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THROUGH THE DESERT Nell and Stasch THROUGH THE DESERT By HENRYK SIENKIEWICZ New York, CiNcnfNATi, Chicago BENZIGER BROTHERS PUBLISHERS OF BENZIGER's MAGAZINE 1912 Copyright, 1912, by Benziger Brothers IN THE United States and Great Britain -\ \ -.a S57wE ? Through the Desert N^ PART I CHAPTER I ELL, do you know," said Stasch Tarkow- ski to his friend, an English girl, "that yesterday the Sabties (policemen) arrested the 0^ wife and children of Overseer Smain — the same ^ Fatima who often visited our fathers' offices?" .r: Little Nell, as pretty as a picture, looked up ^ at Stasch (Stanislaus) with her greenish eyes, and half astonished, half afraid, asked: "Have they put them in prison?" "No, but they would not allow them to travel to Sudan, and an officer has been stationed to watch them so as to prevent their taking a step ^^ outside of Port Said." J "Why?" I Stasch, who was now fourteen years of age, '^ was much attached to his eight-year-old com- rade. He regarded her merely as a child, and assuming a very superior air answered : "When you are as old as I am you will know everything — what is taking place on the canal from Port Said to Suez, and all over Egypt." "Have you heard anything about the Mahdi? I've heard that he is ugly and naughty." 5 'A'tk'l^V.'W 6 THROUGH THE DESERT The boy smiled condescendingly. "I don't know whether he is ugly or not. The Sudanese think he is handsome; but to call a man who has killed so many people 'naughty' — that is a word only a little girl, with short dresses reach- ing down to her knees, would use." "Papa told me so, and papa knows best." "He used that word in speaking to you be- cause you would not have understood anything else. He would not have used it in speaking to me. The Mahdi is worse than a hundred croco- diles. Do you understand what I say? The word 'naughty' is a good word to use when talking to little children." But when he saw the troubled look on the child's face he said: "Nell, you know that I don't want to vex you. The time is coming when you will be fourteen, too." "Yes," she answered, with an anxious ex- pression. "What if the Mahdi should take Port Said, and eat me?" "The Mahdi is not a cannibal and therefore does not eat people ; he murders them instead. Besides, he will never take Port Said ; even if he did capture it, and were to try to kill you, he would have me to deal with." This assertion he made in a snarling tone, which augured no good to the Mahdi, but it had the effect of apparently quieting Nell on the subject. "I know," she answered, "that you would protect me. But why won't they allow Patima to leave Port Said?" THROUGH THE DESERT 7 "Because Fatima is the Mahdi's cousin. Her husband told the Egyptian Government at Cairo that he would travel to Sudan, where the Mahdi was staying, for the purpose of freeing all the Europeans who had fallen into his hands." "So Smain is good, then?" "Listen! Our fathers, who knew Smain very well, had no confidence in him, and they warned Nubar Pasha not to trust him. But the government was willing to send Smain there, and he has been six months with the Mahdi. Still, not only did the captives not return, but, according to reports from Khar- tum, the Mahdists are treating them most cruelly; and Smain, after having received money from the government, has turned traitor. He commanded the artillery of the Mahdi in the dreadful battle in which General Hicks fell, and he taught the Mahdists to use cannon, of which these savages knew nothing before. But Smain is now making every effort to get his wife and children out of Egypt. Fatima, who knew beforehand what Smain was trying to do, is said to have attempted to leave Port Said secretly, and that is why the government has imprisoned her and her chil- dren." "What does the government want with Fatima and her children?" "The government intends to say to the Mahdi : *If you return those of our people you 8 THROUGH THE DESERT have taken prisoners, we will give up Fatima.' '* After this they stopped talking, for birds fly- ing in the direction from Echtum om-Farag toward Lake Menzaleh attracted Stasch's at- tention. They flew rather low down in the clear air, and many pelicans could be seen stretching out their necks and slowly flapping their tremendous wings. Stasch imitated their flight by raising his head very high, running along the dam, and waving his outstretched arms. "Look! The flamingoes also are flying!" Nell suddenly exclaimed. Stasch stopped a moment, for just behind the pelicans, but hovering a little higher in the air, might be seen two large objects, like red and rose-colored flowers. "Toward evening they fly to their home on the small island," said the boy. "Oh, if I only had a gun!" "Why do you want to shoot them?" "Women never understand such things, but let us go on; perhaps we shall see some more of them." With those words he took the little girl by the hand, and they went along the first canal path behind Port Said, followed by Dinah, a negress, who was formerly little Nell's nurse. They went along the embankment that con- fines the waters of Lake Menzaleh, through which a pilot had just taken an English steamer. THROUGH THE DESERT 9 Evening was approaching. The sun was still rather high, but it soon set below the lake, whose salt water began to glimmer like gold and assume the shimmering hues of a peacock's plume. On the Arabian shore, as far as eye could see, stretched the gloomy, menacing, dead desert. Between the glassy and motion- less sky and the shoreless, furrowed stretch of sand there was not a sign of any living creat- ure. While the canal presented a scene of great commercial activity — boats gliding past, steamers whistling, and over the surface of Lake Menzaleh flocks of sea-gulls and wild ducks glistening in the moonlight — on the Arabian shore it was as desolate as a city of the dead. But the lower the sun sank, the redder the west became; even the sand-dunes were tinted with lilac color, resembling the heather found in the autumn woods of Poland. Walking toward the landing, the children saw several more flamingoes, and their eyes fairly danced with joy. Then Dinah said that Nell must go home. In Egypt the days, which even in winter are very warm, are followed by cold nights, and as Nell's health required great care, Mr. Rawlison, her father, did not allow the child to remain near the water after sun- down; so they returned to the Rawlison villa, at the extreme end of the town, near the canal. Mr. Tarkowski, the father of Stasch, had been invited to dine ; he came in soon after, and then the whole company, including the French 10 THROUGH THE DESERT woman, Mrs. Olivier, Nell's governess, sat down to dinner. Mr. Rawlison, a director of the Suez Canal Company, and Vladislaw Tarkowski, chief en- gineer of the same company, had been very intimate for many years. Both were widowers. Mrs. Tarkowski, a French lady, had died giv- ing birth to Stasch thirteen years before. Nell's mother had died of consumption in Heluan when her little girl was three years old. The two widowers lived close by each other, and their business in Port Said brought them in daily contact. Their mutual sorrows also cemented their old friendship. Mr. Raw- lison loved Stasch as though he had been his own son, and Mr. Tarkowski would have gone through fire and water for little Nell. After their day's work was done their greatest pleasure was to talk about the education and the future of their children. While they were conversing thus Mr. Rawlison would praise the capability, energy, and precocity of Stasch, and Mr. Tarkowski express himself enthusi- astically about Nell's charm and her little angel face. Both were correct in their views. Stasch was somewhat conceited and boastful, but quick in his studies, and the teachers of the English school in Port Said prophesied a great future for him. He had inherited aptitude and courage from his father, for Mr- Tarkowski possessed these qualities in a marked degree, and THROUGH THE DESERT 11 to them he owed his present high position. He had taken an active part in the Polish revolu- tion for eleven months, then, being wounded and taken prisoner, he was banished to Siberia, from which he escaped and fled to a foreign country. Before joining the insurrectionists he was graduated as an engineer. A year after his escape he spent all his time studying hydrau- lics; then he obtained a position on the canal, and after several years, when his thorough knowledge, energy, and industry had become known, he was promoted to the position of chief engineer. Stasch was born at Port Said, on the banks of the canal, was brought up there, and had now attained his fourteenth year. For this reason the engineers and his father's colleague called him "The Child of the Desert." Later, in his school life, at vacation time, he often accompanied his father and Mr. Rawlison when the}'^ went on short business trips from Port Said to Suez, which they were obliged to do in order to superintend the workmen on the dam and to direct the excavation of the canal bed. He knew all the engineers and the custom- house officers, as well as the workmen, the Arabs, and the negroes. He went everywhere, even where no one would think of looking for him ; he made long excursions on the embankments, rowed his small boat on Lake Menzaleh, and often wan- 12 THROUGH THE DESERT dered far away. He would row across to the Arabian shore and catch a horse, or not find- ing one, he would take a camel, or even a donkey, to aid him in playing the fakir in the desert. In a word, as Mr. Tarkowski would say, he ferreted into everything, and every mo- ment he had free from his studies he spent on the water. His father did not remonstrate with him, for he knew that rowing, riding, and out- door life would make the boy more robust and develop his energies. Stasch was taller and stronger than most boys of his age. One glance at his eyes was enough to convince any one that he was more courageous than cowardly. In his fourteenth year he was the best swim- mer in Port Said, which is saying a great deal, for the Arabs and the negroes swim like fish. In shooting wild ducks and Egyptian geese with his small gun he had acquired a steady hand and a true eye. His ambition was to shoot big game in Cen- tral Africa, and he listened eagerly to the tales told by the Sudanese working on the canal, who hunted wild beasts in their native country. This intermingling with the Sudanese gave him the advantage of learning their languages. The Suez Canal had not only to be dug, but also to be constantly watched; otherwise the sand on either shore would fill it up within a year. Lesseps' great work demands continual vigilance and care, and therefore powerful machines and thousands of men under the THROUGH THE DESERT 13 supervision of skilful engineers are still labor- ing daily, deepening its bed. In excavating the canal twenty-five thou- sand workmen were employed, but now that it is completed and machinery is so much improved, fewer men are necessary. There are, however, a considerable number still employed, chiefly natives, including Nubians, Sudanese, Somalis, and negroes of different tribes living on the White and Blue Nile, over whom the Egyptian Government had ruled before the revolt of the Mahdi. Stasch lived on friendly terms with all of them, and, as is usually the case with the Poles, he had a great gift for languages ; thus he had picked up many of their dialects with- out knowing when and where. Born in Egypt, he spoke Arabian like an Arab. From the natives of Zanzibar, who served as firemen on the engines, he had learned the language which is spoken throughout the greater part of Africa — the Ki-swahili dialect — and he could make himself understood by the negroes of the Dinka and Schilluk tribes, who inhabit the upper half of Fashoda, on the Nile. He also spoke Eng- lish, French, and Polish fluently; his father, an ardent patriot, had taken great care that his boy should be familiar with his own tongue. Stasch also considered this the most beautiful of all languages, and he was successful in teach- ing it to little Nell. But he was never able to make her pronounce his name correctly. She would always say "Stes" instead of Stasch, 14 THROUGH THE DESERT and this often caused a misunderstanding, which only lasted until the little girl's eyes filled with tears, then "Stes" would ask her forgiveness, and was usually very angry with himself. But he had a disagreeable habit of referring disdainfully to her eight years, and of contrasting his age and experience with her youth. He asserted that a boy who had com- pleted his thirteenth year, even if he were not entirely grown up, was at least no longer a child, that he was capable of accomplishing all kinds of heroic exploits, especially if he had Polish and French blood in his veins, and that he ardently wished for an opportunity to do such deeds, especially in Nell's defense. Both children imagined all sorts of dangers, and Stasch always knew how to meet her diffi- culties. For instance, what he would do were a crocodile a dozen yards long, or a scorpion as large as a dog, to creep into the house through the window. Neither of them had the least idea that the terrible reality was soon to exceed their most fantastic conjectures. CHAPTER II IN THE meantime welcome news awaited them at home. Mr. Tarkowski and Mr. Rawli- son, being experienced engineers, had been in- vited a few weeks before to inspect and report on the works of the whole canal system in the province of El-Fayoum, in the vicinity of THROUGH THE DESERT 15 Medinet, on Lake Karoon, as well as along the Yoosuf and the Nile rivers. They were going to remain there nearly a month, and had there- fore procured leave of absence from their own company. As Christmas was near, they both decided that they would not leave the children, and that Stasch and Nell should accompany them to Medinet. When the children heard the news they jumped up and down with joy. Until now they had only known about the cities bordering on the canal, such as Ismailia and Suez, and, on the other side of the lake, Alex- andria and Cairo, from which they had visited the great Pyramids and the Sphinx. But these were short excursions, whereas the expedition to Medinet-el-Fayoum was a whole day's jour- ney by train along the Nile to the south, and then from El-Wasta to the west toward the Libyan desert. Stasch knew Medinet from the description given by the younger engineers and travelers, who went there to hunt all kinds of waterfowl, as well as wolves and hyenas in the desert. He knew that the town was a large isolated oasis on the left bank of the Nile, but that it was independent of the river's overflow, having a water system of its own, formed by Lake Karoon and the Bahr- Yoosuf, and many small canals. Every one who had seen the oasis said that although this strip of land be- longs to Egypt, it is separated from it by the desert, and seems to be an isolated spot. Only the river Yoosuf, like a thin blue ribbon, con- 16 THROUGH THE DESERT nects this district with the Nile valley. The great abundance of water, the fertility of the land, and the luxuriant vegetation make it an earthly paradise, and the extensive ruins of the ancient city of Crocodilopolis attract hundreds of curious travelers. Stasch was especially charmed with the shores of Lake Karoon, with its flocks of birds, and by the wolf -hunt- ing expeditions in the desert hills of Jebel-el- Sedment. Stasch's vacation would not begin until a few days later, but as the inspection of the works on the canal was pressing, the fathers had no time to lose ; so it was decided that they were to leave at once, and that the children, together with Mrs. Olivier, should follow them a week later. Nell and Stasch wanted to start at once, but Stasch did not venture to coax to go with them. For this reason they began to study and to inform themselves about every- thing concerning the journey, and it was with great joy that they learned they would not have to live in uncomfortable hotels kept by Greeks, but in tents placed at their disposal by Messrs. Cook & Co., traveling agents. For travelers from Cairo to Medinet, and also for people who intend staying there for any length of time, the company supplies tents, servants, cooks, provisions, horses, camels, donkeys, and guides, so as to relieve the traveler of all care. This is indeed an expensive way of traveling, but Mr. Tarkowski and Mr. Rawlison were THROUGH THE DESERT 17 not obliged to think of this, because all expenses were paid by the Egyptian Gov- ernment, which had asked them, as ex- perts, to inspect and report on the canal works. Nell, whose greatest pleasure was riding a camel, made her father promise to get her one, on which she, in company with Mrs. Olivier or Dinah, and sometimes Stasch, might go along with the excursions to the borders of the desert and to Lake Karoon. Mr. Tarkowski promised Stasch that some time he would allow him to hunt wolves by night, and if he received a good report at school he would get him a genuine English shotgun and an entire hunting outfit. As Stasch was sure of having a good report, he immediately imagined himself the possessor of the gun, and resolved to accom- plish difficult and wonderful and unheard-of deeds. The happy children conversed about these things and made plans during the entire din- ner. Mrs. Olivier was not at all enthusiastic about the coming journey, for she felt no de- sire to leave the comfortable villa in Port Said. At the very thought of living in tents, and especially at the prospect of taking excursions on camels, she began to be frightened. She had made several attempts to take similar rides — such as Europeans living in Egypt usually take — but it had always ended disas- trously. Once the camel had stood up too 18 THROUGH THE DESERT soon, and as she had not settled herself in the saddle she slid from his back to the ground. Another time a dromedary, which is not accus- tomed to light burdens, shook her up so that she did not recover for two days. Nell, on the other hand, after two or three rides that her father had allowed her to take, declared that there was nothing in the world more delightful. But Mrs. Olivier had nothing but unpleasant memories of her rides. She said that it was all right for Arabs, or for such little crabs as Nell, who felt the shaking no more than a fly that had alighted on the camel's hump; but for older people, the serious and rather heavy people who are sure to be seasick, it was a very different matter. But she also had other reasons to be alarmed when she thought of Medinet-el-Fayoum. In Port Said, as well as in Alexandria, Cairo, and in fact throughout Egypt, people talked of nothing else but the revolt of the Mahdi and of the cruel deeds of the Dervishes. Although Mrs. Olivier did not exactly know where Medinet was, she felt uneasy lest it might be in too close proximity to the Mahdists, and at last she asked Mr. Rawlison. But he only smiled and said: "The Mahdi is at present besieging Khar- tum, which is defended by General Gordon. Do you know how far it is from Medinet to Khartum?" "I have not the least idea." THROUGH THE DESERT 19 "About as far as from here to Sicily," re- plied Mr. Tarkowski. "Almost," corrected Stasch. "Khartum lies at the junction of the White Nile and the Blue Nile. Much of Egypt and the whole length of Abyssinia separate us from it." He was on the point of adding that even if Medinet lay nearer the districts most affected by the insurrection, he would always be there with his rifle, but when he remembered that he had been repeatedly reproved by his father for similar bragging he was silent. The two fathers began conversing about the Mahdi and the insurrection, for this was the most important news concerning Egypt. The news from Khartum was not encouraging. The savage tribes had now besieged the town for nearly a month and a half. The English and Egyptian government officials were slow to act; the relief army had scarcely started; and everybody thought that, notwithstanding Gordon's fame, heroism, and ability, this im- portant town would fall into the hands of the barbarians. Mr. Tarkowski, who suspected that England would be only too glad if the Mahdi were to conquer southern Egypt, so that they might recapture it from the Mahdi and convert this enormous tract into an Eng- lish settlement, was of the same opinion. But he did not say this to Mr. Rawlison for fear of wounding his patriotic feelings. When the dinner was nearly finished, Stasch 20 THROUGH THE DESERT inquired why the Egyptian Government had annexed all the land south of Nubia — Kordo- fan, Darfur, and Sudan as far as the Albert- Nyanza, and why it had robbed the inhab- itants of their liberty. Mr. Rawlison deter- mined to explain this to him, because every move by the Egyptian Government was made at the command of England, which had ex- tended her protectorate over Egypt and ruled it as she pleased. "The Egyptian Government has deprived no one of his liberty," said he, "but instead has returned it to hundreds, thousands, and per- haps millions. A short time ago there were no independent towns in Kordofan, Darfur, and Sudan, except here and there where some small potentate asserted his rights to several districts and appropriated them by force, against the will of the inhabitants. But on the whole they were inhabited by independent tribes of Arabo-Negroes ; that is to say, by people having the blood of both these races in their veins. These tribes were perpetually fighting with one another. They would attack one another, steal horses, cattle, and especially slaves. At the same time many atrocious deeds were committed, but the most desperate of these men were those who hunted for ivory and for slaves. They formed, as it were, a class apart, and to this class nearly all the chiefs of the tribes and the prosperous merchants be- longed. These men led armed reconnoitering THROUGH THE DESERT 21 parties into the interior of Africa, and stole ivory tusks and took thousands of people — men, women, and children — captive. They also destroyed villages, settlements, and fields, and spilled rivers of blood; they mercilessly massacred every one who made any show of resistance; so much so that the southern part of Sudan, Darfur, and Kordofan, and also the districts of the upper Nile as far as the lakes, were almost depopulated in places. But the Arabs advanced still farther, so that nearly the whole of central Africa was converted into a vale of tears and blood. Therefore England, which, as you know, pursues all slave dealers in every part of the world, agreed that the Egyptian Government should occupy Kordo- fan, Darfur, and Sudan, for that was the only way to force these thieves to stop their gruesome slave-trading. The unhappy negroes breathed freely once more, and, as they were no longer afraid of being robbed and attacked, they settled down to some degree of law and order. Apparently this state of affairs did not please the traders, so when Mohammed Achmed — now called the Mahdi — appeared in their midst, under the pretext that Mohamme- danism in Egypt was on the decline, and pro- claimed the Holy War, all the men of one accord took up arms, and thus the terrible war began, in which, until now, the Egyptians have fared very badly. The Mahdi has beaten the Egyptian troops in every battle, and has taken 22 THROUGH THE DESERT possession of Kordofan, Darfur, and Su- dan ; his tribes are now besieging Khartum and advancing as far north as the borders of Nubia." "And is it possible that they can reach Egypt?" asked Stasch. "No," answered Mr. Rawlison. "The Mahdi, it is true, has proclaimed that he will conquer the whole world, but he is a barbarian and does not know what he is talking about. He can not conquer Egypt, for England will not permit it." "But suppose the Egyptian army be worsted?" "Then the English troops, which are in- vincible, will appear on the scene." "And why did England permit the Mahdi to take possession of so many districts?" "How do you know that she permitted him?" answered Mr. Rawlison. "England never acts in haste, for she is a great nation." The conversation was now interrupted by the negro servant, who announced that Fatima Smain was there and that she earnestly begged an audience. The women of the Orient prac- tically confine their energies to household mat- ters, and rarely leave the harem. Only the poorer ones go to market or work in the fields like the wives of the fellahs (Egyptian peas- ants), and they veil their faces. In Sudan, where Fatima came from, this was not the custom, and although she had been to Mr. THROUGH THE DESERT 23 Rawlison's office before, her appearance in a private house, and especially at this late hour, seemed rather peculiar. "We shall learn something new about Smain," said Mr. Tarkowski. "Yes," answered Mr. Rawlison, at the same time motioning the servant to usher in Fatima. In a few seconds there appeared a tall, young Sudanese woman; her dark, beautiful face, with its wild, tragic, and prophetic eyes, was unveiled. On entering she immediately fell on her face, and when Mr. Rawlison ordered her to arise she assumed a kneeling position. "Sidi," she began, "may Allah bless you, your heirs, your house, and your flocks." "What do you want?" asked the engineer. "Pity, deliverance, and help in time of trouble. Oh, sir, I am imprisoned in Port Said, and destruction hovers over me and my children !" "You say you are imprisoned, and yet you are able to come here even at night." "The Sabties, who guard my house day and night, led me here, and I'm sure they have been ordered to cut off our heads very soon." "Talk like a sensible woman," answered Mr. Rawlison, frowning. "You are not in Sudan, but in Egypt, where no one is killed without a judicial sentence, and so you can rest assured that not a hair of your head or of your children's will be touched." 24 THROUGH THE DESERT However, she besought him once more to in- tercede for her with the Egyptian Government, and obtain permission for her to travel to meet Smain. "The English are as great as you, sir," she said ; "they are able to accomplish anything. The government in Cairo thinks that Smain is guilty of treason, but that is not true. Yester- day I talked with Arabian merchants, who came from Suakim, after having bought rubber and ivory in Sudan, and they told me that Smain lies ill in El-Fasher and bids me and the children come to him, so that he may bless us." "Fatima, you have invented this tale," in- terrupted Mr. Rawlison. She now began to protest by Allah that she was telling the truth, and then she said that were Smain to recover he would certainly buy the freedom of all the Christian prisoners, and if he were to die then she — as a relative of the leader of the Dervishes — would easily gain admission to him, and be able to obtain any- thing she asked. If only she might travel to join her husband, for her heart bled longii to see him! What had she, unhappy woma done against the government or the Khediv She asked if it were her fault, and if she couj have prevented her misfortune in being tl relative of the Dervish, Mohammed Achmeo Fatima did not dare, before Englishmen, t call her relative "the Mahdi," as that nam means "Saviour of the World"; and she knev "Her dark, beautiful face, with its wild, prophetic eyes, was unveiled. When Mr. Rawlison ordered her to arise she assumed a kneeling position." — Page 23. THROUGH THE DESERT 25 that the Egyptian Government looked upon him as a rebel and a schemer. Continually bowing and calling on heaven to witness her innocence and her misfortune, she began to weep piteously, just as women of the Orient are accustomed to do on the death of their husbands or sons. Then she threw herself on her face on the ground, or, speaking more cor- rectly, on the carpet which covered the inlaid floor, and remained silent. Nell, who had felt somewhat sleepy toward the end of dinner, was now wide awake, and, as she had a kind heart, she took her father's hand, and kissing it over and over again, begged him to say a word in Fatima's be- half. "Won't you help her, papa? Help her!" And Fatima, who seemed to understand English, said between her sobs, without raising her head from the carpet: "May Allah bless you, you little flower of paradise, Omaj's delight! Little star without blemish!" Although Stasch in his heart of hearts was very angry with the Mahdists, he was touched by Fatima's request and by her sorrow. Be- sides, Nell had spoken for her, and he always ended by doing what she wanted, and so he said in an undertone, but still loud enough for all to hear: "If I were the government, I would allow Fatima to leave." 26 THROUGH THE DESERT "But as you are not the government," an- swered Mr. Tarkowski, "you had better not interfere in things that don't concern you." Mr. Rawlison also had a compassionate heart, and he felt much sympathy for Fatima, but various things she had said seemed to him to be downright lies. As he practically did business daily in connection with the custom- house in Ismailia, he knew very well that no cargoes of rubber or ivory had passed through the canal lately. The trade in these goods had almost ceased. Besides, he knew that Arabian merchants could not return from the town El-Fasher, in Sudan, for from the begin- ning of the war the Mahdists absolutely re- fused to let merchants pass, and those they caught they robbed and took prisoners. Be- sides, it was almost certain that the tale of Smain's illness was a lie. But as Nell continued to look beseechingly at her father, the latter, not wishing to sadden the girl, said to Fatima: "Fatima, I have, as you requested, written to the government, but have received no an- swer as yet. And now listen. To-morrow we are going with the Mehendis (engineers) to Medinet-el-Fayoum. On the way we shall remain a day in Cairo, for the Khedive wishes to speak to us and give us orders about things concerning the canal, which is being directed from Bahr-Yoosuf. During the conversation I will try to tell him your position and gain his THROUGH THE DESERT 2T good will for you; but I can do no more, and I can not promise anything." Fatima arose, and stretching out both hands in thanks, she cried out: "And so I'm saved!" "No, Fatima," replied Mr. Rawlison, "do not speak of deliverance, for I have already told you that neither you nor your children are threatened with death. But whether or not the Khedive will permit you to depart I can not tell, for Smain is not ill, but a traitor, who, after having taken with him the government's money, has not the least idea of redeeming the prisoners taken by Mohammed Achmed." "Sir, Smain is innocent, and he is in El- Fasher," repeated Fatima; "and even if he had been unfaithful to the government, I swear to you, my benefactor, that if I am permitted to leave I shall plead with Mohammed until I have succeeded in making him release your prisoners." "Very well; I promise you once more that I will intercede for you with the Khedive." Fatima began to bow very low. "Sidi, I thank you. You are not only power- ful, but just. And now I beg you to let us serve you as slaves." "In Egypt there are no slaves," answered Mr. Rawlison with a smile. "I have servants enough, and besides, I would not be able to give you a position as servant, for, as I have already told you, we are going to Medinet, and we may stay there till the feast of Ramadan." 28 THROUGH THE DESERT "Sir, I know it, for the overseer Chadigi told me; and when I heard it I not only came to heg you for help, but also to tell you that two men of my tribe (the Dangali), Idris and Gebhr, are camel-drivers in Medinet, and that as soon as you reach there they will place them- selves and their camels at your disposal." "Good, good!" answered the director; "but the Cook Company is attending to all these details for us." Kissing the hands of the two gentlemen and the children, Fatima departed, blessing Nell as she went. The two engineers were silent for a while and then Mr. Rawlison said: "Poor woman! She tells lies such as no one outside of the Orient would dream of. Even in her shower of thanks a false note is heard." "Certainly," answered Mr. Tarkowski. "But it is also true that, whether Smain be a traitor or not, the government has no right to detain her in Egypt, for she is not responsible for her husband's acts." "The government at this time does not per- mit any Sudanese to travel to Suakim and Nubia without permission, and this does not apply to Fatima only. There are many Su- danese in Egypt; they came here to make money, and among them are a certain number belonging to the Dangali tribe, from which the Mahdi comes. For instance, to it belong not only Fatima, but Chadigi and those two camel- THROUGH THE DESERT 29 drivers in Medinet. The Mahdists say the Egyptians are Turks, and are at war with them, and among the Arabs settled here are numerous followers of the Mahdi, who would like to go over to his side if they dared. They include all fanatics, all followers of Arabi Pasha, and many of the poorer classes. They are at outs with the government for having submitted to English influence, and pretend their religion suffers in consequence. Heaven knows how many have already fled by way of the desert, and by so doing have avoided the usual water route to Suakim, and as the gov- ernment found out that Fatima had attempted to escape also, it ordered her to be placed under guard. Only by exchanging her and her chil- dren — as they are related to the Mahdi — for our men captured by them may we hope to get them back." "Do the lower classes in Egypt really sym- pathize with the Mahdi?" "The Mahdi has followers even among our soldiers, and perhaps that is the reason they fight so badly." "But how can the Sudanese escape by way of the desert? It is thousands of miles long." "And yet slaves have been brought into Egypt that way." "I do not believe that Fatima's children could stand a journey like that." "But she will make it shorter by crossing over to Suakim." 30 THROUGH THE DESERT "All the same, she is a poor woman." Thus the conversation ended. And twelve hours later, after the "poor woman" had carefully locked herself in her house with the son of the overseer Chadigi, with raised eyebrows and a lowering glance in her lovely eyes, she whispered : "Chamis, son of Chadigi, take this money; start to-day for Medinet, and give Idris this writing, which, at my request, the holy Dervish Ballali wrote to him. The children of these Mehendisi are good (i.e., good material to be used to further our ends) — there is no other way — if I can not gain permission to travel- I know that you will not betray me. . . . Re- member that you and your father belong to the Dangali tribe, the same tribe to which the Mahdi belongs." CHAPTER III ON THE following day the two engineers left for Cairo to visit the English residents, and also to have an audience with the viceroy. Stasch calculated that this might take two days; he was right, for on the evening of the third day he received the following telegram, sent from Medinet by his father: "The tents are ready. Start when your holidays begin. Send word to Fatima by Chadigi that we were unable to do anything for her." Mrs. Olivier THROUGH THE DESERT 31 received a similar telegram, and so she, assisted by Dinah, began at once to prepare for the journey. The children were overjoyed to see the packing going on, but suddenly something occurred that upset all their plans and came near preventing their departure. For during the first day of Stasch's winter vacation, on the evening of which they had planned to make their departure, Mrs. Ohvier, when taking her afternoon nap in the garden, was bitten by a scorpion, and although the bite of this poison- ous creature is not so dangerous in Egypt, in this case it might prove very serious. The scorpion had crept over the back of a canvas chair and bitten her in the neck just as she had mashed it with her head; and as she had for- merly suffered from erysipelas, it was feared that she might have a relapse. A doctor was immediately summoned, but as he was busy elsewhere, he did not arrive for two hours. By this time her neck and even her face were swol- len, and she had a fever accompanied by the usual symptoms of poison. The doctor ex- plained that under these circumstances she must not dream of going, and he ordered her to bed; and so it seemed as though the children would have to spend their Christmas at home. But to Nell's credit be it said, she thought more — especially at first — about the sufferings of her governess than the pleasures she would miss by not going to Medinet. But when she realized that she could not see her father again 32 THROUGH THE DESERT for several weeks she wept in secret. Stasch did not take the matter so philosophically, and so he sent a telegram followed by a letter ask- ing what was to be done. Mr. Rawlison, after having communicated with the doctor and learning from him that there was no immedi- ate danger and that he had only forbidden Mrs. Olivier to leave Port Said because he feared the erysipelas might set in again, first arranged for her to have every care and com- fort and then gave the children permission to start on the journey with Dinah. But as Dinah, notwithstanding her boundless affec- tion for Nell, was scarcely competent to take charge of the journey and make arrangements for them in the hotel, Stasch was to be guide and cashier. One can readily imagine how proud he was of this role, and with what lordly pride he assured Nell that not a hair of her head would be touched, as if the road to Cairo and Medinet presented no difficulties or dangers. As everything was now ready, the children left that very day, traveling by the canal to Ismailia, and from there by train to Cairo, where they were to spend the night and be ready to go on to Medinet the following day. When they left Ismailia they saw Timsah Lake, which Stasch had seen before; for Mr. Tarkowski, who was a very enthusiastic hunter in his leisure hours, sometimes took him along to shoot water-birds. Then the road fol- THROUGH THE DESERT 33 lowed the Wadi Tumilat, close by the fresh- water canal which connects the Nile with Is- mailia and Suez. This canal was dug before the Suez Canal ; if it had not been, the workmen employed in Lesseps' great undertaking would not have had a drop of water to drink. The digging of this canal had another good result: the stretch of land, which had been a barren waste before, now blossomed once more when the wide and rapid stream of fresh water flowed through it. From the car windows the children saw a large belt of vegetation on the left side, consisting of meadows on which horses, camels, and sheep were grazing, and plowed fields, Turkish wheat, millet, alfa, and other species of grain and field plants. On the bank of the canal could be seen all kinds of wells, above which were large wheels fitted up with pails or ordinary cranes that drew up the water, which the fellahs assiduously spread over the beds or carried away in barrels on little wagons drawn by buffaloes. Over the sprout- ing grain-seeds hovered doves and sometimes flocks of quail. On the edges of the canal storks and cranes walked gravely up and down. In the distance, over the clay huts of the fellahs, towered crowns of date-palms that looked like large feather dusters. On the other hand, north of the railway lay a wilderness, but it did not resemble the one on the other side of the Suez Canal. That looked like the fiat sandy bed of a dried-up sea, while 34 THROUGH THE DESERT here the sand was more yellow, and was piled up into large hillocks covered with scanty vege- tation. Between these hillocks, which in places attained a great height, lay broad valleys, through which now and then caravans were seen passing. From the car windows the children saw loaded camels walking single file in a long line. In front of each camel strode an Arab in black coat and white turban. Little Nell remem- bered the pictures she had seen in the Bible at home, which represented the Israelites and de- scribed how they journeyed to Egypt in the time of Joseph. They seemed just like these men. Unfortunately, she could not get a very good look at the caravans, because two English officers sat near the windows, which obstructed her view. She had no sooner told Stasch of this than, turning to the officers, very seriously, and touching his hat, he said: "Gentlemen, would you mind making room for this little lady, who would like to look at the camels?" The two officers listened with all due serious- ness, and one of them not only made room for the curious "little lady," but lifted her up and put her on the seat next the window. Stasch immediately began to lecture. "That is the old district of Gessen," said Stasch, "that Pharao gave Joseph for his brethren, the Israelites. Once, in fact very THROUGH THE DESERT 35 long ago, there was a fresh-water canal here, so that this new one is only the old one rebuilt. Later it was destroyed and the country became a desert. Now the ground is becoming fertile again." "How does the gentleman know this?" asked one of the officers. "Nowadays people know these things," re- plied Stasch; "and besides, Professor Sterling lectured to us long ago on Wadi Tumilat." Although Stasch spoke English very flu- ently, he had a rather peculiar accent; this attracted the attention of the second officer, who asked: "Is not the young gentleman an English- man? "This little lady is Miss Nell, whom her father has placed in my care during the jour- ney. I am not an Englishman, but a Pole, and a son of one of the engineers of the canal." The officer smiled at this answer, which the boy gave disjointedly, and said: "I esteem the Poles very highly. I belong to a regiment of cavalry that in Napoleon's day fought side by side with the Polish Uhlans in several battles, the memory of which, even to the present day, is enshrined in honor and glory."^ *The English mounted troops which fought with the PoUsh cavalry against Napoleon boast of it even to this day, and the officers, when speaking of their regiment, never fail to say, "We fought with the Poles." — S. Chevrillon, "Aux Indes." 36 THROUGH THE DESERT "I am pleased to meet you," answered Stasch. The conversation ran along pleasantly, for the officers seemed to be entertained. It happened that these officers were traveling from Port Said to Cairo, to see the English ambassador and to receive from him final in- structions in regard to the long journey which lay before them. The younger of the two was a doctor in the army, and the one who talked to Stasch, Captain Glen, was traveling from Cairo by way of Suez to Mombasa, where he was to rule over the entire district surrounding this harbor, which stretched out as far as the Samburuland and Rudolf Lake. Stasch, who enjoyed reading stories of African travels, knew that Mombasa lay several degrees bej^ond the equator. He knew, too, that the bordering countries, although the English now find them interesting, are really but little known, being quite wild, full of elephants, giraffes, rhinoce- roses, buffaloes, and all kinds of antelopes, which are constantly seen by army merchants and missionary expeditions. So the boy envied Captain Glen from the bottom of his heart and promised to visit him in Mombasa, so that he might hunt lions and buffaloes with him. "All right, but I beg for a visit from this little lady," answered Captain Glen, laughing and pointing to Nell, who had just left the window to sit down beside him. "Miss Rawlison has her father," answered THROUGH THE DESERT 37 Stasch, "and I am only taking care of her dur- ing the journey." Thereupon the second officer turned round suddenly and asked: "Rawlison? Is he not the canal director who has a brother in Bombay?" "My uncle lives in Bombay," answered Nell, raising a finger. "In that case, my dear, your uncle is mar- ried to my sister. My name is Clary. We are related, and I am heartily glad that I have met you and made your acquaintance, little one." The doctor was very much pleased. He said that as soon as he arrived in Port Said he had inquired for Mr. Rawlison at the director's office, but was told that he had gone away for the holidays. He also expressed his regret that the ship in which he and Glen were going to Mombasa was to sail from Suez in a few days, and so he would be unable to take a trip to Medinet. He asked Nell to remember him to her father, and promised to write to her from Mombasa. The two officers now directed most of their conversation to Nell, so that Stasch was some- what in the background. At every station dozens of oranges, fresh dates, and even ex- cellent sherbet were served. Stasch and Nell did full justice to these good things, as did Dinah also, for among her other excellent qualities was an unusual fondness for eating. In this wa}^ the journey to Cairo passed very quickly. The officers on leaving kissed Nell's