The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1898-09-14
RESCUED II LAST,
The Story of Eerr Karl Esufeld Rsscu-
ed IN tne Sa2dar.


Herr karl Ncufcld. who was referred
to III :; recent dispatch from Cairo as
rescued unhaE;ucd from the dervishes.
fell into the hands Of the Mahki's fol
lowers. in the ncighborLood of Dougola
in the late spring OF early summer of
1891 He was the last European male
captive of Importance remaining in the
power of the dcrvishcS. Various ac-
counts are gwen CT his early career.
According to the Neues Wiener Tag
blatt, Ncufeld, shortly after the con-
clusion Of his college course at Lcipsic.
where lie studied medicine, severely
wounded an opponent i'll 4 duel and
was obliged to 90 abroad He settled
as i physician at GAssouan. Upper Egypt
where he practised his profession 1879
20 1881. Wien the rising Of Mohamed
-Acmed took place in the latter year.
Herr Ncufeld was obliged to give up his
residence at Assouan.
While at the university he had given
many proofs of his hardihood Of charac-
ter and love of adventure. and he joined
the English troops during the operation
in the Soudan as an interpreter of the
Arabic language, in which position his
knowledge Of the people and Of their
political relations, together with his
Shrewdness and courage, caused him to
be highly appreciated. In 1888 he
saved whole detachment Of English
soldiers by putting the enemy on a
wrong scent. For this service he was
appointed surveyor to the British
troops, in which capacity he set up
business AZ ASsouan, and established
branches in other parts Of the coun-
try.
In April. 1891, he set out on jour
ney. ostcusibly for the purposes OF
trade. with caravan Of over 40 re-
tainers. Various accounts were given
of the object Of his expedition, one be-
ing that it was undertaken with view
of rescuing slatin Pacha, then a pris-
oner of the Mahdi, while other accounts
represented that he was merely trying
to ascertain the position of the enemy.
Evidently recognizing the danger he
was about to run, Neufeld, before leav-
ing Assouan. deposited his money in
an English bank and sent his wife and
only child to his relatives at Leipsic.
His apprehension proved to be onlo toe
we'll founded. Through the treachery
of an Arab, he and his whole caravan
were taken by the dervishes.
He nearly lost his life when the
Nahdi was informed that he was ar
English or Egyptian spy sent to ascer
tain whether Mudir Mustapha Pachs
was favorable to the English. The
Mahdi declared that he regretted moi
having hanged Neufeld. and had hin
loaded with chains and cast into prison
where he remained four years.
Ultimately scarcity Of powder arose
in the Soudan. and Neufeld's knowledge
of chemistry was brought into requisi
ton for its manufacture. 1t appear
that he collected saltpetre and made
the explosive. but the same narrative
that gave this information described
him as still in fetters and carrying irol
rings upon both feet.
His next clever exploit was subse
quent to the death Of the Mahdi, anc
under the rule of the Khalifa. Neu
field decorated the tomb of the Mahdi
whose dome the British gunboat hav'
just partially demolished, and did th
work so effectively that, according tt
Father Rossignoli, who escaped from
Khartoum in 1894, the widows Of tn
prophet, were quite touched.
After that he became mechani
and-still according to Father Rosslg
nali-'tried all sorts of inventions anc
took the grertest trouble to construc
a machine for making coins. Mean
while he appears to have acted a
editor" Of the khalifas proclamations
in addition to writing books aud il
lustrating them himself, for limited
circulation among the dervishes. A
the time of therelease of Sian Pacha !
was feared that his life would again b.
in danger. But this did not prove tt
be the case.