XVII
Through tortuous little streets they finally arrived at the market-place which was situated in the center of the city. On the way they saw many men with a hand or foot cut off. They were thieves or transgressors who had concealed booty. The punishment meted by the caliphs for disobedience or violation of the laws promulgated by the prophet was horrible, and even for a trivial offense, such as smoking tobacco, the delinquent was whipped with courbashes until he bled or became unconscious. But the caliphs themselves observed these commands only seemingly; at home they indulged in everything, so that the penalties fell upon the poor, who at one blow were despoiled of all their goods. Afterwards there remained for them nothing to do but beg; and as in Omdurmân there was a scarcity of provisions they died of starvation.
A large number of beggars also swarmed around the provision stalls. The first object, however, which attracted the attention of the children was a human head fastened on a high bamboo set up in the center of the market-place. The face of this head was dried up and almost black, while the hair on the skull and the chin was as white as milk. One of the soldiers explained to Idris that that was Gordon's head. Stas, when he heard this, was seized by fathomless sorrow, indignation, and a burning desire for revenge; at the same time terror
