The man lies and turns to those around him, the men and advisors, and says to them, "I am what this man says."

They reply, "We hear." He asks, "Did the man speak truthfully?" They fall to their feet, raising their voices, saying, "We bear witness that he is truthful."

He said, "I have no doubt about the truth of what he said."

In a state of extreme fear and terror from seeing his face and the terror emanating from him, they flee.

He said, "I have sent for the people and invited them. They are terrified of this man."

He said, "He is a coward in war, and his cowardice appeared in the year 1300 AH. This is with the coward."

This is a description of the fighting of the soldiers of Ibn Kalam, the chief of the (Ajma') tribe, east of Kordofan, when he renounced the obedience of the Khedive. The soldiers of this man were brave horsemen, piercing the ranks of men and pushing back heroes. It was as if he would go out to duel and tear them apart. He would say to those around him, "Leave him to me to duel." Then he would pretend to be attacked, and he would whip his mount, saying, "If you had not been there, I would have snatched him from his saddle and beaten him with it."

This was his condition throughout the days of the battle, until it ended with the killing of his soldiers and the return of his people to obedience.

And his harshness. It is said that when he ordered one person, he ordered fifty of his slaves to surround him and beat him with sticks and whips until he reached prison.

They call this custom (al-firqa), meaning the distance between the prince's house and the prison, which is no less than two miles, and sometimes the prisoner does not reach it, but rather dies on the way.