went on its slow and painful
journey.

Assured by the other Arabs that no harm would be done him, the captured
man became cheerful and communicative. Of course there are different
sorts of Arabs, as there are of English or Frenchmen, and this one was a
philosopher who saw no particular merit in struggling against the
inevitable, and was inclined to make himself as comfortable as
circumstances permitted. Indeed, he and his captor would have found
much in common if they had passed a social evening together, and been
able to hold converse; though for that it would have been necessary
either for Grady to learn Arabic, or for the native to learn English,
and neither might have thought it worth the trouble.

He belonged to a tribe which had not been very keen about espousing the
Mahdi's cause. They were old-fashioned in their ideas, and did not like
newfangled notions. Besides, this might be an impostor. Mahomet was
good enough for them, and they wanted no other prophet. Then they had
profitable business relations with the Egyptians, and had no desire to
break off communication with them. And they also saw that something was
to be made out of the English, especially if they established themselves
at Khartoum and opened up a trade with the black tribes towards the
Equator. So they were inclined to join us, and throw in their lot with
ours. But one day a proclamation was issued which filled them with
dismay. The English, to reconcile the inhabitants of the Soudan to
their presence, announced that they only desired to rescue General
Gordon and his garrison at Khartoum, and then they would retire from the
Soudan.

But that meant that this particular tribe, and any others who supported
the English, would presently be left alone to stand the brunt of the
Mahdi's power; and the Mahdi's motto was not "Rescue and retire," but
"Annihilate and stop!" If they had been strong enough to stand alone it
would have been different, but without the English alliance they were
powerless to resist the False Prophet.

Therefore the only course for them seemed to be to join him, and so
escape the vengeance which would otherwise overtake them. And since
they had hesitated and therefore incurred suspicion, it was advisable,
they thought, to show the greater zeal, and they in many instances
adopted the Mahdi's uniform, as the present prisoner had done. But they
did not thoroughly believe in him; they were not at any rate fanatical
in