,hicks1 the ,mahdi had despatched the two slave-dealer brothers ,karamallah and ,kirkesawi from ,dongola to the ,bahr el ,ghazal4 ,karamallah had summoned ,lupton ,bey to surrender2 but ,lupton1 as his letters to ,emin ,pasha show1 determined to fight2 his subordinate officers1 however1 almost all deserted him1 and joined the ,mahdiists1 and the few who remained loyal eventually refused to fight4 ,indeed1 ,i have seen the actual document they drew up and signed to that effect4 ,lupton1 who at that time was thoroughly exhausted by his constant warfare against the ,dinkas1 had therefore no alternative but to submit1 which he did on the #bhth of ,april1 #ahhd4 ,a few days later ,lupton1 with his kavass and clerk1 were sent as prisoners to ,el ,obeid1 vi ,shakka4 ,his arrival was a welcome addition to our little circle1 and it was a very great comfort to us to have the society of such a genuine and kind friend as ,lupton in these times of trial4 ,he remained with us for about a month2 at that time we had daily information about the movements of the ,english expedition1 and we now hoped that the time for our deliverance was approaching4 ,many of the ,mahdiists themselves were getting tired of the new rgime1 which gave neither rest nor security of property to anyone4 ,it was through these malcontents that we obtained news which gave us food for argument and speculation during the long and weary days of our captivity4 ,this life of a slave was terribly obnoxious to poor ,lupton1 who frequently gave way to bursts of indignation1 and in one of these ,sherif ,mahmud arrested him1 and in the first week of ,october he despatched him under escort to the ,mahdi4 ,on his arrival at ,omdurman he was put in chains1 where he remained for ten months1 as he had attempted to escape to ,khartum4 ,during this period of captivity1 ,lupton underwent terrible sufferings1 which ,i could not possibly describe4 ,shortly after ,lupton left us1 we received a letter from ,slatin1 saying that ,gordon intended holding out until the ,english arrived1 at the same time he urged us to try and obtain leave to come to ,omdurman2 but this was impossible4 ,another friend also told us that he hoped shortly to be able to effect our release2 but in his letter he wrote in such a manner that we alone were able to grasp his meaning1 for he feared that what he had written might fall into the hands of the ,dervishes4 ,our anxiety can readily be understood1 for we felt certain that if the ,english were victorious1 we should be killed in revenge4 ,sherif ,mahmud had already received orders from the ,mahdi to encamp outside the town1 and be prepared for any eventuality4 ,so our days passed in a whirl of hopes and fears1 and death would have been welcome4 ,but now a new disaster occurred2 the circumstantial account of the death of ,colonel ,stewart and his party1 and the fact that the state of ,khartum was rapidly becoming desperate1 made us full of doubt as to ,gordon's fate4 ,the fall of ,omdurman further confirmed our fears1 and we trembled to think that ,khartum would fall before the ,english arrived4 ,the prolonged resistance of the town1 and the knowledge that the ,english were almost there1 caused no small alarm amongst the people in ,el ,obeid2 when1 therefore1 ,sherif ,mahmud ordered a salute of one hundred guns to be fired to announce a great victory1 the reaction was tremendous4 ,the news of the fall of ,khartum and of the ,english victory at ,abu ,klea reached ,el ,obeid the same day4 ,mahmud held a great review1 and the ,mahdiists were wild with joy4 ,thus the last bulwark of ,egyptian authority in the ,sudan had disappeared2 the ,english turned back and left the ,sudan to its fate4 ,the ,mahdi rested for a time on his laurels1 and occupied himself with bringing into subjection the few who still resisted4 ,sherif ,mahmud now determined to make himself famous for his bravery1 and resolved to conquer the whole of ,nuba1 and convert the inhabitants4 ,as a first step1 he proceeded with a force of two thousand men straight to ,delen2 these good people had been left unmolested since ,mek ,omar had taken his departure1 and had gone back to their peaceful ways and former mode of life1 which consisted largely of breeding swine1 planting tobacco1 and drinking marissa to their heart's content4 ,the ,baggaras1 who lived in ,nuba1 and of whom many had been unwillingly forced to follow the ,mahdi1 were getting somewhat tired of the new faith4 ,khojur ,kakum was just in the same position as before1 and had gained considerably in reputation1 as he had foretold correctly how the ,mahdi would conduct himself4 ,mahmud duly arrived at ,delen1 and encamped at the foot of the hills4 ,on ,mahmud's departure1 we thought the time had at length arrived when we might attempt to escape1 for long ago we had projected a plan to get the ,kababish to assist us4 ,formerly this tribe did much of the carrying trade between ,dongola and ,el ,obeid1 and they had already proved that they were loyal to the ,government4 ,it was said that when the ,english came to ,dongola1 this tribe was bringing thousands of camels laden with corn from ,dar ,hamer2 but when ,mahmud heard of it1 he sent after them1 and captured two thousand five hundred loads1 so from that time no ,kababish ever came to ,el ,obeid4 ,this1 therefore1 greatly interfered with our plans2 besides1 we had no money either to buy camels or pay the guides1 so ,i reverted to my old idea1 which ,i had formulated at ,rahad1 to escape to ,jebel ,dobab and live with the brave ,nubas4 ,i was thinking over this plan1 and casting up in my mind the chances of success1 when1 on the #dth of ,june1 #ahhe1 a ,coptic friend of ours called ,sideham arrived1 and handed ,father ,bonomi a small note1 saying at the same time that a man had come to take him back to ,dongola1 and that he would meet him in the market next day4 ,bonomi and ,i then retired to a place where we knew no one would see us1 and there in fear and trembling we tore open the letter2 then ,bonomi1 in the deepest agitation1 read as follows3-- ,dear ,friend1 ,i am sending this man so that you may escape with him4 ,trust him--he is honest4 ,monsignor ,sogaro awaits you in ,cairo with outstretched arms4 ,your fellow-countryman1 ,,alois ,,santoni4 ,for some moments we were so excited we could scarcely speak2 but my first thought was1 ,why is ,bonomi only sent for8 and the feeling that flight was debarred from me1 filled me with the most utter dejection4 ,it was to be my sad fate to see my companion in adversity start without me2 then a ray of hope flashed across my mind1 possibly the man might be the bearer of a verbal message4 ,it was the very moment for flight2 there were very few ,dervishes in ,el ,obeid4 ,oh1 the terrible length of that day and night6 ,how slowly the hours went by6 ,the next morning ,bonomi went alone to the place of rendezvous4 ,i thought if ,i went with him it might create suspicion2 but at the same time ,i begged him to urge the man to take me with him as well4 ,bonomi met the man1 and it required only a very few moments to come to an arrangement4 ,how ,i longed for him to return and know the result4 ,at length he came1 looking very pleased2 but the man1 he said1 had definitely declined to take me with him2 however1 he promised that if he succeeded in conducting ,bonomi safely1 he would return for me in fifteen days4 ,i grieved terribly at the news that my flight must be deferred2 but1 on the other hand1 ,i rejoiced that one of us should be fortunate enough to escape from this terrible bondage4 ,the man told ,father ,bonomi not to trouble about anything1 but merely to meet him on ,mount ,korbatsh1 where he would find him with the camels4 ,on the afternoon of the #eth of ,june1 ,bonomi prepared himself for flight1 taking a large knife with him4 ,we left our huts1 and proceeded to the rendezvous2 our hearts were too full to speak4 ,at last ,i left him2 and pressing him to my heart1 bade him farewell1 saying--,do not forget your poor companion in adversity1 who is left behind4 ,illustration3 ,,many ,a ,,time ,,did ,i ,,turn ,,around ,,to ,,look ,,back1 ,,until ,,bonomi ,,disappeared ,,from ,,view ,,in ,,the ,,wood4 ,many a time did ,i turn round to look back1 until ,bonomi disappeared from view in the wood4 ,it was just sunset1 and a lovely evening1 which made even that dull plain look beautiful4 ,wild1 anxious thoughts kept careering through my brain1 as ,i walked back to my wretched and solitary home4 ,would ,bonomi succeed1 and what would happen to me8 for ,i knew that the ,dervishes must conclude that ,i knew about ,bonomi's flight4 ,so immersed was ,i in these thoughts that ,i kept on losing my way1 and did not get back till late4 ,my delay had already caused some suspicion2 but ,i found a ready excuse4 ,i said that ,i had been searching for corn2 for at that time there was famine2 and nothing was to be had in the market4 ,my excuse was accepted1 and fortunately they did not think of asking for ,bonomi4 ,i now threw myself down on my hard bed2 but my weary eyes found no sleep4 ,i kept revolving in my mind all that had occurred2 but at length ,i determined to pluck up courage and put my trust in ,god2 and then my thoughts turned to more practical considerations4 ,how should ,i explain ,bonomi's absence to the emir without saying anything which would implicate myself8 ,it was a hot1 sultry night1 but a refreshing shower fell just then2 and in the midst of the patter of the rain-drops1 ,i thought ,i heard ,bonomi's voice in the hut4 ,what could it be8 ,had he returned8 ,a thousand wild thoughts crowded into my mind2 but ,i did not dare make a noise1 though it was all ,i could do to control my curiosity4 ,i rose very early the next morning1 and searched about the hut2 but found no one4 ,it was at any rate quite certain ,bonomi had gone2 but yet ,i felt sure he must have come back during the night4 ,it was not until six long years afterwards1 when ,i returned to ,cairo1 that ,i solved the mystery2 and then he himself told me how1 after parting from me1 he had lost his way1 and could not find the guide or camels2 after vainly wandering about1 he had returned to the hut1 where the ,copt who had given him the note found him1 and conducted him to the ,arab with whom he had escaped4 ,i must here explain why it was the messenger had only been commissioned to rescue ,father ,bonomi2 and this ,i did not learn till after my own escape4 ,news had reached ,cairo that ,i was in ,omdurman1 and that ,bonomi had been left alone in ,el ,obeid2 and therefore arrangements had been made for his rescue only4,h ,meanwhile1 ,i kept ,bonomi's escape concealed2 and it was not until the fourth day after he had left1 and when ,i was assured of his safety1 that ,i informed the emin beit el mal,i that he had gone to ,khartum to fetch some medicine4 ,i believe this man thoroughly knew that he had escaped2 but he did not show the slightest suspicion1 and ordered us to go to ,khartum as well2 and we were placed under close surveillance4 ,he also wrote to ,sherif ,mahmud at ,delen1 and to ,khartum2 a few days later orders came from ,mahmud that we were to be imprisoned in the zariba of the beit el mal4 ,that evening1 soldiers came and dragged us and our slender property to the zariba2 and while waiting till huts should be made for us1 we were housed with slaves suffering from small-pox4 ,this disease was then very prevalent in ,el ,obeid1 and horrible sights continually met our eyes4 ,these unfortunate sufferers had no one to help them1 and they were left to die1 either of the disease1 or of hunger2 they lay about under the trees in the market-place1 shunned by every one2 often1 when still living1 they were dragged off by men1 who tied ropes round their bodies1 and pulled them along the ground till they were beyond the outskirts of the town2 and there they were left to be devoured by the hyenas4 ,a dreadful famine prevailed1 and the population was decimated by hunger2 ten to twelve pounds of corn were sold for a dollar1 and the man was fortunate who could buy it at this price4 ,in the market1 fights were frequent2 meat1 however1 was not so expensive1 and we lived for days on meat only1 without any bread4 ,the poor people used to dig about the streets and in the houses for gum1 which they knew had been concealed during the siege2 and this unwholesome food frequently caused their death4 ,the air in the zariba was poisoned by the number of people suffering from small-pox2 but curiously enough1 the disease never seemed to touch the white people4 ,my new abode turned out to be not so bad as ,i expected4 ,i became friends with some of the soldiers who used to be in the ,government service1 and sympathised with them in their wretched state2 these poor men often tried to do me any little service they could4 ,it was about this time that ,sultan ,dud ,benga1 flying from ,zogal1 arrived1 on his way to give himself up to the ,mahdi in ,omdurman1 and also a certain ,sherif1 who set himself up to be the fourth ,khalifa--,osman4 ,the latter1 however1 on his arrival in ,omdurman1 was thrown into chains1 and his wives1 horses1 and slaves confiscated4 ,i planted a few water-melons round my hut1 which grew well2 and ,i used to amuse myself by watching the movements of the chameleons which disported themselves underneath the leaves2 but one day a fire broke out1 which destroyed my hut1 water-melons1 chameleons1 and all2 and so this little dissipation was denied me4 ,however1 ,i built a new hut in a few days4 ,almost a month had now passed since ,bonomi's departure1 and ,i began to look about anxiously for the return of the ,arab who was to help me to escape4 ,during the night ,i had cautiously loosened the zariba hedge1 so that ,i could easily get out1 when the time came2 but day by day passed1 and ,i began to lose hope4 ,i did hear a rumour once that a man had come to help us to escape1 but that on hearing we were locked up in the zariba1 he had gone away4 ,this was very probably true2 for the ,arabs are excessively timid2 and we were as universally shunned by all as if we were infested with a plague2 if anyone dared to speak to us1 he was almost sure to be arrested and locked up4 ,thus we dragged out a miserable existence1 devoid of hope1 shunned by all1 and suffering much from continual sickness4 ,one event1 however1 unexpectedly occurred1 which we thought would completely alter the state of affairs1 and would produce a revolution1 in which we again thought we saw some chance of escape4 ,early in ,july #ahhe1 the news of the ,mahdi's death arrived4 ,at first it was not credited1 and the leading people thought it better to keep it a strict secret1 but their dismal countenances belied them4 ,it was a terrible blow to the ,dervishes1 and they themselves believed that disturbances would undoubtedly take place1 for the number of malcontents was by no means small4 ,the truth1 however1 soon came out1 and the immediate effect on the ignorant masses was the realization that they had been deceived1 and that the ,mahdi was no ,mahdi at all4 ,hitherto ,mahdiism had been thoroughly admitted1 and it was their belief in the ,mahdi's divine mission which had given birth to the fanaticism which had made them so bold and fearless--the belief that to die in battle as martyrs assured them paradise with its myriads of lovely houris1 its lovely gardens1 laden with milk and honey1 fruits and flowers4 ,all this was implicitly believed4 ,what wonder then that they should throw themselves into the very thickest of the fight in the sure and certain hope that to die in the ,mahdi's cause ensured eternal delights and pleasures6 ,now all these glorious visions had collapsed like a house of cards1 and in the future ,mahdiism to live would have to be enforced4 ,from this time forth there was no voluntary seeking to obey1 and it was clear that the new ,religion was on the wane4 ,the family and adherents of the ,mahdi were at variance with the followers of ,khalifa ,abdullah1 the latter by his immense energy had made himself master of the situation4 ,but the glow and fervour of religious enthusiasm was gone4 ,the blow of the ,mahdi's death almost killed ,sherif ,mahmud2 many of his chiefs and emirs muttered3 ,see how the ,mahdi has deceived us4 ,had he been the real ,mahdi he would not have died in ,omdurman4 ,alas6 what thousands of human lives have been sacrificed to this false ,mahdi's caprice4 ,mahmud was at a loss to know what to say and contented himself with murmuring3 ,even if the ,mahdi be dead1 his religion did not die with him2 let us therefore fight in the cause of religion4 ,nevertheless all obedience and discipline did not disappear1 for these men had still their own interests to look after3 but it was unfortunate there was no one to place himself at the head of the malcontents and openly declare that the ,mahdi was no ,mahdi4 ,mahmud now returned without delay to ,el ,obeid1 and immediately on his arrival he ordered the criers to announce that he required some account of ,father ,bonomi's escape4 ,he was furious at his flight2 he sent for me and asked where he had gone2 ,i simply replied1 that he had disappeared one night and that the next morning ,i could find no trace of him in the hut4 ,if ,mahmud had not been so upset by the ,mahdi's death1 ,i believe ,i should have had to pay dearly for his flight4 ,as it was he believed that ,bonomi would be seized by the ,dervishes in ,dongola1 and at the same time he sent out spies to try and discover who had assisted him to escape4 ,suspicion fell on ,mohammed ,suleiman1 who had been our old captain at ,delen and who was now the kadi's clerk2 he was threatened with a flogging1 which he would certainly have received had not his master begged him off4 ,mahmud brought with him from ,delen the unfortunate ,khojur ,kakum2 this poor man was thrown into chains soon after his arrival1 and his hut and the chair which he used for his religious ceremonies were burnt4 ,the ,nubas were solemnly abjured to desist from their superstitious beliefs1 and ,mahmud made a small straw mosque for them in which they were obliged to say prayers2 but the ,nubas set fire to it1 and after ,mahmud's departure they named their pigs after the ,mahdi's important emirs4 ,when ,kakum was on his way to ,el ,obeid1 he had had a bad fall from a bullock1 which had injured him internally and made it almost impossible for him to move3 he was put into our zariba1 and soon after he came ,i went to see him and found him in a state of profound dejection4 ,he was very pleased to see me1 and the tears rolled down his black cheeks2 he was so affected he could barely speak1 and lost all control over himself4 ,his two wives were sitting near him--one of them1 ,mea1 was a thoroughly good woman1 and many a happy hour did ,i spend playing with her little child of six years old4 ,kakum gave me coffee1 and we talked over the old days at the ,mission1 then ,i left him to rest4 ,that same night ,i was suddenly summoned by ,mea1 who said that ,kakum was seriously ill2 ,i hastened to the hut and found him almost unconscious1 and in a few hours he was dead4 ,he was a thoroughly good1 sensible man1 and had been a faithful friend to the ,mission and to the ,government4 ,he died in ,july #ahhe1 and ,i think he must then have been about fifty-five years of age4 ,his second wife married the ,khojur of ,sobei1 who had also been dragged to ,el ,obeid by ,mahmud2 but ,mea did not marry again4 ,she devoted herself to her little child4 ,the boy delighted in being with me1 and said he always wanted to stay with the ,christians2 but a month later ,mea and her child were allowed to return to ,delen4 ,i gave the boy a little shirt1 and in return ,mea promised to send me some tobacco2 and1 true to her word1 a messenger arrived soon afterwards with that luxury1 in return for which ,i sent her some glass beads4 ,during his stay at ,delen1 ,mahmud had captured ,shirra1 one of the renegade ,baggara chiefs1 and his two sons4 ,this man had formerly been our sworn enemy1 and had declared that he would kill every one of us ,christians2 but when this great chief and his sons came into the zariba they greeted me like lambs1 and when1 in fun1 ,i recalled to them their former oaths1 they admitted that they had been completely deceived1 and now that they had not words sufficient to praise the ,christians or to curse the ,mahdi4 ,it was no little satisfaction to me to find such an entire change of mind and purpose in one who had been our bitterest foe4 ,thus was justice tardily meted out to us4 ,meanwhile ,khalifa ,abdullah had sent an order from ,omdurman to ,mahmud1 telling him to set out forthwith for ,omdurman to swear the ,bea'a 7or oath of allegiance7 to the ,mahdi's successor4 ,mahmud therefore1 in ,august #ahhe1 left ,el ,obeid with a large number of followers4 ,,footnotes3 ,h ,father ,bonomi arrived safely in ,dongola1 and ,mr4 ,santoni1 who is now director of posts at ,assiut1 was rewarded by ,his ,holiness ,pope ,leo ,,xiii4 with the ,order of ,gregory the ,great1 in recognition of the humane service he had rendered4 ,i ,i4e4 the official in charge of the beit el mal or ,dervish storehouse and treasury4 ,,chapter ,,xi4 ,,revolt ,,against ,,the ,,dervishes4 ,the black soldiers of the old ,sudan army--,they revolt against the ,dervishes in ,el ,obeid--,and march off to ,dar ,nuba--,the emir ,mahmud pursues and is slain--,ohrwalder quits ,el ,obeid for ,omdurman--,zogal and ,abu ,anga at ,bara4 ,the old ,sudanese soldiers of the ,egyptian army were perhaps1 of all others1 the most dissatisfied with ,mahdiism4 ,these brave blacks who1 as they say in the ,sudan1 had eaten the ,khedive's bread1 were now in a wretched state compared with the once miserable ,gellabas1 who now galloped about proudly on horseback1 while in former years they had scarcely a donkey to their name4 ,several of these soldiers had been to ,egypt1 some had been servants to ,europeans1 and most of them had been in the various fights which had previously taken place in the ,sudan4 ,sherif ,mahmud1 it is true1 treated them with some deference1 and gave them corn when he refused to give it to the ,gellabas who were starving2 but in spite of this1 their previous condition was infinitely preferable to their life under ,mahdiist rulers4 ,there were about two hundred of these soldiers in ,el ,obeid2 shortly afterwards1 a number of slaves arrived1 and quite recently their numbers had been further increased by the addition of a company sent by ,zogal4 ,many of these men had fought under ,munzinger ,pasha1 and under ,slatin ,bey1 and were distinguished for their bravery2 their total number was now three hundred1 under the command of an ,egyptian mowallid1,j named ,abdullah4 ,these men used to complain of being always placed in the forefront of the battle2 and they were further irritated by the arrogant way in which they were treated by the ,danagla and their unbearable emir ,wad el ,hashmi1 who used to call them abd 7i4e4 slave72 they therefore decided to revolt against this tyrannical rule1 and in this their emir supported them4 ,it was agreed that they should await the great ,dahiyeh festival1 and when they were all out on parade1 and the ,dervishes were going through their prayers1 they would suddenly separate themselves and1 trusting to their good rifles1 would be able to annihilate their hated enemies2 but the thought that a number of innocent people would be thus sacrificed1 decided them to await some other more favourable opportunity4 ,it was often a matter of surprise to me how these blacks managed to keep their secret1 which even all their women knew4 ,a clever young mukuddum lived near my hut1 and did me many a kindness2 he often used to bring me some meat to eat1 as the soldiers who looked after the sheep and goats taken from the ,arabs frequently killed some for their own food and then reported that they had died4 ,at this time ,i suffered a great deal from fever1 ,i could not remain in my close and small hut1 and used to lie wide awake and tossing about on my hard bed outside4 ,i often saw the mukuddum in secret conversation with some of his men1 and then they would look at their arms to see they were all right2 this made me feel certain that some plot was brewing4 ,amongst the soldiers ,i had also another good friend1 ,hajji ,selim1 who was at all times ready to render me any little service1 in return for which ,i used to give him a little coffee or some tobacco4 ,hajji ,selim had a curious story4 ,he was born in ,bornu1 and when young had joined his father1 who was going with a caravan to ,mecca4 ,whilst journeying through the ,sahara1 they came to a district in which two tribes were at war2 he joined one of them1 but was taken prisoner by the other1 sold as a slave1 and taken to ,tunis2 from here1 he was brought to ,constantinople1 where he became the playfellow of his master's son1 and in this way learnt the ,turkish language4 ,soon afterwards his master was sent to ,egypt as a ,pasha1 and he came with him1 from thence they went on a pilgrimage to ,mecca1 hence his title of ,hajji4 ,on their return to ,cairo1 the master died1 his property was confiscated1 and ,selim was taken into the army4 ,he was sent to ,sawakin1 then he served under ,munzinger ,pasha at ,massawa1 and was with him at the time of his murder2 from here he was sent to ,darfur1 then to ,kordofan1 and eventually to ,delen1 where he was taken prisoner with ,mohammed ,suleiman1 and thus became attached to the ,mahdiists4 ,this unfortunate man1 though comparatively young1 had become aged by constant travelling1 he was homeless1 and had neither wife nor child2 he wore an old coat which had been given to him by some of ,hicks ,pasha's soldiers1 it was riddled with bullet-holes1 covered with patches of blood1 and very dirty2 however1 that did not much matter to him1 as he had no soap to wash it2 he always wore the hood of his coat over his head1 which further added to his curious appearance4 ,he made his coat into a species of ,dervish uniform by patching up the holes with the pieces of an old tarbush2 but withal he was a thoroughly honest man1 and ,i liked him4 ,i also knew ,i could rely on him to carry out a secret mission1 and therefore1 after ,bonomi had fled1 ,i had made over to him some money and two volumes of the ',popular ,educator1' which ,lupton ,bey had given me1 and which ,i looked upon as a priceless treasure4 ,i did this because ,i was afraid that ,sherif ,mahmud would confiscate my little all2 but when all fear was over1 the honest man brought back everything just as ,i had given it to him4 ,at that time ,i had no suitable place in my hut to hide them1 so ,i asked him to keep them a few days longer2 but1 alas6 my books were to become food for the flames1 which soon afterwards devoured the camp1 and this was an irreparable loss4 ,i tried to find but from ,hajji ,selim what plot was brewing2 but all my inquiries were fruitless4 ,he would not breathe a word1 and from that time ,i saw no more of him1 for he was afraid that my importunity might make him divulge the secret4 ,i knew perfectly well that he must have been one of the conspirators1 and as ,i never saw him again1 ,i presume he must have been killed4 ,the above little incident is merely mentioned to show how zealously the soldiers kept their secret2 but all the same1 the people in ,el ,obeid had a notion that something was going to happen1 and one day an order was suddenly given that a hundred soldiers were to prepare to proceed to ,dar ,hamer4 ,in this way they thought to split up the party1 and then disarm them2 but the men guessed that this was the intention1 and therefore decided to execute their plan the following day4 ,that night ,i was lying outside as usual2 the sky was particularly brilliant1 and ,i was watching the myriads of shooting stars which1 leaving bright trails behind them1 burst suddenly like rockets1 and illumined the night till it became for an instant almost as light as day4 ,every one wondered at this curious phenomenon1 and foretold that it meant mischief of some sort1 and1 curiously1 there was mischief enough in the air that night4 ,the next day1 at about noon1 ,i was startled by the sound of firing1 and bullets were suddenly flying over my head4 ,in my alarm ,i had rushed out of the hut1 and saw that the firing was from the direction of the powder-magazine4 ,to my intense surprise1 ,i did not see a solitary soldier in the zariba2 even their wives had gone1 and had taken their household goods away with them4 ,i shouted and cried out1 but no one answered2 a few women passed by1 but they were too occupied to answer me2 they1 too1 soon disappeared1 and the whole place1 which but a few moments before had been a ,babel of din and noise1 became silent as the grave4 ,in the distance ,i could hear continuous firing1 and occasionally ,i caught sight of women and children running away in a northerly direction4 ,i now thought it time to quit the zariba myself4 ,i seized a bayonet1 and tried to push aside the thorns1 but they were so firmly fixed in the ground1 that ,i could not move them4 ,i then made for the gate1 and here there was not a soul to be seen2 even the slaves in chains had disappeared4 ,bullets were now flying in all directions4 ,i went towards the ,emir ,abdullah's house1 and found him standing by his door in a state of great agitation1 with only two soldiers4 ,in reply to my question as to what was the matter1 he answered in a surly tone3 ,these beit el mal slaves have destroyed everything4 ,these words were scarcely out of his mouth1 when fifty ,dervishes with drawn swords suddenly rushed up1 and with frightful yells dragged him and his men off to the courtyard of the ,mudirieh4 ,i followed them4 ,here an enormous crowd of ,dervishes was collected1 and1 wild with rage1 they would have torn ,abdullah to pieces had not ,wad el ,hashmi stopped them4 ,the ,dervishes now accused ,abdullah of having incited the soldiers2 but he protested that he knew nothing of the affair1 and in proof of his statement urged that he had not quitted his house2 but it was useless4 ,the air resounded with cries of ,cut off his head6 and he was obliged to kneel down4 ,with one blow his head rolled on the sand2 both the soldiers were also beheaded1 and their bodies thrown down near the mosque1 so that everyone might see them4 ,i now learnt that the soldiers had taken possession of the powder magazine1 which consisted of a square yard1 with small towers at the corners2 it had been utilized as a magazine in ,government days4 ,all arms and ammunition were stored here1 and a number of ,egyptians were employed moulding bullets and filling cartridges2 there were also quantities of caps1 and all the necessary implements4 ,the soldiers had broken into this place1 killed the guards1 made loopholes1 and prepared for defence2 they had burnt down most of the houses in the town1 and forced all they met to join them4 ,two ,egyptians who refused to do so were at once killed4 ,the ,dervishes had rushed1 in a body1 to attempt to recover the magazine1 but had been shot down in numbers2 several emirs also fell in this assault1 and no one dared to return to recover their bodies4 ,at length1 having rallied from their first failure1 they again collected and advanced--this time with more order--to the attack2 but the soldiers1 who had learnt of their ,emir ,abdullah's death1 fought with desperate courage1 and again drove them back1 with heavy loss4 ,the ,dervishes now assembled beside the great gate of the ,mudirieh1 and consulted what was best to be done2 they were thoroughly alarmed1 and no wonder2 for everyone who came within range of the fort was almost certainly shot down4 ,amongst these was ,fiki ,isa1 of the ,shanabla1 who was struck in the neck by a bullet1 and fell dead at once4 ,naturally1 ,i fled as soon as possible from this dangerous proximity1 and went to the house of a clerk1 whose walls ,i knew would give me protection4 ,the firing now became faster1 and the soldiers sounded the trumpet for the attack on the ,mudirieh1 intending to capture the guns which stood outside the gate2 but the ,dervishes had withdrawn them and closed it1 so the troops were forced to retire2 their ranks had been largely increased by a number of male and female slaves1 who1 on hearing of the mutiny1 had at once left their masters4 ,fighting lasted till nightfall2 and at length1 under cover of darkness1 ,i made my way back to the zariba1 to see what had become of my companions in adversity4 ,i found it empty and deserted2 even the cattle had escaped somehow2 and only two miserable slaves1 suffering from ferentit 7guinea-worm71 and who were unable to move1 remained behind4 ,i was feverish and restless2 so returned again to the ,mudirieh1 to see what was going forward there4 ,i found a crowd of ,dervishes1 exasperated at the idea of having been defeated by the slave-soldiers1 as they called them2 more of their emirs had been killed2 and the chief1 ,wad ,hashmi1 had been mortally wounded1 and died the following day4 ,when the ,dervishes caught sight of me 7hitherto ,i had passed unnoticed71 they ordered me back to the zariba1 threatening to kill me if ,i again left it2 ,i suppose they did this because they thought ,i might join the mutineers4 ,it was believed that the soldiers would attack and capture the town the next day4 ,how ,i wish they had had a good leader6 ,my companions and ,i now found ourselves in the beit el mal again1 under the guard of four soldiers4 ,worn out with excitement1 ,i threw myself down on my angarib2 the success of the mutineers again revived in my breast hopes of release2 and with this pleasing thought1 ,i dropped off into a sound slumber4 ,i was suddenly roused up by one of the guard prodding me with the butt end of his rifle1 and saying--,when everyone is in terror of his life1 how can you sleep8 ,so ,i reluctantly had to get up1 and began chatting to the guard1 as ,i feared any display of satisfaction on my part would probably call down vengeance from them4 ,we talked over the events of the day2 and ,i soon realised that the ,dervishes were1 in truth1 greatly alarmed4 ,the powder magazine was not far from the beit el mal1 so we could overhear a great deal of what was going on there2 and one would have imagined that they were engaged in marriage festivities rather than in bloody warfare4 ,the whole night through they kept up singing2 the women were dancing1 and the men drinking marissa3 every now and then the trumpets were sounded1 which seemed to add to the women's delight2 they were all laughing over the ,mahdi's doings1 heaping insults on him and his religion2 and still further exasperating the ,dervishes by shouting out to them to come and join them in a drinking bout4 ,but whilst these good blacks were enjoying themselves in the magazine1 the ,dervishes had fortified the beit el mal1 and placed bodies of troops1 with their flags1 in different parts4 ,occasionally1 the blacks fired a volley into them1 which made them disperse1 leaving their flag behind them4 ,everyone was in a state of most anxious expectancy for the next day2 it was looked upon as certain that a fight would take place between the ,dervishes and the soldiers1 which would finally decide matters2 and that night there was little sleep for anyone4 ,early the next morning the soldiers played the ,khedivial salute1 which stirred us to the quick2 and by the time the sun had risen1 firing had recommenced1 and was continued up till nine o'clock4 ,the soldiers made a few raids on camels and donkeys1 but did not attempt to attack the ,dervishes2 and it was not at all clear what they intended to do4 ,the ,dervish emir1 being certain that the mutineers were quite demoralized1 sent their imam 7priest7 to tell them that if they wished to surrender1 they would receive pardon2 this exasperated the blacks beyond measure2 the imam was told not to talk nonsense2 and was then deliberately dragged out about fifty paces from the fort1 pierced through and through with his own spears1 and his body thrown out in the direction of the ,mudirieh1 whilst the soldiers shouted out--,this is the head in return for the head of our ,emir ,abdullah4 ,they continued to make desultory sorties during the day1 and captured a quantity of animals4 ,in the afternoon they left the powder magazine2 the band playing1 women and children marching in front2 then came the ammunition1 surrounded by armed men1 and lastly1 the soldiers1 marching in good order1 and disposed in such a manner as to resist any sudden assault4 ,the ,dervishes1 however1 determined to attack1 and1 marshalling their banners1 they made for the powder magazine1 which they found quite deserted2 the soldiers had thrown into the wells all the powder they could not carry4 ,there were only five fresh graves in the magazine1 which showed that the soldiers had lost only five men1 whilst the ,dervishes had lost about five hundred4 ,meanwhile1 the blacks were marching gaily towards ,melbeis2 but the ,dervishes1 more furious than ever after their discoveries in the magazine1 set off in hot pursuit2 and when they had got within a short distance of their enemy1 they were received by a well-directed volley1 which killed some fifty of them2 the remainder fled in disorder to ,el ,obeid4 ,the total number of the blacks1 including the slaves who had joined them1 did not exceed one thousand men1 whilst the ,dervishes more than trebled that number4 ,had they only had a competent commander1 there is no doubt they could easily have captured ,el ,obeid4 ,they continued their march1 unopposed1 to ,nuba1 and arrived first of all at ,delen1 where they established themselves1 and selected ,beshir1 an old soldier of ,slatin ,bey's1 to be their ,mudir4 ,mahdiism was entirely renounced1 and the ,khedive's ,government proclaimed4 ,anyone who swore by the ,mahdi's name received eighty lashes2 the regular form of swearing was--,hakk ras ,effendina 7,by the ,khedive's head67 ,strict discipline was enforced4 ,any one found selling arms or ammunition to the ,nubas was punished with death1 and the sentence was carried out by shooting4 ,shortly afterwards1 they quitted ,delen and marched to ,jebel ,nama1 the inhabitants of which place are known as the bravest of the ,nubas2 but here they still seemed to think themselves too close to their hated enemies1 and therefore moved on to ,golfan1 where they took up a position in an inaccessible mountain1 were recognized by their neighbours as the rulers of the country1 and were supplied by them with quantities of cattle and sesame4 ,in the meantime ,sherif ,mahmud1 in ,omdurman1 had been fully informed of all that had occurred4 ,he fell into a terrible passion1 accused all his emirs of cowardice1 and proceeded forthwith to ,el ,obeid4 ,he would not even enter his house1 but encamped outside the town4 ,khalifa ,abdullah had ordered him to leave the mutineers alone1 and to proceed1 vi the ,es ,safiyeh ,wells1 to ,dongola2 but ,mahmud entirely disregarded this order4 ,he thirsted for vengeance against these rebels1 and determined to subdue them4 ,added to this1 he had also conceived the idea of usurping ,khalifa ,abdullah's authority4 ,his object1 therefore1 was to increase his power by regaining the co-operation of the soldiers1 and so proud and self-confident was he1 that he believed they would never attempt to fight against him4 ,here1 underneath the great ,adansonia tree where the ,mahdi had stayed so long1 he pitched his camp and made preparations for his advance on ,nuba4 ,he called for volunteers1 saying that he did not wish to force anyone to go to war1 and at the same time he endeavoured to encourage the people by telling them that the ,mahdi had appeared to him in a dream1 and had told him to advance and attack the rebels1 promising him certain victory4 ,in spite of this summons1 very few volunteered1 and getting thoroughly annoyed1 he now threatened with death anyone who refused to join him4 ,thus did ,mahmud realise that the spirit of ,mahdiism had almost died out1 and that in future force would be required to carry out its behests4 ,he rapidly advanced with a force of #b1ejj men1 most of them armed with ,remingtons4 ,on his way he was joined by a number of ,arabs1 which raised his force to some #h1jjj men4 ,on arrival at ,nama he found that the mutineers had moved on2 he therefore advanced to ,golfan1 and sent in a letter to the effect that if they surrendered he would give them a free pardon4 ,but the soldiers had had previous experience of ,mahdieh promises1 and received the messengers with volleys1 which soon made them turn back4 ,mahmud determined1 therefore1 to invest his former adherents1 and1 putting himself at the head of his troops1 he advanced towards the mountain2 but the soldiers1 concealed behind rocks1 sent volley after volley into the ,dervish ranks4 ,mahmud received a bullet in his side1 but1 nothing daunted1 he continued to advance1 carrying his own flag1 until another bullet1 hitting him full on the forehead1 killed him4 ,already over a hundred ,dervishes had fallen1 and the remainder1 hearing that ,mahmud was dead1 turned tail and fled in disorder towards ,el ,obeid4 ,the soldiers did not pursue1 but took up ,mahmud's body and gave him an honourable burial befitting the brave man he was4 ,in his death ,mahdieh lost perhaps the boldest of its adherents1 and certainly the bravest of the ,mahdi's family4 ,and though he had latterly given himself up to a life of pleasure and debauchery1 as all the rest had done1 still he did not fear exposing himself to every sort of danger4 ,mahmud fell in the month of ,november #ahhe1 and ,khalifa ,abdullah was by no means displeased to be rid of a rival whose prowess and popularity he greatly feared and envied4 ,in place of ,sherif ,mahmud1 ,abdullah despatched his brother ,bakhit to ,kordofan2 but he was a very different class of man1 and was nicknamed ,tor 7,the ,bullock74 ,soon afterwards ,bakhit received orders to leave all his men at ,el ,obeid and to return to ,omdurman4 ,he was succeeded by the emir ,wad el ,hashmi1 who was followed by ,osman ,wad ,adam 7nicknamed ,ganu71 the ,mahdi's nephew4 ,preparations were now made to transport all ,mahmud's people to ,omdurman1 and in order to convey so many thousand people1 camels were forcibly seized4 ,we also were released1 and permitted to go to ,omdurman4 ,i had passed too many miserable years in ,kordofan not to rejoice at the change3 for a time ,i had a faint hope that someone might be sent by ,father ,bonomi to assist me to escape1 but now it seemed useless to hope for this any longer1 whereas1 once at ,omdurman1 ,i might manage to escape by myself4 ,our departure was delayed for a month4 ,el ,obeid had gradually become a dirty ,arab village2 except meat and dokhn1 there was absolutely nothing to be got in the market4 ,i suffered much from dysentery4 ,there were no medicines to be had1 so ,i had to trust to the recuperative powers of nature1 assisted by a little rice which was grown in the marshes about ,birket4 ,i had not a civilized soul with whom to associate4 ,the ,nubas of ,jebel ,dair did their utmost to harass ,el ,obeid2 they were always hovering about in the outskirts1 ready to pounce down on any cattle and slaves they saw4 ,it would have been madness to go an hour's distance from the town without an escort4 ,the ,dervishes frequently made attempts to clear the neighbourhood of these brigands1 but ,i observed that they always returned considerably fewer in number1 and ,i secretly rejoiced at their inability to cope with these brave ,nubas4 ,taking everything into consideration1 ,i was not sorry to say good-bye to this dreary and inhospitable town4 ,we were given four camels1 whose owners acted as the drivers4 ,it was agreed that on arrival in ,omdurman we should pay them at the rate of seven dollars a camel4 ,on the #beth of ,march1 #ahhf1 we left ,el ,obeid4 ,what a flood of recollections welled up in my mind as we marched for the last time through the desolate ruins of the city6 ,how strange had been the vicissitudes of this once flourishing place during the last few years6 ,from a thriving and peaceful township it had been transformed into the theatre of constant warfare and bloodshed4 ,it had then been the scene of the ,mahdi's debaucheries1 when he rested after his victories1 and now it had dwindled down into a wretched ,arab village4 ,our road took us past the site of the ,el ,obeid ,mission-house1 of which not a trace remained4 ,in its place was the market1 and a heap of white bones indicated the locality of the cook's shop4 ,we halted that evening at ,korbatsh2 the next day we started very early2 and after a two days' march1 arrived at ,bara4 ,this beautiful little town is situated in a woody depression of the great ,kordofan plain4 ,in the distance we could see the white ruins through the high acacia trees4 ,formerly the place had been well planted with date-palms2 but during the siege the inhabitants had cut them down1 and lived upon the crushed core4 ,in the ,government days ,bara had been a sort of sanatorium for ,el ,obeid1 where the richer inhabitants used to spend the summer2 they had made lovely gardens1 full of date-trees1 lemon-plants1 banana-trees1 and vines1 while the vegetables used to be sold in ,el ,obeid4 ,the soil is exceptionally fertile1 and there is an abundance of water obtainable at only six feet below the surface4 ,but now the place was completely destroyed and neglected2 and wild bushes and thorns grew apace amidst the ruins4 ,as we approached ,bara1 we heard the thunder of guns1 and were told that it was a salute announcing the arrival of ,zogal1 the ,governor of ,darfur1 with his troops4 ,it was the #bnd of ,april4 ,we halted under a large acacia tree1 and took down our angaribs1 over which mats were tightly stretched4 ,the arrival of two large parties1 one from ,el ,obeid and one from ,darfur1 soon changed this dismal graveyard into a noisy camp4 ,zogal had brought with him #b1ejj infantry1 #d1jjj black soldiers and singers1 and #a1ejj good horses4 ,he had over #aj1jjj dollars in his beit el mal1 besides what each of his men possessed--and that was no inconsiderable quantity3 for everyone had enriched himself in ,darfur2 and all this wealth was destined to become the ,khalifa ,abdullah's property4 ,zogal had organized bands in his army2 and the same tunes which had been played in the days of the ,government1 now resounded over the deserted plains of ,bara4 ,zogal's camp was a scene of pleasure and merry-making4 ,marissa was publicly sold and drunk openly2 all idea of being within the ,mahdi's jurisdiction seemed to have been forgotten4 ,zogal was a liberal man2 his principle was live and let live2 and he thoroughly enjoyed the good things of this life1 which the ,mahdi's revolt had placed within his reach4 ,he was a powerfully built1 stout man1 of about sixty years of age1 with a white beard1 which gave him a patriarchal appearance4 ,he was known as the father of many children1 and was of an open-hearted and generous disposition4 ,zogal's camp was pitched on the ruins of ,bara2 rich carpets were spread over the sand1 and there he sat1 ready to see anybody and everybody at any time of the day2 abundance of food was always ready for all his guests4 ,the only thing for which ,zogal should be blamed was his shooting to death twenty-five ,sanjaks and ,turks1 who had surrendered with ,slatin1 on the fall of ,darfur4 ,these ,sanjaks had sworn to revolt against ,mahdiism1 but had been betrayed4 ,with this exception1 he had conducted his rule with great moderation2 he did all he possibly could to further trade2 and when in ,bara ,i saw some ,french calico1 which had come from ,tunis1 vi ,wadai1 to ,darfur4 ,zogal's ,bazingers made a great impression on me2 they were a wild and turbulent lot1 capable of great marching power1 and able to support long-continued privations4 ,lupton ,bey often used to tell me of the cannibal propensities of these black warriors4 ,in many instances1 their only dress consisted of the leather bandolier1 or cartridge case1 and a big leather bag1 from which a human leg could often be seen protruding2 and in almost every bag some human flesh or bones could be found4 ,when ,i used to go to the market1 crowds of these swarthy warriors would collect to gaze on my white skin1 which1 in truth1 the sun had long since tanned to a very brown colour4 ,zogal's nine days' halt in ,bara soon came to an end4 ,news came that disturbances had occurred in ,omdurman between ,khalifas ,abdullah and ,sherif2 the latter had frequently written to ,zogal to come to ,khartum at once1 as he was most anxious to have him there4 ,news was brought at the same time that ,abu ,anga had arrived at ,el ,obeid vi ,birket2 it was rumoured that ,abu ,anga had been sent by ,abdullah to arrest ,zogal1 for it was reported that ,zogal and ,sherif had agreed to combine and wrest the authority from ,abdullah4 ,zogal was quite strong enough to overturn ,abdullah2 but unfortunately he was no soldier1 and ,abdullah had secretly won over a number of his emirs to his side4 ,abu ,anga pressed on from ,el ,obeid1 and1 arriving at ,bara1 summoned ,zogal to surrender4 ,the latter1 however1 prepared to fight2 but most of his ,bazingers and emirs went over to ,abu ,anga's side1 and he was soon left with but a few followers1 and easily fell into ,abu ,anga's hands2 he was at once put in chains and handed over to ,said ,bey ,guma1 who was at that time commander of the artillery4 ,all his property was confiscated4 ,abu ,anga did this in revenge1 for ,zogal had done exactly the same to ,said ,bey when he took possession of ,darfur4 ,zogal was now dragged in chains to ,el ,obeid1 where he was left for a year to think over his changed state4 ,his emin beit el mal1 ,ibrahim ,ramadan1 was also seized on his way to ,omdurman1 and brought back in chains to ,el ,obeid1 where he was mercilessly flogged to make him disclose the hiding-place of the money2 but nothing would induce him to tell4 ,he was subsequently taken to ,omdurman1 where ,abdullah received him well and gave him a situation in the beit el mal4 ,zogal's arrest was the signal for ill-treating all the ,khalifa ,sherif's adherents2 these were deprived of all their positions1 and were replaced by ,abdullah's nominees4 ,i had relied considerably on seeing a change for the better if this attempt of ,sherif and ,zogal to upset ,abdullah had succeeded2 but it had failed1 and we again moved on towards ,omdurman1 still further depressed by the feeling that ,abdullah was growing more and more powerful4 ,by the time we arrived near ,omdurman my camel had died2 the poor ,arab wept bitterly for his loss1 and ,i could do nothing towards repaying him4 ,on the evening of the #bdth of ,april1 #ahhf1 we encamped close to the town4 ,a fearful sandstorm was blowing1 and we were enveloped in clouds of dust--a fitting advent to the capital of the ,mahdi's empire6 ,,footnotes3 ,j ,the name given to natives of a mixed parentage2 i4e41 generally an ,egyptian or ,turkish father and a ,sudanese mother4 ,,chapter ,,xii4 ,,ohrwalder',s ,,impressions ,,of ,,omdurman4 ,ohrwalder's arrival in ,omdurman--,his first impressions of the ,dervish capital--,khalifa ,abdullah's intentions to conquer ,egypt--,wad ,suleiman of the beit el mal--,wad ,adlan succeeds--,gordon's clothes1 medals1 c4--,adlan reorganizes the beit el mal--,the slave market1 museum1 mint1 and system of coinage--,counterfeit coining--,the lithograph press--,the ,khalifa's system of justice4 ,the next morning--the #bfth of ,april1 #ahhf--we rose covered with dust from head to foot1 and by the time we had got under way again1 the sun was already high in the heavens1 and was unusually hot4 ,this was the worst season of the year4 ,the first place we came to was the ,mahdi's old camp1 which was marked by a line of mud walls4 ,from this position the fort of ,omdurman had been besieged1 and innumerable human and animal bones marked the site of this long-sustained conflict4 ,to our right lay the ,white ,nile1 flowing between its green banks1 beyond it the ,blue ,nile could just be seen1 and the ruins of ,khartum were visible behind the thick belt of palm-trees4 ,emerging from the arid deserts of ,kordofan1 the ,nile with its green banks was a most refreshing sight2 on the other hand1 the view of ,khartum in ruins awakened the saddest recollections4 ,of the vast crowd which had beset ,gordon on every side1 some were scattered far and wide1 while others had settled down around their new master in ,omdurman4 ,the little hill on the west bank just opposite to the junction of the two ,niles was called ,omdurman1 hence the name of the ,mahdiist capital4 ,previous to the revolt1 there had been merely a few huts2 but it was always considered a place of importance1 as the hills in the vicinity supplied lime and stone in quantities for building works in ,khartum4 ,in those days1 the lime-pits were in ,omdurman1 and the place where the ,mahdiist capital now stands was a thick and thorny bush--the abode of the ,batahin robbers4 ,what a change had now taken place6 ,from the old fort at the south end1 right up to ,khor ,shambat1 and even further1 the new capital extends1 a countless conglomeration of straw huts 7tokuls71 surrounded by small zaribas2 here and there a few mud huts1 some of which1 larger than the others1 denote the residences of the ,khalifas and principal emirs--they are looked upon as palaces4 ,formerly the mosque consisted merely of a square enclosure1 surrounded by a hedge2 but this had now been replaced by a wall of sun-dried bricks4 ,in the distance we could see the galvanised-iron mosque where the ,mahdi used to perform prayers4 ,the ,mahdi's original camp had been situated some kilometres' distance to the north of the fort1 where the plain widens out4 ,on our arrival we at once made inquiries about the market1 and sought news of the other ,europeans4 ,the market was a sort of maze1 and arranged with no idea of system4 ,merchants never left their goods there over-night2 but always took them to their own houses4 ,a ,greek had made a bakery1 and drove a good trade1 as long as people had money to buy4 ,there were such crowds of people that it was almost impossible to make one's way through2 there were quantities of provisions for sale1 and trade seemed very lively4 ,egyptian merchants brought their goods as far as ,ed ,damer1 whence they were brought by ,arab merchants to ,omdurman4 ,the only tax levied by the ,khalifa's order was #b-a_/b per cent4 zekka 7i4e4 alms for the poor71 and people seemed generally contented and happy4 ,there were quantities of money in the beit el mal1 and at that time there was no occasion to oppress the inhabitants4 ,there were numbers of ,greeks1 ,jews1 and ,syrians1 all of whom were doing fairly well in business4 ,i also saw ,klootz4 ,slatin at that time happened to be absent1 he was commanding some troops under the ,emir ,yunis at ,wad el ,abbas4 ,khalifa ,abdullah was full of ideas of conquest and pretensions2 he used often to announce publicly that the end of the ,turks' rule in ,egypt was approaching4 ,he was most anxious to obtain possession of that country1 and thought the time had now come4 ,several of the sheikhs and ulemas in ,cairo and in other parts of ,egypt had written to him inviting him to take possession of the country where1 they assured him1 he would be most cordially received4 ,the ,mahdi's summons and proclamations were sent in all directions4 ,pilgrims arrived from ,samarkand1 ,bokhara1 ,india1 and ,mecca1 to examine ,mahdieh with their own eyes4 ,all this tended to make ,abdullah more desirous than ever to conquer ,egypt4 ,he despatched ,nejumi and his men to ,dongola1 whilst ,yunis was instructed to collect all the men he could in the ,gezireh4 ,sherif ,mahmud's followers were also sent to ,dongola2 thus did ,abdullah dispose of the adherents of those emirs whom he knew to be hostile to him4 ,zogal once arrested1 ,abdullah had now little to fear4 ,hitherto he had treated his two brother ,khalifas1 and the ,ashraf and ,danagla with the utmost respect2 but now he conducted himself in a very different manner1 and could not bear to have anyone in the smallest degree associated with him who was of almost equal rank2 he therefore did all in his power to weaken the opposition party1 and to increase the influence of his own party4 ,the first blow he struck fell on ,ahmed ,wad ,suleiman1 emin of the beit el mal4 ,the day that we arrived in ,omdurman he was put in chains1 and his house and the beit el mal were put under guards4 ,wad ,suleiman had been one of the ,mahdi's most fanatical adherents1 and whenever he passed the ,mahdi's tomb he used to stretch out his hands and weep like a child--indeed he had every reason to do so1 for the ,mahdi had raised him from a low position to a post of great honour1 and the thought of losing this position distressed him greatly4 ,suleiman's wheel of fortune had come round at a good time1 when the amount of money in the beit el mal was considerable4 ,the immense quantities of loot taken at ,el ,obeid1 ,shikan1 ,khartum1 ,sennar1 and ,berber1 had all passed through his hands1 and any ,dervish who was in need of anything always came to him1 and in this way he acquired great influence4 ,since the ,mahdi's death there had been great enmity between ,suleiman and ,abdullah1 and on the pretext of examining the accounts1 ,abdullah had him arrested1 and intended to send him away1 while he appointed ,mohammed ,osman 7,zogal's son7 in his place4 ,in ,suleiman's house some #e1jjj grammes of unstamped gold was found1 and it is more than probable that this was but a small portion of what he had previously appropriated4 ,he was therefore thrown into chains1 where he remained for a year and more4 ,a month after his arrest1 a certain ,ibrahim ,wad ,adlan1 of ,wad ,medina1 on the ,blue ,nile1 and sometime merchant in ,el ,obeid1 was appointed emin beit el mal4 ,he had frequently been in ,cairo1 was a pleasant-looking man1 and had enlightened ideas4 ,at one time1 when a dispute arose between the commercial house of ,arbib in ,cairo1 and their two partners in ,el ,obeid1 ,adlan had been nominated arbitrator by the ,cairo house4 ,he had for long remained loyal to the ,government1 and had stayed in ,el ,obeid until it fell into the hands of the ,mahdi1 who permitted him--as a special favour--to keep #b1jjj of the #cj1jjj dollars he then had4 ,for a long time ,adlan had nothing to do2 but he was always an influential man1 and was continually trying to help those in distress4 ,after the fall of ,el ,obeid1 and when all the clerks had been exiled to various parts1 he never ceased until he obtained permission for their return4 ,a short time before the ,mahdi had quitted ,el ,obeid1 he had been employed in the beit el mal1 and at ,rahad1 ,wad ,suleiman had appointed him his assistant4 ,he was then despatched by the ,mahdi to ,berber1 to secure the #fj1jjj which had been sent to ,gordon from ,cairo1 and which had been left in the ,berber treasury1 owing to the interruption of communications with ,khartum4 ,ibrahim brought the money1 clothes1 medals1 decorations1 and other valuables belonging to ,gordon to the ,mahdi4 ,the clothes were sold1 and cut to pieces to repair other garments1 the metal of the medals1 c41 was melted down1 whilst the precious stones were sold1 and eventually found their way to ,cairo4 ,adlan soon gained considerable influence over the ,khalifa1 and had sufficient tact to moderate the inborn tyranny of his master4 ,his desire to continually give assistance when he could1 had made him very popular4 ,he soon set to work to reorganize the beit el mal1 and began by removing it from its original position to the river bank1 thus avoiding the unnecessary transport of articles brought by boats to the stores4 ,here he built an extensive yard of sun-dried bricks1 which he divided off into sections for the various departments of the administration4 ,he made a large corn-store1 in which a mountain of dhurra was collected--indeed1 so high was it1 that it could be seen from a considerable distance4 ,this store was placed in charge of his assistant4 ,another yard was built containing a number of rooms1 in which the slaves were kept under a guard of soldiers4 ,here the slaves were shackled1 twenty or thirty together in one long chain1 with iron rings round their necks4 ,any obstreperous slaves were generally shackled with one or two makias or iron rings round their ankles1 joined together by a small chain or iron bar1 which made walking very difficult4 ,slaves received a little dry dhurra from the beit el mal as food until they were sold4 ,the female slaves generally grind the dhurra1 and make a sort of polenta out of it1 which is either eaten with water or boiled and eaten as balila4 ,the dhurra ration of a slave is generally so small and so bad that numbers of them die of starvation long before they are fortunate enough to be sold4 ,slaves are sold by auction in the beit el mal1 and a written certificate is given to the purchaser1 stating in detail the description of the slave1 whether male or female1 and that the purchase was effected in the beit el mal4 ,before an auction the slaves are generally well rubbed with oil1 to improve their appearance4 ,the bulk of the slaves sold are females1 as male slaves are generally attached to the army4 ,a special woman is also employed1 together with the other officials1 to see to the female slaves4 ,adlan also railed off a part of the beit el mal for the reception of cattle--camels1 sheep1 goats1 donkeys1 c42 these are also sold by auction4 ,illustration3 ,a ,,slave ,,woman ,,from ,,equatoria4 ,the ,mint forms a distinct sub-department4 ,when the ,mahdi was alive1 gold and silver coins were struck by his order1 not so much to supply the demand1 but rather to prove his independence of ,egypt and the establishment of his new kingdom4 ,he ordered guineas to be coined1 just like the ,egyptian pounds2 they were made out of the gold ornaments captured in ,khartum4 ,dollars were coined1 and made similar to the ,turkish ,medjidie dollar4 ,a certain ,hajji ,abdullah ,granteli1 of ,bokhara1 formerly jeweller in ,khartum1 and ,elias el ,kurdi1 watchmaker1 were made chief coiners4 ,in #ahhi the latter lost his hand and foot for issuing counterfeit money4 ,almost all coins bearing the stamp1 ,by order of the ,mahdi1 have disappeared4 ,when ,i arrived in ,omdurman there was a great scarcity of small coins1 and in consequence pieces of damur 7a twilled cotton fabric manufactured in the ,sudan71 valued at ten1 five1 and two and a half piastres1 were made currency2 but these rags soon became so dirty1 from being passed from hand to hand1 and so covered with oil and grease1 that people refused to accept them4 ,khalifa ,abdullah1 when he heard of this1 threatened those who refused with confiscation of property and imprisonment1 and employed spies in various parts of the market to report the names of those who objected2 but the spies were bribed to keep silence1 and ,abdullah was obliged to give in4 ,merchants had recourse to every sort of deception to evade his orders1 so the dirty rags were withdrawn from currency4 ,adlan had organized the ,mint rather with the object of making a profit than of supplying a want4 ,silver was cheap1 and he was able to make #ej per cent4 profit on the manufacture of dollars4 ,at that time gold coinage was no longer current4 ,on one side of the dollars was stamped the ,mohammedan date1 with the words1 ,struck in ,omdurman1 while on the reverse was the ,sultan's ,toghra1 underneath which was written the word1 ,makbul 7accepted72 hence the dollar became known as the ,makbul dollar4 ,pieces of five and ten piastres value were also coined1 as well as a few single piastre pieces1 on one side of which was stamped the ,toghra1 and on the other the word ,omdurman4 ,the ,mahdi on his coins had written1 within the ,toghra1 the words1 ,by order of the ,mahdi1 but ,khalifa ,abdullah did not follow his example4 ,besides these coins1 ,english sovereigns were also current in ,omdurman1 and were known as khayala 7cavalry7 pounds1 on account of the ,st4 ,george and the dragon being engraved on them4 ,egyptian pounds were also current1 but now all gold coins have become rare4 ,the principal currency is the ,medjidie dollar1 and these have been in such constant use that they are much obliterated4 ,the ,maria ,theresa dollar 7also known as the ,abu ,nokta7 is current as well1 but chiefly with ,sawakin1 ,massawa1 and ,abyssinian traders1 and notably with the last4 ,the ,french #e-;franc-piece and the ,spanish dollar 7known as ,abu ,madfa7 are current in a very minor degree4 ,egyptian piastres and half-piastres1 introduced by the ,hicks ,expedition1 are occasionally seen4 ,the ,austrian quarter-gulden piece 7fiorini7 is considered to be worth #b piastres4 ,in addition to all these silver pieces1 copper coins of all descriptions are current4 ,the ,khalifa ,abdullah had no small trouble in circulating the ,makbul dollar2 the merchants refused to value them at #bj piastres1 and1 in spite of most stringent orders1 and continued threats of confiscation of property1 imprisonment1 c41 the order was somehow continually evaded4 ,merchants set high prices on their goods1 and would never accept until the buyer had shown all the different sorts of dollars he possessed2 he was thus obliged to do this or to buy at exorbitant rates4 ,complaints became rife1 and eventually they reached ,abdullah's ears4 ,he got very angry1 and one day in ,october #ahhg1 he sent troops to the market with instructions to bring all the goods in the market to the beit el mal4 ,it was useless to resist2 the owners were obliged to look after their own goods1 which were piled up near the big gate of the beit el mal1 in the open1 and under a burning sun4 ,abdullah was now raging1 and publicly made the following curious statement3-- ,that unbeliever ,gordon induced merchants to accept miserable bits of paper as equivalents for money1 and now ,i offer you silver and you won't even take it4 ,for fourteen days these wretched people sat by the gate1 trembling for their property4 ,all sorts of rumours were flying about4 ,some said that the ,khalifa intended to throw all the goods into the river2 others said that he was going to burn them1 and perhaps the most likely notion of all was that he intended to confiscate the lot and transfer it to the beit el mal4 ,by this time the merchants were thoroughly alarmed1 and begged some of their influential friends to mediate with the ,khalifa4 ,at length the latter summoned the principal merchants1 and asked them if they would accept the ,makbul dollar at the value of the old dollar1 whereupon they not only accepted gladly1 but declared their readiness to accept any sort of money he chose to issue1 even should it be made of leather4 ,thus was a reconciliation effected4 ,the ,khalifa treated the merchants well1 gave them plenty of food1 and condescended even to eat with them on this festive occasion4 ,after this episode there were no more difficulties about making the ,makbul dollar current in ,omdurman1 though to this day the ,arabs refuse to accept it4 ,but gradually silver became dear1 and the ,mint began coining bad dollars1 made of two parts silver to three parts copper2 consequently the value of the old dollar has now gone up to #be piastres4 ,this gave further opportunities to the counterfeit coiners4 ,the silver-workers in the ,mint began making dollars on their own account1 and1 those being different from the others1 caused great confusion4 ,these false dollars were very well coined1 and it required a practised eye to notice the deception2 indeed1 it was not until a very large quantity of these false coins had got into circulation that the fraud was found out4 ,an inspector was now sent to examine all dollars2 all false coins were broken into pieces1 and no compensation given to the owners4 ,thieves and smugglers purchased the bad dollars at #aj piastres apiece1 and then1 of course1 every description of bribery and corruption was practised4 ,for instance1 an ,arab would agree to sell his camel for #aej dollars1 on condition that the money should be submitted to the examining commission4 ,the president1 who was of course bribed1 gave out as his decision that the dollars were all good1 and received a good round sum from the purchaser for his falsehood2 thus it happened that the ,arab was generally defrauded of #dj or #ej dollars4 ,in spite of several false coiners being punished with the loss of a hand and foot1 still the evil practice continued1 and it is only within the last few years1 since the price of silver has increased so much1 that false coining has1 to a great extent1 ceased4 ,a printing and lithograph press was also established in the beit el mal2 it had originally been set up in ,khartum1 and was now used for pulling off numbers of ,mahdi proclamations4 ,several ,ratibs1 or ,mahdi's book of prayers1 were also printed and distributed4 ,a museum of curios also formed part of the beit el mal4 ,it is known as the ,beit el ,antikat1 and contains numbers of interesting things1 such as trophies from ,darfur1 ,abyssinia1 and ,egypt4 ,the ,abyssinian section is the largest1 and includes ,king ,john's throne4 ,amongst the ,darfur articles are the robes of ,sultan ,yusef and of the ,sultan of ,masalit4 ,the robe of one of the ,ababdeh sheikhs1 who was made a ,bey by the ,government1 and then came to ,omdurman and submitted to the ,mahdi1 represents ,egypt4 ,the beit el mal also contains a dispensary1 in charge of an ,egyptian doctor2 here are numbers of shelves1 laden with medicines1 which have long since gone bad1 but the doctor has taken entirely to native remedies1 of which cauterization and burning are the most usual4 ,amongst the ,khartum survivors was a certain ,greek soap-boiler1 who had established a soap manufactory in the beit el mal1 and had handed over to it his large supplies of soda2 but gradually other private individuals began to establish soap works1 and soon they began to sell soap so cheaply that all the beit el mal customers came to them4 ,the consequence was that the ,khalifa at once issued an order that the beit el mal held the soap-boiling monopoly1 and anyone who infringed this rule would lose one hand1 and all his property would be confiscated4 ,a careful system of accounts was elaborated in the beit el mal showing all revenue and expenditure4 ,if an expedition is ordered to any part of the country1 money1 clothing1 and other necessaries must be supplied from the beit el mal4 ,the staff to work this large administration consists of an emin beit el mal1 his assistant1 head clerk1 and a host of smaller officials and clerks4 ,when the merchants refused to accept the ,makbul dollar the staff was increased1 as at that time the whole of the boats and canoes were also confiscated4 ,of these there were upwards of #a1jjj1 and they were eventually hired out by the beit el mal4 ,wad ,adlan always tried to secure for the beit el mal the services of those clerks who had formerly served under the ,government2 but this plan did not please the ,khalifa4 ,adlan naturally preferred the old clerks1 who thoroughly understood their work2 besides1 they were terrified of the ,dervishes1 and thus did not dare to cheat4 ,on the whole1 ,adlan's administration was very good1 and he received the ,khalifa's thanks4 ,abdullah now turned his attention to reorganizing the system of justice4 ,hitherto1 and during the ,mahdi's lifetime1 the office of ,kadi had continued1 but the ,ashraf 7,mahdi's relations7 also acted in the capacity of judges1 and the result was the greatest possible confusion4 ,for instance1 supposing a man was sentenced by the judge1 ,sayid ,abdel ,kader 7the ,sheikh el ,islam7 would immediately pardon him4 ,abdullah1 not unnaturally1 wanted to change this anomaly1 not so much in the interests of justice as to break down the power and authority of the ,ashraf4 ,he therefore nominated ,kadi ,ahmed as the ,kadi el ,islam1 and appointed a number of assistant judges1 whom he called ,nuab4 ,it was ruled that everyone1 old and young1 should report all causes of dispute to the ,grand ,kadi1 and it was his duty to look into it and give a decision4 ,kadi ,ahmed is a particularly good man1 and gives protection to the white people1 more especially when they are attacked and abused by the native populace4 ,he is1 however1 of rather a vacillating1 timorous disposition1 and is therefore a pliable instrument in the ,khalifa's hands2 consequently there is often a miscarriage of justice4 ,thus did the ,khalifa secure1 in his own person1 the right to pardon or to convict1 and thus he became absolute master of life and death4 ,as for the law1 he only appealed to it when it suited his own convenience2 on every other occasion he absolutely ignored it4 ,,chapter ,,xiii4 ,,the ,,khalifa ,,decides ,,to ,,conquer ,,abyssinia4 ,events subsequent to the fall of ,khartum--,capture of ,gedaref and ,galabat--,dervishes defeated by ,abyssinians at ,galabat--,abu ,anga's victorious expedition to ,tagalla--,his triumphant return to ,omdurman--,the ,khalifa's grand review--,destruction of the ,gehena tribe--,the ,khalifa decides to send ,abu ,anga's army to conquer ,abyssinia--,the battle of ,dabra ,sin--,abu ,anga sacks ,gondar--,the victorious ,dervishes return to ,galabat--,rejoicings at ,omdurman4 ,the preceding pages have given a glimpse of ,omdurman1 the new ,dervish capital of the ,sudan2 let us now turn briefly to the military events which had occurred since the fall of ,khartum4 ,whilst ,khartum was besieged on all sides1 so also were the various other garrisons still holding out1 closely beset4 ,gedaref1 also known as ,suk ,abu ,sin1 the name of the patriarchal sheikh of the ,shukrieh tribe1 was situated in the midst of a fertile plain which produced such quantities of corn that it was the common saying1 three camel-loads could be sold for half a dollar4 ,the ground was so productive that anything could be grown4 ,there was no want of water4 ,the ,greeks and several ,egyptians had made gardens1 in which there was found every description of fruit-tree2 grapes grew in abundance1 and were of particularly good quality2 they were to be had all the year round2 for it was of no consequence in what month the vines were pruned4 ,quantities of sesame were also grown as well as a special kind of dhurra1 with a sweet stalk1 from which a substance something like honey was extracted4 ,water-melons1 cotton1 tobacco1 and all sorts of vegetables were grown in the greatest profusion1 and everything was of exceptionally good quality4 ,the garrison of ,gedaref consisted of only two hundred men1 and on being summoned by the ,jaalin to surrender1 they did so1 in ,april #ahhd4 ,this is hardly to be wondered at1 for the inhabitants of ,gedaref are1 for the most part1 ,jaalin1 and resistance would1 under such circumstances1 have been next to impossible4 ,the principal merchants were permitted to keep their goods1 and the change of hands did not1 for the moment1 greatly alter the situation2 but we shall see1 later1 what became of this rich and valuable province after a prolonged ,dervish occupation4 ,as regards ,galabat1 the difficulties were considerably greater4 ,this town was situated about six days' journey from ,gedaref1 and was the residence of the well-known ,takruri1 ,saleh ,bey ,shanga1 who was ,mamur of the district4 ,this brave official remained loyal to the ,government throughout1 and was bitterly opposed to ,mahdiism4 ,he succeeded in gaining the friendship of the neighbouring ,abyssinian tribes1 and1 through their assistance1 inflicted great losses on the ,dervishes4 ,in ,november #ahhd1 he severely defeated the besieging ,jaalin2 but a few days later1 the ,dervishes1 being heavily reinforced1 beset him very closely4 ,through the intermediary of the ,english1 ,king ,john sent a relieving force of ,abyssinians1 which reached the vicinity of ,galabat on the #bgth of ,january1 #ahhe2 and making known their approach to ,saleh1 the latter made a sortie1 while at the same time the ,dervishes were heavily attacked by the ,abyssinians1 who drove them off1 thus enabling the entire garrison1 men1 women1 and children1 to escape2 they marched vi ,gondar to ,massawa1 under the protection of an ,abyssinian force4 ,galabat was subsequently occupied by the ,dervishes1 who collected here in great force under the ,emir ,wad ,arbab4 ,meanwhile1 ,saleh ,bey1 who was now staying with ,ras ,adal1 the chief of ,amhara1 was not idle1 and was continually urging him to take possession of ,galabat2 he was shortly afterwards joined by the ,fiki ,medawi1 formerly a wild1 fanatical adherent of the ,mahdi1 and who1 together with ,abu ,girgeh1 had been one of the first to lay siege to ,gordon in ,khartum2 this man1 after the ,mahdi's death1 began to find out that he had been following an imposture1 and fled from ,omdurman2 he stayed in ,abyssinia for a time1 and eventually reached ,cairo4 ,abdullah was furious at his flight1 and put a number of his friends in chains1 believing that ,fiki ,medawi had been instrumental in pushing on ,ras ,adal to attack ,galabat4 ,shortly after the festival of the ,three holy kings1 in commemoration of the baptism of our ,saviour in ,jordan1 known as ,ghittas1 which means immersion 7on this occasion--the #eth of ,january--a cross is always immersed in the river72 ,ras ,adal1 having collected a large army1 amounting1 it is said1 to #ajj1jjj men1 of whom #bj1jjj were horsemen1 advanced across the mountains and descended on ,galabat4 ,sheikh ,egeil1 of the ,hamran ,arabs1 who had always been loyal to the ,egyptian ,government1 and had combated ,mahdiism continuously1 also joined ,ras ,adal1 and entered ,dervish territory4 ,wad ,arbab1 who had received full information of the ,abyssinian movements1 was awaiting their attack1 strongly entrenched within ,galabat4 ,he had #af1jjj well-seasoned troops1 mostly ,jaalin1 and a quantity of rifles and ammunition4 ,in a few minutes the ,abyssinian cavalry1 dashing down with wild impetuosity1 completely surrounded ,wad ,arbab2 the fight did not last long2 the ,dervishes were driven out1 pursued in all directions1 and ,galabat was soon in flames4 ,arbab's men could not face the wild rush of the ,abyssinians1 and fell in great numbers2 the high wind caused the flames to spread with terrible rapidity1 and soon the powder magazine blew up with a terrific report1 burying hundreds in its ruins2 amongst these was a ,greek who had come from ,sawakin the year before to ,omdurman1 where he was imprisoned for a time1 then released1 and came to ,galabat1 hoping to escape into ,abyssinia1 just a few days before this fight which took place in ,january #ahhg4 ,the ,abyssinians captured a large number of women and children1 whom they dragged off as slaves4 ,a few months prior to this action1 ,gustav ,klootz had died in ,galabat4 ,he had left ,omdurman in ,september #ahhf1 for ,galabat1 intending to escape into ,abyssinia2 but having no money1 he was forced to walk the entire distance1 and the great fatigue he had undergone made him seriously ill2 he lingered on for a time1 but eventually died2 and perhaps it was fortunate that he did die1 for only a few days afterwards an order arrived from the ,khalifa ,abdullah at ,gedaref1 ordering him to be thrown into chains and brought back to ,omdurman1 where a miserable death awaited him4 ,whilst the ,abyssinians were attacking ,galabat1 ,sheikh ,egeil fell upon ,doka1 a place situated between ,galabat and ,gedaref1 which he succeeded in capturing1 and putting its inhabitants to the sword4 ,the ,abyssinians now returned to their own country1 after having sacked and pillaged ,galabat1 which they left absolutely empty4 ,the disaster at ,galabat was a great blow to the ,dervishes2 ,abdullah now appointed his nephew ,yunis as emir of the district1 and ordered him to reoccupy the town4 ,yunis1 on his return from ,wad el ,abbas1 had encamped south of ,omdurman ,fort1 at a place which is still known as ,dem ,yunis2 his force consisted of about #a1jjj men1 armed with ,remingtons1 and #b1jjj sword-and spearmen1 of whom the majority had been amongst the ,mahdi's original followers at ,abba4 ,abdullah himself now crossed over to ,khojali1 and led ,yunis's troops for some distance4 ,the equipment and transport of the force were not expensive items2 each man received about half a dollar2 and perhaps that was sufficient1 for the troops always plundered the villages for their food as they went along4 ,yunis marched direct to ,abu ,haraz1 on the ,blue ,nile1 and thence followed the ,khor ,rahad up to ,galabat1 which he found quite empty and deserted4 ,he now settled down1 and1 to his credit1 he occasionally made raids into ,abyssinia1 destroyed a few villages and churches1 and sent the ornaments he took to ,omdurman4 ,this so delighted the ,khalifa that he dubbed him ,mismar ed ,din 7or the ,nail of ,religion71 and had special poems about his deeds sung in his presence4 ,but soon ,yunis abandoned hostilities1 and guaranteed free passes to merchants travelling in the country2 the ,abyssinians believed in these assurances of peace1 and descended into the ,galabat plain at various times in the year1 bringing with them for sale thousands of mules1 donkeys1 and horses1 also quantities of coffee1 garlic1 lentils1 beans1 wax1 and honey4 ,things went on quite peaceably for some time2 but one day ,yunis suddenly fell on all the merchants collected within their zariba1 killed numbers of them1 seized their goods1 and sent off about #a1jjj of them as prisoners to ,omdurman4 ,several died of starvation on the journey1 and on their arrival in ,omdurman the remainder were released1 but had to go about the markets begging their bread4 ,it frequently happened that they would take shelter for the night in the merchants' empty stalls2 and on the latter arriving with their goods in the morning1 they would find their shops full of dead and dying ,abyssinians2 afterwards1 slaves were left by the merchants to guard the shops and prevent these miserable creatures from making use of them4 ,these wretched1 gaunt1 half-starved people used sometimes to come to us to beg for food2 they knew no ,arabic1 but knowing that we were ,christians1 they would repeat that word1 or sometimes ,wad ,maryam 7,mary's child7 to excite our pity4 ,their wretched condition at length reached the ,khalifa's ears1 and he ordered the beit el mal to take charge of them2 the emin beit el mal now sent a crier to the market to warn all ,abyssinians that if they came to the beit el mal they would receive assistance4 ,the poor starving creatures dragged themselves there1 but were still kept two or three days without food2 numbers of them died1 and their bodies were thrown into the river1 whilst the remainder were at last given a miserable pittance of dhurra1 which served to keep body and soul together for a time2 but these1 too1 at length succumbed to starvation2 and after that1 ,i never saw an ,abyssinian prisoner again4 ,in ,july #ahhg1 ,khalifa ,abdullah wrote a letter to ,king ,john1 offering to make peace1 on condition that he would become a ,moslem1 and that he would return all the women and children he had captured1 but more especially was he to surrender the persons of ,saleh ,bey1 ,fiki ,medawi1 and the ,sheikh el ,egeil4 ,if he refused to accept these terms he must expect war4 ,king ,john did not deign to reply4 ,during the feast of ,bairam on the #cast of ,july1 #ahhg1 ,khalifa ,abdullah summoned ,abu ,anga to ,omdurman1 and here ,i must give a short description of this renowned warrior4 ,hamdan ,abu ,anga had been a slave1 and had been brought up in the ,khalifa ,abdullah's household2 he had been well treated by his master1 and was eventually looked upon as a member of the family1 a custom which was formerly in vogue amongst the ,baggara1 ,rizighat1 and ,taisha tribes4 ,in fact1 these ,arabs used not infrequently to give their daughters in marriage to their slaves4 ,it was amongst the ,baggara that ,abu ,anga had first learnt to ride on horseback and to go out hunting1 and it was from them that he had acquired such dexterity in handling and throwing spears1 for which he had frequent opportunities in the continual raids which took place on neighbouring tribes4 ,abu ,anga had taken part in the campaigns against ,zubeir ,pasha1 by whom he and his entire family had been captured1 but subsequently released4 ,when the ,mahdi declared himself he joined with his master1 ,abdullah4 ,during the siege of ,el ,obeid little was known or heard of him1 but after the fall of that city ,khalifa ,abdullah handed over to him the charge of all captive soldiers in ,el ,obeid1 as well as in other places4 ,the astute ,khalifa had for long had his eye on these blacks1 whose fighting powers he well knew1 and he was most desirous to bring them under his direct control1 and utilize them4 ,previous to the ,hicks ,expedition ,abu ,anga had already secured a number of them1 and they were largely instrumental in compassing the complete downfall of that ill-fated army4 ,then1 again1 his blacks had shown the greatest bravery in their campaigns against ,jebel ,dair1 when they had acquired a great name for themselves1 and1 finally1 it was through their means that ,gordon's ,fort of ,omdurman had been compelled to surrender4 ,after the fall of ,khartum these brave but undisciplined troops1 having no more fighting to do1 took to highway robbery4 ,numbers of them hovered about in the desert a few hours' distance from ,omdurman1 and amused themselves by falling on caravans coming from ,kordofan or ,berber1 and pillaging and killing to their heart's content4 ,their depredations became so constant that the ,mahdi decided that he must employ them somewhere1 so he ordered ,abu ,anga to proceed with them to the still independent ,dar ,nuba country1 which he was to conquer1 and obtain from thence recruits for his ,jehadieh1 or ,black ,army4 ,but there was also another reason which induced the ,mahdi to undertake this campaign4 ,during the siege of ,omdurman a certain ,baggara ,sheikh1 of ,birket1 named ,noaa1 deserted1 and gathering a number of malcontents in ,dar ,nuba1 he defied the ,mahdi's authority4 ,when ,i was at ,el ,obeid there were all sorts of strange stories current about the doings of ,noaa1 who had gathered numbers of horsemen from the ,howazma and ,miserieh tribes1 and had made himself decidedly formidable4 ,all those disappointed slave-hunters and slave-dealers who--annoyed with the suppression of their trade by the ,egyptian ,government--had flocked in numbers to the ,mahdi's standard1 now had begun to find out that they were rather worse off than before1 and were1 in reality1 little better than the ,mahdi's slaves4 ,these people sought every occasion to desert to ,noaa4 ,abu ,anga therefore received orders to hunt him down and annihilate him4 ,he collected his men1 quitted the now debauched and pleasure-loving ,omdurman1 and proceeded to the ,tagalla ,mountain1 at the foot of which he encamped4 ,after the death of ,king ,adam1 his followers had again thrown off the ,dervish yoke and were now in open revolt2 against these ,abu ,anga conducted several successful expeditions1 and captured numbers of slaves1 but suffered some loss as well4 ,as long as ,abu ,anga was in the neighbourhood1 ,tagalla was more or less in a state of submission2 but the moment he moved off they again broke out into active opposition4 ,abu ,anga now advanced on ,noaa1 whose adherents1 alarmed by the presence of the soldiers1 dispersed4 ,these blacks are greatly feared in the ,sudan1 not only on account of their great bravery in battle1 but also it is well known that they are merciless to their conquered enemies4 ,sheikh ,noaa was eventually secured and thrown into chains1 and a few days later he died of small-pox4 ,abu ,anga attacked almost all the ,nuba mountains2 at times he was successful1 at other times he suffered reverses4 ,tolodi1 ,gedir1 and lastly ,nama1 were scenes of bloody combats1 and at the last-named place ,abu ,anga1 in spite of his artillery--which was commanded by ,said ,bey ,guma--was heavily defeated and driven back4 ,one of ,abu ,anga's most capable assistants was ,abdullah ,wad ,ibrahim1 who1 on account of his unparalleled cruelties1 made ,abu ,anga's name a terror throughout the land4 ,abu ,anga was now recalled from his campaign by ,khalifa ,abdullah to take possession of ,zogal and his army1 who was then on his way from ,darfur to ,bara4 ,we have seen how rapidly and skilfully he carried out this order4 ,now all that was left for ,abu ,anga to do was to punish the mutinous troops of ,el ,obeid who had killed ,sherif ,mahmud4 ,wad ,ibrahim was sent on this duty1 and after a severe fight1 in which numbers were killed on both sides1 he succeeded in capturing several of the mutineers1 whom he attached to his troops2 but some of them escaped to the ,nubas1 and ,wad ,ibrahim proceeded in consequence to ,golfan-,nama1 which he besieged1 took1 and reduced the inhabitants to slavery2 the heads of ,bishir and three other leaders were sent to ,omdurman1 where they were exposed for a month on the gallows as a warning to all mutinous-minded persons4 ,by all these various actions ,abu ,anga had succeeded in adding considerably to the numbers of his troops1 and he moreover drilled them constantly and instilled a spirit of discipline which had been hitherto unknown--thus he raised up a power which it was almost impossible to defeat4 ,khalifa ,abdullah now sent instructions to ,abu ,anga to return to ,omdurman in time for the ,bairam festival1 and at the same time he sent orders to all the inhabitants of the ,gezireh and ,nile ,valley to collect at ,omdurman for a great review4 ,abu ,anga1 as usual1 complied with the order with alacrity1 and making forced marches1 vi ,tayara1 ,shatt1 and ,om ,sadik1 he reached ,omdurman in a very short time4 ,abdullah sent numbers of emirs to meet and welcome him4 ,in ,omdurman the only topic of conversation was about ,abu ,anga and his great army4 ,the ,khalifa himself also prepared a magnificent reception for his faithful general1 in which he strove to do him all possible honour4 ,on the night preceding the great festival1 criers were sent through ,omdurman announcing that any one who failed to present himself at the great review the following morning would be seriously dealt with2 this order was willingly complied with1 and at the foot of the hills near ,kerreri were assembled enormous crowds1 who waited--as the malcontents said--on the pleasure of that slave1 ,abu ,anga4 ,the guns had all been drawn out in line the evening before1 and the festival was ushered in by prolonged salutes4 ,in the meantime ,abu ,anga had arrived at ,om ,sadik1 where a careful inspection was made to see that no one was in possession of unlawful booty2 numbers of female slaves were found1 who were subsequently sent to the beit el mal4 ,he then moved on to his camp near ,omdurman1 and prepared to make his formal entry the following morning4 ,by the time the sun had well risen1 the ,dervishes were assembled in endless lines under their various flags4 ,khalifa ,abdullah left his residence accompanied by his bodyguard2 he was mounted on a magnificent camel1 and advanced to the sound of the great onbea trumpet4 ,abu ,anga1 mounted on a pony and clad in a casque and coat-of-mail1 now advanced to meet him1 and his magnificent figure created no small impression on the assembled multitudes4 ,his bodyguard1 consisting of his very best soldiers1 accompanied him1 as well as a number of mukuddums4 ,on approaching the ,khalifa he adroitly dismounted and kissed his hands2 he was warmly greeted1 and ordered to mount again4 ,then the march past began4 ,upwards of #ca1jjj black troops1 armed with ,remingtons and formed up in long lines1 went by to the sound of drums and trumpets2 but the latter1 on which the players attempted to produce some specially ,dervish music1 raised the most discordant sounds1 which gave an intensely comic aspect to the whole proceeding4 ,each emir1 with his flag1 rode at the head of his division2 the chief emirs were ,ibrahim ,wad ,abdullah1 ,nur ,angara1 ,zeki ,tummal1 and ,ibrahim ,wad ,abu ,tagalla4 ,when the ,jehadieh had passed1 the sword-and spearmen followed1 some #bj1jjj in number2 then came the inhabitants of ,omdurman in countless numbers4 ,there could not have been less than #fj1jjj4 ,after the march past all were formed up again1 and then the ,khalifa1 dismounting from his camel1 stood on his sheepskin and conducted prayers4 ,the shout of ,allahu ,akbar from over #ajj1jjj throats was impressive in the extreme1 and1 as the sound rolled down the immense lines1 it was echoed again and again through the hills1 lasting for over a minute after each shout4 ,on the conclusion of prayers the guns pealed forth salutes1 and such wild fanaticism and enthusiasm prevailed that several men dashed up to the very muzzles of the guns and were blown to pieces4 ,of course the ,khalifa announced that the souls of these stupid people had gone straight to paradise4 ,the salutes over1 the lines were once more inspected1 and then all the flags were collected in one place1 in the centre of which stood the ,khalifa2 this was the signal for the whole force to gather around and vie with one another in their shouts of loyalty that they would die a hundred times over for him and his cause4 ,khalifa ,abdullah became so wildly impressed by the enthusiasm of these savage hordes that he could scarcely contain himself1 and it was as much as his bodyguard could do to keep the impetuous crowds from crushing him to death4 ,numbers were bruised and kicked by the horses2 but they were left quite unnoticed--a mere remark1 ,umru ,khalas 7,it is the end of his life71 was all the sympathy these heartless men ever offered4 ,from that day to this ,i do not think the ,khalifa has ever had such an ovation4 ,at that time ,omdurman was unusually full1 trade was brisk1 and it was thought that he would now undertake the invasion of ,egypt4 ,but1 as it soon transpired1 he had still a good deal of work to do in the ,sudan itself4 ,one enemy he undoubtedly had--this was ,el ,merhdi ,abu ,rof1 a descendant of the ancient ,kings of ,sennar and sheikh of the great ,gehena tribe1 which1 amongst the mass of ,arabs allied to the ,mahdi1 had persistently held aloof4 ,this tribe possessed a large number of camels of a curious dark-coloured breed1 and also quantities of gray-coloured cows4 ,el ,merhdi had instigated a purely local movement of his own against the ,government1 and had once besieged and set fire to ,sennar2 long before ,abu ,anga's arrival he had shown hostility to the ,khalifa1 and had annihilated a number of small ,dervish garrisons2 his power extended as far as ,karkoj1 and he levied taxes on all boats going north4 ,for a long time the ,khalifa had let him alone1 but now finding himself in possession of such an enormous force1 he decided to attack ,el ,merhdi1 more especially as at this time his audacity considerably endangered the navigation of the ,blue ,nile1 from whence ,omdurman drew its main supplies of corn4 ,he therefore despatched ,ismail ,wad el ,andok up the ,blue ,nile1 while ,abdullah ,wad ,ibrahim was sent up the ,white ,nile4 ,el ,merhdi1 attacked thus on both sides1 was powerless2 he was unable to withstand the advance of the victorious black troops1 and he and almost all his ,arabs were killed4 ,el ,merhdi's head was sent to ,omdurman1 where it was exposed for a long time on the gallows1 and was at last thrown into the pit in which lay the heads of ,bishir and those who had been slain with him4 ,thus one by one did the ,khalifa's enemies become subdued4 ,the vengeance wreaked on the unfortunate ,gehena tribe by the ,dervishes is almost beyond description4 ,the property of the survivors was seized1 men1 women1 and children were dragged off to ,omdurman1 and there1 naked and helpless1 they were left to starve on the river bank4 ,one would see wretched mothers of three or four children1 who looked just like skeletons1 miserably abandoned in a place utterly unknown1 and subject to the insults and indignities of the proud and cruel ,dervishes4 ,numbers of them1 especially children1 died of starvation1 whilst those who still had sufficient strength would wander about begging their bread2 if any one had money enough he would buy a waterskin1 and would go half a mile to the river1 fill it1 carry it back and sell it in the market for a quarter of a piastre2 thus they eked out a miserable existence4 ,men who but lately had ridden on good horses and had owned hundreds of camels were reduced to this mode of gaining their livelihood1 whilst poor women could be seen1 with babies at their breasts1 toiling under the heavy weight of a filled waterskin towards the market-place2 then they had no rest1 for in the evening they had to grind the dhurra and make a sort of pap which the poor little mouths of their infants could hardly masticate2 they had but one meal in the twenty-four hours4 ,it was impossible not to be struck by the mother's love of these poor people for their offspring1 and at the same time to feel bitterly incensed against the ,khalifa and his cruel followers who could thus intentionally inflict on people of their own race such untold cruelties4 ,thousands of ,gehena camels were brought to ,omdurman and sold at low prices2 thus was the wealth of their country utterly destroyed1 and now the terrible famine1 which was so soon to fall upon the land1 was close at hand4 ,in the meantime ,abdullah was considering with his advisers the desirability of permitting war to break out with ,abyssinia4 ,the great power of which he now felt himself possessed inclined him to war1 and of course the majority of his emirs1 whose sole desire was to pander to his will1 agreed with him4 ,then news reached ,yunis that ,ras ,adal was making gigantic preparations2 this finally decided ,abdullah to wage war1 and with this object in view1 he despatched his faithful ,abu ,anga to conduct the operations4 ,the three ,khalifas1 ,abu ,anga's brother ,abdel ,maula1 who commanded the ,jehadieh in ,omdurman1 and several other important people embarked on the steamer and proceeded to the east bank1 where ,abdullah himself led off the troops4 ,for some days before1 every boat had been requisitioned for transport1 and these were now laden with provisions for the army2 but what with overloading and the strength of the current1 several foundered and numbers of persons were drowned2 however1 this was of little consequence1 for human life is of small value among the ,dervishes4 ,the troops advanced in divisions along the banks of the ,nile1 and before finally taking leave of them the ,khalifa addressed ,abu ,anga and his emirs1 urging them to be ever united1 and to keep always before them the rewards which would be theirs on their return1 promising them the divine help of the ,mahdi and a certainty of victory4 ,this speech was delivered in such an impressive manner that there were few dry eyes amongst these hardy warriors1 and the ,khalifa himself was by no means ignorant of the gravity of the step he had now taken1 for ,abyssinia was looked upon as even a more powerful country than ,egypt4 ,abu ,anga followed his troops in a steamer as far as ,abu ,haraz1 near which the ,khor ,rahad joins the ,nile1 and which during the winter is quite full and navigable almost up to ,galabat4 ,some time before1 ,abdullah ,wad ,ibrahim and ,ismail ,wad el ,andok had been sent to collect people in the ,gezireh2 they now joined ,abu ,anga1 whose entire force numbered #ha1jjj men4 ,after a short halt at ,galabat1 ,abu ,anga advanced into ,abyssinian territory1 leaving ,wad ,ali in ,galabat4 ,making forced marches1 the troops made their way over hills and across valleys1 through the most rugged country4 ,numbers died of exhaustion1 but still they continued to move on2 they met with no opposition1 the villages through which they passed were deserted1 and wherever they went they found provisions in abundance4 ,this magnificent country was a source of intense astonishment to the ,dervishes4 ,meanwhile ,ras ,adal had collected his forces in the great plain of ,dabra ,sin1 some six days' journey from ,galabat1 and here he patiently awaited ,abu ,anga's advance4 ,as the ,dervishes approached1 numbers of the ,gezireh troops who could not keep up with the force lagged behind1 and were invariably killed or mutilated by the ,abyssinians4 ,abu ,anga1 on arrival on the plain1 formed up in battle-array1 and putting himself in the centre of a square composed of his best troops1 he advanced on the ,abyssinian camp1 which was much extended1 and stretched as far as the eye could reach4 ,the ,abyssinians now attacked in wild disorder2 they fought with the courage of lions1 for their religion and fatherland1 against the hated ,moslems who had dared to enter their country4 ,the horsemen especially fought with the most reckless bravery2 but ,abu ,anga's blacks here as elsewhere showed their sterling fighting qualities2 they mowed down the masses of ,abyssinians in thousands with their well-aimed fire1 whilst the latter were vainly endeavouring to break through their solid ranks2 and soon ,abu ,anga's victory was assured4 ,he had conquered through his good discipline1 the arrangement of his troops1 and the galling fire of the ,remingtons1 and now the rest of the fight was merely a massacre1 which was continued until the troops were quite tired out4 ,most of ,ras ,adal's principal chiefs had fallen1 and amongst the captives was one of his sons1 who was well cared for and sent to ,galabat4 ,the entire camp1 with its countless tents1 donkeys1 and mules1 fell into the hands of the ,mahdiists4 ,the captured animals were in such quantities that the victors could not possibly carry them off1 and in consequence they either hamstrung them or cut their throats4 ,amongst the other things captured were two guns4 ,the road to ,gondar1 the former capital of ,abyssinia1 was now clear1 and ,abu ,anga advanced towards it1 hoping that he would secure great quantities of treasure4 ,it was a march of only thirty miles from the battlefield1 and was soon reached2 sacked1 plundered1 and reduced to ashes2 the churches were pillaged and then burnt2 priests were thrown down from the roof and killed2 the population massacred1 and women and children dragged in hundreds into slavery4 ,abu ,anga only stayed a short time in ,gondar1 the change of climate had already caused the death of a number of his troops1 and1 laden with booty1 he returned to ,galabat1 which he reached at the end of ,december4 ,meanwhile there was great anxiety in ,omdurman4 ,abdullah could not conceal his alarm1 for it was well known that the ,abyssinian army was very powerful4 ,abu ,anga had crossed the border thirty days before1 and still no news reached ,abdullah3 those who did not wish the ,dervishes well1 rejoiced at the thought that a great part of the army must have been destroyed1 and the anxiety so told on ,abdullah1 that he was seen to visibly age in this momentous time4 ,besides1 there was the prophecy of ,mohammed1 who had forbidden his followers to make war against the ,abyssinians1 unless the latter first provoked it4 ,abu ,anga's expedition was in direct disobedience to this order1 and it was thought that he must suffer defeat as a punishment1 and it was urged that if ,abu ,anga returned in safety1 then the ,prophet ,mohammed must be a liar as well as the ,mahdi4 ,at length the arrival of twelve heads which ,abu ,anga had sent to ,galabat proved conclusively that a great victory had been won1 and now the news of the destruction of ,gondar and the return of ,abu ,anga's victorious troops was indeed a welcome relief to the terrible suspense4 ,this news was followed up soon afterwards by the arrival of numbers of women and children1 and quantities of loot4 ,several of these miserable captives had died on the journey1 and those who had not been already sold1 had their ears cut off1 and were sent to the beit el mal4 ,abdullah1 without the smallest shame1 went himself to the beit el mal1 and chose all the best-looking girls for his harem1 and each of the principal men of his household received an ,abyssinian girl as a present4 ,abu ,anga received great praise at the hands of the ,khalifa1 and many verses were made in his honour4 ,shortly before the victor's arrival in ,omdurman1 criers were sent out to say that he should no longer be called ,abu ,anga1 but ,sidi ,hamdan1 and ,abdullah himself went out to meet the conqueror1 and shed tears of joy on seeing him4 ,the booty included thirty thousand ,maria ,theresa dollars1 of which ,khalifa ,abdullah at once took sole possession4 ,,chapter ,,xiv4 ,,king ,,john ,,of ,,abyssinia ,,killed ,,in ,,battle4 ,destruction of the ,kababish tribe and death of ,saleh ,bey--,events in ,darfur--,revolt of ,abu ,gamaizeh--,his death and destruction of his army--,rabeh ,zubeir--,king ,theodore's son visits ,omdurman--,the conspiracy of ,sayidna ,isa--,death of ,abu ,anga--,king ,john of ,abyssinia attacks ,galabat--,success of ,abyssinians1 but the king killed--,victory turned to defeat--,the king's head sent to ,omdurman4 ,let us now leave ,abyssinia for a moment1 and turn to the course of events in other parts of the country4 ,the most powerful and determined opponent to ,mahdiism was ,saleh ,bey ,fadlallah ,wad ,salem1 the brother of ,sheikh ,tome of the ,kababish1 who had been executed in ,el ,obeid4 ,this tribe has enormous quantities of camels and sheep1 and occupied the desert between ,dongola and ,kordofan2 they formerly paid taxes to the extent of #ajj1jjj dollars a year to ,government4 ,they did all the carrying trade between ,dongola and ,kordofan4 ,it will be remembered that1 during the siege of ,el ,obeid1 ,saleh ,bey had come to the ,mahdi's camp2 but had left it quite suddenly1 and thenceforth had become one of the ,mahdi's bitterest enemies4 ,in #ahhd he had given considerable assistance in camels to the ,english expedition1 and had been in constant conflict himself with the ,dervishes4 ,when ,khalifa ,abdullah had consolidated his authority he determined to rid himself of this rebel4 ,saleh ,bey was at that time weak1 for many of his tribe had joined the ,mahdiist ranks1 and had fought against him4 ,he learnt that ,abdullah intended to strike a serious blow to his power1 he therefore appealed to the ,egyptian ,government for help1 and sent fifty of his slaves to ,wadi ,halfa2 the ,government granted them two hundred ,remington rifles1 forty boxes of ammunition1 and #bjj in cash4 ,neufeld1 a ,german merchant1 joined ,saleh's men on their return to ,kordofan1 intending1 if possible1 to re-open a trade with the ,arab sheikhs in gum and ostrich feathers4 ,nejumi1 who was then at ,dongola1 having learnt through spies of their departure1 occupied the wells of ,selima on the ,arbain road1 through which the ,kababish would probably pass4 ,fifteen days after leaving ,halfa the little caravan arrived at the oasis1 only to be received by ,dervish bullets4 ,most of them were killed1 and a few1 including ,neufeld1 were taken captive to ,dongola2 there they were beheaded1 with the exception of ,neufeld1 who was sent on to ,omdurman1 where he arrived on the #ast of ,march1 #ahhg4 ,the capture of the caravan and arms was a great blow to ,saleh1 and now ,abdullah no longer delayed to carry out his intentions4 ,he despatched the ,emirs ,greger ,hamed and ,wad ,nubawi1 of the ,beni ,jerrar1 against him4 ,in the first fight ,saleh was successful2 but lost his brother and a number of men4 ,after this1 a number of ,dar ,homr ,arabs1 who had formerly been allied to him1 now deserted to the other side1 and with the ,dervishes occupied the wells of ,mahbas4 ,this being the only water in the neighbourhood1 there was now nothing left but to fight1 and ,saleh and his men performed prodigies of valour1 killing great numbers of the ,dervishes2 but he was hampered by numerous camp-followers1 women and children1 whom it was impossible to defend2 and at length1 seeing his third brother fall before his eyes1 he dismounted from his horse1 sat on his fur 7sheep's skin71 and waited to receive his death-blow1 which was dealt by one of ,greger's relatives1 between whom and ,saleh a blood feud existed2 the latter having killed both ,greger's father and uncle4 ,another account relates1 that ,greger had severely wounded ,saleh in the head with his axe1 but ,saleh plunging his sword through ,greger's body1 they both fell from their horses1 and died together4 ,this fight took place on the #agth of ,may1 #ahhg1 and by ,saleh's death ,abdullah succeeded in ridding himself of the enemy he most feared4 ,wad ,adam was despatched with ,saleh's head to ,omdurman1 where it hung on the gallows for a month1 and where ,i myself saw it4 ,after ,saleh's death the ,kababish were dealt with in the most cruel manner2 several of them were brought to ,el ,obeid as prisoners1 where they were executed4 ,on one occasion ,wad ,adam had one hundred of them hanged together1 and then threw their bodies into a well4 ,the same evening groans were heard from the well1 and it was found that one of the victims was still alive2 he was taken out and allowed to live4 ,the camels and sheep of this wealthy tribe were all brought to the beit el mal at ,omdurman4 ,most of the she-camels were killed and sold for about two dollars apiece4 ,in this way the ,dervishes ruined the possibility of breeding1 and destroyed the prosperity and well-being of the country4 ,the once powerful ,kababish tribe has now almost disappeared1 and is seldom even mentioned4 ,abdullah having thus vanquished his last enemy1 now seriously set to work to mature his plans for the conquest of ,egypt4 ,but before entering on this part of my story1 it may be as well to give a brief historical sketch of ,darfur1 and the recent events which had occurred there4 ,darfur had1 for the last four centuries1 been governed by its native sultans1 who had gradually extended their authority into ,kordofan1 and it was here that they first came into contact with the ,egyptian ,government4 ,mohammed ,ali had sent his son ,ismail ,pasha to take possession of the ,sudan1 and whilst he was engaged in subduing the petty kings of ,shendi and ,halfaya1 his general1 ,ahmed ,bey ,defterdar1 had advanced from ,dongola into ,kordofan4 ,this province was then administered by a ,magdum appointed by ,sultan ,musallem1 of ,darfur1 who1 hearing of the advance of the ,turks1 collected a large force1 and awaited the invaders at ,bara4 ,spies had told him that it would be impossible to fight the ,turks1 as they used fire2 but the ,magdum laughed at the idea1 and said he had no fear of fire4 ,moreover1 to prove his word1 he had an immense quantity of thorns and brushwood collected1 which he set fire to1 and then ordered his cavalry to dash through it2 these bold and fearless riders did so1 and received no great harm4 ,thus did he impress his followers that they need have no fear of the ,turks2 but the good man had no notion of firearms and what they were4 ,he met the attack of the ,turks in the most heroic manner2 but he and most of his followers fell1 and the province became an ,egyptian possession1 though no steps were taken to establish a government there4 ,it was not until ,august #ahgd1 that the bold slave-hunter ,zubeir ,pasha attacked and took the ancient kingdom of ,shakka1 and thus did ,ismail ,pasha extend the ,egyptian authority over ,darfur4 ,from that date the country knew no peace2 there was a constant series of little wars4 ,slatin had fought no less than twenty-seven battles4 ,then after the defeat of ,hicks ,pasha came the ,dervishes1 and ,zogal became ,emir of ,darfur1 residing at ,el ,fasher2 but his rule was not peaceful4 ,the ,sultan ,dudbenga was fought1 overcome1 and sent to ,omdurman a prisoner in #ahhd2 thence he was sent to ,galabat1 where he died4 ,after this1 ,zogal was left undisturbed1 and succeeded in accumulating a considerable amount of riches2 but when the ,mahdi died1 ,zogal1 as we have seen1 was summoned to ,omdurman1 and left ,darfur in the hands of ,sultan ,yusef1 ,dudbenga's son2 this sultan was entirely submissive to the ,khalifa2 and when ,sheikh ,madibbo1 of the ,rizighat tribe1 revolted against ,karamallah1 the ,dervish ,emir of ,bahr el ,ghazal1 and fled to ,jebel ,marra1 ,sultan ,yusef took him prisoner1 and sent him back to ,karamallah1 who passed him on to ,abu ,anga1 by whom he was decapitated in ,el ,obeid4 ,but ,abdullah did not wish ,darfur to continue in this semi-independent state2 he therefore instructed ,karamallah to raid the country from ,dara4 ,yusef sent word1 begging that their respective boundaries might be adhered to1 but ,karamallah only raided the more4 ,in self-defence ,yusef sent out his army1 and thus a war broke out1 which was just what ,abdullah wanted4 ,yusef allied himself with ,sultan ,said1 of ,jebel ,marra1 and their combined forces defeated ,ketenbur1 who had been sent by ,karamallah in command of a force4 ,in consequence of this disaster1 ,abdullah despatched his uncle1 ,osman ,wad ,adam 7nick-named ,ganu71 with a strong force to ,shakka1 where he joined ,karamallah4 ,yusef1 fearing that he had been betrayed1 sent a very strong force1 and in the month of ,december a great battle took place1 in which the ,furs were almost annihilated1 and it is said that ,karamallah's brother1 ,kerkesawi1 killed so many men with his sword that his right arm became bent4 ,darfur once a prey to the bloodthirsty ,dervishes1 ,osman ,wad ,adam continued his victorious march to ,el ,fasher4 ,sultans ,yusef and ,zayid then fled to ,jebel ,marra1 and sought the assistance of ,sultan ,jabrallah4 ,osman sent troops in pursuit4 ,yusef detached himself from ,jabrallah and fled again1 while ,jabrallah betrayed and murdered the brave ,zayid and sent his head to ,osman4 ,shortly afterwards ,yusef was captured1 brought to ,el ,fasher1 and there decapitated4 ,the heads of both these sultans eventually reached ,omdurman1 and were hung up beside the ,abyssinian heads1 where ,i saw them in ,january #ahhh4 ,after this the captor of ,zayid returned to ,el ,fasher1 whilst ,jabrallah1 anticipating a great reward for his treacherous conduct1 was sent with his five sons to see the ,khalifa in ,omdurman4 ,he was allowed his liberty for a time1 but having once attempted to escape1 he and his sons were thrown into chains2 four of the latter died in prison1 and just before ,i escaped ,i saw the unfortunate ,jabrallah and his surviving son in a pitiable state in the streets of ,omdurman4 ,for the second time ,darfur had now become a ,dervish province1 under the direction of ,osman ,wad ,adam4 ,the ,khalifa believed that all opposition was over1 and that he had nothing to fear from that direction4 ,indeed1 the majority of the inhabitants had been killed1 and the few surviving sheikhs had taken refuge in the ,dar ,tama and ,masalit districts2 but they did not remain inactive2 there were constant meetings1 in which they discussed how they should rid themselves of these enemies of ,islam1 as they called the ,dervishes4 ,the ,masalit people are savage and cruel to a degree2 they are in the habit of making waterskins out of the skins of their slain enemies4 ,slatin ,bey told me that when in ,darfur he had two of these skins--of a male and a female--which he had kept as curios4 ,some of the ,darfur sheikhs had gone as far as to apply to the ,sultan of ,borgo for help1 but he had refused to interfere in any way with ,mahdieh4 ,then a man suddenly appeared amongst the ,masalit about whose origin little was known2 he represented himself as the arch-enemy of the hated ,dervishes1 who1 under the guise of ,mohammedanism1 robbed1 plundered1 ravished1 and murdered all they could lay their hands on4 ,such influence did this fiki1 or religious teacher1 gain over the superstitious masses of the west that some said he must be the true ,mahdi2 others said he was the fourth ,khalifa 7,osman72 then again many said he was the celebrated ,sheikh es ,senussi1 the great religious head of all the ,north ,african tribes1 and whose influence has extended far into ,central ,africa4 ,several asserted that he was merely a delegate from the great ,senussi4 ,this religious reformer and adventurer styled himself ,abu ,gemaizeh 7,gemaizeh is the ,arabic name for the sycamore fig-tree71 because it was said that the shade of this tree always accompanied him4 ,at ,omdurman all sorts of extraordinary stories were current about his supernatural gifts4 ,some said that he had the power of miraculously increasing food2 an ordinary plate-full he would make sufficient for hundreds of people2 others said that they had seen him produce milk from his finger-tips1 and it was said that he could produce1 in a moment1 all sorts of things pleasant to the palate4 ,he could raise a palm-tree out of barren ground1 which1 in the space of an hour1 would become covered with fruit4 ,in his sermons and letters he reproached the ,khalifa for having oppressed and slaughtered ,moslems1 and having taken their wives for himself--a crime only committed by the unbelievers--and with ,god's help1 he declared his intention of coming to ,omdurman to annihilate ,god's enemies1 as he called the ,dervishes4 ,the sayings and doings of this extraordinary being attracted great attention throughout the entire ,sudan4 ,the ,mahdi had first appeared in the west1 and now an anti-,mahdi had sprung up from the west4 ,immense numbers of adherents flocked to his standard4 ,not only did the ,furs1 thirsting for vengeance1 join him1 but people from ,bornu1 ,borgo1 and ,wadai collected around him4 ,osman ,wad ,adam despatched a force against him1 which was annihilated1 and he now begged the ,khalifa to send him reinforcements4 ,in answer to this appeal a number of ,beni ,jerrar ,arabs were sent to him1 but these also were destroyed almost to a man4 ,these two important victories increased ,abu ,gemaizeh's prestige enormously1 and when ,abdullah saw that the oppressed ,sudanese were secretly rejoicing at his discomfiture1 he himself began to tremble for his authority4 ,a third expedition1 despatched by ,osman1 met with a similar fate to the other two1 and now the ,khalifa vented his wrath on his unsuccessful lieutenant4 ,in ,october #ahhh1 he wrote to him to retire at once to ,el ,fasher1 to confine himself entirely to defensive operations1 and on no account to attack the enemy4 ,there was great excitement in ,omdurman1 where the importance of ,abu ,gemaizeh's victories had been enormously exaggerated4 ,it was even said that ,osman had been killed1 ,el ,fasher captured1 and ,kordofan on the point of being invaded4 ,then came the news that ,el ,obeid had been captured1 and now the rejoicings at the ,khalifa's defeat were an open secret4 ,but these highly-coloured rumours were merely the outcome of an intense desire and longing on the part of the wretched inhabitants of the ,sudan1 groaning under the ,dervish yoke1 to see themselves once more free from the tyrannical oppression which their own short-sighted conduct had brought upon themselves4 ,abu ,gemaizeh had1 it is true1 been very successful4 ,he had three times defeated ,osman1 who was now besieged in ,el ,fasher1 and in great want of food4 ,all ,darfur had sided with ,abu ,gemaizeh1 and the ,dervishes were almost powerless2 but in the zenith of his success the great religious sheikh was suddenly struck down by small-pox1 and died at ,kebkebieh in ,february #ahhi4 ,his death caused many of his adherents to quit the cause1 and his successor--who1 had he not attacked ,el ,fasher1 might have succeeded in compassing the downfall of ,osman1 who was then entirely cut off and in great straits--felt that he must do something to keep his army together4 ,but his force was hampered by a large number of women1 children1 and camp followers4 ,he was deficient in firearms1 whilst ,osman was well supplied with rifles and ammunition1 and his ,shaggieh troops fought magnificently4 ,the final action took place under the walls of ,el ,fasher1 on the #bbnd of ,february1 #ahhi1 and resulted in the death of the leader and the massacre of thousands of his followers4 ,this was the death-blow to the movement1 and is an example of how easily ,moslems are imposed upon by religious adventurers4 ,numbers of those who had joined and left ,mahdiism1 thoroughly convinced of its fraud and deception1 had unhesitatingly allied themselves to this new religious movement1 which they inspired with almost greater enthusiasm than that they had just quitted4 ,the collapse of this new delusion was therefore comparatively greater4 ,the heads of ,abu ,gemaizeh and a number of his important leaders were sent to ,omdurman1 where they found a place on the gallows1 and were subsequently relegated to the pit in which lay the whitening skulls of ,merhdi1 the ,abyssinians1 and the mutinous blacks4 ,osman's victory delighted the ,khalifa even more than ,abu ,anga's success in ,abyssinia1 because he had always considered ,darfur a place of refuge1 to which he had a secure line of retreat in case of attack from the north4 ,the victorious ,osman now vented his wrath on the tribes who had supported ,abu ,gemaizeh's movement4 ,the ,beni ,helba tribe especially fell under his merciless hand1 and was almost exterminated2 but the country took some time to recover its normal state1 and1 in consequence1 the ,khalifa had to forego the pleasure of summoning ,osman to ,omdurman1 and loading him with benefits as he had done to ,abu ,anga4 ,however1 he had a special house built for him near the mosque1 and prepared to do him all honour when his presence could be spared from ,darfur4 ,but this was not to be4 ,the successful ,osman fell ill1 and died shortly afterwards at ,el ,fasher4 ,he was succeeded by the ,khalifa's brother ,mahmud ,wad ,ahmed1 who was also accompanied by the kadi ,suleiman el ,hejazi4 ,this latter individual was deported to ,darfur because he had had a disagreement with the ,khalifa's principal spy1 ,hajji ,zubeir4 ,mahmud was ordered1 on his arrival at ,el ,fasher1 to send to ,omdurman all the money found in the late ,osman's safe1 and to take over all his horses1 wives1 c41 and keep them for himself4 ,he left ,omdurman with a large number of followers1 and travelling vi ,el ,obeid at length reached his province4 ,here he found the country desolate2 during the recent wars all cultivation had lapsed1 a terrible famine had set in1 and he was unable to find food for his troops4 ,on reporting this to the ,khalifa1 he received orders to retire to ,nahut in ,kordofan1 which he did1 but his black soldiers disliked the change1 and conspired together to kill ,mahmud and desert back to ,darfur4 ,they attempted to carry out this project one night1 but failing to secure the ammunition1 which was essential to the success of their undertaking1 they deserted from the camp1 about #a1jjj strong1 and set off to join ,rabeh ,zubeir4 ,this ,rabeh had been originally brought up in ,zubeir ,pasha's family1 had shown military ability1 and at the time of the suppression of the revolt in ,bahr el ,ghazal by ,gessi ,pasha commanded with ,suleiman 7,zubeir's son7 the supposed rebel army4 ,on ,suleiman's capture and death1 ,rabeh fled with the remnants of the force towards ,bornu1 and after a host of strange adventures and constant fights with the kingdoms of ,borgo1 ,wadai1 c41 he succeeded in establishing himself in an independent position on the banks of the ,shar river which empties into ,lake ,chad4 ,here he has collected a considerable force1 and appears to have at last established friendly relations with his neighbours4 ,the ,khalifa has frequently sent messages to him to return to ,omdurman1 where he would be most honourably received1 but ,rabeh has persistently refused4 ,osman1 when at ,el ,fasher1 also communicated with him in the same sense2 but ,rabeh1 who had a shrewd idea of the ,khalifa's intentions1 summoned to his aid a ,fiki who had been in ,omdurman1 and who quite understood ,abdullah's character4 ,on ,rabeh telling the ,fiki of his message from ,osman1 the ,fiki asked that a cock should be given him1 and he proceeded deliberately to pull out the feathers of its wings4 ,he then bound its legs together1 and plucked it completely2 and last of all cut its head off4 ,the ,fiki said not a word1 but ,rabeh thoroughly understood the moral of the proceeding1 and came to the wise conclusion to stay where he was4 ,the last news is that a portion of his force has re-entered ,dar ,fertit1 the country to the north-west of ,bahr el ,ghazal4 ,as for ,mahmud1 after the disturbance at ,nahut1 he retired on ,el ,obeid in #ahij1 and left ,darfur to its fate4 ,all that portion of it bordering on ,kordofan is entirely depopulated4 ,herds of elephants roam the plains as far as ,el ,fasher4 ,there is continual internecine warfare1 which is still further reducing the population1 and creating a wilderness of this once populous district4 ,let us now revert to the operations against ,abyssinia4 ,in consequence of ,abu ,anga's victory over ,ras ,adal1 the tribes on the north-western borders of ,abyssinia1 and who are known as ,makada1 embraced ,mahdiism2 and it was at this time that ,todros ,kasa1 the son of the ,todros ,kasa 7,king ,theodore71 who had been vanquished by the ,british at ,magdala1 suddenly appeared at ,galabat1 and offered his services to the ,dervishes to fight against his own countrymen4 ,he was at once sent on to ,omdurman1 where he was received with great pomp by ,khalifa ,abdullah1 who promised to place him on the throne of ,abyssinia1 and in return for this promise ,todros agreed that all the ,abyssinians should turn ,moslems1 and should pay the ,khalifa an annual tribute4 ,before going further1 it may be as well to explain briefly who this ,todros was4 ,he was the second son of the ,king ,theodore who had been subdued by the ,english army4 ,the eldest son had been taken to ,england1 where he died4 ,at that time the ,todros of whom ,i speak was a mere child1 and had been concealed by his relatives from ,king ,john1 who wanted to kill him4 ,when he grew up he wandered about ,abyssinia1 and happened to be in the neighbourhood of ,galabat when ,abu ,anga made his successful descent on ,abyssinia4 ,it at once occurred to ,todros that an alliance with the ,dervishes might secure him his father's throne1 and we have seen how successfully he had deceived the ,khalifa1 who implicitly believed in his good faith4 ,todros had two children of twelve and fourteen years of age1 who always accompanied him when he went about in ,omdurman1 and he always carried a red umbrella1 which made him the laughing-stock of the place4 ,he did not speak ,arabic1 and all intercourse with him had to be through an interpreter4 ,amongst the female slaves taken by ,abu ,anga were two girls1 who accidentally came into the possession of one of my friends4 ,these girls were related to ,todros1 and when he heard of them1 he at once bought their release1 and eventually took them with him to ,galabat4 ,we used often to talk to him1 as he was not in the least afraid1 and told us of his real projects and intentions4 ,suddenly ,abu ,anga1 without any previous warning1 set off for ,galabat1 no one knew why1 and it was generally supposed that some very important information had reached the ,khalifa4 ,abu ,anga took ,todros ,kasa with him4 ,before leaving1 ,abu ,anga asked the ,khalifa to whom he should refer in case of his 7the ,khalifa's7 death4 ,abdullah replied to his brother ,yakub1 and from this it was generally understood that he intended to retain the succession in his own family4 ,illustration3 ,,abyssinian ,,dancing ,,girls4 ,shortly after ,abu ,anga's departure1 the ,khalifa received a small note in ,amharic1 written on parchment1 from ,king ,john4 ,two of the ,abyssinians in ,omdurman interpreted it to the ,khalifa1 and it was to the effect that he 7,john7 was prepared to make a reasonable treaty of peace with the ,khalifa2 basing his argument on the fact that they all--both ,sudanese and ,abyssinians--had a common descent through their mutual forefather ,ham1 and that1 being neighbours1 they should rather combine to fight against their common enemies1 who were the ,europeans1 and whose power was always extending4 ,to this the ,khalifa replied that if he would become a ,moslem1 they would become good friends2 but if he refused to do this1 he 7the ,khalifa7 felt obliged to brand him as the enemy of ,god and ,his ,prophet1 and that he had no other course open but to exterminate him4 ,on ,abu ,anga's arrival at ,galabat1 the most violent jealousy sprang up between him and ,yunis4 ,the latter separated his camp from ,abu ,anga's1 and lost no opportunity of showing his hatred and envy of the slave 7as he called him71 who had so successfully combated the ,abyssinians4 ,even on the usual ,friday review1 in spite of ,abu ,anga having been appointed to the supreme command1 ,yunis always drilled his men separately from the rest4 ,this ,abu ,anga reported to the ,khalifa1 who at once instructed ,yunis to place himself under him in every respect4 ,meanwhile a conspiracy was brewing amongst the emirs in the camp of ,yunis4 ,one of the ugliest types of ,takruris that have ever been seen took to calling himself ,sayidna ,isa 7,our ,master ,jesus74 ,yunis and his emirs believed in him1 although he subsequently betrayed him4 ,it is impossible to understand how it is that these fanatical people could believe in the nonsense told them by ,isa2 yet1 if he heard that any one disbelieved in him1 he would at once have him summoned1 and there1 in the presence of four witnesses1 he would convert him4 ,he asserted that he was the ,messiah foretold by the ,mahdi who should wrest the power from the ,khalifa4 ,indeed the day was actually fixed when it was decided to kill ,abu ,anga and proclaim ,isa publicly2 but ,yunis betrayed the conspiracy to ,abu ,anga1 and after afternoon prayers on the following ,friday he summoned the sixteen mutinous emirs and threw them into chains2 he then wrote to the ,khalifa asking his instructions4 ,the latter despatched some judges to ,galabat1 who were told to instruct these deluded people in the right way4 ,they were tried one after the other2 but none of them would deny their belief in ,isa2 then they threatened to kill them2 but ,isa laughed1 and said he was immortal4 ,at length the judges1 seeing that further talking was useless1 condemned ,isa to death1 and in a few minutes he was dangling on the gallows4 ,even this was not proof enough for the sixteen deluded emirs1 who still believed he was not dead1 and so one by one they were hanged1 and their heads sent to ,omdurman1 where they also remained on the gallows for a month and were then relegated to the pit4 ,yunis was summoned to ,omdurman1 and for some time was quite out of favour4 ,thus did ,khalifa ,abdullah score success after success over his enemies1 and there is little doubt that1 had ,abu ,anga failed to act as quickly and decidedly as he did1 ,isa's rapidly-increasing power might have become a serious menace to the ,khalifa's authority4 ,there is no doubt that these sixteen emirs had been instigated by ,yunis to revolt against the ,khalifa and put him at the head of the movement2 they knew perfectly well that ,isa was a mere fraud and deception2 but ,i do not think it is possible ever to start a movement on a large scale in a ,moslem country unless it is based on some religious grounds4 ,the ,mahdi only succeeded by working up the fanaticism of his own countrymen4 ,such motives as liberty1 freedom1 and the love of the fatherland are entirely unknown factors in the composition of feelings which go towards creating a national movement amongst ,moslems4 ,abu ,anga1 who was now growing old and fat1 did not live long after the events just described4 ,he was attacked by typhus1 which at that time was prevalent at ,galabat1 and in a few days this great warrior1 who had shed such quantities of blood1 was dead4 ,his soldiers mourned him bitterly1 and his name is still held amongst them in affectionate remembrance2 they loved him because he himself had been a slave1 and knew how to discriminate between severity and kindness4 ,he was one of the best emirs of ,mahdieh1 and of an infinitely more generous nature than ,wad ,en ,nejumi or others4 ,once a poor woman came to him and complained that a soldier had forcibly taken her milk1 which was all she had to live upon4 ,abu ,anga sent for the soldier and asked him if the woman's complaint was true2 the thief denied it most emphatically and abused the woman unmercifully4 ,abu ,anga was almost convinced that he was speaking the truth2 but the woman still persisted in the most violent manner that the man had drunk the milk4 ,after a moment's thought ,abu ,anga gave the following judgment3 ,the man's stomach to be ripped open1 and if no milk is discovered1 the woman will be executed4 ,the woman accepted this judgment with delight1 while the unfortunate man had to undergo this terrible operation4 ,the milk was found in his stomach1 and ,abu ,anga made good to the woman her loss4 ,thus did he maintain discipline amongst his men1 and as long as he commanded in ,galabat there was no fear4 ,in battle his cruelty knew no bounds1 and the most horrible atrocities were perpetrated by his men1 especially in ,abyssinia4 ,his death was deeply felt by the ,khalifa1 and with reason1 for he was not only a brave and capable leader1 but he was absolutely honest2 any other man in his place would have1 long before1 abused his power4 ,he was buried in ,galabat in #ahhh1 and his men have canonized him as a saint4 ,when dying1 ,abu ,anga nominated ,wad ,ali as his successor1 until the ,khalifa's orders should be received2 but very soon after his death there was discontent amongst the men and want of harmony amongst the emirs1 with whom ,wad ,ali was by no means a favourite4 ,these dissensions reached the ,khalifa's ears1 and he despatched the ,kadi ,ahmed1 in whom he placed great reliance1 to ,galabat1 with instructions to do all he could to put down discord1 and to nominate some one as leader who was popular with all ranks4 ,after several meetings1 the ,kadi at length succeeded in quieting the people1 and it was agreed1 by common consent1 to nominate ,zeki ,tummal as ,abu ,anga's successor4 ,this appointment was subsequently confirmed by the ,khalifa4 ,the ,galabat army was now made into four divisions--,zeki ,tummal commanded the first division1 and was also ,commander-in-chief of the whole2 ,abdallah ,ibrahim1 ,nur ,angara1 and ,mahmud ,wad ,ali commanded the other divisions4 ,in addition to these four great emirs there were also other well-known men in the ,galabat force--such as ,sheikh ,abu ,tagalla1 ,faragallah 7,gordon's old commandant of ,omdurman ,fort71 ,omar ,wad ,elias ,pasha1 ,sheikh ,nuri1 of the ,bederieh tribe1 ,ismail ,wad el ,andok1 and others4 ,the immense zariba was now further fortified and strengthened4 ,there were already rumours that ,king ,john was making preparations to take ,galabat1 after which it was said he would advance on ,omdurman and utterly destroy ,mahdiism4 ,king ,john was accompanied by all his most important chiefs--,ras ,adal1 ,ras ,aria ,salasseh1 ,ras ,michael1 ,ras ,mariam1 ,ras ,alula1 ,saleh ,shanga1 and several others4 ,in all1 the army numbered some #aej1jjj1 of whom #bj1jjj were horsemen4 ,this news caused the greatest alarm in ,galabat and ,omdurman2 but it also had the effect of making us indulge in pleasant dreams of release4 ,zeki ,tummal took counsel with his emirs whether it would be better to await the enemy's arrival in the zariba or whether it would be advisable to advance and fight in the open4 ,kadi ,ahmed urged that it would be better to stay in the zariba1 and his advice was adopted2 there is little doubt this was the wisest course to take1 as the ,abyssinian cavalry would undoubtedly have struck confusion into their ranks4 ,zeki's force now numbered #he1jjj men1 and was well disposed in the zariba to resist attack4 ,criers went through the market-place summoning all people to leave their business and take up arms for the defence of the town2 messengers were also sent to the ,khalifa to beg his blessing--in fact1 great fear prevailed4 ,spies reported that the enemy were as numerous as the sand1 that their numbers stretched beyond the horizon1 and that when they moved such clouds of dust arose that the sun was quite obscured4 ,this news created almost a panic in ,omdurman2 besides1 there is an old prophecy that the ,abyssinians should come to ,khartum2 that their horses should wade knee-deep in blood1 and that the ,king should tether his horse to the solitary tree on the ,white ,nile near ,khartum4 ,at the end of ,february the ,king quitted ,gondar1 and marched out to make holy war against the most bitter enemy to ,christianity4 ,when near ,galabat he sent word to ,zeki to say he was coming1 lest it should be said that he had come secretly as a thief4 ,numbers of women had also joined the ,abyssinian army2 they were1 for the most part1 the wives and concubines of the soldiers1 and many others had fled from their parents to follow their lovers to battle4 ,on ,saturday1 the #ith of ,march1 #ahhi1 the ,king began his attack on ,galabat4 ,such clouds of dust were raised that it was almost impossible to see anything4 ,the zariba was stormed2 some attempted to drag away the thorn bushes1 others tried to set fire to it1 whilst the ,dervishes opened a terrific fire on the masses4 ,some ,takruris1 who had deserted ,zeki's camp1 reported that the part of the zariba held by ,wad ,ali was the weakest1 and1 in consequence1 the ,abyssinians made a supreme effort to break in at that point4 ,the din and noise was beyond description4 ,at length1 after a very hard fight1 the ,abyssinians succeeded in forcing an entry1 and then their masses rolled in like a great storm stream1 carrying everything before them4 ,the thousands of ,dervish women within now raised terrible cries as the enemy approached1 killing and destroying all in their path2 they set fire to the straw huts2 the din of the firing1 the shouts and screams of the men and women1 mingled with the crackling and wild rush of the flames1 were terrible beyond description4 ,already the ,abyssinians had taken possession of the beit el mal1 and had occupied the house in which ,abu ,anga's harem lived1 and now they were searching for his body1 which they wanted to pull out of the ground and throw into the flames1 in revenge for the burning of ,gondar4 ,the strength of the ,mahdiists was now almost exhausted1 ammunition was running short1 and it was thought the fight was nearly over1 when suddenly the news spread amongst the ,abyssinians that their ,king had been struck by a bullet4 ,this was the signal for a general retreat3 everyone seized all the booty he could lay his hands upon1 and soon the zariba was evacuated2 several of the women were carried off as captives1 including ,abu ,anga's harem1 and the ,abyssinians then made for the river ,atbara4 ,now was the time for the ,dervishes to reverse their defeat2 they had suffered very heavily1 ,wad ,ali's division had been almost annihilated2 but they lost no time in cutting off some of the ,abyssinians' heads and sending them at once to ,omdurman1 with the information that they had gained a great victory1 for ,kadi ,ahmed well knew how anxious was the ,khalifa1 and how fearful that defeat should overtake his forces4 ,the ,dervishes thought the ,abyssinians would renew their attack the next day1 but to their surprise no one appeared2 then spies were sent out to discover their whereabouts1 and they brought back information that the ,abyssinian force was now in full retreat towards the ,atbara4 ,this information decided ,zeki to pursue1 and on the #aath of ,march the ,dervish force came up with a large portion of the ,abyssinian army encamped on the river bank2 a battle ensued1 in which the ,abyssinians lost heavily and fled precipitately1 leaving the dead body of ,king ,john in the hands of the ,dervishes4 ,it was discovered carefully packed in a long box and sealed with wax2 at first it was thought to contain treasure1 but on opening it the odour of decay left little doubt that the body they had attempted to embalm was none other than that of the unfortunate ,john1 and this was confirmed by the ,abyssinian prisoners4 ,the ,king's head was cut off and sent to ,omdurman4 ,here the wildest excitement prevailed1 the ,khalifa ,abdullah ordered the great war-drums to be beaten and the onbea to be sounded4 ,a large review took place4 ,the ,abyssinian heads were paraded and said to be those of ,eas ,alula1 ,eas ,mariam1 and ,saleh ,shanga2 but this was not true4 ,however1 the ,khalifa's delight knew no bounds1 and our sorrow was proportionately great4 ,once more our cherished hopes had been dashed to the ground1 and it seemed as if all chance of escape was now quite at an end4 ,the heads were put upon the gallows1 and left no doubt that a great victory had been won1 then three days afterwards came the news that the ,king had been killed4 ,fixed high up on a camel's back1 ,john's head was paraded up and down through the market-place1 preceded by a herald shouting out that the mighty ,negs had been slain1 and that now was a time for festivity and rejoicing4 ,the ,khalifa was quite intoxicated by his success4 ,he publicly exposed the articles captured with the ,king's body1 amongst which was the throne from which the cross had been removed2 this was afterwards replaced in ,omdurman and retained in the beit el mal4 ,a wonderful copy of the ,new ,testament had also been taken2 it was written on parchment in ,amharic language1 was profusely illustrated and illuminated1 and bound in a triple leather cover2 then there was a gold watch marked ,crosdi1 ,paris1 which showed the day of the week and the month of the year2 a telescope1 and also an original letter from ,her ,majesty ,queen ,victoria to ,king ,john1 dated ,november #ahhg4 ,i myself read this letter1 in which the ,queen inquired after ,king ,john's health1 and asked him how he and his family were2 that ,england having occupied ,egypt had become a near neighbour to ,abyssinia1 and that it was ,her ,majesty's earnest wish to continue to live on terms of peace and friendship with the ,negs4 ,the letter concluded with good wishes for the ,king's health1 happiness1 and long life1 and was signed by ,lord ,salisbury4 ,amongst other things ,i also saw the ,king's tent and a number of richly jewelled crosses4 ,on the same day of its arrival1 the ,khalifa ordered the ,king's head to be sewn in a piece of leather and sent it on to ,dongola1 from whence it was to be sent on to ,wadi ,halfa as a warning to the ,khedive and the ,english that a like fate would await them if they did not at once submit4 ,it now seemed that the ,khalifa was at the very zenith of his power4 ,there in a dirty pit near the market-place lay the decaying heads of all his principal enemies1 the ,sultan ,yusef1 ,abu ,gemaizeh1 the ,abyssinians1 ,sayidna ,isa1 all huddled up together in a heap1 and ,i could not help reflecting deeply on all these strange events every time ,i passed that pit4 ,gradually the skin and hair dropped off1 leaving only the bare white skulls1 deep eye-holes1 and grinning teeth1 and yet these were the skulls of crowned heads1 prophets1 and patriarchs gathered together in a narrow pit from far-distant countries--a solemn evidence indeed of the far-reaching power of ,mahdiism4 ,passers-by struck them with their sticks1 and yet for what thousands of lives had these now empty brain-pans been responsible1 which lay rotting on far-distant battlefields--proof in truth of ,god's judgment on the ,sudan6 ,abdullah now thought himself master of the whole world4 ,in his moments of wildest enthusiasm he had never dreamt of gaining such a tremendous victory over the ,abyssinians1 and yet another such victory would have almost destroyed his power2 he had lost thousands of his best warriors1 and the women and cattle captured could never compensate him for such a loss4 ,of course ,zeki and his emirs did not always adhere to the truth in writing to the ,khalifa1 nor was the latter anxious they should do so--indeed1 it would have been tantamount to a crime on ,zeki's part to report that the ,galabat garrison was weak2 had he done so1 and even if he had been the ,khalifa's own relative1 he would probably have been relegated to prison4 ,it would have been treason to have said anything which would detract from the ,khalifa's idea of his own power1 and he was surrounded by wretched flatterers and trimmers who were the last to tell him the truth4 ,but all these wars and disturbances had now almost completely ruined the country1 and then came the terrible famine1 which lasted almost a year and brought untold sufferings on the people4 ,the ,khalifa1 however1 was blind to all this misery and distress4 ,his only idea was self-aggrandisement1 and he did not realize that hunger was likely to prove by far the worst and most dangerous enemy with which ,mahdieh had to cope2 but this he eventually learnt by bitter experience4 ,after the death of ,king ,john there was a certain amount of intercourse between the ,dervishes and ,abyssinians1 and not a few of the latter used to come to ,galabat and promise to lead ,zeki to where the late king's treasures had been hidden2 but this they probably did with the intention of trying to draw him into an ambush4 ,it was eventually hunger which compelled ,zeki to take some active measures4 ,he despatched ,abdullah ,ibrahim into ,abyssinia with several thousand men1 and a few words respecting the career of this emir may not be amiss4 ,he was a nephew of ,ahmed ,bey ,dafallah1 of ,kordofan1 and had come to notice during the siege of ,el ,obeid4 ,whenever he saw any cattle near the town he was always on the watch with his slaves1 and generally succeeded in making a successful sortie1 capturing them and bringing them into the fort4 ,it was said that on one occasion1 when the ,mahdi was approaching ,el ,obeid1 ,ibrahim left the fort and made straight for him1 intending to kill him1 but was twice wounded by his revolver2 he however succeeded in returning to the fort1 and after its fall the ,mahdi1 already greatly impressed by his bravery1 pardoned him1 and placed him in command of a division under ,abu ,anga4 ,he accompanied his chief in all his numerous fights1 and displayed even greater bravery in fighting for the ,mahdieh than he did in fighting for the ,government4 ,had he only been a ,baggara he would undoubtedly have succeeded ,abu ,anga in command4 ,this ,abdullah now penetrated ,abyssinia2 for a long time nothing was heard of him1 and it was thought he must have been annihilated2 but at length he returned to ,galabat1 having lost a large portion of his force4 ,the actual events which happened in this expedition are wrapped in obscurity1 and it is more than probable that it fared badly4 ,after the ,king's death ,abyssinia became a prey to civil and internecine war1 which left the inhabitants no time to revenge themselves for the death of their ,king4 ,the ,dervishes1 too1 were quite exhausted1 and had to combat a terrible famine1 which swept them off in thousands4 ,this famine induced the sensible emirs at ,galabat1 such as ,abderrahman ,wad ,abu ,degel1 to enter into commercial relations with ,abyssinia1 which have continued uninterrupted up to the present time4 ,,chapter ,,xv4 ,,defeat ,,of ,,nejumi ,,at ,,toski1 ,,and ,,of ,,osman ,,digna ,,at ,,tokar4 ,the ,khalifa's intentions regarding ,egypt--,wad en ,nejumi despatched north--,various operations on the ,egyptian frontier--,battle of ,toski--,defeat and death of ,nejumi--,subsequent events in ,dongola--,osman ,digna's operations against ,sawakin--,is defeated at ,tokar--,emin ,pasha and events in ,equatoria--,recent events in ,uganda and ,unyoro4 ,having briefly considered the ,khalifa's operations within the ,sudan1 let us now turn and follow his movements and intentions regarding ,egypt4 ,ever since the annihilation of ,hicks ,pasha's expedition the conquest of ,egypt had been the dream of the ,mahdi's life4 ,those of his followers who had seen ,egypt described it in the most glowing terms to the ,sudanese1 whose cupidity was fully aroused4 ,the immense wealth in ,cairo1 the lovely women in the harems1 had excited their most ardent desires4 ,the ,mahdi himself had decided on the ,khedive's palace of ,abdin as his place of residence1 whence it was his intention to proceed to ,syria1 and after conquering it1 to advance on ,mecca4 ,he had prophesied that the conquest of ,egypt should be carried out by ,khalifa ,sherif's flag1 and he himself had done all in his power to incite the ,egyptians to revolt4 ,he wrote numbers of letters to the leading sheikhs and principal people in ,cairo1 and had he not died1 there is no doubt his influence would have permeated1 in no small degree1 into ,egypt4 ,several people in ,egypt believed in him as the true ,mahdi1 and besides1 he was now the ruler of hundreds of thousands of people4 ,with his death belief in ,mahdiism began to decline4 ,his successor1 it is true1 was a man of boundless energy1 and had just as ambitious ideas as his predecessor in regard to the conquest of ,egypt1 but circumstances had entirely altered4 ,illustration3 ,,an ,,arab ,,sheikh ,,of ,,upper ,,egypt4 ,the ,mahdi's death and the ,khalifa's accession had caused ,mahdiism to break up into two distinct parties1 viz4 the ,baggara ,arabs1 who called themselves the ,arabs of the ,sudan1 and the ,aulad ,belad1 or country people1 such as the ,danagla1 ,barabra1 ,jaalin1 and other tribes on the ,white ,nile4 ,this division in ,mahdieh considerably weakened it4 ,wad ,en ,nejumi and his emirs belonged to the section opposed to the ,khalifa1 and who would like to have freed themselves from his control2 in consequence ,abdullah always arranged that a ,baggara emir should be attached to ,nejumi1 to keep him informed of all the latter's doings4 ,the ,mahdi had laid down the plan for invading ,egypt1 which should be by combined movements from ,dongola towards ,halfa1 and from ,abu ,hamed towards ,korosko2 and accordingly1 when the ,english evacuated ,dongola in ,june #ahhe1 ,mohammed el ,kheir1 the conqueror of ,berber1 together with ,abdel ,majid1 at once took possession of the province1 and the first action which took place between these latter and the ,british and ,egyptian troops occurred in ,december the same year at ,giniss4 ,el ,kheir was defeated1 and fixed his advanced camp at ,kerma4 ,the fall of ,sennar enabled the ,khalifa to send forward more troops for his operations against ,egypt1 and the ,mahdi's prophecy that the conquest of ,egypt was to be carried out by ,sherif's flag1 entirely fell in with his own arrangements1 for he entrusted the command of the advanced force to ,wad ,en ,nejumi1 who belonged to ,sherif's raya 7flag71 and thus succeeded in keeping this powerful emir1 whom he regarded with great fear and jealousy1 as far away from him as possible4,k ,nejumi set out from ,omdurman in ,november #ahhe1 and marching along the river bank to ,berber1 robbed and pillaged as if he were advancing through an enemy's country4 ,he seized the goods of merchants at ,berber1 giving them receipts signed to the effect that they should receive payment when he had taken ,assuan4 ,he captured two ,egyptian spies1 one of whom he decapitated1 and the other had his hand and foot cut off4 ,during his stay at ,berber he robbed and pillaged in all directions1 and used to boast of his approaching conquest of ,egypt4 ,he stopped all trade with the north1 and drove on the entire population towards ,dongola4 ,it was not1 however1 until the end of ,november #ahhf1 that he reached ,dongola1 and there he began to organize his fighting force1 which was continually increased by reinforcements sent from ,omdurman4 ,early in #ahhg four messengers were despatched with letters to ,her ,majesty the ,queen of ,england1 ,his ,majesty the ,sultan of ,turkey1 and ,his ,highness the ,khedive4 ,these envoys were permitted to come to ,cairo1 and to personally deliver their letters2 but when they were opened1 perused1 and found only to contain a summons from the ,khalifa to adopt ,mahdiism1 and submit to him1 or the recipients would suffer the same fate as ,gordon and ,hicks1 the messengers were at once sent back without any reply being given to them1 and this was considered by ,abdullah to be the greatest insult that could have been offered to him4 ,the ,dervish advanced-guards continued to creep on towards the ,egyptian ,frontier1 whilst ,hassan ,khalifa1 the nephew of the former ,mudir of ,berber1 occupied the desert wells1 and made several incursions on the river to the north and south of ,korosko4 ,mounted on dromedaries1 these bold raiders made sudden descents on defenceless villages1 carried off quantities of booty1 and then disappeared into the desert4 ,at this time the ,egyptians had retired to ,wadi ,halfa1 and the ,dervishes had occupied ,sarras1 a little to the south1 from whence they constantly harassed the ,egyptian outposts4 ,a variety of circumstances1 however1 occurred to prevent ,khalifa ,abdullah from carrying out his projects against ,egypt4 ,the revolt in ,darfur1 the ,abyssinian war1 internal dissensions1 all contributed to impede the despatch of troops north4 ,besides1 the ,dervish garrison in ,dongola had already done much to destroy the well-being and prosperity of the province2 they plundered the inhabitants1 who1 in their turn1 became averse to the ,dervish occupation2 continued warfare had produced a famine2 numbers died of small-pox4 ,bahr el ,karrar in #ahhh occupied the wells of ,haimar and ,ongat1 and from here was able to annoy the inhabitants on the ,nile between ,assuan and ,korosko4 ,he raided the village of ,kalabsheh1 some fifty miles south of ,assuan1 killed the ,egyptian police guards1 and carried off their officer a captive to ,omdurman4 ,all this time there was a great deal of talk in the capital about the conquest of ,egypt1 but we never received any very decisive news4 ,the captured officer was paraded through the streets in triumph1 and was then brought before the ,khalifa1 who received him kindly1 and questioned him very fully about ,egypt2 but he quite understood what sort of replies to make to the ,khalifa's questions1 and only told him what he knew would please2 so he was well treated1 set at liberty1 and now lives in ,omdurman4 ,from time to time the ,khalifa despatched reinforcements to ,dongola which never returned1 and this was the reason of the main road leading north out of ,omdurman being called ,darb ,esh ,shuhada 7,the ,martyrs' ,road 74 ,the ,egyptian ,government had now confined itself to the defence of its own frontiers4 ,in ,june #ahhh1 ,bishir ,bey1 a subsidized ,government sheikh1 turned ,bahr ,karrar out of ,haimar2 but on the other hand1 the ,sarras ,dervishes made a sudden descent on the ,dabarosa bazaar1 killed a number of merchants1 and escaped before the troops from ,haifa could intercept them4 ,meanwhile1 there was not much harmony between the big emirs4 ,nejumi and his followers were jealous of the masterful ,baggaras1 and it was only with the greatest reluctance that they brought themselves to show any respect to the ,emir ,mussaid of the ,baggara ,habbanieh1 who had been sent to ,dongola by the ,khalifa to watch and report on ,nejumi's doings4 ,the ,baggaras hated ,nejumi to such an extent that one of their number attempted to poison him2 but he recovered after a long illness1 though he never entirely got the poison out of his system4 ,it is said that his eyesight was always bad afterwards4 ,this constant bickering between the ,baggara and ,nejumi crippled his energy4 ,formerly he had been greatly feared by them1 but now his own people were annoyed that he showed so much deference to the ,khalifa and his emirs4 ,as for the ,khalifa1 he was thoroughly exasperated by ,nejumi's indolence1 and summoned him to ,omdurman4 ,during his absence from the province1 a deserter from the ,egyptian side led the ,dervishes into the fort at ,khor ,musa1 within five miles of ,halfa1 where they killed some of the garrison1 but were unable to take the whole fort4 ,colonel ,wodehouse having been informed of their attack1 at once sent out help1 and the ,dervishes were surprised and annihilated4 ,illustration3 ,,bishir ,,bey1 ,,sheikh ,,of ,,the ,,ababdeh ,,arabs4 ,towards the end of #ahhh ,nejumi was in ,dongola again4 ,the ,khalifa had threatened to throw him into chains unless he showed more energy in his operations against ,egypt4 ,he had already exhibited his displeasure by imprisoning ,sheikh ,idris and ,makin ,wad en ,nur1 who had shown a reluctance to go forward1 for they had made up their minds that a successful attack on ,egypt was an impossibility4 ,they could not even capture ,wadi ,halfa4 ,the desert roads were next to impassable owing to want of water1 whilst the river was in the hands of the enemy1 who had numbers of steamers1 and could prevent any ,dervish advance by water4 ,all these difficulties were quite apparent to ,nejumi and his emirs2 but so self-confident was the ,khalifa1 that he could not believe there was any great difficulty in conquering ,egypt2 added to this1 several sheikhs of ,upper ,egypt had assured him that when the ,dervishes advanced they would be joined by the entire population4 ,thus the ,khalifa insisted1 and ,nejumi could not do otherwise than obey4 ,he had already transferred to ,dongola the entire ,batahin tribe1 which had showed a mutinous spirit1 and early in #ahhi he sent a further detachment1 consisting of thirty flags1 composed for the most part of ,gehena ,arabs1 who are not warlike1 and were most averse to fighting in the ,dervish cause4 ,thus1 like lambs to the slaughter1 were these unwilling tribes driven forward to battle4 ,when the revolt in ,darfur had been suppressed1 and ,abyssinia had been humbled1 the ,khalifa turned his attention more earnestly than ever to the invasion of ,egypt4 ,he despatched ,yunis ed ,dekeim to ,dongola1 and on his arrival1 ,nejumi was to begin his advance north4 ,nejumi was now nominated ,commander-in-chief1 and being one of the ,mahdi's most determined and fanatical emirs1 he had given him the title of ,emir el ,umara 7,the ,emir of emirs74 ,he had under his command several brave emirs1 such as ,abdel ,halim1 ,makin en ,nur1 ,wad ,gubara1 ,sheikh ,idris1 ,osman ,azrak1 and several others4 ,but the fighting conditions of these ,dervishes had considerably changed during the last few years4 ,the ,ansar no longer fought for ,mahdieh4 ,all those promises of joys in paradise were no longer believed in1 for by dying the ,mahdi had proved himself to be false1 and so were all his prophecies4 ,they did not fight to obtain booty1 for long experience had shown them that the booty was exclusively appropriated by the ,khalifa and his emirs4 ,it was now fear of the ,khalifa's anger which drove them to fight1 and numbers of them deserted when a favourable opportunity occurred for them to do so4 ,not only were all these feelings at work in ,nejumi's force1 but also the conditions of the country in which he was operating were very different from those in which he had won all his early victories4 ,then he knew every path1 almost every tree4 ,it was his own country2 the inhabitants were of his own race2 volunteers flocked to his standards4 ,he always largely exceeded his enemies in point of numbers2 but now it was all entirely different4 ,he knew nothing of the country through which he had to march2 enormous difficulties blocked his every movement4 ,even had the population of ,upper ,egypt been desirous of joining him1 they were much too carefully looked after by the troops and the ,government to be able to do so4 ,an enormous desert separated him from the position he desired to reach1 and the result was that his force--just as ,hicks's force had done--suffered greatly from want of water4 ,as usual he was accompanied by numbers of women and children1 and sometimes even five dollars would not purchase a drink of water4 ,abdullah showed his mistrust of the men by permitting their wives and families to accompany them1 for he thought that they could not well run away1 leaving their wives and children behind1 and therefore they would have to fight2 but this great crowd of women and children hampered ,nejumi's movements enormously1 and still further increased the want which already prevailed in the ,dervish camp4 ,when in ,dongola1 the ,gehenas were suffering so terribly from famine that they stole the ,dervishes' sheepskins1 on which they prayed1 and ate them4 ,it was madness to attempt to invade ,egypt with such a force as ,nejumi then had1 made up of almost every tribe and nationality1 all huddled together1 and yet absolutely wanting in cohesion4 ,then the enemy which they were going to fight was of an entirely different stamp to the one they had overcome in the ,sudan4 ,the ,egyptian was not the same as in the old days4 ,the army was now composed of well-trained battalions under ,english officers2 and it is not out of place here to remark that the occupation of ,egypt by ,england was a heavy blow to the ,khalifa and his followers4 ,often have ,i heard him say1 ,if the ,english would only evacuate ,egypt1 ,i should very soon take possession of it4 ,thus did ,nejumi set out from ,dongola with his force4 ,at ,sarras a parade was held1 and some #ad1jjj souls counted2 but of these nearly half were women and children4 ,his intention was to avoid ,halfa1 and march direct on ,bimban1 as the inhabitants of that place had promised to join him2 but in the village of ,argin1 he was attacked and defeated by ,colonel ,wodehouse4 ,here ,nejumi lost about #a1jjj men1 amongst whom were several emirs1 including ,sheikh ,idris and ,abdel ,kader ,guru1 besides many more wounded4 ,on account of this victory1 ,wodehouse ,pasha was known in the ,sudan as the vanquisher of ,wad ,nejumi4 ,but1 in spite of his defeat1 ,nejumi still continued his advance1 although the only food he had for his force was camels' and donkeys' meat1 and his troops were more dead than alive4 ,he was obliged to make his cavalry into a rear-guard to prevent desertion1 but still large numbers succeeded in joining the ,egyptian troops4 ,the ,sirdar1 ,general ,grenfell ,pasha1 wrote a letter to ,nejumi1 in which he showed him that he understood the wretched state his troops had come to1 and urging him not to expose uselessly the lives of so many of his people2 but take the wise course and surrender4 ,nejumi1 however1 boldly replied that if ,grenfell ,pasha would adopt ,mahdiism he would guarantee him happiness and contentment1 otherwise he would sweep him and his troops off the face of the earth4 ,only one of the two messengers who had been sent with ,general ,grenfell's letter returned with this reply2 the other--an ,arab named ,abdel ,hadi--was sent on to ,omdurman bearing the ,general's letter to the ,khalifa1 who was also informed by ,nejumi1 that ,abdel ,hadi had originally been on the ,dervish side at ,abu ,hamed1 but had deserted over to the ,turks4,l ,on his arrival1 ,abdullah questioned him closely regarding the latest news of ,nejumi and the condition of the opposing armies4 ,abdel ,hadi replied that the ,turks were very strong1 and that it was probable that ,nejumi would be defeated4 ,for this saying1 he was thrown into prison for months1 and would have starved to death had not ,neufeld1 who was with him in prison1 given him some help2 he was eventually released through the intermediary of ,hajji ,saad1 and permitted to return to ,abu ,hamed1 whence he escaped back to ,egypt4 ,meanwhile ,nejumi still continued his advance2 he could not and would not submit4 ,on the one hand he was of far too proud a nature to submit to the hated ,egyptian troops2 and on the other1 his fear of the ,khalifa added to his natural obstinacy4 ,at ,toski his advance was arrested by ,general ,grenfell at the head of the ,egyptian troops1 and he had no other course open but to fight4 ,he was utterly defeated1 himself and most of his emirs killed1 whilst a mass of men1 women and children fell into the hands of the ,egyptian force4 ,this battle took place on the #crd of ,august1 #ahhi2 by it the annihilation of ,hicks ,pasha's expedition was avenged1 and the project of invading ,egypt1 which had been maturing for the last three years1 entirely collapsed4 ,the news of this defeat caused great commotion in ,omdurman2 it was at first rumoured that every one had been killed2 and the ,khalifa was in despair4 ,he hated the ,europeans and ,egyptians1 and though we1 in our hearts1 were rejoiced at the news1 we suffered no small anxiety as well1 for we thought it quite possible that the ,khalifa would appease his wrath to some extent by venting his annoyance on us4 ,it was1 indeed1 a most crushing blow for him and his followers4 ,illustration3 ,,wad ,,en ,,nejumi4 ,from a photograph of a drawing made by an ,egyptian officer of the great ,emir1 as he lay dead on the field of ,toski4 ,the ,emirs ,hassan en ,nejumi--a relative of ,wad ,nejumi--and ,siwar ed ,dahab1 who had escaped from the massacre1 returned with all speed to ,dongola1 and thence to ,omdurman4 ,they reported that it was madness of ,nejumi to have attempted what he did2 that all his emirs were opposed to it1 and that they had told ,nejumi that they were sure1 if the ,khalifa were fully informed of all the circumstances1 he would never have permitted him to advance4 ,as it was1 famine1 want of water1 and the unseasonable time of the year1 ought to have been sufficient reasons for postponing the expedition2 but ,nejumi turned a deaf ear to all their protests1 he feared the ,khalifa2 his plundering and cruelties cried to heaven for vengeance1 and the instruments of that vengeance appeared in the persons of ,general ,grenfell and ,colonel ,wodehouse4 ,saleh ,bey1 the son of ,hussein ,pasha ,khalifa1 and a subsidized sheikh of the ,egyptian ,government1 drove his nephew out of ,murat1 advanced almost to ,abu ,hamed1 and we fondly hoped that the ,government would at least advance to ,dongola1 which is the key of the ,sudan2 but we were again doomed to disappointment4 ,and now ,mahdiism was far too exhausted to make any further attempts on ,egypt4 ,the province of ,dongola had been utterly ruined1 and ,yunis's ill-treatment of the inhabitants was beyond description4 ,complaints of his evil deeds eventually reached the ,khalifa's ears1 and fearing that the inhabitants might be induced to join the ,turks1 he relieved ,yunis of his appointment1 and replaced him by ,zogal1 who1 in spite of his former fall from power1 was known to be a just man1 and the ,khalifa trusted to him to restore the confidence of the people4 ,yet the ,khalifa did not entirely trust ,zogal1 and still left ,mussaid to watch him1 he also sent another ,baggara called ,arabi with three hundred troops to observe his doings4 ,dongola now became a hotbed of spying and cross-spying4 ,matters became so serious that it seemed a fight between the rival parties was imminent1 and every post brought letters from either section1 accusing the other of malpractices4 ,the ,khalifa therefore summoned these two emirs--,mussaid and ,arabi--to ,dongola1 and on their arrival they reported that it was ,zogal's intention to deliver up the province to the ,egyptian ,government4 ,thereupon the ,khalifa recalled ,zogal1 and replaced him by ,yunis4 ,zogal1 on his arrival in ,omdurman1 was well received1 and did not hesitate to refute the misstatements of the emirs2 but he was not believed1 and was thrown into chains1 where he remains to this day4 ,zogal's only fault is1 that he is a ,dongolawi1 and a relative of the ,mahdi1 whilst his opponents are all ,baggaras1 who are the governing party1 and therefore he is not likely to receive any pity from them4 ,besides ,wad en ,nejumi and ,abu ,anga1 there yet remained one of the greatest of the ,mahdi's old emirs4 ,i mean ,osman ,digna1 to whom ,i referred in the early pages of this work4 ,he had been sent to the ,eastern ,sudan after the fall of ,el ,obeid1 and in ,july #ahhc1 had taken up a position near ,sawakin4 ,the ,mahdi had given him proclamations to distribute to all the tribes in the neighbourhood of ,kassala and ,sawakin1 ordering them to rise against the ,government4 ,the summons was obeyed1 and by the end of #ahhc ,osman ,digna was in possession of all the principal posts in the vicinity4 ,the most important work which ,osman ,digna performed for the ,mahdi was cutting the communication between ,sawakin and ,berber1 and thus blocking the shortest and best road into the ,sudan4 ,fully alive to the importance of this route1 the ,government made repeated attempts to re-open it1 but ,osman1 with his dauntless ,hadendoas1 caused every effort to fail4 ,on the #crd of ,february1 ,general ,baker ,pasha made a vain attempt1 but was cut to pieces at ,el ,teb1 losing over two thousand men and all his arms and ammunition4 ,after ,baker's defeat1 the ,english made another effort1 and after ,general ,graham had defeated ,osman ,digna at both ,teb and ,tamai1 the proposal was made to open the road to ,berber1 and thus relieve ,gordon1 then besieged in ,khartum2 but it was thought impossible to fight ,osman ,digna's hordes1 and to overcome the difficulties of the desert1 so the idea was abandoned4 ,for seven long years ,osman ,digna continued alternately to harass and besiege ,sawakin2 but gradually numbers of the local ,arabs--notably the ,amarar--fell away from his cause1 and intertribal conflicts ensued4 ,when almost quite deserted1 ,osman ,digna came to ,omdurman4 ,in ,january #ahhg1 he returned vi ,gedaref and ,kassala1 where he collected some four thousand men1 eventually occupied ,handub1 and again besieged ,sawakin4 ,he also defeated the ,amarar1 and killed over seven hundred of them4 ,kitchener ,pasha1 the ,governor-,general of the ,red ,sea ,littoral1 was severely wounded during his attack on ,handub2 in ,march of the same year ,abu ,girgeh arrived with a force from ,kassala1 and thus ,osman became almost as powerful as ever4 ,he continued to harass ,sawakin1 and to devastate the neighbouring country4 ,it was useless for him to attempt to take the town1 he therefore received the ,khalifa's orders to establish himself at ,tokar in ,january #ahhi1 and at the same time he was permitted to open commercial relations with ,sawakin4 ,a small post was established at ,handub1 and ,dervish merchants were actually permitted to enter the town and purchase goods4 ,these commercial relations existed for about two years between ,sawakin and the ,dervishes1 and1 as a famine prevailed at ,tokar1 the enemy drew most of their supplies through the port of ,trinkitat4 ,suddenly news reached ,omdurman to the effect that the gates of ,sawakin had been closed1 and all traffic stopped between ,tokar and ,handub4 ,in consequence the famine increased1 and merchants arriving in ,omdurman said that no doubt it was the intention of the ,government to attack ,osman ,digna very soon4 ,the wealthiest of these merchants was a certain ,omar ,kisha1 who had smuggled quantities of lead and powder through ,sawakin4 ,the news they brought was soon confirmed1 and in ,february #ahia1 ,handub was occupied4 ,in ,march a message was received from ,zogal1 in ,dongola1 to the effect that a salute had been fired at ,halfa to announce the occupation of ,tokar by the ,government1 and the complete defeat of ,osman ,digna4 ,this news created almost a panic in ,omdurman1 and what made it worse was the uncertainty1 for no news had been received either through ,berber or ,kassala4 ,it was not until eight days later that a ,shukrieh ,arab arrived from ,kassala1 and said that he had heard much talk about the defeat at ,tokar1 but the fate of ,osman ,digna was uncertain1 some said that he had been killed1 others1 seriously wounded4 ,a month afterwards letters arrived from ,osman himself confirming the news of the defeat4 ,this caused great consternation1 and the ,khalifa at once assembled a council4 ,it was said that an ,egyptian expedition had already reached ,berber1 and every day it was thought news would arrive of the capture of ,dongola4 ,it was decided to make a camp at ,metemmeh4 ,the whole of ,omdurman was secretly rejoicing at the approaching downfall of the ,khalifa1 but again we were all doomed to the most bitter disappointment4 ,news came from ,berber that the ,turks had no intention of advancing further1 and were content to have occupied ,tokar1 where they had built a fort and securely established themselves4 ,but1 though thus temporarily relieved1 the loss of ,tokar was a very severe blow to the ,khalifa1 as the ,government was now in immediate contact with the tribes on the ,sawakin-,berber road1 and the way was clear4 ,on the last ,muled 7the anniversary of the ,prophet's birth7 ,osman ,digna arrived at ,omdurman1 accompanied by a few followers4 ,during his flight from ,tokar towards ,kassala his followers had nothing to eat but wild figs1 and many had starved4 ,the ,khalifa received ,osman very coldly1 and reproached him for his defeat2 he afterwards sent him to cultivate on the ,atbara1 where he now lives at a place called ,adaramab4 ,of all the opponents to ,government1 ,osman ,digna was perhaps the most bitter2 he had done great things at ,sawakin1 ,kassala1 and on the ,abyssinian frontier1 but by his ruthless cruelty he had alienated the ,arabs from his cause4 ,in his present seclusion he has1 probably1 occasion to think of all his evil and bloodthirsty deeds1 which have ended in the ruin of his country and the death of his followers4 ,almost all the ,arabs who espoused his cause with so much zeal are now dead1 and his present humiliation is a fitting reward for his blind adherence to a false and ruthless tyrant4 ,scarcity of money in the beit et mal at ,omdurman was the main reason for the despatch of an expedition up the ,white ,nile4 ,since #ahhe ,emin had not been disturbed by the ,dervishes1 and ,karamallah had long since retired to ,bahr el ,ghazal1 from whence no news had been received of him for years4 ,there was no ,dervish post south of ,fashoda1 which was the market to which the blacks brought their cattle for sale4 ,the negro tribes all along the ,white ,nile had been left quite undisturbed by the ,dervishes1 but now it occurred to the ,khalifa to send an expedition to collect ivory and slaves and to subdue ,emin ,pasha4 ,omar ,saleh was appointed to command1 and was given three steamers and a number of sailing vessels2 he was also the bearer of a letter to ,emin informing him of the various events which had occurred in the ,sudan1 and calling on him to surrender to ,omar4 ,to add weight to his letter1 he also ordered the ,syrian ,stambuli to write in a similar sense2 also some of the ,copts in ,omdurman were ordered to write to the ,copts who were known to be in ,emin's service4 ,omar ,saleh left ,omdurman in ,july #ahhh1 and a whole year passed without any information of his movements reaching ,omdurman2 it was thought that ,emin must have annihilated the expedition and captured the steamers4 ,the ,khalifa became restless1 but at length one of the steamers returned1 laden with ivory and slaves4 ,we were all naturally most anxious to hear about ,emin1 and the men who brought the despatches informed us that they had arrived at ,regaf in ,october2 this place they took by storm1 and had sent down to ,omdurman one of the clerks they had taken prisoner there4 ,as to ,emin1 they stated that he and an ,englishman 7we thought this ,englishman must be the intrepid ,stanley7 had been put in chains by the mutinous soldiers1 because the ,englishman wanted to bring ,emin to ,egypt1 as the ,khedive had sent him there for that purpose4 ,omar ,saleh had seized this opportunity to take possession of the province1 but he had been driven back by the mutineers2 this last news was not told the ,khalifa1 but we heard it in confidence4 ,omar had begged the ,khalifa to send back the steamer without delay1 and in consequence it went south again a few days afterwards4 ,illustration3 ,a ,,native ,,woman ,,of ,,makaraka1 ,,the ,,wife ,,of ,,one ,,of ,,emin ,,pasha',s ,,officers1 ,,who ,,reached ,,egypt ,,from ,,uganda ,,in ,,june #ahib4 ,a long time after this another steamer arrived from ,equatoria1 but it brought no important information4 ,it seemed that ,emin had left the provinces1 that on his departure the country had fallen into a state of anarchy1 and that the blacks had massacred all the ,arabs4 ,the ,khalifa despatched two emirs1 ,hasib and ,elias ,wad ,kanuna1 to ,regaf in the steamer2 and as it was reported that the ,dervishes there suffered a great deal from the climate1 he decided to make it a place of exile1 and afterwards sent only bad characters there4 ,in #ahia the ,emir ,hasib arrived in ,omdurman2 he came as a fugitive1 and reported that he was with two of the steamers which had been sent to a place two days' journey from ,regaf to collect ivory2 they made a zariba1 and one steamer was already loaded up when they were suddenly attacked by the blacks1 who killed everyone in the zariba1 and he had retreated with the remaining empty steamer1 but the other had fallen into the enemy's hands4 ,some of the blacks who came to ,omdurman with ,hasib said that they had heard ,emin had returned to the province and had stirred up the blacks to revolt against the ,dervishes2 but ,hasib was of a different opinion1 and believed the attack to have been purely a local affair4,m ,khalifa ,abdullah now felt some alarm for the safety of his posts at ,lado and ,regaf1 more particularly as he was now at war with the ,shilluks1 and his post at ,fashoda was hemmed in by this warlike tribe2 he therefore despatched another steamer south to obtain more information1 but the ,dervishes he wished to send refused to go1 and had to be dragged on board in chains4 ,in my opinion the ,khalifa will have some difficulty in retaining his posts on the ,white ,nile4 ,when ,i left ,omdurman1 the head of the ,shilluk ,king was hanging on the gallows1 and his brave people revolted against this act of treachery which had deprived them of their chief4 ,the revolt had assumed large proportions1 and the ,emir ,zeki had been despatched to ,fashoda from ,galabat1 and had been heavily pressed by the infuriated blacks4 ,,footnotes3 ,k ,it was the knowledge of this fact that caused ,general ,sir ,f4 ,grenfell1 in his letter written to ,nejumi1 calling on him to surrender just prior to the action of ,toski1 to say1 ,i know that you personally have been the victim of a base jealousy imposed upon you by the false ,khalifa4--,mahdiism and the ,egyptian ,sudan1 p4 #dah4 ,l ,it must be remembered that with the ,arabs of the ,sudan the term ,turk is a synonym for the hated oppressor of whatever nationality4 ,the ,british troops1 even1 were confounded under the same appellation4 ,m ,the arrival of a portion of the old ,equatoria garrison in ,cairo in ,june #ahib1 who had travelled under the gis of the ,imperial ,british ,east ,africa ,company through ,uganda to ,mombasa1 throws further light on the present situation in ,equatoria4 ,they state that after ,stanley's departure from ,kavalli's1 ,selim ,bey 7,emin's old commandant71 who had been despatched north to collect the garrison1 finding that ,stanley had gone1 settled down with a small number of men in his old camp at ,kavalli's1 while the rebel officer1 ,fadl ,maula ,bey1 with the bulk of the garrison1 remained in the neighbourhood of ,wadelai4 ,this place was eventually attacked by the ,dervishes1 who were driven off1 but most of the garrison1 feeling that they could not trust ,fadl ,maula1 who was known to have been in communication with the ,dervishes1 deserted to ,selim ,bey4 ,emin had come to ,kavalli's in ,april #ahia1 but on stating that he was in ,german employ had been joined by only a few of his old garrison1 and had not attempted to re-enter his old province4 ,shortly after ,emin's departure1 ,captain ,lugard had arrived1 and had taken the entire force into ,uganda and ,unyoro1 where he had established some military posts4--,f4 ,r4 ,w4 ,,chapter ,,xvi4 ,,the ,,famine ,,at ,,omdurman--#ahhh-ahhi4 ,ohrwalder describes ,omdurman--,the ,mahdi's tomb1 and how it was built--,pilgrimage to ,mecca forbidden--,a description of the great mosque--,the ,khalifa's palace--,the markets--,the population--,the ,khalifa's tyrannical rule--,the terrible famine of #ahhh-ahhi--;,awful scenes and sufferings--,the plague of locusts4 ,in this chapter ,i propose to give a description of the great ,mahdi capital of the ,sudan4 ,i have already given a brief account of the place as ,i found it on my arrival from ,kordofan in #ahhf1 but now the city is vastly increased in size4 ,when ,khalifa ,abdullah had quite consolidated his authority within the ,sudan1 and was contemplating the invasion of ,egypt1 it also occurred to him to define the limits of his kingdom1 and establish an hereditary succession in his family4 ,indeed his only reason for carrying on his rule under the guise of ,mahdiism was his fear that a change of name might involve him in difficulties1 but nevertheless he adhered strictly to his intentions1 with the result that now nothing of ,mahdiism remains but the name4 ,he has adopted many of the old ,government systems of administration1 and were it not that he feared he might lose his new kingdom1 ,i believe that he would not be averse to substituting the ,sultan's for the ,mahdi's name4 ,it is now thoroughly understood that the ,khalifa's authority is no longer based entirely on religious principles as in the case of the ,mahdi3 he has substituted for it--if not in name1 at any rate in fact--the system of molk1 or temporary authority4 ,he has abolished almost all the ,mahdi's decrees4 ,his predecessor had substituted for the gallows the system of decapitation for death-sentences1 but the ,khalifa has reinstituted the gallows1 his reason for doing this was to make the mode of execution more alarming to the ,sudanese1 for whom he considers decapitation a too painless death4 ,he has changed the name of his followers4 ,the ,mahdi had decreed that the ,foggara 7or poor as the ,dervishes first called themselves7 should take the name of ,asyad 7i4e4 masters71 and this system of nomenclature was partially adhered to up to the date of his death2 but the ,khalifa thought the name ,foggara very derogatory to the spirit of his rule1 and therefore ordered that this name should be abolished and substituted by ,ansar ed ,din 7i4e4 auxiliaries or helpers in the cause of religion72 it was also permitted to be called the ,habib or ,sahib el ,mahdi 7i4e4 the friend or disciple of the ,mahdi71 consequently the women are known as ,habiba--a play on words which has given rise to much joking on the part of the men4 ,it took only a few days to cause the name of ,fakir to be completely forgotten1 and now ,ansar for the men and ,ansariat for the women have been adopted throughout the ,sudan4 ,the ,khalifa also abolished the name ,fiki1 which is given to religious teachers4 ,there is a ,sudan proverb which runs1 ,el ,fiki yefik ed ,din 7i4e4 ,the ,fiki analyses religion71 and the ,khalifa knew well how these fikis imposed on the minds of the people1 how they wrote amulets for preservation against the evil-eye1 witchcraft1 diseases1 and ill-luck2 how they pretended to be able to give women the means of taking revenge on their husbands whose love had grown cold1 and help those who desired to secure the sole affection of their husbands4 ,abdullah well knew how credulous were the ,sudanese in such matters2 already the ,mahdi had given the strictest injunctions that the practice of writing amulets was to be discontinued1 and now the ,khalifa was even more severe2 he decreed that any fiki found writing an amulet should lose his right hand1 but in spite of these stringent measures it is almost impossible to eradicate the people's belief in these superstitions2 the ,khalifa himself has openly declared that he has not the smallest belief in witchcraft1 amulets1 c41 and that ,god1 who is alone the ,judge of right and wrong1 has alone the power to reward or punish4 ,however1 he is a believer in the power of the evil-eye1 and will never permit a one-eyed man in his presence1 as it is said the one eye that is good can do great damage4 ,the ,khalifa1 like the ,mahdi1 is bent on the destruction of the old towns1 so as to further wrap in oblivion the former ,government rule4 ,thus old ,berber has been long since deserted1 and a new ,berber has been built just to the north of the old town4 ,of course ,omdurman--the ,dervish ,khartum--is by far the most important of all the towns2 and being the place of the death and burial of the ,mahdi1 it is quite right that it should be the capital of the kingdom which he founded4 ,just as ,medina is one of the most holy places of ,islam1 so is it considered advisable to raise ,omdurman to a similar position4 ,by far the most important and conspicuous structure in ,omdurman is the ,mahdi's tomb2 and in spite of the ,khalifa's divergence from his ,master's views1 still he considers it politic to show that he is grateful to his benefactor4 ,his desire was to build a tomb which should excel everything between ,omdurman and ,alexandria4 ,it is said that the dome can be seen three days' journey from ,omdurman1 but on this point ,i am not prepared to give an opinion1 as ,i never went beyond ,khartum4 ,from here1 of course1 the dome1 rising high above the miserable mud hovels and straw huts1 is a most conspicuous object1 and it is certainly the tallest of all the buildings in the ,sudan4 ,abdullah spared no expense in erecting this structure4 ,he first ordered the plans to be drawn out1 and selected that of the engineer ,ismail1 who was the architect of the ,sidi ,hassan dome at ,kassala4 ,omar1 the former ,government architect1 was lent to ,ismail to assist him4 ,laying the foundation stone was a great spectacle1 and was celebrated with general rejoicing and festivity4 ,enormous crowds collected to witness the ceremony4 ,several people were crushed to death1 and were looked upon as fortunate to have died on such a day4 ,the work of construction was now vigorously taken in hand4 ,khartum supplied the materials4 ,thousands of people were sent there1 and the work of destruction went on apace4 ,walls were pulled down in order to procure the burnt bricks1 which were sent across to ,omdurman4 ,the corner stones of ,government house were pulled out and used as the corner stones of the dome4 ,the woodwork was made by carpenter ,mohammed ,bornawi4 ,the masons were for the most part ,egyptians who had learnt their trade in the construction of the ,mission house and church in ,khartum2 and by them the ,dervish workmen were instructed how to break down walls without destroying the bricks4 ,the foreman of works was in the habit of secretly chewing tobacco1 and one day he rather unguardedly put a piece into his mouth2 but he had been observed by some of the ,dervishes1 who fell upon him1 knocked him down1 and would have torn him to pieces had not ,wad ,adlan interposed and taken him off to the steamer1 where he concealed him4 ,in the eyes of the ,dervishes it was an unpardonable crime to chew the forbidden weed whilst working at the dome of the ,mahdi's tomb4 ,most of the ,dervishes worked without pay--,fi shan ,allah 7,for the sake of ,god71 as they say4 ,a small quantity of dhurra was allowed them2 but the masons received pay4 ,lime was obtained from ,omdurman itself4 ,in order to push forward the work1 ,khalifa ,abdullah1 accompanied by the two other ,khalifas1 and all the emirs and judges1 went to the river bank and assisted to carry the stones to the dome4 ,of course the whole town followed them4 ,abdullah put a great stone on his shoulder and marched off with it4 ,the others all followed his example2 and in this way it took no time to bring up all the stones required4 ,the ,khalifa promised the ,mahdi's blessing to all who assisted in this work2 and he solemnly assured the labourers that they should be possessors of as many palaces in paradise as stones which they carried to the dome4 ,the women carried the water required for the work4 ,the tomb is built much in the same style as all ,mohammedan domes erected to the memory of some holy sheikh4 ,several of the domes in the ,sudan are made of clay2 but the ,khalifa had determined that the ,mahdi's dome should be the grandest in the ,sudan4 ,the mud hut in which the ,mahdi had died was pulled down1 and a square structure about thirty feet high built round the spot1 with large windows4 ,above this superstructure rose the dome some eighty feet above the ground4 ,the foundations were laid very deep1 and the walls were immensely thick4 ,on the four corners of the superstructure1 and just where the dome begins1 are four round balls supported on four small pillars4 ,on the summit of the dome are three large balls1 the centre one being the largest2 and above these again is a gigantic gilt spear-head resting on the balls4 ,the doorway is really a work of art which does credit to ,sudanese labour4 ,it is painted in bright colours1 and was made in the arsenal at ,khartum2 and when it was finished1 ,yakub1 the ,khalifa's brother1 himself went to fetch it1 and rewarded handsomely the men entrusted with the work4 ,the outside walls of the building are white4 ,at first they attempted to paint the tomb with oil-colours2 but as they were not properly prepared1 the paint soon peeled off when it was dry1 and so they had to be content with simple whitewash4 ,the fanatics said that there had been some evil ,christian substance mixed with the paint1 which prevented it sticking2 and by its falling off1 it proved that it was not acceptable to the ,mahdi4 ,the large windows admit a quantity of light into the tomb1 which is decorated inside with the most glaring colours4 ,the actual grave is not situated quite in the centre of the building1 and is covered by a painted wooden catafalque4 ,to reduce the glare1 the windows are well curtained4 ,every night1 and all through the night1 quantities of candles are kept burning2 and it is impossible not to be impressed with the solemnity of the tomb4 ,the walls are so thick that the tropical sun cannot penetrate1 and there is always a cool refreshing breeze inside4 ,the rich perfumes with which the tomb is being continually sprinkled fill the air with the most agreeable odours4 ,the surrounding wall1 which marks the limits of the ,mahdi's original enclosure1 is so high as to conceal the superstructure on which the dome rests4 ,this tomb means to the ,sudan ,moslems what the ,kaba at ,mecca means to the thousands of pilgrims who visit it2 but pilgrimage is not enjoined to the ,mahdi's tomb4 ,to come to ,omdurman is quite sufficient without being obliged to go through various ceremonies4 ,omdurman is detested in the ,sudan2 and no one who is not obliged to live there would stay for a day longer than he could help2 and the farther people can distance themselves from it1 the better they like it4 ,since the ,mahdi appeared1 pilgrimage to ,mecca ceased1 because1 while he was alive1 a visit to him was supposed to supply all its advantages4 ,and when he died1 a visit to his tomb was supposed to confer even greater benefits than the pilgrimage to ,mecca4 ,several of the ,fallata1 who came from distant parts of ,bornu1 ,wadai1 c41 were stopped at ,omdurman when on their way to ,mecca4 ,thus have the ,sudanese become schismatic to the orthodox ,moslem religion1 asserting that those who do not believe in the ,mahdi1 even though they be ,moslems1 are unbelievers4 ,now1 of course1 all these ideas have quite disappeared1 and all true friends of ,islam in the ,sudan bitterly deplore the present state of affairs4 ,several people used to say to us1 ,our position is a most miserable one6 ,you ,christians have nothing to reproach yourselves with on the score of religion1 but with us ,moslems such a state of affairs as the present is too dreadful to contemplate1 and we know no rest4 ,a great number of people now repeat1 in the privacy of their own homes1 the daily prayers1 although they have gone all through them in the mosque2 but as they do not believe in the ,mahdi1 they consider the prayers said in his mosque to be valueless4 ,quantities of women visit the ,mahdi's tomb2 for1 though most of them no longer believe in him as the ,mahdi1 they still look upon him1 on account of his great victories1 as a saint to whom ,god has given a great position in the other world because of his holiness4 ,but1 after all1 these ideas are held for the most part by his enormous circle of relations1 whose motives are always somewhat interested4 ,khalifa ,abdullah did not1 however1 confine himself only to beautifying the ,mahdi's tomb4 ,being now the sole monarch1 he desired also to beautify his own residence4 ,it will be remembered how1 with ,wad ,adlan's assistance1 he had organized the beit el mal4 ,now1 close to the ,mahdi's tomb1 was the great mosque--not a mosque in its usual sense1 but an immense yard1 which would hold upwards of #gj1jjj men extended in long rows of #a1jjj4 ,it was roofed in by enormous mats1 held up on innumerable forked sticks1 which gave it the appearance of a forest4 ,this rukuba1 or kneeling-place1 was capable of holding #cj1jjj men1 whose murmuring sounded like distant thunder4 ,at first the great enclosing wall was made of mud2 but afterwards ,khalifa ,abdullah had it pulled down1 and a good wall made of burnt bricks and lime4 ,the mihrab1 or niche1 marking the direction of ,mecca1 in which the ,mahdi repeated prayers1 is situated a little to the east of the centre1 and is square in shape with mud walls1 and a gable roof1 made of iron plates from the ,khartum arsenal2 gates open in the walls on the north1 south1 east1 and west4 ,the mihrab is entered from the west1 but is well protected by branches of trees1 so as to prevent the ,ansar from crowding up too close4 ,the floor is sprinkled with fine sand2 the ,khalifa repeats prayers in the big mosque on ,friday at noon2 but he says daily prayers in the rukuba1 in which there is a whitewashed platform about six feet high1 on which he stands4 ,close to the rukuba is a square building with thatched gable roof supported by two pillars4 ,this is open on three sides1 but surrounded by well-carved and painted wooden railings3 in this there is a seat about three feet high1 in which the ,khalifa sits when he addresses the ,ansar4 ,as one leaves the east gate of the rukuba1 the ,khalifa's palace gate is visible1 being built quite close to the mosque4 ,the ,khalifa's palace is known as the ,bab1 just as the ,sultan's palace is known as the ,bab ,ali1 or ,porte4 ,this palace contains a number of different divisions1 all built of mud besmeared with red sand4 ,just within the great gate is the only two-storied house in ,omdurman1 which the ,khalifa has purposely built in order to overlook the whole town1 and from here he can see as far as ,kererri to the north1 and as far as ,omdurman fort to the south4 ,gordon's ruined palace in ,khartum is also visible4 ,near the great gate1 and close to the outside wall of the mosque1 is a building surrounded by wooden railings1 in which the judge sits and carries on his court4 ,the ,khalifa is very fond of going about to different parts of the town1 accompanied by crowds of people1 and as he found the narrow streets impeded his progress1 and detracted from his splendour1 he ordered his engineer ,omar to construct broad straight roads to all the principal places4 ,this necessitated the removal of thousands of mud huts1 which were immediately demolished2 but ,i never heard that the proprietors received any indemnity for the losses they sustained4 ,a broad road now leads from the north gate of the mosque to the ,hejira 7or place from which expeditions start7 near the ,khor ,shambat4 ,this road1 as ,i previously mentioned1 is called the ,martyr's ,road4 ,the second large road leads from the west gate of the mosque to the ,arda 7or parade place71 and is known as the ,darb el ,arda4 ,a third main road leads to the southern ,hejira1 whence expeditions leave for ,kordofan1 ,darfur1 c4 ,in addition to these main roads are innumerable winding streets and lanes1 to traverse which a guide is absolutely necessary4 ,the great ,mahdi's dome forms an excellent landmark4 ,the ,khalifa pays the most special attention to the requisites necessary for war1 and for this purpose he has had a large building constructed a little to the south of the mosque1 consisting of a large hall supported by pillars1 and built of burnt bricks4 ,this is known as the beit el amana1 and it is subdivided into various compartments1 in which are stored powder1 ammunition1 guns1 rifles1 and other implements of war4 ,this building is entered through a large vaulted gate1 and no other houses are allowed to be built near it4 ,it is surrounded by a high wall1 and is carefully guarded night and day by detachments of soldiers4 ,within the yard the flags are all firmly planted in the ground1 and present the appearance of a small forest of staves4 ,the great black flag of the ,khalifa ,abdullah towers high above them all4 ,near the flag yard is a small two-storied building1 in which the war-drums are stored1 and they are purposely put high up so that they may be heard from a greater distance4 ,in front of the beit el amana is a large open square connected with the mosque by one of the main roads4 ,besides his palace1 ,abdullah possesses a number of other houses1 which he visits from time to time4 ,of these one is situated close to the bank of the ,white ,nile1 and its roof is ornamented with two gigantic hippopotamus heads4 ,he has another house at the beit el mal1 from which he can easily reach the river1 and embark on one of his steamers to visit his ,eastern ,hejira1 whence expeditions start for the ,gezireh1 or for ,abyssinia4 ,and1 lastly1 he possesses a large house on the ,arda1 or parade ground1 and at the northern ,hejira4 ,in all these houses he keeps up a large establishment of women4 ,omdurman is built almost entirely of mud1 the straw huts or tokuls have disappeared4 ,every house-owner surrounds his yard with a wall1 in order to keep out thieves and spies with which the city abounds4 ,it is not permitted to build good houses1 as they might prove a temptation to their owners to hide money4 ,whenever a man is known to be well off1 or prosperous1 he is almost certain to have his wealth taken from him4 ,one of the most important places in ,omdurman is the market1 to which a broad road leads from the mosque4 ,it is a place full of life1 abounding in buyers and sellers1 as well as idlers1 who come to tattle and pick up any news they can4 ,the proof that ,mahdieh is not considered to be a durable rgime is evident from the feverish anxiety of everyone to hear the latest news1 and the market is the rendezvous for all news-seekers4 ,here are collected merchants from ,kordofan and the ,gezireh1 from ,berber1 ,dongola1 and ,sawakin1 all earnestly occupied in learning each other's news4 ,it is impossible to give an idea of the wild rumours which are continually flying hither and thither4 ,it is equally impossible to separate the false news from the true4 ,on this account the market is looked upon by the ,khalifa with the utmost distrust1 and he would readily abolish it if he thought it was possible to do so4 ,it consists of a strange medley of shops and stalls1 workshops and straw huts4 ,khalifa ,ali ,wad ,helu has been put in charge of the place1 he has apportioned special quarters for each variety of goods1 and the different marts are now separated off in lines4 ,at night all goods1 working tools1 c41 are removed1 as it would never be safe to leave them there1 so that in the daytime the market is the very life of ,omdurman1 while at night it is absolutely empty and deserted4 ,since1 however1 ,wad ,helu has taken it in hand1 small brick huts have been run up in which some merchants lock up their goods1 and leave them in charge of caretakers4 ,cloth dealers1 druggists1 greengrocers1 salt and meat vendors1 all have their special quarters now1 as well as gold-and silversmiths1 blacksmiths1 carpenters1 tailors1 and barbers4 ,there are also special quarters for public eating-houses1 coffee-shops1 firewood vendors1 builders1 and shoemakers4 ,the women have their own separate divisions1 and for the last few years men have been forbidden to have any dealings with them4 ,for the settlement of quarrels and disputes which frequently occur in the market1 there is a special market court1 presided over by a judge1 and all delinquents are interned in a large zariba quite open to the sun's burning rays4 ,close to the zariba are three sets of gallows1 besides two others in different parts of the town4 ,the gallows are erected close to the market1 in the hope that if the executions are seen by the masses1 it will have a deterrent effect on crime4 ,the inhabitants of ,omdurman are a conglomeration of every race and nationality in the ,sudan3 ,fellata1 ,takruris1 natives of ,bornu1 ,wadai1 ,borgo1 and ,darfur2 ,sudanese from the ,sawakin districts1 and from ,massawah2 niggers as black as ebony1 down to a light chocolate colour1 ,niam ,niam and ,mombuttu cannibals1 ,bazeh1 ,dinka1 ,shilluk1 ,kara1 ,jangh1 ,nuba1 ,berta1 and ,masalit2 ,arabs of every tribe--,baggara1 ,rizeghat1 ,taisha1 ,homr1 ,howazma1 ,miserieh1 ,kababish1 ,habbanieh1 ,degheim1 ,kenana1 ,gowameh1 ,bederieh1 ,beni ,jerrar1 ,gehena1 inhabitants of ,beni ,shangul1 and of ,gezireh1 ,shukrieh1 ,batahin1 ,hadarba1 ,hadendoa1 ,barabra1 ,jaalin1 ,danagla1 ,egyptians1 ,abyssinians1 ,turks1 ,mecca ,arabs1 ,syrians1 ,indians1 ,europeans1 ,jews2 and all these various nationalities have their own quarters1 and marry into their own tribes and sections4 ,arabic is the universal language1 and all free inhabitants of the ,sudan speak it or corrupt dialects of it4 ,the ,danagla1 ,barabra1 and ,hadendoa have their own special languages2 but being derived from ,arabic1 they are called rotan1 as if ,arabic were the only original language in the world--the language of ,adam and ,eve1 and the language of paradise4 ,arabic is not compulsory1 so the blacks still talk in their local dialects4 ,the population of ,omdurman amounts to about one hundred and fifty thousand persons2 but it is by no means fixed1 for during the winter numbers quit the town and go off into the ,kordofan or ,gezireh districts to cultivate4 ,but when the ,khalifa orders a general assembly1 the numbers of course increase considerably4 ,in #ahhh the city was perhaps larger than at any other time1 for in that year the ,khalifa ordered all the inhabitants of the ,gezireh to come and live in ,omdurman4 ,the reason for this was never exactly known1 but it was thought he feared a revolt on the part of the ,ashraf4 ,all the principal towns and villages on the ,blue ,nile as far south as ,karkoj have been destroyed1 such as ,kemlin1 ,messalamieh1 ,wad ,medina1 ,abu ,haraz1 ,wad el ,abbas and ,rufaa2 the inhabitants of all these towns1 men1 women1 and children1 under great fatigue1 had to come to ,omdurman1 where they settled in the north of the town near ,khor ,shambat4 ,all these severe measures quite alienated the people from the ,khalifa2 wives were furious with their husbands for having so abjectly submitted to his yoke1 and it was now quite plain that they feared him greatly4 ,one word from him was sufficient to make them pull down their houses1 pack up their goods1 load them on camels1 donkeys1 and mules1 and transport them to hated and dreaded ,omdurman4 ,how they longed for the ,government they had so bitterly abused4 ,alf turba wala rial tulba 7,thousands of graves are better than a dollar tax7 had been their watchword in the beginning of the revolt2 it had proved true with a vengeance1 and how bitterly they repented of their folly when it was too late6 ,khalifa ,abdullah now gripped them in the palm of his hand1 and the utter disunion and discord which he created between tribes and nationalities1 made all hope of future liberty and freedom quite out of the question4 ,those who detested ,mahdiism prior to #ahhh had much greater cause to do so in #ahhi and #ahij2 the first of these years brought a terrible famine on the land1 and in #ahij1 though the actual period of want had passed away1 everything was excessively dear4 ,the #ahhh harvest had turned out badly2 during the summer of that year the ,khalifa had issued stringent orders that no one should keep more than one ardeb of dhurra in his own house1 under penalty of severe punishment2 all over and above that amount was ordered to be brought to the landing-stage at ,omdurman2 and as there were but few transport animals to carry the dhurra into the town1 their owners charged exorbitant rates for its carriage1 consequently large stores of it lay on the bank1 and quantities were stolen4 ,soon the price per ardeb rose from twelve to twenty dollars1 and latterly to sixty dollars4 ,even the most aged people1 in the whole course of their existence1 had never seen such a famine as now fell on the land4 ,continual wars had prevented cultivation1 and want of rain into the bargain were the main causes of this terrible calamity4 ,in #ahgh1 when there was a scarcity of rain1 the price of dhurra never exceeded sixteen dollars the ardeb1 now the price was almost four times as great4 ,the supplies of corn received from ,fashoda alone saved ,omdurman from absolute starvation4 ,the supplies from the ,blue ,nile were quite exhausted4 ,up to #ahhi1 ,fashoda continued the supply mart2 the native cultivators receiving in exchange glass beads1 pieces of copper1 iron1 cowries1 and old ,medjidie dollars2 and in return for all this1 the ,khalifa despatched ,zeki ,tummal and an army from ,galabat1 who treacherously murdered their king1 and fought these people who had actually saved him and his capital from the jaws of death6 ,the dhurra thus imported to ,omdurman by the merchants was unloaded there under the strictest watch1 and was sold to the ,baggaras only at six dollars the ardeb1 under absolute compulsion1 whilst the other tribes had to purchase it at ten times that amount4 ,this called forth the bitterest complaints against the ,khalifa's injustice4 ,the awful scenes enacted by the starving inhabitants in the market-place at ,omdurman are beyond description4 ,people flocked from ,berber1 ,kassala1 ,galabat1 and ,karkoj1 thinking that the distress would be less there than it was in the provinces2 but here they were quite mistaken4 ,as one walked along1 one could count fifty dead bodies lying in the streets1 and this quite irrespective of those who died in their own homes4 ,in the provision market the sellers stood over their goods with big sticks in their hands1 to turn away the poor wretched skeletons who1 with eyes deeply sunk in the back of their heads1 would cast wistful glances at the food which was denied them4 ,sometimes twenty or thirty of these miserable starving people would join together1 and1 regardless of the blows showered upon them1 which covered their bodies with wounds and bruises1 they would wildly attack the sellers1 madly seize whatever they could lay their hands upon1 and swallow it on the spot1 begrimed with dust1 and probably besmeared with their own blood4 ,others would sneak about like wild beasts1 their loins covered with the merest rag1 and if they saw anyone alone carrying eatables1 they would pounce down on him like tigers1 content even to seize a handful4 ,these were called ,khatafin 7i4e4 snatchers1 or birds of prey71 and at first they were fairly successful in their sudden attacks2 but gradually people understood what to be prepared for1 and the wretched creatures would be beaten off with sticks3 hunger seemed to make them insensible to pain4 ,one could see hundreds of these starving people wandering about1 mere bags of skin and bone1 and almost shapeless2 they would eat anything1 no matter how repulsive4 ,the skins of the camels which had been killed after the defeat of the ,kababish and ,gehena1 and which had been used as coverings for the roofs of the houses1 were now taken down1 roasted1 and eaten in that condition4 ,perhaps the most horrible scenes occurred at the places where animals were slaughtered4 ,hundreds of starving men and women would be seen standing around with cups or gourds in their hands1 ready to catch the blood before it fell1 and then1 as the animal would be writhing on the ground in its death-agony1 they would fall upon it to catch the blood as it flowed out of its wound1 whilst a crowd would be seen struggling on the ground for the few drops which had escaped and become mixed up with the dust and sand2 these struggles generally ended in fights1 in which the receptacles were broken1 and the people besmeared with their contents1 which added to the grim ghastliness of this dreadful sight4 ,no power on earth could have restrained these poor sufferers--the pangs of hunger had driven them mad4 ,although famine swept off hundreds1 still people poured in from the provinces4 ,male camels and bullocks had become scarce1 and the females were now slaughtered without mercy1 even should they be with young4 ,old bones of animals were ground to powder and made into a sort of bread1 which was eaten with avidity2 even the decaying carcases of donkeys were consumed in this terrible struggle for food4 ,but in all this wretched misery the ,khalifa showed no mercy1 pity1 or a desire to relieve these terrible sufferings4 ,he took good care that his ,baggaras should be fed1 but for the others he cared not a jot4 ,hunger certainly had the effect of bringing to the front all manner of inventive genius2 as it was now no longer possible to rob and steal1 the khatafin decided to let the sellers alone1 provided they would not hinder them in their attempts to get what they could out of the buyers4 ,omdurman was full of strangers who had no notion of the existence of the khatafin1 and would carelessly go to market to buy their food2 but no sooner had they placed their money in the shopman's hands than the khatafin1 with wild yells1 would seize the money in a trice1 and leave the purchaser standing with empty hands4 ,naturally1 the shopmen would not deliver to them the goods1 the price of which had been stolen by the khatafin4 ,one could fill a book with the thousands of strange episodes which occurred during this awful famine4 ,children1 deserted by their mothers--poor1 wretched1 starving little things--would beg in the most pitiful1 heart-breaking way for alms4 ,beggars would follow one about till late at night1 and would stand about one's house2 they would beg for hours even for a grain of food4 ,a poor naked little boy one day broke into our house1 crying1 ,gian ,gowi6 7,i'm very hungry67 ,the tone in which it was said1 the wistful1 sunken eyes1 and the wretched condition of the boy1 could not but excite our pity1 though hundreds of beggars had been turned away before he came2 we fed him1 and he survived the terrible year of famine1 but he had forgotten his name1 so we always called him ,gian ,gowi4 ,often did ,i see poor little skeletons of infants trying to get nourishment from their dead mother's breasts4 ,the following instance will give the reader some insight into the horrors of this famine4 ,one day a poor woman came to me with three starving children2 she carried one in each arm1 while the eldest clung to her skirt1 the whole four looked like wandering skeletons4 ,with a voice of agonised supplication1 which could come from a mother only1 she earnestly begged me to take the boy and feed him1 and that if he survived he could remain for ever my slave4 ,here was a poor mother who preferred to see her child a slave than to look on whilst he died of starvation before her eyes4 ,this touched me to the very heart1 but ,i could not accept the offer1 for ,i had scarcely enough food for myself1 so ,i dismissed her with a handful of dhurra4 ,the next day the mother came with one child less1 and the third day she came with one child only2 and at last she came alone1 saying that she was now going to follow her three loved children4 ,after that ,i never saw her again4 ,if grief did not kill her1 hunger must certainly have claimed her as a victim4 ,one day a girl presented herself before the judge of the market court1 and reported that her mother had roasted her little brother and eaten him1 and that now she had run away1 as she was afraid she might suffer the same fate4 ,the ,kadi at once sent some soldiers with the girl to seize the unnatural mother2 they found a poor half-starved woman with an ear and a piece of a leg4 ,she was taken before the ,kadi1 and took a solemn oath that the only child she ever had was the girl2 she was immediately interned in the zariba1 and the matter reported to the ,grand ,kadi1 who ordered the leg and ear to be exposed on the gallows4 ,even the savage blacks1 who were hardened by constant warfare1 were impressed with the horror of the poor woman's action1 and crowded round the zariba to gaze at her2 but it was soon discovered that the wretched creature was raving mad1 so the ,khalifa pardoned her1 but she died a few days afterwards4 ,it was never safe for children to appear in the streets at night1 or they would certainly have been seized by the starving people4 ,one evening ,i heard a cry at my door1 and myself and several neighbours at once ran out to see what was the matter4 ,we saw a man dragging a boy away3 we at once gave chase1 and the man dropped the boy and fled2 he intended to have a good meal off the boy that night4 ,during the famine several sold themselves or their children into slavery2 but when it was all over1 the ,khalifa ordered all such to be set free without remuneration to their masters4 ,dervishes1 who had heaped insults on the ,turks during the siege of ,el ,obeid for eating donkeys1 and other unclean animals1 were now feeling ,heaven's vengeance1 for not only did they eat unclean animals1 but their own children as well4 ,there were so many dead bodies about that it was not possible to bury them all4 ,at first they used to bury them within the city1 but the ,khalifa put a stop to this1 and they were then taken out to the north-west side1 and up to this day1 if anyone walks in that direction he will find the plain scattered with innumerable skulls and human bones1 which lie there glistening in the sun1 as white as snow2 the driving sand and burning sun have polished them like glass4 ,how many dead bodies were carried away by the ,nile1 ,god only knows2 if people thought of it ,i do not think they would ever eat any more fish1 for the fish must have had a surfeit of human flesh4 ,the scent of the dead bodies brought hyenas everywhere1 and they became so bold that they would come almost up to my door4 ,as for the vultures1 their name was legion1 but even they with the help of the hyenas were unable to consume all the bodies4 ,let us leave ,omdurman for a moment and trace the course of the famine in the provinces4 ,in ,dongola and ,berber the price of dhurra rose to one hundred dollars an ardeb4 ,the entire districts between ,omdurman and ,berber had become depopulated4 ,in a hut might be found a man1 his wife and children all lying dead on their angaribs4 ,even in the salt districts near ,shendi1 almost the entire population had died of hunger4 ,in ,kassala and ,galabat matters were even worse2 here the price of an ardeb had gone up to two hundred and fifty dollars1 and even for this enormous price it was almost impossible to get it1 for there was really none in the country4 ,the great ,shukrieh tribe had eaten almost all their camels1 and its numbers had dwindled from forty thousand to four thousand souls4 ,the large tribe of ,wad ,zayid 7the ,debaineh7 in the neighbourhood of ,gedaref1 who for his opposition to ,mahdiism had been thrown into prison in ,omdurman1 had become almost extinct4 ,the population of ,kassala1 ,galabat1 and ,gedaref had dwindled almost to nothing4 ,zeki ,tummal1 to obtain food for his troops1 had mercilessly robbed the corn merchants and compelled them to give up their very last supplies2 he left them without even a handful4 ,around ,galabat the hyenas became so bold that they would sneak into the villages almost before the sun was down and drag off the wretched half-dead people4 ,out of ,zeki's force of eighty-seven thousand souls before the famine there remained1 after it was over1 only ten thousand1 including women and children4 ,karkoj and ,sennar1 which were generally called the granaries of the ,sudan1 were desolated by famine4 ,it was1 indeed1 ,heaven's terrible retribution on a people who had practised untold cruelties and shed rivers of innocent blood4 ,so great was the distress that it became a general saying that any one who did not die in #ahhi would never die2 and this year1 corresponding to the year #acjf ,moslem era1 will remain engraven for ever on the minds of those who went through the famine in the ,sudan and had the good fortune to survive it4 ,when the first supplies of the new harvest reached the market1 there was the most heartfelt joy throughout the country1 and every one congratulated his neighbour on the termination of their distress2 but even the new harvest was not good1 and dhurra did not go below twenty-four dollars the ardeb4 ,the locusts did much harm to the harvest1 and this plague has devastated the land now for nearly four years4 ,there are two sorts of locusts1 the yellow and the bright red1 and they have infested the whole country from ,kordofan to ,dongola and to ,tokar4 ,they came in such swarms that at times the sun was obscured2 on one occasion they passed through ,omdurman1 and took from two to three hours to do so4 ,the rushing sound they made alarmed the people greatly1 and wherever they established themselves they left the place completely bare4 ,they demolished the hard palm leaves so completely that it seemed as if they had been cut with a pair of scissors2 even the bark of the trees they did not spare4 ,where-ever they settle they look like a big cloud1 which completely covers streets1 roofs1 and walls4 ,sudanese1 as a rule1 sleep out of doors1 so that their beds were covered as well1 and as soon as one swarm was driven off another settled4 ,locusts are considered by the ,sudanese as a great delicacy1 and when well roasted in butter they taste like fried fish2 the locusts generally came between ,june and ,september1 just when the harvest is ripening or the new crops sprouting after the rains4 ,there is no attempt made to destroy their eggs4 ,another plague was mice3 these little animals1 which are of a reddish colour1 came in such quantities as to drive the cultivators to despair4 ,no sooner was the seed in the ground than the mice had rooted it up and eaten it4 ,often the fields had to be planted two and three times over2 and then when a heavy rain came the mice would all be drowned1 and as the water subsided the ground would be covered with the dead bodies of these little animals4 ,it seemed as if the entire ,sudan lay under a curse4 ,the people knew it too1 and looked upon it as ,god's righteous judgment on them for the evil deeds they had been prompted to do at the instigation of a wicked and false ,mahdi4 ,,chapter ,,xvii4 ,,the ,,khalifa ,,and ,,his ,,government4 ,the ,khalifa's system of government--,his household--,an outline of his character--,his system of prayers in the mosque--,his visions and dreams--,his espionage system--,his household troops--,his great activity and circumspection--,the great ,friday review described--,the emigration of the ,baggara and western tribes to ,omdurman--,the flight of ,sheikh ,ghazali--,management of the beit el mal--,system of taxation4 ,this chapter ,i propose to devote to a brief description of ,khalifa ,abdullah and his system of government4 ,abdullah is a ,baggara of dark chocolate-coloured complexion1 with a long and prominent nose2 he wears a short beard cut according to the ,moslem custom4 ,when ,i first saw him at the siege of ,el ,obeid he was very thin1 but now he is extremely stout1 and his skin hangs in great folds underneath his eyes2 he has a strong clear voice1 and though well instructed in ,arabic1 he cannot conceal his ,baggara dialect and accent4 ,his dress consists of the usual ,dervish jibbeh and drawers1 he also wears sandals1 and over his jibbeh1 which is generally reeking with grease and fat1 he wears a tob or light cotton cloth2 on his head is the usual ,mecca takia1 round which a turban is bound4 ,as regards food1 the ,khalifa is more moderate and simple than the ,mahdi2 he still adheres to his native dishes--asida 7a sort of polenta71 eaten with milk or meat1 over which a strong sauce full of spices and pepper is poured4 ,sometimes he eats roasted chicken and drinks quantities of milk and sugar1 especially camels' milk1 to which all ,baggaras are devoted4 ,he has no fixed hours for food1 but eats whenever he feels so inclined2 and it is perfectly astonishing the amount of food which a ,sudanese can consume at a sitting4 ,like his master the ,mahdi and all important persons in the ,sudan1 the ,khalifa is much addicted to harem life4 ,shortly after he had established himself as supreme ruler1 he thought to surround himself with all the pomp and splendour of a ,sudanese ,sultan1 of which the most important item is a very extensive harem4 ,as the ,mahdi had done before1 so did he take to himself numbers of wives4 ,wherever a pretty woman is to be found1 he at once gets information about her from his spies1 and she is immediately brought to the harem4 ,each of his wives has her own house1 kitchen1 and slaves quite apart from the rest1 consequently the expenditure of his household is considerable4 ,his first wife is head of all the other wives1 who now number one hundred and fifty4 ,she is a ,baggara woman1 and is waited on by numbers of eunuchs1 who were formerly in the service of the ,turkish and ,egyptian pashas2 and although the making of eunuchs is strictly prohibited by ,mahdi law1 nevertheless the ,khalifa secretly employs numbers of persons who arrange to supply eunuchs when required4 ,the chief eunuch is a certain ,abdel ,gayum1 who is head of the entire household4 ,he has under his orders numbers of female slaves1 who grind dhurra and prepare the food2 it is estimated that three ardebs of dhurra a day are consumed in the ,khalifa's household4 ,abdullah is endowed by nature with a good constitution1 but his irregular mode of life has gone far to destroy it4 ,twice he has had severe attacks which have all but killed him2 on both occasions he was delirious1 and his body became enormously distended4 ,the last time he was ill all hope of his recovery had been given up1 and the doctor who was attending him1 and had given him a purgative1 was on the point of being beheaded1 when at the last moment the medicine took effect1 and was the happy means of saving the lives of both the ,khalifa and his doctor4 ,the ,khalifa's illnesses are always kept secret1 so that whenever he fails to attend prayers1 it is generally thought that he is sick4 ,fifteen days after the last crisis1 and when all danger was over1 ,abdullah summoned the other two ,khalifas and the judges to show them that he had recovered1 whereupon ,khalifa ,ali at once offered up a prayer of thanksgiving1 though1 if his real feelings had been analysed1 it would have been found that he was anything but thankful4 ,after leaving ,abdullah1 the ,khalifas announced to the people in the mosque that he had been very dangerously ill1 but that ,god in ,his mercy had spared him4 ,this news was the signal for a wild shout of delight1 which reached the ,khalifa's ears and pleased him not a little4 ,eight days afterwards he appeared for the first time in the mosque1 then the rejoicings knew no bounds1 and the shouts were heard miles off2 all the emirs congratulated him on his recovery1 and the air resounded with the cries of ,allah etawil ,omrak6 7,may ,god prolong your life67 ,all this flattery pleased the ,khalifa immensely1 and this eye-service is a particularly highly-developed characteristic of the ,sudanese4 ,and now a few words as to the ,khalifa's character3 he is an intensely vain and proud man1 very cruel and quick-tempered4 ,occasionally his ideas are good1 but he is surrounded by so many fanatics that his ideas1 however good they may be1 generally die almost before they are born4 ,he is of a most distrustful nature1 because he knows he is surrounded by enemies--thus he is a curious mixture of resolution and inconstancy4 ,he listens eagerly to calumnies1 and delights in hearing evil spoken of other people2 this causes his decisions to be changeable and capricious2 he is guided a good deal by what low slanderers tell him1 but they have to watch his temper very closely1 and have become great adepts at humouring him4 ,he is fearful and jealous of his authority1 and the very smallest infringement of it is looked upon as a most serious crime and punished accordingly4 ,he has surrounded himself with spies1 who pander to his jealous and tyrannical nature4 ,these spies are everywhere1 they get into private houses1 attend every meeting1 and often start a discussion against the ,khalifa and against ,mahdiism1 merely to draw the unwary into a trap and make them divulge their real feelings and opinions4 ,he is told about the most trivial thing1 and sometimes during his speeches and sermons he will give way to the wildest denunciation of his unfavourable critics4 ,he knows perfectly well that he is hated1 but he will never allow it to be said openly2 for1 though he cares little whether he is liked or disliked1 he does not wish anything to intervene between him and his authority4 ,the ,khalifa adheres most strictly to the prescribed forms of prayer2 every day he attends five times in the mosque and enforces the presence of all the principal emirs4 ,he does not like the ,ansar to get into comfortable and luxurious modes of life1 but insists on their always being hardened and in readiness to withstand the fatigues of war2 all prayers end with the fatha1,n after which is an invocation for the victory of religion1 the long life of the ,khalifa1 and the continual success of his arms2 then follows a prayer calling down ,god's vengeance on unbelievers and those who have erred from the paths of ,mahdiism1 and asking that their wives and children may be given as booty to the true believers2 at the end of the prayers the whole congregation joins in a loud ,amen4 ,after afternoon and evening prayers1 the ,khalifa generally holds short political conversations1 in which the affairs of the empire and of the capital are discussed2 he receives his emirs and gives them instructions2 he frequently gives discourses from the place in which he repeats prayers1 and sometimes turns and addresses in the most benevolent manner those who are gathered around him with heads bent in obedient submission4 ,if he bears any one a grudge1 he never attempts to conceal it1 but refers to it in the most open manner in the mosque1 when the culprit generally comes hurriedly forward1 throws himself at his feet1 and implores forgiveness3 if he fails to do this1 he is generally threatened with imprisonment4 ,the mosque is at the same time both barracks and prison1 for here he teaches his followers humbleness1 obedience1 and submission4 ,he frequently repeats his orders that all should be most punctual in their attendance at the mosque1 and if1 when the appointed hour comes1 people are found in the streets1 they are invariably flogged and carried off to the zariba4 ,this is the way the ,khalifa tests the obedience of his people1 and assures himself that they are at all times ready to obey his smallest behest4 ,the highest punishment possible for an absentee is that he shall attend regularly at the mosque five times a day for eighteen months1 under a police guard1 who is as a rule a ,baggara1 and who never lets him out of his sight4 ,a man under such a sentence may1 if he have money1 pay a fine or bribe his guard2 but if he cannot do this he must attend1 no matter how far off his house may be4 ,some unfortunate people who live a long way off spend their whole day in going backwards and forwards between their dwellings and the mosque4 ,the emirs even1 if they neglect this order1 are very severely dealt with4 ,this enforced attendance at prayers has greatly added to the unpopularity of the ,khalifa1 for work is being continually interrupted1 and all real feelings of religion are subverted4 ,formerly every important emir and fiki had his own rukuba1 in which he prayed with his own people2 but the ,khalifa put a stop to this1 fearing that all such meetings would have a tendency to conspiracy and mutiny4 ,he himself is much more a supporter of authority than of religion1 but he induces the former through the latter4 ,personally1 he cares little for religion4 ,all his absurd dreams and imaginary visions only make him a laughing-stock of the people1 and he is considered by the orthodox ,moslems to be an absolute heretic4 ,on one occasion1 when his spies reported to him that he was very unpopular1 and that it was the general wish that he should die1 he withdrew for three days4 ,this considerably alarmed the people1 for they had no notion what form of revenge he might not be preparing for them4 ,at the end of this period he reappeared1 and from his place in the mosque he announced as follows3-- ,i have been taken in the spirit to the third heaven1 where ,i beheld the ,mahdi1 the ,prophet ,elias1 and ,jesus ,christ2 when ,i saluted the ,mahdi1 he introduced me at once to the two prophets2 the ,prophet ,elias had a very ruddy and sunburnt appearance1 and took me very roughly by the hand2 but the ,prophet ,jesus was white and soft as wool4 ,these two prophets were pleased to know me1 and ,i represented to the ,mahdi that ,i had no desire to quit this pleasant heaven2 ,i begged him1 therefore1 to send some one to rule my people instead of me1 as ,i was tired and exhausted by trying to govern people who did not care for me2 but the ,mahdi told me not to lose heart1 and that he would give me power to please all2 the ,mahdi also told me that he was quite satisfied with my ruling4 ,he afterwards took me into the presence of ,god1 who also showed pleasure at knowing the ,khalifa of the ,mahdi4 ,all true ,moslems who heard this extraordinary tissue of lies were very angry that he should dare to take ,god's name in vain in this way1 and thoroughly understood his reasons for having such absurd and blasphemous pretensions4 ,on another occasion he was told that the two ,khalifas were very dissatisfied with his arbitrary ruling1 and resented being excluded from a share in the government of the country4 ,this induced another vision1 in which he declared that the ,mahdi had told him he should live eight years more1 after which the ,prophet ,jesus would appear4 ,in this way he gave them to understand that they had not much hope of being given any authority2 but this vision appeared to have exactly the opposite effect on the ,khalifas1 who became more clamorous than ever4 ,he therefore instructed his vision secretary to withdraw this vision from circulation1 and added that should any one ever be heard talking on this subject again1 he would be punished by the loss of a hand and a foot4 ,and then he tried to justify his action by declaring that it was the fault of his secretaries1 who had put an entirely different construction on the vision to what he had intended1 and indeed to what he had actually seen6 ,after noonday prayers he ordered extracts to be read from the book dealing with the early wars of ,islam4 ,this was quite a new departure4 ,to keep any book on religion or religious history1 it was necessary1 in the first instance1 to obtain the ,khalifa's permission2 and indeed it was very difficult to keep any such books safe from the wild fanaticism of the ,dervishes4 ,it was the ,mahdi's intention to destroy1 as far as possible1 everything which would serve to remind his people of the old days1 so that they should believe the more readily in his revelations only4 ,the ,khalifa will not accept written petitions1 as he himself cannot read4 ,if any one has a complaint to make1 he must call out1 as the ,khalifa enters the mosque for prayers1 ,khalifat el ,mahdi6 or ,sidi6 or he may cry out1 ,ya ,sidi ana mazlum6 7,master1 ,i am oppressed67 ,abdullah then listens to what he has to say1 and decides the matter4 ,whether the decision be favourable or not to the complainant1 he must be satisfied with it4 ,gifts and alms are frequently besought of the ,khalifa1 chiefly because he is not of such a benevolent nature as the ,mahdi1 and moreover1 he has less to dispose of than his predecessor4 ,if the ,khalifa does not at once dispose of a case that is brought before him1 it is a sure sign that he has no intention of giving a decision on it1 and woe to him who dares to again bring forward the question6 ,abdullah gets very angry if he is interrupted when speaking4 ,the various expressions of content1 restlessness1 and revenge are so clearly portrayed on his face that one seldom mistakes the frame of mind he is in at any particular time1 though he often vainly tries to conceal his actual feelings4 ,there are some people in ,omdurman who make the expressions of the ,khalifa's face their study1 and are wonderful adepts at knowing what is passing in his mind4 ,they listen attentively to every word he says1 and their estimates of his moods go the round of their friends1 but are often rather distorted in course of transmission4 ,these thought-readers assign causes to his various moods1 which they put down to a variety of reasons1 such as ill-health1 a disaster1 or a quarrel with one of his many wives4 ,all these reports spread at once throughout the country1 and one would think that the people had nothing else to do but to discuss the ,khalifa and every incident of his daily life4 ,and perhaps this is not to be wondered at1 since he exercises so indiscriminately the powers of life and death4 ,one word from the ,khalifa is able to rouse up the energies of all those spies whose special duty it is to report the smokers and marissa-drinkers4 ,the liberal payment to them of bribes by these law-breakers occasionally serves to make them neglect their duties2 but should the ,khalifa wish to replenish the waning supplies of the beit el mal1 the reporting of a few delinquents rapidly fills the exchequer again4 ,the ,khalifa is a man of great activity1 and personally directs all important matters4 ,he receives reports on the most trivial affairs1 and is always overwhelmed with business4 ,this1 however1 helps to keep him in health1 and prevents him leading a life of sensual ease to which his inclinations undoubtedly tend4 ,he has nothing but his activity to thank for the fact that he is still alive1 though during the last few years he has greatly deteriorated in this respect1 consequent on his indulging more than usual his uxorious appetites4 ,after morning prayers he generally takes a short sleep1 and during the remainder of the day he is busy with the affairs of ,state4 ,posts are continually coming and going2 and the telegraph having been destroyed1 a camel postal service has been organised1 but is exclusively used for official letters4 ,any one who wishes to send private letters must do so through the intermediary of merchants and travellers4 ,after the day's work is over1 the ,khalifa delights in gossiping till late in the night1 surrounded by his emirs and judges4 ,sometimes just before midnight he will again enter the mosque1 and will summon the poets to sing his praises4 ,he delights in music1 and keeps a number of ,dar ,fertit and ,niam ,niam singers1 who accompany themselves on the rubaba 7a sort of native guitar71 and their strange and weird melodies delight the ,khalifa's soul4 ,these native musicians have a sort of school of music1 in which they practise all day2 but they never seem to learn anything new4 ,abdullah is by no means a ruler in name only4 ,his palace is crowded with male and female servants1 slaves1 eunuchs1 and young boys1 who continually wait upon him1 and carry after him the inevitable ibrik4 ,one slave is especially told off to carry the farwa or sheepskin to the mosque4 ,the other servants are called mulazimin1 and act rather in the capacity of spies than personal attendants4 ,a good or bad word from them has no small weight with the ,khalifa4 ,of course they are all submission to their master2 and if they have been brought up in the ,khalifa's service1 when the time comes he permits them to marry1 and gives them a horse as well--the two things they long for most4 ,the ,khalifa has also his special barber1 who is a slave2 and his master of the horse1 who is an immensely tall ,dinka4 ,he has also a sort of giant slave who lifts him on and off his horse4 ,his life-guards consist of #ejj black slaves armed with ,remington rifles1 who always accompany the ,khalifa whenever he rides out4 ,they wear a very short jibbeh--not unlike a soldier's tunic--and short knickerbockers4 ,amongst them are about #ajj ,taisha and ,homr ,arabs1 whose special duty is to prevent any one approaching the ,khalifa's person4 ,to further add to his prestige1 he has also appointed an honourable council1 composed of all the principal sheikhs of the great ,sudan tribes4 ,his mulazimin el bab1 or household cavalry1 are obliged to be in continual attendance at the great gate of the palace1 and never quit their posts until ,abdullah has retired for the night4 ,he occasionally selects one or two of their principal officers to despatch on important missions into the provinces4 ,the household cavalry rank next to the judges in the mosque precedence4 ,if any man seek employment1 he must attend at the mosque at prayer-time and humbly make known his request to the ,khalifa2 and if he wishes to succeed1 he must not be sparing in the lavishness of the compliments with which he prefaces his demand4 ,the ,khalifa is specially open to such eye-service1 and always selects for his servants persons who possess this qualification in a marked degree4 ,the business affairs of ,state are conducted by an army of clerks1 of whom the most influential are ,fauzi1 ,muntasser1 ,abu el ,gharem1 and ,ahmed2 these are all men who possess a good knowledge of ,arabic1 and know something of history and the ,moslem laws2 they read all incoming letters to the ,khalifa1 and answer them in accordance with his directions2 one of these clerks is his special seal-bearer2 all letters are supposed to be strictly confidential1 as well as the deliberations and discussions of the council4 ,if he ever mentions a matter in public1 in which he conveys blame or censure1 then it is understood that this is merely a warning2 if he wishes to inflict punishment1 then the culprit is seized unawares1 and the chastisement or imprisonment inflicted without further ado2 thus does he bring the men of the ,sudan low before him1 and tramples on their necks4 ,abdullah specially delights in a display of magnificence2 whenever large expeditions start from any of the hejiras1 he generally proceeds there in the afternoon1 returning in the evening4 ,latterly he has made fewer of these excursions1 as much work and an irregular life are beginning to tell upon him4 ,he never announces beforehand what he intends to do1 but just before noonday prayers the onbea is sounded1 and a herald shouts ,khalifat el ,mahdi yerkab 7,the ,khalifa of the ,mahdi is about to ride out72 then everyone who owns a horse prepares to mount and accompany him4 ,the horses in ,omdurman have become so accustomed to the sound that whenever they hear the onbea they begin to neigh and prance1 as if rejoicing in the honour of being allowed to join the ,khalifa's ride4 ,immediately after prayers the giant slave puts him on his horse1 and as he proceeds1 hundreds of horsemen and thousands of men on foot follow him shouting and showing all the signs of joy4 ,he always carries a large spear1 and is little different from other riders4 ,these latter do not march quietly behind1 but continually dash forward in groups of four and eight1 their spears poised to strike1 then suddenly pull up and re-enter the ranks2 this fantasia delights the mob1 who shout the most violent applause4 ,during these excursions the ,khalifa observes carefully all that is going on around him and what the people are doing4 ,on one occasion1 when he rode to the beit el mal and was surveying the mighty river1 a woman wearing man's clothes was brought to him from a ship close by4 ,in reply to the ,khalifa's question what she was doing1 she said she was preparing the crew's food2 he then asked if she was married1 and she said no1 thereupon he began joking and presented her to ,wad ,adlan2 but the latter1 seeing that she was neither young nor pretty1 readily answered that he was already possessor of the four lawful wives4 ,the ,khalifa could not of course violate the law1 so he summoned the captain of the ship and insisted on him marrying this old creature on the spot2 he also casually remarked that the sailors had a noggara 7copper drum7 on board1 and he immediately gave a general order that no drums were to be allowed on board boats4 ,on another occasion he noticed a very thick cloud of smoke1 and on inquiry he found that it came from a soap manufactory2 he therefore immediately issued orders that the soap monopoly rested with the beit el mal1 and that any other manufactory was prohibited4 ,in this way he deprived numbers of people of a means of livelihood4 ,one day he remarked a large heap of sewage in the centre of the town1 which spread a most foul odour all around2 this was the cause of the ,khalifa himself stating in the mosque that if1 when he inspected the town three days hence1 he found any refuse1 the trespassers should be very severely punished4 ,everyone now became directly responsible for the cleanliness of his own dwelling and its vicinity1 and this order had a most excellent effect2 it was further enforced by the presence of horsemen1 who took good care to see that the instructions were carefully carried out4 ,the ,khalifa also went so far as to order that if any impurity should be found in the public streets1 the owner of the defiled place should carry it away himself with his own hands to the appointed place4 ,this was a cause of great delight to the street-arabs1 who heaped insults on the disgraced individual by shouting after him ,shalhu6 7,he has taken it away67 ,but as it was with the ,mahdi1 so it is with the ,khalifa--at first orders are obeyed with the greatest alacrity1 and then people get as careless as ever4 ,omdurman at the present time is by no means a particularly clean or sanitary town4 ,the occasions on which the ,khalifa appears in the greatest splendour are when he rides to parade4 ,in accordance with the ,mahdi's orders1 these reviews have always taken place on ,fridays1 no matter what the weather may be1 rain1 sunshine1 or sandstorm4 ,the review1 or ,arda1 as it is called1 is a religious ceremony1 and those who take part in it are supposed to obtain special blessings and advantages4 ,the ,mahdi of course wanted to keep up the martial spirit of his followers1 and therefore he based his reviews on religious grounds4 ,sometimes ,khalifa ,abdullah is absent from these parades1 in which case his brother ,yakub takes his place4 ,illustration3 ,a ,,trophy ,,of ,,arms1 ,,banners ,,and ,,drums ,,captured ,,from ,,the ,,dervishes4 ,on parade days the great war-drums begin beating two hours before sunrise1 and the slaves whose duty it is to beat them have two varieties of cadence1 whilst a small drum beaten in quick time completes the call to arms4 ,the people apply all sorts of expressions to the beating in quick time1 such as ,nakelkum or ,naktulkum 7,we will eat you up1 or ,we will kill you71 i4e4 their enemies4 ,in the stillness of the night these drums are heard a very long way off1 and in the terrible times of the ,mahdi wars their weird and monotonous roll created a most sad and depressing effect on me4 ,immediately after morning prayers the leaders proceed to the flag yard1 each takes his flag1 and they all stand in line in the open space in front of the beit el amana4 ,the flags of the ,khalifas ,abdullah and ,ali ,wad ,helu are kept quite apart4 ,khalifa ,sherif seldom goes out1 and keeps himself as much as possible from appearing anywhere in public with ,abdullah1 with whom he is on very bad terms1 because he has been deprived of all authority4 ,the four drum-beaters stand in front of the flags1 and gradually the followers all collect round their respective leaders4 ,as soon as the sun rises they begin shouting1 and then march to the parade ground4 ,arrived here1 the flags are all placed in line4 ,the horsemen follow ,yakub or any other person whom the ,khalifa may delegate4 ,the ,ansar are drawn up in a long line facing eastwards1 and all the people immediately rush to get into the various divisions to which they belong4 ,then the onbea sounds to indicate that the great master himself is arriving2 this is the signal for all those who have stayed behind1 attempting to shirk parade1 to rush helter-skelter to the ranks1 as the ,khalifa gets very angry unless the review is well attended4 ,he is generally mounted on a very good camel led by ,wad ,beshir2 he sits with drawn sword1 and moves very slowly1 surrounded by his black life-guards formed in square4 ,the four onbea-blowers march just in front1 and take it in turns to sound the great elephant's tusk4 ,behind the ,khalifa follow the mulazimin riding4 ,arrived on parade he first inspects the whole line1 and occasionally performs some cavalry manoeuvres in the hills which stretch towards ,kererri4 ,these hills are supposed to be the abode of the ,jinns1,o who are said to be the ,khalifa's auxiliaries in battle1 and he frequently indulges in visions1 retiring into a small hut1 while the ,ansar have to stand outside waiting for hours in the burning sun4 ,at length he gives the signal to march off2 again the flags unite in two groups1 followed by the shouting ,dervishes4 ,the horsemen keep dashing round the flanks to see that no one goes away4 ,all must march back to the beit el amana1 where they await the ,khalifa's arrival to be dismissed4 ,the orders respecting the arms and equipment to be carried by the ,ansar on parade are all strictly adhered to2 everyone must carry at least three spears1 i4e4 one large and two small ones2 also a sword1 which is slung round the shoulder1 and a girth as well2 anyone appearing deficient of any of these articles is flogged4 ,at large festivals the reviews are most imposing4 ,months before1 orders are sent in all directions for the ,ansar to assemble4 ,on these occasions there are generally about #a1jjj horsemen4 ,the ,khalifa1 wearing a suit of mail armour and a helmet1 is generally mounted on a good charger1 and is surrounded by some #bjj horsemen1 also clad in mail1 wearing helmets and greaves2 the horses also wear brass head-armour lined with thickly-quilted stuffs1 which are intended to protect from sword-cuts4 ,the riders wear thick red turbans1 which they wind round the helmet1 and then tie tightly under the chin1 thus leaving only very little of their face exposed2 they also wear red girdles1 which they throw over their shoulders4 ,the combination of red with the dark ,baggara complexion is peculiarly effective1 and gives them a most martial appearance4 ,the red turban and girdle are entirely the ,khalifa's idea4 ,at first the horses were not shod1 but recently ,abdullah ordered some thousands of horse-shoes to be made in the arsenal4 ,the wild excitement and confusion prevailing on these occasions can readily be understood4 ,the guns are all brought out1 arms distributed amongst the ,ansar1 and the shouting and yelling is endless2 crowds of horsemen dash hither and thither at a wild gallop1 raising clouds of dust4 ,horses and horsemanship are a great delight to the ,sudanese2 the best breeds are from ,dongola and ,abyssinia4 ,at one time there were quantities in ,darfur1 and there was no difficulty in raising #d1jjj of them1 but since ,mahdiism has fallen on the land the numbers have greatly decreased4 ,every horse-owner is entitled to half an ardeb of dhurra from the beit el mal4 ,the reviews which ,i have just described tend to keep alive enthusiasm1 and also to intimidate those who are secretly opposed to the ,khalifa1 and whom the sight of such numbers of foot-and horsemen cannot fail to impress4 ,the best riders are the ,khalifa's own countrymen--the ,baggaras--who are brought up on horses from their early childhood4 ,the ,khalifa has craftily arranged that all horses remain in the hands of the ,baggaras4 ,at first not many of this tribe joined the ,mahdi1 they preferred to remain in their own happy hunting-grounds1 rearing horses1 and living in unfettered liberty in their great plains and forests1 and in consequence the ,arabs nicknamed them ,arab el ,shedera 7,arabs of the forests71 but when the ,khalifa succeeded to supreme power1 he thought that his authority would be considerably strengthened by collecting his own countrymen around him4 ,after conquering ,sultan ,yusef1 of ,darfur1 the ,khalifa ordered ,osman ,wad ,adam to gather his own countrymen--the ,taisha--nearer ,omdurman4 ,the youthful ,osman gave to those wild nomads a most glowing account of the magnificent countries near the ,nile1 and of the ,khalifa's enormous power and authority1 and to prove the truth of what he said1 he showed them all sorts of glittering dollars1 and various kinds of cloths2 nor did he rest until he at last persuaded them to leave their homes4 ,they set out with all their movable property--women1 children1 and flocks--all bound for ,omdurman2 they plundered the inhabitants of the various countries through which they passed1 and forcibly seized their camels for transport4 ,the ,dar ,hameda tribe alone1 through whose country they passed1 lost #d1jjj camels4 ,when they reached ,el ,obeid1 a special tax was levied for their maintenance1 but1 quite regardless of this1 they broke into the houses1 and laid hands on all they could find4 ,from ,el ,obeid they passed on to ,tayara and ,shatt1 whence the ,khalifa had them conveyed in steamers to ,omdurman4 ,there were1 in all1 #g1jjj warriors1 exclusive of women and children2 their arrival in ,omdurman was viewed with a certain amount of alarm1 and not without reason4 ,as the ,arnauts and the ,bashi ,bazuks were utilized by the ,government in the old days1 so were the ,taisha to be now utilised under the ,khalifa's rule2 he favoured them in every possible way1 the beit el mal was made responsible for their maintenance and pay4 ,after they had partially settled down1 and some had been given the richest patches on the ,nile banks1 as well as several of the islands1 the others were then removed to ,berber1 ,abu ,hamed1 ,dongola1 and the ,gezireh4 ,in all these places they very soon made themselves masters of the situation1 and the ,khalifa gave them the most important ,government posts to fill2 but notwithstanding all this favoured treatment1 still they were not content3 the more they had1 the more they wanted4 ,upwards of #d1jjj of them deserted from ,omdurman1 to proceed to their own country2 but they were overtaken1 and1 as an example to the remainder1 the right hand and left foot of three of them were cut off1 though it was with the greatest reluctance that he ever punished his own countrymen in this way4 ,two hundred of the deserters were put in prison1 where some of them died in a few days3 the horrors of this prison so impressed these wild children of the desert1 that to this day they tremble at the thought of it4 ,the sheikh of the ,taisha was a man named ,ghazali1 who was by no means happy in his new position2 and though he was well received by ,abdullah1 still he could not brook the feeling of being under the authority of a man who at one time had been one of his lowest menials4 ,it was reported to the ,khalifa that he was discontented1 he was therefore summoned before him1 and addressed as follows3-- ,when you were sheikh in your own country1 were we not obliged to kiss your hand1 and show you all reverence and respect8 ,yes3 and it was quite right to do so4 ,but now ,god has placed me over you as your master1 then why do you now refuse to give me the same honour and respect which you required of your own subjects when you were in a similar position8 ,ghazali made no reply1 but then and there decided to run away4 ,this showed a spirit of independence which had been dead amongst the ,arabs for centuries1 and to find it we have to go back to the time of ,saladin4 ,sheikh ,ghazali was a man who knew no fear1 and he confided his plans to his wife and daughter1 and they--far from deterring him--rather encouraged him to carry it out4 ,his wife saddled his horse1 and urged him rather to die than to submit to a position so far beneath him4 ,ghazali1 accompanied by two of his relatives1 mounted his horse in the middle of the night2 without shedding a tear1 his wife bade him farewell1 and wished him all success in his undertaking4 ,in order to put his enemies off his track1 he at first went in a northerly direction till just below ,kererri1 then turned south-west1 and made for ,kordofan4 ,but ,ghazali made a fatal mistake in using horses for such an enterprise1 for1 winter being over1 there was a scarcity of water in the desert2 it would have been far better had he used camels4 ,the poor man had to pay dearly for his error4 ,scarcely was he out of ,omdurman than one of his own tribesmen reported his flight to the ,khalifa1 who became very angry1 cursed the ,taisha for their ingratitude1 and ordered the fugitives to be pursued at once4 ,they searched the desert around ,omdurman in every direction1 and1 thinking they must have taken camels1 they did not at first take any notice of the horses' tracks1 but eventually they decided to follow up the latter1 and were soon convinced that they were on the fugitives' heels4 ,some distance after leaving ,kererri1 they came up with the horses which ,ghazali and his companions1 owing to their fatigue1 had abandoned1 and had continued their flight on foot4 ,the pursuers were now two days distant from ,omdurman1 and were on the point of giving up the chase1 when they heard a shot fired from a thickly-wooded khor4 ,it was ,ghazali1 who1 suffering greatly from thirst1 had separated from his companions in search of water2 he had been digging about in the sand1 and1 discovering the longed-for liquid1 he had fired a shot to let his companions know he had been successful4 ,this shot was his betrayer2 the pursuers rushed to the spot1 surrounded him1 and although he killed and wounded several1 he was overpowered and fell riddled with bullets4 ,his head was cut off1 for the ,khalifa had given orders that on no account was he to be brought back alive4 ,his two relations submitted1 and were subsequently pardoned by the ,khalifa1 who is always more lenient to his own tribesmen than to others4 ,ghazali's head was brought to ,omdurman1 and thrown amongst the heap of unbelievers' heads4 ,there is no doubt that if ,ghazali had succeeded in regaining his own country1 he would have become a dangerous rival to ,abdullah4 ,most of the ,taisha infinitely prefer the liberty of their native forests to holding high posts in ,omdurman1 and would have rejoined ,ghazali in large numbers4 ,one of the most important measures taken by the ,khalifa to get all power into his own hands was his attempt to gain possession of all firearms4 ,he had over and over again given orders that any one found with a gun would be punished by the loss of a hand and a foot1 and1 of course1 the natural result was that every one feared to deliver up his gun1 dreading the punishment which would inevitably follow4 ,this plan having failed1 the ,khalifa then ordered two ,jew merchants to buy up all firearms for the beit el mal1 and the people having no fear of ,jews freely sold them4 ,in this way about #a1jjj ,remington rifles were secured3 in a like manner the ,khalifa got possession of the coats of mail2 but1 as may well be imagined1 the ,jews did not make much profit out of the business4 ,they were put into chains for eight months1 and had to pay back a considerable sum of money as well4 ,thus did the ,khalifa gradually concentrate all power in himself4 ,the emin beit el mal is obliged to give him a daily statement showing all revenue and expenditure2 the ,sheikh es ,suk 7or sheikh of the market7 has to render a daily report of everything that has taken place in the market1 and the chief judge must keep the ,khalifa fully informed of all important cases which come under his notice4 ,the ,khalifa reserves to himself the powers of life and death1 although the judge passes the sentence4 ,every province has a governor or emir1 i4e4 ,dongola1 ,berber1 ,galabat1 ,karkoj1 ,gezireh1 ,fashoda1 ,kordofan1 ,lado1 and ,jebel ,regaf4 ,all these emirs are ,baggara1 and have several emirs under their commands4 ,each emir has his own beit el mal1 and has the power of appointing his own emin beit el mal and kadi 7judge74 ,the emir is the supreme civil and military governor of his province1 and is entirely responsible for its administration4 ,the beit el mal at ,omdurman is known as the ,beit el mal el ,umum1 and the head of it gives orders direct to all his provincial assistants4 ,each emir is obliged to report all events of importance to the ,khalifa1 they are frequently summoned to ,omdurman to give an account of their administration1 and to take the ,khalifa's instructions4 ,abdullah watches most carefully all events in frontier provinces1 such as ,dongola1 ,berber1 c41 and spies1 disguised as merchants1 are continually sent to ,egypt to get the ,arabic newspapers1 which are always read to the ,khalifa by his secretaries4 ,an emir should never pay a visit to ,omdurman empty-handed1 or he is likely to fall into serious disgrace4 ,in addition to the emirs are the omala 7tax-gatherers71 who visit the provinces annually and collect the ushr 7one-tenth7 and the zeka 7alms for the poor1 two and a-half per cent474 ,these appointments are let to the holders at an enormous rate--several thousand dollars a year4 ,the omala have to cover all their own expenses1 which they do1 and get a very considerable profit besides4 ,it is therefore apparent that the inhabitants are grievously oppressed4 ,the emirs and omala act in the most arbitrary manner in their own provinces2 their will is absolute1 and horrible systems of cruelty prevail everywhere4 ,one of the omala1 ,wad ,hamdu ,allah1 by way of extorting money from a man1 bound his hands so tightly behind his back that when released they remained quite powerless4 ,the poor man went to ,omdurman to seek redress1 and the ,khalifa1 on the principle of an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth1 ordered that the amil's hands should be cut off1 or that he should pay the injured man a sum of money4 ,the man1 of course1 chose the latter1 as the cutting off of his oppressor's hands could not have done him any practical good2 so he received #bjj dollars compensation and four slaves4 ,but this is an exceptional case2 as a rule these cruelties seldom reach the ,khalifa's ears1 and if the instigator of the crime is a ,baggara it is never noticed4 ,the ,khalifa's brother ,yakub is his principal supporter4 ,he and ,abdullah are not of the same mother1 and ,yakub is a few years the senior2 he has a somewhat lighter complexion1 but if possible he is even more cruel than his brother1 and is in charge of the harem4 ,the two brothers work entirely together1 and ,abdullah1 being satisfied with ,yakub's integrity1 gives him the fullest liberty4 ,orders given by ,yakub are carried out with the same alacrity as if they were given by ,abdullah4 ,he receives every day from the emin beit el mal all surplus cash1 and moreover has charge of spare leather1 sacking1 c41 with which to supply the wants of the ,baggaras4 ,it is said that ,yakub is already possessor of great stores of wealth4 ,thus do the brothers1 ,abdullah and ,yakub1 hold the entire ,sudan in the most cruel bondage1 whilst the inhabitants are harassed by the merciless ,baggaras1 who have made themselves the ruthless masters of the whole country4 ,,footnotes3 ,n ,the first chapter in the ,kuran2 it is held in great veneration by ,mohammedans1 and is used by them very much as the ,paternoster is recited by ,roman ,catholics4 ,o ,jinn is the ,arabic equivalent for genii1 in the existence of whom the ,mohammedans are believers1 and by whom they are divided1 into believers and unbelievers4 ,the ,mahdi always asserted that in battle thousands of ,jinns fought on the side of the ,dervishes4 ,,chapter ,,xviii4 ,a ,,chapter ,,of ,,horrors4 ,the revolt of the ,batahin tribe--,revolt suppressed with appalling cruelty--,wholesale executions--,method of hanging--,punishment by mutilation--,the execution of ,abdel ,nur--,trade with ,egypt--,wad ,adlan1 the emin beit el mal--,his imprisonment and death4 ,another example of the ,khalifa's cruel and merciless treatment of all who oppose him is shown by the manner in which he dealt with the ,batahin tribe4 ,this small but warlike tribe inhabits the right bank of the ,blue ,nile near its confluence with the ,white1 and extends as far as ,rufaa2 also portions of this tribe are found scattered in the ,gezireh4 ,they are the most daring robbers1 and1 mounted on swift camels1 they lie in ambush awaiting caravans and merchants1 whom they generally kill and make off with their goods4 ,bruce1 in his ',travels1' remarks that the wooded country around ,omdurman was their favourite haunt4 ,they were the staunchest adherents of the ,sheikh el ,obeid1 whom ,gordon's fighting pasha1 ,mohammed ,ali1 had so severely defeated4 ,during the massacre in ,khartum the ,batahin were most cruel and pitiless1 and for their evil deeds ,god's just vengeance overtook them before long4 ,abdullah had sent an emir with a few soldiers to collect the ushr tax1 but the wild ,batahin1 whose own system was to rob and plunder the poor1 leaving them not even the wherewithal to live1 resisted the emir and his men1 and forced them to flee their country4 ,when this news reached the ,khalifa1 he was infuriated1 and determined to deal in the harshest possible manner with this rebellious tribe4 ,he therefore despatched the emir ,abdel ,baki with a considerable force1 with instructions to seize every ,batahin he could find1 put him in chains1 and bring him to ,omdurman4 ,illustration ,this tribe was now hunted down over the whole country1 and ,abdel ,baki succeeded in securing a few hundred of them1 as well as ,taher ,wad ,sheikh el ,obeid1 who had been instigating them1 and these were all brought to the capital4 ,the influential ,el ,obeid family had taken a very prominent part in the siege of ,khartum1 but after the ,mahdi's death they had become discontented and were not on good terms with the ,khalifa2 ,taher had1 therefore1 been ordered to leave ,rufaa and settle in ,omdurman4 ,on reaching ,khojali1 which is just opposite to ,omdurman on the other bank1 he wrote to the ,khalifa to say that his father1 who since his death had been revered as a saint in the ,gezireh on account of his holiness1 and who had received innumerable presents on account of his power in preserving the lives of infants1 had appeared to him in a dream1 telling him to stay at ,khojali and make that the headquarters of the family2 he was not1 therefore1 able to come to ,omdurman4 ,taher showed his sagacity in refusing to comply with the order2 but ,abdullah1 whose earnest desire it was to abolish the saints of the ,sudan1 agreed to give ,taher twenty-four hours to decide whether he would come to ,omdurman or not1 so there was nothing for it but to go4 ,however1 after a time he was permitted to return to ,rufaa1 leaving his family as hostages in ,omdurman4 ,this is the ,khalifa's usual mode of acting with all influential persons whom he suspects of disloyalty4 ,but to return to the ,batahin4 ,most of them died of starvation and ill-treatment1 sixty-nine were taken to the square opposite the beit el amana1 where they were kept under a soldiers' guard whilst the ,khalifa held a consultation regarding their fate4 ,no decision was come to for some time1 and this was because more gallows were being prepared4 ,hitherto there was only one1 now there were three near the court zariba--two at the south end of the market-place1 and one at the west end2 all were provided with camel-hair ropes4 ,early the following morning the war-drums were beaten1 the onbea sounded1 and eighteen ,batahin were executed1 three on each gallows4 ,such executions have always a great attraction for the ,sudanese4 ,the eighteen men were all brought up to the gallows with their hands tied behind their backs4 ,without a sound or even a change of expression1 they gave themselves up to their fate1 or1 as the ,moslem says1 they gave themselves up to ,el ,mektub 7i4e4 to that which is written71 for it is supposed that ,god writes down in a book the birth1 experiences1 and death of everyone1 which things cannot be changed4 ,below the gallows is an angarib1 on which the condemned stands1 while an immensely tall ,dinka called ,bringi puts the noose round the man's head1 pulls it tight1 fastens it to the gallows1 and then draws away the angarib2 and in this way the whole eighteen were soon swinging in the air1 whilst the assembled masses sent up shout after shout of exultation4 ,it was a most horrible sight4 ,the poor creatures wore only a miserable cloth round their loins2 they had had nothing to eat for some days1 and presented a most wretched condition as the wind blew their emaciated bodies backwards and forwards4 ,all were powerful young men1 and the bystanders--as is always the way with the ,dervishes--vituperated them freely1 accusing them of every description of wanton cruelty1 whereas it is more than probable that all these just executed were entirely innocent1 and were expiating the crimes of those who had been fortunate enough to escape4 ,when all contortions were over1 the bodies were untied to make room for the remainder1 who had been quietly gazing at the fate of their brothers which was so soon to be theirs4 ,on this occasion--as it had often happened before--the cord broke under the last man's weight2 but ,bringi was very quick1 he lost no time in joining the ends and completed his brutal work4 ,the impressions which all those dreadful scenes left on my mind can never be obliterated4 ,but if the fate of the eighteen was cruel1 the fate of the remaining fifty-one was even worse4 ,the ,khalifa now rode out accompanied by the cavalry and thousands of spearmen1 and taking the wretched ,batahin with them they marched towards the parade ground4 ,every now and then on the way he ordered one of them to be decapitated1 and in this way twenty-four more were killed2 there were now only twenty-seven left1 and on arriving on the ground he sent for the butchers to cut off their hands and feet2 soon there was a heap of these bleeding members1 whilst the bodies of the poor ,batahin lay writhing on the ground1 beads of anguish pouring from their brows2 yet not a cry did they utter2 most of them died in a very short time4 ,even the most stony hearts were touched on beholding this terrible spectacle1 but no one dared show it--in fact everyone tried to force a laugh or a jeer1 because the ,khalifa himself revelled in scenes of useless bloodshed and cruelty1 while in truth the whole population of ,omdurman secretly lamented it4 ,the bodies hung on the gallows for a day1 so that everyone might see them1 whilst the mothers and sisters of those who had been mutilated on the parade ground begged the ,khalifa's permission to go to the spot and see if any of their relatives were still alive2 they were allowed to go1 and there they found a few still living2 they dressed their bleeding limbs and carried them on their backs to the market-place1 where they begged food for them4 ,never shall ,i forget the face of one poor woman4 ,with tearless eyes she bore her mutilated son in her arms1 and it would be hard to say which of the two was suffering more--the mother or the son--the latter lifting up his mutilated right arm while he rested his mutilated left leg on his right to prevent anything striking the wounded stump4 ,it was indeed a shocking and pitiful sight4 ,several of the survivors of ,khartum would pass by these wretched people1 and staring at their wounds would shout out1 ,have you forgotten ,khartum8 ,long after this ,i used to see these poor creatures dragging themselves about in the market-place begging for alms4 ,soon after this the ,khalifa pardoned the ,batahin1 and sent ,ahmed ,wad el ,bedri to try to persuade them to come and settle in ,omdurman2 eventually they formed part of ,nejumi's force1 and were almost all killed at ,toski4 ,thus did ,god's vengeance overtake them for their untold cruelties during the massacre in ,khartum4 ,it is said that the ,khalifa has repented of his wanton slaughter of this tribe4 ,after this1 fear took possession of even the bravest1 and no further attempts at resistance were made2 discontent was everywhere rife1 not in ,omdurman only1 but throughout the provinces1 and even the ,baggara1 who were favoured in every way1 and given every possible advantage1 longed to return to their own country4 ,it is usual1 when the day's work is done1 for neighbours to collect together in the lovely moonlight nights1 for which the ,sudan is so famed1 and talk over matters4 ,the conversation always turns to politics2 the latest news from all directions is eagerly discussed1 and often the most unlikely and impossible stories are credited4 ,the fact is that the people long for freedom1 and their smallest hopes become exaggerated into not only possibilities1 but certainties4 ,the proverb1 ,el gharkan yemsik fi shaaru 7i4e4 ,the drowning man catches at a straw--literally1 a hair71 is being continually exemplified4 ,talk also turns much on what the ,khalifa said and did1 what he intends to do1 what has taken place in the last council1 c4 ,but the ,khalifa1 fearing that all these conversations might lead to conspiracies1 ordered them to be discontinued4 ,but nevertheless they are still carried on secretly4 ,near the market-place there lived a certain fiki named ,abdel ,nur 7i4e4 the slave of light--that is to say1 the slave of the light of the ,prophet2 though1 when the ,copts are called by this name1 the reference is to the light of the ,redeemer74 ,the fiki's neighbours used to assemble in his house every evening1 and of course the conversation always turned on ,mahdiism1 and the ,khalifa was abused freely4 ,abdel ,nur would talk more excitedly than the rest1 and used to say that the ,sudan no longer formed part of ,islam1 that both the ,khalifa and the ,mahdi were unbelievers1 and this he proved by quotations from the sacred books4 ,all this was reported by a spy to the ,khalifa1 who at once despatched a company of soldiers by whom the unsuspecting party were suddenly surrounded and carried off to prison4 ,early the following morning ,abdel ,nur was brought before the judges1 who asked him if he had really spoken against ,mahdiism4 ,seeing that he was now lost1 he thought this a good opportunity1 in the presence of such a large audience1 to prove his assertion2 he declared that the true ,mahdi should not die in ,omdurman1 and that true ,mahdiism would not be confined to the ,sudan alone2 that the people having been once deceived1 the paths of wickedness should be avoided1 the paths of truth followed1 and the oppression of the ,moslems abandoned once and for all4 ,the judges1 who in their own hearts were convinced of the truth of ,abdel ,nur's assertions1 were unable to browbeat him1 whilst all those who listened had little doubt in their own minds of the truth of the statements of this outspoken man1 but fear of the ,khalifa intervened to stop them from admitting their convictions4 ,one of the judges at length stood up1 and1 desiring to make an end of this dangerous and humiliating position1 said to ,abdel ,nur3 ,we are with the ,prophet1 the ,mahdi1 and his ,khalifa2 are you with us or not8 ,the fiki replied1 ,i am not with you1 whereupon the ,khalifa sentenced him to death1 and at ten o'clock the same morning his body was dangling from the gallows2 his friends were not executed1 but were severely reprimanded4 ,this execution was so sudden and unexpected that everyone was asking what his crime could have been1 but the ,khalifa was careful to send spies to all quarters to spread false reports about him1 to the effect that he was an unbeliever and a magician2 these spies were also told to ascertain exactly what the people said1 but the latter knew they were being watched1 so they said nothing and retired2 the spies set fire to the fiki's clothes1 and the next morning reported to the ,khalifa that hell-fire had burnt them up4 ,but the matter was not ended here2 according to the ,moslem law1 if an unbeliever be discovered1 all his neighbours within a forty yards' radius are considered guilty1 and their houses may be plundered and destroyed4 ,this law was carried out in the fiki's case1 and several families with all their goods were dragged off to the beit el mal1 while their homes were occupied by the soldiers2 several men were threatened with the gallows1 and there was a good deal of disturbance in the town4 ,the ,khalifa's adherents were shouting1 ,away with these unbelievers6 ,several suspected persons were seized and kept for three days in continual fear of death4 ,on the third day several of the wives and families came to the ,khalifa and begged his forgiveness1 throwing dust on their heads and making every show of ,oriental grief4 ,on this occasion the ,khalifa thought it was sufficient to thoroughly frighten them all1 so on the expiration of the three days he released them and returned their property4 ,he took this opportunity of giving an order that it was the duty of every one to report to him any fiki who was in the habit of writing amulets2 spies and informers soon produced numbers of such fikis1 who only saved their lives by making most solemn promises to the ,khalifa that they would never again be guilty of this disobedience of orders4 ,on another occasion a boat-boy was accused of having said something against ,mahdiism2 he was hurried before the judge1 confessed his crime1 and was then taken off to the parade-ground1 where the ,khalifa ordered him to be beheaded4 ,ahmed el ,talia was the executioner1 but he made a false stroke and only gashed the youth's shoulder1 but with the second blow the head was clean severed from the body4 ,abdullah's jealousy and alarm for the safety of his kingdom now induced him to turn his attention to ,wad ,adlan4 ,as ,i have already narrated1 ,adlan had rendered the ,khalifa great services3 he had put the beit el mal in good order1 had regulated the accounts on the old ,government system1 and in order to increase the revenue without having recourse to force1 he had persuaded him to open trade with ,egypt4 ,it had been the ,khalifa's original idea to erect a sort of great wall of ,china between ,egypt and the ,sudan1 to prevent all ingress into his newly-acquired dominions2 but ,adlan was a very tactful man1 and by degrees he induced the ,khalifa to agree to his proposal4 ,ivory and gum were declared to be the monopoly of the beit el mal4 ,ivory comes in small quantities from ,regaf and ,lado1 while gum1 which is purchased by the beit el mal for five dollars a hundredweight1 is sold out by the beit el mal to merchants for twenty dollars2 the beit el mal will also accept gum as payment in lieu of money4 ,a lively trade soon sprang up between ,berber1 ,sawakin1 ,assuan1 and ,korosko2 and ,omdurman merchants were allowed to come to ,sawakin and purchase goods2 the beit el mal made considerable profits1 and the people were less oppressed than before4 ,thus did ,adlan render a great service to the inhabitants of the ,sudan1 and through his influence many of the cruel measures of the ,khalifa were altered4 ,as long as he was in charge of the beit el mal he was very popular with all1 the capital was in good hands1 the markets throve1 and even when the funds in the exchequer were low he had no difficulty in raising loans from rich merchants on payment of bills of exchange4 ,usually a loan of #e1jjj to #f1jjj dollars could be raised between fifteen or twenty merchants with ease1 because of the feeling of security which ,adlan's presence induced4 ,the white people also owe him a deep debt of gratitude1 for he gave them continuous protection4 ,on one occasion1 when it was rumoured that the ,sudan was to be invaded by ,egypt1 the ,khalifa proposed separating all the whites and scattering them amongst the ,arabs in various parts of the country1 but ,adlan impressed upon him the necessity of retaining them all under his own eye in ,omdurman1 and thereby he rendered us an immense service2 his main idea was to lighten the ,mahdiist yoke and relieve the oppression of the people4 ,but this growing contentment gradually began to be displeasing to ,abdullah1 whose main object was to reduce every one to poverty and to enrich his own tribe1 the ,baggara2 thus his and ,adlan's views frequently clashed1 but ,adlan was most prudent1 and knew when to give way4 ,what displeased the ,khalifa most was to see numbers of people assembling every morning outside ,adlan's door waiting for him to go to the beit el mal1 where they would lay their complaints before him4 ,the honour they paid and the praises they heaped upon him excited the ,khalifa's jealousy1 and the latter frequently rebuked him sharply2 but he took no notice of these outbursts1 and in a fit of anger he was1 on one occasion1 thrown into chains for fourteen days4 ,on his release ,adlan now thought that the ,khalifa could not get on without him1 and began to show less submission to his master's will than before4 ,this still further widened the breach between him and ,abdullah1 which was made worse by ,adlan's many enemies1 who envied him his high position4 ,the ,khalifa's brother ,yakub was his most dangerous rival1 as ,adlan's popularity had rather detracted from his authority4 ,he and others represented him to the ,khalifa as a dangerous man1 who might at any moment bring his influence to bear in direct opposition to the ,khalifa4 ,it is therefore not to be wondered at that ,abdullah grew suspicious1 and one day1 when ,adlan was presenting his daily report1 the ,khalifa took occasion to tell him that he was far from pleased with him1 and blamed him for his delay in sending corn to the starving ,dervishes in ,dongola4 ,adlan answered3 ,what can ,i do8 ,the people won't have ,mahdiism any longer1 and that is why ,i meet with so much opposition4 ,some say that he even said much more than this2 but the ,khalifa was not accustomed to be talked to in this way1 so he ordered ,adlan to give up his sword1 and the same night he sent him to prison4 ,this gave his rivals ample occasion to speak against him1 and ,yakub insisted that he should suffer death4 ,adlan was very heavily chained1 and forbidden all intercourse with the outside world4 ,his arrest did not at first create much excitement1 but this was due to the many false reports which were circulated regarding the cause4 ,on the following day it was announced that he might have to suffer death1 on the third day this sentence was confirmed1 and a messenger was sent to ,adlan to ask him if he had any choice between being hanged or having his hand and foot cut off4 ,adlan chose the former4 ,to the beating of war-drums and the sound of the onbea1 he was led1 with his hands bound1 to the market-place4 ,here numbers of ,baggara horsemen formed a square round the scaffold1 and ,adlan1 escorted by a guard1 entered the square with firm footsteps4 ,when he reached the foot of the gallows1 the judge called on him to repeat the ,shahada or ,moslem creed1 which he did with a clear voice1 then jumped on to the angarib1 adjusted the noose himself1 which ,bringi pulled taut1 and he swung into space1 whilst at the same instant the ,baggaras drew their swords and flourished them in the air1 to signify that a like fate would surely befall all the ,khalifa's enemies4 ,but grief was read on every face1 and never before had there been such heartfelt lamentations in ,omdurman4 ,ibrahim ,wad ,adlan was a most intelligent ,sudanese1 with black face and aquiline nose4 ,he was about thirty-five years of age4 ,after his body had been suspended for half-an-hour1 ,yakub1 accompanied by several others1 took it down1 and laid it out on the angarib2 the bystanders say that ,yakub could not conceal his look of half repentance1 half terror1 as he gazed on the corpse of his victim4 ,it was wrapped in a cotton shroud1 and taken to the cemetery outside the city1 where it was buried1 ,yakub leading the procession4 ,that night robbers pulled out the body and stole the clothes in which it was laid1 leaving the corpse on the sand to be food for hyenas4 ,the ,khalifa's reason for sending ,yakub to attend ,adlan's funeral could not well be misunderstood1 for every one knew that ,yakub had been the prime instigator in securing his condemnation2 and yet ,abdullah was short-sighted enough to imagine that in thus sending his brother he might to some extent dissipate the bad impression which ,adlan's execution had created4 ,the mourning for ,adlan was both general and sincere2 during his whole administration he had done no harm to anyone2 he had done his utmost to smooth over difficulties and lighten oppression1 and ,i can confidently affirm that he is the only man of whom this can be said1 for1 as a rule1 ,sudanese who rise to positions of power and authority invariably become most cruel and arbitrary4 ,now what good could this execution have done for ,mahdiism8 ,no doubt the ,khalifa thought to justify himself in the public estimation1 because ,adlan was too popular1 but the real reason was1 that the ,khalifa feared him1 for he knew that his justice and prudence had made him beloved by the people4 ,with the one exception that ,adlan had opened commerce with ,egypt1 chiefly through the secret intermediary of a former ,khartum merchant named ,abdel ,majid1 ,i do not believe there was anything else against him4 ,it was said that letters had been found1 purporting to have been written by ,adlan1 in which he had begged the ,egyptian ,government to retake possession of the ,sudan2 but this statement1 had it been true1 would have been announced far and wide by the ,khalifa2 this1 however1 had not been done1 and it was generally agreed that it was entirely fear on the ,khalifa's part which prompted him to take ,adlan's life4 ,all his property was confiscated1 and his friends persecuted4 ,some of the latter1 after his death1 remembered that he had told them how1 when studying in ,cairo1 an old woman had foretold that he would die a violent death4 ,for long he paid little attention to this prophecy2 but during the siege of ,el ,obeid1 he called it to mind1 and thought it would perhaps be fulfilled there4 ,but when he eventually rose to high position in ,omdurman1 he used to laugh at the old woman's saying4 ,however1 during his last imprisonment1 he had been firmly convinced it would come true1 and that was what made him so bold and firm when he actually came to look death in the face4 ,in place of ,adlan1 the ,khalifa nominated his relative ,ez ,zaki1 now ,emir of ,berber2 but he fell ill shortly afterwards1 and resigned4 ,the ,khalifa then appointed ,nur el ,gereifawi 7that is1 a native of ,gereif1 near ,khartum74 ,he had been in charge of the beit el mal at ,berber2 as ,nur was an intimate friend of ,adlan's1 it was thought that he might suffer a like fate1 but he was a crafty individual1 and had sent the ,khalifa #cj1jjj dollars1 which he knew would have the desired effect4 ,on arrival at ,omdurman he stood by the great gate to see the ,khalifa2 but ,abdullah did not summon him that evening1 so he lay that night on the ground beside the ,khalifa's door--an act of humility which quite won his heart--and the next morning ,nur was officially appointed ,adlan's successor4 ,in order to thoroughly impress ,nur with the dangers of his new situation1 the ,khalifa announced to him that on the previous night he had beheld a vision1 in which he had seen hell1 and ,ibrahim ,adlan suffering untold agonies in the lowest abyss1 with a long chain fastened round his neck2 ,nur was shackled to the other end of the chain1 and ,adlan was trying to drag him down into the abyss2 but the ,khalifa had unfastened the chain and released him4 ,thus was ,nur completely overawed1 and did his utmost to comply with the ,khalifa's and ,yakub's wishes4 ,he discharged all the ,copts employed in the beit el mal1 and replaced them by blacks4 ,awad1 formerly head clerk of the ,kassala ,mudirieh1 he appointed as his assistant1 and through his astuteness and knavery he lost no opportunity of forcibly extracting money from the people4 ,,chapter ,,xix4 ,,social ,,life ,,at ,,omdurman4 ,system of public security and justice in ,omdurman--,the court of small causes--,bribery and corruption--,the story of the slave and her mistress--,how the ,khalifa deals with quarrelsome persons--,thieves and pickpockets--,the story of ,zogheir--,usurers and their trade--,the chief of police--,brigandage--,disproportion of males to females in ,omdurman--,how the ,khalifa overcame the difficulty--,immorality--,the marriage ceremony4 ,it may be imagined that fear of the ,khalifa and his tyrannical rule would produce at least a feeling of public security and immunity from lawlessness2 but the following chapter will show that this is not the case4 ,in the early years of ,mahdiism there was no discipline1 and laws were entirely put aside1 because the whole population was at war and everyone on the move4 ,they were living on the captured wealth and prosperity of the ,government4 ,at that time there were not many robbers4 ,when we were living in ,kordofan we were perfectly safe1 and could sleep with our doors open at night4 ,no one ever thought of taking precautions against thieves1 though nothing would have been easier than to break into our loosely-built straw huts4 ,after the capture of ,khartum1 and when ,omdurman became a large city1 the former prosperity of the country gradually began to wane1 famine broke out1 and then public security became seriously threatened4 ,thieves increased in such alarming numbers as to be a terror to all2 and in #ahhh-hi they became so bad that people scarcely dared to go to sleep4 ,it is true the punishment of cutting off hands and feet was freely exercised2 but even this had little effect1 chiefly because robbery and corruption went hand in hand1 and a thief had no difficulty in disposing of a bribe4 ,as ,i have already narrated1 the ,khalifa nominated his own judges1 with ,ahmed the ,kadi el ,islam as their head2 a special court was also established to deal with the innumerable marriage disputes which form so large a part of ,moslem legislation4 ,abdullah specially instructed his judges to consider these cases from their external rather than from their internal aspect4 ,the usual proofs required are the evidence on oath of witnesses4 ,the witness is obliged to wash himself before taking an oath1 so that he may be pure4 ,he then places his right hand on the ,kuran1 and says1 ,hakk kitab ,allah 7,by ,god's book71 following it by his statement4 ,in cases of complaints1 the defendant only has the right to take an oath1 whereas the complainant must produce witnesses4 ,if no witnesses are forthcoming1 the defendant has only to take an oath1 and is then acquitted4 ,the real sense and meaning of an oath is absolutely ignored4 ,hundreds of oaths are taken every day in the market court on the smallest trifle1 perhaps not exceeding a piastre4 ,the falsehood of the individual taking the oath is frequently quite apparent2 but unless the witnesses come forward1 the most flagrant case will go unpunished4 ,it is the popular idea that if a man swears falsely on the ,kuran1 he will immediately fall down dead4 ,this constant perjury is very clear evidence of the depth of moral degradation and religious decadence which the followers of the ,mahdi have now reached4 ,in cases relating to debt1 acknowledgment on the part of the debtor of his liability is considered sufficient2 but if this is not forthcoming1 then two witnesses are required4 ,as a consequence of the widespread mistrust and duplicity which exists1 everything1 even to the smallest matter1 is generally written down on paper2 or a bargain may be struck in the presence of witnesses2 but this is not considered a safe proceeding1 owing to the prevalence of bribery4 ,the ,khalifa has given very strict injunctions that all debts must be repaid1 and if there be a delay1 the debtor is to be put in prison1 and brought to reason by hunger4 ,let us glance for an instant into the court of justice in the market-place of ,omdurman1 where most of the small cases are tried4 ,here we find the sheikh es suk 7or sheikh of the market71 together with the judge1 some soldiers1 and 7latterly only7 a few ,arabs1 as a police guard4 ,the sheikh generally rides to the court at eight o'clock every morning on a donkey4 ,one of his guards places his sheepskin on a small straw rukuba 7latterly this has been constructed of clay71 and on this the sheikh seats himself4 ,he has the ,kuran beside him4 ,the parties in dispute arrive1 and the case turns1 for example1 on fraudulent dealing1 debts1 payment in false coinage1 c4 ,as there are no lawyers1 each party must defend himself4 ,as a rule the ,sudanese are clever and astute in their conversation1 and the man who can talk best has already gained half the victory4 ,the noise and shouting is deafening2 and the ,sudanese have a wonderful display of sly cunning4 ,the sheikh's last resource is the ,kuran4 ,sometimes bystanders attempt to mediate between the disputing parties1 and this course generally prolongs the talk and noise indefinitely1 and does not often succeed4 ,the usual punishment is flogging1 which is inflicted on the spot4 ,marissa-drinkers and tobacco-smokers receive eighty lashes4 ,the individual sentenced has to lie prone on the ground1 supporting his head with his hands1 while two slaves take it in turns to belabour him with whips made of hippopotamus hide4 ,the first few strokes generally draw blood1 but as a rule the victim remains immovable1 whilst the bystanders applaud him for his courage4 ,if he utters a cry or a moan he is laughed at and derided4 ,the sheikh and his supporters are much addicted to bakshish1 which enables many a culprit to escape punishment4 ,should the dispute be of a very serious nature1 it is brought before the high court at the ,bab el ,khalifa2 but here money plays even a more important part than in the smaller court4 ,the success or failure of the case depends on the ability with which the opposing mediators influence the judgment2 a hint or a sign with the hand is quite sufficient to make the judge understand1 and with marvellous astuteness he will contrive to give the case an entirely new aspect1 and one which1 probably1 only a few moments before he has most strongly condemned1 but which now he thinks it advisable1 under the circumstances1 to adopt2 and this change of front is carried out without the smallest hesitation4 ,i will here give an example of what is considered justice in ,omdurman4 ,a female slave who had for a long time had a quarrel with her mistress decided to have her revenge1 and the fact that her mistress was in the habit of smoking and wearing jewels aided her in her design4 ,she took her lady's tobacco and cigarette papers1 which were generally kept hidden under ground1 tied them in a little bundle1 ran off with them to a soldier who was her relative1 and who belonged to ,yakub's bodyguard1 and reported her mistress's evil doings4 ,meanwhile the lady1 finding that her slave had run away1 sent her brother-in-law in search of her4 ,the family were now thoroughly disturbed1 and anticipated all sorts of bad consequences4 ,the lady's husband hastened to ,yakub's house1 thinking that perhaps the slave might have gone there1 and there1 sure enough1 he found her1 surrounded by a crowd of ,ansar4 ,the latter1 espying ,ahmed 7as we may call him71 surrounded him and were carrying him before ,yakub1 when ,ahmed1 who did not lose his head1 explained to the ,ansar that he had always been under the impression that the ,khalifa had appointed a judge to inquire into all such matters1 and that he was ready to bow to the judge's decision2 so he1 the female slave1 and the ,ansar all went to the court4 ,the slave produced from her pocket the bundle1 laid it before the ,kadi1 and then stated her complaint against her mistress4 ,meanwhile ,ahmed had met a friend1 and told him how that for a long time the slave had been on bad terms with her mistress1 and had seized this opportunity for revenging herself on her1 adding that she had probably obtained the tobacco and cigarette papers from elsewhere1 and had trumped up this case to harm her mistress1 who had never smoked in her life nor worn jewels2 indeed1 if they liked they might go and inspect the house4 ,the mediator gave a sign to the judge1 who at once decided the case in ,ahmed's favour1 and ordered him to go to the sheikh es suk1 who had been instructed to send some one to inspect his house4 ,it was not a difficult matter to circumvent the sheikh es suk1 and when they all arrived at the house1 the slave was called upon to show the place in which she had been ordered to hide her mistress's tobacco4 ,without a moment's hesitation the slave came forward and began scraping away the earth in a corner4 ,it was evident that she had often done this before1 and that the hiding-place had been carefully prepared--indeed1 the slave found some tobacco still there which she had not noticed before1 and this she exultingly produced2 but at that instant one of the ,ansar gave her a slap on the face1 saying1 ,look at this bint el kelb 7daughter of a dog71 she brought some tobacco here which she purposely dropped into the hole whilst she was clearing the earth away4 ,heaped with insults by the bystanders1 the poor slave was dragged off to the market-place1 where she received eighty lashes because she had failed to prove the truth of her assertion4 ,such is ,omdurman justice4 ,although this is but one amongst thousands of cases of the most disgraceful corruption1 still all this serves to keep the slaves in order1 and were it not so1 there is little doubt that masters would stand in constant danger1 and would be at the mercy of their slaves4 ,indeed1 many slaves have succeeded in getting their masters into great disfavour by informing on them1 and this makes the masters in great fear of their slaves ,even if a slave has been born and brought up in his master's house he cannot be trusted1 and if he receive some slight punishment1 it is more than probable he will go off and report his master as a smoker1 marissa-drinker1 or that he has become lax in the cause of ,mahdiism2 and1 as likely as not1 he will be flogged1 or receive some worse punishment4 ,according to ,moslem law a slave's evidence against his master is considered invalid2 but this law1 as well as all other laws1 is only applied according to the ,khalifa's wishes and the circumstances of the case3 the same remark applies to the value of evidence given under torture4 ,curiously enough1 murders are seldom committed1 and when the wild nature of the ,sudanese is considered1 it is contrary to what one would expect4 ,quarrels and disputes are endless1 but in spite of being armed1 both parties seem to expend their energy in violent talking and gesticulation4 ,the ,khalifa has given the strictest orders regarding assault and battery2 if a man hits another man1 he will be liable to have his hand cut off1 and this order is generally unflinchingly carried out1 unless the condemned man be well off1 and he will then have his property confiscated1 as the following case will show3-- ,a dispute once arose between a merchant named ,yusef ,kurdi and a certain ,mohammed1 son of the rich ,ben en ,naga2 both were intoxicated at the time1 had drawn their swords and slightly wounded each other4 ,the affair reached the ,khalifa's ears2 he ordered both of them to be arrested1 and threatened to cut off their hands2 but1 as a matter of fact1 he really wanted to secure some of their money4 ,old ,ben en ,naga1 a man of ninety years of age1 threw himself at the ,khalifa's feet and begged that his son's punishment might be altered1 and after a few days' confinement and continued threats1 the ,khalifa was at length graciously pleased to commute the sentence into confiscation of property4 ,yusef ,kurdi paid #f1jjj dollars and ,ben en ,naga's son #e1jjj dollars1 while both of them were kept in prison for many months to expiate their hasty step4 ,with no less energy did the ,khalifa deal with thieves and swindlers4 ,there are various classes of thieves3 there are the pickpockets1 whose field of labour lies principally in the markets1 the small bazaars1 and landing-places4 ,they are principally ,khartum people or ,egyptians1 and their feats of dexterity are marvellous4 ,the removal and cutting out of purses and money-bags is for them a quite simple operation1 and is generally performed when people are engaged in a violent dispute4 ,the thief has generally a confederate with whom he works4 ,they will sit in the crowded ferry-boats1 and whilst one of them attracts the attention of his fellow-passengers by singing or telling an exciting story1 the accomplice is busily engaged in pocket-picking2 or sometimes one of them will begin rocking the boat whilst the other takes advantage of the passengers' alarm by robbing them4 ,they hover about all day long in the market1 watching their opportunities to steal both from purchasers and vendors4 ,stolen goods are sold to a particular set of men who are in league with the thieves1 and the money obtained is quickly squandered4 ,the art of pocket-picking has become quite a science1 and so skilful are they that detection is almost impossible4 ,the stolen goods are passed on so readily from hand to hand that even if the original thief is caught the person robbed will probably never secure what he has lost4 ,over and over again thieves are apprehended in flagrante1 but when brought up before the judge1 no trace of the stolen article is ever found4 ,frequently the judge does not fail to get his share of thieves' profits2 so that the latter have every inducement to continue their nefarious practices4 ,but far more dangerous than the pickpockets are the housebreakers4 ,of the latter there is a regularly organized body1 of whom the chief is known as the ,sheikh el ,haramieh4 ,the band is made up of strong and bold slaves1 who are experts at breaking through walls or climbing over them1 armed with a long knife1 with which they would not fail to stick anyone who attempted to stop them4 ,they employ women and children as spies1 who go about begging from house to house1 and then give the housebreakers full information1 whereupon the thieves1 stripped almost naked1 and armed with swords and daggers1 break into the house4 ,one of them is always told off to stand over the sleeping owner1 and to give him his quietus if he should attempt to rise1 whilst the others ransack the dwelling1 and are off again as quickly as they came1 to divide the spoil4 ,whenever the cry of ,el ,harami 7,thieves7 is heard at night1 all sleep is banished1 and a careful watch kept till morning4 ,formerly watch-dogs were most useful to warn against housebreakers1 but the ,khalifa decreed that they were impure animals1 and forbade them to be kept4 ,not a dog is now to be seen in the whole of ,omdurman2 but in spite of this injunction1 the ,arabs living in the desert still keep them4 ,if one of these poor animals by chance strays into the town he is at once pursued by a multitude armed with spears1 shouting ,arian6 7,naked67 and he is soon despatched4 ,a man called ,zogheir--an ,egyptian1 born at ,bara--became quite one of the most celebrated of thieves4 ,from an early age he was brought up to steal1 and became most skilful4 ,to a strong constitution he added a courage which was worthy of higher things4 ,as head of a band of thieves he led many a daring undertaking1 and had the most wonderful knack of always escaping all harm himself4 ,on one occasion1 when there were scores of complaints made against him1 he was sent to the lock-up of the market4 ,the sheikh es suk1 who was at that time rather short of money1 promised to release the prisoners if they could collect fifty dollars amongst them4 ,zogheir agreed to get the money1 and was given one hour's release from prison4 ,he at once went to the market1 and very soon found a victim in the person of a dammur 7cloth7 vendor1 who had sold almost all his goods1 and sat with his purse full of money in front of him4 ,zogheir seated himself down beside him1 and started a conversation about the cloth1 which he began turning over piece by piece1 and with great dexterity he succeeded in seizing the purse1 which he secreted under his jibbeh4 ,he then went off to the judge1 to whom he presented the purse1 in which were seventy dollars1 and then quietly returned to the lock-up1 and told his guard to again put his chains on4 ,the cloth merchant soon discovered the theft1 rushed off madly to the market court1 and there represented that a thief--and it could have been no one else but ,zogheir1 for he had been sitting with him--had stolen his money4 ,the sheikh severely reprimanded the merchant for making a false accusation1 asking whether he was a liar or was mad1 and then1 taking him off to the prison1 he showed him ,zogheir heavily bound in chains2 and after this the unfortunate merchant had to thank his good fortune that he himself did not receive a flogging4 ,during the famine ,zogheir drove a thriving trade4 ,on one occasion he discovered some ,arabs in the market who had just sold a quantity of dhurra1 and were counting out their money1 which amounted to #gjj dollars1 which they were carefully examining1 to see that all were good4 ,this sight made ,zogheir long to get the money1 so he winked to his accomplice1 and then seated himself near the ,arabs1 and began asking them whether he could offer them ,medjidie in exchange for ,makbul dollars4 ,when the agreement was nearly concluded1 ,zogheir took two dollars out of his pocket and gave them to one of his accomplices1 to buy some dates1 and when the man returned with the dates he began throwing them about in all directions1 calling out ,karama6 ,karama6 7,alms6 ,alms674 ,the starving beggars flocked to him in crowds1 and began quarrelling over the dates1 whilst the leather bag in which were the #gjj dollars suddenly disappeared4 ,the cries of the ,arabs1 searching for their lost money1 could scarcely be heard in the frightful din occasioned by the distribution of the dates1 and all this time ,zogheir kept on condoling with the ,arabs over their loss1 and then he seized a favourable moment to make off and divide the contents of the leather bag amongst his friends4 ,at length complaints against him became so numerous that he was sentenced to have his right hand and left foot cut off4 ,he submitted quite cheerfully to the operation1 which is really a very simple one4 ,a butcher is called up1 who ties the arm and foot tightly with string just above the place where the cut is to be made4 ,this butcher1 who has had an immensity of practice1 knows exactly where to cut1 and it takes only a very few moments to sever the hand and foot at the joints4 ,the tightly-tied string keeps the victim from bleeding profusely1 and in order to prevent gangrene or mortification setting in1 the mutilated members are at once dipped into boiling oil or fat1 and are then smeared over with katran 7a sort of mixture of tar and grease71 or sesame4 ,in the course of about two months the cure is complete--that is to say1 the cure of those who survive the first shock2 but several succumb as well4 ,however1 the enormous number of cripples in ,omdurman is practical evidence that the nerves of ,sudanese are strong4 ,zogheir survived the operation1 but hardly had he recovered than he began his old tricks again4 ,he now was possessor of a fine donkey1 on which he rode about in far better clothes than he had before1 and altogether1 with his diminished members1 his condition seemed to have generally improved4 ,but continual thefts again drove him into prison1 where he wore two chains on his foot and two on his neck2 still he thought it beneath him to take to crutches1 and contented himself with hopping about on one leg4 ,he remained in prison for two years1 and during the whole of that time he was well looked after by his friends1 who supplied all his wants4 ,at last he was released1 and is once more the best professional thief in the ,sudan4 ,but thieves are not all--there are swindlers as well4 ,several people wished to give their money out to interest1 and of course there were numbers found ready to give them what they asked4 ,the ,prophet1 however1 forbids money to be lent out at a monthly rate of interest1 and the ,mahdi renewed this injunction with threats that an infringement of it would involve confiscation of property2 this led the swindlers to adopt a variety of subterfuges4 ,for instance1 some men would induce the ,arabs to give them #bjj to #cjj dollars1 with which they set up a restaurant1 promising the lenders half profits in the concern4 ,as long as the cook has money in hand everything goes on well1 and the ,arab will probably make daily inquiries as to the progress of the business4 ,it is going on capitally1 is the reply1 and the cook entertains his patron1 who in turn is much gratified at his generosity1 and generally makes a very excellent meal4 ,a careful account is kept1 and prices are high4 ,at the end of the month the profits are divided1 and the ,arab gets from say eight to fifteen dollars4 ,the business goes on perhaps for a year1 the ,arab is content and lavish in his praises1 but he is not aware that the cook has paid him his share of the profits out of the original money he put into the concern4 ,at the end of about a year the cook begins to complain that es suk barid 7,the market is getting cold7--i4e4 business is slack1 meat is dear1 customers are few1 and instead of profit there is a distinct loss4 ,finding he is the only customer1 the ,arab patron eats quickly and goes away4 ,at last the shop is closed1 and the ,arab1 coming for his money1 is met with the simple answer1 ,there is none4 ,the case is brought before the judge1 the cook hands in a statement of his accounts1 showing that the profit amounted to #aej dollars1 of which eighty were passed to the credit of the patron in food1 and the rest had been lost owing to general depression of trade4 ,the accounts are all right1 and the ,arab is thoroughly puzzled as to why he should have to pay so dearly for his cook's proffered kindness4 ,several ,arabs1 who have considerably less knowledge of the world than the ,gellabas1 have lost all they possessed by these swindles4 ,the ,omdurman market is1 ,i suppose1 the scene of more swindling and deception than any other place of its size in the world4 ,there is no shame in being a thief or a swindler2 it is only when one is found out that some shame attaches4 ,several masters keep slaves for the express purpose of getting them to rob and steal1 and share the profits with them4 ,slaves of this description are valuable commodities1 as1 if they are discovered1 it is generally pretty certain that their master can bribe the judges2 but this1 of course1 all depends on the relations which exist between the individual and the local authorities4 ,thus tobacco-smokers and marissa-drinkers must pay a monthly sum to the sheikh es suk1 which enables them to carry out their lawless practices with impunity4 ,if any such individual refuse to pay1 his habits are at once reported1 and he is severely punished1 the confiscated tobacco being then sold by the police4 ,complaints against these evil practices1 and regarding the absence of public security in ,omdurman1 grew so continuous and so serious1 that at length the ,khalifa was obliged to interfere1 and the following case brought the matter to a head4 ,a drunken slave had shot one of his fellow slaves4 ,in accordance with the law1 the master is permitted to take the offending slave's life2 but he forgave him1 because he did not wish to lose two slaves at once4 ,when the ,khalifa heard of the case1 he at once ordered the slave to be executed4 ,after this1 every one came and told him about the smokers and marissa-drinkers2 and then and there he appointed a certain ,wad er ,reis1 also named ,hussein ,wad ed ,dayim1 as sheikh of the market4 ,this man1 who had been formerly ,mamur of the ,berber police1 succeeded in making himself feared by the thieves4 ,he openly told the ,khalifa that it would never do to treat thieves according to the law1 and that only the strongest and most energetic measures would effect the breaking up of the band4 ,the ,khalifa agreed2 and at once the new chief of police seized all the well-known thieves and put them in chains4 ,they were then bastinadoed1 and forced to confess what they had stolen1 to whom the goods had been sold1 and their value4 ,and thus they got to know the names of almost all the thieves in the town4 ,these measures created a great sensation in ,omdurman1 for it was found that several people in high places were implicated1 and they were convicted4 ,the thieves1 too1 seized this opportunity for extorting hush-money2 but ,wad er ,reis soon re-established public security4 ,to increase the supervision1 he divided the market into quarters1 over which he appointed sub-sheikhs 7known as sheikh el hara71 who were responsible1 with the assistance of the inhabitants of the quarter1 for preserving security at night4 ,numbers of marissa-drinkers were apprehended1 and a large quantity of confiscated tobacco was publicly burnt in the market-place4 ,all the principal thieves were transported to the convict-station at ,regaf1 a course which the ,khalifa thought preferable to mutilation of the hand and foot4 ,just about this time an ,egyptian convict1 who had escaped from ,sawakin1 arrived in ,omdurman4 ,he had been convicted of false coining in ,egypt1 and had been sentenced to ten years penal servitude at ,sawakin4 ,while in the prison there1 he and a companion had come to an agreement with the soldier guarding them1 and all three had escaped and set off for ,berber4 ,the soldier and the other man had died on the journey1 and the survivor1 having reached ,omdurman1 begged to be presented to the ,khalifa2 but ,abdullah thought it beneath his dignity to interview an escaped convict4 ,he was therefore transferred at once to the steamer bound for ,regaf with all the thieves and other exiles1 whilst the ,khalifa was heard to remark that anyone who came from ,egypt was invariably a criminal or dishonest man4 ,the new posts of sheikh el hara were unpaid1 and as the holders had to live1 they were forced to make money by unfair means4 ,this led to the old tobacco and marissa abuse1 so that matters soon drifted back into much the same condition as before4 ,the caravan roads into the interior are fairly safe1 but merchants always prefer to travel in parties of twenty to thirty2 though1 as a matter of fact1 the ,baggara garrisons at the various posts are a much greater source of danger to the merchants than are the thieves and brigands4 ,these ,baggara wring money out of the merchants1 and steal their goods2 but if the caravan is large1 they are afraid to do anything which may lead to reprisals4 ,the ,khalifa has1 however1 done much to improve public security in the provinces1 and punishes severely when cases are brought to his notice4 ,the state of public morality in the ,sudan is very bad1 and in ,omdurman it could not well be worse4 ,before the ,mahdi appeared1 matters were bad enough4 ,almost all the large towns1 such as ,khartum1 ,messalamieh1 ,metemmeh1 and ,el ,obeid--especially the latter--were hotbeds of immorality of the very worst description4 ,the ,mahdi was utterly opposed to all these evil habits1 and during his life matters greatly improved2 but this was due rather to the fact that the whole country was under arms1 and that the towns were practically deserted4 ,besides1 punishment for such crimes was ungrudgingly given1 and the stoppage of marissa-drinking also tended to lessen the evils4 ,marriage ceremonies were simplified and made less expensive1 and a distinct advance in public morality was apparent4 ,but when the principal fighting was over1 and the victorious emirs gave themselves over to a life of luxury and debauchery1 when idle town life took the place of religious campaigns1 when houses were built of mud and bricks instead of rough straw huts1 and when the ,mahdi died1 then immorality broke forth with the redoubled violence of long compression1 and the state of affairs became infinitely worse than it had ever been in the old ,government days4 ,i refer especially to ,omdurman4 ,constant warfare had greatly diminished the male population4 ,omdurman was full of women who had neither husbands nor male relations2 and this is the real cause of the evil state of affairs4 ,matters reached such a pitch in #ahhh that the ,khalifa issued an order that every unmarried woman must be provided with a husband within three days1 or she would be handed over to a ,baggara as a slave or concubine4 ,in consequence of this order1 for the space of three days the whole town was continuously occupied in marriage ceremonies4 ,men seized this opportunity of taking women whom they would never1 under other circumstances1 have been allowed to marry2 and of course these forced marriages could not be of long duration--in a month or two most of the couples were separated4 ,another cause which tended towards immorality was the fact that numbers of men had been sent off to far-distant parts of the country on expeditions1 unaccompanied by their wives1 most of whom were left in ,omdurman for years2 and it is hardly to be wondered at if in time they began to forget their husbands and to form unlawful connections1 in which the ,khalifa had frequently to interfere4 ,on one occasion upwards of eighty women1 whose infidelity to their husbands was unquestionable1 were put in prison1 and a council held to consider what should be done to them4 ,it was decided to make an example of one1 and the victim selected was an unfortunate who had borne two illegitimate children4 ,the poor creature was led into the women's quarter of the market1 and there she was lowered into a grave with her last child tied to her bosom1 and both stoned to death by a cruel and hard-hearted crowd1 who seemed to take a fiendish delight in this inhuman piece of work4 ,this1 however1 was the only execution of the sort which took place during ,mahdiism4 ,the other women were released2 but the only effect of the above example was to induce women to take criminal means to rid themselves of these evidences of illicit connection2 and the open sale of abortive medicines only tended to further increase the moral decadence of the people4 ,one can truthfully say that feelings of horror and shame scarcely exist in the ,sudan4 ,from slaves of all ages and sexes1 to the little child of six years old1 all are instructed in the very worst forms of immorality2 but on this painful and disgusting subject ,i will say no more4 ,gradually the simple marriage laws introduced by the ,mahdi gave place to the old former customs4 ,for example1 the ,emir of ,berber1 ,abdel ,majid1 married the daughter of ,abderrahman ,bey ,ben en ,naga1 and received from her father #b1jjj grammes of gold4 ,the marriage ceremony1 which was celebrated with dancing and singing1 lasted about a month2 but when the ,khalifa heard of it1 he had the emir imprisoned for some months1 declared the marriage dissolved1 sent the bride back to her father1 and forbade him to let the bridegroom ever take her again4 ,but the ,sudanese have a passion for such ceremonies involving dancing and singing1 and will never be restrained by any of these new laws4 ,the women wear jewellery as before2 they dance1 sing1 and prepare marissa2 games of chance too are quite in vogue2 but of course everything is carried on secretly4 ,from time to time the ,khalifa raises his voice against it1 and then for a few days everything stops2 but it soon breaks out again1 and goes on just as before4 ,the festivals consequent on the termination of ,ramadan1 on ,bairam1 on the occasion of births1 circumcisions1 c41 are not carried out with any degree of their former brilliance4 ,perhaps a meat meal is given1 and visits paid two or three times in the year4 ,the old days of rejoicing have vanished1 all is anguish and fear1 no man's life and property are secure2 every one has perforce to break the laws1 which are most of them quite impracticable1 and at the same time are in constant fear of spies1 who are everywhere4 ,there is no security1 justice1 or liberty2 and happiness and content are unknown4 ,,chapter ,,xx4 ,,the ,,khalifa',s ,,treatment ,,of ,,the ,,white ,,captives4 ,description of the prison1 or ,saier--,the ,abu ,haggar--,the imprisonment of ,charles ,neufeld--,terrible sufferings of the prisoners--,domenico ,polinari--,the danger of corresponding with the ,european prisoners--,neufeld threatened with death--,he is given charge of the saltpetre pits--,the fate of ,sheikh ,khalil1 the ,egyptian envoy--,the ,khalifa's treatment of the ,whites--,exile to the ,white ,nile4 ,in the preceding pages frequent reference has been made to the prison4 ,this is an institution of so much importance in connection with ,mahdiism that it merits a description in detail4 ,saier6 ,in the ,sudan the bare mention of this word causes a shudder4 ,the ordinary word for prison is siggen1 but ,saier is really a contraction for beit es ,saier 7i4e4 the house of the ,saier74 ,saier is the name of a terrible individual of the ,gowameh tribe of ,kordofan1 who has been gaoler since the early days of the ,mahdi1 and his name has become the synonym of the horrible place of which he is the guardian4 ,a curious story is told about his name which is said to be true4 ,the ,gowameh women are not renowned for moral virtue1 and when ,saier was born his mother was asked whose son he was2 she was unable to say1 and when brought before the authorities and again questioned1 she replied that it was ,saier 7i4e4 it was the custom of her country72 the boy was therefore called ,saier1 and the name clung to him4 ,up to the time of the fall of ,khartum1 the prison had been merely a large zariba1 and it was only after the ,mahdi's death that a wall1 built by the prisoners themselves1 took the place of the thorn hedge4 ,it is situated on the river bank1 and consists of a large yard1 in the centre of which is a building made of mud1 straw1 and stones1 known as abu haggar 7or the stone hut71 with small square openings for a window and a door2 near the hut is a well4 ,in one corner are the cells1 which are scarcely large enough to contain a man1 and which had been built by ,charles ,neufeld4 ,the ordinary prisoners are not kept apart1 but lie under the shade of the wall during the day1 and at night they are packed1 some into the abu haggar and some left to lie about in the yard4 ,a few of the well-off prisoners1 who are in for long terms of imprisonment1 have been allowed to build little huts for themselves4 ,and just behind the gate is a small sun-dried brick building1 which belonged to ,wad ,gazuli1 late sub-,mudir of ,khartum1 who deserted to the ,mahdi before ,gordon's arrival2 this hut is only big enough for two people1 and so low that it is impossible to stand upright in it4 ,it is considered a very great favour to be given a hut of this description--a favour which is only conferred on very privileged prisoners2 it is1 moreover1 very expensive1 but it has this merit1 that the occupier can at any rate live separately4 ,there are only three huts of this description in the prison4 ,prisoners are not allowed to use mattresses1 but the owner of a hut can have a small platform slightly raised from the ground1 on which he is allowed to sleep4 ,the ordinary prisoners generally lie on their sheepskins or on mats stretched on the ground4 ,all prisoners are in chains1 the number of which depends on the nature of the crime committed4 ,the chains1 called makias1 consist of large iron rings forged to the ankles1 and joined by one and sometimes two thick iron bars4 ,the whole thing is very cumbersome and heavy1 and most tiring to walk with4 ,to lighten this difficulty1 the prisoners generally attach a piece of string to the chains1 with which they lift them up as they walk4 ,if the connecting bar is twelve inches long walking is greatly facilitated4 ,prisoners who have fallen under the ,khalifa's special displeasure are generally laden with four makias1 which make it almost impossible to rise2 besides these1 a long heavy chain is fastened round the neck1 and to prevent the skin being chafed1 leather stocks can be bought of the prison warders4 ,close to the prison gate is a large anvil and several hammers2 the foot is placed in the open ring1 the ends of which are so tightly hammered together that it is quite impossible to withdraw the foot2 the anvil is in such constant use every day that it is almost worn out4 ,prisoners have to arrange for their own food2 if they have any relations or friends they are generally supplied by them1 or if they have any money they can buy their own food from hawkers who are permitted to come into the prison4 ,but woe to the unfortunate prisoner who has neither relations nor friends--he must inevitably die of starvation4 ,at night1 as ,i have remarked1 the prisoners are locked up in the stone hut1 and sometimes the ,saier crowds it up to such an extent that the inmates are almost suffocated or crushed to death4 ,when he is in want of money he does this1 for a man will give anything to be released from this awful black hole1 in which he packs them like sardines in a box and then closes the door4 ,the walls of the hut become heated during the day1 so that within the temperature is like an oven4 ,a little air gets in through the small opening1 but the pestiferous atmosphere caused by scores of perspiring human beings tightly huddled together is beyond measure unbearable4 ,several may be suffering from various illnesses1 but there is no possibility of getting out once the door is closed4 ,these horrible scenes can1 however1 be better imagined than described2 suffice it to say that the noise and quarrelling amongst the prisoners1 occasioned by the revolting operations which go on1 is generally quelled by the guards coming in with whips1 with which they lay about them roundly1 and then go out and close the door again4 ,sleep is almost quite out of the question1 for there is no room to stretch out the legs1 the heat is unbearable2 scorpions abound1 and every now and then a yell shows that some unfortunate individual has been stung2 but no one takes any notice4 ,cases of heat apoplexy often occur1 and deaths on this account are frequent4 ,when a person falls down in a fit1 the only remark passed is1 ed dam darabu 7,the blood has beaten him74 ,thus1 in utter anguish and misery1 the night is dragged through4 ,the moment the door is opened a rush is made for the open air1 the dead are dragged out1 their chains knocked off1 and then they are buried4 ,prisoners who have special permission to sleep outside are all chained together to prevent flight1 and are guarded by numbers of soldiers4 ,the slightest show of resistance on the part of a prisoner is punished by flogging4 ,unless the ,khalifa gives special orders to the contrary1 prisoners are allowed to receive visits from their friends and relatives4 ,there are no fixed periods of imprisonment1 except in the case of smokers and marissa-drinkers1 the usual punishment for them being confiscation of property1 eighty lashes1 and forty days imprisonment2 but latterly a fine1 estimated at the value of their property1 is levied instead of complete confiscation2 the two other portions of the sentence are1 however1 always inflicted4 ,prisoners are generally divided into three classes3 the first class comprise those who are sentenced by the chief of the beit el mal1 and although there is a special prison for offenders against the beit el mal1 all serious cases are brought to the ,saier4 ,second-class prisoners are those undergoing sentences of the judges2 both these classes hope for release whenever a sufficiently influential person will pay a sum of money for them1 which sum must also be accompanied by a certificate from the ,saier that they have been conducting themselves properly during their stay in prison4 ,the third class are those on whom the vials of the ,khalifa's wrath have been poured out2 their crimes are for the most part political1 and all mediation in their cases is quite useless1 no one1 not even the judge1 is allowed to say a good word for them to the ,khalifa4 ,it is only when his wrath is somewhat abated that it may occur to himself to make inquiries about them1 and then1 perhaps1 he may consider recommendations for their release2 but the ,saier's opinion goes for much more than any other person's1 and therefore it is a great point to secure this individual's favour and get into his good graces4 ,one bad word from the ,saier can do an infinity of harm1 and may indefinitely postpone a release which has been on the point of being made4 ,the ,saier thoroughly understands how to work his influence1 for he benefits considerably by his exercise of power2 he receives no pay1 and therefore he is entirely dependent on what he can make out of the prisoners4 ,the richer his victims1 the more pleased he is1 for he knows he can wring money out of them freely4 ,once a month the judge or his representative goes with a clerk to the ,saier and makes a list of all the prisoners1 showing how long each prisoner has been in confinement4 ,on these occasions numbers of the inmates throw themselves at the feet of the judges and beg to be released because they are starving4 ,this list is shown by the judge to the ,khalifa1 and ,charles ,neufeld's name always appears at the top4 ,abdullah goes through the list1 makes careful inquiries about the prisoners1 some are released and others passed over in silence1 a sign which bodes them no good4 ,the ,saier has seen and heard not a few of the misfortunes of both ,sudanese and ,europeans4 ,the first ,europeans he knew were ,slatin ,bey and ,lupton ,bey4 ,gustav ,klootz was put into chains in ,abu ,girgeh's camp4 ,during the siege of ,khartum it was thought the ,europeans might attempt to escape to ,gordon1 they were therefore put in chains2 both ,slatin and ,lupton spent upwards of ten months in chains under the ,saier2 they suffered dreadfully from hunger and ill-treatment1 and were frequently threatened with death4 ,after the fall of ,khartum they were released1 and were told by the ,khalifa that they should feel thankful to have been in prison1 otherwise they would undoubtedly have shared ,gordon's fate4 ,one of our ,mission brothers1 ,domenico ,polinari1 was also kept in prison for six months2 he was imprisoned the same day that ,i arrived from ,kordofan4 ,after the fall of ,khartum1 ,polinari's brother had been working as gardener in the ,mission grounds1 under his new master1 the ,khalifa ,sherif4 ,the former gardener1 a ,dongolawi1 had been dismissed for dishonesty1 and before he left1 ,sherif ordered him to be carefully examined1 as it was thought he might have taken some of his master's property4 ,polinari1 who was a most conscientious man1 and had never even taken a lemon without his master's permission1 carried out the search most carefully1 and succeeded in getting back quantities of things the thief had made away with4 ,for a time the thief said nothing1 but soon his innate ,danagla astuteness came to his assistance1 and he concocted a plan to revenge himself on ,polinari1 and again become chief gardener4 ,the war material1 just as it had been left by ,gordon in the ,mission house1 was still there1 and it happened that one day some powder was stolen4 ,in spite of the most careful inquiries1 it was impossible to trace the thief1 and now the ex-gardener began to throw out hints that ,polinari was implicated in the theft4 ,a certain ,hajji ,zubeir was entrusted with the inquiry4 ,polinari's hut was overhauled1 but nothing found in it2 his honesty was so well known that no one would credit any evil reports or slander against him4 ,but the ex-gardener was not to be put off4 ,having failed in his first accusation1 he now began to spread reports that ,polinari drank liquor and chewed tobacco1 and in proof of this he produced a large glass bottle and some dried herbs2 there were some fresh dates in the bottle1 with which ,polinari intended making vinegar1 which the gardener insisted was liquor2 the dried vegetable was a sort of cabbage which ,polinari intended cooking for his food1 but this the ,dongolawi asserted to be tobacco4 ,the unfortunate ,polinari was obliged to walk through ,omdurman with the bottle on his head1 followed by an insulting and disorderly crowd1 until he came before the judge4 ,kadi ,ahmed1 who was well known for his partiality to ,europeans1 at once recognised that this was all a trumped-up slander1 and was anxious to release ,polinari2 but ,hajji ,zubeir1 who had still great influence with the ,khalifa1 and instigated by the ex-gardener1 sent him off to the ,saier4 ,every other day we used to send him some bread and dates1 but the slave to whom the food had been consigned never delivered it1 as we afterwards discovered1 and had it not been that two of the sheikhs1 who were fellow-prisoners with him1 had given him some of their food1 he must have died of starvation4 ,amongst the many ,sudanese who have at various times been inmates of the ,saier1 may be mentioned the aged sheikh of the ,shukrieh1 who had been most loyal to ,gordon1 ,awad el ,kerim ,abu ,sin--he died in prison2 ,wad ,zaid1 of the ,debaineh tribe1 had been kept in prison four years2 then there were ,ahmed ,wad ,suleiman1 who had been the ,mahdi's chief of the beit el mal2 ,saleh ,pasha ,wad el ,mek1 one of ,gordon's principal officers2 the ,ashraf ,sayid ,abdel ,kader and ,sayid ,abdel ,kerim2 ,wad ,adlan we have already referred to2 ,jabrallah1 ,sultan of ,darfur1 and his five sons1 most of whom died2 ,wad en ,nejumi2 ,sheikh ,idris2 ,makin ,wad en ,nur1 and many others4 ,when the ,khalifa's tribe1 the ,taisha1 first arrived1 they plundered the market1 and ,abdullah threw #bjj of them into prison1 to teach them1 he said1 the right way4 ,every night fifty of them were driven into the stone hut1 which was1 indeed1 a terrible change from their forests and plains4 ,every day several died of typhus fever1 and now the mere mention of ,saier makes them tremble2 even their head sheikh1 ,el ,ghazali1 whose misfortunes ,i have already narrated1 spent some months in prison before he made his unsuccessful attempt to escape4 ,yasin1 a ,jaali1 who had fallen into the hands of the ,english at ,toski1 and who was subsequently released1 and given a letter to take to the ,khalifa from the ,egyptian ,government1 had to pay dearly for saying to ,abdullah that they could not fight against the ,english4 ,another of the captives taken at ,toski1 but who also returned to ,omdurman1 was much more crafty in his interview with the ,khalifa2 this individual related that1 when in ,cairo1 an old monk had said to him1 ,is not the ,khalifa of the ,mahdi called ,abdullah8 to which he replied1 ,yes2 it is so4 ,is he not slightly lame8 ,yes4 ,is he not marked with small-pox8 ,yes4 ,then the monk said1 ,do you see this book8 ,it contains the history of the ,mahdi and his successor1 and it is stated in it that ,khalifa ,abdullah shall conquer ,egypt1 ,syria1 and ,mecca4 ,the ,khalifa was so delighted with the story that1 turning round to his people1 he said1 ,you see the ,christians know perfectly well that ,mahdiism is not false4 ,the wily author of the story was then given a present of money4 ,occasionally the ,saier treats his prisoners very cruelly4 ,two fikis who were suspected of being unbelievers were given #a1jjj lashes each2 one died on the spot1 and the other a few days afterwards4 ,occasionally he relieves the monotony by giving his prisoners #djj lashes1 which is not considered an out-of-the-way punishment4 ,on one occasion1 two ,ababdeh ,arabs coming from ,korosko as merchants1 were discovered south of ,metemmeh with rifles in parts1 carefully concealed in bales of cloth2 letters were also found on them4 ,they were at once considered to be spies1 and taken before the ,khalifa4 ,as soon as it was rumoured that ,arabs carrying letters for the ,europeans had been caught1 a friend came to me at once1 and told me that the letters were sure to be addressed to me4 ,this threw me into a fever of anguish and alarm2 ,i was made a prisoner1 and spent that night in the greatest terror4 ,the ,khalifa had warned us most distinctly not to correspond with ,egypt1 and threatened to imprison us if a letter should ever be discovered4 ,on this occasion ,i had every reason to be alarmed1 for ,i had already had a similar experience4 ,after ,father ,bonomi had escaped1 he sent a ,kababish ,arab to ,kordofan to try and secure my escape4 ,the ,arab remained with ,sheikh ,saleh ,bey1 and did not1 to my knowledge1 ever come to ,el ,obeid4 ,when ,saleh was killed in #ahhg1 they found amongst his papers a letter from ,father ,bonomi to me1 advising me to trust the ,arab1 who would not fail to guide me safely to ,halfa4 ,this letter was brought1 with the other correspondence1 to the ,khalifa1 and was translated to him3 he was furious1 and had not my guardian angel protected me1 ,i must have been relegated to prison4 ,arabic letters are less dangerous1 for they are read out to the ,khalifa by his secretary1 but he is always mistrustful that ,european letters are correctly translated4 ,how ,i had longed for letters1 even a word from the outside world1 or from my relations or friends2 but now in my captivity how earnestly ,i prayed that no letter for me should be found amongst those brought by the ,arabs6 ,as soon as it was daylight ,i went out in search of news1 and to my delight was told that the letters were in ,arabic and were not for me1 but for some one whom ,i knew very well4 ,the contents of the letters were quite harmless1 merely an interchange of compliments between families in ,cairo and ,omdurman1 and news of a wedding which had taken place in ,cairo4 ,however1 the two men who brought the letters were in no little fear1 thinking they would certainly be executed2 but the ,khalifa had thoroughly mastered their contents1 and though it was evening1 he mounted his big white horse1 in which position he usually made his important speeches to the ,ansar1 and he told them that letters had been captured which had come from ,egypt and were addressed to the ,ansar el ,gudad 7i4e4 the new ,ansar1 or inhabitants of ,khartum and the ,blue ,nile1 in contra-distinction to the ,ansar el ,gudum1 or old ,ansar of ,kordofan1 who were the original adherents of the ,mahdi72 that he did not intend to mention the names of the persons to whom the letters were addressed1 but he was sure they would spend a sleepless night4 ,the next morning the two ,arabs were sent to the ,saier1 but their lives were spared4 ,a few days later ,i went to see ,neufeld in prison and inquired about the ,arabs4 ,i saw them both chained1 and when they saw me they at once asked me for something1 addressing me as ,baladieh 7i4e4 one of their own countrymen71 as they took me for an ,egyptian2 and then they told me in strict secrecy that they had come with the intention of securing the flight of two persons--one ,mankarius ,gottas1 who had died in ,galabat1 and the other a resident in ,berber1 by whose imprudence they had been betrayed2 these unfortunate men had had nothing to eat for three days1 so ,i gave them a few piastres which ,i had brought for ,neufeld1 and as ,i did not dare to stay longer with them ,i begged ,zogheir to look after them4 ,fifteen days afterwards ,i returned and found the poor men stretched out dead under the wall1 they had died of starvation1 and the guards had just come to knock off their chains and carry their bodies out of the yard4 ,the sight of these two ,ababdehs filled my heart with sadness2 there they lay1 nothing but a mass of skin and bone2 they had come to help poor captives to escape1 and this was their own miserable end4 ,this1 indeed1 was a warning to me to act with increased prudence and caution4 ,an ,egyptian1 born in the ,sudan1 was also sent to the ,saier for a few months for declaring that he was the fourth ,khalifa--i4e4 the ,khalifa ,osman4 ,one day this individual had presented himself to the ,khalifa and begged to be heard for a few moments as he wished to tell him of a dream he had had4 ,it is quite an ordinary occurrence for the ,ansar to relate dreams flattering to the ,khalifa1 in the hope of getting some bakshish4 ,thus did our ,khalifa ,osman relate that in his dream or vision he had beheld the ,mahdi1 who told him to declare himself the fourth ,khalifa1 and therefore he begged that ,abdullah would confirm him as such and permit him to take his share of authority with the other ,khalifas2 he also begged that all the honour due to him as ,khalifa ,osman should be forthwith paid to him4 ,illustration3 ,,charles ,,neufeld4 ,this poor madman paid dearly for his dream4 ,abdullah merely made a sign to one of his body-guard1 on which he was hurried off to the ,saier1 where he received fifty lashes twice a day1 and was eventually obliged to confess that the devil had tempted him to strive after this position4 ,charles ,neufeld remained in the prison longer than any one else4 ,i have narrated in a previous chapter how he had daringly joined ,saleh's people with the intention of establishing commercial relations with the ,arabs1 and how he was entrapped by the ,dervishes at the oasis of ,selimeh4 ,this good man knew nothing of the ,sudan and nothing about ,mahdiism1 and it was just at this time that the ,khalifa had made up his mind to crush ,saleh and his ,kababish4 ,on the #gth of ,march1 ,neufeld arrived in ,omdurman--a prisoner under a strong escort4 ,news spread like wildfire that an ,english pasha had been captured1 and this caused a great stir in the capital4 ,the ,khalifa considered him a most important capture1 and ,neufeld was ushered into the presence of the three ,khalifas and two ,europeans1 who were entrusted with the examination of his papers4 ,neufeld spoke ,arabic1 and was quite fearless4 ,his papers showed that he was a ,prussian and had studied in the ,leipzig ,university4 ,all the documents were most carefully translated to the ,khalifa1 as it was most important to assure him that ,neufeld was not an ,englishman1 as otherwise it would have gone very hardly with him4 ,there was one letter1 however1 in ,english1 which1 if it had been truthfully translated1 would have probably got him into great danger4 ,after the preliminary examination1 ,abdullah's mind seemed to have been put at rest1 for he delivered from his high seat a long speech to the inquisitive ,ansar regarding this great ,english pasha1 who he said had come to the ,sudan with arms and ammunition1 intending to seize ,kordofan and fight against ,mahdiism1 but fortunately the brave troops of ,wad en ,nejumi had met him near ,dongola1 killed his soldiers1 and captured him4 ,it was the ,khalifa's habit to exaggerate facts and thereby encourage the ,ansar2 he also made out his capture was a most important event1 for hitherto they had not succeeded in taking even one of the hated ,english4 ,poor ,neufeld was therefore thrown into chains and carefully guarded by soldiers2 during the whole of that night a fanatical ,dinka negress1 who used to dress in men's clothes and wear a sword1 shrieked continuously at him1 ,allah hu akbar alal kufar6 7,god's power is most great over the unbelievers47 ,it was decided that ,neufeld was to be hanged the next morning4 ,very early the ,khalifa sent orders that the great drum should be beaten1 while the blast of the huge onbea close to ,neufeld's ears almost made him fall down from fright4 ,the slaves made game of him as if he were a monkey2 but he still kept up courage and answered all these insults with a manly spirit2 the rope had been fixed on to the scaffold1 and already crowds of people were collected to see the ,englishman executed4 ,but the condemned man had not yet arrived1 for the ,khalifa's final decision had not been taken4 ,hitherto he had never executed a white man in this open way1 and he delayed1 because he was still uncertain about his being a ,prussian4 ,had ,neufeld been an ,englishman1 there is not the smallest doubt he would have been killed4 ,at length ,abdullah made up his mind not to kill him1 but he determined to frighten him2 about midday1 therefore1 ,neufeld was taken to the market-place escorted by horsemen2 the crowd raised a yell of delight when he appeared1 but ,neufeld fearlessly walked on1 and on reaching the gallows he jumped on to the angarib and bent his head so that ,bringi might adjust the rope round his neck4 ,just at the last moment the judge stepped forward and said that the ,khalifa had been graciously pleased to repeal the sentence of execution1 and ,neufeld was1 therefore1 again removed to the lock-up4 ,three days later he was laden with three heavy chains1 put on to a camel1 and led through all the streets of ,omdurman1 so that every one might see him4 ,he was also taken to a review where the ,khalifa asked him if the ,turks possessed as many troops as he now saw before him1 to which ,neufeld replied that the ,khalifa's troops were more numerous1 but that they were not so well drilled in exercises and movements as the ,turks were4 ,this answer did not please the ,khalifa2 and in order to make him take an interest in the ,mahdi and his ,khalifa1 he was taken over to ,khartum and was there shown the ,mission building1 which the ,mahdi had seized2 he was then taken back to the prison1 where he remained four years4 ,he was frequently attacked with typhus fever1 dysentery1 and other ailments1 and was terribly stung by scorpions2 had not the ,europeans in ,omdurman supported him he must have starved to death4 ,the depth of misery to which poor ,neufeld was reduced may be readily understood when it is known that he spent a whole year in the stone hut1 and it was not until he had completed two years in prison that1 through the intermediary of a friend1 he was allowed to build a little cell for himself in one of the corners of the yard1 where he could sleep away from the other prisoners4 ,this little building was about twelve feet square and very low1 and here poor ,neufeld used to sit all day long2 his jibbeh was very dirty and swarming with insects1 which allowed him little rest at night1 and in despair he used to get one of his companions in adversity to rub him with wet sand1 which made his skin less irritable2 some sympathizing ,arabs told him to soak crushed cloves in water and then rub his body with the paste2 this ,neufeld found a capital remedy1 though it made his skin smart a great deal at first4 ,neufeld's kindness of heart soon won over his guards1 and often they allowed him to remain undisturbed in his little hut for the night instead of dragging him off to the stone hut4 ,one evening1 hearing that the ,saier was in a bad humour1 he told his guards that he wanted to spend that night in the stone hut2 but the soldiers assured him that the moment they knew there was to be an inspection they would at once let him know4 ,so ,neufeld settled himself to sleep in his cell1 when suddenly1 about midnight1 one of his guards awoke him1 saying1 ,get up quickly6 the ,saier has sworn he will give any one he finds outside the stone hut #ajj lashes4 ,neufeld got up as quickly as possible and made his way to the hut1 but the chains prevented him from moving rapidly1 and when he got to the door he could not turn the key2 just at that moment the ,saier came into the yard1 and seeing him1 ordered him to be given #ajj lashes on the spot2 but the soldiers refused to obey--one said he had fever1 and the other said that he had been flogging people all day and was too tired4 ,the ,saier was therefore obliged to call slaves from his own house1 who administered the #ajj lashes1 and left poor ,neufeld covered with deep scores all over his body4 ,in #ahhi ,neufeld obtained a new companion in adversity in the person of a ,bohemian baker1 who had been employed with some ,greeks at ,halfa4 ,one day1 in a state of semi-intoxication1 the baker had left ,halfa with nothing but his violin1 intending to go to ,sawakin2 but he lost his way in the desert1 was overcome by thirst1 and wandered towards the ,nile1 which he at length reached4 ,quite ignorant of the direction in which he was going1 he struck out towards the south1 and fell in with a patrol of ,dervishes1 by whom he was passed on to ,omdurman4 ,on his arrival the ,khalifa sent him to prison1 where he remained two years4 ,neufeld shared his every mouthful with him2 but during the famine he suffered dreadfully from want4 ,at length1 through the intermediary of the mukuddum in charge of the ,europeans1 he was released2 but a few months afterwards he made off to the ,gezireh4 ,the mukuddum1 who had guaranteed him with his head1 sent several camelmen in search of him2 but there was no trace to be found of him4 ,after a time it was reported that he had died of starvation at ,rufaa on the ,blue ,nile1 and this information greatly relieved the ,khalifa's mind4 ,as for ,neufeld1 we did our utmost to obtain his release2 but the ,khalifa would not hear of it2 moreover1 false reports were circulated about him4 ,some people who came from ,dongola said that ,neufeld1 in disguise1 had been sent by the ,egyptian ,government to find out whether the ,mudir--,mustafa ,yawer--was still loyal or had thrown in his lot with the ,dervishes2 but in reality it was ,kitchener ,pasha who had been entrusted with this mission4 ,on another occasion an ,arabic newspaper1 printed in ,cairo1 was brought to him1 containing a paragraph to the effect that an ,english officer had been captured by the ,dervishes in ,dongola4 ,this amazed the ,khalifa greatly1 for at once he believed that he had been deceived and that ,neufeld was actually an ,englishman4 ,being1 in truth1 a mere savage and an ignorant man1 he believed that all news in a newspaper must be true1 and blamed himself for not having executed ,neufeld in the first instance2 he ordered him1 however1 to be more heavily chained than before4 ,others again spread rumours abroad that ,neufeld had come with the intention of aiding ,slatin to escape--news which enraged the ,khalifa perhaps more than anything else4 ,thus did ,neufeld spend four years in prison1 and his release seemed hopeless2 but we left no stone unturned4 ,we secured the good-will of all the most influential people in ,omdurman1 including even the ,om el ,muminin 7,mother of the ,faithful--i4e4 the ,mahdi's widow7 and the ,sherifa ,sitt ,nefisa 7the daughter of ,sidi ,hassan el ,morghani71 who petitioned very earnestly for his release2 but the ,khalifa would listen to no one4 ,when powder was scarce in ,omdurman1 some one suggested1 at one of the ,khalifa's councils1 that it would be much better to make the unbelievers work for religion instead of remaining all day long idle in the ,saier1 and that ,neufeld ought to undertake the saltpetre refinery4 ,the ,khalifa said1 ,do what you think right--,i am content4 ,and on the same day ,neufeld was sent to ,halfaieh in search of saltpetre2 he found some1 and a month later was moved to ,khartum1 where he is now working in the old ,mission-house with an ,egyptian assistant named ,said4 ,he still wears one chain on the feet1 which1 from constant rubbing1 has become as bright as silver1 while there are great black marks round his ankles4 ,in ,khartum he is allowed greater liberty than he had in ,omdurman4 ,in #ahia a ,jewish merchant came from ,massawa to ,kassala1 where the ,emir ,abu ,girgeh was then commanding4 ,the latter was in favour of opening commercial relations by means of ,jews1 and permitting non-,mussulman dealers to come and sell their goods at ,kassala1 or let them go on further into the country4 ,when1 therefore1 the ,jew had disposed of his goods1 he went1 on ,abu ,girgeh's advice1 to ,omdurman4 ,on being presented1 the ,khalifa summoned another ,jew1 named ,passioni1 whom he made responsible for the new arrival4 ,but1 as usual1 the voice of slander was not silent2 it was whispered that he was an ,italian spy1 and that it would have been better to have him under surveillance4 ,he had scarcely left the ,khalifa's presence1 when he was recalled and sent to the ,saier1 there to be educated as a true ,ansar4 ,the fate of ,olivier ,pain and the experiences of ,neufeld and this ,jew are sufficient evidence to prove the utter uselessness of attempting to personally enter into commercial relations with the present ruler of the ,sudan4 ,any one who comes to ,omdurman need expect nothing but chains1 the most terrible form of imprisonment1 insults and ignominy from the ,sudanese4 ,a still worse fate befell ,sheikh ,khalil1 who was sent from ,egypt to the ,sudan on a special mission to the ,khalifa4 ,in company with an ,ababdeh sheikh1 he arrived at ,abu ,hamed1 where ,zogal was at the time4 ,the latter being accurately informed of the nature of his mission1 allowed the two messengers to travel without escort to ,omdurman1 and on the journey ,khalil had opportunities of speaking to the people1 and ascertaining how they were disposed to the ,egyptian ,government4 ,he saw with his own eyes the devastation wrought by the ,dervishes and by famine in all the towns and villages along the ,nile4 ,for some days before he actually reached ,omdurman1 we heard of his approach1 which occasioned no small stir in the place4 ,some people thought he was bringing proposals of peace1 which1 if refused by the ,khalifa1 would oblige the ,egyptian ,government to again advance into the ,sudan2 rumours of all sorts were rife1 but there was no possible means of knowing the truth4 ,late one evening ,khalil arrived1 dressed as an ,egyptian1 with a long flowing abayeh 7mantle74 ,he was taken before ,yakub1 to whom he made over his letter1 and was then taken before the ,khalifa1 to whom1 it is said1 he freely spoke his mind4 ,that same evening he was sent under escort to ,kererri1 where he was put into a hut under a strong guard1 but he was not chained4 ,he was supplied with meat1 butter1 corn and sugar1 and a female slave was placed at his disposal by the ,khalifa1 who had purposely sent him out of ,omdurman to prevent him conversing with anyone1 and to keep all information regarding his mission quite secret4,p ,in this way the ,khalifa thought he would give him a different impression of ,mahdiism1 while ,hajji ,zubeir was told off as intermediary between ,khalil and ,abdullah4 ,it was generally believed that ,khalil had blamed the ,khalifa for his ill-treatment and oppression of the ,moslems1 and had shown him how his rule was ruining the ,sudan4 ,he had begged him to abandon the evil of ,mahdiism and return to the true orthodox religion4 ,whilst in confinement at ,kererri he was frequently threatened with death4 ,no one knew what his mission could be1 and the ,khalifa knew how to guard it secretly1 so that gradually people began to forget all about him1 and great was the surprise when one day ,khalil and his companion appeared riding on mules at the great parade held during the ,bairam festival4 ,the ,khalifa brought ,khalil here to show him how immense was his power and authority1 and just before the parade was concluded ,abdullah and all the cavalry galloped up to him1 surrounded him1 and asked whether he would not rather stay in the shadow of the ,mahdi's dome than return to ,egypt4 ,khalil1 who had now been for upwards of five months in confinement1 and thinking that he should never be allowed to leave1 and at the same time longing to be allowed to return and report to the ,government all he had seen1 replied diplomatically that having once been in the light he had no wish to return to darkness4 ,this reply delighted the ,khalifa1 who ordered him to be set free1 and at prayers in the mosque on that day he sat in the centre of the long line of ,ansar just behind the ,khalifa4 ,it is the custom at festivals for all ,european prisoners1 ,greeks1 ,syrians1 ,jews1 c41 to go and offer the ,khalifa their good wishes4 ,when they arrived on this occasion the ,khalifa ordered them to be seated around him--he does not allow them to kiss his hand1 as he might thereby become contaminated with their impurity2 he usually makes a speech1 pointing out the punishments which may fall upon them2 but this time he was particularly gracious1 asked how they were all getting on1 and if they had met with ill-treatment or injustice at the hands of anyone4 ,he gave them to understand that they must look on him as their protector1 and that should they die their children would become their heirs1 and that if a family had no children1 the property would be sold and divided amongst the other prisoners4 ,this kindly speech was a great surprise to us all2 but the astute ,khalifa only wanted to show ,khalil how well he treated his prisoners4 ,it is possible1 also1 that ,khalil had observed to him how badly we really were treated1 but this is only surmise on my part4 ,abdullah's kindly speech1 however1 did us much good1 for of course all he says goes the round of the whole town1 and when the people knew that we had been well received1 they showed us much greater kindness and respect4 ,if1 on the other hand1 the ,khalifa ever imputes a word of blame to any of us1 the reaction on the people is immediate1 and we are at once insulted and maltreated4 ,it is always said that the whites--which is the name by which we are known in the ,sudan--live under the shadow of the sword4 ,the ,khalifa then asked ,khalil's companion if he wished to return or stay where he was4 ,the man replied that he was a messenger1 pure and simple1 and that as such he should return to him who sent him1 and on the same day the ,khalifa gave him permission to depart4 ,but now evil reports were spread abroad regarding ,khalil4 ,it was said that he was a great friend of ,mustafa ,yawer1 the ex-,mudir of ,dongola1 and that it was mainly through his influence that he prevented him adopting ,mahdiism2 it was also said that he was the chief of the spies sent by the ,english1 and a bitter enemy to the ,mahdi4 ,it was imprudent under such circumstances of ,khalil to go as an envoy to ,omdurman4 ,he had given his services to the ,government for this purpose1 and he bravely adhered to it2 but he was well known to the inhabitants of ,dongola and ,dar ,shaggieh1 and it was quite certain that the ,khalifa would never permit such a man to return to ,egypt4 ,even in ,omdurman he would not allow him to be at large4 ,two days later the judges were assembled to consider ,khalil's case3 false witnesses came forward who asserted that they had seen ,khalil worshipping the sun and frequently turning towards the west at prayers1 and all sorts of stories were trumped up to induce the ,khalifa to put ,khalil in chains4 ,the pliable judges condemned the sheikh1 and he was relegated to the ,saier4 ,neufeld had to give up his cell1 which was made over to ,khalil4 ,none of the prisoners were allowed to speak to him--thus was the poor man left without a friend or acquaintance to help him2 everyone shunned him as if he were the victim of some foul disease4 ,from the earliest days of ,mahdiism it was always the fate of those who fell in favour to be deserted by all1 and this was more especially the case with all those on whom the ,khalifa's wrath fell4 ,thus everyone--fearing for his own life--avoids all intercourse with such prisoners4 ,when ,khalil had expended the little money he possessed1 he sold his sword1 sheepskin1 and clothes1 and bought bread--such bread too6--even ,sudanese1 who are accustomed to eat all sorts of stuff1 could only eat prison bread when hunger had made them like ravenous wolves2 but ,khalil had come from ,egypt and its flesh-pots1 and the ,sudan bread made him ill4 ,at length he had no more money to buy even bread1 and then he suffered the pangs of hunger4 ,for a month before his death his beard had grown quite white1 and he himself had become like a skeleton4 ,his wretchedness and loneliness brought on sickness1 and he died a miserable death4 ,it occurred on a ,friday whilst the ,khalifa was attending a review1 and ,abdullah accidentally fell from his horse on that day1 but was caught before he reached the ground4 ,this was considered a very bad omen by the people1 who thought that ,khalil had been unjustly condemned4 ,they believed it pointed to the overthrow of the ,khalifa's rule1 and he himself was very much disturbed4 ,the disloyal ,ababdehs of ,hassan ,khalifa were also locked up in the ,saier4 ,hassan was a nephew of the former ,mudir of ,berber1 had been for a long time emir of ,abu ,hamed1 and during ,nejumi's advance on ,egypt had occupied the wells of ,murat4 ,it was said that when there1 he had acted in a most reprehensible manner1 and had wrung quantities of money out of the merchants4 ,it was also said that when ,saleh ,bey advanced from ,korosko on ,murat1 he came to an arrangement with him--for he was not a ,mahdiist at heart--and had retired on ,abu ,hamed without attempting to fight4 ,all sorts of reports about him reached the ,khalifa's ears1 but he refused to believe them4 ,when1 however1 a certain ,abadi named ,karrar1 one of the ,khalifa's spies1 who had been captured by ,saleh at ,murat1 for having letters in his possession for the sheikhs in ,egypt1 and had been kept in prison for some months1 was released and returned to ,omdurman1 the ,khalifa then became convinced of ,hassan ,khalifa's disloyalty2 he sent four of his mulazimin to ,abu ,hamed1 arrested him and his people1 and confiscated all their property4 ,about forty men were thrown into chains1 dragged to ,omdurman and there relegated to the ,saier2 several died of typhus1 and the remainder1 after two years' imprisonment1 were sent as exiles to ,fashoda1 except ,hassan1 who still remains in prison at ,omdurman4 ,near the ,saier is another small prison for females1 but there are not so many of them4 ,,footnotes3 ,p ,khalil had been entrusted with a few lines of a purely non-political nature1 politely asking the ,khalifa to return to the bearer any clothes1 papers1 c41 belonging to the late ,general ,gordon1 which his family were very desirous of procuring4 ,he was also given lists of all prisoners captured at ,toski1 showing how they were disposed of in ,egypt1 and a remark was added that when peace and tranquillity were restored between the two countries1 they would be permitted to return1 but in the meantime they were well cared for4--,f4 ,r4 ,w4 ,,chapter ,,xxi4 ,,lupton ,,bey ,,and ,,the ,,ammunition4 ,the ,khalifa's powder and ammunition begin to fail--,lupton ,bey makes fulminate--,unsuccessful attempts to make powder--,yusef ,pertekachi at last succeeds--,the explosion in the powder factory4 ,as a result of constant warfare and the careless expenditure of ammunition1 the want of it now began to be sensibly felt by the ,khalifa1 and it eventually became an all-important question4 ,the principal want was caps for the ,remington cartridges1 for1 though there were quantities of empty cases there was scarcely any fulminate left4 ,many a starving ,egyptian began to try and invent some substance which would act as fulminate2 there were still a few books on chemistry to be found1 but all attempts failed to produce satisfactory results4 ,at last1 a certain ,hassan ,zeki1 who had formerly been a doctor in ,khartum1 invented the substance required4 ,the ,khalifa told off ,lupton ,bey1 who at that time was living in the most abject poverty1 as his assistant4 ,the first trials of the new fulminate were made in the presence of ,yakub1 and were most successful2 the invention proved of the greatest use to the ,khalifa4 ,the unfortunate ,lupton ,bey died on the #hth of ,may1 #ahhh1 and ,hassan ,zeki continued the work4 ,within a comparatively short time he prepared a very large number of caps4 ,abdullah had a special laboratory made1 and employed a number of boys as cartridge fillers4 ,it was principally owing to this invention that the ,khalifa was enabled to conduct his successful campaigns against ,abyssinia4 ,and now another difficulty arose--this was the scarcity of powder2 numbers of persons presented themselves as prepared to make this commodity4 ,an ,indian1 named ,kamal ed ,din1 came forward amongst others2 he had come from ,india to join the ,mahdi1 passed himself off as a doctor and proudly called himself ,physician-in-chief to the ,khalifa4 ,he had a ready tongue1 and soon acquired respect and wealth2 he painted his beard red with henna4,q ,he had immense powers of persuasion1 and thereby obtained a concession from ,abdullah to make powder4 ,he demanded that a special laboratory should be built for him in ,khartum1 so as to be quite out of observation1 and he asked for a quantity of money for the purchase of the chemicals he required4 ,the laboratory was built in the course of a month in the old corn store in ,khartum1 and the work was taken in hand4 ,the ,indian declared that it was most necessary to obtain phosphorus1 and therefore he had all the bones and skulls of the people who had been massacred in ,khartum1 collected1 and these he pounded in mortars into very fine flour1 much to the annoyance of people who objected to this desecration of the dead4 ,every now and then he applied for more money from the beit el mal1 which was supplied to him at once1 and now he began to work quite alone and in secret2 he put the bone flour in earthenware vessels1 poured water on it1 and then sealed the vessels hermetically2 he now declared that to prepare the chemical substance only1 another month was necessary4 ,he therefore stopped work and lived at his ease4 ,at the expiration of the month he secretly opened the vessels2 no one had a notion what he was going to do with the bone-paste1 but he affirmed that so far everything was most successful1 and invited the head of the beit el mal1 as well as several emirs1 to be present at the trial of the powder4 ,the emirs came and sat in a circle round a furnace which slaves were blowing up with bellows2 then the ,indian produced the vessel1 asked the emirs to take some of the substance and throw it into the fire4 ,this they did1 and it exploded with a loud report1 which greatly astonished the spectators1 one of whom then and there1 knelt down and offered up a prayer of thanksgiving for the success of the invention4 ,the emirs accompanied ,kamal ed ,din to ,omdurman in triumph1 where he also gave proof of the excellence of his powder in the presence of the ,khalifa4 ,abdullah was wild with joy1 and presented the inventor with #bjj dollars and a concubine4 ,the ,indian now returned to ,khartum with profuse promises that he would supply several hundredweight of the new powder in the course of a month4 ,but soon people began to talk of him as being a cheat and a deceiver2 a month passed and the powder was not delivered2 the head of the beit el mal became anxious1 and reported the matter to the ,khalifa1 who at once sent his brother ,yakub and ,wad ,adlan to make inquiries on the spot2 they went1 and it was very evident that the ,indian had been duping them all the time4 ,he was brought before the ,khalifa1 and1 strange to say1 was not punished4 ,abdullah merely remarked that he was a poor foreigner1 and1 of course1 had to do his best to make a living4 ,it is a curious thing that ,abdullah has a much greater insight into the ways of foreigners than most natives4 ,a certain mukuddum1 however1 of the ,jaalin tribe did not get off so easily4 ,in the days of the ,government he had practised an extensive fraud in ,khartum1 and also in ,sennar as an alchemist1 and now he came forward to offer his services for the manufacture of lead4 ,at first he had been occupied in making gold1 but now to the ,khalifa lead was even more precious than gold1 and the want of it was causing him grave apprehension4 ,the mukuddum's offer was accepted1 he received presents from the beit el mal1 where he was given a special place in which to carry on his work1 and numbers of slaves were placed at his disposal2 he was given all the money he required to purchase various things in connection with the manufacture1 and which he asserted were absolutely essential4 ,four slaves were told off to keep up an enormous furnace1 whilst the mukuddum1 his head and shoulders swathed in a great mantle1 beat the ground madly with a long whip in order to call the ,jinns to his assistance4 ,his curious antics greatly astonished the people1 and he soon became the principal topic of conversation in ,omdurman4 ,after fourteen days an enormous lump of lead was drawn out from the furnace1 and his reputation was made4 ,the ,sudanese are great believers in alchemy2 and it was thought that the preparation of one of the ingredients required the greatest secrecy4 ,the mukuddum1 therefore1 worked fully on the superstitious nature of the people1 and a thick cloud of foul-smelling smoke was seen continually issuing from his mysterious and dark laboratory4 ,the lead was at once sent to the ,khalifa1 who appeared thoroughly convinced of the miraculous power of the maker1 and indeed had the piece brought into the mosque to expose it publicly4 ,the sycophants of course told him that this was an undeniable miracle on the part of the ,mahdi1 who had been the means of supplying the precious metal to his successor through this mukuddum4 ,the manufacturer was now in high favour1 the ,khalifa pressed him to continue the work1 and supplied him liberally with money and female slaves4 ,one of the ,europeans had urged him to desist1 telling him that it was quite impossible to manufacture lead2 but the mukuddum answered him three times in the most solemn manner3 ,do you think that you know the knowledge of ,god8 and then went on with his work4 ,from time to time he continued to send pieces of lead to the ,khalifa1 but his supply only lasted a few months2 the more sensible people began to talk1 they urged that if he could make one piece of lead1 he could also make several hundred-weight4 ,the voice of the detractors grew stronger1 the ,khalifa's suspicions were aroused1 and the mukuddum was summoned into his presence4 ,he asked him in the most kind manner if it was a fact that he really knew how to make lead1 or if he was only attempting to deceive2 if the latter--and he confessed to it--then he might receive forgiveness4 ,but this kindly warning was entirely without effect2 the mukuddum boldly answered that he did know how to make lead1 and moreover abused his detractors1 calling them enemies of ,mahdiism1 who hated the ,khalifa1 and did not wish him to be possessor of the precious metal4 ,he added that1 if given sufficient time1 he would prove his enemies to be liars4 ,the ,khalifa permitted him to continue his work a little longer2 but the results were still the same1 and he was again summoned before ,abdullah1 who now threatened to cut off his hand and foot unless he confessed that he had been practising a fraud2 but still the mukuddum persisted in his denial1 and the ,khalifa ordered three chains to be forged for his feet1 and had him sent back to his laboratory under a strong escort2 he was to be permitted to work for three days longer4 ,he now redoubled his antics1 making the dust whirl in clouds about him1 and crying on the spirits to aid him4 ,he put a few pounds of substance into the fire--all that was left of his lead-scrapings--but this time the spirits left him in the lurch4 ,bathed in perspiration1 he anxiously raked about the coals2 but there was no lead to be seen4 ,he begged and prayed for more time1 which was granted4 ,but at length one of his slaves let out the secret2 he said that the mukuddum used to purchase in the market the lead bullets which had been dug out of ,khartum1 he filed them into thin shavings1 mixed them with some concoction1 and threw them into the furnace2 the melted lead was then drawn off and allowed to cool4 ,on the last occasion he had failed1 and now his fraud was fully exposed2 the ,khalifa ordered his hand and foot to be cut off1 not1 he said1 so much for the fraud1 as for the continual denials4 ,the operation was carried out1 but the mukuddum died eight days afterwards of tetanus4 ,the failures of this man and of the ,indian to manufacture powder and lead did not deter others from continuing their experiments1 and amongst the latter was a ,greek named ,yusef ,pertekachi1 who continued working on with the most dogged determination4 ,he had tried every plan to gain a livelihood2 but whatever he put his hand to1 it seemed to fail1 and he was soon deeply involved in debt4 ,in his desperate position he determined to study the manufacture of gunpowder4 ,for a whole year he continued his experiments1 and in his case the truth of the proverb1 ,necessity is the mother of invention1 was fully exemplified2 he succeeded in making fairly good powder4 ,the experiences of the ,indian and the mukuddum pointed to extreme caution2 he did not1 therefore1 tell ,adlan1 who he thought would not believe him1 but after his death he applied to ,yakub4 ,yakub is a man whom even the leaders of ,mahdiism find a difficulty in approaching1 and poor ,pertekachi tried for months before he obtained a hearing2 but at length he was attended to1 and the various trials and experiments of the new powder1 both in guns and ,remington rifles1 proved most satisfactory4 ,pertekachi at once rose in favour in the eyes of ,abdullah and ,yakub1 and was soon comparatively well off4 ,the ,khalifa ordered a bottle of the powder to be placed in the ,antik ,khana1 on which was written3 ,powder invented by the ,osta 7,master7 ,pertekachi4 ,at first ,pertekachi set to work to improve the damaged powder1 of which there were quantities of old barrels taken out of the ,government magazines1 but1 having been left in damp places1 it had become crusted4 ,for several months he continued his work1 to the complete satisfaction of ,abdullah1 but the poor man was soon to come to a terrible end4 ,on the #bfth of ,january1 #ahia1 ,pertekachi as usual went to the market-place at an early hour to have a chat with the other ,europeans4 ,he happened to say3 ,to-day is the anniversary of the fall of ,khartum--,gordon's day--a black day6 ,in the ,sudan it is the custom to call a day on which a misfortune has occurred ,yom aswad 7a black day74 ,and to the survivors of ,khartum1 the #bfth of ,january is always looked upon as a day of grief and sorrow2 several people give alms for the rest of the souls of their murdered friends4 ,pertekachi had intended to go and look at the new house he had just built2 but being the #bfth of ,january1 he would not go to it1 and decided to go to the beit el mal instead1 where he had some work to do4 ,he found the workmen busy opening one of the barrels of damaged powder1 and after taking a cup of coffee1 he went to help them1 as they seemed to be in difficulty4 ,he had scarcely reached the spot when--owing to a sudden blow or shock1 or clumsiness on the part of the workmen--the powder blew up with a most terrific explosion which shook the whole town1 and terrified the inhabitants1 who rushed wildly about in all directions to see what had occurred4 ,i happened at the time to be sitting at my loom1 and at once ran up to the roof of my house1 and there1 in the direction of the beit el mal1 ,i saw a column of thick smoke ascending4 ,my first thought was for poor ,yusef4 ,i hastened to the beit el mal1 which was half an hour's walk from my hut1 and found crowds going in the same direction4 ,the ,khalifa himself appeared on the scene1 he came riding along on a donkey1 with only one or two men4 ,his first question was1 ,osta ,yusef fi8 7,is the ,master ,yusef alive87 ,taish enta6 7,may you live67 was the reply4 ,these are the words in which ,arabs always announce a death4 ,a poor ,egyptian woman1 whose only son was employed as ,pertekachi's clerk and had been killed1 was weeping and wailing in the most heart-rending way--her husband and another son had been murdered in ,khartum--and now wild with grief she was cursing the ,mahdi1 through whom her dear ones had been brought to an untimely end4 ,some of the ,ansar approached1 and threatened to beat her with a whip if she did not stop4 ,but she shouted at them1 ,kill me as well6 ,why should ,i live any longer8 ,you have killed my dear ones--may ,god kill you6 ,the ,khalifa1 who was standing near1 rebuked his officious followers1 saying3 ,let her weep1 she is 'maharuka' 7i4e4 consumed with the pain of affliction74 ,he did not stay long at the scene of the accident1 but went away very sadly4 ,all ,pertekachi's fellow-countrymen hastened to the spot4 ,of the large square house built of rough sun-dried bricks1 only the four walls were left standing2 the wooden roof had been blown to pieces1 and it was no small difficulty to collect the shattered remains of those who had been victimized4 ,a pair of legs were found fifty yards away1 a head was found half buried in the wall2 there was not a hand to be found anywhere4 ,another ,greek had been killed with ,pertekachi1 named ,yusef ,angeli4 ,his head and feet had disappeared1 and his body was so shattered as to be almost unrecognizable2 he had been in chains1 and his foot makia was found fixed in his leg4 ,poor ,angeli had led a miserable life in ,omdurman2 he had neither home nor friends1 and had lived in the market as a ,greek hawker4 ,towards the end of #ahij he had been sent by another ,greek to ,berber1 to try and recover a debt for him4 ,this mission was to be carried out in secret1 for ,europeans are strictly forbidden to leave ,omdurman1 and the mukuddum in charge is obliged at once to report any absentees4 ,but ,angeli was a man of no account1 and could easily have gone to ,berber and back without anyone being any the wiser4 ,a ,syrian1 however1 who bore a grudge to the ,greeks1 hearing that ,angeli had left1 went secretly to the ,khalifa1 but as he was at that time staying at his house in the northern hejira1 he saw ,yakub instead2 he said that1 in accordance with the orders of the ,khalifa el ,mahdi1 he had to report that ,yusef had deserted to ,berber in a sailing boat4 ,yakub at once informed the ,khalifa1 who imagined that it was ,i who had deserted 7my ,arabic name being ,yusef71 and at once ordered ,nur el ,gereifawi1 head of the beit el mal1 to send camelmen in pursuit4 ,the latter was eventually very annoyed when they found out which ,yusef it was1 for he would not have thought it worth while to send after ,angeli4 ,the pursuers1 however1 had gone1 and found ,angeli in the market at ,berber2 they secured him and brought him back to ,omdurman4 ,pertekachi1 who was a countryman of ,angeli's1 had begged that he might be spared1 and had obtained a promise from ,yakub that he should come to no harm4 ,he was brought before the ,khalifa1 and said that he was very poor1 and had only gone to ,berber to recover a debt1 in proof of which statement he produced the man's written receipt for the money2 but when the camel-men who had captured ,yusef were asked whether they found any letters on him1 they denied it1 and in consequence ,yusef had been sent to the lock-up in the beit el mal4 ,this was only a very special favour1 for the rgime here is not so severe as in the ,saier1 and prisoners confined in this place generally obtain a speedy release4 ,angeli had to thank no one but ,pertekachi for this lenient treatment1 and his benefactor did not cease begging until he procured the ,khalifa's permission for him to work at the powder factory at a fixed monthly rate of pay2 but he had still to wear one makia1 and this ,pertekachi was arranging to have removed when the terrible catastrophe occurred--he had only been working for three days altogether in the factory4 ,there were1 of course1 slanderers found1 who affirmed that ,angeli used to smoke cigarettes1 and had purposely set fire to the powder in revenge for his captivity1 but this time the ,khalifa would not listen to them4 ,he merely said it is ,amr ,allah 7,god's will71 and added that he was sure ,yusef would never have deliberately tried to destroy his own and his countryman's life4 ,the force of the explosion had driven the iron into ,yusef's leg1 and it was impossible to take it off2 we therefore collected all that remained of the two poor fellows and buried them4 ,the ,khalifa's enemies secretly rejoiced over his misfortune about the powder1 for now1 they thought1 there will be no one to make it2 but one of ,pertekachi's labourers1 who had learnt the manufacture from his master1 replaced him as head of the factory4 ,after the catastrophe the factory was removed to ,tuti ,island1 where a large yard was built1 around which the necessary workshops were constructed4 ,,footnotes3 ,q ,this worthy was taken prisoner by the ,egyptian troops at the capture of ,tokar in ,february #ahia4 ,,chapter ,,xxii4 ,,agriculture ,,and ,,commerce ,,in ,,the ,,mahdi',s ,,kingdom4 ,remarks on the agriculture and commerce of the ,mahdiist kingdom--,a sandstorm in ,omdurman--,the paucity of cattle--,system of taxation on imports--,provincial beit el mals--,local manufactures--,slavery and the slave-markets--,torture of slaves4 ,in the following chapter ,i propose to make a few remarks on the agriculture1 commerce1 and business of the ,mahdiist kingdom4 ,the greater part of the ,sudanese live by agriculture and cattle-breeding4 ,agriculture goes on most of the year2 the lands are sown during the tropical rains4 ,the winter is called the kharif1 and in ,omdurman begins in ,july and lasts till the end of ,september4 ,during this period there are three or four very heavy falls of rain1 usually at night1 and occasionally during the day there are heavy storms1 which are at times very grand4 ,these outbursts are preceded by great sultriness1 the whole ground is hot1 everything is burning1 even in the shade one dare not touch metal2 then in the east a cloud of dust arises1 which indicates the coming storm2 the clouds bank up with astonishing rapidity1 and now it is time for people to make the best of their way home as quickly as they can4 ,the dust-clouds1 lighted up by the evening sun1 show the exact direction of the storm2 some are of an inky black1 others gray1 and in the distance they can be seen dashing up against one another1 and forming1 as it were1 a series of hills and valleys2 yet there is scarcely a leaf moving1 and all nature seems hushed4 ,then the storm-clouds seem to touch the earth1 there is a sudden rustling of the leaves2 the distant houses are lost in obscurity1 and now it is time to shut oneself up in one's house4 ,in a few minutes day has been turned into night1 the wind howls round the house1 windows and doors creak and rattle1 till one begins to think in another moment the house will fall about one's ears4 ,lights are used1 for now it is blacker than the darkest night2 the fine dust penetrates everywhere and covers everything2 the heat is overpowering1 one perspires at every pore1 and the dust cakes on one's face and hands1 giving one the feeling of being intensely begrimed and dirty2 but there is nothing for it but to wait patiently for the return of daylight1 when one rises with one's eyes and mouth full of dust1 and nothing but a complete bath makes one feel in any degree clean again4 ,these sand-storms are generally followed by heavy showers1 which completely lay the dust4 ,a tropical thunderstorm is also full of solemn grandeur--deafening peals of thunder and howling wind1 followed by a veritable deluge1 which seems to transform the country into a lake in a few minutes4 ,these sudden storms are a source of no small danger to ,omdurman1 especially in the quarter where the mosque and market are situated4 ,here there is no outlet for the water1 which overflows into the yards and houses1 and melts the mud-built walls like sugar4 ,during the first year or two of ,omdurman's existence1 and before the people had much experience1 several of the huts collapsed during a storm1 burying the inhabitants in their ruins4 ,the intense obscurity which always accompanies these deluges adds still more to the general alarm4 ,however1 after about two days the whole town becomes dry again2 the hot sun and thirsty earth soon absorb all the moisture1 and one would scarcely know that rain had fallen4 ,generally about a month before the rains begin1 and when the ,khalifa permits it1 the people leave the town in crowds and repair to the fields1 which they set to work to clear4 ,after the famine year of #ahhi the ,khalifa did everything in his power to induce the people to turn their attention to agriculture4 ,plentiful rain and hard work produced excellent crops in #ahij4 ,dhurra1 dukhn1 cotton1 sesame1 onions1 and various sorts of beans are grown4 ,the operation of sowing requires little time or trouble2 the fields are cleared of all the stumps1 roots1 c41 of the preceding harvest1 which are burnt1 then every one raises a small bank of earth around his ground1 so as to retain the water and enable the earth to become thoroughly saturated4 ,this measure is specially necessary in the ,gezireh1 where the clay soil does not absorb quickly1 whilst in the sandy plains of ,kordofan it is exactly the reverse4 ,as soon as the parched ground has absorbed the first rains1 sowing is begun without delay2 the soil is turned over with iron or wooden hoes1 and the seed thrown down4 ,weeds spring up in great profusion1 and it requires endless trouble to prevent their choking the young growth4 ,dhurra ripens in about two months1 dukhn in three4 ,the fine quality1 such as ,shilluk dhurra1 takes six months to come to maturity4 ,the gathered corn is threshed1 and then stored in holes in the ground1 where it can be kept without deteriorating for upwards of ten years4 ,along the ,nile1 sowing and reaping goes on the whole year through4 ,water is drawn up by the sakiehs1 or water-wheels1 and distributed over the fields4 ,after the wars1 numbers of these water-wheels which had been destroyed1 were reconstructed4 ,now there are a great number in working order1 and the banks are covered with green4 ,all work is done with the iron or wooden hoe1 and the plough is not used at all4 ,the only plough ,i ever saw in the ,sudan was one worked by an ,egyptian in ,khartum1 and it caused no small astonishment amongst the natives4 ,wheat and maize--or1 as it is called in the ,sudan1 ,aish er rif 7,egyptian bread7--ripens in forty days4 ,in ,kordofan quantities of broad beans are grown1 as well as sesame1 sugar-cane1 cotton1 onions1 garlic1 bamiahs1 radishes1 tomatoes1 cucumbers1 and water-melons2 while ,indian figs1 pomegranates1 lemons1 oranges1 citrons1 bananas1 and grapes are grown in profusion in the ,khartum gardens4 ,date-palms are plentiful on the ,blue ,nile and further south2 but it is not possible to dry them1 for they at once become full of insects4 ,rain often spoils the date harvest4 ,besides agriculture and cattle-breeding1 the ,sudanese may be called a thoroughly pastoral nation4 ,during the long wars against the ,government1 as well as in the internal disturbances1 the camels and oxen were almost exterminated2 and in #ahhi a cattle plague still further reduced the numbers4 ,when ,fashoda was occupied1 quantities of cows were taken from the ,shilluks and sent either to ,gezireh or on to the ,berber market1 in order to try and stimulate breeding4 ,there are quantities of goats and sheep1 as only a comparatively small number of these have been killed2 but the greatest loss has been in camels1 and it is not so easy to replenish the country in this respect4 ,there are still a considerable number of donkeys1 which are used both for riding and as pack-animals4 ,a good donkey will fetch from forty to two hundred dollars4 ,the ,sudanese are born traders and dealers2 it is almost a passion with them1 and they like the travelling which trade involves4 ,of course the flourishing commerce of the old days has been quite destroyed4 ,the import of goods to the ,sudan from the north and east was formerly in the hands of one merchant4 ,the ,berber-,sawakin and ,berber-,korosko roads were opened through ,wad ,adlan1 and the re-occupation of ,tokar by ,egypt has done a great deal to help commerce4 ,wad ,adlan's successor1 ,nur ,gereifawi1 established the ushr 7or one-tenth tax7 on all important goods1 in addition to the zeka1 or two and a-half per cent41 which was formerly the only tax levied4 ,this increase in taxation has rather impaired than improved trade1 but it is still fairly brisk4 ,however1 the ushr was levied twice1 in both ,omdurman and ,berber1 so that the beit el mal obtained twenty-two and a-half per cent4 profit on all imported goods4 ,this exorbitant taxation led to goods being smuggled into the town by night4 ,in spite of every precaution being taken1 smuggling still continued2 and at last it was decided that all merchants should have their goods stamped at the beit el mal4 ,this stamp bears the words1 ,ushr beit el mal el umum 7,the tenth--general beit el mal71 and no goods are allowed to be sold unless they are thus marked4 ,the head of the beit el mal himself also went to the market and personally stamped all the private goods of merchants2 and in this way the fraud was stopped4 ,a merchant selling unstamped goods would have all his property confiscated4 ,all went well for a time2 but soon it was discovered that false stamps were in use4 ,this led to another inspection of all goods in the market1 and the confiscation of a considerable quantity of property1 an operation which caused business to be suspended for about eight days4 ,large quantities of printed cotton stuffs are imported2 also perfumes1 medicines1 cloves1 rice1 sugar1 and dried fruits4 ,the home-trade is1 of course1 much brisker than imported trade1 and consists for the most part of provision dealing4 ,dongola and ,dar ,shaggieh supply ,omdurman with dates2 ,berber sends salt1 mats and baskets made of palm leaves2 from ,kordofan comes gum1 sesame1 and dukhn2 the ,gezireh exports dhurra1 dammur1 and cotton2 ,karkoj supplies sesame and a small quantity of gold4 ,omdurman is thus the great wholesale and retail mart1 which in turn supplies the provinces4 ,here the whole population--men1 women1 and children from eight years of age--are all dealers4 ,the older women have their own quarter of the market1 in which they sell oil1 grease1 pearls1 vegetables1 drugs1 dhurra1 and dates4 ,young women are not allowed to go to the market2 but they send their slaves1 who take charge of the goods4 ,the latter are obliged to render full accounts when they return in the evening2 and woe to the unfortunate slave who makes a mistake in his calculations6 ,quantities of vegetables are grown in the gardens in ,khartum1 ,buri1 and ,gereif1 and are brought to ,omdurman for sale4 ,the ,baggara women are naturally good dealers1 and have now secured almost the entire custom4 ,in the early days of ,mahdiism everyone lived in the most simple way1 and dressed even more simply4 ,the staple article of food is dhurra1 which is merely boiled1 made into a cake and eaten4 ,bread1 which is generally known as kesra1 is eaten with a sauce which is usually made of pounded bamiehs boiled with red pepper and salt4 ,sometimes beans are used instead of bamiehs4 ,meat is scarce1 but a meat sauce boiled in milk and mixed with pounded dried fish is a favourite dish4 ,quantities of fish are obtained from the ,nile1 and tortoises1 which sometimes take the place of meat1 are not uncommon4 ,but whilst the rich live in comparative luxury1 the poor people exist in the greatest want and misery4 ,good clothing is seldom considered2 the richer a man is1 the dirtier will his dress be4 ,this is1 of course1 meant to blind the eyes of inquisitive slanderers4 ,the ,baggara chiefs have no reason to conceal anything2 but it must be quite apparent to all that a form of government which preaches a continual despising of the good things of this life is not likely to promote any of the higher comforts of civilization4 ,in matters1 however1 regarding war and the preparations required for a jehad1 it is entirely different4 ,blacksmiths are always busy forging spears and knives2 and in this description of work the results are remarkable4 ,saddlers make every description of leather ornament for horse and camel decoration2 tanners prepare the leather1 and dye it red or black2 tailors now make much better jibbehs than before2 the patches are generally made of good cloth1 and the best garments are now valued at about sixteen dollars each4 ,the women spin the cotton1 and the men weave the dammur from it4 ,the best dammur comes from ,berber and ,metemmeh4 ,the ,darfur women are also famed for their good and even spinning2 but ,abyssinian dammur is generally considered better than any of ,sudan manufacture4 ,tin-smiths make drinking cups and tin receptacles of various sorts for household use4 ,cooking-pots are made of copper4 ,jewellers make gold and silver filigree work for the ladies2 but this work is not nearly as good as it used to be in the days of the ,egyptian ,government4 ,all these various trades are carried on in the market4 ,illustration3 ,a ,,slave-,,girl ,,from ,,equatoria4 ,mahdiism has re-established the slave trade1 which is now in full vigour1 and almost all those slaves who were liberated in the ,government days have been sold again as slaves4 ,wherever there is a beit el mal there is also a slave-market4 ,the largest is1 of course1 in ,omdurman1 to which all captured slaves are sent4 ,the beit el mal sells the slaves by auction4 ,well-grown male slaves are generally taken into the army4 ,close to the beit el mal is the female slave-market1 where generally fifty or sixty women of various ages are to be found4 ,the slave-dealers are for the most part ,egyptians4 ,the slaves are arranged in lines under the open sky2 their bodies are generally well bathed in oil to preserve the gloss of their skin4 ,intending purchasers make the most careful and minute examination1 and the price varies from twenty to a hundred dollars4 ,young females are kept apart from the rest1 as they are generally selected as concubines1 and as such they are subjected to a most critical scrutiny2 the shape of their hands and feet1 and the form of their mouth1 nose1 ears and teeth are all carefully noted4 ,black are preferable to copper-coloured slaves1 and the latter colour necessitates a considerable reduction in price4 ,young male slaves are sold at from thirty to sixty dollars each1 and these have generally to learn a trade4 ,purchasers ask all sorts of searching questions as to whether they have good moral qualities1 are likely to run away1 c41 c4 ,the salesman must produce a certificate showing the tribe1 a full descriptive return1 and the legal authority entitling to ownership4 ,during the early days of ,mahdiism the slave trade received an enormous impetus1 more especially subsequent to the capture of ,bahr el ,ghazal and the occupation of ,darfur4 ,after ,gessi ,pasha's victory over ,zubeir ,pasha's son and the dispersion of the slave-dealers1 several of the latter fled into the interior1 where pursuit was impossible2 then followed the era of liberty under the ,mahdi's banner1 the slave-dealers emerged from their hiding-places1 and1 with quantities of slaves1 proceeded to ,omdurman4 ,when at ,el ,obeid ,i often saw as many as #ejj of them marching along to the sound of music4 ,slaves were dragged from ,darfur1 bound together with leather thongs round their necks in batches of thirty4 ,abu ,anga brought thousands of them from the ,nuba hills4 ,the only districts untouched hitherto were those in the vicinity of the ,white ,nile1 but quite recently the garrisons of ,fashoda1 ,regaf1 and ,lado have been busily engaged in this human traffic2 these blacks1 however1 who during the intervals of peace had been gradually recovering their strength1 now determined to resist the ,dervish authority1 which was not very strong in those far-distant districts4 ,it would have been a great thing if the ,dervishes could have been turned out of ,lado and ,regaf4 ,the ,abyssinian campaigns also brought quantities of slaves to ,omdurman1 but these are little fitted for hard work1 and are employed for the most part in grinding corn1 carrying water1 and as concubines4 ,slave-hunting1 too1 is not carried on in the same way as it used to be4 ,the ,khalifa is too knowing to send large raiding expeditions for slaves into the distant provinces1 as he fears they might possibly become independent and turn upon him2 besides1 private individuals are no longer permitted to be in possession of firearms4 ,blacks captured in the ,khalifa's various wars are sold as slaves1 and1 while the free ,mussulman tribes have been greatly weakened and reduced in numbers by war and famine1 the blacks have1 on the other hand1 been growing both in numbers and in strength4 ,there is abundant proof of this in the great difficulties which the ,dervish force at ,fashoda is now experiencing1 being scarcely strong enough to quit their steamers and sailing boats4 ,the inhabitants of ,jebel ,nuba are once more almost independent1 and now the ,dervishes do not dare even to go to the foot of the hills4 ,the withdrawal also of the various ,baggara tribes from the neighbourhood of ,shakka1 c41 to ,omdurman has rid the local blacks of their hated presence in their country4 ,the once notorious ,jaalin and ,danagla slave-hunters are now beginning to experience in a degree what a slave's life is1 and1 indeed1 it almost seems as if the ,khalifa ,abdullah was an instrument of ,heaven's vengeance on those bloodthirsty and ruthless slave-hunters4 ,the lot of a slave is indeed a miserable one4 ,he is looked upon as an animal created1 as the ,sudanese say1 to make the life of ,moslems easy2 he must do all the hard work1 both in the household and in the field4 ,it is the idea of the ,sudanese1 that if a slave gets sufficient food he always becomes proud and unmanageable4 ,his dress consists merely of a rag tied round his loins3 whatever money he may make by his work is the property of his master4 ,the female slaves carry water and grind corn1 in return they are continually blamed and cursed2 any disobedience or dishonesty is punished by flogging1 or their bodies are gashed with razors1 salt being rubbed into the wounds1 and1 lest they should have any cause to forget1 their half-healed cuts are often ripped open again and salt rubbed in afresh4 ,in the treatment of their slaves women are more cruel than men1 more especially if jealousy is the cause of their anger4 ,woe to the unfortunate female slave who shows any love for her master6 ,she suffers a species of torture which it would be impossible for me to describe here1 and what wonder is it that in despair they often fly from their masters and mistresses8 ,yet it is only by this harsh treatment that slaves can be made obedient2 it is a very true saying that a person who is forcibly deprived of liberty can only be brought into subjection by force4 ,slaves under ,mahdiist rgime have so many different ways of revenging themselves on their masters that they never fail to seize an opportunity when it is offered4 ,the immorality of slaves is quite beyond description2 but it cannot be the fault of the unfortunate creatures themselves1 for in their own savage homes it is not so4 ,they learn all the vices of their masters1 and1 indeed1 are forced to participate in them or submit to a flogging2 consequently1 disease of the most loathsome kind is everywhere prevalent1 and to be free from it is thought to be the mark of a poor creature4 ,in many cases which have come within my own knowledge1 the offspring of such people die young1 putrid by disease2 of fifteen children of one father1 thirteen died in five years4 ,at first the ,baggara were not infected to any large extent1 but contact with the inhabitants of the ,nile valley has communicated the pest1 which is now eating into the constitutions of this1 the most powerful and warlike tribe in the ,sudan4,r ,export of slaves to ,egypt and the ,red ,sea is forbidden1 because the ,khalifa fears that the ,english may intercept them and make soldiers of them2 but a certain number of female slaves are still smuggled through4 ,by the re-occupation of ,tokar the ,red ,sea route1 which had been extensively used1 was closed to the ,dervishes4 ,it is permissible to give male and female slaves papers of freedom1 but the custom is never practised4 ,if a female slave bear a child to her master she cannot be sold1 and after her master's death she becomes a free woman2 if she bear a child to a freed man1 who is not a black1 her position remains unaltered1 and the child grows up a slave1 because it is considered to be illegitimate4 ,omdurman is full of slaves2 even in the poorest houses one female slave at least will be found4 ,hard work and ill-treatment ages them very rapidly4 ,many of them long for their native homes and detest slavery1 but the great majority of them submit without a murmur to their wretched fate4 ,,footnotes3 ,r ,the disease lies dormant in the summer1 but acquires virulence with cold weather4 ,the medicines used are iodide of potassium and sarsaparilla4 ,,chapter ,,xxiii4 ,,the ,,baggara ,,masters ,,of ,,the ,,sudan4 ,relations between ,abdullah and the rival ,khalifas--,mahdiism practically dead--,the ,khalifa's son1 ,osman--,his marriage to ,yakub's daughter--,his intentions regarding the succession--,the ,baggara and the ,aulad-,belad--,the ,baggara masters of the ,sudan--,examples of their tyranny--,emigration of the ,rizighat tribe--,hostility between the ,khalifa's and the late ,mahdi's households--,the ,ashraf conspiracy--,witchcraft--,the dispute between the ,khalifas--,riots in ,omdurman--,the ,mahdi's widows4 ,i propose to devote this chapter to a brief outline of the relations which exist between the ruling powers in ,omdurman1 and a description of the present situation in the ,sudan4 ,the overthrow of ,nejumi at ,toski1 the destruction of ,abu ,anga's immense army during his constant campaigns in ,abyssinia1 the year of famine in #ahhi1 and finally the capture of ,tokar and total defeat of ,osman ,digna in ,february #ahia1 have all tended largely towards the diminution of ,khalifa ,abdullah's power4 ,whilst the operations against ,abyssinia and ,egypt were being carried on1 the provinces in the interior of the ,sudan were slowly recovering from the terrible strain through which they had passed4 ,dongola1 ,kassala1 and ,darfur suffered most4 ,the depredations of ,nejumi's wild ,dervishes had entirely desolated the once fertile province of ,dongola1 and is it any wonder that its wretched inhabitants should cast longing eyes towards wealthy and prosperous ,egypt8 ,but the cunning ,khalifa was quite capable of coping with this revulsion of feeling on the part of the inhabitants1 who were now thoroughly tired of ,mahdiism1 and who were undoubtedly desirous that the rule of the ,government should again be extended to them4 ,he decided to change the policy of oppression1 and to establish a milder rule4 ,for this purpose he had a convenient vision1 in which he affirmed that he had been instructed to appoint ,zogal as emir of the province4 ,this man1 it will be remembered1 was a native of ,dongola1 an uncle of the late ,mahdi2 had been a ,government official in ,darfur1 and had more liberal and enlightened views than most of the ,dervish leaders4 ,the ,khalifa thought--and thought rightly--that he alone would be able to re-establish contentment in ,dongola4 ,thither ,zogal proceeded1 accompanied by an enormous family1 and under his mild and just rule the province rapidly recovered4 ,the ,sudan1 as a whole1 has considerable recuperative power1 and1 in spite of the ,khalifa's senseless rule1 would soon recover if placed under good subordinate governors4 ,the desolation in ,darfur1 however1 had been more widespread2 there was not enough cultivation even to supply the wants of the garrison required for its occupation2 it was therefore abandoned1 but the ,khalifa is still very anxious to re-occupy it when he can4 ,abdullah employed himself1 during the period of rest and cessation from war1 in consolidating his power1 and from the various means which he employs it is quite evident that his intentions are to establish an empire for himself1 his family1 and his ,baggaras2 he proceeded1 however1 in this task with prudence and caution4 ,it is natural that the struggle for mastery between the spiritual authority represented by the religious side of ,mahdiism1 and the temporal authority of the ,khalifa1 should constantly clash and lead to a state of insecurity and uncertainty throughout the ,sudan4 ,what the inhabitants desire is that the ,khalifa should tell them the truth plainly2 let him abolish ,mahdiism1 which exists merely in name1 and let him proclaim himself ,sultan of the ,sudan4 ,he has the power and authority sufficient to do this1 but he fears that it might give his enemies another arm which might be turned against him2 he therefore advances very slowly with the project on which his mind is bent4 ,from the way in which his eldest son ,osman is being brought up1 it is evident that ,abdullah seeks to establish an hereditary succession4 ,this youth was1 until recently1 of a most overbearing disposition4 ,whenever he saw anything he wanted1 he insisted on its being given to him4 ,if he saw someone riding a good donkey1 he would order the rider to dismount1 and would deliberately cut the poor animal's throat2 but in spite of these foolish and cruel acts1 his favour was much sought after1 and many a present did he receive from people who looked for a favourable means of bringing their demands before the ,khalifa2 but the latter eventually became exasperated by his son's conduct4 ,he rebuked him openly in the mosque1 forbade everyone1 under pain of severe punishment1 to give him a present of any sort1 and he made him over to a tutor with a few ,taisha mulazimin4 ,this strict rgime has already done the boy good4 ,he is now about eighteen years of age4 ,it was said that the ,khalifa's brother ,yakub was very jealous of his nephew1 for he had looked on himself as ,abdullah's successor2 but1 to flatter ,yakub and curb his jealousy1 the ,khalifa expressed a wish that ,osman should be betrothed to his daughter4 ,this proposition was most acceptable to ,yakub2 and further1 the ,khalifa arranged that his daughter should be married to the ,mahdi's son4 ,great were the preparations for these princely weddings1 which were carried out with a splendour entirely at variance with the late ,mahdi's laws4 ,the betrothal ceremony was accompanied by dancing and merry-making in both the ,mahdi's and the ,khalifa's households1 and the air reeked with perfumes4 ,all the principal merchants and emirs gave rich presents in the shape of brides' dresses and varieties of costly perfumes2 nor were gold and silver ornaments and velvet missing4 ,the goldsmiths have invented a new form of jewellery1 which has been named the ,khalifa's stirrups4 ,these ornaments1 although absolutely opposed to ,mahdi laws1 are extensively worn in both households4 ,hundredweights of sugar were brought to ,yakub's house1 besides dhurra1 wheat1 butter1 oxen1 and fat-tailed sheep1 which latter are valued at from twenty to thirty dollars a head4 ,it is usual for the bridegroom1 or the bridegroom's father1 to offer presents of provisions to the bride1 as well as clothes and ornaments1 which are all handed over to her with great ceremony on an appointed day4 ,then there is the festival of tefail1 to which women only are admitted1 after which comes henna day1 when the hands and feet of the bride are dyed red with henna4 ,all these ceremonies are accompanied by banquets1 dancing1 and singing4 ,every evening ,yakub entertained hundreds of the ,ansar with rich food1 and distributed several ardebs of dates4 ,on the occasion of the dakhul the bride is taken to the bridegroom's house late in the evening2 for seven days afterwards they receive the congratulations of their friends1 and then the ceremony and festival are ended4 ,from the pomp and ceremony with which the ,khalifa surrounded his son's wedding1 it is evident to all who thought about the matter that he had secret intentions4 ,after the wedding he had a princely house built for his son1 in the place known as ,abu ,anga's yard1 near the mosque2 this he quite disfigured by building houses all around it1 which are considered the best in the town4 ,when the palace was completed1 the heir apparent1 who had hitherto been living with his father1 moved into it with great ceremony4 ,the ,khalifa gave alms in a most liberal manner1 so that his son's residence might be blessed4 ,sayid ,osman already takes part in the conduct of affairs1 and opens and reads the letters to the clerks4 ,almost every morning he rides round with the ,governor on his inspections1 but he does not live much amongst the people4 ,the ,khalifa has changed his name into ,sheikh ,ed ,din ,sayid ,osman1 and now he is generally known as ,sheikh ,ed ,din only2 he quite understands the rle he has to play4 ,he is a lover of good food1 and rejoices in the little specialities which the merchants bring from ,sawakin and ,egypt1 such as kamar ed din1 dried figs1 raisins1 and all sorts of cakes and biscuits1 which are brought in abundance to ,yakub's house4 ,the ,khalifa treats him with marked respect1 occasionally hands over the command of the parade to him1 and the soldiers always present arms to him4 ,from the above it is quite evident that ,abdullah wishes to secure the succession to his son4 ,this is perfectly understood by the people1 who make no secret of it4 ,the ,khalifa's plan is to go slowly but surely4 ,he wants to secure the ascendency of the ,baggara over the ,jaalin1 ,danagla1 ,barabra1 and other smaller tribes of the ,sudan4 ,until the appearance of the ,mahdi1 the ,baggara were1 perhaps1 the most despised of all the ,arab tribes4 ,the ,aulad-belad1 as the ,jaalin1 ,danagla1 and ,barabra are called1 had become more civilized in virtue of their geographical position1 and are far more crafty by nature than the ,baggara2 they despised the latter1 and under the leadership of ,zubeir ,pasha1 they defeated the great tribes in the neighbourhood of ,shakka1 and it is these same ,baggara who are now their masters4 ,all the ,mahdi's early victories had been gained by the ,aulad-belad1 who held the ,baggaras in much the same contempt as they did the ,fellahin of ,egypt4 ,they are cunning1 corrupt1 and utterly untrustworthy1 and from the beginning have practised far more cruelty than the others4 ,even now they are still the ,khalifa's spies and advisers--indeed1 he was brought up entirely in their school1 but has now completely turned the tables on them4 ,the intertribal discord and mutual distrust which prevails amongst the ,aulad-belad only tend to further the ends the ,khalifa has in view4 ,wherever craft and subtlety are required1 thither he despatches them1 in the full assurance that as long as they are engaged in finding out the misdeeds of their own countrymen he will be well and loyally served by them4 ,when the ,baggara are sent to search a house in which it is supposed marissa-drinking or smoking is going on1 they are almost certain to find out nothing2 but with the ,aulad-belad it is exactly the reverse2 they poke into the walls and tap the ground to hear if there is any hollowness in the sound2 they search every corner most thoroughly1 and seldom leave empty-handed2 but the ,baggaras have now got the upper hand1 and the ,aulad-belad must bow down before them4 ,in spite of this1 however1 they manage to deceive their new masters1 and in all matters where cunning is required they are far superior to them4 ,it is only right that the ,baggara1 who have been brought up in the forests and plains1 and who are far more simple-minded1 honest individuals1 should rule the corrupt ,aulad-belad2 their emigration to ,omdurman and their submission to the ,khalifa's rule has had the advantage of taming them1 and their advances in civilization are quite astounding4 ,being now possessed of power and money1 they have begun to build better houses1 to wear cleaner clothing1 and to occasionally wash their jibbehs1 which were reeking and besmeared with oil and fat2 the ,khalifa has done much to improve their manners and customs in this respect4 ,their west-country ,arabic dialect has greatly improved2 now the two opposition parties can thoroughly understand each other1 and the ,aulad-belad no longer make a laughing-stock of their western brethren4 ,the ,khalifa's policy is to weaken the power of the ,aulad-belad and to strengthen the ,baggaras4 ,just as a good father watches his children1 so does ,abdullah watch for every opportunity to further these ends by a clever combination of leniency and severity4 ,he frequently blames his own countrymen for their want of gratitude to their benefactor1 who has heaped favours upon them at the expense of the ,aulad-belad4 ,on one occasion he cursed the day on which he had brought them to ,omdurman1 calling it a black day2 but1 in point of fact1 he is not really serious when he upbraids them1 he rather does it to satisfy the complainers1 and he takes every opportunity of sending the ,aulad-belad as far away from headquarters as possible1 so as to strengthen his central authority by the presence of ,baggaras only4 ,i have already narrated how in the famine year he made the ,baggaras pay only six dollars for an ardeb of dhurra1 whilst everyone else had to pay sixty dollars for the same quantity2 thus the ,baggara suffered no hardships and want during that terrible time4 ,they do not like dhurra as well as dukhn1 which is more nourishing1 and which they grind in wooden mortars4 ,during that period of awful want1 when hundreds of natives were dying of starvation in the streets1 these great strong ,baggaras were eating to their hearts' content1 completely regardless of all the suffering creatures around them4 ,the revenue of the beit el mal is expended almost entirely on the ,baggaras2 all the fertile islands in the neighbourhood1 and the best-cultivated portions of the ,nile banks as far as ,berber1 have been made over to them1 whilst the original owners of the soil have been turned out without a piastre's compensation2 they are1 therefore1 owners of all the best lands1 and serve as a foreign garrison in occupation of a conquered country4 ,woe to the native who happens to have a ,baggara as his neighbour6 ,his cattle are robbed1 and he must share the product of the fields with his overbearing master2 wherever they go the ,baggaras take their horses with them1 which must be fed and cared for at the expense of the local inhabitants2 complaints against ,baggaras are not taken the slightest notice of1 or--as it more often happens--the complainant receives a heavy punishment for having ventured to make a statement which is invariably construed as untrue and incorrect4 ,thus these bold tribesmen have every inducement to become more and more truculent the further removed they are from the ,khalifa's supervision4 ,i will cite an example4 ,a rich native of the ,gezireh had a dispute with a ,baggara1 and struck his oppressor a blow with a stick in self-defence4 ,fate decreed that the ,baggara should die twenty-eight days afterwards1 but his death was not caused by the blow2 the other ,baggaras1 however1 seized the opportunity of demanding blood-money1 and if refused they threatened to report the matter to the ,khalifa4 ,the stupid native was actually intimidated into giving the ,baggara #aj1jjj dollars1 and the matter was declared to be ended2 but somehow it came to ,yakub's ears1 and learning that the supposed murderer was a very rich man1 he advised the friends of the deceased ,baggara not to accept blood-money1 but to insist on the native's death4 ,this was agreed to4 ,the poor man was arrested1 dragged to ,omdurman1 and hanged2 whilst his property1 consisting of a number of goats and #cj1jjj dollars1 was confiscated4 ,not content with this1 the ,khalifa also ordered that the seven villages in the neighbourhood should be burnt1 on the plea that the inhabitants had made common cause with the murderer in resisting lawfully constituted authority2 and it was only when the inhabitants of these villages went en masse to the ,khalifa1 begging to be spared1 that he at length acceded to their request4 ,when it was found that the revenue of the beit el mal was insufficient to provide for the rapidly-increasing ,baggara population1 ,abdullah ordered half the produce of the ,gezireh lands to be given to the beit el mal1 the other half being retained by the owners4 ,this was published as a solemn decree1 and all judges enjoined to see that it was properly carried out4 ,ibrahim ,nur1 the son of ,nur ,gereifawi1 was sent with a body of soldiers and ,baggara to assist in carrying out the order in the ,gezireh1 and he gained an unenviable notoriety for the ruthless severity with which he enforced his authority4 ,in accordance with the ,khalifa's instructions1 out of every hundred ardebs he seized a half1 and on the remaining half he levied the ushr and zeka taxes1 so that eventually the unfortunate cultivator retained only thirty-seven and a half per cent4 of his original quantity2 besides1 he was made responsible for the transport to the river of the sixty-two and a-half per cent4 ,frequently the fields were far distant from the river1 which involved hiring camels to carry the grain1 so that finally the owner was probably left with absolutely nothing4 ,in this way ,ibrahim gathered upwards of #fj1jjj ardebs from the ,blue and ,white ,niles4 ,ibrahim gained the title of the ,gordon of the ,gezireh from the extraordinarily rapid way in which he moved from one village to the other and gave his instructions4 ,here is another proof of the ,khalifa's injustice when dealing in matters concerning his own countrymen4 ,about two days' journey from ,omdurman up the ,white ,nile are certain very highly-cultivated districts1 and it occurred to the ,khalifa to send there the ,taisha who were not then employed1 so that they might cultivate and at the same time remain in touch with him4 ,he therefore sent a certain ,sheikh ,wad el ,bedri to select the most favoured spots in which the ,taisha were to settle4 ,when the inhabitants of these districts learnt what was intended1 they begged and prayed ,wad el ,bedri to avert this terrible calamity which threatened them1 assuring him that if he would assist them they would do anything he wanted1 short of having the ,baggara as settlers in their country2 this request they accompanied with a good round sum of money4 ,bedri then returned to ,omdurman1 waited on the ,khalifa with a most beaming countenance1 and reported that the inhabitants of the ,white ,nile were very pleased that the ,khalifa of the ,mahdi,s had been graciously pleased to think of sending the ,taisha to their country2 but at the same time they most humbly begged to submit to him that possibly the ,taisha might find it a trouble to move so far with their families and followers4 ,if1 therefore1 the ,khalifat el ,mahdi should1 in his great wisdom1 deem it advisable1 they were quite ready to send to their masters everything they required1 and so spare them the toil of making this extended emigration4 ,abdullah seemed delighted with this proposal1 praised ,sheikh ,wad el ,bedri for his services1 and agreed that his suggestion should be carried out4 ,the sheikh appealed to his countrymen1 and in one year collected over #bj1jjj ardebs of dhurra1 besides a quantity of money1 which was distributed amongst the ,taisha1 who from that day looked on him as one of their best friends4 ,there is among the ,baggara a curious ejaculation of ,hai6 hai6 constantly interspersed throughout their conversation4 ,the ,sudani feels far more terror at this sound than he ever felt at the sight of the ,egyptian officials' red tarbush4 ,all high posts are in the ,baggaras' hands1 or rather in the hands of the ,khalifa's nearest relatives4 ,the emirs of ,kordofan1 ,regaf1 ,fashoda1 ,galabat1 ,kassala1 and ,berber1 are all ,abdullah's relatives4 ,dongola was the only place of importance not confided to a ,baggara1 but now ,zogal has fallen in favour and has been replaced by the ,baggari ,yunis4 ,some of the subordinate posts are1 however1 still in the hands of the ,aulad-belad1 but1 gradually1 as the ,baggaras become capable of carrying out the duties1 they will replace the natives4 ,not content with having brought the ,taisha1 ,homr1 and ,habbanieh ,arabs from the west to the ,nile1 he has still further weakened the ,aulad-belad by obliging the powerful ,rizighat tribe to emigrate from their country1 south of ,darfur1 to ,omdurman4 ,their young ,sheikh ,musa--son of ,madibbo1 who had been killed by ,abu ,anga at ,el ,obeid--was entrusted with this mission1 and he marched through ,kordofan with some #cj1jjj souls1 besides quantities of horses and cattle2 his vanguard had reached ,shatt on the ,white ,nile just at the time that ,i effected my escape4 ,the ,khalifa had appointed a committee under the notorious ,hajji ,zubeir to organize a great reception for the new arrivals1 and had made a long speech in the mosque calling on everyone to come forward liberally with gifts for their brethren4 ,he urged that alms should not be stinted1 but that clothes1 corn1 and all sorts of provisions would be gratefully accepted1 even to the fartaga 7or smallest copper which is coined74 ,every emir was instructed to let his followers know of the ,khalifa's wishes2 he was to collect the gifts and hand them over to the committee4 ,if the gifts were considered too small they were returned with a strong hint that it would be advisable to increase them4 ,merchants were especially called upon to give largely1 and if they failed to comply they invariably incurred his displeasure4 ,the list of gifts was scrutinised by the ,khalifa daily1 and his favours apportioned in accordance with what he found there4 ,he was careful not to allow the rich to give sparingly2 for instance1 ,kadi ,ahmed presented #bjj ardebs of dhurra1 #ajj complete suits of clothes1 consisting of #ajj takias1 #ajj turbans1 #ajj jibbehs1 #ajj pairs of drawers1 #ajj leather girths1 and #ajj pairs of sandals2 still ,abdullah was not satisfied and asked why he had not given any money1 and immediately the ,kadi1 terrified at the ,khalifa's displeasure1 laid a considerable sum at ,hajji ,zubeir's feet4 ,the merchant ,omar ,kesha1 who had acquired much wealth1 had on one occasion been deprived of #cj1jjj dollars by the ,khalifa on the plea that much money was apt to take his mind off heavenly considerations4 ,two years later a similar sum was again taken from him4 ,on the occasion of the arrival of the ,rizighat1 however1 he presented a camel-load of sugar1 a camel-load of white muslin1 and another of indigo-dyed calico1 besides a quantity of kamar ed din1 #ej ardebs of dhurra1 a camel-load of dammur1 and a completely-equipped war-horse with its attendant4 ,wealthy men offer lavish gifts1 in the hope of immunity from plunder1 and ,omar ,kesha1 in addition to his generosity on this occasion1 does not fail to frequently offer valuable gifts to ,yakub4 ,as for the ,khalifa1 he is perfectly aware that with one word he can1 with absolute right1 demand anything and everything he requires1 for had not the ,sudanese solemnly pledged their property1 their children1 and their own lives to the cause of the ,mahdi and his successor8 ,illustration3 ,a ,,baggara ,,woman4 ,while in ,kordofan the ,mahdi had professed that he was virtually the owner of all property1 but that he left it in the hands of its original tenants that they might administer it until he should require it2 and now no stone is left unturned to enforce his theory of the true ownership4 ,the ,khalifa directs his special attention to the merchants1 who1 he supposes1 make large profits out of commerce and trade4 ,hitherto the ,baggaras have had nothing to do with external commerce1 they never go to ,sawakin or to ,egypt4 ,all trade with the outside world is conducted by ,hadarba1 ,jaalin1 ,danagla1 and ,barabra merchants1 also on the southern frontier of ,egypt by ,ababdeh and ,kenuz people2 but in ,omdurman itself the ,baggaras1 and especially the women1 take a large share in the retail business4 ,although they have scarcely ever owned a piastre in their lives1 the shining dollar has excited the most inordinate cupidity amongst them4 ,they are very quick to learn1 and already surpass the ,aulad-belad in many branches of trade2 this fact has delighted the ,khalifa1 and he encourages it to the fullest extent4 ,the continuous support which the ,khalifa gives to his own compatriots at the expense of the rest of his subjects not unnaturally irritates the latter1 and out of their oppression a species of courage has sprung4 ,the ,khalifa ,sherif bitterly resents being debarred from all share in the government of the country4 ,he is highly favoured amongst the late ,mahdi's widows1 and the ,ashraf look to him as their head4 ,abdullah1 however1 employs every means to lower his position and diminish the respect in which he is held by the ,ashraf1 whose loose mode of life he never loses an opportunity of exposing4 ,for instance1 ,ahmed ,sharfi's second son had a concubine to whom he was much devoted1 and who used to saddle his horse for him herself2 but in secret she was not always faithful to her master1 and when one day he returned to find her absent1 he revenged himself on her return by hanging her with his own hands4 ,when this outrage came to the ,khalifa's ears1 he ordered the perpetrator to be imprisoned and all his property confiscated1 whereas1 according to ,mahdi law1 a master has complete power to deal as he likes with his own slaves4 ,another of ,ahmed ,sharfi's sons was discovered to be leading a very immoral life1 and he was exiled up the ,white ,nile4 ,another similar and even worse discovery1 of which the principal agent was one of the ,mahdi's near relatives1 gave ,abdullah an opportunity of openly accusing the ,ashraf of leading lives which did not entitle them to the smallest respect2 and having established this fact1 he set to work in the most public manner to show them every mark of disrespect4 ,the ,mahdi's uncle1 ,sayid ,abdel ,kader1 a very proud man1 who prior to1 the ,mahdi's appearance had gained a livelihood by doctoring donkeys1 thought1 under the altered circumstances1 that his profession was not a very honourable one2 he therefore took to doctoring human beings with the aid of a few old ,arabic books on medicine which he possessed4 ,he made no secret of his dislike of ,abdullah1 and openly deplored the decay of true ,mahdiism2 he never attended at the mosque1 and studiously avoided the ,khalifa on every occasion4 ,abdullah1 however1 was fully alive to the situation1 ,sayid's every step was dogged by spies1 and at length1 when his impudence got beyond all bounds1 the ,khalifa suddenly summoned him to the mosque1 and addressed him publicly as follows--,why should you not come to the mosque twice a week and greet me occasionally8 ,the ,sayid replied proudly1 ,i worship ,god and pray to ,him daily in my house4 ,this speech greatly annoyed the ,khalifa1 who replied1 ,pray in your house2 but ,i shall cut off the hand and foot of everyone who associates with you1 whether in your house or out of it1 and ,i shall send to your house to have all these ,arabic books removed2 you can then pray to ,god without distraction4 ,suiting the action to the word1 he at once had the ,sayid's books seized and burnt4 ,after this ,abdel ,kader thought it as well to pray five times a-day in the ,mahdi's mosque4 ,thus the breach between the ,mahdi's and the ,khalifa's households is widening daily2 the former are continually holding secret meetings and consultations1 of which the latter takes good care to be fully apprized4 ,another individual--a certain ,ismail el ,kheir--who had been one of the ,mahdi's most fanatical adherents1 but who1 after the ,mahdi's death1 had shown a tendency to side with the ,khalifa ,sherif and to be unfriendly to ,khalifa ,abdullah1 was one day suddenly ordered to be ready to start for ,regaf in half an hour4 ,it was rumoured that ,abdullah had discovered he had been attending the secret meetings of the ,ashraf4 ,i will cite yet another case4 ,a certain ,wad el ,banna1 a good man and a well-educated ,moslem1 had the ,khalifa's special permission to retain a number of historical works on ,islam1 which he frequently read to him and the ,ansar after prayers in the mosque4 ,being in high favour1 and a great personal friend1 the ,khalifa sent him late one night a very beautiful female slave2 but when she arrived at the house1 ,wad el ,banna was nowhere to be found1 and it was discovered that he was with the ,khalifa ,sherif4 ,the next morning ,abdullah announced that he deserved to be hanged2 but as he had been very fond of him1 he forgave him for the ,mahdi's sake2 but ordered all the books to be burnt1 and that he should be transported to ,regaf4 ,just as the steamer was about to sail with ,wad el ,banna on board1 the ,khalifa recalled and pardoned him4 ,there was now little doubt that the ,ashraf were forming a conspiracy2 the immediate result of this discovery was the sudden arrest and imprisonment of ,zogal1 which caused no small stir4 ,then followed the arrest of ,fadl ,maula 7afterwards known as ,abdel ,maula71 which created still more excitement4 ,fadl ,maula was the late ,abu ,anga's brother1 and commanded the black troops in ,omdurman4 ,he was a man of great influence1 not only on account of his brother's reputation1 but he had also performed a number of valuable services for the ,khalifa1 notably at the time of the dispute regarding the ,mahdi's successor4 ,he lived near ,gordon's fort of ,omdurman1 enjoyed a high position1 and acquired a large number of the most handsome women in the ,sudan for his harem4 ,these ladies lived in the highest luxury4 ,he built good houses for them1 and in the evening he had a band of ,fertit blacks1 who played before them on a variety of instruments4 ,he was perhaps of all the emirs the most favoured4 ,he had no scruples in going round his men's quarters picking out the good-looking women and sending them to his harem2 but this debauched and extravagant mode of living soon brought its reward1 and he became affected by a sort of leprosy which seemed to have touched his brain4 ,he became violent1 and had to be put in chains4 ,he lay for months in this condition1 and no medicine was given to him to ease his pain4 ,at length a fiki was summoned who declared the disease to be the result of witchcraft1 and he volunteered to find out by whom this evil had been practised on him4 ,one of ,abdel ,maula's wives was a young girl of great beauty1 who was preferred to all the rest1 and who lived with her mother4 ,love1 however1 soon grew cold1 and he became enamoured of another of his wives2 but the mother of the cast-off girl determined to be revenged1 and to aid her in her object1 she sought the assistance of a fiki1 who gave her a number of amulets1 for which she paid him well4 ,these bits of paper she placed under the iron platter on which ,abdel ,maula's bread was baked1 and gradually he grew worse and worse in health4 ,at length the papers were discovered1 and everyone was convinced that his illness had been caused by witchcraft4 ,the woman was tried1 found guilty1 and had her hand and foot cut off4 ,abdel ,maula did not recover for many months1 and the unfortunate woman had been sacrificed to the fiki's deception4 ,the people are still very credulous1 and it is impossible to make them give up their belief in these superstitious fikis4 ,once1 out of pure curiosity1 ,i quite convinced myself that this supposed witchcraft was a mere deception on the part of a clever fiki4 ,abu ,anga's death and ,abdel ,maula's illness greatly affected the latter's influence1 besides he was looked upon with jealous eyes by the ,taisha4 ,his overbearing manner to ,yakub1 which made the latter his sworn enemy1 also contributed to his downfall4 ,detractors were not wanting who declared that he appropriated the dhurra issued by the beit el mal for his troops4 ,the ,khalifa therefore ordered his property to be confiscated1 and reduced the number of his wives from thirty-one to three4 ,irritated beyond measure at this treatment1 he openly abused the ,khalifa and ,yakub2 but was thrown into chains and delivered over to the tender mercies of the ,saier4 ,the upshot of a meeting of the three ,khalifas and the ,kadi in ,ahmed ,sharfi's house1 still further widened the breach4 ,sharfi is known as the ,gidd el ,ashraf 7or grandfather of the ,ashraf71 because his daughter was the ,mahdi's mother--,abdullah himself generally addresses him as ,gidd1 and1 by way of a joke1 his house is known as the ,mudirieh1 because it is a large square yard with numbers of small rooms ranged around the inside walls in which the numerous wives dwell4 ,sharfi is an astute and crafty old man2 he sees perfectly well that1 under existing circumstances1 it is quite useless to try and overturn the present ,baggara authority4 ,he flatters the ,khalifa in the most obsequious manner1 constantly gives him presents1 and has even gone as far as to give up associating with the ,mahdi's household1 lest suspicion should rest upon him4 ,but to return4 ,the four met one evening1 the great gate was closed1 the mulazim kept guard outside1 while within the discussion waxed hot4 ,khalifa ,sherif reproached ,abdullah bitterly for non-adherence to the ,mahdi's precepts4 ,he accused him of oppressing the people1 and governing without the co-operation of himself and ,ali ,wad ,helu4 ,he urged that the proceeds of the beit el mal were reserved exclusively for him and his ,baggaras2 that he had built good houses for himself and his emirs1 whilst the ,mahdi's household continued to live in a zariba2 that his brother ,yakub had considerably more authority than either of the two ,khalifas2 that the ,mahdi's wives were living in absolute want whilst the ,baggaras had every luxury2 in short1 he accused ,abdullah of having made ,mahdiism into an entirely worldly and temporal power1 instead of upholding the religious precepts on which it had been founded4 ,these unreserved expressions led to a fierce dispute1 swords were on the point of being drawn1 when ,ahmed ,sharfi and the ,kadi with tears implored them to stop quarrelling4 ,it was now past midnight1 and ,yakub1 alarmed at ,abdullah's absence1 arrived with a party of soldiers and several ,baggaras at the great gate1 and began rapping violently with their spears2 they shouted1 ,let our ,khalifa out6 ,the noise outside had an instantaneous effect on the disputants within4 ,abdullah solemnly swore on the ,kuran that he would act entirely on the advice of his colleagues in the matter1 and with that assurance the stormy meeting broke up4 ,his appearance at the gate was hailed with delight1 and he was conducted home with rejoicing4 ,but in spite of these events there was no real reconciliation4 ,sherif continued to agitate secretly1 whilst the ,mahdi's wives1 who looked upon him as their protector solemnly appointed by the ,mahdi1 added fuel to the fire4 ,they had some cause for discontent4 ,after the ,mahdi's death they were taken little notice of2 ,abdullah did not trouble himself about their wants and had it not been for ,ahmed ,sharfi1 they must have starved4 ,being the ,mahdi's widows1 they were not allowed to marry again1 and were not even permitted to move beyond the palace precincts4 ,this enforced confinement so irritated these good women that they decided to go en masse to the ,khalifa1 and demand either their liberty or that they should be well treated4 ,ahmed ,sharfi1 learning of their resolution1 did all in his power to quiet them1 and promised that he would intercede with the ,khalifa for them4 ,this he did1 and ,abdullah feigned complete surprise1 said he had been under the impression that they had been supplied from the beit el mal with all they required1 and that he himself had repeatedly given orders to ,nur ,gereifawi to that effect4 ,this was a fact1 but--as it frequently happens--,yakub had taken it upon himself to give counter-orders2 the blame was1 of course1 laid on ,gereifawi1 who was ordered to at once issue #fjj dollars to the widows1 half in clothes and half in cash1 and so these noble ladies were for the time being satisfied4 ,about a month after the meeting ,i have just described the smouldering fire broke out with renewed vigour4 ,about two days before the actual climax1 ,i was told in the greatest secrecy by a friend1 that in a few days a rupture must occur1 that ,khalifas ,sherif and ,ali ,wad ,helu1 as well as the principal ,aulad-belad emirs1 had solemnly sworn on the ,kuran either to overturn ,khalifa ,abdullah1 or die in the attempt4 ,i could scarcely credit this news1 for ,sherif was a young and inexperienced man1 and had hitherto given no proof of any special ability which would induce the confidence of others2 he appeared to me as a man utterly absorbed in a life of sensual pleasure4 ,but the following day my friend again told me that his first information was quite correct2 however1 ,i persisted in saying that ,i would not believe it till ,i saw it4 ,so well had the secret been kept1 that the ,aulad-belad merchants were unconcernedly taking their goods away from the market as usual1 and the ,khalifa and his household knew nothing of it1 for one of my friends1 who lived close to the palace1 declared to me that the whole matter was pure invention4 ,on ,tuesday1 the #bdth of ,november1 #ahia1 a rumour suddenly spread through the town that ,sherif had decided to resist4 ,the market was at once closed1 and people went to their homes as quickly as possible4 ,the whole place was in a state of alarm and excitement4 ,baggaras seized the opportunity to plunder and rob1 and ,i could not learn the actual circumstances which led to the outbreak1 as all that day ,i remained in my hut1 and the following day ,i made my escape4 ,some said that the people had risen because the ,khalifa intended to execute ,zogal2 others1 that ,abdullah had secretly intended to proclaim his son as his successor1 but that ,sherif had violently opposed the idea4 ,possibly it may have been that the ,khalifa--on the principle of weakening the power of the ,aulad-belad--had ordered that an expedition of #c1jjj of them1 under the command of ,wad el ,ireik1 should proceed to ,kassala to fight against the ,italians2 besides1 ,abdullah had the intention of sending ,karamallah--the capturer of ,lupton ,bey--and his brother ,kerkesawi1 with a force to ,bahr el ,ghazal1 and it was thought that these two most deliberate attempts to get the ,aulad-belad out of ,omdurman had been the real cause of the outbreak4 ,tuesday passed without disturbance1 but every one was prepared for ,wednesday4 ,on that day the ,khalifa ordered that everyone should stand to his flag1 and that all the ,ansar should attend at the mosque4 ,but the whole affair turned out to be a ridiculous farce4 ,khalifa ,sherif with a few ,danagla had barricaded himself in the ,mahdi's zariba2 he had altogether about fifty ,remington rifles4 ,how could he attempt resistance with a feeble force of this description8 ,he had acted most imprudently2 still1 in secret1 the ,aulad-belad would all have liked to support him1 but not one of them had the courage to come forward1 though there were a very large number of them in ,omdurman4 ,the ,mahdi's widows1 however1 showed far more determination4 ,they dressed themselves in jibbehs1 armed themselves with swords1 and1 forming a compact little body1 they swore rather to die than submit4 ,in accordance with the ,khalifa's orders1 the palace1 the mosque1 and the road between the ,mahdi's dome and the mosque1 were all occupied by the ,ansar on ,wednesday1 whilst the black troops completely surrounded the mosque4 ,yakub was made responsible for distributing ammunition4 ,possibly ,sherif may have thought that the ,aulad-belad would have joined him1 but not one of them dared to leave the ranks4 ,numerous horsemen wearing coats of mail and helmets were entertaining the crowds by their furious galloping1 and in ,abdullah's entire force there was general rejoicing4 ,at about #aj ,a4,m4 ,sherif opened fire1 and seventeen ,baggaras fell2 the blacks returned the fire1 and killed seven of ,sherif's men4 ,abdullah would not allow the ,ansar to fire1 and it was with the greatest difficulty that he succeeded in holding back the wild ,baggaras4 ,the few shots that had been fired startled the whole of ,omdurman2 everyone went to his house and armed himself as best he could4 ,meanwhile the ,baggara horsemen had left the actual scene of action1 and were now scattered about the town looting1 robbing1 breaking into houses1 wounding people1 and seizing women1 slaves1 ornaments1 c4 ,when ,abdullah heard of this1 he lost no time in sending ,yakub's horsemen to keep order2 but many of the robbers made off with their booty4 ,in the evening it was rumoured that a reconciliation had been effected4 ,khalifa ,helu1 ,ahmed ,sharfi1 and ,sayid el ,mek had been the mediators4 ,sharfi had attempted to explain to the ,mahdi's widows that all resistance was useless1 but they tore his jibbeh1 and drove him off4 ,on ,thursday the ,khalifas all met under the ,mahdi's dome1 and there ,abdullah1 with tears in his eyes1 solemnly swore to accede to all his opponent's wishes1 which were that he should receive one-third of the army1 one-third of the arms1 and of the beit el mal revenue1 and that1 moreover1 he should take part in all meetings and deliberations4 ,it was quite apparent that ,abdullah never seriously intended to fulfil these conditions4 ,he could have instantly suppressed the outbreak had he wished to do so1 but he wanted to show that he still greatly honoured and respected the ,mahdi's family4 ,at noon the mulazimin marched through the town1 heralds announced that tranquillity had been restored1 and that people should return to their daily avocations4 ,on ,friday the usual review took place1 but none of the notables were present1 and most of the troops continued in occupation of the mosque and palace4 ,on ,saturday there was another alarm1 for ,sherif had declined to hand over his arms1 but that evening his submission was publicly announced4 ,i did not hear the details1 for on ,sunday1 the #bith of ,november1 #ahia1 ,i quitted ,omdurman in the dead of night4 ,,footnotes3 ,s ,abdullah does not like being addressed as ,khalifa only1 but if he be approached as ,khalifat el ,mahdi1 and if the words aleh es salam 7on whom be peace7 be added--a term which is only used when speaking of the ,prophet--he is even more gratified4 ,,chapter ,,xxiv4 ,,preparations ,,for ,,the ,,flight4 ,ohrwalder forms plans for escape--,the fate of other ,europeans attempting to fly--,stricter surveillance--,ohrwalder's means of livelihood--,letters from ,cairo--,the faithful ,ahmed ,hassan discloses his plan--,archbishop ,sogaro--,miseries of captivity in ,omdurman--,death of ,sister ,concetta ,corsi--,preparations for flight4 ,the reader will readily understand that all this time ,i had not lost sight of the object which had been next my heart1 which was to regain my liberty and escape from my miserable surroundings4 ,when ,i quitted ,el ,obeid1 ,i then thought that1 once in ,omdurman1 escape would not be so difficult1 and during my long journey to the ,mahdi's capital this thought had buoyed me up4 ,at any rate ,i was one step nearer attaining my wish1 for at that time the restrictions on ,europeans were not so severe1 and they were permitted to trade and travel as far as ,ed ,damer1 to which place ,egyptian merchants freely came and went4 ,on my arrival in ,omdurman1 a ,greek offered me hospitality1 which ,i gratefully accepted4 ,i had resolved to search about in the town for a trusty friend1 who would help me towards the attainment of my object4 ,it had occurred to me that ,i might accompany a ,greek or ,syrian merchant to ,damer1 and from thence make my escape1 but unfortunately at that time ,i had no money and little experience4 ,i did not actually give way to despair1 but ,i could find no one ready to give me the assistance ,i required2 they all feared the ,khalifa's vengeance in case of discovery4 ,illustration3 ,,the ,,arab ,,guides ,,who ,,effect ,,the ,,escape ,,of ,,father ,,ohrwalder ,,and ,,the ,,sisters4 ,i made inquiries of boatmen1 with a view to going to ,berber on a supposed trading journey1 but none of them trusted me2 and1 indeed1 ,i was afterwards thankful that they had not spoken of my design4 ,however1 in spite of failure1 ,i did not give up hope2 and during the long days1 and often sleepless nights1 ,i turned various plans over and over in my mind4 ,on one occasion ,gustav ,klootz and ,i decided to make an attempt to reach ,galabat1 and escape thence into ,abyssinia1 but at the last moment the plan seemed impracticable4 ,klootz1 however1 set off1 and without any money he begged his way from place to place2 at length1 utterly exhausted1 he reached ,galabat1 only to die a few days afterwards4 ,i spent about eight months with the ,greek1 and then thought it was not fair to trespass further on his hospitality4 ,besides1 it had occurred to me that in case a favourable opportunity for escape arrived1 he would most certainly have been accused of complicity1 and might have suffered on my account2 ,i therefore built a small straw hut for myself1 and lived with a ,mission brother who had a small shop in the market4 ,for almost five months an ,arab held out hopes of assisting me to escape1 but ,i eventually ascertained that he never really meant to help me4 ,for nearly two years ,i had suffered from incessant diarrhoea1 which had greatly wasted my strength4 ,meanwhile ,i had managed to send one of the ,mission brothers to ,berber1 nominally to gain a living by repairing watches1 but actually to find out whether flight from there was possible4 ,it took him twenty-six days in a boat to reach ,berber1 and after staying there for a time he succeeded in escaping to ,sawakin1 whence he despatched a man with money and goods who was to aid in my escape2 but the man never came1 and must have stolen all that had been given to him4 ,the ,mission brother's escape reached the ,khalifa's ears1 and at the same time certain ,greeks petitioned him that their bakery might not be pulled down when the market was being repaired4 ,the ,khalifa sent for the mukuddum to inquire about the matter1 and casually asked about the other ,greeks1 and where they were8 ,the mukuddum replied that some were ill1 others were travelling4 ,this greatly annoyed the ,khalifa1 who ordered all who were in ,omdurman to be brought before him the following day4 ,finding several absentees1 his eyes seemed to be opened to the danger2 he severely blamed the mukuddum for allowing the lay-brother to escape2 said that he should have given immediate information1 and then turning on us he threatened to cast us into the river1 or cut off our hands4 ,his actual words were1 ,what prevents me now from throwing you into the river1 and making you food for fishes8 ,he spoke against us in a most vehement manner for about half an hour1 and ended by saying that we should not in future be permitted to move one step south of ,omdurman fort1 or north of ,khor ,shambat4 ,any ,europeans known to be beyond the limits of his capital1 he ordered to be forcibly brought back1 alive or dead4 ,this sudden change of front obliged us to put aside for the time all idea of escape4 ,a ,sherif of ,mecca1 who had come to greet the ,mahdi and who had become thoroughly convinced of the falseness of his claims1 expressed a desire to be allowed to return2 his request was not granted1 so he decided to make his escape2 he bought a donkey and gaily set out on his journey4 ,on reaching ,kererri1 some four hours' distance1 he was stopped and asked where he was going2 he replied that he was come to pay a visit to ,sheikh el ,tayeb's tomb at ,kererri2 but his story was not credited4 ,he was brought back to the ,khalifa1 who handed him over to the ,saier1 where he died a few days afterwards4 ,this event made ,abdullah exert a still stricter surveillance over the whites1 and now escape became more difficult than ever4 ,moreover1 ,wad en ,nejumi's expedition to ,egypt closed the road to pilgrims1 and during that period flight would have been a pure impossibility4 ,in the meantime ,i had to do something to gain a livelihood4 ,lupton advised me to try soap-boiling2 so ,i went into partnership with him1 changed my house1 and now took up my abode just beyond the ,greek and ,syrian quarter4 ,i was always thinking of escape1 and in consequence kept a great deal to myself1 seldom paid visits1 and was seldom called upon4 ,two of the ,mission sisters were living near me2 they earned a precarious living by needlework2 but this hardly brought in enough money to purchase the bare necessities of life1 for several of the women who had survived the ,khartum massacre were employed at similar work1 and the competition was considerable4 ,poor ,lupton died very suddenly1 so our soap-boiling plan had to be abandoned1 and ,i had to turn my thoughts to something else4 ,it occurred to me to make hooks out of telegraph wire1 which the sisters sewed on to purses1 takias1 c41 and this being a novelty was for a time a fairly lucrative business3 but it was long and tedious work4 ,gradually the novelty wore off1 and the demand grew less2 provisions were expensive1 and a famine close at hand4 ,all idea of mutual support had come to an end1 for the ,greeks1 ,syrians1 and ,jews had been prohibited from leaving the town1 and nothing was to be made out of trade in ,omdurman itself4 ,thus my condition went from bad to worse1 the famine was now raging1 and in desperation ,i had to do something to gain enough to keep body and soul together4 ,it was the fashion for the women in ,omdurman to wear long garments trimmed with various sorts of ribbons1 and it occurred to me to learn how to make these ribbons2 for this purpose ,i acquired a small and simple loom4 ,the few men in the market1 who had the monopoly of this trade1 regarded my acquisition with great jealousy1 and would not teach it to any one under a less payment than forty or fifty dollars1 and this sum ,i was quite unable to raise2 however1 necessity knows no law1 and hunger sharpens the inventive faculties4 ,i carefully unravelled a piece of ribbon and studied the way it was made with the greatest attention4 ,i had a dim and hazy recollection of ,european looms1 and1 after many vain attempts1 ,i at length succeeded in making one4 ,the work is very trying1 and at first ,i thought my back would break from the exertion2 it was only with the greatest difficulty that ,i managed1 after working all day1 to turn out four yards1 which ,i sold for four piastres1 out of which ,i had to purchase the thread4 ,however1 after continuous practice1 ,i succeeded1 at the end of a month1 in turning out sixteen yards a day4 ,but loom work should be learnt when one is young1 and to begin it at my age was a terrible strain on my back2 still1 it brought in sufficient money to keep us alive4 ,for seven months we lived on dhurra bread and a few boiled vegetables1 without oil1 butter1 or meat4 ,hard work and insufficient food were telling on our strength3 however1 we were far better off than hundreds of others1 who were willing to work1 but1 finding nothing to do1 were obliged to starve4 ,during all this time ,i never once abandoned hope of escape1 and again succeeded in getting some one to take a message from me to ,cairo seeking advice2 but the undertaking was so beset with difficulties that it seemed next to impossible4 ,my companions in adversity watched me closely--they often volunteered to attempt an escape with the sisters2 but as ,i was responsible for them to the ,khalifa1 this could not be done1 and the idea of myself and the two sisters ever escaping alone seemed too absurd to be thought of4 ,it seemed most improbable that the ,government would again take possession of the ,sudan2 though ,i confess that a ray of hope was kindled when ,saleh ,bey of ,korosko suddenly arrived at ,abu ,hamed with his ,ababdehs and killed the notorious ,suleiman ,wad ,naaman1 the murderer of ,colonel ,stewart and his companions4 ,the news of this affair caused the greatest excitement in ,omdurman1 and we really believed that the time for our release was approaching2 but ,saleh ,bey disappeared as quickly as he came4 ,the capture of ,tokar1 in ,february #ahia1 also raised our hopes2 but we were again doomed to disappointment4 ,in #ahij a young ,ababdeh ,arab had come to ,omdurman and had asked me to give him a letter to my friends in ,cairo4 ,i did not trust him1 for ,i had written several letters which were entirely without result4 ,i had learnt by experience that the ,arabs were untrustworthy1 and that the letters never reached those for whom they were intended4 ,it also occurred to me that the man might be a spy1 so ,i sent him away with the answer ,neshauer 7i4e4 ,i shall think about it71 a word very often used by the ,sudanese when they wish to gain time to consider a matter4 ,meanwhile ,i made full inquiries about the man1 and heard nothing but good of him4 ,soon afterwards he returned and asked me to give him a few lines of greeting to my friends4 ,i was told that the man expected to get some reward if he succeeded in bringing letters to the ,government from the prisoners1 which might give them some information on the situation in the ,sudan4 ,when ,i was thoroughly convinced as to his trustworthiness1 we then had a consultation1 of which the upshot was that ,i would1 with his assistance1 attempt to escape1 provided he could obtain the necessary support from ,cairo2 ,i therefore gave him a letter to our ,reverend ,vicar ,apostolic1 ,franz ,sogaro1 and commissioned him to negotiate verbally with him4 ,the man's plan was to return when the ,nile was high--that is to say1 almost a year later--escape in a boat or on a raft1 which the swift current would carry to ,berber in about three days1 where camels would be in readiness to take us across the desert to ,korosko4 ,i urged him to keep these plans absolutely secret1 for their disclosure would bring most certain punishment on our heads1 and ,i further urged him to provide arms for the journey4 ,ahmed ,hassan--for that was the man's name--went off1 and1 to tell the truth1 ,i had little hope that he would do anything more than others had done before him4 ,besides1 who could say what changes might not take place in a year in ,omdurman1 which might entirely frustrate our plans8 ,the sword of ,damocles was for ever hanging over our heads4 ,then might not death intervene any day8 ,both the sisters and myself were thoroughly debilitated by constant work and hardship1 and it was always possible that a slight fever might extinguish the spark of life which was then burning but dimly4 ,a few days after ,ahmed's departure the whole matter went quite out of our heads1 and before long ,i was again negotiating with another ,arab to assist us to escape1 for ,i did not wish to leave a stone unturned4 ,if it had been a question of my flight alone1 there would not have been so much difficulty4 ,as a man ,i could have stained my naturally brown complexion1 dressed in rags1 and begged my way along the banks of the ,blue ,nile to ,abyssinia2 but ,i could not leave the poor sisters behind1 and therefore resolved to wait patiently until a deliverer should come4 ,several of the merchants who had been to ,egypt told me that ,archbishop ,sogaro had often sent us money vi ,korosko1 ,halfa1 and ,sawakin2 but the dishonest ,arabs had always appropriated it for themselves4 ,in fact1 ever since #ahhd our good ,archbishop had never ceased in his efforts to assist us and to make our captivity more bearable4 ,he left no stone unturned1 and moved ,moslems1 ,christians1 the ,government1 and indeed ,his ,holiness the ,pope1 on our behalf1 and one of the missionaries was maintained on the ,egyptian frontier with the special object of endeavouring to procure our release2 they took it in turns to relieve each other1 and were ,fathers ,dominicus ,vicentini1 ,yohann ,dichtl1 ,xavier ,geyer1 ,alois ,bonomi1 ,leon ,henriot1 and ,alois ,specke1 the last of whom died at ,assuan4 ,we had many great difficulties1 but perhaps the greatest was the continual bad faith of the ,arabs4 ,the transport of letters endangered the lives not only of the bearers1 but of the receivers as well1 and any letter addressed to a ,european would1 if discovered1 undoubtedly end either in the intended recipient's death or imprisonment for life4 ,but ,archbishop ,sogaro worked on with indefatigable earnestness4 ,early in #ahij he sent one of our ,coptic ,mission teachers1 named ,hanna ,arraga1 with money and goods to the frontier1 whence1 if possible1 he was to proceed to ,omdurman and assist us4 ,it was thought the plan might succeed1 for at that time ,zogal was ,emir of ,dongola1 and he was desirous of opening trade with ,halfa4 ,hanna therefore sent an ,arab on to find out how matters stood1 while he himself remained on the frontier2 but the ,arab never returned4 ,it so happened that just at this time ,zogal and the two ,baggara emirs sent to watch him had a violent dispute1 which resulted in all of them being recalled to ,omdurman4 ,the ,khalifa decided in favour of the ,baggaras1 ,zogal was thrown into chains1 and ,abdullah's nephew1 ,yunis1 was appointed ,emir of ,dongola2 the latter held very different views with regard to intercourse with ,egypt1 and that is why the ,arab never returned to ,halfa4 ,about fifteen days1 however1 before ,i effected my escape1 the ,arab came to ,omdurman and told me about the matter4 ,his own master and son had been implicated in the ,dongola dispute and had been thrown into chains2 that was his reason for not returning1 and after that ,i never saw him again4,t ,meanwhile1 ,ahmed ,hassan1 whom ,i had sent to ,cairo with the letter1 duly delivered it to ,archbishop ,sogaro1 who made a written agreement with him for our release2 he also instructed ,hanna to proceed from ,halfa to ,korosko1 and there hand over to ,ahmed ,hassan the goods valued at #ajj4 ,through ,archbishop ,sogaro's intermediary1 ,ahmed ,hassan was given every support by the ,egyptian military authorities1 who presented him with #bj and gave him a free passage to ,korosko4 ,on the #aeth of ,september1 #ahia1 he left that place for ,omdurman with the goods4 ,at ,omdurman the winter had come and gone1 the ,nile had risen to its full height and had subsided1 but there was no sign of ,ahmed4 ,i was not surprised1 for ,i had long been accustomed to disappointments of this sort4 ,i merely remarked to myself that the number of persons who had deceived us had been increased by one1 and that if a deliverer did not soon come from ,egypt1 there was another deliverer--death--whose approach was certain4 ,the heavy work was sapping our waning strength1 ,i began to spit blood1 felt severe pains in my chest1 and was little else than skin and bone4 ,the poor sisters were still nearer the grave4 ,our moral and physical sufferings during these ten long years of captivity had told on us terribly2 death was what we most longed for and for which we patiently waited4 ,the sad prospect of never regaining our liberty1 of living a life of slavery1 debarred from all the advantages and progress of the world1 never again to worship in our grand churches and enjoy the comforts of our holy religion2 but to live and die amongst the fiery rocks and sand of ,omdurman1 where the burning sun turned dead bodies into mummies--to die and be buried in slavery--the prospect of living was indeed unattractive1 and what wonder we should long for death to free us from such misery6 ,after all these sufferings it was indeed hard to see our will-o'-the-wisp-like hope1 which we had pursued so often1 dissolve into nothing1 and to find ourselves once more the victims of a fraud and deception4 ,how fortunate we thought those who had been killed in battle1 or had died of starvation or disease6 ,we even envied the lot of those who had been massacred in ,khartum4 ,after all1 the anguish of death had been but momentary1 and now all suffering and pain was over1 while we seemed to have passed through a hundred deaths1 we had been in his clutches over and over again2 hunger1 thirst1 and disease had all1 at one time or another1 almost claimed us as their victims4 ,we had witnessed the destruction of cities1 the annihilation of armies1 the slaughter of thousands1 and the ruthless massacre and bloodshed of innocent people2 man's dignity trodden under foot1 and human life valued far below that of a sheep or a goat4 ,and after all this we must live and die forgotten and unknown1 our lasting resting-place a strange land1 and our bodies in all likelihood food for hyenas4 ,thus we longed for death to remove us from these scenes of perpetual cruelty and oppression4 ,our nerves had become so strained that the slightest knock at the door would make us start2 the sound of the great onbea made us positively tremble4 ,almost half the total number of ,europeans1 ,greeks1 ,syrians1 and ,jews were dead1 and all we hoped for was that we should soon follow them4 ,the death of one of our sisters only increased in me the desire to die as well4 ,on the #dth of ,october1 #ahia1 ,sister ,concetta ,corsi1 who was in a very weak state of health1 was suddenly carried off by typhus4 ,according to the ,sudan custom1 we wound her body in a cloth1 tied it up in a mat 7for there were no coffins to be had71 and carried her1 almost immediately after death1 to a spot some six miles north of the town--the direction in which her eyes in lifetime had been so often turned4 ,all the ,greeks and ,syrians followed1 and there in the stillness of the desert we laid her in the warm sand1 protecting her body from the ravenous hyenas by a few thorns4 ,a short prayer was offered up for her and for the souls of those who had gone before2 then we turned sadly back1 hoping that before long we too might be lying beside her4 ,but ,i felt that my life was in ,god's hands1 and comforted myself with the belief that ,god was dealing with me as ,he thought best1 and that ,i must submit to ,his ,divine will4 ,my hut was gloomy in the extreme2 for several days ,i did not speak to any one1 and when night came ,i threw myself down on my angarib1 but sleep would not come to me2 then ,i would gaze up into the great vault of heaven and think that this same sky was over my fatherland1 from which ,i was an exile1 surrounded by suffering and sickness4 ,on the night of the #bhth of ,october1 #ahia1 ,ahmed ,hassan quite unexpectedly made his appearance4 ,i took him to my hut1 and after the usual ,arabic greetings1 he said to me1 ,here ,i am1 are you coming8 ,for a moment ,i was speechless1 ,i quite understood what he meant2 but a thousand thoughts flashed through my mind1 my heart was beating violently1 the dangers to which my frail companions in adversity would be subjected loomed before me1 and for a few moments ,i could make no reply2 then ,i collected my wandering thoughts and said3 ,if ,i did not intend to go with you ,i would not have sent you4 ,then ,i began asking him all sorts of questions about ,cairo1 and he informed me briefly that he had seen ,archbishop ,sogaro and had made an arrangement with him regarding our release2 that he had given up the plan of descending to ,berber by boat1 and that he had received #ajj to purchase camels4 ,he further told me that he had not brought any letter with him4 ,he asked about the sisters1 and when ,i told him that one had died almost a month ago1 he almost wept1 and striking his forehead with his hand1 said1 ,oh1 that ,i had come a month earlier6 ,but ,i told him that ,i would take another sister in her place4 ,we then set to talking earnestly about our plans2 ,i told him to purchase at least five good camels and to see that he had sufficient arms4 ,in anticipation of flight1 ,i had a long time ago secured and carefully concealed a hundred ,remington cartridges4 ,when ,ahmed left the hut ,i began to doubt if he was really sincere2 it seemed almost incredible that they should have sent him from ,cairo without a line or even a signature on such an important undertaking4 ,the next day ,ahmed reappeared1 bringing with him two ,arabs whom he had engaged in the cause1 one at ,korosko and the other at ,berber4 ,ahmed seemed a little afraid that we would not dare to undertake the flight2 he told me that he had brought a letter from ,archbishop ,sogaro1 but had left it at ,berber4 ,the main difficulty for the ,arabs would be leaving the house without being observed1 but ,i reassured them on that point4 ,it was almost full moon at that time1 so it was decided to delay our departure until it should be on the decline1 and we should thus be able to make our way out under cover of obscurity4 ,i begged ,ahmed not to come to us any more1 to avoid exciting suspicion4 ,i now began to make preparations4 ,my first object was to get one of the sisters1 who was at that time living in a ,greek's house1 to come to my house4 ,this was not an easy matter1 for ,i dared not mention one word about our intentions to a soul1 or our plans would undoubtedly have been frustrated4 ,i therefore feigned illness1 and said ,i could no longer carry on this hard work alone1 so the sister was allowed to come1 and1 quite unwittingly1 the ,greek gladly lent me her services4 ,she had now been with me some twenty days1 so ,i felt that the ,greek could not be held responsible for her disappearance1 which occurred a few days later4 ,ahmed gave me ,archbishop ,sogaro's letter1 which he had procured from ,berber1 and with intense excitement ,i read the few lines1 in which he wished me all success in the undertaking4 ,this letter encouraged me greatly1 and ,i had now no doubt of ,ahmed's sincerity4 ,we counted the days and hours preceding our departure1 and ,i could not bear to think of the trials the sisters would have to undergo during the journey4 ,i had also a little black girl1 whom it would have been impossible for me to have left behind1 as our departure would undoubtedly have been betrayed4 ,she was named ,adila1 and had been born in the ,khartum ,mission house4 ,after the fall of ,khartum1 she and her mother had been sold as slaves and sent to ,gedaref4 ,amongst ,abu ,anga's troops was a certain ,panerazio ,yusef1 a very bright and intelligent young soldier1 who subsequently rose to the rank of an emir2 he had been told about ,adila1 bought her for five dollars1 and took her with him when he accompanied the emir ,zaki to ,omdurman4 ,on his arrival he presented her to me as a remembrance of former kindness2 he also gave me a quantity of coffee1 for which ,i was truly grateful4 ,the day of our intended departure was approaching1 and we looked forward to it with almost breathless impatience4 ,we had lost all appetite for food2 fear1 mental anguish1 and the idea that we should be free1 kept us in a perfect fever of excitement4 ,i could not help thinking of my companions in adversity whom ,i should be obliged to leave behind1 and who might1 ,i thought1 perhaps suffer after our departure4 ,these had been constantly with us for the last ten years1 sharing our life of pain and wretchedness1 and now ,i could not but feel pained at the thought of separation4 ,but all these feelings had to be put aside1 and we had to concentrate all our thoughts on the present4 ,i longed to be off1 if only to be free from this feverish anxiety which was rending our very souls4 ,then ,ahmed came just the day before we were to have started1 and said that the ,arabs with whom he had come from ,korosko had not yet returned1 and that we must await their departure before setting out4 ,i now began to think that our plans had been frustrated4 ,several ,egyptians1 including some women1 had attempted to fly to ,berber1 whence they intended making their way back to ,egypt1 but had been intercepted1 brought back and thrown into chains4 ,it also happened that some ,greeks who had been living at ,gedaref1 and had had their goods stolen1 were also brought to ,omdurman and put in prison1 because it was thought that they had intended to escape to the ,italians4 ,all this alarmed me1 and ,i thought it probable the ,khalifa would issue more stringent orders against ,europeans4 ,ahmed told me that he had had considerable difficulty in purchasing the camels2 he did not dare buy them in the market1 as that would have aroused suspicion2 he had also great difficulty in feeding them1 for it would have certainly excited comment if he had collected them all in one place4 ,he had1 however1 managed very well4 ,when he saw a good-looking camel1 towards evening he would follow it until he reached the owner's house1 then early the next morning he would return and bargain for it2 in this way he had acquired three good camels at from #abj to #aej dollars a piece1 which he distributed amongst his various friends1 and fed them up well4 ,meanwhile he used occasionally to come and see us1 and bid us keep up a good hope in spite of our enforced delay4 ,on the #bdth of ,november occurred the disturbance between the ,khalifas which ,i have already narrated1 and this seemed a most favourable moment to escape2 but ,ahmed did not come1 and ,i was wildly impatient1 for ,i could not even find out where he lived without exciting suspicion4 ,in all this confusion we were lost sight of1 and ,i avoided going to see anyone lest ,i should become involved in anything that was going on4 ,i had no further preparations to make1 for ,ahmed had promised to provide everything4 ,at last1 on ,friday the #bgth1 he came to my hut1 and it was decided we should leave on ,monday evening4 ,when ,i reproached him for not coming during the first day or two of the disturbances1 he said that he too had thought of it1 but that one of his friends had been locked up for being engaged in a quarrel1 and he was obliged to wait until he was released4 ,ahmed also told me a most important piece of news4 ,there were no riding camels in the beit el mal4 ,all had been despatched to the provinces on business connected with quelling the disturbances4 ,it would not1 therefore1 be possible to pursue us at once4 ,these disturbances had made all the other captives think that it was a favourable opportunity to fly1 but1 with one exception1 none of them knew that my preparations were all made and that the next day ,i should be gone4 ,,footnotes3 ,t ,the ,arab undoubtedly meant well4 ,for he was at the same time entrusted by me with a letter to give to another ,european prisoner1 and1 as ,i write1 a reply to this letter1 which was delivered to him only two months ago in ,omdurman1 has just reached ,cairo4--,f4 ,r4 ,w4 ,,chapter ,,xxv4 ,,on ,,camels ,,across ,,the ,,great ,,nubian ,,desert4 ,father ,ohrwalder and ,sisters ,venturini and ,chincarini escape--,the ride for life--,the rencontre with the ,dervish guard near ,abu ,hamed--,alarm of the party--,the journey across the great ,nubian desert--,five hundred miles on camel-back in seven days--,arrival at the ,egyptian outpost at ,murat--,safe at last--,arrival in ,cairo4 ,on ,sunday evening ,i went to see a friend and returned at nine o'clock2 this happened to be the last visit ,i was to make in ,omdurman4 ,just as ,i stepped into my yard1 there ,i saw ,ahmed standing before me4 ,in a few hasty words he told me to get ready as soon as possible2 his friends had made a mistake and had come a day earlier with the camels4 ,the sisters and ,adila were all ready2 ,i gave ,ahmed the few small things ,i had as well as my arms1 and told him to take the sisters to the appointed place1 which was only about thirty yards from the hut1 whilst ,i went off and informed the only person who was in the secret1 of our sudden decision to leave a day earlier4 ,all fear had now gone1 and1 almost beside myself with excitement1 ,i hastened to my friend's house and knocked at the door4 ,who's there8 he asked4 ,and when he knew who it was he was greatly surprised1 and asked why ,i came so late4 ,as some one else was standing near1 ,i said that ,i had been seized with a violent pain1 and had come to beg a few drops of laudanum1 and then ,i approached him1 pressed his hand1 and whispered in his ear that we were on the point of starting4 ,the poor man received such a start1 that had he not caught hold of something1 he would have fallen2 but ,i roused him by asking him loudly to get me the laudanum at once2 so he went off to his room1 and there1 with a trembling hand1 he put a few drops on a piece of sugar4 ,i took it back to the house1 which ,i found the sister had just left4 ,then wrapping myself in a black mantle1 ,i locked the door1 and took the key with me4 ,i saw something dark in the distance1 which ,i knew must be the camels1 and thither ,i picked my way4 ,in a few moments ,i had reached the spot1 and a man whom ,i did not know helped me on to my camel2 but there was no time to ask questions4 ,ahmed put the sisters on the camels1 on which the two other ,arabs rode1 whilst ,i took ,adila behind me on my camel4 ,not thirty yards from where we were was a well1 around which a number of female slaves were gathered2 but the little noise we made was drowned by their laughter4 ,the moment of mounting was perhaps the most dangerous time1 for the camels were restive1 and longing to be off4 ,it was with the greatest difficulty the ,arabs managed to keep their mouths closed1 and no sooner were we on their backs than we glided swiftly away into the darkness4 ,now and then we saw fires1 at which the people were cooking their food1 or sitting around gossiping2 fortunately it was a cold night1 so most of the people were in their huts4 ,we passed the spot where we had laid the poor sister who had recently died2 it was sad to think that she was not with us now4 ,we kept steadily moving forward1 not a word had passed our lips2 the camels had been well fed up on dhurra1 and went so quickly that we could scarcely hold them in4 ,i tried to peer through the darkness1 while my ear was ready to catch the slightest sound of possible pursuers4 ,soon we had left ,omdurman far behind1 and in the soft sand-bed of ,khor ,shambat we dismounted to have our saddles re-arranged2 then we mounted again1 and pursued our journey at a rapid pace northwards along the river bank4 ,we were in all seven persons and four camels3 the guide ,ahmed ,hassan1 his two friends ,hamed and ,awad2 ,sister ,catterina ,chincarini and ,sister ,elizabetta ,venturini2 myself and ,adila4 ,a cold north wind was blowing1 which our rapid advance made quite cutting4 ,i followed the ,arab custom1 and bound a large turban round my head1 leaving only the eyes exposed4 ,we passed several villages1 but the barking of the dogs always gave us warning1 and so we avoided them4 ,i had not heard a dog bark for years1 and the sound was quite pleasing to me4 ,we met some ,gellabas riding on donkeys1 on their way to ,omdurman1 but in the darkness they could not see who we were1 and we passed them rapidly2 only ,ahmed remained behind1 to greet them and exchange news4 ,now the narrow track led through thick bushes1 which we could not rightly see2 our clothes1 hands1 and feet got torn and scratched by the thorns2 but we never checked the pace1 and continued our course steadily northwards4 ,time is money1 they say1 but in our case time was life2 we crossed dry beds of streams1 over which the animals would sometimes stumble and fall1 the riders with them2 but there was no time to think of pains and bruises2 to pick oneself up1 catch and mount the camel1 which might easily have been lost in the desert1 was all one had time to think about4 ,none of us had watches1 but during the many sleepless nights ,i had passed1 ,i had become used to observing the stars1 and could tell the time almost to within five minutes4 ,just at dawn we neared the village of ,wad ,bishara1 and pushed on quicker so as to pass it before daybreak4 ,this village is generally considered two days north of ,omdurman4 ,we then left the ordinary track1 and turned towards the desert1 as we dared not go along the river bank during the daytime4 ,at sunrise we could just see the thin strip of green which marked the course of the stream2 still we did not alight1 but pushed on and on1 up and down hills1 across long stretches of sandy plain4 ,our eyes became so red and swollen we could scarcely see1 and they pained us considerably4 ,at length1 after some hours1 we drew up1 dismounted ate a little biscuit1 and drank some water1 readjusted our saddles1 then up and away again4 ,my mind travelled back to ,omdurman4 ,had our flight been discovered at once8 ,what would happen to those left behind8 ,how astonished they would be to find we had gone6 ,but this train of thought was suddenly interrupted2 one of the sisters had fallen off her camel1 and was lying insensible on the ground2 we picked her up1 splashed her with water1 and after a time brought her to2 we then put her on to the camel again1 and tied her firmly to the saddle2 there was nothing else to be done--it was a question of life and death4 ,so we rode continuously forward1 in the desert by day and along the river bank by night4 ,i had asked ,ahmed about the stranger who had helped me to mount my camel in ,omdurman1 and he told me that the animals had become so restive by good feeding that it was impossible for one man to hold them whilst the other two came to the hut to fetch us2 he had therefore taken two friends into his confidence1 and made them swear on the ,kuran that they would not betray us4 ,just after sunset they had ridden the camels quite openly through the market-place1 with their arms slung across the saddles1 so that people should think they were post-camels1 and no suspicion would be created4 ,ahmed told me more too about the difficulties he had had in stabling the camels prior to our flight2 two of them had been tethered in a poor woman's yard1 and the two others he had placed in charge of one of his friends2 but these caretakers had guessed that something was about to happen1 and had urged ,ahmed to depart as soon as possible1 for they began to think they might become involved in the matter4 ,ahmed had paid them most liberally for their services2 he had also had recourse to magic1 summoned the spirits1 and consulted a fiki1 who prophesied the journey would be as white as milk1 that is to say1 that no mishap would occur1 for which statement ,ahmed had given him a considerable bakshish4 ,we continued our journey always along the left bank of the ,nile1 there was no time to stop for sleep4 ,occasionally we came across ,arab shepherds in the desert tending their herds of goats4 ,they gazed wonderingly at us1 and asked questions of ,ahmed1 who purposely always remained a short way behind4 ,ahmed drew a gloomy picture of the recent rising in ,omdurman1 describing how the two ,khalifas had openly fought with each other1 how nothing was heard night and day but the roar of cannon and the rattle of musketry1 while the slaughter had been terrible beyond words4 ,he represented that we were fugitives who had left the ordinary roads1 fearing that the disturbed state of the country might make them unsafe1 for bands of brigands were known to be roaming about4 ,these simple people1 thoroughly detesting ,mahdiism1 believed every word ,ahmed told them1 thought we were wise to fly1 and gave him as much milk as he wanted1 a fact which he also regarded as a good omen4 ,although ,ahmed and his friends knew the usual roads well1 they had never been on exactly the track we had been forced to take to avoid the inhabited places4 ,thus it happened that we approached the river sooner than we expected2 in fact1 almost before we knew it1 we found ourselves amongst houses in the village of ,makani1 which was so concealed by trees that we had not seen it4 ,we then met a party of ,gellabas1 and at ,ahmed's advice at once slowed our pace so as not to provoke mistrust4 ,these ,gellabas looked at us somewhat suspiciously1 and tried in vain to find out the object of our journey4 ,probably they remembered us afterwards when our flight became known4 ,at length1 after some difficulty1 we emerged from the village and again turned into the desert2 but when ,i blamed ,ahmed for misguiding us1 he merely answered cheerfully1 ,allah marakna6 7,god has delivered us67 ,when we had got some distance from the river1 we dismounted and had a slight meal of dates and water4 ,our limbs were so stiff we could not stand up straight1 and our clothes were sticking to the wounds we had received when riding through the bush4 ,how delightful it was to be on the ground again and stretch our cramped legs1 and how pleasant would a short sleep have been6 ,but no sooner had the camels swallowed a little dhurra than we were up and off again4 ,we still went in a northerly direction1 and as our scratches warmed again they pained us considerably2 but the feeling that we were not pursued1 and the growing hope that we should really escape1 encouraged us to overcome every difficulty4 ,we watered at ,gubat on the ,nile1 where the ,english had encamped in #ahhe1 and then we rode cautiously1 well outside the great village of ,metemmeh4 ,the barking and howling of the dogs made the camels quicken their pace1 and soon we were out of sight of the ,jaalin capital4 ,we then began to discuss how we were to cross the ,nile4 ,ahmed had a friend living in a village just south of ,berber1 and it occurred to him that we might cross there4 ,we trotted quietly on towards this village1 when a man suddenly sprang out in front of us and cried1 ,enta min8 7,who are you87 ,but we soon found out that the man was afraid1 and had taken us for robbers4 ,his sudden appearance had given us a great start1 and we at once thought that our pursuers had caught us up1 and that we were about to be recaptured4 ,ahmed1 however1 approached the man1 and as we rode on1 he turned1 spoke to him1 and allayed his fears4 ,when we approached the village1 we dismounted and hid behind some thick bushes1 whilst ,ahmed went in search of his friend who was to ferry us across4 ,in about half an hour he returned1 saying that it was impossible1 as the boat was on the other side4 ,besides1 he had heard that two boats had just passed down on their way to ,berber1 and that all disturbances in ,omdurman were at an end4 ,however1 they had heard nothing about our flight4 ,we therefore mounted again1 and continued marching north the whole of that night and the following day4 ,on this1 the third day of our journey1 we came in sight of ,berber1 and towards evening descended to the river almost exactly opposite the town1 filled our waterskins1 and then made for the desert again4 ,we did not dare keep near the river here1 as numbers of ,baggara were living in the neighbourhood4 ,at about midnight we alighted1 as ,ahmed did not know the road4 ,we fed the camels1 and indulged in our usual meal of biscuits1 dates1 and water4 ,ahmed had also succeeded in procuring from his friend some tobacco and small earthenware pipes2 so we smoked with impunity1 and began to feel that our escape was now almost assured4 ,but we had still before us the crossing of the river1 which our ,arab friends in ,omdurman had warned us would be one of the most critical and dangerous parts of our plan4 ,we were in the saddle again at dawn1 and continued our journey over a stony plateau which our guides did not recognize4 ,then all day we marched through narrow valleys1 full of large stones washed down by the torrents4 ,at length towards evening we sighted the river again1 and descended towards it through a narrow gorge1 where we had to dismount1 as the camels could scarcely make their way across the great boulders which blocked the path4 ,once on the plain1 our guides recognised the road1 and we found ourselves near the village of ,benga1 where we hoped to be able to secure boats to take us across4 ,we advanced now very cautiously1 looking round in every direction2 and ,i espied three camelmen setting off evidently in the direction of ,abu ,hamed4 ,i at once called ,ahmed's attention to this2 and although they were some way off1 they could have seen us1 so ,ahmed advised us to alight at once1 which we did1 and concealed ourselves in a khor amongst some bushes4 ,ahmed and his companions were1 ,i could see1 not a little alarmed by the appearance of the camelmen1 and began to speak to each other in their own dialect2 but ,i guessed by the expressions on their faces what they thought--viz4 that our flight had been discovered1 news had been sent to ,berber1 and now the camelmen were on their way to warn the emir of ,abu ,hamed to intercept us4 ,i endeavoured to prove to them that it was quite impossible for the news to have reached ,berber yet1 even if our flight had been reported to the ,khalifa the morning after we had left4 ,it was most unlikely that the pursuit would have been begun before the evening1 and we had thus got a good twenty-four hours' start4 ,we were then just four hours north of ,berber1 and had been three and a half days out from ,omdurman4 ,our pursuers therefore1 even if they had ridden as rapidly and as persistently as we had1 could not possibly have reached ,berber yet4 ,but my calculations by no means convinced our guides2 and after a long consultation1 ,ahmed and ,awad went towards the river about four miles distant1 while ,hamed stayed behind to look after the camels4 ,now was the time to take a few hours' sleep before night came on4 ,during the three and a half days we had been on the journey we had had only four hours' sleep4 ,we were quite worn out2 our simple meals of biscuit and water did not give us much nourishment1 our limbs were so stiff that we could scarcely move1 and our wounds proved most irritating4 ,under such circumstances it can well be understood how welcome sleep would have been2 but the appearance of these three camels1 the alarm of the guides1 and our anxiety about crossing the river1 drove away all idea of rest1 and all we could do was to await with what patience we knew the return of the two ,arabs4 ,at length1 just as the sun was setting1 ,ahmed and ,awad returned1 much rejoiced4 ,they had made inquiries about the three camelmen1 and had found out that they had nothing to do with us1 and that nothing was known yet of our flight4 ,they had arranged with a boatman to ferry us across1 under the pretext that they were conducting a small party of slaves whom they were going to hand over to the emir of ,abu ,hamed4 ,this most satisfactory news quite dissipated our fatigue1 and we ate our wretched biscuit and dates with an excellent appetite4 ,as soon as it was dark we moved towards the river1 and dismounted close to the water's edge4 ,as yet there was no sign of the boatman1 but we saw two boys rowing towards us4 ,meanwhile ,ahmed had gone to a house close by to get some dhurra4 ,then the boatman came and announced that he could not take us across that night1 but we must wait till the morning4 ,this would never have done2 not only should we have lost a whole night1 but we should undoubtedly have been recognised in daylight4 ,however1 it was no use talking1 and the man went off to his hut2 but we did not get discouraged1 for if the worst came to the worst1 we could row ourselves across4 ,by this time the two boys had reached the bank1 and they now came forward and offered to take us across2 of course we accepted1 and in an incredibly short space of time our guides had got the camels on board4 ,it was a large boat1 so we all crossed together1 and on reaching the opposite bank ,ahmed gave the boys two dollars1 with which they seemed highly pleased1 kissed our hands1 wished us a pleasant journey1 and then returned to the west bank4 ,we watered the animals1 filled our skins1 mounted1 and again set our faces northwards4 ,it was now past midnight4 ,the camels1 refreshed by their rest and good feed1 pushed on quickly1 and during that night and the whole of the next day we rode on without any interruption or mishap4 ,not a soul was to be seen in this lonely desert1 but we often came across herds of antelopes1 rabbits1 and a few hyenas2 the antelopes would stand about twenty paces off1 prick up their ears1 and look inquisitively at the strange caravan4 ,it was quite cool when we left ,omdurman1 but now the weather had quite changed1 and we felt it oppressively hot2 we saw mirages constantly1 and were often deceived by them4 ,our camels and ourselves now began to suffer4 ,i was much struck by the change in the appearance of these animals2 the high1 fat hump and thick neck they had in ,omdurman had both grown to half the size4 ,at first we had the greatest difficulty in holding them in2 now they were so tired that we had to keep flogging them all the time2 their feet had got so worn that treading on a stone made them jump sideways1 and to ease them we four men alternately dismounted and led them for some distance4 ,our track lay across a broad plain1 dotted about with small shrubs1 and as we passed one of these1 ,ahmed noticed a snake1 scared by our approach1 trying to escape2 he at once killed the reptile with a blow of his sword1 then stretched out its body and jumped over it three times in a most excited way4 ,thereupon the guides congratulated each other1 saying there was now nothing more to fear1 and that we had conquered our enemies4 ,this exhibition of courage on the part of the guides pleased me greatly4 ,once more we mounted and made our way towards ,abu ,hamed1 where we intended to take water for the last time before entering the great ,nubian desert4 ,the next night another snake episode occurred1 but it ended rather differently4 ,we were going across a stony place1 when the leading camel suddenly swerved to one side1 and we heard a hissing sound1 which we knew must be a snake1 but it was too dark to attempt to catch it4 ,this greatly alarmed the ,arabs1 who looked upon it as an evil omen1 and curiously enough1 when close to ,abu ,hamed1 an event did occur which quite confirmed their superstitions4 ,the next day1 at about nine o'clock in the morning1 we sighted the mountain which was our landmark indicating the place at which we intended to water4 ,we anticipated reaching it in three hours1 and there we intended to rest whilst the ,arabs took the camels down to water2 but somehow we went too far to the east1 did not discover our mistake for some time1 and it was midnight instead of midday when we reached the hill4 ,this hill is shaped rather like two skittles1 between which the road runs1 and the wind1 blowing through this narrow funnel1 almost carried us off our camels4 ,ahmed warned us to keep perfect silence as we scrambled down the rocky slope1 and reached the river at last2 here the mighty stream flows rapidly and silently at the foot of a great rock cliff1 the stillness being occasionally broken by the splash of the many fish which delight to disport themselves in these cool depths4 ,this watering-place is known as ,meshra ,dehesh1 and is about six miles south of ,abu ,hamed4 ,a few dm palms and shrubs have gained a slender footing on the steep bank1 and the reflection of the bright stars in the silent river could not but make one feel impressed with the grand solitude of the place4 ,i bent down1 scooped up the water in my hands1 and refreshed my parched throat2 then we took the saddles off the camels1 filled our water-skins1 and ate some biscuits2 ,i wanted to bathe my face and eyes1 which ached with the burning of the sun and sand1 but ,ahmed gave the word to mount4 ,we were too stiff and weak to be able to stand upright1 and as for the poor sisters1 ,ahmed had to lift them bodily off the ground and put them on their camels2 they were far too exhausted to speak2 we led the camels out of the stony gorge1 intending to mount when we reached the level4 ,it was long past midnight1 and we were congratulating ourselves on having passed the last critical point1 hoping that by dawn we should have left the river1 which here bends to the west1 far behind us4 ,illustration3 ,,we ,,had ,,scarcely ,,gone ,,twenty ,,paces ,,from ,,the ,,river1 ,,when ,,suddenly ,,we ,,heard ,,the ,,sound ,,of ,a ,,camel4 ,we had scarcely gone twenty paces from the river1 when suddenly we heard the sound of a camel4 ,we were almost ready to drop with fright1 but ,ahmed and the guides went towards the spot from whence the sound had come1 and there they saw a camelman mounted1 armed with a ,remington1 and peering at us from behind a dm palm1 but it was too dark for him to have recognized our white faces4 ,ahmed at once approached him1 seized his rifle with his left hand1 and extended his right to greet him1 asking him at the same time to alight4 ,the man1 alarmed probably at ,ahmed's energetic bearing1 at once dismounted and joined the guides4 ,at first we thought orders must have come from ,omdurman to intercept us1 but fortunately it was not so2 the guard 7for such he proved to be7 said he had been sent from ,berber to see that ,egyptian merchants did not export slaves from the ,sudan to ,egypt4 ,he related how1 the day previous1 a merchant with five slaves had been captured1 but had been set free again on depositing the value of the slaves4 ,the guard then asked ,ahmed if he had brought any slaves1 to which he replied in the affirmative4 ,the guard now insisted that ,ahmed should go to ,abu ,hamed to see the emir there1 and no amount of argument would convince him that it was unnecessary to do so4 ,hamed now came and told me about the occurrence1 but1 being somewhat confused1 he happened to say we were lost4 ,these words reached the ears of one of the sisters1 and so startled her that she fell off her camel1 and might have been very seriously injured had we not caught her4 ,i gave ,hamed my long knife1 and told him to do what he could to win the man over with money1 but that if he found this was useless1 ,well6 we were four men to one4 ,hamed quite understood what ,i meant1 and then returned to the others4 ,the conversation still continued for a long time4 ,at length our ,arabs returned2 we put the sisters on the camels at once1 and then mounted ourselves4 ,our fatigue had fled2 even the camels seemed to scent danger1 for we set off at a quick pace and were soon out of sight4 ,this episode served to remind us very forcibly that we were still in the ,khalifa's territory4 ,strange thoughts passed through my mind in quick succession3 ,omdurman1 the ,khalifa1 the ,saier1 unbearable insults1 then death4 ,all these awaited us if we failed in our attempt2 but then ,i comforted myself with the thought we should never be taken alive2 we had solemnly agreed never to submit4 ,it was in this frame of mind that we quitted ,meshra ,dehesh and rode for our lives night and day2 the poor camels were reduced to skeletons1 and we ourselves were nothing but skin and bone4 ,ahmed told me that when the guard recognized him he showed himself kindly disposed1 and promised not to betray us2 but ,ahmed did not trust him1 and would not1 therefore1 let him go until he had accepted some money2 he had pressed twenty dollars into his hand4 ,the guard accepted the money after extracting a solemn promise from ,ahmed and his companions that they would not attempt to revenge themselves on him or his tribe--the ,monasir--on their return to ,korosko4 ,the guard also swore solemnly that he would not betray or pursue us1 and moreover agreed to prevent the patrols going into the desert for three days1 so as to keep us out of danger's way2 they had then embraced and kissed each other as a sign of sincerity4 ,in spite1 however1 of all these solemn oaths1 ,i did not trust the man2 the fate of poor ,colonel ,stewart and his companions came into my mind1 and ,i remembered that they had been cruelly done to death by the cowardly and treacherous ,monasir2 we therefore hurried forward our camels with all possible speed1 leaving ,abu ,hamed far away on our left4 ,the day broke as usual1 and soon the sun was risen and burning more fiercely than ever1 but that did not trouble us4 ,we were far too much absorbed in the momentous event which had just occurred4 ,our track ran through a perfectly flat plain1 in which not a shrub or blade of grass was to be seen4 ,we passed the tracks of the captured slave-dealer and the patrols1 and that evening entered on the caravan road leading from ,abu ,hamed to ,korosko4 ,the track ran through great bare hills and solitary valleys2 the wind had driven the sand almost to the tops of the hills1 and had filled up all the crevices with sand-drifts4 ,once within the hills1 our courage returned1 for we knew we would be able to defend ourselves2 so we dismounted and ate our last mouthful of biscuit1 and now all we had was our water1 which1 by the way1 we jokingly remarked was somewhat dear1 as it had cost us twenty dollars4 ,after a short rest we set off again1 but both we and our camels were utterly exhausted2 my right arm ached from continually whipping up the poor beast4 ,our ,arab companions lightened the way with hundreds of interesting anecdotes of their own deserts4 ,they related how1 when ,berber fell1 an ,arab and six ,egyptian women had fled2 but the man had brought only a camel or two and very little water1 so four of them had died of thirst4 ,they pointed out the spot which ,rundle ,bey had reached when he reconnoitred ,abu ,hamed in #ahhe4 ,the road was plainly marked out by the bones of camels and donkeys1 and1 prior to the appearance of the ,mahdi1 had been a much-used trade route4 ,mohammed ,ali ,pasha had ridden along this road under the guidance of ,hussein ,pasha ,khalifa4 ,mohammed ,ali had constantly expressed a desire to halt1 but his guide would not allow him to dismount1 except at certain places1 saying1 ,i am commander here2 and to this ,mohammed ,ali had willingly consented1 for he well knew that a refusal to do as he was told by the sheikh of the desert1 in that awful wilderness1 might have been followed by very serious results4 ,our approach to a haven of safety gave us courage to undergo most terrible fatigue4 ,by far our worst enemy was sleep2 it is quite impossible for me to describe the fearful attacks this tyrannical foe made upon us4 ,we tried every means in our power to keep awake2 we shouted and talked loudly to each other2 we tried to startle ourselves by giving a sudden jerk2 we pinched ourselves till the blood ran down1 but our eyelids weighed down like balls of lead1 and it required a fearful effort to keep them open4 ,ma tenamu 7,don't sleep71 ,ahmed kept repeating1 or you will fall off and break your leg4 ,but it was all no good2 the conversation would flag1 and silence follow4 ,the camels seemed to know their riders were asleep1 and instinctively fell into slower pace2 the head kept nodding1 until it sunk upon the chest2 with a sudden start1 the equilibrium which had been almost lost would be recovered1 and then sleep vanished4 ,at times we would shout out to one another words of encouragement1 then we would whip up our camels and on again1 up and down1 through sandy plains and rocky gorges1 where the echoes seemed to repeat themselves a hundred times4 ,our destination was ,murat1 where we remembered ,gordon had given orders for a well to be dug1 but it had never been done4 ,ahmed said that we should be at ,murat on the morning of the #gth of ,december4 ,he told us how the ,dervishes had sometimes pursued fugitives as far as this1 and not long ago had killed one near here4 ,our poor camels were now dragging their weary limbs very slowly2 the whip was now quite useless1 as it had not the smallest effect in increasing their pace4 ,besides1 it was pain to me to beat the good creatures that had helped us to escape4 ,we were so utterly fatigued that it was with the greatest difficulty we succeeded in keeping on our camels at all2 hunger1 sleeplessness1 and absolute lassitude had completely conquered us1 and our wounds pained and irritated us2 but the feeling that we were almost safe was as balm to both mind and body4 ,just before sunset we turned down the khor which leads to ,murat2 the fort covering the wells was visible on the hills1 surmounted by the red flag with the white crescent and star in the centre4 ,ahmed1 ,i cried1 greet the flag of freedom6 and our courageous deliverer seized his gun and fired shot after shot into the air1 to announce our arrival to the ,egyptian garrison4 ,the echo of these shots resounded again and again in the deep valleys1 as if joining with us in our joy at deliverance from the hands of the cruel ,khalifa ,abdullah4 ,they seemed to announce the release of our spirits from beneath his sheepskin4 ,this was an expression which the ,khalifa delighted to use when talking of his captured enemies1 whose souls1 he said1 lay beneath his furwa1 meaning that their lives were entirely in his hands4 ,now we were actually in safety4 ,a prayer of the deepest gratitude went up from the very depths of our thankful hearts2 it is quite impossible to find words to express what we then felt4 ,our camels seemed to pull themselves together for a final effort1 so as to present us honourably to the ,ababdehs1 who were now coming out to meet us4 ,the reports of our rifles had at first caused some stir in the little garrison1 who feared a sudden attack1 and had come out fully armed2 but they soon recognized us1 and answered our salute by discharging their guns in the air4 ,these good people received us most kindly1 asked us a thousand questions1 and1 surrounding us1 brought us to the commandant's hut4 ,here1 on the #hth of ,december1 the ,feast of the ,immaculate ,conception1 we alighted from our camels1 and the hopes which had kept us alive for years1 were at last realized4 ,this supreme moment1 about which we had so often talked with our companions in adversity1 which we had thought about1 dreamed about1 and pictured to ourselves1 this delicious moment had come at last1 and we were free6 ,but the effects of hunger1 fatigue1 and the sights and scenes we had gone through during the last month1 did not disappear so easily2 our senses seemed dulled1 and our first thought on entering the commandant's hut was to lie down on the floor and go to sleep1 but1 strange to say1 that wonderful restorer would not come2 we sat gossiping with the ,ababdehs1 who could scarcely credit that we1 especially the sisters1 could have survived such a ride4 ,we had covered the entire distance of #ejj miles between ,omdurman and ,murat in seven days1 including the day we had spent wandering about in the hills before crossing the river4 ,the staying power of our camels had astonished me2 how easily one of them might have stumbled and broken its leg as we trotted hard through the dark nights1 unable to see where we were going6 ,but ,ahmed and his companions had used all their knowledge in securing thoroughly good animals2 our excellent guides had been ever ready to help and assist us2 full of energy and pluck1 they had carried out their enterprise with the utmost sagacity and integrity4 ,poor ,ahmed had dwindled down almost to a skeleton1 and when he dismounted at ,murat was overcome by a fit of dizziness1 from which he did not recover for an hour4 ,meanwhile we had refreshed ourselves with a cup of coffee and some bread and milk which the commandant1 ,mohammed ,saleh1 had offered us1 and which had revived us considerably4 ,murat is situated in the desert1 about midway between ,korosko and ,abu ,hamed2 here three valleys unite in a sort of crater1 and the hill-tops are crowned with small forts built by the ,ababdehs1 from whence they can keep guard over the main wells1 and1 besides1 see for an immense distance all around4 ,this1 the most advanced ,egyptian outpost1 is garrisoned by the ,ababdeh ,arabs of ,saleh ,bey1 the son of ,hussein ,pasha ,khalifa2 these people live very simply in the midst of this great desert1 drawing their provisions monthly from ,korosko4 ,there are a number of wells1 but the water is brackish and in summer almost undrinkable1 though it is not so bad in the winter2 but we had still some of our ,nile water1 which had cost us so dearly at ,meshra ,dehesh4 ,close to the wells is a little hut1 built by ,gordon's orders4 ,murat is a most desolate and lonely spot1 unbearably hot in the summer1 when the fierce rays of the sun are reflected from all sides of the deep crater-like valley in which it lies4 ,the same day that we arrived one of ,ahmed ,hassan's nephews had reached ,murat from ,korosko1 and gave us some of the dates and flour he was taking into the ,sudan2 he left for ,abu ,hamed the next day1 and no doubt the news of our safe arrival was soon announced in ,omdurman4 ,during the #hth and #ith of ,december we rested4 ,mohammed ,saleh supplied us with some biscuit1 and on the #ith we again set off from ,murat towards ,korosko4 ,our rest had greatly refreshed us1 and now we could ride quietly without any fear of pursuit4 ,one of our guides was mounted on a she-camel1 which the commander had supplied1 and she gave us plenty of milk4 ,a few days before starting her little baby-camel had died1 the owner had skinned it1 and now whenever we required milk1 we had only to stretch out the skin in front of her and let her smell it4 ,we now rode only by day1 and rested at night4 ,heavy rain had fallen about a month before1 and we found a reservoir of good water about a day out of ,murat4 ,some of the ,murat garrison had1 previous to our arrival1 gone into ,korosko to get their monthly pay and were now returning2 they happened to encamp near this natural reservoir1 and seeing us took us for ,dervishes1 rushed to their arms1 took up a position behind a rock and levelled their rifles at us1 but ,ahmed1 who knew them at once1 called out and they hurried up to us1 begging pardon for the mistake they had made4 ,they gave us some of their flour1 dates1 and tobacco1 and we chatted with them till nightfall4 ,we made no further extended halt1 and on the early morning of the #acth of ,december reached ,korosko4 ,in the deep valley which debouches suddenly on to the ,nile at this place we alighted1 cleaned ourselves as best we could1 and then mounted our camels for the last time1 and soon came in sight first of the palm-trees and then of the ,nile1 which we had last seen at ,abu ,hamed4 ,we were at once surrounded by numbers of people1 who bore us off to the fort1 and here the commandant1 ,lieutenant-,colonel ,ali ,bey ,haider1 greeted us most cordially1 and for the first time for many years we found ourselves in comfortable rooms again1 and listening to the regimental band1 which we greatly enjoyed4 ,on the evening of the #aeth of ,december we got on board a steamer which took us down most comfortably to ,assiut4 ,here we were greeted by ,mr4 ,santoni and ,brother ,sayer1 who had been directed by the ,cairo ,mission to come on board and welcome us4 ,from ,assiut we took the train to ,cairo1 where we arrived safely on the #bast of ,december1 #ahia4 ,the rapid transition from barbarism to civilization1 our pleasant journey from ,korosko to ,cairo1 intercourse with educated people1 the incessant change of scene1 all affected us greatly2 but our joy and delight at being free was somewhat saddened by the thought of the sufferings of our poor companions in our adversity1 whom we had left behind in slavery and captivity4 ,our guides accompanied us to ,cairo1 where they received the money agreed upon1 and we felt full of thankfulness to the energetic ,ahmed ,hassan and his two companions2 but to our good ,archbishop ,sogaro we owe a deep debt of gratitude1 for it was through his intermediary all arrangements for our happy release had been effected4 ,it may be as well to insert here the terms of agreement made in ,arabic between ,monsignor ,sogaro and ,ahmed ,hassan regarding our release4 ,the wording is as follows3-- ,i1 the undersigned1 ,ahmed ,hassan el ,abbadi1 of ,bashri ,mohammed ,ali's ,arabs1 agree to proceed at once to ,omdurman to bring ,father ,ohrwalder and the two nuns from ,omdurman to ,cairo4 ,i agree to take care of them on the journey1 and to do all in my power to bring them here and to give them every satisfaction4 ,as a reward and to recompense me for the expenses which ,i shall incur between ,omdurman and ,cairo1 ,monsignor ,sogaro has agreed to give me3-- #a4 ,all the goods to the value of #ajj now in possession of ,sheikh ,abdel ,hadi at ,korosko4 #b4 #bj in advance before leaving ,cairo4 #c4 ,on my return from ,omdurman with ,father ,ohrwalder and the two nuns1 a sum of #cjj1 i4e4 #ajj for each person4 ,this is the agreement between me and ,monsignor ,sogaro1 and ,i have made it of my own free will and accord1 and have been in no way forced to do so by any one4 ,monsignor ,sogaro and myself signed this agreement1 and ,wingate ,bey1 ,assistant ,adjutant-,general1 ,intelligence1 stands as a witness4 ,this agreement will be kept in the ,war ,office until ,i return from ,omdurman with the three persons above-named1 and ,i shall be dealt with in accordance with its contents4,u ,signed1 ,,ahmed ,,hassan ,,el ,,abbadi1 of ,sayala1 ,frontier ,mudirieh4 ,l,,on ,,henriot 7for ,monsignor ,sogaro74 ,cairo1 #ith ,july1 #ahia4 ,below is written in ,english3-- ,this is a private agreement between ,monsignor ,sogaro and ,ahmed ,hassan el ,abbadi1 who leaves ,cairo for ,omdurman on ,friday1 the #bjth ,july1 #ahia1 and will attempt to bring ,father ,ohrwalder to ,egypt4 ,witnessed by me1 ,f4 ,r4 ,,wingate1 ,kaimakam1 ,a4 ,a4-,g41 ,intelligence1 ,egyptian ,army4 ,war ,office1 #ith ,july1 #ahia4 ,i was1 of course1 intensely anxious to hear what had occurred in ,omdurman after our departure4 ,i thought that our flight would have remained undiscovered that night1 the following day1 and possibly the following night2 but it was not so4 ,early in the morning on the #cjth of ,november our absence was discovered by some women who had been standing before the door of my house4 ,they had seen us and were surprised1 because we did not usually leave the house after sunset4 ,the idea of flight did not probably at once occur to them1 but their suspicions were aroused4 ,early in the morning they had knocked at my door1 and receiving no answer1 related what they had seen to my neighbour's slave1 who in turn informed her master4 ,he1 in great terror1 carried the information to the mukuddum of the ,europeans4 ,this man1 accompanied by many of my friends1 hastened to my house1 and1 breaking open the door1 was assured of my flight by finding a letter which ,i had left4 ,the poor man had1 to save his life1 to at once inform the ,khalifa1 who ordered the sheikh of the market to find us even should we be buried in the earth4 ,wad er ,rais therefore closed all the houses and arrested every one who could possibly have known of my flight1 and threw them into chains1 with threats of the gallows and the knife4 ,my neighbours were also arrested4 ,when he could get no information whatever from these people1 the ,khalifa sent to ,metemmeh a certain ,ibrahim ,wad el ,ahmer1 who had three camels1 and was ordered to bring us back at all hazards4 ,but the beit el mal had first to buy the camels at very high prices--#abj1 #aaj1 and #hg dollars respectively--and before they could start some busybody told the ,khalifa that ,khalifa ,sherif had concealed me in a boat belonging to a certain ,osman ,fauzi1 and had aided my flight in order that ,i should move the ,egyptian ,government to the support of his oppressed party4 ,another declared that he had seen white faces in the boat4 ,these statements impressed the ,khalifa1 who sent men at once to recapture the boat and examine the passengers4 ,the boat was captured near ,omdurman and examined1 of course1 with no result1 on which the ,khalifa was pacified1 and sent off the camels4 ,ibrahim inquired minutely along the route to ,metemmeh1 but could get no information4 ,in the meantime those well disposed towards us lived in the keenest apprehension lest we should be recaptured4 ,only on ,ibrahim's return without any news could our friends breathe freely and feel sure that we must have got away safely4 ,then those who had been imprisoned were released4 ,later on ,i received a letter from ,omdurman telling me that our flight had raised a commotion throughout the whole city1 and that the prisoners had to suffer very much4 ,it may be learned from this what grave consequences had to be considered before ,i took the important step of flight4 ,should anyone else attempt it1 those who remain must suffer4 ,may ,god protect our poor companions6 ,,footnotes3 ,u ,this contract and all correspondence connected with it was kept sealed in the ,intelligence ,office1 and was opened by ,general ,sir ,f4 ,grenfell1 ,sirdar1 on the #adth day of ,december1 #ahia1 when the news of the arrival of the party at ,korosko reached ,cairo4--,f4 ,r4 ,w4 ,,chapter ,,xxvi4 ,,the ,,present ,,khalifa',s ,,despotism ,,in ,,the ,,sudan4 ,the reader is reminded that all opinions expressed are those of ,father ,ohrwalder4--,f4 ,r4 ,w4 ,reflections on the situation in the ,sudan--,the horrors of the present ,khalifa's rule--,how long shall it continue8 ,in the foregoing pages we have glanced at a bloody period in the history of the ,sudan--the rise of the ,mahdi1 his victorious career through ,kordofan1 and his conquest of ,khartum4 ,we have sketched the development of his mighty empire1 founded in bloodshed and revolution1 and we have seen him honoured as a messenger of ,god by the millions of the ,sudan2 glorified--nay1 almost worshipped--by his own people1 and watched by the ,muslim neighbours of his empire with an admiration mingled with the keenest anxiety4 ,then1 in the full enjoyment of his victories1 at the supreme moment of his power1 while seated in his capital of ,omdurman1 he revolved schemes of conquest of the whole world he knew2 then dead--dead of debauchery and disease1 dead at an age when most lives' promises are brightest4 ,then we have seen the empire tottering1 ,abdullah rising to its support1 slowly but firmly strengthening the trembling power1 and1 with the strength of bigotry and ignorance1 replacing a shattered superstition by the iron rule of might4 ,here ,i may properly submit some reflections on the general situation4 ,mohammed ,ali conquered the ,sudan1 and in the train of his conquest followed all the triumphs of progress and civilization4 ,wide new territories were discovered1 fertile and thickly populated2 explorers and missionaries advanced to the very heart of negro-land2 ,nile's solitudes were rippled by the advancing steamer4 ,far beyond the ,equator reached the telegraph1 and the metropolis of the ,sudan formed part of the international postal system4 ,trade blossomed in security1 and the white man could march to the countries of the ,niam ,niam1 and there join hands with his brother from the ,congo4 ,european culture spread throughout1 and the religion of ,christ planted the world-saving banner in remotest frontiers4 ,the progress of fifty years was ruined by the ,mahdi's revolt4 ,the ,sudan fell back into the darkness from which philanthropy had rescued it4 ,civilization was swamped in the flood of fanaticism4 ,the sign of salvation was blotted out1 the bearers of it chained as slaves1 and the flag of tyranny waved over smoking ruins from ,darfur to the ,red ,sea1 and from ,regaf northwards to the second cataract4 ,bands of fanatics have swept over the face of the land1 destroying every ,christian sign4 ,the ,sudan lies open in its desolation and nakedness4 ,everything but a little cloth and a little corn is superfluous1--nay wicked1--for those who accept the ,mahdi's promise of eternal life4 ,the minds of men are savage through years of warfare4 ,the ignorant ,baggara rule and the gentler ,jaalin and ,danagla are oppressed2 the land is fallen back to wilderness4 ,the present ruler1 ,abdullah1 is marching steadily in the path of desolation4 ,he roots out eagerly every vestige of ,egyptian rule2 all foreign influence he keeps at a distance1 for he will rule over an ignorant people4 ,he wants nothing from beyond his own boundaries4 ,if he has no money1 cloth becomes the medium of exchange2 ammunition he makes himself4 ,with his ,baggaras he rules with an iron hand4 ,those who resist are pitilessly robbed1 imprisoned1 or exiled4 ,abdullah rules in the name of the ,mahdi1 whose religious prestige is the readiest weapon for swaying the multitude4 ,he keeps unaltered the decisions1 the visions1 the wild dreams which so powerfully established the imposture4 ,the pilgrimage to ,mecca he regards as dangerous4 ,even from such enlightenment as they might find at the shrine of their faith1 his people are heedfully kept away4 ,a ,spartan habit of life was enjoined by the ,mahdi4 ,this ,abdullah still attempts to maintain1 for he wishes the people to be ready to follow him1 and is careful that they shall have no inducement to stay at home4 ,like the ,mahdi1 the ,khalifa puts his orders in the form of visions1 which have the weight of divine manifestations4 ,often he locks himself in darkness in the ,mahdi's tomb1 and spends nights in pretended commune with his master4 ,the policy of ,abdullah is directed to strengthening his power and concentrating it in the hands of his ,baggaras4 ,once he is sure of what he has got1 he will try to enlarge his dominion4 ,barbarism and desolation will be extended to provinces which internal difficulties have so far prevented him from absorbing4 ,he thinks of nothing but war4 ,omdurman is one vast camp4 ,all men bear arms or are flogged2 whoso rides must carry a spear and five javelins4 ,speeches and harangues all raise the spirit of war4 ,the weakness of the monarchy lies in the dissensions between the ,baggara and the ,aulad-belad--that is1 the ,jaalin1 ,danagla1 and others4 ,the ,danagla are objects of the ,khalifa's special aversion1 and he would gladly exterminate them4 ,but with his ,baggaras he can at present maintain himself with ease4 ,mahdiism is founded on plunder and violence1 and by plunder and violence it is carried on4 ,in some districts half the people are dead1 in others the loss of life is even greater4 ,whole tribes have been completely blotted out1 and in their places roam the wild beasts1 spreading and increasing in fierceness and in numbers1 until they bid fair to finish the destruction of the human race2 for they enter huts1 and women and children are no longer safe4 ,how long shall this condition of affairs continue8 ,negotiation with ,abdullah is hopeless2 that has been proved by many well-intentioned efforts1 but shall savagery and desolation continue for ever8 ,shall the roads remain always closed that lead from ,halfa and ,sawakin to the richest provinces of ,africa8 ,the ,sudan has lost faith in the humanity of ,europe1 nor does it cease from wonder why ,europe has not yet stepped in4 ,consuls of the greatest nations have been murdered1 their flags torn down1 their agents kept in slavery4 ,interference while the revolt was at its height could not perhaps be efficient--that is understood4 ,but now the face of things is changed4 ,the ,sudanese have been heavily punished for their mistaken trust2 they have suffered to the bitter end4 ,where may they look for a deliverer8 ,for the sake of three people did not ,england undertake a costly and difficult war8 ,is not even a more worthy object the punishment of ,abdullah and the delivery of the enslaved and decimated peoples8 ,i have pined ten years in bondage1 and now1 by the help of ,god1 ,i have escaped4 ,in the names of the companions with whom ,i suffered1 in the name of the ,sudan people1 whose misery ,i have seen1 and in the name of all civilized nations1 ,i ask this question3 ,how long shall ,europe--and above all that nation which has first part in ,egypt and the ,sudan--which stands deservedly first in civilizing savage races1 how long shall ,europe and ,great ,britain watch unmoved the outrages of the ,khalifa and the destruction of the ,sudan people8 ,,index4 ,ababdeh tribe1 #abd-e1 #bac1 #cea1 #cec1 #cfj1 #cii1 #ddj-b4 ,abba ,island1 #f-g1 #ih4 ,abbas1 steamer1 #abg-h4 ,abdel ,baki1 emir1 #cae-i4 ,abdel ,gayum1 eunuch1 #bid4 ,abdel ,hadi 7,arab71 #bfc4 ,abdel ,halim1 ,emir1 #gf1 #gh1 #hf1 #hh1 #ajb1 #bfj4 ,abdel ,kader ,pasha1 #ej1 #afd4 ,abdel ,kader 7,mahdi's uncle71 #ei1 #aee1 #afd1 #bad1 #cej1 #djj4 ,abdel ,kader ,guru1 death of1 #bfb4 ,abdel ,karim 7,mahdi's uncle71 #afj1 #afd-e4 ,abdel ,majid1 #bef1 #cbf1 #cdc4 ,abdel ,maula1 #bbh4 ,abdel ,nur1 #cbj-cbb4 ,abdel ,samad1 #ic4 ,abderrahman ,wad ,abu ,degel1 #bec4 ,abderrahman ,wad en ,nejumi1 #af1 #fj1 #if1 #ih1 #abe-f1 #acj1 #ada1 #ade1 #adi1 #afe1 #aga1 #bjf1 #bcc1 #bee-fa1 #cej1 #chg1 #dab2 vanquished at ,argin1 #bfb-e2 death of1 #bfc4 ,abdullah et ,taishi1 ,khalifa1 #aj-a1 #ad1 #dc-f1 #fd1 #ff1 #fi-ga1 #hg1 #if1 #abj1 #aca1 #adf1 #adi1 #aea2 and ,king ,adam1 #ie2 and the sisters1 #ajj2 and ,father ,ohrwalder1 #aaf-g2 succeeds the ,mahdi1 #afb-c1 #ahe1 #ahh2 and revolt of black soldiers of old ,sudan army1 #aic-bjj2 at ,omdurman1 #bjb-c1 #bjf2 and ,wad ,suleiman1 #bjf-g2 ,ibrahim ,wad ,adlan1 #bjg-h1 #cbc-g2 and coinage at ,omdurman1 #baj-c2 system of justice1 #bad-e1 #cbh-cce2 and ,fiki ,medawi1 #bah2 and ,yunis emir1 #bai-bj2 and ,king ,john1 #bba2 and ,abu ,anga1 #bbd2 grand review at ,omdurman1 #bbe-f2 war with ,abyssinia1 #bbh-ca1 #bdb-eb2 and ,saleh ,bey1 #bcb-d2 and ,darfur1 #bce-da2 and ,egypt1 #bed-f1 #beh-fi2 letters from1 #beg2 sends expedition up the ,white ,nile1 #bfi-gb2 and the ,mahdi's decrees1 #bgc2 followers of1 #bgd2 and the ,mahdi's tomb1 #bge-i2 palace and houses of1 #bhj-a2 and war requisites1 #bha1 #cff-ge2 and the famine in ,omdurman1 #bhg-ib2 description of1 #bic2 dress and food of1 #bic-d2 harem of1 #bid2 illnesses of1 #bid-e2 character1 #bie-f2 spies of1 #bie2 and political conversations1 #bif1 #cbj2 mosque at ,omdurman1 #big-h2 and visions1 #bih-i2 a man of great activity1 #cjj2 fondness for music1 #cja2 his barber1 #cja2 life-guards and household cavalry of1 #cja-b2 and business affairs of the ,state1 #cjb2 displays of magnificence1 #cjb-d2 cleanliness of1 #cjd2 grand reviews at ,omdurman1 #cjg-h2 and the ,taisha ,arabs1 #cjh-aa2 and firearms1 #caa-b2 his brother1 see ,yakub2 and the ,batahin tribe1 #cae-bj2 and ,abdel ,nur1 #cba-b2 and the ,saier at ,omdurman1 #cdg-eb2 and ,charles ,neufeld1 #cee-fj2 and ,sheikh ,khalil1 #cfa-d2 and the slave trade1 #chd-e2 and the ,baggaras1 #chg-dje2 his son ,osman1 #cij-a2 strict surveillance over the whites1 #dab-c2 horrors of his rule1 #ddg-ej4 ,abdullah ,wad en ,nur1 #fj1 #ih1 #ajj1 #aae1 #abe1 #adc4 ,abdullah ,wad ,ibrahim1 #ch1 #bbc1 #bbe1 #bbg1 #bbi2 and ,abyssinia1 #bdg1 #beb-c4 ,abu ,anga 7commander-in-chief of ,mahdi's forces71 #fj1 #he-i1 #ih1 #aaa-b1 #abe1 #aca1 #afd1 #aga1 #age1 #bjb1 #djb2 description and history of1 #bba-ca2 and ,abyssinia1 #bdb-d2 death of1 #bde-f2 and slave trade1 #chd4 ,abu ,gemaizeh1 religious reformer1 #bcg-dj4 ,abu ,girgeh1 emir1 #gf1 #ha1 #id1 #abe1 #afg-h1 #bah1 #bfg1 #cfj4 ,abu ,habl1 the ,khor1 #c1 #gh-i4 ,abu ,hamed1 #cfd1 #dcc2 rebels at1 #abj1 #abh4 ,abu ,haraz1 #bai1 #bbi4 ,abu ,klea1 battle of1 #acd1 #adg-h1 #agg4 ,abu ,kru1 battle of1 #af1 #acd4 ,abu ,kuka1 #ef4 ,abu ,saud1 #g4 ,abyssinia1 and ,kassala garrisons1 #aff-g2 and ,galabat1 #bag-bj2 ,abu ,anga and1 #bbi-ca1 #bda-d2 defeat of ,king ,john's army1 #bde-ec4 ,adam1 ,king1 of ,tagalla1 #ie1 #ajb1 #bbc4 ,adansonia trees1 #cd1 #dj1 #gf1 #hh1 #agj1 #aih4 ,adila1 girl at the ,khartum ,mission1 #dba1 #dbd1 #dbf4 ,adultery1 the ,mahdi's punishment for1 #fb4 ,agriculture in the ,mahdiist kingdom1 #cgf-he4 ,ahmed ,bey ,daffallah1 #aj1 #ba1 #ce1 #ch1 #ei1 #beb4 ,ahmed ,bey ,defterdar1 #bcd4 ,ahmed ,hassan and escape of ,father ,ohrwalder1 #dae-de4 ,ahmed ,sharfi1 #g1 #adj1 #djc-g4 ,ahmed ,wad ,suleiman1 #fc1 #hb-d1 #if-g1 #aaa1 #aci1 #adc-e1 #afa1 #bjf-g1 #cej4 ,aigella1 #gg1 #agd4 ,aisha1 the ,mahdi's principal wife1 #aeg1 #aei4 ,ala ed ,din ,pasha1 #a1 #gg1 #hh4 ,alchemy1 ,sudanese and1 #cfi4 ,alcoholic drinks1 the ,sudanese and1 #ag2 see also ,marissa4 ,ali ,bakhit1 #agb1 #agd1 #aii4 ,ali ,bey ,haider1 ,lieut-,col41 #ddc4 ,ali ,esh ,sherif1 ,khalifa1 #ad-e1 #cg1 #da1 #ei1 #ff1 #fi1 #hh1 #ic1 #ajj1 #adf1 #afc2 at ,omdurman1 #bjb-c1 #bed1 #cjf1 #cdi1 #cii-djg1 #ddf4 ,ali ,pasha1 #abg4 ,ali ,wad ,helu1 ,khalifa1 #ad1 #adf1 #afc1 #bhb1 #cjf1 #djc-g4 ,allegiance1 sheikhs' oath of1 #gj4 ,aluba1 ,hicks at1 #he4 ,amarar ,arabs1 #bff-g4 ,andreis1 ,sister ,a41 #dh4 ,amhara1 the chief of1 #bag4 ,amina 7a black girl71 #gc4 ,ammunition1 the ,khalifa's1 #cff-ge4 ,amulets1 the fikis and1 #bgd-e1 #djb4 ,ansar1 the1 #cjf-h1 #cec4 ,arabi1 ,baggara called1 #bfe4 ,arabi ,pasha1 #gg4 ,arabs2 in ,omdurman1 #bhc2 see ,baggaras1 ,bederieh1 ,beni ,jerrar1 ,dar ,hamed1 ,ghodiat1 ,gowameh1 ,hawazma1 ,kababish1 c4 ,argin1 battle of1 #aae1 #bfb4 ,aser1 ,american ,consul1 #ada4 ,ashaf ,station1 #aa4 ,ashraf1 the1 #adi1 #bad4 ,assiut1 #ddc4 ,assuan1 #agd1 #bef4 ,atbara ,river1 #bdi4 ,aulad-belad1 the1 #cia-b1 #dje-f1 #ddi4 ,austrian ,mission1 at ,delen1 #d-e1 #bd-cj2 church at ,khartum1 #acg-h2 at ,el ,obeid1 #bjj2 see also ,sisters4 ,awad el ,kerim ,abu ,sin1 #cej4 ,baggara tribe1 #c1 #ad-e1 #bj1 #be-f1 #cb1 #di1 #gh1 #ajf1 #afb-c1 #agh1 #bba1 #bee1 #beh1 #bff1 #bhg1 #bic1 #cad1 #cbe1 #cda2 horsemanship of1 #cjh2 emirs1 #cab2 women1 #cha2 masters of the ,sudan1 #chg-djg1 #ddi2 see also ,taisha ,arabs4 ,bahr el ,arab1 #c4 ,bahr el ,ghazal1 slave trade in1 #h-i1 #ab1 #agf1 #chc2 revolt in1 #bda4 ,bahr el ,karrar1 #beg-h4 ,baker ,pasha1 ,general ,valentine1 defeat of1 #aai2 at ,el ,teb1 #bff4 ,banners of the ,mahdi's ,khalifas1 see ,flags4 ,bara town1 #aa1 #ee1 #gg1 #bjj-b1 #bce2 fall of1 #ef4 ,barabra tribe1 #abe1 #bee1 #cia1 #cii2 language of1 #bhc4 ,bashra1 the ,mahdi's son1 #aei4 ,batahin tribe1 #bje1 #bfj1 #cae-bj4 ,bayuda ,desert1 #af4 ,bederieh ,arabs1 the1 #c1 #aa1 #bj1 #ajf1 #afg4 ,beit el mal at ,omdurman1 #bjh-ad1 #cab1 #cbc1 #chj1 #cic-e4 ,ben en ,naga ,bey1 #ba1 #hh-i2 son of1 #ccc2 daughter of1 #cdc4 ,benga village1 #dcj4 ,beni ,helba tribe1 #bdj4 ,beni ,jerrar ,arabs1 #ce1 #bch4 ,berber1 #a1 #ad2 fall of1 #aba1 #abd-e2 ,gordon at1 #abc1 #bjh1 #bef1 #cab1 #chj1 #cif1 #dcj1 #dci2 ,osman ,digna at1 #bff1 #bfh2 old1 #bge2 famine in1 #bij4 ,berghof1 a ,german1 #i4 ,birket1 #c1 #aa1 #bj-a1 #bh1 #cd1 #hf1 #ia4 ,bishir1 #aig1 #bbd1 #bbg4 ,bishir ,bey1 #bei4 ,blue ,nile1 #abf1 #acc-d1 #aej1 #bjd1 #bbg1 #cgi2 towns on the1 #bhd4 ,bonomi1 ,father1 #a1 #e1 #bg1 #ca-b1 #dc1 #ej1 #ef1 #fh-ga1 #gc1 #ig1 #ajj1 #aah1 #agj1 #agb-c2 escape of1 #agh-hd1 #ahf1 #ceb4 ,books1 the ,mahdi and1 #fc2 ,khalifa ,abdullah and1 #bii1 #djj-a4 ,borgo1 ,sultan of1 #ab1 #bcg4 ,brick-making at ,delen1 #e4 ,bringi1 executioner at ,omdurman1 #cah1 #cbe1 #cef4 ,british ,east ,africa1 ,imperial1 ,co41 #bga4 ',bruce's ,travels' and the ,batahin tribe1 #cae4 ,buri village1 #abe1 #acb4 ,busata village1 #agd4 ,cairo1 #a1 #bed2 merchants of1 and ,el ,obeid1 #ce2 ,ohrwalder's arrival at1 #ddc4 ,camels1 in ,kordofan1 #ce-f1 #cgi2 of the ,gehena tribe1 #bbf1 #bbh2 of the ,kababish tribe1 #bcb1 #bcd2 for ,ohrwalder's escape1 #dbb1 #dbg1 #ddb4 ,cattle in ,dar ,nuba1 #d2 in ,kordofan1 #ce2 of the ,arabs1 #abf2 of the ,gehena tribe1 #bbf2 breeding in the ,sudan1 #cgf-i2 cows of the ,shilluks1 #cgi4 ,cemetery1 ,european1 at ,khartum1 #aej4 ,chad ,lake1 #bda4 ,chincarini1 ,sister ,c41 #dac-de4 ,clementino1 ,george1 #abf1 #adb4 ,clothing in the ,mahdi's kingdom1 #cha4 ,coins in ,omdurman1 #baj-ac4 ,comboni1 ,bishop1 #a1 #b1 #bd2 grave of1 at ,khartum1 #aej4 ,combotti1 ,marietta1 #aah4 ,comet1 a wonderful1 #dd4 ,commerce in the ,mahdiist kingdom1 #cgf-he4 ,corsi1 ,sister ,concetta1 #eg1 #dai4 ,cripples in ,omdurman1 #ccg4 ,curios1 museum of1 at ,omdurman1 #bac4 ,cuzzi1 ,joseph1 #abj1 #abe-f4 ,dabarosa bazaar1 the1 #beh4 ,dabra ,sin1 battle of1 #bbi4 ,dair1 ,jebel1 #c4 ,damur1 pieces of cloth1 #cha-b2 used as coins1 #baj4 ,danagla1 see ,dongola4 ,dara1 #ic4 ,dar ,fertit1 singers from1 #cja4 ,darfur1 #ab1 #ce2 ,slatin ,bey1 ,governor of1 #b2 the ,mahdi conquers1 #ic-d1 #ih2 historical sketch of1 #bcd-da2 ,zogal and1 #bja-c2 revolt in1 #bfj1 #chg2 horses in1 #cjh2 women and spinning1 #cha2 slaves from1 #chd4 ,dar ,homr 7,arabs71 #aa1 #bj1 #ce1 #ajf1 #cja1 #cji1 #cif4 ,dar ,nauli tribe of ,arabs1 #ajf4 ,dar ,nuba1 see ,nuba4 ,dar ,shaggieh1 #chj4 ,dead1 the ,mahdi's law about the1 #ai4 ,debaineh tribe1 #bij4 ,degheim tribe1 #ad4 ,delen1 arrival at1 #c2 ,mission at1 #d1 #e2 news of the ,mahdi at1 #g1 #h2 description of1 #bc-ca2 quicksilver at1 #ce1 #agh1 #ahg1 #aig4 ,dervishes1 the ,mahdi's1 #de2 at ,el ,obeid1 #eg-i2 and ,hicks ,pasha's army1 #hh2 in ,khartum1 #adj2 and ,olivier ,pain1 #agc2 revolt against1 #ahi-bjj2 at ,galabat1 #bag-i2 review of1 at ,omdurman1 #bbe-f2 and tobacco chewing1 #bgf2 and the famine in ,omdurman1 #bhi2 at ,fashoda1 #chd4 ,dhurra in ,omdurman1 #bhe1 #cgh1 #cha4 ,dichtl1 ,johann1 #a4 ,dinka tribe1 #agf4 ,disease in the ,sudan1 #chf4 ,dispensary at ,omdurman1 #bac4 ,dobab mountain1 #c1 #ajb4 ,dogman mountain1 #bd1 #bh4 ,dogs1 ,mahdi's doctrine about1 #adc1 #cce4 ,doka1 ,sheikh ,egeil and1 #bai4 ,dome to ,mahdi's tomb at ,omdurman1 #bge1 #bgg4 ,dongola1 #ab1 #ad1 #ce1 #id1 #abg1 #afc1 #agb1 #agh1 #aij1 #bee1 #bef1 #beg-fe1 #bfh1 #cab1 #chj1 #chd1 #chg1 #cia1 #cif1 #cii1 #ddi2 famine in1 #bij2 language1 #bhc4 ,doorway of the ,mahdi's tomb1 #bgg4 ,dreams1 the ,mahdi and1 #aaj-a1 #cec1 #ddi4 ,drums of the ,mahdi's ,khalifas1 #ae1 #dd1 #dg1 #bha1 #cjd-f4 ,dud ,benga1 ,sultan1 #ahd4 ,duem1 #abf2 ,general ,hicks at1 #gf4 ,dwarf1 a1 at ,rahad1 #aaj4 ,ed ,din1 ,sheikh1 see ,osman1 ,khalifa4 ,egeil1 sheikh1 #bah-i1 #bba4 ,egypt1 and ,delen1 #d2 and the ,sudan1 #cd2 ,abdullah and1 #bed-f1 #beg-fi2 and the ,sudan1 #abc1 #cbc2 ,wad ,adlan and1 #cbf2 the ,mahdi and1 #aaj4 ,egyptian troops1 ,hicks ,pasha's1 #gg-ij1 #ib-c4 ,el ,eilafun1 #abg4 ,el ,fasher1 steamer1 #abh4 ,el ,merhdi ,abu ,rof1 #afd1 #bbf-g4 ,el ,obeid1 #b1 #f2 garrison of1 #aj1 #ba2 the ,mahdi and1 #aa1 #bj1 #bi1 #cf-da2 description of1 #cd-f2 siege of1 #eb-g1 #bcb2 ,zogal at1 #ge2 the ,mahdi leaves1 #he1 #ii-ajj2 triumphal return to1 #ia-c1 #agj-b2 ,king ,adam at1 #ie2 ,lupton ,bey at1 #agf2 small-pox in1 #ahc2 revolt of black soldiers at1 #ahi-bjj1 #bbc2 slaves at1 #chc-d4 ,el ,obeid1 ,sheikh1 #abd1 #abg1 #acj1 #cae4 ,el ,teb1 battle of1 #bff4 ,elephants1 #c2 in ,darfur1 #bda4 ,elias el ,kurdi1 #baj4 ,elias ,pasha1 #aj1 #ab1 #ba1 #ce1 #dj1 #gf1 #hh1 #ic2 son of1 #hf4 ,elias ,wad ,kanuna1 emir1 #bga4 ,emin ,pasha1 #aa2 ,gordon and1 #acc2 and ,lupton ,bey1 #agf2 ,khalifa ,abdullah and1 #bfi-gb4 ,emirs1 the1 of the ,sudan provinces1 #df1 #cab4 ,england and ,egypt1 #bfb2 and the ,sudan1 #dej4 ,english mail1 capture of an1 #abj4 ,english ,relief ,expedition to ,khartum1 #adg-i1 #agf-h2 and ,kababish tribe1 #bcb2 at ,dongola1 ,june #ahhe1 #bef4 ,equatoria1 ,abdullah's expedition to1 #bfi-gb4 ,exports from ,kordofan1 #ce4 ,fadl ,maula ,bey1 #afc1 #bga1 #dja4 ,fallata tribe1 #bgh1 #bhc4 ,famines2 in ,el ,obeid1 #ahc-d2 in the ,sudan1 #beb-c2 in ,dongola1 #bfa2 in ,omdurman1 #bhd-i2 in ,berber1 #bij2 in the ,provinces1 #bij-a4 ,farag ,pasha1 #ace1 #adc4 ,faragallah ,pasha1 #aca-b1 #bdg4 ,farquhar1 ,colonel ,arthur1 #gi1 #hj4 ,fasher1 ,el1 #id2 besieged1 #bci-da4 ,fashoda1 #i1 #aa1 #bi1 #bfi1 #bgb1 #cgi1 #chd1 #cif2 corn from1 #bhe4 ,fedasi1 #abe4 ,festivals1 ,khalifa ,abdullah and1 #cfb4 ,fiki1 ,abdullah and the name1 #bgd1 #djb4 ,flags of the ,khalifas1 #ae1 #af1 #bha1 #cjf4 ,furs1 annihilation of the1 #bcf4 ,galabat1 province and town1 #afg1 #bag-i1 #bcj1 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#bff-h4 ,osman ,wad ,adam1 #aii1 #bcd1 #bcf2 and ,abu ,gemaizeh1 #bch-da2 death of1 #bdj4 ,osman ,wad ,dekeim1 #afg4 ,ostrich farms in ,kordofan1 #ce4 ,pain1 ,olivier1 at ,el ,obeid1 #agb-ge4 ,palace1 the ,khalifa's1 at ,omdurman1 #bhj4 ,passioni1 ,jew named1 #cfj4 ,pesavento1 ,sister ,e41 #dh4 ,pilgrims at ,omdurman1 #bjf4 ,pimezzoni1 ,franz1 #a4 ,plagues in the ,sudan3 of locusts1 #bia2 of mice1 #bia-b4 ,plough1 a1 in the ,sudan1 #cgh4 ,poetry1 the ,arabs and1 #fg4 ,polinari1 ,domenico1 #ach-dj1 #cdi-ej4 ,postal service in the ,mahdi's kingdom1 #cjj-a4 ,powder1 scarcity of1 at ,omdurman1 #cei1 #cfg-ge4 ,power1 ,consul1 #ii1 #abi-cj4 ,prayers1 the ,mahdi and1 #ai2 book of1 #bac2 form of1 #bif4 ,printing press at ,omdurman1 #bac4 ,prison at ,omdurman1 #cdd-fe4 ,proclamation by the ,mahdi1 #gf4 ,quicksilver found at ,delen1 #ce4 ,rabeh ,zubeir1 #bdj1 #bda4 ,rahad1 ,general ,hicks at1 #gg-he2 the road to1 #aja-c2 the ,mahdi at1 #ajf-ba1 #abe-f1 #afi4 ,rahma1 fiki1 #aa4 ,rain in ,dar ,nuba1 #c2 in the ,sudan1 #cgf4 ,ramadan1 fast of1 #fd1 #aeh4 ,ras ,adal1 #bdg2 and ,galabat1 #bag-bj4 ,ras ,alula1 #afg1 #bdg4 ,rashid ,bey1 #i4 ,ratibs 7,mahdi's book of prayers71 #bac4 ,rauf ,pasha1 #a-b1 #f-g4 ,regaf ,station1 #bfi1 #bga-b1 #cdj1 #chd1 #cif4 ,religion1 interview with the ,mahdi on1 #aji-aa4 ,reptiles1 #aej2 snakes1 #c-d1 #dcc2 scorpions1 #aad1 #cdg4 ,review of ,dervishes at ,omdurman1 #bbe-f1 #cjg-h4 ,rizighat tribe of ,arabs1 #gc1 #bba1 #cif-g4 ,roads in ,omdurman1 #bhj2 in the ,sudan1 #cda4 ,rognotto1 ,joseph1 #ajj4 ,rossignoli1 ,father1 #ed1 #eg4 ,roversi 7inspector of slaves71 #bb-c1 #bg-cj1 #dh2 death of1 #di4 ,rundle ,bey1 #dci4 ,saburi ,mountain1 #e4 ,saddlers at ,omdurman1 #cha4 ,safia steamer1 #abg4 ,said ,bey ,guma1 #id1 #bjb-c1 #bbc1 #bcf4 ,said ,mohammed1 #ci4 ,said ,pasha1 #g1 #aj-a1 #bj-a1 #bi1 #aai2 defence of ,el ,obeid1 #cf-dj1 #di1 #ef1 #eh-i1 #ff4 ,said el ,mek1 #f4 ,saier at ,omdurman1 see ,prison4 ,saleh1 sheikh1 #ee4 ,saleh ,pasha ,wad el ,mek1 #abe1 #aec1 #cej4 ,saleh ,bey1 #bag-h1 #bba1 #ceb-c1 #cfd1 #dad4 ,saleh ,bey ,fadlallah1 #bcb-d1 #bfe4 ,salem1 sheikh1 #ee4 ,salisbury1 ,lord1 letter to ,king ,john1 #bej-a4 ,sandalia1 perfume called1 #aeg4 ,sandstorm1 a fearful1 #bjc2 in the ,sudan1 #cgf-g4 ,santoni1 ,a41 #ddc2 and ,father ,bonomi1 #agh-i1 #ahc4 ,sarras1 ,dervishes at1 #beg-h1 #bfb4 ,sawakin1 #a1 #aba1 #aff-g2 ,osman ,digna besieges1 #bff-g4 ,sayer1 ,brother1 #ddc4 ,sayid el ,mek1 #djg4 ,sayid ,hamed1 #afg-h4 ,sayid ,osman1 see ,osman1 ,khalifa4 ,sayidna ,isa1 #bdd-e4 ,schuver1 ,jean ,m41 #b4 ,seckendorf1 ,baron1 death of1 #hh2 servant of1 #hj4 ,selima wells1 #bcc4 ,selim ,bey in ,equatoria1 #bga4 ,sennar1 #aed1 #afj1 #afb1 #afd-e1 #bbf1 #bef1 #bij4 ,senussi1 sheikh1 #d1 #ad1 #agc1 #bcg4 ,shaggieh troops1 #bci4 ,shaggieh tribe1 #adc4 ,shakka1 #ce1 #ei1 #bce1 #chd1 #cia4 ,shar ,river1 #bda4 ,shatt ,station1 #aa1 #ce1 #gg1 #abf1 #age4 ,shebba1 a 7forked wood71 #ig4 ,sheep of the ,kababish tribe1 #bcb1 #bcd2 in the ,sudan provinces1 #cgi4 ,shekan forest1 battle near1 #hg1 #ib1 #id1 #aga4 ,shendi1 #bij4 ,sherif1 ,khalifa1 see ,ali ,esh ,sherif4 ,sherif ,mahmud1 #bj1 #fj1 #hf1 #ajf1 #afi-gb1 #agd1 #agf-h1 #ahc1 #ahf-i1 #aig2 death of1 #aih-i1 #bjf1 #bbc4 ,shilluk tribe1 #bgb1 #cgi4 ,shirkeleh1 #gg1 #hj1 #abf4 ,shirra1 ,baggara chief1 #ahg4 ,shukrieh tribe1 #aff1 #baf1 #bij1 #cej4 ,sideham1 a ,copt1 #agh4 ,sid el ,hassan1 the celebrated ,moslem1 #afe-f4 ,sidi ,hamdan1 see ,abu ,anga4 ,sieges1 see ,bara1 ,el ,fasher1 ,el ,obeid1 ,galabat1 ,kassala1 ,khartum1 ,sennar1 ,sawakin1 ,tokar1 c4 ,singiokai1 #be1 #cb1 #di1 #ei4 ,sisters of the ,austrian ,mission1 before ,abdullah1 #ajj2 at ,rahad1 #ajc-f2 escape of1 from ,omdurman1 #dac-e1 #dah-de2 see also ,andreis1 ,corsi1 ,chincarini1 ,pesavento1 ,venturini4 ,siwar ed ,dahab1 #ba1 #bfd4 ,skander ,bey1 #ba4 ,skander1 fate of ,mulatte1 #adj4 ,slatin ,bey1 #b1 #gc-e1 #ic1 #aah1 #aec1 #agd-e1 #agg1 #ahi1 #bjf1 #cdh2 and ,darfur1 #bce2 and waterskins1 #bcg4 ,slave trade1 in ,dar ,nuba1 #d2 in the ,bahr el ,ghazal1 #h-i1 #ab1 #bb2 in the ,sudan1 #chb-f4 ,slaves1 the ,mahdi's law regarding1 #fb2 of ,khartum1 #adc2 at ,omdurman1 #bjh-i1 #ccc1 #cci4 ,small-pox1 in ,omdurman1 #aed-e2 in ,el ,obeid1 #ahc-d4 ,soap-boiling at ,omdurman1 #bac-d1 #cjc1 #dac4 ,sobei1 the ,khojur of1 #ahg4 ,sogaro1 ,archbishop ,franz1 #dae-g1 #dbj1 #ddd-e4 ,soil1 of ,dar ,nuba1 #c2 of ,bara1 #bjj2 in the ,gezireh1 #cgh4 ,stambuli1 ,george1 #db-h1 #ed1 #eh1 #fh-ga1 #hd1 #if-g1 #bfi4 ,stanley1 ,h4 ,m41 and ,emin ,pasha1 #bfi1 #bga4 ,starvation in the ,mahdi's camp1 #aed4 ,stewart1 ,col41 murder of1 #abh-cj1 #agg1 #dad1 #dch4 ,sudan1 ,egypt and the1 #cd1 #abc2 the ,mahdi master of the1 #id2 ,english troops in the1 #abj2 custom to drink melted butter1 #age2 revolt of black soldiers of army of1 #ahi-bjj2 witchcraft in1 #dd1 #bgd-e2 famine in the1 #bij-b2 horsemanship in the1 #cjh2 immorality in the1 #cda-c2 cattle breeding in the1 #cgf-i2 disease in the1 #chf2 present situation in the1 #chg-djg1 #ddg-ej4 ,sudanese1 the1 marriage ceremony of1 #ag-h2 and small-pox1 #aed-e2 and alchemy1 #cfi4 ,suez1 #a4 ,suk ,abu ,sin1 see ,gedaref4 ,suleiman ,bey1 ,gessi and1 #i-aj4 ,suleiman1 ,capt4 ,m41 #bb1 #bg4 ,suleiman el ,hejazi1 #bdj4 ,suleiman ,wad ,naaman1 sheikh1 #abi-cj1 #dad4 ,superstition1 in the ,sudan1 #dd1 #bgd-e2 the ,nubas and1 #ahf2 see also ,witchcraft4 ,surur ,effendi1 #ef4 ,swindlers in ,omdurman1 #ccd1 #ccg-i4 ,syria1 ,sherif of1 #aaa4 ,tagalla1 ,jebel1 #c1 #g1 #gg1 #bbb-c1 #bbe1 #bdg2 see also ,adam1 ,king4 ,taha1 ,sayid ,mohammed1 #ia4 ,taher1 sheikh1 #caf-g4 ,taisha ,arabs1 #ad1 #bba1 #cja2 ,abdullah and1 #cjh-aa1 #cej1 #cie-f4 ,takruri tribe1 #aga-b1 #bag1 #bdd1 #bdh1 #bhc4 ,tamai1 battle of1 #bff4 ,tamarinds in ,kordofan1 #ce4 ,taxation in the ,mahdi's kingdom1 #cgi-hj4 ,tax-gatherers of the ,sudan provinces1 #cac4 ,tax levied at ,omdurman1 #bje4 ,tayara ,station1 #aa1 #ce1 #fj4 ,testament1 ,king ,john's copy of ,new1 #bej4 ,thieves in ,omdurman1 #cbh-i1 #ccd-g1 #cci-dj4 ,three ,holy ,kings1 festival of the1 #bah4 ,tira hill1 #c4 ,tobacco1 the ,sudanese and1 #ag2 chewing1 #bgf2 punishment of smokers of1 #ccj4 ,tobji1 ,osman1 #fe-f4 ,todros ,kasa1 son of ,king ,theodore1 #bdb-e4 ,tokar1 #bfg-h2 capture of1 #cfg1 #chf1 #dad4 ,tolodi1 ,jebel1 #bbc4 ,tomb of the ,mahdi at ,omdurman1 #bge-hj4 ,tome1 sheikh1 #ee1 #fd2 brother of1 #bcb4 ,toski1 battle at1 #bfc1 #cbj1 #cej1 #cfa4 ,trades in ,omdurman1 #cha-b4 ,treasure in ,khartum1 #ade4 ,trees in ,dar ,nuba1 #c4 ,tur el ,hadra1 #b4 ,tuti ,island1 #adg1 #cge4 ,turk1 ,arabs and the term1 #bfc4 ,turkey1 ,sultan of1 letter to1 from ,khalifa1 #beg4 ,uganda1 events in1 #bga4 ,unyoro1 events in1 #bga4 ,venturini1 ,sister ,e41 #dac-de4 ,victoria1 ,queen1 and ,king ,john of ,abyssinia1 #bej-a2 letter to1 from ,abdullah1 #beg4 ,wad ,ali1 #bdf1 #bdi4 ,wad ,arbab1 ,emir1 #bag-h4 ,wad ,bishara1 village of1 #dbf4 ,wad el ,bedri1 #aj1 #cai1 #cie4 ,wad el ,besir1 #id1 #abd1 #beh1 #cjf4 ,wadelai1 #bga4 ,wad el ,areik 7merchant71 #ba1 #ce1 #aca1 #dje4 ,wad el ,banna1 #dja4 ,wad el ,hashmi1 ,emir1 #gf1 #aij1 #aic-d1 #aii4 ,wad el ,makashef1 #aa1 #gb1 #afd4 ,wad er ,reis1 #dde2 see ,hussein ,wad ,dayim4 ,wad ,gubara 7,emir71 #ch-i1 #he1 #abe1 #acj1 #acc1 #bfj4 ,wad ,gesuli1 #if4 ,wad ,guzuli1 #cde4 ,wad ,hamdu ,allah1 #cac4 ,wadi ,gamr cataracts1 #abh4 ,wadi ,halfa1 #beg1 #bfj4 ,wad ,nubawi 7,emir71 #bcc4 ,wad ,zaid1 #cej4 ,war materials at ,omdurman1 #cdi1 #cha4 ,waterskins1 the ,masalit people and1 #bcg4 ,water-wheels along the ,nile1 #cgh4 ,white ,nile1 #c1 #f1 #ab1 #ic1 #abf1 #acc-e1 #aej1 #bjd2 expedition up the1 #bfi-bgb4 ,witchcraft1 the ,mahdi's success attributed to1 #id2 the bark of ,adansonia tree1 #agj2 in the ,sudan1 #bgd-e1 #djb4 ,wodehouse1 ,colonel1 #aae1 #bei1 #bfe2 battle at ,argin1 #bfb4 ,wolseley 7,lord71 ',soldier's ,pocket-,book1' #aja4 ,yakub 7,khalifa ,abdullah's brother71 #bdc1 #bgg1 #cjd1 #cac-d1 #cbd-f1 #cfa1 #cff1 #cfh1 #cga-c1 #chi-ij1 #cid1 #djb-g4 ,yesin1 ,major1 #ei4 ,yunis ,ed ,dekeim1 #bfj1 #bfe4 ,yusef ,angeli 7,greek71 #cgc-d4 ,yusef ,pertekachi1 and manufacture of powder1 #cga-d4 ,yunis1 ,emir1 #bjf1 #bai-bj1 #bbc1 #cif1 #dag2 and ,abu ,anga1 #bdd-e4 ,yusef1 ,sultan of ,darfur1 #bac1 #bcf1 #cjh4 ,yusef ,kurdi 7merchant71 #ccc-d4 ,yusef ,pasha1 #aj-a1 #db1 #ij4 ,zeki ,tummal and ,abyssinia1 #bbe1 #bdg1 #bdi1 #bea-b1 #bgb1 #bhe1 #bij4 ,zeregga1 #gg4 ,zogal 7the ,mahdi's uncle71 #ge1 #ic-d1 #afd1 #ahd1 #bbc1 #bce1 #bfe-g1 #cfj1 #chh1 #cif1 #dja1 #dag2 and ,darfur1 #bja-c4 ,zogheir 7a celebrated thief71 #cce-g1 #cec4 ,zubeir1 feast known as1 #d4 ,zubeir ,pasha1 #agb1 #cia2 ,abu ,anga and1 #bba2 and ,kingdom of ,shakka1 #bce4 ,zurbuchen1 ,dr41 #b4 ,,london3 ,,printed ,,by ,,william ,,clowes ,,and ,,sons1 ,,limited1 ,,stamford ,,street ,,and ,,charing ,,cross4 ,illustration3 ,a ,,plan ,,of ,,omdurman ,drawn in the ,intelligence ,department1 ,egyptian ,army from descriptions given by natives and revised by ,father ,ohrwalder ,scale #a_/addjj or #a to #djj yards ,illustration3 ,,the ,,nile ,,basin shewing the course of ,hicks ,pasha's ,expedition and the ,flight of ,father ,ohrwalder ,london3 ,sampson ,low ,co4 ,illustration3 ,sketch ,map showing correct ,position of ,i4,b4,e4,a4 ,co's ,forts ,boundary of ,uganda ,london3 ,sampson ,low ,co4 ,limited ,g4 ,philip ,son1 ,london ,liverpool ,,note--,at the last moment when this book was passed for press1 the return to ,england of ,captain ,lugard enables me1 through his courtesy1 to give the names and positions of the forts in ,uganda and ,unyoro now occupied by the troops in the service of the ,imperial ,british ,east ,africa ,company4--,f4 ,r4 ,w4 ,transcriber's ,note ,in this etext a u with circumflex is represented as u and a u with a macron u ,illustrations have been moved near the relevant section of the text4 ,the question mark after thousand men on ,page #aae has been retained4 ,inconsistent use of quotes following known as have been left as-is4 ,inconsistent capitalization has been retained for sub-,mudir and ,sub-,mudir4 ,the lack of an apostrophe after days in the expression days later has been left unchanged4 ,inconsistent hyphenation and use of separate words have been retained for anyone _/ any one1 bodyguard _/ body-guard1 camelmen _/ camel-men1 contradistinction _/ contra-distinction1 headquarters _/ head-quarters1 hundredweight _/ hundred-weight1 nicknamed _/ nick-named1 reaction _/ re-action1 recaptured _/ re-capture1 reoccupy _/ re-occupy1 and waterskins _/ water-skins4 ,here is a list of the minor typographical corrections made3 - ,period added after ,,government on ,page xi - ,hyphen removed following ,emir on ,page #af - forbad changed to forbade on ,page #ah - befel changed to befell on ,page #bb - ,goverment changed to ,government on ,page #bb - ,comma added after age on ,page #bd - succeded change to succeeded on ,page #bi - ,comma changed to period after merchants on ,page #cf - ,madhi changed to ,mahdi on ,page #db - garrrison changed to garrison on ,page #ed - ,quote added after ,mahdi on ,page #ff - ,madhi changed to ,mahdi on ,page #ie - ,comma removed following viz4 on ,page #ih - ,extra dash removed after ,khartum on ,page #aca - mattrass changed to mattress on ,page #ach - ,period added after it on ,page #aga - the the replaced by the on ,page - ,i4e italicized on ,page #ahi - ,period added after off on ,page #bda - ,period added after defeated on ,page #bfc - out-of-the way changed to out-of-the-way on ,page #cea - ,comma added after army on ,page #dea - lifeguards changed to life-guards on ,page #dea - ,italics added to also and removed from ,marissa on ,page #deb - ,italics added to also on ,page #deb - ,semicolon replaced by comma after #ce on ,page #dec - ,corrected alphabetical order of ,emin ,pasha in index on ,page #ded - and removed before ,sheikh on ,page #ded - ,semicolon changed to comma after #d on ,page #ded - ,period inserted after #dja on ,page #ded - skeikh changed to sheikh on ,page #dee - ,alphabetical order of ,nesim corrected in index on ,page #deg - sandstorms changed to sand-storms on ,page #deh - smallpox changed to small-pox on ,page #dei - power changed to powder on ,page #dfj - ,space inserted before #b on ,page #dfj