Chapter X: The Siege and Fall of Khartum

Gordon returns to the Sudan--The Siege of Khartum--I join the
Mahdi at Rahad--Interviews and first Impressions of the
Mahdi--The Oath of Allegiance--Description of the Khalifa--The
Arrival of Hussein Pasha--Criticisms on Gordon's Mission--The
Abandonment of the Sudan proclaimed--Incidents in Various Parts
of the Sudan--The Arrival of Olivier Pain--His Mission, Illness,
and Death--Arrival outside Khartum--I write to Gordon--I am
arrested and thrown into Chains--Incidents during my
Imprisonment--The Surrender of Omdurman--The Delay of the British
Expedition--Khartum is attacked and taken--Gordon's Head is
brought to me--Account of the last Days of Khartum--Massacres and
Atrocities after the Fall--The Retreat of the British
Expedition--The Rigours of my Imprisonment increased--My Comrade
in Captivity, Frank Lupton--We are both released--I enter the
Khalifa's Body-guard--Illness and Death of the Mahdi--Khalifa
Abdullahi succeeds him--The Rules and Ordinances of the Mahdi 279

CHAPTER XI.

EARLY RULE OF KHALIFA ABDULLAHI.

Success of Khaled's Stratagem to entrap Darho--Execution of
Darho--Sieges of Sennar and Kassala--Fall of Ahmed Wad
Suleiman--The Khalifa and the Black Troops--Execution of the
Mudir of Kassala--My Journey to Abu Haraz--My Plans of Escape
impracticable--The Khalifa presents me with a Wife--Mutiny of
Black Soldiers at El Obeid--Death of the Emir Mahmud--Abu Anga
seizes Khaled and throws him into Chains--Campaign in the Nuba
Mountains--Lupton in Difficulties--He works in the Khartum
Dockyard--Revolt of the Kababish--Difficulties begin with
Abyssinia--Death of Klootz--Organisation of the Beit el
Mal--The Khalifa's System of Jurisdiction 376

CHAPTER XII.

EVENTS IN VARIOUS PARTS OF THE SUDAN.

Karamalla's Expedition to the Bahr el Ghazal--Madibbo's Quarrel
with Karamalla--Affairs in Darfur--Execution of Madibbo--Defeat
and Death of Sheikh Saleh el Kabbashi--Capture of Charles
Neufeld--My Interview with him--Arrival of Abu Anga's Army in
Omdurman--Destruction of the Gehéna Tribe--The Conspiracy of
"Saidna Isa"--Abu Anga's Campaign in Abyssinia--Sack of
Gondar--Terrible Fate of the Captives--Osman Adam's Campaign in
Darfur--Death of Sultan Yusef--Instances of the Khalifa's
Tyranny--Building of the Mahdi's Tomb--Letters from Home--Death
of my Mother--Death of Lupton--Nejumi ordered to invade Egypt 411

CHAPTER XIII.

THE ABYSSINIAN CAMPAIGN.

Battle of Gallabat--Death of King John--The Revolt of Abu
Gemmaiza--Defeats of the Mahdists--Death of Abu
Gemmaiza--Preparations for the Invasion of Egypt--Execution of
Sixty-seven Batahin Arabs--More Letters from Home--My Family send
the Khalifa a Dressing-bag from Vienna--Immigration of the
Taaisha Tribe--They settle in the Nile Valley--Nejumi advances
into Egypt--Battle of Toski--Incidents during the Great
Famine--The Fall of Ibrahim Adlan--His Execution--The Khalifa
mistrusts me--I fall into Serious Danger--I become the Unwilling
Recipient of the Khalifa's Favours 439

CHAPTER XIV.

MAHDIST OCCUPATION OF THE SOUTHERN PROVINCES.

The Mahdist Expedition to Equatoria--The Fate of the Remnant of
Emin's Garrison--The Campaign against the Shilluks--Tokar
re-captured--Death of Osman Wad Adam--Dissensions in Dongola--The
Fall of Khaled 468

CHAPTER XV.

DISSENSION AND DISCORD.

The Revolt of the Ashraf--Flight of Father Ohrwalder and the Two
Sisters--The Khalifa revenges himself on the Ashraf--The Seizure
and Execution of the Mahdi's Uncles--Zeki Tummal's Return to
Omdurman laden with Booty--Khalifa Sherif arrested--"Where there
is no Fire there is no Smoke"--I change my Quarters--Sad News
from Austria--The Khalifa falls ill--The Story of the
Bird-messenger--The Fall of Zeki Tummal--The Battle of
Agordat--The Capture of Kassala--The Fate of Kadi Ahmed--The
Congo Free State in Equatoria and Bahr el Ghazal--I refuse to
marry the Khalifa's Cousin 479

CHAPTER XVI.

MISCELLANEOUS REMARKS.

The Person and Characteristics of Khalifa Abdullahi--The
Fate of the Mahdist Chronicler--The Princesses of Darfur--The
Khalifa's Family Life--His Harem--The Organisation of his
Body-guard--Enforced Attendance at the Mosque--The Postal
System--Military Parades--Elevation of the Western Arabs and
Oppression of the River Tribes--The Military Situation and
Strength--Guns and Ammunition--Revenue and Expenditure--Courage 514

CHAPTER XVII.

MISCELLANEOUS REMARKS (_continued_).

Administration of Justice--The Kadi el Islam--Religion
in the Sudan--The Khalifa's Sermons--Enforced Pilgrimage
to the Mahdi's Tomb--Limits of the Mahdist Empire--Natural
Produce--Caravan Roads--Ostrich Hunting--Trade and Commerce--The
Slave-trade--The Slave Market--Industries--Immorality--Unpopularity
of the Khalifa--His Ignorance and Cruelty--His Private
Apartments--Principal Buildings in Omdurman--Description of the
City--The Prison and its Horrors--Death of Zeki Tummal and Kadi
Ahmed 544

CHAPTER XVIII.

PLANS FOR ESCAPE.

European Captives in Omdurman--Artin, the Watchmaker--Friends in
Cairo--Efforts of my Family to help me--Difficulties of
Communication--Babakr Abu Sebiba's failure--Efforts of Baron
Heidler and the Egyptian Intelligence Department--Constant
Failures--Osheikh Karrar--Abderrahman matures his Plans--Hopes
and Fears--My Plan to gain Time--I quit my Hut never to return 576

CHAPTER XIX.

MY FLIGHT.

I escape from the Town by Night--My Guides Zeki Belal and
Mohammed--A Scare--130 Miles in 24 Hours--Our Camels break
down--Hiding in the Gilif Mountains--Precautions against
Surprise--Arrival of Fresh Camels--Our Journey to the Nile--The
Crossing--Friendly Sheikhs--Narrow Escape from a Large Armed
Party of Mahdists--Difficulties with my Guides--Hamed Garhosh the
Amrabi--Out of Danger--Assuan at last--Congratulations and
Welcome--Arrival in Cairo--Meeting with Old Friends 591

CHAPTER XX.