cut off their hands and feet; soon there was a
heap of these bleeding members, whilst the bodies of the poor Batahin
lay writhing on the ground, beads of anguish pouring from their brows;
yet not a cry did they utter; most of them died in a very short time.
Even the most stony hearts were touched on beholding this terrible
spectacle, but no one dared show it--in fact everyone tried to force a
laugh or a jeer, because the Khalifa himself revelled in scenes of
useless bloodshed and cruelty, while in truth the whole population of
Omdurman secretly lamented it.

The bodies hung on the gallows for a day, so that everyone might see
them, whilst the mothers and sisters of those who had been mutilated on
the parade ground begged the Khalifa's permission to go to the spot and
see if any of their relatives were still alive; they were allowed to go,
and there they found a few still living; they dressed their bleeding
limbs and carried them on their backs to the market-place, where they
begged food for them.

Never shall I forget the face of one poor woman. With tearless eyes she
bore her mutilated son in her arms, and it would be hard to say which of
the two was suffering more--the mother or the son--the latter lifting up
his mutilated right arm while he rested his mutilated left leg on his
right to prevent anything striking the wounded stump.

It was indeed a shocking and pitiful sight. Several of the survivors of
Khartum would pass by these wretched people, and staring at their wounds
would shout out, "Have you forgotten Khartum?" Long after this I used to
see these poor creatures dragging themselves about in the market-place
begging for alms.

Soon after this the Khalifa pardoned the Batahin, and sent Ahmed Wad el
Bedri to try to persuade them to come and settle in Omdurman; eventually
they formed part of Nejumi's force, and were almost all killed at
Toski. Thus did God's vengeance overtake them for their untold cruelties
during the massacre in Khartum. It is said that the Khalifa has repented
of his wanton slaughter of this tribe.

After this, fear took possession of even the bravest, and no further
attempts at resistance were made; discontent was everywhere rife, not in
Omdurman only, but throughout the provinces, and even the Baggara, who
were favoured in every way, and given every possible advantage, longed
to return to their own country.

It is usual, when the day's work is done, for neighbours to collect
together