Generals -- Great Britain -- Biography; Gordon, Charles George, 1833-1885; Great Britain. Army -- Biography
We have heard it was the blacks
that ran away; and that the Egyptian soldiers fought well; that is not
true, they were craven. Had it not been for them, in spite of the
treachery of many within the town, the Arabs would not have got in, for
we watched the traitors. And now fearful scenes took place in every
house and building, in the large Market Place, in the small bazaars; men
were slain crying for mercy, but mercy was not in the hearts of those
savage enemies. Women and children were robbed of their jewels of
silver, of their bracelets, necklaces of precious stones, and carried off
to be sold to the Bishareen merchants as slaves. Yes, and white women
too, mother and daughter alike were carried off from their homes of
comfort. Wives and children of Egyptian merchants, formerly rich, owning
ships and mills; these were sold afterwards, some for 340 thaleries or
more, some for 25, according to age and good looks. And the poor black
women already slaves, and their children, 70 or 80 thaleries. Their
husbands and masters were slain before their eyes . . . . this fighting
and spilling of blood continued till noon, till the sun rode high in the
sky. There was riot, wrangling, hubbub and cursing, till the hour of
evening prayer. But the Muezzin was not called, neither were any prayers
offered up at the Moslem Mosque on that dark day in the annals of
Khartoum. Meanwhile the screeching devils bespattered with gore,
swarming about in droves and bands, found very little plunder, so were
disappointed, and sought out Farig Pasha, and found him with the
Dervishes. 'Where is the hidden treasure?' they at once demanded of him.
'We know that you are acquainted with the hiding place. Where is the
money and riches of the city and its merchants? We know that those who
left Khartoum did not take away their valuables, and you know where it is
hid.' The Dervishes seeing the tumult questioned him sharply, and
addressed him thus: "The long expected one our Lord, desires to know
where the English Pasha hid his wealth. We know he was very rich, and
every day paid large sums of money; that has not been concealed from our
Lord. Now therefore let us know that we may bear him word where all the
money is hidden. Let him be bound in the inner chamber and examined; and
the gates closed against the Arabs." Farig was then questioned, but he
"swore by Allah and by the souls of his fathers back to three
generations, that Gordon had no money, and that he knew of no hidden
treasure." "You lie (cried the Dervishes); you wish after a while to
come and dig it out yourself. Listen to what we are going to say to you.
We are sure you know where the money is hidden. We are not careful of
your life, for you have betrayed the man whose salt you had eaten; you
have been the servant of the infidel, and you have betrayed even him.
Unless you unfold this secret of the buried treasure, you will surely
die." Farig with proud bearing said, "I care not for your threats. I
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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