Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-05-12
WITH GORDON AT KHARTOUM.
The Story of an TBbabitant of the Be
sieEed City.
IRON The london DaiIv Ne1r8

From the L0nH0n DGiIV Neirs.
We were besiegad thrice, and thrice we
defeated the enemy. We killed many
when we attacked Omdurman, but
more came on like swarms Of flies. Hay-
ing killed some. their numbers were
forthwith trebled. | forgot to say how
Omdurman was taken from US. 1t was
thus: Hicks Pasha built a big trench
round it-well perhaps it was there when
you came. Gordon built an inner one; or
perhaps it was the reverse. At any rate,
there We're two rings. The rebels cTept IN
between the two and were thus protected.
Then they cut off the little garrison's
water. Thus was Omdurman taken.
Gordon lived alone with his servant in
his palace. Power Bey lived In the Genesi
(church OF the Roman Catholic mission J,
10 guard the ammunition, which was kept
i'm the cloisters, He superintended the
making of powder. Col. Stewart used TO
superintend the taking out Of powder and
its distribution, and was also engaged in
looking out. Such was IT daily OcCupa-
ton in that city, whose kismet was al
ready written. We had still tobacco and
shoes, for there We're shOemakers in the
city. We strOled when off duty through
with dOminGes, some drink merissa, and
the young men would dress to please the
young grls-With cane under arm and
cigarette in mouth. Bargains would be
struck and houses sold as il the end was
not. GOrdOn's paper notes went round
like cash. They were looked upon "a
money. They were mostly one pisstre
notes; others for . and 10 piastres a real
or guInea) up to 500 piastTes. All mine
are gone. ! spent them in the desert,
where ! would buy water, cup for 10
piastres. The schools went on as usual,
Mohammedan; also at the Genesi, till the
priests ltalian) left. The little German
tailor, Klein, remained till the last;
twenty-five years he had resided in Khar-
toum. His wife and four daughters re-
manned, too. They did not 60 with Stew
art, am sure.
There were traitors in our midst; they
met and took counsel together against
Gordon Pasha. He was warned, but said,
''~ufer it to be So" The plan was to de-
liver over the city whenever the English
drew near. The number Of traitors in
creased daily, as they got hopeless.
Another thing, and this decided many;
after the battle Of Ab0u Klea tue rebels
went down ana collected all the helmets
they could find. They showed them to us
waving them outside the trenches and
saying, "rhus and thus have we eaten up
the Ferringhees.'' Thus even faithful
men were sorely tempted and became sic.
at heart.
At night the enemy used to be often at
the south end, AT speaking distance, and
we used to revile each other. We were
called the cursed rebels who speak evil
of the fathers and mothers to the third
and fourth genrration. We would call
them "sOns of dogs" wadhO kelps) (I
should think our word whelp comes from
this), and shout 'Allah bOu rOu Gebenna,
We rehelliOus ones; maledictiOn on your
fathers; depart to Gehenna;" and they
would make answer, "Ye are slaves Of
the inhGels; ye, too, are infdels, as you
do not believe in our book. We will eat
YOU up. and wipe you from the face Of the
earth OF Allah" Thus and thus did we
call out to each other during the long
night.
The English stayed too long at Metem-
nah; p rh FPS had they gone on at once the
gates would not have been opened; but
still tell you treachery was planned
long before The rebels came over at
night, or at any rate before dawn, when
Tenza and another opened the gate.