a great stir in the capital. The Khalifa
considered him a most important capture, and Neufeld was ushered into
the presence of the three Khalifas and two Europeans, who were entrusted
with the examination of his papers. Neufeld spoke Arabic, and was quite
fearless. His papers showed that he was a Prussian and had studied in
the Leipzig University. All the documents were most carefully translated
to the Khalifa, as it was most important to assure him that Neufeld was
not an Englishman, as otherwise it would have gone very hardly with him.
There was one letter, however, in English, which, if it had been
truthfully translated, would have probably got him into great danger.

After the preliminary examination, Abdullah's mind seemed to have been
put at rest, for he delivered from his high seat a long speech to the
inquisitive Ansar regarding this great English pasha, who he said had
come to the Sudan with arms and ammunition, intending to seize Kordofan
and fight against Mahdiism, but fortunately the brave troops of Wad en
Nejumi had met him near Dongola, killed his soldiers, and captured him.

It was the Khalifa's habit to exaggerate facts and thereby encourage the
Ansar; he also made out his capture was a most important event, for
hitherto they had not succeeded in taking even one of the hated English.
Poor Neufeld was therefore thrown into chains and carefully guarded by
soldiers; during the whole of that night a fanatical Dinka negress, who
used to dress in men's clothes and wear a sword, shrieked continuously
at him, "Allah hu akbar alal kufar!" ("God's power is most great over
the unbelievers.")

It was decided that Neufeld was to be hanged the next morning. Very
early the Khalifa sent orders that the great drum should be beaten,
while the blast of the huge onbeia close to Neufeld's ears almost made
him fall down from fright. The slaves made game of him as if he were a
monkey; but he still kept up courage and answered all these insults with
a manly spirit; the rope had been fixed on to the scaffold, and already
crowds of people were collected to see the Englishman executed. But the
condemned man had not yet arrived, for the Khalifa's final decision had
not been taken. Hitherto he had never executed a white man in this open
way, and he delayed, because he was still uncertain about his being a
Prussian. Had Neufeld been an Englishman, there is not the smallest
doubt he would have been killed.

At length Abdullah made