The Bryan daily eagle. (Bryan, Tex.) 1895-1898, 1896-09-08
rHlRrEeM YeARs As a Slave.
Adventure. OF an Italian Priest Ia IN,
hnnhnn.

Father Paolo Rossignoll. who. after
a long series OF almost incredible adj
ventures and thirteen years slavery In
the Soudan, succeeded In miraculously
clcaping from the hands Of the caliph.
has been received by tho pore before
returning TO Africa to the scene OF his
former painful su1erings. says the Pail
Mall Gazette. lie "a a strong. broad.
well built man. tanned deep brown
by the African sun. and wears a full
beard, which Is rapidly turning white
from the sufferings he has gono
through.
Father Rossignoll was a priest Of tht
Austrian mission Of III Oboid. In the
kordolan, aud went through the hor-
rors Of the four and a half months
siege until January, 1883, when he was
taken prisoner. II would be- impossible
TO describe all he suffered for thirteen
long years. until assisted to escape by
the Engllshman. Maj. Wtngate Bey and
Mgr Sogaro. archbishop Of the Soudan.
so You are really returning to Afrl-
cay' | said TO him the day before no
left
"Oh, yes ard so back with pleasure.
as Africa la for me now a second faith
orland. feel that my work Is there:
and, besides. think OF an the prisoners
less fortunate than myself, whom lea
behind aud whom must do my utmost
TO deliver"
Are there s;il many?"
About fifty. including five Italians"
Are there no Englishmen?'
mo all OF them died long ago.
Among those still alive are twelve
Syrians, ten Jews from Smyrna. some
Greeks and Swiss a few Germans and
one Austrian. certain Me
felt. who he the most learned
and intelligent person now In
the hands OF the Soudanese lie
wac banker at Assouan. and three or
four years after the fall OF Ihsrloum
he led an expedition 20 the center OF the
Soudan, his purpose being 90 help the
Kabbahlsh tribe on the other side Of
the Dongola against the mahdl. Tbs
latter. informed In time Of HIS plans.
surprised the expedition. defeated Il
completely. the men being mostly
killed or taken prisoners. among the
latter the leader Nioielit. who was con.
dcmned TO death Tho rope had al
ready been paaaed around his neck to
hang him. when he was asked. How
do you dle7 asa Christian or a Mus
sulmanr Nofslll answered quickly; j
die a Mussulman'
so his life was saved. but he was
left fer ycaW In chains until he gave
proof OF his ability. and be was then
used by the callph to manufacture salt.
peter and gunpowder lie also cndoav-
ored 10 make dies for coins. and de-
signed a beautiful tomb Cor the mahdl.
which the caliph, however asa not app
prove OF. considering u too European
and fearing that II executed Nieielit
would acquire a certain Importance ia
the eyes Of the soudanesF
Passing to speak OF tie bltuailon In
the Soudal. Father Ros ifnoli said that
To the latcs, news received
by him e Is most unhappy. because Of
the fearful misery. dreadful anarchy
and widespread corruption. IL Is
something hcartrondingw exclaimed
the missionary. 1T seems really that
the hand OF God Is striking and extor-
initiating that people. on whom De 50
maly sins England could now easily
rcConcuer the soudan. especially as a
large portion Of the inhabitants there
would favor q. to escape from the tyr
amy Of the caliph
There Is. Ia fact. a party strong
enough which wishes the Intervention
Of Egyptians. English or Italians. or
any stranger. IN fact. to end the hor-
rors OF which they are the Victims and
Witnesses This party Is becoming so
important that the caliph some time
ago had ali the oo-oalled coffee houses
demolished IN which they we're accus-
toned to NEE, and threatened them
with a general massacre. However, Il
IL my opinion that England viii not
reconquer the soudan until her occupa-
,icn Of Egypt 20 permanent and until
she needs no preioxt to Justify her
orreanre on the Nile After the re-
cent defeats on the Red sen side the
soudanesc have a holy terror OF the
Iialland siso. snd their most terrible
curse Is. May you &c struck By an
Italian ball.