The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-03-19
SLlTIN PASTA RETTRES.
The Khalifa's Old Prisoner About to Leave
the Egyptian Service.

Slatin Pasha. ono OF the most prominent
figures in the history OF the Egyptian Sudan
for the last twenty years. has decided 20 re-
sign his commission In the Anglo Egyptian
army and return to his home in Austria. With
the re conquest OF the Sudan he feels that his
task Is at an end. In September last he wit
messed the capture Of Omdurman. where he
was for eleven wears q close captive. He has
taken part In the past three years operations
which led to the fall OF the Khalifa. and now he
intends to retire to the quiet of his ~nativefand.
after his many years OF adventure. peril and
hardship in TROPICAL Africa.
A mans life is seldom so filed with vicissl-
tudes as that of Slatin. In all his career in the
Sudan he was either the victim OF Mahdism or
its foe In the field. lie had been Governor OF
the Darfur province scarcely eight months
when the stream of Mahdism.that had already
overrun Kordofan drifted into his territory.
lie fought the Mahdi until his ammunition
was gone and he had lost the most OF his troops.
Father Ohrwalder says that in this campaign
with an enemy that outnumbere his force ten
to. one Slatina was, oiten.in the saddle twenty
four hours at n time with little or no food. He
silent on the ground beside his native troops
powers, OF endurance were wonderful. and in
action he WAS most heroic. One day Il bullet
shattered one OF his 9ngers, He seized the
nam MS una ~ Mn olllt IluHN utlt
the. man standing, next to him to cut 1t of
with his knife, and then Joined again inthe
fighting. But beyond the reach Of all succor.
as he was, he could not hold out when troops
and ammunition failed him.a and he was forced
to surrender after twenty-seven hard fights.
Nearly fifteen years ago Slatin was .aken
into tho Mahdis presence a prisoner. The
Mahdi had much reBpect for brave men and
personally treated the fallen Governor OF BAR
fur with kindness. but Abdullah. in whose
custody he was placed. threw Slatln into
prison. where he was kent III chains for about
o year. lie suffered terribly from hunger aud
i!l-treatment, and was frequently informed
that be would coon be put to death. But finally
tin he might thank his stars that he was a pris-
oneI when khartoum was taken. for otherwise
he. would have shared the fate nj Gordon,
In the nine remaining years OF his captlvity
Slutin was always under the khalifa'S eye, and
~ one OF his bodyguard II was his duty to rem
der personal service. and he was treated as 4
servant, He was lodged in a house next to that
OF the khalita, and II was absolutely forbidden
him toeXchanke \ word with any one eXcept by
permisslon OF his master. Like all the other
white prisoners, he was compelled noLninAlly to
embraced ohamm edism aud unless ho,lad done
so he would not have been permitted TO live. He
was watched SO vigilantly that IL was extremely
diIllcult,to MIN Ia escape, aud, though secret
agents from Cairo were repeatedly sent TO Om-
durham To help him to get away. no opportu-
nifty promising success pre- sented itself till
Feb. 20. lSt5. when he contriyed 10 get out Of
the city In the night TO the rendezvous where
hmels and attendants we're waiting for him.
and then began the forced marches down the
Nile that sooE placed him out of reach of the
khalifas pursuers. He has earned his rest.