CONTENTS

CHAPTER I

PAGE From Cairo to Khartum—The Nile—Khartum, then and now—On

to El Obeid—" Chasing shade " at Jebel Tius—My first head

El Obeid—General Mahon—The mess, treasury, and officers'

quarters—Rebuilding of El Obeid—Origin of the name—My three native officers—The men 3

CHAPTER n

I hunt gazelle—And my camel—Lieutenant Whittingham—Our day's

work—Description of the country—The Governor's unofficial

escort—On patrol—My Arabs to the rescue—The hills—^J. Tagoi —Tilling with spears—The reconciliation of the Meks—The Nubas—Musketry practice at El Obeid—General Mahon leaves

for India—A Mahdi rising—The episode of the candlestick The march of Mahon's cavalry ... .... 16

CHAPTER HI

Capture and execution of the Mahdi—We set out to capture the Sheikh Sebeik—And return successful—"A man whose name

7iiay be Ibrahim "—Birka—A false trail— Back through the

night—Another Mahdi—The pet Kudu makes a night attack on

El Obeid—Captain Carter "knocks" the Mahdi—We return to El Obeid—The perils of mis-pronunciation— Slatin Pasha—El Eddaiya—We march to Carter's help—Flowers and big game Lions 30

CHAPTER IV

I cure my guide of an imaginary complaint—On toTurda—The Nasr —Back by a different route— Hartebeest—My first lion—An unfortunate accident—More lions—A forest fire—^J. Deigo—

A

doubtful welcome—A pow-wow— I visit the Sultan—A farewell

present 43