The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-04-08
SLATIN BEY'S ESCAPE
SAFE RETURN OF THE MAHDIsTs'
PRISONER TO EGYPT.
The Exciting Adventures of the AUS
trian Soldier of Fortune, Who Was
Held in Captivity Eleven Years.
Philadelphia Telegraph.


came from Assouan, Egypt, that Slatin
Bey, formerly the Egyptian Governor of
Darfur, had arrived there, after escaping
from his Mahdist masters at Omdurman.
| Money from Europe had been placed in the
hands of a Soudanese merchant named
| Eyail, and he assisted the distinguished
prisoner, VINO for eleven years had been
in the hands of the Mahdists, to get away
from Omdurman and make the perilous
journey down the Nile and across the desert
to Egypt. All the world that knows of the
work he did in the Soudan before the
| troublesome days of Mahdist rule, will be
glad to hear that he has escaped from his
terrible bondage and is restored again to his
friends.
Slatin Bey was one of the ablest white
men who ever went to the Soudan in the
service of Egypt. He would probably have
been killed long ago if he had not been as
tactful as he was able. The Madhists hated
him with bitter hatred, for he gave them
their toughest fighting before they rooted
Egypt out of the Soudan, and they swore
they would kill him if they ever laid
hands on him; but they didn't kill him,
and this was because he made them think,
after he was a helpless prisoner in their
hands, that it was to their interest to keep
him alive.
Rudolph Slatin, to give him his real name,
"oo S0oSotC III Till dlIQ III us SCfCh-
teenth year entered the employment of a
firm in Cairo as correspondent. He accom-
panied Won Heuglin, the African traveller
and Arctic explorer, in several trips to
Obliged to return to Austria to. complete his
military service. In 1875 and 1876 he took
| the conclusion of that campaign devoted
himself to scientific study, so as TO complete
his equipment as an explorer. having, Sc
cured the necessary instruments for geodetic
observations, he returned to Egypt in 1879,
and was appointed by General Gordon in
spector-general of the Eastern Soudan
Senaar.
In 1882 Rattuf Pasha then Governor-gen-
| 1lneraI of 1Darfur, which province was
amongst the first affected by the Mahdfs
revolt. He was continuously fighting against
the Rizigat and other tribes, gaining a rep
utation for heroic bravery throug. out the
whole of the Soudan. His former compan-
sarhe unusual rapidity of movement and
the courage Of Governor Slatin made him
thousands. He followed them into the al
most inaccessible gorges OF the mounialn
e District an Of More Morea rema ae wd fsr an twe eneeienr
hours in the saddle. He slept on the
ground with the common soldiers, and
lived on the same food. which was merely
corn STEPPED in water. He administered
strict justice and received no presents. He
s Mas ths poor. sfN8 ot%itha aan fasof the 60 fact aet
that he had been victorious in twenty
seven battles. he could not extirpate the
the earth like mushrooms. In the course
of an engagement one OF his myers was
the other hand, he commanded one of those
standing near him to cut 1T off with q
knife. and, after binding it up, proceeded
to lead his men,"
A YEAR OF EXCITEMENT.
The year 1883 was full Of excitment and
tremendous labor for Slatin Bey. The
Mahdi had at last attracted the attention
of the world, had overrun Kordofan, and
was marching to the conquest of Darfur.
1t looked as though all the Soudan would
flock to his standard of revolt. After he
had won the allegiance of Darfur he In
tended to turn his fanatical hosts upon
| Khartoum, the principal stronghold of the
Egyptians, and he had no doubt that the
emporium of the Upper Nile would be de-
livered into his hands. Hicks Pasha was
advancing against him, in full confidence
that he would destroy the fanatical rebel.
So the Mahdi was between two fires, for
while Hicks was marching toward the
testing every inch of the Mahdis advance
towards the west. Slatin Bey had only a
handful of men as compared with the con-
stantly swelling army of the Mahdi, but he
hoped that he would be able to hold OAR
fur until Hicks had overtaken and defeat
Hicks's army would be swallowed up by
the Mahdists, and that not a man would
figbt tei apa ain overwheiming numbers: and
it was the destruction of Hicks and his
army that sealed the fate of Slatin and
For months, however, before he had to
yield he gave the Mahdists battle at ev-
cry opportunity. Now he was in the north,
and then in the south of his province COM
batting with the utmost bravery and rapid
ing into dame throughout it. Father Orr
valdez, the first of the white prisoners to
escape from the Soudan. says that Slatin
wonderful powers of endurance, and often
he was twenty-four hours in the saddle.
to eat or drink. He slept on the ground
or on the bare floor beside his native SOL
diers. and he lived on dhurra soaked In
water, a diet on which other men have
starved to death. He fought twenty-seven
battles with the Arabs, but he could not
crush them. Two men sprang to the Nah
dist standard for every one that was slain
or wounded.
Father Ohrwalder has described Slatin as
most heroic in action. One day he was
struck by a bullet which shattered a fin
ger. He seized the hanging remnant with
was standing by him with a knife to cut
it off. Then he Joined again in the fight
bloody year Of 1883 siatin became famous
throughout the Soudan for his bravery in
could not stem the tide of rebellion, and
his ammunition was nearly exhausted,
While Hicks was stu far away. He could
tion he used his prestige to secure from the
Mahdi a little breathing spell. He sent
he were permitted to hold the position he
then occupied. The Mahdi was delighted
with the proposal and ordered a hundred
guns to be fired in honor of the suspension
of hostilities. Slatin believed that if Hicks
now won a victory ali would yet be we'll.
But early in November Hicks and his force
were annihilated and the Mahdi became
invincible. The fear of AIS name spread
through all the Soudan, and all doubt that
he was the true Mahdi was now put aside.
He lost no time in sending a letter to
Slatin summoning him to surrender. The
white governors men refused to make any
further stand. and he had only five cart
ridges to a man left. Slatin therefore did
the only thing that was left to him-he
rode into the Mahdi's camp and surren-
dered. He was loaded with chains and
thrown into prison, and he expected a
speedy and violent end.
SCHEMING FOR LIBERTY.
Before long, however, the Mahdi began to
hear things about Slatin that impressed him
favorably. Slatin was d young man with a
strong love of life. and, of course. he was
not indisposed to outlive the troublous days
in the hope of being restored at last to his
friends in Europe. The result was that
some time after the fall of Gordon at
Khartoum, when there was no longer any
hope that Mahdism in the Soudan would
wane for years, Stains views on some
matters suddenly underwent radical
changes. The Mahdi was greatly pleased