THE MAHDI AND HIS RISE TO POWER. The rise of the Mahdi--Early successes--Personal appearance --His Khalifas described--Military organization--Makes new laws--He summons El Obeid to surrender 6 CHAPTER II. FATHER OHRWALDER AND HIS COMPANIONS TAKEN CAPTIVE. The storm rises in Dar Nuba--The Baggara begin to raid-- Khojur Kakum of Delen--Mek Omar besieges Delen--The slave guard deserts the Mission--The priests and nuns surrender-- They are sent to the Mahdi 22 CHAPTER III. THE MISSIONARIES AND THE MAHDI. Description of El Obeid--Said Pasha's system of defence-- The Mahdi's followers encircle the town--Townspeople desert to the Mahdi--Unsuccessful attack on Government buildings --Dervishes driven off with loss of 10,000 men--The missionaries brought before the Mahdi--Threatened with death--Preparations for the execution--Reprieved at the last moment--The Mahdi's camp described--Death of some of the missionaries--Illness of remainder 34 CHAPTER IV. THE SIEGE OF EL OBEID. Terrible sufferings of the besieged--The Kababish--Fall of Bara--Fall of El Obeid--The Mahdi enters the town--Fate of the El Obeid Mission--Cold-blooded murder of the brave defenders--The Dervishes live a life of ease in El Obeid-- The Mahdi makes laws--He sends out proclamations--Prestige increased by capture of town--News from Khartum--Bonomi and Ohrwalder summoned before the Mahdi--The interview 52 CHAPTER V. THE MAHDI'S VICTORY OVER HICKS PASHA. The European captives learn that General Hicks is advancing--Slatin Bey's defence of Darfur--His heroism-- The Mahdi prepares to resist Hicks--The march of the Hicks Expedition--Extracts from the diary of Major Herlth--Colonel Farquhar's gallantry at Rahad--Gustav Klootz deserts to the Mahdi--Klootz's interview with the Mahdi in which Ohrwalder and Bonomi act as interpreters--The expedition advances towards Shekan--Is surrounded and annihilated--Description of the battle--The Mahdi victor of Kordofan 72 CHAPTER VI. THE MAHDI'S TRIUMPHAL ENTRY INTO EL OBEID. Fall of Darfur--Slatin surrenders--The Mahdi's divinity credited after the annihilation of Hicks--King Adam of Tagalla--Stambuli's kindness to the European captives-- Gordon writes to the Mahdi--Power's letter--The sisters seized and distributed amongst the emirs--They are tortured--The missionaries turned into slaves--The terrible journey to Rahad--The Greeks come to the help of the sisters--The proclamation concerning the treatment of priests and hermits by Mohammedans--The Mahdi at Rahad-- Ohrwalder's interviews with the Mahdi concerning religion --The Dervishes attack the Nubas 91 CHAPTER VII. FATHER OHRWALDER'S VIEWS OF GORDON'S MISSION.