Khartoum and Omdurman 



their attendant gilded staffs ; the brutal and licen- 

 tious soldiery in their smart uniforms ; civilian 

 gentlemen in black frock-coats set off by their 

 red tarbooshes (fez), composed the European por- 

 tion, who had left their wives at home in accord- 

 ance with local customs, except those who had 

 been asked to tea by the kindly hostess of the 

 palace to view this glittering scene from the cool 

 verandah above. But by far the most numerous 

 and picturesque were the various native chiefs and 

 their retinues clothed in Eastern grarb. Old Zubeir 

 was there in a glittering Turkish Pasha's uniform, 

 almost concealed, however, by an ancient great 

 coat that had evidently seen service some years 

 before. Hoary-headed old men and mere boys, 

 tall and short, fat and otherwise, all more or less 

 important, and all big bugs in their ways, some 

 gorgeously, others plainly dressed, amused them- 

 selves in the cool greenery of the palace gardens. 

 It was a most interesting and brilliant spectacle, 

 but it struck me that the man who enjoyed it 

 most was Slatin Pasha, who bustled about with 

 his chest smothered in four or five rows of medal 

 ribbons, with a smile, a nod, or a handshake for 

 everyone. Of course, during the years of his 

 captivity he must have met most, if not all, of 

 these native notables ; and anyhow, he seemed 

 to me the man who was by far the busiest, 

 and got more amusement out of the show than 

 anyone else. 



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