New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-10-07

years Captivity at omdqTman. BY charles
Neufeld With Numerous Portraits and Plans
octave Do xiv 3s5. G. p Putnams Sons.
This book Is doubly pathetic. The authors
sufferines while practically slave in the hands
Of the Khaeefa were bitter enough to make the
recital OF them extremely painful to the reader
Blu, the book Is also written in defence OF Mr.
Neufeds character. During his twelve years at
Ondurman he made. naturally. more than one
attempt to communicate with his friends These
efforts either miscarried altogether or led TO one
misrepresentation or another, and long before the
sirdar crushed the Dervishes and released their
captive rumors inimica to the reputation OF the
latter were IN circulation. These rumors were
onl- increased IN number and in potency when
Neufeld returned TO civilization He expected
20 be received with sympathy. and OF course was
not d disappointed IN all quarters. but statements
which he characterizes as ISLANDERS were still
gong about in the press and in private He
took 10 his bed IN delirum and now writes with
an anxiety for his rehabilitation in everyoody's
Kocd graces which lends TO his grim narrative
one more element OF mental misery. The hook
has IN many details the vagueness which Is
perhsps 10 be expected considering that 1t en-
braces the incidents Of twelve years spent
rn6er conditions well calculated 10 damage any
mans memory But II must be admitted that II
gives on the whole a coherent and plauslole
account Of an experience not unfairly 10 De com
pared with nightmare.
Neufeld met at Assouan in 1887 one Mosai
Dufa'anah. who wanted him 10 go with him 10
Kordofan and purchase some gum which the
owners were afraid to bring 10 the Egyptian
frontier themselves but which Mogal thought
might be safely transported and sold at hlgn
profit The European seems 70 have been mer-
chant Of considerable experience IN the East
and though he warned BY the Government
chs. the expedition would be dangerous. ne con-
cluHed 10 make IT, There was some question or
his acting on the way. as intermediary be-
tween the Government and a certain friendly
tribe. The caravan was promptly organized and
started out into the desert Neufeld never saw
his friends again for twelve years. II has been
charged that he administered the trust reposed
A. his hands by the Government with bad tudg-
,nent # not with deliberate bad faith. So far as
can he made out from his narrative, this trust
was none too clearly defined. and, what IS more
instead Of Sinking any OF his responsibilities he
was BETRAYED by his guide into the hands OF the
Dervshcs The calculations he gives at TINS
,1oint ere not very luminous, but they leave no
doubt upon the main point, which Is that the
caravan was attacked in district INTO Whlch II
would not have strayed If the guide had zone
his duty. and the leader found himself bound in
q
let fall that the whole surprise had been planned
in advance at the instance OF no less person
than the Khaleeia himself. This individual ap-
oea~s 10 have caught wind Of Neufelds expe-
6ition and 10 have connected 1t with the military
projects Of the Egyptian Government The pris-
oner's hardest task when first captured, and
later al Omdurman. was 10 prove that he was
not great general and an emissary OF the
English out simple merchant embarked upon
q trading enterprise. At the outset he had little
doubt that the Dervshes would soon XIII him.
One youth in the company that ultimately trans
ferred him to the Khaeeta walked beside him.
saving. God IS Just. God IS bounteous' please
God tomorrow our eyes shan be gladdened by
seeing white Kafnr yoked with shayoa to
black one" The author gives this description Of
the form OF punishment with which he was
thus threatened: This shaybs is the torked limb
Of = tree: the fork is placed on the neck pressing
against the larynx the stem projecting before
+he v.earer. the right wrist is then tightly bound
70 the stem with thongs Of fresh hide, which
soon dry and bite the flesh and the ENDS or the
fork drawn as closely together IS possible and
fastened with crosspiece. II is cruel instru-
Ynent Of torture for the arm must be kept ex-
4ended 70 It's utmost: to attempt 70 relieve the
tension means pressure on the larynx but when
yoked 10 another man he throws pressure
and him. tlanly, MI -Ntulclu
had p pleasant prospect 10 consider. But the
Khaleefa had ordered that he he brought alive
70 Orndurn7an. and so his agonies were for the
time deferred
Arrived at the city Of the Khaleefa, he was
sbactled IN heavy irons. His wrists bound
4opether with ropes Of palm nbre. water was
poured upon these. and as they swelled they
sank into the flesh. causing eXcruciating pain
He was then made 70 stand up ~ a great open
,lace 70 be jeered az by the rabble. Dervishes
prodded him with spears and swords, and all
The time two men. one on each side - him
blew their ofabeyehs. or war trumpets made OF
followed tusk. against his ears. The blowing OF
+be truropets vas supposed TO herald his i'm
mediate execution. He expected decaptaticn
but he was told that the Khaeefa had changed
his mind or this point. and had decided TO cru
r,f, him IN little while, however he found
himself beneath eallows instead OF cross
and then. A. the last moment, pardon came.
and he was bundled off q donkey scarcely
able 70 keep his seat The next day, after hav-
3ng been taken before the Khaleefa and nterro-
rated he was cast into the prison which was
+henceforth 20 be with brief intervals. his home
Of misery and humiliation. a large part Of the
hook is occupied with the authors ilfe In chains,
hit almost more eloquent than his vivid de-
.cr,,,ions Is the portrait Of ldris- s-Saier the
head iarer. q black whose wicked face seems
ike q mask out Of some museum Of horrors. In
some Of the illustrations accompanying this
narrative types are represented which are man.
" and attractive, but others show that Mr. Neu-
fields environment must have worn an aspect
20 chill the soul Of the bravest. We need not
reuroduce all the details Of his heartrendins eX-
perience The prison was too small 10 contain
The captives pouring into Il IN steady stream
dav after day The idea Of looking after the
ventilation and sanitation of the place never
entered the heads Of the jaers. The prisoners.