on of the
events which befell us in Jebel Nuba.

As I have already said, the first indication of a revolt occurred in our
part of the country in April 1882. When the Mahdi had established
himself at Gedir, the slave-hunters, whose occupation had been destroyed
by the action of the Government, and who were therefore greatly
incensed, were among the first to join his banners. At that time the
most notorious slave-dealer was a certain Ismail Wad el Andok of Haboba,
who took the opportunity, when the Government was collecting troops to
attack the Mahdi, to assemble about 1,600 men and make a slave raid on
Golfan-Naima. He had already burnt over a hundred houses and captured
the inhabitants, when some of the poor Nubas who had escaped, arrived by
night at Delen and urgently begged the inspector of slaves, Roversi, for
help. This, Roversi gladly promised he would give them, but it required
all his powers of persuasion to induce Captain Mohammed Suleiman to
consent; and, indeed, there was no small risk in advancing with only
eighty men--which was all Roversi could raise--to attack this powerful
band of robbers. However, we put our trust in God, and asked His
blessing on our humane undertaking. Roversi left that evening, guided by
the terror-stricken Nubas. Golfan-Naima is about ten hours' journey
from Delen, and Roversi, by making a forced march during the night,
arrived there at daybreak, and was taken by the Nubas to a high hill,
from which he could see the enemy's entire camp without being seen, and,
indeed, so close was he that he could hear the horses neighing and the
sheep bleating. After the men had taken a short rest, they prepared for
the assault. Soon after daybreak, Roversi gave the signal for attack by
a trumpet call; the enemy, taken completely by surprise, thought only of
flight, but the bullets coming from every direction, gave them no time
to think or look from whence they came or how many were opposed to them;
they fled as rapidly as they could, leaving behind them all the people
and cattle they had captured, as well as a number of their own women.
Roversi's men were soon masters of the situation, and were welcomed by
the relieved Nubas with every expression of joy and delight; the other
Nubas, who had fled to the hills, now came down and cut off the retreat
of the Arabs. Roversi captured a large quantity of loot, received the
warmest thanks from the captives he had rescued, and soon after he
released a number