24 



THROUGH JUNGLE AND DESERT chap. 



Suakim, where he had been promptly sold as a slave, 

 and sent to Jiddah. There he spent many years as a 

 soldier in the body-guard of one of the chief Arabs, 

 acquiring, as may be supposed, all the habits and man- 

 ners of a soldier of fortune. 



He eventually made his escape from Jiddah, going to 

 and settling in Massowah, over which place the Italians 

 exercised a protectorate. He there learned the trade 

 of a stone-mason, at which, it was reported, he was an 

 adept ; but his lawlessness and drunkenness were such 

 that he spent much of his time in prison, and was finally 

 dismissed from the town by the authorities. He, how- 

 ever, made himself useful to them by stealing guns from 

 the Mahdists, who at that time were stationed in the 

 immediate neighbourhood of Massowah. As can well 

 be imagined, this was an occupation which required the 

 utmost daring and address ; for, had he been captured, 

 his life would have been forfeited. When engaged by 

 Lieutenant von Hohnel, he had just completed a term 

 in prison. 



He had enlisted with us only for the purpose of get- 

 ting the advance money and promptly deserting. This 

 resolution on his part, I am sorry to say, he was pre- 

 vented from carrying into execution. He now longed 

 to return to Massowah, and spared no pains to cause all 

 the trouble and discontent possible among the Soudan- 

 ese, with such end in view. In appearance, he was 

 about forty years of age, tail and powerfully built, with 

 small, ferocious eyes, a straight nose, a fierce moustache 

 which would have brought pride and credit to any 

 dragoon, and a sharply pointed beard. His voice was 

 harsh, and his manner of speech that of a braggart. 



