The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-10-22

held out cold portions Of II day after day, and
had sent into the prison for his poorer fellow prison
ers, a large geddahh' Of asseeda and milk night
and morning; this gave thirty 70 forty captivos
meal each day. Others divided with their less
fortunate friends the little food they received
II.
II will DO remembered that Gen. Kitchener was
accused in Parliament Of having permitted British
soldiers after his Victories TO khl the dervishcs
who were lying wounded the field. The truth
Is that Gen. Kitchener ordered quarter 70 DO given
and the author Of this book blames him for what
he considers a misplaced humanity. Tho Sirdar,
in my opinion. mado ono grave error: no gave
quarter, and have no doubt that in doing so ho
know that ho was doing positive injustice 10 his
black troops In order to pander to an ignorant
public opinion, which he knew existed elsewhere
| know that some people. profoundly ignorant Of
the Soudnn and Its tribes OF their history, religion
laws and customs, will hold UP their hands in holy
horror. and Jump 10 the conclusion that my long
captivity has engendored a spirit Of vindictiye-
ness against my captors which has deadened in
me every sense Of humanity; and in this they will
DO wrong. Lord Kitchener Of Khartoum made
a grave error in extending 10 horde Of murderers
the advantages OF civilized warfare, and tho elem
ency no felt called upon to extend TO them will
yet cause England tho loss Of many gallant
life" Noufeld goes on TO say that there was not
a man in the black battalions under Kitchoner's
command who had not by the old law Of Moses,
tho law OF the Prophet Mohammed and the laws
OF the country In which he was then fighting,
more right to take life the day Of the Sirdar's
victory at Omdurman than any Judge in civilized
country has TO sentence 70 death q man who has
done him personally no wrong. Every man
there was entitled TO life In retaliation for the
- a. Al
daughter or sister, the mutlaton OF brother or
son and his own bondage7 "To prevent as tho
Sirdar did prevent the soldiers from exercising
their rights was doing them an injustice, and
running risk well. when IL is remembered
how they had shaved for this Day OF Retaliation.
There may have been doubtless WERE many cases
Of the killing outright OF wounded dervishes: this
was no more murder than a judicial hanging;
and, looking at the matter from a humanitarian
point Of view. would Il not have been better to send
those blacks over the field to put the wounded out
Of their misery, and thus kill two birds with ono
stoner For let II be remembered that when q
dervish sits or lies wounded he is wounded TO
death. and only by force Of will keeps himself
alive until he dies happy at the moment when
he sends his spear through the heart Of his would
be saviour" An incident Of which he was an eye
witness is recounted by tho author: THE day
uitci ulo odsuo vi huDckhI, Oil outpost was Delng
sent forward. Moving to its position Il esped a
wounded dervish making signs for water. Ono
of tho soldiers slipped of his camel TO give him
some, and his comrades moved on. As time went
on, and their chum did not catch them UP, they
camo back to SEQ what had happened There
he was still attending TO tho wounded dervish,
his hand resting on his shoulder, and there was
no movement from either. Approaching--th
was the tale plainly written. The lines on tho
ground showed that Tommy had taken tho
wounded man in his arms, and half supporting
and half dragging him, had placed him in a sitting
posture in the shade. with his back against a
rock; then, taking his water bottle, he began to
pour the life-giving drops down the throat Of tho
dervish for he still g-asped tho empty water bottle
With returning life came, of course returning
strength-suffcient strength for tho dervish TO
slip of his knife poise his hand for a second Of
time behind Tommy s. back. while he was occupied
with his mission Of mercy, and then. plunging IL
In with sufficient force TO divide tho spinal column
the dervish died happy as Tommy fell dead
across his shoulder. That dervish was glorified
in tho Soudan and thousands of others were await
ing tho opportunity Of dying as gloriously. Do
you like tho picture now? These are tho sort Of
people you howl for tho protection Of II you
wish the wounded dervishes TO be attended TO
against their will. then institute some special
decoration for those who return alive from their
mission OF mercy. and when you have discovered
that for each decoration given, a few hundred
valuable lives have been sacrificed, perhaps you
will agree to the issue Of orders which l. knowing
what do know should issue now"