THE SACK OF KHARTUM. 225 saw a mass rolling to and fro, but did not see Gordon Pasha killed.

He met his fate as he was leaving the palace near the large tree which stands on the esplanade. The palace is not a stone's-throw, or at any rate a gunshot distance, from the Austrian consul's house.

He was going in that direction, to the magazine on the Kenniseh, a long way off. We did not hear what became of his body, nor did we hear that his head was cut off; but we saw the head of the traitor Faragh, who met with his deserts. We have heard that it was the blacks that ran away, and that the Egyptian soldiers fought well; that is not true. They were craven. Had it not been for them, in spite of the treachery of many within the town, the Arabs would not have got in, for we watched the traitors. And now fearful scenes took place in every house and building, in the large market-place, in the small bazaars. There were the same terrible scenes in the dwellings where the window-sills and door-lintels were painted azrek (blue), where there had been many feasts and fantasias, where merissa had flowed in plenty, and where the walls were built of wahal, and the roof built of dhoora stalk. Men were slain shrieking for mercy, when mercy was not in the hearts of our savage enemies. Women and children were robbed of their jewels of gold and jewels of silver, of their bracelets, necklaces of precious stones, and carried off to be sold to the Bishareen merchants as slaves. Yes, and white women too—Egyptians and Circassians. Mother and daughter alike were dragged off from their homes of comfort. These were widows, wives, and daughters of Egyptian officers, some of whom had been killed with Hicks Pasha; wives and children of Egyptian merchants formerly rich, owning ships and mills, gardens and shops. These were sold afterwards, some for 340 thaleries or more, some for 250, according to age and good looks. And the poor black women, already slaves, and their children were taken off too. These were sold too, for a hundred, eighty, or seventy thaleries. Their husbands and masters were slain before their eyes; and yet I hear it said there was no massacre at the taking of Khartum! They lie who say so, and are in league with Mahomet Achmet. You must not believe all that men coming from Omdurman tell you. Mahomet Achmet and the Vol. IV. 68