After the fall of Khartum in January 1885, various attempts were from time to time made to effect the release of some of the European prisoners who had fallen into the Mahdi's hands during the early stages of the Sudan revolt.
These attempts were for the most part attended with little result. The causes of their failure, and the eventual success in one instance, are fully described in the following personal narrative...
So writes the author of this work, Major Wingate, who was Director of Military Intelligence of the Egyptian Army. His story is based upon the experiences of the priest Father Joseph Ohrwalder who alone escaped from the tortures, privations and excesses to which the captured were subjected by the Mahdi's conquering forces at Khartum.
Even allowing for the passage of time, the work contains much fascinating material concerning the Sudan conflict and its aftermath. It is also a stirring tale of adventure and heroism.
Here reproduced in facsimile from the edition of 1892, the work contains the many interesting photographs and line drawings of the original.