HAMZA EFF. 13 



the late head of his tribe. When his father, who 

 commanded an irregular corps under Gordon during 

 the siege of Khartum, was killed, Gordon promoted 

 him, then fourteen years old, to be a Major, and gave 

 him his decoration. He employed him as an A.D.C. 

 He loved Gordon's memory, and would tell many stories 

 about him ; as, for instance, when riding together 

 Gordon would always put him on the inside so that 

 he would be shielded by the General's body from 

 the bullets fired by the Mahdist at the party. Hamza 

 Eff. escaped the massacre which followed the fall of 

 Khartum, and later shared with Slatin the post of 

 one of the Khalifa's mulazimen (orderlies). In the 

 fights against us he was with the Dervish cavalry. 

 After his surrender he was appointed police sergeant 

 at El Eddaiya, where he caught Mahon Pasha's eye — 

 that eye which is reputed to have the great gift of 

 spotting the right man for the right job whatever he 

 may be at anything else. 



When the idea of an Arab Camel Corps (it had till 

 then been composed of Egyptians and Sudanese) was 

 mooted, it was proposed to have no officers. A 

 British officer would superintend a Company, which 

 should be run by sheikhs as captains, and the sons 

 of sheikhs as lieutenants. Colonel Wilkinson, who 

 suggested this organisation, left before it was got into 

 working order. Hamza Eff. had, however, been 

 recruited, so later we moved heaven and earth to 

 have him gazetted an officer and ante-dated, which 

 was done. He also M'as given permission to wear 

 the Egyptian medals of the eighties and the Gordon 



