THE DOWNFALL OF THE

DERVISHES

CHAPTER I

FROM CAIRO TO THE ATBARA

OWARDS the end of last July I heard

to my great joy, from the editor of the Westminster Gazette, that a permit had been granted me to act as his special corre- spondent during the forthcoming campaign in

the Sudan. Sinister rumours had _ been

afloat for a long time to the effect that the

utmost difficulty would be experienced in securing such permission, and several officials

at the Foreign Office had warned applicants

that even in the event of a formal pass be- yond Wady Halfa being accorded, there would be no certainty that correspondents would be allowed to proceed actually to the front. The baselessness of these apprehensions was amply

I