rs to Omar Wad
Elias Pasha, then with Abdel Halim's force; in consequence he and his
men had been put in irons, and it was Ala ed Din Pasha's intention to
execute him; but Hicks would not allow it, saying that he would be
fairly tried after El Obeid was captured. Ben en Naga was in the
thickest of the fight, and had already lost an eye, when his father's
slaves succeeded in reaching him and saving his life.

[Illustration: A BAGGARA EMIR, PRESENT AT THE ANNIHILATION OF THE HICKS
EXPEDITION, AND AFTERWARDS CAPTURED AT TOSKI.]

The Mahdi and his followers were greatly delighted, for they had not
calculated on such a complete victory, and a messenger was at once
despatched to El Obeid to order a salute of one hundred guns to be
fired.

It was early on Tuesday morning, the 6th of November, that the thunder
of the guns was heard in the camp, and our alarm at this terrible news
can well be understood. Our bright hopes, which enabled us to support a
wretched existence for more than a year, were rudely dashed to the
ground. We now gave up all idea of the Government sending a second
expedition. It was clear that Khartum must look to its own safety, and
as the Mahdi had in the first instance gained possession of Kordofan
through his victory over Yusef Pasha Esh Shellali, so now his
annihilation of General Hicks's force placed almost the entire Sudan in
his hands.

CHAPTER VI.

THE MAHDI'S TRIUMPHAL ENTRY INTO EL OBEID.

Fall of Darfur--Slatin surrenders--The Mahdi's divinity credited
after the annihilation of Hicks--King Adam of Tagalla--Stambuli's
kindness to the European captives--Gordon writes to the
Mahdi--Power's letter--The sisters seized and distributed amongst
the emirs--They are tortured--The missionaries turned into
slaves--The terrible journey to Rahad--The Greeks come to the help
of the sisters--The proclamation concerning the treatment of
priests and hermits by Mohammedans--The Mahdi at Rahad--Ohrwalder's
interviews with the Mahdi concerning religion--The Dervishes attack
the Nubas.

The Mahdi remained seven days with his entire force at Birket, so as to
collect families and stragglers and to take possession of the loot which
the greedy Arabs had seized and refused to give up. Several of the
latter were flogged, and seven slaves belonging to the Mahdi's uncle,
Sayid Mohammed Taha, suffered the loss of a hand and a foot because they
had kept for thems