e to cross.

From Birket the Mahdi despatched three messengers to Said Pasha, calling
on him to surrender, and to acknowledge him as Mahdi; in case he refused
he was threatened with instant destruction. The three messengers,
clothed in their soiled and tattered jibbehs, were brought before a
meeting of all the principal people in El Obeid; but in spite of their
dirty appearance, they behaved in such an overbearing and insolent way,
that Said Pasha, regardless of the advice and counsel of a number of
those present who were in reality in league with the Mahdi, at once
ordered Skander Bey to hang them. The order was carried out, and in a
few moments their lifeless bodies were dangling on the gallows.

If Said Pasha had taken strong measures in dealing with some of the
principal townsmen, he might have saved El Obeid. A certain Ahmed
Dafallah, a loyal supporter of the Government, urged him to put all the
suspected people including himself in chains in the Mudirieh; this would
have disposed of Elias Pasha, Mohammed Wad el Areik, Hajji Khaled, Ben
en Naga, and Siwar ed Dahab; and their chiefs once away, it is probable
their followers would have returned to their former loyalty; but Said
Pasha refused to accept the proposal, and instead of trying to win over
his sworn enemy, Elias Pasha, he alienated him still further by taking
possession of his newly-built house near the Mudirieh and handing it
over to Elias's bitterest enemy, Ahmed Dafallah, to live in, thus
entirely disregarding Elias Pasha. Now was Elias Pasha's opportunity to
revenge himself on his two adversaries, the garrison of El Obeid was
unusually weak, insignificant reinforcements had been sent from Khartum
under Mohammed Pasha Khabir, but he also, being an enemy of the Mudir,
joined the Mahdi, as I shall narrate in the following chapter.

FOOTNOTES:

[B] The Gezireh or Geziret Meroee is generally applied to the
country lying between the Blue and White Niles.

[C] In law, the retributive chastisement which it is the duty
of a magistrate to inflict for crime and offences against morality and
religion.

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.

Leaving the Mahdi at Birket, I shall now return to the narrati