Vietnam or Thailand ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
Updated: June 17, 2025
The Hakim was deeply interested in his patients, forgetting everything in the brave fight he made to save every life; and Frank strove manfully to hide the heart-sickness and despair which attacked him as he worked away over what soon settled down into field hospital work, being conscious all the while that he and his friends were carefully watched, but not in a troublesome way, for the Baggara guard had formed a little camp of their own and kept rigorously to themselves, their duty being to mount guard night and day and see that the prisoners and patients were supplied with all that was needed.
Frank lay thinking of the day's work with its risks and chances, and then of his brother far away to the south; but in about a quarter of an hour he was sleeping soundly as the rest, till hours had passed, when, as if conscious of something being near, he awoke suddenly, to find that all was dark and so still that, setting down his feelings to imagination, he sank back, with a sigh, and was dropping off to sleep again when from far away out in the desert there was the shrill neigh of a horse, and he started up again, to hear the challenge answered from where the Baggara horses and camels were picketed or lying about.
Two armies saw it all, and one at least admired his intrepid valour. One hundred black-flag Taaisha, the Khalifa's own Baggara tribesmen and part of his body-guard, charged impetuously. Spurring their horses to their utmost speed leading the footmen, down they came straight for the brigade.
By degrees and with astonishing ability he carried out his schemes. He invited his own tribe, the Taaisha section of the Baggara Arabs, to come and live in Omdurman.
The force marching with it must have numbered 20,000 armed men, besides servants and followers. His force was ranged under blue, green, yellow, and white banners. With him was Khalil, the second Khalifa, Osman Azrak, Emir Yunis, Abdel Baki, and other noted chiefs of the Baggara. Yacoub, the notorious brother of the Khalifa Abdullah, commanded the big column upon his relative's right hand.
"It is not English cavalry, Excellencies," he said, "but a native force. I think it must be the Baggara chief and his men returned." At that moment a peculiar cry rang out from a couple of hundred yards or so away a weird, strange whoop that might have come from some night bird sweeping through the darkness overhead.
"Impossible, Mr. Hilliard! I admire your courage in making the offer, but it would be going to certain death." "I do not think so, sir. I talk Baggara better than the Negro dialect that passes here.
The words were on Frank's lips to say quickly, "Pray, pray rouse yourself, or we are lost!" but he had presence of mind enough left to press his teeth firmly together and gaze fixedly at the Baggara, whose dark eyes flashed angrily as he stamped one foot and advanced a little more, to repeat his words.
Throughout the march from Masindi we had managed to carry an adze, a hammer, and a cold chisel. The adze now came into play, together with the Bandy little axes of the "Forty Thieves". Among my troops was a Baggara Arab, who was a "canoe-builder". This was one of the best men of "The Forty", and it was now for the first time that I heard of his abilities as a boat-builder.
After beating off a desperate charge of Baggara horsemen from the west, Macdonald unbent his brigade and drove back the sullen hordes of ed Din to the western spurs of the Kerreri Hills, where they were harassed by Broadwood's horse.
Word Of The Day
Others Looking