288 WITH KITCHENER IN THE SOUDAN “ I have heard of such things being done by the Turkish hakims at Khartoum, but I did not believe them. It is against all reason.’

“ ‘ I have seen it done, my lord,’ I said. I do not say that I could take off a limb as they did, but I am sure that the stuff would put anyone to sleep.’

“ ‘ I wish you to put it to the trial,’ the Emir said. One of my sons came back from the battle with a bullet-hole through his hand. The hakim said that two of the bones were broken. He put bandages round, and my son said no more about it. He is a man who does not complain of slight troubles, but yesterday evening the pain became so great that he was forced to mention it, and when I examined his arm I found that it was greatly swelled. Slaves have been bathing it with cold water ever since, but the pain has increased rather than diminished.’

“ I will look at it, my lord, but I greatly fear that it is beyond my poor skill to deal with it.’ “ The young man was brought in, and on removing the bandage I saw that the wound was in a terrible state and the arm greatly inflamed some distance up the wrist. It was a bad case, and it seemed to me that unless something was done mortification would speedily set in.

“ ‘ The two doctors saw it an hour ago,’ the Emir went on, ‘ and they greatly fear for his life. They told me that they could do nothing, but that as you had seen the white hakim do wonderful things you might be able to do something.’

‘ My lord,’ I said, it is one thing to watch an operation but quite another to perform it yourself. I think, as the doctors have told you, your son’s life is in great danger, and I do believe that if there were white doctors here to take off his arm he might be saved, but I could not undertake it. The skill to do so is only acquired by long years of study. How canT, a poor man, know how to do such things? Were I to attempt and fail, what would you say?—that I had killed your son, and that but for me he might have recovered,’