Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-05-20
TERRIBLE SCENES AT HHARTOrM.
soldiers from GorsIon's Army Tell the
Story Of the Ciiy's Fail.

From q Dongola Letter 10 the London Daily News
Two men arrived here yesterday april ~
whose story throws some fresh light on the cap
ture of khartOum. They were soldiers in Cor
uons army, taken at the time and sold as
slaves, but who ultimately escaped. Their
names are said Abdullah and Jacob Mahomet.
VIII let them tell their own history. have
given you some account of this history by tele-
graph, and it has been partly made familiar
substantially through other channels. They
continued. THAT night Khartoum was delivered
Into the hands of tine rebels it fell through
the trcachery OF the accurScd Farig Pasha, the
Circassian, who opened the gate. May he never
reach Paradise May Shayta take possession of
his soul! But it was Kisnet. The gate
called 'BoTri.' Ii was on the Blue
Nile. We were on guard near, but
did not see what going We were at
tackled and fought desperately at the gate.
Twelve OF us were killed and ~ retrcated to Il
high room, where were taken prisoners.
And now came tiie ending. The red flag with
the crescent was destined no more TO wave over
the palace: nor would the strains Of the hymn
OF his highnc>S the Effcndina he heard any
more at evening within X hartoum. Blood was
To flow in her streets, i'll her dwellings. in her
very mosque, and on the kenniseh OF the Mar
sra.
wild and furious band rushed toward it, but
they resisted by the black troops, who
fought desperately. They knew there was no
mercy for them, and that even were their lives
spared they would be en>lavcd. and the state o.
the slave, the perpetual bondage with hard task
masters, Is Worse than death. Slaves are not
treated well, Won think; heavy chains are
round their ankles and middle and they are
dashed for the least Ofense till blood
flows. We had Fought for the Christian
P;lSha and for the Turks, and
knew that we should receive no mercy.
We tthe party was withl could not help being
taken prisoners. The house set fire.
The fight ragged and the slaughter continued till
the streets were slippery with blood. The rebels
rushed onward to the palace. We saw mass
rolling To- and fro, but did not see Gordon Pasha
l.,
palace near the large tree which stands on the
esplanade The palace is not stones throw,
or. ut any rate. gunShOt, distance from the
Austrian conSul's house. He was going in that
direction, to the magazine on the kenniSeh
long way OF. We did not hear what became of
his body, nor did we hear that his head was cut
Off but we saw the head OF the traitor Farig,
who met with his deserts.
and now fearful scenes took place in every
house and building. iii the large market place,
in the small baZaars. There We're the same ter
rible scenes in the dwellings where the window
stills and door lintelS were painted azrek where
there had been many feaStS and fantasi;lS where
merissa had flowed in plenty. and where the
walls were built Oi wahal and the roof built of
dhOOra stalk. Men were slain shrekng for
mercy, when mercy was not in the hearts of
our savage enemies Women and children were
robbed of their jewels of gold and jewels of sill
Yer, OF their bracelets. necklaces of precious
stones, and carried Off to- be sold to the BiSha-
reen merchants as slaves. Yes, and white
women, fOO-EgyptianS and CircaSsians who
wore the burke over their faces, the rabtah, and
the turbah, and the kurS on their heads
ladies clad in silk and satin gibbehs and sal
tabs. Mother and daughter alike were dragged
OF from their homes of comfort. These
widows wives and daughters of Egyptian Off
GERS, some of whom had been killed with Hicks
PaSha: wives and children of Egyptian 1ner-
chants formerly rich, owning ships and mills.
gardens and shops. These were sold afterward,
some for $40 thaleres or more, some for $50, ac-
cording TO age and good looks. And the poor
black women already slaves and their children
We're taken OIL. too. These were sold. too for
100 50 or 20 thaleries. Their husbands and mas
tiers were slain before their eyes, and yet hear
II SAID there was no massacre at the taking of
khartOum, They lie who say SO. and are in
league with Mahomet Achmet. You must not
believe all that men coming from Omdurman
tell you. Mahomet Achmet and the Dervishes
send you false reports of everything, and you
believe them; then they laugh. This fighting
and splitting of blood continued till dohr till
the sun rode high in the sky-red, vet darkened
by smoke and dust. There riot and camOr,
hubbub and wrlngling over spoil; cursing was
heard till the hour of evening prayer. But the
Muezzin not called; neither were any
prayers offered up at the mosque on that dark
day in the annals of khartOum. But the his
tory of those scenes will not be written on its
records; for all scrolls and papers and books in
the archives We're destroyed and scattered
abroad Yet the bowling herd, possessed by
GfdSeet and gin-the screeching devils bespat-
tered with gore, swaTming about in droves and
bands, found not the plumber that they had
been promised or had expected. Then they
were exasperated. Their fury knew no bounds
and they sought out Faris Pasha, but he was
with the Dervishes. He had presented himself to
them as one deserving we'll OF honor and rewards
'Where is the hidden treasure of the Greek
merchants and Cachalees: of Ieontides and
Georgia Themetrio? Yes and of the Franchesi
Marquet: OF the Italian MichaeO?' Farig was
questioned. but he swore by Allah and by the
souls OF his fathers back to three generations
that Gordon had no money, and that he knew
OF no hidden money or treasure. You le,'
TO come here. dig. and get ii all for yourself If
the InglGzze had no money or silver, how did he
make all those silver medals we have seen?'
Most of them are lead Farig replied and
he paid every one with paper. 1T is false they
replied, and now have a care listen To what we
are going To say To you. We are you know
where the money lies concealed. We are not
careful OF your life, for you have betrayed the
man whose salt YOU had eaten: YOU have been
the servant of the infdel and YOU have be-
trayed even MN. L Mess You unfold this secret
OF the buried treasure you shall surely die
- But Farig, il is Said-fOr We were not there
seeing that his end was approaching. that his
words were not believed assumed "a proud aud
naughty bearing and at attitude of defiance.
care not ne >ald FOR Your threats. have
told the truth, Allah knows. There is no money
neither Is there treasure You are magnoons to
suppose there l. money. but If there were you
would not divide il fairly among your follow
ers-to every one his portion. You would keep
II among yourselves. have done great deed.
have delivered To your lord and master the
city, which you could never have taken without
my help. You would have been beaten back
from the trenches by the Inglezze VINO even
now, await their time to punish you and have
secrets regarding these which if die will die
with me | tell YOU again there is no treasure
but you will rue the day if you Kill me-
"One among the Dervishes then stepped for
ward and struck him, bound he was in the
mouth, telling him 10 cease his fools prophe-
cleS; while another, incensed, rushed at him
anu >ti III n III OH the D;tck OF MS neck with
his two-edged sword, 50 that with one blow his
head fell from his shoulders
so persisted the arch-traitOr-rnay his soul be
affilcted. But as for Gordon Pasha the Inar-
nanllnonS may his soul be enjoying fuller
knowledge
Il say nearly all the Egyptian men were slain
In spite OF their casting themselves down and
praying Tor mercy. Farig Pasha's head was
tnen carried OH 10 Mahomet Achmet.' Farig
Pasha was probably u CircaSsian: il was
the name of the son of BerkOok, founder of the
MeInloOk dynasty. The story OF these men, as
tfNx-
litns who nave escaped declare that they alone
fought, ami that the blacks gave in; but no.
body believes this.
Ribbons and Things.