A Cairo mob
Every one has his own characteristic: Wauchope's was consideration for his men. 'Years ago,' says a friend, 'I was in the street in Cairo with him, when there approached us a bareheaded Highlander, running for his life, and pursued by a crowd of Arabs armed with sticks. Captain Wauchope halted the fugitive, turned about, ordered him to fall in in front, and thus we marched to the barracks, the mob howling behind. The Captain handed the man over to the sergeant of the guard, and notified his intention of giving evidence in the orderly-room next morning. A few days later I was to meet the Captain at the club and take a drive with him. On arrival there, I found a note directing me to come to the hospital. The orderly led me to a ward, but I could see no Captain. I interviewed the orderly again, and he told me to go to the far end and I would find him. There, on the bed of his colour-sergeant, retailing the day's news, sat the officer commanding his company. On my approach, with a cheery adieu and a promise to come back again on the morrow, Wauchope rose and went for his drive.'
Mrs. Wauchope was sent home in the summer of 1883, as it was not considered safe for her to remain in Cairo, and she was joined by the Captain in November. They took up their residence at Niddrie for six weeks, afterwards going to Cambo on a visit. Towards the end of January they proceeded to London, where Mrs. Wauchope gave birth to twins—both boys. The joy of this event was, however, speedily followed a few days after, on the 3rd February, by the death of Mrs. Wauchope.
It was a terrible blow to the Captain, and though he bowed submissively to the will of God, he none the less felt his loss keenly, and for a time was inconsolable.
The children were taken to Cambo, where, under the charge of Lady Erskine, they were tenderly nursed and cared for, while Wauchope himself sought in renewed activity to forget, if possible, the misery of his bereavement. When they were three years old both the children unfortunately caught scarlet fever. One, a specially promising child, died, and the other was left a hopeless invalid.
CHAPTER VI
THE EASTERN SOUDAN—BATTLE OF EL-TEB—ATTEMPT TO RELIEVE GENERAL GORDON—ASCENT OF THE NILE—THE WHALE-BOATS—BATTLE OF KIRBEKAN—RETURN TO CAIRO—MALTA—GIBRALTAR.
Though peace had been restored to Egypt by our arms, and security of life and property was being established and upheld by the presence in the country of the army of occupation, new troubles were brewing in the upper waters of the Nile. General Gordon, as the representative of the Khedive in the far-away capital of the Soudan province of Upper Egypt, was endeavouring to maintain law and order in the midst of turbulent tribes of wild Arabs. Disaffection and rebellion against Egyptian authority broke out on all sides, and the first murmurings were heard of a new power emerging out of the African darkness, threatening to overwhelm and sweep before its fanatical sword every evidence of modern civilisation. The rise of the Mahdi as a religious and political force was one of the most extraordinary movements of modern times, and can only find a parallel in that of Mohammed himself, whose follower the Mahdi or Prophet of God professed to be. With a success at first truly marvellous, he managed so to impress his claims to sanctity upon the Arab tribes of the Soudan, that they flocked to his standard in thousands. Cleverly seizing the occasion of discontent at excessive taxation and the destruction of the slave trade, which, under European influence, the Egyptian government had attempted, the Mahdi el Muntazer raised the cry of revolt, and openly proclaimed himself, by the grace of God and his Prophet, master of the country. His fanatical pretensions, carrying the weight of religious sanctity, bore down all opposition for a time. General Gordon was sent to stem the torrent, and reaching Khartoum on the 18th of February 1884, bravely held it against overwhelming numbers for eleven months.