THE KHALIFA'S TREATMENT OF THE WHITE CAPTIVES.
Description of the prison, 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 Khalil, the
Egyptian envoy--The Khalifa's treatment of the "Whites"--Exile to
the White Nile.
In the preceding pages frequent reference has been made to the prison.
This is an institution of so much importance in connection with Mahdiism
that it merits a description in detail.
"Saier!" In the Sudan the bare mention of this word causes a shudder.
The ordinary word for prison is "siggen," but Saier is really a
contraction for beit es Saier (_i.e._ the house of the Saier). Saier is
the name of a terrible individual of the Gowameh tribe of Kordofan, who
has been gaoler since the early days of the Mahdi, and his name has
become the synonym of the horrible place of which he is the guardian.
A curious story is told about his name which is said to be true. The
Gowameh women are not renowned for moral virtue, and when Saier was born
his mother was asked whose son he was; she was unable to say, and when
brought before the authorities and again questioned, she replied that it
was "Saier" (_i.e._ it was the custom of her country); the boy was
therefore called Saier, and the name clung to him.
Up to the time of the fall of Khartum, the prison had been merely a
large zariba, and it was only after the Mahdi's death that a wall, built
by the prisoners themselves, took the place of the thorn hedge. It is
situated on the river bank, and consists of a large yard, in the centre
of which is a building made of mud, straw, and stones, known as "abu
haggar" (or the stone hut), with small square openings for a window and
a door; near the hut is a well. In one corner are the cells, which are
scarcely large enough to contain a man, and which had been built by
Charles Neufeld.
The ordinary prisoners are not kept apart, but lie under the shade of
the wall during the day, and at night they are packed, some into the abu
haggar and some left to lie about in the yard. A few of the well-off
prisoners, who are in for long terms of imprisonment, have been allowed
to build little huts for themselves. And just behind the gate is a small
sun-dried brick building, which belonged to Wad Gazuli, late sub-Mudir
of Khartum, who deserted to the Mahdi before Gordon's arrival; this hut
is only big enough for two people, and so low that it is impossible to
stand upright in it.
It is considered a very great favour to be given a hut of this
description--a favour which is only conferred on very privileged
prisoners; it is, moreover, very expensive, but it has this merit, that
the occupier can at any rate live separately. There are only three huts
of this description in the prison.
Prisoners are not allowed to use mattresses, but the owner of a hut can
have a small platform slightly raised from the ground, on which he is
allowed to sleep. The ordinary prisoners generally lie on their
sheepskins or on mats stretched on the ground.
All prisoners are in chains, the number of which depends on the nature
of the crime committed. The chains, called makias, consist of large iron
rings forged to the ankles, and joined by one and sometimes two thick
iron bars. The whole thing is very cumbersome and heavy, and most tiring
to walk with. To lighten this difficulty, the prisoners generally attach
a piece of string to the chains, with which they lift them up as they
walk. If the connecting bar is twelve inches long walking is greatly
facilitated. Prisoners who have fallen under the Khalifa's special
displeasure are generally laden with four makias, which make it almost
impossible to rise; besides these, a long heavy chain is fastened round
the neck, and to prevent the skin being chafed, leather stocks can be
bought of the prison warders. Close to the prison gate is a large anvil
and several hammers; the foot is placed in the open ring, the ends of
which are so tightly hammered together that it is quite impossible to
withdraw the foot; the anvil is in such constant use every day that it
is almost worn out.
Prisoners have to arrange for their own food; if they have any relations
or friends they are generally supplied by them, or if they have any
money they can buy their own food from hawkers who are permitted to come
into the prison. But woe to the unfortunate prisoner who has neither
relations nor friends--he must inevitably die of starvation.
At night, as I have remarked, the prisoners are locked up in the stone
hut, and sometimes the Saier crowds it up to such an extent that the
inmates are almost suffocated or crushed to death. When he is in want of
money he does this, for a man will give anything to be released from
this awful black hole, in which he packs them like sardines in a box and
then closes the door. The walls of the hut become heated during the day,
so that within the temperature is like an oven. A little air gets in
through the small opening, but the pestiferous atmosphere caused by
scores of perspiring human beings tightly huddled together is beyond
measure unbearable. Several may be suffering from various illnesses, but
there is no possibility of getting out once the door is closed. These
horrible scenes can, however, be better imagined than described; suffice
it to say that the noise and quarrelling amongst the prisoners,
occasioned by the revolting operations which go on, is generally quelled
by the guards coming in with whips, with which they lay about them
roundly, and then go out and close the door again.
Sleep is almost quite out of the question, for there is no room to
stretch out the legs, the heat is unbearable; scorpions abound, and
every now and then a yell shows that some unfortunate individual has
been stung; but no one takes any notice. Cases of heat apoplexy often
occur, and deaths on this account are frequent. When a person falls down
in a fit, the only remark passed is, "ed dam darabu" ("The blood has
beaten him"). Thus, in utter anguish and misery, the night is dragged
through. The moment the door is opened a rush is made for the open air,
the dead are dragged out, their chains knocked off, and then they are
buried.
Prisoners who have special permission to sleep outside are all chained
together to prevent flight, and are guarded by numbers of soldiers. The
slightest show of resistance on the part of a prisoner is punished by
flogging. Unless the Khalifa gives special orders to the contrary,
prisoners are allowed to receive visits from their friends and
relatives. There are no fixed periods of imprisonment, except in the
case of smokers and marissa-drinkers, the usual punishment for them
being confiscation of property, eighty lashes, and forty days
imprisonment; but latterly a fine, estimated at the value of their
property, is levied instead of complete confiscation; the two other
portions of the sentence are, however, always inflicted.
Prisoners are generally divided into three classes: the first class
comprise those who are sentenced by the chief of the beit el mal, and
although there is a special prison for offenders against the beit el
mal, all serious cases are brought to the Saier.
Second-class prisoners are those undergoing sentences of the judges;
both these classes hope for release whenever a sufficiently influential
person will pay a sum of money for them, which sum must also be
accompanied by a certificate from the Saier that they have been
conducting themselves properly during their stay in prison.
The third class are those on whom the vials of the Khalifa's wrath have
been poured out; their crimes are for the most part political, and all
mediation in their cases is quite useless, no one, not even the judge,
is allowed to say a good word for them to the Khalifa. It is only when
his wrath is somewhat abated that it may occur to himself to make
inquiries about them, and then, perhaps, he may consider recommendations
for their release; but the Saier's opinion goes for much more than any
other person's, and therefore it is a great point to secure this
individual's favour and get into his good graces. One bad word from the
Saier can do an infinity of harm, and may indefinitely postpone a
release which has been on the point of being made.
The Saier thoroughly understands how to work his influence, for he
benefits considerably by his exercise of power; he receives no pay, and
therefore he is entirely dependent on what he can make out of the
prisoners. The richer his victims, the more pleased he is, for he knows
he can wring money out of them freely. Once a month the judge or his
representative goes with a clerk to the Saier and makes a list of all
the prisoners, showing how long each prisoner has been in confinement.
On these occasions numbers of the inmates throw themselves at the feet
of the judges and beg to be released because they are starving. This
list is shown by the judge to the Khalifa, and Charles Neufeld's name
always appears at the top. Abdullah goes through the list, makes careful
inquiries about the prisoners, some are released and others passed over
in silence, a sign which bodes them no good.
The Saier has seen and heard not a few of the misfortunes of both
Sudanese and Europeans. The first Europeans he knew were Slatin Bey and
Lupton Bey. Gustav Klootz was put into chains in Abu Girgeh's camp.
During the siege of Khartum it was thought the Europeans might attempt
to escape to Gordon, they were therefore put in chains; both Slatin and
Lupton spent upwards of ten months in chains under the Saier; they
suffered dreadfully from hunger and ill-treatment, and were frequently
threatened with death. After the fall of Khartum they were released, and
were told by the Khalifa that they should feel thankful to have been in
prison, otherwise they would undoubtedly have shared Gordon's fate.
One of our Mission brothers, Domenico Polinari, was also kept in prison
for six months; he was imprisoned the same day that I arrived from
Kordofan.
After the fall of Khartum, Polinari's brother had been working as
gardener in the Mission grounds, under his new master, the Khalifa
Sherif. The former gardener, a Dongolawi, had been dismissed for
dishonesty, and before he left, Sherif ordered him to be carefully
examined, as it was thought he might have taken some of his master's
property. Polinari, who was a most conscientious man, and had never even
taken a lemon without his master's permission, carried out the search
most carefully, and succeeded in getting back quantities of things the
thief had made away with. For a time the thief said nothing, but soon
his innate Danagla astuteness came to his assistance, and he concocted a
plan to revenge himself on Polinari, and again become chief gardener.
The war material, just as it had been left by Gordon in the Mission
house, was still there, and it happened that one day some powder was
stolen. In spite of the most careful inquiries, it was impossible to
trace the thief, and now the ex-gardener began to throw out hints that
Polinari was implicated in the theft. A certain Hajji Zubeir was
entrusted with the inquiry. Polinari's hut was overhauled, but nothing
found in it; his honesty was so well known that no one would credit any
evil reports or slander against him. But the ex-gardener was not to be
put off. Having failed in his first accusation, he now began to spread
reports that Polinari drank liquor and chewed tobacco, and in proof of
this he produced a large glass bottle and some dried herbs; there were
some fresh dates in the bottle, with which Polinari intended making
vinegar, which the gardener insisted was liquor; the dried vegetable was
a sort of cabbage which Polinari intended cooking for his food, but this
the Dongolawi asserted to be tobacco.
The unfortunate Polinari was obliged to walk through Omdurman with the
bottle on his head, followed by an insulting and disorderly crowd, until
he came before the judge. Kadi Ahmed, who was well known for his
partiality to Europeans, at once recognised that this was all a
trumped-up slander, and was anxious to release Polinari; but Hajji
Zubeir, who had still great influence with the Khalifa, and instigated
by the ex-gardener, sent him off to the Saier. Every other day we used
to send him some bread and dates, but the slave to whom the food had
been consigned never delivered it, as we afterwards discovered, and had
it not been that two of the sheikhs, who were fellow-prisoners with him,
had given him some of their food, he must have died of starvation.
Amongst the many Sudanese who have at various times been inmates of the
Saier, may be mentioned the aged sheikh of the Shukrieh, who had been
most loyal to Gordon, Awad el Kerim Abu Sin--he died in prison; Wad
Zaid, of the Debaineh tribe, had been kept in prison four years; then
there were Ahmed Wad Suleiman, who had been the Mahdi's chief of the
beit el mal; Saleh Pasha Wad el Mek, one of Gordon's principal officers;
the Ashraf Sayid Abdel Kader and Sayid Abdel Kerim; Wad Adlan we have
already referred to; Jabrallah, Sultan of Darfur, and his five sons,
most of whom died; Wad en Nejumi; Sheikh Idris; Makin Wad en Nur, and
many others.
When the Khalifa's tribe, the Taisha, first arrived, they plundered the
market, and Abdullah threw 200 of them into prison, "to teach them," he
said, "the right way." Every night fifty of them were driven into the
stone hut, which was, indeed, a terrible change from their forests and
plains. Every day several died of typhus fever, and now the mere mention
of Saier makes them tremble; even their head sheikh, El Ghazali, whose
misfortunes I have already narrated, spent some months in prison before
he made his unsuccessful attempt to escape.
Yasin, a Jaali, who had fallen into the hands of the English at Toski,
and who was subsequently released, and given a letter to take to the
Khalifa from the Egyptian Government, had to pay dearly for saying to
Abdullah that they could not fight against the English.
Another of the captives taken at Toski, but who also returned to
Omdurman, was much more crafty in his interview with the Khalifa; this
individual related that, when in Cairo, an old monk had said to him, "Is
not the Khalifa of the Mahdi called Abdullah?" to which he replied,
"Yes; it is so." "Is he not slightly lame?" "Yes." "Is he not marked
with small-pox?" "Yes." Then the monk said, "Do you see this book? It
contains the history of the Mahdi and his successor, and it is stated in
it that Khalifa Abdullah shall conquer Egypt, Syria, and Mecca." The
Khalifa was so delighted with the story that, turning round to his
people, he said, "You see the Christians know perfectly well that
Mahdiism is not false." The wily author of the story was then given a
present of money.
Occasionally the Saier treats his prisoners very cruelly. Two fikis who
were suspected of being unbelievers were given 1,000 lashes each; one
died on the spot, and the other a few days afterwards. Occasionally he
relieves the monotony by giving his prisoners 400 lashes, which is not
considered an out-of-the-way punishment.
On one occasion, two Ababdeh Arabs coming from Korosko as merchants,
were discovered south of Metemmeh with rifles in parts, carefully
concealed in bales of cloth; letters were also found on them. They were
at once considered to be spies, and taken before the Khalifa. As soon as
it was rumoured that Arabs carrying letters for the Europeans had been
caught, a friend came to me at once, and told me that the letters were
sure to be addressed to me. This threw me into a fever of anguish and
alarm; I was made a prisoner, and spent that night in the greatest
terror. The Khalifa had warned us most distinctly not to correspond with
Egypt, and threatened to imprison us if a letter should ever be
discovered.
On this occasion I had every reason to be alarmed, for I had already had
a similar experience. After Father Bonomi had escaped, he sent a
Kababish Arab to Kordofan to try and secure my escape. The Arab remained
with Sheikh Saleh Bey, and did not, to my knowledge, ever come to El
Obeid. When Saleh was killed in 1887, they found amongst his papers a
letter from Father Bonomi to me, advising me to trust the Arab, who
would not fail to guide me safely to Halfa. This letter was brought,
with the other correspondence, to the Khalifa, and was translated to
him: he was furious, and had not my guardian angel protected me, I must
have been relegated to prison.
Arabic letters are less dangerous, for they are read out to the Khalifa
by his secretary, but he is always mistrustful that European letters are
correctly translated. How I had longed for letters, even a word from the
outside world, or from my relations or friends; but now in my captivity
how earnestly I prayed that no letter for me should be found amongst
those brought by the Arabs!
As soon as it was daylight I went out in search of news, and to my
delight was told that the letters were in Arabic and were not for me,
but for some one whom I knew very well. The contents of the letters were
quite harmless, merely an interchange of compliments between families in
Cairo and Omdurman, and news of a wedding which had taken place in
Cairo. However, the two men who brought the letters were in no little
fear, thinking they would certainly be executed; but the Khalifa had
thoroughly mastered their contents, and though it was evening, he
mounted his big white horse, in which position he usually made his
important speeches to the Ansar, and he told them that letters had been
captured which had come from Egypt and were addressed to the "Ansar el
Gudad" (_i.e._ the "new Ansar," or inhabitants of Khartum and the Blue
Nile, in contra-distinction to the "Ansar el Gudum," or old Ansar of
Kordofan, who were the original adherents of the Mahdi); that he did not
intend to mention the names of the persons to whom the letters were
addressed, but he was sure they would spend a sleepless night.
The next morning the two Arabs were sent to the Saier, but their lives
were spared. A few days later I went to see Neufeld in prison and
inquired about the Arabs. I saw them both chained, and when they saw me
they at once asked me for something, addressing me as Baladieh (_i.e._
one of their own countrymen), as they took me for an Egyptian; and then
they told me in strict secrecy that they had come with the intention of
securing the flight of two persons--one Mankarius Gottas, who had died
in Galabat, and the other a resident in Berber, by whose imprudence they
had been betrayed; these unfortunate men had had nothing to eat for
three days, so I gave them a few piastres which I had brought for
Neufeld, and as I did not dare to stay longer with them I begged Zogheir
to look after them.
Fifteen days afterwards I returned and found the poor men stretched out
dead under the wall, they had died of starvation, and the guards had
just come to knock off their chains and carry their bodies out of the
yard. The sight of these two Ababdehs filled my heart with sadness;
there they lay, nothing but a mass of skin and bone; they had come to
help poor captives to escape, and this was their own miserable end.
This, indeed, was a warning to me to act with increased prudence and
caution.
An Egyptian, born in the Sudan, was also sent to the Saier for a few
months for declaring that he was the fourth Khalifa--_i.e._ the Khalifa
Osman. 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 had. It is quite an ordinary occurrence for the Ansar to relate
dreams flattering to the Khalifa, in the hope of getting some bakshish.
Thus did our Khalifa Osman relate that in his dream or vision he had
beheld the Mahdi, who told him to declare himself the fourth Khalifa,
and therefore he begged that Abdullah would confirm him as such and
permit him to take his share of authority with the other Khalifas; he
also begged that all the honour due to him as Khalifa Osman should be
forthwith paid to him.
[Illustration: CHARLES NEUFELD.]
This poor madman paid dearly for his dream. Abdullah merely made a sign
to one of his body-guard, on which he was hurried off to the Saier,
where he received fifty lashes twice a day, and was eventually obliged
to confess that the devil had tempted him to strive after this position.
Charles Neufeld remained in the prison longer than any one else. I have
narrated in a previous chapter how he had daringly joined Saleh's people
with the intention of establishing commercial relations with the Arabs,
and how he was entrapped by the Dervishes at the oasis of Selimeh. This
good man knew nothing of the Sudan and nothing about Mahdiism, and it
was just at this time that the Khalifa had made up his mind to crush
Saleh and his Kababish.
On the 7th of March, Neufeld arrived in Omdurman--a prisoner under a
strong escort. News spread like wildfire that an English pasha had been
captured, and this caused a great stir in the capital. The Khalifa
considered him a most important capture, and Neufeld was ushered into
the presence of the three Khalifas and two Europeans, who were entrusted
with the examination of his papers. Neufeld spoke Arabic, and was quite
fearless. His papers showed that he was a Prussian and had studied in
the Leipzig University. All the documents were most carefully translated
to the Khalifa, as it was most important to assure him that Neufeld was
not an Englishman, as otherwise it would have gone very hardly with him.
There was one letter, however, in English, which, if it had been
truthfully translated, would have probably got him into great danger.
After the preliminary examination, Abdullah's mind seemed to have been
put at rest, for he delivered from his high seat a long speech to the
inquisitive Ansar regarding this great English pasha, who he said had
come to the Sudan with arms and ammunition, intending to seize Kordofan
and fight against Mahdiism, but fortunately the brave troops of Wad en
Nejumi had met him near Dongola, killed his soldiers, and captured him.
It was the Khalifa's habit to exaggerate facts and thereby encourage the
Ansar; he also made out his capture was a most important event, for
hitherto they had not succeeded in taking even one of the hated English.
Poor Neufeld was therefore thrown into chains and carefully guarded by
soldiers; during the whole of that night a fanatical Dinka negress, who
used to dress in men's clothes and wear a sword, shrieked continuously
at him, "Allah hu akbar alal kufar!" ("God's power is most great over
the unbelievers.")
It was decided that Neufeld was to be hanged the next morning. Very
early the Khalifa sent orders that the great drum should be beaten,
while the blast of the huge onbeïa close to Neufeld's ears almost made
him fall down from fright. The slaves made game of him as if he were a
monkey; but he still kept up courage and answered all these insults with
a manly spirit; the rope had been fixed on to the scaffold, and already
crowds of people were collected to see the Englishman executed. But the
condemned man had not yet arrived, for the Khalifa's final decision had
not been taken. Hitherto he had never executed a white man in this open
way, and he delayed, because he was still uncertain about his being a
Prussian. Had Neufeld been an Englishman, there is not the smallest
doubt he would have been killed.
At length Abdullah made up his mind not to kill him, but he determined
to frighten him; about midday, therefore, Neufeld was taken to the
market-place escorted by horsemen; the crowd raised a yell of delight
when he appeared, but Neufeld fearlessly walked on, and on reaching the
gallows he jumped on to the angarib and bent his head so that Bringi
might adjust the rope round his neck. Just at the last moment the judge
stepped forward and said that the Khalifa had been graciously pleased to
repeal the sentence of execution, and Neufeld was, therefore, again
removed to the lock-up.
Three days later he was laden with three heavy chains, put on to a
camel, and led through all the streets of Omdurman, so that every one
might see him. He was also taken to a review where the Khalifa asked him
if the Turks possessed as many troops as he now saw before him, to which
Neufeld replied that the Khalifa's troops were more numerous, but that
they were not so well drilled in exercises and movements as the Turks
were.
This answer did not please the Khalifa; and in order to make him take an
interest in the Mahdi and his Khalifa, he was taken over to Khartum and
was there shown the Mission building, which the Mahdi had seized; he was
then taken back to the prison, where he remained four years. He was
frequently attacked with typhus fever, dysentery, and other ailments,
and was terribly stung by scorpions; had not the Europeans in Omdurman
supported him he must have starved to death.
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 hut,
and it was not until he had completed two years in prison that, through
the intermediary of a friend, he was allowed to build a little cell for
himself in one of the corners of the yard, where he could sleep away
from the other prisoners. This little building was about twelve feet
square and very low, and here poor Neufeld used to sit all day long; his
jibbeh was very dirty and swarming with insects, which allowed him
little rest at night, and in despair he used to get one of his
companions in adversity to rub him with wet sand, which made his skin
less irritable; some sympathizing Arabs told him to soak crushed cloves
in water and then rub his body with the paste; this Neufeld found a
capital remedy, though it made his skin smart a great deal at first.
Neufeld's kindness of heart soon won over his guards, and often they
allowed him to remain undisturbed in his little hut for the night
instead of dragging him off to the stone hut.
One evening, hearing that the Saier was in a bad humour, he told his
guards that he wanted to spend that night in the stone hut; but the
soldiers assured him that the moment they knew there was to be an
inspection they would at once let him know. So Neufeld settled himself
to sleep in his cell, when suddenly, about midnight, one of his guards
awoke him, saying, "Get up quickly! the Saier has sworn he will give any
one he finds outside the stone hut 100 lashes."
Neufeld got up as quickly as possible and made his way to the hut, but
the chains prevented him from moving rapidly, and when he got to the
door he could not turn the key; just at that moment the Saier came into
the yard, and seeing him, ordered him to be given 100 lashes on the
spot; but the soldiers refused to obey--one said he had fever, and the
other said that he had been flogging people all day and was too tired.
The Saier was therefore obliged to call slaves from his own house, who
administered the 100 lashes, and left poor Neufeld covered with deep
scores all over his body.
In 1889 Neufeld obtained a new companion in adversity in the person of a
Bohemian baker, who had been employed with some Greeks at Halfa. One
day, in a state of semi-intoxication, the baker had left Halfa with
nothing but his violin, intending to go to Sawakin; but he lost his way
in the desert, was overcome by thirst, and wandered towards the Nile,
which he at length reached. Quite ignorant of the direction in which he
was going, he struck out towards the south, and fell in with a patrol of
Dervishes, by whom he was passed on to Omdurman.
On his arrival the Khalifa sent him to prison, where he remained two
years. Neufeld shared his every mouthful with him; but during the famine
he suffered dreadfully from want. At length, through the intermediary of
the mukuddum in charge of the Europeans, he was released; but a few
months afterwards he made off to the Gezireh. The mukuddum, who had
guaranteed him with his head, sent several camelmen in search of him;
but there was no trace to be found of him. After a time it was reported
that he had died of starvation at Rufaa on the Blue Nile, and this
information greatly relieved the Khalifa's mind.
As for Neufeld, we did our utmost to obtain his release; but the Khalifa
would not hear of it; moreover, false reports were circulated about him.
Some people who came from Dongola said that Neufeld, in disguise, 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
Dervishes; but in reality it was Kitchener Pasha who had been entrusted
with this mission.
On another occasion an Arabic newspaper, printed in Cairo, was brought
to him, containing a paragraph to the effect that an English officer had
been captured by the Dervishes in Dongola. This amazed the Khalifa
greatly, for at once he believed that he had been deceived and that
Neufeld was actually an Englishman. Being, in truth, a mere savage and
an ignorant man, he believed that all news in a newspaper must be true,
and blamed himself for not having executed Neufeld in the first
instance; he ordered him, however, to be more heavily chained than
before.
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 else. Thus did Neufeld spend four years in
prison, and his release seemed hopeless; but we left no stone unturned.
We secured the good-will of all the most influential people in Omdurman,
including even the Om el Muminin (Mother of the Faithful--_i.e._ the
Mahdi's widow) and the Sherifa Sitt Nefisa (the daughter of Sidi Hassan
el Morghani), who petitioned very earnestly for his release; but the
Khalifa would listen to no one.
When powder was scarce in Omdurman, some one suggested, at one of the
Khalifa's councils, that it would be much better to make the unbelievers
work for religion instead of remaining all day long idle in the Saier,
and that Neufeld ought to undertake the saltpetre refinery. The Khalifa
said, "Do what you think right--I am content." And on the same day
Neufeld was sent to Halfaieh in search of saltpetre; he found some, and
a month later was moved to Khartum, where he is now working in the old
Mission-house with an Egyptian assistant named Said. He still wears one
chain on the feet, which, from constant rubbing, has become as bright as
silver, while there are great black marks round his ankles. In Khartum
he is allowed greater liberty than he had in Omdurman.
In 1891 a Jewish merchant came from Massawa to Kassala, where the Emir
Abu Girgeh was then commanding. The latter was in favour of opening
commercial relations by means of Jews, and permitting non-Mussulman
dealers to come and sell their goods at Kassala, or let them go on
further into the country. When, therefore, the Jew had disposed of his
goods, he went, on Abu Girgeh's advice, to Omdurman. On being presented,
the Khalifa summoned another Jew, named Passioni, whom he made
responsible for the new arrival. But, as usual, the voice of slander was
not silent; it was whispered that he was an Italian spy, and that it
would have been better to have him under surveillance. He had scarcely
left the Khalifa's presence, when he was recalled and sent to the Saier,
there to be "educated as a true Ansar."
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
Sudan. Any one who comes to Omdurman need expect nothing but chains, the
most terrible form of imprisonment, insults and ignominy from the
Sudanese.
A still worse fate befell Sheikh Khalil, who was sent from Egypt to the
Sudan on a special mission to the Khalifa. In company with an Ababdeh
sheikh, he arrived at Abu Hamed, where Zogal was at the time. The latter
being accurately informed of the nature of his mission, allowed the two
messengers to travel without escort to Omdurman, and on the journey
Khalil had opportunities of speaking to the people, and ascertaining how
they were disposed to the Egyptian Government. He saw with his own eyes
the devastation wrought by the Dervishes and by famine in all the towns
and villages along the Nile. For some days before he actually reached
Omdurman, we heard of his approach, which occasioned no small stir in
the place. Some people thought he was bringing proposals of peace,
which, if refused by the Khalifa, would oblige the Egyptian Government
to again advance into the Sudan; rumours of all sorts were rife, but
there was no possible means of knowing the truth.
Late one evening Khalil arrived, dressed as an Egyptian, with a long
flowing abayeh (mantle). He was taken before Yakub, to whom he made over
his letter, and was then taken before the Khalifa, to whom, it is said,
he freely spoke his mind. That same evening he was sent under escort to
Kererri, where he was put into a hut under a strong guard, but he was
not chained. He was supplied with meat, butter, corn and sugar, and a
female slave was placed at his disposal by the Khalifa, who had
purposely sent him out of Omdurman to prevent him conversing with
anyone, and to keep all information regarding his mission quite
secret.[P] In this way the Khalifa thought he would give him a different
impression of Mahdiism, while Hajji Zubeir was told off as intermediary
between Khalil and Abdullah.
It was generally believed that Khalil had blamed the Khalifa for his
ill-treatment and oppression of the Moslems, and had shown him how his
rule was ruining the Sudan. He had begged him to abandon the evil of
Mahdiism and return to the true orthodox religion. Whilst in confinement
at Kererri he was frequently threatened with death. No one knew what his
mission could be, and the Khalifa knew how to guard it secretly, so that
gradually people began to forget all about him, and great was the
surprise when one day Khalil and his companion appeared riding on mules
at the great parade held during the Bairam festival.
The Khalifa brought Khalil here to show him how immense was his power
and authority, and just before the parade was concluded Abdullah and all
the cavalry galloped up to him, surrounded him, and asked whether he
would not rather stay in the shadow of the Mahdi's dome than return to
Egypt. Khalil, who had now been for upwards of five months in
confinement, and thinking that he should never be allowed to leave, and
at the same time longing to be allowed to return and report to the
Government all he had seen, replied diplomatically that having once been
in the light he had no wish to return to darkness.
This reply delighted the Khalifa, who ordered him to be set free, and at
prayers in the mosque on that day he sat in the centre of the long line
of Ansar just behind the Khalifa.
It is the custom at festivals for all European prisoners, Greeks,
Syrians, Jews, &c., to go and offer the Khalifa their good wishes. When
they arrived on this occasion the Khalifa ordered them to be seated
around him--he does not allow them to kiss his hand, as he might thereby
become contaminated with their impurity; he usually makes a speech,
pointing out the punishments which may fall upon them; but this time he
was particularly gracious, asked how they were all getting on, and if
they had met with ill-treatment or injustice at the hands of anyone. He
gave them to understand that they must look on him as their protector,
and that should they die their children would become their heirs, and
that if a family had no children, the property would be sold and divided
amongst the other prisoners.
This kindly speech was a great surprise to us all; but the astute
Khalifa only wanted to show Khalil how well he treated his prisoners. It
is possible, also, that Khalil had observed to him how badly we really
were treated, but this is only surmise on my part. Abdullah's kindly
speech, however, did us much good, for of course all he says goes the
round of the whole town, and when the people knew that we had been well
received, they showed us much greater kindness and respect. If, on the
other hand, the Khalifa ever imputes a word of blame to any of us, the
reaction on the people is immediate, and we are at once insulted and
maltreated. 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 sword."
The Khalifa then asked Khalil's companion if he wished to return or stay
where he was. The man replied that he was a messenger, pure and simple,
and that as such "he should return to him who sent him," and on the same
day the Khalifa gave him permission to depart.
But now evil reports were spread abroad regarding Khalil. It was said
that he was a great friend of Mustafa Yawer, the ex-Mudir of Dongola,
and that it was mainly through his influence that he prevented him
adopting Mahdiism; it was also said that he was the chief of the spies
sent by the English, and a bitter enemy to the Mahdi. It was imprudent
under such circumstances of Khalil to go as an envoy to Omdurman. He had
given his services to the Government for this purpose, and he bravely
adhered to it; but he was well known to the inhabitants of Dongola and
Dar Shaggieh, and it was quite certain that the Khalifa would never
permit such a man to return to Egypt. Even in Omdurman he would not
allow him to be at large.
Two days later the judges were assembled to consider Khalil's case:
false witnesses came forward who asserted that they had seen Khalil
worshipping the sun and frequently turning towards the west at prayers,
and all sorts of stories were trumped up to induce the Khalifa to put
Khalil in chains.
The pliable judges condemned the sheikh, and he was relegated to the
Saier. Neufeld had to give up his cell, which was made over to Khalil.
None of the prisoners were allowed to speak to him--thus was the poor
man left without a friend or acquaintance to help him; everyone shunned
him as if he were the victim of some foul disease. From the earliest
days of Mahdiism it was always the fate of those who fell in favour to
be deserted by all, and this was more especially the case with all those
on whom the Khalifa's wrath fell. Thus everyone--fearing for his own
life--avoids all intercourse with such prisoners.
When Khalil had expended the little money he possessed, he sold his
sword, sheepskin, and clothes, and bought bread--such bread too!--even
Sudanese, who are accustomed to eat all sorts of stuff, could only eat
prison bread when hunger had made them like ravenous wolves; but Khalil
had come from Egypt and its flesh-pots, and the Sudan bread made him
ill.
At length he had no more money to buy even bread, and then he suffered
the pangs of hunger. For a month before his death his beard had grown
quite white, and he himself had become like a skeleton. His wretchedness
and loneliness brought on sickness, and he died a miserable death. It
occurred on a Friday whilst the Khalifa was attending a review, and
Abdullah accidentally fell from his horse on that day, but was caught
before he reached the ground. This was considered a very bad omen by the
people, who thought that Khalil had been unjustly condemned. They
believed it pointed to the overthrow of the Khalifa's rule, and he
himself was very much disturbed.
The disloyal Ababdehs of Hassan Khalifa were also locked up in the
Saier. Hassan was a nephew of the former Mudir of Berber, had been for a
long time emir of Abu Hamed, and during Nejumi's advance on Egypt had
occupied the wells of Murat. It was said that when there, he had acted
in a most reprehensible manner, and had wrung quantities of money out of
the merchants. It was also said that when Saleh Bey advanced from
Korosko on Murat, he came to an arrangement with him--for he was not a
Mahdiist at heart--and had retired on Abu Hamed without attempting to
fight.
All sorts of reports about him reached the Khalifa's ears, but he
refused to believe them. When, however, a certain Abadi named Karrar,
one of the Khalifa's spies, who had been captured by Saleh at Murat, for
having letters in his possession for the sheikhs in Egypt, and had been
kept in prison for some months, was released and returned to Omdurman,
the Khalifa then became convinced of Hassan Khalifa's disloyalty; he
sent four of his mulazimin to Abu Hamed, arrested him and his people,
and confiscated all their property. About forty men were thrown into
chains, dragged to Omdurman and there relegated to the Saier; several
died of typhus, and the remainder, after two years' imprisonment, were
sent as exiles to Fashoda, except Hassan, who still remains in prison at
Omdurman.
Near the Saier is another small prison for females, but there are not so
many of them.
FOOTNOTES:
[P] Khalil had been entrusted with a few lines of a purely
non-political nature, politely asking the Khalifa to return to the
bearer any clothes, papers, &c., belonging to the late General Gordon,
which his family were very desirous of procuring. He was also given
lists of all prisoners captured at Toski, showing how they were disposed
of in Egypt, and a remark was added that when peace and tranquillity
were restored between the two countries, they would be permitted to
return, but in the meantime they were well cared for.--F. R. W.