A Prisoner of the Khaleefa: Twelve Years Captivity at Omdurman

When the news of the Sirdar’s splendid victory reached England, the British nation may be said to have breathed again, and when the great rush was made for the cheap edition of...

Kandeel tells me that, on the arrival of our party at Dongola, Nejoumi called a meeting of emirs, and asked what should be done with us. All voted for instant execution, but thi...

During the early part of the night of April 27, the Amin Beit-el-Mal told me to prepare for my journey to Omdurman, as Wad Nejoumi had sent for me. There was little preparation...

Soon after the departure of Onoor Issa I was saved any further trouble in the way of scheming for excuses to get out of the Saier. Awwad-el-Mardi, the successor of Nur-el-Gerafa...

It was during my first months in prison that Ahmed Nur ed Din of the Kabbabish succeeded in getting into prison, in the hope of effecting my escape. I had for some years had dea...

When I returned to the Saier in November, 1897, it was as a visitor—a distinguished one at that. I was told that I was only to remain there until my quarters in the Beit-el-Mal...

A favourable opportunity here presents itself for referring to that little-written-about, and, therefore, little-known strange character in Mahdieh—Ibrahim Wad Adlan, the Amin B...

The disappearance of Joseppi, followed by the death of Adlan, threw me into a state of almost abject despair; there appeared to be no hopes of my ever being released from the Sa...

There are five caravan routes running from Selima Wells—that furthest west leading to El Kiyeh, the next to El Agia, and the one in the centre leading to the Nile near Hannak, w...

What I have written previously concerning the Nebbi Khiddr history will, in the following notes of prison life, assist the reader in better understanding how such mutual and tra...

While still a prisoner in the Saier, Mankarious Effendi, with Mohammad Fargoun and Selim Aly, engaged a man of the Ababdeh, Mohammad Ajjab, to make his way to Omdurman with a th...

On entering the prison I found myself in the company of about a hundred poor wretches, Soudanese and Egyptians, and all chained. I was taken at once to an anvil sunk in the grou...

My first spell in prison was one of four years. After nine months the rings and chains were removed from my neck, but the fetters I wore continuously—with the exception of thirt...

I was handed over to two men, who were held responsible for my well-being; Hasseena and Elias were placed together in the charge of others, and we were ordered to seat ourselves...

It will, I believe, surprise but few when I admit that it is next to impossible for me to remember and relate the incidents which occurred during my last night and day in the Sa...

Instead of our starting off the next morning at sunrise, a sort of “fantasia” was held. This consisted of men riding up and down the camp with mimic combats between individuals—...

It was some days after my return to the Saier before I learned that I had been incarcerated against the wish of the Khaleefa and Yacoub; but Hamadan and Khaleel-Hassanein, feari...

Events were now following each other in rapid succession. In the universal excitement prevailing, sleep was almost unknown, drums were beaten and ombeyehs blown continuously day...

I must leave it to my readers to try and imagine what my sensations were as I sailed away from Omdurman on the first stage of my journey to civilization and liberty. Remembering...

If I am wearying my readers with this long-drawn-out episode, which never seems to draw to a close, I may ask their forgiveness on the ground that weeks have been spent in colle...

“He (Nejoumi) captured in the Oasis of Selima a large part if not the whole of the rifles. This was mainly owing to the imprudence of an enterprising German merchant named Charl...

As I write, there lie before me three successive paragraphs culled from a recent edition of a London paper. These paragraphs were intended to be, and doubtless were, amusing to...

As if my troubles were not all-sufficient in themselves, Hasseena, in addition to the begging and other undesirable proclivities she had developed since the death of Makkieh, ad...

On the morning following the battle of Omdurman, a number of the townspeople came out to the camp, complaining of the rough usage which they had been subjected to at the hands o...

Conflicting accounts—A hero’s death—Hope deferred—Gordon’s last night—Value of my testimony—Father Ohrwalder’s evidence—“Ten Years’ Captivity” criticized—Justification of Gordon...

Before leaving Assouan for Cairo, I had made an agreement with Hassib el Gabou, of the Dar Hamad section of the Kabbabish tribe, and Ali el Amin, from Wadi el Kab, to act as gui...

When Said Abdel Wohatt was transferred from the Khartoum to the Alti saltpetre works, his father-in-law, Ali Khaater, the storekeeper of the Omdurman arsenal, considered that he...

Preparations for the journey—Nejoumi’s friendly disposition to the Government—His loss of faith in the Mahdist movement—Why the guide Amin was executed—Horrible death of an old...

Extracts from newspaper and official accounts—The antecedents of the guide Gabou—Dissensions in the Kabbabish tribe—Gabou schemes for his own section—Hassan’s part in the matter...

In the Saier as a visitor—I send intelligence to the English—Anxiety amongst my circle—Embassy from Abyssinia—The Khaleefa’s reply—Mahmoud disobeys orders—Defeat of Osman and Ma...

Mankarious’ first envoy returns—Arrival of second envoy—Rossignoli’s guide Abdallah—Projected method of escape—Abdallah’s treatment of Rossignoli—Slatin escapes—My chains redoub...

Threats of the prisoners—The routed army in flight—Macdonald’s brigade—Illuminating the Ratib—Soudanese sang-froid—Sheikh ed Din repulsed—Attack upon Macdonald—Destruction of Ya...

Methods of shackling—My first night in prison—Hasseena sent to the head-gaoler’s hareem—Mahmoud Wad Said—Ajjab Abou Jinn—The three sons of Awad el Kerim—Sheikh Hamad El Nil—Ahme...

Ahmed Nur ed Din—His relations with Gabou—We plan an escape—Death of Nur ed Din—My sickness and recovery—Treatment of typhus—I decline to be converted—Meal-time in the Saier—Fat...

Friendship with Wad Adlan—His directorship of the Beit-el-Mal—The Khaleefa grows jealous—Adlan thrown into prison—The advantages of trading—Adlan reinstated—I design the Mahdi’s...

Belief in evil spirits—Shwybo as an alchemist—He is flogged for his pains—I am told to make saltpetre—Released from my fetters—The gunpowder factory at Halfeyeh—Death of Makkieh...

Conference of the Emirs Farag and Hamza—Halt for the night—Baggage looted by dervishes—The Emirs confiscate all treasure for the Beit-el-Mal—Cross-questioned on my letters—Calle...

Display of dervish horsemanship—Flogging among the Ansar—Hasseena is searched—Insults of the rabble—I am brought before Nejoumi—I declare myself a merchant—Evidence of a Christi...

Khartoum again—Thoughts of Gordon—At work in the arsenal—Extracting precious metals—Chemical experiments—The troops advancing—I invent a powder-mill—Its manifold defects—I schem...

Conflicting rumours—Appeals to prophecy—I suggest a night attack—I send more information to the army—Mad struggle with a gaoler—Negotiations with Idris—The Khaleefa sallies out—...

Letters of the German Consul and my manager to Mankarious—Kanaga’s visit to Cairo—He receives a letter to Slatin—He is captured at Berber and turns back—The War Office letter to...

Newspaper calumnies—Hasseena’s condition—A disputed paternity—Mohammedan laws of marriage and divorce—I decide to claim the child—Idris disputes the claim—A jury of matrons deci...

Escapes from the Saier—The advantages of matrimony—Tactics of the gaolers—I become doctor to the hareems—Discipline amongst women prisoners—My first flogging—The gaoler dismisse...

Hasseena’s thievish propensities—I am compelled to divorce her—The Khaleefa finds me a wife—I forestall his good offices—Umm es Shole—Mohammedan divorce and re-marriage—A furthe...

The looting of Omdurman—Soudanese troops to the rescue—Genial horseplay—A war correspondent’s article—The Sirdar errs in giving quarter—Lex talionis—The ferocity of wounded derv...

Idris a reformed character—He ensures my kind treatment—Fauzi’s first night in prison—Kadi Ahmed’s captivity—His death by starvation—Death of Wad Zarah—Letters from Europe—My re...

Different routes over the desert—A quarrel amongst the guides—Scouts sent out—Hassan convicted of error—Zigzagging in the desert—A council of war—Surprised by the dervishes—The...

Nahoum Abbajee engages me—Emptiness of the treasury—Unsatisfactory state of the currency—I am transferred to the arsenal—I design blocks for the Mint—We do great damage—The Khal...