APPENDIX A¹.
General Gordon’s reply to [Ibrahim] Abd el Kâder.
We have received your answer and we have taken note of all you have said.
With regard to the spies of whom you informed us that they were entrusted with delivery of the replies—when (they) these special messengers arrived at the ramparts, we did them no harm.
But when we sent a messenger with our answers you fired with ball upon the slave when he placed the stick upon the ground.
We received the messenger who came to us from you, and he saw that we were well.
It would be better that the messengers whom you send to us should be people of sense, and who know how to behave. As to the Greek whom it is your intention to send to us—the person who has forsaken our religion and adopted another religion—we do not wish to receive him, just as you would not wish to receive a Moslem who had adopted the Christian religion.
A letter has been sent us by this person aforesaid. It shows us that he has important information which concerns the Europeans. But we know that there are many like this fellow, who have information that concerns the son of Najoomi.
But perhaps the information about the Europeans of which he has told us is about the bringing of the European army to fight the son of Weld el Najoomeh after thirty days—for we have now a precious opportunity.