A Prisoner of the Khaleefa: Twelve Years Captivity at OmdurmanNeufeld, Charles
History
A Prisoner of the Khaleefa: Twelve Years Captivity at Omdurman
Neufeld, Charles
Neufeld, Charles, 1856-1918; Prisoners -- Sudan -- Omdurman; Sudan -- History -- 19th century
I continue the history from the sworn statement of Kanaga, taken
before a lawyer and in the presence of witnesses who could vouch for
the greater part of it. I admit I was myself a little incredulous, but
Kanaga has since backed up his statement by producing two documents,
the authenticity of which cannot for a moment be called into question,
while two are actually recorded _in extenso_ in the registers of the
German Consulate. Kanaga, according to his statement, on arrival at
Cairo, presented the letter addressed to my manager, at the German
Consulate, delivering at the same time my verbal messages. By the
German Consulate he was taken to the Austrian Consulate-General, who,
after hearing his news, sent a consular official with him to the War
Office, where he related his story.
[Illustration: MANKARIOUS EFFENDI WITH GUIDES.]
It is quite evident that Count Wass, the Austrian Consul-General,
believed that Kanaga would be assisted to start back immediately on
the proposed expedition, for he entrusted him with an autograph letter
dated Sunday, October 27, 1889, addressed to Slatin, asking Slatin to
request the Khaleefa to reply to the message sent him by the Emperor of
Austria concerning the Austrian Mission captives. Kanaga |165| was
put off time after time on the grounds that no reply had been received
to the letter he had delivered. Losing patience, he returned to Assouan
and made up a caravan on his own account, and, when all was ready,
returned to Cairo to report that all arrangements were complete. He was
again passed from one to the other, and on April 26, 1890, he presented
himself for the last time at the German Consulate, and being told that
there was “no reply,” he demanded a certificate to the effect that he
had delivered my letter, but had not received any monies in connection
with it, when a signed and sealed certificate was given him.[8]
[8] “Attestation. At the special request of Moussa
Daoud-el-Abadi (Ababdeh), this is to certify that the above on
October 22, 1889, brought to the Imperial Consulate a letter
addressed to William Möller Assouan, and said to be from
Charles Neufeld. This is to certify also that the said letter
to Mr. Möller was sent to Mr. Neufeld’s father, but up to the
present no monies have been received in respect of it. Signed,
Becker.”
The letter itself was copied into the Consular registers G. 48,
p. 385, and the following is a translation of the contents:―
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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