166 WITH KITCHENER IN THE SOUDAN .

«Iam” Jaalin or Baggara, you are my friend,” Mahmud said, placing his hand on Zaki’s shoulders. “ And so you, too, leapt overboard to save a woman ? ” “ Mo, Emir,” he replied, “ I jumped over because my master jumped over. I had not thought about the woman. I jumped over to aid him, and it was to give him my help that I took my share in supporting the woman. The Bimbashi is a good master, and I would die for him.”

Mahmud smiled at this frank answer. “ Mevertheless, whatever may have been your motive, you were enabled to save the life of my wife, and henceforth you are my friend.” Then he turned to the horsemen who were still grouped on the bank above. “ You have heard what has been said? The white man is under the protection of my harem; the Jaalin is henceforth my friend.”

Mahmud was a fine specimen of the tribesmen of the Soudan—tall, well-built, and with pure Arab features. He was the Khalifats favourite son, and was generous, with kindly impulses, but impatient of control. Of late he had given way to outbursts of passion, feeling acutely the position in which he was placed. He had advanced from Omdurman confident that he should be able to drive the infidels before him and carry his arms far into Egypt. His aspirations had been thwarted by the Khalifa. His requests for stores and camels that would have enabled him to advance had been refused, and he had been ordered to fall back. His troops had been rendered almost mutinous from the want of supplies. He had seen the invaders growing stronger and stronger, and accomplishing what had seemed an impossibility—the bringing up of stores sufficient for their sustenance— by pushing the railroad forward towards Berber. Mow that their forces had been very greatly increased, and the issue of the struggle had become doubtful, he had received the order for which he had been craving fr months, and had been directed to march down and attack the Egyptian army, drive them across the Mile, and destroy the railway.