Khartoum and Omdurman 



sent directions for his own particular tribe, the 

 Taaisha, to come and live in Omdurman. They 

 had no arms, however, with which to stand up 

 against the rifles of the remainder ; so the 

 Khalifa held a special service one fine day, that 

 all the other tribes excepting the Taaisha had to 

 attend. Moreover, he caused it to be notified 

 that it would be highly improper for anyone to 

 come to prayer armed, and that the right thing 

 to do would be to leave their rifles and bandoliers 

 outside the square. Well, they say he preached 

 a specially long sermon that day, and when the 

 unfortunate congregation were at last allowed to 

 depart, they found the Taaisha drawn up in pos- 

 session of all their rifles and ammunition. And 

 these were not returned to their owners. 



The Beit-el- Mai or treasure-house of the old 

 days is interesting. In this used to be stored 

 all the Mahdi's ill-gotten wealth — wealth acquired 

 by extortion and murder when all other means 

 failed. The amount of valuable property therein 

 from time to time must have been worth a vast 

 sum of money. 



The corn and wood markets on the river front, 

 as well as the bazaar containing meat, vegetables, 

 and other produce in the centre of the town, are 

 well worth seeing, and must have been immense 

 in days gone by. Near these are the silver- 

 workinor hovels — dark and noisome dens — the 

 pottery market, and the small stores of the third- 

 K 129 



