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Updated: June 2, 2025
Arriving at the hut, he found Zaki hard at work, shovelling the rubbish through the doorway. Just as he came up, the boy brought down his tool, with a crash, upon a little brown creature that was scuttling away. "What is that, Zaki?" "That is a scorpion, bey; I have killed four of them." "That is not at all pleasant," Gregory said. "There may be plenty of them, up among the boughs overhead."
"How many more miles do you think we have to go, Zaki?" "We must be a good half way, my lord." "Yes, quite that, I should think. Looking at the map, I should say that we must be about abreast of the line of Gakdul. This route is only just indicated, and there are no halting places marked upon it. Still, there must be water, otherwise caravans could not use it.
A handsome robe was brought for Zaki; and as Mahmud presented it to him, he said: "You are my friend, but you must now go back to your vessels, or to Berber. My orders were to kill all the Jaalin, and we have spared none who fell into our hands, at Metemmeh or since. I cannot keep you here. As long as you stay by my side, you will be safe; but you could not leave me for a moment.
Gregory had no faith whatever in Dervish gratitude. "Well, Zaki," he said, "if you will not leave us, we will strike at once for the shore. The gunboats are nearly half a mile away now. There is just a chance that we may not have been noticed by the Dervishes, and may be able to hide in the bushes till the gunboats return.
The inhabitants, finding that they would be paid, brought out their hidden stores; and by evening, enough was collected to last the garrison ten days. Zaki returned at noon next day, with a letter from General Hunter to the sheik, praising him highly for the energy and courage of his men and himself.
They waited five minutes, until it died away in the distance, and then continued their course. It was slow work, as they had to avoid every bush carefully; lest, if their pursuers halted, they should hear the crackling of a dry stick in the still air. Zaki, who could see much better in the dark than his master, went on ahead; while Gregory led the two horses.
The one is a musket ball or a quick chop with a knife, the other an agony for two or three days." "I have been along the road before," Zaki said. "There is no fear of my losing my way; and, even if I did so, I could travel by the stars." "I wish we were all moving," the native said. "It is dull work staying here, month after month."
He was well satisfied with his own animal; and, even had he found in the transport yard a better horse, he would still have preferred his own, as they were accustomed to each other. He bought pistols for himself and Zaki, and a matchlock for the latter. Everything was ready by the time Gregory went to the mess to lunch, on the day fixed for his departure.
They say Metemmeh is full of dead, and that even the Dervishes do not care to live there." "The Baggara are mostly mounted, are they not?" "Most of them are so, though there are some on foot. The leaders of the tribesmen who fight for the Khalifa are all on horseback, but most of the army are on foot." "You do not speak the Baggara language, I suppose?" Zaki shook his head.
When they see me, they will at once send a boat ashore, under cover of their fire, and take us off." "There is a good chance of that, master," Zaki said cheerfully, "and the Dervishes are busy up there fighting, and will not think much of a little boat." Three or four minutes later they were in shallow water.
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