journey to Dara, and were accompanied a short distance along the road by
Messedaglia Bey, who told us that his wife was coming to Khartum, and
that he was asking for leave of absence to go and meet her there and
bring her to El Fasher. I suggested that it would be advisable to wait
till Sultan Harun had been dealt with before bringing his wife so far;
but Messedaglia replied there was not the least cause for fear, and that
there were now quite sufficient troops in the country to suppress any
local difficulties. I had heard, however, that Harun's influence was
considerable, and that there was some apprehension that the now reduced
Government forces might be hard pressed. Having only just come to the
country and having had no previous experience, it was of course
impossible for me to judge; I therefore accepted Messedaglia's views on
the situation, and, bidding him and Said Bey Guma, the commandant,
farewell, we hurried on towards Dara, our road taking us through Keriut,
Ras el Fil, and Shieria.
Zurbuchen was a very much older-looking man than myself, with a long
black beard and spectacles, whilst I looked perhaps even younger than I
was. The hair on my upper lip had scarcely begun to sprout, and
altogether I had a most boyish face; consequently wherever we went he
was invariably taken for the Governor, and I for the doctor or
apothecary. As we approached the end of our journey, the doctor, who was
suffering from fever, had to ride slowly, and to save time for official
work, I rode on slightly ahead, and happened to reach the village of
Shieria (a day's march from Dara) a little before the appointed time. I
found the villagers busily preparing for our reception, the houses were
being swept out, straw mats laid down, and the Kadi and Sheikh had
spread out their carpets, on which the new Governor was to repose.
Making my camel kneel down, I got off, and to inquiries as to who I was,
I answered, "One of the new Governor's escort;" having previously warned
the rest of my escort to say nothing. The inquisitive villagers now
assailed me with innumerable questions. "What sort of man is the new
Governor?" said one. "Oh," I replied, "I think he will do his best, and
I believe he is inclined to be just and easy going." "But is he brave
and kind-hearted," said another. This was rather a puzzling question to
answer, so I replied guardedly, "He does not look as if he were afraid,
but I haven't yet heard much about his courage; he has a manly
appearance, and I believe he is kind-hearted; but of course it is
impossible for him to satisfy every one." "Ah!" said another, "if we
only had a governor like Gordon Pasha, then the country would indeed be
contented; he never ceased to distribute money and presents, and never
sent the poor and needy away without giving them something. I only once
heard him say some harsh words, and that was when Suleiman Zubeir was at
Dara, and when he turned to the Kadi, saying that there were several bad
characters amongst the Sudanese, and that it did not always do to treat
them leniently." "Yes," chimed in the Kadi, "I heard him say so myself;
but he referred only to the Gellabas and traders who came from the Nile,
and who were implicated with Zubeir and his son in every description of
unlawful trade by which they could benefit themselves."
"Gordon was indeed a brave man," said the Sheikh of the village, who
introduced himself as Muslem Wad Kabbashi, "I was one of his chiefs in
the fight against the Mima and Khawabir Arabs: it was in the plain of
Fafa and a very hot day. The enemy had charged us and had forced back
the first line, and their spears were falling thick around us; one came
within a hair's breadth of Gordon, but he did not seem to mind it at
all, and the victory we won was entirely due to him and his reserve of
one hundred men. When the fight was at its worst, he found time to light
a cigarette. Never in my life did I see such a thing; and then the
following day, when he divided the spoil, no one was forgotten, and he
kept nothing for himself. He was very tender-hearted about women and
children, and never allowed them to be distributed, as is our custom in
war; but he fed and clothed them at his own expense, and had them sent
to their homes as soon as the war was over. One day," continued the
Sheikh, "without letting him know, we put some women aside; but if he
had found us out, we should have had a bad time of it."
After a short pause, I inquired about affairs in Dara and about the
qualifications of the various officials; for I had already heard that
they were very unreliable, and I was now told that they looked on my
advent with no friendly eye.
Meanwhile Dr. Zurbuchen and the rest of the caravan had arrived, and at
once the Sheikh, Kadi, and other village dignitaries lined up in a
semi-circle to receive him, while I, concealing myself as much as
possible, awaited with amusement to hear what Muslem Wad Kabbashi would
say; he began with warm welcome to the new Governor, praised his
qualifications, and eloquently described the joy of all his people at
his arrival. Poor Dr. Zurbuchen, whose comprehension of Arabic was very
slight, became more and more perplexed. "Indeed I am not the Governor,"
he urged, "I am only the Sanitary Inspector. The Governor must have
arrived long ago; but as he had only a few people with him, perhaps he
has been mistaken for some one else." I now thought it time to step
forward, and laughingly thanked the villagers for their kind reception,
assuring them that I would do all in my power to satisfy their wants,
and that at the same time I looked to them to assist me in seeing my
orders carried out. Of course they made the most profuse apologies for
the mistake; but I assured them there was not the least necessity for
their doing so. I was anxious, I said, to be on the most intimate and
friendly terms with all of them, and I hoped they would allow the same
friendly relations to continue. From that day forth, Sheikh Muslem Wad
Kabbashi became one of my most faithful friends, and continued to be
so, in times of joy and sorrow, until I left the country.
This little episode had given us all a hearty appetite, and we sat down
to an excellent meal of roast mutton; and that over, we were again in
the saddle, bivouacking for the night under a large tree about two
hours' march from Dara. At sunrise the next morning I sent on a
messenger to announce our approach, and on reaching the outskirts we
were given a great military reception, the garrison was drawn up in line
and a salute of seven guns fired, after which the troops filed off to
their barracks, and, accompanied by Major Hassan Helmi, the commandant,
Zogal Bey, the Sub-Governor, the Kadi, and some of the principal
merchants, we proceeded to the fort in which the Government buildings
are situated. The inspection lasted about half an hour, and I then went
to my own quarters, in which I had ordered rooms to be prepared for Dr.
Zurbuchen, who was to be my guest for a few days.
Dara, which is the capital of Southern Darfur, is built in the midst of
a large plain of partly sand and partly clay soil, the fort itself being
on the top of a low sand-hill,--in fact, on the same spot in which
Zubeir Pasha had entrenched himself when invading the country. It was a
rectangular stone enclosure twelve feet high, about five hundred yards
long and three hundred yards broad, with flanking towers at each corner,
and surrounded by a broad ditch twelve feet deep. The troops were
quartered in huts built along the inside of the enclosure, and in the
centre were the Government buildings, consisting of the Governor's
house, divan, and the various offices and courts of justice, as well as
the arms, grain-store, and prison. Some distance east of the fort was
the old mosque built by Sultan Mohammed el Fadl, which the former
Governor had converted into a powder-magazine, but which Gordon had
restored to the town for its proper purpose. Close to the southern gate
were the houses of Zogal Bey, the Kadi, and the commandant, built mostly
of burnt brick and enclosed by walls.
The town of Dara, consisting chiefly of straw and mud huts, lay a few
hundred yards to the east of the fort, while upwards of half a mile to
the west was situated the village of Goz en Naam, and beyond it again
the hamlet of Khummi.
Inclusive of the garrison, the population of Dara numbered between seven
and eight thousand, most of whom belonged to the local tribes; but there
were also a considerable number of Nile merchants and traders.
It being the month of Ramadan, which is the great fast, a meal of
roasted meat, bread, dates, and lemonade had been prepared for us; but
the officials sent a message to say they regretted they could not join
us. I confess to being only too glad of this respite, for we were
thoroughly tired. Our things unpacked, I now sat down to consider how to
make myself as comfortable as I could.
At sunset, the gun boomed out the signal that one day more of Ramadan
had gone; and now the hungry and thirsty inhabitants, their daily fast
over, hurried to their evening meal. Zogal Bey, Hassan Effendi Rifki,
Kadi el Beshir, and the chief merchant, Mohammed Ali, now came to see
us, and asked us to dine with them; they were followed by a host of
servants bearing roast mutton, fowls, milk, and rice,--which is usually
eaten with hot melted butter and honey,--and dishes of asida (meat
spread over with a thin layer of very fine dukhn flour, over which sauce
is poured, and on the top of all is a thin layer of paste, sprinkled
with sugar); this completed the menu. In a few minutes the ground just
outside the house, which had been sprinkled with fine sand, was spread
with carpets and palm mats, and on these the dishes were laid. Zogal Bey
began distributing the viands amongst those who had come to welcome me,
including the servants, but keeping, of course, the best dishes for the
more select company. We now sat down, and the tearing and rending of the
roast sheep began with a vengeance; of course, knives and forks were out
of the question. Scarcely had we settled down to the feast, when a great
hubbub arose amongst the servants, who were evidently trying to prevent
two men from pushing their way into our circle. I begged Zogal Bey to
inquire what was the matter. Licking his greasy fingers, he got up, and
returned in a few minutes, carrying a document which proved to be a
letter from Ahmed Katong and Gabralla, the two chiefs of an irregular
corps which garrisoned the station of Bir Gowi, some three days' march
southwest of Dara: this was to say they had just received information
that Sultan Harun was going to attack them, and that as they had only a
small force, they proposed to evacuate their station, unless
reinforcements could be sent at once; but they said that if they left
the district, all the villages would be plundered.
There was no time to be lost, so I ordered Hassan Effendi Rifki to
select two hundred regulars and twenty horsemen, to be ready to start
with me at once for Bir Gowi. Zogal and Hassan both urged that it was
unnecessary for me to go, as I wanted rest after the long journey; but I
said that as my principal object in coming to Darfur was to fight Sultan
Harun,--in accordance with Gordon Pasha's orders,--I intended to take
the earliest possible opportunity of doing so. Seeing that I was not to
be stopped, and secretly rejoicing that neither of them had been saddled
with the responsibility of taking command, they now hurried on with the
preparations.
The pony which Gordon had given me was too tired to be taken, so I asked
if any one present could lend or sell me a good horse. Zogal happened to
have just bought a large white Syrian horse, and at once sent for it; he
was a strong, well-made animal, quite suitable for the fatigues of a
campaign, and as he had formerly been owned by an officer, was used to
the noise of firing. Seeing that I liked the look of the horse, Zogal
immediately begged my acceptance of it by way of diafa (hospitality);
but I went to some pains to explain to him that it was not customary in
my country to accept such presents, and that here in the Sudan, he being
my subordinate, I could not think of it. Unfortunately, I had previously
mentioned Gordon's gift of a pony to me, and of course Zogal brought
this up as a parallel case; but I replied that there was no objection to
accepting a present from a high official given entirely by way of
friendship. After considerable discussion, I at length succeeded in
making him accept one hundred and eighty dollars; but he did so under
great protest.
By midnight all was ready, and, bidding Dr. Zurbuchen good-bye, I
started off for the southwest, saying that I hoped to see him again in
four or five days.
I was young, strong, and keen to have some fighting experience, and I
well remember my delight at the thought of a brush with Sultan Harun.
The idea of difficulties and fatigue never crossed my mind; all I longed
for was a chance of showing my men that I could lead them. At sunrise I
halted my little party, which consisted of two hundred Blacks,--the
officers also being Sudanese,--and the horsemen Turks and Egyptians, and
addressed them in a short speech, saying that at present I was an entire
stranger to them, but they should see I was ready to share fatigue and
discomfort with them on all occasions, and that I hoped we should march
rapidly forward with a good heart. Simple as my harangue undoubtedly
was, I saw that it had made an impression, and when I had finished, they
raised their rifles above their heads, in Sudanese fashion, and shouted
that they were ready to conquer or die.
At noon we halted near a village, and I then carefully inspected the
men. They were all well armed, and had a plentiful supply of ammunition;
each man was also provided with a water-bottle made out of goat or
gazelle skin, known as "sen" (pl. siun); but they had brought no rations
with them. On inquiry, I was told, "Wherever you go in Darfur you will
always find something to eat." I therefore made my way to the Sheikh of
the village, and asked him to supply some dukhn. This corn is generally
soaked in water, then pressed, mixed with tamarind fruit, and eaten in
this condition; the bitter-sweet water being an excellent
thirst-quencher. This food Europeans usually find indigestible; but it
is very nourishing, and is eaten almost exclusively by the Sudanese
soldiers when campaigning. I gradually got accustomed to it, taking it
almost invariably when out on such expeditions; but I found that unless
one was feeling very well, it generally brought on most painful
indigestion. The Sheikh now brought us the corn, and also a large dish
of asida, which was divided amongst the men; and whilst they were having
their meal, I asked the officers to share with me a tin of preserved
meat, which they admitted was much superior to the asida and dukhn. I
then called up my clerk, and told him to write out a receipt for the
corn, which he was to give the Sheikh, to be his voucher for the
remission of taxation equivalent to the value of the dukhn supplied. But
the good man, when he understood my orders, refused to accept the
receipt, adding that it was not only his duty to give the corn, but that
the rights of hospitality demanded it. I told him, however, that I was
well aware the natives of Darfur were most generous; but to impose the
feeding of two hundred men on him quite exceeded the bounds of
hospitality, and that it was only just he should receive payment. He at
length agreed, and this conversation appeared to give him confidence;
for he admitted that if this principle were always carried out, the
natives would greatly appreciate it; but, unfortunately, it was the
usual custom for troops arriving at a village to enter the houses, and
take anything and everything they wanted, with the result that the
inhabitants dreaded their approach, and at once tried to hide all they
had. I thanked the Sheikh for telling me this, and promised I would do
all I could to rectify the evil. We moved on again at three o'clock,
loaded with the blessings of this good man and his people, and after a
quick march of four hours halted in a small plantation of trees. Our
route had led us across a country overgrown with dense bush, and
intersected by innumerable dry gullies; and here and there we passed a
village buried amongst the trees. From our halting-place I sent off two
horsemen to Bir Gowi to announce our approach; and, after a refreshing
rest of five hours under the wild fig-trees and tamarisks, we started
off again, and marched almost uninterruptedly till noon the following
day. We once or twice had to ask for corn, and always had the same
difficulty in getting the Sheikhs to accept the receipt; but as I
insisted, they generally ended by gladly taking it. I was anxious, if
possible, to reach Bir Gowi before dark, so pushed on; we passed on the
way a large plantation of deleb palms, and had to be careful not to be
struck by the heavy fruit, which, weighing from two to three pounds, and
falling from a height of some forty feet, was a positive danger. Woe to
the unfortunate traveller who thoughtlessly halts for the night in one
of these palm-groves! The natives, however, are very careful, and
generally warn the unsuspecting of the risk of sleeping anywhere near
these trees when bearing fruit.
At sunset we reached Bir Gowi, which was situated in the centre of a
large clearing; and to reach the station we had to pass between the
stumps of trees, which considerably impeded the march. It was surrounded
by a square zariba, each side of which measured about one hundred and
eighty paces, and consisted of a thorn barricade about twelve feet thick
and six feet high; on the inside, the ground was raised to enable the
men to fire over it from a platform, and the whole was surrounded by a
ditch nine feet wide, and about nine feet deep.
The garrison, consisting of some hundred and twenty men armed with
rifles, was drawn up outside, with their officers, ready to salute. I
halted the men, and, riding forward, saluted the garrison, and was
welcomed by the vigorous beating of the nahas (copper war-drums) and
noggaras (other drums, made from the hollow trunk of a tree, covered on
both sides with skin), the blowing of bugles and antelope horns, and the
rattling of dry skins filled with pebbles,--a very effective, but by no
means melodious band, diversified by the occasional crack of rifles
fired off in a promiscuous manner, and which could not exactly be
compared to a _feu de joie_, though no doubt the intention was the same.
After inspecting the garrison, I ordered my men to file into the fort.
The interior of the zariba was filled with straw huts, those of the
chiefs being surrounded by high straw enclosures; but there was
sufficient room for us all, and I was given a good-sized hut, standing
in almost the only open place visible.
The object of the Bir Gowi military post was to protect the surrounding
villages from raids; but the strength of the garrison to take the
offensive was insufficient, and it would probably have been of little
use. Dismounting from my horse, I sat on an angareb, and sent for Ahmed
Katong and Gabralla to discuss the situation, and obtain the latest news
about Harun's movements. Katong soon arrived, hobbling along on a
crutch. He belonged to the Fung tribe, his forefathers having been
captured by the Furs, after the conquest of Kordofan, and he had been
made Hakem Khot, or chief of the district; his duty being to collect
taxes, and at the same time to be responsible for the security of the
country. In reply to my question as to how he had become lame, he told
me that some years before he had been struck in the knee by a bullet.
"Since that date," said Ahmed, "I always have a saddled horse near me.
In the zariba, of course, it does not matter; but when travelling in
these unsettled times, and when one is liable to be attacked at any
moment, I lie down to sleep holding the bridle in my hand. Those with
good legs can easily get away in case of danger; but with a stump like
mine I cannot run, so I have taught myself to mount my horse quickly,
with one leg."
I now begged them to give me the latest news about Harun. "Gabralla,"
said Ahmed, "sent out spies, who returned this afternoon, and who state
that Harun has collected his men, but has not yet come down from the
mountains;" and Gabralla, chiming in, said, "Yes, I did so, and have
sent off others to watch his movements; if he comes here I don't think
we shall run away now."
I could not help scanning this man with some curiosity. He was tall, and
of the usual black complexion of the Fur tribe; he possessed also--which
is very unusual--a well-shaped aquiline nose and a small mouth; he had
a slight beard, was about forty years of age, and had a very pleasant
expression. Yet this was the villain who had betrayed the father of his
own beautiful wife! Was I to trust him, or not? He had certainly every
inducement to be loyal, for should he fall into the hands of Harun, he
would doubtless pay with his life for the death of his uncle and his
father-in-law.
Naturally I gave him no occasion to discover my thoughts, and we chatted
about former times, agreeing they were very different from the present;
he then began to talk of himself, and told me how he was employed as a
spy to bring the news of Harun's movements to Dara, and thence to El
Fasher. He had between thirty and forty of his old slaves, who were
armed, and whose duty it was to guard and serve him, whilst the older
male servants and female slaves had to work in the fields and keep the
household supplied with corn. Being in the pay of the Government, he was
quite content, but told me that he wanted to do something which would
qualify him for the rank of Bey. "Zogal, who is a friend of mine," he
said, "is a Bey."
By this time I was so thoroughly tired and sleepy after my long journey,
followed by the two days' hard marching, that I went to bed; but my head
ached, and the incessant beating of drums in my honour kept me awake all
night, and the following morning I felt really unwell. Ahmed Katong came
to see me, and I told him I had a bad headache. "We can easily cure
that," said Ahmed, cheerfully. "I have a man here who can stop headaches
at once; he is a much better man than the doctor at Dara,--indeed there
is no doctor at Dara; he is really only an apothecary, with the courtesy
title of doctor."
"All right," said I, "but how is he going to cure me?" "Oh! it is very
simple," he answered; "he places both his hands on your head, and
repeats something; then you get perfectly well,--in fact, better than
you were before." "Then let him come at once," I cried. I was young and
ignorant in those days, and I thought that possibly one of these
wandering Arabs might have visited Europe and learned something of the
magnetic cure, and had given up the pleasures of life in order to make
himself useful to mankind. I confess to feeling a little mistrustful
when I thought of what Ahmed had said; but then, after all, doctors in
Europe speak, so why should not he? In a few minutes Ahmed ushered into
my presence a tall dark man with a white beard, who appeared to be a
native of Bornu, and introduced him as "the doctor who will cure your
headache." Without a moment's hesitation, the doctor placed his hand on
my head, pressed my temples with his thumb and forefinger, and,
muttering a few words I could not understand, to my horror, spat in my
face. In a moment I had jumped up and knocked him down; but Ahmed, who
was standing by, leaning on his crutch, begged me not to take it in this
way. "It was not really meant for rudeness," he said; "it is merely a
part of the cure, and will do you much good." But the poor doctor, whose
confidence had been somewhat shaken, and was still standing at a
distance, muttered, "Headache is the work of the devil, and I must drive
it out; several passages from the Kuran and the sayings of holy men
direct that it should be chased away by spitting, and thus his evil work
in your head will cease!" In spite of my annoyance, I could not help
laughing. "So I am supposed to be possessed of a devil," I said; "I
trust he was only a little one, and that you have really driven him
out." I did not, however, let him make a second experiment, and, giving
him a dollar as compensation, I bade him good-bye, and he left me,
calling down the blessings of Heaven on my poor head, which was still
aching sadly.
All day we awaited news of Sultan Harun's movements, and as there was
nothing to be done I kept to my bed. I was just dozing off, when my
servant announced that Katong and Gabralla wished to see me. They were
admitted, for I thought that no doubt they brought news of Harun; but it
was only to say that it was the custom of the country, and one of the
claims of hospitality, that, having only one horse, I should accept from
each of them a fine country bred animal as a mark of their loyalty and
respect. I replied to them much in the same terms as I had answered
Zogal, adding that I had no doubt we should remain equally good friends
without giving and taking presents, provided they continued to carry out
their duties faithfully.
Although they appeared greatly distressed at my refusal to accept the
horses, I have no doubt they went home rejoicing secretly that I had
refused their gifts. However, before many minutes had passed, Gabralla
came back and asked to say just a few words. He had been much pained, he
said, by my refusal to take the horse, and now, as I was quite alone and
very unwell, he took the liberty of offering me one of his
maid-servants. "She is young and pretty," he said, "and has been well
brought up in my house; she knows how to prepare native food, is good at
housework, and is above all a good and careful nurse, and thoroughly
understands all the ailments of the country." Again I was obliged to
refuse this proffered kindness; so poor Gabralla went away somewhat
downcast with his failure. But having already had a rather painful
experience at the hands of the doctor, I was not particularly anxious to
intrust myself to the tender mercies of even a dusky maiden, however
proficient a nurse she might be.
The next morning I arose feeling quite myself again; and when I met
Ahmed and told him that I had recovered, he at once answered, "Of
course, I knew you would get quite well; Isa (the name of my doctor) has
never yet put his hands on any one and failed to cure him."
Another day passed, and still no news of Harun. Accompanied by Katong
and Gabralla, I visited the market, which was about a hundred yards
outside the zariba, and was held specially for the benefit of the
surrounding villagers, who purchased here all they required. Sometimes
the Beni Helba Arabs, who reside in this part of the country, are seen
here. Women sitting on the ground expose palm mats for sale, as well as
giraffe, antelope, and cow meat; salt is also an important commodity,
besides a great variety of native vegetables which are used as
ingredients in making sauces for the asida dish. Men are to be seen
selling takaki, or native woven linen and cotton cloth, thread, natron,
and sulphur, which the Arabs buy freely to grind, and mix with the
grease with which they rub their heads. The women are usually the
marissa vendors; and here and there a young female slave is exposed for
sale. I thought I must buy something, so invested in a few palm mats.
On the following day, about noon, one of Gabralla's messengers returned
with the news that Sultan Harun had collected his men, but still had not
moved down from his summer resort in the hills. On the fourth day after
our arrival at Bir Gowi, a second messenger came in and stated that when
Sultan Harun heard from the natives that I had left Dara for Bir Gowi
with the intention of fighting him, he had at once disbanded his men,
who had dispersed over Jebel Marra.
Thoroughly disappointed with my first failure, I returned crestfallen to
Dara, but before doing so visited the sulphur spring from which the
station of Bir Gowi (or the strong well) is named. The warm water spouts
up from the centre of a sandy depression, and is cooled by two small
streams artificially led into it. Natives affected with rheumatism or
diseases of the blood bathe in this spring, and are said to derive great
benefit from its strengthening properties.
Nine days after leaving Dara I was back there again, and by that time
Dr. Zurbuchen had gone, leaving behind him a letter in which he wished
me all success. I also found that during my absence my unfortunate Arab
clerk who had accompanied me when I was Financial Inspector, and had
come with me to Dara, had become crazy: they had put him into a house
next my own, and when I went to see him, he sprang forward to embrace
me, crying out, "Thank God! Sultan Harun has done no harm to you; but
Zogal Bey is a traitor, beware of him. I have ordered the fires in the
engine to be lighted, in order that the train may take you to Europe,
where you will be able to see your relations again. I shall come with
you; but we must be careful about Zogal, he is a scoundrel!" Evidently
the poor man's mind was quite unhinged; nevertheless, crazy people
sometimes speak the truth. I quieted the poor old man, and induced him
to lie down till he heard the engine's whistle warning us to be off;
and, commending him to the care of the servants, I went away. Five days
later, the whistle had sounded, and the poor man had been carried off to
his long home,--his death was, I suppose, due to a rush of blood to the
brain.
I now busied myself with the administrative affairs of the province of
Dara, which, exclusive of the districts of Kalaka and Shakka, comprised
five divisions, or kisms, viz., Toweisha, Kershu, Giga, Sirga, and
Arebu, each of which was supposed to pay taxes at a fixed rate; but I
found that the officials conducted affairs just as they pleased. It was
thought impossible to take regular taxes from Arabs who had no settled
places of abode, and whose wealth in cattle was continually increasing;
a system had, therefore, been arrived at by which each tribe was
assessed at a fixed sum, for the payment of which the head-Sheikh was
made responsible, and he, in turn, assessed the various sub-tribes by a
mutual arrangement with which the Government did not interfere. I now
ordered each district to forward lists to me showing the name and number
of the villages and the names of the landowners and traders in every
village. When these came in, it would be an easy matter to lay down
definitely the rates to be paid by every individual. It was also my
intention to make an inspection of every district, in order to see for
myself the quality of soil, and assess the value locally; and at the
same time my inspections would enable me to see for myself the strength
of the Arab tribes, and thus acquire some real data for laying down the
tribute which they should pay.
About a month after my return from Bir Gowi, I received a letter in
French from Messedaglia, telling me that he had determined to put an end
to the Harun trouble; and for this purpose he ordered me to move
secretly _via_ Manawashi and Kobbé, with a division of regular troops,
towards Jebel Marra, and attack Niurnia, the Sultan's residence. At the
same time, he wrote, he was despatching troops from El Fasher, _via_
Tura, and from Kulkul, _via_ Abu Haraz, to rendezvous at a certain spot
and co-operate in the attack.
In compliance with this order, I left Dara with two hundred and twenty
regulars and sixty Bazingers; but as the horses were unshod, and not
used to hill work, I took only six of them. It was then the month of
February, and extremely cold. We marched _via_ Manawashi, where I
visited the tomb of the last Sultan of the Fur dynasty, and on the
following day we bivouacked near Kobbé, close to the defile which leads
to Jebel Marra. Being now fairly near the enemy, I increased the
outposts; but we passed the night without being disturbed. Early the
next morning we began our march through the defile, carefully protecting
the flanks by sending parties up the hills on both sides. In an hour and
a half we had traversed the valley and reached the village of Abdel
Gelil, who was one of Harun's chiefs. He had quitted the village only
the day before; and, dividing amongst the men the corn we found, we
continued our march over most rugged country, alternate steep hills and
deep valleys, and here and there a stony plain. My men, being unused to
climbing of this description, got very tired. The country was completely
forsaken; not a human being was to be seen. Occasionally, close to the
track, we came across small deserted huts with stone walls and thatched
roofs; and now and then were to be seen little patches of ground, either
at the bottom of the valleys or on the slopes of the hills, planted with
various sorts of wheat; and there were wild fig-trees in abundance.
That night we bivouacked on a small plateau; but, fearing to expose our
position, we did not dare to light fires, though we could have procured
plenty of wood from the huts. In spite of our warm clothing, the cold
was bitter; but it was better to bear that than make ourselves a target
for the enemy, who, armed with Remington rifles, were in all probability
prowling about on the heights. At sunrise we marched on again, and
halted in the afternoon on an open plain called by the natives Dem es
Sakat (the cold camp); so named because Zubeir Pasha, in his Darfur
campaign, had stayed here and had lost many men from the cold. The next
day, although I had ordered a large fire to be lit, several of the men
were reported to me as being unable to move, owing to the cold; but we
mounted them on the donkeys and mules, and so brought them along with
us. At noon we reached the highest point of Jebel Marra, and had a
magnificent view over the whole country; and far in the distance could
be seen Niurnia, the objective of our expedition. This ancient capital
of the Fur Sultans lay far down the valley, where it began to open out
into the plain, and was almost buried in a mass of wild fig-trees. With
my glasses I could just descry people apparently hurriedly quitting the
village and leading their horses. We pushed on, but it took us four
hours to climb down the mountain side; and it was not till sunset that,
preceded by a line of skirmishers, we entered the town to find it
completely evacuated.
Sultan Harun's mosque lay to the west of the town, and was enclosed by a
stone wall four and a half feet high and a hundred yards square. The
mosque itself was in the centre of the enclosure, and was a stone
building about forty feet square, with a straw-thatch roof. Some three
hundred yards from the mosque lay the houses of the Sultan, built of mud
and stone; and one of them was furnished with a second story. They were
all surrounded by straw fences, and near them were the huts of the
personal retainers and armed men. The open space between the mosque and
house was divided by a silvery stream of beautifully clear water. The
mosque being empty, I turned my men into it, as I thought it the safest
place to be in in case of attack.
The same evening a mountaineer was caught creeping into the village; and
on assuring him that I meant him no harm, he told me, through an
interpreter (he did not speak Arabic), that Sultan Harun, with all his
men, had left Niurnia that morning, and had gone west in the direction
of Abu Haraz, but that he had sent all the young slaves and those not
strong enough to march, to a safe place in the mountains, about an
hour's distance from the town. As I had to wait for the troops from
Kebkebia and Kulkul, which should have already arrived, it was
impossible for me to pursue Harun. I therefore proposed to the spy,
under promise of a good reward, that he should lead me to the
hiding-place in the hills. Accordingly, we started the next morning at
an early hour, with one hundred men and a couple of horses, and had not
been out more than half an hour when, from the direction from which we
had just come, I heard some shots, and then a series of volleys. Was it
possible Sultan Harun had suddenly returned and was attacking my men? I
instantly turned back, and, galloping on in front, reached an open
space, in which I saw soldiers firing at each other. My trumpeter, whom
I had mounted behind me, now jumped down, and I shouted to him to sound
the "Cease fire;" but for a few minutes I could not get them to take any
notice. Still riding on, I came within range, and a bullet passed
through the cloak I had thrown over my shoulders to keep out the cold,
and my horse was slightly struck in the hind leg. At last I managed to
stop the firing, and summoned the officers to find out what had
occurred. It now transpired that the troops advancing from El Fasher
under Kasem Effendi and his assistant, Mohammed Bey Khalil, had been
informed that Sultan Harun was in Niurnia. They had marched all night,
and, concealing themselves behind the huts, had crept in unawares close
to the big fire round which my men were sleeping, and had suddenly fired
on them. The latter, alarmed, had jumped up and begun firing, believing
that they were attacked by Harun's men. My chief officer, Hassan Rifki
(who was one of those who had been present at the death of Suleiman
Zubeir), had done his utmost to check the firing by repeated
bugle-signals; but the Fasher troops, who had been told that Sultan
Harun also had buglers who wore the fez, could not be induced to stop.
Curiously enough, during the late revolt several of the soldiers had
deserted and joined Sultan Harun. It was only when I appeared on the
scene that the contending parties realised what had happened. Both sides
had suffered: three of my men had been killed and four wounded, while
the Fasher troops had lost four killed and seven wounded. I had a small
field dispensary, and dressed the wounds as best I could; and then
ordered a statement of what had occurred to be taken down and sent to
the authority concerned.
The horse which I had bought from Zogal, and which I had left at the
mosque, was struck in the neck by a bullet, which had slightly
penetrated, and he almost died from loss of blood; but fortunately the
ball had not lodged in a vital part, and after some days he recovered.
We remained ten days at Niurnia, and still the troops coming from Kulkul
had not arrived; while communication by letter-carriers between us and
Dara and Fasher was interrupted by the mountaineers, who would not allow
the messengers through.
During this waiting time I made a small expedition to the village of
Abderrahman Kusa, one of Harun's principal men. But it was deserted,
though I knew that the villagers were concealing themselves amongst the
rocks and were watching our movements; they had always early
information, and were able to make off in good time. During this march
we came across some trees to which curious clay vessels had been
attached, and which I learnt were beehives. On the advice of Sheikh
Taher we did not go near the trees, as he said the bees would probably
attack us, but halted some two miles away. That evening Sheikh Taher,
taking some wood and straw, smoked out one of the hives and brought us a
quantity of excellent honey; but his servants, who accompanied him,
carried in a dying Bazinger on a stretcher. He was one of my men; and
when he saw the hives, he had fallen out of the ranks, and, tying some
cloth round his hands and face, had attempted to procure some honey. The
bees had attacked him, and he had fallen off the tree unconscious, where
he lay until picked up by the others; and I do not think I ever saw a
more terrible sight. His face was swollen beyond all recognition, and
his tongue protruded to an enormous size from his widely distended
mouth. The poor man never regained consciousness, and died in an hour or
two.
We had to start off before sunrise the next morning, as the Sheikh told
us that when the sun was up the bees would probably attack us.
On our return to Niurnia I gave orders to start back the following day,
marching _via_ Dar Omongawi, Murtal, and Murtafal. On our way we passed
through several villages and took the people entirely by surprise, for
they had not expected us from the west. Most of the men had been
collected by Sultan Harun, and those who could escape to the hills did
so; but my men captured about thirty women, whom we took along with us
for a short distance. In one village the people were so completely
surprised that few of them had time to fly; and, seeing that they were
only women, I sounded the halt, in order to give them a chance of
getting away. I then formed up the men on the road, so as to prevent
them scattering through the village, and in this formation we marched
on. One poor woman, I noticed, in her hurry to escape, had left her two
children on a rock, while she herself fled like a gazelle up the
mountain side. Going to the rock, I found two pretty little babies,
quite naked, but with strings of coral round their waists and necks.
They were as black as ravens, and probably twins about eighteen months
old. Dismounting, I went up to them, and they began to cry and cling to
each other; so, taking them in my arms, I told my servant to bring me
some sugar from my travelling-bag. This pacified them at once; and,
smiling through their tears, they munched what to them was probably the
nicest thing they had ever tasted in their little lives. Then, taking
two of the red handkerchiefs (a supply of which I generally carried
about to offer as presents), I wrapped the babies up in them, laid them
down on the rock again, and moved on some distance. Looking back, I saw
a human being, evidently the mother, creeping down the rocks. Then,
joyfully seizing her little ones, whom she thought perhaps she had lost
for ever, she fondled them most lovingly. She had got back her naked
treasures clothed in lovely garments, and licking their little black
lips all sticky with their feast of sugar.
After a three days' march we reached Murtafal; and from here I sent the
Fasher troops back to their station, whilst we continued on to Dara. But
before leaving, I had all the women whom we had picked up on the march
to carry corn, collected together, and then set them free. I told them
that next time I hoped their husbands would be more submissive, and in
that case wives, husbands, and children need never be separated. A
shriek of joy, a mutter of gratitude, and they were off like gazelles
released from a cage.
I had now been away from Dara about three weeks, and had heard no news
whatever. At the noon halt, the following day, my men brought before me
some of the Beni Mansur tribe, who told me that Sultan Harun had
attacked Dara, and, on being repulsed, had turned to Manawashi, which
was about a day's march from where we were. They told me he had looted
the place, and also burnt the village of Tanera, which belonged to
Sheikh Maki el Mansuri, and was about six hours' march from us. This
Sheikh, whom I knew well, had lost everything, they said, and had barely
escaped with his life.
Telling my informants to lose no time in bringing Sheikh Mansuri to me,
I marched on at once towards Manawashi, and by the evening we had made
good progress. I now ordered the halt for the night, and soon afterwards
the Sheikh arrived, in a very destitute condition. He had lost all his
property, and had nothing left but the clothes in which he stood; and
they were torn to shreds by thorns during his flight. Seating himself,
he briefly related what had occurred. Sultan Harun, it appeared, on
quitting Niurnia, had collected a considerable force, and had descended
to the plains in the direction of Abu Haraz. Here he had a collision
with the Kulkul troops, who had suffered slight loss, and had retired on
Kebkebia; and that was the reason they had failed to come up to the
rendezvous at Niurnia. Harun had advanced immediately on Dara, and the
news of his approach had only reached the garrison two hours before he
had made his night attack on the town, in which many of the inhabitants,
including Khater, a brother of Vizir Ahmed Shata, had been killed, and
several women captured. Eventually driven out, he had retired to
Manawashi, which he had partially destroyed; and detaching some of his
men to Tanera, they had burnt the village and taken almost all the
women. The unfortunate Sheikh Maki had been wounded in the leg, and had
only escaped death by a miracle. It appeared that Harun was now in a
position about four hours' march from me in a westerly direction, and
was being followed up by Ahmed Katong and Gabralla, who, when Harun had
passed through the Beni Helba country, had not been sufficiently strong
to attack him, but were now doing their best to keep in touch with him,
and send news of his movements to Dara and Fasher.
I at once despatched messengers with instructions to them to join me
during the night, and to send spies to ascertain exactly where Harun was
encamped. At dawn the following morning, Katong and Gabralla arrived,
with about a hundred Bazingers. They reported that Harun had struck his
camp, and was marching west with his entire force. A woman they brought
with them, and who belonged to Sheikh Maki's village, also stated that
Harun had collected all the women he had captured at Dara and Manawashi,
and had addressed them as follows: "I was not told that the unbeliever
Slatin had liberated the women he had captured; but as I am a believer
and the Sultan, it is not fitting that I should keep you captive; you
are therefore free; but my blood relatives I will keep with me, for I am
the head of the family, and, therefore, their master."
The woman also stated that amongst those Harun had captured at Dara were
some of the princesses of the royal house of Darfur, as well as Sheikh
Maki's wife, who belonged to the late Sultan's family. This sad news
greatly distressed poor Sheikh Maki, whose cup of sorrow was indeed full
to overflowing.
I now made preparations to march off at once in pursuit of Harun; but my
little expedition into Jebel Marra had considerably reduced my numbers.
The cold had been fatal to many of the Blacks, and I remarked that those
who were accustomed to eat meat and drink marissa stood the cold and
hardships well; whilst those whose duties lay chiefly in tax-gathering
amongst the nomad Arabs, and who consequently existed principally on
milk, succumbed in large numbers.
Including Katong's and Gabralla's reinforcements, my little detachment
consisted only of a hundred and seventy-five regulars and a hundred and
forty Bazingers. The horses had all been lamed by the rough ground,
except the gray which I rode. I had sent messengers to Dara to say that
I was on my way back, and had arrived near Manawashi, where I wished the
chiefs of the Beni Helba and Messeria Arabs to meet me, with their men;
and starting off at a rapid pace, after a few hours' march, we reached
the camp Sultan Harun had just quitted. It was completely deserted, and
we made out from the tracks that the force had moved off at least nine
or ten hours before; and, following them up, we found ourselves marching
in a northwesterly direction towards El Fasher. From the tracks, we
gathered that Harun's force numbered about four hundred rifles, some
hundreds of sword and spear men, and about sixty horsemen. With so few,
it would be impossible for him to attack Fasher. What, therefore, could
be his intentions?
By sunset the troops were thoroughly exhausted, and darkness forced us
to halt. Besides, there was no moon, and we could no longer make out the
tracks. At the first streak of dawn, however, we continued our advance,
and, to encourage the men, I walked the whole way. They had suffered
considerably in Jebel Marra, and were thoroughly tired out; and had
there been time, I would have relieved them by fresh troops from Dara.
But there was not a moment to be lost; so we pushed on as best we could,
making short halts every now and then. We had had no time to take in
provisions, and, indeed, most of the corn in the villages had already
been seized by Harun. My men were, therefore, getting famished; and when
we reached Jebel Abu Haraz (about two days' march from El Fasher), I
promised them that if we did not come up with the enemy on the following
day, steps would then be taken to procure provisions at any cost. At
sunrise the next morning we reached the Abu Haraz wells, which we found
deserted. We had had no water since the previous day; so we were obliged
to halt for a short time, and we found a woman who had concealed
herself, thinking we were the enemy. She reported that, the previous
day, Harun had attacked Hillet Omar, the village of the Sultan of the
Massabat (about four hours' march further on), which he had plundered,
and killed a number of the inhabitants; but that she and other survivors
had hidden in the forest, and so had escaped detection. Harun, she said,
had moved on that morning, and could not be far off. She therefore
offered to lead us along his tracks, which we had been obliged to leave
the previous evening, owing to want of water. The news that before long
we should come up with the enemy was hailed with delight, and, with the
woman as our guide, we hurried forward, and were soon on their quite
fresh tracks. Inspired with the prospect of a successful action, a
speedy return to their wives and families, and a long rest, my men now
moved on very cheerfully and at a good pace.
Our direction lay nearly due east, and about an hour before noon we
came in sight of two small hills. Just then, some of Katong's and
Gabralla's men, who were scouting out in front, brought in a wounded
man, who stated that he had been taken prisoner at Hillet Omar, and had
just escaped, having seen our red flag a long way off and knowing that
he would be safe. Sultan Harun, he said, was halted a short distance
beyond the small hills at Rahad en Nabak. We now increased the pace,
and, galloping forward, I could see from the hills the position of the
enemy. They were encamped on a grassy slope about two thousand five
hundred yards away, and through my glass I could see the horses being
saddled up, and much commotion, as if the camp were about to move on.
There was not a moment to be lost. Taking, therefore, a hundred and
thirty regulars with me, I pushed straight on, my left flank being
covered, at a distance of about half a mile, by forty-five regulars and
forty Bazingers under Wad el Abbas, while Katong and Gabralla were
ordered to remain as a reserve, concealed behind the rising ground.
The enemy had now discovered us. I therefore advanced at the double
between the two hills, Wad el Abbas circling round the hill on the left;
and once through, we deployed for attack. Half a mile further on, we
came under a heavy rifle-fire; and my gray horse, which had only just
recovered from his wound, got restive, and neither spurs nor whip were
of any avail to make him move on. I therefore jumped off, and we
continued advancing till within six hundred yards of Harun's line, when
we halted and fired a volley. Then, ordering Wad el Abbas to double
forward and wheel up to the right, we caught the enemy between a cross
fire, under which they were soon forced to retire. I now lost no time in
sending orders to the reserve to make a flank attack on the retreating
enemy, which had the effect of turning Harun's retirement into a
headlong flight, in which the Sultan's horse was shot dead under him,
and he himself only just eluded us.
If we had had cavalry, none could have escaped. As it was, our men
pursued till nightfall, and inflicted great loss on the enemy. We halted
that night at the Abu Haraz well, and collected our spoil, which
consisted of a hundred and sixty rifles, four large copper war-drums,
four flags, and two horses, the riders of which had both been killed.
Our losses consisted of fourteen killed and twenty wounded. The women
captured by Harun were all saved, and returned to their husbands.
Amongst our wounded was Babakr, the chief of Katong's Bazingers, who had
personally attacked Harun, and was on the point of taking him prisoner,
when he was shot by one of the Sultan's guard. Some of the prisoners
informed me that it had been Harun's intention to ally himself with the
Mima Arabs, who had agreed to revolt against the Government as soon as
he could come to them; but he was now, after this defeat, forced to
retire once more to Jebel Marra, whilst I and my exhausted troops
marched back to Dara. On our way, we came across some four hundred Beni
Helba and Messeria horsemen, who had come to join us, but were
unfortunately too late for the fight.
At Dara, I found everything in the greatest confusion. When the enemy
had attacked, the principal merchants, terrified of their lives, had
fled to the fort, leaving their property at the mercy of Harun's men.
The fort was still crowded with these people, who did not dare to return
to their houses until the result of the fight between Harun and myself
was known. My appearance on the scene was, therefore, the signal for
general rejoicing, and the refugees now all returned to their own homes.
Meanwhile, Sultan Harun, who had recovered his defeat, again collected a
force, and proceeded to Dar Gimmer, in the Kulkul district; and here he
made a raid on the Arabs, captured their cattle and camels, and killed
some merchants. On the news reaching Nur Bey Angara, the Governor of the
district, he advanced rapidly, covering the usual two days' march in
twenty-six hours, and, early the following morning, he surprised Sultan
Harun in his camp. In great haste, Harun's horse was saddled, but in
mounting the stirrup-leather broke. Another horse was brought, and just
as he was about to put his foot into the stirrup, a bullet hit him full
in the chest, and he fell dead (March, 1880). His fall was the signal
for a wild flight, and Nur Angara took possession of his camp without
any further difficulty. Sultan Harun's head was cut off and sent to El
Fasher, and there was general rejoicing at his death. The few adherents,
however, who had fled, now collected in Jebel Marra, and selected as
their ruler Abdullahi Dudbenga, the son of Harun's uncle Abakir; but
henceforth their raids became insignificant, and peace was once more
restored to the country.
Three days after my return to Dara, I received a letter from Gessi
Pasha, in Bahr el Ghazal, informing me that Dr. R. W. Felkin and the
Rev. C. T. Wilson, of the English Church Missionary Society, were on
their way from Uganda to Khartum, _via_ Dara, and with them were some
Waganda envoys sent by King Mtesa to Her Majesty the Queen of England.
Gessi begged me to give them all help on their journey, and said that
they were leaving for Dara on the date he was writing. I calculated,
therefore, they would arrive in a few days, so I despatched mounted
messengers to the Mamur and Sheikh of Kalaka, directing him to have the
necessary food and provisions ready for them on their arrival, and to
send them, with a strong escort, to Dara. It was not until fourteen days
after the receipt of Gessi's letter that news reached me they had passed
Kalaka, and were not far from Dara. At the head of about forty horsemen
I started off to welcome them, and met them, after a ride of two hours,
in a small wood. Our meeting took place under a large tree, and the two
travellers seemed to me to be very tired after their long journey. I had
brought some breakfast with me, and, laying our rugs on the ground, we
sat down and had a good meal. They had heard in the southern Kalaka
district that I had gone off to fight Sultan Harun; and as the roads
were considered unsafe, they had not ventured to come on, and that was
the cause of the delay. Dr. Felkin, who had studied in Jena, spoke
German well; but I had great difficulty in making myself intelligible in
my broken English to the Rev. Mr. Wilson. After breakfast we rode on to
Dara, where the garrison had turned out to welcome them. I then led them
to the house prepared for their reception, where Zogal, the commandant,
the Kadi and chief merchant, came to pay their respects; and after the
usual lemonade and talk, I told them that my guests were greatly in need
of rest, on which they withdrew.
Having ascertained, through an interpreter, that Mtesa's envoys were
fond of meat, I gave them a fattened ox, which they killed themselves,
skinned, and then roasted on a wood fire; and with several draughts of
marissa, to which beverage they had been introduced by an old _habitué_,
they appeared to have had a thoroughly enjoyable feast. Indeed, so much
did they relish this native drink that I was obliged to commission Zogal
Bey to supply them daily with a considerable quantity.
Meanwhile our dinner-party consisted of the two travellers, Zogal and
Rifki, and, as usual, we dined off roasted mutton; after dinner I gave
our two native friends a hint to retire, and then Dr. Felkin and the
Rev. Mr. Wilson began to relate their experiences in Uganda, as well as
amongst the various tribes through which they had passed. I was
immensely interested in all they told me, and could not help wishing I
were at the great lakes instead of in Darfur. Outside, the singing and
beating of drums was getting louder and more boisterous, and from
curiosity we went out to look on. The company was a very cheerful one:
men and women shouting and dancing round a big fire, on which huge
pieces of meat were roasting, whilst close by stood the half-empty
pitchers of beer.
We remained till late talking over our travels and the future of these
countries. All they told me was of immense interest, and I, too, was
able to give them the latest information from Europe, which, though
months old, was news to them. At length, towards midnight we turned in,
having come to the mutual conclusion that in the Sudan, as well as in
Europe, matters seemed very unsettled.
Next morning we were up early, and had a two hours' ride, in which I
showed my guests the surroundings of Dara, which were far from
interesting; and on our return was told, much to my amusement, that the
sight of a camel had caused Mtesa's envoys such alarm that they had
fled. "Well," said I to Dr. Felkin, "as you have to make the rest of
your journey on camel-back, it is advisable your men should get into the
way of it; so if you will get them together I will send for a camel and
put their courage to the test." He went off, and I sent for a camel
belonging to one of the merchants, which was very big and fat. By this
time the envoys and others had arrived and the camel, appearing suddenly
round a corner, caused almost a stampede. It was only the sight of the
unconcern of Dr. Felkin and myself which kept them from bolting as hard
as their legs could carry them. Dr. Felkin explained to them that the
camel was a most patient and docile animal, on which they would have to
make the remainder of their journey to Egypt, and that there was no
cause for fear; still, they kept a respectful distance from the alarming
beast, and when I told my kavass to mount and make it get up and sit
down, their astonishment was boundless. At length one, more courageous
than the rest, volunteered to mount; timorously approaching the animal,
he was assisted into the saddle, and, having safely got through the
operation of rising, with a beaming countenance he surveyed his friends
from his lofty seat, and proceeded to make a speech to them on the
pleasures of camel-riding. Apparently he had invited them to share these
pleasures with him, for suddenly, without a moment's warning, they
rushed at the poor animal in a body, and began swarming up it. Some
tried to mount by the neck, others by the tail, and half a dozen or so
clung to the saddle trappings. For a moment the camel seemed stupefied
by this sudden attack; but, recovering its presence of mind, it now
lashed out in all directions, and in a moment had freed itself
completely from every unfortunate Waganda who had been bold enough to
approach it. I do not think I ever laughed so much in my life. These
people evidently took the poor animal for a mountain; but the shocks
they experienced when the mountain began to heave so terrified them that
for long they would not come near it. However, first one and then
another summoned up courage to mount, and by the time they left Dara
they were all fairly proficient in the art of camel-riding.
I had in my household several young boys who had been taken from the
slave-traders; and as Dr. Felkin had no servant to attend on him
personally, I suggested he should take one of them. He accepted the
offer gladly; so I handed over to him a bright little Fertit boy called
Kapsun, whom he agreed to bring up in Europe. Two years and a half
later, I received at El Fasher a letter written in English by little
Kapsun, thanking me for allowing him to go with Dr. Felkin "to a country
where every one was so good and so kind," and saying that he had adopted
the Christian religion, and was "the happiest boy in the world;" he also
sent me his photograph in European clothes.
The time for the departure of my two friends came all too soon for me;
but they were anxious to get on, and, mounted on their camels, they left
for Khartum _via_ Toweisha.
Some time later I received a letter from Messedaglia telling me that he
was leaving for Khartum to fetch his wife. No sooner had he reached that
place than he got into some difficulty with the authorities and was
discharged, and his place as Governor-General of Darfur was taken by Ali
Bey Sherif, formerly Governor-General of Kordofan.
It was about the close of 1879 or early in 1880 that I received a letter
from General Gordon, written in French some two months previously from
near Debra Tabor, in Abyssinia. Although this letter was destroyed many
years ago, I can remember almost the exact words, which were as
follows:--
DEAR SLATIN,--Having finished my mission to King John, I wanted
to return the same way that I came; but when near Gallabat I was
overtaken by some of Ras Adal's people, who forced me to go back,
and I am to be taken under escort to Kassala and thence to
Massawa. I have burnt all the compromising documents. King John
will be disappointed when he finds he is not master of his own
house.
Your friend,
C. GORDON.