the movements of the chameleons which disported
themselves underneath the leaves; but one day a fire broke out, which
destroyed my hut, water-melons, chameleons, and all; and so this little
dissipation was denied me. However, I built a new hut in a few days.

Almost a month had now passed since Bonomi's departure, and I began to
look about anxiously for the return of the Arab who was to help me to
escape. During the night I had cautiously loosened the zariba hedge, so
that I could easily get out, when the time came; but day by day passed,
and I began to lose hope. I did hear a rumour once that a man had come
to help us to escape, but that on hearing we were locked up in the
zariba, he had gone away. This was very probably true; for the Arabs are
excessively timid; and we were as universally shunned by all as if we
were infested with a plague; if anyone dared to speak to us, he was
almost sure to be arrested and locked up.

Thus we dragged out a miserable existence, devoid of hope, shunned by
all, and suffering much from continual sickness. One event, however,
unexpectedly occurred, which we thought would completely alter the state
of affairs, and would produce a revolution, in which we again thought we
saw some chance of escape.

Early in July 1885, the news of the Mahdi's death arrived. At first it
was not credited, and the leading people thought it better to keep it a
strict secret, but their dismal countenances belied them. It was a
terrible blow to the Dervishes, and they themselves believed that
disturbances would undoubtedly take place, for the number of malcontents
was by no means small. The truth, however, soon came out, and the
immediate effect on the ignorant masses was the realization that they
had been deceived, and that the Mahdi was no Mahdi at all. Hitherto
Mahdiism had been thoroughly admitted, and it was their belief in the
Mahdi's divine mission which had given birth to the fanaticism which had
made them so bold and fearless--the belief that to die in battle as
martyrs assured them paradise with its myriads of lovely houris, its
lovely gardens, laden with milk and honey, fruits and flowers.

All this was implicitly believed. What wonder then that they should
throw themselves into the very thickest of the fight in the sure and
certain hope that to die in the Mahdi's cause ensured eternal delights
and pleasures! Now all these glorious visions had collapsed like a house
of cards, and in the future Mahd