nions in adversity
to the grave, but we were all too ill to move, and so they were carried
away to their last resting-place without prayer or chant; and even to
this day I cannot tell if the slaves really buried them, or merely
dragged the bodies beyond the huts, and left them lying there on the
ground.

The condition of us miserable wretches who were still alive is beyond
description; we envied our companions, who were now beyond the reach of
human suffering; but our hour had not yet come. Towards the end of
November we were somewhat recovered, but our lives seemed to have been
spared only to behold more terrible sights and sufferings than we had
previously undergone.

Meanwhile, more of our companions in adversity had arrived from Dar
Nuba. Shortly after we had been made over to Stambuli, Roversi came, and
was interviewed by the Mahdi, who received him well, and presented him
with a horse. Roversi recounted to us the story of his misfortunes;
during his journey from Delen to El Obeid he was frequently in danger of
losing his life; the Baggaras, mindful of their defeat at his hands,
thirsted for vengeance. Roversi owed his life to his magazine rifle. He
used to visit us daily and tell us of the various plots of which we were
the intended victims. He told us how the Arabs had determined to take
the sisters, and that they intended to distribute us amongst the various
emirs. This news terrified the sisters, and there is little doubt that
the bare thought of it hastened the deaths of the two who were so ill.
Roversi further informed us that a quarrel had occurred between Mek Omar
and the Nubas regarding the distribution of the loot taken from our
Delen Mission; a conflict had taken place, in which Mek Omar had lost a
number of his men, and had been obliged to retreat from Delen to
Singiokai.

After Roversi's arrival the Mahdi wrote to Said Pasha again, summoning
him to surrender; Roversi also, by the Mahdi's order, was forced to
write to the Mudir, telling him that resistance was useless, as it was
out of the question to hope for reinforcements from Khartum. Towards the
end of October Roversi fell ill with dysentery, caused by the infected
and foul atmosphere of the camp; the last time he came to see us he was
very weak; then we heard that the Mahdi had suddenly ordered him to
Kashgil for change of air, and a few days later we heard that he was
dead. Some said he had been killed, others said that he had been
poisoned b