Ernest Nathaniel Bennett - The Downfall of the Dervishes; or, The Avenging of Gordon

THE DOWNFALL OF THE DERVISHES

OR

THE AVENGING OF GORDON

BEING A PERSONAL NARRATIVE OF THE
FINAL SOUDAN CAMPAIGN OF 1898

BY

ERNEST N. BENNETT, M. A.

FELLOW AND LECTURER OF HERTFORD COLLEGE, OXFORD
SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT FOR "THE WESTMINSTER GAZETTE"

WITH A PORTRAIT, MAP AND PLANS

LONDON

METHUEN & CO.

NEW YORK

NEW AMSTERDAM BOOK COMPANY

1899

TO

MY FRIEND

H. R. H.

I DEDICATE THIS LITTLE BOOK

In the following pages I have aimed at furnishing some account of the interesting experiences which fell to our lot during the recent campaign in the Sudan.

My best thanks are due to several friends for the assistance they have rendered me, and I feel especially grateful to H.H. Prince Christian Victor of Schleswig-Holstein and Major Stuart-Wortley, C.M.G., for their very kind help in supplying me with much additional and interesting information about the work of the Gunboats and the Friendly Tribes.

I must also acknowledge the courteous permission accorded me by the Editor of the Westminster Gazette to use in the compilation of this book some of the letters which I had previously contributed to the columns of his newspaper.

ERNEST N. BENNETT.

Hertford College, Oxford ,
1st November 1898 .

CHAPTER I
From Cairo to the Atbara

PAGE

Correspondents' PermitsAcademic ObstaclesFellow-Passengers to AlexandriaFrench Animosity in EgyptIndifferentism of Egyptian NativesAn Interesting DinnerPreparations for the CampaignEgyptian MagicA Native "Medium"Ali buys a SwordDeparture from CairoA Matrimonial QuarrelRumours about the KhalifaDiscomforts of the Night JourneyThe Luxor HotelMalevolent SpidersKarnakBy Rail to ShellalImbecility of Ali's BrotherHospital ArrangementsDreariness of a Nile VoyageCheerfulness of Tommy AtkinsA Classic Tale of HorrorDeath of a SoldierFrom Wady Halfa in a Cattle TruckAbu AhmedFirst Night at the AtbaraChequered Career of the El TahraLife at Atbara CampThe Plagues of Egypt up to DatePerverse CamelsFailure of our Attempts to overtake Lancers

CHAPTER II
From the Atbara to Wad Hamed

A Crowded GhyassaA Talking MummySlatin PashaAnimal Life on the BanksThe Pyramids of MeroeWork for ArchologistsA Gaalin SheikhA Dervish DeserterAbu KleaA SandstormArrival at Wad HamedWe meet the SirdarTypes of the War CorrespondentEntomologyInsect Life in the SudanDesert Circulating LibraryFly-fishing in the NileMilitary "Fatigues"Fugitives from OmdurmanOur Camp Life at Wad HamedThirst in the TropicsHow we DinedGood-bye to Wad Hamed

CHAPTER III
The Week before the Battle

Embarkation of FriendliesThe Shabluka CataractOur Delay at Rojan IslandFirst Glimpse of OmdurmanThe Evening Ride from HagirThe Joys of Good HealthSudanese WivesImportance of the "Drink Camel"An Adventurous GreeklingMr. Villiers' BicycleUm Teref CampSudanese MusicThe First DervishScorpion v. the "Father of Spiders"A Cavalry ReconnaissanceA Rainy NightWithin Twenty-five Miles of OmdurmanDeserted VillagesA Disappointing CaptureSeg-et-TaibThe Water QuestionCorpses in the RiverThe Khalifa's Army in SightThe Ridge of KerreriSururabGunboats at WorkTroublesome DonkeysSnipingA Tropical Downpour spoils our RestMr. Villiers and Myself stung by ScorpionsChasing Hares on the MarchCavalry Scouts on KerreriHowitzers in ActionSkirmishing with the Khalifa's CavalryWaiting for the Dervish AdvanceThe Khalifa haltsThe Evening before the BattleThe Perils of a Night AttackFalse Alarms

CHAPTER IV
The Battle of Omdurman

A Comfortable BreakfastAll ready for the DervishesEgyptian Cavalry engage the EnemyGunboats to the RescueThe Joy of BattleHere they come!A Splendid SpectacleThe Dervishes open FireThe First ShellA Dervish BatteryEffect of our Shell FireWounded MenCurious Tricks played by BulletsMaxims at WorkA Dervish Cavalry ChargePersistent SharpshootersThe Army leaves the ZeribaThe Lancers' ChargeMutilation of the DeadWounded HorsesKilling the Wounded DervishesRenewal of the FightSteadiness of the Sudanese and EgyptiansFinal Repulse of the EnemyDreadful Effects of our FireMen falling outWe halt beside a KhorRegimental MusicEscape of the KhalifaDeath of Hon. Hubert HowardA Champagne Dinner in the StreetThe End of Mahdism

CHAPTER V
Gunboats and Gaalin

The Sirdar's FleetDifficulties of NavigationThe Loss of the ZaphirConcentration of Friendlies at Wad HamedTheir Love for FirearmsRout of a Dervish DetachmentGunboats shell the Kerreri Ridge and Riverside VillagesSome Faint-hearted FriendliesGallantry of the GaalinTuti IslandThe Shelling of the Mahdi's TombGunboats silence the FortsLyddite ShellsMaxim Fire upon the FugitivesGunboats proceed up the RiverThe Fate of Gordon's old Flotilla

CHAPTER VI
After the Battle

The Mahdi's TombA Wounded Man lands under False PretencesVilliers' Bicycle in OmdurmanLoathsome StreetsThe ArsenalDervish AmmunitionThe "Man-stopping" BulletAwful Effects of Modern Rifle FireThe Gordon Memorial ServiceVarieties of LootA Tommy's Quaint MistakeEnrolment of Dervishes under the Khedive's FlagCharles NeufeldThe Austrian SistersSlatin Pasha in CampGood-bye to OmdurmanWe strike on a SandbankOur Sleeping ArrangementsFailure of Attempts to move GunboatA Soldier DrownedA Dead EgyptianWe get off the BankLoss of my LuggageCross goes to HospitalDelays on Homeward JourneyMohammedan Divorce LawsA Camel dies from the Bite of an AspA Good DinnerFrom Alexandria to MarseillesAnnouncement of Cross's DeathThe Future of the Sudan

MAP AND PLANS

THE DOWNFALL OF THE DERVISHES

Towards 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 correspondent 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 beyond 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 shown by subsequent events. War correspondents in the recent campaign had little to complain of on the score of any curtailment of their liberty of movement, though the Sirdar's subsequent refusal to take any pressmen to Fashoda may have provoked some unreasonable criticism.

A day or two after the receipt of the Sirdar's permit I happened to meet at dinner an old college acquaintance, Mr. Henry Cross, who had rowed five in the 'Varsity boat of 1888. When I told him of my intended visit to the Sudan, he was all eagerness to join me; but as he was utterly inexperienced in the sort of travel that would fall to our lot before Khartum was reached, I did my best to dissuade him from making any rash resolves of the sort on the spur of the moment. The daily round of a war correspondent's life amid a charming environment of scenery and climate is simply delightful, when to the joys of an open-air existence and abundant exercise there is added the pleasant excitement which springs from a risk of danger. Such delights as these I had experienced during the Cretan troubles in the spring of 1897, but from what one knew personally of tropical travel, and what one gathered from various accounts of the Sudan, one realised that the forthcoming campaign would be in the Lancer's words, already become historical, "no bloomin' picnic." Accordingly I laid before Cross graphic and horrible pictures of sandstorms and sunstroke and the other unpleasantnesses which one might expect to meet amid the torrid plains of the Sudan. Would that my advice had been acted upon and his bright young life preserved! As it was, my friend secured a permit through the editor of the Manchester Guardian, and rapidly made his preparations for departure. Our last meeting before we left Charing Cross was at Bletchley Junction, and over some railway tea and a couple of buns we made our final arrangements.