t unfortunate; but it can hardly be helped, for naturally the
natives coming down from Kordofan give Metemmeh a very wide berth. As
to sending up any of the natives here, to find out what is going on, it
is out of the question, for they would be detected at once, as their
language is so different from that of the Baggara."

Later on, the General retired to his quarters. Gregory went there.

"Can I speak to you for a few minutes, sir?" he asked.

"Certainly, Mr. Hilliard. What can I do for you?"

"I have been thinking over what you were saying, regarding information
as to Mahmud's intentions. With your permission, I am ready to
undertake to go into his camp, and to find out what the general opinion
is as to his plans."

"Impossible, Mr. Hilliard! I admire your courage in making the offer,
but it would be going to certain death."

"I do not think so, sir. I talk Baggara better than the Negro dialect
that passes here. It is among the Baggara that I am likely to learn
something of my father's fate; and, as the old nurse from whom I learnt
these languages had been for a long time among that tribe, she devoted,
at my mother's request, more time to teaching me their Arab dialect
than any other, and I am convinced that I could pass unsuspected among
them, as far as language is concerned. There is no great difference
between Arab features and European, and I think that, when I am stained
brown and have my head partly shaved, according to their fashion, there
will be little fear of my being detected.

"As to costume, that is easy enough. I have not seen any of the
Dervishes yet, but the natives who have come in from El Obeid, or any
other neighbourhood where they are masters, could give me an account of
their dress, and the way in which they wear the patches on their
clothes, which are the distinguishing mark of the Mahdists."

"I could tell you that. So could any of the officers. Their dress
differs very little from the ordinary Arab costume. Nearly all wear
loose white trousers, coming down to the ankles. In some cases these
are the usual baggy Eastern articles, in others the legs are separate.
They almost all wear the white garment coming down to the knee, with of
course a sash round the waist, and sleeves reaching down to the elbow
or an inch or two below it. Some wear turbans, but the majority simply
skullcaps. I could get the dress made up in three or four hours. But
the risk is altogether too great, and I do not th