The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1896-07-10


far southern equatorial Africa, where
the siave-trader plies his traffic II
human flesh. 10 the Cairian bazaar,
where the agents OF the khaiifa negot5-
ate with the German and Italian mer-
chants for powder and cartridges.
Kitchener's spies are ever present.
With OsTnan Digna toward the Red sea
in the villages Of the Bishsreen. and at
the Gases where the weary caravan
halts. there viii be found an agent of
Kitchener ready 70 discuss the political
questions OF the day. At the distant
wells. which all travellers are compelled
70 seel,. an emissary Of the khedlve- and
therefore OF Britain. viii meet with ar
gument or gold the wavering sheik OF
the desert In a word, methods are
EMPLOYED the condemnation Of which
By the unthinbing British public was
possibly the cause of Gives suicide
and was certainly the cause Of Warren
Hastings broken heart.
It is undoubtedly the personal
knowledge that the sirdar himself has
OF the intricacies OF the spy system thai
gives il its force.
II.
If II had not been for the egregious
stupidity OF an English sergeant. L
never would have known Sir Herbert
Kitchener. although I had probably
smoked cigarettes with him frequently
a. the midday spell or sat up half the
night with him over z camel-dung fire
al the cataracts.
Il was at Korti. the base Of operation
during the last war. that I knew him.
There the Nile makes a wide bend a few
miles south OF New Dongola. the objec-
tive point Of the present campaign and
the place where Stewart and Butler
made their dashes across the desert 10
Khartoum. There were at least $500
British. about 1000 Bashi BaZouks il
the service Of the mudir Of DongOla,
and GO or zoo Dongalese camp-follow-
ers and Alden camel-drivers az Korti
in the first days Of January. 1888.
There were exciting times in that
little PARKWAY Arab village. The air
was full Of ru1nors. Conflicting reports
were daily circulated as TO Gordon and
the safety Of the garrison at Khartoun.
News had lust been received of the ris-
inc of the powerful Bishareen, and
LEEgu-l IL Ok " d. tlAe1 -AA4<1- A-N-4-4-
OF distrust which is hard 10 describe,
but which can readily be felt. as 10 the
fealty OF our allies. There had been I
overt act: there had been. in fact. moth
ing which one could say displayed
disposition 10 disloyalty on the part CT
the Dongalese.
Around the evening campfire in the
ouietness of the tents during those DAYS
of painful suspense, the name most
frequently mentioned was that OF
Kitchener. We Canadian voyageurs
heard him spoken Of by the soldiers
with an almost mysterious respect up
and down the river. Egypt, the land OF
enchantment, seemed 10 be a fitting
field for one whom none seemed 10
know, but who was supposed to De al
ways present. sort OF British Haroun
al Raschid.
Many stories were told of the roman
tic life of the chief of the Intelligence
corps. It was related how for months
he had lived in the household of the
mahdi. how he had personally COM
municated with Gordon within the
walls of Khartoum.
1t was one Of those starry Egyptian
nights. dark, certainly, and with that
intense quiet that almost made dis
tinguishable the sound of lizard sour
rying over the sand. The ohump, chump
OF the thousands Of cameIs as they lay
chewing their cuds and the measured
tread of the British sentries as they
raced their beats were the only things
that made US, in that part of the can
torment where there were Canadians,
Dongalese and canel-drivers, realize
that we were with division of the
British army in the field.
Suddenly there was a piercing scream.
which seemed to be signal from the
direction of the Alden camel-drivers'
lines. This was quickly followed by
the sound Of feet scampering past our
tents.
We were aroused, naturally, and were
IN considerable doubts as to whether
the MahGists had surprised the out
POSTS and were upon US, until yells and
shouts came to US from the Dongalesc
quarter. We saw at once what was the
matter. The long-standing feud be
tN cen the Donoalese and the Alden cam
el-drivers had at last broken out. The
presence of the Arabs from Alden, whose
loyalty was unquestioned, had always
been resented by the Dongalese, and
at last, incensed beyond endurance by
insult and abuse, the camel-drivers had
determined on night attack to avenge
their wrongs.
In the light OF the stars we watched
The row. The Alden men, pluclzy and
hardy, and taking their enemies off
their guard. were at first victorious.
Their short camel sticks We're used Wig
orously and with effect upon the tur-
bans and shoulders of their enemies.
Their success seemed complete, when
a tall Dongalese Arab, whose litheness
of form and tallness of stature made him
conspicuous among even his athletic
comrades, seemed to take charge. With
few words of command he rallied the
now retreating Dongalese, and, empty
handed, led his half-defeated follow
ers against the exultant Alden men.
One-two--three-fe those straight
right-handers, and down went three
leading Alden men. Two more blows,
and the camel-driVers lost their Lead
ers. Confusion spread among them.
What sort of man was this Arab that