WITH FLASH-LIGHT AND RIFLE 



There is a rumor that the Mahdi despatched his enemies 

 by starving them to death. He prolonged their suffer- 

 ing by allowing them water. The death struggle be- 

 gan on the seventeenth day. From this day on the 

 Mahdi, with his retinue, would visit the dungeons to 

 gloat over their agony. 



In the tropical climate of Africa, man succumbs to 



MR. ORGEICH AND N.\TIVE ASSISTANTS 



thirst after two or three days; even one hot day is suf- 

 ficient to exhaust a strong man. 



I can speak of the tortures of thirst from my own 

 experience. The caravan which I had joined on my 

 first journey into East Africa had encamped for a few 



348 



