TRANSCRIBER'S NOTE
Obvious typographical errors and punctuation errors have beencorrected after careful comparison with other occurrences withinthe text and consultation of external sources.
More detail can be found at the end of the book.
THE DOWNFALL OFTHE DERVISHES
Art Photogravure Co. Ltd.
Lord Kitchener of Khartoum.From a Photograph by Bassano.
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
PREFACE
In the following pages I have aimed at furnishingsome account of the interestingexperiences which fell to our lot during therecent campaign in the Sudan.
My best thanks are due to several friendsfor the assistance they have rendered me,and I feel especially grateful to H.H. PrinceChristian Victor of Schleswig-Holstein andMajor Stuart-Wortley, C.M.G., for their verykind help in supplying me with much additionaland interesting information about thework of the Gunboats and the FriendlyTribes.
I must also acknowledge the courteouspermission accorded me by the Editor of[viii]the Westminster Gazette to use in the compilationof this book some of the letterswhich I had previously contributed to thecolumns of his newspaper.
ERNEST N. BENNETT.
Hertford College, Oxford,
1st November 1898.
CONTENTS
CHAPTER I
From Cairo to the Atbara
PAGE
Correspondents' Permits—Academic Obstacles—Fellow-Passengersto Alexandria—French Animosity inEgypt—Indifferentism of Egyptian Natives—AnInteresting Dinner—Preparations for the Campaign—EgyptianMagic—A Native "Medium"—Ali buysa Sword—Departure from Cairo—A MatrimonialQuarrel—Rumours about the Khalifa—Discomfortsof the Night Journey—The Luxor Hotel—MalevolentSpiders—Karnak—By Rail to Shellal—Imbecility ofAli's Brother—Hospital Arrangements—Drearinessof a Nile Voyage—Cheerfulness of Tommy Atkins—AClassic Tale of Horror—D