New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-12-09
uAs IF FROM THE DEAD"
MEN WHO HAVE DISAPPEARED.
xrpAr, GORDON ALIvEc-MYsTERIEs OF
SAVAGE OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES OF
THE MUTINY IN CAPTIVITY.

- eoudan oc the expedition commanded by
Va ~,.,el Fla:ters will be able to appreciate the
s.o, ~ the startling announcement just made
S. the gallant officer so long mourned as dead
" lin in the land Of the living. though held In
~,yi,v and bondage by the Touareg Arabs
80 he remembered that when the relief party
he'd the scene where Colonel Flatters and his
" had been drawn into ambush by the enemy
I'd cut II pieces the ground was found covered
a., dead bodies. from among which. however
w.. If the colonel himself. as well as those Of
~. TWO chef licutenants, missing. 1t
'.Ysved at the time. that the remains had been
'.~,sd oil by the bloodthirsty Touaregs
.-,,bies Of their victory. and 10 doubt whatso-
.,- VAS entertained with regard TO the Colonies
..s,h. the ten survivors Of his expedition having
~ declared that they had seen him fall before
.racting their escape. But now the weli-known
.acial scout of the army Interpreter. Djebari,
Tho enjoys in French Africa much the same
.shritv as was formerly possessed by Buffalo
OH in the Western States Of this continent. de-
a.res that no, only is Colonel Fla;ters living, but
.s.t he has seen him. although not permitted
=, sneak to him. Djcbari has just returned from
,rln undertaken on behalf of the Government
a the district lying Immediately 70 the north OF
,.ke Tchad and he discovered the Colonel and
three tner FRENCH SuiNlNciS VI HIS iii-AaNNN "a
.,d,tion in the hands of the Hoggar tribe of
Touaregs According to the story related 10
n,abari by Hadji Belho. the sheik of the tribe.
c,,onel Flatters had displayed such magnificent
..uantry AT the time Of the massacre that.
.bsn he sunk 10 the ground covered with
xounds after having killed with his own hand
=, loss than seven oS the Touaregs. the chief
,ou dead-had covered him with his own body
u well that of three OF his
oompanions being moved thereto by admiration
., their bravery. the quality priced more highly
han any other by the fierce and fanatic Arabs.
To those who have shown any disposition TO
ouestion the authenticity Of this story DJebar
ronts out with considerable force that no trace
~ the dead body of Colonel Flatters was ever
tou,a and that the only evidence OF his death
was that Of the ten Tur who said they had
,..r him fall but who ran away before the end
ot the fight leaving their comrades in the lurch'
Thor testimony. therefore, is open to suspicion.
And he adds that the reason why nothing has
.rsr bsan heard of the Colonel until now is that
the Touaregs are the most fierce and fanatic OF
al the nomad tribes OF the great Sahara Desert,
that their movements are characterized by the
utmost mystery. not only the women. but also
the men, always keeping their whole faces save
their ewes. concealed by thick yashmaks, even
vhen lighting and that there Is no race on the
fare Of the earth concerning which so little is
r,own nv the civilized world these Touaregs
who scour the desert from the eastern borders of
Nonocco 10 the western frontiers Of Egypt
Finally Diebari concludes by declaring that. no
matter how much one may hesitate 70 believe
that Colonel Flatters is still alive, he himself
has seen with his own eyes four French ofhcers
held in bondage by the Touaregs and acknowl-
.dged nv the latter 10 have been members OF the
Eatters party
Now the evidence with respect TO the death
NJ the English General Chinese Gordon AT
Khartoum in 1885 is identically Of the same
character as that Of the alleged killing OF the
French Colonel Flatters-that is 10 say. II Is eX-
cusively native testimony. and therefore OF an
unreliable character. neither Asiatics nor
Africans having any regard for the truth. H.
therefore Colonel Flatters is still living. there Is
no earthly reason why General Gordon should
not be alive too. There are many VINO, IKE
myself have never believed in his death. and
have been disposed 10 give credence 10 the
native rumors according TO which ne is stu III
sxis,ence somewhere in the mysterious recesjes
y, tina, great unknown Central Africa which
h,s so tustIv been named the Dark Continent
tnsw Gordon we'll and was one of the last 10 bid
farewell 10 this lifelong friend and old school
n.,s ~ my father when he left Cairo in Janu-
.rv 1ss4 ON that fateful journey TO Khartoum.
sronn which he has never since returned. | can
not forget his frequent ratings against the
hvnocr,sv and sham Of modern civilized exist
snc. his warnings for life Of complete sec.u-
eion or else among untutored and simple saw
ages: and Judging from remarks when l. IKE
others OF his friends have often heard MIN Hdhe'
especially lust prior TO his last departure for the
Soudan | regard II as quite probable ana as III
keeping with his extraordinary character ana
previous history that he should nave aNaileu
himself OF the fall OF Khartoum-of what ne De-
ueved 70 be his desertion by his country"eh'
which must have put the crown!ng touch u HIS
bitterness against civzaton-to disappear lhto
the most sombre wilds Of Africa ihoue'"
counterpart Of the hermits Of the hrst ana Sec
ond centuries OF our Christian era
No one knows how many are the mysteries anu
surprises OF this kind that Africa. ASA ana even
Australia have yet in store for us. IL was OH!
year or two ago that the Royal Geographica'
Society OF Australia fitted up al considerapie eN-
pense an expedition which set out from Aoe'a'ue
70 penetrate into the unexplored interior WIN inc
object Of discovering traces OF the celeDra'eo ~
kchhardt. who. while in command Oh d" -
bring party In the interior some 'hrts 'N'
Years ago wandered away from camp one even
Ing and was never seen again. During the Ias'
Ave or six wears there have been very per
f.stent rumors-mainly Of a native source-t' 'he
effect thai there was an Old white man, gray
haired and gray-bearded. who had long De"
living among one OF the aboriginal tribes ENJOY
Ing their utmost venerat.on and regard. Baron
Muller. the distinguished scientist. was 80 hrihS
convinced from what ne mad seen ana hearu '''d'
this aged white man WAS other than me long
missing DIR. Leichhardt that he lnoucen '"e
biographical Society t. send out the cNieu'''o'
o. Investigation above mentioned. SIT lho''a9
Elder contributing no less than s9o'ooo 'o"a''
lis expenses. AS to any results having oec'' %
YET achieved by the party. am unapIe 10 say
II Is well known that there are large num-