ken everything from him, then directed him towards the Dervish camp.
On he plodded barefooted, through the long grass, and often over thorns,
until at last he met an old woman, who made him understand by gestures
that he was close on the camp. A few moments later several horsemen
appeared, and, surrounding him, took him in triumph to Abu Girgeh; for
they thought at length they had captured a hated Englishman. Klootz, to
his astonishment, now found himself in a large entrenched camp, where
the Dervishes were living in perfect safety. The horsemen had told Abu
Girgeh that they had found him sitting in a tree writing, so he was at
once put in chains, tied tightly to a bedstead, and then interrogated
about Hicks's troops. At the same time a messenger was sent to the Mahdi
to inquire what should be done with the Englishman. The Mahdi ordered
that he should be at once brought to El Obeid; the chains were therefore
removed, and a rope put round his neck, by which he was drawn by
horsemen to the Mahdi's camp. The journey lasted a day and a half, and
he was obliged to walk the whole way barefooted in the burning sun, so
that when he reached El Obeid his feet were swollen up and in a dreadful
condition.

As swift as lightning the news now spread through the camp that an
English officer had been captured. Who could the unfortunate man be? we
wondered. When Klootz was brought before the Mahdi all he could say was
that he was Nimsawi (a German). The Mahdi therefore summoned Stambuli,
Bonomi, and myself, to act as interpreters. When we entered the crowded
enclosure everyone understood the object of our coming; most of them
were busy cleaning their lances, and shouted out after us, "Mind you
make careful inquiries of him." There was such a crowd in front of the
Mahdi's tent that it was almost impossible to make our way through; but
at last there was a cry of "Ahl Delen" ("Here are the Delen people"),
and they made way for us. We took off our shoes, and were shown into the
Mahdi's presence. I was intensely anxious to see who this Englishman
might be; we had seen nothing but black faces for so long, that had he
been a creature from the other world, we could not have been more
interested; then we were on tenter-hooks to know how the expedition was
progressing, whether it was under English command, &c., &c. Of course
General Hicks's name was well known, but we knew nothing about the
composition of his force.

When we entered we saw the M