Walker Lake bulletin. (Hawthorne, Nev.) 1883-1926, 1895-10-23
A CAPTIVE PASHA.
Inhuman Treatment OF an Ex-
plorer W African Mahdists.
The Prisoner Was Loaded Down with
Chains Which lie Was Compelled to
Wear for Light Months-Gsn.
Gordon's Death.

Was heph ioE ciR III luOuths Al cuoihs
by the mah,h. The chains were of tho
thickness of my wrist, one rounl my
neck aud two about my arms and lega
In addition to this, was tel to pole
like dog or u bear. This treatment
did not begin immc liatcly upon my
capture. The maad,sts never, Of
course, treated me very cordially, but
considering their fanatieisn toward oil
unbelievcrs hod really not very much
to complain OF before WAS east into
chains. To the mlhli5ts. all nom
mahdists are iafdcls. whether Moham-
melan. Christian, Jews or anything
else, an all inllels are dc mel worthy
only to be slain. was taken in tho
mahli's suite to Khartum, AMI when
asked me to write n letter to Gen. Cor
don calling upon HIM to surrender.
Accordingly wrote n lett,r IL Ger
man, which II one in the mahdis camp
could coatrol IL any way, and it was
duly dispatched. No answer, however.
was returned, and from that, MS we'll
rs from other Indications, tho mahdi
concluded that hal not carried out
his wishes. Therefore he cast me into
chains.
For the next eight months l was
very badly treated. The chains were
SO heavy that could scarcely rise up
Mt all. When we moved from place to
place was put on to . donkey, and
two men walkel by my side to
prop me up. The object of this was to
prevent my escaping into khnrtum,
which they suspected intended to do.
When khartnm fell, the mahdists
found certain documents which they
considered discriminating, 81 they in
creased my irons and their severity
toward me. Within an hour OF Cor
don's death his head was brought to
me in my prison wrapped up in cloth,
which they un olded before me. had
no difficulty III recognizing 1t at once.
For some reason or other they had
taken it into their heads that l was
Gorlon's nephew, and no amount Of
arguing could disabuse then, of that
notion. They thought they recognized
q likeness, and they kept repeating
that we both had fair hair and blue
eyes, as if that were conclusive.
After all, one European seems very
like another to them, just rs one negro
seems like another to us. heard full
details Of Gordon's death nfterw ard.
Gordon defended Khartum rs we'll "a
it was possible for him 10 do under the
circumstances. think Gordon might
have escaped from Khartum, had no
wished to do SO, ut tho last moment.
lie was killed on the top of the steps
OF the palace during the first rush OF
the invaders. One of the foremost
men PLUNGED spear into his body; he
was dragged down tho steps in wild
tumult. and pierced through and
through by countless spears.
For three months my dict consisted
only of various kinds of corn. chiefly
dourra, not ground, but in its hard, in.
digestiblc state. Aftcrwarl l wns
given beans and n kind of polcnta.
They would no doubt have killed me,
but tina: they considered me too valua,
Bile a prisoner. had been governor
general of the province of Darfur. and
it added to their prestige to take me
about with them to make use of the
influence l possessed in the district
l suffered good deal in health during
my confinement, being attacked by
fever and dyscntcry. No one made
nny attempt at nursing mc, or pro
vidcd me with any remedies. ! had te
lie on the bare ground with stone
for my pillow. and was afforded nc
comfort or relaxation of any kind.
was released u couple Of months or SC
before the mahdi died, but the strictes,
watch was kept over me.
On the death of the madhi | wa.
male one OF the llhali as bodyguard
which meant that was practically al
ways under his eye. | used generally
to be stationed outside his door, nnt
was liable to be called in to do hi.
bidding at any moment. OF tho
two preferred the madhi to the
khal IA. Until he threw me int
chains. the mahdi was comparatively
amiable to me. He was a man o.
some education, knew how to read ant
write, and ro5scsec an intimate &C
oulintancc with the Mohamm dan re
igion. The khalifa has not the reli
gious prestige of his predecessor. and l!
alternating many OF his supporters BY
an attempt to found dynasty. Thil
ne has no earthly right to do, either
by law or tradition. Before his sor
could succeed him, other khalifas, up
pointed by the late mahdi would hav,
a prior claim. Very strict ruleslarc il
force against either drinking spir
ituous liquors or smoking tobacco
Nor do the mahdists use opium O
hashish--for one reason, because the,
are net procurable. Anyone caugh
smoking tobacco is liable to punish
ment OF one hundred lashes. and tn
coniiscation of all his property. Il
spite of that, there are still q goo
many persons who venture to do !
secretly. Ali these regulations nr
simply cloak for the most monstrou
immortality. The khalifa has n harer
of four hundred or five huudrc
women, and devotcs a large part c
his time to its amenities.
The hhalifa maintains his infucnc
by tyranny and dcspotism, and the il