Accordingly he did not wait.
Two days had elapsed since they passed Assuan, and Idris finally at the dawn of the third day was forced to despatch the Bedouins for provisions, which were totally lacking. In view of the diminished number of adversaries Stas said to himself: "Now or never!" and immediately turned to the Sudânese with the following question:
"Idris, do you know that the country which begins not far beyond Wâdi
Haifa is really Nubia?"
"I know. I was fifteen years old and Gebhr eight, when my father took us from the Sudân to Fayûm, and I remember that we rode at that time on camels over the whole of Nubia. But this country belongs still to the Turks (Egyptians)."
"Yes. The Mahdi is only before Khartûm and you see how foolishly Chamis chattered when he told you that the army of dervishes reached as far as Assuan. However, I shall ask you something else. Now I have read that in Nubia there are many wild animals and many brigands who do not serve any one and who attack alike the Egyptians and the faithful Mahdists. With what will you defend yourself, if wild animals or brigands attack you?"
Stas purposely exaggerated in speaking of wild animals, but, on the other hand, highway robberies in Nubia, from the time of the war, occurred quite frequently, particularly in the southern part of the country bordering upon the Sudân.
Idris pondered for a while over the question, which surprised him, as heretofore he had not thought of these new dangers, and replied:
"We have knives and a rifle."
"Such a rifle is good for nothing."
"I know. Yours is better, but we do not know how to shoot from it, and we will not place it in your hands."